Poet’s childhood Essay

â€Å"In Mrs. Tilscher’s Class† by Carol Ann Duffy deals with one central theme. The theme of growing up is the main idea within the poem and is repeatedly imprinted throughout the poet’s childhood. This theme leads on to the more abstract idea of the child already maturing into a great poet. Her mind’s eye is unbounded as she transforms her classroom into a place of riches and resides in her own world of imagination. Written improbably through the 2nd person viewpoint, the poem expresses these ideas personally to the reader, hence allowing us to empathise with the poet. The poet is able to recall several aspects of her primary school days, and is consequently able to paint a picture of her memories from the viewpoint of a young child. The writer not only conveys an inviting warm atmosphere of a 1960’s classroom, but also unveils a liberal outlook to her childhood. A colourful classroom with numerous displays is made known to the reader: â€Å"The classroom glowed like a sweet shop. † The classroom is made into a place of riches with this visual simile, used to radiate wonders of the child’s mind. The word â€Å"glowed† in this line is a metaphor all on its own. The metaphor allows the reader to visualise the sweetshop gleaming due to the light refracting through the glass jars and translucent sweets. The poet can also bring to mind the teacher’s blackboard, as she informs the reader of how â€Å"the chalky Pyramids rubbed into dust. † In a literal sense the chalky lines on the board became chalk dust. The poet imagines this to be great pyramids and monuments being eroded inevitably by time. The bell signifying the end of playtime is remembered as: â€Å"The laugh of a bell, swung by a running child. † This auditory image incorporates the personification of the bell, to compare its sound to an incessant laugh of a child. The bell’s laugh is a transferred epithet from the child, as the children too were laughing, overwhelmed with joy as they returned to their classroom for another dose of Mrs. Tilscher. The poet’s joy is so intense and infectious, that it reaches out and transforms the whole scene. Such is the magnitude of the poet’s emotion. The laugh is also a visual image, as the reader can see a smile as the arc of the bell, and the clapper hitting the sides of it is almost comparable to a tongue. However other images such as a â€Å"skittle of milk† are more informative and suggest the time setting of the poem. The poet also remembers a music room next door to her classroom, though only by means of â€Å"a xylophone’s nonsense† heard. This auditory image describes the noise of the xylophone next door and this is further expanded by the use of the single metaphoric word â€Å"nonsense† which implies the vague unclear noise heard and the fact that the primary school children are producing uncoordinated music. The â€Å"enthralling books† were not to be forgotten to the poet, as they had made her a slave to them continually, due to their alluring influence. All the images used to recall aspects of the poet’s primary school principally focus on an emotional and sensual level. The primary school classroom may have been a place memorable to the poet through various images, but the definitive piece of the poet’s 1960’s school life was Mrs. Tilscher. Mrs. Tilscher’s voice is not even forgotten, as the poet reminisces her voice as she â€Å"chanted the scenery. † Mrs. Tilscher’s chanting brings about connotations of music in her voice and melodic speech. It also brings about a sense of religion, as she is made comparable to a pastor in a church chanting a sermon, enlightening and entrancing us all. Mrs. Tilscher is portrayed as a compassionate teacher: â€Å"Mrs. Tilscher loved you† and shows kindness and care. The terms around the lines focused on Mrs. Tilscher also have an implication on how she is illustrated to the reader. Words with intense connotations such as glowed, sweet, sugar and coloured have associations with moods of joy, brilliance, love and bliss which all elaborate on Mrs. Tilscher’s image. The teacher is also illustrated to be appreciative: â€Å"Some mornings you found she’d left a good gold star by your name. † Although it seems that the poet finds aspects of the classroom just as unforgettable as Mrs. Tilscher, the poet essentially portrays the classroom’s essence to be the work of Mrs. Tilscher, through her tone of voice. Choices of words or diction such as â€Å"could† have connotations of possibility. When put into context and further developed on, the implications go as far as unconstrained and limitless possibility. The teacher opens up a whole world of possibility, and it is because of this the poet remembers so much about her classroom, a boundless environment. It is because of Mrs. Tilscher that the poets classroom surroundings were made to be so memorable. The poet’s tone of voice and language varies throughout the poem, and strong distinction is made between the first two stanzas and the last two stanzas. The language in the first two stanzas is exceptionally exuberant, more child-like in an emotional sense and the imagery is much more pleasant to envisage, filled with colour, vibrancy and liveliness: â€Å"Sugar paper. Coloured shapes. † Each individual phrase builds up an atmosphere full of warmth. However the last two stanzas are less joyous in their atmosphere, as the poet makes her transition to a state of being overwhelmed by hormones. The word connotations also vary greatly in these two stanzas, bringing suggestions of anger, accusation and dismay: â€Å"You kicked him, but stared at your parents, appalled. † The stanzas are also bleaker in description and imagery is uninviting: â€Å"The air tasted of electricity. † The poet’s feelings in stanza four are troubled, after being introduced to topic of how she was born: â€Å"A tangible alarm made you always untidy, hot, fractious under the heavy, sexy sky. † Such sentences furthermore use more mature and sophisticated language, which coincide with her growth as the language also develops. Therefore the poet’s outlook and tone of voice changes as she becomes much more interested in growing up than going to primary and learning in a high-spirited vibrant classroom. The reader of the poem is invited to personally explore the main ideas within the poem. This personal involvement of the reader seems appropriate, as the main theme conveyed, the journey of growing up, is your own personal exclusive journey. This personal involvement is due to the narration of the poem from the second-person viewpoint. This is shown through the excessive use of the second-person pronoun â€Å"You. † By using this narration style, the experience of the young poet is made universal and common. We can all be subjected to her experiences of growing up from the second-person narrative perspective. Although the reader finds it easy enough to face the poet’s experiences, Mrs. Tilscher feels that she should have no influence in the young child’s journey of growing up, and that such a journey should proceed at the person’s own pace. When the child asks the teacher about how she was born, â€Å"Mrs. Tilscher smiled, then turned away. † Mrs. Tilscher may have believed that the poet would learn in her own time, but the poet nevertheless encourages the reader to enter her journey. The poem illustrates two worlds in which the poet resided during her childhood days. The reader is able to capture not only the essence of the classroom, but also the limitless realm of the child’s imagination. Both these worlds exist alongside each other agreeably as the classroom is made into a creative place itself due to the influence of Mrs.Tilscher. The foremost apparent world presented by Carol Ann Duffy is the classroom. The classroom conveys images of riches, sweets, colour and joy. However beyond this, the classroom is seen to be a sanctuary. The classroom was a safe house against the world of murder and crime outside, as suggested by the mention of â€Å"Brady and Hindley† of the 1960’s. The real world begins to force an entry into the child’s reverie as she slowly begins to become conscious of the world outside. This is the first occasion in which the poet shows signs of growing up, which enforces the main theme of the poem. The girl learns that the real world isn’t to be trusted. The classroom however is portrayed as a world of its own, not troubled by the likes of such horrific murderers. The fear fades away in the classroom, and along with this so does the little hint of adulthood. She postpones her transition into adulthood for the meantime, as the poet shows us by using a child-like image after the allusion: â€Å"Brady and Hindley faded, like the faint uneasy smudge of a mistake. † This second component to the sentence indirectly illustrates the use of a pencil, and the occurrence of â€Å"silly mistakes. † It is because of this implication that the poet moves back into the state of childhood. The growth of the poet is exemplified in this classroom world, and therefore this world is very significant to the theme. Conversely, on a more abstract plane, the poem portrays another world within the child’s mind. A whole world of imagination and vision. The poet expresses that she â€Å"could travel up the Blue Nile with your finger tracing the route. † The poet is tracing her finger down the Nile, and is in her imaginative world of Egypt. On the other hand, in reality the teacher is demonstrating sketch maps on the board. The word within the poem, which establishes both worlds within and without, is a metaphor on its own. The word â€Å"travel† is the single metaphor, which suggests that the poet is on a journey within her mind, when actually she is stationary within her school seat. The poet also conveys the main theme in this imaginative world, as the child not only travels with her finger and during her daydream, but she furthermore travels through her journey of growing up. The child is beginning to grow into a great poet, and this is shown through various lines within the poem. A very strong contributor to this idea of the girl growing into a great poet is an example of synaesthesia: â€Å"The scent of a pencil, slowly carefully shaven. † This image appeals to all of the senses at once, and incorporates kinetic, olfactory, visual and tactile aspects. This line shows how the poet â€Å"carefully shaved† her pencil, just in the same way she carefully crafts sentences. This is extended even further by the link made between the writing tool and the writing process. The child poet is even able to link this image full of senses to the main theme of growing up. The act of the girl carefully shaving the pencil, symbolises how she is shaving or peeling off her childhood as she makes the transition into adulthood. The poet gradually conveys to the reader that there are two states of growth within the poem, and that the girl is maturing both into adolescence and into a mind of an exceptional poet. The last stanza of the poem focuses the atmosphere and the attitude of the poet into an uninviting overcast, but also centers in on the theme. It illustrates the â€Å"feverish† month of July, oppressed by the summer and heat. Alongside this are the hormones of the child, felt almost within the air. These hormones amplify the effect of the afflicting heat. The air also â€Å"tasted of electricity†, which conveys the anticipation of summer thunderstorms due to the heavy air. However â€Å"electricity† also relates with the hormones to suggest that the child will spark at random times and also that the growth of the child is full of charge, energy and excitement. Further along, the use of the phrase â€Å"a tangible alarm† portrays an almost touchable fear within the air. This fear made the girl â€Å"fractious under the sexy sky. † This expresses to the reader that the girl had many sudden outbursts of anger due to her hormones. These hormones influence her thoughts and are the causes behind the poet using the term â€Å"sexy† to describe the sky. The last line of the poem communicates how this adolescent phase is like a thunderstorm. The thunderstorm represents her feelings of puberty, as she feels as though the whole world is coming down on her, just as in a thunderstorm. The lightning of a thunderstorm also links to the connotations of the â€Å"electricity. † The lightning of the thunderstorm could symbolize the mood swings awaiting the child. The lightning also illustrates the fact that there is an unsettlement within the child, as if an electric current was continually running through her. The rain of a thunderstorm conveys the downpour of gloom upon the child throughout the hard times to come. On an overall view the experience of puberty and growing up is just a phase and in time will pass. Soon the child will be entirely in adulthood. Likewise the thunderstorm is just an unpleasant phase in the sequence of weather and in time shall pass. Before long the sun will overpower such a ghastly occurrence of weather. Overall, â€Å"In Mrs.Tilscher’s Class† by Carol Ann Duffy is a poem which allows the reader to personally identify themselves with the poet. The poem is contrastive between the stanzas and thus the poet is able to isolate the main idea. Two worlds are created expressing the wonders of the classroom, but also illustrating the unconstrained world of the girl’s imagination. Through these two worlds we see signs of the girl growing into a great poet. However the most essential idea of the poem is the theme of growing up and maturing. It is a journey through adolescence: â€Å"You ran through the gates, impatient to be grown. â€Å"

Hippa Violations Essay

A staff nurse working at a medical clinic looked up a patient file in order to weaken a lawsuit case the patient had against the nurse’s husband. She gave the information to her husband who then called the patient and made it known that he had medical information which he believed weakened the man’s case. He suggested that the man consider dropping the lawsuit. The patient called and informed the clinic what the nurse had done. He also called the district attorney and within a month both the husband and the nurse was indicted. The nurse was also fired the day after the she gave the information to her husband. The nurse pleaded out and is awaiting sentencing. She faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of as much as $250,000, and up to three years of supervised probation. The state nursing board is seeking to revoke her license. The nurse had no right to look up the patient information and she certainly had no right to share the information with her husband. She effectively ruined her life along with her husband’s. If she was worried about the lawsuit, there were other ways to go about getting help. They could have hired a good lawyer to help. She put her entire clinic in jeopardy for selfish reasons. The clinic handled the situation perfectly. They fired the nurse on the spot as soon as the breach was brought to light and held a meeting to educate employees on the importance of HIPAA and what could happen if it is violated. I do feel sorry for the nurse because she was dealing with so much stress but she deserves what she gets. She had other options available to her and shouldn’t have looked up that information.

Power Shifts in Queen Kong

The poem presents the reader with a power shift from male to female but could also highlight that the story is not simply restricted too male perspective. In this light, Duffy is, like in ‘Mrs. Midas', highlighting how certain members of society are exploited and how, despite popular belief, women often have control over men. This is reinforced when Queen Kong states how he is â€Å"my (her) little man†. This reveals her affection towards the man but also significantly displays his physical inferiority.The use of the possessive pronoun â€Å"my' again possibly reveals her care for the man but also possibly signifies her ownership of the man and thus shows how she is control. Duffy use of humor is also apparent throughout this poem. This is evident when the people in the village do not hear because they are â€Å"used to strangers†-The image of a gorilla walking the streets and no one noticing is completely absurd. There is a further element of humor when Queen Ko ng states how she is â€Å"especially fond of pastrami on rye†.Here, Duffy is straining the Bohemian lifestyle. This comic effect is also conveyed in stanza 7 when Queen Kong states â€Å"l was discreet, prowled those trees in darkness†. Additionally the notion of her going shopping without anyone noticing adds to the absurdity of the idea and the image of a huge gorilla walking through a shop adds to comical effect Duffy is trying to create. The annalistic instincts and desires of Queen Kong are notable on several occasions In the poem. The long nights In the heat† reveal her physical reaction and emphasizes her annalistic behavior in that It Is her natural Instinct to mate. The way Queen Kong explicitly reveals how she â€Å"put the tip of (her) tongue to the grape of his flesh† again emphasizes her annalistic behavior with the alliteration stressing how they went straight to having sex. This accentuates the Idea that It was lust and not romance that bro ught them to have sex. Queen Kong Just using the man to satisfy her own desires -control that she has over concept reinforced by the Idea that she was â€Å"lonely'- Italicized stressing her desperation? The control and superiority of queen Kong Is again apparent In stanza 9 â€Å"l picked him up Like a chocolate from the top layer† – whilst the simile portrays the man as desirable and metaphorically tasty, ultimately he has no control. This concept Is developed when queen Kong refers to the helicopters as â€Å"dragonflies†.This metaphor reveals the extent of her power and physicality. Moreover, It can be connected to the threat made earlier on In the poem that she â€Å"could swat his plane from the sky Like a gnat†- effective In disclosing her control and how he Is physically Inferior. -shift of power from male to female- male's often use their physical strength as a threat and In that way are normally superior to women. Power Shifts in Queen Kong By nekton highlight that the story is not simply restricted to a male perspective.In this light, instincts and desires of Queen Kong are notable on several occasions in the poem. â€Å"The long nights in the heat† reveal her physical reaction and emphasizes her annalistic behavior in that it is her natural instinct to mate. The way Queen Kong straight to having sex. This accentuates the idea that it was lust and not romance desires -control that she has over concept reinforced by the idea that she was â€Å"lonely'- italicized stressing her desperation?The control and superiority of queen Kong is again apparent in stanza 9 â€Å"l picked him up like a chocolate from the top ultimately he has no control. This concept is developed when queen Kong refers to physicality. Moreover, it can be connected to the threat made earlier on in the poem that she â€Å"could swat his plane from the sky like a gnat†- effective in disclosing her control and how he is physically inferior. -shift of power from male to female- male's often use their physical strength as a threat and in that way are normally superior to

Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Immigration - Essay Example While some of the realized immigrations are legal, other people cross countries boarders illegally. Many reasons have been offered for immigrations, especially from developing countries to developed countries with economic factors such as search for employment opportunities and better economic status as key. Varying opinions also exist over the effects of such immigration with some views against immigration because of proposed negative effects. There are however positive impacts of immigration that support opinions for allowing immigrants into a country. Immigrants are for example a source of cheap labor for the host economy. This is majorly because of their main reason for immigration that targets jobs in the recipient countries. Immigrants from developing countries are for example driven by unemployment in their countries and the hope of finding jobs upon immigration. Consequently, they are desperate for jobs, and accept lower pays for their economic stability. Difference in macroe conomic factors between developing countries and developed countries also identifies wage rate disparity in which developed countries, normally the recipient, have higher wage rates. Immigrants are therefore comfortable with a wage rate that is considerably low in the host country, but is better that wage rates in their native countries. They therefore offer cheaper labor and consequently lower production costs (Camarota, p. 1). Immigrants have also been identified with higher labor input than natives have. This may also be a factor of their high utility in their work, especially for those immigrants whose main reason for movement was to get an employment opportunity. Better labor input in terms of quality and quantity therefore means efficiency in production and higher quantity of production towards higher gross domestic product. More immigrants in the labor market therefore translate to higher productivity in an economy. Immigration also has a general impact of increasing labor su pply in an economy because availability of labor is a factor of the total active adult population size. Consequently, immigration helps an economy to solve its general problem of scarcity of human resource. The trend of immigrants’ jobs in the labor market also identifies their significance with respect to the types of jobs that they do. Research has for example shown that immigrants majorly occupy unskilled employments that are rarely performed by natives. They consequently fill a labor gap that would be realized in their absence. This means that regardless of reported unemployment rates in the host countries’ economies, immigration is not a factor because majority of immigrants fit into types of jobs that are not sought by the natives (Camarota, p. 1). The fact that some immigrants, especially legal immigrants, have skilled potential is another advantage to the host country’s economy because of the diversified skills that they offer towards consumer utility an d contribution to the economy’s productivity. These categories of immigrants are however few and do not impose significant competition, in the job market, to natives. A general influx of immigrants also has social benefits to the hosts, as it

Is it our future already written Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Is it our future already written - Essay Example This paper highlights my own experiences and how I decided to shape the way I wanted it to be. This paper is comprised of different sections (Sagor 2005). It is fundamental note that this study was located in my school. I interviewed my room who gave very pertinent information about me.This research targeted people that were close to me. For instance, it targeted my friends, roommate and family members. These people were interviewed as per the questionnaire and interview schedule prepared. This study applied simple sampling techniques. This type of sampling allows an equal chance for each individual to be picked for interview. This technique of sampling also allows the respondents to be picked just by chance. This type of sampling technique was selected because the study dealt with a larger population. I randomly selected my friends who I interviewed. The sample size of this research was 10 participants. I targeted 3 people from my family, and 7 people from my school. These participa nts were interviewed as per the interview schedule. Let me also note that I interviewed my room at night when we were resting after studies. I interviewed my family on Sundays. Let me note that I learned a lot from the participants. It is true to note that our lives are always marred with challenges that me it difficult for us to look in to life in a more positive way. Personally, I have experienced many challenges. I have to admit that the challenges that I experienced in life made me stronger. My roommate narrated during the interview how he suffered while still young. It was painful to hear her say that her parents separated while he was just five years. He adapted to the situation to live in a single parenthood family. This showed me clearly that when we look in to life in a more positive manner life would always be good. Let me also highlight that my friend highlighted that we should avoid being negative in life. During the interview, she told me that we should not always opt t hat the worst will happen. We should always opt for the best to happen. I have to note that it is also important to desist from negative behaviors to be positive in life. My mother used to remind me to desist from bad behaviors like being late in school, and being lazy. I have always grown up knowing that laziness is not good. I don’t remember too much about that night. I only remember that Carlos and I were at an Italian restaurant, very gourmet, beautiful, comfortable, and classy. Then, we went to the movies, and we had an ice cream in my favorite ice cream shop located 2 blocks away my home. I got the nocciola and lime flavor and Carlos got the chocolate one. I remember we end it up laughing and sharing our ice creams. Then, I woke up, and I couldn’t remember anything more, as I recounted my dream to my best friend Connie in a rainy night of October 2009. I had never dreamed of a specific person before, and I was trying to solve the mystery with Connie. After talkin g with her, no closer to an answer, I received a message: â€Å"Hi, this is Carlos. I haven't seen you for a while until yesterday in the Model of United Nations. I remember when we used to go out every weekend, so it was very nice to see you last night. By the way†¦how is everything doing in your Model of United Nation? If you need any help, I can help you in whatever you need. Sorry if I’m taking this too long.† It was a big coincidence that after I saw him in the Model of United Nations, I dreamed about him, and then, he texted me. There is

Trading & Dealing in Security Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Trading & Dealing in Security Markets - Essay Example Investigations showed that the crash occurred due to a single mutual firm fund that sold a large number of contracts worth 4.1 billion USD and this triggered a reaction from HFT machines that quickly dumped their positions thus pulling the Dow index down. The HFT machines then quickly bought stock at the lower prices and this made the stocks rise then dumped the stock and this ‘hot potato’ trading continued until equilibrium was brought in. All this happened in a few minutes due to the fragile and interconnected nature of the market (SEC, 30 September 2010). There are fears that since algorithms used in the software decision making are hidden, it is difficult to asses if HFT amplifies or dampens the market equilibrium prices. HFT also encourages Flash Trading where certain traders can see incoming buy or sell orders for securities about 30 milliseconds before others do. This lead called 'front running' allows HFT traders to execute their trading strategy ahead of others (NYT, 8 October 2012). HFT traders also have the advantage that they can turn their machines off when the risks and trends are against them and thus they can cut their losses. Overall, trading is thus reduced to a war of technology and speed of connectivity and the financial software and hardware market was worth 25.4 billion USD in 2011. Terms such as scalping, shorting have become common and HFT run transactions in less than 10 milliseconds (Gsell, 2009). 2.2. Advantages of HFT HFT brings equality in the market and a small trader with a single terminal running powerful HFT software can overcome billion dollar traders. HFT is also credited with bringing liquidity in the market, reducing risk of frauds perpetrated by large... The author of the essay "Trading and Dealing in Security Markets" begins with that High Frequency Trading – HFT makes use of powerful computers that automate the trading process and where trading software takes the decisions to buy, sell or hold stock. The practice is also called as Algorithmic trading, Algo trading, automated trading or black box trading. Since the commands are executed by software systems, positions on various stocks are held for durations that vary from a few seconds to a few minutes. HFT has been blamed for ‘flash’ price variations where the prices changes very rapidly for no apparent reason. With high profits almost assured and reduction of losses to a minimum, many traders have started using HFT. In a way, HFT represents the inevitable move to high technology. Like many other areas of business processes such as procurement, automatic ordering in supply change management, ERP systems, humans are removed from decision-making and power is veste d in machines. At the end of the essay the author concludes that since HFT yields high profits, many more firms will take up this practice. HFT certainly has some ill effects on the stock movement and these needs to be constrained and regulated. The regulations must not place HFT under disadvantage and new technology must not be punished. The author also gives his recommendations. Thus, traders should not be allowed to switch off their machines when stocks are falling. This will ensure HFTs remain operational even when they stand to make a loss, just as any day trader.

Queer Theory Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Queer Theory Questions - Assignment Example According to Cathy J. Cohen (438), the advent of queer theory in the early 1990s found its most direct confrontation with the real-life politics of gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgendered activists. Queer activism became perceived as a more confrontational political formation aimed at addressing the invisibility of gay and lesbian members in civil rights political organizations. Queer activism aimed at first recognizing and encouraging the movement and fluidity of people’s sexual lives. Queer activism also aimed at challenging the various practices and power circles that rendered the gay and lesbian community members invisible. What queer activism achieved further in correcting earlier conceptions about the gay and lesbian communities was their readiness to emphasize and exaggerate their own anti-normative characteristics and non-stable behavior (Cohen 438). Queer activism got perceived as a multisite and sustained resistance against the dominant constructions of gender and race. Cohen also admits that queer activism, however, failed in its present form to challenge the systems of oppression and domination. Particularly, queer activism failed to address the normalizing processes that were engrossed in heteronormativity. Heteronormativity had been the main focus of the advent of queer activism. She suggests that queer activism has failed to analyze heterosexuality as it got founded on a simple dichotomy that existed between those who got deemed queer and those deemed as heterosexual (Cohen 440). She suggests that some queer activists have begun to prioritize sexuality as the principal avenue through which they follow their politics. Her disappointment is further engraved in these individuals who continue to pursue their politics by emphasizing on a single characteristic of their identity rather than focus on the multiple diversities that determine our life chances (Cohen 440).  Ã‚  

Rudolf Steiners ideas for the care and education of young children Essay

Rudolf Steiners ideas for the care and education of young children - Essay Example If the olds are facing this hardship trying to deal with the new things in this world how much more the young ones who will be raced up in this kind of world There is a saying that "the young's are the hope of the land". As they took step on the developmental period specific behaviors represent qualitative changes in the structure or function of these organisms that appear over a given stage following progressive sequences. And so they undergo physical developments until they become adults like us. Childhood phase is the said to be the molding ground for individuals. It serves as the foundation of a human being. The Head of the German Theosophical Society, Rudolf Steiner believed that children passes through three seven-year stages and that education should be appropriate to the spirit for each stage. Birth to age 7, which he said is a period for the spirit to adjust to being in the material world. At this stage, children best learn through imitation. Academic content is held to a minimum during these years. Children are told fairy tales, but do no reading until about the second grade. They learn about the alphabet and writing in first grade. According to Steiner, the second stage of growth is characterized by imagination and fantasy. Children learn best from ages 7 to 14 by acceptance and emulation of authority. The children have a single teacher during this period and the school becomes a "family" with the teacher as the authoritative "parent". The third stage, from 14 to 21, is when the astral body is drawn into the physical body, causing puberty. These beliefs are acceptable but let us examine carefully the curriculum he is trying to imply. As he built his Goetheanum; the school of spiritual science of Waldorf school for the children of workers at the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1919 and currently operating in North America. Steiner designed the curriculum of his schools around notions that he apparently got by special spiritual insight into the nature of Nature and the nature of children. The education here focuses on myths and other non-Christian thing. Aside from that they are encouraging Satanism which is not morally upright for a Christian Society. Children must learn how to be love and appreciate love and affections the gain from others. They should learn things about them and answer their questions related to where they came from. Why not teach some about the Creator. His views pertaining to caring to children are appropriate, he value the stages that an individual is in. He considered the stages where the child is in need. He said that children at the 0 to 7 years old are adjusting him in the material world. Yes that's true. Aside from living in a material world of course the child must have the material support too, coming from the parents who are the guardians. As from the Abraham Maslow's Hierarch of Needs that before an individual reach the point or level that he is a self - actualized person, a person must first take his step in having the Basic needs, including clothes, foods and any material supports before he

American Government and Politics Today Research Paper

American Government and Politics Today - Research Paper Example However some proponents support the electoral college as a good system and therefore need no reform. This essay explores the proponents’ arguments for electoral college Reforms and why some people think it should not be reformed. Electoral College Reform The system of electing the presidents through the use of an electoral college is considered an outdated mechanism of an electoral process, and therefore need to be reformed. It is seen to deny the citizens the voice to choose a leader of their choice as the selected group forming the electoral colleges that represent the larger group may be compromised and not elect the leader who is popular with the rest of citizens (Formisano 193). It is also prone to interference by the independent candidates. It should therefore be reformed and replaced by a system of direct election of a presidential candidate with an instant runoff if the clear winner is not produced. This will give every citizen a chance to vote and elect a leader of th eir choice. The electoral college system also needs a reform in order to replace it with a system where the electorate are allowed to vote directly with a popularity rule system where every voter will be given an opportunity to cast one vote for a preferred candidate. The candidate who gets the most votes will be declared the automatic winner. This system is seen to reflect the will of the people as opposed to the Electoral College system where voting is a representation of third parties. Direct voting system will also eliminate the Electoral College’s system that essentially dilutes the votes of the people as it is prone to compromise and betrayal by the third parties. The Electoral College system needs to be reformed to such an extent as to be replaced with a system that is democratic; one that reflects the people’s wishes. This is because with the Electoral College system which in some cases involves maximization of power by assigning all the representative votes to the winner with most votes is so undemocratic. This in most cases result in a situation where a candidate who wins the nationwide popular votes, still looses in an electoral college. This has been witnessed in the United States elections in recent years (Stromberg 769). The electoral college system only see presidential candidates concentrate on key vote battle grounds, this makes them consider only the interests of a few voters found on those key states ignoring other states. It should therefore be replaced with the direct popular voting system where the candidates are forced to carry out vigorous campaigns across the whole country. This will promote democracy and allow for equal participation across the country. It will also promote high voter turn-outs and eliminate voter apathy associated with the electoral colleges system. This is because voters will be assured that their votes make a difference in choosing the candidate of their choice. However, reforming the electoral system is arguably a bad idea according to Rohwer (215). The proponent of the electoral college system argue that the system avoids the instance of a presidential run off. In many instances a winner is declared as soon as the result shows that the candidate has the majority votes as the provisional results in most cases are ignored. The direct popular system of election is also seen to interfere with the federal system of

The Data Protection Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Data Protection Act - Essay Example . Data which are classified as confidential by the counselor are kept in a separate file and place. Interview notes, test results, personal data about the individual, home and family, which can have meaning only to the counselor, often prove to be means of solving many problems of maladjustment. This sample case is termed confidential. A case involving the information being disclosed by clients especially the personal and confidential information that becomes known to the counselor and the amount of these data that can disclosed to only limited people and with the consent of the client. There is an ongoing divorce case and the some data is being required by the lawyers and prosecutors. The psychologist should seek the consent of the client as to what and to whom the information will be given and the purpose that these data will serve. Fidelity is a part of the ethical guidelines stated by BACP. Increasingly, attention has focused on providers of psychological services who need to balance the ethical principles of their profession with legal and regulatory mandates, as well as with the institutional policies of the organizations where they work. The General Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services and the Specialty Guidelines for the Delivery of Services were promulgated to aide those involved in the professional practice of psychology within several contexts. Additional guidance on specific issues is provided in other documents, such as the Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Divorce Proceedings, drafted by the Committee on Professional Practice and Standards and several others. Social Security and Work In UK employment law there is an important distinction between 'employees' and 'workers'. Most agency workers are classed as workers and this serves to exclude them from entitlement to important employment rights such as unfair dismissal and redundancy protection, which are only available to employees. A company's reward philosophy should be simple - they should pay for performance and the better the performance the more they should pay. Most companies have adopted a 'market based pay' approach to determining salaries which means they pay according to the value of the job in the market. Companies should be dedicated to the principles of employment and pay equity. They should be committed to taking steps to facilitate the integration and promote the full participation of previously under-represented designated groups such as agency workers in the labour market and encourage the utilization of the talents of all employees in order to realize the business objectives of the companies Employers should also be

EUROPEAN ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

EUROPEAN ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT - Essay Example 383). In political circles of majority of states now one may observe the understanding of fallibility of idea of national separation and self-sustainability within the state borders, artificial separation of any state from the international intercourse. Integration processes get their legal implementation through the variety of agreements between states on creation of various unions and organisations. The European Union belongs to such organisations. Since May, 1st, 2004 ten more member-states has entered the European Union. The European Union is becoming the leading economic world centre, has sharply strengthening its political influence on the world scene, having united the states, which population is made nearby half milliard people. So, the European Union has expanded too far. No doubts that it has a lot of benefit for the European Union itself and for its member-states. But at the same time there are now too many conflicts of interest between the countries involved for it to be a successful economic entity. The fifth expansion of the European Union on May, 1st, 2004 was the most ambitious for the whole history of the Union taking into consideration both quantity of the joined member-states, and complexity, as new member-states are the countries with different and often various social and economic history. Since then it has already passed more than three years, and this term is sufficient to analyse short-term and mid-term consequences of the expansion for economic development of new member-states. The process of the last expansion of the European Union from the economic point of view had some prominent features. First of all, it was a joining of ten countries with essentially lower social and economic indices in comparison with the European Union-15 that proves a crucial opportunity of association for different by the level of development groups of countries not only on principles of free trade or a customs union, but

A Black City Within the White” Essay Example for Free

A Black City Within the White† Essay Loic Wacquant’s â€Å"A Black City Within the White† provides an absorbing and honest perspective on the continuation of racial disparity and discrimination in urban America. He contends the black world within the white world exists due to the continued exclusion of blacks to the extent the black world is virtually â€Å"unknown and unnoticed† by white America. He makes the case through an examination of urban semantics, specifical-ly the use of the words â€Å"ghetto† and â€Å"slum†. He believes the original terms referred to either a concentration of a specific ethnic group (ghetto) or concentration of poverty (slum). Wacquant states the term â€Å"ghetto† began to include â€Å"slum† as reflecting housing discrimination as well as black urban poverty. He believes the term â€Å"ghetto† is now much closer to â€Å"slum† in meaning, as whites prefer thinking in terms of income disparity instead of ingrained racial prejudice. Thus â€Å"the concept of ‘ghetto’ has been stripped of its eth-noracial referent and denuded of any mention of group, power, and oppression†¦(thus it) obfuscates the history and enduring reality of racial division in the United States† (143). See more: Social process essay In essence the terminology has been changed by whites more comfortable with consider-ing a mythical â€Å"colorblind† poverty level instead of the reality of racial prejudice and in-equity. Wacquant makes the point that a â€Å"ghetto† is not simply a term but â€Å"an institution-al form† (143). It is indeed a â€Å"world if itself† caused by power and economic discrimina-tion that is either not acknowledged or misunderstood by whites. The reading provides and insight that I did not have before reading and contemplating the issues. It is im-portant to me to try to understand the background and culture of others. Without that understanding communication and relationships are very superficial. This reading has also been very helpful in understanding how often terms and meanings will often change, and â€Å"code words† come into use. This gives me the incentive to look past certain words to be certain of the real meaning the user is trying to convey. This is an unfortunate but com-mon problem we face in communication and perhaps readers of this work will come away better prepared to address an issue without the need for dishonest language.

Protected Areas Of The Wildlife Protection Act

Protected Areas Of The Wildlife Protection Act Wildlife and environment is an integral part of life. Protection of Wildlife and Environment has been present from the pre-colonial and the colonial times. During the 3rd century, Asoka, king of Magadha, passed a law for the protection of wildlife and environment. During colonial times, the British enacted Indias first codified law Wild Birds Protection Act, 1887 and the Wild Birds and Animals Protection Act, 1912. The parliament passed legislation on 9th September, 1972 and is known as Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. This act was enacted under the Article 252. This is an Act to provide for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants] and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto. Wildlife is defined in the act under section 2(37). The wildlife was under the state list according to the constitution but by the 42nd amendment it was transferred to the concurrent list in 1976. By 1991 the act was applicable to whole of India (except Jammu and Kashmir). This has helped the central government to increase its role in developing the national wildlife policy. This act provides protection of wildlife and preservation of the environment regardless of its location. The protection is based on two approaches species approach and the ecosystem approach. The National Wildlife Board was legislated in the 2002 amendment. Environmental protection is every citizens right according to Article 51A (g).The protection of forests, wildlife animals and birds where shifted from the state list to concurrent list. These were entries 17 A and 17 B respectively. PROTECTED AREAS INTRODUCTION Certain areas are protected for the conservation of wildlife. These areas are known as Protected Areas. Protected areas are designated based on their level of protection and the laws binding the country. These areas are protected based on the environmental and cultural values. According to IUCN, a protected area is, A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values. Marine protected areas also are included in the list of protected areas. Under the WLPA, the state government can declare an area of flush or adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural or zoological significance a sanctuary or a national park. Public entry is banned in a protected area and the destruction of the habitat along with its wildlife is prohibited and can result in serious consequences. Protected areas are necessary for conservation of biodiversity and also the preservation of the existing environment. These areas help in balancing ecological cycles and other processes in the environment. This results in protection of watersheds, soils and protects humans from natural disasters. Many of these areas are vital for the survival for indigenous or local people whose life depends on the sustainable use of resources of that area. They serve as backbone for the local communities. These areas are a physical gateway to hectic work schedule and help attain calm and peace. Certain protected areas are important for research and education and also apply to sustainable land use. The most important aspect of these areas is the tourism, which contributes to the economy. The importance and the significance of protected areas are realized in the Convention of Biodiversity (CBD) (Article 8). Recently protected areas are facing threats because of climate change and pollution. One of the main reasons that have lead to the degradation of these areas is lack of political support and inadequate financing. The only body that has been actively involved in the protection of these areas is the WCPA. IUCN PROTECTED AREAS MANAGEMENT CATEGORIES WCU, founded in 1948 is one of the 6 commissions of IUCN. There are certain guidelines that offer help in classifying the protected areas management categories. The original intent was to provide an understanding of protected areas both within and outside the country. It has categorized certain regions as protected based on the management objective and has classified protected areas into 8 distinct categories: a. Strict Nature Reserve scientific use b. Wilderness Area wilderness protection National Parks ecosystem protection and recreation Natural Monument conservation of specific natural features Habitat/species Management maintained for conservation through management intervention Protected Landscape/Seascape landscape/seascape protection and recreation Managed Resource Protected Area sustainable use of natural ecosystem According to the IUCN survey, 30,000 protected areas around the world covers 13,250,000 sq.km by 2000. Barely 1% of worlds seas are protected. PROTECTED AREAS IN INDIA The protected areas in India cover 156,700sq.km which implies that approximately 4.95% of the total surface area. It has been estimated that there are nearly 5000 villages in protected areas (Shyam Divan and Armin Rosencranz, 2001).In India protected areas have been present from 1935. India has the following as protected areas based on the IUCN classification: National Parks Wildlife Sanctuaries Biosphere Reserves Conservation Reserve and Community Reserve Village Forests and Panchayat Private Protected Areas Tiger Reserves The countrys wilderness has been under threat due to rapid urbanization and industrialization. The number of protected areas has increased over the years. In 1988 there were 54 national parks and 372 sanctuaries covering about 3.34% of the countrys geographical area. In 2002, India has a total of 578 wildlife protected areas which accounts to about 4.70% of the countrys geographical area (wildlife institute of India). The WII has recommended the government to increase the number of wildlife protected areas to 870 which includes 163 national parks and 707 wildlife sanctuaries and the approximate geographical area used will to about 5.74%(Rodgers, Panwar and Mathur, WII)(fig.1). Certain areas in India have very high percentage of protected areas. This is due to the conditions that are available for declaration of a protected area. (Table 1 and Table 2). NATIONAL PARKS A National park is a reserve of natural lands that is declared by government. It is declared and created for recreation purposes and protection and preservation of nature. National parks are declared under category II type of protected areas by IUCN. There are 7000 national parks worldwide. The largest national park in the world is the Northeast Greenland National Park. National parks are declared under section 35, 38 (2) and 66 (3). For an area to be declared as a national park it has to undergo a series of stages: Intention notification Determination of rights Proclamation notification Inquiry Acquisition of rights Final notification The above procedure need not be followed if the rights of the land have extinguished and if the land is under the state government. Indias first national park was Hailey National Park, later renamed as Jim Corbett National Park. This park was established in 1935. There are 96 national parks as of April 2007 in India. National parks hold a higher authority and a high degree of protection than sanctuaries. The rules and regulations that bind national parks are stricter. A national park can be set up within or around a sanctuary. WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES Wildlife sanctuaries are areas declared for the protection and restoration of wildlife (endangered species). It is created through government regulations. A sanctuary is actually set up by the central government under the section 38. Only when the state government passes power of authority to the central government can a sanctuary be set up. A sanctuary cannot be created within an existing sanctuary. These areas are declared under Section 26A, 38(1) and 66(3). There are certain conditions that are required for setting up a sanctuary (section 18). These come under IUCN category IV. The main objective is to maintain and conserve species in a habitat. There are about 489 wildlife sanctuaries covering 3.56% geographical area in India. By the legislation passed by the 2002 amendment the construction of lodges, safari trips, hotels need approval of National Board. The procedure is same as that of declaring a national park. The control of these sanctuaries is under the Chief Wildlife Warden (section 33). In India, there are about 28 tiger reserves out of the total wildlife sanctuaries. These reserves are mainly for the protection and the conservation of tigers. Therefore these reserves are species specific. Certain sanctuaries are named exclusively as bird sanctuaries, E.g. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. There are certain restrictions after a land or area has been notified and declared as WS (Sections 27, 29, 30, 31, and 32). BIOSPHERE RESERVES These reserves were established by UNSECO in 1973-74 under the Man and Biosphere programme (MAB).This programme aims at bringing the balance between use and conservation of resources. It main objective is in research and scientific outlook in the presents world. In India, there are over 14 Biosphere Reserves as of 25th October, 2007(Table 3). Biosphere reserves are natural landscapes that extend over large areas. They can be terrestrial or marine or combination of both. These reserves are perfect paradigm for showcasing the existing harmony between man and nature. The reserves help in conservation of the habitat along with the species and also help in the economic development. These biosphere reserves actually have unique features nad are in very good condition. They come under Category V of IUCN classification. In India, a National Biosphere Reserve Programme was established in 1986.The main criteria for declaring a biosphere reserve is that the area should contain rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. It should be an area that is protected and is a bio geographical unit that is extensive. These ecosystems actually are like alternate research models that provide educational information. A biosphere reserve has a layered structure that contains 3 important zones: Core zone Buffer zone Transition zone The core zone actually consists of the target species that need to be protected and conserved. This zone is legally protected from human interference. The Buffer zone is a middle zone that is adjoined to both the core and transition zone. In this zone certain activities like recreation, education, tourism and the restoration of area. In this area, if human activities are natural then these activities are allowed. These activities are only allowed if they cause minimal damage to the environment. The Transition zone is the outermost zone. In this zone all activities along with conservation and administration are carried out in harmony. This zone has no limits on human activities. In this zone there is huge economic revenue that is derived from tourism and management practices. The biosphere reserves are established under the legal frameworks that have been legislated under WPA, 1972. In the process of declaring an area as biosphere reserve the central as well as the state government have roles and responsibilities to be carried out. The financial support is provided by the central government whereas the management and administration is the duty of the state government. The Indian National Man and Biosphere committee actually is constituted by central government and finds new sites, committees, policies, programmes and other activities for the betterment of the reserve. The ministry proposed certain areas for getting approved into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, in November 2001, the International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere programme of UNESCO designated and approved of Sunderbans (West Bengal) and the Gulf of Mannar (Tamil Nadu) into the world network. The Nilgiri was already included in 2000. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS PROVIDED BY WLPA,1972 The CEL WWF India was launched in 1993. This organization took active legal actions in the country. They have fought legal actions for the protection and conservation of wildlife and environment. They came into forefront mainly because of the Bhitarkanika case, Narayan Sarovar case, and intervention in Delhi ridge. Through research and investigation it came to light that the provisions of the WLPA, 1972 were not being implemented.CEL WWF filed a civil writ petition in May, 1995 in SC for protection and development of protected areas along with the wildlife. The SC accepted the petition and issued notices to every State Government and the Union of India on February, 1997. During the course of the case hearing the SC has passed several contempt notices to the state and union officials to carry out their duties with honour and adhere to the orders of the court. In March, 1997 the Indian board of wildlife (IBWL) was ordered to submit a summary and report on the plight of the protected areas in India and its progress after the SC had passed the orders for strict surveillance. The states were requested to submit a report on its activities and the steps they had taken for the betterment of these protected areas. The SC also noticed that some states had WW while some didnt. Those states who had appointed a WW were only for certain areas. In response to the SC, the MoEF responded that the meeting of the Previous IBWL have not attended a meeting for the last eight years. This showed laxity at the national level and the action of the highest authority. This board was reconstituted in 1996 and appointed the Prime Minister as the Chairman. At the state level the states had not been adhering to the court orders and were not alert enough to file their replies. Even though it was laxity at the state level and the SC extended the deadline of the submission of the report and granted them another two months to file their answers. Finally, the SC accepted that all the States and Unions of India had constituted their wildlife advisory boards and confirmed the body. This was done in January, 1998. One of the main issues regarding implementation was about the existing tiger population in India. The court ordered to bring to notice about the population of these cats. By a report submitted by the MoEF stated that the population of tigers had not declined since 1973. But the overall decline of population was due to the fragmentation of tiger habitats. DE RESERVATION OF PROTECTED AREAS Some sanctuaries face a threat of being de reserved by the state actions. The shield provided by the WLPA, 1972 can be removed by the state wildlife advisory board (state board) in case its not necessary. But the order passed by the SC directed the state governments to pass on a proposal of denotification or de reservation of an area to the NBWL for its opinion and pass it on to the Legislative Assembly. According to the 2002 amendment of WLPA the NBWL has the power to alter PAs over the legislative assembly. Certain cases have already happened like, 1994 the Boriavli National Park was trimmed so that the slum people who resided near the national park would not be evicted. But in case of tiger reserve, it cannot be de notified by a state board. But a tiger reserve can be de reserved if it has the approval of the TCA and the National Board for Wildlife. The Forest Conservation Act, 1970 (FCA) actually restricts the authority of the state to de-reserve forest areas. According to th e SC order dated 13.11.2000 the state requires prior permission for the diversion or de-reservation of forest land in national parks. STATE LEVEL RESPONSES ON PROTECTED AREAS TAMIL NADU In Tamil Nadu the state board was constituted on 14.09.1995 and again reconstituted on 24.02.1997. The state appointed 10 WW to look after the implementation of the WLPA. Tamil Nadu was one the few states that actually interpreted the Supreme Court orders correctly. The state of Tamil Nadu also informed the Supreme Court that there are 6 WW and a Deputy Director for the Project Tiger. A district officer has also been appointed to look after the implementation of the WLPA properly in various national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The Honorary Wildlife Warden (HWW) is appointed for the National parks and the Sanctuaries. They are appointed for tenure of 3 years. If the person appointed wants to resign before the period is completed then a notice of 3 months has to be given prior to resignation or cancellation of appointment. Many of the protected areas have been notified under the section 16 of the Tamil Nadu Forest act, 1882 and with reference to reserved forest the areas that were proclaimed and notified under the Tamil Nadu forest act, 1882 will enjoy a status equivalent to those that have been notified under the section 26A or 21, WLPA, 1972. Certain sanctuaries and national park come under the non reserved forest areas. These areas are proclaimed under the section 21 of WLPA. An order dated 20.03.1998 stated the immunization of all wildlife in NPs/WSs in every state. The state director of animal husbandry was given the authority to carry out the instructions at the district level. The District Forest Officers were instructed the vaccination of all wildlife in the 5 km radius of Protected Areas. Another order dated 20.03.1998 stated the registration of arms and issuance of licences. The State Director General of Police was instructed to comply with the order. The wildlife protection (Tamil Nadu) Rules, 1975 was framed. The Rule 33 is about the registration of arms in the vicinity of NPs/WSs. The DGPs and CWLWs are requested to take action in case of non compliance. Tamil Nadu has in total 5 NP and 8 WS, 12 BS, 4 Elephant reserves, 3 Tiger Reserves and 3 Biosphere Reserves (Table 3) which are under the UNESCOs MAB programme. Almost one sixth of Tamil Nadu is covered with forest. The state ranks in the 11th position in reference to total forest cover among the Indian states and Union Territories and ranks 13th position in reference to total recorded forest cover. Tamil Nadu ranks 14th position with reference to protected areas. The diversity of flora and fauna are a boon to the state and need to be conserved and managed with great care since the extent of diversity is beyond our imagination. Forests and wilderness of the state actually defines the state. According to the 2008 census, tiger population increased in the state of Tamil Nadu. This was achieved due to strict and mandatory measures passed by the state board. For the development, conservation and administration activities the state has sanctioned and invested a huge sum of money which has proved to be successful to an extent. THE SARISKA CASE: TARUN BHARATH SANGH, ALWAR Vs UNION OF INDIA Tarun Bharath Sangh is a non governmental organization (NGO) whose concern was about the rural development of Rajasthan. The main issue of concern was the availability of water resource. Illegal mining activities were being carried out in Alwar district of Rajasthant taht resulted in shortage of water. The organization launched the Sariska Case. The area that was under scrutiny is now what is known as the Sariska Tiger Sanctuary. This Tiger Sanctuary is a species specific Protected Area and comes under the Tiger Reserves category and it is an exclusive hunting area for the Rulers of the Quondam, Alwar state. This NGO approached court petitioning that the illegal mining activity that was going on in the Alwar district of Rajasthan needs to cease in the interest of environment and nature to sustain. They pointed out that the mining is being carried out in a protected area that has been declared by the government. The area is declared as a tiger reserve under Rajasthan Wild Animal and Birds Protection Act, 1951. This area is also declared as a WS and NP under WLPA, 1972. Under these acts such activities in WS or NP or a tiger reserve is prohibited and can result in dire consequences. The permission of the government for such activities actually contradicted these legislations. The petitioners side of argument was that mining permission lease was not granted to the company. For such an activity to be carried out they have to acquire prior permission from the Government of India section 2 FCA,1980 and rule 4(6) of Rajasthan Minor Mineral Concession Rules. They stated that no permission was obtained and the government illegally issued 400 mining permission leases. This has caused degradation of ecology and devastation of the environment. In this case, the court was called upon to ensure that the laws for the protection of the environment were enacted on. The state on its behalf countered that the grant of these mining activities where due to some confusion regarding the difference between NP and reserved forests and were confused regarding the exact location of mining areas. But the state was humble enough to agree that the mines were in the protected areas and realised that appropriate action should be taken so that the provisions of the statutes are enforced. The irony is that the state of Rajasthan while proclaiming that they protect the environment actually is part of a huge scam and allows the degradation of the environment. The central government stated that the FCA provisions extend to reserved, protected forests and all the areas that have been recorded as forests in the government records. They also submitted that no mining should be allowed to take place without the prior permission from the central government. The central government passed a notification on 7 May, 1997 under section 3 of EPA. This notification prohibited the mining in the Sariska NP, Sariska WS and other areas that were protected. According to the Rule 4(6) of the Rajasthan Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1982, no mining lease can be granted within a forest without going through the rules and provisions provided by the FCA, 1980. The chair man of committee Shri.Justice M.L.Jain recommended 215 mines mentioned in appendix A that are placed wholly in protected areas are closed. The purpose of FCA and EPA are totally different. In the sense that the closure of the mines that were situated in the protected forests may not benefit for t he environmental purpose but will surely benefit the forest purpose. The central government stated that no permission was acquired for the mines that were in the protected forests. The court after the final hearing ordered and issued notice to the listed mines to stop their activities immediately. But the mines outside the tiger reserve were allowed to continue their activity for 4 months within which they could approach the central government with an application to continue their operation. If permitted they are allowed to continue their mining activities with no hindrance. If no permission is obtained then they will have to cease their mining operations immediately. Some miners who felt that they were wronged filed a review application and the SC rejected the application on 7 May, 1994. This case is a perfect example of Industry Vs Protected Areas. CONCLUSION Nature cannot be compared in terms of beauty. There is nothing that surpasses her. The presence of nature along with her children playing around carefree and not worried about the future was what God pictured when he first created Earth. But unfortunately, the rosy picture painted by God was not reality. Man has been the root cause of the upheaval. Protected areas have a very important place in the process of restoration of the environment. These areas conserve and restore the environment along with its flora and fauna. These areas are critical for the conservation of endemic biodiversity. India has a very diverse population of fauna and flora. But now even the smallest of species are facing a threat of extinction. The protection of natural areas is the fundamental conservation strategy. These areas are key habitats since they can be conserved by species approach or ecosystem approach. These provide refuge for wildlife to restore them and protect them from the outside cruelty. They also protect mankind indirectly by protecting the trivial life on earth and help in balancing the natures cycle. These areas are life for the local tribes. The WLPA, 1972 legislation was passed for the protection of wildlife. But ironically until recently the provisions of the act have not been implemented to full strength. Until the SC intervened the State Board and the National Board were very poor respondents. This statute needs to be revised and amended in various aspects. There should be a section legislated in the WLPA dedicated to the implementation of the provisions and instructions. It should be made mandatory. The authorities in charge need to be penalised in case rules and regulations were flouted. Even though there are rules regarding the entry of people, registration of arms into these areas if someone throws in some cash anything under the sun can be achieved, including flouting the wildlife laws. The main reason is that the base of the whole structure is so weak that nothing can be done. Unless we realise and build the system again from the foundation the future is bleak and is very much predictable. This can be seen the case of Tarun bharath Sangh,Alwar Vs Union of India,1992. Here the government themselves are villains by allowing illegal mining operations in a protected forest. Flouting of wildlife laws has resulted in grave consequences. One such case comes to light about the extinction of tigers from the Sariska Tiger Reserve. In December 2004, all tigers had disappeared from the Sariska Tiger Reserve. In 1973, Project Tiger was established for the conservation of tiger. The shock waves that were created and sent across the country resulted in the establishment of the Tiger Task Force; it was specially formed for the Tiger conservation. Through investigation it was revealed that poaching was the main issue for the dwindling population of tigers. The last six that remained were poached during the last months of 2004. After this devastating story, the wardens are instructed to shoot poachers on sight when they are sighted. Tiger (Panthera tigris) is our national animal. The danger we are putting it through is a heart wrenching story. Now it doesnt even have a place to call home since its struggling with mankind tooth and nail for survival. Joining our national animal are other wildlife species like the lion, Asian elephant, snow leopard etc. Even though these are protected and conserved in areas or reserves they still face the threat of poaching. There are also other reasons that affect the conservation strategies. One of the main reasons is the failure of the forest dwellers or local people in helping to conserve the wildlife. They assist the poachers in killing those animals giving the reason that they are threatened by its presence. Therefore there is no cordial relationship between the management and the local people. But we cannot blame the local people for their action because their whole livelihood is through deriving resources from the forest reserve. The recording and rights of people living near forests and reserves started way back when the acts were legislated but even now many are pending. Many people are still in hope to get their rights so that they can live peacefully with nature. This is a perfect para digm for Man Vs Wild. These conflicts have been present for ages but have increased over the years because humans expand their cities or towns with reference to development. This has resulted in us exploiting their habitat. Other reasons that can lead to threatening the wildlife in their protected abode is illegal activities such as mining, construction, noise etc. Protected areas along with its varied flora and fauna actually conserve the value of the country. Even though these areas are protected half the population of the country are not aware that an Act has been implemented for protection. People dont realise the consequences and the penal codes of the constitution regarding environment. This is basically due to ignorance and illiteracy. Therefore awareness needs to be achieved.MoEF One act of random kindness will change the life of many. Environment and mankind are interlinked. That is because every living thing has a place and a role to play on this planet through a food chain or a food web. So even if one level is disrupted the whole web goes haywire and can result in a catastrophe that man didnt perceive. So if he wants to live he needs to start thinking twice before taking a crucial step. But it doesnt mean that development stops. Development can take place but not at the cost of the environment. Nature should not take the brunt of mans action. Only recently have people started to stand up to the atrocities being done to animals. But even then the response is poor compared to the huge population of India. Man being a greedy animal, has never been satisfied with his life and in the name of development has destroyed the environment. When he does realise the mistakes that he has committed it would be too late to turn back and start again. He is already standing on the edge of the cliff, one wrong move and he sinks without a trace. Being the most intelligent creature ironically man has been doing the most foolish thing of his lifetime. What is life without any morale and values? Are we so inhumane to even listen to the pain that these animals cry out when they are being killed? Are we deaf to the pleas that reverberate out of them and asking us for their help? But instead of helping them we are using them for our benefit. This is what life has become to develop our race we step onto the lives of another. GLOSSARY Art.252 Power of Parliament to legislate for two or more States by consent and adoption of such legislation by any other State. Art.51A(g) It shall be the duty of every citizen of india to protect and improve the natural environment including forests,lakes,rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures. Entries 17A and 17B Forests and Protection of Wildlife in Concurrent list Art.8 In Situ conservation of protected areas Art.21 Protection of life and personal liberty.-No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. Section 2(37) wild life includes any animal, bees, butterflies, crustacea, fish and moths; and aquatic or land vegetation which form part of any habitat; Section16 notification declaring forest reserved Section 18 Declaration of sanctuary Section 26 A Declaration of area as sanctuary Section 27 Restriction on entry in sanctuary Section 29 Destruction,etc., in a sanctuary prohibited without permit Section 30 Causing fire prohibited No person shall set fire to a sanctuary, or kindle any fire, or leave any fire buring, in such manner as to endanger such sanctuary. Section 31 Prohibition of entry into sanctuary with weapon No person shall enter a sanctuary with any weapon except with the previous permission in writing of the Chief Wild Life Warden or the authorised officer. Section 32 Ban on use of injurious substances a No person shall use, in a sanctuary, chemicals, explosives or any other substances which may cause injury to or endanger, any wild life in such sanctuary

Michael Mcintyre And Peter Kay English Language Essay

Michael Mcintyre And Peter Kay English Language Essay In this analysis I will evaluate the approaches to stand-up comedy undertaken by comedians Michael McIntyre and Peter Kay, commenting on techniques such as role play, comic exaggeration, lexical choices, and changes in pitch and tone, used to establish humour. Michael McIntyre is a proud middle-class comedian raised in the heart of Hampstead, north London. Over the last four years, his exuberant observational style has seen him grown into one of the biggest names in British comedy. His appeal is built on the fact that people genuinely seem like him, in that his comedy is accessible to all. On this occasion, McIntyre is performing a sketch on Herbs and Spices at Birminghams NEC Arena, in front of an audience in excess of ten thousand. McIntyres observational style turns the pettiest of everyday domestic engagements into the most humorous of affairs, and therefore relies largely on his audiences ability to relate with what he saying. In this instance, neglected herbs and spices are anthropomorphised, to express their discontent at being left at the back of the kitchen cupboard, whilst rival seasonings, Salt and Pepper sit arrogantly on the kitchen table. The introduction to the sketch consists largely of simple and compound declarative utterances, containing unsophisticated, high frequency lexis, ensuring that the audience can absorb what is being said. The second person subjective pronoun, you, in combination with formal vocatives, ladies and gentlemen in the first line, is an example of McIntyre addressing the audience directly. He engages with his audience in an attempt to make his words feel more conversational, and less like a performance, thus establishing an amicable rapport. The opening declarative utterances (lines 1-2) are stated as fact, using Standard English. They are said in an informative manner, and are the basis on which the joke is built; his observation. The imperative utterance on line two highlights this observation. McIntyre exclaims; salt and pepper are so phenomenally successful in the herb and spice arena. The monosyllabic, adverb of degree so coupled with the polysyllabic intensifier phenomenally emphasises the metaphor, crediting the popularity of salt and pepper to success in a metaphorical arena. McIntyre then later goes on to remind his audience that salt and pepper are not the only herbs and spices available. The declarative utterance on line 7, presents this information as somewhat of a revelation, with the stressed conjunction but and adjective other, helping to intensify his point. Much of the comedy in McIntyres routine is derived from comic exaggeration, fuelled by his very own larger-than-life personality. The humble world of culinary additives is metaphorically introduced to the audience as an arena, implying that there are winners, and there are losers. The clear winners of this metaphorical battleground, being the ever-present collocation of salt and pepper. Salt and Pepper also happen to be the first spices anthropomorphised by McIntyre (Lines 3-5). On line 3, he begins his utterance using the 3rd person, subjective pronoun, they, but then replaces this with the 1st person objective pronoun, us, marking the transition into role-play, later confirmed by the, again, 1st person, reflexive pronoun myself. In personifying the usually inanimate figures of salt and pepper, McIntyre is able to create character depth. On line three, Salt and Pepper are described as arrogantly sitting on the table. The stressed polysyllabic adverb of manner arrogantly, personifies Salt and Pepper making them seem conceited, which provokes spite and even envy, amongst their on-looking counterparts McIntyre is technically adept, he knows how to build on a routine and squeeze it for maximum effect. From line 10 onwards his sketch becomes very routinely question and answer, with a high frequency of adjacency pairs and interrogatives throughout. Each spice is, in turn, asked the same question, only to respond with an amusing personal anecdote, reflecting the character of each individual. For example when Mediterranean herb, Cumin is faced with this question, he recollects a time in 1992, when he last left the cupboard for an experiment. McIntyre uses the abstract noun experiment ironically, suggesting that this was his defining moment, his time to shine. Then just as this cycle verges on the edge of predictability, the routine is broken, with the comical introduction of yet another new character. Step up; John West tuna (line 25-26). With the introduction of John West tuna and his wife Tinned Salmon, McIntyre plays on a shared reference, implying that they had been in the cupboard for such a long time, they were able to forge a relationship. Through the medium of comedy, McIntyre is able to express his observation which doubles as a criticism of the fact that at some point in time, perhaps influenced by a magazine article or television commercial, most people will deem it a good idea to embrace the possibility of change in the long-term future, whilst lacking any real willingness for immediate change. Consequently, it is relatively easy to justify the purchase of reasonably inexpensive items (such as herbs), in knowledge that we may not require, nor use them at any time in the foreseeable future. Rather, they are bought in faith that one day they will serve an intended purpose. But of course things rarely change; meaning that one day never comes, leaving the victims of this wasteful ideology to remain as forgotten relics, more ornamental than practical. By making light of comedy in the most ordinary of every-day, Michael McIntyre reminds us that stand-up doesnt have to be brutal, in order to be funny. Peter Kay is arguably Britains most loved comedian. A thirty-nine year old male from Bolton, northern England, whose style of comedy, like McIntyres, is built loosely upon observation. However, a combination of cherishable British values and a trademark loveable nostalgia set him aside from most other acts. Nevertheless, Peter Kay is an unlikely comedian at best. Wide-eyed and clean-shaven, he steers clear of jokes about sex and politics. His routine lacks cruelty and he hardly ever swears. A married man and, in many respects, a bit of an average Joe. In this instance, we find Kay nearing the middle of a routine, performing a sketch on biscuits in front of an audience numbering more than three thousand, at Manchesters Apollo Theatre in 2002. Kays observation is based around the problems faced whilst performing the universal act of dipping biscuits into hot drinks. In this case, Kay is questioning the structural quality of a Rich Tea biscuit. On line 17 he personifies the Rich Tea, describing it, using high frequency adjectives cocky and lazy, implying that the humble azoic biscuit is in fact, conspiring against him. He later compares this to a Hobnob biscuit, which he metaphorically likens to; a Marine, the SAS and finally to TV hardman Steven Segal, creating a comparative juxtaposition, which becomes the basis of the joke. As much of Kays comedy relies on audience participation, rapport is crucial. Kays working class background is something that many members of his audience will be able to relate to, and so as a result he is able to employ a significant level of informal, high frequency colloquial lexis, including concrete noun brew and vocative mum, which recreates a typical conversational tone. Clipping of the 1st person singular pronoun, I in I am, to leave only am in the opening utterance on line one is an example of Kays regional dialect, which is the primary feature in this informal tone. In addition to creating rapport, Kays Lancashire dialect works to his advantage, as it sets him aside from other comedians. The preposition in elided with the definite article the on line 3, is another example of this regional dialect. Also the 1st person objective singular pronoun, me, and the possessive determiner my, are used interchangeably, in typical northern fashion, as seen on line seven. Another factor contributing to the establishment of rapport is Kays regional accent, which, in addition to dialect, adds a certain individuality to his routine. Unlike McIntyre, with his particularly received pronunciation and Standard English, Kay sports a notably lusty Lancashire accent. By clipping the present participle at the end of the emphasised, low frequency dynamic verb, planing (creating planin) on line five, Kay eliminates the harsh sounding consonant, thus extenuating his speech and alluding to an overall more colloquial tone. Kay is also able to use prosodics as an effective feature of comedy. Changes in the dynamics of his voice are prevalently used to differentiate between sentence moods. For example an increase in pitch on line 29, in the interrogative utterance, wheres me brew creates emphasis and conveys his confusion. Whereas a contrasting decrease in pitch on line 39 is used to express the military-esque seriousness of the hobnob. Since Kay so often chooses to stay clear of taboo, when coupled with the infrequent use of expletives, this technique becomes a particularly effective feature of comedy. On line 18, the cresc, clipped expletive fucking (creating king), followed by the proper noun One-Dips stresses the torment that the Rich Tea has caused him, further expressing his anguish. In McIntyres work, there are very few examples of non-fluency features (complimenting his suave stage persona). In contrast, they are prevalent throughout Kays. Although Kay will have scripted and, to some extent, rehearsed his routine, the inclusion of non-fluency features (incidentally or otherwise) bestows a sense of spontaneity, which adds to his colloquial charm. Towards the end of line 22, there is an example of a false start, which gives his previous point (theyre on their arses) sincerity, and reflects his enthusiasm towards stand-up as a whole. Then later, on line 23, he exclaims theyre cocky which, following a slight pause, he then repeats, partially to stress his point, but primarily to allow him time to gather his thoughts before continuing. Behind the sparkling eyes and boyish complexion, there is the astute mind of a shrewd operator. It is easy to forget that it takes nerves of steel as well as a few witty one-liners to achieve success in comedy. Two people, from two very different walks of life. Nevertheless, Kay and McIntyre alike possess the uncanny ability to captivate audiences of the broadest kind; a virtue which has propelled them to the forefront of contemporary British comedy. From gags about herbs and spices, to Rich Tea biscuits; in celebrating the daft little dramas that punctuate even the most inauspicious lives, their honesty and sincerity evoke sentiment, making them feel like a long-lost friend.

Second Language Acquisition Essay -- teachers, psychologists, research

Introduction Through the years, language teachers, psychologists and others have had varying ideas of how languages are learned. Second language acquisition has multiple models, including cognitive based models, sociocultural models, and models regarding input and interaction. In this paper, my goal is to take one prominent model of SLA, the interactionist model, and determine how this model actually plays out in the classroom. I seek to answer the following questions: How does interaction support the development of interlanguage as shown in SLA research? And what does this imply about teaching practice. The discussion of these questions will follow from an analysis of four articles on interaction research. First, I will discuss an article called â€Å"Talking, tuning in and noticing: exploring the benefits of output in task-based peer interaction† by Philp & Iwashita (2013). Then I will discuss Iwashita’s work, â€Å"Negative Feedback and Positive Evidence in Task-Based Interacti on† (2003). I will move on to the work of Mackey and Silver, â€Å"Interactional tasks and English L2 learning by immigrant children in Singapore† (2005). Finally, I will analyze McDonough’s work from 2005 on â€Å"Learner-learner interaction during pair and small group activities in a Thai EFL context.† Through these articles I will gain more information on how to answer my chief questions. Before diving into the research, let us briefly investigate what the interactionist view of SLA is, and how it differs from other views of SLA. Long (1981, 1983, 1996) proposed that interaction is crucial to SLA. One key idea in Long’s perspective on SLA is negotiation for meaning. When interlocutors struggle to understand one another during a difficult language task, they modify their... ...rs and parents for background information. Works Cited Iwashita, N. (2003). Negative Feedback and Positive Evidence in Task-Based Interaction: Differential Effects on L2 Development. Studies In Second Language Acquisition, 25(1), 1-36. doi:10.1017/S0272263103000019 Lightbown, P., & Spada, N. M. (2014). How languages are learned (4th ed.). Oxford [england: Oxford University Press. [Kindle Edition] Mackey, A., & Silver, R. E. (2005). Interactional tasks and English L2 learning by immigrant children in Singapore. System, 33(2), 239-260. McDonough, K. (2004). Learner-learner interaction during pair and small group activities in a Thai EFL context. System, 32,207-224. Philp, J., & Iwashita, N. (2013). Talking, tuning in and noticing: exploring the benefits of output in task-based peer interaction. Language Awareness, 22(4), 353-370. doi:10.1080/09658416.2012.758128

Comparing the Impact of Colonization in A Small Place, A Passage to Ind

Impact of British Colonization Exposed in A Small Place, A Passage to India, and Robinson Crusoe British colonialism began in the early fifteen hundreds and even continues today with the British rule of the British Virgin Islands.   For centuries, literature has served as a type of historical documentation of colonization as many authors wrote about colonization from both a colonized and a colonizer's point of view. During colonization, and post-colonization, the physical environment of each colony was changed. Using references to A Small Place, A Passage to India, and Robinson Crusoe, I will provide examples of the physical changes to the colonized societies made by England and discuss the reactions of the colonized people. Jamaica Kincade is quoted as saying "The English loved England so much they built it everywhere they went."   Kincaid writes about the feelings of the colonized society in A Small Place. While she expresses the feeling of the colonized, contrarily, she explains the ideas of the English colonizer. In this excerpt, she is describing Antigua, the place she grew up, and how the British changed it. She begins by explaining the English love England so much, whenever they went they turned it into England. She supports this idea in several ways. First, she gives examples of the street names in Antigua. On a tropical island in the Caribbean Sea, the streets have names such as Rodney, Hood, Hawkins and Drake Street all names of "English maritime criminals". Secondly, Kincaid continues with her description of High Street. This was the street where all of the colonial government buildings were located. The English had built an entire portion of the city that did not exist before their arrival. High Street consiste... ...his journey. For as long as he has ink he will write and after that, he will be forced to leave off (Defoe 72). Defoe did not give Friday much of a voice. However, I can draw an inference that Friday must have liked Crusoe's "English" house or he would not have stayed. We can make comparisons to Crusoe being the Colonizer and Friday was the colonized. Therefore, we can conclude, that the colonized people did like some aspects of the British colonization. In conclusion, "The English loved England so much they built it everywhere." As shown in A Small Place, A Passage to India, and Robinson Crusoe, the effects that the British had on each of their colonies will certainly last a long time. Colonies will embrace schools, libraries, Governmental buildings, banks, airports and even churches that will remain there for generations after the expiration of British rule.

Personal Narrative- Shoulder Injury :: Personal Narrative Essays

Personal Narrative- Shoulder Injury I felt it pop, and pain engulfed my shoulder like ants cover an anthill that has been stirred with a stick. It made me angry, but it didn't help things to get mad. There was nothing I could do but try to recover in time to start over. Giving up wasn't an option. My junior year in high school, I went out for basketball. I liked it for a while, but when games started I was on JV. It was okay, but I was only getting to play two minutes per game. This didn't make me very happy. With all the time that I was putting in to play, it just wasn't worth it. My dad told me to just stick it out. Some of my friends told me that I should just switch to wrestling. I didn't know if this was possible, so I talked to the coach. The coach said he would be glad to have me on the team, but I would have to talk to the counselor. I talked to him and explained why I wanted to switch sports and he gave me the go ahead. There was only one thing standing in my way: how was I going to persuade my parents to let me wrestle. I talked to my dad about it and he said that if that was really what I wanted to do then that would be fine. I decided that I would play one more game of basketball and if things didn't get better, I would switch. Things didn't get better. I went in o nce for two minutes. I got my weight certified and started wrestling over Christmas break. My first practice was horrible. The head gear straps made my head raw and I got my butt kicked. I didn't know anything compared to the other guys in the 135 weight group. I learned a lot from them, though, and as time progressed, I got better and could actually wrestle with them. I found that there were some moves that wouldn't work on me, because my shoulders were very flexible. It was great, because some kids were afraid that they were tearing up my shoulders, so, they wouldn't use some of the techniques that they regularly would have. Finally, I had enough practices to wrestle in a meet. I was nervous, because it was my very first meet, and it was a varsity meet that our JV was going to.

Commercialising from the bottom up: Onions in central Tanzania

Key points: †¢ With minimal assistance and direction, small farmers in central Tanzania have created thriving plots of irrigated onions, marketed in Dar, other parts of Tanzania and in the region. †¢ Lack of formal credit has not prevented many farmers fertilising their crops heavily. Two villages have been able to overcome poor road access. †¢ Informal marketing work well enough: traders make small margins on the onions they buy and sell. †¢ Farmers are reluctant to co-operate in production or marketing; yet the irrigation depends on local water associations and these function. Government and donor roles have largely been keeping the peace, a stable macro-economy and investing in physical infrastructure — the roads, and upgrading the irrigation intakes. Provision of schools and health posts have brought services to the villages. and outcomes. Surveys of 240 households have been complemented by interviews with groups of farmers, elders and key informants. The study Since 2009, researchers from Sokoine University of Agriculture have been studying four villages in central Tanzania — see Map, where onions are grown under irrigation for sale to domestic and regional markets. Two of the villages, Ruaha and Malolo, are located close to the main Dar-Iringa highway, while the other two, Lumuma and Moswero, have much poorer access down long and difficult dirt roads. The studies are designed to understand and explain the role of commercialisation in the villages, the processes involved FAC Research Update 004 www. future-agricultures. org Research Update Box A: How things began: village history Irrigation began at Ruaha-Mbuyuni when Mohamed Nganyali, a fisherman from Iringa, moved to the village. He showed others how to use traditional intakes to raise water level in the river so that it can flow into earth canals. During that time the rainfall was enough for a typical rainfed cropping of field crops such as maize, simsim and sorghum. This intake was upgraded by government in 1963, after which people started to grow onions with seeds from neighbouring villages. As word spread, the village saw incomers seeking irrigated plots. The valley of Malolo was settled by Wasagara, later joined by Wahehe who fled the German war against chief Mkwawa in Iringa in the late C19; attracted by the water. In-migration accelerated after 1961. The irrigation intakes were upgraded in 2002, with 24 km of main canals lined: funds for the work came from Japanese aid. The first settler in Lumuma was Byalumuma who gave his name to the place and its river. Subsequently settlers have come from all over Tanzania In 1975 onion farming was boosted by extension services demonstrating improved techniques. The irrigation intakes were upgraded in 2003, thanks to Danish funding through the Agricultural Sector Development Programme. A recent memorable date is September 2008, when the first mobile phone signals arrived after installation of a local mast. Msowero was first settled by two Wakaguru and two Wasagara families who came for the chance to irrigate. The numbers rose sharply after ujamaa villagisation in 1975 which saw a school built. Its irrigation was upgraded as part of the works for Lumuma in 2003, since they draw on the same stream. Sources: Interviews with elders and other key informants What can be seen in the villages? Commercial production of onions began when farmers, shown how to do it by an ncomer in the 1960s, diverted water from the streams that flow off surrounding hills to irrigate small plots on the flood plain. Box A tells more of the history of the villages. Later farmers soon realised that onions were a profitable crop on the irrigated land and began to specialise in their cultivation. Onions are sold to traders, mainly small-scale operators who lack their own transport, who buy and bag the onions, then hire trucks to take them to Dar and Mbeya, and sometimes beyond to Zanizibar, the Comoros, and south to Malawi and Zambia. Onions are sold on spot deals to whoever arrives and offers a good price. There are plenty of traders and although farmers complain of their lack of bargaining power, the marketing chains appears competitive. Some farmers are making use of the ubiquitous mobile phones to arrange times for traders to come and collect harvests, and to check prices in distant markets. The villages have few alternatives to farming, but the onion trade has given them a living that they could not aspire to from growing food crops — see Figure A, showing returns to crops. Figure A: Returns to land and labour in the four villages, median values in US$ One surprising finding is that many of the farmers who are most engaged in irrigated onions have few or no food crops. Instead they seem to be obtaining most of their maize and other staples from neighbours who grow a surplus on rainfed fields. Surveys in rural Africa usually find farmers preferring to grow their own staples on part of their land, even when they have more profitable cash crops. Research Update 003 www. future-agricultures. org What has made the difference? Most of what has happened has come from the initiative of local farmers, linked to traders who are mainly small operators from other rural areas. It was the farmers who built rustic offtakes, diverted the water, levelled the plots and learned how to grow onions. Almost all the capital invested is local: very few farmers obtain credit, yet they apply 135–175 kg/ha of manufactured fertiliser on their plots. Almost all of them finance this from their retained earnings. At first sight, government has played a minor role. But that would be unfair. Government has ensured a stable economy where farmers can invest, innovate and market their crops. It has also built roads, maintained them. The villages have schools and health posts. When disasters have struck in the past — major droughts and floods, government has provided some relief. In one case, onion producers benefited from extension. Most interesting of all, government guided two donors, Denmark and Japan, to the villages where they funded the modernisation of the intakes. Ideal aid: the donors just helped the farmers improve on what they were already doing, without trying to tell them what to do. The irrigation systems are maintained by the farmers, through water users associations. Marketing might be improved by farmers investing in storage allowing them to extend sales to the months when onion prices rise. Use of text messages to the mobile phones could supply them with regular price updates that would help them make better decisions on selling. There are threats. Population has been rising steadily in the area, as farmers from dryland areas come looking for irrigated plots. Rents correspondingly are rising. With a heavy concentration on onions, there is always the threat of disease or a new pest that could spell disaster. Moreover, the onions are so profitable, one wonders how long before more villages take up the crop and begin to compete in the market. For the two remote villages, there is the prospect that one day the road will be improved: at the moment they are less than 40 km from district headquarters at Kilosa, but cannot drive there directly and instead have to take a circuitous route where it takes five hours to reach the Dar to Dodoma tarmac highway. The road to Kilosa has been in development plans for some years, but it has yet to be built. What are we going to look at next? Current studies are looking at the water associations. These function well enough: they have to, water supply is vital. Yet farmers do not co-operate in production, marketing or almost anything else. The question then is, when people are reluctant to co-operate, how do the water bodies work and what is the secret of their success? Next year it is intended to go back and resurvey the farmers, so that changes can be tracked through time. What might the future hold? Some scope exists to improve onion cultivation through use of certified, improved varieties instead of relying on the sometimes variable quality of local seed. Research Update 003 www. future-agricultures. org This Research Update was written by Khamaldin Mutabazi, Ntengua Mdoe & Steve Wiggins of the Future Agricultures Consortium. The series editor is Beatrice Ouma. Further information about this series of Research Updates at: www. future-agricultures. org The Future Agricultures Consortium aims to encourage critical debate and policy dialogue on the future of agriculture in Africa. The Consortium is a partnership between research-based organisations across Africa and in the UK. Future Agricultures Consortium Secretariat at the University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RE UK T +44 (0) 1273 915670 E [email  protected] org Readers are encouraged to quote or reproduce material from Future Agricultures Briefings in their own publications. In return, the Future Agricultures Consortium requests due acknowledgement and a copy of the publication. FAC appreciates the support of the UK Department for International Development (DfID)