Equity and trust law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Equity and trust law - Essay Example However, as Pettit3 argues, equity operates on the conscience of the owner of legal interest and so in the case of a trust; the conscience of the legal owner of the estate is required to carry out that purpose for which it was intended, or which the law obliges him or her to do. This is because English law is based on formalities which must be fulfilled in order for a transfer of trust to be considered as complete. These formalities are achieved in different processes, but all include some form of official government document which the donor of an estate must sign as an indication of the transfer of the estate. In English trust law, these formalities are considered as the absolute way to determine the absolute owner of an estate, without having to consider so many factors. The main issue with regard to the requirements of these formalities is that many property owners die before they have made a formal will and this leaves room for conflicts among the people who were related to them in different ways. While at times the court can find that there was intent by the diseased to place his or her trust to another person even if the said person is not an obvious heir to the diseased and in the interest of an express will or effectuation of transfer of interest, the law still depends a much as is possible on formalities and only considers other avenues where formalities have not been met. Even in such as the Paul v Constance [1977] 1 WLR 527 case in which the judge depended on other sources of evident to decide the case in favour of the plaintiff who was claiming property rights against the legal wife of the diseased person, the court had to gravitate towards any available formalities or the evidence of intended will to meet these formalities. The case indicates that being the natural heir to property is not enough for the court to decide in your favour. For instance, in the above case, Mrs Constance who was the defendant was the natural heir to the estate of Mr Const ance’s estate because they were still legally married by the time Mr Constance died. Conversely, Mrs Paul was only a live-in partner to Mr Constance and her rights in Mr Constance’s estate were very limited or even non existence. Yet, regardless of that, the court jugged in favour Mrs Paul. This only goes to show how complicated trust law can be. How such a case goes also depends on whether the judge(s) will choose to use technicalities or not. Regardless of the nature of this case and the unexpected outcome, it is clear that the court made the decision while keeping in mind the need for formalities in completion of transfer of trust as well as equity in such cases. To look at both sides, the court had to look at the faintest of evidence for intent by Mr Constance to transfer the will, and at the same time wanted to deliver a judgement that offered equity. The intention of the case is to deliver justice with the available evidence available. In the present case, it is clear that there is some evidence that the two aunts had received from Lady Meera the intention of transfer of trust. In the first case with regard to aunt Jemima, Lady Meera had left her the papers to the shares. In the second case, she had showed Aunt Beatrix the estate. These facts are important in the case and can determine the way the judge will decide to end the case. As a result, in trying to get custody of these property which the two aunts are

Catherine Parker Essay Example for Free

Catherine Parker Essay There are a variety of different types of narratives used in literary texts and films. In the adaptation process from novel to film, the visual narrative of the film also needs to be considered, whereas the novel is solely dependant on the written word and the reader’s imagination. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Lemony Snickett’s A Series of Unfortunate Events can be used to investigate the use of narrative in both text and film and the differences that occur in the adaptation process. When writing the novel, there is a greater opportunity to vary the style of narrative in order to provide the reader with as much information as possible, whereas in the film adaptation the addition of the visual narrative removes the opportunity to vary between different styles and it becomes much more definite. As a result of the visual information, the narrative is further affected by factors such as how something is said and the visual actions that accompany the words. ‘Film complicates literary narration by practicing two parallel and intersecting forms of narration: the verbal narration, whether through voice-over and/or the speech of characters, and the film’s capacity to show the world and its appearances apart from voice-over and character narration. † (Stam, 35) Lee’s novel employs the use of first person narrative through the female-child voice of Scout. However, in A Series of Unfortunate Events, the third person narrative used in the text has been maintained in the film via the use of voice-over, a technique often avoided by many directors and film producers. When adapting a novel, definite decisions have to be made, such as where and when the events are located and the exact time period in which events take place, and the narrative becomes a part of this. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel concerned with time and at certain points in the story, time is presented as moving fairly slowly, even suspended at times as the characters themselves watch the action, â€Å"the spectators were quiet† (Mockingbird, 185). There is also a cyclical notion of time present as the story moves through the seasons and events take place over a number of years, shown through Dill’s annual summer visits to his Aunt Rachel, and the development of the children, particularly Jem. â€Å"When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident† (Mockingbird, 9). Throughout both the novel and the adaptation, time is used as part of this narrative structure as there is a multi-layer of time as well as a multi-layer of narration. â€Å"in the motion-picture, a first-person angle of vision functions primarily to provide transitions and shifts in time and place† (Shackelford). The film becomes much more dependant on the narrative in order to portray this time span as the visual narrative will not show this development as effectively without using more than once actor to play the different ages of the children. The novel is written from the perspective of Scout, Jean Louise Finch, the youngest member of the Finch family. This use of the female child narrator may suggest that the narrative will be different to traditional, stereotypical novels of the time, due to the female-child narrator describing events involving rape and racial issues. However, what aids the text in being so successful is the fact that Scout doesn’t limit her narrative solely to events she has experienced herself, she also relays stories other people have told her and information she has overheard. â€Å"People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him. People said he went out at night† (Mockingbird, 15). Although it is through the voice of Scout that the story is being told, she does relay certain events as a watcher, giving the feeling of a third person narrative and enabling the audience to gain other people’s opinions and make their own judgements.

The Conclusions Drawn By The National Reading Panels Study On Effective Reading :: essays papers

The Conclusions Drawn By The National Reading Panel's Study On Effective Reading Ever since the signing of the Declaration of Independence the United Sates has strived for the betterment of its society on a whole. This effort can be seen through not only the push for higher education, but also in the standards set in the curriculum for all students. Even though there is such a push for educating the students in America, it becomes surprising that certain simple aspects of education can be almost shaded by or lost under the bigger picture. One such aspect is trying to maintain reading levels, and keeping them up to speed with the corresponding grade levels. With reading levels seemingly on a steady descending scale, it has become necessary for certain actions to take place in hopes of finding ways to bring the levels back up to par. One course of action is conducting research on the manner resulting in the suggestions of possible solutions to the reading problem. Of multiple studies conducted on the matter, one that stands out to be both direct and promising is th e study conducted by the National Reading Panel. â€Å"The main goal of more formal educational research is to test theory and to advance scientific knowledge† (Samuels & Farstrup, 1992, p 5). As a result of the noticeable failing reading levels, Congress took it into their own hands to help solve the matter. â€Å"Congress directed the creation of the National Reading Panel to reevaluate educational research and give teachers and schools a roadmap to address this problem† (National Reading Panel, 2000 (NRP)). The panel was appointed in 1997, and used numerous studies and research that, once analyzed, was focused into certain areas that need to be incorporated in reading instruction. The areas that were highlighted in the resulting study were phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension (Manzo, 2000, p 1). These areas can be examined more closely in order to gain insight and information into their beneficial effects on effective reading instruction. Phonemic awareness is first on the study’s list of things that need to be taught in order for students to become better readers. This aspect of the report is based on the idea that students need the ability to manipulate the sounds that make up the spoken language. â€Å"If the children cannot perceive these sound segments they will encounter difficulty when trying to sound words out in both reading and writing† (Samuels & Farstrup, 1992, p 108).

Perhaps Othello Essay

Perhaps Othello cannot be regarded as the greatest of William Shakespeare’s tragedies, but many readers and viewers have found it incredibly exciting, logical, and most intense of all of Shakespeare’s plays. When performed, Othello is implacable in its drive toward tragedy, drawing spectators into the greatly shocking play of a husband quickly pushed to murder his blameless wife. Moreover, the Afro-American warrior Othello – the only black character in Shakespeare – becomes a husband of a white woman. Thus, the tragedy also touches on important issues that have become pressing in present period: racial prejudice and attraction to the â€Å"Other† (Othello Study Guide). Othello also allows readers to consider such important human issues as the nature of sexual jealousy and the difficulty of feeling certain about anything or anyone in this world. This paper is designed, first, to draw attention to these relevant issues in the play. Second, it will attempt to analyze these issues by exploring their many contexts so that it is possible to present various ways of understanding Othello from theoretical perspectives. Othello Shakespeare’s chief source for Othello was a story found in Giraldi Cinthio Hecatommithi, a collection of interesting tales where the major topic is marriage (Othello Study Guide). If one compares Italian story with Shakespeare’s, he or she can see English playwright’s incredible skills in transforming an ordinary story into logical and effective drama. Shakespeare modifies some parts of the story to emphasize dramatic plot and make character presentation much sharper. Further, he makes significant changes in the text, inserting and removing some parts, to dignify his protagonist and turn a melodramatic story into excellent tragedy. Othello is not created on such a huge scale as Shakespeare’s other famous tragedies. The play has neither the superhuman and magical dimensions of Hamlet and Macbeth, where the readers meet Ghost and Witches, nor King Lear’s unceasing feeling of doubt and uncertainty regarding â€Å"Nature† and the gods. Nevertheless, Othello is the only one of the four tragedies to present the reader with two separate countries as locations: civilized world of Renaissance Venice and the island of Cyprus. A. C. Bradley (1962) describes Othello as the most â€Å"masterly† of Shakespeare’s tragedies in its construction (144). Bradley stresses the fact that Shakespeare uses virtually no delaying tactics to slow down the action in the play, as, for example, in Hamlet where the hero delays his revenge, and no subplot to develop complicating consequences, as the reader finds in King Lear. Acts from 2 to 5, taking place in Cyprus, form a persistent sequence without significant interruptions. Further, however, there are some variations in pace – the slower tempo of the willow scene in acts 4 and 3, where Desdemona and Emilia take stock of the situation. In this regard, Ned B. Allen (1968) arrives at a conclusion that the instances of long time, for the most part in acts 3 and 4, are the result of Shakespeare’s sticking to Giraldi Cinthio’s slow-paced tale more densely there than the playwright does in acts 1 and 2 (13-29). Arguing that â€Å"double time† is a skilful device to heighten the credibility of the action, Ridley expresses admiration for Shakespeare’s â€Å"astonishing skill† in placing close together allusions to long time with a strong impression of a thirty-three-hour time span on Cyprus (lxx). It is, Ridley believes, a literary technique of lulling the reader into thinking that more time has passed than the action declares. In this manner, the reader does not question why, logically, Othello would be killing his wife for her supposed unfaithfulness the very night after he has brought to completion their marriage. Interestingly, among Shakespeare’s tragedies, Othello may be regarded as the least connected with social or political developments and transformations. The play does not appear to have been written on the topic of a specific historical event or social movement in the beginning of 1600s. Othello is a domestic tragedy. Thus, it exposes power plays inside relations between representatives of patriarchal society – in particular, in father-daughter and husband-wife relationships. But not like King Lear, that constantly expresses uncertainty about received â€Å"authority† as the king’s status is depreciated, Othello does not deal with the wider political branches of this social power. Nor does Othello take into consideration faults in state power that the reader can observe in Shakespeare’s history plays and Coriolanus. Although Othello is of aristocratic birth, he is not the real or possible leader of his realm (while Lear, Macbeth, and Hamlet are all kings), upon whose decisions and thoughts depend the whole state and its people. At the same time, however, Othello is concerned with important cultural and social issues. Precisely, Othello’s exact color has been much considered with references to racist issues (Shakespearean Criticism). What is important is that Othello is a black warrior, in all likelihood from North Africa, and now dwelling in a white European society. The issue of racial difference is deeply embedded in the tragedy and is very well obvious in performance. How would the character have been considered by the Jacobean public, and how is he understood this day? Does Othello make effort to incorporate or refuse to accept racist stereotypes of that time? How much does Desdemona, a white upper-class representative, breaks the moral rules of her society by making decision to marry a black warrior, and finally does Othello give approval to or reject her open and bold resistance to authority and power? Taking into consideration these questions, one can analyze ways in which Othello contributes to the discussion on two groups – black African men and white women – that were often made seem unimportant in the beginning of seventeenth century. Even though it cannot be equated with present day racial discrimination issues, color prejudice appears to have developed in England under Queen Elizabeth and King James. Black was associated with evil, Africans’ dark skins was considered to belong to the devil. Taking into account the racial prejudices of the time, it is unusual that Shakespeare decides to make his tragic hero an Afro-American and his villain the white Iago. Critic John Salway, for example, considers that Shakespeare introduces the general preconceptions regarding Africans by means of the racist discourse of Iago and Brabantio – Iago glibly utters slander about Othello as â€Å"lusty Moor† and â€Å"devil†, while Brabantio, who â€Å"lov’d† Othello as a warrior, ascribes responsibility to him for winning his daughter’s love through â€Å"damned† witchcraft (30). John Salway considers that the playwright does so only to explode these prejudices in the course of the play. In this respect, Othello’s mistake is a natural human weakness rather than a fault coming from his race. John Salway also acknowledges the long-established medieval tradition, literary and decorative, that connected the black man with lower rank in society and damnation. The author argues, at the same time, that a countercurrent of religious discourse and art, for example, the special importance given to inner holiness over outward appearance and the description of Balthazar, one of the Magi bearing gifts for the infant Christ, as a black man, provided Shakespeare with an opportunity to develop Othello as a â€Å"great Christian gentleman† (45). Salway finds no prove in the tragedy that the character is really savage, since he gains his nobility again after his tragic loss of faith in Desdemona (55-56). Martin Orkin (1987), a South African scholar keenly aware of how Shakespeare’s Othello gives occasion for racist responses, is in basic agreement with Salway’s statements. He believes that Shakespeare works â€Å"consciously against the color prejudice that can be seen in â€Å"the language of Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio† and denies such prejudices giving emphasis to the â€Å"limitations† of â€Å"human judgment† in general as the real cause of Othello’s tragedy (170-181). All this is right from the one side: Shakespeare creates his characterization of â€Å"valiant Othello† far beyond that of the traditional stereotype. On the other side, however, there are situations in the play when Othello’s actions do generate the sinful barbarian image. This is specifically the case in act 4, where the character loses his mind in a frantic mania of jealousy (â€Å"savage madness† is how Iago gives account of it), promises to â€Å"chop† Desdemona into â€Å"messes† after overhearing the dialogue that takes place between Iago and Cassio. Moreover, Othello behaves immorally by making a physical attack on Desdemona in public. Does Shakespeare try to demonstrate color prejudice by making Othello returning again and again to the traditional image of ‘black savage’? One resistance against attack on Othello’s behavior in the play is to claim that it is a victory of Iago’s hard-hearted intrigue with him, combined with the Moor’s dramatic readiness to consider as true the negative, oversimplified stereotype of himself. It seems that Othello’s humiliating performance is almost destined to cause the audience to become unfriendly, both Jacobean and present. By the concluding part of the play, Othello is divided between the individual characteristics he has attempted to maintain as an honorary white in Venice – where the Senate has allowed him military services and even more, in contrast to Brabantio, forgave his relationship with a white woman – and his strong inner sense of himself as an African â€Å"Other†. In being fatally overwhelmed by jealousy and murdering his wife, Othello eventually describes himself as more related by blood to the ignoble Judean and the malicious Muslim Turk than to the civilized and noble Christian. Some readers and viewers may feel that Othello compensates his rank as an inspiring tragic hero in the culmination, while others may dissent in opinion. And while it is right to claim that Othello does not give approval to the deeply felt prejudices of an Iago, how does the audience feel about Emilia’s racist comments in the final part of the play? Emilia becomes the center of tragic attention when she reveals Othello’s dreadful mistake and dismantles any â€Å"just grounds† for his believing that Desdemona committed sexual intercourse with other man. Preoccupied with her frank truth-telling, the spectators are encouraged to become accomplices of her views even though they are full of racial intense dislike. Emilia refers to Othello as the â€Å"blacker devil† describing his behavior as â€Å"ignorant as dirt† and feels sorry that Desdemona was â€Å"too fond of her most filthy bargain†. These examples demonstrate the difficulty of reaching an exact decision where the play stands regarding Othello’s blackness and racial prejudice. Because of the fact that the balance of dramatic sympathies shifts from episode to episode, readers are likely to agree with Emilia’s angry release of prejudice while rejecting Iago’s coldly malicious racism, in spite of the close relationship he has established with the reader. In this regard, one can compare Othello with Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Just as The Merchant of Venice may at the same time destroy anti-Semitic prejudice (in Shylock’s probing speech â€Å"Hath not a Jew eyes? † and support it (with Shylock’s absurdly incongruous behavior and wish that his daughter â€Å"were hears’d at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! †), it can be stated that Othello stimulates discourse regarding the racist stereotypes of the sixteenth-century life even though it supports them to some extent. It should be observed, however, that to be totally free of racism and any discrimination, the playwright would have to invent a new language with no words containing a hidden implication, no unfair treatment of a color character, and no connection in the play between blackness and evil, whiteness and good. Expressing the same idea but differently, Othello cannot go beyond the language and traditions of its culture. According to Juliet Dusinberre (1976), if black-skinned men were considered as the â€Å"Other† in the sixteenth-century Europe, then women could be also called as a painful Other in patriarchal communities. The Reformation in England is at times thought as a period when attitudes and views toward female roles, at least inside marriage relations, were becoming more liberal and humanistic (Dusinberre 3-5). Puritans encouraged an equal marriage partnership, in contrast to the accepted without question subordination of wife to her husband, and valued married chastity above celibacy. However, it can be supposed that this elevation of the married relationships might have served as a method to contain women’s uncontrollable desire rather than to encourage a real self-dependence for them. It is easy to see that Desdemona is committed to the ideal of married chastity, but she is also a woman who tries to rebel. Obviously, her courageous rejection of her father’s wishes (and, globally, those of the Venetian upper class) so that it is possible to marry a black warrior and her honest desire to follow the â€Å"rites† for which she married Othello create behavior not conforming to accepted rules and standards in Venetia. The woman has stepped beyond the permitted boundaries of her race – â€Å"Against all rules of nature,† as Brabantio describes this – and the modesty that most people expect of female gender. Shakespeare, in spite of her faults, presents the rebellious and disobedient Desdemona as a character deserving admiration. Her powerful and effective language in explaining why she chose Othello despite her father’s unwillingness, her brave strong passion for the Moor, and her spirited and powerful (even though unreasonable) defense of Cassio are all probable to win the sympathies and admiration of the readers. Desdemona’s boldness, as well as Othello’s initial approval and praise of it (he describes her as his â€Å"fair warrior† when he comes to Cyprus), all say about a marriage with mutual love and respect for each other. When living in Cyprus, however, Desdemona becomes more isolated and open to temptation and persuasion. Once Othello incorporates Iago’s views, interpreting the meaning of Desdemona’s behavior as unfaithful and indiscriminate actions, the woman has no means of opposing her husband’s violent desire to control her life. It would seem, taking into consideration these issues, that there are contradictory messages present throughout the play about what behavior is right for women. The uncontrollable female who calls into question her place in the male-dominated community is given some capacity for independent action but ironically is then punished, primarily because Othello misinterprets her actions, but also, the drama may suggest, because of her desires going beyond acceptable boundaries of taste and convention of the time. Like with the issue of racism regarding Othello’s personality, Emilia’s role emphasizes the contradictory treatment of women in the tragedy. Her passionate defense of wives in act 4 produces the double sexual standard by which relationships between men and women are determined: And have not we affections? Desires for sport? and frailty? as men have? Then let them use us well; else let them know, The ills we do, their ills instruct us so. Since Emilia expresses a convinced belief that women are men’s equals in desire and have the full right to live and act like their husbands, her declaration is potentially ungrounded in its denial of gender qualities that work only to the advantage of men. At the same time, however, the meaning of the speech, as well as what the reader knows of Emilia so far, tends to decrease the power of the statement. Emilia has the similar gender of Desdemona but not social position. As a result, Shakespeare’s readers might make little of the sense of her statements, justifying them as fitting for serving women but not actual for upper-class women. Interestingly, Emilia has surrendered to her husband’s â€Å"fantasy† herself. She subordinated herself to his fanciful idea and thus affirmed the opposite of her philosophy of independence — by presenting him the gift. Conclusion Regarded by many scholars as one of Shakespeare greatest tragedies, together with Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear, Othello has a traditional tragic plot, tracing the hero’s fall from splendor and combining together human qualities of nobility with actins and decisions that lead to unavoidable suffering and loss. Othello is, at the same time, one of Shakespeare’s most emotionally touching works. The driving power with which the extremely effective but destructive series of events develops creates an exciting sense of chaotic violent and confused movement that captivates both readers and viewers almost as much as it drives the characters. Shakespeare’s character development and his incorporation of difficult issues in the play produced an incredibly complex play that considers a number of important moral and social questions. Works Cited Allen, Ned B. â€Å"The Two Parts of Othello†, ShS, 2, 1968, in Honigmann, E. A. J. Othello. Cengage Learning EMEA, 2001. Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy. London: Macmillan, 1962. Dusinberre, J. Shakespeare and the Nature of Women. London and Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1976. Orkin, M. Othello and the Plain Face of Racism, SQ, 38. 2, 1987. Othello Study Guide. Available from: http://www. shakespearefest. org/Othello%20Study%20Guide. htm Othello. Shakespearean Criticism. Available from: http://www. enotes. com/shakespearean-criticism/othello-vol-68 Salway, J. â€Å"Veritable Negroes and Circumcised Dogs: Racial Disturbances in Shakespeare†, in Lesley Aers and Nigel Wheale (eds. ), Shakespeare in the Changing Curriculum (London and New York: Routledge, 1991). Shakespeare, W. â€Å"Othello, the Moore of Venice†. Shakespeare Homepage. Available from: http://shakespeare. mit. edu/othello/full. html

Environmental Economics Essay

Agriculture has an instrumental role and close association in preservation and conservation of the environment and economic development. It promotes environment diversity and enhances the creation of artificial habitats. The green biomass that covers many fields forms a basis of aesthetic to the human emotions. Intensified uses of chemical in agricultural production threaten the above benefits that arise from agricultural fields. In the recent past, a growing concern has been raised with regard to the negative impact arising from agricultural related activities and policies. Legalization of substances such as pesticide and fertilizer enhance negative consequences on the environment. They contain toxic elements thus causes pollution of surface water and underground water, drainage of wetlands, air pollutions and loss of diverse life forms and habitats. Settlement scheme in implemented on fragile lands such swamps, disturbances the ecological balance in the area. Environmental issues can be resolve by promoting organic agriculture, establishing relevant institutions, formulation of legislation and policies. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members agreed that reforms should, to the extent possible, simultaneously enable progress to be made on trade liberation and environment. They also agreed to uphold the need to integrate agricultural development with environmental issues. (OECD 1993, p, 24-50) The focus of this study is therefore to examine the risk of inorganic agriculture against organic agriculture on the environment and thereafter formulate alternative strategies to foster sustainability. Environmental issues are diverse and multi-disciplinary in nature since they cut across all sectors of the economy and cultures. Unsustainable agriculture and increase in populations in the world modifies environmental issues. Population increase exerts high pressure on the economic processes to stretch, in most cases beyond the natural sustainable limit, to accommodate the excess demand (Sandler, Todd. 1997, p, 34-73) In response, the world has embarked on intensified adoption to scientific invention and advancement in technological development to improve production. Organic means of production are therefore considered redundant and barbaric in favor of inorganic agriculture. Unsustainable means of production, consequently, have widened and continue to widen environmental global challenges that threaten to cripple and suffocate the world’s economy. Studies have shown that increased use of chemical, such as pesticides and fertilizers for production in farming activities perpetuates the environmental global challenges. This puts the future livelihood for mankind at a stake and uncertain. It is therefore important to examine environmental challenges attached to intensive use of chemical for agricultural production and thereafter provide an alternative strategy to enhance sustainability. (Dutch Committee, 1994, p, 30-50) Intensified use of chemical for production is largely attributed to agricultural and industrial revolution. Population has also influenced the need to use chemicals to increase food production to meet the ever growing world demand for food. Initially, the above means of agricultural production were common in Europe and Asian continent. Abject poverty in the world has created great desire and demand for technological innovation to increase food production. Globalization and scientific advancement has therefore provided a solution to the world food demand problem. However, the solution comes with a bundle of side effects. Technological and scientific information transfer, particularly, to African countries, where poverty is obsolete and unsustainable (Andersons, L. and Bruce, Yundle, 2001, p, 50-200) Over the last three decades there has been an increasing global use of chemicals for agricultural production. Traditionally, production was based on organic means thus less environmental concerns. Merchandised agriculture has raised the public concern over the nature of the problems that arises from agricultural production. These problems are diverse and wholly attributed to environmental pollution caused by intensified use of pesticide and fertilizers. (Uri, Noel, 1999, p, 23-123) The problems are aggravated by improper management of agricultural chemicals thereby causing serious environmental issues. These pose a great problem to the survival and well-being of humanity, particularly those living in developing world. This is because fertilizers and pesticides are agent of pollution to water bodies, food sources, land, air and vegetation. The development of agriculture production through specialization and intensification of land use in recent decades has given rise to a wide range of environmental effects, both within the agricultural industry itself and increasingly, externally to it. The recognition and understanding of these consequences of modern high technology agriculture developed in the 1970s and during the 1980s progress was made in addressing these impacts. Some problems still remain however and will be of increasing importance. (OCED, p, 177) The use of chemicals for agricultural production therefore will continue to compromise the environmental sustainability. The World Health Organization estimates that about a quarter of the diseases facing mankind today occur due to prolonged exposure to environmental pollution. Most of these environmental related diseases are however, not easily detected and may be acquired during childhood and manifest later in adulthood. The indiscriminate and excessive use of agrochemicals for crop protection represents by far the greatest threat to human health, to the genetic stock of the population and to sustain agriculture and environment. At a United Nations seminar in Nairobi Kenya in 1984, it was reported that almost 370,000 people suffer from pesticide poisoning and about 10,000annually die due to poisoning. Recently, the World Health Organization estimated 500,000 fatalities due to pesticide poisoning in developing world. This WHO’s report further claims that another 400,000 cases of poisoning were due to pesticide handling and usage. (Mervyns, p, 12) From the quotation above, it is clear that the impacts of agrochemical increases with time and magnitude. This kind of trend is unsustainable and therefore threatens the future of humanity. The impact of pesticide and fertilizer on human health is crucial and therefore should never be under-estimated. The traces of these chemical causes inhalation problems. Accumulation of the elements in the body system affects the free circulation of blood in the body. Biodiversity forms a basis upon which the world’s beauty, emotional fulfillment and aesthetic appeal are based. Agriculture spices up the aesthetic-array of the world. It also creates artificial habitats that shelter migratory organisms such as birds, insects and animals. It therefore follows that agricultural production is a gene bank for scientific development. Intensive use of pesticides and fertilizers puts the existence of nature in it natural form at stake. This is because chemicals kill organisms that perpetuate natural fertilization processes thereby hindering the natural form of nature stabilization. Chemical enhances the process of mutation. This leads to evolution of hybridized species of pests which are resistant to natural mean of pest control and at times even resistant to pesticides. Loss of biodiversity as a result of chemical use in agricultural production is therefore eminent. It has been reported that, â€Å"The first sub lethal effect of a pesticide on a bird was probably the eggshell thinning phenomena first described by Ratcliff. DDE, the stable metabolite of DDE is reported to be the cause of eggshell thinning and consequent decline in the breeding success of birds of prey. † (Mervyns, p, 78) Equity is a controversial aspect of resource distribution in the world. The gap between the rich and the poor is quite disheartening. Economic processes and advancement also work towards widening the gap. Commercialization of agriculture with intensive use of chemicals, poses environmental degradation. This consequently deprives the land of its ability to naturally produce food thereby lowering its production yield. The poor depend totally on the environment for their livelihood. Inorganic agriculture is a world’s strategy to check the gap between the poor and the rich. It is widely believe that many people in the world sleep without food for many days. Increased food production, will therefore help to resolve one of the greatest challenges that is threatening to tear the earth a part. However, inorganic farming has failed to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich. The efficiency of using chemicals to increase food production is questionable. Traditional means of production were more manual, labor intensive and time consuming with minimum negative impacts to the environment. Current means of agricultural production are merchandized and more efficient as compared with the traditional methods. However, with regard to the environmental challenges, the efficiency of inorganic production to address the abject poverty in the world is low. Ecology is defined as the domestic site of organism, knowledge and the sum of the relation of the surrounding world. It is a self sustaining environment. Ecology is always sensitive to changes. Introduction of foreign substances such as traces of pesticides and fertilizer modify the ecological characteristic and identity. Nutrients like nitrate and phosphate are normally washed down into water bodies when it rains. This initiates the process of eutrophication. Eutrophication is a process whereby the water experiences enrichment with nutrients of nitrate and phosphate. Consequently water lilies, phytoplasm and algae blooms to experience luxuriant growth. This phenomenon has negative impacts on the functions of the water body. In the first place, Algae bloom forms a green like layer on top of the water thereby hindering penetration of light to the water body. Due to high accumulation of substance in the water, decaying process increases. This causes a biological oxygen demand which leads to suffocation of aquatic lives in the water body. Bad smell arises from the water body as a result of decaying processes. The value of water for domestic use therefore reduces.

Free Essays on Bergamot Station Arts Center

The Bergamot Station Arts Center at Santa Monica constantly displays art works to those who wishes to be exposed to art. This makes Bergamot Station a perfect place for art students to gain a slice of the contemporary art scene. The collective works by the artist Laura Lasworth titled, â€Å"The Gray†, was on display in the Hunsaker/Schlesinger Fine Art Gallery on March 25th. The gallery is located at one of the corners of the plaza and seems rather distant and alienated to the rest of the displays. Interestingly, this alienation and perhaps loneliness was echoed by Lasworth’s works inside the gallery. The Hunsaker/Schlesinger gallery itself, even compared to other galleries in the plaza, is rather small, and the display area conveys a sense of closeness. The size of the displaying area made the personal touch in the works even more pronounced. The gallery was quiet, with few audiences, perhaps a result of being distant to the main cluster. The gallerists worked quietly in the back room leaving the viewing area undisturbed. The main entrance to the gallery remained closed after each guest entered, thus separates the gallery from the rest of the world. Perhaps this is intentional as to create an overall artistic experience. In the gallery, the viewers emerge themselves to the surreal world that Lasworth created. The works exhibited by Lasworth were mostly paintings consist of very dull and desaturated colors. Black, white and gray, were used heavily, and worked fittingly to the winter sceneries found in many of the paintings. Some of the works were almost grayscale. The painterly bush strokes and the use of few, but soft colors reflected a feminine impression on all of the works. The subject matters were presented through a surrealistic manner and mostly consist of large areas of emptiness. With the exception of a few, most of the works are small, easel-sized paintings, bordered in simple, black framings. The dimens... Free Essays on Bergamot Station Arts Center Free Essays on Bergamot Station Arts Center The Bergamot Station Arts Center at Santa Monica constantly displays art works to those who wishes to be exposed to art. This makes Bergamot Station a perfect place for art students to gain a slice of the contemporary art scene. The collective works by the artist Laura Lasworth titled, â€Å"The Gray†, was on display in the Hunsaker/Schlesinger Fine Art Gallery on March 25th. The gallery is located at one of the corners of the plaza and seems rather distant and alienated to the rest of the displays. Interestingly, this alienation and perhaps loneliness was echoed by Lasworth’s works inside the gallery. The Hunsaker/Schlesinger gallery itself, even compared to other galleries in the plaza, is rather small, and the display area conveys a sense of closeness. The size of the displaying area made the personal touch in the works even more pronounced. The gallery was quiet, with few audiences, perhaps a result of being distant to the main cluster. The gallerists worked quietly in the back room leaving the viewing area undisturbed. The main entrance to the gallery remained closed after each guest entered, thus separates the gallery from the rest of the world. Perhaps this is intentional as to create an overall artistic experience. In the gallery, the viewers emerge themselves to the surreal world that Lasworth created. The works exhibited by Lasworth were mostly paintings consist of very dull and desaturated colors. Black, white and gray, were used heavily, and worked fittingly to the winter sceneries found in many of the paintings. Some of the works were almost grayscale. The painterly bush strokes and the use of few, but soft colors reflected a feminine impression on all of the works. The subject matters were presented through a surrealistic manner and mostly consist of large areas of emptiness. With the exception of a few, most of the works are small, easel-sized paintings, bordered in simple, black framings. The dimens...

8 Steps to Changing Your Career

8 Steps to Changing Your Career If you’re considering changing your career, you might want to consider following these key steps. 1. Think why  you want to make a changeThe first step is to ask yourself some important questions. Do you hate your job? Do you think the grass is greener somewhere else? The more important question is: why are those things true? Once you get clear on the â€Å"why,† you can figure out what’s really motivating you, and have a chance of finding something that will truly hold your interest and attention. It can also save you from facing the same (or different) unforeseen problems in your next position.2. Think what  your ideal future looks likeFollowing your passion is one thing, but making smart career choices is another. Figure out exactly what you want your new career to look like, what exactly you want to be doing on a daily basis. Then figure out what you already have in your back pocket that qualifies you. What is your capital here? What can you leverage to e ase your transition and net this in the win column?3.  Assess everything you’ll need to tackleMake sure you know exactly what you need to have prepared in order to make your transition. Are there any skills or certifications you need to acquire first? Do you have the financial safety net to transition? Will there be any other factors such as childcare or housing that you’ll need to consider? Avoid getting your pants caught around your ankles and only make your move when you know you can execute.4. Make a planBefore you act, plan. Figure out your goal, and set a timeline. Break it up into steps and milestones and then set about checking each off. Measure your progress and enjoy the momentum you build as you work toward your new career.5. Track your progressHold yourself accountable to your timeline. Set deadlines and reminders for different pieces of your transition plan. Make lists, or even Excel spreadsheets, to keep yourself on track. You’re investing a lot in making this change, make sure you’re wasting none of your time or energy.6. Pivot your brandYou’ll need to shift your image a bit so that your new audience will understand and accept you. Make it easier for them to â€Å"get† you, where you’re coming from, and why they should want you. Figure out how to set yourself apart from competitors who’ve been in that field for years. Figure out how your old career narrative can be adapted as an asset in your new one. Think of yourself as a daring new product for a tired field, then sell that.7. Call in the cavalryYou have people. You have a network. Mobilize them. Consider asking your most trusted contacts for help. Ask for specific things that will make it easiest for the people who have your back to contribute effectively to your cause. You have a network; use it!8. Meet the right peopleYou need to know some important contacts in your new field. This is a given. Don’t let it stress you out. Show that you are genuinely interested in their experience and expertise, flatter carefully but not too much, and don’t ambush anyone. A little genuine respect can go a long way in sweetening up valuable allies.Change is scary. If you follow these steps, you won’t be at a risk of bailing on your career change dream. Do your homework, be methodical and open-eyed, and then take a well-placed flying leap.