Three Men in a Boat-Summary Essay Example for Free

Three Men in a Boat-Summary Essay Jerome K. Jerome is a famous and outstanding novelist, essayist, humourist and playwright in the English literature. His literary heritage includes hundreds of brilliant works impressing readers during a century. The works of Jerome K. Jerome reflect not only his epoch, but his inner world, background, life experience, socio-political views, etc. The novel â€Å"Three men in a boat†, written in 1889, is constructed in a specific way helps to create a message of the story. This structural and stylistic device reveals a variety of interpretations as to the meaning of the action in the novel. The main characters of the story are three friends who decided to have a rest and planed a trip down the Thames. â€Å"There were four of us–George, and William Samuel Harris, and myself, and Montmorency†. The author depicts the world of countryside throughout the story, which is unchangeable, and even static. Calm and leisurely are main characteristics of that world. The novel depicts nature and discusses how beautiful it is. Nature, and the theme of river in particular, is used as a symbol to describe deep personal feelings and life experience of a human. The author gives only some hints to the reader to comprehend the meaning of the novel, and under â€Å"river† and â€Å"boat† Jerome K. Jerome means our life with non-trodden paths, which we have to carve. â€Å"To those who do contemplate making Oxford their starting-place, I would say, take your own boat – unless, of course, you can take someone else’s without any possible danger of being found out. The boats that, as a rule, are let for hire on the Thames above Marlow, are very good boats†. Nature serves as a symbol that represents dilemma and the knowledge retrieval, the desire to find old truth. The theme of water was always one of the topical one. Human’s life flows like a river, it is comparable with the rain or snow weather. Water represents life cycle of nature in comparison to the human’s life. A glorious scene of nature grasps the readers’ imagination, and beauty depicted and enhanced by the author’s rendering of delicate expressions that come together to form a beautiful composition of nature at it’s best: †From the dim woods on either bank, Night’s ghostly army, the grey shadows, creep out with noiseless tread to chase away the lingering rearguard of the light, and pass, with noiseless, unseen feet, above the waving river-grass, and through the sighing rushes†. Critics find that the story has a sign of a â€Å"complex, multifaceted mind†, but they have hesitated to diminish his achievement by â€Å"inscribing it within a single master narrative†. It is a familiar theme, but few versions can rival the story, the vividly assured characterisation and the sharp division between comedy and satire, in which he lays bare the moral dilemma between â€Å"a callous story and a deed†. On the other hand, the suddenness and the strength of productive Jerome K. Jerome years still excites scholarly interest, the focus has shifted from questions related to motive and origin to those concerned with style and practice. This situation illustrates the moral values taken place in city.

National Situation on OSH in Liberia

National Situation on OSH in Liberia Name of participant: Habib K.N Sheriff Proposals for the improvement the national situation on OSH in Liberia Introduction To protect workers health and safety, a system has to be in place to ensure that the health and safety of the employees are consistently protected void of type and class of work. This system must enforce workers protection independent of the employers will, i.e. the system must ensure that the employers doesnt act at his/her will and pleasure even if it endangers the health and safety of the employees. Currently, there exist no recognized structure/policy in Liberia; however, there are specialist organizations and government bodies with direct functions in specific OSH disciplines. Unfortunately, even these bodies are dormant. As the government is meant to protect its citizenry, they must take the lead in the protection of employees. As a significant responsibility, government is to ensure decent work for all workers which include safe work. This is not unique to Liberia; it is included in the ILO Convention on Occupational Health Services No. 161 describes the occupational health service as an integrated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary team entrusted with essentially preventive functions and responsible for advising employers, workers and their representatives in undertakings on improving health at work, improving the working environment, promoting workers health, adapting work to the physical and mental capabilities of workers, and the overall development of the structural and managerial aspects of the workplace needed for health and safety (Introduction to the National OSH System, 2015). The government of Liberia being a signatory to the Convention 155 and Recommendation 164 of Occupational Safety and Health, 1981 of the ILO must therefore develop a policy consistent with best practice and strongly supported by law and used it to enforce OSH best practice in the country. This policy must have the support most preferably of all branches of the government: an act endorse by parliament and signed into law, explained by the judiciary and enforced by the executive. In such way, the highest office i.e. the office of the President supports the document thereby giving it the much needed enforcement. Strength and weaknesses of current OSH structure of Liberia: Strength Currently, there are a number of government ministries responsible to execute various OSH duties in the Liberia. These ministries are supported by law to organized specialist teams that will assist the improvement of specific sector through engagement and enforcement. They are empower to varying extend depending on the body and task they have to perform. Some even have powers of arrest- Ministry of Gender and development has the power to arrest individuals involved in child labor practices and turn the culprit over to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution, while others have powers to issue stop order like those issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Labor. Weakness Unfortunately, there is little that is been done by each of these organization. They are either dormant or lacks the manpower and technical knowhow to execute their responsibilities. Also, the support from government is lacking in some area. A major challenge in the current structure is the definition of scope and responsibilities. Several ministries tend to repeat similar roles. This is worsened by very poor communication between line ministries on cross-functional subjects. This result to unnecessary repetition like during inspections, and multiple instructions to businesses in the implementation of OSH. Proposed structure: Foundation Policy is commonly defined as a specific, deliberate course of action adopted by a government or public body to help fulfil its mandate. Any policy must be anchored in, and derive its authority from, formal legal powers and obligations and is thus an important instrument for decision-making processes. (National OSH Governance, 2015 edition), considering this definition, OSH must be enacted as the genesis for the formation of the system all that follows. This act will be aimed at strengthening its derivatives- the resulting policies and procedure. This act will be implemented through the established structure within the national framework. There must be agencies with responsibilities to perform different roles and develop regulations and Code of practices. With the support of the act, agencies can be held liable for not implementing these regulations or failure to meet best practice as prescribe in the Code of practice. Overtime, there will be collective barging which will further aid the full implementation of the policy and where necessary, technical standards to will be given by the responsible agency/authority to ensure bottle-necks are remove. Stakeholders structure Liberia has numerous ministries with OSH responsibilities, these ministries must be properly coordinated through a Competent Authority (CA) this CA must be legislated and made semi-autonomous to ensure that it acts with neither fear nor favor. The body should be so constituted and empower to countercheck the activities of line ministries responsible for the enforcement of OSH related issues in the country. For instance, in as much as health related subject falls within the ambit of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), the CA should have the overall responsibility to check the ministry and ensure that agencies are complying with regulations. Same must apply to the ministry of Labor which oversees labor related issues. The CA will oversee a tripartite council constituted by line ministries with OSH duties, private companies and workers council; also either as a part of the workers council or subsidiary bodies are the insurance and Traditional representation. This body- tripartite council will meet at regular intervals to discuss national OSH issues, whenever such meetings are held, the CA will chair and ensure proper documentation are stored with the authority. Other major bodies: Insurance bodies Although not directed regarded when naming the tripartite council, insurance plays a cardinal role in the overall establishment and maintenance of the OSH system in a country. Naturally, proper OSH management tends to greatly benefit insurance agencies by reducing compensation they pay out and increase their income. Therefore, when insurance agencies pay special attention to OSH by supporting proactive projects- prevention projects/campaigns, there will be marked improvement in the overall OSH system of the country. Traditional bodies To achieve realistic compliance to OSH policies, it is only wise to involve stakeholders having direct impacts on both the formal and informal occupational sector. In Liberia, farming is done basically through traditional methods and involves illiterate farmers using local methods. The importance of having this group represented cannot be overemphasized. Any council without a full representation of this group is incomplete because it excludes a significant number of workers hence it is not a proper representation of the overall workforce. Moreover, formulation of effective guidelines can only be done if the nature of the problem is fully understood. To understand the problem, there must be consultation which cannot be actualized without the involvement of local farmers; therefore, it is best to have the fullest representation of those carrying on the task when reviewing issues and making decisions. Rules and directives must be applicable to the people in the region for which they are design. If the tools use by a particular group of people is not known, how does a person risk assessing the task know the hazards inherent in such task? Benefits of the competent authority: Ambiguity The CA will remove ambiguity among ministries by deciding their scope and limitations in OSH. Quite frequently, line ministries do no fully know the limitations of their OSH duties as other ministries have similar functions. For instance, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) is responsible to ensure that working conditions are decent for all workers, this also is the responsible of the MOHSW who is responsible to ensure health care is optimum the workplace and that the working conditions doesnt hamper the health of the workers. Coordination A CA will ensure better coordination through joint projects and optimizing specialist skills when and where necessary. For instance, although decent work involves both MOHSW and MOL, where health is a key indicator of decent work, better coordination between these two line ministries will assist in deciding that MOHSW takes the lead due to their specialist skills in health. Unnecessary repetition and inspection CA will define the roles and limitations of each ministry. Since ministries have repeated or closely similar roles, some inspections are carried out more than once, this result to apprehension amongst businesses and industries at which these inspections are carried out, hence much lack of cooperation. Define reporting structure As a basic responsibility of the CA, it will collect reports on a timely basis and follow-up on gaps in various agencies. This define structure will regulate line ministries and agencies in complying with established guidelines. Also, reporting will aid during auditors to cross checked what is reported against what exist in the workplace. By this means, greater focus will be placed on the needed areas and removed the need for unnecessary attention. Technical services This body must be so constituted to have the necessary technical experience to facilitate training and provide assistance to various entities on OSH related subjects. Trainings should not be limited to technical services (working at height, use of PPE, lifting rigging and slinging, manual handling etc.); it should also include administration and structure in OSH. As the OSH program is relatively new in Liberia, this body must have the needed funding from government to provide 75-90% of the training free. This will encourage greater participation of organizations especially profit making ones who view OSH as additional expenditure. Conclusion: In Liberia to achieve and maintain an OSH system, a policy must be formed and controlled by a CA. This can be achieved by forming a tripartite council which meets regularly to establish and review national OSH framework and develop a plan of action. This council headed by the CA will also be supplemented by other bodies which will have full rights- these bodies must include Insurance and Traditional bodies. Said council must be supported by an act of legislation, fully constituted by all the relevant stakeholders and have the needed technical experience to properly guide the implementation of established guidelines and code of practices. This will create a fertile environment for a fast growing OSH culture where there will be more voluntary compliance. Although voluntary compliance is sought, the overall priority is to protect workers from harm physically or mentally, therefore, the CA should be given enforcement powers to act without warning when necessary. All should be cone with a basic rule Decent/safe work for all employees. Bibliography: Occupational safety and health module 6.1 -2015 edition Occupational safety and health module 6.2 -2015 edition

Late Blight resistant Potatoes by Cisgene Stacking

Late Blight resistant Potatoes by Cisgene Stacking Critical Review: Development of late blight resistant potatoes by cisgene stacking BMC Biotechnology, 2014 Recombinant DNA and Genomics Critical Review of a Scientific Paper Background Food demand from agriculture has never been higher due to the increasing world population. Issues such as climate control and built up overpopulated areas of the world limit the availability and resources to produce crops. The need to enhance the yield of agricultural crops, as well as breed crops with correct traits such as viral resistance to common diseases which can devastate many farmers produce has never been more pressing. As a world population we are a lot more conscious of how we produce are food ethically and need to consider the genetic diversity of crops within agriculture. Over the past century improvements in sequencing technologies has allowed the mapping of the genome more specifically within plant species that are exploited for agriculture around the world. The first commercialised GM food was the Flavr Savr tomato in 1994, and now commonly rice, maize, potato, soybean and many others (Hamilton et al. 2012; Vanburen et al. 2015). Next generation sequencing technologies have allowed us to target the genome sequencing genotypes and identifying specific alleles that express favourable phenotypes to improve crop populations from their wild-type relatives (Lin et al. 2014; Neves et al. 2013). Our understanding of the structure and function of plant genomes within agricultural plant genetic species has fuelled the development novel biotechnologies and approaches to their application for breeding. The isolation of genes that underpin characteristics of interest and how we can target these specific genes and transfer them into new varieties of crops to imp rove yield or enhance genetic disease resistance (He et al. 2014; Gurskin et al. 2012). Until the last decade the focus has been on transgenic plants in agriculture, where isolated genes of interest from unrelated species are transferred into the genome of crop plants. Public acceptance of these crops has been controversial and forced the environmental food safety authority for GM organisms to strictly regulate the commercial use of these crops to protect the environment. Cisgenesis as a natural biotechnology approach that only utilises genes from the same plant or within the same species has tackled some of the associated problems within GM agriculture. Cisgensis was recently under review worldwide from the EFSA to be excluded from the strict regulations set for transgenic produced plants, it was finally defined that cisgenic approach to gene transfers is as safe as traditional breeding techniques (low level risk) (Hunter et al. 2014). Herewith in, the cisgenesis approach to integrating late blight resistant R genes to potato varieties is reviewed as a biotechnology to ol, the ethical advantages it addresses as well as limitations to its application. Outline of methods Aim: To use a cisgenesis approach to introduce two broad spectrum potato late blight R genes, Rpi-sto1 and Rpi-vnt1.1 from the crossable species S. stoloniferum and S. venturii, respectively, into three different potato varieties (Jo et al.2014). Plant materials Three potato varieties where obtained to introduce late blight resistance, a fourth variety potae9 was used as a positive control for its broad spectrum late blight resistance Vector construction Single R gene constructs, Rpi-sto1 and Rpi-vnt1.1 were cloned into a binary vector pBINAW2 (figure 1 below) and were aligned in tandem to form an R gene stack and one marker-free transformation vector. Construct containing both cisgenic late blight R genes (Rpi-vnt1.1 and Rpi-sto1), but lacking the bacterial kanamycin resistance selection marker (NPTII) was transformed to the three selected potato varieties using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Rooted shoots were analysed by PCR for gene transfer products (desired R genes) Potatoes where analysed for morphological changes and late blight resistance in detached leaf assays. Cisgenic events were selected because they showed broad spectrum late blight resistance due to the activity of both introduced R genes. The marker-free transformation was compared to marker-assisted transformation by the addition of kanamycin in terms of T-DNA and vector backbone integration frequencies (Methods as described in Jo et al. 2014). Results/Conclusions of research paper The study successfully introduced an effective cisgenic marker-free transformation strategy into three varieties of potato. The transformed plants expressed two stacked late blight R genes, through the infiltration of agrobacterium effectors proved the R genes functionality. It was also confirmed that marker-free transformation is less prone to vector backbone integration compared to marker-assisted transformation (Jo et al. 2014). According to the recent conclusion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) GMO Panel, cisgenic plants have a low risk level in comparison to transgenic produced plants. Therefore, the potatoes produced in this study, are an environmentally friendly alternative to both controversial transgenic agriculture, as well as the use of chemical agents to treat late blight disease (Jo et al. 2014). Critical Appraisal      Ã‚   Reviewing the cisgenesis approach in recent literature it has been used to engineer viral resistance and enhance favourable traits in different crops (Espinoza et al. 2013; Holme et al. 2013). However, not all crops classiffied as cisgenic fully comply with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for GM plants, as they still contain microbial regulatory sequences/marker genes (Holme et al. 2013). More recently, molecular characterization of true cisgenic apple plants previously produced and expressing the Rvi6 scab resistance genes has been reported in detail (Vanblaere et al. 2014), while new cisgene apples with the same trait have been developed using an alternative recombinase system (Wurdig et al. 2015). In the study by Jo et al. the focus was on marker-free cisgene potato plants expressing late blight resistance genes from Rpi-sto1 and Rpi-vnt1.1, produced by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using marker-free gene but PCR for the selection of transformed plants. Due to th e activity of both introduced R genes, cisgene plants showing broad-spectrum late blight resistance could be selected (Jo et al. 2014). Cisgenesis relies on the transfer of sequences from the same or related species, therefore, knowledge of specific sequences as well as its position and function in the genome is essential. In the future it is expected this knowledge will accelerate the application of this technology in place of transgenesis. One advantage of cisgenesis approach over more common techniques is reduced duration of selection steps and linkage drag (Hou et al. 2014). Although both transgenesis and cisgenesis use the same genetic modification techniques to introduce genes into plants, cisgenesis introduce only genes of interest from the plant itself or from a crossable species. Therefore, cisgenesis is not any different from traditional breeding and there is no environmental risk as associated with transgenic species. The expression of a foreign gene or suppression of a native genes function allowed the movement of DNA between different species, forcing public perceptions of GMO food as unnatural. Although proved to be a promising tool for the enhancement of crops and economic development, the concern of public acceptance is a major limiting factor (Espinoza et al. 2013). Therefore, cisgenesis may be the future of plant breeding and crop development as it excludes foreign genes and strict regulation by the EFSA for GMO transgenes. Despite considering all the advantages of cisgenic approaches there are limitations to its application. Namely the specific requirement of the regulatory sequences origin as well as the type and size of its constructs. For example, although achieving scab resistance in apples the difference in expression level R genes was dependant on using promoter from the same species or the native promoter of different lengths (Vanblaere et al.2014; Wurdig et al. 2015). Gene expression can also have a lot of variability, through random insertion of cisgenes. Therefore this random introduction of cisgenes into a host genome can be similar to that of transgenes, through loss of functionality of endogenous genes, reverting back to the same ethical issues cisgenesis aims to avoid. Finally, Jo et al. and similar studies report plants produced by cisgenic transformation methods report the integration of vector backbone sequences, therefore the specific number of genes copied and amount of vector backbo ne sequence transferred is an important factor (Vanblaere et al. 2014; Jo et al. 2014). In potato varieties Jo et al. failed to find a difference in vector backbone integration frequencies between different varieties or when marker-assisted only transformations were compared. However, when marker-free and marker-assisted vector backbone integration frequencies were compared, they found that marker-free transformation was associated with less vector backbone integration (Jo et al. 2014). Alternatively now there are new vectors developed containing buffer plant sequences within the backbone that limit the negative affect of unspecific vector backbone integration of cisgenes (Holme et al. 2013). The cisgene stacking method by Jo et al. consisted of two choices to introduce the R gene stack into different potato varieties, marker-assisted transformation or marker-free transformation. By definition cisgenesis excludes marker-assisted transformation since the genes are derived from foreign species (Jo et al. 2014). Recently there have been methods developed to remove selectable marker genes from the genomes of transgene species. One approach exploits a recombinant strategy to extract a marker gene positioned between recombination sites (Zhou et al. 2013). An alternative approach relies on the segregation of independently integrated T-DNAs similar to those shown within the vector in figure 1 (Hou et al. 2014; Jo et al. 2014). However, Jo et al. chose the marker-free transformation via agrobacterium-based methods that utilize a plant-derived transfer DNA and a novel transient selection system to insert only native DNA into potato plants similar to earlier cisgene studies (Jo et a l. 2014; Rommens et al., 2004). An overlooked issue by many experts in within the field is the implications of large scale introduction of transgenic crops containing resistance genes through the exploitation of antibiotic resistance. Many GMOs have a gene which relates to resistance to antibiotics inserted into their genome to serve as a marker. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is already a risk associated with animal agriculture through feed being supplemented with antibiotics, and now antibiotic resistance may be further facilitated by the production of GM crops with these genes integrated in their genome. In potato varieties Jo et al. chose to pursue marker-free transformation of R genes which excluded the use of kanamycin as the marker for gene transfer. However, they also carried out the experiment with kanamycin as a gene marker as a comparison to the effect on vector backbone integration frequencies. Resistance to antibiotics could spread through the use of bacterial genes in the production of transgenic plants, also the genes often remain in the genome with no further use and future transgenic approaches should think about new ways we can remove these genes. It is possible that antibiotic resistance genes will migrate from transgenic plants to bacteria. There is then the possibility that antibiotic resistance bacteria produced from this pipeline could harm future human generations. Therefore, the future focus should remain on cisgenic strategies to GM plants that focus on marker-free transformation technologies. Conclusion Finally, according to the EFSA GMO panel cisgenesis is an environmentally safe approach to introducing new disease resistant genes and quality traits into plants. In different potato varieties it has been successful in the regeneration of light blight resistant potatoes by cisgene stacking, it is quicker to achieve than traditional agriculture and less controversial in the publics perception than transgene GM crops. However, there are limitations in particular the unpredictability of cisgene integration and expression from a biotechnology point of view, but also the impact that may have on its regulatory status and changing public perceptions. In the future cisgene approaches may benefit from being combined with new biotechnologies and GMO techniques, to help reduce the concern with cisgene integration specificity, and develop improved agriculture approaches to disease and crop quality. References      Ã‚   Espinoza, C., R. Schlechter, D. Herrera, E. Torres, A. Serrano, C. Medina, and P. Arce-Johnson, 2013: Cisgenesis and intragenesis: new tools for improving crops. Biol. Res. 46, 323-331. Gruskin, D., 2012: Agbiotech 2.0. Nat. Biotechnol. 30, 211-214. Hamilton, J. P., and C. R. Buell, 2012: Advances in plant genome sequencing. Plant J. 70, 177-190. He, J., X. Zhao, A. Laroche, Z. X. Lu, H. Liu, and Z. Li, 2014: Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), an ultimate marker-assisted selection (MAS) tool to accelerate plant breeding. Front. Plant Sci. 5, 484. Holme, I. B., T. Wendt, and P. B. Holm, 2013: Intragenesis and cisgenesis as alternatives to transgenic crop development. Plant Biotechnol. J. 11, 395-407. Hou H, Atlihan N, Lu ZX. 2014. New biotechnology enhances the application of cisgenesis in plant breeding. Front Plnt Sci. 5: 389. Hunter, P., 2014: Genetically Modified Lite placates public but not activists: new technologies to manipulate plant genomes could help to overcome public concerns about GM crops. EMBO Rep. 15, 138- 141. Jo, K. R., C. J. Kim, S. J. Kim, T. Y. Kim, M. Bergervoet, M. A. Jongsma, R. G. Visser, E. Jacobsen, and J. H. Vossen, 2014: Development of late blight resistant potatoes by cisgene stacking. BMC Biotechnol. 14, 50. VanBuren, 2015: Progress, challenges and the future of crop genomes. Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. 24, 71-81. Neves, L. G., J. M. Davis, W. B. Barbazuk, and M. Kirst, 2013: Wholeexome targeted sequencing of the uncharacterized pine genome. Plant J. 75, 146-156. Podevin, N., Y. Devos, H. V. Davies, and K. M. Nielsen, 2012: Transgenic or not? No simple answer! New biotechnology-based plant breeding techniques and the regulatory landscape. EMBO Rep. 13, 1057-1061. Rommens, C. M., J. S. Ye, C. Richael, and K. Swords, 2004: Improving potato storage and processing characteristics through all-native DNA transformation. J. Agric. Food Chem. 54, 9882-9887. Vanblaere, T., I. Szankowski, J. Schaart, H. Schouten, H. Flachowsky, G. A. L. Broggini, and C. Gessler, 2011: The development of a cisgenic apple plant. J. Biotechnol. 154, 304-311. Wurdig, J., H. Flachowsky, A. Saß, A. Peil, and M.-V. Hanke, 2015: Improving resistance of different apple cultivars using the Rvi6 scab resistance gene in a cisgenic approach based on the Flp/FRT recombinase system. Mol. Breeding. 35, 95.

Lord Of The Flies: Defects Of Society Due To Nature Of Individuals :: essays research papers

Lord of THe Flies: Defects of Society Due to Nature of Individuals The venturesome novel, Lord of the Flies, is an enchanting, audacious account that depicts the defects of society as the incorrigible nature of individuals when they are immature and without an overlooking authority. The author of the novel, William Golding, was born in Britain, which accounts for the English, cultured characters in the novel. After studying science at Oxford University for two years, he changed his emphasis as a major to English literature. When World War II broke out in 1939, Golding served in the Royal Navy for five years. The atrocities he witnessed changed his view about mankind's essential nature. He came to believe that there was a very dark and evil side to man, which accounts for the savage nature of the children in the novel. He said, "The war was unlike any other fought in Europe. It taught us not fighting, politics, or the follies of nationalism, but about the given nature of man." After the war he returned to teaching and wrote his first novel, Lord of the Flies, which was finally accepted for publication in 1954. In 1983, the novel received the Noble Prize and the statement, "[His] books are very entertaining and exciting. . . . They have aroused an unusually great interest in professional literary critics (who find) deep strata of ambiguity and complication in Golding's work. . . ." (Noble Prize committee) Some conceived the novel as bombastic and didactic. Kenneth Rexroth stated in the Atlantic, "Golding's novels are rigged.. . . The boys never come alive as real boys. . . . " Other critics see him as the greatest English writer of our time. In the Critical Quarterly in 1960, C.B. Cox deemed Lord of the Flies as "probably the most important novel to be published. . . in the 1950's." The setting of the novel takes place on an island in the Pacific Ocean. The author never actually locates the island in the real world or states the exact time period. The author does state that the plane carrying the children had been shot down in a nuclear war, so the time period must be after the making and the use of nuclear weapons. Even though the location of the island is not definite, the author vividly describes the setting. Golding tells us that the island is tropical and shaped like a boat. At the low end are the jungle and the orchards, which rise up to the treeless and rocky mountain ridge. The beach,

Enclosure Act :: essays research papers

Enclosure Act The Enclosure Act was passed to create more commerce for farmers and use the lands more rationally. The enclosure was good because it increased food production. The enclosure also began a capitalistic attitude in Europe. The Enclosure Act damaged the pheasant population. Before the enclosure of the land, there were strips of land poor farmers would farm. There was also common land farmers would use to allow their animals to graze. This system discouraged improvement and favored the small time farmers. When the enclosure happened the landlords consolidated their lands, they transformed the strips of land into block fields, and fenced up the common land.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The enclosure increased the amount of food produced and the food supply. The enclosure allowed the continuation of innovations and inventions to help increase food production. The land was used more efficiently. The decisions on what crops to plant were not made communally as like in the village method. The farmers would use crop rotation and had more manure to use as fertilizer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The farmers wanted to make more money after the enclosure. There was an entrepreneurial attitude. The farmers wanted to own land. These attitudes, however, hurt the poor farmers. The landlords, who were concerned about profits, did not care like they did during the village method about waving rents and look out for the farmers. Now all they wanted was their money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the bad things that happened during the enclosure of land was what happened to the small farmers. In some cases the population of the poor cottagers, common pasturagers, and small farmers dropped. The landlords were not taking care of them like they us to during depressed times.

Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents Essay

Childhood obesity has become a recurring theme in the news today. A variety of issues has been discussed regarding the cause of this popular issue. Emphasis is placed on parents, culture, school meals, and a number of other factors leading to obesity. Children and adolescents are not blind to the attention placed on obesity among them and their peers. If the thin bodies of magazines, TV and media weren’t enough, children now have to face the harsh realities of statistics that are constantly broadcasted in the news. This being the case, many children and adolescents have developed unhealthy means to either get thin or stay thin. Many struggle with eating disorders. Eating disorders involve a variety of descriptions of unhealthy patterns of eating. All of them involve some abnormal pattern of eating, including not eating. No matter the type or term given the disorder, they represent a serious situation and are a mental health concern. Two of the more well-known types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Both are common among youth. Anorexia Nervosa Description Sometimes just being ‘normal’ in size is not what an individual sees as normal in himself. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which being thin is not the only issue. It is characterized by starving oneself. Signs include a body weight of less than eighty-five percent the normal body weight for that specific height and age; 3 consecutive absences of a menstrual cycle; and an abnormally strong fear of gaining weight (e.g., â€Å"Eating Dis.† n.d., para. 12). A more common outward sign of anorexia is the intense fear of gaining weight. The youth may repeatedly express verbally his desire to be thin, his belief that he is fat or overweight, and a generally twisted view of own size or weight. All of this is typically coupled with an already thin body size. Use of laxatives in addition to severely limiting food intake is commonly seen. Anorexia Nervosa Cause The cause of anorexia is not one specific factor. It is widely agreed that many issues combine to lead to its development. These include social, cultural, psychological, and biological concerns. The role of neurotransmitters in anorexia is researched today. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter â€Å"known to affect appetite control, sexual and social behavior, stress responses, and mood† and â€Å"modulates feeding by producing the sensation of fullness or satiety† (Rome, 2003, p.100). A decrease in this neurotransmitter can be indicative of anorexia. There are also some indications of genetic factors involved in causing anorexia. Having a family member who suffers or has suffered from anorexia can predispose a child to development. â€Å"There are now multiple case-control studies designed to investigate the familiality of eating disorders, which demonstrate a higher rate of Anorexia nervosa in relatives of probands with anorexia nervosa† (Rome, 2003, p 101). Bulimia Description Another eating disorder common among children and adolescents is bulimia. Bulimia can actually be a subtype of anorexia. It is characterized by bingeing on food then purging the food via induced vomiting. The bingeing is considered uncontrolled and the person typically ingests much larger than normal amounts of food, sometimes secretively. Then, within an hour or two of eating, the person purges the food. This is usually done by self-induced vomiting; however, the vomiting is typically seen with misuse of laxatives, urine-producing medications, and enemas. All of these enable the individual to purge herself of the recently ingested large quantities of food. These binges occur â€Å"at least twice a week for three months or may occur as often as several times a day† (e.g., â€Å"Eating Dis.† n.d., para. 23). As a subtype of anorexia, the bulimic person is abnormally underweight. Being underweight, however, is not a prerequisite of the bulimic diagnosis. In fact, the average bulimic is of normal weight, but sees self as being overweight. Other common attitudes associated with bulimia include extreme exercise, secretive or abnormal eating habits or rituals, and irregular or absent menstrual cycles. Both bulimia and anorexia are commonly seen in individuals already suffering from anxiety and/or depression (e.g. â€Å"Eating Dis.† n.d., para. 29). Bulimia Cause As with Anorexia nervosa, a specific cause for bulimia is not known. Several factors, however, are thought to increase the likelihood of this disorder; many of these are similar to those of anorexia nervosa. Cultural and social influences on appearance and size, family problems, and mood disorders all have an effect on the development of bulimia. Gender plays a large role as well. The majority of youth suffering from both bulimia and anorexia nervosa, although more so with bulimia, are females (Fisher, 1995, p. 431). The same case study cited in the familial causes of anorexia nervosa indicates that having a family member who has previously been diagnosed with bulimia can also predispose an individual to the same behavior. Treatment Although Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia are two separate identifiable diagnoses, the treatments of these physical and mental disorders are similar. Physicians first analyze the individual’s specific overall health and possible contributing factors. The primary care doctor is the necessary authority to either treat or recommend for treatment. Possible physical effects such as malnutrition and dental issues are treated as needed. The mental and psychological treatment varies according to the child’s specific needs. Individual and family therapy, behavior modification, and cognitive therapy can all be used. Focus primarily tends toward the development of adequate coping skills, positive body image, and positive self-talk. Frequently, mood stabilizers are prescribed in conjunction with one-on-one therapy (Rome, 2003, p. 104). The family plays a key role in treating children and adolescents most significantly by the fact that parents and adult figures in the child’s life control and direct the routine of said child. In cases of severely physically compromised children, monitoring of vital signs, nutrition, and electrolyte balance by trained healthcare professionals may be necessary (Fischer, 1995, p. 435). Conclusion Eating disorders are spread across both adults and youth. As increasing attention is given the issue of childhood obesity—and as the media continues to push the preference for abnormally thin figures in beauty—the youth will suffer. They seek unhealthy means to be what culture, family, and society says is normal, accepted. Bulimia and anorexia nervosa are the result of these issues and remain common eating disorders among children and adolescents. These disorders, however, can be diagnosed and treated. Most important to the treatment of any disorder affecting children and adolescents is the role of parents or guardians. References Eating disorders in children and adolescents (n.d.) In Eating Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.lpch.org/diseasehealthinfo/healthlibrary/growth/eatdis.html. Ellen S. Rome, MD, Seth Ammerman, MD, et al. Children and adolescents with eating disorders: the state of the art. Pediatrics. 2003; 111: 98-108. Fisher M. Golden NH, Katzman DK, et al. Eating disorders in adolescents: a background paper. Adolescent Health. 1995; 16: 420-437.

Reflection on Sona

I have heard pretty much more or less about 10 State of the Nation Addresses by many presidents. They all have told pretty much the same common and general thing, that they being the president of the country for this year have done so much to help the Philippines. With investments coming in, roads and buildings constructed, health, education and insurance growths. Believe me when I say I have heard it all. Pnoy’s SONA is pretty much the same things I have heard other presidents say. They boast numerous and countless achievements in their term but still I have never yet to hear a truthful lay down of the Philippines in pretty much every SONA.For once in my lifetime I really want a president to say where and what the Philippines is at. A person can already know what the President saying is false by taking a look around you. For my experience, I still see majority of the population below the poverty line. I see 10 to 15 year old infrastructure begging the people to improve it. I still see no changes being made. So to say that Pnoy’s SONA is nothing new is a fact and not a mere opinion. What I really would like to hear is a truthful SONA. Something more negative rather than positive. Something that would really describe where the Philippines is at.I know it when I see something fishy and I know it when something is true. Hey, just take a look around you, and you will know 100% if the president is lying or not. The real problem is politics. It is a dirty business. People want to win elections, be the best, and of course want to show their best. Politics is a world so deranged that what all politicians do nowadays, is give free food for everyone in the barangay and they instantly win. Has winning come down to such levels that people really do not care anymore? It is true, that people want to rise from the ranks of poverty, but they should not rely on any politician.They should not rely on the things they hear our president Pnoy say, but in reality, they should rely on themselves. Yes the government and Pnoy is there to help us, but the real problem lies within people. Will the rich ever step down to the poor? Will the poor ever be able to step up to the rich? Its in all these questions that I ask myself, should I really be listening to the SONA when in fact, not specifically, but I know where my country is at. I want real change and not just the words and numbers coming out from our president’s most recent SONA.Real change that I can see when I walk down the alley or the streets. I know my part in this country and I hope that people will realize that a SONA is just words coming out of one person’s mouth. The real state of the nation lies within the hearts and minds of all people living in their country. It lies within the heart and conscience of every person, may it be the rich or the poor. We all have our judgements in society. Let’s just for once, stop judging, and start helping each other out. Only then wil l we be able to see the true changes that will for sure, ratify our country not for the worse, but for the better.