The Aubrey-Maturin Series of Novels by Patrick O'Brian Article

The Aubrey-Maturin Series of Novels by Patrick O'Brian - Article Example The Aubrey-Maturin novels depict historical events took place during Napoleonic wars at the beginning of the 19th century. O'Brian does not follow a strict chronological order depicting events from 1801-1813, and 1813-1814. The uniqueness is that O'Brian vividly portrays cultural and religious settings and values of the epoch, its historical significance and social traditions. Two main characters, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin may be compared in matters of general cultural background, including politics and religion, as well as in three key elements of natural philosophy: the anatomical emphasis on pre-adapted functional design, the treatment of extinction, and the belief in fixity rather than transformation. All of these topics help define Maturin's patterns of thinking as a naturalist and shed light on subtly significant moments within the novels. Maturin was educated among the philosophes of the French Enlightenment, but both men, Aubrey and Maturin, also maintained a political and religious conservatism that some people found incongruous (King, 2001). The Aubrey-Maturin novels carry out the paradoxical process of instruction found in the most interesting historical fiction: at the same time they make readers conversant with ideas, tropes, and habits of an earlier world, they also perform the noble literary work of defamiliarization. In creating a compelling vision of natural philosophy, O'Brian makes room for a lost paradigm that seems oddly fresh, for all its scientific antiquity. He revives a naturalist's dream of preternatural design that has become increasingly difficult to imagine. O'Brian portrays that Maturin and Aubrey came to detest what grew from the Revolution and turned away from its democratic principles (King, 2001). In The Wine-Dark Sea, when Maturin meets up with a French utopian named Dutourd, he initially tempers his criticism with some sympathy (Teachout, 2003). Dutourd seems to be "a good benevolent man" led astray by that "mumping villain Rousseau and later by his passionate belief in his own system, based it was true on a hatred of poverty, war and injustice, but also on the assumption that men were naturally and equally good, needing only a firm, friendly hand to set them on the right path, the path to the realization of their full potentialities. This, of course, entailed the abolition of the present order, which had so perverted them, and of the established churches" (O'Brian 2004, p. 32). O'brian's assessment reveals his lingering attraction to revolutionary promises, but, he values established religious and social order above the systems of ideologues. Nor does he believe in the natural equality of humans (King, 2001). As Adrian Desmond has shown, French and British radicals of the period saw a linkage between the atomistic materialism of biology; in which all forms of life developed from a common origin, and revolutionary political theories based on natural equality. Maturin reject both the natural and political philosophy of democratic atomism (Teachout, 2003). When asked by Dutourd what he thinks of democracy, Maturin replies that "he did not think the policy that put Socrates to death and that left Athens prostrate was the highest expression of human wisdom," and he cites Aristotle's "definition of democracy as mob-rule, the depraved version of a commonwealth" (O'Brian 2004, p.

Argue Analysis Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Argue Analysis Worksheet Essay †¢ A statement is any unambiguous declarative sentence about a fact (or non-fact) about the world. It says that something is (or isn’t) the case. †¢ An argument is a series of statements meant to establish a claim. †¢ A claim or conclusion is the statement whose truth an argument is meant to establish. †¢ A statement’s truth value is either true or false. o All statements have a truth value. A statement is false when what it says about the world is not actually the case. A statement is true when what it says about the world is actually the case. †¢ A premise is a statement that is used in an argument to establish a conclusion. What we can say about an argument: †¢ An argument is valid if its premises necessarily lead to its conclusion. That is, if you accept that the premises are all true, you must accept that the conclusion is true. †¢ An argument is sound if it is valid and you accept that all its premises are true. †¢ A good, convincing argument is a sound argument. That is, since you accept all the premises are true, you must accept the conclusion is true (because the argument is valid). †¢ A bad argument is any other kind of argument. Examples: †¢ â€Å"Every animal needs to breathe in order to live. Fish are animals. Fish cannot breathe in the air. Therefore, fish cannot live in the air.† Here, the claim is that â€Å"fish cannot live in the air.† The premises are â€Å"Every animal needs to breathe in order to live,† â€Å"Fish are animals,† and â€Å"Fish cannot breathe in the air.† The argument is valid – the premises necessarily lead to the conclusion. The argument is also sound – the premises are true. It is a good argument. †¢ â€Å"Oranges are green. All green things make me sick. Therefore, oranges make me sick.† The claim is â€Å"oranges make me sick.† The premises are â€Å"Oranges are green,† and â€Å"All green things make me sick.† The argument is valid – if we accept the premises, we are forced to accept the conclusion. However, the argument is not sound – oranges are not, in fact, green, so one of the premises is false. This is a bad argument. †¢ â€Å"Broccoli is green. Some green things make me sick. Therefore, broccoli makes me sick.† The claim is â€Å"broccoli makes me sick.† The premises are â€Å"Broccoli is green,† and â€Å"Some green things make me sick.† Here, all the premises are true. However, the argument is not valid – even if we accept the premises, we are not forced to accept the conclusion. Just because some green things are sickening does not mean that broccoli is. This is a bad or unsound argument. (Notice, it doesn’t make any difference whether or not broccoli makes me sick – whether or not the conclusion is true. Even if the conclusion is true, the premises have not given us reason to believe that it is true.) †¢ â€Å"Whales know how to play hockey. Therefore, Canadians like winter.† The claim is â€Å"Canadians like winter.† The premise is â€Å"Whales know how to play hockey.† The argument is neither valid nor sound. It’s a bad argument. (Again, it doesn’t make any difference whether the conclusion is true.) Part II: Analyzing an Argument Reconstructing the argument The examples I’ve given are overly simplistic. Usually arguments come in complicated prose. It is therefore difficult to figure out what the argument is, let alone whether it is good. Our first step is to reconstruct the argument. That is, we must convert the argument into a series of statements, identifying the premises and the conclusion and laying them out so that the premises lead to the conclusion. Take Socrates’s argument in the Apology: â€Å"For Death is to be as it were nothing, and to be deprived of all sensation And if no sensation remains, then death is like a dreamless sleep. In this case, death will be a blessing. For, if any one compares such a night as this, in which he so profoundly sleeps as not even to see a dream, with the other nights and days of his life, and should declare how many he had passed better and more pleasantly than this night, I think that not only a private man, but even the great king himself, would find so small a number that they might be easily counted.† The first step is to identify the conclusion. Go through the passage and try to find the point. What is Socrates trying to establish? It’s buried in there: â€Å"Death will be a blessing.† To proceed, we first have to get rid of anything unnecessary – mere rhetorical flourishes, repetitions, and irrelevancies. Go through the passage and get rid of anything that doesn’t support the conclusion in some way: â€Å"For Death is to be deprived of all sensation if no sensation remains, then death is like a dreamless sleep. death will be a blessing. if any one compares such a night [of sleep without dreams] with the other nights and days of his life, and should declare how many he had passed better and more pleasantly than this night, I think.. [he] would find so small a number† Once we’ve dispensed with what we don’t need, we can reformulate the argument as a series of statements: 1. Death is to be deprived of all sensation. 2. If no sensation remains, death is like a dreamless sleep. 3. Anyone will consider a dreamless sleep better than most days and nights. 4. Death is a blessing. Now we’re ready to add anything that seems to be missing. Are there any premises that seem to be assumed, but aren’t stated? 1. Death is to be deprived of all sensation. 2. If no sensation remains, death is like a dreamless sleep. 3. Death is like a dreamless sleep. 4. Anyone will consider a dreamless sleep better than most days and nights. 5. Anyone will consider death better than most days and nights. 6. Anything that is better than most days and nights is a blessing. 7. Death is a blessing. Now, we need to say something about the inference in the argument. We need to say how the argument is put together. We should identify assumed premises and sub-arguments – conclusions that are premises for the main conclusion. This will also help us to identify if anything else is missing. 1. Death is to be deprived of all sensation. (Assumption) 2. If no sensation remains, death is like a dreamless sleep. (Assumption) 3. Death is like a dreamless sleep. (Conclusion from 1 and 2) 4. Anyone will consider a dreamless sleep better than most days and nights. (Assumption) 5. Anyone will consider death better than most days and nights. (Conclusion from 3 and 4) 6. Anything that is better than most days and nights is a blessing. (Assumption) 7. Death is a blessing. (From 3, 5, and 6) At this point, we’ve completed the reconstruction of the argument. No reconstruction is perfect, and I don’t mean to suggest that this is the only possible reconstruction of Socrates’s argument. It just seems to me as if this is what Socrates is saying. If you disagree with my critique, you can always question the faithfulness of my reconstruction. That’s a standard philosophical move. Analyzing an Argument Once we’ve reconstructed an argument – shown what we think it is and how it is supposed to work – we can begin to say whether an argument is good or bad. We need to evaluate the argument’s validity and soundness. First, take a step back. Assume that you don’t have any prior opinion about the conclusion. In this case, are you convinced? If you are, then you need to figure out why. If you aren’t, you need to figure out why not. That’s the point of the critique – to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the argument. It’s hard to decide where to start. Often, the issues of validity and soundness get tangled up. In general, you just have to choose whatever is convenient. In this case, let’s look at soundness first. Do we accept the premises to be true? The first premise seems acceptable. At least I’m willing to give Socrates the benefit of the doubt. The second, however, seems questionable. Does the lack of sensation really imply a similarity to dreamless sleep? It seems to me that (permanent) lack of sensation is different from dreamless sleep in at least one important respect – sleeping includes waking up. Lack of sensation does not. I mean, is it right to say that a corpse, or even a stone – neither of which senses – does something like sleep? The third premise is a conclusion of a sub-argument. Our willingness to accept its truth depends on the soundness of Socrates’s argument for it: 1. Death is to be deprived of all sensation. (Assumption) 2. If no sensation remains, death is like a dreamless sleep. (Assumption) 3. Death is like a dreamless sleep. (From 1 and 2) We’ve already considered the truth of this argument’s premises. We concluded that (1) was fine, but (2) was questionable. What about validity? It seems that this argument is valid. If we accept (1) and (2) we must accept (3). So we are convinced of (3) as much as we are convinced of (2). The fourth premise is an assumption about what humans in general would think. These kinds of generalizations are notoriously difficult to establish. Who’s to say what everyone would think? That said, I think it’s a fairly reasonable assumption that most people would consider a dreamless sleep better than a hum-drum day at the office or a normal night of tossing and turning. I know I would. The fifth premise is another conclusion of a sub-argument, which goes like this: 3.Death is like a dreamless sleep. (From 1 and 2) 4.Anyone will consider a dreamless sleep better than most days and nights. (Assumption) 5.Anyone will consider death better than most days and nights. (From 3 and 4) Is this sound? Clearly the argument is valid. Ignoring any lingering misgivings about (4), then, the argument is as sound as (3), whose acceptance depends on (2), as we said above. The only major problem identified, so far, is with (2). This does raise an interesting point, though. What if we compare death – non-existence – to the days of our lives? It just might be that a state of death – lacking all sensation, including pain and suffering – might be better than some of our days, though certainly worse than more pleasurable ones. Perhaps, then, death is not something to seek, but also not something to fear. The sixth premise is another assumption I’m willing to grant Socrates. People might disagree about what the definition of â€Å"blessing† is, but Socrates’s seems reasonable enough. Now, on to the conclusion. Is the argument valid? Do (3), (5), and (6) lead to (7)? Well, not quite. Properly speaking they only support the claim that â€Å"Anyone will consider death to be a blessing.† Socrates hasn’t established what death really is, just what people would usually think of it. But perhaps this is splitting hairs. As for soundness, we’ve already accepted (with reservations) (5) and (6). Again, (3), and thus (2), is the major sticking point. We can consider Socrates’s argument sound only if we accept (2). Critiquing an Argument At this point, it’s time to state what we’ve learned about Socartes’ argument in an argument of our own. We’ve ready to write our critique: Socrates’s argument that death is a blessing in the Apology is interesting, but suffers from some weaknesses. As it stands it is not convincing. In the first place, Socrates cannot establish what death really is, but only what people think about it. He never discusses what death is, only what people think about it. Therefore, he cannot reach his intended conclusion. Moreover, the whole argument hinges on whether it is correct to say that lack of sensation is like a dreamless sleep. Sleeping seems to imply the possibility of waking, so it is quite different in this respect from a complete lack of sensation. Is it fair to say that a corpse, or even a stone, is doing something â€Å"like sleeping† just because they cannot sense anything? If we do not accept this assumed analogy, Socrates’s argument does not follow. That said, Socrates does raise the interesting point that death might be compared to the rest of the days of one’s life. In this case, it might be that death is better than some days, but worse than the very best days. If so, then death is perhaps not something to seek, but not something to fear, either. Even if death is not a blessing, perhaps it is not a curse, either. Socrates’s argument does lead us to reconsider our common view of death as something invariably bad and the worst of all possibilities. Note how I’ve first identified the conclusion and said what I think about the argument as a whole. Since I don’t think the argument is good, I’ve said why I think so. In particular, I point out two important weaknesses, I say why they are weaknesses, and I say which is more problematic. I then comment on what I think is a strength of the argument, and why I think it is a strength. Finally, I summarize what I draw from the argument. Now, an argument critique should contain all of these elements, though not necessarily in this order. Most importantly, an argument critique has to say what the strengths and weaknesses of an argument are, and why they are strengths and weaknesses.

Impacts of the Protected Disclosures Act 2000 on Nurses

Impacts of the Protected Disclosures Act 2000 on Nurses This essay will explore the Protected Disclosures Act, 2000, specifically how it impacts nurses. Aligning the Act with the Code of Conduct will show its importance to nursing overall. The Act will be explained in terms of general content, and purpose including a brief background to serve as a rationale. The essay will touch on moral context, the role of the Ombudsmen, explore how the Act became legislation drawing on Neil Pugmires story to illustrate, and finally provide an example of the utility of the Act in an everyday scenario. Originally the essay had planned to explore a contrast of past versus future uses of the Act, however, recent research has been difficult to find in a New Zealand health context, possibly due to the privacy constraints and protections utilised within the Act. The Code of Conduct has been provided by the Nursing Council of New Zealand to create a framework for nurses to work within, while ensuring health professionals are held accountable to a certain standard of care. Medical professional accountability is important in maintaining standards and fostering trust in the profession; to be accountable is to be responsible (Wallis, 2013). Key principles of the Code of Conduct include respecting privacy and confidentiality, working in partnership with patients, working respectfully with colleagues to ensure patients receive the best possible care, acting with integrity to justify the trust given to nurses, and to maintain public trust and confidence in the nursing profession (Nursing Council of New Zealand, 2012). The Protected Disclosures Act, 2000, provides a safety net, a forum and set of processes for circumstances when nurses or practitioners whom we may work alongside, act outside the guidelines of the Code of Conduct, and where these acts result in malpractice or serious wrongdoing. The Protected Disclosures Act protects people who under the act are considered an ‘employee’ of the organisation. ‘Employee’ includes former employees, homeworkers, contractors, volunteers and people seconded to the organisation (Protected Disclosures Act, 2000). One of our roles as nurses is to act as advocates for our patients to ensure they receive the best possible care, are treated in a manner that upholds their rights, and ensure they receive the necessary care in a timely manner (Fry Johnstone, 2008). The Protected Disclosures Act, 2000, provides security, protection and appropriate support to an employee who needs to make a complaint of serious wrong-doing against their employer (Office of the Ombudsmen, 2014). The Protected Disclosures Act facilitates the disclosure and investigation of matters of serious wrong-doing in, or by an organisation, and protects employees who make these disclosures s5(ab). Employees have the right to have their confidentiality upheld during the process and are protected from employers who may try to counter-claim or take legal proceedings against the employee who has lodged a disclosure s19. The act aims to focus on serious wrong-doings (outlined in the interpretation section s3), including misuse of funds, acts or omissions which cause a risk to public health, public safety or the environment, any action that is unlawful, or acts which may be construed as being oppressive, discriminatory, and grossly negligent or constitute gross mismanagement (Protected Disclosures Act, 2000). Between 1999 and 2009 studies conducted in the US, UK and Australia found that between 4% and 16% of patients suffer from some kind of harm (including permanent disability or death) as a result of adverse events occurring while they are in the hospital (Brennan et al 1991; Department of Health 2000; Kohn et al 2000; Johnstone, 2009). Between 2004 and 2014 the New Zealand Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunals (2015) received charges against 344 health professionals most of whom were convicted of professional malpractice. While many organisations have policies and systems to prevent and detect serious wrongdoing, the people who work within an organisation may sometimes be in the best position to detect problems. Employee witnesses can provide a start to a serious investigation (State Services Commission, 2014). In a nursing setting, where there are high pressures on staff, accidents can happen and are usually dealt with promptly. The Protected Disclosures Act can be used in matters which are sensitive in nature and result in serious malpractice. While advocacy for patients, in nurses, is a part of their duties, in many cases when the need arises for advocacy, it can be difficult for the nurse to act. Rest (1984) discusses a process called moral reasoning which is applicable here. Moral sensitivity speaks to our awareness of how our actions affect others. Moral judgement relates to weighing our actions against that sensitivity. Moral motivation explains how we weigh some values more than others, while moral character is what provides the strength for an individual to carry out a moral action. When a person commits a serious wrongdoing, they are making a decision (moral motivation) that puts their values for time or money, for example, higher than their need for patients rights. If a nurse se es these acts and advocates for the patient under the Protected Disclosures Act, this too is moral motivation, with different values. It is for this purpose that the Protected Disclosures Act is aligned closely with the Ombudsmen Act, 1975, the Human Rights Act, 1993 and the Employment Relations Act, 2000. Under the Ombudsmen Act (1975), an ombudsmen may provide information and guidance to an employee on any matters concerning a protected disclosure; advise on what kinds of disclosures are covered as well as how and who to make a disclosure too, and ensure that no civil, criminal or disciplinary proceedings can be taken against a person for making a protected disclosure, or for referring one to the appropriate authority. It is unlawful under the Human Rights Act, 1993 to treat people who have made a complaint less favourably than other staff, in any way. The Act also states that an employee who suffers from retaliatory action from their employer after making a protected disclosure can file a personal grievance claim under the Employment Relations Act, 2000. This means if a person who makes a disclosure is dismissed (due to their disclosure), or suffers from victimisation or unfair treatment in the workplace, they are eligible to make a personal grievance complaint (Protected Disclosures Act, 2000; Office of the Ombudsmen, 2014; Ombudsmen Act, 1975; Human Rights Act, 1993; Employment Relations Act, 2000). Nurses and employees in general are encouraged to follow a chain of command when things go wrong, but that is not always the most effective course of action. A highly publicized example of this occurred in 1993, when Neil Pugmire, a registered psychiatric nurse, wrote in confidence to the then Minister of Health to outline concerns he had in regard to the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992. In his opinion it failed to provide compulsory detainment of patients who were deemed ‘very dangerous’. To support his claims Pugmire named a patient who was deemed at high risk of re-offending serious sexual crimes against young boys. The Minister responded that ‘mental health legislation should not be used to justify the detention of difficult or dangerous patients’ (Liddell, 1994, p. 14; Johnstone, 2009, p. 366). Pugmire, unhappy with this response, sent a copy of his letter to the then Leader of the Opposition, Mr Goff. Unknown to Mr Pugmire, Mr Goff released the letter publicly, with the patients name deleted. However the patients name was later leaked by other sources, effectively breaching the patient’s confidentiality. Mr Pugmire was suspended for ‘serious misconduct’ involving the unauthorised disclosure of confidential patient information’ (Liddell, 1994; Johnston, 2009). Mr Goff then presented the Whistleblower’s Protection Bill, in Parliament in June 1994. He is quoted as saying, â€Å"The reason for the Bill is that experience has shown quite clearly, that when a person tells the truth and speaks out in the public interest, but is without the protection of relevant legislation, the public tends to benefit from that action, but the victim invariably is the person who blows the whistle. Neil Pugmire †¦ is a man who felt the need, on moral and on professional grounds, to speak out to warn the community about the risk that he saw†¦ Ironically, the response from his employers when he spoke out was not to look at the substance of his concern, nor to listen to the message, but to shoot the messenger† (Goff, 1994). Neil Pugmire’s employer suspended him. Mr. Goff was successful and the bill was passed, initially as the Whistleblower’s Protection Bill, and later becoming the Protected Disclosures Act, 2000 (Goff, 1994). An example of how the Protected Disclosures Act works today, can be seen in an individual’s right to privacy. Everyone has the right to privacy and any violation of this where a person’s information had been made public would, under the Act, constitute a civil wrong. In a healthcare setting people’s information is protected by the Personal Information section of the Health Act, 1956 and has been developed from the Privacy Act, 1993 (Burgess, 2008; Health Act, 1956; Privacy Act, 1993). The Protected Disclosures Act serves as a foundation for proceeding against the organisation or person who disclosed personal information in a public forum and would protect the person who was making the complaint. In conclusion, this essay has outlined how valuable the Protected Disclosures Act, 2000, is. It ensures protection of employees in circumstances where serious wrong-doing results from breaches in the Code of Conduct or other malpractices. Statistics reflect the need for the Act and also the need for nurses to advocate and draw upon moral character. The Act has various ways to protect complainants and has been designed to be used in an accessible way, particularly involving the Ombudsmen. Neil Pugmire has been a prominent figure in ensuring that New Zealanders and health professionals alike have avenues to pursue when health practitioners need to be held accountable. The Act has particular relevance today, especially in cases involving the protection of a patient’s privacy.

Jack: Almost the Hero of Lord of the Flies :: Lord of the Flies Essays

Jack: Almost the Hero of Lord of the Flies Jack Merridew is the devil-like figure in the story, Lord of the Flies. Jack is wicked in nature having no feelings for any living creature. His appearance and behavior intimidates the others from their first encounter. The leading savage, Jack leans more towards hunting and killing and is the main reason behind the splitting of the boys. It has been said that Jack represents the evilness of human nature; but in the end, Jack is almost a hero. With his totalitarian leadership, he was able to organize the group of boys into a useful and productive society From the beginning of the novel Jack intimidates the other boys with his flaming red hair, his long black cape, and the brutal way he shouts orders to his choir. Although he is not a good-looking boy, he is amazingly arrogant. He always has to look good in people's eyes. Not that he cares if people like him, but more that they respect him. The only way he knows how to gain people's admiration is by getting them to fear him. He spots Piggy as an easy target and immediately starts to humiliate him in front of the others: "You're talking too much," said Jack Merridew. "Shut up, Fatty."(21) He sizes up Piggy right from the beginning knowing that Piggy wouldn't stand up to him and by making fun of him he was letting the other boys know that he not one to be messed with. When he feels that people are about to think him to be weak or gutless, he uses his knife as if it were a symbol of his superiority: "Jack slammed his knife into a trunk and looked round challengingly"(33). His knife gives him power, a weapon that he would use against anyone who dares to mock him. He shows early on how he has no sympathy for anyone. For example, when Simon passed out from heat exhaustion on the beach Jack showed no compassion: "Let him alone.He's always throwing a faint."(20) Simon was not a stranger, he was a boy that Jack has spent a great deal of time with and yet he displays no feelings for him at all. He demonstrates a great deal of power over his choir. He orders them around as if they were puppets that he controls by working their strings and making them dance at will.

Marketing Research on Tea Industry in India

MARKET RESEARCH ON MAJOR TEA BRANDS IN INDIA Siddhartha Lodha PG-A History of Packed Tea in India The history of tea dates back to 750-500 BC. Researchers have found that the cultivation and consumption of tea has been taking place since more than a thousand years. However, commercial consumption of tea started with the British rule. It has now become a part of the Indian culture. Tea laid it’s foundation in India at the turn of the 20th century, when the major emphasis was on the exports of Tea.Earliest reference to a domestic market came from MacKay of Brooke Bond. Equipped with capital and premises, Mackay settled down to serious business. Mackay clearly identified his objectives as to pick up teas suitable for Brooke Bond blends at home, rather than getting them at London and to create and make profitable, a packet and blended tea trade in India and generally in the East. In the early 20th Century, much of India was orthodox and all foreign habits were considered alien and against Indian ethos and culture.In fact, later, when tea was officially promoted by the Tea Market Expansion Board, strong religious pressure groups launched antitea campaigns against tea drinking. The domestic market was very small and hardly able to sustain. Packing material, mainly caddies and cardboard cartons, were imported the UK and the tea was floor-blended and hand-packed. Sales totalled around 17,000 lbs. and the whole operation produced a loss without inclusion of overheads and other costs.It therefore needed a great commitment to persevere this kind of a venture. Backed by the promotion and propaganda efforts of the Tea Market Expansion Board that became the Indian Tea Board through the pioneering efforts of Brooke Bond (more about this later), a strong demand was created for tea as a beverage and the Indian masses avidly took to tea. However, much of the fallout of this phenomenon went to loose teas because of the price factor, so we see a strange development in the p acket teas trade in India.In the early years, i. e. the first three decades of the century, the trade was predominantly in the hands of foreign companies and the incipient demand was centered on a small segment, introduced to tea through the Western industrial civilization. The early brand names were based on colors — Red label, Violet label, Green label. The first sale record in India was in April 1903 and the entry reads: Red Label †¦ 720 lbs. Violet Label †¦ 300 lbs. Green Label †¦180 lbs. The fact that Brooke Bond Red Label recorded 720 lbs. as a very auspicious augury for this famous brand, which attained dizzy heights in later years to become the largest selling brand in the world. The early entrepreneurs of packet tea marketing realised that if the trade had to expand, the purchase price of the tea had to be more affordable for their Indian consumer and the tea had to be better presented. In India however, the main consideration was price, one that the l ower economic section of the Indians could afford.When the brands were first launched in the first decade of the century, the cost of the tea in the packet was roughly 60% of the total price. Despite this, prices were considered high. But the demand had been created and was snowballing — opening the floodgates to loose teas, which were at least 20% cheaper than the corresponding tea in packets. Opinions on the worth and prospects of the internal business seemed gloomy. One opinion was that â€Å"Indians can never become tea-minded†.This was based on the English custom of brewing tea in pots, using a long leaf — a leisurely and luxurious habit. It is interesting to note that very early in the century, the marketers of packet tea recognised that if tea had to be made popular among Indians, it had to be presented differently, keeping in mind the Indian cooking habit of boiling. So dust tea was born. ‘Kora’ was the first brand to be introduced by Brooke Bond in paper form packets. The real expansion of the packet business in India came in the early l920s, with the introduction of the direct selling system by Brooke Bond.As was said earlier, the distribution was left in the hands of distributors and stockists who could do a maintenance job but could not do anything to create demand. The depot system or direct selling system helped in introducing tea to the vast population of India but it meant a heavy investment in marketing in the earlier years. It helped in establishing a two-way communication between the salesman and retailer and cemented a personal relationship between them. For a product like tea, where freshness was an important factor, it helped in ensuring stock rotation.Under this system, the companies like Brooke Bond and Lipton, who followed suit through their own personnel, called on all retail outlets on a regular basis and supplied tea on a cash-on-delivery basis. There was no need for the retailer to carry any large inventory, as the calls were on a weekly basis. The system backed by the effective propaganda by the Tea Board really sparked off a consumption explosion, taking India to the position of the largest tea-drinking nation in the world. Today tea has become established as a food habit in all socio-economic sections.In India, tea is an essential item of domestic consumption and is the mostly consumed beverage. Further, tea is the cheapest beverage amongst all the beverages that are available in India and it is very popular amongst all sections of India society. The Indian tea industry engages around 20 lakh of workers, directly and they mainly represents the under privileged sections of the India society. The Tea Business in India registered a total turnover of Rs. 10,000 crore in the previous year. Top Tea Brands in IndiaBrooke Bond has touched millions of consumers with a range of tea offerings appealing to the diversity of their tastes. It has the strongest foothold amongst any of the tea brands in India and touches the homes of over 500 million consumers. The values and personality of the master brand Brooke Bond reflect a warm, sociable, approachable, perceptive and dependable entity. Brooke Bond is the tea expert that selects the best at every stage – from the garden to the cup. The brand, therefore, is seen to offer the appropriate teas for all tea moments in the consumers' lives.Brooke Bond offers a strong portfolio of four sub-brands namely, Brooke Bond Taj Mahal, Brooke Bond Red Label, Brooke Bond Taaza & Brooke Bond 3 Roses. The range offers a full variety of benefits as well as price points to cater to diverse sections of society. For over 4 decades, Taj Mahal has been the gold standard of tea in India. It has been a pioneer of innovations in the Indian tea market First Premium Tea Brand First to introduce tea bags First to usher in new formats and concept, like instant tea – Dessert Tea Brand ambassadors personify the true essence of Taj Mahal (Ustaad Zakir Hussain, Saif Ali Khan)Red Label contains natural flavonoids that helps improve blood circulation and keeps you healthy. Red Label Natural Care has a mix of 5 Ayurvedic ingredients like Tulsi, Ashwagandha, Mulethi, Ginger and Cardamom. Red Label Dust has strength, taste and comes with the Red Label promise of great quality. Red Label Special has extra-long leaves to give you great taste, colour and superior aroma. Entered the lives of the contemporary Indian housewife in the 1990s. Unique and refreshing blend of tea that's sprinkled with fresh green tea leaves.It's her daily cup of joy that helps her to refresh and connect with her inner self and aspirations. The advertising communication for Taaza is a reflection of this relationship. Chronicle of the aspirations of a housewife over the past two decades. 4th largest tea brand in India with a portfolio spanning in both leaf and dust segments. 3 Roses which was synonymous to the trinity of perfect colour, perfect strength and perfect taste 3 Roses stood as the bedrock for strengthening a married couple's relationship with each other 3 Roses has redefined the nature of relationship shared between married couples in IndiaBrooke Bond Sehatmand (Arogya) was launched in early 2010. Brooke Bond Sehatmand with Vitamin Power, helps to keep families healthier through their favourite daily beverage 3 cups of Brooke Bond Sehatmand helps to satisfy 50% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of Vitamins B2, B6, B9 and B12 Brooke Bond Sehatmand successfully runs the ‘Sehatmand Parivaar, Sehatmand Bharat’ movement – an initiative to reach and make a difference to 500 million families across villages in India through education on health and nutrition. nd most trusted beverage brand in India Market leader measured by volume and value branded packet tea Has transformed the way beverages are marketed by positioning tea as a catalyst for social change Promotes social awakening and action through its landmark ‘Jaago Re' marketing campaigns References: 1. History of Packet Tea : http://www. contemporarybrokers. com/item. aspx? id=100 2. Brooke Bond Brands : http://www. brookebondhealth. com/our-brands. asp 3.

How to Manage and Identify the Mimosa Tree

How to Manage and Identify the Mimosa Tree The scientific name for the mimosa is  Albizia julibrissin,  sometimes called Persian silktree and a member of the family Leguminosae. The tree is not native to North America or Europe but was brought into western countries from Asia. Its  genus is named for the Italian nobleman Filippo  Albizzi  who introduced it to Europe around the middle of the 18th century as an ornamental. This fast-growing, deciduous tree has a low branching, open, spreading habit and delicate, lacy, almost fern-like foliage.  These leaves have a beautiful wispy green look during a normally moist summer but start to dry up and drop in early fall. The leaves express no fall color but the tree does display a showy pink flower with a pleasant fragrance. The flowering process starts in the spring and continues throughout the summer. The fragrant, silky, pink puffy pompom blooms, two inches in diameter, appear from late April to early July creating a spectacular sight. Mimosas leaf arrangement is  alternate and the leaf type is both bipinnately compound and odd-pinnately compound. The leaflets are small, are less than 2 inches in length,  have a lanceolate to oblong shape and their leaf margins are ciliate to entire. The leaflet venation is pinnate. This silktree grows to a height of 15 to 25 feet and has a spread that reaches 25 to 35 feet. The crown has an irregular outline or silhouette, has a  spreading, umbrella-like shape and is open and yields a filtered but not full shade. Growing best in full sun locations, Mimosa is not particular as to soil type but has low salt-tolerance. It grows well in both  acid and  alkaline soils. Mimosa tolerates drought conditions well but has a deeper green color and more lush appearance when given adequate moisture. So Whats Not to Like About Mimosa Unfortunately, the tree produces numerous seed pods that are trashy in the landscape when they fall. The tree harbors insect including webworm and a vascular wilt disease that eventually causes the trees death. Although short-lived (10 to 20 years), Mimosa is popular for use as a terrace or patio tree for its light shade and tropical look but also produces a honey-dew drip on property underneath. The trunk, bark, and branches can be a major problem in the landscape. Its trunk bark is thin and easily damaged from mechanical impact.  Branches on mimosa droop as the tree grows and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy multiple trunks. Breakage is always a problem with this multi-trunked tree  either at each crotch due to poor collar formation, or the wood itself is weak and tends to break. The litter problem of the blooms, leaves, and especially the long seed pods requires consideration when planting this tree. Again, the wood is brittle and has a tendency to break during storms though usually, the wood is not heavy enough to cause damage. Typically, most of the root system grows from only two or three large-diameter roots originating at the base of the trunk. These can raise walks and patios as they grow in diameter and makes for poor  transplanting success as the tree grows larger. Unfortunately, Mimosa vascular wilt is becoming a very widespread problem in many areas of the country and has killed many roadside trees. Despite its picturesque growth habit and its beauty when in bloom, some cities have passed ordinances outlawing further planting of this species due to its weed potential and wilt disease problem. Mimosa Is a Major Invasive The tree is an opportunist and  a strong competitor to native trees and shrubs in open areas or forest edges.  The silktree has the  ability to grow in various soil types, the ability to produce large amounts of seed, and an ability to resprout when cut back or damaged. It forms colonies from root sprouts and dense stands that  severely  reduce the sunlight and nutrients available for other plants. Mimosa is often seen along roadsides and open vacant lots in urban/suburban areas and can become a problem along banks of waterways, where its seeds are easily transported in water.   Here are the methods of control: Mechanical Control -  Trees can be cut at ground level with a  power or manual saw and is most effective when trees have begun to flower.   Because mimosa will sucker and resprout you will have to do a follow-up chemical  treatment but on a much smaller scale.Chemical Control - Trees can be controlled by applying a 2% solution of glyphosate (Roundup ®). A  thorough  foliar  application of this herbicide will kill entire plants through leaf and stem uptake to actively growing roots that prevent further cell growth.