Years

As we sat down for dinner or ‘tea’ as it has come to be called in our small two up-two down house, 174, Lonsdale Street, there was that same ominous feeling in the air that all too often filled me with dread and a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. That would set the tone for the remainder of the evening and most probably continue late on in to the night and early hours.

The hunger that now eluded my whole body had earlier been forced to become a mind over matter issue as I struggled fruitlessly with my maths homework, but now, tea was ready. Unfortunately though, my hunger was no more satisfied even after I had ravenously finished off every last bite of my half – yes my whole half – of the gourmet dish of Heinz beans and sausage, so expertly cooked – or rather opened from the tin – by Paul. This was another tell-tale sign of what was to come in the next few hours. As per usual, the rather bland evening meal was complemented by certain happenings in our house that even I struggled to deal with as I maybe would have done in the past.

By now, we had grown used to, and even begun to accept, the fact that Dad was no longer around to bring a sense of buoyancy and a friendly, smiling face to our home and our lives. Maths homework was left unfinished and certain D.I.Y jobs, such as the burst water pipe in the small dingy bathroom at the end of the landing, were left leaking. But we all understand that life must go on and we must stay strong – if not for our sake, for Mum’s. This was something we had done very well since Dad left. Just the two of us, until she found Paul.

As soon as we finished our tea, Mum set about busily clearing the table as I put the kettle on, offering Paul a drink and anxiously awaiting his most-probable violent reaction. Much to my disbelief, he simply just declined the drink, but left the kitchen hurriedly, in a similar fashion to the one in which he had entered, irritably mumbling something about Janet and how he had had to put up with this for too long now and how he is not putting up with it for much longer.

With this, my thoughts and fears were confirmed and my heart pounded once again. It had been plainly obvious from the second I awoke that morning that they had been arguing the night before and it would once again be Mum who came out worse off. The atmosphere was tense all too often in our house. It was impossible to tell when things would boil over, but it was obvious that the tension was always at a light simmer, biding its time and appearing to await the perfect moment. It was for exactly this reason that I never invited any of my friends round to sleep or even to watch a film or for tea. The whole environment and aura is too aggressive, too heated for others to understand. In fact, everything that happens in our house with regards to this situation is kept to myself.

Just as the kettle boiled my mind jolted back into reality and I poured water in to each of the three mugs. I heard the front door close with a bang and the letter box swung backwards and forwards, probably hanging off even more than it had before.

“We shan’t be seein’ ‘im again tonight,” said Mum softly in her ever-calming voice.

“He’ll be back,” I replied tentatively.

“Oh, he’ll be back all right. Drunk as a skunk, no doubt.” She even said this in a subtle tone, as if she had seen it all before and was now finding the whole scenario increasingly monotonous.

I decided that the best reply, was no reply.

We sat in the lounge in silence. No sound apart from Matthew Kelly on Stars in their Eyes gaily welcoming some middle aged house-wife from Wales as Christina Aguilera. I glanced across at Mum, still glaring at the television intently, steel-eyed. She did not even look up, not a second thought. Nothing. Perhaps all recent happenings had hardened her to such petty behaviour…

When Gillian had finished her piece as Christina, I drained the remainder of my mug, said good-night to Mum and proceeded up the stairs that creaked more and more with each processional step higher, and to my bedroom. The only place of sanctity I could find.

After having only a wash due to the broken shower, I wearily clambered into bed and took out my football magazine from my bedside drawer. The last thing I remembered before dozing off to sleep was groggily reading an article about the demise of Spain on the World stage.

The lines upon lines of text slowly transformed into horizontal lines in my mind and became wood, lots of wood all lined up neatly, now vertical, forming walls. Fence panels. My eyes came into focus as I gazed around what slowly materialized into a beautiful open space, lined with borders and rockeries immediately before the mahogany slats, containing amazingly colourful trees, plants and grasses that thrived in the gorgeous weather. Now my mind caught up with my vision and I recognised the setting as our old house. It was peaceful. Perfect. Birds chirruped in the trees and a plethora of insects busily went about their duties. Bees buzzed in and out of open petals and buds all around the garden.

Ladybirds landed gracefully on emerald green leaves and butterflies parading stunning spectrums of colour fluttered aimlessly in the gentle breeze. Beyond a finely pruned hedge towards the opposite end of the garden was a ray of light that glared brilliantly in my eyes. It drew me towards it with an almost hypnotic supremacy as I felt the heat of the beating sun on my neck. I stood over the pool and watched tiny insignificant creatures skate on the water’s surface, backwards and forwards with no evident purpose.

Gradually, large elegant petals floated down from an overhanging tree, landing on the surface of the water charmingly. One by one they came down in to the water. At first with grace, causing minuscule disturbances on the glistening mirror-like surface, but with each descent came a larger and more portentous landing until the pool was littered with petals that gave the water a mystical purple-red glow.

At once – or so it seemed – the garden was silent. Insects and birds still seemed to buzz, sing and twitter contentedly in and around the garden, but no sound. Silence. I turned back to the pool to see its emptiness. No buds, no petals, not even a single solitary blade of grass.

My eye lids opened with surprising ease to focus on the blankness of the familiar surroundings. Despite my disorientation, there were recognisable sounds from beyond my immediate surroundings. It took another moment for it to make sense. Mum?

There was a loud, ear piercing smash, followed by a thud then an emotional cry of pain and torment! I was right. All my thoughts and fears were so damningly correct, but what could I do? Was I to go down? My mind wavered. Could I help her, or was it not worth it? Would it only worsen the situation? Could it only worsen the situation? It did on the previous occasion.

Another loud scream later, followed by a familiar bang and it was over. He was home. Her haven. She whimpered in his arms, but he was oblivious. Immensely intoxicated by drink, he had fallen backwards onto the empty bottle on the table. Well, that was our version. Who would doubt it though? Her numerous breaks and bruises were plain for all to see.

For four years the guilt still haunted my Mum. And Chloe, the result of that fateful night.

I was very wary about coming face to face with it all. Nobody told me that I had a whole other family. A mixture of feelings surrounded me. Why did nobody tell m? Why was I wrapped up in cotton wool?

It all started off the same old thing, get up and get ready. The grey dingy sky of another I could see sunny day coming through (not) why was it England was always cold, dull, and rainy.

I thought back to my summer holiday last year. All I can say is that it was total bliss. The sun kissing and warming my skin, a warm feeling spread through my body at that moment.

A click back to reality as the morning news filtered through one ear and out of the other. Oh how I loved to hate getting up and ready for school.

The walk to school was torturous I could not handle these things. A dreadful storm of rain pouring on my head the bitter cold hitting my skin with great force. What a good start to another school day?

First lesson, first enemy if you ask me. Monday morning blues meant that I could not take part in PE

The day dragged on lesson by lesson. The seemed to be stuck as it looked like it was never moving. Just trying to torture me I bet. I was estatatic at the time to go home.

I got home and thought about what programmes I was going to watch on T.V. I heard my mum and dad talking. I picked up a bit of the conversation. I ran up the stairs and to my surprise my mum and dad was furiously packing. I immediately asked what was going on. My parents gave me instructions to pack for a hot holiday. As you can imagine I was very contented I loved holidays.

I found out we were going to the magical island of Capri. Situated just off the Italian coast. I asked how long we were going for and I was told as long as we want.

After a fatiguing flight we got there. It was phenomenal, I could not believe I was there. There were pretty lush patches of greenery scattered everywhere. I could see a glimpse of the coast. It was unbelievable.

After the initial shock of a surprise trip to an enchanting island a thought played on my mind. What exactly were we doing here? I pursued this to my dad and he told me there was somebody I should meet. I looked round to a massive mansion. A complex should I say. Pretty well looked after gardens. Immaculate white fences to enter through. What was going on I wondered?

This whole family stood there and smiled at me like they knew me. Who were all these people I wondered? They introduced themselves they were my dad’s side of the family that we were told never to talk about. They were all incredible nice.

The biggest shock of all, I found out that I was to inherit a small fortune. I felt like never before so shocked, amazed and happy.

The day ended with a massive party in order of this good news. I just could not believe it. I knew that I was going to be happy here for a while, however long I stayed.

Explore how the writer of one of your choice from the relationship collections presents different ideas about relationships from those given in ‘song for last year’s wife’ The poem by Brian Pattern presents thoughts of a man who misses his wife. The man In the poem Is directly talking to his wife which plays a role in the structure of the poem. On the contrary, ‘One Flesh’ by Elizabeth Jennings explores the effect of long term relationships as the poem Is written about her parents, therefore It Is quite personal.

Both poems have two very different themes within the main theme of legislations, for instance, ‘One Flesh’ looks at the process of long term relationships and ‘Song for last year’s wife’ stud’s the theme of pain when relationships breakdown. Both titles of the poem have some sort of connotation behind it. One flesh is mentioned in the Bible as it refers to two people becoming one after marriage and meant to be in unity, however, the poem contradicts the title as it depicts how they are separated from each other even though they are still married.

On the other hand, ‘song for last year’s wife’ alludes to the fact he has another wife but makes the read want to read on to find out what has happened to her. Subsequently, presenting different Ideas about relationship, their structures both vary to fit the Idea and perspective. The rhyme scheme of One Flesh Is A, B, A, B, A, A In the first two stanzas but the last stanza does not have a rhyming couplet as these two who are my has now grown cold’ shows that there was a strong relationship at the start but broke down and has shattered.

Perhaps, the effect of having a rhyming couplet at the end of the first two stanzas and not the last one is that the relationship has reached a level where there isn’t any hope for their love for each other but Just they have to be together for their daughter’s sake. On the other hand, Pattern does not use a rhyme scheme as the man is talking to his wife and you wouldn’t necessary talk in rhyme therefore it is more natural. Both poems use the poetic device of metaphor but in different ways to fit the theme of the poem.

The metaphor in song for last year’s wife ‘perhaps It Is the winter, its Isolations ghost to witness’ conveys a absence of his wife with the reference to a ‘ghost’ which suggests that something still haunts him and memories of her still come to him. Whereas, Jennings uses a metaphor to show how the couple’s relationship was strong and stable at the start room whose fire from I came from, has now grown cold’. This shows that their relationship was full of passion and fun but slowly drowned out to nothing but separation.

Here, images of heat and cold are used to reinforce how their passion is dying. Moreover, when Patter uses a alliteration at the start of the poem ‘of waking without you’ the emphasis of without increases due to the consonant being sharp so we know how hurt he is feeling without his wife which leads on the tension of what has happened to her. Similarly, the use of alliteration when saying ‘light on late’ tresses how the light Is kept on and makes us as the reader wonder why it I left on late that also add a level of apprehension towards the poem.

To conclude, ‘One Flesh’ and ‘Song for Last Year’s Wife’ both present their Ideas In different ways to emphasis the certain aspect of relationships they are trying to portray. Jennings uses the structure mostly to support how the couple’s relationship is unstable whereas absence of his wife. Both poets use connotations to expand on their ideas which draw the reader in therefore, becoming a more precise poem in terms of being articulate towards the theme that is being represented.

Kazakhstan’s 20 Years of Independence When Kazakhstan became independent after the collapse of Soviet Union in December 1991, many experts had predicted the collapse of the Central Asian nation under the burden of economic and social problems. But 20 years since then, the country of over 16 million people has become the largest economy in the Central Asian region due to its enormous oil, gas and uranium reserves and bold market economic reforms and political stability in the nation of 130 ethnic groups.

According to official figures, Kazakhstan’s GDP per capita grew from $700 in 1994 to more than $9,000 last year. In fact the growth was five years ahead of the schedule, and faster than in any other country in the first 20 years of its independence. Kazakhstan held year-long celebrations across the nation to celebrate its success and look towards what needs to be done to maintain the growth curve. The rapid economic and industrial growth of the oil and energy rich nation is attributed to Kazakhstan’s concerted efforts to create a stable, investor-friendly environment.

Despite the 2008 economic downturn, Kazakhstan retained and attracted a remarkable inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI). Last year, the nation scored among the the top 10 nations attracting FDI in the entire world. According to official figures, the country has attracted $132 billion in FDI in the last 20 years. Officials attribute the reasons to the economic growth to the political stability in the country and some of the bold decisions by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Nazarbayev moved the capital from Almaty to Astana in December 1997 which has proven to be a critical moment.

The new capital has come up as a dynamic centre of a rapidly growing nation and a modern 21st century city of some 750,000 people. The model of inter-ethnic relations that has preserved peace and harmony in the ethnically and religiously diverse society of Kazakhstan is another cause for the countries strong growth. On the political front, Kazakhstan is now moving towards multi-party democracy with the parliament elections to be conducted in January next year. Kazakhstan was the chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2010 and hosted the OSCE summit at Astana in December.

An Astana Commemorative Declaration was signed, renewing commitment to a better cooperation within the organization of 56 participating states from North America, Europe and Eurasia. In 2011, Kazakhstan also chaired the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, seeking to strengthen it as a critical instrument of promoting multi-faceted cooperation among its six members. And in June, Kazakhstan assumed the one-year presidency in the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation seeking to promote peace, cooperation and development.

Introducing the English highlands. The English highlands ( figure 1 ) are home to over 800,000 people in rural countries and 1.2 million in more urban countries ( CRC, 2010 ) . The landscape reflects centuries of human direction in the past and is maintained by continued stewardship, incorporating extremely valued and visited countries with a wealth of cultural and natural assets that provide a wealth of chance and potency ( CRC, 2010 ) . Despite this, most of the highlands are designated by the European Commission as Badly Disadvantaged Areas ( SDAs ) or Less Favoured Areas ( LFAs ) ( figure 2 ) , due to their low agricultural potency ( CRC, 2010 ) . It has been suggested that this may wrongly act upon determinations associating to the English highlands ( CRC, 2010 ) .

The economic system and landscape of the highlands is particularly delicate in the current economic clime ( Butterworth, 2011 ) , which can take to the loss of important local employers ( CRC, 2010 ) . However, the highlands have the potency to back up a green economic system and low C hereafter by the coevals of valuable public goods and market merchandises ( CRC, 2010 ) . Whilst there is grounds of concern enterprise, endeavor and energy, endeavor is limited by few employment chances, peculiarly in more distant countries, and those that exist are frequently low pay and seasonal ( CRC, 2010 ) . The bulk of people in the highlands are employed in touristry related industries, sweeping, retail and fabrication ( CRC, 2010 ) . Land based employment makes up 5.2 % of highland workers ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Figure 1: Map of England to demo SDAs and LFDs ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Land usage industries in the highlands

Land uses in the highlands can do struggle, but frequently can be in harmoniousness with each other.

One manner to place utilizations of English highlands is to split them into purveying, modulating and cultural services ( CRC, 2010 ) . In this manner, it becomes easier to place struggles and countries of complementarity.

Provisioning

Regulating

Cultural

Food ( farm animal )

Climate ordinance

Tourism

Timber

Air quality ordinance

Diversion e.g. walking, field athleticss

Minerals

Water quality ordinance

Aestheticss

Energy

Flood hazard bar

Cultural heritage

Fresh H2O

Wildfire hazard bar

Biodiversity

Water, clime alteration and agriculture patterns

70 % of the UK ‘s imbibing H2O is sourced from the highlands ( CRC, 2010 ) . The UKPC ( 2010 ) undertaking that the Lowlandss will go hotter and desiccant and hence the highlands may go an even more of import H2O beginning ( Natural England, 2009 ) . Land direction in the highlands significantly impacts river flows and inundation hazards ( CRC, 2010 ) . Climate alteration is projected to increase inundation hazard in the hereafter ( CRC, 2010 ) .

A turning job is brown H2O from peat dirts, which poses a challenge to imbibing H2O proviso in the highlands ( CRC, 2010 ) ; in fact H2O is going browner in many highland countries ( Natural England, 2009 ) . Removing coloring material is expensive and uses important sums of energy and chemicals which produce a sludge byproduct ( Natural England, 2009 ) . Soil compression caused by croping farm animal, blocked drains on peat dirts and remotion of chaparral and trees can do reduced absorbancy of H2O catchments ( Natural England, 2009 ) .

Farming and the environment

Farming in the uplands consists chiefly of farm animal agriculture ; 44 % of engendering Ewe and 30 % of beef cattles are farmed in the English highlands ( CRC, 2010 ) . Highland farms are frequently particularly vulnerable to policy reform and economic alteration ( National Trust, 2011 ) . It has been suggested that 1000s of occupations depend on highland agriculture, for illustration the highlands in Yorkshire provide 34,000 occupations in agribusiness and touristry, supplying ?1.8bn in gross revenues ( Butterworth, 2011 ) . The CRC ( 2010 ) studies that many highland husbandmans are disquieted about the economic impacts of future CAP reforms. Butterworth ( 2011 ) argues that farming in the highlands must be earnestly considered in current CAP dialogues to safeguard the hereafter of highland agriculture.

Domestic animate being farming for nutrient is extremely carbon intensifier and contributed about 18 % to anthropogenetic clime alteration in 2006 ( CIWF, 2009 and FAO, 2006 ) . With universe meat ingestion projected to increase from 229m metric tons in 2001 to 465m metric tons by 2050 ( FAO, 2006 ) , stairss need to be taken to cut down this end product. Hotter drier summers may take to decreased handiness of feedcrops and H2O for domestic animate being agriculture ( CIWF, 2009 ) . An increasing population may take to less land handiness, as infinite to farm farm animal and turn their nutrient competes with infinite to construct houses, works woods and farm harvests and biofuel ( CIWF, 2009 ) .

Livestock agriculture has declined due to the de-coupling of payments from production, the impacts of Foot and Mouth and de-stocking as a consequence of Single Farm Payment and to run into environmental demands in order to have subsidies from understandings such as the Higher Level Stewardship ( HLS ) strategy and Uplands Entry Level Scheme ( UELS ) ( which are frequently indispensable for endurance of farm concerns ) . This is an country of struggle ; conservationists encourage de-stocking to cut down overgrazing and protect home grounds, whereas hill husbandmans believe the pattern is misguided as it undermines traditional hill farming patterns ( CRC, 2010 ) . Many perceive de-stocking determinations to be non-participatory, top-down and ignorant of local cognition ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Farmers feel that the bulk of parks are presently over or under-grazed due to inadequate guidelines ( FCC, 2010 ) . Overgrazing can do dirt eroding, release of C shops and altered river flow and deepness ( Defra, 2010 ) . Some of this is due to overgrazing of globally rare cover bog, which is protected by UKBAP position and active cover bog is included in the EC Habitats and Species Directive ( Defra, 2010 ) . Blanket bog presently covers 4 % of England and supports works species such as ling ( Calluna vulgaris ) cross-leaved heath ( Erica tetralix ) and the Sphagnum species, which vary regionally ( Defra, 2010 ) . Animal species found here include the great xanthous humblebee ( Bombus distinguendus ) , dragonfly gatherings and the internationally protected aureate plover ( Pluvialis apricaris ) ( Defra, 2010 ) . Blanket bog is England ‘s largest C shop with about 300 million metric tons of CO2 being stored ( Defra, 2010 ) , there is 15,890ha of cover bog in the Peak District National Park entirely ( Moors for the Future, 2007 ) . Defra ( 2010 ) suggests that overgrazing, run outing and firing in the highlands has resulted in 381,000 metric tons of C to be released yearly. Carbon released from cover bog could go an even more important issue in the hereafter, as the hotter summers and heater winters and alterations in precipitation projected for the hereafter ( UKCP, 2010 ) could alter peatlands from a C sink into a C beginning ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Forestry and preservation

Woodland and forestry makes up 12 % of the highlands, which is largely managed by The Forestry Commission ( CRC, 2010 ) . Positive environmental benefits provided by tree planting in the highlands include renewable energy production, reduced dirt eroding, improved C segregation, reduced flooding hazards and improved H2O quality ( CRC, 2010 ) . Other benefits include the creative activity of employment from bio-energy strategies ( CRC, 2010 ) . At present clip it is ill-defined what the national guiding scheme for forestry is, as an independent panel is being established to see future forestry policy ( Spelman, 2011 ) .

Diversion, preservation and agriculture patterns

Diversion in the highlands includes out-of-door escapade, game shot ( CRC, 2010 ) and hill walking ( Natural England, 2009 ) . Around 40 million people visit National Parks in the English Uplands yearly, passing about ?1.78bn ( CRC, 2010 ) . English highlands contain 86 % of unfastened entree land in England ( CRC, 2010 ) . One ground for this may be that National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty ( AONBs ) make up 75 % of the highlands and 53 % of England ‘s Sites of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSIs ) are situated at that place ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Historic characteristics in the uplands face menaces from overgrazing and dirt compression, undergrazing and chaparral and bracken invasion, and hapless direction of the historic environment for biodiversity and other ecosystem services ( Natural England, 2009 ) . It is frequently voluntary administrations that engage in custodies on preservation and protection of the environment and heritage characteristics and supply recreational and educational activities ( CRC, 2010 ) , which has a positive impact on the touristry industry, as it is the beautiful environment and cultural heritage that tourists visit the highlands to see.

The impacts of touristry on the environment in the uplands include increased fire hazard, dirt and pathway eroding which causes increased C loss from dirt and increased C emanations from private conveyance ; for illustration 93 % of all Lake District tourers travel by auto ( Natural England, 2009 ) . However, these issues can supply an chance for community coherence ; for illustration voluntaries in the Lake District are presently transporting out footpath Restoration work ( Natural England, 2009 ) .

5.5 % of English highlands is covered by heather moorland, some of which is managed for grouse ( Moors for the Future, 2007 ) . Grouse hiting for diversion has existed in the Northern highlands for over 150 old ages ( Natural England, 2009 ) . Moors for the Future ( 2007 ) suggest that long-run grouse direction has changed cover bogs into heather moorland. Natural England suggests that merely 14 % of moorland SSSIs in England are in favorable status due to overgrazing and inappropriate combustion ( Moors for the Future, 2007 ) . Controlled combustion has been increasing over the last 30 old ages ( Yallop, 2006 ) . Appropriate combustion can better biodiversity by making a wider scope of home ground, for illustration, the aureate plover prefers short flora ( Moors for the Future, 2007 ) and moorland direction for grouse has expanded their scope ( Game & A ; Wildlife Conservation Trust, 2011 ) . However, this disadvantages other species, for illustration those that require tall ling ( Moors for the Future, 2007 ) . Traditional methods of firing rhythms have caused struggle, for illustration in 2003 English Nature blamed grouse directors for irresponsible moorland combustion in a particular protection country ( BBC News, 2003 ) . Regular burn rhythms cut down wildfire hazard by cut downing the sum of old ling ( fuel ) ( Moors for the Future, 2007 ) . Therefore, appropriate combustion may be an of import direction technique in the hotter, drier summers of the hereafter projected by the UKCP ( UKCP, 2010 ) .

In 1992-1997 the joint bird of prey survey took topographic point in Langholm, Scotland ( Langholm Moor Demonstration Project, 2011 ) . The intent of the survey was to happen out the effects of non pull offing moorland for grouse ( Bellamy, 2005 ) . The consequences showed that biddy harrier Numberss increased significantly ( figure 3 ) , a brace of mobile falcons moved into the country and all moorland bird, including grouse, Numberss decreased significantly ( Bellamy, 2005 and Langholm Moor Demonstration Project, 2011 ) . The survey compared Langholm to nearby managed Moors and found that the Langholm grouse population failed to retrieve from the parasitic disease Strongylosis during the Joint Raptor Study when biddy harasser Numberss had increased, whereas they recovered good in the nearby managed Moors ( figure 4 ) . Four old ages after the survey, hen harrier Numberss had decreased to two braces ( figure 3 ) due to reduced quarry ( Bellamy, 2005 ) . This had a negative impact non merely on wildlife preservation, but on touristry and diversion excessively, which in bend negatively impacted local concerns such as stores and hotels that had antecedently received good income from taws and bird spectators ( Bellamy, 2005 ) .

Figure 2: The ruddy line shows Numberss of engendering biddy harasser braces at Langholm and the green saloon chart shows the figure of biddy harasser cheques at Langholm ( right axis ) ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.langholmproject.com/raptors.html ) .

Figure 4: Number of grouse shooting at Langholm ( green ) compared to two nearby Moors ( brown and Grey ) . The cyclic alterations reflect periodic parasitic disease Strongylosis ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.langholmproject.com/grouse.html ) .

The Joint Raptor Study suggests that responsible grouse direction does non conflict with bird preservation and can really be good ( Bellamy, 2005 ) . Unfortunately, struggles still exist and some people regard the violent death of grouse for athletics as inhumane. However, Bellamy ( 2005 ) argues that possibly it is better to hold free scope grouse who are killed immediately than utilizing the land for big farm animal farms where the animate beings have a decreased quality of life.

An illustration of diversion, farming and preservation bing in harmoniousness occurs at the 5,500ha Bolton Abbey Estate in North Yorkshire, where managed ling Moors are classed as a SSSI, a European Special Area of Conservation for its works communities and European Special Protection Area for its bird population ( Natural England, 2009 ) . The land supports and provides grouse shot, recreational walking, educational visits, farm animal graze, heather honey production, sustainable forest, rich biodiversity and a C shop in the peat dirts ( Natural England, 2009 ) .

The Vision in 2050

The highlands are considered to be a national plus, with important environmental, cultural and societal value and chance ( CRC, 2010 ) supplying people with procedures necessary for life such as nutrient, H2O, civilization and diversion. The abundant and diverse scope of wildlife exists in the abundant and diverse scope of good quality home grounds, which are valued and protected by the people. Farming patterns remain largely traditional and do minimum injury to the environment, and husbandmans receive a good income. Restored cover bog shops huge sums of C. The highlands are no longer regarded as countries of terrible disadvantage but alternatively countries of chance, as alterations in the yesteryear have resulted in the creative activity of many occupations and chances for sustainable concern, ensuing in a thriving, happy community. The land and all its natural and cultural assets are managed sustainably. Policy and determination devising utilises the bottom-up attack and involves local communities and is antiphonal to altering state of affairss.

Top Ten Menu of Actions

All determinations should be more participatory and area-specific

Policy should non be nescient of local cognition ( FCC, 2010 and CRC, 2010 ) . Alternatively it should take into history the cognition and experience of local people ( FCC, 2010 ) .

Policy should be flexible and antiphonal to alter ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Management determinations should be made locally ( FCC, 2010 ) .

Safeguarding H2O and cut downing inundation hazard

Planting more trees and chaparral to increase the absorbancy of H2O catchments and responsible decrease overgrazing, combustion and land drainage would cut down deluging hazard ( Natural England, 2009 ) .

A better apprehension of drainage forms across each river catchment and how land direction influences them is required ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Reducing overgrazing reconstructing degraded moorland may assist to better H2O coloring material ( Natural England, 2009 ) .

Improved forest direction

More forest should be planted ( Natural England, 2011 ) .

Forests should be more connected to assist wildlife adapt to climate alteration ( Natural England, 2011 ) .

Improved grazing direction

Croping should be limited to identified suited specific countries of land.

There should be limited to no croping on protected moorland.

Farmers should recognize that nutrient production from farm animal is interlinked with other systems such as H2O quality ( Natural England, 2011 ) .

Stocking rates should be decided locally.

Education for the populace and for concerns

Essential highland services should be recognised by all ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Upland instruction programmes and activites should be implemented to enthuse and actuate people ( Natural England, 2011 ) .

Promoting green endeavor

The UK has a duty to cut down C emanations ( Guardian.co.uk, 2008 ) . In line with this, green engineerings need to be utilised to their full potency.

Bio-energy strategies based on forest biomass should be implemented throughout the highlands to lend to upland economic systems and make employment ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Renewable energy concerns ( H2O power, solar, wind engineering etc ) should be encouraged ( Natural England, 2011 ) .

Support should go available for green endeavor to let the highlands to make its full economic potency ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Secured hereafter for farming

At least one land-based college to present farm direction classs should be in each vicinity ( FCC, 2010 ) . This should assist to guarantee immature people learn the accomplishments necessary for highland agriculture.

A alteration in highland policies

A flexible and antiphonal new national scheme that is integrated across sectors, administrative countries and sections should be implemented, based on local cognition and scientific fact ( CRC, 2010 ) . The new national scheme would cut down bureaucratism, duplicates and the inefficiencies present in current policy ( CRC, 2010 ) . This would let the people and concerns of the highlands to better understand how they can protect and heighten the highlands ( CRC, 2010 ) .

To guarantee effectual execution an single accountable to Curates of BIS, CLG, DECC and DEFRA should be appointed ( CRC, 2010 ) .

Policies should put out clear aims and marks and the effects should be monitored so feedback can be provided to husbandmans ( FCC, 2010 ) . This will enable them to present better environmental results ( FCC, 2010 ) .

Continued preservation

All concerns and substructure should be sited to understate negative impacts on the environment.

Existing preservation guidelines should be improved and adhered to.

Grouse direction should go on, but be sensitive to preservation, diversion and agriculture demands.

Co-operation

All stakeholders in the highlands should be encouraged to co-operate with each other to accomplish long term consequences and foolproof support ( Natural England, 2011 ) .

Decision

The uplands face a hereafter of uncertainness, but this provides great chance. With everyone working to back up and heighten the highlands, this vision can be used to assist continue the positive and understate the negative facets of the highlands ( Natural England, 2011 ) .

There are different types of childcare options for children in the early years 0-5 these are: the first one is an organisation called Surestart this helps families from the birth of their child, providing help and support when the parents really need it the most. This organisation works with the parent’s right from when the child is born helping the child with educational needs.

They provide full day care, short term care; health and family support if the family is having complications at home such as financial needs then Surestart will do their best to provide the family with links of people and organisations that can help them. They also provide parenting advice, this is essential for some new families that have never experienced parenting before. They also provide training and employment advice to fund the new families which is desperately needed especially when the family contains young parents.

The next one is nursery schools; usually nursery schools provide this type of education for children between three and five years old. Most of the time these type of nurseries are based at the surestart centres but they can also often be linked to local primary schools. The next childcare option is pre schools and playgroups, most of the time playgroups are run by voluntary organisations for children three and four years old. This means that children can have 15 hours of their free education at these organisations.

The next type of childcare provision is day nurseries these are consistently placed in workplaces as people going to work can place their child in that provision complete a day’s work and then take their child home. These can be run by both the business they are placed at or they can be voluntary, this might be free but sometimes the businesses can charge. A different type of childcare provision is one used at the carers home these are called childminders. These are often used after school is finished and people still need to place their children in childcare.

In childminders they are only allowed to look after six children under the age of eight but only three children are allowed at a time under the age of five. The last and most unlikely child care provision is a nanny these provide childcare in the parents’ home and are usually paid for by the parents and usually used over a long period of time. These are often used if the parents are on a ‘work trip’ or got a complete a set amount of work over a period of time.

British Girls and Women of the 90s – The Spice Girls, Girl Bands and their Influence on British Culture The twentieth century will, without doubt, be viewed by historians as the Woman’s Hour. The status of women in Britain changed. More and more women started to leave their homes and join the labour market. They started to fight for their independence and political, economic and social rights. Women got more recognition from the society and they started to pursue equality with men.

They progressed from being (almost) possessions of men, with no legal status of their own, to being considered legal citizens in their own right. As far as the political background is concerned, it is worth saying a few words about Margaret Thatcher. Following the defeat of the Conservatives in 1974 election, Margaret Hilda Thatcher was elected as the new leader. She wentaon to lead the Conservatives toathe victory in the election of 1979 andathe party remained in power until 1997. Christopher states that, “She was developing economicaideas which were guided by the fashionable theories of monetarism”(Christopher, 12).

These involved reducing inflation with high interest rates and submitting all aspects of the economy to free-market theories and the laws of supply and demand. Her economic and political ideas, which came to be known as ‘Thatcherism’ began to be fully expressed and implemented. But in Britain, there were high rates of unemployment during the periods of the 1980s and early 90s. The jobs people lost were mostly skilled jobs in manufacturing industry, which were regarded as ‘men’s jobs’. Massive cuts in state spending led to job losses in the public sector, which affected women equally.

According to Christopher’s study: Because these jobs were usually semi-skilled or unskilled and low paid, the women were more interchangeable as employees and could find part-time office work or cleaning work, similarly low paid, elsewhere. (Christopher, 13) Women wereabeginning to occupy postsain traditional male-dominatedaareas such as business,alaw and banks. aMany of them couldaenjoy the benefitsaof increasing financialaand sexual freedom,aand were postponing marriageaand children. By 1986 the economy wasastrong. There was an airaof enterprise and optimism asaa new society emerged. aBritain became oreaaffluent, competitive andamore interested inacash. There was a newageneration of stylishaand image-conscious consumers,aand spending on restaurants,aclothes, cars, homes and holidays reached recordalevels. Many various feminist groups appeared and the third-wave of feminism in the USA began. In the early 1990s, an underground feminist movement called Riot Grrrl jumpstarted the idea of female empowerment. Riot Grrrl was anaunderground feminist punk rock movementathat originally started inaWashington, in the early to mid-1990s – it wasaoften associated with third-waveafeminism. According to some, “Riot Grrrl. ands often addressed issues, such. as: domestic abuse, rape, sexuality, patriarchy, racism and female empowerment. Riot Grrrls were knownato start chapters, hold meetings,aand suport andaorganize womenain music. ”(Schilt, 6). Theamovement allowedawomen their own spaceato create music andamake political statementsaabout the issuesathey were facing inathe punk rock community asawell as inasociety. Those ideas soon entered Great Britain. Shortly after that, British marketers began latching onto the catchphrase ‘girl power’ – which expressed aacultural phenomenon of the 1990saand earlya2000s. It is also linkedato third-waveafeminism.

The most memorable example of ‘girl power’ is the Spice Girls. The Spice Girls wereaa Britishapop girlagroup formedain 1994 and the biggest popular cultural icons of the 1990s. As McGibbon mentions, “performing pop music, Spice Girls achieved a worldwide success, selling over 55 million albums all over the world, the most from among all female singing groups in the twentieth century. ”(McGibbon, 23). Wherever they appeared, they could count on the support of the army of fans from all over the world, as well as the hysterical reaction of the media. The pop phenomenon – the Spice Girlsachanged the courseaof popularamusic andapopular culture.

Both albums and eight of their singles releases achieved number one chart position in the UK. No pop group since the Beatles attracted as much media attention as the Spice Girls. Ginger,aBaby, Posh,aSporty andaScary were international stars, adored and ridiculed in equal measures which was the ultimate expression of media fame in the Nineties. The girls have made many achievements such as Wannabe – the Spice Girls’ first single – and the most successful song in their career. It plays a crucial role in their fame. The single Wannabe toppedathe UK Singles Chartafor sevenaweeks and acquired a latinumacertification byathe British Phonographic Industry. Sinclair concludes, “Itabecame theabest-sellingasingle by aafemale group, sellingaover six millionacopies worldwide. ” (Sinclair, 78). In June 1997 the Girls undertook to make a feature-length film called Spiceworld – The Movie. The film was directed by Bob Spiers (director of Absolutely Fabulous, Fawlty Towers, and Are You Being Served? ) and was a comical narrative from the Spice Girls’ real life adventures. According to some, ”the film was a runway success, becoming the second highest-grossing British film of 1997 (after Bean). (McGibbon, 45). Theayear 1997 sawathe Spice Girls capitalisingaon their fame throughaa multimillion dollaraphenomenon ofamerchandise, with hundredsaof official products. They may have made a great pop music, but if ever a group regarded their creative endeavours as a means to achieving a commercial end it was the Spice Girls. While pop stars through the decades have generally tried to a greater or lesser extent to protect their artistic integrity by not appearing to endorse unrelated or unsuitable products, the Spice Girls did the exact opposite.

They were up for anything. According to Sinclair, „When it came to endorsements, it seemed that Spice Girls didn’t know the meaning of the word ‘No’. ”(Sinclair, 50) There was apparently no product of consumer interest, however mundane or embarrassing, that it was beyond their ingenuity to adapt to the girl power credo. By the middleaof 1997, theaSpice Girlsahad signed up for product tie-in deals with Pepsi, Benetton, Feberge, Sony PlayStations, Polaroid cameras and Walker’s crisps. By the September 1997, the group were estimated to have earned $47 million by Forbes magazine, which ranked them at number 32 in their list of highest paid entertainers”. (http://www. sociology. org. uk/fchan1. pdf). This was a staggering achievement considering how little time they had been operating in the marketplace. All these achievements of the Spice Girls corroborate a huge potential of the band. Theaarrival of the Spice Girlsaadded to the new imageaand re-branding of Britain,aand underlined the growing worldapopularity of British, ratherathan U.

S. , pop music. aThis fact was visible at the BRIT Awards ceremony in 1997. aThe group won twoaawards but itawas Halliwell’s Union Jack mini-dress which she designed herself thataappeared in media coverageaall over the worldaand eventually became a symbol of ‘Cool Britannia’. They were the first pop phenomenon truly to understand the demands of the modern multi-media age, and to tailor their efforts accordingly. To their credit, the Spice Girls had an immensely powerful influence on children and teenagers. The girls were crazy about them.

The kids of a generation whose musical horizons had previously been restricted to Mr Blobby, a character from a television show Noel’s House Party, and Sesame Street singalongs, became sensitised to pop music thanks to the Spice Girls. Teenagers modelled on the girls dyeing hair red, performing dances and dressing up as their favourite Spice Girls. There were many all-girl bands which appeared during the existence of the Spice Girls such as: Attomic Kitten, Sugababes or Girls Aloud and many of which were created after the collapse of the group. All or most of them modelled themselves on those five wonderful girls.

Despite the fact that there were, and still there are, many girl bands, none of them – also the aforementioned ones – has left such a big impression on pop music as the Spice Girls. As Sinclair states, ‘They became, almost overnight, a fondly regard and instantly recognisable part of British pop’s royal family. ” (Sinclair, 89). In summaries of their achievements ranging from the most informed biographies to the most aimless of pub conversations it was a generally held and often stated belief that, „the group put British music back on the world stage and ushered in a global renaissance in pop. ” (Sinclair, 90).