What is “Small” Business?

In addition to how a business is organized legally, size is also a way to classifying businesses. A small business is generally defined as any independently owned business with fewer than 500 employees that is not dominant in its industry. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is responsible for issuing the specific criteria that render a business a small business. These criteria vary widely by industry. As recently as 2010, in an effort to make more businesses eligible for SBA loan assistance programs and to encourage economic growth and job creation, the SBA issued sweeping changes to the rules governing small businesses.For example, a car dealership is defined as a small business if it has 200 or fewer employees, whereas many manufacturing operations and other businesses can have up to 500 employees and still be considered small. Most experts use 500 or fewer employees as a general rule for defining small businesses. The definition of a small business is not limited to the numbe r of employees, however. The designation as a small business may be imposed based on overall annual sales. For example, hotels, which operate within the service industry, can earn $30 million annually and still be considered small businesses.Other services, such as industrial launderers, can earn $35. 5 million and still be considered small businesses. For example, a car dealership is defined as a small business if it has 200 or fewer employees, whereas many manufacturing operations and other businesses can have up to 500 employees and still be considered small. Most experts use 500 or fewer employees as a general rule for defining small businesses. The definition of a small business is not limited to the number of employees, however. The designation as a small business may be imposed based on overall annual sales.For example, hotels, which operate within the service industry, can earn $30 million annually and still be considered small businesses. Other services, such as industrial launderers, can earn $35. 5 million and still be considered small businesses. Why Is Small Business Important in the U. S. Economy? According to the SBA, small businesses are of critical importance to the U. S. economy in a number of ways, including the following:†¢Small businesses make up nearly 99. 7 percent of all employers in the United States.†¢Outside of farming, small businesses create more than 50 percent of the U. S. gross domestic product and employ more than 50 percent of U. S. private sector workers. †¢Small businesses tend to be highly innovative, thus accounting for nearly 14 times more patents than large corporations that produce patents. In other words, some of the greatest innovations have been started by small businesses. Consider that modern advances, such as the automatic transmission, FM radios, insulin, and penicillin all began with small businesses.†¢Small businesses tend to be spread out throughout the United States, bringing employment, p roducts, and services to nearly every community in the country. In other words, small businesses are not confined to large cities but also serve small towns and rural communities. †¢Small businesses account for nearly 97 percent of U. S. exports and provide 31 percent of the value of those exports. †¢Small businesses are often owned and operated by women and minorities, which has opened the door for many minority groups to participate and invest in the U. S. economy.Minorities and women own more than 4 million and nearly 6. 5 million small businesses, respectively. †¢Small businesses create more than 65 percent of all new jobs in the United States. Despite these tremendous advantages, there are also disadvantages to small business. These businesses, especially new ones, face the risk of failure due to capital limitations. In many cases, small businesses have limited scope and do not necessarily grow into large corporations. Similarly, their owners may achieve limited personal success and wealth and often do not have access to an endless source of capital.Like larger businesses, small businesses can be organized in a variety of ways. In choosing a business form, it is important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the available forms. Limited Partnerships The limited partnership alters the structure of the general partnership by introducing a new class of partner, the limited partner. General partners manage and operate the limited partnership and are subject to unlimited personal liability for partnership obligations.Limited partners enjoy limited liability for partnership obligations but have no right to exert meaningful control over day-to-day operations of the business. Formation of a limited partnership requires the filing of a Certificate of Limited Partnership. While a limited partnership may be formed without a written limited partnership agreement,absence of a written agreement may support the inference that the partnership is, i n fact, a general partnership. Thus, imposing unlimited liability upon all partners. Limited Liability PartnershipsIn a general partnership, each partner incurs unlimited liability for partnership obligations. In multi-state partnerships with thousands of partners, there is a significant chance that partners might face financial ruin due to the conduct of a single partner with whom they have never worked and never met. The Limited Liability Partnership, or LLP, sometimes known as a Registered Limited Liability Partnership, or RLLP, was designed to rectify this problem. Although Limited Liability Partnerships are managed like general partnerships, there are different rules governing the liability of partners.Generally, limited liability partners incur unlimited liability for partnership contracts and debts and limited liability for torts committed by another partner. Most states recognizing the LLP require the partnership to maintain a specified amount of liability insurance to compe nsate victims of torts committed by a partner. Formation of an LLP requires the filing of an application or registration. While a written limited liability partnership agreement is not required by law, it is strongly suggested. Limited Liability CompaniesThe Limited Liability Company, or LLC, is perhaps the most advantageous form for most small businesses and for many larger businesses as well. The LLC combines the limited liability of a corporation with the flexible and informal management of a partnership. Federal law allows LLCs the option of taxation as a partnership or as a corporation. Depending upon state law, an LLC may exist in perpetuity, as do most corporations. A document, typically referred to as Articles of Organization, is filed to create a Limited Liability Company.A written operating agreement may be required depending on state law; where a written operating agreement is not required, statutes will generally establish the rights of members and the method by which th e LLC is to be operated and managed. The SBA offers various incentives and programs to help these small businesses thrive, including the following: †¢Financial assistance in the form of grants and low-interest loans help small ventures stay in business and expand—in fact, the SBA helps coordinate lenders and borrowers in an effort to facilitate the financing needs of small businesses.†¢The SBA disseminates information about national and international contract opportunities within and outside of the government and encourages small businesses to apply for these contracts. †¢Assistance is offered to those starting, planning, and growing small businesses, as are general legal information and compliance reports to owners, including specific counsel to small businesses owned by women and accounting and taxation training to help various types of small businesses succeed.†¢Small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures are vital to every industry sector in the U.S. and global economy. Small businesses tend to be more responsive to changing conditions than larger, less-flexible, organizations. They also create the most new jobs and products in today’s economy. More than 65 percent of all new jobs in the U. S. are created by small businesses. Developing and exploiting a sustainable competitive advantage is an important task for small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures, just like larger organizations. †¢Nearly 40 percent of all small businesses exist within the service industry, accounting for more than 2 million firms.Medical practices, accounting firms, engineering and legal offices, nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and other practices are most largely representative of small businesses in the United States. The second largest small business representation is retail which includes grocery stores, pharmacies, bookstores, jewelers, clothing stores, and more. of ways by facilitating lending, offering training, and so on. Th e SBA is responsible for classifying businesses by their size and their income. Small BusinessA business that is independently owned and operated for profit and is not dominant in its industry.Small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures are vital to every industry sector in the U. S. and global economy. Small businesses tend to be more responsive to changing conditions than larger, less-flexible, organizations. They also create the most new jobs and products in today’s economy. More than 65 percent of all new jobs in the U. S. are created by small businesses. Developing and exploiting a sustainable competitive advantage is an important task for small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures, just like larger organizations.Nearly 40 percent of all small businesses exist within the service industry,  accounting for more than 2 million firms. Medical practices, accounting firms, engineering and legal offices, nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and other practices are most largely representative of small businesses in the United States. The second largest small business representation is retail which includes grocery stores, pharmacies, bookstores, jewelers, clothing stores, and more. Small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures are vital to every industry sector in the U. S. and global economy. Small businesses tend to be more responsive to changing conditions than larger, less-flexible, organizations.They also create the most new jobs and products in today’s economy. More than 65 percent of all new jobs in the U. S. are created by small businesses. Developing and exploiting a sustainable competitive advantage is an important task for small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures, just like larger organizations. Nearly 40 percent of all small businesses exist within the service industry, accounting for more than 2 million firms. Medical practices, accounting firms, engineering and legal offices, nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and oth er practices are most largely representative of small businesses in the United States.The second largest small business representation is retail which includes grocery stores, pharmacies, bookstores, jewelers, clothing stores, and more. Small Business Administration (SBA)Helps small businesses in the United States in a variety of ways by facilitating lending, offering training, and so on. The SBA is responsible for classifying businesses by their size and their income. Small BusinessA business that is independently owned and operated for profit and is not dominant in its industry.

Puente Hill Toyota Essay

Puente Hills Toyota (PHT) is a large Toyota dealership which is owned by the corporation Hitchcock Automotive Services. PHT is situated in city of industry, California, about 25 miles east of Los Angeles. PHT offers a wide variety of new and used cars (this is unique in the industry). Furthermore they offer Toyota incentives, service specials, and Toyota parts savings. The annual profits of PHT totaled about $1.8, with annual sales of $ 85 million. PHT had a total of 145 employees. The employees are very valuable to PHT due they are the ones who have to advise the customer, sell the vehicles and repair them. But it is hard to keep them al motivated. As said by Howard Hakes; â€Å"It’s people who give us our biggest successes as well as our biggest challenges†. The most important is to get all the employees in the same direction, to reach the companies goals. For PHT there are two important things, that both the manufacturers and the customers are happy. PHT is divided in five departments, who are reporting directly to the dealership manager, namely: a sales department, and service department, a body shop department, a parts department and a Finance and Insurance department. The departments are managed as profit centers. Within this profit centers there are different performance measurement and incentive systems. First the performance measures and incentive systems that apply to all the departments will be discussed. Than the Sales and Service department will be discussed separately. All the bonus plans within the sales department start from one. At PHT, most employees’ variable incentive pay increases linearly with performance, however performance is defined; that is, the higher the performance, the larger the bonuses that are paid.

A company organizational struc...

A company organizational structure is a guidance to all employees by laying out the official reporting relationships representing the workflow of the company and provide clarity on specific human resources management issues, such as managerial authority and to achieve the company goals George, J. (2005). A formal outline of a companys structure makes it easier to add new positions in the company, as well, providing a flexible and ready means for growth, hence, departments can work more efficiently and have more time focusing on productive tasks. The structure refers to both the formal and informal frameworks that shape how the business is operated. However, the management must select the most suitable structure for the organization as it is not a one size fits all decision. Implementation of a formal organizational structure can also differentiate small-business operations from large-business operations. (David, 2018). This report attempts to focus on the different type of structure (functional, divisional and network structures) undertaken for each type of different organization. However, there are also elements such as work specialization, departmentalization, chain of command, span of control, centralization, decentralization and formalization which contributes to build a positive organization behavior. Functional structure is set up so that each portion of the organization is grouped according to its purpose. The functional structure is more technical orientated hence it enhances productivity level in which the organization can identify the expertise in each department. The lower level hierarchy level also gets to play a role in their responsibility, thus employees will have job satisfaction (Kalliath, 2009). Work specialization is the key structure to the organization structure. Today we use the term work specializations or division of labor, which activities in the organization are subdivided into separate jobs. For example, Google company adopted work specialization element, employees are carefully recruited, and they are job match each employee according to their knowledge. However, this hinders the rapid growth of the organization due to their stringent hiring process. The employees are strongly driven by the corporate culture. The organization also creates motivation to the employees by reward system and job enlargement to make sure that the employee is well engaged in the organization (Steven.L.M, 2005). However, the drawbacks to a functional structure is that it could lead to higher dysfunctional conflict and poor communication between departments which can delay the decision making, inflexibility. This type of structure is only suitable for small organization with one product or service as management can oversee the work process efficiently and maximize the employees performance (Julie. D, 2018). Starbucks had rearranged their organisation structure to improve on customer satisfaction (Shultz, 2008). The functional structure of Starbucks company is centralization of various departments or functions within the organization. By adopting functional structure using departmentalization element (geographic) each region has individual reporting managers which receives a closer managerial support for geographic needs and therefore a clear chain of command is apparent. A high degree of flexibility was used in individual department in adjusting strategies and policies to fit into various market conditions. This allows the employees to communicate effectively within the departments (George, 2005). Thus, there is presence of empowerment for the employees to make their own decisions and this gives them a sense of belonging to the organization (Starbucks, 2018). Today, with the new organizational structure, Starbucks had successfully achieved customer satisfaction and reduncies of employees are also eliminated and hence created a tensed working environment during the change of the structure. individual teams are being centralized to create an infrastructure with span of control globally within the region and hence capability and effectiveness are improved. Management can also focus more on the employees and functional activities can be design for each individual employee so the mission and goal of the organization will be shared across the organisation (Shultz, 2008).

Unmasking Victorian Monsters Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Unmasking Victorian Monsters - Research Paper Example In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Henry Jekyll begins experimenting on himself by drinking a potion that unleashes his dark side, a violent, brutish misanthrope named Edward Hyde. Eventually, he becomes unable to control the shift in personality chemically and it begins to overtake his upstanding persona and psyche as Dr. Jekyll. The novel itself is in the form of Dr. Jekylls last will and testament as it has fallen into the hands of his solicitor. The Island of Dr. Moreau tells the story of Edward Prendick who is shipwrecked in the South Pacific and finds himself on the island of Dr. Moreau. Moreau was a famous London physiologist who was shunned when his experiments in vivisection were revealed. He has exiled himself to this island where he can continue his experiments in vivisection unhindered by public opprobrium. Prendick learns that Dr. Moreau has created a collection of Beat Men who may, or may not, be under his control and resistant to their animal tendencies. Bram Stokers Dracula has multiple narrators although its principle one is Jonathan Harker, a London solicitor. Harker journeys to Transylvania to assist a client, Count Dracula, with a real estate transaction. Subsequently, Dracula arrives in England and begins to work his evil on a British woman, Lucy Westenra. As she wastes away the Dutch vampire expert, Abraham Van Helsing, eventually joined by Harker and his fiance, Wilhelmina Mina Murray, wages war against Dracula. Lucy and her mother both die after a wolf attack; the struggle eventually returns to Transylvania where Dracula is exterminated; one of his hunters, Quincy Morris, is also killed; and, Mina is freed from the mental and emotional thrall of the evil vampire. Indicatively, Moreaus creations are known as the Beast Folk. They appear to be neither people nor beasts but rather an

The Business Plan (your coursework) has a maximum of 4000 words Essay

The Business Plan (your coursework) has a maximum of 4000 words - Essay Example They turn to the internet to seek for the most competitive prices only to find sites which offer brokerage services between buyers and sellers on textbook. Due to the high brokerage fees associated with monopolistic giants such as eBay and Amazon, the students ends up purchasing at high cost. Students or people who intend to sell their textbooks are also offered little money as the purchase price of their books (Seth, 2008, p. 56). Establishment of an online used textbook retailing website that has the confidence of students would come in handy to bridge the gap between seller and buyers of this important commodity. In classes with a large number of students, students find it hard to communicate about assignments and other education-related issues such as teacher evaluation. There is a need of a platform which will gives students a free and fair opportunity to interact and communicate with their student leaders. The monopoly in online textbook retailing industry segment can be broken down by an increase in competition in this industry. This will not succeed unless the online retailers receive utmost confidence from their users who are dominantly students. Therefore, formation of a business that is close and has the goodwill of students plays an important role in reducing the high cost of used textbooks. Creation of partnerships between the parties and stakeholders in the industry will serve well in reduction of operational costs. Reduction of the level of monopoly in this market will be beneficial to students who not only act as buyers, but also sellers of used textbooks (Steve and Stephen, 2010, p. 176), 1.1 Solution By-passing the colleges bookshops, students will be able to purchase sell and trade utilized textbooks directly to others. The seller can get more cash than the bookshop will pay by selling textbooks to other students and the buyer can spend less than the bookshop charges. Additionally, students can sell computers, used CDs, class notes and much m ore through an online market (William, 2006, pg. 90). The University Cafe will also extend services like teacher assessments, weblogs, classifieds, specialized content and retail. It will base itself as the topping online student interaction market by blending wide market oriented expertise on internet technologies to yield income while providing a win-win resolution for students. The University Cafe will attain dominance in the market by using a broad area knowledge, a local foundation marketing scheme, a special managerial team, advanced software, and shaping of strategic alliances and partnerships with other companies in the college market. 1.2 Market The college student market in the U.S. is a developing but underserved niche. As per the U.S. Department of Education, this market is expected to grow from 15.8 to 17.2 billion students in the coming five years. This year, college students are anticipated to spend above $200 billion according to Paul (Paul, 2009, p.211). 1.3 Opportu nity At the close of every semester, college students seek to find means of acquiring â€Å"quick cash†. One of the means they use is the sale of old textbooks though this is operated by the college bookshop. The students only get a fraction of the book’s value due to college bookshops monopolizing the market. The bookshops receive supernormal profits by

Palliative care and the needs of cancer and non-cancer patients Essay

Palliative care and the needs of cancer and non-cancer patients - Essay Example Nevertheless, efforts to lengthen life or to comfort are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Many patients who receive palliative care feel better and live longer than expected. The boundary between "cure" and "care" is cultivated by eligibility rules for hospice benefits established by the federal government and private insurers to limit expenditures for palliative care. Confining palliative care to those who are expected to live no longer than six months creates pointless misery for many patients. It also unjustifiably weighs down clinicians who, in several circumstances, cannot precisely and truthfully calculate whether a seriously ill patient will live three months, six months, a year, two years, or even longer. This rigid division between cure and care likewise discourages suffering patients from requesting palliative care. Based on the model definition of the Canadian Palliative Care Association, the term palliative care has been characterised as "a philosophy of care and combination of therapies intended to support persons living with life-threatening illness. Palliative care strives to meet physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs, while remaining sensitive to personal, cultural, and religious values. Palliative care may be needed at any time in the disease trajectory, and bereavement. It may be combined with therapies aimed at reducing or curing the illness or it may be the total focus of care. Care is delivered through the collaborative efforts of an interdisciplinary team including the individual, family, and others involved in the provision of care. Where possible, palliative care should be available in the setting of personal choice" (Ferris and Cummings 1995, p.12). As it is, palliative care does not end with the death of the patient. Although not all families require sophisticated follow-up, a palliative care program must offer bereavement counseling. Physicians and oncology nurses trained to deal with families in distress can help them link up with the palliative care group (McDonald 1998, p. 1710). Early implementations of palliative care for patients with chronic, critical, or multiple illnesses reduce the need for crisis-oriented services. Early palliative care affords a basis for predicting and preparing for the inconvenience intrinsic in the treatment and care of such individuals. In certain situations, especially those children with serious diseases, early palliative care can prepare the patient for life-prolonging treatments such as chemotherapy and make the treatments more acceptable and certainly more bearable. "Quality of Life" As mentioned, a major objective of palliative care is to achieve the best quality of life for patients and their families and this aim is often evaluated by measures of quality of life. However, the concept of quality of life, is complicated and quite tricky to define, being both individual and multidimensional and, although many instruments exist which attempt to quantify it, measurement is difficult. In the

American Airlines Innovation Report Research Paper

American Airlines Innovation Report - Research Paper Example It does flights both internationally and domestically, including the Caribbean, North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa (Forty 44 ). The developments of this airline range are adverse i.e. passenger services improvement, electronic ticketing, discounts, introduction of self service machines, AAdvanced bag machine check programs, in-flight connectivity programs, power ports introduction to the plane, â€Å"remember me† feature, on board purchase features, and some others as will be seen in details later . American airlines have revolutionized the airline industry when they initiated the passenger services over 50 years ago. Up to date, American Airlines has not relented on its commitment to investment in technology and innovation so as to achieve customer satisfaction. From an advanced AA web site to a Self Service Check In, it has evolved its technology to serve the changing demands of the airline industry and of its customers. The AA website offers more tools a nd more options to the passengers; it has become more convenient in general. Therefore, most customers will continue using American Airlines services. The airline boasts of being the leader in innovation, as it was ranked 11th in the Information Week 500, which is a rating of the most creative organizations in the US. In 1998, American Airlines became the foremost airline to present electronic ticketing across the 44 countries it operates in (Mallarino 170). The AA website receives about 1.7 million visits in a day and is considered the biggest distribution channel in America as well as the best platform of online business within the airline. The airline has the reward packages for passengers who book their flights online get a discount guarantee, and there is no booking free of charge. The American Airlines also has a Mobile platform. The platform is a useful tool to the modern connected passengers and is the main force behind the airlines technology being developed to ease travel for the passenger (Stacks 45). The Airline also has a travel package commonly known as the American Airlines Travel Application. This application has been created with focus on the distinct characteristics of a particular mobile device, which enables timelier and simpler updates as new tools are created and released. This makes the American Airline remain ahead of other companies in terms of application innovation. These applications are available on various platforms including iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, Blackberry, Android, Windows Phone 7, Amazon Kindle Fire, Barnes, and Noble NOOK Color Readers Tablet (Geza 45). The Airline has a Mobile Boarding pass chance that applies to passengers using American Eagle and American Airlines flights in about 80 cities and 10 international airports. The passengers have the option of receiving their boarding passes on their mobile phones when they book flights in the AA website using either the mobile or desktop version. The passenger is sent an em ail with a link to a boarding pass with a 2-D barcode. This barcode can be used at select American Airlines gates and TSA security checkpoints by scanning the 2-D barcode. The Wi-Fi widget enables customers to find out if the flights they have booked will be Wi-Fi enabled. The in-flight connectivity is a very important tool for leisure and business passengers (Cearly 60). The AA website enables passengers to receive computerized information about their

The Origin and Traits of Various Cultures Assignment

The Origin and Traits of Various Cultures - Assignment Example The significance of the events depends on their interpretation, through which they exert a pull on meaning and value. For that reason, history as a discipline is the study of the past. It is through learning history that the events of the past are legitimized by respecting the values and ideas of the people and their objective behind their actions. Therefore, history can be defined as the story of the civilization of mankind, depending on the interpretation of well-established and recognized primary sources.Culture is the characteristics and traits of a meticulous group of people who can be defined by common behaviors, beliefs, social habits, religion, language, cuisine, art, and music. There exist numerous cultures; Western, Eastern, Latin, Middle Eastern and African cultures. The members of each culture have universal characteristics that are common. They form a society, which is an interaction between people who share a common culture. A cultural attachment may be racial, ethnic, gender, values, beliefs, and activities. It is through the culture that individuals and groups get to identify themselves; conforming to that society’s values, beliefs, and traditions. It is evident that culture involves many aspects: customs, language, norms, rules, and more. In today’s world, the term culture seems to lose some of its usefulness because people share resources and interact globally (182). It is unlike the past where people labored and lived in small groups in the same vicinity.  Ã‚  

Explaining a concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Explaining a concept - Essay Example Perennialism can be understood to be the â€Å"conservative† approach in that it argues that the same tried and true methods and subject matter should continue to be taught to the next generation of students do the fact that it is both tried and true and has informed the preceding generations. On the other hand, progressivism takes the more â€Å"liberal† approach in positing that individuality, progress, and change are key cornerstones of a truly great education (Labaree 281). As a means of providing an explanation for the concept of progressivism, this brief paper will to approach this particular educational approach in a way which will seek to shed light on whether such a concept is in fact the best concept to engage students with and to provide a higher degree of educational success and interaction. The progressivist concept of education places a high degree of emphasis upon the experience of the individual as well as the changing ways in which new material and old material alike can help to better hone the quality of education that the student is able to achieve. At its core, the concept engenders the belief that individuals will most benefit by studying those materials which most directly impact upon their own lives. Although such an approach is most certainly less concrete than that of the perennialist’s approach to education, it nonetheless is able to take into account the transforming needs that our society and the world in general is placing upon the educational system and the individual student. A secondary component of the concept is the understanding that it is necessarily a more visual concept than that of the perennialist’s approach. This is mainly due to the fact that the perennialist’s approach hinges upon the primary data sources and methods of learning that have been in existence since the dawn of knowledge. However, the fact of the matter is that these rather stodgy and non-visual means to engage the pupil have

Risk management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Risk management - Essay Example Financial risk management provides the basis for managing assets and liabilities at banking level. For instance, it can be used to strengthen the capital position of a bank and help banks in predicting future risks etc. (DENNIS G. UYEMURA, et al., 1992). The fall of 2008 experienced intense financial crises which were significantly unique in nature as people and investors were not willing to trust banks in any manner. They were completely reluctant in lending or trading money with the major banks within the United States. There are several reasons for the overall financial crises including extensive borrowing, poor and investment decisions. However, the most substantial reason is that there was lack of transparency. People were unable to evaluate from the bank’s disclosures that whether or not a particular bank was going to thrive for the foreseeable future. At the same time the risk management strategies used by majority of the banks were not clear to the general public. Dane Holmes, the investor relations head at Goldman Sachs says that the general people, whose percentage is far more than intellectual investors, do not trust the big banks operating in the country due to the transparency factor which has finally led these b anks to a stage where they are facing extensive issues related to capital and investments (FRANK PARTNOY, et al., 2013). Goldman Sachs had acquired more than required liquid assets before the start of financial crisis in 2008. These assets were significantly hard to sell. However, their strategy proved beneficial for the bank as it faced minimum loss during the crisis. The assets included high yield debts, loans, stocks and bonds emerging in the financial market and the private equity investments. Consequently, the bank had $172 billion in the first four months of 2008 which made up for 14% of the total balance sheet amount.

Participation of Juveniles in Deviant Behavior Essay Example for Free

Participation of Juveniles in Deviant Behavior Essay From the very dawn of the formation of civil communities, some types of behavior had been classified as unlawful and had been discouraged. Even the earliest legislations had inflicted punishment for infringement of the extant laws, in wider interests of their society. This practice has continued to this day and it is common knowledge as to what does or does not constitute unacceptable or deviant behavior. Deviance has been described as the breach of the cultural standards and one such instance is crime. An important subset of crime is juvenile delinquency or crimes committed by juveniles. Juvenile deviant behavior occurs due to a number of causes and some of these are a disturbed home environment, difficulty in adjusting to the school environment that results in discontinuing school and in poor academic performance and associating with immoral persons. Traditionally, the perspective of criminology has been restricted to the contravention of laws laid down by society. On the other hand, research in the context of deviancy has adopted a much wider perspective and labels any abnormality that is socially prohibited as being deviant. Accordingly, the use of obscenities in speech, mingling with antisocial element and alcoholism constitute deviant behavior. In other words, the sociological approach to deviance encompasses the restricted perspective of traditional criminology (Deviant Behaviour , 1994). The various steps that culminate in the establishment of deviant identity are ignominy, social rejection, and membership of a subculture that is deviant and assumption of a deviant role. The assumption is that social processes act in such a manner that the individual is compelled to assume a deviant role, because of the exclusion of the more conventional positions. The result of the adoption of such a deviant role is that the individual may become a member of a deviant subculture and may eventually adorn the role of permanent deviancy (Deviant Behaviour , 1994). Some of the major causes for socially deviant behavior amongst juveniles have been identified, by researchers, as childhood abuse, neglect and trauma. The abuse of narcotic substances has been considered to be the root cause of trauma in juveniles and most of the juveniles in detention were either addicted to drugs or had been addicted to drugs prior to incarceration. Furthermore, poverty has been found to be closely associated with violent crime and homicide. It was observed in many ghettos in the US that the crime rate was on the increase wherever there was economic deprivation, whereas there was a reduction in crime rates in areas located outside these ghettos (Blank, 1997. P. 47). It had been opined by the chief of the child development and behavior branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development or the NIH that crime, pregnancy amongst teenagers, discontinuation of school and substandard academic performance were caused by the lack of adequate reading skills. Moreover, various research projects that had been conducted in the past, had established that a dearth of reading skills had a direct bearing on the proliferation of juvenile delinquency (Hodges, Giuliotti, Porpotage, 1994). In 1951, a survey conducted by Melvin Roman, revealed that approximately eighty  ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ five percent of those who were receiving treatment in the clinic attached to the New York City Children’s Court, had impaired reading skills. It was also stated by many authorities that detained juveniles were invariably characterized by academic achievement that was unsatisfactory (Hodges, Giuliotti, Porpotage, 1994). Economic deprivation produces a variety of deviant behavior in juveniles, who fall victim to anger, apathy, ignorance and desperation. Ignorance prevents juveniles from taking advantage of the education system to obtain skills that could prove to be adequately remunerative and this in turn results in discontinuation of schooling. Moreover, some of these juveniles might have parents who indulge in the abuse of drugs and this could embolden them to undertake risks that could prove fatal, in order to experience pleasure for a small duration of time.

Ultrasonic transducers

Ultrasonic transducers 1.1 Introduction Transducer is a device which converts energy of one form to that of another. With reference to ultrasonic transducer the ultrasonic energy is to be converted to electrical, mechanical, or other energy form. A reversible transducer transforms energy in both directions with equal efficiencies. The transducers can be classified as follows: 1. Piezoelectric oscillators: Principle of piezoelectric effect is used and this is reversible. The possible frequency range is from 20 kHz to well over 10 GHz. 2. Magnetostrictive oscillators: Employs the phenomenon of magnetostriction, a reversible form of conversion. Can be made to operate at mega-hertz and even gigahertz frequencies. 3. Mechanical transducers: Includes whistles and sirens (mechanical oscillators) and radiometers, and are irreversible. Mainly used for high-power applications. 4. Electromagnetic transducers: Applied for high-intensity applications at low frequencies, in the audible range. They have been used for low-intensity work at frequencies of up to 50 kHz and, also as receivers at megahertz frequencies. 5. Electrostatic transducers: Used as generators at low intensities with an upper frequency limit of a few hundred kilo-hertz. Reversible in conversion and used as receivers at frequencies as high as 100 MHz. 6. Miscellaneous transducers: Includes thermal, chemical, and optical transducers. Ultrasonic receivers are categorized into two 1. Receivers terminating acoustic beams: The cross-section of the receiver embraces the whole or a large proportion of that of the beam and its dimensions extend from several to a large number of wavelengths. The presence of the receiver materially affects the configuration of the acoustic field, to give rise to regular reflections of the beam. 2. Receivers acting as probes: ultrasonic probe receivers are used for mapping out acoustic fields and for measurement of local intensities. the use of probe receivers is restricted to lower frequencies (e.g. in the kilo-hertz range)., as their dimensions need to be small enough, not to upset the characteristics of the field,( to be less than about one-tenth of a wavelength). 1.2 Piezoelectric transducers 1.2.1 General considerations Piezoelectric transducers employ the piezoelectric effect, discovered by the Pierre and Jacques Curie in 1880. The effect occurs naturally in certain single crystals with polar axes, (e.g. quartz, tourmaline, lithium sulphate, cadmium sulphide, and zinc oxide.) When mechanical stress is applied to the surfaces of piezoelectric crystals, coated with silver or gold, equal and opposite electric charges will be induced on them and a voltage will be observed. This is the direct piezoelectric effect, and the crystalline axis perpendicular to the coated faces is the relevant polar axis. When a voltage is applied across the electrodes to produce an electric field, a converse effect is observed, resulting in a mechanical strain. These effects are associated with compressions and shears, in quartz, for example, the principal polar axes are called the X- and Y axes, there is three of each. The X-axes are oriented at angles of 120Â ° apart, and with corresponding Y-axis perpendicular to it. The electrodes lie at right angles to an X-axis for X-cut quartz crystals, and are associated with compressions, and Y-cut quartz crystals with shears. The Z-axis, is known as the optic axis and lies perpendicular to the planes containing the X- and Y-axes. Optic is a non-polar axis for which the piezoelectric effect is not observed. A piezoelectric transducer oscillates at the applied frequency with amplitude of the order of 10-6 times its thickness, on applying an alternating voltage across its electrodes,. If, the transducer is excited at one of its resonance frequencies the amplitude is considerably increased, e.g. to about 10-4 times the thickness at the fundamental frequency Artificially induced piezoelectric transducers are of polycrystalline structure. They are made up of large numbers of minute crystallites bonded together, to the required shape and size. The final product is in the form of a ceramic. Prior to polarisation, these ceramic transducers do not require to be cut with reference to any particular axis, as they are isotropic. So it is possible to have a shape in any convenient form by adding small quantities of other materials, the transducers properties can be improved or adjusted. The piezoelectric effect is measured by the d coefficient, which can be expressed in one or two ways. (i) If the crystal is subjected to a mechanical stress, at the same time, the electrodes are short-circuited by a wire, charges induced by the stress will flow through the wire until the potential difference across the crystal is reduced to zero. Considering, q is the value of the total charge flowing and F the force producing the stress, then d coefficient can be given as d=q/f coulombs per Newton 3.1 (ii) When a voltage V is applied across the crystal, on which no load is applied e.g. vacuum, a displacement l is produced due to the resultant strain, then volts per metre 3.2 The electromechanical coupling coefficient is defined as Both d and k vary with temperature and reduce to zero at the Curie temperature Tc. The frequency response of a transducer depends on its Q factor. If the characteristic impedances of transducer and medium are R1 and R2, then Q can be represented as where K is a dimensionless constant. Ceramic transducers have higher d coefficients and electromagnetic coupling coefficients compared to the quartz crystals. But quartz crystals are highly stable. 1.2.2. Coupling of Piezo electric transducers A suitable liquid must be provided to avoid an air gap , for efficient coupling of ultrasound between the transducer and a solid. To generate longitudinal waves at normal temperatures, a film of oil is usually enough, but, at low temperatures a high-vacuum grease is used to prevent loss of continuity of characteristic impedance. While working with high temperatures, a couplant which does not evaporate, should be chosen. .For transverse wave propagation, it is necessary to use adhesive such as epoxy resin, so as to ensure the couplant has enough strength to withstand the application of the shear stresses without collapsing. Canada balsam or even nail varnish , on some occasions will provide good coupling for shear waves, depending on the temperatures. 1.2.3 Ultrahigh frequency (u.h.f.) piezoelectric transducers An early method of generating u.h.f. ultrasonics was to place one end of a single-crystal quartz rod inside an electromagnetic cavity resonator Ci (see Figure ). The surface was excited at the required frequency, and waves were propagated along the rod. Initially the method was applied only for producing ultrasound in single-crystal quartz , due to difficulty of coupling other materials to the free end of the rod. Another electromagnetic cavity resonator C2 at the other end of the rod acted as a receiver. In later stages the free ends of the rod and solid specimen was coated with thin film of indium. 1.2.4 Piezoelectric sandwich transducers To generate waves at the frequencies ranging from 40 kHz down to 20 kHz.frequency, for High-intensity applications ,with a piezoelectric ceramic, the thickness should exceed 100 mm. A ceramic block of this thickness is both expensive and is highly absorbent. Due to this, absorbed acoustical energy being converted into heat, results in a rapid increase of temperature and the Curie temperature is soon reached, with a consequent disappearance of the piezoelectric effect. To avoid this sandwiching of the piezoelectric transducers can be applied. A sandwich transducer consists of a comparatively thin piezoelectric plate located between two thicker metal plates.They have high compressive strengths and by compressing the sandwich permanently using high tensile bolt damage can be prevented. (see Figure 3.7); the transducer is said to be mechanically biased. 1.2.5 Surface wave piezoelectric transducers Surface waves can be generated by using mode conversion with a longitudinal wave transducer as the primary source, but it is also possible to propagate them directly. Surface waves are produced by placing an ordinary longitudinal wave transducer in contact with the edge of the material and inclined at an angle of 45Â ° (Fig 3.4) and are received in same fashion. Another method of generating and receiving surface waves is by coating two electrodes on the surface of a piezoelectric material and applying the exciting voltage at the required frequency across them (see Figure 3.5). This technique was used for delay line applications 1.2.6 Operation of piezoelectric transducers A quartz crystal mounted at its nodes, is an ideal one for propagating continuous waves over a narrow frequency band. Electrical connections must be made to the electrodes and additional damping caused by them should be kept minimal. Nodal mounting is not advisable for very thin transducers and where contact with a solid medium has to be maintained. For cases like these, the transducer is held in position by means of a light spring against a solid surface. Then the solid surface provides one electrical contact with the transducer electrode and the other is provided by the spring. To have maximum efficiency, the impedances of the exciting and receiving electrical circuits should be correctly matched to the electrical impedance of the transducer. For pulsed wave operation it is essential that the pulses are kept sufficiently short to prevent their overlapping. No stationary waves are to be produced in the medium. To produce very short pulses and where a narrow frequency band is not needed, transducer material, such as a ceramic is used. The transducer is backed by a block of a material having a very high acoustic absorption coefficient and of sufficiently large electrical conductivity to provide contact with that transducer surface. A mixture of tungsten powder and Aroldite is used for this purpose. A high direct voltage (typically from 300 V to 600 V) of instantaneous duration is applied periodically to the transducer electrodes at the required pulse repetition frequency. At each electrical impulse, the transducer experiences a high initial strain after which it oscillates over about two or three cycles, the amplitude decreasing rapidly.. Thus, for a transducer operating at a frequency of 6 MHz to produce pulses each of thre e wavelengths, the pulse duration is about only 0.5ÃŽ ¼ for propagation into most metals. The relation between pulse-length (PL) in seconds and the frequency bandwidth can be given as: PL= 1.3/ Frequency Bandwidth 3.4 1.3 Magnetostrictive transducers Magnetostrictive transducers are made of ferromagnetic materials, which can easily be magnetised and displays magnetostriction or the Joule effect. When a bar or rod of one of these materials is placed in a magnetic field, it suffers a change in length, either an increase or decrease, depending on the nature of the material and the strength of the field, immaterial of the sign of strain. Hence, when the direction of magnetic field is reversed, there is no change in the sense of the strain. Figure 3.11 shows the relationship between mechanical strain and the magnitude of the field strength for a few ferromagnetic materials. The graph imples, the variation is not a linear one, in general. Nickel is found to be the most satisfactory material for magnetostrictive transducers, having an electromechanical coupling coefficient of 31 per cent and a Curie temperature of 358Â °C. Permendur, an alloy, has a higher Curie point (about 900Â °C) and low electromechanical coupling coefficient. Though ferrites (non metals) has an advantage of being poor conductors and not being heated by eddy currents, and exhibit magnetostrictive effect are not often used as transducers due to their poor mechanical properties. There is a converse magnetostrictive effect, in which a mechanical stress applied to a ferromagnetic rod lying in a magnetic field gives rise to a change in the magnetic flux density. This is known as the Villari effect. Magnetostrictive transducers are in the forms of rods surrounded by coil windings (see Figure 3.7). An alternating magnetic field of the same frequency is induced by an alternating current through the coil ; giving rise to longitudinal oscillations of the rod. These oscillations take place at a twice the frequency of the field and take on the form of unsmooth, rectified alternating current, resulting in unwanted frequencies. As in the case of ceramic transducers. This disadvantage is avoided by polarisation, as in ceramic transducers. It is not possible to obtain a high polarising field by permanent magnetisation, and a steady direct field of suitable magnitude is provided by passing a direct current through another coil wound round the transducer. So, the oscillations occur about some other point instead of taking place about the origin of the curve. If the amplitude of the applied alternating field is low for changes to take place along the linear portion of the curve, and, is less than the value of the polarising field, then sinusoidal oscillations occur at the applied frequency. The resonance frequency inversely proportional with the length of the transducer rod. The frequency is increased by decreasing the length, but, simultaneously , there is a intensity is lowered for a rod of given cross-sectional dimensions , which results from the reduction in size of the vibrating mass. So, at frequencies more than 100 kHz ,the output from this type of transducer becomes vanishingly small. The considerable leakage of magnetic flux is observed , which is a disadvantage of using rod-shaped oscillators . Transducers designed to form closed magnetic circuits are used for high-intensity applications The window-type transducer is clamped nodally, and the vibrations produced are longitudinal. In ring-type transducer, vibrations are in a radial manner, and hence ultrasonic energy is focused at the centre resulting in high acoustic intensity. Absorption of ultrasound by induction of Eddy currents and Hystersis results in increased amount of eating. Though there are a number of ferromagnetic materials with low hysteresis losses, their magnetostrictive properties are poor. The losses due to eddy current can be reduced by using laminated stacks consisting of alternating sheets of the metal and of some insulating material such as mica. Since the rise in temperature may result in loss of magnetostrictive properties, it is necessary to cool the transducer during its operation. By using velocity transformer, an increased intensity, distributed over a smaller area, can also be obtained with both rod and window types of transducers. This consists of a tapered coupling rod and provides an increase in the value of the particle velocity at the end remote from the transducer. For maximum efficiency, the transformer is designed to resonate by making it one wavelength long and supporting it at a nodal point, i.e. at a distance of a quarter-wavelength from the transducer. The diagram illustrates the application of the velocity transformer to the construction of the ultrasonic drill Magnetostrictive oscillators being reversible can be used as receivers. An example of a magnetostrictive probe receiver consists of a nickel rod held vertically in a fluid in which ultrasound is radiated in an upward direction. The rod is contained in a plastic tube so that only the free end is exposed to the waves which are then transmitted along its length. A current is induced by the Villari effect in the pick-up coil placed near the upper end of the rod. Another coil carrying a direct current provides the polarising field. The formation of stationary waves is prevented by placing an absorbent material at the top of the rod. Nickel film transducers are used for producing and receiving ultrasound of very high frequencies ranging from 100 MHz to 100 GHz in solids. A thin film of nickel, of thickness corresponding to one half-wavelength at the resonant frequency, is deposited on the end-surface of the specimen into which sound is to be passed. The rod is located with its plated end inside a microwave electromagnetic cavity resonator, excited at the required frequency. The receiver may consist of a similar film coated on the opposite surface of the specimen and also located in a cavity resonator. Instead a single nickel film can act as both source and receiver, using reflection method. No coupling material is required and no special technique is necessary for coating the nickel film. 1.4. Mechanical Transducers Mechanical ultrasonic generators are used for high-intensity propagation in liquids and gases at frequencies of up to about 25 kHz .They exist mainly in the forms of whistles and sirens. They are powerful and less expensive than piezoelectric and magnetostrictive transducers, but with limited scope of applications. Ultrasonic whistles are of two types, the cavity resonator, used mainly for gases, and the wedge resonator, employed for both gases and liquids. . 1.4.1. Cavity Resonators Galton whistle (see Figure 3.12) consists of a cylinder terminated by the end-surface of a piston which can be adjusted to provide resonance at the required frequency The fluid, flows through an annular slit at high speed and strikes the rim of the tube where vortices appear and produce edge-tones. The frequency of the edge-tones depends on the velocity of the fluid which can be adjusted until the cavity resonates. For air, at a frequency of 20 kHz, fundamental resonance takes place for a cavity length of approximately 4 mm. The second type of cavity resonator is the Hartmann generator, similar in design to the Galton whistle, except that the annular slit is replaced by a conical nozzle (see Figure 3.13). The fluid is forced through the nozzle and emerges at a supersonic velocity to produce shock waves, which cause the cavity to be excited at a high intensity. Resonance is achieved by adjusting the fluid velocity. 1.4.2. Wedge Resonator The wedge resonator consists of a rectangular plate with wedge-shaped edges, mounted on nodal supports and placed in a fluid jet stream.(Figure 3.14). The wedge is set up into flexural vibrations having an intensity comparable with that attained by the Hartmann generator. Operating frequencies are of the order of 20 kHz. Sirens also are used for generating high-energy ultrasound in fluids. The siren consists of a rotor disc with a number of identical holes spaced evenly around the circumference of a circle slightly smaller than the disc. The rotor turns concentrically in front of a similar disc (the stator), which is kept at rest whilst fluid jets are directed through the holes. The frequency of the emitted ultrasound is equal to the frequency of interruption of the jet flow, as the holes move relatively to one another, and is calculated as the product of the number of holes in the rotor and the speed of revolution. The tone emitted by the siren is not a pure one but this is unimportant for the applications for which it is used. One advantage of this instrument is that by altering the speed of rotation the frequency can be varied in a continuous manner. The use of mechanical receivers has been restricted to measurements of intensities in liquids and gases. The two principal types of mechanical receivers are the Rayleigh disc and the radiometer. The Rayleigh disc consists of a thin circular disc suspended vertically in the ultrasonic field by means of a torsion fibre. Initially the disc is positioned, with its plane surfaces parallel with the direction of propagation. In the presence of ultrasound, the sound waves exert a couple on the disc, which rotates until brought to rest in a steady position as a result of an opposing couple exerted by the suspension. The angle of rotation required to reach the state of equilibrium depends on the the acoustic intensity. A radiometer is a device which measures directly the pressure of radiation, a quantity which is proportional to the acoustic intensity. The simplest form of radiometer is a tiny solid sphere suspended in the sound field. It is deflected horizontally in the direction of propagation when the ultrasound is present. The device is calibrated by subjecting it to known fluid pressures and then measuring the resulting displacements. The torsion balance radiometer is designed for waves travelling in a horizontal direction and the common balance type for vertically directed waves(Fig 3.15 a and Fig 3.15b) 1.5 Electromagentic Transducers A lightweight electromagnetic transducers have been used for low-intensity ultrasonic measurements in poorly conducting solids and liquids. But the method requires constant application of a steady magnetic field m which is a major disadvantage 1.5.1. Giacominis method: A bar of poorly conducting solid is coated with a thin conducting strip of negligible mass over opposite halves of the upper and lower surfaces and the end-face. It is supported horizontally at the nodal positions by electrically conducting wires, and the coated end is subjected to a horizontal magnetic field at right angles to the axis. When an alternating current is passed through the conducting strip, the bar vibrates longitudinally, in accordance with Flemings left-hand rule of electromagnetism. Because electromagnetic transducers are reversible, vibrations in the bar are picked up by the conducting strip which, in the presence of a steady magnetic field, will have induced in it an alternating e.m.f. in accordance with Flemings right-hand rule of electromagnetism. This e.m.f. is related to the acoustic intensity. Thus the device can be used as both a transmitter and a receiver of ultrasound. 1.5.2. Filipczynskis Method: An aluminium film in the form of a continuous and winding narrow strip is evaporated on to a perspex block to provide a coil of negligible mass. The block is then immersed in the liquid and located inside a gap between the pole-pieces of a permanent magnet which supplies a steady magnetic field of high intensity. Ultrasonic waves pass from the liquid into the block, giving rise to oscillations of the aluminium coil which induce in it an e.m.f. related to the intensity in the block. 1.6 Electrostatic transducers An electrostatic transducer consists essentially of two parallel plates of a conducting material placed close to one another to form an electrical capacitor. One plate is fixed and the other is free to vibrate in a direction at right angles to the surface of the plates. A high resistance is placed in series with the capacitor and steady charges on the plates maintained by a direct potential difference of several hundred volts (Fig 3.18). For operation as a transmitter, a signal at the desired frequency, is fed to the plates , output voltage of amplitude not exceeding the direct potential difference. The periodic variation of the charges induces vibrations of the movable plate. For use as a receiver, the movable plate is placed in position to receive the sound waves and its consequent vibrations give rise to periodic variations of the electrical capacitance of the transducer, producing an alternating current which flows through the high resistance; the resulting alternating voltage proportional the intensity of the received sound. The electrostatic transducer in the form of the condenser microphone has long been used at audible frequencies. Diaphragm being light , inertial effects are negligible and the sensitivity remains constant over a wide frequency range. It can be used for gases and liquids as both a receiver and a transmitter at frequencies of up to about 300 kHz. 1.7 Miscellaneous Transducer Other methods of generating and receiving ultrasound involve the uses of thermal, chemical, and optical devices. The chemical changes observed in materials irradiated with ultrasound, is used as a means of detection. It is also possible to generate ultrasonic waves in a transparent medium by the crossing of two laser beams originating from a common source. There are a number of applications which make use of thermal transducers. One thermal type of transmitter is the spark-gap generator, which radiates ultrasound as a result of periodic temperature changes taking place when a high alternating voltage of a given frequency is discharged across a gap in a circuit. The hot-wire microphone, is a receiving thermal transducer,consisting of a thin wire, made from platinum and heated to just below redness. When sound waves strike the wire, it cools down by an amount directly dependent on the intensity. This is indicated by a decrease in its electrical resistance. The hot-wire microphone has been used successfully for gases at frequencies of up to 600 kHz. Ultrasonic intensities can also be measured from the rise in temperature within the beam, as shown in Figure 3.19. The heat produced by the ultrasound is absorbed by the liquid in the thermally insulated flask. Expansion of the liquid results in a rise in the level of the liquid in the graduated capillary tube, calibrated by supplying a measured amount of heat from the heating coil. The waves transmitted through the liquid are finally absorbed by the glass wool placed at the end of the vessel. Acoustic powers of from 50 mW to 30 W can be measured to an accuracy of better than 10 per cent with this device.

Poisoning In The Home Environmental Sciences Essay

Poisoning In The Home Environmental Sciences Essay Unintentional or accidental poisoning is a significant global public health problem. In 2004, an estimated 346000 people died worldwide from unintentional poisoning.[1]This appears to be an important health threat as it has crucial implications of costs and potential years of life lost. There are various categories of substances that may leads to poisoning and children are usually at greater risk due to developmental incompetencies and their dependence on adults for their care and well-being.[2] According to the report from National Poison Centre(NPC) of Malaysia, a total of 929 cases of poison exposure inquiries were handled by NPC from the years 1996 to 2000. The age and gender distributions are shown in table 1 implicating children younger than 9 years old has the highest incidence of exposure to poisonous substances. As for gender, a male predominance was noted throughout the five year period.[3] C:UserscmhPicturesScreenShot159.bmp Table 1: Age and gender distributions of poisoned patients from 1996 to 2000 Some common substances involved in poisoning cases are pesticides, medicines, household products, detergents and food. From the statistics, it can be concluded that pesticides is the most common substance that leads to poisoning followed by pharmaceuticals and household products.[3] Thus, care must be taken especially at home to avoid exposure to these poisonous substances. C:UserscmhPicturesScreenShot160.bmp Table 2: Distribution of categories of substances implicated in poisonings 1996 to 2000 Throughout the years, there was an increasing trend in the number of poison exposure as shown in Figure 1. The number of poisoning cases showed an increase with an average of 611 enquiries per year. Distributions of poisoning cases are almost the same with the previous years, with the majority cases involving agrochemicals and followed by pharmaceuticals and household chemicals.[2] Figure 1: Number of poisoning cases in Malaysia from year 2001 to 2005 Pesticides There are a wide variety of tools available for pest control in residential environments, including the use of chemical pesticides as well as various non-chemical techniques. Broadly defined, a pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended to kill, repel, or control certain forms of plant or animal life that are considered to be pests. [4] Pests are living organisms that bother, injure, or cause damage to buildings, plants, humans, and animals, including pets. [4, 5] Pesticide is used in public health to kill vectors of disease, such as mosquitoes, and in agriculture, to kill pests that damage crops. [4] There are various way to classified pesticides for instant it can be categorized by the types of pests it control, the chemical composition of the pesticides, or by hazard of the pesticides. [5, 6] The most common method of classification would be according to the chemical composition of the pesticides itself as different pesticides may be composed of different chemical compound. The chemical category of pesticides includes organochlorine, organophosphate, carbamate, synthetic pyrethroids, inorganic, organic (botanical and microbial), and lastly the miscellaneous. [6] All of these chemical compound works in different routes in controlling pest as different chemicals may have different mechanism of action. Organochlorine (OC) Figure 2. Chemical structure of organochlorine [7] Organochlorine pesticides are hydrocarbon compounds containing multiple chlorine substitutions. There are four main types of OC pesticides; dichlorodiphenylethanes; cyclodienes; chlorinated benzenes; and cyclohexanes. All share a similar pair of carbon rings, one ring being heavily chlorinated. They are the synthetic organic pesticides that are earliest discovered and used. Their characteristics are broad-spectrum, long residual effect and relatively low toxicity. However, due to their stable chemical nature, they are hard to break down in the natural environment. Prolonged use in large quantities will easily lead to environmental pollution and accumulation in mammals, resulting in cumulative poisoning or damage.   Organochlorine pesticides are therefore banned under general circumstances and gradually replaced by other pesticides. [7] Organophosphate Figure 3. Chemical structure of organophosphate [8] Organophosphate pesticides are synthetic in origin and are normally esters, amides, or thiol derivatives of phosphoric, phosphonic, phosphorothioic, or phosphonothioic acids. They are characterised by their multiple functions and the capacity of controlling a broad spectrum of pests. Organophosphate pesticides (as well as sarin and  VX  nerve agent) irreversibly inactivate acetylcholinesterase, which is essential to nerve function in insects, humans, and many other animals.   They are nerve poisons that can be used not only as stomach poison but also as contact poison and fumigant. These pesticides are also biodegradable, cause minimum environmental pollution and slow pest resistance. Temephos and F enitrothion are examples of organophosphate pesticides. [8] Carbamate Figure 4. Chemical structure of carbamate [9] Carbamates  are  organic compounds  derived from  carbamic acid  (NH2COOH). A carbamate group, carbamate  ester, and carbamic acids are  functional groups  that are inter-related structurally and often are interconverted chemically. Carbamate esters are also called  urethanes. Carbamate pesticides work on the same principle as organophosphate pesticides by affecting the transmission of nerve signals resulting in the death of the pest by poisoning. They can be used as stomach and contact poisons as well as fumigant. Moreover, as their molecular structures are largely similar to that of natural organic substances, they can be degraded easily in a natural manner with minimum environmental pollution. Propoxur is an example of carbamate pesticides.[9] Synthetic pyrethroids Figure 5. Chemical structure of synthetic pyrethroids [10] Synthetic-pyrethroid pesticides are a pesticide synthesized by imitating the structure of natural pyrethrins, which are taken from pyrethrum, the oleoresin extract of dried chrysanthemum flowers. The insecticidal properties of pyrethrins are derived from ketoalcoholic esters of chrysanthemic acid and pyrethroic acid. They are  axonic  poisons and cause  paralysis  of an organism by keeping the  sodium channels  open in the neuronal membranes. The sodium channel is a  membrane protein  with a  hydrophilic  interior. This interior is a tiny hole which is shaped precisely to strip away the partially charged water molecules from a sodium ion and create a favorable way for sodium ions to pass through the membrane, enter the axon, and propagate an  action potential. When the toxin keeps the channels in their open state, the nerves cannot de-excite, so the organism is paralyzed. They are comparatively more stable with longer residual effects than natural pyrethrins. Sy nthetic-pyrethroid pesticides are highly toxic to insects but of only slight toxicity to mammals. A llethrin and Permethrin are examples of synthetic-pyrethroid pesticides. [10] Inorganic pesticide Inorganic pesticide refers to compounds that include heavy metals such as arsenic, copper sulfates, lead, cadmium, and mercury. They do not degrade readily and persist long in the system. Arsenic  works by coagulates proteins, form complexes with coenzymes which is then inhibits the production of ATP. Like cadmium and mercury, it can substitute for phosphorous in some biochemical processes. Mercury  has a strong affinity for sulfhydryl groups (SH) in proteins, enzymes, hemoglobin and serum albumin. The Central Nervous system is affected by damage to the blood-brain barrier; transfer of metabolites such as amino acids in the brain is not properly regulated. Cadmium  affects enzymes responsible for the reabsorption of proteins in kidney tubules. It also affects the functioning of enzymes such as ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase). Cadmium is substituted for zinc as both metals are similar in solution. Arsenic was commonly used as arsenic trioxide (As2O3) or arsenous acid and mercury as mercuric chloride (HgCl2). Inorganic pesticides were often used in powder, paste, or dip form. The pesticide residue stays on the object and continues to be an effective insect killer for a long time. [11] Organic pesticide Organic pesticides are carbon-based compounds that include pesticides such as Naphthalene and Paradichlorobenzene (PDB), two chemicals commonly known as mothballs. Naphthalene and PDB are applied as a solid (in mothball and flake form) and sublimate, acting as a fumigant. The fumes from these materials kill insects and work best in tightly closed spaces. The pesticide residue is expected to evaporate over time. Old collections often smell of these pesticides and it is not clearly understood how long it takes for the chemicals to completely sublimate in the museum environment. [12] Miscellaneous There are wide variety of commercial product of miscellaneous pesticides including 4-Aminipyridine, calcium cyanamide, creosote, endothall, metakdehyde, and sodium chlorate. 4-aminopyridine is a highly toxic white powder used as a bird repellent. It works by making one or two birds acutely ill, thus warning off the remaining birds by cries of dostress.it is toxic to vertebrates. Calcium cynamide incorporated into soil to serve as fertilizer, fungicide, and herbicides. Creosote is extensively used as a wood preservatives, usually by high-pressure impregnation of lumber.it has also been used as an animal dip and disinfectant. Endothall can act as the free acid or as sodium, potassium, or amine salts. It is used as a contact herbicide, defoliant, aquatic herbicide, and algaecide. Methaldehyde is a four-unit cyclic polymer of acetaldehyde which has long been used to kill slug and snails, which attracted to it without the use of bait. Sodium chlorate is used in agriculture as a defoliant, nonselective contact herbicide, and semi-permanent soil sterilant. [13] Pesticides Classified by Chemical Category Category Examples Organochlorines* Aldrin, chlordane, DDT Organophosphates chlorpyrifos (Dursban), diazinon, acephate (Orthene), malathion Carbamates carbaryl (Sevin), propoxur (Baygon) Synthetic pyrethroids permethrin, resmethrin, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin Inorganic boric acid, chlorates, cryolite, diatomaceous earth, silica aerogel, chromated copper arsenate (CCA) Organic (botanical) garlic, limonene, neem, nicotine, pyrethrum, rotenone, ryania, sabadilla Miscellaneous Horticultural oils, insect growth regulators, insecticidal soaps, insect pheromones Table 3. Major chemical classes of pesticides Type of Pesticide Activity Algaecides Control algae in bodies of water, including swimming pools. Antimicrobials Kill microorganisms that produce disease Attractants Attract specific pests using natural insect chemicals called pheromones that confuse the mating behavior of insects. Avicides Control pest birds. Biopesticides Naturally occurring substances with pesticidal properties. Defoliants Cause foliage to drop from a plant, typically to aid in the harvesting process. Desiccants Aid in the drying process of plants or insects, usually for laboratory purposes. Fumigants Produce vapors or gases to control air- or soilborne insects and diseases. Fungicides Destroy fungi that infect plants, animals, or people. Herbicides Control noxious weeds and other vegetation that are growing or competing with a desired species. Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) Accelerate or retard the rate of growth of insects. Insecticides Control or eliminate insects that affect plants, animals, or people. Miticides (Acaricides) Kill mites that live on plants, livestock, and people. Molluscicides Kill snails and slugs. Nematicides Kill nematodes, which are microscopic wormlike organisms that live in the soil and cause damage to food crops. Ovicides Control insect eggs through the application of low-sulfur petroleum oils to plants and animals. Piscicides Control pest fish. Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) Accelerate or retard the rate of growth of a plant. Predacides Control vertebrate pests. Repellents Repel pests such as mosquitoes, flies, ticks, and fleas. Rodenticides Control mice, rats, and other rodents. Table 4. Types of pesticides Pesticide Poisoning Pesticide poisoning occurs after exposure to pesticides. It may occur shortly after a single exposure (acute poisoning) or gradually after repeated exposures over a period of time (chronic poisoning).[17] Acute poisoning presents symptoms like headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, blurred vision, excessive eye watering, sweating and excessive saliva. More severe case of acute poisoning may also lead to changes in heart rate, chest tightness, muscle weakness and twitching, difficulty breathing and walking, constricted pupils and incontinence. In very severe case of acute poisoning, seizures and unconsciousness may occur.[17] Chronic poisoning presents symptoms like muscle weakness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and remember things, and generally feeling unwell.[17] The type of symptoms, how long they last and how severe they are may vary depending on factors such as the type and concentration of the pesticide used, the type and concentration of the pesticide used, the degree of exposure and the health and age of the person exposed. Many of the potential symptoms are not specific to pesticide poisoning. They may be due to other conditions, such as illness or allergy.[17] Most common pesticide poisoning: Mechanism of action/toxicity and signs and symptoms Table 5 shows most common pesticide poisoning. It is classified according to the class of chemical ingredient contained in pesticide. It also shows mechanism of action or toxicity, sign and symptoms treatment of pesticide poisoning of each class. Class Mechanism of action/toxicity Signs and symptoms Organophosphates Acephate (Orthene) Chlorphoxim (Baythion-C) Chlorpyrifos (Dursban, Lorsban) Diazinon Dimethoate (Cygon, DeFend) Ethoprop (Mocap) Fenitrothion (Sumithion) Fenthion (Baytex) Malathion (Cythion) Naled (Dibrome) Terbufos (Counter) Inhibit cholinesterase leading to excess acetylcholine CNS-anxiety, seizures, skeletal nerve-muscle junctions, autonomic ganglia-twitching, tachycardia, muscle weakness (nicotinic effects); peripheral cholinergic neuroeffector junctions- all faucets on- sweating, salivation, diarrhea, tearing (muscarinic effects); miosis (pinpoint pupils) most commonly, but 15 percent have mydriasis secondary to epinephrine release from adrenals due to nicotinic receptor stimulation. Carbamates Carbaryl (Sevin) Pirimicarb (Aphox, Rapid) Propoxur (Baygon) Timethacarb (Landrin) Other carbamates Reversible cholinesterase inhibition (carbamoyl- acetylcholinesterase [AChE] complex dissociates much more easily and quickly than OP-AChE complex) Cholinergic crisis with all faucets on; CNS depression with coma, seizures, hypotonicity in serious toxic exposures Organochlorines Chlorobenzilate Dicofol (Kelthane) Dienochlor (Pentac) Endosulfan Lindane (Kwell) Induction of hyperexcitable state in central and peripheral nervous system by disruption of normal flow of sodium and potassium across the axon membrane; may antagonize GABA- mediated inhibition in CNS. Seizures, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, paresthesias, incoordination, tremor/twitching following topical treatment for lice/scabies or accidental or intentional ingestion of liquid pesticide. Pyrethrins/pyrethroids Allethrin Cyfluthrin (Baythroid) Cypermethrin (Barricade, Cymbush, Cynoff, Demon) Deltamethrin Dimethrin Fenothrin Fenvalerate Permethrin (Ambush, Dragnet, Nix, Pounce) Remethrin Pyrethrins are derived from chrysanthemums; pyrethroids are synthetic compounds with longer half-lives; both can produce toxic effects on the nervous system but are not well absorbed and are effectively and quickly detoxified by mammalian liver enzyme systems. The most severe symptoms are seizures, though highly uncommon unless highly exposed (usually through ingestion of large quantities); tremor, incoordination, salivation, vomiting; topical exposure can produce short-term paresthesias, especially of the hands and face; a small portion of the population (1 to 3 percent) is allergic to pyrethrins/pyrethroids-resulting in symptoms ranging from nasal stuffiness to asthma. Bacillus thuringiensis Variety aizawai (Agree, Mattch) Variety israelensis (Aquabac, Skeetal) Variety kurstaki (Bactur, Dipel) Wide range of products derived from several varieties of this organism; highly limited effects on mammalian systems. Mild irritative pulmonary symptoms in some involved in manufacturing process, not in mixers or appliers; theoretical risk of respiratory infection in immunocompromised individuals; single corneal ulceration reported, successfully treated with standard antibiotics; mild gastroenteritis with heavy ingestion. Repellants Diethyltoluamide- DEET (Muskol, Off!, Skeeter Beater, Skeeter Cheater, Skintastic for Kids, others) Mechanism of toxicity unknown. CNS depression followed by seizures; rare unless applied excessively under occlusion; mild skin irritating effects with repeated use; corneal and mucosal irritation; nausea and vomiting with ingestion and, rarely, hypotension, tachycardia with heavy dermal exposureà £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ Table 5: Most common pesticide poisoning: Mechanism of action/toxicity and signs and symptoms [18] Possible harm of pesticide to the environment On objects, plants or animals: Pesticides can move away from the release site when they are on or in objects or organisms that move (or are moved) offsite. Pesticides may stick to shoes or clothing, to animal fur, or to blowing dust and be transferred to other surfaces. When pesticide handlers bring home or wear home contaminated personal protective equipment, work clothing, or other items, residues can rub off on carpeting, furniture, and laundry items and onto pets and people. [19] Harmful effect on nontarget plants and animals: Nontarget organisms may be harmed by pesticides in two ways. The pesticide may cause injury by contacting the nontarget organism directly. Another way is the pesticide may leave a residue that causes later injuries. [19] Harmful effect from direct contact: Pesticides may harm nontarget organisms that are present during a pesticide application. Poorly timed applications can kill bees and other pollinators that are active in or near the target site. Pesticides may harm other wildlife, too. Read the warnings and directions on the pesticide labeling carefully to avoid harming nontarget organisms during a pesticide application. Drift from the target site may injure wildlife, livestock, pets, sensitive plants, and people. For example, drift of herbicides can damage sensitive nearby plants, including crops, forests, or ornamental plantings. Drift also can kill beneficial parasites and predators that are near the target site.[19] Harmful effects from residues: A residue is the part of a pesticide that remains in the environment for a period of time following application or a spill. Pesticides usually break down into harmless components after they are released into an environment. The breakdown time ranges from less than a day to several years. The rate of pesticide breakdown depends mostly on the chemical structure of the pesticide active ingredient. Persistent pesticides leave residues that stay in the environment without breaking down for long periods of time. These pesticides are sometimes desirable, because they provide long-term pest control and may reduce the need for repeated applications. However, some persistent pesticides that are applied to or spilled on soil, plants, lumber, and other surfaces or into water can later cause harm to sensitive plants or animals, including humans, that contact them. While using persistent pesticides, consider whether their continued presence in the environment is likely to harm plants and animals. Sometimes animals can be harmed when they feed on plants or animals that have pesticide residues on or in them. [19] Harmful effects on surfaces Sometimes surfaces are harmed by pesticides or pesticide residues. Some surfaces may become discolored by contact with certain pesticides. Other surfaces may be pitted or marked by contact with some pesticides. Some pesticides can corrode or obstruct electronic systems or metal. Sometimes a pesticide will leave a visible deposit on the treated surface.[19] Safety Measures of the Use of Pesticide Many types of pesticides are obtainable to eliminate a particular pest and a variety of pesticide formulations are available to the consumers. Thus, it is crucial to choose the correct pesticide in order to control the pest(s) in the house, garden or lawn. To select the more appropriate pesticide for the targeted pest(s), consumer should:[20] Identify the insect, weed, disease, rodent or other pest that one is attempted to control. Consider utilizing alternative nonchemical control procedures if applicable. Purchase the least toxic pesticide product which will eliminate the pest. The pesticide should be purchased in a quantity for immediate use only. Before purchasing and using the pesticide products, consumers should read the label of the product.[20] Pesticides Labels Pesticides should be packed and labeled according to World Health Organization (WHO) specifications. The label should be in English and in local language. It is a legal document which should indicate the contents, safety instructions and possible measures in the events of swallowing or contamination. Table 6 below has incorporated the information provided in the pesticide label.[21] Trade, brand, or product names The trade name is each companys unique market name for the product. Ingredient statement This statement identifies every active ingredient, the percentage by weight for each active ingredient and the percentage by weight for all inert ingredients. Use classification statement The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies every pesticide product either as Restricted Use or Unclassified/General Use. The restricted use pesticides must include a special statement. Under law, only those persons who have been certified and receive specialized training can use these types of pesticides. Generally, most pesticide products used in and around the home setting are Unclassified/General Use pesticides. Name and address of manufacturer Emergency telephone number Registration number The EPA registration number indicates that the pesticide product has been registered and thats its label has been approved by the EPA. Signal words and symbols These words and symbols provide the user with an indication of the relative acute toxicity of the product to humans and animals. The statement keep out of reach of children must also be printed on the front panel of the label. Signal words Indication On the Products Caution Slightly toxic either orally, dermally, or through inhalation or cause slight eye and skin irritation. Warning Moderately toxic either orally, dermally, or through inhalation or cause moderate eye and skin irritation. Danger Cause severe eye damage or skin irritation. Danger (with poison and the skull crossbones symbol) Highly toxic by any route of entry. Precautionary statements Statements to help applicators decide what precautions to take to protect other persons or animals who may be exposed. Statement of practical treatment First aid treatments recommended in case of a poisoning. In addition, instructions for physicians and medical personnel may be included. Environmental hazards Usually only for the restricted-use pesticides.Statements can indicate that a product is especially hazardous to wildlife and include common sense procedures to avoid contamination of the environment. Physical or chemical hazards Describes any special fire, explosion, or chemical hazards the product may pose. Restricted entry level (REI) Provides information on the duration of time must pass between the last application of a pesticide and when people can reenter a treated area. Storage and disposal General instruction for the appriopriate storage and disposal of the pesticide and its container. Directions for use Provides instructions concerning the method employed to use the product, the type of pest to be treated, the application sites and any application equipment to be usedTable 6. Pesticide Label Information [20] In Malaysia, in order to facilitate the consumers to understand the level of toxicity of the pesticide products to human beings, there is a colour band indicating the toxicity class at the bottom of the label. The Malaysian Pesticide Board has classified all the registered pesticide into four classes (colors) according to their level of toxicity to human beings. http://www.mantegroup.com/images/ControlsPesticidesClasses.gif Figure 6: Classification of Pesticide Products by the Malaysian Pesticide Board. The indication of each class ( colour bands) are as follow: Class Colour Band Toxic Level Class 1 Black band for Class 1a Red band for Class 1b ( Both with a skull and crossbones symbol) Highly poisonous. Only used by trained personnels. Class 2 Yellow band. Poisonous Class 3 Blue band. Harmful Class 4 White band Least toxic group Table 7: Indication of the toxicity of each classes of pesticide product with their respective colour bands.[19] Protective Clothing During Pesticide Application The type of protective clothing and equipment needed depends on the pesticide being used and the extent of the pest elimination plan (size of the garden or lawn). Users should refer to the personal protection equipment (PPE) on the label for selection of protective clothing and equipment.At a minimum, consumers should have the following protective items while handling pesticide:[20] Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Proper ways of using PPE Clean clothing Long-sleeved shirt, long trousers or coveralls made of tightly woven fabric or a water-repellant material. Cotton t-shirts or tank tops, shorts and sandals are unsuitable as they do not provide adequate protection during pesticide application. Rubber gloves Unlined and without a fabric wristband. Shirtsleeves should be worn over the gloves to prevent the spills from running down inside of the glove. Waterproof boots Pants legs should be worn over the boots and not tucked inside. Waterproof hat If required. Eye protection Safety goggles should be worn if needed. Dusts mask or cartridge respirator If required. Table 8: Proper ways of using personal protection equipmentUser Image: An appriopriately clothed pesticide user. (Image taken from: http://web.extension.illinois.edu ) Safety Measures While Handling Pesticides Generally, during pesticide application, the product might possibly enter the body via oral route, inhalation or dermal exposure. For oral exposure, user may ingest the pesticide through the mouth. For inhalation exposure, user may breathe in pesticide vapours, dust or spray particles. On the other hand, pesticide may also be absorbed into skin via dermal exposure to the product. Thus, it is essential to practice safety measures while handling the products in order to lower the risk of exposure to the pesticide.[20] Mixing During mixing, fill the spray tank about half full of water before adding in the chemical. Then, measure the recommended amount of chemical accurately according to the label instructions. Finish filling the spray tank with the correct amount of water, being careful not to spill or splash the mixture. All measuring utensils such as cups and spoons, containers and application equipment should be specifically marked and kept at the same place where pesticide are stored. After each use, the utensils should be washed thoroughly.[20] Use safe practices. Do not splash. Pour with care; illustration (37 Kb PDF file) Image: Proper technique in mixing pesticides (Image taken from: www.stewardshipcommunity.com ) Application of pesticides Upon using, the discharge from the sprayer should be directed away from the body. Leaking of equipment should be repaired. Organophosphorus and carbamate compounds should not be applied for more than 5-6 hours a day and the hands should be washed after every pump charge. Users should guard against the drifts of pesticide sprays or dusts by performing the application when there is no wind as some chemicals may drift in considerable distances if the right conditions exist. Users should not eat, drink or smoke while applying pesticides.[20] Spillage of Pesticide Upon spillage, users should clean up the spill immediately by using absorbent material such as sawdust, soil in order to soak up any spillage. The spillage and contaminated waste should then be collected and put into a bag or container and to be disposed accordingly.[21] Storage and disposal of pesticides Storage of pesticides in quantity by certified applicators, wholesalers, dealers and retailers must comply with the following: All pesticides stored in quantity must be stored in securely locked well ventilated rooms, well away from all food or feed items. The pesticides should be stored in such manner as to prevent fumes from contaminating food or feed. Pesticides should be separated during storage, preferably in bins, depending upon the type of pesticide. Each type of pesticide, i.e., herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc., must be stored separately from each other.<

Loneliness Essay -- Journalistic Essays

To be lonely is an easy thing, being alone is another matter entirely. To understand this, first one must understand the difference between loneliness and being alone. To be alone means that your are not in the company of anyone else. You are one. But loneliness can happen anytime, anywhere. You can be lonely in a crowd, lonely with friends, lonely with family. You can even be lonely while with loved ones. For feeling lonely, is in essence a feeling of being alone. As thought you were one and you feel as though you will always be that way. Loneliness can be one of the most destructive feelings humans are capable of feeling. For loneliness can lead to depression, suicide, and even to raging out and hurting friends and/or strangers. The second major problem with loneliness is that it can be a very difficult feeling to lose, especially if it has already progressed into depression. There are, of course, drug therapies, but unless the problems are hormonal or chemical in nature, they will not serve the purpose of treating the longer term problem. The proper treatment of ...

Marlow’s Narrative Voice as a Rejection of the African People Essay

In â€Å"An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness†, Chinua Achebe says that â€Å"it is the desire ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€one might indeed say the need—in Western psychology to set Africa up as a foil to Europe† (337). Indeed it is wise for Achebe to make this claim while discussing Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, a short novel that presents the relationship between Europe and Africa as an entirely one-sided narrative which denies the African people their right to personage. For a majority of the novel, Marlow’s narration of a story goes so above and beyond telling one narrative, that it works toward preventing the African people from developing a voice of their own. Edward Said, in Culture and Imperialism, provides perhaps the most efficient explanation as to how the narrative that Marlow tells in the novel works against the African people: As one critic has suggested, nations themselves are narrations. The power to narrate, or to block other narratives from forming and emerging, is very important to culture and imperialism, and constitutes one of the main connections between them. (xiii) Marlow possesses the power to narrate, and therefore the power to block the African people from possessing their own voice. Achebe is right in saying that Marlow’s depiction of Africa â€Å"projects the image of Africa as ‘the other world,’ the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization† (338). However, beyond preventing a narrative from happen through the telling his own, Marlow performs a narrative that works toward creating a separation between â€Å"us†, the Europeans, and â€Å"them†, the Africans (xiii). His narrative, for the benefit of European identity, denies the African people any voice at all in the affairs between the two continents. Therefore, Marl... ...tz has been aligned with by his confrontation of the darkness, the same savagery that ultimately consumes him, finds it’s only voice in his last words: â€Å"The horror! The horror!†, but regardless, Marlow cannot allow them to become a part of the final narrative. He knows better than to allow the voice of a savage, which Kurtz became through becoming so engulfed in the darkness, have a voice in his narrative. Once again, the narrative denies the Africans, even in the voice of a European man, ever from having a voice in a narrative that primarily takes place on their territory. Marlow, as a man of Europe, appears to make the decision as to whether or not tell the intended Kurtz last words, but he knows that he could not since they would be a voice of the Congo. In conclusion, Marlow’s narrative is the narrative of the European city which exploits the African colony.

Capital Punishment :: essays research papers fc

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT Crime is a part of our lives, it is everywhere! Controlling or eliminating crime and criminals is no easy task but it can not be ignored. Making sure those that are rightly accused to a just punishment is very important. There are many reasons why people commit crimes; some do it for the shear of enjoyment others do it to be able to survive. The death penalty should not be used for every crime, although I strongly believe it should be used for those who commit very violent crimes, such as murder. Deterrence is the means to punish those who commit crimes as an example and to create fear in others who might want to commit a crime. The death penalty is one way we use to create fear! Most people fear death one way or another. Ernest van den Hagg, in his article â€Å"On Deterrence and the Death Penalty† mentions, â€Å"One abstains from dangerous acts because of vague, inchoate, habitual and, above all preconscious fears† (193). Without this type of deterrence what would stop criminals that already in prisons for life keep from killing another inmate or a staff that works there? There are those that are against the death penalty called anti-death penalty advocates, they say that imprisonment by it self is enough to deter criminals, killing criminals is not needed! Hugo Bedau argues in his article, â€Å"Capital Punishment and Social defense† says, â€Å"Crimes can be deterred only by making would-be criminals frightened of being arrested, convicted, and puni shed for crimes† (301). According to Richard Seiter in his book â€Å"An Introduction Corrections† states that â€Å"From 1986 to 1997 the number of males that went to prison increased 70% while the number of females increased 118%† (210). It seems that just going to prison isn’t enough for some people. Without the death penalty insane people would kill others thinking they could get away with it and if not what’s the worst going to happened to them â€Å"Prison for life†! One could argue that the death penalty probably has saved someone’s life because it deterred someone from committing that act! Still anti-death penalty advocates believe that the death penalty is irreversible and that some people who really weren’t guilty are sentenced to death. Yes the death penalty is irreversible but the chance that an innocent person gets sentenced to death is extremely low. The judicial system goes threw extreme measures to insure this doesn’t happened! They do this by making sure that only when guilt is determined by clear and convincing evidenced be punished.