Turkeys Role in the Syrian Crisis

Introduction Syria has been embroiled in a violent uprising since 2011 when the Syrian opposition began widespread demonstrations against president Bashar al-Assad and his government. The Syrian crisis was fueled by the winds of revolution that were blowing through the Arab world. This Arab uprising led to the toppling of regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya due to popular uprisings by the citizens of these countries.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Turkey’s Role in the Syrian Crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Arab Spring Revolutions have been the most significant political event in the region and they have had huge ramifications as regimes have been toppled and governments have been obligated to engage in reforms. In the case of Syria, President Assad has refused to leave power in spite of the widespread opposition against him and international pressure for him to do so. Instead of relenting to the popular uprising against him, Assad engaged in brutal repression of the demonstrators in his country. This violent repression led to the formation of armed rebel groups that have been fighting to topple the Assad regime for almost three years without any real success. The events in Syria have attracted the attention of the international community and the country’s regional neighbors. Turkey, which is a regional power, has been heavily involved in Syrian affairs since the crisis has some impact on Turkey due to its common border with Syria and its strategic interests in the region (Idrees 88). Turkey has therefore emerged as the country that has played the most monumental role in trying to resolve the Syrian crisis. This paper will set out to provide an in-depth description of the efforts that Turkey has engaged in to assist mitigate the Syrian crisis and speed the process of stabilizing the nation. The paper will begin by articulating the reasons behind Turkey’s in terest in Syria and then proceed to outline the role that Ankara has played in the Syrian issue. Turkey’s Interest in the Syrian Events Even as the Syrian Crisis gets to its third year, Turkey continues to demonstrate a great commitment to ensuring that the crisis is effectively resolved in the shortest time possible. From the onset of the Syrian crisis, Turkey demonstrated an interest in the actions carried out by the Assad regime and by the opposition. Turkey shares a 911km border with Syria making instability in Syria an issue of concern for Turkey.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Turkey has a vested interest in the outcome of the Syrian Crisis. In recognition of the critical ramifications that the events in Syria would have on Turkey, the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan described the situation in Syria in 2011 as â€Å"an internal Turkish issue† ( 88). Turkey has made a huge regional and domestic capital in overthrowing the Assad regime and the current policy supports the armed rebels and the Syrian opposition. Ankara has been the most prominent foreign actor in the Syrian affairs since the revolution against the Assad regime broke out in 2011 (Idrees 88). The Turkish Foreign Minister asserts that Turkey is obliged to act on the Syrian issue not only because it needs to defend its own national strategies but also because it is a regional power in the region (47). Turkey’s role in Syria will contribute to its growing influence in the region. Analysts predict that if the Syrian opposition succeeds, it will set up a government modeled after Turkey’s ruling AKP government and look up to Ankara as the mentor. Phillips suggests that by backing the Syrian opposition and promoting the SNC, Turkey is establishing a good relationship with the future successors of Assad; therefore boosting its own influence in the country (138). Turkey’s involvement has also been prompted by concerns that the Syrian crisis might contribute to a reemergence of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) problem in Turkey. The PKK is a Kurdish nationalist movement that has been fighting for secession from Turkey. Egin declares that the anti-Assad policy adopted by Ankara has â€Å"breathed new life into the Turkish Kurds’ long struggle for independence† (66). Because of Turkey’s denouncing of the Assad regime, the Syrian government has retaliated by covertly funding the PKK groups operating along the Turkish border. Egin reports that the Assad regime has reversed its longstanding anti-Kurd policies and provided the Kurd fighters with a degree of logistical support and refuge from Turkish forces (66). This has reinvigorated the PKK and enabled it to resume an armed struggle against Turkey.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Turkey’s Role in the Syrian Crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Turkey’s Humanitarian Efforts One of the areas where Turkey has played a major role is with regard to the Syrian refugees. Since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict, the number of Syrians looking for refuge from their country’s violence has been rising. Since Turkey shares an expansive border with Syria, many Syrians have sought to cross into Turkey to escape the violence in their country (Laqueur 77). Sly reports that while refugees have moved into the other countries surrounding Syria, Turkey has received the greatest percentage of refugees (1). Turkey is currently home to over 400,000 Syrian refugees who continue to put a strain on the resources of the Turkish government as their daily needs are met. In addition to the refugees already living in Turkey, the country is admitting between 500 and 1,500 Syrians each day at certain border crossings. The flow of refugees into Turkey has at times been so high that the Turkish government has been forced to close key border crossings in order to regulate the flow of Syrians. However, Turkey has demonstrated a great desire to assist the Syrians fleeing from the violence in their country. Turkey has been deeply involved in humanitarian efforts aimed at assisting the vast number of Syrian refugees within its borders. Turkey has established numerous camps in its territory to accommodate Syrian Refugees. Jodi reports that the camps established by Turkey for the Syrian refugees are some of the best refugee camps in the world (1). Some of the camps established for refugees include pre-fabricated houses that contain two rooms and a bathroom making the lives of the refugees in Turkey very decent. Most of the money used to sustain the refugees has been from Turkey’s own financial reserves. The country has also demonstrated great generosity by spending close to $1billion dollars on Syrian refugees in order to alleviate their conditions while in Turkey. In spite of limited international support for the refugees fleeing Syria, Turkey has continued to offer great support to Syrian refugees. Jodi observes that the international aid to alleviate the humanitarian crisis occurring at the Turkey-Syria border has been minimal with most Western countries providing limited aid (1).Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Turkey has filled this void by providing substantial support to meet the needs of the Syrians. However, analysts contend that Turkey’s ability to deal with the humanitarian crisis might be hampered if the Syrian crisis extends beyond 2013 and the influx of refugees across the Turkey-Syria border increases. International diplomatic efforts Turkey has engaged in a lot of international diplomacy to try resolving the Syrian crisis. Turkey has exploited its good relationship with Western nations to carry out diplomatic efforts concerning the Syrian crisis. Turkey is a part of the â€Å"Friends of Syria† group, which is made up of countries that are concerned about the Syrian crisis and are engaged in diplomatic action to resolve the crisis. Turkey hosted the major meeting by this group held on April 2012 and in this meeting, the Turkish PM called on the international community to take action against Assad’s regime. In line with its stance against the Syrian governmen t, Turkey reiterated its opinion that Syrian rebels should be given the means with which to defend themselves from Assad’s onslaught. Turkey has been involved in international efforts aimed at keeping Syrians safe in their own country. Turkey has engaged in advocacy for more stringent actions to be taken against Assad by the international community. The Turkish government is the strongest supporter of a no fly zone that, once enacted, would ensure that Syrians are safe in the Northern parts of the country. Sly observes that most Syrian refugees in Turkey have been forced out of their country by the frequent aerial bombardments carried out by the Assad regime (1). Imposition of a no fly zone would stop the airstrikes and make the area safe for Syrians to live in. The no-fly zone has also been aimed at protecting turkey from Syrian attacks. Following the shooting down of a Turkish Air Force jet by the Syrian army in June 2012, Turkey called on its NATO allies to enforce a no-fl y zone in Syria. While a no fly zone is yet to be implemented in the crisis, the Turkish administration continues to advocate for it at the UN and through NATO. Turkey has urged the international community to engage in limited military intervention against the Assad regime or increase its support to the Syrian rebels. In the recent past, the Turkish Foreign Minister has called on the international community to take action against the Assad regime. Following a car bombing in May 12 in a Turkish border town that led to the death of 46 people, the Turkish government has called for action against Syria to ensure that the violence there does not spread into the neighboring countries (Burch 1). However, the international community has shown great reluctance in responding to the Syrian crisis. Major powers such as the US are apprehensive and have not taken any solid step in the issue (Williams and Colleen 50). Diplomatic Efforts with Syrian Actors In addition to the international efforts, Turkey has used its regional influence to attempt resolving the Syrian crisis domestically. At the onset of the conflict in Syria, Turkey attempted to use its close ties with the Assad regime to control the activities taking place in Syria. The Turkish government tried to persuade Assad to stop his brutality against the opposition forces. Instead of engaging in a ‘zero problems’ strategy in the Syrian case, Turkey has adopted a ‘values-based’ foreign policy that supports democratic forces (Phillips 138). Turkey has publicly criticized the Assad regime and lobbied for greater participation by the Sunni majority in the Syrian government (Kouskouvelis 48). Damla reveals that in August 2011, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet DavutoÄŸlu held a lengthy meeting with Assad in which he tried to get Assad to engage in dialogue with the rebels (43). The Turkish government representative officially impressed on Assad that it was necessary for his government to shar e power with the majority Sunni community and make major reforms in the country. However, these talks did not yield positive results since Assad was unwilling to resolve the problems facing his regime through dialogue and reforms. The good relationship between Turkey and the Syrian opposition has enabled Turkey to play an influential role in the crisis. Turkey has moderated over talks between the US and the moderate opposition forces in Syria to try and come up with a strong and unified opposition coalition that can challenge Assad. These efforts are significant since at the moment, the Syrian opposition is made up of many disparate groupings, some of which are affiliated with radical Islamic terror outfits such as Al-Qaeda. Western powers are unwilling to back a Syrian opposition that has affiliations with terrorist organizations. Turkey has therefore played a key role in initiating dialogue between the opposition and the US and some EU countries to reach a consensus on the composi tion of the Syrian opposition. Turkey and the Syrian Opposition In spite of a decade-long good relationship between the Turkish administration and the Assad regime, Turkey denounced the Syrian government following the rise of the resistance against the Assad government in March 2011. Before the Crisis, Turkey had engaged in a â€Å"zero problems† foreign policy with Syria. This policy was aimed at eliminating all the historical issues that Turkey faced with Syria and promoting trade in the region. The Syrian crisis caused Turkey to abandon this policy of disengagement and play a more pronounced role in Syrian affairs. Syrian rebels have received significant support from the Turkish government. Arango reveals that in addition to providing a permanent base for the umbrella resistance group, the Syrian National Council, the Turkish government has opened up some areas on its side of the border with Syria to the rebels. This opposition fighters are allowed to plan, coordinate, and launch their attacks against the Assad regime from Turkish soil (1). Turkey has also served as a safe harbor for military defectors from the Syrian Army. As the civil conflict in Syria carries on, hundreds of military officials have defected from Assad’s brutal regime. Turkey has offered refuge to these defectors with the Turkish Army protecting the camps where these military officials are staying (Damla 43). In the latest development in the Syrian crisis, the US and Syria’s main ally Russia have announced their intention to engage in cooperative efforts to end the conflict through diplomacy. Such action would require the participation of the Assad regime and the Syrian opposition. Leaders from Syria’s opposition coalition are going to meet under the supervision of Turkey in Istanbul to deliberate on whether they will be involved in this international conference that might probably lead to an end in the Syrian conflict. The involvement of Turkey in this matter is of great importance since as a Muslim country, Turkey has the required legitimacy that the West lacks when dealing with Syria. Military Force The Turkish government has publicly stated that it is not willing to engage in an all out military confrontation with Syria to help resolve the crisis. Because of this policy, Turkey has by the large avoided direct military involvement in the Syrian Conflict (Krajeski 1). While it would be in Turkey’s best interest for the conflict to end soon, an outright military intervention by the Turkish military in Syria would not only be expensive but very unpopular. The Turkish population is not in support of military intervention by its country’s military. For this reason, Turkey has avoided engaging in unprovoked military intervention and its actions have often been in response to Syrian strikes in its territory. In spite of the desire to avoid military action with Syria, Turkey has been forced to take some military action in retalia tion to Syrian attacks on Turkish soil. The first publicly acknowledged attack by the Turkish army took place in October 2012 following a Syrian mortar strike that hit southeastern Turkey, killing 5 Turks. This attack prompted retaliation by the Turkish army, which launched counter-battery fire into Syrian territory (Krajeski 1). In the events where Turkey has been forced to take military action to protect its borders, the situation has been quickly de-escalated by both sides. The focus on de-escalation can be seen from the fact that even when Syrian missiles have landed in Turkey, the Turkish forces have limited their retaliation measures to counterattacking the units perceived to have opened fire across the border. The reason for this is that both Turkey and Syria are keen to avoid an armed retaliation since such action would have major negative repercussions for both sides. While it is unlikely that Turkey will choose to invade Syria, the government has the power and support of t he politicians on this issue. Following fears that Syria was compromising the Turkish territory, the Turkish Parliament held a debate on the acceptability of a direct military response to Syria. On October 2012, the Parliament passed a resolution that authorized the government to send troops across the border if necessary (Arango 1). Turkey has taken steps to protect itself from threats from the Syrian Army. As a member of the major military alliance NATO, Turkey has requested for military assistance from the organization. In response to this, NATO supplied Turkey with the Patriot Missile Air Defense System in January this year to shield Ankara from its vulnerability to Syrian air attacks (Egin 65). NATO has also provided Turkey with four hundred military personnel to help fortify the Turkey-Syria border and deter any attacks from Syria. Future Role Turkey’s involvement in Syrian affairs is in part due to the self-interest of the country. An unstable Syria poses a threat to T urkey since the violence might spill over into the country. Damla asserts that a prolonged Syrian civil war will result in regional instability with an influx of Syrian refugees into Turkey and the possibility of a revival of the PKK threat from across the Syrian border (49). Ankara’s support for the opposition forces is in anticipation of the toppling of the Assad regime. Damla suggests that Turkey wants to establish a strong relationship with a possible new Syrian government and protect future investments in the country under a post-Assad administration (47). Turkey’s role can be expected to extend into the next few years regardless of the outcome of the Syrian situation. Analysts indicated that Turkey will continue to play a critical role in Syrian affairs for the next many years due to its position as a regional leader (Idrees 88). Even if the Assad regime is toppled, the Syrian opposition does not show the unity needed to pull the country from the brink and establ ish the pre-crisis normalcy that Syria enjoyed. Turkey will therefore have to play a critical role in stabilizing the country and ensuring that Syria gets back on its feet. Conclusion This paper set out to provide an in-depth description of the role that Turkey has played in Syria since the development of the Syrian crisis in 2011. It began by highlighting the reasons why Turkey is playing a pronounced role in Syria. The paper then revealed that Turkey has played a prominent role in dealing with the humanitarian crisis produced by the Syrian conflict. Turkey has also engaged in domestic diplomatic efforts to try end the conflict by talking with the Assad regime and the Syrian opposition. Turkey has also used its international influence to try to get the international community to act on the Syrian issue. In some instances, Turkey has had to engage in military action in retaliation to Syrian strikes on Turkish territory. However, the general objective has been to avoid an all out mil itary confrontation between the two countries. From this paper, it is clear that Turkey is a key player in Syrian affairs. The country’s position as a Muslim nation and a regional power has given it significant influence when dealing with the Syrian issue. Turkey’s role has been and will continue to be integral to the eventual resolution of the conflict. Works Cited Arango, T. On Edge as Syria’s War Knocks Ever Harder on the Door to Turkey. 2012. Web. Burch, J. Turkey says world must act against Syria after bombings. 2013. Web. Damla, A. â€Å"Turkish-Syrian Relations Go Downhill.† Middle East Quarterly 19.2 (2012): 41-50. Print. Egin, O. â€Å"The game changer Syria, Iran, and Kurdish Independence.† World Affairs, 13.3 (2013): 64-72. Print. Idrees, M. â€Å"Turkey and Iran Rivalry on Syria.† Turkish Journal of International Relations 10.2 (2011): 87-99. Web. Jodi, H. Is Turkey’s approach to Syrian refugees sustainable?  2013. Web. Kouskouvelis, I. â€Å"The Problem with Turkey’s ‘Zero Problems’.† Middle East Quarterly 20.1 (2013): 47-56. Web. Krajeski, J. Will Turkey go to War. 2012. Web. Laqueur, W. â€Å"Reality Check: The Hazards of Optimism†. World Affairs 175.6 (2013): 75-83. Web. Phillips, C. â€Å"Turkey’s Syria problem.† Public Policy Research 12.3 (2012): 137-140. Web. Sly, L. â€Å"Turkey blocks Syrian refugees Turkey blocks Syrian refugees.† The Washington Post. 27. Aug. 2012. Web. Williams, P. and Colleen P. â€Å"U. S. Foreign Policy And The Arab Spring: Ten Short-Term Lessons Learned.† Denver Journal of International Law Policy 41.1 (2012): 47-61. Web. This essay on Turkey’s Role in the Syrian Crisis was written and submitted by user Mat Moth to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Shunammite by Ines Arredondo

The Shunammite by Ines Arredondo Introduction The title â€Å"The Shunammite† preempts the details of this particular short story because it is derived from the Bible in the book of 1 Kings 1:1-4. Here, King David had grown old and his years on earth had been long. He was constantly sick and always cold. His servants, therefore, decided to look for a young virgin who would lie beside King David in the hope of fulfilling and inducing some of the old King’s deepest desires.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Shunammite by Ines Arredondo specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After looking throughout Israel, Abishag; a Shunammite woman was found, and she was brought to the king to comfort him. From the beginning of the short story, Licha embodies purity and innocence when she comes to attend to her Uncle. However, she soon gets entangled in an abusive marriage to meet her family obligations. It is through characterization that one gets to unde rstand the predicaments of the protagonist Licha who must struggle with her wishes and family duty. Character in the Shunammite Through characterization, readers can empathize with Licha. One can feel what she is feeling and hence feel the sense of reality projected in the narrative. One way in which characterization can be depicted is through the kind of dialogues that Licha has with the other people in the story. One realizes that she has the noblest intentions and often wants to look out for the interests of others before herself. On the other hand, as one continues, one sees the helplessness she is. For example, when her uncle talks to her about Polish jewelry, Licha realizes that this is a vital family treasure that must be relished. Her uncle quickly insists that she should have the jewelry and immediately turns his head away from her (Arredondo, 4). This kind of bullying continues in the rest of the story even when Licha is told to get married to her uncle. One, therefore, se es the kind of victimization that plays out in the story’s setting. Nonetheless, the protagonist is not just a two-dimensional character; she has her motivations and ideas. One cannot help but see her as a victim because she was unable to speak against the unfairness imposed upon her by her family members. The author often talks about Licha’s inner thoughts. For example at the beginning of the story, the protagonist says that â€Å"I was certain I had the power to domesticate passion, to purify everything in the burning air that surrounded me without consuming me† (Arredondo, 4).Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These inner reflections continue throughout the story, and they often bring out Licha’s motivations. For example, when Licha is required to get married to her uncle, she obliges because she was concerned about his well being. Late r on, when he miraculously recovers, she continues to live with him because of her strong sense of loyalty. The author has put the protagonist in a difficult situation and how she handled this situation is what endears her to readers. Licha often struggles to place her experiences in context and sometimes she was not able to do that successfully. The author successfully illustrates what it means to be defenseless as a Mexican woman through her protagonist. The author wanted people to understand the plight of women in her setting. She wanted individuals to know that they were more than mere objects of male desires. Licha has dreams and ambitions; she is not a second class human being as most individuals had assumed in her culture. Perhaps another critical role that Licha’s character plays in the book is to illustrate how women in this society were slammed to a life of servitude. Licha was bound to her uncle’s bedside after his recovery even though she had initially been married to him so that she could inherit his possession. She is one who submits under the domination of a male figure. She is powerless even when the person exploiting her is physically weak. Licha is submerged in her circumstances and cannot do anything about it. Another interesting character in the book is Licha’s uncle; Apoloni. He first comes off as a caring relative who wants to impart knowledge to his niece. In fact, at the beginning of the story, one would be forgiven to assume that the narrative would be about death and how Uncle Apoloni dealt with it. He starts by talking about the past, some of the accomplishments made by the family, the year of hunger, the year of the yellow corn and many of his other memories during the past (Arredondo, 4). His arthritis has shriveled him up because he was now at a point where he was ‘floating on his bed.’ However, we soon realize that Apoloni is not a harmless old man. As his niece attends to him, he starts getting overwhelmed by incestuous thoughts. He longs for the purity and innocence that Licha so quickly puts across. He harbors these thoughts even though it would result in an abusive relationship and would put an end to Licha’s hopes and wishes. As the story progresses and Apoloni recovers, he changes from being a vulnerable and weak individual to a predator and selfish being. The purity that attracted him to his niece in the first place would be destroyed if she started something with him.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Shunammite by Ines Arredondo specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One can also see that this individual did not care for his niece because if he did, then he would not have made those demands. One can also see that this uncle started the abusive relationship because he knew that he could get away with it. Other family members, including his wife, were too loyal to their family ever to oppose his a ctions. His wife cared too much about family honor and public perceptions of the family. This was why she became an accomplice to his unforgivable behavior. Uncle Apoloni is, therefore, a manipulative and dominating character that puts his needs first even if it involves destroying the needs of another person. The author does not paint a picture of an innately evil character in Apoloni. He is multifaceted and has strong points as well. Readers can identify with some of his struggles such as arthritis and the impending death. One can also see that it is these insecurities about his own meaningless life that cause him to act out. He was missing something and hoped to find it in the fresh beauty of his niece. The character of this antagonist also reflects another critical component of the story. He is engaged in an endless search for the supreme which is epitomized in the purity of Licha. His niece was a virgin and therefore represented an entire state to him. The problem was that this search was relentless because uniting with such a pure being would result in her corruption rather than his purification. This illustrates the extent to which this individual was mistaken. The author, therefore, succeeds in characterization because she has not portrayed a stereotype of a typical dying man. She complicates Apoloni’s character by showing how he fell victim to his lustful thoughts. Aunt Ponchita; Apoloni’s wife was also another surprising individual. At the beginning of the story, she seems to like this caring character. Licha has very fond memories of her as she goes to see her ailing uncle. However, when Ponchita learns about her husband’s wish to marry his niece, she does not react to it or oppose it in any way. She hides this fact because of her need to maintain a certain family image. Aunt Ponchita is, therefore, a representation of betrayal on the part of women. She should have been there for her niece but instead chose to help out her manip ulative and predatory husband. One can, therefore, see that she lacks the compassion characteristic of most aunts. Additionally, even a sense of dignity does not cause this woman to act morally. She is concerned about her sense of well being and self-preservation. She is not strong enough to speak out against this grave misdeed, and she watches as her niece’s life gets destroyed.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Perhaps another critical role that her aunt plays in the story is to demonstrate the degree of subservience that women in that Latin America society were expected to possess. They were not bold enough to confront elements of their culture that oppressed them. In this regard, Aunt Ponchita is a stereotypical image of a Latin American woman at that time. In essence, the author of this short story does an excellent job of giving depth to her characters (Giona and Kennedy, 12). They are fully developed because they have histories. They reflect upon or talk about their childhood memories, their ambitions and the like. A lot of the story is rooted in providing backgrounds for the characters so that their actions can be interpreted thoroughly. Also, because of the dynamic changes that take place in the middle of the narrative, characters soon become dynamic as well. For example, Uncle Apoloni first appears to be weak and helpless. However, as the story progresses, he changes and becomes th is lustful individual who then defies expectation by causing his niece to lie with him. That dynamism of the character adds a lot of flavor to the story and leads to much progress in the narrative. Additionally, realistic characters often help in making this story such a good piece of literature. It is possible to relate with all the individuals in the story because struggles, challenges, and ambitions are common to all human beings which are depicted throughout the story. Licha is not a cardboard character; her subservience is a testimony to her weakness while her sweet and caring nature is her main strength. This intermingling of character traits creates superior individuals who make the story worthwhile. It can also be said that this story is more focused on character than plot. In other words, it is the characters that lead to developments in the story over and above the plot within the story. It is admirable the ease with which these characters have been developed even though i t is a short story. Since there is little room to give too much history about them, the author needed to be very careful about the information she picked out or chose to convey in the story (Stauffer, 35). For example, when she tells us about the fond memories that Licha had about the place where her uncle was located, one can relate that to the immense sense of loss that Licha felt when she was told that her uncle was ailing. Furthermore, one can also understand why she chose to submit to her uncle’s incestuous wishes later on in the story. It is also interesting that the author does not fall into the trap of creating flat characters whose primary function is to offer information about the protagonist or other main characters. The beauty of this literary piece is that the main character is the narrator of the story. One, therefore, relates experiences in the novel to her point of view. This is why it is easy to understand why she chooses to make the decisions that she does i n the story. Conclusion Characterization in this short story reflects the realism of this piece. Each has his or her flaws thus depicting a rational image of the people in the story. Some of the developments in the tale are particularly disturbing, and it is through characterization that members of the audience can feel as though those developments are happening to them. Readers are also able to relate to these characters because of the inner dialogue that the protagonist keeps having and the external conversations that she has with other people she interacts. In the end, the story has become compelling and quite impressive. References Arredondo, Ines. Underground river and other stories: the Shunammite. NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1996 Stauffer, Marilyn. Outline on literary elements. The University of South Florida. 5 August 2007. Web. Gioia, Dana Kennedy, J. Literature An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Writing Eleventh Edition. NY: Longman, 2006

10 Quotes to Help Celebrate a 30th Birthday

10 Quotes to Help Celebrate a 30th Birthday Some like a big splash, others like a quiet affair, but most everyone likes their birthday celebrations. If you like birthdays, even the morning of your birthday seems like the best morning of the year. Even if a cloud threatens to explode in the skies, you wake up feeling happy. You quickly go through your birthday greetings that come in the form of text messages, phone calls, and social media posts. And isnt it wonderful to receive flowers or a beautiful birthday cake, with a Happy Birthday card in it? You thank everybody who remembered your birthday. You feel a sense of joy when you express gratitude to your loved ones. Why Do We Enjoy Celebrating Birthdays? Once a year, you get the chance to be special. Friends, family, and loved ones wish you happiness, good health, and prosperity. They shower you with love, attention, gifts, and goodies. They spend time with you and share your happiness. The 30th birthday is special. You are now officially a mature and responsible adult who has the necessary wisdom to make important decisions in life. The 30th birthday heralds your adult status with measured indulgence. Here are some noteworthy quotes that put matters in the right perspective, ready to share in birthday cards and on cakes, during celebratory toasts, and more. Muhammad Ali The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life. Hervey Allen The only time you really live fully is from 30 to 60. The young are slaves to dreams; the old, servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits. Anonymous At the age of 20, we dont care what the world thinks of us; at 30, we worry about what it is thinking of us; at 40, we discover that it wasnt thinking of us at all. Georges Clemenceau Everything I know I learned after I was 30. Charles Caleb Colton The excess of our youth are checks written against our age, and they are payable with interest 30 years later. F. Scott Fitzgerald Thirty- the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning briefcase of enthusiasm, thinning hair. Benjamin Franklin At 20 years of age, the will reigns; at 30, the wit; and at 40, the judgment. Robert Frost Time and tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of 30. Elbert Hubbard Ones 30th birthday and ones 60th are days that press their message home with iron hand. With his 70th milestone past, a man feels that his work is done, and dim voices call to him from across the Unseen. His work is done, and so illy, compared with what he had wished and expected! But the impressions made upon his heart by the day are no deeper than those his 30th birthday inspires. At 30, youth, with all it palliates and excuses, is gone forever. The time for mere fooling is past; the young avoid you, or else look up to you and tempt you to grow reminiscent. You are a man and must give an account of yourself. Lew Wallace A man 30 years old, I said to myself, should have his field of life all ploughed, and his planting well done; for after that it is summertime.

Brazil's development will attempt to lead sustainability for the next Essay

Brazil's development will attempt to lead sustainability for the next World Cup - Essay Example Introduction 1.1 Background Sports, conferences and entertainment events have become major events in which environmental sustainability has emerged as an important theme (Ponsford, 2011). Every event claims to be environmentally conscious but the extent to which the authorities take steps to attain sustainability remains a debatable issue. The event organizers should be responsible for making the first step towards sustainability as they make a major impact on the environment (Hill, 1998). The first step involves preparing an action plan based on various factors that are set together to create an event. Brazil is due to host the World Cup in three years’ time and the infrastructure development that this event calls for, is tremendous. Brazil is expected to invest US$18.7bn for the 2014 FIFA World Cup which will fund 50 projects in 12 Brazilian host cities (Portal Brasil, 2010). The Minister for Sports claims that the development of Brazil to meet the demands of the event would greatly improve the country for the citizens. 1.2 Rationale for the study Hosting the World Cup requires the nation to be prepared in three main areas – the stadium, airport and transportation, and accommodation (De la Cerda, Fernandes, Huebner, Madanes & Suarez, 2011). Brazil is poised for growth since its foreign exchange policy is liberalized. The success of an event is not merely limited to whether the event was economically profitable. For most mega events economic benefits are overstated in order to justify the public expenditure by the federal government (Karadakis & Kaplanidou, 2010). It can cause tremendous debts as in the case of Montreal 1976 as it was burdened with capital and interest costs; as resources become scarce price inflation is likely for goods and services. The general population could also be burdened in terms of additional taxation to pay for the cost of hosting. Opportunity costs also arise when the government is unable to raise enough funds to host the event. A reasonable ratio between the profit generated and the costs incurred is based on short-term effects, and is derived from induced demand stimulus (Muller & Moesch, 2010). However, an event can be sustainable only if the added infrastructure continues to generate revenue and pay for its maintenance. Sustainability is not limited to environmental concerns but can expand to other regions as well. 1.3 Research aims and objectives With the aim to evaluate what steps the authorities have taken to ensure that development attempts will lead to sustainability for the next world cup, the objectives of the study are: To determine the likely damage to the environment and suggest measures for sustainable management To determine the likely impact of the World Cup 2014 on the GDP of Brazil and its population in the future generations To evaluate if Brazil is moving towards a sustainable event This study has great significance because event managers/organizers globally would make consc ious attempts while planning events to ensure minimum damage to the environment, to the people, to the nation as a whole. 2. Literature review 2.1 Definition – events –

Role of Vision at Mentor Graphics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Role of Vision at Mentor Graphics - Case Study Example However, later on it had to be changed because it was no longer effective in motivating its employees and growth problems began to emerge. When the company used the vision â€Å"Six Boxes†, it somehow weakened the company because when one of the businesses failed, the company did not have the option of closing it down. If they do so, then the â€Å"Six Boxes† vision will no longer be applicable because there will only be â€Å"Five Boxes†. This vision weakened the company because it prevented management from making the appropriate financial decisions. 3. Identify three key reasons that the vision failed at Mentor Graphics. The first reason why the vision failed at Mentor Graphics is that some of the visions that they developed were too vague. In the case of the vision â€Å"10X Imperative†, the customers did not understand it; most probably even the employees did not know what it meant. The vision is blurred and did not present a clear picture of what the company will be in the future. The second reason why the vision failed is that it is too unrealistic. The vision â€Å"Six Boxes† combined the goals of the six different businesses of Mentor, so much so that when one of the businesses failed, they could not even shut it down. The expectation was that all six businesses will be profitable which was very unrealistic and hard to achieve. The vision at Mentor also failed because it was â€Å"too disconnected from the present† (Palmer, Dunford, & Akin, 2009). Their vision in 1989, â€Å"Changing the World Designs Together† was described by Mentor’s President Gerard Langeler as having little to do with the actual businesses of the company. 4. Discuss issues of vision content, context, and process in how vision was introduced and changed at the company. The initial vision of Mentor is â€Å"Build Something That People Will Buy†. However, this vision had to be changed to be more competitive. Eventually, Me ntor’s vision progressed from being concrete in â€Å"Beat Daisy† to becoming too abstract as â€Å"10X Imperative†. The â€Å"Beat Daisy† vision was practical and answered the needs of the firm at that time. The content and context was well understood by the employees; thus, it was easy to achieve. It was very precise and clear; therefore, it served as a guideline for all employees. In â€Å"Changing the World Designs Together†, the company transformed its vision to become too idealistic rather than making it tangible and realistic. The development of the visions of Mentor depended on the effect it had on the company. If it was not effective in driving the company towards its goals, then the vision was changed. If it was no longer applicable in the current position of the firm, then the vision was changed too. After â€Å"Beat Daisy† most of the visions formulated by Mentor were inspirational though quite ambitious. In the end, Mentor had t o revert back to its original vision which is â€Å"To Build Things People Will Buy†. Langeler realized that this was the more pragmatic vision for the company which was attuned with the core business of the firm and would help them make sound business decisions. 5. Discuss whether or not the vision helped or hindered change at Mentor Graphics There were instances when vision helped the company like when their vision was â€Å"Beat Daisy†. â€Å"Six Boxes† on the other hand hindered change at Mentor because even if they wanted to close down one of the six businesses

Texas Education Essay Example for Free

Texas Education Essay Texas law makers and citizens have been concerned about the education of our young people since before declaring our Independence from Mexico in 1836. Texas revolutionaries listed â€Å"failure to establish any public system of education, although possession of almost boundless resources,† among the reasons to become independent from Mexico. Since that time public education has seen countless policy changes, constitutional amendments and revisions, and laws changed to meet the needs of Texas students. (1) How has the Texas education system changed? How have these policies affected our young people, and what challenges lay ahead for students, educators, parents, and policy makers? At the birth of Texas public education there were many problems that policy makers had to overcome. How to educate students in such rural areas? How will public education be funded? These were a few of the challenges that lawmakers of that time faced but one challenge they didn’t not have land as one of them. The first public school law was written setting aside large amounts of land in each county for public school use. Later the amount was increased and additional land was set aside for the first State College. However what Texas lacked was funding. (2) In 1845 Texas received 10 million in five percent U. S. Indemnity bonds for settling a boundary claim against the United States. Of this 10 million, 2 million was set aside as a permanent school fund. The permanent school fund was later directed to be invested in bonds. Also, during 1845 the state constitution set aside one-tenth of the annual state tax set aside to support free public schools. (1) The founding fathers of Texas public education were working toward the goal of adequately funding the Texas education system. Today the permanent school fund accounts for approximately $765 million a year. (1) A continued effort has also been made through the life of Texas public education to develop a system of accountability. 1885 marked the first year a system of accreditation was used for Texas public schools. At that time selected tests were sent to the University of Texas. If the school was found to be satisfactory students gained automatic admission without examination. (1) Although the intent was Texas public education had many problems. One was the growing concern for the decline of Texas literacy. Legislatures tried to address this issue in 1984 when Texas passed House Bill 72. The 68th Legislature passed this bill in response to concerns over the adequacy of Texas public schools as reflected by standardized tests. (2) House Bill 72 brought down tougher requirements on students and began rating the schools in 1993. The students were now required to pass a state assessment test in order to meet the graduation requirements. This was system of testing was the most difficult students had been exposed to up until this point. Also the Bill created the no pass no play rule that requires students to pass every subject in order to participate in any extracurricular activity. (2) Another problem that the Legislature attempted to address was funneling funding to property poor districts. Edgewood ISD v Kirby was filed and claimed that the system for funding public schools was discriminatory against poor districts. Edgewood ISD was against House Bill 72 and wanted a fair system of school funding. The courts ruled in favor of Edgewood ISD but law makers continued to try and come up with a fair system. The federal government threatened to shut down federal aid for public schools because of non-compliance. In 1990 Legislature tried to pass the â€Å"Robin Hood† plan. This plan would redistribute wealth from wealthy districts to poor districts. This Bill failed to pass voters. In 1993 another plan was passed by the State. This gave multiple options to districts to distribute funds equally. (3) Edgewood ISD v Kirby was not the first lawsuit filed in an effort to improve Texas public schools. Del Rio ISD v Salvatierra tried to show how inferior education facilities were for Mexican-Americans and moved toward desegregation. In 1948 Delgado v Bastrop ISD, the judge ruled against segregation of Mexican-American children in public schools. Sweatt v Painter in 1950, challenged â€Å"separate but equal† and integration was ultimately addressed with a federal ruling in 1954with Brown v Board of Education and the integration of Mexican-Americans in 1970 with Cisneros v Corpus Christi. In that same year because of discriminatory practices in Texas schools, United States v Texas forced a federal judge to call for all schools to be integrated. (3) Texas is unique in many ways from other states. Texas is second among size and population and educates 9% of the total U. S. student population. A highly diverse student population creates additional problems. 16% of the student population in 2007 was Limited English Proficient. IN that same year 55. 5% of all students were recognized as economically disadvantaged. In 2007 those two categories ranked the lowest among percentage of students that passed all areas of the State assessment test. With 47% of Limited English Proficient passing all categories and 57% of economically disadvantaged passing all categories. Texas also ranks 15th in the nation with 8th grade students in mathematics, 31st in reading, and 35th in science. All this unique situation occurs while ranking 49th among funding per student as compared to other states. (4) These statistics put Texas in a unique situation. Texans are educating more people and more of those people are in greater need of a quality education. How can Texas children compete in the job market? What will the Texas workforce look like for these children? Concerns continue to grow over declining school performance and budget deficits. The budget shortfalls will mean education spending cuts. Texas is a conservative state. Its legislatures take great pride in balancing the state budget with responsible spending. Many times these cuts are made in the name of the children in an attempt to not pass down large amounts of debt. To continue to cut an education system that is at the bottom on spending per student will only push Texans further below the national average of graduation rates. Texas education continues to underperform. (5) Law makers continue to decrease funding in schools and will not increase taxes to attempt to meet the budget shortfalls. Texas boosts rapid business growth and population growth. They attribute much of this growth to a tax friendly environment for the top 60% income brackets and affordable living for all income brackets. This has made us a national leader among growth and is a source of pride among lawmakers and Texans. (6) Law makers attempted to help the education crisis in Texas during the 83rd legislative session. The passed over 100 laws affecting education. These rules ranged from bonds for charter schools, healthy eating statutes in schools, law enforcement on campuses, testing and ratings of districts, and school financing. Many laws were made mandating that schools have to perform at a higher level and also that schools have to help produce healthy students while also protecting them. All these programs take more money yet the Texas budget does not allow for additional funds. The state legislatures say that if these schools cannot perform they should be shut down. What options would that leave Texas students and their families? (6) More than 150,000 Texas students are choosing public charter schools over traditional public schools. Public charter schools receive bonds and funding from both the state and federal government similar to traditional public schools. They boost a higher learning environment while managing to do it on a smaller budget than traditional public schools. They are held to the same Texas accountability systems but have the freedom to develop their own curriculum; where as a traditional public school is held to the state curriculum. The Texas Board of Education approves the curriculum that public schools can use. They develop the curriculum and the district has the freedom to determine how they will teach this to their students. They can use many different programs from traditional text books to the unpopular c-scope curriculum. Charter schools on the other hand are allowed the freedom to teach how they want to teach and what they want to teach as long as they perform well on the same state assessment tests that public schools must take. (7) Charter schools are an alternative that many Texas parents and students are electing for. The freedom they are allowed are creating a learning friendly environment while providing teachers the freedom to teach. Students are able to learn and teachers are able to teach. All under the same budget constraints that traditional public schools have. Not having to teach to a particular curriculum is favorable for some parents that may not want a conservative influence on their students. For example the recent conservative wins over social studies curriculum. Conservatives won to modify social studies texts to look favorably on Republican political philosophies and stressing the superiority of American capitalism. The fight continues are could be won in the near future for the removal of the teachings of Darwinism and to move toward the inclusion of the Christian views that founded our nation. The charter schools will not be held to these same teachings and are free to teach the religious side, conservative side, liberal, and science. Many parents find this form of teaching more favorable and the freedom it provides help to responsibly teach Texas students under the budget constraints that the state mandates. (8) Not all academic changes are viewed as bad. Republicans pushed for information about the violent nature of the Black Panther party is taught in contrast to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, and that the Republican votes are included in teaching to show how Republicans pushed forward on civil rights issues. Some strides were made in the inclusion of personal responsibility teaching to students, which includes life choices such as suicide, pregnancy, dating violence, eating disorders and drug disorders. Some people such as Mavis Knight, a democrat from Dallas that introduced an amendment for the teachings of the founding fathers on religious freedoms but it was turned down, said â€Å"the social conservatives have perverted accurate history to fulfill their own agendas. † (8) If you were a young adult or adult in the 90’s you was also part of legislative of an advertising campaign to pass the lottery in Texas. A large part of this campaign was that that the majority of the lottery proceeds would go toward Texas education. Many Texans often wonder how we can need to cut school funding when 21 billion dollars has been contributed through the Texas lottery system. This was true and false all at the same time. 21 billion has been contributed to Texas education. The majority of the proceeds from the Texas lottery are going into the Texas Education fund but the false is that for every dollar contributed by the lottery the general fund decreases its contribution. So funding remains the same just the contributing party changes. This was a rouse by legislatures at the time and continues to be. (9) Another large source of school funding is property tax. Law makers have continued to address the disparities between district funding in regards to property tax revenue. Property within districts can vary greatly. Some districts may be comprised of multi-million dollar homes while other modest middle class homes and even others that are made up of very poor communities. These differences in tax revenue base have created large differences in the quality of education provided for Texas students. Lawmakers have attempted to address this with bonds and funding per pupil but any Texas resident that has visited an inner-city school and visited a school in affluent Plano or wealthy areas of the valley know that there are great differences in the amenities provided to students in those districts. (10) Another challenge Texas faces is staffing its schools with quality educators. There is a shortage of educators in Texas. After the 2011 much publicized decrease in the teaching population and additional constraints on class size. The perception of an already stressful and underpaid profession was damaged. In 2012 the number of teaching certificates acquired was down 24 percent. Projections show that Texans will not meet the number of needed teachers by 2015 if the issue is not addressed. The Texas Workforce Commission predicts that the need for teachers will greatly increase and is the highest projected are of growth in Texas. The challenge comes in attempted to convince young adults to invest their education dollars in this field. (11) There are many challenges that face Texas educators. How can Texas educators teach to the diverse student population accurately with the other challenges that face the public education system? According to the Kids Count Data Center, Texas has a student population of 16. 2% that receive ESL teaching. These present additional challenges for teachers. Texas was an early pioneer for English as Second Language training. In 1968 lawmakers pioneered for English deficient students by allowing ESL programs in Texas Schools. Up until that time it was not allowed to have bilingual programs in the schools. Then in 1981 further strides were made when Mexicans Americans were allowed to enter those programs voluntarily to help eliminate discrimination of Mexican American students. Today Mexican American students account for 50. 2% of the student population and although this poses additional challenges Texas must be prepared to meet those challenges. (10) There are so many challenges facing Texas education. A diverse student population, proper funding, legislatures with personal agendas, increase academic standards, meeting demands of the workforce from laborer to laboratory, all these are achievable. These challenges can be met by Texas parents, legislatures and students. At an early age Texas students are taught how great and unique Texas is and its residents and how we are have risen to many challenges and defeated them. The challenge of education will be gladly met and I feel confident that Texans will see the importance of education and do everything necessary to ensure that Texas youth are able to compete in today’s job market.

Keller Williams One Man Band :: essays research papers fc

Imagine attending a concert in which if you were to close your eyes, you would assume that the music you are hearing is being created by a cast of band members, each playing their respective instruments. Contrary to your assumptions, however, this band only consists of one member. Keller Williams, dubbed by critics as a one-man-band, is one of a kind both in his musical talent and his solo act. Very few solo musicians have mastered such a multi-dimensional sound and captivating live show as Keller, making him standout amongst today’s musicians. Keller’s ability to perform improvisational live shows, form a large and dedicated fan base, and share the beliefs and attitudes of the hippie generation has given him the musical identity of the jam band genre in addition to his personal identity of being a solo act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Keller grew up in of Fredericksburg, Virginia and first began performing at the early age of 16. Without any formal teaching, he taught himself how to the play the guitar, mimicking the styles of his role models John Fahey, Leo Kottke, and the late Michael Hedges. Williams started out playing in bars and restaurants in his hometown. He played in various bands to help him get a feel for his own skills. After doing so, he decided that a band would not suite the type of music path he was set out for and quickly decided to take a more solo-oriented route. The type of music Keller creates fuses elements of rock, funk, jazz, folk, bluegrass, and techno. His lyrics are â€Å"usually lighthearted, inventive and conjuring images of a twisted reality† (â€Å"Keller Williams Bio†). It is these characteristics, combined with the looping techniques that he uses to create a full-band sound with only himself on stage, which is what further distinguishes Williams fr om all other musicians.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Placed in the genre of jam bands, Keller is able to create a solo jamming experience with the use of his arsenal of various instruments. Keller was â€Å"introduced to looping techniques by ‘Flecktones’ bassist Victor Wooten,† which he now uses â€Å"to build a full-band sound with only one man on stage† (â€Å"Keller Williams Brings†). A typical song will begin by Williams playing a guitar riff which he will then â€Å"loop† so that it repeats continuously. Next, he might pick up another guitar, of which he has collection numbering eight or so, and record another riff which he will loop on top of the original riff.

Wikipedia: the Basis of Unreliable Sources

Over the years that Wikipedia has been running, there has been a continuous debate on whether it is a reliable resource or not and no one has been able to come up with a conclusion. However, there are many people who think that they have come up with a compromise, which includes Wikipedia being a good source for basic information but not for the sole information of any given topic. Especially for college students, Wikipedia can get tricky in the sense where it is easy to just read through and agree with; however, it may be misleading and have incorrect information.People including college English instructor Jenny Meister, Marquette University Law School student blogger Jessica Slavin, and Internet executive Mark Moran can all agree that Wikipedia is helpful in college research but only for basic knowledge, not for sole information. Throughout college, students must do a lot of book and computer research in order to do papers, class work and home work. The computer research is what sc ares professors the most because they know how easy it is for the students to click the first link that comes up on Google-Wikipedia.These students seem to get all of their information from the website, which can be edited by anonymous sources at any time. This means that the information is not always correct which can be frustrating to professors. â€Å"As someone who's been there and done the grading thing, I can tell you that when a professor flips to your Works Cited page and glances over your list of sources, a page full of Wikipedia entries is going to spark a frenzy of eye-rolling and red pen† (Meister).College students not only have to worry about having the wrong information in their school work, but also need to consider Wikipedia in their future careers. They must ask themselves how they should use it and the proper way to use it without hurting themselves. For example, law student Jessica Slavin had stated she was only going to use Wikipedia for background informa tion. â€Å"I will admit that I sometimes read a Wikipedia entry if I want background information about a topic. I do not think, though, that I would cite an entry as proof of anything in court† (Slavin).Wikipedia can be useful at times for background information about a topic, however, it can not be trusted because you are never sure who is writing it, if it is from a reliable source, or if the information is completely accurate. In Mark Moran’s blog about how Wikipedia is not reliable he makes one important point on why it should not be trusted for sole information. â€Å"In March 2009, Irish student Shane Fitzgerald, who was conducting research on the internet and globalization of information, posted a fake quotation on the Wikipedia article about recently deceased French composer Maurice Jarre.Due to the fact that the quote was not attributed to a reliable source, it was removed several times by editors, but Fitzgerald continued re-posting it until it was allowed to remain† (Moran). Moran is making the point that it is the contributor with the strongest agenda who â€Å"wins† and it is not always the one with the most correct information, which makes the site less reliable. For many years, Wikipedia has been known as an unreliable source and to be unused in school, although, it can be useful at times for basic information.Throughout college, students use Wikipedia as a main source which is giving them the wrong information in papers, class work, and school work, which is extremely frustrating for the professors to see. The students need to consider their future and if they would use Wikipedia as a primary source when they are at their future careers. College students should be allowed to use Wikipedia, but only as a basic information source in order to get background knowledge on a topic.

Advantages and Disadvantages in the Lake District National Park

This is an essay about the advantages and disadvantages that arise in and about National Parks, focusing on the Lake District National Park. The Lake District is shown on the map below. As you can see the Lake District is situated in Cumbria in the North West of England. The Lake District National Park is the largest National Park in Britain. It was established in 1951 and covers an area of 2,292 sq. km. It is home to the largest lake in Britain -lake Windermere which is an amazing 16.9km long, 2km wide and has an area of 16sq km-quite a lot of water! It is also home to Scaffel Pike which is the largest mountain in England rising to a very tall 966m. Both of these features, along with many more, encourage people to visit the park. The Lake District is one of the National Parks in Wales and England, the others being Exmoor Dartmoor The Pembrokeshire Coast The Brecon Beacons The Yorkshire Dales Northumberland Snowdonia And The North York Moor 7% of all the land in England is National Park Land and 20% of the land in Wales in National Parks. A National Park is defined as an area of scenic beauty. National Parks have two main aims A) To preserve and care for the beautiful environment may it be coast or mountains and all the wildlife/plants in them B) To provide a place for recreation, relaxation and enjoyment open to everyone. You would think it would be easy to provide a pretty, safe place for people to visit/live/work. You must think again! National Parks are at the centre of much controversy and arguments-as you are about to find out yet still manage to have many, many advantages. One of the advantages of a National Park are that they are a great place for people to come and relax. Anyone can enjoy a visit to a National Park-families, individuals, the elderly and so on. Some parks (although not the Lake District) are also used by the army as part of their training process. Obviously, there are farmers on the land too who depend on it to make a living. The Lake District is a place where you can do a number of activities- * Walking * Outdoor Pursuits (e.g. Canoeing, climbing etc) * Going on a leisurely boat ride on the lakes (especially Windermere) * Having a nice picnic or day out in some of the specially developed areas or on the mountains themselves. * Camping * Water skiing * Angling * Bird watching /general nature looking * Power boating * And generally relaxing and having a great time! Here is a map of the Lake District itself. Note all of the high land (brown bits) and lakes (blue bits) DISADVANTAGES As with every national Park there are some disadvantages. These are usually roughly the same in any National Park and there is not positive way of getting rid of all the problem without banning people to go to the National Parks which kind of defeats the object. Traffic Congestion is a major problem. The small, narrow steep, winding country roads just can't cope with the volume of traffic which is passing to get to the park. As most of the visitors to the National Park travel by car it is indeed a serious problem. In the Lake District the main problems are at Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Kentmere. There is also another big problem-car parking facilities. These are restricted causing some people to leave their cars parked at the side of the road causing further traffic problems affecting the local people who just want to get on with their day to day business. As there are more vehicles about this leads to more air pollution, which makes the area less pleasant to visit. As said before there are few solutions to this problem. You could build big two-lane roads to replace the small ones but this would cause a number of problems A) it would be very expensive B) it is probable that there will not be room to expand the roads C) It would spoil the scenic beauty and quaintness of the place and the villagers won't be happy. These are just some of the many hundreds of possible problems so this option is not really an options(it you get me). The NPA (National Park Association) along with the Cumbria County council and Countryside Commission came up with a plan in 1995 to try to reduce traffic congestion. It involved restricting access along the very popular routes, closing some roads all together and encouraging the use of public transport. Walking and cycling rather than cars once inside the national Park. For this to be successful the public transport facilities would have to be greatly improved. All of this would mean, perhaps, fewer visitors thus bringing less money into the area. The locals who make a living out of this trade would lose out. Footpath erosion is a major problem in the Lake District like the Brecon Beacons in South Wales and indeed many other National Parks. The amount of walkers using the paths cause them to gradually erode becoming unsafe and unpleasant. As the designed paths are no longer suitable to walk on people are resorting to wandering off the paths and uncovering tree roots, trampling on plants and things like that. This problem can be sorted by completely banning the use of offending footpaths and replacing them with others. There are many disadvantages to this including lack of money, people wanting to ‘wander' as the please and directing people to use the new footpaths. A problem that is related to this is soil compaction. This is when the footpaths are damaged either by being compacted or in other ways so that greenery cannot grow and cannot soak up excess moisture etc. Along with damaging the National Park footpaths, tourists often go onto farmer's land, leaving gates open, creating noise, letting their dogs foul the area and unintentionally distressing farm animals. All of the above things are usually done without intent but never the less it is still aggravating and expensive for the farmer. The local people who often enjoy the trade of the tourists also may feel very annoyed by them. I myself have a personal comment to add here. Fifteen to twenty years ago my Mum and Dad use to visit Lake Windermere and the Lake district every summer to do walking. My Mum said it was very beautiful, unspoiled land which was very quiet, quaint and friendly. When we visited last summer my Mum said she could hardly recognise the place. Apart from the ever-beautiful mountains and lakes it was tourist haven with every other shop being either a tearoom or a gift shop. It was jam-packed, noisy and very different ( well, according to my Mum it was!) The Brecon Beacons seemed very unspoiled and quiet compared to Lake Windermere. Yes, the facilities such as shops, car parks, hotels, leisure facilities and toilets were much better and I am sure the locals earned a small fortune by it in the Summer Months but I am afraid to say it resembled more like Disneyland in Paris that a beautiful National Park in the North of England. But this is only my view (although I am certain some of the locals feel the same way). If it wasn't for all the interest in National Parks the Lake district would be barely visited and a kind of waste of space. Another disadvantage everywhere where tourists go, whether it be a National Park or not is that all work is seasonal. While the shops and services thrive in the warm summer month's trade begins to reduce to the local people when the weather turns cold. This means that some shops can't survive and have to shut. In the summer some services can be so full the local people can't use them but in the winter the services are not needed and shut down. Crime and Vandalism, noise pollution, litter, poaching and other things like that are a major problem in all National Parks and the Lake District is no exeption. Car crime is very high in Car parks and there are some very inconsiderate people about. The Park Ranger is partly in charge of this area but he can't be everywhere at once and this DOES take place-maybe even putting people off visiting the park altogether. Having Second Home owners in the area can put many noses out of joint. Second Home owners are like tourists, they only come when the weather is fine leaving services/shops to suffer when they are having a nice time back at home. They can ‘revamp' their second homes to make them not in keeping with the area. They can also bring their own town influences into the countryside and raise house prices. In other words-Second homeowners are big problems in the Lake District. As with any area-people can take things too far. On Lake Windermere the planners have decided to set a 16-km/h speed limit on the lake. This is because the noisy speedboats and water skiers are spoiling the quietness of the lake and spoiling the enjoyment of others. They also make more air pollution. Other lakes on the park such as Ullswater, Coniston Water and Derwent Water(see map on page2) have had this ban imposed and it seems to be working well. But this is bound to ruffle a few feathers and arguments are taking place about whether the ban should take place or not. Some arguments are that tourists already have miles and miles of quiet land to enjoy, why not let this little bit of water be noisy? They also brought up the point that some lines of trade will suffer when people go elsewhere to use their water ski's/power boats. Now, I have gone on for ages about how awful National Parks are. You must be thinking ‘ Why one earth do we have National Parks if they cause all of this trouble?' As you are now going to find out, National Parks have many advantages too. ADVANTAGES One of the main advantages of a National Park, any national Park, is the money that tourists bring with them. In 1995 the UK had an amazing 23.5 million foreign visitors who spent and astounding à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12 billion! That is an awful lot of money! Tourist also employs 1.5 million people in places such as hotels, cafes, pubs, travel agencies etc. Okay, so lots of these visitors didn't visit National Parks and didn't spend money in them but tourism in National Parks is big business. In Windermere and Keswick-big places for tourists to visit in the Lake District (see page two map)- half of the workforce are employed in the tourist industry! That is an awful lot if you can compare that to the 6% nationally. In 1995 tourists spent a great à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 446 million in Cumbria alone-most of it being spent in the Lake District. Some ways tourists spend money are: * Accommodation- hotels, campsites, holiday cottages etc * Food and Drink-restaurants, cafes, pubs, food shops etc * Leisure- this is HUGE business from outdoor pursuits to boat trips to museums and so on * And so much more little things such as gifts and general shopping The services in the Lake District National Parks have increased due to the extra visitors. This is good news for the locals. If the area hadn't been changed to a National Park it would just be plain, rural land with very few services. Public transport had improved dramatically with more connections leading out of the Lake District so that tourists can easily get there but also letting the locals get out and about easier. The amount of shops are the same as services, there are more than there would have been had it not been for the National Park. As the national Parks welcome everyone people have a lovely, beautiful place to visit. If the land weren't a national park it would be at risk to developments being built on the site which would spoil the scenic beauty. If people visit the Lake District and see how beautiful it all is they may be extra careful and be inspired to take better care of the environment. They may also realise that they need to protect the land for generations to come. Litter and Pollution may also be reduced as they realise that there is no need to spoil the natural world. The Park Ranger and the people who care for the Lake District do a great job of protecting the environment in the Lake District. It is a nice, usually safe place for animals, birds and plants/flowers. People from the large town and cities have an opportunity to see the beautiful British wildlife that they wouldn't find in the towns and cities. The park Rangers in the Lake District also encourage tree planting. We all know that we depend on trees to give us oxygen so that we can breath so this is a great thing especially as so many trees are now being cut down to provide space for houses. Park Rangers and workers in the National Parks all over Britain does a number of great things including * Refuse permission for unsuitable buildings/developments that would spoil the park * Arrange talks and guided walks to educate the people about the park * Monitor and clean up pollution * Encourage suitable developments and so much more. * Some National Parks are home to some rare plants/flowers and the Lake District is no exeption. Now I have looked at all the information I now have to see whether or not the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. If you see what I have written you will discover I have written more about the disadvantages than the advantages. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. In my view I think anything that preserves the natural beauty of our world if a good thing. With all the overcrowding, noise and pollution of this world we need a place where we can just go to relax without too much noise, big buildings or offices. Yes, there are disadvantages but I think that people can put up with a bit of inconvenience if it means that we make this world a nicer place to be-don't you?

Microsoft Word Strat Man Case Write Up Wireless Communication Essays

Microsoft Word Strat Man Case Write Up Wireless Communication Essays Microsoft Word Strat Man Case Write Up Wireless Communication Essay Microsoft Word Strat Man Case Write Up Wireless Communication Essay The author mainly focuses on an economic analysis of wireless communications by evaluating the two available alternatives. First is related to licensing and spectrum property and second to wireless communications, in order to evaluate the tradeoffs between property rights in spectrum and open wireless networks. It also explains that open wireless networks are likely to be better at optimizing the ability of users to communicate without wires than could spectrum property based systems. The open wireless network approach shifts the focus from infrastructure rights and focuses on an efficient creation of market in the end user equipments through greater deployment of the equipments in the networks. Analyzing on the basis of various factors: Social costs (equipment costs, displacement costs and overhead costs): On the basis of social costs involved in both the approaches, we get that they are less in case of open network systems. Capacity: In open network systems both the capacity and the capacity for growth are higher. Innovation: Adopting an open wireless system can create an environment for innovation. Welfare Optimization: Open systems being more agile can provide optimum welfare to the end users. Security: Open networks being more robust and breaking into it might result in the collapse of the entire network, thus are having better security. Pricing Bandwidth: Spectrum approach will only have this advantage in case of peak utilization moments. Thus, the spectrum approach is not that efficient. This advantage is also dependent on pricing based QoS services in wired networks. But in case of open network systems, the pricing is highly variable, and this changing price system makes it more efficient as compared to spectrum approach. In the article it has been mentioned that the transaction costs in case of spectrum theory is higher than that of open wireless approach. But the open systems have a higher indirect transaction costs. Hence it can be concluded that open networks are more efficient. Regulation vs. Strategy Through the property rights, a strategist can own and protect the resources eeded for creating value to the consumers. These property rights are subject to regulations. Though these regulations increase the transaction costs but these costs are transferred to the customers. Hence as a strategist it is good to have regulation. Need for lobbying the government arises because of the need to protect the property rights so as to own the resources needed to create value. Moreover, lobbying the government will allow the firm to set up industry norms f or the efficient usage of the available resources.

Why You Shouldnt Cut Nicotine Patches

Why You Shouldnt Cut Nicotine Patches If youve ever tried the patch to help stop smoking or get nicotine for another reason, youll see warnings on the box, in the literature, and on the patch package warning you not to cut the patch. There isnt any explanation why, so you may wonder why there are so many warnings. Is it just a ploy by pharmaceutical companies to make more money? No. It turns out there is a good reason why you shouldnt cut the patch. Heres the explanation.   Why Not Cut the Patch? The reason you shouldnt cut the patch is because it alters the time-release of nicotine due to the way the patch is constructed. In 1984,  Jed E. Rose, Ph.D., Murray E. Jarvik, M.D., Ph.D. and K. Daniel Rose conducted a study showing the transdermal nicotine patch reduced cigarette cravings in smokers. Two patents were filed for patches: one in 1985 by  Frank Etscorn and another in 1988 by Rose, Murray, and Rose with  The University of California. Etcsorns patent described a backing layer with a reservoir of liquid nicotine and a pad that controlled the release of the nicotine into the skin. A porous adhesive layer holds the patch against the skin and helps prevent moisture from washing away the ingredients. The University of California patent described a similar product. While the courts dealt with who got patent rights and who got discovery rights, the end result was the same: cutting a patch would expose the layer containing the nicotine, allowing it to leak through the cut edge. If you cut a patch, no visible liquid will flow out, but the dosage rate will no longer be controlled. A higher dose of nicotine will be delivered early when using the cut parts of the patch. Also, if the unused portion of the patch doesnt remain on its backing, its likely additional nicotine may migrate to the surface (or might be lost to the environment) before it is applied. Pharmaceutical companies dont want users of their product to get sick or die, so they print a warning, The bottom line is that you could potentially overdose on nicotine or poison yourself using a cut patch. Safer Alternative to Cutting the Patch One way to make a patch last longer is to save the backing that came with the patch, remove it before sleeping (which many people do anyway since nicotine can affect sleep and dreaming), return it to the backing, and reapply it the next day. There is not a lot of formal research about how much nicotine might be lost this way, but you wont run the health risk of leaking nicotine. Cutting the Patch Anyway If you decide to go ahead and cut a high dose patch to save money, there are a couple of methods suggested for sealing the cut edge of the patch to prevent overdose. One method is to seal the cut edge of the patch using heat, like with heated scissors or a hot blade. Its unknown whether this actually works. Another method, supposedly suggested by a pharmacist, is to seal the cut edge using tape so extra nicotine wont reach the skin. The cut portion of the unused portion of the patch should also be sealed and the patch should be kept on its backing until use. However, talk to your own pharmacist or doctor before trying either method or experimenting on your own. References Rose, J. E.; Jarvik, M. E.; Rose, K. D. (1984). Transdermal administration of nicotine. Drug and alcohol dependence 13 (3): 209–213. Rose, J. E.; Herskovic, J. E.; Trilling, Y.; Jarvik, M. E. (1985). Transdermal nicotine reduces cigarette craving and nicotine preference. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 38 (4): 450–456.

Debate over Universal Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Debate over Universal Healthcare - Essay Example In some nations like United Kingdom and Spain, the government has highest level of involvement in providing health care to all the citizens based on the residential status where insurance coverage is not mandatory. In Britain, the National Insurance Act 1911 can be considered as the initiative taken towards the provision of universal health care. It covered the salaried employees and their family members who contributed monitorily towards the health care setups. However, it continued up to 1948 when the National Health Service was created and universal health care security was provided to all legal residents. In some other nations, the governments involve insurance agencies to operate the health schemes and the beneficiaries and their employers are asked to pay the premiums for their health care facilities. In several European nations, the efforts for establishing the universal health care systems were launched immediately after the second world war and one shouldn’t forget th e contribution made by Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 in this process. However, nations like USA didn’t implement the universal health care system (Armstrong et al., 1999; Institute of Medicine at the National Academies of Science, 2004.). Overall, the universal health care is operated in several nations, what ever the style may be, and we have to see whether it is successful in meeting the health requirement of people. If so, why not this universal health care is implemented in all other nations? This makes us to debate over the advantages and disadvantages of the universal health care system and let us analyse them one by one. Universal health care is a broad concept that has been implemented in many countries and was found to be highly useful for the benefit of the people (Conrad, 2008). The main advantage of this system is to ensure the social security to all the citizens of the country. In other words, health is a