Genetically Modified Food

It has been said that if man learned how to be content then mankind would still be in living in caves, on trees or in crude houses made of mud and sticks. There would be no technological advances beyond the discovery of fire. Everyone will be happy with a nomadic existence hunting and gathering food. But this is not the case. Human beings will always try to find a better way to live, to dress, drink and to eat. One of the most amazing discoveries in modern history is the ability to genetically alter food.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Genetically Modified Food specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This means increase in yield, vitamin-enriched foods, drought and insect-resistant plants as well as sturdier animals for consumption. Although this type of technology is beneficial to ensure food security there are those who are not convinced that the rewards outweigh the risks. This study will take a closer look at genetically modified foods its benefits as well the risks and involved and how people and governments should react to these issues. In a nutshell, genetically modified (GM) food â€Å"consists of plants and animals whose genes have been altered† (Freedman, 2009, p4). The original researchers who tackled the creation of GM were motivated by a common goal, to develop crops that are able to produce higher yields in order to solve world hunger (Freedman, 2009, p.4). Later on it included the modification of animal genes to have the same result and it is to ensure food security. Before going any further it is important to point out that at the core of GM is modern biotechnology. This will help clarify that GMs are not a byproduct of conventional techniques such as breeding and selection. In order to have a clear picture of what is required to produce GMs one needs to understand the standard definition of biotechnology in relation to GMs and according to Codex Alimentarius Commi ssion which was adapted from the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, modern biotechnology is defined as: the application of in vitro nucleic acid techniques, including recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and direct injection of nucleic aid into cells or organelles; or fusion of cells beyond the taxonomic family, that overcome natural physiological reproductive or recombination barriers, and that are not techniques used in traditional breeding and selection (WHO, 2005, p.2). The capability to produce the desired traits is nothing new to farmers and breeders of animals. According to scientists, â€Å"Historically, farmers bred plants and animals for thousands of years to produce the desired traits †¦ they produced dogs ranging from poodles to Great Danes, and roses from sweet-smelling miniatures to today’s long-lasting, but scent-free reds† (MedlinePlus, 2010, p.1). It is the use of selective breeding that allowed for the creation of wide varieties of plants and an imals, however, â€Å"the process depended on nature to produce the desired gene† (MedlinePlus, 2010, p.1). The only thing that humans did was to mate invidual animals and cross-polinate plants that carried the particular gene that they had identified beforehand in order for the desired characteristic to become common or more pronounced (MedlinePlus, 2010, p.1).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In other words more deliberate human interference is the key feature of biotechnology and genetically engineered food. The specific action is the recombination of DNA, injection of nucleic acid into cells and even fusion of cells. The trigger mechanism is the DNA because it contains genetic material. The genetic material in turn commands the cells to produce cells with a set of characteristics. Thus, the recombination of DNA and even the injection of nucleic acid into cell s can easily alter the normal mode of cell reproduction. This is the reason why biotechnologists working to create GMs are able to produce plants and animals with special characteristics that are absent in normal plants and animals that did not have recombinant DNA or other foreign genetic material in their system. For instance a normal tomato plant can only produce a certain number of fruits. Now, a new technology will enable farmers to double the yield of each tomato plant but there is only one problem a normal tomato plant cannot handle the added weight. This is where genetic engineering comes in, scientists can recombine the DNA of a tomato and tougher more sinewy plant and as a result the genetically engineered tomato plant will develop strong stems that can now handle the added weight of a double yield. Benefits The benefits of GMs are numerous and easily bolster the argument that GMs are needed to feed an overpopulated planet. This is because GMs are said to produce more nutr itious and tastier food (MedlinePlus, 2010, p.1). Aside from that plants that went through genetic engineering process are disease and drought resistant and at the same time said to require fewer resources such as water and fertilizer (MedlinePlus, 2010, p.1). In addition genetically modified plants and animals are said to be fast growing, thus significantly increasing food supply as well as increase the shelf life of the foodstuff (MedlinePlus, 2010, p.1). At first glance it seems that GMs is the answer to the farmer’s and consumer’s prayers. GM crops are no only fast growing there is also a significant increase in â€Å"per-acre yield and at the same time, reduce the need for herbicides and pesticides† (Carroll Bucholtz, 2009, p.840). The main problem of most farmers is low yield and the reduction of the same because of pests. The double impact of increased yield and less use of pest control chemicals will only mean one thing and that would be increased reven ue for the farmers while low cost of food commodities for the consumers. The proven success of GMs is perhaps the reason why GM crops are grown in every continent except in Antarctica (Freedman, 2009, p.4). In South America GM crops can be found in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Chile, and Honduras (Freedman, 2009, p.4).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Genetically Modified Food specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Europe, GM crops are planted in France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Romania, while in Asia GMs are grown in India, China and the Philippines (Freedman, 2009, p. 4). However, there are those who are voicing their concerns regarding how scientists are interfering with natural processes and they fear the consequences. Risks Although it is a well-documented fact that GMs help solve many of the problems common to farming and food production it cannot be denied that there is great potential for problems to occur. The World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organisation was able to express the concern succinctly in the following statement â€Å"Introduction of a transgene into a recipient organism is not a precisely controlled process, and can result in a variety of outcomes with regard to integration, expression and stability of the transgene in the host (WHO, 2005, p.11). Since this technology is relatively new there is no way of knowing the long-term effects or even the impact of recent breakthroughs. Governments and respective departments handling the safety assessment of GMs consistently defend the use of GMs because these are deemed safe by studies made concerning genetically modified foods (Carroll Buchholtz, 2009, p.840). But those who are not in favour of GMs that governments used data coming from company-sponsored studies and therefore considered as unreliable (Carroll Buchholtz, 2009, p.840). C ritics are saying that there is the possibility of altering the toxicity of plants because of the insertion of a foreign gene (Parekh, 2004, p.299). This is because the introduction of new genes â€Å"may increase or decrease the expression of the existing proteins or enzymes, which in turn results in the change of other substances in plants† (Parekh, 2004, p.300). There is also concern with regards to the potential human-health effects from horizontal gene transfer (WHO, 2005, p.15). With regards to toxicity and other potential direct effect on human health experts are saying that the potential direct health effects of GM foods ‘are generally comparable to the known risks associated with conventional foods† (WHO, 2005, p.13). This means that there is no significant difference when it comes to problems encountered while consuming GMs and when consuming conventional foods. With regards to the fear of the possible detrimental effects from horizontal gene transfer th is is the testimony of global watchdogs â€Å"The FAO/WHO expert panels concluded that horizontal gene transfer is a rare event† (WHO, 2005, p.15).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, critics are quick with their rebuttals and they asked if there are long term tests conducted to examine environmental impact more thoroughly and they added if these experts are already aware of the effect of GM food as it moves through the food chain (Carroll Buchholtz, 2009, p.840). The debate continues. Allergens One of the primary concerns is the creation of GMs that can cause food allergies for people who were previously not allergic to this type of food. This means that because of an unintended effect the genetic engineering of crop has created a new variant that produces an allergen. This principle was in full display when a genetically modified soybean suddenly contained an allergen when in conventional soybean this type of allergen was non-existent (Brown, 2005, p.17). It was an American company, the Pioneer Hi-Bred International that attempted to develop a line of GM soybean that was supposed to produce a methionine-rich protein courtesy of a gene taken from Brazi l nuts (Parekh, 2004, p.304). At that time it was common knowledge that there are people who are allergic to Brazil nuts but no one can pinpoint what gene was causing this allergic reaction. Using blood and skin-prick tests the researchers from Pioneer Hi-Bred discovered that some of their subjects were allergic to the GM soybean. This may strengthen the case of those who are not in favour of GMs but there is an explanation for this problem. It has to be pointed out that major food allergens are proteins that are â€Å"derived from eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, including crustaceans and molluscs such as clams, mussels and oysters† (WHO, 2005, p.16). In the previously mentioned genetically modified soybean it was discovered that it contained a gene encoding a known allergen, this gene is known as the 2S-Albumin (WHO, 2005, p.16). However, this information was revealed during the assessment and testing phase and so the said GM soybean was never released to the market (B rown, 2009, p.17). But this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the opponents of genetically modified foods. As a consequence of these fears and uncertainties, â€Å"Many countries have since established specific premarket regulatory systems requiring the rigorous assessment of GMOs and GM foods before their release into the environment and/or use in the food supply† (WHO, 2005, p.11). The problem encountered by Pioneer Hi-Bred must be used as some form of case study so that regulatory bodies and other government agencies in-charge with food safety will be made aware to scrutinize the link between crops that are modified using gene encoding proteins and the type of proteins that trigger an allergic reaction. In this manner genetic engineers and biotechnology experts will make it part of their standard operating procedure to carefully analyse and then identify the gene that encode a characteristic that in turn will heighten the toxicity or alter the impact of GM crop. The risk an d benefits of GMs were clearly outlined in the preceding discussion. Food security is the number one problem in many parts of the world. Hunger is a problem that can no longer be ignored and based on scientific evidence there is no better solution than to use GMs. But the problem with GMs is easy to understand and it is link to the radical improvement in the field of biotechnology and the relatively new technology related to genetic modification of plants and animals that there is not enough data that will enable scientists to predict the long-term effects. Conclusion Without a doubt GMs are already a major part of agriculture and food security. It is impossible to totally eradicate the use of biotechnology to increase food production and enhance the qualities of crops, poultry and livestock. However, it is prudent to slow down the process until scientists are able to determine the future impact of GMs and how to safeguard the general public from the risks inherent in genetic modifi cation. One of the best ways to ensure the safety of the general public is to create a system that will scrutinise a product or GM before it will be released to the market. Works Cited Brown, Judith. Nutrition Now. London: Thomson Learning, 2005. Carroll, Archie Ann Buchholtz. Business and Society: Ethics and Stakeholder  Management. OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2009. Freedman, Jeri. Genetically Modified Food: How Biotechnology is Changing What we Eat. New York: Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2009. MedlinePlus. Genetically Engineered Foods. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 15 Nov. 2010. Web. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002432.htm. Parekh, Sarad. The GMO Handbook: Genetically Modified Animals, Microbes and Plants in  Biotechnology. New Jersey: Humana Press, 2004. World Health Organisation (WHO). Modern food biotechnology, human health and development An evidence-based study. Food Safety Department, WHO. 1 June 2005. Web. https://www.who.int/foodsafety/publicatio ns/biotech/biotech_en.pdf. This research paper on Genetically Modified Food was written and submitted by user Emilio A. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Genetically Modified Food Introduction There is increasing debate regarding the likely benefits of modern biotechnology, and particularly of genetically modified food in assisting to attain society’s development and food security goals.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Genetically Modified Food specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The challenge facing decision makers is to understand what the technology can achieve, or has achieved elsewhere and to identify what prospects the technology presents to society (Jones, 2011). There are three key concerns. First, whether or not genetically modified food provides a sustainable food security alternative; second, what the inferences are of genetically modified food for bio-safety in addition to for human safety and health; and third, the level of current society capability of undertaking research, and efficiently track and assess genetically modified (GM) food and the role that such food plays i n our society (Scoones, 2009). Genetic modification methods enable new features to be initiated into microorganisms, livestock and crops. These techniques can be utilized to enhance productivity in addition to their capability of resisting a number of diseases. Genetic adaptation is being utilized in the wildlife field with a view of creating disease tolerance, wood quality characteristics and herbicide tolerance (Lesley, 2010). Hence, genetically modified food is frequently viewed as the solution to food shortages. However, attaining food sufficiency is about more than simply ensuring crop productivity (Jones, 2011). There is significant ambiguity regarding the influence on human and environmental wellbeing, and as well whether GM food will offer a sustainable alternative to food issues. This paper focuses entirely on the role that genetically modified food plays in our society and its environmental implications. Role of genetically modified (GM) food As resources for public indust ry research reduce, and the aspects that enhance private industry establishment and desires turn out to be rooted in international governance approaches, the growth of genetically modified technology and application appears definite.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The challenge for decision makers is that of responding to this indecision regarding the comparative chances and risks posed by genetically modified food: the challenge is whether to accept these novel technologies and face criticism for lack of safety measure, or to call for comprehensive research of likely threats and face criticism for not succeeding to act swiftly (Malatesta, 2008). There are concerns regarding the genetically modified crops being developed. The aim of the developers of nutritionally improved varieties is that of distributing these crops broadly in developing nations. Population growth in such na tions creates an enormous dilemma not only to food security but also to nutrition security, with 94% of world population anticipated to happen in the developing nations (Lesley, 2010). Accordingly people have to ask: could such advancements in food sector be a promising method of improving the wellbeing of millions of people globally? The following are the roles played by genetically modified food in the society. Food security There are critical variations between the forms of genetically modified crops that are being integrated into developing and developed nations. In developing nations, genetically modified crops would be nutritionally improved and would be utilized in ensuring the people are getting sufficient nutrients, rather than being focused on growing outputs. In developed world, genetically modified crops have been generated to benefit developed nations and to increase the commercial value of specific product like tomatoes that have been engineered for controlled maturing (Lesley, 2010). In the past decade, macronutrient deficiency has been recognized as the main cause of various health issues in developing nations. Around the globe, over one billion individuals do not get adequate vital nutrients and minerals and are considered underweight. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has approximated that 14% of the total population do not have access to a sufficient quantity of food, with less than billion being undernourished. Three in seven children are malnourished and 40% have delayed growth.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Genetically Modified Food specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is powerful proof that the key insufficiencies are zinc, iron and vitamins. More than two billion individuals are iron deficient; worldwide, over 116,000 maternal deaths each year are associated with malnutrition (Jones, 2011). Solution to malnutrition One alternative that h as indicated promise entails nutritionally enhanced food. It as well has the capability to be used as an instrument for enhancing the growth and nutritional value of the staple crops that make up the main food in various developing nations. The International Service for the Acquisition of Biotechnology Applications (ISABA) is a nonprofit global agency that creates awareness among shareholders on the advantages of biotechnology in improving the level of living for people in developing world (Seshia, 2009). Genetically modified food can enhance the nutritional value of the staple food that lacks some: micronutrients like iron; macronutrients like amino acids; and vitamins like vitamin A. Such a technology could enable individuals in developing world to get a more balanced meal. There are some staple crops that are being technologically engineered or are in development. For example, rice is a significant staple for numerous individuals around the globe, making up 81% of the daily consu mption of 50% of the globe’s population. Rice is an elevated energy giving food, but it has nutrient shortages and is not a sufficient source of vitamin A. Genetically modified rice could be an alternative for people that are lacking vitamin A (Jones, 2011). Chronic diseases The utilization of genetically modified food in developing world could lower the level of chronic diseases by enhancing nutritional content. Genetically modified food could reduce underweight, with small improvements in the cognitive capability, hence lowering an individual’s capability of working.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The cost of food directly influences an outsized percentage of the population. Genetically modified food would enable people to utilize less pesticide, therefore aiding the environment, lowering productivity investments and making farming less labor intensive. This would, in turn, lower the price for consumers (Malatesta, 2008). Environmental implications Threat evaluation is linked to how to analyze, control or prevent harmful forces originating from the doubtful traits of GM food and processes. To be efficient, these evaluations require tackling all merits and demerits, and not being limited to economic costs and profitability. It needs to tackle immediate and future benefits and costs, in addition to opportunity costs like the impact on the environment. Field tests and how GM crops react in situations similar to those following actual release are an important process in the analysis procedure, enabling food developers to deal with challenges cropping up. They play a critical task to identify threats and create a chance for alleviation and modification before full release (Jones, 2011). Most national threat study models aim at threat-benefit evaluations that are based on financial cost-benefit kind investigation. Generally, they utilize constricted technological approaches, which aim at the features of the system and the resultant GM organism, the appearance and characteristics of the GM food and the physical traits of the recipient environment (Malatesta, 2008). Increased utilization of herbicide-resistant genetically modified crops may create fresh threats for environmental wellbeing. For instance, glyphosate is a key chemical of genetically modified crops and is now the world’s best selling herbicide. Because of the introduction of genetically engineered crops, environmental implication of the chemical is anticipated to increase. However, there is powerful proof that this formulation contains chemicals that are severely harmful to the environment ( Lesley, 2010). There are also fresh environmental threats from genetically modified food. The environmental implications of such therapies are largely known. On the other hand, the inclusion of genes from one crop into another may cause environmental impacts, particularly where users are not knowledgeable concerning the origins of such crops (Jones, 2011). Conclusion Creating a sustainable policy that guarantees food security, does not cause harm to the biodiversity or environment, and enhances human health has to be a priority for developing world. Developing countries are faced with the choice of whether genetically modified food can be a solution to food security, and if so, how to manage the threats and implications related to GM technology. To evaluate the alternatives, developing world needs to take into account the likely gains from potential output benefits and a reduction of the need for chemical utilization against the environmental implications. References Jones, M. (2011 ). Key challenges for technological development and agricultural research in Africa. IDS Bulletin, 36(2), 46-51. Lesley, H. (2010). Factors determining the public understanding of GM technologies. Biotechnology, 6(1), 1–8. Malatesta, M. (2008). A long-term study on female mice fed on a genetically modified soybean: effects on liver ageing. Chemical Cell Biology, 130(5), 967-77. Scoones, I. (2009). Governing technology development: Challenges for agricultural research in Africa. IDS Bulletin, 36 (2), 109-114. Seshia, S. (2009). Plant variety protection and farmers’ rights in India: Law-making and the cultivation of varietal control. Economic and Political Weekly, 37(27), 741-726. This essay on Genetically Modified Food was written and submitted by user Cecilia Peterson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Fire Tornado Project

Fire Tornado Project A fire tornado forms when fire is caught up in a vortex. Fire tornadoes or fire devils occur naturally in some wildfires, but you can make a small scale fire tornado yourself. Heres how: Fire Tornado Materials In order to produce a fire tornado, youll need a source of fire and the ability to create an air vortex or whirlwind. The fire tornado is made by placing a container of fire onto a spinning surface. A cylinder of mesh or screening forces the air into a column to force air into a vortex. lazy susan or table or chair that can rotate freelycontainer of fire (e.g., fireproof bowl containing pieces of sponge sprinkled with lighter fluid or alcohol)cylinder of wire mesh or screen with diameter to fit outside the fire bowl. Make the mesh cylinder by rolling a sheet of metal window screening or chicken wire into a tube. Be sure the tube is wide enough to fit around the container youll be using for fire. Staple the ends of the tube to secure it into a cylindrical shape. Create the Fire Tornado Practice this set-up without igniting the fire to be sure your container wont go spinning off. Its a good idea to secure the bowl and screen tube to the lazy susan with tape or glue so that it wont go flying off when you spin the fire. Its also a good idea to have a fire extinguisher handy, just in case. Set the fireproof bowl in the center of the lazy susan. Secure the bottom so the bowl will remain stable when spun.Place the sponge with lighter fluid into the bowl.Set the metal mesh cylinder around the bowl. See if you can spin the lazy susan without incident. You may need to secure the cylinder.Once you are confident of your set-up, ignite the fire in the bowl and slowly start spinning the lazy susan. See a video of this project or make a green fire tornado. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

Maternal stress as a potential risk factor for having an offspring Research Proposal

Maternal stress as a potential risk factor for having an offspring with a ventricular septal defect - Research Proposal Example ency, misalignment or failure of fusion of the components of the interventricular septum, viz., endocardial cushions, aorticopulmonary septum and the muscular part of the septum, is the primary cause of the ventricular septal defects (Shinebourne et al, 2006). A hole or complete absence of the septum allows the blood to mix in the ventricles, which is supplied to the lungs as well as the rest of the body giving rise to symptoms like ‘blue babies’. Soto et al (1980) gave an objective classification of the ventricular septal defects (VSD). On the basis of angiograms of 220 children with VSD, they observed that the defects in the septum could present with the following morphologies - perimembranous defects; muscular defects and subarterial infundibular defects. Perimembranous defects as well as the muscular defects were further divided into three sub-groups each. A stressful life of the mother has been studied as a risk factor for a number of congenital malformation in the offspring, e.g. orofacial cleft (Montenegro et al, 1995), neural tube defects (Carmichael and Shaw, 2000) and conotruncal heart defects (Suarez, 2003). Carmichael et al (2007) have conducted a comprehensive population based case-control study involving 1355 mothers and calculated a ‘stressful life event score’ based on exposure to 18 possible stress-events and its association with congenital birth defects. Their results showed that a 3-point increase in the stress score increases the odds-ratio of a birth defect to 1.45 ( C.I. 1.03-2.06) and the risk is further aggravated to O.R. of 2.35 (CI = 1.47 – 3.77), if the mother is not taking vitamin (folic acid) supplement during early pregnancy. Hansen et al (2000), in a rare 12 year prospective study with a 16 months retrospective component, reported an increased incidence of cranial-neural-crest malformatio ns as well as other congenital malformations in children born to mothers exposed to severe life events like death, hospitalization for

XBIS CHECPOINT WK5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

XBIS CHECPOINT WK5 - Essay Example This was lacking as well at Jet Blue airlines. The system in place could not allow online rebooking or via the kiosks, leaving the customers with no choice but to call for reservations (Rainer  & Turban 2008). The Navitaire open reservations system available could only accommodate 650 agents at a time some of whom had to be called from home. In addition, the management had not trained other workers to handle reservations in case of emergencies, which meant that staffs available at the airport could only offer shoddy services to customers. Long periods on phones, time taken to trace luggage, and the fact that no notifications were made to customers prior to flight schedule resulted in poor CRM impacting heavily on the public image of the company. On the other hand the issues experienced were technical. Lack of correct infrastructure and information systems had a great impact on the melt down. The lack of a luggage-tracing module, non-expandable reservation module, improper database to trace employees and allow rebooking of flights either online or via kiosks all was technical. If I were in the managements’ shoes, I would plan to cater for unexpected results and scenarios. I would equip myself with expected weather conditions for the whole year and install a good TPS. This will enable me to get real time information that will be useful in making good judgement and acting in good

The Invasion of Privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Invasion of Privacy - Essay Example The invasion of privacy is always a very serious and sensitive matter. But, then again, Cobb’s team is not made to appear in good light with regards to their job which is why there are severe dangers to their profession. But with permission, accessing of thoughts (although far from the fictitious modus operandi of Cobb and team) is used by psychologists for therapeutic purposes in order to unburden their patient’s subconscious and give them better internal peace. The Inception concept could also likewise be used in the same light but, as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. Such technology is fatal in the wrong hands, and this would be alarming if is popularly used. As evident in the movie, although Fischer is put in the villain spotlight, it is disturbing to consider how they can manipulate him into destroying a whole business conglomerate only for the benefit of another businessman. This clearly depicts that because of their drive fueled by selfish m otives and intentions, they blatantly disregard the damage that they could have inflicted on their victim, be it moral or any other. It is also noteworthy how the victims are very much vulnerable and susceptible to these kinds of intrusions. By implanting an idea deep into the subconscious, the probability would dictate that on several occasions such implanted idea might result in a negative interpretation by the host. This can pose several psychologically damaging issues to the Fischer and might even result to the instability of his personality. Cobb and his team were also insensitive enough to destroy relationships of the host to other people. Though they were proud to state that they might have cured the relationship with his father, it was not a primal intention, and even if so, they are playing god by toying with the affairs and manipulating the actions of their victim. Freud’s theory of the unconscious states that there are three different levels might operate. These ar e the conscious, preconscious, and the unconscious (Clarke 208). The film also works in this premise when they operated with their victim. Subscribing to Freud’s theory of the unconscious, it states that the id represents the passion of the human being and is entirety unconscious (Ocay 14). This is thus what Cobb and his team targeted to incept with. They harnessed the vulnerability of their victim’s relationship with his father and his commitment to continue his father’s legacy. This is the id, and this is the passion of the host that they manipulated into thinking their own bidding. 2) Mill raised the question as to whether one would prefer to be a pig satisfied or a Socrates dissatisfied? In this regards elaborate upon his views? Mill employs the concept of Utilitarianism, which is also known as the Greatest Happiness Principle (Mills 4). Happiness is defined as the presence of intended pleasure and the absence of pain. Therefore, the key elements of happines s are the presence of the quality of pleasure and the lack of pain, and some other pleasures are enacted in order to even avoid pain. Mill argues that some pleasures might be instinctually better than others but only independently so. By acting on our personal selfish pleasures, we can be easily satisfied. By only settling on these pleasures Mill likens an individual to that of a pig.  

General Cable Company (GCC) SWOT Analysis

General Cable Company (GCC) SWOT Analysis Overview This section of the paper analyzed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats faced by General Cable. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are identified and evaluated to determine the ways to capitalize, improve, or avoid these factors to strengthen General Cable as a company. Each of the categories is explained in details to see how it will impact the business or give it a competitive advantage. Below is the SWOT diagram. Strengths Geographically diversified  (may also pose as a weakness) Wide product breadth Lean efficient operation Weaknesses 1. Geographically diversified Political instability Volatile foreign currency exchange 2. Excessive debt dependency 3. Over dependence on one key supplier Opportunities Expansion into emerging markets Strong growth Government support of alternative energy Demand for greater communication bandwidth and global connectivity Threats Volatile commodity market Stringent regulations Litigations Strengths Geographically Diversified GCC operates in three geographical segments namely North America, Europe and North Africa, and the Rest of World (ROW). The biggest markets and contributors of income are the United States and Spain markets. With the focus of long term growth however, it is predicted that there will be increasing population and wealth emerge from the developing countries so GCC has been focusing on diversifying geographically.1 The recession in the United States and slow market in Spain proved that diversifying geographically has been an excellent move. Earlier this year, GCC acquired a major stake of Phoenix Power Cables, a cable manufacturer in Durban, South Africa as one of the moves to further diversify its market and increase its business and presence in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2 GCC is also increasing its presence in its Rest of World (ROW) market by strategic acquisition of local companies and/or building manufacturing plant. This wide international presence allows GCC to have several sources of revenue and globalize GCC as a brand in different parts of the world. It also allows GCC to not depend on a certain geographic markets and helps reduce business risks considerably by spreading its revenue sources. With a successful track record of overseas acquisition, combined with their technical know-how and expertise in the business, GCC is poised to leverage itself as a major global player amidst the ever changing business world. Even though geographic diversification is considered as a strength for GCC, this can also posed a weakness for the company. Detailed discussion of this is presented in the next section. Wide Product Breadth GCC has the broadest product offering in the industry. It offers wide variety of copper, aluminum and fiber optic wire and cable products which are sold to different markets and industries. These products are used not only in the cable industry but in other industries as well, such as, communication, construction, transportation, and oil and gas companies. The wire and cable industry is highly competitive and by providing a wide variety of products is a competitive strength for GCC. This diversified product offering helps reducing the impact of market volatility in one particular product segment and provides economic stability. Lean Efficient Operation GCC is a one of the leaders in the wire and cable industry and it strives very hard to be as lean and as productive as possible to give it a competitive edge. As an ongoing effort to reduce waste and costs, GCC spends considerable time and resources to educate its employees on how to reduce waste and cost and provide them with Lean Six Sigma manufacturing cost containment training. Talk about from the financial paper. Operating income and gross profit were up in 2008 and GCC attributed some of these achievements to improved efficiency as a result of continued Lean manufacturing initiatives. With a leaner and more efficient operation than the industry, GCC possesses a competitive edge. It allows them to profit more from the operation with its lower cost structure or sell the products at a lower price than the competitors but still making the same amount of profit. Weaknesses Geographically Diversified As mentioned earlier in the section, geographic diversification is a competitive strength for GCC. However, it is also a weakness for GCC. Geographically diversified means GCC operates in various parts of the world and exposed to different government rules and regulation, political instability in each country, as well as volatile foreign currency. GCC has a significant investment in Thailand and is therefore subject to the political instability there. In late 2006, Thailands elected government was overthrown which created a lot of unrest and instability in the nation. This inevitably posed as a problem for GCC to smoothly operate in Thailand and may negatively impact the financial health of Thailands operation. Volatile foreign exchange rates can pose as an advantage or disadvantage. Favorable year-over-year foreign currency translation is a benefit while unfavorable translation means a loss that GCC has to bear and report in the financial statement. For example, Venezuelan government recently decided to devalue its currency for non-essential goods from 4.30 Bolivars to each US Dollar to 2.15 which means that $40-$45 million USD will need to be written off from the balance sheet.3 All of these factors may have negative impact on General Cables financial numbers as it influences sales, growth and net profit. Unfavorable foreign currency and political instability are some of the factors associated with having a global presence. GCC has to find ways to overcome these weaknesses by constantly monitoring current and prospective rules and regulations in each country and assess the likelihood and impact of them on GCC. Foreign exchange futures can also be used to lessen the impact of volatile foreign exchange rates. Excessive Debt Dependency As mentioned in the earlier portion of the paper, GCC is highly leveraged by debt and this may potentially have an adverse effect on GCCs financial position. Talk about paper. GCC competitive edge may be limited as it may be harder for GCC to obtain further financing due to the significant amount of debt it possesses. Net income may also be adversely affected when business is bad and cash flow is limited and there is a significant amount of debt repayments to be made. Over Dependence On One Key Supplier More than 90% of General Cable 2008 copper rod purchase was supplied by one key supplier. This posed as a high risk for General Cable if this key supplier fails or for any reason, fail to supply GCC with adequate material. GCC did not have any long term purchase agreements with this key supplier and it is extremely hard to find another key supplier that can supply raw materials in such a short notice. Any unanticipated problems and interruptions with this supplier could have a material adverse effect on GCC. Be it natural catastrophes such as hurricanes and earthquakes or the suppliers own financial and company problem, all of this will have a negative impact on GCCs operation and financial performance. To shield itself from this weakness, GCC has to identify new prospective supplier. GCC needs a supplier who is reliable, reputable, and has the ability to supply massive amount of raw material at the right time and price. However it seems that GCC is reluctant to do so, based on the statement in the 2008 annual report that identifying and accessing alternative suppliers may increase their costs. The likelihood that this key supplier will be problematic should be minimal considering that GCC has outweighed the benefits and cost of identifying new supplier. Opportunities Expansion Into The Emerging Markets As there are massive growth and wealth coming from the emerging markets, GCC has been trying to expand further into these emerging markets and leverage their 150 years of technical expertise and One Company approach. China and India are one the largest emerging markets right now and GCC has considerable investment and presence in both of these countries. Its expansion strategies include acquisition and building manufacturing facilities. GCC recently acquired a local specialty cable manufacturer as it plans to reach out to the Chinese automotive and industrial markets.4In 2007, GCC started its expansion in India by entering a joint venture with a local firm to leverage itself in the construction cables industry for the Indian market.5 GCC is vigorously expanding worldwide by leveraging opportunities in the emerging markets from building new world cup stadium in south Africa for the world cup to reaching into the local markets in China and India. These projects, along with the recent acquisition and expansion in other emerging markets, further GCCs strategy to expand globally into economies that are building their energy infrastructure. This creates an opportunity for the company to increase its sales and brand presence by providing energy and electrical infrastructure cables in these emerging markets. The opportunity in the emerging markets will also help strengthen GCC as a company as it presents more revenue sources and also helps reduce business risks considerably by spreading its revenue sources. Strong Growth Government Support In Alternative Energy With the ever increasing desire for energy independence and environmental concern, alternative energy such as wind, solar and hydroelectric power is poised to grow rapidly. General Cable is one of the leading cable companies that support alternative energy by creating products that provide solutions in the alternative energy sectors. In 2008, more than $400 million of industrial and energy cable is sold to the terrestrial wind farm market globally and this number will continue to climb in the future.1 Alternative energy such as biofuels, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, and wind provided 11.37% of domestic U.S. energy production in June 2009. This is a gain from the half of 2007 where alternative energy represents only 9.89% of the domestic energy production.6 The government support in the alternative energy movement is also an excellent opportunities for GCC. The economic stimulus package passed by congress supports renewable alternative energy and this will enhance investments and thus increase demands for GCC products. Both strong growth and government support for alternative energy allows GCC to capitalize on this opportunity to further enhance its market position and financial performance. Demand For Greater Communication Bandwidth And Global Connectivity As the demand for bandwidth increases to support the increasing need for global connectivity and communication, the demand for GCC products will inevitably surge. An article from ‘IT News Africa states that the demand for international connectivity has been much higher than anticipated, which proves there is a definite need for all the international cables global high-speed.7 Internet users will also increase as the emerging markets become more wealthy and require faster connection. This increase in demand is an opportunity that GCC has to capitalize on. Successfully capitalizing on this opportunity will have a positive impact for GCCs financial performance and reputation. GCC has taken considerable steps to take advantage of this increase in demand. It invested in multi-billion dollar of submarine optic communications markets, the medium for faster global connectivity. It is also in a stage to acquire a patent for a newly introduced product which will be used in networking cable technology spectrum. Threats Volatile Commodity Market GCC transforms basic raw materials such as copper, aluminum, petrochemicals and steel into highly engineered wire and cable products. Raw materials account for approximately 75% of the conversion cost which means that fluctuation in raw materials prices may adversely affect GCC cost of sales and in turn, its competitive pricing. The price of copper and aluminum, in recent months, has been extremely volatile. Another issue with the commodity market is that big increase in the prices will substantially decrease demand for wire and cable products and ultimately, will have a negative impact on GCC financial performance. GCC has been involved in numerous commodity hedging programs to shield itself from volatile copper and other raw material prices. However, due to the nature of the financial hedging, it is still no guarantee that they will always be able to protect themselves from the volatility. Stringent Regulations Operating in the wire and cable industry as well as having worldwide operation exposed GCC to numerous complex rules and regulations. The regulations range from import and export rules, individual government policies on the industry, environmental laws, to electronic or telecommunication rules. All of these factors are threats that may materially impact GCCs growth strategy, performance, and reputation. It is noted, however, that GCC is doing its best to ensure that the employees, subsidiaries, contractors, and agents comply with the rules and regulations. Litigations By the end of 2008, GCC and its subsidiaries have been involved in 34,730 lawsuits, 1,275 out of the lawsuits are pending non-maritime asbestos cases.1 These litigation claims are worth millions of dollars combine. If GCC is found guilty in any of the lawsuits and subjected to hefty monetary fines and payments, it will materially impact GCC operation and financial performance. However, GCC has been fighting these lawsuits for the past 20 years and therefore have the experience in defending itself against these lawsuits. In the past 20 years, GCC has had no cases proceed to verdict from those lawsuits and in many cases, was dismissed as a defendant. However, there is no guarantee in the foreseeable future that GCC will always have the upper hand in the lawsuits. Therefore the litigations faced by GCC is considered as a considerable threat. Conclusion GCCs global presence and lean operation put it at a competitive advantage in the industry. It allows GCC to have a wide spread of income source and avoid that economy cyclicality when one country is in recession. As it was discussed in previous section, however, global presence is also a weakness for GCC. Exposure to political instability and fluctuations in the foreign exchange market may have adverse effect on GCCs operation and financial performance. Wide product breadth is also another strength in that it helps reducing the impact of market volatility in one particular product segment and provides economic stability. In order to remain competitive in the industry, GCC has to not only maintain its strengths that give it a competitive advantage, but it also needs to capitalize on the opportunities available to the firm. The strong support and growth for alternative energy as well as increasing demand for greater bandwidth and connectivity are some of the opportunities that GCC has already capitalized on and will continue to do so. However, the rising raw material prices and volatility in the commodity market could pressurize the companys profit margins, thus posing a threat to the firm. Litigations that GCC is involved in is also a threat to the firms operation and financial performance if and when it is found guilty. It is crucial for GCC to continually analyze and assess its SWOT factors to see how it is going to impact the company. Doing so allows GCC to capitalize on its strengths and opportunities as well as take appropriate measure to decrease the likelihood of the threats and weakness from occurring. Annual report. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MzMxNTkwfENoaWxkSUQ9MzEzNzYyfFR5cGU9MQ==t=1 http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2010/01/18/daily10.html?ana=yfcpc http://investor.generalcable.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=81254p=irol-newsArticleID=1374797highlight= http://www.generalcable.com.cn/ http://www.nema.org/media/ind/20070419b.cfm http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/09/power-politics-growth-in-renewable-energy-outpaces-nuclear-fossil-fuels.html http://www.itnewsafrica.com/?p=3921

Essay on Blame in Shakespeares King Lear -- King Lear essays

King Lear is To Blame In William Shakespeare's play, "King Lear", the main character, King Lear, claims to be "a man more sinned against than sinning"(3.2.60-61). Though a good king, King Lear's own actions cause his family and kingdom to fall apart. The sins committed against King Lear are a result of his personal faults of rashness, blindness, and foolishness. King Lear's hot temper and hasty decisions play a significant role in his fall from grace. His old age has caused him to behave impulsively, without any consideration for the consequences of his actions. When Lear asks his devoted daughter Cordelia to express her love for him, he becomes upset with her because she cannot put her feelings into words. He does not realize that she cares deeply for him and disowns her by saying, "Here I disclaim all my paternal care, propinquity and property of blood, and as a stranger to my heart and me hold thee from this for ever (1.1.120-123)." It is only later, when Cordelia has left him, that Lear realizes he had made a wrong decision. In another fit of rage, Lear ...