Great Rift Valley - Crack in the Planets Crust

The Rift Valley of eastern Africa and Asia (sometimes called the Great Rift Valley [GRV] or East African Rift system [EAR or EARS]) is an enormous geological split in the crust of the earth, thousands of kilometers long, up to 125 miles (200 kilometers) wide, and between a few hundred to thousands of meters deep. First designated as the Great Rift Valley in the late 19th century and visible from space, the valley has also been a great source of hominid fossils, most famously in Tanzanias Olduvai Gorge. Key Takeaways: Great Rift Valley The Great Rift Valley is a huge fracture in the crust of the earth in the eastern part of Africa.  Crustal rifts are found all over the world, but the one in East Africa is the largest.  The rift is a complex series of faultlines that runs from the Red Sea down into Mozambique.The Lake Turkana basin in the rift region is known as the Cradle of Mankind and has been a source of hominid fossils since the 1970s.A 2019 paper suggests that the Kenyan and Ethiopian rifts are evolving into one single oblique rift.   The Rift Valley is the result of an ancient series of faults, rifts, and volcanoes deriving from the shifting of tectonic plates at the junction between the Somalian and the African plates. Scholars recognize two branches of the GRV: the eastern half—which is that piece north of Lake Victoria that runs NE/SW and meets the Red Sea; and the western half—running nearly N/S from Victoria to the Zambezi river in Mozambique. The eastern branch rifts first occurred 30 million years ago, the western 12.6 million years ago. In terms of rift evolution, many parts of the Great Rift Valley are in different stages, from pre-rift in the Limpopo valley, to initial-rift stage at the Malawi rift; to typical-rift stage in the northern Tanganyika rift region; to advanced-rift stage in the Ethiopian rift region; and finally to oceanic-rift stage in the Afar range. That means the region is still quite tectonically active: see Chorowicz (2005) for much more detail concerning the ages of the different rift regions. Geography and Topography The East African Rift System stretches from the Red Sea to Mozambique. It is marked by the African Great Lakes and is currently the largest rift of the world. S. Brune; Kartengrundlage: Nasa-World-Wind The Eastern African Rift Valley is a long valley flanked by uplifted shoulders that step down to the central rift by more or less parallel faults. The main valley is classed as a continental rift, extending from 12 degrees north to 15 degrees south of our planets​ equator. It extends a length of 3,500 km  and intersects major portions of the modern countries of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique and minor portions of others. The width of the valley varies between 30 km to 200 km (20-125 mi), with the widest section at the northern end where it links to the Red Sea in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The depth of the valley varies across eastern Africa, but for most of its length it is more than 1 km (3280 feet) deep and at its deepest, in Ethiopia, it is over 3 km (9,800 ft) deep. The topographical steepness of its shoulders and the depth of the valley have created specialized microclimates and hydrology within its walls. Most rivers are short and small within the valley, but a few follow the rifts for hundreds of kilometers, discharging into deep lake basins. The valley acts as a north-south corridor for the migration of animals and birds  and inhibits east/west movements. When glaciers dominated most of Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene, the rift lake basins were havens for animals and plant life, including early hominins. History of the Rift Valley Studies Following on the mid- to late-19th-century work of dozens of explorers including the famous David Livingstone, the concept of an East African rift fracture was established by Austrian geologist Eduard Suess, and named the Great Rift Valley of East Africa in 1896 by British geologist John Walter Gregory. In 1921, Gregory described the GRV as a system of graben basins which included the valleys of the Red and Dead Seas in western Asia, as the Afro-Arabian rift system. Gregorys interpretation of the GRV formation was that two faults had opened up and a central piece dropped down forming the valley (called a graben). Since Gregorys investigations, scholars have re-interpreted the rift as the result of multiple graben faults organized over a major fault line at the plate juncture. The faults occurred in time from the Paleozoic to Quaternary eras, a time span of some 500 million years. In many areas, there have been repeated rifting events, including at least seven phases of rifting over the past 200 million years. Paleontology in the Rift Valley In the 1970s, paleontologist Richard Leakey designated the East African Rift region as the Cradle of Mankind, and there is no doubt that the earliest hominids—members of the Homo species—arose within its boundaries. Why that happened is a matter of conjecture, but may have something to do with the steep valley walls and microclimates created within them. The interior of the rift valley was isolated from the rest of Africa during the Pleistocene ice age  and sheltered freshwater lakes located in savannahs. As with other animals, our early ancestors may have found refuge there when the ice covered much of the planet and then evolved as hominids within its tall shoulders. An interesting study on the genetics of frog species by Freilich and colleagues showed that the valleys micro-climates and topography are at least, in this case, a biogeographic barrier that resulted in the splitting of the species into two separate gene pools. It is the eastern branch (much of Kenya and Ethiopia) where much of the paleontological work has identified hominids. Beginning about 2 million years ago, barriers in the eastern branch eroded away, a time which is coeval (as much as that clock can be called co-eval) with the spread of Homo species outside of Africa. Rift Evolution Analysis of the rift reported by German geologist Sascha Brune and colleagues in March 2019 (Corti et al. 2019) suggests that although the rift began as two overlapping disconnected rifts (Ethiopian and Kenyan), the lateral offset that lies in the Turkana depression has evolved and continues to evolve into a single oblique rift.   In March of 2018, a great crack measuring 50 feet wide and miles long opened up in the Suswa area of southwestern Kenya. Scientists believe the cause was not a sudden recent shift of the tectonic plates, but rather the abrupt erosion to the surface of a long-standing subsurface crack that developed over thousands of years. Recent heavy rains caused the soil to collapse over the crack, exposing it to the surface, rather like a sinkhole.  Ã‚   Selected Sources Blinkhorn, J., and M. Grove. The Structure of the Middle Stone Age of Eastern Africa. Quaternary Science Reviews 195 (2018): 1–20. Print.Chorowicz, Jean. The East African Rift System. Journal of African Earth Sciences 43.1–3 (2005): 379–410. Print.Corti, Giacomo, et al. Aborted Propagation of the Ethiopian Rift Caused by Linkage with the Kenyan Rift. Nature Communications 10.1 (2019): 1309. Print.Deino, Alan L., et al. Chronology of the Acheulean to Middle Stone Age Transition in Eastern Africa. Science 360.6384 (2018): 95–98. Print.Freilich, Xenia, et al. Comparative Phylogeography of Ethiopian Anurans: Impact of the Great Rift Valley and Pleistocene Climate Change. BMC Evolutionary Biology 16.1 (2016): 206. Print.Frostick, L. Africa: Rift Valley. Encyclopedia of Geology. Eds. Cocks, L. Robin M. and Ian R. Plimer. Oxford: Elsevier, 2005. 26–34. Print.Sahnouni, Mohamed, et al. 1.9-Million- and 2.4-Million-Year-Old Artifacts and Stone Tool-Cutmarked Bones from Ain Boucherit, Algeria. Science 362.6420 (2018): 1297–301. Print.Simon, Brendan, et al. Deformation and Sedimentary Evolution of the Lake Albert Rift (Uganda, East African Rift System). Marine and Petroleum Geology 86 (2017): 17–37. Print.

William Shakespeare s Macbeth And Fyodor Dostoevsky s...

Joanne Marius World Humanities Professor Bonaparte 17 December 2014 Similar Actions... Different Outcomes Many novels throughout the world have been known to hold insight on many life decisions. It is common to read about how positive actions have positive outcomes. Some however, give insight to negative outcomes from negative actions. Yet, how is it that some people are able to overcome these outcomes from their decisions? It does not come without hardships that affect the person mentally. Two famous narratives of literature in particular are William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment. Both works are allegorically similar in that the situations and struggles of the protagonists have complex ways of following a decision that has lead to distinctly different outcomes. However, both narratives are also vastly different in nature. Some similarities between the two works of literature are the recurring themes of good and evil, guilt, motive, and ambition. Through an in depth understanding of the context surrounding what lead to the pr otagonists murders in both stories, and the actions that each protagonist upholds, it will be easier to understand how Macbeth ultimately destroys his life in the end of the play and how Raskonikov starts his redemption at the end of the story due to the many factors that lead them to their distinctly different outcomes. Macbeth is about how one man, who appears to be a loyal and honorable person in

MBA Admissions Essays Free Essays

Essay # 1 List one of your most significant professional or organizational accomplishments. Describe your precise role in this event and how it has helped to shape your management skills. I started out initially as a technical support representative for a Stage Software Inc. We will write a custom essay sample on MBA Admissions Essays or any similar topic only for you Order Now in 2003 for a period of six months while presently I am associated with McKing Consulting Corporation. However for a period of two years I was associated with SunTrust Bank, where I started out as a Staff Accountant level one and in a year’s time was promoted to the next level this was based on outstanding job performance and proposal. In addition during the initially stage I was one of the team members who was responsible for relocation and change of the accounting system of an acquired bank into SunTrust’s accounting system. (Listed as Significant Achievement in the Resume) In the beginning of my last year with the bank, SunTrust finance organization experienced some specific changes in various departments. This was done to realign its objectives to achieve strategic vision of the Bank. Consequently, my department’s operations were altered the Controllers to Finance operations. Prior to the changes the monthly financial closing constituted s cross-functional departments, — my department was also a part of this financial closing. Following were some of the problems which existed in the past: For each financial closing a significant challenge was that most of the time some of the more important processes which were crucial for month end close were missed or delayed. Communication between team members was either limited or non-existent There was no system in place for a smooth flow of process. Understanding the need to restructure the month end process, I rose to the challenge by taking the idea of synchronizing the month end close. As I was not very familiar with the different processes, my inexperience was one of the major impediments. I succeeded in coming up with a task plan to achieve the goals. Initially I set up a meeting with the related teams and managers who were involved to get familiar with the different month end actions that needed to be processed. From the information received at the meeting I was able to draft a month end schedule, which detailed a list of responsibilities and prioritized the orders. This was presented for productive criticisms and reaction. It was accepted by the teams and the managers and after its implementation there was a remarkable improvement in the month end process. This experience taught me the importance of working as a team and the importance of communication and coordination—a skill which is essential for business leaders and managers.   In addition the significance of organization and time management through prioritization to achieve objectives became very clear. This was my first experience as a leader as I initiated the change to create a more efficient set-up. The opportunity gave me an insight into the organizational processes. Although at a very basic level however this initiative showed me as a leader and strengthen my professional growth however it was not enough as there is a need to further strengthen and polish the skills I have and MBA degree would he helpful in these respects. I am confident that my MBA experience will provide me with ample opportunities to demonstrate my leadership skills and also learn from future leaders. Essay # 2 Of Goizueta`s core values (courage, integrity, accountability, rigor, diversity, team, community), which value resonates most with you and why? 1 page Courage is the something which I believe is a very important part of my personality and life.   Almost 8 years back when I left Nigeria leaving behind family and friends I was not sure what it would be like in the United States and the people and the environment was completely alien for me. However it was my determination and my courage which made me carry on in spite of all the adversities. I was determined to be successful in my life and through perseverance and concerted effort I was able to assimilate in the new society. Initially it was very depressing as I was all alone and had no one to turn to and I realized that if I kept on pondering about it I would have to return. For this I formed a plan to succeed and I went started implementing it. I found a group of immigrants from Nigeria –this group provided a sense of support to carry on and eventually I was able to familiarize myself with the surroundings. Another thing I realized was to be financially independent. In Nigeria it was the parent’s responsibility to put children through school however here I had to get and education and support myself at the same time. With careful research, I realized that I would be able to secure financial aid and apply for scholarship to pay for school. The immigration experience has in reality strengthened my character different ways and this strength would be helpful both for my career and my personal life. Though it may sound clichà ©d, but courage in the face of adversity inadvertently leads to success. Through this experience I also learned to value and be sensitive to other cultures and to enrich others with mine. I also discovered myself, a thing that would not have happened if I had not been exposed to this kind of experience. I was brave and I had a vision of my future, my resilience and optimism have paved the way for success. Essay # 3 Of Goizueta`s core values (courage, integrity, accountability, rigor, diversity, team, community), which value resonates most with you and why? 1 page Courage is the something which I believe is a very important part of my personality and life.   Almost 8 years back when I left Nigeria leaving behind family and friends I was not sure what it would be like in the United States and the people and the environment was completely alien for me. However it was my determination and my courage which made me carry on in spite of all the adversities. I was determined to be successful in my life and through perseverance and concerted effort I was able to assimilate in the new society. Initially it was very depressing as I was all alone and had no one to turn to and I realized that if I kept on pondering about it I would have to return. For this I formed a plan to succeed and I went started implementing it. I found a group of immigrants from Nigeria –this group provided a sense of support to carry on and eventually I was able to familiarize myself with the surroundings. Another thing I realized was to be financially independent. In Nigeria it was the parent’s responsibility to put children through school however here I had to get and education and support myself at the same time. With careful research, I realized that I would be able to secure financial aid and apply for scholarship to pay for school. The immigration experience has in reality strengthened my character different ways and this strength would be helpful both for my career and my personal life. Though it may sound clichà ©d, but courage in the face of adversity inadvertently leads to success. Through this experience I also learned to value and be sensitive to other cultures and to enrich others with mine. I also discovered myself, a thing that would not have happened if I had not been exposed to this kind of experience. I was brave and I had a vision of my future, my resilience and optimism have paved the way for success. Essay # 4 What do you expect to accomplish in the Goizueta Business School MBA program? How will your participation in the MBA program fit in with your experiences and responsibilities as well as your short and long-term career goals? My life and the experiences since 1998 have been anything but normal. Emigrating from Nigeria was the first important landmark in my life. However, when I graduated from Georgia State University with a major in Accounting and Computer Information Systems I realized that in fact my BBA Cum Laude was the first goal in procession goals I had lined up. After my graduation my past four years experience in different organizations mentioned in the resume have helped me gain the knowledge and experience I feel was necessary to start my MBA degree which I regard as the final step before seriously starting a career. Even as my professional experiences have facilitated me to develop strong skills in Accounting with the application of technology, I believe that at this point my career objective is to evolve into corporate finance by channeling my experience and developing further my knowledge of finance. I am convinced that an MBA with concentration in finance coupled with my professional familiarity will be an important asset creating a path to achieve my career goals. My short-term goal is to obtain a job related to Corporate Finance in a Fortune 500 company or to enter corporate finance practice of a consulting firm. This goal has been formed because of my experience working as a second level accountant in the Controllers’ division of SunTrust bank. My experience at SunTrust has given me the experience needed to understand the dynamics of finance and operational activities through the various accounting assignments I participated in. My long term objectives are strategic objectives based on the short term ones, because my ultimate goal — after gaining extensive knowledge and experience—is to form a financial advisory services firm that will cater to the needs of small to mid-size companies by helping organizations with raising capital, and ground-breaking financial planning solutions that will improve financial performance and value of business. An MBA from Emory University is necessary because will provide the additional knowledge base that are vital to fulfill the different short term and long term career goals. What particularly interests me is Gozuieta’s commitment to leadership development through the plus programs and extracurricular activities which would give ample opportunity for me to further improve and enhance my leadership skills.   Also, Goizueta’s flexible program will not only help polish my skills in other fundamental functional business areas but will also allow me to modify my selection of courses according to detailed career interests. Most importantly, my visit to Emory University was both informative and inspirational I was able to obtain more information about the structure of the program. In addition, it gave me the chance to interact with alumni, current MBA students and a faculty member. I it was very beneficial listening to their first hand experiences and also learn about the close-knit community at Goizueta. This I believe is very significant as it allows the fostering of meaningful relationships. Overall, I was really impressed with the talent and diversity of the students this has certainly strengthened my resolve to be a part of Goizueta business school. If given an opportunity I assure you that I would contribute through my hard work and experiences to the classroom and more importantly gain knowledge and an understanding of the corporate world. How to cite MBA Admissions Essays, Essays

The Smallest Difference free essay sample

During the summer of 2010, I spent a lot of my time working at baseball camps for America’s Game Baseball Facility. I was a staff member there, and I got the chance to teach the game of baseball to young children. There were two groups of kids that I worked with, the first group was ages 6-9, and the second group was ages 9-11. The camps were each a week in length, and there were five different sessions, so I had the opportunity to work with a lot of different kids. However, there was one youngster that stood out to me. He was a seven year old boy by the name of Kevin, and he was a little different from most of the other kids at the camp. Kevin was small for his age, he was not the most skilled player, and he was somewhat of an outcast of the group. We will write a custom essay sample on The Smallest Difference or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Kevin did not seem to have much confidence in himself when he arrived at the camp, which I believe caused him to hold back and not play to the best of his ability. Day after day, I worked with the kids, paying special attention to Kevin; not necessarily focusing on improving his swing or correcting his throwing motion, but more so on simply talking and getting to know him a little bit more every day. Slowly, but surely, I noticed him starting to gain confidence in himself while he was amongst his peers, and after the first couple days Kevin started feeling more comfortable around me as well. He would come sit next to me on our lunch break and engage in conversation as if we had known each other for years. Often we would not even discuss baseball; we would talk about whatever Kevin could think of; his siblings for example, or what television shows he enjoyed watching. Just as I had thought, the more Kevin talked and gained confidence, the better he would do in the physical aspect of the game. By the end of the week, Kevin was no longer the shy, self-conscious kid that I had seen on the first day. He had come such a long way in every sense; he had made new friends and improved his baseball skills tremendously. On the last day of camp when parents were coming to pick up their children, Kevin ran up to me and gave me a hug. With a big smile on his face, he said â€Å"Thank you, Coach Adam†. This is one moment that I will never forget for as long as I am a coach. It is a great feeling to know that you personally made even the smallest difference in a young kid’s life, even if it is something as insignificant as teaching the game of baseball. It did not show up on any score card or stat sheet, but helping Kevin was a personal home run for me; one that I would not trade for anything.

The Brain Essay Essays - Emerging Technologies, Brain,

The Brain Essay The human body is divided into many different parts called organs. An organ called the brain, is the center of the nervous system and it is the center of all voluntary and involuntary activities. It is also responsible for other complexities such as thought, language, and emotion. The brain weighs merely three pounds in an adult but it contains thousands of millions of nerve cells that make up the nervous system. For years scientists have been studying the enigmas of the brain and still today, there are many aspects of the brain that remain a mystery. In order to comprehend the brain, it's necessary to understand the protection it has from injuries. It's also imperative to discover medical advances through tests and analysis to treat devastating neurological diseases. Twenty-eight bones make up the skull. Eight of these bones are interlocking plates. These plates form the cranium. The cranium provides maximum protection for the brain while the other twenty bones make up the face. Another way the brain is kept safe is by keeping itself in liquid. Nearly one fifth of the blood pumped by the heart is sent to the brain. The brain then sends the blood through an intricate network of blood vessels to where the blood is needed. Specialized blood vessels produce a protective fluid. This fluid is what the brain literally floats in. A third protective measure taken by the brain is called the blood brain barrier. This barrier consists of a network of unique capillaries. These capillaries are filters for harmful chemicals carried by the blood, but do allow oxygen, water, and glucose to enter the brain. By understanding the nature in which the brain is kept, a person can assume that it is the most important organ in the body. A person can then learn how to treat brain juries and many neurological diseases. Today, many experiments are being conducted that may be medical advances for the future. For instance, brain grafting is one procedure that may be used in the future. Brain grafting is transplanting a very thin layer of brain skin from one person to another. This would result in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other seizure related disorders. Another radical idea that has already been successfully been tried on rhesus monkey's is, total body transplants. This would allow someone with total body cancer to live with another body. However, the spine can't be reattached and scientists are pondering ways on how to spark cell growth in the spinal column to grow back in the broken area of the spine. The ethics and legal problems for such a transplant would probably never let this operation be performed on humans. This is because the person would not be the same. The last idea of the future is called artificial seeing. Artificial seeing is achieved by planting small electrodes in fr ont of the visual cortex of the brain. The electrodes are connected to a small camera that is some where on the person's ear. A computer is attached to the camera. The computer sends the images from the camera directly to the implanted electrodes. They flash as the picture from the camera, thus enabling the person to see. But as of yet this procedure is not practical because of the size of the computer, and because of the cost of the package. After all of the work and research that we have done it is very evident to us that the brain is one of the most wondrous organs that humans could have. It guides us through almost every second of our life. Even after exploring the world and the universe, the brain has never ceased to amaze people, and probably never will. Science

Analog vs. Digital

Analog vs. Digital Analog vs. Digital Analog vs. Digital By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between analog and digital, and why is the latter word, which originally referred to fingers, now the antithesis of â€Å"hands-on†? An analog is something related to physical quantities (hence the name; analog comes from a Greek word meaning â€Å"proportion†): An analog clock, for example, shows the passage of time by measuring it with a â€Å"hand† that pivots on a central axis, while a measuring tape represents the length of a tangible phenomenon such as a room’s dimensions. By contrast, digital refers to a device’s reading of binary units, zeros and ones, to perform functions and to the storage of information as binary units rather than an analog recording medium such as magnetic ribbon. Ironically, however, digit stems from the Latin term digitus, meaning â€Å"finger† or â€Å"toe.† The path from appendages to algorithms involves the use of fingers to count, thus the extension of the definition of digit to â€Å"number below ten.† The use of zeros and tens as the basis of the on-off duality of binary computer systems led the technology to be referred to as digital technology. Indeed, the word bit, referring to the basic unit of digital information, is a contraction of the phrase â€Å"binary digit.† The adjective digital now refers both to something done or having to do with fingers (for example, â€Å"digital manipulation†) and something related to digitally rendered numbers, or to computerized data or to electronics. Two other terms with the same root word are digitalis, referring to a plant popularly known as the foxglove and to a medicine extracted from it, and prestidigitation, a sesquipedalian synonym for magic. Digitalis is a Latinized form of the German word fingerhut (â€Å"thimble†), because of the resemblance of the plant’s flowers to the sewing implement. Prestidigitation, meanwhile, is another Latin-looking invention influenced by prestige, which comes from the Latin word praestigiae, â€Å"juggler’s tricks.† (Prestige acquired a laudatory meaning and connotation only in the early twentieth century.) It’s a combination of the Italian word presto and digit hence, â€Å"quick fingers.† Analog, meanwhile, calls to mind its full-form predecessor analogue (which spelling for the adjectival form is also preferred in British English), which means â€Å"something similar.† An analogy is also a similarity, or it can refer to a correspondence or to another form of comparison. Analogous is the adjectival form. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:25 Subordinating ConjunctionsDifference between "Pressing" and "Ironing"Wood vs. Wooden

Contract Law Exam Practice Essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contract Law Exam Practice Essays - Essay Example In the case of Trident, an attempt was made to alter the Privity Clause around trust principles and did not succeed because it was only obiter dicta. The doctrine of Privity does not allow a third party such as a consumer for example, to sue a manufacturer who has produced defective goods – classified as vertical privity – or indeed sue a retailer who has sold him faulty goods via a friend who has purchased the product for him - this is a case of horizontal privity. This places the consumer at a great disadvantage, especially if the retailer has gone out of business and is unable to compensate for the defective goods - he cannot sue the manufacturer unless he can establish a collateral contractual relationship, which is possible only in rare cases (Carlill vs. Carbolic Smoke). Generally, the consumer would be considered a third party to the contract between the manufacturer and retailer and therefore deprived of any rights. Modern day transactions are rarely linear in nature. Financial and commercial transactions involve several parties and the Doctrine of Privity makes no allowance for the ramifications of multiple secondary and tertiary parties involved in contracts. But the Doctrine of Privity remains strong in Australian law and is a contentious issue, impeding recoveries from third parties. This is especially so in the case of subordinated debts, where the implementation of the â€Å"security cushion† provided by a senior creditor is impeded by the Privity Doctrine. Common law principles such as promissory estoppel offer scope for development in favor of third parties (Walton Stores vs. Maher). The introduction of Section 563c into the Corporations Law of 2001 has been ineffective in the face of the Doctrine of privity and further reform is necessary. In Queensland, some statutory modifications have been carried out to the Privity Principle at Section 55 of the

The Problems and Attributes of Nursing Assessment Essay

The Problems and Attributes of Nursing Assessment - Essay Example The first problem was when Jane became agitated, the nurse did not respond properly. Due to Jane’s age, she was thought to have dementia when she complained about feeling locked up. Anybody in an accident can feel locked up when admitted to the hospital. The nurse should have listened to the woman more carefully and tried to soothe her or even have her son come and soothe her. This leads to the most important problem. A patient diagnosed with a concussion should never be sedated. This only causes more confusion and balance loss. It might have been a temporary fix, but in the long run, was detrimental to Jane. Age was a big factor in the nursing style here. It does not matter that Jane was productive with no major problems. The nursing staff did not look past the fact Jane was eighty-three. When Jane stubbornly refused their efforts to feed and bath her, they would sedate her more. Of course, constant sedation would mimic the effects of dementia. If diagnosed and treated with a concussion, all of Jane’s problems would have a different outcome, including her broken femur. Since she was written off as having dementia, Jane was not given a rehabilitation plan. If given a rehabilitation plan, Jane would have been more at ease knowing that she was going home. The sedation confused her more. If fewer sedatives were given and a rehabilitation plan given, Jane probably could have left the hospital before going into the nursing home. Age profiling should not have occurred by the nursing staff. All of Jane’s problems could have been avoided by a different, more understanding nursing approach.

Heidegger's distinction between the ready-to-hand and the Essay

Heidegger's distinction between the ready-to-hand and the present-to-hand - Essay Example Heidegger has approved the explanation with regard to philosophy as 'its own time comprehended in thought'; the same thought has been delivered by the historians. According to Heidegger, the history of philosophy was to be considered as Western civilization's ever-deepening forgetfulness or oblivion of being, and he disapproved the belief that supported progressive self-realization of spirit version of history f philosophy. Heidegger was also supportive of the notion that Eastern intellectual thoughts can be of support towards technological understanding of being. Heidegger once commented that, 'I am convinced that a change can only be prepared from the same place in the world where the modern technological world originated. It cannot come about by the adoption of Zen Buddhism or other Eastern experiences of the world. The help of the European tradition and a new appropriation of that tradition are needed for a change in thinking. Thinking will only be transformed by a thinking that has the same origin and destiny. The technological world must be superseded in the Hegelian sense, not removed, superseded, but not by human beings alone'(G. Neske, 1990). Heideggar's philosophy has much in similar with the philosophy proposed by Edmund Husserl. Heidegger was much impressed by the article of Husserl on Logical Investigations. Heidegger acknowledged that Husserl's phenomenology produced significant impact on his personal work. Phenomenology is with reference to the science of consciousness and the related objects. The Cartesian tradition has been foundation for phenomenology, Husserl is of the opinion that one can reach the phenomenological attitude, based on the detail analysis of the content of consciousness, from natural attitude, based on actual world and related affairs by the application of methodological procedure. Freedom from prejudice and achievement of purity is possible through phenomenological reduction. Heidegger believes that phenomenology is based on separate analysis of consciousness. DASEIN: Ready-to-Hand & Present-at-Hand Being and Time is supportive of Husserlian phenomenology, and Heidegger has tried to explore the different modes of the existence of the beings, and the experience of its encounter. He analyzed the concept of being in a detailed manner, and referred to the daily life as utensils, or in particular mood of anxiety, and has further revealed the identity of Dasein, and terms it to be particular kind of being. Heidegger has denied the concept with reference to the constitution of the original on the basis of pure consciousness, rather is of the opinion that Dasein in its being is the core of philosophy. Heidegger has forwarded many thoughts which need to be answered. In his letter to Husserl he asked, "What is the mode of being of that being in which the world constitutes itself'" he has stressed over the need to evaluate the constitution supportive of the existence of Dasein, and if certain mysteries with reference to Dasein are unanswered, it will have an impact on the being in general. He wrote to Husserl that, "universal problem of being refers to that which constitutes and to that

Sociology of Law: Theories and Concepts

Sociology of Law: Theories and Concepts Introduction The three classical thinkers of Sociology, Marx, Weber and Durkheim have one thing in common regarding the Sociology of Law; their theories were part and parcel of a more fundamental sociological perspective and theory of society. Marx will be the odd one among the three because, the work of Marx is on theoretical ground not evidently connected to the aspirations of sociology, but historically Marxs writings have informed a considerable body of sociological writings until this day. Marx made a contribution to social science by suggesting the instrumentalist theory of law in contributing to and justifying social inequality. Durkheims work orients around the key dimensions of social issues as involving both factual and normative dimensions of society. Whereas Weber is considered as the founding father par excellence of the modern sociology of law. When Weber observed that social life in the modern era had become more and more rationalized in a purposive-rational sense, he no only conte mplated the central role of economy, stat, and bureaucracy, but along with it also discussed the role of law as the basis of modern political authority. Weber specifically outlined the characteristics of a formally rationalized legal system that is primarily guided by the application of procedure. Sociology of Law The sociology of law is often described as a sub-discipline of sociology or an interdisciplinary approach within legal studies. While some socio-legal scholars see the sociology of law as necessarily belonging to the discipline of sociology, others see it as a field of research caught up in the disciplinary tensions and competitions between the two established disciplines of law and sociology. Yet, others regard it neither as a sub-discipline of sociology nor as a branch of legal studies and, instead, present it as a field of research on its own right within a broader social science tradition. For example, Roger Cotterrell describes the sociology of law without reference to mainstream sociology as the systematic, theoretically grounded, empirical study of law as a set of social practices or as an aspect or field of social experience. Irrespective of whether the sociology of law is defined as a sub-discipline of sociology, an approach within legal studies, or a field of research in its own right, it remains intellectually dependent mainly on mainstream sociology, and to lesser extent on other social sciences such as social anthropology, political science, social policy, criminology and psychology, i.e. it draws on social theories and employs social scientific methods to study law, legal institutions and legal behaviour. More specifically, the sociology of law consists of various sociological approaches to the study of law in society, which empirically examines and theorizes the interaction between law and legal institutions, on the one hand, and other (non-legal) social institutions and social factors, on the other. Areas of socio-legal inquiry include the social development of legal institutions, forms of social control, legal regulation, the interaction between legal cultures, the social construction of legal issues, legal profession, and the relation between law and social change. The sociology of law also benefits from and occasionally draws on research conducted within other fields such as comparative law, critical legal studies, jurisprudence, legal theory, law and economics and law and literature. The Classical Thinkers The roots of the sociology of law can be traced back to the works of sociologists and jurists of the turn of the previous century. The relationship between law and society was sociologically explored in the seminal works of both Max Weber and Emile Durkheim. The works of Karl Marx was not immediately influential in the development of the sociology of law as no direct historical path led from his thought to subsequent sociological schools of thought. Marxs work was later appropriated by critical sociologists who sought to break with the consensual thinking that they felt characterized much of mainstream sociology in the years after World War II. The writings on law by these classical sociologists are foundational to the entire sociology of law today. A number of other scholars, mainly jurists, also employed social scientific theories and methods in an attempt to develop sociological theories of law. Notably among these were Leon Petrazycki, Eugen Ehrlich and Georges Gurvitch. Marxs theory is not to be understood merely as a theory of the economy, for his analysis of capitalism is meant to provide the basis for an analysis of society. The economic organization of society is its material core from which all other social developments in matters of politics, culture, and law can be explained. This is summarized in Marxs famous dictum that the infrastructure of a society determines it superstructure. Thus, the division between the economic classes of owners and non-owners appears at the societal level as a class antagonism between the relatively small but powerful bourgeoisie and the relatively large but powerless proletariat. The bourgeoisie can articulate its economic power also at the political, cultural, and legal level because of its control over all important institutions of society, such as government, the legal system, art science, and education. The economic, according to Marx, only the destruction of capitalism in favor of a communist mode of product ion, whereby the workers collectively own and control the means of production, world ensure a successful revolution of society in to a more just social order. Marx did not develop a comprehensive perspective on law and his ideas on law are scattered throughout his writings. Marxs theory of the state provides the most useful entry into his perspective on law. Congruent with his materialist perspective, Marx asserts that the economic conditions of society determine what type of state will develop, which in a capitalist society implies that the state will be controlled by the bourgeoisie as an instrument to secure economic rights and to moderate class conflict. For him the capitalist state represents and secures the power of the dominant economic class which now also becomes the politically dominant class. Interestingly, Marx argues that the democratic republic, rather than being a more egalitarian form of the capitalistic state, for it totally disregards the property distinction that have arisen under capitalism. Marxs notion on law is instrumentalist, similar to that of his notion of state. He views the legal system in function of its role as an instrument of control serving bourgeois interests. Rather than abiding by a principle of the rule of law that holds that it is just for the law to be applied equally and fairly to all, Marx maintains that capitalist law actually enhances the conditions of inequality that mark capitalist society. Marx contends that the capitalist legal system contributes to inequality because capitalist law establishes and applies individualized rights of freedom, which benefit those who own while disfavoring those who are without property. The formal equality that is granted in law by treating the various parties that are in contract with one another or with the state as equal contributes to sustain and develop the economic inequalities that exist among legal subjects. Legal doctrine justifies the practices of capitalist law on the basis of a notion of justice claime d to be universally valid but which in actuality serves the interests of only the dominant economic class. The ideology of capitalist law is ultimately accepted widely even among those members of society who are economically disadvantaged and thus additionally subject to the inequalities brought about by the legal system. For Max Weber, a so-called legal rational form as a type of domination within society, is not attributable to people but to abstract norms. He understood the body of coherent and calculable law in terms of a rational-legal authority. Such coherent and calculable law formed a precondition for modern political developments and the modern bureaucratic state and developed in parallel with the growth of capitalism. Central to the development of modern law is the formal rationalisation of law on the basis of general procedures that are applied equally and fairly to all. Weber specifically outlined the characteristics of a formally rationalized legal system that is primarily guided by the application of procedures. His analysis of law is an intrinsic part of his sociology, in terms of both its perspective of the study of society and its theoretical propositions on the conditions of modern society. Modern rationalised law is also codified and impersonal in its application to specific cases. In general, Webers standpoint can be described as an external approach to law that studies the empirical characteristics of law, as opposed to the internal perspective of the legal sciences and the moral approach of the philosophy of law. Weber developed his perspective on law as part of a more general sociology. In the systematic nature and comprehensive scope of its contribution, Webers analysis is rivaled only by that of Emile Durkheim, whose sociology of law was likewise part and parcel of a more fundamental sociological perspective and theory of society. Emile Durkheim wrote in The Division of Labour in Society, that as society becomes more complex, the body of civil law concerned primarily with restitution and compensation grows at the expense of criminal laws and penal sanctions. Over time, law has undergone a transformation from repressive law to restitutive law. Restitutive law operates in societies in which there is a high degree of individual variation and emphasis on personal rights and responsibilities. For Durkheim, law is an indicator of the mode of integration of a society, which can be mechanical, among identical parts, or organic, among differentiated parts such as in industrialized societies. Durkheim also argued that a sociology of law should be developed alongside, and in close connection with, a sociology of morals, studying the development of value systems reflected in law. At sociologys heart is a concern for morality. For Durkheim, society cannot exist without moral bonds, whether these are bonds of shared belief or of mutual commitment reflecting the interdependence of individuals or social groups. Moral ideas are neither innate in the individual nor to be deduced from abstract first principles. They are inspired by the empirical conditions of social lie in particular times and places. To understand those conditions and the forces that shape social development is rationally to appreciate moralitys demands. Morality provides the normative framework of stable social relationships. In modern society these relationships are primarily domestic, economic and occupational and political relationship of citizenship. Morality expresses the requirements of living together in particular environments; the domain of the moral begins where the domain of the social begins (Durkheim, 1961:60). For Durkheim, Moral ideas are the soul (lame) of the law(1909:150). Law ex presses what is fundamental in any societys morality. So the study of law like that of morality is central to sociology. Conclusion Among the three classic thinkers Marx did not focus on law to any degree of intellectual satisfaction, while the sociological contributions of Weber and Durkheim are not only influential but foundational to the sociology of law.

My Theory Of The Universe :: essays research papers

My Theory of the Universe You are about to be transported to a very strange world, read on if you dare! The planet you are on is a giant disco ball, rotating clockwise. (Earth) This disco ball is in a place that has two stories. It is on the first story ceiling, but the ceiling is made of glass so the disco ball can be seen from both floors. The walls of the room are black. There is a big yellow spotlight in one corner of the room that slowly moves up and down. (Sun) There is another spotlight in the opposite corner, but this one is white and has a rotating filter to block some of the light out. (Moon) This filter starts at one end of the light, works its way across, and then works its way back. (Phases of the Moon) There are many spots on the walls of the room that are just reflections off of the disco ball. (Stars) These spots seem to form different patterns on the walls and move along with the disco ball, but not always at the same rate. (Constellations) There are two very shy people in the room that sometimes leave the room. When they are in the room they stand by the walls and always wink for some reason, so all we can see of them is one of their eyes. (Mercury & Venus) Then there are three very weird people in the room that are always in the middle of the room doing the Waltz. They do this some how by themselves and they to are always winking. They are sometimes on the first floor and sometimes on the second floor. (Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) There is also one guy dressed in a white polyester leisure suit, gold chains, and rings dancing to "Stayin' Alive." (comet) It seems as though everyone in the universe hears their own music. He is only in the room for a little bit; he makes his way across the room then leaves, he must get tired really quick! Sometimes when he is dancing or even when you can not see him dancing, (must have forgot his gold chains) somehow he loses a ring because we can see it fly across the sky. (shooting star) Then there are two people, one directly below the ball and one directly above the ball when they are there. They both dress in silver lamay (shiny stuff) that makes all different colors that we can see. (Northern/Southern Lights) Occasionally some stupid guy stands in front of one of the spotlights and

Is Routine Circumcision of Infants Ethical?

History of Circumcision: Reviewing the history of circumcision and the many misguided reasons for its practice will help form an understanding of the multifaceted issues concerning routine infant circumcision. Some of the earliest evidence of male circumcision comes from Egypt around the year 3000 BC. However, researchers studying this practice do not understand or agree on its purpose. Some researches believe that circumcision was a form of branding for slaves while others thought it to be from the priestly class as a form of religious ritual. But when is more pertinent to this argument is that the early Greeks and Romans outlawed male circumcision believing it to be a barbaric form of mutilation of male genitalia. The first documented purpose for circumcision is in the Old Testament Scriptures (Gen 17:10) concerning the covenant between Abraham and God, representative of the relationship between Israel and Yahweh. According to the governing doctrinal resource for Catholics worldwide, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the explanation for Old Testament circumcision is in section 1150. 1150 – †¦Among these liturgical signs from the Old Covenant are circumcision, anointing and consecration of kings and priests, laying on of hands, sacrifices, and above all the Passover. The Church sees in these signs a prefiguring of the sacraments of the New Covenant. † The circumcision of Jesus in the New Testament explains that when Jesus came, as the fulfillment of prophecy that the new covenant manifested through th e innocent blood of Jesus replaces once and for all the old covenant through Father Abraham. There is no longer a need for animal sacrifices and the early Christian community determined that baptism was to be the new sign of the covenant. â€Å"527- Jesus' circumcision, on the eighth day after his birth, is the sign of his incorporation into Abraham's descendants, into the people of the covenant. It is the sign of his submission to the Law and his deputation to Israel's worship, in which he will participate throughout his life. This sign prefigures that â€Å"circumcision of Christ† which is Baptism. Routine infant circumcision in the United States became prevalent in the Victorian age (1840) and reached its height during the Cold War (1940) when technology, hospitals, and modern medicine sought to institutionalize the birthing process. Including more than 90% of boys, infant circumcisions became so routine that doctors performed the procedure without actually receiving consent from the parents. Parents not desiring the process for their sons were considered negligen t. Given the history and the misguided reasons for practicing routine circumcision, â€Å"Why would a parent authorize, a doctor perform, or an insurance company pay for, the routine circumcision of infants? † A. Health Reasons- certainly it would be ethical to surgically remove the penis foreskin of a male infant if in some way it presented a health risk; there is no real argument here. B. Tradition-for generations, infants have undergone various procedures under the reasoning of â€Å"tradition. From binding feet in Japan (which has been banned) to piercing ears, and stretching necks, tradition plays a large part in the decision for circumcision. Many men, who like their own fathers were circumcised as infants, think that their child in turn might as well be circumcised too. However, is there any real thinking going on here at all? I argue that just because everyone else jumps off a bridge, is that any reason for you to jump off as well. Religious Beliefs- I would have to say yes, it is ethical to have a child circumcised if you are following a true religious belief. The parent who has legal authority over their child may choose (and in fact is morally obligated to choose) to do what they believe is in the best interest of the child. Therefore, for the Jews who believe that the outward sign of circumcision establishes their child in a covenantal relationship with God; they are well within their ethical right and responsibility to have their sons circumcised. Freedom of religion is one of the building blocks of our free nation. Circumcision mentality: Today thanks in part to our mass media; modern society is ruled by prevailing mentalities. These pervasive mindsets allure us to what appears to be the benefits of circumcision, while completely obscuring any possible negative ramifications. The mentality is permeated into societal norms, which are almost impossible to resist, and are most difficult to correct. An accepted societal mentality is further driven by force of habit. Among other things, we live in a society that assumes that a male infant in the United States is routinely circumcised. Seldom are discussions of the pros and cons of the procedure brought to the attention of the parent, unless the parent specifically requests it. Even then, the doctor may say, â€Å"It is not medically necessary but if the boys father has been circumcised, then you should probably have your son circumcised as well†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦or â€Å"you wouldn’t want him to look different than his friends when he becomes a high school student in the locker room. † Medical Ethics: When looking into medical ethics, the Oath of Hippocrates standard for medical professionals since 400 BCE shed some additional light onto the situation. From the Oath: â€Å"I do solemnly swear by whatever I hold most sacred, that I will be loyal to the profession of medicine†¦that I will exercise my art, solely for the cure of my patients and the prevention of disease†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Therefore, considering the Hippocrates oath, a routine circumcision of an infant male does not fall into the category of â€Å"†¦curing a patient, and the preventing of disease†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Why then would doctors perform such an unnecessary procedure Catholic Theological Ethics: As a student of Theology, from a Roman Catholic perspective I have yet to hear a discussion concerning the morality of circumcision. However after researching the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) under the subtitle â€Å"Mutilation of body parts† section 2297 reads, â€Å"Except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended amputations, mutilations, and sterilizations performed on innocent persons are against the moral law. † VI. Personal Ethics: Each parent possesses the God given right to make certain decisions on behalf of their young children who cannot make these decisions themselves. A good example is immunizations; no infant has the capability to make this decision, so the parent, in the child’s best interest makes the decision to have the child immunized. I am a mother of four sons, born in the years 1983, 1985, 1991 and 1992. Although the father of the boys was circumcised however, none of our boys is circumcised. To this day, none of them has ever had trouble of any kind, nor has it been an issue in the locker room. The decision to leave the boys as they were born, uncircumcised, was based on the fact that it was not a medical necessity, that anesthetic was not used (they had just been traumatized in birth), and that there was a possibility of complications from the procedure. Parents need to take a more proactive stance in researching the pros and cons of the procedure, and should spend at least as much time and energy on this decision as they do in picking out a new car! VII. Objective – If the objective of the National Organization of Circumcision of Infants Resource Center is to reduce the number of routine circumcisions performed, I believe that to pursue this objective through legal channels alone would be fruitless. Big government has more than enough authority in dictating to families what they can and cannot do for their children. Your best bet would be to lobby the insurance companies. Perhaps you could demand coverage for an elective surgical procedure such as having your breasts enlarged and when they tell you no that it is just a cosmetic or optional procedure, sue them for discriminatory practices. The last thing an insurance company wants is a class action lawsuit. It would be simple for them to simply take routine infant circumcisions off their list of covered procedures. In addition, a non-covered expense for an unnecessary procedure may prompt parents to give this issue closer consideration. D. Moral Law: Next, one must consider which law is the governing authority in your life. The Moral Law operates under a set of religious beliefs. Found within the moral law are the Jewish Law, and the Christian Law (for the sake of brevity we will not mention other religious groups here). The Jewish Law of Circumcision establishes a covenant between God and Abraham (Gen 17:10), representative of Yahweh and Israel. The Christian Law comes into effect with the birth of Jesus. Jesus becomes the new sign of the covenant, with the Baptism of infants as the effective cause. Concerning Civil Law under which all persons are bound; it has little criteria for establishing ethical arguments. One may ask questions of the law: if allowing an un-anaesthetized circumcision is lawful, and what recourse would a child have if the procedure causes permanent damage to the male organ but these are considered civil, not ethical. Additionally, why would an insurance company pay for such an unnecessary procedure (when so many don’t pay for many true necessities)? Perhaps it should be regarded as â€Å"elective surgery† and therefore it would be a charge paid for entirely by the parent requesting the procedure, not as an â€Å"ordinary and customary† procedure paid for by the insurance companies. However, the Hebrew people alone practiced the circumcision of infants on the 8th day after birth. The child’s father, using a flint knife, preformed circumcision

Playstation 4 vs Xbox One

The year 2013 marked the new era of video game consoles. Sony and Microsoft, two heavyweight entertainment companies that are both fighting for the title of the best console. In one corner you have Sony’s Playstation 4 and in the other sits Microsoft’s Xbox one. Both of these are next generation consoles that use the latest technologies to give the gamer a better feel for the game that he or she plays. Both of these consoles are similar in a variety of ways but, for the similarities that they share they also contain many differences. Sony’s Playstation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox one are both two powerful consoles but, are completely different from each other before I can one I need to compare the two. The Playstation 4’s console design is similar to the its predecessor on the outside sporting a similar sleek design scheme but, this is where the similarity ends. The ps4 uses a semi custom accelerated processing unit that combines a central processing unit and graphics processing unit all in one chip. This chip is used to amplify the power of the simulation and graphics on the console. The console also holds several chips that assist in its multitasking ability and can be utilized even while the system is in sleep mode. The ps4 houses a special audio chip that can be used to support in game chat ability among other players and supports in game mp3 streaming. The console comes with 8 gigabytes of GDDR memory and a bandwidth of 176 gigabytes a second which is sixteen times the amount the ps3 had. The ps4 will contain a bluray disc drive that reads discs at 6x CAV for a read speed of 27 megabytes a second. The ps4 boasts a massive 500 gb pre-installed memory that can be modified so that user can add more whenever he or she wishes. Like the rest of the latest gaming consoles the PS4 will have wireless connectivity; an Ethernet port will also be integrated into the system to for wired connections. The playstation 4 is also Bluetooth compatible. The ps4 will support HDMI cables recognizing up to 1080p isually. The system will also come bundled with a mono stero headset and a peripheral motion detection device, The Playstation Camera. This year’s model of the Playstation will mark the debut of a a radical change to dual shock controller, the DualShock 4. The DualShock 4, being the latest in the series of controllers is well more advanced than the previous three. The basics of the controller haven’t changed much over the years besides the addition of new buttons, func tions and capabilities. The Dual Shock 4 comes with a touchscreen pad on the back, a share button that will allow user to upload videos of their own gameplay experiences, a small built in mono speaker, and a lightbar that changes color to indicate which player is which and can be used by the ps4’s Playstation Camera to determine real life movement and depth of the player. Even the select and start buttons have been merged into a single button called, options. These features aren’t included on any other gaming controller available to the public. This controller even took an Emmy for best â€Å"Peripheral Development and Technological Impact of Video Game Controllers† by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on January 8, 2007. In the other corner of the ring, you have Microsoft’s new fighter, the Xbox One. The Xbox One is a gaming console and all around entertainment system. This year Microsoft has decided to move away from the PowerPC chip and is now utilizing an AMD processor in this new console. The Xbox One was built with heavy emphasis on the Kinect peripheral camera device and comes with numerous functions that use this device as well. Console users can hook up their cable boxes and watch live television through the gaming console. Xbox live, the consoles signature gaming service has also been improved. Gamers will have the ability to record live footage of their game play and be able to stream that footage to certain outlets or share it with their friends online. The Xbox one comes bundled with the Kinect motion camera device and the standard Xbox one controller. The kinect will play a much more important role on the Xbox One. The kinect will integrate with the Xbox One allowing users to use functions such as voice commands, it will have different hand motions for different functions, and the most critical part is, the Xbox one will not work without the kinect attached but, doesn’t need to enter a powered state just as along as its hooked up to the console. The Xbox One controller still has the same design as the original xbox but, will have a slightly different layout and features. The directional pad has been changed to a four-way design, the battery compartment has been made slimmer, the start and back buttons has been renamed menu and view respectively. The two triggers on the controller have been outfitted with a new feature as well. Both of the triggers have independent rumble motors called, Impulse Triggers, these Impulse Triggers allow video game developers to bring vibration to controllers independently. Now both of these consoles sound great right? They both come with amazing features and do amazing things. Both the PS4 and Xbox One come bundled with controllers and devices and have loaded these devices with many features. The Playstation 4 comes priced at $399. 00 USD, comes with a 500 gigabyte hard drive, a AMD 8-core jaguar processor, and 8 gigabytes of RAM. The Playstation camera comes separately from the gaming console. The PS4 is also Bluetooth compatible. The Xbox One and the included Kinect will be priced at $ 499. 00 USD, will have a 500 gigabyte hard drive, will have a custom 8 core chip built by microsoft, and is not Bluetooth compatible. The Kinect utilizes voice commands, can detect body and hand motions and can track up to 6 people at one time. Xbox one controllers have been designed to include vibration packs in the triggers. So as you can see these system both share similar functions, equipment, and hardware specs. One of the most obvious differences is the price with the PS4 priced at a hundred dollars cheaper than the Xbox one. If I or anyone else has interest in these gaming consoles and wishes to purchase one, this information would be needed to compare the two before I can make a decision.

Health Care’s Professional Regulation and Criminal Liability Essay Example

Health Care’s Professional Regulation and Criminal Liability Essay Example Health Care’s Professional Regulation and Criminal Liability Paper Health Care’s Professional Regulation and Criminal Liability Paper Research your state’s statutes for the regulation of health care professionals, including licensure, credentialing, certification, and registration requirements. In addition, research areas of potential criminal liability relating to these procedures, as well as professional misconduct. Then, prepare a 1,400-1,750 word paper that summarizes your findings with respect to one type of health care professional (e.g. physicians, nurses, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, etc.). Include the following components:a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Identify the civil complaint process for patients/consumers to use in the event of suspected professional misconduct or incompetence.b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Explore the role of the respective regulatory agencies in investigating such allegations and determining and applying appropriate disciplinary action, if any.c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Identify any potential criminal liability that could result to the health care professional relative to abuse s perpetrated in practices involving these procedures, as well as professional misconduct.d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ascertain the process that would be followed in the event that criminal charges were to be filled for the described criminal behavior.The one type of health care professional I select for this assignment is â€Å"Physicians.† I included a web link for the research portion.   Link to the Medical Board of Californiambc.ca.gov/Index.htmThis web links covers complaint process, disciplinary actions and more.The Business and Professional Codes in the State of California are given under Section 800 to 809.9.   All Professional boards, including the Medical Board of California maintain a register of the names and addresses of all the practitioners.   All information of the licensees such as criminal records, insurance judgments and settlements, public complaints, disciplinary actions, etc, is noted.   The information of all the files are maintained confidential by the Board, but relevant information may be required for public records.   The Board shall protect the licensee from misuse of any of the personal information (which could result in threats to reputation, rights, benefits, etc).   From time to time, the Board may ask the licensee to submit additional information.The Laws of the Medical Board of California are one of the stringiest in the Country.   In the year 2003-04, the Board received about 5000 applications, out of which about 4000 were passed.   It can take anywhere between six to eight months for the applicant to obtain a license.   The Medical Board has to get some information of the potential licensee from the medical schools.   The long time period in giving licenses is mainly due to the huge number of applicants.   The applicants are examined in order of submission.   Once the duly filled in application form along with the documents and the fees are submitted, each of the applications are reviewed.   T he applicant should also submit fingerprint cards.   Once the initial review process is finished (usually it takes within 60 days), the applicant is informed, and has to submit a list of documents notified by the Board.   Usually for US and Canadian Graduates, the review process is quicker than candidates from other countries.   The FBI Fingerprint clearance is also required which may take some time.   In case of international applicants, it may take a longer time, as the applicant may not have the education and training requirements required by the California laws to practice in the state.   It may take a longer time to obtain documents from foreign schools and translated versions of certificates.   Once the documents are submitted and are in order, it may take about 3 months for them to be processed.   The senior authorities of the California Medical Board will review the applicant’s details and credentials.   In some cases unprecedented delays may occur dur ing processing, and hence, no applicant is given an exact date when their application would be ready.Patients are encouraged to file a complaint with the Board, when they have been harmed by the physician, and to prevent harm to other people.   The procedure is usually similar for civil malpractice and criminal liability.   The Medical Board of California is ready to help people to file a complaint against the physician for medical malpractice and also ensures their confidentiality.   However, the physician may know about the complainant identity as he/she may have to provide the case records and the details of the case during the investigation period.   Some of the reasons for filing disciplinary actions against the physicians include:-Situations in which the physician seriously departs from the established standards of practice whilst providing medical care (gross negligence).   Some of these include avoidance of diagnostic tests, not using accepted method of diagnosing and relating the patients or not identifying and treating the symptoms of the patients, and not seeking reference with a specialist.Repeatedly performing certain acts that may not be considered serious departure forms the accepted standards of practice, but can be referred to as ‘simple negligence.Incompetence on the part of the physician can be considered when the physician lacks knowledge, experience and skill in performing a particular medical procedure, or uses an obsolete procedure.Sexual violationsSubstance abuseCriminal activityUnlawful use of drugs in the prescriptionFiling of false insurance claimsPermitting an unlicensed person to deliver patient careFor several medical malpractices and misconducts, the physician could be held for criminal liability.   Any serious injury, physical or mental retardation, death, etc arising during the medical treatment in the care of the physician could be considered under criminal liability.   However, the standard of proof requir ed for proving criminal negligence is very high compared to civil liability.   The physician is usually liable when the standard of care provided is deficient to the standard or reasonable level.   In the US about 44, 000 deaths occur annually as a result of medical negligence.   Some of the other cases of criminal liability occur when the physician is not able to diagnose a potential disorder or gives a faulty diagnosis, delays giving a test interpretation or gives a test interpretation that is faulty, discrepancies during administration of drugs, fails to provide certain information to the patients before or during the performance of any medical procedure, uses substandard equipment or drugs, sexually abuses the patient, etc.The Medical Board of California respects a complaint from the people when it suspects that the laws have been dishonored.   The Attorney General charges the violators and also punishes the violators on behalf of the public.   The Board is represented at the hearings against the physicians by the Deputy Attorney General.   The Board has a Division for maintaining Medical Quality.   This Board review, accepts, rejects or alters the decisions set by the judges at the public hearing, or sets new decisions that are an alternative to the decision set by the judges at the public hearing, or takes disciplinary actions as an agreement as an alternative procedure to public hearings.   The Board can suspend or cancel the license issued to a physician incase the charges are proved against the physician.   They can also place the physician on probation for a certain period, impose fines or penalties or limit the practice.   The appropriate law enforcement agency is informed when criminal charges have been proved against the physician to enforce criminal punishment (such as fines and imprisonment).   Sometimes, the Board can conduct an examination to determine the competency level of the physician.   Physicians who abuse alcoho l or drugs whilst delivering patient care may have to undergo a rehabilitation program under the supervision of the Board.   The Board also provides information to the patients about the current licensure details of the physician, the disciplinary action taken against a physician, disciplinary charges pending, and history of medical malpractice and criminal record.   Some of the information of the physician which is known to the public includes:-1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Disciplinary actions taken by the Board against the physician in the past2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Disciplinary actions taken by the Board of another state or agency against the physician in the past3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Felony convictions against the physician by the Board after the year 1991.4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Misdemeanor convictions against the physician by the Board after the year 2006.5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Minor violations of law by the physician6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Whether a hospital has taken certain di sciplinary actions against the physician that has resulted in termination of the services provided by the physician7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Malpractice judgments and arbitrations where the awards were above US $ 30, 000.Once the Board receives a complaint from the public, a thorough investigation is held in order to gather evidence against the erring physician.   Usually complaints against the physician should be filed with seven years of the occurrence of the event.   However, there are several exceptions to this limitation period such as cases involving sexual abuse, criminal liability and abuse of a minor.   Once the complaint is received at the office, it is thoroughly reviewed by the supervisor and handled out to an investigator.   Serious complaints (such as death of the patient, physical injury, criminal misconduct, etc) are given priority and are handled promptly.   The Board will intimate the appropriate law enforcement agency in case the patient has to be protected .   The Board will notify the person about the status of the complaint during all stages.   The Board will thoroughly investigate the case.   The physician, witnesses, complainant, etc, may be interviewed for their versions of the incident.   An expert committee may be set up to provide expert advice of the case.The medical records of the patient and the details of the physician submitted during the application process are also reviewed and may be taken as evidence.   The Board drafts investigations documents and serves them to the required body.   It also performs undercover search operations and provides search warrants.   After the physician is interviewed, the expert committee assesses the situations and suggests the standard of proof existing.   Once evidence is obtained by the Medical Board that a medical malpractice has occurred, it is immediately submitted before the Office of the Attorney General and the Health Quality Enforcement Section.   The AG’ s Office will study the case if sufficient evidence exist, and if it does, charges are framed.   If strong and clear evidence exists against the physician, civil litigation charges are filed.   If a criminal element is involved, the standard of proof needs to be higher.   Such cases are further handed over to the Court for review before the Administrative Law Judge for public hearing.   If sufficient evidence is not obtained, the case may have to be closed.   If the violation that has occurred is insufficient to file a review before the administrative law judge, the case may also have to be closed.If the physician has committed a grossly negligent act that has caused the death of the patient, he/she could be held criminally liable.   The information is first presented to the Coroner.   An initial report is filed with the Medical Board and includes all information such as name of the physician, date of death, place of death, etc.   Within 90 days the Coroner’s report should be followed with the autopsy report.   The cause of death is usually established through expert evidences.   Expert testimonials are also utilized in civil cases.   Most cases of criminal negligence may be punished with criminal imprisonment and fines.   The fines usually cannot be paid from Insurance companies.   The physician may have to pay for the fine through his/her own means.   In criminal cases in California, peer review material was not protected from discovery.   This may be different from other state criminal laws, as in criminal proceedings, peer review material are secluded from discovery.   Section 805.2 of the Business and Professional Code provides for the peer review process of during malpractice cases.   The Peer review group will conduct a fair, objective and free study, separate from the Board, or the Physician.

Technology, Government, Entrepreneurship and their influence after Essay

Technology, Government, Entrepreneurship and their influence after world war 2 - Essay Example USA patented their commercial scale of production in 1948 and most of the pharmaceutical organizations went on to patent most of their potent antibiotics in 1950s-60s. Some of the American companies that took advantage of German Drug Patents are Winthrop Chemical Company and IG Farben. Political support was agreed upon after extensive research by numerous bodies including pharmaceutical industry, academic researchers, and government researchers. There was need to include intellectual influence on pharmaceutical companies due to dangers imposed by some drugs on patients. The government regularly sort academic physicians help while handling drug issues because they were deemed experts in the medical field. Germany experienced the most creative period between 1932 and 1945 and American scientists looted their patents after the World War II due to German’s devastation after the war. Americans had enough money to fund medical researches hence prompting them to strip off Germany inv entiveness. According to   Expert Reviews Staff World War II completely changed the world by ushering in a new technological age in the world we live now (Web). Governments invested a lot of money in research and technology to find better ways of destroying the enemy yet the eventual technology changed the way people think. During the post-world war II, pharmaceutical industry engaged itself in an extensive research as well as administrative networks with a number of bodies such as academic researchers and medical schools as well as the government and this led to a biomedical community and eventually organized medicine. There was an uppermost 300 kHz segment of world allocation of the 10-meter band from 29.7 MHz to 30MHz that was removed from amateur radio in 1947 but in 1950s, a single-sideband modulation for HF voice communication was introduced. This was followed by the launch of the first orbital amateur radio satellite (OSCAR) which was the first of series amateur radio satel lites created worldwide. Post war economy led to further expansion of the television production, which had earlier started in the decade as a means of developing radar technology. Console and tabletop models emerged and Milton Berlke and Ed Sullivan were amongst the first TV stars in the late 1940s. The 1950s later become the golden age of television because a good number of people could afford TV in their homes   (Expert Reviews Staff Web). Key Influential Entrepreneurs in the Post World War II Boyer explains that David Sarnoff was an American pioneer in the radio and television industry who migrated to the US in 1900 and worked for Marconi Wireless Company (684-685). Sarnoff proposed a radio music box in 1915, this led to the popularly known radio broadcasting, and when Radio Corporation absorbed the Marconi firm in 1921, he later became the CEO between 1947 and 1970. He contributed a lot to the development of black and white as well as compatible color TV and later served as Dw ight in World War II as a communication adviser and an active figure in public affairs where he was a spokesperson for the broadcasting industry. After the WW II Americans wanted to indulge themselves with entertainment and Sarnoff introduced a television price at $375. The sales went so high from 175, 000 in 1947 to 7 million in 1950 with almost half carrying RCA name and Sarnoff estimated that almost 47% of Americans owned television sets by 1952.

Geographies of war, occupation, resistance, and terrorism Essay

Geographies of war, occupation, resistance, and terrorism - Essay Example Unlike Britain and France, the major European powers, the US were highly recognized by Middle East as a good country with good people. Some of the key factors that improved US image in the eyes of the Middle East countries include the introduction of up-to-date medicine initiatives in the region, establishment of educational institutions, and provision of qualified petroleum engineers. As a result of the contributions of the US made in Middle East, the two regions had a strong connection prior to the Second World War. However, in the recent past, the two regions had a negative relationship that had triggered political unrest. This paper seeks to analyze the causes and solutions of the conflicts between Middle East and US. Even though Arabs and Israel have been involved in conflicts for a long period of time, the vested interest of the foreign countries, also referred to as foreign elite, has triggered the violence that led to large number of deaths in the Middle East countries. In ad dition to the US, China, Britain, Germany and Russia have also focused at controlling the oil in the Middle East countries. It is worth noting that as long as the foreign elite continue to be involved in the Middle East politics, the conflicts will remain unresolved. ... According to the Arab countries, US is the major cause of the conflict based on its political suppression, occupation of native land, military invasion as well as continued support of Israel on its political suppression against Palestine (Wu Sike 15). Additionally, Middle East countries argue that the US have negatively affected the culture of Arab countries by bringing about western values that have sabotaged the significant values of Islam community. As a result of the US invasion, the radical in the Middle East have gone to the extreme in their endeavor to resist the US control resulting to the emergence of terrorism. Another major cause of the animosity between the US and Middle East is the aim of the former to control the Middle East oil. In their efforts to expand their oil reserves, the US and other powerful states interferes with Arab-Israel conflicts with an aim of controlling the vast petroleum resources that acts as the major source of income for the Middle East countries. As a result, Arab countries have joined together to attack US interests in their countries such as the embassies, diplomats and other expatriates. In their efforts to improve their economy and intensify their control over the Middle East foreign countries have continued to sell weapons to the Arab countries an aspect that instigated conflicts in the Middle East. In this regard, it is fundamental for the UN and other international organizations to ban the sale of weapons to the Middle East countries to eliminate the war that has decapitated the economy of the Arab countries. Morris (37) argues that the emergence of corrupt and poor leadership in Middle East is one of the

American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

American History - Essay Example As one of the most consequential social movements in recent times, this research paper will explore the emergence of the U.S. Civil Rights movement and argue that without this movement, Barack Obama would not be president today. Seeking to address the emergence of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, this research paper will explore a variety of questions and provide an in-depth theoretical analysis of the early stages of this important social movement. Why did the U.S. Civil Rights Movement emerge when it did? What factors account for the emergence of boycotts as a technique of protest? Was the U.S. Civil Rights Movement a spontaneous reaction to decades of oppression or was it organized and led by key leaders and organizations? These questions and many more will be explored in this comprehensive analysis of the US Civil Rights movement. This essay refers to Unit IV (1946-1976) and aims to provide a thorough and comprehensive analysis of one of the most important movements of the twentieth century, namely the US Civil Rights Movement. Social movements have historically been agents for social change and any analysis of a movement must account for its emergence. At the outset of the Civil Rights Movement, various campaigns were a response to the systematic discrimination which plagued the southern United States in the middle half of the twentieth century. This movement brought the plight of southern African-Americans to the forefront of the American consciousness and its successes can largely be measured in the legislative and normative changes which were a direct result of specific campaigns. As a whole, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the Supreme Court decision in 1956 striking down Alabama’s segregation laws, are substantive examples of the successes this movement has achieved in the political realms. Normatively speaking, black politicians in the southern United States

Consumer Behavior Essay Example for Free

Consumer Behavior Essay Consumer behavior is an attempt to understand predict human actions in the buying role. It has assumed growing importance under market-oriented or customer oriented marketing planning management. Consumer behavior is defined as â€Å"all psychological, social physical behavior of potential customers as they become aware of, evaluate, purchase, consume, tell others about product services†. * Each element in this definition is important. * Consumer behavior involves both individual (psychological) processes group (social processes). * Consumer behavior is reflected from awareness right through post-purchase evaluation indicating satisfaction or non-satisfaction, from purchases * Consumer behavior includes communication, purchasing consumption behavior * Consumer behavior is basically social in nature. Hence social environment plays an important role in shaping buyer behavior. * Consumer behavior includes both consumer business buyer behavior In consumer behavior we consider not only why, how, what people buy but other factors such as where , how often, and under what conditions the purchase is made. An understanding of the buyer behavior is essential in marketing planning programmes. In the final analysis buyer behavior is one of the most important keys to successful marketing. MAJOR FACTORS INFLUENCING BUYER BEHAVIOUR CULTURAL FACTORS Cultural factors exert the broadest and deepest influence on consumer behavior. The roles played by the buyers culture, sub culture and social class are particularly important. * CULTURE- Culture is the most fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behavior. The growing child acquires a set of values, perceptions, preferences, and behavior through his or her family or other key institutions. * SUB-CULTURE- Sub-culture includes nationalities, religions, racial groups, and geographical regions. Many sub-cultures make up important market segments, and marketers often design marketing programs tailored to their needs. * SOCIAL CLASS- Social classes are relatively homogenous and enduring divisions in a society, which are hierarchically ordered and whose members share similar values, interests, and behavior. Social classes do not reflect income alone but also other indicators such as occupation, education, and area of residence. SOCIAL FACTORS * REFERNCE GROUPS- A Person’s reference groups consist of all the groups that have a direct or indirect influence on the person’s attitudes or behavior. Groups having direct influence on a person are called membership groups. * FAMILY- The family is the most important consumer buying organization in society, and has been researched extensively. Family members constitute the most influential primary reference group. * ROLE AND STATUSES- A person’s position in each group that he participates throughout his life –family, clubs, and organizations can be defined in terms of role and status. A role consist of activities that a person is expected to perform. Each role carries a status. Marketers are aware of the status symbol potential of products and brands. PERSONAL FACTORS A buyer’s decisions are also influenced by personal characteristics. These include the buyer’s age stage in the life cycle, occupation, economic circumstances, lifestyle, personality self concept. * AGE STAGE IN THE LIFE CYCLE- People buy different goods services over their lifetime. They eat baby food in the early years, most foods in the growing mature years special diets in the later years. People’s taste in clothes, furniture recreation is also age related. * OCCUPATION- A person’s occupation also influences his or her consumption pattern. Marketers try to identify the occupational groups that have above – average interest in their products and services. A company can even specialize its products for certain occupational groups. * ECONOMIC CIRCUMCTANCES- Product choices are greatly affected by one’s economic circumstances. Economic stability consist of their spend able income (its level, stability and time pattern), saving and asse ts (including the percentage that is liquid), debts, borrowing power, attitude toward spending versus saving. * LIFESTYLE- People coming from the same subculture, social class occupation may lead quite different lifestyles. A person’s lifestyles the person’s pattern of living in the world as expressed in the persons activities, interests opinions. * PERSONALITY AND SELF-CONCEPT- Each person has a distinct personality that influences his or her buying behavior. By personality, we mean a person’s distinguishing psychological characteristics that lead to relatively consistent and enduring responses to his or her environment. Personality can be a useful variable in analyzing consumer behavior, provided that personality type can be classified accurately and that strong correlations exist between certain personality types and product or brand choices. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS A person’s buying choices are influenced by four major psychological factors-motivations, perception, learning, beliefs and attitudes. * MOTIVATION- A person has many needs at any given time. A need becomes motive when it is aroused to a sufficient level of intensity. Motivational researchers hold that each product is capable of arousing a unique set of motive in consumers. * LEARNING- When people act they learn. Learning involves changes in an individual’s behavior arising from experience. Learning theory teaches marketers that they can build up demand for a product by associating it with strong drives, using motivating cues and providing positive reinforcement. * PERCEPTION- Perception is the process by which an individual selects, organizes, interprets information inputs to create a meaningful picture of the world. A motivated person is ready to act. How the motivated person actually acts is influenced by his or her perception of the situation. * BELIEFS ATTITUDES- A belief is a descriptive thought that a person holds about something. Through doing learning, people acquire beliefs attitudes. These in turn influence their buying behavior. Particularly important to global marketers is the fact that buyers often hold distinct disbeliefs about brands or products based on their country of origin. An attitude is person’s enduring favorable or unfavorable evaluations, emotional feelings, and action tendencies towards some object or idea. People have attitude toward almost everything: religion, politics, clothes, music, food, and so on. Attitude put them into a frame of mind of liking or disliking an object, moving toward or away from it.

China Fertilizer Industry Overview Economics Essay

China Fertilizer Industry Overview Economics Essay The worldwide fertilizer demand has rebounded in 2010 after witnessing a slowdown in FY09 and FY08 and the recovery is expected to sustain till 2014 based on the International fertilizer industry Association (IFA) estimates. The overall fertilizer demand in FY09/10 rose 3.7% to 162.5Mt as compared to 156.7Mt in FY08/09. The demand for N (nitrogen), P (Phosphorus) and K (Potassium) fertilizers in FY09 surged 1.9%, 4.5% and 18% respectively mainly driven by the Asian followed by the American markets. The overall fertilizer demand in FY10/11 is expected to increase 4.8% to 170 Mt and reach 188.3 Mt in 2014/15 driven by the economic recovery and positive agricultural market conditions. The demand for the N, P and K fertilizers are expected to increase 1.9%, 4.5% and 18%, respectively In FY10/11. Source: IFA, RODM research China fertilizer industry overview China is the largest consumer and producer of fertilizers in the world, contributing 31.4% and 29.1% of the global consumption and production respectively in FY07 based on the International fertilizer association statistics. According to china statistical year book, the country s fertilizer consumption in FY08 rose 2.6% to 52.4Mt as compared to 51.1mt in 2007 and grew at a CAGR of 3% for the period 2000-2008. This was mainly due to population increase in china, growth in compound fertilizers and increasing production of organic agriculture. Henan is the major consumer for fertilizers that accounts 11.5% of total consumption of fertilizer in china followed by the Shandong, Jiangsu and Hubei which contributed 9.1%, 6.5% and 6.3% of overall fertilizer consumption in FY08. Source: China statistical yearbook, RODM research Compound fertilizer industry in china Compound fertilizer comprises of at least two nutrients among nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and includes both organic and inorganic fertilizers. Based on the china statistical year book, the consumption of compound fertilizer industry have grown at a CAGR of 6.9% as compared to the 0.3%, 1.3% and 4.7% of Nitrogenous, Phosphate and potassium fertilizers respectively over a period of 1998-2008, indicating the increasing adoption of compound fertilizers by farmers as compared to the straight fertilizers. Based on PRlog.org, the Chinese compound market scale reached CNY 200 billion in FY09 and has around 4,500 compound fertilizer producers mainly situated in Shandong, Jiangsu, Hubei and Sichuan etc. The production of Chinese compound fertilizers reached around 50 million tons in FY09. The compound fertilizer manufacture industry increased 39% to CNY 23.60 billion in FY09 as compared to FY08.However, compound fertilizer consumption still accounts for less than 30% of the total consum ption, which is far below the 50-80% average in developed countries. This is due to the fact that compound fertilizers are relatively new in the Chinese market and farmers are only gradually adopting these over the more conventional varieties. The current fertilizer formulations has conformity degree of less than 3% and most of the producers make their formulations based on the economy and raw material prices rather than soil and crop demands. However with the rising environmental concerns, developing Chinese agricultural specialization and growing demand for high end cash crops and organic foods, the farmers are imposing higher requirements on compound fertilizers. Hence the demand for high end compound fertilizers, especially Chinese ternary compound (3 nutrients) fertilizers is expected to drive the overall compound fertilizers growth in the coming years. Source: China statistical yearbook, RODM research Organic Fertilizer industry With the rising environmental concerns, declining arable land, cultivation of high end crops, government thrust for organic production and demand for green foods, the adoption of organic fertilizer industry in China have been gaining momentum and is expected to witness rapid growth for the upcoming years. But the organic agriculture industry in china is very low as compared to the developed countries. In 2006, organic compound fertilizer in China accounted for 27% of the total fertilizer consumption, which about half of the 50% is registered in developed countries. However, organic fertilizer consumption in the country is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 30%, according to industry sources. Also, the government has identified the enhanced performance given by these fertilizers which would help them to reach their goals of increasing rural farm production and income while decreasing water pollution. According to the industry sources, the Chinese green fertilizer industry is highly fragmented with around 2,000 manufacturers with no distinguished players in the industry. The small and large regional players contribute 80% of the market share followed by the large regional and International players contributing 9% and 8% of the market share respectively. The small and large regional manufacturers have an edge of competitive prices and knowledge of local markets as compared to the International markets. On the flip side, the international manufacturers produce high quality products, good research and development capabilities and players with good financials can acquire regional players in a bid to sustain growth and increase their market share. The large national manufacturers have a competitive edge over the small and large regional manufacturers as well as international players in terms of their brand presence and wide distribution network along with providing quality products at competitive prices and having good understanding over the markets. To keep in line with the growth and economic conditions, the green fertilizer industry in china is expected to witness consolidation in the near future. Growth drivers for Organic fertilizer industry Rising environmental concerns Chinese agriculture has been growing rapidly on a limited area with heavy inputs of fertilizers since 1980s. The rates of fertilizers adopted in some regions of china are extremely high as compared to the developed countries like North America and Europe. The worldwide average fertilizer consumption per hectare in 1997 was 94 kilograms while US average was 111 kg per hectare. But china exceeded both world average and US average and used 271 kg of fertilizer per hectare of cultivated land, based on the industry sources (hafengevergreen.com).According to the industry sources, the pH levels of the soil in 2000-2008 as against 1980s have declined 0.13 while the pH for cash crops declined on an average 0.3. Since china feeds around 22% of the world s population with just 10% of arable land, protecting china s polluted and artificially fertilized soil remains a major concern to the government. Moreover, the population in china is expected to increase to 800 900 million by 2020, based on t he Beijing International Institute for City Development which would decrease the arable area for cultivation. Hence decreasing china s arable land and the need to increase the crop yield for domestic consumption have led the farmers to adopt high quality fertilizer products. Also with increasing environmental concerns, the government has been encouraging the production of organic agriculture for export and domestic consumption. Accordingly, the demand for the organic fertilizers have been growing as they increase organic matter content in the soil along with the major and minor organic nutrients. Growth in greening of china s food During the last few years, the demand for the green foods have been increasing on the back of growing concerns of environment and rising disposable income in china. Based on the industry sources, the cultivation of green food has increased from 2.14 million hectares to 10 million hectares while the output surged from 6.3 to 72 million tons over a period of 1997 to 2007.Also based on the Ministry of Agriculture 90% of China s agricultural exports are eco-food, i.e. either Hazard Free, Green or Organic foods. The export value increased to US~$2 Billion in 2006 from ~$70 Million in 1997. But china s exports have accounted less than 1% of the global organic market and .08% of the locally sold organic market. Although high production costs and prices has been limiting the usage of organic fertilizers in the domestic market, we believe that the government initiatives in the form of subsidies, recent food safety scandals, growing demand for reliable and healthy food in the domestic and inte rnational market, pollution concerns and rising disposable income would strongly drive the green fertilizer industry in the near future. The government has been encouraging both exports and imports of organic products and expects to achieve 10% of the organic crop production by 2010. Growth in green food over a decade Source: John Paull, Australian National University, RODM research Decreasing arable area for cultivation China is the largest agriculture producer in the world with only 15% of the cultivated area. China need to support 20% of the world s population and has just 10% of the total arable land in the world. Moreover the arable land has declined at a CAGR of .4% from 133mha to 121.7mha, over the period 1988-2008. To prevent further decline, the government have set the critical mark of arable land to be maintained at 120mha by 2020. According to the industry sources, the population in china is expected to increase from 47% to 75% over the next three decades which mounts the pressure of producing increased yield per area to feed the growing population. Thus the demand for the organic fertilizers is expected to witness rapid growth in the compound fertilizer segment. Source: China statistical yearbook, RODM research China policies/initiatives Subsidy The fertilizers market play a key input for the Chinese agricultural sector and hence is one of the main sectors to be addressed by the government to achieve its food sufficiency objective. The fertilizer subsidies in China are mainly for supporting the development of China s agriculture and food security. Hence we believe that most of the subsidy policies might be continued for the short term. The comprehensive subsidy on fuel and fertilizer for grain farmers in 2007 surged 120 % to $3.6 billion (RMB 27.6 billion) as compared to the last year. This program was started to partially compensate farmers for price increases in fuel, fertilizer, and other agricultural inputs in 2006. Based on the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the comprehensive subsidy reached at an average of about U.S. $14.5 per farm household in 2007 and the fuel and fertilizer subsidies are estimated to reach RMB 72.01 billion by 2009. The Chinese government gave bank loan interests subsidy from 2004 to those qualified fertilizers distributors who hold the fertilizer storage during the winter season wherein the total volume is about 5-8million mt and the interests subsidy is about RMB300million to RMB500million($43.9 million to $73.3 million )every year. Also the government gave a direct subsidy of RMB100/mt to both domestic and imported DAP which was around 6.7million mt and about RMB670million subsidy in 2004.The government gave an electricity subsidy for small and large nitrogen fertilizer producers in December 2003 which is around RMB6.3 billion every year. Also the transportation of fertilizer has been subsidized by RMB5.0 billion every year. Tariffs The MOF and NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) have jointly announced the Notification of Fertilizer Price Formation Mechanism Reform on January 24, 2009. The main purpose of this notification is: Removal of current tariff restriction on domestic fertilizer prices Removal of fertilizer price restrictions Implementing preferential policies for fertilizer production Applying measures through import and export regulation, reserve control and transportation parameters to maintain the fertilizer market To improve agricultural subsidies for the industry Increase monitoring, supervision, and inspection on market pricing To make efforts on program organization and implementation The State Council Tariff Committee had imposed a 100 % special export duty on fertilizer and related material exports during April 20 and September 30, 2008 which affected 32 tariff lines including phosphoric acid, ammonia, nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and compound fertilizer. Based on MOF, the runaway in exports were due to strain in domestic supply which lead to surge in price as demand began to decrease due to spring planting. Hence the tariff was increased so as to control the rising prices along with providing plentiful grain harvest for the year. China has evolved from being a net importer of phosphate fertilizer to being a net exporter over the last decade and has been directly affected the US phosphate fertilizer industry as it used to supply 95% of China s phosphate imports. Pricing trend in china Chinese fertilizer prices have witnessed heavy volatility over the last decade mainly due to uneven production levels in fertilizers, the government s need to keep sufficient production to meet domestic market demand and rising international fertilizer prices. According to USDA, the market price for nitrogen fertilizer surged from $280 to $405/MT during 2007 and reached a high of $452 during April 2008. This was mainly due to imbalance between low supply and rising demand on the world market. Also the tariff restrictions imposed on Chinese fertilizer producers and the demand for fertilizers to produce biofuels in the United States, Brazil, and Europe has led to the increase in price. However due to the slowdown in the world economy and reluctance of Chinese farmers to pay high prices which were two to three times higher than the prices of early 2007, the price for fertilizer fell drastically to $247 at the end of 2008. VAT policies The NPK compound fertilizers, MAP, Urea and DAP have been on a VAT holiday from 1994; January 1, 1998; July 01, 2005; and January 1, 2008 respectively. China had stopped importing urea from 1997 and the government has given 50%-100% VAT refund to the urea exporters before March, 2004. The government stopped the tax refund policy and began to impose export tax to urea and DAP from March 16, 2004. Prior to 2002, the government has given VAT holiday policy to imported phosphoric acid for supporting the players like Sino-Arab Chemical Fertilizer Co. Ltd who were consuming imported PA for phosphate compound fertilizers production. The government gave VAT holiday policy for imported sulfur from May 20, 2008 and most of the imported fertilizers and related raw materials were given very low import custom taxes which are all below 4%. Export/Import initiatives for fertilizers Chinese government set new policies on the exported fertilizers during Nov. 14, 2008. To set export base price for the off-season and to reduce the export tariff from 125%~185% to 10%~110% till December 31, 2009; The export tariff for Urea, MAP and DAP would be 110% (35% basic+75% special) during mid-season and 10% during off-season since December 1, 2008 The base prices for DAP, MAP and Urea are RMB4000/mt; RMB3700/mt and RMB2300/mt respectively During the off-season, if Urea, DAP and MAP prices are lower than the base prices, the export tariff would be 10%, otherwise the export tariff would be calculated by the formula: [(1.1-base price/export price) 100)] Source: IFA, RODM research The customs tariff committee of China have cancelled the special export tariffs (50-75%) in Jun-09 on 27 products, that include phosphate rock (apatite), yellow phosphorus, synthetic ammonia, phosphoric acid, ammonium chloride, triple superphosphate (TSP), sodium nitrate and double nutrients to help local fertilizer manufacturers clear excess inventory build-up. Import Tariff Rate Quota Products Quota level (000 metric tons) In-quota imports (000 metric tons) State-trading share (%) In-quota MFN tariff rate (%) Out-of-quota MFN tariff rate (%) Urea 3,300 90 4 50 NPK 3,450 65 4 50 Diammonium phosphate 6,900 65 4 50 Source: USTR, RODM Research The Chinese government controls exports of major raw material inputs for fertilizers like coking coal which provides competitive edge to Chinese manufacturers and exporters over the foreign manufacturers and exporters in the chemical fertilizer industries. The price of coke in China was around $472/mt, while the global price of coke was $740/mt. Although China produces 336mmt of coke, contributing 60% of the global production, it has an export quota of only 12mmt and an export duty of 40%.