Freedom Road Term Paper Essay

Howard Fast, the author of the book Freedom Road, was born on November 11, 1914 and died at the age of 89 on March 12, 2003. Fast lived a long and adventurous life. A few of the things he did throughout his lifetime were; joining the American Communist party in 1943, serving a prison term in 1950 for refusing to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities, and his books were purged from American school libraries. On the other hand some of the positive things that happened in his life was that in 1953, he was rewarded the Stalin Peace Prize and in June of 1937 he married his first wife, Bette Cohen. In adjunction with his adventurous lifestyle, Fast spent most of his time writing. He wrote seven works of nonfiction, two autobiographies, fifty-two novels, five short stories one essay, and seven Masao Masuto Mysteries under the Penn name E.V. Cunningham. As well as writing, he created two films based off novels. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Fast) In the book Freedom Road, Howard Fast tells a fictional story based off the true events that occurred during the Constitutional Convention. The beginning of the book does not start the way most books start. This novel starts by talking about the main character, Gideon, as if we are supposed to know who he is. At first, this is confusing but after a couple of pages, you catch on and start to understand a lot easier. The first thing we are told about in the book is how all of the freed men from the small town of Charleston, had left a few weeks back to go vote. However, neither the town nor the men who left knew what voting actually was. Not knowing what voting was, made everyone who stayed in town very nervous and worried, they were not sure whether or not those men would be coming home or not. Therefore, when they men were spotted walking back into town everyone was extremely excited and could not wait to hear all about this voting thing. However, it seemed that none of the men were really talking, until one of them tells the town that they have some big news to share with everyone. Thus far, into the book, we have yet to hear from the main character, and we have actually been reading from his wives point of view. Once the returning men started talking, the book transitions from the wives point of view to Gideon’s, and that is when things start to pick up. We learn that the men’s big news is the fact that Gideon was elected to be a delegate. Because of his prowess in battle, the other ex-slaves looked to him as their leader in peacetime, but he was an uneducated man who felt himself unsuited for leadership. Yet knowing that his people wanted and needed him, he was determined to make himself fit into the pattern their hopes had cut out for him. However, none of them truly knew what a delegate was or what exactly a delegate did. The only thing they really knew was the Gideon would be receiving a letter once all the votes were counted to tell him if he had won the election. Several months go past in the book and nothing happens, no one in the town hears anything about Gideon being elected. Then one day, the postal man comes around and hands Gideon the letter that he had been waiting for. At this point in the book, we find out how afraid he is to go to Charleston because he is a â€Å"nigger.† He feels as though he is not very smart. He does not want to go â€Å"to city full of white houses†¦ full of white folks making fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 16-17). So in order to help him overcome that fear Brother Peter tells him the people need a leader and because of how strong Gideon is physically and mentally, he was chosen to represent them. Because of Brother Peter, Gideon decides to go to Charleston. When he arrives in Charles and he realizes that, he has no money and no place to sleep, so he ends up sleeping under a hay barrel for the first night. It is the next morning when Gideon is offered a couple of cents for some physical labor, he reluctantly accepts the job realizing that he has no other option but to. Because of that money he is able to rent a room for the nights he will be at the convention, buy some food, and clothes that will look appropriate for the convention. Moreover, this is when we start getting into the convention. For the first couple of days Gideon was determined not to speak at the convention, in fear of making a fool of himself in front of all the educated white folk. Yet one day he is outraged and just cannot help himself, he gets up and speaks. Nevertheless, he was still embarrassed that he could not find the right words for what he was saying and for the fact that he sounded very uneducated compared to some of the rest. However when he was given some books that taught him how to read and speak properly, he began to speak out more and voice his opinion. To his surprise he was heard, people started to listen to what he was saying, and even siding with him. Fast explains that the Constitutional Convention worked because, though neither black nor poor whites were overly fond of each other, both realized they had a common enemy in a planter group. With the help of Gideon’s voice, and many others they fought against the planter group. The fought for a system of public schools, the abolition of imprisonment for debt, a simple and fair divorce law, a statute making it impossible for a wife’s property to be sold in settlement of her husband’s debts, and a measure for universal suffrage – which, came as close as man had ever come to giving women a break and land. Even though he fought for all of these things, the most important ones for Gideon were fair and equal education, and lan d. Throughout his time at the convention lets his wife slip away from him and stands by while a white northerner helps Gideon’s oldest son, Jeff, through medical school in Scotland; there was no medical school in America free enough from prejudice to accept him. Gideon loses site at what he loves the most in his life, and lets them all slip away because freedom seems more important than family. Some of the themes of this book are love and understanding, vigilance and perseverance, and hope. The reason why I say that a theme is love and understanding is because in the beginning of the book we hear about how his wife has stayed by his side through thick and thin. She waited for him though the war that he willingly signed up to go fight for. She let him go vote because she realized that even though no one knew exactly what it was, it was something of importance to her husband. In addition, though she has just gotten her husband back and did not want him to leave again; she understoo d that this was something that he needed to do. She stood by his side, maybe not physically but mentally, throughout the entirety of the convention. Although this theme is not a main theme in the book, I think that it is a rather important one. The other theme I had mentioned was vigilance and perseverance. I believe these two themes are the main themes of the book, because everyone in this book is persevering in one way or another. Brother Peter insists that Gideon goes to the convention. Everyone at the convention is pushing for exactly what it is that they want written down, and his son is moving to a land unknown to him for an education that he cannot receive where he is. The last theme I had mentioned was hope. I believe that hope is the most predominant theme throughout the book, because every single person has hope. In the beginning, the town and the men who left were hoping that this voting thing was not going to get them killed. Gideon’s wife hoped that he would not leave her again, and when he did, she hoped that he would be okay and that she would get to see him again. The people of the convention all held on to the hope that what they say and what they want will be written down into a law. Then we have Gideon himself, he has hope that he will be able to read, write and give all freed slaves the right to an education. The theme of hope plays repeatedly throughout the story. All of the stories characters played a large role in the book, everyone influenced the book in one way or another, but a few of the characters that stood out to me are Brother Peter, Gideon, and Cardozo. The first character that really stands out to me is Brother Peter. I think the fact that he did not stand up and ask people to vote for him, as a delegate was a selfless act. All of the people in town look up to him and ask him for advice, they would have easily voted for him as they did Gideon, but brother Peter knew that Gideon would have more to learn from being a delegate than he would. Brother Peter also knew that Gideon would have more of a fight in him than he would. I th ink the reason why Brother Peter was so pushy about Gideon going to the convention was that he knew that Gideon would get things done. The other character that stands out to me is Gideon. Gideon starts in the beginning of the book being illiterate, but pushes though the struggle of learning how to read and write by himself. He also struggles with the fact that he is poor and does not measure up to some of the other people in the convention. Gideon fights for education and freedom so much that he lets go of everything that he truly loves. He lets his wife slip away and his son leaves. He forgets that he has people waiting for him back home. Even though I hate that he loses sight of the place he came from and his family, he over comes many struggles and fights to achieve his goals. The other character that stands out to me is Cardozo. Cardozo is the first person at the convention that comes up and talks to Gideon. I like the way Cardozo sees things differently, he is a black man that has been free all his life, got an education, socialized around white people his entire life. Therefore, when he first talks to Gideon he wants him to explain why black people should have en education. Once Gideon explains himself Cardozo understands, and helps Gideon as much as he can. He introduces him to all the right people, he supports him in the convention, and most of all he gave Gideon books that taught him how to read and write. He gave Gideon what he had come to fight for. I think it takes very kindhearted people to stand by someone who cannot even form the words to fight by themselves. Before I actually started reading this story, I thought it was going to be another extremely boring history book, however once I started I could not put it down. The way this story was written was fabulous. The way Fast incorporated Gideon’s thoughts, his writing and speaking was interesting. I loved that the real facts of what happened during that time was not just thrown in our faces, it was mixed into the fictional story that kept you interested. I think the way that we are lead through the past so effortlessly was a fascinating way to keep reader interested. I like the way Fast incorporated all the different kinds of people at the convention. In the story, the laws of freedom, education, and land would not have got through without the black folks and poor white folks being there. I think the way Fast portrayed Gideon, as a strong illiterate freedman was a great way to grab the reader’s attention and walk us through the past in a wonderful way. I think the only thing that Fast is really missing is more of Gideon speaking. Fast does an excellent narration of illiterate folks, but he does not do enough of it. Overall, this book was great, I will most likely be keeping it, and not reselling it so I can re-read it repeatedly.

Gathering and Evaluating Sources

Associate Program Material Appendix E Strategies for Gathering and Evaluating Sources |Source |What makes the source credible or what does not make it |Explain in at least two to four | | |credible? Consider the following when addressing the |sentences what information you can | | |source: |gather from this source? | | | | | |What is the author’s affiliation to any organization | | | |related to the subject of the article? Does he or she have| | | |an ulterior motive? | | | | | | |What is the author’s experience with the subject, | | | |including academic or professional credentials related to | | | |the subject of the source article? Does she or he have | | | |what it takes to understand the complexities of the | | | |subject? | | | | | | |Does this article report on information that the author | | | |experienced personally, or is it a summary or retelling of| | | |information from other sources? How close is the author to| | | the actual information? | | | | | | | |Is the information current? When was the information | | | |published or last updated? Might there be resources with | | | |more current information? | | | | | | |In general, does the information in the source article | | | |match the information found in other sources? Or is the | | | |information different or unique? Can this information be | | | |confirmed by more sources than just this one? | | | | | | | |Does the source make any claims without having evidence to| | | |support them? | |Source name |What makes this source credible is that the author |The information that I can gather | |Modernismo and Modernization. |questions some of the central assumptions of cultural |from this source is the past | |Authors: Mazzucchelli, Aldo; |studies and looks for the proof or evidence that supports |traditions and costumes. This source| |Novel: A Forun on Fiction |the facts. The author has an articulate approach to |will give me a more in depth look on | | |current discussion of elements of modernity-material, |how or in what aspects has the | | |technological and cultural objects, which the author |traditions changed and the | | |presents both sides of the subject. This source is not up|modernization of Spanish America. | |to date it was published in 2006, it is however the most | | | |recent article I could locate. | | |Source name |This is one of my favorite sources because it is not bias |This source has everything that I | |Everybody’s HERITAGE. |but it does contain opinions but they are backed with |want to include in my paper from the | |Authour: Dahlson,Conrad |evidence and facts. This source is not up to date but it |food to the religion to the arts and | |Source: Hispanic, sep2005, vol. 18|does have important information in it that has lead to the|music This source will give me | |Issue 9, |changes in Latino or Spanish culture. |information about the food, music, | | | |holidays and other aspects of the | | | |religious beliefs. | | | | | | | | |Source name |I find this online source to be credible by the amount of |This is one of my most recent sources| |http://ohioline. osu. edu/hyg-fact/5|research that has been done. I have researched the |that will include up to date facts | |000/5237. tml |references that this cites lists on the reference page and|and information on the Spanish | | |the facts have the right amount of evidence. The sources |culture. I will be able to find | | |that were used to create the page are form government |information about this cultures | | |websites and articles that have been published. family value, rituals and religious | | | |preferences, eating habits and | | | |celebrations and holidays. | | | | | | | | |Source name |The Americano is an online source that offers a top source|This source will give me the | |http://theamericano. com/2009/08/27|for Hispanic news and commentary. The article that I am |information of what aspects of the | |/hispanic-influence-in-the-united-|using was last updated in 2009. This source has a lot of |Spanish culture have influenced the | |states/ |statistics and has credible sources that have been |United States. This site also gives | | |researched. The website also offers up to date news from |information on architectural | | |all over the world. |influences as well as political | | | |influences. | | | | | | | | |Source name | | | | | | | | | | | |Source name | | | | | | | | | | |

Standard Deviation and Cumulative Frequency

Statistics-1 1. One thousand candidates sit an examination. The distribution of marks is shown in the following grouped frequency table. Marks|1–10|11–20|21–30|31–40|41–50|51–60|61–70|71–80|81–90|91–100| Number of candidates|15|50|100|170|260|220|90|45|30|20| (a)Copy and complete the following table, which presents the above data as a cumulative frequency distribution. (3) Mark|? 10|? 20|? 30|? 40|? 50|? 60|? 70|? 80|? 90|? 100| Number of candidates|15|65|||||905|||| b)Draw a cumulative frequency graph of the distribution, using a scale of 1 cm for 100 candidates on the vertical axis and 1 cm for 10 marks on the horizontal axis. (5) (c)Use your graph to answer parts (i)–(iii) below, (i)Find an estimate for the median score. (2) (ii)Candidates who scored less than 35 were required to retake the examination. How many candidates had to retake? (3) (iii)The highest-scoring 15% of candidates were awarded a distin ction. Find the mark above which a distinction was awarded. (3) Total 16 marks) 2. At a conference of 100 mathematicians there are 72 men and 28 women. The men have a mean height of 1. 79 m and the women have a mean height of 1. 62 m. Find the mean height of the 100 mathematicians. (Total 4 marks) 3. The mean of the population x1, x2, †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. , x25 is m. Given that = 300 and = 625, find (a)the value of m; (b)the standard deviation of the population. (Total 4 marks) 4. A supermarket records the amount of money d spent by customers in their store during a busy period.The results are as follows: Money in $ (d)|0–20|20–40|40–60|60–80|80–100|100–120|120–140| Number of customers (n)|24|16|22|40|18|10|4| (a)Find an estimate for the mean amount of money spent by the customers, giving your answer to the nearest dollar ($). (2) (b)Copy and complete the following cumulative frequency table and use it to draw a cumulative frequency graph . Use a scale of 2 cm to represent $20 on the horizontal axis, and 2 cm to represent 20 customers on the vertical axis. (5) Money in $ (d)|

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Project closurecompleted projects vs. terminated projects Assignment

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Luxury Good and Burberry Essay Example for Free

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The reposition included †¢A highly distinctive advertising campaign. †¢A change of name from Burberrys to Burberry †¢A strong in house design team and the launch of Prorsum †¢Closure of unprofitable and non-core retail stores in Europe †¢Opening a new flagship store in London- New Bond street †¢Elimination of inappropriate wholesale accounts including the termination of distribution to known parallel traders; †¢Upgrading of the international Burberry London product range, including the restructuring of its sourcing and pricing, and the elimination of unnecessary product variation. 3. 2. 3Competition Burberry competitors are primarily in the Apparel Accessories Retail industry. Burberry also competes in the Cosmetics, Beauty Supply Perfume Retail, and Apparel sectors. Challenges facing Burberry today include increasing competition in the luxury goods sector. Companies such as Barbour are making progress in areas dominant by Burberry. As time continues the new companies of today are becoming brands of tomorrow and the luxury market is becoming highly competitive. Principal Competitors: In competition with Burberry there are a lot of companies like House of Fraser plc; Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Coach, Gucci. Burberry is wedged between lifestyle represented by Ralph Lauren and fashion represented by Gucci. Burrberry has effectively addressed competition by placing itself carefully so as to avoid direct competition but complicating the issue was the fact that burberry’s brand positioning placed it in indirect competition with both lifestyle brands and fashion brands. 3. 2. 4integrated market channels People use different channels for different reasons. Internet users bought products from a retailer’s offline store after viewing them on the seller’s Website. † Additionally, experience shows that television support for a direct marketing campaign can improve direct marketing response rates significantly. Each channel influences the others. Burberry operates e-commerce and other channels in the United States and across 26 European countries. Multiple channels converge into a unified user experience, if channels fail to offer a unified voice, look, and feel, Burberry may disappoint or frustrate customers. A multichannel user expects an integrated experience across all touch points with a brand or information source, and delivering on this expectation is the challenge for Burberry. This situation is more complicated by the presence of Burberry all around the globe. Till now Burberry effectively addressed integrated market channels. 3. 2. 5Price strategy Prices had been raised to reflect the Burberry’s new brand positioning. Serving a niche market sandwiched between labels like Polo Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani in apparels, and between Coach and Gucci in accessories. Burberry offered lower-priced labels for younger and fashion-conscious customer. At high end, Burberry offered the label Prorsum as a way to reinforce Burberrys positioning in the luxury brand. 3. 2. 6Retailing Burberry’s retail distribution is through DOS (comprising flagship and regular price stores), concession, designer outlets and factory shops. The flagship store are important since they act as a showcase for the brand creating a sense of theater through Burberry can promote a lifestyle and its product ranges . The store are also used to trial new products and concepts, and they carry exclusive lines. Burberry flagship stores are normally require upwards of 10,000 square feet of space and are specifically located in exclusive areas of key cities around the world like London, Tokyo , Barcelona , new York etc. A part of its repositioning a number of stores were closed , renovated or relocated according to image and performance. Burberry continues to move from a relatively static, traditional, wholesale structure to a more dynamic, retail culture and mindset. Burberry became more consumer-centric, responsive organization. This move positively impacted on directly operated stores, franchise partners, wholesale customers and licensing partners worldwide. 3. 2. 7Wholesaling The Wholesale channel includes independent retailers. The wholesale customer include leading department stores and specialty store , including duty free retailers and free standing Burberry store operated by wholesale customers. Burberry selects wholesale customer on the basis of reputation and market positioning. It also works with wholesale customers on a store by store basis to ensure the right product mix. Burberry effectively came out of parallel trading and deteriorated quality in wholesaling under the leadership of Bravo. 3. 2. 8Logistics Through concentration on operational activities, such as replenishment, planning, merchandising, fixturing and visual, Burberry continues to drive store productivity. In addition, Burberry has developed and piloted a sales and service programme which will be implemented globally in retail stores. 3. 2. 9Advertising Burberry believes that its active marketing and management of the brand has been critical to its success. Marketing initiative like advertising and fashion shows and editorial placements are intended to generate editorial coverage and achieve a high profile and consistent visibility in in domestic and international markets. The advertising has articulate the brand values through innovative visuals that have helped formulate a merchandise strategy and provided inspiration for what Burberry could stand for in a contemporary market. In common with most luxury brands where average advertising spend is as high as 10 percentage of sale, Burberry sees advertising as key in strengthening its brand and image. In 1998 the company began its successful advertising strategy to re-launch and reposition its brand. It hired advertising agency Baron Baron and celebrity photographer Mario Testino, whose work had appeared in Vogue, The face, and Vanity Fair, using model Kate moss and Stella Tennant, among others, to inject contemporary sophistication and excitement into what had become a tired traditional brand. Mario Testino helped to visualize the brand. Kate moss has arguably been the most high profile face associated with the campaign, although other celebrities have been involved in the publicity. The powerful black and white images of Moss in bikini were key in capturing the attention and imagination of public. 3. 2. 10Direct marketing Burberry uses the following direct marketing channels. 1. Burberry collects certain personal information from customer for example, name, postal address, phone numbers, e-mail addresses. They use this information to manage customer’s account with them and to provide you with information about our products. Burberry sometimes ask for other details, for example product size and category preferences, age and any special dates (such as birthday and anniversary) which will be used to enhance our service. 2. Email updates and news on Burberry collections and on-line exclusives 3. Wishlist creation for Burberry products. Burberry is effectively utilizing above channales but they can expand more in this are using catalogue, telemarketing and directTV. 3. 2. 11Product strategy From a simple raincoat to a global brand, Burberry has become one of the worlds most successful luxury brands today for men, women, and children, encompassing not only outerwear, but clothing, fragrances, accessories and items for the home. Today Burberry has become an icon. It is a brand with a distinctive British sensibility, strong international recognition and differentiating brand values that resonate across a multi-generational and dual-gender audience. Burberry revitalized its brand by developing the long term effective product strategy. The steps Burberry took to revitalize itself are †¢Consistent projection of Burberrys distinctive luxury message across all mediums is a core objective. †¢Celebrity Endorsement †¢Effective Advertising †¢More Selective Distribution †¢Placement of Advertisement in Exclusive Channels e. g. Fashion show †¢Market penetration and invest in product development †¢Flow frequency: Increasing the frequency of flow of new products to Burberry’s stores. †¢Replenishment: Developing a more extensive and responsive replenishment programme in all product divisions, while evolving in-store visual merchandising and processes to support. †¢Continue to represent British culture, history and tradition 3. 2. 12International marketing Asia represents significant growth opportunities for Burberry as it does for other luxary brands. Japan is the Burberry’s most advance consumer market in asia and its initial point of entry into the region having been there operating there since 1920 brands. The core Burberry men’s and women’s lines have been extended to more fashion forward youth oriented collections – Blue label for women and Black Label for men – both aimed at the under-25 age group. This group has proved particularly receptive to the Prorsum international runway collection. Outside the japan, Burberry has consolidated its distribution in Hong Kong, Singapore and korea. It has new childrens wear business in korea, has opened new prestige stores in hong-kong and undertaken new market initiatives in Singapore Upgrading store image. The Group continues to renovate high profile locations worldwide with a brighter, modern aesthetic and more efficient and productive design concept. In 2008/09, Burberry achieved a 50% increase in revenue from key emerging economies including China, the Middle East, Russia and India. These markets now contribute 9% of sales, up from 6% in 2007/08. Historically, Burberry has operated in these markets through local partners who possess the specific knowledge and resources required to develop the brand in their respective regions. In September 2008, Burberry entered a joint venture with its main partner in the Middle East to manage retail and wholesale operations in certain key markets. Since inception, Burberry Middle East has opened four stores, including two standalone childrenswear stores. Burberry continues to open stores with franchise partners in other markets, with a net eight stores opening last year, including a net two in China and the first significant stores in India.

Innovation in Food Technology

Innovation in Food Technology Nowadays the there various kind of issues that arroused in our country, Malaysia and most probably the issues strongly related to the food industry. For my essay, i will focus on the issue of innovation in food technology by the used of biotechnology. In order to produce healthy food formulation at the same time nutritious food, various  traditional food technologies have been advanced and new technologies developed efficeintly. Recently, there is an important aspect of innovation in food technology in order to translate nutrition information into a product. (Deliza, Rosenthal Silva, 2003). The issue of innovation in food technology very aspire me to develop more on it because I have found one article from the The Star online newspaper which regarding the improving on food quality. Accoding to that article the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus is developing new technologies aimed at ensuring the food that we grow is nutritious and safe for consumption. In fact, the Centre of Excellent for Post-Harvest Biotechnology (CEPB) led by Dr Asgar Ali who is expert in post-harvest biology and technology said that. the purpose of the centre is creating new technologies that could decreasing food looses, increasing overall quality and safety of the food. The major reason is to increase the profit to marketers and growers and the make availability of the quality and nutritious food to consumers. Biotechnology uses biological systems, living organisms, or components of organisms to make or modify products or processes for specific uses. For centuries farmers have improved crop plants by traditional breeding techniques, but since thousands of genes are mixed every time two plants are crossed, the outcome of the cross-breeding is random and difficult to control because unwanted characteristics are passed on to the new crop along with the desired ones. Therefore, this traditional cross-breeding can take place only between closely-related species. Modern crop breeders, however, can select a specific genetic trait from any plant, or even from an animal source, and transfer it into the genetic code of another plant through modern biotechnology. In addition, Some people feel that the effects of Genetically Modified (GM) crops on human health are not yet adequately understood. There are concerns about the use of viral DNA during the modification process, and some question whether there would be new health risks if genes introduced in a GM crop were to be taken up by the human body. The safety of GM crops is often assessed by comparison with the closest conventional counterpart. All in all, the main issue regarding biotechnology in food production is whether genetically modified technologies is safe to consume and it is still to be resolved even after the enactment of the Biosafety Act 2007 (Phuoc, 2012) This issue give the big impact on the social, economic and political factors. In a modern society, people desire both good health and endurance and hence demand nutritious and functional food that promotes their wellbeing, enjoyment, and active lifestyle. Today, there are widely used of biotechnology in food production and we as a consumer does not know whether the food that we consume is safe to consume or not. Basically, biotechnology can contribute to future food security if it benefits sustainable small-farm agriculture in developing countries. Significant deviation exists in everyones opinions about biotechnology. Although there is wide support in health benefits for plant biotechnology, but still have differ views on the issue of animal genetics for economic gains. While some are conflicting to it, many are unsolve about genetically modified foods. There are concerns that the application of GM crops might direct to a reduction in biodiversity (the variety of plants and animals in the wild), Mainly in areas where the crop is originated and a broad range of natural genetic diversification is found. There might also be unexpected consequences of gene transfer (or gene flow) between plants, for example an irretrievable or uncontrollable escape of genes into neighbouring wild plants by pollen. The concern arise regarding that pests or weeds could acquire resistance to crops (Anonymous 2, 2003). The other effect to the social is regarding the human health towards this issue. Allergenicity, many children in the United State and Europe have suffurred from life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. There is a high possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new  allergen  or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. Therefore, a proposal to integrate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans was deserted in order to avoid unexpected allergic reactions. There is a growing concern that introducing foreign genes into food plants may have an unexpected and negative impact on human health. A recent article published in Lancet examined the effects of GM potatoes on the digestive tract in rats.. There were significant differences in the intestines of rats fed GM potatoes and rats fed normal potatoes Yet critics say that this paper, like the monarch butterfly data, is flawed and does not hold up to scientific analysis. Moreover, the gene inserted into the potatoes known as snowdrop flower lectin and this substances can cause toxic to mammals. Biotechnology may offer a way out of this dependence on unsustainable agriculture by eventually producing crop plants that enable agriculture to sustain yields but minimize environmental impacts. But the perception in Europe is that some of the present generation of genetically modified (GM) crops, especially those developed for the US agricultural situation, which are herbicide- tolerant and insect-resistant, may present yet further risks to biodiversity in our present intensive agricultural system. Instead of influencing social, the biotechnology in food also will affect the economic as well by bringing a GM food to market is a lengthy and costly process, and of course agri-biotech companies wish to ensure a profitable return on their investment. Many new plant genetic engineering technologies and GM plants have been patented, and patent infringement is a big concern of agribusiness (Whitman, 2000) . Yet consumer advocates are worried that patenting these new plant varieties will raise the price of seeds so high that small farmers and third world countries will not be able to afford seeds for GM crops, thus widening the gap between the wealthy and the poor. It is hoped that in a humanitarian gesture, more companies and non-profits will follow the lead of the Rockefeller Foundation and offer their products at reduced cost to impoverished nations. Patent enforcement may also be difficult, as the contention of the farmers that they involuntarily grew Monsanto-engineered strains when their crops were cross-pollinated shows. One way to combat possible patent infringement is to introduce a suicide gene into GM plants. These plants would be viable for only one growing season and would produce sterile seeds that do not germinate. Farmers would need to buy a fresh supply of seeds each year. However, this would be financially disastrous for farmers in third world countries who cannot afford to buy seed each year and traditionally set aside a portion of their harvest to plant in the next growing season. In an open letter to the public, Monsanto has pledged to abandon all research using this suicide gene technology (Whitman, 2000). The last implication regarding political factors. To date, there is no evidence that any harm has come to anyone of the millions of people around the world in the last decade who have eaten foods derived from biotechnology. Regulatory authorities in the region closely monitor the safety of all foods including foods produced through biotechnology. The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization have established procedures to determine the safety of biotechnology products and these procedures are met or exceeded by regulatory systems around the world. Countries such as the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Korea, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Romania and the European. Union have all used their regulatory process to determine the food safety of at least one product of biotechnology. Developments in food biotechnology have had numerous impacts on how food is produced, packaged, tested and preserved as whole it give big impact to the food industry. Many of the changes have meant undisputable improvements to our safety and health, while others are more controversial. For example, by using the biotechnology in food processing in where plastic wraps that  prevent food from spoiling  inhibit the growth of bacteria, and some are even edible. Natural antibiotic substances derived from sources such as cloves, oregano, thyme and paprika have been combined with controlled-release biodegradable polymers (smart polymers) to create plastics that can prevent biofilm formation resulting high quality of food products in the market. In the area of food manufacturing, the use of biotechnology falls into four main categories, namely: 1) foods consisting of or containing viable organisms; 2) foods obtained from or containing ingredients obtained from GMOs; 3) foods containing single ingredients or additives produced by genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs); and 4) foods containing ingredients processed by enzymes produced by GMMs (Hsieh and Ofori, 2007). The food industry plays a vital role in shaping consumers attitudes and appetite for new food items. This is particularly true for the products developed with biotechnology. Opponents have waged an aggressive campaign to pressure the industry into publicly rejecting biotechnology. In such cases, companies have been forced to take steps against their own beliefs and long- term interests (Thomas, 2000). Their main concerns involve lack of consumer acceptance not the safety of the foods. They express high levels of confidence in the science and the regulatory process. In fact, almost none feel that biotechnology should not be used because of uncertain, potential risks. Most food industry leaders do not feel it is necessary to have special labels on foods developed through biotechnology. They express concerns that such labels would be perceived as a warning by consumers. They also worried that the need to segregate commodities would pose financial and logistical burdens on everyone in the system including consumers. Food industry leaders recognize a major need to educate the public about biotechnology. They look to third parties, such as university and government scientists to provide such leadership. Many solutions that could be done to make sure that the isssue regarding biotechnology in food can be overcome. From my point of view, one of the best way is extensive testing of GM foods may be required to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers with food allergies. Plus, labeling of GM foods and food products will acquire new importance. According to Whitman (2000) , Labeling of GM foods and food products is also a contentious issue. On the whole, agribusiness industries believe that labeling should be voluntary and influenced by the demands of the free market. If consumers show preference for labeled foods over nonlabeled foods, then industry will have the incentive to regulate itself or risk alienating the customer. Consumer interest groups, on the other hand, are demanding mandatory labeling. People have the right to know what they are eating, argue the interest groups, and historically industry has proven itself to be unreliable at self-compliance with existing safety regula tions. preventing outcrossing by engineering pollen incompatibility and other mechanisms into crops. This could significantly reduce the risk of spread of GM traits into native species. On the other hand, achieving insect resistance by altering physical characteristics of plants, perhaps by increasing hairiness or thickening the plant cuticle. This could reduce insecticide use, without using in-plant toxins. Securing fungal resistance in adult plants by switching on resistance genes that are active in the seed, but not currently in adult plants.This seems to be an elegant and safe use of biotechnology which could lead to significant reductions in fungicide use. Research shows that consumers will accept biotech foods if they see a benefit to themselves or society and if the price is right. Their responses to foods developed through biotechnology are basically the same as for any other food: taste, nutrition, price, safety and convenience are the major factors that influence our decisions about which foods to eat. How seeds and food ingredients are developed will only be relevant for a relatively small group of concerned, consumers. The food industry needs to focus on what it does best: namely producing and distributing value added foods that consumers want. Given that we have only one planet, more people to feed and fewer resources available what shall we do? A smart way would be to use the tools we have at our disposal to better adapt to future changes and invest in those innovative solutions. We have the technology. We have the infrastructure. The rules and regulations are already in place. Must we have a crisis before we act in Europe?

Watson’s Caring theory (2008) for Elderly Care

Watson’s Caring theory (2008) for Elderly Care Aging is a natural part of human life. With modern technologies and medical innovations the society has been able to prolong life and thus increase the number of older adults in the society. Normal part of aging are inevitable physiological and psychological changes which need to be understood and addressed by nurses in order to provide appropriate care for older adults. Presenting patient’s description with appropriate data, I will utilize Watson’s Caring theory (2008) to assess the lower order need of activity-inactivity relative to this older adult patient cared for in the hospitalized environment. The integration of theory, research and best practice guidelines will be used to plan nursing interventions and strategies to meet the health needs of older adults in health care. Watson’s (2008) fourth caritas process of developing and sustaining a helping-trusting caring relationship will be used to describe the nursing implementations which were utilized in provi ding safe and competent care for older adult. Mr. X is 84 years old. He was admitted to the hospital on January 4, 2014 due to hematuria in his urine and a suspected Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). After the admission, he was sent for a CT scan, which confirmed Mr. X’s TIA in his right hemisphere. On January 5, 2014 Mr. X was transferred to CP1, an acute care stroke unit. His first TIA episode had been on August 28, 2012. His comorbidities include hypertension and type II diabetes. His activities are limited to bed rest as he has risk of falls; also he is on input-output with a Foley catheter. He has left side weakness and mild facial drooping on the left side. He is alert and oriented; however, he has trouble focusing on many people at one time. His care plan states bed rest, assist with bath, diabetic diet, on intake and output. The vital signs obtained on the morning of January 28, 2014 were 36.7à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ °, 85, 20, 92% and B/P 136/65. Mr. X’s Foley was taken out on January 24, and he was on intermittent ca theterization every six hours. During catheterization the patient’s urine was dark amber with particles, and totalled 519 ml. The patient is on bed rest and can be lifted to sit using the Hoyer lift. Mr. X’s diet is diabetic with 1600 calories and a regular texture; he eats with 50% assistance, and usually finishes half of his entire meal. Mr. X. is a good candidate for motor recovery; however, his baseline cognitive status may affect his ability to participate in the recovery process. Mr. X scores 13/30 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), which indicates moderate cognitive impairment, and 8/30 on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) which also signifies cognitive impairment. In order to be able to provide safe and competent care I had to research the diagnosis of my assigned patient. During the research the high correlation between his comorbidities and TIA was found. Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a transient stroke that lasts only a few minutes, usually when the blood supply to part of the brain is briefly interrupted (Touhy, Freudenberger, Ebersole, Hess, 2012, p. 354). The blood supply interruption is commonly caused by arteriosclerosis, which in Mr. X’s case is potentially caused by his present conditions of type II diabetes and high cholesterol. Type II diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin and the body does not properly use the insulin made (Canadian Diabetes Association, 2012). Mr. X is also a heavy man, which puts him into a high risk category for stroke since the excess weight destabilizes the body’s cardiovascular system. Mr. X’s Foley catheterization was due to stroke and diabete s, since them along or together as comorbidities are associated with urinary incontinence (Touhy et al., 2012, p. 141). In order to provide my patient with safe and competent care I had to maintain the patient in high Fowler’s position during breakfast and lunch to reduces his risk of aspiration and promote effective swallowing (Potter, Perry, Stockert, Hall, 2014, p. 1089). I also had to check for pocketing while I assisted Mr. X with his meal to prevent aspiration. Since Mr. X is assigned on bedrest a head-to-toe skin assessment was carried out with each bed bath to assess for skin break down â€Å"particular attention should be paid to vulnerable areas, especially over bony prominences† (RNAO, 2005, p. 9). In order to prevent the development of ulcers, I repositioned patient every two hours, used pillows to protect bony prominences and heel pressure ulcer guard for extra protection of heels (RNAO, 2005, p.10). Further to ensure the skin integrity, the adult briefs were changed frequently, and the barrier cream was applied to the perennial area. After two weeks the Foley was taken out to see if the patient is able to void by himself and to allow the bladder sphincter to function on its own. The intermittent catheterization to drain residual urine was introduced in order to prevent a UTI, since the â€Å"in-dwelling urinary catheter remains in the bladder for an extended period, making the risk of infection greater than with intermittent catheterization† (Potter et al., 2014, p. 1156). As mentioned previously, on the MoCA Mr. X scored 8/30 which is just above the score of â€Å"0 to 7= severe cognitive impairment† (Touhy et al., 2012, p. 91). Likewise, on the MMSE Mr. X scored 13/30, where the score between 13 and 20 suggests moderate dementia (Touhy et al., 2014, p.92). Consequently, Mr. X is a good candidate for motor recovery; however, his cognitive impairment may affect his ability to participate. One of the lower order needs defined in Watson’s Caring theory (2008) is the activity- inactivity. As Watson’s Caring theory (2008) describes, â€Å"a person’s need for activity-inactivity is fundamental and central to one’s life, as it affects the ability to move about and interact with his or her environment and to control one’s external and internal surrounding† (p. 160). The need for activity-inactivity is strongly connected with the life satisfaction, since the restricted activity puts one into high dependence of the caregiver. While providing care for patients who are limited with ambulation it is necessary for the nurse to remember to preserve patients’ dignity, enabling, and encourage them to perform necessary everyday living activities by themselves. Other psychological factors such as routine repetitiveness while patient is on the bedrest, may result in a functional loss of degree of mental status which may interfere with abi lity to perform and accomplish daily living activities (Gillis MacDonald, 2005, p.17). Mr. X low score on MoCa and MMSE may be a result of prolonged bedrest in which case the mental stimulation is needed to exercise the brain and break through the everyday routine. The possible nursing intervention for mental stimulation would be Snoezelen room, where the patient is exposed to different stimuli such as sounds, lights and colors, music and touch. The Snoezelen room has a potential to improve concentration, attention, mood and provide a necessary stimulation to the central nervous system to preserve balance (Van Weert et al., 2006, p. 658). The other very important factor of activity-inactivity need is the physical factor of muscle atrophy and deconditioning. According to Gillis and MacDonald (2005), â€Å"deconditioning is a complex process of physiological change following a period of inactivity, bedrest or sedentary lifestyle† (p.16). The process of deconditioning affects t he musculoskeletal system, decreasing the muscle strength, leaving the person frail and unable to ambulate on their own. Normal musculoskeletal system changes for older adults include changes such as total muscle mass decrease, increase rigidity of joints, and loss of strength (Touhy et al., 2012, p.76). Even though these changes are not life threatening, they have a potential complication of falls for frail older adults whose health has been compromised to the point where they have to be admitted to the hospital. In order to avoid any further disturbance of the organism and prevent injuries, patients such as Mr. X are placed on the bedrest. According to Kuromoto (1989), â€Å"bedridden or inactive patients require range of motion exercises to maintain joint mobility and muscle flexibility and to minimize contractures that prevent recovery and make care more difficult† (p.283). Therefore, recognizing extensive need of activity-inactivity, I incorporated the range of motion ex ercises into Mr. X’s daily routine. The second nursing intervention for physical activity was the resistance training with elastic band. According to Topp et al. (2003), â€Å"elastic bands exercise [†¦] was designed to improve upper and lower body strength† (p. 155). The third nursing intervention to promote physical activity was the hip-flexion and keen extension exercises while in the wheelchair, both of which are both recommended for older adults in order to increase strength and balance (Topp et al., 2003, p. 157). For additional nursing intervention I encouraged Mr. X to dress by himself, brush his teeth and eat on his own, all these activities helped Mr. X gain confidence in his performance, exercise his muscles on the regular basis. All of the physical exercises where targeted toward muscle strength increase, upon building confidence in strength I would encourage Mr. X to get up of the wheelchair for standing in order to gain balance. If all the interventi ons are successful, further activities would include aerobic walking to improve lower body strength, pedal exercise for muscle strengthening and blood circulation improvement (Grando et al., 2009, p. 13). The advantage of exercise according to Straub, Murphy, and Rosenblum (2008), â€Å"include reduced risk for cardiovascular mortality, improved blood pressure control, better glucose control in those with diabetes, and improved psychological well-being and physical functioning† (p. 470). Body is a multifunctional system where decrease in activity result in multidimensional deteriorations. According to Watson’s Caring theory (2008), â€Å"activity and meaningful work and service through activity bring satisfactory and purposive meaning to life† (p.160). The prolonged bedrest increases the necessity to satisfy the lower order need to activity-inactivity in order to increase patient’s satisfaction with quality of life and potentially reduce the hospital stay . One of Watson’s caritas process (2008) is, â€Å"developing and sustaining a helping-trusting caring relationship† (p.71). Caritas nurse needs to remember that the patient is not just a body that needs to be treated, is it also human-being whose needs go beyond physiological, thus holistic treatment is necessary to addresses physiological as well as psychological needs. Only through this view it is possible to create a â€Å"caring moment†, where nurse and client would develop a meaningful, trusting relationship in order to reach optimal health (Watson, 2008, p. 71). While providing care for the patient I was always engaged into active listening, through which I was able to learn about Mr. X’s past, his favourite activities and the food preference. I learned that Mr. X was active, which helped me understand better the extensive need for activity which Mr. X did not get enough. Using this knowledge I modified and incorporated more physical activities into h is daily routine. I was trying to provide care for the patient at the most comfortable time â€Å"enter into the experience to explore the possibilities in the moment† (Watson, 2008, p.74). One of the Mr. X’s nights was restless and he preferred to rest throughout the morning, I recognized his need and postponed the physical exercise and bed bath until later. I encouraged Mr. X to communicate his expectations of healing process, recognizing client-centered relationship where the patient is actively including into care (CNO, 2009, p.6). Helping-trusting relationship was demonstrated through the non-judgmental attitude, sensitivity and openness. Mr. X disclosed that even though he enjoyed physical activities, his lifestyle was not all healthy; he enjoyed unhealthy foods which contributed to the development of type II diabetes, and after found it hard to follow the diabetic diet. My response to Mr. X was to engage him into teaching of importance to adhere to the diabetic diet, have the consultation with dietician, and referral to the community resources of Canadian Diabetes Association. In order to provide Mr. X with competent care, I needed to gain his trust, which I was able to achieve by preserving Mr. X’s dignity while providing bed bath, allowing him to do as much care as it is possible, exposing only parts of the body that I was working with while washing. In order to be a Caritas nurse, I provided authentic care for Mr. X. by being present in the moment and caring beyond physical needs. Recognizing emotional part of helping-trusting caring relationship, encouraging patient into communication, plan of care development and decision making, I was able to establish and authentic caring relationship, where patient and I where equal participants in establishing healing environment. In order to be able to care for older adult nurses need to understand the special needs associated with aging, the comorbidities of their patient and how they are interrelated. Extensive research of patient’s history will enable the nurse to provide safe and competent care. Utilizing Watson’s Caring Theory (2008) and the lower-order needs into plan of care development will help prioritize care in order to assist individual with maximize life satisfaction. Recognizing oneself as the Caritas nurse and utilizing Watson’s caritas processes will help develop authentic caring relationship with your client to promote holistic healing and overall well-being. References: College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). (2009). Practice Guideline: Therapeutic Nurse Client Relationship, Revised 2006. Retrieved from http://www.cno.org/Global/docs/prac/41033_Therapeutic.pdf Gillis, A., MacDonald, B. (2005). Deconditioning in the hospitalized elderly. The Canadian Nurse, 101(6), 16-20. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/232082245?accountid=14694 Grando, V.T., Buckwalter, K.C, Maas, M.L, Brown, M., Rantz, M. J., Conn, V.S. (2009). A trial of a comprehensive nursing rehabilitation program for nursing home residents post-hospitalization. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 2(1), 12-19. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/194680830?accountid=14694 Kuramoto, A. (1998). Passive range of motion. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 29(6), 283. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/223326722?accountid=14694 Potter, P., Perry, A., Stockert, P., Hall, A. (2014). Canadian fundamentals of nursing (J.C. Ross-Kerr M.J. Wood (Eds.) (8th ed.). Toronto: Mosby Inc. Retrieved from http://evolve.elsevier.com/staticPages/i_index.html Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO). (2005). Best practice guideline (BPG): Nursing Best Practice Guideline Risk Assessment Prevention of Pressure Ulcers. Retrieved from http://rnao.ca/sites/rnao-ca/files/Risk_Assessment_and_Prevention_of_Pressure_Ulcers.pdf Straub, C. K., Murphy, S. O., Rosenblum, R. (2008). Exercise in the management of fatigue in patients on peritoneal dialysis. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 35(5), 469-75. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/216532425?accountid=14694 Topp, R., Sobolewski, J., Boardley, D., Morgan, A. L., Fahlman, M., McNevin, N. (2003). Rehabilitation of a functionally limited, chronically ill older adult: A case study. Rehabilitation Nursing, 28(5), 154-158. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/218288022?accountid=14694 Touhy, T.A., Freudenberger J.K., Ebersole, P., Hess, P.A. (2012). Ebersole Hess toward healthy aging: human needs nursing response. Toronto: Mosby Inc. Retrieved from http://evolve.elsevier.com/staticPages/i_index.html Van Weert, J.C., Janssesn, B.M., Van Dulmen, A.M., Spreeuwenberg, P. M., Bensing, J.M., Ribbe, M.W. (2006). Nursing assistants behavior during morning care: Effects of the implementation of Snoezelen, integrated in 24-hour dementia care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 53(6), 656-668. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/232496456?accountid=14694 Watson, J. (2008). Nursing. The Philosophy and Science of Caring. Revised Updated Edition. Boulder: University Press of Colorado.

Essay --

1.3 Rationale for Research Topic Employee engagement is a relatively new concept which has been heavily marketed and publicised by management consultancies. The reason for this is because many of these management consultancy firms suggest that employee engagement can affect the bottom line, increase business performance, profitability and customer service Macey & Schieder (2008 P:). Increasing levels of engagement is becoming more important to an organisation because the outcome of employee engagement has been reported to correlate with performance. The CIPD through their research into employee engagement have identified that engaged employees are more likely to deliver business performance (CIPD 2010) Research into engagement has unveiled that individuals who are engaged are more likely to show enthusiasm for the work they do, show willingness to do well and are likely to be engaged by the values of the organisation. To understand what this can look like engagement can be determined by measuring its characteristic (vigor, dedication and absorption) and when measured can be found to be positively related to an individual’s job performance (Bakker et al 2008) Although ‘engagement' can be seen as a buzz word it has also been identified that for such a well-used term there is little associated research in the field of engagement (Robinson et al, 2004). Several of the key concepts of employee engagement derive from social psychology, drawing upon theories that are concerned with motivation, organisational behaviours and attitudes. Some academics argue that employee engagement is basically old wine in new bottles because key concepts by theorists such as Hertzberg, Maslow and Alderfer underpin the notion of employee engagement (Rob... ...ent and sustain it, you must approach it at three different layers of the organisation - the individual, the manager and the executive. Individuals must own their engagement. They cannot expect HR or the organisation to provide a blanket formula that will fit their unique needs. Managers cannot make employees engaged, but they can act as coaches to facilitate their team members' engagement journeys. Managers need to understand the unique interests, talents and aspirations of their employees, and then align these with specific organisational priorities and projects. Executives also have a specific and important role to play. Their focus must be on creating a culture that fuels engagement and business results. Senior teams must 'walk the talk' by demonstrating their own engagement, sharing their passion in candid, consistent communications† (HR Magazine 2013)

Benefits of Cholesterol to Brain Development Essay -- Biology

What do you think of when you hear the word cholesterol? It's pretty common to think that it makes you gain weight, it is bad in large quantities, and it is generally unhealthy. But a recent experiment has shown that although it can be bad in some ways, it is good for you in other ways. One of the most important parts of your body is your central nervous system (CNS). It includes your spinal cord and your brain, and it is run by cells called neurons. These neurons, with the help of synapses, send electrical signals throughout the body. So what do neurons and synapses have to do with cholesterol? If you do not have cholesterol during certain parts of your life cycle, you actually do not develop many synapses. Even those that do form are destined to be inefficient at transmitting signals to the brain and body. Who cares if you have a lot of efficient synapses? An easy comparison is between the CNS and a computer. The brain thriving off of a lot of synapses, a computer running much better with more RAM. Your computer still works if it does not have a lot of RAM, and it will do what you ask it to; however, if it does have a lot of RAM, it will do what you ask more efficiently and faster. Likewise, if you do not have many synapses, your brain and CNS will still work at a much lower level. If you do have a lot of synapses, everything will work faster. Your brain will send signals to the rest of your body efficiently so you can react faster, think faster, etc. This leads us into the article that you should be able to understand completely by the end of this web page. Before this discovery was made, scientists had no idea that cholesterol was responsible for these events. Follow along with us to an explanation of the previous ... ...a viable solution. Now that you know that your brain is all you have, there are some considerations to be made. Do you really want to smoke marijuana when you consider that being high means killing off neurons? What about that kegger next weekend? That kills brain cells too. More specific than the ties to drug and alcohol abuse, this article talks about the gray areas of life. The human body is an amazing machine. It is extremely adaptive, and it requires a lot of fuel to run. Avoid entirely wiping out a common substance from your diet without doing the proper research. Who knows, perhaps cutting that food from your meal might put you in deeper trouble than you thought possible. References "CNS Synaptogenesis Promoted by Glia-Derived Cholesterol." Science Magazine. 9 Nov 2001: 1354-1357. 3 Nov 2003 http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/294/5545/1354. Benefits of Cholesterol to Brain Development Essay -- Biology What do you think of when you hear the word cholesterol? It's pretty common to think that it makes you gain weight, it is bad in large quantities, and it is generally unhealthy. But a recent experiment has shown that although it can be bad in some ways, it is good for you in other ways. One of the most important parts of your body is your central nervous system (CNS). It includes your spinal cord and your brain, and it is run by cells called neurons. These neurons, with the help of synapses, send electrical signals throughout the body. So what do neurons and synapses have to do with cholesterol? If you do not have cholesterol during certain parts of your life cycle, you actually do not develop many synapses. Even those that do form are destined to be inefficient at transmitting signals to the brain and body. Who cares if you have a lot of efficient synapses? An easy comparison is between the CNS and a computer. The brain thriving off of a lot of synapses, a computer running much better with more RAM. Your computer still works if it does not have a lot of RAM, and it will do what you ask it to; however, if it does have a lot of RAM, it will do what you ask more efficiently and faster. Likewise, if you do not have many synapses, your brain and CNS will still work at a much lower level. If you do have a lot of synapses, everything will work faster. Your brain will send signals to the rest of your body efficiently so you can react faster, think faster, etc. This leads us into the article that you should be able to understand completely by the end of this web page. Before this discovery was made, scientists had no idea that cholesterol was responsible for these events. Follow along with us to an explanation of the previous ... ...a viable solution. Now that you know that your brain is all you have, there are some considerations to be made. Do you really want to smoke marijuana when you consider that being high means killing off neurons? What about that kegger next weekend? That kills brain cells too. More specific than the ties to drug and alcohol abuse, this article talks about the gray areas of life. The human body is an amazing machine. It is extremely adaptive, and it requires a lot of fuel to run. Avoid entirely wiping out a common substance from your diet without doing the proper research. Who knows, perhaps cutting that food from your meal might put you in deeper trouble than you thought possible. References "CNS Synaptogenesis Promoted by Glia-Derived Cholesterol." Science Magazine. 9 Nov 2001: 1354-1357. 3 Nov 2003 http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/294/5545/1354.

The Guardians

The Guardians by Ana Castillo, is a promising and highly recommended novel set in times when people were demonized strictly for being brown. It takes place along the borderlands and in New Mexico where it follows a strong independent woman who is on a desperate path to find her lost brother Rafa who she believes has been captured by the coyotes. The story goes into depth during undocumented times when the border was a fearful place where friends and family were frequently disappearing and woman are being raped or stolen for their organs. It shows her path towards finding her brother ot only for herself but for the sake of other loved ones. Where disfigured souls attempt to put themselves back together and search for love once lost. The story is told from four distinctive perspectives: Regina, who searches for her brother after awaiting his arrival in the United States. Gabo, Rafa’s 16-year-old son who becomes highly interested in gang members which give him a strong sense of belonging. Miguel, Regina’s love interest who seems in search of a confidence boost to approach her. Then El Abuelo Milton, a difficult and sour viejito who pressures his grandson Miguel into action. Each character givers their own personal incite on the depth of every situation and works collectively together for readers to see the broken vision of humanity. Regina was widowed even before she actually married her fiance, and had just nicely settled into being a teacher’s aide and guardian of Gabo although she knew from now on life would never quite be the same. She tries to get her brother to permanently stay with her in the United States but he insists that he will only stay until he has enough money to build him and his family a house for themselves in Mexico. Regina is clearly he heart and soul of the novel, making her voice heard among the others and independently setting out on a search towards redemption. She seems to be skeptical of religious views of the church yet finds herself in a compassionate hold on people who have hurt her the most. She is secure in her own skin and acts as though she can play any role yet deep inside she needs help just as any other individual would. She commits herself to playing the role of his guardian, both mother and father, yet in reality finds it hard to commit herself to being tough towards Gabo because he has a mind of his own. She is a tough defender of her family and property to ensure that nothing happens that could have been prevented. She struggles to understand Gabo’s way, which applies to any parent trying to make sense of senseless teenagers. Yet she understands that even in tough times she must hold herself together to keep the closest thing she has to family from falling apart. From her ongoing search for her brother Rafa to her realization that the border treats everyone in a different way. Whether you’re religious views agree or differ. She seems to be a modern heroine along with the help of Miguel and Gabriel to ome upon a coyote’s house in El Paso. It happens to be where the disappeared women have been forced to stay and unfortunately also the place where her brother was killed by the coyotes. Gabriel, the 16-year-old son of Rafa, Regina’s brother is a hard-headed youth with a mind of his own. Set out to become Christ-like, he dreams of an eventual life in the clergy where his mind set will allow him to preach on others with the same religious view of life. With his strong life values Regina tries to talk him out of his bad choice of friends but soon comes to realize he is only searching for a brush of comfort in which he an call a group his â€Å"family† because of the one he lacks. Without Regina and his father he would be homeless and left to conquer the world on his own at such a young ago. In his desperate attempt to regain the love and care of his father him and his aunt set out on a adventure along with the help of Miguel, Miguel’s father Abuelo Milton and some of his gang banger friends. Him and his aunt Regina develop a strong sense of friendship while working close in the search for his father who they believe have been taken by coyotes just as his mother was seven years ago. They found her body disembellished in he desert where her organs were stolen and her body was mutilated beyond belief. Throughout the journey Gabo remains with no papers to make him legal the United States, yet the border control has no problems letting him come back and forth between Mexico and America with the help of his friends. In which Gabo eventually faces the troubles that comes along with dealing with the coyotes and the law. That ends with Gabo â€Å"Making a pact with the devil†. Regina and Gabo were evidently at the heart of this story in the pursuit to find their Brother/Father. Regina started off as a widowed women who was only left with er brother and nephew. Where their voyage begins on finding their loved one rafa, the only hope they have left of having a family. Gabo goes through the roughest times on the journey for his father. Gabo faces the realness of the boarder physically and consciously where he is able to go back and forth with ease but emotionally he struggles more then anything. Living in a town so close to the border comes with its difficulties within their own community and the citizens living there and the judgment that is passed around. To only find that people have their own story behind their talk The guardians is an admirable novel that shows the accurate role of the struggles family’s face everyday of living aside the borderlands. This novel shows the true story of the hardship people face on the daily basis that just over passes citizens even in your own town. Where an independent citizen can overcome her struggles to over pass the fears of life and stand strong to become a admirable member of their community. The novel conveys a unique delivery of a examination of what truly makes up a family, Where we can discover faith through the battle of conflicts emotionally and physically.

Disputes between the European Union and the rest of the World Essay

Disputes between the European Union and the rest of the World Introduction            The EU (European Union) has become a formidable power through trade, hence creating more problems with the rest of the world. Occasionally its dominance has helped it manipulate its trading partners. Starting with regional labor standards to development policies and internationally, ranging from global governance to foreign policy (Marshall & Jaggers, 2010).This paper will mainly focus on the EU as a dominant trade block. A factor that has undoubtedly contributed to the many conflicts it has internationally. The analysis includes different, but recent trade related conflicts the EU is involved in and points out the factors that led to the misunderstanding, and in some cases if there was a third party involved in the issue. The analysis also shows if a form of solution was reached or if the dispute was left unresolved, and the possible outcomes it had during the time of the confrontation. Lastly, it summarizes the main ideas of the paper and gives a comprehensive ov erview of the analysis. Russia – EU car tax disagreement            Among the first goals of the EU as a trade, hegemony is using its supremacy to secure concessions from others on market participation. This makes it function as an economic globalization determinant. The EU is using its trade dominance to achieve non-trade objectives therefore openly flanking market integration such as social, environment and safety standards to be more political or strategic in nature (Haughton, 2007). A bold move that has often left the rest of the world wonder if such use of trade power by the EU ultimately matter in geopolitical terms.            In 2013, a disagreement arose between the EU and Russia, which mainly centered on the newly imposed car levies. Russia had been a member of the WTO (World trade Organization) for barely a year before the trade dispute began. The EU accused Russia of using a recycling charge levied on imported cars to cover its automobile manufacturers illegally. The EU affirmed that for a whole year it had tried all possible diplomatic channels to amicably resolve the problem but with no success, Moscow declined to review its policies. According to the EU trade commissioners the implementation was not in line with the stated WTO laws that forbid biases against imports (Diakun, 2012).            Allegations arose on what was seen as Moscow’s non-compliance as the WTO sought to find out the facts. Initially, Moscow had some misconceptions about the benefits they would gain by joining the WTO. For Russia joining the union came at a cost of signing up to firm standards, which it understood well, equalized by the benefits of gaining access to a populous and larger markets with guarantee against protectionism. Most critics have accused Russia of failing to keep its commitments and the levy on cars put in place some days after it joined the WTO (Osipov, 2013).            Russia placed an increase in the duties paid on German and Italian vehicles imports, making them more expensive for the customers and affecting their market. The European Union is of the opinion that Russia is doing this on purpose to protect its manufacturers. Critics from Russia say the country is known for never keeping its WTO obligations and that the car levies disputes are part of a long chain of non-compliance laws on goods that range from harvesting machines to alcoholic drinks. Russia, conversely has protested against the EU initiatives to open up the bloc’s electricity and gas market, which it claims affects the regions business structure.            The proposed recycling levy bill failed to be amended by the Russian national assembly before it went into recess, and the EU warned the then Russian Economy Minister to expect a reaction from the union. Under the WTO regulations, Russia has exceeded its 60-day grace period to try and change or explain its laws (Marshall & Jaggers, 2010).            Comparisons between the 2001 China entry and that of Russia were unavoidable as the potential benefits of incorporating a big economy like Russia were very promising. In the case of China the first dispute arose two years after having enjoyed an enormous trade boost immediately after joining: for Russia it took less than 11 months. Russia still has other issues with the EU policies mainly its laws on the control of the European gas pipeline assets by Gazprom. The EU set up a committee to look into the issue. The Russian parliament, on the other hand, passed a ruling that changed the levy on recycling and confirmed the changes sort out the requests pointed out by the committee of the EU panel (Stephanie and Brianna, 2012). EU- Russia- Ukraine- gas dispute            The presidents of the EU, Russia and Ukraine, have agreed to meet and talk in relation to the dispute they have had over the Ukraine-EU free trade and gas agreements. Concurrently, with the efforts to stabilize the Ukraine security situation, the heads of state Vladimir Putin, of Russia, Petro Poroshenko, of Ukraine and Jose Manuel Barroso president of the European Commission are anticipated to hold one-one-one talks, but the venue and dates are not specified. Raising the discussions to the level of the heads of state seems to give hope to possible ease of tension over the Ukraine issue, a crisis that has for long plagued the relations between the West and Russia (Andres & Kofman, 2011).            The EU and Russian president spoke over the phone on possible ways that they could ease the current tension in the Ukraine. In June this year an approved series of three-way talks over gas disputes that brought together the energy ministers of the EU, Ukraine and Russia broke down provoking the Ukraine gas supplies to be cut off by Russia. Since then the EU energy minister has scheduled various meetings with both the Russian and Ukraine energy ministers to restart the initial discussions on resolving the Ukraine-Russian row over gas prices (Diakun, 2012).            The EU consumers have not been affected by the disruption of the Ukraine gas supplies, the Ukraine, however is a major route supply for approximate half of Russia’s gas shipments to the EU. This means that the EU depends on Moscow for a third of its energy. Russia has also recently held talks with the EU to try to calm the Kremlin fears over a wide-ranging free trade agreement that the Ukraine had signed with other 28 EU nations. A move that Moscow believes will be counterproductive to its economy (Osipov, 2013). The competition between Russia and EU over Ukraine gas has led to a problem that escalated when Russia seized the former Soviet Union Crimea region. EU sanctioned Russia for illegally occupying Crimea and on the other hand Moscow retaliated by banning imports from Europe. Which leaves both the opposing at a trade standoff since the dispute is still not resolved. China-EU solar panel dispute            The EU-China solar panel dispute in recent months has taken center stage on most newspaper headlines. This is hardly a new thing since the two are both seen as dominant international trading blocs. Most analysts, however often ignore the fact that trade disputes between economic titans like in the case of the EU and China is not a new thing. Rather they represent a continuous confrontation of the so-called China-EU strategic trade alliance.            The basis that a large volume of the EU-China policy is centered on the concept of normative power makes it one of the primary contributing factors for the long conflict. The EU policies towards China under this principle have developed in four main aspects namely: investments and trade, global governance, technical skills, and social and political changes. EU-China collaborations on renewable energy and climate change are mainly structured on the concept of encouraging sustainable growth.            In regards to the EU-Sino disagreement, the trading commissioner for the commission failed in his role of convincing other state members who already have well-developed solar energy technology to support their proposed sanctions on China. Germany, for example, a renowned leader in solar energy was particularly vocal with its disagreement on the placed investigations and sanction tariffs on China (Stephanie and Brianna, 2012).            In relation to the Sino-EU disagreement, the Commissioner for the EU failed in his initial role of convincing a majority of the members who have advanced and mature solar energy technologies to place retributive measures in China. For example, Germany, which is known internationally as a solar energy giant, is against the said investigations and restrictions placed on China.            The commission’s status from these investigations has been greatly undermined by the EU-China strategy. Such inquiry failures have further prompted China to sideline the commission, if not the entire EU affiliates. Aside from the dispute over the solar panels, the EU reluctance to allow China’s Market Economy Status (MES) is another one of the constant challenges that has not been resolved by the two factions for over a decade. EU has refused this initiative on the grounds that China lacks significant government interventions and transparency in its trade and economic policies (Marshall & Jaggers, 2010).            This drawback according to the Chinese was seen as a possible defeat. They reasoned that being granted the status of a market economy would be a major advantage in their EU-China alliance, both politically and economically. They stated that the principal reason for the EU refusal was due to the vast trade difference between China and the EU, and that the EU has tried to use the market economy status problem to gain more negotiating power and attempt to solve trade market entry and trade barrier issues that cripple their firms. The EU however continues to stress that the decline is a pure technical issue within the blueprints of its anti-dumping laws.            With this perspective of the EU, China has changed its stand from that of a new entrant to a competitor. The EU gets itself in a bind where its economic interests are threatened by its normative power strategy. Such inconsistencies that are allied with EU counterparts have further confused both renewable manufacturers and the Chinese government. The EU has eventually found its drive to promote sustainable development and pursue a value based foreign policy in China that is beyond its levels. The current standoff between EU and China, mainly originated from a mix-up and lack of recognition as to what each side’s law priorities state (Teorell, 2010). The issue has however not been resolved. EU-US Dispute on Trade Alliance            In 2011 the sheer size and importance of the United States-European Union mutual trade alliance, with trades mainly on goods roughly total up to â‚ ¬450 billion making the two trading partners the major trade players internationally. Recently, discussions started on a possible trade alliance aimed at mitigating or eliminating non-tariff and tariff trade hindrances in products and services.            The EU parliament in 2012 demanded the start of talks so as to get a more efficient EU-US trade pact. Among the most highly traded items within the two factions include automobiles and medical products, machines and high tech gadgets, as well as pharmaceutical, optic and photographic appliances among others (Cooper, 2014).            Therefore, their agreements mainly focus on labor and capital intensive industries, as recognized by the economies of scale and intra-industry trade policies. Debates on agricultural products have caused some disagreements in such discussion and with various public opinions; the greatest differences still remain in areas of food safety and consumers, subsidies and environment protection.            One such recent dispute has been on the Boeing and Airbus grants awarded to the concerned companies. A bilateral agreement between the US and EU that was concluded in 1992 centered on the trade of large civil aircrafts, and the parties who controlled the funding of the subsidies in this large sector. The US withdrew from the initial 1992 agreement in October 2004 disputing the public funding allocated to the Airbus. The EU also responded by challenging the public endorsement granted to Boeing. According to the (WTO) World Trade Organization both parties had breached the initial subsidy policies, and therefore were allowed to place counter measures (Tugores-Garcà ­a, 2012). While there is a possibility that such initiatives would clearly provoke a trade war involving other sectors, it is expected that the problem will eventually be solved. The dispute hearing on possible counter-measures started on the 16th of April 2013, and the outcome will definitely have dire c onsequences on how new entrants of large civil aircrafts from other countries can progress while joining the market (Cooper, 2014). Eu-China wines dispute            A recent EU-China dispute on anti-dumping laws centered on wine exports was resolved amicably earlier this year through negotiation and consultation. China had begun an investigation last year to establish whether European wines were sold at the standard price in the country. The initiative was seen as being an EU countermeasure for enforcing disciplinary policies on China’s solar panels. A dispute that had almost driven the two trade giants to the edge of a trade war, was sorted out through mediation by the then China Premier when agreed on price undertakings. In May 2014, the EU warned China that it would commence anti-dumping and anti-subsidy inquiries on its imports of network telecommunication equipment. The solar panel dispute is a case reference that highlights how under the WTO consultation and dialogue rule are the best ways to solve disputes, and that the EU and China had the capability and intelligence to choose this option (Huang, 2010).            In 2012, the export of wine from the EU reached 257 million liters which are approximated at $1 billion, more than that originating from France. In July 2014, the two factions settled a disagreement on poly-silicon products by using consultation and negotiations. It agreed that in the European markets the said products will not be sold below a certain price set by china. On the other hand, China agreed to stop its anti-dumping and anti-subsidy trends initially placed on its imports. Analysts have foreseen this unlikely alliance between the two factions as one that is likely to create a more beneficial atmosphere in the future.            This is because both sides take pride in their bilateral economies. If not properly settled trade disputes often have much bigger negative impact on both economies than can possibly be mitigated. As the EU and China industries are now closely interlinked industrial connections should be incorporated into the frameworks of resolving trade disputes, since it will help improve future relations and avoid further conflicts (Cooper, 2014). China-EU Misunderstandings over Trade Defense Mechanisms            The EU has on several occasions been charged by China for inappropriate use of placed trade defense mechanisms. China particularly charges the EU for using double standards against their imports and products. In 2003 when Chinese companies sold coke in European regions at cheaper rates, they were accused of offloading their products and fined based on the EU antidumping policies. Much later the EU again threatened to file a case against China at the WTO for restricting coke exports, which China clearly explained it had done mainly due to environmental reasons. These are all clear indications of how the EU often used unfair standards against China products which eventually raised disputes between the two parties.            More surprising is the EU refusal to apply several trade methods concurrently. It is a known fact that both European and (EC) European Commission affiliate companies placed (IPR) Intellectual Property rights protection and anti-dumping measures on most of their Chinese imports. For example, on the importations of China electronics, the China-based manufacturers were first charged with IPR infringement. Then the EU in 2005 also simultaneously filed anti-dumping case against the Chinese electronics (Huang, 2010). All of which have helped fuel the long trade disputes between China and the EU.            The anti-dumping policies of the EU have always been characterized by bias trends towards the affected domestic producers. This is most certainly the case being investigated against the so-called (NME) non-market economy countries like China. For a long time, exporting producers from China have been far worse treated as compared to other countries. They had to show that they qualified for their market status, by undergoing very strict regulations that were not required from other foreign exporters belonging to the WTO.            In addition, China enjoyed fewer regulation privileges as compared to other foreign exporters due to the limited access given to the information utilized for the vetting of the injury margin or dumping regulations. A similar EU bias of its producers could be found in the way it proves the existence of hazardous material within the EU industries. In such cases instead of analyzing a substantial size of the industry as a whole, the EU on focused on a small portion of the total industry strictly comprising of companies that support the imposing of anti-dumping measures. Eu – Brazil protectionism dispute            The EU filled at the WTO a trade case against Brazil that seems potentially explosive. The Latin America trade giant received for the first time after almost ten years a case over what it claims are protectionist charges levied on automobiles and other imports. The case is being filled amidst worry that Brazil has over the recent years become more protectionists in nature. The initiative to seek a hearing at the WTO comes as both sides seek to rejuvenate the initial long-standing trade agreement between the Mercosur and the European Union. Officials from the EU recently affirmed that the rising number of tax measures recently introduced by Brazil were not in line with the WTO policies and therefore, provided the domestic industries with undue advantage, while safeguarding them from external opposition.            Initially, Brazil’s move was thought to be aimed at Chinese automobile importers, who in 2011 controlled most of the local Brazilian market due to the aid of ingenious marketing strategies applied by the Brazilian media. Recently the EU openly declared that it was disturbed by the wrong path taken by Brazil on its policies and taxes affirming that such broad tax initiatives also affected smart phones, computers and semiconductors. Such moves negatively affect the EU exporters whose products were levied more than their local counterparts. The EU complained that the implementation also affects the Brazilian citizens since they would now be left with little choice, higher prices and lower access to original products.            The protectionism claims were strongly rejected by the Brazilian side, and they maintain that the Latin America trade bloc had solid counter arguments to show they fully adhered with the WTO trade regulations. Analysts reviewing the continuing dispute have claimed that the EU-Brazil case opens the doorway for more trade cases against Brazil. This implies that there are more cases against Brazil by other WTO members and companies, many of them have endured the injustice since the Brazil market is very lucrative. But now with the slowed economy, it is evident that the WTO members and involved companies are now less lenient towards the Latin America trade bloc (Grina, 2014).            The officials at the EU have said they had brought up the Brazil tax complaints in other former bilateral talks but had made no developments in sorting the problem. The move by the EU to ask for an official hearing of the issue in the WTO gives both parties a 60-day grace period to come up with an amicable solution. If no solution is reached within that timeframe, the EU will be permitted to ask for a formal committee to hear the case, which could impose against Brazil punitive trade restrictions. India-eu trade disputes            The EU and India in 2007 began talks on a wider investment and trade agreement BTIA (Broad based Trade and Investment Agreement) with the intent of opening up trade in services, goods and investment. However even after several negotiation sessions, there has been very little development due to several unresolved issues. Until such issues can be solved a trade agreement between the two nations will never come to pass, and the WTO policies will continue regulating the trades between the two members (Wouters, Goddeeris, Natens, & Ciortuz, 2013).            The EU on automobiles would like to see the eventual elimination of the duty import, whereas India wants to maintain it at 10 %. Talks on opening up regulations on the public procurement as well as the insurance sector have been particularly hard. Though, India is still in the path of changing its laws on foreign investments. The EU wants India to verify its commitment by passing a public procurement bill, which has not yet been submitted to the Indian parliament for approval. The gross domestic product markets in India, according to public procurement, accounts for 15- 20 percent. This is due to the needs of the infrastructure in a wide variety of areas that include energy, telecom, roads, railway and healthcare; these areas are of apparent concern for the development of the EU commerce (Wouters, Goddeeris, Natens, & Ciortuz, 2013).            Simultaneously, India aims to benefit its IT sector with the trade agreements. It mandates the EU to upgrade its status to that of a secure data state. Such recognitions are viewed as important for the Indian based IT company’s expansion. In addition, India is negotiating for its professionals to be given more open Visa to the EU. India had complained over the EU seizing generic medicine that had been in transit through the region. Even though the two parties later solved the problem there are still some significant aspects of the dispute that still emerge.            The EU in 2003 asked for talks with India in relation to 27 anti-dumping allegations in regards to several EU export products that, included chemicals, pharmaceuticals, steel, textile and paper. The EU was of the opinion that there was no proof of the alleged dumping accusations and that there was sufficient analysis of the casualties and injury. Since then India has terminated progress on most of the disputed issues; these include those on pharmaceutical and steel products, the problem remains un-resolved and under consultation (Khorana, & Garcia, 2013).            India in 2010 also asked for talks with the Netherlands and EU in relation to the reported genetic medicines seized on the grounds of patent breach. The taken drugs had been produced in India and were being transported through airports and ports in the Netherlands to Brazil, which was the primary destination. India claims that the alleged Dutch and EU measures were against their agreements under the (GATT) General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the agreement under the (TRIPs) Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regulations. It was not until 2011 that the dispute was sorted through mutual consensus.            According to the consensus, the fact that medicines are passing through the EU territory and that there is a patent title warranted by such products in the EU area. In itself does not give much basis for EU customs authority to suspect the patent rights violation. Proof can provide such basis that the medicine might be re-routed onto EU markets. The Indian medicine conflict perhaps might arise, on the basis of the extent of (IPR) intellectual property rights on third world economies (Wouters, Goddeeris, Natens, & Ciortuz, 2013). US and EU Power Struggle            In comparison, these two powerful trade blocks have no difference in the ways they show their dominance in different regions. Mostly they achieve this through agreements that they often have over their access to the market for their goods, capital and services in other areas. Agreements with EU have often been more involved on mutual concessions over levies, rations, and technical obstacles. Nonetheless, they can sometimes be asymmetrical. Either because the EU could be making steeper reductions or the value of the EU reductions could be larger following the size of the regional bloc. Failure to withstand such asymmetries means that the EU, similar to the US, uses preferential bilateral agreements to pry open the available markets that are found in the area as an exchange for accessing its markets. Regionally, EU’s power has taken the form of less accurate mutual concessions (Cooper, 2014).            As more states join the EU, it wants to satisfy its members’ goals by realizing economies of scale via bloc-to-bloc pacts. Such first bi-regional trade agreement are still being negotiated since 2000 mainly involving the EU and Mercosur, which is a customs union created in 1991. It is to be followed by ASEAN (the Association of South East Asian Nations) as new economic partnership agreements (EPAs) with, among others, the Caribbean countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council. It cannot be denied that Latin America especially, has made such moves partly in consideration to reaction by USA’s drive towards regionalism.            The EU and the US have always been engaged in a battle of supremacy since their establishment as trade giants. Each side has been trying to guarantee their members and partners that they have an unrelenting access to markets and resilience in trade and regulatory deals. In addition, both have also tried using their power in trade to exert the type of ‘western dominion’. Mainly Over the developing countries, especially towards the so-called ‘new issues’ that pertain to services as well as intellectual property that were initially made In China and later introduced during the Uruguay Round. Currently, little co-operation exists between the EU–US regulatory bodies. These two powers have kind of began pursuing sharply diverging tactics, which often came up with opposing alliances like during the Hong Kong meeting of the Doha Round that happened in December 2005 (Teorell, 2010). Conclusion            As shown by the paper, it is evident that the EU mostly uses its undisputed trade prowess to pursue objectives that are often non-trade related. Like in the case of China wines dispute and misuse of trade defense instruments. The EU therefore, attempts to forcibly fashion the trade blocs in its image either through conditionality or by force. This shows the way the various quarrels among of the different member states make it hard for the EU to project its dominance more evidently to the entire world (Teorell, 2010).            Nonetheless, such divergences are themselves a byproduct or an expression of existing tensions between various alternative priorities or even norms that must simultaneously be committed to by the EU machinery. 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