Why Is the “Era of Goof Feelings” a Misnomer Essay

The period of James Monroe’s presidency has gained the term used worldwide as the â€Å"Era of Good Feelings†. It was adopted by this name because of Monroe’s action in visiting the U.S military basis and because of the spirit of nationalism and optimism gained by the people from the War of 1812. Foreign affairs exemplifies why this name is partly fact. However, the perception of unity that this era defines is somewhat misleading. Throughout this period, there were various problems that contradicted the era’s name. Some of the serious issues that divided the nation were economic depression and sectionalism. The first major fracture in â€Å"Era of Good Feelings† was an economic panic and depression that is frequently known as â€Å"The Panic of 1819†.†¦show more content†¦This amendment is known as the Tallmadge Amendment. This bill stated that no slaves could be brought into the state of Missouri and slaves born there would be freed at the age of 25. Southerners were bothered by this suggested law because they felt that it would threaten the sectional balance we had in our country and that Congress would attempt to abolish slavery in southern states. As a solution to this growing dilemma, Henry Clay proposed the Missouri compromise in 1820. This compromise, commonly known as â€Å"The Great Compromise†, stated three important things. One being that Missouri was to be admitted as a slaveholding state. Second, Maine was to be admitted as a free state, in order to keep the balance. Third, in the rest of the Louisiana territory north of latitude 36 º 30 , slavery was prohibited. Although this compromise was accepted by both sides of the country, it upset many Northerners, thus increasing growing sectionalism in our nation. Nevertheless, the â€Å"Era of Good feelings† was badly damaged by Americans’ torn feelings of sectional controversy over Missouri (North vs. South). The â€Å"Era of Go od Feelings† can also be exemplified with positive results. Our country’s Foreign affairs grew increasingly better during this time period. After the War of 1812, the United States adopted a more aggressive nationalistic approach in its relations with other nations. Americans were now proud to call themselves

Relevance of a Budget to an Organization Literature review - 1

Essays on Relevance of a Budget to an Organization Literature review The paper "Relevance of a Budget to an Organization" is a good example of a literature review on finance and accounting. According to Reimers (2007), financial planning in an organization is underpinned with effective budgeting tools and in this regard, he defined a budget as an organization’s quantitative expression of financial plans for a future period that could range between months or years. This essay is aimed at examining the relevance of preparing and utilizing a budget in an organization.   The preparation of a budget is requisite in the determination of the capital structure of an organization. Through the application of budgetary tools, management is able to realign effectively financing of assets through the perfect matrix of equity, debt, and securities (Garrison et al., 2015). As a result of capital budgeting, the management will be better placed to formulate strategic goals, accurately estimate and forecast cash flows, control and monitor the organization’s expenditures. The budget is also instrumental in the formulation and amendment of financial policies. According to Reimers (2007), the budget constitutes an integral part of the decision-making framework within an organization. As a decision-making tool, the budget explicitly depicts the financial plans of an organization thereby providing a framework for the development of appropriate policies and strategies on future undertakings. Garrison et al., (2015) noted that the importance of a budget is furthe r underlined with its role in organization performance monitoring. Organizations should prepare a budget to facilitate the comparability of the actual performance of a firm against the previously forecasted performance. Vis a vis, the budget provides the management with the baseline for the evaluation of the performance of the organization within a specific period. Similarly, based on the organization’s performance, the management is able to evaluate the emergent market trends and strategize on the future performance of the firm (Garrison et al., 2015). In addition, organizations should prepare the budget in order to reduce uncertainties associated with market trends through effective planning for the limited resources, balancing of inflow and outflow of funds and strategic investment of the organization’s income.

Overall Structure of the Oil and Gas Industry

Question: Demonstrate a good understanding of the substantive rules of International law applicable to the oil and gas industry Evaluate the key principles of contract formation in International commercial transactions and key international law principles and trends in the oil and gas sector Assess the effectiveness of international law in addressing the environmental impact of oil exploration and exploitation Demonstrate a critical understanding of the importance of oil and gas law as a distinct subject, studied in a practical and commercial context. Knowledge and understanding: Demonstration of detailed knowledge of the legal framework of oil and gas industry and the implications of national, regional and international law. Answer: Introduction Oil and gas industry is one of the most growing industries amid the global market place. The demand of oil and gas has been increasing over the years approximately at a rate of 1.2% annually (Lukoil, 2013). In this regard, more specifically it can be argued that the demand of oil and gas can be highly observed in the global market due to high consumption and demand of energy in the global market. According to the report of Ernst Young (2014), report it is revealed that the consumption of oil and gas has been increasing roughly around 50% in every year (Ernst Young, 2014; Lukoil, 2013). According to the viewpoint of Parashar (n.d.), it is identified that the whole oil and gas industry is globally recognised as a part of metal minerals industries. In this regard, more specifically Parashar (n.d.) argued that the whole oil and gas industry usually supervised and regulated by the governments with the aim of ensuring the future sustainability development. Moreover, it can be also claimed that the government has adopted economic policies and legal aspects with the aim of ensuring the command over the oil and gas industry. In this context, it is also notified that with the aim of ensuring the future development the government has segregated the overall oil and gas industry into three parts such as upstream, midstream and downstream (Parashar, n.d.). In this particular assignment, the objective is to identify and analyse the commercial, technical and legal aspects of the oil and gas industry, which usually assist governments to ensure the sustainability development for the future. Apart from this, during the discussion of commercial, technical and legal aspects of the oil and gas industry the study will highly emphasise to identify the challenges of this industry. Moreover, the study will try to examine and evaluate the key areas and features through which governments are usually negotiate challenges i.e. oil and gas industry. Additionally, the study will also emphasise towards the factors through which international oil companies can enhance their future performances. Discussion According to the report of UNEP Industry and Environment (1997), it is identified that large numbers of developed countries government has highly emphasised towards the environment planning related principles with the aim of ensuring the sustainability and responsibility of the environment in terms of ecology related aspects. In this context, government and larger oil companies has provided their exclusive attention towards the implementation or execution of the environment related programs. Similarly, the government has also provided their attention towards the legal framework with the aim of ensuring the statutory control over the environment planning related principles. Moreover, government and larger oil companies have also tried to ensure effective execution of the environment related programs through the assistance of constant supervising and monitoring. In this regard, based on the report of UNEP Industry and Environment (1997), it is witnessed that during the monitoring and s tatutory control, government and larger oil companies has incorporated qualitative measure for ensuring the effective execution of the environment related planning programs. According to the report of Swansea University (2015), government and larger oil companies has introduced new Latin Legum Magister (LLM) for the oil and gas industry, which can be referred as a one of the most essential constituent through which it can be possible to ensure the protection of natural resource. At the same time, it can be argued that through concentrating towards the new LLM an oil and gas manufacturing organisation can ensure its conduct and ethics of the business operations. In this context, it can be also argued that through concentrating towards the new LLM, government of UK can protect the waste of natural resource. At the same time, by concentrating on New LLM, government of UK can also ensure the protection of the intellectual property rights i.e. natural resources. Additionally, it can be claimed that the incorporation of new LLM i.e. oil and gas industry may lead significant growth in terms of global commerce. On the other hand, new LLM features also may help m odern gas and petroleum organisations to enhance their business performance in the international market (Swansea University, 2015). Legal Aspects of Oil and Gas Industry In accordance with Soyer and Kurtz-Shefford (2014), it is identified that government and larger oil companies has emphasised towards the contracts and liabilities of the oil and gas industry with the aim of ensuring the life cycle of the gas and petroleum project. In this regard, Soyer and Kurtz-Shefford (2014) claimed that government and larger oil companies has highly emphasised towards the confidentiality agreement with the aim of ensuring the exploration and production of gas and petroleum. Simultaneously, through incorporating confidentiality agreement approach government and larger oil companies has tried to ensure commercial and legal issues during the international trade operations. On the other hand, through concentrating towards the confidentiality agreement government and larger oil companies have tried to ensure the environmental impact i.e. natural resource as well as minerals. Additionally, it can be mentioned that through concentrating towards the confidentiality agree ment during the oil and gas business operations government and larger oil companies tried to reduce serious threats related to the oil and gas industry and it has also addressed potential liability relates aspects (Soyer and Kurtz-Shefford, 2014). Public and Commercial Legal Aspects of Oil and Gas Industry In accordance with Soyer and Kurtz-Shefford (2014), the oil and gas industry is one of the giant industries amid the entire globe. The industry usually operates its business operations in around the globe. In this regard, the report of OPEC (2015), mentioned that through the assistance of innovative as well as courageous approach the oil and gas industry has created its recognition in the global market place. Simultaneously, technological development has assisted the organisation to enhance its growth rate in an extensive manner. On the other hand, the industry has also witnessed certain challenges during its international operations due to internal as well as external aspects. Thus, government and larger oil companies have concentrated towards the legal regulations for overcoming all those challenges. In this context, it can be argued that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has paid their extensive attention towards the global framework with the aim of reducing the challenges of the oil and gas industry. Moreover, it is also witnessed that the WTO has emphasised towards oil and gas industry with an aim of enhancing the influence of human rights during the international trade operations. Additionally, WTO has also provided its supporting hand towards the developing as well as under developed countries by financing and licensing on the oil and gas projects. Thus, after considering all these above stated aspects it can be evidently argued that through concentrating towards the oil and petroleum industry, WTO has ensured the intellectual property rights i.e. natural resources. Additionally, it has also assisted global organisations to enhance its business competencies (OPEC, 2015; Kurtz-Shefford, 2014). Practice of Law In order to ensure practice of law, government and larger oil companies has highly emphasised towards the commercial aspects. At the same time, the government has also engaged their attention towards the major contracts of the oil and gas industry. Apart from this, with the aim of ensuring the relationship between international traders, government and larger oil companies has highly concentrated towards the negotiable bills of lading. In this context, it can be also claimed that through concentrating towards the engaging tankers and ships government and larger oil companies has addressed international trade and commerce related challenges. In this context, Williams (2014), argued that through concentrating towards the economic policy as well as international trade related laws government and larger oil companies has enhanced overall growth rate of the oil and gas industry. Moreover, it can be also stated that through ensuring the practice of law government and larger oil companies ha s addressed the threat of global warming. In this context, rationally it can be argued that through concentrating towards carbon (CO2) emissions and other dangerous substances such as sulphur and nitrogen compounds among others, government and larger oil companies has reduce the diversified impact of the oil and gas production in the environment and atmosphere (Williams, 2014). Insurance Law According to the viewpoint of Soyer (2014), insurance of ships or tankers is one of the most crucial aspects for the oil and gas industry. In this regard, rationally it can be claimed that during the practice of law, it is highly essential for the government to provide attention towards insurance law for ensuring the recovery of unexpected loss from the disaster condition such as storm, tsunami and earthquake among others. Thus, government and larger oil companies have emphasised towards the insurance law for ensuring the relevance international business operations among the global countries. In this context, it can be claimed that the government of United States (US) and many other countries have adopted insurance law with the aim of ensuring the overseas business operation and it also assured respective position of the commonwealth countries. In this context, more specifically it can be argued that larger oil companies have witnessed several challenges during the negotiation proces s of drafting contracts (Soyer, 2014). International Trade Law In accordance with Tettenborn (2014), international trade law is one of the most essential aspects i.e. of business operations of the oil and gas industry. On the other hand, it can be claimed that through concentrating towards the international trade law it is possible to enhance the structure and operation of international trade in terms of oil and gas. Moreover, specifically it can be argued that through concentrating towards international trade law it is possible to improve the capital improvement plan (CIP) i.e. global business. Apart from this, international trade law also assist an organisation to focus towards the free on board (FOB) and cost, insurance and freight (CIF) contracts among others. Furthermore, international trade law also can reduce the obligations in case of rights of buyers as well as sellers. Additionally, through adopting adequate international trade law it is possible to reduce the risk related aspects and ensure the remedies for breach of contract. Consequ ently, international trade law also ensure the authenticity of the trade transport documents, bill of lading and the insurance of transit goods, which will ensure the protection of law i.e. international buyers. In this context, it can be argued that oil companies have witnessed several challenges during the negotiation process of drafting contracts, which has influenced governments to incorporate international trade law. Thus, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has highly emphasised towards international trade law for ensuring significant international trade relation between the global nations i.e. oil and gas industry (Tettenborn, 2014). International Litigation and Arbitration In accordance with Leloudas and Wen (2014) international trade disputes is one of the major threats for the global organisations, which may hamper the business performance and also can influence few other challenges for a nation. In this regard, with the aim of resolving this particular challenge government and larger oil companies has established a special national court, which may address the international trade disputes by considering jurisdiction over the global network. In this regard, more specifically it can be argued that through concentrating towards the judicial as well as arbitration structures ICC has resolved the international trade dispute. Thus, it can be evidently mentioned that through considering the special international law government and larger oil companies has addressed international litigation and arbitration i.e. oil and gas industry. At the same time, adoption of special international law has also assisted oil and petroleum manufacturers to resolve business disputes (Leloudas and Wen, 2014). Law and Practice in International Banking and Commercial Payments In accordance with Tettenborn (2014), during the business operation of oil and gas industry, organisations need to adopt international banking and commercial payments mechanism, which may reduce the payment obligations for the buyers i.e. of trade operations. At the same time, it can be argued that through incorporating international banking and commercial payments mechanism global organisations can reduce discrepancy cash payments, documentary credits and bills of exchange among others. Thus, the government UK has incorporated this particular mechanism with the aim of enhancing the quality of the international banking system, which will ensure integrated international payments among the global nations during the oil and gas trading. In this context, Tettenborn (2014) also believed through adopting international banking and commercial payments mechanism global oil and petroleum organisations will witness certain advantages as well as disadvantages during the trade operations (Tettenb orn, 2014). Examine and Evaluate the Key Features of Governments and International Oil Companies Based on the above discussion, it is identified that along with technical and commercial aspects, legal aspects is also an essential factor, which can enhance the operational efficiency of the oil and gas industry. Simultaneously, it can be also argued that through concentrating towards the legal aspects governments can ensure the overall negotiation process i.e. of oil and gas industry, which will assist international oil organisations to enhance their business performances in an effective manner. In this context, in order to critically analyse the key features of the government i.e. of negotiation process it can be stated that legal and other agreement with the business partners will ensure the authenticity and reliability of the business operation (Leloudas and Wen, 2014). At the same time, through concentrating on safety and security related aspects, an oil and gas manufacturer can enhance its operational efficiency. Simultaneously, government should emphasise towards consultation as well as disclosure of the information with the aim of ensuring as well as varying the quality of the business operation in more effective manner. Apart from this government need to be stay focused regarding compensation and resettlement with an aim of significant development in the oil and gas related business projects. In this regard, it can be argued that through providing attention towards compensation and resettlement an oil and gas manufacturer can enhance its market value in the operating market place. Moreover, government should highly emphasise towards the employment for ensuring smooth execution of business operation. In this context, apart from recruitment and hiring, the government should pay attention towards training and development related aspects, which wil l ensure long term sustainability and better execution of the business operations. Consequently, government need to concentrate towards infrastructure and utility related aspects of the oil and gas business, which will ensure greater profitability and long term sustainability for the future (Tettenborn, 2014). Additionally, the government should pay attention towards the health management related aspects, which will ensure health concern of the community and it will also help organisations to build a positive relation with the oil and gas manufacturer as well as its stakeholders. Thus, based on these evidences it can be claimed that through concentrating towards all these above stated aspects an international oil and gas manufacturing organisation can enhance its profit margin as well as overall profitability in an effective manner (Soyer, 2014). Conclusion Based on the above discussion, it is identified that the overall structure of the oil and gas industry has been changed dramatically after the year 1980s. In this regard, more specifically it can be argued that most of the emerging countries governments have incorporated legal aspects along with technical and commercial aspects, which as assisted the global oil and gas manufacturers to enhance its operational efficiency along with enhancing the ability of facing challenges. Moreover, legal aspects have also helped global oil and gas manufacturers to enhance negotiation efficiency during the international trade operations. Additionally it can be argued that adequate legal aspects can improve future prosperity of the global oil and gas organisations. Reference List Ernst Young, 2014. Oil Gas Industry Forecast. Assurance, pp. 1-47. Lukoil, 2013. Global Trends in Oil Gas Markets To 2025. Global Trends, pp. 1-64. Parashar, S., No Date. Legal Aspect of Oil and Gas Sector. Subject: Oil and Gas [Online] Available at: https://www.manupatrafast.com/articles/PopOpenArticle.aspx?ID=3b9928f3-1807-4916-b783-33b3c38992dbtxtsearch=Subject:%20Oil%20And%20Gas [Accessed on 8 July, 2015]. UNEP Industry and Environment, 1997. Environmental Management in Oil and Gas Exploration and Management. Oil Industry International Exploration and Production Forum, pp. 1-76. Swansea University, 2015. LLM in Oil and Gas Law. College of Law, pp. 1-2. Soyer, B. and Kurtz-Shefford, T., 2014. LLM in Oil and Gas Law. Oil and Gas Law: Contracts and Liabilities, p. 2. Kurtz-Shefford, T., 2014. LLM in Oil and Gas Law. Public and Commercial Legal Aspects of Oil and Gas Exploration and Production (Compulsory), p. 2. Williams, R., 2014. LLM in Oil and Gas Law. Charter parties: Law and Practice, p. 2. Soyer, B., 2014. LLM in Oil and Gas Law. Marine Insurance Law, p.2. Tettenborn, A., 2014. LLM in Oil and Gas Law. International Trade Law, p. 2. Leloudas, G. and Wen, S., 2014. LLM in Oil and Gas Law. International Litigation and Arbitration, p. 2.

Standard Paragraphs for VDOT Technicians Field Rep Essays

Standard Paragraphs for VDOT Technicians Field Reports The GeoConcepts representative arrived on site, as requested, to observe and/or perform the followings:- Concrete: Self-Consolidated Concrete (SCC): Observe the placement of 24.0 cubic yards of 5000 psi Caisson Self- Consolidated Concrete (SCC) for drilled shaft #7. Concrete sample was taken from each truck and tested for temperature, slump and air content. All test results were informed to Dewberry representative. One set (Set #23) of nine cylinders (three for 28 day, four for early field breaks and two for permeability) was molded for compressive strength and permeability testing in our laboratory. Curb & Gutter Observed the placement of 90.0 cubic yards of 3000 psi A3 Extrusion Concrete supplied by Vulcan Materials. The concrete was poured for curb and gutter (CG-7) between structure 11-3 and structure 13-3 from station 158+30 to station 173+25 to the right side of west bound of route 50. The concrete observed on this date appeared to be placed in compliance with project specifications with regard to temperature, slump, air content, and batch to placement time. One set (Set #50) of 5 (3 for 28 days lab and 2 field) concrete cylinders (4"X8") for compressive strength of in our laboratory. Storm Water Structure Inverts: Observed the placement of 10.0 cubic yards of 4000 psi A4 Modified Concrete supplied by Titan Virginia Ready Mix LLC. The concrete was poured for the inverts of storm water structures #21-6 (sta.223+75), #22-1 (sta.226+00) on east bound of Rt.606. and structure #28-12 (sta.11+60) on Loudoun County Parkway. No sample was taken for this concrete. Box Culvert: Observed the placement of 80 cubic yards of 4000 psi A4 Modified Concrete (VDOT Design #9026-U-16) supplied by Titan Virginia Ready Mix LLC. The concrete was poured for box culvert (Structure #11-2) Wall and Slab (pour #11) on west bound of Route 659. Concrete observed on this day at this location appeared to be placed in compliance with project specifications with regard to temperature, slump, air content and batch to placement time. One set (Set #23) of seven cylinders (3 for 28 day lab, 2 for permeability and 2 for early field break) was molded for compressive strength and permeability testing in our laboratory. The rebar surface temperature was measured to be 40 F. Prior to concrete placement, the area was covered with plastic sheet, capped with plywood on top and heated with vacuum pump heater. The contractor continued to heat the area during and after concrete placement in order to keep the temperature within the limit of specifications. Bridge Deck: The GeoConcepts representative arrived on site as requested to observe the placement of 170 cubic yards of 4,000 psi A4 General Concrete for west bound Bridge Deck Span "G" on Gloucester Parkway. Concrete observed on that day appeared to be placed in accordance with project drawing and specifications with regard to temperature, slump and air content. Two sets (Set #23 day lab, three for early field break and two for permeability) were molded for compressive strength and permeability testing in our laboratory. Retaining Wall: Observed the placement of 17.0 cubic yards of 3000 psi A3 General Concrete for the 3rd footing section #10 of Retaining Wall #4 (RW-3) from station 229+45 to 230+05 on westbound of Route 659. Concrete observed for this date appeared to be placed in compliance with project specifications with regard to temperature, slump and air content. One set (Set #121) of five cylinders (three for 28 day lab and two for permeability) was molded for compressive strength and permeability testing in our laboratory. Soils & Aggregate: RCP Storm line: Observed the placement and compaction of VDOT #25 stones and soils for 40 linear feet of 15" diameter RCP stormwater line between storm structures #34-16 and #34-17 from approximate stations 199+50 to 200+25 at right side of westbound of Route 606. The contractor installed structure #28-11 on that day. Utilizing the Nuclear Method (ASTM D-6938-08a), checked the compactions of VDOT #25 stones and soils; test results indicated that the compacted material, at the areas and elevations tested, met or exceeded the project requirements of 95% of the maximum dry density of VDOT #25 stone (using suppliers laboratory proctor provided by the Dewberry Representative) and soils (using our laboratory proctor, Project source #S-2N). The soils observed on this date appeared to be placed in compliance with project specifications with regard to lift thickness and moisture content. Roadway Embankment: Observed the placement and compaction of soils for roadway embankment from station 13+50 and 16+50 on east bound of Fort Johnson Road. Utilizing

Englands Motives of Colonizat essays

Englands Motives of Colonizat essays Christopher Columbus, considered one of the greatest explorers of all time. Like every other explorer, Columbus had many reasons for his exploration. However, it is made obvious by studying the history of Columbus' explorations that his main motive for exploration was greed. Columbus had the same desires as many explorers both before and after him. He yearned for gold. He wanted land. He wanted power. The whole purpose for his first voyage to what he thought was India, but turned out to be Central America, was to gain land for Spain. It took quite a bit of sweet talking from Columbus to get the money and ships needed for this voyage from Spain's Queen Isabella. But in the end, Columbus had the chance to reach a goal brought on by greed: to gain riches. Queen Isabella had the same motive. She wanted land for Spain, and that is the only reason that she ever gave him the money and ships The English, like other countries, voyaged to the Americas in search of riches. It wasn't until they got there that they realized that people already lived there. It was at that point that greed took over the English. The English did something, that by today's standards would be considered inhuman. They used a method of mass murder called extermination. They used whatever it took to kill the most Native Americans possible in the smallest amount of time. The English would not have done this had it not been for extreme greed. They wanted the land that the Native Americans had and they wanted it as soon as possible. This greed among the English did accomplish their task of taking land quickly, but it also accomplished the murder of thousands Although it doesn't seem obvious at first thought, new laws in Europe helped with the effort in nation building. With the new laws were the guidelines as to were the laws were in effect. Often, a new ...

Essay on ReligionsEssay Writing Service

Essay on ReligionsEssay Writing Service Essay on Religions Essay on ReligionsReligion comprises an integral part of the social life. However, in spite of the diversity of religions, there are certain similarities, which make all religions looks alike. The similarity of religions is driven by objective factors, such as their common origin and evolution. On the other hand, religions remain different but the difference between religions is determined by local specificities mainly, which have determined the specific religious teaching. In this regard, it is possible to refer to the world’s major religions, such as Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, which seem to be absolutely different and even hostile to each other, at first glance, but, in their essence they remain the same and similar to each other. Therefore, religions are similar because they emerge and evolve on the ground of the same principles, while differences are determined by local cultural specificities mainly.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In fact, proponents of the difference between religions make their judgments about religions on the ground of their superficial observations of the current development of various religious movements. In other words, they make their judgments about religions on the ground of their current experience judging by ends rather than causes and major drivers of religions. This is why proponents of the difference between religions can hardly give any plausible explanation why religions belonging to absolutely different cultures have substantial similarities. For instance, Islam and Christianity even have the same prophets, like Jesus Christ known in Islam as Isa. Moreover, even norms and beliefs are similar. In this respect, it is possible to refer to the gender discrimination, which can be traced in Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Proponents of the difference between religions cannot give a plausible explanation to all of these issues as well as many others, which imply the common origin and similarity of reli gions.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the common origin and similarity of religions do not mean that they all originate from one time and place. Instead, the similarity of religions is the result of the common principles which contributed to the emergence of religions and their development and evolution in the course of time. To put it more precisely, all religions emerged under the impact of the natural environment of people. To understand the reason for the similarity of religions worldwide, it is important to trace the origin of the religious worldview and evolution of the major religions in the course of time.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the distant past, people lived in the hostile natural environment, which phenomena they could not reasonably explain. Naturally, thunder and lightning triggered the horror of people in face of the power of nature. They could not explain it reasonably and their imagination helped them to explain those natu ral phenomena in the unnatural way. In other words, they attempted to give some supernatural explanation to natural phenomena, which they witnessed in their regular life. However, as human knowledge was extremely limited and narrowed down to the life of their own community. This is why often people interpreted natural phenomena, which became the main source of their early religious views, from their human standpoint (Flood 114). They could not explain the change of night and day, the change of seasons, birth and death and many other phenomena. This is why they attempted to explain natural phenomena by extrapolating human relations on them. For example, they attributed the change of life and day or the change of season by the change of life and death, which was particularly evident in the interpretation of the fertility of land, which people compared to the fertility of women. In such a way, they attributed features of humans or living beings to unanimated objects and phenomena. Thus , animism emerged. In this regard, explanations people gave to various phenomena were different but they were similar in their nature, in their attempt to explain the surrounding world from the human perspective. This is why, animism as the early form of religion had the common ground, the attempt of humans to explain the surrounding world by extrapolating human relations on the surrounding world.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Steadily, human religious views and beliefs changed and evolved. In the course of time fetishism emerged as the way of the association of inanimate or non-human objects like trees, rocks or animals with a spirit of deceased ancestors of people (Warraq 139). They worshipped those fetishes because they associated them with their ancestors. And again, even though fetishes were different but they had the common ground: people associated their fetishes with their ancestors, whom they could communicate with by means of those fetishes. Similarly modern religions have different concepts/fetishes but they serve to the common purpose of the communication between humans and God/deity.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Complicating human social relations and the first rise of scientific knowledge contributed to the growing complexity of religious views leading to the emergence of polytheism, when people believed in different gods, which were actually transformation of various fetishes, which were united into one religion as human society became more complex because former tribes were united in more complex unities as first states emerged.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Eventually, monotheism emerged, which became the ground for modern world religions. To put it more precisely, monotheism was the attempt to unite people in their belief to one god. Such a shift toward one god only contributed to the unification of people and prevented numerous internal conflicts in ancient and later medieval states. In such a way, religion, as it is now, became a powerful tool of the ideological control over large masses of people. They used different context but they were the same in principle. They had one God that normally encouraged the support of the existing social order and acceptance of one’s social standing as it was (Vidal 153). As a result, religion, either Christianity, or Islam, or Buddhism promoted the idea of the existence of one God and respect to the existing social order that was and still is the major reason why religions were and some are still supported by some governments. The close integration of religion into the public consciousness made people believe in their specific religion only, but believers became incapable to identify their religion with other religions.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, religions, in spite of their seeming difference, are all the same. They have the common origin and use similar principles. This is why either Christianity, or Islam, or Buddhism, or any other religion have, in their essence, similar principles, which help people to find balance in their life, to accept their life and themselves, to take their life for granted and enjoy it without trying to rebel or change the existing social order.

Businss Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Businss Education - Essay Example So which disciplins nd skills r th most importnt Th most imprtiv skills r nlyticl bility, judgmnt, skill in intrprsonl rltions, th bility to ccpt rsponsibility nd to mk dcisions, gnrl dministrtiv skills (including th cpcity to ld othrs, to pln, to orgniz nd dlgt), brdth nd flxibility of mind, imgintion, fcility in prsonl communiction, nd strong prsonl motivtion. Ths qulitis r not ndd in prcisly th sm combintion for vry typ of position nd for ll kinds of crrs in businss. But, prticulrly for th highr dministrtiv positions, thy sm to b th qulitis tht nd most to b mphsizd. With th incrsing complxity of businss oprtions, th nd for stff spcilists is incrsing, t th sm tim tht thr continus to b n insistnt dmnd for bl dministrtors. Mny studnts will find tht thy cn mk thir most significnt contribution in stff positions. Howvr, th growing nd will b for mn with high lvl of nlyticl bility nd with sophistictd commnd of nlyticl nd rsrch tools drivd from th fundmntl disciplins. Sound trining in th physicl nd socil scincs nd in mthmtics nd sttistics, combind with th bility to pply ths tools to businss problms, is bcoming much mor importnt thn dtild knowldg of currnt prctic or th cquisition of routin skills. Ths conclusions gin ddd strngth from th fct tht similr findings r bing pplid in othr brnchs of duction. closly rltd illustrtion is th movmnt of som of th lding nginring schools towrd n "nginring-scinc" pproch nd wy from n mphsis on spcilizd tchniqus. Th scond qulifiction riss out of th wid vrition in th bilitis of thos who sk businss duction. Unfortuntly, mny who r dmittd to businss schools do not hv th kinds of qulifictions mphsizd bov, nd mny do not hv th mntl bility to cquir th nlyticl tools tht r incrsingly ncssry. Ths studnts will nvr ris fr in th businss world. But vn ths studnts will bnfit most from n mphsis in collg on th bsic nlyticl tools, on th fundmntls of businss dministrtion nd conomics, nd on good gnrl duction. Th long-trm nds of businss nd th crr nds of th studnt rquir tht mphsis b plcd on th kinds of fundmntl knowldg nd bsic skill dvlopmnt dscribd in this nd th prcding chptr. Spcil trining for th first job is justifid only if it cn b don without intrfring with this mor importnt objctiv. Sinc th tim studnt hs in collg, vn if grdut yr or two r ddd, is scrcly sufficint for this brodr objctiv, th opportunitis for prpring th studnt for his first job r svrly rstrictd. This will bcom lss srious problm s businss incrsingly ccpts th rsponsibility for this initil trining. brod curriculum mphsizing gnrl principls, fundmntl knowldg, nd brdth of viw dos not prpr th studnt for th routin nd dtil tht r likly to chrctriz his rly yrs in businss. H must lrn to ccpt th routin nd to bnfit from it. Wht h hs lrnd must b lbortd by xprinc bfor h is rdy for th highr lvls of mngmnt. frqunt complint by businssmn ginst th products of prticulrly th bst known grdut schools is tht "thy ll wnt to b vic-prsidnts tomorrow." Mor nd wisr counsling cn hlp with this problm. mor plntiful us of css nd problms tkn from th lowr lvls of mngmnt cn lso hlp. It is importnt to strss th nd for knowldg tht would id th businssmn in dling

Resume Portfolio Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Resume Portfolio - Coursework Example Demonstrated expertise in providing total nursing support for clinical trial patients that includes cardioversion procedures. I have proven ability to anchor all activities for clinical research that entails recruiting the required patients and coordinating visits in consultation with subjects, labs and physicians. Recognized expertise in assessing and monitoring patients and maintenance of patient data. Adept at interacting with internal medical teams and patients. Superior interpersonal and communication skills with a proven ability to impart training to medical teams. Detail-oriented and resourceful, innovative and self-directed. Autobiography Born of (Name of Father) and (name of mother) on the (birthdate) in Quezon City, Philippines. (age), (citizenship), articulate in English (include other dialects if using any), written or spoken, with good interpersonal skills, a team player and leader and a fast-learner with genuine fervor for learning. Various interests include music, perf orming arts, film and cooking (just an example). Skills: -Ability to provide nursing care to a group of clients within a variety of health care systems utilizing application and synthesis from nursing and related disciplines - Incorporating leadership theory and skill within the assumed nurse role during health care interactions with a client and collaboration with the health care providers - Demonstrating ability to integrate communication and professional relationship skills when

Global Warming and its Effects on Society Essay Example for Free

Global Warming and its Effects on Society Essay Global warming or climate change is defined as any substantial change in the earth’s climate that can go on for an extended period of time. Global warming can cause an increase in the average temperature of the lower atmosphere. It can have different causes, but the one reason pinpointed as its cause is human interference, particularly the release of excessive amounts of greenhouse gases (EPA, 2006 cited in YeSeul Kim et al). There are several greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), water vapor, and fluorinated gases which act like a greenhouse on earth. Since the situation is that there are more greenhouse gases, then there would be a bigger chance of the heat trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. The earth cannot function in its present state if there are no occurring greenhouse gases, such as CO2, CH4, and water vapor. This means that without greenhouse gases, there will be no heat trapped in atmosphere, thus, the earth will become very cold. (NASA, 2002 as cited in YeSeul Kim et al). Scientists say that they have confirmed that climate change is caused by human activity (Scientists say global warming is undeniable). They have even presented their findings to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington. Evidence is that when one looks at the oceans and the melting of the Arctic ice, it leaves no room for one to doubt that global warming is indeed happening today. It was even revealed by Tim Barnett of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography that new computer models that are able to look into ocean temperatures demonstrate the clearest sign that global warming is already happening (Scientists say global warming is undeniable). Scientists like Dr. Barnett say in no uncertain terms that the real place to look is in the ocean. His team has conducted numerous temperature readings made by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in order to calculate steady ocean warming. This report was published after the United Nations Kyoto Protocol composed of 141-nation environmental pact. The US team made use of solar warming and volcanic warming, in order to account for the measurements made. Even observing animals lead these scientists to conclude that there are clear effects on animals. Other researchers found clear effects on climate and animals. Ruth Curry of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution revealed that melting ice is now already changing the water cycle, which in turn affects ocean currents and then finally, the climate. There are also droughts happening in the west and in Greenland’s ice cap which is composed of ice enough to raise sea levels by seven meters (Scientists say global warming is undeniable). A recent documentary on UK Channel 4 entitled â€Å"The Great Global Warming Swindle† challenged the political view that global warming is caused by man-made factors. However, the movie says that the sun that is responsible for the current changes in the Earth’s temperature. The film shows the many opinions of scientists and climate experts that spur a growing dissent to the man-made theory. But these are all theories. Scientists have reminded us that the Sun determines our seasons, and has a bigger impact on the climate. German and Swiss scientists reveal that there is an increase in radiation from the sun that results in the present climate change. (Marshall). There are also researches saying that global warming is a lie which is propagated by the media. They reckon that the temperature estimates of past climates are just estimates. These have been estimated by scientists who try to prove that global warming exists. Some still maintain that global warming is just another conspiracy to bring Americans down (Global Warming: The Great Lie). In the end, the more important thing to remember is how to champion the environment when it is changing due to the global warming especially when there are confusing information about the real status of global warming and how people can cope up with it. (All Global Warming is Local-The Politics and Science of Regional Climate Impacts). Most of the critical issues that global warming involve is how to prepare for these climate changes. The U. N. ’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, Summary for Policymakers which is mainly a political document. Media is using this to gear up more sentiments among the people. (Bender, 2007). This is supposedly being edited to conform to the political agenda of the UN politicians. The document states that â€Å"Changes made after acceptance by the Working Group or the Panel shall be those necessary to ensure consistency with the Summary for Policymakers or the Overview Chapter. † And whether one likes it or not, the â€Å"continued rapid cooling of the earth since WWII is in accord with the increase in global air pollution associated with industrialization, mechanization, urbanization and exploding population†. (Reid Bryson, Global Ecology; Readings towards a rational strategy for Man, 1971 as cited in Bender). WORKS CITED All Global Warming is Local-The Politics and Science of Regional Climate Impacts. Nov. 12, 2007. Retrieved January 2, 2008 at: http://www. desmogblog. com/all-global-warming-is-local-the-politics-and- science-of-regional-climate-impacts Bender, John. Man-Made Global Warming Is Politics Not Science. Etherzone. Fen. 12, 2007. Retrieved January 2, 2008 at: http://www. prisonplanet. com/articles/february2007/130207Warming. htm Global Warming: The Great Lie. Retrieved January 2, 2008 at: http://www. geocities. com/northstarzone/GLOBAL. html Marshall, Andrew. Global Warming: A Convenient Lie. Global Research. March 15, 2007. Retrieved January 2, 2008 at: http://www. globalresearch. ca/index. php? context=viewArticlecode=20070315 articleId=5086 Scientists say global warming is undeniable. ABC News Online. Retrieved January 2, 2008 at: http://www. abc. net. au/news/newsitems/200502/s1306233. htm YeSeul Kim, Erika Granger, Katie Puckett, Cankutan Hasar, and Leif Francel Global Warming: Definition. Retrieved January 2, 2008 at:

The Best Things :: Essays Papers

The Best Things Recently, there has been a television commercial that has the saying â€Å"there are some things money can’t buy.† The story â€Å"The Practical Heart† by Allan Gurganus could be used for this ad. It is about a wealthy family who is forced into poverty when they visit America. Her family heritage, the way in which she gets the painting, and the painting itself are all factors in Muriel restoring her family dignity. Muriel’s family heritage is a factor because without it dignity is not there to be restored. They lived on a seven-acre compound called â€Å"Sunnyside.† Sunnyside had a big stone house and an orchard. The father was a writer and Professor who had published four books. He was educated by tutors at his home. He was skilled in Greek and Latin and could recite three-day's worth of poetry. Muriel, the eldest daughter, was a child prodigy on the piano and had received excellent notices. All of this is a reason for Muriel to have the portrait done. Her family is now living in poverty and is looked down upon by people who should be looking up. By having the portrait done, the dignity the family once had can be restored. â€Å"He saved you, and, with you, redeemed your clan’s tarnished dignity†(39). Muriel sees that Sargent can capture the truth in his paintings and believes that he will be able to capture the true beauty inside her. The way in which Muriel goes about getting the painting is also a factor because it is the only way to achieve her goal. Muriel saves and sacrifices for years in order to have the means to visit Sargent. When she is finally able to go, she knows that she must conduct herself in a manner that gives respect to the great artist. â€Å"Knowing they would need the added respectability its notepaper afforded†(47), she stays in the village’s best hotel. She tours churches to give the appearance of not travelling all the way only for the painting. She wears her best clothes and converses with Sargent knowingly. She plays the part of someone who is worthy of being painted by the great one. Had Muriel not gone about it in the manner she did, the painting would never have came to be. The Best Things :: Essays Papers The Best Things Recently, there has been a television commercial that has the saying â€Å"there are some things money can’t buy.† The story â€Å"The Practical Heart† by Allan Gurganus could be used for this ad. It is about a wealthy family who is forced into poverty when they visit America. Her family heritage, the way in which she gets the painting, and the painting itself are all factors in Muriel restoring her family dignity. Muriel’s family heritage is a factor because without it dignity is not there to be restored. They lived on a seven-acre compound called â€Å"Sunnyside.† Sunnyside had a big stone house and an orchard. The father was a writer and Professor who had published four books. He was educated by tutors at his home. He was skilled in Greek and Latin and could recite three-day's worth of poetry. Muriel, the eldest daughter, was a child prodigy on the piano and had received excellent notices. All of this is a reason for Muriel to have the portrait done. Her family is now living in poverty and is looked down upon by people who should be looking up. By having the portrait done, the dignity the family once had can be restored. â€Å"He saved you, and, with you, redeemed your clan’s tarnished dignity†(39). Muriel sees that Sargent can capture the truth in his paintings and believes that he will be able to capture the true beauty inside her. The way in which Muriel goes about getting the painting is also a factor because it is the only way to achieve her goal. Muriel saves and sacrifices for years in order to have the means to visit Sargent. When she is finally able to go, she knows that she must conduct herself in a manner that gives respect to the great artist. â€Å"Knowing they would need the added respectability its notepaper afforded†(47), she stays in the village’s best hotel. She tours churches to give the appearance of not travelling all the way only for the painting. She wears her best clothes and converses with Sargent knowingly. She plays the part of someone who is worthy of being painted by the great one. Had Muriel not gone about it in the manner she did, the painting would never have came to be.

Jose Rizal’s Family

Jose Rizal's parents, Francisco Mercado Rizal y Alejandro (1818–1898)[8] and Teodora Alonzo y Quintos(1826–1911),[8] were prosperous farmers who were granted lease of a hacienda and an accompanying rice farm by the Dominicans. Rizal was the seventh child of their eleven children namely: Saturnina (1850–1913), Paciano (1851–1930), Narcisa (1852–1939), Olympia (1855–1887), Lucia (1857–1919), Maria (1859–1945), Jose Protasio (1861–1896), Concepcion (1862–1865), Josefa (1865–1945), Trinidad (1868–1951) and Soledad (1870–1929). Rizal was a 9th-generation patrilineal descendant of Domingo Lam-co (Chinese: pinyin: Ke Yinan), a Chinese immigrant entrepreneur who sailed to the Philippines from Jinjiang, Quanzhou in the mid-17th century. [9] Lam-co married Inez de la Rosa, a Sangley native of Luzon. To free his descendants from the Sinophobic animosity of the Spanish authorities, Lam-co changed the surn ame to the Spanish â€Å"Mercado† (market) to indicate their Chinese merchant roots. In 1849, Governor-General Narciso Claveria ordered all native families in the Philippines to choose new surnames from a list of Spanish family names. Jose's father Francisco[8] adopted the surname â€Å"Rizal† (originally Ricial, the green of young growth or green fields), which was suggested to him by a provincial governor, or as Jose had described him, â€Å"a friend of the family†. However, the name change caused confusion in the business affairs of Francisco, most of which were begun under the old name. After a few years, he settled on the name â€Å"Rizal Mercado† as a compromise, but usually just used the original surname â€Å"Mercado†. Upon enrolling at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, Jose dropped the last three names that make up his full name, at the advice of his brother, Paciano Rizal Mercado, and the Rizal Mercado family, thus rendering his name as â€Å"Jose Protasio Rizal†. Of this, Rizal writes: â€Å"My family never paid much attention [to our second surname Rizal], but now I had to use it, thus giving me the appearance of an illegitimate child! â€Å"[10] This was to enable him to travel freely and disassociate him from his brother, who had gained notoriety with his earlier links with native priests who were sentenced to death as subversives. From early childhood, Jose and Paciano were already advancing unheard-of political ideas of freedom and individual rights which infuriated the authorities. [11][12] Despite the name change, Jose, as â€Å"Rizal† soon distinguishes himself in poetry writing contests, impressing his professors with his facility with Castilian and other foreign languages, and later, in writing essays that are critical of the Spanish historical accounts of the pre-colonial Philippine societies. Indeed, by 1891, the year he finished his sunset, this second surname had become so well known that, as he writes to another friend, â€Å"All my family now carry the name Rizal instead of Mercado because the name Rizal means persecution! Good! I too want to join them and be worthy of this family name†¦ â€Å"[10] Jose became the focal point by which the family became known, at least from the point of view of colonial authorities.

How family structures have changed since World War II Essay

At the end of World War II â€Å"†¦marriage, at least once, became almost universal†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (www.ehs.org.uk 12/09/17). In 2006 14% of families had a child and they were not married but they were â€Å"†¦officially registered as parents of their joint children, this was seen as historically new†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (www.ehs.org.uk 12/09/17) Then six years on in 2016, the nuclear family is still seen as the norm, this type of family is what the media try to promote. â€Å"In 2016 there were 18.9 million families in the UK† within this â€Å"12.7 million married or civil partner couple families in the UK.†(www.ons.gov.uk 12/09/17) Although â€Å"cohabiting couple families were the fastest growing family type over the last 20 years† (www.ons.gov.uk 12/09/17) There are many reasons for why the family structure has changed since World War II, some of these reasons are; people do not want to get married, people are marrying later in life and there are now more people living alone. In 1961 women lived very different to today’s society as they were expected to get married young and start a family. In today’s society within families and society, there is less pressure to get married. During World War II the number of a woman getting paid jobs outside of their home â€Å"increased by 25% to 36%†(www.thoughtco.com 18/09/17). This was because of the number of men that were away fighting in the war, this opened up a lot of opportunity for women. In London, while dealing with the bombing of the city, women had to step up and â€Å"protect their families — children, the elderly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (www.thoughtco.com 18/09/17). Women nowadays are more focused on their jobs that they do not want to get married or have children. In the society, like we have today women are able to provide for themselves and their families without depending on a man to be the breadwinners. On the other hand, in some religions around the world, there are arranged marriages within the family, this is where the mother and father decide who their child is going to marry. There are some reasons why they do this â€Å"To protect perceived cultural or religious ideals and family ‘honour’ or long-standing family commitments†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (www.bbc.co.uk 19/09/17) â€Å"In the first nine months of 2008, the UK’s Forced Marriage handled more than 1,300 cases†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (www.bbc.co.uk 19/09/17) The contraceptive pill was instrumental in changing woman having babies young or when they are not wanted. When the pill was â€Å"introduced on the NHS, the pill was prescribed mainly to the older woman who already had children and did not want any more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (www.bbc.co.uk 18/09/17) Today â€Å"the pill is now 99% effective in preventing pregnancy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ( www.nhs.uk 18/09/17) In the present day, the contraceptive pill is suitable for all woman if the woman has no medical reasons why she cannot take it or if the woman smokes. â€Å"There has been a rise in single-person households from 18% of households in 1971 to 29% of all households in 2005.† (Social trend and patterns of the family.) In the 1940’s the divorce rates increased right after World War II. It has been suggested that this is because â€Å"families were strained under the burden of living with a man who may have been incapacitated during the war†¦ women had a new found freedom in wo rking and didn’t want to give that up.† (divorce.lovetoknow.com 18/09/17). In the UK in the year 2005, there were â€Å"141,750 divorces, compared with 153,399 in 2004.† (news.bbc.co.uk 18/09/17) A family Lawyer Emma Hatley stated, â€Å"Half of the divorces involve children who are under the age of 16 so its impact on the whole family is obviously huge.† (news.bbc.co.uk 18/09/17) The Matrimonial Causes Act 1857 enabled men to petition in court for a divorce on the basis of their wife’s adultery. In 1923 The Matrimonial Causes Act â€Å"put men and women on an equal footing for the first time, enabling either spouse to petition the court for a divorce on the basis of their spouse’s adultery.† (www.cflp.co.uk 18/09/17) in 1960 the Archbishop of Canterbury â€Å"prepared a report demanding reform of the law to ensure that people could obtain a divorce if they could show the breakdown of their marriage.† (www.cflp.co.uk 18/09/17) O ne – parent families are becoming more and more popular in today’s society. One – parent household with dependent children has risen from 3% in 1971 to 7% in 2005†¦ 1.7 billion lone parent families in Britain, making up about 25% of all families.† (Fisher et al 2012 19/09/17) On the 29th of March 2014, the first same-sex marriage took place at midnight once gay marriage became legal in England and Wales. Since the law has been brought in that same-sex couple can marry there have been 15,000 marriages. (www.bbc.co.uk 29/09/17)In 1945 same-sex marriage was seen as a wrong thing and from a religious point of view, it is seen as you are going again the wishes of God. In today’s society, a same-sex couple is given the same rights as a heterosexual couple, for example, people in the same-sex marriage are allowed to adopt a child.

A New Kind of Revolution essays

A New Kind of Revolution essays The British were trying to run a stable colonization. The British Parliament made many acts and taxes for their daughter colonies to bring in revenue from their new territory. However, being thousands of miles away from its daughter country, the colonies became difficult to control and the colonists started to defy the mother country. A New Kind of Revolution, by Carl Degler brings out that more than one single thing started the colonists revolution. This can be seen through the many acts put on the colonists, Britains salutary neglect, and Britishs shortening patience towards the rebelling colonists. With so many acts put on the colonists it became unfair. Many colonists protested that this was wrong because it was taxation with out representation. Other colonists felt that it was right for the mother country to tax them, but they were overusing the tax and that the mother country is using the colonists to satisfy their own pockets. Over the years this repetition of taxing a nd overusing the acts deeply frustrated the colonists. Secondly, Britishs salutary neglect towards the colonists became the colonists first taste of freedom. During the successive wars with Holland and France, Britain tended to neglect the colonies. This gave the colonists a little more freedom and a sense of independence because the British lacked attention towards the colonies. When the British started back at laying a heavier hand on the colonies, the colonies sternly objected. The neglect from the mother country gave the colonists a taste of independence and the colonies got used to that and they wanted more. Finally, with the many rebellious acts of some of the colonists, Britishs patience was running short. From Peter Zenger to the Boston Tea Party, Britains patience was being tested. With all these defying actions, the Parliament would slam down more and more s ...

Biography of Pancho Villa -- The Centaur of the North

Biography of Pancho Villa The Centaur of the North Pancho Villa (1878-1923) was a Mexican bandit, warlord and revolutionary. One of the most important figures of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), he was a fearless fighter, clever military commander and important power broker during the years of conflict. His vaunted Division of the North was, at one time, the strongest army in Mexico and he was instrumental in the downfall of both Porfirio Dà ­az and Victoriano Huerta. When the alliance of Venustiano Carranza and Alvaro Obregà ³n finally defeated him, he responded by waging a guerrilla war which included an attack on Columbus, New Mexico. He was assassinated in 1923. Early Years Pancho Villa was born Doroteo Arango to a family of impoverished sharecroppers who worked land belonging to the wealthy and powerful Là ³pez Negrete family in the state of Durango. According to legend, when young Doroteo caught one of the Là ³pez Negrete clan trying to rape his sister Martina, he shot him in the foot and fled to the mountains. There he joined a band of outlaws and soon rose to a position of leadership through his bravery and ruthlessness. He earned good money as a bandit and gave some if it back to the poor, which earned him a reputation as a sort of Robin Hood. Revolution Breaks Out The Mexican Revolution broke out in 1910 when Francisco I. Madero, who had lost a crooked election to dictator Porfirio Dà ­az, declared himself president and called for the people of Mexico to take up arms. Arango, who had changed his name to Pancho Villa (after his grandfather) by then, was one who answered the call. He brought his bandit force with him and soon became one of the most powerful men in the north as his army swelled. When Madero returned to Mexico from exile in the United States in 1911, Villa was the one who welcomed him. Villa knew he was no politician but he saw promise in Madero and vowed to take him to Mexico City. The Campaign Against Dà ­az The corrupt regime of Porfirio Dà ­az was still entrenched in power, however. Villa soon gathered an army around him, including an elite cavalry unit. Around this time he earned the nickname â€Å"the Centaur of the North† because of his riding skill. Along with fellow warlord Pascual Orozco, Villa controlled the north of Mexico, defeating federal garrisons and capturing towns. Dà ­az might have been able to handle Villa and Orozco, but he also had to worry about the guerrilla forces of Emiliano Zapata in the south, and before too long it was evident that Dà ­az could not defeat the enemies arrayed against him. He left the country in April of 1911, and Madero entered the capital in June, triumphant. In Defense of Madero Once in office, Madero quickly got into trouble. Remnants of the Dà ­az regime despised him, and he alienated his allies by not honoring his promises to them. Two key allies he turned against him were Zapata, who was disappointed to see that Madero had little interest in land reform, and Orozco, who had hoped in vain that Madero would give him a lucrative post, such as state governor. When these two men once again took up arms, Madero called on Villa, his only remaining ally. Along with General Victoriano Huerta, Villa fought and defeated Orozco, who was forced into exile in the United States. Madero could not see those enemies closest to him, however, and Huerta, once back in Mexico City, betrayed Madero, arrested him and ordered him executed before setting himself up as president. Campaign Against Huerta Villa had believed in Madero and was devastated by his death. He quickly joined an alliance of Zapata and revolution newcomers Venustiano Carranza and Alvaro Obregà ³n dedicated to removing Huerta. By then, Villas Division of the North was the most powerful and feared military unit in the nation and his soldiers numbered in the tens of thousands. Huerta was surrounded and outnumbered, even though Orozco had returned and joined him, bringing his army with him. Villa led the fight against Huerta, defeating federal forces in cities all over northern Mexico. Carranza, a former governor, named himself Chief of the Revolution, which irritated Villa although he accepted it. Villa did not want to be president, but he did not like Carranza. Villa saw him as another Porfirio Dà ­az and wanted someone else to lead Mexico once Huerta was out of the picture. In May of 1914, the way was clear for an attack on the strategic town of Zacatecas, where there was a major railway junction that could carry the revolutionaries right into Mexico City. Villa attacked Zacatecas on June 23. The Battle of Zacatecas was a huge military victory for Villa: barely a few hundred out of 12,000 federal soldiers survived. After the loss at Zacatecas, Huerta knew his cause was lost and tried to surrender to gain some concessions, but the allies would not let him off the hook so easily. Huerta was forced to flee, naming an interim president to rule until Villa, Obregà ³n, and Carranza reached Mexico City. Villa Versus Carranza With Huerta gone, hostilities between Villa and Carranza broke out almost immediately. A number of delegates from the leading figures of the revolution got together at the Convention of Aguascalientes in October of 1914, but the interim government put together at the convention did not last and the country was once again embroiled  in a civil war. Zapata remained holed up in Morelos, only fighting those who ventured onto his turf, and Obregà ³n decided to support Carranza, mostly because he felt Villa was a loose cannon and Carranza was the lesser of two evils. Carranza set himself up as  President of Mexico  until elections could take place and sent Obregà ³n and his army after the rebellious Villa. At first, Villa and his generals, such as  Felipe Angeles, scored decisive victories against Carranza. But in April, Obregà ³n brought his army north and lured Villa into a fight.  The Battle of Celaya took place from April 6-15, 1915 and was a huge victory for Obregà ³n. Villa limped away but Obregà ³n chased him and the two fought at the Battle of Trinidad (April 29-June 5, 1915). Trinidad was another huge loss for Villa and the once-mighty Division of the North was in tatters. In October, Villa crossed the mountains into Sonora, where he hoped to defeat Carranzas forces and regroup. During the crossing, Villa lost Rodolfo Fierro, his most loyal  officer, and cruel hatchet man. Carranza had reinforced Sonora, however, and Villa was defeated. He was forced to cross back into Chihuahua with what was left of his army. By December, it was evident to Villas officers that Obregà ³n and Carranza had won: most of the Division of the North accepted an offer of amnesty and switched sides. Villa himself headed into the mountains with 200 men, determined to keep fighting. The Guerrilla Campaign and the Attack on Columbus Villa had officially gone rogue. His army down to a couple of hundred men, he resorted to banditry to keep his men supplied with food and ammunition. Villa became increasingly  erratic and blamed the Americans for his losses in Sonora. He detested  Woodrow Wilson  for recognizing the Carranza government and began harassing any and all Americans that crossed his path. On the morning of March 9, 1916, Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico, with 400 men. The plan was to defeat the small garrison and make off with weapons and ammunition as well as to rob the bank and get revenge on one Sam Ravel, an American arms dealer who had once double-crossed Villa and a Columbus resident. The attack failed on every level: the American garrison was much stronger than Villa had suspected, the bank went unrobbed, and Sam Ravel had gone to El Paso. Still, the fame Villa gained by having the guts to attack a town in the United States gave him a new lease on life. Recruits once again joined his army and word of his deeds  was  spread far and wide, often romanticized in song. The Americans sent  General Jack Pershing  into Mexico after Villa. On March 15, he took 5,000 American soldiers across the border. This action became known as the â€Å"Punitive Expedition† and it was a fiasco. Finding the elusive Villa proved next to impossible and logistics were a nightmare. Villa was wounded in a skirmish in late March and spent two months recovering alone in a hidden cave: he dispersed his men into small squads and told them to fight on while he healed. When he came out, many of his men had been killed, including some of his best officers. Undaunted, he took again to the hills, fighting both the Americans and Carranzas forces. In June, there was a confrontation between Carranzas forces and the Americans just south of Ciudad Jurez. Cool heads prevented another war between Mexico and the United States, but it was clear that it was time for Pershing to leave. By early 1917 all American forces had left Mexico, and Villa was still at large. After Carranza Villa remained in the hills and mountains of northern Mexico, attacking small federal garrisons and eluding capture until  1920 when the political situation changed. In 1920, Carranza backed off a promise to support Obregà ³n for president. This was a fatal mistake, as Obregà ³n still had much support in many sectors of society, including the army. Carranza, fleeing Mexico City, was assassinated on May 21, 1920. The death of Carranza was an opportunity for  Pancho Villa. He began negotiations with the government to disarm and stop fighting. Although Obregà ³n was against it, Provisional President Adolfo de la Huerta saw it as an opportunity and brokered a deal with Villa in July. Villa was granted a large hacienda, where many of his men joined him, and his veterans were all given mustering-out pay and an amnesty was declared for Villa, his  officers, and men.  Eventually, even Obregà ³n saw the wisdom of peace with Villa and honored the deal. Death of Villa Obregà ³n was elected President of Mexico in September of 1920, and he began the work of rebuilding the nation.  Villa,  retired to his hacienda in Canutillo, began farming and ranching. Neither man forgot about one another, and the people never forgot Pancho Villa: how could they, when the songs about his daring and cleverness were still sung up and down Mexico? Villa kept a low profile and was seemingly friendly with Obregà ³n, but soon the new president decided the time had come to get rid of Villa once and for all. On July 20, 1923, Villa was  gunned down as he drove a car  in the town of Parral. Although he was never directly implicated in the killing, it is clear that Obregà ³n gave the order, perhaps because he feared Villas interference (or possible candidacy) in the 1924 elections. Pancho Villas Legacy The people of Mexico were devastated to hear of Villas death: he was still a folk hero for his defiance of the Americans, and he was seen as a possible savior from the harshness of the Obregà ³n administration. The ballads continued to be sung and even those who had hated him in life mourned his death. Over the years, Villa has continued to evolve into a mythological figure. Mexicans have forgotten his role in the bloody Revolution, forgotten his massacres and executions and robberies. All that is left is his daring, cleverness and defiance, which continue to be celebrated by many Mexicans in art,  literature, and film. Perhaps it is better this way: Villa himself certainly would have approved. Source: McLynn, Frank.  Villa and Zapata: A History of the Mexican Revolution. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2000.

Socialological Affects of Drugs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Socialological Affects of Drugs - Research Paper Example These assertions were negated by the findings of Allport who emphasized upon the significance of individual thinking in group and referred to the group as lacking psychology. Newcomb conducted a study in the Bennington College. Newcomb observed the girls for four years, and reached the conclusion that girls who ultimately conformed to the values of college had developed similar mindset regarding political liberalism as the faculty and student leaders unlike the girls who had not conformed to the college values. Like these, several researchers’ approaches have been discussed on the subject from the pasty decades. Finally, the researcher tended to find out the trends that are likely to prevail in the future. Technological advancement and individual differences were some of the factors whose impact was considered on the conformity to group. Seven trends were explored in total. It is commonly thought by analysts that the poorest color communities are the biggest consumers of some of the most harmful drugs. In addition to this, the tendency of enforcement of law is generally focused on the drug activity that is conducted outdoors. The two factors jointly encourage the legal prosecutors to arrest people on the basis of racism. Racial disparity is evident in a vast majority of drug arrests. Some people are of the view that mainly the drug war lieutenants’ racism causes them to arrest Latinos and African Americans with the charge of drug use. In the article written by Beckett et al. (2005), a different explanation has been offered with respect to the racial disparity that is usually found in the drug arrests in Seattle.

On Orientalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

On Orientalism - Essay Example Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism is divided into six sections and each of them is summarized below: The Repertory of Orientalism: According to Edward Said there exists an organized form of writing that permeate ‘a kind of repertory of images’ where the East has been depicted as â€Å"a kind of mysterious place full of secrets and monsters† (Said). Historians very often used to refer to â€Å"the Marvels of the East†. These representations have nothing to do with the actual reality. Thus, said argues that one can never find realistic representations of the Orient whether it is in painting, literature, music or in any other art forms. Similarly, the descriptions of the Arabs by experts in books spread the same images whether they are written in the nineteenth or twentieth century. Thus, it can be observed that there is a misconception that the Arabs and the people in the Middle East do not develop like the Westerners. These writings thus portray â€Å"a kind of image of the timeless Orient, as if the Orient, unlike the West, doesnt develop, it stays the s ame† (Said). One can clearly observe that these representations of the orient contradict themselves with history and can be understood as the mere creation of Europeans. Orientalism & Empire: For Said, Orientalism is constructed within ‘the history of imperial conquest’ and for him Napoleons conquest of Egypt in 1798 has paved the way for a ‘new kind of imperial and colonial conquest, that inaugurates the project of Orientalism† (Said). It can be seen that the imperialists who conquered colonies in the East recorded a so-called history of those nations designed for the Europeans rather for the native colonists. On the other hand, one cannot find a Western history that is pioneered or written by the orients. American Orientalism: Said here purports that the American experience of the Orient

2012 Chrysler 200, Dodge Journey, Dodge Avenger See Prices Drop Article

2012 Chrysler 200, Dodge Journey, Dodge Avenger See Prices Drop - Article Example In case of Dodge Journey, the sales price has been dropped significantly i.e. by $1,450. The primarily reason for such significant prince changes is due to compete with market leaders in midsize automobile manufactures like Suzuki, Ford, Kia etc. Chrysler has given more focus on its Dodge Journey as it is believed that with reduced price ($20,995), it has become one of the most affordable midsize vehicles in comparison to competitors’ products like â€Å"Kia Sorento ($21,250) and Mazda CX-7 ($21,990)† (Bird, 2011). This article mainly addresses Chrysler’s strategy pricing strategy for 2012 in order to combat the intensified the competition from the market leaders in midsize SUV segment. However, the prime focus of this article is on the new price ranges of midsize vehicles with value addition features offered by Chrysler. Chrysler has planned to compete with the key rivals with its three major models including Chrysler 200, Chrysler 200 Convertible, Dodge Avenger and Dodge Journey. Moreover, the article also indirectly addresses the key rivals of Chrysler and the market leaders in midsize vehicles. Considering the major area of this article, the prime objective is to offer the market signal by Chrysler to the market. Marketing signal by Chrysler may be an effective to generate the high demand for its automobile products for the coming year. The article has also offered brief descriptions of products that signify positive market indication for future. Moreover, through this article, competitors of Chrysler also get a market signal regarding the motives and intensions of Chrysler for beating its rivals (Porter, 1998, p.75). The automobile company has turned into a global industry where players from different industries are trying to in capture the prevailing market opportunities. The competition in automobile industry has been constantly changing with time. In the regard, thee major aspects are market structure,

Ethnic literature Essay Example for Free

Ethnic literature Essay The definition of ethnic literature â€Å"is literature like any other, except that it contains ethnic references. † (Reilly p. 2). Another definition of ethnic literature is when there is a literature work that contain religious beliefs, racial issues, linguistics, or cultural heritage. In another word, ethnic literature is the literary work that includes particular culture, beliefs, or linguistics distinction. Postcolonial literary theory draws attention in the issue of cultural difference emerging in the society. One of the issues which may often appear during the class discussion is hybridity. It seems that people who have been faced by the fact that they are living in a ‘hybrid world’ tend to be confused by their real status. They realize for their interest, but they can not avoid the possibility becoming ‘in between’. Although , they are included into one part, the native part, but on the other hand they can not deny the deep feeling to be pleasant considering themselves different with the other. There is a kind of more value they have compared with their surround, and they think it is worthy to be kept. Of course, this feeling comes into their mind by some reasons. There must be an additional value added into their original culture. The additional value may be in the form of a new ideology, belief or view which are brought by the dominating. The dominated rarely conscious with the impact. They usually only feel that it is a natural process which become the impact of daily social interaction they are engaged in. Another issue which emerges in postcolonial discussion is about dominated-dominating one. We can not expect who actually take the role as ‘dominating’ or ‘dominated’. The practice may turn over, the dominated may become the dominating in the same time toward different object, vice versa. We are also introduced by ‘Otherness’ theory. It makes someone consider that she or he are different from the other, and other people is not the same with her or him. Gadis Tangsi tells a story about a girl life, namely Teyi. She is a Javanese girl who grew up in the Javanese tradition. She lives with his parents and sibling in tangsi area. She was taught to become an obedient girl by her mother with many limitations as a girl. She helps her mother to sell fried bananas every day. Teyi finds herself limited by some rules which are considered as the right rules for her mother. She even does not know how ‘love’ or how to be ‘loved’ by a man. She was taught to be a polite woman. She finally finds who she is when she is introduced to Putri Parasi by Ndara Tuan Kapten Sarjubehi who has helped her. That is the beginning of her new experience to recognize a new world, the world that she has never imagined before. Putri Parasi teaches her everything to be ‘a good lady’. Putri Parasi likes Teyi for her politeness. She more likes Teyi after being saved when her disease comes immediately. Putri Parasi expects to teach her how to behave well. She even teaches Teyi to speak Dutch. Teyi starts to be able to read and write. Putri Parasi really wants to prepare her to be taken to Surakarta Keraton and introduced her to a man who will be married with her. She plans to make Teyi deserve to have a husband from Keraton families. In the novel Gadis Tangsi written by Suparto Brata, we can see some unexpected phenomenon occur. It makes me realize that actually there are still many things covered even by what Javanese people considered as ‘budaya adiluhung’. The word ‘politeness’, ‘hospitality’ and ‘dignity’ which come into people mind when they heard about Javanese culture become blur after they read this novel. Javanese woman who is considered as an obedient woman and become a mercy for whom takes her as a wife may be surprised by what Suparto tells about Teyi and Dumilah. He brings them in this novel as representative of Javanese woman character, in different point of view. However, the story about them, for me, is far from the stereotype of common Javanese women (may be just a few). The feeling of ‘in between’ seem to be experienced by Teyi. She starts to know about how the way the higher status people behave since she meets Putri Parasi. Teyi realizes that her life style is quite different from her, and she is glad when she knows that Putri Parasi does not mind introducing this new culture to her. From this intentional interaction, after she is taught how to behave like ‘putri bangsawan’, Teyi starts to consider she has a chance to be the same with them. Even she lives with her parents, she starts to consider that she is better than them. She has been raised from the lower part. She has more power than the people in the house. The very obvious impact of this teaching actually appears when Teyi has been left by Putri Parasi. After she passed away, Teyi become independent from the influence of Putri Parasi. Although, there are still some traces of her teaching inside Teyi which reflect in the way she behaves. She seems take the dominating position over her husband, Sapardal. Sapardal feeling about his lower position when they have been married becomes the cause of the divorce. Only two days of marriage, and Teyi considers that she has a right to sue divorce, while Sapardal can only keep silent without any comment. In this relationship, Sapardal as a man who actually considered as ‘the dominating’ take the role as ‘the dominated’. He does not feel on the same level with Teyi. He admits that he has no power compared to Teyi. He even has no courage to touch her in their first night of marriage. Here, we can see the role between man and woman has shifted. Brata seems to show us that the role of people in the society is like running on the moving wheel. The dominating and dominated are only a symbol of someone position, which also can be shifted based on where we are standing. Sapardal may fail in maintaining his position as superior in front of Teyi. The cultural change also appears in this novel. Sexual intercourse is not considered as a sacral any longer for almost all the women in this novel. During my reading, I wonder if I read Indonesian culture literary work, especially belong to Javanese one. However, Brata wrote the novel using the Indonesian condition in the past, in the colonial occupation. In this situation, it is not easy to determine which one who still hold the original value since the influence of other ideology come into the life in that simple way. The force of a new ideology input is not directly felt in this novel. The indigenous people enjoy the acculturation between the dominated and the dominating. It also happens in the shifting of the way they see sexual intercourse actually is. What we call as a taboo becomes commonly conducted by the people. Teyi is defined as a free woman, even she has been married and becomes a wife of Sapardal, and she breaks the rule by having intercourse with Ndara Tuan Kapten Sarjubehi. It seems that she wants to take a revenge to Dumilah who is considered had cheated her by having romantic affair with her master. Sapardal can not do anything. He has failed to become a good husband. This thinking is from his own side. When we look at this phenomenon, again, Teyi proves that she has had a power over a man from her own society. She starts to have a right to consider a man like Sapardal is not at the same level with her. However, in my opinion it will not happen if Sapardal never has the way of thinking. Actually, he has thought that she is great and different from the other woman in his environment before they are married. That makes he has no courage to touch her at their first night. It also makes Teyi feels not being regarding or respecting as a wife. She thinks that Sapardal has no desire toward her, and she thinks that it is better to ask divorce. What a short way of thinking! I found that Teyi has put a wrong way of thinking about what Putri Parasi had taught to her. It seems that she does not consider marriage as a sacral relationship any longer. ‘Love’ relationship has been considered as a ‘real’ relationship when we have passion to have sex with our couple. Is that so simple? That is the way Teyi think about love basically. It is shown also when she does not mind to have sex with her ex-master, Ndara Tuan Kapten Sarjubehi, and then she starts to love someone else, Ndara Mas Kus. There is no any guilty feeling. Finally, we can conclude that there are three aspect of postcolonial reading for Gadis Tangsi has been discussed above. First, hybridity appears when Teyi finds herself has involved and being a part of Putri Parasi’s society, Keraton environment since she has been able to behave and speak like her, so she considers that she is a part of Putri community. While she has that feeling, she still can not avoid other people consideration about her who is only becoming a servant and will not become like them. Second, dominating feeling toward Sapardal comes into her mind. There is dominating-dominated in shifting model between them. It seems a denial for a man who usually considered as the dominating one, while Teyi proves that it can be shifted. Last, ‘Otherness’ theory also emerges in this novel. After having taught to have attitude and behave like Putri Parasi model, Teyi finally considers herself different with other woman in her society. It appears in the way she treats Dumilah who is her old friend. She thinks that Dumilah has no right to become ‘a munci’ of Ndara Tuan Kapten Sarjubehi because she is not at the same level with her or Ndara. Reference Ashcroft, Bill, et. al. 1946. The Empire Writes Back. London : Routledge Barry, Peter. 1824. Beginning Theory. Manchester : Manchester University Press Brata, Suparto. 2004. Gadis Tangsi. Jakarta : Kompas Reilly, John. 1978. Critical Approaches to Ethnic Literature. London : Oxford University Press

Oil and Saudi Arabia Essay -- Essays Papers Oil Saudi Arabia Papers

Exposing the Saudi Arabian Royal Family, U.S. foreign policy, and the poverty currently occurring within Saudi Arabia Preface The current world dependence on oil leaves much to be said about the impact of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East on foreign policy and international politics. Presently the world's largest consumer of oil, the U.S. depends on Saudi Arabia and much of the Middle East for the energy to run its businesses, its homes, and most importantly, its automobiles. In the past few months U.S. consumers have felt the pressures of increasing gasoline prices as they struggle to commute and live their daily lives. This leaves the U.S. with important decisions to be made on behalf of its citizens and its position in the international realm. Saudi Arabia, the leader of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Companies), maintains a powerful position in negotiations with the U.S. and other countries. Its vast supply of oil directly effects per barrel pricing and is a unique bargaining tool in international politics. But Saudi Arabia is no ordinary country in today's world. Its borders are governed by a royal family of nearly 30,000 individuals, all of which share most of the wealth and almost all of the power. Its people, with foreign exceptions, are wholly Islamic and many practice the faith with a frightening sense of devotion. And despite the immense revenue generated by its oil reserves, part of its population still lives in absolute poverty. Although recently it has seen immense change, it is still a country fair behind the progressive world. This report draws from many publications written over the last twenty years exposing the unique situation in Saudi Arabia, while also utilizing recent headl... ... September 2003 (31 May 2004). ?Oil jumps back near $42,? (31 May 2004). ?Plots and bombs,? The Economist, May 1 2004: 47. ?Still at its mercy,? The Economist, May 22 2004: 10 ?The limits of reform,? The Economist, Mar 27 2004: 47. ?US Challenges and Choices Saudi Arabia: A View from the Inside,? The Atlantic Council of the United States, The Middle East Institute, The Middle East Policy Council, and The Stanley Foundation, (May 31, 2004). ?What if The Economist, May 29 2004: 69. William Powell, Saudi Arabia and its Royal Family, (New Jersey: Lyle Stuart Inc., 1982). World Bank Report 2003, ?Saudi Arabia,? Oil and Saudi Arabia Essay -- Essays Papers Oil Saudi Arabia Papers Exposing the Saudi Arabian Royal Family, U.S. foreign policy, and the poverty currently occurring within Saudi Arabia Preface The current world dependence on oil leaves much to be said about the impact of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East on foreign policy and international politics. Presently the world's largest consumer of oil, the U.S. depends on Saudi Arabia and much of the Middle East for the energy to run its businesses, its homes, and most importantly, its automobiles. In the past few months U.S. consumers have felt the pressures of increasing gasoline prices as they struggle to commute and live their daily lives. This leaves the U.S. with important decisions to be made on behalf of its citizens and its position in the international realm. Saudi Arabia, the leader of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Companies), maintains a powerful position in negotiations with the U.S. and other countries. Its vast supply of oil directly effects per barrel pricing and is a unique bargaining tool in international politics. But Saudi Arabia is no ordinary country in today's world. Its borders are governed by a royal family of nearly 30,000 individuals, all of which share most of the wealth and almost all of the power. Its people, with foreign exceptions, are wholly Islamic and many practice the faith with a frightening sense of devotion. And despite the immense revenue generated by its oil reserves, part of its population still lives in absolute poverty. Although recently it has seen immense change, it is still a country fair behind the progressive world. This report draws from many publications written over the last twenty years exposing the unique situation in Saudi Arabia, while also utilizing recent headl... ... September 2003 (31 May 2004). ?Oil jumps back near $42,? (31 May 2004). ?Plots and bombs,? The Economist, May 1 2004: 47. ?Still at its mercy,? The Economist, May 22 2004: 10 ?The limits of reform,? The Economist, Mar 27 2004: 47. ?US Challenges and Choices Saudi Arabia: A View from the Inside,? The Atlantic Council of the United States, The Middle East Institute, The Middle East Policy Council, and The Stanley Foundation, (May 31, 2004). ?What if The Economist, May 29 2004: 69. William Powell, Saudi Arabia and its Royal Family, (New Jersey: Lyle Stuart Inc., 1982). World Bank Report 2003, ?Saudi Arabia,?

Cruise Shipping

This industry can be traced back to around the 1400s when the first transatlantic voyage took place (Destination Yacht Charters). The speed of these cruise ships was very low during these years, but this was changed when the steam engine was invented in 1712 by a scientist named Thomas Newcomen (Briggs, 2009). The evolution of the steam engine led to the formation of the first shipping firm, the Black Ball Line, in 1818, which offered scheduled services to its passengers (Lytyson, 2009).With the steam engine, the cruise shipping continued to flourish in the 1800s and the early 1900s as the number of passengers traveling for business or leisure grew. However, with the arrival of passenger airplane from the Boeing Company in 1960s, the industry started to decline and this was attributed to the speed of these airplanes (Cruise lines, 2009). With the airplanes people could travel to more destinations within a short time in comparison to the cruise ships. This made the shipping companies to change their goals and to focus on tourism instead of passenger services.Furthermore, with the stiff competition from the airplanes, the industry still managed to flourish since they concentrated on improving the voyage itself. These companies concentrated on making their ships more comfortable and even provided extensive entertainment inside the cruise ships for the passengers. In addition, with †The Love Boat† television show in 1977 to 1986, the image of cruise shipping was improved and made better (Boyd, 2008 ). Recently, with the luxurious and superior entertainment provided on-board, the voyage has become the center of attraction and not the geographic destinations (Cruise working, 2009).This has made the cruise shipping industry to become one of the fastest growing industries in the transportation sector. Factors contributing to Cruise industry growth The economy in many countries is stable and growing and this has led to increased wealth amongst the people in those countries. With increased wealth many people can afford to travel for leisure. To a large extent, this is contributing to the continued growth in number of passengers experienced by the industry. For instance, between 1980 and 2003, the North American market grew at a rate of about 8. 4% per annum (Dowling, 2006).Globalisation is stimulating the market of container transport. The increase in the market of container transport is contributing to cruise shipping growth. In the Trans Pacific the number of containers transported in 2004, increased by about 15. 3% to more than 622,000 standard containers (Hapag-Lioyd, 2005). With the increase in the market, more ships are being built with even large capacity in order to tap the profits incurred in this transport industry. The peaceful environment experienced in most parts of the world is contributing to cruise shipping industry growth.For instance, in Iraq when peace was restored, tonnage at Aqaba port increased by about 28% to abou t 6. 5 million tons, in the first four months of 2003 (Stensgaard, 2007). The war in Iraq led to many ports being closed and people could not visit the country. However, when the war ended, materials for reconstructing the country entered the country through port Aqaba and this has led to its growth. With peace in many nations cruise ships can move freely in the waters as the number of safe ports increase leading to more destinations where people can visit.The tourism sector is growing at a fast pace and this can be attributed to many countries especially African countries investing more money in marketing their country's heritage. In many African countries the tourism industry is one of the major sources of income. In a country like Kenya, in 2006, revenue from tourism reached $800 million, thereby making it the largest foreign currency earner followed by horticulture and tea (Wallis, 2007). The fast growth in the tourism industry is facilitating the growth in the cruise industry a s both industries depend on each other mutually.The advancement in technology has enabled cruise ships to communicate with the loading and the off-loading ports and even with other ships. With modern communication, the ships can easily request for assistance when facing problems in the waters such as engine failure, explosions, among others, from other ships or nearby harbours. Furthermore, with the technological advancements, faster ships are being built thereby reducing the time spent in waters. The passengers can therefore reach their destinations in shorter time periods.In 2007, the world fuel price was more than $100 per barrel (Mati, 2008) but in 2009, prices have reduced to about $59 per barrel (Associated Press, 2009). The reduction in the fuel prices is a boost to the cruise shipping industry as it helps in reducing the package prices thereby enticing more passengers to cruising. Some people might find cruising expensive but with the reduction in package prices cruising wil l be made more affordable to them. To some extent, this is contributing to the increase in the number of cruise passengers. Strengths Cruise itinerariesThey provide the cruise passengers with a wide variety of services to choose from. There is a wide variety of cruise ships which offer different services. For instance, there is the Disney Cruise which offers exquisite activities for children and adult flair, the Royal Caribbean which offers magnificent sporting activities, the Costa cruises, which has put more emphasis in providing dining and entertainment in accordance with the Italian heritage, and many others (Lovetoknowcruises, 2007) Capacity The magnitude in size allows the cruise ships to carry a very large number of passengers at a go.The largest cruise ship can carry more than 6000 passengers (Wise, 2007 ), while the largest plane can carry more than 850 passengers at a go (Lewin, 2009). In terms of space, the cruise ships are more comfortable than the airplane and vehicles. Because of the large space in cruise ships, movement is not restricted and people can move around freely while in airplanes, vehicles and trains there is limited space and movement is restricted. Privacy and value In cruise ships privacy is ensured and respected. Because of its large capacity, it is designed like a hotel with rooms for the passengers.In cruise ships, the voyage is package priced and this usually includes food, room, and entertainment, among others. In most cases the passengers would spend more money on a vacation of same quality on land than on voyage (Hillman, 2009). This therefore shows that cruising is cost efficient than land vacation. More relaxation Land tourism is tiring than cruise shipping. In land tourism, the vehicle may encounter problems like engine problems, tire puncture, and many more, but in cruise shipping the problems are almost negligible.Furthermore, the hotel personnel pamper their visitors at a lower level in comparison with the cruise shippi ng personnel (Hillman, 2009). In cruise ships the passengers are treated with much respect and their requests are usually met in time. In addition, food is provided and the passengers do not have to carry their own food, while in land vacation you either carry your own food or look for restaurants that provide quality food and these restaurants are usually hard to come by.The problem of packing and unpacking your belongings is not experienced in cruise shipping (Hillman, 2009). The passengers will only unpack once throughout their cruising as they move from one place to another and will only pack once when they are back to their homes. Weaknesses Diseases infections The passengers in cruise ship are exposed to a high risk of disease infections such norovirus, maladies, among others. In 2004, about 300 passengers of the Carnival cruise line ship were infected with stomach malady while they were on-board (Water quality and health council, 2009).Consequently, in 2007, about 7 crew memb ers of the Majestic America Line cruise ship and 26 passengers were infected with norovirus while on-board (Baldwin, 2007). The norovirus has no cure but is controlled by antibiotics. The closed environment in the cruise ship provides suitable conditions for disease infections to spread swiftly since there is much human contact and food contact. Some of the reasons leading to disease infections include neglecting to disinfect restrooms and kitchens, washing hands among others (Paddock, 2009).The rate of disease infections in the cruise ships is reported to be on the rise and this could affect this industry adversely. Maintaining sanitation in cruise ships is becoming a problem for many shipping companies since it requires more funds and some companies are reluctant. Environmental pollution The cruise ships produce significant amounts of wastes which are mainly disposed with minimum regulation since they are not subjected to the same environmental policies as the industries on land ( Commoy et al, 2005).Researches done have shown that cruise ships produce carbon dioxide three times more than airplanes (Environmental Leader, 2008 ). Furthermore, in cases of accidents as was observed at the coastline of the Antarctic island, the Norwegian ship spilled fuel as it ran aground (Reuters, 2007). Spilling fuel in the waters is harmful to aquatic life as it deprives them oxygen (Smith, 2009). In addition, in many cruise ships there is no energy conservation mechanism, a lot of energy is used in moving, in the restaurants, for laundry and in the movie theaters.There is significant wastage of energy in the cruise ships. Terrorism Historically, terrorist mainly target the transport industry since the security in the maritime borders is lower in comparison to land borders (Loy, 2001) . For instance, in 1985, Palestinian terrorists attacked the Italian cruise ship killing at least one American (Ensor, 2003). The perception by people of a terrorist threat can restrict the crui se industry growth. Some people may not prefer cruise shipping because of increased terrorist activities thereby reducing its market as people fear for their lives.Terrorist activities may instill fear in some people thereby restricting them from traveling as they prefer staying in one place or going for land vacation which is much safer. Speed and price When compared to airplanes the cruise ship are expensive and consume a lot of fuel. In terms of fuel efficiency, studies carried out have shown that cruise ships are the worst in fuel efficiency when compared to airplane (Davison, 2009). Furthermore, in terms of speed cruise ships are very slow.For instance, the world’s fastest ship, Olympic voyager took seven days to visit three continents while an airplane can take only several hours at most (Hammond, 2000). The aviation sector is providing stiff competition as they try to improve the speed, the comfort and even the services provided to its customers. In addition, the aviat ion sector building big planes with larger capacity to cater for the increasing number of passengers. Limited port facilities The modern technology is enabling ports to become more efficient and effective in the services they provide to the shipping industry.However, the rate at which new technology is being adopted by ports is very slow and this can be attributed to high cost as upgrading requires much capital. Majority of the ports have not upgraded into using the modern technology and this has become a hindrance since few cruise ships can dock at that port in a day. It takes a lot of time to clear a cruise ship to dock. In addition, there are ports which have upgraded their facilities into using modern technology, but have limited loading capacity and therefore cannot accommodate large ships.This is negatively affecting the cruise shipping industry as it continues to build larger ships. Availability of the cruise itineraries Cruise itineraries are not available throughout the yea r they are restricted by seasons, some itineraries are available during the summer while others during the winter. This therefore restricts passengers from traveling to some destinations during a particular season. For instance, the Alaska cruise operates during summer only while during winter it is off-season, this restricts people who want to travel amongst the Alaskan glaciers (lovetoknowcruises, 2007).Furthermore, there are some itineraries which are not available in many ports such as the Caribbean and Mediterranean voyages which are usually available throughout the year but are limited by the number of cruise ships that provide them (MacCalla, 1994). Limited exploration time and destinations In cruise shipping there is limited time spent on land, a lot of time is spent on-board. This gives the cruise passengers little time to absorb the cultures of local communities when visiting a place. In addition, the voyage is restricted to the coastal areas, only the airplanes, trains am ong others can go inland.This therefore makes people who want to visit inland places to prefer using airplanes over cruise ships. Future of cruise shipping industry The number of passengers has been increasing annually and this is a big boost to this shipping industry. However, with economic downturn in the world, the cruise shipping industry will be affected adversely. In 2009, the number of passengers in cruise ships is expected to grow by about 3% which is a significant reduction from the growth observed from 2006 to 2007 of about 11% (Berman, 2008).With this significant reduction in passenger growth, the cruise shipping industry is still better placed than most sectors. The passenger number especially that of British cruise passengers is anticipated to grow by 2010 as new cruise ships providing better services will be in the market. From the trend observed in1995 to 2005, whereby the number of European passengers tripled from about 1 million to about 3. 3 million, this growth ra te is anticipated to reach 4 million annually by 2010 and to about 5 million by 2015 ( Seatrade Cruise connection, 2007).The new ships are expected to provide better itineraries thereby attracting more passengers to cruising. Even though, the cruise shipping industry is facing some serious challenges, the future looks bright. Furthermore, with the advancement in technology, the efficiency and effectiveness in ship building will be greatly improved and ships will be build much faster thereby meeting the increasing passenger demands. From the current trends observed, in 10 to 15 years the cruise shipping industry will expand greatly and become one of the largest industries contributing to the world economy. Word Count: 2347.Reference List Associated Press, (2009). Prices at the pump also rise — national average is $2. 311 for a gallon of gas Retrieved May 19 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/12400801/ Baldwin M. (2007). Is â€Å"New† Norovirus to Blame for Cruise Ship Outbreaks? Retrieved May 19 from http://www. cruisecritic. com/news/news. cfm? ID=2028 Berman C. (2008). Cruise growth will slow in 2009, says Passenger shipping association. Retrieved May 19 from http://www. travelweekly. co. uk/Articles/2008/10/07/29073/cruise-growth-will-slow-in-2009-says-passenger-shipping. html Boyd L. (2008). Brief History of the Passenger Ship Industry.Retrieved May 19 from http://library. duke. edu/digitalcollections/adaccess/ship-history. html Briggs J. (2009). How Cruise Ships Work. Retrieved May 19 from http://adventure. howstuffworks. com/cruise-ship1. htm Commoy J. , C. Polytika, R. Nadel and J. Bulkley 2005. The environmental impact of cruise ships. Retrieved May 18 from Cruise lines, (2009). A brief history of the cruise line industry. Retrieved May 19 from Cruise working, (2009). The History Of The Cruise Line Industry. Retrieved May 18 from Davison D. (2009). Comparing the fuel efficiency of planes, trains, automobiles – and cheeseburgers? Retrieved May 19 from Destination Yacht Charters. Cruise ship history. Retrieved May 19 from Dowling R. K. (2006). Cruise ship tourism. Edition: illustrated. CABI: N. Y. p. 363 Ensor D. (2003). U. S.captures mastermind of Achille Lauro hijacking. Retrieved May 19 from Environmental Leader, (2008). cruise ships worse for the environment than planes. Retrieved May 19 from Hammond J. (2000). Cruise Ship Gig Anyone? The World's Fastest Cruise Ship, not necessarily the Smoothest! Retrieved May 19 from Hapag-Lioyd, (2005). Another record performance. Retrieved May 19 from Hillman H. (2009). Cruise pros and cons. Retrieved May 19 from Lewin H. (2009). The world's largest airplane: the airbus A380. Retrieved May 19 from Lovetoknowcruises, (2007). Planning a cruise itinerary. Retrieved May 19 from Loy J. M.. (2001).Seaports, cruise ships vulnerability to terrorism. Retrieved May 19 from Lytyson L. (2009). The History of Cruise Ships. Retrieved May 19 from Mati A. (2008). Managing surging oil prices in the developing world. Retrieved May 19 from McCalla R. J. (1994). Water transportation in Canada. Edition: illustrated. Formac Publishing Company: Halifax. p183 Paddock C. (2009). Norovirus Infects 200 Passengers On Norwegian Cruise Ship.Retrieved May 18 from Reuters, (2007). Antarctic cruise ship spills fuel. Retrieved May 19 from Seatrade Cruise connection, (2007). cruise industry outlook remains positive. Retrieved May 18 from Smith S. E. (2009). How do oil spill affect marine life. Retrieved May 18 from Stensgaard A. (2007). Shipping industry growth to continue for a decade says Oman authorityRetrieved May 19 from Wallis D. (2007). FEATURE-Kenya tourism rides crest of booming demand. Retrieved May 19 from Water quality and health council, (2009). Sea Sick — Infection Outbreaks Challenge the Cruise Ship Experience. Retrieved May 19 from Wise J. (2007). World largest cruise ship pulls 360s with joystick. Retrieved May 19 from