Gun Control Research Essay

ProCon. org recently featured an article that studied gun control. â€Å"Stricter state gun laws associated with fewer gun deaths, study finds. † The article discussed gun control laws in states with stricter laws tend to have lower rates of gun related homicides, and a suicide (ProCon para. 1) Gun control in the United States is becoming a wide spread issue and is becoming a problem everywhere. Although I am living in a city with uprising crime that has been skyrocketing over the years, I wasn’t aware of this being an issue all over the United States.I decided to do some research to find out whether I am in favor of Gun control laws or not. After reviewing many articles for and against gun control, I found out that I do in fact agree with gun control laws. It became difficult to determine my side of the controversy due to there being a lot of negative and positive opinions about the issue. I feel like gun laws should be in place to restore our countries gun related cri me rates in the U. S. The ProCon article argues that states with the strictest gun control laws have lower rates of gun related homicides and suicides.The argument for gun control laws revolve around the statistics of gun control laws being stricter in certain states verses states with not so strict gun control laws. According to ProCon, â€Å"the most restrictive gun control laws have an average of 6. 64 fewer deaths per 100,000 people per year than those with the least restrictive laws† (ProConpara. 1). ProCon continues on to discuss the study â€Å"Firearm Legislation and Firearm Related Fatalities in the United States,† that was studied by different researchers that measured the association between the â€Å"legislative strength of state gun control policies† (ProCon para.1). The researchers then began to study the five categories used to create the legislative strength score which included laws designed to: curb firearm trafficking; strengthen background ch ecks on purchasers of firearms beyond those required by Brandy Handgun Violence Prevention Act; ensure child safety; ban military style assault weapons; and restrict guns in public places (ProCon para. 1). The researchers then ranked all 50 states from 0 to 28 based on their score (ProCon para. 2). â€Å"The higher the score, the more restrictive the gun lawsin that state,† stated the researchers (ProCon para. 2). â€Å"This study is a very important addition to our understanding of the connection between gun control and gun violence,† said John Roman, a PhD, senior fellow. â€Å"In addition to the general relationship between gun safety laws firearm deaths, also suggests that increasing the number of gun safety laws increases the reductions in firearm related deaths. So the benefits just get bigger with more laws† (ProCon para. 3). After reading the ProCon article, I found myself agreeing with the researchers.I can see different levels of gun related crimes all over the United States. Just by living in Fort Wayne, IN where there has been a peak in gun related crimes and deaths gives me proof that their study was indeed accurate. If more states had stricter gun control laws they would start to have lower rates of gun related homicides and suicides. Next, I went to an article by Chuck Baldwin, an American Politician, who disagreed with gun control laws: â€Å"Here we go again. We have another mass shooting at yet another â€Å"gun free† zone.Not only was the location a â€Å"gun free zone, it was located inside the nation’s capital, which has some of the strictest gun-control laws in the entire country,† Stated Chuck Baldwin, (Baldwin para. 1). Mr. Baldwin clearly has a strong disagreement about gun control laws in the United States. In the title of the article, he stated, â€Å"Guns don’t kill people; gun control laws kill people† (Baldwin para. 1). Mr. Baldwin then proceeds to talk about people basicall y abusing gun control laws and that they are useless because people are still using guns in â€Å"gun free† zones. Mr.Baldwin argued, â€Å"I thought gun-control laws and â€Å"gun-free† zones were supposed to protect people from gun violence† (Baldwin para. 1). Mr. Baldwin proceeded to argue that â€Å"Gun-Free† zones are actually â€Å"Free Killing† zones (Baldwin para. 1). He then went on to explain how â€Å"This is the second time in recent memory when some wacko shoots up a military installation† (Baldwin para. 2). I feel like Mr. Baldwin’s logic behind gun control laws is kind of persuasive because even though there are gun control laws, and â€Å"gun free† zones, doesn’t mean that people are going to stop committing gun related crimes in places where there are laws in place.I expected that I might be swayed by Mr. Baldwin’s information, but I was not. I am definitely in favor of gun control laws. I also th ink that Mr. Baldwin’s argument was kind of true and he had a lot of good reasoning, but I still think that by enforcing gun control laws helps a lot of states to lower their gun related crimes. However, I did not see anything on Chuck Baldwin’s article that proved gun control laws were good or bad. The final article that convinced me of my position came from the Congressional Digest.The article, â€Å"Prevalence of Gun Use and the Regulatory Response† doesn’t focus on one side of the issue. Instead, it focuses on the different reasons gun control laws could or could not be effective. Some argue that the low violent crime rates of other countries have nothing to do with gun control, maintaining instead that multiple cultural differences are responsible (Gun para. 1). â€Å"Through the years, legislative proposals to restrict the availability of firearms to the public have raised the following questions: â€Å"What restrictions on firearms are permissibl e under the Constitution?Does gun control constitute crime control? Can the Nation’s rates of homicide, robbery, and assault be reduced by the stricter regulation of firearms commerce or ownership? Would restrictions stop attacks on public figures or thwart deranged persons and terrorists? Would household, street corner, and schoolyard disputes are less lethal if firearms were more difficult and expensive to acquire? Would more restrictive gun control policies have the unintended effect of impairing citizens’ means of self-defense? † (Gun para.2) This article provided a lot of questions that I asked myself and I answered â€Å"yes† to more than half of the previous questions. I had not considered these questions until I read the Congressional Digest. I think that if the government really cracked down on gun control laws, people would actually see a change in gun related crimes. I feel like yes, more restrictive gun control policies have unintended effect o f impairing citizens’, and yes different cultural differences have nothing to do with gun control issues.After reading these articles on gun control laws, I am now more informed and can still say that gun control laws still should be enforced. I am surprised at the different views this issue has received. I found out that I do in fact agree with gun control laws. It became difficult to determine my side of the controversy due to there being a lot of negative and positive opinions about the issue. I feel like gun laws should be in place to restore our countries gun related crime rates and fatalities in the U. S.

Brilliant Public Speaking: An Informational Video

Brilliant Public Speaking Amber Owens BECOME/275 Business Communications and Critical Thinking August 5, 2014 Brilliant Public Speaking was a very informational video. I enjoyed hearing from each and every person In the video. Each person brought something new to the table and gave their view of public speaking. The one thing that stood out of my mind the most is how each and every one of them said to make the speech personal. One person said that facts are true, but stories sell.In other words make the speech something they want to hear. Don't bore them by constantly repeating the same thing and staying the same tone. This video tied In well with this week's topic because It shows how effectively to communicate when giving a speech in the workplace. The flare factor would be the practice I use. The reason I would use this practice Is because I want to make sure my audience stays focused on the subject at hand. I want them to see the passion and the drive that I have for the subject that I am liking about and presenting to them.I want them to stay excited with me, and as I get fired up, I want them to get fired up. Keeping people's attention is hard so when going with the flare practice you may not keep all their attention but you're sure at least to keep half the audience's attention. Just like one speaker said sex, drugs and rock and roll. That gets people's attention, and the began to want to know more about what you are saying. My advice to anyone giving a speech is to stick to the subject and be passionate about what you talk about.Make sure you have plenty of facts as we as personal stories to back your speech up. Relax, breathe and don't' talk too fast. People want to know what you are saying and why you are saying it. Make the speech fun yet informing so that the audience doesn't have time even to think about nodding off. Start strong and end strong, so the audience knows that you're still Just as passionate.

Instructional Strategies Concept Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Instructional Strategies Concept Paper - Essay Example al strategies, Denny has first to be acquainted with the epistemological framework of which Cynthia Oakes operates – which is the constructivist approach. Constructivism is ongoing meaning-making through authentic engagement- remains a useful idea for learners and instructors at all levels of educations and training (Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). This is to ensure that they speak the same language and able to design the instruction program to the satisfaction of the stakeholders. This would entail needs analysis, research, interview and a lot of resourcefulness on the part of Denny. Second, Denny has to craft a program that is consistent with the constructivist approach which engages learners in a process of inquiry and activity instead of providing the right answer. Denny’s program has to generate multiple ideas and answer from his students in solving a certain problem which is a valuable process of constructivist approach. This would include tools that would facilitate discussion that promotes the process of inquiry and activity. When clients are vague with the instructions and objectives of a learning program, instructional designers has to be resourceful in order to â€Å"fathom† what the client really needs. This would require extensive research on the part of the instructional designer. First, such as in the case of Dennys, requires understanding on the framework of which the client operates. In the case of Cynthia, the constructivist approach. It would help a lot if the instructional designer can view the videos on how program was implemented. The instructional designer could then dig in at the available literature about the program to understand its thrust. In Denny’s case it was the grant proposal. Sifting through the proposal would give the instructional designer an insight about the instructional needs of the client through the justification of the project. Then one can interview the teachers about their instructional needs to have a

Portrayal of vampires in cult tv Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Portrayal of vampires in cult tv - Dissertation Example End Notes Introduction Vampires have haunted the pages of history since times immemorial; in most cultures around the world, there has been a confluence of these creatures and people have created a sense of fear and associated these mythical wonders with a sense of peril. But what are they? Vampires have been described as â€Å"blood sucking ghosts or souls of dead people superstitiously believed to come from the grave and wander about by night, sucking the blood of those that sleep and thus, causing their untimely death.† (Easton, 2009). Many people correlate vampires with bats; they say that during the day bats hang asleep and at night time, they come alive in the form of these blood sucking creatures. People have instilled in themselves a sense of dread and terror because of the idea of a vampire. They have believed that these creatures should not be allowed to live. Most legends suggest killings of vampires to eradicate them from the face of the planet, because they Ã¢â‚¬Ë œdo not belong’. However, in the 21st century, today, people have come to terms with the fact that vampires do not exist (Sklar, Rachel). Most people do not believe in the supernatural and idea of immortality in this day and age of fast communication, information and technology. Even then, the idea of maybe having such creatures around and existing excites a vast amount of the population of the world. As seen with time, the most popular form of entertainment has usually been in the form of fiction or letting people think about what ‘might’ exist. Thus, much the same way, vampires have been popularised today through television, books and movies. People crave an understanding of things that have not yet been explained by scientists or do not have reason. Staying alive eternally, having super powers to carry out tasks etc are things that human beings get thrilled with because they are not able to do so. It is because of an endless thirst of curiosity that people wan t to know more and more and try and delve into the unknown. It is because of the same reason that today, people are eager to know about vampires and whether or not they do exist in real life. People often wonder, ‘what if there is a vampire amongst me and all the people I interact with?’ Scary and exciting as it may be, all this has led to the creation of very popular vampire cult television; series that depict forms of vampires, interacting with normal human beings on a daily basis, doing everything they do - and a little more. From Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, these immortal beings have been reflected over the years with dramatic changes in their characteristics and surroundings. In television most of the current â€Å"Vampire Series† have achieved a â€Å"cult† status. As Roberta Pearson (2010) explains â€Å"As a quick google will show, the term â€Å"cult television† flourishes beyond the confines of acade mia in the virtual world and, by implication, in the â€Å"real† world.† The word â€Å"cult† depicts a religious group that is devoted to, or even obsessive about what they believe in. The term â€Å"Cult Television† is somewhat close to this. It is a term gained for a show that has an obsessive or even extreme following; a show that might not have been appreciated when it was first broadcast and is a step away from the mainstream. â€Å"There is no single quality that characterizes a cult text; rather, cult texts are defined through a process in which shows are positioned

An examination of the role of inter-professional practice in Essay

An examination of the role of inter-professional practice in contemporary social work - Essay Example al., 2011). An effectual inter-professional collaborative practice in healthcare system in social work generally takes place when health workers, belonging to diverse professional backgrounds, work collaboratively with the families, patients as well as the communities for the purpose of offering superior quality care to the patients (Collin & et. al., n.d.). There are certain imperative facets of an effective inter-professional collaboration or collaborative practice that include open communication, equality of available resources and the subsistence of autonomy where a poor form of inter-professional collaborative practice can impose adverse impacts upon the quality of care rendered to the patients through social work (Royal College of Nursing, 2007). One of the important skills required in inter-professional collaborative practice to enhance the quality care for the patients is Inter-Professional Education (IPE). IPE is typically described as the students or the members engaged with several professions, either linked with social or healthcare backgrounds. This particular inter-professional collaborative practice facilitates effectual collaboration among the health workers and enhances health outcomes through their shared information or skills (AAMC, 2011). It has been apparently observed in this context that IPE offers a capability to share effective skills as well as dynamic knowledge between different professionals and facilitates better understanding regarding shared values. It also enhances respect amid different professionals’ in terms of responsibilities associated with healthcare (Bridges & et. al., 2011). An effective inter-professional collaborative practice is typically regarded as one of the indispensable const ituents of a better social work practice. In this context, it can be stated that the social or healthcare workers should remain much confident in

Reflection of Stock Market Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection of Stock Market Project - Essay Example Mostly in the stock market, human psychology gets reflected by either greed or fear. During the period when the share prices of the MSFT was considerably decreasing, fear lead me to sell the shares immediately the prices reached the original price. The Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp shares prices decreased, but for the past four days the prices have exceed the $47 price margin I had anticipated selling the shares. Greed to profit from the increasing prices led more people to buy these shares by the close of the stock market on 10th December 2014(Graham 189-98). I sold least Apple Inc. shares because the company intends to launch its new iPhone models in 2015. The entry of the new iPhones will increase the earnings of the company considerably, and the shares will as well increase. Therefore, in anticipation of the increase, I will keep the shares and sell them when the new iPhones premiers in the market. From the experience in the stock market, I learned to rely mostly on the more scientific and economic factors. Human psychology slightly affects the stock as compared to the scientifically and economically conscious factors (Graham

Necessary Elements that Teachers Should Aware for Culturally and Article

Necessary Elements that Teachers Should Aware for Culturally and Linguistically - Article Example The bilingual exceptional student’s proficient instructional approaches have created additional stress for teachers and researchers to build up and for managers to expand evaluation policies that make possible legal fulfillment, at the same time make instructional sense. In the sphere of bilingual learning the question of the best sort of services, together with cultural pluralism, diverse communities, exit-entry appraisal, and the identical wellbeing of the law, are most frequently in disagreement with intercession policies, confusing the subject of what a perfect bilingual education program should achieve. There is no precise standard available to gauge and explain the range of bilingual programs existing, nor has any visibly defined variable surfaced beside which to appraise the broad competence or usefulness of bilingual education (Amber and Dew, 1983). The asymmetrical account of learners from varied socio-cultural and linguistic environment in special education has been a relentless anxiety in the field since many years. Regardless of constant hard work by teachers and researchers to recognize causative features and build up an explanation, student enrollments in special education range from over to under-representation, relying on the disability category and the specific racial/ethnic group, social class, culture, and language of the students (Donovan & Cross, 2002). Even though investigative rates of representation can alert teachers to the reality of a crisis, the important question is that in dealing with disproportional in special education whether the right student is recognized and served. It is important to focus on professional development on efficient practices for culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Since the inadequate number of teachers available with adequate training in effective practices for culturally and linguistically diverse learners, it is important that  educators engage in professional development that can lead to culturally skilled practice.  

Korean diaspora Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Korean diaspora - Essay Example The north-eastern China started receiving Koreans from the thirteenth century itself. The Koreans in China are renowned for keeping their unique Korean traditions intact while assimilating the local languages and ideas. Many Korean-origin people in China, according to Piao, â€Å"do not know how to write or speak Korean, they have maintained their unique Korean customs. Such customs as not marrying while in formal mourning, women not binding their feet, and placing ceremonial food on a special table for the elderly remained until the 1940s† (48). There has also been a long tradition of Korean dissidents migrating to other countries, especially to China. During the period of Japanese colonialism in Korea, especially between 1910 and 1930, thousands of Koreans opposed to the regime have fled to China. The extensive migration of Korean peasants to Manchuria was even facilitated by the Japanese imperialists. Although oppressed by the ruling elites and by the conditions of misery, the Korean diaspora in China have rigorously upheld many aspects of their original nationality. By the establishment of different kinds of autonomous units after the establishment of the communist rule, the Koreans in China have not only been able to preserve their nationality but also to develop it significantly. The Chinese Communist party (CCP) too had played an important role in protecting the minority culture of the Koreans in China by organizing Korean cultural workers and Korean literary clubs. It was the direct result of CCP’s policy that â€Å"in areas that contained a concentration of one nationality, national autonomous regions should be established and the nationality’s language and writing system should be developed, along with the preservation of the nationality’s customs, traditions and religious beliefs†, argues Piao (75). Also, land reform policies initiated by the communist government in China have largely helped the Koreans diaspora to enhance their material development. Koreans in Japan In Japanese language, the immigrants from Korea are popularly called as sangokujin in a derogative fashion. The Koreans in Japan have always had a tensed relation with their old colonial masters and vice versa too. This tension still is expressed as â€Å"the continued ambiguity of the Korean community’s position between ‘troublesome’ new immigrants and Japanese nationals† as pointed by Chung (1). It has led to lower rates of naturalization of Koreans in Japan even after many decades of their arrival in Japan. It could also be argued, along the lines of Chung, that although the Koreans in Japan find it easy to be assimilated with the natives by fluently speaking Japanese and marrying with Japanese origins, â€Å"the law rate of naturalization suggests that a significant proportion of the Korean community has made a conscious decision to retain its Korean nationality† (1). As former, colonial subje cts, the Koreans have found it difficult to be integrated with the Japanese oppressive regime. It does not mean that the Korean diaspora in Japan is devoid of representation in the civil society. Although the Japanese state and society asserts the indigenous homogeneity of the Japanese people vis-a-vis the Korean immigrants, the Koreans have asserted themselves into the national scene through democratic participation and activism. Still,

Comparison and Contrast between life before internet and after Essay - 2

Comparison and Contrast between life before internet and after internet - Essay Example Likewise, telephonic messages that actually came into existence before internet helped people in conveying messages from one place to other regardless of geographical location. This particular fact provides evidence that life of people before and after internet has been quite similar in relation to the messaging system. This is because the system of exchanging messages through text messages and mails tends to be quite similar. Internet has resulted in changing peoples’ life pattern, however, the rudimentary social pattern of life has remained the same irrespective of the changes induced by internet. It has been revealed that the communication system of youngsters have persisted to be the same i.e. most of them use the conventional means of social interaction wherein internet is executed like a telephone.Therefore, it can be affirmed that the life of people before internet and after internet has remained the same in relation to their social interaction process and psychological well-being. In fact, internet has created a platform for enhancing the traditional interaction process along with evolving relationships amid individuals in the society. Thus, the social and psychological paradigms of peoples’ life have been quite similar before and after the initiation of internet. On the contrary, there has been a huge difference in the life of people before internet and after internet. People in order to entertain themselves used to devote more time to watching television or through other means such as visiting parks.

Recalling the Holocaust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Recalling the Holocaust - Essay Example The Nazis committed mass murder of the Jews in gas chambers. The use of gas chambers was one of the Nazi’s plans to eliminate all Jews from the German society. The killing of infants occurred before their birth. The gas chambers used carbon monoxide as the killer gas during the Holocaust. The use of carbon monoxide was an inhumane act. It allowed for the mass murder of the Jews by the Nazis. The first mass killing using gas chambers was in 1939. The killing that occurred at Owinksi hospital led to the death of over one thousand Jews including children. That the concentration camps, the use free standing chimneys to kill Jews presented one of the most atrocious acts. A high number of prisoners suffered their fatal fate because of the brutal killing using the freestanding chimneys in the camps. It remains one of the extreme violations of the rights of humanity. Phil Donahue’s interview is a revelation of the truth behind the inhumane acts that surrounded the Holocaust. It exposes the high number of Jews who suffered the atrocities experienced in the important event, that it, the Holocaust. The attempts by supporters of the Holocaust to deny the use of gas chambers to kill the Jews are unbelievable and tantamount to the denial of committing a crime. Dr. Franciszek is one of the most informed people on the holocaust incidence. Dr. Francisze's claims that the number of victims was less than that originally estimated seems ill-intentioned and driven by impunity.... The use of gas chambers was one of the Nazi’s plans to eliminate all Jews from the German society. The killing of infants occurred before their birth. The gas chambers used carbon monoxide as the killer gas during the holocaust. The use of carbon monoxide was an inhumane act. It allowed for mass murder of the Jews by the Nazis. The first mass killing using gas chambers was in 1939. The killing that occurred at Owinksi hospital led to the death of over one thousand Jews including children. That the concentration camps, the use free standing chimneys to kill Jews presented one of the most atrocious acts. A high number of prisoners suffered their fatal fate because of the brutal killing using the freestanding chimneys in the camps. It remains one of the extreme violations of the rights of humanity. The burning of children in the chimneys alive was another great desecration of human rights to life. Phil Donahue’s interview is a revelation of the truth behind the inhumane ac ts that surrounded the holocaust. It exposes the high number of Jews who suffered the atrocities experienced in the important event, that it, the holocaust. The attempts by supporters of the holocaust to deny the use of gas chambers to kill the Jews are unbelievable and tantamount to denial of committing a crime. Dr. Franciszek is one of the most informed people on the holocaust incidence. Dr. Francisze's claims that the number of victims were less than that originally estimated seems ill intentioned and driven by impunity. The interview articulates the true occurrences during the time when Jews underwent inhumane at the Aushwitz concentration chamber. The perception created by denial of the use of the gas chambers to kill in the camps contradicts

Open Method of Coordination Essay Example for Free

Open Method of Coordination Essay 1. Introduction: This paper aims to offer an assessment of OMC performance in relation to its goals and methods. A determination therefore will be made on whether OMC goals are met and what obstacles have been met in attaining said goals. In order to attain this purpose, we will define the Open Method of Coordination (OMC), find its goals and reasons why it was introduced into EU policymaking, followed by a brief overview in academic literature. Secondly, we will analyse the concept of social inclusion/exclusion (according to Atkinson). Thirdly, we will analyse whether OMC’s social inclusion made any improvement since Lisbon through the National Actions Plans and any other possible base. 2. Analysis and discussion 2.1 Define the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) its goals and reasons why it was introduced into EU policymaking.   What is OMC’s overview in academic literature? Summit at Lisbon in March 2000 Hughes, K. (2001) said that at the DOT.COM Summit at Lisbon in March 2000, the EU set itself the strategic goal of creating full employment in a competitive and inclusive knowledge-based economy. The author stated that to reach this goal, EU prime ministers announced the adoption of a new open method of co-ordination, which is based on benchmarking and spreading best practice. Such method the author said is really intended to help member-states converge towards common objectives in areas such as employment, economic reform and social cohesion. The objective of full employment (Grubel, 1977) will always be an objective of every right-thinking state for the fulfilment of which guaranties peace and security among citizens. The four stages of OMC as described by Hughes, K. (2001) includes the following: First, EU ministers agree on policy goals in the area concerned.   Second, member-states translate these guidelines into national and regional policies, with specific targets.   Third, the ministers agree on benchmarks and indicators, to measure and compare best practice within the EU and worldwide.   Finally, through evaluation and monitoring, member-states performances are assessed relative to each other and to their declared goals. Hughes, K. (2001) also posited that advocates of this soft (i.e. not law-based) approach argue that it enables member-states to co-operate closely, yet recognizes their diversity and avoids forced harmonization. The author also opined that the approach allows co-coordinated action in areas where it would be politically difficult, or even impossible, to move forward through a common policy or legal framework.   In addition, the author said that it allows for a concerted EU approach while leaving legal competence and authority with the individual member-states.   Thus, Hughes, K. (2001) concluded that progress can be made through open co-ordination where otherwise there would be none. To balance the claim of OMC, Hughes, K. (2001) noted the fear of the critics, who believe that open co-ordination is at best a talking-shop and at worst a weapon aimed at the traditional Community method of European integration. Thus the author said: â€Å"They view the new approach as a Trojan horse for more inter-governmental decision-making. Whether they are right will become apparent as the targets of the Lisbon summit are met or not over the next few years. The more difficult question is whether it is indeed another tool for integration, or rather a move towards increased, and perhaps less effective, inter-governmentalism.† To produce a set of common but not legally-binding, objectives for tackling poverty and exclusion would seem to be an useless exercise since everything would be based on voluntary decision of the members since whatever may be agreed upon are not legally binding. But this was what happened at Lisbon where the EU leaders suggested that open co-ordination should apply to areas such as social exclusion, enterprise and e-Europe, where most or all powers remain with the member-states. Hence, Hughes, K. (2001) noted that the member-states will produce national action plans for reaching these objectives, on which the Commission will then comment. OMC therefore seems to be a unique way of solving problems among members where the absence of legally binding rules will not hinder the members to act on what is beneficial to them. The members states must really have to rest on the strength of the political pledge to the development, on its professed worth and efficacy, and on peer pressure and public support. The European Economic Integration It would be incomplete to look at OMC if none is mentioned about European economic integration. Wikipedia (2006) acknowledged the fact that thee OMC was first applied in EU employment policy, as defined in the Amsterdam Treaty of 1997, although it was not called by this name at the time. It stated that OMC was officially named, defined and endorsed at the Lisbon Council for the realm of social policy and since then, Wikepedia (2006) said the approach has been applied in the European employment strategy, social inclusion, pensions, immigration, education and culture and asylum. Tsoukalis, L. (1997) in describing the process of European economic integration said: â€Å"It concentrates mainly, although not exclusively, on the more recent phase which started around the mid-1980s and which has been characterized by a continuous expansion of the European agenda, the strengthening of intra-European economic ties, the transfer of new powers to common institutions, as well as the geographical extension of what we may call the European economic system.   †¦.   The process of integration has always been characterized by fits and starts, by bursts of activity which have often been followed by crisis and relative inaction. In the early 1990s, the economic and political climate changed once again, the deterioration of the macroeconomic environment being accompanied by successive crises in the exchange markets and growing scepticism about the future of European integration. Unemployment rates reached dangerous heights, while economic growth receded. And the armies of unemployed began to seriously threaten Europes welfare systems. Yet the process of integration did not stop; far from it. And the plan for EMU has remained on the table with a treaty seal on it. The remaining years until 1999 are therefore most likely to be dominated by preparations for the historic rendezvous with the single currency, a rendezvous which, if it does take place as scheduled, some countries at least are bound to miss.† Tsoukalis, L. (1997) also said that during the same period, the EU has gone through two more rounds of enlargement, with the accession of five new members (without counting the accession of the Eastern Là ¤nder following Germanys unification). Mentioned by the author was also the fact EU has also gone through two major treaty revisions, linked to the internal market program and EMU respectively, while a third one is under negotiation as of 1997 then. The author argues that those developments show hardly any signs of withering away. On the other hand, the same author said that there is the allegedly unstoppable trend of economic globalization which, according to so many experts and laymen, leaves little room for public regulation and effective intervention, citing as examples Ohmae (1990), Hirst and Thompson (1996) and Boyer and Drache (1996). The author also posited that European integration has indeed evolved within the context of growing international economic interdependence, a term still often used instead of globalization by the less exuberant representatives of the economics profession. 2.3 Analysis of the concept of social inclusion/exclusion (according to Atkinson). OMC could not be discussed in isolation with social inclusion/exclusion, hence out understanding of the OMC necessitates us to look more on the concepts of social inclusion (Planning Portal, 2006) and social exclusion (Kerrycdb, n.d.). Atkinson, et. al. (2002) described the concept of social inclusion and exclusion as follows: â€Å"I know there is some scepticism about the open method of coordination given its character of soft law. Yet I am convinced that an effective open method of coordination in the field of social inclusion can play a crucial political role at this stage in European politics. It will create a common understanding of our core social values that goes beyond solemn declarations at the level of heads of state and government, and so should enable us to define in a more precise way the substance of the European Social Model. It has, then, the potential to be a powerful driver.† (Emphasis supplied). The optimism of the authors (Richardson, 1994) is readily evident.   In certain circumstances, a law may have power to demand compliance (Hutter, 1997) but one could hardly limit human freedom to choose (Hill, 1993) and decide for the themselves. On discussing Principles of Indicator Construction in relation to social inclusion/exclusion Atkinson, et. al. (2002) said:   â€Å"†¦ it is an important feature of this process that the policies to achieve social inclusion are the responsibility of member states, under the subsidiary principle. Social inclusion is to be promoted through the method of open coordination, as described above. Member states are to agree on the objectives of policy, but they will be free to choose the methods by which these objectives are realized. One member state may achieve low poverty rates by active labour market policy; another may place greater reliance on social transfers. In one member state transfers may be provided by the state, in another transfers may be private. In one member state training may be associated with apprenticeships; in another, it may be part of the school system. This we have taken to mean that, for the present purpose, the social performance indicators should in principle be concerned with outputs rather than inputs. The aim is to measure social outcomes, not the means by which they are achieved. †¦.† Readily evident is the fact that indicators social inclusion/exclusion be seen in outputs and inputs that Atkinson, et. al. (2002) went further saying: â€Å"While we regard total spending on education, for example, as a measure of the resources being put into education, and hence would prefer a measure of educational attainment, we recognize that the availability of teachers may be an index of educational opportunities. If our concerns are forward-looking, then we may take into account the possibility that one can benefit from a service in the future. Confidence in the future can be improved by the existence of services; they have an option value that is a form of current output. A sense of exclusion may be generated by the absence of educational or health facilities. A person may be over school age but still feel that the absence of a secondary school in his or her town is a factor in social exclusion.† (Emphasis supplied) On discussing Social Indicators from a Member State Perspective, Atkinson, and et. al. (2002) said: â€Å"For a valuable review of both European and national initiatives, predating the National Action Plans on Social Inclusion, readers are referred to Vranken et al. (2001).† The same authors also made comparison of the conceptual frame-works adopted in different countries, the databases employed, and the indicators used. After which they consolidated national reports on poverty and social exclusion that have been formed by official and academic researchers. Further, the same authors said: â€Å"Member states differ in the degree to which they have set explicit targets for combating social exclusion. In some cases there are strategies aimed at promoting social inclusion that already include explicit targets and indicators against which to measure the effectiveness of policy. Some countries, such as Ireland, have set a national objective for the reduction of financial poverty; others have adopted a set of progress indicators by which performance is to be evaluated; and still others monitor the trends in poverty and social exclusion in a less structured manner and without pre-commitment to identified targets.† Based on said premises the author opined that the amount of space allocated to each country varies. He was quick however to mention that in each case, however, a National Action Plan on Social Inclusion (NAPincl) was submitted to the Commission in June 2001 and that the NAPincls were requested to state the progress aimed for by national policies and to list the indicators used to assess progress, and the European Union is to move from that base towards commonly agreed and defined indicators.   (Paraphrasing made) 2.3 Did the OMC social inclusion made any improvement since Lisbon like through National Actions Plans? Although there are several members stated which have adopted jointly the OMC as strategy, what is cited in answer to the question is that one involving U.K. OMC social inclusion made any improvement since Lisbon on different occasions based in the following: a. On National Actions Plans European Commission, Employment Social Affairs, Social Inclusion (2006) on Implementation and update reports on 2003-2005 National Action Plans on Social Inclusion said: â€Å"The second UK NAP (2003-05) maintains the process of developing a broad and comprehensive strategy. Facilitating access to employment for those capable of working is at the centre of the strategic approach and has been helped by continued good economic and employment growth. The strategy also envisages the provision of good income support and high quality social services to those who cannot access work. Among the groups identified as requiring special support are: lone parents; the long-term unemployed; older people; those with few or no qualifications; ethnic minority communities; sick or disabled people; and residents of deprived neighbourhoods. The strategy involves commitment to a number of targets, supported by national indicators, most notably the aim of eradicating child poverty by 2020.†Ã‚   The Commission also noted that an important measure to help meet this target has been the provision of high-quality, integrated early-years education and health, family support and childcare services in the most disadvantaged areas. Hence, the Commission believes that these services will now be extended to cover all areas of England over the next ten years and it’s thus noted that the European Social Fund has a key role in support of the National Action Plan to help people develop their employability and skills, with a particular focus on unemployed and socially excluded people. b. On how open a member state to the process Armstrong, K. (2005) in concluding the paper â€Å"Implementing The Lisbon Strategy: â€Å"Policy Co-Ordination Through ‘Open’ Methods: How Open Is The United Kingdom To The OMC Process On Social Inclusion?† stated among other things, that his study has found examples of domestic adaptation to the OMC process on inclusion. He cited that these examples relate in particular to the mobilisation of anti-poverty networks and the willingness of central government civil servants to develop new working relationships with such networks. He thus mentioned that DWP and NGOs have joined forces to develop a participation tool-kit for the next round of NAPincls is an indication of a desire to break out of traditional bureaucratic routines and at least gives the appearance of a commitment to the NAPincls. The author further said that attitudes towards the NAPincls from the devolved administrations is more ambivalent, although the idea that the EU process might serve as a model for recasting the Northern Ireland anti-poverty strategy suggests a stronger adaptation dynamic at work here. Nevertheless, the author admitted the difficulty, that it is that it is hard to escape the conclusion that notwithstanding the elaboration of new processes, the UK NAPincl remains primarily a report and not a plan. He thus noted that to be sure, it has filled a gap between the central and devolved government social exclusion and anti-poverty reports and acts as an overview of the UK as a whole. The author also noted that the lack of synchronisation between the EU co-ordination processes and the domestic cycle of budget-planning and target-setting results in a reinforcement of the domestic arena as the key driver of social inclusion objectives, indicators and targets. This he believes undercuts the ability of the UK NAPincl to do more than report on what has already been agreed. (Paraphrasing made) Armstrong, K. (2005) also said that the research reported here also highlights two different political visions of the future of OMC. Particularly he noted the evidence of domestic adaptation – particularly at the level of central government – points to the importance of altering domestic mind-sets and routines in order to buttress commitments to political change. The alternative vision, however, the author observed is that is one that looks to EU institutions – in particular the European Council – to deliver high-level messages and to steer the Member States in the desired direction. He thus argued that it may not be a matter of choosing which vision to follow but the evidence of the Lisbon Strategy to date has been that there remains a gap between the big statements of political intention and delivery within the Member States. Thus he recommended that more needs to be done to uncover the domestic mechanisms of adaptation in order to explain the success or failures of the commitments made at Lisbon. (Paraphrasing made) Conclusion: There is evidence for a European to make a statement such as: â€Å"We are we a step closer to European Social Model and is the OMC the right approach.† OMC social inclusion made any improvement since Lisbon on the basis of the following: Although there is no legal compulsion to do things in OMC, there is evidence to say that voluntary actions do accomplish great things. Even in the absence of compelling force on the basis of legislation, people have goods reasons of accomplishing their political and economic purposes. The implementation of the OMC in the United Kingdom is one of the best proofs. Although more concrete proofs are still necessary to really declare that OMC will lead the members states to success, positive developments in the early implementation bears much goods results to further build upon. The power of humanity is not only manifested in having law to force them to move but also making them more willing effort to do things when they believe that right decisions just make many great things, and OMC is the one of these.

The Kite Tunner Essay Example for Free

The Kite Tunner Essay In The Kite Runner, even though Hassan remains loyal, forgiving, and good natured, he is still the character who suffers the most. Hassan is a character who is discriminated against from the start of the book, till the very end. He is a part of a poor ethnic group called Hazaras whom are considered victims in the Afghan society. Amir and Hassan are half brothers, but because Hassan was a Hazara, he grew up in a hut as a servant working for his own father. Hassan understands his inferiority and accepts it, which causes other people to take advantage of him by betraying him. For example, even though Hassan always stood up for Amir, Amir left Hassan to get raped. Hassan was too scared to stand up for his best friend and believed that Hassan is sacrificing himself for Amir. Not only was the rape an attack physically, but it is also an attack on the victim’s emotions and dignity. In the Kite Runner, Hassan suffers the most pain both physically and mentally by living his life being betrayed, discriminated and losing his family. To start off, Hassan is a poor ethnic Hazara, he is considered inferior to the Afghan society, and therefore is discriminated throughout the whole novel. For example, Hassan and Amir both have the same rich father, but because Hassan was illegitimate and was a Hazara, he grew up as a servant in his father’s hut. With this in mind, Hassan is discriminated by everyone even his own family even the ones who Hassam didn’t even know was his family. Discrimination is so significant in his life that he has accepted the fact that he was born to be hated for his appearance. Hassan’s biological father Baba lies to Hassan and doesn’t even tell him that he is his real father. Despite the fact that Hassan gets discriminated upon, he still remains loyal and forgiving. Another example would be when the Taliban wanted Baba’s house and when they found out that Hassan and his wife were kuvubg u but alone, they wouldn’t listen to him when he tried to explain that Rahim Khan was the owner and they were waiting his return. The Taliban of course shot Hassan and his wife leaving Sohrab alone. The Taliban who show Hassan and his Wife were dismissed from their trial because they said it was self defence. They were dismissed because they have no proof that the Hazaras attacked the Taliban because no one would stand up for Hazaras. With this in mind, Hassan has died In addition, despite the fact that everyone knows that Hassan is good natured, he still is betrayed many times in the story mostly by his best friend Amir. In detail, Amir treats Hassan unfairly even thought he knows that Hassan will be good about it. For example, Amir left Hassan to get raped by Assef in the alley Hassan taught him incorrect meaning of words. Even after Amir betrays Amir, Hassan continues to serve him. and abandoning him even though Hassan saved him countless amounts of time. Amir only does this because When Assef asked Amir why he’s friends with a Hazara, Amir said that he’s his servant and nothing more. Amir didn’t know that Hassan was his half brother, which leads Amir to take advantage of Hassan. Rape is one of the events in the story that happens to Hassan that makes him suffer the most. In this story, rape is not just physically violent, but it is also an attack on the victim’s emotions and dignity. The fact that Hassan didn’t resist just proves his role in society and how he accepts punishment that is given upon him. The rape proves that he doesn’t care about his own suffering Lastly, Hassan suffers by losing the people who were once family to him. Hassan suffers because his half brother Amir is the reason why Hassan and Ali left the house. In fact, Hassan has it tougher than Amir from the beginning. Not only did he lose his mother, his mother rejected him at birth. Sanaubar had taken one glance at the baby in Alis arms, seen the cleft lip, and barked a bitter laughter. [ ]. She had refused to even hold Hassan, and just five days later she was gone. (29). This event has left Hassan motherless ever since birth. He is separated from his beloved Amir and Baba whom he spent his whole life with. Another example would be when his mother left and rejected him at birth.

Great Wall of China: Importance and Latest Findings

Great Wall of China: Importance and Latest Findings (Use related reports, other published or on-line material to analyze the selected site) Introduction (250) The Great Wall was reckoned as the worlds largest human-made structure made up of stone, bricks and earthen works whose construction started as early as the 7th century BC. Originally, it was used in many purposes but the most significant was to act as a border control that comprised of watch towers, garrison station and troop quarters etc. It has received recognition by making the World Heritage List in 1987 of its cultural values in Chinese history. In recent decade, archaeologists put efforts in investigating the actual length of the Wall by applying field walking, remote sensing and stratigraphy to look for archaeological potential in nearby areas. It has contributed to a drastic change for the world to recognize an even larger construction project in China. Over the years, it has been attracting tourists from all around the globe to witness this majestic fortification. In spite of their endless fascination towards the most reckonable ancient wall, many were inconsiderate in littering that sparked debates in its preservation work. Furthermore, the Great Wall is praised by its profound value in Chinese history, act as a strong symbol and historical evidence for people to ascertain past events. In the following, it will discuss its historical importance, recent unearthed findings, preservation work and cultural values to analyze its relationship of past and present. Criteria of WHL [Danny] According to the World Heritage Convention, there are ten criteria for the world heritage selection. Six of them are culture criteria and four of them are natural criteria. The committee will evaluate the heritage site based on this ten criteria. If the heritage sites list on the WHL, â€Å"sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten criteria (UNSECO, n.d.)†. The Great Wall is the culture site that list on the WHL and it meets five out of six culture criteria of selection. In addition, the Great Wall meets criteria (i), (ii),(iii), (iv) and (vi). So, the Great Wall is a heritage site that contains outstanding universal value. Therefore, the Great Wall has been listed on the WHL at 1987. The criterion (i) is â€Å"to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius (UNSECO, n.d.)†. The Great Wall is a masterpiece because it is the only human hands built construction on the earth that human can see it from the space (UNSECO, n.d.). The length of it is larger than 20,000 kilometers and all built by human hands. So, it shows the human creative genius in building this huge scale construction. For the criterion (ii), the heritage site shows the significant interchange in the human values. The human values of Chinese spread to the northern frontier in the period of Chunqiu. The Great Wall reinforces the Sinicism by the transfer of population (UNSECO, n.d.). Some of the Chinese and foreigner from north lived near the Great Wall and the culture intergradation shows the interchange in the human values. For the criterion (iii), the heritage site provides special or important evidences to the civilization. The Great Wall provides special or important evidences to â€Å"the rammed-earth sections of fortifications dating from the Western Han (UNSECO, n.d.)†. Some sections of the Great Wall are made of the rammed-earth which is the old constructional material. For the criterion (iv), the heritage site is an outstanding model for buildings, architectural style or craft. Since the Great Wall is the longest and oldest military construction in the World, it is an outstanding model for military construction. In 220 B.C., Qin Shi Huang built the first military construction-the Great Wall of the Qin dynasty to protect the country (UNSECO, n.d.). In the later dynasties, they also built this kind of military construction to prevent the incursion from the north. Therefore, The Great Wall is an outstanding model for fortifications and it served as military purpose for 2,000 years. For the criterion (vi), the heritage site is associated with the literary work of prominent worldwide significance. â€Å"The Great Wall has an incomparable symbolic significance in the history of China (UNSECO, n.d.)†. We can find the Great Wall this symbolic significance in many Chinese literary works in Tang dynasty such as the poems of Tu Fu (712-770) (UNSECO, n.d.). As a cultural heritage site, the Great Wall does not meet the criteria (v). According to the requirement, the heritage site on the WHL only need to meet at least one criterion. The other five criteria have proof that the Great Wall is qualified and worthy to list on the WHL. Excavation [Kelly’s] Even though the Great Wall still remains in China, archaeologists have found various means to study sites around the Great Wall in bid to seek its cultural significance. In fact, the most prominent study was the use of Google Earth and carbon dating that helped in discovering a lost segment of the Wall back in 2011 in Southern Mongolia (Owen, 2012). Initially, the archaeologists were investigating typographic clues seen in Google Earth through satellite photographs. Via remote sensing, they were able to consult ancient historical texts to analyze these satellite imagery. Interestingly, they only discovered a remaining piece of fossil instead of skull and large thighbone. With this evidence in mind, archaeologists thought that the Wall must be in a much extended length. Similarly, radiocarbon dating had shown partly exposed wood and rope remains; the construction was then assumed to be went on for over hundreds of years or even more than a thousand years later, approximately from 1040 to 1160. As a result, they widely supposed that Western Xia dynasty constructed the Wall on the site (Owen, 2012). Excavation is therefore very essential in establishing an approximate date of the past for archaeological sites. Up until now in 2015, archaeologists have been examining archive photos, historical documents and field walking to discover more and more parts of the Great Wall that have not been publicly visible. One team of experts in Northwestern China discovered a new section of wall which is comprised of rammed earth whereas some parts were even built on top of mountain ranges and spread along valleys; it was found mainly between Jingyuan Country and Nanchangtan village. In historical documents, they came to a consensus that Emperor Qin demanded the Great Wall had to run across Gansu province, Ningxia and Mongolia. However, some ruins were found shorter than usual that the archaeologists believed it was because of natural degradation. In this case, the Great Wall can be seen as different structures built through both Northern and Southern Mongolia from start to finish, and existed over a couple of dynasties (Chow and Chan, 2015). All in all, from the above dating methods and analytical study of the Great Wall, many published materials have told the world how the Great Wall is actually more drawn-out; it certainly was a ground-breaking news for archaeologists and tourists as well. In particular, Google Earth was profoundly applied in the study as it proved its scientific values in doing archaeological research. Under these circumstances, archaeology can be seen as a stepping stone for the Chinese to have deeper understandings of Chinese history and even the cultural transformation in their own place. From learning about the past emperors, the Chinese can also enhance their sense of belonging with ancestors and share amongst generations. Preservation Currently, regarding the preservation of the Great Wall, several measures are undergoing. Patrol Teams According to an article found on China daily, an official patrolling team is being organized to check against the damage of the mammoth structure. This patrolling team will focus on the section in Beijing, which is 630km long, including the most popular section of the Great Wall, Badaling. (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-02/16/content_520680.htm, 2006) As mentioned by Yu Ping, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage, members of this team will usually be rural residents who live near the Wall, and will be paid by local governments. Apart from the patrol team, a buffer zone would also be drawn to help protect the Great Wall, as announced by the Chinese administration. This buffer zone will take up to three years to be finished. At present, only a general standard ranging from 500 metres to 2 kilometres away from the Wall is designated as a buffer zone to protect it. Change in Law to protect the Great Wall Back in Sep. 20 of 2006, the State Council have promulgated regulations regarding the protection of the Great Wall, which have come into effect on Dec. 1 of the same year (http://www.lawinfochina.com/display.aspx?lib=lawid=5635CGid=, 2006). The law will focus on protecting the Great Wall, with its attached buildings and surrounding enviornment. For example, from August 2003 onwards, hikers and tourists will not be permitted to explore unprotected sections of the Great Wall. According to an article found on Travel China Guide,The purpose of the regulation are to help regulate visitor’s and local resident’s behaviors when visiting the Wall. For example, article 18 of the regulation forbits activites such as illegal organizations of activities and taking away items related to the Great Wall. (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/wallprotection/law/, 2006) Restoration Efforts Back in March of 2004, the initial phase of renovation on the section known as Huanghuacheng had begun. According to an article found on China Daily, â€Å"it includes rehabilitating 13 battlements, two gates and 3,300 metres of wall on a four-kilogreat wall from the spacemetre stretch.† (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-04/20/content_435783.htm, 2005) Mei Ninghua, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage, also mentioned that this renovation project is scheduled to be carried out in three phases and would cost at least 12 million yuan. To add on, Luo Zhewen, an expert on ancient architecture also noted that original materials and traditional techniques should be used as much as possible, otherwise, the word â€Å"preservation† could not be fulfilled. Improvement However, just as the preservation work is undergoing, damage to the Wall are still becoming serious. Currently, A large amount of the wall has collapsed and in some sections, only its foundation remains, accroding to a five-year survey (Rossella Lorenzi, 2012). On the other hand, sections which are yet to be restored, known as â€Å"wild wall† and are not open to the public, also suffer from man-made damage. It could be found that local villages often put up iron ladders illegally to attract hikers. It is often argued saturated tourism is the main cause for the damage done on the Wall, with most of the bricks in Badaling being carved with people’s names and graffiti as supporting evidence. The Great Wall’s current preservation work could be improved from several perspectives. Firstly, it would be important to educate the public about the importance and cultural significance of representing their cultural identity. Extra care and financial support should be given to locals villages living near parts which are considered â€Å"wild walls. Most of the villages are â€Å"damaging the Wall† simply because they are having a tough life. It is possible that with adequate financial support, the village’s burden could be alleviated and no longer need to continue the aforementioned act. Planting trees can also help protect the areas from erosion. However, there are still rooms for negotiation among cultural heritage organizations and Chinese government. Last but not least, tourists like us can also participate in helping the preservation work. Just as usual practice when we visit foreign places, we should never leave trash behind nor take away anything related to the Great Wall. Such insignificant actions could contribute a lot to the preservation work to an extent far beyond our imagination. Cultural significance of cultural site The Great Wall is the longest and oldest military fortifications in the World, and ranks among the â€Å"Seven Wonders of the World†. It starts from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east and ends at Jiayuguan Pass in the west which is for protect the resist the invasion of nomadic tribes in different periods. The Great Wall was first built at the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and constructed at the Ming dynasties (1368-1644), and the history reflected the meaning and cultural significance behind the Great Wall. First of all, the Great Wall is a powerful symbol in China. It represents the unification of China because it is a wall that made China was unified in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). (China Highlights, 2011) In the Spring and Autumn Period, the first part of the Great Wall was built to against the war. The Great Wall had the purpose of military defense, especially in preventing northern people on horseback from attacking people in the south. In the Qin dynasty (221 BC), King Zheng of Qin unified China by linked all the wall together and formed a dividing line in China. After Qin Shi Huang unified China, all of the Chinese worked together for the good of the country. (Chen, 2014) Besides, the Great Wall is used as a dividing line to divide the north and south nationality and keep their culture not affected by each other. Also, the Great Wall helped to defense the northern people came and attacked China. In The March of the Volunteers which is the National Anthem of the Peoples Republic of China, the lyrics â€Å"Take our flesh, and build it to become a new Great Wall!† show that the Great Wall is the protection for the life and spirit of Chinese. (Chiu, n.d.) Secondly, the legends and stories about the Great Wall show the cultural significance. As the Great Wall of China has become the symbol of the Chinese nation and its culture, there were lots of beautiful legends and stories happened during construction are abundant, such as Meng Jiangnus story and the legend of the Beacon Tower. (Travel China Guide, 2011) For the Meng Jiangnus story, it happened during the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC). Meng Jiangnus husband was caught by federal officials and sent to build the wall. After Meng knew her husband was dead because of build the wall, she cried and her howl caused the collapse of a part of the wall. This story shows the wall is the production of tens of thousands of Chinese commoners. Those beautiful stories and legends about the wall are helpful to keep the Chinese history and culture. (Travel China Guide, 2011) The Great Wall built to protect the culture and agriculture of China and defend the attack from northern people. With the history and cultural significance of the Great Wall, it represents the spirit of Chinese as Chinese are tough and strong to protect themselves. Conclusion Reference List: [Danny] UNSECO, (n.d.), The Criteria for Selection. Retrieved April 21, 2015, from http://whc.unesco.org/en/criteria/ 2. UNSECO, (n.d.), The Great Wall. Retrieved April 21, 2015, from http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/438 [Kelly’s] 3. Owen (2012), â€Å"Lost† Great Wall of China Segment Found?  National Geographic News. Mar 20, 2012. Retrieved from  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/03/120319-great-wall-of-china-mongolia-science-lindesay/?utm_source=feedburnerutm_medium=feedutm_campaign=Feed%3A+ng%2FNews%2FNews_Main+%28National+Geographic+News+-+Main%29utm_content=Google+Reader 4.Chow and Chan (2015), Its even greater than we thought! Archaeologists discovered NINE new sections of the Great Wall of China. Daily Mail Online. Peoples Daily. United Kingdom. Apr 16, 2015.  Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peoplesdaily/article-3041972/It-s-greater-thought-Archaeologists-discovered-NINE-new-sections-Great-Wall-China.html   [Aiken’s] Great Wall section gets facelift (2005). China Daily  Retrieved April 29, 2015, from  http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-04/20/content_435783.htm Regulations on Great Wall Protection, Travel China Guide  Retrieved April 29, 2015, from  http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/wallprotection/law/ Great Wall to introduce patrol team, China Daily  Retrieved April 29, 2015, from  http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-02/16/content_520680.htm Rossella Lorenzi (June 7, 2012). Great Wall of China Twice as long as thought, Discovery News  Retrieved April 29, 2015, from  http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/great-wall-china-long-120607.htm Regulations on the Protection of The Great Wall, à ¥Ã…’-à ¥Ã‚ ¤Ã‚ §Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ³Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¾Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ã‚ ±Ãƒ ¦-†¡Ãƒ §Ã‚ ¶Ã‚ ²Ã‚  Retrieved April 29, 2015, from  http://www.lawinfochina.com/display.aspx?lib=lawid=5635CGid= [Kawun] Travel China Guide (2011). Great Wall Culture. Retrieved April 28, 2015 from http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/culture/ China Highlights (2011). Great Wall Culture. Retrieved April 28, 2015 from http://www.chinahighlights.com/greatwall/culture/ Chen, A. (2014). China Travel Page. Cultural Significance of the Great Wall of China. Retrieved April 28, 2015 from http://www.chinatravelpage.com/cultural-significance-of-the-great-wall-of-china Chiu, L. (n.d.), Chinese Culture. In The Chinese National Anthem. Retrieved April 28, 2015 from http://chineseculture.about.com/od/musicinchina/a/Nationalanthem.htm Globalization For Society: Analysing The Pros And Cons Globalization For Society: Analysing The Pros And Cons The world as we know it is slowly becoming progressively smaller. Academics and theorists like have pointed out that this occurrence may well be attributed to increasing intensity of globalisation of nations. This is particularly implicated in the context of business and commerce. However, one must first recognise the advantages and pitfalls of globalisation upon contemporary business. In the claim of Lasserre, he noted that Ricardo has indicated several pros and cons of globalisation. The following discussions will be covering the said attributes claimed by Ricardo. In the same regard, an analysis will be made on the claims of Ricardo based on recent circumstances on commercial and business milieu. On the other hand, the paper will similarly discuss the implications of globalisation on a particular multinational company. For the purposes of this paper, this multinational company will be Procter Gamble. The discussions and observations made in this paper are all to be based on schol arly and academic journals directly related to the topic of globalisation. Globalisation is essentially touted by a lot of contemporary academics and scholars as possibly one of the most influential concept among the existing theories known. (2004) The following discussions will be covering the noted advantages of globalisation as stated by Ricardo.    Ricardo pointed out in his classic work that globalisation is able to create an overall wealth for all nation because it induces specialisation for these countries. In the same regard, this increase in specialisation also triggers an increase in trade of these countries. Essentially, this is seen in the integration and coordination of companies in the global scale. Particularly, industries that involved in manufacturing and major industrial companies tend to engage specialisation in terms of their factories and shipment of inventory from their suppliers from different parts of the globe. The problem in this category is that there is a recent study that indicates that there is no evidence of any trend that trade specialisation is present across countries. (2002) This is highlighted by the studys notion that the presence of global actors should constantly adapt to the local conditions of their host courtiers. Basically, these claims indicate that trade specialisation as indicated in the discussions of Ricardo may have been rather short in realising its objectives. This is rather connected to the concept that will be later discussed regarding the diminishing of the concept of the nation. The findings of   (2002) manifest that there is no actual specialisation in trade that exist. To a certain extent, the theory of comparative advantage as indicated by Ricardo, which essentially creates specialisation, is offset by the drive of the modern organisation to diversify itself and immerse its marketing initiative based on the host countries where it operates.    B.   Reduction of Cost Efficiencies Based on the claim of Ricardo, globalisation is able to create cost efficiencies for companies that intend to operate in the international setting. Basically, this creation of cost efficiencies tends to diminish the occurrence of inflation as well as the reduction of price in the market. In the context of inflation, Ricardo indicates that the increase in the money supply in the economy is proportionate to the increase in the supply of goods and services. This is mainly manifested by the increase in the players in the market with reference to foreign competitors and its local counterparts. Essentially, this scenario presented by Ricardo may have been an overly romanticised version of the implication of globalisation. The problem in this claim is that   may have assumed that globalisation automatically lessens the possibility of inflation. As indicated in the work of   (1997) regarding the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement, the decrease in inflation is merely incidental occurrences. B asically, states that engage in trade with each other have to essentially amend their policies and state laws before inflation could be controlled. With mention of agreements between countries, the occurrence of globalisation nowadays also entails trade liberalisation measures between trading blocs, regional and international organisations. Among others, these trade liberalisation initiatives tend to induce management tools for the inflation. (2002) Thus, a major shortcoming on the assumption of Ricardo is the consideration of the cooperation of countries in the liberalisation and trading initiatives. Without this variable, inflation rates will continue to be erratic and out of control.    On the other hand, another implication of the infusion of cost efficiencies of globalisation is the reduction of price of goods and services. Essentially, this price reduction tends to similarly give benefit for the end-users and consumers. The presence of an intensified level of competition among both the local and international players in different industries has triggered this cost efficiency. The problem in this scenario is that the factor of trade liberalisation plays a huge part on this. In the same regard, issues on whether free trade is actually tantamount to fair trade still continue. There has been claim that the conditions held by globalisation essentially spell the end of the democratisation of wealth. (1999) This also entails that countries that have power and resources over the others tend to benefit more on the current manifestation of globalisation.    C.   Better allocation of natural, financial, and human resources The claims of Ricardo also pointed out that globalisation have improved the possibilities of allocating the resources of organisations. To some extent, this may have been rather accurate as contemporary businesses do consider the reduction of costs as among their major concerns in their operations. For instance, the concept of outsourcing has become a major element in contemporary globalisation efforts of companies. Basically, the process of outsourcing tends to cover subcontracting endeavours of a business to another business. ( 2007) In this regard, the consideration of the price and possible costs that the parties involved will be taken highly as the price of a particular product or service tends to differ geographically. A fairly recent contribution to this model is the concept of strategic outsourcing. (2002) In this regard, the consideration of exchange rates and other location-specific attributes tend to contribute highly on the decisions of modern businesses. As mentioned above, it appears that reducing the costs of operations is as important nowadays as gaining profit. Essentially, the intensification of the competition as manifested by the consequent intensification of globalisation and competitive positioning in the international market has triggered some level of change on the part of modern businesses. However, this practical set of circumstances may have some inconsistencies with the claims provided by Ricardo. For instance, the claim of Ricardo pointed out that a better allocation is imminent as globalisation flourishes. Possibly the sole element that may have been accurate in this sense is the allocation of financial resources. Essentially, globalisation encourages the provision of foreign direct investments from countries with capital to those that require it. (2007) The problem in this regard is that it has taken away the factor representing the propensity of man to exploit and abuse his resources. (2003) Basically, studies have been calls for sustainable development as major corporations tend to exploit the natural resources occupied by their subsidiaries. This is similarly true with regards to the allocation of human resources. This will be discussed in the later part of the paper.    D.   Reduces Corruption The work of Ricardo also indicated that globalisation tends to reduce corruption. Basically, he assumes that the free market trade will be sufficient to take on any form of corruption both from the states and from the corporations competing as well. Unfortunately, in the current setting of globalisation is far from being free from corruption. For instance, powerful nations have the propensity to bend the rules in their favour. A lot of articles have pointed to the inclination of the United States to engage in protectionists policies despite the fact that these policies directly contradict those that they have signed in international free trade agreements. (2001) This basically shows how major economies could implement rules on their favour and in doing so they tend to widen the polarity between them and developing and less developed nations. In the same regard, it is apparent that the claim of Ricardo regarding the reduction of corruption is attributable to the invisible hand mention ed in the early works of classical economists. (1998) Basically, the said concept came from Adam Smith claming that absolute free trade will be enough to regulate itself from any inconsistency. It claims that that the community will be able to manage it and rid of any wrongdoing. Again, this plainly indicates that the claims provided by Ricardo may have been based on pure theoretical assumptions without regard of the actual happenings in the real world. In reality, unethical practices do exist. From corruption to corporate bribery, this shows that the theory of the invisible hand is reduced to a mere myth. (2000) III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cons of Globalisation The consequent discussions will be covering the stated disadvantages of globalisation as indicated by Ricardo. Same as the claims of advantages above, the said disadvantages will be examined and related to the academic and scholarly journals. A.   Imposes strain on labour force In the claim of Ricardo, there are also some shortcomings and adverse effects of globalisation in the imposition of strain in the workforce. Basically, Ricardo claims that globalisation tends to have an implication on both developing and developed countries. It has been said that developed countries tend to encounter possible abuses from the investors. There have been reports that sweatshops in India tend to employ children in their operations. (2004) Specifically, the said study indicated that companies with such operations still proliferate in countries like India and Pakistan. Essentially, because of the failure of the laws protecting the rights of the labour force, particularly the children, abuses tend to become apparent. On the other hand, in the context of developed countries, the labour conditions of the country tend to encounter what is called job destruction. (1996) Essentially, the phenomenon tends to highlight the shift of the attention of corporations towards the less de veloped countries with less costly labour. B.   Standardises customer tastes In the claim of Ricardo also indicated that globalisation tends to establish that at some point, the world will come to a level of standardisation. This means that every state or organisation will be taking on the closely the same elements that they contend. Basically, the claim focuses on the assumption that the customer tastes will become so standardised that companies will tend to be less diversified in terms of their products and services. Specifically, the claim indicates that eventually in every industry, the companies will offer rather indistinguishable products and services which the consumers will have no regard on brand. To some extent, this claim is true. The matter of it is that the modern business folk realised that if they do not differentiate their products, they will eventually meet their demise in the industry. For instance, the study of   (2005) indicates that multinational companies tend to establish complex differentiation strategies to endure continued existence and possibly even market leadership. One could also be sure that the competitors of that particular industry will do the same. In this regard, the context of diversity tends to be the end result of such differentiation processes. Other multinational companies tend to extend their diversity by infusing both localisation and globalisation principles. (2004) This means that they tend to immerse themselves to the behaviour of the market. C.   Induces concentration of power in a few global corporations Globalisation tends to induce power into a chosen and privileged few. This is another claim given by Ricardo in his classical view of globalisation. Basically, this indicates that international business tends to represent a certain type of inherent inequality. This is especially true for those that are a part of a trade liberalisation organisation like European Union (EU), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). (2007) The problem in this setting is that those that have the capital and loads of it tend to wield it to those who may appear to succumb to their influence. As mentioned in the discussions above, trend towards joining these trading organisations opens up their market to open competition with foreign companies. Specifically, the local business folks tend to suffer the implications of globalisation and the consequent opening up of their trade routes. As indicated by   (1996, 40) there are other elements other than competition that comes into the picture when international businesses are concerned. Such elements included in the fray are those directly involved in the economy of the host country like the exchange rate, the policies of the land and other elements that are particular to that state.   Ã‚  Ã‚   IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Practical Implications of Globalisation The discussions above have discussed the theoretical implications of globalisation in businesses. The following discussions will be focusing on the globalisation endeavours of an existing company. Specifically, the discussions will be focusing on the conditions surrounding Proctor and Gamble (PG). The companys bout with globalisation was dealt with proper strategy formulation. The said company is among the leaders in the consumer product industry. (2003) Based on the observation of recent articles, the company have conducted a fairly good diversification initiative. (1995) They have divided the company into several segments that will be battling it out with the rest of the brands present in consumer product industries. As indicated by   (2003) the segments were divided into fabric and home care; baby, feminine, and family care; beauty care; health care; and food and beverage. With these segments, it is anticipated that PG will possess a culture with an innovative flair. However, the rest of the players in the industry have caught up with competencies of the company. This may be the grounds for   (2003) to mention that the company is lagging off in its innovation levels. However, this rather perceptible weakness has been offset by the impeccable wherewithal of the company to operate its international machinery to their advantage. The installation of the global business units (GBUs) triggered their meteoric rise to the international product industry. ( 2003) (2003) further claimed that the company have seized the opportunities in expanding the network of their operations in the other countries by putting in directly investing on plants and equipment in these areas. They have exploited the lower costs of labour in other nations provide the opportunity to cut the operational costs and allow the company to spend it to other areas. It is in this likely lessening of operational costs that increases the likelihood of developing the existing top brands of company in major markets all over the world. () In the later part of the operations of the company, they have acquired another major brand in the consumer product industry: Gillette. Basically, this is the companys attempt to alleviate its limited access to the market share of the male grooming industry. The buying of Gillette places a major shift on the all the company as over  ½ of the existing market share in the said area is held by Gillette. ( 2004) Basically, Gillette possesses a substantial number of brands in the supposed market as equalled to PG. Basically, the intention of PG to continuously improve and garner a huge proportion of its market share is based on the fact that its major competitors have been breathing down their necks. (2005) With the constant intention to gain favour on their marketing position, PG has become one of the most successful companies in the world holding among the most popular brands known in recent history. And as observed by this researcher, this may only be the beginning for PG on its quest to gain more brands and conquer the rest of the world with its products.    V.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Analysis The discussions above have provided specific elements that deal directly with the actual implications of globalisation to society. Basically, the study provided the perceived obstacles to globalisation, effects on product/services and the labour market, and influence of culture. In the case of the perceived obstacles to globalisations, discussions on over-regulation and the imposition of trade barriers are noted. In the same regard, political implications of individual states are indicated to be among the major obstacles for globalisation. Poor currency policies such that of the exchange rate as well as the existence of barefaced corruption allows for the advantages of globalisation to sink in. On the other hand, the study has also mentioned the effects on product/services and the labour market. Studies have been pointed out claiming that the labour market tends to suffer in developed countries as companies tend to find competitive advantage in finding less costly labour in developin g and even in less developed countries. In the context of consumer tastes, the existing literature on literature indicates that globalisation will essentially make the demands of the consumers more similar. To an extent, this intensifies the competition between companies as their products and services become less and less distinguishable. Moreover, another factor emerged as a component in the success of globalisation: culture. In this regard, the regard of culture as a determinant of organisational and marketing success of multinational companies added complexity on the early provided theories like that of Ricardo. The discussions above have pinpointed the need for companies to engage in localisation initiatives in line with their globalisation endeavours to keep up with the demands of their individual market though monitoring and adapting to the subtle changes in its behaviour.   Ã‚  Ã‚   VI.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion The discussions above have presented an examination of the advantages and disadvantages of globalisation as indicated in the work of Ricardo and Lasserre. Essentially, some of the theoretical claims of above may have been contradicted throughout time as numerous studies have similarly gone against the said assumptions. At some point, one must realise that the concept of globalisation has changed since the times of Lasserre and Ricardo. They must realise that to some extent, the theories that they have formulated has become rather obsolete in the current setting. In any case, the fact remains that the constant changes in the environment as implicated by globalisation tends to similarly augment the demands on the individual businesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚   VII.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Recommendation The following recommendations are to be based on the conclusion above as well as the arguments and observations held in the paper.    Take initiatives to gain fair trade in this era of free trade Civic organisations as well as the individual member states of particular trading organisations like the EU and the WTO should take steps to minimise the occurrence of fraud and corruption in international trade. Basically, protectionist laws as well as rights encouraging competition should be drafted carefully such that those who are not privy to power and capital would not be subjected to abuse from their counterparts.    Studies should focus on the current trend of diversification among multinational companies Multinational companies now realises the potential of implementing the paradox of globalisation and localisation. In this regard, the multinational companies nowadays have become more engrossed to diversification of the products and services that they offer to their consumers. In this regard, studies should also focus on the said idea as this may indicate a shift in the definition of globalisation as it did in the classic definition of Ricardo.    Carry out further studies on the dynamic nature of globalisation Related to the recommendation above, the findings of this study should serve as an impetus to find further explanation and possible forecasts on the possible path on which globalisation could take in the future.

As We Go Marching, Marching :: Equality Women Feminism Essays

As We Go Marching, Marching On April 25, 2004, over a million people of every gender, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, class, and age participated in the March for Women's Lives in Washington, D.C. Examining the sea of people, I initially did not understand why such a great number of middle aged and older women were so angry. They were reaching the age where reproductive rights were becoming less of an issue for them personally, but I realized my naà ¯vetà © on two counts: one, they were not just marching for themselves and two, they were fighting to save the laws which they had changed to protect themselves over thirty years ago. They were marching for their daughters and granddaughters and nieces and goddaughters and students whose futures were being threatened just as their futures had been under attack when they were younger. Despite the movement for change of these Second Wave Feminists, legislation has been directed at the cause of gender inequities in the United States but gender equ ality has not been an effect of the legislation. In the late sixties and early seventies, the women of the Second Wave of Feminism created a social campaign for gender equality primarily in terms of economics. As Virginia Woolf points out in Three Guineas, women remain in the power of men so long as they are financially dependent upon them. (Virginia Woolf, Three Guineas, p. 132) Housing and food are required for survival and money is required for the attainment of both. Given their history of working in the home and caring for children, American society divided itself up into breadwinners and homemakers: men won the bread and women made the home. Consequently, women have had far fewer opportunities than men to earn money because girls were not raised with the idea that they would someday receive a paycheck with their name on it. Books such as Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique challenged society to think that women should have a choice about joining the work force outside the home. It is important to note that low income women had been compelled to garnish wages for centuries before suburban housewives dared to aspire to any role model other than June Cleaver. Friedan's work sparked the notion that all women everywhere might not be happy with housework and childrearing—women are women and are not only mothers and wives just as men are not only husbands and fathers.

Animal Farm Retold Essay example -- Creative Writing Essays

Animal Farm Retold Night had fallen on the animal farm, though no animal was sleeping peacefully. Sleep was impossible that evening, for in the morning it would be known who was destroying the farm and who killed the old leader. Once before the farm was in shambles, and the animals looked to their new leader, Freud, to save them again as he had once before. Freud was a beautiful pig, a prize-winning pig with snow-white skin and a large round belly. One day a Raven flew to where Freud was napping on the MacKenzie farm and whispered atrocities to him, whispered that he would kill his father and have piglets with his mother...and Freud was afraid. So Freud left home to make his mark on the world. Upon his travels, he heard of a farm where the farmer spent too much money trying to raise prize-winning pigs, neglecting all the other animals. Animal Farm, it was called. Freud traveled to Animal Farm with a purpose to set things right, and set things right he did. He made a deal with the farmer (Farmer Brown, as he was called); Farmer Brown would use Freud as his prize-winning pig, but take care of the other animals as well. Well, soon Animal Farm was saved, and Freud became their new leader, since the old leader, a large boar named Capità ¡n, had been slaughtered one day in the slaughterhouse (or so the sheep gossiped). Freud met a pretty lit tle pig on Animal Farm named Amalie, Capità ¡n's "widow", and had two little piglets with her. So Freud, Amalie, and Amalie's brother Jakob all ran Animal Farm together. And so the entire farm waited and watched for dawn. All the animals knew in their hearts that once more Freud would make Animal Farm prosperous, turn barren fields plentiful, turn dry soil moist, and turn low spirits sky-hig... ...r color is symbolic of the tragic element to â€Å"Animal Farm Retold,† just as in Oedipus. "Animal Farm Retold† was written to try and reveal the many complex mysteries hidden within the text of Oedipus and Freud's theories. These mysteries are endless, and countless numbers can be found between the two that have not been discussed. The main point, however, is the main principle behind both Oedipus, Freud, and Animal Farm; Man, although he may think himself good, is not good at all. He is tragically flawed. In Oedipus, Man tries to escape Fate, and brings Fate upon himself. In Animal Farm, Snowball was tragically idealistic and naà ¯ve, leading to his downfall. And in Freud's theories? Well, maybe Freud's theories don't have an obvious tragic flaw, other than the idea of wanting to fornicate with one's mother; but that's just a psychological theory....isn't it?

Hydrogen Essays -- essays research papers

Since the beginning of the scientific revolution in the early nineties the mankind looks for an energy source that is clean and renewable; solution of this problem would be probably the most common thing in our life - WATER. Water consists of two chemical elements, hydrogen and oxygen. Each molecule of water consists of two hydrogen (H2) atoms and one oxygen (O) atom. Chemical binding between these three atoms is very stable and strong. Therefore, the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen is under normal circumstances very intense and generates a lot of energy. 2H2 + O2 Â ® 2H2O + energy Both, hydrogen and oxygen are gases at normal temperatures and pressures and the product of this reaction is pure water, usually in its gaseous form - steam. Now it may look like hydrogen is the ideal power source that mankind is ever since looking for. More than 70 % of the Earth surface is covered by water, therefore hydrogen is renewable and unlimited. Reaction of hydrogen with oxygen generates a lot of energy and it does not have any negative output, only water. But, the respectable power hidden in water is known for more than 200 hundred years and as long scientists are trying to find a way to extract this energy, rather how to split the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen can be used to power cars, rail engines, airplanes, to produce electricity and heat. But, although the technical breakthrough in 19th and 20th century brought hydrogen into experimental use in many applications, there are still many problems to deal with. There sure is a lot of misinformation about hydrogen gone to public, so here are the basic facts about hydrogen as a power source according to the Nuts & Volts Magazine. Hydrogen on earth is not a fuel. It is only an energy carrier. Following the definition of the word fuel, fuel is a substance that is capable of delivering new energy when burning or other chemical reaction occurs. On the other hand energy carrier is a substance that is only able to move previously acquired energy from one place to another. To be accurate, water molecule is energetically very advantageous for both oxygen and hydrogen atoms and needs much energy to disintegrate it again into hydrogen and oxygen atoms, or better H2 and O2 molecules, therefore H2 and O... ...national strength of all the countries that do not have any important petroleum resources and every country could be self- sufficient with hydrogen. For example U. S. trade balance sheets show that oil imports drain 1 billion dollars from the U. S. economy every week. Important is also the "clean transport effect", thanks to an engine that does not produces any carbon dioxide or other environmentally dangerous emissions. Hydrogen could be considered to be more safe than gasoline, if safety prescriptions are not violated, in case of an accident hydrogen would quickly evaporate and ascend in the atmosphere, while gasoline would stay spilled on the ground. Hydrogen caries much more energy than gasoline, is more engine saving and also the fuel cell technology promises further development and increasing reliability of hydrogen powered cars. Following United States Department of Energy we can expect regular hydrogen-powered traffic in 20 maybe 30 years. Although, until now no hydrogen-powered cars are in production and hydrogen-powered engine is only under development hydrogen stays the main alternative fuel of the future. Hydrogen Essays -- essays research papers Since the beginning of the scientific revolution in the early nineties the mankind looks for an energy source that is clean and renewable; solution of this problem would be probably the most common thing in our life - WATER. Water consists of two chemical elements, hydrogen and oxygen. Each molecule of water consists of two hydrogen (H2) atoms and one oxygen (O) atom. Chemical binding between these three atoms is very stable and strong. Therefore, the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen is under normal circumstances very intense and generates a lot of energy. 2H2 + O2 Â ® 2H2O + energy Both, hydrogen and oxygen are gases at normal temperatures and pressures and the product of this reaction is pure water, usually in its gaseous form - steam. Now it may look like hydrogen is the ideal power source that mankind is ever since looking for. More than 70 % of the Earth surface is covered by water, therefore hydrogen is renewable and unlimited. Reaction of hydrogen with oxygen generates a lot of energy and it does not have any negative output, only water. But, the respectable power hidden in water is known for more than 200 hundred years and as long scientists are trying to find a way to extract this energy, rather how to split the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen can be used to power cars, rail engines, airplanes, to produce electricity and heat. But, although the technical breakthrough in 19th and 20th century brought hydrogen into experimental use in many applications, there are still many problems to deal with. There sure is a lot of misinformation about hydrogen gone to public, so here are the basic facts about hydrogen as a power source according to the Nuts & Volts Magazine. Hydrogen on earth is not a fuel. It is only an energy carrier. Following the definition of the word fuel, fuel is a substance that is capable of delivering new energy when burning or other chemical reaction occurs. On the other hand energy carrier is a substance that is only able to move previously acquired energy from one place to another. To be accurate, water molecule is energetically very advantageous for both oxygen and hydrogen atoms and needs much energy to disintegrate it again into hydrogen and oxygen atoms, or better H2 and O2 molecules, therefore H2 and O... ...national strength of all the countries that do not have any important petroleum resources and every country could be self- sufficient with hydrogen. For example U. S. trade balance sheets show that oil imports drain 1 billion dollars from the U. S. economy every week. Important is also the "clean transport effect", thanks to an engine that does not produces any carbon dioxide or other environmentally dangerous emissions. Hydrogen could be considered to be more safe than gasoline, if safety prescriptions are not violated, in case of an accident hydrogen would quickly evaporate and ascend in the atmosphere, while gasoline would stay spilled on the ground. Hydrogen caries much more energy than gasoline, is more engine saving and also the fuel cell technology promises further development and increasing reliability of hydrogen powered cars. Following United States Department of Energy we can expect regular hydrogen-powered traffic in 20 maybe 30 years. Although, until now no hydrogen-powered cars are in production and hydrogen-powered engine is only under development hydrogen stays the main alternative fuel of the future.