Sunday, October 6, 2019
Environmental Concerns Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Environmental Concerns - Research Paper Example The main consequences of global warming will be natural disasters like floods, famines, reduction in agricultural output, glacier melting, emergence of new diseases, extinction of species etc (Sinn, 2007). The consequences of the global warming are universally recognized and hence serious efforts are made by all nations to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases especially CO2.The main participants in these efforts are governments and people. In this essay, the public policy actions regarding global warming, the participants in the policy actions, the evaluation of policy, political concerns etc are critically analyzed. The excessive emission of greenhouse gases due to manmade activities can result in accumulation of heat in the earthââ¬â¢s atmosphere leading to a rise in global temperature. This phenomenon is called global warming (Cline, 1992). Among the greenhouse gases, all except methane are originated from manmade activities like fossil burning or electricity generation. Thus power plants are one of the main contributors of this phenomenon. The other main contributors of greenhouse gas emissions include deforestation, burning of gasoline in the engine of vehicles, use of fertilizers in agriculture, burning of organic matter, buildings that require lot of fuels etc. Due to the serious repercussions of the global warming problem concerning both developed and developing nations, it is widely recognized that an internationally integrated approach is needed to tackle this issue. The Kyoto Protocol based on the treaty on climate change in the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro,1992, c alled on both the developed and developing nations to formulate local initiatives to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in all nations irrespective of the costs involved in these efforts(Hass et al, 1992). Both the governments and people can be the participants in the national and regional programmes in this regard. The historic treaty produced by the United
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Intermediate Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1
Intermediate Macroeconomics - Essay Example These countries include the United States, Russia, China, Canada, Venezuela, Nigeria and Libya among others. Today, the economic structures of these countries are dependent on crude oil, as the primary source of energy.Ordinarilly; the oil plays a significant role in the strength and stability of these economies. Oil influences global consumption and expenditure rates through international trade to a substantial extent. . (Bernanke & Gertler 1995) The time under consideration in this research paper is between 2004 and 2013. During the period, Libya and other Arab countries underwent a revolution that caused disruptions in crude oil mining. The troubled oil production fronted a resurgence of demand for the product and hence the situation sharply sent the oil costs up. During the period, economists believe that disrupted production in various Arab countries contributed to the slow growth for 2011 henceforth. The messy markets over the last few years saw oil prices fluctuate making it hard to predict the economy The demand for crude oil is rapidly increasing with the growing industrialization in developing countries. This is because the calorific value of crude oil is very higher as compared to that of the other alternative sources of energy such as solar energy, bio-fuel, and other sources of energy. (Bernanke & Gertler 1995) Moreover, the other alternative sources of energy are not feasible to be used in some of the industries and vehicles. These competitive benefits of crude oil over the other alternatives create the aggregate demand of the precious natural resource. However, this natural resource is continue to deplete at a similar pace to that of increasing demand due to the over exploitation of the same. In addition, as crude oil is a non-renewable source of energy, hence it cannot be replenished after the complete use of the same. This has resulted in the constant price
Friday, October 4, 2019
Getting over a Betrayal Essay Example for Free
Getting over a Betrayal Essay This song brings forth a feeling of that even though a loss of a loved one is a heart wrenching experience there is nothing a person can do to change the outcome of what has happened. My Immortalâ⬠seems to be more about losing ones own sense of identity and self-worth due to the loss and/or betrayal of a loved one than about the actual loss of the loved one: These wounds wonââ¬â¢t seem to heal/ This pain is just too real/Thereââ¬â¢s just too much that time cannot erase (7-9) By the end of the song, the survivor of the story is emotionally drained and paralyzed with the fear by the memory of the betrayer. The survivor of the incident just wants those memories of hurt and betrayal to go away. This pain is felt in the opening stanzas of the song. And if you have to leave/I wish that you would just leave/Your presence still lingers here/ And it wonââ¬â¢t leave me alone (3-6). The theme of ââ¬Å"My Immortalâ⬠is the struggle of trying to get rid of the feeling of betrayal and of guilt. The betrayer has hurt or betrayed her in a way that she can never recover from the emotional damage. You used to captivate me/ By your resonating light/ Now Iââ¬â¢m bound by the life you left behind (14-16) For the rest of the girlsââ¬â¢ life, she will be imprisoned by him. She sacrificed everything for him. After years of being together, he throws everything she has done for him back in her face. She know feels like that she will never be free of him Your face it haunts/My once pleasant dreams (15, 16) The effect of this song brings forth many different emotions. This song brings to light that if one lets a past betrayal or losses rule their life, there will never be any peace for the individual. The individual needs to let go of the hurt, even though they are feeling that they were alone the entire time they were with that one person. Iââ¬â¢ve tried so hard to tell myself that youââ¬â¢re gone/ But though youââ¬â¢re still with me/ Iââ¬â¢ve been alone all along ( 24-26) It hurts being betrayed by a loved one. The reality that she was all alone in her love when he was with her and ironically, now that hes left her, she isnt alone: He torments her with the memories of his betrayal (perhaps complicated by her genuine love for who she thought he was. ) These wounds wonââ¬â¢t seem to heal/ This pain is just to real/ Thereââ¬â¢s just too much that time cannot earse (21-23) Works Cited Evanescence.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Machiavelli And Friedrich | A comparison
Machiavelli And Friedrich | A comparison It is interesting to note that Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) share a great deal of similarity, so that in fact, both have at one time been referred by the clergy of their times as the herald of the antichrist. Nevertheless, the similarity that exists between the two is mainly underpinned by their philosophical standpoints, given that Machiavellis and Nietzsches philosophical postulations were characterized by their antithetical standpoints towards Christian values, ethics and doctrines. Particularly, a case in point is Machiavellis maxim that the end justifies the means. In his II Principe, Machiavelli sees man as a political animal, but not because of mans gregarious tendencies as seen by Aristotle. To Machiavelli, man is a political animal in that in the quest for power, he has to act swiftly and be very cunning. Therefore, this brings in the concepts of competition which ensures that only those who are really determined and enthusiastic on whatever they are doing are able to keep up with the stiff competition. The divergence between Machiavelli and Christianity is further widened when he maintains that to seize and consolidate political power, it is necessary for the prince to move faster than his real and perceived enemies and crush them. The rationale behind this standpoint is that the person who moves fast and first emerges the victor, whereas the slow paced are victims (Machiavelli, 175). The similarity between the above standpoint and Nietzsches ideas is that both advocate against Christian ethics such as modesty and justice. Similarly, both disagree with the very fundamentals of Christian ethic as they both see man as an animal, whereas Christianity sees man as the most important being, with this importance being underpinned by rationality and morality. Therefore, the concept of seeing human being an important being they are regarded as civilized and are not intended to act like animals such as being not thoughtful. The main difference between human beings and animals is that human beings have conscious and are able to think and reason out in whatever they do unlike animals. Nevertheless, Nietzsches animal instincts of man is covertly mentioned, as he only refers to it, by critiquing Christianity for shutting its doors on pleasure, self, the natural and appetitive elements of man. In so assuming their controversial standpoints, both Machiavelli and Nietzsche postulate that the need to act towards self preservation, self actualization and self aggrandizement is paramount. This relegates man into likeness with the animal kingdom, given that the animal kingdom is merely driven by the need for self preservation, through instincts. As it were, the place for rationality in lieu of pure pleasure and self seeking is not given a big berth by both Nietzsche and Machiavelli. This is well proven by the fact that Machiavelli casts aspersion on the importance of values such as trust and mutual respect or agreement. Machiavelli argues that after fatally closing in on political enemies, the Prince must later on turn to his friends and eliminate them, since friends as confidants will have accrued a lot of political and administrative secrets adequate to turn against the Prince. However, it is important to take note of the fact that Nietzsche and Machiavelli had somewhat different reasons for assuming their controversial standpoints. While Nietzsche maintained his standpoint on the account that he saw Christianity a curse and God as being dead [non-existent] as the basis of his standpoint, Machiavellis concern was not concerned with atheism, theism or the concern over the existence of a deity. Machiavelli did not write his radical standpoint for the sake of dethroning Christianity, unlike Nietzsche. In respect to the above development, as a matter of fact, by conjoining ethics to Christianity, and criticizing Christianity for its moralist stands and its shunning of pleasure, debauchery and self seeking, Nietzsche basically made a dereliction on the importance of ethics and morality as important constructs that hold the society together. It is at the same time, this juncture that Machiavelli and Nietzsche part ways, as far as their philosophical standpoints are concerned. Despite his radical political standpoints Machiavelli sees the need for tampering political administration and rule with some elements of ethics. This standpoint is seen explicitly when Machiavelli urges the Prince to always make sure that he did not amass wealth and affluence by rapine. Similarly, Machiavelli argued that in order that the Prince realizes a peaceful and stable administration, it is important that he stayed away from mens women and wives. To Machiavelli, the failure to steer clear of mens wives and the failure to shun the temptation of wealth acquisition through larceny are the very factors that would drive men into vengeful tendencies and thereby sparking off a political resistance, and subsequently, instability. To any one analyst or careful reader, this is indeed a moralist standpoint. So moralist it is that many a world leader has not been able to keep. This is not the case with Nietzsche. In almost the same vein, Machiavelli does not see religion as being retrogressive or disposable to the domains under the Prince. As a matter of fact, Machiavelli reiterates to the need by the Prince, to desist from interfering with the Church and religious matters. To Machiavelli, the failure to do so would warrant the loathing by the masses. As a corollary to this standpoint, Machiavelli advised the Prince on the need to acquaint himself with the clergy, so as to be able to rule effectively. However, it must be remembered that Machiavelli advised the Prince on the need to ensure that the Church remained under the control of the state, since the Church existed under the auspices of his domains, and the Prince ought to know the developments taking place within his jurisdiction. On the other hand, Nietzsche in his condescending criticism against the Christian religion or faith, becomes blinded to the point of disposing off, any need for morality, ethics and self restraint. To him, the fact that God is dead has given man the liberty to indulge himself. This is the fatal mistake of Nietzsches works (Nietzsche and Mencken, 139). Conclusion There is no civilization that can exist in the absolute absence of ethics. In the same vein, it is not tenable, the idea of governance and administration of a people who have a totally laissez faire condition to do as they please. The veracity of this concept is well established by the law which seeks to control and ward off the excesses of man. Nietzsche fails to realize that removing the concept of absolute authority to which all are accountable is to issue a blank check on mans actions. On the other hand, handing man absolute rights will make life intractable, given that in seeking to exercise these absolute rights, the rights of others and the authority of the state to exercise its powers will have been compromised. In summation, it is important to realize that the main difference that lay in Machiavellis and Nietzsches works was that of purpose. While Machiavelli only sought to advise the Prince on the technicalities of politics, Nietzsche mainly sought to produce an atheistic t reatise.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
The Themes of William Faulkners As I Lay Dying Essay -- As I Lay Dyin
William Faulkner in his book "As I Lay Dying" portrays a Mississippi family which goes through many hardships and struggles. Faulkner uses imagery to illustrate an array of central themes such as the conscious being or existence and poverty among many others. From the first monologue, you will find and indulgence of sensual appeal, they are a strong aspect through out the novel. Each character develops stronger and stronger by their passages. One of the themes in As I Lay Dying is a Human's relations to nature, Faulkner uses imagery in the sense that he relates some the character to animals. One of the central themes in As I lay dying is the attachment to nature. Darl in this passage relates "the still surface of the water a round orifice in nothingness, where before I stirred it awake with the dipper I could see maybe a star or tow in the bucket, and maybe in the dipper a star or two before I drank."(p.455) His physical necessities are being met, this is a central theme in As I lay Dying, meeting your needs, survival, through out all the tragedies that occur. But here Faulkner shows that there is some progress, due to Darl finding a way to enhance the experience of drinking plain old water by drinking it out of a wooden bucket. The wooden bucket enriches the flavor of water, and connects you to nature through taste. Darl has found a better way to satisfy his needs. William Faulkner overwhelms his audience with the visual perceptions that the characters experience, making the reader feel utterly attached to nature and using imagery how a human out of despair can make accusations. "If I jump off the porch I will be where... ... Imagery alone can be sufficient to give the reader a rich sense of emotion, but when it symbolizes the themes of the Story and reflects on the characteristics of the narrator it is truly a master piece. Imagery has been used by William Faulkner to create parallels that strengthen the themes of the story. The imagery is used a tool to appeal to the reader to convey the authors purpose. It distinguishes literature and helps us appreciate the arts. Imagery in As I Lay Dying is like painting a picture with only thoughts and observations, add to the equation alternate views and biased views, and we have ourselves a great piece of literature. Work Cited Faulkner, William. "As I Lay Dying." The Norton Introduction to the Short Novel. 3rd Ed. Jerome Beaty. New York: W.W Norton & Company, Inc. 455, 468, 466, 456.
AIDS :: AIDS Essays
AIDS Unprotected sex, dirty needles,pills!! Now that I have your attention, today Iââ¬â¢ll be talking to you about the causes and effects on how you can contract this deadly virus. But first let me start by explaining what Aids/HIV really is and what it does to you once you have contracted the Aids virus. Aids/Aids lowers your immune systems ability to produce the white blood cells and antibodies that protect you from colds, infections, etc. Lowered immunity makes a person vulnerable to attacks from different types of viruses. Such as simple colds, fungi, bacteria may lead to infectious diseases and tumors. Eventually these illnesses may cause death. A simple cold can become deadly to a person whoââ¬â¢s infected with the Aids virus. There are many ways you can contract this deadly virus. One is by drug use and the second is having unprotected sex. You can contract Aids by using someone elseââ¬â¢s contaminated needle during drug use. If the needle your using is a dirty needle that someone else used and had Aids you easily contract Aids from them. Due to the blood thatââ¬â¢s left in the needle or on the needle from the other person. The second way you can contract the Aids virus is by having unprotected sex or through oral sex. Infection of the virus can occur through anal or vaginal intercourse or oral genital sex with an infected partner. The virus is present in semen and vaginal secretions of an infected person. It enters your body through small tears that can develop in vaginal or rectal tissues during sexual activity. Unsafe sex not only pertains to adults but also to kids and teenagers of all ages. Its doesnââ¬â¢t matter how old or young you are, you can contract Aids at any age. There are many effects of this deadly virus. Aids causes sickness weakness of the body and in most cases death. The body gets weaker and isnââ¬â¢t be able to function properly because there arenââ¬â¢t enough white blood cells to fight the virus due to the Aids virus. Department of Health and Human Services report that over 1 million people between the ages of 20-39 will be infected wit Aids by the year 2000. The number of ages will drastically increase with deaths in all age groups reaching 70,000 per year. By the year 2005, 350 people a day will die from the virus. Many people believe that the medicines we have today can cure the Aids virus or stop it from spreading.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Media Portrayal of Women in Sports Essay
The mass media and all its components have always played an essential role in shaping the way society views and thinks about certain issues and events. The type influence, which television shows, radio shows and other mediums of mass media have on their audiences, go widely unchecked by the professionals involved in that field and by society in general. The effects could be damaging and entirely maladaptive and yet only a few organizations and individuals take on the role of serving as the counterchecking department of the products of this industry. One of the many fields into which mass media have dipped their fingers into is the field of sports. What little attention is given to the effects of mass media on society is focused on childrenââ¬â¢s shows, violence-related topics and religion-based issues. The field of sports has been relatively untouched by those who monitor the mass media. The public has mainly stood by and accepted the information and manner of presentation that mass media has taken with regards to sports. This type of attitude has proven to be increasingly damaging to women in particular. Sports has become a highly gender-based field. Despite efforts to assimilate women into the various games and competitions, it has become increasingly evident, despite the lack of monitoring organizations, that mass media has not gone beyond the days of bias towards women in sports. There are still many issues that need to be addressed in terms of how television, radio, magazines, newspapers, and other such media have come to portray women professionals in the field of sports. How does mass media affect the way their audiences perceive women athletes and other female sports professionals? What steps can be taken to correct wrong practices in this field? This paper aims to answer these questions as well as to specifically understand the way mass media has shown females involved in various sports activities and whether there truly is reason for these women to be concerned. Television Coverage of Women in Sports à à à à à à à à à à à Of all the instruments of mass media available today, the television set is perhaps the most successful and most popular. It has invaded the living spaces of almost all homes worldwide and is able to communicate to its audience in much more modalities than that offered by other instruments of mass media. It also allows for coverage of events at the exact moment the said event occurs. à à à à à à à à à à à Research regarding how women have been portrayed through the medium of television has been much more numerous as opposed to research on portrayal via other mediums. The literature regarding this research has shown that women in sports have been greatly marginalized and stereotyped. The following section will delve deeper into this aspect of mass media coverage in sports. à à à à à à à à à à à The most encompassing research done on television coverage of women in sports may be that of Higgs & Weiller (1994). They conducted a research to assess gender bias in the television coverage of the 1992 Olympic games. The two researchers found much to disappoint the many women athletes involved in the said games as well as all other women who were just as concerned about womenââ¬â¢s rights, equality of the sexes, and politically correct representation of males and females in different fields. à à à à à à à à à à à Commentators of the different events in the Olympic games were noted to most commonly use terms such as ââ¬Å"girlâ⬠ââ¬Å"babeâ⬠and ââ¬Å"sweetheartâ⬠to refer to the women competitors whereas none of the male competitors were referred to as ââ¬Å"boyâ⬠even when the contestant was obviously of a very young age. Also, strength and weakness descriptions and allusions were clearly gender-biased. Men in swimming were lauded for their strokes whereas female swimmers would receive comments such as ââ¬Å"a powerhouse of a stroke from a 16-year old girlâ⬠. There were clearly ways by which the commentators were able to inject their own prejudiced views of the genders of the competitors. à à à à à à à à à à à There were also findings pointing to the fact that events wherein males competed were aired for longer times than those where females competed. Time differentials were noted for each event and there was a noted significant difference for each. This was applicable for such sports as basketball, volleyball, and the likes. Although individual events such as gymnastics were prone to have more airtime dedicated to women athletes, these were highly edited and sometimes even spliced together. à à à à à à à à à à à Each broadcast was also done with use of narratives. This was to draw the audience deeper into the mood of the game. However, researchers found that games with men contestants were broadcast with narratives of competition and strength. Women contestants, on the other hand, were often accompanied by emotional narratives pertaining to the athletes aspirations and the achievement of these with their success in the particular event they were entered in. If emotional narratives were not used by the television broadcasters, none at all were provided. It was either emotional or not at all. à à à à à à à à à à à It is therefore, a well-known fact that ambivalence in reporting of womenââ¬â¢s sports on television exists. There isà a denial of power for women in this particular type of mass media. Although women athletes are equally as capable and equally as competent as their male counterparts, this is not credited by professionals reporting their games. Where women have been noted for their involvement in sports, negative allegations and prejudiced reporting have served to undermine the efforts of these athletes. Radio Coverage of Women in Sports à à à à à à à à à à à Radio coverage of women in sports has also been one of the more devastating instruments of undermining womenââ¬â¢s efforts and women participation in various sports activities. The radio set, however, is less of a weapon of the mass media at present than the television set. The radio set does not cater to the visual modality of its audiences and as such may prove less of a weapon. However, it is also advantageous because reporting of the sporting event can occur at the same time that the actual event occurs. This means that up-to-the-minute, live coverage is possible. à à à à à à à à à à à However, airing time on the radio set is significantly less for sports events than that on television sets. The large percentage of non-recognition that goes on in television broadcasting of women participation in sports is thus multiplied by great factors on the radio set. Only limited numbers of sports are chosen to be reported and reviewed over the radio and most, if not all, of these are male-dominated sports. Sporting events that are not action-packed, that do not provide the reporter with a message full of strength, adrenaline, and passion are not marketable on the radio waves. And because of the trend and well-established fad of reporting male events and male athletes with narratives involving competition, strength, and passion, these are the events that radio broadcasters and radio networks focus on. Women-dominated sports and women athletes prove to be less of a popular choice of broadcasting for professionals in the radio industry as these gives them, to their perception, with a softer story that is not full of the characteristics they look for in reportable stories and which audiences will not much favor or listen to. Thus the perception that male athletes and male-dominated sporting events will have more popularity than their counterparts. Publication Coverage of Women in Sports à à à à à à à à à à à Another instrument used in mass media are magazines and other similar published sources. These cater only to the audiences visual modalities and are not able to give audio feedback. Also, publications such as newspapers and magazines are only able to give a reporting of the event after a period of time has elapsed. It cannot be given during the time the actual event occurs. A processing time for writers, photographers, layout artists, editors, publishers and other personnel involved in the production process is required. Thus newspapers come one day after the events have occurred and magazines are released at particular time intervals within the year ââ¬â monthly, quarterly, annually, and the like. à à à à à à à à à à à A study by Hardin et al (2005) showed that women were often portrayed as sexually different even in sports magazines. Sexually different in sports can mean the portrayal of women as dissimilar. This can be shown through the presentation of sport type in the said magazine or given publication. This could be shown in a manner such that women, who participate in sporting events wherein women are not usually included as competitors, are either excluded or represented as masculine. à à à à à à à à à à à However, it has been seen that certain sporting magazines have been very generous to the female component of sporting activities. However, this balance is only present in magazines that have been produce through the efforts of staff that were consciously aware of the disparity in gender reporting of sports events. These magazines are, more commonly, actively fighting for womenââ¬â¢s equality in this field. As such, they are few and not representative in the publishing industry. à à à à à à à à à à à It should be acknowledged, however, that such magazines were launched and that these were successful in their goals. Perhaps this will provide the much needed gender-equality into the field of sports and mass media. Although these types of magazines form the minority in published mass media, they offer hope and raise out a cry of challenge to their colleagues, a cry for gender-equality and female liberation from the marginalization and disempowerment occurring in their field. Conclusion à à à à à à à à à à à The large discrepancies in sports portrayals of women athletes has been seen to be significant in all mediums of mass media specifically that of the television set, the radio set, and published sources. Women have been marginalized, stereotyped, and stripped of power through the way these mass media instruments have been used to represent their participation in sports activities. à à à à à à à à à à à However, no matter how anyone looks at it, this type of portrayal is unwarranted and unnecessary. Women have just as much talent, skill and capability as their male counterparts. The efforts they exert in order to actively and competently engage in their given sporting event is equally similar to that which males exert. The strain and stress they undergo during training and during the actual competition are just as nerve-wracking and exhausting as that which male athletes experience. In all respects, female athletes should be considered and hailed as equal to male athletes. à à à à à à à à à à à However, this has not been the case. Mass media, whether through television, radio, or magazines, has proven to be unforgiving and thoughtless in bringing justice to the efforts of women athletes. There is a great need for change and renewal in the way mass media portrays females. à à à à à à à à à à à One of the best first steps towards a better and more fair portrayal of women in sports is by actively disseminating information about the marginalization and disempowerment that is occurring. Most audiences and most reporters are perhaps so tied down to the hegemony of sports and mass media that they are no longer aware when stereotypical remarks are made on air. Knowledge of the fact that sports is for both females and males and that both sexes are equally capable of succeeding in this field must be spread. Without awareness, there is no chance for gender issues to be resolved in this field. à à à à à à à à à à à It would, perhaps, also be constructive for organizations and bodies to be set up that would monitor the violations to womenââ¬â¢s rights that occur during broadcasting of sporting events. This would help to check the prejudiced actions and comments of those involved in the mass media industry. This would also make other individuals aware that what is currently going on is not acceptable and that there is a growing need for better treatment and appreciation of women athletes. à à à à à à à à à à à There is still much improvement that can be done to the way mass media portray women. Mass media has come to influence the way society thinks in that women themselves have congregated around socially acceptable sports. Only the few who are not afraid of being dubbed masculine are able to compete in the sports where the male sex has dominated. There should be adequate measures taken to ensure that future biased and stereotyped thoughts will no longer exist. Women portrayal in sports still has hope to become much more fair and with this hope comes the assurance thaw women participation in sports will also become less prejudiced and stereotyped. Reference Higgs, C., & Weiller, K. (1994). Gender bias and the 1992 summer Olympic games: an analysis of television coverage. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 18, à 234-246 Hardin, M., Lynn, S., Walsdorf, K. (2005). Challenge and conformity on ââ¬Å"contested terrainâ⬠: images of women in four womenââ¬â¢s sport/fitness magazines. Sex Roles, 53(1), 105-117
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