Safety of recycled water for drinking

Introduction Water recycling is the process by which individuals harness, treat and reuse water for various purposes. It may occur through water reclamation. This involves the treatment of sewage effluent for domestic and commercial use. Alternatively, recycled water may come from storm water or rain water.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Safety of recycled water for drinking specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Potable use is the human consumption of recycled water while planned reuse refers to deliberate treatment of wastewater for other uses. Recycled water holds a lot of promise in the field of agriculture and industry, but its application as a potable source is still quite contentious, limited and risky. Whether recycled water is safe for drinking The question of whether recycled water is safe for drinking is of high relevance to a discussion on water-borne diseases because raw waste water contains high amounts of faecal matter, so it takes a rigorous and fool proof method to eradicate all disease-causing pathogens in recycled waste water. Ashbolt (2004) explains that ingestion of unsafe drinking water transmits waterborne diseases. Usually, the water supply system of predisposed communities is susceptible to faecal contamination; over 1415 species of pathogens can be found in untreated waste water. Urine and faeces transmit these illnesses and may lead to severe complications or death. Typical examples include cholera, typhoid, gastroenteritis, infectious hepatitis, bacillary dysentery and amoeba, rotavirus, Escherichia Coli and Guardia Lamblia. Treatment of waste water may minimise certain pathogens, but in highly infected water, it is difficult to eliminate all of them. Furthermore, recycling methods need to correspond to the development of new water-borne diseases. Scientists must also be aware of the genetic evolution of pathogens, which may make conventional treatment methods inadequ ate. Chemicals may also threaten public health if present in recycled water. Conventional treatment may eliminate some chemicals, but could leave trace elements. Esposito et. al. (2005) affirm that the health effects of trace contaminants are still unclear at this point. Some organic compounds can disrupt hormonal systems even under extremely low concentrations. The international public health community is yet to create standards that would regulate treatment of waste water. Therefore, parties must use a multi-thronged approach which would require elimination of all the threats at different levels (Steyn et. al. 2004). This is not just painstaking; it may cause excessive use of municipal and government resources. Toze (2006) explains that membrane filtration is one of the few effective routes of treating wastewater for portable use. However, it is quite expensive and takes a long time to complete. Jimenez and Chavez (2004) underscore the need for rigor in the treatment of wastewater for domestic purposes.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They assert that one must follow the fate of all the pollutants in the effluent in order to ascertain that they are absent. Esposito et. al. (2005) also outline some of the processes that waste water must go through during treatment. Disinfection and filtration systems in combination with secondary water treatment are effective for removing a portion of pathogens. The resulting product would only be sufficient for irrigation or non potable use. On the other hand, ultrafiltration would minimise the risks associated with suspended particles. Sometimes certain pathogens are resistant to these processes. For instance, if one uses tertiary treatment on recycled water, one is likely to find viruses like cryptosporidium (Toze 2006). Elimination of chemicals is also essential in making recycled water safe for ingestion. It wo uld include the use of a series of treatments like nano-filtration, advanced oxidation as well as reverse osmosis. Ion exchange, biological degradation and chemical precipitation, are some synonyms of the above processes (Morud 2009). Owing to the complexity and diversity of disease-causing organisms and compounds in raw waste water, it is difficult to assure consumers of complete eradication of these pathogens in drinking water. A number of advocates claim that recycled water is safe for drinking because water supply for key cities still comes from downstream rivers, which contain sewage effluent. However, using such a justification would be replacing one ill with another. It is one thing for cities to source their water from downstream rivers, with possible sewage contaminants. On the other hand, when the concerned institution deliberately takes sewage effluent, then this increases the concentration of pathogens (DTI 14). It would increase the health risks of the population substa ntially when countries replace contaminated river water with sewage effluent. Toze (2006) states that the concentration of pathogens in raw water supply highly affects the risks associated with treated waste water. If these sources have a high concentration of pathogens, health risks would increase. The author further states that treatment methods in current use leave certain pathogens in waste water. Cities such as New York are already investing so much in the cleanup of their water supply systems or estuaries (Esposito et. al. 2005). Furthermore, public health officials suggest the placement of barriers as an effective method of protecting the masses form recycled water risks. One way would be preventing direct contact with contaminants. Therefore, it would almost retrogressive to use sewage effluent if it is already perceived as a health problem in many parts of the world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Safety of recycled water for drinking specifically fo r you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Evidence from real-life cases is not sufficient to warrant consideration of recycled water for ingestion. Case studies on potable water reuse are few and hard to analyse. For instance, Anderson (2003) cites Orange County, in California, as one example. The county built a water reclamation plant that would treat water to drinking standard. Not only did it employ a series of aquifers, but it also injected the water under high pressure. After fifteen years of intensive work, the recycled water was still not used for drinking. Po et. al. (2003) also talks about the controversies involved in portable reuse. For instance, Singapore worked on a project known as NEWater. The government wanted the project to curb dependence on other countries for water supply. The Singaporean government even packaged the commodity in bottles such that the public could drink it conveniently. However, this plan did not work as few were willing to drink it. While the failure of the project failed due to public squeamishness towards the product, it still denied advocates of recycled water for potable use from having a tangible case study that could support their stand. Sometimes politics may come in the way of successful implementation of such projects. Scientific backing may exist to support the safety of a water reclamation project. However, if lobbyists and other political groups undermine the implementation of the scheme, then one cannot study the immediate and long term effects of ingesting recycled water. As a result, it is not possible to make conclusive statements about the project. Namibia is a recurrent case study in water recycling analyses. The city has been consuming recycled water from as far back as 1968. However, people rarely use recycled water directly in this country. Residents prefer blending the recycled water with conventional water. Sometimes the blend may be as high as 1:1 or may account for a quarte r of the system in use (Anderson 2003). Direct portable reuse is not widespread because it requires transportation of recycled water from treatment plants into people’s homes. The public and the scientific community are still not certain about the rigors of the treatment process. Therefore, many of them prefer to go for the indirect potable route (Marks et. al. 2006). If the pioneer of recycled water for potable use (Namibia) still cannot place all their confidence in reclaimed water, then one should question the plausibility of using the product for personal and human consumption. Conclusion Recycled water is not safe for drinking because of the health risks involved. Conventional treatment methods do not eliminate all microbes or chemical contaminants, and this could be dangerous. Additionally, few case studies exist to analyse the long term effect of 100% use (without blending) of recycled water among the masses.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, one cannot employ the method without support from conventional treatment systems. Finally, deliberate introduction of wastewater into water supply systems would increase the number of contaminants that require eradication, and this would pose a greater health risk than contaminated downstream water. Unless stakeholders eradicate these bottlenecks, then recycled water should not be treated as safe for drinking. References Anderson, J 2003 ‘The environmental benefits of water recycling and reuse’, Water Science and Technology, vol. 3 no. 4, pp. 1-10. Ashbolt, N 2004 ‘Microbial contamination of drinking water and disease outcomes in developing regions’, Technology, vol. 198 no. 3, pp. 229-238. DTI 200 ‘Water recycling and reuse in Singapore and Australia’, DTI Global Watch Mission Report, November, p. 1-79. Esposito, K, Tsuchihashi, R, Anderson, J Selstrom, J 2005, ‘The role of water reclamation in water resources management in t he 21st Century’, Water Environment, vol. 101 no. 4, 8621-8635. Jimenez, B Chavez, A 2004, ‘Quality assessment of potential use of an aquifer recharged with wastewater’, Water Science Technology, vol. 50 no. 2, pp. 269-76. Marks, J, Martin, B Zadoroznyi, M 2006, ‘Acceptance of water recycling in Australia: national baseline data’, Water, March, p. 152-159. Morud, J 2009, Reclamation and reuse of wastewater, IUP, Iowa. Po, M, Kaercher, D Nancarrow, B 2003, ‘Literature review of factors influencing public perceptions of water reuse’, CSIRO Land and Water Technical Report, vol. 54 no. 3, pp. 1-33. Steyn, M, Jagals, P Genthe, B 2004, ‘Assessment of microbial infection risks posed by ingestion of water during domestic water use and full contact recreation in a mid southern African region’, Water Science and Technology, vol. 50 no. 1, pp. 301-308. Toze, S 2006, ‘Water reuse and health risks-real vs. Perceived’, De salination, vol. 187 no. 8, pp. 41-51. This essay on Safety of recycled water for drinking was written and submitted by user Erin Q. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

THings fall apart achebe essays

THings fall apart achebe essays All the cultures in a bigger or smaller grade had always been under the possibility of colonization. Even today where there is a greater control and knowledge about the territories we still see some powerful country trying to colonize other. In the book by Chinua Achebe "Things Fall Apart" we see how the English people in the name of the Queen of England try to colonize small African villages. We been talking about colonization, but what is colonization? We can define colonization as the appropriation of lands that belong to someone else by force, and the introduction of the foreign culture to the one already existing there. In this book what Achebe wants to show us is that is possible to change a whole culture just by introducing a new one. If we analyze the book we see that the African village had its own structure and rules. Everyone in the village respected those rules even the most powerful men in the village. When Okonkwo shoots accidentally the old' s dead man daughter he has to leave the village, even thought he was one of the nine who run that village. There were no excuses, nor corruption, nor a way to escape, if someone did something wrong that someone have to pay no matter whom he was. He tries to show us how the original culture of the village was, how the women were treated and how men were in charge of everything. He shows us that the more you work and the more stronger you were the more important you were. We can see this very clear in the analogy of Okonkwo' s father and Okonkwo. His father hardly worked, he was not a strong man, and therefore he was not respected and owed lots of mone y to everyone in the village. On the other side Okonkwo was a warrior, hardworking man. Everyone in the village respected him and he was one of the wealthiest men also. This kind of culture and social life was very characteristic of African villages in colonization times. Achebe wants to show us how is that a culture can be changed...

Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis - Essay Example The populations most at risk are those suffering from acute or chronic severe renal insufficiency, from acute renal insufficiency of any severity due to the hepato-renal syndrome, and those patients in the peri-operative liver transplantation period. For all of these patients it is recommended that health care professionals simply avoid the use of GBCA; the only exception being when it is determined that the diagnostic information to be obtained is absolutely necessary and unavailable through the use of non-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, as a precautionary measure, it is recommended that health care professionals conduct a screening for all patients for a renal dysfunction by either obtaining a history or carrying out laboratory tests. These screening measures are fundamentally precautionary, however, because "the risk, if any, for developing NSF among patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency or normal renal function is unknown" (Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents, 2007).

EBay--Transition From Auctions to Using Posted Prices Research Paper

EBay--Transition From Auctions to Using Posted Prices - Research Paper Example From sellers’ perspective, this preference for posted-price over auctions is endogenous. There is ambiguity over market mechanisms’ behavior; how participants are affected and sales materialize, as the trend of posted-price is initiated by sellers. The reason of this compositional changeover in the products being sold cannot be explained as evolving or causal. Rather profits from auctions started decreasing. Buyers also started showing disinterest in the auction market mechanism besides the shrinking margins of the sellers that prompted a shift to the trend of posted prices. Einav et al. (1) find the reason of reducing margins more important for the changeover in online market design from open auctions to posted price. Although the shift has taken place but still auctions are preferred in certain sales by the online sellers; these are prevalent, as sellers prefer them to posted prices for distinct items sales. The market of eBay connects sellers and buyers on the online platform, presented through its highly interactive website. It is a market with no fixed prices for ever and information is available at just the click of the mouse; both buyers and sellers are bargaining continuously for a better transaction from their own perspectives. eBay is the perfect example of selling goods through auctions, which it has been doing since 2001, propelling its growth through the development of proxy bidding. It facilitates buyers offering a maximum bid while the computer answers to third parties’ bids up to this maximum. This selling design minimizes transaction costs as bidders’ offline or physical presence in actual time is not required for taking part in ever changing market scenario for auction bidding (Einav et al. 1). Figure1 above indicates the past trend till the current scenario, starting from Jan. 2003 till Jan. 2012 of online commerce, which has transformed greatly, but showing a turn against auctions due to reducing revenues since Jan. 2008. As stated

Crosscultural business communication

Crosscultural business communication Intercultural, or crosscultural business communication is one of the most critical factors contributing to business growth and success in todays ever more complex global marketplace whether in Toronto, Canada or internationally. The ability of companies to acquire intercultural competence can either make or break their chances of success in an increasingly competitive, international business arena. As a result, many companies and organizations are wisely investing in cultural awareness training for their leaders and employees in order to tap into some huge potential international markets. [Clark 1999] Even within a single country such as the United States of America, Canada, Australia or the United Kingdom, the population is coming from an increasingly diverse cultural background and many languages are being spoken in addition to a common language such as English. In London alone, the number of cultural backgrounds and languages can run into hundreds while the Hispanics and the Asian communities in the United States of America have become increasingly important as a result of their growing population. [Hyland 1996] Prior to proceeding further, the question that needs to be asked is what is meant by business communications? Effective business communication occurs whenever someone conveys relevant information in any form. Effective communication involves information that is timely for decisionmaking as well as that which promotes your business through advertising and public relations. Idle conversation about the weather or last nights ball game is not necessarily unimportant in a business setting. Hence business communications is not just about writing memos in an office for a culturally diverse workforce or letters to other businesses and offices with which a firm may have dealings. Small talk is an important part of employee relations and is necessary to establish the channels of communication. If a business is related to the entertainment or sports industries, it would no longer be small talk, and could be considered keeping up with the competition or market comparisons. Key elements of busine ss communication are conveyance, effectiveness, structure and editing. Conveying meaning in business communication is of the utmost importance. One has to start with some idea of what the audience or market is required to understand, and this has to be narrowed down to one specific message. In todays hectic and fastpaced business world, no one has the time or patience to figure out a wellintended but obscure purpose. This is particularly true when one is trying to persuade someone towards a line of reasoning, as in an advertisement, sales pitch or job interview. [Clark 1999] When the sole intent is to market the business, make sure you know the difference between advertising and public relations. Advertising involves paying to promote your business through various media. Public relations dont cost anything and refers to anything that conveys a positive image for a business. [Winters 2004] Networking can aid a companys public relations effort in talking to potential customers/ clients, council members and others vital to getting the word out. While networking may cost a business executive a lunch here or there, its main expense is your time and energy. If you are a small business just starting out, it may be more economically feasible to rely heavily on public relations in the beginning or a novel form of advertising, i.e. if there is a small business that paints portraits, there could be a photoprocessor putting out the companys flyers in with their customers pictures. In any case, remember to be bold and stay focused with name recognition and wordofmouth promotion. [Winters 2004] Using a direct approach when structuring communications, whether it is a letter, memo, phone call, or proposal can be important. This does not mean the writer is being blunt or curt in your message. The communication should start with a clear understanding of what is required to be expressed, followed by supporting details, facts and examples. The supporting information should emphasize the main theme of the communication and avoid losing the readers with wordy or flowery prose. Remember that the intent is to convey a specific message and not to entertain or bore the readers. [Hinner 1998] The choice of words, whether written or spoken, is an important consideration and this consideration may be different in different cultures. When composing a letter, thinking about the next conference call or designing the next advertisement consider the intended audience and the complexity of the topic. Multicultural audiences require a different approach from that which may be required in a Japanese market. A lot of research about Arab values and their society will be required for entering the Arab markets and selling cars that have been manufactured by a Japanese parent company. In an effort to sell those cars, there will be an interaction between the Arab local area office and the Japanese Head office in the form of exchange of memos, letters and office documents as well as face to face meetings and interactions which will involve multifaceted communications between two cultures. In such cultural exchanges, care is required o ensure that there is an understanding of both cultures and values in both the societies. [Hinner 1998] Hence there is a requirement for the understanding of cultural norms and values when selling goods and services internationally or in culturally diverse societies and communities. [Hinner 1998] In this paper, we consider various aspects of multicultural business communications and why multicultural business communications is receiving increasing attention in business circles. Diversity in todays workplace and marketplace Todays expanding racial, ethnic and cultural diversity makes it obvious that it will be nearly impossible in the future to manage a workforce or market products as we have in the past. All forms of business communications are affected. [Walker Yabarra 2004] Earlier in this century, immigrants and secondgeneration Americans found jobs that entailed long, grueling hours in steel mills, shoe factories and textile mills. Workers spoke a tapestry of languages, but during the workday these employees learned to speak English. They learned to do whatever it took to conform to the expectations of their employers and society. In a business age defined by mass production and mass marketing, the individual got lost. Workers from diverse cultures and backgrounds learned to assimilate. Immigrants Americanized their names. They learned to talk alike, walk alike, and in so doing many discarded centuriesold traditions and customs. [Walker Yabarra 2004] As people from all over the world came to America, attitudes evolved. Meanwhile, a host of changes took place in society. After two world wars, the United States was transformed into a superpower. Women and minorities began making strides in the workplace. And a growing interdependence among nations has contributed to the growth of international trade and created the global village. [Winters 2004] As all of those societal changes took place, America learned to take pride in its identity as home to a rich mixture of a variety of ethnic groups and cultures. And by the 1990s, with the continual influx of new immigrants, second and thirdgeneration Americans, along with some minorities have come to take more outward pride in their very own cultural distinctions. One case in point is the 25millionstrong U.S. Hispanic market. It is estimated that this market will grow to 30 million by the year 2000. This represents $215 billion in purchasing power, which is expected to rise to $477 billion by the turn of the century. Yet, the numbers dont tell the whole story. U.S. Hispanics have different habits and tastes, depending on cultural values and customs deriving from their respective national origins. Mexican Americans, more prevalent in the west and southwest, respond differently to certain marketing techniques and messages than Cuban Americans in the southeast and Puerto Ricans in the northeast. [Walker Yabrra 2004] As a result of changes in the composition of the workplace, our poll found that most public relations executives believe that the industry will have to become more sophisticated in multicultural communications techniques. These techniques might include training or other measures. Organizations currently offer employees special training programs that cover ethnic diversity issues, gender issues, and issues centered on the disabled. [Simpson 2004] In a business where the supply of good jobs vastly outnumbers those seeking communications jobs, the public relations industry has to approach recruiting, training and communicating to a diverse range of audiences in a more sophisticated manner. And like the organizations we serve, we are only slightly ahead of the curve on marketing to a multicultural society that no longer demands that individuals assimilate to become accepted. [Walker Yabrra 2004] The path we must follow is well marked. It starts with our hiring practices. And it continues with the training programs we conduct, the communications programs we create and implement, and the audiences we include in all of our communications. Diversity is a process that begins with an open mind and never ends. [Walker Yabrra 2004] Cross cultural communication Businesses that hope to sell to or work with clients on an international level, or work with or manage staff members located here in the U.S. or in a company location abroadwho may also be from varying cultural backgroundswill require that their managers, HR directors, and sales forces possess the specialized knowledge and skills to make the most of internal, as well as external business relationships. [Winters 2004] As in any relationship, effective communication skills play a pivotal role. Even in the advertising industry, unless you understand your target market and possess adequate research and data on its demographics and psychographics, your odds for success are greatly diminished. The same is true when managing a diverse workforce, or selling products and services to peoples of other culturesthe more you know about them, the better! [Simpson 2004] In California for instance, a unique marketplace encompasses a melting pot of businesses that are not always Americanowned or based. And even if they are, these businesses often employ people from varying cultures and provide services to people and companies across the globe. This is why heightened understanding and methods of communication are so important in todays business world and the main reason why many universities and institutions have focused on providing cross cultural education courses.[Simpson 2004] The new dimensions of communications Todays global, networked computing environment creates the potential for adding new dimensions to the processes of communication. These include: [The Knowledge Management Connection 2004] Semantic precision and disambiguation. Words are the very imprecise means by which we painfully encode and try to transfer the multidimensional knowledge in one brain to another brain where they are painfully and imprecisely converted back into knowledge. Consuming content — in the form of oral conversations or email or many kinds of documents — entails continuous reinterpretation of words, introducing costs of both time and accuracy. Descriptions, examples, and continuous refinement of content alone are not enough — and certainly not efficient enough. Examples of new precise semantic information in communications include Yahoo and other web directories as well as corporate taxonomies. Integration of structural knowledge. Billions of dollars can be saved every month by detecting the similarities among online queries, email exchanges, and other forms of informationseeking and by providing shortcuts to disambiguation of meaning and accurate retrieval. For integration of structural knowledge, concepts in communications need to be explicit and precise. Continuous connection to application of knowledge. Authority on new business problems ultimately comes from application, not theory. Knowledge seekers must be able to move directly from experiences to authority — with or without interpretation, but always with comprehensive, reliable memory. â€Å"Doubleloop communication.† Valuable knowledge emerges from the sum of all questions, answers, the processes of exchange, and those who engage in that exchange — not just from the sum of all answers. Acts of communication are themselves sources of knowledge. Questions and answers are not dissociated. Questions constitute value themselves. The emergence of patterns as expertise. Newness and heterogeneity of tasks means there simply are no experts on many topics. But the construction of an explicit resource with precisely modeled semantic content ultimately enables us to detect patterns within that structural knowledge. In the knowledgedriven business environment, such patterns will often be the only resource for expertise on some problems. Conclusion In conclusion, it may be stated that there are new and emerging changes going on in the field of communications resulting from changing demographics of the communities in which the business must operate. Another force which is changing the way business communication, knowledge retrieval and storage as well as the way in which business is being conducted is the advent of computers and associated technologies in business. The business communication milieu must, therefore, be researched and has assumed a far increasing level of importance in the present age. References Dou, Weilin Clark, George William Jr. (June 22, 1999). Appreciating the Diversity in Multicultural Communication Styles.. Business Forum. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://static.highbeam.com/b/businessforum/june221999/appreciatingthediversityinmulticulturalcommunicati/ Paul Hyland et al. (Fall 1996). MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR A MULTICULTURAL LEARNING ORGANIZATION. University of Western Sydney. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://www.google.com.pk/search?q=cache:YJNcXoM7eGgJ:www.csupomona.edu/~jis/1996/Hyland.pdf+multicultural+business+communications+hl=en Elaine Winters. (2004). Cultural issues in communication. Elaine Winters. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://www.bena.com/ewinters/culiss.html Michael B. Hinner. (May 1998). The Importance of Intercultural Communication in a Globalized World. Technische Universitï ¿ ½t Bergakademie Freiber. Referenced: June 2, 2004. Web site: http://www.google.com.pk/search?q=cache:pCpyTZqJjYJ:www.wiwi.tufreiberg.de/englisch/downloads/Global.PDF+importance+of+multicultural+business+communicationshl=en AME Info. (May 20, 2004). Nissan launches communications initiative with CNBC Arabiya. AME Info. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/39934.html Patrice Simpson. (2004). Intercultural Communication. Society and Culture Association. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://hsc.csu.edu.au/pta/scansw/intcultsimpson.html Kimberley WalkerYbarra. (April 12, 2004). Bridging the business world communica. (Crosscultural communication). San Diego Business Journal, April 12, 2004 v25 i15 pA2(2) The Knowledge Management Connection. Why Communication is the Answer. The Knowledge Management Connection. Referenced: June 5, 2004. Web site: http://www.kmconnection.com/Why_communication_is_the_answer.htm

Wide Reading

Describe a character that interests you in The Fat Man and explain why that character interested you. Colin a 12 year old boy interested me from the book The Fat Man by Maurice Gee. Colin is a hungry boy caught up by the effects of the Depression. He learns from the fat man that his dad was a bully in school and the fat man wants revenge for what they did to him. Colin is interesting because of the time he lives in and because he has to learn truths about his parents and being brave and helping Verna.We learn from the book that Colin is a hungry skinny 12 year old boy who is always desperate for food. As it was the Depression there was not enough money to buy food to eat. Laurie (Colin’s father) has trouble finding a job and getting enough money to feed his family. In the book it tells us that Colin is a hungry boy with the quotation â€Å"Colin Potter was a hungry boy. † The other quotation â€Å"They were hard times. There were hungry times† tell us that Colinà ¢â‚¬â„¢s dad can’t find a job and get money that they need to buy food and they were quite hungry when Laurie couldn’t earn money.I thought this was interesting as it is different from how children nowadays are being brought up in New Zealand and having enough food for the whole family to have plenty to replenish their hunger when we are hungry. It is hard to imagine how New Zealand children were like during the Depression, hungry for food. Colin is interesting because he has a scary encounter with the fat man and learns that he wants revenge for being bullied by Colin’s father at school. Colin meets the fat man at the creek. The fat man holds him back even though he doesn’t want to and discovers Colin had stolen his chocolate.The fat man soon discovers that Maisie and Laurie were Colin’s parents. The fat man tells Colin about his parents. How his father bullied him at school and farting and blaming everything on the fat man. Laurie and his friends also spat sandwiches everyday at the fat man and made him eat them. â€Å"I cried too, everyday for a year. Pottsie liked it†. It tells us that Laurie made the fat man cry as he bullied him everyday for a year and the fat man hated it a lot. The second quotation â€Å"Then they’d spit on it†¦ Spit sandwich was its name.I ate one of those everyday. † The fat man had to go through Laurie and his friends spitting sandwiches on him everyday and he didn’t like it. It is very interesting seeing how Colin deals with truths about his father. In Colin’s eyes, his father seemed smaller to him now. Colin is a very interesting boy as he was very kind and supportive towards Verna when she had hard times. Despite Colin being very afraid of the fat man and the bullies at school, Colin stands up for Verna and walks her home even though he knows that the Rice gang is going to get him soon.Colin walks home with Verna. The quote in the book is â€Å"I’l l walk with you† which was very kind of him even though he didn’t want to. Colin’s bravery to me makes him a very interesting character. Colin is a very interesting character in this whole story. He overcomes his fear of the fat man and the bullies at school because he was a kind boy and wanted to help Verna. I also learnt more about the Depression – how many people could not find jobs and therefore their families could not afford food.

The Four Noble Truths

The four noble truths are considered to be fundamental teachings of Gautama Buddha. These truths lay groundwork on how man should view his existence in this world. Others have viewed these teachings as being too pessimistic. This is because of the focus on suffering/pain as an inextricable component of life. The four noble truths aim at recategorizing man’s experience as cause and effect, skllful and unskillful rather than me/not me and being/not being (Bikkhu, 1999). The first noble truth discusses about the nature of suffering (dukkha).It claims that the latter is experienced through our relations with others, in aging, in birth, in death, and in illness (â€Å"Four Noble Truths,† 2007). In short, it is the case that everyone would encounter some sort of pain whether mental or physical. Gautama Buddha tells us that we must learn to know/understand as well as accept these sufferings as facts of life. The Second noble truth is centered on the origin of suffering/dukkha- samudaya. Accordingly one suffers because he/she craves, this can either be sensual, for eternal existence or for self-destruction.Craving (or tanha) is a corruption of one’s mind and as such ought to be avoided (â€Å"the Second Noble Truth,† 2005). There is a need for us to confront and rid ourselves of attachments, hate, and our delusions. Craving or desire can lead one to lie, cheat and steal— in short to live a dishonest life. Inability to get one’s object of desire also leads to anger and frustration; which would be self-destructive to the individual (â€Å"The Cause of Suffering,† 2007). To be controlled by one’s desire is to remain in ignorance.The latter is considered to be the inability to see the truth about things. In order for one to overcome this he/she must seek wisdom through meditation and study. The third noble truth is the end of suffering. This will be made possible if one is able to rid of his/her ill will, craving, and ignorance. When we are able to end suffering, we will be able to attain full/ultimate happiness. It is the case that as one is able to transcend his/her desires and consequently pain; he/she would be able to become increasingly at peace and happy.Buddhist calls this transcending as supreme enlightenment whereas the person is able to achieve the same clarity as Buddha. The two main features of being enlightened is wisdom and great compassion (â€Å"enlightenment,† 2006). The fourth noble truth tells us how we could end suffering. Buddha teaches us that we must take the middle path in order for us to be enlightened. This goes to say that one should not live the extremes of life. One must not live in total luxury and indulgence but he/she must also not live is pure ascetism.Both these extremes are prone to error, even the one which seeks absolute purification of one’s existence. In line with this middle path, Buddha formulates the systematic cure to suffering which is the eight fold path. The latter could be seen as â€Å"self-help† guide on how to achieve enlightenment by following different steps. I think that the teachings of Gautama Buddha with regards to the four noble truths can be applied in everyday living and modern meditation. I believe that even if one is not an official Buddhist; he/she would find meaning in these teachings.After all if we come to take a keener look at what these truths are saying; we would realize that they can be used to make one lead a more clear and peaceful kind of life. The truths that Buddha speaks of can be used by anyone wanting to achieve clarity of the mind and wishes to lead a life free from internal and external conflicts. It is the case in order for a person to achieve this he must first recognize that he/she is prone to afflict him/her and others. She must take into consideration that the things she does in life would be for the removal of superficial cravings instead of indulging in vanity, greed, and pride.I personally believe that we would be able to apply the teachings of Buddha in our day to day existence. The cessation of over-craving, and suffering would lead to a life of personal illumination. Overcoming these tendencies would not only aid our selves but also influence for the better our relationship with other people. Buddhism gives us a path to spirituality that manifest itself in the way we do and deal with life. References: Bhikku, A. ,(1999). The Four Noble Truths: A Study Guide. Retrieved September 14 2007, from http:// www.accesstoinsight. org/lib/study/truths. html. (n. d. ). Four Noble Truths. Retrieved September 13, 2007, from http://buddhism. 2be. net/Four_Noble_Truths. (2005). The Second Noble Truth. In Access Insight, Retrieved September 13, 2007, from http://www. accesstoinsight. org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/index. html. Gyatso, G. K. , (2006). Buddhism and the Four Noble Truths. in Meditate in London. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www. meditat einlondon. org. uk/buddhism-the-four-noble-truths. php