The Advance of Technology and Pollution

Here is a quote that I believe tells the entire story of mankind†s existence: â€Å"Man's long adventure with knowledge has, to a very marked degree, been a climb up the heat ladder†¦. Today the flames grow hotter in the furnaces†¦. The creature that crept furred through the glitter of blue glacial nights lives surrounded by the hiss of steam, the roar of engines, and the bubbling of vats†¦. And he is himself a flame — a great, roaring, wasteful furnace devouring irreplaceable substances of the earth.† –Loren Eiseley, anthropologist and essayist (1907-1977), Man the Firemaker As this quote from Loren Eisely suggests the relationship between the advancement of technology and the increase in pollution has gone hand in hand throughout the ages of mankind. Humans are very much responsible for their actions and have and will continue to feel the impact of the carelessness that they have shown toward mother earth. Studies of temperature records preserved deep in the underground rocks show that the Earth has been gradually warming over at least the last 500 years. These studies, done by scientists in the US and Canada, show that the trend of the increase in climate has increased on an increasing pace during the 20th century, which was the warmest of the past five centuries. Since 1500, the Earth†s temperature has increased by about one degree Celsius, with eighty percent of that increase during the last century. In the northern hemisphere, the five-century long change has been 1.1 degrees, with 0.6 occurring since 1900. There have been numerous extreme changes in the climate throughout the world that have had astonishing effects on the people, wildlife, and environment. Many of these events have led to people having to vastly change their lifestyle or have to move out the area due to the fact that living conditions are unsafe. In the summer of 1998, Dallas, Texas recorded a deadly heat wave. Heat claimed more than 100 lives in the region, as temperatures were over 100 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 straight days. Waimea Bay, Hawaii is has also seen its share of misfortune. Along with costal development, sea levels have risen contributing to considerable beach loss over the past 90 years. In October of 1998, Hurricane Mitch dumped between three and six feet of rain within 48 hours over most of Central America. Mitch killed more than 10,000 people in mudslides and floods, triggered a cholera epidemic, and virtually wiped out the economies of Honduras and Nicaragua. Several days after the horrendous hurricane in Central America, a large meeting in Buenos Aires met at the fourth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Many at the conference pointed to Hurricane Mitch as an example of the catastrophes that will await our world if we do not act immediately to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and other so called greenhouse gasses. Various experts blame many different sources of technological change and events for this vast change in temperature throughout the world. The fact is, not just one major event or area is the sole cause of this. Fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide when burned, are used to generate electricity, heat and light homes and workplaces, power factories and run cars. Experts suggest that unless we reduce population growth and use of fossil fuels, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will double by sometime in the middle of the next century. Starting in the mid-1700s, human activities began to alter the composition of the atmosphere. Vast supplies of charcoal, and later coal and oil, fed the growing fires of the Industrial Revolution. The carbon stored in these fuels was released to the air as carbon dioxide, which is a gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. Today, for every one of the more than 5.8 billion people on Earth, nearly six tons of carbon dioxide are spewed into the air annually. As a result of our activities, the atmospheric concentration of this heat-trapping gas has risen by more than 30 percent in the last 250 years. The future of Earth's climate will depend partly on the buildup of heat-trapping gases, primarily carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere. One of the major problems of global warming is that it exists as an environmental issue only because of science. People can†t directly sense global warming, the way they can see a clear-cut forest or inhale the urban smog in their lungs. This is an enormous issue to overcome if anything is going to be done. New information is now being presented to the public†s eye everyday, giving them new and more accurate facts on such issues. People are starting to become aware of the consequences of their actions. However, even though the facts are present, very little is being done. Only in the most affected areas are people trying to fix the problem. It seems like no one really cares about it, until it happens to them. To me this seems like it could be the largest feat for us as humans to overcome in the prevention of man-made global warming. What sort of astronomical disaster must happen to get us to pay attention to what we are doing in our lives? Is it going to take a major flood across the US that destroys numerous states? What about miles of coastline to be taken by rising sea levels? These are the issues that scare me the most. I truly believe that something must be done, and it must be done now. Another large area of pollution due to technological advancement is water pollution. This pollution takes place by three different types of activities: agricultural, municipal, and industrial. The worst part of this pollution is the fact the actual pollution is a form called non-point source pollution. This is where the source of the actual pollution may be hard to identify and it possibly doesn†t even affect the areas around the point, but possibly downstream or scattered over a wide area. Due to this it makes the pollution extremely hard to regulate. The advancement in agricultural activities of the US and other developed countries, such as new and stronger types insecticides, herbicides, pesticides, along with the large-scale cattle and hog lots provide large amounts run-off. This run-off contains a high content of fertilizers, animal wastes, and silt which go in to the surface waters. This results in an increase in the nutrients in the water called eutrophication. Eutrophication causes rapid growth in algae and bacteria in the water. This is tragic to the fish and other things because the algae use up all of the oxygen in the water and the fish suffocate. The run-off of the silt causes water to become very unattractive for recreation and also covers up fish spawning sites. Many theories and ideas have been developed in an effort to help control the major productive source of these agricultural activities. The success or failure of any agricultural non-point source pollution control project depends on the participation of the many landowners and farm operators. These producers must install or utilize land-based treatments, or best management practices (BMPs), that minimize the movement of agricultural pollutants such as sediments, nutrients, and pesticides to water resources. One of such is organic farming. Organic farming avoids the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Another is to avoid large concentrations of animals, which can reduce nutrient pollution, and their waste can be used as fertilizer for crops. Also, other certain cropping methods can reduce the erosion of sediment from the land. As our municipal wants and needs advance, more, and more municipal pollution occurs. The salt from snow removal activities increases the cost of purification. As we consume more, we also throw more away, as the increase in landfills needed throughout the country has been rapidly increasing. These landfills allow large amounts of chemicals to enter into the ground water, which in turn also increases the cost of purification. Inadequate sewer water treatment facilities lead to the possible outbreak of enteric diseases. The last source of water pollution is that of the industrial activities. As the times change, so do that of the modern industry. Companies are always trying to find ways to decrease their costs, in turn to increase their profit margins. Many times these costs are converted into the pollution of water. Industrial pollution of water comes in many different shapes and forms. The chemicals that industries use get into the water supply by various means. These chemicals increase the existence of numerous diseases and the cost of the purification of the water for drinking. One of the sources of water pollution one rarely thinks of, as pollution, is one called thermal pollution. Thermal pollution is from the warm water discharges that an industry emits into various bodies of water. This kills coldwater fish and also increases the costs of water treatment. Overall, there is much to be done in this world in an effort to help control the increased pollution by technological advancement. In my opinion, I believe that the answers to the prevention in pollution are ironically a part of our technological advancement. As we learn of what types of things are really making a significant impact on the environment, we will be able to develop steps to counter the effects of the harmful pollutants that we are causing.

Missing the Target

This article is written to the general public.   It is begging the question, how do we close the gap? The school district or town of Ossining is struggling to get to the root of the great racial divide. However, the bigger question, is it race, is the real issue.   Is it socioeconomic or an even greater issue at hand?   The values stressed in this article are of education, equality and integration. The author whole-heartedly believes that the great racial divide is what hinders many African-American and Latino students.   The author also points out that the students have benefited from the integration and provides examples in the article of said benefits. Let us examine the points a little further. The article asks the question, ‘can the town continue to use racial targeting to close the achievement gap?’ Is that what is going on? According to the article, ‘†they're doing a lot of things, but it's not clear that they're working.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ He (Noguera) says the results of his research are forthcoming.   Pedro Noguera is a New York University sociologists and nationally known expert in the achievement gap (Goldstein). He does not see how this is helping but gives the school an A for effort.   However, effort alone does not achieve results, especially in this instance.   I do not see the efforts of Ossining as an academic achievement, but as a social one. It is irrelevant as to whether I agree with the values of the article, although I do. However, the values of integration do not solve the problems of the educational divide, which is the point or thesis of the article.   What is stressed here is how African-Americans do better in the workforce when they are put in integrated environments and pregnancy rates are lowered for Latina and African-American teenagers, but what does that have to do with education? The sociological gap presented here is really what is being questioned.   However, that is not achieving equality in higher education. Programs such as the Boy Scouts of America or summer enrichment programs can achieve integration or exposure to a less segregated social experience.   The question in the article is about closing the achievement gap and that is not being addressed or answered in this article. The author values integration, equal opportunity, enrichment exposure and self-esteem.   However, if the parents of the affluent are the only ones involved, then there will only be a social integration.   Achievement comes from involvement and reinforcement at home.   There are few children that can achieve anything with parents who cannot understand and assist in homework or academic endeavors.   That is discouraging.   My take on it is to target parents and to teach them about what good study habits are.   It does not matter if the children are being targeted if it is not reinforced at home. There are only a minute amount of children that can make achievements in dire circumstances.   If the parents are telling the children to work hard or that they need them to get a job to help out with bills and other extenuating circumstances, such things can and will deter academic achievement.   There are statistics that show parents that read have children that read.   The emphasis on education starts at home and if there is a sociological disadvantage, then that is what needs to be addressed and resolved since, obviously, such efforts as in the Ossining school are missing the target; educational equality.

Mathew Restall’s Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest Essay

Mathew Restall’s Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest is a well-written book that serves an important purpose. That purpose being: the debunking of generally accepted falsehoods about the Spanish Conquest beginning in the 15th century. Restall’s book is separated into seven chapters that specifically address general myths most historians and students perceive as basic — universal truths. Restall uses the term â€Å"myth† to describe the inaccurate/fictitious depiction of history â€Å"commonly taken to be true, partially or absolutely.† These â€Å"myths† are the progenitors of unintentionally self-centered perceptions of events historically recorded in subjectivity. The Self-absorption, relating to the over exaggeration and mystification of the Spanish Conquest, germinated over time. Excitements about the â€Å"New World† took Spain by storm and subsequently lead to a heterogeneity of mythical depictions. The chapters of the book discuss seven myths; the myth of exceptional men, the king’s army, the white conquistador, completion, (mis) communication, native desolation, and superiority. Too much credit is given to the men who were apart of the conquest. These men are credited for innovating a unique skill set that allowed them to conquer the natives when in reality, they were merely utilizing strategies and techniques the Spaniards had been using for years in their conflicts in North Africa and other regions. Restall relied heavily on the writings of the conquistadors and natives to determine the truth behind all of the myth and folklore. A common myth is that the conquistadors were sent directly by the king of Spain to conquer the Americas as soldiers but Restall proves this myth to be incorrect based off of the writings of the conquistadors themselves. These men had a variety of â€Å"identities, occupations, and motivations—and were far more interesting than that.â⠂¬  Another common misconception speaks of the exclusivity and efficiency as to which the conquest was achieved. The myth is that the conquistadors conquered the America’s relatively quickly in a sovereign effort but Restall explains that the Spaniards had a lot of help from the Natives and African’s and the â€Å"completion† of conquest was anything but; as mass portions of the land remained unscathed by the conquest. Restall effortlessly explains how the conquistador myths of superior communication between the Spaniards and Natives were just as fabricated as the modern misconception of inferior communication by historians. The communication between the two, or lack thereof, fell somewhere between both myths. Restall uses his concise writing style to explain the resilience of the Natives, debunking the myth of Native desolation and how the myth of superiority derives from Eurocentric beliefs of racial dominance which lead to racist ideologies that â€Å"underpinned colonial expansion from the late fifteenth to early twentieth centuries.† Restall’s work in this book administers a revitalizing dose of truth to historic and modern misconceptions of the Spanish Conquest. The book is not very long but it is written in an entertaining prose that fluidly transitions between concepts. The arguments are solid and detailed making it almost too easy to follow. Restall’s research seemingly taunts historic perspective and makes you question how you could have ever believed the contrary. His clear and concise depiction of events paint an obvious picture of subjectivity on the part of the conquistadors and embellishment on the part of historians. The book challenges all major explanations of the Spanish Conquest and blames them on Eurocentric ideologies that boast racial superiority. It was this racist misconception that lead to an embellishment of circumstances over time. Historians rewrote history in a way that made them look far more superior then that of the Natives but Restall lays those misconceptions to rest. The book focuses on the big ideas that are – and have been – generally accepted as common knowledge, which is a much larger task than tackling ambiguous points that could be argued either way. Although this book isn’t very long, it is a very ambitious and bold correction of facile arguments that have stood the test of time. Restall’s critique and correction of the Spanish Conquest should be read on all levels of education. High school students should read this book as they begin to establish a basic level of understanding of these historical events. College students can use this text to challenge their established beliefs and grow their knowledge of the subject matter by gaining a new and exciting perspective. Teachers and professors can gain to learn more about the subject so that they may foster engaging debates and discussion in class on the course material. While this book challenges the accuracy or lack-thereof, of a specific historical event, it subsequently forces us as student, teachers and historians to view all events in history with a healthy sense of skepticism. Restall’s attempt to debunk common misconceptions or â€Å"myths† was very successful. Overall, his arguments were crisp, concise and convincing. The writing style of Restell made for an especially easy read that was as entertaining as it was informational. The ease at which he navigates through the subject matter makes you question your understanding of all major historical events. Not only should students on all levels who are interested in the subject be required to read this text but their teachers and professors as well. It’s important that teachers and professors make themselves familiar with the historical inaccuracies of this subject so that they won’t make the same mistakes and continue to proliferate the mis-education of the Spanish Conquest.

Management of Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management of Quality - Essay Example This compelled the organization to reinforce the quality of the process that every step. A consultant was hired who recommended the use of bespoke quality management in the organization that will facilitate in incorporating major quality improvement programs (Nobel 2011; Kuballa 2007; Kanji 1995). This was a top down approach in which the significant projects were identified and were controlled by trained team. It is quite significant for the senior management to implement bespoke quality management system with instructive and constructive quality management that allows the employees to contribute towards the improvement of the organizational functions. Quality management should not be procedural like for instance the ideas that are brought by the employees should be turned down by the managers. In the top down approach of quality management, the effort made towards the quality development is cascaded down to other levels of the organization. In the top down approach of quality manag ement the senior level managers are only involved. The top down approach has certain advantages that are discussed below: In the top down approach the senior management is involved, which signifies quality management is a time taking process and senior management will be aware of it. This will make the availability of time and financial resources for the process. Any changes in the organization require proper mentoring from the senior officials. In this method the employees will get proper monitoring from the higher officials. Figure 1: Top down Approach Sources: (Author’s Creation) However, this method is not free from limitations. The primary limitation in this method is: Unnecessary delay is caused if the senior officials are not fully operational related to the changes in the quality management required. Enhancing the quality process requires use of different techniques and tools. It also requires interaction of the top management with the middle management on an everyday basis, which is unrealistic, and counterproductive (Schiller, Kovach and Miller 1994). The employees who are directly dealing with the process are seen to possess better knowledge as compared to the members of the top management. Thus, they can implement the quality changes better. Quality management system was implemented by the organization in the second stage. It is the system in which both the quality objectives and policies required to achieve those objectives are decided (Williams and Buswell 2003). The main advantage of this system is that it involves the officials of the top management and the employees from every level. This signifies the involvement of all the people from different levels of the organization. The problems in this system is that it requires a high amount of effort and documentation, often focuses on third party certification rather than business improvement and hinders business if it is self-fulfilling (OECD 2001). Figure 2: Quality Management system Sourc e: (Author’s Creation) Answer 2: A Quality management system (QMS) is a management technique that is used to communicate with the employees regarding how they can produce the desired quality of services and products. Along with this, it also looks at influencing the employee action related to the quality specification in completion of the task. There are two types of quality managemen

Sports psychology The influence of reduced visual information on Lab Report

Sports psychology The influence of reduced visual information on static and dynamic balance - Lab Report Example The interconnectivity between the sways and balance was found out to exhibit an inverse relationship. Despite the existence of other factors that affect stability, visual impediments are also highly likely to influence the stability of an individual. The more clear visibility to which one is exposed, the higher the chances of minimizing sways. If the sways are minimized lead to proper and reliable dynamic balance. Biomechanics define balance as the state of being able to maintain the line of gravity from the centre of mass with minimal postural sway. It is this postural stability that operates to allow the performance of other activities (MAGEE et al., 2007).The postural sways have been presumed as the major indicator of balance. It is believed that the number of sways in a movement exhibit an inverse relationship with stability (Bandy & Sanders, 2008, Kisner & Colby, 2012). We conducted a study to gauge the ability of persons with visual impediments in maintaining the necessary balance. Those with low visual information are anticipated to mimic movements exhibited by their counterparts who are exposed to full vision (Lord, 2011). This study established the correlation that exists between vision and the various postures both static like the sitting position and dynamic postures like stepping, turning, bending, standing up from a chair and walking. We employed posturography tests to assess the balance control. We endeavored to establish the dependence of a group of adult male and female on vision for their postural stability (Finlayson, 2013). The hypothesis we examined was the fact that balance control is dependent on the visual information. Swaying of hands was our dependant variable while visual conditions were the independent variable (Clasen & Siegel, 2007). We collected data for the same sample of the population while subjecting them to the different visual

LEGAL ASPECTS OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LEGAL ASPECTS OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Modern players in the hospitality industry need to be aware that administering hotel includes the likelihood for the managers, supervisors and owners to be subject to several legal liabilities when it comes to handling the employees. Hence, the aim of this paper is to offer an open treatise that covers the relationship between the hotels and their employees, and based on common law contracts, tort claims, non-discrimination laws, casualness and antitrust laws. Discussion Most employee-relation laws in the hospitality industry are designed to restrict, control and even prohibit certain actions in which the firms could be willingly or unwillingly be non-complying with labor-related ethical plus social standards (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2009). In particular, the hospitality industry has become highly sensitive to both economic factors and competitive marketplace condition, such that the workplace conditions placed on the industry are significant due to the myriad labor risks and employment-r elated disputes (Barth, 2006). The laws range from recruitment standards, to workplace training requirements, remunerations, to environmental and health concerns. This entails a range of issues such as labor disputes, wage and hour compliance, obligation to immigration laws, labor-force authorization regulations as well as observance of nondiscrimination practices. In addition, there is the requirement for the employee’s welfare to be based on OSHA and environmental laws. Firstly, companies in the hospitality industry are now increasingly being held responsible for their employees out of worksite deeds. In particular, firms are now experiencing liability for accidents or injuries caused by their employees to third parties, with damages comprising loss of property, pain, physical and emotional suffering, legal fees, lost wages and medical expenses.. The hospitality firms are now required by law to avoid any unreasonable acts or roles by their employees that can present possibl e risks to third parties. This became apparent in the case of Faverty vs. McDonald, whereby a hospitality industry employee was involved in a serious road accident that injured another motorist. Hence, the court ruled that McDonald was liable to the damages since it forced the worker to operate so many hours nonstop even as they were aware that the employee drove himself home thus a serious risk not just to himself but also to other people and motorists (Barth, 2006). This case set a precedent for other lawsuits in the industry, and which reveals that hospitality companies are not just required to have reasonable policies regarding their employees working hours and wages, but also have a legal duty to enforce the offsite personnel wellbeing in order not to harm other persons wellbeing. As such, The Fair Credit Reporting Act calls for the management to have well-documented structures in which their employees will use to identify, report, and react to both real and probable hazards (B arth, 2006). They are also required to have handbooks and guidelines on safe practices, processes and controls which are particular to a given hazards, and that such guidelines attains or exceed the requirements stipulated under the Act. Moreover, the hospitality compa

Contribution of organizational learning to contemporary understandings Essay

Contribution of organizational learning to contemporary understandings of workplace practices - Essay Example Critics such as Sommerlad and Stern believe that the notion of learning within workplace has acquired saliency and visibility.This is primarily because as it connects at the stage of new thinking process. This thinking process is concerned on the process of learning about the modern enterprise, the alteration of nature work and new systems of knowledge. It is understood that the process of workplace practices is moving through the period of social, economic and political change. The prime purpose of the report is to present vivid explanation about the significance of organization learning towards understanding the workplace performs. Furthermore, examples are provided to illustrate the contribution of organization learning. The learning is viewed as interpretative device that cannot be divided amongst different scientific corrections and compartmentalized into different levels to create zones of inter-organization, organizational, group and individual learning processes. According to Gallacher and Reeve, the rapid advancement in technology and increase globalization has helped in the rise of skill and level of organizational workforce. The application of organizational learning process within workplace practices is viewed as flexible system of learning that enables employees working in an organization to engage in continuing professional development and consistent process of updating. In the world of globalization of acceleration of change, organization and approaching strategy are interconnected and execution of practical events is regarded as more effective activities. The idea of implementation of learning process within organization settings has been from the time of Industrial revolution. Since th e time of revolution, the crucial element of organizational operative process is training of employees in practical

The Financial and Banking System Of Australia Essay

The Financial and Banking System Of Australia - Essay Example ................................19 Would You Approve Lines Of Credit For Banks In This Country?.............................................20 Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦21 Table 1.0 List of Banks†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.22 Works Cited†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..24 I. Geography. The continent is a self governing country that is a part of the commonwealth federation. It is currently bounded by the Timor sea, Ara fura sea, Torres strait, Coral sea, Tasman sea, Bass strait along with the Indian ocean (Verdier, p.11). It is the smallest continent found on the globe and the sixth largest country in the world. Its capital is found in Canberra with Sydney being the largest city found in the country (Weerassoria, p.16). It additionally comprises of six states which include New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, Victoria along with western Australia. The continent also comprises of two territories which are the Australian Capital along with the Northern one. The land forming the continent measures about 7, 614, 500 sq km (Gup, p.41). It also has dependencies such as the Ashmore territory, Cocos islands, Christmas islands, the Antarctic territory, the coral sea islands, Heard island along with the Norfolk islands (Miller, Vandrome & John, p.34). II. History Of The Country. The first occupants of the Australian continent were the aborigines who are believed by anthropologists to have migrated into the continent some fifty thousand years ago... Due to a rise in the sea level, The Tasmania was separated from other islands that were offshore (Gup, p.46). The Malaysian, Chinese, Indonesian along with Arab traders are estimated to have come to the northern part of Australia in the year 1500AD. The western countries only came to know about the Australian continent in the 17th century. The continent was the last discovery of new land that the western world made but was colonized by their powers (Weerassoria, p.23). Portuguese sailors are believed to have reached the eastern coast of the continent at around the 15th century when they were looking for a sea route connecting Africa and India. Spanish sailors led by Luis Vaez de Torres in the 16th and 17th century first saw the Australian continent but did not get there as their interests were further north in the Philippines (Gup, p.56). It is the Dutch who were using more advanced sailing ships who were responsible for making the discovery of the continent a reality during the 17th century. This occurred when they creating trading centers between Africa and Indonesia. They did not however settle in the continent as they found nothing of interest for their businesses (Miller, Vandrome & John, p.67). Their voyages and discovery of the Australian continent thus brought the British into the land. This came during the Enlightenment age that occurred in the 18th century with the stressing of scientists along with philosophers on the importance of worldwide exploration (Verdier, p.19).

Investment That is to Develop New Products Essay

Investment That is to Develop New Products - Essay Example The development of new product is of course risky, time consuming as well as expensive. Firms need to produce dozen of ideas regarding new products where only one idea might result in successful product. The failure rate of new product is much higher than the success rate, as high as 80% and the reason for failure are numerous, like inadequate market survey, poor screening, market orientation, product defects, and some inadequate launching effort (Boone & Kurtz, p.398). Due to high investment which is needed to produce the products and various other steps needed to take care of by the manufacturers to ensure success of the new product, most of the firms think that new product development is not worth huge investment because of the rate of failure, and believes that it is much more feasible and easier to copy the market leaders product. Market leader are referred to as those organization which poses the largest market share in a particular market and the market followers are those org anizations which imitates the top market leaders but at the same time do not upsets the ongoing balance with respect to the competitive power of the respective industry. These market followers prefer to avoid the direct attack and reap the product benefits of innovations which are made by the leaders of the respective market through imitations. To imitate the market leader and avoid making huge investment, the market followers adopt four major approaches, Counterfeiter strategy is adopted by the market followers when they aim to duplicate the products of market leaders and packaging style and therefore sell in the black market. The strategy of counterfeiter has plagued brands like Apple and Rolex mostly in Asia. Secondly, cloner strategy is being used to emulate the market leader’s product name and packaging one such example of cloner is Ralcorp Holdings which sells off imitation of brand cereals in lookalike containers at a much lower price. Thirdly, the market followers ado pt imitator strategy where some features are copied from the market leader while retaining few features of its own. The last strategy used by market followers is the adapter strategy which involves adoption of owns product as that of market leader and sells the product into different market. S&S Cycle supplies engine to the firms which builds bikes like Harley. The company buys, every year Harley Davidson and takes off the engine apart and finds out what to be improved. The followers earn or make profit at a lower rate than the market leaders. One such example s the food processing industry which revealed that only the top two companies were profitable (Kotler, p. 194). Among the mobile phone manufacturer, Philips a well known European brand also fall under the category of market followers. There are other Asian companies which operate on the European mobile market such as Sharp, Haier, Pantech, NEC, Innostream and Sanyo (Anonym, p. 15). Market followers is the runner up organizatio ns in the industry whose major intentions are to hold the market share without investing and also providing challenges to its strong competitors. But however this does not mean that the market followers lack any kind of strategies in fact it is believe of the followers that it is much more advantageous to remain follower and pursue the ‘me too strategy’ rather than being the market leader. The strategy to remain market follower is believed to be effective because the

Major depression with poly-substance abuse Assignment

Major depression with poly-substance abuse - Assignment Example He had emotional problems and would cry even for silly reasons according to his wife. He had no job, despite being a graduate. The last job he did was an year ago after which he did not try for any new employment. For the past one week, James ate very little food, was restless most of the times, had easy fatigability and complained of tiredness several times. He was brought to the hospital in view of deteriorating health status. On examination, James appeared dehydrated and confused. He appeared unhygienic, dirty and unattended. he had poor oral hygiene. Pulse rate was 100 per minute, respiratory rate was 20 per minute, blood pressure was 130/90mmHg. He was afebrile. He had pallor and icterus. Systemic examination revealed tenderness in the right hypochondriac region. James was admitted to the psychiatric ward and investigations were sent. Complete blood picture revealed mild iron deficiency anemia, liver function tests were suggestive of acute hepatitis, urine analysis was suggestive of marijuana abuse. Ultrasound abdomen revealed acute fatty liver. James has Major Depressive Disorder or MDD. The condition is a common mental illness that falls into the category of mood disorders. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) IV, 2000, diagnosis of MDD is made as in table-1. Depressed mood, irritability, low self esteem, feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt, decreased ability to concentrate and think, decreased or increased appetite, weight loss or weight gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, low energy, fatigue, or increased agitation, decreased interest in pleasurable stimuli (e.g., sex, food, social interactions) and recurrent thoughts of death and suicide The importance of MDD lies in the fact that it causes considerable impairment in social functioning, role functioning, employment and physical health of the afflicted person (Wells et al, 1989). Experts are of the opinion that depression is actually a

The Devil In The White City Expository Essay Example for Free

The Devil In The White City Expository Essay In The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, many inexperienced women come to Chicago in hopes of finding new opportunities and a successful job. These women were often single with no previous experience in the city, which made them an effortless target for Dr. Holme’s vile plans. With his charisma and reassuring presence, Dr. Holmes could instantly allure these women. Most women in this time period were often sheltered or brought up in a secure and familiar environment. However, in the beginning of the book on page 11, it states, â€Å"Never before in civilization have such numbers of young girls been suddenly released from the protection of home and permitted to walk unattended upon the city streets and to work under alien roofs.† I believe that because these young women had recently been liberated from their small town life, it created even more of an excitement and eagerness to take any employment opportunity that came their way. This in turn, worked against them, by prompting them to take the desirable jobs with Dr. Holmes. Another factor that induced these women to be so susceptible to Dr. Holmes’ corrupt plans was his undeniable charm. With their naà ¯ve mindset, a young man with striking eyes and a perfect physique (page. 35) was a handsome welcome to their new lives. This unexpected warmth in a new city enticed the young women and brought them to trust Dr. Holmes despite his underlying motives. However, because of their infatuation with him, the women were oblivious to his subtle maneuvers such as standing too close, staring to hard, and touching too long (page. 26) that would have revealed his ulterior intentions. This captivation gave Dr. Holmes the opportunity to have these women wrapped around his finger and be in complete control. Overall, the young women coming to Dr. Holmes were much too ignorant and enthusiastic to be alone in a large and unpredictable city, such as Chicago. Their curiosity and willingness to find a new life led them into very lamentable situations that cost them their lives. Unfortunately, I think that even if these women had been somewhat more apprehensive, Dr. Holmes, with his alluring charm, would still have the upper hand at reeling these women into his deplorable plot.

Child Obesity Problem Essay Example for Free

Child Obesity Problem Essay Abstract.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Child obesity has been a serious issue in America. Approximately a 1/3 of children populations are overweight or risk becoming overweight. Children are eating unhealthy foods with minimal nutritional value and the physical education programs are being cut of the school day. Since these are the major causes of obesity they spell doom for America. The Bill no S. 100 also known as Healthy Students Act of 2007 was introduced by Barbara Boxer the California Senator who is also an advocate of children and families. (www.govtrack.us). It advocates for the health of children in schools by promoting better nutrition and increased physical activities. American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American Heart Association (AHA) support it. Major causes of obesity are lack of physical exercise combined with poor diet. A balance must be struck so that calorie intake does not outdo calorie utilization. Children need to burn up calories through physical activities. They should not over rely on inactive leisure activities like watching television, surfing the net and playing video games Childhood obesity is associated to various health effects like hypertension, diabetes and respiratory diseases illnesses for instance diabetes and high blood pressure. It is therefore an important national bill that will help save the children of America. However, its implementation could be delayed due to the legislative process that could take time. Again the taxpayers who are expected to fund it might oppose it. The Healthy Students Act of 2007 Bill no S. 100 is a bill that encourages the healthy of children in schools by promoting better nutrition and increased physical activities. It is a national bill that was sponsored by Barbara boxer of CA on January 4th 2007. (www.govtrack.us)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The bill requires the establishment of a pilot program providing grants to school districts or non-profit organizations for use in promoting healthy food alternatives under the school lunch and school breakfast programs. It amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a student loan forgiveness program for nurses who agree to employment as full-time nurses in elementary or secondary schools for 3 complete years. It also amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow corporations a tax deduction for the charitable contribution to a private foundation of exercise or gymnasium equipment for use by elementary and secondary school students.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The proposed policy is a federal legislation to be enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives. The legislation is very realistic and can therefore be successfully implemented. The federal government is expected to sponsor it. Currently it has been referred to the committee of finance and is in the process of deliberation. The proposal affects all people as it focuses on schools, which are heterogeneous in terms of gender, color or race. Members of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American Heart Association (AHA) who supported the Healthy School Act in New York State support the policy. The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading 501(c) 3 non-profit health organization that provides diabetes research, information and advocacy. The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to build healthier lives free from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. (www.americaheart.org) Barbara Boxer who introduced it supports it. She is the current senator of the state of California. She has been an advocate of children and family and it would suffice to say that she represents Californian as well as the children. The AHA and ADA represent the promotion of healthier lifestyles for children. They are concerned about the increased health risks associated with changing lifestyles for Americans and are focused to promote the good health of children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To support their positions the three parties have their arguments. Senator Boxer proposed the bill because children are eating unhealthy foods with minimal nutritional value and the physical education programs are being cut of the school day. AHA is concerned with promoting healthy lifestyles and lowering cholesterol levels through diet and physical exercise as well as preventing children from having cholesterol related health problems when they grow into adulthood. Americans should not be surprised by this policy. First, obesity in children is an issue that has attracted their concern and the dietary guidelines provided have been amended from section 9(a) of Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C 1758 a))   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This proposal is likely to be opposed by the local taxpayers. To fund proposal taxes may be imposed on them reducing their disposable incomes. Being forced to pay higher taxes may see them oppose the bill. Costs would be incurred as the programs to grow own food in schools and hiring of more physical education teachers would be incorporated. Another challenge that the bill faces is the legislative process, which may delay. The committees may reject them for instance the senate finance may hinder its proceeding from one position to the next.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obesity among children has been increasing at alarming rates. People have adapted sedentary lifestyles and are not keen on the nutritional requirements of food. Convenience plays an important role in determining the food that one consumes. Approximately a 1/3 of children populations are overweight or risk becoming overweight. Childhood obesity is associated to various health effects like hypertension, diabetes and respiratory diseases. The major cause of obesity is lack of physical exercise combined with poor diet. (www.mayoclinic.com).   A balance must be struck so that calorie intake does not outdo calorie utilization. Although obesity in children affects people of all races, gender or color it has been observed that Africa American and Mexican American children are more likely to be overweight compared to non-Hispanic whites. It therefore suffices to say that people of color or the minority groups are more affected by obesity. Children of poor families are also more likely to be obese.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regular consumption of pre-packaged food, fast food, soft drinks can cause obesity as they have quantities of calories and sugars. Consumption of vegetables and legumes is beneficial as they can help check on weight and cardiovascular diseases. Children are a critical population that needs more nutrients than human beings for their growth and development. Improving on the diet and exercising levels can help protect children’s health both at the current levels and in future. (Www.mayoclinic.com).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Physical exercises help burn out excess calories in the body. This helps reduce chances of acquiring illnesses for instance diabetes and high blood pressure. They also contribute to healthy bones and muscles. Children need to burn up calories through physical activities. (www.kidshealth.org).   They should not over rely on inactive leisure activities like watching television, surfing the net and playing video games. Families must play an important role in ensuring that their children stay healthy. Parents have a major role to play in influencing their children’s health. Parents are responsible for shopping and cooking in their homes and they determine the lifestyles to be adapted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   They also set examples of the eating patterns as well as exercising patterns that to be adopted by their children. Parents should engage their children parents should engage their children in physical activities like swimming and jogging while at the same time ensuring that they provide healthy diets. Incorporating fruits and vegetables in their diets will be beneficial. Parents can also ensure that their children take food that is enough or that they eat with moderation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Mayo Clinic website section on childhood explains the signs, causes and problems that are associated with childhood obesity. It also provides ways by which families can control and prevent obesity in children. (www.mayoclinic.com). Another important website that addresses the costs and consequences that obese children face as well as their potential future with obesity and the weight related health care issue is the Junk Food Science. The Kids Health website provides important in-depth information to parents on how they should maintain their children’s health. It addresses the issues related to childhood obesity and its effects. Obesity in America organization website addresses the obesity issues. It focuses more on medical reasons for obesity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obesity in children increases their healthcare expenditure compared to non-obese children. Obese children are more likely to have laboratory-screening tests as medical staff belief that they are at greater risks. Their blood pressure levels or lab values for cholesterol are higher than for normal healthy children translating to the increased costs. They are screened for blood pressure, sleep apnea and orthopedic abnormalities. (Junkfoodscience.blogspot.com).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Advocacy groups that can be useful in combating obesity in the US include the Endocrine society and The Hormone foundation. The Endocrine society is the world’s largest and most active professional organization of endocrinologists in the world and it is dedicated to promoting excellence in research, education and clinical advancements in the endocrinology field. The hormone foundation is an affiliate of the endocrine society and its very important in disseminating information. It has established programs on childhood or pediatric obesity. It works hand in hand with the Congress and Federal agencies that impact policies dealing with obesity. (www.obesityinamerica.org).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Parents should be create time to prepare nutritious foods for their children. They should not opt for the quick fix that can harm their children’s health. Obese children can have problems with their self esteem as they can be teased or bullied by their classmates. Obesity in children causes psychological problems to them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Overweight children can have bone and joint problems. They increase their chances of developing asthma and they can experience shortness of breath making physical activities more difficult. They have restless or disordered sleep patterns that can affect their development. Tendency to mature earlier is also reported in overweight children and overweight girls tend to have irregular menstrual cycles and fertility problems in their later days. A stitch in time saves nine and adverse overweight effects can be counted if appropriate measures are taken.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Schools have contributed to the increased numbers of obese and overweight children in America. Lesser time is allocated to physical education programs and some schools have cut it altogether. Sedentary lifestyles in children have consequently aggravated. Although genetics may contribute to obesity in children, the impact may be reduced if physical exercises and strict dietary measures are followed. It could be difficult to establish if an obese child born of obese parents is obese due to the genetic factor or due to the family lifestyles. (Www.kidshealth.org).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Parents should set good examples by adhering to appropriate diets as well as participating in exercises. They should not reward good behavior with sweets as they have high sugar levels. Educating the children about the importance of healthy diets is necessary. Children could rebel if ultimate elimination of sweets, snacks or candies is done. They could find ways to access such foods in absence of their parents. Again imposing a specific physical activity on them should be avoided and a variety should be included.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The media plays an important role in favoring ‘unhealthy food’. children who see people favoring foods in fast foods or in cartoon shows have the mentality that such food is appropriate. They urge their parent’s to offer them such foods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Children should eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. They also ought to get 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercises each day depending on their age. (www.kidshealth.org). Grains provide energy needs for the child and includes whole meal bread, cereals and pasta. They give children energy to play and carry out important activities. Vegetables provide minerals and vitamins needed for good health. They also provide fiber that is important in aiding digestion. Milk is important as it provides vitamin A, D, calcium and proteins. Fats should be used sparingly on children. (Www.kidshealth.org)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although the bill might never make it out of the committee or could be revised and incorporated in an already existing bill, I think this is a very applicable policy that can help save American children the consequences of obesity. Disseminating proper information to people through the media can work to curb child obesity. People should also take their own initiative to fight child obesity. References: Mayo Clinic staff. 2007. Childhood obesity. Retrieved on 23rd February 2008 from   http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childhood-obesity/DS00698 Sandy Szwarc. 2007. Retrieved on 23rd February 2008 from   http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2007/01/fat-children-burdens.html Endocrine Society and The Hormone Foundation. 2008.Retrieved on 23rd February 2008 from http://www.obesityinamerica.org/aboutus.html The Nemours Foundation. 2008. Kids Health. Retrieved on 23rd February 2008 from http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/ GovTrack.US. 2008. S. 100: Healthy Students Act of 2007. Retrieved on 23rd February 2008 from http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s110-100

Marx Materialist Conception of History

Marx Materialist Conception of History What is materialist about Marxs view of history? Introduction Marx himself never fully outlined his materialist theory of history, though ‘it occurs in fragmentary form in all his early work written during the years 1843-48, and is taken for granted in his later thought’ (Berlin, 1979: 56) thus it was left to later theorists to deduce it from his early work. In order to understand what is ‘materialist’ about Karl Marx’s view of history we must first situate his theory within the context in which he worked, for in developing his materialist theory of history Marx was heavily influenced by the theories of Hegel: for not only was Hegel the dominant philosopher in Prussia at the time, but Hegel also influenced Marx in his choice of doctoral dissertation. He chose a study of the materialist philosophies of Democritus [†¦] and Epicurus, a Hellenistic philosopher who wrote under the shadow of Aristotle in precisely the same way as the Young Hegelians seemed to be under the shadow of Hegel (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 487). Indeed, Marx has often been linked to the group referred to as the ‘Young Hegelians’ (Williams, 2003: 489) and which included Bruno Baure, Max Stirner, Ludwig Feuerbach and David Strauss (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 485-489) even though Hegel was long dead by the time Marx started his studies. Believing, as I do, that it is not possible to understand Marx’s materialism without first understanding Hegel’s idealist view of history, in the first section I provide a, very brief, overview of Hegel’s philosophy of history. In the second I examine Marx’s theory of history, demonstrating how he overturns Hegel’s idealist schema so that instead of being driven by ideas for Marx history is driven by inherent tensions within the mode of production: it is class based (Berlin, 1979: 59) and therefore materialist. In the conclusion I summarise my argument, highlighting the commonalities between the thought of Hegel and Marx whilst concluding that whilst Heg el was indeed an idealist, Marx’s view of history was undeniably materialist in that it was ultimately concerned with productive relations but, nonetheless, Marx remained idealistic in his methodology due to the influence of Hegel on his work. Hegel and Historical Idealism Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), pre-eminent philosopher at Jena, Heidelberg and later Berlin Universities (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 409) came to dominate German Philosophy in the Nineteenth Century. He was himself heavily influenced by previous philosophers, including Rousseau (1712-1778), Descartes (1596-1650), Kant (1724-1804), Herder (1744-1803) and those thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment (see Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 412-421). Hegel developed his ‘comprehensive’ theory of history through an in-depth examination of religion,[1] for he believed that religion, rather than being irrational, was ‘the way in which men generally achieve the consciousness of their being’ (Hegel in Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 416). For Hegel, history is the process of the unfolding of the ‘eternal, universal Spirit’ (Berlin, 1979: 57) toward absolute knowledge or self-consciousness: that is, down through history man has been increasingly freed from nature or necessi ty via the dialectic, ‘a constant logical criticism’ (Berlin, 1979: 58; Taylor in Marx and Engels, 1985: 8). Hegel thus argued that it was possible to identify in each historical epoch a dominant set of ideas and its negation (Taylor in Marx and Engels, 1985: 8), later termed thesis and anti-thesis, the emerging synthesis being progress. His view of history is therefore teleological and stagist; he believed it to be rational and progressive, moving toward improvement in distinct steps through the actions of ‘world historical individuals’ (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 419; 480). For Hegel then, history is driven forward by ideas; it is, ultimately, idealist: ‘all change is due to the movement of the dialectic, that works by a constant logical criticism, that is, struggle against, and final self-destruction of, ways of thought and constructions of reason and feeling’ (Berlin, 1979: 58). Further, Hegel, following Rousseau and influenced by the Ancient Greeks, believed that true freedom was to be found through, rather than against the state, thus opposing the negative freedoms of liberal thought (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 415, 424; 463): he argued that law and rights are products of man’s mastery over nature, rather than a continuation of the rights of nature as in Locke (Hinchman, 1984: 25), and that therefore equality is created in society via the act of mutual recognition (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 440) and which he illustrates with the mythical encounter between the master and the slave.[2] Therefore, for Hegel, the state is not oppressive, but li berating as it presents the means by which ‘man’ is able to realise his own freedom. It was both this idealism and this freedom via the state that Marx, following Feuerbach, sought to invert. Marx and Historical Materialism So, for Hegel, history or social change was the result of tensions between different ideas, between thesis and anti-thesis. Karl Marx (1818-1883) however, via his critique of Hegel, was to overturn this theory, turning the idealist schema into a materialist one: for Marx, rather than history being the result of ideological tension it was the result of tensions between the classes (Berlin, 1979: 59): in short, he sought to invert Hegelian idealism ‘the weapon of criticism cannot replace the criticism of weapons, and material forces must be overthrown by material force (Marx, 1975: 251) in that he believed it was not ideas that drives history but the relations of production (Marx, 1975: 384). In short, Marx believed that it is practical activity by real humans that counts, and not the conceptual activity of Hegel, and it is economic history that is most important of all (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 500; 513): in short his history was materialist. Following Hegel, Marx believed that the ‘history of humanity is a single, non-repetitive process, which obeys discernable laws’ (Berlin, 1979: 57), but he disagreed with Hegel’s idealism, following the critique of Hegel by Feuerbach in believing that such idealism was in fact a ‘mystification’ (Berlin, 1979: 57) he instead argued that the point of philosophy was to change the world (Marx, 1975: 244-245): ‘Philosophers have only interpreted that world, in various ways; the point, however, is to change it’ (Marx in Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 512) via praxis, or practical philosophy (Bottomore, 1979: 6). Further, unlike Hegel, Marx did not believe that Religion was ‘the way in which men generally achieve the consciousness of their being’ (Hegel in Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 416), but instead was made by man; it is an ‘inverted consciousness of the world [†¦] at one and the same time the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering [†¦] it is the opium of the people’ (Marx, 1975: 244, original emphasis). He also distanced himself from Hegel’s dislike of the empirical sciences (Berlin, 1979: 67); instead his practical philosophy seeks, like the empirical sciences, to be emancipatory. He argued that, when examining each historical epoch, it was possible to isolate the key tension; that is, like Hegel who argued that thesis and anti-thesis pushed history forward, for Marx it was a key socio-economic tension which led to revolution and so pushed forward history: ‘the ancient world gave way to the medieval, slavery to feudalism, and feudalism to the industrial bourgeoisie’ (Berlin, 1979: 64). In short: ‘all history has been a history of class struggles, of struggles between dominated and dominating classes at various stages of social development’ Marx and Engels, 1985: 57). Thus, rather than the actions of the ‘world historical individuals’ of Hegel (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 480) for Marx it was the actions of an entire class in the future this was to be the proletariat that drives progress: ‘one particular class undertakes from its particular situation the universal emancipation of society (Marx, 1975: 254). Each revolution in the past, itself the result of the classes’ material circumstances, or the mode of production, had contributed to historical progress. Thus, rather than the idealist history of Hegel, for Marx history is materialist; it is the result of actual conflict in the real world, conflict which is the result of material forces (Taylor in Marx and Engles, 1985: 9; 18). Hegel’s idealism becomes, under Marx, a method (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 489) which reveals that while the state may make men formally free, this freedom is in fact only abstract (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 492-493) as people are actually embedded in the relations of production and are therefore unequal. Conclusion I have simplified Marx’s philosophy here, and thus missed the importance of thinkers such as Rousseau, Voltaire, Saint-Simon, Bauer and the Scottish Enlightenment on the development of this thought (Bottomore, 1979: 4-11; Hampsher-Monk, 2001). Also, some authors, including Althusser, have argued that Marx should be divided into early and later Marx (Williams, 2003: 491); with the early stage representing his humanist phase, whilst the later his ‘mature’ work, being where he developed his materialist, social scientific view of history (Williams, 2003: 491). In this essay, however, I have concentrated on his early work in order to demonstrate the materialist nature of his understanding of history: I have done this for two reasons; firstly, I feel that to divide Marx’s philosophy into early and late stages misses the continuity of his thought; secondly, by concentrating on his critique of Hegel, a critique to which he does not return to in his later work, I ha ve been able to demonstrate both his continuation of, and opposition to, the idealism of Hegel’s philosophy of history: for while Marx undeniably sought to overturn Hegelian philosophy, ‘the framework of the new theory is undeviatingly Hegelian’ (Berlin, 1979: 57). Indeed, recent scholarship appears to stress the continuity between Marx’s and Hegel’s thought: ‘Marx and Hegel can be usefully read as sharing a common emancipatory theory of human social history, tempering any putative epistemological break between them’ (Williams, 2003; 495-495). Both believed that poverty was the result of commercial society, rather that the result of misfortune or individual failings and that such poverty entails alienation (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 456-457); both are positive when describing organizations in which men pursue common goals, for Hegel via the corporation (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 459) for Marx via the establishment of communism (Marx and Engles, 1 985). However, whereas for Hegel history was driven forward by ideas and the actions of ‘world historical individuals’ (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 480), for Marx it was to be the actions of an entire class, the proletariat, that would drive progress and bring about communism and whilst both theorists share a concern with alienation, for Marx this alienation is the result of material forces: ‘the process by which man creates things out of nature, comes to be dominated by those creations, but will finally overcome that alienation through recovering control of his own (material) creations’ (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 499). For Marx, therefore, history is ultimately materialist. Bibliography Berlin, Isaiah (1979 [1973]) ‘Historical Materialism’, Karl Marx, Bottomore, Tom (Ed.), Oxford: Basil Blackwell, pp. 56-68. Bottomore, Tom (1979 [1973]) ‘Introduction’, Karl Marx, Bottomore, Tom (Ed.), Oxford: Basil Blackwell, pp. 4-42. Hampsher-Monk, Iain (2001 [1992]) ‘G.W.F. Hegel’ and ‘Karl Marx’, A History of Modern Political Thought: Major Thinkers from Hobbes to Marx, Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 409-482; 483-561. Hinchman, Lewis P (1984) ‘The Origins of Human Rights: A Hegelian Perspective’, The Western Political Quarterly, Vol.37, No. 1, pp. 7-31. Marx, Karl and Engles, Friedrich (1985 [1888]) The Communist Manifesto, Introduced by Taylor, A.J.P. (Ed.), Moore, Samuel (Trans.), London: Penguin Classics. Marx, Karl (1975) ‘A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right: Introduction (1843-4)’ and ‘Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts’, Early Writings, Colletti, Lucio (Ed.), Livingstone, Rodney and Benton, Gregory (Trans.), London: Penguin, pp. 243-257; 279-400. Williams, Michael (2003) ‘Review Article: Marx and Hegel: New Scholarship, Continuing Questions’, Science and Society, Vol. 67, No. 4, pp. 489-496. 1 Footnotes [1] Art, religion and philosophy all represented, for Hegel, the development of the consciousness, with art being intuition in material form, religion ‘truth in a veil’, while philosophy was self-reflection (Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 476). [2] In this encounter, which is a life and death struggle for mutual recognition, the loser becomes the ‘slave’ as he submits to the others will rather than face death, while the winner becomes the ‘master’: he has obtained the recognition of the slave but only by becoming dependant on the slaves labour. The slave becomes a labourer, but recognises his own worth through his own labour: he experiences self-hood through his impact on the physical world. The master’s selfhood is confirmed by the slave’s submission, but it is a negative identity; in order to attain true self-hood the master must recognise the other as equal. Society is thus the result of mutual recognition (see Hampsher-Monk, 2001: 426-427; Hinchman, 1984).

Respect Essay -- Definition Essays Explication

Respect Many people have different ideas about what respect means. I think it means having respect for others, property, and respect for yourself. Most people want respect even if it is just a little. The American Heritage Dictionary states that respect is 1. A feeling of appreciative, often deferential regard, esteem. 2. The state of being regarded with honor or esteem. 3. Willingness to show consideration or appreciation. People demand different amounts of respect, though not everyone is willing to give the amount needed. Maybe this is because not every one knows what respect means. The first rule is respect for others. A few of those â€Å"others† are teachers, police, authority figures, and business people. Respect for others is listening to the person talking, not interrupting class, and being respectful to other people’s ideas. It means, doing the work shown, and not asking to repeat what was just said. But those are just a few examples. The second rule is respecting property. Respecting property is as simple as not writing on a desk in school, but it can ...

Descriptive Essay -The Dump -- Descriptive Essay, Descriptive Writing

The Dump       My mom and I were cleaning up our attic this weekend, and in the process I found all sorts of old junk that I had forgotten about. Of course, I wanted to keep everything I saw; otherwise, I would not have stashed it there in the first place. But after standing over me and prying my hands off of every item that I encountered, my mom finally convinced me to haul all of my broken treasures to the Dump. I wince at the thought of having to brave the ever-present gloom that reigns there. The Dump is a strange and repulsive place, where people tend to bury the human spirit along with their refuse. From the main road, the Dump looked like a prison. The perimeter was surrounded by an eight-foot chain-link with barbed-wire stretched tightly around the top of it. As I followed the slow procession of vehicles through the front gate, I noticed a man peeking through the blinds of a dirty office building. The building's tan exterior was peeling away, probably as a result of prolonged exposure to the toxic environment. Up on a hill overshadowing ...

Kant: Metaphysical Exposition of Space Essay -- Space Kant Philosophy

Kant: Metaphysical Exposition of Space Explain and asses what you think to be the best argument Kant gives as his â€Å"Metaphysical Exposition of Space† (B37-40) that space cannot be either and actual entity (Newtonian concept) or any independent relation among real things (Leibnizian concepti be on). In other words, is he successful in arguing that space must be (at least) a form of intuition? Do any of his arguments further show that space must be ONLY a form of intuition and not ALSO something Newtonian or Leibnizian? In his Metaphysical Exposition of Space, Kant attempts to show that the experience of space is just a form of intuition. Kant defines space as that of which we sense out side of us, in comparison to our mind, which is our inner sense. This outer sense of space, he claims, is known only to us because we have a intuitive sense of there being space in the first place. Kant asserts this argument in direct response to two other claims about the nature of space. The Newtonian concept of space holds that space is an entity existing in its own right, with objects merely being in it. The Leibnizian concept of space however holds the opposite, space doesn’t really exist and is just a relation created between existing objects. Kant believes both concepts are wrong and claims that to first know about objects in space, we must have some deeper knowledge of space to put them in space. He further tries to claim that space is only a form of intuition and not just the foundation to support eit her of the other two concepts. Kant presents some strong points showing the faults in the other concepts and provides a reason alternative to what makes the nature of space. However his concept too, that space is known only through intuition, also isn’t as strong as it should be. It appears that space may be known through intuition from an individual perspective, but on closer investigation, taking in all forms of life and evolution, where did this pre wired intuition of space have its start? Kant’s concept of space seems to be well grounded in some areas and not in others. Kant’s definition of space helps him prove that the concept of space is a form of intuition. Space, he holds, is everything that is sensed outside of us. The mind is the inner sense and everything else is in space. We then represent objects in that space, where they are interpreted as having s... ... our senses where telling us by putting them into the concept of space, why would we evolve senses at all? Surely we wouldn’t have eyes and ears ect. If we evolved not needing or using them. So does every animal that has the same sensors as us have the same intuition of space as we do? This idea seems to be begging the question ‘what came first the intuition of space, or the senses and the ability to perceive it? For one seems to be seems to be surely useless with out the other. Kant’s concept seems to work if we just look at a snap shot of the world functioning today, however it does not satisfy how the world got to be the way it is. Perhaps this is not goal he was wanting to achieve, but for his concept to hold these questions of evolution need to be answered. Kant’s claims show the faults in past concepts, however his concepts is not total solid yet either. Kant resolves some issues, but then raises some more. It seems now that we can’t take for granted what we all assume that we learn about space through experience, and it seems too that space exists in its own right. Kant seems to make this clear, he does not however clearly prove that space is known by intuition alone.

Cari’s Story Essay

A) How could an infection in Cari’s nasal passages and pharynx spread into her sinuses? Mucous membranes of the nose, paranasal sinuses, pharynx and middle ear are connected by ducts in the throat. B) What is a cough reflex? Describe the process that Cari’s respiratory system is using to clear her lungs by coughing? A cough reflex has both sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) components. Pulmonary irritant receptors (cough receptors) in the epithelium of the respiratory tract are sensitive to both mechanical and chemical stimuli. Stimulation of the cough receptors by dust or other foreign particles produces a cough, which is necessary to remove the foreign material from the respiratory tract before it reaches the lungs. A long drawn and deep inhalation followed by a complete closure of the glottis, which results in a strong exhalation that suddenly punches the glottis open and sends a blast of air through the upper respiratory passages. C) Which structure found in the terminal bronchioles and alveoli normally would protect Cari’s lungs from infectious pathogens and particulate matter? Macrophages are present (wandering phagocytes) that remove dust particles and other debris from the alveolar space. D) How would the resistance of Cari’s airways be affected by excess mucus and fluid in her lungs? The lung capacity is decreased because the air space is already filled with mucus and fluids therefore she can’t take in enough oxygen. The extra mucus and fluids put extra pressure on the lungs. E) How would Cari’s lungs compliance (the effort required to expand the  lungs) be altered as her alveoli fill with fluid due to pneumonia? The fluid makes it harder to expand the lungs because the fluid makes the alveoli sticky and unable to open/expand. F) How would fluid in Cari’s lungs affect her total lung capacity? Her lung capacity would go down because the air space is already being taken up by fluid. G) How does the elevation of Cari’s respiratory rate alter her minute ventilation? The elevation of Cari’s respiratory rate should increase her minute ventilation. H) Normal blood oxygen saturation levels are greater than 94 percent; Cari’s blood oxygen saturation level was 90 percent at the time of her exam and an initial arterial blood gas analysis done when she was admitted to the hospital revealed her arterial Po2 was 54 mmHg. How do these clinical findings related to the internal respiration in Cari’s body? Cari’s oxygen saturation level was 90% and the Po2 of would show that her arteries are having too much oxygen. A normal resenting mmHg is 40% and exercises lower Po2 level. A normal resting oxygen level is 94%. I) Which of the symptoms Cari has described are due to lack of oxygen and reduced oxygen exchange at her tissues? Cari said she is â€Å"panting like a dog† is from the lack of oxygen and reduces her oxygen exchange. J) As Cari’s PCO2 rose how was oxygen carrying capacity of hemoglobin affected? As Cari’s Pco2 rose, how was the oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin affected? The oxygen carrying of hemoglobin volume with the rise of Pco2 will decrease since the Co2 will take O2’s.? Cari’s pH and Pco2 will decrease and her rate of breathing will also be decreasing. K) How would you have expected Cari’s decreased PCO2 and alkaline blood PH to have affected her breathing? Cari’s pH and Pco2 will decrease and her rate of breathing will also be decreasing. L) How would administration of oxygen enhance Cari’s central drive to breathe? The fluid in her lungs makes it  hard to expand because the fluid makes the alveoli sticky and it can’t expand and open. Cari will breathe better when oxygen was administered to her. M) Which anatomical structures in Cari’s respiratory system were initially involved? The structures involved are the trachea, nasal, pharynx, and larynx, and the lungs. N) Why was Cari plagued with a chronic smokers cough? Cari is plagued with a chronic smoker‘s cough because she has a 20 year history of smoking. O) Which damaging effects of tobacco smoke led to Cari’s impaired respiratory defenses mechanisms? There are damages to the epithelial with those damages comes the body’s repair process. P) How did pneumonia affect Cari’s lung function? Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can be caused by nearly any class of organism known to cause human infections, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. It results in an inflammatory response within the small air spaces of the lung (alveoli).

Hurricane Charley Essay

Trees down every where, houses crushed, roofs gone, thousands of people without power, cars damaged, people dieing. Hurricane Charley was perhaps one of most devastating events that I have ever experienced, in my entire life. The next morning after hurricane Charley hit, we drove outside and saw the devastating remains that Charley left. The roads were full of chaos, with no traffic lights, and the gas lines were insanely long. I was very fortunate to only loose my power and cable, in comparison to some people loosing a loved one. This hurricane caused approximately $20 billion in damages, which is nothing compared the 19 lives it took. I learned to never underestimate the effects of a hurricane, always be prepared for a hurricane, and to always think and help the less fortunate. Hurricane Charley wasn’t perceived as a very powerful hurricane to a lot of people as it progressed more towards Central Florida. I feel that a lot of people were not very prepared for Charley, just as I wasn’t. When I heard about this hurricane coming I thought, â€Å"Oh, another hurricane coming, there is going to be a lot of rain.† I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal at all. After the hurricane hit, I realized that I was completely wrong. One should always be prepared for a hurricane. I think that this statement is most definitely true, and should be carried out by everyone. Every household should have plenty of water, money, gas, batteries, flashlights, and many other things stashed away in their houses. There were major gas outages at the gas stations, because people were filling up their generators and cars. One of the major problems was that almost everyone was out of power, so you could cook or keep things cold without a generator. This lead to everyone needed ice to keep their very expensive groceries cold. When I looked back at what resulted from Charley, I actually feel fortunate. Yes, Charley did cause my dad lost business, left a lot of yard for me, left power and cable outages, and hundreds of dollars of meat to go bad. When I thought about this I felt kind of unfortunate but, when I thought about the people that starve day after day on normal bases in places like Africa, I feel fortunate. A lot of people in other countries don’t ever have power, cable, or even houses for that matter. I think that after events like this,  we should all pull together and help one another. Volunteer to help your neighbors and people that had it worse then you, have free barbeques with your meat that is going to go bad anyway, and most of all give everyone moral support. I think that Charley was a very important learning experience for a lot of us and should be thought about in different views. If you think about it, were you that effected by hurricane Charley? Did you take your power for granted? Were you well prepared for this hurricane? Did you underestimate Charley? All of these are important things to think about as you look back on Charley.

Improper Garbage Disposal

With more college graduates than jobs, the government wrestles with what to do with themSouth Korea is beginning to wrestle with the unappetizing fact that too many of its young are in college. Despite the very real success of its economy, the country can’t manufacture enough jobs for its graduates – of which it produces a lot. Singapore, Taiwan and other Asian countries to some extent face the same glut. However, South Korea seems in a class by itself.Some 86 percent of all high school graduates go on to college, and most expect to graduate with a degree. About 3. 3 million students are enrolled in 347 universities – by one calculation one of every 14 South Koreans is a university student. A full 80 percent of parents fully expect their children to graduate with a degree. According to a study by the Samsung Economic Research Institute, the number of students in college is actually lowering gross domestic product by a full percentage point.The country is regularl y faced with the odd phenomenon of newspaper stories about many of its brightest graduates who are forced to enroll in vocational schools in order to get a job after graduation – including a recent story in the Korea Herald about a young woman with a degree in French who enrolled in a course to become a Starbucks barista. Other tales have philosophy graduates learning to become bakers. Fewer than half of those who graduated in 2010 had found full time jobs by the end of 2011.That has pushed the South Korean government to promote vocational skills as an alternative to college, with President Lee Myung-bak turning up to open the Sudo Electric Technical High School in 20. Sudo is one of 21 so-called Meister Schools modeled on German vocational schools, that are being funded by the government and which guarantee graduates jobs. However, critics say lots more must be done and that in fact the entire education system must be redesigned. The 21 Meister schools are hardly enough, and the practical training aspects of their curricula mean funding must be increased considerably over that of academic high schools.Certification systems for the students must also be introduced. According to the SERI study published last week, â€Å"it is estimated that 42 percent of the nation’s college graduates are over-educated. † Had those 42 percent bypassed college and started working immediately after highs school, according to the study, South Korea’s gross domestic product would have been as much as a full percentage point higher. In addition, according to the study, maximum opportunity costs — tuition plus forgone income — from attending college total an estimated W19 trillion per year (US$16. 8 billion). That is W14. 77 trillion for four-year university graduates and W4. 24 trillion for two-year graduates. The average university graduate spends W119. 6 million (US$102,000) on his or her education and W53. 6 million for two-year college g raduates.A college degree defines success, however, marginalizing high school graduates despite the fact that during the era of Korea's double-digit growth era, skilled technicians and craftsmen with high school degrees were credited with building the nation's infrastructure and lifted manufacturing up to global standards. But today, even those better suited for technical skilled jobs right after high school feel compelled to pursue a university degree,† according to the report. â€Å"Over the past 10 years, corporate executives with only a high school degree have plunged to 2. 6 percent from 7. 2 percent. † It is relatively easy to see why the young opt for college despite the crowded campuses. If half the graduates are on the street, the odds are about the same for those with a high school diploma, and after being hired they are often headed for low-skill jobs.In 2011, according to SERI, the employment rate of young people with a high school degree only was 59. 1 perc ent and those who were working were employed in low value-added industries and hold sales, services, technical and other such positions. Mechanical jobs and sales account for 38 percent and 32. 8 percent of working high school graduates, respectively. Consequently, high school graduates in 2011 had average monthly incomes of W1. 46 million (US$1250) — 77 percent of that of university graduates and 90 percent of two-year graduates.Job security among high school graduates also is considerably lower compared to young college graduates, according to SERI. In 2011, 72. 4 percent of all employees with a university degree or higher were in permanent jobs while only 47. 3 percent of high school graduates had them. The job of righting the situation basically almost means turning South Korean society, if not the education system, upside down, according to the SERI report. One of the big problems, according to a study by Clark W.Sorenson for the Comparative Education Review, â€Å"Voca tional schools, whether public or private, are generally considered less desirable than academic high schools by the public. † At one point during the 1960s and 1970s, according to Sorenson, the government hoped to educate up to 70 percent of students in vocational schools to provide technically trained factory workers only to have parents rebel. Thus, changing both parental and student attitudes will require comprehensive measures, including developing jobs in the base industries that are the cornerstones of Korean manufacturing competitiveness .SERI recommends that a specialized organization be established to connect high school graduates to the companies that would seek to hire them. The high school curriculum also needs to be redesigned to equip high school students with what the study calls ready-to-use skill sets, teaching problem-solving skills and a sense of responsibility. The SERI study recommends borrowing an idea from the United Kingdom, which in in 2008 introduced a diploma system that requires work experience for students 14-19 years in age to strengthen their career and job education.Companies must also be brought into the equation to identify jobs graduates can fill and to expand open recruitment of high school graduates. It will also be necessary to address discrimination against applicants who have not yet fulfilled the nation's compulsory military service requirement, the study notes. Businesses tend to avoid these applicants because of concerns over lost productivity. However, recent policy reforms should assuage their worries. For example, high school graduates now may defer their military service for four years.The point that needs to be made, however, is that Korean society has astonished the world with its ability to pivot and go in entirely new ways. It is not out of the realm of possibility that the country will go ahead and institute the reforms with the alacrity that got it this far, this fast. Set as favorite Bookmark Email T his Hits: 5741Comments (2)Subscribe to this comment's feed Re Graduate Unemployment written by Rob Schackne, June 11, 2012 We are seeing a similar situation in urban China today, where the masses of graduates face an increasingly alarming dearth of jobs.Where vocationalization, rather than education, has also got a bad smell. University graduates are waiting tables†¦ though poorly. But I wonder what government initiative was it that beckoned forth all those young people into a dream of white-collar office work. Was it prosperity, the Tiger miracle? Don't get me wrong, education is a beautiful thing. I'd prefer to ride in a taxi driven by a well-educated French major than a taxed cretin. The conversation will be much better, and all that resentment is a good story that passes the time.

Why Should We Conserve Our Coral Reefs Before Its Too Late?

Why Should We Conserve Our Coral Reefs Before Its Too Late? The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s latest report warns that half of the coral reefs could disappear by 2045. Coral reefs are diverse ecosystems that support different kinds of fish species and other organisms under the sea. They are home to as many as 150,000 species in any given coral reef (Harris 1060). They are located in warm, shallow, and tropical marine waters where there is enough sunlight available for the coral reefs to thrive. It is very hard to estimate how much of the ocean floor is covered in coals because of the various places that they are located.The water temperature is also a very big influence on the growth and survival of coral reefs. For a coral to survive, the temperature needs to be around 74-78  °F and no lower then  °F. When the temperature gets too cold or too high, the coral starts dying immediately. The destruction of these coral reefs has become a dominant problem in the last ten or so years, resulting from various causes. As the number of coral reefs is rapidly declining and destruction is heading toward an all time high, while the rate of destruction is heading toward an all time high.We need to take action to conserve our coral reefs before it is too late. The destruction of coral reefs is being caused by both natural and manmade causes. The number one natural reason for the destruction of coral reefs is global warming. In an article for the Natural Wildlife Federation, author Joe Pupree explains the immediate effect of global warming and puts it into perspective saying, â€Å"While for most terrestrial creatures, the worst effects of global warming are decades away, for coral reefs the future is already here. The obvious major spikes in the oceans temperature are evident in many tropical regions today, showing pressing evidence that this is an increasing issue. The warmer water temperatures have also assisted in creating a new issue among t he coral reefs known as coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is the second biggest problem within coral reefs. When coral bleaching occurs, the coral basically gets rid of the algae that are living inside of them, which is what gives the corals their vibrant various colors.Corals draw in oxygen from algae in exchange for nutrients and carbon dioxide, so when corals expel their algae it is because they are experiencing a time of stress. When this happens the coral loose their color and turn white or become transparent. In 1998, for example, extreme water temperatures triggered a rare massive bleaching that left few corals untouched (Dupree). After this disaster, it was estimated that about 16% of the world’s corals had died in less than that one year.Regrettably, natural causes aren’t the only thing destroying our coral reefs, humans are also adding to the damage. Things like oil spills, coral mining, and dynamite fishing are all things that we have control over but havenâ €™t done anything about. Even tourism can be physically damaging to the coral reef’s structure. The list of factors contributing to the destruction of coral reefs goes on and on. Throughout the world there are some well-known coral reefs that have been affected by the destruction.Ten years ago when reefs mysteriously started dying off the coast of Key West scientists began to investigate. The way they conducted the research to find out why these coral reefs were dying, was that they cornered off parts of the reef with metal stakes and sent divers with cameras frequently so they could monitor corals and signs of pests and disease. A decade later, the metal stakes were still in place at Easter Dry Rocks Reef, but the corals themselves were gone (Dupree). Another reef that is being affected is Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.Charlie Veron, a coral expert and a longtime chief scientist for the Australian institute of Marine Sciences says that â€Å"A history of the Gre at Barrier Reef is a catalog of disasters caused by planetary chaos. But they are disaster from which the reef has always covered† (Qtd. In Dupree). As for today’s reoccurring disasters the prospect for coral reef recovery is uncertain. With the destruction of coral reefs becoming such as escalating problem, there have been several efforts to save them. The issue of global warming affecting the coal reefs is the top priority for the National Wildlife Federation.They claim to be â€Å"backing congressional legislation to reduce greenhouse gases, publishing reports on warming’s impact on wildlife and collaborating with state affiliates on the grassroots efforts† (Dupree). Management plans have been put into place that strictly enforces the limitations and controls on marine exploitation. This management plan has, however, significantly improved the health of some of the reefs they have tested this method on. There are also organizations such as â€Å"Reef C heck† that encourages people to get out into their community and volunteer and make a difference.The goal of â€Å"Reef Check† is to educate the public and governments about the value of coral reefs and the crisis facing them. The coral reefs that are dying every day not only affect our oceans, but they have a direct and indirect effect on our country. The people who depend on seafood for economic survival are finally beginning to realize that these coral reefs that they never cared to try to protect is going to have consequences. Fishermen will soon not be able o make a living in the commercial fishing industry and the economy will suffer from that.The nonexistence of coral reefs will also take a toll on the tourism industry. Things like reef tours, snorkeling, diving, and fishing, will all be affected. As said in the article Coral Crisis, â€Å"Globally, coral reefs are estimated to contribute more than 30$ billion a year in direct net benefits to human economics. â €  This is a huge sum of money and with the status of the economy at this point in time losing this money would be detrimental. Scientists as of lately have extracted over 1,200 potentially useful components from Cancer.If these components prove to be the answer to the curing of these terminal disease and there are no corals left, that could lead to some problems. Coral reefs are being destructed more and more every day. Whether it is by global warming making the temperature of the water unlivable, or by the stress placed on the corals until it causes them to become completely bleached throughout. It could also be caused by any human activities that harm the original nature of the coral reefs. The most prominent of the reefs being affected are the reefs in the Keys and in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.Efforts to save the reefs have started to begin but these efforts are no where near the magnitude that is needed if we want coral reefs to be around in the years to come. The effects of these coral reefs ceasing to exist will become apparent soon enough, but by that time we start the conservation of these beautiful underwater ecosystems it will not help. As marine, biologist Chris Langdon from the University of Miami explains to us short and to the point that â€Å"if we wipe them out, we’re not going to have them around for a very long time† (Dupree). Word Count: 1240

Eisenhower and U.S. Policy in Southeast Asia Essay - 1

Eisenhower and U.S. Policy in Southeast Asia - Essay Example An entire generation of anti-war protestors had emerged in response to the years of bloody fighting that had, for the first time in the nation’s history, been broadcast into living rooms across the country through the nightly news. Both civilians and military servicemen alike asked themselves this simple question: how did we get into such a mess? How was America, and France before her, defeated by a peasant army of Vietnamese Communists? It seems that in the wake of defeat, it is most important that blame be properly assessed. And most oftentimes, it is the presiding Administration at the time of the defeat that takes the lion’s share of the blame. Is that always where the blame lies, however? Based on the policies regarding Vietnam that President Nixon inherited from Johnson, who inherited it from Kennedy, was it even possible for America to win? No. The failure of America in Vietnam was rooted in decades of flawed policy. In fact, the roots of America’s failure in Vietnam can actually be drawn all the way back to Truman, but more significantly, to Eisenhower. It is important to study the Eisenhower era because American policy in Vietnam was strongly shaped during this time, even though the actual combat occurred under Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon. Indeed, it was because Eisenhower pursued a policy of containment in Vietnam that the war finally erupted.