Describe your ideal company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Describe your ideal company - Essay Example Additionally, these steps can assist a potential employee in carrying out self-evaluation to determine their personal needs in the job market. The first stage is known as the self-assessment stage. At this stage, an employee determines his/her preferred skills, the most suitable working conditions expected. Moreover, the employee analyzes the interests and values expected from the job. The second stage involves the employee exploring their options. This step involves exploring occupations and conducting research market. The next phase in career planning involves decision-making. This is the stage whereby an individual evaluates the available information relating to their personal profile and matches them with a suitable market opportunity. At this stage, setting of career goals is also accomplished, and the relevant steps required for achieving the goals are set. The last stage involves taking action by identifying the possible occupations at the disposal of the person seeking employment (Mather, 2011: 18). My ideal workplace would be at Sotheby’s. The company specializes in auctioneering and specialty retail. Additionally, it is a public company trading in the New York Securities Exchange market. The company was founded in the United Kingdom but is currently headquartered in New York City in the United States. However, it has more than 90 divisions in more than 40 countries worldwide. The company’s operations are divided into three lines of businesses namely auction, finance and dealer. The company additionally deals in brokerage of fines, decorative art and jewelry and other collectibles. Due to its diversified business portfolio, Sotheby’s is the largest art business. In reference to the financial report for 2012, the company made sales worth more than $5.8 Billion. In line with Hofstede’s perspective on culture, the company deals with employees of different cultures. However, in an effort to avoid stereotyping

Essay of william Essay Example for Free

Essay of william Essay Scepticism about technological determinism emerged alongside increased pessimism about techno-science in the mid-20th century, in particular around the use of nuclear energy in the production of nuclear weapons, Nazi human experimentation during World War II, and the problems of economic development in the third world. As a direct consequence, desire for greater control of the course of development of technology gave rise to disenchantment with the model of technological determinism in academia. Modern theorists of technology and society no longer consider technological determinism to be a very accurate view of the way in which we interact with technology, even though determinist assumptions and language fairly saturate the writings of many boosters of technology, the business pages of many popular magazines, and much reporting on technology. Instead, research in science and technology studies, social construction of technology and related fields have emphasised more nuanced views that resist easy causal formulations. They emphasise that The relationship between technology and society cannot be reduced to a simplistic cause-and-effect formula. It is, rather, an intertwining', whereby technology does not determine but operates, and are operated upon in a complex social field (Murphie and Potts). In his article Subversive Rationalization: Technology, Power and Democracy with Technology, Andrew Feenberg argues that technological determinism is not a very well founded concept by illustrating that two of the founding theses of determinism are easily questionable and in doing so calls for what he calls democratic rationalization (Feenberg 210–212). Prominent opposition to technologically determinist thinking has emerged within work on the social construction of technology (SCOT). SCOT research, such as that of Mackenzie and Wajcman (1997) argues that the path of innovation and its social consequences are strongly, if not entirely shaped by society itself through the influence of culture, politics, economic arrangements, regulatory mechanisms and the like. In its strongest form, verging on social determinism, What matters is not the technology itself, but the social or economic system in which it is embedded (Langdon Winner). In his influential but contested (see Woolgar and Cooper, 1999) article Do Artifacts Have Politics?, Langdon Winner illustrates a form of technological determinism by elaborating instances in which artifacts can have politics. Although The deterministic model of technology is widely propagated in society (Sarah Miller), it has also been widely questioned by scholars. Lelia Green explains that, When technology was perceived as being outside society, it made sense to talk about technology as neutral. Yet, this idea fails to take into account that culture is not fixed and society is dynamic. When Technology is implicated in social processes, there is nothing neutral about society (Lelia Green). This confirms one of the major problems with technological determinism and the resulting denial of human responsibility for change. There is a loss of human involvement that shape technology and society (Sarah Miller). Another conflicting idea is that of technological somnambulism, a term coined by Winner in his essay Technology as Forms of Life. Winner wonders whether or not we are simply sleepwalking through our existence with little concern or knowledge as to how we truly interact with technology. In this view it is still possible for us to wake up and once again take control of the direction in which we are traveling (Winner 104). However, it requires society to adopt Ralph Schroeders claim that, users don’t just passively consume technology, but actively transform it. In opposition to technological determinism are those who subscribe to the belief of social determinism and postmodernism. Social determinists believe that social circumstances alone select which technologies are adopted, with the result that no technology can be considered inevitable solely on its own merits. Technology and culture are not neutral and when knowledge comes into the equation, technology becomes implicated in social processes. The knowledge of how to create and enhance technology, and of how to use technology is socially bound knowledge. Postmodernists take another view, suggesting that what is right or wrong is dependent on circumstance. They believe technological change can have implications on the past, present and future.[6] While they believe technological change is influenced by changes in government policy, society and culture, they consider the notion of change to be a paradox, since change is constant. Media and cultural studies theorist Brian Winston, in response to technological determinism, developed a model for the emergence of new technologies which is centered on the Law of the suppression of radical potential. In two of his books – Technologies of Seeing: Photography, Cinematography and Television (1997) and Media Technology and Society (1998) – Winston applied this model to show how technologies evolve over time, and how their invention is mediated and controlled by society and societal factors which suppress the radical potential of a given technology.

Strategies to Control Exposure to Harmful Substances

Strategies to Control Exposure to Harmful Substances Control of exposure to substances harmful to health by the UK government was first implemented during the late 19th century (Piney 2001). Today, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) assessments are used to address the risk associated with chemicals and how they may be used safely. This report considers three cleaning products which are used on a daily basis in the office environment in which I work: Freshline Bleach, Lifeguard 3 Way Toilet Cleaner and Mr Muscle Professional Kitchen Cleaner. COSHH assessments for these products are included in Appendix I. 1. Chemicals used in office cleaning products and the processes involving these products The three cleaning products assessed in this report contain a number of different chemicals. The components of each of these products are listed in Table 1, together with their toxicity, targets organs/organ systems and the recommended occupational exposure limits for these chemicals. The main targets organs for the chemicals in these products are the eyes and skin but the respiratory and digestive systems may also be affected if these products are inhaled or ingested. Freshline Bleach is used for general cleaning and disinfecting purposes. In the office, it is used dilute for cleaning floors (e.g. corridors and toilet floors). A working solution is typically prepared in a mop bucket using tap water for dilution and the floors mopped. At the end of the procedure, the dilute solution is emptied down the drain and both mop bucket and mop rinsed in clean tap water. This bleach is also used neat for cleaning toilets and drains into which it is poured straight from the 5 litre container. Lifeguard 3 Way Toilet Cleaner is a cleaner, disinfectant and deodorizer that is used in the office to remove limescale and uric acid deposits on toilet bowls and urinals. The product is typically poured neat into the toilet bowl/urinal from the 1 litre container. Mr Muscle Professional Kitchen Cleaner is a cleaning spray used to clean all kitchen work surfaces, utensils and other equipment. This is sprayed neat onto surfaces and then wiped off using a disposable cloth. 2. Potential hazards for workers during handling of chemicals The COSHH assessment included in Appendix I identifies the risk associated with the chemicals in each of the three cleaning products. There is the potential for all workers (both cleaning staff and office workers) to be exposed to these chemicals in the workplace. Cleaning staff are at the greatest risk of exposure at they will be handling the concentrated products. There is a risk of splashback from the bleach and toilet cleaner when pouring this into the toilet. There is also the potential for individuals to come into contact with undiluted chemicals during disposal of empty containers. Workers using bleach may inhale vapour if this is used in a poorly-ventilated area. If cleaning cloths are used for multipurposes with a variety of different cleaning products without being properly rinsed between uses, there is also the potential for reactions to take place between chemicals in the different products which could be hazardous for workers. For example, if bleach comes into contact with acid, toxic gas may be liberated which could then be inhaled. There is also the potential for chemical reactions to take place if different cleaning products are used together, e.g. when cleaning toilets. 3. Monitoring workplace exposure and minimising the risk of exposure The COSHH assessment identified Freshline Bleach and Lifeguard 3 Way Toilet Cleaner as medium hazards and Mr Muscle Professional Kitchen Cleaner as low hazard. For both the bleach and toilet cleaner in particular, it is essential that correct safety precautions are taken during the handling, use and disposal of these products. Monitoring workplace exposure to the chemicals in these products is difficult and levels of exposure cannot be measured qualitatively. Regular inspections of the office kitchen and toilets will detect spillages that have not been cleaned up thoroughly which could mean workers are exposed to higher than normal levels of concentrated products. Keeping a record of the quantities of each product used (e.g. by asking staff to complete a log when they take a new container) would provide an indicator of the amounts being used within the office as a whole on a monthly/annual basis which may provide some indicator of occupational exposure levels. There is a designated health and safety officer within the office but regular inspections are not conducted and no formal training sessions are held to ensure that new staff joining the company are familiarised with correct office safety procedures. A number of measures can be taken to minimise the risk of exposure. The COSHH assessments for all chemicals should be kept in a place where they can be found easily and all workers should familiarise themselves with these assessments and be aware of first aid measures and correct procedures for cleaning up spillages and disposal of solid waste. Training sessions for staff should be arranged if necessary. All workers using cleaning products must wear suitable personal protective equipment as detailed in the COSHH assessment (e.g. eye protection when working with concentrated toilet cleaner and eye protection, PVC/rubber gloves and protective overalls when working with concentrated bleach). Regular inspections would monitor whether correct working procedures are being followed and written reports from each inspection would provide a record over time. In case of spillage of concentrated bleach or toilet cleaner on clothing, bags should be available to contain the soiled article(s) of clothing to send for cleaning and these should be clearly labelled with the hazard. PVC or rubber gloves should be replaced regularly and should be rinsed well with water if they have come into contact with concentrated solutions of bleach or toilet cleaner ensuring that no door handles or other surfaces are touched and contaminated with concentrated product. All spillages should be cleaned up thoroughly to minimise the risk of workers exposure to concentrated product and both spilt product and any solid waste associated with the spillage disposed of safely. The risk of splashing is reduced by using spray containers (as in the case of Mr Muscle Professional Kitchen Cleaner), rather than the larger bottles or containers which hold the bleach and toilet cleaner, and less of the product is likely to be used with these types of containers. If concentrated bleach or toilet cleaner is spilt on toilet seats, it is important that this is cleaned up thoroughly to minimise the risk of skin contact. In all cases where concentrated bleach has been used in sinks, this should be rinsed thoroughly with copious amounts of water to reduce the risk of workers’ exposure and also to ensure safe disposal of the product. Previously, cleaning staff used to clean the office in the early evening when many staff were still working. This meant that neat bleach or toilet cleaner would be poured into toilet bowls or urinals and workers may then wish to use them, which significantly increased the likelihood of exposure to concentrated products. We have now req uested that cleaning staff work later in the evening two nights per week when staff have already left and it is only on these occasions that the toilets are cleaned. Cloths used for cleaning the kitchen should be rinsed thoroughly at the end of each use and not left where workers or even food could come into contact with concentrated products. Empty containers should be rinsed out well with water before disposal and the top of the container should be replaced to minimise the risk of individuals (i.e. office workers or waste disposal workers) coming into contact with undiluted chemicals. Products should be used in a well-ventilated area, particularly in the case of bleach. The office kitchen is poorly ventilated and has no windows that can be opened but the windows in the toilets can be opened before using products in these areas. Correct storage of products will minimise the risk of workers’ exposure to chemicals. These products should ideally be stored in a locked storage area for which only suitable trained staff have access, and all products stored in original, closed containers, kept upright, in a cool place away from direct sunlight. 4. Plan of action for improvement An audit showed that many staff were not aware of the risks from chemicals in cleaning products used in this office and that correct procedures for their safe use, disposal and storage were not being followed. Following this, a number of new measures have been, or will be, implemented. Training sessions have been arranged for all existing office staff to ensure they are familiar with COSHH assessments and safety procedures and these will be repeated when new staff join the company. Ensuring cleaning staff are correctly trained poses a greater challenge as these staff are recruited from an external agency who are responsible for their own training and quality control; however, the health and safety officer has worked with this agency to ensure that staff are familiar with safety procedures. No sand or other inert absorbable material was available in the office in case of large spillages. This has now been obtained and all staff are familiar with where this is stored. A small, lockable cupboard was previously used for storing cleaning products but this was sometimes left unlocked. Furthermore, containers of kitchen cleaner were left in the cupboard under the sink in the kitchen close to where clean crockery is stored, and toilet cleaner was also frequently left in toilet cubicles. The COSHH assessment identified that Lifeguard 3 Way Toilet Cleaner should be kept away from chlorine-releasing agents and sodium hypochlorite; therefore bleach and toilet cleaner should not be stored together in the same cupboard as there is a risk that they may come into contact (e.g. in case of spillage). A second, lockable cupboard suitable for the storage of these chemicals will be purchased with one month and the two products stored separately. Staff will be trained to ensure that no products are left lying around in the kitchen or toilet areas and are returned to the storage area after each use, which should always be kept locked. The disposable cloths used for cleaning the kitchen were previously being rinsed with water after use, left to dry and re-used. In order to minimise the risk of exposure of office staff to the cleaning product, these cloths will now be disposed of after a single use. Protective overalls worn by cleaning staff will be washed on a weekly basis and PVC/rubber gloves changed regularly. Regular inspections are now carried out by the office health and safety officer on a monthly basis to ensure correct procedures are being followed. Conclusions Everyday cleaning products used in the office can pose a potential hazard to workers. It is therefore important that COSHH assessments are performed to assess the risk posed by the chemicals contained within these products. All workers should be aware of the correct procedures for the safe handling, use and disposal of these chemicals and should take the necessary precautions to minimise their risk of exposure (e.g. through use of personal protective equipment where appropriate). Reference list Health and Safety Executive 2007. List of approved workplace exposure limits. Retrieved 26th September 2008 from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/table1.pdf Piney, M. 2001, ‘OELs and the effective control of exposure to substances hazardous to health in the UK (version 3)’. Retrieved 26th September 2008 from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/oel.pdf The Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory 2008, Chemical and other safety information. Oxford University. Retrieved 26th September 2008 from: http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk Bibliography Health and Safety Executive 2008. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health – COSHH. Retrieved 26th September 2008 from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/ Health and Safety Executive 2008. COSHH: A brief guide to the regulations. Retrieved 26th September 2008 from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg136.pdf Table 1. Chemicals used in office cleaning products: toxicity, target organs and recommended exposure limits (Health and Safety Executive 2007). Assessment Reference: Date:26th July 2008 Review Date: 25th July 2009 1) Assessor Details [Client: please complete Section 1] 2) Process Description [Client: I’ve included all three products in one assessment – you may prefer to put each on a separate COSHH assessment pro forma] [Client: the codes for both risk phrases and safety phrases are standard for COSHH assessments and were taken from The Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University website, accessed from: http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/] 3) Specific Considerations 4) Hazard Category I have familiarised myself with the risks created and safe working practices during the use and handling of chemicals. I shall adhere to COSHH regulations and safe laboratory practices as explained to me during the COSHH assessment. Signature: Date:

Precision Agriculture: Advantages and Disadvantages

Precision Agriculture: Advantages and Disadvantages Precision agriculture Precision farming or precision agriculture is an agricultural concept relying on the existence of in-field variability. It requires the use of new technologies, such as global positioning (GPS), sensors, satellites or aerial images, and information management tools (GIS) to assess and understand variations. Collected information may be used to more precisely evaluate optimum sowing density, estimate fertilizers and other inputs needs, and to more accurately predict crop yields. It seeks to avoid applying inflexible practices to a crop, regardless of local soil/climate conditions, and may help to better assess local situations of disease or lodging. Satellites allow farmers to easily survey their land.[2] Global Positioning Systems (GPS) monitor can find the location of a field to within one meter. It can then present a series of GIS maps that demonstrate which fields are moist or dry, and where there is erosion of soil and other soil factors that stunt crop growth. The data can be used by the farmer to automatically regulate the machine application of fertilizer and pesticide[2]. In the American Midwest (US) it is associated not with sustainable agriculture but with mainstream farmers who are trying to maximize profits by spending money only in areas that need fertilizer. This practice allows the farmer to vary the rate of fertilizer across the field according to the need identified by GPS guided Grid Sampling. Fertilizer that would have been spread in areas that dont need it can be placed in areas that do, thereby optimizing its use. Precision farming may be used to improve a field or a farm management from several perspectives: agronomical perspective: adjustment of cultural practices to take into account the real needs of the crop (e.g., better fertilization management) technical perspective: better time management at the farm level (e.g. planning of agricultural activity) environmental perspective: reduction of agricultural impacts (better estimation of crop nitrogen needs implying limitation of nitrogen run-off) economical perspective: increase of the output and/or reduction of the input, increase of efficiency (e.g., lower cost of nitrogen fertilization practice) Other benefits for the farmer geostatistics integrated farming Integrated Pest Management nutrient budgeting nutrient management precision viticulture Agriculture Landsat program Geostatistics is a branch of statistics focusing on spatiotemporal datasets. Developed originally to predict probable distributions for mining operations, it is currently applied in diverse disciplines including petroleum geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, meteorology, oceanography, geochemistry, geometallurgy, geography, forestry, environmental control, landscape ecology, soil science, and agriculture (esp. in precision farming). Geostatistics is applied in varied branches of geography, particularly those involving the spread of disease (epidemiology), the practice of commerce and military planning (logistics), and the development of efficient spatial networks. Geostatistics are incorporated in tools such as geographic information systems (GIS) and digital elevation models. History This section requires expansion with: details. Background When any phenomena is measured, the observation methodology will dictate the accuracy of subsequent analysis; in geography, this issue is complicated by unique variables and spatial patterns such as geospatial topology. An interesting feature in geostatistics is that every location displays some form of spatial pattern, whether in the form of the environment, climate, pollution, urbanization or human health. This is not to state that all variables are spatially dependent, simply that variables are incapable of measurement separate from their surroundings, such that there can be no perfect control population. Whether the study is concerned with the nature of traffic patterns in an urban core, or with the analysis of weather patterns over the Pacific, there are always variables which escape measurement; this is determined directly by the scale and distribution of the data collection, or survey, and its methodology. Limitations in data collection make it impossible to make a direct meas ure of continuous spatial data without inferring probabilities, some of these probability functions are applied to create an interpolation surface predicting unmeasured variables at innumerable locations. Geostatistical terms Regionalized variable theory Covariance function Semi-variance Variogram Kriging Range (geostatistics) Sill (geostatistics) Nugget effect Criticism A major contributor to this section (or its creator) appears to have a conflict of interest with its subject. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedias content policies, particularly neutral point of view. Please discuss further on the talk page. ({{{November 2009}}}) Jan W Merks, a mineral sampling expert consultant from Canada, has strongly criticized[1] geostatistics since 1992. Referring to it as voodoo science[2] and scientific fraud, he claims that geostatistics is an invalid branch of statistics. Merks submits[2] that geostatistics ignores the variance of Agterbergs distance-weighted average point grade, ignores the concept of degrees of freedom of a data set when testing for spatial dependence by applying Fishers F-test to the variance of a set and the first variance term of the ordered set, abuses statistics by not using analysis of variance properly, replaced genuine variances of single distance-weighted average point grades with pseudo-variances of sets of distance-weighted average point grades, violating the one-to-one correspondence between variances and functions such as Agterbergs distance-weighted average point grade. Furthermore, Merks claims geostatistics inflates mineral reserve and resources such as in the case of Bre-Xs fraud. Merkss expertise and credibility are supported by several company executives, who regularly hire his consulting services[3]. Philip and Watson have also criticized geostatistics in the past [4]. There is a consensus that inappropriate use of geostatistics makes the method susceptible to erroneous reading of results[3][5]. Related software gslib is a set of fortran 77 routines (open source) implementing most of the classical geostatistics estimation and simulation algorithms sgems is a cross-platform (windows, unix), open-source software that implements most of the classical geostatistics algorithms (kriging, Gaussian and indicator simulation, etc) as well as new developments (multiple-points geostatistics). It also provides an interactive 3D visualization and offers the scripting capabilities of python. gstat is an open source computer code for multivariable geostatistical modelling, prediction and simulation. The gstat functionality is also available as an S extension, either as R package or S-Plus library. besides gstat, R has at least six other packages dedicated to geostatistics and other areas in spatial statistics. Notes 1. ^ A website that criticizes Matheronian geostatistics ^ a b See (Merks 1992) 3. ^ a b Sandra Rubin, Whistleblower raises doubts over ore bodies, Financial Post, September 30, 2002. ^ See (Philip and Watson 1986). 5. ^ Statistics for Spatial Data, Revised Edition, Noel A. C. Cressie, ISBN 978-0-471-00255-0. References 1. Armstrong, M and Champigny, N, 1988, A Study on Kriging Small Blocks, CIM Bulletin, Vol 82, No 923  Armstrong, M, 1992, Freedom of Speech? De Geeostatisticis, July, No 14 3. Champigny, N, 1992, Geostatistics: A tool that works, The Northern Miner, May 18 4. Clark I, 1979, Practical Geostatistics, Applied Science Publishers, London 5. David, M, 1977, Geostatistical Ore Reserve Estimation, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam 6. Hald, A, 1952, Statistical Theory with Engineering Applications, John Wiley Sons, New York 7. Chilà ¨s, J.P., Delfiner, P. 1999. Geostatistics: modelling spatial uncertainty, Wiley Series in Probability and Mathematical Statistics, 695 pp. 8. Deutsch, C.V., Journel, A.G, 1997. GSLIB: Geostatistical Software Library and Users Guide (Applied Geostatistics Series), Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 369 pp., http://www.gslib.com/ 9. Deutsch, C.V., 2002. Geostatistical Reservoir Modeling, Oxford University Press, 384 pp., http://www.statios.com/WinGslib/index.html 10. Isaaks, E.H., Srivastava R.M.: Applied Geostatistics. 1989. 11. ISO/DIS 11648-1 Statistical aspects of sampling from bulk materials-Part1: General principles 12. Journel, A G and Huijbregts, 1978, Mining Geostatistics, Academic Press 13:.Kitanidis, P.K.: Introduction to Geostatistics: Applications in Hydrogeology, Cambridge University Press. 1997. 14. Lantuà ©joul, C. 2002. Geostatistical simulation: models and algorithms. Springer, 256 pp. 15. Lipschutz, S, 1968, Theory and Problems of Probability, McCraw-Hill Book Company, New York. 16. Matheron, G. 1962. Traità © de gà ©ostatistique appliquà ©e. Tome 1, Editions Technip, Paris, 334 pp. 17. Matheron, G. 1989. Estimating and choosing, Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 18. McGrew, J. Chapman, Monroe, Charles B., 2000. An introduction to statistical problem solving in geography, second edition, McGraw-Hill, New York. 19. Merks, J W, 1992, Geostatistics or voodoo science, The Northern Miner, May 18 20. Merks, J W, Abuse of statistics, CIM Bulletin, January 1993, Vol 86, No 966 21. Myers, Donald E.; What Is Geostatistics? 22. Philip, G M and Watson, D F, 1986, Matheronian Geostatistics; Quo Vadis?, Mathematical Geology, Vol 18, No 1 23. Sharov, A: Quantitative Population Ecology, 1996, http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/PopEcol/popecol.html 24. Shine, J.A., Wakefield, G.I.: A comparison of supervised imagery classification using analyst-chosen and geostatistically-chosen training sets, 1999, http://www.geovista.psu.edu/sites/geocomp99/Gc99/044/gc_044.htm 25. Strahler, A. H., and Strahler A., 2006, Introducing Physical Geography, 4th Ed., Wiley. 26. Volk, W, 1980, Applied Statistics for Engineers, Krieger Publishing Company, Huntington, New York. 27. Wackernagel, H. 2003. Multivariate geostatistics, Third edition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 387 pp. 28. Yang, X. S., 2009, Introductory Mathematics for Earth Scientists, Dunedin Academic Press, 240pp. 29. Youden, W J, 1951, Statistical Methods for Chemists: John Wiley Sons, New York. External links Kriging link, contains explanations of variance in geostats Arizona university geostats page A resource on the internet about geostatistics and spatial statistics On-Line Library that chronicles Matherons journey from classical statistics to the new science of geostatistics Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostatistics Categories: Geostatistics Hidden categories: Statistics articles needing expert attention | Articles needing expert attention from August 2009 | All articles needing expert attention | Articles lacking in-text citations from January 2009 | All articles lacking in-text citations | Articles to be expanded from January 2010 | All articles to be expanded | Wikipedia expand-section box with explanation text | Articles to be expanded from August 2008 | Wikipedia articles with sections containing possible conflicts of interest Integrated farming (or integrated agriculture) is a commonly and broadly used word to explain a more integrated approach to farming as compared to existing monoculture approaches. It refers to agricultural systems that integrate livestock and crop production and may sometimes be known as Integrated Biosystems. While not often considered as part of the permaculture movement Integrated Farming is a similar whole systems approach to agriculture[1]. There have been efforts to link the two together such as at the 2007 International Permaculture Conference in Brazil[2]. Agro-ecology (which was developed at University of California Santa Cruz) and Bio-dynamic farming also describe similar integrated approaches. Examples include: pig tractor systems where the animals are confined in crop fields well prior to planting and plow the field by digging for roots poultry used in orchards or vineyards after harvest to clear rotten fruit and weeds while fertilizing the soil cattle or other livestock allowed to graze cover crops between crops on farms that contain both cropland and pasture (or where transhumance is employed) Water based agricultural systems that provide way for effective and efficient recycling of farm nutrients producing fuel, fertilizer and a compost tea/mineralized irrigation water in the process. In 1993 FARRE (Forum de lAgriculture Raisonnà ©e Respecteuse lEnvironnement) developed agricultural techniques France as part of an attempt to reconcile agricultural methods with the principles of sustainable development. FARRE, promotes an integrated and/or multi-sector approach to food production that includes profitability, safety, animal welfare, social responsibility and environmental care. Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives (formed in 1994 by the eco-entrepreneur [1]) developed a similar approach to FARRE seeking to promote agricultural and industrial production models that sought to incorporate natures wisdom into the process. ZERI helped support an effort by an environmental engineer from Mauritius named George Chan. Chan working with a network of poly-culture farming pioneers began refining Integrated Farming practices that had already been developed in south-east Asia in the 60,70s and 80s, building on the ancient Night soil farming practice. In China, programs embracing this form of integrated farming have been successful in demonstrating how an intensive growing systems can use organic and sustainable farming practices, while providing a high agriculture yield. Taking what he learned from the Chinese during his time there, Chan worked at the UN University in the 1990s and forwarded an approach to Integrated Farming which was termed Integrated Biomass Systems working specifically under the UNU/ZERI ZERI Bag Program. Chan during his work with UNU sought to make the case that Integrated Biomass Systems were well suited to help small island nations and low lying tropical regions become more self-reliant and prosperous in the production of food[3]. Working with ZERI, he developed several prototypes for this approach around the world including sites in Namibia and Fiji. The scientifically verified results in a UNDP sponsored congress in 1997 resulted in the adoption of the IBS by the State Government of Paranà ¡, Brazil where dozens of piggeries have applied the system generating food, energy while improving health and environmental conditions. Montfort Boys Town in Fiji was one of the first Integrated Biomass Systems developed outside of Southeast Asia with the support of UNU, UNDP and other international agencies. The project which is still operational continues to be a model of how farm operations can provide multiple benefits to stakeholders both local and international. ZERI Bag had a significant African component that included assisting Father Godfrey Nzamujo in the development of the Songhai Farm Integrated Farming project in Benin[4] . Most recently The Heifer Foundation a major international NGO based in the USA has taken a lead role in deploying Integrated Farming so that it can be replicated globally as an effective approach to sustainable farming in non-affluent regions such as Vietnam[5]. References 1. ^ Steve Divers work linking Integrated Farming with Permaculture: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/perma.html 2. ^ Report includes reference to presentation on Integrated Farming by permaculture and ZERI practitioner Eric Fedus and Alexandre Takamatsu 3. ^ Small Islands and ZERI: A unique case for the Application of ZERI: A Paper presented by George Chan of the United Nations University at an International Symposium on Small Islands and Sustainable Development organized by the United Nations University and the National Land Agency of Japan: http://www.gdrc.org/oceans/chan.html 4. ^ ZERI Bag was designed to focus on small scale deployment of appropriate technologies with a focus on the Integrated Biomass System approach developed by ZERI and George Chan http://www.zeri.unam.na/africa.htm 5. ^ http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.2877337/ External links FARRE homepage Integrated farming of fish, crop and livestock Design an construction of an intergated fish farm Integrated Farming System by George Chan wiki on integrated farming Songhai Centre in Benin IPM: In agriculture, integrated pest management (IPM) is a pest control strategy that uses a variety of complementary strategies including: mechanical devices, physical devices, genetic, biological, cultural management, and chemical management. These methods are done in three stages: prevention, observation, and intervention. It is an ecological approach with a main goal of significantly reducing or eliminating the use of pesticides while at the same time managing pest populations at an acceptable level.[1] For their leadership in developing and spreading IPM worldwide, Dr. Perry Adkisson and Dr. Ray F. Smith received the 1997 World Food Prize. History of IPM Shortly after World War II, when synthetic insecticides became widely available, entomologists in California developed the concept of supervised insect control. Around the same time, entomologists in cotton-belt states such as Arkansas were advocating a similar approach. Under this scheme, insect control was supervised by qualified entomologists, and insecticide applications were based on conclusions reached from periodic monitoring of pest and natural-enemy populations. This was viewed as an alternative to calendar-based insecticide programs. Supervised control was based on a sound knowledge of the ecology and analysis of projected trends in pest and natural-enemy populations. Supervised control formed much of the conceptual basis for the integrated control that University of California entomologists articulated in the 1950s. Integrated control sought to identify the best mix of chemical and biological controls for a given insect pest. Chemical insecticides were to be used in manner least disruptive to biological control. The term integrated was thus synonymous with compatible. Chemical controls were to be applied only after regular monitoring indicated that a pest population had reached a level (the economic threshold) that required treatment to prevent the population from reaching a level (the economic injury level) at which economic losses would exceed the cost of the artificial control measures. IPM extended the concept of integrated control to all classes of pests and was expanded to include tactics other than just chemical and biological controls. Artificial controls such as pesticides were to be applied as in integrated control, but these now had to be compatible with control tactics for all classes of pests. Other tactics, such as host-plant resistance and cultural manipulations, became part of the IPM arsenal. IPM added the multidisciplinary element, involving entomologists, plant pathologists, nematologists, and weed scientists. In the United States, IPM was formulated into national policy in February 1972 when President Nixon directed federal agencies to take steps to advance the concept and application of IPM in all relevant sectors. In 1979, President Carter established an interagency IPM Coordinating Committee to ensure development and implementation of IPM practices. (references: The History of IPM, BioControl Reference Center. [1] How IPM works An IPM regime can be quite simple or sophisticated. Historically, the main focus of IPM programs was on agricultural insect pests.[2] Although originally developed for agricultural pest management, IPM programs are now developed to encompass diseases, weeds, and other pests that interfere with the management objectives of sites such as residential and commercial structures, lawn and turf areas, and home and community gardens. An IPM system is designed around six basic components: The US Environmental Protection Agency has a useful set of IPM principles. [2] 1. Acceptable pest levels: The emphasis is on control, not eradication. IPM holds that wiping out an entire pest population is often impossible, and the attempt can be more costly, environmentally unsafe, and frequently unachievable. IPM programs first work to establish acceptable pest levels, called action thresholds, and apply controls if those thresholds are crossed. These thresholds are pest and site specific, meaning that it may be acceptable at one site to have a weed such as white clover, but at another site it may not be acceptable. This stops the pest gaining resistance to chemicals produced by the plant or applied to the crops. If many of the pests are killed then any that have resistance to the chemical will rapidly reproduce forming a resistant population. By not killing all the pests there are some un-resistant pests left that will dilute any resistant genes that appear. 2. Preventive cultural practices: Selecting varieties best for local growing conditions, and maintaining healthy crops, is the first line of defense, together with plant quarantine and cultural techniques such as crop sanitation (e.g. removal of diseased plants to prevent spread of infection). 3. Monitoring: Regular observation is the cornerstone of IPM. Observation is broken into two steps, first; inspection and second; identification.[3] Visual inspection, insect and spore traps, and other measurement methods and monitoring tools are used to monitor pest levels. Accurate pest identification is critical to a successful IPM program. Record-keeping is essential, as is a thorough knowledge of the behavior and reproductive cycles of target pests. Since insects are cold-blooded, their physical development is dependent on the temperature of their environment. Many insects have had their development cycles modeled in terms of degree days. Monitor the degree days of an environment to determine when is the optimal time for a specific insects outbreak. 4. Mechanical controls: Should a pest reach an unacceptable level, mechanical methods are the first options to consider. They include simple hand-picking, erecting insect barriers, using traps, vacuuming, and tillage to disrupt breeding. 5. Biological controls: Natural biological processes and materials can provide control, with minimal environmental impact, and often at low cost. The main focus here is on promoting beneficial insects that eat target pests. Biological insecticides, derived from naturally occurring microorganisms (e.g.: Bt, entomopathogenic fungi and entomopathogenic nematodes), also fit in this category. 6. Chemical controls: Synthetic pesticides are generally only used as required and often only at specific times in a pests life cycle. Many of the newer pesticide groups are derived from plants or naturally occurring substances (e.g.: nicotine, pyrethrum and insect juvenile hormone analogues), and further biology-based or ecological techniques are under evaluation. IPM is applicable to all types of agriculture and sites such as residential and commercial structures, lawn and turf areas, and home and community gardens. Reliance on knowledge, experience, observation, and integration of multiple techniques makes IPM a perfect fit for organic farming (the synthetic chemical option is simply not considered). For large-scale, chemical-based farms, IPM can reduce human and environmental exposure to hazardous chemicals, and potentially lower overall costs of pesticide application material and labor. 1. Proper identification of pest What is it? Cases of mistaken identity may result in ineffective actions. If plant damage due to over-watering are mistaken for a fungal infection, a spray may be used needlessly and the plant still dies. 2. Learn pest and host life cycle and biology. At the time you see a pest, it may be too late to do much about it except maybe spray with a pesticide. Often, there is another stage of the life cycle that is susceptible to preventative actions. For example, weeds reproducing from last years seed can be prevented with mulches. Also, learning what a pest needs to survive allows you to remove these. 3. Monitor or sample environment for pest population How many are here? Preventative actions must be taken at the correct time if they are to be effective. For this reason, once you have correctly identified the pest, you begin monitoring BEFORE it becomes a problem. For example, in school cafeterias where roaches may be expected to appear, sticky traps are set out before school starts. Traps are checked at regular intervals so you can see them right away and do something before they get out of hand. Some of the things you might want to monitor about pest populations include: Is the pest present/absent? What is the distribution all over or only in certain spots? Is the pest population increasing or decreasing? 4. Establish action threshold (economic, health or aesthetic) How many are too many? In some cases, a certain number of pests can be tolerated. Soybeans are quite tolerant of defoliation, so if you have only a few caterpillars in the field and their population is not increasing dramatically, there is no need to do anything. Conversely, there is a point at which you MUST do something. For the farmer, that point is the one at which the cost of damage by the pest is MORE than the cost of control. This is an economic threshold. Tolerance of pests varies also by whether or not they are a health hazard (low tolerance) or merely a cosmetic damage (high tolerance in a non-commercial situation). Personal tolerances also vary many people dislike any insect; some people cannot tolerate dandelions in their yards. Different sites may also have varying requirements based on specific areas. White clover may be perfectly acceptable on the sides of a tee box on a golf course, but unacceptable in th e fairway where it could cause confusion in the field of play.[4] 5. Choose an appropriate combination of management tactics For any pest situation, there will be several options to consider. Options include, mechanical or physical control, cultural controls, biological controls and chemical controls. Mechanical or physical controls include picking pests off plants, or using netting or other material to exclude pests such as birds from grapes or rodents from structures. Cultural controls include keeping an area free of conducive conditions by removing or storing waste properly, removing diseased areas of plants properly. Biological controls can be support either through conservation of natural predators or augmentation of natural predators[5]. Augmentative control includes the introduction of naturally occurring predators at either an inundative or inoculative level[6]. An inundative release would be one that seeks to inundate a site with a pests predator to impact the pest population[7][8]. An inoculative release would be a smaller number of pest predators to supplement the natural population and provide ongoing control.[9] Chemical controls would include horticultural oils or the application of pesticides such as insecticides and herbicides. A Green Pest Management IPM program would use pesticides derived from plants, such as botanicals, or other naturally occurring materials. 6. Evaluate results How did it work? Evaluation is often one of the most important steps.[10] This is the process to review an IPM program and the results it generated. Asking the following questions is useful: Did your actions have the desired effect? Was the pest prevented or managed to your satisfaction? Was the method itself satisfactory? Were there any unintended side effects? What will you do in the future for this pest situation? Understanding the effectiveness of the IPM program allows the site manager to make modifications to the IPM plan prior to pests reaching the action threshold and requiring action again. Notes 1. ^ United States Environmental Protection Agency, Pesticides and Food: What Integrated Pest Management Means. 2. ^ http://www.umass.edu/umext/ipm/publications/guidelines/index.html. 3. ^ Bennett, Et Al., Trumans Scientific Guide to Pest Management Operations, 6th edition, page 10, Purdue University/Questex Press, 2005. 4. ^ Purdue University Turf Pest Management Correspondence Course, Introduction, 2006 5. ^ http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/IPM/biocontrol/ 6. ^ http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/veg/htms/ecbtrich.htm 7. ^ http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/green_pros/ipm_basics.shtml 8. ^ http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/IPM/biocontrol/Inundative_release.htm 9. ^ http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/IPM/biocontrol/Inoculative_release_.htm 10. ^ Bennett, Et Al., Trumans Scientific Guide to Pest Management Operations, 6th edition, page 12, Purdue University/Questex Press, 2005. References * Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs: An Integrated Pest Management Guide. Steve H. Dreistadt, Mary Louise Flint, et al., ANR Publications, University of California, Oakland, California, 1994. 328pp, paper, photos, reference tables, diagrams. * Bennett, Gary W., Ph.d., Owens, John M., Ph.d., Corrigan, Robert M, Ph.d. Trumans Scientific Guide to Pest Management Operations, 6th Edition, pages 10, 11, 12, Purdue University, Questex, 2005. * Jahn, GC, PG Cox., E Rubia-Sanchez, and M Cohen 2001. The quest for connections: developing a research agenda for integrated pest and nutrient management. pp. 413-430, In S. Peng and B. Hardy [eds.] â€Å"Rice Research for Food Security and Poverty Alleviation.† Proceeding the International Rice Research Conference, 31 March 3 April 2000, Los Baà ±os, Philippines. Los Baà ±os (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 692 p. * Jahn, GC, B. Khiev, C Pol, N. Chhorn and V Preap 2001. Sustainable pest management for rice in Cambodia. In P. Cox and R Chhay [eds.] â€Å"The Impact of Agricultural Research for Development in Southeast Asia† Proceedings of an International Conference held at the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 24-26 Oct. 2000, Phnom Penh (Cambodia): CARDI. * Jahn, GC, JA Litsinger, Y Chen and A Barrion. 2007. Integrated Pest Management of Rice: Ecological Concepts. In Ecologically Based Integrated Pest Management (eds. O. Koul and G.W. Cuperus). CAB International Pp. 315-366. * Kogan, M 1998. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT:Historical Perspectives and Contemporary Developments, Annual Review of Entomology Vol. 43: 243-270 (Volume publication date January 1998) (doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.43.1.243) * Nonveiller, Guido 1984. Catalogue commentà © et illustrà © des insectes du Cameroun dintà ©rà ªt agricole: (apparitions, rà ©partition, importance) / University of Belgrade/Institut pour la protection des plantes * US Environmental Protection Ag

The Iliad of Homer :: essays research papers

The Iliad Important Characters: Agamemnon king of Mycenae; brother of Menelaos Hektor Prince of Troy; son of Priam and Hekuba Achilles greatest warrior of the Achaian army Aias song of Telamon; he has brute strength and courage Menelaos husband of Helen; brother of Agamemnon Paris a prince of Troy; also son of Priam and Hekuba Priam King of Troy; very old man Helen wife of Menelaos; most beautiful woman In the world Diomedes one of the best Achaian warriors Hekuba wife of Priam Aeneas son of Aphrodite; Trojan Aphrodite Daughter of Zeus; goddess of love; mother of Aeneas; patron of Paris; on the Trojans' side Athena daughter of Zeus; goddess of wisdom; on the Achaian side Ares son of Zeus; god of prophecy, light, poetry, and music; on the Trojans' side Zeus supreme god and king of Olympos Poseidon younger brother of Zeus; god of sea   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chryseis and Briseis who were captured during a raid in Troy are awarded as ‘war prizes' to Agamemnon and Achilles. Chryseis for Agamemnon and Briseis for Achilles. Chryseis is the daughter of Chryses which prays Apollo to help get back his daughter. Apollo causes a deadly plague in the Achaian camp. Achilles asked Kalchas to explain the cause of Apollo's anger. Apollo plagued the Achaians because Agamemnon refused to return Chryseis to her father. Agamemnon demands Achilles' war prize in place of Chryseis. Achilles because angry at Agamemnon's demand and withdraws his troops from the Achaian army. Agamemnon returns Chryseis to her father then collects Briseis from Achilles. Strangely, Achilles gives him the girl. Then, Achilles decides to tell his mother about the problem. Achilles asks his mother to ask Zeus to make sure that the Trojans win. Thetis goes to Zeus and asks and he agrees to help the Trojans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Agamemnon has a dream that he can defeat the Trojans so, full of false hope, he planned a mass assault on Troy. Agamemnon orders his army to prepare themselves to attack. When the news of the Achaian plan arrived in Troy, Hektor ordered his troops to meet the Achaians on the plain in front of Troy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paris dares any of the Achaian warriors to fight him personally. Then, Menelaos accepted the challenge. But, Paris is suddenly scared and backs out. Hektor then fines Paris and scolds him. The agreement was whoever won gets Helen, then the war would be over. They fight on a large open area between the armies. Menelaos hurts Paris then Aphrodite saves Paris and brings him to his bedroom in Troy, where she also brings Helen. Then Agamemnon announces that Menelaos has won.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hera wants the complete destruction of Troy so Zeus sends Athena to get them fighting again.

All Americans Need Access to Health Care Essay -- ObamaCare Essays

America is known for democracy, freedom, and the American Dream. American citizens have the right to free speech, free press, the right to bear arms, and the right to religious freedom to name a few. The Declaration of Independence states that American citizens have the rights including â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.† America promises equality and freedom and the protection of their rights as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. But with all the rights and freedoms that American citizens enjoy, there is one particular area where the United States seems to be lacking. That area is health care. The United States is the only industrialized nation that doesn’t have some form of legal recognition of a right to health care (Yamin 1157). Health care reform in the United States has become a major controversy for politicians, health care professionals, businesses, and citizens. Those in opposition to reform claim that health care is not a human right, therefore the government should not be involved. Supporters of reform believe that health care is most definitely a human right and should be available to everyone in the United States instead of only those who can afford it, and that it is the government’s responsibility to uphold that right. Out of all the industrialized countries in the world, the United States is the only one that doesn’t have a universal health care plan (Yamin 1157). The current health care system in the United States relies on employer-sponsored insurance programs or purchase of individual insurance plans. Employer-sponsored coverage has dropped from roughly 80 percent in 1982 to a little over 60 percent in 2006 (Kinney 809). The government does provide... ... Mar. 2011. "It Is Possible for the United States to Achieve Universal Health Care While Protecting Scientific Innovation." Universal Health Care. Ed. Susan C. Hunnicutt. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 20 Mar. 2011. Kinney, Eleanor D. "Realization of the International Human Right to Health in an Economically Integrated North America." Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 37.4 (2009): 807-818. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. "National Insurance Could Prove Disastrous. (Cover story)." USA Today Magazine 133.2719 (2005): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. Yamin, Alicia Ely. "The Right to Health Under International Law and Its Relevance to the United States." American Journal of Public Health 95.7 (2005): 1156-1161. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Mar. 2011.

Teachers as the Foundation of Society Essay -- Teachers, philosophy of

As a young student I believe that an education is the most valuable thing that a person can have. Therefore, I believe that teachers are the soul foundation of our society. The job of the teacher is to educate as well as nurture the students to the best of their ability. Our society as a whole is constantly growing and changing; and this has a strong influence on our education system. Thus forth my philosophy is continuously evolving and growing; and as I continue to learn more about school districts, different children, and the psychology of learning I will continue to adjust my educational philosophy as well. As a teacher I believe that we should give our students the tools that they need to find themselves and grow as individuals. My philosophical beliefs and ideas deal with humanism. Humanism emphasizes self actualization and helps students develop morals and values. If a student is able to find themselves they will develop healthy attitudes towards themselves and others. And as an individual it is important that you know how to maintain relationships and work well with other...