The Corporate Takeover of American Farming Essay Example

The Corporate Takeover of American Farming Paper We are literally eating ourselves to death. For the first time in American history, the generations born after the baby boomers face a lower life expectancy than their parents did. This situation Is largely a result of a product that we cannot even eat until it has been processed into our food and drink supply. This food, plus a sedentary life-style, have caused an epidemic of obesity which has been on the rise in America for the past 30 years, increasing the rate of diabetes and other food- related Illnesses. Because of the method of farming, the use of chemical fertilizers, ND the supply of genetically modified seed for crops of corn and soy, we have plenty of cheap food available in the US, but this food comes a at a cost. It causes so many problems with our health that we would be much better off with a lower quantity of a higher quality substitute which we would call wholesome food. The primary Ingredient Is found In the most common element In our food supply: corn. Not the type of sweet corn that you eat off the cob in the summer-time, but an inedible corn that must be processed at high heat levels to be transformed into a starchy mess before any mammal can eat it. This corn product Is in our food and our sweetened soft drinks. It Is used as cattle feed because It Is cheap and readies the cows for market in a shorter time than the grass which cattle have naturally evolved to eat. It is in ready-made foods and soft drinks in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Another ingredient grown by US farmers is soybeans. We will write a custom essay sample on The Corporate Takeover of American Farming specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Corporate Takeover of American Farming specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Corporate Takeover of American Farming specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer These are also used to feed cattle and they wind up In two-thirds of all processed foods (Pollen p bib Corporations run the whole system to their ultimate benefit in the form of cheap feed and sweetener as inputs of production. Ethanol producers also benefit from the availably of cheap corn. This corn is farmed at a loss to farmers which the U. S. Government makes up for In the form of subsidies called deficiency payments. Without these subsidies, farmers would not be able to earn a living farming such a low-priced commodity. Thesis The modern corporation has taken over the farming industry. What we have, as a result, Is a near serfdom In the personage of farmers who must follow the rules that corporations set when they draft the Farm Bill. Corporate lobbyists control the production of corn and soy beans for their own benefit. We, as taxpaying citizens, subsidize a system of over-production and farm subsidies which only allow farmers to barely survive volcanically, while ultimately benefiting only the corporations who write the rules for their own game In the end. The result Is a diet which Is unhealthy for Americans to eat, causing obesity and a myriad of related health problems and farmers who have no say in the economics of agribusiness. Problem Because of the corporate control of farming In the United States, we are faced with a staggering set of problems which have no easy fix. Four corporations, Monsanto, DOD Chemical, Archer Daniels Midland, and the Cargill Group control the vast majority of the food supply (Wolf). One of every four Americans lived on a farm near OFF ten turn AT ten TNT century (Pollen 3 ) Nine, a Tarter could supply enough T feed his family and twelve others also. Today, less than two million people in the United States still farm. (ibid). Yet, they grow enough food to feed the entire population and then some. Today, in Iowa, what we used to call the Bread Basket of America, farmers grow nothing but corn and soy beans. Todays typical farm is so productive that it can feed 120 Americans (ibid). American farmers are the most productive of all humans in any civilization in history. But this productivity comes at a high cost to humans, animals, and the entire ecosystem. Because corn is so abundant and cheap, it is used in various forms in the American food supply. As stated above, this type of corn is inediblefor anyone or any animal. It must be processed and heated to a mush to make cattle feed and further processed to make liquid corn syrup. Cattle have evolved to eat grass, which they do for the first couple of years before they are shipped to feedlots where they re kept in crowded, inhumane conditions and fed this corn-based substance which fattens them up faster for slaughter. These conditions and food are so unhealthy for cattle that if they were fed it for another month before being shipped to the slaughterhouse, they would die (Wolf). Cattle are kept alive in these conditions by the use of powerful antibiotics. They are also given growth hormones so they will yield more meet. Cattle are raised on feed made from corn and are injected with antibiotics and growth hormones. We eat cattle, and therefore we eat the anti-biotic and growth hormones in our beef. We drink sodas and other soft drinks which are sweetened with corn syrup. So much of our food and drink supply are full of this corn product. Yet this corn-fed meat is less healthy for us, because it contains less omega-3 fatty acids and more saturated fat than comes from grass-fed cattle (Pollen p 75). Cafes?Concentrated Animal Feeding Operationsanother phrase for feedlots, have caused several problems in the ecosystem with their waste byproducts (Pollen, 67). A recent article in Mother Jones reported that meatpacking giant, Tyson Foods, would no longer by cattle which have been injected with the popular growth Armonk, Climax made by Merck pharmaceuticals. In a letter to their Cafes they cited concerns over animal welfare: there have been recent instances of cattle delivered for processing that have difficulty walking or are unable to move. (Philipp). This announcement is sending showplaces through the CAFE industry. China, Russia and the European Union, already ban imports of cattle where Climax has been used. In fact, China bans all beef from the U. S. And instead rely on supplies from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Australia, and New Zealand (Philipp). The problem is manifold. The sots include higher rates of obesity than at any time in our history. Before the asss, when cattle were mostly grass fed, our meat was less fattening and more natural. We can still buy beef from grass-fed cattle, but the cost is nearly twice that of corn-fed beef. The cost of beef has gone down drastically in real terms over the past 30 years due to the abundant supply of cheap corn. Before our food supply changed to provide cheap beef, meat was a treat for most families. Today, the hamburgers we eat are kept cheap, and, as a result, we eat too much. The only people benefiting from his system are those who profit from corporations which run the system. Government policies, which are highly influenced by powerful lobbies of corporations wanly Duty corn, nave athletes ten economics AT Too supply In America Into a perverse system of over-production at any price paid at the grain elevators. Market forces are out of balance in terms of equity due to the fact that so few players determine corn prices, both in the commodities market at the Chicago Board of Trade, and at grain elevators themselves. (National Family Farm Coalition). Farmers are at the mercy of mega-corporations such as Monsanto which determine how much deed costs, what seeds will be available, what crops will be grown, and what prices will be paid. Ultimately, the only real benefactors of this system are a handful of huge corporations, the players who keep the system running for their own benefit. Other problems with the modern agribusiness system is genetically modified food products. A study done in 2010 revealed some disturbing effects of GM corn when fed to laboratory rats. The study found that the SMOG corn caused organ damage in the rats indicating that this could also present a danger to humans. The primary organs affected were the kidney and liver, both of which have the function of laminating toxins. In addition, some effects on heart, adrenal, spleen and blood cells were also frequently noted. Monsanto followed up with a crude 90 day study which, not surprisingly, found that the SMOG corn had no ill health effects. Scientists at JIBS had concluded stating data strongly suggests that these GM corn varieties induce a state of heptagonal toxicity and that these substances have never before been an integral part of the human or animal diet and therefore their health consequences for those who consume them, especially over long time periods are currently unknown (Miami). It wasnt always like this. Before World War II, more Americans worked farms and they planted a wide variety of crops. They also kept cattle which provided not only income from their sale to slaughter houses, but also manure which made a great fertilizer for farm land and preserve the nitrogen needed for growth for other crops. There were problems with erosion which became obvious during the dust bowl years of the sasss and which were addressed by the conservation corps to educate farmers to prevent erosion of the top soil . Crops were rotated to maintain a balance of essential ingredients for plant growth, especially nitrogen. Chemical redelivers were almost unheard of and they were not necessary because of the manure provided from cattle. During WI, ammonium nitrate was used for explosives. After the war there was an overabundance of ammonium nitrate which so happens to be a rich source of nitrogen. The use of ammonium nitrate as a fertilizer caused a huge increase in harvests which were guaranteed year after year, only affected by bad weather. The use of chemical fertilizer has eliminated the need for farmers to rotate crops with anything other than soy beans, which are the other leg of farm production and also used as high protein foods for livestock. The corn elevators are mostly owned by corporations now, not the farmer co-ops of yesteryear. In Iowa, the operators of the grain elevators will only buy corn and soybeans. So, the corporate owners of the elevators end up dictating not only the price of these commodities, but the type of commodities that farmers must plant. The price of corn falls whenever there is an abundant supply which has been the case in almost every year since Earl Butt, secretary of agriculture under the Nixon administration, changed farm policies that had been in effect from the time of the New Deal. By encouraging farmers to plant crops in every available piece of land they owned, Butt ensured an annoyance TOT I en result came at Just ten relent time politically following a sharp increase in food prices in 1973. Butt would later argue that he had done the right thing based on the fact that there is more food available now at lower prices than at any time in history. (Wolf). The US government subsidizes cheap corn by direct payment to farmers for the approximate difference between the cost of production and the price of corn in a given year. Thus, the only way for the farmers to arrive economically is to plant more and more corn. The perverse effect of this is that such overproduction only causes the price of corn to fall further and further the more that is produced and it is we the taxpayers who pay for the governments deficiency payments to farmers (ibid). But who really benefits from this whole twisted system of agricultural economics? The big corporations such as Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland, neither of whom sell directly to the public nor do they therefore have reason to answer to the public. Together both corporations buy the majority of he corn supply. They are what economists would call monopolists entities which corner the market on buying commodities and therefore have market power to control the price of a given commodity, such as corn and soybean at their grain elevators. This corn, as Pollen says in the Omnivores Dilemma, is less a food than an industrial raw material?and an abstraction. (Pollen, p 64) Proposed Solutions All sorts of horrible things are set into motion by our corn policies. This paper cannot cover the entire scope but keep in mind that cattle are fed this corn to fatten them p faster in crowded feed lots which are unsanitary. To keep the cattle from dying of disease before they can be slaughtered, the feed lot owners make sure they have plenty of antibiotics. Also, cattle evolved to eat grass, not corn. Many become ill due to an inability to digest the enormous quantities of corn they are fed. We eat this meat full of antibiotics and extracted from unhealthy cattle all so that we can have cheap hamburgers. The only way to change this perversion of nature is by paying careful attention to what we consume including fast food and even much of what can be found at a typical grocery store. Still, there remain cattle which are grass fed and yield much leaner meat. This meat is more expensive, but if enough consumers want it, it is possible that enough could be supplied to bring down the price. This is one way of eliminating our dependence on unhealthy corn. Other ways of influencing farm policy, include keeping track of the voting records of U. S. Assembly members and senators, writing and calling them, and organizing or supporting grass roots organizations which address the Farm Bill and the lobbying that the few corporations do to get their version passed annually. A situation where we see a return to regular farming, where a variety of crops are grown besides corn and soy beans, where cattle are raised on grass, and where more of the population returns to working farms is not likely. There are, however, some who are farming small plots of organic vegetation to feed their families with high-quality food. The ways that our food industry works can be changed with effort and organization among voters, who are the very consumers affected by the Farm Bill. Because the Farm Bill is actually written by lobbyists for Monsanto, DOD, Archers-Midland, and Cargill, a solution lies UT of reach through their representatives for most Americans. These corporations Duty ten congress tongue Notations wanly assures teen AT tenet approval AT can and every item in the Farm Bill. Because of Citizens-United, these moneyed-interests are assured an unlimited amount of free-speech in the form of unlimited corporate donations. This is the one issue that will require years to change, but there are movements now to persuade congress to legislate Citizens United out of existence as the law of the land. However, most are pessimistic about the chances of that happening while the Roberts Court is still around. A Call for Action Public education should be encouraged to reveal the results of our farm policy. By making information readily available concerning agric-business and Smogs, demand for such food can change and a preference for healthy, naturally grown food can be realized. This is already happening among consumers who shop for organic foods at farmers markets around the country and among grass-roots political organizations which have as part of their goals the labeling of GM foods. The presence of chain stores selling healthy food indicates there is strong enough demand to start hanging the market and working for a healthier America. Because of the power that corporations wield, the only way for consumers to change the food industry is through banding together, getting organized, and becoming involved politically. There is hope for change because ultimately what is supplied in the market is what consumers demand. Americans have changed their consumption of beef in the past few decades from an average of about 80 pounds per person annually, vs.. About 130 pounds in the mid-sasss (Philipp). That means that the big meat packers have had to rely on exports for profit growth. As consumers, we ultimately have the power to change demand. It is clear that demand for beef is elastic in relation to the price of beef. This is because there are substitutes. We can eat chicken, pork, or become vegetarians. It is up to us what we consume. Also, since ready-made foods usually have some corn product in their ingredients, it would be healthier to skip the convenience of these foods and return to fresh food preparation and cooking. Conclusion The situation with the food supply in the U. S. Is complex and perverse. Farming is no longer the function of the typical American, nor is it recognizable when compared tit the type of agriculture upon which humans have relied upon for 5,000 years. In the last half of the 20th century agriculture grew into agribusiness and in the last 30 years, into the domain of corporations which have only their financial bottom line in mind. Farmers now must follow the dictates of a handful of corporations. These behemoths determine what crops will be grown and at what price. The farmer really has no choice. Because of the corporate influence on congress, these corporations hold all the cards. Corporate lobbyists write the Farm Bill which determines Farm policy for the next five years until it is renewed again. The passage of the aspects of the Farm Bill which these lobbyists write are routinely approved by congress. Their approval is assured by campaign contributions and outright bribery. The resulting state of the farm, and farmers is not far off from the relationship between feudal lords and the serfs who farmed their land. The difference exists is that farmers are allowed to own their land but, in terms of choices, that is where the difference ends. The price of corn is kept so low that farmers operate at a loss.

Alzheimer#8217;s Disease Essay

Alzheimer#8217;s Disease Essay Alzheimers disease is a progressive disease of the human brain that is characterized by impairment of memory and a disturbance in at least one other thinking function (Bronstein Pulst, 2003). When we hear about Alzheimers disease we automatically think of older people. This is because this disease most often occurs in adults after the age of 65. Statistics show that one in eight individuals will have Alzheimers after they reach age 65 (Cavanaugh Blanchard-Fields, 2002). Alzheimers disease is a form of dementia, which is any medical condition that affects the brain (Cavanaugh Blanchard-Fields, 2002). A diagnosis of Alzheimers is said to be a diagnosis by exclusion (Bronstein Pulst, 2003). This means that there is no certain test just for Alzheimers, but many tests that rule out other diseases. The early stages deal with shorts of this include forgetting to turn off the stove, forgetting what medications were taken in a particular day, or forgetting which medications need to be taken. As the disease progresses there is more visibility in the declines in abstract thinking and intellectual function development (Bronstein Pulst, 2003). As the disease enters the final stages, individuals become very confused and disorientated. At this point the individuals health status has become severely deteriorated and this can cause them to develop pneumonia or other illnesses that may lead to death. Consequently, most people do not die from Alzheimers, but other health related problems. Alzheimers disease can last anywhere from six to eight years, however it can be present without obvious symp toms for two to twenty years. The on-set of Alzheimers disease is very slow (Bronstein Pulst, 2003). There are many factors that play a role in the cause of Alzheimers disease. This disease is also genetic- a person that has family members with the disease possesses an increased chance of being diagnosed with Alzheimers also. This disease supposedly caused by many effects on the brain. A mutation of a single gene is one condition that is found in the brain of Alzheimers patients (Bronstein Pulst, 2003). There are also proteins in the brain that are linked to Alzheimers. They are the amyloid precursor and two presenilins, (Bronstein Pulst, 2003) which are responsible in the early on-set of the disease (Brzyska Elbaum, 2003). The number one indicator of Alzheimers is a gene called apolipoproteinE (apoE). There are three forms of this gene. ApoE 4 is the one that is most closely related to Alzheimers sufferers. This gene is inherited and when a child receives two of them, one from each parent. As a result, the childs chances of developing the disease are largely increased. ApoE2 is another form of the gene but this one takes on the opposite route this gene decreases one’s chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease. There are not many prevention methods for Alzheimers; its a genetic disease, and it also depends on how your genes react to our environment. It has been thought that drinking out of aluminum cans can cause Alzheimers, but this has been proven to now be false. Many scientists believe that Alzheimers disease occurs from an increase in the production of a specific protein, beta amyloid, which leads to nerve cell death (Bronstein Pulst, 2003). Although there is no cure for Alzheimers disease, there are treatments that prolong the individual’s awareness and memory. Their medications can be taken in the early stages to minimize memory loss that the patient is experiencing. One drug that has a positive effect is tacrine, a drug that is used to increase acetylcholine, which helps to improve memory (Cavanaugh Blanchard-Fields, 2002). Patients are also given anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medicines to address their mood (Cavanaugh Blanchard-Fields, 2002). These drugs are called chiolinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs); the FDA has approved them for the treatment of Alzheimers disease. Along with tacrine, aricept is another drug that is commonly used and found to be very successful in delaying the effects of Alzheimers. These drugs have been found to help patients in most cases, but genetics dictate that each case is different; signs and symptoms for Alzheimers vary for each patient. These drugs are most effective when used in the earliest stages of the disease. When a patient is taking these drugs, doctors should not prescribe more than one because there are too many side effects when in taken in combination. Alzheimer sufferers do not have to take these medicines for their whole life, but when they are experiencing withdrawals from them they have to be monitored. There are four principle disturbances in Alzheimers disease. They are agitation, depression, psychosis, and anxiety. Agitation occurs in about 70% of patients and is more common as the disease gets worse (Bronstein Pulst, 2003). To calm a patient’s agitation doctors often prescribe them antipsychotic drugs. Psychosis is common among Alzheimers patients also, but not as often, occurring in about 50 % of cases. In another 50 % of the cases we find them suffering from depressionusually a mild depression that is treated with antidepressants. Anxiety is the last principle disturbance that is found in Alzheimers and it occurs in about 40-50 % of cases. Most patients do not require medication to treat their anxiety (Bronstein Pulst, 2003). Finally, one last effect that may occur from time to time in the course of Alzheimers disease is difficulty sleeping. There is not yet a cure for this disease but with all the continued research, hopefully in the future, researchers will find one. Having the knowledge about the brain and its abnormalities that occur with this disease will provide physicians with more treatment and maybe a cure. According to Bronstein and Pulst animal testing such as immunization of beta-amyloid antibodies have been showing very promising results in the next step for a cure. The reason I choose to research this disease is because my grandmother is currently ailing from it. She is eighty-seven years old and along with some other health problems, Alzheimers disease has become a major concern. She is well into the latent stages of the disease, but the disease has not completely overtaken her. However, there are many things that the disease has done to her normal capabilities. When my family first noticed that she was becoming more and more forgetful, we did not think much about it. As the disease progressed, we became more concerned for her safety. My grandmother takes medications for her other illnesses, and like most other Alzheimer patients she was starting to forget to take them. My grandmother also drove up until her later years, which was not a safe idea for her or other drivers on the road. She once got lost and we had to go out searching for her. A major tragedy was averted after we had to call the police and she was discovered after she backed her car into the side of her home. When confronting her on with these situations, she was able to make up excuses or she just easily denied that she did that. She is not yet in the stage where she forgets who we are, but she does need to be reminded from time to time. The one good thing about my grandmother’s condition is that she is now aware that there is a problem. A conversation with my grandma consists of a lot of repeating. Some times she will catch herself asking the same questions and her famous quote is, my thinker is a stinker. One thing that I do notice in my grandmother that coincides with my research is that a majority of her forgetfulness is short-term memory loss. When asking my grandmother about her childhood, or how she met my grandfather, she remembers it like it was yesterday. Not only does my grandmother have other health-related problems, she also lived alone for a while and has fallen causing great injury to her body. The worst occurrence of this happening is when she once fell in her kitchen and broke her hip. At this point in her life, she was more disorientated than ever. We now have a nurse that stays with her to make sure that she is safe, but this is another issue for her because she feels that there is a stranger in her house. Alzheimers is an intimidating and threatening disease. Possessing the knowledge that I now have is an advantage in being a preventable measure for me. Being that this disease is genetic, my chances of having it are increased. Knowing all of this information about it will help me in the future to be able to detect it early so I can take the proper course of action that will delay the progression of this disease for me. If tragedy ever should strike, by then, hopefully, more curable treatments will exist.

Importance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in hazard Essay

Importance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in hazard mitigation and preparedness planning - Essay Example They need help to successfully accomplish their mission. â€Å"To develop a better emergency management effort at the level of county emergency management agencies, these agencies must be equipped with tools that help them to overcome their resource shortfalls† (Drabek, 1990). These tools must allow them to not only reach information about the geographical, geophysical, and socioeconomic characteristics of their county, but also to determine, visualize, and analyze the possible extent of disasters. â€Å"Efficient management of potential risks can only be accomplished if the emergency managers are aware of the extent of the possible effects of disasters. Such tools can be developed to act as a decision support system for emergency management agencies, through the use of a geographic information system (GIS)† (Fulcher, 1995). Disaster management consists of various cyclical phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Because each phase is geographically related to where people, places, and things are spatially located, GIS can be a valuable tool for analysis purposes throughout each cycle. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) classifies overall emergency management into four categories: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. â€Å"Mitigation can be described as the efforts that reduce the degree of long-term risk to human life and property from natural and man-made hazards† (Ciglar, 1988). Preparedness is the activities that develop operational capabilities for responding to an emergency. Response covers the efforts taken immediately before, during, or directly after an emergency that save lives, minimize property damage, or improve recovery. Recovery includes the activities that restore vital life-support systems to minimum operating standards and long-term activities that return life to normal. Each of the 50 states has its

The pity of war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The pity of war - Essay Example Owen’s poem reveals the sheer ridiculousness of arrogant militarism. While Gibson’s The Conscript is about the healers, the doctors who become so desensitized by war that they are not affected by even the most horrible sights that they come across. These poems make an excellent case against war; they remind us that war is a waste of precious lives and that it strips us of our humanity. Sassoon wrote The General after one of his close friends died. It is a very personal poem for him, and it questions the validity of the war. Many soldiers died in World War I due to the incompetence of those in charge and Sassoon wrote this poem decrying this very incompetence. The careless almost inhumane attitude of the general is seen as he is greeting his way through the line of his soldiers in a chirpy manner while most of them have died. His chirpy exuberance is misplaced when one considers the deaths of those under his command. The general, who most likely was safe in the back lines while his men followed his orders, does not even notice that there are many men missing – men who have died following his careless and irresponsible commands. As the men â€Å"slogged up to Arras† the city where the frontline was located throughout much of WWI, they end up blaming â€Å"his staff for incompetent swine† than place the responsibility on the General. Many a time, soldiers have to pay the price for the incompetence of their commandants, be they generals or not, and yet those in command are completely unaffected by the loss of life. In The Parable of the Old Man and the Young, Owen retells the Old Testament story of Abraham’s sacrifice, about how he, in obedience to a direct command from god, was willing to take the life of his only son, Isaac. He uses the characters but changes the ending. He uses Isaac as an analogy for the soldiers who are sacrificed, and Abraham as the old

Constraints of literacy in developing countries Essay Example for Free

Constraints of literacy in developing countries Essay Poverty and illiteracy go hand in hand. Majority of the illiterate women live in countries with increasing economic difficulties and enormous debt burdens. The existence of multiple causes such as discrimination and deprivation against the female population is easily revealed (E. Malmaquist, 1992:19-20). Two hypothesis (1) barriers and (2) effects are constraints of literacy. Both will be examined and broken down for better understanding as to why they correlate with education to affect womens development.coge ger segegew orge gek inge foge ge. Several barriers reveal important patterns and trends in womens education in developing countries[1]. Each indicators leads to the same conclusions: the level of female education is low in the poorest countries, with just a handful of exceptions and by any measure the gender gap is largest in these countries.[2]cogg ggr seggggw orgg ggk ingg fogg gg.  Literacy Ratescoef efr seefefw oref efk inef foef ef. Literacy is one of the principal goals of education around the world. The ability to read and write is considered almost a basic human right. Yet low literacy rates prevail among women in many developing countries a staggering figure of twenty percent for female adult literacy rate (E. King, etal, 1997: 2). According to Malmquist (1992) women often face practical barriers to their participation in literacy programmes[3] (19). One must realize that even though literacy is not the only means to development it should be considered an essential instrument in the right direction to growth potential (25). This work from www.academicdb.com In Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Nepal, Somalia and Sudan, fewer than ten percent of women are literate, while male literacy rate is not so low. The percentages of men who are literate are three to four times larger. Among other countries the gender gap is noticeable large: Libya 30%, China 38%, Zaire 26%, Botswana 21% and Turkey 23%.[4]coge ger segegew orge gek inge foge ge. Obstacles to literacy  Womens place is in the home. Subsequently, we have heard this phrase many times over. In several developing countries, this saying is true for while the men folk are away from the home, the women take over the mens work while attending to their customary chores. On their shoulder lie the responsibilities of the household, children and the work of the fields. Even though men work from sunrise to sunset, a womans work is never done. Many women rise at four or five oclock in the morning with a lot of chores to be completed before day is done. [5]coca car secacaw orca cak inca foca ca: Frequently a woman covers long distance carrying wood, water and farm products (K. Chlebowska, 1990: 83). It is no wonder these women have no opportunity in pursuing an education that will enable them in their developmental process if they have no time for the betterment of themselves.coca car secacaw orca cak inca foca ca; Educationcoaf afr seafafw oraf afk inaf foaf af;  According to Chlebowska, in 1985 some 130 million children[6] eighty percent of who were girls did not attend school. Insufficient numbers attending school, dropout and absenteeism are variables of the education of girls. Distance from school is one of several obstacles to school attendance. In rural areas where transport facilities are limited, parents hesitate to send their daughters to a remote school outside villages or homes. If transport exists they are not free and parent who are poor must either abandon schooling or make a choice, which is always the determinant of the girl staying at home (K. Chlebowska, 1990: 72). sabir4u, please do not redistribute this project. We work very hard to create this website, and we trust our visitors to respect it for the good of other students. Please, do not circulate this project elsewhere on the internet. Anybody found doing so will be permanently banned. School dropout is more frequent amongst girls. Also engagement, marriage and motherhood contribute to school dropout. The percentage of girls in primary schools in developing countries is lower than that of boys. A case in point is in Africa in1987 the rate of enrolment of boys aged 6 to 11 was 69% and that of girls only 56% for the same age group. In Asia 77% boys attended school while 59% girls did not (73). sabir4u, please do not redistribute this paper. We work very hard to create this website, and we trust our visitors to respect it for the good of other students. Please, do not circulate this paper elsewhere on the internet. Anybody found doing so will be permanently banned. In summing one can ascertain that under-attendance of girls at school attributes to less being able to neither read nor write. The reasons are that many of these girls live in rural areas and are generally poor. Parents do not see the attendance of their daughters in school a necessity and not essential when there are household chores to be performed, which in the eyes of mothers and grandparents are more important than education, whereas it is for boys as they turn out to become heads of the households (K. Chlebowska, 1990: 74).coec ecr seececw orec eck inec foec ec; As we have observed there are constraints put into place, which affect womens literacy in developing countries. Subsequently, it is more difficult for women and girls to acquire an education while boys are given more of an opportunity to do so. As a result, due to this kind of restriction on women the manifestation of gender-gap has astronomical influence that is irreparable.codb dbr sedbdbw ordb dbk indb fodb db.

Insulin Response in Low Carbohydrate Diets Essay -- Health Nutrition D

Insulin Response in Low Carbohydrate Diets   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the current popularity of the Atkins diet and similar plans that emphasize a reduced intake of carbohydrates, it is important to understand both the theory underlying these diets and the effects of low carbohydrate consumption on one's health. In particular, it is crucial that anyone considering such a program understand the effects of low carbohydrate diets on the body's insulin response, as well as consequences of low and high insulin levels in the blood. Therefore, the research on the insulin response to reduced carbohydrate energy bars contained in the article "Glycemic and insulinemic responses to energy bars of differing macronutrient composition in healthy adults" by Steven R. Hertzler and Yeonsoo Kim should be considered.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The basic concept of the Atkins diet is that certain high carbohydrate foods, such as bread and foods high in sugar, should be reduced or eliminated from the diet, or at least replaced by foods lower in carbohydrates. An example of an acceptable low carbohydrate food is the Atkins Advantage Bar, a low-carbohydrate energy bar that is primarily protein and fat and which represents the low carbohydrate food studied by Hertzler and Kim. The scientific theory behind Atkins' proposed shift from carbohydrate and toward protein and fat is that carbohydrates theoretically elicit an increased insulin response. In this context, "increased insulin response" means that the pancreas releases high amounts of insulin into the bloodstream during the digestion of carbohydrates. The Atkins theory also holds that there is a link between high insulin levels in the blood and undesired metabolic effects. Such effe... ...response may suggest that these diets do not achieve this objective. A probable explanation for the increased insulin response of the low and moderate carbohydrate bars is that protein and/or fat are substituted for the removed carbohydrate, and both protein and fat can trigger an increased insulin response. However, it is more likely that the protein triggered the insulin response since several studies have demonstrated that dietary protein and certain amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are insulinogenic, or insulin inducing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thus, participants in a low carbohydrate program may continue to experience the adverse metabolic conditions of inhibited fat breakdown and increased blood cholesterol. Additionally, these data suggest that such diets might not contribute to weight loss or to bettering one's overall health.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Opportunity costs are other uses of resources Essay

The opportunity cost of any action is defined as the next best alternative to that action. The concept of opportunity costs explain that for every opportunity pursued, there is a cost associated with that opportunity. Every choice has a trade-off because one would usually give up something in favor of the first choice, given one’s limited resources. Limited resources imply scarcity, and a scarce resource used for one thing means that some other thing is foregone. Opportunity costs are usually assessed in terms of money, but it can also be considered in terms of anything that is deemed of value to the company, such as time, production or mechanical output, or any other kind of limited resource. The opportunity cost is usually the difference of value between the first choice and the alternative—for example, the difference between the actual performance of one’s current investment and some other desired investment is considered the opportunity cost of that investment. Another opportunity cost that should be considered includes the cost investing a company’s resources in new capital goods in lieu of its current production of consumer goods. Other kind of opportunities that would have associated opportunity costs include investing, supplying capital, purchasing goods, saving money, and specialization.