A Symbol of Our Culture

America's history has a lot of repetition In It. Price expressed her Irritation for how America started a new trend, using flamingos, and used this trend over and over again until It lost meaning. The symbol of the flamingo was used repetitively until It lost Its Importance, and essentially got boring. This tact In Itself clearly bothered Price. From the start, Price's attitude expressed how she felt about the use of the flamingo.The title, â€Å"The Plastic Pink Flamingo,† could be taken in a couple different ways. Plastic is describing the pink flamingo, yet plastic has two meanings. It could mean plastic as in the material the flamingo is made out of, but I think Price was intending to use plastic as a play on words and have plastic mean fake or superficial. This definition would represent Price's attitude of how she thinks America is so superficial and devalues objects, such as the flamingo. Price also used a simile to create a great visual of what she thought American cul ture was like.She compared our culture to, â€Å"[being] like a line of semiotic sprouts. † She draws attention to this simile by using alliterations of â€Å"like a line,† and â€Å"semiotic sprouts. † It is not exactly a compliment to be compared to a plant, not to mention how boring and uninteresting it is. This phrase paints a picture in our heads of sprouts lust sitting there droning on and on. When comparing this boring repetitive image to America and our culture, helps us realize Price's point exactly.Jennifer Price successfully portrayed her opinions of the American culture throughout this article by using diction such as repetition and playing close attention word choice. The use of techniques like similes and alliterations also helped reflect her tone of the article, â€Å"The Plastic Pink Flamingo. † A Symbol of Our Culture By Shelley Jennifer Price wrote the essay, â€Å"The Plastic Pink Flamingo' with intentions to get gain, one tends to get bored with the idea.Price intended for the reader to get bored and sick of reading the word â€Å"pink† because it reflects how America's history has a lot of repetition in it. Price expressed her irritation for how America started a new trend, using flamingos, and used this trend over and over again until it lost meaning. The symbol of the flamingo was used repetitively until it lost its importance, and essentially got boring. This fact in itself clearly bothered Price. Just sitting there droning on and on. When comparing this boring repetitive image to

Canada History Essay

Everywhere you might hear the roll of the drum, and there was no family but had its soldier, and few that did not have their dead. There were a score of thousand British troops in the Northern provinces, and every week brought rumors and alarms, and portents of victory or defeat. The haggard post-rider came galloping in with news from north and west, which the anxious village folks gather to hear. There have been skirmishes, successes, retreats, surprises, massacres, retaliations. In 1867 the Canadian history was the people’s ancestors who become American Indians (North American Indians) that first entered North America from Siberia some time around 14,000–15,000 years ago. A wave of further migrations from Siberia, beginning about 4,000 years ago, brought the Inuit people, who settled across the whole of Arctic North America, from Alaska through Northern Canada to Greenland (Fregault, 1969). The European discovery is where Europeans sight North America were the Vikings in 986. An expedition led by Leif Ericsson sailed from Greenland, visited Baffin Island, and sailed down the Labrador coast to Newfoundland, which was named Vinland. The remains of a Viking settlement have been found on the island, but it would seem that the Viking colony was short†lived. The Viking discovery was forgotten in Europe, and it was 500 years before another European, John Cabot reached the shores of Canada (1497). In 1534 Jacques Cartier, a Frenchman, undertook a voyage of discovery along the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, and on his second voyage (1536–37) discovered the St Lawrence River and travelled as far as the Huron capital, Hochelaga (the site of Montreal). Some small settlements were made by the French, but have been abandoned it after two years (Hayes, 2002). The French and British rivalry was until 1608 that Samuel de Champlain, who had visited the country in 1603 and subsequent years, founded the city of Quebec. The St Lawrence region formed a French colony under the name of Canada for the next century and a half. Meanwhile, the English formed the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1670 and began to trade with the American Indians that is now the Northwest Territories. A French colony, known as Acadia, had also been established in Nova Scotia at the beginning of the 17th century, but the arrival of English and Scottish colonists led to a long†running conflict for possession until the territory came they became under British control by the Treaty of Utrecht (1713). Finally, in 1749 the British founded the settlement of Halifax and installed many British colonists, and the following year the French settlers were expelled for refusing to swear loyalty to the British crown. Many of these Acadians subsequently settled in Louisiana, where they became known as Cajuns (Eccles,1969). Louis Reil is perhaps the most controversial figure in Canadian historiography. He is a leader of his people in their resistance against the Canadian government in the Canadian Northwest. His life and deeds have spawned a massive and diverse literature. He was born in the Red River Settlement (in what is now Manitoba) in 1844. He is a promising student and was sent to Montreal to train for the priesthood, but he never graduated. An attempt at training as a lawyer, and by 1868 Riel was back in the Red River area. Ambitious, well educated and bilingual, Riel quickly emerged as a leader among the Metis of the Red River. In 1869-1870 he headed a provisional government, which would eventually negotiate the Manitoba Act with the Canadian government. The Act established Manitoba as a province and provided some protection for French language rights. Riel’s leadership in the agitation, especially his decision to execute a Canadian named Thomas Scott, anti-Catholic and anti-French sentiment in Ontario. Although chosen for a seat in the House of Commons on three occasions, he was unable to take his seat in the house. In 1875, Riel’s role in the death of Scott resulted in his exile from Canada. These years in exile would include stays in two Quebec asylums and the growing belief in Riel that he had a religious mission to lead the Metis people of the Canadian northwest (Chartrand, 1999). Riel was the undisputed spiritual and political head of the short-lived 1885 Rebellion. He never carried arms and hindered the work of his military head, Gabriel Dumont. Riel was increasingly influenced by his belief that he was chosen to lead the Metis people. On May 15, shortly after the fall of Batoche, Riel surrendered to Canadian forces and was taken to Regina to stand trial for reason (Lloyd, 1959). At his trial, Riel gave two long speeches which demonstrated his powerful rhetorical abilities. He personally rejected attempts by his defense counsel to prove he was not guilty by reason of insanity. On 1 August 1885, a jury of six English-speaking Protestants found Riel guilty but recommended mercy. Judge Hugh Richardson sentenced him to death. Attempted appeals were dismissed and a special re-examination of Riel’s mental state by government appointed doctors found him sane. He was hanged in Regina on 16 November, 1885. His execution was widely opposed in Quebec and had lasting political ramifications (Lee, 1986). While in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, this was also known as the Battle of Quebec, this was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years War (referred to as French and Indian War in the United States). The confrontation, which began on 12 September 1759, fought between the British Army and Navy, and the French Army, on a plateau just outside the walls of Quebec City (Stuart, 2003). The battle involved fewer than 10,000 troops between both sides, but proved to be in the conflict between France and Britain over the fate of New France, influencing the later creation of Canada (Casgrain, 1964). The culmination of a three-month siege by the British, the battle lasted less than an hour. British troops commanded by General James Wolfe successfully resisted the column advance of French troops and Canadian militia under Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm (Hibbert, 1959). The two generals were mortally wounded during the battle, Wolfe died on the field and Montcalm passed away the next morning. In the wake of the battle, France’s remaining military force in Canada and the rest of North America came under increasing pressure from British forces. Within four years, nearly all of France’s possessions in eastern North America would be ceded to Great Britain (Anderson, 2000). The battle itself has bind Montcalm and Wolfe. Montcalm has been treated leniently by history he was indeed a brilliant and heroic soldier, and he had the crowning honor of dying bravely at Quebec, but he cannot be held blameless in this affair. He had taught the Indians that he was as one of themselves, had omitted no means of securing their amity had danced and sung with them and smiled approvingly and he had no right to imagine that they would believe him sincere in his promise to spare the prisoners. The two military leaders of the French and British fought the battle as the most promising event in their lives. The two generals leave a legacy to the Plains of Abraham. Bibliography Anderson, Fred. 2000. Crucible of War: The Seven Years War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766. New York. Casgrain, H.R. 1964. Wolfe and Montcalm. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Chartrand, Rene. 1999. Quebec 1759. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. Eccles, W.J. 1760. The Canadian Frontier. New York: Holt. Fregault, Guy. 1969. Canada: The war of the Conquest. Toronto Oxford: University Press. Hayes, Derek. 2002. Historical Atlas of Canada. Vancouver: Douglas & Mc Intyre Ltd. Hibbert, Christopher. 1959. Wolfe at Quebec. New York: The World Publishing Company. Lee , Kenneth. 1986. The French armies in the seven years war. University Press. Lloyd, Christopher.1959. The Capture of Quebec. London: B.T. Batsford, Ltd. Reid, Stuart. 2003. The Battle that Won Canada. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.   

Clerk & Squire Contrast “The Canterbury Tales” Essay

In Chaucer’s â€Å"The Canterbury Tales,† two young men of the Middle Ages, stand in sharp contrast to each other. The clerk and the squire are of similar ages but are very different. The clerk is a member of the middle class, has attended Oxford and studied Aristotle, while the squire, a member of the upper class, has been educated in the arts of chivalry. In appearance wise the clerk is a â€Å"grave† or somber individual. He is thin â€Å"hollow-cheeked† and dresses poorly (â€Å"outer cloak threadbare†). On the other hand the squire is a bright, cheerful person. He is lusty, strong and nimble and dresses extravagantly â€Å"red and white embroidery; short coat with long wide sleeves.† His facial appearance is similar to his dress habits, his hair is curled and he is very handsome. The two differ in personality as well. The clerk is formal and modest when he speaks and he only speaks (gives his input) if it is needed. He is also considerate of others, â€Å"pray diligently for the souls of them that gave him wherewith to stay at the schools† and his speech is of moral virtue. The royalty of the squire was apparent in his personality. He is courteous, modest and helpful to others. His royal roots show that he is a respectable man and in his youthful state, he is full of energy. Finally, we can see that the two have very different interests. The clerk is interested in lectures on logic, reading Aristotle and studying Philosophy. He also loves to learn and teach and convey his knowledge to others. The squire is engulfed with the many campaigns/battles of the country and loves jousting in his spare time. He also enjoys singing, playing the flute, riding horses, making songs, dancing drawing and writing. The squire’s royalty shows through his interests because the middle class would not have the time or resources to commit to these interests. The portrait of the clerk and the squire in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† shows two men of similar age; in the same time frame, â€Å"The Middle Ages†. We learn that the two are very different in appearance, personality and interests. This can be attributed to the fact that they grew up in different classes. The clerk in the â€Å"Middle Class† and the squire in the â€Å"High Class†, in this time  frame classes molded how an individual grew and learned. Chaucer shows in his novel how two individuals can be the same in some ways but very different in others.

High School vs College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

High School vs College - Essay Example Students in both community colleges and high schools tend to have some common and different experiences as far as school life is concerned. High school students in major occasions are usually younger than the community college students. This discourse tends to compare and contrast experiences in community colleges with that of high school. Students in community colleges tend to have few interactions with their teachers compared to those in high school. The community college students may be required to spend classes on certain intervals for a period like thrice a week. On the other hand, those in high school have a daily educative routine meaning they attend classes on a daily basis unless it is a public holiday or the school is in recession. This fact is attributed by the fact that high school has a determined curriculum and syllabus which must be completed in good time before the students sit their end semester examinations. This is different from community colleges as there is no c lear syllabus or even curriculum. Such schedule compel the students in high school to concentrate more on academics while those in community colleges may create some time for extra-curriculum activities like sports, art and technology among others. There are more students in classrooms in high school compared to community colleges. Being few enable students in community colleges to have good interactions with teachers and ask relevant questions as far as education is concerned. However, this may be impossible with the high school students as their teachers may not have all that time to have a private teaching session with each student. This is a big disadvantage to the academically weaker students who may require some special tutor after the normal classes. Some parents have really blamed the routines and traditions in high school since weaker students are not well taken care of. Community colleges tend to help students grow their talents and passions as there is ample time for one to practice and research more on the talents. Researches indicate that the majority of innovative individuals, gifted athletes, and musicians went through community colleges. Community colleges tend to help the students identify their areas of interest while high school prepare them to join universities among other units of tertiary education and pursue their dream courses. Students in high school tend to pursue general courses in their first years but they later concentrate in their majors after the second year. It takes some good grades to major in certain courses and this compels the students to work extra hard and meet such targets. This does not apply with the community students as they have no specific targets or competitions. College life between community college students and those in high school tend to have some differences. Students in high school may live in some dormitories or hostels which enable them to mingle and promote their social lives. However, some students may opt to commute from their homes to cut the accommodation charges. However, the majority of community colleges reside from their respective homes meaning there is limited time to mingle, learn from one another, and generally develop their social skills. High schools have various clubs like debating, drama, art, social affairs, science and mathematics clubs among others where students tend to meet on regular intervals. Students tend to make new friends, break monotony, and develop their personal skills as they mingle together (Hamed, 79). However, this does not apply in the community colleges as there is no such clubs and the fact that there are few students to create such forums. High school is never an alternative but a

Four stories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Four stories - Essay Example Carlson’s stories are from the heart and are peopled with such characters that seem to haunt those who identify with them. â€Å"A Kind of Flying† is vivid and colorful in its portrayal, even while many of them tickle your funny side. A part of his collection deals with the so called middle class lifestyles and the frustrations that goes with it making his audience reflect on their own life by trying to find the right solutions. Each of the following stories â€Å"Max†, â€Å"Hartwell†, â€Å"Keith† and â€Å"The Chromium Hook.† has a different theme. In â€Å"Max† the theme the author used was humor. In this short story Carlson depicts the goings on in a typical middle class family who has a dog called Max who had a peculiar habit of jabbing people in the wrong place. He does this not only to his owners but also to the visitors who come there. Though the story is quite short, yet it makes you laugh each time you think about. The story of â€Å"Hartwell† is one of the most endearing stories that I have read. In this story Carlson makes use of the theme of love, human emotions and feelings. The story that pulls at your heartstrings tells the story of a professor who dressed shabbily and did not have the zest for life. But when Lub blossoms between him and his favorite student Laurie, he becomes rejuvenated by her love and finds the real meaning of love. The success of the story lies in the author’s deft handling of the love theme giving hope to millions of people who encounter the same feelings at some point in their lives. In the short story â€Å"Keith† the author makes use of the same theme of love but in a completely different way. It deals with a â€Å"triangle love† shared by three people – Brian, Barbara Anderson and Keith. Though Barbara was friendly with Brian her boyfriend, yet she somehow falls deeply in love with her lab partner Keith who had cancer. The story ends on a sad note

Labor Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Labor Economics - Essay Example James Watt had perfected the modern steam engine which became the foremost energy source and ushered the era of Industrial Revolution. The United States had declared its independence from England and thereafter became the epitome of industrialization. Eight hundred thirty seven years later, many postindustrial societies are transitioning to internationalized information societies that have brought about myriad changes and challenges which are the subjects and objects of the study of labor economics. 2. Discussion Labor economics is a social science that analyzes, makes inferences, and theorizes about organizations, institutions, and behavior of the markets for wage labor in industrializing, industrialized, or internationalized information economies. It seeks to understand the characteristics of suppliers of labor services, the demands of labor services, and the resulting pattern of wages, employment, and income (Wikipedia contributors). However, labor economics does not include it it s study the psychology or sociology of individual employment decisions, such as the emotional ill effects of unemployment or the social gain of wages and salaries or chosen type of work. Current market analyses usually do not take into consideration unpaid labor such as stay-at-home spouses who are raising children or caring for their elders although some recent studies have used the tools of labor economics to know the impact of nonworking spouses, children, and the elderly on household decision-making or on social topics such as marriage, fertility, discrimination, and crime in relation to the labor market. Because labor and the study of labor is of paramount importance and naturally linked to the wealth of a nation’s economy, it is essential that governments thoroughly analyze and investigate its many facets. Labor is the measure of human activity to produce goods or services defined in contrast with other factors of production like land and capital. Labor wages are remune ration for work completed per unit of time. In calculating labor by wages, hours, or efficiency, a business company can use these data in figuring the optimal work force and most favorable wages to maximize productivity and profitability. A government can also use this type of data to determine or curb unemployment and assess the impact of labor on a nation’s economy. A country’s labor force is the number of individuals age 16 and over (working age by law), who are employed, self-employed or actively seeking employment. The non-labor force are those individuals who are not seeking employment such as stay-at-home spouses, those who are pursuing education such as children, retirees, those who are institutionalized such as in prisons or psychiatric facilities, those in the military, and those doing civic service. The unemployment rate is the level of unemployment divided by the labor force. The employment rate is the number of people presently employed divided by the work ing age population. The labor market is quite similar to

S6W4PAPER1 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

S6W4PAPER1 - Research Paper Example This unilateral French military intervention, though not directly under instructions of the UN Security Council, has been seen as a reprieve not only by the Malians but a majority of global nations. However, it is worth noting that this foreign military intervention had little to do with the ethnic grievances of the Tuaregs. Instead, there are a number of underlying factors, forces and groups that orchestrated the intervention. In this research paper, I seek to find out the sources of the recent military intervention in Mali. Special attention is given to the main issues of the conflict that include conflict management and security. To begin with, one major reason for global military intervention is linked to the vulnerability of the transitional Malian government. After the coup, the government in place had the duty to oversee the developments of the country in efforts to regain normalcy. Unfortunately, the civilian-led government based at the capital city, Bamako, has been made ineffective by internal conflicts and military interference. In addition, corruption that has been deep-rooted in most of the state institution has weakened the structures in place to ensure that the government is running efficiently and effectively. Whereas all this was taking place, the simmering ethnic battles in the northern Mali saw over 350,000 people displaced resulting in serious human and political crises. The people who were leading the rebellions were mostly the Tuaregs who were returning back to their country after the revolution against Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. Most of them were serving in the Gaddafi army and as such car ried alongside with them an assortment of arms. Also, since they had just returned from a revolutionary war in Libya, these returnees were still motivated by their combative instincts to propagate the same war in Mali3. The Malian government, as well as the

Summaries and critical thoughs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summaries and critical thoughs - Essay Example They insist on the fact that homosexuality and its identity is in between the sexes of both men and women. The pedigree of male homosexuality is comprised of five categories, sodomy, friendship, effeminacy, inversion, and homosexuality. However, according to the study, male homosexuals act as prostitutes, in their roles as women. Studies suggest that many males who practice prostitution refer to themselves as heterosexual and they develop complex policies to neutralize their significant behaviors. The text has been described as taboo breaking that describes homosexuality in the 14th century in London. The author focuses on same-sex intercourse and male transvestism in medieval England. Rykener’s interrogation in the text raises concern on the public understanding of sexuality in a medieval culture. This entails of lack of specific sexualities, and the deployment of the concept of sodomy and homosexuality. The questions are difficult for John Eleanor Rykener to answer although the text explains the argument. Rykener is a transvestite and a prostitute. This is because he had sex with both men and women, although he committed homosexuality for money. The author states that all women who had sex with multiple partners and the commercial partners are described as meretrix in the medieval society. This means that prostitution is linked to feminist. However, in cases that involved men, they were referred as oxymoron. This is a reason that describes the reason why Rykener is not accused of prostitution in the London court. Men who indulge in commercial sex are not described as prostitutes but instead they are termed as sodomists. However, the text explains that if Rykener was not considered a prostitute based on medieval understanding of the concept, he would not be convicted as a sodomite. However, it is important to note that from the arguments of the text, a legal crime of sodomy did note mean that those involved were homosexual. The author states

Aramex Distribution Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aramex Distribution Strategy - Essay Example There are two major factors that make the degree of market exposure required by Aramex very high. The first of these has to do with the fact that the company operates in a modern globalised market where there is so much competition within the logistics and transportation sectors3. Again, there exist limited users of the services that the company offers. Consequently, the company has positioned itself in a manner that ensures that it exposes itself to as many clients as possible. The strategy behind the market exposure has been one that targets globally recognized exporters and their affiliates4. With such as selective distribution strategy, the company’s investments on marketing always get to the right target and thus bring about the needed returns. Aramex practices a comprehensive distribution channel with so much emphasis on reaching the right people. The main guiding principle to the channel is the fact that the company revolves the distribution channel on an online system whereby distributors, wholesalers, retailers and direct end-users are reached through an online mechanism. Commonly, the over 700 wholesalers of the company get their supplies by placing an electronic demand and they in turn give out their distributions to retailers via electronic commerce5. In the midst of all these, there are terrestrial transporters who operate distribution vans and work directly under the retailers. Invariably therefore, the whole channel becomes a well coordinated one that fits into an integrated marketing channel to form a common

District Size And The Distribution Of Seats Essay Example for Free

District Size And The Distribution Of Seats Essay The size of the district or the district magnitude refers to the number of candidates to be elected from that district. Depending on this number of seats, they can either be referred to as single-member or multimember districts. A single member district has a single seat while the multimember districts have several seats with the minimum number being two; a two-member district. Electoral process formulas; plurality and majority formulas can be applied to both this type of districts while the proportional representation (PR) and the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) are applied to only multimember districts ranging from two-member districts to the whole nation where all the members of parliament are elected from (Lijphart, pg. 150). The district size has a strong effect on proportionality and the number of parties in two respects (Lijphart, pg. 50). Studies carried put by Horwill (1925) and, Taagepera and Shugarts (1989) have strongly supported this. First of all, it affects both plurality and PR systems but in a contradicting way. While increasing the size of the district will increase disproportionality by favoring the larger parties with the application of plurality and majority systems, it is vice versa with the PR systems as it leads to greater proportionally by favoring the smaller parties. A good example to illustrate this with regard to plurality is a contest between party A and B in an area where A enjoys a greater popularity than B. A is likely to take all the seats if the area is a three-member district which is unlikely to be the case if the area is divided into three single-member districts; B may be able to capture one. In most plurality cases, multimember districts are smaller than single-member districts with rare cases being seen in countries like Mauritius (Lijphart, pg. 151). It has twenty three-member districts and one two-member districts producing a total of sixty-two legislators. It should be noted that multimember districts have been on the decline due the fact that it increases disproportionality. However, it should be noted that in Mauritius that the three-member districts have improved another kind of proportionality by encouraging parties and party alliances to nominate ethnically and religiously balanced states (Lijphart, pg. 152) which has resulted in a better representation of the minority groups. Another point to note is that the size of the district varies greatly in the PR systems unlike in plurality and majority systems (Lijphart, pg. 152) making it impact greater on the proportionality being achieved. A party representing a 10 percent minority is likely to be successful in a ten-member district which may not be the case in a five-member district. A nationwide district therefore is optimal for a proportional translation of votes into seats (Lijphart, pg. 152) with Israel and Netherlands being the two examples with such PR systems. Two levels of districts are usually used by many of the list PR countries so as to enjoy the advantages of a closer voter-representative contact in small districts and the higher proportionality of large nationwide districts (Lijphart, pg. 152). Larger districts improve proportionality in the smaller districts as in the case of mixed member proportional (MMP) systems but they are less pronounced in the smaller multimember list PR districts than in the MMP single-member districts. Denmark, Norway and Sweden are examples of countries applying the two-tiered list PR systems with a nationwide district.

Multi Brand Retailing And Its Policy Implications Economics Essay

Multi Brand Retailing And Its Policy Implications Economics Essay With the ongoing wave of globalistaion, the companies are overhauling their approach to business practices worlwide in order to address the Opportunities and Challenges presented by the Multi Polar World. Therefore they are moving from conventional business practices to more geographical flexible approach and are aligning their strategies to the external environment. It is believed that Foreign Investment is a key component in the economic growth of any developing country. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) truly act as catalyst in this context. Indian Retail Sector carry a large prospective for attracting FDI as it is expected to grow three times the current levels.i.e.660 US billion $ by 2015.Large Format Retailers have diminished the idea of Grow local and sell local. But the latest move by the Indian government to allow 51% FDI in Multi Brand Retailing has attracted a huge debate in the country. It has been argued that the reforms will result in greater benefits to the economy, cons umers and farmers but the concerns have been raised by some political parties and trade associations that the outcome would be opposite. Henry Ford, the genius inventor said, Dont find fault, find a remedy. This axiom reverberates ever so relevantly in todays Indian retail sector scenario like never before. In this context, the present paper makes a modest attempt to analyse the controversial issues concerning the influx of FDI in multi brand retailing and also highlights the challenges and threats to all the players involved in it. This paper also reviews that adequate safeguards should be build by the Indian government so that it does not end up in losing proposition. Keywords: Foreign Direct Investment, Retail Industry, Organised Retail Industry, Unorganised Retail Industry, Single Brand Retailing, Multi Brand Retailing, E-Retailing SECTION I: Introduction India is a land of Retail Democracy which is characterized by High level of Livelihood through Employment, High level of Self Organisation, Low Capital Input and High Level of Decentralisation. India is the fifth largest Retail Market Globally. Retail contributes approx from 14%-15% of Indias GDP.India has highest Retail Density in the World with 15 million Outlets. A T Kearney, an international management consultancy firm, has acknowledged India as one of the uppermost retail destinations. According to Technopak the Indian Retail economy is jump to mature to US$ 94.4 billion by FY12 and India has all the prospective needed to sustain this growth. According to a study conducted by PWC, Indian Retail Market currently stood at US $ 400 billion in 2009-10 which is approximate to reach US $ 573 billion by 2012-13 and is growing 30%-40% per annum.The India retail market is estimated at US$ 470 Billion in 2011, contributing for 35% of GDP and is expected to rise to US$ 675 Billion by 2016. The trend and the expected Total Retail Market and Organised Retail Market in India is exhibited in Graph 1 and Graph 2. Graph 1 Graph 2 Indian Retail Industry is divided into two sectors: Organised and Unorganised Sector. Indian retail market is highly dominated by decentralized unorganized market, which accounts for about 95% of the sales. The share of organized retailing in India, at around 2%, is too near to the ground, compared to 80% in the USA, 40% in Thailand, or 20% in China, thus leaving the huge market prospective largely intact. But, organised retail industry is one of the budding sectors with massive growth potential and with its emergence; Indian economy is surely going to gain from well capitalized retail industry. Since 1991, Due to Globalisation and Liberalisation, Retail Industry has grown exponentially in form of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Foreign Investment in India is governed by the FDI policy which is announced by the Government of India and the terms of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999, which was notified by Reserve bank of India This notification has been amended from time to time. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India is the nodal agency for monitoring and reviewing the FDI policy on continued basis. The FDI policy is notified through Press Notes by the Secretariat for Industrial Assistance (SIA), Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). The foreign investors are liberated to invest in India, except few sectors where prior approval from the RBI or Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) would be obligatory. The Government of India recognizes the momentous role played by foreign direct investment in accelerating the economic growth of the country and thus started a swing of economic and financial reforms in 1991. India is now planning to initiate the second generation reforms proposed for a faster assimilation of the Indian economy with the world economy. As an outcome, India has been rapidly altering from a restrictive regime to a liberal one. Many reforms have been done by Indian Government in this context which is shown in the figure1: Figure 1 Among the emerging markets, in 2011, India is ranked as the fourth most Attractive Country for Retail Industry as per the Global Retail Development Index which is developed by A.T Kearney on the basis of 25 macroeconomic and retail specific variables. India is expected to lead one of the best retail economies by 2042s due to good talent pool, huge markets and availability of cheap raw material. Some studies have also state that variables like market size and differences in factor costs were found to be considerable in determining the FDI location as these are very important in determining the market economies and they cannot be achieved and oppressed till the time market achieves a certain size. (Markusen and Maskus, 1999). Foreign players may invest in the form of Single Brand Retailing and Multi Brand Retailing. Organized retail has become a centre of attention for most of the leading international players. Retailing through formats such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, department st ores and other forte chains are swelling. Indias consumers chiefly fit in to the middle and lower financial strata of society and both these segments would desire shopping at multi-brand retail stores which provide them an extensive assortment of price points and options in each product class. A widely held retail companies, 33.6%, cater to the customers falling in Rs 100,000 to Rs 500,000 income group, followed by 26.2% companies catering Rs 500,000 to Rs 1,000, 000 income group, both of which are emergent segments in India.As far as shopping behaviour of Indian consumers is concerned, modern outlets are preferred because they associate entertainment with shopping and now-a-days its a customer delight to go out for shopping and entertainment simultaneously (Sinha 2003). Retail stalwarts such as Wal-Mart, Tesco and Marks Spencer have already made entry into the Indian retail industry and with multi-billion dollar funds by major household players such as Reliance Retail. The US-base d worlds largest retailer Wal-Mart has already recognized its existence in the Indian market through a wholesale cash and carry stores. The company at present operates 17 wholesale cash-and- carry stores under Best Price Modern Wholesale stores in India. This industry is expected to go from strength to strength and have bright future as a number of drivers are aiding the development of the Industry such as improved levels of income and increasing purchasing power etc. In 2006,Indian government sanctioned FDI up to 51% in single brand retailing now this cap has been increased to 100%,last year in November,2011,union cabinet allowed FDI up to 51% in multi brand retailing, but this reform was put on hold as lot of opposition and protest was generated by various state governments, political parties like Trinomial congress, small shopkeepers, small traders, trading associations, industrial associations on certain grounds which has compelled Indian government to scrutinize the long term i mplications of organized retail in India. The government is geared up with the policy and the verdict has already been permitted by the cabinet it is only the matter of removing the finger from the pause button. In this backdrop the Objective of the study is: To discuss the present status and Policy Implications of FDI in Multi Brand Retailing. To Highlight the Major Controversies relating to FDI in Multi Brand Retailing in India. To Discuss the Challenges and Threats to the Foreign Retailers and Domestic Retailers. To provide various Suggestions to all the effected Players through approval of FDI in Multi Brand Retailing. To achieve the objectives of the study, the paper is divided into following sections: SECTION I, the present section gives an overview of FDI in Organised Retail in India followed by SECTION II which contains Review of Literature. SECTION III exhibits the Present Status and the policy implications of FDI in Multi Brand Retailing and also highlights the Major Controversies relating to FDI in Multi Brand Retailng.SECTION IV Highlights the views of the Indian Government and the Foreign Retailers on the Issue followed by SECTION V states the Challenges and Threats which all the Players may encounter with. SECTION VI provides some Suggestions and Recommendations on the matter and SECTION VII entails the Conclusion followed by SECTION VIII gives the details about the References used in the study. SECTION II: Review of Literature Reardon and Hopkins, 2006 Reardon and Berdegue, 2007 states that in underdeveloped countries Modern Retail arrived in Three Consecutive Waves. In the early hours of 1990s, the First Wave took place in South America, East Asia, China, North Central Europe and South Africa. The Second Wave took place in late 1990s in Mexico, Central Europe and Third Wave happened in the late 1990s and early 2000s in Africa, Central and South America, South East Asia, China India, Russia.They also state that the Third Wave Countries lagged behind due to the severe Foreign Policy on FDI in Retail Industry. China and Russia liberalized their FDI policy in 1990s and India did in early 2000s.In 2006, India sanctioned 51% in Single Brand Retail Joint Venture, but Multi Brand was still in debate at that time too.Koshy, Joseph, Partner, Joseph and Joseph law office describes in their article, FDI in Retail Sector, 2006 that Indian government has permitted FDI in several sectors but FDI in retail has been in de bate in the country as it had been opposed by many State Government and Leftist. According to Report, Corporate Hijack of Retail-Retail Dictatorship Vs Retail Democracy by Navdanya/Research foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, the entry of Giant Corporations like Wal-Mart etc in the Indian Retail Industry will have undeviating impact on 650 million Indian farmers. A Report (Oligopoly Tnc, 2005, the ETC group) states that the main energetic forces in the Food Retail Sector are the Cut Throat Antagonism and Global Integration. If Giant Retail chains get footing in India, it will lead to disarticulation of small retailers and farmers.Dr Mandeep Singh, Associate Prof of Economics, The Earth Institute of Colombia University states in his article FDI in retailing in india, 2010, that the entry gate of FDI regime should be in phased manner as household retailers need adequate time period to adjust changes and compete with global retail giants. A publication by ICT by IANS, Thein dian.com co. ltd, 2010 reveals the view point of heads of various Giant Retailers.FDI in Multi Brand Retailing: Time to expand the Horizons by Parekh, Paresh, Mumbai Agency, DNA, 2010 states that it is necessary to differentiate the Foreign Financial Institutions and Foreign Retailers for permitting FDI as Foreign Financial Institutions bring right talent and know how along with the capital which may be more pertinent to the profitable business in the sector. It also argues that Indian organised retailers may require finance for private equity than a premeditated alliance with foreign retailers. It further predicts that it is worth debating whether to place conditions before permitting FDI like rural employment creation, mandatory investment in back end infrastructure.Mukherjee and Patel,2005 reveal in their study that FDI through organised retailing have optimistic effect on the Indian industry in form of easy access to finance and global best practise through joint ventures Joseph and N sundarrajan,2009(the Indian council for research on international economic relations,ICRIER)in their study that only 17% of small shops were shut down due to competition from organised retailing. Through adoption of better business practise and technology, domestic retailers have competed effectively in opposition to organised retail. There has been an optimistic spill over effect on the Indian economy as its possession advantages get dispersal to household enterprises, thereby enhancing their productivity. SECTION III: Present Status of FDI in Multi Brand Retailing in India and the Major Controversies relating to it and its Policy Implications. 1. Present Status and Proposal as finalised by Indian Government Indian government has opened Indian economy for global players as a part of an accord with World trade organisation (WTO) and also cheering foreign direct investment into the territory. After allowing 100% FDI in Single Brand Retailing, in 2011, UPA Government has allowed the decision of FDI in Multi Brand Retailing. The following proposal has been finalised by the government on this controversial issue: Government has legalized up to 51% of foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi brand retail trade. Fresh agricultural produce including fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains, pulses, fresh poultry, fishery, meat products etc may be unbranded. Minimum amount of US $ 100 million is to be brought in by foreign retailers. Out of the total amount brought in by foreign retailers at least 50% shall be invested in the back end infrastructure i.e. towards processing ,manufacturing ,distribution ,design improvement, quality control, packaging, logistic etc. At least 30% of manufactured or processed products shall be procured from small domestic industries by the foreign retailers which have the total investment not exceeding US $ 1 million (without providing depreciation). Retail stores shall be established only in cities with population of more than 10 lakhs as per 2011 census and shall also cover area of 10 kilometres around the municipal/urban agglomeration limits of such cities. 2. Controversies relating to FDI in Multi Brand Retailing Many Opponent political parties mainly BJP and Trinamool Congress have strongly protested against this decision. The most inopportune part is the UPA Governments validation of execution actions to be kept invulnerable from parliamentary approval. Quit FDI Day was observed on 9th august, 2012 to protest against FDI in multi brand retailing by staging dharnas. According to Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of Confederation of All India Traders, foreign investments by global giant retailers would lead to closure of small business and lakhs of people will be jobless. He further added that its highly undemocratic if Government will form an accord without traders assent. This issue have been encircled by number of controversies. The predicament arises whether opening up of FDI in multi-brand retail will build problems or endow with opportunities to local retailers. There is no appropriate response and apparent views have been seen in the favour and against FDI in multi-brand retailing. Some of the controversies are listed below: Figure 2 1. Do India really need foreign retailers? ACTUALITY: Indian economy is small with restricted superfluous capital and is already in force on budget deficit. India need trillions of dollars to build its infrastructure and other facilities, its simply not probable to back this expansion by domestic investors and Indian government, therefore international investment capital through FDI in obligatory. Apart from capital, Indian retail industry also call for knowledge and global amalgamation which can only be brought in by global retail leaders which can potentially unlock export markets for domestic farmers and producers. 2. Entry of Foreign Retailers in Multi Brand retailing will impact Indian Agrarian Community? 3. Entry of Giant Retailer will result in Shutting down of independent stores leading to enormous job losses, only few jobs would be created but millions will be vanished? ACTUALITY: Instead of job losses, retail reforms are likely to bring gigantic advancement in the Indian jobs as organised retail will call for workforce then millions of additional jobs will be formed during the building of and the maintence of retail stores,roads,cold storage centres, software industry and other retail supporting organisations.Walmart alone would employ 5.6 million citizens if it swell in India as much as their charisma in the USA and also if the staffing level is reserved at the same level as in the US stores. The accepted jobs in prospect Indian organised retail would total over 85 million. 4. Foreign players may practise dumping, get competition out of the way as they may become monopoly and raise prices? ACTUALITY: Since 30 years, over 350 global retail companies like Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Tesco, Coop etc with annual sales over $ 1 billion have operated in several countries. Competition between Wal-Mart like retailers has set aside food prices in check. Country like Canada credits its near to the ground inflation rates to Wal-Mart outcome. Price inflation in such countries has been 5-10 times lesser than price inflation in India. The consumer price inflation in Europe and US is less than 2% in comparison to Indias double digit Inflation.Anti- Trust Laws and State Regulations like in Indian penal code have prevented Food Monopolies all over the world. 5. Indians will work hard and foreigners will reap profits? ACTUALITY: With execution of 51% FDI limit in Multi Brand Retailing, just about half of the returns will remain in India as profits will be subject to taxes which will trim down the Budget Deficit of Indian Government. Eventually, retail companies will get returns all the way through hard work and by creating value. 6. Will Giant Retailers be able to avoid Pollution in terms of Carbon Footprints? ACTUALITY: This question has mix response as India is already reeling with managing environmental crisis. India would not be able to avoid polluting more with the advent of large scale retail chains in India and it would make even harder to meet global norms. According to a survey, the Net GHG( Green House Gas) emission of 2005 of major Retailers -Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Tesco collectively was about 20 million metric tonnes which is corresponding to the 80 most polluting countries in the world. SECTION IV: Views of the Major Players 1. What Indian Government say on FDI in Multi Brand Retailing? Inspite of lot of strong opposition on FDI in multi brand retailing, Indian government has been trying to counterfeit an accord on this extremely contentious issue, but several states still remain opposed to this idea. Till now only 10-11 Indian states and union territories like Delhi, Uttrakhand, Manipur, and Rajasthan etc have supported the centres decision to permit FDI in Multi Brand Retailing. Delhis Chief Minister, Shiela Dikshit stated that FDI in Multi Brand retailing will benefit the Indian economy in many ways. She further states that this proposal would help in improving infrastructure, reduce waste, minimize the role of middlemen, reduce food inflation, stabilize prices, improve Agro Commodities management address gaps relating to post harvest infrastructure. The Indian Government need FDI to meet its foreign exchange requirements and government also believes that only global retailers can satisfy the rising and varied demands of Indian consumers.FDI in Multi Brand Retail ing would improve the Agricultural Marketing, Revenue to the Government could also increase as large portion of Indian sector is unorganised and has low tax compliance. Profound FDI in the Multi-Brand Retail sector will upshot in gainful employment opportunities in agro-processing, sorting, marketing, logistics management and front-end retail management. In the next three years, minimum 10 million jobs will be produced in the retail sector. It will assist farmers to get prices over the MSP by omitting manipulative middlemen. MNC Retailers and Foreign Retail Giants will make certain supply chain efficiencies for incessant supply of the products. Policy to make an urge for investing minimum of $100 million and out of which at least half the amount must be invested in back-end infrastructure, including cold chains storages, refrigeration, transportation, packing, sorting and processing which would definitely help in condensing post-harvest losses and costs. A condition to acquire minim um of 30% of goods from Indian micro and small industry will promote domestic manufacturing, thereby creating a manifold outcome for employment, technology up gradation and income creation. At the World Economic Forum 2012 in Davos, Indias Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told Wal-Mart president Doug McMillon and Metro board member Frans Muller that Indias resolution to put foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail on hold was just a pause strained by opposition. He further stated that the government is committed to take forward the reform agenda as the Indian retail market has massive scope for growth and development but many Indian retailers face a crunch in terms of financial support and supply chain management.So foreign players can come in and help them. He also said that FDI in multi brand retailing will not only improve the quality of goods but it will also enhance competitiveness. He also made a statement that no state will be forced to put into practi ce FDI in Multi Brand retailing.Uttrakand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna also favoured FDI in Multi Brand retailing saying that availability of Cold Storages and Proper Marketing Facilities will reduce the damage to the Agri-Horticulture-Organic produce which would ultimately result in increase in the income of rural farmers. The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia also totally favours opening up of the sector for FDI. Apart from Trinamool Congress the idea of FDI in multi brand retailing has been opposed by many other ministers and political parties. Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia stated his view to the Rajya Sabha in written that without adequate safeguards FDI in multi-brand retail will lead to prevalent disarticulation and poor treatment of Indian workers in retail, logistics, agriculture and manufacturing. A written petition has been filed by Vandana Shiva, an NGO activist, in the Delhi High Court alleging that Bharti Wal-Mart and Bharti Retail are directly and indirectly carrying out retail trading in multi-brand in contravention of the FDI policy.BJP is also opposing entry of Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail in the country on the ground that it will be an injustice to small traders.BJP leader LK Advani also said that sanctioning foreign brands to do retail trade in India is an injustice to retailers as it leave many small traders jobless.BJP P resident Nitin Gadkari stated that the countrys economic condition is in a sorry state because of UPA governments erroneous economic policies, crooked practices and visionless leadership. Former BJP National President Rajnath Singh claimed that, If FDI is introduced in retail sector; it will break the backbone of Indian economy. According to Mr Viren Shah, President of Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association and Mr B.C. Bhartia, National Federation of All India Traders, with the Entry of Global Giant Retailers into Multi Brand Retailing, the interests of the small retailers would be compromised. 2. What Foreign Retailers say on FDI in Multi Brand Retailing? The President and CEO of Wal-Mart International, Mr Doug McMillon said at the World Economic Forums Annual Meeting that FDI in Multi Brand Retailing will not impact the fortunes of small shopkeepers. He further stated by giving an example that after 20 years of retail business in Mexico,50% of retailing in Mexico is still done informally and fear of shutting down of independent and kirana stores is overstated. He also admitted that operating in India would pose challenges due to Regulations and High Real Estate prices in India. According to the CEO of US based Discount Department FDI in Multi Brand Retailing will help address inflation concerns for consumers as well as it will benefit the farmers in India. SECTION V: Challenges and Threats to the Players Retail industry is the second largest employer in India and has remarkable growth potential and on the other hand foreign players have deeper pockets, ability and are in need to invest constantly to enlarge. In economies like china and japan,the retail industry are slowly reaching towards saturation point and many retailer are confronting increasing margin pressures.Therefore,global giant retailers are attracted towards developing economies like India which is mounting at a hasty velocity. Global retailers are interested to invest in India due to increasing urbanisation and favourable consumer base.FDI in multi brand retailing will generate employment opportunities, income, technology transfer and economic stability but still there are several factors like government regulations, lack of ample infrastructure and inadequate investments are the probable bottlenecks for retail companies. It may pose advantages as well as challenge for domestic retailer, foreign retailers and also for th e Indian government. Therefore some of the challenges and threats are listed below in this context. FDI in Multi Brand retailing may lead to large scale disarticulation of employed in retail sector due to unfair competition which may eventually result in mass departure of domestic retailers. The domestic retailers may not be able to endure in the ex-parte competition as the Indian retail sector especially organised is in an embryonic stage. The existing firms may mislay their self competitive potency if they join forces with global biggies. Any MNC going to set up a multi-brand retail store across India will have to countenance vast licensing obligations in each state of its operation which could be a major obstacle in the way of FDI in multi-brand retail, they will have to get approval for investment as well from the central regulatory authority which, at present, is the Foreign investment promotion Board (FIPB). The foreign players may encounter Red-Tapism as prior to investment approval their application has to pass through various transfer channels which is highly subjugated by bureaucrats resulting in impediment in decision making leading to disinterested corporate giants. Although there are number of anti-corruption cells and acts in India but still corruption could be a major obstacle for foreign investors. No doubt there is availability of cheap labour in India but most of them are unskilled therefore foreign investors may require to provide training and development to them to administer advance retail chains. In 2008-10, rigorous financial damage was caused to investors worldwide due to inflation but Indian economy remained modest affected because of partial open economy. But FDI in multi brand retailing would escort to persistent threats due to revolution in business cycles of global partners. Today India already has foreign debt, trade deficit and current account deficit which mean nearly all resources and transactions in India are owned or financed by Foreign Nations resulting in killing of Indian rupee due to Foreign Currency influence which can be witnessed in Rising Commodity Prices, Rising Fuel Prices and Rising Debts. FDI in retail may impact Indian small and medium Manufacturing sector which is already dented by China Products which will further them hurt. In current Inflation Stricken Economy, Indian Government need to be careful while permitting FDI in Muti-Brand Retailing as it fears to hurt the sentiments of Middlemen, Farmers and Owners of mom and pop stores. SECTION VI: Suggestions and Recommendations Being a controversial issue, no doubt Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Multi Brand Retailing is expected to transform the Indian Retail landscape in a noteworthy way. The global organised players would bring in the much needed investment that would incite the further growth of the sector which is particularly important for nourishment of some of the domestic retailers which lack requisite resources to ride out the storm during an economic slump. The technical know-how, global best practices, quality standards and cost competitiveness brought forth through FDI would portend well for the domestic players to harvest the necessary support to protract their growth. The infrastructure support would definitely help to improve the backend processes of the supply chain and enable to purge wastages and augment the operational efficiency.FDI in multi-brand retail would in no way imperil the employed in the unorganised retail sector. On the contrary, it would pilot to the conception of million s of jobs as substantial infrastructure capabilities would be needed to cater to the changing lifestyle needs of the urban Indian who is keen on allocating the disposable income. The numerous intermediaries would be restricted and the farmers would get to enjoy a bigger share of the pie. Despite of numerous advantages, this matter has been opposed by many political parties, small traders etc on certain grounds like it may have adverse impact on Agrarian Community, environmental issues, loss of jobs, creation of monopoly and so on. Political parties have opposed to this move pointing that it will be suicidal for small and marginal farmers and would affect thousands of traders in the sector.Hence, FDI in multi brand retailing is a conflicting and very sensitive matter, therefore the foreign retailers as well as the Indian government need to take rationale decision before implementing proposed reforms. So few suggestions and recommendations are listed below in this regard: The first basic step needed for reforming Indian retail sector is providing it an industry status which will not only facilitate better financial processes but also enable prudent practices. Policy clarification is required to authorize giant global players which will augment the confidence of the foreign investors and the sector should be opened for giant firms in calibrated manner. A serious revision of the labour laws is required to strengthen the retail industry. All laws should be suitably changed and reasonably modified. The government should provide a Single Window Clearance System which will rationalize license process allied with the establishment and administration of retail stores and a uniform license regim can be implemented in all the states. The government can create retail and entertainment zones (REZ) similar to SEZ and necessary exemptions like stamp duty, octroi etc could be provided to foreign retailers operating within them which will help in reducing prices. A tax incentive in the form of 100% deduction on expenditure incurred on the employment of fresh personnel and weighted deduction for payment made by retailers towards training and development to their staff in order to improve their expertise can be allowed. This will help in promoting employment in the retail sector. Government must assist in creation of farmer coopera

Internet And Democracy :: essays research papers

IF THE UNSUBSTANTIAL sound bite is the shame of televised election coverage, then information overload is the parallel pitfall on the Internet. After spending one interminable day in October reviewing Web coverage of the presidential campaign, I can verify that the online universe is indeed infinite, and that politics, not pornography, seemed the most prolific theme. Stunned by thousands of news articles, background pieces, surveys, discussion forums, transcripts and commentary, this human brain nearly screamed for spoon-fed mush. Election sections on most of the major news sites were so enormous that a person couldn't possibly process all the sections and subsections and sub-subsections. About 20 percent of the stuff seemed digestible; the rest was far more than the average visitor would care to chew. But that's the nature of the Internet, isn't it? Throw enough stuff at the wall, and most of it will be used by someone. Let folks pick and choose their news. If nothing else, all the fodder provided a number of ready-made high school civics reports and fed the repurposing requirements of fellow reporters. And why not? Airtime and column inches don't exist on the Internet. There's no need to decide between an interview with a candidate's grade school sweetheart, a 5,000-word analysis of his position on health care or a comparison of campaign platforms. You can do all of that and more. This is a good thing, isn't it? Yes. As long as an organization has the resources and vision to distinguish its core coverage from the ornaments that surround it. Along those lines, cheers to all of the major news sites for their efforts at live speech and debate coverage, solid election news and voting resources. Nearly every news organization with access to live video streamed it quite successfully during the debates and provided cataloged archives for future reference (abcNEWS.com even offered a stream in Spanish). Nearly live text transcripts were also available on most sites. The innovation award goes to Web White & Blue 2000 (www.webwhiteblue.org). Sponsored by the Markle Foundation, the project was a consortium of 17 major Internet sites and news organizations from AOL and Yahoo to MTV and MSNBC. Each day the presidential candidates or their surrogates would respond to a question submitted by a visitor at one of the partner sites. The answers and rebuttals could come in any format and were unlimited in length. Not only did the Al Gore and George W. Bush campaigns respond regularly, but also the Reform Party's Pat Buchanan, Libertarian Harry Browne, Natural Law candidate John Hagelin and the Constitution Party's Howard Phillips. Only Ralph Nader declined to

No Accidents in Jack Londons To Build a Fire Essays -- London To Buil

As the title implies, Jack London's 1908 short story contains within its narrative a literal set of sequential directions on how "To Build a Fire." London extends this sequential conceit to his fatidic vision of the universe. Unlike the dog in the story, who can rely on its pure-bred arctic instinct as it navigates through the dangerous tundra, the anonymous man possesses a duller, myopic instinct which is unable foresee the consequentiality of the environment. This instinctual flaw in mankind (relative to that of a husky) is a given, but the man fails to compensate by integrating intellectuality into his journey. Were he to use all his resources efficiently, as the dog does, the man could anticipate the chain of events that leads to his demise, and then alter his literal and figurative course. Such a deconstruction of a pre-ordained universe is possible, London suggests, since the reader is made aware - through parallelism, choice wording, and other stylistic and suspen seful devices - of the subtle ways in which seemingly disconnected events are causally-linked. London prompts an investigation into the motifs of linkage in the first two sentences by crafting a landscape of connections, layers, and progression: Day had broken cold and gray, exceedingly cold and gray, when the man turned aside from the main Yukon trail and climbed the high-earth bank, where a dim and little-travelled trail led eastward through the fat spruce timberland. It was a steep bank, and he paused for breath at the top, excusing the act to himself by looking at his watch. (462) The care which London takes to produce a conjunctive atmosphere is delicate but insistent. The adverbial and prepositional clauses - "when the m... ...ight, old hoss; you were right'" (477). He certainly was right. Works Cited and Consulted "Existentialism." The American Heritage Dictionary. 3rd ed. New York: Dell, 1994. Hendricks, King. Jack London: Master Craftsman of the Short Story. Logan: Utah State U P, 1966. Rpt. In Jack London: Essays in Criticism. Ed. Ray Wilson Ownbey. Santa Barbara:Â   Peregrine, 1978. 13-30. Labor, Earle. Jack London. New York: Twayne, 1974. London, Jack. "To Build a Fire." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama. 6th ed. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. New York: Harper Collins, 1995. 118-29. McElroy, Davis Dunbar. Existentialism and Modern Literature. Westport: Greenwood, 1968. Perry, John. Jack London: An American Myth. Chicago: Nelson-Hall, 1981. Walcutt, Charles Child. Jack London. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P, 1966.

Achieving Visibility in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man :: Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

Ralph Ellison’s â€Å"Invisible Man,† as told by the â€Å"invisible man† himself, is the story of a man’s quest to separate his beliefs and values from those being pressed upon him. The narrator never gives his name in the story, which is shown later to have great significance. The narrator is a well-educated black man who has been kicked out of his college, and lied to by the school officials. While wandering around Harlem searching for some sort of closure, he encounters a black couple, unjustly evicted from their home. A crowd has gathered, also upset by the injustice, and seems to be ready to riot. Instead, the narrator speaks to them, and they rush the house systematically. This is his first true display of independent thinking and action in the story. He speaks his honest feelings to a crowd, and is backed by them. The narrator’s actions, however, don’t remain so uninhibited throughout the story. The narrator is later approached by a representative of a group called the Brotherhood, who wish for the narrator to join them as a black leader. In the beginning his ideas are respected, but in time his superiors order him to follow their instructions, placing aside his own ideas and feelings. For a while, the narrator regresses from his independence, simply content following orders. He comes to realize, however, that he is being stifled by the Brotherhood, desiring free action once again. The narrator’s will suddenly conflicts with the will of the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood essentially wants to act more pacifistically, taking a less dangerous approach to the raging will of the black people. Rather than rectifying the changed Brotherhood, the narrator decides to sabotage it from the inside. His actions doing this once again represent those of a strong-willed individual, rather than his previous conformist following. The effect on the Brotherhood is shown when many of their members begin to leave, empowered now to stand against the corrupted Brotherhood. The end result is a huge riot in the streets of Harlem, between different affiliations, races, and communities. The narrator, along with his briefcase containing items of his past, is chased into a sewer during the riot. He looks through his items and realizes he has been deceived and made some poor choices in the past. He burns the items, saying goodbye to his past and embracing a new desire to understand himself, as well as his place in the world. Achieving Visibility in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man :: Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man Ralph Ellison’s â€Å"Invisible Man,† as told by the â€Å"invisible man† himself, is the story of a man’s quest to separate his beliefs and values from those being pressed upon him. The narrator never gives his name in the story, which is shown later to have great significance. The narrator is a well-educated black man who has been kicked out of his college, and lied to by the school officials. While wandering around Harlem searching for some sort of closure, he encounters a black couple, unjustly evicted from their home. A crowd has gathered, also upset by the injustice, and seems to be ready to riot. Instead, the narrator speaks to them, and they rush the house systematically. This is his first true display of independent thinking and action in the story. He speaks his honest feelings to a crowd, and is backed by them. The narrator’s actions, however, don’t remain so uninhibited throughout the story. The narrator is later approached by a representative of a group called the Brotherhood, who wish for the narrator to join them as a black leader. In the beginning his ideas are respected, but in time his superiors order him to follow their instructions, placing aside his own ideas and feelings. For a while, the narrator regresses from his independence, simply content following orders. He comes to realize, however, that he is being stifled by the Brotherhood, desiring free action once again. The narrator’s will suddenly conflicts with the will of the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood essentially wants to act more pacifistically, taking a less dangerous approach to the raging will of the black people. Rather than rectifying the changed Brotherhood, the narrator decides to sabotage it from the inside. His actions doing this once again represent those of a strong-willed individual, rather than his previous conformist following. The effect on the Brotherhood is shown when many of their members begin to leave, empowered now to stand against the corrupted Brotherhood. The end result is a huge riot in the streets of Harlem, between different affiliations, races, and communities. The narrator, along with his briefcase containing items of his past, is chased into a sewer during the riot. He looks through his items and realizes he has been deceived and made some poor choices in the past. He burns the items, saying goodbye to his past and embracing a new desire to understand himself, as well as his place in the world.

Individual Health Needs Assignment

My individual health needs assignment will be looking at a task I undertook for my clinical skills assessment. For the assessment I had to take my fellow colleagues blood pressure. This assignment will be looking at the positive and negative skills I have learnt throughout practice and experience; it will also show the areas I need to work on more. My assignment will also look at the importance of respecting my colleague’s needs and preferences. The assignment will also look at the importance of gaining consent from my patient before I carry out any nursing intervention. At the beginning of the assessment I had to give a clear understanding of which I was and the scenario I will be taking part in. I felt my instructions were clear; however I could have spoken louder and slower. Before I carried out my task I washed my hands and cleaned the blood pressure equipment, by doing this I have reduced the risk of infection (Dougherty, Lister 2006). Dougherty et al states hand washing is well researched and uncontroversial having been found to be the single most important procedure for preventing nosocomial infection as hands have been shown to be an important route of infection. The DOH also states hands must be cleaned before and after any nursing intervention (cited Dougherty, Lister2006). I felt my hand washing technique was good as I followed the six hand technique which states, to wash hands correctly you initially have to wash your hands palm to palm, which I did, it also suggests you have to put your right palm over the back of your left palm and vice versa, thirdly palm to palm with bent and spread out fingers. The fourth step of this technique is to wash the outer parts of your bent fingers, fifthly circular rubbing of left thumb in closed right hand which I feel I did not do correctly, and finally is circular rubbing backwards and forwards with closed right hand fingertips in left palm and vice versa ( cited Braun Medical LTD). Although hand washing was good there are still areas for improvement, therefore I will continue to improve this technique by researching more about handwashing,as it is an important technique to get right and it helps stop the spread of infection. I also introduced myself to my colleague by given my name, and what I was going to do. By doing this it would have made my colleague feel comfortable with the procedure. Although I communicated to my colleague I feel I could have spoken to my colleague more, I also feel my non-verbal communication could have been better as I found it hard to look at my colleague. During the scenario I was maintaining a safe environment by ensuring my colleague was sat comfortable, and by placing a pillow under their arm. I also made sure there was a table near my colleague which I could all my equipment on, so she could identify what I was doing. I also made sure I was sitting comfortably and the table was reach of me without me stretching out to get my equipment (Roper et al 2004). I feel the scenario went well, although I could have read more about hand washing, although the technique was good, I could improve this more to stop the spread of infection. I feel my interaction with my colleague throughout the scenario was poor as I did not communicate enough, a and I could of been reassuring my colleague more. After completing the scenario I cleaned the equipment down and disposed of any waste in the correct way To conlude this assignment I have learnt alot by participating in this assessment. I ahve learnt alot about myself and the ares in which I need to improve on. I have also realised the importance of gaining my colleagues consent befor carrying out any mursing intervention. The assessment has also taught me the importance of maintaining my colleagues dignity and respect at all times, and that is more important to treat them as individuals. I since come away from the assessment aware of my mistakes and that I need to improve on my handwashing techniques. I feel the overall assessment was good as I have gained alot my knowledge about the correct a procedure should be undertaken. I have also learnt that it is important as health professionals we ensure our patients/clients are comfortable at all times.

To what extent do we feel sympathy towards the character of Heathcliff?

Heathcliff through out ‘Wuthering Heights' is a very secluded character. He is introduced as a seven-year-old orphan, probably an Irish famine immigrant. Mr. Earnshaw brings him back to Wuthering Heights. His story, in the words of Nelly Dean, is a â€Å"cuckoo's story†, his presence in Wuthering Heights overthrows the rightful role of the rightful heir, Hareton. The reader's sympathies towards Heathcliff change at different stages, at one point feeling angry with Heathcliff for being so cruel, and then the next feeling sympathetic for his treatment. This talent of Bronte's keeps the reader undecided on Heathcliff, even at the end of the novel the argument exists on whether we as the reader do and should feel sympathy towards Heathcliff. Even on the first night of Heathcliff's arrival he caused jealousy and resentment. He being the reason that Mr. Earnshaw breaks the toys that he has brought for the children. Nelly recorded ‘From the very beginning he bred bad feelings in the house'. Heathcliff usurps the affections of Mr. Earnshaw to the exclusion of Hindley-: ‘The young master had learnt to regard his father as an oppressor rather than a friend. However, just because Hindley is jealous and striving for attention this does not mean it was Heathcliff's fault that Mr. Earnshaw felt favour towards him. In another incident Mr. Earnshaw gives both Hindley and Heathcliff a colt. When Heathcliff' colt goes lame he threatens to blackmail Hindley if he does not swap with him. He then vows ‘I'm trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back,' he continues ‘I don't care how long I have to wait, if only I can do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do! ‘. From the beginning Heathcliff has interrupted a calm family and turned affections upside down, although Hindley is not completely welcoming to Heathcliff the reader can understand him being threatened by a stranger. However, Heathcliff is an innocent child just an orphan. He is viewed as a thing rather than a child; Mrs. Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of doors, he is described as ‘a dirty, ragged, black haired child;' Nelly even claims ‘I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it might be gone on the morrow. ‘ Following the death of Mr. Earnshaw Heathcliff is abandoned to him suffering at the hands of Hindley, this arouses in Heathcliff deep hatred and passion for revenge. Heathcliff is deprived of love, a social life and education; according to Nelly this treatment was ‘enough to make a fiend of a saint. ‘ He is separated from the family, reduced to the status of a servant, forced to become a farmhand, undergoes regular beatings and separated from his one love, Catherine. The personality that Heathcliff develops in adulthood is a result to the deprivation of his childhood. On the other hand Heathcliff becomes consumed with revenge. He never forgets an injury sustained on him at Wuthering Heights, after a three-year absence, this impulse for revenge becomes his overpowering passion. He ruins Hindley by encouraging excessive drinking and gambling, after this he turns his attention to the innocent Hareton; – ‘We'll see if one tree won't grow as crooked as another with the same wind to twist. ‘ Heathcliff intends to achieve revenge on Hindley through his son Hareton by treating the boy in the same way he was treated. Heathcliff even states ‘ I've got him faster than his scoundrel of a father had me, and lower,' However even though Hareton is brought up as a ploughboy and treated worse than Heathcliff he does not turn to revenge, he has innate goodness. ‘the trees do not ‘bend as crooked as one another' even though they ‘have the same wind to shape it'. So even though it could be argued the audience cannot blame Heathcliff for wanting to seek revenge, Hareton learns to manage. The excuse of revenge is not good enough, as this could not be acceptable for everyone doing this. Heathcliff becomes consumed in regret against Edgar Linton, who in his eyes has stolen his Catherine from him. He devises a plan to seek revenge on Edgar. When doing so Heathcliff feels no remorse for the fact he uses Edgar's sister Isabella to his advantage and even torturing her. After marrying Isabella she writes in a letter ‘Is Mr. Heathcliff a man? ‘ ‘If so he is mad? And if not he is a devil? ‘ This being a common feature of Gothic novels, the presentation of the plot through multiple narrators, another being Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, one novel within many stories. The book ‘The Rise of the Gothic Novel' criticises this claiming, ‘†¦ haracters and devices being recycled from one text to the next. ‘ However, in argument to this using different types of narration such as letters or diaries enhances the different viewpoints and experiences of every character, a feature in another successful Gothic Novel ‘Dracula'. Heathcliff goes on to destroy Isabella; she is just a pawn in his game. Heathcliff even admits what he has done and showing no regret. ‘I don't care who knows that the passion was wholly on one side; and I never told her a lie about it. She cannot accuse me of showing one bit of deceitful softness. The first thing she saw me do, on coming out of the Grange, was to hang up her little dog; and when she pleaded for it, the first words I uttered were a wish that I had the hanging of every being belonging to her. ‘ The way he treats Isabella is of great enjoyment for him. ‘The more the worms writhe, the more I yearn to crush the entrails. ‘ This is very graphic for someone who is innocent; he finds it thrilling seeing Isabella in despair. He takes a young and impressionable girl who does not understand and then marries her and taking her away from her home and family to a very secluded and depressing way of life. In objection to this idea perhaps Isabella is not very innocent. She is warned of Heathcliff by Cathy and what he wants her for. ‘he'd crush you, like a sparrow's egg, Isabella ,' This example that Cathy gives could be related to the lapwings that Heathcliff keeps and ends starving to death waiting for Cathy to come back to him, perhaps Isabella will be another lapwing, being trapped in Wuthering Heights. Also Cathy tells ‘I know he could not love a Linton; and yet he'd be quite capable for your fortunes and expectations,' So Isabella was warned but carried on with the infatuation regardless. In argument to this Heathcliff does go to the dramatic and violent extent of turning ‘her blue eyes black' when beating Isabella. One reason for this act on Heathcliff's behalf is because of the way he is treated by the Linton's and the alienation from the life of the Grange. He is reminded of his lesser status when Catherine is welcomed into the Linton household where as he is rejected, made fun of and alienated. His love Cathy has been changed and transformed by the Grange. ‘Why, how very black and grim you look! and how-how funny and grim! But that's because I'm used to Edgar and Isabella Linton. Heathcliff has to cope with the dramatic change of his wild and passionate love, returning and finding him funny compared to her new high class associates. When Catherine marries Edgar this is the breaking point for Heathcliff, he cannot bear to live near them. He then disappears for three years. After over hearing a conversation between Nelly and Cathy where she explains that she cannot marry Heathcliff because of his low status. This leads Heathcliff to believe if he can become a gentleman with wealth he would be acceptable. However this is not the case. To become an important figure at this time the status symbol was property. This is what becomes very important to Heathcliff later, when he tries to marry into the Linton family, to have Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. When he returns with wealth he is still seen as a lower class. On his return Edgar remarks, ‘What, the gypsy- the ploughboy? ‘ This is a typical view of Heathcliff that cannot be changed by wealth. The reader feels very sympathetic for Heathcliff at this point as he was even prepared to change his wild ways and become a sophisticated man for the love of Cathy. Heathcliff then uses Linton to try and gain property. He has no fatherly feelings but is just using his son. His main consideration lies in calculating whether Linton lives long enough to marry Cathy so acquiring Thrushcross Grange-; ‘We calculate it will scarcely last 'till it's eighteen. ‘ Once the marriage has taken place, Linton's life is seen as worthless to Heathcliff-; ‘His life is not worth a farthing, and I won't spend a farthing on him. ‘ Linton like Isabella has just become a pawn in Heathcliff's revengeful game, sympathy is lost for Heathcliff when he can treat others like this. He continues this abuse of Linton when calling his mother a ‘slut' in his presence. A great reason for the reader to feel contempt towards Heathcliff would be his treatment of Cathy. He blames her for Catherine's death, ‘He cursed you, I dare say, for coming into the world (I did, at least. )' He continues to treat Cathy horrifically. He wants to marry Linton to Cathy so arranges for him to meet her and beg her to accompany him to Wuthering Heights by telling her he is scared of Heathcliff. With streaming face and an expression of agony, Linton had thrown his nerveless frame along the ground; he seemed convulsed with exquisite terror. ‘ When Cathy does accompany her cousin Heathcliff imprisons Cathy with Nelly. ‘He shut and locked it also. ‘ Referring to the kitchen door. Cathy then struggles with him for the key, Heathcliff loses his temper and ‘pulling her on his knee, administered, with the other, a shower of terrific slaps on both sides of the head, sufficient to have fulfilled his threat, had she been able to fall. Even though this is the daughter of the woman he claims to live for, he has no compassion for her because she is a Linton, a very selfish attitude to an innocent sixteen-year old. Cathy even begs for her release to be with her dying father, ‘If Papa thought I had left him, on purpose; and if he died before I returned, could I bear to live? ‘ even after pleading to him, Heathcliff continues to keep her prisoner until the next morning. There is however another side of the character of Heathcliff. At no point in the novel can the reader doubt his eternal love and wild passion for Catherine. His love survives her rejection of him-; ‘It would degrade me to marry Mr. Heathcliff' and despite her marriage to Edgar, Heathcliff's love for continues undaunted. Heathcliff suffers much emotional rejection, but at no point does he waiver in his loyalty to her-; ‘I seek no revenge on you†¦ the tyrant grinds down his slaves and they don't turn against him, they crush those beneath them. ‘ His genuine concern for Catherine prevents him from exacting direct revenge from Edgar. He comments to Catherine-; ‘I would have died by witches before I would have touched a single hair of his head. When hearing of Catherine's illness, he exclaims-; ‘Existence after loosing her would be hell. ‘ Even though she has another husband and left him for the sophistication of Thrushcross Grange he could still not bear to live with out her in his world. Catherine also torments Heathcliff even in death, although her spirit remains Heathcliff's ability to love life is gone. As his own death approaches, he confesses to Nelly the extent of Catherine's hold over him, even though she has been dead eighteen years. ‘I cannot look down into the floor, her features are shaped in the flags†¦ n every cloud, in every tree. ‘ He is angry at the fact that Catherine can abandon him in a world without her he feels no love, ‘Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy?.. you love me, what right do you have to leave me? ‘ The sense of despair Heathcliff feels as a tormented unnatural and hopeless existence, ‘I cannot live without my love, I cannot live without my soul. ‘ He and Cathy are one, they are the natural existence of the Moors, and neither can survive without the other or the natural environment they require to live. This wild and arid landscape for the setting of Heathcliff's and Cathy's love being due to the upbringing of Emily Bronte. Charlotte, Emily and Anne grew up in Haworth Parsonage, an area of Pennine upland in West Yorkshire. This gives reason for the wild and rugged landscape in ‘Wuthering Heights', as this is where Emily grew up and was all that she knew. Nelly later describes Heathcliff's grieving as ‘he howled not like a man, but like a savage beast being goaded to death with knives and spears. Heathcliff feels he belongs with Cathy in both body and spirit and arranges with the Sexton to be buried beside her. Life for him is ‘like bending back a stiff spring'. This typical natural imagery is used through out this book describing the passionate and wild love of Catherine and Heathcliff. Perhaps the key quote of this variety being, ‘my love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath†¦ Nelly I am Heathcliff -he's always in my mind-‘. These tw o characters echo constantly comments of their love for each other. However, Heathcliff is obsessed in Catherine, he should not punish innocent characters for the bitterness he feels for being abandoned by Catherine. Perhaps it could be argued that he is unrealistic about his love for Catherine. It is incestuous, and would be harshly looked upon in terms of class. It could be viewed that Catherine was just realistic that the relationship would be illegitimate. When discussing this with Nelly she asks ‘did it never strike you that, if Heathcliff and I married, we would be beggars? Or perhaps if Catherine loves Heathcliff as much as she claims, social status would not make a difference to her, especially as their love is so wild and un- tamed. According to an article in the ‘Scots Magazine' of June 1797 this is a common fault found in gothic love stories. ‘women in these novels tend to form an attachment to persons unworthy of their affection, and thus to hurry them into marriages terminating in their unhappiness. ‘ This theme o f social powerlessness and females not being able to inherit was felt very strongly for Emily, Charlotte and Anne Bronte. They would not be married, as this would rob them of their personal and property rights. Branwell, their brother would inherit everything their was even though he wasted all his and the family's money on drink, drugs and gambling. (Perhaps a refection of him in the character Hindley. ) This injustice can be noted in many of the sister's texts, highlighting their objection to this social rule. Charlotte in ‘Jayne Eyre' and ‘Vilette' discusses the unattractive opportunity of a female trying to make a living through education, as does Anne in ‘Agnes Grey'. This being of a Marxist Feminist approach. Women being dominated and oppressed through property and wealth. Fran Ansley and Margaret Benston, two Marxist feminists agree that through the power that men had at this time, women had no power or no other ways to be successful other then to be married. However the haunting and gothic image of Heathcliff the reader is left with, of his death, does not cause sympathy. ‘Those deep black eyes! That smile and ghastly paleness! It appeared to me not Mr Heathcliff, but a goblin;' This is a typical gothic description, darkness and pale skin, a haunting vampire like description. Also, eyes through out this novel are often described. Eyes are seen as windows into the soul, this is supported by Dorothy Van Ghent who has ‘famously argued the various windows and barriers serve both to separate and connect polar opposites: inside and outside; human and ghost. ‘ Also, this could apply to different eyes for the Earnshaw's, ‘the Earnshaw's handsome dark eyes' and Linton's. ‘vacant blue eyes of the Linton's'. Heathcliff being described as a ‘typical Gothic Protagonist' means the reader must feel sympathy towards him, as this is a critical ingredient. He is dark, demonic, mysterious and cruel, with his dwelling of Wuthering Heights echoing his personality. He has a mysterious past, often compared to a demonic figure, ‘lying fiend', with typical dark hair, eyes and features. The final quality needed being in spite of his cruelty and destructiveness, he generates a degree of sympathy. After never being taught love, being abused and losing his loved ones, Catherine and Mr. Earnshaw, who the only people to ever show him affection it could be claimed that Heathcliff could not be blamed for the way he was. The passionate and violent environment shaped him into the fiend that he was. However, this can only be an explanation to a certain extent. When Heathcliff returns after his three-year absence he has become a super-human villain driven by revenge. This later Heathcliff is callous with incapacity to love and eventually being consumed with hatred and revenge. In summing up every individual reader will decide on his or her own opinion of Heathcliff, the argument is so balanced it is impossible to judge. Perhaps he is innocent and tortured of love out of his control, but the argument then falls onto the innocent characters such as Isabella and Cathy. Emily Bronte manages with great complexity to keep the compassion of the reader up and down. She manages to transform Heathcliff from a villain to a victim in a chapter, which keeps the character alive; otherwise he may have come across as desperate and then monotonous. Heathcliff is a character of depth and complexity and cannot be judged, therefore the sympathy of the reader varies so much.

Detox Diet

No evidence supports that harmful chemicals accumulate in the body (in fact, the liver and kidneys are pretty good at getting rid of bodily toxins). And even if toxins did accumulate in the body, there’s no reason to believe that these detox diets would get rid of them. Toxicologists A. Jay Gandolfi, an associate dean for research in the college of pharmacy at the University of Arizona, and Linda Birnbaum, director of the experimental toxicology division of the Environmental Protection Agency made the following points in a LA Times article: 1. igh volumes of liquid consumption could theoretically help remove water-soluble chemicals like arsenic, but not fat-soluble chemicals (which make up most pollutants) 2. fiber consumption may help eliminate toxic chemicals that accumulate in the liver, but not chemicals that are located in other parts of the gastrointestinal system 3. raw vegetables have no special detoxifying properties other than that their high fiber content can furthe r help bulk up stools 4. most chemicals of concern are fat-soluble and so are stored in fat. The best way to get rid of these potential toxins is not through a detox diet, but through weight loss.Slender people get rid of toxins more quickly than overweight and obese individuals. The decreased bloating is likely from eating less food; the clearer skin from increased hydration; and the decreased headaches exercise and relaxation components of the program, and psychological factors. – placebo effect Some people report feeling more focused and energetic during and after detox diets. placebo There’s simply no scientific evidence to suggest that our bodies need help to get rid of waste products if we are healthy and there’s little proof to support the claims that detox diets work.Muscular System: Muscle MetabolismQuite rightly, most nutritionists, dietitians and doctors believe that our bodies are completely capable of excreting waste without the aid of ‘detoxi ng’ – that’s what our liver, lungs, kidneys and skin are designed to do, after all. Most experts also say that strict detox diets followed in the long term, can lead to nutrient deficiencies and health problems associated with this. â€Å"It may alleviate your guilt but it is actually doing more harm than good. † McGrice. Health Kick nutrition and dieteticsHowever, studies have shown that fasting and extremely low calorie intake — common elements of detox diets — cause a slowdown of metabolism and an increase in weight after the dieter returns to normal eating. Fasting to detoxify and lose weight is not necessary, says Frank Sacks, MD, a leading epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health. â€Å"There is no basis in human biology that indicates we need fasting or any other detox formula to detoxify the body because we have our own internal organs and immune system that take care of excreting toxins,† Sacks says. â€Å"Your body is designed to remove toxins efficiently with organs such as the kidneys, liver, and colon. You don’t need detox diets, pills, or potions to help your body do its job,† Sacks says. Experts agree there is no credible science to substantiate claims that detox diets work or the need for detoxification, lymphatic draining, and frequent bowel cleansing. There are no studies available to document the benefits; instead, most claims are based on testimonials. Include skin British Dietetic Association, â€Å"  Detox diets are marketing myths rather than nutritional reality. Dr John Emsley said: â€Å"There is no scientific reason for people to waste time and money on so-called detox regimes, fancy diets, or expensive remedies, none of which can compare to the detox system that is already inbuilt into our natural system. † â€Å"The concept of ‘detox’ is a marketing myth rather than a physiological entity,† Dr. Catherine Collins, Chief Dietician at St George’s Hospital Medical School, London, http://www. acefitness. org/blog/2239/do-detox-diets-work http://maddashpublishing. wordpress. com/2012/03/28/detox-diets-do-toxins-hate-purified-vegetables/ http://www. etterhealth. vic. gov. au/bhcv2/bhcarticles. nsf/pages/Placebo_effect http://socialanxietydisorder. about. com/od/glossary/g/doubleblind. htm non scienticfic evidence- http://health. ninemsn. com. au/whatsgoodforyou/factsheets/826277/does-detox-work http://www. bbc. co. uk/sn/humanbody/truthaboutfood/young/detox. shtml http://www. choice. com. au/reviews-and-tests/food-and-health/diet-and-exercise/nutrition/do-diet-detox-products-work. aspx the placebo effect A placebo is any medical treatment that is inactive.A patient can be given this ‘dummy’ treatment such as a pill, surgery or form of exercise, and begin to feel better. They begin to feel cured although the medication really did nothing for them. The placebo effect is triggered by the person's belief in the treatment and their expectation of feeling better. Around one third of people who take placebos will experience an end to their symptoms. In the case of a detox diet, the individual may feel better because they believe they are doing something beneficial for their body. They feel like they have more energy and focus, but it is only a belief.Little do they know, they are causing nutrient deficiencies to the body. Double blind experiment A double blind experiment is where neither the researcher nor the participant know which treatment each participant is receiving. For example half of a group to be tested is given a placebo, and the other half are given the real medication. The purpose of this experiment is to eliminate bias from both parties. A double blind detox diet has never been carried out, but it would be very valuable in proving whether these diets truly work. Anecdotal evidence