Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Walmart Is A Commodity Chain - 1494 Words

As I read this article I was intrigued because it talks about how Walmart would not exist without the poor because they are forcing desperate people to accept lower paying jobs to keep them within the poverty level. Walmart is a commodity chain. Commodity chains keep this country and others country’s people shopping. There are two types of commodity chains, producer-driven and buyer-driven. The producer-driven chains are in industries with specific products that are controlled by producers for global production (Coe, Kelly, and Yeung pg. 235). These would be the manufacturers. Buyer-driven chains are retailers of name brand merchandisers who establish and control global production of their products. These are referred to as buyers because they source their global goods from suppliers globally (Coe, Kelly, and Yeung, pg. 235). One huge example of a buyer-driven commodity chain is Walmart. Walmart needs people to buy their products and it is those poor individuals who buy these goods/products. Middle and upper class individual can afford to go elsewhere to shop, but poorer individuals cannot. Walmart creates and maintains poverty. Two professors from Penn State University performed a study that concluded that all countries that had Walmart stores in the last 11 years had greater poverty rates than those who did not. These professors were Stephen Goetz and Hema Swaminathan, and they wrote â€Å"These results have potentially profound implications for public policyShow MoreRelatedWhat Makes A Buyer Driven Commodity Chain Is Walmart1338 Words   |  6 Pages Commodity chains are what keeps this country’s people shopping. There are two types of commodity chains, producer-driven and buyer-driven. The producer-driven chains are formed and found in industries where the producers of specific product control their own global production (manufacturers). Buyer-driven chains are retailers or brand name merchandisers who establish and control global production of their products. These are referred to as buyers because they source their global goods fromRead MoreDefining Walmarts Internal Business Process Improvements894 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿WalMart: Defining Internal Business Process Improvements Introduction The dominance of WalMarts (NYSE:WMT) in discount retailing is a direct result of their business process excellence in the areas of supply chain management (SCM), supply chain optimization (SCO) and logistics management with its suppliers and retailing operations globally. What most differentiates WalMart from the many other discount retailers is their agility and speed of using information for insights and analysis (WalMartRead MoreWalmart Erp System Implementation : Introduction1276 Words   |  6 PagesWalmart ERP system implementation Introduction In the United States of America fortune magazine published 2011 Annual Global Fortune 500 rankings, WAL-MART, In the global top 500 enterprises once again won the topï ¼Å'with the business income is 421849 dollar, annual profit of 16389 million dollar. Also worth noting is, in March ten before the other enterprises in the vast majority of oil or electric power resource monopoly enterprises. Then, as a major in retail industry, WAL-MART s tremendousRead MoreWalmart Supply Chain1004 Words   |  5 PagesHow should Wal-Mart rationalize its seafood supply chain to reduce costs and promote sustainability? Walmart has a large retail seafood business and it is always a challenge to reduce cost and promote sustainability. With upward trend for the demand of sea-food, depletion of the seafood supply is inevitable unless Walmart have a deep engagement of their supply chain. One strategy that Walmart wants to promote to their suppliers is for all of them to take up the Marine Stewardship Council’s certificationRead MoreWalmart : Market And Social Values1599 Words   |  7 PagesWalmart has always been a controversial topic centering its economic and social values since the day it started to expand. However, even with the intensifying voices against Walmart, it has changed the retailing industry by ‘training’ its customer into buying commodities at their lowest price, revolutionizing manufactures and actively promoting itself and participating in charitable events. Before Walmart, no retailer seriously considered the importance of customer experiences and how theRead MoreThe Value Chain Of Walmart1287 Words   |  6 PagesWalmart, founded by Sam Walton in 1962 in Bentonville, Arkansas, United States, is a well-known multinational retail company which manages a chain of department stores and warehouse stores. It has over 11,000 stores in 28 countries and is the largest company in the world in terms of revenue. The definition of the value chain Walmart is a successful chain retailer. While it successfully won its market share, the company also reflected its value chain. What is the value chain? According to Porter’sRead MoreWalmart Competitive Advantage1200 Words   |  5 Pagesmarkets. He argued that company must allocate one or more factors as to compete globally. Walmart is achieving the three competitive advantages simultaneously. As discussed above of the Walmart China, the company is taking the local responsiveness as through CSR event. Secondly, Walmart also realized economies of scale by selling bulks of commodities right off pallets, through its Sam’s Club under membership. Walmart also captured the benefits of arbitrage by constantly improving its logistics to lowerRead MoreWal Mart s Pricing Strategy810 Words   |  4 Pagescompetitive edges that Wal-Mart possesses is bringing products to the ordinary customers at lower prices than its rivals (Woohyoung Alan, 2013). In other words, Wal-Mart has k ept its promise of ‘everyday low prices’ (EDLP) as a sustainable selling point (Walmart, 2015). At Wal-Mart, price is the core factor of most of the foreign markets, where that it has established operations in addition to the United States. The other 3 countries that have been included in this report (namely South Africa, Germany andRead MoreMarketing Plan For The Target Corporation Company Essay1487 Words   |  6 Pagesthe year 1969.It had some ownership in various departments such as Dayton s, Mervyn s, Hudson s and lastly Marshall Fields s. The Target (Basil, 2009). The SWOT Analysis Strengths Target Company is vastly known and comes second after the Walmart that is ranked highest. Its subsidiaries that it has ownership of are Target.com, Target Financial Services , Target Commercial , Target Brand and Target Sourcing Services. It has a wider market in the vast America It has a large work force of aboutRead MoreWalmart s Pricing Strategy And How It Works991 Words   |  4 Pagessignificant competitive edges of Wal-Mart is bringing products to the ordinary customers at lower prices than its rivals (Woohyoung Alan, 2013). In other words, Wal-Mart has kept its promise â€Å"everyday low prices† as a sustainable selling point (Walmart, 2015). At Wal-Mart, Price is the core factor in most of foreign markets that it has established operations in addition to the United States. The other 3 countries which are included in this report (namely South Africa, Germany and Japan) are all

Monday, December 23, 2019

The Victorian Charter of Human Rights and...

The Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities: Does it Protect and Uphold Human Rights? Upholding human rights is essential for ensuring a fair and equitable society. In 1966, Australia and a majority of the world’s nations signed on to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). After the atrocities committed in World War II this seemed like a positive step for ensuring acknowledgement and respect for the rights and freedoms of all people. However, the means of enforcing human rights is not a straightforward process. In response to ratifying the ICCPR, Australia set up the Australian Human Rights Commission. However, after a number of failed attempts, it has not followed through with implementing a†¦show more content†¦I will address each of these mechanisms in turn. The charter binds Public Authorities to act in a way that is compatible with human rights. However, crucial to interpreting the effectiveness of this obligation affecting legislation, is the definition of what a Public Authority is. Since the charter is constructed to affect legislation, it is tempting to misinterpret â€Å"Public Authority† to mean actors with Legislative or Jurisdictive power. However, the provided definition specifically excludes: â€Å"(i) Parliament or a person exercising functions in connection with proceedings in Parliament; or (j) a court or tribunal except when it is action in an administrative capacity† (Victorian Government 2006) This exclusion leaves the obligations of Public Authorities on the shoulders of; Public Officials, working in an administrative capacity; any entity with public function; The Victorian police; local government; ministers; and members of a parliamentary committee when working in an administrative capacity. This means that when members are authoring legislation, or when the judiciary is scrutinising legislation, the actors involved are not obliged to act in a compatible way with the charter. This makes enforcing legislation to be compatible with human rights nearly impossible, as there is no responsibility for the authors of that legislation to abide by the charter. An analysis of the detail of how the charter is applied, and whatShow MoreRelatedThe Health Care : Australia And The Philippines1978 Words   |  8 Pages INTRODUCTION The law creates the order in the health care system structure. To maintain the order, strict regulation must be adhered. To follow ethical principles, living with guidelines is also a necessity. To uphold the quality of care and ethical considerations in nursing, mandatory policies should be legalised. Therefore, it is vital that health care professionals are deemed competent and qualified. Registered Nurses in Australia are regarded as experts in their area of specialisation. BeingRead MoreThe Charter Of Human Rights And Responsibilities Act 2006 ( Vic )2643 Words   |  11 PagesLEGAL ADVICE QUESTIONS PRESENTED: 1. Does the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) (â€Å"Charter†) protect the conduct of Josh, Dianne and Cary? 2. Is Section 6 of the Summary Offences Act 1966 (Vic) compatible with the Charter? 3. Is Victoria Police in breach of the Charter? 4. Is AX6 Pty Ltd in breach of the Charter? 5. Is the Adult Parole Board in breach of the Charter? Short Advice In relation to the Charter, my advice is that Josh’s conduct is not protected and the cancellationRead MoreEngineering Ethics in Practice: a Guide for Engineers18096 Words   |  73 Pagesfor Professional Engineering Competence1, published by the Engineering Council, deï ¬ nes three types of engineering professional – Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Engineering Technician (EngTech). While their roles and responsibilities diï ¬â‚¬er, each has to demonstrate a commitment to professional and ethical standards. This guide aims to support members of this community in addressing the ethical issues they face in their daily professional lives, helping them to identify, analyseRead MoreSales and Marketing for Financial Institutions80443 Words   |  322 Pagesrequired, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. The views expressed by presenters delivering course material by lecture or workshop may not necessarily be those o f Kaplan. COPYRIGHT  © Kaplan Higher Education, 2012. All rights strictly reserved. No part of these materials covered by copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information retrieval systems) without the

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Golden Lily Chapter 3 Free Essays

EVEN THOUGH EDDIE had told me not to worry about Angeline, the curious part of me couldn’t help but prod him about it on the drive over to Adrian’s apartment. â€Å"How are you going to handle it?† I asked. â€Å"Have a heart-to-heart?† He shook his head. We will write a custom essay sample on The Golden Lily Chapter 3 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Mostly I was going to simply avoid her unless absolutely necessary. Hopefully she’ll lose interest.† â€Å"Well. I guess that’s one method. But, I mean, you’re a pretty direct person.† If faced with a roomful of Strigoi, he would’ve walked in without hesitation. â€Å"Maybe you should try that kind of approach instead. Just confront her and tell her honestly that you’re not interested.† â€Å"That’s easy in theory,† he said. â€Å"Not so much in person.† â€Å"Seems easy to me.† Eddie was skeptical. â€Å"That’s because you’ve never had to do it.† Going to Adrian’s was a lot easier than it once had been for me. His apartment used to belong to Keith and was also the site where a Moroi named Lee and two Strigoi had died. Those were hard memories to shake. The Alchemists had offered the apartment to me, since I’d also taken on full responsibility for Palm Springs, but I’d yielded it to Adrian. I hadn’t been sure I wanted to live there, and he’d been pretty desperate for his own place. When I’d seen how happy the apartment made him, I knew I’d made the right choice. Adrian opened the door before we’d barely had a chance to knock. â€Å"The cavalry! Thank God.† I hid a smile as Eddie and I stepped inside. The first thing that always hit me about this place was the sunny yellow paint Adrian had put up on the walls. He was convinced it helped the mood and had warned us not to question his â€Å"artistic sensibilities.† The fact that the yellow clashed pretty terribly with his secondhand plaid furniture was apparently irrelevant. Or maybe I just wasn’t â€Å"artistic† enough to appreciate it. Nonetheless, I actually found the erratic style comforting. It bore little resemblance to Keith’s decorating, making it a little easier to blot out the events of that awful night. Sometimes, when I looked around the living room, my breath would catch as visions of the vicious Strigoi attack and Lee’s death haunted me. Adrian’s stamp on the apartment was like light chasing away the gruesome shadows of the past. Sometimes when I was down, Adrian’s personality had a similar effect. â€Å"Nice blouse, Sage,† he told me, deadpan. â€Å"It really brings out the khaki in your pants.† His sarcasm aside, he looked supremely delighted to see us. He had the tall, lean build that most Moroi guys did, along with their typically pale (though not Strigoi-pale) skin. I hated to admit it, but he was more good-looking than he had any right to be. He wore his dark brown hair stylishly messy and had eyes that sometimes seemed too green to be real. Adrian had on one of those button-up printed shirts that were trendy with guys lately, with a blue pattern on it I liked. He smelled like he’d been smoking recently, which I didn’t like. Dimitri and Sonya were sitting at the kitchen table going over a bunch of papers with hand-written notes on them. The papers were kind of haphazardly scattered around, which made me wonder how much work they could really be accomplishing. I would have had those pages neatly stacked and organized by topic. â€Å"Glad you’re back, Sydney,† said Sonya. â€Å"I’ve needed a little female support here.† The prettiness of her red hair and high cheek bones was tainted by the fact that she showed her fangs when she smiled. Most Moroi were taught early to avoid that, to prevent detection from humans. Sonya had no qualms about doing it in private. It still bugged me. Dimitri smiled at me. It made his already handsome face even more so, and I knew that â€Å"Zen master wisdom† wasn’t the reason Rose had fallen for him. â€Å"I’m guessing you didn’t take a nap.† â€Å"Too much to do,† I said. Sonya gave Eddie a curious look. â€Å"We’ve been wondering where you were.† â€Å"Busy at Amberwood,† said Eddie vaguely. He’d mentioned in the car that it might be best if Angeline’s indiscretion and his forced shopping weren’t mentioned. â€Å"You know, keeping an eye on Jill and Angeline. Besides, I was waiting until Sydney came back since she wanted to see what we were doing.† I let the white lie slide. â€Å"How is Angeline?† asked Dimitri. â€Å"Is she improving?† Eddie and I exchanged glances. So much for avoiding her indiscretions. â€Å"Improving how exactly?† I asked. â€Å"In combat, in following the dress code, or in keeping her hands to herself?† â€Å"Or in turning off caps-lock?† added Eddie. â€Å"You noticed that too?† I asked. â€Å"Hard not to,† he said. Dimitri looked surprised, which was not a common thing. He wasn’t caught off guard very often, but then, no one could really prepare for what Angeline might do. â€Å"I didn’t realize I needed to be more specific,† said Dimitri after a pause. â€Å"I meant combat.† Eddie shrugged. â€Å"There’s a little improvement, but it’s hard to get through to her. I mean, she’s absolutely dead set on protecting Jill, but she’s also convinced she already knows how. She’s got years of that sloppy training drilled into her. It’s hard to break that. Plus, she’s†¦ easily distracted.† I had to swallow a laugh. Dimitri still looked troubled. â€Å"She has no time for distraction. Maybe I should talk to her.† â€Å"No,† said Eddie firmly, in a rare show of contradicting Dimitri. â€Å"You’ve got plenty to do here. She’s my responsibility to train. Don’t worry.† Adrian pulled up a chair, turning it backwards so he could rest his chin on its back. â€Å"What about you, Sage? I know we don’t have to worry about you violating the dress code. Did you have fun at your Alchemist spa this weekend?† I set down my bag and walked over to the refrigerator. â€Å"If by spa, you mean underground bunker. And it was just business.† I made a face as I looked inside. â€Å"You promised to get me diet pop.† â€Å"I did promise that,† said Adrian, no remorse whatsoever. â€Å"But then I read some article that said those artificial sweeteners aren’t good for you. So, I figured I’d watch out for your health.† He paused. â€Å"You’re welcome.† Dimitri said what we were all thinking. â€Å"If you want to start tackling healthy habits, I could suggest a few.† If Eddie or I had said that, it would have rolled right off Adrian – particularly since it was completely valid. But coming from Dimitri? That was different. There was a huge amount of tension between the two men, tension that had been building for a long time. Dimitri’s girlfriend, a notorious dhampir named Rose Hathaway, had briefly dated Adrian. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, but she’d been in love with Dimitri the whole time. So, there was no way that situation could have ended well. Adrian still carried a lot of scars from that and was particularly bitter toward Dimitri. â€Å"Wouldn’t want to inconvenience you,† said Adrian, a bit too coolly. â€Å"Besides, when not hard at work with this research, I’m actually conducting a side experiment on how cigarettes and gin increase charisma. As you might guess, the results are looking very promising.† Dimitri arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Wait, go back. Did you say hard at work?† Dimitri’s tone was light and playful, and again, I was struck by the double standard here. If I’d made that comment, Adrian’s response would’ve been something like, â€Å"Absolutely, Sage. I’ll probably win the Nobel Prize for this.† But for Adrian, Dimitri’s words were a call to battle. I saw a glint of something hard in Adrian’s eyes, a stirring of some old pain, and it bothered me. That wasn’t his way. He always had a smile and a quip, even if they were often irreverent or inappropriate. I’d gotten used to that. I kind of liked it. I glanced at Adrian with a smile that I hoped looked genuine, rather than a desperate attempt to provide distraction. â€Å"Research, huh? I thought you were a gambling man.† It took Adrian a few moments to drag his gaze from Dimitri and fix it on me. â€Å"I’ve been known to roll the dice now and then,† he said warily. â€Å"Why?† I shrugged. â€Å"No reason. Just wondering if you’d put your charisma research on hold and step up for a challenge. If you went twenty-four hours without cigarettes, I’d drink a can of pop. Regular pop. The whole can.† I saw the glimmer of Adrian’s earlier smile returning. â€Å"You would not.† â€Å"I totally would.† â€Å"Half a can would put you into a coma.† Sonya frowned. â€Å"Are you diabetic?† she asked me. â€Å"No,† said Adrian, â€Å"but Sage is convinced one extraneous calorie will make her go from super skinny to just regular skinny. Tragedy.† â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"You think it’d be a tragedy to go an hour without a cigarette.† â€Å"Don’t question my steel resolve, Sage. I went without one for two hours today.† â€Å"Show me twenty-four, and then I’ll be impressed.† He gave me a look of mock surprise. â€Å"You mean you aren’t already? And here I thought you were dazzled from the moment you met me.† Sonya shook her head indulgently at the two of us, like we were adorable children. â€Å"You’re missing out, Sydney,† she remarked, tapping the open pop in front of her. â€Å"I need about three of these a day to keep me focused on all this work. No detrimental effects so far.† No detrimental effects so far? Of course not. Moroi never had any. Sonya, Jill†¦ they could all eat whatever they wanted and still keep those amazing bodies. Meanwhile, I labored over every calorie and still couldn’t reach that level of perfection. Fitting into these size four khakis had been a triumph this morning. Now, looking at Sonya’s slender build, I felt enormous by comparison. I suddenly regretted my comment about drinking a can of pop, even if it had succeeded in distracting Adrian. I supposed I could rest easy knowing that him skipping cigarettes for a day was impossible. I’d never be called to pay up on my sugary wager. â€Å"We should probably get to work. We’re losing time.† That was Dimitri, getting us back on track. â€Å"Right,† said Adrian. â€Å"This is five minutes of valuable research wasted. Up for more fun, Castile? I know how much you love sitting around.† Because they were trying to find something special about Dimitri, Sonya and Adrian would often sit the two dhampirs side by side and study their auras in fine detail. Their hope was that Dimitri’s Strigoi conversion had left some sign that would help explain the immunity to being turned again. It was a valid idea, though not something that someone as active as Eddie enjoyed. He didn’t complain, of course. Eddie wore a look as tough and determined as Dimitri. â€Å"Tell me what you need.† â€Å"We want to do another aura study,† said Sonya. Looked like poor Eddie would be doing some more sitting around. â€Å"Last time we focused on any sign of spirit. This time, we want to show both of you some pictures and see if they trigger any color changes in your auras.† I nodded in approval. A lot of psychological experiments attempted similar techniques, though they usually monitored physiological responses instead of mystical auras. â€Å"I still say it’s a waste,† said Adrian. â€Å"They’re both dhampirs, but that doesn’t mean we can assume any different reactions they have are because Belikov was a Strigoi. Everyone’s unique. Everyone’s going to respond differently to pictures of kittens or spiders. My old man? He hates kittens.† â€Å"Who could hate kittens?† asked Eddie. Adrian made a face. â€Å"He’s allergic.† â€Å"Adrian,† said Sonya. â€Å"We’ve already been over this. I respect your opinion but still think we can learn a lot.† I was actually impressed that Adrian had an opinion. So far, I’d kind of felt like he was just going along with everything Sonya and Dimitri told him to do and that he didn’t give these experiments much thought. And, although I wasn’t familiar with the auras that surrounded all living creatures, I could understand his point that individual differences would throw off their research. â€Å"All data is useful in this case,† said Dimitri. â€Å"Especially since we haven’t found anything so far. We know there’s something different about former Strigoi. We can’t rule out any chance to observe it.† Adrian’s lips tightened, and he made no further protest. Maybe it was because he felt overruled, but I had a feeling it was because he just didn’t want to engage with Dimitri. With the attention off me, I settled into the living room with a book and tried to stay awake. They didn’t need me. I’d simply come to keep Eddie company. Occasionally, I’d check the others’ progress. Dimitri and Eddie watched as Sonya flipped through different images on her laptop. In turn, Adrian and Sonya watched the dhampirs closely and made notes on paper. I almost wished I could see the bands of color and light and wondered if there really were any noticeable differences. Studying Eddie and Dimitri, I sometimes would notice a change in facial expression when particularly cute or horrific images showed up on the screen, but for the most part their work remained a mystery to me. Curious, I walked over to Sonya when they were about halfway through. â€Å"What do you see?† I asked in a low voice. â€Å"Colors,† she said. â€Å"Shining around all living things. Eddie and Dimitri have different colors, but they have the same reactions.† She changed the picture on the screen to one of a factory spilling black smoke into an otherwise clear sky. â€Å"Neither of them like this. Their auras dim and turn troubled.† She flipped to the next image, a smile on her lips. Three kittens appeared on the screen. â€Å"And now they warm up. Affection is very easy to spot in an aura. So far, they react in normal ways. There’s no sign in Dimitri’s aura that he’s different from Eddie.† I returned to the couch. After a couple of hours, Sonya called a halt. â€Å"I think we’ve seen what we needed to. Thank you, Eddie.† â€Å"Happy to help,† he said, rising from his chair and stretching. He seemed relieved both that it was over and that it had involved something slightly more interesting than staring off into space. He was active and energetic, and didn’t like captivity. â€Å"Although†¦ we’ve got a few other ideas,† she added. â€Å"Do you think you guys can power through a little longer?† Naturally, she asked just as I was yawning. Eddie regarded me with sympathy. â€Å"I’ll stay, but you don’t have to. Go sleep. I’ll get a ride home.† â€Å"No, no,† I said, stifling a second yawn. â€Å"I don’t mind. What are your other ideas?† â€Å"I was hoping to do something similar with Eddie and Dimitri,† she explained. â€Å"Except this time, we’d use sounds instead of images. Then I’d like to see how they respond to direct contact with spirit.† â€Å"I think that’s a good idea,† I said, not really sure what that last one would entail. â€Å"Go for it. I’ll wait.† Sonya glanced around and seemed to notice I wasn’t the only one who looked tired. â€Å"Maybe we should get some food first.† Eddie brightened up at that. â€Å"I’ll go,† I offered. It was a sign of my progress that vampires talking about â€Å"food† no longer made me hyperventilate. I knew she didn’t mean blood, not if the dhampirs and I were being involved. Besides, there was no feeder around. Feeders were humans who willingly gave blood to Moroi for the high it produced. Everyone here knew better than to even joke about that around me. â€Å"There’s a good Thai carryout place a few blocks away.† â€Å"I’ll help,† said Adrian eagerly. â€Å"I’ll help,† said Sonya. â€Å"The last time you ran an errand, you were gone two hours.† Adrian scowled but didn’t deny the charge. â€Å"Our aura observations have been identical anyway. You can get them started on the sounds without me.† Sonya and I took everyone’s orders and set out. I didn’t really feel like I needed help, but I supposed carrying food for five people – even for a few blocks – could get unwieldy. I soon learned she had other motives for coming along, though. â€Å"It feels good to get outside and stretch my legs,† she said. It was early evening, with significantly less sun and heat – a condition the Moroi loved. We walked along a side street leading toward downtown, lined with cute apartments and small businesses. All around us, huge palm trees loomed, providing an interesting contrast to the eclectic urban setting. â€Å"I’ve been cooped up there all day.† I smiled at her. â€Å"And here I thought Adrian was the only one who got cabin fever from the work you guys do.† â€Å"He just complains the most,† she explained. â€Å"Which is kind of funny since he also probably gets out the most, between his classes and his cigarette breaks.† I’d nearly forgotten about the two art classes Adrian was taking at a local college. He usually kept his latest projects on display, but there’d been none in the living room lately. I hadn’t realized until that moment how much I missed them. I might give him a hard time, but sometimes those artistic glimpses into the way he thought were fascinating. Sonya gave me a brief recap of her wedding plans as we walked the short distance to the Thai restaurant. Her relationship with dhampir Mikhail Tanner was kind of epic on a lot of levels, I supposed. First, dhampirs and Moroi didn’t generally get involved in serious relationships. Usually, they were just casual affairs that resulted in the reproduction of more dhampirs. In addition to the scandal of even being involved, Mikhail had actually wanted to hunt down Sonya when she was a Strigoi to free her from that twisted state. Rose had attempted the same with Dimitri, believing death was better than being a Strigoi. Mikhail had failed, but their love had remained steadfast enough through the ordeal that when she’d defied the odds and been restored, they’d immediately gotten back together. I couldn’t even begin to imagine love like that. â€Å"We’re still deciding on flowers,† she continued. â€Å"Hydrangeas or lilies. I’m guessing I know what your vote is for.† â€Å"Actually, I’d say hydrangeas. I’m around too many lilies already.† She laughed at that and suddenly knelt near a flower bed filled with gladiolas. â€Å"More than you know. There are lilies sleeping in this bed.† â€Å"They’re out of season,† I pointed out. â€Å"Nothing’s ever out of season.† Sonya glanced around covertly and then rested her fingers on the earth. Moments later, dark green shoots appeared, growing taller and taller until a red trumpet lily opened up on top. â€Å"Ah. Red. Alchemists ones are white – oh, are you okay?† I had backed up so far on the sidewalk that I’d nearly walked into the street. â€Å"You†¦ you shouldn’t do that. Someone might see.† â€Å"No one saw,† she said, getting to her feet. Her face softened. â€Å"I’m so sorry. I forget sometimes how you feel about this. It was wrong of me.† â€Å"It’s okay,† I said, not sure that it was. Vampire magic always made my skin crawl. Vampires, creatures who needed blood, were bad enough. But being able to manipulate the world with magic? Even worse. That lily, although beautiful, took on a sinister edge now. It shouldn’t have existed this time of the year. No more was said about magic, and we soon reached the main strip downtown, where the Thai restaurant was. We placed a giant carryout order and were told it would take about fifteen minutes. Sonya and I lingered outside, admiring downtown Palm Springs in twilight. Lastminute shoppers were out before the boutiques closed, and all the restaurants were hopping with those coming and going. Many of them had outdoor tables on the sidewalk, and friendly conversation buzzed around us. A large fountain, tiled in bright colors, fascinated children and inspired tourists to stop for photo ops. Sonya was easily distracted by the various plants and trees that the city used to beautify the streets. Even without spirit’s ability to affect living things, she was still quite the gardener. â€Å"Hey you! Elder Melrose!† I turned and winced when I saw Lia DiStefano striding toward me. Lia was a fashion designer with a shop here in downtown Palm Springs. I hadn’t realized we were standing directly across from her store. If I had, I would’ve waited inside the restaurant. Lia was short but had an overwhelming presence, enhanced by the flamboyant gypsy style she often chose for her personal attire. â€Å"I’ve been calling you for weeks,† she said, once she reached our side of the street. â€Å"Why don’t you answer?† â€Å"I’ve been really busy,† I said straight-faced. â€Å"Uh-huh.† Lia put her hands on her hips and tried to stare me down, which was kind of amazing since I was taller. â€Å"When are you going to let your sister model for me again?† â€Å"Miss DiStefano,† I said patiently, â€Å"I’ve told you before. She can’t do it anymore. Our parents don’t like it. Our religion doesn’t allow faces to be photographed.† Last month, Jill’s runway-perfect build and gorgeous, ethereal features had attracted Lia’s attention. Seeing as having your picture taken en masse was kind of a bad way to stay in hiding, we’d only agreed to let Jill walk in Lia’s fashion show because all the models wore Venetian masks. Lia had been on me ever since to let Jill model again. It was hard because I knew Jill wanted to, but she understood as well as I did that her safety came first. Claiming we were part of some obscure religion had often explained away our weird behaviors to others, so I’d figured it would get Lia off my back. It hadn’t. â€Å"I never hear from these parents of yours,† Lia said. â€Å"I’ve watched your family. I see how it is. You’re the authority. You’re the one I have to go through. I have the chance to do a major magazine spread for my scarves and hats, and Jill was born to do it. What’s it going to take to get her? You want a cut of the pay?† I sighed. â€Å"It’s not about the money. We can’t show her face. If you want to put her in a Venetian mask again, then be my guest.† Lia scowled. â€Å"I can’t do that.† â€Å"Then we’re at an impasse.† â€Å"There must be something. Everyone has a price.† â€Å"Sorry.† There was no price in the world she could offer to get me to shirk my duty to Jill and the Alchemists. A restaurant clerk stuck his head outside and called that our order was ready, mercifully freeing us from Lia. Sonya chuckled as we loaded up on our bags and headed back down the street to make the walk to Adrian’s. The sky was still purple with the last of the day’s light, and street lamps made whimsical patterns on the sidewalk as they cast their light through the leaves of palm trees. â€Å"Did you ever imagine your job here would involve dodging aggressive fashion designers?† Sonya asked. â€Å"No,† I admitted. â€Å"Honestly, I never foresaw half the stuff this job has – â€Å" â€Å"Sonya?† A young man appeared seemingly out of nowhere, blocking our path. He was no one I knew and looked to be a little older than me. He wore his black hair in a buzz cut and was staring curiously at Sonya. She came to a halt and frowned. â€Å"Do I know you?† He brightened. â€Å"Sure. Jeff Eubanks. Remember?† â€Å"No,† she said politely, after a few moments of study. â€Å"You must have me mistaken for someone else. I’m sorry.† â€Å"No, no,† he said. â€Å"I know it’s you. Sonya Karp, right? We met in Kentucky last year.† Sonya stiffened. She’d made Kentucky her home while she was a Strigoi. I knew those couldn’t be pleasant memories. â€Å"I’m sorry,† she repeated, voice strained. â€Å"I don’t know what you’re talking about.† The guy was undaunted, still smiling as though they were best friends. â€Å"You’ve come a long ways from Kentucky. What brings you out here? I just transferred for work.† â€Å"There’s some mistake,† I told him sternly, nudging Sonya forward. I didn’t know what that mistake could be exactly, but Sonya’s attitude was all I needed. â€Å"We have to go.† The guy didn’t follow us, but Sonya remained silent for most of the walk home. â€Å"Must be hard,† I said, feeling like I should say something. â€Å"Meeting people from your past.† She shook her head. â€Å"He’s not. I’m certain of it. I’ve never met him.† I’d figured she just wanted to avoid all associations with being a Strigoi. â€Å"You’re sure? He wasn’t just some casual acquaintance?† She shot me a wry look. â€Å"Strigoi don’t have casual acquaintances with humans. They have them for dinner. That guy shouldn’t have known who I was.† â€Å"He was human? Not dhampir?† I couldn’t tell the difference, but Moroi could. â€Å"Definitely.† Sonya had stopped again and was glancing back at the guy’s retreating figure. I followed her gaze. â€Å"There must be some reason he recognized you. He seems pretty harmless.† That got me another smile. â€Å"Come now, Sydney. I figured you’d been around us long enough to know.† â€Å"Know what?† â€Å"Nothing’s ever as harmless as it seems.† How to cite The Golden Lily Chapter 3, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Contribution of Livestock Production to Climate †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Contribution of Livestock Production to Climate. Answer: Introduction The food processing industry holds third position in the list of manufacturing industries in Canada. In terms of value added and shipment, the most important industry is the industry or processed meat. Processed meat constitutes one third of total exported food. The industry provides larger employment to people engaged in food processing industry. The red meat processing industry in Canada employs more than 46,000 people. In every region of Canada meat processing is an important activity especially in Quebec and Prairie Province. The supply management system in Canada helps to distribute meats across all provinces and at an approximated proportion of total demand in consumer market. The processed meat industry though has taken an important place in the economy but it has adverse impact on other sphere of economics. The intensive livestock business affects the cattle species and results in reduction in number and hence an ecological imbalances. Diets containing high shares of meat lead to several diseases and raises possibility of cancer. Excessive gazing and harmful gas emitted during meat processing detrimental effect on environment (De Smet and Vossen). The paper presents a narrative essay on processed meat industry in Canada and its impact on species, people and the health, environment and national and regional economy. Meat industry is the largest based on animal agriculture. With expansion of non-vegetarian diet, the farming occupies majority of landmass. As a result, species rich in habitats are now destroying. The large-scale agriculture of animals results in extinction or destruction of species and creates dead zones in ocean. Most of the farm animals are first domesticated and then killed for supplying meat. This practice gradually reduces the number of animals and creates threats of species extinction. The ocean dean zones are areas under the ocean with a very low proportion of oxygen. The dead zones are created from the extensive pollution caused by human activity. Pollutants released in water from bathing and excretion waste from farm animals. Increasing proportion of pollutants in water reduces the amount of oxygen in water creating dead Zones. Agribusiness of animals has already occupied 40 percent landmass of earth and 75 percent deforestation globally (Porter et al.). The animal agribus iness hampers the balance of marine life as well. The water pollution resulted from intensive farming is a reason for death of many ocean animals and disturbs the ecological balance. The meat-based diet is a source of high protein. People are shifting their food habit from vegetarian to a non- vegetarian one. Meats are not only intake for full course meal but also are used for different tasty snacks. However, too much dependency on meat diet brings health hazards (Boada, Henrquez-Hernndez and Luzardo). As peoples dietary habit shift towards a meat based diet the possibilities of diseases like high cholesterol, pressure and other diseases increases. These the root of many diseases and even cause life risk. World Health Organization reports that eating meat daily increases the risk of cancer. Frequent intake of hot dogs, corned beef, sausages and beef jerky increases the colorectal cancer probability. The processed meat is also linked with heart diseases. Processed meats refer to meat that are preserved by curing, smoking, drying, salting or canning. To preserve meat harmful chemicals are usedthat have negative impact on health (Clonanet al.). For preserving meat one of the chemicals used is N-nitroso. This element contains substances that can cause cancer. This substance is formed from Sodium nitrite used for persevering pink or red color of meat, to give the processed meat additional flavor and prevent bacteria growth. These risks are not usually present with fresh meat. However, excessive consumption of both is harmful for health. Processed meat is associated with several chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, Bowel and stomach cancer, obstructive pulmonary disease or heart pr oblems. In a report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization indicates Livestock is a great threat to environment. The production of Livestock causes climate change by greenhouse gas emission even greater than motor vehicles (Giaouriset al.). The production of meat is one of the main contributors of harmful green house gas. In addition to carbon dioxide emission extensive farming is also responsible for emitting nitrous oxide and methane. The primary source of methane is stored manure and fermentation of ruminants. Carbon dioxide gas is released from energy uses and burning of fossils fuels in firms. Globally it accounts 18% of greenhouse gas emission induced from human activity. It is also responsible for causing degradation of land and water. The farm animals are grazed in fields and intensive grazing leads to removal of upper layer of soil causing soil erosion and land degradation. The environment degradation is not only resulted from emission of gases like methan e and manure but also hamper ecological balance. In order to increase arable lands for feeding crops deforestation is increasing at a rapid pace. The adverse impact on environment is realized in terms of destruction of rain forest, pollution, loss of water, soil erosion and acid rain. Explosion of farm animal offset people A worldwide explosion of farm animals is realized to meet the growing demand for diet based on farm animal. From 1950 to 1994, globally meat production has accounted fourfold increase. The rate is higher than growth of human population during this period (Johnston, Jessica and Bruce ). The overpopulation of farm animals creates pressure on earths resources. Both the farm animals and human depends on nature for their basic need. In Canada, the growth rate of farm animals and that of people are four to one. Studies find on any given day, there are nearly 14.6 million cattle dairy and beef, 96 million chickens, 13 million pigs and 8 million turkeys alive. In contrast to this statistics, the number of people alive is 30 million. The domesticated animals absorb resources to satisfy their basic need through grazing land and feed crops (Bustillo-Lecompteand Mehrab ). Processed meat is the largest food industry in Canada. In 1994, the meats shipment worth of 9.5 billion dollar. In manufacturing industry, it stands third next after motor vehicle and oil industries (Arcand et al.). The emission of greenhouse gas from farming is highly responsible for global climate change (Currie et al.). The increasing proportion of green house gas increases global temperature contributing to global warming. A shift towards plant-based diet is recommended to counter adverse impact of climate change. In order to grow crops to feed animals, considerable amount of water is required. Water is also required for cleaning farm factory and for water to animals to drink. The production of 1-poundbeef requires 2400 gallons water (Narvaez?Bravo et al.). By relying on vegetarian diet, it is possible to save 219,000 gallons water every year. The water gets polluted from waste discharged by animals. When chemicals used in the processed meat mixes with water, then water get contaminated. Farm animals raise more excretion than human. According to Environmental Protection Agency in Canada showed the factory farms in Canada every year entails 500 million tons manures. With no arrangement for sewage to processed plants, the manures are stored in small water land near the factory farms called lagoons or sprayed over the fields (Huang et al). The runoff water from fields mixes with lakes and rivers and causes water pollution. The virus and bacteria carries off to ground water and make it contaminated. Agriculture versus wilderness Using more land for grazing or feeding animals creates environmental problem associated with modern agriculture (Sheppard andBittman). In central Canada much prairies land have been already lost. In the Sothern Prairies of Canada 115,000 cattle are roamed about. Cows, buffalo and Elk are most common animals used in the meat industry. The animal husbandry and processed meat industry uses a major share of prairies land causing damages to the land. The steady supply of meat in the meat processed industry demands a major share of energy that is used in agriculture. Studies reveal that production of meat need 10 to 20 times more energy than that required for grain production (Herforthand Ahmed). The animal products demand more energy for being processed, packed and refrigeratethan vegetarian food. The meat-processed industry has significant contribution in the economy. The sector provides direct employment to many people in the economy. In the processed food industry, the single sector accounts for major employment. However, the economic impact of the industry is not limited to employment only but it extends far beyond (Moubarac et al). The industry has considerable contribution in providing jobs for both urban and rural Canada. The vast meat industry is an important though indirect channel for marketing Canadian farm products. In Canada, there are opportunities for direct sales for food grain, oilseed producers and for livestock farmers. The meat industry provides indirect job opportunities for in the related industries such as those offer equipment, related product and services to the processor of meat. Another related business for processed food industry is the availability of transport. Based on this industry indirect jobs are created in rail, truck and air transportation. However, total meat purchase in Canada varies slightly in different years based on the supply variation, price and demand least change in the trend is observed for the past three decades (Dyer et al). During the last three decades per capita consumption of nutritious and wholesome meat product remain almost unchanged. In 1982, the average consumption of meat in Canada was 75.39 kilogram, which in 2011 is recorded as 75.38 kilograms. In the form of narrative essay the methodology adapted is to phrase relevant journal articles and research papers. The purpose of the paper is to present a narrative essay on effect of processed meat production. Meat production is one of the important industries for the economy. In addition to its economic valuation, the industry has prolonged impact on cattle species, health of people and even causes permanent damage to environment. The effect of meat industry is not limited to a specific country. The global scenario is first evaluated and then it is linked with Canada.Economic journals, research papers and official journals are used for narrating economic and environmental impact of the specific industry. The meat processing industry takes an important place in Canadian economy. In the industry there are large number of small producers of sausages and smoked meats. This makes available many operating posts in the industry. Currently the industry employs 28% of all the people engaged in food processing (Preston). For any economy the status of employment is an important indicator of overall economic condition. By providing huge employment the sector appears as a crucial sector for Canadian economy. Chicken, beef and other red meat industry needs steady supply of these animals. Killing of these animals leads to a decline in the number of available species. The industrial production is not limited to meet domestic demand. A large export market is available for the industrial output. The rapid expansion of the industry creates increasing demand for farm animals. The rate of decline in their number outpaces the birth of newly born animals (Sarkwaet al.). The animals are given high protein food items for better supply of meat. This often creates various diseases among them and affects their reproductive capacity. The natural system of food chain is hampered and so is the ecological balance. In addition to already existing factors behind species extinction and endangered species in Canada the processed meat industry attributes to further declining habitats and endangering animals life. People food habit is now more oriented towards a non vegetarian diet. They prefer to have dishes prepared with meat in their meals as well as for snacks. To meet the demand processed meat is now available in most of the market and groceries. Demand is also coming from restaurant to prepare different dishes using this. However, large intake of meat items has adverse impact on health. High protein is generally source of heart diseases. It also causes high blood pressure and other chronic diseases (Frisk). This type of diet is a possible source not only for chronic diseases but also disease that put life risk like cancer. In the processed meats different harmful chemicals are used that are sources of various health hazards. The effect of meat industry on natural resource and environment is not limited to its impact on species extinction or declining number of farm animals. The activity has severe impact on other environmental aspects. Global climate change is a matter of severe concern for environmentalists. The greenhouse gas emitted from different industrial activity, smoke from motor vehicles and others are responsible for causing global warming (Legesseet al.). However, the animal agriculture accounts for rapid emission of such harmful gases and rapidly deteriorate climate. The grazing of farm animals put pressure on land. The intensive use of land grazing makes it unproductive and hence leaves fewer lands available for agricultural production. The animal business also requires lots of water for drinking of animals, cleaning farms and growing grains for feeding them. Water pollution which is a byproduct of animal farming leads to misbalance of marine life as well. Considering the detrimental effect of meat industry on environment and on health of common people food habit of people has to be changed. The health and environment ministry in Canada recommends for shifting to a diet rich in vegetables and fruits and less of meat (Soladoye et al). This will help to achieve the twin objective of improving health condition and environment protection. The department reported that the present system of food is very much energy intensive. The beef production creates environmental pressure through generating methane gas that affects the climate. When people consume less meat then they intake less energy and therefore reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and some types of cancers. Conclusion The paper is a form of narrative essay tracing the effect of processed meat industry. The industry of processed meat spread worldwide and affects the global environment. In Canada it is the third largest manufacturing industry generating huge employment in the economy. The fast expansion of meat industry leads to species extinction or declining species by reducing the number of farm animals. The intensive farming of animals results in environment degradation by putting excessive pressure on different natural resources. During meat production harmful methane gas is produced. This is one of the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change. Additionally, this leads to air, water and land pollution and affect bio diversity. Not only land animals are affected but also the aquatic animals are affected. Diet including more meat creates trouble for health and considered as the source of various diseases. In order to address this issue people in Canada are advised to include more vegetable s and fruits to save the environment and avoid health troubles. References Arcand, JoAnne, et al. "Examination of food industry progress in reducing the sodium content of packaged foods in Canada: 2010 to 2013."Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism41.6 (2016): 684-690. Boada, Luis D., L. A. Henrquez-Hernndez, and O. P. Luzardo. 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