Abigail Williams Analyzation

Williams is a cruel, vengeful and power hungry person. She has the ability to manipulate almost anyone she wants, whenever and wherever. She uses this ability to gain power and deem people witches who don't have any real proof against them. This puts her in a position where she can Just do almost anything she wants to, like eliminating people that she doesn't want to see anymore. Abigail Williams is really just one power hungry, vengeful person. Abigail had been one of the original girls that started the whole witchcraft ordeal y practicing voodoo rituals in the woods outside of her town.She later then blamed the whole event on the slave of Reverend Paris saying â€Å"Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tuba conjured Ruth Putnam dead sisters. † The people she told believed her as slaves were of lower class then Abigail, and that Just happened to be how it worked then. Abigail also was in an affair with John Proctor, which after Elizabeth found out about it, who is John's wife, Abigail was fired from her position as a servant to the Proctors.Abigail went on to accuse people of the town of witchcraft. This allowed her to rise to power and become a member of the court. Abigail sought vengeance on the people that witnessed her in the woods with Tuba as well. She pin pointed those people and decided she would accuse them of witchcraft In any way she could. For instance, she accused Elizabeth of witchcraft because she had a doll with a needle In Its stomach, saying she was using voodoo to hurt Abigail.Even though Abigail set the whole thing up and punctured herself with a needle. All these situations show how Abigail nature Is to be cruel, and how she manipulates people's views and emotions. Abigail also became a huge power fugue throughout the act. She rose to power after accusing people for witchcraft. She made up fake stories and false evidence to get people to go to trial. For Instance when she accused Elizabeth proctor of witchcraft, Abigail said she was stabbed by Elizabethan spirit.When the authorities searched the Proctors house, they found a doll with a needle In Its stomach. This was enough â€Å"proof' they needed to take her away. Abigail got away with a lot of things throughout act 1 . She used peoples emotions to get what she wanted and didn't have any sympathy for anyone she came across. She ended up In a position where she can Just do almost anything she wants to, Like eliminating people that she doesn't want to see anymore. Ball Williams Is really Just one power hungry, vengeful person.Abigail Williams Analyzing By shinning pin pointed those people and decided she would accuse them of witchcraft in any OLL with a needle in its stomach, saying she was using voodoo to hurt Abigail. Even situations show how Abigail nature is to be cruel, and how she manipulates people's false evidence to get people to go to trial. For instance when she accused Elizabeth authorities searched the Proctors house, they found a doll with a needle in its stomach. This was enough â€Å"proof† they needed to take her away. She ended up in a position where she can Just do almost anything she wants to, like

Are Socrates’s Views on Death Consistent Throughout the Apology

â€Å"A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live. † Martin Luther King said these words urging the importance of living with a cause. Socrates was a man who strictly lived his life with a purpose, and according to Plato’s Apology, died for the right to practice philosophy. What perhaps is most interesting about Socrates’s view is his outlook on death. Death, to many, is a frightful end; something to be avoided for as long as one possibly can. Socrates disagrees, as seen most clearly in his very last speech prior to the conviction of his death. But was this acceptance of death with open arms Socrates’s view throughout the Apology?I believe yes, and it can be seen clearly first in Socrates’s defense speech, then the response to the question of what verdict Socrates himself sees fit, otherwise known as the epitimesis, and lastly in the speech immediately following the ruling of death. Since the beginning of the Apology, Socrates has pr oclaimed that he, in fact, knows â€Å"nothing† and because he understand this about himself, it makes Socrates wiser than most. I believe that this fundamental understanding of himself is the foundation for all of Socrates’s views, including his interesting take on death and the end.Throughout the defense speech as well as after, Socrates uses tactics that one convicted of a serious crime would do his best to avoid. Resorting to sarcasm, suggesting the overwhelming ignorance of the jurors, as well as very subtly over-exemplifying his own superior wisdom are all examples of his interesting behavior at court, that, many claim, resulted in Socrates condemning himself to death. During the defense speech, Socrates rhetorically asks himself why he would continue to partake in an activity that puts him in danger of the death penalty.He answers, â€Å"You are mistaken†¦if you think that a man who is worth anything ought to append his time weighing up the prospects of li fe and death. He has only one thing to consider†¦whether he is acting justly or unjustly. (28a-b, p. 54). Socrates clearly believes in the importance of being a good man and an asset to society. His duty, he feels is to lead a just philosophic life, as God ordered him to do, and Socrates feels that to abandon his responsibility for fear of death would not only be humiliating, but shameful and dishonorable as well.In fact, Socrates states that if he did act cowardly and leave his post for fear of death, it would then be just to convict him for disobeying the oracle and failing to adhere to his duties. Socrates believes that whether or not he is acquitted or not, he will never stop philosophizing or change his ways, not even if he has to â€Å"die a hundred deaths† (p. 56). It is not his fear of appearing cowardly, but Socrates’s lack of fear of death that can be directly connected to his core belief that the greatest injustice of all is thinking one knows what he d oes not know.Socrates explains that fearing death is dreading what one does not know, therefore is a form of the greatest injustice. â€Å"I shall never feel more fear or aversion for something which, for all I know, may really be blessing than for those evils which I know to be evils† (p. 55). Socrates goes beyond what many men fail to see, the fact that fearing the unknown is futile, and because of this very understanding he remains so steadfast in his beliefs and welcomes death when it comes calling. Closer to the end of the defense speech, Socrates brings up the idea that if executed, another practicing philosophy just as he did will come to the city.Socrates seems to enjoy subtly tormenting the jurors and almost threatening them with the appearance of another â€Å"Socrates†, as if to suggest the nuisance caused with his actions is immortal. Socrates’s defense speech, hardly served any sort of â€Å"defense† at all. Instead it seems that the preconce ptions and slander that the jurors had about the convicted were actually proved, as Socrates continued to dispel any remorse towards his actions and fear towards forthcoming death. The second part of the Apology is when Socrates is asked to present his epitimesis, or an alternate punishment after the death penalty is issued.The alternate punishment Socrates offers, full of sarcasm and pure ridicule towards the jurors, is a free dinner. Socrates sees his will to philosophize as betterment to the city and its people, so therefore a reward, rather than a punishment, seems appropriate. â€Å"I set myself to do you †¦what I hold to be the greatest possible service: I tried to persuade each one of you not to think more of practical advantages than of his mental and moral being† (p. 65). His actions, Socrates believes, are free of wrongdoing and only benefit the jurors be attempting to convince them of caring for a morally just life.His clear derision of the jurors does anythin g but help Socrates’s case, and as wise man, though he does continue to refute that fact, he understands this. Any other man convicted of a serious crime, and endangered by the possibility of the death penalty would never dream of ridiculing the jurors in the manner in which Socrates continues to do so. As Socrates believes he has done nothing wrong, he also mentions in an almost apathetic way that he has already done as much as he can to convince the jurors of his just innocence.He then goes to mention that as he believes in his innocence, that proposing an alternate penalty proves to be unnecessary. Socrates also states that as he has no knowledge of death, whether it is to be feared or welcomed, he cannot possibly choose another punishment for himself. Furthermore, Socrates continues to say that if he is able to avoid the death penalty, he will never flee from his duties to society and stop philosophizing. â€Å"†¦to let no day pass without discussing goodness andâ⠂¬ ¦examining both myself and others is really the very best thing a man can do†¦life without this sort of examination is not worth living†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 6). It is made clear in the epitimesis, that Socrates is wholly committed to leading a good, just life, and practicing philosophy, whether or not his life is depended on it. Socrates truly believes in his innocence well as his cause, and therefore cannot succumb himself to pleading for another verdict. After the penalty of death has been announced, Socrates seems relatively calm. He mentions that he is so far along in life as it is, death seems timely, and claims that the jurors would have escaped the irksome task of a hearing had they had a little patience and let Socrates die of natural causes.After hearing that one is to be put to death, most would try whatever is left in his or her power to save themselves. Socrates, however, staying true to his beliefs of truth and justice refuses to â€Å"weep and wail† because he feels that doing so would not only dishonor himself, but result him in acting unjustly. â€Å"I would much rather die as the result of this defense†¦ in a court of law, just as in warfare, neither I nor any other ought to use his wits to escape death by any means† (p. 67).Socrates feels that attempting to run from death would result in admitting himself to evil, which he also suggests the jurors are condemning themselves to by prosecuting an innocent man. Socrates believes to die as a just man, rather than live his life any other way, and attempting to escape the finalized verdict would not only be catering to injustice, but would be seen as an insult to everything Socrates has practiced in his life thus. Therefore, Socrates accepts death as a blessing, and also characterizes it as two possible things; a dreamless sleep, or a migration to another place.For the first, Socrates welcomes this possibility, calling it a â€Å"marvelous gain†, considering it calming . If death is a truly a migration to another place, Socrates sees it has a chance to meet and converse with the brilliant minds of the past, and would love to experience such an opportunity. â€Å"I am willing to die ten times over if this account is true†¦at least it would be an wonderful personal experience to join them there†¦heroes of the old days who met their death through an unjust trial†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 70).Not only does Socrates mention how interesting it would be to meet wise men, but he also states that he would want to philosophize with them and try and determine who amongst them is truly wise, exactly the actions for which he is in court for. This shows his avid determination for his cause, and fearless attitude towards death, that even after his end he will continue to practice his duties and adhere by his just beliefs. Socrates’s core belief is understanding that he knows what he does not know, and thinking otherwise is a tremendous injustice.And be cause of this sole belief, he is able to form his fearless views on death and the afterlife. Socrates argues that since we cannot fathom any understanding of the afterlife, there is no use in fearing or running from it, and doing so would be unjust. Socrates does hold this view throughout the entire Apology. The only difference between the speeches may be that Socrates seems more welcoming of death in the final speech, after the verdict is finalized. However, this is not a proof of any sort of altering views.Instead, I believe that Socrates always talked about welcoming death when the time for it arrives, using it as an example of a probable end rather than a confirmed one. After Socrates feels that he has exhausted his own defense and preached the importance of justice and truth, and the verdict to death is the final conclusion, he is able to easily accept the end, and welcome it, since he would much rather see to dying as just man, instead of living in any other manner.In conclusi on, Socrates’s principle beliefs allowed him to keep his views on death and the afterlife consistent throughout his trial as noted in Plato’s Apology. Socrates unswervingly remains true to this values of justice, refusing to succumb to the mercy of the jurors, and continuing to try to convince the court of his innocence through what was morally correct, as well as deity-approved duties. His vow to never give up on his morals and obligations to the city and its people enabled Socrates to die a noble, honorable, and just man, who instead of fleeing from death, embraced it.

Adn vs. Bsn

Mehul Sanghavi Grand Canyon University NUR 430V-(237) Dana Martyn, RN, MSN May 5, 2013 INTRODUCTION Nursing comprises the largest health care workforce in the United States. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration survey, there are more than 3 million registered nurses (RN) nationwide. The survey also shows that 50. 0% of the workforce holds a baccalaureate (BSN) or graduate degree while 36. 1% earned an associate degree (ADN) and 13. % a diploma in nursing (AACN, 2013). There are multiple pathways available for one to become a nurse. Today, the ADN and BSN degrees are the most common pathway selected by future nurses. This paper’s primary focus will be to comprehend the competency differences of a nurse with an Associate’s degree in Nursing (ADN) vs. Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN). ADN OVERVIEW The Associates degree of nursing was developed during the World War II around the 1950s to aid in the nursing shortage. Mildred Montage, is credited with the creation of the ADN program (Clainberg, M. (2013). It was in her doctoral dissertation, Dr. Montag who studied at Adelphi University proposed educating a technical nurse for two years to assist the professional nurse, whom she envisioned as having a baccalaureate degree (Clainberg, M. (2013). The ADN program provides core nursing curriculum with emphasizes on clinical skills. The ADN program, with its limited credit hours vs. BSN focused only the basics of leadership and management in terms of ancillary staff supervision. The ADN programs do not focus on nor does it prepare nurses for graduate study. It does allow entry into registered nursing after successfully clearing the NCLEX-RN board exam. BSN OVERVIEW The first baccalaureate nursing (BSN) program was established in the United States at the University of Minnesota. The school opened in March 1909, offering a three-year program in which four students were enrolled (University of Minnesota, 2013). The baccalaureate phenomenon caught on slowly and did not gain much momentum until after World War II primarily due to its length. Most baccalaureate programs are now 4 academic years in length, and the nursing major is typically concentrated at the upper division level. Baccalaureate nursing programs includes all of the course material covered in associate degree and diploma programs plus a more in-depth coverage of the physical and social sciences, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management, and the humanities. The additional course work enhances the student’s professional development, prepares the new nurse for a broader scope of practice, and provides the nurse with a better understanding of the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that affect patients and influence health care delivery. To prepare nurses for this multifaceted role, several components are essential for all baccalaureate programs. These components are liberal education, quality and patient safety, evidence-based practice, information management, health care policy and finance, communication/collaboration, clinical prevention/population health, and professional values (AACN, 2008). CASE SCENARIO The following patient scenario will describe how nursing care or approaches to decision-making may differ based upon the educational preparation of the nurse (BSN versus a diploma or ADN degree) Case study: Patient is a 40 year old Native American male with past medical history significant of Type II Diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Patient is non compliant with medications and presents to the hospital with a complex foot ulcer. He’s now status post incision and debridement and will be discharged home with a wound vac, prescriptions and follow-up appointments and referrals. RNs with all educational pathways are qualified competent to provide acute care for this client. An ADN nurse will educate the patient on the disease process, wound care, the impact diet, activity and medication compliancy will have on clinical outcome. A BSN nurse with additional education employs evidence based practice and critical thinking skills will collaborate with the interdisciplinary team and involve additional consults: Diabetic Educator, Dietitian, Wound Care Nurse, Social worker and Case Manager to evaluate the need for additional resources available to the patient in the hospital and the patients community setting such as setting up referrals for home health nurse and wound care clinic and resources to discounted prescriptions plans. CONCLUSION Graduates of entry-level nursing programs (BSN, ADN and diploma) sit for the NCLEX-RNÂ © licensing examination. The fact that new nurses pass the licensing exam at the same rate does not mean that all entry-level nurses are equally prepared for practice (AACN, 2012) The NCLEX tests for minimum technical competency for safe entry into basic nursing practice. Quality patient care hinges on having a well educated nursing workforce. Research has shown that lower mortality rates, fewer medication errors, and positive outcomes are all linked to nurses prepared at the BSN and graduate degree levels. The nation’s Magnet hospitals, which are recognized for nursing excellence and superior patient outcomes, have moved to require all nurse managers and nurse leaders to hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing by 2013 (Rosseter, 2012) . BSN provides additional education which will allows nurses to enter in various other specialties such as education, leadership, research and development, interdisciplinary collaboration, community and public health, and graduate studies, advance nursing practice and nurse anesthesia. REFERENCES American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Creating aHighly Qualified Nursing Workforce (2012). Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-workforce Clainberg, M. (2013). History: school of nursing:adelphi university. Retrieved from http://nursing. adelphi. edu/about/history. php Creasia, J and Friberg, E (2011). Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice, 5th edition, Elsevier Mosby Rosseter, R. (2012, 10 24). The impact of education on nursing practice. Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education Univeristy of Minnesota (2012, 02 12) History: School of nursing. Retrieved from http://www. nursing. umn. edu/about/history/index. htm

IFRS and GAAP Convergence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IFRS and GAAP Convergence - Essay Example ich have been adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board and comprise of IFRS, IAS (International Accounting Standards) and Interpretations. The term GAAP refers to the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles used by the CPA firms and companies in order to present their financial statements. These are also referred as the rule-based accounting standards. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are jointly functioning in numerous cooperative assignments intended to enhance the compatibility of US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and eventually converge both the standards with each other. (PWC) The convergence of IFRS and the GAAP will largely impact the public companies, accounting firms, and small and medium companies together. The affects which the convergence will have are discussed in detail below. The public companies will be largely affected as the convergence will alter the reporting requirements of the companies and greater disclosures will be required as per the disclosure requirements if IFRS. The convergence will also have impact on the revenue recognition as the IFRS provides a different and assorted way of treating revenues from different transactions. This convergence will also impact the banking industry with regards to computation and accounting of gain, impairment of financial assets and hedging etc. This convergence will give new dimensions to the work of the accounting firms as they will have to reassess the reporting requirements and the financial disclosures for which they have to give their opinion. CPAs as well as the accounting firms will be required to obtain considerable knowledge and training to cope up with the converged standards in line to make the move while educating their clients as well. (Convergence Is Coming: How Your CPA Firm Should Prepare ) The convergence will require

Discuss the strategic roles of middle managers Assignment - 2

Discuss the strategic roles of middle managers - Assignment Example In their study, Currie and Proctor (2005) concur with the literature that argues that organizational performance is mainly influenced by what takes place in the middle of the organization than what happens at the top. Based on the work of Floyd and Wooldridge (1992, 1994, 1997, 2000), Currie and Proctor (2005) argue that middle managers have a significant role to play in the ‘thinking’ as well as ‘doing’ of strategy in the organization. The middle managers can actually influence the direction of strategy from top to bottom or bottom to top. According to Currie and Proctor (2005), middle managers play four significant roles in strategic decisions in the organization. First, they synthesise information about the operations of the organisation which can be channelled upwards to the executives and can be used in strategy formulation. Second, the middle managers can reshape the strategies formulated by the executives since they are closer to all activities that o ccur in the organization. Thirdly, the middle managers can also exert downward influence especially in areas that are outside the reach of the executives. The fourth point is that middle managers are responsible for implementing deliberate strategy where they translate corporate strategy into action plans. Thus, it can be noted that from the middle management perspective, the middle managers have important strategic roles to make in an organization. Without middle managers, it may be difficult to achieve consistency in the performance of the organization. Raes et al (2011, p. 102) also suggest that â€Å"the interaction of the top management team (TMT) and middle managers (MMs) is central to effective strategy formulation and implementation.† It can be argued that the middle managers are at the center of all activities in the organization. For instance, they directly link with the top executives and the supervisors and other subordinates below them. This makes then significant in strategy

Climate Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Climate - Assignment Example Since the scientific community has identified exploitation of fossil fuel as the main reason for global warming, this section has been prosecuting them on various levels, in spite of mounting evidence. This essay discusses one of the most urgent issues in environment study that is climate change or global warming in every context with its definition and various controversies are raging in this area of the studies. The climate change can be broadly defined as the long-term time period shift in the weather statistics including the average climate (NOAA, 2007). One of main concerns in the environmental study is the global warming with the continuous increase in the temperature all over the world. It is also one of the topics that are hotly debated between various sections of the modern society (US National Academy of Sciences & the Royal Society, 2008). The weather scientists who are working in this area are gathering mounting evidences regarding the increasing of the surface warming all over the world. One of such sources is the thermometers that are monitoring the changes in hundreds and thousands of the locations all over the world and recording those changes at a permanent location. The scientists are also getting indirect estimates from such sources as the ice cores as well as tree rings for calculation of change in temperature during past years (US National Academy of Sciences & the Royal Society, 2008). Since, last few decades, there are many theories that seek to explain the reason of the global warming such as the cycle of the sun spots and changes in earth climate, natural variability of the climate or changes due to human activity. As per some people, the main source of the global warming is the sun spots and 11 years Sun – cycle. The energy output of the Sun varies considerably depending upon the abundance of some isotopes of beryllium or carbon atoms and number of the sunspots. But, as per the evidence that is

A Case study of Educational standards in academic institutions Essay

A Case study of Educational standards in academic institutions - Essay Example Such people quote the opinions of British council of education like agencies; UK has an outstanding global reputation for innovative research and the delivery of quality education and UK qualifications are recognised and respected throughout the world (British Council, n. d), to strengthen their argument. On the other hand, critics of current education system believe that the current educational methods are drilling people to answer "undemanding questions to satisfy the needs of league tables and national targets" and the pupil have less ideas about how to solve problems, use critical thinking or apply mathematics in science etc. Even the better teachers forced to teach to the test to meet the demands of school league tables which draws mainly on the recalling of facts, with no reference to logic or mathematics (BBC News, 2008). As stated above the educational standards in UK is debatable as many educationalists differ in their opinions. Different studies yielded different results and it is necessary to research about the standards of education in UK at present to give the educationalists and the public more comprehensive ideas about the British education system. This research addresses the core questions like; Do the educational standards in UK going up or down? What are the merits and demerits of British educational system at present? What are the major issues in British educational system at present? What about the cost factor and the quality of education in UK at present? Guskey (2008) has defined educational standards as the goals of teaching and learning. He has also pointed out that the major issues prevailing in educational system at present are with respect to the standards (Guskey, 2008, p.1). The call for higher educational standards is a never ending one. The scope or space for improvement in educational system is immense as knowledge is exploding from all the corners, virtually in every minute/second. It is difficult to change the

Problem Solving Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Problem Solving - Case Study Example The short term liquidity of ACLU improves with time and that is a good indicator for the company. The return on assets of the company shows the ability of the company to increase profits as a result of the productivity accruing from the net assets. The measure will show the productivity of the company. The productivity of the company will affect the ability of the company to increase profits and, hence, the financial position of the company. The company mainly relies on donations as opposed to loans. That means that it will have no financial obligation to external firms or financial institutions (Finkler 2010). If I were a fund raising manager, I would mainly focus on the current members as opposed to new members. If a person wants to make donations and would want to know the amount of money that will be put in the major activities of the company, I would advise on the use of efficiency ratios. All the chapters were audited because the final report was given by the company. The financial statements are not free of error because auditing is an exercise that involves sampling and that could be subject to some approximation error. The donation of land and buildings should be treated differently as capital items and they should be capitalizing in the recording of their receipt. If wish sued LIFO method, the net assets would have increased as opposed to the use of FIFO. The service that qualifies as a program service is management and general services. The decrease in net assets could be as a result of the losses from the stock market because the investments have been incorporated as part of assets of the company. Wish does not include any provisions for a law suit because they have not indicated such an instance. The overall assessment of the finances of wish shows that the company is doing well but has the potential of doing much

America Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

America Today - Essay Example Just as before the first round of financial depression, America had just elected a charismatic leader to the White House who promised to fix the problems left by his predecessor. However, he failed to do so and the American people were left to pay the price . I find it quite disturbing that America seems to have a pattern of allowing history to repeat itself. As one will recall from our lessons in this class, America was enjoying one of its longest and largest economic growth spurts before the depression came along. This is a typical scenario that was again played out before the 21st century era of American depression, only this time, both the stock market and banking system collapsed. With more than 15 million Americans out of work, the government chose to pull the country out of the depression era by introducing European style social and economic reforms The New Deal allowed the government to have a more direct hand in the social and economic business of the American people. By adopting a policy of moderate currency inflation the federal government managed to jumpstart the economy and offer relief to some debtors by creating credit facilities that dealt with industry and agriculture. Banks were severely monitored and controlled so that they would not make the mistake of increasing their already existing bad loans. While The New Deal ushered in a new era of social, political, and economic stability for the government, the events happening overseas in Europe and Asia were slowly beginning to rear its ugly head in relation to the existence of America as a pacifist country. The American economy was at its peak when it became directly involved in the European and Asi an wars of World War II. Although the United States of America managed to survive the economic effects of the war through the act of selling bonds, rationing, and other cost saving measures at home, the country was slowly emerging as the de-facto leader in terms of international relations. The defeat of Hitler during the European War by the Allied Forces allowed their scientists to come and work for the Americans who were still dealing with the war in the Asia Pacific at the time. Since the nuclear bombs were actually a Nazi brain child, these scientists who worked on the project simply handed over their research, results, and expertise to their new masters, who in this case, turned out to be the Americans. We helped them fine tune the weapon of mass destruction without really having a real reason to use it in the Asia Pacific war. 3 There is a historical belief that Japan was actually close to surrendering and had already lost the war by the time the U.S. forces had decided to drop the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A decision that the government made, according to historical documents, on the fact that by being the first to use a nuclear weapon, the United States will have the upper hand in the nuclear arms race and shall therefore be

PASS Lifestyle, Leisure and Recreation Essay Example for Free

PASS Lifestyle, Leisure and Recreation Essay Introduction: The recreation and leisure activities present in our world today are differ from what generations 100 years ago participated in. Our physical environment is changing continuously under the effect of natural, cultural and economic systems which influence people’s lifestyles. As lifestyles change, peoples’ way of spending their leisure time, and leisure activity preferences, also change. Urban open public spaces such as parks seem to lose their popularity as shopping malls have become the new leisure centres due to the increasing need â€Å"to consume† of today’s societies. Our age has the accessibility of information and convenience of abundant transport to take us the venues that we can enjoy ourselves, or free ourselves from the issues of our daily life. Information of available activities that we know today, mainly come from sources such as the internet and the television or media. Media has shaped the many lifestyles of today, via their advertising of activities and appliances. By shifting our lifestyle, some of our interests in recreation and leisure have changed over the ages. Activities that existed 100 years ago but not today: Stickball. Stickball was a street game that is immensely related to baseball which adapts to the environment it was played in. The activity only required a rubber ball and a stick of any form. This activity has gradually died out, as people started to earn more money to afford playing other sports that involved swinging at a ball. The media also helped advertise America’s Major League Baseball, which put peoples’ interest into a more popular activity. Some people believe that this activity did not actually die out as it was the origin of all bat-and-ball sports that exist today. Playing Cards and Dominoes Since people living in the early 1900s, mainly middle-aged men, gathered together at bars after their day’s work, they took attraction to group activities. Their main activities were card games which involved betting small amounts of money or a glass of beer. In their houses, Dominoes was a common family game which appealed to all age groups. In today’s lifestyle, not all people have the luxury of time to participate in these activities or have lost interest due to the introduction of personal technological devices. These devices include the popularised iPod and computers, in which people can ‘surf’ the internet to find out many leisure and recreational activities which suit their lifestyle. Activities that exist now but not 100 years ago: Shopping The availability of shopping centres has increased rapidly in the past 10 years, as the world’s economy grew, and the average earning of families increased. The shopping for recreation and leisure of today mainly refers to excessive buying of ‘wanted’ materials for interest of the buyer. This modern activity is common among females, usually in groups. It fits into the lifestyles of women who do not work on weekends, and consumes much of the day, thus the inclusion of food courts in shopping centres. 100 years ago, shopping was not popularised as income of an average household was lower, and many women had to stay home to attend to the housework. The availability of shopping centres and transport to shopping centre venues was limited during that time. Most of the time, shopping was a chore rather than a leisure activity because it involved buying needs for the family, such as food and learning materials. Extreme Sports With increased knowledge and equipment to ensure safety, extreme sports are quite popular in modern society. These activities often involve speed, height, a high level of physical exertion, and they can help isolate thoughts of current issues, help set new goals, and improve physical fitness. Some extreme sports which are available near suburban areas are: mountain bike riding, indoor or outdoor rock-climbing, body boarding and canoeing. In the 1900s, people were not aware of these activities due to the inconvenience of less media sources. Among teenagers and young adults, free running is particularly popular in city areas which have a variety of artificial environments. This activity did not exist 100 years ago because it originated from later popular movements like graffiti and internet groups. Dining Out The modern society values the bonding of couples more than the world 100 years ago. A common activity amongst couples is dining out, to create an atmosphere of romanticism. By observing the growing population, the variety of employed jobs is also growing. The food industry is one of the largest in the world, and has led to the creation of restaurants of different cuisines. Since the countries of the world are becoming more multicultural, people want to break away from eating their traditional foods. Dining out provides a solution to changing tastes, and may sometimes aid in saving time as cooking at home may take several hours when attempting to provide fine food. Activities which existed 100 years ago and still exist now: Soccer 100 years ago, soccer teams received growing groups of supporting members and fans that popularise the sport. The soccer associations of today have provided many opportunities for sport betting, employment and sponsorship to advertise brands or companies. In many schools of the 1900s and today, grassed areas were easily converted to soccer fields so that students could play this sport during or after school time. Older age groups can join soccer clinics and clubs where they can play for enjoyment at learning levels to competitive levels. Watching soccer matches is also considered a recreational and leisure activity among fan groups which follow the current soccer. Film Going out to watch movies was a leisure and recreational activity that was present 100 years ago and now. This activity is popular as many films relate to the current world affairs. This activity would not have survived if not for the extremely low pricing of cinema tickets in the 1900s. The price of tickets has inflated in our era, but this is acceptable as our average income has increased. Conclusion: From the research I have accumulated in recreational and leisure activities of 100 years ago and today, I have found out that a major factor of the changing pursuits has been the shifting of daily lifestyles. The trends originating from media has shaped the many lifestyles of our world today, which has in turn changed our interests. Another factor of our leisure and recreational pursuits is the availability of information and transport we have today that lets us do what we want. However, the popularity of early activities has declined as our society has further developed these activities, while the appeal of the activities has been surpassed by our modern trends and movements.

Being an Effective Leader: Literature Review

Being an Effective Leader: Literature Review Introduction How to be an effective leader? Leadership is not management or instruction. Leadership is the ability to inspire or influence others towards the leaders goal and a real leader have followers. If someone has followers, then he or she is a successful leader. Besides that, must be a real leader. A successful leader must make his or her followers believe that they are a team or family, not only the relationship between leader and subordinates only. If they have confidence in you and be your followers that is the successful beginning of the goal. However, an effective leader is someone who establishes a clear vision. Furthermore, leader should also be able to educate his subordinates since they have the ability to work independently. Next, for businesspeople, one of the important things have to worry about is to inspire people or influence others towards the leaders goal. Now, here are some methods to make tasks easier and how to be an effective leader such as positive attitude, self-asse ssment and be fully prepared.    Bee Kai Ying, 1507526 First: An effective leader must have positive attitude Firstly, positive attitude is important for a leader. A great leader is able to control their emotion well. They would not bring negative emotion to work. This is because they know these emotions can affect others especially people in leadership position. For example, when facing a problem that are not expected, from ability to stay clam can bring confidence to team members and prevent other team members feeling confuse. Moreover, a good leader will seek advice from team member without caring their position. Besides that, a positive thinker will not be jealous others ability and are willing to learn from them. Positive thinkers team can improve a lot. For example, a positive thinking team will treat a difficult situation as a chance to show their ability while a negative thinking team will not because they are worry for failure. Even when positive thinker fail in the challenges but they can quickly overcome failure and accept the challenges again. They will not stop because of the fa ilure but will improve because of learning the failure and never give up. At last, positive thinking not only affected the leader themselves but will also affected the team members and encourage the team toward their personal or team goals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Wong Chung Hing ,1507484 Second: Effective leaders own self-assessment Self-assessment is the process for leaders to evaluate their performances, behaviours and have better understanding on their strengths and weaknesses. As a result of owning self-assessment skill, they are able to work on their limitations and improve their abilities including confidence, communication skill and team-building skill as an effective leader. Moreover, leaders are able to hire the subordinates or team-mates who complement him on his insignificance. There are some tools and techniques have been prepared for self-assessment and one of the most famous tool is Leadership Steps Assessment (LSA) (James G. Clawson, 1999). By using LSA, one can learn on clarifying one selfs centre, whats possible and what others can contribute, supporting others, being relentless as well as celebrating progress. In addition, leader should always know the perception of people on him. He may request the people to comment on his best and worst qualities and eventually improve the best qualities whil e getting rid of the worst qualities. Last but not least, leader who own self-assessment will learn from their mistakes once they realize their errors. They will face the mistakes and take the responsibility to overcome them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chong Yee Lee 150784 Third: be an effective leader must have fully preparation To become an effective leader one must prepare yourself to lead well before you do anything. First, make a list of everything you need to do. Opportunities are often the beginning of the great cause when you are ready to welcome the opportunity, better than have a chance and you are not prepared yourself. When leaders fail it is due to lack of preparation. Next, the leader never stopped being accountable to yourself and others. You cant expect subordinates to perform better if they are not prepared to successfully deliver what you expect from them. Because the things you express to subordinates and what their receive of the ideas is different. Being prepared for the unexpected is your accountable. For example, when the leader demands more from subordinates, enforcement of pressure rises so does the pressure guides subordinates rightly done their own position job. At the same times, improve the performance of the standards for the leader you will notice that preparation become a major measure of success. A leader needs to brush up yourself, such as invest in your own skill sets and capabilities to improve your solution to problem-solving. The preparation does not guarantee success, but the lack of preparation can certainly happen your tendency to failure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lee Chi San, 1508085 Conclusion Last but not least, a great leader is a person who must have positive attitude, self-assessment, and be fully prepared. First, an effective leader should be able to fully prepared. When a leader has fully prepared before doing anything, it will help to decrease the rate of failure of the goal. For example, a leader should prepare or provide a vision for where the company is heading in such a way that people can buy into that vision. Secondly, leader must have own self-assessment. For example, leader will learn from their mistakes towards the goals. It will win the heart of the people you are leading and the possibilities are endless. Thirdly, leader also should have positive attitudes. Effective leaders inspire you and influence others all their thoughts, words and actions are charged. They look inside and bring the best of you to the surface.For example, a leader must be a positive thinker, good example and good mirror in front of people, because it can inspire people towards the go al. In short, a successful leader can lead all subordinates together to achieve the goal and let all subordinates voluntarily follow from the start to the end. This is what an effective leader must have.   Ã‚  Ã‚   1507526, Bee Kai Ying Why Do Countries Trade With One Another? Why Do Countries Trade With One Another? There are several reasons why countries trade with one another. Trade among nations is taken as a sign of good intent and a means of maintaining non-hostile diplomatic relations. Trade is used to empower allied nations by providing them with valued resources such as oil, grain, or bullets, as well as crippling and weakening rivals by imposing economic sanctions on goods services such as: military armaments, food, or medicine. Bans such as these are used to punish nations or motivate a change in their political and economic behavior. A course of action that the United States of America has pursued several times when suspect of nations endoursing terrorism. Moreover, trade unifies neighbouring countries with shared economic ideals by creating a common currency and trade laws that bolster each partys economic power. The establishment of the euro for example in 2002 united 12 countries and is now used in 22 countries, currently overpowering the US dollar.   Essentially countries trade in order to purchase goods and/or services that would not have been available within their borders either due to insufficient resources or underdeveloped technology. Therefore through trade, countries are able to obtain any desired good or service that would have otherwise been unattainable or would have placed a burden on economic activity. International trade may be described as a interdependent web of sustainability among countries. International trade therefore mirrors specialisation, this being a key concept underlined in the law of comparative advantage. The law of comparative advantage involves the opportunity costs of two or more parties (a firm or company, in this case a country) in their production of a good or service and highlights their ability in producing it at the highest possible efficiency in relation to all the other possible goods or services that could have been produced in its place. In this sense, there is merit in trading with other countries when international differences are present in the opportunity cost of given goods. An isolated economy with limited resources is able to produce tractors and hats for instance. The more resources allocated in the production of tractors, the less are available for the production of hats and vice versa. The opportunity cost of tractors is the quantity of hats sacrificed seeing that resource allocation was focused on the production of tractors and not hats.  This situation can be illustrated by the diagram overleaf: Diagram (a) shows the maximum combination of tractors and hats this economy can produce. In the event that all resources were used to produce maximum tractor output while sacrificing the production of hats all-together, then the outcome would be shown by point A. Similarly, point D represents the event that the economy sacrificed the production of tractors to achieve maximum hat output.  Points B and C correspond to relative trade-offs. Point E represents inefficient use of resources, while point F requires more resources than the economy has at hand and can only be achieved by development of the given economy. The curve A-D is known as the production possibility curve. Using the principle of comparative advantage, countries derive whether it would be beneficial to start trading and if so, if it should export or import. Take for instance the market for wheat. The wheat industry is large seeing that it is produced in many countries making it a good example in terms of analysing the gains and losses a country may experience as a result of trade. For example, Country As market for wheat is isolated from the world market. There are no transactions be it exports or imports and the market for it is comprised uniquely by its domestic buyers and sellers. The diagram overleaf depicts the market equilibrium without international trade: (b) In an economy like Country As, domestic supply and demand are balanced by adjusting the price. In the absence of international trade consumer and producer surplus are in equilibrium.   To determine whether or not Country A should trade with other countries the domestic price of wheat should be compared to that of other countries, commonly known as the world price. If the domestic price of wheat is lower than the world price then Country A becomes an exporter of wheat seeing that domestic wheat producers take advantage of the increased foreign prices and begin selling to other countries. By contrast, if Country As domestic price of wheat were higher than the world price then it becomes an importer of wheat since consumers are eager to buy cheaper wheat from abroad.   The principle of comparative advantage is a key element as far as trade is concerned. By considering the domestic price in relation to the world price of wheat Country A derives whether or not it has a comparative advantage in producing it. The opportunity cost of wheat is derived from the domestic value. In other words, how much of another good Country A has to sacrifice in order to produce one unit of wheat. A low production price of wheat states that Country A has a comparative advantage to the rest of the world. Conversely, if Country A has a high production value, other countries have a comparative advantage.   Diagram (b) shows the domestic equilibrium price and quantity for wheat during pre-trade conditions. Once Country A starts trading, the domestic price increases to reach the world price level. This is to say that domestic producers will now sell at this new increased price which in turn forces consumers to pay more. This is shown by the diagram below: (c) Quantity demanded and quantity supplied differ when in trade. The new excess quantity is used as exports to other countries. Before trading, the price level adjusted itself so that domestic supply and demand could balance. Consumer surplus being areas A + B and producer surplus area C. Total surplus summing up to areas A + B + C. Now that a new price has been set, consumer surplus is A while areas B + C + D are the producer surplus. The new total surplus is A + B + C + D. Producers surplus increases by areas B and D making them better-off. While consumer surplus is reduced by area B. Due to producer gain trumping consumer loss, total surplus in Country A increases. This example shows how trade bolsters the economic state of a country and reinforces the pro-trade argument. Following these points, one concludes by saying that trade among nations is beneficial seeing that it allows each party to allocate its resources accordingly in order to specialise in what it does best, while obtaining other desired goods at a lower rate. When countries decide what to specialise in upon entering trade with one another, their opportunity costs are taken into consideration seeing as relative production costs differ from country to country.  The following model puts into practice the example with hats and tractors. Take for instance two countries producing hats and tractors, Greece and Britain. British workers earn 6 pounds an hour whereas Greek workers earn 3 euro and have an absolute advantage in terms of both goods. Table 1 shows that less British unit labour hours are needed for both goods. Britain is relatively more productive in terms of tractors seeing that it takes 1.5 times longer for Greece to produce one. However, it takes Greece only 5/4 times longer to make a hat.  Britain holds the comparative advantage for tractor production and Greece in hats. By sacrificing 10 hats, Britain acquires 40 extra labour hours to make a Tractor.  The opportunity cost of a tractor in Britain is 10 hats and 12 hats in Greece. The opportunity cost of Greece however (1/12 of a tractor) is less than the opportunity cost in Britain ( 1/10 of a tractor.).  Once again, this proves that Britain has a comparative advantage in tractors and Greece in hats. Specialisation and trade allows these countries to produce and trade each good more efficiently. Greece focuses on hat production a nd Britain on tractor. Trade has proven to be a very beneficial course of action for countries to take part in. Benefits from trade range from maintaining good-willed relations between nations, to empowering allies with precious resources, to weakening foes by stripping them away and finally to allow each country to obtain goods and services in demand that would have otherwise been impossible to attain. Through the principle of comparative advantage countries determine a number of factors. Initially, with the use of a production possibility frontier diagram, they derive opportunity costs for different combinations of producing goods. Efficient resource allocation paves the way to specialisation of goods. Secondly, they see if they have a comparative advantage in entering international trade and exporting (buying). Trade, exports to be more precise, increase countries economic power as it increases Total Surplus. Finally, when faced with the option of multiple good production, countries compare their compar ative advantage in relation to each good and settle for the most efficient outcome. As a result of specialisation all parties benefit from reduced costs.

The Maturation Of Huckleberry Finn Essay -- essays research papers

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn begins with Huck introducing himself. He is wild and carefree, playing jokes on people and believing them all to be hilarious. When his adventures grow to involve new moral questions never before raised, there is a drastic change in his opinions, thoughts, and his views of "right and wrong", and Huck's "rejection of the values of society has tried to instill in him" (Wright 154). By the time the book is over, it is apparent that he has matured greatly since the beginning of the novel. Certainly the people and events Huck comes in contact with through his adventures causes this change, which include: Jim, the Duke and the King with the Wilks' family, Pap and the Widow Douglas, and the time spent with the Grangerfords. The person who affected Huck the most was Jim. Jim was Huck's companion throughout the entire journey. At first Huck considers Jim only as a "nigger" because of the way he was brought up, yet Jim is much more than a stereotypical slave and Huck develops a deep feeling of loyalty toward him. During their adventure together, Huck always feels a duty to reveal Jim's identity as a runaway slave, but is held back when he remembers Jim's kindness and integrity "Jim would always call me honey†¦ and do everything he could think of for me, and how good he always was" (Twain 95). An example when Huck questions his morals and helps Jim is when they are traveling down the river when they come across m... The Maturation Of Huckleberry Finn Essay -- essays research papers The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn begins with Huck introducing himself. He is wild and carefree, playing jokes on people and believing them all to be hilarious. When his adventures grow to involve new moral questions never before raised, there is a drastic change in his opinions, thoughts, and his views of "right and wrong", and Huck's "rejection of the values of society has tried to instill in him" (Wright 154). By the time the book is over, it is apparent that he has matured greatly since the beginning of the novel. Certainly the people and events Huck comes in contact with through his adventures causes this change, which include: Jim, the Duke and the King with the Wilks' family, Pap and the Widow Douglas, and the time spent with the Grangerfords. The person who affected Huck the most was Jim. Jim was Huck's companion throughout the entire journey. At first Huck considers Jim only as a "nigger" because of the way he was brought up, yet Jim is much more than a stereotypical slave and Huck develops a deep feeling of loyalty toward him. During their adventure together, Huck always feels a duty to reveal Jim's identity as a runaway slave, but is held back when he remembers Jim's kindness and integrity "Jim would always call me honey†¦ and do everything he could think of for me, and how good he always was" (Twain 95). An example when Huck questions his morals and helps Jim is when they are traveling down the river when they come across m...

Exceptional Families United :: essays research papers

EXCEPTIONAL FAMILIES UNITED Exceptional Families United is a support group comprised of service providers and parents of individuals with special needs. This group meets monthly in Springfield. When this group was first formed, the biggest issue that the families wanted addressed was the lack of recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the Springfield area. We discovered that in other areas around the state, park districts and municipalities have formed joint Special Recreation Associations (SRAs) to address the increasing demand for recreation inclusion and accessibility, as mandated by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). These joint programs are authorized by law to levy their own taxes to pay for the programs, which is the real beauty of the SRA. The SRAs often employ Therapeutic Recreation and related professionals to provide a wide range of athletic and social programs for individuals with disabilities of all ages and abilities, such as swimming, camps, after school activities, shopping trips and dinner outings. In addition, the SRA helps all individuals have the chance to be included in existing park district programs by providing the necessary supports such as one-on-one assistants, staff training, sign language interpreters, transportation, and adaptive equipment to ensure a safe and successful experience for everyone inv olved. Springfield area families and individuals would benefit greatly from such a program. We have consulted with SRA administrators from around the state and the Illinois Association of Park Districts for their expertise and advice, and will have their support in presenting the idea to the mayor and park district officials in Springfield. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!! We are seeking letters of support from local organizations that serve individuals with disabilities. A brief letter indicating your organization’s support for a SRA in the Springfield area would be beneficial and greatly appreciated.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee Essay examples -- Observation Essays, Descriptive

Nestled in the Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg has become an area that East Tennessee State University students go to visit. Gatlinburg offers something for many; however, the city has some growing pains such as traffic and limited space. Thus, the city of Gatlinburg offers many things that a traveler could need and want, provided that he or she is willing to overlook the city’s rapid growth. Entertainment in the area is targeted at a wide variety of age groups and interests that include some of East Tennessee State University students. Gatlinburg has many attractions such as Camp Thunder Fun Center, Fun Mountain, and Ober Gatlinburg. Camp Thunder, located on the main parkway, offers indoor go-karts, miniature golf, and a motion simulator. All these attractions cost $6.45 (http://www.smokymountainfun.com/camp.htm). Fun Mountain also has go-karts, but in addition it offers bumper cars, a chair lift, and places to eat. Fun Mountain is a good location for families with children, and it is conveniently located at the main intersection in Gatlinburg (http://www.reaganresorts.com/funmnt.htm). Ober Gatlinburg, one of Gatlinburg’s well-known attractions, offers skiing, ice-skating, an arcade, a Velcro wall, and bungee jumping (http://www.obergatlinburg.com). Ober Gatlinburg is placed on top of a mountain, but there is a tram that you can take from downtown near the end of the city. The city also offers some live entertainment. The Classic Country Theater has a tribute to Elvis and a music show that concentrates on the 50’s through the 80’s (http://www.classiccountrytheater.com). Sweet Fanny Adams Theater offers live comedy shows. It is located on the main strip of Gatlinburg and has two new shows each year. I would highly suggest Sweet... ... has catering and rental services. Absolutely Sensational Catering offers small and large catering services in the range of $249 to $369 (http://www.ascater.com). Unforgettable Rentals has a large selection of items to rent for a wedding and they are in a convenient location (http://www.elegant-rentals.com). Smoky Mountain Occasion brings the wedding to you. They offer services for $249 to $549 and have many options such as a unity candle, cake cutter, plume pen, limo service, and a guest book (http://www.smokymountainoccasions.com). Gatlinburg, a town in the Smoky Mountains, is rich with things to do. The city offers a variety of restaurants, lodging, entertainment, and marriage facilities. Gatlinburg is a nice city to visit although it can cost quite a bit of money. This has become a common place of visit for East Tennessee State University students and others.

Grendel and Cain Essay

In the story of Beowulf you get a glimpse of many different themes throughout this epic. Those themes range from good and evil to those of death and glory. The story itself depicts a period in history when life was lead â€Å"blind† through the teachings of the book of the lord and his spoken words. At this same period in history traditional pagan religious practices and beliefs have slowly given way to the ideals and philosophy of Christianity. Many of the themes held within the pages of Beowulf stem from the proverbs and fables recited and practiced in the Old Testament, while concurrently adding pagan beliefs of monsters, demons, and multiple gods. The most striking of these biblical comparisons is viewed between Grendel (the protagonist, evil rival of Beowulf) and Cain (the evil brother of Able). In the Old Testament, Cain kills his brother Abel and is consequently punished and banished from the Garden of Eden by God. His actions proved to have a dramatic effect on the life of Grendel and the choices he makes throughout his life until his epic struggle for victory over the Geats and Beowulf himself. Symbolically and genetically, Grendel assumes the role of his ancestor Cain in this epic story as an outsider, disowned from the rest of society, finding a home only among the unknown (evil) and those who have sinned. Feeding on the flesh and blood of god’s creations, Grendel starts a vigorous battle to destroy all that is good and the things he can not have. To the Anglo-Saxons and the creators of Beowulf, one of the worst crimes a person could have committed in life was that of murdering ones kin (or the killing of one’s brother). During the era of this writing the figure of Cain is used metaphorically to represent â€Å"the unknown† (chaos, evil) and the presence of evil. Cain defies gods will and so he secludes himself to the evils of the surrounding world only to foster a hatred of god and a family cursed for eternity. The period in which Grendel and Cain resided in was deeply structured around the book of the lord (bible) and as a result created a society structured around the teachings and morals of its stories. The idea of friendship and kin being desecrated through the act of murder is one of the worst things a person can do and the consequences of that are severe. Grendel is a victim of his own world and the actions of his ancestors. The society for which Grendel wants to conquer and deny existence  proves to be the creator and destroyer of his tragic being. In the classic story of Cain and Able, Cain enviously slays his brother Able in a vicious outcry of jealousy and anger. For his sin, he was banished from mankind for eternity and left only to live life displaced from the routines of normal beings and forced to live among the dark and the sinful. Cain was the first of a cursed family to be exiled for the sins he committed. His punishment proved to have a drastic effect on him and the future of his blood line. His punishment spawned his dedication to holding a grudge against god himself and the unreachable light he has been denied of. After being the first born of Adam and eve, Cain went on to become a farmer of the ground, while his brother Abel followed the pursuits of a keeper of the sheep. Cain became a self-willing, vindictive man, defiant in his attitude towards God and his relation to his kin. His eternal sin was committed on the seventh day or Sunday of the week while the two brothers were presenting offerings to the lord. Abel’s offering was of the â€Å"firstlings of his flock and of the fat† (Gen. 4:4), while Cain’s â€Å"was of the fruit of the ground† (Gen. 4:3). For Abel’s sacrifice, he gave the best he had and so his offering was respected by his elders while Cain’s offering was scorned and dismissed. It was for this reason Cain brood anger towards his kin; the worst of which was focused on his younger brother Able. After his disgrace towards the lord and his family, Cain’s apathy towards his brother produced feelings of murderous intention and hatred. Sooner or later this desperate outrage led him to murder Able in raw uneventful hatred. For his sin he was expelled from Eden. From that day on he led the life of an exile, doomed to be â€Å"a fugitive and wanderer in the earth† (Gen. 4:12) and denied the rights of a normal man, only to bare the mark of a sinner and warning to others. With this Cain walked into the land of Nod (unknown, evil, dark), only to leave a legacy felt by the generations of his offspring. When Cain killed Able, he ignited the eternal flame of a cursed family. From Cain’s blood came â€Å"the curse of his exile and sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants too† (Beowulf. Pg. 35), darkness entailed is legacy and evil embodied his future. Grendel is a descendant of Cain, so he shares Cain’s exile from all that is good and light. Cain may have been the  first displaced person after Adam and Eve, but he was not the last. Grendel shares his ancestor’s punishment, he is exiled not only from whatever land or wealth he would have had if he were â€Å"human†, but he is also abandoned by God and all who followed and indulge in his faith and grandeur. It is this abandonment that causes Grendel to destroy and murder. â€Å"The treasure seat, he was kept from approaching; he was the Lords outcast† (Beowulf pg.36), since he cannot approach the throne of the Lord like the rest of mankind, he chooses to attempt to destroy it. He has no love for God and his children if he can not be with them â€Å"hand in hand†. However, unlike Cain and his parents, Grendel is doomed from his creation by being conceived into a blood line stricken by an eternity of banishment from God’s light because of Cain’s sin against his brother. It is for this reason why Grendel kills. He can never be in the light because he is constantly fighting a lonely war against God and all of his creations. Because of his expulsion from that which is good, he is moreover discarded by everything that follows in the wake of gods will (people, society, life, etc.). The text refers to him as â€Å"spurned and joyless† (Beowulf pg. 47); it is no wonder why Grendel was considered so monstrous. He did not accept his banishment without fighting back. Like most people who are enraged and apathetic and then placed between a â€Å"rock and a hard place† he fought back â€Å"insensible to pain and human sorrow† (Beowulf pg. 35) for those he murdered. The reason behind his actions is not because he is an unruly monster, but instead, he is overwhelmed by jealousy because he is not able to share in the spoils god has made accessible to humanity. With this in mind, if Grendel can not step into the light and become part of the life as witnessed from the outside. Then he will destroy it and leave it for no one. Just as Cain did before him, Grendel will never be content with himself as long as he must bare witness to the celebrating of life and love enjoyed by all whom lavish in the glow of Gods hands. Whether it is Grendel or his ancestor Cain, they both suffer from the agony of trying to survive in a world as cursed beings, forced to loath around in the outskirts of the cold night and the loneliness of a sun scorched day. After destroying the perfect image of a content person in the name of jealousy and anger, Cain; forbidden to enter the known world forever,  created a sphere of influence which played into the future of his children and his grandchildren’s children and so on. Even though the mark of Cain is not evident on Grendel’s physical characteristics, the presence of his cursed nature is. He like Cain suffers from an abandonment of faith and humanity. As outcasts they both find resentment and hatred towards the things they want most, whether it’s acknowledgement by god and all that is good in the world or the ability to wander freely without fear of ridicule and hostility. To humanity they pose a threat worse then the sum of most people’s fears. They represent all that is bad in the world and as a result find themselves rejected by everything good the world has to offer. It is circumstances like these that have proven to bring out the worst in a person, such as they did in Cain and his later ancestor Grendel. What would you expect from those forced to live among the displaced in a world resentful of there existence. Instead of being accepted for there misfortunes and forgiven for there sins, they where rejected for what they where and what they had become, resulting in a creature motivated by pain and apathy inflicted by the keeper of there being and the audience of there lives.

Genetically Modified Organisms Essay

Abstract Genetically modified crops and food involve the deliberate altering of the genetic material of plants and animals. Biotechnology when used for agriculture and food production will cause concerns over the environmental, economic and ethical issues that this technology affects. Genetically modified crops that are resistant to pesticides can help contribute to increased yields and agricultural growth. Most foods we consume today have been genetically modified or they have ingredients that are derived from gene modification technology. Some specific fears expressed about genetically modified organisms are the fear of the unknown and also cultural, ethical and environmental. The benefits from GMO crops include longer shelf-life, improved nutritional quality, increased crop yield. The benefits of GM crops and food seem to outweigh the risk. The agencies that  regulate this technology and the businesses that are involved in this technology should help enhance public awareness for worldwid e acceptance of genetically modified crops and food. The Food and Drug Administration known as the FDA has been focusing their time and money on food biotechnology. The use of biotechnology when used for agriculture and food production increases the environmental, economic and ethical concerns. The use of genetically engineered organisms poses apprehensive questions on the risk to human health. Progress in technology and especially genetic engineering of food is not what it once was. The way food was once grown and made has long passed. What are the possible risks and effects of this technology and is there enough information to determine the consequences GMOs will have on human health. This technology dates back to the early 1900s and in 1935 Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was first discovered by Andrei Nikolaevitch Belozersky a Russian scientist. Recombinant DNA a form of artificial DNA was created in 1973 and in 1994 insulin produced by genetically engineered E. coli bacteria is sold on the market. Genetically modified organisms hit the grocery stores in 1994 and the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the first genetically engineered crop product called the FLAVR SAVR tomato. This tomato has a longer shelf life than conventional tomato, but in 1997 the Flavr Savr was pulled off the grocery shelves due to economic difficulties. The marketplace began embracing GMO technology and by 1999 over 100 million acres worldwide are planted with genetically engineered seeds. GMOs are referred to as crop plants that are created for human and/or animal consumption which have been genetically modified in laboratories. In 1997 scientist have figured out how to stack genes (combining more than one trait from the same plant) and it is estimated that 89 percent of all soybeans and 61 percent of all corn grown in the United States has been genetically engineered(International Food Information Council, 2007). The FDA approved genetically engineered corn, soy, cotton, canola, potato, squash and tomato for commercialization in 1995 and since then the amount of crops genetically engineered has been steadily increasing. The genes are often altered to render the plant resistant to either insects or herbicides. You are likely eating genetically engineered potato chips or potato chips that  have been fried in canola, corn or soy oil. In the United States and most of the world people are consuming large amounts of genetically modified foods and don’t even realize. In 1994 the FDA approved genetically modified organisms for food crops and approval for GMO crops by the FDA has increased since. The number of crops since 2012 approved by the FDA has been 144 crops. Crops that have herbicide-tolerant traits are widely and rapidly adopted in the United States and out of the 144 crops approved by the FDA roughly around 75 percent are genetically engineered to withstand direct applications of he rbicides and/or contain an insecticide BT toxin. Countries with poor resources can benefit from biotechnology which will help provide more stable crops. Genetically modified crops can increase the nutritional quality of agricultural products and also help reduce season planting problems and cut cost. Crops can be produced to be resistant to herbicide which means they can be sprayed with herbicide to kill weeds and the crops will not be affected. This will help reduce the amount of herbicide used and a reduction in cost for the farmers and consumers. Cost for genetically modified foods may be expensive in the initial stages of research but, in the end this option will cost less overall for farmers due to the reduction in pesticide and herbicide which will help produce higher yields of quality product. Legal and ethical concerns that GMOs present are an ongoing debate. People wonder if it is ethical to file intellectual property on the genetic sequence of an organism. Biotech companies argue that IP-based revenue is used to promote further research and some worry that ownership of a particular sequence prevents widespread research and hinders scientific discovery. The U.S Supreme court ruled that patents cannot be filed on naturally occurring human gene sequences, but this ruling left room for loopholes and does not apply to GMO products. Legal debates are far from over. The political implications on genetic engineering in the world of science and around the world are a controversial topic. It is evident that with population on the rise there will not be enough production of food to sustain the needs of the growing population. This could be a possible solution to help sustain the world food supply. Research and testing is helping raise livestock and grow crops more efficiently. There are many concerns behind the genetic practices and over the safety of genetically modified foods on humans. The natural balance of the environment  also needs to be raised to include the impact that genetically modifying food will have on the environment. The question is can genetically modified foods be a good solution to help feed the growing population and what are the pros and cons associated with the social, ethical and scientific implications? How difficult would it be to segregate genetically modified organisms from other organisms and what effects could this introduction of new genes into the natural context of the environment have? Tests conducted on genetically modified crops only look at short-term effects not what effects it could have in the long range. Genetic structure on any living thing is very intricate and complex. The consequences that technology of genetically modified organism could have on the environment is not known and a system as complex as genetic codes is not something to take lightly and should not be taken for granted without knowing all the facts. Despite the legal, ethical and environmental controversies surrounding GMO products there is potential on many different research horizons. Genetic engineering could prove to be a useful tool to help address the increasing rate of population and the problem of global hunger must be addressed. It is important to weigh the benefits and consequences and not dismiss this technology before we have all the facts. There needs to be more research to help evaluate the safety of genetic engineering and to realize its full potential for scientific discovery. We will discuss throughout the rest of this paper the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modifying foods and crops. There needs to be further studies conducted to fully understand the effects this could have on human health and also on the environment. The concerns raised by environmental groups, religious organizations, political interest groups and government officials, scientist and different associations about genetically modified foods are criticized for businesses pursuing profits without worrying about the potential hazards and also for the government’s failure to exercise any regulatory oversight. Everyone has an opinion on GMOs and until we have further information we have to assume that it could be a good solution to our growing population and food supply, but we need to take the necessary precautions before we find ourselves worse off. There are many political issues with genetically modified organisms, but the  one that most people pay attentions to is â€Å"should labeling be required when dealing with genetically modified organisms?† Currently the United States does not require labeling for genetically modified organisms. Let me take some to time to explain what the term labeling means. When genetically modified foods have a label on it, it states that it was made from genetically modified crops. The United States and Canada are the only countries that do not require labeling on genetically modified foods. There are 50 countries in the world that either ban genetically modified organisms completely or have a lot of restrictions on it. The labeling of genetically modified foods has been known to cause concerns. There are several positive and negative arguments of labeling genetically modified organisms. One positive argument of labeling genetically modified organisms is that consumers have the right to know what is in their food. Another positive argument about labeling genetically modified organisms is that it will allow consumers to stay away from the food that causes them problems. A negative argument of labeling genetically modified organisms is that it may imply a warning about health issues. Another negative argument of labeling genetically modified organisms is it will impose a cost on all consumers. As of right now it does not look like the United States requirements for labeling genetically modified organism will change anytime soon. There are not any requirements for the way food is labeled, but there are federal bills in play that could change the way genetically modified foods are labeled in the future. There are a few states that approved the legislation for requiring labels on genetically modified organisms. The first state that approved the legislation was Connecticut and that happened in 2003. Recently Maine was the second state to approve the legislation. These legislations that were approved will not go into effect until more of the northeastern states endorse a similar legislation. New Hampshire House rejected a GMO labeling bill. Just this year alone 67 genetically modified organisms labeling bills have been presented in 25 states. Last year in 2013 there were 110 genetically modified organisms bills presented in 32 states. Currently there are four states with pending legislations on GMO labeling; these states include California, Missouri, Minnesota and Rhode Island. Along with the states that have the pending legislations, there are a few more states that are trying to put the GMO labeling question on the ballot. The states that are trying to put the question on the ballot are Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, and Oregon. Last year Washington voters rejected the genetically modified organism ballot; and that ballot turned out to be the most expensive ballot question ever. In the United States three different government agencies have jurisdiction over the genetically modified organism foods. The agencies include Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. The EPA evaluates genetically modified plants for environmental safety. The EPA also conducts risk assessment studies on pesticides that could cause harm to human health and the environment. The USDA evaluates whether the plant is safe to grow or not. The USDA is responsible for all the genetically modified organism crops that do not fall under the umbrella of the EPA; an example of the crops that the USDA handles are drought tolerant, and disease tolerant crops. The USDA has several internal divisions which all share the responsibility for assessing genetically modified organism foods. The divisions that are included in the USDA are the Animal Health and Plant Inspection Service, the Agricultural Research Service, and the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. The FDA evaluates whether the plant is safe to eat or not. The FDA believes that genetically modified organism foods are substantially equivalent to unmodified, natural foods, and is not subject to FDA regulations. A lot of companies that are working on new genetically modified foods are not required to consult with the FDA, nor do they have to follow the FDA’s recommendations. The current FDA policy was created in 1992 and it states that companies may voluntarily ask the FDA for a consultation. The FDA agency does not have the time, money or resources to carry out the safety studies of all the genetically modified food products. Everyone might not support genetically modified organisms, but they are very cost effective. The genetic engineering crops can be grown and survive  longer than organic crops. When using genetically engineered crops such as insect resistant crops saves money because they require less pesticides to be used. These genetically modified crops will help all farmers save money as well as help them gain profits. There are many economic advantages for genetically modified foods. Some of the advantages are pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, disease resistance, nutrition, and pharmaceuticals. There are many fungi and bacteria that can cause plant diseases. Some biologists are working on genetically engineered crops that will prevent the fungi and bacteria that cause the diseases. Herbicide is a spray that farmers use to destroy weeds instead of removing the weed physically themselves. Spraying herbicides is a time consuming and expensive process. The herbicides could potentially harm the crops and the environment. Pesticide resistance is said to be one of the most damaging impacts that genetically engineered crops have caused in the economy. Farmers typically use many tons of chemical pesticides annually. People do not want to eat food that has been treated with pesticides because of the potential health hazards. There are millions of acres of farmlands in the United States that are infested by weeds that have become resistant to herbicide. The â€Å"Roundup Ready† trait has promoted the accelerated development of resistance in several weed species. The â€Å"Roundup Ready† trait was engineered to tolerate the herbicide. In order for farmers to fight these weeds they have to use more toxic herbicides. There are some companies that are working to develop new genetically engineered crops to tolerate the older herbicides, but there is no guarantee that the same thing as before will not happen again. Along with economic advantages, there are also disadvantages. Some people believe that the farmers are the biggest losers when it comes to genetically modified agriculture. It is believed that farmers are tricked with deceptive advertising. Although genetically modified crops can produce a little more corn than organic crops; genetically modified crops reduces other output from the plant for example seeds, leaves, roots etc. Organic crops serve as food for earthworms, fungi, and other beneficial insects that will turn it  into fertilizer for the next crop. The genetically modified organism can decimate the communities of organisms that create soil, so that the farmer is stuck wondering why their soil fertility drops every year. In countries like India, the people are afraid that if they switch over to genetically modified organisms many people will lose their jobs. India is a country with over 1.1 billion people and it continues to grow. There are over 600 million farmers in India, and if they were to start using genetically modified organisms then over 580 million farmers will be looking for work. There are no other job industry in India that is creating this many jobs. It would not be logical for India farmers to switch to genetically modified crops. They would go from about 580 million farmers to only 20 million farmers; that just an impact that it will have on India’s economy. Genetically Modified Organisms has been a growing hot button issue over the past decade. As time has come and gone, many farmers have started growing cheaper genetically modified crops, which have created a surplus of genetically modified food. This has created a lot of tension between consumers and suppliers and now many of these consumers are demanding that the genetically modified foods be properly labeled. This has caused a sort of media frenzy along with many negative psychological and sociological effects because these consumers don’t know what they are putting in their body. It has become increasingly evident that genetically modified foods (genetically altered in an unnatural way) make people exceptionally uneasy, because they are unhealthy and to be completely honest, they don’t know what exactly is in it. Many consumers are starting to publicly ponder what sort of long term health risks might be associated with genetically modified foods, even though in 1992 the FDA announced that these GMO’s are generally safe, it is safe to assume that time has also been a factor in people’s restlessness. During this economic turmoil that the United States is suffering (an estimated 17 trillion dollars), many farmers have been looking for any and all possible ways of cutting their agricultural costs so their  profit margins can become higher. Genetically modified crops have been the answer, especially with all the companies that have a current high demand for them, these farmers have definitely exploited that demand. You can’t really blame them as it’s really these corporations trying to cut cost when there mass producing these food products (especially frozen foods). They are numerous citizen outreach groups, like the Coalition for Safe Affordable Foods aim to lower costs but keep the same healthy quality food and as time continues these groups will only become stronger and stronger simply because of how many people are starting to realize how unhealthy their daily food from grocery stores actually is. The labeling uproar is only the first step in what promises to be a lengthy process to make America’s food increasingly healthy. These Genetically modified crops are planted in fields similar to regular crops and they interact directly with different organisms that would normally feed on the crops and would interact incidentally with other creatures in the food chain. Again like normal crops, the pollen from the engineered crop is released into the environment, which has led to serious concerns about the possible effects that genetically engineered crops on other species and about the gene flow, the transfer of alleles (a number of alternative forms of same gene or same genetic locus) or genes from one population to another. In reality these lower agricultural costs aren’t the only useful trait that genetically engineered crops can have. Since they are genetically engineered, companies and farmers can chose exactly what they want to genetically altered. Some common useful traits for genetically engineered crops are resistance to pests/herbicides, able to increase nutritional value, and for the production of other valuable goods such as pharmaceutical drugs. These crops, while under development, are able to thrive in environmental conditions outside the species native range. Obviously there are some big negatives with genetically engineered crops, most of which have been made relatively public, but there are some positives if companies start using genetically altered plants in a more responsible manner. The willingness of consumers to pay a premium price for organic foods (food not genetically modified) has come at a time when genetically modified foods have come under scrutiny. Studies, like Lusk JL, Jamal M. Kurlander L, Roucan M, Taulman L, whom created a meta-analysis of genetically modified food valuation studies found, in a review of 25  studies, found a premium of 29 percent for non-genetically modified foods. These studies also revealed that Europeans are much more willing to pay a premium for non-GM foods than their American counterpart. This is also consistent with public policy, as there are required labeling of all genetically modified. In the United States, although there may be change in the future due to a large increase in consumer’s demand to know exactly what is going in their body, still has no labeling policies. The one exception in the United States is Whole Foods, who independently (mainly because they view themselves as the healthy grocery store compared to the Food Lions, Walmart, and Targets of the world) announced at Natural Products Expo West in March 2013, that all products in every store in the United States and Canada â€Å"must be labeled to indicate if they contain genetically modified organisms (GMO)† per Whole Foods press release. As of late, genetic modification of food has been associated with a great deal of media attention, although technically this rise of media coverage was by the spring of 1999 (add). With the rise of GMO awareness groups (especially when considering food) media attention has risen in the past decade due to consumer complaints have also led to a more close eye on what exactly is going on, and further investigation into what we, as a country, are putting into our body. Through all of the media frenzy and consumer uproar, eat healthy movements have led many of these consumers to question the validity of the GMO companies claiming their products are healthy. Many people are looking to European countries as evidence on how to run a healthy country, but in reality there is a great deal of precaution (an important theme in international relation, especially in environment and public health instances) has been a very delicate question in transatlantic relations, especially pertaining to regulation laws. This precaution usually stems from the differences in laws in how genetically modified foods can be shipped from country to country. GMO’s are good examples of how regulatory laws greatly vary from country to country (the European Union has much more strict regulatory laws compared to the United States). There has been a positive trend especially at the state/community level, where in some cases there has been extensive legislation and policy changes over the past quarter century. I think that the biggest mystery in all this genetically modified food chaos is the FDA’s lack of influence, which has in turn  created tension betw een them and various states and has ultimately caused a guessing game in the grocery aisle for many customers. The common thought between consumers is that the FDA has not played nearly enough roles when regulating genetically modified foods. Due to their negligence farms are rapidly increasing their use of genetically modified crops (which have a significantly lower cost per square foot then natural crops), which has increased their presence in food. A perfect example of a drastic rise in genetically modified ingredients is the soybean in the United States over only the last 10 years. In 1997 17 percent of the soybean acreage was genetically modified, and today that percentage is upwards of an astounding 93 percent. The FDA’s presence would be a great benefit to the â€Å"eat healthy movements†, and at some point they will be forced to make their move. It is understandable that consumers are now standing up and demanding to know if GMO’s are present in their food. It is their right, and unfortunately due to the United States nature of catering to big business (i.e. oil/gas prices) it is taken away. There have been many positive strides in this eat healthy front, and the numbers of these groups will only continue to rise, especially if the FDA doesn’t step in. Consumers have a right to know what is in their food, and until they achieve that right, they will fight for themselves and for the children of America. Genetically modified organisms have brought good news and a brighter future for many, but have also been called into question by our ethics. Genetically modified organisms or GMOs, have had a huge impact when it comes to foods and its production along with any other areas it may touch. There is a vast spectrum, from ending world hunger to being able to produce indulgent, yet unnecessary, foods like burgers in a lab (Lynas, 2014). It’s a truly fascinating thing to see such unimaginable science at work; and the endless, and quite unclear, possibilities it may bring. With an infinite amount of uncertain prospects, should there be some rules, standards, or guidelines set in place and reinforced for those who are practicing the science? Society has witnessed how technology can benefit us, but we have also come to realize the many downsides following close behind. Society needs to take the time to analyze both sides of the spectrum related to genetically modified organisms, crops, a nd food, when it comes to our environment, our  morals, and our ethics. Golden rice is one of the most talked about gifts produced by GMOs. The GMOs that created golden rice have made it possible for it to produce beta-carotene, in hopes of reducing vitamin A deficiency (Lynas, 2014). An independent humanitarian board runs the project, though there are doubts as to where the technological producers’ intentions truly lie. Society has seen the interests they have in looking for ways to end world hunger, but the revenue GMOs also produce can be a strong motivational factor. Malnutrition has been a problem for some unfortunate countries, most of which are undeveloped and poverty stricken. Countries who either cannot plant crops due to lack of fertile land, or do not have the money to buy nourishment. When something as precious as golden rice looks so appealing and promising, why is it that there are organizations such as Greenpeace rising against these â€Å"good crops†? (Lynas, 2014) Genetically modified organisms are beneficial in many ways. The GMOs used to cultivate a new class of crops, known as genetically modified crops, have a list of other valuable qualities besides its fruitful fields. Think about a farmer’s market or any other store where you may do your grocery shopping. Now imagine it being filled with many colorful and delightful looking vegetables and fruits, a real lavish produce dream. That dream is not far from becoming true if GM crops were able to truly flourish. There are crops, such as the Bt brinjal (genetically modified eggplant variation). Bt brinjal are resistant to certain complications that farmers must combat during the harvest. Having resistant genetically modified crops would remove the need to spray insecticides, thus reducing exposure of carcinogenic residues for both farmers and consumers (Lynas, 2014). Mark Lynas said in his article titled Good Crops, â€Å"These crops can reduce the use of environmentally damaging agrochemicals, and several have been developed by public-sector organizations concerned with food security, the reduction of poverty, and sustainability.† The lists of advantages GM crops have shown so far in our environment bring some people hope for a rich future. There is the opportunity to better the environment, our morals, and our ethics with these advanced crops. The ability to produce a crop that will  yield abundant bounties could reduce the need to look for more fertile land. With less land, but a bigger harvest, the environment and its inhabitants could certainly thrive. Also, GM crops that are more resistant allow our environment to be less polluted by insecticides, pesticides, and other undesirable toxins (Caplan, 2013). There is this strong chance that genetically modified crops, and their fruits, can prove the grass is greener on the other side. And though the unvisited sight seems attractive and somewhat necessary, would one dare to venture off into an unknown area? The remarkable technology of genetically modified crops and foods has much to offer. Nonetheless there are unintended consequences that are growing silent ly, and even though they are not completely formulated, they must be addressed. Unintended consequences are unforeseen outcomes society must face when it is determined to proceed with a decision, a course of action. There are many reasons why these consequential drawbacks arise, some that are inevitably unavoidable (Vernon, 1979). Researchers are only humans who make mistakes, and can overlook small details, which can lead to hapless outcomes. Like with any technology, genetically modified organisms should not be dismissed as inconsequential. There are still many unanswered questions scientists have yet to address when it comes to genetically modified crops. The main reason is that genetically modified technology is still in the early stages. There is a vast array of knowledge in the subject, yet there is still a lot of experimentation required in order to consider GMOs stable and safe. The author of the Impact of GMO on Environment and Human Health Jai Godheja shares some scary, but possible unintended consequences GM crops can lead to in the near future. The m ost controversial term being used on the topic of GM crops is genetic pollution, which basically describes what could happen when genetically modified organisms contaminate organisms unintendedly. Genetic pollution can affect the ecological system in many ways. The uncontrolled flow of genetic information being released by GM crops can cause organic or untreated organisms, to completely be wiped out (Godheja, 2013). GMOs are not organic, and if they were to poison our entire environment, nothing would be considered natural anymore. Recently, there was an interview with a farmer who was growing organic fruit, but when  tested, the end product had traces of GMOs. This discovery lead to people questioning what they are consuming. Farmers have everything to gain, but what of the people ingesting the supposed â€Å"safe† yet unidentified creations? Not to mention, the environment is ever-changing, evolving, and modifying to be able to survive in its own natural way. Therefore the, now modified as well, organisms that have always attacked the farmer’s harvest can, and more than likely will, find a way to develop resistance against pesticides and herbicides at hand (G odheja, 2013). Suddenly our delightful, and prosperous, dreams start to turn into a bitter nightmare. As the saying goes, â€Å"One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,† just as well can be said about our nightly thoughts. One person’s dreams could be another’s nightmares. The world is filled with numerous cultures that each has their own ideas, opinions, religion, and thoughts on how individuals should live their life. The ethics and morals of people, already seen as not being defined clearly by any one populace, extend even more when thought about on a global scale. The rights and wrongs could be flipped; the evils of some can be seen as blessings to others, and the good can be interpreted as wicked depending on the mentality. Now throw in a contentious subject matter like GMOs, and heads are bound to clash. Some agree GM crops are extensively worthwhile and should be fully supported, while the opposing side calls into question not only its safety but its ethical issues as well. Al-Hayani states in his article, â€Å"God has commanded us to seek knowledge and make discoveries to better our lives and our environment† (Al-Hayani, 2007). However, due to the diverse mindsets, the definition of what may be better is uncertain. Ethics is defined as the study of â€Å"doing the right thing,† so what people must figure out and come to a conclusion is whether genetically modified food is ethical. For some this question is not easily answered because there are numerous, both good and bad, things to consider. Furthermore even when those considerations are taken into account and categorized, one can still stand as undecided. An individuals’ ethics can lie all over the place, and never be clearly defined. Ethics are what make each person who they are, and can swiftly change depending on the circumstances they find themselves under. One shouldn’t be judge by their actions, but it does help outline their code of ethics and morals. Religion has a huge impact on many of our ethics. Everything created by God is considered natural and blessed by God, thus there is nothing unethical about his creations (Sandu, 2010). GMOs are not considered natural because humans have created them, and God himself even though he created the means cannot bless them. â€Å"According to its kind† is the statement Sandu repeats in his article as a biblical quotation, in order for his audience to understand God created grass and trees that would produce seeds that would in return produce more fruitful trees. The trees produced were pure breeds, or â€Å"good species.† There was the chance of crossbreeding, but this was still considered naturally hybrid because there was no human interaction involved (Sandu, 2010). A rule of thumb to remember in this context is once humans have interfered with natural processes, for example putting two species unlikely to crossbreed in an enclosed area for that intention, then immediately t he creation becomes tarnished—unnatural. Consequently it is then believed to be unethical by some. Yet others would agree the benefits GMOs have provided are ethically sound. Going back to Al-Hayani’s statement, the creation of GMOs, though unnatural, has shown some promise in bettering our lives and our environment. Genetically modified crops have provided an abundance of produce, as well as improved products like golden rice, in order to better our lives and that of others in need. With that said, GMOs would seem to be accepted as ethically sound. It is the people’s social responsibility to address and seek solutions to problems such as world hunger. Society is currently at a point where it has acknowledged problems alike and are searching, even found, answers. It is said that poverty has seen a larger decrease in the past fifty years, than the prior five centuries (Al-Hayani, 2007). There is no denying the many benefits technology, referring back to our topic of GMOs, can provide to improve our world. One couldn’t imagine such commendable technology being questioned or seen as unethical when it is providing society with indefinite aforementioned results. And even so it holds its skeptics. With all the technology available to us, there are some individuals who make the mistake of believing we control nature. It’s unwelcomed by some to think nature controls us, and unacceptable to give in to the idea we will never have complete control of our environment. Genetically engineered technologies continue to garner mixed feelings. The unstable technology has  been able to deliver assistance to society, but even the worldly provided benefits have been called into question considering its enigma. Though we may not all have the same beliefs, there is one statement that stands out and should be remembered by us all: â€Å"God didn’t make a mistake, no matter how much we’ll strive or boast, trying to transform ourselves in creators, we can’t arrange things better than the way He did† (Sandu, 2010). There is so much technology that serves many outcomes to our people, our society, our environment, and our future. All in all, it’s important to always keep, not one’s, but everybody’s best interest in mind. References: Al-Hayani, F. (2007). Biomedical ethics: Muslim perspectives on genetic modification. Zygon: Journal Of Religion & Science, 42(1), 153-162. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9744.2006.00812.x ARS : Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ars.usda.gov/main/main.htm Battle over gmo labeling rumbling in us. (2014, march 16). Retrieved from http://www.nst.com.my/world/battle-over-gmo-labeling-rumbling-in-us-1.516003 Bizeau, C. (n.d.). Social, political, and economic impact. 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Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/13/gmo-labels_n_4956995.html Sandu, G. H. (2010). Biblical Bioethics essay concerning genetically modified organisms. Scientific Papers: Series D, Animal Science – The International Session Of Scientific Communications Of The Faculty Of Animal Science, 12-14. Schrà ¶er, W., & Schmidt, G. (2013). Supporting monitoring effects of genetically modified organisms by GIS-technologies and geodata – an overview. Biorisk: Biodiversity & Ecosystem Risk Assessment, 8111-120. doi:10.3897/biorisk.8.4038 Selected Internet Resources on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.istl.org/10-winter/internet2.html Vernon, R. (Feb., 1979). Political Theory, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 57-73, Unintended Consequences†¨ Published by: Sage Publications, Inc.†¨Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/190824 Accessed: 25/08/2010 15:52 University of California San Diego. (n.d.). Genetically modified organisms (gmo). Retrieved from http://www.bt.ucsd.edu/gmo.html Wirth, D. A. (2013). The world trade organization dispute concerning genetically modified organisms: Precaution meets international trade law. Vermont Law Review, 37(4), 1153- 1188. Wohlers, A. E. (2013). Labeling of genetically modified food. Politics & The Life Sciences, 32(1), 73-84. doi:10.2990/32_1_73