Pepsi Entry into india A lesson In globilization Case Study

Pepsi Entry into india A lesson In globilization - Case Study Example Haunting challenges in the political, public, economic and social front where there in store aplenty for Pepsi, but the paramount task was to appease the politicians, i.e., the government first, which would automatically reduce the burden in all other front to a great extent. Peter Druker had long back said about the future globe that reciprocity will be the central principle of international economic integration. Thus Pepsi knew that for it to enter India, it has to reciprocate by some deeds that would facilitate the The promises that Pepsi made to deliver if it were allowed access to Indian Market was aplenty. A few noteworthy ones are focussing on food and agro processing generating job opportunities for the people of Punjab, boosting the image of Indian products in foreign markets, etc. Given all these promises, If a question is asked whether the company materialized all that, the answer would be no. It did make an attempt to bring about a green revolution in the state of Punjab; there was a drastic increase in the production of tomatoes, farmers were given free farming equipments and agro based research centres were opened in Karnataka and Punjab. Corporate Social Responsibility is an often heard word now, but the colossal part that it plays is corroborated by Pepsi's entry into India. It was only through its social perks that it got access to the Indian Market.The cat was out of the bag in 1991, around two years after Pepsi's entry into India that it was conspicuous that Pepsi failed in mos t of its obligations. This was a double whammy for the same George Fernandez who blasted the Rajiv Gandhi run Government at the parliament. His accusations where that, pepsi was indulging in under invoicing and by consecutively preparing bogus receipts and hiding transactions to a great extent. That is a different case in itself. A foreign company should be polycentric- meaning, it should consider that each and every host country where they set there shop has got a different set of culture and habits and especially problems with which they wouldn't be in a position to appreciate any endeavour by a foreign company. Thus Pepsi was aware of it and Knew that winning public opinion is the only solution for there entry and especially the farmers of Punjab.There motto was "performance with purpose" which did sell well among the people of India and the politicians. Under this tagline, apart from engaging the farmers' pepsi did quiet a number of social activities like replenishing waste water, waste to wealth initiative, collaboration with farmers through contract farming etc. This only tells that for a multinational company to explore a new customer base, it has to deal with ordinary people of the host country first who may not be their customers in the first place. But still their good will is always necessary for the company to survive.

Team Dynamics - Conflict Resolution Strategies for Students and Essay

Team Dynamics - Conflict Resolution Strategies for Students and Workplace - Essay Example Teamwork is a gratifying and often crucial part of employment and many leisure activities. Moreover, today one's ability to work in a team is sought after and highly valued. It seems that working in groups is very easy, though as the experience shows, it may be one of the most challenging tasks one faces at university and in the workplace. This is caused by the fact that all people are different as well as not all traits of characters of different people can be combined successfully. The biggest drawback of working in a team is that usually not every member of the team is prepared to put in the same amount of effort. Moreover, in every team, there are "free riders", who come to the group meetings to socialize instead of doing what they are supposed to do and do not complete their tasks. Because of the other team members end up having to do work that they fail to complete or start an assignment over because someone did not do it right. Of course, such situations are very stressful and after a couple of experiences of this kind one may get a strong feeling and he/she is better off, though doing more work, completing the project alone. However, working in teams has strong advantages. When working in the team it is possible to combine the strengths of all the members and direct them to the completion of the project. Whilst being a member of a team, a person acquires such useful skills these days as the ability to plan and organize the time. In a group, one learns to negotiate and compromise and to practice decision-making skills. Moreover, one gains additional knowledge from another person, meets new people, and discovers how to identify the needs of others and build positive relationships, and develop cooperative learning strategies (University of Phoenix, 2004). As it was mentioned earlier, groups do not exist without conflicts. According to Wisinski (1993) conflict is defined as "a disagreement or disharmony that occurs in groups when differences regarding ideas, methods, and members are expressed". What is important to remember that conflict does not always lead to negative outcomes, furthermore, a healthy conflict may lead to a rise in motivation and successful completion of the project. Thus, the primary goal for the administration of the company or a team leader is to learn how to use conflict as a tool that can benefit, rather than destroy the group (Krivis, 2006). For this, one should be familiar with conflict resolution methods. Lower I would like to mention two of them: the "4 R's" method, and the A E I O U method. Â  

The Mediatization Of Society Theory Media Essay

The Mediatization Of Society Theory Media Essay Hjarvard deduces that media simultaneously become an integrated part of society, not to mention the existence of other new social media. New social media, a set of identity-centric information and communication technologies (ICTs) that enables production and sharing of digital content in a mediated social setting (Studstzman, 2009) such as Facebook and Twitter, have successfully attracted millions of users, many of whom have integrated these sites into their daily practices and transformed them from a situation of information scarcity to one of information abundance. Accordingly, Ronn (2007) in one of his reports noted that social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, are among the most visited sites on the Internet, just behind the major search engines. Facebook for example, as the site grows more popular, claims that it has more than 500 million active users and 50% of users log on to this site everyday (Facebook, 2011), while Twitter records 175 million registered u sers since its first launch in 2006, with around 95 million tweets are written per day (Twitter, 2011). Both Facebook and Twitter equipped with platforms that allow individuals, as cited in Boyd (1997), to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection and view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. These platforms not only serve its users as a tool of sharing of life minutiae (Green, 2011) but also seize the opportunity of increasing their engagement in various issues. For example, Facebook and Twitter have played an increasing role in American politics as they become what US President Barrack Obama campaign in 2008 were most successfully noted for. Accordingly, both also facilitate online community to raise fund for Japanese earthquake and tsunami victim as well as assist innovation that plays as a significant role in cultural change. In other word, interactive and collaborative features provided by the platform of social media have made the dimension of political, social and cultural advancement become more prominent. However, it appears questionable to simply claim that social media alternately acts as the ground of political revolution or creates new social identity and induce cultural change (Boyd, 2011, Green 2011, Hoffman Kornweitz, 2011). A single click on Facebook gro up and merely a tweet do not make people politically activated and socially changed. As emphasises by Boyd (2011), it seems to be only a majestical lustre that technologys structure instantly influences peoples behaviour. Correspondingly, Green (2011) also voices an interesting quandary if social media actually enhance the democracy itself. It is reasonable since Facebook and Twitter are not a replace for motivation that at least required for a revolution to be taken place or new community to be formed. Nonetheless, it is likely understandable from current events that social media have the power to pursue and persuade as by providing platform toward political revolution, social community and cultural advancement yet bring negative and positive consequences for those three subjects. SOCIAL MEDIA AND POLITICAL REVOLUTION As mention above, Facebook, in particular, provides three default platforms for its users to convey their political interest (Langlois, 2009). First, users can become fan of politicians profile or page. Second, they can create or join a group and last, they can change their political views in their profile. Among three, becoming a fan or a group is considered to allow users to be more engaged. Once the common interests are created, the Facebook platforms greatly simplify communicating within and to a network via emails, invitation and reminders. Shirky (2011), social media have become coordinating tools for nearly all of the worlds political movement. Prominent example for this argument is U.S. President Barack Obamas election in 2008. As cited from Obamas Facebook groups during the campaign greatly simplify communicating within and to more than 1, 2 millions of his supportersHe also highlights three default ways . Langlois (2009), Addressed by Hoffmann Kornweitz as medium of direct citizen participation, this aggregation of public via the social network does remarkably magnify the engagement of society to the campaign itself, by extending their social activities/participation such as informing others about campaign events, attempting to persuade donations or taking part in activities related to politics without having to sit down face to face! against History of Russia and France are best example of how lack of new social media did not impede both countries revolutions from happening. The media themselves ineffective acted by casual participants which obviously does not guarantee that every political movement of mobilization will succeed, because the state has not lost the power to react. Take Tunisia for example. The only way both governments could immensely stop the quick dissemination of information was to shut down the whole internet. SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIAL IDENTITY/COMMUNITY As noted above, new social media such as Facebook and Twitter are potentially able to change the character of our social live. According to . that the new media is changing the way people think, act, and feel. Langlois (2009) stated that social media allows for the emergence of marginalized issue and public: The online informational system provide the material, communicational and social means for a public to exist Therefore, it is likely clear that new social media can be powerful tools for spurring social change, with stressing point that it played a facilitating, mediating role in connections and interactions among its user in society. There are at least three reasons for this claim to be apprehended: Firstly, social media enables creation of dense network that extend human communication abilities in both time and space. According to technological determinism purposed by Mc Luhan, the world now is a global village, where physical distance is even less of a hindrance to the real-time communicative activities of people. Therefore social spheres are greatly expanded by the openness of the web and the ease at which people can search for online communities and interact with others that share the same interests and concerns. Secondly, social medias quick dissemination of information supports new communities to be created, (virtual). Equipped with features that enable for users to be more interactive and collaborative, social media becomes a form of mediated communication that gives the audience access to on-demand content and the ability to share and discuss it with others within seconds. Lets look at Japanese Tsunami and Earthquake for example. Addison asserts in one of his reports that images and videos of Japans tsunami were soon hitting the web just minutes count from the first wave hit Sendai. Thousands messages were then updated via Twitter within seconds, showing of good will, condolences and offering aid for Japan. Social media facilitates such as allowing people the chance to donate to the Red Cross via text message, the donation being added to phone bills. According to the members of the each social medium, there are more than 500 million people are using Facebook and more than 200 million view s on the Youtube for a day. It means billions of audiences are able to share and receive information on the same platform at the same time. Moreover, the information on the social media can be posted and received immediately. Therefore, the information on the social media could be disseminated much faster, compared with traditional media. Thirdly, specifically that the social media is more user generated content, it allows users as news producers. The social media provide a platform for public to advocate social issues. Moreover, it also means the news is not limited by organizations or governments anymore. For instance, for Chinese Jasmine Revolution in 2011, even the Chinese Government tried to stop the situation to be expanded on the social media, it is still held quite successfully. Afterwards, the international media is starting to be conscious to what the revolution was trying to present to public and they are trying to report it to public as well. According to media and social dependency theory (Defleur Ball-Rokeach), for some countries (especially developing countries), if public are uncertain about their society and country, it is much easier for them to rely on the media. It means for some countries, audiences might be easy to follow the issues. In short, social media definitely, developed freedom of speech. With every response and action that results from our engagement, we are slowly introduced to the laws of social physics: for every action there is a reaction even if that reaction is silence. And, the extent of this resulting activity is measured by levels of influence and other factors such as the size and shape of nicheworks as well as attention aperture and time. the concept of community no longer has geographical limitations, as people can now virtually gather in an online community and share common interests regardless of physical location. However, idea of new community in Facebook did not make Obama win his Presidency. SOCIAL MEDIA AND CULTURAL ADVANCEMENT Conclusion Yes, overall it can especially in terms of providing fast, quick and ..platform ,,,. Media scholars argue that social media platforms are tools of self-expression that return a benefit to a public good It is reasonable since Facebook and Twitter are not a replace for motivation that at least required for a revolution to be taken place or new community to be formed. . People can virtually gather in Facebok and Twitter online community or groups, regardless geographical limitations and physical location, which (.). Ronn, K. (2007). Social networking: Closer than you think. Business Week Online, p. 12. Available at: http://www.businessweek.com/careers/content/jun2007/ca20070612_954809.htm Hjarvard, S. (2008). The Mediatization of Society: A Theory of the Media as Agents of Social and Cultural Change. [Article]. NORDICOM Review, 29(2), 105-134.

Totalitarianism in Brave New World Essay -- essays research papers

The formative years of the 1900’s, suffered from communism, fascism, and capitalism. The author of the Brave New World, Mr. Aldous Huxley lived in a social order in which he had been exposed to all three of these systems. In the society of the Brave New World, which is set 600 years into the future, individuality is not condoned and the special motto â€Å"Community, Identity, Stability† frames the structure of the Totalitarian Government. The Brave New World â€Å"community† is divided into five castes ranging from the Alphas, who are the most intellectually superior, and ending with the Epsilons who are the most intellectually inferior. â€Å"Identity† is portrayed in the â€Å"Conditioning Center,† where babies are not born but made then separated into the five classes. â€Å"Stability† in this society is insured through limitations placed on the intelligence of each group. The fundamental tenant behind the New World is â€Å"UTILITARIAN TOTALITARIANISM.† The goal of utilitarianism is to make the society happy as a whole and thus more efficient. A Totalitarian Government is kept in the New World by control, conditioning, and a lack of emotion and intelligence. Through science people are not just created, they are conditioned to guarantee the happiness in humanity, â€Å"What man has joined nature, is powerless to put asunder,† shows how much conditioning can change behavior. In his writing, Huxley shows that misinformation starts at birth and can be used against us whenever we are unaware of it. The New World is a blend of capitalism and communism. Capitalism seeks to stimulate trade market to generate a substantial amount of money, which results in economic benefits for the country. The system of rule in the Brave New World has a similar aspect. In it, t... ...der, Adolf Hitler who led under a Fascist rule, controlled everything from religion to politics. â€Å"Fascism is a form of right-wing totalitarianism which emphasizes the subordination of the individual to advance the interests of the state.† The Nazi idea of life was that all â€Å"non-Aryans,† should be scorned, and German unification should be reached. Unification was to be reached in any way possible including terror and loyalty to their autocrat. â€Å"[People constantly requesting government intervention] are casting their problems at society. And, you know, there's no such thing as society. There are individual men and women and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look after themselves first. It is our duty to look after ourselves and then, also, to look after our neighbors.† --Margaret Thatcher September 23, 1937

No name woman by Maxine Hong Kingston Essay

No name woman, by Maxine Hong Kingston, exposed the harsh culture of the Chinese in the 1920’s. Women were treated as breeders and slaves to their husbands. The unborn is the narrator’s aunt; whom she never had the chance to meet. The mother tells the story while her daughter listens to the devastating suicide of her aunt. The narrator of the story struggles to find the morals of her deceased aunt; she attempts to reveal and understand the Chinese culture in the 1920’s versus the American culture she currently lives in. Chinese culture in the 20’s has always been a patriarchal society. The men are completely dominant; they provide money and shelter for the women and children. Women, on the other hand, do not have any power in decision-making, â€Å"women in the old China did not choose† (825). They had no say in who their husband would be or how many children they had to have. When they were commanded to do a chore or to cook they were forced to only follow their husband’s wishes. During the adolescent age, â€Å"brothers and sisters, newly men and women, had to efface their sexual color and present plain miens† (828). Everyone in the Chinese society looked the same; there was no make-up or trendy hairstyles to make a unique appearance. The hair must be pulled up in a bun when young and when they married, women could cut their hair. A common characteristic of the Chinese was the temptation to grab attention by speaking loudly or shouting at family gatherings (828). The narrator even admits her mother still shouts in the library or other quiet areas. The adjustment from Chinese culture to Chinese-American culture has been different for her family. In the 1970’s the â€Å"first American generations have had to figure out the invisible world the emigrants built around [her] childhood in solid America† (824). The narrator feels like her immediate family is not adjusting to the American culture effectively. The narrator’s family has a secret. Her aunt became a disgrace to their family and village in China. Her mother states, â€Å"your father has all brothers because it is as if she had never been born† (823). In the Chinese culture, committing sexual relations outside of marriage is considered dishonoring your family’s name. Family values are very important and committing infidelity equals banishment from the village. When the narrator’s aunt becomes pregnant, and her husband had been away for years, â€Å"no one said anything. [They] did not discuss it† (823). The father of the baby was unknown, but, the family did not even attempt to find him. Not only did the aunt sin, but her baby would forever live in sin because of her mother’s actions. In the Chinese culture, their past stayed with them forever; they couldn’t start over like the Japanese and become a Samurais or Geishas (826). They were forced to the outcast table during family feasts and were basically shunned. On top of becoming impregnated by another man, the aunt had a daughter; which, â€Å"to have a daughter in starvation time was a waste enough† (825). Producing a male was more beneficial to the village and carrying on the family name. Obedience is the main factor in this story. The dominance of the male required, â€Å"she [obey] him, she always did what she was told† (825). Therefore, the chain reaction occurred, the aunt became pregnant and cursed the village. Even throughout childbirth she never revealed the father’s identity. Just hours before she delivered, the village ransacked and raided her home. They screamed, â€Å"Look what you’ve done. You’ve killed us. Ghost! Dead ghost. You’ve never been born† (830). This disgrace only left her to commit suicide with her child. If she decided to stay in this world she would forever be an outcast and her daughter would be treated as a living curse. Even though she took her and her child’s life, â€Å"infidelity had already harmed the village, the waves of consequences would return unpredictable, sometimes in disguise†¦ to hurt her† (830). The damage was already done. She disrespected her family’s name. Also, the village had to suffer penalties from her actions. They believe the breaking of the village code would set a curse on them. Her mother voiced this particular story to ensure her daughter does not make the same mistake. Even though they are now experiencing Chinese-American culture, the Chinese culture still remains dominant in their family. Her aunt sinned over 50 years ago when this story was told; however, the ramifications are still affecting her family. This story was mentioned to prevent another family crisis and to keep the family name free of sin.

Pablo picasso – int 2 art

When doing portraiture artists tend to exaggerate color and tones to get across the feelings in a picture or to exaggerate the importance of something or someone in a picture. I have chosen to compare and contrast the work of two portraits, first of all I will talk about Weeping woman' by Pablo Picasso and I will secondly talk about Woman with a veil' but Raphael Sansei. Pablo Uric y Picasso, known as Pablo Picasso, Born 25 October 1881 in Amalgam Spain and died 8 April 1973, aged 91 in Noggins, France was one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century.Picasso is known for bringing the cubist movement into the world of art. Cubism was a movement in the 20th century in which the perspective was changed from a single viewpoint and the natural forms of things were turned abstract; simple geometric structures with vibrant colors were placed together to create a picture. When Picasso was 14, he and his family moved to Barcelona, Spain where he applies to the School o f Fine arts and was accepted but began skipping class so that he could roam the streets of Barcelona, sketching the city scenes he observed.He moved all across the country at a young age but at the ND of the 20th century he moved to France to open his own studio. Along with cubism Picasso also went through other period called the blue period when he was depressed and the rose period when he fell in love. One of Picasso most famous pieces of work is the weeping woman; this piece of work was painted in the year 1937 on an oil canvas. This is an example of cubist artwork.The colors in this portrait are very vibrant and all contrast with each other; the colors are also very bold and blocked in. Picasso use of cubism in this portrait makes this piece of work almost uncomfortable to look at as the mood in the picture is thought provoking. This portrait is somewhat confusing because you are unsure what to think when you look at it. The focal point of this portrait is the emotion that the w oman is portraying as this painting was based on the effects of the Spanish Civil war and how people were suffering.The woman in this picture looks terrified as she had many hands around her mouth and when you get a fright or you see something unpleasant you raise your hands towards your mouth, this could indicate the horrible sights she has seen during the time of the war. The woman is also crying, you can see a hanky wiping away her tears; this part of the painting is also a very cold blue which also represents sadness. Rafael Sansei ad Robin, better known simply as Raphael was born April 6 or March 28, 1483 and died on April 6, 1520 was an Italian artist, he was names one of the most influential artists of him time.Raphael mostly known for the clarity and ease of composition and also bringing religion into his work. Raphael was orphaned as a child as his mother died when he was eight and his father was already re-married and began to live with his uncle. He never married but did get engaged. One of his most famous portraits is Woman with a vial, also known as Donna Valetta. The techniques used by Raphael in this painting is very controlled, the pain is very smooth on the canvas; the photo is very realistic, so realistic that it almost look like a photograph.The background of the photo is very dark drawing attention to the face of the woman in the centre of the picture. This is a very natural painting it seems as everything Just flows softly and nothing stands out. The colors Raphael has used in this portrait are all very neutral and nothing is over exaggerated and all the tones are ere warm. The atmosphere is very dull and boring and nothing there is nothing that draws your attention to it.Raphael and Picasso are both portrait artists but the differences in their work are immense. Picasso art work is very unrealistic and exaggerated to try and express a point of view whereas Repeal's piece is an example of hyperthermia which meaner that is almost seems a bi t too real to be a piece of art work. Secondary both artists use color in completely different ways, Picasso takes full advantage of the power of color highlighting vibrantly different parts of the man's face, especially the weeping woman's blue hand.Personally I think the use of color is very extreme but it helps give an understanding of the emotion portrayed in the painting as the deep tones around the face bring out the sadness in the picture. On the other hand as Repeal's painting is a lot more realistic his use of color is limited and only uses neutral colors, I think this makes the picture look very dull and boring. I do not think there is any emotion I this picture and it is very plain. The techniques used to pain these drawings are also different; Repeal's oratorio is very smooth whereas Picasso artwork is more streaky brush strokes which are very visible.I think this makes Picasso portrait seem a lot more edgy. There is no tone in Picasso painting so the change in color is very bold and noticeable but in Repeal's portrait the color change is more gradual. I think that the Artists intentions are very different as in Picasso weeping woman the intention was to draw attention to the pain and suffering people were going through because of the civil war whereas in A woman with a veil by Raphael I think the intention was to capture the beauty of the woman.

Biology Virtual Lab- Parts of a Flower Essays

Biology Virtual Lab- Parts of a Flower Essays Biology Virtual Lab- Parts of a Flower Paper Biology Virtual Lab- Parts of a Flower Paper Tip of the stamen that produces pollen containing sperm| Filament| Slender stalklike part of the stamer that supports the anther| Ovary| Swollen base of the pistil that contains the ovules| Ovule| eggs that develop into seeds after they are fertilized| Petals| Colorful leaflike parts that attract insects and other animals for pollination| Pistil| Structure that contains the female reproductive organs| Sepals| Leaflike parts that enclose flower during bud stage| Stamen| Pollen producing part of a flower, consisting of a stalk and filament (male reproductive organs)| Stigma| Sticky tip of the pistil where pollen grains land| Style| Stalklike part of the pistil that connects the stigma to the ovary| 1. Which parts of the flowers are important in pollination? Describe their role in the process. Pollen is produced in the stamen. Pollination occurs when that pollen is transported from the anther to the style by insects or animals that are attracted to the plant by t he beautiful petals of the flower. 2. Which parts of the flower are involved in fertilization and fruit development? Fertilization starts after pollination has occurred, and begins inside the pistils. The ovule contained inside the ovary is fertilized and the ovule begins to harden and form into a seed to protect the embryo until it begins to grow into a new plant. The embryo grows inside the ovule and then develops into a fruit. 3. Many types of flowers produce fruits that are fragrant and sweet tasting. Describe how these characteristics of fruits may be important for dispersal. These types of fruits could be more appealing to animals that depend on plants for food. These animals then begin to remember these particular flowers for their fruit, and recognize them in other areas, which may allow that particular flower to grow in another location. 4. Many types of flowers are brightly colored, fragrant, and produce sweet nectar. Describe how these characteristics affect the process of pollination. Since most plants are unable to pollinate themselves, they are dependent upon something (usually insects or animals) that can move the pollen from plant to plant. These animals or insects are attracted to the plant by their sense of sight, taste, and smell and are attracted more easily to plants that have these characteristics. 5. Most species of plants produces flowers containing both stamen and pistils. Why is producing flowers with both male and female reproductive structure an advantage for plants? If the plants are self-compatible the likelihood that the pollen will move from the male to female parts increases. If the plants are self-incompatible, the probability that the pollinator will visit flowers of the same species and transfer the pollen from one plant to another increases.

Essay on Educational Philosophy

Essay on Educational Philosophy Essay on Educational Philosophy My Educational Philosophy Final Draft No two human beings are exactly alike. With that, no two humans will learn and use the information they acquire in the same way. Not everyone is strictly one type of learner. I believe that there is no perfect philosophy. I believe everyone finds features from more than one philosophy that they agree with. Eclecticism fits exactly what I believe. No philosophy fits every learning strategy in every situation or all students. I think that behaviorism and constructivism are huge parts of the way humans learn. People learn from their experiences and by observing experiences of other people. Students should be doing activities that put them in real life situations so they can use prior knowledge to build from. If someone touches a hot burner on the stove they will burn their hand. They received a negative consequence for their action. Because of that experience they will most likely not want to touch the hot burner again. I believe that students should be rewarded for their achievement s, but I do not believe that they need a â€Å"prize† every time. I agree with some views of Progressivism. Everyone must be constantly learning and rediscovering to stay up to date with the world around them. The world is ever-changing. Education is used to learn how to solve problems and discover our surroundings. Students are constantly changing and adding to what they know as they learn new information. Teachers should not be in the classroom barking orders all day, but be on the side lines guiding the students in the correct path. My educational views above are very similar with the views of John Locke. He believes that when a human is born their mind is a pure, blank slate. Every situation one encounters, helps shape their ever-changing mind. Like Locke, I believe that there are two different kinds of experiences, sensation and reflection. Sensations tell about the things in the external world and reflections are about the operations and processes of our own minds. The human mind is active. Every day it stores hundreds of simple ideas and can combine them into a variety of intricate ideas. In my classroom I will be sure to know every student’s needs and learning difficulties. Being in Deaf Education, every student will be different. Some may have hearing aids, or cochlear implants. I

Sphinx Moths, Family Sphingidae

Sphinx Moths, Family Sphingidae Members of the family Sphingidae, the sphinx moths, attract attention with their large size and ability to hover. Gardeners and farmers will recognize their larvae as the pesky hornworms that can wipe out a crop in a matter of days. All About Sphinx Moths Sphinx moths, also known as hawkmoths, fly fast and strong, with rapid wingbeats. Most are nocturnal, though some will visit flowers during the day. Sphinx moths are medium to large in size, with thick bodies and wingspans of 5 inches or more. Their abdomens typically end in a point. In sphinx moths, the hindwings are markedly smaller than the forewings. Antennae are thickened. Sphinx moth larvae are called hornworms, for a harmless but pronounced horn on the dorsal side of their hind ends. Some hornworms do significant damage to agricultural crops, and are therefore considered pests. In their final instars, sphinx moth caterpillars can be quite large, some measuring as long as your pinky finger. Classification of Sphinx Moths Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum – ArthropodaClass – InsectaOrder – LepidopteraFamily - Sphingidae The Sphinx Moth Diet Most adults nectar on flowers, extending a long proboscis to do so. Caterpillars feed on a range of host plants, including both woody and herbaceous plants. Sphingid larvae usually have specific host plants, rather than being generalist feeders. The Sphinx MothLife Cycle Female moths lay eggs, usually singly, on host plants. Larvae may hatch within a few days or several weeks, depending on species and environmental variables. When the caterpillar reaches its final instar, it pupates. Most Sphingid larvae pupate in the soil, though some spin cocoons in leaf litter. In places where winter occurs, Sphingid moths overwinter in the pupal stage. Special Adaptations and Defenses of Sphinx Moths Some sphinx moths nectar on pale, deep flowers, employing an unusually long proboscis. The proboscis of certain Sphingidae species can measure a full 12 inches long. Sphinx moths are also famous for their ability to hover at flowers, much like hummingbirds. In fact, some Sphingids resemble bees or hummingbirds and can move sideways and stop in midair. Range and Distribution of Sphinx Moths Worldwide, over 1200 species of sphinx moths have been described. About 125 species of Sphingidae live in North America. Sphinx moths live on all continents except Antarctica.

Development of Media Art Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Development of Media Art - Dissertation Example Historical Aspects: According to Benjamin (1986) "technology transforms the entire nature of art", and the same can be witnessed throughout the past centuries, where the art form gradually developed from paintings, to print, to videos and finally to digital arts in recent times. It is on account of these changes, that the field of media art today; has transformed significantly, to include diverse practices used by the artists eventually translating into a wider audience and markets. The history and evolution of media arts is described in four key phases i.e. the era of films during the early 20th century; the invention of video and its impact on arts during the early nineteenth century; the beginning of the media arts movement during the late nineteenth century; finally culminating into the current trend - that of invention and development of digital media triggered by the technological revolution during the late nineteenth century. Films during the early nineteenth century could mai nly be categorized into two distinct categories i.e. those which catered to the commercial aspects and followed the narrative style and those which were experimental or 'short films'. The innovation in the field of media arts during this era was mainly with regard to the use of sounds, and other artistic techniques such as use of special effects such as slow motions, or close-ups as well as the ability to edit the films. These techniques were mainly followed for both narrative as well as experimental films. According to Renan (1967) most of the films developed during this period were 'experimental' in nature, which explored subjects and themes which were highly controversial. This eventually gave rise to the documentary film making, which was dominant during this era. The next phase i.e. during the 1960s was marked by the advent of video, within the arena of media arts, which was further fuelled by the invention of television and broadcasting technologies (Vogel, 1998). However sinc e these inventions were relatively new, the cost of producing and implementing such technologies was relatively higher and hence it restricted the open and liberal use of this form of media by the artists (Rush, 2001; Hanhardt, 2000). However, the scenario changed drastically over the years, and the art form gradually expanded to include a wider variety of media arts (Furlong, 1983; D'Agostino, 1985). These new developments brought about a new and fresh wave of changes in the field of media arts leading to the influx of new artists who excelled in the art form, and ultimately changed the existing and conventional media practices adopted by artists during those times. The subsequent years i.e. the years between 1960 and 1970 saw another significant wave of change, which culminated into the launch of the Media Arts Movement, whereby the pioneers of the industry realized the need for change in the manner in which the current media was functioning especially with regard to the projectio n of issues concerning third world countries, and strived to bring about relevant and effective changes. This was the era which was dominated by an ideology whereby media was perceived and practiced as a predominantly artistic form rather than acknowledging its commercial aspect, which was largely ignored. Eventually towards the end of this decade, the prices of the film

Muscular System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Muscular System - Research Paper Example There are some manifestations in the body systems of multi-system disorders when MD occurred such as in the heart, brain, eyes, skin, endocrine glands, are nervous systems. It also affects psychological component of a person, resulting with obscurity in learning and even mood swings. Muscular dystrophy is commonly occurred in males of all ages. The disease had become prominent during 1860s with numerous records of case in medical journals. Guillaume Duchenne, a French neurologist, had conducted a study among 13 boys with similar diseases in various degrees. Later on, his discovery of the disease had named after him, which is called Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In his study as well, experts had discovered that there are many forms of muscular dystrophy. The earliest notable symptoms of Muscular dystrophy are difficulty in climbing the stairs; younger age prefers to walk on the toes, loss of function, wobble and trip, difficulty to get up from a sitting position and find it complicated to do things that require pushing. The worse case of the MD patients is difficulty in walking, recurrent falls, calf pain, Scoliosis, drooping eyelids, and inability to walk. Pathophysiology Process. To be able to explain further the relationship of pathophysiology process of Muscular dystrophy, understanding the dystrophin-deficient muscle is needed.

Explore a primary source concerning William Z. Foster Essay

Explore a primary source concerning William Z. Foster - Essay Example urely relevant to the knowledge base on Foster’s life and work, but it must also be realize that the author is somewhat biased, as he appears to be sympathetic to the communist movement in the United States and does not wish to see it end. What this means is that when reading this book, the reader must be aware that it is more political science than history, which takes away from the book’s historical significance. While Barrett is a well known historian, this book shows that he is prone to allowing his own opinions to creep into his historical facts and should be remember whenever reading one of his texts. Barrett begins this book by telling about Foster’s early days earning his living in the slums, while believing that there must be a better manner of doing this. Barrett then follows Foster as he begins organizing unions in order to improve the position of the working class in society. As time moves on, Foster helped to form the American Federation of Labor and, later on, the Trade Union Educational League, which was a much more radical organization. These radical ideas caused Foster to turn to socialism and eventually communism, which is how he became a such a high ranking official in the Communist Party of the United States. In telling the story of Foster’s life, Barrett is able to show the reader the ideological basis for communism’s existence in the United States, as he tells of how â€Å"Foster, Earl Browder, and Jack Johnstone played crucial roles in organizing basic industry in the United States and later building the Communist Party† (Barrett 69). People like Foster believed that it could be used as a method of equalizing society and, therefore, allowing for the poor to be on par with the rest of society. Foster did not believe that communism had to be oppressive, but rather could be used as a tool for making society a better place to live and Barrett is sympathetic to this cause. The relevance of this text is somewhat in question, however, as

IMC & Customer Satisfaction...and that i also should be the running Essay

IMC & Customer Satisfaction...and that i also should be the running head for the apa - Essay Example nce, the company would try to offer its products and services to its customers in a cost effective way, hence the advertising strategy should be such which does not lead to incurring high cost for the company and at the same time communicates to its potential target customers in an effective manner. The best way to advertise the products and services offered by Inter-Global Medicare would be the use of digital media. Digital advertising tools such as through its websites, social networking websites, search engines, e-mails, etc. could be effectively used by the company to advertise its products. This can help achieve the overall marketing goals of the organization by reducing the costs incurred on advertising and thereby adding to the profits of the company. Through by effectively utilizing digital media the company would be able to communicate with greater number of people while incurring less cost, and could thus help in boosting the sales and profitability of the company. The job of advertising the products and services of Inter-Global Medicare is not complete until and unless a measuring tool is designed which can evaluate the effectiveness of the advertising strategies employed by the organization (Wells, 1997, p. 4). Now since it is suggested that the company would use digital advertising strategies, it would be ideal for the organization to design an internet based tool that would have a response corner on all the websites where the company products and services are advertised. Whenever a consumer visits the websites and clicks on the advertisement, he would be required to give feedbacks and fill in his contact details. Analysis tools are available which can be used by the company to measure the number of customers who have actually visited its advertisements and what are their viewpoints or queries regarding the products and services offered by the company. In this way it can prove to be an effective tool for measuring the effectiveness of the a dvertising

Carrying out research Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Carrying out research - Coursework Example Note the water collects into the potato chip. The potato chip engorges, and increases in mass (Soodak & Iberall, 1979). Osmosis is the process where water molecules from regions of low concentration (often the solvent solution) to higher concentration (often the solute) through a semi-permeable membrane. In most biological processes, osmosis involves movement of water molecules through the cell membranes of different organisms (Sack, 2005). However, other larger molecules such as the sucrose molecules cannot pass due to their large size. When cells are placed in distilled water the water molecules pass into these cells, causing them to increase in size and their mass increases. Most cells have a low water potential since they contain many dissolved chemicals. As a result, more water molecules pass through the cell membrane into these cells and less water molecules pass out of the cell. The net increase in water molecules into the cell results in increased cell mass. The process continues until a point where no more water can pass the cell wall, even though the water concentration is uneven. The cell wall stretches preventing more water molecules from passing into the cell. With the potato chip containing numerous cells, when the chip is inserted into a test tube containing low concentrations of sucrose solution, the chip is more likely to increase its mass. The converse also holds when the chip is inserted in highly concentrations of sucrose solution where the water molecules pass from the cell into the highly concentrated sucrose solution through the cell wall. The cell therefore decreases in size and mass by becoming flaccid (Sack, 2005). From the above results its evident that increase in the sucrose concentration (from 0 to 60 percent) results to decline in the average percentage increase in the mass of the potato chip. However, when the concentration rises above 75 percent, the percentage increase in the mass of the potato chip is

ENVS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ENVS - Essay Example Shifts in the major aspects of the climate have been monitored over time and include amount of energy produced by the sun, variations in the earth’s orbit, patterns of ocean circulations and wide-reaching disruptions caused by meteor impacts and volcano eruptions. These shifts have led to trapping of heat in the atmosphere of the earth causing destruction of the ozone layer and ecosystems. To some extent, these shifts that typically occur in extremity have resulted in migration to already populated areas. This in turn causes land degradation, as the population over relies on agriculture and uses trees as sources of energy. This also boosts the greenhouse effects, as carbon-rich soils are destroyed leading to a release of carbon into the atmosphere. Causes Cutting trees is a major contributor of global warming in that it is because of trees that a substantial amount of carbon dioxide in the environment is absorbed and in turn converted to oxygen. Academic studies have shown tha t trees in tropical zones absorb about 18% of all the carbon dioxide produced by human activities from burning fossil fuels. This exemplary study shows how global warming is directly related to cutting of trees, as without trees there is an increase in the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leading to an increase in temperature globally by creating a blanket that prevents the escape of heat. With this in mind, these trees ensure that there is a balance in the atmospheric temperature by moderating the amount of carbon dioxide available in the air (Richardson). In addition, cutting trees has severe consequences that contribute directly to global warming through a complex series of events. This is because cutting of trees, also known as deforestation is part of the reason why there is climate change through the effects of loss of moisture from the ground and trees and into the environment causing it to be dry. This change in the water cycle leads to desertification, in which c ase forests die without having to cut the trees in the forest, but trees cut elsewhere (Oak). This is to mean that there is more carbon dioxide than the remaining trees and forests can handle leading to a high buildup of carbon dioxide and increased temperatures. The above events relate to the mountains in that the high temperatures affect the mountains due to the presence of water stored on the ice caps as snow. The high temperatures melt the snowcaps leading to an increased rate of discharge in the water stored in the mountains causing the retention of water in then mountain to be low (Benniston 4). This works hand in hand with the forest found around mountains in that they act as water catchment areas, where cutting of trees accelerates global warming, and causes the flow of water from the icecaps to be a lot faster than how it should when there are trees to compensate for the high amount of carbon produced by human activities. Air pollution also has profound effects in the relat ionship between global warming and the influence air pollution on mountains and forests. This is because air pollution occurs in many ways that affect all living things, especially plants, where the trees found in forests are part. With this is in mind, pollution of the air emanating from

Carrying out research Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Carrying out research - Coursework Example Note the water collects into the potato chip. The potato chip engorges, and increases in mass (Soodak & Iberall, 1979). Osmosis is the process where water molecules from regions of low concentration (often the solvent solution) to higher concentration (often the solute) through a semi-permeable membrane. In most biological processes, osmosis involves movement of water molecules through the cell membranes of different organisms (Sack, 2005). However, other larger molecules such as the sucrose molecules cannot pass due to their large size. When cells are placed in distilled water the water molecules pass into these cells, causing them to increase in size and their mass increases. Most cells have a low water potential since they contain many dissolved chemicals. As a result, more water molecules pass through the cell membrane into these cells and less water molecules pass out of the cell. The net increase in water molecules into the cell results in increased cell mass. The process continues until a point where no more water can pass the cell wall, even though the water concentration is uneven. The cell wall stretches preventing more water molecules from passing into the cell. With the potato chip containing numerous cells, when the chip is inserted into a test tube containing low concentrations of sucrose solution, the chip is more likely to increase its mass. The converse also holds when the chip is inserted in highly concentrations of sucrose solution where the water molecules pass from the cell into the highly concentrated sucrose solution through the cell wall. The cell therefore decreases in size and mass by becoming flaccid (Sack, 2005). From the above results its evident that increase in the sucrose concentration (from 0 to 60 percent) results to decline in the average percentage increase in the mass of the potato chip. However, when the concentration rises above 75 percent, the percentage increase in the mass of the potato chip is

Virtual Private Network Essay Example for Free

Virtual Private Network Essay VPN Defined: So what is a good definition of Virtual Private Networking? Simply defined, a VPN is a â€Å"virtual† network that is kept private by â€Å"tunneling† private data through the underlying infrastructure of a public Internet. VPN technology provides a way of using public network infrastructures, such as the Internet, to provide private, secure access to applications and company resources to employees in remote or home offices, to business partners, and even to customers. A VPN is one or more WAN links over a shared public network, typically over the Internet or an IP backbone from a Network Service Provider (NSP) that simulates the behavior of dedicated WAN links over leased lines. VPN technology uses a combination of tunneling, encryption, authentication, and access control mechanisms and services used to carry traffic over the Internet, a managed IP network or a service providers backbone. VPN allows the data to be shared between the client and a server, between two servers, or between networks or routers via a public network but it works just like a point-to-point private line. VPN network architecture uses the remote PC (installed with a client software) that makes use of the present telecommunication infrastructure technology like for example phone lines, broadband services, dedicated internet link etc. and a tunneling protocol (incorporated with other authenticated and encrypted protocols) to access the corporate resources like files, emails etc through a VPN server which sits at the perimeter of the corporate network. The diagram that is seen below shows the simple VPN structure between a client and a server: VPN is a private network that is layered over the public networks for example Internet to connect to the remote sites and remote users with the privacy, security, quality of services with always on connectivity with well manageability features like the leased networks have. A typical VPN structure with remote offices business partner’s mobile users of the organization connected to the main office through the network services providers point of presence (Pops), looks like the one below shown in the diagram:

Research Design | Risks to Relapses in Alcoholism

Research Design | Risks to Relapses in Alcoholism CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION â€Å"There is this to be said in favor of drinking that it takes the drunk and first out of society then Out of the world.† Ralph Waldo Emerson Alcohol is a central nervous system stimulant at low doses, and depressant at higher doses. Alcohol beverages come in range of different strengths. Alcohol can include beer, wine, spirits (e.g. vodka, gin, whiskey, brandy, rum etc.).In India spirits, i.e. government licensed country, Indian made foreign liquors like rum, whiskey, vodka, gin and illicit distilled spirits constitute more than 95% alcohol consumption. (Jerald .K and Allan .T, 2006) Alcohol use disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorder. Data from several epidemiological studies suggest that lifetime prevalence of alcohol use disorder in US is around 8 %.with as many as 25% suffering severe psychiatric disturbances. The most prevalent psychiatric symptoms are  anxiety  and  depression disorders. (Hasin et al., 2007) According to current concepts alcoholism is considered a disease and alcohol a â€Å"disease agent† which causes acute and chronic intoxication, cirrhosis of the liver, toxic psychosis, gastritis, pancreatitis, cardiomyopathy and peripheral neuropathy. Alcohol is an important etiological factor in suicide, automobile and other accidents and injuries and deaths due to violence. The health problem for which alcohol is responsible is only part of total social damage which includes family disorganization, crime and loss of productivity. (Morgan, M. Y. Ritson, E. B, 2009) The pattern of drinking in India has changed from occasional and ritualistic use to social use. These developments have raised concerns about the health and the social consequences of excessive drinking. Nearly 30% of Indian men and 5% of Indian women are regular users of alcohol. (Balakrishnan. D and Subirkumar Das, 2006) Canvin Rebecca, (2012) reported that social factors such as affordability and availability of alcohol, peer pressure and buying of rounds in groups may have a role in causing alcohol dependence. National institute of alcohol abuse and alcoholism (NIAAA, 2000) reported that Tolerance, impaired control, withdrawal and compulsive use are the elements of alcohol dependence and also they reported that 40% of genetic factors and 60% of environmental factors plays a role in consuming alcohol. A serious problem with the treatment of alcohol dependence individuals is very low rate of compliance abstinence about 20%.( Noda et.al 2001) and treatment success rates are 30-60% depending on outcome measures like abstinence, heavy drinking and social functioning. Alcohol detoxification can be defined as a period of medical treatment, usually including counselling, during which a person is helped to overcome physical and psychological dependence on alcohol (Chang and Kosten 1997). The immediate objectives of alcohol detoxification are to help the patient to achieve a substance free state, relieve the immediate symptoms of withdrawal, and treat any co- morbid medical or psychiatric conditions. Alcohol detoxification can be completed safely and effectively in both inpatient and outpatient treatment settings. The process of detoxification in either setting initially involves the assessment and treatment of acute withdrawal symptoms, which may range from mild (e.g., tremor and insomnia) to severe (e.g., autonomic hyperactivity, seizures, and delirium).Medications are provided to help the patient to reduce the withdrawal symptoms. Benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam and chlordiazepoxide) are the most commonly used drugs for this purpose, and their efficacy is well established. Benzodiazepines not only reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms but also prevent an alcohol withdrawal seizure, which is estimated in 1 to 4% of withdrawal patients (Schuckit, 1997). Disulfiram (Antabuse) is used as an adjunct to enhance the probability of long-term sobriety. Although patient compliance is problematic, disulfiram therapy has successfully decreased frequency of drinking in alcoholics who could not remain abstinent. A study of supervised disulfiram administration reported significant periods of sobriety of up to 12 months in 60% of patients treated. (Hester., R.K and Miller, W.R., 1989) Additional components of alcohol detoxification may include education and counselling to help the patient prepare for long-term treatment, attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, recreational and social activities, and medical or surgical consultations. (Boyd, M.A, 2005). For patients with mild-to-moderate alcohol withdrawal syndrome, characterized by symptoms such as hand tremor, perspiration, heart palpitation, restlessness, loss of appetite, nausea/ vomiting, outpatient detoxification is as safe and effective as inpatient detoxification and is much less expensive and less time consuming. Among the drawbacks associated with outpatient detoxification is the increased risk of relapse resulting from the patient’s easy access to alcoholic beverages. In one of his study of 164 patients randomly assigned to inpatient or outpatient detoxification, significantly more inpatients than outpatients completed detoxification. (Hayashida et al. 1989) Miller et al. (1996) conducted a time expensive prospective study on post discharge functioning of 180 alcoholic patients. They concluded that relapse is a multidimensional construct that may be better understood if assessed in its multiple dimensions. Relapse promoting factors include anxiety, craving negative mood, childhood sexual abuse and psychological distress. (Gordon et al., 2006). Relapse inhibiting factors are self efficacy, social suppression, coping (Brown et al., 1995), spirituality, peer support, group attendance, continuing care and progressive involvement (Miller et al., 1999) The warning signs of relapse are Denial, Avoidance, Crisis, Confusion, Depression, Loss of Control regarding Behavior, Struggling with Personal Schedule and Self-Pity.(Ballard,K.A.,Kennedy,W.Z and O’Brien 2008). An analysis of 48 episodes of relapse revealed that most relapses were associated with three high-risk situations: (1) frustration and anger, (2) social pressure, and (3) interpersonal temptation. (Cooney. 1987) Desai et al, (1993) conducted a treatment outcome study of alcoholism and reported that among those who relapsed, the most common factor for drinking was negative emotional states.Among treated individuals, more severe alcohol-related problems and depressive symptoms, lack of self-efficacy and poor coping skills have been associated with short-term relapse. Terence T. Gorski Merlene Miller, (1982) Relapse does not begin with the first drink. Relapse begins when a person reactivates patterns of denial, isolation, elevated stress, and impaired judgment. Polich J.M, (1981) Relapse is so common in alcohol dependence patients and that it is estimated more than 90% of those trying to remain abstinent have at least one relapse before they achieve lasting sobriety.Foster et al (2000) report a study of 64 alcohol-dependent patients admitted for either 7 or 28 days of alcohol detoxification treatment. About 60% relapsed over the 3-month follow-up period. Marlatt G.A and Gardon J.R (1980) Another way to reduce drug relapse is through relapse prevention strategies. Relapse prevention attempts to group the factors that contribute to relapse into two broad categories: 1. Immediate determinants 2. Covert antecedents. Immediate determinants are the environmental and emotional situations that are associated with relapse, including high-risk situations that threaten an individual’s sense of control,andexpectancies. Covert antecedents, which are less obvious factors influencing relapse, include lifestyle factors such as stress level and balance, urges and  cravings. The relapse prevention model teaches addicts to anticipate relapse by recognizing and coping with various immediate determinants and covert antecedents. NEED FOR THE STUDY APA (2000), reported that Alcohol dependence, or alcoholism, is often a progressive chronic disorder and recognized as a disease. It is a common disorder posing a heavy burden on patients, their families, and society. It has a high prevalence rate compared with many other diseases and highlights the public health significance. At international level, GISAH (2005). The Global Information System on Alcohol and Health reported that the harmful use of alcohol results in the death of 2.5 million people annually. There are 60 different types of diseases where alcohol has a significant causal role. It also causes harm to the well-being and health of people living around the drinker. In 2005, the worldwide total consumption was equal to 6.13 liters of pure alcohol per person at 15 years and older. Unrecorded consumption accounts for nearly 30% of the worldwide total adult consumption. (Pratima Murthy, 2010) Alcohol dependence is recognised as mental health disorders by the World Health Organization. It ranked alcohol as the third most important risk factor for the increase in the number of disability-adjusted life years in Portugal, as well as in Europe, preceded by tobacco smoking (second risk factor) and hypertension (first risk factor) .WHO ,(2005) Alcohol related hospital admissions increased by 85% between 2002/03 and 2008/09, accounting for 945,000 admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis wholly or partly related to alcohol in 2006/07 and comprising 7% of all hospital admissions. (North West Public Health Observatory, 2010). (Pratima Murthy, 2010) Manickam, (1994) reported that in Kerala the approximate number of people being de addicted would be 255 in a year at one centre. Through all the centres, the number of people de addicted would be 308557. After the first month following an alcohol detoxification, relapse rates range between 19% for inpatients and 34% for outpatients and increase to about 46 and 48% respectively, after 6 months (Hayashida et al.,1989) in California In national alcohol survey to assess the risk of relapse in people with remitted alcohol dependence, they assessed 17772 adults of alcohol use and alcohol use disorder and followed for 3 years. At the baseline interview, 25% of subjects drank risky amounts, 38% drank lower-risk amounts, and 37% abstained. They concluded that relapse is common among people in remission from alcohol dependence and much more likely if they are drinking risky amounts. The results support the need to carefully monitor and support abstinence in people with remitted alcohol dependence. NIAA (2000) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol reported approximately 90% of alcoholics will experience one or more relapses during the four years after treatment. By understanding what the common relapse triggers are, we will be better prepared to maintain sobriety and live the healthy life we want. Prasad (1996) in a treatment outcome study reported a relapse rate of 41% at 6 months follow up of alcohol dependence patients which was conducted in NIMHANS, Bangalore. Prakash et al. (1997), conducted a study on relapse in alcoholism, found negative emotional states as a major interpersonal trigger for relapse in Bangalore. Elis and McClure, (1992) conducted a meta analysis and found that about 6 of 10 patients with alcohol dependence will relapse in the 6 months following detoxification, as estimated by the median of 61% relapse rate obtained in several studies. This high rate of relapse in a relatively short period is a reason for searching for the factors that better predict treatment outcomes. During the observational visit, in Kasturba deaddiction centre, the researcher came across many alcohol dependence patients. There she identified the relapsed cases of alcohol dependence patients and she enquired with the relapsed patients about their return to drinking. They said many of the reasons like family problems, financial problems, participation in ritual functions, peer pressure and unable to control their thoughts of drinking. This triggers the researcher to reduce the relapse cases by identifying the risk factors earlier by using the relapse risk assessment tools during their follow up periods in deaddiction centre. So the researcher undertook this study as a stepping stone to identify or to explore the risk of relapse of alcohol dependence patients under detoxification treatment. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM A study to explore the risk of relapse in alcohol dependence patients who are under detoxification treatment in kasturba deaddiction centre, Coimbatore. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To assess the risk of relapse in alcohol dependence patients under detoxification treatment To associate the risk of relapse in alcohol dependence patients who are under detoxification treatment with selected demographic and clinical variables. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION Relapse Refers falling back into a state of previous drinking after detoxification treatment which is measured by alcohol relapse risk scale. Alcohol dependence patient Alcohol dependence is a substance related disorder in which an individual is addicted to alcohol both physically and mentally, and continues to use alcohol despite significant areas of dysfunction. In this study it refers patients who are coming for follow up under detoxification treatment in kasturba deaddiction centre. Detoxification treatment Refers to a treatment in alcohol dependence patients for removal of existing toxins from the body which is accumulated because of alcoholism by using drugs like Librium, Diazepam, and Lorazepam. ASSUMPTION Relapse may be common and predictable in alcohol dependence patients under detoxification treatment. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK A conceptual framework is used in research to outline possible courses of action or to present a preferred approach to an idea or thought. Also its a theoretical structure of assumptions, principles, and rules that holds together the ideas comprising a broad concept. The  transtheoretical modelof behavior change assess an individuals readiness to act on a new healthier behavior, and provides strategies, or processes of change to guide the individual through the stages of change to Action and Maintenance. James O. Prochaska  of the  University of Rhode Island  and colleagues developed the transtheoretical model of behaviour change in 1977.It is based on analysis and use of different theories of psychotherapy, hence the name transtheoretical. STAGES OF CHANGE There are 5 stages in transtheoretical model. Change is a process involving progress through a series of stages. STAGE I: PRECONTEMPLATION (NOT READY) The process of change of alcohol drinking behaviour of an alcohol dependence individual starts with consciousness- raising about ill effects of alcohol by public medias like television, radio, and internet and also through newspaper, health magazines etc. STAGE II: CONTEMPLATION (GETTING READY) The alcohol dependence individual evaluates himself about his alcohol drinking behaviour and imagines how he will be when he stops the alcohol drinking behaviour. STAGE III: PREPARATION (READY) The individual realizes that the society is also not supporting the unhealthy behaviours like alcohol drinking. So he makes commitments to change this unhealthy behaviour by believing his ability to change. STAGE IV: ACTION The alcohol dependence individual makes discussion with his family and friends about changing the alcohol drinking behaviour.With family and friends support he approaches deaddiction centre to change his alcohol drinking behaviour. STAGE V: MAINTENANCE After getting inpatient detoxification, the alcohol dependence individuals are coming regularly for follow up visits to deaddiction centre and they are teaching about cue control measures,mainteneance of self efficacy and how to manage high risk situations. After the maintenance the alcohol dependence individual will enter either into: TERMINATION – the alcohol dependence individual possess zero temptation and craving and they are sure they will not return to their old unhealthy habit as a way of coping. RELAPSE-The alcohol dependence individual return from Action or Maintenance stage to his earlier unhealthy alcohol drinking behaviour because of stimulus induced vulnerability factors,emotionality problems,compulsivity for alcohol,lack of negative expectancy for alcohol and positive expectancy for alcohol. Intersectionality: Making a difference Intersectionality: Making a difference Intersectionality is defined as the relationships among multiple dimensions of identities and modalities of social relations and experiences of exclusion and subordination, including gender, class, race, ethnicity, nationality and sexuality (Collins 2000; McCall 2005; Davis 2008). It starts on the premise that everyone live multiple, layered identities. The theory attempts to expose the different types of discrimination and disadvantages that occur as a consequence of the combination of biological, social and cultural identities (AWID 2004). Intersectionality, as coined by Crenshaw (1989) attempts to address the fact that the experiences and struggles of women of colour fell between the cracks of both feminist and anti-racist discourse (AWID 2004; Davis 2008). Subsequently, this concept had extended to the understanding of women holding different disadvantaged social identities. Such intersections indicate that oppression cannot be reduced to one fundamental type, and that oppressions intersect together in producing injustice and inequality, instead of multiplying around the different social identities (Collins 2000; Conanhan 2009; Yuval-Davis 2007). An understanding of intersectionality suggested the attainment of political and social equality of disadvantaged women and improving the global democratic system (Harjunen 2008). This paper attempts to understand the intersection of social identities of Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) in Singapore. The number of women coming into Singapore to work as a FDW had increased over the years, and the increment of these outsiders had created many negative stigmas towards them, discursively created by the State and the society. By understanding the intersectionality these women face, it will establish an understanding of what shapes their experiences and opportunities as an FDW in a foreign land. Domain of study: Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) in Singapore As the temporary home to 196,000 Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) and an estimate of employment of one live-in domestic worker in every five households (Daipi 2010), Singapore was and is an immigrant society. The FDW performs various household and maintenance chores for the families, including cooking, cleaning and care-giving to the young and elderly. Evidently, many FDWs now are the caregiver for babies and toddlers while their mothers were obliged to put in long working hours in the old male model and subordinate their family time for work demands. This may constitute more than mere care-giving, where many FDWs devote their love and emotional attachment to their young employers as a response to what the FDWs cannot provide for her own child (Hochschild 2004). With the introduction of the Foreign Maid Scheme in 1978  [1]  , labour mobilization of women was promoted by the government which prioritises economic development that brought about the significance of the Singapore femal e labour. FDWs have since been a visible feature of households in Singapore. This gradually led to the outlook of an ideal family in the Singapore context that comprises not only the kin but also the fictive kin. The ideal family in Singapore is one that consists of two working parents, a foreign maid who looks after their child(ren) and an older relative usually a grandmother to supervise the domestic worker (Teo 2011). According to Ochiai (2010), the model of Care Diamonds as proposed depicts patterns of care provision in each society in four different sectors, namely the State, the Market, the Family (and Relatives) and the Community. C:UsersshiminDesktopPicture1.png Figure . Care Diamonds in Singapore In the Singapore context, we see that there is a good proportion of care responsibility of familialism falling onto the Market, which reflects the bulk of welfare responsibility towards its members, in terms of both income distribution and care provision (Ochiai 2010) falling from the Family into the hands of the foreign domestic and care workers from the Market. This signifies the importance and prevalence of FDW in Singapore families, in both child care and elder care. It also shows the trend where families are now more prone in outsourcing their filial piety, which is also known as liberal familialism as the cost of purchasing care services is still borne by the family (Ochiai 2010). This is constituted as discussed from the increase participation of female labour into the workforce that displaces the natural caregiver role from the woman in the family to the woman from the market. Outsourcing the domestic chores in the house to the FDWs living in, they may become not merely an employee but close to a fictive kin through the constant interactions. This propels the assignment of kin relationships to non-family who embody the special characteristics of family, and are those who provide caregiving and emotional attachment like family and are given the labour of kin with its attendant affection, rights, and obligations (Gubruim and Buckholdt 1982; Tronto 1993; Karner 1998). FDW and Singaporeans  [2]   FDWs in Singapore are live-in domestic helpers (Ministry of Manpower 2013), and this establishes a close fictive kinship living under one roof. As a Singaporean who was raised by a kin (instead of a fictive kin) all my life, I decided to interview some employers of FDWs and learn about how they perceive these supposedly fictive kin. In my understanding, the acknowledgement of the status of a fictive kin has to be conscious between the FDW and the employer like a two-way traffic. This contradicted with the literature definition (Tronto 1993) which only addresses fictive kin as a person who provides kin-like care. Though most of these employers deem the help of FDWs to ease their load in housework, some of them do not recognise the FDWs as a fictive kin, but as a mere employee who I hire with money. For the employers who do not deem the FDWs as helpful, they made frequent complaints about the FDWs work including criticism such as stupid and clumsy towards the FDWs productivity in front of others in the presence of the FDW, lack of appreciation by saying please or thank you or blamed for mistakes that were not committed by the FDWs. This can adversely affect the psychological well-being of the FDW who are labelled as quiet indignities. Moreover, research shows that though there is a decrease in maid abuse cases in Singapore for the past 10 years, there still possesses a great number of cases where FDWs were stripped of basic human rights, including not being allowed to go out of the house, not having enough time to rest and having a heavy workload (Transient Workers Count Too 2011). This affects the physical well-being of the FDWs. The psychologically and physical well-being of the FDWs tend to be jeopardised in Singapore because of the inferior-superior mentality held by the employers towards their FDWs. A minute fraction of the employers acknowledged the FDWs as a great help in the house and a fictive kin, where these employers will buy new clothes for the FDWs, invites her to join in for dinners, and bring her along during family vacations. FDW and Intersectionality Figure . Intersectionality in FDWs in Singapore As a FDW, some of the axes of social identities that she holds include the intersection of her gender, nationality and social class. Each of these axes contributes to inequality on its own facet, and a complete picture will be portrayed when these facets intersect. As a social construct, gender emphasises the biological and psychological differences between man and women, which had constituted to the inherent power relationships. Nationality is also a social construct that emphasises on the basis of the arbitrary division and belongingness towards geographical spaces. Social class as a social identity determines the access to resources, which then shapes the power and position of the individual and the family in the society. Notably, these FDWs braved through obstacles to come to a foreign land alone to work in. The inherent power relations from different social identities differentiated the FDW and the employer, in an in-group-out-group context. This empowers employers to discriminate and oppress these FDWs which affect their opportunities and experiences as a FDW in Singapore, and it is tougher when she is helpless without the support of her community. Gender and Social Class In Singapore, FDWs had been portrayed as the lowest strata in the society. The society, constituted by the local policies  [3]  , associated an FDW to only the female gender. The legalization of the legislation that FDWs are strictly females also constitute to the internalization and naturalization of women occupying jobs in this sector. Comparatively, their female counterparts in Singapore were able to enjoy an overall increase in access to education, higher education, healthcare from the industrialization of the nation in the late 1960s, allowing Singapore to attain one of the highest standards of living amongst its neighbours in Southeast Asia. This improvement of status was not universal and not extended to the FDWs, who were mainly from Indonesia and Philippines (Humans Right Watch 2005; Arifin 2012). Despite both females being conformed in a patriarchal society in Singapore, the FDWs and the Singapore females were clearly distinct in their class status which is evident from the developments of the two groups of countries. This is despite that many FDWs were college graduates (International Labour Organisation 2007) but still segregated into the low-wage, low-prestige domestic work in Singapore. This instils a superior-inferior relationship between Singaporeans and FDWs. This hence led to negative stigmas from the Singapore women who were the employers, who acknowledged the FDWs as their assistance and also their inferior (Arifin 2012). Gender and Nationality As the policies  [4]  in Singapore discourage Singaporean women to participate in the domestic service sector, there is a synonym of women from the sending countries (predominantly Indonesia and Philippines) as maids in Singapore (Human Rights Watch 2005; Law and Nadeau 2009). As the provision of domestic service is seen as difficult, dirty and demeaning, these FDWs are portrayed as unskilled labour. In the patriarchal society, these women are not duly respected for their contributions, yet perceived as inferior as of their gender as a female and their nationality recognised as sending countries for FDWs both identities equating to the identity of maid. This created a discursive idea of FDWs as Other in the society. They are held with sharp contrast with other foreigners who come to Singapore with better skills, commonly addressed as foreign talent or expatriates. The call for talent capital from places such as United Kingdom, Australia and North America had allowed Singapore to be ranked as the top expat destination in the world (HSBC 2012). Evidently, the economic and social development between the two groups of origin countries differs greatly. Though there are more FDWs than foreign expatriates in the country (National Population and Talent Division 2013), there is a huge disparity between, in their income, respect received, and inherent stigma since these foreign expatriates are the people with the ability to hire these FDWs despite both being foreigners in the country. Discourses by the State portray FDWs as a sexual and social threat that breaks up Singaporean families and portrays expatriates as saviours of National Survival (Koh 2003; Human Rights Watch 2005). The demonization by the State further deepens the existing stereotypes towards FDWs. Intersection of social identities The intersection of gender, social class and nationality constructed the negative stigma of these FDWs in Singapore. It created a social hierarchy where FDWs were strained to the lowest strata without any mobility. Mobility is prohibited by the government through their policies that forbid FDWs to be covered under the Employment Act, or to be able to obtain citizenship from her length of stay and contribution to the economy (Human Rights Watch 2012; Ministry of Manpower 2013). In contrast, mobility is made available in countries like Canada where their live-in caregivers are permitted for permanent residence in Canada after two years of authorized live-in employment in Canadian households (Citizenship and Immigration Canada 2013). Reduced as a commodity in the global labour market, the FDWs brought about seemly traces of slavery in the modern world. Without adequate social and legal recognition for paid domestic service, the commercialised employment relationship with these fictive-kin FDWs can only be confined in an oppressive, family-like hierarchy. FDWs often engages in a power struggle (and often lose out) as they are not in any position, financially or psychologically, to negotiate their working conditions even if they deem it over exhaustive (Ueno 2008). With the improvement in social aspects in life including educational profile and healthcare for women, we see an increase of 10.3% in the women participating in the labour force in Singapore for the past 10 years (Ministry of Manpower 2011). With more women expected to participate in the economy in the future, there will be an increase in the care gap in families which signifies the greater need for FDWs. However, this may also means there will be more opportunities for oppressions to take place that will further undermine the physical and psychological well-being of FDWs. The next step: Recognition The struggle of FDWs in Singapore exceeds more than what the intersectionality of social identities as discussed they also have to struggle with their employers lack of appreciation of FDWs as a fictive kin. This can be problematic because a fictive kin relationship improves the quality of care and retrieves personal meanings for both the provider and the recipient (Lan 2003) and the oppression will be a hinder to the delivery of a kin-like care service. However, their social identities which are ascribed rather than achieved, confines them into a superior-inferior relationship with their female counterparts in Singapore. It reciprocates if an employer is more understanding to the FDW and evidently the appreciation will be mutual. Institutions such as the employer and the State can step in to improve the situation where both the sending and receiving countries can include FDWs into Employment Acts to protect them from physical and psychological harm, and to provide them with basic rights extended to every employee. As employers, one has to be reflexive and mindful that the FDW is also another human being with her own thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and hence behaving as a proper employer who treats her FDW well, even to the extent of a fictive kin, will be a good capital for the family members. By being aware of how they understanding their own experience and how their social identities intersect, it is empathetic to relate to how these women struggle through oppressions, all by herself. Appendix Foreign Maid Scheme in Singapore In 1978, Singapore introduced the Foreign Maid Scheme which permits the employment of women from selected Asian countries as live-in domestic workers (UNIFEM Singapore 2011). The scheme is introduced to encourage the participation of local women in the formal economy by introducing an extra helper to maintain the family. The high and steady rate of economic growth demanded massive number of labour in all sectors. The low population and low fertility rate of Singaporeans thus was not able to fulfil the demands of the labour market. Moreover, Singaporeans were not keen to work in the unskilled sectors including domestic work, as influenced by the rising socioeconomic conditions and educational level of Singaporeans. According to the Ministry of Manpower, FDWs will be employed under strict regulations, including their source country, age and educational attainment, and subsequent regulations inbound which assures their transience. These regulations were set forth as the political leaders assume that the presence of unskilled migrant workers and domestic workers will disrupt the Singapore society if left unregulated (Yeoh and Annadhurai 2008). Requirements for a Foreign Domestic Worker The following summarises the FDWs requirements in Singapore (Ministry of Manpower 2013. The list of requirements can be found in: http://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/passes-visas/work-permit-fdw/before-you-apply/Pages/basic-requirements-of-a-foreign-domestic-worker.aspx: C:UsersshiminDesktopPicture2.png Intersectionality as a critique to Multiple Discrimination Mentioned in the EU Report on the Multiple Discrimination in EU Law, EU initially had a sole definition of multiple discrimination as an overarching notion, neutral notion for all instances of discrimination between multiple domains including race, age, language, ethnicity, culture, religion or disability or because they are indigenous people (UN 1995). The definition of intersectionality debated the EU legal discourse and reinforces the importance of encompassing the notion of gender as an important domain when it discusses the discrimination suffered primarily by the intersection of domains in many instances of discrimination suffered especially by women. It criticises that the mathematical notion that may be conjured by multiplying around the separate strands of discrimination which in reality intersect (Conanhan 2009; Yuval-Davis 2007). 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