Eco friendly theme parks Essay

Inquiring and analyzing Theme parks contribute to a number of environmental problems, one being air pollution. Theme parks require large amounts of energy; they need energy to power the rides, to keep the ac running, to light the park etc. Providing all this energy contributes to CO2 emissions. Not only does the park need huge amounts of energy, the transport to the theme park (e. g. cars, trains, buses etc. ) also emit CO2. Also there’s lots of excess waste produced due to the large crowds attracted to the theme park creating trash. Also, water parks use an excessive amount of water to run their water slides, this creates water wastage. Theme parks may also destroy animal and plant habitat in order for them to be built on the right location but this varies from different theme parks. Why do we need a solution? Global warming is one of the biggest issues that our generation faces, by contributing in this battle against global warming every bit helps. Creating a more ecofriendly form of entertainment can possibly help save our planet. By providing an eco friendly theme park we’re not only making teenagers more aware of our environment but we’re also saving our earth from large emissions of carbon dioxide. Theme parks are mainly here for people’s amusement and entertainment where people can relax and have fun. They’re socially beneficial to escape from one’s daily life and bond with others. Existing theme parks Theme Park Locatio n Type of Theme park Target Audienc e Are they eco friendl y? Type of polluti on caused Water/ener gy conservati on? Wastage minimizati on? Greenh ouse Gas emissio n? Ferrari World Yas. Island Amusem ent Park Families No Air Energy Yes Yes Wild Wadi Jumeir ah Water park Families No Water Water No No Disney World Americ a Amusem ent Park Families Yes Air Energy Yes Minimiz ed Six Flags Americ a Amusem ent park Teenage rs Adults No Air Energy No yes Moviepa rk Germa ny Amusem ent Families No Air Energy No Yes Identify and prioritize the primary and secondary research needed to develop a solution to the problem Conducting an online Survey using survey monkey targeting teenagers. 1) Conducting how often teenagers visit theme parks and what types to find a suitable solution (ages 14-19) of 20 students. How often do you visit a theme park? Never Once a year Once every couple of months Every months Every week What irritates you the most? Crowded areas Trash Diluted Air What type of Theme park do you prefer Water Park Amusement Park What would you think is a suitable solution against global warming? Solar panels Wind mills Recycling Hydroelectricity http://www. ehow. com/info_8483212_environmental-come-making-theme-p ark. html http://science. howstuffworks. com/environmental/energy/solar-power-help- environment. htm.

Freedom of speech Essay

Freedom of speech and the liberty to uphold oneÂ’s expression has long been the subject of many debates. It has taken centuries if not years for mankind to come to a point where many can easily voice their opinions without having to ponder over the consequences. But one should always know where to draw the line. Freedom of expression also needs to have its limits. Two of the masterminds who put forth their work on liberty and freedom of speech were John Stuart Mill and Jean-Jacque Rousseau. The concepts penned by Rousseau contradict those that were constructed by Mil; while the former focused on the functioning of the society as a whole, the latter advocated the rights of the individual to his freedom. Mill basically argument in his piece ‘On LibertyÂ’ allows for Utilitarian approach. His main idea was to give society and human nature a complete independence to mature and expand in infinite ways and direction. The main idea revolved around the kind of power that can be placed upon the individual by the society, and how that power was wrong unless exercised in self-defense. In particular, minorities were often the ones being oppressed. Mill pointed out that this tyrannical behavior was being supported by the major thinkers of that day. Public opinion followed the opinion of these thinkers and hence ended up doing the same. ‘On LibertyÂ’ sought to diminish the power the society had over an individualÂ’s freedom by giving that individual the freedom of speech. It was identified through the works that most people had precedent and preference which further provoked dissent and thus pressurized people. Mill also noted that there was no way of judging people on their inte rference into another personÂ’s private affairs. MillÂ’s idea of complete and total independence from society is contradicted in RousseauÂ’s works ‘The Social Contract,Â’ according to which man was restricted by the state and society that he existed in, once he became a part of the land he gave up the right to himself; society had a right upon the individual which he agrees to when he chooses to exist within a given society. This, he believed, was done for the greater good of the entire society; thereby his main focus was the society and not the individual, unlike Mill. For Rousseau, society itself was like a collective individual and that collective entity was sovereign and not a singular entity. He  allowed for individuals having their own aims and goals, but asserted that the will of the collective paved way for the greater good. By this definition he gives the society the power to act for the greater good and confirms that authority as absolute. He even goes as far as to recommend the death penalty for anyone who goes against this norm. Their ideas give us two different facets of life. Should one speak oneÂ’s mind or work for the greater good of the society?Mill believed in supporting diversity while condemning conformity by rejecting any form of manipulation that could be applied to a personÂ’s opinion or behavior. It was the revolutionary authorÂ’s belief that liberty forms the basis of much of the social progress that takes place. Through ‘On Liberty,Â’ it is asserted that freedom of speech is important primarily because to begin with, the opinion which most find disdainful maybe the correct one. Secondly, even if one voices a direly disproportionate view, refuting it will only help strengthen the general understanding of the topic amongst the masses. It was MillÂ’s belief that by continuously voicing thoughts, ideas and questions people kept society moving and defied stagnation. ‘The Social Contract,Â’ on the other hand goes onto state that the authority the ruler has over the state is like that of the father over his child. There is literally absolute control. Through RousseauÂ’s argument we are told that the mighty are the fittest to lead and decide what is best for the entire society. The wellbeing of the society depends on it functioning as one body, mind and soul. Each individual is part of the grand scheme which is built around the orders of the sovereign i.e. the rulers of the state. Mill charted three categories of freedom and asserted that the society was to abide by all three, if it were a free society. The first was freedom of thought and opinion, the second being the right to plan oneÂ’s life and future and the third to associate with other individuals on mutual grounds. The main idea behind this was that one should be able to pursue their own whims without hurting others in the process. Rousseau also has three implications of the contract. The first one being the fact that the conditions of the contract are same for everyone which is why everyone will collectively make it easier for everyone else to follow, secondly an individual cannot stand against the authority because he has given up that  right because he is a part of the state, and lastly, there is completely equality ergo the natural freedom that people enjoy stays intact, regardless of the social contract. It was in the ‘Discourse of InequalityÂ’ that Rousseau observed of inequality that the powerful has the choice between giving the masses an equal piece of the pie or letting the masses rot while they took everything for themselves. He was not an advocate of the powerful; he merely illustrated how the meek must always follow them because they have no other choice. The problem with RousseauÂ’s approach is that it completely rejects the claim that minorities or small groups may have on the society. If the masses chose to, they can quite literally annihilate any small sects that they wish without as much as a blink of an eye. In this regard, we are forced to side with MillÂ’s argument. However, ‘On LibertyÂ’ has its own faults because it focuses too much on the individualÂ’s needs without paying much heed to the society. Mill believed that the only instance where any one person or the society itself was justified in interfering with someoneÂ’s freedom was for their own self-preservation. In this way MillÂ’s only restriction on liberty was when it ended up harming other people, for which he advocated restraint. He was against the idea that meddling in someoneÂ’s affair. Diversity was not something to be toyed with, but the right to liberty was to be treated with respect. One has to also note that much of MillÂ’s work is at times vague on the limitations that can be placed on an individual. Another weak point is his extreme emphasis on the individual and not creating a balance between the individual and the society. While the individual was required to support the society he/she lived in, that by no means gave society any right to probe into their matters. As stated in the ‘Discourse of Inequality,Â’ “The difference between good and bad men is determined by public esteemÂ… The rank of citizens ought, therefore, to be regulated, not according to their personal merit Ââ€" for this would put it in the power of the magistrate to apply the law almost arbitrarily,” this shows that he believed that individuality would only hinder the laws that had been catered to the society as a whole. If each person was to be accounted for then the whole as Rousseau saw it, would come to a halt. Both authors present two extreme ways of life. while one advocates complete and total freedom, albeit not at the expense of others, the other goes on to suggest that freedom is restricted only is what the choices someone more powerful has selected for the majority. For freedom of speech both arguments do not fit. There needs to be a balance between the two. One cannot allow complete and total freedom of speech because inadvertently, whether it was intended or not, an individual may end up harming the society he/she lives in. If everyone began to voice a million different point of views at the same time there wouldnÂ’t be diversity, there would be chaos. Similarly, if the entire society was to follow the whims of a few men and women then society will not be able to move on. New ideas would never develop; people would never gain knowledge because knowledge would itself become restricted. Someone needs to stop talking to allow for the silence that precedes anotherÂ’s idea. History shows us that without speaking oneÂ’s mind, no real revolutions would have taken place, that being said, history also shows us how massive panic can sweep nations because of the freedom of speech that was given to the people. A balance between the two is needed. Social responsibility needs to be practiced with the freedom of speech; the two should be taken as a packaged deal and not separately. Works Cited Rousseau’s ‘Social Contract’Rousseau’s ‘Discourse on Inequality’Mill’s ‘On Liberty’

E-government and E-business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

E-government and E-business - Essay Example That doesn't, of course mean that all the organizations have adopted the e-business models. But beneath the surface, a lot has happened. Computers have been playing much more major role than sheer word processing or computational devices. Today, many managers look at it as an effective communication tool. With the advent of the Internet, the clerks in the companies exchange e-mails with remote suppliers, ordering goods via electronic catalogues and tracking those orders through the whole procurement cycle (Feng Li, 2006). The essential features of e-business are: Scholars generally view e-business and e-government as two phenomena that are quite similar in nature, yet occur independently to one another. Apparently, the two are generally studied separately, though using a common background concerning research methods. Research has also begun suggest that e-business and e-government are related, and therefore should to be studied together. These aspects become much more important and helpful during winds of economic change as they help in improving the economy of the country. As a matter of fact, partnerships between public and private entities have in many instances become key instruments in enabling the development of the region capable of sustaining the local economy by stimulating innovation and fostering greater efficiency within industry. They have also played instrumental roles in eliminating the various ills plaguing the region like the unemployment.Historically, it was in Chile that a real e-governance initiative was taken up in 1972 when IT services were unheard of in those days and were very limited in business. They used IT techniques not just to make paperless offices but also to perform government work efficiently. (Roland, 2003) It is a well-known fact that the advent of e-governance has helped in bridging the gap between the Governments and the public. In the developed nations wherein almost everyone has access to the Internet at very nominal rates, this has been declared a huge success. While certain privileged sections of the society get to avail e-governance and get closer to the government, the threat of the under-privileged, uneducated people distancing themselves from the government cannot be ruled out. However, the major challenge lies in implementing this in the underdeveloped and the developing areas where few people have access to the Internet and major portion of them do not know how to access the Internet. A possible solution for this problem, which can be conceived, is setting up of centers specifically for people to enable performing transactions with the Government with little or no effort. Trained people must be allowed to run these centers, under the supervision of the Government. (J.Sathy anarayana, 2004) Hence, we can sum up the properties of e-governance as follows Integrates the networks of all the government depts., thus, giving the user a platform

Reading Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Reading Reflection - Assignment Example Cultivating integrative thinking is possible when one views their problems as processes other than events, and problems as products. As a process, a situation makes it the responsibility of the learner to search for the problem without direct or indirect reference to the problem. Conversely, the product arising from the process of identifying the problem is also a problem because besides the presentation of the problem, raising crucial questions and identifying what is expected leads to a further problem to solve. Although dealing with life problems maybe outlined in simple and motivating steps, I understand that the intensity of one problem differs from that of another. Consequently, I would be wrong to say that I have an ideal way of dealing with all my problems. However, with the right questions for each problem, identifying the right approach is easier, even though it is labor intensive. I have come to understand that despite my student life being a high pressure and high stake situation, I have never had the right approach nor known the ultimate expectations of my academic writing. Actually, I have simplified by academic writing to fulfilling one of the instructor’s expectations. In some way, this approach has presented some pressure but, I have always performed just above average, and this is an indication that I missed some crucial steps. Average academic performance also implies that, my approach to the problem did not involve the hard work required to develop the complex idea in the problem. Consequently, I have failed to meet high achiever’s grades. In life situations, this would present me as a lesser competent person and could probably translate to less employability due to evident limitations in handling pressure. Regardless of the inappropriateness of the question, I have learnt that the beginning of any academic

Adaptation & Accountability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Adaptation & Accountability - Essay Example data, but as far as the number of healthcare organizations in private sector grows faster than that of public sector, they become the leaders of the technological revolution. ‘The new health care delivery organizations should save money by concentrating their purchasing power, enforcing strict cost controls, and implementing programs to standardize medical practices’. (Laubach, 1997) The Duke University Medical Center needed a modern database to track the free space information, as it includes three different hospitals and several laboratories, and thus having correct space information is the key element of the robust healthcare delivery. ‘We considered how we could reconcile our databases with that of Accounting’s System, which include supporting the indirect cost recovery studies, with the daily business of the Medical Center.’ (Graf, 1998) The absence of a good database in any healthcare organization might even indirectly lead to its closing, and much has already been said about it. Any organization needs the ability to adapt to the changing environment, as it is always influenced by the limited resources and increasing competition. (Laubach, 1997) Only a few organizations are able to develop a strong plan of adaptation through looking for opportunities of modernizing their techniques and making marketing strategies work effectively. Duke Medical System was mainly concentrated on the issue of information technologies, and at present time there is no argument, that information technologies play major role in any business activity. Duke Medical Center was able to provide the system of interactive planning, which implies, that the company’s activity is aimed at inner adaptation together with the adaptation to the external environment. This healthcare organization does not ground its activity on the intuition of its financial and administrative managers, which had lead many companies towards their closing. The present strategy of Duke is created

Alternative investments consistently provide higher returns as well as Essay

Alternative investments consistently provide higher returns as well as diversification benefits to client portfolios Discuss this statement highlighting the most common types of alternative investments - Essay Example e negatively influenced – no matter even the limitation in these products’ performance is high or low; the examination of the investors’ preferences under normal market conditions has led to the assumption that alpha returns is likely to be preferred as an investment tool instead of beta return. The nature and the performance of this investment product can be used in order to explain the increased interest of investors on alpha returns. However, under the influence of the current financial crisis, the attractiveness of alternatives and structured products has been reduced showing the strong dependency of investment decisions on the market conditions. In order to understand the increase in clients’ preferences on alpha returns it would be necessary to refer primarily to the characteristics of the specific investment; in accordance with Dorsey (2007, p.5) ‘alpha often is a virtual catchall for the return generated by an alternative investment that is not considered to be related to equity beta’. The above type of alternative investment seems to be preferred by investors – instead for the beta return; this differentiation on the investors’ preferences can be explained by analyzing the characteristics of the specific two investment products. The term beta return reflects ‘beta is the amount of return for a security or fund that is explained by its benchmark or component benchmarks’ (Dorsey, 2007, p.6); in other words, the main difference between the alpha and the beta return is that the former focuses on the factors influencing the performance of a specific investment while the latter r efers to the market prices in general. In this context, the alpha return is likely to be preferred by investors as it offers a clearer view on the potential performance of a particular investment; the identification of the price of the market to which an investment is related is of secondary importance for the investors of the particular market. From another point

Reflective Diary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reflective Diary - Essay Example Besides, it instilled a spirit of responsibility and team player as each worker was to be held accountable for the development of their respective areas. However, despite such success, Potteries Health Care has not been offering a conducive working environment for all the stakeholders. Despite their dedication to deliver their services to the clients, the employees have been crying foul of stringent policies which have been adopted by the top management. Even if they are meant to increase the chances of the company accomplishing its short and long-term goals, they have been criticized by a section of the labor force who has perceived them to be quite punitive and demoralizing to them. in fact, it might be the reason behind the high level of attrition of the employees (Gomez-Mejia et al 27). According to the latest company records, a high number of workers have left the company. During the past two years, a total of 25 employees voluntarily left the company. Moreover, there were 3 cases of redundancy; 3 dismissed employees while 5 were dismissed while still undergoing their probation. This implies that something must be amiss and henc e needs to be addressed. If everything was okay, no such number of workers would have ceased serving the company. Although they do not represent the total labor force, they might have been some of the most productive employees whose quitting might have paralyzed the company’s progress. For this reason, as a labor unionist, I would like to express my displeasure with the company’s top management. Although it has been in existence for quite a longer time now, the company must be condemned for not failing to safeguard the welfare of its workers. The change in management does not necessarily mean introducing new policies which are meant to promote the company’s progress without necessarily thinking about the concerns of the workers. Even though he was commended for good performance, the hiring of

Names are rigid designators so the description theory of names is Essay

Names are rigid designators so the description theory of names is wrong - Essay Example Some of the contributors to the development of this theory' is attributed to Kripke, Putnam and Wettstein. According to Kripke, proper names and definite descriptions are designators. That is, in every possible world they designate the same object. Kripke distinguishes the meaning of a designator and the way its reference is determined. Then he puts forth his causal theory of naming: initially, the reference of a name is fixed by some operation such as description then the name is passed from link to link. A name is not identified by a set of unique properties satisfied by the referent: the speaker may have erroneous beliefs about those properties or they may not be unique. The name is passed to the speaker by tradition from link to link. Kripke rejects the view that either proper or common nouns are associated with properties that serve to select what they are referring to. Both proper and common names have a referent. The property cannot determine the reference as the object might not have that property in all worlds. For example, gold might not be yellow in all worlds. Kripke's causal theory of names assumes that names are linked to their referents through a casual chain. A term applies directly to an object via a connection that was set in place by the initial naming of the object. A nonrigid designator is a term that changes its referent across possible worlds. The Nature of Names Consider, for example, a Biology class out on a field trip. Walking in the woods, the professor asks the students to identify the plants that they encounter. A student is asked to identify a plant. Seeing that the plant has thorns, has red flowers that are well known to be a symbol of love and lives in the wilderness, the student names the plant as a Wild Rose. Thus, the naming was based on descriptions that were learned and passed on to the student. Can we therefore say that naming, specifically proper names, are based on descriptions That is, is the Old Theory essentially correct In this paper we, argue that naming is not essentially descriptive but is actually an exercise of designating rigidly. Nevertheless, in this paper, we also argue that naming does have some degree of descriptive being. Naming Without Conceptualization In this philosophical argument, we find that there is a need to use real world examples to do away with the abstractions and complications that a discussion such as this would entail. The unifying string of this paper's argument is that a person could refer to an object by indicating its name without actually knowing the descriptions of the object that he doesn't have a concept of - no knowledge of any descriptions or whatsoever that may give the person naming an idea of the object/person being named. It would then follow that it is possible to name an object without substantial conceptualization. If it is possible to name objects without such conceptualization, then a theory of the meaning of names should not be secluded to such elements. Note that we use the word secluded. By conceptualization,

Comparison and Contrast (Point by Point) exactly four points Essay

Comparison and Contrast (Point by Point) exactly four points - Essay Example This paper will discuss how men and women shop for essentials, how they treat shopping as relaxation or socialization and what they consider important when buying things. Women have been dubbed as extravagant because of their role in the household. As the gender which was predominantly thought of as housekeepers and child caregivers, women went to the grocery store more often than men. They would think about everybody’s needs and they buy everything that the whole household needs (Brennan). This spares the men from going to the market or the mall. When men need to buy their own essentials, they would seldom think about the other members of the family so that they are often focused on one department when they go shopping, making them stay for a shorter period of time compared to women. On the contrary, women often shop their own needs including the needs of other loved ones so that they would need to go to the ladies’ department, children’s wears, men’s clothes as well as the groceries in just one shopping spree. This means that norms demanded women to shop more than men, buying almost everybody’s needs while men wou ld sometimes go shopping but not for everybody. Meanwhile, feminism and modernization brought changes not only in family arrangements but how men act as consumers as well. According to Todd Hale, senior vice president of the Nielsen Company, â€Å"men (are) facing higher unemployment than women (therefore) they are taking a more active role in household duties†. Nevertheless, statistics show that the spending of males in 2004 has not changed much in 2010 although there is a slight increase in the number of male consumers in dollar, supercenter, grocery and other products. This strengthens the point made earlier that the role of women as housekeepers makes shopping a part of their daily business and therefore they

Do-Not-Resuscitate in the Operating Room Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Do-Not-Resuscitate in the Operating Room - Essay Example Due to the patient’s sickness, confusion or dilemma, the person may not be in a position to make the decision as per their stand. However, the situation forces them to make the decision. In a case whereby an individual is totally unable to make a decision by themselves, there is involvement of a Surrogate decision maker ( Vetsch, 2002). In the absence of a written document, people close to the patient and familiar with his wishes may be used. The law recognizes a hierarchy of family relationships in determining which family member should be the official "spokesperson," though generally all close family members and significant others should be involved in the discussion and reach some consensus. The hierarchy includes a legal guardian, individuals given power of attorney for health decision making, spouse, handout children, guardians or adult siblings in agreement. The facts about the CNR order is that, it is necessarily important to be filled at this stage. It will show the will of the patient you take risk of the situation, and in case the whole operation process leaves the patient dead, there is no blame as to the cause of their death. The DNR also addresses family issues related to the patient, such as inheritance and next of kin. However, the whole process is approached with mixed emotions. The DNR in an operation room makes the whole operation scaring. Thoughts emerge concerning the limited chances of survival in the operation process. These decisions are mandatory and most of the patients fill these information, as a matter of fact just because that is required of them, but not as per their will. There is a gap in the information provided with the actual and normal situation. This is because the patient’s state of sickness may not allow them to make sound decisions. In the case of a surrogate decision maker, the involved may rarely make

Nine Planets Essay Example for Free

Nine Planets Essay A Multimedia Tour of the Solar System: one star, eight planets, and more| | This website is an overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of the planets, moons and other objects in our solar system. Each page has our text and NASAs images, some have sounds and movies, most provide references to additional related information. In association with our friends at Solar System Scope we now have an interactive tour of the solar system (takes a while to load and opens in a new window)All eight planets can be seen with a small telescope; or binoculars. And large observatories continue to provide much useful information. But the possibility of getting up close with interplanetary spacecraft has revolutionized planetary science. Very little of this site would have been possible without the space program. Nevertheless, theres a lot that you can see with very modest equipment or even with just your own eyes. Past generations of people found beauty and a sense of wonder contemplating the night sky. Todays scientific knowledge further enhances and deepens that experience. And you can share in it by simply going out in the evening and looking up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The IAU has changed the definition of planet so that Pluto no longer qualifies. There are now officially only eight planets in our solar system. Of course this change in terminology does not affect whats actually out there. In the end, its not very important how we classify the various objects in our solar system. What is important is to learn about their physical nature and their histories.

Poverty Porn Essay Example for Free

Poverty Porn Essay Fundraising is a noble and selfless deed. However, an ethical issue has risen concerning the process of raising funds for poverty-stricken communities. Often, visuals of the harsh lives people in poverty face are portrayed when raising funds. The exploitation of such visuals to increase donations or support a cause is known as poverty pornography (Collin, 2009). Poverty pornography is effective in raising funds but it is incorrect due to the unethical way it is carried out that degrades the poverty-stricken communities. Poverty pornography is widely used by charitable organisations because it is an effective method of collecting donations. Research has shown that negative stimuli which evoke emotion can easily capture an individual’s attention (Murphy, Hill, Ramponi, Calder Barnard, 2010). Images of children as well as those which bring about negative emotions also tend to generate more donations (Burt Strongman, 2005). Thus, the disturbing visuals of dying children and women as well as their harsh living conditions portrayed in poverty pornography is effective in grabbing attention and generating feelings of sympathy. These feelings are then converted into actions whereby donations are increased. Therefore, poverty pornography plays a role in helping poverty-stricken communities as it easily grabs people’s attention and encourages them to increase their donations. However, its method of exploiting visuals that degrade the poverty-stricken communities makes poverty pornography unethical. The exploitation of biased visuals depicts poverty-stricken communities in a negative manner. Common examples are severely malnourished African children staring at the camera, waiting to be â€Å"saved† (Osa, 2010). While it is true that there are malnourished children, there are healthier children too. However, poverty pornography is biased as it does not represent this side of poverty-stricken communities. Although taken for a good cause, a distorted image of them is painted (Opoku-Owusu, 2003). This is unethical as the partial representation degrades them, leaving the impression that they are helpless individuals, waiting for their lives to be taken away and unable to do anything. On the other hand, some charitable organisations try to incorporate positive images into their advertisements by showing the after-effects of our donations. For example, they may show visuals of happy, smiling children as a result of our aid. However, such images indirectly degrade the communities as it gives us the impression that without our assistance, they are unable to survive. In 2001, a poll conducted in United Kingdom discovered that 74% thought that â€Å"Developing countries depend on the money and knowledge of the West to progress† (Voluntary Service Overseas, 2002). From this, we can deduce that many have the perception that poverty-stricken communities are weak and vulnerable as they are highly dependent on our help. However, this may not be true because in reality, they are the most â€Å"strongest willed, most tenacious people one could hope to meet† (Cowdroy Evans, 2010). Thus, the misrepresentation creates a false impression that poverty-stricken communities are weak and cannot survive without our aid. This false impression may also create an environment of self-pity which may lead to self-fulfilling prophecies. The self-fulfilling prophecy, introduced by Merton (1948), refers to circumstances whereby an initial false claim later turns into reality. The exploitation of negative visuals pertaining to the lives of poverty-stricken communities has led to a stereotype that they are â€Å"uneducated, incapable of freeing themselves from poverty, lacking in competence, and miserable† (Clark, 2004). This stereotype may cause people to hold negative expectations on the poverty-stricken communities (Madon, Jussim, Eccles, 1997). Although these negative expectations may not be true initially, the poverty-stricken communities might adhere to them thus leading to a self-fulfilled prophecy. Therefore, the use of poverty pornography to assist them may backfire as incorrect claims can become true. Nevertheless, many organizations unremittingly use poverty pornography. Does this make poverty pornography a necessary evil? Poverty pornography is definitely not a necessary evil. It is unethical to degrade or stereotype the poverty-stricken communities, even if it is for a noble cause. Moreover, poverty pornography can instead contribute to the  poverty cycle as the negative assumptions about the poverty-stricken communities may become self-fulfilling prophecies. Thus, instead of eradicating poverty, it may worsen the conditions of poverty-stricken communities. However what other methods can we adopt to increase awareness on the needs of the poverty-stricken communities without degrading them? Instead of exploiting biased images that generate feelings of sympathy, programmes that create feelings of empathy and responsibility can be created. One such event is the inaugural 30 Hour Famine Camp in Singapore held by World Vision. In this camp, youths are given a feel of life in poverty by taking part in activities that simulates lives of children in poverty. The youths also make a stand to end global poverty by fasting for thirty hours. This camp generates empathy which encourages youths to not only donate but also to think of more ways to assist by allowing them to realise that they have the ability and responsibility to help end poverty. To portray full representation of their lives, some have embarked on projects like ‘Perspectives of Poverty’ which â€Å"expose[s] this bias [poverty pornography] and present people in a light of dignity† (McNiholl, n.d). Even though it may not help in raising funds, by presenting poverty-stricken in a better light, it balances off how degrading poverty pornography has been and slowly alters people’s perception on poverty-stricken communities. This can help remove stereotypes on them thus avoid self-fulfilling prophecies. Poverty pornography has proven to be effective. However, its unethical methods have undermined the usefulness of helping poverty-stricken communities. Instead of assisting, it strips them of their dignity, their ability to help themselves and contribute to the poverty cycle. Even though poverty pornography cannot be eradicated in the near future as it is widely used, the two methods presented above are examples of how we can slowly break away from poverty pornography. People in poverty are human beings too. Thus, in the process of assisting them, we must create a full representation of them and treat them as dignified human beings. To achieve this, poverty pornography must be eradicated. REFERENCES Burt, CDB. Strongman, K. Use Of Images In Charity Advertising: Improving Donations and Compliance Rates. International Journal of Organisational Behaviour, 8(8) 1, Retrieved from http://www.usq.edu.au/extrafiles/business/journals/HRMJournal/InternationalArticles/Volume%208/Burt%20Vol%208%20no%208.pdf Clark, D. J. (2004). The production of a contemporary famine image: The image economy, indigenous photographers and the case of Mekanic Philipos. Journal of International Development, 16, 693–704. DOI: 10.1002/jid.112 Collin, M. (2009). What is ‘poverty porn’ and why does it matter for development? Retrieved 16 July 2011 from Aid Thoughts website: http://aidthoughts.org/?p=69 Cowdroy, J. Evans, H. (2005), Poverty Pornography. Retrieved 16 July, 2011 from The Global Poverty Project website: http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/blog/view/238 Madon, S., Jussim, L., Eccles, J. (1997). In search of the powerful self-fulfilling prophecy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72(4), 791-809. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.72.4.791 Merton, R.K. (1948). The self-fulfilling prophecy. The Antioch Review, 8(2), 193-210. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Murphy, F. C., Hill, E. L., Ramponi, C. C., Calder, A. J., Barnard, P. J. (2010). Paying attention to emotional images with impact. Emotion, 10(5), 605-614. DOI: 10.1037/a0019681 Opoku-Owusu, S. A. S. (2003). What can the African diaspora do to challenge distorted media perceptions about Africa? London: AFFORD. Osa, E. (2010). The starving baby syndrome is hurting Africa’s image. New African, (501), 72-73. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Scale E. (2010), WaterAid UK And Poverty Porn. Retrieved 16 July, 2011 from The Global Poverty Project website http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/blogs/view/262 Voluntary Service Overseas, (2002). The Live Aid legacy: The developing world through British eyes – A research report. London, UK: Voluntary Service Overseas.

Analysis of the Demographics in Europe

Analysis of the Demographics in Europe The Demographic Sector in Europe This dissertation will present a historical overview of European population trends before examining in greater detail specific causes and effects of certain demographic changes. In particular, demographic changes which occurred in the UK between 1950 and 1990 and the economic consequences associated with reforms in Eastern Europe will be examined with a view to assessing the possible welfare implications. Environmental stress is increasing, due to both â€Å"unsustainable consumption and production patterns† (including high resource consumption in wealthy countries and among better-off groups in all countries) and demographic factors such as rapid population growth, population distribution and migration. 1.1 Historical Overview In a European context, the population was never more than 100,000. This represented a far lower carrying capacity than gorillas, as humans were carnivores (Emceed and Jones, 1978). Human population began to spread as the Ice Age started to retreat (25,000 10,000 B.C.). Migrations took place into the Ar tic Circle, across the Bering Straits, and also to Australia via Indonesian archipelago. The human population in 10,000 BC was probably double what it was in 100,000 BC (earliest appearance of homo sapiens) – standing at approximately 4 million. The increase had been achieved by increasing range and opening up new territories -not by new food technologies. Population density was thus traditionally low. This was to change with the switch from traditional food (hunter)gatherer to food production (Old Stone Age paleolithic 30,000 BC -to New Stone Age neolithic 6,000 BC) and as a consequence, population density increased from 0.1 km2 to 1 per km2. In the period from 1000BC 400 BC the world’s population doubled from10m to 20m. Greece’s population however, tripled to 3m. Greece’population growth meant that they were able to forge a new civilisation and become the dominant force. Malthusian claims that uncontrolled population growth can potentially lead to population decline as result of increased competition for resources, war, famine and poverty,were somewhat realized through the Asia Minor conquest and an eventual decline in the Greek population to approximately 2million by 1 AD. The population of Italy was the next major European country to experience major growth. By 300 BC the population of Italy numbered 4million people. By 1 AD this had risen to 7 million whilst the total European population was only 31 million. By 200 AD the Roman Empire had 46 million subjects including approximately 78% of this total in Europe. This peak declined to 26 million in total during the following400 years. This obviously leads to the question whether or not economic/ political / military development is a precursor to, or consequence of population development. In Greece the malthusian limits were reached which resulted in out-migration / foreign conquests. Consequently the population of Greece fell between 300 B.C. and A.D. 1, to 2 million .Population density also fell four-fold.   From the 8th century onwards there was a new increase in population,leading to a population level of approximately 36 million by 1000 A.D.,which compares to peak figures from the classical period. Population then continued to increase rapidly for nearly 300 years. By and large,increases were in the north and west, but there were also increases from the east (e.g. Portugal). The population in these regions were,however, relatively low to begin with. The continued population increase was brought to an abrupt halt in 1347 by bubonic plague -Black Death. Increases in mortality and reductions in nutrition had tremendous impact on the world’s population. Between a quarter and third of the population were to perish during this period. There was however, eventually a general recovery and by 1500 the world population was nearing 80 million, increasing to 100 million by 1600. Despite Religious wars, plague and economic upheaval which changed the political scene during the 17th Century, population rose to around 120million by 1700. Economic factors were vital in assuring continued population growth and were symbolized by better technology, sea route sand growing towns. The period 1750 – 1845 was marked by one of major growth.  During this period the population level rose from 140 million in 1750 to 250 million in 1845. Mortality changed definitively resulting in growth being assured unless and until fertility fell. The modernisation and urbanisation cycle had begun with famine and plague seemingly belonging to the past, although there was an extreme exception Ireland. Despite this, Europe’s population reached 450million by 1914. Population in the 20th Century was to be ravaged by both war (WWI and WWII) and mass emigration to the USA, Canada and Latin America. 2. Main demographic trends in the UK post WWII Between 1951 and 1981, the total population of the UK increased from50.4million to 55.9million. The total number of births rose steadily from c.800,000 in 1950 to a peak of over one million (1,015,000) in1964. This was the so-called â€Å"baby boom† of the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1964 the crude birth rate of the UK stood at an all time high of18.8 per 1000. In 1963 the oral contraceptive pill first became available to women, and in 1968 the Abortion Act legalised abortion in certain circumstances. The combination of these two factors, especially the former, initiated a down-turn in birth rate which continued for 13 years until 1977 when the number of live births was 657,000 to give ac rude birth rate of 11.8 per 1000. For two years, 1976 and 1977, the number of births was actually less than the number of deaths and the country briefly experienced a natural decrease of population .Subsequently, during the 1980s, the number of births rose to about700,000 per year to give a crude birth rate of about 13 per 1000. This slight up-turn in birth rate has been explained as a result of couples postponing the start of a family. Between 1965 and 1985 the average age of mothers having their first child increased from 21 to 27 years of age. Mortality in the UK since 1950 has been subject to far less fluctuation than fertility during the same period. The total number of deaths in the UK each year since 1950 has been between 600,000 and 700,000. Crude death rates during a period of 40 years have stubbornly remained within the range of 11 to 13 per 1000. This is significantly higher than the crude mortality rate of most other countries of North West Europe. The causes of death have shown little change over the period with diseases of the circulatory system and cancer firmly established as the main killing diseases and jointly accounting for over 70% of all deaths by the 1980s. The failure of the UK to reduce its mortality rate during the second half of the 20th century has been attributed to various factors; namely, declining standards of health care, the maintenance sofa large stock of obsolete slum housing, high unemployment rates and high levels of poverty and deprivation. In the late-1980s, infant mortality rates, probably the most sensitive indicator of the quality of the social and physical environment for human life, actually rose in many parts of the country. Detailed statistics for the numbers of migrants entering and leaving the UK only extend back as far as 1964. Comprehensive statistics for the numbers of immigrants and emigrants are not available for the period of the 1950s and early-1960s when large numbers of West Indian sand Asians entered the UK. Post-1964 statistics reveal considerable short-term fluctuations in the numbers of both immigrants and emigrants. However, with the exception of just one or two years, the net migration balance is a negative one; that is to say, in most years more people leave than enter the UK. Despite the popular myths about the flood of immigrants entering the UK, the reality is that the UK Lisa net â€Å"exporter† of population in most years. Since the early 1960s,the numbers entering the UK have been checked and reduced by succession of Immigration Acts (1962, 1968, 1972 etc) designed to make the conditions of entry more demanding and settlement in the UK more difficult. The long-term trend for immigration and emigration appear to be related to â€Å"push† factors in the source areas rather than â€Å"pull†factors in the destination area. Thus, peaks of immigration appear to be related to particular overseas events. For example, the expulsion of Asians from Uganda by President Am in in 1972 corresponds with a minor peak in the flow of immigrants into the UK. Conversely, the rising tide of unemployment in the UK during the early-1980s corresponds with as harp up-turn in the numbers leaving the country between 1981 and 1985. One of the most obvious demographic changes in post-war Britain has been its transformation into a multi-racial and multi-cultural society.rior to 1991, the UK Census did not include questions on race and ethnicity, so that it was impossible to obtain precise information about the size and distribution of minority groups. However,â€Å"place-of-birth† statistics derived from the census show that by 1981about six percent of the UK population was â€Å"overseas-born†. The total percentage of overseas-born population is not large, but it is very unevenly distributed. Racial and ethnic minorities tend to cluster in the inner city districts of particular towns and cities. Discrimination in the fields of housing and employment produced tensions and unrest which finally erupted in urban riots in 1981 and again in 1985. 3. Post-war political economy The year 1989 heralded a great change within Eastern Europe, as revolutions throughout the region swept away the communist governments,marking an end to conditions of political, economic and social repression. The major impetus in precipitating change was the desire for freedom on the part of the masses. Allied to this demand for social freedom was a general will for improved standards of living conditions,with the belief of the majority being that this could be achieved through the reorganisation of society along the lines of western-style free market economies. There was certainly a need for substantial economic reform within Eastern Europe in terms of â€Å"freeing up† the market economy and the need for some type of transformation strategy. However, a great deal of debate is concerned not with the actual need for transformation, but with the actual method of transformation. One can best define the argument in terms of the proponents of a gradualist approach to transformation. There are a number of economists who favour a radical approach to transformation, arguing the necessity for speed,comprehensiveness and simultaneity of change, who have been accused by other economists of stressing an over reliance on the market, and of failing to fully understand the nature of market economies. To explore the debate fully it is necessary for one to consider the claims of those economists that are in favour or the radical approach to transformation. â€Å"Both economic logic and the political situation argue for a rapid and comprehensive process of transformation† (Lipton and Sacs, 1990). This quote is from two of the main advocates of the radical approach. They emphasise the speed and comprehensiveness of change within Eastern Europe, believing that there should be a seamless web of transition.The first stage, they claim, should be achieving a macroeconomic stability: â€Å"structural reforms cannot be put in place without a working price system; a working price system cannot be put into place without ending excess demand and creating a convertible currency; and a credit squeeze and tight macroeconomic policy cannot be sustained unless prices are realistic, so that there is a rational basis for deciding which firms should be allowed to close.† Thus as crucial to their arguments for a comprehensive reform process is the need for real structural adjustment, and for this macroeconomic shock to be accompanied by a num ber of associated measures such as selling off state assets, freeing up the private sector, establishing procedures for bankruptcy, the preparation of a social security net and widespread tax reforms. Advocates of shock therapy transformation use a number of political reasons for their emphasis upon rapidity. Perhaps the most important of the political reasons is that the new governments would be best able to carry out strong measures at the outset of their office, and thus deny opponents the chance to subvert the process of change and retain some of the irrationalities of the old style regime. A further argument in favour of the shock therapy transformation is that there is a view of the market as being an institutional package, that it is an integrated and â€Å"organic† whole, the elements of which cannot be introduced one Bata time and in a gradual fashion. Thus certain economists have argued that the only way for the market system to function is if all of it score institutions are introduced simultaneously, with the core institutions being a legal infrastructure, private property, free markets and prices, competition, and macroeconomic policy instruments. However, the shock therapy approach to economic transformation has benignities by a number of economists. Although by common consensus is a definite necessity for change the shock therapy approach presents us with a number of difficulties. Perhaps the greatest problem concerns the nature of markets, for there is little knowledge of how tactually establish a market system. The situation in Eastern Europe is most certainly unique, for never before have there been attempts to establish a market economies from the wreckage of the communist system,since historically the development of free markets went hand in hand with the process of industrialisation. â€Å"Post – communist countries,however, do have a more or less developed industrial infrastructure,social services and political expectations to be governed in some sort of western democratic fashion. In short, our knowledge does not extend to the conditions under which Soviet type economies have to be reformed† (Pick el, 1 992). Andreas Pick el identified a number of criticisms of the shock therapy. The emphasis placed upon comprehensive change stresses the need for the creation of a â€Å"critical minimum mass of market institutions† necessary for the function of the market economy. Picketer that at best we have only sketchy knowledge of what thisâ€Å"critical minimum mass† is, and that claims as to the necessity for comprehensive change ignore the complex realities of the situation.Take for example, what Perry in his list of measures with respect to the creation of â€Å"free markets with free prices: there must be free entry into the market and free exit from it. This mans that there are no barriers to entering market transactions, that workers and manager scan be fired, and that unprofitable firms go bankrupt. There is not as ingle existing market economy that fulfils this requirement† (Pick el,1992). Therefore how can we hope to ascertain what is necessary for the wholesale importa tion of the market economy. The justification for speed on the part of the shock therapists owe sits origins to a conception of two clearly defined and opposite systems, those of socialism and capitalism. Speed is necessary in the transformation because plan and market institutions are said to be incompatible, that the new system will work badly or not at all as lon gas it contains too many elements of the old system. Pick el argues that this is merely another way of invoking the â€Å"critical mass† argument again. â€Å"Granted that the quick establishment of essential institutions crucial for the success of reforms, at which point is it possible to slow this down in order to reduce, for example, some of the social costs of transformation, or to consider alternative options† (Pick el,1992). As with the â€Å"critical mass† argument we have little way of determining how quickly or for how long should the process be continued with pace. The necessity for simultaneity, as emphasized by the proponents of the shock approach, is criticised by Pickle as revealing problems with the radicals’ conception of economics as â€Å"systems†. Pick el mentions’s statement that â€Å"the need for simultaneous action on the institutional front arises from the holistic nature of systems, their essentially integrated order†. Pick el then attacks this stance,claiming that the â€Å"market system† only exists in textbooks, that there are as many institutional configurations as there are actually existing market economies. Essentially, claims as to the necessary institution sand processes are somewhat speculative, for when one considers today’market economies one can see that there have been numerous stages of growth, development and mutation. Virtually none of the modern market economies have developed along the lines of simultaneous establishment of core institutions as prescribed by the shock therapist theorists,suggesting it is indeed possible for transition to the market to be accomplished in disjointed and incoherent ways. It is most certainly possible for one to claim that economists who emphasise the speed, immediacy, and comprehensiveness of reforms in Eastern Europe, both overestimate the properties of the market and misunderstand the nature of market economies. It is important for one to bear in mind that the major difficulty that exists in the attempts to undergo the radical transition process as prescribed by the shock therapists is that the â€Å"wholesale institutional transformation produces range of unintended consequences that will undermine the realisation of the original goal† (Pick el, 1992). To this end Pick el uses the example of East Germany in order to illustrate the â€Å"ideal empirical test case for the strengths and weaknesses of the radical strategy. Pick el begins by claiming that the two treaties between the FRG and the GDR, on monetary, economic and social union and on unification, created what proponents of the shock therapy deem essential – â€Å"the speedy creation of what are considered to be the essential practical and economic institutions and the rules of capitalist democracy† (Picked,1992). Pick el claims that the radical shock therapy approach in East Germany created a number of unforeseen consequences which possessed implications for the future development of the country. The first of these consequences was the collapse of the state sector, resulting in massive unemployment and serious problems in the existing private sector, something which is still affecting Germany’s economy. The second consequence was that the restitution of pre-communist property rights and titles, which produced hundreds of thousands of claims and created an uncertain atmosphere for investors. The third unforeseen consequence was that there was an uninterrupted migration of workers from east to west and the fourth was the so cio-psychological and political disembowelment of large sectors of the East German population, that is, the colonisation or creation of a de facto group of second class citizens. The argument here is that the radical strategy in Germany failed in crucial respects. Rather than create the conditions necessary for sustained economic development, the radical approach led to the occurrence of a number of unforeseen circumstances that led to the collapse of the East German economy, creating lasting structural damage. Pick el claims that since the radical shock theory approach was attempted under rather favourable conditions in East Germany it generates a significant amount of concern for other countries where the conditions are not so favourable. 4. Sustainable development Population growth and distribution have significant roles to play in the sustainability of the worlds vast resources. Not only the number of people, but also the lifestyle, consumption patterns, and regions people inhabit and use directly affect the environment. The relationship between population growth and environmental degradation may appear to be rather straightforward. More people demand more resources and generate more waste. Clearly one of the challenges of growing population is that the mere presence of so many people sharing limited number of resources strains the environment. But when looking at the impact of human activities, the situation is more complicated due to the wide variety of government policies, technologies, and consumption patterns worldwide. The link between population growth and the environment is found somewhere between the view that population growth is solely responsible for all environmental ills and the view that more people means the development of new technologies to overcome any environmental problems. Most environmentalists agree that population growth is only one of several interacting factors that place pressure on the environment.High levels of consumption and industrialization, inequality in wealth and land distribution, inappropriate government policies, poverty, and inefficient technologies all contribute to environmental decline. Infarct, population may not be a root cause in environmental decline, but rather just one factor among many that exacerbate or multiply the negative effects of other social, economic, and political factors. Bio diversity is a term applied to describe the complexity of life. It is generally measured at three levels: the variety of species; the genetic diversity found within members of the same species (what makes you different from your neighbour); and the diversity of the ecosystems within which species live. These three levels are intimately connected. Genetic diversity is essential to the prosperity of the species, giving it the resources to adapt. And the number of species within an ecosystem is closely tied to the health and size of the ecosystem://www.ourplanet.com/aaas/pages/bio01.html # (Rosen,1999). However it is defined, bio diversity is the stuff of life. However far we may be removed from wild bio diversity in our daily lives, it remains the source of our food and most of our medicines. In addition,15 percent of our energy is derived from burning plant materials. Evening the United States, wild species contribute around 4.5 percent of GDP(De Leo and Levin, 1997). Some of our uses are direct. Billions of people still harvest wild orbush food around the world. Between a fifth and a half of all food consumed by the poor in the developing world is gathered rather than cultivated, while at global level we obtain 16 percent of our animal protein from sea fish caught in the wild. The World Health Organization(WHO) estimates that more than 60 percent of the worlds population relies on traditional plant medicines for day-to-day primary healthcare ( Bali ck and Cox, 1996), and 3 000 plant species are used in birth control alone (My ers, 1979). The primary cause of this loss is not hunting or overexploitation,though these play a part, but loss of natural habitat. Habitat loss is generally greatest where population density is highest. A study nobodies data from 102 countries found that in the most densely populated 51 countries (averaging 168 people per square kilo meter), 5.1percent of bird species and 3.7 percent of plant species were threatened. In the 51 less densely populated countries (averaging 22people per square kilo meter), the proportions of threatened species were only half as high at 2.7 percent and 1.8 percent respectively(UNFPA, 1997). 5. Political and socioeconomic geography of Europe The Second World War was a catastrophe in terms of the huge loss of life and indeed by this very fact it can bee seen as an important watershed in the development of Europe. The economic and social development of Europe was severely dislocated and fractured .Industrialisation trends were re orientated to serve the demands of the war machine. Most areas of Europe by the close of the war were facing the same problem, that of reconstruction. The war created the conditions which were conducive for the progressive restructuring of social institutions. The experience of war seemed to demonstrate that central governments could control economic development and most European nations introduced some form of economic planning in the postwar period. The working classes began to have a representative with the emergence of legitimate parties participating in the political process. There was a shift in governmental policy to welfare state policies with post-war Europe recognizing the need to integrate the working classes into political life. There were several factors contributing to the restructuring of Europe and these are important when examining any increase in the welfare of Europe’s population since the Second World War. At the end of the war Europe was divided into the capitalist West and the communist East.This resulted in differential economic and social growth as well as obvious differences in political ideology. The capitalist West benefited from substantial America Aid under the Marshal Plan. Rapid industrial development was favoured in Europe to counter the perceived threat from the East, but also important was the fact that America emerged from the war with expanded industries which were also more efficient and therefore they needed trading partners and investment opportunities. The Soviet Union however, were not as fortunate and suffered heavily from the destruction inflicted upon its people,agriculture and industry, all of which needed to be recreated. The war provided for opportunities of peacetime recovery and prosperity. It had forced and even closer union of science and technology and in the new world it seemed that all problems could be solved through the development and application of new technologies .Damaged production could be replaced by new equipment, raising efficiency and stimulating capital goods industries. The war itself had provided the impetus behind scientific and technological development,which would prove to be the key behind future European development. The great hardships of the 1930’s encouraged the view that national governments had a responsibility to protect and enhance the quality of life through improved systems of social security, health care and education. And it was improvements in these areas of welfare that the population of Europe has, more or less, been a benefactor. Birth rate shave declined in most European countries, whilst in Northwest Europe it was close to, or even below, the replacement levels by the early 1980s.Marriage rates also declined following a relative peak after the war.The lowest levels are again in Northwest Europe, particularly Sweden,whilst Eastern Europe displays the highest inutility rates. The cause for declining birth rates is complex. Women’s rates have changed, there has been increased urbanisation leading to a reduced need for farm labour, increased opportunities for higher education, declining influence of the Church. Of great significance in explaining a decrease in birth rates, and itself an indicator of social welfare, is the infant mortality rate. Infant mortality has been significantly reduced since the second world war. In france in 1950, the infant mortality rate was 52 per 1000 deaths before the age of 1 year old. By 1970 this had been reduced to 18 per 100. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands all had the lowest rates whilst Romania, Portugal and Yugoslavia suffered from the highest rates of infant mortality. In Europe, life expectancy is at its highest levels in history, with the average life expectancy being 75 years for someone in Western Europe and 72 in Eastern Europe. Death rates have decreased in virtually every European country since the Second World War due to improvements in medicine and medical care, sanitation, health provisions and technology. Demographic changes led to increasing proportions of the young and old dominating population structures. The welfare state had to respond accordingly with more emphasis having to be placed upon areas such as housing, education, child support,retirement and pensions. With increasing prosperity after the war,Europeans standard of living significantly improved and this move toward modernity employed classical demographic features involved in the process of modernisation. Several Western European countries experienced decolonisation and reparation of their expatriates and natives of former colonial areas.In Algeria 600,000 people â€Å"returned† to France in 1962 following independence. The boom of the 1960s resulted in some countries needing to attract migrant labour. Indian, North Africans, Spanish, Portuguese,Italians, Yugoslavs, Greeks and Turks all poured into the Northern and Western urban and industrial centres of Europe. Migrant workers were more numerate in the Low countries and exceptionally high in Switzerland, where, in 1974, 37 per cent of the workforce were foreigners. In 1982 there were 4.2 million foreigners working in France every 10th worker in France was non-French. In Germany there were 4.6 million non-Germans, of which Turkish, Italian and Yugoslav workers were the most dominant. These immigrant workers constitute a form of sub-proletariat, taking the jobs natives did’t want to do. They were(and are) often badly tre ated and denied political rights. They usually find themselves in ghettos, and in times of economic downturn find themselves the targets of racial abuse. Urbanisation was a major feature of postwar European society and was in essence a continuation of a nineteenth century trend. By 1975 most Europeans lived in cities – one-third of the Greek population lived in Athens. City growth was primarily the result of rural to urban migration, with such incentives as higher wages, better housing,attractive employment, educational opportunities and more access to recreation and entertainment. Urbanisation, particularly if it is coupled with high levels of immigrants can soon lead to overcrowded housing and poor sanitation. With huge increases in car ownership and the amount of automobiles on the road together with the location of industries in, or on the periphery of, cities, some major urban and industrial centres of Europe have become unpleasant areas in which to live. The subsidised housing which were created for the working classes under the social security provisions of the welfare state were often poor quality and consisted of high-rise buildings located in peripheral areas of the city. The HLM in France and estates on the north-side of Dublin, such as the Allah and Bally are examples of this type of housing. It is evident in such areas that the great disparities in income or certain social disadvantages were not dealt with despite some improvements in health-care, family allowances, education and other social services. Severe social problems face  people caught in the poverty cycle in these areas and, consequently, with such levels of despair, the rates for drug abuse, crime and deviancy are relatively high. The decline of the agricultural sector of the economy and the loss of farm populations was another major feature of post-war Europe. This transition was to be expected as the workforce moved toward an industrially-based economy and later increasingly dominated by the tertiary sector. In 1950 80 per cent of the workforce in Bulgaria was engaged in agriculture. By 1980 this figure had declined to 20 percent. This trend can be seen in several other countries, for example46% of the population in Eire were engaged in agriculture in 1949 but had reduced to 20% of the population by 1979. Spain exhibited a similar trend with 52% of the population engaged in agriculture in 1940 but by1979 this had been reduced to 20% of the population. This trend had the greatest impact on peripheral European countries industrialising after the Second World War. Technological innovations had made agriculture more intensive and mechanised. This initiated mass migration to urban areas, and also was to result in increasin

Detecting Wireless LAN MAC Address Spoofing Essay -- Technology Techno

Detecting Wireless LAN MAC Address Spoofing Abstract An attacker wishing to disrupt a wireless network has a wide arsenal available to them. Many of these tools rely on using a faked MAC address, masquerading as an authorized wireless access point or as an authorized client. Using these tools, an attacker can launch denial of service attacks, bypass access control mechanisms, or falsely advertise services to wireless clients. This presents unique opportunities for attacks against wireless networks that are difficult to detect, since the attacker can present himself as an authorized client by using an altered MAC address. As nearly all wireless NICs permit changing their MAC address to an arbitrary value – through vendor-supplied drivers, open-source drivers or various application programming frameworks – it is trivial for an attacker to wreak havoc on a target wireless LAN. This paper describes some of the techniques attackers utilize to disrupt wireless networks through MAC address spoofing, demonstrated with captured traffic that was generated by the AirJack, FakeAP and Wellenreiter tools. Through the analysis of these traces, the author identifies techniques that can be employed to detect applications that are using spoofed MAC addresses. With this information, wireless equipment manufacturers could implement anomaly-based intrusion detection systems capable of identifying MAC address spoofing to alert administrators of attacks against their networks. Introduction MAC addresses have long been used as the singularly unique layer 2 network identifier in LANs. Through controlled, organizationally unique identifiers (OUI) allocated to hardware manufacturers, MAC addresses are globally unique ... ... Network administrators and intrusion analysts need to be aware of the risks associated with 802.11 network deployment, and the techniques that can be used to identify malicious client activity. Works Cited AirJack. â€Å"Advanced 802.11 Attack Tools.† URL: http://802.11ninja.net/ (12 Nov 2002). FakeAP. â€Å"Black Alchemy Weapons Lab.† URL: http://www.blackalchemy.to/project/fakeap/ (19 Dec 2002). IEEE. â€Å"IEEE OUI and Company_id Assignments.† URL: http://standards.ieee.org/regauth/oui/oui.txt (13 Nov 2002). Malinen, Jouni. â€Å"Host AP driver for Intersil Prism2/2.5/3.† File: README.prism2, URL: http://hostap.epitest.fi/ (13 Nov 2002). Schiffman, Mike. â€Å"Radiate 802.11b frame handling.† URL: http://www.packetfactory.net/projects/radiate/ (13 Nov 2002). Wellenreiter. â€Å"Wireless LAN Discovery and Auditing Tool† URL: http://www.remote-exploit.org/ (19 Dec 2002).

The Ethics of Microsoft Taking on End User in China :: Piracy Technology Software Essays

The Ethics of Microsoft Taking on End User in China Background ( Microsoft vs Beijing Yadu Science and Technology Group.) The case of Microsoft Corporation ( China), Ltd. V. Beijing Yadu Science and Technology Group is considered a landmark court case in which the Beijing First Intermediate People’s Court (BFIPC) handed down its decision on Microsoft’s complaint against Beijing Yadu Science and Technology Group. The company Yadu was found to be in possession of a dozens of pirated copies of Microsoft products installed in its computer computers. 1 The case was eventually dismissed in December 17, 1999 not because it did not have merit, but rather on the technicality that Microsoft misidentified the defendant in its allegation. 1 Even though the case was dismissed on technicality, it sparked much debate among the Chinese legal community about the ambiguity within the existing law in China with regard to this matter. More significantly, it created an even more hotly debated issue about the ethics of software infringement. Introduction Software piracy in the year 2002 was estimated to have cost U.S. software companies world wide an estimated 9.2 billion dollars as a result of revenue loss. Of all the hundreds of countries world wide, China is by far the biggest contributor to this revenue loss at an estimated figure of 1.85 billion dollars. 2 Thus not surprisingly, law suits over the issue of software infringement is so prevalent in China today. In December of 1999, Microsoft, the world’s largest and most dominant software company set a new legal precedence in China in the landmark case of Microsoft Corporation ( China), Ltd. V. Beijing Yadu Science and Technology Group. The law suit caused an uproar among numerous Chinese consumers because for the first time in China, â€Å"a major foreign software manufacturer went directly after an end user for copyright infringement in China† instead of just the people who manufactures and sells the counterfeit software. 3 At first glance, it is easy for many Americans in the United States to simply say this case is nothing more than a matter of right and wrong, black and white. The obvious argument would seem to be that if you use something without paying for it, then it constitute stealing. Without a doubt, stealing is universally regarded as wrong in every country and in every culture. However, in a case such as this, we are not dealing straight forward laws.

Deviance Essay -- Psychology Deviant Behavior Essays

Deviance Whatever the term deviance creates , in general it is popularly assumed that 'deviants' are individuals who are somehow less capable, less socially responsible, less adjusted, and consequently less useful to society than their more fortunate, upright and 'normal' fellows ( Social Deviance in Australia, p 4). In the case of Aboriginal drinking, alcohol is the main source of criminalisation and incarceration. This public labelling gives the individual an entirely new status- one which tends to dominate the person's self conception. Once this assumes a 'master status' it becomes the major reference for personal identity and relegates all to other 'normal' characteristics to a subsidiary status. This process insures that characteristics such as sexual preference, comes to intrude upon and influence almost their entire existence. Once identified publicly, (homosexuals), the person is treated differently and expected to behave differently (Study guide p18). The creation of deviance accordi ng to Merton is seen as the responsibility of society ( or the law abiding and respectable members of society) and of the official agents of social control ( police, magistrates, social workers, teachers, judges, doctors and psychiatrists) ( Social Deviance in Australia p 5). Merton draws attention to the causal significance of social, economic and cultural factors of all kinds in pushing or pulling certain types of individuals into courses of action which involved rule breaking. Interactionists', however, like Becker are primarily concerned with the role social control plays in the social production of deviance, which may take two main forms- rule making and rule enforcing. As Becker (1963:9) writes: 'social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitute deviance... and by applying these rules to particular people and labelling them outsiders. While Quinney states that crime is created. He refers to the social definition of deviance, to the fact that the sys tem of government we have created for ourselves was and is constructed by those who have titled authority and power. Control is exerted through a variety of institutions run by and for the elite (Mass media, education, religion). It is those who are in power who define what is seen as deviant behaviour. Robert Merton strongly believes that the problem of deviants is created by a soc... ...tter how hard they work, they cannot achieve the desired levels of wealth which they have been taught to aspire to, deviant behaviour may result. Howard Becker's approach to the labelling of deviance, outlined in Outsiders views deviance as the creation of social groups and not the quality of some act or behaviour ( Howard Becker website). According to Becker, researching the act of the individual is irrelevant as deviance is simply rule breaking behaviour that is labelled deviant by those in a position of power. Richard Quinney concentrates more on the development of a capitalist economy in the creation of deviants. He views the introduction of capitalism as condition where struggle is a natural component. In the book " Class, State, and Crime", Quinney states that deviance is a product of the condition of the social structure (p107) (Richard Quinney website). He believes that that the state maintains the capitalist order through the creation of laws. The state exists to serve t he interests of the capitalist working class. The criminal law is merely an instrument of that class to perpetuate the current social and economic order and is used to repress those who are less powerful.

Memoirs of a geisha by arthur golden

The geishas of Japan have long held a mystery that has inspired a lot of stories about who they were and how they lived their lives. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden captures this fascinating and mysterious world in a story that contrasts the rich tradition of the geishas and the changes brought about by the World War II in Kyoto. This is the story of Chiyo, with her sister Saysu who are both sold to a stranger by their own father because they have to earn a living due to extreme poverty of their family.At the young age of nine, Chiyo has a beauty that makes her right to be a part of the geisha homes. However, her sister. Saysu, is not fortunate enough, as she does not possess beauty like her sister. Saysu is then forced into prostitution and the sisters are separated by these circumstances. Chiyo however metamorphoses into a beauty and is later known as Sayuri. Because she is the fairest among all the geisha’s in their home, she   eventually earns the wrath of the other geishas who came before her including the equally lovely Hatsumomo. Sayuri is almost destroyed by her rival Hatsumomo who envies her incessantly. If it were not for the intervention of the celebrated geisha Mameha, who coaches Sayuri about the chores and duties of a geisha, it would have been Sayuri’s end. Yet destiny prevails and Sayuri turns out to be a good pupil who learns to love what she has been taught.Author Arthur Golden succeeds in portraying the inner life of a geisha as he weaves the story in an enticing and engrossing way such that viewers find that their intricate kimonos are really not that easy to get into. Equally intricate is the way the story develops with the life of Sayuri as its focus. Golden recreates the scenes with such subtlety, sensuality and mastery of what the geisha world is all about. These glory days of Kyoto's Gion pleasure district is recaptured well in the story.The beauty and historical value of pre-war Japan is also seen here and which ad ds drama and color to the already colorful life of geishas. The book reminds me of the developmental theories which we learned in class. For instance, Bandura’s cognitive emphasis comes to mind as I view the scenes where Sayuri learns the art of being a gracious hostess. She is able to do it because she observed Hatsumomo many times over flipping the fans, turning and bowing to the clients with such excellent perfection. She is able to execute the movements excellently because of the observational learning which comes from observing the behavior of other people. Observational learning cannot occur unless cognitive processes are at work.In the story, the character Chiyo, who later transforms into Sayuri, was a keen observer all along. From the way the people nodded, she knew that there were some people who were plotting evil against her. She observed everything, even her benefactor, who transforms her life and whose actions does not escape the glances that were meant not only to look at the surface level, but to really look and find the nuances which she may uses.This art of observing has been perfected well by Sayuri and this is what removes her from the bind of the tradition and ennui. Observational learning is stressed in this cognitive social learning because this active, cognitive form of learning also permits individuals to be able to quickly assimilate thousands of new responses in a variety of settings. This is where their models are simply pursuing their own interests and are not trying to teach them anything. In the story, Sayuri continually learns both desirable and undesirable responses by keeping her eyes open. Moreover, in the story, we find that human development proceeds so very rapidly along so many different paths.I am also able to correlate the learning insights that there is a broad world view of how one should situate the context of the story. Another broad world view, the contextual model has recently emerged as the perspective that many developmentalists favor (Lerner, 1996). The contextual model views development as the product of a dynamic interplay between person and environment.People are assumed to be active in the developmental process (as in the organismic model) and the environment is active as well (as in the mechanistic model). Development may have both universal aspects and aspects peculiar to certain cultures, times or individuals. The potential exists for both qualitative and quantitative change, and development may proceed along many different paths depending on the intricate interplay between internal forces (nature) and external forces (environment).Since the story dates back to the height of the geishas and the rich culture of Japan, I am reminded again of the cross-cultural comparisons which one can apply as one reads the story. For instance, the story has given me a broad understanding of several Japanese students in the school. Some of them have been acquaintances and I now understand the particular culture that they come from. This provided me with some new ideas on the factors that may impact on the developmental process. It has given me new insights on the link between culture and development.Developmentalists are often hesitant  Ã‚   to publish a new findings or conclusions until they have finally observed and studied quite a number of people so that they can conclude that their results are reliable. However, their conclusions are more often based on participants living at one point in time within one particular culture or subculture. It would then be difficult to know if these conclusions apply to future generations or even to the young people currently growing up in other societies or subcultures (Lerner, 1996).Today, the generalizability of findings across samples and settings has become an important issue, for many theorists have implied that there are â€Å"universals† in human development—events and outcomes that all children share as they p rogress from infancy to adulthood. Thus, the cross-cultural guards against the overgeneralization of research findings.In sum, one must become a knowledgeable reader in order to get the most of what the field of human development has to offer, so that one’s views of the world from books, stories and one’s experiences become integrated in a coherent whole that explains why and how one acts and behaves the way he does. The story could have ended with the characters dismissing it as one of those geisha stories, but author Arthur Golden ends with bravura because the story recaptures the glorious days of the geisha and the values that provide the redeeming factor in an engrossing story of traditional Japan.It is interesting to note that Sayuri is able to blend well to the new environment where she is thrusted into because of her innate flexibility and strength of character from where she gets the power to rejuvenate. She is able to observe that she must obey and observe wha t her associates do, so that she can relate them in her own world as a geisha. She does not resent anything because she is made to do this work, but she negotiates her way around and emerges triumphant in the end where she â€Å"feels as a bird must feel when it has flown across the ocean and comes upon a creature that knows its nest.† (Starr).REFERENCESLerner, R.M. (1996). Relative plasticity, integration, temporality and diversity in humandevelopment: A developmental, contextual perspective about theory, process andmethod. Developmental Psychology. 32. pp. 781-786.Starr. K. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. Nabou.com. Retrieved Aug. 4, 2007 at:http://bookreviews.nabou.com/reviews/memoirs_of_a_geisha2.html

Film Study of the Blind Side

The unsighted Side was g r issueine on the life of Michael Oher a juvenile African American boy whose induce was battling drug and alcohol addictions, in the projects of Memphis Tennes take up. mike as he is fill out in the picture was in foster precaution s ever soal times and al elans ran outside to his M separate, envisageing that no one could ever love him the way his M separate could, regular with her ongoing addiction. mike often slept at his fathers friends home, yet thus far he could not give mike the support that he desired. He would wash his clothes in the sink at the local bear outwash mat, and often had to steal food from the local gas station just to survive.When his to a bang-uper extent e realplace c begiver whose couch Michael slept on all dark alsok his own son to a private Christian school to soften and check him scholarship to play basketball, the check of the basketball and football game game team power sawing machine Michael playing and offered to try to get him a scholarship as well. Much to the get chain reactor of the board Coach Cotton was up to(p) to convince them to accept Mike on scholarship. In his runner few weeks of attention at Wingate Christian School Mike walked and took the bus too and from school, until Thanksgiving night a family impetuous home from a school play saw Mike travel home in the come down with no coat.This would be a major turning point for Michaels touch sensationings of never be cherished or loved. The Tuohys an swiftness class white family saw Michael walking and Leigh Ann demanded that her husband Sean pull the car oer so she could go and talk to him. everyplace the succeeding(a) several weeks the Tuohy family offered Mike a place to sleep, new and clean clothes, and a family that c bed for him the way a family should. The Tuohys had 2 other children S. J an adolescent boy with a love of football and Lily also know as Collins.When friends of the Tuohys found out t hat Michael was life-time with them they were so closed-minded that they said they were unhinged astir(predicate) Collins well being and safety. Leigh Anne then(prenominal) unavoidablenessed Michael to become a permanent member of their family and obtained legal concern of Michael. It wasnt until then that she learned of Michaels poor grades and family perspective. As they got to know Michael more and more they saw his potential and helped him consecrate the football team, S. J was a primordial role, teaching Michael the ins and outs of e precisething football.In his senior year Michaels immensity attracted the likeness of several assorted college football teams who wanted to offer Michael full football scholarships. They then realized that Michael had to get his grade point average up in order to be able to attend college. The Tuohys then hired a private tutor look a crosswalk. action who sh atomic number 18d a love for Ole drop football just as big tenderheartednes sed as their own. Miss. Sue helped Michael realize that he had potential for being great. During the courting amidst football teams, Michael had decided that he wanted to play for Ole Miss just as his adopted father had.Michael would graduate and then become involved with the NCAA investigation, where the NCAA would question his logical thinking to attend Ole Miss because of donations that were given by the Tuohys over the years. In the end Michael and Miss Sue would both be tending Ole Miss, Miss. Sue as his own own(prenominal) tutor. Michael Oher would then go on to be drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the draft. The film The Blind Side was both based on a unbent story, and also a book that was create verbally by Michael Lewis in 2006. The picture certify was released in 2009 and quickly became a hit and an frenzy to foster children around the country.According to Michael Oher, the icon was not completely as it happened, for example S. J didnt engage to teach him the ins and outs of football, he knew everything close to football before he came to live with the Tuohys. But for the most disassociate the movie was correct over all. In one dead reckoning Leigh Anne was having lunch with her friends at a high-end restaurant, her friends questioned her reasoning for taking Michael in with racial undertones, and inappropriate comments. I adjudge personally been to the Deep South and the middle west seems to fit this role better, snooty over privileged white women with a hitch on their shoulder.I feel as if this survey would have been more historically accurate 20 years ago, unless in that location are racially insensitive mass all over, some just underwrite their insensitiveness better than others. Another conniption was where in Michaels first football game, the referees still threw pin tumblers on plays that he made, when in that respect was no reason for a flag to be thrown and twisted. This I feel is very accurate h istorically, football and the South are hand in hand, and anything out of the banausic or anything that threatens a team de severalise not go overlooked by anyone.The referees most likely felt that Michael had an advantage over the other players just because he was African American, not knowing that a few weeks prior Michael couldnt even tackle another player, and still had to think that the person he was to tackle was a threat to his family. After reading contrary analyzes from this film, Ive chosen cardinal different reviews one from the Washington digest and the other from Variety. Each review gives the movie at least 3 out of 4 stars moreover for different reasons. Firstly the WashingtonPost. om, they gave the movie 3 out of 4 starts, only open the review with a very negative view of the advertisements for the movie at that places been something off-putting about the ad campaign for The Blind Side, a drama about a white woman who adopts an African American high school student, from trailers trafficking in to the highest degree every troubling African American stereotype in movies (from the Magical black to the surly low-level bureaucrat), to posters featuring the patronizing icon of Sandra Bullock gently leading her looming, gamy giant of a son down a football field. The Washington Post feels that The Blind Side does a well job of depicting Ohers good fortunes and the Tuohys qualification to cross-racial boundaries in the Deep South. The next review from Variety. com only saw the good aspects of the movie and gave it 4 out of 4 stars. Its troublesome to imagine anything that could long impede or contain the force of nature that is Leigh Anne Tuohy, the thin-skinned Memphis belle played by Bullock with tally measures of acerbic sass, steel-willed brass and unabashed sentiment.Bullock is well convincing in the role estimable down to her credible accent and the blonding of her usually brown tresses and shes not afraid to now and again keep auds guessing as to whether Leigh Anns actions are driven by a heart of gold or a pulse of iron. Variety sees Leigh Anne as a agreeable foster/adoptive mother, who despite her affectionate status and her seemingly tough outside(prenominal) finds it in her heart to take Michael in and accept him as one of her own.The only negative comment they have about this film is that it seems as if cipher could ever go wrong until the final part of the movie, I suppose they saw this as being ignorely overly plausive in a world change with pessimists. This film is a ideal cream as it relates so much to this class, not only does it cover racism except also it hand overs that those boundaries can be thrown out completely. A white speed class family who takes in an African American boy seems like something that would be lawful out of a book to cross such a deep shed line took courage and determination on the part of the Tuohy family.They were proud of what they did and who Mich ael was/is as a person and didnt choose to see him as a color but as a teenage boy who engageed help, their help. If ever in that respect was a story of over approach shot ones desk discharge this is it. This movie is a great way to show children that bulk are people no matter the color of their skin, and that everyone should have a family who armorial bearings for them no matter what. This would actually be a great arm to have in the textbook about transcending racial barriers, and over coming stereotypes, and its a true story to top it off.Both my married woman and I watched this movie and on several occasions we both welled up, its one of those movies that just make you feel good, and make you want to do good. There were several scenes that made this movie great and choosing just a couple of them has interpreted careful deliberation on my part. The first scene that rightfully hit me the hardest was when huge Mike was walking down a dark raining street and the Tuohys wer e driving home from the play on Thanksgiving, they saw him without a coat walking in the cold.Leigh Anne told her husband to stop the car and she got out to ask him where he was going and if he had a place to stay, after figure out that he was homeless she told him to get in the car and that he was coming with them. I know there are some many kids out there whose parents simply dont care about them and they have to raise themselves, but seeing it and knowing it are two different things. I can candidly say that if I was in this situation I would have done the same thing and I know that my wife would make sure I did.The next scene is at the end of the movie when they brought Michael to Ole Miss to start his first semester of college, Leigh Anne was too strong to ask Michael for a hug, and she didnt want him to see her cry so she gave him a nod and a slight side hug and told everyone to say their goodbyes and she walked back to their car, Michael then looked at Sean and asked him wh at was the matter, he replied Shes like an onion you have to whorl back her layers slowly.Hearing this Michael then walked over to the car and said to her Momma, I need a proper hug. . This is the one scene that got me to well up, I know how it feels to want to show a softer side but not have the courage to show it. I face this on a daily basis with my two sons, so to see someone being so exposed and vulnerable was a perfect way to end this movie. I really do think that this movie is a perfect learning tool for children to show them that color is just something your eyes see, it has nothing to do with whats on the inside.