Examine some of the ways in which Marxists explain crime Essay

One way in which Marxists examine crime is the idea that they feel crime is inevitable in capitalism because capitalism in itself is criminogenic. Due to capitalism being based on exploiting the working class by using them as a means of making profit, this is therefore damaging to the working class and arguably explains why crime is committed. Due to the exploitation of the working class, which may lead to poverty and in some cases the only way to survive poverty, is by using crime in order to feed and clothe families. Crime may also be the only way the working class can compete in this world of consumer goods, encouraged by capitalist advertising, resulting in theft and robbery. Lastly the lack of control the working class have on their lives due to being controlled by their capitalist bosses and government can lead to frustration in the working class which in some situations can only be vented through violent crimes and vandalism. However this theory is floored as not all crime is committed by the working class and this theory does not take into account white collared crime such as tax fraud, therefore Gordon argues that crime is a rational response to the capitalist system and is therefore found in all social classes, even if the statistics say otherwise. Another Marxist idea that helps explain crime is Selective Enforcement. This is the idea that some Marxist do except that crime is widespread over all classes but the way in which the criminal justice system is applied, is unfair against those in working class and ethnic minorities. Whereas crime committed by the elite is ignored and treated with less severity. This is shown in Reiman’s book â€Å"The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison† the book shows that there is a disproportionally high rate of prosecutions against crime associated with the working class such a burglary and assault whereas crime typically committed by the rich such as tax evasion is treated with a more forgiving view in the justice system. This is could be argued to be due to the fact that people whom are more likely to commit tax fraud are affluent and therefore may have links in the justice system and can afford top lawyers. Neo Marxists are sociologist whom have been influenced by many ideas of traditional Marxists. Taylor agrees with agrees with the following Marxists theories on crime such as, the idea that capitalism exploits the working class, that the state enforces laws to benefit the higher classes and that capitalism should be replaced with a classless state in order for crime rates to decrease. However Taylor feels that that traditional Marxists are deterministic , for example traditional Marxists feel that workers commit crimes out of economic necessity. Whereas neo Marxists such as Taylor are anti-determinism and therefore feel that the reason why many of the working class commit crime is due to external factors such as anomie, subcultures and labelling. Due to this voluntarism view of the causes of crime, Taylor feels the working class aren’t just crime committing puppets and takes a micro approach to causes and looks at individual cases and argues whether external factors such as abu se at young age have taken on effect as to why crime is committed.

Economic Commentary: Public Good, Market Failure Essay

Paper Edition | Page: 5 Jakarta has long been infamous for its repeated floods, such as those that crippled the capital and all its government and economic activities last week. Over 15,000 people were displaced and the material losses from infrastructure destruction and damage inflicted on personal property have reportedly reached Rp 20 trillion (US$ 2 billion). The devastating impact of the disaster on government activities and public services under the central government’s auspices has revived a debate over the need for the country to move its capital from floodridden Jakarta. Even President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, according to his aides, has considered relocation of the capital, albeit as a last resort, as part of an all-out, comprehensive effort to solve the problems facing Jakarta. With or without major floods, which strike every five or six years, Jakarta can no longer sustain the population burden with all its consequences. The city no longer has space to provide housing to all of its nearly 10 million citizens or build roads for the 6 million cars and motorcycles thronging the capital. This is quite apart from the city’s lack of infrastructure to protect residents from disasters like the annual floods. Jakarta today is typified by frustrating traffic gridlock, slums that encircle high-rise buildings, makeshift huts built along riverbanks, food stalls and groceries that occupy sidewalks, traditional markets that spill onto public thoroughfares, clogged drains, illegal parking along busy streets and other forms of disorderliness resulting from the state of over-population. Not to mention the city’s crime rate, which tends to increase year-on- year. Every time Jakarta voters chose their leader, they elect a candidate who they consider able to live up to their high expectations, which of course gives them false hope. Jakarta has turned into a megalopolis without enough resources to deal with its gigantic problems and challenges. What the founding fathers failed to anticipate when they chose Jakarta as the capital city was perhaps its evolution as the country’s commercial hub. About 60 percent of the nation’s money circulates in Jakarta, where foreign companies assign their representatives. Many countries have become aware of the problems in developing their capital city as both the center of government and the heart of economic activities. Then they have got to the point where relocating the capital city becomes unavoidable. Brazil did it in 1960 when it moved its capital from densely populated Rio de Janeiro to newly built Brasilia City, our Southeast Asian neighbors Malaysia and Myanmar moved their capitals to Putrajaya and Naypyidaw in 1999 and 2005 respectively. Indonesia moved its capital to Yogyakarta from January 1946 to December 1949 due to the war of independence. In that time Bukittinggi in West Sumatra also briefly served as the capital city when founding president Sukarno established an emergency government prior to his arrest by the Dutch between December 1948 and June 1949. Unless Jakarta takes drastic measures to shore up its increasing burden, Indonesia will have to consider an alternative capital. Sooner or later saying good-bye to Jakarta will no longer be a matter of choice, but of necessity. Commentary: The article tells us about the recent flood in Jakarta, which has brought huge impacts to the nation financial cycle. The flood was happened because many factors, but the most significant factor is because the lack maintenance of the flood controls system in Jakarta. The capacity of the drains has not been maintain to what level it should be. Therefore, due to heavy rain during the rain season the flood control system could not handle the pressure which resulting the massive flood in most of part the city. Public Good is defined as a good that is both non-excludable and non-rivalrous. Nonrivalrous; its consumption by one person does not reduce consumption by someone else; Non-excludable; it is not possible to exclude someone from using the good. Flood in Jakarta happened because the government has created a market failure since they have under provided the flood control system in Jakarta. The flood control system is an example of an environmental public goods: flood cont rol system, which nobody would provide on their own, even though everybody benefits from it being available. This suggests that since flood control system is a public good (because it is over consume, and underprovided based on what is needed for society) it clearly shows that it is an example of a market failure. Since the market fails to allocate resources to the production of the public goods it means that there are external costs. The article mentioned that the flood has resulted massive looses: over 15,0000 people were displaced and material losses from the city infrastructure, damage inflicted on personal property have reportedly reached Rp 20 trillion (US$ 2 billion). About 60 percent of the nation’s money circulates in Jakarta, where foreign companies assign their representatives; the flood has also interrupted the economic activities, as Jakarta is the â€Å"heart of economic activities† Through this tragedy there are different effect resulted. Seeing the disaster, we could clearly see the disadvantages. Most Jakartans living in flood-prone areas will probably answer mud or garbage after the flood, Citizen loss their property, illness such as fever and other water-borne diseases has also spread wildly.It means, there are external cost needed to recover houses and infrastructure as well as for the health care. In the other hand, other stakeholder got more benefit : trash picker and food seller on the street. Local news reported that the trash picker help to picked up motorcycle from one point to another; they got paid for Rp. 20.000/one way. The food seller on the street increases their income as there is increase in consumer,people were trying to see the flood from closed distance. Jakarta’s government must step in to ensure that flood control systems are produced at socially desirable levels. The flood control system should be provided up to the point where MB=MC so the flood would not be happen again and it would not interrupt the economic sector as well as creating disadvantage for the whole citizen. There are many ways to correct the market failure. Government could make an effective legislation to limit number of urbanization. As we know, Jakarta does not have an appropriate city planner. People build shift huts in the area where it is inappropriate such as the riverbanks. These people are not paying for the house tax since their house is also illegal. This will distort the city infrastructure and also decrease government revenue since they are not paying tax. Government could also do implication of direct provision in using economic criteria to determine which public goods and in what quantity of the public good should be produced. To make government direct provision to be happen, tax should be imply. With implying indirect tax government will increase the revenue which could be use for the spending on public goods, in this case is to increase the number the flood control system and maintain its quality. In long run, this issue will add another problem including the nation government and economic sectors. Based on the article, the President of Indonesia has stated there would be a probability of relocation of the capital. This will bring huge cost on all government, public services, and the whole economic activity within the country, unless the flood issue in being solved. Works Citied: â€Å"Editorial: Good-bye Jakarta.† Jakarta Post. N.p., 26 Jan. 2013. Web. 01 Feb. 2013. Tragakes, Ellie. â€Å"Market Failure.† Economics for the IB Diploma. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2009. 119+. Print.

Research on Ginger in Meghalaya

Report on the field study of Ginger and Turmeric in Meghalaya PREFACE Meghalaya is a state which is rich in natural resources, be it from flora to fauna to the mineral resources, the state has it in abundance. Agriculture, including crop and animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry and agro processing constitutes the very basis of socio economic lives of India. One of the major activities in the state is cultivation of horticulture crops which includes that of Ginger and Turmeric.Ginger is being predominantly grown in Ri Bhoi District while almost the whole belt of Jaintia Hills, the best quality of Turmeric found in the whole country with the reported cucurmin content up to 7. 6%. However amidst plenty of what we have, there are too many missing links in between for the state to realize the full potential in terms of commercial activities in revenues and most importantly to address the issues of the farmers to increase the income for better livelihoods in the villages.Therefore the mar ket access team from MBDA along with the staffs of Appropriate Technology India (ATI) made a visit to some of the important cultivation belt of ginger and turmeric of Ri Bhoi District and West Jaintia Hills District for assessment of production which includes cultivation practices as well as understanding the organic practices for the potential of organic certification for premium pricing of the products, post harvesting and processing aspects as well as marketing aspects for improving livelihood security in the state.The visit was spanned in six days and within these six days; the program was conducted in the following order: 12th February 2013 On this day the team comprising of three interns from MBDA and five ATI workforce under the supervision of Mr Iai Majaw, the Horticulture Officer with the Government of Meghalaya, left Shillong at around 10 AM and visited the Ginger belt of Ri Bhoi District. Firstly we visited the farm house which is located next to the Highway to Guwahati a t Umsning. There we met and interacted with around twenty five ginger cultivators in and around Umsning.These villages are located within the distance of 1 to 3 kilometers from Umsning. The farmers start sowing ginger from the last week of April throughout the month of May. We came to know that they inherited the ginger cultivation practices from their fore fathers seeing that the climate is conducive for the crop to thrive and that there is a market for all of their produce from year to year. The main area of concern for them is that, the plant is frequently getting infected with root and stem rotting, thus spoiling their effort in time and money.Stem rot is more frequent than root rot and occurs in between the months of June to September. They don’t have any solution to tackle these kind of infections, the only activity that they do is to uproot the whole crop and throw it as far as possible from the cultivation land and sometimes even burning that particular crop but it se ldom help the cause as the infection will start to spread to the whole row and even at times the whole field. They practiced Jhum cultivation with the belief that it softens the soil and helps in the ploughing activity.They also have a fair idea of the reason behind crop rotation and practiced it once in 3 years. They do give manure to the crop once in a while in the form of poultry, pig and cow droppings. They said that they have received training from the horticulture officers but most of the time they apply those methods being taught to them in the beginning phase but revert back to their traditional method of cultivation. They stored the seed in a proper way and have no problem with the occurrence of seed spoilage before the cultivation period.The nearest market for them is the Umsning market which is being held once a week. At the weekly market, traders which are middle men come to purchase their crop at rates of 1,100 – 1,200 rupees per 40 kgs which is a standard unit o f weight being applied in terms of ginger and turmeric in the whole area. However, when they feel that a better price is available at Iewduh market in Shillong or when there is a need to go Shillong for personal work, they carry along the ginger which fetched them a price of around 1,500 – 1,600 per 40 kgs.From there the team moved to Sohpdok village which is approximately 5 kms from Umsning. Here we interacted with the headman of the village and around 15 farmers in the processing unit which is next to the SSA school premises and found out that the ginger cultivation was enlarge by the intervention and help of RRTC, Umran. There are 3 driers, 2 slicers and 1 pulveriser at the processing unit which is not yet functional as they have just received the machines from North Eastern Hill University.The problems and practices regarding the cultivation practices are the same as the ones which have been described above. However, the people said that they rate of ginger that they sell at the village when traders come to collect from the village is around 900 – 1,000 rupees per 40 kgs. The last visit for the day was at Regional Resource Training Centre (RRTC) Umran, which is run by the Catholic Church and presently headed by Father James.The center spans around 400 acres campus and facilitates in imparting training to various livelihood and entrepreneurship program and one of the main activities is the food processing centre which includes turmeric and ginger processing. The ginger after undergoing a series of treatment which includes peeling, trimming, weighing, washing, and processing by boiling with citric acid is then mildly dried and mixed with fine sugar in specific proportions and then properly dried and added with sugar to add as topping. It is then packed and labeled as Ginger Candy.The ginger candy is retailed at an MRP of 35 rupees for 100gms. When asked about the costing, the staff who is taking care of the processing unit said that the whole c ost of labour and various activities from start to finish is around 120 – 150 rupees/kg, while the retail cost is 350 rupees/kg thus making a profit of 200 rupees/kg. The ginger is also converted into powder form firstly dipping the dried ginger in Sodium Carbonate solution to increase the shelf life of the product and then grind to powder and packed.The same goes for turmeric which is simply grind into powder form and retailed at the stores. Their main area of concern is marketing, which they say they have a limited penetration to the market through their retail outlet next to the national highway and some retail shops in and around Shillong. 13th February 2013 The team left for Nongpoh and along with the existing ERPs of MBDA went to Umkon village which is 23 kms away from it. Here we interacted with just around 5 farmers as there is a funeral in the village. Almost each and every ousehold practice ginger cultivation in large scale and turmeric cultivation for their own con sumption on a lower scale. Almost all of the households exceed 500 kgs of ginger production in a year with some of them going up to 3 or 4 tonnes. The main market is at Umden in which the price of the ginger is around 1,000 rupees/40 kgs while the seed is being sold at 35 rupees/kg. The seed is being sold among the farmers from nearby areas and new farmers while the raw ginger is being bought by middlemen and commission agents who then supply either to Guwahati or Kolkata directly.The main areas of concern for the farmers is again the same issue of their inability and lack of knowledge how to tackle diseases such as stem and root rot. However, they shared their success story of how ginger cultivation has improved the general living conditions in and around the area. There is no value added activity for the ginger being produced in the area. Then at around 4 pm we left for Byrnihat to visit the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd (NERAMAC).There is a process ing plant to extract ginger oil from fresh or raw ginger. The plant capacity is around 3 to 5 tonnes per day, yielding 1. 5 liters of oil which retails at 7000 – 9000 rupees/liter. The major problem that they are facing is the availability of raw ginger as most of the ginger which is produced within the region is being sold to middlemen at a higher rate. 14th February 2013 The team left Shillong at around 8 AM for the turmeric belt of West Jaintia Hills District.We stationed at CTC hotel and then under the supervision of Mr Lyngdoh, a horticulture officer with the Govt. of Meghalaya, proceeded to Wahiajer village where we interacted with 2 farmers, one farmer just started the ginger cultivation activity since he saw that there is a market and the soil is very good for ginger to grow, so keeping in mind of the above factors he started cultivating ginger and after harvesting the produce, decided not to sell any of it but to keep it as seed for the next year.When we arrived ther e we interacted with him and asked him to show us the place where the seed is being store and when he dug up some of the seed, even though the ginger quality and size is good, it was found that the whole ginger is moist and wet and infected with fungus, budding has also begun to take place. He said that he has received no training on how to cultivate, harvest and store the ginger so he is not aware of what procedures and process to follow.Then we told him to take out the whole lot of ginger stored there and to dry it in the shade and treat it with organic chemicals which might be available at the horticulture office in the block. Being a starter in the activity he is unaware of the whole system, except the price that he might get if he is to sell the product at the local market. He also practices slash and burn cultivation like the rest of the farmers are doing in the whole area.We then met with another farmer who has been practicing the ginger cultivation activity for quite some ye ars but he confessed that he is quite disheartened with the activity as there is no help from the government side in monetary terms nor in training facilities, so he is contemplating of shifting his cultivation activity from ginger to that of tomato as there is a better market currently prevailing in the whole area. The horticulture department is also neglecting the ginger farmers in the area while promoting that of the tomato.We then proceed to Laskein grinding and processing centre which has a Federation comprising of 9 clusters, 30 villages and around 100 SHGs. The Unit was set up in 2007 with the objective of improving livelihood and income within the area. The processing unit was set up with the help of MRDS which also helps in the training of man power as well as marketing activities. The unit is well equipped with Dryers, Slicers, Pulverisers and for the first time this year an Oil extractor machine is being set up which will be functional from this year onwards, the staffs a lso are yet to get training how to utilize the machine.The steps in the processing of ginger in the unit here are as follows: WASHING BOILING SLICING DRYING GRINDING PACKAGING The production of turmeric powder last year was around 3 tonnes and this year they aimed at a higher quantity. Each and every cluster of villages which falls under the association have a commitment to bring the produce of raw turmeric to the processing centre and the Federation buys it at a rate of 30 rupees/kg, when the turmeric is being sold in powder form at 250 rupees/kg as of last year, 230 rupees is being given back to the farmer and 20 rupees is being kept by the federation.The packaging is done in quantities of 1/4th kg, ? kg and 1 kg for the local market while it is packed in gunny bags of 40 kgs each for the lot which is supposed to be transported to Guwahati. 15th February 2013 The team accompanied by Mr Remi from MRDS went to Umsalait village which falls under Iakitlang cluster, comprising of two v illages, Umsalait and Umsaroo which has 245 and 70 households respectively. There are 6 SHGs in the cluster, out of which 5 groups consist of women and 1 group that of men.The team interacted with around 30 farmers and learnt that they have been practicing the cultivation of turmeric from generation which they inherited from their forefathers but increased the activity to a larger scale as soon as they see that there is a market and it contributes to the generation of income activity. The problems faced by the farmers are almost the same throughout the state in which the major issues are that of diseases and not knowing how to tackle them.They are quite grateful to MRDS which helped them in imparting knowledge and funds even if it’s in small mount, the intervention has helped them to increase their income for a better living conditions. 16th February 2013 The team visited Mr W. Nongspung processing centre situated at Laitkor which is roughly 12 kms from Shillong. Mr Nongspung took advantage of the PMEGP scheme from DIC, Shillong and set up his processing centre there.However, fewer spices products are being processed at his unit since he only supply dry turmeric to a company in Guwahati known as Amalgamated Plantations, located at Christian Basti on a commission basis. His commission stands at 20 rupees/kg. He supplies around 30 tonnes of dry turmeric in a year and the company financed the money entirely in advance. Owing to this, he processed dry turmeric at a very less amount. He then started processing fruit juices such as star fruit, cherry as well as pickling of ginger, radish, chillies and bamboo shoots.His products have Organic tags along with them, while there is no proof of paper work that his products are organic certified. He sources the packaging materials from Industrial estate in Guwahati and get the label locally printed in Shillong. According to him, the major difficulty he is facing is that he doesn’t know how to market his produ cts in a big way and he has no idea about branding at all OBSERVATIONS Below are the few parameters of observation prevailing in the production areas where the team has visited a) AREA AND PRODUCTIONMost of the households in the villages which fall under the area that we have visited do not have a fair idea of the size of their respective plot under ginger and turmeric cultivation. From the conversation that we had we could make out that the minimum area of cultivation per family is around 1 acre up to 4 to 5 hectares. As far as production is concerned, the quantity that each household produces ranges from 750 kg to 5 tonnes. b) LAND USE The land that is used is normally rotational and at times shifting and bun cultivation is a normal practice which is traditional in nature.The area to be cultivated is first covered with the soil on top of the leaves and then slowly burned and often left overnight so as to soften the soil in the ploughing process thus easing the tilling process. Thi s practice also helps in sterilization of the soil. The agricultural land is mostly owned and controlled by individual farmers and some of them have been leased by people who are not engaged in agricultural activities who are mostly traders or government servants or who have migrated from the village on a nominal fee or in exchange for the products the cultivate. ) LAND PREPARATION Ginger and turmeric is normally cultivated in slopes and terrains under the shade of some trees. The land is normally not ploughed but just holed and dug up to 6 to 7 inches for the seed to be buried inside. Very few farmers added manure of animal dung to the crop while the rest just leave it as it is. There are no proper irrigation facilities to retain the water content during the rainy season, thus leaving the crop to absorb as much water as ossible during the rainy season and dried throughout the rest of the months. d) SELECTION OF SEED After the harvest is done, rhizomes which are large, healthy, free from any injury spots and more buds are selected to be stored as seed. The seeds in the case of turmeric are simply stored under the shade above the ground and normally very few infections would occur on turmeric seed, whereas in the case of ginger it is more complicated as the seed is normally infected with fungus and budding usually takes place before the sowing season.The method of storage is traditional in practice as the seed is stored under a pit dug below the ground and simply covered with a thin layer of soil thus attracting moisture and fungus to infect the seed. There are many cases in which farmers have complained that the seed gets spoiled before the sowing season starts. e) PLANTING Planting is usually done in the month of April to May just at the start of the rain. The rhizomes are planted in about 6 inches apart from each other and 6 to 8 inches deep and then covered with soil. During plantation the rhizomes are broken and make sure that they at least have 4 to 6 bud ding sprouts.The turmeric and ginger is normally cultivated along some other vegetables in the field such as beans, maize and pumpkin. f) HARVEST The harvest is done in when the crop attains maturity, the sign given by the death of the stem and leaves. It usually starts from early November and goes till the end of January. The seed is normally left till end of February to attain maximum maturity. Farmers also sometimes look at the market demand and when they know that there is a demand for the product in the market, they normally harvest the crop as and when required. ) MARKETING The marketing of ginger and turmeric usually happens in weekly local markets which are near to the villages and sometimes at Iewduh, in Shillong. Commission agents, middle men and traders purchase the products at a wholesale rate from local markets and then sort out and grade the lot according to the quality and packed them in gunny bags to be transported outside the state. In case of turmeric, trade happen s mostly as a dry material in the form of slices or in powder, whereas in case of ginger trade happens at the raw or fresh ginger state.Thus we can see that the middlemen control the market of ginger and turmeric in the whole state. h) COSTING 1) Cultivation-(umsalait) For 1 hectare land, they need around 10 people for 60 days and labour cost is Rs 200/day. (a) Labour 10 x 60 = 600 (b) Labour Cost 600 x 200 = Rs 1,20,000 (c) Seed Cost Rs 30 x 2000kg = Rs Rs 60,000 ————————————————————————– DIRECT TOTAL COST = Rs 1, 80,000The production from 2000kg seed is around 5 tonnes. And the cost of raw turmeric is Rs 30/kg PRODUCTION OUTPUT= 30 x 5000 = Rs 1, 50,000 Therefore we can see that the expenditure exceeds sale, thus instead of benefitting from the agricultural activity, the farmers are suffering losses, which th ey cannot understand as there is no costing method being followed. 2) Processing-(laskein) Cost of raw turmeric is Rs 30/kg. if 100kg is taken for processing, then cost of procuring raw turmeric will be Rs 3000. kg of raw turmeric when dried will produce only 1kg. Therefore 100kg will produce 17kg of dried turmeric. a) Cost of dried turmeric = 3000 / 17kg = Rs 176/kg b) Other Indirect Cost = Rs 100/kg (sorting, washing, drying, slicing, grinding, packaging, transportation, electricity bills and other miscellaneous fee) ___________________________________________________________ TOTAL COST PER KG = Rs 276SELLING PRICE OF 1kg POWDERED TURMERIC = Rs 250 Thus over here we can also see expenditure exceeds sale which results in a loss for the farmers. From the above analysis, it can be concluded that there is a need to reduce the DIRECT COST and to increase the Seed to Production Output in order to generate higher revenue. Interventions like introduction of power tillers, is not feasible because the cultivated areas are located in far away terrain and slopes, which are not motorable. ORGANIC PRACTICES AND SCOPE OF CERTIFICATIONAs the method of cultivation in the whole state is mostly organic in nature and with the awareness on importance of organic certification that organic products fetches a premium price in the market, there is a need to promote and to create awareness among the farmers to opt for organic certification so as to increase their income from selling their products. While discussing with various farmers, it is found out that organic farming, although practiced, is mostly done using traditional methods which consist mainly of slash and burn and composting.However, the â€Å"slash and burn† method is not considered as organic method because it kills the microbes which fertilize the field. Also, they have no access or awareness about organic pesticides like Trichogramma which is available from the State Biological Control Laboratory in Shillong. And Trichoderma which is use mainly for Ginger and Turmeric is still in the testing stage and will be available shortly. Some of the reasons that the farmers have not under gone organic certifications are mentioned below- 1) No awareness about organic certifications and its potential. ) The farmers have not received any training methods regarding organic farming. 3) They are also not aware of the market and its demand for organic products. 4) The certification process is quite long which takes up to three years. On top of that, the certificate has to be renewed every year. 5) It is also quite expensive. PROBLEMS FACED BY THE FARMERS/ PRODUCERS AT PRODUCTION LEVEL 1) Low yield of the horticultural crops in which the ratio is 1:2. ) Prevalence of bacterial and fungal infections which affect both stem rot as well as root rot 3) Unsuitable farming practices with poor drainage system to retain water 4) Very seldom crop rotation to replenish soil nutrients 5) Jhum cultivation in which the soil microorganisms died in the process 6) No organic manure is being given to the crops 7) There is no treatment of the seed before sowing 8) There is no capacity building measures being taken to tackle infections and other diseases.POST HARVESTING AND PROCESSING ASPECTS 1) 99% of the farmers sell ginger as a raw produce while turmeric is often converted to dry slices or at times into powder form but at a lower scale. 2) The market is being dominated by the middle men 3) There is no system of grading the ginger based on size and quality 4) The seed to be stored is not harvested at the right time so as it is mature enough to resist spoilage and not properly dried to resist fungal infection 5) Lack of knowledge and training how to store the seed ) Lack of knowledge regarding value addition activities which will fetch a premium price 7) Lack of appropriate technology and infrastructure in many aspects of modern storage. SUGGESTIONS FOR TRAINING/MBDA INTERVENTION CULTIVATION LEVEL 1) Treatment of the seed with organic chemicals such as Trichoderma, one day before sowing to control any seed infection later on. 2) Use of organic compost manure to increase the yield and productivity 3) Proper inter-culture activities from month to month ) Digging of horizontal drain-like pit of about ? ft depth perpendicular to the cultivation rows in terrain areas for water and manure retention. 5) Training in capacity building measures to tackle infections and diseases of both root and stem. 6) Practicing rotation cultivation of turmeric and ginger with leguminous plants on a yearly basis to replenish the nitrogen content of the soil 7) The seed which has to be stored needs to be harvested when it has matured. POST HARVESTING ) Grading and segregating the harvest if needed 2) Proper drying of the seed for a week under the shade to avoid moisture content in order to prevent fungus infection during storage. 3) Modern method of storage to maintain the health and freshness of the see d, by digging a hole up to 1 ? ft deep inside the ground and covered with lumps of soil up to 1 ft height and then plaster with a thin layer of wet mud to prevent entry of moisture. 4) Costing method should be taught. 5) Record keeping and internal assessment. ) Awareness of the importance of value addition process post harvesting. 7) Exposure visit. 8) The officers at various levels in District headquarters should play a pro-active role in imparting training and looking at various aspects where there could be an intervention. CONCLUSION In both cases of Turmeric and Ginger, there is hardly any value addition that is being done in the State. Middlemen control the market and influenced the fluctuation in price of both these items.In the case of Ginger alone, except for a meager percentage which gets converted into Ginger Candy at Regional Resource Training Centre (RRTC), Umran and North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd (NERAMAC), Byrnihat, there is no other val ue addition activity being practiced in the State. The whole amount of raw ginger is being packed into sacks of gunny bags of 40kgs and transported directly to Guwahati and Kolkata, thus we are deprived of the real value of what ginger could have fetched if proper knowledge, skills and machineries are being set up for value addition activities within the state.Whereas in terms of Turmeric, people are more aware of the better price which powder turmeric fetches in the market. Beside few turmeric processing units at the village level which were set up by Self Help Groups (SHG) at the cluster or village level, such as one at Laskein Block in West Jaintia Hills and smaller individual Grinding units at Shangpung and Laitkor, there are many small entrepreneurs who take their produce of dry turmeric to grind at any of these grinding units and sell at local markets as well as in the main market, Iewduh in Shillong.Of what we observed, most of the farmers involved in cultivation of turmeric and ginger, are women which comprises of around 70 percent workforce, the men are usually involve during ploughing activity which is more related to strength but as soon as the sowing season started they shifted to other kinds of works or migrated to other villages in search of work. Thus there is a lot desired and to be done in order to improve livelihood security through integration in growth value chains and market linkages in Meghalaya. ______________________________________________________________________

The Physical and Intellectual Isolation of the Americans Research Paper

The Physical and Intellectual Isolation of the Americans - Research Paper Example Communication has not only helped to raise the revenue of the Americans but also helped to reduce the communication gap, communication also improved between the rural and urban areas and this helped quite a lot in improving the economic conditions of the state and also in minimizing and eliminating the isolation of the people of America. With the introduction of the electricity in the rural areas by the Rural Electrification Act given by President Franklin technology greatly advanced as a result of which isolation and communication gap between the rural and urban areas reduced and have finally reduced to zero. With the introduction of electricity in the rural areas the people of these areas got access to television, computer, internet, industry and other sectors and due to this, research and advancements in the other fields greatly improved. The introductions of electricity brought advancements in many fields and also lead to the development and invention of many other appliances and devices. It has also contributed to bringing an end to the isolation of the American people by using electronic consumer goods (Oppenheimer, 2003). Slowly and gradually the Americans became addicted to technology as they observed that it was technology that helped them to come out of the dark ages and also to eliminate and completely eradicate isolation from the people of America. The most important benefit of technology is in the field of communication. Technology has also helped to aid the military operations and helped to win wars. The introduction of computers and internet helped to improve communication and fill up the communication gap between the people of America and the world. In this century technology has completely bridged the gap between the people and social isolation. Means of communication have increased to a quite a numbers like e-mail, chatting, communication through the internet, telephone, etc.  

Economy situation in Poland before and after EU funding Dissertation

Economy situation in Poland before and after EU funding - Dissertation Example It is from these debates that Poland has reinvented itself, thus attaining the title of a modern European state that possesses a liberal political system that is democratic and sustainable market Economy (Cox and Myant 1). According to Bache, Poland has a record of the largest entrant to the European Union in the year 2004. In 1989 after the era of communist had ended, Poland undertook a territorial restructuring period. The membership position held by Poland in the European Union has helped the Poles to restructure as well as uphold their economy (Bache 73). One of the greatest success story attributed to the post-communist transformation in Poland is the high rate at which the small as well as the private companies are emerging over the last 20 years. 69% of employment as well as 60% of turnover are among the benefits of the small and medium sized enterprise to the Polish economy. The entry and the exit levels of enterprises, whose large percentage is the small ones, are higher in Poland than the average EU (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 11). Literature Review Poland’s economy before the EU funding Europa publications Limited indicate that before its incorporation into the European Union, Poland had at the time had a population of about 40 million people. In addition to this, Poland was relatively poor especially in terms of aggregate, as their income per head was a third of the EU’s average. Poland provided incentives to non European members e.g. the special tax concession provided to Korean car manufacturers (Europa publications Limited 3). The Polish government had established an agency prior to joining the EU in the year 2000. The aim of this agency, which was known as the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP), was to offer active support to entrepreneurs in Poland thus improving the country’s economy. The main function of the PARP was to manage the funds of entrepreneurship that were granted by the state. This agency upon incorporation to the European Union also mandated was with the task of managing funds granted by the EU for entrepreneurship (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 131). In the year 1997, Poland had already experienced continuous economic growth that lasted for five years. This was attributed to the reduction of industrial output during the transition period. Crucial steps had been undertaken to ensure that inflationary pressures experienced in 1990s were eliminated. In addition to this efforts had been made in redirecting Poland’s exports away from old communist bloc and towards the EU markets (Europa publications Limited 62). In the late 1970s, Poland had suffered an economic crisis. Its external finances indicated vast deficits of payment as its domestic economy fell in disarray. Poland had to find a way of arresting the situation before it could get out of hand as the interests were accumulating. The Authorities then decided on the modernization and investment strategy as the way forward (Marer et al 3). Dramatic changes in Poland have always caught the attention of the world. In 1989 the government in power transformed the existing centrally planned economy into a free market. In 1990 the price controls in majority of the products were scraped off. These were some of the

Norman v Future Publishing Limited Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Norman v Future Publishing Limited - Essay Example The appellant’s original complaint went as stated in the originating Statement of Claim went on to allege that the publication of the words used had the result of placing the appellant into â€Å"ridicule, mockery and contempt.†Ã‚  Ã‚   It was also alleged that the words used in the publication had caused serious injury to the appellant’s â€Å"personal and professional reputation and in any event to her feelings.†   Lord Buckley, the judge at first instance struck out Norman’s Statement of Claim, essentially ruling that the words used, when taking together with the entire article could not be construed in the manner pleaded by Norman.   Norman then appealed to the Court of Appeal against the lower court’s decision under Order 82, Rule 3A of the Rules of Supreme Court, 1994 which provides that any party to a defamatory action may apply to a judge in chambers for an order â€Å"determining whether or not the words complained of are capabl e of bearing† certain meanings or the meanings complained on in the originating process.   The Order goes on to provide that if the judge upon hearing such an application agrees that the words complained of are not capable of â€Å"bearing the meaning† alleged in the pleadings he is at liberty to â€Å"dismiss the claim or make such other order as he deems just and fair.   The Court of Appeal went on to state that although appeals under this Order are typically discouraged,   when the result of the order is to dismiss the action altogether as it did in Norma’s case, or to take away from the jury the consideration.

Management of Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management of Technology - Essay Example One of the most pressing issues that Carnegie faces as an international firm is the issue with currency. Carnegie has been impacted by foreign currency fluctuations and interest rate changes. This has created a situation where international firms like Carnegie have to be very cautious financially. Tracking certain economic factors is also important during the development of your plan. A variable such as determining the optimal deployment date of a very expensive advertising campaign is critical. By tracking the economic status of the market you intend to do business, you are able more accurately predict consumer response. The following are some of the most commonly tracked economic indicators and what they measure: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the total market value of all goods and services produced within a country during a given period of time, usually one year. Consumer Price Index (CPI) is an index that measures changes in the price of a basket of typical consumer goods. Society shapes our beliefs, values, and norms. People absorb, almost unconsciously, a worldview that defines their relationships to themselves, to others, to organizations, to society, to nature, and to the universe. Carnegie offers a very Marxian approach to the matter: the necessity for people to collaborate together as a group and face and subsequently confront the problems of class inequalities which are determined around the composition of the relations of power which consistently underplay the importance of the sense of justice in the society has certainly not decreased. Political: The political and legal environment is composed of laws, government agencies, and special interest groups that strongly influence the risks associated with marketing decisions. The main issue Carnegie has had to content with revolves around labor malpractice allegations. Carnegie has been involved in many lawsuits that also threaten its reputation; however, it has not been indicted in any of these said lawsuits. Technological: Technology is so important to Carnegie that they incorporated it into their mission statement. In the mission statement, technology is inferred in the word "innovation". To foster this innovation the company pours enormous sums of money into research and development to keep Carnegie on the cutting edge; symptomatic of an entrenched belief within itself that "As human potential evolves, so must our products, we must be committed to the very best performance product. Products of pure imagination, products that move the needle of performance, and products that help us be the athletes we know we are." (Carnegie Corporation, 2009) Ecological: Having an ecological awareness has

Finance assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance assignment - Case Study Example Often times, the human resource management (HRM) department is considered inferior to other departments like finance and marketing, as it does not contribute to the revenue generation of the organization directly (Davis, 2011). This paper focuses on the financial aspect of the human resource management as it discusses its importance in the organization. It highlights the fact that HRM department is wrongly underrated, because it also contributes to the revenue of the firm. In this study, the case of John Lewis Partnership has been highlighted to point out the financial importance of the HRM in an organization. The human resource management (HRM) is described simply as proper allocation of human capital in the right time and in right place. By the proper allocation of the work force in all the departments, an organization is able to increase the overall efficiency of the firm (Lundy, 2008). The increased efficiency eventually leads to higher revenue generation and avoids resource wastage by inefficient usage. Thus it is clear that the financial importance of the HRM lies in the efficient use of human resources in such a manner that the financial investment made in the HR department gives proper return. The return on investment of the HR department is determined by the financial output of all the other departments and the organizational output as a whole (Price, 2011). According to Woods (2012) John Lewis partnership (JLP), unlike any other retail firm, is run by the employees who pose as the partners of the business operation. The management is run by a trust which operates on behalf of the employees. JLP has put the HR department in the in the centre of the management decision making. The HR department is prioritized so much that Andy Street, one of the personnel director made his way to the position of Managing Director (Cunliffe and Craik, 2014). The concept of partnership allows the employees or partners to enjoy benefits from the

Development and Diversification of Living Organisms Assignment

Development and Diversification of Living Organisms - Assignment Example The complete set of genes within a living organism’s cell is called genotype. On the other hand, the complete set of physical characteristics that make up the structure of an organism is called phenotype. The limitations of these factors will inhibit the reproduction process, which of course results differ from one species to another because of the differences in characteristics that are inherited and environmental influences. This variation is also the result of a process called mutation, which is caused by radiation, viruses, and errors during DNA replication. Genes that arise by mutation and found at the same place on a chromosome is known as an allele. Thus, it can be said that evolution is the result of two opposing forces. According to Hardy-Weinberg’s Theory, the genotype and allele frequencies of a population will often remain in equilibrium, unless disturbing influences, such as mutation, is present. The equilibrium state is only possible when the genotype and allele frequencies do not change. This happens when a population has a large size, which prevents the occurrence of genetic drift, bottlenecks and founder effects. The equilibrium state also occurs when there is no mutation, as explained earlier and that random mating takes place, which is explained below. However, this is hardly the case. In other words, if the equilibrium state is violated by factors such as those mentioned above, then evolution will take place. The genotype and allele frequencies are influenced by environmental and cultural events. A given genotype frequency can occur with random mating in a single generation as this causes the evolution of a given species, which in turn produces a new equilibrium within that one generation. For instance, continuous random mating of a black-haired population will result in homozygotes. Such violations include inbreeding, assortative mating, and small population size. On the other hand, a change in allele frequency can occur when selection, mutation, and migration happen.

Crown Cork Seal Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crown Cork Seal Company - Case Study Example The strength of the Crown Cork Seal Company had appointed a leader known as McManus who was energetic and made rate of returns of the company to increase as it had previously suffered from heavy losses due to loss of patents. John Connell instituted the aspect of accountability through ensuring that its managers took control of all activities of the company in the right way .It also provided quality goods and served the customers in the right way (Bacon 102). The major weaknesses of the company were; reduction of patents for producing bottle caps for manufactures of soft drinks and brewing companies that lead to stiff competition from competitors in the industry. In April 1957, Bank Trust Company stated that it would not led it any more credit to run its operations thus was at the verge of bankruptcy. The company realized its opportunities through abandoning its paternalistic culture where the structure of the company was well made to accommodate the ideas of its employees in order to improve on its performance. John Connell set up strategies aimed at reducing the amount of debts through paying bank its debt by reducing its inventory and closing some of its plants that were not generating any income to the organization. The numbers of its staff were as they were not fulfilling their obligations as required thus led to poor performance of the company (Bacon 102). The small change of having may companies demanding for the can products did lead to the declining of the profit margin of the can manufacturing companies Porter's five forces analysis It is technical framework that is used to analyze an industry through studying the macroeconomic forces that are close to a company that has an ability to serve the customers in the best way possible as well as increase its sales returns. Strategy consultant uses this technique to evaluate that strategic position of a firm. The forces include; forces of horizontal competition such as threat of substitute products, threat of established firms and threat of new entrants. A vertical force of competition involves the bargaining power of both suppliers and customers of an organization (Grant 64). The metal industry consist of five firms such as American national Can ,Reynolds metal, Ball corporation, Corn cork seal, Van Dorn company, continental can and Heekin can companiys.These companies faced stiff competition from other companies that used aluminum and steel to make containers for packing their products. The company's included; Brewering Company's and soft drink bottlers. For instance the soft drink and brewering companies wanted to have greater economies of scale through having a suitable market share by obtaining price discounts for their packaging materials. The shrinking of customer base and overcapacity for the packaging materials led to the decline of profit margins of the manufacturing company while at the same time can manufactures had their profit margins declining due to offering discounts in order to protect their market shares in the industry (Grant 64). The company's facilities were dilapidated therefore could not generate income for the organization. The cost of production and transportation was quite high. The key issues that the company should be focused on include; dealing in product lines that are profitable since there were many companies in

Disaster Rehabilitation Complex Essay Example for Free

Disaster Rehabilitation Complex Essay Bamboo Hybrid Building Construction Material Foldable emergency houses through Bamboo Hybrid Building Construction Material. A revolutionary way of construction where the bamboos are being combined with structural Bolt Ball steel to act as struts (replacing the steel/aluminium material) and form as a structural joints to achieve stability and flexibility. Together with Contex-T: textile architecture, a fiber reinforced structural element that will act as the roofs and walls which provide good insulation, maximum flexibility in design and maximum mobility with a short construction period; and Liter of Light: soda bottle solar light, an innovative invention that will turn a soda bottle into a 50-60 watts light bulb during the day, which will be attached customarily to the bamboo struts in different areas of the foldable houses. -source; Building with Bamboo by Gernot Minke; WHAT IS THE PROJECT ABOUT? DESCRIBE. (STATEMENT OF USE/FUNCTION AND PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING BASED ON NBC) Philippine Red Cross Disaster Rehabilitation Complex: An Evacuation and Rehabilitation Facility under, Group D – Institutional (Government and Health Services) Division-1 No. 4 Principal use of The 2004 Revised IRR of P.D no. 1096 (as published by the DPWH), dedicated for the disaster and calamity victims, and also will become the new headquarters of   Red Cross; a development that will change the image of unsystematic and unorganized evacuation center in the Philippines that aims to educate people in their condition during calamities while providing them a complete set of recreational, medical, educational, conventional and administration facilities dedicated for their fully rehabilitation directly from Philippine Red Cross, while eliminating the issue of politics and providing an immediate response during and after the calamity. A formal evacuation center in the Philippines that can cater a huge amount of evacuees while providing them comfort, care and medical attention and a comfortable emergency houses through Bamboo foldable houses, where a locally found bamboo’s are being modified and turn it into a unique hybrid construction material where it is incorporated with structural bolt steel and organic fiber reinforced textile material that can provide a recyclable, flexible, and a faster installation while reducing the cost and maintaining the stability and the proper standards for an emergency houses. LOCATION (OPTIONAL) Tent City of Tacloban Marcos Highway cor. Amang Rodriguez Ave., Barangay Dela Paz, Pasig City. TARGET USERS: PRIMARY:Evacuees and victims of disaster and calamities SECONDARY:Volunteers Doctors Medical Staff’s TERTIARY: People in needs of medical assistant Security personnel Donors Visitors NO. OF USERS: (approximate no.) 100,000 Families OWNER(S) OR CLIENT(S): Philippine Red Cross PROJECT OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE OWNER (WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR THE PROJECT?) 1. To erase the image of the Philippine’s chaotic evacuation center 2. To provide new Headquarters of Philippine Red cross that will become a center of their public service and donations 3. To educate and raise the awareness of the people to the Emergencies, Calamities, and Disasters 4. To help people recover from their condition, in a faster service with a complete facility dedicated for them. 5. To reduce the health casualties occurring in the un-organized evacuation center. BUDGET/FINANCING SCHEME: The amount of financial funds will be according to the donations collected by the Philippine National Red Cross from the different organizations of the Government especially From Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) and from private sectors and individual charitable donations. Structural3,000 per square meter Electrical and telecoms1,000 per square meter Sanitary 2,500 per square meter Sprinkler1,000 per square meter Mechanical1,500 per square meter Architectural 5,000 per square meter Emergency houses550,000 (estimated cost of bunk houses of government) Note: the cost of land acquisition for the site is not yet included in the above mentioned costing.

Causes and Spread of Infection Essay Example for Free

Causes and Spread of Infection Essay 1.1Identify the differences between bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites Bacteria are a single celled organism that multiplies by themselves. The majority of bacteria’s are harmless and beneficial to the human body but some can cause infectious diseases. A bacterium usually affects one part of the body and doesn’t spread across or through the body. Bacterial infections are normally treated with a cause of antibiotics Viruses are made up of genes and proteins that spread throughout the body by invading the body’s own cells so they can reproduce and multiply in the body. They use the body’s cells as a host because they are unable to multiply on their own. They are normally spread directly from human to human. Fungi like to grow in warm, moist places. Some fungi can be beneficial to us such as penicillin, but certain types of fungi can be harmful to our health. Symptoms for fungal diseases can be as common as itching, coughing, fever, wheezing, but they can also be as serious as meningitis or even death. Parasites are organisms that use other organism for its survival. They draw nourishment and other needs from its host organism. Parasites that cause infection and disease are known as Pathogenic parasites. 1.2. Identify common illnesses and infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites Bacteria: Ecoli/food poisoning, MRSA, CDIF, Sickness and diarrhea Viruses: Common cold, Influenza, Chicken pox, Cold sores, HIV Fungi: Athletes foot, Thrush, yeast infections, Ring Worm Parasites: Tape worms, Scabies, Malaria 1.3 Describe what is meant by infection and colonisation Infection – is an invasion of a host organisms and bodily tissues by a disease causing organism. Colonisation – occurs when any one or more species populate a specific area. 1.4 Explain what is meant by systemic infection and localized infection Systemic infection – affects a number of organs or tissues or affects the whole body e.g. type 2 diabetes, aids and hyper tension. Localized infection – confined to one organ system or area in the body e.g. abscess, boil, sprain. 1.5 Identify poor practices that may lead to the spread of infection Not wearing personal protective equipment such as disposable gloves, disposable aprons, washing hands and disposing of clinical waste in the correct way.

Caryl Churchills Top Girls English Literature Essay

Caryl Churchills Top Girls English Literature Essay Caryl Churchill has a reputation for producing work that examined contemporary issues, often in challenging and confrontational ways and Top girls is no exception. It can be seen in the light of a feminist play due to the reoccurring question that comes up while reading the play of what it means to be a successful woman. Throughout this essay, I will show what is wrong with being a `top girl ´. At the beginning of the play you are introduced to the main character, Marlene, who is a top girl. A top girl being: a woman who is successful in her career. During the play you become aware that Marlene is at the peak of her career and has come a long way from working class to almost upper middle class but that she has made some sacrifices along the way to attain her position. First, she gave her child to her sister, Joyce (p. 80). Next to that, it appears that she has also sacrificed her personal life. She seems to have no real friends to invite to the dinner party and therefor invites historical women. Marlene also has difficulties to find a man that will accept her as the successful woman that she is and that will not try to change her into a `little woman ´ (p. 83). Although Marlene built herself up in her career and is an educated woman, in a different perspective, she is not a top girl. She was not able to manage everything she had and succeed while dealing with it all; hence leaving her child to her sister. According to Marlene she had to choose between her career and being a mother (p. 80). However, Marlenes sister Joyce has sacrificed her personal life and goals to raise her sisters child. Leaving us to question, what good is it being a top girl if its at the expense of other women? According to a feminist view of equality, drive, ambition and ability, Marlene should have been able to juggle her career and her motherhood. She should have not worried about missing out on opportunities. You can conclude at the end of the play that Marlene is not a feminist at all but that she is very much an individualist: `I believe in the individual ´ (p. 84). She worries about herself and her own needs instead of rising to her own personal responsibilities. She believes that everyone creates their own luck because, as she tells her sister Joyce, `Anyone can do anything if they ´ve got what it takes ´ (p. 86). Marlene is a manager at a top girl company and is holding interviews for people to work at the company. During the interviews you notice how ruthless and cold (p. 46) Marlene is in relation to the working world and to who is or is not qualified enough to get the position. You see her take the role of a very business-like male attitude (p. 31). She interrupts the interviewee during their meeting and is very direct in telling them whether they have potential to join the company or not (p. 30). Moreover, Marlene is very aware of her potential and believes that men and woman should have the same rights/opportunities. She makes this clear when she discusses with Howards wife, the man who lost the management position to her, about how the position was given to the most deserving person (p.p 58-59). Howards wife picks up on her male attitude and accuses Marlene of being masculine and unnatural (p. 59). Her co-workers hold the same view as Marlenes, in relation to rejecting the traditional female aspirations of starting a family, and they would rather focus on their careers like Marlene did (p. 58). One co-worker, Nell, does not want to get married (p. 48) and the other, Win, is having an affair with a married man (p. 45). In Act 2, scene 3 you hear Marlenes co-workers talking about their weekend. Win suggests that Nell could get married and continue working. Nells response is a very unnatural one; `or I could go on working and not marry him ´ (p. 48). She is happy to use men for her own pleasure but not to commit to any. When the play was written, in 1982, this response would have been seen more as a male response than a female due to the fact that this was far more a male attitude to have than a woman. All women in this company hold a very professional tone to themselves but they also all adopt very much a male role in relation to their careers and taking care of business (p. 46). Generally women want to settle and start a family, but because they are such business-like women they do not see the need of this and find themselves already fulfilled with their high ranking, successful jobs. Additionally none of the co-workers, like Marlene, are true top girls. They have adopted male behavior instead of developing their own woman inspired role models. They have not excelled in anything besides their career. What is also fallacious about these `top girls ´ is that they do not see men as equals at all and at times discuss their male clients with the term `pretty ´ (p. 50). This presents us with their very degrading view of how they see men in the business environment; however it also shows that they have enough confidence to address men in these terms. One of the aims of the Womans Liberation movement in the 1970s was to change the terminology used to address women such as, baby, sweetie, girl, bird†¦ Interestingly enough these `top girls ´, in the play, use the same terminology to call each other (p. 48, 64). It seems that to them it is ok to call each other these terms but not to have men call them that; which defeats the purpose of female equality and gives a sense of female superiority. You could also say that these top girls do not consider themselves as women but see themselves as successful `people ´ so they do not fall in the category of women fighting for/supporting that issue. Although all woman in the play, after the first act, that are considered as `top girls ´ are woman who have excelled in their career you could argue that Joyce, Marlenes sister, is somewhat a top girl herself. Despite the fact of not having a successful career she is the only character in the play that tries to manage her responsibilities. She has several different jobs, is raising her sisters child and still holds the responsibility of checking on her mother, like she informs Marlene `somebody has to ´ (p. 79). The first scene in the play shows what true top girls were before the feminist movement. It reveals the obstacles that they had to overcome and the freedom that woman nowadays have and take for granted. The women in the first scene are all women who have suffered in some way and have succeeded in being great without the need of going over other women to get there. They succeeded in the dominate-male world they lived in. This is the opposite of how Marlene has succeeded. Marlene succeeded at the expense of other woman. In Act 1 Marlene raises a toast To our courage and the way we changed our lives and our extraordinary achievements ´ (p. 13). The use of `we ´ and `our ´ are very significant; it shows that Marlene considers herself as a woman who has struggled for her success but that has finally gained personal fulfillment. On the contrary, the other women have been through much more than Marlene ever did. These past woman are the true top girls who have been through it all in order for the next generations of woman to be free and independent. It is striking that the only top girl that was obedient to men, Griselda, is the only one who is happy and pleased in her life. You could say that Griselda shows that virtue is its own reward. Marlene never waited for things and made things happen herself; which leads to an intriguing comparison between these characters. Griselda obeyed and waited and in the end is content and happy, while Marlene created her own success but abandoned other important things in her life to get there and is now unsatisfied. You see Marlenes dissatisfaction throughout the whole play, with her drinking, having abortions, not finding a suitable man and trying to make amends with her sister. In conclusion, the title is called `Top girls ´ with an `S ´. The play explores the different versions of `top girls ´ in different eras. These distinct versions of `top girls ´ demonstrates the diversity of womankind. The play demonstrates that women do not have only one quality or one thing that characterizes them like: career women, wives, mothers, daughters or sisters; they are complex individuals like any human being and have to juggle priorities and responsibilities to achieve what they consider to fulfill themselves. These varieties of qualities that women have and that are able to juggle with in life are what should make them a true top girl. Word count:

Two Nation: The War Continues... Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"So the question for white Americans is essentially moral: is it right to impose on members of an entire race a lesser start in life and then to expect from them a certain degree of resolution that has never been demanded from your own race?† With this question the author concludes his book. The book is called â€Å"Two Nations: Black and White, Separate, Hostile, Unequal.† The author is Andrew Hacker, a professor of political science at Queens College. He has written many books along with this one mostly dealing with race and other social problems faced in America. He believes that race plays a larger role in America than it does anywhere else in the world. The title has many sources and foreshadows some of the conclusions he makes in the book. The â€Å"two nations† being discussed are the White nation and the African-American (Black) nation. It has been said many times in history that the two major races in this country have been separ ate, hostile and unequal. It is interesting to find out what Mr. Hacker thinks about all of this as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book is separated into three parts. In the first part Hacker wishes to give the reader insight on how â€Å"we† define and divide people into races. He will also discuss what it feels like to be black in this country and why white Americans act the way they do to those of African-American descent. In the second part he will focus more on the role race plays in such areas as education, family life, economy, politics and crime. In the third section there are statistics based on race and an index. In the opening chapter of the book Hacker discusses the â€Å"origin† of races. Separation and the giving of names to peoples belonging to a group have been done since the first time differences in physical appearance began to appear. He argues that the Native Americans have been at a low population but the population suddenly increased when many individuals began to claim their race as being Native American. He also says that the race once known as â€Å"mongoloid† and other races from the Asian continent have all been combined and renamed by the majority white race to â€Å"Asian-American†. The author then discusses how ridiculous it is that the people in this country have designated everyone in the world to a separate group. Defining them before they can define themselves.   Ã‚   ... ...urban areas anymore. After going to public schools for almost 16 years I can say that there is a lot of segregation everywhere because people feel more comfortable among those of their own race. Does this mean that if there are a group of white kids hanging out together that they are racist? No, this just means that all they are is a group of kids. For someone to point out their race and the fact that they are all the same and then to judge them and their beliefs without knowing anything for sure is a racist statement in itself. Overall, Andrew Hacker is a good writer. I don’t agree with all of his beliefs but he makes a very good argument. There are many people that feel strongly about an issue and do not speak up. The admirable thing about Hacker is that he said what he feels and he is not scared to speak his mind. That is a respectable trait. Don’t you agree? â€Å"A huge racial chasm remains, and there are few signs that he coming century will see it closed. A century and a quarter after slavery, white America continues to ask of its black citizens an extra patience and perseverance that whites have never required of themselves† -Andrew Hacker (On the final paragraph of his book)

The Flea by John Donne and To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell Essay

The Flea by John Donne and To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell "The Flea" by John Donne is written in the 17th century as is "To his coy mistress" by Andrew Marvell. This we can see by the language used which was typical of that period in time "apt to kill me" and "yea" which are taken from the flea. Both poems also speak of virginity being very important, especially before marriage because if a woman had lost her "maidenhead" before, the husband would have the right to leave her without the need for a divorce. Both poems have the same theme of seduction. In "The flea" this is put across in each in three regular stanzas where as "To His Coy Mistress" is written in to sections. This is to convey that each stanza is still about the same subject because they are of similar lengths and writing style. The first stanza of "The Flea" conveys the message of how the flea has taken blood from both of their bodies and has combine it in the body of the flea, and so making them united as one "And in this flea, our two bloods mingled be". Donne's argument is based on this flea throughout the three stanza's and goes on to start his persuasion that the flea has had its pleasure in the form of food, and so why can they not enjoy in a sexual relationship and experience pleasure similar to what the flea has had, but without the trouble of wooing her leading on to marrying her. In the second stanza he then goes on to further push his argument (which at this time seems to be going quite well) that in the flea's "living wall of jet" they have been put together even though her parents have doubts "Though parents grudge" and are almost married (since their bloods have been combined and become one which, in that period of ... ... with her. However the type of love most people would like to feel is that in "Shall I Compare Thee" which displays a staggering amount of compliments for the lady in the poem. Overall these poems are very different in their portrayal of love, but each manage to convey it to the reader exceedingly well through use of structure (such as the dramatic monologue form of "My Last Duchess" that shows his self centeredness and control), language (such as the complementary language used in "Shall I Compare Thee"). Imagery is also used effectively (as in "First Love" when Clare describes himself as "winter" and girls as "flowers" to show that he does not comply with them). The actual content used is also very effective as in "To His Coy Mistress", where the syllogism and the tactics of complements and frightening are used to, what is in my opinion, good effect.

A Slice Of Life :: essays research papers

A Slice of Life Thump!Thump! There was a loud noise at the door, "Alright hold on, I'm coming." Tim yelled. Tim was in his early twenties, he had a blue mowhawk, always dressed shabby, and addicted to heroin. Tim walked to the door and opened it, "Yes." he said sarcastically. The man at the door asked if Gwen was home, "Are you Gwen's new boyfriend" Tim asked him. "Yes I am, my name is Tony" he replied. "Nice to meet you" Tim said. "No, Gwen is not here right now. I think she is still trying to get the job at that bar on 6th street" Tim replied. "Oh, well tell her that I came by and just to give me a call, OK?" Tony said. "One problem" Tim said. "Oh, and what's that?" Tony replied. "Didn't Gwen tell you?" Tim said "we don't have a phone, or a T.V or any other appliances, we are gutterpunks. Why do you think we live in this shed?" "Well I guess I will just come back later" Tony said with a strange look on his face. "Tim! Wakeup! " Gwen yelled. "Huh?" Tim replied. "Wakeup!," she yelled back. "Oh, OK" Tim yelled back. "That boy, Tony came by, looking for you, he thought we had a phone." Tim said chuckling. "You didn't tell him that we don't have a phone or the other stuff did you?!" Gwen yelled. "Um, well kinda yeah, why?" Tim questioned. " Why?" she yelled and stormed off. Gwen was the type of girl who didn't care what people thought of her, but she didn't like it when people would find out that she was poor. She had blonde hair, and was very thin. She wore sequined pants, and these funny looking shirts most of the time, unless she went out. "Gwen?, Mike, and Shirley are home. Look I'm sorry I told Tony." Tim said. "Send Shirley in." Gwen yelled back. "Shirley, Gwen wants you." Tim said. " I'll be right in" she yelled back. Shirley was an Irish girl whose parents had both died, and she was sent to America to live with her aunt, she ran away and met Mike. Shirley had red hair, and was also a weird dresser, she had a job at a library filing books. The pay was bad but she would accept anything, that would keep them alive. "I'm outside Gwen, come on out and we will talk." Shirley yelled into the shed. "What's wrong with her?" Mike asked. "Tim told her new boyfreind we were poor," Shirley replied.

The Effects of the Media on Body Image

The pressure to be thin has amplified significantly due to the growing influence of the media. Despite numerous of other factors that contribute to society's view of the ideal body image, the media by far has the largest influence on society through icons that constantly reinforce unrealistic beauty standards and idealize the thin. The media persistently glamorizes the extremely skinny, which greatly impacts how society views different body types. Pictures of impossibly thin models are continuously pasted all over billboards and magazines. The skinny are looked up to, and the obese are shunned. Popular television shows that include overweight characters depict them either as comical outcasts or failures. There is also an abundance of television programs that focus solely on overweight individuals attempting to lose weight. For instance, The Biggest Loser is a very successful television series and publishing enterprise which selects participants based on body size. According to John Whyte, MD, in â€Å"Media Portrayal of People Who are Obese,† â€Å"The Biggest Loser promotes the perception that obesity is caused by individual failure rather than a mixture of individual, environment, and genetic sources. The popular television show also suggests that obese people are fat because they are lazy and that the only way for them to be respected and accepted is to lose the extra weight. These type of shows portray obesity in a certain way that promotes negative perceptions and fosters prejudice against the obese. Viewers don't consciously think about it, but the more they a re around the media that subtly promotes these perceptions, the more likely the perceptions are to be engrained in their minds. Moreover, the high standards of beauty that the media implements daily are nearly impossible for the majority of people to meet. Even though the average American is at least slightly overweight or obese, popular media pushes out derogatory themes that discriminate unfairly against the obese. The media's strong influence on society against bigger body types has caused numerous of dire effects on the way people think today. As stated by Shelly Grabe of Medical News Today in her article â€Å"Concern over Strong Media Influence on Women's Body Image,† researchers have recently conducted a meticulous study on the extent to which the media affects women. They found a tremendous difference between those who were exposed to media and those who were not; the women who had been exposed reported less satisfaction with their bodies (Grabe). Exposure to media that depicts dangerously thin actresses and models significantly increases people's distress about their bodies, thereby influencing dissatisfaction and chances of engaging in unhealthy eating behaviors. Furthermore, research has â€Å"repeatedly shown that constant exposure to thin models fosters body image concerns and disordered eating† in many people. Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have been steadily more common in younger generations today. Subliminal messages from the media about what the â€Å"ideal† body should look like molds the naive teenagers' mindset and influences their definitions of what is ugly and what is beautiful. There are few that escape the inundating influences of the media. In fact, â€Å"the average American sees three thousand ads per day† (Jean Kilbourne). Therefore, the media does not just play a small role in influencing society's view on different body types. The media relentlessly bombards society with negative connotations of the overweight and the fat, unwelcomingly shaping America's perception of the ideal body. Discrimination against body types that do not fit into the media's definition of beauty has immensely impacted society. However, the media does not have to be such a big influence. There have been a plethora of organizations that exist to help boost the self esteem of those who suffer from harmful messages sent by the media about what their bodies should look like. According to the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA), a civil rights organization, was started in 1969 to â€Å"eliminate discrimination based on body size and to provide obese people with the tools for self-empowerment though public education, advocacy, and support. † NAAFA delivers a message to society that belies the media's input of the ideal body type. The non-profit organization seeks to better society and to limit discrimination against the obese. There are many similar organizations and groups that help support people who are facing discrimination from their peers. Additionally, there has been an ongoing growth of celebrities who embrace their bodies for what they are. Celebrities such as Adele serve as an excellent inspiration and role model to people who look up to them. Seventeen Magazine has also initiated a Beauty Peace Treaty which encourages females all around the world to pledge to accept their bodies. The treaty has gained the signatures and vows of over four thousand people and continues to grow in popularity. Even though popular media is the root of the negative impressions of the obese, society does not have to be anchored in place to those stereotypes. The media has the greatest incessant impact on society’s view of the ideal body type. From advertisements to song lyrics, popular media is ubiquitous, constantly reinforcing erroneous standards of beauty and flawed perceptions of the obese. However, there are a variety of different resources that help combat the negative influences from the media and encourage those that suffer from low body image.

Disability is not inability

There is an assertion that everyone was created in God’s image according to the Bible. This has left many people baffled on the exact image that is a true reflection of God. In addition to this, there is the question of which gender he belongs to and this brings us to a question which is; is there a person who is 100% normal and perfect? People cannot acknowledge the fact that everyone is different. A large number is fond of looking around and stereotyping and this makes people feel discouraged. A school is an institution in which people from different backgrounds converge all with the aim of attaining Education. The diverse background present people who have different body shapes, different body sizes and all sorts of illnesses and physical disabilities. I credit the school as being a turning point of my perception of the physically challenged to an extent of indulging in campaigns that echo the cliche that goes â€Å"disability is not inability†. I was brought up in a humble background but my parents were able to provide luxuries on top of basic necessities. The neighborhood was friendly and the kids I played with seemed normal to me. At this age, my vocabulary was limited and one of the deficient vocabularies in the little I possessed was ‘disability’. Things seemed normal till I enrolled in elementary school. For the first time, I came across a pupil who hobbled around the compound since one of his legs was shorter than the other. This peculiar walking style earned him a wide range of nicknames of which he could boast of none. I vividly remember my RECALLING A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE3 close friend likening him with the ‘hyenas’ of Africa which were featured in National geographic. John was avoided like a plague since no one wanted to be associated with him. This affected him mentally and he was always withdrawn for he was always left out while other kids engaged one another in play. Later, I enrolled in high school and by then, I was able to differentiate good from evil. The school proved to be a habitat for all sorts of people who had very different and conflicting views. In the first grade, I met Mike who up to date reminds me my former elementary schoolmate John. Mike seemed to have all sorts of disabilities combined. He suffered from polio, a disease that had weakened his legs and he walked around in clutches. To crown his troubles, he was partially deaf. This implies that walking was a problem and also you had to shout for him to hear. One afternoon as he was walking down the hallway, a group of notorious boys who walked in a gang of six approached him from behind. I had a feeling that something was about to happen and true to my prediction; they shoved him out of the way and gave him a send off package of insults. For the first time, I felt like crying because of an injustice not done to me but to a physically challenged person. I did nothing out of the fear of receiving the same treatment from the terror gang. To my amazement, a girl came out of nowhere and picked mike and consoled him. I felt so ashamed since I had done nothing. This RECALLING A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE4 occurrence disturbed me so much emotionally and when we were having dinner that evening, I felt that it was the right moment to share the disturbing experience. Emotions occupied the best part of my mother to an extent of being unable to eat. It is then that she prescribed an essay which was a personal reflection of a physically challenged individual as he narrated what he underwent while he was in high school. The individual was subjected to humiliation and he remembers a time he was accused of ruining the graduation ceremony by his friends since he could not climb the five stairs. He was also burdened with group work assignments for his friends argued that he had more free time since he did not play. Laurie Stephens has overridden all the prejudices and boasts to be one of the worlds greatest skiers in the world (Dorff, 12). The article was more than captivating to me based on how he delivers the words creating a feeling of empathy. This made me realize that I had to make a difference in the society no matter how small it would be. Working with special needs kids is not something everybody wants to experience. Having the strength, drive and patience is what one needs to be able to work with special needs people. All through high school, the special needs students had their own classrooms’ and were not viewed as part of the school. I realized that though I could not be able to offer authoritative assistance and order them to be integrated with other students, I could convince my classmates to associate with the physically challenged and RECALLING A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE5 even visiting their classes. This creates a sense of belonging. However, not all the affected viewed this as a good decision since some viewed that they were being undermined and not being complete human beings. Through exposure to a wide variety of readings focusing on the physically challenged, I am equipped with the knowledge that while others will recognize the efforts, some will just dismiss it on the grounds that one has malicious intentions behind the support. I have enrolled in a part time course which is the sociology of disability. This has enabled me to have a better perception of people with disabilities. This has broadened my mind in the sense that I am able to extend and transform what I learn in books to real life experiences. I have developed an affection towards people who have physical challenges. No one decides how to be born and also a normal person can become physically challenged due to an accident. An example can be derived from the large number of people who were rendered physically challenged as a result of post effects of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs. Statistics has it that over 70,000 people died as a result of thermoradiation. However, the disturbing news is that people continue to suffer up to date as a result of the chemical reactions. Many people in these countries are born with malformations (Lindee, 84). The best I can do for such people is to sensitize the community to accept them the way they are and make them feel as fellow human beings. My life has been a journey from ignorance to a full combatant of the physically challenged rights. RECALLING A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE6 I have joined numerous welfare organizations that seek to recognize the less privileged in the society. I am at the forefront in the battle of empowering the disabled in the society. This has transformed me from someone who just understands disability to someone who has experienced disability.

Is america too dependent on technology? Essay

Are Americans too dependent on technology? Do you think Americans are too dependent on technology? Americans have become so reliant on technology in the 21st century that a vast majority of us probably wouldn’t know what to do if one day all the electronics just shut down. For example, I depended on this computer in order to write this paper, instead of just doing it the old fashioned way with a pencil and a piece of paper. Cell phones have become a â€Å"must have† in almost everyone’s life even the younger kids. I personally believe that we, Americans, are extremely too dependent on technology. Even though technology helps us in many ways it can also harm us as well. Despite the ease technology has given us â€Å"technology has caused people to become so reliant that, in a poll by CNET, 28 percent of people said they wouldn’t be able to live without high- speed Internet. The younger generation has lost its curious nature to explore to world. Instead, children are hiding behind a TV screen or Xbox game† (America). Many American children have awful social skills in todays time because they’re so stuck on their phones or computers. For example, my little brother is so stuck on his phone, ipad, or tv that when he has to talk to people in person he shuts down because he’s so used to just talking to people through his electronics. â€Å"Some experts believe excessive use of the Internet, cellphones and other technologies can cause us to become more impatient, impulsive, forgetful and even more narcissistic† (An Ugly). Another large problem technology has caused for us.

Family Structure and Development Essay

I am a part of a Nuclear Family which is defined in the modern era as the characteristic family unit of developed industrial societies which consists solely of husband, wife, and children, and spans only two generations (Dillen, 2003). The nuclear family is more mobile geographically and socially, and allows more autonomy. On the other hand, it produces an observed increase in depression, divorce rates, delinquency, and weakening of cultural transmissions (Acs & Loprest, 2004, p. 56). The roles within a nuclear family is used to be the father being the main bread winner and working long hours to support his family and the mother as the caregiver who looked after the children and the home. My Nuclear family included my father, who worked as a banker, my mother who was a housewife and my 3 siblings. Growing up, I had this notion that all families were happy all the time as was mine and I was unaware of the problems my parents faced. The giant responsibility was to provide needs and wants for a family; however, as I grew older I began to realize the difficult task my parents and other families endured everyday by being able to give their families what they need and want. Having a stay-at-home mother, a working father and living in a locality where other families lived in similar circumstances, it never gave me the chance to monitor families living in different situations. As I grew older, I realized that there were many diverse family types in terms of family structures and responsibilities. Although many assume that the nuclear family structure with a working father and stay at home mother, is a narrow-minded idea (Hao, 1996, p. 269), but it makes me feel very comfortable to say that my brought up under my mother’s supervision at home was done in a very organized way. This was not possible if my development was done with out the hard work of my mother and that also allowed my father to focus on his job. References Acs, G., & Loprest, P. (2004).  Leaving Welfare: Employment and Well-Being of Families That Left Welfare in the Post-Entitlement Era. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Dillen, A. (2003). Queer Family Values: Debunking the Myth of the Nuclear Family.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32(5), 489+. Hao, L. (1996). Family Structure, Private Transfers, and the Economic Well-Being of Families with Children.  Social Forces, 75(1), 269-292.

A Strange Meeting

The blistering cold atmosphere shrouded by its crystalline twilight embodied it's presence over the dark Tamoe Highlands; the field which divided the two kingdoms of Lucil. The gloomy surroundings pierced the night sky, causing people to wonder what sort of menace was at work here; what evil had corrupted the lands of their beloved domain. Gathering people crawled outside of the city walls, on both fronts; the kingdoms of Garthia, and Reynard. They stood in amazement, as sparks of light flickered over head, vaporising the darkness that should have been convenient, replacing it with the most beautiful pearl-like spheres; whose exterior was sheltered with tiny diamonds of exquisiteness. The people turned their gaze to a larger sphere, more dominant, as it were. This orb was unlike anything anyone had ever seen; it's splendour unmatched. The stone cold daze of every single soul; every human, had its eyes fixed on its occurrence, as it twirled in the sparkling sky, gleaming its magnificence for all to see. People began to pace themselves, gradually moving their feet, eyes always focused on their objective; the sphere. They were drawn to its presence, drawn there by some unseen force, or perhaps, they were a victim to greed; all wishing to obtain this obsidian of absolute perfection. Whatever the reason, they all wanted the same thing. Every last person there wanted to touch this orb in the sky, before them. As one of the kingdom members reached out for it, the others became slightly annoyed, agitated by what was happening. Before they knew it, their calm, peaceful, hands became weapons, as they fought each other for this object; this beauty. The greed in every single of them was reflecting the golden aura in each of their eyes, as they killed one another for the sake of this newly born object. One by one, the slaughter went on, humans dying, fighting for the possession of this item. Eventually, one remained; a man by the name of Tarik. He was a great man, a blacksmith, from the kingdom of Reynard. He was a very respectable man; always there when his service was needed, and even when it wasn't needed, he would be there to give a helping hand to anyone who needed it. Grasping the golden sphere in his hands, he peered into its surface; curious of where this came from — it's origin. Nothing like this had been seen before, so it was obvious to him that he was holding some sort of relic; an item that was clearly sought after. He held this item close to his chest, making sure his grip was tightly holding it; afraid someone would steal it from him. Years past, times changed, kingdoms crumbled, and legends were created, and people's theories blinded those who were imprudent enough to alter the truth. Stories were told, people were educated; wondering where this mysterious orb now lay. There were many different stories and films dedicated to exploiting the truth, but they were always altered in on way or another; never fully showing what happened. A young boy strutted up to the building, hands lying lazily in his coat pockets, playing with the loose change he gained upon purchasing some goods for his mother, half-hour past. He tilted his head as he approached the suede doors; seemingly pondering about it's interior. He let our a silent sigh, as he took the last few steps, before swinging the giant doors open with a keen thrust. â€Å"Anybody home?† he muttered, echoing through the dark halls of the building. There was no response. The boy gazed around, looking for someone he could possibly talk to. He walked towards the reception desk, peering over the counter, to find absolutely no one there. The boy then retreated back a few steps, before searching once more for someone, anyone, who could help him. â€Å"Peter?† ‘Peter' turned around, his gaze now fixed on the speaker of his name; searching needlessly to match their face to a name. â€Å"Back again, I see. Hm, you'll have to learn we won't help you with every single need† alleged the woman, powerfully, with her strong voice. Peter's head tilted forwards, staring at the ground, as if the words of this woman have shunned his feelings, making him sad in the event that he could not get his own way. Removing his hands from his pockets, he brushed stray hairs from his face, and gently tucked them behind his ear. â€Å"I understand†¦it's just that, I've heard so much about this sphere, I need someone to actually help me find it!† The young boy was keen, his will strong, on finding the legend of his homeland, Lucil. He wanted to experience, and understands, the beauty his people had witnessed over four thousand years before him. He was certain it lay dormant in this particular place, but had no one to help him excavate it. The woman shook her head, and walked forwards towards Peter. She patted him softly, on his cushioned hair, comforting him, before strolling off down one of the larger corridors; her feet creating constant echoes of footsteps in her wake. â€Å"I'll get it†¦with or without help, I'll get it† thought Peter, as he thudded the doors open, once more, with his hands; this time, more quickly and powerfully, to match his newly acquired mood. The streets of New Reynard were silent; the day was drawing to an end, as the bright sun sunk behind the surrounding mountains. Clouds were growing darker, as rain began to trickle from their interior; showering the city, making a melody of frequent drumming, as it landed onto the earth. Peter peered up, staring into the clouds, before sitting down, peacefully, in the rain. He loved the rain; loved to be in it because of its glorifying touch, its caring aura of water. He just sat there, embracing the cold, damp, atmosphere, as he pondered existence, just as he always did when he was sat in the rain. The young boy wondered†¦about the sphere, more than anything. What importance does it have to the world? Why is it here? There were a lot of questions that he wanted, but was afraid, to discover. Hours past, and the rain moved on, revealing the midnight sky, and the all of its stars, intertwined its beautiful crescent. Peter stood up, soaked with water, he waltzed off down a road leading to his home; water trickling down his spherical visage. As he unlocked his door, he walked inside, taking his shoes off at the door, and planting them beside his families, before taking off his coat and placing it on a hanger. His family were long asleep, and he feared to wake them, so he simply ran upstairs to bed; pulling his blankets over his head, and dreaming of this sphere-like relic he desired to obtain. Morning arose, and he jumped out of his tiny bed. As he did so, he fluffed his pillow, and placed the blankets back over his bed. Peter spoke to none of his family, still, and walked out of the door, slamming it behind him, as he hastily walked off into the bustle streets of New Reynard. He was engulfed in desire to find this sphere, he was determined, and today, he would find it. After 2 years of research, and revising the theories, and so called â€Å"truth† on this event that took place 4000 years ago, he was determined, and sure, he would find it today; alone, if he had to. Running towards the mountains, Peter swung his arms as he ran as fast as he could. Before coming to the edge of town, he crossed the bridge that separated the settlement from the grasslands of Lucil; but it wasn't very far to the mountain range, still. As he approached the mountains, there was a rather unexpected sound emerging from the depths of a cave; somewhere that had previously been explored many a time. The roaring noise became more frequent, and thunderous, as he stepped towards it. His necklace that was passed onto him from the generations of fathers seemingly began to fluctuate, as he got nearer, and nearer. Approaching even further still, the tiny bead on his necklace sprouted a neon-glow of blue, as it fired a tiny laser of accuracy into a small gap in the cave wall; causing an explosion of rock as it fell crumbled away, revealing a compartment within the caves. Peter approached it, his heart racing faster than it ever had, clutching at his chain to steady it. Slowly walking towards the inner area of the wall, he glared at a metallic shrine in front of him; he basked at its glory, for it was shunning a powerful aura of energy, sparking at the corners, where energy was leaping from its body. The boy walked towards the memorial; drips of sweat dripping down his face, as he approached it steadily, wondering what this was. He finally stood right next to it, reaching his right arm out slowly, as he tapped the surface with his index finger; wondering if anything would actually happen. There was a glare of blinding light, and Peter stood back, falling to the ground as he did so. His heart began to fluctuate even more, as the shrine hovered into the air, spiralling around in circles, like some sort of magic was in play here. There was a heart, tempered, voice coming from it, as it twirled in the air. â€Å"Hahaha†¦so you think you can take my sphere, do you? Hahaha!† All of a sudden, the top of the memorial blew off, revealing a travesty of golden beams piercing the cave walls, and ceiling. Peter closed his eyes, whilst throwing his hands in front of his face, to shield himself from the blinding light that was in play. He wished that he had never come here, that he had never revealed this sacred shrine that was before him now; scaring him into thinking about nothing but torment. A man jumped out of the casket that was on the shrine, and walked towards Peter slowly; a golden sphere of beauty gently cradled in his arms, as he walked forwards, grinning as he did so. He spoke one more, in a more taunting manner. â€Å"Peter, Peter, Peter†¦how dare you intrude my place of sleep. How dare you think you can steal my sphere! How dare you!† Throwing his arm forwards, the man pierced Peter's chest with his fist; revealing blood to drip from his lifeless body, as he fell backwards, lying completely on the floor; red liquid spurting from his mouth, as he choked in his own blood. The man grinned, before turning around, and heading back into the casket one more, to lay dormant again, with his precious sphere of beauty; protecting it from anyone who thinks they can take it from him. The mountains were once again silent†¦nothing could be heard, nothing was to be seen. The dark skies covered the twilight horizon, as day became a fragment of bliss. †¦that is the tale, of the striking orb. The tale that has been since passed on from man to man; but, who could have passed on, when there was no one there but the boy? Theories have emerged, legends have been written, but no one knows for sure how the story came about.