The History of Pie :: Essays Papers

The History of Pie Caitlin Sklarz resides in Burlington, Vermont where she is attending the University of Vermont. She is currently finishing up Bachelors in Psychology and plans to go on for a degree in Nursing. Caitlin enjoys spending her free time with her boyfriend and dog, and taking walks in the beautiful Vermont woods. Desserts They are the most popular food in America today; yet, desserts are relatively new to food world. Pastries, and pies in particular, are probably the oldest of all. Pies have been filled with numerous foods, from meats to sweets, and even live animals and people Want to know more? Keep reading and learn about pie-from over 10,000 years ago to today. Pastry making goes as far back as the Neolithic Period. These round, flat cakes were first known as â€Å"galettes.† Our ancestors made these pie-like treats with oat, wheat, rye, and barley, then filled them with honey and baked the dish over hot coals (Montagne, 490). The tradition of galettes was carried on by the Greeks. Yet, this ancient people ingeniously realized that the galette idea served as a perfect vehicle to cook raw meat. So, they created pies with the popular meats and fruits of the time. But, presumably from losing some teeth, the Greeks learned not to eat the hard, tough, pasty crust and merely use it as a pan. This early Greek version of the pie was later adopted by the Romans upon conquering Greece. The pie idea was spread throughout the continent as the Roman Empire was created. The pies during this period were marked by a flour-water paste wrapped around meat; this dually served to cook the meat and seal in the juices. In fact, the Roman statesman Marcus Porcius Cato recorded his era’s most popular pie, â€Å"placenta† (De l’agricultura, 9). Well, now that we're all nauseous, at least we now know that pies were consumed in the 2nd century B.C. By the Medieval Period pies, then recorded as â€Å"pyes,† reached the height of their popularity in the royal courts. 12th century English courts used the whole foul in the pie and hung the legs over the sides of the crust as handles. Though this idea is no doubt unique, many vegetarians today would be very disturbed! Similarly, the French used pyes in their banquets and added a neat twist of their own; all royalty were invited to this event where they were entertained by magicians, jugglers, musicians, and dancers.

Biological Criminal Behavior Essay

Biology contributes to killers. As people in today’s society, we are constantly being bombarded with the crazy actions that mankind is capable of. We watch the news and hear about murders, or even read a book about a mysterious killer. As we go through these pieces of reality, one can’t help but be struck by the thought–what causes a person to act so violently? There have been many studies done to try and find an answer. For a crime such as serial killing, there are two thoughts. The first idea is that serial killing is caused by an abnormality in the frontal lobe of the brain. The second idea is that serial killers are bred by circumstance which means they have certain genes also known as the negative gene that makes them prone to becoming a killer. Ted Bundy was a serial killer who had confessed to more than 30 killings but many people believe that the number was actually closer to 100 (Biography.com, 2013). For the most part, Ted Bundy had a somewhat normal besides a few bumps in the road. Theodore Robert Cowell more commonly known as Ted Bundy was born on November 24th, 1946 to Eleanor Louise Cowell (The Predator, n.d.). Because Ted was born out of wedlock, his mother had her parents act like they were Ted’s biological parents. Eleanor Cowell then acted as if she were Ted’s sister. However, there are speculations that Ted was conceived out of an incestuous relationship between Eleanor and her father (The Predator, n.d.). These speculations have never been proven though. When Ted was about four years old, his â€Å"sister†, Eleanor and him moved to Washington State where Eleanor married Johnnie Bundy. Ted Bundy had a fairly close relationship to his grandfather/†father† even though the grandfather suffered from some anger issues. However, there were not any forms of abuse ever reported (The Predator, n.d.). As a teenager, Bundy began spying on women in h is neighborhood as well as breaking in to people’s homes in order to acquire valuables (The Ted Bundy Website, n.d.). In 1966, while attending the University of Washington, Bundy met a woman by the name of Stephanie Brooks and he fell in love with her but their love was not meant to be. In 1968, Stephanie and Ted broke up and consequently, many  if not all of Bundy’s victims resembled Stephanie Brooks (The Predator, n.d.). In 1969, while Ted was in the state of Vermont (where he was born) he found that whom he thought was his sister for so many years was actually his mother (The Predator, n.d.). For most people, the realization of this would probably destroy them mentally, but for Bundy it seemed to have little to no effect (The Predator, n.d.). Around 1974 is when Bundy began slaying innocent women and it was not until 1978 when he was finally arrested for the last time (Crimemuseum.com, 2013). In order to lure his victims in, he would pretend to be injured when a female was passing by and when they came to aide him, he would smash them over the head with a metal pipe or crowbar (Crimemuesum.com, 2013). Bundy was considered to be a sexual deviate as well as a necrophiliac (The Ted Bundy Website, n.d.). Bundy often left his victims in his residence until they started to petrify and he was no longer able to handle the smell while having sexual intercourse with them. Psychopathic individuals display a multitude of behaviors that make up this disorder and can sometimes be readily detected unless the individual is purposely masking these traits. The psychopathic individual is normally incapable of feeling any guilt, remorse or empathy for their anti-social behaviors. They are manipulative with others to further their own goals or desires. These individuals do know the difference between right and wrong but feel that they are exempt from these judgments. They are also very poor in such emotions as love and caring (Schmalleger, 2012). People with psychopathic behaviors are very egocentric and narcissistic because they are unwilling to give up their comfort for the benefit of others, their needs always come first. They generally don’t learn from past experiences and tend to repeat the same failed ideas. They have difficulty in following a life plan like most normal people do. Psychopaths don’t accept that there are or should be consequences for their anti-social behaviors (Schmalleger, 2012). Many psychopaths have trouble holding down steady employment as they are prone to outbursts of anger at their worksite with little provocation. They have trouble with interpersonal relationships  or grasping team concepts. This leads typically to unsteady finances and difficulty finding new jobs. Romantic relationships are especially difficult to maintain if possible at all. They are very good at seeming to be charming and sincere at times. They learn that their own personalities are lacking so they mimic the personalities of those around them to appear normal and to achieve their desires. One of the associated problems with psychopaths is they believe that they can outwit law enforcement officials and will not be caught by them. This may explain one reason why these individuals commit serial crimes (Schmalleger, 2012). Psychopaths do not have delusions or hear voices others don’t hear. They live in the real world and don’t talk to imaginary persons. Even modern day advancements in these disorders have not produced methods to successfully treat psychopaths. In fact the treatments meant to help them deal with this disorder can empower them and many have fooled the medical profession that they are indeed making progress toward recovery when in reality they have not changed at all (National Institute of health, 2011). New research has indicated that there may be methods of identifying traits in pre-adolescent youth that may be treatable before they are adults. The hope is that if these are diagnosed early before adulthood, they can prevent the anti-social behaviors from occurring. Once a psychopathic person reaches adulthood treatments are of little or no use. One study suggests that these behaviors are inherited and developed though a child’s environment. The study found that about 67% of those youths studied inherited traits such as extreme callousness and emotional instability and the environment they grow up in can affect how they deal with these problems (National Institute of health, 2011). Ted Bundy demonstrated various symptoms related to the biological theory of psychology in criminology. Biological theory in crime causation focuses on the human body, evolutionary factors, hormones, inherited genes, and the way the brain has developed (Ministry of Justice, 2009). The psychological issues that Ted Bundy possessed are conditioning, psychopath, antisocial personality disorder, and sublimation. The principle of conditioning for Ted Bundy was the repetition of deadly assaults on young women. The repetition of murders allowed Ted Bundy to perfect his crimes. Psychopath principle consists of someone who has a personality disorder, which transforms into another disorder called anti-social disorder. When Bundy and Stephanie Brooks separated, Bundy was  emotionally and mentally destroyed. Anti-social personality disorder is the patterns of disregard for others. Bundy was very antisocial as a child, which later manifested into a sociopath. The principle of sublimation is the process of consciousness on symbolic substitute for another (Schmalleger, 2012 p. 129). Ted Bundy fantasized about young women, and would continue to have sexual intercourse with the deceased corps until the stench was no longer tolerable. In conclusion, serial killers are biologically different then regular people. They have lower brain functions and are genetically prone to becoming a serial killer. The identifiable related contributors to the biological theory of criminology entail low serotonin, neurological defects, malnutrition, anti-social behavior, and environmental contributors. Serial killers tend to act upon violent actions due to their abnormal brain waves in their frontal lobe and prefrontal cortex. As everyone can see from this research, serial killers kill not because of their upbringing, but because of biology. This is why they are known by many experts as biological disasters. References Biography.com. (2013). Ted Bundy. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/ted-bundy-9231165?page=2 The Predator. (n.d.). The Predator: Ted Bundy. Retrieved from http://tedbundy.150m.com/main.html The Ted Bundy Website. (n.d.). Bundy’s Childhood. Retrieved from http://students.english.ilstu.edu/smdare/bundy/tedschildhood.html Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3113684/ Schmalleger, F. (2012). Criminology (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Is Hannah Transformed / Changed Through Her Relationship...

1. In what specific ways does Hannah help Prior? Why might she (a complete stranger) have such a profound effect on him? In what ways does their relationship (and her views on world, religion, disease) make possible Prior s transition from AIDS victim to a PLWA (a person LIVING with AIDS)? In what ways is Hannah transformed/changed through her relationship with Prior? And why/how does this change occur? Specifically, Hannah helps Prior by both bringing him to the hospital when he falls ill and by helping him realize that he can reject the prophecy given to him by the Angel. In fact, she tells him, â€Å"An angel is just a belief†¦It’s naught to be afraid of. If it lets you down, reject it. Seek for something new† (Kushner 237), which provides relief to Prior’s struggles with accepting the prophecy. Furthermore, she also forces Prior to wrestle with the Angel, which allows him to return the book of anti-migration back to heaven, relieving him of the burden that was forced upon him. Although they’re strangers, Hannah has more of an impact on Prior than any other character in the play. Specifically, Hannah doesn’t downplay his encounter with the Angel, and provides him with a specific solution to his problem that no one else was able to supply. For example, Belize disregarded Prior’s encounter with the Angel, insisting that it was just a delusion. Hannah, however, listened to him and gave him advice as to how he could â€Å"get his life back.† Although she didn’t necessarily believeShow MoreRelatedTechnology in Hotel Industry14045 Words   |  57 Pagesdiagram, 4 images. Abstract : Prior research has shown that the level of communication has an on the learning outcomes in Ramp;D alliances and, subsequently, on performance. The level of communication depends on issues such as the systems that enhance knowledge sharing and the factors that deter knowledge flows, such as tacitness of knowledge and (deliberate) barriers set up to limit knowledge transfer. Innovations and value can only be created through sufficiently open knowledge sharingRead MoreBranding in Clothing Industry22425 Words   |  90 Pagesqualitative analysis 3.2.3 Reliability and validity of data 3.3 Justification of research method 3.4 Sampling 3.5 Interview schedule 3.5.1 Stage one 3.5.2 Stage two 3.5.3 Stage three 3.6 Administration 3.7 Analysis strategy 3.7.1 Grounded theory and its relationship to qualitative data analysis 3.7.2 Within-case and cross-case analysis 3.7.2.1 Within-case analysis 3.7.2.2 Cross-case analysis 3.8 Summary 24 24 24 24 25 26 27 29 31 31 32 34 34 34 34 35 36 37 37 Chapter 4: Research findings and discussionRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pages2013, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a writtenRead MoreOrganizational Behaviour Analysis28615 Words   |  115 Pagesemphasis on the practical implications of theory. Topics And Themes As the workshop progresses it will cover a number of themes which link and relate to different topics. The difference between themes and topics is important, and is best understood through an example. Leadership is a topic covered in the workshop. But in considering different theories of leadership, several themes are implicit. These include, for example, issues of structure, culture, influence, power, trust, politics, and so on. ThereRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pages.................................................................................. 474 Inferring from Correlation to Causation......................................................................................... 479 Criteria for a Causal Relationship................................................................................................ 481 Criteria for Creating Good Explanations ........................................................................................ 483 Assessing

The Epic Of Epic Poems - 1106 Words

Epic poems played a significant role in maintaining historical events during the Middle Ages. With very little written records, epic poems were memorized and passed down as an oral communication for generations. Beowulf was an example of this type of story that may have existed for a century before it was documented. Unfortunately, due to this type of record keeping, there is no accurate account of the time frame that Beowulf was created or even by what author. It could be deduced that this story originated during the 6th or 7th centuries due to the events and characters that existed in the story and took place in Denmark and Sweden. Regrettably for this era, less would be known regarding the author. Due to the context of the†¦show more content†¦This was an example of an authentic epic poem that signified a hero with unbelievable courage and strength; â€Å"In the darkness, the horrible shrieks of pain and defeat, the tears torn out of Grendel s taut throat, hell s c aptive caught in the arms of him who of all the men on earth was the strongest.† That night the whole village celebrated this great triumph as the village was now free of the evil that had haunted them for twelve years. Beowulf and his fellow warriors were all rewarded graciously with treasures of gold and jewelry at another feast of a joyous commemoration of heroic tales of the past. In the story, Beowulf accredited God for the strength and power to fight as it states, â€Å"He d snatched at Beowulf s arm, but that prince remembered God s grace and the strength He d given him and relied on the Lord for all the help, the comfort and support he would need.† Once the night ended and all the village rested more peacefully than ever before, the hall was visited by another unexpected terror seeking revenge, Grendel s mother. The unnamed breast stole one victim and her son s arm then retreated back into the darkness. Beowulf on horseback and warriors on foot followed her trail which ended at the water s edge. Unaffected by fear as the others, Beowulf plunged into the water, found Grendel s mother and slew her with the sword hanging on theShow MoreRelated Epic of Beowulf Essay - An Epic Poem1656 Words   |  7 PagesBeowulf:   An Epic Poem   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To qualify as an epic poem, Beowulf reflects the values of the culture in which it was created. The Anglo-Saxon culture and the poem share many of the same values. They shared a heroic ideal that included loyalty, strength, courage, courtesy, and generosity. Like all epic poems Beowulf is a long narrative work that tells the adventures of a great hero and also reflects the values of the society in which it was written. Both Beowulf and the Anglo-Saxons believedRead MoreThe Poem Epic Of Gilgamesh 891 Words   |  4 PagesThe poem Epic of Gilgamesh highlights the complexand important roles of women in society long before notions of feminism became prevalent. This poem depicts not only the intellectual side of women but also solidifies them as beautiful, seductive, and powerful beings, who on a number of occasions evidence their equality and sometimes superiority to man. Take Shamhat for instance, she was a beautiful temple priestess, who was used to seduce the beast Enkidu, with her beauty and charm. So GilgameshRead MoreThe Epic Poem Of Troy1356 Words   |  6 Pagesmany fascinating civilization and great heroic people surrounding the history. Iliad portrays the siege of a dynamic ancient Greek epic poem of Troy, which is attributed to Homer. Adventurous and braveness with god-like qualities is used to describe the ancient classic Greek heroes in this poem. Iliad is now known as one of the aged surviving ancient Greek epic poems, which directly relates to the events near the end of Trojan War. Heroic figures are considered important in Greek historyRead MoreThe Odyssey An Epic Poem1418 Words   |  6 PagesThe Odyssey an epic poem that has stood the test of time as history is made. Homer made a story as raptured almost everyone who reads it. Even the most trivial characters seem to serve some important role later in the epic poem. Yet it seems that the meaning of this great piece of fiction changes with the changing desires of society. Yet one thing that Homer puts in every corner of the book stays the same with the test of time. The misfortune that hangs like the sword of Damocles over each characters’Read MoreBeowulf As An Epic Poem1940 Words   |  8 PagesBeowulf as an Epic Poem Beowulf is a legendary Old English poem believed to have been written in the eighth or ninth century. Though its origin is unclear and its author is unknown this poem has continued through time. Portions of the original transcript have been lost with the passing of time and many translations of the work have been made. Each version of the work one aspect has remained the same, its hero. In all versions of the poem the hero is characterized by his impressive strength, braveryRead MoreThe Aeneid Is An Epic Poem2328 Words   |  10 PagesINTRO The Aeneid is an epic poem that tells the story of a Trojan hero, Aeneas who had to flee from his home as the Greeks were destroying it. Aeneas and his men travel across the sea in search of Italy where they are destined to build the Roman Empire. During his journey Aeneas will come up against many obstacles through the works of divine intervention. The epic poem written by Virgil in 29-19BC has many lasting influence of the classical world on other cultures across time like art, literatureRead MoreThe Epic of Gilgamesh Poem1357 Words   |  6 PagesIn the epic poem titled The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh was a king who ruled over the Sumerian city of Uruk around 2600 B.C. Gilgamesh was a very powerful and strong king, but he realized that he must use his power to help the people of Uruk. He is two-thirds god and one third human, which makes him realize that he must reconcile with the fact that he will eventually face death. He realizes that he will not reach full immortality and needs to be satisfied with his responsibilities over his peopleRead MoreThe Epic Poem Beowulf 3048 Words   |  13 Pages Given, the current high profile debate with regard to dating the epic poem Beowulf, it is quite surprising that some scholars go as far as placing it during the Vendel era around 550 - 793 CE. Eventhough it is considered as a kind of folk tale, many are those who believe it happened towards the early Vendel era. As a rebuttal to this point, it might be convincingly argued that this period is also referred to as the Germanic Iron Age. Moreover, this era saw the rise of Norse mythology, which is veryRead MoreEpic Poem Beowulf 805 Words   |  4 Pagesis Ð °n Ð °mÐ °zing, epic poem with greÐ °t quests Ð °nd epic fight scenes throughout the story. It Ð °lso hÐ °d mÐ °ny depressing Ð °nd sÐ °d moment plÐ °ced in the poem. In this poem it hÐ °s mÐ °ny recurring themes plÐ °ced by the Ð °uthor. One of the centrÐ °l themes of Beowulf, embodied by its title chÐ °rÐ °cter, is feÐ °lty. Ð °t every step of his cÐ °reer, feÐ °lty is Beowulf s guiding virtue. FeÐ °lthy me Ð °ns Ð ° feudÐ °l tenÐ °nts or vÐ °ssÐ °ls sworn loyÐ °lty to Ð ° lord. There were mÐ °ny greÐ °t exÐ °mples of feÐ °lty in the epic poem Beowulf. The themeRead MoreThe Epic Poem The Odyssey 1459 Words   |  6 PagesHospitality has been around and important to cultures for almost forever. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, there are many themes, but the theme of hospitality reoccurs throughout the entire epic. This epic takes place in Ancient Greece after the Trojan War. The main character, Odysseus, is on a journey back home to Ithaca after being away for ten years. Along the way, he must make stops and stays in the homes of the different people during his journey. The individuals that are hosting the stranger

Essay on Sexuality in To His Coy Mistress and The Flea

Be sure to begin each paper with a title. Lets talk about sex; in todays culture one cannot get through the day without viewing billboards, commercials, advertisements, movies, and talk shows which in one way or another are related to sex or the art of seduction. It is believed by many that the current generation is undoubtedly the most sexually explicit generation by far. However, it is not that the current generation is the more occupied with sex than past generations, but, that this generation lacks the finesse that was an essential component in the art of seduction for generations past. Furthermore, seduction has been the game most played throughout the centuries, as males endeavor to convince or entice the fairer sex to†¦show more content†¦He also states the unpleasant fact that, otherwise, will be enjoying her virginity instead of him. He does this to suggest that if she continues to waste time, she will die a virgin: Then worms shall try that long preservd virginity. (Lines 27-28) Donne, on the other hand, revolves his argument around the existence of a metaphorical flea. In this poem, it is the speakers claim that the flea represents his union with the maiden in matrimony, since the flea has taken blood from them both: It suckd me first and now sucks thee/. and in this flea our two bloods mingled be. (Lines 3-4) Furthermore, the speaker tries to convince the maiden that since their bloods have already mingled intercourse with him wouldnt be a sin and no honor would be lost if she yields to him: Though knowst that this cannot be said a sin nor shame nor loss of maidenhood (Lines 5-6). Though the basis for the poems might be similar, the mode of seduction used by each speaker is quite different. The speaker in To His Coy Mistress seems to rapidly alter his technique from stanza to stanza. In the beginning, the speaker is sweet and comes off as a gentleman by exaggerating how many ages he would spend on a single part of her anatomy. A hundred years should go to praise thine eyes... Two hundred to adore each breast (Lines 14-15). The speaker then makes a radical change in mode byShow MoreRelatedThe s Coy Mistress By Andrew Marvell And The Flea1919 Words   |  8 Pagesthroughout â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† by Andrew Marvell and â€Å"The Flea† by John Donne functions as a way to present, confirm and refute the traditional stereotypical view of carpe diem love poetry. The speakers within both poems aim to â€Å"seize the day† by wooing and taking advantage of women and their virginity and sexuality. They not only want to take advantage of the time they have but also make sure they do not regret not doing anything in the future. In specific, â€Å"To Hi s Coy Mistress† presents the viewRead MoreThe Carpe Diem Poetry By Andrew Marvell Essay1773 Words   |  8 Pagesand how imperative it was to make good use of opportunities. In fact, a number of poets used the style in creating the various themes such as death, life, time and sexuality. More importantly, some of the poems even adopted the sexual innuendos as a way of looking at the sexuality indirectly. For instance, the poem â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† by Andrew Marvell reveals multiple themes that insist that people should use their time effectively. More specifically, it illustrates mortality and how death is inevitable

Topics in Luxury Free Essays

Two topics required, to be selected by students: First one from the following list . Refining the target: cruises, tourists’ migrations studies for one or several countries. . We will write a custom essay sample on Topics in Luxury or any similar topic only for you Order Now Strategy for internationalisation processes by means of airlines, airports and hubs. . Stock and shares consolidation in the luxury sector (files can be provided if asked for). . Ethics and CSR in the luxury world. . The use of advocacy advertising in the luxury world. . Using exchange rates in the luxury world. Brand stretching and luxury: the role of sub and flanker brands. . Destination luxury: anticipating trends. Hotels and countries choices. . Washington regulation: from banned raw materials to counterfeit goods. TRIP’s and WTO. .Brand culture in the luxury world and the diffusion models. . Luxury and Innovation: using the Hofstede model. . Vintage, second-hand, customization, tailor made: do this models stick to every country’s needs? . Conception – Design: Ethno, poly, regio or geo centric positioning  ? Metastructures and multibrands strategies. Vertical integrations in luxury. . Luxury crisis and their economic counterparts. Strategic analysis. . From mass tige to a new skimming strategy. The inner decoration, esthaetic surgery and spas models. . Evolutions of the distribution chanels  : multipriced strategies. The blooming of price- hunters and the move towards hyperluxury. . From female to male luxury  : comparative kinetics in different countries. . New consumers for luxury  : new countries, new behavioral marketing†¦. .Elongating the long tail of the power’s laws. . CMR and luxury. : from PR to the strictly private web . Can the Luxury fashion brand store atmosphere be transferred to the Internet ? . Financial communication in luxury. . Blooming countries: who might be the winners? Specific and comparative analysis. . The evolution of the theory of Brand Culture in the luxury world. . The specific case of the travel and duty free retail. How to use them and the role of airlines routes. Comparative analysis of the avalanche theory and of Girard’s theory. How to use them in the luxury world. . Consolidation and stock valuations of luxury groups. The concept of branded value. . The future of selective distribution. Ebay legal case and the European Commission. Second one : Obligatory. You have to study a precise topic dealing with trends in luxury . The guidelines for the Dassault case are listed on a further document you can find on webintec. Don’t forget to write down and list your sources. How to cite Topics in Luxury, Papers

Genetic Diversity In Agriculture Essay Example For Students

Genetic Diversity In Agriculture Essay Genetic variation is the raw material for the plant breeder, who must often select from primitive and wild plants, including wild species, in search of new genes. The appearance of new diseases, new pests, or new virulent forms of disease causing organisms makes it imperative that the plant be preserved, because it offers a potential for the presence of disease resistant genes not present in cultivated varieties. Also, there are demands for new characters for example, high protein, improved nutritional factors, and fertility restoration. As a result, plant breeders require a large and diverse gene pool to meet ever changing needs. A gene bank is a popular term that is used to describe repositories for genes of living organisms. It is commonly used in the context of plant breeding as I described above, but it also applies to the freezing and the storage of animal sperm and embryos for use in animal husbandry or artificial insemination. An understanding of crop origins and variations is necessary in assembling genetic diversity in plant crops. In certain geographical areas there has existed a rich source of variability in crop plants but the encroachment of civilization has reduced the natural variability inherent in primitive plant forms and related species of crop plants. Agricultural process, as a result of new breeding programs, has reduced rather than increased crop variability as improved cultivars, or varieties, are planted in wider and wider areas and old cultivars, which may contain valuable genes, are lost. Crop failures, which result in a smaller gene pool, have led to an increased awareness of the need to preserve genetic diversity in plants. Efforts are under way to increase collections of plant materials in various forms. Usually these are preserved as seeds, but living plants, pollen, and cell cultures are also used. In most gene banks, seeds are usually preserved under conditions of low temperature and humidity. These collections must be periodically renewed by growing the plants and producing new seeds. Increasing emphasis is also being placed on preserving living collections of asexually propagated crops such as species of fruits and nuts. In the united states, germ plasm banks are handled in a state-federal cooperative program. Internationally, a consortium of international, government, and private organizations called the consultative group in in International Agricultural research, (established in 1974), the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) to promote the activities of international plant research centers that collect and preserve plant germ plasm. Crop improvement is continuous. Professional plant breeders are constantly working, through genetics, on the improvement of plants to meet changing needs and standards. For example, with the introduction of mechanical pickers for tomatoes, a tomato resistant to bruising by the machine was needed. Such a variety was created by plant breeders. Better, higher-yielding crop varieties have played an important part in the increase in crop production per acre in the united states and some other nations. Varieties of rice, cotton, vegetable-oil crops and sugar crops have changed almost completely since the early nineteen fifties. By the late nineteen sixties, most crop acreage in the united states was producing varieties unknown to earlier decades. Best known of the improved crops are the many varieties of hybrid corn that are planted on more than ninety-seven percent of the total corn acreage in the united states. Government experimental laboratories and commercial seed companies shared in the research and development of the high-yield plant varieties that provide such superior characteristics as resistance to cold, drought, diseases, and pests. Improvements in livestock, such as more efficient use of feed, has added greatly to the annual farm output. Such improvements are the result of breeding and improved husbandry and veterinary techniques. Special purpose-stock has been developed through selective breeding. The Enlightenment Essay It includes cattle that are able to thrive in subtropical regions, hogs that yield lean bacon instead of lard, and small and broad breasted turkeys. Artificial insemination has become a major factor in cattle improvement. In this technique the sperm of genetically superior bulls is used to inseminate thousands of cows. In this way a herd can be upgraded significantly in a single generation. However, some people feel that producing plants and animals that conform to the needs mechanization and increased production has resulted in less desirable farm products. .