Food processing Essay

Junk food is a derisive slang term for food that is of little nutritional value and often high in fat, sugar, salt, and calorie. Junk foods typically contain high levels of calories from sugar or fat with little protein, vitamins or minerals. Foods commonly considered junk foods include salted snack foods, gum, candy, sweet desserts, fried fast food, and sugary carbonated beverages. Many foods such as hamburgers, pizza, and tacos can be considered either healthy or junk food depending on their ingredients and preparation methods with the more highly processed items usually falling under the junk food category. What is and is not junk food can also depend on the person’s class and social status, with wealthier people tending to have a broader definition while lower-income consumers may see fewer foods as junk food, especially certain ethnic foods. Junk food comprises of anything that is quick, tasty, convenient and fashionable. It seems to have engulfed every age; every race and the newest entrants are children. Wafers, colas, pizzas and burgers are suddenly the most important thing. The commonest scenario is a child who returns from school and plunks himself in front of the television, faithfully accompanied by a bowl of wafers and a can of cola. Children suddenly seem to have stepped into a world of fast foods and vending machines, totally unaware of the havoc they are creating for themselves. Most of the times these junk foods contain colors that are laced with colors, those are often inedible, carcinogenic and harmful to the body. These foods can affect digestive systems, the effects of it emerging after many years. Studies have found that food can cause hypo activity and lapses of concentration in children. Not surprisingly, junk food not only has physiological repercussions, but also psychological ones – far reaching ones that affect the child’s intellect and personalities. Coping intelligently with their dietary needs increases their self-esteem, and encourages further discovery. School days are full of educational challenges that require long attention spans and stamina. Poor nutritional habits can undermine these pre-requisites of learning, as well as sap the strength that children need for making friends, interacting with family, participating in sports and games or simply feeling god about themselves. Junk foods are often eaten in instead of regular food. An essential Indian diet that consists of wholesome chapattis and vegetables or snacks like upmas and idlis. Not surprisingly eating junk food leads to a sense of starvation both physically and mentally, as the feeling of satiation The survey points out that these convenience foods are preferred (86%) mainly by nuclear families where both husband and wife are working or by bachelors who wish to avoid hotel food or people who do not have time, patience or the expertise to prepare in a traditional method and contentment that comes after a wholesome meal is absent. Junk food does have some of the good things that the body needs for good health. And the body needs some salt, fat and sugar for energy to burn while we work and play. However too much fat, sugar and salt is bad for our health and eating lots of junk food will overload your body with these things. It is probably OK to eat junk food sometimes! But people should look for foods that are low in fats and salt and sugar. HISTORY OF JUNK FOOD It all began with a push toward greater convenience in an increasingly mechanized world. Electricity and then electronics brought with them an endless stream of new gadgets for the home, each promising to make life easier in some way. Many of these time- and labor-saving devices were destined for the kitchen. Factories, too, were retooled to streamline the manufacture of everything, including food. JUNK Foods actually predates from the Industrial Revolution to the end of the 19th century with the discovery of comfort food like Burgers, tacos, doughnuts, potato chips, aerated drinks and many more. Colonization is the reason for the development and discovery of different food cultures, techniques of preparations and preservation. However, canned soups, fruits and vegetables, gelatin dessert mixes, ketchup and other prepared condiments, pancake mixes, ready-to-eat breakfast cereals; sweetened condensed milk started a new trend. After the First World War, in 1917 these and more found their way into the kitchens of eager young housewives, with manufacturers often promoting their innovative products via free recipe books. There’s no denying that flavor, texture and nutrients suffered, but people began to rely on these conveniences, and their tastes simply changed to accommodate. It was, after all, an era of scientific progress. By 1937, as another world war threatened, the timing was perfect for the arrival of a processed, canned meat product called Spam. Currently celebrating its 75th anniversary, Spam was all but guaranteed to make a name for it when the U. S. government included it in war rations to be shipped overseas to Allied troops. It was economical, had a long shelf life, needed no refrigeration, and was ready to eat straight from the can. The processed meat product won a place in pantries back home as well, and for all the same reasons. During wartime, women joined the workforce in unprecedented numbers to fill in for all the men-turned-soldiers. This left less time to cook, and many of the newly employed were ready for quick, cheap, modern and convenient time-savers at the end of the day. After the war, women (whether or not they were still employed outside the home) were encouraged to embrace the frozen, dehydrated, canned and boxed foods that promised to save time in the progressive modern era and allow more time for new leisure options—for example, watching television. Fast food franchises like McDonalds were opened in 1940 were also gaining high popularity which promoted to the junk food culture. Richard McDonald, 1945 In India it came by the colonized countries and had a great impact on the cuisine in India. For e. g. Vada Pav, an Indian Fast food is an Indian and Portuguese influenced dish. The Vada is Indian but the Pav is a Portuguese preparation. In 20th century, convenience foods continued to gain in popularity and â€Å"fast food†Ã¢â‚¬â€the ultimate convenience food— joined the revolution. Fast-food chains reached from coast to coast and then around the world, from Boston to Bahrain. The mass of consumers had by now largely lost the connection between food and nutrition, and few thought much about ingesting foods to keep themselves healthy. What are the health effects of fast food? With today’s lives more on the go than ever, finding time for home cooked meals can be challenging. Before you throw in the towel and stop by the drive through, it’s important to understand and consider the health effects that fast food has on children. Right now, there is already an obesity crisis facing Indian children. More kids than ever are leading sedentary lifestyles, eating less nutritious meals and are at risk (or experiencing) significant health problems like Type 2 diabetes, heart issues and other related health concerns that are dramatically more serious in children than they are in adults. A Pediatrics study found that children who indulge often in fast food are less likely to consume as much fiber, milk and produce (all essential to a growing body) than children who didn’t eat fast food. An International Journal of Respiratory Medicine has even more troubling findings. In the study, researchers surveyed 500,000 kids from 31 countries in two age groups: ages 6 to 7 and ages 13 to 14. What they discovered was that children who ate fast food three or more times a week had greater instances in more chronic illnesses than previously thought – specifically, more asthma, eczema, and rhinitis. This was the case whether the child at hand was obese or not. While many people understand the obvious connection to weight-related conditions of high calorie, high sodium fast foods, many are unaware of the effects on respiratory health. Despite best efforts, sometimes it’s simply the only option to grab something fast, so what’s a parent to do? Be smarter about what’s being ordered. Opt for side salads, apples, baked potatoes (go easy on toppings) and other produce and healthier side options that are beginning to regularly appear on the menus of most fast food restaurants. Be mindful of sauces – skip signature sauces as these are often loaded with mayo and saturated fats and stick to mustard and light use of ketchup or BBQ sauce. Ask for menu items without cheese. While these can all help a fast food experience be more healthful, the food from these restaurants will never be health foods. Instituting the practice of prepping in advance or cooking healthy home meals so there are leftovers are great ways to skip the drive-thru and help your child lead a healthy life. Children who eat junk food three times a week have more severe asthma and eczema †¢Teenagers who ate three or more helpings of junk food had a 39 per cent increased risk of severe asthma †¢Children eating mainly fast food also a higher risk of severe eczema and severe rhinitis †¢Asthma rates have doubled in last 20 years as diets have become more centered on junk food Eating junk food could worsen asthma and eczema in children, researchers have warned. Those who ate more than three portions of fast food a week had more severe symptoms such as wheezing, runny nose and eyes, and itchy skin. Findings from an international study involving more than 100 countries, including the India, suggest fast food diets in the western world may be contributing to a rise in the conditions. Experts believe the epidemic of asthma in developed countries could be linked to a move away from natural, fresh foods to fast foods – as has happened here since the 1970s. Asthma rates in the India have doubled in the last 20 years at the same time as there has been a steady decline in key vitamins and minerals in children’s diets, while consumption of fats in oils and processed foods has soared. More than five million Indians suffer asthma, including 1. 4 million children, and the disease causes 70,000 hospital admissions and 14,000 deaths each year. In the latest study, researchers examined data concerning 319,000 13 and 14 year olds from 51 countries and 181,000 six and seven year olds from 31 different countries. The teenagers and parents of the six and seven year olds were questioned on symptoms of asthma, rhino conjunctivitis – affecting the nose and eyes – and eczema in the preceding 12 months. They were also asked about their diet and consumption of certain types of food already linked to protective or damaging effects on health, and frequency was measured as never, occasionally, once or twice a week and three or more times a week. Teenagers eating three or more helpings of burgers, chips and pizza each week had a 39 per cent increased risk of severe asthma, while children had a 27 per cent increased risk. Those eating mainly fast food also a higher risk of severe eczema and severe rhinitis, with symptoms of runny or blocked nose and itchy and watery eyes. Writing in the medical journal Thorax, the researchers said if the link was proved to be causal, ‘then the findings have major public health significance owing to the rising consumption of fast foods globally’. But it is not clear whether the extra risk is caused by junk foods or a relative lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet which are known to reduce the chances of breathing problems. The study also found that eating fruit could have a protective effect on children and adolescents. Consuming three or more portions a week was linked to a reduction in symptom severity of between 11 per cent among teens and 14 per cent in children. The researchers said ‘Our results suggest that fast food consumption may be contributing to the increasing prevalence of asthma, rhino conjunctivitis and eczema in adolescents and children. ‘ Previous research has shown that youngsters eating a Mediterranean diet high in fruit and vegetables have a lower risk of asthma. A team at St George’s Hospital Medical School, London, found good lung function was linked to high intakes of vitamins C, E and beta-carotene, citrus fruits, apples and fruit juice. It is thought that high intake of salt and fatty acids such as those found in margarines could also induce asthma. Malayka Rahman, research analysis and communications officer at Asthma UK, said ‘This research adds to previous studies that suggest a person’s diet can contribute to their risk of developing asthma, and indicates the benefit of further research to determine the effects that particular food groups can have on the chances of developing asthma or the impact it may have on severity. ‘Evidence suggests that the vitamins and antioxidants found in fresh fruit and vegetables have a beneficial effect on asthma. ‘Therefore, Asthma UK advises people with asthma to eat a healthy, balanced diet including five portions of fruit or vegetables every day, fish more than twice a week, and pulses more than once a week. ‘ Top 10 Dangerous Diseases Caused by Junk Food Obesity – Updated Article with Extra Information on Obesity Diseases Junk food obesity is prevalent in the U. S. and it is extremely strenuous for the entire body, which was never intended to carry that much extra weight. Your heart will also end up working harder than it should, which eventually leads to obesity heart disease. There are also various other obesity diseases, the result of which can be fatal. IObesity Disease #1: Heart Disease. This is one of the deadliest and most common fast food obesity diseases. People with obesity usually have lower levels of good HDL cholesterol and higher levels of bad LDL cholesterol. This increases the risks of obesity heart disease tremendously. Obesity disease #2: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. This is the main cause of female infertility, and obese women have a much higher chance of developing this disorder. This obesity disease also results in excessive hair growth and irregular menstrual cycles. Obesity Disease #3: Diabetes (Type 2). This is one of the fastest growing obesity diseases. What happens here is that your pancreas is unable to supply sufficient amounts of insulin to convert sugars into energy. This means that the unconverted sugar floats around the blood, which is very harmful. Obesity Disease #4: Dyslipidemia. This is a major fast food obesity related disease, which results because of abnormally high trygliceride and LDL cholesterol levels. Dyslipidemia eventually leads to obesity heart disease. Obesity Disease #5: Sleep Apnea. This disorder means that you might actually stop breathing while sleeping, which causes you to wake up suddenly several times during the night. You may not even be aware of this disruption of sleep, but it prevents you from receiving proper sleep and results in daytime fatigue. Obesity Disease #6: Blount’s Disease. This disorder occurs when an excessive amount of weight gets placed on growing bones, making it more prevalent in children. This is especially the case with the lower part of the body. Obesity Disease #7: Arthritis. This is a condition that is a result of strain on the joints for extended periods. Excessive body weight certainly causes such strain and makes arthritis develop in younger people. Obesity Disease #8: Respiratory Problems. Obesity makes your lungs work harder, so that they get the necessary oxygen where it is needed in a timely manner. Asthma is also more common in those who are obese. Obesity Disease #9: Stroke. When the arteries, which carry blood to the brain, get blocked, the end result is a stroke. Such blockages happen in obese people much more often, because they usually have high cholesterol and blood pressure, which contributes to blockages. Obesity Disease #10: Liver Damage. It is difficult for the body to deal with fast food obesity, because these foods usually do not get distributed appropriately. When this is the case, fat can build up around the liver, which may result in its inflammation, scarring, and even permanent damage. HOW MUCH IS EATEN TODAY BY INDIANS? There has been a major shift in food habits in the metropolitan cities, about 86% of households prefer to have instant food due to steep rise in dual income level and standard of living, convenience, and influence of western countries, according to a survey undertaken by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham). The survey on â€Å"Ready to Eat Food in Metropolitan Cities† is based on responses from 3,000 representative households with children or without children, nuclear family and bachelors mainly because many consumers in metros lead time-pressured lifestyles and have less time available for formal meals, as a result of which demand remains high for products which can be eaten on the go. In a survey, Assocham claims that Indian food processing market will show fast paced growth in the next five years. It is also estimated that this food processing industry will show the annual growth of 40-60% in next five years. This all will be encouraged by changed trade rules and increased demand among the people. The survey points out that these convenience foods are preferred (86%) mainly by nuclear families where both husband and wife are working or by bachelors who wish to avoid hotel food or people who do not have time, patience or the expertise to prepare in a traditional method. According to the survey, metropolitans are the largest consumers of processed food and are going to be the biggest consumers of processed food because of their ever increasing per capita income and lifestyle which is also changing very rapidly, disclosed DS Rawat, secretary general, Assocham. Major metropolitan cities in which respondents were interviewed by ASDF include Mumbai, Cochin, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Patna, Pune, Delhi, Chandigarh and Dehradun and it was observed that there has been a surprising rise in the demand of packaged food in the Indian market, all this is because the lifestyle of people has changed drastically and also the factor that consumer’s opinion regarding their eating habits has changed in a significant manner. The majority of the working class also mentioned that it’s a boon to save time, energy and money by using these foods. Various foods helped to prevent the age-old traditional method of long preparation of grinding, cooking or fermenting for hours and hence making the work faster. Even the manufacturers prepared the instant foods according to the taste of the consumers. Rawat said that the consumer spending rate on processed food had increased at an average rate of 7. 6% annually during the years 2008 to 2010 and this was expected to continue as the consumer expense would rise with an average of around 8. 6% till the year 2012. The survey highlighted that 85% of parents with children under five year are serving these easy-to-prepare meals at least 7-10 times per month due to increased pressures at work, and increasing complexity in other household management areas, they are actively looking for ways to simplify and save time, says majority of parents. About 92% of the nuclear family feel that they have less free time than before they had kids, it is now a common fact that they are spending less time in the kitchen, and are turning to takeout, delivered food, and semi-prepared meals to help feed the family at mealtime. About 72% of bachelors prefer the convenience food because of less cost, time and energy saving, convenience in preparation and consumption in the busy and hectic life. The very term ‘instant† means simple, fast, convenient and affordable food which is easy and fast to prepare besides being hygienic, free from microbial contamination and also convenient to eat, say the bachelors. Over 65% of working women revealed that the present trend changed the habits to foods which are simple and easy to digest. Hence, the existence of these foods fulfilled all the needs of modern human being. The food habitats in India have changed due to the western influence and the usage of these foods is also on the rise. These foods are widely used in catering industries as well as at homes. There are varieties of instant/ready-to-eat foods available in the market to choose from and they have been a part of everyday life, disclosed the ASSOCHAM survey. Food manufacturers have also started concentrating on manufacturing new innovative food products and ready to eat processed food so that it can keep up with the speed of ever changing taste of the consumers. This has also increased the demand of better quality food packaging, food processing and this increase in demand has increased the number of manufacturing units in India. The demand of processed food products such as juice based drinking concentrates, bottled water, organic food, herbal tea, fortified drinks and low fat dairy products have increased very much in last five years. Canned foods, fast foods, frozen foods, instant products, dried foods, preserved foods, etc. all come under instant foods or ready-to-eat foods which has encouraged the introduction of a big range of ready to eat snacks, breakfast food, protein supplementary foods and many more, points the survey. Even though after being economical and convenient, 34% of the consumers prefer the traditional types of foods which are fresh and natural without any preservatives or artificial ingredients. About 42% of the respondent said that another advantage of instant foods that occupy less space in the kitchen or pantry, the amount of drudgery involved is less and there is a tremendous potential for commercial exploitation as it is a â€Å"rising industry. † 1) The majority of people prefer to purchase canned foods classified as: ? Canned fruits (86%) ? canned vegetables (76%) ? Other canned products (85%) 2) Instant products: These are again classified as: ? Instant mixes (65%) ? instant powders (56%) 3) Table relishes: e. g. Mayonnaise, ketchups, sauces, jams, jellies, marmalades (88%) 4) Dairy products: milk powders, dairy products like curd, cheese, cream, dairy desserts, (89%) 5) Frozen foods: These are of three types: ? Chilled foods (dairy products, eggs, meat) (920%) ? Frozen foods (highly perishable foods) (95%) ? Freeze dried foods (Coffee, meals for explorers) (85%) 6) Baked products: Biscuits, cookies cakes, breads and various other bakery items. (75%) 7) Snack foods: They are classified as: (65%) ? Jaggery based ? Cereal based ? Fried items 8) Beverages: These are divided into – (88%) ? Alcoholic drinks (wine, beer) ? Non-alcoholic which include soft drinks and health drinks (fruit based and non-fruit based) 9) Pasta foods: Vermicelli, noodles, macaroni, etc. , (82%) 10) Weaning foods: Farex, Cerelac, Lactogen (86%) 11) Health conscious foods: depending upon age, health, and gender. (75%) 12) Breakfast cereal foods: These are fruit based and non-fruit based (42%) 13) Defatted groundnuts, tailored foods/fabricated foods, dehydrated fruits and vegetables (72%) BUT WHY DO WE EAT SO MUCH IF IT IS NOT GOOD FOR HEALTH? A study by Paul Johnson and Paul Kenny at the Scripps Research Institute in 2008 suggested that junk food consumption alters brain activity in a manner similar to addictive drugs like cocaine or heroin. After many weeks with unlimited access to junk food, the pleasure centers of rat brains became desensitized, requiring more food for pleasure. After the junk food was taken away and replaced with a healthy diet, the rats starved for two weeks instead of eating nutritious fare. A 2007 British Journal of Nutrition study found that female those eat junk food during pregnancy increased the likelihood of unhealthy eating habits in their offspring. Researchers from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom exposed 60 children, ages 9 to 11, to both food advertisements and toy advertisements, followed by a cartoon and free food. The children ate more after the food advertisements than after the commercials for toys, the study found. The obese children in the study increased their consumption of food the most after watching the food ads, compared to overweight children and normal-weight children. Of course, junk food is also readily available at restaurant chains across the country in the form of French fries, chicken nuggets, shakes, soda, etc. Not only are most fast foods not terribly healthy, one study indicates that there may be something about fast food that actually encourages gorging. In another study, from the Children’s Hospital in Boston, teens age 13-17 were given three types of fast-food meals (all including chicken nuggets, French fries, and cola). In one meal, the teens were served a lot of food at once. In another, a lot of food was served at the same time, but in smaller portions. And in the third test meal, a lot of food was served, but in smaller portions over 15-minute intervals. The researchers found that it didn’t seem to matter how much food was served — the teens still took in about half of their daily calorie needs in that one meal. The researchers suggested that certain factors inherent to fast food might promote overeating: 1. They are a pleasure to our taste buds. They release stimulating chemicals such as Gamma Amino butric acid (GABA) or Dopamine. Or in case of synthetic chocolates, large amount endorphins are released 2. Junk food is way tastier than healthy food. Hence, it is high in palatability 3. Addiction plays a very important role when it comes to choosing junk food over healthy food. 4. Another reason for junk food craving is the mood. It has been noticed that when you are overtly stressed you crave for sweet junk food like cakes, pastries, brownies or chocolates and it also provides a high amount of satisfaction as it provides a high number of calories in a small volume Junk food vs. Healthy food It an age old war between healthy food and junk food. When it comes to choosing between health foods and junk foods, junk food has always won the race! Whether we admit it or not, although we may start off our day with eating an apple, we’ll end it with two to three slices of extra cheese pizza and coke. But why do we love junk food so much when we know that it is unhealthy for us? There are many reasons to which most of you will agree. Junk Food vs. Health Food Everyone loves greasy foods, but is they good for you? No! All the fried foods, hamburgers, hot dogs and doughnuts we eat taste so good but are not healthy. Where is the nutrition? By frying or over-cooking your food, you cook all of the nutrients out. Think of a Big Mac, with all the fat and calories going through your bloodstream. Not a good thought. All of the fats, calories, and grease from the food will clog up your arteries and can cause other health problems too. There are many reasons why you should eat healthier foods before work and school. Some of the most important reasons are that you can concentrate better throughout the day, you’re less hungry, and your study time is more productive. High-fiber foods release energy slowly, while high-sugar foods only give you a short burst of energy. Psychology Today also reports that good proteins, such as lean meats and nuts, can improve your brain function. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, raw or steamed vegetables, nuts, and foods made with whole wheat all help with keeping your body and brain healthy. Healthy foods help with concentration for school and work. Eating healthy also helps with energy levels and positive thinking. We all want to be able to focus on our day and get as much done as possible. By eating un-healthy foods and having lots of sugar you are more apt to feel sluggish, non-motivated, and feel poorly about yourself. By eating healthier, you are able to focus longer on things and have a sense of accomplishment by having energy through the day. As we all know, many of the food commercials aimed at children are for foods high in fat, sugar, and/or salt, and low in nutritional value. And some research suggests that watching ads for processed foods encourages children to eat more. Food marketers have become increasingly successful in targeting children directly through ads; for example, by using popular cartoon characters to endorse their products. Some people say that government measures are required to control obesity by restricting the food industry and its advertising practices. Hence the benefits of Balanced or healthy food: 1. Healthy foods like fruits and vegetables or whole wheat chapattis and bread are high in fiber content. Fibers release energy slowly, this food keeps our stomach full for a longer time and we feel less hungry through the day. High fiber foods also keep your gastro-intestinal tract healthy thus controlling your cholesterol and blood sugar level. 2. The proteins that you derive from lean meat and nuts improve your brain functions. Have veggies either steamed or stir-fried. They hold all the nutrients intact unlike fried foods which drain out the essential nutrients. 3. Healthy food is not processed, hence they are low on calories and do not lose out on essential nutritional values. Having multi-grain breads, sprouts, low fat diary items (like skimmed milk, home-made paneer or curd) and fruits will give you a good amount of nutrition. 4. Since these foods are low in calories and Trans fat, therefore, it will help to control your weight. If you are overweight or obese, consult a doctor or nutritionist at the earliest and follow a high fiber low calorie diet strictly. 5. A daily diet of health and nutritional food will also give you a good heart preventing all sorts of heart diseases. It will also control your cholesterol, blood sugar level and blood pressure. You see healthy food not only supplies you with proteins, minerals and essential nutrients but also has many added benefits. No disadvantages at all, only with the exception that it won’t be able to meet your temptations. Statistics have shown that now-a-days children are fond of junk food more than adults. How many of them eat fruits with that much interest as a plate of pizza? Children are a lot fussier about food but introducing them to healthy diet from the time they start eating can be a good start. Highly fatty junk foods will block their arteries and blood vessels leading to some serious diseases. Children learn a lot from adults. Therefore, it’s advisable that you hold back your temptations whenever you pass by any fast food joints. Control your temptations people, only then can you lead a happy life and give your child a healthy one. ARTICLES and LITERATURE VIEWS (Adapted from news www. Naturalnews. com) 1) Fish oil fats protect brain against damage caused by a junk food diet Friday, May 31, 2013 by: Dr. John Phillip Medical nutrition scientists have written volumes that show how the nutrients from the foods we eat daily alter our genetic structure as well as the metabolism of every one of the trillions of cells in our body. Neurons in the brain are particularly susceptible to an accurately-delivered array of nutrients and critical omega-3 fats to help maintain memory, spatial learning and cognitive function. A number of past studies clearly demonstrate that eating one high-fat junk food meal from the typical fast food restaurant measurably changes the expression of genes that help control the development and spread of cancer, and the retention of critical short term memories as well. In fact, the excessive sugar content and hydrogenated fats from junk foods are known to disrupt insulin levels in the brain and displace essential omega-3 fats needed to construct and maintain cell structure and assist electrical and chemical messaging. A research team from the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease has published the result of a study in the British Journal of Nutrition that shows how fish oils could minimize the effects that junk food have on the brain. Over the past decade, researchers have demonstrated that high-fat and high-sugar diets could disrupt neurogenesis, a process that generates new nerve cells. Diets rich in omega-3 fats help prevent these negative effects by stimulating an area of the brain that controls feeding, learning and memory. Consuming fish or fish oil supplements supports normal hormone release after a junk food meal In the largest study to date, scientists accumulated data from 185 studies showing that omega.

Analysis of the Communist Manifesto

Analysis of The Communist Manifesto Karl Marx and Freidrich Engles, The Communist Manifesto is an announcement of the aims of a communist organization. It has also functioned as an explanation of the ideas that form the foundation of communist and socialist philosophy. It begins with the view of history as a class struggle. With Karl Marx’s view of history class struggle, there are two classes in constant battle. First it was the master slave relationship, then follows peasant and nobility, on down to the bourgious and the proletarait.It was a struggle between the oppressed and the oppressor, the owner and the owned. One class exploited the other because their relationships were completely opposed. This would create a merchant class and a working class from the struggle between the peasant and the nobility. But Marx and Engles felt that at some point the working class would eliminate all the remaining classes. If there was only one class, there wouldn’t be a class strug gle. There would no longer be a need for money, religion, nation-states and governments.Marx and Engels actually believed that they had discovered a method that could be applied in a scientific manner to the businesses of the world. It has been well over 100 years since the publication of the Communist Manifesto and there are many arguments as to why this method has never taken place and many argue over what made the plan unsuccessful. It may be that some of the assumptions for example, the labor theory of value were mistaken. Or the problem with the Marxian ideas set in the manifesto might be that Marx misunderstood which class would ultimately incorporate all the others.He was under the impression that laborers must ultimately take over the means of production and in doing so terminating the capitalist system. What he could not understand was that the means of production would become less and less expensive all the time due to efficiencies in production such as technology. He coul dn’t predict the arrival of computers and tools that would greatly reduce the costs of labor. The Communist Manifesto ideas are worthy of study because there are economic and historical truths within it. The first section introduces the Marxian idea of history as a class struggle.Marx and Engels were the first to put forward the notion that the working class is exploited by the bourgeoisie. With a labor theory of value where the value of goods and services is based on the amount of labor that is put into them, all the surplus that goes to the capitalist as profits is in reality the â€Å"property† of the working class who created that wealth. The second section of the Communist Manifesto addresses the nature of the new working class which he calls the proletariat. He looks at its implications for the advancement of society, including the abolition of property and family.This section also stresses a kind of Ideal that can only be brought about by violence and conflict w ith the working class taking power from the bourgeoisie (the owners of the means of production). This conflict is anticipated also to bring about the end of nation-states and, ultimately, all forms of government, bring about a worker's paradise. Parts 3 and 4 of the Communist Manifesto are more cryptic and relate more with the politics of the age and topographical region in which the document was written in 1848.Section 3 discusses the various forms of socialism, feudal socialism, petty-bourgeios socialism, and â€Å"true† socialism. Part 4 goes on to show how these different groups inter-relate. Ultimately, Marx and Engles, wrote about communism, a society where classes were eliminated, people were seen as equals and work was distributed as such. The manifesto urged the proletarait to revolt, it expressed the wrong doings and downfalls of the â€Å"evil† bourgious and created a paradise for the working class and gave theories on change for the better. The document end s with a stirring shout, â€Å"Working men of all countries, unite! â€Å"

Promoting Meaningful Learning in All Student Populations Research Paper

Promoting Meaningful Learning in All Student Populations - Research Paper Example Meaningful learning refers to the gained knowledge that is fully understood by the individuals and they know how that fact is related to other situations that are happening around them. On the other hand, in rote learning the students are required to memorize the concept without developing full understanding and hence, they are unable to relate the new information with the previous one. As the brains stores data in distinct form therefore, in rote learning students are unable to relate different ideas with each other and in such a case, knowledge can only be retrieved by them from the brain when it is recalled individually. On the other hand, in meaningful learning, the facts are stored in a relational manner. In this way, the knowledge is stored together and is related to each other. In this manner, when one fact is recalled the brain recalls the other facts automatically. Understanding of the Article In the article, Promoting Students’ Learning in Genetics with the Learning Cycle, Dogru-Atay, Pinar Tekkaya and Ceren (2008) discusses that though it is important for the institutes to adopt promotional learning for the students, there are however few of the abstract concepts like genetics that cannot be learned by the students only by meaningful understanding. For such difficult concepts, the study has designed a research on Learning Cycle. According to this pattern, the concept is passed to the students in three steps: exploration, concept introduction and concept application. In the exploration, the students are provided with the concrete experience that is inter-related to the content that is to be learned by them. This phase allows the students to gather all the information that they already know about the topic. Once the students have explored the idea, the teachers are then supposed to link the idea to the students’ knowledge with relevant scientific concept. After this step, the students are engaged in the additional activities in which the students apply their new knowledge to the situation. In this paper, the researcher talks about different methods that can be used for delivering the lecture. The different researches that are discussed in the paper show that through learning cycle, the students learn more than any other setting. The papers validate that the students who learn through meaningful learning are able to connect the various concepts with each other. The other advantage of meaningful learning is that students develop ability of reasoning. They do not only depend on the material given to them, they tend to develop personal understanding of the topic. The researcher has discussed that as through learning cycle the students are able develop reasoning ability, this approach also helps the students to solve the genetics problems. The other concept that is discussed in this article is the dependency of learning on the gender. Few of the discussed researches are of the view that there is no significant difference in biological achievements in boys and girls. On the other hand, other researchers have either favoured boys in their better understanding of the biological concepts or they have favoured girls. In this paper, to understand the genetic achievement of the students the researcher has used Genetics Achievement Test (GAT), Learning

International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 11

International Relations - Essay Example The French economy, however, is among the strongest in the world and Europe. France, in coordination with the World Bank, has a commitment to device development policies aimed at enhancing food security in the country, combating climate change, enhancing infrastructure development, improving the health sector and education sector. According to the IMF, unemployment rate, consumer prices, and Gross Domestic Products are among the greatest key indicators of growth in France (Fig. 3). All the key indicators affect the progress of French economy since the 2008 crisis. The number of new businesses registered in 2008, in France, was 147, 049. The number reduced to 128, 906 in 2009, while in 2010 there were 132, 696 new businesses registered against 132, 293 in 2011. The most recent number of new businesses registered is 132, 293. New businesses density is reducing in the country with the highest density per 1,000 people ages 15-64 being 3.5 in 2008 compared against the latest value of 3.1. The implication of few new businesses registrations is slow creation of jobs in the informal sector from entrepreneurial avenues (fig. 4). Primary total is the enrolment is an age-specific enrolment rate of the of the official primary entrance age. An analysis of data indicates an average of 98.9 % over a period of the last 5 years. It is an indicator that France is only a step away at attaining a maximum adjusted net intake to primary schools. A succinct analysis of the gender distribution statistics indicates a balanced intake between male and female. The country is not gender biased as it relates primary education. On an average, both genders have risen over time, from 2008 to 2013. The female gender hits at an average of 98.7 while the male have 99.1. There is however, a need for the country to engage in more sensitization programs to balance the figures. The current dependency

Nigeria - oil war Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nigeria - oil war - Assignment Example According to Frynas (158) the pollution of the environment through the extraction of oil in Nigeria has been the leading cause of the human rights abuses and environmental abuse in the Niger Delta. In this essay it is the aim of the research to examine and analyze how the oil industry in Nigeria has been the source of various conflicts and how the oil companies in Niger Delta have devastated the environment especially of the Ogoni lands. To achieve the goal of analyzing the environmental devastation of the Ogoni lands in the Niger Delta, I have organized this paper into five sections. The first section will be looking at the background and the history of the Ogoni land and their conflicts with the oil corporations operating within the contested area. Under this first section, further sub-sections will look at the background of the environmental resource that is being examined; the human rights issues that are the center of the conflict and the history of the inhabitants of the Ogoni land; and the location of the resource that is being evaluated will be explained. ... Under the international policies, governance and legislation several factors will be put into consideration including the specific policies and that are in place to regulate the resource around the Niger Delta and how the regime in the area was formed together with the structure put in place for the policies to work. Relevant international laws and treaties will be used in order to clarify the topic at hand in relation to the conflict area. Under this section the last sub-section will be how the implementation of the international enforcements is being done and whether there are challenges that are being faced when implementing the various rights and treaties and if not if there are cases whereby the country is not honoring the treaties that have been set. The fourth section is the challenges and barriers that are in place that makes it difficult in finding a remedy and a solution to the conflicts being experienced in the Niger Delta. This section will include the identification of t he obstacles that are limits the problem solving and also whether there are theories that support these problems that hinder the remedy of the conflict. On top of the identification, an opinion concerning whether a shift in the consciousness of the public will be prudent or not will be discussed in this section. The last section which is the fifth section that the paper will analyze will be the policy recommendations that might be deemed best to help in reducing the conflict that is currently being experienced. In addition the opinions of the whether a new policy recommendation will be necessary during the implementation of the solutions to reduce the conflicts will be given in this section. After all the main sections

Laurence Oliviers Hamlet Film Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Laurence Oliviers Hamlet Film - Movie Review Example Discussion: In a chronological approach to the assessment, reviews from 1948 will first be examined. In his New York Times reviews, in September 1948, Bosley Crowther was almost lyrical in his praise. As mentioned earlier, he cited the power of the camera use, as it With regard to the cuts, which included some soliloquies and the characters, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Fortinbras, Crowther is dismissive, considering cutting these to be "judicious editing" that "has given much greater clarity to its noted complexities" (1948). It appeared that this reviewer glossed over the Freudian, Oedipal context that many others identified, stating that Although the piece in Variety magazine was less intellectual in content and approach, it did touch on similar thematic aspects. The article, produced by Variety Staff, was completely positive and celebrated everything about the film. The cuts were dismissed as: Again, the review did not linger on the Oedipal content, emphasizing the concept, taken from the opening voice-over, of "the tragedy of a man who couldn't make up his mind" (Olivier, 1948) The camera work was given praise and importance, as "deep-focus photography" and "bold crane-shots" that speed the action and give "grandeur and spaciousness" (Variety, 1948) Olivier's own thoughts and explanations were published as extracts from his book, "Hamlet: The Film and the Play", in September 1948 in the New York Times. He justified the cuts on the basis that the play "is very seldom played in its entirety, even on the stage." (Olivier, 1948). While he accepted that many Shakespeare purists might and did object, he had a valid point that needs to be included here. By creating a cinematic representation, he intended to make Shakespeare accessible to all. "But think for a moment of the audience reached by the film, who never go to a theatre.." (Olivier, 1948) His comments on the power of the camera to "nose into corners and magnify details that escape notice or pass muster on the stage," echoed the views expressed in the reviews discussed here. His thoughts are included here, not only to illustrate his motives, but also to underline that his intentions seemed to have succeeded, judging by the responses at the time. Recent reviews, arising from the re-issue of the film on DVD in 2000, carry the same positive responses and echo the themes identified so long ago. This would suggest that the film has the enduring power of the classic, a description fully deserved. In an email thread that reiterates this contention, Brian

Value Chain Framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Value Chain Framework - Essay Example The main changes are that at this value chain sophistication level, the company’s reliance on ERP for provision of Value chain support has been reduced and has initiated the utilisation of more BOB solutions for provision of more-advanced functionality. House-sourced technology tends to have been slightly increased within the stage as well. Here, companies develop specific applications for supplementing the core ERP functionality. Within this level, the amount of outsourced technology reduces the typically reduced functionality of some SCM SaaS solutions is deemed to be too functionally light, and on-premises BOBs are preferred. (Dua et al., 2011) Despite investing for growth, companies are aware that the disruption potential at any time does not vanish. Many work towards improving their Value chains’ resiliency for this risk mitigation. The past year brought about disruptions of global-scale Value chain which impacted multiple industries, right from chemicals to semiconductors as well as electronics to automotive. Increase in demand uncertainty as well as much more complex global Value networks reliant on high-risk geographic zones placed added pressures on Value chains’ ability to deliver results that are predictable. The disruptions have even called into question if Value chains have become too lean, requiring an essential approach change. (Shoanen and Joseph, 2004) In stormy times, as well as during the face of increasing risk and complexity, leading companies need more bearable, resilient Value chains which, support profitability and as well drive industry leadership. This necessitates that managers re-evaluate their Value network designs layout to ensure that they are made more resilient to future disasters. It may as well include designing products which, allow more flexibility in manufacturing and value, increasing long-term substitute sources of raw materials and logistics

Autobiography Anita and me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Autobiography Anita and me - Essay Example 150). The book is a semi-autobiography and is loosely based on the life of the author, Meera Syal. It is set in the background of a once flourishing mining village, Tollington, which was on its decline by the early 1970s. When the mines shut down, the men find themselves idle and out of work. The towns women, assertive and now in control, worked at the local ball-bearing factory and formed a group calling themselves the Ballbearings Committee. A highway threatens to take away part of the village, the grammar school is closing down, and the village thus faces many threats of doom and ruin. This is the background setting in which Meena sets out to discover her life. Bored with her mundane life, Meena is looking for some excitement to break the monotony of her life. "When would anything dangerous and cruel ever happen to me?" (Syal, Pg. 37). Her diary is her refuge and she takes to it to float into her dream world where she finds a life very different from the one she leads. This is beyond the understanding of her parents, who believe in hard work, proper education and take pride in their heritage. Meenas mother is portrayed as a soft-spoken, slender, well educated and poised lady. She plays the dual role of a professional teacher and an untiring housewife. Born in a village in Punjab and rich in her traditions, she doesnt lose sight of her values even as she lives in the racist neighborhood. "It was her duty to show them that we could wear discreet gold jewellery, dress in tasteful silks and speak English without an accent" (Syal, Pg. 25). She runs her house with an iron fist, not wasting a penny on what she deems as unnecessary. "My mother never eats out, never, always affronted by paying for some over-boiled, under seasoned dish of slop when she knew she could rustle up a hot, heart-warming meal from a few left-over vegetables and a

What are the factors that affect the attitude of Chinese young people Essay

What are the factors that affect the attitude of Chinese young people towards classical music - Essay Example This historical period was difficult for national culture, as there were many coup detat, rebellions, national liberation movements and communist revolution. The authors demonstrate positive impact of Western classical music within instable socio-political context. Shanghai National Orchestra became the first large center of classical music, as Shanghai was an administrative center of British Empire in China. This example proves that western instruments and musical preferences can easily merge with Chinese classical music and theatre. Success of pianist Mario Pad and Chinese musician Tan Shuzen showed that the above music had a large target audience in 1910 – 1930th in China. Thus, it became an integral part of Chinese culture, education and music, as China was under continuous influence of Europe countries. In the book â€Å"Flying Dragons, Flowing Streams† Ronald Riddle draws a parallel with integration of Western music in life of Chinese Americans. Chinatown became the place of mixture of two different cultures and a gradual assimilation started. Western popular and classical music had been coexisting with Chinese classics in 1930th – 1950th. â€Å"In the late 1970s both Western classical music and arrangements of Chinese melodies were rehearsed and performed by the Chinese American Youth Orchestra, conducted by Timothy Chan and sponsored by the Chinese Cultural Foundation.† (Riddle 1983, p. 208). The orchestra consisted of young Chinese Americans and successfully performed throughout the USA. Thus, Chinese Americans incline to Western pop and classical music, but try to remain their national culture in the new motherland. Melvin and Cai regard the period of the Hundred Flowers Movement (1957) and the Cultural Revolution as decadence of Western classical music in China. Impact of foreign music was pernicious for Chinese youth, that’s why all educational institutions, orchestras and schools related to Western classical music were destroyed and

Meaning of life essay Essay Example for Free

Meaning of life essay Essay What is the meaning of life? Many agree that the answer depends on the person asking the question. When Albert Camus and Richard Taylor decide to answer this question, they must take an in-depth look into the real and mythological worlds to arrive at a concise answer to this question that has baffled so many. Both have similar views with subtle differences however Taylors view is the more accurate of the two. When looking into the biological world, Taylor clearly describes how much of it can be identified with the Greek tale of Sisyphus. His first of two examples take an in-depth look into glowworms. They go through this cycle like Sisyphus did with his rock and ultimately they have nothing more to show for it than reproducing. They are condemned to this fate and like the rock that Sisyphus rolls up the hill, once they fall down, the burden is passed onto the next generation of worms, making their existence ultimately pointless. The story is the same with migrating birds, as they seasonally migrate across the planet just to do the exact same thing the next year (Klemke, 2008). The effort put into this, like the effort Sisyphus puts into rolling the rock up the hill, ultimately accomplishes nothing and in the end is futile. The birds are condemned to a meaningless task that has no meaning, but gives them purpose. Taylor states The point of any living things life is, evidently, nothing but life itself (Klemke, 2008), something that Sisyphus himself endures as he rolls the rock throughout eternity, with the only difference between him and the biological beings being that instead of each organism doing the same repetitive task for eternity, they pass on their mundane tasks to the next generation. Taylors solution to the meaning of life is a complicated one since he truly sees absolutely no meaning to it. Everything in this world is contingent and as a whole is seemingly meaningless. This is what he calls objective meaning. He went on to say that life has no end goal and that what you do can never be more than you, something similar to what Sisyphus went through. At the same time, he went on to say how life also has subjective meaning, meaning that life matters to the person living in that world in that period of time. As Sisyphus was rolling the rock up hill hill for eternity, Taylor asks what if the gods had made it his eternal desire to roll that rock up that hill, and what if he enjoyed nothing else more than rolling that rock for the rest of his life (Klemke, 2008). The same can be said about those that do what they love, and even though that has no objective meaning as a whole, it could have subjective meaning to the individual performing the task since there is nothing else they would rather do. He went on to say that as time passes A curious eye can in imagination reconstruct from what is left a once warm and thriving life, filled with purpose. (Klemke, 2008). This was in reference to looking back at an old barren wasteland, where although now it has no meaning, it once had subjective meaning to others and even though something has no end goal, that does not mean that it is meaningless, since in that moment in time it had meaning. He sees the meaning of life as nothing but life itself, and that the only way to live a full and meaningful life is to do something that has meaning to you. The end goal does not matter as long as what you are doing has meaning to you, and one thing does not have greater meaning over another. His solution involved projecting meaning onto our own lives by embracing our struggles, even if they accomplish nothing lasting and worthwhile (Cengage, 2013). Camus had a slightly different solution to the meaning of life. He truly saw no meaning to life and questioned why anyone would ever want to live in it (Klemke, 2008). He questioned peoples motives and why all individuals would never commit suicide when they know that they saw the world they lived in. He sees the world as absurd and the fact that we can accept that as surprising. Rational beings live in an irrational world, where people who are obsessed with reason cannot find it. He sees that the there is absolutely no meaning to the world. When he relates human lives to Sisyphus, he considers our everyday lives as pushing a rock up a hill and pushing it back down in a never-ending cycle until death. The tragedy of it is that we are never truly conscious of the absurd, and in those moments when we are conscious of the absurd, we experience the greatest moral downfall imaginable. The only way to live in this world is to live in contradiction. Once we can accept that the world we live in is absurd, we no longer need to live for hope or have this dying need for purpose (Tomo, 2013). It means not only accepting it but also being fully conscious and aware of it, because that is the only way we can enjoy the freedoms of life as long as we abide by a few common rules (Lane, 2013). He sees this as being the ultimate way to embrace everything the unreasonable world has to offer us. This is known as absurd freedom, when you are conscious of the world you live in and are freed from the absurdity. You can then reach a point of acceptance where you can feel truly content with your own life (Lane, 2013). He considers Sisyphus as being the absurd hero, since he performs a meaningless task because he hates death, and so he does this meaningless task to live to the fullest. He embraces his destiny and one could truly believe that he is happy with it. The meaning of life also does not matter about what are the best moments of living, or doing what is meaningful to the individual, but who did the most living. This can be further explained with Camuss reference to Sisyphus, where the only thing differentiating our lives from his is that his is eternal. As humans, we will eventually deteriorate and die off, and in a world where nothing has meaning and everything is repetitive, the one who has lived for the longest period of time has truly made the most of it. Out of the two solutions, it is clear why both Camus and Taylor thought the way they did. One solution was based on doing things in general while the other focused on living as long as physically possible. In my opinion, although both have strong footings, I must say that although Camus position is slightly stronger logically, Taylors position has much better emotional traction. When Camus states that the world is completely absurd and that none of it has any meaning, his argument makes sense. We live in a world where even though we are creatures that demand reasoning and meaning for everything, there is none in the world we are currently in. Taylor agrees to a certain extent, but then introduces his idea of different kinds of meaning: subjective. He tries to give meaning to tasks that give us fulfillment true subjective meaning, but these same tasks have no objective meaning since they have no end goal. Logically, such tasks can have no meaning because they have no lasting value, something that Camus himself tried to explain, ultimately making Camuss position stronger logically. Emotionally, the case is quite the opposite. Camus tells us we should accept our fate and just try to live on this planet for as long as we can, something only an atheist would willingly accept with grace. He goes on to say as long as there is no end goal in life; there is no meaning in life. However, many that live their every day lives do not think on such an emotionless level. Taylor on the other hand gives the position of there being two different kinds of meanings, and although objective meaning doesnt exist, subjective meaning can give each one of us our own definition of what meaning is, which in this case is something to do. Even though the culmination of these events will ultimately lead to nothing, it doesnt mean that they were a complete waste of time since they gave us something to do (. The same can be said about the birds and the glowworms. Their lives have no end goal as their lives were nothing but a never-ending cycle, but it gave them something to do in life no matter how meaningless it may seem to someone looking from the outside in. The most important point Taylor makes is that the tasks we do can have meaning to us, but another individual looking in could see the exact same task as being meaningless, and that is to be expected. Subjective meaning depends on the exact moment in time, which relates to such expressions as live in the moment or Carpe Diem, because after that moment has passed, all the meaning that is associated with it disappears. People like to believe that what theyre doing will always have meaning in one form or another, and as long as they believe in that, they are in a better state of mind than believing that everything in life is meaningless and that we should only strive to live as long as we can. This can be seen as living in denial, but emotions are something humans unlike many animals live with on a minutely basis and must be accounted for. Furthermore, although Camus position makes logical sense, it makes little to know emotional sense since it does not account for the human aspect of life. CITATIONS Barnett, Richard. An absurd faith: Camus and The Myth of Sisyphus. Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. http://web. archive. org/web/20071012140207/http://www. geocities. com/a_and_e_uk/Sisyphus. htm (accessed March 19, 2013). (Only for research purposes) Lane , Bob. The Absurd Hero. Vancouver Island University, Degree Programs Canada Master Bachelor Education Degrees Canada | VIU. http://records. viu. ca/www/ipp/absurd. htm (accessed March 19, 2013). Klemke, E. D. , and Steven M. Cahn. Albert Camus: The Myth of Sisyphus. In _The meaning of life: a reader_. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. 72-82. Klemke, E. D. , and Steven M. Cahn. Richard Taylor: The Meaning of Life. In _The meaning of life: a reader_. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. 134-143. The Meaning of life: Richard Taylor. Cengage. www. cengage. com/philosophy/book_content/1439046948_feinberg/introductions/part_5/ch19/Life_Taylor. html (accessed March 19, 2013). Tomo, Ramirez. Camus, Sisyphus Taylor, The Meaning of Life. Deanza. edu. www. deanza. edu/faculty/ramireztono/phil01/camustaylornotes. pdf (accessed March 19, 2013).

Abelard And Heloises Love Letters

Abelard And Heloises Love Letters The letters sent between Abelard and Heloise discuss many controversial characteristics of their time period. They converse about sex, virginity, a womans role in the society, and punishment which in turn shows the ethics, religious views, and morals of their time. In contrast to these topics it also portrays the problems the church and society had when faced with these ideas that did not follow along according to the Bible. The ethics and rules of living were heavily connected to the church in Abelard and Heloises time unlike modern times. In this society the clergy was the most respected albeit feared power in the land. As such people were expected to follow and adhere to everything said in the Bible. They were supposed to live their lives accordingly to the Bible. Any knowledge was supposed to be used to further exemplify God and never to be used to refute God, his rules, or his teachings. If it were to be used as such then people were as saying heresy and excommunicated from the church and scorned by others. Every aspect of this time period and society were centered around the church. In this highly restricted society the letters sent between the two lovers allows us insight into the topics of the sanctity of virginity, sex once married, the penalties for sex without marriage, and the roles women were expected to play without any complaints or persuasion in the society of Abelard and Heloise. The sanctity of virginity was a great prize during Abelard and Heloises time, around the twelfth century. It was prized and held to high esteem but for the wrong reasons. Many believed the longer a woman held onto her virginity the closer she would become to God. Abelard reckons that, The more God is pleased by the abstinence and continence which women have dedicated to him, the more willing he will be to grant their prayers.(123) Men of this society believe virginity should be in devotion to God but Abelard believed it was to please society that many women did it, not to please God. While Heloise does agree she says Men think being pure of flesh, a virgin, is a virtue. She also believes that that virtue comes from the soul not from the body. Being a virgin was considered something we as humans do to please God when in fact it is actually more of a spiritual or religious trait. Society only placed a value upon outward appearances as a virgin but allowed lustful temptations to be thou ght as long as it was not acted upon. Abelard considered virgins not pure if they thought dirty because the body and soul are one and the same. Society respected the display of virginity but cared little if a person actually believed in what they were doing or if a person actually wanted to do what they were doing. Not only were people curious about virginity but they were also clueless about the relationship once sex is permitted after marriage. Many believed God has allowed sex once one is married to the one they have married. Even though Abelard does believe this he still feels animosity while having sex with his own wife especially during the days of Our Lords Passion (147). Although sex is to be allowed after marriage the church did have rules as to when a couple could be together. Sex altogether is accepted during Abelard and Heloises era but it hinted at as being bad since the church must regulate it. Since the church can say when it alright and not alright to have sex then t his associates that there must be some type of evil or ungodliness regarding sex. Abelard never admits that he agrees with what the rabble think of him and Heloise he does say that the people think it was desire, not affection which bound you to me, the flame of lust rather than of love (116). Abelard does not know why he has transgressed what he has, taking Heloises virginity and having sex on holy days, so like any person he has to place the blame on someone or something else so he blames it on the emotion of lust which leads him to give up his love of Heloise though she still loves him. Due to their society ingraining in them the ever powerful rule of God, Abelard and Heloise expect God to punish them for their sins. Abelard accepts Gods punishment without any hassle and does not question it. Heloise on the other hand goes on to say that all the laws of being equal under the eye of God were reversed when it came to their judgment. Heloise is confused because God did not punish her and Abelard while they were committing the sins of sex before marriage but instead decided to punish them after they became married. She considers it reversed because while they did the bad deed no bad befell them but once they had obeyed Gods rule the punishment fell upon them harshly. Heloise complains to Abelard about how harsh Gods punishment is on them but Abelard believes it was all part of Gods will. He believes that Heloise was sent to him by God to cause him to be castrated forcing him closer to God. This shows that in this society people were confused and had very different views on Gods punishment but even so they did accept it. Throughout their letters Abelard is quick to remind Heloise about her place in society reinforcing the role women played in this society. The most obvious role of women in this society was that women were secondary to men. Heloise further reinforces this patriarchy upon herself when she notices Abelard places her name first on the letter before his own. Heloise tells him that it should not be so and that she is inferior to his since she is a women and as such his name should come before his (127). Abelard does agree and states that that is the natural order of the world. As common practice in this society women are underneath men and wives are expected to always, always serve their husbands. A women has many other expected roles too. Above all, and the most degrading of all she is expected to be good in bed. Another expected role from a women is to always make her husband happy. Many times Abelard says things like a good wife makes her husband a happy man. All in all society only wan t and believe a woman should make a man happy, love him, and serve him. Even with all of this women can still be viewed as evil or corruption in this society. Heloise says men are most easily brought to ruin through their wives (131) Heloise never objects to the views Abelard projects onto her or other women in this society. Heloise perfectly shows way of thinking of a typical women in this society. She says that she will change her clothes, her mind, and her body all to prove Abelard as the one owner of her body and will. She even goes on to say she wants nothing but Abelard and that she looked for no marriage-bond, no marriage portion I prefer love to wedlock and freedom to chains (113). She would give up her life and everything she has for Abelard. These letters above all else show the corruption and the influence of man upon the church of God. Heloise states that if man does not offend or deny the opinions of clergy men they will receive the highest of praise. Any form of thinking that disrupts or goes against what the church is preaching is branded as heresy and usually leads to the threats on the persons life or even the death of the person. Many people decide which verses and tenets of the Bible to follow and ignore the ones that do not benefit them in the short or long run. The clergymen in Abelard and Heloises era and our era flaunt their wealth even though the Bible tells about modesty they choose to ignore it. Abelard thinks this is wrong in the churches of his time. Another fault that is prominent in this society but not thought upon as evidenced in the absence of Abelards thoughts upon it is racism. Abelard says Ethiopian women are not as pretty as white women but they are better in bed. And he also says that the colo r of the Ethiopian women are a disfigurement (140). The discussions had through letters between Abelard and Heloise about virginity, sex, marriage, Gods punishment have allowed us sight into the twelfth centurys morals, ethics, and it truly highlights the problems within the church that have continued on until this modern day. While virginity is cherished, sex after marriage is allowed by the Bible, the punishment of God is expected when a sin is committed, and the roles of women are enforced in this society there are many flaws. Virginity is prized only on the outside, sex is allowed after marriage but still regulated by the church, punishment is expected but viewed differently by each person, and society treat women second to men. Even though Heloise questions Gods punishment and is confused about it she never once questions her role in society she accepts it. This goes to show how strong a society can impact a single person.

Functional areas of Cadburys and Sainsburys Marketing :: Marketing, Business, Customer Service

Functional areas of Cadburys and Sainsbury's Marketing Cadburys marketing is very important to them, for example; every now and then, they send a sales assistant round the stores to make sure that the store has a big clump of the world famous purple â€Å"home colours† so that the Cadburys chocolate is well sold. Cadburys have released 3 posters this summer on the new range of bars of dairy milk. In 2003 they have released 5 successful posters which raised their profit margin. Over the years the way Cadburys and advertise their products has seen many changes. They're very important to Cadburys because they affect the way you think about Cadbury and their products. Cadburys look at information that has already been collected and recorded. This is known as secondary data. Cadbury also have a big website pictured below in which people can be informed of the business. Sainsbury's Marketing includes their online shopping website above and posters around the shopping malls, Sainsbury's also have a television contract with Jamie Oliver with the slogan ‘Making life taste better’. Customer services Customer service is the part of Cadburys that tries to make sure customers are satisfied with the good or service they are buying. Without customers Cadburys couldn’t survive. Cadburys treat their customers is very important. Customer services can be: Pre-sales services – services for customers before customers have made a purchase; After sales Services – services which are available to customers after they have made a purchase. Staff working in customer services deal with matters such as making sure that products are delivered on time, providing help if the

Teen Pregnancy :: Teenage Mothers

Over the past few years teenage pregnancy rates have grown substantially. More than one million teenagers will become pregnant this year in Canada, and the number is growing. Many socioeconomic factors influence pregnancy rates, such as; different races, different religions, financial status, education and family background. Another influence is the sexual education children are receiving or not receiving at school and at home. While the problem of teenage pregnancy is acknowledged, solutions are coming slowly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some parents feel that pregnancy is a result of the lack of sex education courses taught in schools, while others feel that these courses end up encouraging teenagers to become sexually active. Studies have been done to find out just how important sex education courses are, and what effect they have on pregnancy rates. 'The amount of sex education they receive is not as important a factor, according to a new study.'; (Fewer girls get pregnant when involved in community, E8) Toronto Sun, 1998) Other sources say:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  'Sex education courses, advocated to prevent teen pregnancy but denounced as encouraged sexual interest, appear to have little or no effect on teens' sexual activity. Such courses also have no noticeable effect on contraceptive use and pregnancy rates among teenagers. It was found that while students do learn about sex and contraception, they do not appear to alter their behavior.'; (Okie, 1996) The courses that are offered in schools have proven not to have any influence on the teenage pregnancy rates. The reason for this may be that the courses are just not being taught effectively or are targeting the wrong age group:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  'Two major goals of the school sex education programs are to reduce the incidence of unwarranted pregnancy as well as the rates of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. However, to be effective, programs must begin early. If we wait until an age when most adolescents are sexually active, we might have to combat an acquired behavioral pattern of ineffective STD/pregnancy prevention behavior. Some statistics found that in the 1984 survey of school superintendents found that children do not all seem to know what we expect them to know.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was found that 50% of schools offered a family life education program. Whereas 87% of urban districts had a program, only 25% of rural districts had a program. Canadian school children ages 9, 12 and 15 showed a considerable lack of sexual education. Only 35% of grade 7 students knew that is was possible for a

The Theme of Madness Characterized by Ophelia and Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespeare :: Papers Hamlet Shakespeare Essays

The Theme of Madness Characterized by Ophelia and Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespeare In Hamlet, Shakespeare incorporates a theme of madness with two characters: one truly mad, and one only acting mad to serve a motive. The madness of Hamlet is frequently disputed. This paper argues that the contrapuntal character in the play, namely Ophelia, acts as a balancing argument to Hamlet's madness or sanity. Ophelia's breakdown and Hamlet's "north-north-west" brand of insanity argue for Hamlet having a method to his seeming insanity. The play offers a character on each side of sanity. While Shakespeare does not directly put Ophelia's insanity, or breakdown, against Hamlet's own madness, there is indeed a clear definitiveness in Ophelia's condition and a clear uncertainty in Hamlet's madness. Obviously, Hamlet's character offers more evidence, while Ophelia's breakdown is quick, but more conclusive in its precision. Shakespeare offers clear evidence pointing to Hamlet's sanity beginning with the first scene of the play. Hamlet begins with guards whose main importance in the play is to give credibility to the ghost. If Hamlet were to see his father's ghost in private, the argument for his madness would greatly improve. Yet, not one, but three men together witness the ghost before even thinking to notify Hamlet. As Hamlet says, "O that this too too sullied flesh would melt†¦" we can see that he is depressed and appalled, but it does not mean he is insane. As Horatio says, being the only one of the guards to play a significant role in the rest of the play, "Before my God, I might not this believe/ Without the sensible and true avouch/ Of mine own eyes." Horatio, who appears frequently throughout the play, acts as an unquestionably sane alibi to Hamlet again when framing the King with his reaction to the play. That Hamlet speaks to the ghost alone detracts somewhat from its credibility, but all the men were witness to the ghost demanding they speak alone. Horatio offers an insightful warning, "What if it tempts you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff That beetles o'er his base into the sea, And there assume some other horrible form. Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason, And draw you into madness? Think of it." Horatio's comment may be where Hamlet gets the idea to use a plea of insanity to work out his plan.

Monopoly, perfect competition and imperfect competition Essay

?Economists assume that there are a number of different buyers and sellers in the marketplace. This means that we have competition in the market, which allows price to change in response to changes in supply and demand. Furthermore, for almost every product there are substitutes, so if one product becomes too expensive, a buyer can choose a cheaper substitute instead. In a market with many buyers and sellers, both the consumer and the supplier have equal ability to influence price. In some industries, there are no substitutes and there is no competition. In a market that has only one or few suppliers of a good or service, the producer(s) can control price, meaning that a consumer does not have choice, cannot maximize his or her total utility and has have very little influence over the price of goods. A monopoly is a market structure in which there is only one producer/seller for a product. In other words, the single business is the industry. Entry into such a market is restricted due to high costs or other impediments, which may be economic, social or political. For instance, a government can create a monopoly over an industry that it wants to control, such as electricity. Another reason for the barriers against entry into a monopolistic industry is that oftentimes, one entity has the exclusive rights to a natural resource. For example, in Saudi Arabia the government has sole control over the oil industry. A monopoly may also form when a company has a copyright or patent that prevents others from entering the market. Pfizer, for instance, had a patent on Viagra. In an oligopoly, there are only a few firms that make up an industry. This select group of firms has control over the price and, like a monopoly, an oligopoly has high barriers to entry. The products that the oligopolistic firms produce are often nearly identical and, therefore, the companies, which are competing for market share, are interdependent as a result of market forces. Assume, for example, that an economy needs only 100 widgets. Company X produces 50 widgets and its competitor, Company Y, produces the other 50. The prices of the two brands will be interdependent and, therefore, similar. So, if Company X starts selling the widgets at a lower price, it will get a greater market share, thereby forcing Company Y to lower its prices as well. There are two extreme forms of market structure: monopoly and, its opposite, perfect competition. Perfect competition is characterized by many buyers and sellers, many products that are similar in nature and, as a result, many substitutes. Perfect competition means there are few, if any, barriers to entry for new companies, and prices are determined by supply and demand. Thus, producers in a perfectly competitive market are subject to the prices determined by the market and do not have any leverage. For example, in a perfectly competitive market, should a single firm decide to increase its selling price of a good, the consumers can just turn to the nearest competitor for a better price, causing any firm that increases its prices to lose market share and profits. Perfect competition is the market in which there is a large number of buyers and sellers. The goods sold in this market are identical. A single price prevails in the market. On the other hand monopoly is a type of imperfect market. The number of sellers is one but the number of buyers is many. A monopolist is a price-maker. In fact monopoly is the opposite of perfect competition. Firm under perfect competition and the firm under monopoly are similar as the aim of both the seller is to maximise profit and to minimise loss. The equilibrium position followed by both the monopoly and perfect competition is MR = MC. Despite there similarities, these two forms of market organization differ from each other in respect of price-cost-output. There are many points of difference which are noted below. (1) Under perfect competition there are a large number of buyers and sellers in the market competing with each other. The price fixed by the industry is accepted by all the firms operating in the market. As against this under monopoly, there is only one single seller but a large number of buyers. The distinction between, firm and industry disappears under this type of market situation. (2) The average revenue curves under competition and monopoly take different shapes. The average revenue (price) curve under perfect competition is a horizontal straight line parallel to OX-axis. The industry demand curve or revenue curve slopes downward from left to right. But under monopoly the firm is itself the industry. There is only one demand curve common both to the monopoly firm and monopoly firm and monopoly industry. The average revenue curve under monopoly slopes downward and its corresponding marginal revenue curve lie below the average revenue curve. Under perfect competition MR Curve is the same as AR Curve. (3) Under perfect competition price equals marginal cost at the equilibrium output, but under monopoly equilibrium price is greater than marginal cost. Under perfect competition marginal revenue is the same as average revenue at all levels of output. Thus at the equilibrium position under perfect competition marginal cost not only equals marginal revenue but also average revenue. On the other hand under monopoly both the AR and MR curve slope downward and MR curve lies below AR curve. Thus average revenue is greater than marginal revenue at all levels of output. Hence at the equilibrium output of the monopolist price stands higher than marginal cost. Under competition price MR=MC. In monopoly equilibrium, price > MC. (4) A competitive firm makes only normal profit in the long run. As against this a monopolist can make super normal profits even in the long run. In perfectly competitive market there is freedom pf entry and exit. Attracted by the supernormal profit earned by the existing firms the new competitive firms enter the market to compete away the supernormal profit. Output rises and profit becomes minimum. Thus in the long run a competitive firm earns only normal profit. But under monopoly the firm continues earning supernormal profits even in the long run since there are strong barriers to the entry of new firms in the monopolistic industry. (5) Under monopoly price is higher and output smaller than under perfect competition. Price output equilibrium is graphically shown in the diagram given below. AR = MR curve is the demand curve under perfect competition which is horizontal straight line. The downward sloping AR and MR curve are the average revenue and marginal revenue curves under monopoly. At equilibrium point E (MR = MC) a competitive firm produces ‘OM’ output at OP market price. At point F a monopoly firm attains equilibrium producing OM, output at OP, price. OP competitive price is less than OP, (OP < OP,) and OM competitive output is greater than OM, output (OM > OM,). (6) A monopolist can discriminate prices for his product, a firm working under perfect competition cannot. The monopolist will be increasing his total profit by price discrimination if he find? Elastic ties of demand are different in different markets. As against his a competitive firm cannot change different prices from different buyers since he faces a perfectly elastic demand at the going market price. If he increases a slights rise in price he will lose the sellers and makes loss. Thus a competitive firm can not discriminate prices which a monopolist can do. Monopoly and perfect competition represent two extremes along a continuum of market structures. At the one extreme is perfect competition, representing the ultimate of efficiency achieved by an industry that has extensive competition and no market control. Monopoly, at the other extreme, represents the ultimate of inefficiency brought about by the total lack of competition and extensive market control. Monopoly is a market structure with complete market control. As the only seller in the market, a monopoly controls the supply-side of the market. Perfect competition, in contrast, is a market structure in which each firmhas absolutely no market control. No firm in perfect competition can influence the market price in any way. The best way to compare monopoly and perfect competition is the four characteristics of perfect competition: (1) large number of relatively small firms, (2) identical product, (3) freedom of entry and exit, and (4) perfect knowledge. Number of Firms: Perfect competition is an industry comprised of a large number of small firms, each of which is a price taker with no market control. Monopoly is an industry comprised of a single firm, which is a price maker with total market control. Phil the zucchini grower is one of gadzillions of zucchini growers. Feet-First Pharmaceutical is the only firm that sells Amblathan-Plus, a drug that cures the deadly (but hypothetical) foot ailment known as amblathanitis. Available Substitutes: Every firm in a perfectly competitive industry produces exactly the same product as every other firm. An infinite number of perfect substitutes are available. A monopoly firm produces a unique product that has no close substitutes and is unlike any other product. Gadzillions of firms grow zucchinis, each of which is a perfect substitute for the zucchinis grown by Phil the zucchini grower. There are no substitutes for Amblathan-Plus. Feet-First Pharmaceutical is the only supplier. Resource Mobility: Perfectly competitive firms have complete freedom to enter the industry or exit the industry. There are no barriers. A monopoly firm often achieves monopoly status because the entry of potential competitors is prevented. Anyone can grow zucchinis. All they need is a plot of land and a few seeds. Feet-First Pharmaceutical holds the patents on Amblathan-Plus. No other firm can enter the market. Information: Each firm in a perfectly competitive industry possesses the same information about prices and production techniques as every other firm. A monopoly firm, in contrast, often has information unknown to others. Everyone knows how to grow zucchinis (or can easily find out how). Feet-First Pharmaceutical has a secret formula used in the production of Amblathan-Plus. This information is not available to anyone else. The consequence of these differences include: First, the demand curve for a perfectly competitive firm is perfectly elastic and the demand curve for a monopoly firm is THE market demand, which is negatively-sloped according to the law of demand. A perfectly competitive firm is thus a price taker and a monopoly is a price maker. Phil must sell his zucchinis at the going market price. It he does not like the price, then he does not sell zucchinis. Feet-First Pharmaceutical can adjust the price of Amblathan-Plus, either higher or lower, and so doing it can control the quantity sold. Second, the monopoly firm charges a higher price and produces less output than would be achieved with a perfectly competitive market. In particular, the monopoly price is not equal to marginal cost, which means a monopoly does not efficiently allocate resources. Although Feet-First Pharmaceutical charges several dollars per ounce of Amblathan-Plus, the cost of producing each ounce is substantially less. Phil, in contrast, just about breaks even on each zucchini sold. Third, while an economic profit is NOT guaranteed for any firm, a monopoly is more likely to receive economic profit than a perfectly competitive firm. In fact, a perfectly competitive firm IS guaranteed to earn nothing but a normal profit in the long run. The same cannot be said for monopoly. The price of zucchinis is so close to the cost of production, Phil never earns much profit. If the price is relatively high, other zucchini producers quickly flood the market, eliminating any profit. In contrast, Feet-First Pharmaceutical has been able to maintain a price above production cost for several years, with a handsome profit perpetually paid to the company shareholders year after year. Fourth, the positively-sloped marginal cost curve for each perfectly competitive firm is its supply curve. This ensures that the supply curve for a perfectly competitive market is also positively sloped. The marginal cost curve for a monopoly is NOT, repeat NOT, the firm’s supply curve. There is NO positively-sloped supply curve for a market controlled by a monopoly. A monopoly might produce a larger quantity if the price is higher, in accordance with the law of supply, or it might not. If the price of zucchinis rises, then Phil can afford to grow more. If the price falls, then he is forced to grow less. Marginal cost dictates what Phil can produce and supply. Feet-First Pharmaceutical, in comparison, often sells a larger quantity of Amblathan-Plus as the price falls, because they face decreasing average cost with larger scale production. MONOPOLY, CHARACTERISTICS: The four key characteristics of monopoly are: (1) a single firm selling all output in a market, (2) a unique product, (3) restrictions on entry into and exit out of the industry, and more often than not (4) specialized information aboutproduction techniques unavailable to other potential producers. These four characteristics mean that a monopoly has extensive (boarding on complete) market control. Monopoly controls the selling side of the market. If anyone seeks to acquire the production sold by the monopoly, then they must buy from the monopoly. This means that the demand curve facing the monopoly is the market demand curve. They are one and the same. The characteristics of monopoly are in direct contrast to those of perfect competition. A perfectly competitive industry has a large number of relatively small firms, each producing identical products. Firms can freely move into and out of the industry and share the same information about prices and production techniques. A monopolized industry, however, tends to fall far short of each perfectly competitive characteristic. There is one firm, not a lot of small firms. There is only one firm in the market because there are no close substitutes, let alone identical products produced by other firms. A monopoly often owes its monopoly status to the fact that other potential producers are prevented from entering the market. No freedom of entry here. Neither is there perfect information. A monopoly firm often has specialized information, such as patents or copyrights, that are not available to other potential producers. Single Supplier The essence of a monopoly is a market controlled by a single seller. The â€Å"mono† part of monopoly means single. This â€Å"mono† term is also the source of such words as monarch–a single ruler; monochrome–a single color; monk–a solitary religious figure; monocle–an eyeglass for one eye; and monolith–a single large stone. The â€Å"poly† part of monopoly means to sell. So the word itself, monopoly, means a single seller. The single seller, of course, is a direct contrast to perfect competition, which has a large number of sellers. In fact, perfect competition could be renamed multipoly or manypoly, to contrast it with monopoly. The most important aspect of being a single seller is that the monopoly seller IS the market. The market demand for a good IS the demand for the output produced by the monopoly. This makes monopoly a price maker, rather than a price taker. A hypothetical example that can be used to illustrate the features of a monopoly is Feet-First Pharmaceutical. This firm owns the patent to Amblathan-Plus, the only cure for the deadly (but hypothetical) foot ailment known as amblathanitis. As the only producer of Amblathan-Plus, Feet-First Pharmaceutical is a monopoly with extensive market control. The market demand for Amblathan-Plus is THE demand for Amblathan-Plus sold by Feet-First Pharmaceutical. Unique Product To be the only seller of a product, however, a monopoly must have a unique product. Phil the zucchini grower is the only producer of Phil’s zucchinis. The problem for Phil, however, is that gadzillions of other firms sell zucchinis that are indistinguishable from those sold by Phil. Amblathan-Plus, in contrast, is a unique product. There are no close substitutes. Feet-First Pharmaceutical holds the exclusive patent on Amblathan-Plus. No other firm has the legal authority to produced Amblathan-Plus. And even if they had the legal authority, the secret formula for producing Amblathan-Plus is sealed away in an airtight vault deep inside the fortified Feet-First Pharmaceutical headquarters. Of course, other medications exist that might alleviate some of the symptoms of amblathanitis. One ointment temporarily reduces the swelling. Another powder relieves the redness. But nothing else exists to cure amblathanitis completely. A few highly imperfect substitutes exists. But there are no close substitutes for Amblathan-Plus. Feet-First Pharmaceutical has a monopoly because it is the ONLY seller of a UNIQUE product. Barriers to Entry and Exit A monopoly is generally assured of being the ONLY firm in a market because of assorted barriers to entry. Some of the key barriers to entry are: (1) government license or franchise, (2) resource ownership, (3) patents and copyrights, (4) high start-up cost, and (5) decreasingaverage total cost. Feet-First Pharmaceutical has a few these barriers working in its favor. It has, for example, an exclusive patent on Amblathan-Plus. The government has decreed that Feet-First Pharmaceutical, and only Feet-First Pharmaceutical, has the legal authority to produce and sell Amblathan-Plus. Moreover, the secret ingredient used to produce Amblathan-Plus is obtained from a rare, genetically enhanced, eucalyptus tree grown only on a Brazilian plantation owned by Feet-First Pharmaceutical. Even if another firm knew how to produce Amblathan and had the legal authority to do so, they would lack access to this essential ingredient. A monopoly might also face barriers to exiting a market. If government deems that the product provided by the monopoly is essential for well-being of the public, then the monopoly might be prevented from leaving the market. Feet-First Pharmaceutical, for example, cannot simply cease the production of Amblathan-Plus. It is essential to the health and welfare of the public. This barrier to exit is most often applied to public utilities, such as electricity companies, natural gas distribution companies, local telephone companies, and garbage collection companies. These are often deemed essential services that cannot be discontinued without permission from a government regulation authority. Specialized Information Monopoly is commonly characterized by control of information or production technology not available to others. This specialized information often comes in the form of legally-established patents, copyrights, or trademarks. While these create legal barriers to entry they also indicate that information is not perfectly shared by all. The AT&T telephone monopoly of the late 1800s and early 1900s was largely due to the telephone patent. Pharmaceutical companies, like the hypothetical Feet-First Pharmaceutical, regularly monopolize the market for a specific drug by virtue of a patent. In addition, a monopoly firm might know something or have a piece of information that is not available to others. This â€Å"something† may or may not be patented or copyrighted. It could be a secret recipe or formula. Perhaps it is a unique method of production. One example of specialized information is the special, secret formula for producing Amblathan-Plus that is sealed away in an airtight vault deep inside the fortified Feet-First Pharmaceutical headquarters. No one else has this information. Competition is very common and often times very aggressive in a free market place where a large number of buyers and sellers interact with one another. Economic theory describes a number of market competitive structures that takes into account the differences in the number of buyers, sellers, products sold, and prices charged. There are two extreme forms of market competitive conditions; namely, perfectly competitive and imperfectly competitive. The following article provides a clear overview of each type of market competitive structures and provides an explanation of how they are different to one another. What is Perfect Competition? Perfect competition is where the sellers within a market place do not have any distinct advantage over the other sellers since they sell a homogeneous product at similar prices. There are many buyers and sellers, and since the products are very similar in nature there is little competition as the buyer’s needs could be satisfied by the products sold by any seller in the market place. Since there are a large number of sellers each seller will have smaller market share, and it is impossible for one or few sellers to dominate in such a market structure. Perfectly competitive market places also have very low barriers to entry; any seller can enter the market place and start selling the product. Prices are determined by the forces of demand and supply and, therefore, all sellers must conform to a similar price level. Any company that increases the price over competitors will lose market share since the buyer can easily switch to the competitor’s product. What is Imperfect Competition? Imperfect competition as the word suggests is a market structure in which the conditions for perfect competition are not satisfied. This refers to a number of extreme market conditions including monopoly, oligopoly, monopsony, oligopsony and monopolistic competition. Oligopoly refers to a market structure in which a small number of sellers compete with each other and offer a similar product to a large number of buyers. Since the products are so similar in nature, there is intense competition among market players, and high barriers to entry since most new firms may not have the capital, technology to startup. A monopoly is where one firm will control the entire market place, and will hold 100% market share. The firm in a monopoly market will have control over the product, price, features, etc. Such firms usually hold a patented product, proprietary knowledge/technology or holds access to a single important resource. Monospsony is where there are many sellers in the market with just one buyer and oligopsony is where there are a large number of sellers and a small number of buyers. Monopolistic competition is where 2 firms within a market place sell differentiated products that cannot be used as substitutes to each other. Perfect vs Imperfect Competition. Perfect and Imperfectly competitive markets are very different to one another in terms of the different market conditions that need to be satisfied. The main difference is that, in a perfectly competitive market place, the competitive conditions are much less intense, than any other form of imperfect competition. Furthermore, a perfectly competitive market structure is healthier as buyers have enough options to select from and aren’t, therefore, pressured to purchase one / few products and sellers are able to enter/exit as they please, which is opposite to most market conditions within an imperfectly competitive market place. Summary †¢ There are two extreme forms of market competitive conditions; namely, perfectly competitive and imperfectly competitive. †¢ Perfect competition is where the sellers within a market place do not have any distinct advantage over the other sellers since they sell a homogeneous product at similar prices. †¢ Imperfect competition as the word suggests is a market structure in which the conditions for perfect competition are not satisfied. This refers to a number of extreme market conditions including monopoly, oligopoly, monopsony, oligopsony and monopolistic competition. Perfect and monopolistic competitions are both forms of market situations that describe the levels of competition within a market structure. Perfect competition and monopolistic competition are different to each other in that they describe completely different market scenarios that involve differences in prices, levels of competition, number of market players and types of goods sold. The article gives a clear outline of what each type of competition means to market players and consumers and shows their distinct differences. What is Perfect Competition? A market with perfect competition is where there are a very large number of buyers and sellers who are buying and selling an identical product. Since the product is identical in all its features, the price charged by all sellers is a uniform price. Economic theory describes market players in a perfect competition market as not being large enough by themselves to be able to become a market leader or to set prices. Since the products sold and prices set are identical, there are no barriers to entry or exit within such a market place. The existence of such perfect markets are quite rare in the real world, and the perfectly competitive marketplace is a formation of economic theory to help better understand other forms of market competition such as monopolistic and oligopolistic. What is Monopolistic Competition? A monopolistic market is one where there are a large number of buyers but a very few number of sellers. The players in these types of markets sell goods which are different to each other and, therefore, are able to charge different prices depending on the value of the product that is offered to the market. In a monopolistic competition situation, since there are only a few number of sellers, one larger seller controls the market, and therefore, has control over prices, quality and product features. However, such a monopoly is said to last only within the short run, as such market power tends to disappear in the long run as new firms enter the market creating a need for cheaper products. What is the difference between Perfect Competition and Monopolistic Competition? Perfect and monopolistic competition marketplaces have similar objectives of trading which is maximizing profitability and avoid making losses. However, the market dynamics between these two forms of markets are quite distinct. Monopolistic competition describes an imperfect market structure quite opposite to perfect competition. Perfect competition explains an economic theory of a marketplace which does not happen to exist in reality. Summary: Perfect Competition vs Monopolistic Competition Perfect and monopolistic competitions are both forms of market situations that describe the levels of competition within a market structure. A market with perfect competition is where there are a very large number of buyers and sellers who are buying and selling an identical product. A monopolistic market is one where there are a large number of buyers but a very few number of sellers. The players in these types of markets sell goods which are different to each other, and therefore, are able to charge different prices. Monopolistic competition describes an imperfect market structure quite opposite to perfect competition. Perfect competition explains an economic theory of a marketplace which does not happen to exist in reality.