Military Spending Essay

Examine the extent to which expenditure on arms and the armed forces is justifiable in the modern world. With all its wars, terrorist attacks and genocides, history might suggest that the armed forces has a critical and unquestionable role in any nation-state. However, as Steven Pinker puts it â€Å"We believe our world is riddled with terror and war, but we may be living in the most peaceable era in human existence’. Since the peak of the cold war in the 1970s and 80s, organised conflicts of all kinds, such as civil wars, genocides, repression by autocratic governments, terrorist attacks, have declined throughout the world and their death tolls have declined even more precipitously. Despite the trend of the New Peace, world military expenditure in 2013 is estimated to have reach $1.747 trillion and 2012 saw the highest total military spending than in any year since World War 2. Are these military spendings a good return on its national-security â€Å"investment’, for it is clearly an investment intended for peace and security. This essay aims to show that expenditure on arms and armed forces are justifiable in the modern world to a very small extent because it facilitates violence, results in power imbalance and its money can be put to better use. First, expenditure on arms and armed forces is not justifiable as such military spendings facilitate violence and thus violates human rights. Countries without military capability cannot easily undertake â€Å"wars of choice† or wars whose purposes evolve, as in Iraq, from dismantling wars of mass destruction to promoting democracy. The last five major wars that the United States undertook, namely Korea 1950, Vietnam 1955, Kuwait 1990, Afghanistan 2001 and Iraq 2003 were the ones in which the United States attacked countries that had not directly attacked the United States. Furthermore, wars involving powers that have the military and economic capability allows for such conflicts to exist for prolonged periods of time. For example, four out of the five wars mentioned above are still unresolved. The United States possession of military establishment that has a capability far beyond its ability to defend the homeland hence gives it a capability to undertake wars of choice, to the extent that Vietnam and Iraq prove to be miscalculations and strategic blunders. In the UK, the Ministry of Defence redefines the purpose of the armed forces as â€Å"meeting a wider range of expeditionary tasks, at greater range from the UK and with everincreasing strategic, operational and tactical tempo† which â€Å"could only conceivably be undertaken alongside the US†. This means that their ‘defence capability’ is now retained for the purpose of offence. Expenditure on arms and armed forces is hence not justified on the grounds that they facilitate violence in the world as countries claim moral authority to launch attacks on other countries in the name of benign foreign intervention. Second, the disproportionate expenditure on arms and the armed forces is not justifiable because wars are no longer the biggest threat to a nation. A report published by the Oxford Research Group argues that modern defence policies are self-defeating. They concentrate on the wrong threats and respond to them in a manner which is more likely to exacerbate than to defuse them. The real challenges, it contends, are presented by climate change, competition over resources, the marginalisation of the poor and our own military deployments. By displacing people from their homes and exacerbating food shortages, climate change will cause social breakdown and mass migration. Competition for resources means that the regions which possess them – particularly the Middle East – will remain the focus of conflict. As improved education is not matched by better prospects for many of the world’s poor, the resulting sense of marginalisation provides a more hospitable environment for insurrection. Aids leaves a generation of orphaned children vulnerable to recruitment by paramilitary groups and criminal gangs. The war on terror has created the threats it was supposed to defeat, by driving people to avenge the civilians it has killed. By developing new weapons of mass destruction, the rich nations challenge others to try to match them. In 2012, the United States allocated 37% of its budget on military spendings but only 2% on diplomacy, development and war  prevention. This is also more than spendings on healthcare and responses to poverty combined. The budget would contribute far more to security if it was spent on energy efficiency, foreign aid and arms control. Furthermore, the danger and paradox of military spending is that the bigger the budget, the more powerful the lobby because which can fight for its own survival. This leads to loose budget  constraints and poor control over spendings and programmes. In Saudi, the corrupt relations that have been cultivated with the princes result in civil servants defending not the realm but the arms companies. Even in countries with reputable governments such as the UK, some abuses in military activities arise because Congress cannot possibly effectively oversee such a large operation where programs involving $24 billion are enacted as a single line item. Hence, military spendings intention of protecting the state may be compromised by other motivations. Last, the expenditure on arms and armed forces is not justifiable because the disproportionate distribution of military expenditure leads to an unjustifiable imbalance of power. In 2013, nearly four-fifths of all military expenditure was made by 15 states and just 2 states, the United States and China, made nearly half of all military expenditure. American primacy in the global distribution of capabilities is one of the most salient features of the contemporary international system. Their expenditures on arms is more than the next 14 countries combined together. This extraordinary imbalance leads to a unipolar world likely to be built around rules and institutions as desired by the United States. The extent to which the powerful countries can translate its formidable capabilities into meaningful political influence is debatable as the United State’s selective involvement in Vietnam or Iraq but lack thereof in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge era seems to reflect that America’s foreign policy , especially after  2001, has been a reflection simply of the idiosyncratic and provocative strategies of the Bush administration itself rather than a manifestation of the deeper structural features of the global system of power. Hence, expenditure on arms and armed forces is justifiable to a small extent as it has allowed for the presence of many ‘bullies’ on the world stage. However, expenditure on armed forces can also be justified as nations do have the sovereignty and right to protect their own nations. Ironically due to the current situation of massive military spendings, the world is still vulnerable to threats, especially from terrorism, in the modern century. The drastic increase in United State’s military spending in the last decade can also be justified by the September 11 terrorist attacks. Hence, it is in the nation’s interests to be as prepared as they possibly can. Since the beginning of civilisations, violence has had an unmistakable role in societies and there is little evidence to indicate its extinction in the near future. Some argue that it is human nature to challenge, oppose and expand. Furthermore, mistakes in history such as when Neville Chamberlain wanted to cut Defence spending in Britain and â€Å"appease Hitler† to achieve â€Å"peace in our time† have resulted in world leaders who are well guarded against making the same mistakes. Military capability is also an important source of legitimacy for governments. For countries like the United States, their formidable military capability is also a source of national identity and pride. From yet another perspective, it is also the responsibility of governments to deliver and ensure that the security of its people is ensured within its means as stated in Rousseau’s social contract. Under these arguments, the expenditure on arms and armed forces still seem to have a justifiable place in a country’s budget. Yet, it is important to keep in mind that there are means other than a larger military force to ensure these security needs are met. Despite the initial failures of League of Nations, defence treaties such as NATO founded in 1949  are encouraging initiatives that have successfully reduced military spendings. The organisation constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. Such institutions allow smaller nations to rely on the more powerful ones so that their budget can be more efficiently allocated to build their economies and such is the case in countries like Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. History shows that countries can reduce spendings quickly if they so desire. In the United states, military spendings declined by 74 percent in the first year after World War II and 23 percent in the first two years after the Korean War ended. Today’s slow decline in spending on obsolete systems arises not because of the increasing threat of war but because there are weak budgetary and virtually non-existent political pressures on military spendings. Given that expenditures on arms and armed forces facilitate violence, leads to inefficient allocation of budgets and global power imbalances, it is justified to a very small extent.

Drug Addiction as Depicted in the Movie “Ray”

I have watched two movies: â€Å"Ray† and â€Å"Traffic.†Ã‚   I choose to focus on the movie â€Å"Ray† for a more realistic portrayal of drug abuse.   In this movie, drugs were used as a chief escape of the blind protagonist, Ray Charles Robinson, from the loneliness of being apart from the normal crowd of people who can see.     Ã‚  He resorted to drugs to forget his condition and to have a sense of belongingness.The movie begins in the year 1948 up to 1979 when the state of Georgia made a public apology to Ray Charles for banning him for life from his refusal to perform in a segregated concert.   It was a time when racial discrimination was institutionalized, where Negroes (as they were politically called back then) were made to sit at the back of a bus with a â€Å"colored† demarcation line, where certain places where â€Å"for whites only.†Such attitudes are not prevalent anymore today. Much has happened since the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and America and the world has now learned to accept diversity of people’s colors and culture as part of life.   Black people who were called Negroes are now politically termed African-Americans.Much has also changed in musical tastes since Ray Charles’ time.   He introduced what is now known as soul music which was a blend of gospel and R&B in â€Å"I’ve Got a Woman,† a song dedicated to his wife Della Bea.   It was considered sacrilegious at that time.   Nowadays, although soul is still alive, the music scene is full of hip-hop songs with sexually charged lyrics coupled with videos of the same taste. Gospel music is also slowly carving out a significant market niche and not anymore confined to places of worship.The central character of Ray Charles is the compelling drug addict in the movie.   His downward spiral towards drug abuse started in 1948 in a small gig in a seedy Seattle club called The Rocking Chair.   The announcer, a midget man called Oberon, offered him marijuana or â€Å"weed† to calm Ray’s nerves before an impromptu performance.   This is a very believable scene since it was Ray’s first club performance and venture outside of Florida.   He was a nervous journeyman and considered a greenhorn.   It was within his character to be accepting of anything new and seemingly helpful to the current situation.Later in the movie he was introduced to heroin by a member of his band, Fathead Newman.   Ray tried the drug out of curiosity despite his bandmates’ caution.   He found out that it could take him to places he had never been before, a description and justification of most drug addicts.   This was a believable portrayal because the movie shows his pitiful isolation from his mates while on the road. They would all go out after a performance while Ray was left to tend to himself alone.   His mates would oftentimes shoot themselves up with drugs in a room and pr event Ray from coming in.   There was an undertone of a need to belong and be part of a group coupled with the usual sense of adventure to try something new.Throughout the whole movie, I see Della Bea, Ray Charles’ persevering wife, as an enabler.   She exhibits avoidance when she found out about Ray’s addiction to heroin.   She could not put up a strong argument with Ray so she compromised when their first child was born by telling Ray not to bring the road to the home she was trying to build for him and their kids.   This somehow meant that he must not openly do his drug routine at home so as not to badly influence the kids. This was also Della Bea’s way to keep the peace since Ray is a very strong-willed person to deal with.   She also repressed and restrained her own feelings of hurt at first to try to understand Ray’s addiction thus in a way became an enduring spectator of her husband’s addiction hoping that he would come to his sens es for the bad habit to pass.I have seen the movie previously and I see that Ray’s drug abuse could have been unnecessary.   He had a loving wife and they were blessed with three kids and affluence that was beyond his dreams.   Any ordinary person would have been thankful for the things he had.   However, he had his own demons to deal with and probably they were driving him to the edge of sanity and his only escape, a fast one, was the high that heroin brought to his senses.   One answer is clear though, drugs never contributed something good to his life.Works CitedRay. Dir. Taylor Hackford. 2004. Videocassette. Universal Pictures, 2006.

Rise and Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Rise and Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte - Essay Example Probably, it led to overestimation of his abilities and eventually led to his defeat. Napoleon – Early Years Napoleon Bonaparte was born in a wealthy family in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean Island of Corsica on 15th August 1769. His father, Carol Bonaparte, was a lawyer and a political opportunist. At that time, Corsica had just been sold to France by Genoa. So, Napoleon was not of French origin. According to Marsh, there were both luck and personal factors which favored Napoleon in his rise to power (5). As his father climbed the political ladder and as his mother had connections with Corsica’s French military governor, Napoleon had the chance to enter the military academy at Brienne in the year 1779. As Landau points out, it was this entry into military that acted as the very basis of his rise to power. With extraordinary talent in areas like mathematics, the workaholic genius graduated as a second lieutenant in the artillery in the year 1785 (18). Though Napoleon was posted on the French mainland, he was able to engage actively in the Corsican politics. Though he supported Corsican rebel Pasquale Paoli in the beginning, there were differences in opinion later on, and the Bonaparte had to flee to France. The French Revolution during the latter half of the 18th century was a fertile soil for individuals with talent to come to the fore. Fremont-Barnes reflects that the people agitated throughout France in a protest against the atrocities committed by the wealthy and the church (58). Soon, King Louis was imprisoned and executed. Following this, the revolutionary government declared France a republic. However, there was total chaos as the nation was ruled by various fractions; and most notable of them was the Jacobin group led by Maximilien Robespierre. This revolutionary government in France shocked monarchies throughout Europe. Empires like Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain wanted to suppress the revolution and bring monarchy back to pow er in France. Soon, in 1972, the empires declared war on France. However, France was not fit to face them as the revolution had eliminated its military officers. Many of them had been killed and many had already fled the place. The Toulon Siege and the Path Ahead Thus, in the year 1793, Napoleon was commissioned as a captain in the artillery and was assigned to the units which were engaged in the task of eliminating British Garrison from the southern port of Toulon as it was found to be helping Royalist uprising. There, sheer luck came into play as he was made the commander of the siege on 16th September 1793. He was offered the position because the existing commander of the artillery was wounded (â€Å"Napoleon Bonaparte†). In the new position, Napoleon exhibited skill and mastery by capturing two important forts and eliminating the British fleet from the port. Though it was not a major victory, he managed to present it as a great achievement. As the entire French army was m arred by untrained people and lack of leadership, his performance, though minor, was noticed by a number of powerful men in Paris. This was followed by his ascend to the rank of Brigadier General. After this, Napoleon joined the campaign in Italy as the commandant of the artillery. However, by this time, the political atmosphere in Paris was rather bad as people were feeling highly insecure under the Directory, and, as a result, Robespierre was executed and

Microeconomics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Microeconomics - Case Study Example The firm has various assortments of brands which emanate from its strategies aimed at being among the leading marketers of automobiles alongside the core competitors such as Toyota, BMW, Ford motors among others. This paper will address the microeconomic issues relating to the firm’s operation globally. These include the manner in which the firm determines what to produce, how to produce, and the quantity to produce and for which market segment to produce for. Determination of the Quantity to Produce and Methods of Production The department of logistics and marketing are wholly responsible for determining the quantity that is to be produced and the methods to be used in the production of Mercedes-Benz. The departments in question applies Evidence Based Supply Chain Practice (EBSCP) in determining the in plant flow of materials which seem to increase the speed of production. As part of the attempts the teams makes decisions to invent new procedures in the warehouses given the c urrent procedures restricts it to carry out such duties such as selection, sorting, staging and hauling to the line of assembly. The departments ensure that raw material components are available on time at the line of assembly to enhance production process. The team starts by carrying out a brainstorming exercise of numerous ideas which seek for ways to enhance availability and complete efficiency in the firm. The teams seek to determine the type of ideas that would work and the best ways of implementing the ideas to enhance effective and timely production. The members in the teams carry out consultation from the websites in regard to the customer’s preferences, tastes, trends in demand and buying behavior to determine exactly the quantity to produce. The teams under these departments understand that the consumer always seek to maximize utility. Therefore in an effort to understand the consumer behavior, the teams make various assumptions about the consumers after a thorough research by the marketing department. Some of the assumptions made include; consumers’ preferences are complete in the sense that they are fully aware of their tastes and preferences. This occurs in such a manner that Mercedes-Benz is meant for luxury where consumers seeking luxurious automobile will have Mercedes-Benz as one of their choices. Consumers show a habit of not being satisfied which helps the teams to invent ways of changing the model of the Mercedes-Benz and varying the models to suit their tastes and preferences. The theory of the firm in relation to the team production is also very critical within the firm. Mercedes-Benz firm management fully understands that production of Automobiles requires team work and thus the employees and staff are to be mobilized to pool their ideas in an effort to meet the production targets in the market according to the demand (Pride & Ferrell, 2012, p. 211). Owing to this dimension of thinking Mercedes-Benz assembles about 20,000 c omponents and raw materials which are kept in the warehouse to ensure continuous flow of production. However, among these items only 0.5% was delivered just-in-time to the line of assembly upon being picked from the storage zone that was dedicated. The team then opted for pull system where the employees in the assembly plants give out internal orders in the materials resource planning system for production of the automobiles in batches. The team has ensured that cases of stock-outs do not occur in the near future.

Current Rules To The Deciding Taxation Of International Companies Essay

Current Rules To The Deciding Taxation Of International Companies - Essay Example In addition, the same rules also defer or exempt the active income of businesses. Consequently, there has been a loss in force with regard to a distinction between those nations with a global tax jurisdiction, and those whose taxation system is territory-oriented (Avi-Yonah 2007). A network of bilateral tax treaty holds claims about the existence of international tax. The treaty borrows heavily from the U.N. model, as well as that of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). For a majority of the countries, these treaties enjoy an elevated status relative to the domestic laws. As such, the domestic tax jurisdiction is often constrained. This implies that where international tax matters are concerned, national are usually bound by such treaties to act in specific ways. For example, a country could be constrained from not taxing a foreign trader who does not have a permanent residency. A majority of the countries today tax their residents in line with their tax legislation, and as they would be taxed had they been in their resident country, the sources of the taxable income not withstanding. Similarly, non-residents of a country are usually taxed on that portion of the income that the government of the country feels that it is a source of the country (Gowthorpe et al 1998). The two practices are commonly integrated internationally, but the problem usually arises when a resident of a country has his/her worldwide income taxed, including that part of the income which could be a source from another country. As a result, a case of double taxation usually results. With regard to the international law, a case of judicial double taxation is often not deemed illegal. Nevertheless, such a practice usually poses a danger as it negatively affects the movements of persons, goods, and capital among the different countries (Terra & Wattel 2005).In a bid to try and avoid such a scenario from occurring, a majority of the countries have thus far entered into double taxation bilateral agreements. This move is aimed at helping in the clarification of those contracting countries that legally have a right to double taxation. This means that the other countries will then have to waive their income taxation rights. Double taxation agreements, UN and the OECD model conventions on taxation The preparations of bilateral agreements usually employ the UN and OECD models of taxation. The OECD model has a focus towards the developed countries, while the UN model hopes to have an impact on the developing countries. The two model conventions have a lot of similarities, with the only variation being in terms of how the models adapt to the various economic environments (OECD 2001). Nevertheless, the UN model has not had a significant impact on a majority of the international tax treaties. At the same time, none of the two models forms any part of the international customary law. This is because the two models fail to meet opinion rules, and as such, they cannot be accepted internationally. However, the two models still have a profound interpretive influence in times of taxing rights conflicts, as per the conferment of the double taxation agreements (Avi-Yonah 2007). Perhaps article 17 of taxation convention model of the OECD would

The Role of a Star Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Role of a Star - Essay Example Staiger’s analysis of the origins of the American â€Å"star system† reveals the variety of angles through which the word â€Å"star† can be defined. Stars can be considered as a commodity tool as they represent an extremely successful form of investment. They can also be perceived according to the literal meaning of the word â€Å"star†; the character played by a given star forms with the real character of the same star a surreal versus real paradox leading inevitably to an association between the in-text and the in-real-life images of the same star. The third main approach of stardom holds a psychological dimension as it regards the spectatorship, the reasons why stars are often objects of desire have been subject to many analysis, some attribute it to charisma, some to â€Å"heavenly bodies†, .. etc. For a fuller vision of the evolution of the conception of stars, a flashback on the history of cinema has to be done. Various developments in Europe and the United States led to the invention of moving image technology forming the origin of the movie creation. However, it was only in the 1890’s that films were used as an entertainment medium, it was then when this technologic invention transformed into a business. In the nineteenth century, many political and social elements influenced the evolution of film industry. The art of Cinema tended to transform into a capitalist enterprise indeed. In fact, Janet Staiger, in her definition of the system of movie production, supports a Marxist point of view. She tends to consider the latter system as a sub-system initially controlled by patterns of organization of labor, such as scriptwriters, cameramen and women, prop makers in combination with two major factors, technology and capital. In the first decade of the twentieth century, Am erican movie companies withheld the name of film performers fearing that the public recognition would lead these â€Å"stars† to ask for higher salaries. In this dissertation, studying the Motion Picture Patents Company is to be used as a proof of the prominence of the role of stars in the evolution of the movie industry.

Use of Image and Text in Fun Home Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Use of Image and Text in Fun Home - Essay Example In Fun Home, images and texts are simple tools in the hands of a genius. Alison has crafted purity out of the ore about the same way an oyster conceives pearl involving internal and external forces and elements. Actually, Fun Home is the presentation of an individual and her family through the multi-media mix of texts and images. The choice and mode of the presentation are by themselves well thought out strategy and scheme conceived out of a mind possessing an array of personal and professional resources delectably executed with the characters and the end users in mind. The result is clarity of purpose, vision, mission and consummation. Alison has all the raw material in place borne out of her own familial experiences including tragic ones. She has this rare desire to portray the dilemma of man's reason d'tre through the eyes of her own family members. She nurtures the desire in silent secrecy for one full year, using the time to weave images and texts in her mind while recollecting and choosing incidents in the family from the past and present. It is not the form of images and text she is concerned with the formation stage. As a seasoned comic artist with twenty years experience behind her, it is not so difficult to organize style and sequence. The difficult part is to convince her family members why they must come under the gaze of the cartoonist. She is brutally frank about her own role in the story. In her own words, "It was a relief to go back to the comics and get my head out of my own ass because there's only so long you can obsess about your own childhood." (Shauna Swartz) Having buried her own past and proc livities, she is in the better position to empathize with her parents and siblings. Empathy is a strong feature in cartoons and characterization. Without empathy, one descends into an abyss of criticism and blame. Image and text This is the information age where people do not have time for details. Alison is generous with her visuals and economical with details. The characters in Fun Home are familiar to the reader because they happen to be the writer's family and develop rather quick rapport with readers who readily accept the "tragicomic" element in the book with a combination of amusement and sympathy. To Alison, it was important to strike the right balance between fact and fallacy. Facts were important because they exist, although sometimes it was difficult to explain why they existed in the first place. Fallacies also were placed side by side with facts as otherwise, it was difficult to do justice to the script. She took the blatant truth out of her life and that of her deviant father and deftly organized them side by side to highlight the paradox common to both fact and fallacy. Ultimately, the redeeming feature in the image and text is the bungling humour of the comic world where everything, everyone, and every event find peace and acceptance.  Ã‚  

Strategic Human Resources Planning. Investigation Research Paper

Strategic Human Resources Planning. Investigation - Research Paper Example HR is a department within the organization that entirely manages people (Wood, 2009). It thus serves the purpose of recruiting, managing, and directing workforce. This is because it HR is the department that possesses knowledge, skills, creativity, ideas, and aptitudes within the organization. Any problem within the organization is solved through this department. Therefore, any organization that considers success an option must put in place human resource managers with the necessary skills to enhance progress of the organization. Like any other organization, Hilton Hotel has a HRD that has seen the organization provide unequalled services far and wide. This paper discusses corruption as a common problem in Hilton Hotel. Overview of the Problem Corruption has been a common problem in many organizations especially the big and diversified firms. From history, over 75% of companies have reached a shut down point as a result of corruption. The continued growth of Hilton Hotel has seen the emergence of this deadly vice. Within every organization, corruption has lead to several consequences that if not taken care of will result to organizational failure (Mathis & Jackson, 2010). In Hilton, just like any other organization, the highest levels of corruption were at the staffing function of the HR Department. It is important that in performing this role, recruits be selected in reference to their competence. This will definitely see the organization achieve since the recruited staff is in possession of the equipments. However, this has not been the case. Evidently, many of the newly recruited staff do not have the professional requirement, and necessary experience simply because they have a link to senior managers in the organization. In such a case, the definite outcome is failure. Environment Analysis Environmental analysis is a crucial aspect within an organization. It is important to evaluate the impact that Political factors, Economic factors, Socio-cultural factors , and technological facts to the organization (Mathis & Jackson, 2010). For political factors, the changes that are incorporated in the legislation and the political instability in some countries have negatively impacted Hilton Hotel. On economic factors, interest rates, cross-border pricing, and the charges by the banks have been a challenge in executing the objectives that the Hotel has put in place. Technology has played a big role in the promotion of better services to clients. Hilton has kept up with the changing technology to ensure it gives up to date services. Business people consider socio-cultural factors as the key elements in building the society. They influence the choices people maker and include beliefs held by certain communities, attitudes towards certain aspects and values. There Hotel has looked into demographic changes and the perception the clients have on their products thus achieved in delivery. Financial Analysis The only way through which Hilton Hotel has ma naged to survive despite this problem is through proper financial management. The financial department has largely worked in collaboration with other departments to ensure that the organizational finances arte properly cared for. For instance, remuneration is a function for the HR Department, but the financial department ensures that it properly evaluates every financial proposal before signing. Further, still, it is in this department that purchases and sales are managed thus

QUALITY LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW OUTLINE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

QUALITY LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW OUTLINE - Essay Example 2. The response of Mr. Braun to the question on competing in quality is also very unique. It is evident that their service is a ground breaker and a â€Å"first† entrant in the public transport provision sector and that is why they are convincing the public to shift to using bus as compared to automobiles. 3. Mr. Braun’s response to the third question i.e. monitoring competition, I believe it is not really up to the mark. I believe that he has overlooked the fact that Pace South Holland has indirect competition in form of automobiles, car pool services, private contracted bus-van service providers etc. Monitoring competition in this case would be: b) -Another way would be to see what value added features home-pick & drop provider, contracted bus/van carriers and car pool service providers are providing and value adding to Pace South Holland’s current services. c) -Another way would be to estimate the cost the customer is paying by availing the other options and improving their own service in such a way that it is economical and comfortable for the customer to use their bus service as compared to other ways of traveling. 4. Mr. Braun’s response to the question relating to quality process is incomplete in the sense that we understand that benchmarking is necessary and a good move but how can we be sure that the needs of the riders are being satisfied? Another aspect he is vague about is; what exactly are the goals that they are achieving and what goals do they need to improve upon? He also evaded providing reasons of achieving or not achieving the goals. My suggestion would be to include a â€Å"feedback form’ in the pockets of the seats and requesting the riders to fill them up. This process may really determine whether the customers are really satisfied or not? Or what else they may require to improve upon the services. 5. Once again in his response to the question relating to the aspect of quality that is most effective, Mr. Braun refers vaguely

Religion and Food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Religion and Food - Essay Example 382). Good examples are New York Jews who consume Chinese food, though according to Judaism, â€Å"Chinese food is un-kosher, and therefore, non-Jewish† (Tuchman and Levine, p. 385). In this way, one cultural tradition oppresses another. Another way, when some cultural traditions historically make a so solid connection, that one is inconceivable from another. Such kind of connection has African Americans and European Americans within American nation. According to Doris Witt, a history of these relationships can be studied within food. â€Å"Food is simply central issue for African Americans†, and Africans were constantly associated with food (especially, women) because of a racial question (Witt, p. 8). Another undeniable thing is a modern world wide, not only peculiar for America. It’s a general desacralization of food. Consumption of different cuisines seems okay exactly because of this tendency: when eating we no longer associate food with something spiritual. Singer describes Krishna’s eating tradition and particularly, prasadam when food is firstly proposed to a godhood and then eaten with blessing (p. 197). However, the most visual example is desacralization of food in Christian tradition. For example, nowadays not many of us keep up fasting and feasting, yet it’s â€Å"at the very heart of Christian tradition† (Bynum, p. 2). Could it be, that while losing each individual cultural identity among variety of different others we instead form something global and common? When having same issues and values, will there be more understanding? Can food reconcile the world? Singer, A. E. â€Å"Conversion Through Foodways Enculturation: The Meaning of Eating in an American Hindu Sect† in Brown, L. K. and Mussell, K. (Eds.) Ethnic and Regional Foodways in the United Stated: The Performance of Group Identity. Univ. of Tennessee Press,

Travel Let People Be More Understanding Essay Example for Free

Travel Let People Be More Understanding Essay Traveling is an excellent opportunity to go beyond the boundaries of own country. International tourism enables to open new corners of the world and get familiar with unique unknown cultures, which are multiple on the Universe. Yet, what is more important, traveling allows people not to just enlarge the physical limits of regular existence, but it also widens the outlook and even shapes the existing values by showing how others live and perceive the world.   Ã‚   There exist different types of international tourism – leisure tourism, business travel, medical travel, and historical travel. Leisure travel allows people to go to different usually exotic places (Africa, South East Asia etc.) and have a rest there enjoying the seaside, the sun, beautiful beaches. Business travel supposes that a person visits other countries on business trips. Nowadays, medical traveling is becoming more and more popular. People go abroad to cure from certain diseases or simply enhance there health. Finally, the main purpose of historical tourism is to see the historical heritage of the country. Such a trip supposes multiple excursions to different places of interest of the particular country. However, no matter what is the main purpose of traveling abroad, visiting other country opens new boundaries before the person, which reflect in the different things.   Ã‚   First of all, trip abroad enables people to get familiar with new things – geography, culture, history of the visiting place. This upraises the educational level of the person and enhances self-consciousness of him. For example, we all know that Egypt is famous for its pyramids that are thousands years old. Those pyramids are the foremost glory and distinction of the country. However, not all knows how much effort and human lives were put into those constructions. Only seeing those giants own self, it is possible to understand the real value of human life. Seeing those pyramids, one can realize that his life is nothing compared to thousands year old stone. Such important revelation very often makes people reflect on what they do in their life and how much time they have on this world to do something valuable unless they go away. Another relevant example is Turkey. We used to think that Turkey is a great resort with its wonderful beaches and sea. Yet, on coming to Turkey one gets a chance to see exciting historical places, cause Turkey is the place where there are traces of all three major religions – Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Thus, we can see that international tourism helps to raise educational level and the level of self-consciousness of a person.   Ã‚   Secondly, traveling enables to form own objective point of view independent of those, which are based on TV programs, journal and newspaper articles, radio broadcasts etc. For instance, Pico Iyer (2002) assures that Arab population is not as evil as American officials portray it. All the media has been stating and convincing other countries that Arabs are terrorist and Americans have to fear them. Moreover, special campaign was even launch to assure that the war against terrorist was the only mean to save and help the nations where this terrorism originated. Yet, as author tells, he was greatly surprised visiting   Bolivia, Vietnam, India and other countries to hear that the those nations are actually against American’s decision to initiate the war. Being â€Å"locked† within the borders of one territory, it is impossible to get a clear picture and understand how others perceive you nation and your country, cause mass media might interpret the events and the opinions according to its own benefit. Thus, only visiting other countries, it is possible to get an objective panorama of everything that is going on in the world. Giving the example of Iyer, international traveling enables Americans to tell other nations that USA is not an evil.   Ã‚   To the third, traveling enables to get rid of certain prejudices that might exist in society in the form of â€Å"common opinion†. Again, as Iyer (2002) states, when he took his mother to Syria, she was very pleasantly surprised to realize that this country was much friendlier, much cleaner and more well-off that she previously thought of. It happens very often when we derive our opinion from certain common sources and form a stereotype and prejudice concerning the thing. Thus, traveling destroys stereotypes and creates more space for us to let in other opinions, views, thoughts. Ultimately, it helps us to be more receptive, more attentive and more tolerant to other cultures, to other opinions, which can be different from ours.   Ã‚   Finally, traveling influences the behavior of people. When one goes to China or Japan and gets exposed to this unique special culture, get to know the beliefs and habits of those people, there is always a temptation to follow the example. Watching the very ascetic Japanese man who can sleep on the mattress and eat only seafood, the thought about the excessive exuberance and its unimportance arises itself. Thus, the habit of living luxuriously might change into a habit of living according to the need. When observing how brave and enduring the peoples of Latin America are, the desire of being like them, fighting to the last comes instantly. Thus, traveling is able to change the whole behavior of a person.   Ã‚   To   conclude, it is important to say that traveling doesn’t simply allow to go beyond the border of the country of residence, but it also allows to go far beyond the limits of traditional thinking and mind. Exposing one to different cultures, vies, beliefs, traveling changes people’s values, behavior, destroy stereotypes and widens general outlook. The summarized benefits that traveling gives are the following: Deeper and wider outlook – new knowledge, new insights; Possibility to form personal objective rather than subjective opinion concerning different things based on own experience; Destruction of prejudices and ability to become more flexible and receptive; Gain of new patterns of behavior, new personal qualities.       References Butler R. â€Å"Contemporary Issues in Tourism Development† Routledge, London, 1999- Cooper C. â€Å"Tourism at the Age of Globalization† Routledge, London, 2001 Pico Iyer â€Å"The necessity of Travel† 2002. Jan.27, 2007 http://www.tourismofindia.com/misc/newstravelnecessity.htm

History of Chinese Revolutions

History of Chinese Revolutions The etymology of revolution is interesting and it can be defined in many ways.[1] As in a historical process, a revolution usually refers to a movement that destroyed an old regime and made a completed change in the fundamental institutions of society and/or nation. After the French Revolution of the eighteenth century, which deposed the monarchy and attempted to refashion society from top to bottom, revolution seemed to become synonymous with the radical overcoming of the past to achieve total transformation. Revolution, in the eye of many, can be viewed as just a conventional term accustomed to the expression. People may think it is not necessary to explore the rhetoric meaning of the term revolution. However, from the historical long-term observation, the effects of revolution on a country and/or society can be quite significant to their future generations. A revolution does not happen for the subjective result of a few people, but the objective situation of the past. Aristotle (b. 384 d. 322 BCE), a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist, interpreted revolution as political change (metabolà ª).[2] He once said, Everyone agrees that justice involves treating equal persons equally, and treating unequal persons unequally, but they do not agree on the standard by which individuals are deemed to be equally (or unequally) meritorious or deserving.[3]   Pincus, after surveying theoretical literature on revolutions, focused much of his analysis on the notion that revolutions occur only when states have embarked on ambitious state modernization programs.[4] Chiang Ching-kuo, the former president of Republic of China, believed that the so-called revolution is to overthrow the old system and establish a new system. In order to overthrow the unreasonable old system, revolution is with a mission for creation. Therefore, the sacrifice of the revolutionaries is not destruction but regeneration.'[5] Two historical examples provided are the Japanese Meji Restoration of 1868 (Meji Ishin) and the Chinese Revolution of 1911 (Xinhai Revolution). The Meji Restoration of 1868 The Meiji Restoration of 1868 marked the beginning of Japanese revolutionary from feudal system to monarchy constitutional government. The reform movement was motivated by the context of Western industrialization and capitalism. It is viewed as the beginning of the Japanese modernization with the establishment of modern political system and economic implementation, the promotion of Western technology and civilized social life, and the development of education. This reform made Japan the first county in Asia to embark for industrialization and become a powerful country in the world. During the Tokugawa era (1600-1868), Japan was under the centralized feudal system in which the so-called lords served an authoritarian government in Edo for more than 200 domains. Although peoples lives under the feudal system were stable, the thoughts of modernization for the country started to grow in some leaders mind after the industrial revolution. When American Commodore Matthew C. Perry came to Japan in large warships with armament and technology to conclude a treaty, the Japanese realized that they were behind the European world.[6]   Change to further develop the country became a must; the Tokugawa Shogunate decided to open Japan to the foreigners in 1854, in compliance with demands from the Americans; as a result, the political life in Japan had irrevocably changed.[7] When the young Mutsuhito was enthroned on January 3, 1868, he claimed his power to begin the Meiji Restoration.[8] On January 3, 1868, the Emperor made a formal declaration of the restoration of his power: The Emperor of Japan announces to the sovereigns of all foreign countries and to their subjects that permission has been granted to the Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu to return the governing power in accordance with his own request. We shall henceforward exercise supreme authority in all the internal and external affairs of the country. Consequently the title of Emperor must be substituted for that of Taikun, in which the treaties have been made. Officers are being appointed by us to the conduct of foreign affairs. It is desirable that the representatives of the treaty powers recognize this announcement. -à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °Mutsuhito, January 3, 1868 The word Meiji means enlightened rule and the goal was to combine modern advances with traditional eastern values.[9]   The Meiji Emperor announced in his 1868 Charter Oath that Knowledge shall be sought all over the world, and thereby the foundations of imperial rule shall be strengthened.[10]   From 1868 to 1912, the Meji Restoration was successful in its unified centralized system for forty-five years. The Meji Restoration brought Japan to a rapid rise not only in Asia but also in Europe. Through its learning from the West, Japan was successfully reformed from the feudal system and moved forward to the path of developing capitalism. The Meji government, in addition to overthrow the feudal system, it established and developed Japan to become the first modernized country based on the Europe model in Asia.[11] In social system, it abolished the disabilities, agriculture, industry, business identity system and established household registration law. In social and cultural aspects, it promoted Western culture and literature, and used regular calendar instead of lunar calendar (with exception of the year). The Government replaced the traditional Confucian hierarchical order that had persisted previously under a dominant China with one based on modernity.[12] In order for the centralized state with a strong national identity, the government established a dominant nation dialect, standard language (hyojungo) to replace the local and regional dialects that was based on the patterns of Tokyo samurai classes. This hyojungo then became the norm in the realms of education, media, government and business.[13] During the Meji Restoration Era, the government adopted the Western industrial technology, reformed the land system to allow property sales, implemented new property tax policy, and unified currency. In 1882, the Bank of Japan was opened to promote the development of industrialization. Moreover, the development of a national railway system and modern communication was also established.[14] The Chinese Revolution of 1911 The Revolution of 1911, so-called Xinhai Revolution, has its important status and role to the Chinese. It is the 1911 Revolution brought the Chinese to the rise of democracy that overthrew the Qing government and two thousand years of monarchy.[15] The revolution ended with the abdication of the six-year-old Last Emperor, Puyi, on February 12, 1912 that marked the beginning of Chinas early republican era (1912-1926),[16] It is the 1911 Revolution that made Dr. Sun Yat-sen a Chinese giant in the twentieth century and the National Father of all Chinese. In 1901, the Empress Dowager, who moved to Xian from Beijing because of the Battle of the Eight Power Allied Force, announced a reform. The late Qing government, in order to consolidate the precarious regime, still concentrated to centralize its power and strengthened the government military and political forces. A new government administration was launched and the government strategic priorities focused on the official peoples lives, imperial examinations, and military and political changes. With a reform in progression, the Qing government still stressed that the Reform Movement of 1898 was illegal. There was no strong intention to make the reform happen for the country. Moreover, the Qing government joined forces with the Western allies to suppress the Boxers. In 1904, Sun Yat-sen announced his mission to expel the Tatar barbarians, to revive Zhonghua, to establish a Republic, and to distribute land equally among the people (à ©Ã‚ ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ ©Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã‚ ¤Ãƒ ©Ã… ¸Ã†â€™Ãƒ ¨Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã… “, à ¦Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ©Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯, à ¥Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ µÃƒ §Ã‚ «Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ °Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒ ¥Ã…“†¹, à ¥Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ ³Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ ¥Ã…“ °Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ¬Ã…  ).[17] The following year, Sun Yat-sen successfully united the Revive China Society, Huaxinghui and Guangfuhui in the summer of 1905, thereby establishing the unified Tonmenghui (United League) in August 1905 in Tokyo.[18] In 1906, the imperial examination was abolished and the Qing government established new schools and encouraged students to study abroad. Many young people attended the new schools or went abroad to study in places such Japan.[19] During the time, Sun Yat-set received the overseas Chinese support that people actively participated in the funding of revolutionary activities, especially the Southeast Asia Chinese of Malaya (Singapore and Malaysia).[20] Many of these groups were reorganized by Sun, what was referred to as the father of the Chinese revolution.[21] Beginning in 1908, the revolutionaries started to shift their calls to the new armies. Sun yat-sen and other revolutionaries infiltrated the New Amy.[22] On April 27, 1911, the Guanzhu Uprising took place in Huanghuagang (à ©Ã‚ »Ã†â€™Ãƒ ¨Ã…  Ã‚ ±Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ²Ã‚ ¡), known as the second Guanzhu Uprising (à ¨Ã‚ ¾Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ ¤Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¥Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ »Ã‚ £Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ·Ã… ¾Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ µÃ‚ ·Ãƒ §Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ©) or Yellow Flower Mound Revolt (à ©Ã‚ »Ã†â€™Ãƒ ¨Ã…  Ã‚ ±Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ²Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¹). The Uprising fails and only seventy-two bodies were found; the 72 revolutionaries were remembered as matyrs.[23] Lin Juemen, one of the revolutionaries, wrote the legendary letter A Letter to My Wife (à ¨Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¦Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ £Ãƒ ¥Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¸), was viewed as a masterpiece in Chinese literature.[24] On November 1, 1911, the Qing government appointed Yuan Shikai as the Primary Minister of the imperial cabinet.[25] The Revolution of 1911 failed in the ultimate sense due to the historical limitation of the Chinese social nature and peoples living conditions.   The impacts of the revolution were significantly recognized by the Chinese and the Western power. It created a profound impact on the Chinese modern world history.   First of all, the Revolution successfully destroyed the over two thousand years of monarchy.   Secondly, the Revolution was considered as a far-reaching enlightenment movement. The concept and the existence of the republic system engraved in peoples mind. Although the Revolution did not directly facilitate the development of capitalism, the establishment of republic system effected the modernization for the country.   Lastly, the Revolution of 1911 opened the door for the Chinese to interact with the world. Politically, it created a new chapter for Chinese democracy. Economically, it paved a way for Chinese industrialization. Cognitively, many highl y educated Chinese were able to overcome the confusion and frustration from the failure experience and continued to proactively move forward to fulfill their mission for Chinas true modernization. [1] According to Merriam-Webster Incorporated 2017, a sudden, radical, or complete change; a fundamental change in political organization;   activity or movement designed to effect fundamental changes in socioeconomic situation; a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something; and/or a changeover in use or preference especially in technology Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. 2017. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revolution (accessed date: March 10, 2017). [2] Miller, Fred. Aristotles Political Theory. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy . 2012. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-politics/ (accessed March 11, 2017). [3] Ibid. [4] (Pincus 2009, 33) [5] (Qi 1991, 258) [6] (Lynn Hunt, Thomas R. Martin, Barbara H. Rosaewein, R. Po-chia Hsia et al. 2009) [7] (Huffman 2003) The Tokugawa promised the newly arrived Westerners demanding trade, showing off new customs (including the scandalous tendency of women to accompany men to public events), practicing the forbidden Christian religion, and taking sides in Japans political dispute. [8] (Satow 1968, 353) [9] (Lynn Hunt, Thomas R. Martin, Barbara H. Rosaewein, R. Po-chia Hsia et al. 2009) [10] (Kissinger 2011, 79) [11] (Shih 2011, 2) [12]   Ibid. [13] Ibid. [14] (Yamamura, Success Forgotten The Role of Meji Militarism in Japans Technological Porgress 1977) [15] (Li 2007, 13) [16] Ibid. 26-27 [17] (Qiufeng Ji, Qingbao Zhu 2001, 468) [18] Ibid. [19] (Fenby 2008, 96) [20] (Gao 2009, 156) Issue of 25 of Historical Dictionaries of Ancient Civilizations and Historical Ear [21] Ibid. 29 [22] (Spence 1990, 250-256) [23] (à §Ã… ½Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ° 2006, 195-196) [24] (Langmead 2011, 5-6) [25] (Rhoads 2000, 183)

The Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Education Essay

The Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Education Essay Todays classrooms oblige teachers to tutor students varying in culture, language, abilities and various other characteristicsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Teachers must form a classroom culture where every student despite of their cultural and linguistic background are greeted, supported and supplied with the best aptitude to learn (Richards, et all). In my opinion, culture is essential to learning as it plays a role not only in conversing and receiving information but also in determining the thinking process of individuals as well as groups. A pedagogy that acknowledges, reacts to, and celebrates fundamental cultures offers full, equitable access to education for students from all cultures and prepares students to live in a pluralistic society. Culturally responsive teaching  is a pedagogy that identifies the importance of including students cultural references in all aspects of learning (Ladson-Billings, 1994). Culturally responsive pedagogy is based on student-centered approach to teaching whereby the students distinctive cultural potential are classified and nurtured to encourage student achievement and a sense of well-being about the students cultural place in the world. As from my knowledge, culturally responsive pedagogy comprises of three functional dimensions: the personal dimension, instructional dimension, and the institutional dimension. Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: The personal dimension is a process involving emotional and cognitive factors whereby teachers must engage in their teaching so that it becomes more culturally responsive. In fact, there are two components in a personal dimension. These components are self-reflection and self-exploration. Self- reflection is the most essential part of the personal dimension. This is because teachers need to honestly examine themselves in terms of attitudes, belief, values as well as their ultimate goal in order to create a more welcoming and safe environment for the students and their families (Villegas Lucas, 2002). Self- exploration is the opportunity that is created to explore their personal histories and experiences, as well as the history and current experiences of their students and families (Richards, et al). A better understanding and knowledge enables teachers to appreciate the differences and deliver unbiased instructions which ultimately prepare them to address the needs of all their stud ents. The instructional dimension is basically instructions use through activities, practices, materials and challenges that are associated with teaching cultural responsiveness in a classroom. The institutional dimension of culturally responsive pedagogy highlights the need for reorganization of the cultural features that are distressing the institution of schools, school policies and procedures (including distribution of finances and resources), and society involvement. According to Gorski and Covert ¼Ã…’there are six types of condition that have to be implemented in classrooms to ensure culturally responsive educational curriculum and setting in order to support students. First and foremost, teachers must ensure that every student have an equal opportunity to achieve her or his full potential. Secondly, students must be geared up to competently involve themselves in a more progressive intercultural society. Thirdly, teachers must also be geared up to effectively facilitate learning for every student no matter how culturally different or similar from her or himself. Fourthly, the school must be a dynamic participant in ending subjugation within their own territory, to produce a socially and critically active and awareness in students. Fifthly, in terms of student-centered and comprehensive of the voices and experiences of the students should be implied in their education. Last but not least, the educators, activists, and others must take a more active role in reexamining all educational practices and how they affect the learning of all students: testing methods, teaching approaches, evaluation and assessment, school. *Gorski, P. Covert, B. (2000). Multicultural pavilion: Defining multicultural education. The instructional dimension consists of materials, activities which can form basic instructions as well as strategies. There are about twenty-four Cultural Responsive Instructional Guidelines to endorse active learning, continues review, scaffolding, providing instruction to context and other. (Adapted from Klump, J., McNeir, G. 2005, and Artiles and Ortiz (2002)). In fact, there are ten additional guidelines to this cultural responsive instruction: 1. Students differences as well as their commonalities are acknowledged. 2. Validate students cultural identity in classroom practices and instructional materials. 3. Students are educated about the diversity of the world around them. 4. Justice and mutual respect are promoted among students. 5. Assess students ability and achievement validly. 6. Foster a positive interrelationship in the midst of students, their families, the community and school. 7. Motivate students to become active participants in their learning. 8. Students are encouraged to think critically. 9. Challenge students to strive for excellence as defined by their potential. 10. Show support students in becoming socially and politically conscious. (Banks Banks, 2004; Gay, 2000; Ladson-Billings, 1994; Nieto, 1999 cited in Richards, et al. 2006, pp.8-11.) The institutional dimension is an institution that emphasizes on the needs to transform the cultural aspects that are affecting three areas such as the schools organization, school policies and systems which includes the allowance of school finances and resources (Little, 1999). Organization of the school includes the administrative structure which in a way it relates to variety. Organization of school also uses the physical space in developing schools and arranging classrooms. School policies and procedures refer to policies and practice that may result an impact on the deliverance of services to students from diverse backgrounds. Last but not least, the community involvement is more concerned towards the institutional instruction to community contribution in which families and society are estimated to discover ways to be more involved in the development of school, instead of the school looking for acquaintances with families and society. Conclusion: In a nutshell, I believe that these three dimensions that were mentioned above create critical understanding of the effectiveness of a culturally responsive pedagogy. Cultural responsive pedagogy enables students to learn about their own culture as well as the culture of others. Students will also learn to appreciate and treasure cultural differences around them. Teachers are highly looked upon as role model by the society. Therefore, it is important that teachers must be culturally responsive so as to demonstrate positive values and be an example to students. In fact, extra effort of teachers is required to enhance high levels of development in students and within this process; student should never lose any element of their cultural identity.

Black & Decker Essay -- essays research papers

Background Black and Decker (B&D) is a pioneer in portable power tools. In 1991, it is a $5 billion in sales company with 29% of these sales coming from Power Tools and Accessories. B&D is the world’s larges producer of power tools and the U.S. market overall leader. Problem Statement B&D has a strong market share in the consumer and industrial markets, but is weak in the P-T market as it is currently experiencing decreased market share. In this segment, B&D is not generating profits and, at the same time, retailers want more advertising allowances and rebates. Analysis The U.S. power tools market is divided into three segments: Consumer (home use buyers), Professional-Tradesmen (P-T) (contractors who purchase their own tools), and Industrial (procuring professional buying in large quantities for industrial usage). The P-T segment is the one experiencing the largest growth potential. B&D is one of the most powerful brands in power tolls. Its products are generally regarded to have high quality. B&D currently has 45% of the Consumer and 20% of the Industrial markets. However, in the P-T segment B&D holds only 9% of the market and is in near parity with Milwaukee Electric (10%) and trails Makita, which has captured 50% of the market. Makita was able to grow rapidly in the P-T market as its dominance was aided by the rapid development of a new type of distribution channel, the Home Centers such as Home Depot, which Makita actively sought. B&D, however, was not able to grow quickly in the P-T market due to Tradesman’s perception of its P-T Line. The Tradesman market perceives B&D as a â€Å"Consumer† product that is not on par to handle professional tasks. This is evident in that in studies of brand perceptions in the P-T segment, six manufacturers out-rank B&D, three tie with B&D, and only one is rated with lower quality. On blind trials the quality of B&D P-T products often outranked those of the manufactures whose quality was perceived to be better, implying that B&D’s problem is not of having bad products, but of having a bad reputation. One factor contributing to the perceived higher quality of Makita and Milwaukee is that both are priced at a premium, and on average, are 5-10% more than B&D. This difference in price contributes to foster the perception by the P-T market that because the competitors’ prod... ...f B&D P-T line may remain. The recommended Option 3 is that B&D should go with the established DeWalt and Industrial Yellow. Marketing DeWalt alone is a better choice, as there are negative perceptions of the B&D line concerning reduced quality. Increasing the DeWalt brand awareness and improving the perceived quality will be easier and more successful to accomplish than increasing B&D’s perceived quality at the P-T market. The color of the new line should be â€Å"Industrial Yellow† because other power tool companies have not used this color. It is a bold color, and will stand out compared to the other P-T colors. In the early stages, the positive associations will be associated with the original DeWalt Company’s reputation and safety as this color is used to indicate safety. As the DeWalt line’s positive market perceptions grow, Industrial Yellow will be easier to identify the high-end P-T line and will automatically be associated with high quality goods. Although not sufficient by itself, Option 4 is also interesting for B&D, since Makita has already damaged relationships with retailers, and retailers â€Å"push† of products is an important element in driving sales.

Stepping into the Fourth Dimension :: Mathematics Dimensions Geometry Essays

Stepping into the Fourth Dimension   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Imagine going to a magic show, where the world’s top ranked magicians gather to dazzle their wide-eyed crowd. Some would walk through jet turbines, others would decapitate their assistants only to fuse them back together, and others would transform pearls into tigers. However, with each of these seemingly impossible stunts, there is always a catch. A curtain will fall momentarily; a door will shut; the lights will go out; a large cloud of smoke will fill the room, or a screen will hide what is truly going on. Then, a very different magician comes on, and performs stunts like entering a closed box without opening any doors, and placing a mouse in a sealed bottle without removing the cork. These do not seem very extravagant compared to the amazing feats other magicians pull off, but what leaves the crowd completely baffled is the fact that he does these tricks without placing a handkerchief over his hand, or doing it so fast the crowd misses what is going on. To perform the mouse-in-the-bottle trick, he shows the mouse in his hand, slowly twists it in a strange manner, and right before your eyes, his hand completely disappears! A few instants later his hand reappears inside the bottle, holding the mouse. There seem to be two parts of his arm; one in the bottle, and one out. His arm looks severed, yet he has complete control of his fingers inside the bottle. The hand lets go of the mouse, and again vanishes from inside the bottle, and reconstitutes itself on the magicians arm. He pulled it off candidly, without the smoke and mirrors. Everything that was seen actually happened. This magician, breaking the tradition of fooling the audience with illusions, used cutting edge knowledge of higher-dimensional science to perform this marvel. He sent his arm outside of 3-D space, twisted it in the fourth dimension, and placed it back into the bottle. The fourth dimension is not time, but an extra direction, just like left, right, up, down, forward, and backwards. This magician has used the fourth dimension for entertainment purposes. However, the fourth dimension has other, more practical uses and applications in the realm of mathematics, geometry, as well as astrophysics, and holds the explanation to such natural phenomena as gravity and electromagnetism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To this day, many scientists and other people accept time as being the fourth dimension. This notion is completely absurd. Time does play an important role in the description of an object, but it is incorrect to perceive it as a dimension.

Obadiah The Prophet :: essays research papers

Prophet - One who utters divinely inspired revelations That is how the word prophet is defined in Webster’s dictionary, but a prophet is much more. A prophet is someone who is chosen by God to convey his message to the people; a middleman between God and his people. A prophet is someone who God selects as the embodiment of himself. Someone that people will listen to. Someone with a presence. Now the prophets did not all lead perfect lives, but they all had a bond with the Lord that could not be matched. The Prophets were holy people but they were in no way God-like. They were humble people that gladly served their God. This summary of a prophet is what most people believe the prophet Obadiah was like. Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament consisting of only one chapter, is the pronouncement of doom against an ancient and long-forgotten nation, the land of Edom. It was written in 587 B.C.E, after the destruction of Jerusalem. But there is more to this book than that. The Scriptures have that ability of appearing to be one thing on the surface, but on a deeper level, yielding rich and mighty treasures. This is definitely true for the short, but meaningful book of Obadiah. We know very little about Obadiah except that he was one of the minor prophets. There is a reference to a prophet Obadiah in the days of Elijah and Elisha and there is some thought that perhaps he is the same man. The name Obadiah was a very common name among the Hebrews though, and it is very likely this is not the same prophet, for in this book Obadiah mentions the day when Jerusalem was destroyed, captured by the alien armies, and that occurs long after the time of Elijah and Elisha. So most Bible commentators believe the author of this book was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah, the last of the prophets before Israel went into captivity. The name Obadiah means "the servant of Jehovah;" He fulfills the position of a servant. He comes and does his work and fades into the background; he delivers his message and he is gone. That is about all we know about the man behind this book. The book of Obadiah tells the story of two nations, the nation of Israel and the nation of Edom, the country to the south of Israel that is now usually referred to as the Negeb.

Internet Library Research Essay

The library is one of the best places wherein students can gather information for their assignments and researches. Libraries contain thousands of books that vary in subjects such as mathematics, sciences, arts, languages, and literature. In addition, it also provides students with other types of resources including periodicals, maps, CD-ROMs, and even the Internet. To say, therefore, that libraries are important in a student’s life is an understatement. As such, schools should make sure that students have constant access to the libraries even while at home. The North Central University is one of the many schools in the country that offers online access to its library. Students are able to search for resources that they need to complete their works even while not at the campus. They can talk to a librarian if they wish to. They can refer to guides if they encounter difficulty in using the online library or if they are confused in the writing process and cannot finish their research. The best feature of the university’s website is the abundance of resources it can provide for its students because of the numerous databases that it can access. The login page of the university is simple in that it does not require the students to search the page just to be able to log in properly. The login page also has options for first time users who have no account yet, for students who have forgotten their passphrase, and for those who need to reset their passphrases. An option to remember the user is also available on the page. The login button will take the student to the main page of the university’s website, which is the Learner Portal. Here, the student will be able to view his or her messages, announcements, and important events through the calendar. The portal has links to several other features, which include the library, writing center, and university documents. Clicking on the link for the library will direct the student to the main page of the North Central University online library. There are several options available for students in this area. One can ask a librarian about the availability of certain books. Students can search multiple databases for scholarly references. There are also guides in which students can refer themselves to if they have a hard time writing their researches. To perform a search that will yield scholarly references, students must click the NCU databases link and select their choice of database from here. The databases include EBSCOhost, LexisNexis Academic, ProQuest, and Sage. The database chosen for this activity was ProQuest, and the topic that searched was â€Å"ethical leadership in the 21st century. † Before performing the search however, there was an instruction to select the option â€Å"Database selected† so that the students will have the opportunity to select only the databases that are relevant to the search. The pre-determined databases include Career and Technical Education, Dissertations and Theses, ProQuest Computing, ProQuest Education Journals, and Research Library. The results of the search yielded seven documents from which only three were relevant. Among these three, only two was able to give full access to the document. The subjects that these documents fell under include counseling, organization behavior, anthropology, business ethics, psychiatry, and information science. Of these, only two were relevant to the topic being searched. The chosen citation reviewed was the one with the latest date of publication entitled â€Å"The Ethical Grounding to 21st Century Public Leadership. † There was a little difficulty experienced while searching for the author link because the document was full-text PDF format, which does not contain any links to the author. This was resolved by clicking the option to view the abstract of the document where the author’s name was hyperlinked to his other works. This particular document had two authors. Clicking the link for the first author (Niel R. Vance) gave five documents and only one was related to the original document because it discussed applied ethics. The second author (Brett V. Trani) did not have any other work aside from this document. Because there were only three relevant documents related to the search terms, another search was performed. This time, the word â€Å"21st† was replaced with â€Å"twenty first. † This yielded five results, two of which were relevant. The ProQuest database is user oriented in that it provides a Help link for people to find ways to enhance their search process. At the beginning of the search, the Help option allows students to learn how to improve their search. Students will learn how to limit their searches or exclude other options to refine their search. This would lead to better results and would take the students less effort when searching for their resources. Another Help link is also available after a search is completed. This will teach students how to read and mark a document, cite the document properly, and filter or sort the results. The database can also suggest topics and publications that are related to the student’s keywords. Overall, ProQuest excels in trying to provide scholarly and useful resources for the students of North Central University. The results were very relevant and close to the terms that were used to search the database. There were many helpful hints throughout the website for students to use so that they can experience the best while searching. These tips were also significant because the students are able to apply them in their papers, which would mean that they would commit fewer errors in their works. There was also an option for students to email a specific article if they want to share what they have found in their search. The references that the document used can also be viewed by the student to see if there are relevant information that can be used for his or her work. The experience provided new insights in performing searches. Although it was relatively easy, students need to know some tricks to yield better results like changing some keywords or using the suggested topics that the database provides. There is no doubt that technology has a big impact on everyone’s lives nowadays. Educational institutions have to keep up with the changing of times to meet the needs of their students even if it means having to set up websites and online libraries, and acquiring huge databases for their students. Online libraries are important because this would provide students reliable sources for their papers. This is in contrast to Internet articles that are freely available on the World Wide Web but are sometimes misleading and are questionable in terms of the content and the authority of the person who wrote it. While not all that can be found on the Internet is unreliable, it is better for students to not take the risk, especially if it is their grades that are on the line. Only trusted information should be used when doing academic research papers unless otherwise indicated by professors and instructors. It is essential to mention that students need to learn how to distinguish reliable sources from those that cannot be trusted. They should learn how to distinguish if a website has the requirements for it to be considered reliable. References Bahaudin G Mujtaba, Carol Griffin, Cuneyt Oskal. (2004). Emerging Ethical Issues in Technology and Countermeasures for Management and Leadership Consideration in the Twenty First Century’s Competitive Environment of Global Interdependence. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 9(3), 34-55. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1178660741). Kanungo, Rabindra N. (1998). Leadership in organizations: looking ahead to the 21st century. Canadian Psychology, 39(1/2), 71. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ProQuest Psychology Journals database. (Document ID: 390882341). M. Fleckenstein, Mary Maury, S. M. Patrick Primeaux, Patricia Werhane. (2006). Ethical Leadership in 21st Century Corporate America. Journal of Business Ethics, 66(2-3), 145-146. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1113480671). Neil R Vance, Brett V Trani. (2008). THE ETHICAL GROUNDING TO 21st CENTURY PUBLIC LEADERSHIP. International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior, 11(3), 372-380. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1536919851). Rost, Joseph C. (1995). Leadership: A discussion about ethics. Business Ethics Quarterly, 5(1), 129. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 4596738). Vivienne Collinson. (2008). Leading by learning: new directions in the twenty-first century. Journal of Educational Administration, 46(4), 443-460. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1506286921).

Personal Transformation from Gilgamesh to Chihiro

Personal Transformation from Gilgamesh to Chihiro Regardless of the setting and the time, maturity and development are key processes that reshape individual’s character. Although on the surface, Hayao Miyazaki’s film, Spirited Away and The Epic of Gilgamesh have nothing in common based on their different historical and geographical settings, they are tied together by the genre called â€Å"Bildungsroman†. A genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood, also known as a coming of age novel.The film, Spirited Away, is about Chihiro, a young girl who is taken down an unusual road by her parents while moving to a new home in an unfamiliar town. Their curiosity leads them into what appears to be an abandoned amusement park. As they explore, they come across an unattended food stand and the parents help themselves; later as the sun sets, they are transformed into pigs by some sort of sorcery. Chihiro is left alone t o figure out how to free her parents and escape this unknown world. Thankfully, she finds companionship in a boy named Haku who guides her through the obstacles she has to face along the way.The Epic of Gilgamesh begins in a similar manner as Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk appears to be an unfit leader for his city. As the city continues to resent their leader, the gods of Uruk decide to create Enkidu, a companion and diversion for Gilgamesh. Immediately after their friendship begins, Gilgamesh's selfish character is transformed into one of a more giving and gracious leader. These personal transformations interconnect the two stories that appear to be unrelated at first glance. The most essential similarity between The Epic of Gilgamesh and Spirited away is the companionship they find which begins their transformation.Without their companions, neither Chihiro nor Gilgamesh would be able to overcome their obstacles and develop into stronger characters. As the abandoned amusement park tu rns into a spirit world upon nightfall, Chihiro meets a young boy named Haku. Having been in her place previously, he instructs her on what to do in order to survive within this world and eventually save her parents. He guides her to the bathhouse for the millions of Shinto Gods that inhabit this spirit world. Following Haku's instructions enables her to find Yubaba who can give her the job she will need to stay live and function. Through her stay there, she discovers that Haku is actually a dragon under the employ of the evil witch Yubaba, who provided her with a job as well. She is able to free him along with herself as she realizes that Haku is actually a river spirit she fell into as a child. Haku responds with excitement after she tells him, â€Å"You did it, Chihiro! I remember! I was the spirit of the Kahaku River† (Miyazaki). She not only liberates him at this moment, but she completes her process of adulthood and finding a way home for herself.Chihiro began her journ ey through the spirit world simply looking for a way out, yet she was able to accomplish a lot more. None of it being possible without her guide, Haku. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh finds a similar friendship within his wild equal, Enkidu. Enkidu's companionship is essential in order for Gilgamesh's character to develop. Enkidu's greatest effect on Gilgamesh's nature occurs upon his death. Until the death of his only friend, Gilgamesh thought of himself as invincible and immortal. With Enkidu's demise, Gilgamesh falls into a state of misery and realizes what he must do.He states, â€Å"How can I keep silent, how can I stay quiet? My friend, whom I loved, has turned to clay. Shall I not be like him, and also lie down, never to rise again, through all eternity† (Epic of Gilgamesh 78)? Witnessing his friend die made Gilgamesh realize his fear of death and he therefore sets on a journey to find Uta-napishti, who has discovered the secret to immortality. Instead of returning to his old selfish ways, he takes on a quest to defeat fate. Once he reaches Uta-napishti, he is presented with a plant which grants youth upon the owner, even though he fails the test of staying awake for a week.On his journey home however, a snake retrieves the plant. Gilgamesh fails in his journey to defeat his fate, yet comes upon him a sense of humility and acceptance of his true destiny. He returns home to serve Uruk and its citizens. With the help of their companions, the main characters must overcome a series of obstacles before they can discover their full potential. In the beginning of the story, Chihiro is a spoiled child forced into the fantastic world. Chihiro becomes completely separated from everything she has known and must find her way back to reality.Her adult guidance is stripped away from her when her parents are turned into pigs after being greedy and eating plenty of food that did not belong to them. Chihiro is then forced to step up and save her own parents: â€Å"I'm sorry my sister turned your parents into pigs, but there's nothing I can do. It’s just the way things are. You'll have to help your parents and Haku by yourself† (Miyazaki). Never having been cast such responsibility, Chihiro does a pretty good job. In order to survive in the spirit world, Chihiro takes a job at the bath house run by Yubaba.There she performs hard tasks most kids her age would not be able to grasp. Chihiro taking a job is a first step into her reaching adulthood, as providing an income and hard work are grown up responsibilities. While she is working there, she faces some difficult challenges which the other workers could not handle. The first occurrence is when a creature in similar appearance to that of a stink god enters the bathhouse. The employees try to tell him to turn around, but when he ignores them and continues his way into the bathhouse, Chihiro is faced with the responsibility of cleaning him.The creature turns out to really be a River God polluted with garbage, and Chihiro is able to cure him by pulling out a bike and letting the other garbage spill out. Soon after, a spirit known as No-Face becomes a glutton, eating everything in the bathhouse. Chihiro saves the day again making him spit out all the creatures he ate and returning to his true form. Both times Chihiro was faced with challenges none of the other workers could handle. Both times, she was able to use her logic to fix the problems at hand. These obstacles forced Chihiro to grow up more quickly, as well as let her realize her true potential.Gilgamesh must make his way through hurdles as well in order to accomplish the effects of Chihiro. After meeting Enkidu, he begins this transformation by destroying two beasts. The first is Humbaba, whom Gilgamesh and Enkidu travel to the forest of Cedar to destroy. After they succeeded, the goddesses Ishtar was impressed by Gilgamesh and offers him marriage. Knowing the history of her previous husbands, howe ver, Gilgamesh refused. Angered at his refusal, Ishtar summoned a Bull to destroy Gilgamesh. He is able to overcome the bull, only marking the beginning of his metamorphosis.Soon after these events, his companion Enkidu dies and Gilgamesh takes on another mission. He goes on a journey to find the secret to immortality as he begins to strongly fear death after seeing what happened with his friend, Enkidu. He believes Uta-napishti, who lives on the other side of the world, holds the answers: â€Å"I thought, ‘I will find Uta-napishti the Distant, of whom men tell’ and I wandered journeying through every land. Many times I passed through terrible mountains, many times I crossed and recrossed all the oceans. † (Epic of Gilgamesh 85)? Uta-napishti presents him with a plant that will bestow youth upon the owner.On his way home, however, a snake snatches the plant, leaving Gilgamesh disappointed as he realizes he will never seize what he has so long struggled for. It is this loss that helps him realize what he should do next, which is to reign as the best king he possibly can. While the obstacles Chihiro and Gilgamesh had to face in order to complete their transformation differed in nature, they helped them mature into adults and realize their potential. The last aspect of a transformation, and perhaps the most important is the realization gained through the difficult tasks one had to face.Characters in both Spirited Away and The Epic of Gilgamesh become more aware that the actions they take affect other people around them as well and therefore they should make decisions that benefit them and the surrounding communities. In the opening scene of Spirited Away, Chihiro’s main concern is losing the friends she is leaving behind by moving to a new home. When she enters the spirit world and her parents are turned into pigs, she has bigger problems to take care of first. Although she takes the job at the bathhouse to help herself and her parents, she ends up saving the bathhouse itself from destruction twice.Chihiro also helps her companion Haku as she remembers his name and is able to relieve him from the spirit world. Through her journey into adulthood, Chihiro learns to make decisions that benefit her, as well as others. Gilgamesh gains similar lessons in the Epic of Gilgamesh. After all the obstacles Gilgamesh overcame to gain the plant of youth, a snake simply snatched it away. Gilgamesh sat down and wept for the plant, but through his tears he finally grasped that his mistake was to fear death in the first place.Immortality is not meant for humans, and Gilgamesh then realized that instead of chasing it, he should return to his king duties just as Uta-napishti suggested: â€Å"Let him cast off his pelts, and the sea bear them off, let his body be soaked till fair! Let a new kerchief be made for his head, let him wear royal robes, the dress fitting his dignity† (The Epic of Gilgamesh 97). Gilgamesh returns to Uru k after accepting the fact he is mortal and he should be a great leader to his citizens. The text does not reveal what happens to Gilgamesh after he gets back to Uruk.However, based on his change of character throughout the epic, a judgment can be made on how he will rule as king. He has faced and accepted the harsh reality that humans cannot have power over everything and completed his transformation. Spirited Away and The Epic of Gilgamesh seem completely unrelated at first glance due to their difference in historical and geographical setting. However, when looked at more closely, the main characters experience similar psychological and moral growth into adulthood. The transformations of both Chihiro and Gilgamesh first begin when they find companionship.Chihiro finds hers within a young boy named Haku, who guides her to survive within the spirit world. He points her to Yubaba, an evil witch who gives her a job at the bathhouse. While Chihiro is working there, she has to face the monsters that invade and pose a threat the bathhouse, a task the adult workers could not handle themselves. After overcoming these obstacles, she is able to save herself and her fellow companion Haku from the spirit world. Gilgamesh began his journey similarly as he was a selfish tyrant highly disliked by the public.When he meets his natural equal, Enkidu, his life is forever changed. The two work together and become really close friends. At the peak of their friendship however, Enkidu dies and Gilgamesh embarks on a journey to find immortality. When his journey fails, he realizes that it is not in his power to have everlasting youth, but instead he has the capability to be a great king. He returns to his home city of Uruk transformed into a stronger leader. Both characters, Chihiro and Gilgamesh began their journeys as selfish and misguided individuals, but were able to reach their full potential in the end.

Geography Prelim Notes

Geography Preliminary Exam Outline 20 multiple choice – skills Short Answer Questions – Biophysical Interactions (some or all or how they integrate), population and culture integration. Extended response – Natural resources – one or a combination of the four points Geography Preliminary Notes The Biophysical Environment * The Biophysical Environment is the interaction of all abiotic and biotic elements found on the planet. * Expressed another way the BPE is made up of all the features of the physical and the built environment and how these features interrelate. The BPE is then the interactions, which occur between the Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Biosphere and Hydrosphere. ATMOSPHERE * Atmosphere, mixture of gases surrounding any celestial object that has a gravitational field strong enough to prevent the gases from escaping; especially the gaseous envelope of the earth. The principal constituents of the atmosphere of the earth are nitrogen (78 percent) and ox ygen (21 percent). The atmospheric gases in the remaining 1 percent are argon (0. 9 percent), carbon dioxide (0. 3 percent), varying amounts of water vapour, and trace amounts of hydrogen, ozone, methane, carbon monoxide, helium, neon, krypton, and xenon. * The water-vapour content of the air varies considerably, depending on the temperature and relative humidity. With 100 percent relative humidity the water-vapour content of air varies from 190 parts per million (ppm) at -40Â ° C to 42,000 ppm at 30Â ° C. Minute quantities of other gases, such as ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, and oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, are temporary constituents of the atmosphere in the vicinity of volcanoes and are washed out of the air by rain or snow.Divisions of the Atmosphere: Without our atmosphere, there would be no life on earth. A relatively thin envelope, the atmosphere consists of layers of gases that support life can provide protection from harmful radiation. Issues related to the Atmosphere * Daily weather conditions, climatic conditions (seasonal/short-term/long-term/cyclical) * Global warming, Greenhouse Effect (GHE) * Ozone depletion * Acid rain * Smog, photochemical smog, brown haze * Radioactive fallout Atmosphere Impacts Oxides and other pollutants added to the atmosphere by factories and automobiles have become a major concern, however, because of their damaging effects in the form of acid rain. In addition, the strong possibility exists that the steady increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, mainly as the result of fossil-fuel combustion over the past century, may affect the earth's climate (for example enhanced Greenhouse Effect). * Similar concerns are posed by the sharp increase in atmospheric methane.Methane levels have risen 11 per cent since 1978. About 80 per cent of the gas is produced by decomposition in rice paddies, swamps, and the intestines of grazing animals, and by tropical termites. Human activities that tend to accelerate these processes include raising more livestock and growing more rice. Besides adding to the greenhouse effect, methane reduces the volume of atmospheric hydroxyl ions, thereby curtailing the atmosphere's ability to cleanse itself of pollutants. (for example photochemical smog) Atmosphere – Ozone DepletionThe ozone layer became a subject of concern in the early 1970s when it was found that chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), were rising into the atmosphere in large quantities because of their use as refrigerants and as propellants in aerosol dispensers. The concern centred on the possibility that these compounds, through the action of sunlight, could chemically attack and destroy stratospheric ozone, which protects the earth's surface from excessive ultraviolet radiation. HYDROSPHERE * The hydrosphere refers to all liquid and frozen surface waters, groundwater held in soil and rock, and atmospheric water vapour. Water is the most abundant substance at the surface of the Earth. About 1. 4 b illion cubic kilometres of water in liquid and frozen form make up the oceans, lakes, streams, glaciers, and groundwater. * Central to any discussion of the hydrosphere is the concept of the hydrologic cycle. This cycle consists of a group of reservoirs containing water, the processes by which water is transferred from one reservoir to another (or transformed from one state to another), and the rates of transfer associated with such processes.These transfer paths penetrate the entire hydrosphere, extending upward to about 15 kilometres in the Earth's atmosphere and downward to depths in the order of five kilometres into the crust. * Although water storage in rivers, lakes, and the atmosphere is small, the rate of water circulation through the rain–river–ocean–atmosphere system is relatively rapid. The amount of water discharged each year into the oceans from the land is approximately equal to the total mass of water stored at any instant in rivers and lakes. The biosphere, though primarily H2O in composition, contains very little of the total water at the terrestrial surface, only about 0. 00004 per cent. Yet, the biosphere plays a major role in the transport of water vapour back into the atmosphere by the process of transpiration. Impact of Human Activities on the Hydrosphere * The activities of modern society are having a severe impact on the hydrologic cycle. * Humans alter the natural functioning of the water cycle through quantitative or qualitative changes to the cycle. For example the dynamic steady state is being disturbed by the discharge of toxic chemicals, radioactive substances, and other industrial wastes and by the seepage of mineral fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides into surface and subsurface aquatic systems. Inadvertent and deliberate discharge of petroleum, improper sewage disposal, and thermal pollution also are seriously affecting the quality of the hydrosphere. * Humans alter the quantity of water available throu gh by a range of activities such as the construction of Dams.Weirs, irrigation schemes, aqueducts, reservoirs, dyke & levee schemes and land reclamation projects. * In more subtle ways humans through enhancing the Greenhouse Effect may be changing regional climates and therefore rainfall patterns within regions. * While large scale dams can mitigate flood damage, provide Hydro-electric energy and reliable water supply they also present significant environmental and ecological costs. * People alter the quality of water in many ways such as through domestic, agricultural, commercial and industrial pollution. The pollution of waterways is classified according to point or non-point pollution. * Pollution in waterways can mean the quality of water is unfit for human consumption (toxic to humans) or of a low enough quality to seriously impact on the ecology of the water system. LITHOSPHERE * The Earth's outermost rigid, rocky layer is called the lithosphere. It is broken, like a slightly cracked eggshell, into about a dozen separate rigid blocks, or plates. There are two types of plates, oceanic and continental.An example of an oceanic plate is the Pacific Plate, which extends from the East Pacific Rise to the deep-ocean trenches bordering the western part of the Pacific basin. The North American Plate exemplifies a continental plate. * The upper layer of the lithosphere is termed the crust. * The earth’s crust is comprised of bedrock material in various situ * Rocks are commonly divided into three major classes according to the processes that resulted in their formation.These classes are (1) igneous rocks, which have solidified from molten material called magma; (2) sedimentary rocks, those consisting of fragments derived from pre-existing rocks or of materials precipitated from solutions; and (3) metamorphic rocks, which have been derived from either igneous or sedimentary rocks under conditions that caused changes in mineralogical composition, texture, and internal structure. * Elements of weathering, erosion and gradational forces over time then shape these rock components into landform.This is known as the geomorphological process. * Such forces as tectonic plate movement, fluvial action, gradational forces and the action of the wind and sun shape landform features. * Tectonic plates move in three main ways relative to each other. Translation, seduction and convergence (Spreading). The results of this plate movement is often seen as volcanic activity (eruptions, geysers, hot springs) as earthquakes or tremors and in subsidence, land slips and slumping. * Fluvial action is the process of water eroding, transporting and depositing rock material. Wind can erode rock material by blasting, while the sun heating up rock and the rock cooling can break it down in a process call exfoliation. The top three soil issues confronting Australia are; 1. Loss of valuable topsoil due to over-clearing and subsequent erosion 2. Soils salinity – as result of over-clearing and or irrigation rasing the water table and bringing salt to the surface. 3. Acid Sulfate soil exposure – as a result of construction and mining exposing acid sulfates locked up in soil and these sulfates leaching into local waterways. BIOSPHERE The Biosphere is defined as the relatively thin life-supporting stratum of the Earth's surface, extending from a few kilometres into the atmosphere to the deep-sea vents of the oceans. * The biosphere is a global ecosystem composed of living organisms (biota) and the abiotic (nonliving) factors from which they derive energy and nutrients. * The biosphere can be broken down into segments of abiotic and biotic components, called ecosystems. Oceans, lakes, and wetlands are examples of aquatic ecosystems, while forests, deserts, and tundra are examples of terrestrial ecosystems.Through these systems, energy flows and chemicals essential to life are cycled in what is known as biogeochemical cycles. * The biosph ere itself can be studied as a worldwide ecosystem through which the interconnectedness of all life and life-supporting systems on the Earth can be understood. * The earth’s biodiversity (total known stock of varying species of fauna and flora on the planet) is classified into several major Biomes. Each Biome is made up of a multitude of interconnected and interrelating ecosystems. An ecosystem is defined as the complex of living organisms, their physical environment, and all their interrelationships in a particular unit of space. * An ecosystem can be categorized into its abiotic constituents, including minerals, climate, soil, water, sunlight, and all other nonliving elements, and its biotic constituents, consisting of all its living members. Linking these constituents together are two major forces: the flow of energy through the ecosystem, and the cycling of nutrients within the ecosystem. Cycles within ecosystems which transfer / transform energy and matter are known as t he Biogeochemical cycles (eg. Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorous etc.. ) * The biosphere supports between 3 and 30 million species of plants, animals, fungi, single-celled prokaryotes such as bacteria, and single-celled eukaryotes such as protozoans. Of this total, only about 1. 4 million species have been named so far, and fewer than 1 percent have been studied for their ecological relationships and their role in ecosystems. * A little more than half the named species are insects, which dominate errestrial and freshwater communities worldwide; the laboratories of systematises are filled with insect species yet to be named and described. Hence, the relationships of organisms to their environments and the roles that species play in the biosphere are only beginning to be understood. BIOPYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Impacts of Humans on the Biophysical Environment * The biosphere supports between 3 and 30 million species of plants, animals, fungi, single-celled prokaryotes such as bacteria, a nd single-celled eukaryotes such as protozoans. Of this total, only about 1. million species have been named so far, and fewer than 1 percent have been studied for their ecological relationships and their role in ecosystems. * A little more than half the named species are insects, which dominate terrestrial and freshwater communities worldwide; the laboratories of systematises are filled with insect species yet to be named and described. Hence, the relationships of organisms to their environments and the roles that species play in the biosphere are only beginning to be understood. Management Strategies for human impacts on BPE Management strategies can be based on a number of approaches such as reactionary, precautionary or proactive management. * As many issues have multiple causal factors at a variety of scales any successful management strategies must be designed with this in mind. Often the real measure of success of a management strategy is a direct reflection of effectiveness or otherwise of a co-ordinating authority. * An example of this need for a co-ordinated response to management can be seen through reviewing the Murray Darling Basin Commission (MDBC).This authority must oversee management strategies in literally hundreds of sub-catchments of the Murray Darling river and across local, state and federal levels of jurisdiction. Natural Resources Definition of a Natural Resource A natural resource is any part of the biophysical environment that can be used in some way to satisfy human needs. For example; air, water, forests, minerals. They can either be either RENEWABLE or NON-RENEWABLE. RENEWABLE RESOURCES Renewable resources are those that are naturally renewed within a sufficiently short time span to be useful to human beings.There are two categories of renewable resources: * Non-critical zone resources * Critical zone resources Non-critical zone renewable resources: * These types of natural resources remain renewable irrespective of how much and ho w often humans use them * Some examples include solar energy, tides, wing, waves, water and air. Critical zone renewable resources: * These are resources that naturally renew within short periods of time but can be affected by how much and how often humans use them, That is humans use them before they can be renewed. * Examples include fish, forests, animals, soil, underground water (aquifers)NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES * These are resources that have taken millions of years to form’ * These are resources that are deemed to be in fixed supply that is once they are used they can never be replaced. There are two categories of non renewable resources; * CONSUMED BY USE and * RECYCLABLE OR THEORETICALLY RECOVERABLE Consumed by use Non-renewable * These are resources that once used they can not be replaced. These are basically the fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal. There are called fossil fuels because they were once living organisms million years ago. * Because of the ra te of use in recent times these resources could ace exhaustion. It is predicted that after 2008 that oil will reduce as we have used it up. Recyclable or Theoretically Recoverable Non-renewable * These are the metallic minerals that are mined such as iron ore, aluminum copper, gold, silver etc. These also take millions of years to be created and once used they too cannot be replaced; the significant difference is that these resources can be reused or recycled. Think of aluminum cans or metal scrap yards. What constitutes a resource? For these resources defined earlier several conditions must exist before it can actually become a resource. 1.It must be recognized as being a resource indirectly or directly. 2. There must be the skills, equipment and social organization present to transform the resource into something useful. 3. The transformation must be achieved at a cost and convenience that make it more appropriate than an alternative. 4. The adverse impacts generated by the activi ty must be acceptable to society. What a natural resource is, depends on a number of factors; 1. Economic – what is the cost of extraction e. g. , extracting petroleum out of deep-sea deposits is expensive and risky – the deep sea well in the golf of Mexico. 2.Cultural – What is a resource for one culture might not be for another e. g. Kangaroo meat. 3. Technology – the resource might not be technologically possible at the moment e. g. fusion power 4. Political – governments might promote exploitation of natural resources for strategic, economic & political reasons e. g. the cotton industry in Australia is a result of government policy in the 1960s that wanted to reduce our reliance on imported cotton. 5. Environment and health factors – concerns about the impact on the environment and the health of people and ecosystems may effect the nature and rater if resources exploitation.Environment + Impact Statements (EIS) are often used to assess t he impact on ecosystems of the exploitation of a resource. Economic & political issues related to the use of natural resource, their ownership and management 1. Rate of use: Supply and Demand * Economically, natural resources will be used at a higher rate while that resource is in demand. * If demand is reduced over time it could have economic repercussions for the country that relied on its sale – relevant to the economic well being of many developing countries. They take out large loans to help develop their country based on the performance of selling their natural resources * Once demand decreases their ability to pay back the loan is reduced which then makes the country more in debt. * Money made from selling the resources is used to pay off interest on the loans and little is put back into the country to make it better off. 2. Continued demand for a resource * Can jeopardise economic prosperity due to economically unsustainable practices * Uncontrolled exploitation may j eopardise long term production levels.A good example of this is fishing. * May cause stocks to be reduced * Threat to the preservation of the fish species * Industry and jobs would be lost * Boat owners would incur increasing debts * Food supplies would be threatened by high prices and limited availability Political Issues 1. Opposing views * Political issues of resource use can arise when competing groups wish to use the same resources. * Countries who dispute ownership of a major resource e. g. the waters of a river that flows through more than one country. * Subgroups within a society