Capital Punishment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Capital Punishment - Research Paper Example The arguments in favor and against capital punishment is growing day by day. Even some of the most civilized countries like America has no problems in executing hardcore criminals. However, majority of the religions argue against capital punishment. Religions are of the view that it is ethically or morally wrong to take the life of a person. According to religious point of view, all the living things and nonliving things are the creations of the God and only the God has the authority to take back the lives he created in this world. On the other hand, many atheists and sociologists are of the view that capital punishment is necessary to save the life of innocent people from the threat of antisocial elements. In their opinion, if the execution of one person may save many lives, then it should be implemented without any worry or concern. I have conducted two interviews; one with a Christian priest who argues against capital punishment and another with a sociologist who argue in favor of capital punishment in order to get more insights about this controversial topic. This paper analyses arguments in favor and against capital punishment based on those interviews and ethical theories with respect to this topic. Arguments against capital punishment based on the interview with a priest In response to my questions about the morality of capital punishment, the priest has told me that human do not have the authority to take a life which he is unable to create. In his opinion, the secrets behind life before birth and life after death are still unknown to the people even after huge advancements in science and technology. Human abilities have limitations in understanding the mission of God. According to the priest each person is sent to this world with a mission by the God and doing something against the mission of the God is unethical. In reply to the Priest’s arguments, I asked him; â€Å"Is it ethical to allow the criminals to take the life of others freely?. He r eplied that punishment is necessary for avoiding criminal activities however, the essence of punishment should be correction rather than vengeance. â€Å"Capital punishment never allows a criminal to change his behavior as in the case of other forms of punishments†(10 Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment, 2010). He told me that life term is more acceptable than capital punishment since it prevent us from committing the same mistake as committed by the criminal. The priest strengthened his argument with the help of some of the existing laws in America. He has pointed out that â€Å"American criminal justice system believes that â€Å"partisan advocacy of both sides on a case will promote the ultimate objective that the guilty be convicted and the innocent go free† (Ferdic et al, 2008, p.37). He has pointed out that the chances of executing an innocent person because of circumstantial evidences or fabricated evidences are more and in such cases, nobody can return the lif e of that person even if he has found to be innocent later. In order to substantiate that argument, he has quoted the facts published by Van den Haag. â€Å"In a recent survey Professors Hugo Adam Bedau and Michael Radelet found that 7000 persons were executed in the United States between 1900 and 1985 and that 35 were innocent of capital crimes† (Van den Haag, 1986). In other words, 35 innocent people lost their lives because of capital punishment. He has pointed that the essence of American criminal

Comparing poems Essay Example for Free

Comparing poems Essay Salome turns out to be an evil and very disturbed character; she gets pleasure by beheading people. In this poem it turns out that Salome has removed few other heads previously and she would doubtlessly do it again. She does not even know whos head it is that is next to her, but it seems like that she does not care at all. This makes her sound like a whore. As the maid walks in this makes her feel more comfortable and better for some reason. Hitcher: The man seems really stressed and tired, and when he receives the phone call from his boss that is his final straw. He seems very jealous of the hitcher this is because he is free of stress and is a free spirit. He seems very frustrated. The Man He Killed: This poem is very interesting. It turns out that they dont want to kill each other but because they are at war with each others country. One of them says youd treat if met where any bar is or help to half-a-crown. He is saying if I met you in any other circumstances I would take you to a bar and buy you a pint. My Last Duchess: She is very very jealous, in fact she is so jealous that she wants to poison he and watch he die very slowly. She makes the poison sound like something that is rich and luxurious. Salome: There is some alliteration on line 18-19 where the sound of maids clanging makes Salome happy. Throughout the poem the tone of it makes the poem sound like a young girl who is spoiled and self-indulgent. In this poem there are quite a few clichi s e. g. and aint life a bitch. Hitcher: In this poem the first stanza has some typical rhymes which binds the poem together tired, fired, hired. Can you see the effect of this? He is tired and then his boss threatens to fire him then he hires a Vauxhall Astra. A lot of clichi s are used in this poems here are some examples The truth he said was blowin in the wind, or around the next bend. hed said he liked the breeze to run its fingers/ through his hair. The Man He Killed: There are colloquialisms such as off-hand like which provide an earthy realism along with the rough sounding meter. The Laboratory: This poem uses consolation irony. It also uses some alliteration here is an example Grind away, moisten and mash up thy paste and here is another example Brand, burn up, bite into its grace-. It also has some ambiguity in it here is an example If it hurts her, beside, can it ever hurt me? . Salome: The first verse describes how she is trying to figure out whose head is on the pillow next to here. The second verse describes how she started to feel less hangover when the maid rough in her breakfast. The third verse discusses how she is trying to dissolve the life of the booze and the fags and the sex. Then she decides to turf out the blighter from her bed. Hitcher: This poem has five stanzas and a regular five line shape with the third line being the longest in all of them. If you look at each third line you will see some sort of a pattern occurring. The shape of the stanza is very interesting. The Man He Killed: This poem has a simple but formal structure of five short stanzas all rhyming ABAB. The last tow stanzas remind the men that they could be friends if they met in any other situation. Stanzas two and three: set out the qualifying circumstances that change everything for the mens fate: they are soldiers in opposing armies and therefore enemies. The laboratory: The title in this poem gives us a big hint on where the scene takes place. The speaker is a woman; she takes a lot of pleasure watching the procedure. In the second verse we cab see why the woman wanted revenge, she wanted revenge because the speaker has been betrayed by her lover. In verse three she watches the apothecary at work and is fascinated by what he is doing. She is in no hurry. She takes pleasure in the preparation. This is better than dancing in the kings palace.

Religion & Economic Development Essay Example for Free

Religion Economic Development Essay New World colonies located on the American Continent varied in their economic opportunities which set up the basis of what the colony would become overall. Each region differed in the advancement of their colonial system, based heavily upon on the nation that wished to colonize it. English colonies in upper Northeast New England and Spanish settlements in the Southwest regions had individual emphases both religiously and economically. Puritans from England were seeking refuge, freedom of religion, and economic opportunity hoping to establish long-rooted settlements. However, Conquistadors in the Southwest had eyes gleaming with their quest for â€Å"God, gold, and glory† and sought to lightly influence the land. Thus, these regions were driven separate directions, shaping their own religious positions and economic developments. Certainly the most distinguishing catalyst for colonization in both regions was religion. English Puritans sailed to North America’s Atlantic Coast with incentives towards escaping religious persecutions, while the Spanish arrived to convert the indigenous peoples to Catholicism. During the â€Å"Great Migration† of the 1630s, no more than twenty thousand Puritans came to Massachusetts fleeing the tendencies of the Anglican Church, and the common mistreatment against them. John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, directed the Puritans to believe in the idea of the â€Å"city upon a hill†, a guideline of a self-righteous community for the rest of the world. Their definitive objective was to protect their beliefs, doing so by forming a society on the concepts of the Calvinists religion. A select group, the Elect, would’ve had to testify a religious conversion experience to vote. Soon, it became apparent to ministers that there was a rapid decline in the amount of conversions which significantly affected the amount of church members. As a resolution in 1662, the Half-Way Covenant was devised to acknowledge a partial membership into the church to those who could not testify to the religious experience but were moral members of society. In time, the â€Å"elect† and other members of society had hardly any dissimilarity between them. On the contrary, the Spanish settlements in the Southwest were focused primarily on converting the native peoples to Catholicism and seizing the land’s material, especially precious metals. Upon their arrival to the region, the Conquistadores were troubled by the strong opposition from the indigenous people such as the Aztecs, Mayas, and Incas. Susceptible to the deadly small pox and measles, courtesy of the Old World, numbers of the natives dwindled greatly. Once an iron fist of control was stabilized, the Roman Catholic mission rapidly became a central institution in the few settlements that had arisen. On the other hand, the Missionaries’ limitations on the native religious practices as well as the ruthless efforts to Christianize them led to the immediate uprising of the Popes Rebellion or the Pueblo Revolt in 1680. Pueblo rebels extirpated Catholic Churches in the province, killed hundreds of priests and Spanish settlers, which, in turn, lead to the eventual loss of Spanish control of the Southwest region for several years. Not only did New England settlements in the Northeast and Spanish colonies in the Southwest vary religiously, they differed economically as well. Primarily, New England’s Puritans center of attention around the agrarian economy all the while the Spanish Conquistadors goal was to attain material wealth such as fine metals. Preceding the French and Indian War, the policy of Salutary Neglect was practiced by the British Government with the hopes of keeping the colonists content as well as away from the idea of creating an alliance with France. Allowing the colonies to develop without obstructions from across the Atlantic strengthened their economic base. Due to the rocky soil that lacks nutrition, New England in the late 17th century relied greatly on a manufacturing economy, opposed to agrarian. The English prospered in the lumber, fishing, and shipbuilding industries. For some time, America was able to trade illegally with other countries expanding economic development, making it possible to compete in the world market. However, Spanish Conquistadores had a stronghold on the economic developments in the Southwest. Following the mercantilism theory, Spain concentrated more on exploiting the natural resources then to establish permanent colonies, delaying economic growth. Not only that, but the Hacienda structure input the class system which made the Native Americans slaves. Before long, the Spanish prestige and wealth declined causing major holes in the colonies economies in the Southwest. Therefore, the English colonies in the Northeast and Spanish settlements in the Southwest varied religiously and economically. Admittedly, members of each region mutually tried to convert the native people who thrived before them even if it was through dissimilar methods. Their purposes for sailing to the New World were the key difference. English Puritans came to establish tightly-knit communities free from the religious problems in England. For the Spanish, their goal was to laden their hands in wealth and spread Catholicism across the land.

A Critical Evaluation Of Aquaponics

A Critical Evaluation Of Aquaponics Aquaponics can be defined as a semi closed system in which requirements for the cultivation of fish and plants are continuously cycled. The process can best be described as a combination of hydroponics, and recycling aquaculture in that its a system that combines the growth of plants solely in nutrient rich water (removing the need for soils), with the cultivation of fish in a water cycle (Oxford Dictionaries, 2012). The concept behind the process is that a source of food is fed to the fish in the tank; effluents build up including ammonia which is pumped into a bed of stones containing bacterium which converts ammonia from the fish effluents into nitrates via nitrification, these nitrates aid plant growth on a medium such as gravel or clay pebbles, the water then filters back sans ammonia into the fish tank where the cycle begins again. This effectively means that the only two continuous inputs are energy to power the pump, and food to feed the fish. It removes the need to use nutrients from soil, including the need to fertilise intensively farmed soils, and reduces water use in the long run. The idea is to cultivate plant produce such as lettuce and to (on larger scale aquaponic set ups) cultivate fish for consumption such as Tilapia. The theory behind aquaponics and its application are relatively new, although there is evidence behind ancient implementation of similar practices such as the cultivation of rice in South East Asia in addition to fish such as Oriental Loach (Kaori, et al, 2009). Therefore, the science behind aquaponics, including academic research into the topic is relatively thin on the ground, although with modern demand from an increasing global population, this is set to increase exponentially. There is substantial promise and benefits to be gained from the aquaponics theory. As mentioned, a rising population, particularly in urbanised areas with limited space means that the versatility of the process is extremely valuable. However the practise does have criticisms to do with the sustainability of raising fish on such an intensive scale, and the complexity of the process when compared to traditional farming and gardening. Aquaponics has a clear relationship with fisheries and agriculture, as can be seen by the aquaculture and crop yield components, however evidence also suggest that aquaponics also relates to conservation and restoration ecology, in that this form of agriculture and aquacultures are both less demanding in terms of space. The aquaponics process relies on a series of initial investments to start it initially a holding tank for the livestock, a pump, grow beds, and a growth medium. Alongside this, there needs to be a continuous input of water (on a small scale after the initial fill up), electricity, and fish food in whatever form such as traditional feed or black fly larvae. It is argued that this means aquaponics is a much more sustainable system than traditional agriculture. (Sikawa, 2010) It can also be argued that the system is more efficient than hydroponics (which also removes the need for soils the most unsustainable part of intensive agriculture) since theres no need to add nitrates into it. Therefore it can be argued that aquaponics is a vastly superior form of agriculture in terms of sustainability. However, it can be argued that despite clear improvement on unsustainable practises in other forms of agriculture (soil use and fertilisers); aquaponics is not as sustainable as initially suggested. The main evidence to support this is the use of fish food to feed the fish livestock; in larger and commercial aquaponics set ups the feed (fish food pellets rather than flakes) is typically made up from smaller bait fish which have been grown especially to be ground up into fish food, or from by catch not fit for human consumption (IFFO, 2006) (although, it is possible to harvest black fly larvae or duckweed to support fish stocks). This practise means that fish food, more so on larger scales, is an unsustainable form of feed, thus making intensive aquaponics systems an unsustainable practise. Despite this, in comparison to traditional cash crop agriculture, and greenhouse culture it removes the intensive pressure upon soils, and removes the need for fertilisers. Compared to agriculture with rotational crops (e.g. one year wheat, one year potatoes, one year left to recover) it can still be argued to better reduce the unsustainable pressure on soils. Compared to hydroponics, it can be argued to be more sustainable since it doesnt rely upon nutrients being added via fertilisers. Aquaculture too, can be argued to have the same unsustainable flaw as aquaponics, in that they both require fish food to be added to the cycle. Therefore, aquaponics can be argued to be more sustainable than many forms of agriculture and aquaculture, but it cannot (in its intensive form) be argued as entirely sustainable. Evidence also shows water conservation, with one scientist (Lennard, 2005) suggesting that water use may be less than 10% of the water required for a standard yield via traditional intensive agriculture being evidence to support the claims of improved sustainability versus other forms of agriculture. Alongside this, aquaponics is easily compatible with other sustainable practices. For example, vermiculture can be practised by using the organic waste from harvested yields to feed worm growth, which in turn can be used as fish feed. And the inclusion of a compost module inside a greenhouse containing an aquaponics set up (also by utilising organic waste such as the discarded fish parts) can be used as a free heat source; this will increase growth and the growing season thus increasing the yield. Further evidence shows that the reduced need for land and water (Robertson, 2005) space compared to typical intensive agriculture (since yields are higher in smaller spaces) means that less erosion occurs, since if aquaponics reaches the popularity where it reduces the amount of intensive outdoor agriculture that occurs, less ploughing of fields will occur, and a reduced amount of land will lay bare over winter when the most weathering occurs. Evidence suggests that a reduction in land used for agriculture means that more land will/ can be used for other forms of land use. For example, if agricultural land is returned to a more natural state, this can mean greater biodiversity occurring something that has a lot of resources contributed to. Evidence suggests that aquaponics has the potential to be a large scale and viable food source in a vast range of environments. Since the system relies primarily on sunlight, shelter/ warmth, electricity and a variable amount of water, it can be implemented wherever these conditions are met, i.e. in buildings worldwide, and many outdoor tropical locations. This makes it an incredible versatile form of agriculture, for many variations are possible, e.g. a saltwater paradigm. One example of this is the implementation of urban agriculture and aquaculture in the form of aquaponics, this is especially important in modern agriculture since food and space demands are at their highest ever levels, and with urban populations now being higher than rural population, maximising productivity is becoming ever more essential. To add to this, creating artificial conditions for agriculture and urban populations being far from areas of typical agriculture means that food miles and carbon release can b e reduced by growing crops locally, especially ones that wont survive in that environment outdoors, e.g. chillis can be grown indoors in the UK. To add to this, evidence shows that agriculture conducted indoors such as hydroponics, and of course aquaponics suffers significantly less yield loss when compared to outdoor normal agriculture, especially pesticide free organic crop yields that are becoming increasingly popular. This is because of a combination of having a more controlled environment which minimises the risk from flooding and drought, as well as reducing pathogens and pests that feed upon the crop yield, as well as affect the fish stocks with fish diseases being a significant problem that affects the high density aquaculture systems, compared to the very low density wild fish stocks which are effected much less (Tidwell, 2012). Theres also evidence to suggest that the quality of produce grown in an aquaponic system is very high, for example theres a lack of both artificial pesticides and fertilisers used in the entire system, since the system is heavily regulated, in an artificial environment, and apart from fish feed its a closed system. Further evidence to support this is the quality of the nutrients from the nutrient cycle, in that its clearly (as can be seen by the rates of growth) comparable to a good quality soil (Rakocy, et al., 2004). Speed of the growth of crop yield and fish stocks are variable, the variables being; pH levels, heat in terms of both the water and the air temperature, whether the set up is indoor (most common) or outdoor, the fish to plant ratio, the age of the set up, and the growth medium. The fish stocks in an aquaponics system are vulnerable since they are high density to fish disease if an infected individual is added. The inclusion of an infected individual is very unlikely and much more manageable than infection control in an aquaculture system, due to the scale and often because they are in the ocean. The increase protection was having a more controlled environment also means that no pesticides have to be used (unless an infection is identified from an outside source), and the nutrient cycle system means that fertilisers also dont need to be used. Therefore, evidence suggests that aquaculture has significantly higher yields due to a combination of an increased survival rate, and greater protection from the elements, as well as the protection of the nutrient sources. However, there is evidence supporting criticism of the viability of aquaponics as a large scale food source. Primarily, theres an issue regarding the acceptance of a food source that is considerably different from traditional agriculture, especially given the modern day demand for organic produce. Consumers may be put off by the thought of food grown without soils, or being fertilised by fish effluent, regardless of how organic or intensive agriculture have their nutrients provided. Another issue is related to this is acceptance of the fish crop, Tilapia can be argued as most suitable for aquaponics (since they are hardy, freshwater fish) this is not a widely eaten fish in the UK, although other foreign populations may be more accepting, and the British may take to it soon (BBC, 2009), and theres difficulty in the suitability of other fish that would be eaten by a British population, e.g. trout their size and space demands being an issue. Although the requirements in terms of labour are relatively low, they do still have a significant financial cost, and a financial commitment for its maintenance, this may be an issue for many potential aquaponics farmers. To add to this, it is arguably much more complicated than normal small scale agriculture where planting your crops and occasional pruning is most of whats necessary, whilst aquaponics requires a correct set up, monitoring and maintenance. In regards to the variables that affect the rate of growth; pH is important since it slows the nitrification capacity of the bacterium, which in turn slows down growth rates of the plants. Heat is explanatory, since lower temperatures mean less growth, this includes fish stocks, also to be noted is that many fish require certain and different temperatures to realise their growth potential. General build quality and design have large impacts too. (Storey, 2012) The growth medium also affects the rate of nitrification since more bacterium means more nitrification, different types of growth mediums have different surface areas and suitability. The fish to plant ration also matters because if theres an imbalance, there can be ammonia build up causing deaths amongst the fish (if theres too many fish), and poor growth rates can occur if theres too little fish, or too many plants (Rakocy, et al. 2006) As the evidence suggests, theres many complications that affect productivity. Despite this, aquaponics can be argued to be far less complex and cheaper than hydroponics and aquaculture are, and require less initial investment. Because of these requirements, it can be argued that aquaponics would be unlikely to overtake modern agriculture as the main food source for a very long time. As the above evidence suggests, aquaponics does have a large potential as a widespread and viable food source mostly due to its versatility and low resource requirements, however it can be seen that there are several factors which set major limitations that affect this potential. Regardless, it can be concluded that there is a significant avenue for potential in food production and adoption via aquaponics, once the major limitations such as standardising the information (see later) have been overcome, as well as the need for adapting current systems to suit different markets, and addressing the lack of information altogether have been overcome. Whats more though, aquaponics has the potential to be implemented alongside alternative sources of energy. For example, because of the energy requirements and the need for sunlight for the crop, solar energy is often a viable form of energy to supplement the pump this will in turn drive forward investment in solar energy, which regardless of other factors, reduces energy reliance on fossil fuels. This means that hydroponics has a slight capacity to increase renewable energies although this is relatively unproven, the evidence to support this is that many participants goal in aquaponics is to create a renewable food source, or in commercial farms, the/ a goal is to maximise profit. Aquaponics is a very new science, with its beginnings starting in the 1960s via the New Alchemy Institutes creation of an ark a bio shelter using sustainable cycles to support a family of four (Todd, Todd and MacLarney, 1969). Because of this, research conducted and information about the process is particularly scarce. Evidence suggests that the process has a huge potential, and potential for research. This is also backed up by commercial potential which can become a significant driver behind advancement as evidence shows such as the massive investment in organic farming occurred once it became apparent there was a market for it. To add to this, evidence suggests that educational and financial investment will occur, this means that aquaponics is a strong contender for scientific research, and to make money. Despite the scientific and financial interest, there is the potential that the relative newness and how unknown the topic is currently has negative effects on its viability and potential. There is the possibility of market contenders hindering investment and progress of competitors in order to reduce competition as evidence suggests occur (as can be seen in patent battles in research technology in general). The little research conducted may prove too daunting for amateurs and beginners to invest their time into if they are unsure of exact details and results. This hindrance of grassroots organisation and investments of time and energy can result in a slowdown of contributing to the science. To continue this avenue of criticism, system failure and the massive variability of results can both be detrimental for the viability of aquaponics. For example, the system entwines electronics and water containing fish stocks incidents can and does occur where system failure has resulted in the loss of an entire yield (e.g. from electrocution); another example is the inclusions of ammonia sometimes used to kick start the cultivation of the bacterium that converts ammonia into nitrates, too much of which can kill livestock. And, since aquaponics relies on a cycle, it can have detrimental effects on the other half of the yield grown it can also mean the whole cycle will have to be reset and started again. Therefore, the evidence suggests that aquaponics has significant issues that are detrimental to the continuation and progress conducted in the field of aquaponics such as it being relatively unknown, and having little research conducted, as well as the variable and volatile results . Evidence also shows the viability and usage of aquaponics for scientific research. Hydroponics has long been used to scientific research; this is because of several benefits over traditional soil based agriculture: namely the increased stability allowing more standardised results, e.g. reduced water, less disease potential, easier harvesting and yield stabilisation. Aquaponics, alongside hydroponics and other variation of ponic agriculture (ponic meaning labour or grown in an artificial manner) such as aeroponics (an environment with a fine mist) and bubbleponics (highly oxygenated and nutrient rich bubbles) has an established and establishing scientific use, as can be seen by NASAs Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) research and its funding of aquaponic research, this is to identify uses for terraforming and for long term (i.e. for several years long) space exploration for use in the future. (AG Horticulture, n.d.) Conversely, evidence does suggest that for the scientific community, hydroponics may be the preferred and most suitable form of agriculture, and that aquaponics has factors that inhibit its usefulness and potential for scientific research; mainly that the inclusive of an aquaculture element is an unnecessary inclusion that complicates and increases any workload that only requires the crop yield rather than the fish stock element. For example, research in biology that requires a yield of quickly grown crops such as lettuce would not require a yield of Tilapia which would be unnecessary, as well as an unneeded expense when research funds are often already limited. Therefore, evidence suggests that as a scientific tool, aquaponics is viable for some forms of research, and naturally can be the subject of massive amounts of research; however for a large part of the scientific community, hydroponics or aquaculture may prove to be far more suitable for meeting the requirements of the resea rch. Commercial viability is typically one of the main driving forces behind the advancements in scientific research. There are many, many examples of this ranging from the oil industries drilling technology being well advanced due to the massive market for fossil fuels (e.g. deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico that became economically viable with rising oil prices, meaning that investment into the technology began) to the investment in the Panda breeding program, which was partly fuelled by the tourism money it brought into China (Chengdu Panda Base, 2007). Therefore, if aquaponics is commercially viable to be a competitor to aquaculture, and agriculture it can be argued that financial investment in the system will increase, speeding up development. Due to the versatility of the system, it can be adapted to grow a wide variety of crops such as herbs, spices, vegetables, and fruits, with root vegetables typically being the major group that is unable to be grown. On the livestock side, many types of fish can be grown (although typically freshwater) including trout, perch and catfish the most common fish is Tilapia. Due to the vast variety of plants and fish that can be grown, and other factors such as climate, nutrient balance and construction quality, it is very difficult to determine is a profit can be made on that particular set up and that aquaponics in general has the potential for economic investment and return. Looking at prior evidence does suggest that yields from an aquaponics system are typically higher than those of a field based production in terms of agricultural yield. For example, research by Nick Savidov, 2002 in Alberta, Canada (a prime market location in that its too northerly to grow their own hot weather crops such as bell peppers, and with a large enough population so there is a demand) with technical assistance from Dr. James Rakocy showed that tomato crop yields in an aquaponics system were 10-15% higher than field yields, as well as 100 cucumbers per meter-2 a year far exceeding organic greenhouse yields in the region, Savidov suggests. Research conducted by Rakocy, et al (2004) the University of the Virgin Islands (one of the world leaders in aquaponic research, as well as where Rakocy is based) shows that basil production yields far exceeded those that could be grown in the field. His research showed that the aquaponic set up in the Virgin Islands produced 7.8 kg of basil m2 a year in field production using a staggered technique where a yield of a certain size was planted in order to mature at different dates ensuring a continuous harvest. This is compared to aquaponic production of 23.4 kg m2 of basil was produced in a staggered set up, whilst a batch production (i.e. all crops were grown to capacity at the same time and repeated for the year) resulted in 25 kg m2 of basil in a single year, it should be noted however that Rakocys research concluded that the batch production was unsustainable because of the stresses it put upon the fish stock for nutrients. Regardless, income provided by batch, staggered and field production were: $117700, $110210 and $36808 respectively across the 214m2 production area (USD in 2004 values). This is not including the Tilapia harvest, which was staggered to harvest every six weeks; Nile tilapia were stock at 77 fish m3 and Red tilapia were stocked at 154 fish m3 with a total capacity of 31.2m3 divided into four 7.8m3 tanks. Projected annual production was 4.16 mt and 4.78 mt (metric tonnes) for Nile and Red tilapia respectively, the report didnt value the Tilapia, although Globefish, 2011 (Food and Agriculture Organisation funded, represented by the UN) reported a 2011 USD price of 1.30-2 per kg of fresh tilapia with 0.95 USD being a good price for farmers, meaning that the University of the Virgin Islands has an annual yield potential value for the four year experiment of 8940 kg of $8493 to $17880 per year. Therefore, this evidence shows that under these conditions (water stressed Virgin Islands, US e conomy, local climate, professional guidance) that a substantial income can be made after initial investments in a large scale production facility; this means that evidence shows there is significant potential for economic return once initial investments has been made, which Rakocy(n.d.) agrees to. In conclusion, evidence shows that aquaponics has significant value in terms of food production, commercial viability, scientific value for research, and sustainability for long term use, throughout the world. It also has massive potential for these factors, and evidence suggests that aquaponics will expand in terms of popularity, food production as well as commercial and scientific interest. As a result, it can be concluded that aquaponics has its faults, but in general it is a valuable and worthwhile system with great potential.

Maine’s Commercial Lobster Industry Essay -- Business Essays

Maine’s Commercial Lobster Industry Summary Scientists predict a major population crash of Maine lobsters in the near future, due to over-harvesting, increasing demand, and a lack of successful regulatory measures reflecting such factors. The attempt to introduce various policy measures creating more limited access to the resource has been largely ineffective due to the unique ecological, economic, and social characteristics of the state. Further complicating the issue is the matter of thriving lobster populations during recent years when other marine wildlife populations are experiencing severe losses along the same region of the eastern seaboard. This paper examines the conflict between lobster fishermen, scientists, and policy makers regarding attempts to work toward a more sustainable lobster fishing industry. Introduction The issue of Maine lobster fishing is an ideal case illustrating the challenge of the "tragedy of the commons", since the lobsters belong to no one until caught. They have been harvested commercially in New England (the "birthplace" of the nation’s fisheries) since the 1800’s. At that time, they "were so plentiful they could be caught by hand or, with less hazard (because the average lobster was so large), with a gaff, a pole with a large hook stuck in the end" (Formisano, 13). Since the early 19th century, the industry adopted more efficient techniques (such as the use of lobster "pots", or traps, and boats that could carry lobsters over longer distances) to capture more lobsters faster. This led to a significant population decline by the late 1800’s, prompting the first lobster regulation (prohibiting the harvesting of egg-bearing females). Lobster populations remained relatively st... ...Globe 4 Mar. 1995: 14 Larabee, John, and Richard Price. "Tide of Troubles has Fish Industry Reeling/ Crisis Caused by Pollution, Development, Over-Fishing." USA Today 10 Mar. 1994: 9A Libby, Sam. "Trying to Save the Lobster Population." The New York Times 23 Jan. 1994: 6 McQuaid, John. "Seafood for Thought." The Times-Picayune 24 Mar. 1996: A38 Nifong, Christina. "Plan for Preserving Lobster Population Stirs Storm in Maine." 5 June 1996: 4 Schneider, Jan. "The Gulf of Maine Case: The Nature of an Equitable Result." American Journal of International Law 79:3 (July 1985): 539-577. U.S. General Accounting Office. Commercial Fisheries: Entry of Fishermen Limits Benefits of Buyback Programs. Washington: Government Printing Office, 2000. Woodard, Colin. "A Run on the Banks: How Factory Fishing Decimated Newfoundland Cod." E Magazine Mar/Apr 2001:

The Field of Medicine Essay -- Medical Care, Treatment

Introduction One among the fields that have profited from the rapid technological progress in the previous centuries is the field of medicine. Conditions and Diseases that scientists had trouble in understanding and curing are now cured successfully and with virtual ease. More people as well as the incurably-ill now survive longer than before. Development in the global population has been distinguished in the 20th century. The old and young population has increased pressure on medical care resources internationally with the intention that no nation is currently capable to compete with the demand for medical -care and its supply. Scientists hence are under growing pressure to extend fresh technologies to raise consumers prompt access to medical -care A most noteworthy and ground-breaking progress in the field of medicine has been development of point-of-care testing. Consistent with (15) POCT is described as patient samples examination at or close to the patient carrying the supposition that test outcomes will be obtainable instantaneously or within an extremely short timeframe thereby helping caregivers in the instantaneous diagnosis and medical intervention(26) .Point-of-care testing is performed away from the traditional central laboratory setting , and has created easier self-management as individuals can examine themselves and react to the outcomes as counseled by their doctors. POC testing machinery is vital to the accomplishment of life-saving and disaster management undertakings as assessments can be conducted in intensive care units or in an ambulance where judgments are time-susceptible. Reliability of POCT and central lab testing As mentioned, POCT is regularly executed outsi... ...surement faults. Laboratory personnel have more information and skills to distinguish and deal with these forms of circumstances. In other terms, it is vital to obtain the balance accurately and capitalize on the benefits exciting technologies obtainable while ascertaining the results quality of the patient safety is not put in jeopardy. This is realized by encompassing a POCT maintained Service united through a Trust POCT Policy and multi-disciplinary POCT committee. The POCT maintain Service offered by Laboratory Medicine comprises of structured training series, procedure for inspecting and filing the proper performance of the mechanism, regular ability testing methods for employees to display their unrelenting skills obtained during training; quality assessment to recognize possible problems with recommendation and troubleshooting if a few are established.

Ethical Education Essay -- The Importance of Education

Ethical Education The goal of education is to develop the highest level of mental, moral and physical ability within students. Ethics are just as important as factual knowledge and physical well-being. Sadly, public schools in this country are against ethical expression of any kind. Ethics are a threat to the school system because they may encourage a need for change in the present standard of education, which is decidedly anti-ethical. In U.S. public schools, students are processed through a well-built machine designed to perpetuate the status quo. Any ethical conflict that a student might have is treated like a malfunction in need of repair. The present school systems prefers cold self-interest to any sense of compassion and I believe that self interest is not a form of morality that children should be taught. Public school made me feel like a small and harmless individual, ranked somewhere in the middle relative to other students. On the standardized tests, I always did well on the verbal section but I had trouble with the math section. My mediocrity in mathematics cursed my chances of becoming the perfect well-balanced student that the system was looking for. I was restrained by grades because I thought that they were some profound measure of my life granted to me by the system. Of course, it is natural for an individual to have strengths and weaknesses, but the bulk of my daily life spent in that institution often left me with that feeling that I was average. Instead of being empowered by the school system, I felt a sense of helplessness to the problems of the world. How can I possibly change the world with my grade point average? What the public school didn’t tell me was that not all historical figures of great im... ...lly deny their accomplishments and cherish those who made it on their own with little regard to anyone else. What public schools need are a strong focus on the highest form of ethical behavior, which, in my opinion, is compassion. I believe that if compassion for oneÕs fellow human being were encouraged from an early age in schools then it would affect society positively. We must create an open environment where all forms of ethics can be discussed by students and the teacher must encourage respect for all forms of moral thought. If we are taught that anyone can act on their concerns and change society then I think we can improve the system. The self-esteem and moral courage of every individual must be built up so that we can achieve a higher state of humanity. Works Cited Kozol, Jonathon. The Night is Dark and I Am Far From Home. New York: Touchstone, 1990