The History and Career of Smokey the Bear

Smokey Bear came to us by necessity. At the beginning of World War II, Americans feared that an enemy attack or sabotage could destroy our forest resources at a time when wood products were greatly needed. In the spring of 1942, a Japanese submarine fired shells onto an oil field in Southern California near Los Padres National Forest. Government officials were relieved that the shelling did not start a forest fire but were determined to provide protection. The USDA Forest Service organized the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP) Program in 1942. It encouraged citizens nationwide to make a personal effort to prevent forest fires. It was a mobilized civilian effort in support of the war effort to protect valuable trees. Timber was a primary commodity for battleships, gunstocks, and packing crates for military transport. Character Development Walt Disneys Bambi character was very popular and was used on an initial anti-fire poster. The success of this poster demonstrated that an animal of the forest was the best messenger to promote the prevention of accidental forest fires. On August 2, 1944, the Forest Service and the War Advertising Council introduced a bear as their campaign symbol.​ Albert Staehle, noted illustrator of animals, worked with this description to paint the forest fire prevention bear. His art appeared in the 1945 campaign, and the advertising symbol was given the name Smokey Bear. The bear was named Smokey after Smokey Joe Martin, who was Assistant Chief of the New York City Fire Department from 1919 to 1930. Rudy Wendelin, an artist for the Forest Service, began producing a tremendous quantity of Smokey Bear art in various media for special events, publications, and licensed products to promote the fire prevention symbol. Long after retiring, he created the art for the Smokey Bears 40th anniversary commemorative U.S. Postage stamp. Many within the Forest Service still acknowledge Wendelin as being the true Smokey Bear artist. The Ad Campaign After World War II, the War Advertising Council changed its name to The Advertising Council. In the years that followed, the focus of Smokeys campaign broadened to appeal to children as well as adults. But it was not until the 1965 campaign and the work of Smokey artist Chuck Kuderna that Smokeys image evolved into the one we know today. The Smokey Bear concept has matured into a cottage industry of collectibles and educational material on fire prevention. One of the most popular Smokey products is a set of posters known as his educational poster collection. The Real Smokey Bear Smokey Bears living history began early in 1950 when  a burned cub survived a fire in the Lincoln National Forest near Capitan, New Mexico. Because this bear survived a terrible forest fire and won the love and imagination of the American public, many people mistakenly believe the cub was the original Smokey Bear but, in reality, he did not come along until the advertising symbol was almost six years old. After being nursed back to health, Smokey came to live at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. as a living counterpart to the CFFP Programs fire prevention symbol. Over the years, thousands of people from around the world came to see Smokey Bear at the National Zoo. A mate, Goldie, was introduced with the hope a young Smokey would continue the tradition of the famous living symbol. These efforts failed and an adopted son was sent to the zoo so the aged bear could retire on May 2, 1975. After many years of popularity, the original Smokey died in 1976. His remains were returned to Capitan and rest beneath a stone marker in Smokey Bear Historical State Park. For more than 15 years, the adopted Smokey carried on as the living symbol, but in 1990, when the second Smokey Bear died, the living symbol was laid to rest. Smokeys Detractors Smokey Bears task is becoming increasingly difficult. In years past, it was a challenge for his message to reach traditional visitors to the forest. Now we are faced with getting his wildfire prevention message to an increasing number of people who live in and around these areas. But Smokey the Bear may have done too good a job. There are some who suggest that we have eliminated fire to the point that it is hurting not only forest management but is building fuels for future fire disaster. They dont want Smokeys message out anymore. Charles Little, in an editorial called Smokeys Revenge, states that in many circles the bear is a pariah. Even at the National Zoo in Washington DC, which tends to be inclusive, the popular Smokey Bear exhibit was quietly dismantled in 1991 - after having featured since 1950 a bear going by this name (involving two separate animals). The point is, Smokeys ecological correctness quotient is low, as an increasing number of forest ecologists have been pointing out in recent years. We anthropomorphize at our peril. Another good essay was written by Jim Carrier for High Country News. It gives a humorous but somewhat cynical view of Smokey. He does not sugar-coat and offers a very entertaining piece called  An Agency Icon at 50. This is a must read! Adapted from USDA Forest Service Publication FS-551 The Real Smokey Bear Smokey Bears living history began early in 1950, when a burned cub survived a fire in the Lincoln National Forest near Capitan, New Mexico. Because this bear survived a terrible forest fire and won the love and imagination of the American public, many people mistakenly believe the cub was the original Smokey Bear, but in reality he did not come along until the advertising symbol was almost six years old. After being nursed back to health, Smokey came to live at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., as a living counterpart to the CFFP Programs fire prevention symbol. Over the years, thousands of people from around the world came to see Smokey Bear at the National Zoo. A mate, Goldie, was introduced with the hope a young Smokey would continue the tradition of the famous living symbol. These efforts failed and an adopted son was sent to the zoo so the aged bear could retire on May 2, 1975. After many years of popularity, the original Smokey died in 1976. His remains were returned to Capitan and rest beneath a stone marker in Smokey Bear Historical State Park. For more than 15 years, the adopted Smokey carried on as the living symbol, but in 1990, when the second Smokey Bear died, the living symbol was laid to rest. Smokeys Detractors Smokey Bears task is becoming increasingly difficult. In years past, it was a challenge for his message to reach traditional visitors to the forest. Now we are faced with getting his wildfire prevention message to an increasing number of people who live in and around these areas. But Smokey the Bear may have done too good a job. There are some who suggest that we have eliminated fire to the point that it is hurting not only forest management but is building fuels for future fire disaster. They dont want Smokeys message out anymore. Charles Little, in an editorial called Smokeys Revenge, states that in many circles the bear is a pariah. Even at the National Zoo in Washington DC, which tends to be inclusive, the popular Smokey Bear exhibit was quietly dismantled in 1991 - after having featured since 1950 a bear going by this name (involving two separate animals). The point is, Smokeys ecological correctness quotient is low, as an increasing number of forest ecologists have been pointing out in recent years. We anthropomorphize at our peril. Another good essay was written by Jim Carrier for High Country News. It gives a humorous but somewhat cynical view of Smokey. He does not sugar-coat and offers a very entertaining piece called An Agency Icon at 50. This is a must read! Adapted from USDA Forest Service Publication FS-551

How Technology Has Influenced Our Lives - 2021 Words

Civil Society is a term that’s cropping up more and more amongst those concerned with the changing shape of modern society. A â€Å"civil society† is a measure of how much we care for the community and how much effort we put into the success of it. As technology develops more and more people aren’t able to practice the values of a civil society due to the influenced of â€Å"screen culture.† This â€Å"screen culture† refers to all the devices that have nearly become a limb for many people in this twenty first century. Sherry Turkle, a psychologist, demonstrates in her article Alone Together about how technology has influenced our everyday lifestyles from simple household chores, to having intimate relationships with robots. We now live in a society†¦show more content†¦The freedom that technology has given us has enabled us to live in a virtual world, which offers more freedom than reality does. Because of the false facade technology provi des we often forget what it means to live a civil society. A key feature of civil society is the ability to come together as a society to socialize and network. However, in today’s society the screen culture around us has prohibited us from conforming a shared public life with each other. Often many struggle to avoid all the twenty first century gadgets that withdraw from any sense of a shared public life. Due to our fast paced lives, many of us have forgotten to make time to barely have a meal with our families. Flammang worries that our lives in this twenty first century distract us from the values of a civil society. In her article A Taste for Civilization: Food, Politics and Civil Society, she mentions â€Å"Democratic speech and behavior can be practiced at the table and as spend less time in common meals, we are losing an opportunity to learn and teach the art of conversation so essential for civil society and democratic practice†(112, Flammang). For centuries the dinner table has been a place where friends and families can come together despite all their differences so that â€Å"bread can be broken† together. Although we may have never realized it, the table manners we learned early on in our lives

Monsoon Insurance Free Essays

IMPACT OF INDEX MONSOON INSURANCE IN INDIA Literature review †¢AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE IN INDIA-A PERSPECTIVE By Dr. A. Amarender Reddy Scientist (Agricultural Economics) Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur-208024. We will write a custom essay sample on Monsoon Insurance or any similar topic only for you Order Now Abstract Background the paper reviewed the innovative techniques in agricultural/rural insurance, which overcome some of the disadvantages of yield based group insurance and suggests rainfall (weather) index insurance as a better alternative/complement to the existing agricultural insurance scheme. The weather (rainfall) index based insurance is also more compatible with reinsurance practices worldwide, which make primary insurers to cover their local/regional risks by reinsuring themselves with international reinsures. †¢Agriculture Rural Development Working Paper 9 Innovative Financial Services for Rural India Monsoon-Indexed Lending and Insurance for Smallholders Ulrich Hess The World Bank Agricultural and Rural Development Department Abstract This paper was prepared by Ulrich Hess. It draws extensively from author’s work on weather insurance and rural finance in India and Morocco †¢Townsend, and James Vickery, Barriers to Household Risk Management: Evidence from India,† Harvard Business School Working Paper, 2010, 09 (116). Abstract What types of households buy index insurance? What factors prevent the remaining households from participating? And does the purchase of index insurance result in more efficient risk taking? †¢Rainfall Index Insurance in India Daniel Stein Dissertation submitted to the Department of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Economics at The London School of Economics and Political Science September 2011 Abstract This thesis provides three works which each contribute to understanding of the promising yet struggling market for rainfall index insurance in India Findings of the study †¢Post impact of monsoon index insurance in stabilisation of farmer’s income. †¢Comparison of growth between states having index monsoon insurance with the states without monsoon insurance †¢Overall economic development of Indian economy due to index monsoon insurance †¢Penetration of monsoon insurance in India. Purpose of the research (or rationale for the study) For the rural poor in India, formal financial services would enable them to maximize returns on their surplus, smooth their consumption, and reduce their vulnerability to risk. However, their financial service needs—which include consumption credit and cash savings are seldom met due to systemic problems in the financial sector and monsoon risk. In 1991, a comprehensive household survey addressing rural access to finance revealed that barely one-sixth of rural households had loans from formal rural finance institutions (RFIs). Beyond credit, most of the rural poor also lack access to the banking system for savings. Farmers respond to the lack of formal financial services by turning to moneylenders; reducing inputs in Farming; over capitalizing and internalizing risk; and/or by over diversifying their activities which leads to sub-optimal asset allocation. The combined effect of these coping strategies is a poverty trap. Smallholders cannot risk investing in fixed capital or concentrating on the most profitable activities and crops, because they cannot leverage the start-up capital and they face systemic risks that could wipe out their livelihoods at any point in time. The challenge for banks is to innovate a low-cost way of reaching farmers and helping them better manage risk . Agricultural activity is inherently risky due to pest or disease-induced harvest failure, price volatility in commodities markets, or extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods. Smoothing consumption across years or seasons is a significant challenge for agrarian households in developing countries. Parchure (2002) estimated that in India about 90% of variation in crop production levels is caused by variation in rainfall levels. In response to these problems, innovative index-based weather insurance was developed, in which the payment schemes are based on an exogenous publically observable index, namely local rainfall. This mitigates problems such as moral hazard and adverse selection and eliminates the need for in-field assessments, lowering the cost of providing insurance. The purpose is to study the effect of insurance in the farmer’s income and how insurance helps in agriculture risk mitigation in Indian context. Coverage for crops and also schemes pertaining to monsoon insurance are also studied and its penetration in Indian market. Aim To study economic development due to monsoon insurance 1. Objectives †¢To study the effect of insurance in the farmers income †¢How insurance helps in agriculture risk mitigation in Indian context †¢To study coverage for crops and also schemes pertaining to monsoon insurance †¢To study Overall economic development of Indian economy due to index monsoon insurance †¢To compare and study agricultural growth pre and post effect implications of monsoon insurance in Indian economy Hypothesis (or key questions) Index monsoon insurance has overall created a positive impact on Indian economy. Research Methodology Stage 1 Literature Research A comprehensive review of the relevant literature including a computer assisted search will be Undertaken in order to develop an understanding of previous work related to index monsoon insurance. Stage 2 descriptive research Review of literature in the field of agriculture and insurance to understand the growth of both the fields Stage 3 article research Effect of insurance is studied by reviewing different articles and case studies related to monsoon insurance impact on specifies states which are more exposed to extreme climatic conditions Stage 4 statistics research A review of current as well as past statistics related to agricultural sector to analyse the trend Stage 5: Writing Up This stage involves writing up the content of the dissertation and should cover their chapters proposed Proposed Contents of the dissertation 1. Introduction 2. Agricultural sector and its challenges 3. Index monsoon insurance and its different schemes 4. Theoretical Framework of the study . Implications of monsoon index insurance 6. Interpretation and conclusion 7. Bibliography Work Plan/Diary First and second week -Review of Literature Second and third week- case study research Next 2 weeks- analysing the statistics Next 4 weeks – interpretation of statistics Next 2 weeks- collecting information from experts in the field of insurance Next 2 wee ks – writing up the case study Next 2 weeks – Submission of soft copy for approval http://www. cirm. in/events/agriculture-index-insurance-conference-2012 -imp http://www. cgap. org/blog/lessons-india-weather-insurance-small-farmers How to cite Monsoon Insurance, Papers