Metropolis by Giorgio Moroder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Metropolis by Giorgio Moroder - Essay Example With this on hand, the paper will dwell on the view of the movie as women are the source to evil, and how the role of women changed as the movie unfolds. Metropolis The movie, Metropolis, released in 1927, is based on the novel by Thea von Harbou. The movie is a silent film, which was directed by Fritz Lang, who is a German filmmaker. Metropolis was a futuristic city with airplanes, flyovers, and high rise buildings used and occupied by the higher class. This population lives with all the amenities to used and enjoy, such as sports, libraries, cinemas, and the like. On the contrary, beneath the highly urbanized city are the workers who control the functions of the machines used in Metropolis. The workers strive to survive the daily routine of hard work, darkness, and even death below the lively and well-developed city. The movie evolves on the resistance of the workers towards the master of Metropolis, Joh Fredersen. Along with this, the story escalates to the development of the love story between Freder, the son of Joh Fredersen, and Maria, a daughter of a worker who aims for freedom and equality. Freder, as the son of the master of Metropolis, has the freedom to enjoy all the goodness and luxury in life. However, one day, Maria went to the Eternal Garden and brought the children of the workers there, where Freder was also present. Freder, intrigued of the passion he saw in Maria, followed them to the underground city where he saw the laborers suffer and die. The incident that he witnessed rose his concern for the workers. For this reason, he decided to take the place of a worker and was also invited to take part in the meeting that Maria organized to bring hope to the workers. In the meeting, Maria spoke of hope, and that one day a savior with the hand and the heart will come to unite their cities. At the same time, Joh Fredersen had witnessed the power that Maria had over the workers, which made him fear her. For this reason, he assigned Rotwang, a scientist , to create a robot in the likeness of Maria, and to use the robot to gain the loyalty of the workers. However, the robot Maria became out of control and led the workers to destroy the machines underground, not knowing that the machines were built to save their city from flood. Chaos came to being; however, Maria and Freder were able to save the children of the workers, and Freder became the hand and the heart that united the workers and his father (DiMare 346-348). The Portrayal of Women in Metropolis Metropolis is a science fiction film, which has the female persona represented by the cyborg Maria or the robot Maria and the human Maria. The cyborg Maria is linked with the â€Å"social chaos, and revolution suggests that these are not just economic problems: they are also sexual problems† (Brockmann 87). It is also important to note that the cyborg Maria was not created to do the typical activities a robot is expected to do. She was created and given the likeness of the huma n Maria, who poses a threat as reality, and technology unites in her (Ascott 311). Furthermore, the female cyborg, in this case Maria, is a character in the film that is mostly defined as a problematic individual torn between her ability to reproduce and her robotic ability. Most of the time, the character of the female cyborg portrays two roles, which is a hero or a villain. In this case, the cyborg Maria is described by Claudia Springer as an

Buddhism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Buddhism - Research Paper Example In a culture where the idea of diety is so thoroughly solidified, Buddhism focuses on humanitarian deeds rather than worship of a higher being. Buddhism ultimately chooses to find the good in humanity in society where religious warfare continues to plague society. The foundation of Buddhist tradition and practice focus around ethical perceptions. All Abrahamic religions along with Hinduism such as Christianity and Islam all have a divine God. Moreover, Buddhism tends to focus around life and suffering. This is perfectly displayed through John La Plante as he states, â€Å"Buddhism tends to adhere to the teachings of Buddha which calls for a very peaceful and humble approach† (Plante, 34). Moreover, Buddhism allows individuals to practice other religions along with Buddhism. The whole essence of Buddhism is to preach peacefulness and embrace nature. It was clear that people were attracted to the idea in which humanity is the focal point rather than worship and control that othe r religions enforce. Another key element that proves why Buddhism is embraced by the Asian culture is due to the fact that it promotes peace. Since Buddhism embraces the fact that peace and harmony are vital towards reaching salvation, it completely diminishes the difference of opinion in the religion itself. Buddhism is one of the fewest religions in which sects are not a huge issue. Moreover, Buddhism tends to bridge the differences. Hinduism for instance continues to impose the cast system which clashes against equality. It leads to differences between society and further leads to more division and clashes amongst people. On the other hand, Buddhism does not indulge on submission but suffering through an internal journey. Buddhism is pinnacle of peace here as it is stated in the Bhagavad Gita, â€Å"The Buddha taught one thing alone: that is, how to end suffering in ones life† (Gita, 20).

Limitations in Person Centered Therapy

Limitations in Person Centered Therapy Group counseling Baldev Singh The person-centered counselor must always remember that the client is a guest  within his or her own world of experiences. This first sentence encapsulates  the essence of person centered counseling. The person centered therapy can be used in individual and also in group counseling.The therapy gives strength to client or groups to understand themselves and also gives them the opportunity to solve their own problems and see changes for themselves being valuable and worthy humans. Rogers, C.R. (1959) The aim behind all person centered therapy is that under certain conditions the clients will be helped to find and to exercise more of his or her own personal power with regard to understanding and evaluating his actions in the past and present and in  making decisions for the future. Furthermore, it is expected that this gain  will help client to be more confident to more forward to be exercised by the client in his  future life. If these conditions for his worth are particularly oppressive, inconsistent or ambiguous the roots will be laid for difficulty in adulthood as the clients attempt valiantly but in vain to live up to the conditions. Sometimes the difficulty which the person experiences in adulthood is only indirectly related to the conditions of worth but more to do with the way the young person adjusted his or her living to exist within the constraints of the conditions.The therapy techniques is to focus on client advancement towards self independence and overcoming a ny new presenting issues.These two factors: the conditions of worth and the ways in which the person has adjusted to the conditions of worth are the main ways in which ‘maladjustment’ is understood within the person-centered approach. Bohart, A. (1990) The way a person-centered counselor works will varied considerably according to the extent to which the client’s locus of evaluation is externalised or internalized.The aim of person-centered working is to help the clients to internalise his or her locus of evaluation. Helping another person to internalise his or her locus of evaluation is not achieved by exercising power over them but by creating a relationship in which the clients may take  responsibility for themself. Carl Rogers, the founder of the approach, was in enunciating and evaluating the relationship conditions in which that client empowerment might be optimised. For constructive personality change to occur, it is necessary that these conditions exist and continue over a period of time in which is, the two persons are in psychological contact’ (Rogers,CR 1957: 96).During the session the counselor will identified whether the clients is in a state of incongruence, being vulnerable or anxious. Immediately the counselor should established concrete in congruent or integrated in the relationship building.During the counseling the therapist will experience unconditional  positive regard for the client and showing empathic understanding to the client’s actual root cause that have been the underlaying cause experience to the client’s achievement and unhappiness.The counselor’s empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard is important to build trust and that counselor is actually listening and concern about their problems solving..Currently the most accessible account of these conditions is presented in Kirschenbaum and Henderson (1989: 221) Benefits of the group counseling. In the group therapy the members are expose and learning how one is perceived by others members problem.When in the session the client can experience a sense of belonging and acceptance with others in the group.The members can discovered that he is not the only finding solution to solve his problem but others members are also experiencing difficulties and are searching solution on how to resolve their issues too. Members can get some ideas from others when listening to their suggestion and this can enhance the client’s ability to resolve their problem and the root cause of their life difficulties.In group therapy members can express their ideas and rendered assistance to others members in the group therapy session.The group therapy session gives and built members positive encouragement when seeing the positive successes of others.Group therapy is cost effective for those having financial issue. Bohart, A. (1990) Benefits of the individual counseling. Individual counseling is beneficial for clients having disorders and also for those having serious rough time in their life journey.The counseling session is personalized and the environment is comfortable.The individual can focus on their difficulties and feel secure to exposed their problems to the therapist.In this situation their information are kept confidential by the therapist and they are governed by code of ethics.Even though in individual therapy the cost is more but it is worthy because client can take their time to reveal their difficulties and built up rapport,gain support with counselor working together.The individual acvtively participate and brainstorming with counselor to detect any blindspot to their problem.The environment is quiet and plenty of room to concentrate and the freedom for the client to express their feeling and ideas. In individual counseling the counselor can actively listen, understand and the counselor can list out some recommendations strategies to solve client problems. Bohart, A. (1990) Compare, contrast and reasoning In group counseling sessions the clients will sometime cover up their actual emotion. They will feel frightened and may also feel uncomfortable with the surroundings of others group members. Some client do not feel secure about talking their deep secret with others and rather not telling the truth about their problems. The group therapy is not suitable some individual who are very sensitive about their personal life issues. If this is the problems and the counselor will have a difficult time in resolving their problem.In group therapy the clients do not get one to one attention, there is no privacy and your problems is known to everybody in the group to talk about unlike in individual therapy  client privacy is protected. Coffeng, T. (1996) In individual counseling session you are seated in a comfortable environment with your counselor and there is no one else to listen to their private life problems. The individual will feel secure about talking their deep secret issues in their life and their information is protected by counselor and governed by code of ethics. In individual counseling sessions the counselor will have more time to concentrate with a client rather then in the group session. In individual counseling ,the counselor can have more time to interract and working together with the client. It also gives the client enough time to concentrate rather then in the group therapy with a lot of distortion and the concentration will not be there for some individuals.In individual counseling session the concentration will be better some client who wants privacy on how to resolve their distorted big picture and also solution on how the client can overcome to resolve their problems. Coffeng, T. (1996) Criticisms The limitations in person centered therapy is the based on therapist values and attitues and not skills. Next is the limitated understanding on client’s nonverbal indications and the therapy emphasize too much on the therapist being empathy, understanding and helping the client reflect themselves. The person centered therapy is a historical approach and not all clients actually knows what to achieve. The other limitations are the misunderstanding on the basic concepts and practical applications .The other limitations are some clients are not motivated just by caring and listening for any reform to begin with. (Bozarth, J. and Temaner Brodley, B. 1986) The group therapy. There are limitations on group therapy. They are not suitable if client is suffering from severe depression, mental illness and suicidal risk.Clients with these condition may not benefit from group counseling session. The group therapy members tend to be noisy, talkativeness and irritability which often becomes too difficult for the therapist to control the situation.There some limitations on the selection for the client suitability before they are allow for group therapy session. The others limitation are the clients problem must be mainly in the same relationship with other people and if not they are to find another group therapy offering the same problem and this is really time consuming and also not suitable with clients who needs urgent counseling for their problem solving. Bozarth, J. (1984) The individual therapy There are limitation on individual therapy.The individual therapy may also unable to help any client who are involve in court cases and infact they should consult a lawyer instead.The individual therapy is suitable for clients depends upon certain situation and needs.The limitation is caused by client personal fear,individual differences,problematic behaviours,anxiety or emotional disturbance and the counselor may refer clients to psycharist for consultation and treatment.Not all client is suitable for individual therapy and the counselor needs to be alert and observance to check on clients limitation for the therapy. Bozarth, J. (1984) To my conclusion the counselor play a important role model in providing the best and must be commited and the ability to remain authentic and truthful with what is really practical to daily human development. Boy, A.V. (1989)

The Parallels Between Animal Farm and Soviet History Essay -- George O

The Parallels Between Animal Farm and Soviet History Prior to writing Animal Farm, George Orwell had stated: "History consists of a series of swindles, in which the masses are first lured into revolt by the promise of Utopia, and then, when they have done their job, enslaved over again as new masters" Together this statement and Soviet History provided a basis for a political allegory which is depicted through Animals and tells of the tribulations which surround certain political ideals. In many ways, the story parallels to an era of soviet history from the revolution in 1917 to the Teheran Conference in 1943. When many critiques review this book they fail to realize how each significant detail parallels to an entity in soviet history. The story, Animal Farm, begins with a speech by Old Major. Old Major believes that 'man' is taking from the 'working' animals and he feels that the animals should unite and commence a rebellion to overthrow man. Similarly, Major's speech is an accurate account of Marxism and it is very similar to the last paragraph of the Communist Manifesto (1848): The communists openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible over throw of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at the Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains; They have a world to win. WORKING MEN OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE! After the Animals had overtaken the farm and the Animal Farm was established, "Everyone worked according to his capacity," (pg 27, Orwell). The similarities between Russia and Animal farm are well noted here, "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs"; were the words used by Marx in his c... ...mal Farm is a brilliantly allegorized political tale and the significance of the story becomes much clearer when compared to the actual political history. It tells the story of Russian history but at the same time it can be compared to other countries in their struggle for power. The struggle is not restricted to governments but people as well. Animal Farm is just simply about power in different political ideals and what it does to those that yield it. Lord Acton once said in a letter that: "power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, good men are always bad men. George Orwell did an excellent job in portraying this reality through the animals of Animal Farm. BIBLIOGRAPHY Orwell, George; Animal Farm (Great Britain: Martin Secker & Warburg, 1945 Meyers, Jeffrey; A reader's guide to George Orwell (London: Thomas & Hudson, 1975)

The Services Directive Proposal

Of   course   the   fundamental   freedoms   set   out   in   the   Treaty   of   European   Union   are   central   to   the   success   and   functioning   of   the   EU   Internal   Market.Two   of   these   were   of   great   importance   for   the   Internal   Market:   freedom   of   establishment   (Article   43)   and   the   freedom   to   provide   cross   border   services   (Article   49).   While   the   former   provides   access   for   operators   to   practice   their   economical   activities   in   one   or   more   Member   States,   the   latter   enables   an   operator   providing   services   in   a   Member   State   to   do   the   same   in   another   Member   State   temporarily   without   being   obliged   to   get   established   there.[1]   Obviously   these   have   legal   implications.â€Å"This   means,   in   practice,   that   Member   States   must   modify   national   laws   that   restrict   freedom   of   establishment,   or   the   freedom   to   provide   services,   and   are   therefore   incompatible   with   these   principles.This   includes   not   only   discriminatory   national   rules,   but   also   any   national   rules   which   are   indistinctly   applicable   to   domestic   and   foreign   operators   but   which   hinder   or   render   less   attractive   the   exercise   of   these   â€Å"fundamental   freedoms†,   in   particular   if   they   result   in   delays   or   additional   costs.†Ã‚   [2]The   Internal   Market   has   effected   a   number   of   real   benefits   particularly   in   some   sectors   and   generally   in   providing   employment   and   freedom   of   movement   for   operators.â€Å"Overall,   the   Internal   Market   has   resulted   in   real   benefits.   For   instance,   in   the   10   years   since   the   completion   of   the   first   Single   Market   programme   in   1993,   at   least   2.5   million   extra   jobs   have   been   created   as   a   result   of   the   removal   of   barriers.The   increase   in   wealth   attributable   to   the   Internal   Market   in   those   10   years   is   nearly   â‚ ¬900   billion;   on   average   about   â‚ ¬6000   per   family   in   the   EU.   Competition   has   increased   as   companies   find   new   markets   abroad.   Prices   have   converged   (in   many   cased   downwards)   and   the   range   a nd   quality   of   products   available   to   consumers   have   increased.†Ã‚   [3]Later   in   1992   Jacque   Delor   proposed   and   implemented   a   programme   aimed   at   creating   a   single   market   by   eliminating   non-tariff   barriers   to   goods   trading.   Although   the   programme   has   been   beneficial   but   it   leaves   room   for   substantial   progress   in   order   that   services   can   be   offered   across   borders   smoothly.[4]In   2002   EU   commission   studied   the   numerous   barriers   that   affect   the   flow   of   services   across   the   borders   of   Europe.   It   was   found   that   these   barriers,   including   legal   restrictions,   difficulties   in   obtaining   the   required   authorisation   from   local   authorities,   an d   the   length   and   complexity   of   procedures,   made   it   almost   impossible   for   some   businesses   to   get   established   in   countries   other   than   their   origin.[5]However,   on   7   May   2003   the   European   Commission   implemented   its   Internal   Market   Strategy   for   the   period   of   2003-2006.â€Å"The   Strategy   concentrates   heavily   on   removing   many   of   the   barriers   that   prevent   businesses   in   the   services   sector   from   operating   across   Europe.   The   commission   views   improvements   in   this   sector   as   essential   to   meeting   the   targets   of   the   2000   Lisbon   package,   given   that   services   now   account   for   around   two-thirds   of   the   EU’s   GDP.†[6]The   Commission   als o   pointed   out   that   the   enforcement   of   EU   legislation   was   not   effective   in   a   way   that   it   itself   become   one   of   the   barriers.   Within   these   strategies   and   in   order   to   address   the   problem   of   removing   barriers   hindering   the   flow   of   services   within   the   Member   States,   the   Commission   proposed   a   Service   Directive   aimed   at   enabling   service   providers   of   the   Member   States   to   establish   themselves   and   provide   services   in   States   other   than   they   originally   come   from.In   January   2004   Frits   Bolkestein,   the   European   Commissioner   for   Internal   Market   at   the   time,   proposed   a   draft   of   the   Directive   on   services   in   the   Internalà ‚   Market;   today   commonly   referred   to   as   ‘Bolkestein   Directive’.[7]   The   Services   Directive   by   removing   all   the   barriers   hindering   the   movement   and   establishment   of   service   providers   with   the   EU   Member   States,   is   expected   to   â€Å"create   jobs,   boost   economic   growth   and   increase   quality   and   choice   for   consumers.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"The   consultants   Copenhagen   Economics   have   predicted   a   0.3%   rise   in   GDP   and   a   0.7%   increase   in   employment.   The   European   Commission's   estimates   point   to   a   1.8%   increase   in   GDP   and   2.5   million   new   jobs.†[8]Yet   the   Service   Directive   was   not   well   received.   Although   it   was   adopted   for   first   reading   in   February   2004,   opposition   in   different   countries   were   pronounced.   Countries   with   high   standard   of   social   protection   expressed   fear   from   the   consequences   of   cheaper   competition   from   the   foreign   market.â€Å"Some   countries   and   trade   unions   feared   this   would   lead   to   a   â€Å"race   to   the   bottom†,   with   firms   relocating   to   countries   with   lower   wages   and   the   weakest   consumer,   environmental   protection,   employment   and   health   and   safety   rules.†[9]Yet   the   most   disagreed   point   was   that   of   â€Å"country   of   origin   principle†Ã‚   which   allows   services   providers   to   operate   in   another   country   while   being   obliged   to   abide   only   by   the   laws   of   the   country   of   origin.[1]  Ã‚  Ã‚   EU   Single   Market:   General   Principles   available   at:   http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/services/principles_en.htm   accessed   on   15   January   2007 [2]   EU   Single   Market:   General   Principles   available   at:   http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/services/principles_en.htm   accessed   on   15   January   2007 [3]A   Single   Market   for   Services   available   at:   http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/top_layer/index_19_en.htm   accessed   on   15   January   2007[4]   Can   Europe   Deliver   –   Research   by   Paul   Stephenson   –   Edited   by   Neil   O’Brien   (2006)   available   at:   http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/services.pdf   accessed   on   15   January   2007 [5]   Can   Europe   Deliver   –   Research   by   Paul   Stephenson   –   Edited   by   Neil   O’Brien   (2006)   available   at:   http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/services.pdf[6]   Services   Directive   background   available   at   :   http://www.smallbusinesseurope.org/en/basic_background319.htm   accessed   on   15   January   2007 [7]Directive   on   services   in   the   internal   market   –   From   Wikipedia,   the   free   encyclopedia   available   at:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directive_on_Service_in_the_Internal_market#column-one   accessed   on   15   January   2007[8]   Q&A:   Services   Directive,   Available   at:   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4698524.stm   accessed   on   15   January   2007 [9]   Q&A:   Services   Directive,   Available   at:   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4698524.stm   accessed   on   15   January   2007

Is Organic Food Good for You Essay

What is organic food? †¢(1) Organic food is food which has been produced to standards designed to keep the production more ‘natural’. Fewer, if any, chemicals are used and most pesticides are banned – when they are used they are very carefully controlled. †¢(2)Organic food costs more then non-Organic food. This is not always the case but on average organic farmers generally charge more for their produce because: oMany organic farming practices take a bit longer and produce lower yields oIt is more labor intensive than conventional agriculture oFields have to be taken out of food production while they go through three years of organic conversion or for fertility building. Here you will find out if organic food is good for you or not, there will be the science behind it, advantages, and disadvantages evidence and a conclusion. The science behind it In the rush to produce more and more crops to satisfy growing demand producers have had to resort to using a lethal cocktail of pesticides to control disease and insect attack. Good news for their bank balances perhaps but not good news for your health, this is why you need to be informed of the advantages of organic food. Did you know that if you consumed an average apple you would be eating over 30 pesticides, even after you have washed it? Organic food is known to contain 50% more nutrients, minerals and vitamins than produce that has been intensively farmed. You will have to eat more fruit nowadays to make up the deficiency, but unfortunately that means eating more chemicals, more detrimental affects on your health eating something that should be good for you! Some more startling facts now. Pesticides in food have been linked to many diseases including: ? Cancer ?Obesity ?Alzheimer’s ?some birth defects There are probably others but if you think about it, how can it be okay for you to eat chemicals and not expect some form of reaction in your body. Our bodies are delicwonderful machines. Any form of foreign chemical is bound to cause irritation at the least. (3)Some organic foods, including fruit, vegetables and milk, may be more nutritious than non-organic produce, according to an investigation by British scientists. Early results from a ? 12m study showed that organic fruit and vegetables contained up to 40% more antioxidants than non-organic varieties, according to Professor Carlo Leifert at Newcastle University, who leads the EU-funded Quality Low Input Food project. Larger differences were found in milk, with organic varieties containing more than 60% more antioxidants and healthy fatty acids, he said. Antioxidant-rich food is often promoted as healthier because in lab tests the compounds neutralize free radicals that are thought to contribute to ageing. (4) Ben Gold acre says the Soil Association’s criticism of the recent Food Standards Agency research on nutrients is â€Å"not about organic food† and that â€Å"the emotive commentary in favor of organic farming bundles together diverse and legitimate concerns about unchecked capitalism in our food supply†, In fact, our argument with the FSA research is about whether it gives a fair and accurate picture of organic food. Gold acre. First, he said we were trying to change the argument by saying that â€Å"the important issue with organic food is not personal health benefits, but rather benefit to the environment†. More farmland wildlife, high animal welfare and lower pollution were not mentioned in our own initial response, but were put forward strongly by the government when the FSA launched its report, and we repeated it as the government’s view, with which I agree. Second he argued that absence of pesticides, no routine use of antibiotics on farm animals and far fewer additives allowed in organic food all deliver health benefits. Goldacre says that as these â€Å"cannot be measured† by the FSA research, mentioning them â€Å"is gamesmanship†. These are real benefits, confirmed by other research. The organic movement represents a spectrum of practices, attitudes, and philosophies. On the one hand are those organic practitioners who would not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides under any circumstances. These producers hold rigidly to their purist philosophy. At the other end of the spectrum, organic farmers espouse a more flexible approach. While striving to avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, these practitioners do not rule them out entirely. Instead, when absolutely necessary, some fertilizers and also herbicides are very selectively and sparingly used as a second line of defense. Nevertheless, these farmers, too, consider themselves to be organic farmers [6]. For raising animals, antibiotics would not be permitted as growth stimulants but would be permitted to counter infections. The rules permit up to 20% of animal feed to be obtained from non-organic sources. This was done because some nutrients (such as trace minerals) are not always available organically. Irradiation, which can reduce or eliminate certain pests, kill disease-causing bacteria, and prolong food shelf-life, would be permitted during processing. Genetic engineering would also be permissible. More Nutritious? Organic foods are certainly not more nutritious The nutrient content of plants is determined primarily by heredity. Mineral content may be affected by the mineral content of the soil, but this has no significance in the overall diet. If essential nutrients are missing from the soil, the plant will not grow. If plants grow, that means the essential nutrients are present. Experiments conducted for many years have found no difference in the nutrient content of organically grown crops and those grown under standard agricultural conditions. Safer? Many â€Å"organic† proponents suggest that their foods are safer because they have lower levels of pesticide residues. However, the pesticide levels in our food supply are not high. In some situations, pesticides even reduce health risks by preventing the growth of harmful organisms, including molds that produce toxic substances . To protect consumers, the FDA sets tolerance levels in foods and conducts frequent â€Å"market basket† studies wherein foods from regions throughout the United States are purchased and analyzed. Its 1997 tests found that about 60% of fruits and vegetables had no detectable pesticides and only about 1. 2% of domestic and 1. 6% of imported foods had violative levels [13]. Its annual Total Diet Study has always found that America’s dietary intakes are well within international and Environmental Protection Agency standards. Most studies conducted since the early 1970s have found that the pesticide levels in foods designated organic were similar to those that were not. In 1997, Consumer Reports purchased about a thousand pounds of tomatoes, peaches, green bell peppers, and apples in five cities and tested them for more than 300 synthetic pesticides. Traces were detected in 77% of conventional foods and 25% of organically labelled foods, but only one sample of each exceeded the federal limit Pesticides can locate on the surface of foods as well as beneath the surface. The amount that washing can remove depends on their location, the amount and temperature of the rinse water, and whether detergent is used. Most people rinse their fruits and vegetables with plain Tastier? â€Å"Organically grown† foods are not inherently tastier than conventionally grown foods. Taste is influenced by freshness, which may depend on how far the products must be shipped from farmer to consumer. What kinds of locally grown fruits and vegetables are available varies from community to community. Whether they are organically or conventionally produced is unlikely to make any difference. In the early 1990s, Israeli researchers made 460 assessments of 9 different fruits and vegetables and no significant difference in quality between â€Å"organic† and conventionally grown samples. The Consumer Reports’ study found no consistent differences in appearance, flavour, or texture. Better for the Environment? Many buyers of â€Å"organic† foods believe that the extra money they pay will ultimately benefit the environment by encouraging more farmers to use â€Å"organic† methods. But doing this cannot have much effect because â€Å"organic† agriculture is too inefficient to meet the world’s food needs. Moreover, the dividing line between organic and conventional agriculture is not sharp because various practices are not restricted to one or the other. For example, â€Å"organic† farmers tend not to use pesticides, but faced with threatened loss of crops, they may change their mind. If certain patterns of pesticide use cause more harm than good and there is a way to remedy the situation, the people concerned about it can seek regulatory solutions. I don’t believe that paying extra for food will benefit anybody but those who sell it. This research shows there are benefits,† said Dr Kirsten Brandt of Newcastle University, which led the research. â€Å"The reason why it’s such a grey area is because it’s extremely difficult to measure the health benefit in any food, but we can say that if you eat 400g of fruit and vegetables per day you would get 20 per cent more nutrients in organic food. † Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association, welcomed the new research. He said: â€Å"There is clear evidence that a range of organic foods contain more beneficial nutrients and vitamins and less of things known to have a detrimental health effect. â€Å"

Writers Block 13 Strategies That Work - Freewrite Store

Writers Block 13 Strategies That Work - Freewrite Store With that in mind - here are 14 of our favorite tips for curing writer's block. We’ve all been there. The right words won’t come out, if any at all, and you don’t have a creative cell left in your brain - you’re ready to call it a day. Of course, I’m talking about the dreaded  writer’s block. Writer’s block can be stressful when you have writing tasks that need to get done. Writer’s block is a myth Gasp! It cannot be true. If writer’s block is a myth, then explain what I’m feeling right now? When you attack it from the root cause, you realize writer’s block stems from four underlying causes. These four underlying causes were detailed by  Jerry Jenkins, famed author of the  Left Behind  series.   The Four Root Causes Of Writer's Block Fear - Fear can be paralyzing. The thought that  you’re  not good enough and that your work won’t be accepted. Procrastination - Nobody’s better at putting of deadlines than writers.  Set  your deadlines in stone and keep your daily workload manageable. Perfectionism - Perfectionism  can  be a good trait during the editing process; however, it is not as valuable while  writing. Distractions - In today's day and age, it’s nearly impossible to avoid distractions. So what can you do about writer’s block? Now that you know the four root causes of writer’s block, you can take some  actionable  steps to eliminate it from your writing for good. If you’re anything like me, you could probably relate to all four of the root causes. As you read along, you’ll find that more than a few of these actionable tips apply to you. With that in mind - here are 14 of our favorite tips for curing writer's block. 1. Writing Prompts If you aren’t familiar with writing prompts, they are simply guided writing assignments designed to stimulate your imagination and get the creative juices flowing. Put simply, writing prompts get you writing.   It may not be the topic you originally set out to write about, but it may help you find your muse. If you’re stuck finding a topic to write about, or lost finding a fresh idea to attack the blank page, writing prompts may be a good habit to implement into your writing routine.   The right prompt can open up new ideas.  They can illuminate new  ways of looking at things you aren’t able to see on your own. You can find writing prompts a variety of ways. Many are  free online, you can  buy a book of them, or come up with them yourself. Write them down to use at a later time.  You can even have writing prompts sent to your inbox, with Writing Time Fridays! Join here to receive a great writing prompt emailed or texted to you on Friday at 12pm EST. This is a great way to carve out time for writing and get inspired. You can dedicate time for writing on Friday, like we do at Astrohaus, or you can wait and use the prompt over the weekend. Related:  Writing Habits to Jumpstart Your Creativity and Keep You Focused    2. Don’t Be a Perfectionist   Does this sound like you? You want everything to be perfect before you ever begin writing. Every pen stroke must be streaked with gold. You try to formulate the perfect passage in your head, but you never do, so you revert to underlying cause #2, procrastination.   Perfectionism will only hinder your good writing. I’ve written a number of blog posts over the years. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, nobody ever sees my first drafts. It sounds obvious, but nothing bad will come from writing words down. If you don’t like what you wrote, delete it. Leave the self-criticism for editing. 3. Stop Writing Sometimes,  It’s just not the right time to write. Your ideas may need a few more moments to formulate in your mind.   Surely, writing isn’t the only thing you ever do. You also need to eat, sleep, read, exercise, and interact with other people.   Even if writing is at the top of your to-do-list. Doing anything else, would be more beneficial than beating yourself up while staring at a blank page.   In a infamous  New Yorker  article, Ferris Jabr references overwhelming evidence that taking a walk can help you think through problems and be creative. Source: Elements of Walking Helps Us Think It’s ok to not always be writing, or thinking about your writing. 4. Change Your Writing  Medium Stuck in the mud? Try using Google Docs or Evernote instead of Word.  Put down the computer all together and try out your grandfather’s typewriter. What’s been most beneficial to me is freewriting in a journal or a piece of scrap paper. Any idea that comes to mind goes down on the paper. Often times, it doesn’t make any sense. 5. Eliminate Distractions This is one of the four core causes of writer’s block. In a world where we are faced with distractions left and  right, we no longer get to sit  in our log cabin in the woods and write in a quiet room. You have to take extra steps to create a distraction free environment in your mind.   5 Easy ways to eliminate distractions -  Turn off your cell phone- Unplug from the internet- Clean your desk- Let everyone know to leave you alone- Dim the light I’ve been using  Sprinter  by Astrohaus to focus on my writing. I even used it while writing this article.   6. Create A Schedule Every morning, I do two things. I wash my face, then I sit down at my desk and open my daily planner. I don’t check my phone, I don’t look at any emails, and I don’t talk to ANYONE. The second thing I do each morning is plan out my day. To paraphrase Jim Rohn, â€Å"If you don’t build a plan for your life, someone else will.†Ã‚   I plan my day down to the second, then I execute. It’s easy to say you†ll just get around to it, but taking the extra steps to plan out exactly when and for how long you’ll be writing, you’re that much more likely to do it.   Sometimes, you just have to put your head to the grindstone and write. If you’ve already done this before, then first address the root causes of writer’s block found above. If a pilot called his boss and said, â€Å"I have flyers block.† He would be laughed off the phone and probably told to hang up his wings. So, why do writers get to have writer’s block? 7. Find Some Inspiration Jack London once said, â€Å"You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.†Ã‚   Put bluntly, refusing to write until you feel inspired it futile - at best. As a professional writer, you can’t afford to wait several days to find your muse. The world isn’t waiting for you. Related: 25 writing tips from authors 8. Keep A Journal Journaling aids in fostering your creativity and helps develop ideas. Similar to freewriting or writing prompts, journaling literally opens a book of ideas. Turn your thoughts and feelings into words. What do you journal about? I like to journal about my goals and the things/people I’m thankful for  each day. As a part of my morning routine, I write down my goals  Ã‚  and three people I’m thankful for. It’s not uncommon for writer’s to keep journals with them at all times. Sometimes inspiration strikes at the most unlikely and inconvenient times. Bottle that muse, and save it for later. â€Å"Always carry a notebook. And I mean always. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper you can lose an idea forever.† -  Will Self 9. Go Outside I don’t just mean writing outside, but turning off your writing brain completely..   Nature offers an immediate boost to your mental and physical well-being. Sometimes, you have to slow down to speed up. A few benefits of going outside are: - Relieve stress- Improve short-term memory- Eliminate fatigue- Improve focus- Decrease blood pressure Combined, all of these things can help get the creative juices flowing. Maybe while you’re outside, you’ll find your inspiration.   10. Change Your Writing Space If venturing outside isn’t enough, maybe you need to change your work setting. Rotating your workspaces can increase your productivity and open yourself up to new ideas. Try a coffee shop, a library, bookstore, a park, or just a different room. Cultivate multiple spaces around you that foster your creativity and productivity . 11. Use Freewrite Every element of the Freewrite is designed to help you find your flow state and stay there. It works perfectly indoors or out, online or offline. Double your hourly word count, meet deadlines on time, and write better content. The Freewrite allows writers like you to create drafts without being distracted by notifications or the infinite possibilities on the internet. When it’s time to write, you can just write. If you're interested, you can head over to  the Freewrite store to learn more. 12. Create A Routine Ok, so you’ve burned through the previous eleven suggestions. You found one that worked, but it didn’t work the second time. What now?   You have to create a routine. As I mentioned in tip #6, I follow a strict morning schedule to get myself aligned with the tasks of the day. After journaling and planning my day, I spend 30 minutes on personal development. Today, I learned about copywriting from the legend Gary Bencivenga. I improved my craft and found some inspiration to apply to my writing. Lastly, that brings us to the granddaddy of them all... 13. Start Writing   You’ve exhausted every option on this list and have nothing left. Here’s the foolproof way to cure your writer’s block.   It’s this simple. Just start writing. You already know this, but evidently, the things that are easy to do are also easy not to do. It starts with one word, then another.   Solution   Personally, how did I cure my writer’s block? The root cause of my writer’s block was perfectionism. I expected myself to churn at a Pulitzer worthy 2,000 word article in less than an hour. Only once I embraced my full inner creativity was I able to write to free myself from the never-ending stuckness of writer’s block. My only hope is that after reading this tips, you are able to address your underlying cause of why you’re stuck so you can ditch writer’s block forever! Carlton Clark loves to write about business, baseball, and popular culture. A writer, marketer, and entrepreneur. At the age of 14, he founded the media company  ballplayerplus.com. Currently, Carlton helps businesses share their stories through social media and blogging. When he’s not writing or creating content, Carlton coaches youth baseball at his local high school and plays guitar. You can find him online on Instagram @itscarltonclark, and on Twitter @carlton_mukasa