An evaluation of the suitability of the Istisna contract to financing Essay

An evaluation of the suitability of the Istisna contract to financing small enterprises - Essay Example These banks offer services based on religious teachings and laws. The banks continue to provide innovative financial products aimed at filling the existing gaps in the financial industry. These banks have used a philanthropic approach, adopted from Islamic teaching, to offer high quality services to customers. One of these approaches has been the Istisna contract. Based on the Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) this contract has transformed the banking industry immensely (Mahlknecht, 2009). The use of this contract may be enormously beneficial to people seeking comprehensive funding for small businesses. The contract and its use by Islamic banks The Istisna contract falls under the category of manufacturing contracts. It was created by the Islamic Financial Institution in line with the Istisna believes. The contract is strongly related to the shariah. In Arabic, the word Istisna means making a request to someone to build, construct or manufacture something for another. This contract is based on the principle meaning of the word. The contract, therefore, involves agreements for sale and purchase between two individuals. The items under discussion in the contract agreements of Istisna are non-existent. This can be termed as the greatest difference between the Istisna and other financial contracts within the industry (Warde, 2000). This has led to the identification of the Istisna as a exceptional sale agreement. Within the scope of the Istisna contract, the agreement is normally based on trust between the parties. The asset in the agreement normally has to be constructed or manufactured in a later date. The parties normally a gree on the date in which the finished product should be delivered. The process of creating an Istisna contract needs to be handled with considerable care. The Shariah law dictates that a commodity intended for sale must in the hands on the seller when the sale is being made (Mahlknecht, 2009). The seller must also posses the ownership of the product intended for sale. A product to be sold must also have been gained through acceptable means by the Islamic law. The Istisna contract, however, seems to offer a slightly different ideology. In the Istisna contract, the products being sold are normally, not in their final form. The core aspect of the contract becomes the religious values attached to the agreement. All elements of the contract are based upon trust and belief in the ability of the manufacturing party to deliver items. The quality and quantity of the product is expected to meet the agreed upon standards. In the contract, the parties agree on the specifications of the goods t o be manufactured as well as the date of completion of the manufacturing process. The cost price of the items can also be another element agreed upon by the contracting parties. All these elements are done through agreements made by the contracting parties. Within the scope of the Istisna contract, the Islamic financial institutions are requested by customers to manufacture a product. The product is manufactured by the financial institution on behalf of the customer. Upon completion of the construction, the product is then delivered to the customer for payment. Trust becomes essential as the customer may not be able to cater for the payment of the products delivered. An important note to make here is that the contract terms cannot be changed once they have been agreed upon. This becomes essential in ensuring that each party delivers its part of the bargain. Failure by either party, though, immediately makes the contract obsolete. The

Age Discrimination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Age Discrimination - Essay Example This type of discrimination can take many forms and can surface in many workplace areas. This paper highlights age discrimination, who it affects, where it is likely to surface, the laws constructed to prevent its occurrence, and also illustrates suggestions for today’s HR managers to prevent this form of discrimination from occurring. Age discrimination has many definitions, but can be best described as a situation which occurs when older workers are â€Å"avoided or excluded in everyday (business) activities because they are simply the wrong age† (Nussbaum, 2000). Age discrimination also involves denying the provision of job opportunities to older workers, such as a career-based promotion, in favor of promoting a younger individual for the management role. Age discrimination, when it occurs, impacts both the more seasoned worker and the business as well. For instance, the older employee who is experiencing discrimination based on age will not only see diminished job opportunities, but their emotional well-being can be impacted negatively. Despite the various legislation created to combat this growing form of discrimination, evidence suggests that age-related bias and discrimination is on the rise in contemporary business and in the broader society. According the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), age-bias claims have soared in recent years, which is attributed to today’s economic conditions (Levitz and Shishkin, 2009). For instance, because many companies are currently looking for methods to reduce costs, lay-offs have become the cost-cutting choice when personnel and payroll costs begin to exceed salary and compensation budgets. In addition, recent changes to existing anti-discrimination laws have made it easier for laid-off employees to allege age bias as the rationale for why they lost their jobs (Levitz and Shishkin). However, why is the older worker being targeted for lay-offs over their younger,

The Current Situation Facing Tanzania Smes Economics Essay

The Current Situation Facing Tanzania Smes Economics Essay I sincerely thank the almighty God to keep me health and give me ability, strength to accomplish this course, as he makes up activities run and deciding the degree of success or failure one can experience. Special thanks to my Instructor, Mrs. Priti Punatar for her guidance and support in this essay two also which need more guidance as we give out our view in chosen topic, Madame your close guidance has become very helpful on this session, Thanks so much. Thanks again Institute for Information Technology and Greenwich University for providing us with International qualification locally (here in Tanzania). ABSTRACT This paper has examined the current situation facing Tanzania SMEs and how does they survive through innovation in this era of globalization. The paper also discussed challenge prevailing in growth and development of Tanzania SMEs, as late 70s and early 80s SMEs started to become more innovative and more flexible in term of reducing costs, Thus, they started providing intermediate goods more efficiently than large enterprises, as people starts to be more aware and more skilled on business environment through economic integrations, movement of people and capital which caused by globalization. While Tanzania SMEs tries to survive by innovation in globalization era technology, competition and their abrupt bankruptcy become a critical challenge which this paper will analyses and give the recommendation on how to go about it so as to survive in this era which other developing countries like China, India and Brazil took as opportunity to stabilize they economy. 1. ANALYSIS ON IMPORTANT OF GLOBALIZATION IN TODAYS BUSINESS WORLD As globalization is integration and interdependences of world economies, this cause liberalization of international trade as trade barriers where removed, technology progress example uses of internet which make customers more access to product of different countries and allows ease partnership between entrepreneurs. Through finding which collected on preparation of essay one, globalization can be contributed by the following factors in this recent decade Increase in and expansion of technology, Liberalization of cross-border trade and resource movements, Development of services that support international business, Growing consumer pressures, Increased global competition, Changing political situations, Expanded cross-national cooperation. Also globalization brought different challenge in todays business environment, among those issues there business integration, creativity, movement of technology, movement of intangible and tangible resources. Throughout recorder of history, human contact over ever wider geographic areas have expanded the variety of resources, products, services, and markets available to consumers. People has altered the way they wants and expect to live, and they have become more deeply affect (positively and negatively) by conditions outside of our immediate domains (Daniels J.D, et al, 2009, pg48) This global challenge which face all sector also effects Tanzania economic as government implemented Tanzania economic reform programme in 1986 and review in 1996 which base on philosophy of dedicate country economy in market economy whereby the private sector will take lead in creating income and employment, while SMEs was accounted for a large share of the enterprises active in Tanzania. 1. I.MAJOR CRITICISMS OF GLOBALIZATION Although we have discussed seven broad reasons for the increase in international business and globalization, we should remember that the consequences of these trends remain controversial. To thwart the globalization process, anti-globalization forces regularly protest international conferences (sometimes with attendant violence). There are many pertinent issues, but we focus on the three broad categories: threats to national sovereignty (i.e. countries lose sovereignty), growth and environmental stress (I.e. the resultant growth hurts the environment), and growing income inequality (i.e. some people lose both relatively and absolutely). Threats to national sovereignty You probably heard the slogan Think globally acts locally. In essence, it means that the accommodation of local interest should prevail over global interests. Some observers worry that the proliferation of international agreements, particularly those that eliminate local restrictions on how good are bought and sold, will diminishing a nations sovereignty- that is, a nations freedom to act locally and without externally imposed restrictions. Economic growth and environmental stress Much anti-globalization criticisms revolve around issues of economic growth. According to one argument, as globalization brings growth, it consumes more nonrenewable natural resources and increases environmental damage- despoliation through toxic and pesticide runoffs into rivers and oceans, air pollution from factories and vehicle emissions, and deforestation that can affect weather and climate. Growing income inequality In measuring economic well-being, we must look not only at our absolute situations but also at how well were doing compared to the economic well-being of others. We generally dont find our economic status satisfactory unless were doing better and keeping up with others. Also Tanzania made development Vision that by the year 2025, Tanzania should have created a strong, diversified, flexible and competitive economy, which can effectively cope with the challenges of development and, which can also easily and confidently adapt to the changing market and technological conditions in the regional and global economy. 2. BARRIERS HINDERING TANZANIAN SMEs TO COMPETE GLOBALLY The following are suggested to be the barriers impending Tanzanian SMEs to expand beyond domestic markets. 2. I.Ability to acquire financial capital On recognition of the fact that many SMEs in Tanzania do not have ability to acquire financial capital, the government has given out a total of 4.85bn/= in loans to 14,272 for the financial year ending 2003/2004 as a support to Small and Medium scale entrepreneurs development projects (URT, 2004).which wasnt enough. 2. II.Legal and regulatory framework Report from Business Environment Strengthening for Tanzania (BEST) revealed that, the government has been working in collaboration with a number of ministries and department to put in place a legal framework conducive to speedy investments, streamlining and registration of business activities. (Daily News, July 9, 2005).but in fact these institutes create bureaucracy and hinder the growth and development of SMEs in the country, through long process of business registration. 2. III.Incoherence of government policies for SMEs development On recognition of SMEs growth potentials, the government of Tanzania has been implementing the Small and Medium Enterprise Development policy (2003) to support the development of SME sector. But the policy aimed more at increasing the contribution of the Gross National Product and export earnings as well as winning the war against poverty. (Sunday observer June 26, 2005) 2. VI.Lack of managerial skills Research done by Gibb, (1983) revealed that, Small industry in a large number of observed developing countries demonstrate a multiple of specific and in many ways non-conventional managerial traits that one seldom encounters in medium or larger firms. First is the very small management team that brings along with it a lack of specialization, a predominance of multi-functional roles, a shortage of promotable manpower, and a pronounced domination by a leader and large measure of informal control? Second, there is the limited control of the environment and the limited resources available to scan its anticipated potential changes and adapt capacity accordingly. Third, there is the informal pattern of operation, with conflicts resolved more easily and loyalties assuming a high magnitude. Fourth there is the general unawareness or indifference to the structured approach to the managerial function and the need for a longer term vision of the enterprise and its environment. 2. V.The environmental influence Small businesses, especially, are struggling nationally and internationally to survive. For an organization to survive and prosper there is need for an understanding and adjustment to the external environment. Lack of response to the changing global environment will result in the organizations not meeting the needs and wants of their stakeholders. Responding to the environment essentially means matching the capabilities of the organization with changing environment. This scenario has meant that the success of SMEs in this changing environment of globalization depends in large part on the formulation and implementation of strategy. (e.g. Miles and Snow, 1978; Porter, 1980). Strategy in this context reflects the firms short- and long-term responses to the challenges and opportunities posed by the business environment. Companies execute strategies to attract customers, meet the needs of the stakeholders and deal effectively with other environmental concerns, such as environmental issues. Example: Globalization has generated competition even more competition for the SMEs particularly the black African business. The growth in ethnic groups in many advanced economies poses particular challenges for global marketing strategies. In the UK an increasing ethnic diversity of markets is attributed, in part, to an increased mobility of populations across national frontiers and a corresponding growth in ethnic consumers (Wilkinson and Cheng, 1997; Nwankwo and Lindridge, 1998). 2. VI.Limited experience of international trading activity Smaller firms find that the global marketplace can offer tremendous opportunity for business growth and development (Winch and Bianchi, 2006). Notwithstanding the benefits (on both on a firm and macro-environment level) to be derived from international trade (Bell, 1997), this body of literature also argues that the smaller the firm is often more vulnerable to barriers associated with resource limitations, operating difficulties and trade restrictions (Katsikeas and Morgan, 1994; Leonidou, 2004). As Buckley (1989) maintains, internationalization by its very nature involves a high degree of risk and SMEs tend to have more limited resources to cope with the downside of foreign expansion. Hence, it has been argued that the barriers to entry that limit international expansion are systematically higher for smaller firms than for larger firms (Acs et al., 1997; OFarrell and Wood, 1998). It has been highlighted by Bell (1997) that the most widely investigated topic in the literature is the barriers and obstacles to exporting, which have been categorized in terms of internal and external barriers. External obstacles to SME internationalization include procedural, governmental and task barriers (Leonidou, 2004), which may emanate from the domestic market or overseas market (Fillis, 2001). For small firms, the prospect of entering into international markets can often be seen as a risky venture (Burpitt and Rondinelli, 2000; Masurel, 2001) especially given financial market imperfections, exchange rates, and differences in legal systems, culture and languages (Acs et al., 1997). Therefore, as the research findings by Knight and Liesch (2003) acknowledged, SMEs are more often less able to sustain competitive threats and unfavorable macro-events in the external environment than larger firms. This is particularly characteristic of SMEs with very limited experience of interna tional trading activity defined as tentative internationalizing firms (Lloyd-Reason and Mughan, 2003). For these SMEs at the early stage of internationalization, more often the internal skills and knowledge needs of the firm have been met and all is required is market intelligence to fully engage in foreign market expansion. 2. VII.Export capabilities and export performance Over two decades, many studies have researched the specific elements of export capability that may determine export performance in SMEs. Unfortunately, much of this was fragmented. Indeed, reviews by Aaby and Slater (1989), Styles and Ambler (1994), Leonidou (1995), Fraering (1996) and Zou and Stan (1998) all recognize the need to consolidate empirical export research. Amongst these authors there is general agreement that the elements of export capability relating to export performance centre around three categories: (a) a firms characteristics; (b) a firms competencies; and (c) a firms export-marketing strategy capability. (a). Firms Characteristics One of the reasons the activities of SMEs in international markets are seen to deserve special attention is the challenge SMEs with limited resources face when competing in such markets. It is perhaps unsurprising, therefore, to find that research (Dichtl et al., 1990) did establish links between firm size and export performance. However, a number of other studies have questioned the existence of such a direct link. Bonaccorsi (1992), Katsikeas et al. (1997) argued that firms with the same amount and quality of resources may well choose different export strategies and thus strategic capability must be a mediating variable in the relationship between a firms resources and export behavior, and not firm size. Larger firms achieved a better competitive position than smaller firms when they had greater marketing capabilities and product superiority. Katsikeas et al. (1997) found that the level of export involvement and the type of product marketed were perceived to be more important eleme nts of capability than the size of the firm. Thus, it seems that, whilst it may be an obvious explanatory factor in export success, size is not necessarily viewed as a key export capability. (b). Firms competencies Competencies that have been directly associated with export success include domestic market performance, product uniqueness, production capacity, labour skills and the type of industry in which the firm operates. Ogbeuhi and Longfellow (1994) and Katsikeas et al. (1997) both make reference to factors such as, export market planning skills, quality of export staff, foreign market connections and financial management skills as being critical capabilities in enhancing export performance. Aaby and Slater (1989) propose that competencies in all these areas are critical to export success. Conversely, weakness in these areas is seen as a potential cause of failure in export markets. More specifically, Ogbeuhi and Longfellow (1994) found that export market failure often results from poor market analysis, absence of product market match, ineffective distribution, and lack of management planning and control. (c). Strategy variables Much of the earlier work examining strategy variables focused on individual capabilities: product design and persistence in the market. However, more recent research has put greater emphasis on the information generating capabilities of the firm. Toften and Olsen (2003), Burridge and Bradshaw (2001) and Hart and Tzokas (1999) suggest that successful exporters have strong capabilities in accessing and using the information required for long term export marketing planning, whereas less successful ones put the emphasis purely on obtaining information for the day-to-day running of the business. This is supported to some extent by Johanson and Vahlne (1977) who conclude that, whilst firms may initially export to markets that are geographically close, it is the subsequent increase in market knowledge and information that can lead to rapid expansion in more psychically distant markets. Other authors have also provided empirical evidence of the importance of marketing variables in relation to export performance (see for example: Shoham et al. (2002), Thirkell and Day (1998), Madsen (1994), Styles and Ambler (1994), Katsikeas et al. (1996). Admittedly, the weight of support for the role of relationships in export performance comes mainly from the network perspective, a view that focuses on the formal and informal relationships that bind an organisation (Johanson and Mattsson, 1988). One of the main tenets of this perspective is that export performance is the result of interaction and the development of numerous relationships (Johanson and Vahlne, 1990). 3. OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES TO EXPAND BEYOND DOMESTIC MARKET Scarborough et.al, (1996) suggested that growing number of SMEs are recognizing that going global is not only a strategy reserved solely for large industries, but increasing globalization of business also favors SMEs. There are several opportunities available for SMEs pursuing a Global presence these are: 3. I. Direct exporting Exporting starts with a global mind set which unfortunately is not all that common among owners of SMEs. With increased global competition putting pressure on domestic market, and trade agreements opening up foreign market, as never before, however, SMEs are increasingly looking towards exporting. However, SMEs, realizing the incredible profit potential it offers, are making exporting an ever-expanding part of the marketing plans. 3. II. Use of internet technology to penetrate across boarder market The Internet is a worldwide network of interconnected computers consisting of thousands of smaller networks. The worldwide website (WWW) is an information retrieval system that operates on the Internet (Ndiaye et al 2000) organizations have been increasingly deploying internet to serve their business process needs. Being an information rich network, internet provides further opportunity of creating knowledge to SMEs. This is an indication that stakeholders in SMEs can communicate with the outside world to add value to their processes (Mwaijonga, 1999). Once connected to Internet SMEs can create their own website and thus become more accessible to the rest of the world (www, digital dividend .org) 3. III. International franchising Franchise is license granted to manufactures, distributor, trader, etc, that allows him or her to manufacture or sell product or service in a particular area for specific period of time .The grantor of license (Franchiser) is usually paid a royalty on sales by the holder of the license. The situation of domestic market is the principle driving force pushing entrepreneurs into foreign markets. In many cases the products and services sold in International markets are identical to those sold in home country. However, Franchisers have learned to modify their products and services to suit local tastes and customers. 3. Vii. Foreign licensing SMEs enter foreign markets by licensing businesses in other nations to use their patents, trademarks copyrights, and technology is a relatively simple way for even the most in experienced business owner to extend his reach into global markets. 3. V. Formation of alliances and joint ventures Melanie, Ravi (2002) adds that in order for SMEs to survive in markets where there are large competitors, they can form alliances with similar firms to increase the rate of market penetration and reduce financial risk, by this way, the SMEs may utilize overseas technology to overcome diseconomies of scale and to produce innovations which differentiate themselves significantly from large competitors. Because SMEs have limited resources and relative inability to absorbing the costs of the operations, Most importantly they can benefit market reputation that a foreign partner is enjoying, thus this create opportunity for SMEs to go beyond domestic market. 3. Vi. Credit guarantee scheme for SMEs Perege (2005) indicates that, the long awaited credit Guarantee scheme for small and medium enterprises set up by the government of Tanzania to help SMEs access foreign a market is now ready. Exporters from the SMEs sector can now start sending their application for funding through the Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO). The fund, which amounts to Tanzanian shillings 3 Billion as set up in the previous financial budget 2003/2004) with the purpose of assisting small and medium enterprises expand exports of their products. Under the credit Guarantee scheme, once an exporter has applied for the loan from any banking institution and has been asked to produce guarantee/ collateral for that affect, SIDO in collaboration with BOT, will assess the possibility for acting as guarantors .In case exporters failed to pay back their loans, the guarantor would pay the loans (Perege, 2005). 3. Vii. Unique goods or services Some SMEs have products that are superior in quality than what is currently offered in the targeted International market. This helps the SMEs gain an edge in attracting buyers and quickly establishing a market position. Many professional SMEs now are finding that they have an opportunity to establish market positions worldwide because they have specific expertise that is in strong demand. 4. AFFECT OF INNOVATION IN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF SMES IN TANZANIA. Combining the concepts provided in previous studies on the first essay, a diffusion model can be good to Tanzania SMEs as it emphasizing acquisition, adoption and adaptation of already existing innovations has been developed for the SMEs industrial sector. The focus of the research in this mode is on utilizing the entrepreneurial characteristics and capabilities to access and exploit already existing technology. Information and knowledge about sources of technology are important components in diffusion process. For a successful innovation in a competitive market, integration of SME activities both vertically and horizontally is essential. The model contains concepts (constructs) whose existence and possible relationships have been addressed and gauged in order to determine how they influence innovativeness. The constructs are categorized as: (a) Technological information and knowledge; (b) Knowledge and skills; (c) Nature of the market and external relationships; (d) Characteristics and capabilities of SMEs. 4. I.MEASUREMENTS OF INNOVATIVENESS To measure innovativeness of SMEs in the Tanzanian manufacturing sector, a time-frame of three years was used. This time-frame was selected because of the nature of the measurements used required owners/managers of SMEs to provide accurate estimates of their innovativeness. Technological change that was selected as the innovativeness indicator of technology adopted was measured as it was experienced by owners/managers of SMEs. Innovation measurement is based on technological adoption, modifications and incremental changes that took place in the SMEs in the Tanzanian manufacturing sector. This approach is in line with a study by Landa (1993), in which he was able to separate innovating from non-innovating firms. 4. I.1.Measurements of Innovation Indicators (a) Technological information and knowledge; this concept is divided into technology information access and technology knowledge awareness. (b) Knowledge and skills; this concept is divided into two concepts: level of knowledge and skills, and owner. 5. ANALYSIS OF THE ESSAY FUNDINGS This part includes the analysis of findings regarding the essay and the concluding remarks and recommendations. 5. I. Markets for SMEs Different researchers were interested to establish whether Tanzanian SMEs sales their products in the external markets, local market or both. According to the research on the barriers hindering Tanzanian SMEs to expand beyond domestic markets, done by Neema J.M. (2010), the findings show that (61.11%) of entrepreneurs (or businessmen) sale their products in local market and only (38.89%) of businessmen sale both local and external market. This suggests that the local market looks friendly to the SMEs than external market. It is observed that, export modes in Tanzania differ from one firm to another. After trade liberalization, many entrepreneurs have started to export into foreign markets freely instead of using the traditional government channels. (Argument from the essay writer, 2011). It is revealed that, most SMEs which use this method do it mainly by participating in neighbors countries though trade fairs, exhibitions and delegation. However, direct exporting has been possible due to mainly initiatives from buyers; most of these SMEs have their customers abroad who use their product (Argument from the essay writer, 2011). 5. II. Lack of external marketing information On the other hand the findings show that they suffer from lack of external marketing information. They are often unable to keep track of trend with changing tastes and preferences of external consumers. Also most of SMEs they are not using website to penetrate beyond domestic market. This result in them losing either existing market share or being unable to penetrate new market without proper assistance from government and other institutions. It is also observed that, inadequate marketing services have been hindering SMEs find it difficult to obtain relevant knowledge and information about markets (Argument from essay writer, 2011). 5. III. Lack of advanced technology According to the analysis on this essay, it is revealed that technology constitutes the major constraints for the SMEs to inter into foreign markets. Entrepreneurs and other businessmen have a belief that due to the use of traditional technology in manufacturing of products, SMEs produce low quality products that do not meet international standards. This is also a view held by UNIDO, which establishes that small-scale businesses often use inefficient low-cost technologies that yield products of poor quality and pose hazards to health and environment. A number of small-scale business strongly agree that they get difficulties to cope with external market competition because of low quality products and high prices for the products manufactured by SMEs compared with products of other countries like China, Japan, and Kenya, etc. 6. CONCLUSION 6. I. Conclusion on Global Perspective The continuous global trends are unseeingly affecting all businesses throughout this economy. These global trends cause a constant need to accommodate, which is applying more costs and frustration to all businesses. The global affects that people who are unaware of what is slowly bringing down businesses in this economy. Along with tending to the extra costs incurred from globalization, businesses still have to focus on fulfilling customers expectations in order to improve satisfaction and increase future business. Outsourcing of technologies and continuous innovations opens doors for many businesses to gain access in a foreign market, but not all businesses can handle and maintain activity in these roughing economies. 6. II. Conclusion on Africa Perspective One of the weaknesses of African countries is the relative small size of the industrial sector. This sector is crucial for development and science and technology policies must support its growth and strengthening. The sector may be the weakest link in the development of many African countries. Hence the priority must be accorded to the development of this sector through building entrepreneurial capacities to acquire and apply appropriate manufacturing technology for enhanced competitiveness. Priority must also be accorded to the creation and development of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Science and technology policies must support this orientation. 6. III. Conclusion on Tanzania Perspective This essay is about analyses the Impact of innovation in todays Tanzania SMEs in this era of globalization significantly there is a lot reveal that there are some opportunities for Tanzania SMEs to enter in foreign markets that have not been fully exploited because of some constraints as identified above, as many SMEs are unaware of opportunities currently offered by commercial banks to support their businesses. Lack of access to finance can usually be found at the top of any list of the problem of small business. SMEs generally start with their own resources and are undercapitalized. SMEs in Tanzania suffer from lack of information on available support and market signals, including those for local and export markets, lack of managerial skills and international marketing skills, lack of coherent government policies for SMEs development inhibits expansion of SMEs both domestically and beyond domestic market. Products of most Tanzania SMEs are of varying quality and costly to produce due to lack of access to technology and know-how. 7. I. RECOMMENDATION FOR POLICY MAKERS The formulation, as well as the implementation, of a clear development policy on SMEs is of paramount importance given the contributions of SMES to economic and industrial development. The use of obsolete technology in Tanzania SMEs and a lack of awareness of source of new technology as the result of heavy dependence on foreign technologies, lack of innovations and lack of know where to find appropriate technologies to be acquired, and lack of internal capacity to achieve technical innovation. But innovation diffusion depends, among other things, on the economy and government of a nation (Silveira, 2001). This essay suggests the importance of having a national innovation policy that links together all the economic factors. This is considered particularly important for Tanzania SMEs because of market failure, international competitiveness, and institutional inadequacies. 7. II. Recommendation to Tanzania chamber of commerce industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) It should emphasize on advocacy and lobbying. Thats representing the opinions of their members to the government and keeping and assisting in the formulation of policies concerning business so as to meet needs and concerns of their members so that they can grow easily and expand their business locally and externally. 7. III. Recommendations for further studies It is recommended that Government should create a passage of law and regulations that allow the SMEs to access the financial aids and the shortest way to get loans from development and Banks. The management capacity is one of essential factor to get success of the national development. Training for business managers is very necessary because they decide the fate of enterprises. One of the most difficulties of SMEs is lack of information and connection; this is more serious for SMEs to access domestic and foreign markets. The government should provide information about domestic and foreign markets through establishing information centers that can play a connection between SMEs and related sectors or organizations.

Judging Books By Their Covers :: Essays Papers

Judging Books By Their Covers In every bookstore across America, people are faced with the tough question of what book should be bought. There are millions of books resting on shelves everywhere but what makes a reader pick up a novel to buy and read? Looking at book covers people can get ideas about what type of book is in their hands. Most books grab their audience by the way that they look on the outside. Many different authors and publishers choose famous works of art or use book reviewer’s comments to grab a specific audience for their book. When children are looking for books, they choose a book because of what is on the cover. Parents can view the cover as appropriate for their child. It is the cover that initially grabs the attention. Even as children grow up and begin reading books with few to no pictures, it is still the cover that says what kind of book it is. When I was in the library, I found a book about the history of book jackets. Although most of the information in the small book was unnecessary, I did learn some of the history behind book jackets. Although the people of today look at book covers to get some idea of the contents of the book, back in the eighteen hundreds books had jackets so that the pages would not get dusty or dirty. Some books had covers made of leather but usually these were books, like the Bible, that needed protection. The bookseller put the jacket on before it was placed on the shelf. These dust jackets had no title or writing on them until the middle of the eighteen hundreds. It was not until almost nineteen hundred that authors or publishers designed book covers with illustrations or with the title. This is different from today because most authors give their book’s cover as their trade marks so they can be easily recognized. Usually the artist draws the cover to the author’s liking. The artis t takes the words and changes them to an image suitable for the book. Catcher In The Rye, is a classic example of a book that has its cover as its trademark. The cover of the book is unique with its red background and yellow writing. Both the front and the back of the book are the same with no other writing but the title and the author’s name.

Prayer in Public Schools Essay

In the essay named â€Å"Banning Prayer in Public Schools Has Led to America’s Demise† by Gary Bergel, the argument is made that by removing prayer and any form of religious contemplation has caused America to plummet from righteous living, prosperity and success within the last quarter century. He states that from around June 25, 1962, when 39 billion students were forbidden to pray in school, America’s moral decline began to accelerate more rapidly. Bergel supports his claim by stating the main reasons behind the U.S. Supreme Court ruling and by issuing some religious tidbits. Even though Bergel lists some facts and names some general ideas, he has an extremely weak argument for the simple reason of the claims and warrants not being supported with factual or personal evidence. The opposing article that I have chosen is titled â€Å"Argument against School Prayer† by Adam Frucci. Frucci first starts out by saying that the article is not intended to bash God, or Christianity. But its purpose is to argue all forms of religion in schools, high school in particular. He states that high school is a place where you begin to separate from your parents and begin to form your own ideas. Keeping this in mind, it’s the absolute worst place to start forcing values and beliefs on you. He further states that religion will never be non-discriminatory; it can never totally include everyone. There will always be someone who doesn’t fit in simply because of a personal belief, and high school is not the place to institute isolationism and criticism on any level outside of an academic level. Again, I like this article but it is somewhat biased because of the writers status of a student in a catholic high school. I get the feeling that he is really bitter about having the catholic beliefs forced on him†¦but frankly he, or his parents, chose for him to attend the school so he might as well adapt, learn, and become stronger from the situation. Both of the arguments are weak in their own ways and strong in others, and I will attempt to acknowledge most of their faults. Beginning with Bergel’s argument of the demoralization of the US as a result of the removal of prayer from public schools, I get the since that he is very adamant about getting his views across regardless of analyzing the other side of the story. The whole essay is just the ranting and ravings of a bitter Christian. No support is given to his main thoughts anywhere throughout the paper. In all of his main thoughts, he spouts some statistics and information about different factors that have influenced the topic, however there is no substantial evidence of factual data, but rather only his own opinion. In the first section of the essay, he mentions that there has been a decline in family and morality. How does one evaluate a decline in something so abstract and so subjective? It is clear that from here on out, he is making general assumptions based solely on his beliefs. Bergel goes on to argue that removing prayer from school creates the secular system beyond the power of God. This is a faulty argument for the simple Christian fact that if God is all powerful, how can anything be created beyond God’s power. If anything, removal of prayer will keep children from experiencing God in more than a church setting. He also argues that in doing so, religion in being stripped from the lips and minds of children. It’s not restraining a child from totally expressing or acting religiously, it’s simply preventing prayer to be forced on those who aren’t believers. It’s, in essence, protecting the first amendment rights of those affected and moreover, is a gross exaggeration of the case in hand in addition to the fact that religion can’t be totally taken from some one. At a point in the article, he mentions the Engle vs. Vitale Supreme Court case. The whole ruling has nothing to do with keeping kids from learning the religion, it’s concerned with children who aren’t believers of Christianity not being forced to participate in something that they don’t believe in. Bergel seems to forget that the basic principle of separation of church and state is that the US isn’t a professed catholic state therefore it can’t just allow the use of one religion over another in any public arena. The Engle vs. Vitale ruling doesn’t eliminate the learning of religion, it simply doesn’t allow institutions to force the practice of Christianity on kids of other faiths. In general, his rational appears to be based on passionate fervor rather than rational thought and analysis of the Engle vs. Vitale ruling and its surrounding issues. He never pinpoints the issues and examines them within his analysis. He never presents an argument against the opposition but rather rants and raves about what he believes to be right thus stacking the evidence and therefore making it seem as if anything that is in opposition to his beliefs are wrong. In addition, he never mentions anything about his main idea of prayer in school prayer, thus committing a red herring. In Frucci’s article concerning the argument for the removal of school prayer, it has both good and bad aspects to it, thusly providing me with the evidence that this is a stronger argument than that of Bergel. Frucci suggests to us that high school is the worst time to impose such a subject for the simple reason that it’s a time when one is learning about ones self and it’s not the time to impose new mindsets. Firstly, Religion can’t be imposed but rather be encouraged and taught†¦it’s up to the educated whether or not to accept the knowledge. Frucci’s statement is purely circumstantial because people learn at all times of life and new ideas are presented everyday. Therefore, the teaching of religion in schools can only offer more options rather than changing ones whole mindset. In saying that the setting is inappropriate, Frucci is clearly showing signs of his immaturity. In my own opinion, school is the one of the best places to teach religion. The child’s inability to concentrate and focus on the task at had does not warrant removal of school prayer. If that’s the case, school in general should be gotten rid of because of the child’s inherent nature to be easily distracted and loose concentration. One of Frucci’s strongest arguments within the paper is that prayer in schools does create a since of discrimination. However, he takes it to the extreme when saying that the since of community will be ruined because of their nonparticipation. Overall, Frucci’s essay is stronger than Brugel’s in the since of me, the reader, being able to relate to the author’s point of view, as well as the amount of support that was given to each point raised. Frucci’s essay presents more of an argument, as opposed to Brugel’s which is more of an outcry of ideas. However both essays are pretty weak in their persuasiveness, but since I have to choose on, I’d have to say that Frucci’s is the stronger of the two.

Importance of Literature Essay

Literature is the foundation of life. It places an emphasis on many topics from human tragedies to tales of the ever-popular search for love. While it is physically written in words, these words come alive in the imagination of the mind, and its ability to comprehend the complexity or simplicity of the text. Literature enables people to see through the lenses of others, and sometimes even inanimate objects; therefore, it becomes a looking glass into the world as others view it. It is a journey that is inscribed in pages, and powered by the imagination of the reader. Ultimately, literature has provided a gateway to teach the reader about life experiences from even the saddest stories to the most joyful ones that will touch their hearts. From a very young age, many are exposed to literature in the most stripped down form: picture books and simple texts that are mainly for the sole purpose of teaching the alphabet etc. Although these are not nearly as complex as an 800-page sci-fi novel, it is the first step that many take towards the literary world. Progressively, as people grow older, they explore other genres of books, ones that propel them towards curiosity of the subject, and the overall book. Reading and being given the keys to the literature world prepares individuals from an early age to discover the true importance of literature: being able to comprehend and understand situations from many perspectives. Physically speaking, it is impossible to be someone else. It is impossible to switch bodies with another human being, and it is impossible to completely understand the complexity of their world. Literature, as an alternative, is the closest thing the world has to being able to understand another person whole-heartedly. For stance, a novel about a treacherous war, written in the perspective of a soldier, allows the reader to envision their memories, their pain, and their emotions without actually being that person. Consequently, literature can act as a time machine, enabling individuals to go into a specific time period of the story, into the mind and soul of the protagonist. With the ability to see the world with a pair of fresh eyes, it triggers the reader to reflect upon their own lives. Reading a material that is relatable to the reader may teach them morals and encourage them to practice good judgement. This can be proven through public school systems, where the books that are emphasized the most tend to have a moral-teaching purpose behind the story. An example would be William Shakespeare’s stories, where each one is meant to be reflective of human nature – both the good and bad. Consequently, this can promote better judgement of situations, so the reader does not find themselves in the same circumstances as perhaps those in the fiction world. Henceforth, literature is proven to not only be reflective of life, but it can also be used as a guide for the reader to follow and practice good judgement from. The world today is ever-changing. Never before has life been so chaotic and challenging for all. Life before literature was practical and predictable, but in present day, literature has expanded into countless libraries and into the minds of many as the gateway for comprehension and curiosity of the human mind and the world around them. Literature is of great importance and is studied upon as it provides the ability to connect human relationships, and define what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, words are alive more than ever before.

Sep 11th essays

Sep 11th essays September 11th, 2001 a day Americans will never forget, a day of mourning and sorrow. The time was approximately 9:10am on Tuesday morning. I was awaiting the arrival of my friend Michael at the Nassau Community fountain. We had the next 3 hours off and figured we would go get a bite to eat. Next to me there were two people talking, I couldnt help to overhear one of the boys say The world trade center was just blown up, come here you can see some of the smoke. Well obviously not knowing this boy, and avoiding making a fool of my self I stayed put, and didnt follow him. I just stood there wondering if this kid was for real. My friend arrived and we headed to his car to begin our long off period. When we got into the car I said Mike, I heard the world trade center was blown up. He had the same initial response that I had; he said bull shit, no way. I then recommended we tune into 660, they are always on top of the news. We were greeted with the first and scariest statement, the world trade center has just collapsed, and this is absolute mayhem... Previous to our off period we planned to stop at Best Buy, so I could purchase a DVD. When we arrived there we headed straight over to the television area. One or two customers had been hovered over the set to see what had happened. Within a few minutes many customers and concerned civilians gathered around the television set to find out exactly what had happened. We stood there with about 50 people staring at the TV, in shock and confusion. You could tell by the look on some of the peoples face they were wondering, who would do such a terrible thing, and if their friends and family were alright. Many of them already had proceeded to making cell phone calls. I remember the cell phone service being very boggled down, making it difficult to make calls, due to the large call value at that time. After about 30 minutes or so at Bes...

Lord of the Flies Themes, Symbols, and Literary Devices

Lord of the Flies Themes, Symbols, and Literary Devices Lord of the Flies, William Goldings tale of British schoolboys stranded on a deserted island, is nightmarish and brutal. Through its exploration of themes including good versus evil, illusion versus reality, and chaos versus order, Lord of the Flies raises powerful questions about the nature of humankind. Good vs. Evil The central theme of Lord of the Flies is human nature: are we naturally good, naturally evil, or something else entirely? This question runs through the entire novel from beginning to end. When the boys gather on the beach for the first time, summoned by the sound of the conch, they have not yet internalized the fact that they are now outside the normal bounds of civilization. Notably, one boy, Roger, remembers throwing stones at younger boys but deliberately missing his targets for fear of retribution by adults. The boys decide to set up a democratic society in order to maintain order. They elect Ralph as their leader and create a crude mechanism for discussion and debate, designating that anyone who holds the conch has the right to be heard. They build shelters and show concern for the youngest among them. They also play make believe and other games, exulting in their freedom from chores and rules. Golding seems to suggest that the democratic society they create is simply another game. The rules are only as effective as their enthusiasm for the game itself. It is notable that at the beginning of the novel, all the boys assume rescue is imminent, and thus that the rules theyre accustomed to following will soon be reimposed. As they come to believe that they will not be returned to civilization anytime soon, the boys abandon their game of democratic society, and their behavior becomes increasingly fearful, savage, superstitious, and violent. Golding’s question is perhaps not whether humans are inherently good or evil, but rather whether these concepts have any true meaning. While it is tempting to see Ralph and Piggy as ‛good’ and Jack and his hunters as ‛evil,’ the truth is more complex. Without Jack’s hunters, the boys would have suffered hunger and deprivation. Ralph, the believer in rules, lacks authority and the ability to enforce his rules, leading to disaster. Jack’s rage and violence leads to the destruction of the world. Piggy’s knowledge and book learning are proven as to be meaningless as his technology, represented by the fire-starting glasses, when they fall into the hands of boys who do not understand them. All of these issues are mirrored subtly by the war that frames the story. Although only vaguely described, it is clear that the adults outside the island are engaged in a conflict, inviting comparisons and forcing us to consider whether the difference is merely a matter of scale. Illusion vs. Reality The nature of reality is explored in several ways in the novel. On the one hand, appearances seem to doom the boys to certain roles- most notably Piggy. Piggy initially expresses the dim hope that he can escape the abuse and bullying of his past through his alliance with Ralph and his usefulness as a well-read child. However, he quickly falls back into the role of the bullied ‛nerd’ and becomes reliant on Ralph’s protection. On the other hand, many aspects of the island are not clearly perceived by the boys. Their belief in The Beast stems from their own imaginations and fears, but it quickly takes on what seems to the boys to be a physical form. In this way, The Beast becomes very real to the boys. As the belief in The Beast grows, Jack and his hunters descend into savagery. They paint their faces, changing their appearance in order to project a fearsome and frightening visage that belies their true childish nature. More subtly, what seemed real in the beginning of the book- Ralph’s authority, the power of the conch, the assumption of rescue- slowly erodes over the course of the story, revealed to be nothing more than the rules of an imaginary game. In the end, Ralph is alone, there is no tribe, the conch is destroyed (and Piggy murdered) in the ultimate refutation of its power, and the boys abandon the signal fires, making no effort to prepare for or attract rescue. At the terrifying climax, Ralph is hunted through the island as everything burns- and then, in a final twist of reality, this descent into horror is revealed to be unreal. Upon discovering they have in fact been rescued, the surviving boys immediately collapse and burst into tears. Order vs. Chaos The civilized and reasonable behavior of the boys at the beginning of the novel is predicated on the expected return of an ultimate authority: adult rescuers. When the boys lose faith in the possibility of rescue, their orderly society collapses. In a similar way, the morality of the adult world is governed by a criminal justice system, armed forces, and spiritual codes. If these controlling factors were to be removed, the novel implies, society would quickly collapse into chaos. Everything in the story is reduced to its power or lack thereof. Piggy’s glasses can start fires, and thus are coveted and fought over. The conch, which symbolizes order and rules, can challenge raw physical power, and so it is destroyed. Jack’s hunters can feed hungry mouths, and thus they have an outsize influence over the other boys, who quickly do as they are told despite their misgivings. Only the return of adults at the end of the novel changes this equation, bringing a more powerful force to the island and instantly reimposing the old rules. Symbols On a superficial level, the novel tells a story of survival in a realistic style. The process of building shelters, gathering food, and seeking rescue are recorded with a high level of detail. However, Golding develops several symbols throughout the story that slowly take on increasing weight and power in the story. The Conch The Conch comes to represent reason and order. In the beginning of the novel, it has the power to quiet the boys and force them to listen to wisdom. As more boys defect to Jack’s chaotic, fascist tribe, the Conchs color fades. In the end, Piggy- the only boy who still has faith in the Conch- is killed trying to protect it. The Pig’s Head The Lord of the Flies, as described by a hallucinating Simon, is a pig’s head on a spike being consumed by flies. The Lord of the Flies is a symbol of the increasing savagery of the boys, on display for all to see. Ralph, Jack, Piggy, and Simon Each of the boys represent fundamental natures. Ralph represents order. Piggy represents knowledge. Jack represents violence. Simon represents good, and is in fact the only truly selfless boy on the island, which makes his death at the hands of Ralph and the other supposedly civilized boys shocking. Piggy’s Glasses Piggy’s glasses are designed to provide clear vision, but they are transformed into a tool to make fire. The glasses serve as a symbol of control more powerful than the Conch. The Conch is purely symbolic, representing rules and order, while the glasses convey true physical power. The Beast The beast represents the unconscious, ignorant terror of the boys. As Simon thinks, The beast is the boys. It did not exist on the island before their arrival. Literary Device: Allegory Lord of the Flies is written in a straightforward style. Golding eschews complex literary devices and simply tells the story in chronological order. However, the entire novel serves as a complex allegory, in which every major character represents some larger aspect of society and the world. Thus, their behavior is in many ways predetermined. Ralph represents society and order, and so he consistently attempts to organize and hold the boys to standards of behavior. Jack represents savagery and primitive fear, and so he consistently devolves to a primitive state.

The Complete Guide to AP US Government FRQs

The Complete Guide to AP US Government FRQs SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Free-response questions on the AP US Government exam are more straightforward than those on some other AP tests, but they can still be tough if you're not ready for them. In this guide, I'll lay out a step-by-step method for answering AP Government FRQs, go through a real example, and tell you where you can find additional practice resources. AP Government Free-Response Section Format The free-response section has four questions total, each of which is worth an equal percentage of your score.You’ll have an hour and 40 minutes to answer these questions, which means you should spend no more than 20-25 minutes on each of them.Each question is typically worth between 5-7 raw points, and the free-response section as a whole makes up 50 percent of your score.All the free-response questions have pretty much the same format, so it's one of the simpler AP free-response sections overall. Free-response questions on this exam will ask you to integrate your knowledge of the various content areas covered by the course.This includes analyzing political events in the US, discussing examples, and demonstrating your understanding of general principles of US government and politics.You'll also be asked to examine data from charts, define key terms, and explain the roles that different parts of our government play in the political system. AP Government FRQs: Step-By-Step Solution Process This section provides a step-by-step process for answering any question on the AP US Government exam.Here’s a sample question that I’ll reference throughoutso that you can see how these steps might work in practice: Step 1: Read the Introduction to the Question Most questions on this test will have an introductory sentence or two before they break down into parts that you need to answer.This will give you background information and a general sense of what to expect in the rest of the question.Some questions are accompanied by images or charts (as we will see in the example section).If that’s the case, you should also take a second here to review the graphics and make sure you understand what they’re showing. If you want, you can read the intros to all the questions before choosing where to begin. It may help to build your confidence and improve your efficiency to start with a question that’s easier for you.In the sample question, you would note from the introduction that the question is going to be dealing with the role of political parties in US government.The intro also tells us that political parties have recently gained influence in Congress while losing influence in the actual election process. Step 2: Identify (and Underline, If You Want) the Command Verb For each part of each question, you’re given specific instructions on the type of answer that is expected.These instructions include verbs like â€Å"identify†, â€Å"explain†, â€Å"describe†, â€Å"define†, and â€Å"compare.† It’s important to be aware of exactly what the question is asking you to do so that you can earn full points.These command verbs are the first words you should zero in on as you read.If you think it will help keep you focused, you can even underline them as you go through the question. In part a of the sample question, the command verb is â€Å"describe.†This indicates that you need to do more than just state an important function of political parties; you need to expand on exactly what it is.In parts c and d, the command verb changes to â€Å"explain†, which means you’ll need to include even more elaboration in your answer on how certain factors have affected party politics. Step 3: Address All the Potential Points After finding the command verb in the part of the question you’re answering, take note of how many examples or descriptions you need to provide.Each of them will almost always correspond to a point in your raw score for the question.Be careful to answer the question thoroughly but directly, addressing all of these points in a way that will make it easy for graders to assess your response.You don’t need to write an essay for these free-response questions. Just go straight for the answer to avoid ambiguity. For part a of the sample question, you’re asked to describe two important functions of political parties, which means that part a is almost certainly worth two points.You need to make sure you provide two distinct functions and make it easy for the grader to award points foryour answer.If you go through the rest of the question, it looks like there are five raw points available in total:two for part a, one for part b, two for part c, and one for part d.Write your answer carefully so you can scoop up all of them! Step 4: Reread Your Answer Finally, reread what you wrote to ensure that it makes sense and addresses the question completely.Did you give the correct number of descriptions/examples/identifications? Does your answer directly respond to what the question is asking overall?If you’re satisfied, move onto the next part of the question and return to step 2! AP Government FRQ Example Now, I’ll go through the answers to a real AP Government free-response question from the 2013 exam to show you what your responses should look like: First, let’s consider the chart and the introductory sentence for this question.It looks like we’re comparing the distribution of judicial appointments by gender and ethnicity for two different presidents. For part a, you are asked to describe one way in which the judicial appointments of Obama and Bush were similar.You might say that in both cases more than half of the appointees were white, with Obama at 59 percent and Bush at 82 percent white.You could also say that the percentage of Hispanic nominees was similar for each president or that in both cases Asian American nominees were the rarest of all the ethnic groups.You would earn one point for this part of the question if you included either of those responses. For part b, you are asked to describe two differences between the presidents in their judicial appointments.One difference you might point out is that a significantly larger percentage of Obama’s nominees were women - almost half compared to Bush’s mere 22 percent.A second difference is that Obama appointed a greater percentage of candidates from racial minorities. For example, 22 percent of his appointees were African American as compared to Bush’s 7 percent.You could earn two points for part b, one for each difference between the two sets of nominees. Part c asks you to explain how party affiliation impacts judiciary nominations.You might say that the President often chooses nominees with similar views who will adhere to his policy preferences.This typically means people who belong to the same political party as the President.You could also say that the President tends to choose nominees who will make his party’s electoral base happy and lead to victories in future elections.Part c was worth one point. Finally, part d asks you to describe what a President can do to increase the likelihood that his federal court nominees will be confirmed.Possible answers to part d include: Consulting with the Senate/using senatorial courtesy Selecting a moderate candidate in the first place Properly vetting candidates and choosing people who are highly qualified You would earn one point for this part of the question if you described any one of these methods.Notice that this question was worth a total of five raw points, which is probably the lowest raw point value you’ll see on any of the AP US Government free-response questions.However, a lower raw point value doesn’t mean it’s worth any less in your final scaled score; each free-response question is equally important on this test. Even people who make extremely important decisions, like federal judges, are appointed partially based on their political favorability. How to Practice AP US Government Free-Response Questions There are several resources that you can use to hone your skills in answering AP Government FRQs. Official College Board Resources The College Board site hosts free-response questions from previous tests that you can use for practice.Questions that come from tests administered between 2004 and 2015 are accompanied by scoring guidelines, so you can check your answers and tally up how many points you would have earned.These are the best sample free-response questions you can get because you know for sure that they accurately represent what you’ll see on the real test.The questions from 2002 and 2003 don’t have scoring guidelines, so be aware that you won’t be able to check the official answers if you choose to use them. Review Books Review books can also be good resources for free response practice although they tend to vary in quality.The Princeton Review book for AP Gov includes five full practice tests, so there should be plenty of free response questions that you can use to practice your skills.The Barron’s review book also has a couple of practice tests and extra free response questions that may be useful for practice. If you don’t want to buy the book, you can also takeBarron’s free online practice test for AP Gov, which includes free-response questions and scoring guidelines.If you use these free-response questions for practice, just be sure to intersperse them with official questions from the College Board so that you maintain an accurate sense of what to expect on the real test. Review books can be great resources for free-response and multiple-choice practice questions and for test-taking strategies that you may not have discovered on your own. Conclusion The four free-response questions on the AP US Government exam can be approached methodically to earn the maximum number of points. Read the introduction to the question first so you can get your bearings. Then, for each of the separate parts, identify the command verb, address all aspects of the question, and double check your answer for missing pieces and careless errors. I'd suggest practicing at least a few free response questions before heading into the exam. The best resource to use is the College Board website, which has an archive of past questions accompanied by answer guidelines. These questions are pretty simple compared to the free-response questions on other AP tests once you get the hang of them! What's Next Not sure where to begin in studying for the test as a whole? Read our five-step plan that will help you prepare to take on any AP test. If you're missing some of your notes that you need to study for AP Gov, check out this article with links to all the content you need to know for the test. Do you have a target score in mind for this exam? Learn more about what it takes to earn a 5 on an AP test and whether you should aim for one yourself. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The relationship between crude oil prices and gasoline prices Essay

The relationship between crude oil prices and gasoline prices - Essay Example The gas prices in the market influence the way people budget, travel, or the shipping of products into the market. When the prices of this essential product go up, people have to decide what products to buy in the market and what products to forgo. The production cost often influences prices in the market. In the same way, when gasoline prices go up, the production cost of products also shoots (Averdunk, 2010). The factor that influences the above price fluctuation is crude oil prices. Crude oil prices have an influence upon individual spending. An individual has to make a difficult decision in order to scrap what is less important when prices shoot. The effects of the crude oil prices often influence the operation of many companies because these companies depend on products derived from crude oil. It is important to identify the relationship between crude oil price and gasoline prices in the market. Market prices of products derived from crude oil often feel the impact of change in crude oil price. Research indicates that a 15% tumble of crude oil prices leads to 5% drop of the gasoline prices (Swag, 2004). Notably, the gasoline firms would present the same pump prices for the gasoline products. All the oil companies would present the same gasoline prices in the market. This research further indicates that many motorcar owners would face the same influence whenever the crude oil prices go up. Crude oil prices seem to be equal throughout the producing countries. The research also noted that crude oil prices are universal. Thus, the effect of crude oil prices in the market would influence the operation of many activities in different countries. The difference in gasoline prices in the market would result in other cost such as overhead cost. Overhead cost influences the profit that a company would make, thus influencing prices of products of the company. On the other hand, competition that exists among the gasoline companies would influence how the prices of

Health Promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Health Promotion - Essay Example al., 2009). The primary aim of this part of the essay is to explore the influence of the key socioeconomic factors on health with a critical assessment of relevance government sources in reporting on inequalities in health. Moreover, the essay also includes a critical understanding about major barriers in terms of accessing healthcare services by the people in a particular community or state. According to the unconventional global environment, socioeconomic factors have major impact on health. The major socioeconomic factors that have significant impact on health include income and social status; physical environment; health services; education and social support networks (World Health Organisation, 2014). The influence of each socioeconomic factor has been described in the following sections. Income as well as social status of individuals can be duly accepted as one of the major set of socioeconomic factors that have a major influence on the health condition of the individuals. According to the observation of various studies, it has been perceived that the higher income level and social status of the individuals are significantly linked with a better health and wellness. Significant indifferences between the richest and poorest reflect a dissimilar health condition of the individuals (World Health Organisation, 2014). Physical environment around the communities also has a major impact on the health of individuals. In this regard, adequate cleanliness and safety in the communities, workplaces or households significantly determine better health condition. Clean air, safe water and hygienic environment often help community members to reduce possible health issues and promote wellness of each individual (World Health Organisation, 2014) Adequate accessibility and effective use of health services that help to prevent diseases is also a major determinant of a health community.

Suggest and discuss some possible solutions to the problem of adult Essay

Suggest and discuss some possible solutions to the problem of adult obesity - Essay Example The problem of obesity can only be curbed by the help of individuals and their concern for their health. In order to decrease the problem I would with my friends aware the obese individuals of their problem. This would make them conscious about their health and thus they would automatically follow the methods to avoid obesity as laid out by the government. Secondly I would give out charts of certain products which have the most calories in them. This would help the individuals to realize which products are healthy and which non healthy. Thirdly I with my friends would promote certain exercises amongst the obese individuals which would make them get rid of their problem. The exercises which I would promote would not be strenuous so the obese people are attracted towards them. Further after doing these exercises the obese people would be able to get rid of their problem

Creating Shared Value Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creating Shared Value Project - Essay Example In the past few decades, sustainable nutrition was proposed, with a dietary recommendation that would lead to healthier consumers. However, little attention has been paid to sustainable nutrition. With the growing academic knowledge on the environmental and eco-system degradation, renewed attention has been directed towards sustainability, particularly in our diets. Thus, the society has acknowledged that sustainable principles for nutrition are urgently needed to address nutrition and food security. Ensuring sustainable diets require the development of strategies and policies towards sustainable food production and consumption. Addressing nutrition needs of the rapid growing population, food systems have under transformation toward more efficient ways of utilizing the resources and effective food consumption methods. Currently, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) activities to ensure sustainable nutrition focus on food production, food consumption, and nutrition security. This will help in providing eco-friendly food recommendation to the consumers to understand what the requirements for an environmental sustainable food system are. Even though food is defined in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, nutrition is seldom dealt with to determine the nutrients contained in a whole diet. Nutrients and diets are essential, as ecosystem services to increase the awareness of nutrition as a concern for the environment, and to assist in improving and understanding the idea of sustainable diets (Hasler, 2000). Sustainable nutrition along with education policies is significant to the achievement of the goals of sustainable development. In addition, it acts as a link connecting the nutritional well-being of the individual and community. Sustainable nutrition can also address the consumption of food with lower water and carbon. It can also promote the utilization of food biodiversity such as traditional and local foods with more nutritional rich

Pharmaceuticals and Herbs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Pharmaceuticals and Herbs - Research Paper Example 7 vi. Use of Cannabis as medicinal herb by different cultures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 3. Pharmaceutical drugs in a culture †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 4. How pharmaceutical drugs and culture interrelate†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦11 5. Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.13 Pharmaceuticals and Herbs Introduction Pharmaceuticals and herbal medicines might take different approaches to healing. However, that does not mean that they can not have a combined excellence. Most modern herbalists accept that pharmaceuticals are most effective in emergency periods. For instance, it works well where a patient is experiencing acute heart attack that poses imminent danger. Conse quently, pharmaceuticals might have very grave implications on the body. This evidence and experience is supported by chemotherapy patients. On the other side, herbal medicine might be more beneficial particularly in recovery and prevention since it helps to improve the immunity and offers nutritional advantages that pharmaceuticals lack. This paper therefore aims at examine how culture has impacted the development of pharmaceutical drugs. ... Cultural belief observes that diseases are more likely to invade the body of a person who has negative thinking, or lives an unhealthy lifestyle. This cultural observation is true and is supported by scientific reports on mental disorders. According to Native American healers inherited conditions, such as birth defects, are as a result of immorality and lifestyles of the parents therefore and as such are not easily treated. There are many types of cultural healing practices, and they are so forth advocated as to help with a variety of illnesses. Some of the most common aspects of cultural healing include the use of herbal remedies, purifying rituals, shamanism, and symbolic healing rituals to treat illnesses of both the body and spirit. Herbal remedies are used to treat various physical conditions. Practitioners of herbal medicine use cleansing and purifying rituals to the body and set up the person for healing. This idea and approach is also practiced by pharmaceuticals but might ha ve it observed differently to prepare patients for treatment. For instance, pharmaceuticals use laboratory-tested purifiers to cleanse and prepare patients. Native Americans use of herbs in medicine According to studies, scientific and cultural Native American healing has been in use in North America for a period of over 40,000 years. It evidently has roots in common with different cultures like the ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions (Zimmerman 63). However, it has also been necessitated by the natural environment which Native Americans settled upon, the nature, plants, and animals around them. There are various cultural Native American healing practices. This is because there are varied cultures and

The role of mediation towards conflict resolution (with examples) Essay

The role of mediation towards conflict resolution (with examples) - Essay Example The paper tells that in the todays fast pace world of utter competition, in order to accomplish the goals and objectives, team working has become a necessity. The team or the group of people works towards a common goal where all the members are proficient enough to make decisions, solve problems, and share responsibilities. However, when one or more than one person works on a particular task or activity, discrepancies, inconsistent views or conflict is likely to occur generally. This is because every individual not only belongs to different backgrounds but also have lived diverse and dissimilar experiences in their lives, and thus, it leads to have diverse and dissimilar perceptions even when working on a common goal. In some situations, the conflict is nominal and may cause lesser amount of stress, however, in other cases; it might prove to have worse effects. Therefore, the understanding of the temperament and nature of the conflict is of great importance, which can lead to the con structive solutions as to how the conflict can come under resolution in a beneficial manner in order to improve the relationships that come under its affection. Studies reveal the fact that numerous causes can add to conflicts. In fact, when a person or a group of people comes under employment to perform a particular task that is contrasting to their needs or interest, conflicts is likely to occur. In addition, when the group of people has exclusive and independent behavioral preferences with respect to their mutual actions can also give rise to conflicts. A number of people do not have the ability or proficiency to communicate effectively and efficiently. Therefore, poor communication skills between people are also one of the prime reasons that can cause conflict. It has also come under observation that inadequate skills and knowledge are also one of the imperative contributors for creating a conflict amongst the people (Pahl,  Richter &  Rohrschneider, pp. 3-10, 2009). This is due to the reason that if a person in a group of people lack special skills or knowledge, the goals is unlikely to come under execution, which escalates the probability of conflict. The mentioned were few of the instances that can lead to conflicts amongst people, however, conflict resolution provides various solutions that can eliminate the differences between the people and improve or enhance their bond or correlation (Pahl,  Richter &  Rohrschneider, pp. 3-10, 2009). It has come to notice that culture plays a dominant, leading, and sensitive role in conflict resolution whether it is on a professional practice or in academic field. This can come under well understanding with the notion that in Western civilization, people in general opt for and promote open communication among disputants, solves their issues and outline agreements on a mutual basis that meet the principal and basic needs of both the parties. This means that the conflict resolvers make both the parties agree t o have a win-win situation where all the people under conflict get an equal satisfactory circumstance. A win-win situation is essential in the non-Western culture as well, but the way of resolving the conflict is somewhat different in nature (Avruch, pp. 24-27, 1998). However, while looking at the other end of the spectrum

Pharmaceuticals and Herbs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Pharmaceuticals and Herbs - Research Paper Example 7 vi. Use of Cannabis as medicinal herb by different cultures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 3. Pharmaceutical drugs in a culture †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 4. How pharmaceutical drugs and culture interrelate†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦11 5. Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.13 Pharmaceuticals and Herbs Introduction Pharmaceuticals and herbal medicines might take different approaches to healing. However, that does not mean that they can not have a combined excellence. Most modern herbalists accept that pharmaceuticals are most effective in emergency periods. For instance, it works well where a patient is experiencing acute heart attack that poses imminent danger. Conse quently, pharmaceuticals might have very grave implications on the body. This evidence and experience is supported by chemotherapy patients. On the other side, herbal medicine might be more beneficial particularly in recovery and prevention since it helps to improve the immunity and offers nutritional advantages that pharmaceuticals lack. This paper therefore aims at examine how culture has impacted the development of pharmaceutical drugs. ... Cultural belief observes that diseases are more likely to invade the body of a person who has negative thinking, or lives an unhealthy lifestyle. This cultural observation is true and is supported by scientific reports on mental disorders. According to Native American healers inherited conditions, such as birth defects, are as a result of immorality and lifestyles of the parents therefore and as such are not easily treated. There are many types of cultural healing practices, and they are so forth advocated as to help with a variety of illnesses. Some of the most common aspects of cultural healing include the use of herbal remedies, purifying rituals, shamanism, and symbolic healing rituals to treat illnesses of both the body and spirit. Herbal remedies are used to treat various physical conditions. Practitioners of herbal medicine use cleansing and purifying rituals to the body and set up the person for healing. This idea and approach is also practiced by pharmaceuticals but might ha ve it observed differently to prepare patients for treatment. For instance, pharmaceuticals use laboratory-tested purifiers to cleanse and prepare patients. Native Americans use of herbs in medicine According to studies, scientific and cultural Native American healing has been in use in North America for a period of over 40,000 years. It evidently has roots in common with different cultures like the ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions (Zimmerman 63). However, it has also been necessitated by the natural environment which Native Americans settled upon, the nature, plants, and animals around them. There are various cultural Native American healing practices. This is because there are varied cultures and

Blood Buffer Essay Example for Free

Blood Buffer Essay Objectives: After completing this exercise and reading the corresponding material in your text, you should be able to 1. Prepare a wet mount slide 2. Identify structures described in this lab on slides 3. Cite examples of the wide diversity of cell types 4. Relate differences in structure among cells to functional differences Introduction Structurally and functionally, all living things share one common feature: all living organisms are composed of cells. The development of this concept began with Robert Hookes seventeenth-century observation that slices of cork were made up of small units he called cells. † Over the next 100 years, the cell theory emerged. It was formally (and independently) presented by Schleiden and Schwann in 1839, and clarified by Virchow a few years later. This theory has three principles: (1) All organisms are composed of one or more cells. (2) All life processes derive from the activities of cells. (3) All cells arise from preexisting cells. Living organisms are composed of one or many cells, and every activity that occurs in a living organism is ultimately related to metabolic processes in cells. Understanding the processes of life requires an understanding of the structure and function of the cell. Although cells vary in organization, size, and function, all share certain structural features. All are enclosed within a plasma membrane, defining the boundary of the living material. All contain a region of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which forms the genetic code. Inside of the plasma membrane is watery cytoplasm, and the chemical processes inside the cell occur within this watery medium. Upon microscopic examination, we see there are two basic types of cells, prokaryotic and eukaryotic, see the table below to see a comparison of the two cell types. For these following exercise you should use the highest magnification possible, because you will be able to see more detail, and you should record your observations at this magnification. Always begin with the lower magnifications, once you have found your specimen center it and focus it before increasing the magnification. We will not be using the 100X objective because it requires special handling and immersion oil, so you should use the 40X objective for most observations. What is the total magnification of a sample view with the 40X objective? Remember there is a lens in the ocular that magnifies the image 10x, so the total magnification will be 40 x 10 = 400X. Exercise 1: Examining Prokaryotic cells 1. What types of organisms are prokaryotic? 2. What structures are found in a Eukaryotic cell that will not be visible in a Prokayotic cell? 3. Examine the specimens available at the back of the classroom. Locate a prokaryotic cell and bring it back to your microscope. Name of specimen: ____________________ 4. Examine your specimen under the microscope. Sketch your specimen under 40x magnification below. Be sure to label any internal or external structures visible. Exercise 2: Examining Eukaryotic cells The cells on which we focus most of our attention are relatively large and complex, although many details of their structure are only evident with electron microscopy. The word eukaryote derives from the visible nucleus found in most of these cells. No one cell will show all of the features that a cell might have, so you will be observing a variety of eukaryotic cells. Protist cells: The protist kingdom includes eukaryotic unicellular forms (e.g., protozoans, algae, slime molds) as well as some simple multicellular forms. Many are mobile; some are photosynthetic; others are animal-like, ingesting food particles, or fungi-like, secreting digestive chemicals into the environment. Protists are diverse, often having complex cells. 1. What structures do you expect to see in these cells that was not evident in the prokaryotes you saw? Cultures of mixed protists and/or pond water are available in lab. Many different forms may be found in these cultures, including amoebas, flagellates and ciliates. (Many classifications of protists are based on how they move – with flagella, or cilia, or neither of these.) 2. Examine the specimens available at the back of the classroom. Locate the cultures of protist cells. You will examine two separate cultures. One of the cultures you’ll examine is the â€Å"Mixed Pond Protists,† you can pick which specimen you’ll examine for your second sample from the other cultures present in class. Make a wet mount of each culture, drawing material from the debris at the bottom of the culture jar. Name of specimen #1: Mixed Pond Protists Name of specimen #2: ____________________ 3. Observe first with scanning power (4X objective), looking for movement. If you don’t see anything, wash the material back into the jar and get another drop. Once you have located organisms, observe on higher power (40X objective). If the protists are moving very rapidly, they may swim out of the field of view. In this case, remove the coverslip and add a small drop of Detain. Detain is a thick solution that will help slow down the protists. REMEMBER THAT THE MICROSCOPE LIGHT IS HOT. Turn it off when you are not looking at the slide. 4. Examine your specimen under the microscope. Sketch each specimen under 40x magnification below. Be sure to label any internal or external structures visible. 5. What evidence do you see that protists are eukaryotes? 6. Attempt to identify the protists you have observed. There are several keys to protists available. Your instructor can help you use the keys if you’re not familiar with how they work. Write the name of your protists and your rationale for identification based on the characteristics in the key into your notes. When you have finished looking at your slide, place the slide in the bleach water. Plant cells: Plant cells are different from animal cells in many ways. 1. Name three ways plant cells differ from animal cells below. As in animals, cells of plants are organized into tissues, aggregations of similar cells performing a common function in a multicellular organism. In this part of the lab, you will look at several types of plant cells. Onion epidermal cells: 1. Make a wet mount of a colorless scale of an onion bulb by peeling the thin, membranous layer from the inside of one of the bulb scales and placing it on a slide in a drop of water. This usually works best if you partially slice through a ring, allowing the thin layer of tissue on the inner surface of the leaf to be pulled off. Use forceps to arrange the tissue in a drop of Iodine on a slide and cover with a cover slip. 2. Observe your preparation with the microscope, focusing first with the scanning power objective. Continue your study, switching to the low power (10 X) and finally the high power objective (40 X). 3. What shape do most of these cells have? What structure maintains this shape? 4. What structure is stained by the iodine? 5. Examine your specimen under the microscope. Sketch each specimen under 40x magnification below. Be sure to label any internal or external structures visible. 6. Which cellular components present in most leaf cells are absent from onion leaf cells? Elodea leaf cells: 1. Remove a single young leaf and prepare a wet mount. Examine the leaf first on scanning power, then on low power. 2. Examine your specimen under the microscope. Sketch each specimen under 40x magnification below. Be sure to label any internal or external structures visible. 3. After the cells have warmed a bit from the light of the microscope, you may see cytoplasmic streaming. Microfilaments in the cytoplasm are thought to be responsible for this intracellular movement. What cellular structure do you see moving around the cytoplasm? Animal cells: Human epithelial (cheek) cells: 1. Using the broad end of a clean toothpick, gently scrape the inside of your cheek. Stir the scrapings into a drop of saline and a drop of Methylene Blue on a clean microscope slide and add a cover slip. Do not reuse your toothpick. DO NOT PUT IT BACK WITH THE CLEAN TOOTHPICKS AND DON’T LAY IT ON THE TABLE. Discard it in the BIOHAZARD bag. 2. Because the cells are almost transparent, decrease the amount of light entering the objective lens to increase the contrast. Find the cells using the low power objective of your microscope, then switch to the high power objective for detailed study. Find the nucleus of a cell. Many of the cells will be folded or wrinkled due to their thin, flexible nature. 3. Examine your specimen under the microscope. Sketch each specimen under 40x magnification below. Be sure to label any internal or external structures visible. 4. Dark specs on the cells are bacteria, similar to the E. coli you looked at earlier. How big are these bacterial cells relative to your cheek cells? Discard this slide into the bowl containing the bleach water. Sheep’s blood (wet mount): Blood consists of two parts a liquid portion (water + proteins) called plasma, and a cellular portion, containing many different cell types, including erythrocytes or red blood cells (RBCs), and leukocytes or white blood cells (WBCs). Red blood cells are red because they contain a lot of the oxygen-carrying molecule hemoglobin. The blood sample we have has been treated chemically to prevent clotting. 1. Prepare a wet mount by placing a drop of saline and a small drop of blood on the slide. Add a cover slip. Examine a portion of the slide in which the blood is diluted. 2. Examine your specimen under the microscope. Sketch each specimen under 40x magnification below. Be sure to label any internal or external structures visible. 3. What is missing from these cells that is found in eukaryotic cells? 4. How do the red blood cells compare to your cheek cells in size? What shapes are the cells? Discard this slide into the bowl containing the bleach water. Cells Review Questions Your answers should be specific and to the level of the lecture, book and lab manual. You may need to use outside sources. 1. What characteristics do all cells have in common? 2. What characteristics are common to all eukaryotic cells but not found in prokaryotic cells? 3. Would you expect that all the living cells you saw in lab contain mitochondria? Explain. 4. Did all living plant cells you observed contain chloroplasts? Explain. 5. Describe as many differences as you can between plant and animal cells at a cellular level. Do any of these differences relate to the organismic differences we see between plants and animals? Explain. 6. How do prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells compare in size? 7. How would you compare a protist cell to a cell from your body, a cheek cell for example, in terms of complexity at the cellular level?

Human Superiority Over Animals

Human Superiority Over Animals Superior is a relative term. Humans are capable of doing advanced things, which set us apart from other species on earth, such as using tools. We have the physical advantage of using our hands, which due to our opposable thumb makes it much easier for humans to use tools compared to a bird, or a four-legged animal. Hands also allow the human race to compensate for their inherent lack of anti-predator adaptations, such as camouflage, venom, claws and general muscle mass by building weapons and protective shelter. Humans consider these adaptations to be far superior to any other species on earth, and this certainly goes a long way to the feelings of dominance over animals. Most people would agree that humans differ from other animals in terms of intelligence; however, biologically speaking humans are classified as animals. Dictionary.com (2010) describes an animal to be A multicellular organism of the kingdom Animalia, differing from plants in certain typical characteristics such as ca pacity for locomotion, nonphotosynthetic metabolism, pronounced response to stimuli, restricted growth, and fixed bodily structure. All of these qualities apply to humans and other animals alike. As plain as it is to see the similarities between humans and chimpanzees, with which we share 98% of our genetic information (Science Museum, 2010), there is no doubt that humans have pedestaled themselves above the animal kingdom. We generally use the term animal to describe a creature that is not human. For example, you would never see RSPCA(EH) Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Excluding Humans). Hunting Humans have hunted wild animals since the beginning of the Homo genus 2.5 million years ago, long before civilizations were formed (Holzman, 2003). From hunting solely for survival, ensuring that every part of the captured animal was put to good use, to trapping live prey to sell and ultimately becoming a sport, huntings role in society has changed and evolved dramatically throughout history (Lewis, 2009: 49). Hunting with horses and dogs is emblematic of how hunts in modern Britain are typically perceived, but this has not always been the case. Horses and sometimes dogs were an important part of our food chain long before they were partnered with man (Lewis, 2009:50). Although it is unclear when man started to work along side the original wolf descendents of the 10.5 million estimated canine pets in the UK alone (Browne et al., 2010), it appears that they developed their relationship around 20,000 years ago (Serpell, 1995: 7). The domestication of wolves was a natural and logical st ep in improving early mankinds hunting development. Wolves have a strict natural order in their packs identifying one leader that they will all follow, a position that was taken by Late Stone Age man (Lewis, 2009: 54). Wolves superior senses were hugely beneficial to humans. Smell, sight and hearing coupled with their instinctual need for protecting their pack would have provided man with excellent added protection from carnivores and hostile groups of other humans. Apart from the advantages these senses would give humans during a hunt, all of these reasons helped to form the foundations of their symbiotic relationship. There are many possible processes that may have lead to the domestication of the wolf with the most popular theory having a basis in natural selection (Serpell, 1995: 7-21). This hypothesis maintains that wolves ventured into human communities to feed from their left over food waste. Over many generations these wolves would have become more comfortable and less fearful of humans resulting in greater sustenance. Natural selection would favour the wolves less inclined to flee the humans, and this lack of fear would have been learned by the wolf cubs. This process would have eventually led to the domestication and introduction of dogs. Once these dog ancestors were inducted into communities, humans would have begun to breed the animals selectively to produce traits specialized in hunting local prey. Selective breeding from early prehistory was the basis of the huge variations in dog breeds that we see today. As hunting became a sport rather than a life duty, the role of dogs continued to evolve and certain groups of dogs were specifically bred developing strong bloodlines (see Appendix one) There are two main types of hunts typically associated with Britain. The most popular is fox hunting which is an activity that involves tracking, chasing, and sometimes killing of a (traditionally red) fox. A group of followers are led to the fox on horseback or on foot by the trained scent hounds. Deer hunting is also enjoyed by many and either involves the chasing and killing of deer with a pack of hounds or deer stalking and shooting. This is usually done just with human participation as dogs can cause too much of a disturbance (Bateson and Bradshaw, 2000). Bow hunting deer is also a recreational sport that can be seen all over the globe. Although 10,000 deer per annum are thought to be killed by this method in the EU alone, the UK is one of two countries worldwide (the second being Senegal) where the practice is illegal due to welfare implications (Gregory, 2005). Hunting has long been a fashionable British pastime for royal and rural society. William the Conqueror was a keen huntsman who supposedly loved red deer as much as if he were their father (Griffin, 2007: 15). He realised that in order to maintain a huntable population of red deer in this country he needed to ensure their protection and conservation. He introduced control over when and where hunting was acceptable, which included the prevention of deer hunting during their mating season. This ensured a new generation of the animals to replace those killed. He established royal forests for the preservation of deer, which consisted not just of woodland, but also common land, arable land, moors and heaths. These royal forests lay outside of common law and became subject to forest law, placing them directly under the personal rule of the king. This action caused new ideas concerning ownership of the wild animals to come to life. Where it had once been the case that the hunted deer belonge d to whomevers land they lived on, William I declared that only he had the right to hunt wild deer as they belonged solely to him (Griffin, 2007: 20). Ultimately the kings laws made it very difficult for all those living in woodland areas. He prohibited hunting of all animals so as not to disturb his royal game and ruled that all dogs living in or around woodlands must be mutilated in order to prevent them chasing his deer. The necessary toe-removing procedure was known as lawing, and was later described by an authority as follows: The mastive being brought to set one of his forefoot upon a piece of wood eight inches thick and a foot square, then one with a mallet, setting a chisel two inches broad upon the three claws of his forefoot, at one blow doth smite them cleane off (Griffin, 2007:18) Hunting animals for food is often seen to be much more acceptable than hunting purely for the sake of killing (Lewis, 2009: 181). Foxes are largely thought of as vermin and for generations farmers had regularly killed them as a form of pest control. It wasnt until a decline in the UKs deer population in the eighteenth century that foxhunting evolved into its modern incarnation and was considered a sport in its own right (Craig, no date given). The activity grew in popularity with dogs being bred specifically for their scent tracking abilities, speed and stamina. The specialized breeding of the dogs resulted in longer, more exciting hunts, which were more attractive to those involved. The expansion of the British Empire under the reign of Queen Victoria spread fox hunting to far reaches of the globe. The European fox was introduced into Australia during the nineteenth century solely for recreational hunting (Dickman and Glen, 2005). Fox hunting in Britain continued to grow in populari ty well into the twentieth century despite the sport being banned in other European countries such as Germany (BBC, 1999a). In recent years however, the sport has undergone much controversy and has been involved in a great deal of debate between those who support the activity and those who oppose it. Many believe that fox hunting, in particular with mounted hunters and dogs, is cruel and outdated (BBC, 1999b). Foxes are considered to be vermin by some farmers and country folk who experience/fear loss of livestock due to these wild animals (Baker et al., 2000). Foxes are also known to kill many animals but only take one for feeding, which does not help improve farmers opinions of them when they are faced with so much unnecessary waste of livestock. Because of this, it is common practice for some farmers to shoot a fox on sight. This can have further consequences, such as the case of Edward Tibbs, a farmer who works in Essex. He was arrested on the grounds of attempted murder in Augus t 2010 as he shot two human trespassers with a shotgun after mistaking them for a fox. His gun licence has since been removed as the police consider him a danger to public safety and peace (Twomey, 2010) (See appendix 2 for full article). The argument that mounted fox hunting is performing an important role in the British countryside by helping to control huge numbers of foxes is an idea that sits uneasily for many people. It has been suggested that the method of this process is more uncomfortable than the principle of killing (Baker et al., 2003). Commonly a pack of dogs is used to chase a fox through the countryside, until it is either caught, manages to escape the scenting abilities of the hounds or until it reaches its den (but even then it can be flushed out and shot). It is argued that by using dogs, the hunt is made fairer by giving the fox the opportunity to escape rather than been located by humans and shot outright. Another justification behind this method is that the heal thier the fox is, the more likely it is to out run the hounds, therefore only the elderly and infirmed foxes are captured which helps to maintain a healthy population (Support Fox Hunting, 2010). It is also argued that mounted hunts are not an effective form of population control. The number of foxes killed during hunts are insignificant when compared to those killed in road accidents. The pest control argument has also been discredited by the fact that there have been times when there has been a shortage of foxes in Britain and that they have had to be imported from Europe to maintain a huntable population (May, 2010). Scientific research performed during the nationwide one-year hunting ban in 2001, during the foot-and-mouth disease crisis showed that the ban played no significant impact on fox populations (Baker et al., 2002). With talks of introducing a ban on hunting the Burns inquiry was commissioned in 1999 to establish the facts about fox hunting (Lord Burns, 2000). The report found that there were over 200 active hunting packs in England and Wales and that the number of foxes killed annually was between 21,000 and 25,000, around 6% of the 400,000 foxes estimated to di e annually (Leader-Williams et al., 2002). The report also established that there were a high number or foxes being dug out and shot by individual landowners and farmers on top of those being hunted. There are many jobs dependent on fox hunting ranging from kennel workers to clothing industries that make the pinks for the huntsmen. The report found there is still a great deal of support for the hunts especially in the rural communities. The hunts provided a very important social function, bringing together vast networks of otherwise isolated people. Although it claimed that hunting with dogs seriously compromises the welfare of foxes, it did not outright support a ban on the activity (Lord Burns, 2000). The government introduced an options bill in 2000, which led to the House of Commons voting for a ban of the sport and the House of Lords voted for self-regulation. In 2004, The Hunting Act was passed to protect foxes (BBC, 1999). As of February 2005 it has been illegal in England an d Wales to hunt animals with more than two dogs, which is a step towards giving foxes similar legal protection against cruelty that other, more popular animals have received for generations. The Hunting Act affected not only hunters and the hunted, but reached contemporary art practice. Scenes of fox hunting have traditionally focused on the aesthetics of the chase. Detail would go into the beautiful countryside, the red coats that the hunters wore, the powerful horses or the groups of hunting dogs. The depiction would be centred on the prestige and glory of the hunters, with nothing for the brutality of the victims death (Fig. 1). Generally, they do not show the full truth or the outcome of the hunt. This is something that animal rights activist and artist Angela Singer feels very strongly about. Her works centre on the violence and pointlessness of the hunt that is rarely seen in art as well as the relationships humans share with animals. We cherish and adore those animals that we choose to share our lives and homes with, yet mass-produce others in predominantly appalling conditions purely for consumption. The majority of the animals are caged indoors for their entire lives and some get so bored and agitated by the intense overpopulation and lack of external stimulation, they fight and ultimately end up eating one another (Channel 4, 2008a,b). Singer maintains that hunting in modern day western society represents a disgraceful attitude toward animals, which reinforces the idea that these animals are disposable, soulless creatures and promotes human superiority towards them (Duffy, 2009). In reaction to the thought of the country woman sitting at home, waiting for her hunter husband to return, oblivious to the reality and brutality of the hunt, Singer created a piece of work entitled, Fall (Fig. 2). It is a twist on traditional cross-stitch designs. These designs tend to show an idealistic interpretation of what would happen during a hunt. The hunted animal is shown rather content being run down by packs of dogs and men with guns (Duffy, 2009). The tapestries would not show blood, massively reducing the evidence of the animals violent death experience. Singers tapestry depicts a more authentic and genuine representation of a hunted games death. It shows a duck that has been shot, falling from the empty sky surrounded by blood red woollen spray. The work is made much more interesting by Singers choice of medium. By using cross-stitch she accentuates the different traditional roles of men and women: the hunter man, and supposedly naive cross-stitching woman. Singer does nt want her viewers to be like the wife, unaware of the animals senseless death. By showing a truthful representation of the killing she is in some way honouring the animals death and by the nature of tapestry she is literally bringing home the truth about the hunt. The historic looking frame also highlights the out-dated way humans regard animals. Singers more recent works have focused on using taxidermy to reflect on issues surrounding hunting. Singer lives in New Zealand where hunting for sport is very common and as a result so are hunting trophies (Potts, 2009). She recycles donated hunting souvenirs to challenge the publics attitudes towards these sports (Baker, 2008). Taxidermists traditionally try to make the animal look alive, all traces of the animals death are removed and the creature is placed into a serene pose. Singers approach to the frozen animals is what she describes to be de-taxidermy (Mudie, 2007). She strips back the taxidermists work to expose bullet wounds and scars, revealing the evidence of the aggression inflicted upon on the animals. By undoing the taxidermists work, Singer forces the viewer to confront their own attitude toward hunting. It can be easy to forget what the animals must have gone through in the name of sport, when they are positioned into these calm poses; this is something Singer wishes to address. She is surprised by how indifferent the majority of people seemed to respond to the presence of hunting trophies being hung in bars and resturants. Singer said that, It seems to me very disturbing that an enormous dead animal in a room could be ignored in that wayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It gave me the idea to use old hunting trophies to explore the human-animal relationship. I hoped to be able to make the trophy more controversial, it gave it a greater presence and makes it not so easy to ignore (Pacheco, 2009) One of her works titled Brand New Wilderness shows just how powerful using taxidermy can be (Fig. 3). There is one image of a rabbit included in the work that is particularly disturbing to look at. The rabbits formerly concealed wounds have been reopened and adorned with red beads and buttons symbolizing the blood and suffering the animal went through in its death. When first looking at the piece, the viewer instantly feels disgust and then guilt; the audience is forced to question how and why the animal was killed. After the initial shock has worn off the viewer then has the opportunity to see the beauty and care that has gone into creating the work. There is a huge contrast between the aesthetics of the beads, which are traditionally used to make jewelry and other attractive objects, and the morbid nature of the work which confronts the observer to deal with creutly involved. Singer is also inspired by the way in which the animal has been killed to influence her work. For example, her piece entitled Sore (an archaic name for a fallow deer (Baker, 2009)) shows a stag trophy head covered in blood like red wax (Fig. 4) (Aloi, 2008).The piece relates to the history of the stags death. When the hunter had originally killed the deer and sawn off its antlers, both he and the deer would have become covered in blood. Antlers contain a blood reservoir so naturally when cut blood pours out. The resultant work is alarming and hard to look at. The stags gaze creates unease in the viewer as it glares accusingly. This is undoubtedly not a piece of subtle, serenely posed taxidermy. Sore certainly makes the observer question the morality of hunting and forces them to think about their own feelings and relationships toward animals. Polly Morgan is another artist who uses dead animal bodies as her raw material. Her work is much more focused on preserving the animals in death, compared to Angela singer, whose work is a celebration of the animals life. Singer uses recycled taxidermy to create her pieces, whereas Morgan taxidermys her animals freshly after they have died. Unlike Singer, Polly Morgan does not want to make political comments on animal welfare through her artwork. She is interested in how the animals look when they are brought to her, not in what sort of life they might have lived, nor how the animals came to die (Pengilley, 2010). Morgan admits to not being sentimental regarding the animals that she uses: I confess I think less about their souls the more I handle them. I prefer live animals but I have this selfish overbearing urge to hold them and examine them and just generally do all the things they hate. Dead, I can spend as long as I like looking (Morgan, 2010: 89). Polly Morgan recently put on her first solo show, titled Psychopomps at the Haunch of Venison gallery (Eyre, 2010). One piece of work that she exhibited was a large birdcage suspended from the ceiling, seemingly being held up by an array of orange finches and canaries. The birds are attached to a burnt cage-like flying contraption inspired by an old Victorian image (Fig. 5) (Morgan, 2010: 7). The birds, in various stages of flight are tethered to the contraption, supposedly flying it through the gallery space. Systemic Inflammation (Fig. 6) is a re-visioning of an earlier, larger work titled, Departures (Morgan, 2010: 39). The idea of the artworks is that the space inside the cage is large enough for a man to fit. The man can be transported around by the birds but he is himself trapped inside the cage, while the birds have the real freedom of flight despite the fact that they are bound to the structure. The charred and distressed human cage, coupled with the birds dyed various shades of orange (Fig. 7) creates a surreal and slightly nightmarish atmosphere in the gallery. This piece coupled with the two suspended spheres, each made of 60 right wings, makes the space feel fantastical, yet very macabre. This feeling is clearly her intention; all of the pieces shown in the exhibition are named after deadly afflictions or illnesses. Blue fever (Fig. 8) the first hanging orb is made entirely of pigeon wings and Black fever (Fig. 9) crow. In both objects the wings are positioned in different stages of flight, causing the work to feel organic, as though it has a pulse. By discarding most of the birds bodies and only using the right wings, Morgan helps the viewer to detach from their feelings and emotions regarding the animal as a whole [Collinge, 2010]. By only seeing an explosion of wings, the audience is less distracted by what the work is made of allowing them to appreciate the animals as the objects they become in death. Animal Testing As well as using animals for sport we have for a long time used them for scientific purposes. Physiological research has been common on animals for centuries, but the event that is considered by many to have sparked the British debate on the subject came in the 19th century. In 1874 a French scientist Eugene Magnan gave a lecture to the British Medical Association which culminated with a demonstration where he induced epileptic seizures in a dog by injecting it with Absinthe. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Creulty to Animals (formed 50 years previously (RSPCA, 2010)) brought legal charges against Dr Magnon who fled prosecution by returning to France (Matfield, 2002a). The press ran the story with enthusiasm and the worlds first anti-vivisection group was formed in London a year later, The National Anti-Vivisection Society (Matfield, 2002b). With the wars of the 20th century the issue was put on the backburner, as the general public became more understanding towards military development and had more pressing welfare issues of their own (Matfield, 1991). The public backlash returned with greater force than ever before in the 1970s and reached its peak at the end of the millennium. In 1997 peaceful protests lost their media coverage in favour of a few extremist acts (Matfield, 2002a). Consort, a laboratory dog breeder ceased trading following continuous harrassment and attacks of staff members, as did Hillgrove farm, a cat supplier, Regal Rabbits and other animal breeders (Davies, 1999). In 2000 animal rights extremists focused their attention on Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), the company that has since become synonymous with this issue. Several videos, filmed by hidden cameras were released which severely dented the companies reputation (see supplementary CD for examples). The extremism continued to escalate until, amongst other illegal activites, activists almost blinded HLSs marketing director and broke several ribs of the companies managing director (Anon., 2001). These actions were interpreted in the media as a step too far, and damaged the fight against animal testing. Along with greater police powers to crack down on extremists (Abbott, 2010a) and counter campaigns set out by the lobby group Understanding Animal Research in 2005 (Campbell, 2010), the British public seems to be rather more neutral towards the subject. In 2010, Lord Drayson, the UKs science minister who was the chief executive of a biotechnology company at the height of the violence, said about animal testing and the British publics opinion: The picture is much better nowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I think we have made and won the argument, but we have to continue to make the argument (Gray, 2010). However around the world, scientists still clash with politicians on the content of ethical laws. For example, in 2008, Switzerland banned the use of macaque brains in research as the fundamental understanding gained had no immediate advantages. The Swiss courts consider this t o be unconstitutional as the benefit to society is not worth the burden placed upon the animals. Kevan Martin, a leading Swiss researcher in the area argues that We need to understand the basic biology of our brains in order to be able to successfully treat brain diseases such as Parkinsons (Abbott, 2008). EU laws on the issue are constantly being redrafted to varying degrees of strictness. Currently the proposed laws allow moderate pain to the animals and have recently scraped the condition that animals must be destroyed immediately after a single procedure. It also introduces benefits to lab animals such as minimum cage sizes for all species (Abbott, 2010b). Animal testing is essential in the development of new drugs. Take for example the steps involved in bringing new cancer medicines to market. First a compound has to be designed and synthesized. This process usually involves a trial and error system of slightly changing existing drugs, or making a molecule that will specifically target a part of a cancer cell. This drug will then be incubated with specifically grown cells of different forms of cancer. If it kills a certain proportion of these cells then it will enter clinical trials. Here, animals, most commonly mice, with cancer are exposed to various quantities of the future drug. This plays two essential roles. Firstly, it shows whether the drug actually works in a real biological system or if it kills a large amount of healthy cells as well. Secondly it sets a benchmark for how much of the drug can be administered to a person before serious side effects occur. After this the drug is tested on critically ill human patients, paid vo lunteers and eventually is licensed for prescription by doctors (Nako, 2010). Larger animals, such as dogs and monkeys, are often necessary in the drug development process and after a walk around Parliament Square, London it seems apparent that graphic images of these animals are used more than those of mice in protester art (Fig. 10). According to a chart taken from the HLS website shows that in 2003, mice, fish and birds account for the vast majority of regulated procedures on animals in the UK. (Fig. 11) These animals are generally perceived by the British public as being superior, or perhaps dogs are seen as pets, and monkeys as too humanoid. Some scientists, having become aware of the role that public opinion can have in their research (Hobson-West, 2010), have embarked on the RETHINK project which is designed to help reduce, replace and refine animal testing by using a special breed of pigs called minipigs (Bode et al., 2010a). Pigs have remarkably similar toxicology to humans and until recently slightly altered pig insulin has been given to Type I diabetics (Norman, 2009). Currently over 60,000 pigs are used per annum in the EU alone as they have similar skin, cardiovascular and digestive systems to humans (Svendsen, 2006). The pig is a food animal, bred in their millions for worldwide human food consumption, they hope that the British public will be even more understanding and sympathetic to future research (Bode et al., 2010b). Studies suggest that with further education, public attitudes could change dramatically. 84% of people surveyed in 2000 called themselves conditional acceptors of animal research. This means that they would accept the research if there was little burden on the animals and that the experimentation was for a serious purpose. The study also found that the vast majority of those questioned did not realise that these conditions have been met and thoroughly enforced since the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act of 1986 was passed by the UK government(Matfield, 2002b). An assessment of the standard of laboratory mouse welfare in the UK was conducted in 2008 and was considered to be good, with generally good health and often much more living space than legally required. Some units were found to have an excess of negative environmental factors, such as noise and light intensity, but it could be argued that, to some extent, these factors are far from ideal for wild mice living in some parts of the country (Leach, 2008). Another study has shown that due to strict animal testing rules, laboratory animals may get a better standard of welfare on average than pet, farm, or wild animals (Honess and Wolfensohn, 2007). The researchers claim that there are little restrictions placed upon who can keep pets unless the person has already been caught committing an offence, such as Mary Bale, a woman who caused a media storm in 2010 after being caught on CCTV placing a cat in a wheelie bin. (Fig. 12) She was made to pay costs of almost  £1,500 and has been banned from keeping pets for 5 years (Cooper, 2010). A pet owner also has no legal commitment to take their pet to a vet when they become ill, no commitment to pay for the necessary treatment and even the most loving and devoted owner may cause welfare issues, for example, overfeeding the animal until it is obese. Farm animals were found to often suffer more discomfort over prolonged periods of time as the welfare of the animals becomes a profit issue. Although fundamental research may have no immediate advantage for society, animal products are needed in day to day diagnostic techniques. Animal blood is vital in diagnosing many diseases, ranging from the relatively benign to life threatening. According to Elizabeth Nakoneczna (2010), senior microbiologist at St. Thomas hospital, London Horse blood is used as an essential ingredient in the routine culture of bacteria. Some pathogens such as Neisseria meningitidis, the most dangerous form of meningitis, require blood to grow and many of these require the detection of haemolysis, the break down of red blood cells, for correct diagnosisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I am not sure how the horse blood is obtainedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Some diagnostic tests have improved significantly since I was a trainee 25 years ago. For example, to test for TB, microbiologists used to take a sample from the patient and inject it in a rabbit. After a month or so the rabbit would be killed and scientists would look for signs of the disease. Although now the test still takes up to six weeks, specialist culture media is used instead of live animals. When asked if she can foresee an end to animal participation in hospitals within her lifetime, she replied With rapid scientific progression, The use of polymerase chain reactions for the detection of bacteria is already starting to replace the need for blood infused agar. With rapid scientific progression it seems reasonable to imagine a future where animal products are no longer necessary in diagnostic medicine. (Nakoneczna, 2010) Scientists try to use computer modeling and other research techniques that exclude animals (Dolgin, 2010), but there are still plenty of studies that need them (Coghlan, 1996). Amongst these are experiments into sheep with human livers. Human bone marrow stem cells are injected into fetal sheep so that when the lamb is born its liver is made up mostly of the humans cells. The lamb is then sacrificed and its liver transplanted into the human. The bodys immune system quickly eliminates the lambs liver cells resulting in a brand new organ, perfectly matched for the human. Because the liver is made predominantly of the humans cells, it makes the body much less likely to reject the organ, potentially saving hundreds of human lives, but at the cost of those of hundreds of sheep (Bailey, 2004). Scientists have really begun to obscure boundaries between animals and humans by creating hybrid creatures. In 2005 human cells were successfully fused with rabbit eggs to create the first human-anim al chimeras. The resulting embryos were then allowed to develop in a laboratory dish for a number of days before they were destroyed to harvest stem cells (Mott, 2005). Another artist that q