Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Inferno Depiction And Representation Of Women

A subtopic worth further exploration within The Inferno is the depiction and representation of women. The Inferno mentions very few women throughout, and that makes it all the more salient to analyze the presence of these feminine characters for the fact that they are female carries more weight within the context of the poem than what they say alone. Dante lived in an era when women did not occupy influential roles in the public realm, and were actually discouraged from engaging in intellectual or philosophical debate. Women were not allowed to take part in political discourse nor communicate through the medium of poetry. For the exclusion of women from the historical and literary western canon, Dante’s perception of women in The Divine Comedy can be seen as an underlying framework for further discussion about the consideration of women. What makes Dante’s dialogue even more germane is his use of women from both pagan and Christian epochs, endowed with key virtues of salvation, but closely linked to secular goals (Glenn, xiii-xiv). For The Divine Comedy, women act as both the initial force of inspiration and the final goal of the epic adventure — seen in Dante’s celebration of both Beatrice and the Virgin Mary (Paolucci, 140). The book opens with Dante pilgrim in a state of confusion, only to be instructed on the right path by Beatrice Portinari, Dante Alighieri’s love interest who has now come to life in The Inferno to act as motivator for his journey. It canShow MoreRelatedDorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Engravings of Punishment of the Avaricious and the Prodigal682 Words   |  3 Pages136 engravings is Punishment of the Avaricious and the Prodigal. This piece is an accurate illustration of The Inferno’s Circle Four because it closely follows Dante’s description in the text, it is creative, and it is well illustrated. Dorà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s depiction of Circle Four is accurate because it closely follows Dante’s description in the text. Dante and Virgil enter Circle Four. Dante notices that â€Å"Here the sinners were more numerous than elsewhere, and they, with great shouts, from opposite sides wereRead MoreDeceit and Sexual Womens Sexual Sins in Dantes Inferno1536 Words   |  7 PagesDeceit and Sexual Women’s Sexual Sins in Dante’s Inferno Dante’s representations of women and feminine sexuality in the Inferno show contrasts within the various natures of women and their sexuality. His era’s vision of the perfect woman one that idealized beauty, passiveness and purity is represented by his life long love Beatrice. This ideal and its representation in Beatrice are contrasted with the dark depictions of women, their sexual sins, devious devices, and evil act, which DanteRead MoreAnalysis Of The Love Song Of J Alfred Prufrock1007 Words   |  5 PagesT.S Eliot’s depiction of the interrelation between time and decay conveys the transformative impact of industrialisation upon modern society. Modernity altered the human psyche into a detached, fragmentation of its previous form prior to the Modernist world. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Preludes provide a poetic representation of how the corrosion of traditionalism preceded a sense of abandonment and isolation which infects individuals wit hin the urban setting. Despite conveying earlyRead MoreDon Giovanni, From Mozart s Beloved Opera1328 Words   |  6 Pageseat! Than the air I breathe!† The passionate and powerful person that says those words is not an individual one should praise. It is, in fact, Don Giovanni, from Mozart’s beloved opera Don Giovanni. The opera is the story of a trickster who seduces women and escapes from them, stripping them from their honor. The first act commences with the struggle of Donna Anna against Don Giovanni, who is hiding his identity under a mask. As she shouts, her father, the Commendatore, is woken up and strives to confrontRead MoreThe Name Of The Rose1574 Words   |  7 Pagesof the Book of Revelation. Apocalyptic literature, often ornamented with intricate visions, symbolism and numerology, is a classification of cataclysmic Jewish writings which incorporate impressions of heaven along with revelations. Through the depiction of the conflagration of the abbey, elega nt symbolism and extravagant visions within, The Name of the Rose exhibits idiosyncrasies of the apocalyptic genre. The Book of Revelation, which contains a profuse amount of homogenous attributes to The NameRead MoreThe Beliefs Of Heaven And Hell Essay2156 Words   |  9 Pagespowerful influence on human behavior. The first section of the paper will discuss religion and the historical uses of artwork in heaven and hell. The second section of this paper will provide a comparison of three dominating world religions, and their depictions of heaven and hell through art. The third section of the paper contains a comparative analysis of the three world religions and their impact on human emotion and behavior. The final section of the paper will reiterate the aforementioned and concludeRead MoreThe Female Image Of The Media Essay2070 Words   |  9 Pagesthe female image it can be seen that the glamorized and favored ideals that are represented on the screen can be traced back to the mi sogynistic culture. Women such as Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez are plastered over shows like E!, Entertainment Tonight, TMZ, and other tabloid like shows and reality TV, as the women that other women should aim to look like. The 2010’s is the time of the big booty and, big boobs, and glowing tans, and before then there is a transition from the waif heroinRead MoreGertrude Bell s Persian Pictures : A Study Of The Landscape2986 Words   |  12 Pagesusing the male voice in tackling the landscape in the texts under investigation. The abundant reports, literary narratives, and the variety of representations of the early travellers, present the Orient as strange, eccentric, savage, hostile, irrational, exotic, and mysterious, that has unresolved secrets, alien creatures, sensational women, monstrous and beast-like people. Said claims that it is sufficient for ‘us’ [Orientalists] to ‘set up these boundaries in our minds’, and ‘both the Other’sRead MoreHomosexuality in Victorian and Elizabethan Literature.6608 Words   |  27 Pagesplayed off of the fear and immorality of homosexuality and used those feelings as a basis for their novels. Bram Stoker told a story about a vampire that challenged the Victorian gender roles and managed to reverse them, making men faint like women, and making women powerful like men, and called it Dracula. Mary Shelley created a a physical being out of a mans suppressed homosexuality due to his Victorian male upbringing; a man named Frankenste in. Robert Stevenson described what happens when a homosexual

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Top Ten Characteristics of a Multicultural School Environment

Top Ten Characteristics Of A Multicultural School Environment Not all students are the same so they cannot be taught the same way. Their cultures and experiences the way they learn and respond to schooling. Several cultural factors affect the way students behave in a classroom. Each student is different because of physical and mental abilities, gender, ethnicity, race, language, religion, class, sexual orientation, and age (Gollnick and Chin, p.6). Multicultural school has different characteristics. I think the most important is the composition of the faculty, administration, and other staff accurately reflects the pluralistic composition of the United States (Gollnick and Chin, p.7) because this will influence a student’s behavior. The†¦show more content†¦With the persistence of racism, poverty, unemployment, and inequality in major social systems such as education, many persons have found it difficult to reconcile daily realities with the publicized egalitarianism that characterizes the public rhetoric (Gollnick and Chin, p.36). In a multicultural school, students should not experience this, instead, they should experience equality no matter what race, culture, gender or social groups they are involved with. The faculty, administrators, and other staff see themselves as learners enhanced and changed by understanding, affirming, and reflecting cultural diversity (Gollnick and Chin, p.7). The faculty, administrators, and other staff should be open for changes. They should learn on how to interact on different cultures. They should not be one-sided and be open for some changes because it is a part of life. Teachers and administrators are able to deal with questions of race, inter group relations, and controversial realities on an objective, frank, and professional basis (Gollnick and Chin, p.7). States and school districts expect new teachers to have proficiencies related to multicultural education by the time they finish a teacher educationShow MoreRelatedThang EDU 518 Topical Ref List3201 Words   |  13 Pagesin self-efficacy, strong and well directed principal leadership, having a positive and accepting racial climate, smaller class sizes, less harsh discipline with more support to reduce bad behavior, and better communication between parents and the school. Most authors agree, making education more meaningful and purposeful to the students would increase motivation to learn, which would increase success in academics. Almost all authors agree, professional development concentrated in these areas willRead MoreDiversity in Multi-Cultural Teams Creates Potential Advantages2825 Word s   |  12 PagesGlobalisation creates international business environment that requires businesses to be more competitive. And in order to be more active and competitive, companies have to be able to adapt themselves to the constant change, which can be driven by cultural diversity (Salas, Goodwin and Burke, 2009). In the future, the skill to cooperate with diverse cultures is a significant device for a successful business (Thomas and Inkson, 2004). Yet, divergence within multicultural teams may create some drawbacks as wellRead MoreLatino Student Fund : Supporting Education Essay2307 Words   |  10 Pagesin the Washington metropolitan area (â€Å"About Us†). The students in the program are labeled as at-risk students as a result of their under-performance in school. According to The Glossary of Education Reform, the label â€Å"at-risk† typically that the student is considered to â€Å"have a higher probability of failing academically or dropping out of schoolâ⠂¬  (â€Å"At Risk†). This label insinuates that students with this label may not be as academically capable as other students. As I tutored Adriana throughout theRead MoreMulticultural Education in a Pluralistic Society21691 Words   |  87 PagesColin Powell, 2000 ISBN: 0-536-29978-1 Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society, Seventh Edition, by Donna M. Gollnick and Philip C. Chinn. Published by Prentice-Hall/Merrill. Copyright  © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 2 Class hile he was still in college, Tomas Juarez had decided he wanted to work with children from low-income families. He began his teaching career, however, in a culturally diverse suburban school. The school had been built only a few years before andRead MoreDiversity at Disney5774 Words   |  24 Pagesinclusive environment for employees and their families. Although they believe they have plenty of progress to make, they are proud that Disney now employs the most diverse workforce in its history (Farino, 2012). In 2010, Disney was named to Diversity Inc s Top 50 Companies for Diversity, which recognizes companies that demonstrate consistent strength in CEO commitment, human capital, corporate and organizational communications and supplier diversity. This year, they were included in the Top 25 mostRead MoreSocio-Cultural Development17197 Words   |  69 PagesThe social and cultural environment Paul Wetherly Contents Introduction: what is the social and cultural environment? What has it got to do with business? Society, culture and business Demographic trends—an ageing population Immigration and multiculturalism Class structure Inequality A woman’s place? Looking ahead Summary Case study: decline of the working class? 123 150 152 152 153 153 153 Review and discussion questions 125 128 132 135 139 145 149 149 Assignments Further reading OnlineRead MoreImmigrant Advantage On Academic Achievement And Mental Health Essay1959 Words   |  8 PagesSocioeconomic Status, and Education. FAMILY First, we looked at a longitudinal study that analyzes the home environments of infants whose families are new immigrants (Bradley, Pennar, and Glick; 2014). The adult was asked various questions, including demographics, education level, and other measures used to evaluate home environments of their infants. What the results of the study found was that home environments are different across the various ethnicities, and are often dependent on the education levels ofRead MoreTeamwork/Group, Dynamics, Cohesion, Diversity7672 Words   |  31 PagesGroup Cohesion? 7 3.1. Nature of Group Cohesiveness 3.2. Groups Goals 8 3.3. Measuring group cohesion 9 3.4. Developing cohesiveness 11 3.5. Consequences of cohesion 12 4. Managing Multicultural Groups 14 Y. Iqbal 4.1. Multicultural Diversity and Multicultural Workforce 14 4.2. Importance of Managing Diversity 15 4.3. Managing Culturally Diverse Work Groups within an Organization 16 4.4. Disadvantages of Culturally Diverse Work Groups 16 4.5. AdvantagesRead MoreMarketing and Page Ref14698 Words   |  59 Pages Chapter 3 Analyzing the Marketing Environment 1) You are directed to study the actors close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers-departments within the company, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customer markets, competitors, and publics. What are you studying? A) the macroenvironment B) the microenvironment C) the marketing environment D) the demographic environment E) the global environment Answer: B Diff: 1 Page Ref: 66 Skill: Concept Read MoreMen in Traditionally Women-Oriented Professions2476 Words   |  10 Pagesleast one educator noted that this is a clear tragedy for millions of children who can benefit from simply having a male perspective in the classroom. As a result many children who have no man at home, find no man at preschool and no man at primary school, and never meet a stable, reliable male figure in all their preteen years. Girls never experience nurturing from a trusted older male. Boys, cared for only by women, learn that nurturing is no part of the male job description. And in the absence of

Monday, December 9, 2019

Managerial Decision Making and Managerial Innovation

Question: Discuss about the Managerial Decision Making and Managerial Innovation. Answer: Problem background: In recent years, the demand of workplace has been increasing in an effective manner. Nowadays, employees spend long hours at the workplace due to huge workload. In this context, the organization has been focusing on enhancing their production within short span of time (Wood, Cogin Beckmann, 2009). Consequently, the higher management has been pressurised the employees for increasing their working hour so that they can involve more time on the production (Shanafelt et al., 2012). Hence, the employees are unable to obtain work life balance. However, some of the employees have been suffering stress and other physical problems. Due to this unethical practice of the management, most of the employees have decided to flash this particular news on the local media (Wiese, 2015). On the other hand, the employees believe that the social media would be the best platform for flashing this news. SWOT analysis of the problem Strength the prime strength or the benefit of the work life balance is the improved staff morale and engagement it facilitates the employees to avoid absenteeism and health cost it also helps in recruitment, retention and diminish the employee turnover in the business Weakness Most of the time, the organization is unable to provide flexible work life due to the requirement of high production The particular organization has no clear strategic direction for diminishing the particular issues. On the other hand, the internal operating problems can occur due to poor work-life balance in the business. Opportunity By providing the work-life balance, the organization will be able to increase its production level. The particular organization could motivate employees by providing the healthy work life With the engagement of the work-life balance, the organization would be able to reduce their employee turnover. Threats The particular organization can face challenges in conducting the business, as the employees spread the news on social media. The lack of work life balance can create physical issues that can damage the workforce The poor work life balance can cause loss of sales substitute in the business. On the other hand, it slows down the market growth rate of the business PEST analysis: Political Due to the lack of government policy on work-life balance, the organization is least bother about healthy work atmosphere at the workplace. The local government should focus on developing new legislation for work-life balance, as employees pay tax to the government Economical The Gross Domestic Product per capita is very low due to low production in the business. On the other hand, the high-interest rates create challenges for the business to maintain adequate growth rate. Social In the particular organization, the dominant religion is Christian and the management does not allow diverse culture in the workplace. The organization has biased behavioral approach towards women, as they avoid in promoting female employees Technological the organization has not introduced any technological change that could facilitate employees to execute work in an effective manner Due to the lack of technological innovation, the employees are unable to obtain healthy work life. Problem definition: Work-life balance is one of the key components that enable employees to deliver high class performance in the business (Deepika Rani, 2014). In this particular case, the organization has suddenly increased the working hours for employees to obtain high production. Consequently, employees have to spend 12-14 hours at the workplace which creates the mental illness and family disturbance. By considering the 5Ws Root cause analysis, the problem can be defined in an appropriate manner (Barletta, 2012). What: the organization needs to understand the issues of employees. In the idle situation, the organization should provide flexible work atmosphere to the employees. By reducing extra work load from the employees, the organization could improve the situation. Where: the physical structure or the location of the problem is in the workplace itself. When: the problem arises during the work timing when employees feel overburdened with the workload. Who: this particular problem has been affecting the employees and their performance. Due to the extra workload, employees are unable spend extra time with their family at home. Why: the prime rationale of the issue is that the organization wants to improve its production line within small amount of time. Consequently, the management is forcing the employees to deliver extra hour of works at the workplace. Figure 1: 5Ws root cause analysis (Source: Jones, Burke Westman, 2013) Solution generation: An effective work life can be provided to the employees by simply allowing them for flexible work shifts. In this particular scenario, the organization can enhance its work force to meet their expectation (Jones, Burke Westman, 2013). Consequently, it would not create any challenges for the existing employees. On the other hand, the flexible work shifts would also facilitate the organization in delivering balanced life to the employees (Blanchard, 2012). In the rotational shift format, the employees can choose shifts according to their personal work schedule. Consequently, it would be beneficial for the organization to improve the production of the business within short span of time. By analysing the De Bonos Six Thinking Hats, the solution can be generated for the particular issue. Red hat If the organization reacts to the emotions of the employees, they must reduce the shift timing for reducing the extra workload of the staffs at the workplace. On the other hand, the organization could implement extra monetary benefits for conducting overtime at the workplace. White hat By analyzing the facts and figures, in recent days, the organization has experienced huge employee turnover due to imbalanced work-life challenges. Consequently, the production of the organization can be extended due to the low workforce. The sales margin of the business got decreased due to low quality products manufactured by employees. Black hat To implement the appropriate changes in the workplace, the higher authority or the management needs to accumulate the feedbacks from their existing employees. It can be assessed that the management needs to impose logical judgment to reduce this particular issues from the workplace. Green hat The management needs to implement creative solution for diminishing the particular issue. The organization can allow the employees to execute the work from home so that they can lead a stress free life. Rotational shift is another way of reducing the absenteeism at the workplace. The employees should be rewarded by the monetary benefits for delivering extra hour of work in the workplace. Employee recognition is another important part of motivating employees in the workplace. Blue hat The process of change needs to be executed in a systematic manner so that the workflow can be maintained at the workplace. In the thinking process, the organization needs to involve the employees for accumulating their individual thoughts on the issue. At the initial stage of the changing phase, the organization is required to distribute the workload equally among the employees and the management needs to enhance the workforce in the business. Yellow hat By implementing the change in the business, the organization will be able to improve the staff morale along with the high production in the business. On the other hand, the management will be benefitted due to decreased employee turnover The work-life balance will ensure the organization for long-term sustainability in the business. Solution evaluation: The organization can improve the situation by implementing flexibility at the workplace. Most of the time, the management avoid taking feedbacks from the employees regarding new strategy implementation (Richmond Rohlfing, 2013). The management could implement several strategies for diminishing the particular issue from the business. The organization could provide high monetary benefits for working extra time at the workplace. On the other hand, the management can maintain work life balance considering several facts including flex time, compressed workweek; job-sharing, telecommuting, and permanent and part-time work arrange (Burg-Brown, 2013). By analysing the decision-making process, the solution of the issue can be identified in an appropriate manner. Decision-making process: The decision making process consists of six stages including identification of problem, analysing issue, developing the alternative solutions, selecting the best solution, converting the decision into action and following up the taken action (Freeburg et al., 2014) Problem identification: The basic problem at the workplace is that the employees are unable to lead a balanced life due to huge workload (Goldfarb et al., 2012). Consequently, the management of the organization has been facing employee turnover issue that affect the production. Moreover, the employees have decided to take the legal action against the management. Hence, it might damage the brand reputation of the business. Analysing issue By analysing the issue, it can be assessed that the organization has been facing challenges in executing business in an appropriate manner due to lack of work flexibility. The management is least bother to provide extra benefits to the employees for motivating them at the workplace. Consequently, the particular issue is hampering the business. Developing the alternative solution: There are several options available for the management to diminish the work life challenges from the business. The management could implement flex time, compressed workweek, job-sharing, and telecommuting process at the workplace for reducing the extra stress of the employees (Kim, MacDonald Andersen, 2013). On the other hand, the organization could enhance the workforce for reducing the workload from the existing employees of the company. Moreover, the management could arrange extra monetary benefits for the employees who worked overtime at the workplace. Best solution selection: The best solution for reducing the work life challenges is to implement the flexible and rotational shift timing with high monetary benefits. By implementing the particular strategy into the business, the management could ensure work life balance for the employees. Decision making: For implementing the particular strategy into the business, the human resource management needs to include different shift timing for the employees (Zsambok Klein, 2014). Moreover, the organization needs to increase the investment of the business for providing extra monetary benefits to the employees. Follow up the taken action: After implementing the process, the organization needs to implement a monitoring process for tracking the progress of the business. The management would engage 6months timeframe to track the process. If there are any flaws then the management will change the strategy accordingly. Figure 2: Decision-making process (Source: Damanpour Aravind, 2012) Implementation and action plan: The organization needs to identify the driving forces and restraining forces for understanding the process of change. In this particular situation, the prime issue is that the employees are unable to lead a health and balanced life due to huge work pressure at the workplace (Marcek, 2013). On the other hand, the lack of work life balanced has been causing the high employee turnover in the business. By developing the force field model, it will be easier to identify the process of change. Force field model analysis: Driving forces and restraining forces are listed in the below table: Driving forces: Scores High workforce management 4 High employee morale 3 Huge productivity in the business 5 Total Scores 12 Restraining forces: Scores Providing extra cost to the employees 3 Allowing employees to execute flexible shifts 2 The organization can face conflicts from employees 3 Total Scores 8 By analysing the above table it can be identified that the driving forces are high work force management, high morale and high productivity. The total score of the driven force is 12. On the other hand, the restraining forces are extra cost for employees, providing flexible shifts and to face the employees conflicts at the workplace. The total scores in the restraining force are 8. Consequently, the high score of the driving forces indicate that the organization needs to provide the work life balance to the employees for obtaining high growth in the business. Figure 3: Force field model on work life balance (Source: Created by author) References: Barletta, J. (2012). Work-life balance.Home Therapist: A Practical, Self-help Guide For Everyday Psychological Problems, The, 3. Blanchard, M. H. (2012). Work life balance?.Obstetrics Gynecology,119(1), 177-179. Burg-Brown, S. (2013). Work-life balance.Journal of Property Management,78(4), 48-54. Damanpour, F., Aravind, D. (2012). Managerial innovation: Conceptions, processes, and antecedents.Management and Organization Review,8(2), 423-454. Deepika, M., Rani, M. M. (2014). WORK LIFE BALANCE. Freeburg, M., LaBrozzi, R., Mamberg, M., O'Connor, E., Wu, T. C. T. (2014). Work/Life Balance?. Goldfarb, A., Ho, T. H., Amaldoss, W., Brown, A. L., Chen, Y., Cui, T. H., ... Xiao, M. (2012). Behavioral models of managerial decision-making.Marketing Letters,23(2), 405-421. Jones, F., Burke, R. J., Westman, M. (2013).Work-life balance: A psychological perspective. Psychology Press. Kim, H., MacDonald, R. H., Andersen, D. F. (2013). Simulation and Managerial Decision Making: A Doubleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Loop Learning Framework.Public Administration Review,73(2), 291-300. Marcek, D. (2013). Risk scenes of managerial decision-making with incomplete information: An assessment in forecasting models based on statistical and neural networks approach.Journal of Risk Analysis and Crisis Response,3(1), 13-21. Richmond, G. L., Rohlfing, C. M. (2013). Work-Life Balance. Shanafelt, T. D., Boone, S., Tan, L., Dyrbye, L. N., Sotile, W., Satele, D., ... Oreskovich, M. R. (2012). Burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance among US physicians relative to the general US population.Archives of internal medicine,172(18), 1377-1385. Wiese, B. S. (2015). Work-life-balance. InWirtschaftspsychologie(pp. 227-244). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Wood, R. E., Cogin, J., Beckmann, J. (2009).Managerial problem solving: Frameworks, tools, techniques. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Zsambok, C. E., Klein, G. (2014).Naturalistic decision making. Psychology Press.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Testbacksecurity Essay Example

Testbacksecurity Essay Chapter 2 Why Security is Needed TRUE/FALSE 1. Information security’s primary mission is to ensure that systems and their contents retain their confidentiality at all costs. ANS:FPTS:1 2. Information security safeguards the technology assets in use at the organization. ANS:TPTS:1 3. A firewall is a mechanism that keeps certain kinds of network traffic out of a private network. ANS:TPTS:1 4. An act of theft performed by a hacker falls into the category of â€Å"theft,† but is also often accompanied by defacement actions to delay discovery and thus may also be placed within the category of â€Å"forces of nature. ANS:FPTS:1 5. Two watchdog organizations that investigate allegations of software abuse: SIIA and NSA. ANS:FPTS:1 6. A number of technical mechanisms—digital watermarks and embedded code, copyright codes, and even the intentional placement of bad sectors on software media—have been used to enforce copyright laws. ANS:TPTS:1 7. A worm requires that another program is running before it can begin functioning. ANS:FPTS:1 8. A worm can deposit copies of itself onto all Web servers that the infected system can reach, so that users who subsequently visit those sites become infected. ANS:TPTS:1 9. Attacks conducted by scripts are usually unpredictable. ANS:FPTS:1 10. Expert hackers are extremely talented individuals who usually devote lots of time and energy to attempting to break into other people’s information systems. ANS:TPTS:1 11. With the removal of copyright protection, software can be easily distributed and installed. ANS:TPTS:1 12. Forces of nature, force majeure, or acts of God can present some of the most dangerous threats, because they are usually occur with very little warning and are beyond the control of people. ANS:TPTS:1 13. Much human error or failure can be prevented with training and ongoing awareness activities. ANS:TPTS:1 14. Compared to Web site defacement, vandalism within a network is less malicious in intent and more public. ANS:FPTS:1 15. With electronic information is stolen, the crime is readily apparent. ANS:FPTS:1 16. Organizations can use dictionaries to disallow passwords during the reset process and thus guard against easy-to-guess passwords. ANS:TPTS:1 17. DoS attacks cannot be launched against routers. ANS:FPTS:1 18. A mail bomb is a form of DoS. ANS:TPTS:1 19. We will write a custom essay sample on Testbacksecurity specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Testbacksecurity specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Testbacksecurity specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A sniffer program shows all the data going by on a network segment including passwords, the data inside files—such as word-processing documents—and screens full of sensitive data from applications. ANS:TPTS:1 20. A timing attack involves the interception of cryptographic elements to determine keys and encryption algorithms. ANS:TPTS:1 MODIFIED TRUE/FALSE 1. Intellectual property is defined as â€Å"the ownership of ideas and control over the tangible or virtual representation of those ideas. † _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 2. The macro virus infects the key operating system files located in a computer’s boot sector. ________________________ ANS:F, boot PTS:1 3. Once a(n) back door has infected a computer, it can redistribute itself to all e-mail addresses found on the infected system. _________________________ ANS:F virus worm PTS:1 4. A(n) polymorphic threat is one that over time changes the way it appears to antivirus software programs, making it undetectable by techniques that look for preconfigured signatures. _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 5. When voltage levels surge (experience a momentary increase), the extra voltage can severely damage or destroy equipment. ________________________ ANS:F, spike PTS:1 6. The shoulder looking technique is used in public or semipublic settings when individuals gather information they are not authorized to have by looking over another individual’s shoulder or viewing the information from a distance. _________________________ ANS:F, surfing PTS:1 7. Hackers are â€Å"people who use and create computer software to gain access to information illegally. † _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 8. Packet kiddies use automated exploits to engage in distributed denial-of-service attacks. _________________________ ANS:F, monkeys PTS:1 9. The term phreaker is now commonly associated with an individual who cracks or removes software protection that is designed to prevent unauthorized duplication. _________________________ ANS:F, cracker PTS:1 10. Cyberterrorists hack systems to conduct terrorist activities via network or Internet pathways. _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 11. The malicious code attack includes the execution of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and active Web scripts with the intent to destroy or steal information. _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 12. The application of computing and network resources to try every possible combination of options of a password is called a brute crack attack. _________________________ ANS:F, force PTS:1 13. One form of e-mail attack that is also a DoS is called a mail spoof, in which an attacker routes large quantities of e-mail to the target. _________________________ ANS:F, bomb PTS:1 14. Sniffers often work on TCP/IP networks, where they’re sometimes called packet sniffers. _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 15. A(n) cookie can allow an attacker to collect information on how to access password-protected sites. ________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following functions does information security perform for an organization? a. |Protecting the organization’s ability to function. | b. |Enabling the safe operation of applications implemented on the organization’s IT systems. | c. |Protecting the data the organization collects and uses. | d. |All of t he above. | ANS:DPTS:1 2. ____ is an integrated system of software, encryption methodologies, and legal agreements that can be used to support the entire information infrastructure of an organization. a. |SSL|c. |PKC| b. |PKI|d. |SIS| ANS:BPTS:1 3. ____ are software programs that hide their true nature, and reveal their designed behavior only when activated. a. |Viruses|c. |Spam| b. |Worms|d. |Trojan horses| ANS:DPTS:1 4. Which of the following is an example of a Trojan horse program? a. |Netsky|c. |Klez| b. |MyDoom|d. |Happy99. exe| ANS:DPTS:1 5. As frustrating as viruses and worms are, perhaps more time and money is spent on resolving virus ____. a. |false alarms|c. |hoaxes| b. |power faults|d. |urban legends| ANS:CPTS:1 6. Web hosting services are usually arranged with an agreement providing minimum service levels known as a(n) ____. . |SSL|c. |MSL| b. |SLA|d. |MIN| ANS:BPTS:1 7. Complete loss of power for a moment is known as a ____. a. |sag|c. |brownout| b. |fault|d. |blackout| ANS:BPTS:1 8. Acts of ____ can lead to unauthorized real or virtual actions that enable information gatherers to enter premises or systems they have not been authorized to enter. a. |bypass|c. |trespass| b. |nature|d. |security| ANS:CP TS:1 9. There are generally two skill levels among hackers: expert and ____. a. |novice|c. |packet monkey| b. |journeyman|d. |professional| ANS:APTS:1 10. One form of online vandalism is ____ operations, which interfere with or disrupt systems to protest the operations, policies, or actions of an organization or government agency. a. |hacktivist|c. |hackcyber| b. |phvist|d. |cyberhack| ANS:APTS:1 11. According to Mark Pollitt, ____ is the premeditated, politically motivated attacks against information, computer systems, computer programs, and data which result in violence against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents. a. |infoterrorism|c. |hacking| b. |cyberterrorism|d. |cracking| ANS:BPTS:1 12. ___ is any technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge. a. |A bot|c. |Trojan| b. |Spyware|d. |Worm| ANS:BPTS:1 13. The ____ data file contains the hashed representation of the user’s password. a. |SLA|c. |FBI| b. |SNMP|d. |SAM| ANS:DPTS:1 14. In a ____ attack, the attacker sends a large number of connection or information requests to a target. a. |denial- of-service|c. |virus| b. |distributed denial-of-service|d. |spam| ANS:APTS:1 15. A ____ is an attack in which a coordinated stream of requests is launched against a target from many locations at the same time. . |denial-of-service|c. |virus| b. |distributed denial-of-service|d. |spam| ANS:BPTS:1 16. ____ are machines that are directed remotely (usually by a transmitted command) by the attacker to participate in an attack. a. |Drones|c. |Zombies| b. |Helpers|d. |Servants| ANS:CPTS:1 17. In the well-known ____ attack, an attacker monitors (or sniffs) packets from the network, modifies them, and inserts them back into the network. a. |zombie-in-the-middle|c. |server-in-the-middle| b. |sniff-in-the-middle|d. |man-in-the-middle| ANS:DPTS:1 18. The ____ hijacking attack uses IP spoofing to enable an attacker to impersonate another entity on the network. a. |WWW|c. |FTP| b. |TCP|d. |HTTP| ANS:BPTS:1 19. â€Å"4-1-9† fraud is an example of a ____ attack. a. |social engineering|c. |worm| b. |virus|d. |spam| ANS:APTS:1 20. Microsoft acknowledged that if you type a res:// URL (a Microsoft-devised type of URL) which is longer than ____ characters in Internet Explorer 4. 0, the browser will crash. a. |64|c. |256| b. |128|d. |512| ANS:CPTS:1 COMPLETION 1. A(n) ____________________ is an object, person, or other entity that represents an ongoing danger to an asset. ANS:threat PTS:1 2. Duplication of software-based intellectual property is more commonly known as software ____________________. ANS:piracy PTS:1 3. A computer virus consists of segments of code that perform ____________________ actions. ANS:malicious PTS:1 4. A(n) ____________________ is a malicious program that replicates itself constantly, without requiring another program environment. ANS:worm PTS:1 5. A virus or worm can have a payload that installs a(n) ____________________ door or trap door component in a system, which allows the attacker to access the system at will with special privileges. ANS:back PTS:1 6. A momentary low voltage is called a(n) ____________________. ANS:sag PTS:1 7. Some information gathering techniques are quite legal, for example, using a Web browser to perform market research. These legal techniques are called, collectively, competitive ____________________. ANS:intelligence PTS:1 8. When information gatherers employ techniques that cross the threshold of what is legal or ethical, they are conducting industrial ____________________. ANS:espionage PTS:1 9. The expert hacker sometimes is called ____________________ hacker. ANS:elite PTS:1 10. Script ____________________ are hackers of limited skill who use expertly written software to attack a system. ANS:kiddies PTS:1 11. A(n) ____________________ hacks the public telephone network to make free calls or disrupt services. ANS:phreaker PTS:1 12. ESD means electrostatic ____________________. ANS:discharge PTS:1 13. A(n) ____________________ is an act that takes advantage of a vulnerability to compromise a controlled system. ANS:attack PTS:1 14. A(n) ____________________ is an identified weakness in a controlled system, where controls are not present or are no longer effective. ANS:vulnerability PTS:1 5. Attempting to reverse-calculate a password is called ____________________. ANS:cracking PTS:1 16. ____________________ is a technique used to gain unauthorized access to computers, wherein the intruder sends messages with a source IP address that has been forged to indicate that the messages are coming from a trusted host. ANS:Spoofing PTS:1 17. ____________________ is unsol icited commercial e-mail. ANS:Spam PTS:1 18. In the context of information security, ____________________ is the process of using social skills to convince people to reveal access credentials or other valuable information to the attacker. ANS:social engineering PTS:1 19. The timing attack explores the contents of a Web browser’s ____________________. ANS:cache PTS:1 20. A(n) ____________________ is an application error that occurs when more data is sent to a program buffer than it is designed to handle. ANS: buffer overrun buffer overflow PTS:1 ESSAY 1. List at least six general categories of threat. ANS: Compromises to intellectual property : piracy, copyright infringement Software attacks : viruses, worms macros, denial of service Deviations in quality of service : ISP, power, or wan service issues from service providers Espionage or trespass : unauthorized access and /or data collection Sabotage or vandalism : destruction of system or information Forces of nature Human error or failure Information extortion Missing, inadequate, or incomplete Missing, inadequate, or incomplete controls Theft Technical hardware failures or errors Technical software failures or errors Technological obsolescence PTS:1 2. Describe viruses and worms. ANS: A computer virus consists of segments of code that perform malicious actions. The code attaches itself to the existing program and takes control of that program’s access to the targeted computer. The virus-controlled target program then carries out the virus’s plan, by replicating itself into additional targeted systems. A worm is a malicious program that replicates itself constantly, without requiring another program to provide a safe environment for replication. Worms can continue replicating themselves until they completely fill available resources, such as memory, hard drive space, and network bandwidth. PTS:1 3. Describe the capabilities of a sniffer. ANS: A sniffer is a program or device that can monitor data traveling over a network. Sniffers can be used both for legitimate network management functions and for stealing information from a network. Unauthorized sniffers can be extremely dangerous to a network’s security, because they are virtually impossible to detect and can be inserted almost anywhere. Sniffers often work on TCP/IP networks, where they’re sometimes called packet sniffers. A sniffer program shows all the data going by, including passwords, the data inside files and screens full of sensitive data from applications. PTS:1

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The Yellow Pages Scam Keeps on Taking

The Yellow Pages Scam Keeps on Taking While the so-called â€Å"yellow pages† scam comes and goes, a new group of Canada-based telemarketers is now attacking U.S. small businesses, nonprofits, churches and even local governments, according to complaints filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). How the Scam Works The â€Å"yellow pages† scam calls sound so innocent: Somebody calls your organization saying they simply need to confirm your contact information for a business directory. What could possibly go wrong? They never asked for money, right? Whether they mention money are not, you are soon sent an invoice demanding you pay hundreds of dollars for your new listing in an online â€Å"yellow pages† directory – not at all something you ever asked for or wanted. If you don’t pay, the scammers will often play you recordings – sometimes doctored – of the initial call to â€Å"prove† that you or your employees had approved the charges. If that doesn’t do the trick, the companies start calling you repeatedly to â€Å"remind† you of things like legal fees, interest charges and credit ratings. According to the FTC, the companies would go so far as posing as debt collection agencies, offering to stop the harassing calls in return for a fee. â€Å"In the face of threats,† said the FTC, â€Å"many people just paid.† FTC Files Charges In separate complaints, the FTC charged Montreal-based telemarketing firms; Online Local Yellow Pages; 7051620 Canada, Inc.; Your Yellow Pages, Inc.; and OnlineYellowPagesToday.com, Inc., with running â€Å"yellow pages† scams targeting businesses in the United States. How to Protect Your Business The FTC recommended four ways you can protect your business from the â€Å"yellow pages† scam: Train your staff:   Educate employees on how the scam works and how to recognize dangerous calls. Check the BBB: Always check the calling company’s reputation out for free on the Better Business Bureau’s website. Inspect your invoices: Consider implementing a purchase order review system to ensure you are only paying for services you requested. File a Complaint: If you suspect you have been contacted by a scammer or start getting bogus bills, file complaints with both the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint and with the BBB. â€Å"Businesses and other organizations should train their staff to hang up on cold calls about business directory services,† said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection in a press release. â€Å"Report them to the FTC. We can pursue these cases even if the scammers hide in another country.†

Saturday, November 23, 2019

What Is Zema Dosage, Effects, and Safety

What Is Zema Dosage, Effects, and Safety SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you recently started using a Zema-pak or been told that you’ll be prescribed it to treat a specific illness or symptom? If so, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’ll explain what Zema is, what it treats, how to take it, and what you need to know to safely use the drug. Feature image source: NIH.gov What’s Zema Used For? A Zema-pak tablet is an oral corticosteroid hormone that’s used to treat a number of different conditions. Zema’s generic name is dexamethasone. Dexamethasone is used to treat a variety of different conditions, including allergic reactions, arthritis, adrenal gland disorders, bowel disorders, skin conditions and certain cancers. Dexamethasone can also be used to treat symptoms caused by illnesses like Lyme disease. Corticosteroid hormones like dexamethasone are used to decrease your body’s natural defensive response. For instance, someone with ulcerative colitis may take dexamethasone to decrease inflammation in their large intestine. Zema-Pak Dosage and Administration Zema-paks come in three separate doses: the 6-day pack, the 10-day pack, and the 13-day pack. The 6-day pack contains 21 tablets, the 10-day pack contains 35 tablets, and the 13-day pack contains 51 tablets. Each tablet is a Zema-pack is a 1.5mg dexamethasone pill. Corticosteroids like dexamethasone can cause dependency and can be dangerous if you stop taking them without warning. Each Zema-pak is designed to slowly and carefully help you stop using the drug. You should take each of the pills in the Zema-pak by mouth as directed by your doctor. To avoid upsetting your stomach, take the pill with food or milk. You should also drink at least one full glass of water when taking the medicine. Make sure you take your pill at the same time each day, for the entire length of the prescription. If, for instance, you’re on a 10-day Zema-pak and start to feel better around day six, you should still take the rest of the pills until you finish the pack. Stopping the medication suddenly can lead to serious side effects or the return of symptoms that you were initially trying to ease. Zema Drug Name and Manufacturer While there are both brand name and generic versions of dexamethasone, Zema-paks in particular are only available in the 6, 10, or 13 day packs. Zema Side Effects Corticosteroids can have serious long and short-term side effects. If you’re experiencing any side effects from your Zema-pak that cause you distress or discomfort, you should seek help from a medical professional. If you’re taking dexamethasone for a long period of time, you should visit your doctor regularly to monitor you for long-term, unwanted side effects. Minor Side Effects The following side effects are minor and do not require immediate medical care. However, if you experience any of these side effects and they worsen, are bothersome, or if you have any questions about them, you should speak with your doctor. Aggression Agitation Headache Irritability Nausea Noisy breathing Shortness of breath Sweatiness Weight gain Major Side Effects The following side effects are more severe and require medical attention from your doctor. Anxiety Darkening of skin Decrease in height Depression Facial hair growth in females Increased risk of serious infection Menstrual irregularities Nervousness Skin rash Trouble thinking, speaking, or walking Long-term use of corticosteroids like a Zema drug pack can lead to serious personality changes, such as increased aggression and irritability. While these side effects may seem minor at first, they can increase and become more out-of-control as time goes on. Corticosteroids can also put you at greater risk of developing serious infections. If you have any signs of infections, such as prolonged fever or sore throat, make sure you inform your doctor. Precautions for Taking Zema Before starting a new drug, it’s important to keep your doctor informed about your medical history so he or she can plan for any potentially dangerous side effects. In particular, make sure you inform your doctor about allergies, infections, kidney or liver disease, mental or mood conditions, high blood pressure, heart problems, brittle bones, and history of blood clots. Interactions to Avoid While Taking Zema Do not get any new immunizations, vaccinations, or skin tests while taking dexamethasone, as you may be at increased risk for infection. You should also avoid people who’ve recently gotten the oral polio vaccine or have inhaled the flu vaccine. Dexamethasone can make it difficult for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. You may need to adjust your medicine or diabetes treatment plan while taking a Zema-pak.= If you have a history of ulcers, you should avoid drinking alcohol while on dexamethasone, as it may increase your risk of intestinal bleeding. There are many drugs that may interact with dexamethasone. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medication to ensure that it interacts properly. Here are some medications that may interact with Zema-paks: Birth control pills Certain cancer drugs (dasatinib, lapatinib) Estrogen hormone replacements HIV inhibitors Antifungals Seizure medications like Phenytoin You should always inform your doctor or pharmacist that you’re taking a Zema-pak if you need to start another medication. Recap: What Is Zema? Zema is a corticosteroid that’s used to treat a variety of conditions from skin rashes to Lyme disease. Zema-paks are brand name and come in three standard doses: 6-day, 10-day, and 13-day. Your doctor will work with you to determine the dosage that’s right to meet your needs. As with any drug, Zema has potential side effects, ranging from minor, such as headache, to major, such as depression. If you’re experiencing any side effects that cause you discomfort or seem particularly dangerous, you should contact your doctor.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Globalization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Globalization - Research Paper Example Globalization is also beneficial through the improvement of quality services and goods provision. This implies that organizations and businesses strive towards producing high quality services that will attract clients from other countries. The other advantage of globalization is that it facilitates sharing of ideas, skills and expertise from various areas across the world. In universities, students and workers from diverse regions introduce new ideas of solving or handling problems (Karlgaard, 2012). However, globalization also poses challenges to individuals and businesses through the introduction of harmful items such as drugs, explicit materials or goods. This is because visitors come with illegal or harmful items from their countries and introduce the local citizens to them. Globalization is also disadvantageous when it leads to cultural erosion through the emergence of new lifestyle and culture (Walker, Walker & Schmitz, 2003). There are instances when people innovate new languages and habits in order to fit in a system or accommodate each other. Despite the above shortcomings, globalization is an option for businesses since it leads to penetration of new markets, job creation and introduction of technology (Walker, Walker & Schmitz, 2003). The various benefits can improve the performance of businesses in the international arena by offering a wider visibility of the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Why did Isaac Newton say he was able “to stand on the shoulders Essay

Why did Isaac Newton say he was able â€Å"to stand on the shoulders of giants† to construct his view of the universe - Essay Example d at Trinity College Cambridge where Aristotelian philosophy was the preferred mode of instruction, but Newton was more interested in the pioneering ideas of philosophers lying like Descartes, and the astronomers Galileo, Kepler and Copernicus. His landmark work ‘Principia† is a compendium on physics and contains the laws of motion that were to revolutionize physical theories. In this pursuit of mechanics, i.e. gravity and its effect on the orbits of planets, he was guided by the work of Kepler’s third law, and his law of attraction was an elaboration of Dutch astronomer Christian Huygens theory of centripetal acceleration of a body moving in a circle. He even consulted with his contemporaries like Edmund Halley on the problem of orbits suggesting an ellipse shape about which he wrote to the astronomer in â€Å"a curious treatise de motu.†(Westfall, Richard) Newton put the seal of justification on his concept of attraction, by acknowledging that the ancients had already known of the law of gravitation and for him, â€Å"they represented a deeper penetration into the prisca sapientia, possible only when the preliminary work has been accomplished through experience.† (J. E. McGuire and P. M. Rattansi, Newton and the ‘Pipes of Pan’, pp. 137) Newton also gave an analytical account of the speed of sound in air which was based on Boyle’s law. Newtons three laws of motion represents a conscious diversion from Aristotles physics, and is more universal in nature, capable of being applied to the motion of a planet as to the fall of a stone. His theory of vortices moved away from that of Descartes’. (Ball 1908, p. 337) The reflecting telescope built by Newton was a further exposition of the ideas of Scottish mathematician James Gregory, who in 1663 had proposed the design. Before this Hans Lippershey, a German lens - maker who lived in the early 17th century had already applied for a patent for an optical retracting telescope, while Galileo was looking at the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Development and Social Change Essay Example for Free

Development and Social Change Essay â€Å"Although globalization made earlier appearances, the trend has unfolded with unprecedented speeds, and to unprecedented extents since the 1960s. † (SCHOLTE. 2000) This essay will explain how the forces of globalisation have shaped and will continue to shape, the financial, demographic, and political societies we see around us today. It will identify the extent to which sustained Globalization has â€Å" the crevice between poverty, comparative poverty, and luxury. † Such positive and negative attributes affect society on a number of different levels, â€Å" the individual, the household, the firm, the town, the region, the sector, the nation. † (Kaplinsky) This essay will provide and in-depth analysis and examples of how such global processes have worked to erode the fortunes of so many (Sierra Leone); whilst also being the catalyst for success in other areas (Mexico). (HELD. 2007) ‘The Race to the Bottom,’ is a term describing the intra-national contest for the most favourable environment for business trading, manufacture and investment. Following its successful application to join the World Trading Organisation (WTO) in November 2001, China has experienced a vast influx of foreign investment. This has – as expected – empowered the Chinese economy to the detriment of its former South-east Asian exporting partners. Hong Kong and Taiwan had nurtured the Chinese economy for a decade previously, and now find that their economies are being â€Å" hollowed out, as China sucks away jobs. † (CHAN. 2009) How did this happen? In the early 1990s China introduced its first minimum wage system with the intention of protecting its workforce. Due to the great versatility of China, the government came up with a formula (based upon local living costs; inflation etc. ) with which each city or region would publish and enforce its own minimum wage. The benchmark for all minimum wages set is between 40% and 60% of the average wage in that locality. Since 1993, according to a study by the Bureau of International Labour Affairs, almost all of the provincial governments have failed to maintain these standards – [see table 2]. Their desire to attract investment has forced the minimum wage : average wage percentage further down. Shenzhen, a model Chinese exports city, paid, on average, 10% less that the absolute minimum wage required by the government and international labour standards. Conversely, the city of Chongqing, which is not export-led or globally integrated, consistently achieves almost 10% more than its minimum required standards (49. 86% in 2000). Chan concludes a â€Å"worrying trend. † She suggests that; â€Å" as a region or province becomes more prosperous, it violates the national guidelines and seeks to maintain its attractiveness to foreign capital by keeping its minimum wage level low the benefits of globalisation with this competitive logic have not, and will not, trickle down to those who make the products. † (CHAN. 2009) The Human Development Report 2006-2008 uses Corrado Gini’s coefficient to highlight an increase in overall inequality from 0. 31 to 0. 45 during the initial years of reform. [Coefficient measures between 0 and 1 where 0 is complete equality]. (FACTSHEET. 2008) However, the benefits of neo-liberal economic reform in China seem to have had a positive effect on ‘Poverty. ’ Between 1990 and 2005 the influx of industry and trade bought a per capita growth averaging 8. 7%. Using the World Bank poverty line, (measured at Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)) household surveys suggest that post 1981, 54% (500,000,000 people) of the population of China scrambled over the poverty line. (CHAN. 2009) In this sense, we must conclude that global economic integration in China has seen a significant reduction in poverty, but an increase in income inequality has come from overwhelming national development due to increasingly capitalist structures stemming from trade liberalization. What advocates of globalization emit is that two thirds of Chinese industry relies on coal, and just 7% of their energy sources are renewable. A report from the Financial Times found that air pollution in China caused by heavy industry and chemical production has led to the annual premature deaths of 400,000 (air quality); 300,000 (indoor air quality); and a further 60,000 due to poor water quality. (BBC. 2007) There is 1 country in the world where economic growth rate has consistently outpaced that of the Asian Tigers: Botswana (9% average annual growth). Botswana had a GDP per capita of just US$ 77 at independence from Britain (1966). It now stands at US$ 7,554 (GLOBAL PROPERTY. 2010). Kraay notes that; â€Å"A sustainable future in Africa rests on its ability to develop and maximise natural resources. Diamonds play a major role in these efforts. † Diamond extraction and production requires a large investment of initial capital. In the case of Botswana, DeBeers and the Government of Botswana invested 50:50 US$40 million in the Damtshaa mine. FDI in diamonds around Botswana accounts for 33% of GDP growth. Global trading and distribution of diamonds and other minerals accounted for 55% of total government revenues in the late 1990s. (MBENDI. 2009) â€Å"Botswana’s history of sound management, good governance [Botswana has an accountable parliament and holds regular democratic elections] and an emerging focus on enhancing regional competitiveness should serve it well as it continues efforts to diversify. † (WORLD BANK. 2009) So, to what extent can we propose Botswana as a model of how ‘Sustained Globalization’ can ‘Eliminate World Poverty? ’ Firstly it is important to note the income elasticity of diamonds and other such minerals. They are a luxury product and due to the current economic downturn, as real wages decrease, demand is likely to proportionally decrease also. Growth estimates for 2009-2010 predict a contraction of 10. 2%. It seems that over reliance on the global export market has forged vulnerabilities in an otherwise stable nation. However the non-mining private sector of Botswana has proved to have deep foundations, recording a 9. 4% market increase this year. Either way, prudent fiscal and taxation policy, and low level of public debt (3% of GDP) resulting from huge capital influx over the years, mean that national reserves are likely to hold out for the recession period. (MBENDI. 2009) Secondly, it is important to note (as was the case in China), that increase in GDP is not directly proportional to poverty decrease. The most deprived quintile share just 1% of GDP, whilst the second quintile accounts for 5. 9% (Gini coefficient 0. 6). This means that 47% of the population still live below the poverty line. Perhaps the capital gains still need more time to filter down through infrastructure development and reform? In 1966 there were just 3 miles of roads; now there are 4,000 miles, a public transportation system and a nation-wide telephone grid. (WORKMAN. 2006) Perhaps the figures are being distorted by the unstoppable force of HIV/AIDs and malaria that has hit Botswana so hard recently? It is impossible to say. What we can say, however, is that in order to reap the benefits of global trade in the long-term, Botswana must recognise the fragilities of basing their economy on an exhaustible and export-orientated resource. In 1991 the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under Froday Sankoh, launched assaults against the Government of Sierra Leone. Their goal was to combat ‘crime and corruption. ’ The ensuing 11-year conflict was funded throughout by revenues generated by the diamond trade (an estimated initial worth of US$ 125 million). A median estimate suggests the murder of 75,000 (USA Today and The Times). A less conservative opinion from the Agence France Presse believe the figure was nearer to 200,000. (WORLD BANK. 2009) Either way, the drain on capital, natural resources, labour demographic and widespread looting was funded by the global financial market and African integration with it. Capital obtained from ‘conflict diamonds’ was notably from consumerism in the global North. Following the end of the war in 2000, the country was exposed to anarchy and complete economic collapse. Drugs and arms trafficking in cocaine and ex-soviet weaponry was rife, and corrupt feudal political structures further intensified income inequality – Gini coefficient over 0. 6. In 2004 its trade deficit totalled $US 350 million. (FACTSHEET. 2005) In the same year the UN named Sierra Leone the poorest country in the world (based on PPP/capita); and â€Å" the worlds ‘least livable’ country, based on its poverty and the poor Quality of Life its citizens must endure. † (WORKMAN. 2006) Whose fault is it? Is it the greediness of the conflicting armies? Is it the presence of such a store of wealth in a poverty-stricken country with few other natural resources? Is it the emergence of a global market that has created cosmic demand for such commodities? Time will tell. What we can see is that again, (as was the case in China and Botswana) global financial demand caused a sharp increase in GDP of the country. In 1965 GPD in Sierra Leone was US$ 246; in 2000 it was US$1,330,429 – see Table. 3. We can also say that this does not in any way correlate to an increase in living standards or reduction in poverty. It represents a huge crack in the neo-liberal ideology and Shah’s suggestion that; â€Å"Sustained economic growth is the way to human progress. Economic globalisation in the form of freer circulation of capital would be beneficial to everyone. † (SHAH. 2009) This essay suggests that however trade and political systems are constructed, without complete socialism, conflict can, has, and will continue to peak at the emergence of valuable natural resources. We can also conclude that whilst globalization could â€Å"offer the best prospects for eliminating world poverty,† African history stands in the way of such an ideology. (Table 6) It is not, however, all doom and gloom for the globalization and poverty argument. Mexico in many ways lost the ‘Race to the bottom’ to China, but neo-liberal reform has played a vital role in the successful integration of the Mexican economy into the global manufacture and export market. Prior to the 1980s (and economic downturn), Mexican economics was characterised by protectionist policies, high tariffs and quotas, and restrictions to FDI. By 1981 choking fiscal profligacy and vulnerability to external conditions (notably the 1973 oil shock) caused an imbalance of payments and massive capital flight. This caused huge inflation and the worst recession since the 1930s, forcing devaluation of the Peso on numerous occasions and further recession. (SOMMER. 2008) The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) eliminated the almost all import and export taxes and infused a gradual fade-out of the majority of tariffs between Mexico, the US and Canada. Following initial success, (Table. 4) the government then furthered economic liberalization by implementing 11 free trade agreements with the EU, Japan, and countries in South and Central America. Table. 4 shows how Mexican commodities exported to the United States increases from US$39. 9 billion in 1993; to US$ 210. 8 billion in 2007 (437% increase). Over the same period GDP grew 46%. (SOMMER. 2008) The success of the Mexican model is based largely on efficiency and proximity. Maquiladoras are large manufacturing and export plants, the majority of which are located just south of the US border. There are around one million workers employed in any of the 3,000 clothing, furniture and electronic equipment factories. Their proximity to the US gains them a significant advantage in terms of lower indirect costs (90% of production is transported ‘North’ straightaway) than those of Asian Tigers and the Pacific Ring countries. (BORRAZ. 2007) In contrast to Sierra Leone and Botswana, GDP increase seems to have direct correlation with improvements in real wages; a negative correlation with income inequality; and an overall reduction in poverty. Evidence of its success is shown by a net decrease in Gini coefficient between 1992 and 2002 (Table 5). (FACTSHEET. 2005) Borraz shows that income is less concentrated and has a lower Gini coefficient in states that are more closely linked to the global economy. He suggests that states with stronger links to the world economy might offer proportionately higher wages to the unskilled workforce – in this case (young) women. Unskilled women in Mexico earn between 7% and 16% more than their counterparts in non-globalized or exporting states. Overall, in 2002, 7 out of 9 states in Mexico have seen a decrease in income inequality. (BORRAZ. 2007) Why then, has Mexico succeeded in reducing poverty, whilst Sierra Leone has not? According to Borraz there are two main reasons for Mexican success; 1. Commitment to universal education in the 1940s realized a significant increase in skilled labour and higher overall productivity – sustained GDP growth of 3-4% from 1940. Governmental organizations like PROGRESA have hugely enhanced school attendance rates and decreased child labour. In November 1999 PROGRESA strategies accounted for 82% of the 25% of boys who left work to choose basic or higher education. Thus it was inward looking development strategies prior to neo-liberal reform meant the basic infrastructures for rapid growth were already there. 2. Luck. On the verge of complete inward economic collapse, the discovery of the Cantarell oil fields in 1976 sustained an otherwise weakened and fluctuating Mexican economy. (BORRAZ. 2007) However, it is true that NAFTA and other trade liberalization schemes in the Americas have reduced income inequalities and increased real wages in Mexico – but at what cost? ; The violation of human rights of a million of underpaid (US$ 3. 40/day); overworked (up to 60 hours/week); underage (girls often start at 12 or 13) workers with minimum knowledge of their rights. â€Å"In 1987 a worker had to work 8 hours and 47 minutes to buy the basic food basket for a family of four. Today it takes 34 hours. (CORPWATCH. 2009) The pollution of New River in Mexicali Valley [which runs into the Rio Grande] is now dumped with 130 million gallons of industrial waste each day. â€Å"According to the Texas Department of Health, since NAFTA went into effect the Hepatitis A rate for Cameron County shot up from 17. 8 per 100,000 residents to 87. 4 per 100,000 an increase of almost 400%. † (CORPWATCH. 2009) The Zapatistas have also suffered hugely from opening the agricultural market to mass produced US market-garden exports. Their anti-globalization ideology highlights that their inability to compete with mechanically harvested, artificially fertilized and genetically modified imports from the US. NAFTA also eliminated crop subsidies for Mexico while US farmers still receive them. The agrarian based society has directly suffered from a decrease in real wages and an increase in comparative poverty due to open trade. Further, â€Å"China [Page 2 Table 1] has weakened the allure of Maquiladoras in recent years and some report that more than 500 plants have been closed since the beginning of the decade. † (SOMMER. 2009) Currently, the future of the Mexican economy is unknown. Sharp decreases in PEMEX oil production and the current financial crisis in the U. S. is revealing more weaknesses in the Mexican export strategy. (RANDEWICH. 2008) Conclusion Does â€Å"Sustained globalisation offers the best prospects for eliminating world poverty. † ? Firstly there is no confirmed method of effectively measuring either ‘Globalization’ or ‘Poverty. ’ One can not accurately judge the benefits/detrimental effects of globalization without a baseline measure for poverty. QOL indicators, the Gini coefficient, and GDP are subject to variations and outside influences that cannot be measured or corrected (E. g. measuring GDP in Kerala; or measuring the Gini coefficient of China). The Neo-liberal argument that increased density of economic integration between countries will increase overall efficiency due to the specialization of resource use – is likely to be correct. The majority of trade liberalization cases show an overall increase in GDP. This cannot be taken further to suggest that it directly benefits those living in poverty. Further, in the case of Mexico and China, evidence suggests trade liberalization pits global forces against each other and with no weight divisions and no handicaps, smaller regions, towns, industries and households cannot be expected to win. â€Å"The eradication of global inequality requires much more than simply repeating the tired rhetoric of anti-imperialism, anti-capitalism or, even worse, marking globalization work for the poor. † (HELD. 2007) Claire Short’s White Paper (Title) fails to recognise this, suggesting 5 common elements to successful poverty reduction based around a neo-liberal framework: 1. Openness to trade and eagerness to attract FDI. 2. Political stability and competent governments committed to economic growth. 3. Savings and investment of at least 25% of national income. 4. Economic stability: controlled inflation and government budgeting; avoiding production collapse. 5. Market allocation of resources: minimal necessary government intervention. (DFID. 2006) Such claims can be considered naive. The DFID paper reads like a propaganda policy designed to gain electoral support. This essay suggests that there are only three conclusions that can be drawn. 1. That trade liberalization generally incurs an increase in international trade and GDP. 2. â€Å"Every international institution throughout history has been hierarchical and composed of dominant and subordinate states; there has never been, and in the future is never likely to be, an egalitarian and democratic international system. † (HELD. 2007) 3. â€Å"Globalization is in fast forward, and the world’s ability to understand and react to it is in slow motion. † (TURNER. 2003) Table 1 (WORLD BANK. 2009) (CHAN. 2009) Table 3. Estimated GDP Sierra Leone (WORLD BANK. 2009) TABLE. 4 (SOMMER. 2009) Table. 5 (CHAN. 2007) Table 6. (DFID. 2006) ABOUT. 2009. The History of Transportation [online] [Accessed 28th December 2009] Available from: http://inventors. about. com/library/inventors/bl_history_of_transportation. htm. ADELZADEH, A. 2008. Simulation Models of 5 African Economies. Designing Africa’s Poverty Strategies: Creating the Capacity for Policy Simulation. [online] [Accessed 3rd January 2010] Available from: http://models. wider. unu. edu/africa_web/input_login. php? class=bw_quickiesinstance=quickiescountry=bw

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Miscellaneous Critics on Waiting for Godot :: Waiting Godot Essays

Nothingness â€Å"Accordingly, any interpretation that purports to know who Godot is (or is not), whether he exists whether he will ever come, whether he has ever come, or even whether he may have come without being recognized (or possibly in disguise) is, if not demonstrably wrong, at least not demonstrably right† (Hutchings 27). â€Å"Although works of the theater of the absurd, particularly Beckett’s, are often comical, their underlying premises are wholly serious: the epistemological principle of uncertainty and the inability in the modern age to find a coherent system of meaning, order, or purpose by which to understand our existence and by which to live† (Hutchings 28). Godot’s characters do not despair in the face of their situation, and this â€Å"perseverance remains constant throughout a body of work that, in the words of the citation awarding Beckett the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969 had ‘transmuted the destitution of modern man into his exaltation’ (qtd. in Bair 606)† (Hutchings 30). â€Å"Many relate the play to existentialism†¦:God is dead, life is absurd, existence precedes essence, ennui is endemic to the human condition†¦In many ways, such a reading is an evasion of the play’s complexity, a way of putting to rest the uncertainty of one’s response to it† (Collins 33). The reader, like modern man, must not give into â€Å"the arrogant presumption of certitude or the debilitating despair of skepticism,† but instead must â€Å"live in uncertainty, poised, by the conditions of our humanity and of the world in which we live, between certitude and skepticism, between presumption and despair â€Å"(Collins 36). Tragicomedy is life enhancing because it tries to â€Å"remind the audience of the real need to face existence ‘knowing the worst,’ which ultimately is liberation, with courage and humility of not taking oneself or one’s own pain too seriously, and to bear all life’s mysteries and uncertainties; and thus to make the most of what we have rather than to hanker after illusory certainties and rewards† (Esslin, Theater 47). â€Å"Act II. The next day. But is it really the next day? Or after? Or before?† (Esslin, Presence 109). Many details point out the absence of (meaninglessness of) traditional time, which is just one of many ways that the play resists interpretation and meaning: â€Å"People misunderstand it on all sides, just as everyone does his own sorrow. Explanations flow in from all quarters, each more pointless than the last† (Esslin, Presence 110). Some of the many attempts to impose meaning on the play include

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Mahatma Gandhi’s Death

What are we to make of Gandhi's life? How should we judge this homespun-wearing politician-saint, the man who brought down an empire by preaching brotherhood and nonviolence? At the very end, with his beloved India reaping its own destruction, Gandhi considered himself a failure. But his place in history is secure, and it does not diminish his greatness to point out that in some respects, he had failed. He had spent his life working toward the achievement of independence for India without violence or division–†you can cut me in two if you wish,† he famously told Muhammed Jinnah, â€Å"but don't cut India in two. Yet in the end, he was forced to watch as his newborn country was torn by one of the great human calamities of the century. Gandhi had made India ungovernable for the British, but in the autumn of 1947, it became ungovernable for anyone. If his political dream was in some sense a failure, so too was his dream of an India cleansed of the age-old inequities of caste and prejudice, and yet uncorrupted by modern technology and industry. He imagined a country where countless Indian peasants wove their own clothes and tilled their own land, without what he considered the ruinous effects of modernity. But after his death, history passed him by: his great disciple, Jawaharlal Nehru, was an ardent socialist, and by the 1950s Nehru's five-year plans were turning India into an industrial state–and eventually, a nuclear state. Meanwhile, the iniquities of class and gender that he had so loathed persisted, even into the 21st century. Yet Gandhi had to aspire as high as he did to achieve what he did; indeed he won triumphs for India that less idealistic leaders would never have dreamed possible. No one did more than Gandhi to improve the lot of poor Indians, and if his dreams fell short of reality, it was not because the dreams were flawed, but because the human race, which he loved so much, could not rise to the standard he set. It is true that India split after independence, but without Gandhi's labor, without the power of his person, there would have been no India at all. The nationalists of the Indian National Congress fought for independence, but they were, and always would be, a Westernized elite, out of touch with the vast masses inhabiting the real India. It was Gandhi, the Mahatma, who made the people of the subcontinent believe in the idea of an Indian nation; indeed, it was he, the frail, bespectacled figure with the simple clothes and the ready smile, who embodied this idea throughout the long decades of struggle. To the Indian people, Gandhi gave a nation. To the world, he gave satyagraha, arguably the most revolutionary idea of a long and ravaged century. He showed that political change could be affected by renouncing violence; that unjust laws could be defied peacefully and with a readiness to accept punishment; that â€Å"soul-force,† as much as armed force, could bring down an empire. He drew this lesson from his readings of the Bible and Tolstoy and the Bhagavad-Gita, and he taught it to Martin Luther King Jr. , Nelson Mandela, and countless other political protestors who would follow his example in the years to come. In some sense, Gandhi's greatest achievement lay in his legacy; for his ideals, and the example he provided in living them out, inspired, and continue to inspire, people of all nations to take up the peaceful struggle for freedom from oppression. India won independence in 1947, followed by the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, and partition of India. Gandhi said, â€Å"Before partitioning India, my body will have to be cut into two pieces. † About one million people died in the bloody riots until partition was reluctantly asserted by Gandhi as the only way to stop the Civil War. He urged the Congress Party to accept partition, and launched his last â€Å"fast-into-death† campaign in Delhi, calling for a stop to all violence. Gandhi also called to give Pakistan the 550,000,000 rupees in honor of the partition agreement. He tried to prevent instability and anger against India. Gandhi was shot three times in the chest and died while on his way to a prayer meeting, on January 30, 1948. His assassins were convicted and executed a year later. The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were split in portions and sent to all states of India to be scattered in rivers. Part of Gandhi's ashes rest in Raj Ghat, near Delhi, India. Part of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes are at the Lake Shrine in Los Angeles.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Is biological pest control better than chemical pest control?

Food is vital for humans to survive, the population of the world is immense as it approaches 6 billion and all these humans need to be fed on a continual basis. Therefore, a large quantity of food needs to be produced rapidly and on a very large scale. Generally farmers across the western world do produce food very quickly and efficiently and there tends to be a surplus of food, whereas, in less developed countries they have a shortage of food. Due to the size of the world's population and it's high levels of demand for food farmers are unable to leave crops alone and let them grow naturally. Read this  Respiratory Activity For example, one-third of the crops that are grown worldwide are spoiled by pests, animals particularly insects and many plants. Certain types of crops grow better in certain set conditions and there are many different factors which effect the crop yield. Crops grow by photosynthesis, the environmental factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis, are light intensity, concentration of carbon dioxide in the air, and the surrounding temperatures. All the requirements for photosynthesis need to be available at a good rate and supply, the light intensity which is usually supplied by the sun needs to be at suitable intensity, which means the crop will only grow certain times of the year due to the amount of light available. The same applies to the concentration of carbon dioxide, which usually does not tend to cause a problem, as there is ample supply of carbon dioxide in the surrounding air, however if it is ever to run low the crops will not grow. The temperature is another factor which has a huge effect on the growth of crops, if the temperature is to get too high this would prevent any growth of the plant as it would not be able to deal with the extreme temperature killing off the chlorophyll that the plant requires to grow. However if the temperature is decreased to a very low temperature this will restrict any growth, as the plant will not be able to function properly. Therefore, all these factors need to be at the correct rate for the crop to be able to grow sufficiently. Many different types of crops such as maize, corn, wheat, rice, fruit and vegetables are grown at different times throughout the year and most farming is usually based on monoculture. Which is where one type of crop is grown in a certain piece of land, this technique of mass production tends to cause many problems and is not as straight forward as it seems. If crops are growing extremely well and conditions are correct and all the crops have all their requirements at the right rate and intensity there is still one other factor which would still prevent a perfect yield from being produced which are known as pests. These pests still destroy all crop yields, by destroying the crop its self and restricting growth in certain ways. When crops are grown they are just like plants in that they compete for mineral ions, water from the soil and light, however when crops are grown using the monoculture method there usually isn't a problem because it's the same crop being grown and so the conditions can be controlled. However, the problems that do arise is that if there is a large concentration of the same crop in one area and they are all in close proximity to each other then there is the potential of the crop being infected by diseases, fungi, unwanted plants and insects which will then lead to the rapid destruction of large areas of the crop. There are a number of different pests, for example, insects, fungi and weeds that effect individual crops in different ways; like insects, fungi and weeds. Weeds are plants that grow in places we do not want them to grow and there optimum growth occurs in ground disturbed by human activity. They compete with cultivated plants for space, water and minerals. Worldwide, about 10% of crop yield are lost because of weed growth. Weeds tend to come in different sizes and they can be long and the same length as the crops, which means their roots are able to reach deep into the ground and take the nutrients, they require leaving many shortages for the crops. Also weeds can sometimes have broad leafs that cover the crops and so take all the sunlight and restrict the amount of sunlight reaching the crop. The competition between the crops and weed, which is organisms of different species, is known as interspecific competition. Occasionally you may come across weeds that are very small and do not do any real harm to the crops. The insect pests work in many different ways, each kind of plant has its own species of aphids, and these little creatures have small mouthparts, which they use to suck sap from plants. The loss of sap can be harmful to the plant in many ways in that, it can cause leaves to curl up and become distorted. The leaves are the place where photosynthesis takes place; the curled up leaf leaves the plant unable to photosynthesise efficiently and so can leave the plant stunted. Another way in which aphids can effect crops are, that as the aphids suck in the sap if that crop was diseased they could pick up the disease or virus and then go suck on another plant which would then pass the disease or virus on, which would spread the disease to many plants, any organism which spreads disease or viruses from host to host is known as a vector. Also if the aphids take in to much sap they tend to secrete it through their abdomens, this is usually a sticky honey dew which forms a sticky droplet which attracts ants, which then attack the crop even further. So altogether there are a number of ways in which crops are prevented from being grown. The ways in which these pests can be controlled and crops can be grown without too many problems is that we can put into the environment a chemical substance that kills the pest, which is called pesticides, or we can put into the environment another organism, which kills the pest, which is known as biological control. A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, or repelling any pests. Chemical control is the use of pesticides. Insects, which eat crops, can be killed with insecticides. Fungi, which grow on crops, are controlled with fungicides. Weeds, which compete with crop plants for water, light and minerals, can be controlled with herbicides; pesticides are usually applied as pellets, powders or sprays. Many different chemical substances are used as pesticides; there are contact pesticides, systemic pesticides and residual pesticides. The contact pesticides are used as spray as they are sprayed straight on to the crop where the pests are living and as the contact insecticides spray comes in contact with the insect, the insect tends to absorb it in through its gas-exchange pores, the spiracles, along its body. This is where it attacks the insects and poisons them. The same process occurs with contact herbicides and fungicides the surface of the plant absorbs the poison through, and so the poison then attacks it there. This method is not very expensive however they need to be reapplied continuously as there are always pests, which are missed out, and the affect of it does not last very long. Systemic pesticides work in a similar way as they are sprayed straight on to the crop where the leaves and surface of the plant absorbs it in and so it is transported all around the plant. Therefore, whenever a sap-sucking insect comes along it sucks the poison into its body, and this eventually results in the killing of the creature. This method for systemic insecticides is very effective because the spray does not have to come into contact with the insect so it only attacks the insects that attack the crops. Systemic herbicides are also quite effective in that they are able to be sprayed onto the surface of the leaf where they get absorbed and then have that poison transported all along the weed killing off the tissue and even reach the roots. Residual pesticides can also be quite effective, as they are also sprayed directly on to the soil and instead of attacking the actual insect or weed they attack any insect egg and larvae, and weed seedling as they germinate. All these methods are used for chemical pest control; chemical pest control is very effective in that this is the most popular method in the UK for farming large number of crops, to provide the large population of the UK. However even though chemical pest control is very effective and is very popular there are a number of disadvantages of using chemical pesticides. Firstly, chemical pest controls involve many chemicals that can be very dangerous if they are not monitored correctly. Therefore, chemical pest controls must be safe for farmers to use and must not damage the environment. To provide this there must be continual testing and development carried out on all pesticides. This can be very expensive and this expense will be passed onto the farmer in the form of the pesticide costing a huge amount of money. This expense is taken by the farmer on the premise that it will assist in the good growth of his crops, however, the disadvantage being that it may not work at all! It is also known that pesticides damage the environment a great deal, Pesticides can badly affect wildlife through changes in the food web, direct and indirect poisoning. And their harmful effects may show up in animals, which have no direct relationship to the original pest. In that in the 1950's many of the pesticide used did a lot of damage to the environment especially one DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). It was used to kill insects, however people didn't realise that it is a persistent insecticide, which means it doesn't break down but remains in the body of insects and the soil. So whenever a bird or other organisms ate the insects they ate the DDT too. And so the DDT stayed in their bodies and just began to accumulate. Also as well as being persistent it was also non-specific as most pesticides are. This means that it not only harms the insect it's meant to but also harms other living things. For example in the 1960s, the gannet population in Quebec began to shrink. The shells of the gannets' eggs were too thin to protect the embryos. Once the egg had been examined they realised DDT was the culprit. Because there where large concentration of DDT in the birds because of all the pests they had consumed which had been sprayed with it. Many other birds such as ospreys, eagles and peregrine falcons also had been affected greatly and populations of those birds had declined. Also all the chemical sprays that are sprayed into the air will have a great effect on the atmosphere. So many pesticides harm the environment a great deal, even though many tests are done before hand. Pesticides also change wildlife habitat, for example if a herbicide was put down on certain plants or vegetation, animals that depend on that piece of vegetation find it difficult to live any longer and so slowly will begin to die out, and so if they begin to die out then the population of their predator that relies on that particular creature, will begin to decrease. Another problem, that that may arise is if a particular pesticide is used a lot the pest may eventually become resistant to it. The pesticide no longer kills the pest and so a new one has to be developed at all times which results in more resources and cash flow being ploughed into developing and testing. Also once the pesticides are applied, they can be used up quickly and if it rains they sometimes need to be reapplied which takes much time and effort because special clothing and safety measures need to be carried out each time. The most important disadvantage of using chemical pesticides are that the crops that have been produced using pesticides are now covered with chemicals which we will now eat and which can be very harmful for us. Another major harm to humans is to farmers, who are using the pesticides and are in contact with it on a continual basis and it has led to them becoming extremely ill, for example, in parts of the UK, farmers and their families are being diagnosed with illnesses, which are associated with pesticide poisoning. Such conditions as multiple sclerosis that are occurring in many of the farmers, especially in the cases where they use sheep dipping as part of their work. Also in less developed countries the farmers are effected a lot more because they do not have all the specially designed clothing which they require and so in places like Malaysia and Sri Lanka, 7 to 15 per cent of farmers experience poisoning at least once in their lives. The advantages of using pesticides are that all these chemicals do produce the maximum amount of food, which is very cheap for the consumer, because the farmers are able to produce on a mass scale, using the chemicals to make sure they have a high-quality crop yield. Also pesticides work very fast and most of the time instantaneously, once applied to the ground. With pesticides you usually have a guarantee that they will work and be extremely effective, and solve the pest problem. Chemical pest control is one way to control pests even though there are a number of disadvantages, however the other way to stop pests from destroying crops are by biological control. Biological control is not using chemicals but the use of a specially chosen living organism to control particular pests; the chosen organism may be a predator, parasite or disease, which will attack the harmful insect. It is a form of manipulating nature to increase a desired effect. Examples of this are usually A bluebird: it eats insects to prevent damage to trees and gardens. They are found throughout the United States, UK and Canada A ladybird beetle: it eats small soft insects, which prevents damage to fruit and crops. They are found throughout North America. A garden spider: consumes insects with wings by catching them in a sticky web that it spins. Usually found in America and UK. Biological control is usually done in three ways known as classical biological control, conservation and augmentation, these are three ways to use these natural enemies against unwanted insect pest population. Classical biological control is to import which involves travelling to the country or area from which a newly introduced pest originated and returning with some of the natural anomies that attacked it and kept it from being a pest there. New pests are constantly arriving accidentally or intentionally. Sometimes they survive. When they come, their enemies are left behind. If they become a pest, introducing some of their natural enemies can be an important way to reduce the amount of harm they can do. The second method is conservation; conservation of natural enemies is an important part in any biological control effort. This involves identifying any factors that limit the effectiveness of a particular natural enemy and changing them to help the beneficial species. Conservation of natural enemies involves either reducing factors, which interfere with the natural enemies, or providing needed resources that help natural enemies. The final method is augmentation; augmentation is a method of increasing the population of a natural enemy, which attacks a pest. This can be done by mass producing a pest in a laboratory and releasing it into the field at the proper time. Another method of augmentation is breeding a better natural enemy, which can attack or find its prey more effectively. Mass rearing can be released at special times when the pest is most susceptible and natural enemies are not yet present, or they can be released in such large numbers that few pests go untouched by their enemies. The augmentation method relies upon continual human management and does not provide a permanent solution unlike the importation or conservation approaches may. There is also another way in which pests can be controlled using the biological control method, which is known as Biochemical pesticides these are natural occurring substances, which are safe. This is because most plants and animals produce chemicals that can be used, as pesticides, the oils and seeds are usually the substances, which can be pesticides. For example many insects produce chemical substances called Pheromones, which attract the opposite sex. Synthesised pheromones are sometimes used to attract pest insects into traps. The traps are usually sticky which hold the insects and so enables you to get rid of them by killing off the insects. Another method of biological control is crop rotation this helps to discourage pests. Since different pests affect different crops, crop rotation can be very effective method of pest control. Using crop rotation means that there is high possibility of pests dying out before the same plant is grown on the soil again. In many cases, removing their preferred food and shelter can control pest populations. Examples of crop rotation are below. Year1: potatoes – may be affected by potato cyst eelworm Year 2: cabbage – may be affected by clubroot and brassica cyst eelworm Year3: beans – root nodule bacteria improve soil nitrate supply All these methods of biological controls can be used however they also have many disadvantages to them, just as chemical control biological control takes more intensive management and planning. It can take more time; require more record keeping, more patience, and sometimes more education or training. Because a successful use of biological control requires a greater understanding of the biology of both the pest and its enemies. Also often the result of using biological control is not as dramatic or quick as the results of pesticide use, which can react very quickly. The aim is not to wipe out the pest because this could be counter-productive. If the pest were reduced to such an extent that it no longer provided enough food for the predator, then the predator in its turn would be wiped out. The few remaining pest could then increase their population rapidly, in the absence of the controlling agent. The ideal situation is where the controlling agent and the pest exist in balance with one another, but at a level where the pest has no major affect on the crop yield. Even though biological control has disadvantages it also has many advantages. Biological control, overall is a far safer method as it reduces the environmental and public safety hazards of chemicals, as the food we are eating is not covered with poisonous sprays and the air is not being polluted by sprays which we breath in that can be quite harmful to us. Also biological control is cheaper for the farmer to use overall because like pesticides they don't have to be reapplied continuously, once they have been introduced they begin to work and consume the pest, so together its cheaper and less time consuming and easier to apply. Another advantage of biological control is that the pest are less likely to become resistant to the control organism then they are to pesticides, which means unlike pesticides a new pesticide doesn't have to be developed on a regular basis. Also unlike most insecticides biological controls are often very specific for a particular pest. The biological and chemical controls of pests work very well individually however the two can be used together, this is known as integrated control. This method can be very successful as was shown in Indonesia in 1970's, when they began to use large numbers of pesticides to control the pests to produce high yields strains of rice. There where a lot of brown planthopper pests, and so farmers found them selves spraying up to 8 times a season, to get rid of the pests however it was later discovered that the insecticide was the problem of the large number of these pests. This is because the sprays had wiped out all the natural predators of the pest, particularly the spiders and yet only had a limited effect on the pest its self. So it was here that the integrated control was introduced. With integrated control the use of pesticides is always the last resort with the minimum amount used. This then prevents pests and enables large healthy yields of crops without using too many pesticides, which have many disadvantages. However using integrated pest management is not always easy, the technique requires time, knowledge and dedication on the part of the farmer. Overall when using pest controls there are a number of factors to consider, to get maximum effect and sustain pest control. The important factors to consider are how efficient each method is at controlling the pest, the cost, damage that might be caused to the environment, and possible health hazards. When considering how efficient each method is at controlling pests I think both are quite good in their own way in that biological control is aimed at the one pest whereas chemical pesticides tend to infect all insects and plants that they are sprayed on. However at the same time chemical works a lot faster and targets the problem more efficiently whereas biological takes a lot more time to establish its self to the environment and take effect. The cost is a lot cheaper for the biological, because even though it costs a lot to research and develop to make sure everything is correct and working well, it doesn't cost the farmers a lot to get the method started, and once it has been applied it doesn't have to be re-applied continuously like chemical control. Also with chemical control there is the extra cost on top to develop and test the chemical product, also new chemical products need to be developed continuously at all times because pests become resistant to them quickly unlike biological control. Even though biological requires a lot of development, training and testing it only has to be done once and then there usually is a result, and doesn't have to be repeated over and over again to develop new pesticides like chemical control. Damage that might be caused to the environment is mostly caused by chemical control because there are a number of pollutants sprayed into the air, which infect the atmosphere, and there are a lot of chemicals going in to the soils, which also damages the soil. Also if pesticides are persistent a large concentration can be built up in different animals, which can cause problems and be dangerous to those animals. Additionally pesticides are not selective and harm creatures that don't need to be infected; also a number of habitats can be destroyed when certain plants are killed. Whereas biological don't have any environmental effects and so biological controls would be a better one to use. Possible health hazards are that chemical controls can be dangerous to the people who have to apply them to the ground and also the food we eat has absorbed the spray and so they can infect us and harm our bodies. However biological controls do not have any health hazards, therefore, are very safe and is the better one to use. In addition in the developed world we have become increasingly concerned about the long-term effects that chemical pesticides and herbicides may have on us as we eat our well-sprayed food. We have also become progressively greener over recent years, with more and more people expressing concern over the future of the earth and our effect on it. Substituting biological control for chemical intervention therefore seems like a very good idea. The developing world cannot yet afford such concerns the main struggle for many developing nations is to be able to feed all their hungry mouths. But in these countries too the cost of chemical control and the increasing resistance of pests to the expensive chemicals are adding another powerful voice to the arguments in favour of biological control as an integrated part of pest management. So overall the one I think is best and has least problems and safest to use is the biological controls.