Global Warming and the Effects Essay

Global warming refers to the heating of the air near the earth’s surface and oceans and this problem was first noted to happen in the 1950s period. Today the issue of global warming is one of the most widely discussed as it has serious implications to our environment. Global warming is as a consequence of human activities and its main contributor is the high level of greenhouse gases that are emitted to the atmosphere. One of these gases is methane, nitrogen dioxide, water vapors and carbon dioxide (CO2), which are emitted when fossil fuels such natural gas, oil, diesel and coal are burned. The issue of global warming has risen to the levels of concern today and days cannot pass without it being mentioned. If its effects are not mitigated the world will become an inhabitable place. The effects of global warming are many ranging from rise in global temperatures, forests destruction, melting and retreat of ice glaciers and thawing of snow that covers the mountains and destruction of the coastal ecosystems. This is what this research paper will basically focus on. It will discuss in depth the causes of global warming how these effects impact our society. This research paper is structured as follows; it starts with a brief introduction of what global warming is, its origin and how it has developed overtime, some examples of where it has already occurred will be given and then the conclusion. At the very end there is also a list of all the works cited, properly formatted in accordance with the MLA formatting style. Most people according to Weart (13) use the term global warming to mean climatic change but this is not true. The former is as a result of human activities and changes in the solar system but later is any change in the state of the average climate in terms of precipitation and weather over an extended period of time. The first effects of global warming were first noted in the mid 19th century and according to various reports given by different researchers, global warming results due to unchecked human activities. The world has experienced and witnessed changes in ice formation and melting not mentioning the abrupt rise in global temperatures. Though weather variations are something that is as old as mankind, its recent changes have awakened the conscience of men. Although there are periods when temperatures are a bit hot, there was unusual rise in temperatures in the period between 1980s and 1990s. This problem has continued up to the 21st century. â€Å"In terms of global average near the surface air temperature, the year 1998 was the warmest in the instrumental record and the nine warmest years in that record have occurred since 1990† (Houghton 2). The Graph below Shows How Global Temperature Has Increased Over Time Due to Global Warming. Gotten from http://globalwarming-awareness2007-arshad. com/global-warming-graphs. shtml The rise in the rates at which hurricanes, tornadoes and the general blowing of strong wind is also attributed to global warming. These effects were experienced in Western Europe especially in England in the late 1980s. No single human being can claim not to have contributed to the global warming as in one way or the other one must have been involved in cooking using fossil fuels and in transport. These are the major contributors of global warming because they increase the amount of carbon dioxide gas which is in the atmosphere. (Natural Resources Defense Council). The problem with greenhouse gases is that they trap hot air that is trying to escape from the ocean and earths’ surface something that has serious consequences. Carbon dioxide behaves like a blanket and a mirror. It traps hot air and sends it back to the ground thus there is a lot of water evaporation on the oceans thereby increasing humidity in the air. Also this humidity also behaves like CO2 which traps hot air thus making the air in the atmosphere even warmer (Haughton 12) Most of the global effects we are witnessing today were predicted long time ago by scientists for example the world meteorological organization (WMO) issued a warning in 2003 that there will be increase in weather changes and the examples that it gave were tornadoes, hurricanes and heat waves. Today these tornadoes are like the order of the day and are the effects of global warming. According to scientists, when ice glaciers melts, that water flows to the oceans which in turn floods and the problem that results is that even when there is a small storm water is blown to the earths’ surface. Human activities that contribute to global warming dates back to the Industrial Revolution period when labor became mechanized. Those machines used fossil fuels such as coal which emits large amount of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The current human activities are contributing largely to the global warming that human activities of the 19th century although the current global warming effects are not just as a result of these current activities but is as a result of human activities extended over time. According to a report that was produced by the World Meteorological Organization, the period from early 1990s up to 2007 has registered the highest degrees in terms of global temperature. The average global temperature for the year 2007 was estimated to be 0. 41oC above the average annual temperature of the 1960s of 14. 00oc Just like there are many environmental variables, the same applies when it comes to human activities which contribute to global warming. As per the IPCC’s fourth assessment report, since 1750, human activities with a very high probability were said to be the cause of global warming. The increase of global warming for the last fifty years has been due to the increase in greenhouses emissions. The Graph Below shows how the Concentration of Greenhouse Gas has increased In the Last 250 Years. It was accessed from http://earthsci. org/education/teacher/basicgeol/global_warm/global_warm. html These gases also destroy the ozone that protects some harmful sun rays from reaching the sun and that is why there are so many cases of cancer in the world. The main source of these gases is the fuels that are used on vehicles, planes and other machines such as generators and water pumps and the fuels that are used in households. What happens is that when sun rays reach the earths’ surface, they heat the surface while the excess heat is radiated back to the atmosphere. These rays are supposed to be lost in the space but because there is a lot of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the sunlight with longer wavelength are trapped by these gases (Silverstein and Nunn 53-54). Now the problem is that it leads to global warming in that these gases behave like mirrors that reflect back sun rays to the earth leading to overheating of the global temperature and this is what is referred by scientists as greenhouse effect. Even the water vapor that results due to overheating of the ocean surfaces is also a greenhouse gas. It is estimated that these vapors contribute 36 to 70 percent of the global warming while carbon dioxide accounts for 9-26 percent while others like methane and ozone contributes about 4-9 percent and 3-7percent respectively. Methane is always present in the earth and so when mining or soil erosion occurs due to human activities; it is exposed to the atmosphere. This methane combines with other gases in the atmosphere and it releases carbon dioxide. Population is another factor that has contributed to the rise in global temperature. There is no direct link of overpopulation to global warming but through an intricate process it contributes. When population increase, it means people will require more food and demand for more food means that more agricultural lands will be cultivated. Scientifically we know that trees help in purifying air by absorbing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere so when vegetation cover is cleared the chances of global warming to result are high as greenhouses gases remain uncontrolled. Also, to some extent green vegetations lead to global warming. When green vegetation rot they release a smelly gas. This gas is methane and is one of those greenhouse gases. Again as people demand more food, they devise ways of increasing food production and one way of doing this is by using animal manure which contains a lot of methane. People are forced to keep animals so as they would get this manure thus indirectly leading to the global warming. As population grows, more energy is needed in the production sectors. Fuel usage increase in the production companies so as to meet the ever increasing demand for products. Population increase mean more transport demands, this leads to an increase in the number of vehicles resulting to more emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Apart from human causes, there are also natural causes of global warming. Sun which is part of the solar system could also contribute to the global warming. If there happens to be output changes in terms of the heat that the sun produces, global temperature could rise. Another natural factor that could contribute is if there happens to be a change in the shape of the orbit that earth as a planet follows. If one point is closer to the sun then, global temperature at that particular period of time could rise. All these causes of global warming lead to several negative consequences. One of these effects is the increase in precipitation. As more and more water evaporates and is trapped in the clouds it then falls as precipitation. When the oceans are heated by the sun, evaporation occurs leading to heavy rain that has negative results for example it leads to floods and soil erosion. (Victor 31-33) Another effect associated with global warming is the thawing of mountain glaciers. In the period between 1550s and 1850s there was a lot of glaciers but this has subsequently decreased over time. It is estimated that the world glaciers with the exception of ice sheets and caps in the Antarctic and Arctic regions has gone down by 50 percent. The reduction of these glaciers has been witnessed in Himalayas Mountains, Alps, Rocky Mountains and Pyrenees. The consequences of melting of these glaciers are many and one of them is flash slides, increase in landslides not mentioning the overflow of the glacial lakes. It also makes some rivers to become seasonal, during summer time they become dry and then gain water during winter. When glaciers melt, water levels in the ocean go up and it destroys the ecological system of the coastal areas because these floods engulf the coastal dry lands. Global temperature interferes with the balance and the length of the seasons. This will affect farmers who sow their seeds in a particular time predicting to be harvested at a particular time. â€Å"Farmers are planting the seeds according to the seasons and rain, but since the rains are getting disturbed and also the climate is getting shifted, the sowing time is difficult to predict, which will lead to poor production hence shortage of food grains† (Global warming, 2008). Marine life is also under extinction threats due to global temperature change. Many marine species have already succumbed to high temperatures in the seas. Penguins which live in coral leafs are the worst affected. Global warming leads to the destruction of the coral reefs and this leads to the interference in penguin’s life cycle resulting to many deaths. Also global warming leads to the retreat of ice in the sea. Though sea water absorbs sun’s heat, this ice reflects back some of the heat. If this ice melts away, sea water will get hot leading to the rise in temperature. According to a report made by the IPCC Fourth Assessment, it was predicted that forest fires will increase in some regions of the world like in the Mediterranean Europe. Global warming has no direct link to the bush fires but the thing is, there will be shortage of rain in those regions thus increasing the chances of forest fires being spread in large scale. When fire burns, carbon dioxide is emitted to the air and since this fire will clear all the remaining vegetations that would absorb some carbon dioxide, a lot of carbon dioxide will be released more than the natural cycle can handle and what will result is global warming due to green house effects. (Natural Resources Defense Council) Global warming also destroys the ozone layer that is in the atmosphere. This layer prevents the harmful sunrays such as ultra violet rays from reaching the earth. These rays lead to increased cases of skin cancer. To conclude this research paper, it is in order to say that global warming leads to the rise of the average global temperatures and have serious consequences on the environment. The main contributor of global warming is human activities although to some extent some natural factors such as alteration of the earth orbit could result to temperature rise. Global changes started to be witnessed in the mid 19th century but of late the effect are many and on the increasing trend. Its many effects have served as an awakening call to many governments to come up with various strategies that could help to reverse the trend. Global warming mostly results from fossil fuels which emit carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases include; ozone, methane, water vapors and nitrogen dioxide. What these gases do is that they trap hot air that is trying to escape from the ground resulting to overheating of both the ocean and ground surfaces. The effects of global warming are many and includes; rise in temperatures, forest fire outbreaks, thawing and retreat of glaciers, overflowing of rivers and lakes, disruption in the balance of seasons, extinction of some species especially those that live in seas, desertification, coastal lands being engulfed by floods and increase in diseases such as cancer and malaria. Works Cited: Global Warming. Global Warming Awareness. 2008. Accessed on October 30, 2008 from http://www. globalwarming. org. in/global-warming-facts. php Houghton J. Theodore. Global Warming: The Complete Briefing. Cambridge University Press, 2004 Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Global Warming: Consequences. 2008. Available at http://www. nrdc. org/globalWarming/fcons. asp Silverstein, A. and Nunn, L. S. Global Warming. Twenty-First Century Books, 2003 Watson R. The Natural Causes of Global Warming. 2007 http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/300649/the_natural_causes_of_global_ warming. html? cat=47 Weart S. R. The Discovery of Global Warming. Harvard University Press, 2003. Victor, David G. The Collapse of the Kyoto Protocol and the Struggle to Slow Global Warming: And the Struggle to Slow Global Warming. Princeton University Press, 2001

Genocide and Sexual Violence Essay

The Bosnia, Rwanda, and Nazi Germany Experience Genocide is defined in international law as acts which have the intention of destroying â€Å"in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group . . . † (Genocide Watch, n. d. ). Mass killings have been one of the most controversial events in the world. This incident even plays a more important part in the historical experience of those countries which undergone it. When the idea of genocide is being discussed it is always associated with different forms of violence. One of its most prevalent forms is sexual violence against women. Sexual violence is the most common act by which women are degraded and violated. Referring to sexual violence does not only connote the idea of rape. Rape being the process of forced penetration of the penis or any foreign object inside the anus or the vagina, or placing the penis inside the mouth. Sexual violence also includes other related sexual crimes like prostitution, sexual slavery, forced impregnation, mutilations, and other similar practices (West, 2005). Employing sexual violence especially rape, aids conflicting parties to achieved their desired outcomes or objectives. Its negative social effects help in accomplishing the primary goal behind the idea of violence. The main reason why violence exists is to make sure that coexistence would not continue and rape is considered to be a more powerful instrument than murder that could obtained this end (West, 2005). Being the case, sexual violence is utilized as a tool of genocide because of the social disgrace that it brings. This holds true in countries that gives importance to the idea of virginity and chastity because these symbolizes honor not only for the women but also for her family. Sexual violence humiliates both the women and also the men because if such act took place it gives the idea that men are not strong enough to defend their women (Chenoy, 1997). In connection to that, the process of ethnic cleansing would become easier because these abused women would be forced to leave their home and flee to other areas. Such acts of violence are done to induced hatred coming from the members of the targeted group towards their enemies so that they would no longer come back (West, 2005). However, there are instances that opportunistic sexual violence takes place. This kind of sexual crime is done based simply on the individual desire of the abuser. During times of conflict, violent acts escalate because there are no foreseen penalties or consequences in doing such. But this is not always the case especially in a more organized government or regime. In a more centrally organized and powerful state this kinds of crime are not seen as an instrument to inflict terror and humiliation towards the enemy but simply an individual taking advantage of the situation in order to fulfill ones’ aggressive sexual wants (West, 2005). The Bosnian Experience The end of the Soviet Union has brought significant changes in the structure and alignment of the region. The declaration of independence of states coming from the Eastern bloc started their animosity against each other. Slovenia and Croatia declared independence in July 1991 that brought war between Croatia and Yugoslav state as well as slight conflict between Yugoslavia and Slovenia. During the early parts of 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina achieved independence, this event culminated in a civil war against the Serbs, Croats, and the Muslims in Bosnia. The war lasted for several years, which is characterized by various forms of atrocities (Weitsman, 2006). One of the most disturbing forms of atrocities in the former Yugoslavia was the sexual violence inflicted upon Bosnian Muslim women by the Serb militias. Rape camps were created wherein women are segregated and raped everyday for months. Rape is not only the form of sexual violence that these women have to endure but also forced impregnation and maternity. Based on the Final report of the United Nations Commission of Experts established pursuant to security council resolution 789 (1992), the former Yugoslavia has 162 detention sites wherein people were sexually abused. Bosnian Muslim women were repeatedly raped by various men and then they murdered them or detained them to become sexual slaves. Some women were even raped by 40 men in one night while other were gang raped. Mass rape and forced impregnation is utilized as a strategy in the policy of Serb authorities. Serbs denies such kind of allegations but the identical ways by which the rape camps were established as well as the pattern of sexual abuse tend to proved otherwise. The mass sexual abuses of women as well as men have the primary goal of shaming, degrading, torturing, and violating their victims. Forced impregnation of women was also done with the intent that the offspring will live because the Serbs considered such as their primary goal. This is further proven by the accounts of women who experienced being held in rape camps. They narrated that they were impregnated and detained until such a time where abortion is no longer possible (Weitsman, 2006). Scholars and experts of international politics analyzed that sexual violence such as mass rape, forced impregnation, and forced maternity were strategies employed by the Serbs in order to accomplish their objective of ethnic cleansing and even genocide. Forcing women to bear children connotes the idea they want the offspring to acquire the identity of the rapists being paternally derived and thus, disconnect whatever attachment it might have from the mother. In doing so, the Serbs deem that they succeeded in their idea of ethnic cleansing because they are putting a stop to the propagation of the culture and genes of the Bosnians. The identities of the father are commonly unknown because of cases wherein a woman impregnated has been raped by many men. In such cases, the identity of these children as â€Å"genocidal babies† or little â€Å"chetniks† still continues because it is reinforced by the media and their community. The identity of the babies is already constructed in such a way that they would forever be linked to their Serbian fathers (Weitsman, 2006). The Rwandan Genocide The genocide that happened in Rwanda is a product of ethnic hatreds and rivalries that is rooted in the early parts of this country’s history. The animosity among the two ethnic groups in the country, namely the Hutus and Tutsis goes a long way. During the pre-colonial era these two ethnic groups realized the distinctiveness that they have from each other in terms of economic status, occupation as well as slight variations in their physical appearance. Despite such differences no conflicts were observable in these groups. However, the European colonizers emphasized the distinctness of these ethnic groups based on biological superiority. Europeans allocated more power, authority, and privileges over to the Tutsis due to their tall built and angular faces, which is said to make them superior in the racial hierarchy (West, 2005). The Belgians established a democratic institution in the country that attributed more power to the persistent Hutus. This event started the tension between these two groups that resulted for the Tutsis to flee towards neighboring countries. Animosity between the groups escalated as Hutu extremists continue to perceive the other ethnic group as a â€Å"Tutsi Threat†. The situation is further worsen by the violent acts of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). Hutu extremists were greatly concerned with the threat posed by the Tutsis that they decided to create a policy of genocidal mass killing. They deem that the complete annihilation of the Tutsis is the only way possible to solved this insecurity that they felt because other means are ineffective like the deportation of Tutsis to other countries, which they believe would only allow the continuation of the problem (West, 2005). The government was responsible to most of the violent attacks that happened, which intensified the feeling of terror among civilians. It is also because of fear that the civilians learned to act violently in order to defend themselves (West, 2005). Furthermore, Hutu extremists also used propaganda through the media in order to instil the hatred that the Hutu civilians must feel against the Tutsis. They also make sure that they degrade the Tutsi women by describing them as object of sexual desire (Weitsman, 2006). The participation of the civilians is needed in order for the complete annihilation of the Tutsis to be possible. During the mass killings, many women were kidnapped by their perpetrators and were raped, shamed, and left to die of depression; they did such because it contributes in the humiliation of the Tutsi culture. Sexual violence in this case is a means to deconstruct the Tutsi group of their spirit, willingness to move on and their very idea of life. Violent attacks were experienced by men and women of all ages but the women were greatly susceptible to it because of their gender and ethnicity (West, 2005). Basically, there are two purposes why sexual violence is employed. First, it is utilized in order to destroy the Tutsi race. The women symbolize their ethnicity and by raping, shaming, and lowering their morale they also destroys their ethnic group. Effects of sexual violence also humiliate their families and community. Using sexual violence invoked feelings of fear and humiliation that the Hutus believe would helped in the annihilation of the Tutsis. Second, it makes ethnic power inversion possible. Inflicting harm invokes hatred and a sense of revenge among the Tutsis. This feeling of vengeance only adds to their idea of the â€Å"Tutsi Threat† (West, 2005). The Nazi Germany The genocide that happened in the history of Germany is grounded in the idea that Germans or the Aryan race are the most racially pure and sophisticated people making them superior as compared to other races. Adolf Hitler made sure that the superiority of their race continues by first, eliminating the physically unfit members of the Aryan race like the handicapped and the mentally ill. Afterwards, he proceeded in annihilating the Jewish population, which he perceived as the greatest threat to their race. He disseminates the idea that the Jews are dirty and they are trying to infiltrate and destroy their superiority. Furthermore, he also accused that the Jews have connection in the Bolshevism of Russia and Stalin’s Communism. He succeeded in spreading the feeling of hatred among the Aryan race towards the Jews through propaganda in posters, newspapers, and radio reports. Basically, the perception that Jews are inferior and their connection to Bolshevism led to the conclusion that the only way to save the Aryan race as well as the entire Europe is through the elimination of the Jewish race (West, 2005). Unlike the case of Bosnia and Rwanda, there was very minimal practiced of sexual violence before and during the Holocaust in Germany. It is interesting to note that despite the long periods of incarceration that Jewish women spent in the concentration camps, they were not sexually abuse. Some reports of sexual crimes were more individualistic in nature as compared with the Rwandan and Bosnian experienced of mass raped. Sexual violence was only limited among Germans that hold high position in authority who are often left in charge making it opportunistic in nature. However, there are also instances that women are humiliated inside concentration camps. This is when they are forced to stand naked, be shaven, searched and experienced invasive medical tests. They also undergone psychological fear as soldiers would threaten them of sexual violence. But this merely becomes psychological means to infused terror because there are rarely cases of rape inside the concentration camps (West, 2005). Sexual violence was not employed during the genocide in Germany because of several factors. First, the strong and radical belief of the Nazis about their race. Their belief in the preservation of the purity of their race entails with it policies that prohibits them in engaging in sexual practices with inferior races as it is seen as dirty and they condemned the reproduction of Jewish people. This is proven by incidents wherein pregnant Jewish women are immediately killed. Second, Nazis have a very disciplined military that strictly obeyed the rules of their superiors as well as the ideology of their race. Being the case, they would not subject themselves in acts of sexual violence as this is prohibited in their laws and beliefs. Lastly, their strong hierarchical state which assures that the codes of conduct and laws are followed by the military as well as the civilian members of their population (West, 2005). This served as the strong foundation that holds the people belonging in the Aryan race to act accordingly with regards to their beliefs and objectives. Similarities and Differences The ethnic cleansing and genocide that happened in these three countries have its similarities and differences in terms of how the conflict escalated the usage of sexual violence, as well as their reasons in employing or not employing these violent acts. Bosnia, Rwanda, and Germany’s genocide are similar in the fact that it involves the leadership of political elites who devised ways in order to heighten the feeling of animosity among conflicting parties. In the case of Bosnia, the Serbs made a policy that created numerous rape camps that will aid in the rape and impregnation of women. Rwanda also employed a similar strategy by including the citizens to further aggravate the conflict that is taking place. They propagate the idea of â€Å"Tutsi threat† so that Hutu civilians would participate in the annihilation of the Tutsis. The strong political leadership of the Nazis also reinforced the superiority of the Aryan race and they created the idea of the Jews being a threat to their superiority in order to justify their actions of mass killings. Moreover, all of them used propaganda by means of the media to influence the mind of their fellow citizens and eventually aid them in their desired objectives. This is exactly what happened in Rwanda when they announced the â€Å"Tutsi threat† together with their perception of Tutsi women as sexual objects in their radio stations and newspapers. Similarly, the media also aided in propagating the idea that the offspring’s of the impregnated Bosnian Muslim women are â€Å"little chetniks† which heightened the stigma that these children’s identities would be forever linked to their fathers who are responsible for such violent act. Nazi Germany is also no different as they strengthened the idea of the Aryan race’s superiority and the threat the Jewish imposed upon this dominion through the same method as the two aforementioned incidents. The differences they have are focused on their idea of what sexual violence is and what are its effects to the ends that they are fighting for. In the genocide that happened in Rwanda they employed sexual violence as a means to humiliate and violate not only the women that they raped and their families but also their communities as well. The reason for such course of action is the high regards given to the honor of women because she symbolizes the very ethnicity of her race. Destroying her morale is also synonymous to the destruction of the race she symbolizes. In contrast, even though Bosnia practiced the same mass rape as Rwanda their perception towards it is different. Rwanda used sexual violence as a means to destroy the ethnic race by humiliation unlike in Bosnia wherein sexual violence is considered more as an after effect of their actions of ethnic cleansing. Their forced impregnation of women in their process of genocide was utilized in order to create â€Å"little chetniks† or offspring that would increase the Serbian race. The most unlikely among these three cases of genocide is the Nazi Germany experience. Sexual violence is not utilized by the Nazis to propagate mass destruction of the Jewish race. There are only minimal incidents of rape during those times and it was caused by opportunistic reasons rather than a method of ethnic cleansing. The rationale behind such incident is the fact that Nazis have a more disciplined military and strong hierarchal structure. In an organized government like the Nazi regime violent acts such as sexual abuse is not as rampant as compared to Bosnia and Rwanda because perpetrators are sure to face the consequences and penalties of their actions. Furthermore, a disciplined military would not adhere to sexual misconduct because of the fear of being punish by their superiors as well as their high regards to their beliefs. Sexual violence is indeed commonly used in most cases of genocide. Contrary to this usual practice there have also been instances wherein mass killings took placed but there are very minimal reports of sexual violence. In such cases, sexual violence was not perceived as an instrument in order to accomplish the goals of the perpetrators. This kind of observable discrepancy among the employment of sexual violence could be attributed to the idea that this concept is still very subjective. Its meaning, practice, and usage tend to vary from one person to another and in this case from one race from the other. References Chenoy, A. (1997). Demystifying Terrorism: a War Against Terror & The Terror Of War, US Hegemony & Militarism. ARENA. Genocide Watch. (n. d. ). What is Genocide? Retrieved 22 May 2008, from http://www. genocidewatch. org/aboutgenocide/whatisit. html.

Algae Production For Biofuel Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Algae Production For Biofuel - Article Example Traditional ethanol and oil rich plants such as sugarcane, corn and rapeseed have been tried successfully in various regions of the world to yield biodiesel for industrial use. However, the economics of biodiesel production has still to provide figures for potentially feasible and sustainable means to this end. Algae, which are simple botanical forms of life possessing the ability to reproduce at a fast rate with minimal of inputs are being looked at as a potential sources of biodiesel, as some of the millions of its species have been discovered to be rich in triglycerides and other fats/oils necessary for biofuel production. The major advantage of using algae for biofuel production is that they grow in ponds and wastewater, which do not encroach upon terrestrial territory already reserved for the cultivation of food crops. Moreover, algae possess the ability to double their biomass in as less as one day under optimized conditions (Odlare et al, 2011). The high growth rate however ha s to be optimized in relation to oil production within the organism as these two properties are contradictory to each other (Csavina et al, 2011). Methodologies and technologies are therefore being developed to cultivate algae in controlled conditions to achieve this objective. Lipids, sugar and hydrogen gas are considered the primary units of energy and a study at the University of Arizona reveals that algae have a distinct advantage over terrestrial cultivable crops such as corn as they possess a 300 fold advantage in producing the basic units for producing biofuel (Littin, 2011). Although the cost of production of fuel from algae still exceeds the value of the final product, intensive research is going on at the university as well as other parts of the world to optimize the process towards a profitable direction (Littin, 2011). Moreover, it has been discovered that secondary wastewater rich in nitrogen and phosphorus can be utilized to grow algae eliminating the need of fertilize rs (Littin, 2011). In turn, the algae besides producing lipids for potential use as biofuel purify the water as well, resulting in a double benefit. Grown in controlled conditions of specific light exposure and deprivation of nitrogen and sulfur at particular stages of their life promote lipid production in the algae, which are the strategies being explored by the scientists involved in this research (Littin, 2011). Biofuel or biodiesel can be produced from any biomass which has high lipid content. The process involves extraction of oil from the biomass by a process called transesterification which yields triglycerides, which possess the properties ideal for a biofuel (Taylor, 2011). Algae can either be grown in open ponds or in controlled conditions in what is known as a photo-bioreactor (Taylor, 2011). The latter is a sealed aquaculture system in which conditions can be optimized and manipulated according to required objectives of high lipid production by the organisms. Such biore actors are however costly to build as well as maintain and may not be the ideal means for biofuel production from algae. Identification of the appropriate species and varieties of algae growing in natural ponds and wastewater reservoirs in natural conditions, which provide the maximum yield of lipids can be the only means, once identified, to make economically feasible and sustainable methods for

Ch2 Literature Review of faculty attitudes towered e-learning Dissertation

Ch2 Literature Review of faculty attitudes towered e-learning - Dissertation Example Faculty attitudes are often perceived to be amongst the main sources that lead towards change efforts in academic programs. There are some studies that reveal that faculty development programs make faculty members to become prone to adopt only such changes that they feel are crucial or desired (Costa, McPhail, Smith, and Brisk, 2005, p. 105). Given that e-learning has been made possible because of new technology, its efficient use is dependent upon positive attitude being adopted by faculty members. There will be more meaningful incentive for using e-learning if faculty attitudes become positive (Liaw Huang, & Chen, 2007). There may be initial reluctance on the part of faculty members to adopt new teaching styles in view of the massive effort that has to be made in adapting to them. It is in this context that there is increasing demand to alter the negative attitudes towards using e-learning amongst faculty members. Only in this way can e-learning teaching requirements be fulfilled. The threats associated with this new style of teaching and technology does not mean that the dangers and risks associated with this system should be ignored. ... According to Magnussen (2008), it has become very important to adopt e-learning as a meaningful option for teaching because of the change towards philosophical concepts through which educators are viewed. They are not considered as distributors of educational content but as facilitators of learning. Bai and Ertmer (2004) have held that faculty attitude towards technology can be made better by integrating the available technology with course work provided to faculty members. A significant aspect in this regard is that faculty members can teach in the same way as they have been educated. It is very true that computer proficiency cannot be transferred to learners until faculty members adopt positive attitude towards e-learning (Yildirim, 2000, p. 481). Liaw (2006) has raised questions if learning institutions will be able to meet the requirements of a diverse student population and transforming societies. Mahdizadeh, Biemans, and Mulder (2007) researched on Perceived self-efficacy of fa culty attitudes toward e-learning and found that the use of e-learning by instructors is explained largely in terms of their perceptions about the value they get from e-learning systems. The concept of computer self efficacy is derived from Bandura’s (1986) self-efficacy construct that relates to a person’s ability to use computers. Perceived enjoyment is defined as ‘‘the extent to which the activity of using a specific system is perceived to be enjoyable in it’s own right, aside from any performance consequences resulting from system use† (Venkatesh, 2000, p.343) Perceived enjoyment is the inherent motivation that has a strong

Evaluation of the Responses Made by Dretske as Pertains to Chisholms Assignment

Evaluation of the Responses Made by Dretske as Pertains to Chisholms Claims - Assignment Example It was the philosopher Fred Dretske who took to investigating the various claim that was made by the late Roderick Chisholm who postulated that intentional states could only possibly be mental states. In making this claim, Chisholm was seen to derive the claim mainly based on the thesis proposed by Franz Brentano the nineteenth-century philosopher in his book â€Å"Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint†. Chisholm’s Claim that Intentionality cannot be naturalized and Dretske’s Response to the Claim A key feature of various mental states is their actual content. An example is that in the event that I essentially believe it will snow, my actual belief as at the moment can be seen to represent a state of the weather and when I chance to see a dog, I become perpetually aware of that cat. My innate belief that it is eventually going to rain may be seen to be inaccurate or accurate, my perception as to the existence of the cat may be imprecise or precise and my desire to be loved my eventually be satisfied or unsatisfied. Brentano postulated that intentional states were essentially solely mental states and thus distinguished mental states from the physical states because they are objects of awareness and non-spatial in nature. Brentano further contends that this perceived ‘intentional inexistence’ is generally exclusive to psychical phenomena and that there are no physical phenomena that can essentially be said to have it (Feldman & Feldman 2008). The Intentionality of thought can basically be accounted through mental expectations, semantics, and language. All these factors serve to actively demonstrate psychological intention and therefore cannot be explained in non-intentional or non-psychological terms. For Chisholm intentionality cannot essentially be naturalized because it is impossible to identify any such psychological fact with a physical fact. For Chisholm, the use of various intentional sentences essentially means that all our currently existing beliefs about various psychological phenomena an essentially be sufficiently expressed through them although it is impossible to do so for physical phenomena (Feldman & Feldman 2008). A good example of this is the sentence ‘Diogenes searching for an actual honest man†, this sentence can be perceived to be an intentional statement because it is seen not to rely on the relative veracity of there necessarily being an honest man or not.  Ã‚  

Performance Management For a Profit Organization Thesis

Performance Management For a Profit Organization - Thesis Example This section summarizes the study or the convenience of the readers. The first section of the study is the introductory part which includes a background of performance management and its external and internal factors. The external factors which affect performance management are share prices, environment of the market, competition, reputation, regulatory environment, etc. On the other hand the internal factors are the employees, management, labor unions, suppliers, etc. The performance management techniques and produces utilized by profit-making organization are effective or non-effective would be identified through the research that is done in this study. The critical review of the literature contradicted the stated problem of this research. The problem was that the current performance management procedure or practices are not effective. However, the critical review of literature has been put forward to prove the fact that the present performance management frameworks in profit-making organizations are proving to be effective. The literature review has been streamlined with research objectives and problem areas in order to find an effective solution. The traditional performance management framework was based on remuneration and financial performance of the company. The employees, their skill, and performance appraisal was planed based on their last drawn salary of the individual. However, this scenario has changed now. The performance, productivity, creativity, skill, and enthusiasm of the employees to contribute towards the sustainability of the company are taken into account in case of performance management as well as performance appraisal. Training and development are very effective in such case because the low performing employees are not punished, but they are given the opportunity to enhance their skill and knowledge, so that they can also pull themselves up. In the research methodology part it has

The effect of economic growth on health care in developed countries Essay

The effect of economic growth on health care in developed countries The case of the United States - Essay Example The discussion are mainly focused on health care services in United States of America, however a comparison is drawn with other developed states where appropriate. 2. Historical Background The absence of a universal health care insurance plan is felt since long in America. The efforts were made to formulate a comprehensive health policy that can satisfy the public and patients, physicians, employers and the insurance providers. However, these efforts seem to be mistimed because the government could not utilized the economic growth in the period of 1990 to materialize its long public demands towards the provisioning of better health care facilities. â€Å"The decade of 1990s was characterized by unprecedented economic growth and creation of wealth in United States.† (Shi & Douglas, 2008, p.63). The President Clinton in 1993 presents his national health care initiative, but it could not gain the public acceptance at large scale. The major reason was the slow economic growth and rise in the costs of services and medicine as observed by Shi & Douglas, â€Å"However, medical cost escalation and cost of health insurance premium continues to outpace both general inflation and general economic growth† and this degradation of economy has caused reduced health care services offered by the government and private employers, â€Å"The percentage of firms offering health insurance has fallen from 69% in 2000 to 61% in 2006.† (Shi & Douglas, 2008, p.562). 3. Recent Shift of Focus In recent years this trend is changed and health care has got more policy focus as compared to the 1990s decade. Health care is budgeted heavily and more research work is being...The essay presents a comprehensive review of some basic problems, that the United States are is currently facing in the system of health care. It is shown in the paper, that quality health care services can only be provided, if country is enjoying sustainable economic growth. Business should be given a freehand to concentrate on the growth of business instead of provisioning of insurance coverage and other packages because more business means better and secured economic growth. This does not mean the government controlled services, rather it should only act as a facilitator and guarantor. The absence of a universal health care insurance plan is felt since long in America. The efforts were made to formulate a comprehensive health policy that can satisfy the public and patients, physicians, employers and the insurance providers. However, these efforts seem to be mistimed because the government could not utilized the economic growth in the period of 1990 to materialize its long public demands towards the provisioning of better health care facilities. The aim should be the availability of insurance coverage to those 17% of Americans who are still all time uninsured. This petty figure has immense effect on the image of the US that is still far behind other industrial states on the globe in the field of health care services. The ever increasing costs in health care sector know no end, Medicare and Medicaid failed to control the cost at any level in health care sector and costs have never gone down.

Life of a knight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Life of a knight - Essay Example life under the constant stress of managing his estate, engaging in warfare both real and simulated, as well as conducting himself in such a way as to comport with the social expectations and the chivalric code of his day. Considering the everyday life that the knight actually endured, a thorough investigation reveals his existence to be more rigorous, dangerous, and demanding than that described in stories. One of the most easily-recognized aspects of the life of the knight is his castle. The romantic notion of a shiny building on a hill is not so realistic. The idea of even having a castle was rooted in the need to defend the land; it was a necessity for protection from Viking or other foreign raiders as well as rival political factions in the kingdom. Early castles were little more than dirt berms reinforced with timber beams. As civil society developed, the castle evolved into a center of commerce, more comfortable quarters for the knight’s family and servants as well as a key military defense post. In terms of its protective role, Singman notes that an â€Å"[e]ffective response to the military challenges of the medieval world required the power of a great lord...[and] the castle had arisen as the distinctive seat of a great feudal lords power† (105). The family of the knight also lived in the castle, and the local village populations looked to it as a source of protection, provision, and justice. In addition to providing military support for the kingdom, the knight was charged with overseeing the provision of the necessities of life and arbitrating the quarrels of the residents within his area. When he wasn’t fighting, the knight was ensuring that enough food, fuel, supplies, and entertainment were there for his people. He would also spend time sitting in a large room and settling the disputes of his serfs, much like a modern-day judge. His daily life, in addition to fighting or practicing his combat skills, was filled with family and social

Film analysis with historical references - The Motorcycle Diaries Research Paper

Film analysis with historical references - The Motorcycle Diaries - Research Paper Example The challenge of revolution as presented by the author is then associated with both the need to revolutionize understanding from personal knowledge and combining this with creating a cooperative revolution so the economic suppression in South America would diminish. The main objective with the book is one which is first based on the relaxed attitude of Guevara and the associations which he has with working in a leper society while celebrating his birthday. Guevara begins the movie with making each individual believe that there is a desire to party, pick up women and to enjoy the travels through South America while seeing the best sites. This initial attitude is one which leads the trip through most of the movie and which creates a specific response. The changing point which is noted by Guevara is when he moves into the leper society and begins to work with the divisions that are in the community. The different divisions cause him to move outside of the initial mentality and into one which is more radical in nature because of the understanding of the situation and the way in which he can now see and realize the importance of the conditions within the region (Salles, dir, 1). This is important to note because it is also a reflection of what needs to happen with the overall revolution in which each individual becomes aware of the conditions and commits to creating cooperation and community with all of South America. There are several instances where the narrator shows the change and the radical beliefs that are noted after he is able to look at and experience the journey through South America and into the leper society. The realization which is experienced by the character is one which is reflected personally first, specifically with the division in character from the beginning of the story and to the change into radical beliefs about uniting the world into a pan – America and creating a stronger set of beliefs and cooperation with those that are in the reg ion. The realization is based on the understanding that there are no divisions between those in various regions, only which has been divided by imperialism and the circumstances of the region. â€Å" ‘What do we leave behind when we cross each frontier? Each moment seems split in two; melancholy for what was left behind and the excitement of entering a new land† (Guevara, 28). This quote is one which shows that the division which occurs is also personal and which leads to the radical thoughts that there shouldn’t be divisions with the individual as well as with the society. The belief that Guevara has about division, both with the reflection of the individual character and through the continents is one which is confirmed by the works of the author. The concept is one which is based on his own travels, specifically in which he realizes that there is great advancement of those in society that are in South America and which is cut off from society. This is followed by his own beliefs and understandings while traveling that were based on finding the differences in the culture, how they were altered because of political beliefs and how this separatism was one which only created illusions that are created because of the lack of knowing and

LITERATURE REVIEW-BILINGUALISM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LITERATURE REVIEW-BILINGUALISM - Essay Example econd language naturally or through instituted learning models; the individual is already a bilingual, or a bilingual is in the process of losing his/her bilingual ability due to infrequency of use of the first language. According to Hermeneus (2001, web) children are usually considered better bilinguals than adults because of their impressive speed and efficiency in acquiring language, observation of other young learners and absorption of the language. Bilingualism generally refers to the ability to "understand and communicate in a second language" and " use it correctly". Bilingual education is usually aimed at making students proficient in the second language as well as in English in multi-ethnic populated countries like the United States, Canada, UK, and Australia where English is the dominant language of instruction and learning (Blaum, 2009, web). Despite such bilingual learning settings, experts such as Ramirez and Shapiro (2006, p.356) are of the view that bilinguals find it hard to compete against monolinguals in academic environment. Despite dramatic increase in bilingual in schools in the United States and the UK, these individuals are failing to achieve the grade level required for general education standards. When compared with monolinguals (usually English speakers) bilinguals are slow in growth rate for expected levels of performance. According to Neuman and Dickinson (2003, p.165) bilinguals often face problems of comprehension, skill development and learning among monolinguals especially in English settings. This is the reason why in some countries bilingual education is encouraged. Neuman and Dickinson (2003, p. 165) consider bilingual education highly important for skill development of bilinguals. The consideration for bilinguals stems from the fact that bilinguals are different in their perception, comprehension and adaptation of academic learning situations. Neuman and Dickinson (2003, p.165) have indicated that children in early education

Nutritional adventurism Essay Example for Free

Nutritional adventurism Essay This article is about the effect of the show ‘MasterChef’ on the nutritional adventurism and culinary knowledge of children. The show is a reality game show about cooking, hosted by two chefs. The article explains how the show had appealed to young audiences. ‘MasterChef’, claims the article, has caused an increase in television ratings for the channel from which it is shown. The show has also given children extra culinary knowledge. Now, children are more interested and more critical about what they eat. They also judge their own food and the food prepared by their parents or other people. The show sparked numerous cooking lessons and workshops. Numerous recipes featured on the show have also been downloaded over the internet. Personal Opinion: I always believe that teaching children how to cook will help them in the future. Culinary skills learned early will definitely result to future households where food is a primary concern. MasterChef, and its effects on young audiences illustrates the possibility of making young audiences interested not only in the cooking show but more importantly in the food that they eat. Summary 2: This article is about the Community Gardens program which has three goals; to bring the community and the government together to address nutritional problems, to promote horticultural knowledge and initiate an exchange of indigenous horticultural knowledge, and to create an indigenous garden industry which will give communities livelihood and address their health needs. According to the article, collaboration in the community in horticulture gives the community a sense of food security because gardens are just as important as water systems. The article also illustrates how the program has succeeded in bringing together communities and encouraging innovative ways of horticulture. The fringe benefit of all these is the availability of healthy produce for the communities in which the program was implemented. Personal Opinion: I have confidence in the health benefits of organic and fresh food. The essence of community gardening comes to me not only as a means of providing the opportunity for communities to eat healthy but also the opportunity for communities to value the fruits of community effort. The Community Gardens Program is one such program that fosters fellowship and concern among community members while making healthy food available at the same time. Summary 3: Wangkatjungka is the main focus of this article where the establishment of home vegetable patches was apparently spurred by childrens’ school projects. Many vegetable patches mushroomed all over town because of this and each household began to eat what they produced. This was a very welcome change for the people of Wangkatjungka, second to the community ban on alcohol. According to the article, the establishment of household vegetable patches has made organic and healthier food available for the children and the adults. The article claims that this trend in backyard gardening has contributed so much to the community in that it has vowed to support and continue the project until each household in the community has their own vegetable patch. Personal Opinion: Having your own vegetable patch is such a good idea for me that I might even be starting my own. This article has given me enough new insights to consider the benefits of backyard grown produce and look into the possibility of having my own vegetable garden. I like fresh vegetables, and I like freshly picked organic fruits and vegetables even better. Summary 4: The relationship of diabetes and the eating habits of people is tackled in this article. In it a study by a certain Himsworth is mentioned that showed why third world countries had lesser incidence of diabetes and obesity compared to Western countries. The article attributes this to the kind of food that people eat in these countries; third world countries have more unprocessed carbohydrates and adequate animal protein in their diets than in Western countries. The article also outlines the value of healthy and basic or simpler eating in the control of diabetes and other metabolic disorders. It states that people who eat more plant or fruit based food are less likely to suffer metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity. Personal Opinion: There are so many metabolic disorders that cause a myriad of health problems nowadays and it is comforting to know that the best weapon against these diseases is simply, basic and healthy eating. I am a believer in the idiom that ‘prevention is better than a cure’ as well as in the motto that ‘it would be better to spend money on healthy food than on medicine. † The insights offered in this article have encouraged me to eat healthier and begin my pursuit of a longer, healthier life. Summary 5: To sum up this entire article, one can simply say that it taunts at the way the judges in the show MasterChef make their judgments and throw snide comments at their contestants. The article purports that the decision of the MasterChef judges are influenced by the aesthetic or visual quality of the food presented and not by palatability of the food. The article implies that the show does not give justice to the way ordinary people cook, rather it insults the cooking skills of ordinary people by showing that cooking on television is not the same as real cooking, and that in the MasterChef kitchen, one doesn’t have to cook delicious food if one can be chefy with the presentation. Personal Opinion: I have seen the show, MasterChef myself and this article seems to have reason to claim that the judges in the show do not necessarily judge according to how ordinary people cook but have begun to become influenced by how one would expect food prepared by a professional chef. I believe that it is the show’s spontaneity and ‘reality’ that gives it its appeal and if the judges fail to remain in these ideals the show will ultimately fail.

Racial Stereotypes in the Media

Racial Stereotypes in the Media A stereotype may be defined as a popular belief about specific social/ethnic groups or types of individuals and it is broadly standardized or simplified conceptions of groups based on some prior assumptions. The stereotypes sometimes can have negative or positive impacts on individuals. We can see many traditional stereotypes such as Stereotypes of Irish people, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, Native Americans or African Americans if we probe through the American history. We create the stereotypes when we are unwilling or unable to obtain all of the information about the people or situations if we need to make a judgment about them. However, the stereotypes that we created innocently to just fill in the blanks in our minds about the information we are lack of, lead a kind of unjust race discrimination. According to these stereotypes, all Asians seems genius as all Irish people seems quick-tempered brawlers; All white people seem sort of racists as all African Americans seem serv ile and primitive creatures. In sense of creating these stereotypes, the media has played a crucial role to substantiate them. In the beginning of 1920s, the television coming out just as a shilly-shallying device, it has been of an issue economically, politically, culturally and ethically for society in following years. The concept of stereotype has taken the lead the topic of racism. As for the concept of racism, has been raised by some concepts such as white person and the others. Mass media has been one of the main devices in the way white Americans perceive African-Americans. African-American people has been portrayed and lampooned in stereotypical and they have been represented in disparaging ways such as ignorant, joyous, lazy, superstitious, buffoonish and musical till the end of 1980s. That decade was the golden age for soap operas and TV shows like Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest, and Knots Landing and the hit series like The Cosby Show, Cheers, and Family Tie. The reference s in these TV shows were mostly about the culture, consumer society, domestic issues and ethnicity in those years. Moreover, the Cosby Show can be assumed as a milestone in the racism policy of American history within its characteristic values. The way of reflecting traditional African-American stereotypes has been really surprising for the audiences. In this paper, I will examine the use of traditional stereotypes in sense of racism in the Cosby Show aired between 1984 and 1992. The media portrays many faulty stereotypes about various races and these stereotypes who are members of certain groups with which we have not had firsthand contact are reflected in a chagrining way in general. The media branches such as the television, books, comic strips, and movies are all exuberant sources of stereotyped characters. By stereotyping the people or some ethnic groups, we kind of mark the people with certain characteristics. For much of American history, The US media focuses in on specific races and negatively represents them. Thus, this situation perpetuates the racial stereotypes in American society. It is frankly seems that some certain ethnic groups who have not white skin -African Americans in particular are mostly reflected as being less intelligent, more vulgar, and more violent than the Caucasian citizens when we go through the American history. The white people have seemed to have more privileges that the other ethnic groups. Furthermore, this situation kin of turns into an `internalized racism.` The black people have felt this inferiority in society as the white people have started to think that the black people are inferior compared to them in course of time. Ruth Fr °nkenberg (1996) mentions about someexamples in her research.   She also mentions that she received a worse or poor service when she went in public places such as cafes when she was with other friends who has white skin. The roots of whiteness concept date back to time of colonization. This concept has risen in Britain an the British people thought the the Ñâ‚ ¬eà Ã‚ ¾Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â€š ¬le à Ã‚ ¾f the Middle E °Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬ ¢t as others. Edw °rd à Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ °id (1978) indicates that there were two different kinds of people in society as the Orient who is white and kind and the others who are not Westerners and civilized. In process of time, the concept of others w °Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Ñ Ã‚ °rried tà Ã‚ ¾ Nà Ã‚ ¾rth à Ã‚ meriÑ Ã‚ ° and it is transferred to the Native an African Americans. In media, these others are shown as the threats for white people till the end of 1980s. Even in the cartoons, it can be frankly seen that many of the black characters with minority voices are not shown to be as smart as the whiter characters. These stereotypes have created the nature of prejudice in American society against the black people. In general sense of traditional stereotyping, the dominant culture consists of white middle class as African-Americans are unfairly and unrealistically portrayed as violent, angry, hostile and criminally minded. This misrepresentation of African Americans became the common image on television till the end of 1980s. The new media was not showing the reality in cultural sense as it seemed opportunity for equal representation and communication between the races. The negative image of African American people which was developed by these stereotypes was perpetuated in some TV shows such as the Amos and Andy Show. This TV show began as a radio show featuring two white men portraying two comedic black men. This TV show showed up between 1920s an 1950s for the first time and it became very popular that time. In course of time, some alternative TV shows such as the Cosby Show have risen against the black inferiority. The Cosby Show showed up in a period the black people seeking for their own roles and identities in American society. In the show, there was Huxtable family that consists of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, and their five children: Rudy, Vanessa, Denise, Theo, and Sondra. The father was doctor as the mother was lawyer. This family was an upper-middle class Black family. This TV show was a new image of African American families presented and it was not accepted fully because it failed to represent the full cultural scope of African Americans according to the many people. A new trend showed up with the Cosby Show although it was not fully accepted and African American families started to tend to watch programs with primarily African American casts. The media has a great power to influence the societies and the individuals in TV shows are accepted as real characters in real world. The American society has had a tendency to accept the false images as the truth and the images misrepresenting African Americans has had negative effects on American culture till the Cosby Show.

Synopsis Of Tesco As A Company Business Essay

Synopsis Of Tesco As A Company Business Essay Tesco is the largest UK based supermarket and the worlds third largest grocery retailer with stores across Europe, USA and Asia. Tesco has a well-established and long-term strategy for growth. Tesco has net profits of around  £3 billion before tax. The objectives of the strategy are: Tesco was founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen selling groceries in the markets of Londons East End. Tesco brand first appeared in 1924 when Cohen bought stocks of tea from T.E. Stockwell. They combined their names to form TESCO. In 1929, the first Tesco store opened in North London. Since then Tesco has expanded rapidly by opening more new stores and retail services, while adapting to consumers needs. In 1961, Tesco Leicester entered the Guinness Book of Records as the largest store in Europe. In 1968 Tesco opened its first superstore in Crawley, West Sussex. By the 1970s Tesco diversified into other products and opened its first petrol stations in 1974. In 1992, Tesco launched its slogan every little helps, followed by the Tesco Value range in 1993 and the Tesco Club card in 1995, helping Tesco to overtake Sainsburys as the UKs largest food retailer. Tesco.com was launched in 2000, followed by Tesco broadband in 2004 and Tesco Direct in 2006. Tescos Personal Finance Acquisition was completed in 2008. Tesco has now over 2,200 stores with 280,000 employees in the UK. From 1994 to 2007 Tesco expanded overseas by opening stores in Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Rep. of Ireland, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Turkey, Japan, China and US under the name Fresh Easy. Last year Tesco announced plans to establish cash and carry business in India. TASK 2: Literature Review Differences between human resource management and personnel management Human resource management (HRM) is defined as a strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organisations most valued assets the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of its objectives. (M Armstrong) Personnel management (PM) is concerned with obtaining, organising and motivating the human resources required by the enterprise. (M Armstrong) The concept of HRM places greater emphasis on: Integration with the business strategies rather than focusing on delivering basic services such as recruitment and training Adopting a management and business-oriented philosophy Using unitary approach rather than pluralist approach Treating people as assets (human capital) rather than costs Personnel management is workforce-centred, directed mainly at an organisations employees covering issues such as: Finding and training them, Arranging for them to be paid Satisfying employees work-related needs, Dealing with their problems and Seeking to change management action that could produce an unwelcome employee response. HRM is resource-centred, directed mainly at management needs for human resources (not necessarily employees) to be provided and deployed. Demand rather than supply is the focus of the activity. There is greater emphasis on planning, monitoring and control rather than mediation between employee and employer. Role of human resource (HR) practitioner The main roles of HR practitioners are: The strategic role To formulate and implement forward-looking HR strategies that are aligned to business objectives and integrated with one another. To contribute to the development of business strategies. To work alongside their line management colleagues to provide on an everyday basis continuous support to the implementation of the strategy of the organisation. The business partner role As business partners, HR specialists share responsibility with their line management colleagues for the success of the enterprise and get involved with them in implementing business strategy and running the business. The change agent role HR specialists act as change agents, facilitating change by providing advice and support on its introduction and management. The internal consultant role As internal consultants, HR practitioners work alongside their clients in analysing problems, diagnosing issues and proposing solutions. The service provider role As service provider, HR practitioners provide services to internal customers. The guardian of values role HR practitioners may act as the guardians of the organisations values and ethical standards concerning people. They point out when behaviour conflicts with those values or where proposed actions will be incompatible with them. Role and responsibilities of line managers in HR practices HR can initiate new policies and practices but the line managers have the main responsibility for implementing them. Line managers can achieve better ownership if: The practices benefit them. They are involved in the development and the testing of the practices. The practices are not too complicated, bureaucratic or time-consuming. Their responsibilities are defined and communicated clearly. They are provided with the guidance, support and training required to implement the practices. Human resource planning The need for HR planning HR planning determines the HR required by the organisation to achieve its strategic goals. HR planning at Tesco aims to ensure that the organisation has the right number of people with the right skills needed to meet forecast requirements. It also ensures that people with the right type of attitudes and motivation are available, who are committed to the organisation and engaged in their work, and behave accordingly. The process of HR planning Scenario planning: Making broad assessments of future developments in the organisations external environment and in the organisation itself and their likely impact on people requirements. Demand forecasts: Estimating the organisations future needs for people by reference to corporate and functional plans and forecasts of future activity levels. Supply forecasts: Estimating the supply of people to the organisation by reference to analyses of current resources and future availability, after allowing for wastage. Action plans: Deciding on what action to take to deal with shortages or surpluses of people. Recruitment process in two organisations Recruitment is the process of finding and engaging the people the organisation needs. Recruitment planning A recruitment plan covers: Number and types of employees required to cater for expansion or new developments and make up for any deficits. Sources of candidates. Plans for tapping alternative sources. How the recruitment programme will be conducted. Recruitment process at Tesco plc: At Tesco, HRM is regarded as an important activity, covering everything from recruitment to management development. The company aims to increase the number of training schemes and further develop its recruitment programmes so to provide the customer the benefits of a well recruited, well trained staff. For the Graduate Schemes, Tesco has planned to recruit 200 successful University leavers for 2010/11 intake. Applications are opened from September 2009, including Tesco Telecoms and Environmental Engineering. For the A-Level Schemes, 18 years school leavers have to follow a 12 months course in management that involves a store familiarisation programme of 3 weeks and a leadership and technical training. The Scheme, for those with 180 UCAS points offers candidates a 6 months management programme. Recruitment process at McDonalds: McDonalds is a franchise business. It is the largest food service company in the world with more than 30,000 restaurants serving more than 47 million people each day in 121 countries. Recruiting and selecting and appointing all new staff are under the operations department in McDonalds Training at McDonalds: The franchise system provides training for the franchisees, managers and their employees, usually done both at the franchisors home office and the franchisees place of business. This training prepares them in all facets of the business, including: purchasing and inventory maintenance, handling customer complaints, dealing with employee matters, etc. The level and length of training will vary from system to system. Interview as a selection technique The aims of an interview The purpose of an interview is to obtain the information required to decide on the extent to which candidates fit a person specification for the job. An interview can be described as a conversation with a purpose. It is a conversation because candidates should be induced to talk freely with their interviewers about themselves, their experience and their careers. Such a meeting enables judgements to be made by the interviewer on whether the candidate will fit the organization. Although these judgements are entirely subjective and are often biased or prejudiced, they will be made. But the conversation has to be planned, directed and controlled to achieve the main purpose of the interview, which is to make an accurate assessment of the candidates suitability for a job. Procedures involved in an interview: Interviewing arrangements: The candidate should be informed about the location and time for the interview and the next step after the interview. Preparing for the interview: Study the person specification and the candidates application form and/or CV, and identify those features of the applicant that do not fully match the specification so that these can be probed more deeply during the interview. Planning an interview: Consists of: welcome remarks; getting information on the candidate to assess against the person specification; provide candidates information about the organisation and the job; provide candidates information about the organisation and the job; answering questions from the candidate; and closing the interview with an indication of the next step. Types of interviews: Decide on which types of interview to be used. Timing the interview: For routine jobs, 20 to 30 minutes maybe enough while for demanding job one hour my be necessary. Interviewing techniques: Starting and finishing; asking questions. Selection interviewing skills: Establishing rapport; listening; maintaining continuity; keeping control; note taking. Coming to a conclusion: Candidates should be assessed against their knowledge; skills; competencies education; qualifications; training; experience; and overall suitability. Alternative selection methods: Selection tests: They provide more valid and reliable evidence of levels of intelligence, abilities, aptitudes, personality and attainments than can be obtained from an interview. It is best to combine them in a selection procedure with structured interviews. Assessment centres: They provide good opportunities for candidates to decide on the extent to which candidates fit a person specification for the job. The focus is centred on behaviour; group exercises and one-to-one role-play are used to predict behaviour on the job; several candidates are assessed together to allow interaction; several assessors and observers are used to increased the objectivity of the job. Work samples: Candidates are asked to take on mini-jobs in a selection situation where they can be assessed, for examples by a typing test for keyboard skills; role-playing; group decisions; presentations; or reports. Selection practices and procedures in two organisations compared to best practice Selection at Tesco involves choosing the most suitable people for a vacancy, while keeping the laws and regulations of employment. Tesco uses screening as part of the selection process to ensure that those selected candidates for interview match the job requirements. Tesco selectors start screening by first looking carefully at each applicants curriculum vitae. Tesco uses several stages in the process of selecting candidates: After passing the screening a candidate attends an assessment centre. The managers run the assessment centres in stores. Applicants should go through either team-working activities or problem solving exercises. An interview then is carried out for those candidates approved by assessment centres. Line managers responsible for the job offer have to participate in the interview to ensure that the candidate fits the job requirements. Selection at McDonalds: Selection is quite different from Tesco in the way that there are no screening and assessment centres. Here the manager only conducts an interview to identify an applicants potential to be a successful McDonalds employee. McDonalds prepares an interview guide to help the company forecast the applicants past behaviour and its influence on his future performance. The questions look for actual events or situations based on behavioural evidence in the applicants life history that fits with the specification for the job. Candidates are rated on their responses and those who earn the highest ratings are selected for the job. Process of job evaluation and the main factors determining pay Job evaluation is important in the reward management as it deals with equal pay for work of equal value. Approaches to job evaluation Job evaluation can be analytical or non-analytical. Analytical job evaluation schemes: Process of making decisions about the job value, which are based on a process of breaking down the whole jobs into a number of defined factors such as responsibility, decisions and the knowledge and skill required. It is systematic and judgemental. Non-analytical job evaluation schemes: Enables the whole jobs to be compared to place them in a grade or a rank order they are not analysed by reference to their factors. Choice of approach: Analytical job evaluation is the most common approach to job evaluation. The two main types of analytical job evaluation schemes are the point-factor schemes and analytical matching. Point-factor job evaluation scheme: Jobs are broken down into factors. Each factor is divided into a hierarchy of levels. Evaluators consult job description. A maximum point score is allocated to each factor. The total score for a factor is divided between the levels to produce the numerical factor scale. The complete scheme consists of the factor and level definitions and the scoring system. This comprises the factor plan. Points are allocated to jobs under each factor. The separate factor scores are then added together to give a total score, which indicates the relative value of each job and can be used to place the jobs in rank order. Market pricing Jobs can be also valued by their market rates market pricing. Market pricing is the process of obtaining information on market rates to inform decisions on pay structures and individual rates of pay. It is called extreme market pricing when market rates are the only means to decide on internal rates of pay and relativities, then conventional job evaluation is not used. Reward systems A reward system consists of policies, processes, practices and procedures that combine to ensure that reward management is carried out effectively for the benefit of the organisation and its employees. Examples of reward systems are: Total reward Total reward includes a combination of rewards, namely financial rewards such as basic pay, contingent pay, employee benefits; and non-financial rewards, which arise from the work itself. These rewards are linked together and treated as whole. Basic pay: Is the amount of money that constitutes the rate for the job. It varies according to the grade of the job or the level of skill required. Contingent pay Performance related pay: Additional financial rewards related to performance, competence, contribution, skill or experience that may be added to basic pay. Employee benefits: They include pensions, sick pay, insurance cover, company cars and annual holiday pay. Non-financial rewards: They do not involve any direct payment. They arise from the work itself, e.g. achievement, autonomy, recognition, and scope to develop skills. Tesco employs over 285,000 employees. They offer package of pay and benefits childcare vouchers and two share schemes: Save as You Earn and Buy as You Earn. Their Shares in Success scheme rewards employees who work hard with free Tesco shares and their award-winning offers pension scheme, which consists of 160,000 employees building a pension based on their earnings and service. Link between motivational theory and reward The process of motivation Motivation can be described as goal-directed behaviour. Types of motivation: Intrinsic motivation: The self-generated factors that influence peoples behaviour which may arise from the work itself. Extrinsic motivation: This occurs when something needs to be done to motivate people. Some people are self-motivated. However, most people need to be motivated to a lesser or greater extent. Organisations should provide high levels of motivation that can be achieved by using a range of rewards system in an attempt to satisfy employees needs so that they are motivated to work. Organisational approaches to monitoring performance The aim of performance management is: Empowering, motivating and rewarding employees to do their best. Armstrong World Industry It includes: Reward and recognition: Creating structures that maximise recruitment, retention and motivation; obtaining the best performance from the people available. Performance improvement throughout the organisation, for individual, team and organisational effectiveness Managing behaviour ensuring that individuals are encouraged to behave in a way that allows and fosters better working relationships. Organisations should continuously monitor their employees performance so that they make their best contribution. The approaches should centre on understanding the purpose of an organisation and its structure. They play emphasis on the planning of work, technical requirements, principles of management and behaviour. Attention is given to the division of work, duties, responsibilities, maintaining specialisation and co-ordination, hierarchy of management and formal organisational relationships. Tesco effectively controls the performance of their employees so that they can lead the UKs retailer. Tesco has a range of processes and techniques within their stores to monitor the performances of their employees. Tescos managers monitor their employers and the organisation through: Planning and setting goals and objectives; establishing standards of performance; correcting mistakes and taking prompt action. Exit procedures used by two organisations compared to best practice Exit procedures at Tesco and McDonalds On or before the employees last day request a letter of resignation. This letter provides documentation of the employees intention to resign, allowing the department to post and refill the position more efficiently. It should contain the last day of active work, the last day on payroll, and the reason for leaving. Prepare a notice of termination terminating the employee, obtain authorising signatures. Advise employee to: As soon as possible on or after employees last day, as appropriate -Cancel telephone and IT system accesses. -Cancel departmental computer passwords and computer accounts. -Cancel employees bank details. Selection criteria for redundancy The selection criteria used by the employer must be clearly defined so that they can be applied reasonably to each candidate. Selection criteria for redundancy includes: Duration of service and experience How long was the employee absent from work (last in, first out). Measure of skills and knowledge Qualifications, aptitude and performance, Attendance and disciplinary records. Conclusion The aim of human resource management is to ensure that the organisation is able to achieve success through people. My findings reveal that the introduction of strategic HR policies at Tesco has broadens the scope of the business by expansion of new markets in UK and abroad. Tescos HR strategy is based on long term perspective that addresses about how the best return can be obtained from the human resources available now and in the future. Tesco aims to get the right number of the right sorts of people in the right place at the right time and ethically getting rid of them when they are not needed. Tesco creates an environment in which employees and others associates get the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes. Tesco manages the hard (structure, systems) and soft (culture, values) features of the organisation. Tesco creates structures that maximise recruitment, retention and motivation; obtaining the best performance from the people. Reference Module Tutor Lecture notes and emails: Sabir H Jafri., Managing Human Resources (Unit 1) H1, HND in Business. London: Guildhall College Websites: .http://www.lonympics.co.uk/new/Tesco.htm http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/tesco/tesco_14_full.pdf http://www.tescoplc.com/plc/about_us/strategy/. http://www.tescoplc.com/plc/about_us/strategy/non_food/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2788089/A-history-of-Tesco-The-rise-of-Britains-biggest-supermarket.html http://www.tescoplc.com/plc/media/pr/pr2009/2009-09-17/ http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/hrm/chap8/ch8-links6.htm http://www.redundancyhelp.co.uk/LegFair.htm http://www.uwex.edu/secretary/policies/section10/S10-Exit.pdf http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/tesco/tesco_13_full.pdf http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:XEsdkNJC0LcJ:www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/mcd/mcd_10_3.doc+selection+practices+and+procedures+%28McDonalds%29HYPERLINK http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:XEsdkNJC0LcJ:www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/mcd/mcd_10_3.doc+selection+practices+and+procedures+(McDonalds)cd=5hl=enct=clnkgl=ukHYPERLINK http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:XEsdkNJC0LcJ:www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/mcd/mcd_10_3.doc+selection+practices+and+procedures+(McDonalds)cd=5hl=enct=clnkgl=ukcd=5HYPERLINK http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:XEsdkNJC0LcJ:www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/mcd/mcd_10_3.doc+selection+practices+and+procedures+(McDonalds)cd=5hl=enct=clnkgl=ukHYPERLINK http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:XEsdkNJC0LcJ:www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/mcd/mcd_10_3.doc+selection+practices+and+procedures+(McDonalds)cd=5hl=enct=clnkgl=ukhl=enHYPERLINK http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:XEsdkNJC0LcJ:www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/mcd/mcd_10_3.doc+selection+practices+and+procedures+(McD onalds)cd=5hl=enct=clnkgl=ukHYPERLINK http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:XEsdkNJC0LcJ:www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/mcd/mcd_10_3.doc+selection+practices+and+procedures+(McDonalds)cd=5hl=enct=clnkgl=ukct=clnkHYPERLINK http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:XEsdkNJC0LcJ:www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/mcd/mcd_10_3.doc+selection+practices+and+procedures+(McDonalds)cd=5hl=enct=clnkgl=ukHYPERLINK http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:XEsdkNJC0LcJ:www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/mcd/mcd_10_3.doc+selection+practices+and+procedures+(McDonalds)cd=5hl=enct=clnkgl=ukgl=uk http://hr.concordia.ca/eed/pdf/exit_procedure.pdf

Essay --

Martin Luther a German theologian and religious reformer was the founding figure of the protestant reformation, the break from the Catholic Church, which in many ways marks the beginning of modern Europe. A well-expressed preacher and huge writer, Luther attacked many abuses of the Catholic Church, especially the papacy. The source of his spiritual revelation was not political or institutional but came from his inner fight of conscience. Like other people of his day, Luther was horrified that god would in the end reject him for his sins. He found a word in the bible called â€Å"Law† which increased his terror, but he also discovered a word god called â€Å"Gospel,† the good news and promise of mercy in Christ, which shed all of his worries. By his words and actions, Luther caused an action that reformulated certain rudimentary Christian belief and the division of Western Church between Roman Catholics and the Protestant traditions. He is one of the most influential per son in the history of Christianity. Luther started his education at a Latin school in Mansfield. There he received training in the Latin language and learned about the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer and morning and evening prayers. In 1497 Luther was sent to a school in Magdeburg run by the Brethren of the Common Life, a lay monastic group whose focus on personal piety had a lasting influence on him. In 1501 he enrolled at the University of Erfurt, the best University of the time in Germany. Luther took course in the liberal arts and received the baccalaureate degree in 1502. He obtained his master’s degree three years later. Since Luther graduated from the arts faculty he could chose to pursue graduate work in one of the three disciplines law, medicine, or theology. Due... ... without the need for good works and definitely not by paying money to the Catholic Church. In Luther’s view one only needs to believe in Christ and his works to be justified. Christ is just and his works are perfect and Christ is the object of our faith. As long as Christ is present in our lives and we put our faith in him and simple believe the promises that come with the gospel, God imputes righteousness to sinners, righteousness that we sinners do not deserve (Peters 2005). Tradition says the reformation began in October 31 1517 when Luther nailed 95 theses to the church door in contrasts to the practices of selling indulgence. Annoyed by Johann Tetzel a Dominican friar who preached indulgence. Tetzel was chosen to be inquisitor for Poland (1509) and afterward for Saxony. His skills as a preacher of indulgences gain the attention of Albert, archbishop of Mainz

Global Warming and its Causes and Solutions :: essays research papers

Global warming has been one of the leading environmental issues for the past several years. Global warming is when an excess of certain gasses are produced and trap the sun’s heat in the atmosphere. One of the most abundant of these gasses is carbon dioxide. It is released when fossil fuels and other things are burned for their energy. The average American family of 2 will produce 41,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. The Earth is able to cope with a certain amount of these gasses otherwise known as greenhouse gasses. With all of this the earth is heating up faster than most of it inhabitants can adapt. Some just can’t cope with the new conditions and some are having their habitat destroyed by it. Other gasses are destroying the ozone and letting in harmful UV rays and heating the earth even more. The earth has been doing fine but now many countries are in the industrial age and are manufacturing things and releasing more greenhouse gasses. The earth is essentially being thrown out of its natural balance. We started doing harmful things and only now do we realize what we have done and what we are doing. At this current rate by the middle of next century the earth’s temperature may rise a predicted 10 degrees Fahrenheit. This may not seem as much but with the earths delicate balance we will have lost several species and habitats. We all say that we are working to help the earth and yet we have only done a very small percent of what we need to do. Scientists are worried that soon the effects of what we have done may be irreversible. We have the technology to do it, but countries are concerned they will lose too much money. They are already wasting it on other unnecessary things and if they were to reduce funding to them we could have enough money to do these changes and probably still have some left to help fund other countries efforts. We are cutting down thousands of earth’s natural air filters as we speak. Trees and plants take some of the carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen helping us and the environment.

J.R.R. Tolkien :: Biography

J.R.R. Tolkien led an interesting life because he had many traumatizing experiences as a child. Did these experiences effect his writing or was he just an imaginative adult or was he a child in a grown mans body? That is what we are going to explore in this paper. By the time I am done you will believe that this man was a traumatized child. The many experiences that he had during long his life were very dramatic. They would have made even the toughest of children have problems later on in life. From my own experiences through my own life I can kind of relate to this man. The experiences that I have had have been pretty dramatic, but nothing like his. By reading what happened to him, I know from what I have read about him that he had to be traumatized as an adult. Before J.R.R. was born, his father, whose name was Arthur, worked for a very well known and prosperous bank in England. In an effort to cut back and make more money the bank fired him. Arthur was courting a young woman, by the name of Mabel, but before he could marry her he had to prove to Mabel’s father that he was going to be able to support her for the rest of her life. While looking for a job as a bank clerk he looked to the colonies of England, and he found a job in a bank in South Africa as a financial clerk. When he had established himself in the bank he sent for Mabel. They were married in 1981 in a Catholic Church in South Africa. The town in which they lived was called Bloemfontein, South Africa. This was where they wanted their children to grow up. J.R.R. was born on January, 31 1892 in South Africa. His birth name was John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. His younger brother, Hilary Arthur Reuel Tolkien, was born two years later on February 17, 1894. They were raised in a Catholic family. When J.R.R was three years of age, in 1895, his mother, brother, and he went back to Birmingham England to meet his grandparents. The reason Arthur did not go was that he was sick with yellow fever and he was going to wait till he was better to make the long sea voyage to England. This voyage was usually not easy for even the healthy passengers, so it was wise to stay behind.

Digging by Seamus Heaney

Digging -by seamus Heaney The poet, Seamus Heaney uses simple words in his poem which is beautifully portrayed as well as easy to understand. The poem is basically about the poets respect and admiration of his father's and grandfather's hard work. The poem begins in the present tense form. The poet, Heaney, is in his room, writing while his father is digging. It can be assumed that the poet is near a window so that when he looks outside he can see his father digging. It is important to note that Heaney â€Å"looks down† at his father's â€Å"straining rump†.Literally his position at the window is elevated but we also get the sense that Heaney somehow feels superior to manual work and that he does not like this feeling. The next stanza takes us back to previous years before his father's retirement from farming: â€Å"Bends low, comes up twenty years away†. We move effortlessly and beautifully from the present day flowerbed to the previous years potato drills. The poet then begins to describe his father's skills. The paradoxical â€Å"coarse boot nestled† shows the physicality and hardwork of digging alongside the love his father has for it.Heaney uses a two line stanza beginning with the exclamatory â€Å"By God† to take us further back to his grandfather's digging skills. The exclamation and the conversational tone add a feeling of being with Heaney as he reminisces. Neatly Heaney has taken us back to his forefathers to show that working with the land has always been a tradition in the family. He has broken this chain by choosing to become a writer. The next stanza is a memory of visiting his grandfather as he cuts peat from the bog.The â€Å"bottle corked sloppily with paper† reflects Heaney's clumsiness in practical matters but also a different use of paper to the one he is really skilled at. This is a family proud of their achievements which are measured by a spade and the ability to handle one: â€Å"My grandfather could cut more turf in a day than any other man on Toner's bog†. The penultimate stanza reveals the difficulties created by Heaney's wish to write. The â€Å"curt cuts through living roots† are not only the sharp edge of the spade cutting through living turf.They are the sharp words spoken as Heaney cuts his ties with his family's traditional means of earning a living. And so we return to the beginning lines of the poem with the significant change from â€Å"as snug as a gun† to â€Å"I'll dig with it†. Heaney recognizes that his skill with a pen is comparable to that of his forefathers with a spade. He also realizes that he can continue the love for skilled work with the land through his writing. Just as his grandfather was â€Å"digging down and down for the good turf† so will Heaney dig down and down for the good stuff that makes his poetry so exquisite.