Succubus Blues CHAPTER 2

The phone jolted me to consciousness the next morning. Dim, murky light filtered in through my sheer curtains, signifying some freakishly early hour. Around here, however, that amount of light could have indicated anything from sunrise to high noon. After four rings, I finally deigned to answer, accidentally knocking Aubrey out of the bed. She landed with an indignant mhew and stalked off to clean herself. â€Å"Hello?† † Yo, Kincaid?† â€Å"No.† My response came swift and certain. â€Å"I'm not coming in.† â€Å"You don't even know I'm going to ask that.† â€Å"Of course I know. There's no other reason you'd be calling me this early, and I'm not going to do it. It's my day off, Doug.† Doug, the other assistant manager at my day job, was a pretty nice guy, but he couldn't keep a poker face – or voice – to save his life. His cool demeanor immediately gave way to desperation. â€Å"Everyone called in sick today, and now we're strapped. You have to do it.† â€Å"Well, I'm sick too. Believe me, you don't want me there.† Okay, I wasn't exactly sick, but I was still sporting a residual afterglow from being with Martin. Mortals would not â€Å"see† it as Duane had per se, but they would sense it and be drawn to it – men and women alike – without even knowing why. My confinement today would prevent any foolish, lovesick behavior. It was very kind of me, really. â€Å"Liar. You're never sick.† â€Å"Doug, I was already planning on coming back tonight for the signing. If I work a shift today too, I'll be there all day. That's sick and twisted.† â€Å"Welcome to my world, babe. We have no alternative, not if you really care about the fate of the store, not if you truly care about our customers and their happiness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're losing me, cowboy.† â€Å"So,† he continued, â€Å"the question is, are you going to come here willingly, or do I have to walk over there and drag you out of bed myself? Frankly, I wouldn't mind the latter.† I did a mental eye roll, chiding myself for the billionth time about living two blocks from work. His rambling about the bookstore's suffering had been effective, as he'd known it would. I operated under the mistaken belief that the place couldn't survive without me. â€Å"Well, rather than risk any more of your attempts at witty, sexual banter, I suppose I'll have to come over there. But Doug†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My voice turned hard. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Don't put me on the registers or anything.† I heard hesitation on his end. â€Å"Doug? I'm serious. Not the main registers. I don't want to be around a lot of customers.† â€Å"All right,† he said at last. â€Å"Not the main registers.† â€Å"Promise?† â€Å"I promise.† A half hour later, I stepped outside my door to walk the two blocks to the bookstore. Long clouds hung low, darkening the sky, and a faint chill touched the air, forcing some of my fellow pedestrians to don a coat. I had opted for none, finding my khaki slacks and brown chenille sweater more than sufficient. The clothing, just like the lip gloss and eyeliner I'd carefully applied this morning, were real; I had not shape-shifted into them. I enjoyed the routine nature of applying cosmetics and matching articles of clothing, though Hugh would have claimed I was just being weird again. Emerald City Books & Caf? ¦ was a sprawling establishment, occupying almost a full block in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood. It sat two stories high, with the cafe portion dominating a second-floor corner viewing the Space Needle. A cheerful green awning hung over the main door, protecting those customers waiting for the store to open. I walked around them and entered through a side door, using my staff key. Doug assaulted me before I'd taken two steps inside. â€Å"It's about time. We†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused and did a double-take, reexamining me. â€Å"Wow. You look†¦ really nice today. Did you do something different?† Only a thirty-four-year-old virgin, I thought. â€Å"You're just imagining things because you're so happy I'm here to fix your staffing problem. What am I doing? Stock?† â€Å"I, er, no.† Doug struggled to snap out of his haze, still looking me up and down in a way I found disconcerting. His interest in dating me was no secret, nor was my continual rejection. â€Å"Come on, I'll show you.† â€Å"I told you – â€Å" â€Å"It's not the main registers,† he promised me. What â€Å"it† turned out to be was the espresso counter in our upstairs cafe. Bookstore staff hardly ever subbed up here, but it wasn't unheard of. Bruce, the cafe manager, popped up from where he'd been kneeling behind the counter. I often thought Doug and Bruce could be twins in a mixed-race, alternate-reality sort of way. Both had long, scraggly ponytails, and both wore a good deal of flannel in tribute to the grunge era neither had fully recovered from. They differed mainly in their coloring. Doug was Japanese-American, black-haired with flawless skin; Bruce was Mr. Aryan Nation, all blond hair and blue eyes. â€Å"Hey Doug, Georgina,† heralded Bruce. His eyes widened at me. â€Å"Whoa, you look great today.† â€Å"Doug! This is just as bad. I told you I didn't want any customers.† â€Å"You told me not the main registers. You didn't say anything about this one.† I opened my mouth to protest, but Bruce interrupted. â€Å"Come on, Georgina, I had Alex call in sick today, and Cindy actually quit.† Seeing my stony expression, he quickly added, â€Å"Our registers are almost identical to yours. It'll be easy.† â€Å"Besides† – Doug raised his voice to a fair imitation of our manager's – † ‘assistant managers are supposed to be able to fill in for anybody around here.' â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, but the cafe – â€Å" † – is still part of the store. Look, I've got to go open. Bruce'll show you what you need to know. Don't worry, it'll be fine.† He hastily darted off before I could refuse again. â€Å"Coward!† I yelled after him. â€Å"It really won't be that bad,† Bruce reiterated, not understanding my dismay. â€Å"You just take the money, and I'll make the espresso. Let's practice on you. You want a white chocolate mocha?† â€Å"Yeah,† I conceded. Everyone I worked with knew about that particular vice. I usually managed to take down three of them a day. Mochas that was, not coworkers. Bruce walked me through the necessary steps, showing me how to mark up the cups and find what I needed to push on the register's touch-screen interface. He was right. It wasn't so bad. â€Å"You're a natural,† he assured me later, handing over my mocha. I grunted in response and consumed my caffeine, thinking I could handle anything so long as the mochas kept coming. Besides, this really couldn't be as bad as the main registers. The cafe probably did no business this time of day. I was wrong. Minutes after opening, we had a line of five people. â€Å"Large latte,† I repeated back to my first customer, carefully punching in the information. â€Å"Already got it,† Bruce told me, starting the beverage before I even had a chance to label the cup. I happily took the woman's money and moved on to my next order. â€Å"A large skinny mocha.† † Skinny's just another word for nonfat, Georgina.† I scrawled NF on the cup. No worries. We could do this. The next customer wandered up and stared at me, momentarily bedazzled. Coming to her senses, she shook her head and blurted out a torrent of orders. â€Å"I need one small drip coffee, one large nonfat vanilla latte, one small double cappuccino, and one large decaf latte.† Now I felt bedazzled. How had she remembered all those? And honestly, who ordered drip anymore? On and on the morning went, and despite my misgivings, I soon felt myself perking up and enjoying the experience. I couldn't help it. It was how I worked, how I carried myself through life. I liked trying new things – even something as banal as ringing up espresso. People could be silly, certainly, but I enjoyed working with the public most of the time. It was how I had ended up in customer service. And once I overcame my sleepiness, my inborn succubus charisma kicked in. I became the star of my own personal stage show, bantering and flirting with ease. When combined with the Martin-induced glamour, I became downright irresistible. While this did result in a number of proffered dates and pickup lines, it also saved me from the repercussions of any mistakes. My customers found no wrong with me. â€Å"That's all right, dear,† one older woman assured me upon discovering I'd accidentally ordered her a large cinnamon mocha instead of a nonfat, decaf latte. â€Å"I really need to branch out into new drinks anyway.† I smiled back winningly, hoping she wasn't diabetic. Later on, a guy came up carrying a copy of Seth Mortensen's The Glasgow Pact. It was the first sign I'd seen of tonight's momentous event. â€Å"Are you going to the signing?† I asked as I rang up his tea. Bleh. Caffeine-free. He studied me for a pregnant moment, and I braced myself for a pass. Instead the guy said mildly, â€Å"Yeah, I'll be there.† â€Å"Well, make sure you think up good questions for him. Don't ask the same ones everyone else does.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Oh, you know, the usual. ‘Where do you get your ideas from?' and ‘Are Cady and O'Neill ever going to get together?' â€Å" The guy considered this as I made change. He was cute, in a disheveled sort of way. He had brown hair with a reddish-gold gleam to it, said gleam being more noticeable in the shadow of facial hair crossing his lower face. I couldn't quite decide if he'd intentionally grown a beard or just forgotten to shave. Whatever it was, it had grown in more or less evenly and, when combined with the Pink Floyd T-shirt he wore, presented the image of a sort of hippie-lumberjack. â€Å"I don't think the ‘usual questions' make them any less meaningful to the one doing the asking,† he decided at last, seeming shy about contradicting me. â€Å"To a fan, each question is new and unique.† He stepped aside so I could wait on another customer. I continued the conversation as I took the next order, unwilling to pass up the opportunity to discuss Seth Mortensen intelligently. â€Å"Forget the fans. What about poor Seth Mortensen? He probably wants to impale himself each time he gets one of those.† † ‘Impale' is kind of a strong word, don't you think?† â€Å"Absolutely not. The guy's brilliant. Hearing idiotic questions must bore him to tears.† A bemused smile played across the man's mouth, and his steady brown eyes weighed me carefully. When he realized he was staring so openly, he glanced away, embarrassed. â€Å"No. If he's out touring, he cares about his fans. He doesn't mind the repetitive questions.† â€Å"He's not out touring for altruism. He's out touring because the publicists at his publishing house are making him tour,† I countered. â€Å"Which is also a waste of time, by the way.† He dared a look back at me. â€Å"Touring is? You don't want to meet him?† â€Å"I – well, yes, of course I do. It's just, that†¦ okay. Look, don't get me wrong. I worship the ground this guy walks on. I'm excited to meet him tonight. I'm dying to meet him tonight. If he wanted to carry me off and make me his love slave, I'd do it, so long as I got advance copies of his books. But this touring thing†¦ it takes time. Time that would be better spent writing the next book. I mean, haven't you seen how long his books take to come out?† â€Å"Yeah. I've noticed.† Just then, a previous customer returned, complaining he'd gotten caramel syrup instead of caramel sauce. Whatever that meant. I offered a few smiles and sweet apologies, and he soon didn't care about the caramel sauce or anything else. By the time he left my register, the Mortensen fan guy was gone too. When I finally finished my shift around five, Doug came to meet me. â€Å"I heard some interesting things about your performance up here.† â€Å"I hear interesting things about your ‘performance' all the time, Doug, but you don't hear me making jokes about it.† He bandied with me a bit more and finally released me to get ready for the signing, but not before I'd made him humbly acknowledge how much he owed me for my kindness today. Between him and Hugh, I was accruing favors all over the place. I practically ran the two blocks home, anxious to grab some dinner and figure out what I wanted to wear. My exhilaration was growing. In an hour or so, I'd be meeting my all-time favorite author. Could life get any better? Humming to myself, I took the stairs two at a time and produced my keys with a flourish that only I noticed or appreciated. As I opened the door, a hand suddenly grabbed me and pulled me roughly inside, into the darkness of my apartment. I yelped in surprise and fear as I was shoved up against the door, slamming it shut. The lights burst on suddenly and unexpectedly, and the faint smell of sulfur wafted through the air. Although the brightness made me wince, I could see well enough to recognize what was going on. Hell hath no fury like a pissed-off demon.

Features of an environment or service promotes Essay

Play areas both indoor and outdoor always attract children and is an excellent source to encourage them to use their learning senses, abilities and skills. Number of different entertaining and creative play opportunities should be provided by the practitioners which make these areas interesting and virtually appealing. Practitioners and play areas should be well planned and organised in such a way that challenge children’s abilities, keep children’s interests intact and consistent, and focus around the children’s requirements , as every single child is unique and have their own needs, interest, personality and preference. Early years foundation stage (EYFS) requires settings that provides the personalised activity and play opportunities for children in ways which are inclusive. The settings also provide opportunity for practitioners to think critically and constructively about what is beneficial together with what is assessable for children as well as what is ava ilable for children. In addition, EYFS requires that practitioners encourage children to actively participate in all the activities which help and support us to shaping up a child’s attitude. Furthermore, practitioners have to look at different ways of helping children, learn about appropriate behaviour, respecting and valuing others, promoting equality, diversity and cooperation. This is also very essential that such settings must also meet EYFS statutory framework, health and safety legislation child protection, safeguarding of children, all the children’s act, for example UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The play area setting should have policies and procedures that need to be reviewed updated and evaluated to check reliability and effectiveness. The setting needs to give children number of new opportunities to play in style and at the same time make practitioners to think more about fun and learn activities and ideas. Practitioners give special consideration to both individual and group needs of our children with their daily activities. Practitioners also pay attention to various risks involve during any play activity to make sure that the chil dren are safe and thus give adult supervision at all times. This also encourage children to evaluate risks  for themselves and for others for example by giving children some challenging activities that involve minimal risk. Parents and carers should always be welcomed to support and encourage their children during the activity.

Mahogany Seed as a Termiticide to Kill Termites

Mahogany used in multistory systems in the Philippines, boat and ship building and patternmaking. Logs are used for the manufacture of veneers and for paneling. It is also used as shade for coffee and cacao. Mahogany is regarded as the worlds finest timber for high-class furniture and cabinetwork. Its popularity is especially due to its attractive appearance in combination with ease of working,excellent finishing qualities and dimensional stability. Mahogany is also often used for interior trim suchas paneling, doors and decorative borders.It is used for boat building, often as a decorative wood for luxury yatch and ocean liners, although it is also used when a medium-weight timber with other goodqualities is required. It is sometimes applied make it particularly suitable for precision woodwork suchas models and patterns, instrument cases, clocks, printer's block and parts of musical instruments; for these purposes, uniform straight-grained material is used. Other minor uses include burial caskets, woodcarvings, novelties, toys and turnery.BACKGROUND OF THE STUDYMahogany a large tropical tree with a symmetrical appearance, best-known for its valuableheartwood. The tree is also appreciated as a beautiful and useful street tree. A fast-growing, graceful,straight-trunked, semi-deciduous tree growing to 30-70ft. Most trees, particularly planted street treesgrow to 30-40ft. It looses its leaves just as new leafs sprout, so while deciduous, the tree is not withoutleaves for long. Tiny flowers are followed by 4-5†³, woody fruits that burst open to expel the seeds. Mahogany is a valuable hardwood and this tree was once extensively harvested for its wood.A relatedtree, S. macrophylla, now provides most commercial mahogany. The tree also makes an excellent streettree specimen in warmer climates as is popular for this purpose. Miami, Florida has numerousmahogany trees planted throughout the city for this purpose. The termites are a group of eusocial insects usually c lassified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy below). Along with ants and some bees and wasps which are all placedin the separate order Hymenoptera, termites divide labour among gender lines, produce overlappinggenerations and take care of young collectively.Termites mostly feed on dead plant material, generallyin the form of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung, and about 10% of the estimated 4,000 species(about 2,600 taxonomically known) are economically significant as pests that can cause seriousstructural damage to buildings, crops or plantation forests. Termites are major detritivores, particularlyin the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of wood and other plant matter is of considerable ecological importance. Their role in bioturbation on the Khorat Plateau is under investigation.SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDYNowadays, people usually choose new innovations (features) to kill termites or any other pests. Pesticides are usually used to kill a particular target pest, many will also kill or harm species that thefarmer or other user is not targeting. For example, pesticides applied to crops might be washed intostreams or lakes and harm fish, beneficial insects, birds, or even find their way into drinking water sources. With this regard topic it includes improvement in human quality of life and lower food costs. Contributed significantly to improving the quality of life and safeguarding the environment.STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMIt should be only used and tested in termites.B. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKHYPOTHESISMahoganyseed extract Used a stermiticide tokill termitesOBSERVATORY;On Savanna, Termites Are a Force for Good By SINDYA N. BHANOOPublished: June 1, 2010The African savanna has a cornucopia of majestic creatures — lions, elephants and giraffes amongthem. But behind the scenes, it is the tiny termite that fuels much of this diversity, a new study reports. Researchers studying termites in Kenya's central highlands found that the abundance of flora andfauna is markedly higher atop termite mounds.†We noticed these circular green patches,† said Todd Palmer, a co-author of the study and a professorof biology at the University of Florida. †They had a lot of vegetation and plant material on top of them,and the grass was greener than in other areas. †The patches were 30 feet in diameter and spaced several hundred feet apart. Dr. Palmer and his colleagues did some digging, and underneath each patch they found millions of termites in subterranean mounds. Quantitatively, they found that plants grow about 60 percent largeron the patches compared with other areas.The nitrogen content of the plants on the mound is about20 percent higher, and trees on mounds bear 120 percent more fruit. Animal populations also droppedoff significantly the farther they were located from a patch. Termite mounds are rich in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, and termites also help loosen soilto p romote water absorption, Dr. Palmer said. Other animals visit the lush patches to eat and end updefecating and urinating there, adding their own nutrients and triggering more plant growth. In the human world, termites are seen as pests for their remarkable ability to eat into dead wood.Butin the animal kingdom, Dr. Palmer said, this is what makes them so desirable. †They are basically consuming dead wood and plant materials,† he said. †In their absence, that would just lie there and there would be no way to break down the organic material and convert it to nitrogenand phosphorus. †How Termites Live on a Diet of Wood By NNIICCHHOOLLAASSWWAADDEE Published: November 14, 2008 If only wood could be converted tobbiioof f uueellss, there would be no need to wait a million years for thetrees to be buried and become oil. Wood isindeed convertible to useful chemicals, because termitesdo it every day, causing $1 billion of damage every year in the United States. But to live on a diet of wood is challenging, not least because wood contains so little nitrogen. So how do termites do it? Visual ScienceScientists rely on graphics and other visuals to present their findings to the world. This feature takesraw graphics from various scientific journals and unpacks the stories they tell. The trick lies in a cunning triple symbiosis, a team of Japanese scientists report in Fridays issue of Science.In the termites gut lives an amoeba-like microbe called a protist, and inside each protist livesome 10,000 members of an obscure bacterium. The microbes in the termites gut are very hard to cultivate outside their termite host and so cannot bestudied in the lab. The Japanese scientists, led by Yuichi Hongoh and Moriya Ohkuma at the RIKENAdvanced Science Institute in Saitama, have cut through this problem. They extracted the protistsbacteria directly from a termites gut, collected enough to analyze their DNA, and then decoded the1,114,206 units of DNA in the bacter iums genome. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2007Entomologists discover cellulase genes in termite gutS As scientists search for alternatives to fossil fuel, producing chemical energy from wood fiber has become a big challenge. Several research organisations and biotech companies are trying to discover enzymes that break down cellulose into glucose in an efficient way (earlier post). However, termites have been working this alchemy for millions of years. A University of Florida (UF) study published last month in the journal Gene sheds new light on the mysterious and complex process that enables the insects to eat the cellulose, the main structural component of plant cells.For people and most animals, cellulose is indigestible, but termites break it down easily into glucose, a form of sugar most organisms need. These sugars can be fermented into bio-products, such as ethanol or bioplastics. The study identifies four genes that produce enzymes responsible for taking cellulose molecules apart in a process called cellulase (picture, click to enlarge) insight that could lead to breakthroughs in energy production and pest control, said Michael Scharf, an assistant research scientist with UF’s entomology department and a co-author of the paper.The scientists looked at the dominant termite species in the U. S. but they are sure they haven't identified all the genes involved in producing these enzymes yet. Only one of the genes actually belongs to the insect researchers studied, the eastern subterranean termite. The other three belong to microscopic organisms known as symbionts that live inside the termite’s digestive system: â€Å"The termites provide the symbionts with a home, and the symbionts pay the rent by producing enzymes,† says Sharf. Altogether, there may be hundreds of cellulose-digesting enzymes produced by the termites and their tiny tenants, Scharf said.One potential payoff from the research is that scientists may be able to transfer specific enzyme-producing genes into bacteria, then culture them to produce large quantities of enzymes to make ethanol from wood scraps and other fibrous materials, he said. Known as cellulosic ethanol, this fuel has gained worldwide attention because it doesn’t require edible material such as corn, used in conventional ethanol production. The interaction of multiple genes makes cellulose digestion an efficient process in termites, but scientists want to pin down enzyme combinations that will digest cellulose affordably, Scharf said.Many genes remain undiscovered, and UF researchers have applied for funding to support a massive effort to identify all cellulose-digesting genes in the eastern subterranean termite and its common symbionts. Greater genetic knowledge could also aid in termite control, an important issue in Florida, which accounts for about one-third of control efforts in the United States, said Phil Koehler, a UF entomology professor and co-author of the paper. By identi fying enzymes most crucial to termite digestion, scientists may be able to kill the insects by shutting down selected genes, he said.Termite-control strategies, such as bait systems or treated lumber, would be environmentally friendly because they would have no effect on organisms that don’t eat cellulose, he said. â€Å"Anything we do with this kind of work will reduce the need for conventional pesticides,† Koehler said. Development of enzyme-blocking products could happen but will require attention to termite behavior, said Brian Forschler, an entomology professor at the University of Georgia in Athens. Recent research shows that termites, which live in colonies that can number 1 million, often consume partially digested material excreted by their compatriots, he said.So it would be important that bait products not disrupt termites’ feeding behavior. If it did, termites might avoid an enzyme-stopping bait and instead share more partially digested food. â€Å" You just have to remember that you’re dealing with an entire termite colony,† Forschler said. â€Å"This research holds a great deal of promise. † Further termite genetics research could reveal effective methods of disrupting termite social behavior, perhaps in ways that cause the insects to die, said Faith Oi, an assistant extension scientist with UF’s entomology and nematology department.â€Å"The model for exploiting the termite’s social behavior for control is not new,† said Oi, another co-author of the paper. â€Å"In terms of pest control, we can look to this area of science enhancing existing methods. † Bed Bug Herbal Remedies Work Well With Traps July 15, 2013 THE NEEM TREE (Azadirachta indica), a medicinal mahogany tree (Meliaceae) native to arid broadleaf and scrub forests in Asia (e. g. India), has been used for over 4,000 years in Vedic medicine and has a heavy, durable wood useful for furniture and buildings because it is resistant to termites and fungi.Nonetheless, despite US EPA registration as a pesticide for crop and home use and a long legacy of neem seed oil use for cosmetics, shampoos, toothpastes and medicines in India, Ohio State University researcher Susan Jones could not find any households near her Columbus, Ohio, home willing to try neem in her bed bug control experiments. â€Å"We had no study takers because of the regulatory requirements,† which scared off people, Jones told the Entomological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting.â€Å"You have to read page after page to residents about toxicity without being able to talk about the toxicity of alternative products† not as safe as neem. In October 2012, an empty house with bed bugs became available for research when its occupant opted to escape a bad bed bug infestation by leaving the infested home; and inadvertently transferred the infestation to their new home. Jones monitored the empty house by placing in each room fo ur (4)Verifi(TM) CO2 (carbon dioxide) traps and four (4) Climbup(R) Interceptor traps. Visual inspections revealed few bed bugs.On October 24, 2012, prior to neem treatments, 38 bed bugs were captured in Climbup(R) traps, indicating bed bug infestations only in the master bedroom and bed of the empty house. Eight Verifi(TM) traps captured 48 bed bugs in the dining room, guest room and master bedroom. As part of an IPM (integrated pest management) approach using multiple treatment tools: Electrical sockets were treated with MotherEarth(R) D diatomaceous earth; 3. 67 gal (13. 9 l) at a rate of 1 gal/250 ft2 (3. 9 l/23 m2). Gorilla Tape(R) was used to seal around the doors and exclude bed bug movement from other rooms.The neem seed oil product, Cirkil (TM) RTU, was sprayed in various places, including on books, backs of picture frames and cardboard boxes. Vials of the insecticide-susceptible Harlan bed bug strain were placed around the house for on-site neem seed oil vapor toxicity ass ays. Two days after spraying, bed bug mortality from neem seed oil vapors was highest in confined spaces; with 48% mortality in vials placed between the mattress and box spring, versus 28% mortality in open spaces. On Nov. 6, two weeks post-treatment, 123 dead bed bugs were vacuumed up and live bed bugs were detected in a second bedroom.Bed bug numbers were low because the monitoring traps were doing double duty, also providing population suppression by removing many bed bugs. Herbal oils can also be combined with heat chambers at 50 C (122 F) or carbon dioxide (CO2) fumigation chambers to combat bed bugs. However, heat chambers are expensive, and CO2 fumigation with dry ice can pose handling difficulties and room air circulation issues, Dong-Hwan Choe of the University of California, Riverside, told the Entomological Society of America (ESA).Herbal essential oils are useful against head lice, and in Choe’s native Korea clove oil from from the leaves and flower buds of clove plants (Syzygium aromaticum) is used in aromatherapy and as a medicine. Clove oil is rich in GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) compounds such as eugenol, beta-caryophyllene and methyl salicylate (sometimes called wintergreen oil), which are useful as vapors in control of insects and microbes. In dentistry, clove oil (eugenol) is widely used as an antiseptic and pain reliever.Clove essential oils work faster in closed spaces or fumigation chambers (e. g. vials, Mason jars) than in open spaces. Essential oils are even slower to kill bed bugs when orally ingested. In experiments at varied temperatures, Choe placed 10 bed bugs in plastic vials with mesh tops. The vials were placed inside 900 ml (1. 9 pint) Mason jars; filter paper treated with essential oils was placed on the underside of the Mason jar tops. Herbal essential oils worked faster at higher temperatures.For example, methyl salicylate fumigant vapors provided 100% bed bug mortality in 30 hours at 26 C (79 F); 10 hours at 3 5 C (95 F); and 8 hours at 40 C (104 F). Eugenol vapors produced similar results; there were no synergistic or additive effects from combining eugenol and methyl salicylate. Choe told the ESA that his future trials will include: botanical oil granules; exposing bed bug-infested items to essential oil vapors; and checking for sublethal essential oil effects on parameters such as female bed bug reproduction.Narinderpal Singh of Rutgers placed bed bugs on cotton fabric squares treated (half left untreated) with synthetic pesticide and herbal essential oil products: 1) Temprid(TM) SC, a mixture of imidacloprid and cyfluthrin (neonicotinoid and pyrethroid insecticides); 2) Ecoraider(TM) (Reneotech, North Bergen, NJ) contains FDA GRAS ingredients labeled as â€Å"made from extracts of multiple traditional herbs that have been used in Asia for hundreds of years for therapy and to repel insects;† 3) Demand(R) CS, which contains lambda-cyhalothrin (a pyrethroid insecticide); 4) Bed Bu g Patrol(R) (Nature’s Innovation, Buford, FL), a mixture with the active ingredients listed as clove oil, peppermint oil and sodium lauryl sulfate. && Temprid(TM) SC and Demand(R) CS proved best on the cotton fabric test. In arena bioassays with Climbup(R)Interceptor traps, none of the four insecticides were repellent to bed bugs (i. e. repellency was less than 30%). Ecoraider(TM) was equal to Temprid(TM) SC and Demand(R) CS against the tough to kill bed bug eggs. Singh concluded that field tests of Ecoraider(TM) as a biopesticide were warranted.Changlu Wang of Rutgers told the ESA that travelers might be protected from bed bug bites and bring home fewer bed bugs if protected by essential oil repellents, as well as by more traditional mosquito and tick repellents like DEET, permethrin and picaridin. Repellents are more convenient and less expensive than non-chemical alternatives such as sleeping under bed bug tents and bandaging yourself in a protective suit. Isolongifolenone , an odorless sesquiterpene found in the South American Tauroniro tree (Humiria balsamifera), is among the botanicals being studied, as it can also be synthesized from turpentine oil and is as effective as DEET against mosquito and tick species.Bed bug arena tests involve putting a band of repellent around a table leg, with a Climbup(R)Interceptor trap below. If the bed bug falls into the trap, it is deemed to have been repelled from the surface above. In actual practice, the bed bug climbs up the surface and goes horizontal onto the treated surface and drops or falls off if the surface is repellent. Isolongifolenone starts losing its repellency after 3 hours; 5%-10% DEET works for about 9 hours. In arena tests with host cues, 25% DEET keeps surfaces repellent to bed bugs for 2 weeks. But isolongifolenone is considered safer, and Wang is testing higher rates in hopes of gettting a full day’s protection. How to Kill Termites: Treatment Options for HomeownersDon’t let th eir size fool you, termites are far from harmless. These small white insects feed on untreated wood piles around homes and can even start up a colony within the structure of your home–where wood is abundant. When termites find their way into homes, they can cause serious structural damage that requires costly repairs. If you’re wondering how to kill termites, contacting a professional to address the problem is the best treatment method you can choose to maintain the integrity of your home. There are different methods you can use to kill termites around your home, but remember that your safest option is to contact a professional to treat your home and property.If you’re waiting for your exterminator to come and inspect your home and you want to be proactive, there are a couple of different treatment options you can try. 1. Boric acid- This white powder is commonly used to kill roaches, but it works with termites as well. You can sprinkle it around the foundation of your home to keep termites from coming in. You’ll need to repeat this treatment every few days for at least two weeks before you notice a decline in the number of termites in your home. 2. Bait blocks-You can also place bait blocks around your home. You can find these in most grocery or hardware stores. These traps contain wood that’s been treated with pesticide.Once the termites find these traps, they’ll carry the poisoned wood back to the queen. Once the queen dies, the termites will be unable to reproduce. 3. Termiticide- If you know the location of the infestation, you can spray the area with a non-repellant termiticide, or you can sprinkle the area with Bio-Blast. Termites that come into contact with pest control products will infect other termites until that infection reaches the queen. However, it may take up to three months before your termite problem is under control. Home treatments can be less expensive than hiring a professional exterminator, but if you don’t treat the problem properly, termite damage can be costly.Your safest option is to contact a professional if you have any suspicion that termites are present. Contacting a professional to treat your termite problem as soon as possible can help you prevent much of this damage and save you from costly repairs. If you have a termite problem, contact one of the pest control experts at Landscaper. org to take care of the problem before it becomes worse. Research Article Termiticidal Activity of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq) Benth Seed Extracts on the Termite Coptotermes intermediusSilvestri (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Bolarinwa Olugbemi Division of Termite Control and Ecology, Termite Research Laboratory, P. M.B. 656, Akure 340001, Nigeria Received 5 October 2011; Revised 14 November 2011; Accepted 28 November 2011 Academic Editor: Arthur G. Appel Copyright  © 2012 Bolarinwa Olugbemi. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Abstract The chemical and mineral composition of raw and boiled seeds of the African locust bean, Parkia biglobosa (Jacq) Benth, was determined while the termiticidal action of the aqueous, alcoholic, and acetone extracts of the bean seeds were investigated.Variations in the proximate and mineral composition of the raw and boiled seeds were obtained while heavy minerals such as cadmium, cobalt, lead, nickel, and copper had been leached out of the seed during the process of boiling. Extracts from the raw seeds exhibited varying degree of termiticidal activity, while extracts from the boiled seed had no effect on the workers of Coptotermes intermedius Silvestri. Alcoholic extracts were more active than the aqueous and acetone extracts. Termites die within 30?min, 40?min, and 110?min when exposed to concentration of 4?g?mL?1 treatments of alcoholic, aqueous, and acetone extracts, respectively. 1. Introduction Termites cause the most serious damage of all wood-feeding insects.In addition to timber and wood products, they attack growing trees, leather, rubber, and wool as well as agricultural crops [1]. Significant damage is caused by termites to man-made fabrics, polythene, plastics, metal foils, books, furniture, wooden telephone poles, wooden railway sweepers, and insulators of electric cables [2]. Damage caused by termites to wooden structures in the United States of America is estimated to be over 3 billion Dollars annually, with subterranean termites accounting for at least 80% of these damages [3]. Costs attributable to Coptotermes formosanus in the Hawaiian Islands alone are greater than 60 million Dollars per annum [4].Termites are so destructive in that they derive their nutrition from wood and other cellulotic materials. In Africa and elsewhere in the developing countries, there is hardly any data on either the quantum of damage d one by termites to agricultural crops, construction timbers, paper, and paper products, or the cost of control or repairing the damage done by these insect pests. The damage done by various termite species in Nigeria [2] ranged from scavenging on tree barks and dead branches, to eating out grooves in the roots and stems of plants. Past research efforts had focused more on chemical methods of control, with an obvious lack of attention placed on understanding the behavior and history of these termites.In view of mounting concerns over the side effect caused by the use of these toxic and environmentally unfriendly chemicals, direction of research is now focusing on alternative nontoxic, biological, and environmentally friendly methods of control. These methods include baiting systems, use of asphyxiant gases, application of extreme temperatures, barriers of various types, as well as biological control organisms [3, 5]. Extractives with insecticidal properties from naturally resistant w ood and plant species in form of phenolic, terpenoid, and flavonoid compounds, show great promise for prevention of termite attack [6–9]. Some of these substances may also act as feeding deterrent [10–12].The termite Coptotermes formosanus was found to be attracted and preferentially feed upon the amino acids, glutamic and aspartic acids [13]. These could be used to improve the effectiveness of baiting systems. Many of the chemicals causing attraction and avoidance in several tree species are polar molecules [14]. Investigation has shown that steaming of the heartwood of the Japanese larch, degraded or removed the chemicals responsible for the inhibition of termite attack [15]. A number of tree species such as the Alaska cedar, redwood, and teak [16] are resistant to termite attack. Neem was found to be a strong repellent to Coptotermes formosanus and was suggested as a barrier tree to protect more vulnerable plants [17].The use of high levels of carbon dioxide, for ex tended period of time has been successfully used to control termites in contained spaces [4]. The application of heated air to kill termites has shown to be successful in laboratory bioassays [18]. Liquid nitrogen has also been shown to be effective in eliminating termites in the laboratory [3]. These temperature-based control methods are showing great promise, but need more field studies on their effectiveness in natural settings. In other studies [19] Inundation with water was shown to cause a decline in foraging worker population. This could indicate possible applications to control, for example, the controlled flooding of the territories of specific termite colonies to reduce damage by foragers.Barriers to foraging termites that are being tested include sand, crushed granite, glass splinters, and metal shields. These methods have had mixed successes, thereby pointing to the need for more research in this area [3]. The African locust bean, Parkia biglobosa (Jacq) Benth, is a pere nnial leguminous tree, found growing wildly in forested and savanna belts in Nigeria. Fermented Parkia seeds are locally used in traditional soup seasoning, medicinal preparations and food additives [20]. In addition, boiled water obtained during fermentation process of P. biglobosa seeds is used in controlling termite infestation at the local level. In spite of this practice, few reports exist on the termiticidal properties of aqueous solution of P. biglobosa seeds.

Millennium Pest control Service Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Millennium Pest control Service - Assignment Example The firm specialises in controlling pests that affect wheat and as a marketing manager, I will discuss the marketing plan that will be used by the firm in order to ensure it achieve its organisational goals on controlling pests that affect wheat. In any business venture, marketing research is an importance task that ought to be carried out first. The main aim of market research is to carry out an investigation the market in order to find out what others who are in business are offering in your industry. For this case, a marketing research will be crucial in order to know what businesses in pest control services are offering to the market. By carrying out market research, Millennium Pest Control Services will be in a position of understanding the behaviours, preferences and whims of wheat farmers in the market. During the market research, we will examine business environment at large. We will not only carry out the financial analysis of companies but will examine the government regulations, the competitors, economic treads, market structure and technological advances. We will use a number of marketing research methods and types while carrying out a marketing research for our firm. Understanding the consumer behaviour is essential as it brings t... This knowledge would be very essential as Millennium Pest Control Services will be in a position of understanding the behaviours of wheat farmers in order to understand how they, when they buy and why they buy the firm's pesticides. Since the firm specialises on manufacturing and retailing pests that affect wheat, we should identify our group which we will target and for this case, wheat farmers will be our potential customers. We need to understand their behaviour so as to respond to them using marketing strategies that are appropriate in satisfying the different preferences of the wheat farmers. The above strategy improves marketing effectiveness and as a result, there is increased customer satisfaction. This also makes advertising effective since the target group is already known hence advertising results are improved. Our target market for wheat pesticides will be defined geographically since in our targeting strategy, we have identified our customers which we will service and these are the wheat farmers. On the other hand, since we manufacture our products in large quantities, we can also use other small scale retailers that deal with sale of seedlings. We will have a number of products to offer to farmers depending on the kind of pest they want to control. The distinct characteristics that are unique with the Millennium Pest Control Services that will make their products prevail in the market are enhanced customer care, distribution of their products to the grass-root level, free consultant services to their clients, visit of field officer to clients farms and loan facilities it gives to firms. These unique services are rare among the competitors in the industry and this will

Language Variety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Language Variety - Essay Example At the risk of oversimplification let us ask a fundamental question: What is language "Language is a complicated business. In everyday talk, we use the word 'language' in many different ways. It isn't clear how 'language' should be defined or what the person on the street thinks it actually is!" (Downes, 1998, p.1). We tend to define language differently in different situations. We talk of the incoherent utterances of an infant, as a child's language. When we refer to the melodious intonations of some languages we refer to language in terms of aesthetics. When we talk of language in standardized correctness, we talk of language as grammar. We also talk of language as a skill, a We also tend to define language in terms of the use to which we put it. We talk of legal language. The language used by the legal profession tends to be quite different from our everyday language. We also talk of medical parlance. That is the language used by the medical fraternity. This is again different from the language we use in everyday life. Then you have computer language which is quite distinct from any of the other languages. In a way each specialized profession it seems has its own characteristic language. Chomsky defines language as "a set of very specific universal principles which are intrinsic properties of the human mind and part of our species' genetic endowment" (Chomsky. 1986: 15 ff. as cited in Downes, 1998, p.17). While that may indeed be the best definition of language, the definition of language needs to be examined from a sociolinguistic perspective. What is Sociolinguistics "The most obvious definition of sociolinguistics is that it is the study of language in society" (Schmitt, 2002, p. 150). Schmitt goes on to say that most sociolinguistic studies are basically descriptive, but focus on achieving "scientific objectivity", even when these studies involve intricate influences that society has on language. Sociolinguistic studies also take into consideration "social aspects of language" in a pragmatic way, explaining social influences as accurately as possible. (Schmitt, 2002, p.150) Language Variety 3 A Sociolinguistic Definition of Language Sociolinguistics tends to define language as what the members of a specific society speak. However they also take into consideration the fact that a society may have more than one language or many dialects of the same language, and therefore view language with the conviction that it is not something that is independent of society. (Wardhaugh, 2002, p. ix) Purpose of Language "The notion of discourse is the conceptual link between language and society, looking upwards on the one hand to social structures and cultural meanings and downwards to the nitty-gritty of words and grammar - lexicogrammar - on the other" (Bartlett, n.d, p.113 ). (Bartlett, n.d, p.113) argues that language is a "socially motivated construct" because of what it helps to do. Any language basically serves two purposes: it facilitates interaction and serves as a means of communication. The Common Components of All Languages All languages have three common

Being an Effective Instructional Designer Essay - 4

Being an Effective Instructional Designer - Essay Example Competency in the field of instructional design depends on the ability to provide effective implementation of instructional products and programs. It is considered as an important competency. According to Richey Fields, Instructional designer need to use evaluation data as a guide for revision of products and programs. It is important for them to ensure that their products are programs are updated as and when needed. They also should ensure that the instructional products and programs are revised and changed according to changing policies and the need of the time. (10 Qualities of the Ideal Instructional Designer) There are various things that an effective instructional designer needs to consider. According to Covey, an instructional designer needs to be pro-active. Pro-activity is considered as the ability to adapt to changing situations through one’s own choices. It’s about solving solutions instead of waiting for others to solve the problems. Instructional designers should be proactive especially when in the business field. They need to be pro-active and observe business trends and build health relations. They need to be proactive and make sure that instead of waiting for clients to come down with requests, they should keep up with their business well enough to anticipate their needs. The next most important part of an instructional designer’s job is emphasis on performance analysis. It is considered as the single most important competency for success in this field. Thus conducting first-rate performance analysis is a very important aspect of this field. In a lot of cases, managers will be pressurized to take a shortcut to direct action. However this strategy should be discouraged and an action should follow an analysis. Thus the lesson here is to ensure that the customers are given what they need instead of what the instructional designer perceives that they need. Instructional designers need to ensure that they have the end mapped in t heir mind before they begin. Thus it is important for instructional designers to pursue clear-cut rules and understand the business goals that need to be accomplished. They should know what exactly do the clients expect in the end? Where does the organization stand today and how far have they reached? The objectives and development work should follow the mission set before them. As mentioned in the aforementioned paragraphs, it is important to do performance analysis by instructional designers. It is even more important to do this performance analysis creatively for them. It is often observed that the model for performance analysis used by writers tends to be very simple and does not highlight the complexity associated with human performance problems. The point of emphasis here is that one should think out of outbox. One should think in terms of the the competencies that the client needs to possess for the instructional design to be used successfully? Should the routine performance appraisals and job descriptions be followed or should other means of feedback be pursued? One should be willing to pursue why? (William J. Rothwell, 2008) The next point of emphasis for instructional design field is the need to educate managers about performance analysis.  

Intoduction Development Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Intoduction Development Economics - Essay Example Moreover, the document will discuss the prevalence of the inequality in the years. Assessment of the poverty evolution in the country in the last two decades and the factors that led to the performance will be elaborated in the document. The population growth of the country will be part of the subject of the paper since the year 1980. Lastly, the paper will tackle the poverty levels in the country in the nation given its poverty levels in the last two decades. Ecuador is one of the poor countries in the Latin America and the level of inequality of the country’s resources keeps bloating in the developing years. The country’s inequality is a trending feature that gives the country bad reputation on the priorities the government has put in place to counter the inequality in the country. As the countries natives suffer the economic devastations, some parts of the country enjoy the fruits of tourism and high end bars. This land termed as ‘gringolandas’ are known for the rich culture of using American luxury products and the few elite enjoy the resources generated from the tourist revenue in the country. Marginalization of the Afro-Ecuadorians in the nation has contributed to the inequality in the country as the communities have the notion that they are the lazy and criminals. A few miles into the Atacames a touristy beach town could benefit the Esmeralda residents but the mindset in the country give the vicious cycle of poverty a chance in the country by fueling the stereotypes on the Afro-Ecuadorians. Racism in the country is a big issue in the country ingrained from the Spanish colonial eras is still evident in the country aggravating the population’s marginalization. Inequality in the recent years is partly fueled by the environmental devastation in the country. The deforestation and oil spills in the countryside where many indigenous Ecuadorians live become more prominent because the legislature is very corrupt and lacks protect ive measures to control the companies given the contracts. This degradation of the environment brings the country to depravation of morals and defined greed in the system that governs the country. The constant westernization of the urban Ecuador is very instrumental in the promotion of inequality. The supermaketization of the urban areas gives convenience to the wealthy but puts the local farmers out of business creating further inequality in the country. In comparison to other countries that have the same income levels, Ecuador has a lower prevalence of the poverty levels compared to the Dominican Republic. However, the level of poverty in Costa Rica is reduced and low in comparison to both countries. Inequality in the countries has declined in the recent years but not in all countries. The level of inequality in Costa Rica has seen a stagnation trend as compared to the other countries. The evolution of the inequality has evolved in the country citing the new discoveries of natural resources that attract companies that mine without the care for the environment and the natives. Furthermore, the country has had a lot to do with racism, which is a good aggravator of inequality. These changes are occurring because the government and the appropriate bodies are doing little to protect the common person in the country and instead enjoy the luxury that comes with the resources the country contains. The presence of deeply rooted corruption gives the common person a hard

Alcatel-Lucent mobile Wallet case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alcatel-Lucent mobile Wallet - Case Study Example This provides the user with less friction when using bitcoin in daily transactions. In a case where a user’s wallet has been tampered with, the user can create a new vault and considering that vaults and wallets are paired, this new empty vault invalidates the old wallet. One of the main benefits of this system is that it allows a user to separate their savings from their day-to-day spending. Additionally, the system enables such a user to carry those daily transactions with less friction. The mobile wallet from Alcatel-Lucent equally provides banking services to both developed and developing countries. In developed countries, person-to-person money transfer necessitates the use of this service. On the other hand, underdeveloped banking networks in developing countries have led to many people turning to this service. Despite having tremendous benefits to developing countries, Alcatel-Lucent mobile wallet has been applied more in developed countries. According to Anthony Belpaire, the managing director of Alcatel-Lucent mobile wallet, there are tremendous opportunities for consumers using this service in developed countries (Chaki et al 2011, p.221). Most people in these countries have mobile phones which makes the use of mobile wallet possible to most people in these countries. One of the challenges of decentralized electronic currency systems is managing the various subsystems of the main system to ensure that users can transfer currencies. There is also the risk of losing an electronic device that holds a key to these funds. This may imply losing all the money associated with that device. In order to solve this challenge, fixed-access scenarios have been created to secure electronic devices. This involves encryption and decryption of a disk file paired with a backup of the information stored in the disk file. PEST is a tool used by businesses to analyze the political, economic, socio-cultural and technological changes in a business. Porter’s five

Transcendentalism in the movie Avatar and how both relate to nature Essay

Transcendentalism in the movie Avatar and how both relate to nature - Essay Example In this movie, transcendentalism is shown when Jake, the main the character breaks from his government and conforms to the natives’ ideology of the importance of nature. Nature is holy to the natives in the movie with God-like powers. Pantheism is the worship of creation. Transcendentalists believe that nature is a way of connection with God. The tree of souls in the movie is as a link to their mother. The destruction of nature by the government is similar to the industrial movement at the beginning of transcendentalism. Technology is as bad and a destroyer of nature. The technology in the movie serves to harm nature, as is believed by transcendentalism (Grabiner 59). Avatar is transcendental in the way it portrays nature and new life. The religion in Avatar portraying God as being Supreme over all beings originates from transcendentalism. The most important message in Avatar is respect for nature. Some of the aspects portrayed in the movie are relevant in the world today. Nature is important and needs to be respected and preserved. It is important not to sacrifice nature at the expense of other benefits (Smitha

How to minimise the chance of project failing Essay Example for Free

How to minimise the chance of project failing Essay Introduction Here I am going to explain using examples many different kinds of ways that can be prevented from projects failing. In order for a project manager to detect something wrong happening in a project, they have to always double check it and also see if it works just the way the client wants it to work. Project managers always need some kinds of backup, if a project all of a sudden goes horribly wrong, they need some kinds of backup which can include extra members of staff or maybe working long hours to achieve their goal. Lack of staff expertise. When hiring new members of staff, a project manager has to always be careful when checking whether they have the right qualifications or not, by giving a new member a small test to see if they are worthy of using different kinds of tools can help to decide whether to hire them or not. Going over the budget If the project goes over the budget and more money is being wasted on different kinds of things such as tools etc, then the project manager will have to work harder over the time that they are paid; they may be then awarded a bonus if the project succeeds. To minimise this there are softwares that can be used such as Microsoft Office Project to keep track on the budget so that it can be easier to avoid going over the budget. Insufficient details from client or Poor or No Requirements If there is simply not enough details from the client, then as a result the project would most likely be unsatisfactory for the client, in order to avoid this it would be very important if the mangers warns the client if any further requirements are needed, otherwise the client will be warned that no changes will be carried out during the process of the project. Not enough proper time to research and plan Before starting any project, planning is extremely important to be taken out so that simply managers will know and have an idea of what to do. If no planning has been taken out then if would be essential to ask the client for a later deadline, if the client refuses then they will need to be warned that errors may occur and the project may arrive late anyway. Using the wrong kind of tools In order to stop confusion from ordering the wrong kind of tools, managers will have to explain clearly to members of staff what exactly is needed, the tools will then have to be researched and studied in order to find out if it has the requirements to create the project they are working on. They can over-run (passed the deadline) In order to minimise project from passing their deadline, manager will need to carry out plans before the project even starts. Managers will also need to hire extra members of staff if there is enough money in order to complete the project early. Members of staff could also learn how to fully use the potential of product such as software to help the project by being less time-consuming. Poor communication Project mangers will always have to make sure that member of staff are properly communicating with each other, there are many methods that can be used for communication, and these can include email, word of mouth, and mobile phone and maybe even by post. Members of staff will need to speak to each other once in a while in order to understand and learn what is going on in the project in order to prevent any errors from occurring. Lack of User Involvement Staff should be informed that if they are not truly involved with the project then they will automatically be given a warning or maybe even fired from their job because they are simply not working up to the standard as they should be working. What is also very important is the managers should be doing walk around which involves checking whether members of staff are working properly and doing things correctly and is truly involved in the project. Changes in the requirements As you know clients may all of a sudden change the details in the requirements of the product. In any of these cases a project manager has to decline those extra details because it can lead to missing out deadlines which can result in a loss of money and also time. A manager will have to warn their client that there cannot be any changes during the operation of the project, clients should also be advised to carefully give the requirements specification for their product that they are expecting to come out of a project. Long or Unrealistic Time periods A manager will also have to make sure and to double check to see if the time given to the project is realistic and achievable, otherwise the project will be known to fail and could have an impact on the organisation because they may need it desperately. Projects should normally take months to create or even years, if a big project was given and the deadline was only for a short time period, managers have to then immediately decline the project or warn the client that they will need more time. Scope Creep In order to minimise this, project managers will have to check and double check the project to see if it is working fully and if there isnt any problems that may be growing or might happen. For example if an error is found during the production of a product and not treated, could result in the product not working completely and permanently and therefore the project may need to be restarted, so to prevent this if an error is found that the mangers should straight away stop the product or pause it and treat the error as soon as possible. Poor Testing Normally testing is not done properly simply because either the client or manager is probably does not have the time to do it, another reason as to why testing may not be carried out because project managers may be too confident and therefore assume that everything will go well. Testing may also be poorly done because there of Insufficient details from the client or Poor or No Requirements, in order to avoid or minimise or prevent this, project managers should train users that do not know the purpose of the system, always give plenty of time to plan and ask the client for better requirements. Bad decisions being made Every single little decision that is made by the manager has to be carefully planned out and thought out, a manager will also have to consider the consequences and also plan for back-ups just in case the idea or plan back-fires.

Peace And Stability In Afghanistan Politics Essay

Peace And Stability In Afghanistan Politics Essay Even after almost eight years of international communitys efforts in Afghanistan the instability and turbulence has increased rather than abated. Not only has Afghanistan seen ever increasing levels of violence and loss of life the virus of instability and culture of violence has also spread across the Durand line with hardly any silver line on the horizon. A deadly insurgency, higher opium production, increasing civilian casualties, rampant corruption, an unstable neighbourhood and an uncertain political future remain the defining features of the complex and combustible situation that obtains in Afghanistan. Much of the initial euphoria generated after the fall of Taliban in 2001 has dissipated and those advances made in the fields of education and womens rights have been overshadowed. The prospects for preventing Afghanistan from being sucked into this whirlpool of chaos appear bleaker than ever.  [1]   2. Americas Af-Pak policy which was announced in end of March 2009, needs to be scrutinised to gauge its progress and success or otherwise. The main pillars of this strategy were based on not only in increase of force levels but also on increase of the resources devoted to economic development and coordination among international donors building Afghan governing structures primarily at local level reforming the Afghan government expanding and reforming the Afghan security forces and trying to improve Pakistans efforts to curb militant activity on its soil. The strategy also included negotiations with Taliban figures that were willing to enter the political process. After the Presidential election there is a need to again review the security, governance and development and aid structures and delivery mechanisms. 3. Major factor impacting the situation in Afghanistan is the continued resurgence of Taliban due to a host of contextual factors. The Taliban is estimated to have a permanent presence in 72 per cent of Afghanistan; its hold being strang not only in its bastions of the South but also in the East, where it literally runs a parallel government. Moreover the insurgency is spreading in a manner in which it has begun to ring the capital city of Kabul, with three of the four main roads leading to Kabul being rendered ensafe for Afghan or International travel. Successes against the Taliban, whether military or of winning hearts and minds have been limited as the Taliban appear to be striking at will with lethal forcw and is increasingly successful in the propaganda war. 4. Governance is another area where the noramal populace has been disillusioned with current dispensation. Endemic corruption plaguing much of the government machinery, especially the police and judiciary, both of which effect the evreryday life of the common man, has undermined credibility of the elected government and helped build up a degree of local support which stems more out of the Talibans ability to fill in the governance vacuum as opposed to ideological support for their cause. 5. Developmental aid has been delivered to Afganisthan in vast quantities but it is not visible on the ground. Fruits of this aid have yet to be tasted by the common people. Bonn process was followed by London Compact and there is an Afghan National Development Strategy (ANDS) for 15 years ahead but the timelines and benchmarks outlined in the same have not been adhered to. And the economic aid promised to realize the ANDS has also not been delivered whereas there is a massive spending by the NATO and Coalition forces to the tune of about US $20 billion a month. 6. How can, therefore, the international community improve on the delivery mechanisms and implementation measures? This remains one of the key questions in the current conundrum of security and development complicated further by weak governance. Surge indevelopment and aid funds and personnel planned as part of the Af-Pak strategy may help but some of the contextual core issues would yet need to be addressed before a positive outcome could be expected. 7. Looking at a wider perspective, how do the regional stake holders view the Afghan imbroglio? How can their varying perceptions be reconciled for the cause of common good? 8. Further, the presence of safe havens in Pakistans lawless frontier regions have played a seminal role in sustaining the insurgency in Afghanistan and fuelling instability in Pakistan, thus making it impossible to visualize a solution to the Afghan quagmire in isolation. 9. Given the above background what could be alternative future scenarios in Afghanistan say in next 4 to 5 years time and 8 to 10 years time keeping in mind the trends and drivers and possible triggers? Based on the emerging scenarios what should be the international communitys policy and strategy choices to ensure a favourable outcome? A broad range of critical issues affecting the Afghan environment need to be examined before a determination as to how to proceed further can be made. 10. Broadly, therefore, the seminar on peace and stability in Afghanistan and the way ahead is built around four themes of security, governance and examination of likely future scenarios and offering recommendations for policy and strategy choices which can be made now so as to move towards a better and brighter future for Afghanistan and in effect for rest of the international community. METHODOLOGY Statement of Problem 11. To analyze the effects of likely political instability in Afghanistan post withdrawal of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and its implications for India and policies that India needs to adopt to deal with this problem. Justification of Study 12. United States is increasing getting impatient in the affairs of Afghanistan wherein its policies are not delivering the desired results. It is likely to reduce its foot prints in that country and has accordingly set a deadline for withdrawal of ISAF. 13. The goal of US in Afghanistan is to defeat Al Qaeda and deny them the bases in that country, so as to improve its own homeland security. As per US, achievement of this goal is not dependent on creating an environment of political reconciliation in Afghanistan, which is difficult and time consuming. Rather its goal can be achieved by entering into an agreement with one entity: Taliban, who may agree to keep Al Qaeda out in exchange of returning back to power. Hypothesis 14. The return of Taliban or any civil war post de-induction of ISAF would hurt India dearly. India would prefer a sovereign, democratic secular Afghanistan which is not under the influence of powers inimical to our interests. 15. Therefore, India must ensure that the world community does not abandon Afghanistan at this crucial juncture and continue to provide for its political reconciliation and rehabilitation. In this regard, deployment of UN sponsored security forces with a much larger agenda than the ISAF is looked into, so as to allow the country to become strong both politically and economically. Methods of Data Collection 16. The study is primarily based on information gathered from books written by prominent Indian, foreign authors as well as information available on the internet. There has also been an attempt by me to analyse the events as they have unfolded and suggest possible options and own responses. Other sources of information are articles written in Indian, Pakistani, Western newspapers and news services such as the CNN and BBC as well as some defence journals. A bibliography of the sources is appended at the end of the text. Afghanistan being a very current topic has undergone a series of ups and downs during the course of my preparation of the dissertation. The Bonn Agreement is very relevant in todays context and is also attached as an appendix. Scope 17. The study will be covered under the following heads:- Chapter I Introduction Chapter II Geo strategic importance of Afghanistan to India Strategic location of Afghanistan Key to Energy Security Pakistans desire of achieving strategic depth by having control over Afghanistans polity Chapter III Brief history of Afghanistan post 9/11 Defeat of Taliban and set up of new Government Role of Pakistan in combating terrorism Chapter IV : Present imbroglio in Afghanistan. Failure of US policies in Afghanistan Growing frustration amongst US and NATO forces Poor governance by Karzai and growth of Taliban Chapter V : Likely Future Scenarios and Implications for India Withdrawal of US forces and re emergence of Taliban Depletion of US footprint and renewed violence Pakistan getting foothold in Afghanistan and involvement of Al Qaida in Kashmir Indian involvement reduced with a hostile government in Afghanistan Chapter VII Options Available To India Make efforts to ensure continuous presence of International security force in Afghanistan Involving UN in peace establishment in Afghanistan Continuing support to government in Afghanistan by undertaking rebuilding projects Chapter VIII : Conclusion. CHAPTER II BRIEF HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN POST 9/11 OP Enduring Freedom On September 20, 2001, in the wake of the September 11 attacks, US President George W. Bush delivered an ultimatum to the Taliban government of Afghanistan to turn over Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda leaders operating in the country or face attack. The Taliban demanded evidence of Bin Ladens link to the September 11 attacks and, if such evidence warranted a trial, they offered to handle such a trial in an Islamic Court. The US refused to provide any evidence. Subsequently, in October 2001, US forces along with UK and coalition allies invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taliban regime. On October 7, 2001, the official invasion began with British and US forces conducting air strike campaigns. Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan, fell by mid-November. The remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants fell back to the rugged mountains of Eastern Afghanistan, mainly Tora Bora. In December, the US and her allies fought within that region. Its believed that Osama bin-Laden escaped into Pakistan duri ng the battle. In March 2002, the United States and other NATO and non-NATO forces launched Operation Anaconda in the hopes that theyll destroy any remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shahi-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains of Afghanistan. The Taliban suffered heavy casualties and evacuated the region. The Taliban regrouped in Western Pakistan and began to unleash an insurgent-style offensive against the United States and her allies in late 2002. Formation of Civialian Government After Operation Enduring Freedom, Mujahideen loyal to the Northern Alliance and many other groups mustered support for a new government in Afghanistan. In December 2001, political leaders gathered in Germany to agree on new leadership structures for Afghanistan. Under the Bonn Agreement, an interim Transitional Administration was formed and Hamid Karzai was named the Chairman of a 29-member governing committee. On 13 June 2002, the Loya Jirga, appointed Karzai as the Interim President of the Afghan Transitional Administration.[28] The former members of the Northern Alliance remained extremely influential in the new dispensation. Hamid Karzai won the 2004 presidential election, and became President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He defeated 22 opponents and become the first democratically elected leader of Afghanistan. Although his campaigning was limited due to fears of violence, elections passed without any significant incident in spite of a surge of insurgent activity.] 6. After Karzai was installed into power, his actual authority outside the capital city of Kabul was said to be so limited that he was often derided as the Mayor of Kabul. The situation was particularly delicate since Karzai and his administration had not been equipped either financially or politically to influence reforms outside of the region around the capital city of Kabul. Other areas, particularly the more remote ones, were historically under the influence of various local leaders. Karzai started making attempts to negotiate and form amicable alliances with them for the benefit of Afghanistan as a whole, instead of aggressively fighting them and risking an uprising. CHAPTER III BEGINNING OF CHAOS Americas Miscalculation President Bush, speaking at the Virginia Military Institute in the spring of 2002, proposed a Marshall Plan for Afghanistan and its neighbours that added up to state-building on a regional scale. But the post 9-11 Pentagon long stuck with a narrow, or sharp focus on wiping out Al Qaeda and the Taliban, with a corresponding under-focus on long-term development. Other agencies of the US Government struggled to advance their programs with little coordination either with the Pentagon or with one other, and with much micro-managing by e-mail from offices in Washington. But even had the Pentagon gotten it right or the other agencies been better coordinated, the program would still not have worked, for US policy (and UN policy as well) suffered from a birth defect. When the US finally toppled the Taliban, Tajiks from the Northern Alliance took control of Kabul. In a winner-take-all move, they immediately packed the government with their own supporters and relatives, to the exclusion both of Pashtuns, the largest group in the population, and minority Shia Hazaras. Eager to sidestep all dissension, the UNs Bonn meetings in December, 2001, ratified this dangerous status quo, while the Emergency Loya Jirga, held in June, 2002, then ratified the Bonn conferences mistakes. While U.S. officials talked bravely of working the situation, Northern Alliance leaders in Kabul effectively consolidated their hold on power. Marshall Fahim, confirmed in Bonn as Afghanistans Minister of Defense, kept his own militia lodged in the capital and cut personal deals with like-minded warlords elsewhere, greatly complicating the task of building a national army. Worse, he and his family seized control of key markets and other assets to create their own income stream, independent of Karzai and the Americans. Many Pashtuns, as they watched this unfold and noted their fellow-Pashtun Karzais inability to counteract it, went into a sullen opposition. A few resorted to armed opposition. Since most Taliban leaders had been Pashtun, this gave the appearance of a Taliban revival. In fact, it was worse, a new movement of Pashtuns and other groups aggrieved over having been excluded from the post-Taliban order. Because the US backed Karzai, they blamed their own marginaliza tion on America. This bitter mood gave rise to a new opposition and new insecurity. Charged with rooting out remnants of Al Qaeda and the Taliban, the US worked with whatever forces were at hand, including warlords, postponing to a later phase the achievement of balance within the Kabul government and the consolidation of state institutions. Light Footprint. Afghanistan was the least resourced of any American led nation building operation. There are 1.5 international soldiers for every 1000 persons in Afghanistan compared to 20.5 per 1000 in Kosovo, 19 in Bosnia, 10 in Sierra Leone and nearly 4 in Haiti. Post conflict stabilization operations require more troops and longer time than to win the initial fight. In fighting, firepower and technology enable smaller, more agile forces to prevail. But in post conflict stabilization and reconstruction, there is a need for more ground troops, money and time. Low levels of investment in military power and economic assistance in post conflict reconstruction lead to a low level of security, ineffective governance and poor economic growth. From the outset, two contradictory concepts drove international intervention in Afghanistan. The country was described as the major front of a global war on terror, yet the intervention was light footprint engagement. This light footprint continued to impair every aspect of reconstruction of Afghanistan .Taliban was removed from power, but neither their potential to return nor their external support was addressed. The focus on accomplishing short term security goals undermined the efforts at establishing positive long term trends. Mis governance The general opinion in Afghanistan is that the insurgency is rising because the people have lost faith in government. The security forces have failed to protect local villages and the institutions struggle to deliver basic services. The patience of people with government is breaking down and it in turn is favouring the return of Taliban. The afghan government had difficulty providing essential services to the population, especially in rural areas of the country. As per a World Bank report, the main beneficiary of assistance was the urban elite. This triggered deep seated frustration and resentment among rural population. The government suffered a number of systematic problems and had difficulty attracting and retaining skilled professionals with management and administrative experience. Due to lack of investment and poor maintenance only 6% of the population received electricity. Most efforts were to supply electricity to the urban areas and not to the rural areas which were falling to Taliban. The Afghan government faced challenges providing security outside of the capital. A major reason was the poor state of the Afghan national police. The result was weak security apparatus that could not establish monopoly of the legitimate use of force within the country. The police was not an international priority after the overthrow of the Taliban regime and they received significantly less money and attention than the army. The Afghan police was needed to help establish order in urban and rural areas, but they were heavily out gunned by the insurgent. The police force was plagued with corruption and lacked semblance of a national police force. Pakistani Dimension Pakistan has played a very strong role in Afghanistan in the last three decades, unfortunately, it has been a very negative role. With the fall of Taliban in Afghanistan, Pakistan lost its political clout in that country but it retained its links with the Taliban and actively assisted insurgency in Afghanistan It was only due to intense pressure from America that Pakistan reluctantly agreed to stop aid to Taliban. However, as it became clear later that Pakistan was not committed to end terror. Pakistan decided to hold talks with the militant leaders in Swat and offered to stop all military actions against them. This further fuelled insurgency in Afghanistan and increased attacks on US and NATO forces. Revival of Taliban Almost five years after the defeat of Taliban regime, there was a resurgence of Taliban in 2006. Their return could be divided into three stages through which the group gradually gained momentum especially at the last stage that started in 2006. The first stage, from 2002 to 2003, had a relatively tangible lull. However, there were some small bombings from time to time. In 2003, the Mullah Mohamed Omar launched a new Jihad council comprising of ten military leaders of Taliban. The group could achieve this essential military restructuring cashing in on the US shift of focus towards Iraq. The second stage, from 2004 to 2005, witnessed a number of remarkable activities and developments in tactics of fighting, types of weapons, and the groups deployment in several areas.The Taliban started to carry out some military operations in daylight and managed to fully control some remote areas of south Afghanistan.The third stage, from 2006 to 2007, marked the overwhelming return of the Taliban. The year 2006 was the bloodiest one since the fall of the Taliban, as more than 4, 000 were killed, including one third of civilians. The British-American council for media security reported in a comparison between the years 2005 and 2006 that there was an increase in the attacks on the NATO forces from 900 in 2005 to 2500 attacks in 2006. One of the major achievements of the Taliban in this period of time was that they managed to run peoples affairs in some southern areas establishing a good network and friendly relationships with the residents of the south. Taliban Strategy. Analysts pointed out that Taliban had established a two pronged strategy in Afghanistan. First to re establish its authority over the southern provinces around its former headquarters in Kandahar and second to destabilize a ring of provinces around Kabul. CHAPTER IV US EXIT POLICY AND LIKELY FUTURE SECURITY SCENARIOS Af-Pak Policy On 23 January,2009, American President Mr Obama announced his Af-Pak policy wherein he stressed that his administration was committed in refocusing attention and resources on Afghanistan. The salient features of his policy were: Appointment of special envoy Mr Richard Holbrooke to Pakistan and Afghanistan to help lead US effort to forge and implement strategic and sustainable approach to the region. Pakistan told to destroy the safe heavens for Al-Qaeda and Taliban in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. Deployment of 17,000 additional troops in Afghanistan to improve security situation. The American President had laid out a very bold and responsible policy to counter the resurgent Taliban insurgency in Af-Pak region. However, within a short span of one and half years the American policy has undergone a complete change with President himself laying down the withdrawal plan of ISAF( International Security Assistance Force) and the Secretary of State , Mrs Hillary Clinton stressing the need to reintegrate the insurgents in the political mainstream of Afghanistan. This dramatic turnabout of American plans regards Afghanistan is due to various factors, American Losses. The American or the NATO losses have been increasing and with every passing year the Taliban is becoming stronger and stronger. Even though more and more troops have been deployed and more money pumped in but still the attacks on the ISAF are only increasing. The Taliban tactics have now graduated to frontal attacks on US outposts. US Goals in Afghanistanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.There is a profound confusion in America regarding what US goals in Afghanistan ought to be and what the means for resolving those goals should be? The debate is on whether US should focus narrowly on issues of counter terrorism or should they focus on counter terrorism and counter insurgency. It is also being debated whether US should really be engaged in business of state building or can workaround by negotiating with adversaries, the Taliban. These debates in domestic politics are turning against an extended and continuing commitment to Afghanistan. Crisis of Resolution The allies are tired of the Afghan commitment, because they do not understand how the struggle that is going on, in this far away land has an impact on their own security. The urgency that the world felt on 12 September 2001 has weakened with the passage of time. Afghanistan seems too hard, too complex, and too difficult and as the legend goes would continue to be the graveyard of empires. If this is true than why should we and the international community continue to make commitments to a war that by some iron laws of history is ultimately destined to end up in defeat? (d) Crisis of Resources. America is investing heavily in Afghanistan. There is no gainsaying the fact that the commitments to Afghanistan and Pakistan are costly to the US. In 2010, America has committed $65 billion to Afghanistan. If we take into account the aid to Pakistan, the total comes to $85 billion, these are not small commitments. If the lives of troops, wastage of equipment and wear and tear on forces that have been engaged in this theatre are taken into consideration especially at a time when America is in economic crisis itself and the entire world community is struggling with the global crisis, the cost is phenomenal. Many NATO countries are focused on these costs and argue that a way must be found for a quick exit from Afghanistan. This has made the job of US President more difficult. Choices for America The International community and especially America faces two choices for Afghanistan. The first is to invest and endure in Afghanistan and the second is to improve conditions, in order to exit. These are the two strategic choices that US has to contemplate as it talks about the way ahead, as each strategy has a different consequence. Invest and Endure. If US have to carry out this option, then they have to build consensus domestically and internationally on the enduring importance of Afghanistan. All members of international coalition have to commit to the resources required i.e. military, economic and diplomatic institution. This option of invest and endure cannot simply be a military campaign. It has to be an effort to re-constitute societies by changing the counter-insurgency strategy and focusing more on protecting population and minimising collateral damage. Improve and Exit. In case America and other NATO countries decide to improve the conditions in order to exit they will have to adopt a different strategy. The ideological adversaries will not have to be defeated but only kept at bay for sometime inorder to improve conditions. The investments in the institutions, social welfare and democracy would be minimum. Americans have started to realize that military solution is far difficult to achieve as compared to a political solution. They have started saying for quite some time that they want re-conciliation and talks with Taliban if they can lay down their arms. There have been covert contacts with certain Taliban elements, however, it has not produce any results till now. Even President Karzai has realized the precarious state of ISAF and have himself started wooing the Taliban so that his government can last even after the International forces withdraw. . So without clear success how long will American stay? NATO and Afghanistan have recently agreed to fix 2014 as the deadline for troops withdrawal from Afghanistan in a phased manner. They have also clarified that troops can stay in support role even beyond 2014. However, mounting coalition deaths, growing domestic pressure in NATO countries and the increasing differences between Karzai and the west may change the situation. Also, any major military debacle like, a US post being overrun by Taliban or an air crash with significant casualties may immediately catalyze opposition to war. Even the 2012 Presidential elections may require early troop withdrawal in the there is no clear sign of success. Likely Future Scenarios The debate on likely security scenarios emerging in the region post withdrawal of ISAF is gaining momentum in India. Many analysts have generated three plausible scenarios which are likely to emerge post withdrawal of ISAF from Afghanistan. (a) Scenario 1 US withdrawal or draw down of forces Return of the Taliban It is pointed out that in case of a complete US withdrawal, the probability of return of Taliban is not farfetched, thereby condemning Afghanistan to what US analysts describe as the worst case scenario. This would also lead to an emboldening of the Al Qaeda, instability spreading to Pakistan and Central Asia, thus reducing the region to become a base for Al Qaeda operations. (b) Scenario 2- US limited engagement-proxy warà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The most probable scenario beyond 2014 is the reduced US presence in Afghanistan with troops limited to protecting key cities, a shift from overstretched counterinsurgency operations to internal defence. This would allow Pakistan to continue its hedging strategy whereby it will continue supporting the Afghan Taliban to destabilise Afghanistan with the eventual goal of reinstating a pliant regime. Scenario 3- US long term commitments -Building on Afghan state. According to the analysts, this is the best case scenario for Afghanistan, though such a state of affairs is highly unlikely given the reduced public support for the Afghan war in the United States. This would call for additional resources including troops to train and partner with Afghan forces and continuation of the institution building programmes. In this scenario, India could play a long term role in the training of the Afghan national institutions, institutional building political, and security and justice sector reforms. CHAPTER V GEO STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF AFGHANISTAN When Allah had made the rest of the world, He saw there was a lot of rubbish left over, bits and pieces and things that did not fit anywhere else. He collected them all together and threw them down on the earth. That was Afghanistan. An old Afghan Saying Geographical Location Afghanistan is a land locked country with Iran to its west, Pakistan to its south and east, China to its north east and the newly independent states of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to its north. Afghanistan covers an area of 245, 000 square miles and is surrounded by two nuclear states, China and Pakistan, a threshold nuclear state, Iran and having three other nuclear powers in its near vicinity, India, Kazakhstan and Russia. This places Afghanistan in a difficult situation with its neighbours as well other regional and non regional powers vying to get a foothold in the country to spread their influence in the region and the subcontinent. It is also the land bridge between South Asia and Central Asia and possibly to Iran as well. Safe Sanctuary for Islamic Fundamentalism Apart from being the land bridge to central Asia, Afghanistan has been a home to the fundamentalist of various hues and colours ranging from the Jihadis from Kashmir to the Uighur separatists. Afghanistan certainly provided a suitable launch pad for such activities in Central Asia, more so when the Taliban was at the helm of affairs. Taliban played host to Al Qaida and its leader Osama Bin Laden The strengthening of links between militant organisations like IMU (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan), Al Qaida, the Chechen rebels, Uighur separatists and the Taliban, further compounded the security situation in the region. Energy Resources in Afghanistan In terms of natural resources, Soviets had estimated Afghanistans proven and probable gas reserves at up to five trillion cubic feet. However, the production has been affected by years of war, and new reserves are yet to be located due to lack of any serious exploration having been carried out for the last 30 yrs or so due to the prevailing situation. The northern areas adjoining Central Asia have proven reserves of natural gas estimated at 100 billion cubic meters, the Jar Quduk oil and gas complex being a case in point. Afghanistan also has an estimated coal reserve of up to 400 million tons located between Herat and Badakhshan. However, due to the situation in Afghanistan, the production has remained low and unless serious efforts are made in the near future, Afghanistan will continue to play its historical role of serving more as a transit route for others than as an exporter of its own resources. Oil and Gas Pipelinesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.The Central Asian republics hold the key to large resources of energy i.e oil and gas. The landlocked nature of these states imposes inherent constraints in unravell

We see and understand things not as they are but as we are.

We see and understand things not as they are but as we are. Malav Manek XII-C Topic: We see and understand things not as they are but as we are. Discuss this claim in relation to at least two ways of knowing. Why do different people see the same things differently? The answer to this question could be the claim mentioned above. Knowledge is an extensive concept which has no precise definition since it has no end or limit. In TOK context, the acquisition and understanding of knowledge varies from person to person depending on how one has been brought up, his/her lifestyle and experiences and how widely he/she has been exposed to the great world. In other words, if you look at the above topic, what I would comprehend would be different from what anyone else would. In my view, not only is this claim applicable to the audience as a whole but also my mind and my upbringing agree with it; hence this statement can be assessed from a variety of perspective or to be precise, point of view. Several personal and universal examples can be used to verify or disprove this claim and the justifications may also depend on how knowledge is acquired: the ways of knowing. In view of the fact that knowledge is around us, there are several ways of acquiring it for the best of our intellect. Perception as one of the ways of knowing is simply the grasping of things and information through our five senses i.e. sight, taste, touch, smell and sound. Perception is an essential way in almost all areas of knowledge and many people including me depend on this source of knowledge. There are several components that affect a persons way of perceiving certain information. Sometimes, a person is likely to understand only what he expects or want to see or hear and neglects any other details that are not thought to be present. In my opinion, a mans amount of interest on a particular topic may also influence the way he would perceive it. At times, we tend to forget what we had fully seen or understood and hence I think this way of knowing is not completely reliable for all situations; though we can always confirm about something if more than one of our senses or any ot her sources support or confirm it. Every man is exposed to some form of literature in his life. This could either be in terms of childhood folktales or in poems studied at high school. Taking my own example, I used to be narrated several short stories just like any other kindergarten kid. These stories that had animals as the characters were meant to amuse all the children. On the other hand, these fables had a moral that taught a lesson about everyday life. As a child, I did not realize the importance of these morals but I was rather keen on the comic elements of the characters and the animated images. This was because I used to see things as I was and not as they were. As time passed, I got exposed to several principles of life and my knowledge got expanded. After a couple of years, my perception about the stories changed and I then understood from The Tortoise and the Hare, that the slow and steady always wins the race rather than just knowing that the slow tortoise won the race. As time passed by, even though the tale (thing) is as it was, my perception and understanding about it has completely changed since how I see and understand things now is entirely different from how I used to see and understand things earlier in my life. Emotions, on the other hand, include the sentiments, mood or passion either within us or outside us. Emotions differ in everyone at all times depending on the present circumstances a person encounters. This method of knowing usually gives rise to physical signs on a being other than the cerebral facet. Furthermore, emotions can also be altered by religious and ethical beliefs. A disciple of a certain religion would be disturbed and would not accept any claims against his practice especially if he intensely believed in it. Emotions are effective techniques of knowing since they help us in reducing down our choices in life. It is always easier to choose from a restricted short list rather than a collection of free options. Powerful emotions could either be a hurdle in acquiring knowledge or it could have a positive influence on our perception. Music is everywhere around us. This form of art is absolutely related to emotions since peoples moods get affected by perceiving, composing or playing it. Different types of music are categorized to represent various forms of emotions. The linking of music to a particular emotion differs from person to person. In a real life situation, one would use music to thrill, entertain, or relax oneself; everyone uses different types of music to deal with a particular state of mind. Regardless of the language portrayed by a particular song, preference for a type of music is the only reason to why anyones emotions would change to be upbeat from anxiety or sorrow; this concept is known as biased perception. Consequently, one would try to construct and describe fallacious reasons in order to support his choice and hence result into the powerful and changed emotions. When applying music in the medical field, doctors believe that it makes a patient feel better and fastens up the healing process. According to Dr. Michael DeBakey, In medicine, increasing published reports demonstrate that music has a healing effect on patients. [1] In my opinion, music tends to liven up the environment of the hospital which is usually very quiet and sorrowful. In a hospital, the atmosphere is normally such that the patient would always consider himself to be sick since his mind knows why he would have been admitted there. Use of music as a medium of entertainment would change the patients perception about the hospitals ambiance and hence his emotions would be modified accordingly. In this way, the person would overcome his psychological feeling of sickness and consider himself to be in a standard environment with no trouble. On the whole, music regulates our emotions which thus amend our perception about a specific thing; this allows us to see and understand things not as they are but as we are. Furthermore, one of the famous theories, Newtons second law of motion said that force was equal to mass times acceleration for all moving bodies. Isaac Newton constructed this theory on the basis of moving objects experienced by him and used by him in his daily life. It was his beliefs and expectations that affected the way he saw things. Accordingly, he concluded this generalized law which was believed by the world since everyone thought the way Newton did. This was, however, challenged by Albert Einstein who argued against the theory saying that it could not be applied to fast moving objects for example Light which is the fastest moving object on earth. He rectified the theory by introducing the relativity theory that was more accurate and suitable to calculate the force of any moving object at any speed. Einsteins thoughts and beliefs regarding this theory were different since he viewed the earth from a different perception when compared to those of Newton even though both were gr eat scientists. It can