Ray Bradbury Essay Example

Ray Bradbury Essay Having stolen a book, Montag smuggles it under his pillow instead of hiding it behind the vent. He is truly fascinated by the mystery of literature, he wonders what it is that makes him want to have them with him, and especially what makes books so great that the old woman decided to kill herself for them. Next morning Guy feels ill from thinking that he actually killed a woman for having books in her home. 14 He also feels terrified of showing up to work after having stolen the book, so he calls in sick for work. Inspired by Clarisse, Guy Montag starts thinking about his life, how he is unable to recall his life in any detail at all. He does not remember when he met Mildred for the first time, got married with her and why they do not have any children together. When he asks her she is equally blank about their lives together. Realising that his life has simply been a robot presence, we see the second turning point of Montags development, changing from the condition of uncertainty to the condition of minor rebellious thoughts and acts15. In his sick bed he also finds out that his young friend Clarisse has disappeared, possibly run over by a car. He has lost the only person he could talk to about anything else than what was on the parlour. We will write a custom essay sample on Ray Bradbury specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ray Bradbury specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ray Bradbury specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Having called in sick for work, Captain Beatty visits Guy on his sick bed. Captain Beatty knows what firemen go through when they experience death the way Montag did, knowing that he is wondering why books have been censored and why firemen are burning them, so Beatty carefully explains how it all started in the first place. He describes how minorities were offended by what was written in literature, how the authors generalised all the small groups. Authors, full of evil thoughts, lock up your typewriters. They did. Books, so the damned snobbish critics said, were dishwater. No wonder books stopped selling, the critics said. 16 This meant the people only wanted their comic books and erotic magazines, so actually it was not the government that excluded books, but the people. There was no dictum, no declaration, no censorship, to start with, no! 17 The firemen were just there to please the peoples wish, there were no orders from the state. This passage can very easily confuse the reader in which opinion Captain Beatty has towards the development of the book censorship. It seems like he was an intellectual person, as he speaks foul about comic magazines and of the critics who ruined the reputation of books. But he also explains that the word intellectual became the swear word it deserved to be. Books were considered a loaded gun in the house next door; people were afraid of intellectual men and women, so the firemen were simply given the role of burning the books; Getting rid of the dangerous gun. 18 He might have known that he too was a dangerous gun in the peoples eyes, so he joined the revolution. Not only knowing what Montag feels, Beatty knows about his illegal affairs, so he tells Montag that there is a policy allowing firemen with stolen books to have 24 hours to deliver them for destruction. Montag accepts this possibility to read the books, much to Mildreds disgust. Montag decides to come clean when Beatty leaves and shows Mildred his stash of books behind the vent. This is not only coming clean to the public, but also showing himself what he actually has been doing all this time. Overwhelmed by the task of reading, he remembers having met an English professor a while back by the name Faber. Montag asks Faber the true meaning of books, and is told that the value of books lies in the detailed awareness of life that they contain. He is also made aware that you need the freedom to act upon the ideas from the books. Montag is truly inspired by Faber, and is truthfully committed to getting rid of the censorship of books. Faber and Montags plan is to reproduce books, so that Montag can plant them in the other firemens houses, harming the reputation of the profession. Montag is also given a two-way ear piece so he and the professor can communicate at all time. 19 The feeling of rebellion gets to his head as he gets home, only to be greeted by his wife and her two friends talking uncaringly about the war that is to be declared at any time. Montag is aggravated by the little feeling in their conversation, and decides to read Dover Beach for them by Matthew Arnolds, containing the message; Challenges to the validity of long-standing theological and moral precepts have shaken the faith of people in God and religion20. Faber tries desperately to stop Montags act of revolt towards the women through the ear piece, but does not succeed. The two women leave in protest to file a complaint against Montag. Montag meets the hand-back deadline that was set by Beatty, but only hands in one of the books. Beatty explains to Montag what process he has been through the days he has had the books by quoting a passage in a book. A little learning is a dangerous thing. Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring; there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again. 21 Beattys words mean nothing to Montag as he does not understand them, but Beatty then explains the sentence to Montag, saying that he was a drunkard, only satisfied when inspired by rebellious thoughts, he knows that from former experience in his own life. Montag thinks he is saved by the bell as the alarm rings as soon Beatty finishes his sentence. When the crew arrives at the reported house, Montag immediately recognises it as his own home, and he quickly spots Mildred stepping into a taxi. He has been betrayed by his own wife. Beatty reveals to Montag that he knew all along what Montag had been doing, but he was prepared to give him a chance to put it all behind him, a chance he also had been given in the past. The only way to do this is to burn down the house and go to prison for some time. 22 Acting in sudden feeling of pure hatred towards Beatty and fear of having to lose literature, he burns the captain instead of the house and runs away. Montag escapes over to Faber, where he is recommended to flee out of town using the river to lose the mechanical dog. He is to meet a group of intellectual book lovers, known as The Book People. Montag manages to do so, escaping mechanical hounds and air born news teams trying to keep up with his getaway. Montag is warmly welcomed into the group who specialise in memorizing great literature. Their goal is to help the people re-establish their desire to read books and live their lives to the fullest. Their only opportunity for this is if everything is destroyed in the war coming up. All members have a piece of literature they have to memorize, and Montag has to remember The Book of Ecclesiastes, which is a part of the Hebrew bible. As he is given his task, jets appear in the sky, dropping bombs into the town Montag had escaped from a few days earlier. This is The Book Peoples opportunity to re-enter civilisation, now they can do what they have risked their lives for. The events of Fahrenheit 451 have led us through Guy Montags life and development. Although he is the main character of the novel, he is by no means an ideal hero. The reader can identify and accept his mission, but not entirely approve of his awkward and somewhat foolish decisions on the way. His faith towards his profession and lifestyle already declines in the opening chapter due to having been faced with the complexity and mystery of books for many years. The reader is introduced to Montag as a confused and misguided character. This is confirmed later to the reader, when observing his way of rebellion against the society, as he either performs efficiently by being lucid, or otherwise he is inclined to be clumsy, e. g. when putting the book under his pillow. His humanity range is also very wide, from the compassionate and sensitive conversations with Clarisse, to the monstrous and irresponsible murder of Captain Beatty. This clearly shows that he is bewildered and unwise all way through the story, as if he does not fully support his own plan of overthrowing the firemen and state censorship. At times Montags mind is disorientated by the actions of his body, e. g. when his hands steal books. He is also not capable of taking decisions independently, always dependent of Beatty, Mildred or Fabers ideas and plans, which makes him easily manipulated. It definitely shows the reader that he does not have control over his own mind and actions. Captain Beatty takes full advantage of these many weaknesses, and confuses and manipulates Montag with difficult quotes from advanced books. It is clear to the reader that Beatty is very loyal to his profession and lifestyle of immediate pleasure, but he is suspiciously wise on books, proving that he has an intellectual background. This tends to confuse the reader, thinking that he might not be the actual villain; that he could possibly be on the same side as Montag and Faber. Faber has the same way of confusing the readers trust in him. He is a supporter of books, but he tends to order Montag around, not letting him think for himself, possibly using him as a soldier for his own rebel uprising, making the reader suspicious of which hidden plans Faber might have. The two other major characters, Mildred and Clarisse, are total opposites of Beatty and Mildred. Mildred is pictured to the readers as an empty shell, cold and very unreadable. Although she is the wife of the main character, the readers relationship to her is very weak and unknowing, as she is very distant to everything around her. Still it is clear that she is struggling from an internal fight because of her suicide attempt. She is opposite to the two men because she tries to stay out of Montags actions and thoughts, not wanting to be a part of his life. Clarisse shares the same point of not trying to manipulate Montag, but is extremely interested in Montags feelings and thoughts. Clarisse is the totally opposite from everybody else, not caring about anything, only focusing in enjoying every natural detail happening around her. Clarisses death strikes Montag hard, having been greatly inspired by her. These major characters have all been sitting on Montags shoulder like small angels and demons, each pulling at him from each their sides, each wanting Montag to do what they want him to do. The author Ray Bradbury intelligently includes himself into the novel, by using his characters as his voice. Captain Beatty is often used to describe the background of the society, Clarisse is his way of showing how he also notices and questions small natural mysteries in his daily life, but most importantly he reflects himself in the main character. Guy Montag is Bradburys image of how he too would be the imperfect hero, being misguided and clumsy, but would fight frantically to preserve literature. 23 The reason he has mirrored himself with the rebel in this story is because of his message being sent out in the novel. Readers have always presumed that the main theme of the book was state censorship, but Bradbury burst the bubble on that interpretation in a LA News interview in 2007. He had observed shortly after WWII that the peoples growing interest in radio and television was spreading a long shadow over literature and the interest in books, The culprit in Fahrenheit 451 is not the state it is the people. 24. He was predicting that mass media was going to be the end of literature. He was not just being pessimistic and old fashioned, when he foresaw that people would only be semi-informed by their quick-reading and quick-radio broadcasts giving the LA News readers the example; Television gives you the dates of Napoleon, but not who he was he calls TVs summarizing factoids, being misinforming and imprecise. His true message to the readers is to watch out for the temptation of mass media, reading books is the only reliable form of information and knowledge25. Bradburys message is especially apparent in the two texts Montag reads, Dover Beach and The Book of Ecclesiastes. Dover Beach having the message Challenges to the validity of long-standing theological and moral precepts have shaken the faith of people in God and religion proving that human development and modernisation tends to lead the populace away from tradition and belief. These two texts can be compared in this way: Dover Beach = theologyreligion and Fahrenheit 451 = Literature mass media. The Book of Ecclesiastes proclaims that all action of man to be inherently meaningless/empty as the lives of both wise and foolish men end in death. The main speaker, the son of David, claims wisdom as a means for a well-lived earthly life. This enforces Bradburys message, proving that temporary happiness is insignificant, only knowledge is important. 26 Why live your life in the shade of unawareness, when generations of intellectuals share their precious awareness with you? 27 Ray Bradbury.

Why Vacation Can Make You a Better Worker

Why Vacation Can Make You a Better Worker The best and most dedicated workers are the ones who blaze through weekends chained to email and log countless hours during non-office hours, right? Not necessarily! A constant grind with no mental and physical breaks can often wear away at you, taking away from your productivity.  Longer hours don’t necessarily mean better work–especially if you’re overtired and overwhelmed. Enrich YourselfIn order to be a good employee, you need to be the best version of yourself. Allotted time for you to do nothing but rest and rejuvenate will amp up your energy. You’ll have the chance to spend quality time with loved ones, see new places, and hopefully even sleep in without setting an alarm clock. When you return to your workplace, you’ll be relaxed and ready to take on projects that might have previously seemed overwhelming.Enrich Your CompanyCompanies want well-rounded workers who are happy, energetic, and able to attack work with creativity. Managers know t hat when employees are happy and in good health, they take fewer sick days and give 100% of themselves on a daily basis. Vacation time is built into most contracts for a reason–you deserve a break from all the hard work you put in.If you’re allotted vacation time, you should take it–you and your company will both reap benefits from your time away.

Opportunity cost of corruption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Opportunity cost of corruption - Essay Example The research is aiming to find the impact of corruption on the economy of the country and the people as individuals. What are the sources and consequences of corruption. The results are based on the empirical study and search work available on the Internet.The results of the study and research leaded to outcome that corruption is a global problem that exists at all levels. Corruption can be defined as the abuse of public power for personal ends. Corruption can be defined as use of authority or power to meet personal ends. It has always existed in the world and now-a-days is being treated as global concern. In a corrupted society, personal enrichment considerations take preference over the establishment of rights for all, resulting in biased decision making. Corruption is not confined to a State or country but is prevalent at a global level. Let's have a look at state of corruption on a worldwide scale. The figures are indeed shocking. According to the Asian Development Bank, one East Asian country is estimated to have lost $48 billion over 20 years due to corruption, surpassing its entire foreign debt of $40.6 billion. It has been calculated that as much as $30 billion in aid for Africa has ended up not in Africa, but in foreign bank accounts. Thirty billion dollars is twice the annual gross domestic product of Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda combined. Corruption, it turns out, costs many governments as much as 50 percent of their tax revenues1. 2. Effects of Corruption When the effects of the corruption are considered they cannot be shown as a direct relation ship with the economic changes. The negative changes in the economy due to the corrupt ideas and deeds can be connected with each other to estimate cost of corruption. For example the subprime market is overloaded with bad loans that smashed the holes into a financial ship. This is due to the fact that the banks are giving loans to the borrowers without substantial proof of their income sources. The disbursal of loans without substantial proof or guarantee will result in bad loans. The loans that are given to the borrowers who have no source to pay are due to corruption. This resulted in 40 percent of sub prime market is made up of these loans. The appraisal will be fraudulent when the officers are corrupted and it costs the bank or any financial organization thousands and millions of dollars in the form of non profitable assets. This in turn will halt or slows down the growth of the economy i n the near future. When the loans are going bad the mortgage companies are making lot of money and the banks are at receiving end. These companies are spending few million dollars and are making money from billions of mortgage loans. As long as the artificial rise of the property continued the

Violence cannot be properly understood if it is approached as an Essay - 1

Violence cannot be properly understood if it is approached as an evolutionary aspect of human nature'. Discuss - Essay Example It is therefore pretty correct to state that violence is the basis of a number of human-related problems which have come about of age, and that too have lingered on in the longest time. What needs to be understood is the proper role of violence within the midst of human comprehension because it shall make the good and the bad souls within any society get the hang of how things shape up within violent realms. This paper discusses the basis of violence and how it is dealt within an evolutionary aspect of human nature or the lack thereof. It is important that violence is understood exactly in the way it should be done. How violence comes of age here is the fact that its repercussions are varied on the people and it is manifested in a number of different ways. What remains significant is the fact that it is something which is abhorred in essence. The element of hatred with regards to violence is because no one appreciates its incorporation within his/her life. There is immense negativity that comes in the way of violence and quite rightly so. Since the domains of violence are now being seen as elements of extreme disruption, people usually understand the related dictums more than ever. This is because violence brings about destruction and problems for all and sundry, creating a sense of negative upheaval within any society of the world where the aspect of violence is on the rise (Wrangham, 1997). How human beings decipher the notion of violence is understood differently because the people who are close to such levels believe that it is something drastic and could easily destruct the basis of not only their own lives but the ones around them as well. It is indeed an inherent feeling within the people all over the world that violence can ransack their peace, destruct the basis of their tranquility and turn their serene environments into wrath-filled zones. More than anything else, violence is something that is a definitive no-no from all sides and should always be ke pt at a safe distance from the lives of the commoners. Whether or not human beings are intrinsically violent in their regimes is an unsubstantiated feeling. This is because many people are of the view that there are aggressive individuals spread all around them but whether they possess the violent streak in them is something that needs to be understood in the most proper sense. Violence can be a part of an individual’s personality but it might not be a vital facet within his own domains. People are of the view that violence is usually something that creates anarchy within the society, though not in a fast-paced way. It does create anarchy of sorts because it is an element which stirs up emotions and sentiments, all of which are deemed in a negative fashion. The evolution of human beings is such that violence can affect or literally break their basis. It is something that makes them think and thus find out ways which can deal with the foundation of violence in the first place (Ferguson, 2004). There have been critical views regarding the essence of violence creeping into the different societies of the world. It is yet to be established whether or not violence is the root cause of many a problem within the national regimes, and more so in an area to area basis. This is because locals

Case Analysis for North American Warehouse Clubs Essay Example for Free

Case Analysis for North American Warehouse Clubs Essay The competitive environment has changed drastically since the BSG case was originally written. The United States (US) continues to decline in the market as opposed to several years ago, but due to certain qualities it continues to remain very competitive in the market. One factor which gives the US a competitive edge is innovation. US companies are highly sophisticated and innovative. For the purposes of this analysis, the focus will be on innovation. Modern technology with information systems and applications with state of the art information and communication technologies are leading factors in the success of businesses today. Many newer businesses use e-technologies as a tool that not only improves efficiency, but gives them the competitive edge against those companies which are still running operations with outdated technology. Companies who have been around for decades are forced to implement new systems depending on their business needs. Changing technology is an initiative that is generally high cost, taking time to implement. There are numerous options available today that if the implementation of a new system is not strategically planned it could ultimately place a business in a financial deficit forcing businesses to reduce operations and sometimes shut down. It is important for businesses to invest in research and development (RD) when deciding to develop new processes to maintain a competitive edge. Looking at the case, it is apparent that Costco was the leader in modern technology compared to the other two competitors. Costco began to grow its business with two websites in 2004 in the US and in Canada. Costco’s e-commerce sales more than tripled over several years, reaching sales of over $1.2B in 2007. BJ’s began upgrading technology in 2007 which was fully implemented in 2009. Although net sales increased from $8,792M to $9,802M during the implementation years, net sales have seized to take an impressive incline with the new system. Net sales only increased $152M from 2009 to 2010. The case did not report on any innovations related to technology for Sam’s Club. Some of the problems Sam’s Club faces compared to the other competitors can be directed at the location of warehouses, their competition with Wal-Mart and their low scale target market. One way to improve would be to focus on their target market by offering upscale merchandise which will target upscale clientele. Sam’s Club could purchase BJ’s which already sells high quality brand merchandise. Merging with this competitor would tighten the market share even more. Focusing on members through this type of merchandising strategy will increase profitability. Another way to improve would be to reduce the amounts of international imports and focus on using American made products. Reducing import/export costs overall will increase revenue growth and financial performance. References World Economic Forum. 2012. The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013. Geneva: World Economic Forum. Available at www3.weforum.org//WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2012-13 Wall Street Journal. Sam’s Club CEO Launches Charge on Rivals, Updated October 31, 2012, 1:44 p.m. ET http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203335504578089131653808580.html By SHELLY BANJO version of this article appeared October 31, 2012, on page B7 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Sams Club CEO Launches Charge on Rivals. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-43940823/sams-clubs-risky-move-into-sma

Types And Uses Of Fertilizers

Types And Uses Of Fertilizers Fertilizers are substances that supply plant nutrients or amend soil fertility. They are the most effective means of increasing crop production and of improving the quality of food and fodder. Fertilizers are used in order to supplement the natural nutrient supply in the soil, especially to correct the (yield-limiting) minimum factor. Fertilizers are soil amendments applied to promote plant growth; the main nutrients present in fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (the macronutrients) and other nutrients (micronutrients) are added in smaller amounts. Fertilizers are usually directly applied to soil, and also sprayed on leaves (foliar feeding). Organic fertilizers or and some mined inorganic fertilizers have been used for many centuries, whereas chemically synthesized inorganic fertilizers were only widely developed during the industrial revolution. Increased understanding and use of fertilizers were important parts of the pre-industrial British Agricultural Revolution and the industrial green revolution of the 20th century. Inorganic fertilizer use has also significantly supported global population growth it has been estimated that almost half the people on the Earth are currently fed as a result of artificial nitrogen fertilizer use. Fig 1 Fertilizers typically provide, in varying proportions: The three primary macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). The three secondary macronutrients: calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), magnesium (Mg). and the micronutrients or trace minerals: boron (B), chlorine (Cl), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo) and selenium (Se). The macronutrients are consumed in larger quantities and are present in plant tissue in quantities from 0.2% to 4.0% (on a dry matter weight basis). There are some examples of it:- Fig 2 Fig 3 Different Types of Fertilizers Fertilizers are chemical compounds applied to promote plentiful plant and fruit growth. Fertilizers are applied through soil for uptake by plant roots, or by applying liquid fertilizer directly to plant leaves. They typical fertilizer provides proportions of the three major plant nutrients; nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The secondary plant nutrients such as calcium, sulfur, and magnesium are also contained in fertilizers. Fertilizers can be placed into categories of organic fertilizers and inorganic fertilizers. Organic Fertilizers Naturally occurring fertilizers include: Manure Worm castings Peat moss Seaweed Sewage Guano Organic fertilizers are used to enrich soil through nitrogen fixation from the atmosphere by bacterial nodules on plant roots, as well as phosphorus content of soils. Processed organic materials from natural sources include compost, blood meal powdered blood, and bone (crushed ground bones) meal from organic meat production facilities, and seaweed extracts. There is more diversity with organic fertilizers, so choosing the right one is not always easy. In general organic fertilizers cannot cause plant burns, get into ground water, affect surrounding growth, and do not need as strict of watering schedules. Organic fertilizer sources:- Animals Animals:- Sourced urea , are suitable for application organic agriculture, while pure synthetic forms of urea are not. The common thread that can be seen through these examples is that organic agriculture attempts to define itself through minimal processing (in contrast to the man-made Haber process), as well as being naturally occurring or via natural biological processes such as composting. Sewage sludge use in organic agricultural operations in the U.S. has been extremely limited and rare due to USDA prohibition of the practice (due to toxic metal accumulation, among other factors). The USDA now requires 3rd-party certification of high-nitrogen liquid organic fertilizers sold in the U.S. Plant:- Cover crops are also grown to enrich soil as a green manure through nitrogen fixation from the atmosphere; as well as phosphorus (through nutrient mobilization) content of soils. Mineral:- Naturally mined powdered limestone, mined rock phosphate and sodium nitrate, are inorganic (in a chemical sense), are energetically intensive to harvest, and yet are approved for usage in organic agriculture in minimal amounts. Benefits of Organic Material By nature organic fertilizers provide increased physical and biological storage mechanisms to soils, reducing risks of over fertilization. Organic fertilizers nutrient content, solubility, and nutrient release rates are typically much lower than inorganic fertilizers. Over fertilization of a vital nutrient can be as detrimental as under fertilization to a plant. Fertilizer burn can occur when too much fertilizer is applied resulting in the drying out of roots along with damage and even death to plants. All organic fertilizers are classified as slow release fertilizers. Studies have found that organic fertilizers: Release 25% to 60% of nitrogen as inorganic. Controlled release fertilizers had a relatively constant rate of release. Soluble fertilizer released most of its nitrogen content at the first leaching. Inorganic Fertilizers: Naturally occurring inorganic fertilizers include sodium nitrate, mined rock phosphate and lime stone which is used to raise pH and calcium sources. Macronutrients and Micronutrients Fertilizers can be divided into macronutrients and micronutrients based on their concentration levels in dry plant matter. There are six macronutrients; nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (3 main primary elements), calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Macronutrient Fertilizers:- Synthesized materials are also called artificial, and may also be called straight were a product contains the three primary elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Fertilizers are named according to the content of the three elements in the fertilizer. If the main ingredient in the fertilizer is nitrogen, then the fertilizer will be described as a nitrogen fertilizer. But regardless of the name of the fertilizer they are labeled according to the amounts of each of these primary elements, by their weight. The amount of nitrogen will encourage growth of stems and leaves by promoting protein and chlorophyll. More Flowers, bigger fruits, and healthier roots will result from added phosphorus, and it will also help plants resist certain diseases. Potassium thickens stems and leaves by fostering protein development, meaning the vegetables would prefer a different potassium ratio than flowers or fruit plants would. Benefits of inorganic fertilizers Synthetic fertilizers are commonly used to treat fields used for growing maize, followed by barley, sorghum, rapeseed, soy and sunflower. One study has shown that application of nitrogen fertilizer on off-season cover crops can increase the biomass (and subsequent green manure value) of these crops, while having a beneficial effect on soil nitrogen levels for the main crop planted during the summer season. Nutrients in soil develop in symbiosis, which can be thrown out of balance with high concentrations of fertilizers. The interconnectedness and complexity of this soil food web means any appraisal of soil function must necessarily take into account interactions with the living communities that exist within the soil. Stability of the system is reduced by the use of nitrogen-containing inorganic and organic fertilizers, which cause soil acidification. Problem with inorganic fertilizers Trace mineral depletion:- Many inorganic fertilizers may not replace trace mineral elements in the soil which become gradually depleted by crops. This depletion has been linked to studies which have shown a marked fall (up to 75%) in the quantities of such minerals present in fruit and vegetables. In Western Australia deficiencies of zinc, copper, manganese, iron and molybdenum were identified as limiting the growth of broad-acre crops and pastures in the 1940s and 1950s. Soils in Western Australia are very old, highly weathered and deficient in many of the major nutrients and trace elements. Since this time these trace elements are routinely added to inorganic fertilizers used in agriculture in this state. Over fertilization:- Over-fertilization of a vital nutrient can be as detrimental as under fertilization. Fertilizer burn can occur when too much fertilizer is applied, resulting in a drying out of the roots and damage or even death of the plant. Burning of plants High energy consumption:- The production of synthetic ammonia currently consumes about 5% of global natural gas consumption, which is somewhat fewer than 2% of world energy productions. Natural gas is overwhelmingly used for the production of ammonia, but other energy sources, together with a hydrogen source, can be used for the production of nitrogen compounds suitable for fertilizers. The cost of natural gas makes up about 90% of the cost of producing ammonia. The increase in price of natural gases over the past decade, along with other factors such as increasing demand, has contributed to an increase in fertilizer price. Long-Term Sustainability:- Inorganic fertilizers are now produced in ways which theoretically cannot be continued indefinitely. Potassium and phosphorus come from mines (or saline lakes such as the Dead Sea) and such resources are limited. More effective fertilizer utilization practices may, however, decrease present usage from mines. Improved knowledge of crop production practices can potentially decrease fertilizer usage of P and K without reducing the critical need to improve and increase crop yields. Atmospheric (unfixed) nitrogen is effectively unlimited (forming over 70% of the atmospheric gases), but this is not in a form useful to plants. To make nitrogen accessible to plants requires nitrogen fixation (conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to a plant-accessible form). Artificial nitrogen fertilizers are typically synthesized using fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal, which are limited resources. In lieu of converting natural gas to syngas for use in the Haber process, it is also possible to convert renewable biomass to syngas (or wood gas) to supply the necessary energy for the process, though the amount of land and resources (ironically often including fertilizer) necessary for such a project may be prohibitive (see Energy conservation in the United States). Applications of fertilizer There are so many fields where fertilizer is used in high proportion. Agriculture is the one of field among them. There is some region where fertilizer is used:- Broadcast:- Broadcasting consists of uniformly distributing dry or liquid materials over the soil surface, usually before sowing. The fertilizer maybe incorporated into the soil mechanically, or left on the surface to be washed in by rainfall or irrigation. Incorporation into the AP horizon can be by harrow (2-3 cm depth), a cultivator (4-6 cm depth) or by plough (incorporation to plough depth). Broadcasting is the simplest and cheapest method and is best suited for high-speed operations and heavy application rates, especially before planting. Side or top dressing:- Fertilizer is side or top-dressed when it is applied after the crop has emerged, and/or when the dose is split for two or more applications. Split applications can be beneficial in some cases, especially for annual crops with a long growing period. Split application of KCl is also recommended for crops growing on low CEC soils, where K can be lost by leaching K following high rainfall or excess irrigation. Soybean responded significantly up to 50 kg K ha-1 when applied half at planting and half at flower initiation, or applying one third at planting, one third at flower initiation and one third at pod development. Splitting the K application is also used in orchards and for other perennial crops, especially for alfalfa and grasses. In trials in a Commercial field of Lucerne, the largest yields, up to 3.15 t ha-1 in 26 days, were on plots treated with 948 kg K ha-1 as KCl in 3 applications. In areas of Cl deficient soils, top-dressed applications of KCl for autumn sown small grains ma y be more effective than preplant applications because of the potential for Cl leaching from the root zone due to rainfall. Foliar application: Foliar application involves the use of KCl in solution. It results in fast K absorption and utilization and has the advantage of quickly correcting deficiencies diagnosed by observation or foliar analysis. Other advantages are low application rates, and uniform distribution of fertilizer. However, foliar fertilization is supplementary to and cannot replace the basal fertilization. Foliar application should be done during periods of low temperature and relatively high humidity, such in the early morning or late evening. Otherwise the salts may cause leaf burning and necrosis especially when applied in concentrations above those recommended. Because of its osmotic action, KCl applied on leaves is not well tolerated by plants and so is not usually used for foliar application. Nevertheless, it can be beneficial in some cases. Rice:- A foliar application of 10 kg KCl m-3 to rice at panicle initiation, boot leaf and 50% flowering stages, both in the monsoon and winter seasons, significantly increased seed yield and improved quality (seed germination and 100-seed weight). Splitting a total of 95 kg ha-1 of KCl to rice, a third at sowing in soil, a third as a foliar spray at flag leaf stage and a third as foliar spray at grain development, gave larger yields than a soil application all at sowing .A foliar spray applying 3.9 kg K ha-1 (as 10 kg KCl m-3) three times at one week intervals from full head of rice cv. Environmental effects of fertilizer use Water Eutrophication:- The nitrogen-rich compounds found in fertilizer run-off is the primary cause of a serious depletion of oxygen in many parts of the ocean, especially in coastal zones; the resulting lack of dissolved oxygen is greatly reducing the ability of these areas to sustain oceanic fauna.Visually, water may become cloudy and discolored (green, yellow, brown, or red). About half of all the lakes in the United States are now eutrophic, while the number of oceanic dead zones near inhabited coastlines are increasing. As of 2006, the application of nitrogen fertilizer is being increasingly controlled in Britain and the United States. If Eutrophication can be reversed, it may take decades before the accumulated nitrates in groundwater can be broken down by natural processes. High application rates of inorganic nitrogen fertilizers in order to maximize crop yields, combined with the high solubilitys of these fertilizers leads to increased runoff into surface water as well as leaching into groundwater. The use of ammonium nitrate in inorganic fertilizers is particularly damaging, as plants absorb ammonium ions preferentially over nitrate ions, while excess nitrate ions which are not absorbed dissolve (by rain or irrigation) into runoff or groundwater. Fig 10 Soil acidification: Nitrogen-containing inorganic and organic fertilizers can cause soil acidification when added. This may lead to decreases in nutrient availability which may be offset by liming. Heavy metal accumulation:- The concentration of up to 100 mg/kg of cadmium in phosphate minerals (for example, minerals from Nauru and the Christmas islands)increases the contamination of soil with cadmium, for example in New Zealand. Uranium is another example of a contaminant often found in phosphate fertilizers (at levels from 7 to 100 pCi/g). Eventually these heavy metals can build up to unacceptable levels and build up in vegetable produce. (See cadmium poisoning) Average annual intake of uranium by adults is estimated to be about 0.5 mg (500 ÃŽÂ ¼g) from ingestion of food and water and 0.6 ÃŽÂ ¼g from breathing air. Steel industry wastes, recycled into fertilizers for their high levels of zinc (essential to plant growth), wastes can include the following toxic metals: lead arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and nickel. The most common toxic elements in this type of fertilizer are mercury, lead, and arsenic. Concerns have been raised concerning fish meal mercury content by at least one source in Spain. Also, highly radioactive Polonium-210 contained in phosphate fertilizers is absorbed by the roots of plants and stored in its tissues; tobacco derived from plants fertilized by rock phosphates contains Polonium-210 which emits alpha radiation estimated to cause about 11,700 lung cancer deaths each year worldwide. For these reasons, it is recommended that nutrient budgeting, through careful observation and monitoring of crops, take place to mitigate the effects of excess fertilizer application. Atmospheric effects:- Methane emissions from crop fields (notably rice paddy fields) are increased by the application of ammonium-based fertilizers; these emissions contribute greatly to global climate change as methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Through the increasing use of nitrogen fertilizer, which is added at a rate of 1 billion tons per year presently to the already existing amount of reactive nitrogen, nitrous oxide (N2O) has become the third most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and methane. It has a global warming potential 296 times larger than an equal mass of carbon dioxide and it also contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion. Storage and application of some nitrogen fertilizers in some weather or soil conditions can cause emissions of the potent greenhouse gas-nitrous oxide. Ammonia gas (NH3) may be emitted following application of inorganic fertilizers and/or manures and slurries. The use of fertilizers on a global scale emits significant quantities of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Emissions come about through the use of: animal manures and urea, which release methane, nitrous oxide, ammonia, and carbon dioxide in varying quantities depending on their form (solid or liquid) and management (collection, storage, spreading) fertilizers that use nitric acid or ammonium bicarbonate, the production and application of which results in emissions of nitrogen oxides, nitrous oxide, ammonia and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By changing processes and procedures, it is possible to mitigate some, but not all, of these effects on anthropogenic climate change.

Pretty Little Liars Essay

Are Pretty Little Liars good at keeping their dirty secretes? Pretty Little Liars a favorite ABC Family series is built around five teenage friends, until one goes missing and is found dead. It has a strong hint of supernatural force that mean no good. It makes most popular vampire romances look anemic. Because of a popular series of HarperTeen books by Sara Shepard, Pretty Little Liars follows the nervous lives of four girls in Rosewood, Pa. It’s a small town and these girls seem to have it all and that sets it up for an even better drama, when we start to see they also have secrets. The season premier starts with the disappearance and apparent death of the fifth girl in the circle, Alison DiLorentis. If the PLL series were traditional, Alison, Sasha Pieterse would have been the sweetest girl in school and no one could imagine anyone wanting to hurt her. If that’s what you’re expecting here, you’re wrong. Alison was a bitchy gossiper, backstabber and cruel practical joker. In any case, they were all together the night she disappeared and we join the story a year later, when free spirit Aria, Lucy Hale, nerdySpencer,TroianBellisario, crazy Hanna, Ashley Benson and jock Emily Shay Mitchell have drifted apart. Drug and alcohol use, foul language, scanty clothing, sexual innuendo and some passioate make-out scenes and homosexuality all make Pretty Little Liars a series that keeps viewers on their feet. Every episode leaves you with a cliffhanger. They run into each other in random chance encounters, however, that suggest each is harboring dark secrets, some related to Alison and some not. Since they apparently weren’t into deep sharing when they were all best friends then, they aren’t spilling now. Except they have two problems. A local cop is determined to find out what happened to Alison. Second, the girls all start getting mysterious messages that suggest some supernatural force knows all the secrets and could and sometimes do expose them to the public. Could the messages be coming from Alison? But isn’t that impossible? What kind of phone network lets you keep texting when you’re dead? I’d say that’s beyond 4g. It’s one thing to talk with your friends about lacrosse practice or the hot guy in the French class. It’s something else when you’re trying to figure out what happened to your disappeared friend, and how disappeared she really is. â€Å"Pretty Little Liars† is good at making us care about the girl’s lives. It keeps us thinking each week as to what might happen the next.