ANIMAL SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ANIMAL SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS - Essay Example According to some scholars of animal life and human survival, there is a danger on human survival if the experiments on the animals will continue. The danger will arise because of the changes that will happen in the food chain. Some of the animals that are used in the experiments are very important in sustaining the food chain that makes it possible for mankind to survive in the environment. The evidence from many fields of science show that when food chains are disrupted, the higher animals are the ones that suffer more because of the consequences. Mankind belongs to the higher animals. Other higher animals such as cows and other mammals will also be affected by the disruption of the food chain. This means that the survival of mankind will be compromised if the lower animals that support the existence of the higher animals are killed in large numbers due to the scientific experiments. Therefore, it is important for scientists to stop the use of animals and to find some alternative w ays of testing their experiments. Millions of animals are killed each year because of these experiments. The number will continue to rise because many scientists are joining in the practice of the experiments for many purposes. This will mean that more animals have to be used in the conducting of the experiments. In the end, it will be difficult for the animals to reproduce to fill the eco-system. Some of the animals which are often used in the experiments are likely to become extinct after some years. Some activists who champion for the rights of animals have argued that the white mice is the most commonly used animal in many of the experiments. Many of the tests that are conducted on the white mice usually result in the death of the animals. According to some people who conduct research on the animals, many of the species of white mice are becoming extinct and must be protected by world governments. There have been proposals for the development of more strict ethical code of condu ct that controls the use of animals in the experiments of science. Some studies have found out that there are no standard methods of conducting experiments on the animals. There are indications that some scientists do not use anesthetics when carrying out experiments on the animals. Such practices are unethical. The practices always cause a lot of pain on the animals. Animals are living things and have senses to feel pain. It is unethical and morally wrong to subject defenseless creatures to pain and torture because of goals that do not serve the interests of the animals (Watson, 2009; Hayhurst, 2000). Those who protest against the use of animals in science experiments have also mentioned the question of religion to support their arguments. According to them, the existence of animals in human societies was God’s plan and should not be disrupted. Usually, mankind is supposed to help animals are considered in religious ideologies to be part of God’s creation. The increas ed killing of animals by scientists is considered as an act of defiance against God’s plans. This matter has often caused many religious bodies to support campaigns for the protection of animals. There are also fears that the use of animals for experiments in science is likely to result in some accidents that can affect

A report on application of technology in Operations Management Essay

A report on application of technology in Operations Management - Essay Example This forms the revenue-generating function of any business and thus based on five critical strategies such as speed, flexibility, dependability, quality and cost. All operations activities are carried out based on these strategies. In order to continuously enhance effectiveness of these strategies, various technology services are employed in operations management through advanced information technology and information service (IT/IS) systems. This report evaluates application of IT/IS in various operations activities and their impact on its core strategies. 2. Operations management and strategic objectives: The entire operations/production process is accomplished using resources such as money, raw material, equipment, manpower and finance. These inputs are processed in specific manner through a sequence of preplanned activities in order to produce desired outputs, which can be in the form of completed parts, products, chemicals, service to customers, completed paperwork etc. Operatio ns strategy controls the strategic position of the firm, and is aligned to the overall corporate strategy. This alignment is to ensure all policies and plans reinforce organizational effectiveness and aid in optimum production of goods and services. For example, Toyota’s operations strategy includes designing, assembling and marketing the finished products, but procures the rest from other suppliers (Feist et al, 1999). This strategy is aligned to its corporate strategy of producing defect-free products, in less time and occupy largest market share. In general, operations strategy involves decisions related to design of the process of production or service providing as well as facilities and/or infrastructure needed to support the process. To achieve such tough and complicated objectives, organizations make optimum usage of advanced information and technological services. The IT services form a part of their tactical planning approaches, which also include capital, human reso urces, technology, facilities; staffing and scheduling methodologies to achieve target productions; sales and service operations; inventory management of supplies and delivered goods etc. In addition, short-term operations planning activities such as capacity, quality control, inventory, manpower etc also require IT services for effective operations. 3. Practical applications of IT for objective achievement: The three major components of corporate strategy in any business include operations effectiveness, customer management and production process and innovation (Chase 2006). Information Technology (IT) provides strong platform to convert, store, protect, process, transfer and recover information related to operations, customer and production processes. IT and its systems are used in all operations management processes such as capacity planning, inventory control and management, quality control, human resources management, etc. All business processes such as taking orders from custo mers, handling returns, manufacturing, marketing, delivery of end products also require IT systems. IT finds effective application in all customer management activities such as evaluation of customer feedback, customer satisfaction, customer expectations etc. Application of IT for innovation in operations and production management is mainly through research and development activities. According to Slack et al. (2004) the main objectives of operations manage

An Ideal Type of Security Investment in Malaysia Essay Example for Free

An Ideal Type of Security Investment in Malaysia Essay First of all, we as group have chosen Unit Trust as the best choice in conjunction to the topic of ideal type of security investments according to our understanding and beliefs. According to an article that we have researched, the Federation of Malaysian Unit Trust Managers (FMUTM) defines that unit trust is a form of collective investment which allows investors with similar investment objectives to pool their funds to be invested in a portfolio of securities of other assets. A professional fund manager will then invest the pooled funds in a portfolio. It includes assets classes such as cash, bonds and deposits, shares, property, and commodities. The ownership of the funds is divided into units of entitlement; hence, unit holders do not purchase the securities in the portfolio directly. Consequently, when the funds of the mentioned asset classes’ increases or decreases, then the value of each issued unit increases or decreases accordingly. Besides that, the return on investment (ROI) of unit holders is usually in the form of income distribution and capital appreciation which is derived from the pool of assets supporting the unit trust fund. Unit trust also allows investors to have easy access to a wide range of investments exposures which are not normally available to them. There are a number of other substantial benefits of investing in unit trust. Amongst them are that unit trust are very affordable. Investors are eligible to start with an investment amount as low as RM1000. In addition, rather than concentrating an investment portfolio of one or two investments or share, a portfolio of market securities can be held. Meaning, there is a wider spread of the investments which is also know diversification; hence the investment returns will be less volatile. Through unit trust investment, individual investors have better chances to spread their money to wider asset classes in the same time gaining their particular investment exposure requirements. On top of that, unit trusts have good liquidity which further enhances chances of profits of an investor. Other than that, as mentioned a little earlier on, the people managing unit trusts are approved professionals whom are trained to ensure that decision-making is structured and according to sound investment principles. In the long term, the expertise of a knowledgeable and experienced fund manager usually generates above average investment returns for unit trust investors. Subsequently, with unit trust, the economics of the transaction are more favorable because fund managers invest in larger amounts. Hence, it means that fund managers are able to get access to wholesale fees and products which are impossible for the individual investors to obtain; in return, this action reduces the cost and charges and further enhances the profit for the investment of the investors. Moving on, with the introduction of unit trusts in Malaysia came also the regulations from various regulators, especially the Securities Commission. The entire range of variables relating to the unit trust industry is governed by various legislations in order to protect the interest of the public investors and also a safe investment mechanism to prevent any frauds.

Cause And Effects Of Land Degradation Environmental Sciences Essay

Cause And Effects Of Land Degradation Environmental Sciences Essay Land degradation is an issue of increasing concern to most countries. It is a concept in which the value of the environment is affected by one or more combination of human induced processes acting upon the land. It also means the deterioration in the quantity of land or soil that affects phenomena such as floods and bushfires. The land degradation threatens not only the viability of agriculture, but also water quality, human health, biodiversity and the fundamental ecological processes on which all life depend. The loss of arable land has been caused by a number of factors, many or most of which are tied to human development and agriculture used. The major causes are land clearance such as clear cutting and deforestation, agriculture activities, irrigation salinity and over drafting, livestock including overgrazing, pollution and industrialization. Overgrazing is a common problem in many parts of Australia. It is caused by animals, generally sheep, cattle, or other feral animals, all concentrated in the one area, all feeding on the grass and shrubs. Grass and shrubs hold the soil firmly together. The removal of grass and shrubs leaves the soil bare and susceptible to wind and water erosion. The soil can be broken up or compacted by hooves, this makes the problem worse. Irrigation salinity is when the irrigation water, used to provide water for crops and pasture, seeps down to the water table, with all the dissolved salts, rises and kills the crops and grass, as they are not used to the salty soils. Deforestation is the complete removal of a forest ecosystem and conversion of the land to another type of landscape. It differs from clear-cutting, which entails complete removal of all standing trees but leaves the soil in a condition to regrow a new forest if seeds are available. Over drafting is the process of extracting groundwater beyond the safe yield or equilibrium yield of the aquifer. Since every groundwater basin recharges at a different rate depending upon precipitation, vegetative cover and soil conservation practices, the quantity of groundwater that can be safely pumped varies greatly among regions of the world and even within provinces. Some aquifers require a very long time to recharge and thus the process of over drafting can have consequences of effectively drying up certain sub-surface water supplies. Land Degradation Processes The main outcome of land degradation is a substantial reduction in the productivity of land. The land degradation processes include soil erosion, nutrient depletion, salinization, desertification and soil acidification or alkalinisation. Soil erosion is a natural process that removes soil from the land. The critical aspect of soil erosion for our purpose here is that the rate of the process is highly dependent on human actions. Natural rates of soil erosion are lower for soil with a good cover of vegetation than for bare soil. In fact, any human actions that uncover soil (farming, logging, building, overgrazing, fires, etc.) greatly enhance soil erosion rates. Soil salinization is the concentration of salts in the surface or near surface of soils. It involves the processes of salt accumulation in the upper rooting zone so that many plants are inhibited or prohibited from normal growth. Human induced salinization is a major problem in drylands and is often associated with large-scale irrigation. Dryland Salinity When drylands are irrigated, the water evaporates quickly, leaving behind previously dissolved salts. These salts can collect, since there is little rain to flash the system. The salt in the soil inhibits the uptake of water by plant roots and the soil can no longer sustain a vegetative cover. Irrigation Salinity Irrigation salinity is when the irrigation water, used to provide water for crops and pasture, seeps down to the water table, with all the dissolved salts, rises and kills the crops and grass, as they are not used to the salty soils. Nutrients loss is an important problem in regions of low-input agriculture, such as Africa. In such regions, when crops are harvested, essential nutrients are taken away in the crop and not replaced. Desertification occurs whenever a non-desert area starts to exhibit the characteristics of a true desert. The term was coined by the United Nations in 1977. The main cause of desertification is not drought, but mismanagement of land, including overgrazing and felling of trees and brushwood for fuels. Soil acidification is when certain chemicals are used on the soil, for various reasons including pesticides, removal of salt from the surface and the soil, acid rain, the growth of certain crops, certain animal wastes and etc, these chemicals are often absorbed into the soil and become part of the soil-structure. With these chemicals now part of the soil, the soil may become acidic and therefore crops and pastures will not grow. Soil acidification can lead to a productivity decline up to and equal to 50%. Soil akalinisation is clay soils with high pH (> 9), a poor soil structure and a low infiltration capacity. Alkali soils owe their unfavorable physico-chemical properties mainly to the dominating presence of sodium carbonate which causes the soil to swell. Sometimes these soils are also referred to as (alkaline) sodic soils. Effect of degradation Several land degradation affected a significant portion of the arable lands, decreasing the wealth and economic development of nations. Land degradation cancels out advanced by improved crop yields and reduced population growth. As the land resource, base becomes less productive, food security is comprised and competition for dwindling resources increases. Thus, a downward eco-social spiral is created when lands are nutrient depleted by unsustainable land management practices resulting in lost soil stability leading to permanent change. Land degradation not only affects soil productivity but also have more significant impacts on receiving water resources. Since soil along with nutrients and contaminants associated with soil, are delivered in large quantities to environments. Land degradation therefore has potentially impacts on lakes and reservoirs that are designed to alleviate flooding provide irrigation and generate Hydro-Power. In summary, land degradation includes soil erosion, salinization, soil acidification or akalinisation and desertification. The rate of degradation has increased dramatically with growth in human populations and technology. Severe land damage accompanies large-scale of agriculture. The continued loss of arable land will jeopardize our ability to feed the world population. Land degradation is a worldwide problem which includes both of the developed and developing countries.

Essay --

Cyber Warriors: The future of warfare can be found at a military complex outside of Washington D.C., in a 358$ million office building that houses some of the worlds most powerful computers. This is the headquarters of Cyber Command, a new arm of the pentagon that wages combat not with missiles or bombs but with electronic signals that plant viruses, steal data and seize control of faraway hardrives. Run by a four-star general and soon to have a staff of thousands, Cyber Command is the nerve center that controls America’s battles against the hackers, terrorists and hostile governments who are already prying into sensitive U.S. systems. It will also be the launching pad for controversial new plans that use computers as offensive weapons against America’s Global Enemies. The U.S. has been furiously working to develop a wide range of new cyber strategies. And it is why Cyber Command, which opened its doors only in 2010, is booming at a time when almost every part of the military is suffering through deep budget cuts. President Obama’s last funding request sought a nearly 20% incr...

A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams Essay -- A Streetcar Na

Street Car Named Desire A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams in 1947, has been called the best play ever written by an American. The geological setting of the play, New Orleans, creates a remarkably blended mood of decadence, nostalgia, and sensuality. The plot of the play comes about through the conflict between a man and his sister-in-law who comes to live at his house with he and his wife. Stanley Kowalski immediately captures the attention of the audience through Williams' excellent portrayal of the intensely strong willed character. The portrayal of Stanley Kowalski plays a major role in the success of the play. Williams forms Stanley into an extremely masculine character who will always have his way or no way at all and makes his opinions very clear to those around him. This profound masculinity places Stanley in direct opposition to Blanche DuBois. "The high-minded yet oddly fragile Blanche takes an immediate dislike to the loutish, working-class Stanley, while Stanley immediately recognizes Blanche for what she has become: a woman who finds consolation in indiscriminate sex and alcohol." (Authors & Artists, 165). This clashing forms the conflict which eventually roots itself deeply into the plot of the play. Stanley represents the symbol of the New South. Stanley's aggressiveness leads to his ease in taking total control over a situation. This characteristic also allows Stanley to completely secure the respect of all the men who associate with him, however, his aggression also shines a light upon a very destr uctive side of his character. In many ways, Stanley's brutality leads to the major conflict between Blanche and himself. "And look at yourself! Take a look at that worn out Mardi Gras outfit, rented for fifty cents from some rag picker! And with that crazy crown on! What queen do you think you are?" (Williams, 127). Stanley becomes very blunt in his contempt and aggression towards Blanche. Another view into the excessive aggression of Stanley appears in the third scene. In this scene, Williams provides a look at a very negative side of Stanley. Stanley physically assaults his wife, Stella, after she returns to the house during his poker game. "How anyone could find Stella Kowalski's comatose endurance of Stanley healthy or whole-hearted is, indeed, a subject for wonder." (Drama Criticism, 401). Stanley also shows his vi... ...own here. Stella, Stella!" (Williams, 59). Stanley also appears to fight Blanche for the purpose of saving his life with the woman he loves. "When Blanche threatens Stanley's marriage by cajoling her sister to abandon her husband, Stanley brandishes Blanche's weaknesses for all to see in an effort to preserve his home and family." (Authors & Artists, 165-66). These characteristics show the loving and caring side of Stanley as well as offering a contrasting view to his dark, brutal side. Tennessee Williams creates a brilliant play in A Streetcar Named Desire, featuring an amazing and complex character in Stanley Kowalski. The reader must constantly reevaluate the character of Stanley Kowalski as he presents many questions to the reader throughout the play. During the play, as the conflict develops between Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski, the audience must constantly consider which character portrays the villain and which portrays the victim. "Ultimately, however, Stanley prevails. He has gotten rid of Blanche, who has lost everything, and as we see in the closing lines of the play, he is able to soothe Stella's grief, and their life goes on." (Masterplots, 6316).

Juvenile Violence Essay

In the increasing debate of child criminals and their proneness towards recidivism, there exists the issue of rehabilitation. In point of fact the entire issue of juvenile delinquency hinges upon the ability of the offender to re-enter society not as a criminal but as a redemptive individual ready to become a working part of society. In the questions that arise from the concern over juvenile delinquency the recurring question is this: Are children who commit crimes rehabilitated by the juvenile court system, or are they more likely to commit criminal acts as adults? In the answering of this fundamental question, aspects of the child criminal are brought to the forefront of the debate, and these include, the attachment the child has with parental figure and the morality that exists in the child because of that relationship or the amorality that exists because of lack of a relationship. Also, the connection the juvenile has with school and community becomes prevalent when after school programs are a deterrent to crime. Throughout this essay, such rehabilitation techniques will be dissected and examined, and a cause and effect scenario will be produced. Amalgamating facts on the juvenile delinquent and the process by which they become a delinquent is the aim of this paper. The reintroduction of a delinquent into society will be presented as the purpose of the juvenile court system and whether this system fails or should receive accolades is the determining factor in rehabilitation. Other factors in the rehabilitation of the delinquent, and the effectiveness of these alternative methods will also be presented. It must also be included in the paper the viewpoint of trying child criminals as adults for their crimes and whether or not such punishment is just and rehabilitative or merely a deterrent in the growth away from such delinquent behavior. In essence, the purpose of this paper is to reveal whether or not juvenile delinquents have a chance to become integral parts of a working society and whether the juvenile court system impedes or motivates the delinquent to become a model citizen. The question we must then ask is; are juvenile detention centers merely an impetus for juveniles to continue with their criminal lifestyle, and is trying them as adults paving the path towards them becoming a hardened criminal? The intention of this paper is to delve into the causes of juvenile violence, whether or not programs retarding recidivism work and the theory behind their efficacy, and a major section of the paper will introduce violent behavior and its causes (i. e. peer groups, parental control, and cultural background). Delinquent Behavior/Definition/Parents Juvenile delinquency is refereed as the act of committing serious crimes of a person ranging from ages of 10 through 17 years in the society. Juvenile delinquency had been a major problem because of the committed serious crimes. The social issues of juvenile delinquency cases are being monitored and the alarming effects made many lawmakers find a way to stop this. The Justice Department of United States defines a juvenile delinquent as the offender of the laws of the country as stated by the court and who is a minor. In view of delinquent behavior there must be a definition and applicable theory to first aid in deciding what causes such conduct (Quas et al. 2002, 247). In Hirschi’s book Causes of Delinquency (1969) there are presented three different theory types in regards to delinquent behavior. These theories have applicable grounds, by which the delinquent acts out, as Hirschi states, Three fundamental perspectives on delinquency and deviant behavior dominate the current scene. According to strain or motivational theories, legitimate desires that conformity cannot satisfy or force a person into deviance. According to control or bond theories, a person is free to commit delinquent acts because his ties to the conventional order have somehow been broken. According to cultural deviance theories, the deviant conforms to a set of standards not accepted by a larger or more powerful society. (Hirschi 1969, 3) The idea of conformity is a major part of the decision process of whether or not a child becomes a delinquent. Conformity to whom is the major question presented by each theory. The conformity to a society should discipline a child into model behavior while the conformity to a gang or group of friends whose lifestyle consists of criminal acts is merely another form of orthodoxy in that particular group. In the conformity of either gang or community the underlying current of thought for the delinquent is desire. Human desire to be a part of something and be accepted by that larger group is the impetus towards deliberating behavior. Humans are creatures whose desires propel them on towards actions, whether or not those actions are legitimated by society or a gang is not concerting but rather a person sometimes feels that their desires are above the law, and when that desire is about acceptance, many formal rules are broken, as Hirschi states, Having thus established that man is a moral animal who desires to obey the rules, the sociologist was then faced with the problem of explaining his deviance. Clearly, if men desire to conform, they must be under great pressure before they will resort to deviance. In the classic strain theories, this pressure is provided by legitimate desires. A man desires success, for example, as everyone tells him he should, but he cannot attain success conforming to the rules; consequently, in desperation, he turns to deviant behavior or crime to attain that which he considers rightfully his. (Hirschi 1969, 5). In defining the deviance of a juvenile his or her own personal issues towards conformity become apparent. There is of course the issue of morality with problems about crimes. For a delinquent, their understanding about crime, and their acts therein, depend independently upon who has previously governed their conceptions of the criminal lifestyle. On this issue, Hirschi states, â€Å"In strain theory, man is a moral animal. His morality accounts for the pressure that I built into the model. If morality is removed, however, if man is seen as an amoral animal, then tremendous pressure is unnecessary in accounting for his deviance† (Hirschi 1969, 10). A child, to a certain extent is not solely responsible for their own actions, because they mirror what has been presented to them. Parents should be highly considered when any discussion or debate about the morality of children and their proceeding stature as a criminal is discussed. The influence of the family in the juvenile’s criminal disposition is further emphasized through Aspy et al. ’s article which stating that, Many of these risk factors are related to the economic resources available to the family. Family income has been shown to be protective in that youth from wealthier families are less likely to be involved in weapon carrying (Blum et al. , 2000). Although the number of children below the poverty line is on the decline, overall, there remain racial/ethnic differences in family structure and poverty† (Aspy et al. 2004, 82). The use of family as a predictor in the violence and criminal behavior of a child is further emphasized through Ellickson and McGuigan’s research, For predatory violence, there were 6 predictors: frequency of using alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana during grade 7; higher levels of perceived drug use by one’s middle school peers; being male; being multiracial; coming from a nuclear family; and rebelliousness. However the last two variables had an impact was contrary to our predictors with adolescents from nuclear families more likely to be frequent perpetrators of predatory violence and rebellious youth less likely to be frequent perpetrators of predatory violence (Ellickson and McGuigan 2000, 570). With this understanding of the juvenile mindset, the parental control over the thoughts and sentiments that the juvenile has towards crime should be discussed. The amount of exposure a child has with their parents may be considered positive or negative in regards to rehabilitation or the furthering of the child’s life into crime depending on the morality of the parents. The juvenile court system lays great claim to the lack of control parents have with regards to their children and thus the child is sent to a more appropriate atmosphere. The juvenile court system sometimes takes control away from the parents and gives it to an institute. To keep on track, the child’s exposure to their parents may offer a great opportunity to examine the process of the making of a juvenile delinquent. Hirschi gives us the fact that parental control may be a great deterrent to a life of crime. In control theory it is believed that the greater the bond between a parent and a child, the less likely it is for that child to become delinquent (Hirschi 1969, 83). When a child contemplates a criminal act, according to control theory, and decides to either follow through with the act or to discard the act, depends upon the extent to which that their parents are moral beings have ingrained in that child such morality. On this subject, Hirschi states, â€Å"In the light of the cultural deviance perspective, the child unattached to his parents is simply more likely to be exposed to â€Å"criminogenic influences. † He is, in other words, more likely to be free to take up with a gang. His lack of attachment to his parents is, in itself, of no moral significance† (Hirschi 1969, 85). The attachment a child exhibits to their parents should have great influence on the juvenile court system as to whether or not the child can be rehabilitated. Since the morality of a parent seems to have great sway as to the sentiments and sometimes actions of a juvenile delinquent, the parent should be given custody and paroling powers over the child instead of a juvenile institution or prison. The socialization from the earliest stage of child development is dependent upon the parent. The conformity a child feels they must succumb to the conformity the parent instills in the child. Hirschi states that in control theory advocates of alternative law enforcement find the internalization of norms depends on the early socialization the child has been exposed to under the guidance of the parent. The emotional bond between parent and child delivers to the child the same mores and values held in esteem of the parent. The parent’s expectations of the child become well known and are fostered through this bond. If, however, the child is alienated or distanced from their parent, such bonds prove to be nihilistic. The feeling the child has of moral rules when the bond is severed or otherwise incapacitated proves to be the leading factor in the delinquent lifestyle. When the parent shows little concern for the child’s actions or is simply not in the child’s life, then that child is void of moral laws, codes and societal norms (Hirschi 1969, 86). The child’s development of a superego or conscious will not develop if such a bond is nonexistent. Of parental bonds and the forming of child delinquents, Hirschi goes on to state, The child attached to his parents may be less likely to get into situations in which delinquent acts are possible, simply because he spends more of his time in their presence. However, since most delinquent acts require little time, and since most adolescents are frequently exposed to situations potentially definable as opportunities for delinquency, the amount of time spent with parents would probably be only a minor factor in delinquency prevention. So-called â€Å"direct control† is not, except as a limiting case, of much substantive or theoretical importance. The important consideration is whether the parent is psychologically present when temptation to commit a crime appears. If, in the situation of temptation, no thought is given to parental reaction, the child is to this extent free to commit the act. (Hirschi 1969, 88). Parental concern and involvement, in regards to control theory, is thus proven to be a staple in the forming of healthy relationships between child and society and the deterring factor that limits delinquency.