Unfold by Marie Digby free essay sample

This is a tribute/music review to my idol and mentor Marie Digby. She is a half-Irish half-Japanese American singer. You can find her music on iTunes and on Youtube. Marie is best known for her song Umbrella (an acoustic cover for the famous singer Rihannas popular song); however, she has created many of her own songs which are even better. Her first original song was Stupid for You, appearing on Youtube in May of 2007. It turns comedic in the video when her dog runs up to her piano in her backyard. Her second song, shot in June 2007, is featured on a beautiful day at the beach. She sings Say it Again, one of my favorite songs that I always find myself singing. Many of you may watch the TV show Ugly Betty. Marie announces it is one of her favorites and actually rights a song about it. It is surprisingly one of my favorites and is definitely one of her bests. We will write a custom essay sample on Unfold by Marie Digby or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Her most beautiful but sad song that she has ever sung is Miss Invisible. It is very similar to my experiences and is why I love her. Its about her time in middle school and how she got through it. I have tears in my eyes every time I hear it. She has many other beautiful songs on her Album Unfold. I do recommend this to all lovers of music. Recently she has released a new album called Breathing Underwater which is supposed to be very good. In fact, I am asking my mom for it for Christmas! More on this beautiful artist in January!!!

Chiropractor essays

Chiropractor essays Yes, you read the headline correctly. Chiropractors don't cure anything; not headaches, not asthma, not stomach disorders or even back pain. Then what does a chiropractor do? Chiropractic is based on very basic scientific fact. Your brain is responsible for every bodily function you ever perform from before you were born until the time you die. Your brain sends those instructions through a vast telephone network (known as the nervous system) to every cell, tissue and organ in your body. If those telephone lines are interfered with in any way, those instructions coming from the brain get distorted and the result is lost function. (Think of Christopher Reeve to help with this concept, he damaged his telephone lines and as a result has very little function in his body.) Your spine is designed to protect the telephone lines. If the spine has been injured (even very slightly) it can become a major irritant to the nerve system, this is what chiropractors call a subluxation. How serious is this problem? Vertebral subluxation changes the entire health of the body by causing structural dysfunction of the spine and causing nerve interference. The weight of a quarter on a spinal nerve will reduce nerve impulse transmission by as much as 60%. WOW! Chang H. Suh, Spinal Biomechanics Specialist, University of Colorado Nerve dysfunction is stressful to the visceral nerve and other body structures and the lowered tissue resistance modifies the immune response and lessens the overall capability of the immune system. -the journal Science, 1981 WHO NEEDS THAT? The quality of healing is directly proportional to the functional capability of the nerve system to send and receive nerve messages. -J Edwards, MD, PhD., BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT! Knowing how important the role of the nerve system is, it should become clear how vital the job of the ...

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 10

Ethics - Essay Example Therefore, it is by nature that virtues arise in human beings as human beings are adapted by nature to get them and are made naturally by nature. In nature, human beings acquire the potential and later exhibit the activity. On the other hand, we had the sense of hearing seeing and smelling before we used them, but these virtues are acquired by exercise and practice. For the things that we have to learn before they are done, one must practice good deeds in order to be good. Virtue is a quality of character and is expressed by how a person behaves. Virtue can be taught only if it is the knowledge of something. Virtue is a good value. Anybody possessing something of good character can only benefit from it rather than acquire it. Therefore, any quality of virtue not guided by understanding can be harmful and of no use to anybody. For example, a person’s beauty can harm him or her physically if the beauty is used foolishly; it is of no benefit to that person. Virtue being a quality of character benefits the person who possesses it and it can be argued that knowledge is part of virtue. In accordance with age, children do not act out of virtue as compared to adults and this explains further that virtue does not emerge from that part of our character rather than nature itself. Knowledge therefore, is not a natural innate but is an acquired trait. Those who acquire virtue get it from learning and exercising its values. If virtue can be acquired by learning, then people can be taught virtue by trained professionals. Sophists ar e teachers of virtue who teach arts of persuasions and rhetoric and on the other hand, they are not concerned with the result of what they teach regardless of the skills. People who are virtuous such as elders are best skilled and experienced to teach virtue to others by examples, advice, and explanations as they were taught by other elders during their time. These

Should i buy or should i rent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Should i buy or should i rent - Essay Example Therefore, the main objective of monetary theory analysis is to understand how to analyze and communicate findings of various investment projects. Consequently, this essay discusses the process project evaluation, techniques of evaluation, theory of interest rate, real situation of mortgage business in United Kingdom specifically the interest rates and other important figures. In the end I attempt to answer a question on whether to buy a home or rent a house. I use the conventional methods of evaluating new ventures to arrive at a decision of buying a house. Capital investments involve spending money on assets that are used to make the business operational. These monies go into meeting the demands of the project. Such demands include wages, utilities costs, land, rent and equipment. This often require colossal amount of startup capital which may be borrowed, raised through equity or saved from earnings. Since money is an important limited resource, the decision to invest on a project must be backed by evidence of profitability and cost benefit analysis. It is important to note that most capital investment are long term and good choice of project is critical. Besides, other factors like amount of capital which eventually determines the type of project must also be considered. Attention should also be given to risk associated with the business and the payback time, whether long term or short term. It is important to note that the question about best investment choices has no straight forward answer. In other words there is no guarantee that the best investment analyst will advise precisely on the future prospect of the project. It all depends on both macro and micro economic factors prevailing at the moment. Therefore, it the duty of the investor to evaluate the cost and benefits associated with the project. Although it is not easy to pinpoint a specific way to deal with this challenge, various methods of determining project viability are available. The two most commonly used techniques are net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR). These techniques involves finding out the projected cash flows and costs. Nevertheless, the net present value is considered superior to internal rate of return because in some instances a high yield rate does not mean the business is profitable. Internal return rate is based on already determined discount rate which may be not be accurate (Gaylon and Philip 2003). The net present value indicates the value of the business today. It takes into consideration all cash flows and the duration values. These include the initial startup capital and future incomes. The inflows are assigned positive values while outflows are given negative values. For instance if the initial outlay is ? 100,000, this will be considered negative when computing net cash inflow. This because this money has been used to finance the project operation and is not part of income earned from the project. When all these values are co mbined, the result gives the net value of the project. In cases where the investor can establish the amount of money flowing in or out at specific fixed time, the money is treated as rate of cash flow. For instance, a landlord who collect ? 3,000 from rents, has a rate of cash inflow rather than cash inflow. The net cash flow ct at specific time = cash inflows at time t – cash outflows at time t The net rate of cash flows in unit time = net

Politics in the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Politics in the Middle East - Essay Example That led to counter reaction and eventually and the current deplorable situation. In Iran on the other hand, the domestic politics remain complex with issues like the contentious nuclear program leads to instability. Furthermore, the president supports the Syrian president against ISS that exposes Iraq to risks of attack from the terrorist group. Black (2014) presents Syria political condition as the worst of all in the nations found in the Middle East region. The declaration of ISS of Syria as an Islamic State led to outbreak of war between the government and forces that backs it from Iran and the militiamen of Shia from Iraq. It is evident that efforts to eliminate the group remain far from bearing fruits. The impact however, proves more devastating with lost lives accounting to over one hundred and fifty civilians while immigrating civilians have led to creation of refugees’ crisis across Europe. Lebanon equally suffers mostly as a result of war in Syria and the existence o f a deeply fractured polity that the nation enjoys. As a result of Lebanon’s president defense to the Syrian president, tension remains high as the Sunni community reacts violently. War in Syria affects Jordan as more than six hundred refugees joined the country. Furthermore, tensions remain high with the political leaders of Jordan wary of Isis appealing to disaffected Sunnis. Turkey on the other hand provides support to anti-Assad rebels, but still worried about Isis as well as the independence of Kurdish (Black, 2014).

Land Reform and Property Rights in Zimbabwe

Land Reform and Property Rights in Zimbabwe Introduction The purported discrimination against minority groups in terms of land entitlements and other rights is not a new concept in Africa, as well as other countries around the world. With the legacy of apartheid in South Africa still rife in various parts of the African continent, the rights of the minority population have never been more prominent in the media and the like. Zimbabwe has experienced a similar plight during recent times, with President Mugabe implementing radical land reform measures so as to â€Å"equalise† the land ownership demographic in Zimbabwe. Take for example the Abuja Agreement on Zimbabwe Land Reform, dated 6 September 2001 which states (in part): Zimbabwe has agreed†¦to end all illegal occupations of white-owned farmland and return the country to the rule of law, in return for financial assistance. The Agreement goes on to state that, as a result of the historical injustices, the Zimbabwe land situation endangers the stability of both southern Africa, and the whole continent, and that is why a land reform program in Zimbabwe must adhere to human rights, the rule of law, transparency and democratic principles.). The Zimbabwe delegation promised (1) that no more farms will be occupied; (2) to remove farms that do not meet set criteria from the lists and move squatters on those farms to lands acquired legally; (3) to speed up talks with the U.N. Development Programme; (4) to reinstate the rule of law; and (5) to invite the delegation to visit Zimbabwe and see the current situation. The United Kingdom also promised to contribute significantly to fund the land reform program, and encouraged other international organizations t o do the same.[1] It is the purpose of this brief to analyse the various methods with Zimbabwe have sought to implement, both pre- and post-independence, in order to ensure that land is not only distributed fairly among the population, but also in such a way that ensures the overall economic sustainability of Zimbabwean industry. Notwithstanding this, this paper will also explore the current precarious economic position of Zimbabwe as well as the somewhat selfish and unstable political administration, in order to determine whether this has any impact on the land reform policy and the Zimbabwean society at large. Pre independence Land Reform By 1898, Britain required the British South Africa Company (BSA) to create communal areas for the Africans. The Communal Areas were developed and despite the limitations the Communal Areas created there was still adequate land. The BSA realised that agriculture in Rhodesia could be highly profitable and embarked on a route of divesting Africans of lands and giving it to white colonists.[2] In 1925 the Morris-Carter Commission appointed to ensure white land domination determined that the best way to put the economy on a sound footing was landholding patterns.[3] The Land Appointment Act of 1930 broke land up along racial lines. Race groups were not allowed to own land in each other’s designated areas. In terms of this Act, 50.8% of land was reserved for white settlers and the African majority was allocated 30% of the land. The remaining 20% of the land was owned by commercial companies or the colonial government or was reserved as conservation areas.[4] The land reserved for the white settlers was situated in the arable central highlands and the land reserved for the Africans along the plateau sloping down into the Zambezi Valley and mountainous escarpment. This land was designated as African Reserve Areas. The colonial government adopted the following legislation that relegated Africans to infertile reserves known as communal lands: The 1913 Natives Land Act The Land Apportionment Act of 1930 The Native Land Husbandry Act of 1951 The Land Tenure Act of 1969 The result of these policies led to a highly skewed land ownership. One percent of the white farmers owned more than half of the available agricultural land and over seventy percent of all fertile lands. At the time of independence, the two racial groups each owned about 40% of the land in Zimbabwe. The population density was however vastly different with far greater number of people living on African land. The population density for white farm land was 1 per square mile and that of African farm land 46 per square mile. The white settlers further had the pick of the land and were also supported by massive state intervention in the development of a farming economy. The state provided extensive communication and marketing infrastructure in commercial farming areas, and made subsidies and loans available to white farmers. The inequality of land allocation and the support to white agriculture were continuous areas of conflict and contention. The first rebellion took place in 1896 but the African people were defeated by the superior military might of the colonial forces. The second rebellion (â€Å"Chimurenga†) began in the 1960s and was led by the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the now defunct Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU). Both ZANU and ZAPU were committed to radical land reform on coming to power. The dispossession of Africans was still a living memory for many of the elders in Zimbabwe who had lived through the first Chimurenga. Both ZANU and ZAPU elicited a lot of support from the peasants. Most of the supporters lived in rural areas and the war was largely fought in rural areas. It was guerrilla fighters and peasants who fought against a modern army of the white regime. The Lancaster House agreement brought about a ceasefire and new elections. The colony reverted back under British rule. It further provided for a new constitution that implemented majority rule and at the same time protected the rights of the white minority. The parties agreed that the country will be named Zimbabwe. The subsequent elections in 1980 saw Robert Mugabe win and form the first government, post colonialism. Because the land issue was the main driving force for Prime Minister Mugabe’s campaign, he promised that his government would investigate for ways to reverse past discriminatory policies in land distribution, education, employment, and wages.[5] The fundamental aim of Zimbabwe’s land reform program today is to redress the inequalities within the existing tenure system that denies the African majority access to fertile lands.[6] Background to conflict Zimbabwe has approximately 12 million people and the land area is approximately 386669 square kilometres. The land tenure system in place today is the remains of the colonial system. The colonial system created the inequalities and that is what the current Zimbabwean government is trying to overcome with land reforms. The civil war lasted until the late 1970’s when a settlement was negotiated that led to the Lancaster House Agreement and independence for Zimbabwe. At that time the inequalities were very visible with the population density where the African people lived being three times those in the commercial farming area. The land was still divided along racial lines with about 6000 white farmers owning 42% of the country. The land reform experience in Kenya played an influential role in the search for a workable solution for the land crisis in Zimbabwe. The Kenyan problem was similar to that of Zimbabwe, they also had a guerrilla warfare and dispossessed peoples which fuelled the conflict. The British tried to defuse the crisis by buying out white farmers. The amount the British Government made available to buy white farms in Kenya was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¡500 million. The parties hoped that a similar solution would be available for Zimbabwe and during secret negotiations in the mid seventies the negotiating parties promoted an Anglo- American Development Fund for Zimbabwe. This idea received broad support and was even backed by the then ZANU/ZAPU Patriotic Front (ZANU/ZAPU PF). The British Government agreed to contribute $75 million and there were hints from the United States that it would contribute an extra $200 million. The money was going to be used to buy out the white owned farms. The Lancaster House negotiations started in 1979 with Ian Smith, Abel Muzorewa and the ZANU/ZAPU PF all took part in the negotiations. By the time the negotiations took place, Britain had a new government. During the Lancaster negotiations the so called Development Fund was used as bait to get the liberation movements to reach an agreement with the Rhodesian Government with Abel Muzorewa as the prime minister and Ian Smith representing the white minority. The offer of the fund was withdrawn and the British Government offered a compromise. They were very concerned about the white farmers and in exchange for a promise by the liberation organisations that they will not take away the land from the white farmers for a period of 10 years unless it was on the basis of a willing seller and willing buyer and to guarantee landholding the British Government will underwrite half of the costs of resettlement with the Zimbabwean Government required to provide the other half. In 1980 the British Go vernment put up an initial amount of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¡20 million. For the Zimbabwean Government resettlement was the key issue in the transfer of power to an independent Zimbabwean regime. The only way that land could therefore be redistributed was on the basis that white farmers will sell their land willingly. Those who wished to continue farming was free to do so and the government was not allowed to carry out mass expropriation of land from white farmers. Although the Zimbabwean Government retained the right to expropriate land for public resettlement purposes, the compensation it was required to pay had to be paid out in foreign currency. Article Sixteen of Zimbabwes Constitution allowed the Zimbabwean Government to expropriate land that was not being utilised. During the guerrilla ware many farmers abandoned their farms and these were taken by the new Government. The Zimbabwean Government thus was in a position to move forward with redistribution of the land by expropriating land for the public good. Today this is what President Mugabe is saying to justify this controversial land acquisition program. The frontline states in Southern Africa placed tremendous pressure on the liberation organisations to accept the proposed settlement and, in the end, they capitulated and an agreement was reached. The critical capitulation created the breeding ground for future unsatisfied expectations of the war veterans and the landless Africans. The hands of the Zimbabwean Government were tied. They could not carry out their goal of redressing the inequities of the colonialism and the vast majority of the farm land remained in the hands of the few white farmers. Following the war an urgent need for reconstruction existed and measures were required to address the mass displacement of the peasant people in Zimbabwe. Since the ware was mostly fought in the rural areas the peasant agriculture collapsed and because the government could not expropriate white owned land 90 percent of all marketed food in the country was produced by the white farm owners. This fact strengthened the white farmers position both economical and politically. The restrictions imposed through the Lancaster House agreement remained a constant theme in Zimbabwean land reform in the decades following independence.[7] By 1997 a high number of more fertile agricultural lands remained under the control of a few thousand white farmers. It was now 17 years since independence and although the Government changed the constitution in 1990 (after the 10 year period) to make it easier for ti to expropriate land the vast majority of displaced Africans and the war veterans who fought on the land for the land was still landless. The population of a lower class labourer in the so called tribal reserves increased. President Mugabe has on many occasions said that the British Government reneged on the agreement that was reached at the Lancaster House. Yet, Britain that reneged on the Lancaster House agreement to pay compensation to its indigenes in Zimbabwe on their lands to be redistributed, for equity, could brazenly cry foul and deploy its immense media power to demonise Mugabe.[8] Zimbabwe’s Political History Cecil John Rhodes became rich beyond anyone’s wildest dreams through his companies, De Beers Consolidated Mines and Goldfields of South Africa. The first company exploited the diamond fields in the Northern Cape and the second one the goldfields on the Reef. His biggest dream was to establish a continuous strip of British Empire from the Cape to the mouth of the Nile. The terms of incorporation of his mining companies included the right to invest in northern expansion. Rhodes formed the British South Africa Company (BSA) to expand into Africa beyond South Africa without involving the British government. BSA was also looking for gold fields and the first white settlers settled in what is now known as Harare in 1890. Gold was indeed discovered in the Zimbabwe highlands. In 1891 the area is declared a British protectorate and from 1895 the region up to the Zambezi is known as Rhodesia. The gold that was discovered in Zimbabwe was not as concentrated as on the gold reef in South Africa and nearly impossible to extract profitably. The company encouraged white settlement of Zimbabwe for farming purposes as an alternative means of generating an income for it. The direct result of this policy was a greater need to dispossess indigenous peoples of their land and force them into labour on the settler farms. Since the Zimbabwean highlands were not very fertile, the white settler farmers struggled to make a living. The result was that the BSA did not make any profits. Lobengula who was the king of the Ndebele people granted Rhodes the mining rights in part of his territory in return for 1000 rifles, an armed steamship for use on the Zambezi and a monthly rent of  £100. He tried to maintain good relations with the British but many of his tribe were eager to expel the white people. Leander Jameson who was administering the region for Rhodes started waging war against Lobengula and easily defeated Lobengula who had his headquarters at Bulawayo. There was a strong tribal uprising against the British in 1896 but thereafter Rhodess company brought the entire region up to the Zambezi under full control. Because BSA was not making any profits it wanted to get out of the territory and the white settlers were asked to vote on three choices. On 12 September 1923 Rhodesia becomes a self-governing c rown colony. The colony is prosperous and successful with the white population growing to 222,000 thirty years after the referendum. By 1953 Rhodesia has been a self governing colony for thirty years and the African people remained disenfranchised. In 1957 a tiny B roll is established providing for a small number of African voters. Between 1953 and 1963, Rhodesia was part of a colonial federation with two other colonies namely Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia. During the early 1960’s African politicians in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland won more power in the legislative councils and pressure grows on the British government to break up the federation. All three colonies were also demanding independence and the federation is formally dissolved on 31 December 1963. During the years of federation the parties are formed which will subsequently fight the bitter struggle for the future of an independent Rhodesia. Joshua Nkomo, the first African leader in the new era, is elected as president of the local branch of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1957. The ANC is banned and he is the founder member of the National Democratic Party in 1960 which in turn is banned. In 1961he replaces it with ZAPU (the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union). Robert Mugabe and the reverend Ndabaningi Sithole are both members of this ZAPU. In 1963 Mugabe and Sithole split from ZAPU and form the rival ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union). The United Nations supported the African majority in their quest for political suffrage and this support combined with the political pressure from the African majority forces the federal government to introduce a new constitution in 1961 allowing for African representation in parliament. A direct result of this move is the establishment of a new political party by Ian Smith known as the Rhodesian Front. The Rhodesian Front was committed to white supremacist policies and offered an independent Rhodesia governed by the white minority. The new party is the surprise winner in the elections in 1962. The party in power at the time was the more moderate United Federal Party. The new prime minister is Winston Field and the founder of the party, Ian Smith becomes his deputy. Ian Smith replaced Field as prime minister in April 1964and becomes prime minister of Rhodesia. At this stage Rhodesia is once again separate self-governing colony. Ian Smith ordered the arrest of Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe as his first act in office. They remained in detention until 1974. Reverend Sithole joined them in November 1965. Pursuant to Smith’s promise of independence he now tries to persuade the British government to grant independence on the basis of white minority rule. The British government refused the request and Smith decides to take matters into his own hands and on 11 November 1965 he publishes a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). Harold Wilson embarked on quiet diplomacy and there followed meetings between Smith and Wilson. Two of the meetings took place on warships (the Fearless and the Tiger) off Gibraltar in 1966 and 1968. Smith is unmoved by the quiet diplomacy of the British government. In 1968 the United Nations imposes economic sanctions against Rhodesia with the approval of the British government. The sanctions do not work immediately and takes a long time to become effective. Guerrilla warfare by ZAPU and ZANU is more effective. They attack Rhodesia from across its borders. Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo also buried the hatchet and in 1976 they formed a united front namely the Patriotic Front (PF). By 1978 Smith realises that the white minority will have to grant concessions to the African majority and he comes to an agreement with a moderate African leader bishop Abel Muzorewa, leader of the UANC (United African National Council). Multi racial elections are held in 1979 but the Patriotic Front is banned from the elections. Bishop Muzorewa emerges as the prime minister. The agreement between Smith and Bishop Muzorewa entails guarantees securing white political and economic interests Smith underestimated the tenacity of the Patriotic Front and it continues its guerrilla campaign against Rhodesia. The fact that the PF was banned meant that there were no real democratic elections and the UANC was shackled to the agreement it reached with Smith in exchange for the right to participate in the elections. In December 1979 all three African leaders attend a meeting in London. UDI is overturned and Rhodesia reverts briefly to the status of a British colony. The parties reached an agreement which is now commonly known as the Lancaster House Agreement. When Kenya became independent the British government promised  £500 million to assist Kenya with its land reforms. The PF negotiated with the British government for a similar concession. At the time of the Lancaster House Agreement the British government agreed to provide funds to the Zimbabwean government to assist it in redistributing the land on the basis of ‘willing seller, willing buyer’. Post-Colonial Land Reforms Following the independence of Zimbabwe in 1980 the government and administration has sought to implement various measures in an attempt to reform the land conflict and address the fact that the most viable and valuable land in Zimbabwe is owned by white farmers, which forms a very significant minority of the Zimbabwean population. As one author puts it: The land division in Zimbabwe now is horribly inequitable. Of the countrys 11.4 million people, the white minority, comprising one percent of the total population, owns over one-third of the farmland. The British fully realized the need for some measure of land reform when they granted Zimbabwe its independence. But, during the first two decades of autonomy, the Zimbabwean government has moved slowly to address the land scarcity issue. The situation is aggravated now because a minuscule white minority owns most all of the large commercial farms that support Zimbabwes agriculture-dependent economy.[9] Furthermore: The unfortunate irony is that the very land the Zimbabwean government wants to expropriate belongs to white farmers whose land provides employment for many Africans, whose products are vital to the countrys financial health, and whose crops feed not only Zimbabwe, but also its neighbors. Nevertheless, Mugabe has marked around 4,900 white-owned, commercial farms (about ninety-five percent of the total number of white-owned farms) for appropriation as part of his â€Å"fast track,† land redistribution plan.[10] The above passages demonstrate the difficulties which post-colonial land reforms face in the Zimbabwean context, particularly in an economic sense. The white-owned farms which are being marked for appropriation under the new â€Å"fast track† land reforms implemented by Mugabe contributes significantly to the economic sustainability of Zimbabwe, given the fact that it provides employment for many of the black Africans, as well as providing an export market for Zimbabwe to other countries. The theory, according to Nading, is that if this land is taken away from the white farmers, it places Zimbabwe in an even more precarious economic position than what it is currently experiencing. Contrary to this argument, is important to note the current economic situation in Zimbabwe is not good. Zimbabwes inflation is astronomical, and the government is quite clearly broke. The government also continues to fund what is described as an â€Å"ill-informed troop deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo†.[11] In October 2001 the Zimbabwean government sought US$360 million in international aid from the United Nations Development Program.[12] These factors tend to demonstrate that Zimbabwean government has a history of not being particularly responsible with its funds, often directing funds to places where they should ordinarily not be directed. Therefore questions need to be asked in relation to the proposed fast track land reforms and whether they actually make sound economic sense in the Zimbabwean context. While, in a social sense, the proposed scheme is to succeed in theory in equalising land ownership in Zimbabwe and negating the concentration of land ownership among the minority white population, the statistics show that the land owned by white farmers under the previous schemes (and, in turn, in current times) comprises much of the economic integrity of Zimbabwe. However, conversely, Zimbabwean government does not have a history of sound political inte grity and raises questions over this policy in an economic sense. It is a well-known fact that much of Zimbabwean Pres Mugabes support comes from the black Zimbabwean population. In this regard, it is clear that one of the political justifications of the Fast Track reforms is to look after Mugabes own political self interests, and not necessarily to advance the social welfare status of Mugabe supporters. However it would also appear that the Fast Track reforms are veiled in such a way so as to create the impression that Mugabe is looking after the black population of Zimbabwe, however the facts indicate that this is not the case. As one author puts it: Mugabe began his fast track campaign in earnest against the minority, white farm-owners and the opposition group, the MDC, following voters rejection of Mugabes proposal for a new constitution on February 15, 2000. Through this constitutional referendum, Mugabe sought to extend his office of the presidency for another six years.[13] This essentially demonstrates Mugabes selfish political nature, with Mugabe firstly seeking to extend his office of the presidency by another six years and, after this was rejected by the people in a referendum, he then sought to implement a land reform scheme which purported to favour the black majority so he could, in theory, propose his constitutional amendment again and have it passed at a second referendum. It also demonstrates the flaws in the Zimbabwean political system, in the sense that it does not operate to promote true democracy and representation of all Zimbabwean citizens, but rather to preserve the political self-interest of the ruling class and taking the vote of the less educated, but majority, black Zimbabwean voters for granted. It will be difficult to submit to there is an ultimate social welfare aim behind these proposed land reform measures, as the facts indicate that Mugabe has a history of being self-centered and power hungry in his political ideologies and vi ews. Therefore the overall integrity on both an economic and social front, as well as the political motivation of same, is questionable at best. In summary the post-Colonial approach to land reform in Zimbabwe does not present substantial merit in its aims and objectives so as to justify disenfranchising white landowners in favour of the disadvantaged black Zimbabwean population on a number of fronts. As one author puts it: Moreover, these [land reforms] reinforce a state-centric view of rural Zimbabwe that leads to a naive faith in the governments current ability or future possibility to (re)order rural life for the betterment of all. Given the checkered history of state policies toward land in colonial and post-colonial Zimbabwe, such faith inspires more concern than relief.[14] The above passage perhaps summarises this chapter perfectly, in the sense that this policy inspires false hope in the Zimbabwean government to deliver a policy which is beneficial for all Zimbabweans. The facts appear to indicate that this policy only serves to benefit the ruling class, and not the majority black population as it purports to. Are the Land Reform Provisions Justifiable? There is little ability to dispute the fact that the land reform provisions which have been put in place since the independence of Zimbabwe provide for a significantly increased rate of land reform and the measures that were previously put in place. However the real question that this paper must answer is whether or not the most recent provisions are a positive step for the people of Zimbabwe, particularly the black minority population, or whether they serve as more of a burden upon the Zimbabwean population as a whole. This paper has analysed both the pre-and post-independence land reform provisions in the context of the social, political and economic merits thereof. The fact of the matter is that post-independence land reform provisions in Zimbabwe have not appropriately addressed the challenges which Zimbabwe faces in these areas. As one author puts it: Zimbabwe has found the redistribution of land to peasant farmers particularly difficult to achieve: in ten years the government has been able to relocate fewer than 60,000 farmers, in spite of earlier promises to resettle 162,000 by 1985. Following passage of the Land Acquisition Act in March 1992, the countrys commercial farmers face compulsory acquisition of their land by the government, including those farms located in lucrative tobacco growing areas. Although the government will pay compensation, farmers will be unable to appeal established compensation levels.[15] In other words, the currently land reform provisions severely prejudice those who already own land in such a way that grants an unfair advantage to those who do not, such as the majority black population. More importantly, compensation which white farmers will receive as a result of the Zimbabwean governments compulsory land acquisition is inadequate and is not subject to any formal review. This means that farmers do not have any ability to challenge him out of compensation they receive, leaving them significantly out of pocket as a result of the governments land reform proposals and with a limited ability to make income from the skills which are probably all they have in terms of plying their trade. Zimbabwe is a very spotted political history, particularly in relation to looking after the best interests of its people. President Mugabe also has a proven track record of looking after his own self interests before looking after the interests of his electors. In this regard one must question the political motivation of the Zimbabwean land reform policies and whether in fact it sets out to achieve what it purports to be its aims and objectives. It cannot be disputed that the policy does seek to empower black Zimbabwean population; however this paper suggests that it does not have adequate regard the economic consequences of disenfranchising white farmers, who own most of the profitable land in Zimbabwe. It is this factor that cast doubt over the policy as a whole, however regard need to be had for the current economic situation in any case. Inflation is through the roof, and one needs to consider whether hurting the already crippled Zimbabwean financial sector is a sensible approach in the long run. Conclusion In summary, and in consideration of the above points, it is clear that the land reform policy Zimbabwe post-independence is not one which the government should be proud of. This paper has presented evidence which suggests that British colonisation of Zimbabwe had a view of equal land distribution, but also a view of economic prosperity, in the sense that the most prosperous land was distributed to those who have the skills and knowledge to appropriately deal with and generate profit from that land. Even when Zimbabwe became independent in 1979-1980, the British government continued to allocate funds to Zimbabwe in an attempt to redistribute land, however this distribution occurred on a willing seller, willing buyer basis. This demonstrates the fact that, when the British government had a role in policy forming in Zimbabwe, it always had Zimbabwe’s interests at heart. Since Zimbabwe gained independence, the administration of its affairs has been tainted by greed, fraud and dece ption and the people of Zimbabwe are the ones who have suffered in this regard. To sum up the current land reform policy in Zimbabwe: Since 1890 up to today, the land question has singularly had the most significant impact on Zimbabwes political and economic history. Most recently, the Land Resettlement Program, developed after Zimbabwes independence in 1980, has had mixed reviews. One position is that the program has resulted in one of Africas most successful examples of land redistribution. The other position is that the land reform program in Zimbabwe has been disastrous to the country and its economy. According to some sources, a total of over 3.5 million hectares of land have been resettled. But, [t]here is considerable controversy on the number of people who have [actually] been allocated land.[16]

identity article :: essays research papers

YOU ARE YOU Identities can be lost and found, despite their importance and significance. ANGIE SHUM reports on the changes that many people may experience and a guide to help prevent it.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Crà ¨me brà »lee can never be jello, YOU can never be jello.† When Julia Roberts stated this line to the vulnerable Cameron Diaz, in â€Å"My Best Friend’s Wedding†, she wasn’t criticising the pros and cons of food, she was conveying her opinion on being yourself. Crà ¨me brà »lee – a rich dessert containing chilled, custard with a caramelised topping, creating a delicious flavour as the smooth, creamy texture melts in your mouth. Jello – clear, bright, floppy and sweet or better known as jelly. How can crà ¨me brà »lee even be compared to jello? Crà ¨me brà »lee is crà ¨me brà »lee and jello is jello. Just like these desserts, humans should stick to being who they are. In spite of this many humans tend to be persuaded into the unfortunate direction of changing themselves to suit the needs and interests of others. Princess Fiona, from Shrek strived to be the perfect princess that any knight in shining armour would dream of. However, she was hiding a deep, dark secret – an ogre. Princess Fiona was in fact an ogre and she was hiding this side of her because she thought others would think she was ugly and repulsive. Nevertheless, Shrek, another ogre, discovered her inner beauty. Beauty that was far beyond appearances. As Helen Keller once said: â€Å"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched†¦but are felt in the heart.† Changing yourself to impress others cannot only lead you to embarrassment, but it can also be a simple approach for flushing your own personality down the toilet. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689–1762) once stated, â€Å"I despise the pleasure of pleasing people that I despise.† Most reasons people transform themselves are due to lack of self-esteem and yes, the big â€Å"J† word. JEALOUSY. This emotion may also lead to despising others and even hatred. So, in order to claim back your esteem, you attempt to be better than them. That is in terms of, looks, intelligence and personality, which then leads to competition with others. It’s very important for people to recognise their own identity and to grasp the importance of it. A perfect example of this is in the poem â€Å"Portrait† by Judith Wright. This poem gives a brief insight into a stereotypical woman’s► identity through a third person.

Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels have been a widely used source of energy every since the Industrial Revolution just before the dawn of the 20th century. Fossil fuels are relatively easy to use to generate energy because they only require a simple direct combustion. However, a problem with fossil fuels is their environmental impact. Not only does their excavation from the ground significantly alter the environment, but their combustion leads to a great deal of air pollution. Fossil and nuclear plants are capable of producing significant amounts of power. Plants in the gigawatt (billions of watts) range are common. Modern cities need large amounts of reliable electricity, more than what many alternative sources can currently deliver. Businesses should educate people about what benefits they can get out of nuclear versus fossil fuels. One of the leading and biggest Corporations in nuclear filed is Exelon Corporation. The Exelon Corporation could educate citizens of the United States about the need to get off fossil fuels, the relative improvement begot from nuclear and counter society’s misconceptions on the dangers of nuclear energy. Background/ Context of Issue. The cost for building and operating a power plant is lower for fossil fuels. This remains true even though environmental concerns have added to their costs. For the short term, these fuels are the easiest to produce. Nuclear fuel, though much less of it is needed, requires significant, costly refinement to bring the ores to useful purity. At the end of its productive life, a nuclear plant must be decommissioned, a costly process. We burn fossil fuels to get energy from them. This is called combustion. Technically, the products of combustion are carbon dioxide and water. But with most fuels combustion is incomplete. Ashes escape into the air or accumulate in the furnace, requiring disposal. In 2009, carbon dioxide is seen as a major factor in global warming. Spent fuel nuclear fuel rods, no longer able to make power, are still highly radioactive. They must be carefully stored for at least hundreds of years. Interstate shipments of radioactive wastes are controversial; no one wants the potential for nuclear accidents in their home state. Nuclear power has seen two major applications: large, stationary electric ower plants and propulsion for naval vessels. The heavy shielding around a reactor limits other uses. Nuclear aircraft engines and other applications have been explored, but the heaviness of the reactor and the chance of contamination from accidents keep these from serious consideration. Fossil fuels are used in things as small as lighters and big as power plants. In liquid form, they can be conveniently stored and distributed. Hazards such as t oxicity and flammability exist but don't pose long-term problems the same as nuclear fuels do. Reserves entail many complex factors. Geologists can determine the extent of proven reserves, though these can be over- or understated for political reasons. New finds are reported frequently. Consumption, which determines how long reserves will, last, is variable, driven by economic conditions. At current rates of use, the world has enough coal for 200 years, oil for 40 years and natural gas for 60 years. Uranium reserves are good for 50 years, though technologies such as breeder reactors can, in theory, stretch that to more than 1,000. Currently, the United States and most of the world is locked into what could be called the fossil fuel economy. Our automobiles, trains and planes are fueled almost exclusively by petroleum products like gasoline and diesel. A huge percentage of our power plants use oil, natural gas and coal for their fuel. If the flow of fossil fuels to the United States were ever cut off, the economy would come to a halt. There would be no way to transport the products that factories produce. There would be no way for people to drive to work. The whole economy, and in fact the whole of western society, currently depends on fossil fuels. While fossil fuels have played an important role in getting society to the point it is at today, there are four big problems that fossil fuels create: Air pollution – When cars burn gasoline, they would ideally burn it perfectly and create nothing but carbon dioxide and water in their exhaust. Unfortunately, the internal combustion engine is not perfect. In the process of burning the gasoline, it also produces: * Carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas * Nitrogen oxides, the main source of urban smog * Unburned hydrocarbons, the main source of urban ozone Catalytic converters eliminate much of this pollution, but they aren't perfect. Air pollution from cars and power plants is a real problem in big cities. It is bad enough now that, in the summer, many cities have dangerous levels of ozone in the air. Environmental pollution – The process of transporting and storing oil has a big impact on the environment whenever something goes wrong. An oil spill, pipeline explosion or well fire can create a huge mess. The Exxon Valdez spill is the best known example of the problem, but minor spills happen constantly. Global warming – When you burn a gallon of gas in your car, you emit about 5 pounds (2. 3 kg) of carbon into the atmosphere. If it were solid carbon, it would be extremely noticeable — it would be like throwing a 5-pound bag of sugar out the window of your car for every gallon of gas burned. But because the 5 pounds of carbon comes out as an invisible gas, carbon dioxide, most of us are oblivious to it. The carbon dioxide coming out of every car's tailpipe is a greenhouse gas that is slowly raising the temperature of the planet. The ultimate effects are unknown, but it is a strong possibility that, eventually, there will be dramatic climate changes that affect everyone on the planet. For example, if the ice caps melt, sea level will rise significantly, flooding and destroying all coastal cities in existence today. That's a big side effect. Dependence – The United States, and most other countries, cannot produce enough oil to meet demand, so they import it from oil-rich countries. That creates an economic dependence. When Middle East oil producers decide to raise the price of oil, the rest of the world has little choice but to pay the higher price. Stakeholders One of direct stakeholders in this case is The United States government, which monitors nuclear companies through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The NRC regulates reactors through inspection, licensing, and performance assessments. Since 1990s, nuclear build has been efficiently ruled out until the year 2006, following review if the energy policy overturned opposition of the government towards new nuclear. In order to facilitate new nuclear formation, the government has implemented various measures like streaming planning process, making sure that regulations are well equipped in order to pre-license designs regarding new created proposals (World nuclear Association, 2013). Exelon Corporation is one of the nation’s leading competitive providers of energy with almost $23. 5 billion revenue annually. The company participated in all stages of energy business that is from generation to the competitive sales of energy to transmission and finally to delivery. Exelon provides energy services and products to almost 100,000 public and business sector customers as well as almost one million of residential customers. The company’s employees are usually devoted to safety. In this case, they are highly skilled employees and simultaneously receive training in order to make their safe job practices safer. Every employee has 100% accountability (Exelon’s, website). Exelon’s commitment towards the environment is essential to their corporate strategy. Their objectives include capitalizing their environment leadership as well as providing safe, clean, affordable and reliable electricity that caters transition of the American to sustainable future energy. However, the company’s early dedication to responsible, low carbon energy venture has enabled it creating advantage to their stakeholders while limiting their impacts towards the environment (Exelon’s website). Because of the pluralistic society that the United States has, special interest groups can have a large negative impact on nuclear companies by protesting or picketing. Previous Solutions Different ways have been tried to let the public accept the fact that nuclear power resources are better off then fossil fuel resources. Driving electric cars will be one way when we can use renewable energy to charge the cars. United Arab Emirates: One way the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) was able to increase public support for its nuclear power was through a public outreach program. According to a poll conducted by the research consultancy firm TNS, the ENEC was able to increase public awareness of nuclear power by 13% over last year (Mustafa). The success of ENEC’s public awareness campaign can be seen through the increase of respondents in favor of UAE using nuclear power (Mustafa). The percent of people who supported nuclear power increased from 66% to 82% in one year. The respondents of the poll were so much in favor of nuclear power they are even willing let a plant be built where they live (Mustafa). The USA is the world's largest producer of nuclear power, accounting for more than 30% of worldwide nuclear generation of electricity. * The country's 104 nuclear reactors produced 821 billion kWh in 2011, over 19% of total electrical output. There are now 102 units operable and three under construction. * Following a 30-year period in which few new reactors were built, it is expected that 4-6 new units may come on line by 2020, the first of those resulting from 16 licence applications made since mid-2007 to build 24 new nuclear reactors. However, lower gas prices since 2009 have put the economic viability of some of these projects in doubt. * Government policy changes since the late 1990s have helped pave the way for significant growth in nuclear capacity. Government and industry are working closely on expedited approval for construction and new plant designs. Recommendations We advise using edification about nuclear power to transmit the pros of nuclear power and make it a further generally suitable energy and educate populace about it. Media (Discovery channel & NAT GEO) is a great tool to give awareness about the benefits of nuclear power over fossil fuels and rebuild nuclear powers reputation. Nuclear is power is safer than other resources but it is seemingly as dangerous. Learning programs have raised knowledge about nuclear power and results in approval like in the United Arab Emirates. We also suggest having stakeholder seminar discussions and citizens’ panels like other developed nations. Stakeholders get empowered when they are involved in decision making. Conclusion We can conclude that replacing the petroleum fuel used in the entire fleet of U. S. vehicles with ethanol and biodiesel in the next four years, even in blended form would significantly, though temporarily reduce CO2 emissions. This change would replace the exponential growth rate of CO2emissions with a linear one which continues to be problematic because it is still consistently increasing. Furthermore, this drastic measure would not sufficiently reduce greenhouse gas emissions to permanently curb global warming. Thus, using alternative fuels for transportation ought to be supplemented with other significant changes. This does not even take nto account the economic, environmental and moral problems and questions which arise in the shift from the production and transportation of traditional petroleum fuels to biofuels. And, of course, this study has been limited to the United States, which contributes a small (though significant) percentage of greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly, ethanol and biodiesel are environmentally responsible alternatives to petroleum-based g asoline and diesel, and are a good transitional option in what needs to be global effort in slowing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels have been a widely used source of energy every since the Industrial Revolution just before the dawn of the 20th century. Fossil fuels are relatively easy to use to generate energy because they only require a simple direct combustion. However, a problem with fossil fuels is their environmental impact. Not only does their excavation from the ground significantly alter the environment, but their combustion leads to a great deal of air pollution. Fossil and nuclear plants are capable of producing significant amounts of power. Plants in the gigawatt (billions of watts) range are common. Modern cities need large amounts of reliable electricity, more than what many alternative sources can currently deliver. Businesses should educate people about what benefits they can get out of nuclear versus fossil fuels. One of the leading and biggest Corporations in nuclear filed is Exelon Corporation. The Exelon Corporation could educate citizens of the United States about the need to get off fossil fuels, the relative improvement begot from nuclear and counter society’s misconceptions on the dangers of nuclear energy. Background/ Context of Issue. The cost for building and operating a power plant is lower for fossil fuels. This remains true even though environmental concerns have added to their costs. For the short term, these fuels are the easiest to produce. Nuclear fuel, though much less of it is needed, requires significant, costly refinement to bring the ores to useful purity. At the end of its productive life, a nuclear plant must be decommissioned, a costly process. We burn fossil fuels to get energy from them. This is called combustion. Technically, the products of combustion are carbon dioxide and water. But with most fuels combustion is incomplete. Ashes escape into the air or accumulate in the furnace, requiring disposal. In 2009, carbon dioxide is seen as a major factor in global warming. Spent fuel nuclear fuel rods, no longer able to make power, are still highly radioactive. They must be carefully stored for at least hundreds of years. Interstate shipments of radioactive wastes are controversial; no one wants the potential for nuclear accidents in their home state. Nuclear power has seen two major applications: large, stationary electric ower plants and propulsion for naval vessels. The heavy shielding around a reactor limits other uses. Nuclear aircraft engines and other applications have been explored, but the heaviness of the reactor and the chance of contamination from accidents keep these from serious consideration. Fossil fuels are used in things as small as lighters and big as power plants. In liquid form, they can be conveniently stored and distributed. Hazards such as t oxicity and flammability exist but don't pose long-term problems the same as nuclear fuels do. Reserves entail many complex factors. Geologists can determine the extent of proven reserves, though these can be over- or understated for political reasons. New finds are reported frequently. Consumption, which determines how long reserves will, last, is variable, driven by economic conditions. At current rates of use, the world has enough coal for 200 years, oil for 40 years and natural gas for 60 years. Uranium reserves are good for 50 years, though technologies such as breeder reactors can, in theory, stretch that to more than 1,000. Currently, the United States and most of the world is locked into what could be called the fossil fuel economy. Our automobiles, trains and planes are fueled almost exclusively by petroleum products like gasoline and diesel. A huge percentage of our power plants use oil, natural gas and coal for their fuel. If the flow of fossil fuels to the United States were ever cut off, the economy would come to a halt. There would be no way to transport the products that factories produce. There would be no way for people to drive to work. The whole economy, and in fact the whole of western society, currently depends on fossil fuels. While fossil fuels have played an important role in getting society to the point it is at today, there are four big problems that fossil fuels create: Air pollution – When cars burn gasoline, they would ideally burn it perfectly and create nothing but carbon dioxide and water in their exhaust. Unfortunately, the internal combustion engine is not perfect. In the process of burning the gasoline, it also produces: * Carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas * Nitrogen oxides, the main source of urban smog * Unburned hydrocarbons, the main source of urban ozone Catalytic converters eliminate much of this pollution, but they aren't perfect. Air pollution from cars and power plants is a real problem in big cities. It is bad enough now that, in the summer, many cities have dangerous levels of ozone in the air. Environmental pollution – The process of transporting and storing oil has a big impact on the environment whenever something goes wrong. An oil spill, pipeline explosion or well fire can create a huge mess. The Exxon Valdez spill is the best known example of the problem, but minor spills happen constantly. Global warming – When you burn a gallon of gas in your car, you emit about 5 pounds (2. 3 kg) of carbon into the atmosphere. If it were solid carbon, it would be extremely noticeable — it would be like throwing a 5-pound bag of sugar out the window of your car for every gallon of gas burned. But because the 5 pounds of carbon comes out as an invisible gas, carbon dioxide, most of us are oblivious to it. The carbon dioxide coming out of every car's tailpipe is a greenhouse gas that is slowly raising the temperature of the planet. The ultimate effects are unknown, but it is a strong possibility that, eventually, there will be dramatic climate changes that affect everyone on the planet. For example, if the ice caps melt, sea level will rise significantly, flooding and destroying all coastal cities in existence today. That's a big side effect. Dependence – The United States, and most other countries, cannot produce enough oil to meet demand, so they import it from oil-rich countries. That creates an economic dependence. When Middle East oil producers decide to raise the price of oil, the rest of the world has little choice but to pay the higher price. Stakeholders One of direct stakeholders in this case is The United States government, which monitors nuclear companies through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The NRC regulates reactors through inspection, licensing, and performance assessments. Since 1990s, nuclear build has been efficiently ruled out until the year 2006, following review if the energy policy overturned opposition of the government towards new nuclear. In order to facilitate new nuclear formation, the government has implemented various measures like streaming planning process, making sure that regulations are well equipped in order to pre-license designs regarding new created proposals (World nuclear Association, 2013). Exelon Corporation is one of the nation’s leading competitive providers of energy with almost $23. 5 billion revenue annually. The company participated in all stages of energy business that is from generation to the competitive sales of energy to transmission and finally to delivery. Exelon provides energy services and products to almost 100,000 public and business sector customers as well as almost one million of residential customers. The company’s employees are usually devoted to safety. In this case, they are highly skilled employees and simultaneously receive training in order to make their safe job practices safer. Every employee has 100% accountability (Exelon’s, website). Exelon’s commitment towards the environment is essential to their corporate strategy. Their objectives include capitalizing their environment leadership as well as providing safe, clean, affordable and reliable electricity that caters transition of the American to sustainable future energy. However, the company’s early dedication to responsible, low carbon energy venture has enabled it creating advantage to their stakeholders while limiting their impacts towards the environment (Exelon’s website). Because of the pluralistic society that the United States has, special interest groups can have a large negative impact on nuclear companies by protesting or picketing. Previous Solutions Different ways have been tried to let the public accept the fact that nuclear power resources are better off then fossil fuel resources. Driving electric cars will be one way when we can use renewable energy to charge the cars. United Arab Emirates: One way the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) was able to increase public support for its nuclear power was through a public outreach program. According to a poll conducted by the research consultancy firm TNS, the ENEC was able to increase public awareness of nuclear power by 13% over last year (Mustafa). The success of ENEC’s public awareness campaign can be seen through the increase of respondents in favor of UAE using nuclear power (Mustafa). The percent of people who supported nuclear power increased from 66% to 82% in one year. The respondents of the poll were so much in favor of nuclear power they are even willing let a plant be built where they live (Mustafa). The USA is the world's largest producer of nuclear power, accounting for more than 30% of worldwide nuclear generation of electricity. * The country's 104 nuclear reactors produced 821 billion kWh in 2011, over 19% of total electrical output. There are now 102 units operable and three under construction. * Following a 30-year period in which few new reactors were built, it is expected that 4-6 new units may come on line by 2020, the first of those resulting from 16 licence applications made since mid-2007 to build 24 new nuclear reactors. However, lower gas prices since 2009 have put the economic viability of some of these projects in doubt. * Government policy changes since the late 1990s have helped pave the way for significant growth in nuclear capacity. Government and industry are working closely on expedited approval for construction and new plant designs. Recommendations We advise using edification about nuclear power to transmit the pros of nuclear power and make it a further generally suitable energy and educate populace about it. Media (Discovery channel & NAT GEO) is a great tool to give awareness about the benefits of nuclear power over fossil fuels and rebuild nuclear powers reputation. Nuclear is power is safer than other resources but it is seemingly as dangerous. Learning programs have raised knowledge about nuclear power and results in approval like in the United Arab Emirates. We also suggest having stakeholder seminar discussions and citizens’ panels like other developed nations. Stakeholders get empowered when they are involved in decision making. Conclusion We can conclude that replacing the petroleum fuel used in the entire fleet of U. S. vehicles with ethanol and biodiesel in the next four years, even in blended form would significantly, though temporarily reduce CO2 emissions. This change would replace the exponential growth rate of CO2emissions with a linear one which continues to be problematic because it is still consistently increasing. Furthermore, this drastic measure would not sufficiently reduce greenhouse gas emissions to permanently curb global warming. Thus, using alternative fuels for transportation ought to be supplemented with other significant changes. This does not even take nto account the economic, environmental and moral problems and questions which arise in the shift from the production and transportation of traditional petroleum fuels to biofuels. And, of course, this study has been limited to the United States, which contributes a small (though significant) percentage of greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly, ethanol and biodiesel are environmentally responsible alternatives to petroleum-based g asoline and diesel, and are a good transitional option in what needs to be global effort in slowing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

Heroes in society essays

Heroes in society essays Everyone has heroes, but each and every single one differs in what values and characteristics they possess. My heroes are no exception to this truth. When I was younger, my heroes tended to be more inclined toward super heroes. If a person did not wear tights and a cape, could not shoot beams from their eyes, or could not fly then they could not possibly be heroes, or so my immature little brain once thought. As Ive grown and become more mature, my idea of a hero also has been evolving in the same manner. My thoughts have now become more complex and I can fathom intangible matters, allowing me to associate these characteristics with what a hero truly is. When I was young, my heroes consisted of Goku, Spiderman, and Superman. What went on in my head was along the lines that I had always learned that a hero helps people, and it seemed that this was all super heroes ever did. In the simplest terms possible, yes, this is what a hero does, he or she helps, but I could not understand that someone didnt need superpowers to be a hero. I could not comprehend how someone could help a person spiritually; all I could see was the physical aid that was usually incorporated in the cartoons or comics that I read or watched. This barrier was crossed when I began to understand these intangible concepts such as loyalty, integrity, and trust. My ideas of a hero began to change a lot during my late grade school years. This might be attributed to the fact that I read so much and I learned more about such intangible qualities as the ones that I mentioned above. Sometime around then, I read an article about the changing of heroes in the comic book industry. In the beginning of the comic book industry, the stories never involved any of the emotional or private sides of the heroes themselves. All that ever happened was an evil villain appeared and they fought. It was not until Spiderman that the private life and mental strains of being a supe...

Biography of Louis Armstrong, Masterful Trumpeter

Biography of Louis Armstrong, Masterful Trumpeter Louis Armstrong (August 4, 1901–July 6, 1971) was born into poverty at the turn of the 20th century but rose above his humble origins to become a masterful trumpet player and beloved entertainer. He played a key role in the development of one of the early 20th centurys most important new styles of music: jazz. Armstrongs inventiveness and improvisational techniques, along with his energetic, dazzling style have influenced generations of musicians. One of the first to perform scat-style singing, he is also well-known for his distinctive, gravelly singing voice. Armstrong wrote two autobiographies and appeared in more than 30 films. Fast Facts: Louis Armstrong Known For: World-famous trumpeter and entertainer; he was influential in the development of jazz and also appeared in more than 30 filmsAlso Known As: Satchmo, Ambassador SatchBorn: August 4, 1901 in New OrleansParents: Mary Ann, William ArmstrongDied: July 6, 1971 in New York CityTop Albums: Ella and Louis, New Orleans Nights, Satchmo Musical Autobiography, Under the Stars, Porgy and Bess, I’ve Got the World on a StringAwards and Honors: 1964 Grammy for Best Male Vocal Performance (Hello Dolly), Grammy Hall of Fame (various years), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (inducted 2019)Spouses: Daisy Parker (m.  1918-1923), Lili Hardin Armstrong (m.  1924-1938), Alpha Smith (m.  1938-1942), Lucille Wilson (m.  1942-1971)Notable Quote: If you have to ask what jazz is, youll never know. Early Life Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901, to 16-year-old Mary Ann Albert and her boyfriend Willie Armstrong. Only weeks after Louis birth, Willie left Mary Ann and Louis was placed in the care of his grandmother, Josephine Armstrong. Josephine brought in some money doing laundry for white families but struggled to keep food on the table. Young Louis had no toys, very few clothes, and went barefoot most of the time. Despite their hardships, Josephine made sure her grandson attended school and church. While Louis was living with his grandmother, his mother briefly reunited with Willie Armstrong and gave birth to a second child, Beatrice, in 1903. While Beatrice was still very young, Willie once again left Mary Ann. Four years later, when Armstrong was 6 years old, he moved back in with his mother, who was then living in a tough neighborhood called Storyville. It became Louis’ job to look after his sister. Working on the Streets By the age of 7, Armstrong was looking for work wherever he could find it. He sold newspapers and vegetables and made a little money singing on the street with a group of friends. Each group member had a nickname; Louis was Satchelmouth (later shortened to Satchmo), a reference to his wide grin. Armstrong saved up enough money to buy a used cornet (a brass musical instrument similar to a trumpet), which he taught himself to play. He quit school at age 11 to concentrate on earning money for his family. While performing on the street, Armstrong and his friends came into contact with local musicians, many of whom played in Storyville honky-tonks (bars with working-class patrons, often found in the South). Armstrong was befriended by one of the citys best-known trumpeters, Bunk Johnson, who taught him songs and new techniques and allowed Louis to sit in with him during performances in the honky-tonks. Armstrong managed to stay out of trouble until an incident on New Years Eve 1912 changed the course of his life. The Colored Waifs Home During a New Years Eve street celebration at the end of 1912, 11-year-old Louis fired a pistol into the air. He was hauled off to the police station and spent the night in a cell. The next morning, a judge sentenced him to the Colored Waifs Home for an unspecified period of time. The home, a reformatory for troubled black youths, was run by a former soldier, Captain Jones. Jones provided discipline as well as regular meals and daily classes, all of which had a positive effect on Armstrong. Eager to participate in the homes brass band, Armstrong was disappointed that he was not allowed to join right away. The band director surmised that a boy from Storyville who had fired a gun did not belong in his band. Armstrong proved the director wrong as he worked his way up the ranks. He first sang in the choir and later was assigned to play various instruments, eventually taking over the cornet. Having demonstrated his willingness to work hard and act responsibly, Louis was made the leader of the band. He reveled in this role. In 1914, after 18 months at the Colored Waifs Home, Armstrong returned home to his mother. Becoming a Musician Back home, Armstrong delivered coal during the day and spent his nights in local dance halls listening to music. He became friends with Joe King Oliver, a leading cornet player, and ran errands for him in return for cornet lessons. Armstrong learned quickly and began to develop his own style. He filled in for Oliver at gigs and gained further experience playing in parades and funeral marches. When the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Armstrong was too young to participate, but the war did indirectly affect him. When several sailors stationed in New Orleans became victims of violent crime in the Storyville district, the secretary of the Navy shut down the district, including brothels and clubs. While a large number of New Orleans musicians moved north, many relocating to Chicago, Armstrong stayed and soon found himself in demand as a cornet player. By 1918, Armstrong had become well-known on the New Orleans music circuit, playing at numerous venues. That year, he met and married Daisy Parker, a prostitute who worked in one of the clubs he played in. Leaving New Orleans Impressed by Armstrongs natural talent, band conductor Fate Marable hired him to play in his riverboat band on excursions up and down the Mississippi River. Armstrong convinced Daisy that it was a good move for his career and she agreed to let him go. Armstrong played on the riverboats for three years. The discipline and high standards that he was held to made him a better musician; he also learned to read music for the first time. Yet, chafing under Marables strict rules, Armstrong grew restless. He yearned to strike out on his own and find his unique style. Armstrong quit the band in 1921 and returned to New Orleans. He and Daisy divorced that year. Earns a Reputation In 1922, a year after Armstrong quit the riverboats, King Oliver asked him to come to Chicago and join his Creole Jazz Band. Armstrong played the second coronet and was careful not to outshine bandleader Oliver. Through Oliver, Armstrong met the woman who became his second wife, Lil Hardin, who was a classically trained jazz pianist from Memphis. Lil recognized Armstrongs talent and thus urged him to break away from Olivers band. After two years with Oliver, Armstrong quit the band and took a new job with another Chicago band, this time as the first trumpet; however, he only stayed a few months. Armstrong moved to New York City in 1924 at the invitation of bandleader Fletcher Henderson. (Lil did not accompany him, preferring to stay at her job in Chicago.) The band played mostly live gigs but made recordings as well. They played backup for pioneering blues singers such as Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, furthering Armstrongs growth as a performer. Just 14 months later, Armstrong moved back to Chicago at Lils urging; Lil believed that Henderson held back Armstrongs creativity. The Worlds Greatest Trumpet Player Lil helped to promote Armstrong in Chicago clubs and billing him as the worlds greatest trumpet player. She and Armstrong formed a studio band, called Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five. The group recorded several popular records, many of which featured Armstrongs raspy singing. On one of the most popular of the recordings, Heebie Jeebies, Armstrong spontaneously launched into scat-singing, in which the singer replaces the actual lyrics with nonsense syllables that often mimic the sounds made by instruments. Armstrong did not invent the singing style but helped to make it enormously popular. During this time, Armstrong permanently switched from cornet to trumpet, preferring the brighter sound of the trumpet to the more mellow cornet. The records gave Armstrong name recognition outside of Chicago. He returned to New York in 1929, but again, Lil did not want to leave Chicago. (They stayed married but lived apart for many years before divorcing in 1938.) In New York, Armstrong found a new venue for his talents; he was cast in a musical revue that featured the hit song Aint Misbehavin and Armstrongs accompanying trumpet solo. Armstrong displayed showmanship and charisma, gaining a greater following after the show. The Great Depression Because of the Great Depression, Armstrong, like many others, had trouble finding work. He decided to make a new start in Los Angeles, moving there in May 1930. Armstrong found work in clubs and continued to make records. He made his first film, Ex-Flame, appearing as himself in the movie in a small role. Armstrong gained more fans through this widespread exposure. After an arrest for marijuana possession in November 1930, Armstrong received a suspended sentence and returned to Chicago. He stayed afloat during the Depression, touring the U.S. and Europe from 1931 to 1935. Armstrong continued to tour throughout the 1930s and 1940s and appeared in a few more movies. He became well-known not only in the U.S. but in much of Europe as well, even playing a command performance for King George V of England in 1932. Big Changes In the late 1930s, band leaders such as Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman helped to propel jazz into the mainstream, ushering in the swing music era. The swing bands were large, consisting of about 15 musicians. Although Armstrong preferred working with smaller, more intimate ensembles, he formed a large band in order to capitalize on the swing movement. In 1938, Armstrong married longtime girlfriend Alpha Smith, but soon after the wedding he began seeing Lucille Wilson, a dancer from the Cotton Club. Marriage No. 3 ended in divorce in 1942 and Armstrong took Lucille as his fourth (and final) wife the same year. While Armstrong toured, often playing at military bases and army hospitals during World War II, Lucille found them a house in her hometown of Queens, New York. After years of traveling and staying in hotel rooms, Armstrong finally had a permanent home. Louis and the All-Stars In the late 1940s, large bands were falling out of favor, deemed too expensive to maintain. Armstrong formed a six-piece group called Louis Armstrong and the All-Stars. The group debuted at New Yorks Town Hall in 1947, playing New Orleans styled jazz to rave reviews. Not everyone enjoyed Armstrongs somewhat hammy brand of entertainment. Many from the younger generation considered him a relic of the Old South and found his mugging and eye-rolling racially offensive. He was not taken seriously by young up-and-coming jazz musicians. Armstrong, however, saw his role as more than that of a musician: he was an entertainer. Continued Success and Controversy Armstrong made 11 more movies in the 1950s. He toured Japan and Africa with the All-Stars and recorded his first singles. Armstrong faced criticism in 1957 for speaking out against racial discrimination during the episode in Little Rock, Arkansas, in which black students were heckled by whites while attempting to enter a newly integrated school. Some radio stations even refused to play his music. The controversy faded after President Dwight Eisenhower sent federal troops to Little Rock to facilitate integration. On tour in Italy in 1959, Armstrong suffered a massive heart attack. After a week in the hospital, he flew back home. Despite warnings from physicians, Armstrong returned to a busy schedule of live performances. Later Years and Death After playing five decades without a No. 1 song, Armstrong finally made it to the top of the charts in 1964 with Hello Dolly, the theme song for the Broadway play of the same name. The popular song knocked the Beatles from the top spot they had held for 14 consecutive weeks. By the late 1960s, Armstrong was still able to perform, despite kidney and heart problems. In the spring of 1971, he suffered another heart attack. Unable to recover, Armstrong died July 6, 1971, at age 69. More than 25,000 mourners visited the body of Louis Armstrong as it lay in state and his funeral was televised nationally. Sources ï » ¿Ã¢â‚¬Å"Louis Armstrong - Awards and Honors.†Ã‚  JazzSkool.org.Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. â€Å"Louis Armstrong.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 14 Feb. 2019.â€Å"Bop to the Best of Louis Armstrong | UDiscover Music.†Ã‚  UDiscoverMusic.

Critical Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Critical Writing - Essay Example According to the article, while normally the piracy of goods and services adversely affect the original promoters and creators, the imitation of the fashion products are known to facilitate creativity and popularity of the promoters through pirated lines of the current fashion trend. The author asserts that while the concept of copyrights and patents are important for businesses to maintain a competitive edge over their rivals, such criteria are irrelevant for the fashion industry which seems to thrive on imitations and piracy of fashion designs. Though fashion designers may be annoyed by the copying of their designs and would like to prevent the practice in the gray market, it cannot be denied that the pirated version of those designs make it affordable for the general public. This not only serves to make those designers more popular but the process also helps them indirectly to gain financially because their niche clientele is still more willing to pay premium prices for the original products! Another pertinent factor is that the cheap counterfeit promotes awareness of the changing habits and tastes of the public. The dissatisfaction of the public with the current trends, motivates the fashion designers to be more creative and original in their new fashion line and meet the expectation of the consumers. As the article says, it means ‘there is more innovation, more competition and probably more sales than there otherwise would be’. Again, fashion industry is the only field where the imitation has promoted brisk development of the industry instead of adversely affecting its revenues and imagination. It is a well known fact that designer fashion product line, basically caters to a select segment of the society who do not mind paying exorbitant prices for the original and unique products. Piracy of the designer fashion products brings the goods to the

Great Wall Motor Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Great Wall Motor - Coursework Example In India, the automotive industry is a critical part of the economy. In 2013, one of the industry’s most powerful competitors, Audi, achieved a growth of 11% compared to 2012 (Business Today 2014). More specifically, during 2013 Audi in India managed to sell 10,002 cars breaching the limit of 10,000 sales on an annual basis, a limit that no firm has managed to pass up today, except from Audi (Business Today 2014). This achievement denotes the perspectives not just of Audi but also of all firms operating in the automotive industry of India. These perspectives should be taken into consideration by foreign investors who seek for profitable emerging markets but also by foreign automotive firms that are interested in entering the specific industry of India. The sales of top auto manufacturers in India are presented in the graph in Figure 1 below. A standardization of the level of sales between August 2012 and August 2013 is clear, a fact showing a delay in the industry’s gro wth for the same period. The performance of Indian automotive industry from Jan 2012 up to May 2013 is presented in the graph in Figure 2. In the particular graph the overall performance of the specific industry for the above period is presented, i.e. sales are not categorized by auto manufacturer. An important cWallenge that automotive firms in India have to face is the following: inflation in India is at high levels, with trends for a further increase; this fact has led to the increase of production costs in all industries, including the automotive sector. (Choudhury 2013). At the same time, due to the Weak Rupee, producers in all industries are not able to increase prices since such practice would further reduce their customer base (Choudhury 2013). Great Wall Motor would also have to face the specific cWallenge in case that it would enter the Indian