In earlier days sharing your salt with someone meant sharing your freindship, and the spilling of salt was taken as a sign that the friendship was going to end. However, salt has…
Abstract
In earlier days sharing your salt with someone meant sharing your freindship, and the spilling of salt was taken as a sign that the friendship was going to end. However, salt has long been used as a protection against evil, and the throwing of salt over the shoulder cancels the evil effect of upsetting the salt.
Dhinesh Sugumaran, Kogila Vani Annammala, Abdull Rahim Mohd Yusoff, Zulkifli Yusop, Nur Athirah Mohamad and Anand Nainar
Southeast Asia has been actively undergoing land conversion into agricultural lands over past few decades. This creates the challenges to the nation in dealing with the non-point…
Abstract
Southeast Asia has been actively undergoing land conversion into agricultural lands over past few decades. This creates the challenges to the nation in dealing with the non-point source pollutants in many fluvial systems, thus requiring an effective approach in sediment source apportionment for an appropriate target mitigation procedure. The trace element property from different source points was used for catchment classification of Galas River. Sediment sample collection was carried out at the sources and sink areas of the catchment system. Fine sediment was analysed using X-ray fluorescence to obtain elemental composition followed by the statistical test and numerical model. Out of 83 elements, 12 elements (Mn, Ca, Cr, Ga, Dy Hf, Y, V, Th, Pb, Zn and Sr) have been selected as best tracer signatures. The solver model has indicated Pergau River as the major sediment contributor to this large catchment system. The model output could directly be proportional with the land-use practice, indicating excessive terrestrial alteration has taken place within the sites for agricultural plantation purposes. Thus, this highly recommends for the decision-making use to the targeted areas to overcome the serious sedimentation issues caused by the tillage operation in affected stream points and to improve the watershed quality.
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When men still alive to‐day were young, not a single cargo of chilled or frozen meat, of fruit or of dairy produce from the Southern Hemisphere, had been landed in this country…
Abstract
When men still alive to‐day were young, not a single cargo of chilled or frozen meat, of fruit or of dairy produce from the Southern Hemisphere, had been landed in this country. We have, that is, lived in the last generation through a dietetic revolution which has left us to a large and increasing extent dependent on foodstuffs grown at the ends of the earth and consumed weeks or even months after they leave the places of their origin. Fifty years ago Australia was importing butter, and a century ago the first cow was imported into New Zealand—where there are to‐day more cattle than men. This change in the balance of trade has created a series of new problems in practical science. Some of these have been solved in part, others remain impregnable, and all urgently call for solution; for every year, and almost every month, damage to cargoes is suffered that has its origin in our imperfect knowledge of how to submit perishable goods to the ordeal of prolonged ocean carriage. Beef, to take an obvious example, is hard to bring satisfactorily from Australia. There are two methods by which meat may be preserved, freezing and chilling. The same installation is used in both cases, but for the former, the machine requires to be more powerful, since the temperature of the meat must remain well below 32 degrees F. Mutton lends itself perfectly to freezing, but beef, owing to structural and other causes, is deteriorated if frozen. The tissues are ruptured by expansion, and so, when the meat is defrosted, much of the nutritive liquid escapes. It is possible, that this problem of “drip” may be solved. It is also possible that beef from Australia may be transported to Europe in a chilled (not frozen) state. Experimentally this has already been achieved, but much remains to be done before small scale experiment can be converted into current commercial practice. When it is remembered that there is available in Australia land which would feed a further seven to ten million head of cattle, the importance of the investigations now being conducted into means of transport will be understood. The ocean carriage of fruit involves inquiries equally fascinating and, perhaps, less known. An apple or an orange is not killed by being plucked, but continues to live and “breathe,” that is to say, to absorb oxygen from the air and yield in its place carbon dioxide. In consequence, a ship's hold packed with fruit would quickly resemble a Black Hole of Calcutta were not certain precautions taken. The crowded living cargo threatens to suffocate itself, and the remedy lies in lowering the temperature of the fruit so that it may breathe more slowly, and in the provision of adequate ventilation. Cold, and to a certain extent the expired gas, CO2, itself, lower the rate of living—that is to say, the rate of chemical change, so that the fruit ripens more slowly. It is in this state of delayed ripening that apples from Australia or oranges from South Africa can be brought to this country without damage. Stated in this way, the problem sounds simple enough; given some degree of cold and ventilation, all will be well. As a matter of fact, the limits of temperature and of ventilation within which it is permissible to move are narrowed by both engineering and biological considerations. Living matter does not suffer coercion gladly or passively, and the attempt to delay ripening, though it undoubtedly succeeds, does not leave the fruit at the end where it would be if it had ripened normally. The sequence of chemical change is different; flavouring substances abnormal in character or in amount are apt to be produced, and the problem of successful storage is to hit upon that combination of temperature humidity and ventilation, which will in the end present the product to the palate of the consumer in a state as near to the normal as may be. Fruit, moreover, has its recognisable storage diseases, and, though much advance has been recorded in recent years, losses are still suffered regularly. As an example of the tricks that can be played with plants, it may be mentioned that a rose bush, just budding, can be kept at its “freezing” point and its growth arrested. Then, if it is sheltered under a hothouse roof so that light shines upon it continuously, it will bloom to perfection many months later, when its temperature is allowed to rise. Roses in December arc, in fact, a practical proposition. The stowage of fruit naturally requires particular care. On banana boats, for instance, the chambers are subdivided into pens by portable rails supported in special stanchions, and from the air trunk access may be had to the bananas for inspection during the voyage. To check the danger caused by bulging cases it is sometimes the practice to fit battens around the case ends of thickness equal to the amount of bulge, thus preventing pressure on the fruit itself when the ship rolls. Mere ventilation without refrigeration is sometimes found to be adequate. Provided a good, regular circulation of air is secured, fruit can be brought here and even to America in this manner from the Mediterranean. Ingenious precautions are taken to see that rough weather does not affect storage conditions. In the old days one of the popular methods of artificial lowering of temperature was that of the direct expansion cold air machine. The air from the cargo spaces was sucked into the machine, compressed, cooled, expanded and sent back through the cargo spaces. This system proved, however, unsatisfactory, and has virtually been scrapped. The problem of the elimination of loss from fruit cargoes begins not in the cold store but in the orchard. A layman might expect different varieties of apples to vary in their carrying quantities. But experience has shown that apples of the same kind, even when grown near together and showing no difference if eaten as soon as plucked, vary considerably in their keeping power according to the soil on which they are grown. Thus Victoria plums under standard uniform conditions of commercial storage have had a life varying from one to six weeks. In another case Allington Pippin apples of the 1925 crop, taken from two different trees growing in the same garden less than 15 yards apart, showed a commercial storage life in the same cold store until January, 1926, in one instance, and in the other until May, 1926. Evidently growers, shippers and all concerned in the fruit trade dare not allow such results to be possible, for waste has to be paid for, and if the damage is charged to the public the consumption of fruit is liable to be lowered. It may be feasible to vary keeping quality by modifying soils, and this aspect of the matter, which is, of course, extremely complicated, is being strenuously tackled. If the tasks before scientific investigators are hard, the prizes are valuable. For, apart from the desirability of adding to knowledge, huge commercial interests are at stake. Our capacity for consuming fruit imported from the Southern Hemisphere is only beginning to be tested. It is scarcely too much to say that until after the war we had been accustomed to enjoy apples and oranges only in the colder months. The supplies now on the market all through the summer come wholly from the Southern Hemisphere. South Africa only started exporting oranges in the first decade of the present century, and then only in very small quantities. Now she sends nearly a million cases every season, and it is estimated that this figure could be multiplied tenfold in the next fifteen years if the demand were sufficient. It is such considerations that have led the Empire Marketing Board to give a substantial grant to the Low Temperature Research Institute at Cambridge, which is enabling the Institute to build a new and enlarged station, and considerably to extend its activities in all directions. But producers and consumers are alike dependent on workers in the spheres of low temperature research and soil investigation. These scientific inquirers have much ground to cover before we can claim completely to have learnt the art of carrying perishable cargoes half round the world.—(The New Statesman).
14. For the purposes of these Regulations an application may be made to any Justice having jurisdiction in the District, and thereupon subsection (2) of Section 28 of the Public…
Abstract
14. For the purposes of these Regulations an application may be made to any Justice having jurisdiction in the District, and thereupon subsection (2) of Section 28 of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1890, whether that subsection is or is not in force in the District, and any provision in any Act of Parliament which applies to a proceeding under or consequent upon that subsection, shall have effect in relation to the proceedings, as if the application were a complaint within the meaning of the said subsection and otherwise subject to the provisions of these Regulations.
Whatever views may be held with regard to the question of the total prohibition or otherwise of chemical preservatives in foods, there can be little doubt that the broad theory…
Abstract
Whatever views may be held with regard to the question of the total prohibition or otherwise of chemical preservatives in foods, there can be little doubt that the broad theory underlying the recommendations of the Departmental Committee is perfectly, sound and consonant with the best interests of the public and the honest manufacturer. The use of chemical preservatives of any kind is undesirable, and if permitted at all, such preservatives should be restricted to substances which are not foreign to the human body. Referring to the various articles and letters which have recently appeared in The Times, Professor F. Gowland Hopkins, D.Sc., F.R.S., F.I.C., observes:—
Anthea Tinker, Claudine Mccreadie and Alan Turner‐Smith
The growing proportion of older people in the United Kingdom requires policies that are cost‐effective and responsive to their needs. Both these factors have led to growing…
Abstract
The growing proportion of older people in the United Kingdom requires policies that are cost‐effective and responsive to their needs. Both these factors have led to growing emphasis on policies which enable older people to remain in homes of their own. Older people are becoming more vociferous in expressing their views and are being encouraged to do this. This article reports on three pieces of research funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) which have attempted to draw on the views of older people about assistive technology and its role in staying at home policies.
Kogila Vani Annammala, Anand Nainar, Abdul Rahim Mohd Yusoff, Zulkifli Yusop, Kawi Bidin, Rory Peter Dominic Walsh, William H. Blake, Faizuan Abdullah, Dhinesh Sugumaran and Khuneswari Gopal Pillay
Although there have been extensive studies on the hydrological and erosional impacts of logging, relatively little is known about the impacts of conversion into agricultural…
Abstract
Although there have been extensive studies on the hydrological and erosional impacts of logging, relatively little is known about the impacts of conversion into agricultural plantation (namely rubber and oil palm). Furthermore, studies on morphological impacts, sediment-bound chemistry and forensic attribution of deposited sediment to their respective sources are scarcer. This chapter introduces the potential for using the multi-proxy sediment fingerprinting technique in this context. Featuring pilot projects in two major flood-prone river systems in Malaysia, the studies explore application of geochemistry-based sediment source ascription. The geochemical signatures of sediment mixtures on floodplains were compared to sediments from upstream source tributaries. The tributaries were hypothesised to have different geochemical signatures in response to dominant land management. The first case study took place in the Segama River system (4,023 km2) of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo where a mixture of primary forest, logged-forests and oil palm plantations were predominant. The second case study was in the Kelantan River Basin (13,100 km2) with two major tributaries (Galas River and Lebir River) where logged-forests and rubber and oil palm plantations are dominant land-uses. Both case studies demonstrated the applicability of this method in ascribing floodplain deposited sediment to their respective upstream sources. Preliminary results showed that trace elements associated with fertilisers (e.g. copper and vanadium) contribute to agricultural catchment signatures. Alkaline and alkaline-earth elements were linked to recently established oil palm plantations due to soil turnover. Mixing model outputs showed that contributions from smaller, more severely disturbed catchment are higher than those from larger but milder disturbed catchments. This method capitalises on flood events to counter its adverse impacts by identifying high-priority sediment source areas for efficient and effective management.
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John F. Ehrich and Lisa C. Ehrich
In the past, leadership scholars have tended to focus on leadership as a force for good and productivity (Ashworth, 1994; Higgs, 2009; Padilla, Hogan, & Kaiser, 2007). However…
Abstract
Purpose
In the past, leadership scholars have tended to focus on leadership as a force for good and productivity (Ashworth, 1994; Higgs, 2009; Padilla, Hogan, & Kaiser, 2007). However, recently attention has been given to the ‘dark side’ of leadership (see Higgs, 2009; Judge, Piccolo, & Kosalka, 2009). The aim of this chapter is to explore dark leadership from the perspective of the narcissistic leader using a fictional character from a popular film.
Methodology/approach
Using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, 1994 (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) as an operational definition of narcissistic personality disorder we explore the psychology of the narcissistic leader through a fictional character study in a popular film.
Findings
We have created a psychological profile of a narcissistic leader which identifies specific behavioural characteristics within a toxic organizational culture.
Social implications
This study has implications for employees within any organizational culture. It is significant because it can illustrate how dark leadership can impact negatively within organizations.
Originality/value
The use of actual living persons on which to base case study material in the study of dark leadership is problematic and constrained by ethical issues. However, the use of characters in fiction, such as contemporary film and drama, represents an excellent source of case study material. Given that little empirical works exists on narcissistic leaders and leadership, the chapter adds originality and value to the field.
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Douglas J. Ernest and Lewis B. Herman
In recent years, guides to hiking trails and wilderness areas have enjoyed an increase in popularity. Here, Douglas J. Ernest and Lewis B. Herman evaluate more than 100 such books.
In light of the continuing political violence in Zimbabwe since 1980, the major aim of this article is to evaluate the benefits of mediation in resolving politically motivated…
Abstract
Purpose
In light of the continuing political violence in Zimbabwe since 1980, the major aim of this article is to evaluate the benefits of mediation in resolving politically motivated conflicts in Zimbabwe and Africa at large. Since the 1980s, Zimbabwe has found itself in a web of political violence with little mediation efforts devised to stop the suffering. The paper believes that mediation can have far reaching outcomes in bringing stability to countries burdened by politically motivated violence. The African Union and regional organisations have the capacity to resolve various conflicts burdening the continent, provided realistic mechanisms are put in place to avoid the recurrence of conflicts and/or wars in Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a combination of both primary and secondary sources to substantiate the argument advanced herein. Archival material from the National Archives of Zimbabwe helps to exemplify the political antagonisms which existed after independence, thereby giving a fuller picture of events leading to Gukurahundi. Additionally, secondary material is beneficial in highlighting the political conflicts affecting Zimbabwe after independence. Newspapers play an important part in revealing the challenges of South African mediation in Zimbabwe. In addition, newspapers elucidate the urgent need for SADC to establish a conflict resolution organ for the successful settlement of disputes in the region.
Findings
The paper reveals how the realisation by the southern African region on the deteriorating political and economic situation in Zimbabwe led to the appointment of Thabo Mbeki in 2007 to restore peace and stability in the country. More so, the paper analyses the challenges of South African mediation in Zimbabwe. In that context, the article suggests pragmatic strategies and tactics which should be put in place for mediation to yield effective results in Zimbabwe and the continent at large.
Originality/value
The paper provides deep insights into the merits of the strategy of mediation in an attempt to curb political violence in African countries. Policy makers will find the paper useful as the continent looks forward to promote sustainable development.