Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Animal Farm Essay Example

Animal Farm Essay Example Animal Farm Essay Animal Farm Essay Essay Topic: Literature We have watched two different versions of Animal Farm, by George Orwell. One version was a real film, directed by John Stephenson in 1999. The other version that we watched was an animation, the first feature length animation made in England, directed by Joy Batchelor and John Halas in 1954. I am going to review each two versions by comparing the techniques and direction used by each film maker. I am then going to explain which one I preferred and explain why. At the moment, I prefer the real life film as I think it is a lot clearer to children and it is a lot more interesting. I will start by comparing the opening of each film. In the animation, the film opens with a bright countryside view; the manor farm is highlighted in black to capture peoples eyes. An American narrator starts telling the story; I think this is quite misleading as the animals on the farm, voiced by Maurice Denham, are English. The narrator however, is quite useful as he immediately explains the story and introduces us to most of the leading animals. This is perfect for young children watching the film. The real life film however, starts in a completely different way. It uses a flashback to introduce us to the story. The colour is incredibly dark, almost black and white. The director uses pathetic fallacy by using thunderstorms, rain and howling wind to reflect the animals moods. It is clear straight away the mood of the film. Instead of using a narrator and a voiceover, the film uses the sheepdog to tell the story from her point of view. I think this is a much better way of doing it as it is more personal and is a much clearer way of understanding the story. The farm is shown as a dark and unhappy place. I think the flashback works well for people who havent read the book before, and dont know the story. The animation uses happy, cheerful music to portray the farm and pans around the farm showing each animal. As the camera becomes closer to the farmhouse, the lighting becomes darker and the colours a lot more bold and dark. The music becomes a lot more sinister and chilling. For people who have read the book, this will be easier to understand as they know what type of person Mr. Jones is. Mr Jones is shown dark and unpleasant. The music is very slow. Another way the directors have shown the characterisation of Mr. Jones is to show all the animals expressions as being sad and upset. In the real film, the flashback is explained by the sheepdog and shows the farm how it used to be. Mr. Jones is shown to be very loud, a drunk and yelling at all the animals. However, Mr. Jones in the animation is a lot more sinister and fearful. Mr Jones, rather than being shown as a cruel man, the director has chosen to emphasise more on him being a bad farmer and being quite ill-tempered. The real film has also added an extra character of Farmer Jones wife. She is portrayed as cruel and grumpy as well. I think this ruins the tough and mean characterisation of Mr. Jones as he appears to be fearful of his wife. Overall though, I think the wife is a good idea as it makes the story more complex. Now I will concentrate on the 2 films portrayal of the death of old major. In the animation, the timescale is incredibly quick from where Old Major thinks he is going to die, and his actual death. In old majors speech, the music is very built up and victorious. Old Major is straight away made out to be the leader of the animals by his high positioning over them. He also is the only animal in the spotlight. All the animals are shown to be united and kind to each other. The speech is good and meaningful, its also quite self-explanatory. Each actors voice fits the animal well. For example, the pigs voice has a posh accent, whereas the lower animals are incredibly common. This helps emphasise the main characters in the story. However, the animals all make animal noises when they talk. This may be good for young children, but to adults, it can be quite annoying. During Majors speech, the directors use flashbacks to show the harshness of Mr. Jones, they also use sinister music. Old major is killed by a gun shot by the farmer. The lighting changes colour at the shot, this emphasises the power of it. In the real film, the animals are all organised throughout the meeting, every animal knows their place. As like in the animated film, the animals voices all suit their own characters. Again, the pigs have the posh accent, and the rats, the common accent. The change in voices is a lot clearer in this film than in the animation. Old Major represents a war time leader, maybe Winston Churchill. During the speech, the spotlights are again focused on Old Major, however the camera angle is now set to underneath the platform he is stood on, to emphasise the power old major has. This could also be portrayed as looking up at old Majors from the sheepdogs perspective. The camera angle pans round the barn of only the animals feet. This is very effective as it is not a usual camera shot. It also shows each animal in their place and listening to Old Major. The camera also only focuses and zooms in on the main animals that we have already been introduced to. The meeting of the animals is broken up with a scene in the farmhouse, showing Farmer Jones and Pilkington discussing money problems. I think this part is useful as it explains to younger children what is going on for a later part in the film. However the next scene with Farmer Jones and Pilkingtons wife is not useful at all. It doesnt further the animal plot. It is not appropriate for children either. I think the director could have used a different scene, or not used this all together. Mr Jones is also responsible for Old Majors death, as he shoots him. The death is not emphasised as much as the animation. There is no sinister music at all. Now I will focus on the revolt against Farmer Jones and how the two films have represented this. In the animation, the timescale is again very short, and the animals are shown to be without food instantly. There is no explanation for this, but hints are given that Farmer Jones is to blame for this. All the animals faces are furious which is easy to show in the animation. It is shown to be the pigs idea to break into the food shed to steal the food. Mr. Jones, behind them, is shown in a very dark shadow. There is also a massive build up of music. The animals retaliate; they all have the same facial expression which emphasises the unity of them all. Farmer Jones runs away after hardly any fighting and brings back farmers straight away. The overpowering of Manor Farm is set up to look like a real battle. The camera flicks between the line of animals, and the line of farmers approaching the farm. The music is a lot louder than before. The animals with the main parts, for example: Boxer, Napoleon, Snowball and Squealer are all shown up in a much brighter light and colour. For the real life film, the camera starts off by zooming out to catch all of the animals in one shot. Mr Jones is shown always in silhouette. This emphasises the evil within him. Napoleon is shown in this version to be a lot less evil. His facial expressions are softer and not as bold. However in the animation, he is a dark coloured pig with a permanent frown. The director for this film has really expanded the film by adding extra scenes to emphasise certain events and to help explain to children. For example, part of Old Major offered to the sheepdog as food and the dog whining. I think this is good if you havent read the book, if you have read the book it can become quite annoying. Pathetic fallacy is used again to represent the animals mood. When the animals break into the food shed, it is shown by the camera zooming in to only the animals hooves. However it is still obvious what the animals are doing. The breaking is a lot more detailed and realistic. The camera follows a goat into the shed to see all the animals eating the food. The music becomes very loud and dramatic and as soon as Mr. Jones speaks. This is very powerful and chilling. There is also a brief pause to add tension. The camera angle becomes very shaky to show complete chaos. The next part I am going to discuss is the animals first look in the farmers house. The animation shows Mr. Jones house to be a dark, massive and unfriendly place. It is shown from the animals view of quite low to the ground and the enormity of the staircase is emphasised. Incredibly scary and chilling music is also played. This shows how the animals are feeling. Upstairs, there is silence apart from clocks and record players etc. Only the main characters are shown to be looking at his belongings. Here we also see the first glimpse of Napoleon being greedy and selfish by eating all the food. The real life versions portrayal of Mr. Jones house uses not as good effects but is shown in a lot more detail. Again, the farmhouse is incredibly big and slightly scary music is played. You do not get the same effect of terror as in the animation. The director adds another scene where a pig opens a cupboard to show Old Majors head. The camera zooms in very shakily and suddenly with horror music playing. It then immediately switches to the animals racing out of the house. The following part to exploring the farmhouse is the reading of the rules. I will now look at how the directors have portrayed this. The rules are shown to have been written by Snowball in red on the side of the barn. The camera scrolls down each one, emphasising them all. Snowball reads each one out at the same time so smaller children can also understand what is happening. Victorious music is also played to show how war-like the situation is. Also, the sign that used to be Manor farm is now emphasised as Animal farm. The American narrator also explains what the animals are doing in every scene as speech is not used as much. The real film shows the rules in a completely different way. As snowball reads out the rules, the camera is focused at Napoleon creating him the leader, wearing his rosettes. This portrayal is not as good as it is the rules that the viewer needs to concentrate on to notice that they change throughout the film. The next part to analyse is Snowballs banishment from Animal farm and the events leading up to it. In the animated film, the spotlight is now placed on Snowball. This shows that Snowball is taking the place of Old Major. As the camera runs through various scenes, the pigs sources of power become obvious. For Napoleon, his power is using the dogs, and for Snowball, his power is the plan of the windmill. Napoleon has very dark/black dogs. This emphasises whose side they are on as they look incredibly evil. As Snowball tries to explain his plan, Napoleon speaks out against it. The dogs chase Napoleon out of the farm, into the bushes and the dogs then walk. During the chase there is very dramatic noise played and as soon as the dogs come back, the music softens and becomes a lot slower. The directors use a cliff-hanger and dont let you know if Snowball has been killed, or merely banished. Afterwards, Napoleon claims the plan of the windmill to be his own. The real life version of Animal farm shows Napoleon to only speak out against the plan; he does not claim it as his own. I think this is a better way to portray it as it is more realistic and believable. Squealer is used in this version to change the favour of Snowball to Napoleon; this is not used in the animation. The chase of Snowball is much more effective and detailed. The chase is from the dogs perspective, looking at Snowballs back. The music is incredibly fast and dramatic, and also the scenery towards the sides is fast, this emphasises the speed and emergency of the chase. In this film, it is obvious that Snowball has only been banished, he has not been killed. The next part of the two films I am going to look at is Boxers death. In the animation, Boxer is hit by a rock that fell from the windmill. It uses pathetic fallacy again with rain and dark conditions. The animation shows that the pigs are obviously planning something else for Boxer, instead of sending him to the hospital. All the pigs have very soothing and calming voices to encourage persuasiveness. The animation shows a lot better how all the animals stick up for each other. There is a greater sense of unity than in the real film. On the van for Boxer, there is an obvious symbol (a skull and crossbones) to show the van is not for the hospital. As soon as the symbol is shown, the music changes and becomes more sinister and dramatic. As the animals stop chasing the van, the music slows as well. The animals faces are all furious or really upset. These facial expressions are the first symbol that the animals dont trust Napoleon anymore. The narrator explains what has happened a lot more clearly than the animation shows it. In the real film, the symbol on the back of the van is not as clear. The fight to keep Boxer out of the van is longer, with the sheepdog and the donkey chasing the van for longer. The camera angle is set inside the van and the music is again, very fast. Now I shall talk about the ending of both films, before finally moving onto small details about each film that I think improve each one. In the animation, the film finishes by showing how much the pigs and the farm has developed. The timescale is a lot more apparent and all the animals are a lot more frail and thinner. The animation shows as them not being able to walk as well. The animation shows the pigs with Mr. Jones face on each of them. This is very obvious for small children to show that there is no difference between them. The film finalises with a cliff-hanger, we dont know if Napoleons reign is defeated or not. It is usually a great way to end a film but as this is based on a book, it isnt very good for those who have read it because they know what is going to happen anyway. But if you havent read the book, it is a good way to wonder about what happens next. In the real life film, the ending is much more dramatic. The animals are shown to have run away and lots of slow and sad music is played. The pigs are shown more and more to be socialising with humans. For example, Pilkington and Pilkingtons wife visit the house and they behave more and more alike. The pigs revert the name of the farm back to Manor Farm to emphasise that the farm has come full circle to the pigs becoming the equivalent of Farmer Jones. Another way this is shown is by using a special effect of the camera by mixing the face of Napoleon and Pilkington together to show there is no longer anything different about them. The beginning of the film now makes much more sense as the ending is practically identical to the flashback at the beginning. This film actually shows that Napoleon has been defeated by representing this by the falling of a statue of him. Also, another way the director has represented this is by using triumphant music to show the animals were victorious. The lighting now becomes a lot lighter and the music is a lot more peaceful. Finally, I am going to look at the small fine points that benefit to each films overview. In the animation, the director has used a very small character of a duckling for various purposes. In some cases, the duckling is used for comedy to keep the viewer entertained. For example, in Mr. Jones house when it is trying to climb up the stairs. It can also be used for linking purposes. Instead of the camera just jumping scenes, it uses this character to link them together. I think this benefits to the films reputation of being a childrens film but I cannot see adults enjoying this. In the real film, the director uses Squealer the pig as a way of convincing everyone to be on Napoleons side. This is not used in the animation. I prefer having Squealer in the film as it makes it more interesting. Squealer is also a very different colour to the other pigs so that he can easily stand out. Towards the end of the film his voice becomes more and more hypnotic and calming as he has to try even harder to persuade the animals to stay with Napoleon. This version of the film also uses a broadcasting principle to inform the animals what is happening. It is shown in the barn in flickering black and white. It has been use as we can familiarise with it as bearing bad news and being of importance to us. The broadcasts are the equivalent of the animations narrator as it sums up what has been happening on the farm. I like the idea of as the film progresses, fewer and fewer animals are watching the broadcast, until finally there are no animals left. The film that I have preferred is the real life version. I like the way the director adds more scenes to the film because if you have read the book, it is still interesting and it keeps you entertained. The animation skipped out to many important scenes, for example, the execution of the farmyard animals who had betrayed Napoleon. I preferred the realistic views of the film with the animals view points and expressions. I thought it was more comical as well. I liked the idea of the broadcasting as it was familiar to me and it modernised the book. The real film also was a lot more explanatory towards adults and children as well. However I do think that the animation is still a lot more suited towards younger children, it is just not suitable for adults and teenagers. I also liked the music more in the real film because in the animation, I often thought there was a lot more music than speech and it just became boring after a while. The real film is a lot more modern and I can relate to it a lot more that then film produced in the 50s. Overall, I think that the real film is a much better film in most ways.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Grants A-I-R Opportunities Abound for Writers!

Grants A-I-R Opportunities Abound for Writers! Philanthropy is on the rise. Grants are plentiful, offering funding for specific purposes: publishing, research,   workshops, writing, travel, individual/community projects, seminars and more. Grants often require an extensive application process. Tips for applying for grants: When applying, you will need a finely-honed mission and letters of recommendation from respected peers. When awarded a grant, you will be required to submit a final report of how you spent the funds and sometimes a sample donation of your work will be requested. Grants are not simply free money. They involve many hours of work, but I have found that it is time well-spent. Grants have themes. Grant providers offer grants for specific purposes. Make sure that your project is a good match with the grantors parameters before you begin the application process. Some grants offer funding within specific geographic boundaries. Is your geographical location a match? Grants have a mission. Clearly articulate how you will use the grant money. Include a detailed budget. And explain how this project matches the grants mission. Demonstrate that your requests match the funding guidelines. Explain how this grant will serve your professional career, help others (now and in the future) and expand the grantors mission.   Grants are about you, the grant funder and the impact the project will have on others. If you can communicate these three components, you will be a strong candidate! Some ways grant funds have made a difference: I have received grants to attend writers conferences because improved writing skills helped at work. When I was teaching, I applied for a little-known $4,000 governors grant for teaching excellence and completed graduate level writing courses using that money. The local state educators association funded two $10,000 grants to produce a book with a companion CD about Native American music. A Quaker Lyman Fund funded $2,000 twice for a book and CD about spiritual connections. A local bank offered a grant for a writing project for children. The Alex Tanous Foundation funded two summer projects to bring women to my home for classes for 10 weeks. The Puffin Foundation offers grants to save something endangered. My grant application about authentic Native American music received two grants totaling   $3,000 for two books. Making the most of a residency Artist-in-Residencies (AIR) have also been a welcome gift during the past 10 years. When I accepted   AIR positions at Sleeping Bear Dunes (MI), Acadia (ME), Crater Lake (OR) and Great North Cascades (WA) U.S. National Parks, it became obvious that those without an artistic bent were a bit confused about what I would be doing. Writing and offering one public presentation about my work, was my response. â€Å"Is that all?† some questioned. Yes, that was all. What a gift of time, space and inspiration! You need to have a vision, clear the calendar, craft an AIR project, gather references and complete your application. Each park offered me a unique experience: Sleeping Bear Dunes reflects Native American legends of the Great Lakes, Acadias rockbound coast/islands strengthen the soul, Great North Cascades offers majestic mountains, wild rivers, mammoth trees, and Crater Lake’s mystical quality is magnetic! My fifth AIR on Marthas Vineyard at Turkeyland Cove for 17 days of solitude in a magnificent island house resulted in several publications. I am a writer and a musician. Writers describe their impressions in word paintings. Musicians bring forth inspiration through sound. That is what I do every day during an artist-in-residency. AIR programs offer time for the mind to wander, filling my soul with joy. Profound experiences of beauty and serenity are imprinted upon my soul and will continue to enrich my work for years.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

A literature review about the role of nutrition information in Research Paper

A literature review about the role of nutrition information in influencing consumer choice - Research Paper Example The pieces of information are inclusive of brand name, price and search attributes that are within a store. There is also set levels of importance given to the visual aids within the product as well as the factual information given. It has been found (Degeratu et al, 55: 2000), that the factual information, such as fat levels, nutritional levels and other measurements, are the most important determinant of what consumers decide to buy from a supermarket (Degeratu et al, 55: 2000). While the nutritional value that is available through information is known as the most important aspect for those buying food, there are also differences in the decision making process. The demographics and expectations from different sets of individuals determine what the most popular items are in supermarkets. For instance, young adults often consume snacks that don’t have the same levels of nutritional values. The decision to choose the snacks is based on the taste, satisfaction and trends that ar e a part of the snacks. It was found through a recent study (Cranage et al, 125: 2003), that there wasn’t a difference in nutritional value when choosing different snacks. Two snacks were given, one with higher nutritional value than the other. ... From these two studies, it can be seen that the nutritional information depicts choices between various types of groups. However, there is a difference in whether the responses are positive or negative as well as what influences consumers with the enjoyment of the food. Through another study (Edwards et al, 332: 2005), there was a question of how negative or positive information influenced those that were deciding to take specific types of nutritional foods. A group was assisted with the purchases that they made by being given information on the food. The information was specifically designed to cause a positive, negative or neutral statement about the food. After eating the food, the participants were given a survey to define the quality of food with nutritional value as well as taste and satisfaction. It was found that the negative information or beliefs about the food caused the participants to be influenced by the food chosen. However, if the food was chosen, despite the negative comments, it didn’t create a negative response after eating the food in satisfaction or the taste value associated with the food (Edwards, et al, 332: 2005). This particular study shows that the information before giving individuals a type of food can influence their decision to buy the food. However, it doesn’t influence the responses that are given after eating the food and making the determination necessary for their own understanding of quality. The attitudes and behaviors that are created from quality have some dependence on the nutritional information. However, there are also cultural and societal trends that begin to influence the choices of those that are buying different types of food

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

What higher food prices mean for both consumers and producers at your Essay

What higher food prices mean for both consumers and producers at your own country Which are the factors that drive the food prices higher What, and for whom, are the costs and benefits of such an increase - Essay Example Consequently, the producers’ increases food prices to the consumers so that they can manage continuous food production. This paper will discuss the impacts of increasing food prices to both the producers and consumers. Additionally, it will discuss the factors that drive the food prices high and what or for whom, the cost and benefits of such increase are. Increase in food prices may affect producers positively or negatively. High food prices may affect the demand of food negatively. When the food prices goes high, the demand may go low since consumers may decide to go for cheaper substitutes or may decide to entirely forego that kind of food. For instance, increase in soft juice prices, meat and juices reduce their consumption, since people will opt for alternative food that is cost friendly2. On the other hand, producers may benefit directly from the high prices of food since they will be making more profit. Food prices hikes due to increase in demand hence producers will be able to produce in bulk which will also earn them a lot of sales which in turn increases their profits. To the consumers higher food prices have detrimental effects since some people will be spending more money on food in such a way that they will not have money to spend on non-food items. People who are below average financially, might not afford some food if the prices are hiked hence they might opt to skip some meals which is dangerous to human health. Additionally, the chronic diseases will be in the rise since consumers cannot meet the required dietary needs3. Most people will buy food for general satisfaction without looking into the nutritional value of food. High food prices interfere with the consumer preference. If the consumers visits the market and find that the preferred food is expensive than usual, they shift their preference towards the

Monday, January 27, 2020

Deforestation Essay Effects of De-forestation

Deforestation Essay Effects of De-forestation The word deforestation is used to describe the process of cutting down and burning the trees in forest and woodland and converting the land to other use. It also means that the nature of trees have changed, such as replacing slow growing native trees with fast growing woods which means that the precious eco-system of the forest into less bio-diverse ecosystems such as pasture, cropland, plantations and removal of rainforest. Forests still cover about 30 percent of the Earths surface, but each year about 13 million hecters of forest (approximately 78,000square miles) are converted to agricultural land or cleared for other purposes. There are two key issues that surround deforestation. Trees absorb CO2, helping to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Carbon is one of the key causes of global warming and reducing these gases will help to slow and stop the greenouse effect. The other issue is that trees are often cleared and burned. The wood from the trees is simply destroyed and not put to any positive use. The burning of the wood releases carbon into the atmosphere, and releasing harmful greenhouse gases, yet reducing the number of trees that would have helped to remove this from the atmosphere. It also contributes to global warming tropical deforestation for about 20 percent of all greenhouse gases and has an important impact on the global economy. Rainforest Action Network (RAN) campaigns for the forests, their inhabitants and the natural systems that sustain life by transforming the global marketplace through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action. RAN estimates that 90 percent of the rainforest is already gone. Causes of Deforestation. Some of the most common causes of deforestation are globalization, urbanization, overpopulation and climate. Trees are being cut down for construction purpose, lands are cleared for growing crops and trees are also used as firewood. Globalization in many countries has lead to deforestation as many industries and factories are build which emit carbon dioxide which affect the trees and forest. India and china are a big example. China being a big market for producing and supplying many products in various parts of the world for which trees and forest are used to produce product. Urbanization also leads to deforestation as the country develops the cutting down of trees for the use of building materials, furniture, paper products and material used for highway and roads. Forests are also cleared in order to accommodate expanding urban areas. They are cut down in order to create land for grazing cattle and for growing crops. Trees are also cut down in developing countries to be used as firewood or turned into charcoal, which are used for cooking and heating purposes. Overpopulation also causes an increase in population also means an increase in produce consumption for which the trees are being destroyed. The basic needs being shelter and food are given with the help of forests for which an optimum amount of consumption and production is needed. Overpopulation in countries like China and India are a result where deforestation rate is higher than comparative countries. Climate is also one factor for deforestation mainly acid rain. Climate not only affect the people but also trees, roads and small plants. Trees are also harmed by acid rain. Scientists say that acid rain damages the waxy outer coating that protects the leaves. When this happens, it allows the acid to seep into the tree. Instead of water changing from a liquid to a gas inside the leaves, gas is taking the place of the water. This prevents the plant from taking in carbon dioxide to perform photosynthesis, and the plant eventually dies. Global warming is another factor as the temperature increases than the average temperature which affects the plants growth or soil growth. Effects of Deforestation. The effects of deforestation are mainly causing our environment worse, such as soil erosion, biodiversity impacts and social effects. Soil Erosion Immediate effects of deforestation include the washing away of soil in the  monsoon  season. This is because trees are no longer anchoring and binding the soil and so mud slides take place. The earth is leached of minerals by the large amounts of water. The lack of vegetation also means that there will be very few animals in the area. Most of nutrients are stored in the vegetation and the trees, so if these factors getting bad cycle, our eco-system will be destroyed. Once the tree and plant are cut down, essential nutrients separate easily and are washed out by rainfall. Thus, we would lose the nutrients for our body needs for daily life. If the soil gets dries and cracks under the suns heat without the shade of the trees, we cant grow any plants since its lost the soil elements. According to the statistics, nearly 80% of tropical forest soil is now infertile, and they will cause more and more bad eco-system which will effects the animals who live there and their habitats. It may change their genetic as well. Biodiversity Although tropical forests cover only about 7 percent of the Earths dry land, they probably harbor about half of all species on Earth. Many species are so specialized to microhabitats within the forest that they can only be found in small areas. Their specialization makes them vulnerable to extinction. In addition to the species lost when an area is totally deforested, the plants and animals in the fragments of forest that remain also become increasingly vulnerable, sometimes even committed, to extinction. The edges of the fragments dry out and are buffeted by hot winds; mature rainforest trees often die standing at the margins. Cascading changes in the types of trees, plants, and insects that can survive in the fragments rapidly reduces biodiversity in the forest that remains. People may disagree about whether the extinction of other species through human action is an ethical issue, but there is little doubt about the practical problems that extinction poses. First, global markets co nsume rainforest products that depend on sustainable harvesting: latex, cork, fruit, nuts, timber, fibers, spices, natural oils and resins, and medicines. In addition, the genetic diversity of tropical forests is basically the deepest end of the planetary gene pool. Hidden in the genes of plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria that have not even been discovered yet may be cures for cancer and other diseases or the key to improving the yield and nutritional quality of foods-which the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization says will be crucial for feeding the nearly ten billion people the Earth will likely need to support in coming decades. Finally, genetic diversity in the planetary gene pool is crucial for the resilience of all life on Earth to rare but catastrophic environmental events, such as meteor impacts or massive, sustained volcanism. Social Effects of Deforestation. Deforestation has so many social effects on our society its impact not only affects us humans but also plants, animals and the surrounding environment. Deforestation causes and forces the surrounding to adapt in order to survive such difficult situations. Indigenous people who consider the forests, as their primary habitats are rendered homeless when forests are depleted; we have seen the rise of this in mostly undeveloped areas where we have so many people using the forest as their primary habitat. The people living in this areas are forced to move while their surroundings are being altered. The cutting down of forest trees forces the people living around such areas to move and seek shelter elsewhere. People and Animals who live in the rainforest areas depend on their natural environment; People living in these areas close to the forest usually depend on their natural environment for basic things like food, shelter, water etc. Cutting down the trees in those areas usually have a tendency to affect all the living things surrounding those areas. Forcing all living things to migrate and look for another conducive atmosphere. Social conflicts and struggles over land and other recourses; Usually as a result of lost of lands the people living there have to migrate to other places in search of land and resources and most of the time it usually leads to conflicts. Everyone will be fighting to own the most conducive atmosphere to live in. The little resources left will be fought over. Overview Of Worldwide Deforestation. Every day hundred thousands of trees are cut down all over the world to use the timber as a major source of fuel, building material, and paper products. Urbanization has forced man to acquire huge forest areas. As population grows, the need for agricultural land has also increased over the years. Deforestation has so many negative consequences on the environment. One of the most immediate effects is the loss of habitat of many species of animals. Thus, deforestation can alter the earths biodiversity making a lot or rare species even more extinct. Deforestation also plays a major role in global warming and its also responsible to the contribution of up to 20 percent of the total greenhouse gases emitted. Trees play a major role in absorbing most of the green house gases like carbon dioxide. As lots of trees are cut down, the concentration of the green houses gases in the atmosphere increases, thus increasing the temperature of the earth. Another direct consequence of deforestation is Increased soil erosion, this can also lead to unnatural floods and droughts. Clearing forests can disrupt the normal water flow thus causing abnormal floods and droughts. Plants absorb water through roots that are then released into the atmosphere, which forms clouds and rains. Statistic. A basic statistic showing the population growth as population grows so does the rise and demand of more forests to be cut down and this leads to deforestation. This is a break down of land area per sq. km 2002 / 2008. Solution to Deforestation. Reforestation: In most parts of the world due to public awareness there have been new development that enforces reforestation and we have seen some major changes especially in countries around Asia. Legislation: Due to new laws and regulations passed we have also seen a huge developments new trees have been planted and old trees are not allowed to be cut down. If this continues there might be a chance to stop deforestation and reverse the whole process completely. Wildlife Sanctuaries: Sanctuaries are very important, not only to save wildlife, but to save trees as well. Sanctuaries go a long way in protecting all wildlife. Cities: All cities, let alone new cities, have to be managed properly. The new projects need to be controlled and planned accordingly making sure new trees are planted in the process. Commercial Forest Plantations: There can be special forest plantations for all the wood that is needed for the industry. This way the wood can be cut in a controlled and regulated environment. Water Management: Improper water management affects deforestation in a big way. If the wildlife doesnt have water, then the entire ecosystem will falter. The construction of new dams should be planned properly, so that any one area isnt deprived of water, and the other area has abundance of it. The Tree Of Hope. Haiti is one of the developing countries and nearly 70 percent of the Haitians depend on agricultural sector.Extreme soil erosion and deforestation mean that Haitis environment is one of the most devastated in the world. Only 30 percent of the land is suitable for cultivation, with the result that the majority of the rural population have anxious struggle for survial. Forests used to cover over nine tenths of Haiti: now only 1-2 per cent remains densely forested. Artist Relief Funds took the initiative to restore Haitis forest and educate local community about the overwhelming effect of deforestation on the land and the economy.  The project involves working in deforested areas with local residents in Haiti, farmers who are promoting economic sustainable development in the region through reforestation, environmental education, and wetland restoration. There is some hope. Projects with solar-powered ovens reduce the need to cut the trees for fuel. Crops best suited for poorer soils is being introduced. People are being educated that how deforestation leads to environmental and economic hardships. Some reforestation projects are under way. But all these will need to take hold and spread like wild fire if major changes are to take place. Reference List. http://www.heritagekonpa.com/Rebuilding%20Haiti%20Forest.html [Accessed 1 march 2011] http://environment.about.com/od/biodiversityconservation/a/amazonrain.html [Accessed 1 march 2011] http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sustain/issueguides/TimberCert/deforest/index.html [Accessed 2 march 2011] http://www.birdlife.org/eu/EU_policy/Biofuels/eu_biofuels2.html [Accessed 1 march 2011] http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/13/brazil-amazon-deforestation-climate-change-copenhagen [Accessed 2 march 2011] http://meatthefacts.org/wp/category/deforestation/ [Accessed 1 march 2011]

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Jews and Christians Essay

Islam is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. It is the second-largest religion in the world today, with an estimated 1. 4 billion adherents, known as Muslims. Islam is considered one of the second largest religions in Europe today especially in France and the United Kingdom. In regions like the Middle East, North Africa, south and central Asia, Islam is the dominant religion. The core belief of Muslims is that God revealed himself to all mankind through his Prophet Muhammad, and he gave his holy book, the Qur’an which embodies the message, teachings and traditions of the Sunnah which is considered as the basic sources of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad is regarded by Muslims as the true and final prophet of God. Islam, like Judaism and Christianity is also an Abrahamic religion. Muslims belief that God revealed his final message to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel, and that message is the truth of salvation and shall hold true until the day a of resurrection, that the holy Qur’an is the infallible word of God and has the seal of the prophets. Muslims belief that the core message of Islam, which is the worship of one God, is the same message preached by the all messengers that God has sent before Muhammad. Muslims also belief that the coming of Muhammad was the cache in God’s revelation of himself to mankind, the end of all the messages of one God which has been preached since the time of Adam. Muslims see their religion as the original and the final message of God to mankind, and see Christianity and Judaism as a distortion of the original revelation of God to Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. There are several similarities that run through these three religions. Geographically, they all seem to have their origins in the Middle East. They all lay claim to the most prominent religious figures the world has ever known i. e. .Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, as their forebears. The Qur’an even acknowledges Jesus Christ as a major prophet who walked the face of this earth and had a distinct knowledge of God. Islam acknowledges the practitioners of Christianity and Judaism as the people of the letter, which is to say that they are people who have received divine scriptures. All these not withstanding, Muslims believe that the final and truthful revelation of God and the right way of worship came through the holy prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that Islam is the right way of worship, of seeking God and of attaining salvation and therefore they must seek to win more peoples unto the Allah. Like the Jews, who saw a non Israelite as a gentile, any one other non-Muslim is an infidel. They also belief that Allah appreciates it very much when you die a violent death defending the faith of Islam and that automatically grants you grace favor and salvation before the lord, Infact, you go straight to heaven which is the ultimate reward of serving God here on earth just as Christians believe. In conclusion, Islam sees itself as superior to Christianity and Judaism because they believe it’s the total revelation of God of himself unto mankind.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Novel Room Analysis

Jack's mother however has a tougher time than her son even though she was once part of this society. Because of her isolation for seven years and he birth of her son, Jack's mother struggles to readjust to her old life. Since her new life revolves around Jack her concern towards him at the beginning makes her adaptation a slower process but as she realizes his true importance in her life he becomes the reason for her sudden improvement. The birth of Jack gave his mother a purpose to live and a reason to believe that escape was still a possibility.When Jack's mother is being interviewed in front of a live audience, she explains Jack's impact on her life, â€Å"Jack was everything. I was alive again, I mattered† (Donahue, 233). After her unsuccessful attempts to escape from Old Nick's imprisonment, Jack's mother loses all of her faith and gives up on believing that she could have a regular life once again. This only changes when her son is born and she acquires a new purpose, re sponsibility in her life. Because she was the only person present in Jack's life, she had to pass on to him everything that she was capable of.This included simple things such as teaching him how to brush his teeth or how to take a bath. Jack would not have learned these things if it were not for his mother. She knows how important she is to him when she says, â€Å"l was just afraid Jack would get ill – me too, he needed me to be K† (233). This idea of being needed by someone is what Jack's mother needs to keep going and to forget the circumstances that she was living in. As a consequence of being born hidden from society, Jack grew in an imaginary world which was created by his mother.This was done to prevent Jack from dreaming of a life that he could never have and to give his mother control over things. However, this only worked until they were rescued exposing Jack to the real world. When the interviewer asks his mother if it will be easier to untie raising jack i n this new world she says it will be more difficult. She says, â€Å"Its actually harder. When our world was eleven foot square it was easier to control. Lots of things are freaking Jack right now. But I hate the way the media call him a freak, or an idiot savant, or feral, that word† (236).Jack's mother is not only worried about her son's future but she is also wondering whether this fantasy she created for her son was a great idea. This concern she has towards Jack is making her life miserable because she has not only to take care of herself but also of her son. The mother was locked up for seven ears and just like Jack she has to adapt to society once again. The way the media sees and talks about him affects her because she does not see him that way. She is afraid that he will suffer for the rest of life if this image others have of him does not change.The overwhelming pressure and responsibility Jack's mother experiences causes her to try to take her life away. When Jack returns from a trip with his uncle he notices that something is wrong, â€Å"l see Ma's pill bottles open on the table, they look mostly empty. Never more than two, that's the rule, how could they be mostly empty, where id the pills go? ‘ (249). Swallowing the extra pills is the best way Jack's mother sees to avoid having to face her problems. She knows attack's adaptation to society will not happen suddenly and for it to move forward she needs to participate.However, she does not think that she is well and ready enough to play the supportive and strong mother figure Jack needs at this moment. The way she deals with her desperation by giving up on everything and everyone around her shows her lack of maturity. If she dealt with her problems as a mature adult she would not have done what she did because at first she loud have thought about Jack instead of herself. The constant attention and questioning from the media makes her doubt whether she would be up for the challenge of taking care of Jack.When she is being interviewed, Jack's mother demonstrates how tired she is of the all the attention they have been getting lately, â€Å"I'm not a saint. Wish people would stop treating us like we're the only ones who ever lived through something terrible. â€Å"(235). Besides doubting herself there were others including family members that disbelieved in her capacity. It is clear that her insecurity is worsened by other people's pylons. When Jack's mother realizes of the mistake she is done, she decides to start from the beginning with her son.When Jack sees her mother for the first time after her incident she says, â€Å"Guess what, Jack, you and me have our own For someone who is been through a lot, the idea of living on her own with a five year old child is not an easy decision. This strength she shows is a result of her immense love for her son. The mother at this point has already realized that she needs Jack just as much as he needs her. Jack instead of making her adaptation a slower process helps his mother o see that moving on by building a new life could be the answer to all of her problems.When Jack's mother mentions to one of her counselors that Jack has been enough for her, she is told that this is a result of her becoming a mature and responsible mother (314). She is not the same woman she was before she was taken. Raising Jack is the only pride she has left and the only thing that keeps her going. Regardless all of the suffering and sacrifices, she raised a perfectly healthy child that has the potential to be successful in the future. The love Jack's mother has for her son is the major factor for err improvement, well – being.