The Basics of any Economy †Economics Term Paper

The Basics of any Economy – Economics Term Paper Free Online Research Papers The Basics of any Economy Economics Term Paper Every society in the world has some kind of economic system. The three basic economic systems are traditional, command, and market. These three systems have three common forms of organization known as capitalism, communism, socialism, and mixed. Each from of organization has pros and cons, and each system relates to one or more form of organization. A traditional economy is one that, like the name suggests, stems from tradition. All the economic discussions and how the scarce resources are use is determined by habit and tradition. In this system, people know their place, if your family is a doctor, you will be too. There is little discrepancy about who will do what and how. Because of this however, new ideas or ways of doing things are scorned, thus there is little growth and the standard of living is lower. Entrepreneurs are very rarely found in a traditional economy, Life becomes very stable and predictable. This type of economy is best shown in the Eskimos in Alaska and the Amish people. In a command economy, instead of tradition making the decisions, one central government will do it. The controlling unit will make all of the choices and expect the common people to go along with the leader’s decisions. Command economies can be found in Cuba and North Korea. This government is capable of making drastic changes in a short period of time since one unit is controlling everything. Also since the government makes all the decisions, it will sometimes overlook the needs of its people. The last type of economy is a market economy. The people and firms are the ones in this economy that decide what to produce, for whom, and how much. This economy is the one that allows for growth and change. Actually, it encourages growth and new ideas. The consumers and businesses will determine the prices of products and how much of the are to be produced. In this economy, sometimes resources and jobs are not distributed equally, thus leaving some people in the dust. Capitalism is the type of organization of an economy that corresponds with a market economy. In this organization, the consumers and businesses make all of the decisions. Businesses are privately owned and the concept of supply and demand controls the prices. Adam Smith, the leading capitalist thinker, wrote the book the wealth of nations in which he talks about the Invisible hand as he calls it would make the prices as low as they could be and the economy efficient (Grant). The major advantage to capitalism is that it is extremely efficient. The society’s recourses are put to the best use by the businesses for the consumers. Also another advantage that stems from efficiency is individual freedom. The individuals decide what they want to buy and when they buy it. This economy is also flexible to allow for change. The disadvantages of capitalism are that it doesn’t always supply for everyone’s needs. It leaves out those who can not make a competitive living, such as the elderly. Pure capitalism would leave out the production of public facilities and a national defense system, but this pure capitalism has never been achieved. Pure capitalism is also prone to depressions. The best example of Capitalism is in our own country, The United States. On the other end of the spectrum there is communism, which is the organization of a command economy. In this economy, one central unit, or government, owns all the property. It is then distributed so that everyone has equal amounts land and recourses. This economic system works to make everyone equal. Also the central unit makes all the decisions for the society. Carl Marx wrote a book about communism called The Communist Manifesto. In his book he talks about the fall of capitalism because of its defects, like the tendency to create depressions. The working class would then use Communism to tear down the foundation of private property (Nault, William H.). No country has achieved the pure communism that Marx talked about in his book, but the Soviet Union and china tried. Communism has many advantages and disadvantages. Advantages are that the workers are guaranteed a job thus creating a sense of security. There are public goods and services that the government will provide for everyone, such as, health care, education, and a military. The consequence of the security a person would receive, is little or no individual freedom. A citizen has almost no say in what he or she does for a living and they can not change jobs is they hate what they do. Also no matter how hard a worker may work, everyone will receive the same pay. This leaves people with no incentive to work harder or to strive to create new products. Then there is socialism, which is mix of a command and a market economy. In a socialist economy, the government owns the basic productive recourses, and the rest of the businesses are privately owned. The government will plan how the key businesses and industries are to be handled. The government has more say in the economy than it does in capitalism but less than in communism. The officials are usually elected and they are the people who will direct the use of the society’s industries and recourses. In socialism everyone is provided for. Those who aren’t able to earn decent pay will still share in the benefits of society. This is done through things such as health care, welfare, and guaranteed jobs in the government. In this economy everyone can have say in government and the benefits of it, through the electing of its officials. There are a few downfalls to socialism however. It is usually not as productive or efficient as capitalism. Since the government guarantees jobs, in theory more workers will be hired than are really necessary. This will drive the prices of production up. Sweden is probably the best example of this in our world today. Then there is a mix of capitalism and socialism, which we rightfully call a mixed economy. This is a mix of a command and a market economy as well. People can go about their affairs freely but there is some government intervention. This is demonstrated in almost every country. This system is good because it allows for change as the people do with some of the benefits of socialism like welfare. Mixed economy is the best. In a mixed the best of all the economies is offered. A person can choose their job and also receive some of the benefits of a socialist economy like welfare and social security. This economy will provide people with the best form birth to death. The three different economies are all set up in four different organizations. All of which have pros and cons. The world is full of societies with examples of each. Bibliograpgy 1. Grant, R.G. Capitalism. RSVP publishers: New York, 2001. 2. Nault, William H. World Book Millennium, Vol 18, â€Å"Socialism†. World Book Inc: Chicago, 1999. Research Papers on The Basics of any Economy - Economics Term PaperThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeDefinition of Export QuotasTwilight of the UAWBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Never Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceThe Project Managment Office SystemMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

How tai chi chuan can help you quit smoking Essay

How tai chi chuan can help you quit smoking - Essay Example â€Å"Originally developed as martial art, Tai Chi looks like a slow graceful dance, but behind the deceptively simple movements is a wealth of Philosophy, Medicine and Science. Tai Chi is about balance and harmony†(About Tai Chi). Tai chi can help a person to refresh his mind and develop a sound personality. Some of the proven benefits of Tai chi are â€Å"Stress reduction, Improving balance, flexibility and muscle strength; Improving sleep quality; Lowering blood pressure; Increasing energy, endurance and agility and Improving overall feelings of well-being etc† (Mayo Clinic Staff). Tai chi training involves elements such as; drills, self defense techniques, weapon use etc. Tai chi training helps to bring a state of mental calm and clarity apart from providing health benefits and stress management abilities to the people who practice it. â€Å"Tai chi is often described as "meditation in motion," but it might well be called "medication in motion." There is growing ev idence that this mind-body practice ... has value in treating or preventing many health problems† (World Tai Chi & Qigong Day). Tai chi chuan is gaining popularity in the world not only as a self defense technique, but also as a method to get rid of some bad habits. Since practicing Tai chi chuan can help a person to gain better control over his emotions, it is possible to use it for avoiding some bad habits like smoking, alcohol addiction, drug addiction etc. This paper briefly analyses how Tai chi chuan can help a person in quit smoking habit. Even though everybody knows about the possible health consequences of smoking, for some of the people, it is difficult to refrain from the smoking habits. It is believed that cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, which can cause severe diseases like cancer, obstructive pulmonary disease, heart diseases, stroke and adverse reproductive outcomes. Still many people are addicted to smoking because of different reasons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Smoking definitely creates lot of problems not only to the smoker but also to others who forced to breathe the smoke produced by the smoker. â€Å"Low self esteem and low self confidence are the major reasons for smoking† (Brizer, 2003, p.27). Tai chi chuan can help the smokers to improve their self esteem and self confidence and hence the smokers can manage their emotions more effectively or positively. â€Å"To do tai chi, you perform a series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion† (Mayo Clinic Staff). Smokers usually smoke only when they feel physical or mental fatigue. Practicing Tai chi chuan exercises will help the smokers to improve their physical and mental health and hence they will improve their stamina reduce fatigue. There are many scientific studies which revealed the effectiveness of practicing Tai Chi to avoid smoking habits. According to a study conducted by The University of Miami Division of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in conjunction with the Medical Wellness Centre, â€Å"Tai Chi may provide the ideal mind-body awareness to help you put out that last cigarette†Ã‚  (Tai Chi & Smoking Cessation). Deep breathing is one of the major exercises associated with Tai chi. It helps to reduce the stress normally a smoker experience prior to smoking. Smokers usually experience some kind of stresses before they think of smoking. Smokers have the illusion that smoking may help them in getting rid of their

Globalization of the Production Chain Literature review

Globalization of the Production Chain - Literature review Example As the paper outlines, technology has facilitated competence and the most efficient and cheap labor is hired due to globalization. With globalization, computer production has become global and its production is spread to over 40 countries. Dell, Microsoft, IBM etc. are brands known in every part of the world. Globalization has enabled such global brand recognition and brand awareness amongst the customers (Ding and Akhtar 2001, pp.946-65).  Ding and Akhtar (2001), claim that this industry has had revolutionary changes because of globalization and all the giant players have production chains that are spread across major regions of the world. A focus on the market leader Dell reveals the influence globalization has had on the production chain and the human resource.  Dedrick & Kraemer (2002), claim that the personal computer industry shows the impact globalization has had on the business world. However, Dell has shown remarkable growth and is the current market leader when it comes to reaping the advantages of globalization.  Dell has been able to maintain its business model even in the globalizing industry through its smart planning and strategies in line with globalization. Dell made the best use of its resources and has the most efficient supply chain and thus has been able to excel its competitors IBM and Microsoft (Rosenau and Earnest 2004). Hudetz (1998) says that initially, supply chains of the PC industry were vertically integrated and required the firms to undertake the major tasks of product design, structuring, innovation, customer relation, and operations internally. With such a production chain the costs were high and the process was time-consuming (Ding and Akhtar 2001, pp.950-65). Even market leaders like Dell initially produced complete systems and was based in the United States while it outsourced some of the components from other manufacturers (Rosenau and Earnest 2004).  According to Ardnt (2001), these were the initial phases of the PC supply chain at Dell and in the entire industry at large. IBM which was also a big brand at the time also imported minor parts from other regions and had a relatively wide supply chain network. Gradually the industry realized that importing parts from other regions and countries cut down the costs and thus intermediary firms sprouted up which supplied such parts to the industry at competitive rates (Rosenau and Earnest 2004). Although Dell was technologically more advanced and had a strategy that would enable them to pierce the global market, they could not do so. This was because their costs were high when compared to the competitors like IBM who were outsourcing supplies from cheaper, developing nations and were more cost-effective and were able to reap more profit (Dowling 1999, pp. 30-42). According to Rosenau and Earnest (2004) with globalization strategies, Dell and other MNC's including the IBM and Microsoft set up their branches within other countries. In 1990s Dell was the first to surge the global markets especially the developing countries like India, China, Pakistan, and Malaysia, paving the way for the other big brands to follow in its footsteps (Rosenau and Earnest 2004). Globalization enabled them to get the cheapest rates and a competitive quality (Arndt 1997, pp. 695-707).

Language and Literacy Development and Exploring Games Assignment

Language and Literacy Development and Exploring Games - Assignment Example Additionally, the children’s sitting is at the center of the room besides having ample space where some kids out of their preference can sit on the ground and work or play with their prints. Primarily, the setting concentrates on having diverse harmonious bright colors that will liven up children’s moods. The books include It is a picture book about Pinkalicious girl, who really loves pink color where regardless of numerous warnings by her parents not to eat too many pink cakes declines and eventually turns pink. The book mainly authored for new kindergarteners who have joined preschool. This is a battery-operated board having slots that contain fish in them and normally opening their mouths at interval but not at the same time. The board spins in a moderate speed to allow the kid(s) to fish and remove them once they have bit one’s plastic bate, mainly hooked on the fishing line. The entire board’s body may be circular or made in the shape of a fish and produces water sounds similar to that of a running river. This is a circular, moderate revolving board comprising of diverse colored sectors (probably 8) where at their edges it has slots. The player normally has a small hand cue, where one tries to pin the sector having the color of choice. The game normally aids in enabling the preschool child’s mental capacity to master and increase their concentration while trying to keep up with the moderate revolving speed. Supplementary activities meant for classroom to enhance their concentration and mental include matching games (letter, pictures or color matching). Primarily, this game entails using a propelling pipe like gadget to through small plastic balls into the three plates, probably placed about 1 to 2 meters way. The child normally erects the propelling pipe like a canon and then tries to throw the balls into the plates, which are 3 to 4 in number and act as target. It comprises of

Organic Foods Pdf Essay Example for Free

Organic Foods Pdf Essay Abstract: During the last decade, consumers’ trust in food quality has decreased drastically, mainly because of growing ecological awareness and several food scandals (e. g. BSE, dioxins, bacterial contamination). It has been found that intensive conventional agriculture can introduce contaminants into the food chain. Consumers have started to look for safer and better controlled foods produced in more environmentally friendly, authentic and local systems. Organically produced foods are widely believed to satisfy the above demands, leading to lower environmental impacts and higher nutritive values. So far, studies have partly con? rmed this opinion. Organic crops contain fewer nitrates, nitrites and pesticide residues but, as a rule, more dry matter, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, essential amino acids and total sugars than conventional crops. Organic crops also contain statistically more mineral compounds and usually have better sensory and long-term storage qualities. However, there are also some negatives: plants cultivated in organic systems generally have 20% lower yields than conventionally produced crops. Several important problems need to be addressed in the coming years: environmental, bacterial and fungal contamination of organic crops and, the most essential issue, the impact of organic food consumption on animal and human health.  © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry Keywords: organic plant crops; quality; yield; composition; nutrition; vitamins; phenolics; sugars; nitrates; nitrites; pesticides; dry matter; health; sensory qualities. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE QUALITY OF ORGANIC PLANT FOOD PRODUCTS There are several important factors in?uencing the quality of food products that also are relevant to organically produced plant products. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the basic factors are the quality of the environment (abiotic factors) and the levels of pest and pathogen damage (biotic factors) to which plants are subjected. The main components of the environment (air, water, soil) have to be unpolluted if the crops obtained are expected to be of high nutritive quality. Many environmental contaminants enter the food production chain (soil–plant–animal–human organism), causing signi? cant problems in human health. 1 These contaminants include heavy metals, pesticide residues, nitrogen compounds, mycotoxins, chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), aromatic hydrocarbons (e. g. benzo[a]pyrene), plant growth stimulators (e. g. choline chloride), antibiotics, hormones, radioactive isotopes and plastic substances (monomers). Climate and weather are also important factors, as well as soil type and pH, soil cultivation, fertilisation and conditions of crop storage after harvest. ? Biotic factors can have also a signi? cant impact on crop quality. The main biotic factors are cultivar choice, bacterial and fungal contamination (disease) and pest damage. Cultivars of the same crop species can differ signi? cantly in nutritive quality. For example, the content of ? carotene in carrots (Daucus carota L. ) can vary between 7. 19 and 13. 84 mg g? 1 depending on the cultivar. 2 The main potential source of bacterial contamination in plant crops is animal manure used in organic farming. Contamination can take place via the roots or by water splashing onto the leaf surfaces. The most important organisms are several species of facultative anaerobic bacteria (Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium botulinum, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis), protozoa (Toxoplasma gondii), tapeworms, viruses and prions. The results obtained so far are contradictory. Some studies indicate higher bacterial contamination in organic crops, while others show the opposite. 3 Mycotoxins (produced by fungi) originate mostly in the ? eld but can also develop during storage. Owing to the fact that fungicides are not used Correspondence to: Ewa Rembialkowska, Organic Foodstuffs Division, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw Agricultural University, Nowoursynowska 159 C, PL-02-776 Warszawa, Poland E-mail: ewa [emailprotected] pl (Received 24 October 2006; revised version received 29 January 2007; accepted 8 February 2007). Figure 1. Factors in? uencing the quality of organic food products. in organic agriculture, some authors believe that organically produced foods will contain higher concentrations of mycotoxins. However, literature reviews show that mycotoxin concentrations are usually similar or reduced in organic compared with conventional products. 4 The most notorious mycotoxins are those produced by Fusarium species on cereal crops and maize. One of the reasons for lower Fusarium infections in organic grains could be the lower nitrogen concentrations in the tissues. 5 Insect pests also exert an in? uence on crop quality. Because of the ban on synthetic pesticides in organic agriculture, insects often damage fruits and vegetables, thereby diminishing their yield and harming their appearance. However, it is not clear whether they also reduce their nutritive quality. In contrast, there is evidence that organically grown plants contain more phytochemicals (which are natural insecticides) and are therefore more resistant to insect damage. 6 They can also play a positive role in human health, because several phytochemicals, being plant defence compounds, are connected with possible health bene? ts (Brandt K, oral presentation at QLIF Congress, Newcastle, 2005). Regulations on organic plant production allow actions that avoid many negative features of crop quality if they are consistently performed by producers. In order to ful? l these demands and to offer highquality products to consumers, an ef? cient and airtight certi? cation and control system must be implemented. In most countries such systems are quite ef?cient, though a rapid increase in the number of organic farms could lead to problems with a subsequent loosening of regulatory control. Therefore the main rule should be ‘trust is good, but control is better’. Moreover, the ? nal quality of organic food products is in? uenced by the effective implementation of 2758 the regulations on animal production and organic food processing. Only precise ful? lment of all these regulations can guarantee the best organic food quality (Fig. 1). IMPACT OF REGULATION ON ORGANIC PLANT PRODUCTION The regulations for organic plant production are clear and detailed. 7 The European Union (EU) regulation published in 19918 contains parts that relate directly to the composition of organic plant products. The most important aspects of this regulation include:7 †¢ a ban on genetic engineering and genetically modi? ed organisms (GMOs); †¢ lower nitrogen levels – a maximum limit for manure application of 170 kg N ha? 1 year? 1 ; †¢ a ban on synthetic pesticides; †¢ a ban on synthetic mineral fertilisers; †¢ a ban on growth promoters. Organic farmers must follow the above regulations if they want to pass the inspection procedure every year and receive a certi? cation document. If all requirements are complied with, several qualitative results can be expected. The most important conclusions from scienti? c comparisons are given below. CONTAMINANTS Nitrates and nitrites A large amount of data shows that the content of nitrates and nitrites is distinctly higher in conventionally cultivated than in organic crops. This is important, because nitrates can easily be converted into nitrites, which can cause a dangerous illness called methaemoglobinaemia in babies, infants and elderly people. 9 J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa Quality of organic plant products. Moreover, nitrites can react with amines to create nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic and mutagenic substances causing cancer of the digestive tract and leukaemia. 10 This process is dangerous not only for young children but also for adults of any age. Based on a large amount of data, the nitrate content of organic and conventional crops has been compared. On average, the nitrate content of organic crops was 49% that of conventional crops. 11 These and other data provide a basis for stating that organic methods lead to an approximately 50% reduction in the intake of nitrates and nitrites by humans. Pesticides Governments place legal limits, known as the Maximum Residue Level (MRL), on the level of pesticides that can be present in food. The MRL is usually estimated by testing individual pesticides on rats. Governments maintain that consumption of pesticides below the MRL is not a health risk. However, at lower levels, pesticides are known or suspected to cause many diseases and health problems, including cancer. 12 The main problem is that the MRL for pesticides is usually estimated by testing individual pesticides on rats for a relatively short period. Virtually nothing is known about the effects of consuming combinations of potentially hundreds of different pesticides over the course of a lifetime. We do not and cannot know explicitly what is causing what, so precaution is the main tool available to us (Howard V, oral presentation at QLIF Congress, Newcastle, 2005). The levels of pesticide residues found in organic crops are de? nitely lower than those present in conventional crops (Howard V, oral presentation at QLIF Congress, Newcastle, 2005). It can be expected that eating organic foods will result in lower pesticide levels in human milk and body tissues. There is some evidence con? rming this hypothesis. Researchers in France found that the level of pesticide residues in the milk of breast-feeding women decreased signi? cantly with an increase in the proportion of organic food in the daily diet (from 25 to 80%). 13 All available results show that the content of pesticide residues is signi? cantly lower in organic crops, which creates safer health conditions for consumers eating organically. Heavy metals Heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury and zinc are introduced into the food chain from various sources, including industry, transportation, communal wastes and agriculture. For example, mineral phosphoric fertilisers used in conventional agriculture can introduce cadmium into crops, but the metal industry and transportation also cause cadmium contamination of soils and crops. Therefore there are no clear results in studies comparing the levels of J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa heavy metals in organic and conventional crops. Some data point to higher levels in conventional crops, while others show the opposite. 11 A problem to be solved is whether organic farming (composting, increasing the organic matter in soil, pH, etc. ) can diminish the intake of heavy metals by cultivated plants. DESIRABLE COMPOUNDS IN PLANTS Vitamins, phenolic compounds and mineral compounds The nutritive value of foods depends mainly on them having the appropriate content of compounds indispensable for proper functioning of the human organism. The content of phyto-compounds in plant foods is a topic of great interest in food science nowadays. A growing body of evidence indicates that secondary plant metabolites (phytochemicals) play a critical role in human health and may be nutritionally important. 14 There are two main theories explaining the factors in? uencing the levels of compounds in plants. 15 The carbon/nitrogen (C/N) balance theory states that, when nitrogen is easily available, the plant will ? rst make compounds with high nitrogen content, e. g. proteins for growth and nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, glucosinolates and non-protein amino acids such as the Allium ? avour precursors. When nitrogen availability is limiting for growth, the metabolism changes more towards carboncontaining compounds, e. g. starch, cellulose and non-nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites such as phenolics and terpenoids. The second, newer theory is the growth/ differentiation balance hypothesis (GDBH). 15 It states that the plant will always assess the resources available to it and optimise its investment in processes directed towards growth or differentiation. The term ‘differentiation’ encompasseses increased formation of defence compounds as well as accelerated maturation and seed development. The C/N balance theory is a special and typical case of the GBDH theory, since low nitrogen availability is the most common growth-limiting condition in natural ecosystems. 15 To verify the above theories, several authors investigated the content of some vitamins and phyto-compounds in organically and conventionally produced crops. In order to summarise different data, for each organic–conventional comparison a % difference was calculated: [(organic ? conventional)/conventional] ? 100 The collected data for several desirable components are presented in Table 1. The role of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the human organism is basic for several metabolic functions, mainly because it is one of the major cellular direct antioxidants (along with glutathione) and is a 2759 E Rembialkowska Table 1. Contents of desirable components in organic crops relative to those in conventional crops Component Vitamin C Phenolic compounds Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Mean % difference +28. 7 +119. 3 +21. 1 +29. 3 +13. 6 Range (%) ? 38 to +135. 5 ? 56. 6 to +734. 2 ? 73 to +240 ? 35 to +1206 ? 44 to +240 Number of studies 21 15 16 17 18 production and reduces carbohydrate production. Moreover, the increased protein produced in response to high nitrogen levels contains lower amounts of certain essential amino acids such as lysine and therefore has a lower quality with respect to human nutrition. Source: Ref. 17 and author’s own calculations. cofactor for certain enzymes. Vitamin C also supports detoxication and resistance of the human organism. The higher content of vitamin C in organic crops is bene? cial to health, because vitamin C inhibits the in situ formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines, thus diminishing the negative impact of nitrates on the human organism. 10 Therefore organic vegetables can play an important anticarcinogenic role. Plant-based phenolic metabolites are particularly interesting because of their potential antioxidant activity and medical properties, including anticarcinogenic activity. 15 According to Benbrook,16 organic farming has elevated antioxidant levels in about 85% of the cases studied to date and, on average, levels are about 30% higher compared with foods grown conventionally. Mineral compounds containing iron, magnesium and phosphorus are fundamental for human health. According to Worthington,17 the higher mineral content in organic crops may be connected with the higher abundance of micro-organisms in organically managed soil. These micro-organisms produce many compounds that help plants to combine with soil minerals and make them more available to plant roots. Unfortunately, there have been only a few studies on other vitamins such as ? -carotene, B1 and B2 and the results are contradictory. Therefore no general conclusions can be drawn about these compounds. Total sugars A higher total sugar content in plant crops not only improves their taste but is also an important component of their technological quality, e. g. in the case of sugar beet. Studies clearly indicate a higher content of total sugars, mainly sucrose, in organically produced vegetables and fruits such as carrots, sugar beet, red beetroot, potatoes, spinach, Savoy cabbage, cherries, redcurrants and apples. 11,18 Proteins Several studies analysed in review papers11 show that the quantity of crude protein is lower in organic than in conventional crops but that the quality is better as measured by essential amino acid content. According to Worthington,17 nitrogen from any kind of fertiliser affects the quantity and quality of protein produced by plants. Provision of a large amount of nitrogen to a plant increases protein 2760 SENSORY QUALITY OF ORGANIC FOODS Many studies have proved quite unequivocally that vegetables and fruits from organic farms have a better taste and smell. This was found for carrots and potatoes, celery and red beetroot, head cabbage and tomatoes as well as for apples, cherries and redcurrants. 11 Organic fruits contained more total sugars, which probably in?uenced the better taste perception by consumers. Better taste and smell have also been found for bread made from organic grain, which also had better crumb elasticity. 6 Interesting studies have been conducted on animal food preference in which animals were given organic or conventional fodder. Most studies have proved a clear animal preference for foods produced organically; such studies have been conducted on rats, mice, hens and rabbits. 19 Preference for organic fodder was also observed in cases where, according to chemical analyses, both organic and conventional fodder ful? lled all physiological needs of the animals tested. 20 The reason for this was probably the difference in taste between organic and conventional fodder. STORAGE QUALITY OF ORGANIC PLANT CROPS Transpiration losses and decay processes, as well as changes in nutritive value, normally take place during the storage period of potatoes and other vegetables. However, these changes can proceed at different rates and to differing degrees. Most of the available data indicate that the decay process is slower in organic crops, which therefore show better storage quality after the winter period. A review study based on many sources21 concluded that the storage quality of vegetables and fruits was better in the case of plants grown on organic farms (Table 2). The better storage quality of organic crops Table 2. Storage losses of carrots, potatoes and various fruits and vegetables from organic (ORG) and conventional (CONV) farmsa Carrots Potatoes Fruits and vegetables ORG CONV ORG CONV ORG CONV Number of quoted studies Storage loss (% of initial mass) a 15 33 15 40 22 22 22 30 53 28 53 38 Average data based on literature review. 21 J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa Quality of organic plant products Table 3. Positive nutritive attributes of organic plant products No. 1 2 3 4 5 Attribute Organic crops contain fewer nitrates, nitrites and pesticide residues than conventional crops. There is no clear difference in the content of heavy metals between organic and conventional crops Organic plant products contain, as a rule, more dry matter, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, essential amino acids and total sugars. However, the level of ? -carotene is often higher in conventional plant products Organic plant products contain statistically more iron, magnesium and phosphorus. They also tend to contain more chromium, iodine, molybdenum, selenium, calcium, boron, manganese, copper, potassium, sodium, vanadium and zinc Organic plant products usually have better sensory quality. They have a clearer smell and taste and are sweeter and more compact because of their higher dry matter content Preference for organic products is typical not only for humans but also for animals such as rats, rabbits and hens. This preference was also observed in cases where, according to chemical analyses, both organic and conventional fodder ful? lled all physiological needs of the animals tested Vegetables and fruits from organic production maintain better quality during winter storage, showing lower mass losses due to transpiration, decay and decomposition processes. A possible reason for this is their higher content of dry matter, minerals, sugars and other bioactive compounds 6 Table 4. Negative and unclear aspects of organic plant products No. 1 Negative aspect Plants cultivated in organic systems have, as a rule, signi?cantly (on average 20%) lower yields than conventionally produced crops. This increases their price and creates for many consumers a barrier to buying organic foods Unclear aspect Environmental contamination (heavy metals, PCBs, dioxins, aromatic hydrocarbons) can be similar in organic and conventional crops, because the impact of industrial, transport and communal sources is similar on organic and conventional farms located in the same area Bacterial (mainly Salmonella and Campylobacter) Contamination can sometimes be higher in organic produce, but scienti?c evidence of this is still not clear Mycotoxins can contaminate both organic and conventional foods, but scienti? c data are contradictory The impact of organic food consumption on human health and wellbeing remains essentially unknown in spite of some positive indications, so the subject needs further study 2 3 4 was probably associated with a higher content of dry matter in their ? esh, resulting in less extensive decay and decomposition. Lower losses in organic production have not only nutritive but also economic bene? ts. In conventional systems, high yields are produced but signi?cant losses during storage reduce the economic bene? ts. CONCLUSIONS Recent food crises (BSE, foot and mouth disease, food contamination by dioxins, toxic fungi, Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria) have caused consumers to look for more authentic and safer foods. Organic food production is widely recognised as being more friendly to the environment, more controlled and better for animal welfare. On the other hand, many data indicate that a lot of food contaminants have their source in conventional methods of agriculture, animal production and food processing. The negative effect of the continuing enthusiastic use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture is potentially huge. Therefore safer methods of agricultural production, mostly organic methods, are very important. Studies conducted in various countries have indicated several positive attributes of organic plant J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa products (Table 3) but also a few negative and unclear aspects (Table 4). To summarise the positives, organic food should be recommended for all, but especially for young babies, pregnant and breast-feeding women, elderly and chronically ill people and vegetarians. The last group obviously consumes a lot of vegetables, which can contain too high levels of carcinogenic substances when produced conventionally. The lower content of nitrates and higher content of phenolic compounds and vitamin C in organic crops are especially important for health. Nitrates are easily converted in the digestive tract into poisonous nitrites, which are the precursors of carcinogenic nitrosamines. This process is hampered by vitamin C, and carcinogenesis is retarded by phenolic compounds and other dietary phytochemicals present at higher levels in organically produced crops. Therefore organic vegetables can play an important anticarcinogenic role. REFERENCES 1 Rembialkowska E, Organic agriculture and food quality, in Ecological Agriculture and Rural Development in Central and Eastern European Countries, Vol. 44 of NATO Science Series, ed. by Filho WL. IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp. 185–204 (2004). 2761 E Rembialkowska ? ? 2 Schuphan W, Biochemische Sortenprufung an Gartenmohren ? ? als neuzeitliche Grundlage fur planvolle Zuchtungsarbeit. Z? chter 2:25–43 (1942). U 3 Franz E, van Bruggen AHC and Semenov AM, Risk-analysis of human pathogen spread in the vegetable industry: a comparison between organic and conventional production chains, in Bayesian Statistics and Quality Modelling in the AgroFood Production Chain, ed. by van Boekel MAJS, Stein A and van Bruggen AHC. Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, pp. 81–94 (2004). 4 FAO, Food Safety as Affected by Organic Farming (Twentysecond FAO Regional Conference for Europe). [Online]. (2000). Available: www. fao. org/docrep/meeting/x4983. htm. 5 Van Bruggen AHC and Termorshuizen AJ, Integrated approaches to root disease management in organic farming systems. Aust Plant Pathol 32:141–156 (2003). 6 Bjorn G and Fruekilde AM, Cepa onions (Allium cepa L) grown conventionally and organically – similarities and differences. Gron Viden 153:1–6 (2003). (in Danish). 7 Hansen B, Alroe HF, Kristensen ES and Wier M, Assessment of food safety in organic farming. DARCOF Working Paper 52 (2002). 8 EU, Council Regulation No. 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs. OJL 198, 22. 7 P. 1 (1991). ? 9 Szponar L and Kierzkowska E, Azotany i azotyny w srodowisku oraz ich wplyw na zdrowie czlowieka. Post Hig Med Do? w s 44:327–350 (1990). 10 Mirvish SS, Vitamin C inhibition of N-nitroso compounds formation. Am J Clin Nutr 57:598–599 (1993). 11 Rembialkowska E, Wholesomeness and Sensory Quality of Potatoes and Selected Vegetables from the Organic Farms. Fundacja ? Rozwoj SGGW, Warszawa (2000). 12 BMA, The BMA Guide to Pesticides, Chemicals and Health. Report of Science and Education. British Medical Association, London (1992). 13 Aubert C, Pollution du lait maternel, une enquete de terre vivante. Quatre Saisons Jardinage 42:33–39 (1987). 14 Lundeg? rdh B and M?rtensson A, Organically produced plant a a foods – evidence of health bene? ts. Acta Agric Scand B 53:3–15 (2003). 15 Brandt K and Molgaard JP, Organic agriculture: does it enhance or reduce the nutritional value of plant foods? J Sci Food Agric 81:924–931 (2001). 16 Benbrook CM, Elevating Antioxidant Levels in Food through Organic Farming and Food Processing. An Organic Center of Science Review. Organic Center for Education and Promotion (2005). 17 Worthington V, Nutritional quality of organic versus conventional fruits, vegetables, and grains. J Alternative Compl Med 7:161–173 (2001). 18 Zadoks JC, Development of Farming Systems. Pudoc, Wageningen (1989). 19 Williams CM, Nutritional quality of organic food: shades of grey or shades of green? Proc Nutr Soc 61:19–24 (2002). ? 20 Woese K, Lange D, Boess Ch and Bogl KW, A comparison of organically and conventionally grown foods – results of a review of the relevant literature. J Sci Food Agric 74:281–293 (1997). 21 Bulling W, Qualit? tsvergleich von ‘biologisch’ und ‘konventionell’ a erzeugten Feldfruchten. Regierungsprasidium, Stuttgart (1987). 2762 J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa.

gravity :: essays research papers fc

The Effects of Gravity There are some people who worry that when they're outside, if they don't keep a good grip on the ground, they'll just go flinging off into space. They needn't really worry about this, because gravity generally keeps that sort of thing from happening. The thing is, no one is really sure what causes gravity, but the effects have been studied by many physicists and astronomers. Three of the more obvious effects of gravity are things falling down, weight, and the the moon and planets staying in their orbits. Things fall down. People have generally grown to accept that if one lets go of one's prized and valuable textbook when walking through a mud puddle, the book will invariably end up in the puddle and therefore be stripped of all value and even legibility. Things fall down because there is a strong gravitational attraction between things of great mass, like the Earth, and things of little mass, like a book. The only problem with this relatively simple explanation is that no one really knows why it's like that. What people have figured out so far is that gravity is a force, and a force is anything that changes the state of rest or motion of an object. In the absence of outside forces, the momentum of a system remains constant. This means that if there was no gravity, when one would relinquish one's hold on the textbook, it would remain at rest in the air. If a force acts on a body, the body accelerates in the direction of the force. In the example of the force of gravity, small things like textbooks are pulled downward toward the center of the large mass of the Earth, not up into space, even if some people think that this might happen. Torgerson 2 Isaac Newton was the first to conceive of weight as the gravitational attraction between a body and the Earth. The force that results from the gravitational attraction of the Earth on bodies at its surface is what we call weight. Science has chosen to measure the mass of objects in units that are roughly equivalent to the weight of those objects on Earth. For example, if a textbook weighs four pounds on Earth, it would have a mass of four pounds in an orbiting spaceship. The textbook would be "weightless" because it does not feel the gravitational attraction of the Earth, but, even in outer space, to push the

“Island Man” and “The Fringe Of The Sea” Essay

I recently read two poems entitled â€Å"Island Man† and â€Å"The Fringe Of The Sea†. They are both similar in theme, but they also have many differences. Both poems are based on the emotions of people who live near the sea and their feelings towards it. This theme relates to both of the authors, and connects them; the author of â€Å"The Fringe Of The Sea†, A.L. Hendricks, was born in Jamaica and later in life moved to Britain. Grace Nichols, author of â€Å"Island Man†, was born in Ghana and then also immigrated to the UK. Grace Nichols’ poem â€Å"Island Man† is about a Caribbean man who lives in London, but still longs for his home and the sea. The poem follows the man as he wakes in the morning to the memories of his home in the Caribbean and the sound of the sea in his head. I believe that the main theme of the poem is that home is important and it will always be with you no matter what. There is also a strong theme of reluctance coming from â€Å"Island Man† to move on with his life and leave his past behind. His unwillingness to get up in the morning can also be viewed as a strong metaphor of his reluctance to leave his past behind. An interesting concept played on in the poem is that it takes place when â€Å"Island Man† wakes up – leaving him in the state of being half asleep and half awake. This gives the author the ability to let you guess which parts of the poem are the reality, dreams and memories of his life – using this the author can entangle them together. A good example of this is the line â€Å"his crumpled pillow waves† – it shows the reality (his crumpled pillow) and as he is half awake and half asleep his dreams and memories view the crumples in the pillow as â€Å"waves†. The theme of identity is also strong in the poem. â€Å"Island Man† is never given a name so that he can also be seen as a symbol of the people who have moved from their home countries and felt like they have lost part of themselves; their identity. Therefore â€Å"Island Man† can be seen as a representative of  these people, and so I believe that they will relate with the character – this also fits in to the background of the author, Grace Nichols, so it is possible she did this so that she relates to the character. The Island in â€Å"Island Man† could also be a way of showing his emotions, e.g. he is an isolated or lonely man trapped on an emotional island. The poem is also written in free verse, with no sentence structure or full stops. This suggests the idea of no restrictions and freedom, just like the Caribbean is for Island Man, compared to his London life. Just before the poem starts there is information in parenthesis, this helps set the scene by giving a little information telling you what the poem is about. As soon as you begin reading the poem it is obvious that the poem is written in a first person narrative rather than a third person narrative. I believe the reason for this would be because with a third person narrative it is distanced from the character, whilst with a first person one you can sympathize with the character and you could also identify with them. The first line â€Å"Morning† has more than just the surface meaning here, it also seems to be a pun on the word â€Å"Mourning† to suggest sadness in Island Man. More evidence for this is that the word is on its own in the line, this could be meaning loneliness, which is generally related to sadness. The word could also be viewed as a way of showing a new start, as mornings are a new start for every day, it could also be a metaphor for a new beginning in Island Man’s life. This new start would be Island Man leaving home and starting his new life in London. The next line â€Å"and Island Man wakes up† shows that the character of Island Man has no name as he is referred to without a using a name. This suggests that he may feel like he has no identity after leaving a large part of his life behind in the Caribbean. Line three and four are a change from the previous two as we begin to see a strong rhythm forming. The line is as follows – â€Å"to the sound of blue surf / in his head in is head† although these are two separate lines (separated  here with a slash) they are related poetically. These lines use enjambment for the effect of the lines flowing into each other to make it seems like the sea. The first half flows smoothly, as does the second half, except for the final word. The letter â€Å"S† is used in both halves to bring them together – to remind the readers of Islands Man closeness to the sea. The letter â€Å"H† (â€Å"head†) is a break from the â€Å"S’s† and therefore the rhythm is lost. The third line (â€Å"to the sound of blue surf†) has alliteration of the letter â€Å"S†. The sound of this letter is very much like that of the waves to remind the reader of the sea. To insure that this comes across to the readers there is emphasis on these letters. There is also an emphasis on the word â€Å"head† here to make the readers realize that it is only in Island Man’s head, as he also realizes the truth. The fourth line uses two verbs, which have internal rhyme to make the line flow  easier (breaking and wombing). The first verb â€Å"breaking† suggests the repetitive and steady breaking of the waves on the Caribbean sands. More evidence of this meaning the waves is the fact that the line says â€Å"the steady breaking and wombing† which clearly illustrates the waves motion. The second verb â€Å"wombing† is derived from the word â€Å"womb†; therefore this connotes warmth, maternal love and family. Island Man would connect all of these with his home, and he would connect the first one in an emotional and physical sense. In this line the adverb â€Å"steady† is used to describe the verbs. Whilst other words could have been used to this effect I believe â€Å"steady† was chosen because the first letter is an â€Å"S†, which continues the alliteration from the previous lines – and reinforces the rhythm The first line of the next stanza â€Å"wild seabirds† may not seem to hold much information but it seems to be comparing London and the Caribbean by using the adjective â€Å"wild† which is a contrast to the Pigeons usually found in London. The second line of the second stanza is as follows – â€Å"and fishermen pushing out to sea†. Here we have alliteration of the letters â€Å"SH† in â€Å"fishermen†Ã‚  and â€Å"pushing† it is also mildly repeated in the word â€Å"sea† at the end of the sentence by using the letter â€Å"S†. Again, this suggests the sound of the sea There is a continuing of the alliteration of the letter â€Å"S† through onto the last line of this stanza with the words â€Å"sun surfacing†. The adverb used to illustrate the sun is an interesting one (â€Å"the sun surfacing defiantly†), it seems to suggest that Island Man does not want the sun to rise over his island home, as it is defying him. This is another way of showing Island Man’s reluctance to leave his past life behind, as he doesn’t want life to go on without him. This could also mean that the sun surfaces in London when he doesn’t want it to, as it awakes him from his dreams of his past life. There is also a rhyme at the end of this line with the end of the previous line – it is â€Å"sea† and â€Å"defiantly†. Rhyme creates harmony and a relaxed atmosphere; this reflects Island Man’s thoughts about the island. The next stanza has a situation where his memories, dreams and reality becomes entwined. There are a number of different possibilities for this stanza, and I believe the author did not make any of these possibilities singularly correct, but rather wanted the reader to guess. On its own the stanza reads as â€Å"from the east / of his small emerald island / he always comes back†. The obvious meaning of this is that in London (â€Å"the east†) he awakes from the dreams (â€Å"he always comes back†). This possibility is based on the reality, whilst if you pair it up with the last line of the previous stanza (â€Å"the sun surfacing defiantly†) it gives it a new meaning based more on his memories and dreams and then back to reality – â€Å"the sun surfacing defiantly / from the east / of his small emerald island / he always comes back†. This possibility tells of the sun surfacing to the east of the island, which are his memories and/or his dreams. The island is cleverly described as a small emerald in the second line of this stanza, this not only relates to its colour, a lush tropical green, but also its value. An emerald, although small is very valuable and precious, as the island is to Island Man. Before the writing continues there is a large gap, which I beielve illustrates the reluctance of Island Man in leaving his past behind, it also  shows that change will take time as the lines read as â€Å"he always comes back / groggily groggily†. The word â€Å"groggily† connotes a slow, sleepy movement, this is Island Man getting out of bed, which is a metaphor for his reluctance to leave his past behind. So as it takes time to get out of bed it takes time get on with his London life. Next the poem goes on to what Island Man comes back to – â€Å"Comes back to sands / of a grey metallic soar†. The first line is about Island Man coming back to a place of a â€Å"grey metallic soar† which is obviously London. Although there are only three words in the line they all connote a strong image of London. They seem to suggest a soaring of traffic (â€Å"soar†), a bleak landscape of buildings and a concrete jungle (â€Å"grey†) and more cars (â€Å"metallic†). It may seem that these are a strong contrast to the Caribbean, but they all have their similarities and connections, which Island Man can see, which maybe explains why he refers to it as â€Å"sands†. These similarities are sea birds rather than traffic (â€Å"soar†), jungles and trees rather than buildings (â€Å"grey†/green) and wood boats and houses rather than cars (â€Å"metallic†/wooden). The next line has the same gap that exists before the repetition of â€Å"groggily† earlier on in the poem. However this gap is more to do with acceptance rather than reluctance as Island Man realises he must face the reality. This makes sense as the line is † to the surge of wheels†. The word surge here is used as a contrast between the surge of wheels and the surge of the tropical waves, the shape of a wheel is also similar to that of a curling wave, and the repeating of the waves is similar to the turning of wheels. The line following this is â€Å"to a dull North Circular roar†. The North Circular is a road in London in the shape of circle, this is a contrast to the Island home of Island Man and the roar is a contrast of the traffic and the sea. Dull is also used to compare; as the Island Man views the Caribbean as being anything but dull, whilst he views London life as being dreary. The words â€Å"roar† and â€Å"soar† rhyme but in a different way to the previous rhyme, which seemed very smooth and seemed to flow easily, whilst this rhyme is  much more coarse. This is again a metaphor for how Island Man viewed the contrast between his Caribbean life and his London life. The final stanza of the poem begins with the repetition of the word â€Å"muffling†. This suggests that Island Man is covering his head with his pillows to drown out the sound of the traffic, as he wants to keep the sound of the waves in his head. Island Man tries to hide the fact that he is no longer at home from himself in order to feel some comfort. There is more evidence for this on the next line as he seeks comfort by pretending the crumples on his pillow are the waves of the sea. This is followed by the line â€Å"and island man heaves himself†. This is Island Man finally getting out of his bed to face the realities of his London life, and the verb â€Å"heaved† seems to refer back to the fishermen earlier. It is also a word, which connotes intense effort and energy, which again refers back to the reluctance of Island Man. The poem is finished with a single line on it’s own, this line is â€Å"Another London day† which tells the reader that Island Man now must accept his reality in London, although unwillingly. I personally enjoyed reading Island Man as it is very well written and the author has been very clever in disguising her message in a subtle way but still delivering the message is a powerful one. The poem also suggests the characters emotions in a realistic way using a large array of poetic devices, for instance I have never felt homesick, but thanks to the author I could sympathize for Island Man. Island Man is also a poem with many different layers to it – the poem can be viewed from many different angles to give a slightly differing meaning to it each time it is read – I personally enjoy poems like this as they tend to get better the more you read them as you reveal their different layers of meaning. A similar poem to â€Å"Island Man† is â€Å"The Fringe of The Sea†. This poem has many similarities, but also many differences to the previous poem. This poem is about a community of Island people and their feelings rather than about a  single man as in Island Man. Although Island Man himself was a representative of these people The Fringe Of The Sea is less personal than Island Man making it hard to connect with and feel for the characters. The main reason for this is that whilst Island Man deals with one person, The Fringe Of The Sea is written in first person plural (â€Å"We† and â€Å"Us† rather than â€Å"I†). This obviously distances you from the people, as you cannot get singular thoughts of a person. However it shows that these people all have the same/similar opinions, which shows that these people co-work, co-operate and live together in harmony. The main theme of this poem is co-working – it shows that all people who live upon small islands live in harmony with each other and nature and grow a mutual respect for both of them. Unlike the previous poem there are not many themes and many different ways to look at the poem, it has instead one strong view of the poem, which is enforced throughout. This poem is written in free verse, although mostly in stanzas of three or four lines – most lines are of a similar length, although a few aren’t. This is very different to the form and structure of Island Man, which has variable stanza and line lengths and with some lines with a large space before them and protruding out to the side of the poem. Similarly to Island Man however there is a shortage of capital letters – in both poems they are only used for pronouns or nouns (â€Å"North Circular† and â€Å"We†). The first stanza of the poem begins with the pronoun â€Å"We† showing that it is in first person plural narrative, which differs from Island Man’s third person narrative. There is also a repetition of â€Å"We† to emphasize the point and to emphasize its meaning. In the first stanza, there are a few similarities to the poem Island Man, here is the first stanza – â€Å"We do not like to awaken / far from the fringe of the sea / we who live upon small islands†. It is apparent immediately that once again the poem is about people who live upon a small island, although there is no information about its location – as there was in Island Man (in a parenthesis at the start of the poem). Another similarity is that the word â€Å"awaken† is used in this poem, and waking up is used as a strong metaphor and theme of Island Man,  these people obviously feel the same way as Island Man does about the sea – neither want to â€Å"awaken far from the fringe of the sea†. The second line of this stanza uses alliteration of the letter â€Å"F† (â€Å"far from the fringe of the sea†). This creates a soothing sound similar to the sea waves, as it is a soft sounding letter to pronounce. Enjambment is also used to recreate the flowing of the sea waves with the lines continuing into each other. Rhythm is used here to create a sense of harmony and peace – it is used in Island Man to the same effect. Both of these poetic forms were also used to a similar effect in Island Man – alliteration was used with the repetition of the letter â€Å"S† or sometimes â€Å"SH† to reproduce the sound of the sea. Enjambment is also used in the same way in Island Man. The metaphor â€Å"the fringe of the sea† is very effective as it gives you the image of the white surf on the waves, which is similar in shape to a fringe. In the final line of this stanza (â€Å"we who live upon small islands†) the geographical difference is noted by using the adjective â€Å"small† – this compares it with larger islands such as Britain, and therefo re London, so this is similarity to Island Man as well. The second stanza refers back to the idea of waking up with the lines â€Å"We like to rise up early /quick in the agile mornings† – this shows the opposite of Island Man’s attitude in the first poem; whilst Island Man was reluctant and unwilling these lines connote eagerness and energy. However this is almost certainly how Island Man must have felt on his island, as he has different feelings away from it, so they do resemble each other in that sense – showing both sides of waking up at home and away. Using the adjective â€Å"quick† to describe them rising in the mornings is another way of showing energy, which is a contrast to the lack of energy in Island Man. The adjective â€Å"agile† is used to the same effect to describe the morning upon the island. The next lines of the stanza reinforce the idea of being close to nature and the sea († and walk out only small distances / to look down on the water†). One apparent difference here is that in â€Å"Island Man† every line had a meaning and held lots of information, but in â€Å"The Fringe Of The Sea†, most lines are supportive of the previous and next lines. The present participle of â€Å"swaying† is used in the next stanza to show  ongoing activity and motion, these were also used in Island Man when he remembering his home (â€Å"fishermen pushing†). Next there is a list of what the sea offers to the people – â€Å"with songs, and tides, and endless boatways, and undulate patterns and moods†. This is not totally different from Island Man; there is a short list of what Island Man remembers from his island in the second stanza of the poem (â€Å"wild seabirds / and fishermen pushing out to sea / the sun surfacing defiantly†). The term â€Å"endless boatways† is an effective one, which connotes that the islanders use the sea in the same way we use roads. This is a contrast to modern/western life – which occur frequently in Island Man. Using the modifier â€Å"undulate† to describe the patterns of the waves portrays a strong image of their smooth continuous motion. There is no use of personification in the poem Island Man, but there is some use of it in The Fringe Of The Sea – the sea’s â€Å"moods† are referred to. Personifying the sea here connotes that they actually see the sea as a person, a part of the community, co-working with the islanders (providing food). The fourth stanza is as follows – â€Å"We want to be able to saunter beside it / slowpaced in burning sunlight / barearmed, barefoot, bareheaded,†). It begins once again by saying what they want to be able to do by the sea, which is to â€Å"saunter† – this is very different to the cars on the North Circular in Island Man. The word â€Å"slowpaced† also works to the same effect. Using alliteration of the letter â€Å"B† creates a relaxed atmosphere, to mimic the atmosphere of island life. Alliteration is used in Island Man to create the same effect. The first line of the next stanza reinforces the theme of being at one with nature – â€Å"and to stoop down to the shallows†. The rest of the stanza – â€Å"sifting the random water / between assaying fingers / like farmers do with soil,† uses a simile to compare island life with western life. It contrasts farmers with the island fishermen (fishermen are also noted in Island Man). This suggests that the island people view the sea as being their crop fields and soil as they depend on it just as much as farmers depend on their land for food. Both peoples (farmers and islanders), although they mostly live in different cultures, harvest in the same way – a strong similarity by use of a simile is not used in Island Man. Rather than powerful similes it gives  its message through many subtle metaphors. Respect it also suggested by this simile as they co-work together, which is a strong theme in the second poem. There is good use of the verb â€Å"assay ing† which contrasts farmers testing the land and the islanders testing the water to asses the quality. Here is the next stanza – â€Å"and to think of turquoise mackerel / turning with consummate grace, / sleek and decorous / and elegant in high chambers†. The readers are told that the though of the sea and it’s harvest is enough to make them happy – this relates back to Island Man as it was only his thoughts that kept him happy. Describing the fish as â€Å"turquoise mackerel† is another effective use of adjectives as it gives a strong image of perfect, delicious looking fish. Turquoise is also a valuable stone, which connotes that the islanders see the fish as being precious to them. This is also very similar to Island Man calling his home â€Å"his small emerald island† – both use precious stones to show both colour and value of an item (â€Å"emerald island† and â€Å"turquoise fish†). The rest of the stanza is about the similarity between the fish swimming and a sophisticated ballroom dance. The next three lines of the stanza use adjectives to describe the â€Å"turquoise fish† in a similar way that ballroom dancers can be described. These adjectives are â€Å"consummate†, â€Å"sleek†, â€Å"decorous† and â€Å"elegant† – all of which can be related to both fish swimming and sophisticated dancing, this shows that the islanders view the fish as being sophisticated and civilized and maybe as equals as they need them to survive, rather than dismissing them as nothing important as most modern/western people would nowadays. The â€Å"high blue chambers† in the final line of the stanza refers to the sea, which is similar to their dancing chamber. The next stanza is a short one once again reinforcing the fact that these people always want to be at one with the sea – they see it as their streets – â€Å"We want to be able to walk out into it†, their offices and workplaces – â€Å"to work in it† and to recreate in it – â€Å"dive and swim and play in it†. Once again this is a list similar to the one earlier in the poem – there is also a short list in Island Man. The following stanza is also a list of verbs, about the things these people  want to be able to do in the sea. The first two lines are a contrast to Island Man’s London life (â€Å"to row and sail / to pilot over it’s sandless highways†). The lines are about transport – compared to the â€Å"soaring† cars on the North Circular in Island Man. The third line (â€Å"and to hear†) shows that the sound of the sea is enough to make these people happy – this fits in well with Island Man as he hears the sea in his head, this is enough to make him happy. The line is a short one, with a simple meaning on it’s own to emphasize just how important the sound really is to these people and how it alone makes a large difference. This poetic form is also used in the poem Island Man in the first line (â€Å"Morning†) to strongly emphasize a single point. The final line of the stanza – â€Å"it’s call and murmurs wherever we may be† is linked by enjambment with the previous line. This is also similar to Island Man, where there are a number of lines using enjambment for effect. The line itself seems to resemble exactly how Island Man feels, which shows that the emotions of Island Man and these people are very real, as two different authors have given them exactly the same feelings and emotions. Island Man hears the sea’s call in his head and the soothing sounds and murmurs. The rest of line also fit’s in well with Island Man, as it is about the fact that location isn’t important to these people – â€Å"wherever we may be† broadens the horizons the poem as had up until now, it has all been â€Å"Us† and â€Å"We†, but now it has changed. There is no change like this in the poem Island Man because Island Man himself is a symbol of all these people. The final stanza of the poem – (â€Å"All who have lived upon small islands / want to sleep and awaken / close to the fringe of the sea†) begins by broadening its horizons once more. It is now totally inclusive of everybody who has lived upon small islands (â€Å"All who have lived†). The poem now speaks for not only this community, but also every single community like it that exists. Rather than using a subtle metaphor for this (like Island Man does) this poem just come out and says it – and it is believable as the whole community feels the same way, so why shouldn’t every other one? It also eases you into the situation by beginning to broaden its horizons in the previous stanza – nothing like this is used in Island Man. The rest of this stanza is merely a repetiton of the first stanza to bring everything back together and to reinforce the poem’s message. This does occur close to the end of Island Man  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ it says that â€Å"island man heaves himself†, which is referring back to the fishermen previously in the poem. The definitive finalizing of the poem is also used at the end of Island Man for the same purposes as it is used here in The Fringe Of The Sea. The Fringe Of The Sea is a poem I also enjoyed reading as the author uses a number of contrasts between modern/western life and island life which really makes you think and wonder which is truly better. This poem is trying to give a simple message telling us of how content these people are with their simple lives and I believe that this point is delivered well – you can really feel the emotion of these people in the poem without using too many adjectives, or even many words as it is a simple request which is repeated throughout the poem (all that â€Å"we† want is†¦). Out of the two poems I preferred Island Man, mainly for the reason that it stays as a good poem in my mind no matter how much I read it. Whilst The Fringe Of The Sea reveals its full meaning the first time around you need to read Island Man a few times to fully understand all of its meanings – I personally like this as it the mark of a good poet and it shows that lots of thought and effort have gone into the poem. For me it is the difference in depth that make Island Man the better poem of the two.