Sunday, December 22, 2019

Preventing College Students Abuse From Alcohol Consumption

Stopping College Students Abuse from Alcohol Consumption The problem college students have, especially freshmen, is about abusing alcohol consumption after feeling free and independent due to leaving their homes. Now that they have their own dorms to sleep in and do not have their parents breathing over their shoulder for everything they do, who is going to tell them not to have a few alcoholic drinks and instead finish their assignment due the next morning? Being that college students are turning into independent adults, it is their responsibility to make their own choices and face the consequence each decision brings with it. Other people, and things around them can only do so much when it comes to a decision they have to make.†¦show more content†¦Many eighteen and nineteen-year-old students have been told by their parents, like myself, what to do and what not to do as well. â€Å"The drinking age is 21 for a reason, and that is when you will drink!† my mom reminded me as we were buying a small refrigerator for my dorm. Sure enough, I was already making comments in my head, â€Å"Well I am mature so a few drinks will not do any bad.† As college students are told the same things, how to avoid going to parties and stay focused in school, most will have the eagerness to do the opposite as what they are told and to also decide from own experience if drinking alcohol and partying will do them bad or not after. Unfortunately, when college students try to learn from life experience and test their limits with alcohol, many negative outcomes can be created from this. This is why a factual presentation done by second or third year undergraduate college students to incoming freshmen on the seriousness of alcohol consumption can be a solution. College freshman hear from students that have recently gone through what they are going through than what their parents went through when they were their age, having the fact that things can be much different from then until now. Also, withShow MoreRelatedUnderage drinking1086 Words   |  5 PagesUnderage alcohol consumption can be very common in the weekly routine for many students. There are many different types of drinkers and reasons for their drinking habits. Some people may drink for social reasons and others may have an alcohol problem. Underage alcohol consumption is serious among students in high school and college; it can cause health issues, and legal problems. Alcohol can be very addictive and excessive consumption could be detrimental to a person in numerous ways. Alcohol abuseRead MoreMental Health And Academic Success1089 Words   |  5 PagesMental health problems among students is an important but highly unexplored topic. The pressures for college level students to succeed while balancing financial, social and academic changes has yet to be studied at a level which directly correlates mental health status with success or failure. A stable or healthy mental health is thought to lead to higher success rates in academia and if so, how to help students achieve a stable mental state is essential in ensuring student reach their highest potentialRead MoreIs Attending The Most Difficult Times For An American Student?1273 Words   |  6 PagesAttending college is undoubtedly one of the most difficult times for an American student. Going to college places a lot of stress and emotional burden on students due to massive amounts of coursework, looming tuition bills, extracurricular activities, jobs, moving away from home for the first time, and main taining a sufficient sleep schedule. Major stress and anxiety can lead to more serious consequences such as the choice to heavily consume alcohol, which yields detrimental physiological and psychologicalRead MoreIncreasing The Legal Drinking Age Limit1502 Words   |  7 PagesIncreasing the Legal Drinking Age Limit According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), underage drinking is a leading public health problem in this country (NIH, 2016). The NIAAA also estimates that approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking (NIH. 2016). This includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of homicides, 300 from suicide (NIH. 2016). The National Minimum Drinking Age Act (NMDAA) was passedRead MoreThe Effects of Alcohol on Campus Essay1367 Words   |  6 PagesAlcohol on campus has always been a problem. Since the beginning of higher education, students have rebelled against the rules and laws of the university and the state. Underage drinking has become a nationwide pandemic. With the legal drinking age now at twenty-one, at least half of the college population is underage, leaving room for more students to engage in binge drinking at fraternities, athletic events, and dorm rooms. The fact that half the students are underage makes them more rebelliousRead MoreShould Alcohol Be Sold in Grocery Stores?1058 Words   |  4 Pagesp.i)? This is the truthful record from the United States. Did you imagine how serious consequence can alcohol brings to human? If you realize this terrible outcome, would you still wish to have alcohol selling in grocery stores? Three factors are associated with consumption, including price, convenience, and business hours. First, reducing the alcohol’s price would have the growth of consumption; in contrast, a price increase would lead to decrease consumption. Also, British Columbia is the onlyRead MoreSexual Harassment And The Civil Rights Act869 Words   |  4 Pages1964 Civil Rights Act. Sexual harassment perpetuates inequality preventing students from equal access to education. Colleges are obliged by the Federal Government to implement the programs that prevent sexual harassment and educate students. Sexual harassment on campus can take various forms and come not only from student but also from the professors. When a professor promises a certain grade in exchange for sexual favors from a student, it is a form of sexual harassment which called quid pro quo (311)Read MoreBinge Drinking On College Campuses1536 Words   |  7 Pages2015 Binge Drinking on College Campuses Approximately four out of five college students drink alcohol (niaaa.nih.gov). Although alcohol does not have immediate negative effects, over consumption can lead to serious consequences. For example, 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries (niaaa.nih.gov).Most alcohol-related injuries and accident are a result of binge drinking. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)Read MoreEssay on Alcohol and Teens: The Effects of Teenage Drinking1520 Words   |  7 Pages When at a party, a student sees another teenager drinking a beer. Thinking nothing of it, the teenager picks up a large bottle labeled Vodka and beings to chug the contents of the bottle. The alcohol rushes through her body and she suddenly has a sense of feeling free and letting loose. The next thing the teenage girl remembers is waking up in a hospital bed to her mother crying by her bed side. The only thing her mom coul d say was â€Å"Honey, please wake up. Please be okay, I want you to beRead MoreEffects Of Alcohol On A Parent Who Is An Alcoholic1169 Words   |  5 Pageshad an AUD (alcohol use disorder) in 2013 (10.8 million men, 5.8 million women) (NIH, 1).† However, only 7.8% of those people seeked treatment. From ages 12-17 around 697, 000 adolscents had an AUD, and only 73,000 recieved help. Alcohol relatted dealths are so common it’s sad. 88,000 people die a year from alcohol dealths in the United States. 10,076 of the dealths were from alochol related car accidents. In 2013, 3.3 million people died due to alcohol consumption, globally. Alcohol cumsuptons also

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Architectural Literature Review on Sustainability of Malaysian Architecture Free Essays

string(80) " for example the Palace of Sultan Mansur Shah exist from right on time periods\." In Summary of the below, review on sustainability of Malaysian Architecture is been understood and analysed. The literature review prescribes the re-examining on the methodologies and architectural experimentation that had been directed by the Malaysian architectural calling towards the quest for a national personality in structural engineering towards a sustainable group. The main part is examined on the endeavour and talk that had been led which included general society and private segments. We will write a custom essay sample on Architectural Literature Review on Sustainability of Malaysian Architecture or any similar topic only for you Order Now Modellers, benefactors and people in general had directed experimentation on the different methodologies and perspectives relating to the issue of a Malaysian architectural personality through talk, works and architectural configuration. It was discriminatingly guaranteed that architectural practice in Malaysia still needs profundity in its hypothetical methodology and powerless in it development usage which prompt an emergency in the calling. The emergency on the Built Environments’ instruction programmes in the course of the most recent two decades additionally has advanced the expert practice of construction modelling having arrived at substandard level with no fitting philosophical and hypothetical methodology. The flop on the mission for a character in building design throughout the previous four decades was traced to modellers and different implementers neglecting to scatter the plans and aims to the grass roots level. No records or apparent might be discovered to uphold the idea that the plans of looking for a national character in building design has been conveyed to grass root or open level. It is basic that present era of designers and implementers of the calling re-assessing the thought and making further mission auspicious. II) Introduction Sustainability is an issue of pressing desperation yet it is additionally a buzzword with small substance. Literates wish to demarcate the importance of Sustainability inside the setting of our main event as draftsmen. They are completely conscious that architecture is not fate it can make the conditions for additional reasonable environments however can’t compel individuals to act in foreordained ways. It then takes after that we must plan to suit neighbourhood societies, atmosphere and traditions, making environments that will be passed on from era to era, enduring life-compass a crux part of sustainability. To accomplish this, the outline must consider people to mould and personalise their own particular environments. Sustainability is the general idea of utilizing less to accomplish more. Sustainability in architecture is not simply a matter of additional items or item particular. It includes more than encasing, sun oriented boards and rainwater tanks. Rather, it impacts how we ponder planning a building and whatever shapes it in the end takes. Seeking after a natural plan is not a demand yet rather a major stimulus towards an architecture that is creative, huge, and important. Economical outline recognizes the dynamic collaboration of buildings with their instantaneous regular setting and encompassing powers. It is these connections on which the configuration process centres to the extent that on the resultant type of the building. Sustainability requires a specific path of working -clear objectives set at the undertaking commencement and close cooperation between customer, draftsman and designs all through the procedure. There is no such thing as green architecture or a green stylish. Rather there are endless ways configuration can address and incorporate issues of sustainability. Since the development of the Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia, and its capital Kuala Lumpur specifically, has turned into a reference in architecture worldwide. In this manner, it is not amazing to see it prepare other foremost edifices. Just this time, the primary centre is not stature, at the same time, actually, that they are great illustrations of bioclimatic and sustainable architecture. III) Review Sustainability implies that a methodology or state might be kept up at a certain level for with the expectation that is needed. A standout amongst the frequently refered to meanings of sustainability is the one made by the Brundtland Commission, advanced by the previous Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland. The Commission outlined economic improvement as improvement that helps the present without bargaining the capacity of future eras to meet their own particular needs. Sustainability identifies with the coherence of financial, social, institutional and environmental parts of human social order, and additionally the non-human environment. Sustainability is one of the four Core Concepts old-fashioned Universal Forum of Cultures. Sustainability likewise implies that your something is dependably the same and does not change. Architecture in Malaysia is a mixture of numerous styles, from Islamic and Chinese styles to those carried by European colonists. Malay architecture has adapted because of these impacts. Houses in the north are comparative to those in Thailand, while those in the south are comparable to those in Java. New materials, for example glass and nails, were acquired by Europeans, modifying the architecture. Houses are manufactured for tropical conditions, raised on stilts with high roofs and expansive windows, permitting air to move through the house and cool it down. Wood has been the primary building material for much of Malaysia’s history; it is utilized for everything from the basic kampung to imperial palaces. In Negeri Sembilan customary houses are truly free of nails. Besides wood, other regular materials, for example bamboo and leaves were used. The Istana Kenangan in Kuala Kangar was inherent 1926, and it the main Malay castle with bamboo dividers. The Oral Asal of East Malaysia lives in longhouses and water villages. Longhouses are raised and on stilts, and can house 20 to 100 families. Water villages are likewise based stilts, with houses joined with boards and generally transport by boats. Chinese architecture could be partitioned into two sorts, accepted and Baba Nyonya. Baba Nyonya families are made of colourful tiles and have huge indoor patios. Indian architecture accompanied the Malaysian Indians, reflecting the architecture of southern India where generally began from. Some Sikh architecture was likewise imported. Malacca, which was a conventional middle of exchange, has an expansive assortment of building styles. Imposing wooden structures, for example the Palace of Sultan Mansur Shah exist from right on time periods. You read "Architectural Literature Review on Sustainability of Malaysian Architecture" in category "Literature" Chinese impact could be seen in shiningly enlivened sanctuaries and terraced shop houses. The biggest remaining Portuguese structure in Malacca is the A Famosa post. Other frontier building could be the Dutch Stadthuys, the Dutch Colonial town block buildings, and buildings constructed by the British, for example the Memorial Hall, which joins together Baroque and Islamic architecture. The shapes and sizes of houses vary from state to state. Regular components in Peninsular Malaysia incorporate pitched roofs, verandas, and high top sides, raised on stilts for ventilation. The woodwork in the house is regularly complicatedly cut. The carpets are at distinctive levels relying upon the capacity of the room. Mosques have generally been dependent upon Javanese architecture. In cutting edge times, the government has pushed distinctive projects, from the tallest twin buildings on the planet, the Petronas Twin Towers, to an entire enclosure city, Putrajaya. Malaysian firms are improving tower plans that are in particular for tropical climates. Malaysian Architecture is one of the most respected Architecture and design in the world based on the fact that no matter how small Malaysia is it still has nice design concept and a relatively good sustainability in its Architecture, Malaysia is well known for its Petronas Twin tower and other amazing structure in the building industry. Sustainability in Malaysian Architecture has still not been attained as Education on that should be promoted in schools and educational institutes Architects all over the world and in Malaysia should make use of sustainable materials in building construction designs in that way a sustainable Architecture â€Å"Careful selection of environmentally sustainable building materials is the easiest way for architects to begin incorporating sustainable design principles in buildings. Traditionally, price has been the foremost consideration when comparing similar materials or materials designated for the same function. However, the â€Å"off-the-shelf† price of a building component represents only the manufacturing and transportation costs, not social or environmental costs. † As sited by (Jong-Jin Kim, Assistant Professor of Architecture, and Brenda Rigdon, Project Intern; Edited by Jonathan Graves, Project International; College of Architecture and Urban Planning the University of Michigan, in Qualities, Use, and Examples of Sustainable Building Materials 2012). Some materials used in construction processes are listed below. Limestone * Limestone is maybe the most pervasive building material acquired through mining. It is utilized as a cladding material and assumes a paramount part in the preparation of an extensive variety of building items. Concrete and plaster are evident illustrations of items that depend on limestone; less evident is the utilization of limestone in steel and glass creation. Steel * Steel requires the mining of iron ore, coal, limestone, magnesium, and other fellow components. To process steel, iron must first be refined from crude ore. The iron ore, together with limestone and coke (heat-refined coal) are stacked into an impact heater. Sultry air and blazes are utilized to dissolve the materials into pig iron, with the contaminations (slag) drifting to the highest point of the molten metal. Aluminium * Aluminium, determined from bauxite ore, requires a huge measure of raw material to generate a minor measure of last item. Up to six pounds of ore may be instructed to yield one pound of aluminium. Bauxite is for the most part strip-mined in tropical rainforests, a process that presupposes uprooting vegetation and topsoil from substantial ranges of land. The point when mining is finished, the dirt is swapped. The land may then be permitted to come back to rainforest, however is more prone to be utilized as farmland Bricks and Tiles * Dirt and adobe soil must likewise be mined. They are for the most part discovered in shallow surface stores, and assembling is frequently done close-by, lessening extraction and transportation costs. With the exemption of adobe, blocks and tiles must be let go to be handy building materials. The booting methodology uncovered the shaped mud to high, delayed high temperature, preparing a hard, water-verification, lasting block or tile. The terminating procedure can take hours or even days and requires an imposing measure of vigour. Coated blocks and tiles are terminated twice: first to make the shape changeless then afterward to soften and follow the coated completion, which typically holds glass. The finished item has tremendously typified vigour however is likewise exceptionally dependable. Indeed, without booting, fittingly kept up adobe blocks can most recent 350 years or more. Wood * Wood is the collected material generally ordinarily utilized within edifices and building items. Dimensional wood is utilized as a part of surrounding the lion’s share of private edifices and numerous business structures. Wood items, for example plywood, particleboard, and paper are utilized widely all through the development business. Until later years, the ost well-known technique for collecting wood was clear-decreasing, a procedure wherein all vegetation inside a given zone is evacuated for handling. Notwithstanding, where clear-cutting happens, lumber associations are obliged to replant the region. Petro-Chemicals * The building business is remarkably subject to materials inferred from petroleum and natural gas. These are utilized within an extensive variety of items incorporating plastics, glues for plywood and particleboard, covered ledges, isolation, covering, and paints. Boring for oil and gas is both perilous and exorbitant. Overwhelming apparatus is needed, and tainting of the groundwater and soil is regular. Broad worry about energy conservation, global warming and exhaustion of the planet’s non-renewable assets has conceived the green building development, with its thought of sustainable architecture that appears to be mushrooming over the planet. Essentially put, green buildings speak for outline and construction that are touchy to nature now and sometime later. Green building is not a normal practice in Malaysia due to the exceptional tests these systems face. This exploration was led to recognize the principle impediments to the headways of green buildings improvements in the nation and how to incorporate more contribution from the gatherings in the construction business to embrace this methodology. The ideas and perspectives of identified gatherings in building industry were acquired from organized questions and case studies which have been recognized to give a clearer picture of the present scenario of the green building advancements in Malaysia. Recommendations on the most proficient method to increase more presentation for green buildings were likewise procured. In light of the discoveries, it was inferred that the principle obstructions are absence of cognizance, instruction and qualified data on the profits of the construction of green buildings. It is critical for us Malaysians to get an ideal model change and begin taking a gander at greener choices which are all the more ecologically neighbourly and diminishes energy utilization. Making consciousness additionally is the first and grandest venture to guarantee that green buildings are setting down deep roots. Sustainable Architectural design does not necessarily mean the use of highly termed technologies and modernised applications in the building construction sector but rather holding and not letting go of past designs and finding such many ways to sustain Architectural design to be moderate and useful to the people as quoted by (Professor Iain Borden, in Sustainability and architectural design, 2010) â€Å"Architecture is not just about technology, and we need social propositions as to how architecture interacts with lifestyle and urban design. Here the imaginative and creative architecture can help to speculate about possible futures outside of some of the more usual constraints of commercial architectural practice† The traditional Malay house is one of the wealthiest segments of Malaysia’s social legacy. Planned and assembled by the villagers themselves, it manifests the innovative and stylish aptitudes of the Malays. This is a close flawless house form which is suitable to neighborhood climatic conditions and communicates the lifestyle of its occupants. The house is to a great degree overall intended to suit the warm and sticky Malaysian atmosphere and for the multifunctional utilization of space. Its outline is likewise adaptable as it indulges the extensively distinctive needs of the clients and it has an expansion framework which permits the house to be broadened to help every family. The traditional Malay house is a timber house raised on stilts. It is basically a post-and-lintel structure with wooden or bamboo dividers and a thatched top. Windows are ample, coating the dividers and giving exceptional ventilation and sees for the house. This nature of openness is additionally reflected by the impressive open inner part spaces with negligible segments. Lim Lee Yuan mentioned in his article (Under one Roof) that â€Å"For religious reasons, most traditional Malay houses are oriented to face Mecca (i. e. in an east-west direction). This orientation minimizes the number of are as exposed to direct solar radiation during the day and, hence, the heat gains in the building. Heat retention is minimized by the lightweight, natural construction materials that have a low thermal capacity and the interior remains cool due to the insulating capability of the Atta (thatch) roof† sited by ( Lim Lee Yuan, Under one roof, 2013) So Malaysian traditional houses happens to use Religious concepts in making stays in houses more easier then. Situation that may come about because of this situation will be that Islam is tossed totally in avour of, or that it is made decidedly mediocre to, the embraced man-created perspectives and philosophies. On for the issues that structure the foundations of the applied skeleton for Islamic architecture, all around, are: taw shrouded (the thought of God’s Oneness), man as the vicegerent (khalifah) on earth and his association with environment, exhaustive brilliance (ihsan or titan), and Islam as the last and all inclusive disclosure to humankind. This reasonable structure renders Islamic architecture such a remarkable subject and tremendously not quite the same as other building outflows and schools. Concentrating on the reasonable schema for Islamic architecture, which because of its securing on a portion of the most essential Islamic precepts constitutes a preeminent section of the Islamic perspective, is basic. This is so for two head explanations. Firstly, by knowing and engrossing the reasonable schema for Islamic architecture, Muslim architects, and professionals in manufactured environment all in all, will own a robust base on which restoring and progressing the wonder of Islamic architecture will be effectively and surely created. Provided that the precepts on which the theoretical schema for Islamic architecture rests, penetrate an engineer’s or a designer’s thinking and acting standards, the aggregate conduct that starts from such a mentality is sure to be in concurrence with Islamic qualities and conviction framework. An architecture that stems from such a mentality is sure to be really Islamic as well. What’s more when it starts to be, it does so spontaneously, unassumingly and truly, fitting splendidly into the grid of Muslim life exercises. It does so without any ado throughout the methodology of its imagining execution, without any ambiguities or perplexity in its substance and capacity, and without any superficialities, eccentricities and garishness in its style and manifestation. Besides, if Muslim architects, builders, engineers and even clients are new to and don’t stick to the theoretical skeleton for Islamic architecture, an additional options will be looked for rather. Such plan B, definitely, will be outsider to and in this way inconsistent with the Islamic ethos and teachings. A few options will be more contradictory and others less, however sometimes will there be an elective that will be completely agreeable with Islam and its perspective. This is so since no human movement, not to ention a living framework, that is totally without a logic or a philosophy which unmistakably outlines one’s perspective of the planet and all its constituents: life and its reason, passing, characteristic environment, man and his mission, time, space, history, and obviously God and His association with man and the entire of universe. So in this manner, if Muslim architects don’t have the Islamic perspective or belief system, a different one will unavo idably worm in, intentionally or unknowingly, and will hold influence over their musings and deeds. At the close, and in one of better situations, this will bring about foundered endeavours towards accommodating the received perspectives and belief systems with Islam and its own particular logic and esteem framework to which those architects will at present be subscribing. In any case, an activity of orchestrating Islam and some outside and by and large man-made perspectives and rationalities of life is a destined errand on the grounds that such a combination is unthinkable in both hypothesis and hone. That, therefore, may prompt the extent that disarray, absence of certainty, perilous bargains, laxity in religion, repugnance and even contemptuousness in Muslim architects’ brain which, in turn, will be expanded onto the domain of fabricated environment and will in this way dangerously influence both the psyche and behavioural examples of its clients. The most exceedingly awful and generally terrible sctunately, large portions of today’s Muslim experts in assembled environment experience both the illnesses. Another aspect of Malaysian Architecture we must look at is Micro Architecture which involves building structures like Side way toilets, pedestrian malls, Alleys etcetera. These micro architecture application in towns and cities or in a country in general are usually seen as irrelevant but in another way serves as good purpose to the people, Azmin Samsul S Tazilan also said in his article that â€Å"Micro-architecture, however, actually gives the first real impression of a town, city or country to visitors to a particular place or locale. Its impact is immediate and opinions are formed of the place and its people quite instantaneously. A lot of street micro-architecture is public amenities such as toilets and squares. Based on current phenomenology research studied, it gives a better justification on sustainable elements approach on street microarchitecture in Malaysia† sited by ( Azmin Samsul S Tazlian, Sustainability in Malaysian micro architecture, 2013) sustainability in street micro architecture should be looked at so as improve the comfort of locals and visitors alike. The current status of Malaysian Architecture has grown to a level that people out there including the Government have been wondering whether there is sustainability in construction projects of Malaysian Architecture, awareness has been laid out for need in develop and implicate strategies towards its application in built environment â€Å". In Malaysia, the issues of environmental dissatisfaction on construction projects have regularly appeared in headlines. This growing attention pushes the government and professional bodies in Malaysia to be more proactive in alleviating this problem without restraining the need for development. But, has this efforts bear fruits? Creating sustainable construction depends on the knowledge and involvement of all people involved in the industry. So, what is our level of understanding of this concept and application? This paper aims to explore the actions undertaken by the Malaysian government, non-government organisations and construction players in promoting sustainability in construction and the progress so far† as stated by (Nazirah Zainul Abidin, SUSTAINABLE CONCEPT AWARENESS IN MALAYSIA, 2011) In the article- Sustainable Towers in Malaysia by Studio Nicolette Association â€Å"Malaysia is no stranger to notorious buildings. Two of the tallest buildings in the world, the Petronas Twin Towers, are found in Kuala Lumpur, the country’s capital. So it comes as no surprise to us that a stunning new residential improvement is planned for the Putrajaya waterfront regarded as Precinct 4, just 30km south of Kuala Lumpur. The design, be that as it may, is a refreshing and unique with extraordinary, marine-inspired structures – which also draw from conventional Islamic designs – orchestrated in a porous, transmitting square of bioclimatic architecture. Putrajaya waterfront advancement, Malaysia, studio Nicolette architects, sustainable towers, green Islamic towers, green Islamic architecture, marine architecture, green building, green architecture, green design, eco architecture, ecotecture, sustainable improvement, pontoon like structures, marine inspired architecture â€Å" as sited by (Studio Nicolette Association, Sustainable Towers in Malaysia, 2010) . There is need for continuation of Malaysian race towards the sustainability of building skyscrapers and tower as Malaysia once held the privilege of building the world’s tallest twin towers. This is a great achievement and success as sustainability should continue to make a brighter and better Malaysia for their children in the future. In conclusion Sustainable Architecture in whole should be maintained in Malaysia and the rest of the world as its advantages are important so rather ignoring it should be made a constant practice in building environment aspects of countries all over the world. How to cite Architectural Literature Review on Sustainability of Malaysian Architecture, Essays

Friday, December 6, 2019

Compare and Contrast Muslim Empires free essay sample

Muslim empires arose—the Ottomans, the Safavids, and the Mughals. The Ottomans arose after the Seljuk Turkic kingdom of Rum in Eastern Anatolia collapsed, which occurred because of a Mongol invasion in 1243. The area fell into a chaotic period after that because the Mongols did not directly rule it. In search of riches, Turkic peoples, including the Ottomans who dominated the rest, flooded into the area. By the 1350s, the Ottomans were advancing from their Asia Minor strongholds. Under Mehmed I, they conquered a large part of the Balkans, and, in 1453, they captured Constantinople of the Byzantine Empire under Mehmed II, â€Å"The Conqueror,† thus establishing an empire from the Balkans that included most of the Arab world. Like the Ottomans, the Safavids arose from struggles of rival Turkish tribes. In the fourteenth century, there were decades of fierce struggles, until, finally, after three successive Safavid leaders died, a Sufi commander named Isma’il survived. We will write a custom essay sample on Compare and Contrast: Muslim Empires or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He and his followers conquered the city of Tabriz in 1501, as well as most of Persia in the next decade. They then drove the Ozbegs, neighboring nomadic Turks, back to Central Asia and advanced to Iraq. Lastly, the Mughal Dynasty was founded by Babur, who descended from Turkic warriors. He first led an invasion of India in 1526 and conquered the Indus and Ganges plains. After Babur died of an illness, his son, Humayan, succeeded him and was attacked from enemies of all sides because of Babur’s death. He was expelled from India in 1540, but eventually restored Mughal rule by 1556. Humayan’s son, Akbar, would later succeed him and become the greatest ruler in Mughal history. The Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals constructed significant empires, but each adopted different ways of treating their conquered people and developed diverse methods for managing social, political, and economic systems. In order to promote the expansion of their empire, the Ottomans adopted many practices to include non-Muslims in the military. At first, the Ottomans’ first concern was to collect tribute from their conquered people. This first happened in 1243 when the kingdom of Rum was conquered. However, in the fifteenth century, the Ottoman Empire’s imperial armies became increasingly dominated by infantry divisions made up of troops called Janissaries. Most of these Janissaries had been forcibly recruited as adolescent boys in conquered areas, such as the Balkans, where most of the population was made up of Christians. Sometimes the boys’ parents willingly turned their sons over to the Ottoman recruiters because of the opportunities for advancement that came with service to the Ottoman sultans. And although they were legally slaves, they were well-educated and converted to Islam. Some of them even went on to serve in the palace or bureaucracy, but most became Janissaries. These Janissaries, however, later gained political influence. Commerce within the empire was in the hands of Christian and Jewish merchants, who as dhimmis, or â€Å"people of the book,† were under the protection of the Ottoman rulers. The Safavids espoused the Shi’a variant of Islam unlike the Ottomans, who espoused the Sunni variant of Islam. These two variants despised each other, and their hatred showed during the battle of Chaldiran on August 1514 in northwest Persia. However, the Safavids were easily killed because of the Ottomans’ advanced warfare technology. Under Abbas the Great, the Safavid Empire thrived with toleration for captured and conquered people. For example, captured Russian youths were educated and converted, and they formed the backbone of the Safavid’s military forces. They monopolized firearms that had become increasingly prominent in Safavid armies. Also, some Russians were granted provincial governorships and high offices at court. Although the Safavids tolerated the Russians, they were not as kind to the other inhabitants of present-day Iran. For example, Sunni Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and followers of Sufi preachers, were all pressured into converting to Shi’ism. One of the greatest rulers in all of history was the son and successor of Humayan, Akbar the Great. The Mughals, under Akbar, developed the most enlightened social, political, and economic methods for treating their conquered people. He not only extended the Mughal Empire with conquests throughout north and central India, but also made the Mughal Dynasty sustainable because of his social and administrative policies. He pursued a policy of reconciliation and cooperation with the Hindu princes and overall population of his realm. For example, he encouraged intermarriage between the Mughal aristocracy and families of the Hindu Rajput rulers. In addition, Akbar abolished jizya, which was a head tax on Hindus. He also allowed Hindus to be promoted to high ranks in the government. Further, Akbar ended the longstanding ban on the construction of new Hindu temples, and he ordered Muslims to respect cows because the Hindus viewed them as sacred. He even invented a new faith called Din-i-Ilahi, which blended elements of the many religions with which he was familiar. He believed that this would unite his Hindu and Muslim subjects, but it failed. Similar to the Ottomans’ collection of tribute, Akbar did leave some areas of his empire alone so long as they swore allegiance to Mughal rulers and paid their taxes on time. However, these areas were only left alone because of a shortage of administrators. The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Dynasties each treated their conquered people and non-Muslims differently through political, economic and social procedures. Akbar the Great and the Mughals had the most enlightened approach on how to treat these people, such as encouraging intermarriage, abolishing the jizya, and ending the ban on the building of new Hindu temples. This approach ultimately led to greater success for the empire as a whole. In contrast, the practices utilized by the Ottomans and Safavids resulted in more discontent for the conquered people and non-Muslims. Overall, these three empires over a three hundred year span conquered thousands of people and had to develop administrative practices and policies. These methods greatly impacted their success.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Character Analysis Pearl Essays - English-language Films

Character Analysis: Pearl One of the most complex and elaborate characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the misbegotten offspring of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Throughout the story Pearl, becomes quite the dynamic little individual, as well as an extremely important symbol- one who is constantly changing. Pearl's involvement in the complex history of her parents inadvertently forced her to be viewed as different and is shunned because of her mother's sin. Pearl is a living scarlet letter to Hester, Dimmesdale and finally the reader, acting as a constant reminder of Hester's, as well as humanity's shortcomings. Hawthorne uses vivid descriptions to characterize Pearl, as he dose to every character thought the story. Pearl is first described as the infant; Whose innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, a lovely and immortal flower, out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion.? . From the beginning of her life Pearl is viewed as the result of a sin, and as a punishment. Physically, Pearl has a ?Beauty that became every day more brilliant, and the intelligence that threw its quivering sunshine over the tiny features of this child.? Pearl is described as beautiful, with a ?Beauty that shone with deep and vivid tints' a bright complexion, eyes possessing intensity both of depth and glow, and hair already of a deep, glossy brown, and which, in after years, would be nearly akin to black.? Combined with her lavish beauty Hester dresses her child in copious dresses that are the envy of even the finest dressed adults in the town. The lovely dresses and her beauty cause her to be viewed as even stranger from the other typical Puritan children ,whom are dressed in traditional clothing. As a result, she is accepted only by nature and animals, and ostracized by the other Puritan children. ?Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world? the whole peculiarity, in short, of her position in respect to other children.?. Pearl was never accepted by the children even though her inescapable seclusion was due to the sin of her mother. If by chance the children would show interest in Pearl she would ?grow positively terrible in her puny wrath, snatching up stones to fling at them Because of Pearl's seclusion from society nature seemingly sympathizes with Pearl, which is evident by eerie role of the sunshine in the forest. ?The light lingered about the lonely child, as if glad of such a playmate,? . The sunshine seams almost grateful for Pearl presence, accepting her as an equal, and illuminating her beauty. Perhaps Hawthorn meant this as a biblical illusion to the light of Gods saving grace, and it's welcoming of even the most sinful person. Hawthorne describes another sign of acceptance as the ?Great black forest?became the playmate of the lonely infant.? . Suggesting Pearl's close association to evil. Eventually it is stated, ?The truth seems to be, however, that the mother-forest, and these wild things which it nourished all recognized wildness in the human child.? As a result of Pearl not being accepted by the community she takes on the characteristics of nature because nature accepts her as one of its own. Pearl's character ?Lacked reference, and adaptation to the world into which she was born. The child could not be made amenable to rules.?. This quote reveals a striking resemblance in description between Pearl and nature. Pearl and nature are referred to as not conforming to Puritan society. For the Puritan's sought to destroy (human) nature, and in the Puritan's eyes Pearl sought to destroy them. This characteristic makes Pearl so different from the rest of society that she is unaffected by the community's harsh reaction to her existence and constant disapproval, and is a product of nature and its ways She is extremely intelligent and always asking questions at the most inauspicious times, such as requesting of her illegitimate father to ?..Stand here (in public disgrace) with mother and me, to-morrow at noontide? Her mood swings are also quite peculiar. One moment she is laughing for no apparent reason or at some ill form of malice and the next she is filled with an eerie hush. This anomalous behavior is why she is sometimes referred to by the townspeople as the elf-child or imp. The townspeople even refer to her as

Monday, November 25, 2019

aftificial lift Essay

aftificial lift Essay aftificial lift Essay 1. The most common type of artificial lift pump system applied is beam pumping, which engages equipment on and below the surface to increase and push oil to the surface. Consisting of a sucker rod string and a sucker rod pump, beam pumps are the familiar jack pumps seen on an on shore oil wells. Hydraulic pumping is another type of artificial lift, hydraulic pumping equipment applies a downhole hydraulic pump, rather than sucker rods, which lift oil to the surface. The production is forced against the pistons, causing pressure and the pistons to lift the fluids to the surface. Hydraulic pumps are mostly composed of two pistons, one above the other, which are connected by a rod that moves up and down within the pump. The surface hydraulic pumps and the subsurface hydraulic pumps are powered by oil, or clean oil that has been previously lifted from the well. The electric submersible pump systems employ a centrifugal pump below the level of the reservoir fluids. Connected two a long electric motor, the pump is composed of several impellors, or blades, that move the fluids within the well. 2. Oil production is separated into three phases: primary, secondary, and tertiary, which is also known as Enhanced Oil Recovery (Eor). Primary oil recovery is limited to hydrocarbons that naturally rise to the surface, or those that use artificial lift devices, such as pump jacks. Secondary recovery employs water and gas injections,

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Endangered languages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Endangered languages - Essay Example There are numerous factors that researchers believe to playing a leading role towards the extinction of some languages. One of such factors is the aspect of parents pushing their children to learn languages that they believe are prestigious and â€Å"superior† to others, thus completely ignoring their local languages. It is a common trend especially in the developing countries whereby many people consider their local languages as inferior, thus get assimilated by hegemonies languages such as English. A significant number of people in the third world countries like Africa, particularly Kenya and Nigeria are straying away from their original traditions and native languages. In such countries, a large number of the young generation has shifted to different languages especially English. Some parents have decided not to teach their mother-tongue languages and instead teach them a second language because of many reasons related to social class and economic factors. The most unfortunate thing is that majority of them think that children can only learn to speak one language well, hence decide to dump their native languages (Dugan 10). They also go ahead and take their children to international schools that use the most dominant foreign languages. Natural and man-made disasters are also key factors that are leading to the extinction of some languages. Such disasters include war, famine, diseases, earthquakes, acts of genocide, and tsunami just to mention a few. For instance, the Rwandan Genocide almost wiped out the Tutsi community while Adolf Hitler’s regime almost eradicated the Jewish community. During the genocide, more than 6 million Jews were killed, which is a very big percentage considering the fact that this is not a large community. Migration outside the original territory is also a major attribute of extinction of languages. Sociolinguists argue that some languages

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Successful marketing stories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Successful marketing stories - Essay Example Companies like Apple have attained brand equity through constant innovation and excellent customer service. Apple products like iPod are built on advanced communication technology and additional features like e-mail and messaging capabilities, which have increased the level of customer satisfaction. Apple has been able to segment the market by offering products that meet the different customer needs. Apple has been able to implement technology and innovation in all the marketing mix elements such as the price, promotion, place and product. Successful marketing stories Introduction Marketing is practiced nearly in every business in the world regardless of the size of the business or the nature or industry in which the business operates (Hartline & Ferrell, 2010). The basis of all marketing activities is to create and deliver value to the customer (Hartline & Ferrell, 2010). Customer value can be defined as; the difference between the value the customer gains from owning and using the product and the costs of obtaining the product. The first thing all marketers should remember is that successful marketing starts with identifying the right market for the products and services, and designing the appropriate marketing communication messages which are tailored to the particular market and target customers (Hartline & Ferrell, 2010). The marketer should also choose the right communication media, which can either be audio or print, hence, the channel selected should effectively deliver the message to the target customers (Shimp, 2008). The marketer should also strive to do a follow-up of the effectiveness of the marketing strategies by evaluating either the growth in business revenues or market share. This paper will discuss the marketing principles and strategies which successful organizations have used to gain a leadership position in market share in the industry. Marketing is to most sensitive function of the organization since it deals closely with the customers, h ence, creating customer value and establishing good working relationships with the customers is the heart of modern marketing efforts. The paper will discuss the principles of marketing, and how the business can utilize them to gain a competitive edge over the competitors. Thesis statement The success of the business is dependent on the marketing strategies used by the business. Elements of marketing strategy The marketing strategy of a business is composed of various elements which interrelate. The key element is the market selection and the product planning which is choosing the product line and the product offerings for the target market. A firm can either choose a single market strategy or multi market strategy. In a single marketing strategy, the firm will concentrate its efforts in serving a single unique market segment while avoiding competition with the dominant players (Hartline & Ferrell, 2010). In a multi marketing strategy, the firm will serve several distinct markets, h ence, the firm should carefully select the target markets which are viable. In a total market strategy, the firm will offer differentiated products to different market segments; hence, it should utilize the marketing variables like the price, promotion, product and distribution strategies in competing effectively in the entire market (Hartline & Ferre

Monday, November 18, 2019

HR Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HR Management - Essay Example It is also responsible for the devising of strategy and its apposite implementation on the staff members, conducting training sessions for them and arranging seminars, meetings and discussions for the boosting up of their morale. In addition, forecasting, planning, allocation of resources and keeping the work environment healthy, steady and peaceful are also included in the responsibilities of human resource department. Human resource department also maintains equilibrium within the organisation and condemns any type of discriminatory behaviour on the basis of caste, class, community, ethnicity, race, religion, age-group, sexual orientation and gender, where no biasness or prejudice could be inflicted upon the employees on the basis of above-described characteristics. â€Å"HR Managers are usually the ultimate sources of expert advice and guidance on harassment and discrimination in their centres. They need to be knowledgeable of centre’s policy but also have an understanding of harassment and discrimination beyond the policies themselves.† (Retrieved from genderdiversity.cgiar.org) Consequently, sexual discrimination is strictly prohibited in workplace, and the persons guilty of such acts are liable to be tried at the court of law. The government has strictly condemned gender discrimination in work places at both governmental and private sectors. It has issued decrees and passed anti-discriminatory laws including Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Equal Pay Act, so that the female employees could also obtain same status equal to men at organisations and work places. Hence, the above-described provisions of Sex Discrimination Act 1975 manifestly view discrimination between men and women on the basis of their gender as the discriminatory one. Though, the act has been in vogue for the last three and half decades, yet it is mere theoretical in nature; as in

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Evidence Between Offending And Social Class

Evidence Between Offending And Social Class This essay will outline and critically evaluate the main evidence supporting an association between offending, victimisation and social class, using criminological theories such as Strain Theory and Labelling theory to demonstrate this. Social class in relation to offending and victimisation is an extremely broad area, taking this and the words limit into account this essay will specifically focus on offending and Victimisation of the lower classes in society. Class was originally defined by Karl Marx in relation to the means of production where he described two main classes the bourgeoisie the owning class and the proletariat the workers who were exploited by capitalism (Giddens, 2001). His theory has been heavily scrutinised and class is now seen as more flexible than Marx first interoperated taking into account; income, wealth and status and in addition to this culture and patterns of consumption (Giddens, 2001). In contemporary society class is based on a complex model where defined by occupation however this leads to the victimisation of the lower classes and low income families especially in respect of stereotypes regarding criminality (Croall, 1998). The stereotype of the Dangerous class arose in Victorian times as a reaction to the crime rates. The lower classes were depicted by the middle and upper classes as idle and lazy, would rather live off the proceeds of crime than do a hard days labour (Elmsley, 1996). This stereotype lives on to present day with the common belief that the lower classes the underclass are the main offenders in relation to criminal behaviour (Croall, 1998). The underclass has been defined by Giddens (2001) as a group at the bottom of society, who suffers from severe inequalities in health, education and lives off the welfare system which results in difficulties conforming to the economic, social and political norms of society which are predominantly middle class. Murray ((1990) cited in Walklate (2003)) suggests that members of the underclass are not only defined by their behaviour and unemployment status but also their involvement in crime and their illegitimacy. Durkheims theory of anomie suggests that the lack of opportunity that the underclass has consequently resulting in criminality and deviance (Marsh, Melville, Morgan, Norris, Walkington, 2006). This theory of Anomie was taken further by Merton (1910-2003) who suggested that people from more deprived areas had less change of achieving social, economic and personal growth (Marsh et al, 2006). Their opportunity is obstructed by the area they live, poverty, literacy, cultural background and which puts a strain on their ability to achieve economic status and wealth (Marsh et al, 2006). This form of Anomie theorised by Merton is Called Strain Theory which accounts for the inability for people from deprived areas to achieve their goals of status and wealth by legal means (Newburn, 2007). This therefore suggests a reason for the shift to criminality and also gives reason for the high numbers of offenders from this class (Giddens, 2001). This can also be explained by the by David Gordon a political economist who believes crime in capitalist society represents perfectly rational responses to the structure of institutions upon which capitalist societies are based meaning that due to the strain in striving for greatness and wealth people from lower classes gain their wealth through unconventional means (Reiner, 2004). Offending occurs in all social classes however, the majority of convictions occur from the lower classes of society in involving crimes such as robbery, theft, burglary and joyriding. White collar crime on the other hand is generally seen by society as crime of the middle and upper classes this may be due to accessibility the middle/upper classes have to commit fraud or exploitation of health and safety laws and with a very low conviction rate this reflecting in the crime statistics (Croall, 1998). This gives an unfair representation of crime and victimises the lower classes in society (Croall, 1998). The majority of convicted offenders are to from lower class background committing crimes of robbery, theft, burglary and crimes against property (Muncie McLaughlin, 2001) The British Crime Survey (2008/09 [online]) suggests that fifty percent of crime recorded by the police was robbery, theft, burglary, and crimes against property compared with three percent of fraud and forgery. Marsh et al (2006) suggests that Merton and Cohen see crime as a reaction to inequality and there is a common cause for such behaviours such as social influence by family, friends, peers and social background (Newburn, 2007:486). This is reflected in the offences that these prisoners have been charges with such as theft and burglary (Muncie et al, 2001). Eighty percent of offenders are male under twenty one, in prison there is an overwhelming majority of these offenders from lower classes and ethnic minorities who have been raised in deprived areas of society (Muncie et al, 2001). These statistics reflect the willingness of the government to criminalise these offenders, disregarding the deprivation and inequality that has lead to their criminality (Muncie et al, 2001). Mertons Strain theory suggests that there is a strain on the ability to achieve wealth through conventional educational means, therefore there is a need to partake in criminality to gain this wealth and status and through the participation in crime there is an increased probability in the use of drugs (Muncie et al, 2001). This was studied further by Dunlap et al ((2002) cited in Newburn 2007:486) where he investigated the lives of four generations of women from low income backgrounds, who had been sexually assaulted, violent attacked and taken drugs over their life time learning these behaviours as social norms this consequently lead to the next generation having the same fate. Victimisation occurs across the whole of society however, according to Felson Boba (2010) it is predictable and is grouped together in areas especially those of deprivation. According to the Criminal Victimisation by Family Income Study (2000) the poorest families in America were subject to three times more crime than the richest (Reiman, 2004). There are specific groups in society who are more prone to victimisation the British Crime survey (2008/09 [online]) suggest that such as; young people especially males aged 16-24 have a thirteen percent chance of being a victim of crime; unemployed have a seven percent chance, single also have a seven percent chance, ethnic minorities have a seven percent chance and people who have already been a victim of crime are more likely to fall victim again (Maguire, Morgan Reiner, 2002). In addition to this the poor are more likely to be victims of unfair working conditions according to Tombs (1999) cited in Croall (2001:74)) Safety is related to vulnerability and these groups are elderly, poor and young, miss sale of financial products due to lack of education, the adverse affects of white collar crimes such as the dumping of harmful waste in third world countries (Croall, 2001). Howard Becker (Cited in Giddens, 2001) suggests that Labelling theory can account for the victimisation of specific subcultures Anthony Platt (1969 cited in Lilly, Cullen Ball, 2007) suggests that labelling theory is biased and is aimed at helping the poorer classes attain middle class values. Croall (1998) proposes that the police play a part in the victimisation of the lower classes as they are more likely to suspect someone from a lower class background of offending due to the area in which they reside. The theory of labelling as self-fulfilling prophecy suggests that victimisation can occur of the lower classes due to society labelling them as delinquent (Lilly et al, 2007). This can happen if they are seen to associate with someone who is criminal or dresses in a way that can be perceived as delinquent this subsequent labelling could enforce conformity however, it could also push the person from social norms into criminality (Lilly et al, 2007). In conclusion this essay has outlined offending in relation to Mertons Strain Theory suggesting that there is a strain on the lower classes to achieve wealth through conventional educational means, therefore there is a need to partake in criminality (Muncie et al, 2001). Felson Boba (2010) said crime is predictable and is grouped together in areas especially those of deprivation the British Crime survey (2008/09 [online]) suggest that such as; young people especially males aged 16-24; unemployed, single, ethnic minorities and people who have already been a victim of crime are more likely to fall victim again (Maguire, Morgan Reiner, 2002). The theory of labelling as self-fulfilling prophecy suggests that victimisation can occur in the lower classes due to society labelling them as delinquent, this subsequent labelling in some cases can enforce conformity, however, it can also push the person from social norms into criminality (Lilly et al, 2007). Society appears to criminalise thes e offenders, disregarding the deprivation and inequality which has lead to the offending in the first place this consequently leads to the victimisation and labelling of the lower classes (Muncie et al, 2001).

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Habitat Destruction and Biodiversity Loss Essay -- Loss of Biodiversit

"If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function, no amount of money will save us." -- David Suzuki Imagine this: bulldozers growl and grind through a local field, while the whine of chainsaws echoes from a nearby grove of trees. The trees crash to the ground, only to be cut up for firewood or sent to a sawmill, and the remaining ground is cleared of stumps and plowed. The tall grasses and brush in the field are demolished, leaving behind churned-up soil. Any birds or other small creatures that lived in the freshly cut trees have long since flown or run away in terror as their homes fell. The moles, mice, and other animals that lived in the field were either killed or forced to abandon the area in search of a new home. Soon to come on this land: a subdivision consisting of huge, two- or three-story houses with pristine front lawns and the occasional small, decorative tree placed by the main door. The scene painted above is becoming more and more common today; people want more space, more houses, more roads, more big buildings, more cities all over the world. However, what the population does not consider is that construction destroys natural habitat, or â€Å"the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows† (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary). While humans may think nothing of this habitat destruction, it is actually the number one cause of extinction worldwide (Dudley 17) and influences many other species, including humans, that are not endangered or threatened. Habitat loss causes loss of biodiversity, which adversely affects the health and economy of human life. We as humans need to take more ... ...vernment. 08 Nov. 2008 . "Biodiversity.† Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2007. Dudley, William, ed. Biodiversity. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2003. â€Å"Habitat.† Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2007. Heimlich, Joe E., and Mitchell Smith. "Environmental Impact Statements.† FactSheet. Ohio State University. 09 Nov. 2008 . Novacek, Michael J., ed. The Biodiversity Crisis. New York: The New Press, 2001. Primack, Richard B. Essentials of Conservation Biology. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc., 1993. David Suzuki Quote http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/biodiversity.html#xFwgQLK5MbhLMRjG.99

Monday, November 11, 2019

General Nutrition Companies Inc

General Nutrition Companies Inc. , was founded 65 years ago in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the premise that Americans wanted to maintain control over their health. David Shakirian founded the company. In 1935 he launched a dream of his by establishing a little health food store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He called it Lackzoom. The products that were offered at his store included yogurt and healthy foods such as honey, grains and healthy sandwiches. The concept of being a health store and serving health food was thought to be a fad that would soon pass over back then. To the surprise of many of Shakarian's critics, many people embraced Lackzoom. David and his store came a long way from its first day†s receipts of 35 dollars to open a second store six months later. Since those first two stores, Lackzoom, which is now GNC, has grown to be the largest manufacturer of vitamins and mineral supplements in the United States (1998 Annual Report). General Nutrition Companies, Inc. , collectively with its subsidiaries, is the only nationwide specialty retailer of vitamin and mineral supplements, sports nutrition products and herbs, and is also a leading provider of personal care, and other health-related products. The products were sold through 3,757 General Nutrition Centers, 2,531 of which were owned and operated by the company and the other 1,226 stores were franchised. Much of the growth of GNC has occurred in the last 7 years. Since 1992, the Company has opened or acquired in the United States 2,593 new GNC stores (SEC 10k form). The company†s initial growth was through company-owned stores located primarily in regional malls. Many of the stores that were created in the past 7 years have been franchises. This franchise initiative has enabled GNC to expand into secondary locations as well as International markets. It appears that there is no end to the growth of GNC. At a Franchising meeting on February 6,1999 GNC awarded and agreed to open an additional 323 domestic and 428 international franchise locations. All of these stores report to GNC headquarters, which is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is also home to one of General Nutrition†s three distribution centers. The other two distribution centers are located in Atlanta and Phoenix. The products that are distributed through these channels are manufactured in Greenville, South Carolina. This facility is one of the largest and most modern vitamin and supplement manufacturing facilities in the United States. Within the coming months a new 600,000 sq. ft. manufacturing plant and distribution center in Anderson, SC will open which will double the capacity of the company (www. gnc. com/about/history). As you can see net revenue increased to 1. 4 billion dollars, an increase of 18. 8 % over 1997. This increase was driven by the success of the Company†s store expansion program and increased demand for the Company†s products, as reflected by increased sales, across all business segments. During 1998, the Company developed a web site, GNC. com, to sell products via the Internet. Although still in the early stages of operation, the Company expects sales to increase based on the growth of the Internet. The history of GNC shows their excellence in planning and execution of these plans. Going into the next millennium, the Company must actively scan their environment for opportunities and threats. The General Nutrition Company is exposed to many external threats. Over the past five years there has been a trend in consumer behavior towards healthy living. This trend has caused the health product and supplement market to drastically increase. Some of the most prominent external threats that GNC faces are new competitors, competing products and services, new technologies, government regulations, increasing customer expectations, general economic conditions, and the different cultural ways of the host countries. Some of GNC†s new competitors include Internet and mail order companies such as discountnutrition. com and the Vitamin Shoppe have entered the vitamin and supplement market recently. They have taken some of the Company†s residual sales by offering different mediums of purchase. The Internet and mail order companies tend to offer discounted prices because they buy their products in bulk. A new competitor that has appeared in small regions across the United States has been Vitamin World. These shops tend to carry a similar product line with the exception of General Nutrition†s exclusive products. In addition to Vitamin World many other small chains have been started. Two of these chains are Great Earth and Vitamin Specialty of New York. These stores propose more of a threat to GNC†s corporate stores rather than the franchises because of the personalized service. The franchise stores also have more leniency in determining the final price and any discounts or specials. With the addition of these new competitors and the threat that they pose the Company has maintained if not increased its market share in many markets. GNC manufactures and sells several lines of supplements, vitamins and minerals, as well as a variety of health foods. These product lines carry many names. Some of these names include Preventative Nutrition, GNC, and Pro Performance. All of these lines are sold exclusively at GNC stores and at their online manufacturer. In addition to their own product lines, GNC stores carry a variety of products from third-party vendors. These third-party vendors include big names such as EAS (Experimental and Applied Sciences), Twinlab, Met-Rx, and Metaform. All of these vendors are in the top 5% of sales for their flagship product. The Company must realize this and make their own products more attractive to the consumer. Competing products from the third-party vendors are also sold at other stores, so this forces the Company to not only compete within their own store but to also compete in the marketplace. Today, many companies are facing the threat of the internet. Many companies are not used to this advanced technological system and do not have the resources to compete. Not only is the Internet used for advertising purposes but it is also being used as an online ordering system. With the shift towards an online ordering system many things have to be taken into consideration and changed accordingly. The entire supply chain must be examined to identify any and all potential problems and differences that must be made as a result of this shift. In this case, the manufacture, supply, distribution, and information flow are critical and will inevitably be modified from the traditional way of supply the product to the retail centers. Government regulations pose an enormous threat to the company. Potential government regulations will mandate FDA regulations and the testing of all products. This will dramatically increase the cost of production, which will ultimately be passed on to the end consumer. Some sport and diet supplements sold by the company today could be ruled illegal in the coming months if this occurs. This could potentially reduce the number of products available as well as the customer base. With the nation†s shift towards healthier living, many consumers have begun to experience unrealistic expectations of the products offered by the company. This can be witnessed by the fact that 45% of all adult American†s take some form of supplement. An attitude that many American†s exert today is that they want the â€Å"pill† or supplement to take the place of the work that they themselves would otherwise have to do. Customers are also looking for a company that offers exceptional customer service and sales associate knowledge. With today†s flourishing economy, the average American†s income is at an all time high. If anything would happen to cause a negative occurrence in the economy the average American†s disposable income would, as a result, probably decrease. This decrease in their disposable income would take away from their ability and/or desire to spend their money on products offered by GNC. The Different Cultural Ways of Host Countries The way that GNC handles their international business is through franchising. The franchising done internationally is done differently than is domestically. During the international franchising process, the entire General Nutrition rights are sold to the franchisee for the entire country, not just an individual store as done domestically. The government regulations and culture differences or preferences are left to the discretion of the potential or existing franchisee. The threat is posed as a result of the lack of assistance and guidelines that would normally come from the corporation headquarters. As far as dealing with the individual host country†s government regulations and culture, it may discourage business in that country all together. The availability of raw materials poses basically no threat to the company at this point because of their vast resources and long term contracts with their suppliers. But, in the future with the addition of many new entrants into the market a shortage of some raw materials and components may occur. General Nutrition was the pioneer of the nutrition industry and will continue to be for years to come. On of the major contributing factors to their success has been their ability to maximize their external opportunities. Around the late 1980's the average Americans active lifestyle had reached an all time low. With the 1990's came the current trend of healthier living. It was at this time that consumers turned to GNC to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. GNC capitalized on this opportunity in several different ways. They began to change the typical consumer†s idea and preferences about the General Nutrition stores and products. They began advertising to all people and having specially trained employees with knowledge of all products that were carried. This helped to make the store a more inviting place to everyone from a young high school athlete to a middle-aged mother of two. This also lead to new product market niches. Some of the more successful are the pro-performance line which is geared towards athletes, also the live well concept which promotes an overall healthy lifestyle which would be more suited for the average adult. With the change in customer preferences, GNC has the opportunity to increase market share by creating customer loyalty and trust through groundbreaking products. General Nutrition has done a tremendous job on utilizing these opportunities and in order to remain atop the competition they must continue to fine tune the and analyze the business strategy. Definitely one of General Nutrition†s greater external opportunities is their franchising and long-term alliance with Rite Aid. This opportunity is so tremendous that along with 697 stores opened in 1998 they also signed an alliance with Rite Aid. The alliance with Rite Aid allows GNC to enter a new channel for marketing its supplements. With a the average American only five miles away from a GNC, there still is such a demand for the stores that they plan to open an additional 250 stores in the next year alone. This combined with a total commitment to providing customer support has helped make GNC one of the most successful franchises for the past decade. To continue to capitalize on these external opportunities the company can look to actively pursue their franchising capabilities while avoiding cannibalization of existing stores to allow them to remain the pinnacle of the health food industry. The main reason that GNC has been and will remain the world leader in the nutrition industry is due to their ability to use technology to receive great benefits. Their greatest areas of technology that set them apart from the rest are their manufacturing and distribution. This past year the company took a tremendous leap into the 21 century with the completion of a 630,000 square foot state of the art manufacturing facility in South Carolina. Along with the new manufacturing facility, the Company was involved in a recent merger with the Dutch pharmaceutical company Royal Numico. This merger makes the Company the world†s largest manufacturer of vitamins and supplements. This merger presents the company with a great opportunity to take advantage of the world class research facilities available to them. The Company should streamline their supply chain to fully take advantage of the new manufacturing and distribution facilities. This will increase the Company†s overall efficiency. The Company should look for a strategic alliance with an established online drugstore to broaden the Company†s market share. This would also allow the Company to gain entry into the world of e-commerce. Internal strengths of the company include quality products emphasizing vitamins and minerals along with sports nutrition. This product mix focuses on high margin value added products, which are sold under the GNC proprietary brand. Along with vitamins, herbal, and sports supplements the Company also offers customers the opportunity the Gold Card program. This program enables stores to add to their product line. The basis for this program charges a $15 annual fee that entitles each member to a 20% discount on all products one time each month. Sales of proprietary brands represented over 50% of total sales in 1998. Company reputation is another strength for the company. The Company is the only nationwide specialty retailer of vitamin, mineral supplement, sports nutrition products, and herbs. Along with these products the Company is also the leading provider of personal healthcare products. The company†s reputation was built on two basic principles. The first of these is strong customer service. The Company has a strong competitive advantage over competitors because of well-trained and informed employees who have knowledge of the entire product line. The Company†s employees are knowledgeable and efficient because of the strong employee-training program. The second principal that has built their reputation is a superior product line. The proprietary brands along with other strong brand names enable them to have a product line better than the competitor. Production capabilities at the Company have enabled them to become the world leader in the their industry. The Company will be able to maintain their position as a leader because of their capacity to not only meet company inventory requirements, but also enough to sell to third parties in the wholesale market. The Company is able to maintain strong production capabilities because of their emphasis on quality control. Each product is tested from the beginning to the end until the final product meets their standard. The Company has experienced a strong sense of executive leadership. The current president has 25 years of experience within the company and the CEO has 18 years. The executive vice president has 19 years of experience and the head of logistics has 22 years under his belt. Along with this experience it is evident to see that there is an extremely low employee turnover ratio within management. Turnover within this company as with any retail organization occurs with retail store management and part time sales positions. To keep this factor at a low level the Company started the franchise program. The Company wanted to bring strategic partners into their system that would personally invest in the Company†s program. Along with strong management leadership the Company maintains a strong employee base through orientation and hiring kits that enable the new employee to adjust quickly and become an efficient employee. The company gives their employees the opportunity for tuition reimbursement, profit sharing, good medical and health benefits, and 401k and stock options. All of these factors allow a GNC employee to be part of a team. The Company uses patents to its advantage. By having patents on their proprietary formulas, vitamins, sports nutrition, and herbal supplements, the Company creates barriers between themselves and competitors. Along with their patents the Company conducts research with other companies. One such company is Proctor and Gamble. Recently the Company has held the patent with Proctor and Gamble on calcium (calcium citrate malate). This product was found to be more absorbent than any other type of calcium. The Company achieves economies of scale throughout the entire organization and network of 5,000 retail stores by a close arrangement of entities. These include arrangements with product suppliers, raw materials, packaging material, store supplies, retail advertising, third party advertising, insurance coverage, and credit card processing. The close surveillance and agreement of these entities allows the company to achieve greater economies of scale. The mission of the Company is to maintain quality over quantity in its products. The company typically introduces 25 to 30 new products each year and reformulates existing products on an annual basis. An annual reset is done for the stores to introduce new vendor third party products, and new company products through expansion and deletion of retail shelf space. General Nutrition Companies Incorporated is the leader in health products but the company is not adverse to risk. These risks that we can find within the company are considered to be the weaknesses of the company. The first risk is that Royal Numico has acquired GNC, now being a part of a larger company they must now try to fit into the larger system and integrate themselves. With the integration of the Company into Royal Numico there will be a significant amount of cash spent, some potentially dilutive issuance†s of equity securities, incurrence of debt or amortization expenses, related to goodwill and other intangible assets. Any of these can adversely affect the company; it†s operating results and financial conditions. In addition to the financial and operating factors we could find difficulties in the assimilation of the technologies, products and personnel of the integrated company. Another weakness that the company has is their leverage problem. This means that the company has raised much of its capital through debt financing, including loans. Based on the current level of operations and anticipated level of growth, the company†s available cash flow, together with other sources of liquidity, will be adequate to meet to future needs of capital. Although it looks to be enough, there can be no assurance that the company will generate enough cash flow.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Meddling with Mettle

Meddling with Mettle Meddling with Mettle Meddling with Mettle By Maeve Maddox Another of Daniel’s great words of the day, mettle, provoked readers’ comments that have in turn prompted me to get into the act. Reader’s Comment 1 Mettle can also mean the â€Å"stuff of which a person is made.† So if I say I’m made of mettle, people won’t think I’m a robot (or, more likely, delusional)? I know that Peter was joking, but I just wanted to point out that although the word means â€Å"the stuff of which a person is made,† to say â€Å"I’m made of mettle† wouldn’t make sense. Most commonly the word mettle is used with a verb like show, test, or prove: Miami proves its mettle in win over Oklahoma Bilo rugby boys show their mettle NCC cadets test their mettle Other idioms with mettle: to be on your mettle:  to be determined to prove that you are good at something, especially in a difficult situation Nancy coach Paul Fischer knows his team must be on their mettle as they seek Study puts stents on their mettle. (in this case an inanimate object is being put on its mettle. Probably not an apt use of the expression.) Here’s a headline that plays on the same pronunciation (and same original meaning) of mettle and metal: Scrap thefts: Cops on their mettle The adjective mettlesome means â€Å"lively, high-spirited, courageous.† . . . M. Epailza, one of our most mettlesome adversaries The word seems to have some specialized meaning for gamers: Copy this simulator to the mettlesome directory†¨Run the Trainer. Start the mettlesome with this trainer.†¨ I certainly can’t figure out what â€Å"mettlesome† is supposed to mean in this paragraph on a gaming site: Buy wow characters, you are ensuring you can freely mettlesome without the hornlike slog. Theres no requirement to intend on the mettlesome an distance early than customary so you can conjoin for eve accounts you can go on at your connatural instance and savor the mettlesome to its flooded possible ness the aforementioned way thousands of others do. INWOWGOLD.COM Reader’s Comment 2 How about one who mettles in someone else’s business to the detriment of the relationship or the business? One meddles in someone else’s business. The usual sense of meddle these days is â€Å"to interfere,† as in these headlines: Building chief tells politicians not to meddle in Olympics Avoid the Temptation to Meddle in Haiti How insurers meddle in your medical care The word meddle comes from French and Latin words meaning â€Å"to mix.† The meaning â€Å"to concern oneself,† usually in a negative sense, dates from 1415. From 1340-1700 it was used as a euphemism for â€Å"to have sexual intercourse.† Shakespeare draws on this meaning in this exchange: Third Servingman: How, sir! do you meddle with my master? Coriolanus: Ay; ‘tis an honester service than to meddle with thy mistress. Coriolanus: IV, 5 Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Because Of" and "Due To" The Possessive ApostropheApostrophe with Plural Possessive Nouns

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

How Do You Become a Pharmacy Technician

How Do You Become a Pharmacy Technician a pharmacy technician is responsible for assisting the pharmacist on duty to help patients or customers and fill prescriptions. you’ll need a keen eye for detail, a great deal of patience, and training that covers basic pharmacology, medication dispensing, and an understanding of pharmacy law and ethics. education and trainingyou will need a high school diploma or a ged equivalent to qualify for on-the-job training- many aspiring pharm techs find getting such  training is easier after post-secondary training at an online certification program or vocational school, community college, or technical institute. it may take anywhere from 3 months to a year.vocational school and community college coursework will emphasize commonly used mathematics, chemistry, and medication orientations to familiarize aspiring pharm techs with names, side effects, interactions, and dispensing protocols. some training programs even offer internships for hands-on experience, a great way to get to kno w a pharmacy before committing to the 6 year process of becoming a pharmacist.certificationsthe pharmacy technician certification board (ptcb) requires you to have a diploma and pass a certification exam. the national healthcareer association (nha) requires you to be 18 years old and have a high school diploma, a formal training program, and a year of work under your belt.you’ll be required to re-certify every 2 years because of the rate of change in healthcare policies and advances in the field. pursuing 20 hours of continuing education will keep you up-to-date. many pharm techs report that this process of staying current (along with the patience of keeping up with a busy pharmacy) are the most challenging parts of the job.employersmost pharm techs are found in hospitals, retail pharmacies, assisted living and education institutions, and veterinary offices. the bureau of labor statistics predicts employment growth of about 20 percent for the field through  2022- faster tha n the average growth rate for all occupations. those stats amounts to  70,700 new positions to be filled during that period.here are some of the biggest current employers in the field:salarythe average salary is $38,600 nationally, with rates increasing with seniority, specialty certifications, and competitive institutional pay scale policies. the metropolitan areas that offer the highest compensation are all located in california, including the metropolitan areas of oakland, napa, san francisco, san jose, and madera.sample job postingpharmacy technician,   orlando, flunder the direct supervision of the pharmacy services call center supervisor, the pharmacy call center technician is responsible for providing knowledgeable and courteous customer assistance and response to members, providers, and pharmacy call center technician inquiries.position qualifications/requirementseducation and training:  high school diploma or the equivalentexperience:  2 years pharmacy technician ex perience in a healthcare, long term care or retail environment; minimum 35 wpm typingrequired experience:  pharmacy tech, high school, national pharmacy technician certification: 3 yearslicenses, registrations or certifications:  national pharmacy technician certificationprincipal accountabilitieshandles calls and correspondence regarding pharmacy issues from providers/physicians and members. documents calls in inquiry tracking system. facilitates problem resolution and acts as customer advocate.performs initial research of pharmacy issues. reconciles plan information utilizing department-generated procedures and reference materials. utilizes internal pharmacy systems to update, modify and extract member information.assists network pharmacist in processing prescription claims. reviews claims for accuracy and adherence to contract guidelines maintained.assists with entering prior authorizations when required; provides follow up assistance for prior authorization requests, follows up with requests from physicians for denial letters, provides assistance in gathering historical claim information as required.discriminates between routine and significant matters; apprises management of issues which can negatively affect service and business. identifies provider/physician/member issues and refers to appropriate departments.maintains a balance of productivity, quality, and timeliness of job accountabilities.demonstrates flexibility and cooperation when faced with changing priorities to meet shifting needs.creates and supports an environment which fosters teamwork, cooperation, respect, and diversity.assists with training of new hires. attends required training as requested. develops and maintains desktop procedures.apply here: pharmacy technician

Monday, November 4, 2019

How to Stop Nuclear Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

How to Stop Nuclear Terrorism - Essay Example High grade traditional explosives and electrical and mechanical equipment are used to set off a nuclear bomb. Hydrogen bomb, which is thousands of times much more powerful than an atom bomb has not been used in war anywhere. A nuclear explosion, deliberate or accidental, would lead to release of energy millions of times greater than that of dynamite or RDX, causing so much of heat and pressure, called as 'thermal radiation', that all materials are converted into compressed gases accompanied with a tremor wave. The explosion produces highly penetrating gamma rays, which would travel long distance in seconds, cannot be felt by human beings, causing fatal long term effect on human bodies or those of other living beings. In first ever use of nuclear bombs by America in second world war, it is estimated that as many as 140,000 had died in Hiroshima by the bomb and its post explosion effects, with the estimate for Nagasaki roughly 75,000., majority of the deaths were those of civilians. In estimating the number of deaths caused by the attacks, many victims died in the following months or years after the bombing as a result of radiation exposure. Today's nuclear bombs are thousand times much more destructive than those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The world's first nuclear explosion was achieved with plutonium, a man-made element produced in nuclear reactors. Plutonium is created when an atom of uranium-238 is hit by a neutron and becomes plutonium-239. Nuclear reactor, which is used to generate power or propel marine vehicles generates the neutrons in a controlled chain reaction. For the neutrons to be absorbed by the uranium their speed must be slowed by passing them through a substance known as a "moderator." Graphite and heavy water are used as moderators in reactors fueled by natural uranium. Heavy water contains an atom of deuterium instead of an atom of hydrogen. 4 kilograms of Plutonium would be needed to make a bomb with a beryllium reflector. Countries producing plutonium for weapons have generally operated their reactors to maximize the production of plutonium-239-the isotope most useful for nuclear weapons. Weapon-grade plutonium contains less than 7 percent plutonium-240. Under normal nuclear power plant operation, the plutonium in spent reactor fuel contains roughly 24 percent plutonium-240; such plutonium is often referred to as "reactor-grade." However, essentially all isotopic mixtures of plutonium-including reactor-grade plutonium-can be used for nuclear weapons. In order to use plutonium in nuclear weapons or nuclear fuel, however, it must be separated from the rest of the spent fuel in a reprocessing facility. Plutonium separation is easier than uranium enrichment because it involves separating different elements rather than different isotopes of the same element. It uses well-known chemical separation techniques. Relatively large amounts of plutonium-240, as would be contained in reactor-grade plutonium, can cause a weapon to detonate early and "fizzle," causing a smaller explosion than intended. However, even a weapon that fizzles would cause an explosion roughly equivalent to 1,000 tons (1 kiloton) of TNT. A weapon of this size could kill tens of thousands of people if detonated in a city, which clearly demonstrates that even reactor-grade plu

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Human resource management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human resource management - Coursework Example This would include human resource planning, recruitment, selection and training in organizations. The recruitment and selection process would depend on the kind of establishment that is set up. This must be accompanied with the right kind of training and development programs to equip candidates with the requisite skills and expertise. However, training programs must b customized to meet the individual training needs of employees. Training might be internally conducted by the organizations catering to their own needs and skill requirements. However, there are a large number of training institutes in the region offering wide variety of training for organizations. Off the job training is most widely used by the private sector firms in UAE. In UAE, organizations are encouraged to practice group activities and team work. Thus training might be imparted on group problem solving activities. Organizations can also undertake high level skill training for their workforce. The key role of HRM is ensuring employee performance and productivity. This includes identifying the key components of candidates’ performance. It is important that the performances of employees are monitored by their immediate supervisors, peers, colleagues, subordinates and themselves. This is useful in making a complete review of their performance in the organization. A crucial component of performance management system is performance appraisal system. The appraisal system is considered to be most crucial for encouraging individual performance and raising their level of satisfaction too. The competitive structure of the UAE labour market and the cut throat competition existing between organizations calls for strict performance appraisal system. Under the system employees would be compensated or rewarded according to the evaluation of their performance. Employee performance must be aligned and rated against organizational goals and

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Job Satisfaction and Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Job Satisfaction and Motivation - Essay Example ion of those models to real-life situations, the issue still has the potential to slip and fall into an unknown zone which requires further resolution at that point of time . This uncertainty precisely explains our time being` interesting ‘ above. We can safely deduce that every economic system in the world is in a state of transition and discovery but at the same time, there appears to be an utmost urgency to adjust and move forward. Deadlines have to be completed with creation of scope for future targets and growth not in the brutish might but in a benignly creative environment and that is where a plethora of motivational ideas regarding the employees’ job satisfaction as well as the supervisors and the very important issues of conflict resolution have to be explored to be applied to micro and macro models of management. The skill lies in getting the idea communicated throughout top and bottom and capitalizing on the same with a willingness on the part of the employees to understand , adhere and apply the idea whose time has come and is instrumental in enhancing the fortunes of all and sundry. The talk of job satisfaction and the motivation that produces it are the buzzwords nowadays and reasonably so. However, it includes a combination of ideas of diverse nature relating to environment, political and economic systems and a major part of the same is determined by the socio-cultural and religious orientations. While we talk of motivation and job satisfaction, the employees and the employers must know and have a clear idea what they mean by the same . It is thus profoundly important that communication flows across the organizational pyramid While there are different theories and management models to define Motivation and Job Satisfaction and also in certain ways it is imperative for the human resource to be well oiled to enhance the productivity and output, it is however, broadly stated that

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Benefits of Organic Food Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Organic Food Essay Organic food, once only found in health food stores, is now a consistent element at local supermarkets. So what is the difference between a conventionally grown apple and an organic one? The answer is in the way the crop is grown and what it is and is not exposed to. In order to be labeled â€Å"organic† the farmer who grew it used renewable resources and conservation of soil and water methods. Also, organic farmers do not use conventional pesticides or weed killers, which may contain synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge. According to Fisher, Sewage sludge from municipalities waste may contain heavy metals and toxins . . . † (1). Rather, organic farmers use sophisticated crop rotations, spread mulch and manure, and even hand pull weeds to keep them away. Instead of applying pesticides, they use beneficial insects and birds or traps to keep pests from harming the crop. The organic apple at the grocery store was never exposed to pesticides, chemicals, additives or preservatives. Pesticides may cause harmful effects to the nervous system and mild skin and eye irritations. Chemicals used in additives and preservatives may disrupt the natural rebuilding of cells and your resistance to disease diminishes after continued exposure to these chemicals according to Lagerquist. According to the USDA, instead of these harmful ingredients, the organic apple has higher levels of minerals, vitamin C and antioxidants. Vitamin C is helpful in protecting your immune system, decreasing cardiovascular disease and promotes healthy skin. Antioxidants protect cells against free radicals that create destructive processes in the cells. Besides being beneficial to your health, organic food has a positive impact on the environment. Farming organic food allows for less groundwater to become contaminated that in the process of farming conventional crops. This is because organic crops are never exposed to harmful chemicals that can seep into the ground and infect our groundwater. This absence of chemicals in the ground water also means that the quality of the soil is greater. When the soil is not exposed to chemicals such as pesticides and insecticides, it is able to be of better quality. With better soil quality, comes stronger crops for years to come. Another benefit to the environment is that organic crops increase biodiversity. Biodiversity is created because the absence of chemical inputs creates a habitat suitable for wildlife. Also, because there is no insecticides used farmers of organic farms are forced to use natural pest control methods. This means that to control one type of pest, the famer has to bring in other pests to kill it, creating a diverse farm. Organic farms also do not use synthetic fertilizers, so one way to keep the soil up is to bring in different types of worms, arthropods, and microbes. These animals stabilize and detoxify soil. Organic farming also helps the environment by using conservation methods. Organic farms are planted where the crops could grow naturally, instead of clearing away land for the purpose of planting there. They also conserve soil by not only planting the crop, but also planting other vegetation where there are places crops are not growing to make sure the topsoil does not get blown away by the elements. Crop rotating is also used. This is when the farmer plants more than one crop in the same place. For example, one year the farmer might plant corn in field, but the next year he plants beans. This process of crop rotation increases the soils productivity and reduces need for farm land. Organic farmers do not use harmful fertilizers. Instead, they take advantage of reusable waste options. These options include human waste and waste from the farm animals. These natural fertilizers do not contain harmful ingredients and it also allows farms to ‘go green’ in a sense that the waste is not going elsewhere. Another environmentally-friendly practice that organic farmers use is tilling. Tilling stirs up the topsoil of farms and makes it so that the soil does not become compact. Compacted soil can result in soil that is unable to create a run-off surface. If this happens, the water will be unable to seep into the soil and irrigate the crop. Tractors passing over soil can cause this compaction to occur, which is why tilling is a more effective way to stir up the soil. And as a bonus, tilling can help get rid of weeds, so it is a win win. Pesticides and preservatives are not only harmful to human beings, but they are also harmful to our environment and ecosystems. Pesticides used in organic farming may run-off and contaminate nearby bodies of water. If enough contaminated run-off from pesticides and artificial fertilizers get into water, it is able to poison animals and fish that live there. According to Raloff, recent studies have demonstrated that exposure to hormones has a substantial effect on the gender and reproductive capacity of fish, throwing off the natural cycle, (1). This is not only harmful to the animals that live there, but if enough fish are dying because of poisoned run-off, the fish industry could suffer and it will affect humans as well. The same chemicals that poison bodies of water could seep into our groundwater and affect the well water we drink and use daily. This does not happen with organic farming, because no chemicals are ever sprayed on the fields and there is much more run off because of tilling practices. Organic farming does not only include crops. There is also organic eggs and meat produced by livestock raised on organic farms. During normal farming of animals, conventional farmers use medications, hormone shots, and antibiotics to promote the health and growth of the animals on their farm. On these conventional farms, animals are forced to be crowded together in dirty, indoor spaces. The living conditions make it necessary for these animals to receive regular medication to fight of diseases that may be caused by their poor living conditions. Because so many animals are crowded together, their manure accumulates rapidly and for convenience for the farmer, is sometimes poured into lagoons which can leak into local water sources and may contaminate our water. Scientists are studying the question that if humans eat hormones found in the meat of animals injected with hormones, if it can affect our human hormones the same way it affects the animal it was injected into. â€Å"Scientists believe about two-thirds of American cattle raised in for slaughter today are injected with hormones to make them grow faster and America’s dairy cows are given a genetically-engineered hormone .. . to increase milk production,† (Raloff, 1). These injected hormones are also a scare because if the animal is digesting them, it means that these chemicals are also in their manure, which is spread on the fields of crops we eat and may be dangerous. Not only could it affect the crop, but also the topsoil, and in turn the groundwater. And again, if it gets into a water source, it has the opportunity to harm the aquatic life living there. In one case, cattle injected with artificial growth hormones revealed serious health problems. These included deformed calves and an increase of a bacterial infection in the udder. In order to treat the infected cows, it needed antibiotics and eventually became reliant on them. Cattle are often forced to produce so much milk that they cannot keep up the nutrients they are losing in the milk and the amount they are given in their food. This imbalance causes them to become malnourished and it makes it easier for them to get more diseases. This type of mistreatment and malnutrition does not happen on organic farms. Healthy plants and animals are more disease resistant. This fact means that as long as the plants and animals are kept clean and healthy, there is little to no need for use of antibiotics or medications. Organic farmers keep the facilities clean to reduce the amount of diseases caused by poor living conditions. Organic farmers allow livestock to live in outdoor conditions with plenty of grazing room. This extra room can greatly decrease the number of diseases in the livestock because they won’t be crowded together to closely. On a conventional farm, livestock is kept indoors and fed possibly unhealthy grains made to make them grow. This is not the case on organic farms. Livestock is kept on a balanced diet and fed using a rotational grazing process. Rotational grazing means that once the livestock has eaten all the grass and vegetation from one field, the farmer will move them to another to allow the vegetation to grow back. This helps maintain the health of the farmland and also keeps the livestock happy by keeping them in an area with enough food, if the livestock is well fed, there is less of a chance that it will get sick as well. If livestock are kept healthy, there is no reason to give it medications, which may not be healthy for the consumer. Organic foods are never bioengineered. Bioengineered foods are foods that are manipulated through their DNA to have traits that are desired. For example, many foods are bioengineered to be resistant to insects, herbicides, and diseases. These crops may seem like a good idea, but many have wondered if these genetically altered crops could be harmful to humans. Crops resistant to bugs and weeds have caused Mother Nature to fight back with â€Å"superbugs† and â€Å"superweeds†, bugs and weeds that have evolved to overcome genetically altered plants. Cases like this cause scientists to turn it up a notch and create a new crop that can defeat the â€Å"supers†. But when is enough enough? Soon the weeds and bugs could become resistant to every type of herbicide resistant plant. There are many health scares associated with bioengineered foods. One is that if a gene is injected into a crop to make it have a more desirable trait, this gene may cause an unexpected danger to the consumer. One such danger is allergic reactions. For example . . . â€Å"bean plants that were genetically modified to increase cysteine and methionine content were discarded after the discovery that the expressed protein of the transgene was highly allergenic† (Villano, 1). Sometimes these dangers can be detected before it is introduced into the public, but sometimes it is not found until several people are affected. Another health risk concerned genetically engineered foods is that for most plants, it is simple to tell that the genetic altering caused an unusual problem in the crop, but in some cases, this is not easily seen. If it is a very obvious problem, the crop may be discarded immediately based on the appearance. However, if the genetic altering caused a problem in low or uneasily seen genes, it may become a problem for the consumer especially if the mutation is in the edible portion of the plant. Again, most of the time these problems would be detected before it is presented to the public, but it may not always be found that soon. This is a very dangerous risk to take. In addition to not being bioengineered, organic food is never exposed to radiation. Food irradiation is frequently used on conventional food because ionizing radiation is can be used to kill bacteria and other germs that may be found in certain foods. These conventionally grown foods are passed through radiation waves on a convention belt. This type of radiation attacks the unwanted organism’s DNA beyond its ability to repair. It can also be used to stop the natural ripening process of fruit in order to prolong the food’s shelf life, and it can be helpful in managing bacteria and other harmful organisms There is much criticism about ionizing radiation. One concern is that irradiation may disguise spoiled food by means of altering the natural growth process of the food. The radiation prolongs its shelf life, but there is reason the food has an expiration date. Some believe that the natural decay of food should not be tampered with. Another scare to some critics is that these chemical changes may not be healthy for the consumer. There are many regulations and inspections in food plants that use irradiation practices, but many critics believe that there is not enough extensive research done of the subject. Critics have several arguments against food irradiation. They argue that food preservation techniques are inefficient because it is unable to undo food spoilage that happened before the radiation treatment. This means that the food is ‘stuck’ in a certain stage of maturity that may not be ideal for the consumer. Another argument is that the radiation process, while getting rid of unwanted organisms, may also remove nutrients that are vital or helpful for the consumer. There are several risks associated with buying conventional foods. These foods may contain pesticides, chemicals, additives, or preservatives that are not natural and may be very harmful for the consumer. When buying organic food, there is never a risk of ingesting any of these harmful substances. Organic farmers use only natural methods of keeping insects, diseases, and weeds away to unsure safety for the consumer. Unlike conventional farms, organic farms are more diverse, more conservative, and use reusable and environmentally friendly practices to keep the earth in good physical shape for years to come. Instead of being concerned with convenience, organic foods focus on health. There are never artificially introduced hormones, sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation exposed to organically grown foods. The most disturbing fact about conventionally grown foods that is that little has been tested in the procedures used to grow the food conveniently. It is not proven that food exposed to radiation, bioengineering, pesticides, herbicides, medications, hormones and antibiotics given to livestock are harmless to humans. Many critics believe that these practices could cause extreme damage to humans in the future if it is not tested more thoroughly. So why not play it safe? Organic foods have none of these health risks and actually have higher levels of minerals, Vitamin C, and antioxidants.