Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Business - Essay Example The decision of the body will be rested in the hands of the owner and the government or the legislative body of the state. However, many companies fail to follow interests of the last two components of the corporate law which are the citizens and the nation as a whole, its integrity, environment and culture. The trend of globalization has further intensified the competition in the business world, where each company tries to overpower other by whatever means available. Thus, in this race for power and money, it is the local people who become the victim of lies, cruelty and cunningness of companies’ money oriented intentions and plans (McFarland, 2004). This paper is an attempt to illustrate the real essence of Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) and how and which companies have violated it for their self interests. For the paper argument, the Canadian documentary film â€Å"The Corporation† by Joel Bakan is made the prime source (Bakan, 2012). Example of Companies 1. Johnson & Johnson J&J is a renowned brand of cosmetics, shampoo and skin lotions. The company is one of the trend setters in the cosmetics world hiding which hides the danger behind their â€Å"good for skin† products due to the brand reputation (CBS NEWS, 2012). The products of the J&J Company have been found to contain a diluted amount of Carcinogen Formaldehyde in their baby shampoos. In their effort to create a brand new image of a baby shampoo, they came up with an idea of â€Å"No More Tears† to attract their customers. From a customer point, it can be regarded as a great innovation in baby shampoo, but on the cost of healthcare issues (Mercola, 2011). Carcinogen Formaldehyde is one of the materials that can risk to Cancer in the later stages of life. This chemical is also present in their adult products and raises the question of whether their products are actually made for the benefit of people or just for their own benefits (NCI, 2011). However, after been fo und guilty by the Health and Environment Group, the company announced to remove those materials from its products by 2015. These factors leaves the questions that if products of the most famous company which are launched after great research are not safe, can the other products be trusted? (CBS NEWS, 2012) 2. Hershey Hershey is the largest chocolate producing company with worldwide recognition and consumers. It is evident that sales of the company is incomparable to sales of an average company, but still the greed for money cannot be ever satisfied (Hsu, 2012). Hershey Company has been recently indicted by utilizing child labor of Africa, for their cocoa harvesting and refining. The corporate government laws and those of International Labor Organization clearly states that child labor is an act of injustice and should be practiced anywhere in the world (Huff Post Business, 2012). Practices of child labor in the underdeveloped regions show their poverty and strive to earn their livel ihood. However, if the same practice is supported by giant business personnel and organizations like Hershey then it is a clear sign of immorality and easy measure to get low cost labor (Hsu, 2012). 3. KFC KFC is another big name when talking of corporate giants. It is the world’s leading fast food chain with its specialty in fried chickens. It is suspicious that how they fulfill the growing demand of chicken food items throughout the world, with the limited number of farming

Civil rights organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Civil rights organizations - Essay Example Recent economic crisis of the US has further aggravated the wealth inequality among the races. It is pertinent to note that between 2005 and 2009, median wealth of Hispanic households has reduced by 66% with only 16% wealth reduction among white households.African Americans or other people of color are less likely to invest in homes and retirement plans in comparison to Whites due to their lesser incomes. It has also been found that almost 31% of Hispanic and 35% of black households have nil or negative net worth; in comparison, the proportion of white households with nil or negative wealth is just 15 percent (NAACP: Our Work). The economic inequality that prevails in the US society, currently, is enormous and the NAACP is committed to bridge those gaps. In a bid to reduce it, the NAACP aims to work with government and industry to help them formulate an appropriate model that can reduce large economic gaps that exist within the society. The NAACP also aims at empowering local communi ties with the necessary resources to secure their educational advancement as a tool to bring economic equity in the society (NAACP: Our Work). Some of the measures that the NAACP has streamlined can be described as fair lending, diversity and inclusion, financial education, and community economic development. Nine banking principles developed by the NAACP aim at bringing fairness to the people of color along with improving their relationships with financial institutions so that they can avail mortgage loans without any difficulty.

Violence towards mental health nurses Research Paper

Violence towards mental health nurses - Research Paper Example In fact, the Australian Institute of Criminology has identified the health industry to be the most violent industry in the country, with registered nurses (RNs) recording the second highest number of violence-related workers compensation claims in year 1995 and 1996, ranking even higher than prison and police officers (Deans, 2004, p. 14). Patient violence on mental health care professionals not only leads to staff sickness and absenteeism but also to various psychological and mental distresses. Specific psychological problems include depression, anxiety, isolation, trauma (LeFlore & Bell, 2007, p. 147), post-traumatic stress disorders, loss of confidence, anger, fear, loss, distrust, and guilt (Whittington & Wykes, 1992; Doughty, 2005, p. 1). Understandably, these problems would adversely affect the therapeutic alliance between patients and HCPs (Watts & Morgan, 1994, p. 14; LeFlore & Bell, 2007, p. 147). In addition, this will also prevent optimal staff recruiting and retention of employees within the hospital (Doughty, 2005, p. 1). In a survey conducted by Duxbury & Whittington (2005, p. 469) on 80 mentally ill patients and 82 HCPs in three inpatient mental healthcare wards, it was found that that the patients regarded the poor facilities and communication as the two significant factors behind violence, whereas the nurses identified that the patients’ mental illness was the root cause for the violence. On the other hand, according to Glick and Fishkind (2008, p.117), the risk of violence in psychiatric care facilities include lower staff-to-patient ratio, higher percentage of female HCPs, and presence of staff without specific training in psychiatry or agression. The United States Department of Labor (2004, p. 7) also recognizes the lack of staff training as partly causing hostile and assaultive behavior of patients. Currently, the intervention strategies used to curb violence include stress management, rehabilitation of staff victims and providing th em a work environment that is not conducive to violent behavior (Warshaw & Messite, 1996, p. 993). Stathopoulou (2003, p. 4) suggested that the preventive measures on violence towards health care professionals should focus on three areas: hospital organization, arrangement of the physical environment, and staff training and development. Significance of the study With the increasing number of psychiatric patients, the potential for occupational violence for HCPs in psychiatric facilities is on the rise as well. The adverse effects of these incidents on work performance and retention of employees make it imperative for health institutions to provide effective means to prevent and manage aggression from psychiatric patients. Theoretical framework for the research methodology Figure 1. Theoretical framework for this research study This research proposal predicts that providing appropriate knowledge regarding the management and prevention of violent behavior from psychiatric patients thr ough training equips the HCPs the ability to protect themselves from the potential physical and psychological effects of aggressive behavior from their patients, and subsequently allows them to perform to the best of their abilities. Ultimately, the health institutions with trained HCPs benefit from increased work performance

Physiolocal principles For health and social care Essay

Physiolocal principles For health and social care - Essay Example The mandibles are movable joints that help in mastication. The inferior part of the skull forms the facial bones that support the eyes, nose, and mouth. These twenty-six bones help in maintaining the shape and posture of the whole body. They include the seven cervical bones at the neck region, twelve thoracic vertebrae at the chest region, five lumber vertebrae at the lower back, one sacral bone and the coccyx bone. The sternum is located medially and the anterior aspect of the chest region. It joined up to the ribs by costal cartilage. There are twelve pairs of ribs joined to the sternum forming a rib cage that protections lungs and heart. The first connect to the thoracic vertebrae with their own cartilage hence called true ribs while ribs eight to ten are false ribs since they indirectly connect to the sternum. Ribs eleven and twelve lack any cartilage for attachment hence known as floating ribs. Upper limbs are connected to the axial skeleton by the pectoral girdle. This part consists of the left and right clavicle bones. The upper limb consists of the humerus, which is the long bone that forms an elbow joint at the junction with radius and ulna bones. The radius is responsible for the turning of the hand over the wrist joint. The digits are made up of three phalanges each apart from the thumbs, which only have two. The pelvic girdle is made up of the right and left pelvic bones that link the lower limbs to the axial skeleton. Femur are the long bones that form the hip joint on connection to the hip bones which is a ball and socket joint and knee joint with tibia and patella bones. The lower leg is made up of tibia and fibula bones that bear most of the body weight. At the proximal end, the tibia and fibula bones form ankle joint with the talus bone of the foot. Posteriorly the foot is consists of tarsal bones and anteriorly metatarsals and phalanges. Bones also function to enable movement through various body joints; the red bone marrow

Family in African-American Literature Essay Example for Free

Family in African-American Literature Essay In literary pieces such as Alice Walker’s story â€Å"Everyday Use†, Langston Hughes’ â€Å"My People†, and Robert Hayden’s poem â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, the theme of family relationships is significantly evident. In â€Å"Everyday Use†, Walker presents one stage and aspect of a family life when one adult child chooses to live on her own while the other one stays with the family. Hughes’ poem portrays his love for his people which he considers to be a family as a whole. Meanwhile, Hayden’s â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, talks about the narration and description of a boy about his father whom he is not well acquainted with. As the first piece speaks of a story about a family in relation to their heritage, the latter speaks of a boy’s reminiscence of a father who was never able to show his love directly to his children. These two aspects of family relationships reveal several angles to look upon.   Such family situations are influenced by authors’ own race and heritage. Alice Walker portrays the story of a fully grown-up daughter, Dee, who goes back to home to her home to visit her mother, Mrs. Johnson and her younger sister, Maggie. She arrives accompanied by an African American Muslim man who is currently dating her. She comes home to collect some family possessions which she intends to turn into artistic pieces to be exhibited in a museum. Meanwhile, her sister Maggie grimaces as her sister takes some of their personal belongings including a quilt that her mother has promised to give her as a wedding present. Dee tells her mother that Maggie would only ruin the quilt by using it everyday which puzzles Mrs. Johnson as she could not think of any way to use the quilt than to spread them. When Mrs. Johnson sees the sadness in her younger daughter’s eyes upon Dee taking the quilt, she snatches it away and gives it to Maggie. Dee walks away after claiming that their problem is they do not understand their own heritage (Walker). In this story, Walker portrays a family whose eldest daughter has become estranged from them. In the first part of the story, Mrs. Johnson recounts how Dee had hated living in their house and even almost set it on fire when she was young. The concept of a dysfunctional family is quite present here; however, it focuses more on the mother-child relationship rather than every member of the family. It is important to note that Walker made use of the damaged relationship of Dee to her mother and sister to show and illustrate the different types of African American people. On the other hand, Langston Hughes shows his love and appreciation for his people in his poem â€Å"My People†. He does not speak of family but his tone and use of words make it seem as if he is speaking of his beloved family. â€Å"The night is beautiful, / So the faces of my people† (lines 1-2). The possessive pronoun â€Å"my† indicates a certain intimacy between him and â€Å"his† people which is usually used for referring to a small group of people who shares something intimate and common such as â€Å"my family†. In this regard, Hughes speaks highly of his race as if he is talking about a family he loves most. â€Å"The stars are beautiful, /  So the eyes of my people† (3-4). The comparison of his people to the heavens indicates the depth of his love and care for them as he would to his family. â€Å"Beautiful, also, is the sun. / Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people† (5-6). In the poem â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, it can be assumed that Robert Hayden personally speaks through the voice of the speaker in his poem â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†. His distant relationship with his father is evident. In this melancholic poem, he narrates about the concealed appreciation of a son for his father’s acts of love by means of writing it in a prose. The narrator tells about the labors of his father even on a cold winter Sunday. However, in the poem, the speaker emphasizes that his father’s great efforts are usually ignored. The title of the poem itself already suggests a background for the readers. The speaker is obviously focused only on the â€Å"winter Sundays† and why it means too much work for the father. In the first stanza of the poem, the detailed description of the speaker’s father is very noticeable. He illustrated him by means of mentioning his physical condition as he works on cold Sundays. He could have described it in a clearer way by going straight to the point.   Nevertheless, he expressed his father’s poor countenance in a way that the reader can visualize the father’s hands cracked hands and the busy Sundays. The first two lines of the poem somewhat develops a thesis that would cover the whole idea in the poem. â€Å"Sundays too my father got up early / And put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,† (1-2). Sundays should be a day of rest but the speaker stresses that his father still wakes up even before the sun rose to go to work. He further highlights the weary countenance of his father as he describes his father’s â€Å"cracked hands that ached / from labor in the weekday weather made / Banked fires blaze† (3-5). The poem further shows how heartbreaking the father’s situation must be by writing the last line of the first stanza with, â€Å"No one ever thanked him† (5). With the last line, it is reasonable to consider that the speaker is one of those people who failed to thank him. In this regard, it can be assumed that the speaker is already in his old or middle age when he remembers how his father has shown him love in his own way. Clearly, these renowned African-American writers have frequently used the theme of family relationships to further address the problems of their society. The issues of racism, nationalism, and love are the implicit ideas which are present in the three literary pieces discussed. These authors portrays different types of African-American families which serves as the representation of the current society that they are in. since the family is the basic unit of society, it is the primary target of societal effects such as racism and other social issues. Every problem of the society can become the problem of the family which is why the most meaningful literary works of art somewhat involves the theme of family relationships. Works Cited Hayden, Robert. â€Å"Those Winter Sundays.† The Oxford Anthology of African-American Poetry. Ed. Arnold Rampersad, Hilary Herbold. United States of America: Oxford University Press US, 2006. 261. Hughes, Langston. â€Å"My People.† Poem Hunter. 19 April 2009. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/my-people/ Walker, Alice. Everyday Use. Ed. Barbara Christian. United States of America: Rutgers University Press, 1994.

Is Compost Tea Fact Or Fiction Environmental Sciences Essay

Is Compost Tea Fact Or Fiction Environmental Sciences Essay Horticulturists, scientists, teachers, gardeners, practioners and farmers all rave about compost and the benefits to the soil, like improving soil structure, reducing water use, improving aeration, attracting earth worms and many more. I want to believe the same thing holds true for compost tea, is it the cure all for damping off disease, will it make my tomatoes luminescent(6), will it make my lawn greener, will my plants have less disease and eliminate pest problems, will it make my soil a better place for my plants, the claims for compost tea are numerous, does it really work? Compost tea has been around for thousands of years perhaps as far back as the Roman Empire (6). Somebody noticed that plants grew better around manure or on manured ground. But solid manure was hard to work with. So it went into a container of water to let it steep for awhile and we can be sure that it got stirred. When used as a drench, plant growth improved. In the late 1990s aeration was first introduced into the compost tea.(4) Aeration claims to increase beneficial microbes and accelerate the process by creating optimum levels of oxygen for growth and reproduction of beneficial aerobic microorganisms. So there are now numerous definitions of compost tea. Compost leachate which is the runoff of water from compost or worm bins. The material is a brown colored water that runs out of compost or worm bins when the bins or piles become too wet. The liquid is a product of compost or worm casting that has not completely finished the compost process. Most likely rich in soluble nutrients; but in the early stage of composting it may also contain pathogens(11) Compost extract is what was originally called compost tea. Compost is wrapped in coarse fabric and soaked in water for days. The primary benefit of the extract will be a supply of soluble nutrients, which can be used as a liquid fertilizer(11) Compost tea is an aerated mixture of compost and food sources for microbes; such as kelp, molasses, fish hydrolysates, rock dust and humic acids. The compost-tea brewing technique and aerobic process extracts and grows populations of beneficial microorganisms. (11) Compost tea can be added to soil to improve soil life and impacts plants more quickly than a composted mixture. (7) The reasoning behind compost tea is that once the mixture has completed and is applied as a soil drench it will add microbes to soils which in turn help to break down organic material in the soil and can then be used for food for plants. And the need for synthetic fertilizers becomes less. There are many different recipes for compost tea based on your needs, there are fungal teas which are good for acid loving plants and trees and shrubs, there is some evidence that beneficial fungus will help with some diseases like powdery mildew and downy mildew. And there are bacterial teas which are good for vegetables, annuals, perennials and grasses. What is compost tea? The soil food web defines compost tea as: essentially, is a brewing process that extracts microorganisms from compost followed by microbial growth and multiplication. This includes beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes. When compost teas are sprayed onto the leaf surface, these beneficial organisms occupy spatial niches on the leaf surface and gobble up leaf exudates that pathogenic organisms would otherwise feed on to prosper; other microbes directly interfere with pathogenic organisms through antagonism. A more simple definition: Compost tea, in modern terminology, is a compost extract brewed with a microbial food source-molasses, kelp, rock dust, humic-fulvic acids. The compost-tea brewing technique, an aerobic process, extracts and grows populations of beneficial microorganisms (11) based on the ingredients that you use you will either have bacterial tea, fungal tea or a combination Compost Tea has been field tested to be effective in suppression of the following diseases: black spot, mildew (downy), needle cast on pine, vertilcillium wilt, white flies, mealy bugs, rust, aphids, tent caterpillars, mites, leaf curl, red thread (early and late), fungal diseases in ornamental cherries per the website http://www.simplici-tea.com/disease_suppression.htm. However, I have not found any science based information to back this claim. What about the science? A trial at the University of Oregon conducted on black spot on roses showed Roses in locations with shade suffered from powdery mildew. Compost tea did not seem to affect powdery mildew. One private location observed that the roses sprayed with tea at that location seemed healthier overall than those that were not sprayed. They had glossier leaves and more blooms overall. Two of the three test groups in 2007 showed a slight improvement in incidence of disease over plants that were not sprayed. The difference was not statistically greater. The average between 2006 and 2007 still showed control group doing better than the experimental group. (8) In comparing the matched pairs of eight Prunus spp., the compost tea extract was not significantly different from the water application for any of the eight cultivars tested. In fact, for some trees it made the problem worse. (9) An excerpt from a study on aerated compost tea to suppress dampening off disease While further work is needed to directly quantify the residual sucrose concentrations in aerated compost tea produced with molasses-based additive to determine the effect on damping-off suppression, there are strong indications that the use of simple sugars as additives should be avoided when producing compost tea for disease suppression. In addition to the potential of residual nutrients increasing Pythium damping-off, the use of simple sugars in producing compost tea has been linked to growth of E. coli in aerated compost tea makers when compost contaminated with E. coli was used. (1) Turf quality ratings initially were very low for the tea drenches, therefore it was decided to apply liquid fertilizer over the tea treated plots to maintain acceptable turf quality. This addition masked any further differences in turf quality. The foliar tea applications suppressed dollar spot 40 to 60 percent when compared to untreated plots in one of three years. It is unlikely that due to the variability of brewing results, little microbial benefit, and the labor required for brewing tea that this technology will see widespread adoption in its current form. (2) However a trial at Harvard University (Prepared by Harvard Facilities Operations Maintenance) which used a combination of compost tea, compost and organic fertilizer, increased the depth of turf roots, decreased water usage, and increased available nitrogen, since they were using a combination of organic methods there is no definite proof that the compost tea was a main contributor. When asked if they had done any studies on compost tea, they said We only use compost tea as a portion of our organic program so unfortunately we have not done any studies on compost tea alone. Dr Linda Chalker-Scott PH.D. WSU states that clearly the science is not strong for aerated tea use on crop plants, much less on lawns, shrubs and trees. (3) After twelve weeks of compost tea treatment, there are evident responses among the microbial community, however, its too early to draw conclusions about the efficacy of the compost tea treatment. (5) The production and application of compost tea is primarily focused on: disease suppression, supplementing plant nutrients, and increasing soil microbiology to improve soil structure, water percolation/retention, rooting depth and consequently improved plant growth. The research conducted worldwide on compost tea is scarce and the results are highly variable. Results vary from suppression of some diseases to no effect in disease suppression at all, or in few cases increased incidence of diseases. Where compost teas are compared with conventional fungicides, in most instances compost teas have been relatively ineffective. Compost tea producers estimate that up to 5,000 farms are using compost tea in New South Wales, Australia these are mainly organic farms. Use of compost teas is based on faith or anecdotal evidence rather than based on replicated scientific research at this stage. Researchers acknowledge that there are significant limitations in our knowledge of compost teas and its u se, and hope that an increased understanding of compost tea microbiology and the survival and interactions of microbes on plants surfaces will enable compost tea production practices and application technology that optimizes disease suppression. (15) Lee Reich PhD in horticulture wrote in Fine Gardening Magazine January 2007 an article titled The Jury is Still Out on Compost Tea where he says Benefits from compost teas are on even shakier ground when the tea is used to improve the soil. Compost has been shown to improve soil tilth, help soil retain nutrients, enhance nutrient availability, increase rooting depth, and suppress root diseases. Compost tea, by extension, is credited with providing these same benefits. Therein lies part of the great appeal of compost tea. Who  wouldnt rather improve an acre of soil with the recommended 15 to 20 gallons of compost tea rather than have to heave around 2 to 5 tons per acre of compost? But compost and compost tea are not the same. They differ quantitatively and qualitatively in microbial makeup, and most dramatically, one is a relatively small volume of liquid and the other is a relatively large, mostly solid mass. Composts bulk comes mainly from carbon compounds, which are the major fo ods for beneficial microorganisms. Compost tea contains relatively little of these carbon foods. The beneficial microorganisms of composts and compost teas are already present in most soils and will multiply rapidly if food supplies permit. If your soil does not have beneficial microorganisms, it probably means the conditions arent hospitable to them. Unless you improve those conditions, any added microorganisms will die.   This article provided a lot of discussion on the internet when it was first published and now includes a new string of posts on http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-tea/is-compost-tea-just-a-fad/ dated January 13th 2011 since that date there have been fifty eight posts. Most of the posts favor the use of compost tea and the major opinion is no compost tea mix is the same and if it works for you continue to use it. If you have good soil conditions and your plants are healthy there may be no reason for compost tea. But if you have a small amount of compost and need a vast improved soil, when plants are struggling, showing signs of stress or when you want to apply composts benefits to a lawn these might be good reasons to use compost tea (Plesand). With so many claims about compost tea, in 2003, the National Organic Standards Board convened a Compost Tea Task Force to review the relevant scientific data and report their recommendations on compost tea. The Task Force was composed of 13 individuals with knowledge and expertise in organic farming practices, organic certification, EPA pathogen regulations, compost, compost tea production and analysis, plant pathology, food safety and environmental microbiology. The final report can be found at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5057213. They came back with ten steps to be used in making compost tea, found a lot of practioners that use compost tea and also established there was not a lot of science based evidence behind the use the compost tea, and a possibility of contaminating crops. In conclusion there could be benefits from compost tea but there have not been a lot of scientific studies on the use as prevention for diseases and pests or that it increases dramatically the growth of plants. Compost tea has a lot of different variables by the type of compost used; vermicompost, manure compost, leaf and grass clipping compost, and any other possible compost mix. Another variable would be the additives to the tea molasses, kelp, humic acid, granite dust, fish hydrolysates, fungal foods like oatmeal and powdered baby oatmeal. And then there is the time and temperature of mixing with aeration. There appears to be some advantage of using compost tea but a lot more studies need to be done to prove the claims of the some websites and even some famously written books. The question has been asked why not more research on compost tea? Compost teas are highly variable in their microbial and nutrient content from batch to batch. This translates to high variation within data sets and often leads to inconclusive results. Unfortunately, these results are often not published even though they are just as important as positive outcomes. In other words, if a particular treatment doesnt work well under controlled experimental conditions, its unlikely to work consistently anywhere else.(18) With that being said, there is no harm in trying to make your own compost tea and doing your own experimentation. There has been some back and forth discussion on the use of molasses and e coli in compost tea, so if one uses molasses read the scientific data before applying to edible plants. Per Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, PhD While the scientific evidence is certainly lacking for Aerated Compost Tea activity in disease control, there is a serious, documented concern with these types of compost teas, says Dr. William R. Schneider, a research scientist in the Biopesticides Pollution Prevention Division (Office of Pesticide Programs) of the USEPA. He continues it is very difficult to do a microbial pesticide risk assessment on a mixture of unidentified microorganisms that could easily contain human and nontarget organism pathogens. Indeed, this risk is significant in ACTs that have been enhanced with molasses, kelp, and other high-nutrient additives. Such ACTs have been documented throug h scientific research to contain E. coli and Salmonella populations, both of which are human pathogens. The recent deaths due to E. coli-contaminated spinach illustrate how dangerous compost tea applications can be, particularly on food crops. Even though there have not been any reports of problems from compost tea make sure you read all the reports. The use of compost tea as part of an integrated plant health management strategy will require much additional whole systems research by a cohesive team of farmers and experts in composting, plant pathology, phyllosphere biology, molecular microbial ecology, fermentation science, plant physiology, plant breeding, soil science, and horticulture. From the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada posted April 2010 (13) A controversial name in compost tea is Dr Elaine Ingham with Soil Foodweb who has published The Field Guide I for Actively Aerated Compost Tea, Compost Tea Manual 5th ed. and a number of other books, CDs and offers seminars on compost tea. She has done a lot of research on soils, and helps farmers all over improve their soils; but has not published a lot of peer reviewed research on compost tea. In January 2011 the Rodale Institute a non-profit dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research and outreach named her Chief Scientist; and will be in charge of research at the institute, hopefully now, there will be more research on the benefits of compost tea. So despite all the hype, compost tea is not the silver bullet everyone is looking for.   Unfortunately, nature is not that simplistic.   But its fun to experiment.   (I do lots!) If you do experiment, and come up with a formula that you think works-try replicating it in a scientific way (16) per the Whatcom County Master Composter Recycler Program. How do I make compost tea? The USDA suggests using a sump pump to bubble air into the extract for 24-36 hours (Sac Bee). First you need a brewer you can purchase a brewers which makes 500 gallons for around $11,647.00 to $50.00 for a 5 gallon brewer. And then purchase packaged mixes and just add water. You can also buy brewers and make your own mixture, using your own compost or vermicompost. Another option would be to make your own brewer using a five gallon bucket, an inexpensive aquarium pump, an air stone, some aquarium tubing and a porous bag of some type. There are numerous directions on the internet. Once you have a brewer to make the tea; there are numerous recipes on the internet. One simple recipe is five gallons of chlorine free water, six cups of compost or vermicompost, three tablespoons unsulfured black strap molasses. Cover the container Brew this for twenty four to forty eight hours at 75à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ° let rest ten minutes and then use immediately.(Remillard) The compos t tea should smell good (earthy) and have a brownish tea color. If the tea smells bad it has gone anaerobic it could contain ammonia and dangerous bacteria and should not be used. Once the tea is made it can be diluted one to three, one to two or used full strength. It can be used as a soil drench on a wet soil any time of the day. It can be used as a foliar spray in the early morning or evening. If you are using a foliar spray it would be a good idea to filter the tea first so you do not clog your sprayer. When making compost tea make sure you start with good smelling compost or vermicompost the better the compost the better the tea. Another easy recipe for compost tea Home-size compost tea recipe comes from W.F. Brinton at Woods End Laboratories Inc., Maine. 1) Use well-aged compost, at least 4 months old. 2) Put in a large pail or barrel outdoors between 59à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ° and 68à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ °C. 3) Add water, 1 part compost to 5 to 8 parts water (i.e. 1 cup of compost to 5 cups of water). 4) Stir daily for five days. The strong smell should slowly dissipate. 5) On the fifth day, pour through a sieve or a cheese cloth. 6) Spray on plants in periods of disease outbreak, or drench the soil at the base of the plant. 7) Do not spray edible plant parts to be harvested in the following 2 to 3 weeks. CalRecycle (a CA.gov website) on their website says But why go to all the trouble of brewing and spraying this tea instead of just working the compost into the soil? Two reasons: To inoculate microbial life into the soil to feed the foliage of plants, and to add soluble nutrients to the foliage or soil in order to feed your plants. Compost tea is a readily available form of compost that will impact the plant more quickly than compost mixed into the soil. I am not sure how they came up with this information as no scientific evidence has been found that all this is true. When it comes to state Master Gardener programs there is also a lot of different opinions. The state of Pennsylvania tells you how to make compost tea at http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/tea/tea1. Arizona state university extension tells you how to make compost tea at http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/composttea.html. However, Washington state master gardeners cannot recommend compost tea. Because Washington State University Master Gardeners are volunteer educators who rely on science-based information, they cannot recommend a practice or product that lacks a legitimate scientific basis. Furthermore, it is illegal to sell unregistered substances for use as pesticides. There are no compost tea products registered as pesticides within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Neither WSU Master Gardener volunteers nor Web sites may encourage the use of compost tea as a pesticide. (9) Then Oregon State University extension tells you how to make compost tea on their website and their Master Gardeners sell compost tea as a fund raiser . In California per Pam Geisel Statewide University of California Master Gardener Coordinator We dont recommend compost tea because we do not have science based information on it at this time.   Also, compost tea is so variable in terms of content that making a generalized recommendation would be impossible as to the quality and the plant response. Organic Gardening senior editor says he is convinced that There is the potential for a health hazard from its use (compost tea) that being the possible presence of E. coli.   And hes concerned that some Cooperative Extension Service websites happily provide the recipe for making compost tea at home with no warning about the health risks if its applied to food crops. Finally, I think the Extension Horticulture Agent, in Anchorage Alaska, Julie Riley sums it up best, Compost tea is like a religion-you have to have faithà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I know there are Anchorage Master Gardeners who feel they get good results with compost tea. Ive always said to gardeners if you are happy with your results, keep doing what you are doing' Bibliography and Citations (1) Scheuerell Steven J. and. Mahaffee Walter F First author: Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University; and second author: U.S. Department of Agriculture- Agriculture Research Service-Horticulture Crops Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR 97330. Compost Tea as a Container Medium Drench for Suppressing Seedling Damping-Off Caused by Pythium ultimum Accepted for publication 14 June 2004. Web March 2011. (2) Rossi Frank, Cornell University, Cornell University, 134a Plant Science Bldg., Ithaca, NY 14853 Effects of Compost Tea on Turfgrass Performance, Disease Incidence, and Soil Microbial Populations. Nov. 8, 2007 Web March 2011. (3) Chalker-Scott, PhD. Linda, Extension Horticulturist and Associate Professor, Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University www.MasterGardenerOnline.com à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ MASTERGARDENER winter 2007 pages 8-10, Web March 2011 (4) Moore, Robert C; History of Compost Tea thesoilguy.com N.p, n.d web March 2011 (5) Stevenson, Emily; Yale School of Forestry, Alexander Felson and Mark Bradford Environmental Studies Advisors, Closing the Loop: Alternative Land Management at Yale, Hixon Fellowship 2010, web April 2011 (6) Remillard Marc, Compost Tea Making, Ascension Press, April 2010 (7) Author unknown, What Is Compost Tea, and Why Use It? CA.Gov CalRecycle, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, March 24, 2005, web April 2011 (8)Wise, Cindy, Compost Specialist Compost Tea Trial 2007, OSU/Lane County Extension Service Compost Specialist tea trial, December 2007, web April 2011 (9) Chalker-Scott, Linda Ph.D., Extension Horticulturist and Associate Professor, Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University The Myth of Compost Tea Revisited: Aerobically-brewed compost tea suppresses disease, April 2001, Web May 2011 (10) Lanther, Mario, Compost Tea and Its impact On Plant Diseases, BC Organic Grower, Volume10, Number 2, spring 2007, Web April 2011 (11) Diver, Steve, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Notes on Compost Teas The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service ATTRA 2002 Web March 2011 Ingham, Dr Elaine, Rollins, Carole Ann ed., Sustainable Studies Inc. and Natural Technologies, The Field Guide 1 for Actively Aerated compost Tea (AACT) April 2001-June 2003 Second Edition, Second Printing March 2007 Pleasant, Barbara and Martin, Deborah; The Complete Composting Guide, Storey Publishing, LLC February 13, 2008 Arrington, Debbie, Now theres distinction between compost tea, extract', Sacramento Bee, Saturday, February 26, 2011, page D5. Geisel, Pam, Personal interview May 10, 2011 (12) Harvard Facilities Operations Maintenance, Harvard Yard Soils Restoration Project, 2009 President and Fellows of Harvard College, February 2009, Web March 2011 (13) Scheuerell S. and Mahaffee W., Compost tea: Principles and prospects for plant disease control Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada, April 2010, Web March 2011 (14) Aerated Compost Tea Oregon State University Extension Service Douglas County, November 14, 2009, Web April 2011 Chalker-Scott, Dr. Linda PhD Associate Professor and Extension Urban Horticulturist WSU Puyallup Research and Extension, Compost Tea: Examining the science behind the claims N.d., Web April 2011 (15) Overview of Compost Tea Use in New South Wales. Recycled Organics Unit (2006). Recycled Organics Unit, internet publication: 2007 second edition, Web March 2011 (16) To Tea or Not to Tea Whatcom County Master Composter Recycler Program, Bellingham, WA, N.d. Web May 2011 (17) Harris, Susan, Still confused about compost tea, I turn to Rodale Garden Rant, Uprooting the Gardening World, February 25, 2010, Web May 2011. (18) Reeves, Walter, The Georgia Gardener, Compost Tea Does it Work? N.d, web May 2011 Martin, Deborah L. and Gershuny, Grace, Ed., The Rodale Book of Composting, Rodale Press, 1992

Suicide Or Ambicide Of Nella Laurens Passing English Literature Essay

Suicide Or Ambicide Of Nella Laurens Passing English Literature Essay The ending of Nella Larens Passing is famous for its ambiguity and obscurity; the death of Clare Kendry is never clear defined and vaguely stated. Despite this deliberate equivocation on the authors part, there is definitive evidence hidden within the text that Clares death is in fact a homicide. Clare Kendrys death was not a suicide; the one person who had constant and progressive reason for the murder Clare was her supposed friend, Irene Redfield. One of the main suspects in the death of Clare Kendry is her longtime childhood friend, Irene Redfield. Although they have known each other since they young, they drifted apart as they aged; it had been twelve years since she à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ had laid eyes on Clare Kendry (18). It is only through chance that these two were reunited, something that Irene would have rather left unchanged; Irene has repeatedly displayed a increasing desire to break ties with Clare, making many attempts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to tell Clare Kendry at once, and definitely, that it was of no use, her coming, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (64). These tactics ranged from not replying to Clares mail or phone calls, though it à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ rung like something possessed (32) to lying about her schedule and how she is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ filled upà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [and]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ so sorry (23) that her could not be with Clare. Irene could have been avoiding Clare because she is envious of her looks and of how Clare is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ exquisite, golden, fragrant, [and] flauntingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [how]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦her glistening hairà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [and] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ eyes sparking like dark jewels (74). Irene often à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ felt dowdy and commonplace (74) when compared to Clare. Another reason Irene wanted Clare to leave her controlled life was that she suspected Clare to be pursuing and infatuating with Brian, Irenes husband. As time passed, Brian à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ looked on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ with the same tolerant amusement that marked his entire attitude toward Clare (79). Because of this, Irene often wondered what did it mean? [and] how it would affect her and the boys? (93) and often feared that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ she didnt count, she was, to him, only the mother of his sons à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [and that] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ she was nothing. Worse. An obstacle (93). Regardless of Irenes reasons, her thoughts were steady turning darker, frequently questioning if Clare should die! Then Oh, it was vile! To think, yes, to wish that! (101). During the confrontation at the end of the novel, Clare Smiled a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ smile that maddened Irene. She ran across the room, her terror fringed with ferocity, and laid a hand on hand on her Clares bare arm. [and that] She couldnt have her free (111). This quote showed Irenes determination and desperation for Clares disappearance, yet even though she acted in this murder, she stated that it was an accident, a terrible accident à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [that] it was. This phrase confirms Irenes guilt in this homicide, by the act of denying any fault, solidifies her as the prime suspect in Clares murder. Even though there is substantial evidence the other character had a hand in Clares death, she has shown a rather unpredictable and melancholy state of mind; such a state of mind could lead to irrational thoughts such as suicide. She passed for white and abandoned her black heritage for monetary value; she believes that in fact, all things considered, I think Rene, that its even worth the price (28). Yet Clare feels trapped by her husband, John Bellows, racist views; even though she is black herself, John believes Clare to be white. He has made it clear that he à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [drew] the line at that. No niggers in my family. Never have been and never will be (40). Despite the fact that she is in such a precarious position, she sought to be with Irene with reckless abandonment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to get the things I want badly enough, Id do anything, hurt anybody, throw anything away (81). Clare continues to visit Irene, requesting to accompany Irene to her various social parties and thro ugh her, to the black part of society that Clare abandoned long ago. Yet she à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ would if I could, but I cant à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ you cant realize how I want to see Negros, to be with them again, to talk with them, to hear them laugh (71). All of these lead to a volatile mixture of recklessness, desperation, loss of identity, and a sense of being trapped. These could have lead to her eventual suicide, when John Bellow discovered and confronted her about her race: Clare stood at the window, as composed as if everyone were not staring at her in curiosity and wonder, as if the whole structure of her life were not lying in fragments before her. She seemed unaware of any danger or uncaring. There was even a faint smile on her full, red lips, and in her shining eyes. (111) This quote exemplifies Clares increasing sense of detachment from the world around her; when she was confronted by her husband at the end of the novel, she felt trapped and chose to escape rather the face the reality of her situation. Yet all of this is merely speculation. The motives and thoughts of Clare Kendry are unknown and can only be interpreted through Irenes perception of Clares actions. On the other hand, Irenes mental process it often displayed through her own narrations and has show on numerous occasions to have entertained the idea of ridding herself of Clare.