Background of Transgenic Research essays

Background of Transgenic Research essays Genetic engineering has opened many doors for new sciences to develop. One such science is the research and alteration of the food we eat; this is commonly known as transgenic research. Whether through crops or agricultural animals, the common goal is to increase food surplus. Most of the GM (genetic modification) research is focused on causing crops to withstand herbicides and pesticides so more of these chemicals can be poured on the land without hurting the food. The national director of the BioDemocracy Campaign, Ronnie Cummins, lists that The leaders in biotechnology are the same giant chemical companiesMonsanto, DuPont, AgroEvo, Novartis, and Rhone-Poulencthat sell toxic pesticides. These companies sell crops that are resistant to their own herbicides and pesticides so they can sell those as well (115). This seems to be driven by the desire of money and profit gain. In a similar article, Brian Halweil observes that the seeds of these herbicide-resistant crops (HRCs), are packaged with Monsantos best selling herbicide, Roundup (143). The outcome for these GM crops is an increase of the use of toxic chemicals; this will at first cause a higher yield of grain, but will ultimately pollute our land With the main goal of transgenic research to cure world hunger, most people would be in favor if it did indeed meet the worlds food demand. Transgenic research is not the only way to treat the world hunger problem though. According to Norman Borlaug, in 1994 the world produced 5 billion metric tons of food, and if it had been distributed evenly, then a diet of 2,350 calories could have been distributed to 6.4 billion people for a year about 800 million more than the population of 1994 (134). This shows a major unbalance of food distribution to countries. The current solution taking place, instead of...

Compare and Contrast

Compare and Contrast Introduction Benjamin Franklin and Bill Gates share diverse aspects. They also have notable differences. These similarities and differences emerge from their roles in initiating important innovations and inventions. Indeed, their contribution to scientific advancement, technology and contemporary knowledge cannot be underestimated (McCormick, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Compare and Contrast specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is critical to examine these disparities and similarities. This is vital because such information would help to understand the innovation and entrepreneurship path. This paper compares and contrasts the life of Benjamin Franklin and Bill Gates. The energy you channel towards reaching your goal is what matters in the society. Your determination, inspiration and hard work really count a lot. Benjamin Franklin and Bill Gates are real proofs of this. Both of their studies did not contribu te much to their inventions and innovations. Benjamin Franklin started to exhibit his talent at an early age having attended school for only one year (Klepper Gunther, 1996). He had not acquired any knowledge to help him further his interests. Bill gates as well started officially to pursue his interest at the eighth grade when he took an interest in programming the general electric computer system in BASIC. His drop out at the university to pursue his interest shows that he did not need any studies to realise his dream. Benjamin’s father intended him to join the clergy (Klepper Gunther, 1996). The only reason he did not join the clergy is that he would not have the required education needed at the clergy because his parent could not afford it. Bill on the other hand has his father thinking of him to be a lawyer. Both of their parents did not realise their interests at an early age and wanted them to be totally opposite of what themselves really wanted. If it was not for th eir determinations with what interested them, then they might have ended up as different people rather than what we know them to have been. These two men spent most of their time in science. They were also charitable; they gave a lot of money to the charity events. Although they both made a lot of money from their inventions, their driving force towards this was not to get wealthy. They had an interest in what they were doing. Many admire Benjamin. He was rich and famous from his printing work and inventions respectively. He even had an early retirement but continued to invent so many things afterwards.Advertising Looking for essay on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He had many inspirational quotes (McCormick, 2008). Bill is ranked as one of the richest men in the world. He is famous for his Microsoft invention. As Benjamin, he retired at an early age to continue his dream in managing his company. The two brought incredible changes to their nation and to the world as a whole. Their work has led to very many other works from other people. Many are inspired by their work as well as their life history. It was not easy for Benjamin to achieve his dreams as compared to Bill. Unlike Bill who was from a second-class family who could afford his education, Benjamin had to drop out of school due to inability to afford it and work for his brother in the printing sector. Bill had the freedom to follow his interests and even was excused from math classes at eighth grade to pursue his interests. On the other hand, Benjamin could not even write for his brother’s paper and so had to write letters and sign them as a fictional window. He did not have the same privilege as Bill to follow his dreams at that age (Klepper Gunther, 1996). At the time, Benjamin thought all was well and was keeping his brother’s paper going on as he was in jail only for his ungrateful brother to come out of pr ison to start abusing him. He ran away from home, which was illegal at that time. He realised his dream through a lot of teething troubles. Conclusion These two people have had great impact in the world. They are individuals whose dreams became the world greatest achievement, inventors of the most significant things which we cannot imagine living without. Bill Gates is credited for his Microsoft invention and Benjamin Franklin for electricity among other things. They gather a lot of admiration due to their courage and determination in achieving their dreams and not money; they would get in doing so. The world will be forever grateful to them. Encounter between the Two People Bill gates and Benjamin Franklin are brought together due to their love for science. They both would do anything in order to make their dreams come true. Some people have even thought of bill as another Benjamin. Bill even got an award for best scientist from Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, an institute name d after Benjamin. If only these two people could have lived at the same period, they would be partners. A lot more could have been invented. They are the world’s heroes. References Klepper, M. M. Gunther, R. E. (1996). The wealthy 100: From Benjamin Franklin to Bill Gates a ranking of the richest Americans, past and present. Secaucus, NY: Carol Publ. Group.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Compare and Contrast specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More McCormick, B. (2008). Ben Franklin: Americas original entrepreneur : Franklins autobiography for business today. Irvine, Calif.: Entrepreneur Press.

Water and sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Water and sustainability - Essay Example conomy and population over the past decades has brought tremendous cost to the nation’s environmental sustainability (Liu, Jianguo, and Wu Yang 650). Although both China and the USA are economically developed, the simultaneous effects of the industrialization, agricultural growth, and urbanization coupled with the declining ground and surface water quantity are some of the crucial problems facing water sustainability in China. This paper therefore, explores the comparison of water sustainability between China and USA while taking keen interest on the problems of the water sustainability in China and the solutions. The USA’S EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is committed to the promotion of the sustainable practices that helps ensuring that the citizens continue enjoying the benefits of the safe and clean water. As a result the tap water in the USA relatively cleaner as compared to that of China. The tap water in U.S is generally good. In the 2006, 89.3% of the nation’s community water system were in total compliance with EPA. Unlike China, most of the water systems in the USA that are out of compliance are the small systems in the small towns and rural areas partly because most of the public water systems are generally small ones. Another reason for the cleaner tap water in the USA is that the drinking water in the U.S is regulated by the federal and state laws and codes that sets Maximum Contaminant Levels for some of the pollutants and the naturally occurring constituents. The federal and state laws and codes are tasked with the determination of the various operational req uirements, public notifications of the standards, provision of guidance to the state primacy agencies and publish the consumer confidence reports (Liu, Jianguo, and Wu Yang 650). Unlike China, the laws in the US such as Safe Drinking Water Act ensure quality of the drinking water is high. The public water systems in the US must comply with the laws to ensure that the water is safe.

International and Comparative Human Resource Management Essay - 2

International and Comparative Human Resource Management - Essay Example Through the cluster analysis, Sparrow together with other fellow researchers was able to cluster the countries of the world into five distinctive cultural zones. The identified clusters were cultural Island 1, 2, and 3, Anglo-Saxon cluster, and Latin cluster. Cultural Island 1 cluster comprised of France, cultural Island 2 comprised of Korea, and cultural Island 3 comprised of Japan. The other two remaining clusters of Anglo-Saxon and Latin comprised of UK, Australia, Canada, USA, Germany and Italy for Anglo-Saxon cluster and Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico for Latin cluster. This academic paper will categorically look at distinguishing cultural characteristics of Korea and UK. The two selected countries fall under cultural Island 2 cluster and Anglo-Saxon cluster respectively. Culture of the United Kingdom The cultural classification of United Kingdom comprises of patterns of symbolism and human activity, some of the cultures which were practiced in the UK are; Language As in the case of other nations and states, the language of the UK is English. This language is spoken by close to 90% of the total residents. Some countries which form the framework of UK like Wales at times use their national Welsh language more so in schools (Calder, 2007 pp.21). Use of languages like Gaelic has also been popularized in countries like Scotland; however, English has remained the official language in the entire UK. Arts UK is known for arts in terms of literature where some of the renowned poets like William Shakespeare hail from this great country. The culture of literature was inherited from countries like England and Scotland. The earlier existing written literatures were drafted in languages like Celtic and Anglo-Saxon. Theatre Dating back to 1707, UK was able to inherit theatre culture from Scotland and England and they were able to create a theatre district called West End (Calder, 2007 pp.31). This district was found in West End of London and it was the home of known thea tre halls like Theatre Royal and Convent Garden. Music Use of patriotic songs like Rule, Britannia and the national anthem of God Save the Queen are some of the songs that are dominant in the UK. UK has many music composers and use of several genres like jigs, hornpipes, and dance songs were some of the customary components of the folk songs. Film was also one of the UK cultures where it had some of the most skilful films actors and producers like James Bond. Religion Protestant is the religion found in the UK; moreover, Anglican Christian is dominant in this country followed by other religions like Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Sikhism (Calder, 2007 pp.47). Culture of Korea Korea was divided into two countries North and South Korea; however, some of the distinguishing cultures of Korea are Traditional arts Traditional arts comprise of the traditional dance, painting, crafts, and ceramics, all these categories played an important role in the traditional arts. Dance Korea h ad two distinguish dancing styles which are folk and court dance. Some of the dances are jeongjaemu and ilmu dance which were performed in banquets and rituals respectively. Jeongjaemu dance was auxiliary distributed into instinctive dances such as jeongjae and dangak and the two styles were inherited from Asia and China. The common dance of Ilmu was also divided into munmu also called civil dance and mumu also known as military dance (John, 2002 pp.170). During the dancing festivals, traditional clothing called genja was worn, Genja clothing had several

Poetic Realism And The Rules Of The Game By Jean Renoir Movie Review

Poetic Realism And The Rules Of The Game By Jean Renoir - Movie Review Example It is widely regarded difficult to maintain and establish strict borders of poetic realism but most surely it gained a lot from the French literature of the 19th century. Most of all it is Balzac and Zola which developed a new vision on the matter of simple human life and its true complexity and tragic yet live nature. The love triangle that is the plot center of â€Å"The Rules of the Game† tells us that great feeling is always doomed due to its complexity and enormously exciting power. The ending of the movie reminds of Deus Ex Machina but really something terrible could be felt during the entire movie and such tremendous stress and complexity between human relationships is a great way of showing how elementary and common life aspects can eventually lead to the tragic end. What starts romantically and joyfully ends with the horrible "accident" that is sure can be considered a Destiny's action. However such destiny or better say pessimistic theorem of French poetic realism is one of the main components of this genre because almost every central hero in the films of this tradition ends dead or broken in somehow another way. But above that â€Å"The Rules of the Game† are different from the other pictures of poetic realism because it shows not lower social classes but high ones though their problems appear to be the same because they are pan-human. The visual aspect of the Rules of the Game, as well as other poetic realism films, has a great part which is obvious because of its movie and not a book.

Understanding Cultural Diversity In Humans Sociology Essay

Understanding Cultural Diversity In Humans Sociology Essay The three branches of human sciences (Social sciences), Sociology, Anthropology and Psychology are interlinked in that they try to describe the different areas of human life and their relationships to each other. They offer an explanation on human behavior and in the society they live. Furthermore, these social sciences provide essential skills in analyzing the intentions and behavior of individuals and groups they encounter. Individual identity is forged by ones culture, groups, and by institutional influences. Institutions such as families, schools and even churches greatly influence human beings yet these institutions are merely organizations whose aim is to develop the core social values of its constituents. In discussing cultural diversity on the perspectives of the three social sciences there is a need to understand the difference between culture and society. This is because the all the three disciplines explore culture and society to understand human behavior in depth. The term Culture has many different meanings, for some it is the appreciation of art, literature, music and food, while for others like biologists; they take it as a colony of microorganisms growing in a nutrient medium in a laboratory. However for social scientists, culture is the full range of learned human behavior patterns. Cultures are traditions and customs, transmitted through learning and adaptations. Children obtain such traditions by growing up in a certain society, through a process called enculturation. A culture results into a degree of uniformity in behavior and thought among the inhabitants of a particular society (Baugher et. al, 2000, p. 4). The terms culture and society are different as cultures are co nsidered to be complexes of learned behavior patterns and perceptions while society is a group of interacting organisms. Therefore this paper will critically analyze cultural diversity based on the three social sciences, evaluating the social sciences similarities and differences. Discussion Anthropological perspective of culture diversity When it comes to understanding diversity in cultures, the anthropological view can help humanity understand and appreciate the complexity of diverse cultures. This discipline involves the study of biological and cultural origins of the humans. The subject matter of anthropology is wide-ranging, including, fossil remains, non human primate anatomy and behavior, artifacts from past cultures, past and present languages, and all the prehistoric and contemporary cultures of the world. The subfield of cultural anthropology is the most commonly studied and useful in analyzing and interpreting the diverse cultures of the world. In recent years, recognition of the need for multicultural awareness, understanding, and skills has grown in our society. The aim is to achieve multicultural diversity competence, which is a term that refers to the ability to demonstrate respect and understanding, to communicate effectively, and to work with different cultural backgrounds (George Fischer, 1999, p. 71). These diversities in culture encompass differences in gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, social class and physical appearance. Misunderstandings and conflicts in the society are two major consequences of lack of awareness in the ever increasing cultural diversity. Cultural anthropology explains cultural diversity through aspects of social life such as material culture, social organizations, politics, economics, symbolism, change and development, ethnici ty and modern nation-state formation. In explaining and interpreting the diverse cultures, anthropology uses ethnography- describing particular cultures; and ethnology- comparing two or more cultures. In addition it incorporates the holistic approach in cultural studies by studying biological and cultural aspects of human behavior; encompassing the broadest possible time frame by looking at contemporary, historic and prehistoric societies; examining human culture in every part of the world; and studies many different aspects of human culture (George Fischer, 1999, p.68). Cultural diversity is relevant to a cultural approach in learning, in that learning and motivational styles and cross cultural pedagogical strategies assume attention to diversity in learner populations and pluralistic learning outcomes. The data, concepts and insights derived from the study of other cultures helps us meet our professional goals and lead more satisfying lives in a multicultural society. Moreover, the process of studying anthropology is also valuable because of the skills and competencies that it helps to develop. Activities such as taking courses about different cultures, participating in local internships and international organizations, living in the universitys international dormitory, and participating in study abroad programs all combine to provide students with valuable skills in understanding diverse cultures hence achieve multicultural diverse competence. There is a need to come up with a strategy to accept cultural diversity, for example, in the United states of America the freedom to pursue ones individual dream and fortunes in the united states has produced a widening gap between the haves and have-nots. According to Hutnyk, 2006, managing directors in United States of America made forty times as much compared to the average worker in 1973 and three hundred as much in 2004. At the same time, earnings of middle class were growing slightly and those of lower class were actually shrinking. This situation to a European means that the state is working against well being of the population, particularly in light of tax cuts during this period. Another instance is when expressing feelings of affection which is typical for all human. The manner in which the affection is expressed is cultural, the kiss is not universally accepted as a symbol of affection; some societies consider it suggestive of cannibalism. A basic anthropological strategy for understanding other cultures is to look at a cultural feature from within its original context rather than looking at it from the perspective of ones own culture; being inquisitive, non-judgmental, and open to new ways of thinking is vital in understanding other cultures; Balancing contradictory needs instead of trying to eliminate them; emphasize global team work; develop a cognitive complex which is made up of twin abilities of differentiating and integrating; and developing a personal acuity (Naylor, 1997, p. 157). The strategy will not only help you personally in understanding other cultures but assist you in integrating to any culture globally. Sociological perspective on Cultural Diversity Sociology is critical analysis of the society in which humans live. People who make sense of the social world-past, present and future- are referred to as sociologists (Anderson Taylor, 2005, p. 8). Sociologists research on social structures such as class, family, politics, social problems like drug abuse and crime all of which influence the society. Social interaction amongst humans is the basic sociological concept, because all humans and groups that make up a society socialize. Specialists who focus on particular details of specific interactions as they occur daily are called micro sociologists and those that focus on larger patterns of interactions amongst larger sections of the society such as state and economy are called macro sociologists. A society is rarely culturally uniform hence the result of different cultures. As societies develop and become more complex, different cultural traditions appear. The more complex the society, the more likely the culture will be internally varied and diverse. The causes of cultural changes in a society are cultural diffusion, innovation, and imposition of cultural change by outside world (Anderson Taylor, 2005, p. 72). Two concepts from sociology help in understanding complexity of culture in a given society, dominant culture and subcultures. Dominant culture is the culture of the most powerful group in the society. Although it is not the only culture in society, it is commonly referred to be the culture of a society, despite other cultures present. Subcultures on the other hand are cultures of groups whose values and norms of behavior differ from those of the dominant culture. Members of subcultures tend to interact frequently and share a common world view. Sociology stipulates that culture consists of both material objects and abstract thoughts and behavior. Several elements which sociologists consider in understanding culture diversity are language, norms, beliefs and values (Kaufman, 2004, p. 7). Language: Learning the language of a culture is essential to becoming part of a society. Language shapes culture as it provides the categories through which social reality is understood. This was proved by Edward Sapir and his student Benjamin Worf in the 1950s through their theory called the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. The hypothesis states, it is not that you perceive something first and then think of how to express it, but that language itself determines what you think and perceive (Anderson Taylor, 2005, p. 83). In understanding cultural diversity language is seen to reflect the assumptions of a culture. This is seen and exemplified by: language affecting peoples perception of reality; Language reflecting the social and political status of different groups in society; Groups advocating changing language referring to them as a way of asserting positive group identity; The implications of language emerging from specific historical and cultural contexts; language distorting actual grou p experience; language shaping peoples perceptions of groups and events in society. Norms: They are specific cultural expectations for how to behave in a given situation. Lack of norms in any society results in turmoil however, with established norms people would be able to act, behave and interact in a society properly. In the early years of sociology, William Graham Summer in 1906 identified two types of norms; folkways and mores. Folkways are general standards of behavior adhered to by a group, example wearing pants and not skirts for men. Mores are stricter mores which are seen to control moral and ethical behaviors such as injunctions, legal and religious. Beliefs: They are shared ideas people hold collectively within a given culture, and these beliefs are also the basis of many cultural norms and values, example in USA there is a widespread belief in God. Sociology study belief in a variety of ways, and each theoretical mentation provides different insights into the significance of beliefs for human society. Values: They are abstract standards in a society or group that defines the ideal principles of what is desirable and morally correct, for example in USA equality and freedom are important values which provide a general outline for behavior. Values provide values for behavior, but can also be sources of conflict like the political conflict over abortion. Understanding the four elements of sociology enables proper integration in any society. Integration into the society is achieved by respecting the diverse cultures that are found in a society. Sociology studies culture in a variety of ways, asking numerous questions about the relationship of culture to other social institutions and the role of culture in modern life. The new cultural perspective on culture according to Naylor, 1997, is that it is ephemeral, unpredictable and constantly changing; is a material manifestation of consumer-oriented society; and is best understood by analyzing its artifacts- books, films, television images. Psychological Perspective on Culture Diversity Social psychology a subfield of psychology has its origins in the early years of the twentieth century. Its findings do not necessarily concern human thinking throughout history but rather meet the requirements of our modern society. Social psychology research aims to capture the interplay between social thinking and socio-historical dynamics in order to understand how societies function and how culture is produced (Xenia, 2004, p. 13). Psychology is distinguished from neighboring social sciences through its emphasis on studying samples of organisms within controlled settings rather than focusing upon larger groups, organizations or nations. Psychologists test the specific results of changes in a controlled environment on the individual in that environment, but there are strongly set procedures through which organisms are tested psychometrically. There is a big debate in psychology and more generally in social sciences how to define culture. In some definitions the concept of culture includes behavior, in the sense that our behaviors are expressions of our culture. Other definitions emphasize that participating in a culture means having understanding of our world. However with trying to find a consensual definition of this concept, the main argument of researchers in psychology is to highlight how important it is to take into account the cultural context in which psychological studies were conducted (Kerr Tindale, 2011). They were right to point out that humans are linked to the social context in which they live, proving that psychological functioning and human behavior are universal and culture specific. Sharing a culture means that people have a common way of viewing their relationship with the social and physical environment; of communicating their thoughts and emotions; of prioritizing their activities; of dividing tasks and resources; of attributing values, honors, and power (Xenia, 2004, pp.17-18). When they do not share the above listed elements then culture diversity occurs from a psychological point of view. The people of diverse cultures are not like minded hence the question is, whether individuals from diverse cultures can coexist harmoniously in time space and under the same political and social organizations? The answer to this question provides the idea of how to cope with culture diversity. Various cultures flourish from the recognition that they represent a set of beliefs, modes of thinking and practices that are peculiar to them and different from others. Some cultures are more inclusive example western cultures, others refer to a small group of people for instance the Basque culture, but each one of them is important for its members because they represent the way they construct their social reality, and provides them with action alternatives. Conclusion Culture Diversity has been discussed using the three social science disciplines of Anthropology, Sociology and Psychology. Even though all of them have a similarity of trying to understand culture diversity in humans, they are different in terms of how they approach the study. Anthropology looks at culture diversity at the perspective of humanity, his origin and through aspects of social life such as ethnicity, symbolism, politics, race and so on. Anthropology explains that the origin of culture diversity is through mankind hence the concentration a human perspective. Sociology looks at the society which humans live so as to explain culture diversity. It states that elements such as language, beliefs, norms, and values are what bring about culture diversities. Psychology on the other hand analyses culture diversity with focus entirely on internal factors that influence individuals. Therefore the three social sciences provide an understanding of culture diversity and a basis of respec ting other cultures.

Progress, No Peace :: essays research papers

JERUSALEM -- As Secretary of State Colin L. Powell prepared to head home today without a formal cease-fire between Israelis and Palestinians, he said five days of talks with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat brought some progress. Powell's ambitious effort to halt the bloody conflict between Israelis and Palestinians was scheduled to conclude today with a final meeting with Arafat. But few analysts expected a hard promise by Arafat to rein in armed militants and suicide bombers or a firm pledge from Israel to withdraw its troops quickly from recently occupied areas of the West Bank. As Powell pressed for progress toward a cease-fire, fast-moving Israeli armored columns swooped into several cities and villages on the West Bank in what appeared to be short-term operations Tuesday. In Tulkarem, troops arrested four Palestinians whom they accused of plotting a suicide bomb attack targeting today's Israel Independence Day celebrations. Officials offered no details. Tanks also rolled into three Palestinian suburbs of Jerusalem, with troops declaring a curfew and forcing thousands of residents to remain in their homes while searches were conducted for militants and suspected terrorists. The military confirmed the action, describing it as part of a high security alert surrounding the celebration of the Jewish state's 54th year. Palestinians called the latest raids a sign of arrogance. "These incursions are taking place even as Secretary Powell is in the country seeking solutions," said Ahmed Qureia, speaker of the Palestinian Parliament. "There must be an end to these incursions and a complete withdrawal from Palestinian villages and cities before there can be discussions of peace." The Israeli military, meanwhile, called its massive military campaign in the West Bank a success despite international condemnation of its aggressive charge into Palestinian-ruled territories, which has devastated several cities as well as the Jenin refugee camp. "The terrorist infrastructure has been dealt a severe blow," said Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi, director of military intelligence, describing Monday's capture of Arafat lieutenant Marwan Barghouti in the West Bank city of Ramallah as a major coup. "They can still make terror. But we have hit them hard. And the longer we have, the more we can hit them." Powell, who met with Sharon for the third time Tuesday night, was scheduled to make another passage to the besieged headquarters of Arafat in Ramallah today in one last bid to persuade the Palestinian leader to call for a suspension of the bloody 18-month uprising.