jaws essays

jaws essays Name of film: Jaws The film Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg is an example of a film done in the Classical Narrative structure. This is so because it has the three basic elements of the classical structure: setup, confrontation, and resolution. The film jaws is about a Chief Brody, who moves to Amity Island, a summer beach town, from New York. During his first summer, Brody is faced with shark attacks. His first reaction is to close the beaches, but the Mayor will not let him do that. The chief, along with marine biologist Hooper, and shark hunter Quint, go out onto the water and hunt the shark. The setup in this film occurs at the beginning, when the first victim of the shark is taken. A girl is swimming in the ocean, and is attacked by the shark. This is Brodys first encounter with a shark, and leaves him with the question of what to do? The confrontation is between the three men, Brody, Hooper, and Quint, and the shark. All three men have their own reason to get the shark, brody wants safe beaches, Hooper wants to study it, and Quint wants money. The three men go out on Quints boat, and hunt the shark. The rising action is when they plug the shark with barrels. The climax occurs when the shark makes its final attack on the boat, and leaps onto the back of the boat. The resolution comes when Chief Brody climbs to the mast of the Orca, after he shoves an oxygen tank into the sharks mouth. On top of the mast he shoots the tank and blows the shark up. The Protagonist of the film is Chief Brody, because he wants to protect the people of Amity Island. One interesting editing sequence found in the film was when the beach was cleared out for a false shark sighting on the fourth of July. I liked when the scene cut from the people screaming, and running out of the water, to the shot where the camera w ...

Doric Columns - All You Need to Know

Doric Columns - All You Need to Know The Doric column is an architectural element from ancient Greece and represents one of the five orders of classical architecture. Today this simple column can be found supporting many front porches across America. In public and commercial architecture, notably the public architecture in Washington, DC, the Doric column is a defining feature of Neoclassical style buildings. A Doric column has a very plain, straightforward design, much more simple than the later Ionic and Corinthian column styles. A Doric column is also thicker and heavier than an Ionic or Corinthian column. For this reason, the Doric column is sometimes associated with strength and masculinity. Believing that Doric columns could bear the most weight, ancient builders often used them for the lowest level of multi-story buildings, reserving the more slender Ionic and Corinthian columns for the upper levels. Ancient builders developed several Orders, or rules, for the design and proportion of buildings, including the columns. Doric is one of the earliest and most simple of the Classical Orders set down in ancient Greece. An Order includes the vertical column and the horizontal entablature. Doric designs developed in the western Dorian region of Greece in about the 6th century BC. They were used in Greece until about 100 BC. Romans adapted the Greek Doric column but also developed their own simple column, which they called Tuscan. Characteristics of the Doric Column Greek Doric columns share these features: a shaft that is fluted or grooveda shaft that is wider at the bottom than the topno base or pedestal at the bottom, so it is placed directly on the floor or ground levelan  echinus or a smooth, round capital-like flare at the top of the shafta square abacus on top of the round echinus, which disperses and evens the loada lack of ornamentation or carvings of any kind, although sometimes a stone ring called an astragal marks the transition of the shaft to the echinus Doric columns come in two varieties, Greek and Roman. A Roman Doric column is similar to Greek, with two exceptions: Roman Doric columns often have a base on the bottom of the shaft.Roman Doric columns are usually taller than their Greek counterparts, even if the shaft diameters are the same. Architecture Built With Doric Columns Since the Doric column was invented in ancient Greece, it can be found in the ruins of what we call Classical architecture, the buildings of early Greece and Rome. Many buildings in a Classical Greek city would have been constructed with Doric columns. Symmetrical rows of columns were placed with mathematical precision in iconic structures like the Parthenon Temple at the Acropolis in Athens. Constructed between 447 BC and 438 BC., the Parthenon in Greece has become an international symbol of Greek civilization and an iconic example of the Doric column style. Another landmark example of Doric design, with columns surrounding the entire building, is the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens. Likewise, the Temple of the Delians, a small, quiet space overlooking a harbor, also reflects the Doric column design. On a walking tour of Olympia, youll find a solitary Doric column at the Temple of Zeus still standing amid the ruins of fallen columns. Column styles evolved over several centuries. The massive Colosseum in Rome has Doric columns on the first level, Ionic columns on the second level, and Corinthian columns on the third level. When Classicism was reborn during the Renaissance, architects such as Andrea Palladio gave the Basilica in Vicenza a 16th-century facelift by combining column types on different levels- Doric columns on the first level, Ionic columns above. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Neoclassical buildings were inspired by the architecture of early Greece and Rome. Neoclassical columns imitate the Classical styles at the 1842 Federal Hall Museum and Memorial at 26 Wall Street in New York City. The 19th-century architects used Doric columns to recreate the grandeur of the site where the first President of the United States was sworn in. Of less grandeur is the World War I Memorial shown on this page. Built in 1931 in Washington, DC, it is a small, circular monument inspired by the architecture of the Doric temple in ancient Greece. A more dominant example of Doric column use in Washington, DC is the creation of architect Henry Bacon, who gave the neoclassical Lincoln Memorial imposing Doric columns, suggesting order and unity. The Lincoln Memorial was built between 1914 and 1922. Finally,  in the years leading up to Americas Civil War, many of the large, elegant antebellum plantations were built in the Neoclassical style with classically-inspired columns. These simple but grand column types are found throughout the world, wherever classic grandeur is required in local architecture. Sources Doric column illustration  © Roman Shcherbakov/iStockPhoto; Parthenon detail photo by Adam Crowley/Photodisc/Getty Images; Lincoln Memorial photo by Allan Baxter/Getty Images; and photo of Federal Hall by Raymond Boyd/Getty Images.

Advance cost accounting Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Advance cost accounting - Article Example Hongren, Datar and Foster explain capital budgeting as having six stages that are, in that order, identification, search, information acquisition, selection, financing and implementation and control stages (7). Formal methods employed in capital budgeting that use incremental cash flows of potential projects include techniques such as discounted cash flow, internal rate of return, equivalent annuity, net present value, payback period and profitability index. Essentially, through the discounted cashflow method, the expected outward and inward flow of cash in a project are calculated as if they took place together at one time so they can be averaged appropriately. The net present value and internal rate of return are methods of discounted cash flow, and the internal rate of return is a function of the expected net annual cash flow and present value annuity factor (Hongren, Datar & Foster 19). Compared to internal rate of return, net present value is more advantageous because its end re sult is not expressed as a percentage but, rather, in dollars, and it provides the opportunity to add individual projects. Further, it is applicable in situations in which the required rate of return of a project varies throughout its life. On the other hand, it is not possible to add or average a project’s individual rate of return to derive internal rate of return of several combined projects (Hongren, Datar & Foster 22). Through the identification stage, the need to consider venturing into a new project is identified by the management, and several alternatives will be yielded in the search stage, although the focus will remain on a particular project (Hongren, Datar & Foster 8). Decisions deemed to be of a strategic nature call for the management to consider a wide scope of factors that cannot be easily estimated. While information will be acquired by the administration in

The Terms and Conditions Contained In a Contract of Employment Essay

The Terms and Conditions Contained In a Contract of Employment - Essay Example The paper tells that the employment contract may be written or agreed verbally in certain instances. Nonetheless, it is necessary, and an employee has a statutory right, to obtain a written statement of the employment terms some two months after the beginning of an employment in the event that no such formal agreement was made. The employee has to check his entitlement to this right as some may not be entitled to some statutory rights. By accepting a job offer, an employee agrees to abide by the conditions of authority relationship provided on the employment contract. These are referred to as the terms and conditions of the contract. The contract of employment defines the rights of the employees that will help in solving problems that may arise in the course of the contract. The employee and the employer are bound by the written agreement until the contract ends or until the terms of the contract are adjusted. The termination of a contract is often preceded by a written notice to the employees while the terms and condition of a contract will be adjusted after an agreement between the employer and the employee. An employee will enter into an employment contract as soon as he/she takes on an employment to create the employment relationship. The contract of employment may be written or verbal, but a written agreement is appropriate for a formal employment. The contract of employment will contain essential information; the details of employer/employees, date of commencement of the contract, place of work, role and duties of the employees, rate and mode of payment, sick pay arrangement, holiday leaf and pay, pension schemes, and the different policies governing the employment deal. An employment contract will be defined by the terms and condition of the contract. There is some difference between terms and conditions as referred to here. The terms of an employment contract define all that an employer and an employee will expect from each other.

Benetton baby Essay Example for Free

Benetton baby Essay Benetton baby was produced as a 1991 advertising campaign that also included images of a priest kissing a nun and coloured leaves floating in a sea of petrol. Although I would presume Benetton would be trying to show the beauty and goodness of the new born baby they claim Benetton is not trying to emphasise the beauty a and goodness of its apparel, but rather is trying to capture the interest or people The objective is to brake through the barrier of indifference. But I believe that the image is in anyway offensive or wrong. The image consists of a newborn baby trailing its umbilical cord, the baby is covered in blood, and two hands, presumably of a Doctor, are waiting to receive the child. This was created to appear on billboard so the shire size would make the image impossible to be missed. The background is white therefore the baby stands out. The logo is included to the left of the advertisement and is very small almost insignificant. The image is very clear and not edited in any way to make the situation more attractive I agree with the advertisement entirely. Although it is a strange way to advertise I have no objections. The image is very large and might not be what all people want to witness it but birth of babies are publicized on the television as entertainment or education in more graphic detail. Isnt a baby being born the most wonderful experience? But people did however complain, the public disagreed strongly with this image the poster. Has attracted more than 800 complaints. 800 is not a particularly large amount when in comparison with the millions that would have witness the advertisement. The complaints consisted of the image is shocking and distasteful , many children are reported to have found it disturbing and objections regarding the exploitative use of such an image to sell clothes. All complaints where made to an advertising organisation called the ASA. The Advertising Standards Authority began in 1962 by the advertising industry. The ASA practises a voluntary code of practice called The British Code of Advertising and sales promotion practise. The code declares that all advertisements must be legal, decent honest and truthful. They must not be offensive or downgrade competitors they must not deliberately misinform. Benetton baby does break some of these rules. The first rule broken in some points of view is decency No advert should contain any matter that is likely to cause widespread offence. The advert may be offensive to a mother who recently had a miscarriage. As to a woman whose child has recently died or to a woman who cannot become a mother. Etc. however this information cant be held against Benetton as a second rule in the code states, [t]he fact that a product may be found offensive by some people Is not a sufficient basis under the code for objecting an advertisement for it therefore the advert is within its own rights. Honesty . cause be easily grasped and clearly understood the advertisement isnt entirely clear. From the advertisement alone you are not able to grasp what exactly the clothing company is retailing. However the advertisement does not lead you to believe that the Benetton Company sells babies or anything else, for that matter. Looking death in the face An ad showing the image of a man dying of AIDS, surrounded by his family. The logo is present also but, as with the others, it is small and unimportant. The camera shot is very provocative, it is very close up. The dying man obviously and purposely is made to resemble Jesus this has been done by computer. The image almost makes you fell an intruder in the scene. This has led to furious debate about the limits of advertising. Benetton claims, It was as if the reality of suffering only had dignity and moral value in the editorial section of a newspaper and lost all its ability to denounce and sensitize people when in `contagious contact with advertising. Published by an English daily before its official presentation, the photo provoked a controversy that extended from Great Britain throughout the world. The AIDS ad may, however be seen by some as trying to profit from peoples pain rather than simply offending the more traditionalist members of society. One British AIDS charity agreed, while some American gay activists disagree, saying the advertisements gives the issue a higher public profile. The parents of the dying man may feel the same since, according to Benetton, they approved the companys use of the photo. With this new project, Benetton has once again chosen to look reality in the face by embarking upon a social issue, as he did in previous campaigns that focused on war, Aids, discrimination and racism. Harshly attacked by some and internationally applauded by others, Benettons campaigns have managed to tear down the wall of indifference contributing at increasing the awareness of universal problems among worlds citizens. Both the advertisements, Benettons baby and looking death in the face Where concealed and eventually banned across the world. There is more to this than the old saying that all publicity is good publicity. Oliviero Toscani, Benettons adman, claims the campaigns are not designed to offend, but rather to raise consciousness. A more plausible interpretation is that Benetton is trying to sell sweaters to the young and hip and those who like to think of themselves in that way. What better means to appeal to them than by offending an older generation of their parents? 7th January 2000 At the beginning of the new millennium, Benetton publicized the real faces of the prisoners on death row, without a future. Remorseful or unremorseful, smiling or sad, healthy or ill, they all are guilty in the eyes of the human law. Many have their arms crossed; one is shown reading the Bible. Almost all of them are looking directly at the camera, at you. These portraits of dozens of individuals sentenced to death are the results of Oliviero Toscanis two years of work which he visited several American prisons. The campaign is about the death penalty this project aims at presentation to the public the reality of capital punishment, aiming to prevent people considering the death penalty as a distant matter, just something they might hear about on television. Toscanis images intend to give back a human face to the prisoners on death row, to remind respectable people who are always so sure theyre right that these people are human Beings not virtual characters easily removed or secured with a simple click as with a game. The campaign appeared on billboards and on the pages of the major publishing companies around Europe, America and Asia in January 2000. Toscani spoke for the prisoners when he said, that having killed has changed them forever, and for the worst. Speedy Rice a writer, on behalf of the NACDl (National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers) who has contributed to the campaign by patiently contacting and negotiating with prisons Mr. Rice mentions that during 1999 there has been a huge rise in the number of executions in the United States. Of the 600 death sentences that were passed between 1976 and the end of the 20thcentury, approximately 100 executions were carried out in 1999. Benetton advertisements to me have a strong meaning, which differs from individual to individual. For some the adverts are merely indicating how ignorant the world is today. How people emphasise on looking a certain way and how they foresee others. To others they may be seen as a source of entertainment something to discuss on the train or to your local cab driver that will never silence. There are many other views but mine is this I agree entirely with the advertisements, although others wont. The ads are unique and contain moral issues that may keep the brain puzzled all day to find. As there has been such uproar in disagreement concerning the ads this has given Benetton a vast amount of free advertisement. I like all the adverts I have been analysing although I do prefer the death row images. These appeal to me a majority more as they have more of a moral message, and become challenging to comprehend the death penalty law. You are left asking yourself, Do I agree with the death penalty? All of the benetton advertisements caused great amounts of controversial disagreement. The three mentioned esspecialy, as to more than half the world they have no meaning, as to others they offend highly.

The Role of Music During and After Puerto Rican Migration to the United

The Role of Music During and After Puerto Rican Migration to the United States For Puerto Ricans, music served infinite purposes. It allowed for the formation and reformation of cultural views and opinions, through the lyrics in the songs. These views were constantly changing, which in turn fed into the ever evolving identity of the Puerto Rican people. As a vehicle of expression it stimulated thought and provided a method of communication for the community. In The Puerto Rican community of New York City the increasing popularity of music indicated a desire for Puerto Rican based and oriented entertainment but more importantly for national unity. For the musicians themselves music served as an outlet for creativity while doubling as a secondary source of economic growth. In Puerto Rico music became the major avenue for social acceleration. Musicians on both the island and the mainland looked to music as a career choice that would eventually lead to amassed wealth. This opinion, however, was not universal as the upper classes saw music as simply a hobby. â€Å"The white and more affluent populations... did not see music as a step up the social or economic ladder† (Glasser 32). Many musicians migrated to the mainland in search of a musical career that would reap fame and fortune. â€Å"For blacks and mulattos from an impoverished background, music could be a means of upward mobility† (31). Within the confines of their economical situation there was a dire necessity for improvement that was readily available in the music industry or so they thought. Unfortunately the will and desire of the people did not suffice in a society where the mere color of the skin automatically closed many doors. This aspect of American soc... ...an era. For the Puerto Rican community music created an outlet for their pain and sorrow as seen in Lamento Borincano. Also it established a much needed nationally recognized identity based on a common culture as opposed to the pigmentation of the skin. Glasser’s loose interpretation of race channeled the readers attention more onto the issue of race and what it should mean. For Glasser race is equated with color. Although I disagree with the statement, it is a viable one. The ambiguity of the word creates the problem. Her inconsistency with her terms shows a lack of preparation. This problem could have been easily remedied with a brief explanation of the terms used and her stance on the issue. Bibliography Glasser, Ruth. My Music is my Flag: Puerto Rican Musicians and their New York Communities 1917-1940. (University of California Press: Berkeley, 1995).

Did Climate Effect Human Evolution

These drastic transformations in the planet's atmosphere have been the impetus of evolution among species and has sparked interest to geologist and paleoanthropologist for years, resulting in a number of hypothesis that â€Å"propose that climate-driven environmental changes during the past 7 million years were esponsible for hominin speciation, the morphological shift to bipedality, enlarged cranial capacity, and behavioral adaptability' (Behrensmeyer 476). For this theory to be properly supported, the antecedent question that needs to be identified is, do species adapt to change?Naturalist and geologist, Charles Darwin, supported this idea, stating â€Å"that living things adapt toa place- a habitat† Ooyce 1). He expressed this theory through the idea that animals and various primates partake in the act of natural selection. In 1997, the National Science Foundation (NSF) supported Darwin's heory by gathering a research team together and running a serious of studies that dem onstrated â€Å"that animals can adapt to sudden changes in their environment with surprising speed† (Dybas, Chery 1). Researchers Frank Shaw and Ruth Shaw of the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, and F.Helen Rodd of the University of California used wild guppies from the West Indies island of Trinidad and found that â€Å"fish that were moved from a predator-infested pool to a pool with Just one predator grew larger, lived longer and produced fewer but larger offspring. In the span of seven to 8 generations–between four and 1 1 years–they became more like the native guppies in the relatively predator-free environment† (Dybas, Chery 1). Although studies such as the one above indicates that species do indeed adapt to different environments, there still lies the question of if climate and evolution correlate.Anthropologist Rick Potts challenged this question. For many years, Potts has been â€Å"pushing the idea that climate made us† and that  "habitats kept changing because climates kept changing† Ooyce 1). For scientist to gain more knowledge and research n this idea, they need to get a fuller climate history in places where human ancestors lived. Which, in this case, would be in East Africa. The pulsed climate variability hypothesis states that about every 20,000 years ago, â€Å"the region vacillated between very dry and very wet periods† (Ferro 1).These extreme changes may have played a vital role in driving human evolution and researchers like Rick Potts and Mark Maslin dig and gather sediments from East African lakes by drilling into lake bottoms and retrieving tubes of muck that contain millions of years of climate history; anging from â€Å"the fossils of the plant pollen and the organisms that lived in the lakes that respond to climate, to the chemistry of the sediments that also can give us very detailed information about changes in temperature and precipitation† Ooyce 1).By collecting these tubes of muck, scientists can compare climate timelines to the fossil records ot our ancestors to see now climate attected evolution. Mark Maslin, who mainly focused on the findings form an East African Rift Valley, compared all the lakes that were known to have existed in the East African area over the last 5 million ears with climate and human evolution records. Maslin findings were that events such as when humans first migrated out of East Africa, all happened during the wetter periods found on the climate records.Major events in human history, including when humans first started to migrate out of East Africa, happened during wetter periods. It was found that the appearance of early Homo erectus correlates to when a number of deep freshwater lakes appeared. In a press statement, Maslin explained that our ancestors â€Å"had to deal with rapid switching from famine to feast† and back again. This, he says, was what drove the evolution of new species with bigger brains, and later forced them to migrate out of East Africa, moving down toward South Africa and north to Europe and Asia† (Ferro 1).By having these freshwater lakes that create lush vegetation, early humans would have been practically forced to migrate for the search of food water. Evaluations on lake sediment made it clear that East African lakes did in fact play a major role in the explanation of why and when hominin species migrated out of East Africa but after much speculation, it seems as though â€Å"we may have to consider that climate was not lways the underlying cause and that intrinsic social factors and interspecies competition may have play a significant role† (Ferro 1).

World Resources – scarcity and conflict

In the 1960s, one photograph changed the way world leaders, scientists and the general population thought about the management of the world's resources. People became concerned about the world's resources running out. This photograph was our Earth. When world leaders saw this photograph taken from space, the world looked for the first time the world looked small and finite, this is because there is so many people on this planet and there needs to be consideration on what resources we use, and how much we use of them. The term ‘spaceship earth' is applied here to describe how people felt about the Earth's resources†¦they were limited just as a spaceship has limited reserves of air, water and food. Before world leaders were in illusion thinking that the world's resources were in abundance. Some resources are non renewable meaning that after they run out there is no way of replacing them, and they only reform after millions of years these resources are called fossil fuels. There are three types of fossil fuels (crude oil, coal and natural gas). These resources are the resources the world should be concerned about and therefore use it sparingly. However the fossil fuels although the most important are not the only non renewable resources, others include food and forests. There are other resources called renewable energy sources which are starting to be developed such as biomass and wind power which takes the earth's natural processes such as wind and through certain mechanisms covert it into energy which can be used for electricity. So in answer to the question, the fossil fuels are the most important world resources, however there are other non renewable world resources that have to be carefully used otherwise certain things couldn't happen, for example imagine what the world would be like without out any wood. When the first maps of the world were created, many parts of the world were not discovered and therefore because society in that day and age believed in sea creatures and mermaids and other such things, everyone thought two things, firstly that at the end of the world was limitless and secondly that at the end of the worlds there were sea monsters. The first maps of the world were flat. Naturally many incorrect assumptions had been made, the world was not limitless and of course no sea monsters. However as countries began to be discovered the world seemed to become limitless and powerful. People began to have a care free attitude about the resources because they thought they would never run out. Things started to go downhill when it was discovered that the world was actually round, people started to believe that the world was not limitless, however they still remained in the delusion that the world's resources were not going to run out any time soon and then therefore continued with their care free attitude. It was not until the 1960's that people began to get worried about the world's resources and decide to do something not to waste electricity (which in theory is the product of fossil fuels). This diagram shows how many people began to care about the world. Background There are two main official views in regard to the world's resources running out. These are optimists and pessimists: Optimists View Optimists believe that the world's resources are eventually going to run out, but we can delay that happening, and our future is not doomed. Because the is such talk and media coverage of the world's resources running out optimists hope that people will alter their lifestyle and take certain measures to delay the world's resources running out such as turning their computers off at night. Optimists also believe because of advanced technology and science, we can discover more and more alternative fuels, optimists believe that people would use alternative energy sources as it is cheap and therefore more economical. In the future optimists believe that there should be a more equal distribution of the world's resources. Famous optimists include E.Boserup and J.Simon. Pessimists View These people believe that the world's resources have a finite limit and could eventually run out or be damaged beyond repair. In 1970, 10 countries, known as the Club of Rome, met in order to discuss resource management. Their report, entitled ‘The Limits to Growth', made predictions about a world where continued industrial and population growth would consume both resources and food supplies. This Club believed that population increase are the reason why world resources are running out because there is more demand for it; they put forward the idea of preventive checks. An example of one of their ideas is the one child policy; they wanted to make the one child and international policy. Famous pessimists include P.Ehrlich. Factors that are causing the World's Resources to Decrease There are a few main factors that are causing the world's resources to decrease. Population Because there is such a growth of population, people are needing more and more energy in their house. This is best displayed in a case study: In the year 2000 Family A (comprising of a husband and wife) used 20,000kg of energy per year. In 2002 they had their first child. Before Family A didn't watch that much T.V., however now because their child needs entertainment, the T.V. is turned on for the whole day even if the child is not watching. So in 2003 their yearly consumption increased to 25,000kg. Now think of this on an international scale and everyday the population is using up more and more world resources. Optimists say that creating new alternative energy sources rather than using the fossil fuels up, is the way forward. Pessimists say that the way forward is to enforce an international one child policy, to over populated areas to balance the population out to one of an optimum population. However I agree with the pessimists but I don't think there should be an international one child policy, but as a whole unit we need to find a method to achieve optimum population and taking into consideration a specific area's carrying capacity and therefore move into the direction of sustainable development. Economic Threats Because of the current economic downturn people are turning to cheaper ways to provide heat, water and electricity to their houses they are put off by the idea of alternative energy sources such as solar panels because they can't afford it Case Study-Diamonds (Sierra Leone) In this day and age diamonds are such a controversial issue, as most people in the West think diamonds are nice stones that are on their rings, however twenty years ago 40% of all diamonds were somehow in the process of buying/selling at least one illegal transaction was carried out, now due to the Kimberly agreement and other factors including media this figure has decreased to 25%. Diamonds are a world resource that is limited as they will eventually run out. Sierra Leone is a country located in the north west of Africa. Sierra Leone is one of the largest diamond producer in the world this is because of it's geographical location, it's relief and finally because it has so many mines. This is still unfortunately has not lead to the economic development of the country, because rebel troops take over the mines and take all profits. Sometimes diamonds are fought over; these diamonds are known as conflict/blood diamonds. Sierra Leone's Conflict Diamonds In 1991, Sierra Leone a rebel force known as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) launched assaults against the government. A military government was set up, yet this did not deter the RUF attacks. From the beginning, the RUF became allies with Liberia. Their goal was officially to combat crime and corruption but it soon became clear that their main aim was to take control of the diamond mines. The RUF would take prisoners and enslave them to work in the diamond mines. The work conditions were horrible and they were punished for the slightest things. Anyone opposed to the RUF's methods and practices would be brutally punished. All this was unknown to – or perhaps ignored by – the outside world for many years. UN studies estimate that about $125 million worth of rough diamonds were bought by the diamond industry in Europe alone! The equivalent of this money is tens of thousands of people killed and even more hurt. It was only in 1999 that the UN deployed a mission to Sie rra Leone to deal with the problem of Sierra Leone Conflcit Diamonds. Since then, sanctions have been put in place so as to curb such illegal activities. The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme requires a paper trail that certifies the origin of rough diamonds. This aims to cut off the flow of diamonds from countries like Sierra Leone. The question that remains to be answered today is whether the paper trail that accompanies each diamond shipment is for real. Certificates can be forged. Rough diamonds can be smuggled into a â€Å"clean† country. After that, there would be no way of knowing where the gems came from. There is always a willing market somewhere in another country. Traders and buyers don't always ask questions. They are just happy to buy and line their pockets. In an area inflicted with suffering and poverty, there is always an official who would be willing to accept bribes. All it takes is one person to overlook a shipment of blood diamonds. For all we know, there might still be a steady flow of rough conflict diamonds coming from the mines of Sierra Leone today. We do not know any of these facts and figures exactly as the Government is reluctant to let media or aid into the country. In 2000 the BBC published a moving article and photo about diamonds in Sierra Leone. Effects of the BBC Article and Photo The BBC article had a resounding effect on the rest f the world not only did people become more interested in where their diamonds came from, but starting to buy ethical diamonds. Also Kanye West (singer) released a controversial song about diamonds in Sierra Leone which caused more and more people to take an interest of the origins of the diamonds. Also Kanye West refused to wear any type of ‘bling' which influenced many children. Artificial/Man made Diamonds ‘Science have finally found a way to make diamonds-Bad News for Sierra Leone' this was a news headline a few years ago form the BBC. Everyone knew the time would come when science would be able to find a way to make diamonds. There is a plus side and down side for this, firstly the up side. If more people buy synthetic diamonds because they are cheaper, then more people would stop buying diamonds that have been sold but rebel forces. However on the down side the economy of Sierra Leone is plummeting to all time low because more and more people are buying synthetic diamonds because of the recession. The Kimberly Process The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (Kimberley Process) is an international governmental certification scheme that was set up to prevent the trade in diamonds that fund conflict. Launched in January 2003, the scheme requires governments to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are free from blood diamonds. Case Study-Water (Across the Globe) Water is a world resource as we rely on it thoroughly and if we didn't have the sad reality is we would die. Water is not at the moment is shortage, but the way consumption is going in the West in the next one hundred years it could well become shortage. We have a good supply of water in the West, however in LEDCs, water is quite hard to lay hands on. Water is one of the prime essentials for life as we know it. The plain fact is – no water, no life! This becomes all the more worrying when we realise that the worlds supply of drinkable water will soon diminish quite rapidly. In fact a recent report commissioned by the United Nations has emphasised that by the year 2025 at least 66% of the worlds population will be without an adequate water supply. Incalculable damage. As a disaster in the making water shortage ranks in the top category. Without water we are finished, and it is thus imperative that we protect the mechanism through which we derive our supply of this life giving fluid. Unfortunately the exact opposite is the case. We are doing incalculable damage to the planets capacity to generate water and this will have far ranging consequences for the not too distant future. Bleak future The United Nations has warned that burning of fossil fuels is the prime cause of water shortage. While there may be other reasons such as increased solar activity it is clear that this is a situation over which we can exert a great deal of control. If not then the future will be very bleak indeed! Already the warning signs are there. Droughts The last year has seen devastating heatwaves in many parts of the world including the USA where the state of Texas experienced its worst drought on record. Elsewhere in the United States forest fires raged out of control, while other regions of the globe experienced drought conditions that were even more severe. Parts of Iran, Afgahnistan, China and other neighbouring countries experienced their worst droughts on record. These conditions also extended throughout many parts of Africa and it is clear that if circumstances remain unchanged we are facing a disaster of epic proportions. Moreover it will be one for which there is no easy answer. Dangers. The spectre of a world water shortage evokes a truly frightening scenario. In fact the United Nations warns that disputes over water will become the prime source of conflict in the not too distant future. Where these shortages become ever more acute it could forseeably lead to the brink of nuclear conflict. On a lesser scale water, and the price of it, will acquire an importance somewhat like the current value placed on oil. The difference of course is that while oil is not vital for life, water most certainly is! Power shift. It seems clear then that in future years countries rich in water will enjoy an importance that perhaps they do not have today. In these circumstances power shifts are inevitable, and this will undoubtedly create its own strife and tension. Nightmare situation. In the long term the implications do not look encouraging. It is a two edged sword. First the shortage of water, and then the increased stresses this will impose upon an already stressed world of politics. It means that answers need to be found immediately. Answers that will both improve the damage to the environment, and also find new sources of water for future consumption. If not, and the problem is left unresolved there will eventually come the day when we shall find ourselves with a nightmare situation for which there will be no obvious answer. Conclusion Overall I feel that we should be optimistic about the resource management in the future however we should guard about being complacent and consequently wasteful. Science is developing quickly and in the future there will be a system of some sort to enable better management of the resources. However again this doesn't mean we can be wasteful, also we have to make sure that we use certain resources more conservatively to ensure future generations live happily. On the other hand however if we implant many more alternative energy resources (i.e. wind power instead of coal) then future generations will use them as the norm, rather than the present day generation who have to deal with this cross over stage that we are undergoing now-the Government encouraging other sources of energy, however when we look at these the prices are sky high. To ensure that we manage resources so that it is more sustainable, I propose certain plans: 1) Increase price of electricity and gas, decrease price of alternative energy sources (for example solar panels). This would hopefully on the economic side of things encourage people to use alternative fuel. 2) Carry out a major distribution project of the world resources, ensuring each country has roughly the same amount. 3) Set up a kind of police to make sure diamonds are not being sold or mined illegally, through slavery or through violence. This will ensure the decrease the amount of conflict or blood diamonds. Finally, I have outlined five strategies for using more sustainability in my daily life: 1) Have a shower, rather than a bath. This will decrease the amount of water I use, reduce the water bills and make it more efficient cleaning process. 2) When shopping with my parents, I should encourage them to look at the label and check where the product comes from, and therefore try to get the product, which has the least food miles. 3) Encourage my parents to buy energy saving bulbs, which last longer, and are more sustainable. 4) When going out turn off my computer rather than leaving it on standby. 5) When making a cup of tea, don't fill the kettle right to the top, as that wastes, water and energy.

Politics of Subsidies and World Trade

Politics of Subsidies and World Trade Introduction The modern world is characterized by unprecedented levels of interaction between people of different nations and cultures. This phenomena has been promoted by globalization, which is a process typified by the immense integration of economies and cultures.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Politics of Subsidies and World Trade specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As globalization has increased, the volume of international trade has risen with all nations in the world expanding their list of international trade partners. To promote fairness in international trade, various trade-governing bodies have been established to deal with trade rules among nations. One of the issues that these trade-governing bodies such as the World trade Organization (WTO) have had to deal with is subsidies. Most nations regard subsidies as important policy instruments for ensuring their economic well-being in a competitive wor ld market. However, economists contend that subsidies lead to many negative results and adversely affect world trade. This paper will discuss the politics of subsidies and world trade so as to demonstrate that while subsidies have positive and negative impacts, pervasive subsidization is harmful to world trade. Definition of Subsidies The WTO defines a subsidy as a financial contribution by a government or any public body within the territory of a Member (Ryan, 2006, p. 126). Subsidies may be implemented when the government is involved in the direct transfer of such funds as grants or loans to an industry or when the government forgoes taxes that had already been accrued by an industry. Subsidization can also occur when the government provides goods or services that do are not necessary for the entire public but rather beneficial for specific industries. Ryan (2006) states that another way in which subsidies can exist is if a government reduces the price of a primary product with th e aim of giving the country a greater share of the export. Whatever the form they take, subsidies represent assistance from the government to producers or distributors in specific industries. Need for Subsidies Subsidies are an important policy instrument in the international trade system. They provide individual governments with the means through which to pursue industrial development and ensure the livelihoods of their citizens. Subsidies help to prevent the decline of an industry due to intense external competition or high production costs (Anderson, 2010). World trade has exposed local producers in most countries to immense pressure. Sectors such as agricultural production in developed countries have faced stiff competition leading to significant reduction in competitive advantages.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Subsidies are crucial for the industri al development of a country since they enable new technology to compete favorably with mature technologies. Historically, subsidies were responsible for the initial growth and development of commercial air transport (Kim, 2007). When commercial airline were first introduced, they had to compete with well established modes of transportation such as automobiles, ships, and trains. Because of the huge cost of air transport and the safety concerns, the private investors could not succeed in the industry without government support. Huge government subsidies helped the airline industry to develop in its initial stages and become self-reliant. Impacts of Subsidies Positive Impacts Subsidies ensure the survival of vital industries in a country. In most developed nations, the agricultural industry is not competitive since most people are involved in the manufacturing and service industry. In addition to this, the local farmers cannot compete with farmers from developing nations who have l ow production costs leading to cheap food products in the international market. Governments argue that agricultural subsidies are an issue of national concern since food self-sufficiency is integral to national security. Goodman (2010) notes that food security in the US is ensured through farm subsidies, which allow US farmers to stay in business. Without these subsidies, the industry would collapse and the nation would be forced to rely on other countries for its food greatly compromising the independence of the nation. Subsidies help to ensure stability in the market and protect consumers from the volatility of the international trade environment. For example, the world oil prices are constantly fluctuating due to the changing demand for the commodity. Oil is integral for the energy needs of all countries but since most countries do not have this resource, they have to rely on the foreign oil-producing nations. Through subsidization, governments are able to keep petroleum costs lo w and stable therefore promoting industrial development in the country (Kim, 2007). Without subsidization, the economic growth and development of the country would be deterred since operation costs for industries would be markedly higher. Subsidies have promoted the development of alternative energy technologies, therefore increasing the likelihood of energy sustainability in the future. Kim (2007) reveals that subsidies have played a major role in the development of solar power and accelerated the adoption of less polluting technology by industry. Subsidies in alternative energy technologies are offered under the assumption that as the technologies mature and become mainstream; the cost of products will move downwards making governmental assistance unnecessary.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Politics of Subsidies and World Trade specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Negative Impacts Subsidization in the agri cultural sector is harmful to the economic well-being of developing nations. Agriculture has emerged as the most sensitive topic in world trade and subsidization. Shumaker (2007) suggests that the sensitivity of agriculture can be attributed to the vast potential for trade that this industry presents. Each country therefore exhibits a drive to maximize the economic advantages available through agricultural trade for social, economic, and political reasons. Shumaker (2007) observes that most developing countries have few opportunities other than agriculture for trade and development and most of their exports consist of agricultural products. In spite of this reality, developed nations engage in subsidizing to protect their local producers. Farmers in developed nations such as the US exert great political pressures on their government to sustain subsidization and farm protectionist measures. Subsidies have contributed to the poverty experienced by farmers in developing nations. Rivoli (2009) agrees that rich country subsidies to their local farmers have a role to play in the difficulties experienced by farmers in the third world countries. Due to aggressive subsidization by developed nations, prices for agricultural products are kept artificially low since subsidies lead to an overproduction of commodities hence decreasing world market prices. Anderson (2010) reveals that foreign exchange from farming in most developing countries has been depressed by subsidies by governments of richer countries to their local farmers. This statement is corroborated by Rivoli (2009) who documents that a primary effect of US government subsidies for cotton producers is the increase in supply of cotton grown in the US and a decline in world cotton prices by up to 15%. The US domestic subsidy program puts downward pressure on the world price therefore penalizing other exporting countries. Subsidies promote inefficiencies in the market since producers are not penalized for engaging in inefficient practices. Kim (2007) asserts that subsidies prolong the life of inefficient firms and increase the tax burden on the nations citizenry. Subsidies guarantee producers that they will make a profit even if they engage in inefficient practices. The market is prevented from working in its natural way and the producers gain an unfair competitive advantage. Subsidies give unfair advantages to some countries on the international market. The EU and the US engage in export subsidization to promote local production of some goods. While such moves are beneficial to the producers, they lead to trade distorting (Rivoli, 2009).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Producers from the subsidizing countries have an unfair advantage over producers from countries that do not subsidize their products. This unfair advantage created by subsidies has the potential to damage international trade as nations take up protectionist measures in retaliation to export subsidies by other nations. These retaliations might include trade restrictions and imposition of high tariffs on imports to protect the local market. Such measures are against the trade liberalization efforts of world trade. Addressing the Subsidies Issue The negative effects of subsidies present significant problems in the development of world trade. To address the negative impacts of subsidies on world trade, the WTO has a well-defined political framework for resolving issues between countries and negotiating trade rules for the trading member states. This organization also has an Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, which aims to restrict the use of subsidies by individual coun tries (Ryan, 2006). The WTO has set up rules that prohibit member countries from aggressive subsidization that might hurt other nations. Measures have been taken to address the issue of trade distorting caused by rampant subsidization. WTO member states have been provided with a forum for presenting cases against nations that are considered to be engaging in aggressive subsidization. Using the Discussion and Conclusion Government policy makers and economists agree that international trade is crucial for the economic development of a country and it is one of the ways through which poverty can be eradicated especially in developing nations. However, for this to occur international trade has to be fair and beneficial to all the parties engaged in trading. Most subsidies lead to unfair trade and reduce the economic advantages that world trade might offer to a country. For example, excessive agricultural subsidies by developed nations have led to a reduction of national and global econom ic welfare and led to trade restriction. This paper set out to highlight the politics of subsidies and world trade with special focus on the impacts of subsidization. The discussions provided in this paper highlight that subsidies have beneficial and damaging impacts on the individual countrys economy and world trade. The paper has noted that subsidies are necessary to promote industrial growth, encourage new technologies, and protect local industries from volatile markets. However, aggressive subsidizing leads to trade distorting in the international trade arena therefore depriving third world countries of export currency in agriculture. From the arguments provided in this paper, it is clear that subsidies cannot be dismissed since they are a tool that countries can take to protect their own economic interests and the wellbeing of their citizens. However, steps should be taken to deal with subsidies that lead to negative trade outcomes in order for all nations to benefit mutually f rom world trade. References Anderson, K. (2010). Can the WTO reduce agricultural trade distortions? The Journal of International Trade Economic Development, 19(1), 109–134. Goodman, R. (2010). A five-Point Defense of Farm Subsidies. Retrieved from: http://alfafarmers.org/programs/ Kim, K.H. (2007). The Impact of Subsidies on Global Markets. Proceedings of the Northeast Business Economics Association, 12(1), 28-31. Rivoli, P. (2009). The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade. NY: John Wiley Sons Ryan, L. (2006). Dogfight: Criticizing the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures Amidst the Largest Dispute in World Trade Organization History. North Carolina Journal of International Law Commercial Regulation, 32(1), p115-157 Shumaker, M.J. (2007). Tearing the Fabric of the World Trade Organization: United States Subsidies on Upland Cotton. North Carolina Journal of International Law Commer cial Regulation, 32(3), 547-603.

Biography of Mary Jackson, NASAs First Female Black Engineer

Biography of Mary Jackson, NASA's First Female Black Engineer Mary Jackson (April 9, 1921 – February 11, 2005)  was an aerospace engineer and mathematician for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (later the National Aeronautics and Space Administration). She became NASA’s first black female engineer and worked to improve hiring practices for women at the administration. Fast Facts: Mary Jackson Full Name:  Mary Winston JacksonOccupation: Aeronautical engineer and mathematicianBorn: April 9, 1921 in  Hampton, VirginiaDied:  February 11, 2005 in Hampton,  VirginiaParents:  Frank and Ella WinstonSpouse:  Levi Jackson Sr.Children: Levi Jackson Jr. and Carolyn Marie Jackson LewisEducation: Hampton University, BA in mathematics and BA in physical science; further graduate training at the University of Virginia Personal Background Mary Jackson was the daughter of Ella and Frank Winston, from Hampton, Virginia. As a teenager, she attended the all-black George P. Phenix Training School and graduated with honors. She was then accepted to Hampton University, a private, historically black university in her hometown. Jackson earned dual bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and physical science and graduated in 1942. For a time, Jackson found only temporary employment and jobs that did not line up fully with her expertise. She worked as a teacher, a bookkeeper, and even as a receptionist at one point. Throughout this time- and, in fact, throughout her life- she also privately tutored high school and college students. In the 1940s, Mary married Levi Jackson. The couple had two children: Levi Jackson Jr. and Carolyn Marie Jackson (later Lewis). Computing Career Mary Jackson’s life continued in this pattern for nine years until 1951. That year, she became a clerk at the Office of the Chief Army Field Forces at Fort Monroe, but soon moved to another government job. She was recruited by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to be a â€Å"human computer† (formally, a research mathematician) in the West Computing group at the organization’s Langley, Virginia facility. For the next two years, she worked under Dorothy Vaughan in the West Computers, a segregated division of black female mathematicians. Mathematician Mary Jackson, the first black woman engineer at NASA poses for a photo at work at NASA Langley Research Center in 1977 in Hampton, Virginia.   Bob Nye / NASA / Getty Images In 1953, she began working for engineer Kazimierz Czarnecki in the Supersonic Pressure Tunnel. The tunnel was a crucial apparatus for research on aeronautical projects and, later, the space program. It functioned by generating winds so fast that they were nearly twice the speed of sound, which was used to study the effects of forces on models. Czarnecki was impressed by Jacksons work and encouraged her to get the qualifications necessary to be promoted to a full engineer position. However, she faced several obstacles to that goal. There had never been a black female engineer at NACA, and the classes Jackson needed to take in order to qualify weren’t easy to attend. The problem was that the graduate-level math and physics classes she needed to take were offered as night classes through the University of Virginia, but those night classes were held at the nearby Hampton High School, an all-white school. Jackson had to petition the courts for permission to attend those classes. She was successful and was permitted to finish the courses. In 1958, the same year that NACA became NASA, she was promoted to aerospace engineer, making history as the organization’s first black female engineer. Groundbreaking Engineer As an engineer, Jackson remained at the Langley facility, but moved over to work at the Theoretical Aerodynamics Branch of the Subsonic-Transonic Aerodynamics Division. Her work focused on analyzing data produced from those wind tunnel experiments as well as actual flight experiments. By gaining a better understanding of air flow, her work helped improve aircraft design. She also used her wind tunnel knowledge to help her community: in the 1970s, she worked with young African American children to create a mini version of a wind tunnel. Over the course of her career, Mary Jackson authored or co-authored twelve different technical papers, many about the results of the wind tunnel experiments. By 1979, she achieved the most senior position possible for a woman in the engineering department, but could not break through to management. Instead of remaining at this level, she agreed to take a demotion in order to work in the Equal Opportunity Specialist department instead. She received specialized training at NASA headquarters before returning to the Langley facility. Her work focused on helping women, black employees, and other minorities advance in their careers, advising them on how to get promotions and working to highlight those who were particularly high-achieving in their particular fields. During this time in her career, she held multiple titles, including Federal Women’s Program Manager in the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs and Affirmative Action Program Manager. In 1985, Mary Jackson retired from NASA at the age of 64. She lived for another 20 years, working in her community and continuing her advocacy and community engagement. Mary Jackson died on February 11, 2005 at the age of 83. In 2016, she was one of three main women profiled in Margot Lee Shetterly’s book Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race and its subsequent movie adaptation, in which she was portrayed by Janelle Mone. Sources â€Å"Mary Winston-Jackson. Biography, https://www.biography.com/scientist/mary-winston-jackson.Shetterly, Margot Lee. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race. William Morrow Company, 2016.Shetterly, Margot Lee. â€Å"Mary Jackson Biography.† National Aeronautics and Space Administration, https://www.nasa.gov/content/mary-jackson-biography.

Critically Analyse the Impact of Psychological Coping Strategies on Research Paper

Critically Analyse the Impact of Psychological Coping Strategies on the Patients Life Outcome - Research Paper Example The uncertainty in the outcomes of the various studies was taken into consideration to stress the need for further research to cope with the pain and handicap reducing methods by dealing with the patient psychologically were discussed. The psychological impact of the support given by the family members, friends and society were taken into consideration and the result of the reaction of the disabled person was also mentioned. The life outcomes of a lower limb amputated are physical, psychological and psychosocial conditions. This situation is somewhat out of the limits of the surgeon or a doctor. The nurses attending the patient during the course in the hospital and after discharge have more roles to play. The time taken to adjust to the disability depends on the nature of the patient. Though the time of adjustment depends on the sex also, it depends more on the circumstances. Men are more worried about losing their opportunities if they are the supporters of the family. (I think there should be the reference to suppose) The same worry plays with the women also, if they have the responsibility of supporting the family. So the study about coping with the disability depends more on the support the disabled person gets from the hospital, family, friends, and relatives decide the course of acceptance and his will of acceptance finally plays a critical role in coping with the problem. 'Coping' is the word used by health professionals, which means about the patient's understanding and managing the situations that arise due to the disability. Body image and disturbance of self-esteem were the main issues that affect the disabled person. The lot of literature till date that focussed on leg amputation can be divided into three categories: 1.Clinical observations of psychosocial responses, experiences, and expected phase for adaptation; 2.detailed in nature, empirical studies that show the effect of particular psychosocial responses and experiences among those with limb losses and 3. the investigations, which are related to each other and enable one to predict the relationship between a host of socio-demographic, experiential, personality, environmental, and disability-related variables and certain psychosocial indices of adaptation to the traumatic loss1. The results of clinical observations link the loss of lower limb to castration, loss of the spouse, and even equal to capital punishment in some sensitive persons. One thing in common is that the people who are amputated feel more depression, tension, and pressure when they think about daily life activities and future course of action. The empirical research on amputated persons has gathered the results regarding predictive power of a person's socio-demographic characteristics (present age, age at the time of amputation, marital status), disability-related variables, psychological variables and the context of the environment.