Position paper for 2020 tourism Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Position paper for 2020 tourism Strategy - Essay Example The ACT Government, under the auspices of VisitCanberra, prepared the 2020 Tourism Strategy. The strategy seeks to provide a framework within which the full potential of the tourism industry in Canberra can be realized (The ACT Government, 2013). Its goal is to increase the revenue from overnight visitors to Canberra spend from the current $1.58 billion to $2.5 billion by the year 2020. This goal is consistent with the National Tourism Strategy 2020 that seeks to double the amount of money overnight visitors in the whole of Australia spend from the 2009 figure of $70 billion to $140 billion by the year 2020. The basis of the 2020 Tourism Strategy was a thorough market research of the industry (The ACT Government, 2013). The research project profiled the current tourist products and experiences as well as potential for new ones. In the first short run, the strategy will seek to realize its goal through a raft of measures. The first measure is to invest in the marketing of tourist destinations in the Canberra region for both local and international visitors. The second measure is to realize direct international flights and to expand the local aviation industry. The third is to enhance the technological capacity of the industry. The fourth is to promote sectors that complement the tourism industry. These include transportation and commerce. The fifth measure is to create an enabling business environment by eliminating barriers to entry and keeping statutory requirements to a minimum. Finally, the Government shall invest in new tourist products development. The Government recognizes that the above actions cannot be realized single-handedly; they will require the cooperation and coordination of all stakeholders (The ACT Government, 2013). These include tourism enterprises, regulatory bodies and all the attractions that the Commonwealth funds. Another broad goal if the strategy is to promote the

Why Do Most Rural Construction Projects Fail Construction Essay

Why Do Most Rural Construction Projects Fail Construction Essay A research on the construction projects Is done on rural areas to see why rural construction projects fail, reasons for rural project failure are found to be, poor communication, lack of skills to the people who engaged in a project. Rural construction failure is affecting the economy since there is more money spent on the projects and people from rural areas need to be developed, as we know that rural areas where neglected so they were not privileged enough , so government is trying to develop the rural areas by proving the projects that will help community to develop. The research conducted on construction projects failure is valuable since it will help people to know how to overcome project problems, The report will give knowledge to the community and the professional team in how to avoid rural projects failure. PREFACE Many of the construction projects influential clients do not recognize the project management is an essential ingredient for use with any system of procurement of a new facility. This report is key guidance compiled under the active direction of a multi- disciplined working group. Project management, as a professional disciplined, has been the subject of numerous definitions and considerable confusion in the construction industry. The aim of this report is to provide reader and all members of the construction team with definitive strategy for any project from outset, defining the responsibilities of all concerned to achieve completion on time, to the specification defined by the brief and within budget. The report has been prepared as a definitive document which will enable a reader to understand the role and responsibilities of the project manager on any major or minor project. The report is a practical document and will allow the team to practice the art to gain an understanding of the process involved and techniques employed. Similarly, readers will be able to explore and complete range of project management activities. Since inception of democracy in 1994, the government of the Republic of South Africa has been introducing policies and programmes to ensure economic empowerment. The Black Economic Empowerment initiative was introduced to combat and or reverse past economic inequalities. The main focus of the programme was to empower black in general, Africans in particular. South Africa is predominantly occupied by rural areas; hence the centre of attention is shifted to rural development in terms of empowerment. However, this initiative has been succeeding but there are challenges facing the programme in the sense that those challenges are outweighing the benefits. For example, we have tender entrepreneurs, youth and women who are actively involved in the project or business world and are contributing positively to economic development that will lead to economic growth of the country. Even though we are gradually succeeding in this initiative but the triple challenge still exists which is poverty, unemployment and inequalities. In conclusion, failure to implement projects properly leads to a programme failure hence the need to identify project weaknesses and come up with effective mechanisms is of paramount important. There are many reasons why the rural construction projects fail; these reasons are discussed as follow: 1.1 Financial capacity Lack of capital contributes immensely to project failure. For example, black entrepreneurs are experiencing problem when it comes initiating a project. The majority of these entrepreneurs are entirely depending on ceding their rights to acquire financial assistance from Financial Institutions. 1.2 Lack of Training There are no practical structures in place that deals with a training of these entrepreneurs in the sense that they entirely depending on their talent or calling to execute the project thoroughly. They lack the aptitude to understand the project principles and actual practically implement those principles which are critical to project success. Even if there is a functioning structure, the maximum participation is inadequate from the side of participants. 1.3 Lack of Accountability From the side of the community no one is informed enough to question the standard of the project under implementation in the sense that the project leader does his or her will in term of implementing the project. In contrary, there is a lack of monitoring on the side of the government to hold the project leader or implementer accountable. 1.4 Human Resources There is lack of skilled labourers to implement project successfully. For example, the project entirely depends on the unskilled labourers for implementation. Therefore, it makes life of the project to be difficult. For instance, to an unskilled person it is normally not to question the opinion of the superior, even though he or she knows beyond the reasonable doubt that the opinion is impractical for the project execution. 1.5 Physical Resources Most of the natural resources that exist are never tested to check the viability before the execution in the sense that they are executed with a no prior testing to check their effectiveness. For example, natural resources such as soil to be used for agricultural cooperatives are used with no prior testing to check their suitability for planting. As result, most of crops do not yield returns because of the above mentioned short coming. 2. To identify the impact of project failure to economic growth 2.1 Increase in the level of poverty Failure to execute the project successfully will minimise the opportunities of self-sustainability to communities. For example, in the agricultural projects that are meant for cooperatives, failure on the part of the project leader to execute the project successfully will lead to community inability to sustain itself. As a result, the poverty levels will increase as community members will have to purchase from the retailers instead of doing it themselves. 2.2 Increase in the level of unemployment If the opportunities arise for project execution in a particular location, local labourers from that particular community have exceeding expectations for employment. Therefore, that means at the inception of the project more people will be employed, but as the project gradually fails to be completed those who were employed will be retrenched or redundant. 2.3 Increase in the level of Inequalities The existence of the project especially the empowerment project is to bridge the gap between those who have and those who have not. Therefore, that means those who have not will have something if the project succeeds, but if the project fails an opposite is applicable or vice visa. CHAPTER 3 CRITICAL RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. Why rural construction projects often fail? Rural construction projects often fail for many reasons. Firstly, rural communities lack participation and knowledge to hold project leader or executor accountable. Secondly, there are no monitoring systems in place in the part of government to monitor the progress of the project until completion and hold the project implementer accountable in case of non-performance. Finally, project leaders sometimes produce substandard performance due to lack of expertise and experience to execute the project until its completion. 2. How do we then deal with these rural project failures? Firstly and foremost, through campaigns for public awareness the level of public participation level will be improved because the public will be aware that they own these projects, the success of the project will be dependent on their active involvement. Secondly, if communities are well trained to improve the level of their competency they will become watch dogs and watch every move of the project that is taken by the contractor to ensure that the standard quality of project is achieved. Thirdly, on the monitoring part of the project there should be a continuous a level of training to familiarize those responsible for monitoring with the development so that they are updated. Finally, on the side of the contractor, there should an alignment of the expertise and the scope of works to ensure that maximum quality is achieved. CHAPTER 4 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY Firstly, community participation and involvement in a project is one of the key elements of action research, by proactively and systematically working towards improving the levels of involvement in the various stages of a project, the outcomes are more likely to suit local circumstances and ensure community ownership, and increase the sustainability of a project. However, developing and maintaining the participation of stakeholders can often be a challenge requiring various strategies and considerations. Secondly, on the government side the significant of the research helps to identify problem areas and arrive at the corrective measures in order to combat inefficiencies within the system in as far as monitoring is concerned. Finally, the same situation will apply on the part of the contractor or project leader as above in terms of identifying problematic areas that will have an impact on the progress of the project and come up with mechanisms to combat non-performance at an earlier s tage of the project. CHAPTER 6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The research was conducted with several Client Departments such as Department of Roads and Public Works (DRPW), Department of Education (DOE), Health Department (DOH), Social Development Department, Local Government and District Municipality in Alfred Nzo Region, Eastern Cape. The Department of Roads and Public Infrastructure Managers, Eastern Cape were interviewed on what could be the cause of rural construction project failure such as schools, ECDC (Early Childhood Development Centres, Clinics and Roads since the department does their infrastructure projects in the Eastern Cape Province and District Municipality Infrastructure Programme Managers were also interviewed based on the failure of projects they render to the communities. IDP meetings are held every month and the District Municipality Infrastructure Programme Manager invites all Interdepartmental Infrastructure Programme Managers to come and report on projects which are either on planning or implementation. Articles were also used to find other possible ways of minimizing the failure of our rural construction projects. CHAPTER 8 CONCLUSION The success of this initiative is entirely dependent on identifying the problematic areas that are there to hamper the progress of the rural projects. Therefore, positively identifying these problematic areas and effectively coming up with creative mechanisms will ensure the rural project success. In addition, the rural project success will ensure that the government initiative achieves its objectives of ensuring economic development that will ultimately lead to the economic growth. As a result, this growth in economy will positively address the triple challenge that is facing our democratic South Africa. TERMINOLOGY DRPW Department of Roads and Public Works DOE Department of Education DOH Department of Health DM District Municipality DOT Department of Transport IDP Infrastructure Development Program

Benefits of the Weight Watchers Program Essay -- Health Nutrition Diet

Benefits of the Weight Watchers Program Weight Watchers is an excellent program to aid in weight loss and healthy eating. It is an easy, healthy, and effective method for losing weight and eating correctly. Weight Watchers has based their program on a point system, making it easy to follow by counting points assigned to foods. It promotes healthy eating habits by regulating serving sizes, which are set by the United States Department of Agriculture. In addition to promoting healthy eating habits, it offers support for people who might need it. The support, along with the eating plan, helps dieters lose weight and eat healthy. Weight Watchers is very easy to follow. This is because the program has allocated a point value to every food. The points are related to the amount of calories the food contains; the more calories a food has, the more points it is given. For example, one apple has one point. The dieter is allowed a certain number of points per day, therefore restricting the amount of calories from anywhere between 1200 and 1700. Depending o...

Historical King Arthur Essay

King Arthur is one of the most well known historical figures of all time. One of the most interesting debates surrounding the legends and tales of King Arthur is whether or not he truly existed. The debate has its roots in the Renaissance time when Arthur’s existence was defended as the basis for the Tudor monarchs to trace their ancestry back to King Arthur as a way to hold onto their reign. Modern historians argue that a King Arthur may have existed though he was not the same King Arthur in the much loved legends and tales that have been passed down from generation to generation. This debate will continue as there has been no logical proof that King Arthur did actually exist (The Camelot Project, 1). At the same time, the influence of King Arthur will remain an important part of history as well. King Arthur has had a significant influence on literature, art, music and society as far back as the Middle Ages. The legend of Arthur projects him as a great legendary British king born to Uther Pendragon and Igraine. Some versions of the legend also include information regarding three half sisters of Arthur. Arthur married Guinevere and legend says they had no children together although Arthur did father children. Some versions of the Arthur legend contend that Perlesvaus was fathered by Arthur and Guinevere but other versions say this is not so (Joe, 1). Further, in various versions of the legend, Arthur’s son had different names. One legend states that Arthur killed his son while another says his son died after being attacked by a wild boar (Joe, 1). These ancestorial facts are unclear and vary across different versions of the legends which is perhaps one reason why the existence of a real King Arthur is so heavily debated. There has been no archeological evidence that a real King Arthur ever existed. Without absolute proof it is difficult to separate potential facts from the many legends that surround King Arthur (Joe, 1). Perhaps the reason why the legend of King Arthur is so popular is because King Arthur was a bright light in the face of treachery and darkness (Snell, 1). King Arthur brought peace to his land by defending it from every danger and also expanding his empire to encompass great amounts of land. Under the command of King Arthur, a group of knights helped the helpless, battled evil and scoured the land for holy relics. The courageous nature of King Arthur makes him a true hero that many generations of people have looked up to. He gave people hope in sorrowful times by being the type of ruler that looked out for the weak and the poor. Despite the fact that King Arthur is so loved and admired, he remains a legend. There is no existing proof that can provide without a doubt that King Arthur is a true historical figure. Instead, the legend of King Arthur will remain a legend (Snell, 1). The vast amount of literature and other media that focus on King Arthur may cause some people to assume that these stories are based in part on fact. However, there is no evidence that any of the facts surrounding the legend of King Arthur are true. Part of the reason why so many people assume that King Arthur is a true historical figure may be based on The History of the Kings of Britain which details the life and rule of the exalted King Arthur (Snell, 1). This historical document provides so many in depth details about King Arthur that many find it hard to argue with. However, the reference for this document has never been found so the facts included within cannot be proven. Further, some are of the opinion that the author of this document, Geoffrey of Monmouth, wrote the history in order to make others view his people in a more positive light (Snell, 1). There are many scholarly facts that aid in disproving the actual existence of King Arthur. These are the facts that enable King Arthur to keep his place in history as one of the most noble and well loved kings of all time. Legend holds that King Arthur was able to single handedly lead an assault that left nine hundred dead and allowed him to reign as king for nearly one hundred years. Legend also holds that King Arthur fought giants and strange beasts and was led by a red dragon (Ogden-Korus, 1). Since none of these mythological creatures or fantastic feats are possible, it can be assumed that King Arthur is a legend as well. This leads to the goal of many scholars. They wish to uncover facts that may prove whether there really was a King Arthur behind all the folklore (Ogden-Korus, 1). So far, they have been unsuccessful in proving that King Arthur ever did exist so he remains a legend to this day. In order to find proof of King Arthur, many archeologists have attempted to find concrete evidence that can be directly traced to the legendary king. There is very little evidence in Britain that can be traced back to the time of King Arthur. For example, the primary building tool during King Arthur’s time was wood, which completely decomposes over time and would not provide any proof of the existence of King Arthur. Further, the field of archeology cannot deal with specifics (Ogden-Korus, 1). Instead, archeologists analyze existing evidence and make educated guesses regarding ancient history. With regards to the place and times of King Arthur, these educated guesses have led to the conclusion that King Arthur is simply a legend. One of the most common associations with King Arthur is Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. However, this connection cannot be considered fact. The legend of King Arthur is said to have lived during the sixth century but the creation of Camelot did not come into existence until the twelfth century when it became a part of literature (Ogden-Korus, 1). There are other more compelling discoveries that have aided in spreading the opinion that King Arthur did once exist. However, this evidence, while compelling, is not concrete. For example, Tintagel Castle, the alleged birthplace of King Arthur was a thirteenth century castle so it could not have existed during the time of King Arthur. However, in 1998, an archeological dig at Tintagel Castle uncovered a sixth century fort underneath the castle (Giger, 1). This evidence alone does not point to the existence of King Arthur. There are many sixth century forts in England and Wales and the discovery of this one does not provide concrete evidence that King Arthur ever existed – only that a sixth century fort existed where legend says that King Arthur was born (Giger, 1). This type of evidence is exciting and motivates historians and scholars to continue their search for evidence that King Arthur did exist. However, at this time no concrete evidence has been discovered to prove the King Arthur was anything more than a legend. Despite the fact that there is no definitive proof that King Arthur ever existed, there have been many myths that surround his name. Camelot is the perhaps the most well known myth that surrounds the legend of King Arthur. As previously discussed, Camelot did not come into existence until it was included in literature in the twelfth century (Ogden-Korus, 1). Camelot is the most well known and famous castle associated with King Arthur. Experts agree that Camelot is most likely a fictional place because its exact location is unknown. â€Å"Camelot, located no where in particular, can be anywhere† (Lacy, 67). The myth of Camelot has been allowed to spread because of how much people respect and admire the legend of King Arthur. The various versions of the myths surrounding King Arthur often contradict one another but people are willing to overlook such discrepancies because the writings about King Arthur are so captivating and entertaining (Miller, 1). People want to believe that such a magnificent person could really have existed so they get caught up in the myths surrounding King Arthur and begin to believe that he was a real person. Another myth that the legend of King Arthur has influenced is the legend of Lancelot, one of the Knights of the Round Table. Sir Lancelot is considered one of the best and one of the worst knights in the court of King Arthur (Sir Lancelot Online, 1). Lancelot is a creation of literature that emerged at the same time that Camelot did. In this portrayal, Lancelot becomes the most valuable knight of King Arthur. He was chivalrous and brave and accomplished many important tasks including rescuing Guinevere from Meleagant and once again rescuing her from being burned to death for committing adultery with him (Sir Lancelot Online, 1). Sir Lancelot helped contribute to the myths surrounding King Arthur because his heroic deeds made King Arthur look good. Ultimately, Lancelot betrays King Arthur by committing adultery with Guinevere but this too makes King Arthur look good because people pity him for the wrongs committed against him. Another important and famous myth surrounding King Arthur that has contributed to the admiration of many is his sword, Excalibur. Excalibur is said to have magical powers. Part of the reason why the myth of Excalibur makes King Arthur so admired is because some versions of the myth discuss how King Arthur pulled the sword from a stone thus making himself appear magical and strong. However, other versions of the myth keep Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone separate. The myth that includes King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone provides some with evidence that he was a true king because only a true king would be able to even pull the sword out of the stone. Other versions say that Excalibur was a sword the King Arthur obtained through Merlin from the Lady of the Lake (Ford, 1). The fact that King Arthur used such powerful weapons also provides a compelling reason why so many people believe in the power of King Arthur. These weapons are also part of the reason why King Arthur has survived throughout history as one of the most revered kings of all time. One final aspect of the legend of King Arthur that has enabled him to live throughout history is the myth of Merlin. Merlin is a well known wizard that mentored King Arthur. Merlin had supernatural powers and abilities and is said to have engineered the birth of King Arthur through his magical powers (Briggs, 440). The magical powers that surrounded Merlin were of enormous benefit to King Arthur because they enabled him to accomplish great things. These great things are what has allowed King Arthur to become as legendary as he remains today. King Arthur is a real historical figure in that many people truly believe that he actually existed. This belief has been passed down from generation to generation so that the legend of King Arthur has become real to so many people. The fantastic accomplishments that are credited to King Arthur make him a much loved and respected ruler. At the same time, the magic and mystic that surround King Arthur provide a sense of mystery that captivates people into believing the myths. These myths have allowed King Arthur to rise in prestige and remain so popular. However, there is no historical or archeological proof that King Arthur ever existed. If such proof is out there it has yet to be discovered. The fact that the legend of King Arthur is so well known and loved has allowed the myths associated with the legendary king to become valid parts of the King Arthur legend. For example, most people do not realize that Camelot and Lancelot are fictional creations that came into existence some five hundred years after the time of King Arthur. These myths have provided King Arthur with a reputation of greatness that cannot be based on historical fact. At the same time, there is no harm in allowing people to believe that King Arthur was real because in the hearts of many King Arthur was real. There is no definitive data to back this assumption up but this does not deter many people from believing in the existence of King Arthur. In the end, history has not proven that King Arthur truly existed but literature and movies have created a character that is so loved that he has become â€Å"real† and he will remain â€Å"real† as long as people continue to be captivated by the legend of the King Arthur and the myths that surround him. Briggs, Katharine Mary. An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Boogies and Other Supernatural Creatures. New York: Pantheon Books, 1976. 440. Ford, David Nash. â€Å"Excalibur. † Brittania. 2000. 17 Feb 2009 . Giger, Remus. â€Å"In Search of†¦ King Arthur. † Associated Content. 2007. 17 Feb 2009 . Joe, Jimmy. â€Å"King Arthur. † Timeless Myths. 1999. 17 Feb 2009 . Lacy, Norris J. â€Å"Camelot. † The New Arthurian Encyclopedia. New York: Garland, 1991. 67. Miller, Michael D. â€Å"The True Story. † Camelot: The True Story. Moffat, CO: Rideout Publishing, 2008. Ogden-Korus, Erin. â€Å"An Archeological Quest for the ‘Real’ King Arthur. 1999. 17 Feb 2009 . Sir Lancelot Online. â€Å"Sir Lancelot of the Lake. † 17 Feb 2009 . Snell, Melissa. â€Å"The Truth of Arthur. A Legendary King. † About. com: Medieval History. 1999. 17 Feb 2009 . The Camelot Project. â€Å"Historical Arthur. † King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. 2001. 17 Feb 2009 .

James

The reading that I decided to summarize is called â€Å"The Emergence of the Star System in America† by Richard Decorate. The topic Is very useful because It emphasizes the Idea of the star system. The system Includes different kinds of Information that was created about actors.The velveteen of the system was influenced and developed through three transformations like â€Å"the discourse on acting, the picture personality and the star† The reading is significant because the write takes the reader thought the Journey about what perception of film actors used to be before 1907 and how the incept of performers kept evolving and changing till the year of 1914.The first transformation Is the discourse on acting. Decorate argues that before 1907, film actors were not popular and all the â€Å"Journalistic discourse of the time focused primarily on the scientific aspects of the apparatus†). It was assumed that films were products that did not have any involvement of hum an labor until the rise of another discourse in 1907, the importance of the labor in film production.The discourse led to a new knowledge which created a â€Å"struggle destined to resituated the site of textual radioactivity for the spectator away from the work of the apparatus Itself' Another very Important aspect Is that at the time all those who appeared In films were called picture performers and their activities were described as posing because the activity of acting in film was known only in terms of photography due to â€Å"struggle between a photographic and a theatrical conception of the body' (Decorate, p 19). In 1908, a huge decrease in demand of documentary films led to development of dramatic films.It led too huge popularity of people who appeared in films and who had a lend of the prolific, film and the real stories. The blend led to strengthening of the concept called the picture performer and acceptance of the fact that the â€Å"art of acidulous be translated to the screen† (Decorate, p 22). The acceptance allowed society to legitimate the concept of cinema and get new tastes of consumption like a combination of good action and acting in order to appeal to large audiences. The second transformation is the picture personality.Actors presented themselves with fictional names and public personalities. Three kinds of knowledge appeared hill creating the personality. The first one Is the circulation of the name that emphasizes the â€Å"difficulty of separating the circulation of the players' names and the circulation of the films they were in† (Decorate, p 25). Actors were identified in specific films because of names. The second knowledge is intellectuality. It â€Å"constituted the picture personality† . The knowledge was created by both the cinema and press. Personalities of performers supposed to be Just like their characters had.The knowledge emphasized stage experiences of actors. The last ell known transformation Is the star. Stars have always been â€Å"characterized by a fairy through going articulation of the paradigm professional Life/private life. With the emergence of the star, the question of the player's existence outside his/her work in films entered discourse† Around 1914, there was already no restriction in terms of knowledge and textually of players in films. Personal lives of stars became a new kind of a popular knowledge. Professional and personal lives became self-controlled film characters.Eventually, the main difference between â€Å"the picture personality and he star is that the later supports a family discourse† The redundancy and closure of the two lives led to the emergence of the star concept with its system and power. The writing is very useful it terms of understanding how the concept of the star was created and why it evolved in certain ways. It was also very helpful to understand the emergence in terms of the three key transformations likeliest discourse on acting, the picture personality and the star. The transformations allowed me to learn about interconnected aspects and facts which led to the concept of the star system.

Deformed Cloned Animals Research Paper Example

Deformed Cloned Animals Research Paper Example Deformed Cloned Animals Paper Deformed Cloned Animals Paper skin ,heart etc. there are many ethical concerns over therapeutic cloning because the embryos used to create the stem cells are destroyed. Stem cells can also be used to get organs for organ transplants. Genetically modified (GM) foods Cloning can also be used to genetically modify food crops so that they produce more seeds and better seeds and that dont get diseases. These foods are called genetically modified (GM) foods. There has been a lot of controversy over whether these foods should be consumed or not. Many scientists feel that if we eat these foods they can create many problems like diseases for us in the future. Thus, even though GM foods are available to us people are still in doubt as to whether they should consume them.UK has recently given the go ahead for farmers to grow GM crops. This has come after a long debate in the UK as to whether GM crops should be grown. US scientists are warning of a serious risk to human health after the discovery that traditional varieties of major American food crops are widely contaminated by DNA sequences from GM crops. Crops engineered to produce industrial chemicals and drugs GM crops could already be poisoning GM-free crops grown for food in the US. This has raised concern over GM crops all over the world. GM crops can also have a very bad impact on farmland wildlife due to the harmful chemicals that they produce. Should humans be cloned? Many people are very opposed to cloning humans. The U.S. Congress has passed a bill to ban human cloning which would make it a crime to even attempt human cloning and to ship, receive or import cloned embryos or products derived from them. Many people feel that it is unethical and immoral to clone humans. The human genome project which is researching the human genome plans to give scientists more information on human cloning. Last year advanced cell technologies in Worcester, Massachusetts announced that it had cloned a human embryo. An Italian doctor, Severino Antinori has said that he has cloned and implanted a human embryo in a womans uterus. Clonaid, an American company promise to clone a human baby for $200,000.cloning humans is still be very risky and needs more research. Researchers have not only cloned sheep like dolly but they have also cloned other animals like cats, monkeys, mice, goats, pigs, rabbits, etc. Attempts to clone other species have also been unsuccessful and very few cloned animals have survived. The genes of cloned mice are severely compromised and arent functioning properly. The same may happen if we clone humans. Religion also has to be taken into consideration if we want to clone humans. Many religions feel that we shouldnt clone people and play god. After the religious sect the Raelians claimed they had successfully given birth to the first cloned human baby, everyone in the US Congress agreed on the need for a ban on the practice. The Raelians believe that humans are created by aliens and are strong advocates of cloning. They say that they have already cloned a human child. Dolly the sheep Dolly the sheep was the world first cloned mammal. She has recently died at the age of 6.she had to be killed by lethal injection because she was suffering from lung cancer and severe arthritis. Although most sheep live to the age of 11 and 12 she died early. The postmortem indication indicated that she was quite normal apart from her cancer and arthritis. She was famously cloned by Dr. Ian Wilmut of the rosin institute, Edinburgh, Scotland. She was the first sheep to be cloned after 276 unsuccessful attempts .Dr. Wilmut himself isnt ruling out that Dollys arthritis was a symptom of her cloning origins. Dolly also had many problems with weight; she was very overweight and constantly on drugs. Her death reopens the debate on cloning and its problems. She is the worlds most famous cloned animal. The advantages of cloning Therapeutic cloning can solve the problems of many people who have defective organs or problems with their organs like lungs, liver, etc. by using stem cells to grow organs. Human clones can also be created to donate their organs. To prevent rejection of the new organs the cells used to generate stem cells and grow the organs can be taken from the patients themselves. Couples who cant have children due to sterility or other reasons can still have children who resemble them and are genetically identical to them through cloning. Even if the woman is sterile she can still have the child from her body if the scientists implant the embryo in her uterus. Cloning can be used to obtain treatments for diseases like Parkinsons disease, diabetes, heart disease, kidney aliments, cancer, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, etc. The techniques of cloning form an integral part in the effort to prepare advanced medicines for diagnosis, vaccines and for the treatment of various diseases. Thousands of patients benefit from these techniques. Hereditary diseases can also be prevented through cloning by detecting whether a baby has any diseases through its genes and preparing early for any disease which could even save its life. With cloning we can also have children with the characteristics of parents even if one parent suffers from a serious genetic illness. In this process the scientist who clones the child ensures that it gets that particular gene from the parent who does not have the illness. Doctors can also eliminate strands of DNA that cause deformation and diseases like Down syndrome to ensure that a healthy child is born. Animals can also be cloned with human genes so that their organs can be used for human transplants. E.g.: the British company IMUTRAN is mass producing hogs to donate organs. This has an added advantage because the organs will be cloned from animals and cannot be rejected. Animals that are endangered can be cloned to increase their numbers and be repopulated .Through cloning extinct animals may also be brought back. It will be a very significant achievement if this happens. Researchers are already trying to clone a frozen wooly mammoth. Extinct animals can be cloned through the cells that are in the bone marrow of their skeletons. We can also clone deceased pets. We may be able to clone many great people like Einstein, Newton and Aristotle for the benefit of mankind. e.g.: we could clone someone like Aristotle who, instead of practicing philosophy could be building rockets or solving the problems that mankind are facing. Human diseases can be researched by studying animal clones like mice which are genetically engineered to carry disease carrying mutation in their genes. Genetically modified animals are being produced in large numbers to produce drugs or proteins that are useful in medicine. e.g.: bacteria producing insulin for diabetic patients Cloning through genetic engineering will also give parents the right to choose what characteristics they want in their children to have. It is the parents ambition to want their children to have certain characteristics. Disadvantages of cloning Cloning can be immoral. Many religious groups and people believe that man should not play god. They also believe that genetic engineering is unnatural and people should not overstep their bounds. Many people also believe that cloning and genetic engineering are wrong because they generate dangerous attitudes towards children, especially those with disease. They also believe that children who are cloned are psychologically affected by it. Most species are interrelated by food chains in nature. Scientists think that introducing genetically modified animals to the wild will disrupt food chains. Cloning is very expensive and highly inefficient .more than 90% of cloning experiments fail to produce results. There is a very high failure rate due to many reasons. The main reason are due to the improper development of the egg with the newly transferred nucleus and the egg not being able to attach itself to the uterus wall. Cloned animals have higher rates of infection, disorders, die early and have many other problems. e.g.: about a third of cloned calves born alive died young and had poor health. Cloned animals have been found to be much bigger than normal animals and have abnormally large organs. Clones can have many defects e.g. cows that were cloned were less attentive and intelligent than normal cows. Cloning also causes imbalance in animals protein, hormone and fat levels. Sometimes scientists can make mistakes when modifying the genetic material of animals (imprinting genes) causing abnormalities. This can be a great risk with humans. Most imprinting errors occur when embryonic stem cells are being cultured in laboratories. Through cloning there is the possibility of compromising individuality, creativity and freedom. If each person is cloned many times there would be a lot of people who are alike, creating confusion. People would have nothing unique about them. The clones could even take over the identity of original people. Sometimes the women who are carrying the cloned embryos may themselves face pregnancy complications. Cloning will cause us to lose our diversity. The beauty of humanity lies in the differences between people. with cloning everyone would look the same, act the same and be the same Some people are resistant to certain diseases and others are not. This is usually through genes. If people were cloned and had the same genes then they would all be at risk of getting the same disease that they were all not resistant too and being wiped out. This could even happen to the entire human race if everyone on earth had the same genes. In a way it would be inhumane to clone people because clones will not be considered as individuals or humans. They will be considered as a persons property and may even be sold .It will be unethical to sell humans even if they are cloned humans. People may abuse cloning technology to do illegal and immoral things by creating clones for their own purposes. If a child was cloned and became disfigured due to some error the parents dreams will be shattered and they would have to try and get a child by cloning an embryo again. This way thousands of embryos will be destroyed. This is also the case with animal cloning. Researchers believe that it is unethical to destroy embryos that will eventually form children. e.g.: a cloned cow recently died weeks after its birth with a huge abnormality in blood pressure. The same could happen to human clones leading to questions over the ethics of cloning. Conclusion Cloning has both its advantages and disadvantages. I am not opposed to further research into human cloning to find out whether it will be possible to clone humans or not. I also feel that additional research should be done for animal cloning to see whether it should be continued. I am still not sure about the plans to start cloning humans. I fell that without doing proper research into the problems that are there in cloning and solving the problems we shouldnt start cloning humans. References http://english.people.com.cn/200108/01/eng20010801_76227.html globalchange.com/clonlink.htm

Mark Twain Essays - English-language Films, Picaresque Novels

Mark Twain Essays - English-language Films, Picaresque Novels Mark Twain In his famed novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain writes a classic American adventure story, complete with moral dilemmas, the theme of an individual against society, and the proverbial journey into maturity. However, the focus of his book is not on the adventure itself, but rather on the pseudo father-son relationship that springs up between Jim and Huck during their pilgrimage down the Mississippi. Huck, an uncivilized, pragmatic child, has had little if any controlling influence in his life. His father Pap is an abusive alcoholic who kidnaps him in the beginning of the novel, setting the scene for his disappearance and the ensuing journey. Huck meets Jim, an escaped slave, and accepts him as a companion, as they are both running for their freedom. However, Huck still sees Jim as a slave, a piece of property, rather than a human. This changes as the two journey down the Mississippi River, becoming dependent on each other, one filling both a practical ! and emotional need of the other. This bond begins to fade from view as the book strays from Huck and Jim with the introduction of the Duke and the Dauphin, and gets progressively further from view towards the end of the book. Eventually, When Twain re-introduces Tom in the end of the novel, he removes Huck and Jim?s relationship as the focus of the book and thereby dilutes his message. Huck and Jim begin their travels together as two very different people running in the same direction, yet end as the closest of friends. In the beginning, Huck and Jim stay together out of need because Jim needs a white person to run with to avoid being captured as a slave, and Huck is lonely by himself. Running together, they gradually become good friends, but their camaraderie is not cemented until they are separated and later reunited in chapter fifteen. In this chapter, the two are separated in a dense fog near Cairo, their destination, where the Ohio river joins the Mississippi. After many hours, Huck finally makes his way back to the raft, which he finds with one broken oar and covered with debris. Jim is sleeping, and Huck, still in a childish state of mind, decides to play a joke on Jim by pretending that he was never lost. He pretends to wake up next to Jim, who is overjoyed to see him, and convinces him that the whole episode was a dream. When Jim finally rea! lizes that Huck is fooling him, he admonishes him sharply for it, "?my heart wuz mos' broke bekase you wuz los', en I didn' k'yer no' mo' what become er me en de raf'. En when I wake up en fine you back agin, all safe en soun', de tears come, en I could a got down on my knees en kiss yo' foot, I's so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin' 'bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is TRASH; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren's en makes 'em ashamed." (Twain, 109) It is here that Jim?s association with Huck?s really becomes paternal, for Jim?s words are those of a responsible father whose son has acted shamefully. Jim?s words have a profound affect on Huck, who realizes that Jim is a person, and that his feelings can be hurt. Regardless of his former friendship with Jim, he still considered him a lowly slave until then. In the early 1800?s in the South, blacks were slaves, and the social order was accepted. Most people thought nothing of black rights, they were considered property. As Huck states, "I was stealing a poor old woman's nigger that hadn't ever done me no harm?"(Twain, 271) Twain?s installation of Jim as a symbolic father for Huck is a rejection of this sentiment, in that he sees Jim as a person, and a far better one than Huck?s real father who, despite his white skin, never treated Huck as a good father should. Pap seems to typify the whites in this story, most of whom are ethically barren in one way or another. The Duke and