Will Genetically Modified Foods Doom Us All

Table of Contents What Are Genetically Modified Foods? History of Genetically Modified Foods Prevalence and Involved Plants Benefits of Genetically Modified Foods Environmental Safety Food Safety Works Cited Genetically Modified Foods refer to foods obtained from crops whose genetic composition has been altered. This is done in two main ways: traditional selection and breeding, and use of scientific technology. Almost everyone in the world, including scientists, public officials, and religious groups, has been expressing concerns about the new way of confronting world hunger through genetically modified (GM) foods.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Will Genetically Modified Foods Doom Us All? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People have also been complaining about agribusiness because it only cares about making profit. Although GM foods are capable of resolving most starvation and malnutrition issues, as well as aiding in the protection and conservation of the environment, they pose various human health and environmental risks. What Are Genetically Modified Foods? GM foods are foods that are produced from crops that have been genetically altered through advanced molecular biology skills. Plants are genetically altered to increase their nutritional values to fight malnutrition around the world. Some plants are genetically modified to resist pests so that food security is available by ensuring good crops. Before the advances in molecular biology skills, we were able to develop these qualities in plants by crossbreeding them, â€Å"marrying† one type of plant to another type. However, this still was not adequate because the world’s population increases by the millions per day and the creation of these hybrid plants is time consuming and not exactly successful. That is why genetic engineering is mostly used today instead of crossbreeding. Genetic engineering cannot only alter plants to produce the desired outcome, it can do it precisely. One easy way to explain what scientists do is that they separate a gene from a plant that has the desired qualities and then insert the gene into the host plant’s gene. Any kind of genes can be used, an animal’s or a plant’s gene can be relocated to another plant. One of the most desired outcomes from a crop is the ability to grow tolerance to the effects of herbicide. A good example of Genetic Modification Crop is the use of Bacillus thuringiensis genes in corn and other crops (Makoni and Mohammed-Katerere 303). Bacillus thuringiensis is a naturally occurring bacterium that generates a crystal protein that is toxic to caterpillars. When the gene of Bacillus thuringiensis is inserted into a corn gene, the corn becomes intolerable to caterpillars. In other words, the corn generates its own pesticide. History of Genetically Modified Foods The first ever genetically modified crops were produced i n the 1980s. However, the earliest food to arrive in US supermarkets was Flavr Savr tomatoes, which were introduced in 1994. With a particularly solid skin, the Flavr Savr guaranteed a longer shelf life than nearly all other tomatoes (Zinnen and Voichick 31). Scientist had removed the gene that controls the softening of the tomato. Unfortunately, Flavr Savr tomatoes were discontinued due to their high market price.Advertising Looking for research paper on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Genetically modified foods make exaggerated promises for confronting a number of our greatest problems. Similar to all new technologies, the genetic modification of foods presents some risks, both recognized and unrecognized. Arguments surrounding GM foods usually focus on environmental and human safety. According to the documentary film The Future of Food, a debate, whether the use of GM should be continued or discontinued, has be en ongoing among farmers, giant biotech corporations, the government, and consumers. The genetic modification of Flavr Savr tomatoes is one example of how the government helped to introduce GM foods into the US market. Before the tomatoes were brought into the market, Calgene had done several voluntary testing on rats that had consumed the tomatoes. They found lesions in the rats’ stomachs. Despite these findings, the government approved the tomatoes for sale in May 1994 (The Future of Food). In 2001, Americans became aware that GM foods were part of their everyday diet due to the ingestion of genetically modified food by Grace Booth that sent her to hospital and late, she was diagnosed with severe allergic reaction. Since then, consumers have been active in the debate. In 2002, a concerned mother in Oregon took the initiative to push for labeling of genetically modified products; however this campaign was defeated by the $4.6 million spent on the industry’s counter ca mpaign. In 1992, the government helped promote GMO products again. Vice President Dan Quayle stated: â€Å"We will ensure that biotech products will receive the same oversight as other products instead of being hammered by unnecessary regulations.† What he was actually recommending was that there should be no regulations at all on GMO products. GM food later was placed under the category generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The forces behind GM food received regulatory approval by claiming that the process is â€Å"substantially equivalent† to classical breeding practices and therefore should not be regulated. There has been much corroboration between the giant biotech company Monsanto and the government. For example, Micky Kantor, who was secretary of commerce, also served as Board of Director of Mosanto and Lidia Watrud, an Environmental Protection Agency and also Monsanto researcher; and the list goes on and on. However, what truly allow farmers to go on producing G M corn are subsidies from the government.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Will Genetically Modified Foods Doom Us All? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Prevalence and Involved Plants According to the United States Department of Agriculture and the FDA, over forty plant types exist that have fulfilled all of the national requirements for selling (Sforza). Examples of these plants include cantaloupes and tomatoes that have customized ripening traits, sugar beets and soy beans that are anti-herbicides, cotton plants and corn with improved resistance to vermin, and potato plants with the genes of chickens and giant silk moths to increase disease resistance. However, not all of these products have been available in supermarkets or grocery stores until now. Still, the number of GM foods that are available in US supermarkets is large. Even though there are only a few wholly genetically modified vegetables, fru its, and crops available, almost anything else that is sold in supermarkets contains at least some amount of genetically modified ingredients, unprocessed ingredients come from several places. How would you like to know that your potato was mixed with chicken and giant silk moth genes or that your corn contains the genes of fireflies (Zinnen and Voichick 35)? Benefits of Genetically Modified Foods GM foods do have several benefits. These benefits are directly related to human health and the environment. The first benefit of a GM food is pest resistance. Did you know that the total loss from pests account for 65–80% of attainable yields (Oerke and Dehne). These crop losses due to insect vermin can be overwhelming. Insects not only create devastating economic losses for farmers but also create malnutrition or famine in developing nation. Another argument in support of GM foods is that every year agriculturists use several tons of chemical insect killers. It is proven that eatin g food that is treated with high amounts of pesticides may cause potential health hazards to consumers. Finally, the use of these pesticides and fertilizers may contaminate the water supply. At the end of the farming season, the land is washed away by water, and this water carries all the toxic chemicals, resulting in environmental pollution. Planting GM crops such as corn that is inserted with Bacillus thuringiensis can help in eradicating the use of these toxic chemicals and decrease the market price because the yield of crops (supply) will be greater. Hence, potential hazards, environmental risks, and world hunger could be reduced.Advertising Looking for research paper on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second benefit of GM foods is that genetic modification provides herbicide tolerance (â€Å"Herbicide Use and GM Crops† 1). Usually, farmers spray vast amounts of weed killers rather than eliminate them through physical methods, such as digging. Weed killers are easier to apply and longer lasting. Through the use of GM crop plants, which can resist potent herbicides, environmental harm can be diminished by decreasing the quantity of herbicides used. For example, Monsanto has produced a strain of soybeans genetically modified so that the more tolerant to herbicide effect. A farmer cultivating these soybeans only needs to make a single application of herbicides instead of several applications, thereby decreasing production expenditure and the risks of agricultural-waste overspill. The third benefit is disease resistance. A wide variety of fungi, viruses, and bacteria exist that can lead to the loss of crops through infection. Biologists are trying to produce plants with gen etically modified resistance to these infections. This will in turn lead to a healthier environment because fewer toxic substances will be introduced into the environment for disease-resistance purposes. Disease resistant crops will result in high food production because of reduced losses of crops in the field and few costs of disease prevention. This will ultimately lead to sustainable food security in the world. The fourth benefit of GM foods is cold tolerance (Liang and Skinner 145). Unpredicted frost can annihilate vulnerable sprouts. Plants that are modified are less susceptible to temperatures that typically would kill unmodified sprouts through the use of antifreeze genes. For example, a gene from fish that live in cold water has been introduced in several plants that include tobacco and potatoes. This gene is antifreeze and helps these plants withstand extremely cold environments that would otherwise destroy them. These plants will increases food production, which in turn so lves some of the world’s hunger problem. In addition, it will also lower market value because greenhouses are not needed. The fifth benefit is salinity tolerance. Because the world’s population has increased and more land is used to build shelter than to grow food, farmers will have to cultivate crops in places formerly inappropriate for plant farming. Hence, there is a need for developing plants that can endure long phases of drought or high-salt conditions from the groundwater. For example, a tomato species that grows in salty environments has been developed.GM foods will help to increase food production in the world and hence counter instances of hunger in many parts of the world. The sixth benefit is nutrition. Undernourishment is widespread in developing countries, where people living in poverty depend on a single crop like rice as the main food staple. One of the more recent innovations in the field of GM foods is the invention of golden rice, rice that has been genetically modified to contain beta-carotene. Beta-carotene gives the grain a golden color. When it is consumed, the carotenoids transform into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A deficiency is a common cause of blindness and child mortality in underdeveloped countries. Other crops that have been genetically modified to increase their nutritive value include corn, cassava, bananas and sorghum. They all have higher levels of minerals and vitamins compared to conventional types. Because the Rockefeller Foundation financed the creation of this rice, the organization is going to present rice seeds at no cost to any developing nation that needs them, with the aim of improving human health. Consumption of these biofortified foods could help improve the health of people in underdeveloped and developing countries. The seventh benefit of genetically modified foods is their economic viability. The technology has been largely beneficial in developing countries where it is credited with creation of jobs and increased income. Genetically modified foods are high yielding and many employees are needed to handle the crops in all the stages of processing and storage. For example, a recent study conducted in India revealed that Bt cotton, a genetically modified type of cotton, generates income that is 82% higher than the income generated by conventional cotton types. This gain in income contributes in the overall growth of the economy. Studies have shown that the income generated from Bt cotton, be it direct or indirect, raises the financial aggregate of India by $2 billion every year. A large portion of this income goes to households that live below the poverty line. In china, income generated by Bt cotton is in the range of $1 billion dollars every year. Genetically modified foods are contributing significantly in alleviating poverty and growing the economies of countries such as Pakistan, Argentina, South Africa, Mexico and Burkina Faso. The last benefit is in relation to phar maceuticals. Vaccines and drugs often are expensive to manufacture and at times need storage environments that are not available in developing nations. Scientists are now trying to create harmless vaccines and drugs that will naturally occur in potatoes and tomatoes. Bananas are also being genetically modified to cure hepatitis B (12 Bizarre Examples of Genetic Engineering: Banana Vaccines). Many fruits are now genetically modified by researchers to produce vaccines; however, banana is the most ideal. It will be easier to store these drugs and vaccines in the foods than to transport and direct vaccines injection, hence improving human health. Environmental Safety A key area of concern regarding GM foods is environmental safety. Critics and environmentalists are concerned about destruction to other species and the unintended effects of gene modification. Intended to fight pests, gene modification can disturb a range of balances in the environment. Studies reveal that pollen from B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis) corn results in elevated death rates in Monarch butterfly caterpillars (Hellmich 1). Monarch caterpillars use milkweed plants instead of corn as a host plant. However, the concern is that if pollen from B.t. corn is delivered by the wind onto milkweed vegetation in near regions, the caterpillars might consume the pollen and die. Sadly, B.t. contaminants kill several classes of insect larvae randomly. Currently, it is not possible to modify B.t. venom to destroy only crop-destructive pests and spare all other species right now, although in the future such advanced technology may be possible. The rise of â€Å"excellent† weeds and â€Å"excellent† pests is also an area of concern. Crops that have been modified for herbicide tolerance and weeds might crossbreed as the windborne plant’s pollen migrates and thus create unwanted weeds (Tambornino 5). These enhanced weeds will likely be able to tolerate herbicides, so they will be more difficu lt to eradicate. Some farmers have decided to eradicate weeds by physical means. GM foods also can carry a devastating effect on soil ecosystem. The chances for soil biota to be exposed to these genetically modified genes are high. Although there has not been a lot of research conducted in this area, it is proven that these B.t toxic remains active in the soil for 140 days more or less and it also affect insects. These cause worries as these toxics can be passed on to other organisms that feed on these insects. This also would be a serious concern for poor farmers in developing countries who refused to use chemical fertilizers. It is because soil fertility will be reduced dramatically as these B.t toxins slow down the rates of decomposition and nutrient release that are done by soil organisms. Another particular environmental hazard is the possibility for wild crosspollination to occur (â€Å"GM Foods Renewed Threat† 1). Other modified plants’ genes may intersect with normal crops placed beside GM crops. Related concerns involve the involuntary formation of new super pests that would be resistant to several insect killers. In a similar fashion that some bacteria grow tolerant to nearly all antibiotics in the human body due to the excessive use of antibiotics, GMO farming can result in pesticide-resistant â€Å"excellent† pests. One such case study involves a legal suit brought by Monsanto. The corporation filed a patent violation against the farmers who they alleged were producing GM crops without using Monsanto GM seeds and paying Monsanto reimbursement (â€Å"Percy Schmeiser Stands Up to Monsanto†). However, it was found out later that the farmer’s crops had been polluted by another farmer’s GM crops planted a few miles away. Food Safety Another concern that GM foods bring with them are the chances of new allergies being produced (Tambornino 5). Data shows that almost a quarter of Americans show an adverse effect to one or more foods. Opponents of GMOs say that adding genes to plants can bring about extra food allergies and thus have adverse health effects. Several children in Europe and the United States have experienced acute allergies to peanuts and other foods. Again, the suggestion to integrate a genetic material from Brazil nuts into soybeans was dismissed because of the fear of causing unanticipated allergic responses. Several people are concerned that if one of the genes from a nut were transmitted to a new food crop, people with an allergy to nuts could unknowingly eat the allergen and suffer potentially dangerous effects. Therefore, the modification of genes from known allergenic foods is rejected unless it can be verified that the end product is not allergic. Developed foods usually are not examined for allergenic characteristics. So far, genetically modified foods in the market have had no allergic consequences. However, because of the fear of having allergic reactions to food, the European Union (EU) decided to ban most imports of GM food. Recently, the EU banned contaminated honey with trace amounts of pollen from genetically modified corn  from general sale (Phillips). There is a rising fear that introducing â€Å"alien† genes into crop plants might have unanticipated and harmful effects on human health. The latest studies show that there are significant differences in the guts of rodents that consume genetically modified food and rats that consume unmodified food (Tambornino 5). This study was done by Arpad Pusztai. After the trials, he found out that the all the rats are underweight but this is expected for a potato – based died. Disturbingly, upon dissection he found out that the rats that have been fed by GM potatoes have lower organs weight and depressed immune system. This has been confirmed by him that the changes found in those rats were due to the DNA construct used regularly for making GM foods. However, most scientists say that GM foods do not pose human health risks. Therefore, a broad assessment of GM foods may be needed to ensure that GM foods will not harm people with food allergies. Classification of GM foods and foodstuffs will obtain new significance. In conclusion, genetic modification can create plants that produce products with the desired features quickly and precisely. However, genetically modified foods have a large variety of impacts on human beings and the environment. A key area of concern regarding GM foods is environmental safety. The production of GM foods can kill other species, such as Monarch butterflies, and it can create wild crosspollination (i.e., the superweed). GM foods can destroy the balance of nature and create a death cycle in which normal crops are modified to have higher tolerance to pests, and, because of their higher tolerance, pests become even more tolerant and hence stronger methods are required to control them. Surely, people just want what is best for everyone. Produc ers want to make profits, and consumers want a safe environment. However, consumers should be the top priority here because they are the ones who fund the production of GM foods. It all falls in the hands of the consumers. Even if the government decides to fund the production of GM foods, what can it do if people reject the foods? How can producers keep insisting on producing GM foods as they watch their own environment deteriorate? At some point, the value of life will outweigh money. Until then, the selling of GM foods should be stopped until the science is perfected. Currently, the risks and benefits of GM foods are almost equally balanced. The benefits and risks counter each other. However, there are still risks in GM foods. Scientists have said that they have not found any health concerns in humans when they consumed GM foods, but GM foods have had some effects on rodent test subjects. Researchers found that the rodents fed GM food showed significant differences in their stomac hs from rodents that were fed non modified food. Despite these concerns, GM food is still widely available in supermarkets. Are you willing to risk your family’s and your health by consuming these products? Throughout the years, the secrets of GMO have been buried by Monsanto. If GM foods are safe, why is Monsanto trying so hard to conceal GM ingredients or to cover up the fact that these GM foods are harmful to rodent test subjects? Now that the truth is out, it is up to you to decide what to believe and what changes to make. Works Cited â€Å"12 Bizarre Examples of Genetic Engineering: Banana Vaccines.† Mother Nature Network.Web.. Flores, Vanessa S., and Allan J. Tobin. â€Å"Genetically Modified (GM) Foods Teaching Critical Thinking.†Ã‚  American Biology Teacher  65.3 (2003): 180-4.  ERIC.  Web.. Garcia, Maria Alice, and Miguel A. Altieri. â€Å"Transgenic Crops: Implications for Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture.†Bulletin of Science Tech nology and Society  25.4 (2005): 335-53.  ERIC.  Web.. â€Å"Genetically Modified (GM) Foods—Renewed Threat to Europe.† banGMFood.org. Web. Hall, Clare, and Dominic Moran. â€Å"Investigating GM Risk Perceptions: A Survey of Anti-GM and Environmental Campaign Group Members.†Ã‚  Journal of Rural Studies  22.1 (2006): 29-37.  ERIC.  Web.. Hellmich, Richard. â€Å"Monarch Butterflies and Bt Corn.† Web.. â€Å"Herbicide Use and GM Crops.† Friends of the Earth. Web.. Liang, George H., and Daniel Z. Skinner. Genetically Modified Crops: Their Development, Uses, and Risks. New York, NY: Food Products Press, 2004. Print. Makoni, Nathaniel, and Jennifer Mohammed-Katerere. â€Å"Genetically Modified Crops.† Slideshare. Web.. Oerke, E.-C., and H.-W. Dehne, â€Å"Safeguarding Production—Losses in Major Crops and the Role of Crop Protection.†Web.. â€Å"Percy Schmeiser Stands Up To—and Takes Down—Monsanto.† V egsource. Web.. Phillips, Leigh. â€Å"EU Bans GM-Contaminated Honey from General Sale† The Guardian. Web.. Sforza, Kevin, Tyler Bazzoli, Zachary Boyles, and Ashley Bloxom. â€Å"Are GM Foods More Harm than Good?† Genetically Modified Foods. Web.. Sorgo, Andrej, and Jana Ambrozic-Dolinsek. â€Å"Knowledge of, Attitudes Toward, and Acceptance of Genetically Modified Organisms among Prospective Teachers of Biology, Home Economics, and Grade School in Slovenia.†Ã‚  Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education  38.3 (2010): 141-50.  ERIC.  Web.. Tambornino, Lisa. â€Å"Genetically Modified Foods.† DRZE. Web.27 Oct. 2012. The Future of Food. Dir. Deborah Koons. Perf. Andrew Kimbrell. Lily Films, 2004. DVD. Zinnen, Tom, and Jane Voichick.â€Å"Biotechnology and Food: Leader and Participant Guide.† Web.. This research paper on Will Genetically Modified Foods Doom Us All? was written and submitted by user Alondra Maynard to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Chemistry of Photography1 essays

The Chemistry of Photography1 essays Photography is a very complex form of art, which uses standard chemicals and scientific equations. It is a chemical reaction, which occurs when light hits a film or paper emulsion. An emulsion is part of the film or paper, which is very sensitive to light. This is also the part where the chemical reaction takes place. In an emulsion, are small crystals of silver halide, silver bromide, silver chloride, or silver iodide [Eaton, George]. These chemical crystals react with light when it is passed through a camera, to create an image on paper [Foto Info]. The development of film production has a very simple chemical equation, most widely known as: This equation expresses how when any form of light is added to silver X, it creates silver plus the X [Mad Scientist]. In most cases, the AgX represents one of the compounds above. In the photographic process, there are three main chemicals used. These are the developer, the stop bath, and the fixer. The developer, or the reducer, is the chemical that completes the reaction with the light exposure, by reacting with the silver, to create metallic silver [Britannica Online]. This process is called reduction. Common reducers used are hydroquinone, phenidone, metol, pyro, and absorbic acid. If you combine two of these reducers, it creates superadditivity. Some common combinations are metol and hydroquinone, which produce MQ, or phenidone and hydroquinone, which produce PQ. [Foto Info] Each of the chemicals used in the developer have their own specific qualities and features. When hydroquinone is used alone, it can be a very slow reducer. When metol is used, it brings out detail very quickly. Phenidone is almost never used by itself. If it is combined with hydroquinone, it keeps detail, but at the same time, it increases contrast. If used alone, it is very fast but has low contrast. One of the less commonly used of these developers is pyro. T ...

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Through these, the company has remained in position to control their finances, their demand, supply rotating around labor supply, the raw materials supply and even the supply to the market has remained controlled hence influencing the business and the company’s growth. The company dominates a value chain that with its Chandlerian model in industrial administration aspects. An integrated company has a high level of vertical integrity applicable in defining their brand to the market. The sector matrix through the dynamics held internally has grown to have a positive impact to the general performance of the organization. Their targets of mass markets and standardized products dominant in quality make them a company to reckon with in the automotive industry. Through these, the demand for the company’s products and their supply remains on a positive scale weighing well for the owners of the company. The positive results it boosts of result from these making it a good example for the case on sector matrix. A bad example on the sector matrix is that of the Lehman Brothers. A company that was closed down due to the poor management of their supply and demand factors. The failure of the company was leveled on the financial crisis that the world faced during the great depressions and financial turmoil experienced in 2008. The poor preparation effects and the failure to detect and proactively plan from down times also mark the company’s failure. The demand factor was handled well by the company. The challenges met that drew the company down included the supply effects. The failure to control and sustain the demand and the pressure exerted on the financial position of the company and the supply chain changes made the company close down. Aspects of sector matrix aim at controlling factors of demand and supply. The demand for the services that the company offered was high though at

Materials for a Business Jet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Materials for a Business Jet - Essay Example In the paper, a comparison of the related costs of using the five different aircraft materials is shown. When using CFRP, there are also savings of assembling manpower. There will also be savings due to the reduced weight of using composite materials like CFRP and Kevlar.Maintenance cost of a material is determined by several variables. These include the density, ultimate tensile strength, tensile yield strength, durability (fatigue) and fracture toughness properties listed. In a comparison of the related costs of using the five different aircraft materials is shown, the properties of the five materials studied here are displayed. The aluminum alloys have properties which are specific to the number of the series they belong to. The alloy series is categorized by the metal that is the major alloying element. For instance, the 5xxx series aluminum alloys contain magnesium as the major alloying element. The 5xxx series alloys have moderate to high strength and good corrosion resistance. They are not heated treatable. Mechanical properties and strength are less desirable than in the 2xxx and 7xxx series. The 7xxx series aluminum alloys have zinc as the major alloying element. These alloys have the greatest strength of the heat-treated alloys. The 7xxx series alloys also have good heat-treating qualities. In a paper, the particular conditions and tempers used to obtain the material property values are as follows: For aluminum 7475, the T61 temper was used. For aluminum 5052, the H34 condition properties were used. For aluminum 2124, used T351 condition/temper. Kevlar K49 used for density, shear strength and modulus, and yield strength. For density and ultimate tensile strength, used Dupont Kevlar 49 Aramid fiber. For CFRP, data is for Type P-VSB-32 (Union Carbide) carbon fibers. Aluminum alloy 7475 has lower impurity limits than 7075. Aluminum 7475 is used for aircraft structures because of its good fracture toughness.

Identify the role of risk management in a business operation Assignment

Identify the role of risk management in a business operation - Assignment Example Roles and responsibilities that may be mandated during federally declared disasters may not apply in an event like the shooting at Sandy Hook† (par. 1). If a disaster plan was in place, it would have significantly averted or prevented the fatal shooting. In the first place, the entry point should have been made more secure. As noted from news report and cited by Governor Malloy: â€Å"the gunman used "an assault weapon" to ‘literally (shoot) an entrance into the building’† (Sandy Hook shooting: What happened?, 2012, p. 1). From here on, no emergency plans were evidently applied since the perpetuator was able to enter freely and had inflicted fatal shots successively, prior to taking his own life. Although reporting to the authorities have also been revealed, it was apparent that despite the immediate and urgent response, the casualties had already be made. In just a matter of less than five minutes, a lot of lives have been lost. A plan could have made the children and adults more protected and secured; and would have enabled the exercise of appropriate response that prevented the entry, and prevented the loss of lives of these unsuspectingly young and helpless

How hector berlioz transformed the conception of the symphony

How hector berlioz transformed the conception of the symphony How Hector Berlioz Transformed the Conception of the Symphony With his breakthrough symphony â€Å"Symphony Fantastique,† Hector Berlioz set the tone for a new type of composing that would amaze the 19th century. With his amazing symphony, he defined the way programmatic music was written. The in-depth story that correlated so well with the music changed the way people viewed composition and the symphony. As influential as this monster symphony was, Berliozs catalog contained many other works, all influential in their own ways. It is no secret that Hector Berlioz changed that way that works were composed in the 19th century. What is even more amazing is that he changed the way people listened to works as well. Over the course of his lifetime, Berlioz composed in many different styles and forms. This ranged from symphonies to overtures to operas. Berlioz presented a style of composing that was before this unheard of. Berlioz sought to portray the widest range of moods possible through his music, much like his idol William Shakespeare did with his literature. For his music, Berlioz enlarged the size of the orchestra to hundreds of people to allow for the wild swings of mood. Berlioz also experimented with new instruments to achieve the range in sounds he desired: the ophicleide, the English horn, the harp, the cornet, and the newly invented saxophone. Berlioz had a very unique approach to musical form and challenged many musical conventions. He rarely used strict sonata- allegro form or theme and variation. Although this was an interesting and innovative measure, other composers of his time were a lot more critical. They spoke out against his pieces, calling them monstrous and bizarre, and even suggested that Berlioz was insane. Some of his most remembered works include Les Troyens (The Trojans), â€Å"La Damnation of Faust, and Symphony Fantastique. Symphony Fantastique, his most celebrated work, can be considered one of the single most influential compositions of the entire 19th century. Although the form and orchestration were revolutionary, whats more is the vivid story it tells, and the fact that its the first complete program symphony. The story surrounding Symphonie Fantastique, involves Harriet Smithson, one of the many loves of Hectors life. Berlioz wrote the Symphonie Fantastique, not in the usual four movements of a symphony, but in five, an arrangement that may have been inspired Shakespeares use of a five- act format. Movements 1 and 5 balance each other in length and substance, as do 2 and 4, leaving the 3rd movement as the center of the work. Berlioz creates a single melody that reappears as a unifying force, movement after movement a total of 8 times during the symphony. Berlioz takes the technique of Beethoven recalling melodies by recalling it constantly, and associating it with an object his beloved Harriet. This musical fixation came to be called his idà ©e fixe (fixed idea.) As Berliozs feelings about Harriet changed from movement to movement, the idà ©e fixe changed along with them. Symphonie Fantastique had many things the audience had never heard before December 5, 1830 when it was first played: new instruments, novel playing effects, simultaneous melodies in different keys, and a form that grows out of the events, unlike any other. Throughout the story, Symphonie Fantastique tells the story of unrequited love, attempted suicide, imaginary murder, and hellish revenge. As in Symphonie Fantastique, Berlioz used his uniqueness to create many more musical works, and become somewhat of a ‘cutting- edge composer. Berlioz alters pitches and assigns different instruments to play the different pitches, as well as adding different tones, colors, and feelings in all of his compositions. These differences, along with his effort to be unlike those before him, may have been what made Louis Hector Berlioz one of the most important composers of the 19th, or any century.

Gesture as a Mediating Factor in Speech and Sign Language Storytelling :: Language Education Teaching

Gesture as a Mediating Factor in Speech and Sign Language Storytelling There are many hearing individuals who do not know sign language but move their hands when speaking. Chances are these people would have a hard time telling the same story if asked not to use their hands. Additionally, the story told without the assistance of gesture would likely seem lackluster by comparison. The question becomes, to what degree is gesture an integral part of effective storytelling and how much does it add to the complexity and richness of a story? How does the gesture used in oral storytelling compare to that used in American Sign Language (ASL) storytelling? If gesture is taken into consideration, will the complexity of information conveyed be equivalent between languages? These are questions that Drs. Sarah Taub, Dennis Galvan, and Pilar Pià ±ar sought to answer in their recent study on the contribution of hand and body movements to the complexity and depth of ASL, English, and Spanish storytelling (Taub, Galvan, & Pià ±ar, 2004). Dennis Galvan Pilar Pià ±ar Sarah Taub Psychology Foreign Languages Linguistics Forming Questions The inspiration to explore the above questions grew from the .ndings of Galvan and Taub’s previous study (2004) in which they compared narratives by native ASL and English users. Results from this study indicated that when compared with English users, ASL signers consistently incorporated much more conceptual A Publication of the Gallaudet Research Institute at Gallaudet University Spring 2005 Kozol Presentation Combines Wit, Wisdom, Outrage, and Compassion** By Robert C. Johnson Jonathan Kozol, author of such books as Death at an Early Age and Savage Inequalities, gave a presentation at Gallaudet on March 30 called â€Å"Shame of the Nation: Resegregation, Inequality, and Over- Testing in Public Education.† The talk was sponsored by the Gallaudet Research Institute as part of its Schaefer Distinguished Lecture Series. In addition to the presentation, Kozol participated in several other sessions with Gallaudet faculty and students in which he reported learning a great deal about deaf students and their educational needs. He said he was particularly intrigued to learn from Gallaudet Department of Education faculty and students—deaf and hearing— that the statement â€Å"separate is never equal† does not necessarily apply to deaf students, many of whom thrive in education programs outside the mainstream. Kozol said his focus has not been on separate programs that are well designed and effectively meeting students’ needs. His concern is that current governmental and socioeconomic factors in America are depriving many students of quality educational experiences because of â€Å"racial apartheid† which is forcing too many minority children to stay in inferior learning environments. During a question and answer session with Kozol, Dr. Barbara Gerner de Garcia, a faculty member in Gallaudet’s Department of Educational Foundations and Research, pointed out