Evolution Of Profanity Essays (1482 words) - Blasphemy, Censorship

Evolution Of Profanity Essays (1482 words) - Blasphemy, Censorship Evolution of Profanity The evolution of written profanity began roughly in the sixteenth century, and continues to change with each generation that it sees. Profanity is recognized in many Shakespearean works, and has continually evolved into the profane language used today. Some cuss words have somehow maintained their original meanings throughout hundreds of years, while many others have completely changed meaning or simply fallen out of use. William Shakespeare, though it is not widely taught, was not a very clean writer. In fact, he was somewhat of a potty mouth. His works encompassed a lot of things that some people wish he had not. "That includes a fair helping of sex, violence, crime, horror, politics, religion, anti-authoritarianism, anti-semitism, racism, xenophobia, sexism, jealousy, profanity, satire, and controversy of all kinds" (Macrone 6). In his time, religious and moral curses were more offensive than biological curses. Most all original (before being censored) Shakespearean works contain very offensive profanity, mostly religious, which is probably one of many reasons that his works were and are so popular. "Shakespeare pushed a lot of buttons in his day- which is one reason he was so phenomenally popular. Despite what they tell you, people like having their buttons pushed" (Macrone 6). Because his works contained so many of these profane words or phrases, they were censored to protect the innocent minds of the teenagers who are required to read them, and also because they were blasphemous and offensive. Almost all of the profanity was removed, and that that was not had just reason for being there. Some of the Bard's censored oaths are; "God's blessing on your beard" Love's Labors Lost, II.i.203 This was a very rude curse because a man's facial hair was a point of pride for him. and "to play with someone's beard" was to insult him. "God's body" 1 Henry IV,II.i.26 Swearing by Christ's body, (or any part thereof,) was off limits in civil discourse. "God's Bod(y)kins, man" Hamlet, II.ii.529 The word bod(y)kin means "little body" or "dear body," but adding the cute little suffix does not make this curse any more acceptable. "By God's [blest] mother!" 2 Henry VI, II.i; 3 Henry VI, III.ii; Henry VIII, V.i Swearing by the virgin was almost as rude as swearing by her son, especially when addressing a catholic cathedral as Gloucester did in 2 Henry VI, II.i Perhaps the two worst of these Shakespearean swears were "'zounds" and "'sblood." "'Zounds" had twenty-three occurrences. Ten of them were in 1 Henry IV. The rest appear in Titus (once), Richard III (four times), Romeo and Juliet (twice), and Othello ( six times). Iago and Falstaff were the worst offenders. 'Zounds has evolved into somewhat of a silly and meaningless word, but was originally horribly offensive. This oath, short for "God's wounds," was extremely offensive because references to the wounds or blood of Christ were thought especially outrageous, as they touched directly on the crucifixion. "'Sblood" had twelve occurrences in all. There were eight times in 1 Henry IV (with Falstaff accounting for six), plus once in Henry V, twice in Hamlet, and once in Othello. 'Sblood occurs less than 'zounds, but is equally offensive and means basically the same thing. Several other words came from Great Britain, but were not included in Shakespeare's works. Today the expression "Gadzooks!" is not particularly offensive to most. Of course, most don't know what it originally meant. Gadzooks was originally slang for "God's hooks," and was equally offensive to 'zounds and 'sblood as it also referred to the crucifixion. An interesting note is that there is a store called Gadzooks which everyone thinks of as a pop-culture vendor to America's youth. Some (but not many) of Gadzooks' shoppers would be very offended if they knew the true meaning of the store's name. Another word from this region is a Cockney expression, "Gorblimey," which is a word used to swear to the truth, and is a shortened form of "God blind me." Also, in England, words such as "bloody," "blimey," "blinkin'," beginning with the letters "BL" are taken offense to because they, once again, refer to the blood of Christ and the crucifixion. The military has an interesting technique for swearing their brains

Ten Facts About the State of Missouri

Ten Facts About the State of Missouri Population: 5,988,927 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: Jefferson CityLand Area: 68,886 square miles (178,415 sq km)Bordering States: Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and IllinoisHighest Point: Taum Sauk Mountain at 1,772 feet (540 m)Lowest Point: St. Francis River at 230 feet (70 m) Missouri is one of the 50 states of the United States and it is located in the Midwestern portion of the country. Its capital is Jefferson City but its largest city is Kansas City. Other large cities include St. Louis and Springfield. Missouri is known for its mixture of large urban areas such as these as well as its rural areas and farming culture.The state has most recently been in the news however because of a large tornado that destroyed the town of Joplin and killed over 100 people on May 22, 2011. The tornado was classified as an EF-5 (the strongest rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale) and it is considered the most deadly tornado to hit the U.S. since 1950.The following is a list of ten geographic facts to know about the state of Missouri: Missouri has a long history of human settlement and archaeological evidence shows people living in the area since before 1000 C.E. The first Europeans to arrive in the region were French colonists descended from French colonists in Canada. In 1735 they founded Ste. Genevieve, the first European settlement west of the Mississippi River. The town quickly grew into an agricultural center and trade developed between it and surrounding regions.By the 1800s the French began arriving in the region of present-day Missouri from New Orleans and in 1812 they founded St. Louis as a fur trading center. This allowed St. Louis to grow quickly and become a financial center for the region. In addition in 1803 Missouri was a part of the Louisiana Purchase and it subsequently became the Missouri Territory.By 1821 the territory had grown considerably as more and more settlers began to enter the region from the Upper South. Many of them brought slaves with them and settled along the Missouri River. In 18 21 the Missouri Compromise admitted the territory into the Union as a slave state with its capital at St. Charles. In 1826 the capital was moved to Jefferson City. In 1861, the Southern states seceded from the Union but Missouri voted to remain within it but as the Civil War progressed it became divided on opinions regarding slavery and whether it should remain in the Union. The state did stay in the Union however despite a secession ordinance and its being recognized by the Confederacy in October 1861. The Civil War officially ended in 1865 and throughout the rest of the 1800s and into the early 1900s Missouris population continued to grow. In 1900 the states population was 3,106,665.Today, Missouri has a population of 6.114 Million (2017 estimate) and its two largest metropolitan areas are St. Louis and Kansas City. The 2010 population density of the state was 87.1 people per square mile (33.62 per square Kilometer). The main demographic ancestry groups of Missouri are German, Irish, English, American (people who report their ancestry as Native American or African American) and French. English is spoken by the majority of Missourians.Missouri has a diversified economy with major industries in aerospace, transportation equipment, foods, chemicals, printing, the manufacture of electrical equipment and beer production. In addition, agriculture still plays a large role in the states economy with major production of beef, soybeans, pork, dairy products, hay, corn, poultry, sorghum, cot ton, rice and eggs. Missouri is located in the mid-western United States and it shares borders with eight different states (  map). This is unique because no other U.S. state borders more than eight states.The topography of Missouri is varied. The northern parts have low rolling hills that are remnants of the  last glaciation, while there are many river bluffs along the major rivers of the state - the Mississippi, Missouri and Meramec Rivers. Southern Missouri is mostly mountainous due to the Ozark Plateau, while the southeastern part of the state is low and flat because it is part of the Mississippi Rivers alluvial plain. The highest point in Missouri is Taum Sauk Mountain at 1,772 feet (540 m), while the lowest is the St. Francis River at 230 feet (70 m).The  climate of Missouri is humid continental and as such it has cold winters and hot, humid summers. Its largest city, Kansas City, has a January average low temperature of 23ËšF (-5ËšC) and a July average high of 90.5ËšF (32.5ËšC). Uns table weather and tornadoes are common in Missouri in the spring. In 2010 the U.S. Census found that Missouri was home to the  mean population center of the U.S. near the town of Plato. To learn more about Missouri, visit the states official website.ReferencesInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Missouri: History, Geography, Population, and State Facts - Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0108234.htmlWikipedia.org. (28 May 2011). Missouri- Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri

Prophet Mohammed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prophet Mohammed - Essay Example The intense conflicts between the Majority Shi’a adherents and the minority Sunni adherents have been apparent since the death of Prophet Mohamed. Both groups have been trying to rule over each other with violence and turmoil between them going back to when their two leaders were chosen. In agreement with the argument also, the war between the Sadam Regime and the Shi’a actually fitted the definition of a civil war. The Shi’a, the Kurds, and Sunnis all shared the state of Iraq with the Sunnis having more privileges compared to the majority Shi’a Muslims thus bringing eruptions of revolutions. The revolutions were, however, unable to shake the Saddam regime and thus the involvement of the United States. During the invasion, however, the US did not take any sides and was trying to bring peace to the state. Sadam was the enemy but not the Shi’a community and on bringing him down, they even started forming coalitions with other Shi’a leaders. A good example is the case of Abul Abed from Amariyah. Each group believing that their rivals follow false leaders thus being betrayers of Islam has brought about the sectarian conflict between the Sunnis and the Shiites. For the faith to be cleansed, each believes that they must eradicate the other group completely. Therefore, the question whether they will ever reconcile is somehow already answered. However, they are all Muslims who believe that there is no other God but Allah, believe in the Koran and in the Prophet Mohammad, and will, therefore, seem to come together in case of a common enemy.

Court Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Court Decision - Essay Example Therefore, just like his wife, Joseph was supposed to readily relinquish his parental rights because he had failed to meet the legal requirements of a parent. As a father, he was not expected to spend such a long period of time without getting in close contact with his biological daughter. By failing to do this, he was demonstrating his abandonment for Annette. Despite the prevailing conditions, he would have tried as much as he could to look for Annette wherever she had been taken by her mother. As a man, he was to take all the necessary measures to ensure that he traces his daughter and get acquainted with her whereabouts. Further more, he was the biological parent to Annette. Meaning, he had a lot of parental duties to perform to her. Hence, by claiming that he had tried, he was not proving any point. In this regard, it is my considered opinion that, based on the ruling, the decision of the court would remain the same even if Annette’s foster parents were not interested in adopting her. Since the Orange County Department of Social Services (DSS) became a party to this case, Joseph has never been anywhere to be reached. Therefore, it is obvious that he had failed to visit and communicate to his daughter although he was in a better position of doing so (Robertson, 2013). As the constitution clearly stipulates, a parent can be declared to have abandoned a child when they fail to communicate and be in a close contact with a child for a period of six months prior to the time in which the case was filed in the Family Court to be decided upon. Definitely, the determination of such a case should be primarily considering the interests of the child. Before making any decision regarding the termination of parental rights, the court should ensure that it acts in the best interests of the child. The court decision should consider

E-Services in Cambodia Essay Example for Free

E-Services in Cambodia Essay The day length varies from 11 hours 29 minutes to 12 hours 48 minutes without twilight. Mean maximum and minimum temperature range among 30 to 36 °C and 21 to 25 °C respectively. Annual rainfall is 1,343 mm mostly during May to November. The national economy of Cambodia similar to many other developing countries are largely based on agriculture and income-earning opportunities. 90% of Cambodian population makes its living from agriculture. Agricultural development becomes important not only for food and livelihood security of the rural families, but also as a support for industrial progress. Most of Cambodian farmers are poor and live under extreme agroecological, socioeconomic constraints and fear of unrest of war. The poor farmers with small and scattered holdings are surviving on rain fed, mono cropped and rice based farming. Cambodia is rice exported country of mid 1960s has now annual shortage of about 50 000-70 000 tons. Out of exported rice, Cambodia has also exported many agricultural products such as timbers, fish, maize, rubbers, soybean, ground nuts, sesame, jute, cotton and tobacco. These products have been used very low by Cambodian people, because of lacking technology and facilities to improve qualities for food consumption. Agricultural sector in Cambodia contributes about 45 percent to the GDP, and more than 80 percent of the population earns their livings from the agriculture. Apparently, a process of agricultural development is considered to be an effective approach to promote the economic growth with a broadest possible base. Nonetheless, the development of this sector is mainly constrained due to the exceptionally low productivity if compared with the neighboring countries. Research on agricultural development in developing countries has clearly shown that the fundamental problem of agricultural growth is an agricultural education as it plays a vital role in providing qualified manpower for agricultural requirements and conducting agricultural research, thus providing farmers with new techniques of production and new input. Indeed, innovation of technology and management capacities for more intensive and modernized griculture becomes paramount to maximize agricultural output to ensure food security and to alleviate rural poverty in the country. Needless to say, this can be accomplished through the upgrading of human resources employed in the sector at a ll levels from the basic education to higher education. Cambodia has two rice crops each year, a monsoon-season crop (long-cycle) and a dry-season crop. The major monsoon crop is planted in late May through July, when the first rains of the monsoon season begin to inundate and soften the land. Rice shoots are transplanted from late June through September. The main harvest is usually gathered six months later, in December. The dry-season crop is smaller, and it takes less time to grow (three months from planting to harvest). It is planted in November in areas that have trapped or retained part of the monsoon rains, and it is harvested in January or February. The dry-season crop seldom exceeds 15 percent of the total annual production. The per-hectare rice yield in Cambodia is among the lowest in Asia. The average yield for the wet crop is about 0. 95 ton of unmilled rice per hectare. The dry-season crop yield is traditionally higher, 1. 8 tons of unmilled rice per hectare. New rice varieties (IR36 and IR42) have much higher yields, between five and six tons of unmilled rice per hectare under good conditions. Unlike local strains, however, these varieties require a fair amount of urea and phosphate fertilizer (25,000 tons for 5,000 tons of seed), which the government could not afford to import in the late 1980s. The main secondary crops in the late 1980s were maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, soybeans, sesame seeds, dry beans, and rubber. According to Phnom Penh, the country produced 92,000 tons of corn (maize), as well as 100,000 tons of cassava, about 34,000 tons of sweet potatoes, and 37,000 tons of dry beans in 1986. In 1987 local officials urged residents of the different agricultural regions of the country to step up the cultivation of subsidiary food crops, particularly of starchy crops, to make up for the rice deficit caused by a severe drought. Animal husbandry has been an essential part of Cambodian economic life, but a part that farmers have carried on mostly as a sideline. Traditionally, draft animals water buffalo and oxen have playe a crucial role in the preparation of rice fields for cultivation. In 1979 the decreasing number of draft animals hampered agricultural expansion. In 1967 there were 1. 2 million head of draft animals; in 1979 there were only 768,000. Cambodias preferred source of protein is freshwater fish, caught mainly from the Tonle Sap and from the Tonle Sab, the Mekong, and the Basak rivers. Cambodians eat it fresh, salted, smoked, or made into fish sauce and paste. A fishing program, developed with Western assistance, was very successful in that it more than quadrupled the output of inland freshwater fish in three years, from 15,000 tons in 1979 to 68,700 tons in 1982, a peak year. After leveling off, output declined somewhat, dipping to 62,000 tons in 1986. The 1986 total was less than half the prewar figure of some 125,000 tons a year. Saltwater fishing was less developed, and the output was insignificant, less than 10 percent of the total catch. According to the First Plan, fisheries were projected to increase their annual output to 130,000 metric tons by 1990. II. Potentiality of paddy production in Cambodia Paddy Production Wet rice is a unique crop in many ways: It is a traditional, reliable and appreciated stable food †¢ It provides a livelihood for many people (for example some 75 percent of the people living in the Lower Mekong Basin) †¢ It can grow in places that are unsuited for other crops, including waterlogged or inundat ed areas †¢ It can be stored for months or years, if need be †¢ It is rather robust towards pests, and very robust towards weeds †¢ It can be raised within the period of a monsoon rainfall Water for cultivation Having developed in a context of abundant water availability, traditional wet rice cultivation is not water-efficient at all. Production of 1 kg milled rice can require the availability (if not consumption) of 3-6 m3 of water, including various losses and return flows. The monsoon rainfall in Cambodia, where most paddy fields are rain fed, with others supplied by seasonal flood water, and/or from irrigation. The seasonal variation is rather predictable, but the cultivation has adapted so closely that small deviations from the normal pattern can have a significant effects. This is particularly the case for the small dry season, a dry spell of perhaps around a couple of weeks not long after the onset of the wet season. A protracted and severe small dry season after transplanting can seriously affect the annual rain fed crop. 2. The traditional cultivation systems a. Rain fed rice cultivation -The cropping system Rain fed rice cultivation is linked to the rainfall. Over the centuries, the timing and duration of the cultivation cycle have adjusted accordingly, depending on local soil conditions. Due to uncertain rainfall, risk aversion is a strong consideration in choice of technology and in technological innovation for rain fed lowland rice. Traditionally, seeds are produced simply by retaining a portion of the harvest. Better seeds can make a visible difference, both regarding yield and robustness, but must be bought from the good seed keepers in the local area at intervals of a few years. Also, fertilizers can highly improve both the yield and the resilience of the crops. However, the opportunity for its application depends on the rainfall. The size of the land holding is important to the viability of cultivation of rice as well as many other crops. Land holdings in Cambodia tend to be minimal. One among other reasons is the increasing population combined with generation shifts. The farming system Traditional farming systems provide a balance between the availability of land, water and labor, in response to household needs and market demands. Paddy cultivation is highly labor-intensive during transplanting and harvest, but less so in other periods, and not at all outside the cultivation season. Therefore, it can conveniently be combined with other occupations. A traditional Cambodian farming system would comprise paddy cultivation, livestock and palm sugar production. Todays farming systems can be more diverse. Examples of their elements are, A typical Cambodian cultivated landscape is recognised by its sugar palms. A sugar palm can produce 25-50 kg sugar per season (which is 5-7 months), providing a supplementary occupation and cash income. Trees that are unproductive for sugar can supply leaves for thatch-making, mats or rice bins, and can eventually be used for construction and fuelwood. Sugar production is labor-intensive and can compete with Labor for other purposes. Also, it requires fuelwood. It is regarded as a hard way to earn an income and is now in decline. The agricultural value generation Cultivation generates a substantial value upstream and downstream of the farm level, in connection with production and supply of inputs, and processing and distribution of outputs. Rice milling is capital-intensive and is provided by speciali zed operators outside the village. The millers often serve as wholesale buyers. They may provide loans to the farmers with the next crop as collateral, or the rice can simply be sold some time before it is harvested. Few Asian paddy farmers have direct access to (or exposure to) an open market. Some countries see a rather monopolized distribution at the wholesale level. Many governments try to square the circle between appropriate revenue at the farm level and affordable food to the urban poor, applying gentle or more strict regulation of trade and/or prices. Conditions can be quite different for crops other than rice an aspect that can favor a certain crop diversification. b. Irrigated rice cultivation The cropping system Small parts of rain fed rice areas have irrigation or supplementary irrigation. A higher reliability of access to water reduces a major risk and provides opportunities for innovation, provided that technology, skills and inputs are available. This requires coordination of the development of irrigation services and agricultural education and services. Where raw water is available for dry season irrigation, it becomes possible to raise two (or perhaps even three) crops per year an obvious opportunity, so much more because the dry season yield is much higher that the wet season yield (due to the higher sunlight radiation from clear skies). A shift from one to two crops require a shift from long-duration to medium- or short duration varieties. For example, a medium-duration variety can be grown in the wet season and a short-duration variety in the dry season. The farming system Sharing an irrigation system requires an even stronger collaboration than rain fed cultivation, and ability to collaborate is one of the several success criteria for new systems. Farmers Water User Communities (FWUCs) are promoted by Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM) in support of de-central support to operation and maintenance. Some of these work well, while many others are in need of consolidation, faced with complex new challenges and a need of close collaboration. If water is available but sparse in the dry season, a part of the land can be cultivated with crops other than rice. The soil quality, taken as a given without irrigation, get a new significance in connection with the new potential cropping opportunities. Soil conditioning becomes a new requirement in connection with crop diversification in areas that are not immediately suited for crops other than rice. Land becomes an even more precious production factor when irrigation is available, as reflected by a higher price. This makes sense, because of the higher revenue that can be generated, but it also imposes a pressure on the land ownership in case of social shocks, such as failed crops or illness in the family, where households risk to lose their land and turn to sharecropping. This is a visible tendency in newly irrigated areas. The need for supplementary occupations remains, one reason being the moderate income generated from rice cultivation. Households that combine paddy cultivation and livestock will typically earn more from the latter. Cattle and buffaloes can feed on marginal lands unsuited for cultivation, and on by-products such as straw, husk and bran. They provide manure, and draft animals can generate a cash income from transport and ploughings. Further, cattle and buffaloes provide capital for emergencies (such as medical treatment costs in case of illness in the family). The agricultural value generation A second annual crop will highly benefit from more external inputs seeds and fertilizer- and will in turn supply much more rice to the market, considering that a substantial part of the first crop from a small land holding is consumed by the household. This amplifies the value (and livelihoods) generated before and after the cultivation hopefully to the benefit of the farmers as well as society as a whole. 3. Traditional gender roles There are some traditions in connection with the task allocation between the household members. These traditions are not strictly observed, however, and all hands are at work during busy periods. 4. Trends Traditional paddy cultivation is developing in response to challenges, such as for example: †¢ A stronger market demand for crops other than rice including vegetables and biofuel crops, as well as a stronger demand for meat; †¢ a stronger competition for raw water in the dry season, related to development of irrigation infrastructure and intensified cultivation; and/or †¢ a stronger exposure to competition, related to improved transport infrastructure, porous borders, and regional and international promotion of lower trade barriers. Also, inevitably, modern lifestyles will reach even remote, traditional farming households. A cash income is needed for clothes and kerosene (or electricity where available), and every household strives to achieve a TV, a hand phone, and a motorbike. In many cases, this requires paid off-farm employment by one or several household members typically young adults, who migrate to the towns in search of work. III. Quality a. Milling and reprocessing plants Milling and reprocessing plants are being upgraded with high capacity and modern technology to ensure quality of rice. The global milled rice trade in 2010 has been estimated at around 31. 3 million tons, compared to 29. 7 million tons in 2009. However, the demand for the import of medium and low-quality milled rice has been on the increase in Asia, due to the weather problems in the Philippines, crops failure and reduced subsidy on fertilizers in Indonesia, as well as the requirement by some countries in the region to fill in reserve stock. It is estimated that milled rice trade in Asia may reach 14. 5 million tons in 2010, and at the same time, the milled rice price may increase and fluctuate. Overall, the regional and global milled rice trade has high growth potential for the medium and long term, but there are some down-side risks, due to factors such as changes in prices resulted from changing economic and political landscape in every country across the globe. The potential for increasing milled rice trade could be attributed to factors such as population and economic growth and globalization that imply changes in lifestyle and taste in rice consumption. However, the global milled rice markets are protected and highly subsidized because of its political sensitivity and paddy rice growing tradition being important in the context of national religion and food security. Nevertheless, such developments provide an opportunity for Cambodia’s milled rice export into the global markets. Milling Rice Cambodian farmers take immense pride in having commenced construction of International standard rice mill in Cambodia. The state-of-the-art high capacity paddy-to-white rice mill in the Udon region is anticipated to be commissioned in Q3 2012 and represents the first of multi-phase investment strategy and deep-rooted commitment to the country. Significantly larger milling lines are planned for commissioning throughout 2013-2015. The complete milling operations are being designed from the ground up by world-renowned rice experts with unparalleled expertise in advanced rice milling process and technology currently used by the world’s most successful rice millers. The advanced mill design will provide immense flexibility in processing capacity enabling us to handle large scale paddy in short harvesting periods without affecting quality. All mills will be fully equipped with state of the art rice milling, grading, sortexing equipment from Japan and modern packing facilities to ensure consistent production of products to the highest standards whilst meeting the highest stringent quality and safety requirements of the national and international food and retail industries. Utilising multipass technology consisting of whitening and polishing, we can ensure efficient removal of bran and an extremely clean white appearance to the individual rice grains. Our optical sorters look at each individual grain of rice detecting shape, length and colour which guarantees uniformity and an average grain length. Reprocessing plants Until recently, Cambodian farmer didnt have access to high-quality rice seed. For years, the farmer did what most Cambodians do when it’s time to plant their fields: use leftover seed from a past harvest. But the quality of the resulting crops tended to be poor, producing rice that was often pale brown, small, and lacking in aroma. As a result, buyers and rice millers offered low prices, and his sales and income suffered. Almost of Cambodian farmer finally has access to high-quality seed. On the advice of program agronomists, since 2000 they planted a small test plot of the Phka Rumdoul variety to be used exclusively for re-planting. Phka Rumdoul is one of 10 rice varieties recommended by the Cambodian government for their high productivity, quality, and market value. Cambodian farmer harvested the test plot four months later to great success. Though the initial plot was small at 1,500 square meters, the harvest provided enough seed to plant his entire farm of five hectares next season. Program agronomists estimate that the improved seed – combined with Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia planting methods – will save them an estimated 70 percent on seed inputs and increase their sales by roughly 100 percent, both through increased production and higher prices when he sells. Lack of high-quality seed is a major hindrance to Cambodia’s rice industry. If the country hopes to reach the government’s target of exporting 1 million tons by 2015, Cambodian farmers must improve the quality of their product to make it more desirable to overseas markets. Increasing access to high-quality seed – in addition to good agricultural practices and improved marketing techniques, both of which Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia is addressing – is crucial to this happening. About 5,352 rice Cambodian farmer receiving technical assistance from Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia, a number that will grow to 30,000 over the life of the program. They have no doubt that Phka Rumdoul can find a market outside of Cambodia. â€Å"These seeds are high quality. You can tell just by looking,† they said one recent afternoon, sifting the grain through his fingers. â€Å"With good seeds and Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia techniques, I’m confident that I can produce high-quality, tasty rice. † b. Good and fertile soil condition and fertilizer usage Farmer use limited chemical fertilizer and natural fertilizers to its actuality: produce high yield and good quality paddy and good tasted rice. Fertile soil condition At the time of writing this report there were no data available on the degree of erosion in Cambodia. But because of the high vulnerability of soils to erosion in Cambodia and the accumulated impact on agriculture and the environment, attention urgently needs be given to the problem. That need is underscored by the following facts: Some 63 per cent of Cambodia’s forests are located in mountainous watershed areas (Ministry of Environment, 1994), much of which has been extensively logged, deforested or degraded. Loss and reduction of the vegetation cover leads to exposure of the soil to sunlight and heavy rainfall, which speeds up the decomposition rate and therefore decreases organic matter in the soil. The process also brings about changes in the physical and chemical soil structure. Consequently, the soil undergoes crusting, and the water filtration, and water and nutrient retention capacity are reduced. The end result is intensive run-off and erosion; Some provinces in Cambodia, sheet erosion can be seen as silt which has collected behind cut logs and stumps in the fields, while rill erosion occurs in some fields only three months after clearing and burning the forest for farming. When that occurs, the actual amount of top soil being lost, measured from the top of the remaining grass and tree stumps to the soil surface, is an estimated 1 to 1. 5 cm. The fact that rill erosion has already begun in some places suggests that the yearly top soil loss is very serious. Farmers have reported that yield decreases about 20-25 per cent in the second year of cultivation, and about 40-50 per cent in the third year on wards. Soil loss through erosion can be observed at coffee and hevea farms where the natural vegetation cover has been completed cleared, leaving the soil surface uncovered between the rows of young seedlings. Erosion occurs not only in the upland areas but also in the lowland areas. In practice, water run-off occurs on all land, and the top soil is lost when no protective and conservation measures are in place. In Cambodia, however, few people understand that erosion is a serious problem in the rain fed lowland areas. In addition, population pressure in the rain fed lowlands is triggering a chain of events which will lead to intensive run-off, erosion and a reduction in the groundwater recharge. Those events include: Excessive collection of fuelwood from woodland and forest areas; Overstocking and overgrazing (although the number of animals is increasing, the fodder supply is decreasing); Increased run-off of water from rice fields. Because dikes in some areas, for example, in Svay Rieng, are not high enough to contain rainwater, the run-off contains a great of nutrient. Fertilizer usage The average rice yields in Cambodia over the past five years have been relatively constant, varying between 1. 2 and 1. tons/ha in the monsoon season and 2. 5 to 2. 7 tons/ha in the dry season. During 1995/ 96 a considerable increase in rice yield was recorded: 1. 64 tons/ha in the monsoon season and 3. 0 tons/ha in the dry season (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 1995). That rise in yield has b een linked to good weather conditions, increased use of fertilizer and the expanding cultivation of high-yielding varieties in the dry season1 . For other important secondary crops the yield has remained relatively constant. The average yield of cassava is 6. 61 tons/ha, sweet potatoes 4. 16 tons/ha, mung beans 0. 78 tons/ha, sugar cane 27. 29 tons/ha and soybean 1. 7 tons/ha (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 1995). Soil fertility depends on the agro-ecosystem. There are four important rice agro-ecosystems in Cambodia: rainfed lowland rice; rainfed upland farming; deep-water or floating rice; and dry-season (mostly flood recession) rice. While declining soil fertility is increasingly affecting the rainfed lowland agro-ecosystem, the soil fertility in the other systems can be restored through yearly siltation or through the clearing of forest areas. Unfortunately, the rainfed lowland agro-ecosystem is the most important in Cambodia because that area covers about 85 pe r cent of the cultivated area of the country. Rice in that ecosystem is commonly grown on Ultisols and Alfisols (Reyes and others, 1995). Those soils, especially Ultisols which comprise the most common rainfed lowland soil, are sandy, acidic, extremely infertile and low in organic carbon and cation exchange capacity. The rainfed lowland areas are badly degraded, especially where land settlement has continuously occurred over hundreds of years (for example, Oudong in Kampong Speu province, and Bati in Takeo province). In those areas, the soils are very sandy and the top soil has been seriously depleted or eroded. IV. Price, Tax-free and Market of Cambodian rice a. Cambodian rice price in the market Cambodian rice’s price is competitive, especially fragrant rice. Cambodian milled rice is becoming more popular throughout Asia, particularly in Malaysia, which is the number one importer of milled rice from the Kingdom. The price of Cambodian paddy rice is 30% to 40% cheaper than its neighbors Thailand and Vietnam. This low profit margin is a competitive advantage but unofficial fees, high transportation costs and high processing costs make this less significant. Exporting paddy rice is a lost. If processed domestically, some byproducts such as broken rice, husk and bran can be used as important inputs for aquaculture and animal breeding that enable farmers to earn extra income. With more investment in modern rice mill facilities, Cambodia can increase its production of quality milled rice for the growing international market and boost the reputation and international recognition of the Cambodian milled rice standards. In this connection, the Royal Government must address the following issues to increase domestic value-added: High electricity price Electricity represents 25% of the total processing costs. This fades Cambodia’s competitive advantage and the situation can be worse taking into account high and volatile oil price. High energy price is an obstacle to the expansion of the irrigation systems. In the low land Mekong plain, petroleum products are used to pump water into irrigation canals. Therefore, high energy prices limit the ability of farmers to plant two paddy crops a year and to increase yields. For instance, urban dwellers pay 18 20 cents per kWh, while those living in the rural areas are forced to pay up to 30 90 cents, compared to 10 cents in Vietnam. Unreliable supply and high electricity price force rice mills to use their own diesel generators which cost them 12. 60 dollars or 2. 2% per ton of rice, compared to 23. 38 dollars or 4. 1% per ton if electricity is used instead. High transportation cost Poor transport infrastructures such as roads, railways, warehouses, and handling equipment increase rice price. To transport one ton of rice on 100-km road, Cambodian farmers must spend 15 dollars, while this costs only 4 dollars and 7. dollars in Thailand and Vietnam respectively. Moreover, the number of handling equipment and port-nearby warehouses are not adequate, a major challenge for rice export especially during rainy season. Lack of access to and high cost of credit Lack of access to and high cost of credit decrease domestic value-added and hinder milled rice expor t. Limited access to credit, both for working capital and investment outlays, represents an obstacle for rice millers to stockpile paddy rice and modernize their processing machineries. However, given the sound and vibrant banking system and a large amount of available credit lines, the capital and the costs of financing should not be a problem. The problem is that bank intermediaries do not clearly understand the risks and the expected returns from agriculture investments, as the majority of bankers believe that agriculture is a high risk and low return sector. Moreover, lack of borrowers’ financial information and records make it more difficult for the banks to assess the repayment capacity and the status of the borrowers. b. Tax-Free for Cambodian rice export Nowadays, Cambodian rice can export to some countries in the world is tax? free, e. g. , the EU Countries, Russia and China. However, the Ministry of Economy and Finance has issued a prakas that will exempt rice producers from a 1 per cent tax in a bid to stimulate rice production and exports. The prakas, or edict – dated October 11 and signed by Minister of Economy and Finance – rescinds the tax on rice production and milled rice sales for three years. The move comes as the Cambodian government attempts to close in on its goal of exporting 1 million tonnes of milled rice by 2015. President of Loran Import-Export Company, said was not aware of the prakas, but added that the tax relief would help the countrys rice exports as soon as it was implemented. Rice exporters have long insisted that Cambodia remove domestic rice production taxes, Minister said. Thailand and Vietnam do not have such taxes, and the removal of the tax would put Cambodia on a more equal playing field, he said. It would encourage exporters, including me, to be more motivated to export. General director of Rural Development Bank, said he was not sure of the significance of the prakas yet but he supported the ministrys attempt to push milled rice production. The ministry had tried to facilitate milled rice production very much. They have pushed hard for tax exemption of export,. As a relatively new player in the milled rice market, Cambodia faces a steep learning curve. However, with a surplus of 3. 5 million tons of paddy rice (equivalent to 2 million tons of milled rice), Cambodia has the potential to soon be among the top five milled rice exporters in the world. More importantly, growth in the agricultural sector will translate into more economic opportunities for Cambodia’s vast rural population. While not a silver bullet, the success of the rice sector is an exciting and potentially crucial driver in Cambodia’s prosperous and equitable development. c. Market Milled rice market is heavily protected and import procedures vary from one country to another. As Cambodia is a new player in milled rice market, it must face a steep learning curve and improve its export capacity to penetrate the international market. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Malaysia imported over 7,000 tonnes of a total 25,700 tonnes exported. Poland is the second-largest importer, importing 5,880 tonnes in the first month of the year, and France the third largest, importing over 4,300 tonnes. The of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and director of the single-window secretariat for facilitating milled rice exports, said though Malaysia ranked highest for milled rice exports, Cambodia could further capitalist on Malaysian demand for fragrant milled rice. Cambodia needs to diversify its exports to better take advantage of the Malaysian market, Vanhorn added. But Cambodia also still faces challenges in managing the use of different seeds grown in different areas, adding that officials could not always control the quantity of these unspecified seeds â€Å"According to these figures, we hope we reach our target, but anything can happen in the future,† Minister said, adding that â€Å"rice exports can be affected by many other factors†. The Asian market is huge for rice exporters, with Malaysia importing from Thailand and Vietnam as well. Malaysia imports a lot of rice to supply its market demand from Thailand and Vietnam, and now they also turn to Cambodia because of competitive prices. Cambodia announced two major bilateral trade agreements last month, with the Philippines and Thailand, that are expected to further expand the country’s rice export sector. Over the last few years, Cambodia has emerged as a major rice exporter in the region, due in large part to the Royal Government of Cambodia’s recent expansion of its agricultural sector. Agriculture, led by rice farming, contributes to roughly a third of the country’s GDP and has immense potential for strengthening Cambodia’s economic growth, accelerating poverty reduction, and improving the living standard of its citizens. As part of this agenda, in 2010, the RGC adopted a new Policy Paper on Paddy Production and Rice Export, better known as the Rice Policy, to promote diversification of Cambodia’s economic sectors by catalyzing growth in paddy rice production and milled rice export to match the growth seen in the garment and service sectors. In his keynote address at the policy’s launch, Prime Minister said: â€Å"The policy aims to ensure that we grab the rare opportunity to develop Cambodia in the post global financial and economic cataclysm. † If Cambodia’s rice export sector were to reach its full potential, it could produce 3 million tons of milled rice, with the total export value amounting to $2. 1 billion (approximately 20% of the GDP) and an estimated additional $600 million (approximately 5% of the GDP) to the national economy. It would also boost employment and income for agricultural farmers who make up more than 70 percent of the population living in rural area s. To better understand the bottlenecks in the rice sector, The Asia Foundation, in partnership with the AusAID-funded program, â€Å"Cambodia Agricultural Value Chain† (CAVAC), hosted a series of consultative forums last year in three provinces – Kampong Thom, Kampot, and Takeo – with stakeholders from the private sector (farmers, seed producers, agro-business owners, exporters) and the public sector (Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce, and Water Resources Management, provincial governors, provincial departments of line ministries, and local authorities). Approximately 370 participants attended the workshops and discussed how to create business-friendly environments (i. e. competitiveness and productivity, access to finance, access to markets), and the technical aspects of rice production (use of fertilizers and insecticides, seed categories, and availability of water sources). The insights were frank and eye-opening. Although the challenges are significant, the o pportunities for the sector are greater. Secretary of State for the Ministry of Economy and Finance, optimistically predicted that the RGC can achieve its target for milled rice: â€Å"With regards to RGC’s rice export target in 2015, we may achieve up to 80 percent of the 1 million tons planned. This should include the milled rice to Vietnamese, Thai, and non-EU markets. † Implementing a strategic framework like the Rice Policy is just the beginning. To increase the paddy rice production to meet market demand and promote the export of milled rice, the government must initiate and support a host of reforms in partnership with the private sector. For instance, to solve the issue of credit shortages for buying and processing paddy rice, the government can provide incentives to commercial banks to increase the loan portfolio for agriculture. At the end of the day, the RGC must keep the farmers themselves in mind. Introducing new technologies or improving agricultural practices can only go so far if they are not accepted and adopted by farmers. Donors and NGOs can play a pivotal role in providing support and facilitating the successful implementation of new policies and projects aimed at improving the agricultural value chain. V. Conclusion Though the current global milled rice market is highly protected, Cambodia is blessed with opportunity to export milled rice in the future thank to the increase in domestic paddy rice production and the potential in the world milled rice trade. So far, the performance of agriculture is outstanding especially in terms of productivity improvement and diversification, due to steadfast efforts of the Royal Government and all stakeholders including the participation of farmers. Rice will mainly mean the stunning landscapes of rice fields, yellow at harvest time, bright and liquid during the rainy season, with shades of green meanwhile. But to a Cambodian consumer and to a Cambodian farmer, as well as to their Government (and to the French economist), rice is the staple crop, a possible â€Å"white gold† as the Prime Minister once put it, and a major part of a poverty reduction strategy. Through, the Prime Minister launched a â€Å"policy paper on the promotion of paddy production and rice exports†. This is a good and promising example of a cluster approach to Cambodias growth strategy. Cambodia is an important but still small rice exporter. Cambodia has been an exporter of rice since 2004, but a large part of the exports was unprocessed (paddy) or even smuggled through the border. Yet Cambodia has abundant land and sits in a region that is both fertile for and in high demand of rice. So far the potential comparative advantage for rice was diluted by various costs, official (e. g. electricity) or unofficial (e. g. llegal check points). Poor coordination of public and private actors was also undermining the potential. For instance weak land titling systems and weak sanitary controls were a constraint that led to limited access to finance, itself contributing to limited value addition. However the significant increase in price in 2008 and again a rebound in the past few weeks has drastically changed the economics of the sector. The policy includes a range of actions, from helping farmers to organize in associations and use better seeds, to improving irrigation systems, developing certification systems, strengthening logistics, and facilitating access to finance. Although I did not get a chance to consult Paul the Octopus as my colleague in Thailand did, the policy makes a strong case for the rapid development of rice exports in Cambodia. Potentiality of Cambodian rice, Cambodia has great potentialities and prospects in paddy and rice production promotion for the supply. Cambodia will be able to produce large quantity of paddy in response to the increasing demand of the world markets. In the future, Cambodia necessarily need to export milled rice in large quantity rather than selling as paddy rice. In fact, high growth in agricultural sector will benefit most Cambodian people who are farmers with their living standard improved. Thus, the Royal Government is committed to promoting paddy rice production and removing all constraints to milled rice export from Cambodia. Indeed, the success of this policy will depend on actual implementation; and the task is complex and hard to achieve, yet it really requires cooperation, coordination and strong commitment especially by way of improving the leadership and management of all concerned ministries/agencies and stakeholders. The new policy recognizes this new environment and promotes: coordination of various actors along the value chain, from the rice fields to the export market; shift from production increase to commercial agriculture; and Organic rice should be promoted country wide Link all producer group into cluster and union Farmers should involved in this industry and form themselves into network Local and national authority support the industry NGO should provide more capacity building training related to value added Government should re-check the policy of land investment ( esp. land concession) Government should rehabilitate the existing irrigation system and build the new ones where the re is lack of irrigation system Government should facilitate to find the loan or provide loan to farmers with low interest rate to ensure that farmers will have enough financial resource to invest in this industry. Both government and NGO must try to look for and expand the market for organic rice products. Recognition of the leading role of the private sector and the critical facilitating role of the State. The Royal Government is strongly convinced that all ministries/agencies of the Royal Government and other stakeholders, including the private sector and development partners, and particularly Cambodian farmers across the country, will join hands in pursuing this mission to bring about development, progress, and prosperity to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Reference 1. Cosslett, Tuyet L. The Economy. Cambodia: A Country Study (Russell R. Ross, editor) Library of Congress Federal Research Division (December 1987) 2. Cambodian Environment Management Project, 1996. Summary report of Phnom Penh and provincial working group meetings on pesticide information and education (Ministry of Environment). 3. Dr. Jan-Peter Mund [[emailprotected] com] is working as Professor at the University of Eberswalde GIS and Remote Sensing and serves as an advisor to the UN-Water Programme at the United Nations University in Bonn. From 2007-2010 he was a Senior Researcher at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). 4. Cambodia Must Up its Game in Rice Exports, Khut Inserey is The Asia Foundation’s senior program officer in Cambodia. He can be reached at [emailprotected] org. 5. Policy Document on Promotion of Paddy Rice Production and Export of Milled Rice, Royal Government of Cambodia, 2010. 6. Abrar, S. , O. Morrissey and T. Rayner. 2004. Crop-level supply response by agro-climatic region in Ethiopia. Journal of Agricultural Economics 55(2): 289–311. 7. ADB (Asian Development Bank). 2008. Food prices and inflation in developing Asia: Is poverty reduction coming to an end? Special report. Manila, Philippines: Asian Development Bank. 8. ACI (Agrifood Consulting International) and CamConsult. 2006. Cambodia agriculture sector diagnostic report. Diagnostic study, phase 1 of design. Agricultural Program, Cambodia, December 2007. Program concept document final report, prepared for AusAID. Bethesda, Maryland: Agrifood Consulting International. 9. Albayrak, N. 1998. Wheat supply response: Some evidence on aggregation issues. Development Policy Review 16: 241–263. 10. Arulpagasam, J. , F. Goletti, T. M. Atinc, and V. Songwe. 2003. â€Å"Trade in sectors important to the poor: Rice in Cambodia and Vietnam and Cashmere in Mongolia. † In K. Krumm and H. Kharas (ed. East Asia Integrates: A Trade Policy Agenda for Shared Growth. Washington D. C. : World Bank. 11. Ball, V. E. , et al. 2003. Modeling supply response in a multiproduct framework revisited: The nexus of empirics and economics. Paper presented at â€Å"The American Agricultural Economics Association Annua l Meeting. † July 26-30, Montreal, Canada. 12. Bogahawatte, C. 1983. Simulating the impact of changes in wheat flour imports and world price of rice on the supply and demand for rice in Sri Lanka. Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics. 13. CDRI (Cambodia Development Resource Institute). 2008. Impact of high food prices in Cambodia. Survey report. Cambodia Development Resource Institute: Phnom Penh, Cambodia 14. Choeun, H. , Y. Godo, and Y. Hayami. 2006. The economics and politics of rice export taxation in Thailand: A historical simulation analysis, 1950–1985. Journal of Asian Economics 17: 103–125. 15. Coleman, D. R. 1983. Review of the arts of supply response analysis. Review of Marketing and Agricultural Economics 51(3): 201–230. 16. CSES (Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey). 2004 and 2007. National Institute of Statistics, Cambodia. 17. Danh, V. T. 2007. The role of prices in stimulating Vietnamese rice economy. Centre for ASEAN Studies discussion paper no. 52. University of Antwerp: The Netherlands. 8. Deb, S. 2005. Terms of trade and supply response of Indian agriculture: Analysis in cointegration framework. Indian Economic Review 40(1): 65–92. 19. Fan, S. 2008, Public Expenditure, Growth and Poverty in Developing Countries: Issues, Methods and Findings. Baltimore, Maryland: John Hopkins Publicat ions. 20. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). 2008. FAOSTAT. Rome, Italy. . Last accessed June 2008. 21. Flinn, J. C. , K. P. Kalirajan, and L. L. Castillo. 1982. Supply responsiveness of rice farmers in Laguna, Philippines. Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics 26(1): 39–48. 22. Grethe, H. , and G. Weber. 2005. Comparing supply systems derived from a symmetric generalized McFadden profit function to isoelastic supply systems: Costs and benefits. Paper presented at â€Å"The EAAE seminar for Modeling Agricultural Policies: State of the Art and New Challenges. † February 3-5, Parma, Italy. 23. Gunawardana, P. J. , and E. A. Oczkowski. 1992. Government policies and agricultural supply response: Paddy in Sri Lanka. Journal of Agricultural Economics 43(2): 231–242. 24. Hattink, W. , N. Heerink, and G. Thijssen. 1998. Supply response of cocoa in Ghana: A farm-level profit function analysis. Journal of African Economies 7(3): 424–444. 25. Heltberg, R. , and F. Tarp. 2002. Agricultural supply response and poverty in Mozambique. Food Policy 27: 103–124.

Islam :: essays research papers

Islam is a monotheistic faith that means â€Å"submission to the will of God†. The person who practices this faith is known as a Muslim. As someone who has grown up in India, which has more than 100 million more Muslims on its subcontinent alone as compared to all the Arab countries combined, I have had several interactions with Muslims, both positive and negative. However, I now realize that those interactions were limited and that there is a lot more that I did not know about Muslims from different countries, who are scattered all around the world. I am fascinated by the fact that there are around 6 million Muslims in the United States. As Muslim immigrants comprised a steadily growing group in the United States before the attacks of September 11, it was estimated that the increasing rate of their population going to make Islam the nation’s second largest religion by the year 2010. Hence, mental health professionals in this country are paying a lot of attention to the needs of Muslim clients based on their religious doctrines. There are five basic articles or â€Å"pillars† of faith in Islam. These are â€Å"Ash’shahadatan† (testifying that there is no God save Allah and that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah), â€Å"As’salah† (a form of worship rites that involve specific movements and sayings, which need to be performed five times a day), â€Å"Az’zakah† (to pay 2.5% of the wealth annually for the benefit of the needy in Muslim community), â€Å"As’sawm† ( To abstain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse during daytime throughout the 9th Lunar month), and â€Å"Al Hajj† (The pilgrimage to Mecca once in life for those who are physically and financially able). Research has found that Muslim societies are collectivistic (group plays a larger role in society than the individual) in terms of family life, economic situations, the truth as determined in terms of agreement with the Koran, their religious book, and religious, and aesthetic values. Moreover, according to a fundamental doctrine in the Islamic faith, Muslims believe in fate and perceive illness as a way of atoning their sins rather than a form of punishment.. I have also discovered that I had certain preconceived notions about Muslims based on my experiences as a person from India, where Muslims are minorities just as they are in the United States. However, the majority group in India, to which I used to belong to, had hostile feelings towards Muslims.

Greek and Roman Humanities: Roman Games Essay

1) Explain the purpose and importance of the games in Roman society. Please use examples from the website to illustrate your points. The games in Roman society evolved from religious observances and religious rites, the purposes of which over time became lost to the Romans themselves. By the time the religious rites had evolved into theatrical performances and the circus, the importance of the games to Roman society had become very much like the importance of sports and entertainment in modern American society. The Romans enjoyed the spectacle of the games, gambled on them, developed complicated rules and had entire economic networks built into the games. Although â€Å"at first the games of the early Roman republic had religious significance,† (Games) the later games were † purely for entertainment† (Games). The influence of the games ran from the highest to the lowest levels of Roman society. Attendance at the games was considered a right of a Roman citizen and each of the games, such as chariot racing or gladiators had loyal fans and expert â€Å"critics† — when it came to something like chariot racing, â€Å"The public adored the top drivers. They were quite literally comparable to modern day sports stars. † (Games) 2) Considering the brutal nature of what took place in the Colosseum, what impact do you think the games had on the morality of the average Roman? Although the games were very violent and often brutal, they were far more popular for the Romans than the more refined entertainment of the theater. The story told by the playwright Terence shows just how popular the brutal entertainments were in Roman society; when: â€Å"a festival held in honour of the deceased Lucius Aemilius Paulus in 160 BC. Terence’s comedy The mother in law was being staged and all was going well, when suddenly someone in the audience was heard saying that the the gladiatorial fights were about to begin. Within minutes his audience had disappeared† (Games). I think it is likely that the games’ influence on Roman society was to make it more difficult for sophisticated entertainment to get mass attention much as it is in modern society. More people watch pro wrestling and NASCAR than go to the ballet or buy books of poetry. The overall Roman culture was probably a bit de-sensitized to violence like our own culture. 3) Many people believe that modern America is a mirror image of ancient Rome during the imperial era. How does our entertainment – choose any type you wish – compare to the types offered in ancient Rome? What parallels are there? What differences exist? Please use examples from the website and your personal experience to illustrate your points. Much of American entertainment relies on violence as much as the Roman games. There are many violent movies, violent video games, and violent television shows. The big difference is that American culture uses purely theatrical and make-believe violence whereas Roman society actually performed violent acts up to and including violent murder and torture. Most violent entertainment in modern society does not involve lethal force nor does it include wide-spread betting on the probable death of people. In Rome, † quite naturally, there was a huge amount of betting surrounding the races† (Games) and this is much different than in modern society where corporate sponsors use the athletes to promote International conglomerates rather than emrely betting on them. 4) In your opinion, which group of people – Romans living in the imperial era or modern Americans – are more depraved? Please use examples from both the website and your personal experience to illustrate your points. In my opinion, the Romans were far more depraved than modern Americans. Not only for the bloodshed against humans that they enacted for entertainment, but for their wholesale murder and abuse of animals: â€Å"tigers, panthers and lions were let out of cages to be confronted in long and dangerous chases by armed gladiators. Bulls and rhinoceroses were first brought to a rage, much like in a Spanish bullfight, before they were met their hunters† (Games). Additionally, the Romans were so depraved, they staged mock-wars and actual crucifixions for entertainment. Work Cited Anonymous, â€Å"The Games† www. roman-empire. net 5th July 2007. http://www. roman-empire. net/society/soc-games. html 2 pages 1 source MLA Log on to the following web site: http://www. roman-empire. net/society/soc-games. html and read about the Roman games and their importance in Roman society. After you have completed the reading, respond to the following: 1) Explain the purpose and importance of the games in Roman society. Please use examples from the website to illustrate your points. 2) Considering the brutal nature of what took place in the Colosseum, what impact do you think the games had on the morality of the average Roman? 3) Many people believe that modern America is a mirror image of ancient Rome during the imperial era. How does our entertainment – choose any type you wish – compare to the types offered in ancient Rome? What parallels are there? What differences exist? Please use examples from the website and your personal experience to illustrate your points. 4) In your opinion, which group of people – Romans living in the imperial era or modern Americans – are more depraved? Please use examples from both the website and your personal experience to illustrate your points.

How to create a civilization

How to create a new civilization In the past, civilizations have been created. For example the Roman Empire was a very successful one. The Romans discovered many Ideas that we as a civilization, still use today. The empire did not appear over night. It took many years for It to obtain Its foothold In the world. To start building a collocation many people are needed for the task. People such as civil servants and workers are required.Call servants are seed to create a government that Is stable enough to create Jobs for people, keep the peace, and uphold laws. Workers are required to build buildings and service the city In any way necessary. These people will provide homes for the residence and public offices for the civil servants. Once there are basic buildings, a town center should be built so that people can gather for public speeches and other information they might need. A form of currency should also be created so that people can make money from the jobs that they do.The governm ent can use this currency to help the people start their lives. This currency would be used to buy and sell goods. Eventually this will create an economy. Once a stable city has been built, a voting system should be put in place to allow the people to vote on changes in the city. An example of a change would be that the people might want a new street put in. They would then be able to give a vote to the government which will then go with the majority of the votes. The government will have the choice to make a change or not make a change pending on their budget.Also the government will have to issue taxes to the residence of the city so they can have a stable amount of income. The poor will not how to create a civilization By Justine-Chasing very successful one. The Romans discovered many ideas that we as a civilization, still use today. The empire did not appear over night. It took many years for it to obtain its foothold in the world. To start building a civilization many people ar e needed for the task. People such as civil servants and workers are required.Civil servants are used to create a government that is stable enough to create Jobs for people, keep the peace, and uphold laws. Workers are required to build buildings and service the city in any way necessary. These people will provide homes for the residence and public offices for the civil servants. Once there are basic buildings, a town center should be from the Jobs that they do. The government can use this currency to help the people put in place to allow the people to vote on changes in the city. An example off

The Beginning of Our United States essays

The Beginning of Our United States essays The British government had enormous problems after the enduring victory over France in the Seven Years War. The Seven Years War had virtually doubled the national public debt, and the attainment of half the territory in North America had vastly compounded the problems of controlling the empire. These circumstances required new revenues for the empire, and the ruling circles in Great Britain believed that the colonists were best able to provide the necessary funds to re-pay the national public debt (American History [Vol. 1] p.123). Accordingly, measures to secure enforcement of the Navigation Acts, which excluded all non-British ships from the colonial carrying trade, were adopted by the British Parliament in 1764. In order to obtain additional revenue, Parliament in 1765 replaced the Molasses Act with a Stamp Act, requiring Americans to validate various documents, transactions, and purchases by buying and applying stamps issued by the royal government (Encarta: Sugar There was a widespread anger among the American colonists with the passage of the Stamp Act, especially in states such as Virginia, New York, and Massachusetts. Protest meetings, riotous demonstrations, and other manifestations of popular hostility occurred in practically every urban center from Massachusetts to Georgia (Encarta: Stamp Act, 1999). Nearly all officials responsible for execution of the Stamp Act were forced to resign, and many of the stamps were seized and destroyed. Secret societies of patriots calling themselves the Sons of Liberty were formed in numerous communities (Electric Library, 1994). The inter-colonial upsurge against taxation without representation exploded in October of 1765 in the Stamp Act Congress, which was the first important demonstration of American political unity (American History [Vol. 1] pg. 132-33). Although Parliament refused to recognize the adoption by the Congress of a petition of rights, pri...

How to Write a Memoir 13 Key Elements of a Memoir You Need

How to Write a Memoir 13 Key Elements of a Memoir You Need How to Write a Memoir: 13 Key Elements of a Memoir You Need Learning how to write a memoir might seem simpleYou may think it easy to jot down details about your life in a cohesive, entertaining fashionbut there’s quite a bit more to.And you probably dont even know what youre missing.Memoirs can be very complex pieces of work. It takes a lot of skill and craft to be able to write down intimate details about your life for others to read and learn from. Which means learning how to write a memoir can be really hard.But the great part?Writing a memoir is both empowering and rewarding, and when broken down into these feasible steps, it’s something you can learn to master in no time.Heres how to write a memoir in 13 steps:Choose your memoir themeList associating memoriesAdd others related memoriesWrite your memoir truthfullyShow, dont tell in your memoirGet vulnerableMake connections with each storyAdd the impact in your life todayPut your personality into itWrite a memoir you want to readHow many people can say they wrote a book detai ling the most impactful moments of their lives?Not many.And by taking this leap and diving head first into your memories and entire life, you’re reaching new heights for yourself and you may even enlighten others by the end of your journey. What is a memoir?A memoir is a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources. Its a book about your life, the lessons learned, and key moments that shaped who you are.We all typically think of a memoir and cringe a little at the idea of a book about someone else’s life. But that’s not all a memoir is!Essentially, this is a book written by you about key moments in your life. You bring your memories to life in order to touch on an overarching message others can learn and grow from.Its like the highlight reel from your diary (if you ever had one) about the experiences that shaped your life.NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing p rocess in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it hereWhat Qualifies as a Memoir?A memoir is unique in the fact that it covers your lifes events in a more story-like structure with an overarching theme or messaged written in.This means that how tos, motivational books, and other topics dont qualify as a memoir. Memoirs are very specific in the sense that it accounts for the entirety of your life with an emphasis on stories and impactful moments that lead to a great purpose.Writing a memoir is both empowering and rewarding, and when broken down into these feasible steps, it’s something you can learn to master in no time.Click To TweetMemoir DefinitionA memoir is a historical account written with personal knowledge and experience covering the lifetime of an individual, usually with a greater purpose or message within it.How is this different than an autobiography? I know what you’re thinking, â€Å"Aren’t they the same thing?†With so many genre s and writing terminology out there, knowing the differences between a memoir vs autobiography, (aka works of writing that are basicall the same) can be confusing.They’re both about someone’s life written by themselves, right? Right.But they do differ in a single way that really makes a memoir vs an autobiography completely different in terms of their end results.A memoir typically covers one aspect of a writer’s life (or a continuous theme through memories), while an autobiography is a chronological account of the writer’s life.So if you want to write a play-by-play of your entire life from the moment you popped into this world to the very second you started writing, you’d write an autobiography.But if you’re looking to share a profound message with the world through your own real-life experiences, you’ll write a memoir. How to Write a Memoir with Meaning and InfluenceWriting a memoir can not only be a valuable experience for you, bu t the impact it may have on other people is astounding too.You have a life worth something. You have experiences that led you to a very specific place in life, and you know what?Others have undoubtedly been in your shoes before and will benefit from you writing a book.Essentially, you can teach others how to get through what you did or even how to learn from their own journeys just as you have yours.That’s the meaning of a memoir and its influence knows no bounds.What are theKeyElementsofaMemoir?Writing a memoir can be difficult simply because it’s about your life. Somehow, we find it too hard to put our own lives into words through a meaningful message.How do you really sum up an accumulation of years and years of experience in only a couple hundred pages?We’ll help you learn how to write a memoir worth reading and sharing.History is written by the victors, but its victims who write the memoirs. ― Carol TavrisClick To Tweet#1 Choose your focus or theme A memoir isn’t just a list of all the experiences in your life. If it were, you’d call it an autobiography.What sets memoirs apart from a simple retelling of your life is an overarching theme or message that others can take away from it and that you personally learned from the stories you share.Think about what you want others to take away from reading your memoir.What will they learn or realize or gain from reading about your life? You can ask yourself those very same questions about your life to find the answers.What have you learned throughout your life? What’s the number 1 message that your experiences have taught you?Once you have that big, broad idea, the real work begins.#2 List all associating memoriesIt’s time to do a little mind mapping.Now that you know the overall theme and message of your memoir and what will set it apart, you have to connect the dots of your life to that core focus.Here are a few areas to think about specifically to help j og some of those memories in order to help you know how to write a memoir worth reading: There are so many areas that have a direct influence over how you perceive life as a whole. You just have to do a little digging to spark some specific memories that can circle back to the overarching theme of your memoir.#3 Add others’ related storiesI know this is a book about yourlife but it never hurts to back up your own experiences with someone else’s or many other people’s.Knowing how to write a memoir involves knowing when your message will be loudest. And that’s often with additional stories from others.Sometimes you cant always get the message across if only you have experienced it. To get readers to relate, you might have to show them that many people experience the same thing.One of the most powerful connections you can make to benefit from the message of your memoir is to show your readers that it’s not just you.Others have gone through the same situations you have and came out with the same perspective.This one requires some extensiv e research (and maybe even an interview or two), but possessing the ability to be credible in your readers’ eyes is crucial. And obviously, youll want to make sure youre using their experiences legally in your memoir.You can even interview family or friends who might see an experience you share differently than you.Adding those details will strengthen your core message.Heres a checklist of what your memoir should include in order to complete and at its best:Elements of a MemoirDetailsIntroductionA snippet of what your life is like now and why you're writing this memoirCore theme/messageEach memoir should have an overall theme or message that one can take away when they've finished reading.HonestyWriting a memoir without honesty will come across on the pages. Readers will be able to tell and will be pulled out of the book because of this.Entertainment valueNobody wants to read a memoir that's written like a textbook. Create entertainment value through the stories you tell.Supp orting storiesBecause you have an overall theme, it needs supporting stories from your life to back it up.Intriguing writingOnce again, a memoir is still a book and therefore, it cannot read like a textbook. Great writing is necessary for a great book.Overall arcYour life has an arc and your memoir's purpose is to show this through lessons learned from start to end.#4 Write truthfullyOne of the hardest parts about writing a memoir is the fact that we tend to be a wee bit biased with ourselves.*Gasp* You don’t say!It’s true. Nobody really likes to admit their faults. It’s one thing to recognize when you were wrong in life, it’s another to actually write it down for the world to see.It’s hard. We want everyone to see the best version of ourselves and therefore, we leave out details or flat out lie to seem â€Å"better† in their eyes.But that’s not what makes a good memoir. In order to learn how to write a memoir that really touches peo ple in deep, emotional ways, you have to learn to be honest.#5 Show, don’t tellNo, this doesn’t mean you have to write a picture book. That’s not what â€Å"show† means in this case.When it comes to creating intrigue with your writing and trust me, you want to do this, especially for a memoir you have to write by showing, not telling.For the sake of brevity, I’ll just give you an overview of this writing technique, but if you’re interested in mastering the ability to pull readers in, you can check out this detailed explanation.Essentially, showing versus telling is the way in which you describe your experiences with an emphasis on emotion.But that doesn’t mean you should write down every feeling you had during a specific time. In fact, that’s what you want to avoid.We’ll cover this in more detail below,but heres agreatvideooutlining this method↓ #6 Get vulnerableMemoirs are not a time to distance yourself from your inner feelings.Quite the opposite, actually.It’s time to dig deep and show the world what kind of author you are through your life experiences by getting vulnerable.Open yourself up to the truth behind who you are today. If you shield yourself in any way, it’s going to be obvious on the pages of your memoir and therefore, not as effective.At first, you may want to cringe while writing certain memories but after a few days, you’ll find it easier to share your truth.And best of all? You’ll be happy you did.#7 Make connections with each storyYou have your focus, right? Having that overarching message is going to help you tie all of your memories together in a cohesive manner.Each story you tell whether it’s yours or someone else’s has to connect to your focus in order for that theme to come across to your readers.But they don’t all have to directly relate to your focus.Some experiences may have led you to moments of realization that then led you to other events that tie into the main message you want others to gain from reading your memoir.Think of it this way: you want to connect the dots so by the time the readeris finished, the message comes full circle.#8 Talk about how everything affects your life todayUsually, writing a memoir is about looking back on your life and determining how you made it to who you are today. What events lead to the very core of who you are right now?That means your memoir will include inside peeks into your life as you live it now.Each chapter should bring your readers back to your presents to EmulateSometimes its easier to learn by example. That way, you can fully comprehend what a memoir is in order to write your own.These are famous memoir examples:A Moveable Feast by Ernest HemingwayWest with the Night by Beryl MarkhamPersonal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant by Ulysses GrantOut of Africa by Isak DinesenThe Story of My Life by Helen KellerI Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Talibanby Malala YousafzaiReading Lolita in Tehranby Azar Nafisi.My Beloved Worldby Sonia SotomayorFun Homeby Alison BechdelHunger: A Memoir of (My) Bodyby Roxane GayMemoir examples by our own students:Mile-High Missionary: A Jungle Pilots Memoir by Jim ManleyWalking My Momma Home: Finding Love, Grace, and Acceptance Through the Labyrinth of Dementia by Kathy FloraPrayers, Punk Rock and Pastryby Chris StewartBare Naked Bravery: How to Be Creatively Courageous by Emily Ann PetersonShift Happens: Turning Your Stumbling Blocks into Stepping Stones by Jill RogersThis is the Story of Your LifeThe biggest takeaway here is that this is your story, it’s your life, and therefore, it should be told just as you want it to be.There’s nothing more freeing than having the ability to articulate your life experiences in a way that will truly speak to others and potentially change their lives.Do you want to change lives and help others through the same tur moil you’ve experienced? By self-publishing your memoir, you’ll be rewarded for all of your honest hard work with more than just additional income.You will be responsible for changing and shaping the lives of others.Start Your Memoir TODAY!The work doesn’t just stop when you learn how to write a memoir.In fact, it’s just beginning! Here are a few steps you can use to start your memoir and make some progress.#1 Begin your trainingIts NEVER too early to start working toward your dreams and goals of becoming an author. In fact, you shouldnt waste any time!

O&PM Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

O&PM Assignment - Essay Example Below describes how the 4Vs are involved in the business process in the supermarket. Ordering and delivery of goods from suppliers depends on volume of goods that were sold. The amount of goods ordered (volume) usually depends the amount present and the sales records. There can be a situation where the ordered volume of products is high but with a low variety of the same products. An example is when a large volume but small variety of fruits are ordered from suppliers. The demand for each product in a supermarket varies and is very hard to predict, and with not enough inventory space, what the management does is stock less volume of the products with more variety. This is to make sure that there is each variety of a product available for customers as each customer has different preference. It is crucial for a competitive supermarket to make sure they do not run out of each of the variety of products available. Another ‘V’ which is crucial to a supermarket is variation of demand as supermarkets have to cope with changing customer needs during different seasons. Therefore it is ultimately important to have large variety of products. Merchandising or displaying of products in shelves is also important. This is known as visibility. Products should be displayed in a manner that they are highly visible to the customer in order to make it easier for them to find the products. The main idea is to attract customers have many variety of products which are easily visible. Therefore the shelves should be designed in a way that there is a large variety of a certain product in its category on the shelf. Also fast- moving goods should be placed in shelves next to the entrance for convenience of customers (Samson and draft, 2012,56). Retail store orders for goods from warehouse according to need and preference of local customers. Periodically, the store