Introduction to Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Introduction to Microeconomics - Essay Example Figure 1 shows the pattern of farm gate prices: In 2004-2005, UK still remained as the lowest farm gate priced dairy producer for the 7th consecutive year. Comparing prices, the UK has a 37% gap as compared to Italy who receive a milk price of 35.8 euros/100kg compared to UK at 25.9. The reasons that were deemed to have caused this low farm gate price are the industries poor selling systems, bad forward contracts, excess profits up the dairy food chain, too much spring milk and currency effect or the  £ / Euro relationship. However, even with the loss of farmers, the UK milk and dairy industry has grown gradually but steadily since 1998 and the total value of the market increased by 2.9% to  £7.23bn in 2002 (DEFRA, 2006b).Why then in spite of the loss of producers, is the industry thriving? A September 2005 report by the Milk Development Council revealed that there was a discrepancy between the profits received by sectors of the supply chain. That is, some of them are earning excessive profits at the expense of the others. The report showed that supermarket, retail and processor gross margins on dairy products have increased over the past 10 years. Farm gate prices were also higher on average during 2004 as compared to 2003 but this increase was minimal as can be seen by the figure below: The problem now becomes apparent. The farm gate prices being low, it is expected that local and international sales of the product would be high. This is because low production costs usually mean low sales price. However, because of the high margin imposed on the product by businessmen, the products total production costs becomes much larger leading to higher sales price. This translates to lower sales volume because there is an inverse relationship between price and demand. This unfair share of profits and the low farm gate are what caused Scottish dairy farmers to conduct a blockade over the countrys major milk

Food Policy Reform in Schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Food Policy Reform in Schools - Essay Example The program also aims to provide opportunities for various stakeholders including parents, agriculturists, retailers, etc. However, in recent times it is found that the program are unable to achieve their objectives as the nutritional status of populations have changed over the last 50 years and populations are affected with a different set of disorders compared to what was present more than 50 years ago. Hence, recommendations need to be laid down which would more effectively ensure the success of the school food programs and ensured hat the taxpayers money is put to better use. Food Policy Reform in Schools Introduction The aim of this study would to review the food reform policies that are implemented for schools across various states of the US. The aim of the food policy is to implement a population-based approach so that the diet of children is improved, their nutritional status is benefitted and various nutritional disorders such as obesity and deficiency are prevented. An impo rtant aspect of the topic is the fact that children’s diet in schools would play an important role in developing future food behavior, establish an appropriate BMI. Children spend a significant portion of their time at schools and these fruitful hours in education also need to take into consideration other activities such as exercises, food eating habits and psychosocial development. Most Americans spend life at schools for the first 16 years of their lives and hence is exposed to the food available at schools at least at some point (Adamick 2010). Over the past few years, the food problem in schools have escalated very seriously as unhealthy eating habits were being developed and promoted. Vending machines, fast food cultures, cafeterias and junk food stalls been sources of unhealthy food (Public Health Law Center 2010). Kate Adamick (co-founder, Cook for America), considers that having a school food reform program may not only be effective as the economy is sick and the cos ts of such programs would be prohibitively high. Also considering the fact that the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) have certain set standards available for nutritional content and that junk food which is also easily available at schools does not need to meet any nutrient content. Schools may sell these junk food items through cafeteria, fundraising events, school stores, vending machines or snack bars (Adamick 2010). In analysis, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) have been provided by the federal government to students of school and children care facilities across the US, regardless of the income status or the social status of the families. These programs have been authorized under the statues Child Nutrition Act 1966 and the National School Lunch Act 1946. The Statutes involves creating a policy for providing food to children from schools at a subsidized rate (or free for qualified students) whilst ensuing that the various stakeholders in this scheme are benefited. The various stakeholders including the children, parents, teachers, school management, Federal government, state government, US Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, etc. The program was further modified for including snacks provided to children up to the age of 18 years. More than 31 million children across the US are benefited

The Naval Blockade Of Cuba History Essay

The Naval Blockade Of Cuba History Essay Since the morning of October 16, 1962, it has been clear that Robert F. Kennedys involvement in the Cuban missile crisis was the definitive factor in the prevention of war. In the months precluding October, U.S owned U-2 spy planes discovered that the Soviet Union were building surface-to-air missile launch sites. Suspicion was also raised from reports that there was an increase in the number of Soviet ships arriving in Cuba, which the United States government feared were carrying weapons. President John F. Kennedy and his own Intelligence Department watched on with great alarm, and seemed to tolerate the arms being supplied to Cuba, as long as the Soviets did not begin to place nuclear missiles there. On September 11th, 1962, J. Kennedy warned the U.S.S.R that he would prevent by whatever means might be necessary Cubas becoming of an offensive military base. Robert F. Kennedy became involved when on October 16th, 1962, President John F. Kennedy revealed to him that a U-2 had just fi nished a photographic mission two days earlier, and had produced evidence that Russia was placing missiles and atomic weapons in Cuba, thus confirming the countries first suspicions. For the next thirteen days, the Cuban missile crisis became R. Kennedys life  [2]  , as he joined the Presidents Executive Committee of the National Security Council, or EXCOMM, to discuss a reasonable but efficient strategy. The members of the EXCOMM discussed, with the help of Robert F. Kennedy, 5 possible courses of action  [3]  : Do nothing. Use diplomatic pressure to get the Soviet Union to remove the missiles. An air attack on the missiles. A full military invasion The naval blockade of Cuba, which was redefined as a more selective quarantine. For each strategy, pros and cons were discussed between the members, and it was mutually agreed upon that a plan that would avoid conflict, while still showing the U.S.A to be strong and serious about the situation, had to be conceived. The Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, General Maxwell. D. Taylor, whom was the military adviser for EXCOMM, disagreed and believed that the full-scale attack and invasion was the only probable solution. However, R. Kennedy was extremely sceptical of this, and it was he who helped develop the strategy to blockade Cuba, as it was, in his own mind, the only option that would avoid nuclear war. It was also important for the United States to redefine the blockade as a selective quarantine, as a blockade is a direct act of war. In reference to the other options available, and especially the air strike, R. Kennedy said: Youre going to kill an awful lot of people and we are going to take a lot of heat for it à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ youre going to announce the reason that youre doing it is because theyre sending this kind of missiles, well, I think its almost incumbent upon the Russians then to say, Well, were going to send them in again, and if you do it again à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ were going to do the same thing to Turkey or Iran. He also believed that attacking Cuba by air would gesture the Soviets to presume a clear line to blockade Berlin, which they had done previously in 1948 after the conclusion of World War II. If the U.S. was to lose Berlin, R. Kennedy believed her allies would lose faith. He feared that doubt would be casted on the superpower, and that many would believe the only reason they lost Berlin was because they could not peacefully resolve the Cuban situation  [4]  . On the 24th October, the blockade began, and the first 20 missile-carrying ships that were closest to the 800km blockade zone at the time stopped or turned around, in order to avoid their ships being searched  [5]  . It is clear that without the ideas R. Kennedy put forth, an uncivil military strike would have been initiated, and it is for this reason that he is credited with playing the most pivotal role in precluding nuclear war. With R. Kennedys help and support, the U.S.A. had only successfully stopped one problem of the crisis, for they still had to deal with the missiles already in Cuba. After many negotiations, requests, and exit strategies were discussed between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R, a plan of action became apparent to the Soviets. They would agree to dismantle their Cuban missiles in exchange for the U.S. never invading Cuba, and the removal of the U.S. owned Jupiter missiles in Turkey and Italy. R. Kennedy was, at first, against this and was only willing to agree upon the no invasion policy. He believed that this would show a sign of weakness, something that the United States was strongly trying to avoid. However, as no other options became apparent, R. Kennedy suggested their removal after a period of 6 months, as there were already plans to disassemble them. John F. Kennedy suggested his brother be the man to speak with Soviet Ambassador for the United States Anatoly Dobrynin about the crisis, a nd it was his negations with the Ambassador that played the most essential role in the final circumstances of the predicament. R. Kennedys contact with Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin was his second biggest contribution to the Cuban missile crisis. Three times R. Kennedy met with Dobrynin, with each meeting being held in secret so that both sides, the U.S and U.S.S.R, could talk freely. Together, they discussed ideas to work out a solution. This allowed R. Kennedy to successfully convey his brothers wishes to Dobrynin, which, as stated before, called for the secret removal of all Jupiter missiles in Turkey and Italy. R. Kennedy had to make it clear that if the Soviets were to go public with their agreement, the U.S. would strongly deny it. He stated to Dobrynin that the missiles would be removed within a short time after the crisis was over, to avoid suspicion from the U.S. citizens. After each meeting, Dobrynin would cable a report through to the Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev, telling his superior of new developments in the crisis, who evidently valued these reports greatly. R. Kennedy, being an infl uential American official, was capable of accurately informing Dobrynin and the Soviets how urgent the situation was. This direct contact with the Soviets was the key feature in the outcome of the Cuban missile crisis, and portrays how important R. Kennedys role was in the crisis. On October 29th Russian Premier Nikitia Khrushchev wrote a letter to John F. Kennedy stating that: The Soviet government, in addition to previously issued instructions on the cessation of further work at the building sites for the weapons, has issued a new order on the dismantling of the weapons which you describe as offensive and their crating and return to the Soviet Union. The quarantine continued to watch over Cuba to ensure that all offensive weapons were shipped out, and on November 20th, 1962 at 6:45pm the blockade was formally ended, although it was not till December 5th and 6th that the final Soviet missiles were shipped off. True to his word and the informal agreement, R. Kennedy made sure that all U.S. missiles were disassembled, and by April 24, 1963 the last of the missiles had been defected and were flown out of Turkey shortly after. These final actions show that the work R. Kennedy contributed to the United States throughout the Cuban missile crisis was extremely fundamental in the avoidance of nuclear war. It can be argued that Robert F. Kennedys role was mediocre and that the successful outcome of the Cuban missile crisis should be more broadly shared. He famously passed a note on to the president, which read: I now know how Tojo felt when he was planning Pearl Harbor. The argument arises because it is unclear if R. Kennedy was making an ironic comment, ridiculing the members of EXCOMM calling for an air strike, or if he in fact meant it literally. It could have been that in the early stages of the crisis, R. Kennedy was for an invasion of Cuba, and he genuinely felt the same way the Japanese would have. Despite this, further evidence shows that R. Kennedy clearly supported the blockade, and even by simply comparing a U.S. attack on Cuba with the Japaneses bombing of Pearl Harbor, R. Kennedy was able to discredit the pro-invasion members of EXCOMM. It would seem that the evidence taken from the secret meetings and initial strategies of the Cuban missile crisis shows how crucial Robert F. Kennedys role was in precluding nuclear war. The 1930s taught a clear lesson for the world; that aggressive conduct, if allowed to go unchecked and unchallenged, ultimately leads to war. The evidence suggests that the Soviets antagonism would have led to nuclear war, and it is therefore accurate in stating that Robert F. Kennedy played the most pivotal role in averting nuclear war, as he was indeed the key voice against the U.S.S.R during the Cuban missile crisis.

West Side Story Essay -- essays research papers

West Side Story   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this musical, it uses several types of narratives, for example, after the fight between the Jets and Puerto Ricans, after the police leave, they enter the ally and the girl is begging to join the gang saying how much she wants to fight is a part of narrative sexuality (B 34). The girl is more of a tom boy who wants to be like one of the guys.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Also, in the West Side Story, it uses many camera angles and distances. One example is the high-angle shot (B 49). In the very beginning the camera shows an overview of the West Side. I think that is shows this because it gives the audience a perspective on how large the West Side is. It also shows a distance shot (B 49) when the police arrive to the fight scene where the...

Martin Kuther King

â€Å"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. , A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches â€Å"Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. , I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World â€Å"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"I have decided to stick to love†¦Hate is too great a burden to bear. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. , A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches â€Å"Let no man pul l you so low as to hate him. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. , A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"Only in the darkness can you see the stars. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. ?Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"A man who won't die for something is not fit to live. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. , The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. â€Å"Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of tr ue education. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"Everybody can be great†¦ because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they'd die for. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry.He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘ Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls. † ? Martin Luther King Jr. , I Have A Dream http://www. goodreads. com/author/quotes/23924. Martin_Luther_King_Jr_

Environmental Science Final Project Essay

Earth provides us with many resources to accommodate our needs like food, oil/gas, minerals, and so much more. The problem that all countries seem to face is atmospheric pollution, such as global warming. Global warming is a big priority when it comes to pollution in modern society. In this paper I will bring to your attention the problems we face with global warming, which nonliving/living factors contribute to or are affected by the problem, the effects it has on humans, our current sustainability strategy, my sustainability plan, benefit and challenges of the plan, and required government, societal, and global support. The problem with global warming is that when CO2 and other heat-trapping emissions are released into the air, they act like a blanket, holding heat in our atmosphere and warming the planet. Overloading our atmosphere with carbon has far-reaching effects for people all around the world, including rising sea levels, increasing wildfires, more extreme weather, deadly h eat waves, and more severe droughts (â€Å"Global Warming†, 2013). Human activity is the biggest contributor to global warming, for example when we use fossil fuel we are releasing CO2 into the air from our vehicles and when we use it to generate electricity, CO2 can also be released when we cause deforestation. According to Gale (2013), â€Å"Crowded landfills, polluted water, and poor air quality are just a few of the environmental problems that affect both industrial and developing nations. Perhaps less obvious but no less ominous a threat to the environment is the general increase in temperatures worldwide and the resulting climate changes. This phenomenon, known as global warming, could have serious negative effects on humans and all other living things on Earth. Global warming is a complex problem, and governments have had great difficulty deciding how to address it.† First of all, we need to realize that the biggest contributor to global warming is our everyday activities.  Whether it be driving a vehicle, operating plants, deforestation, and so forth. According to â€Å"Atmospheric Pollution: Global Warming and a Possible Use of Bio-Fuels in a Wide Scale,† â€Å"Global warming is causing climate changes [7]-[19], producing significant consequences to human society and biodiversity, such as the poles melting, with the increasing of oceans level, increasing intensity of hurricanes, extreme events, changes in rainfall patterns (floods, desertification), oceans acidification and biodiversity decreasing [20]- [25]. Therefore, it can cause monumental damage to the economic system, as described in the Stern report [26]. For example in the 1999’s to 2000 some areas in the United States experienced record breaking heat temperatures, at the beginning of this year Australia endured a heat wave that caused hundreds of fires. Most importantly here in the U.S. our society had to suffer from loss as well because of Hurricane Katrina, people were displaced from homes and it caused billions of dollars in damages. When catastrophic events like this occur, people aren’t the only ones affected. Animal life is as well, because their habitats are destroyed. As you can see everything is affected by global warming. The positive and negative impact global warming has on the human race can change from one year to the next depending on how much CO2 we are emitting into the atmosphere. As of now we are emitting high levels of pollutants into the air. According to â€Å"Impacts of Climate Change† (2013), â€Å"Recent studies of how climate change might affect human health expanded particularly swiftly in the 1990s, catching the attention not only of experts but the public. Here as in some other categories, the work was increasingly supervised not by a particular government but by international organizations, from the venerable World Health Organization to the new International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, established 1988). Yet here as in some other categories, it was becoming clear that global generalizations were of little value compared with studies at a regional level. For example, insect vectors of tropical diseases like dengue fever and malaria (which already affected half a billion people) would expand their ranges. The main impacts would be felt in developing nations, but people in the developed world tended to worry chiefly about how such diseases might spread to the temperate zones.† The only positive eff ects I see occurring are regions that are known for having cold climates like Canada, would eventually have warmer weather. However, I  truly feel that positive and negative effects play hand in hand. One region in the world will have great weather, and another will be really damaging. In order to have a balance there needs to be sustainability. At this very moment there are thousands of cities in the U.S. that have established different programs or projects to help reduce global warming issues like greenhouse gases. â€Å"Cities are approaching sustainable planning in a variety of ways. Some are preparing a separate sustainability plan as a guiding document for community-wide action. Others are adopting climate action plans that focus on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy conservation and other activities. Still others are incorporating the concept of sustainability in their comprehensive plans, either by adding an element to an existing plan or by making sustainability the overarching theme for a complete revamping of their plan (â€Å"Embracing Sustainability In Community Plans†, 2010)†. For example, in some communities here in the state I live in are encouraging people to recycle glass, cardboard, and plastic. While other communities or newly built subdivisions are pushing people towards energy conservation like getting energy efficient appliances. Most contractors here are actually selling homes that are furnished with energy efficient appliances, to promote energy conservation. Bike paths are being designated in towns where people can travel from their home to parks or grocery stores. If we all contribute to being a part of anyone of these projects, its outcome may be rewarding to not only us, but also our environment. As far as my plan goes to sustain the amount of greenhouse gases, is to start within my own home before I try to encourage the community to follow my plan. There are several ways I could reduce the amount of emission my family and I contribute to. We could be more energy efficient by updating our home like putting new windows in, upgrading our appli ances, our heating and cooling system, and our lighting throughout the home. Once I have completely updated our home, I plan to track how much money I saved in six months and compare it to the last six months prior to renovations. The purpose of doing this will help me encourage others to go green in their homes. Secondly, I need to consider riding a bike to work or to the park when permitted by the weather. This activity however, I would like to encourage friends and neighbors to have a bike day once a week during summer to convince them that there are healthier ways to protect our  environment and our health. The third project I would like to do is encourage my husband and his fellow coworkers to carpool to work, instead of taking separate vehicles. By using one vehicle they will be reducing the amount of greenhouse gases into the air versus the amount of emission five cars will give off. Lastly, I would like to start a recycling program for waste product that can be recyclable like cardboard, plastic, aluminum, and glass. I would like to get the whole to wn involved in this. There is a town that is close to mine that contract’s through a garbage company that gives incentives to their customers who recycle. They give the customer two garbage cans one for waste and the other for recyclable material. For those who recycle, receive a discount off their utility bill. This is a project that I would sincerely commit to accomplishing, because everyone wins in this. The environment, the discounts we get, and the garbage company. However, with plans there will always be challenges and barriers that I will need to overcome like the recycling project. I would have to talk to the city, the local garbage company, and possibly even higher authority to come up with a plan that will work for everyone. This is a process that will take a long time to accomplish. Going green in my home will be challenging because projects like this don’t happen all at one day. Another challenge is not everyone in the community will always have a bike. In this case, I could possibly do one week as bicycle day and another as a walkathon. Although there may be challenges that I may face the benefits to this would be much greater in the end, because it will motivate others, money will be saved, and the environ ment will look healthier. In order to achieve a goal as important as this one, we would need to have everyone on board such as our government, city officials, businesses, and the residence in the community. It only takes a few voices to be heard, but I would also find a research program locally or globally to help encourage those that need the encouragement on how badly greenhouse gases are affecting our world and local environments. Once our voices are publicly heard it will promote our sustainability project, and people maybe open minded to the idea. Given all these points on how greenhouse gases effect the environment, how do you currently feel about the issue? Because in all honesty, there was a time when I did not even have a clue on how greenhouse gases drastically effected the environment nor did I plan on reading about it. We need to keep in mind  that what we do today is going to affect us tomorrow, three years from now, and pushing forward into the future. We know that greenhouse gases is a problem, everyone /everything contributes to and is affected by it, the positive and negative effects, current sustainability strategies, my sustainability plan, the benefits/challenges, and lastly the support that is needed to achieve a sustainable program. Reference Page Global Warming. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/global_warming_101/ Sthel, M. S., Tavares, J. R., Lima, G. R., Mothà ©, G. G., Schramm, D. S., Da Silva, M. G., & Castro, M. P. (2009). Atmospheric Pollution: Global Warming and a Possible Use of Bio-Fuels in a Wide Scale. International Review Of Chemical Engineering – Rapid Communications, 1(6), 564-570. â€Å"Global Warming.† Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 12 Oct. 2013. Embracing Sustainability in Community Plans. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.clarionassociates.com/pdfs/herman-sustainability-community.pdf