Effects of Global Warming on Human Health

The world has witnessed significant changes in climatic trends that have resulted in overwhelming impacts. Global warming is one of the most serious impacts brought about by climate change. It is caused by the continued increase in the earth’s average temperatures particularly the air near its surface as well as those of the oceans (Archer, 2009 p.1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Global Warming on Human Health specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The genesis of this phenomenon can be traced to the 1950’s with significant increases over the years. Climatologists have indicated that global warming is attributed greatly to the ever increasing levels of greenhouse gases which are emitted into the atmosphere during the day to day human activities. The burning of fossil fuel as well as deforestation has been singled out as among the major activities that result in the increase of greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere (McMichael, 2003 p.8). Absence of vegetation and the burning of fossil fuel lead to increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide which in turn contributes to global warming. The increasing global temperatures cause the level of water in the seas to rise due to the melting of sea ice and glaciers. This interferes with the pattern of precipitation. Moreover, greenhouse effect is experienced when the temperatures of the atmosphere and air near the earth’s surface increase as a result of absorption and emission of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases (McKinney Schoch, 2003 p.430). Some of the commonly known greenhouse gases include the carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane and the ozone. Global warming has numerous effects ranging from the effects on the physical, ecological to social or economic dimensions. This essay discusses the various effects of climate change on the health of human beings. Human health is affected by global warming bot h directly and indirectly. While there are some benefits associated with global warming, the continued increase in the average global temperature has proved that negative consequences will increase while the advantages decrease significantly (Archer, 2009 p. 10). People are at risk of being exposed to the negative consequences of global warming due to the change in the weather patterns. Increasing temperatures has direct influence on the physical environment as well as the human body. Change in precipitation pattern can cause increased rainfall, windstorms or drought in some areas. The rise in sea levels can cause floods and other extreme catastrophes. Furthermore, human health is affected indirectly by the changes in the quality of food consumed, air and water.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The impacts of climate change extend also to dramatic changes in agricultural pr oduction, settlement patterns and ecosystem in general (Dincer, Hepbasil Midilli, 2009 p.424). These changes are responsible in affecting the human health either directly or indirectly. Some of the major effects of global warming on human health include; malnutrition, extreme catastrophes and spread of infectious diseases (Tennesen, 2004 p.44). It has been established by health scientists that global warming is causing over 150,000 deaths and more than 5 million diseases every year (Archer, 2009 p.12). They also indicated that estimates could double by 2030.The changes in climate patterns result in inadequate food supply. Drought, for instance, causes destruction of food crops leading to hunger among people and general food insecurity. The diet of that food that may be available is totally imbalanced contributing to malnutrition due to lack of essential nutrients. Health researchers have linked incidences of morbidity and mortality rates to climate change and that the impacts are f elt very differently in various parts of world (Dincer et al., 2009 p.431). Cases of malnutrition have been found to be high among people in low income countries who are already overwhelmed by the burden of diseases and higher death rates associated to increasing temperatures. Developed countries, on the other hand, are responsible for the continued climatic changes though they are yet to feel the real effects of global warming. The spread of infectious diseases has been significantly associated with climate change. Changes in climate have resulted in different patterns of breeding and migration/distribution of disease vectors such as malarial mosquitoes and birds’ species capable of being carriers of human pathogens (Brown, 2002 p.51). The different bird species can also be carriers of vectors of other infectious agents. Studies have shown that there is strong relationship between the intensity of transmission and pattern of occurrence of malaria and the climatic pattern in the sub-Saharan Africa. The risk of malaria infection, especially in Africa is due to the expansion of areas conducive for Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Health scientists, however, are still trying to establish if there is clear connection between climate change and malaria infection. Dengue, the world’s most significant vector-borne viral disease presents a risk to many people due to continued climate change (Archer, 2009 p.14). The species of vectors responsible for the transmission of dengue fever have been projected to increase with global warming, particularly in most parts of Australia.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Global Warming on Human Health specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Use of contaminated drinking water is responsible for increased cases of diarrhea. Global warming has also been associated with increasing incidences of diarrheal diseases. In developing countries, mortality am ong children resulting from diarrhea has been on alarmingly high levels, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. In South America, cases of diarrhea among adults as well as children have been associated with increasing temperatures. During rainy seasons, enteric pathogens have been found to be highly transmitted (Brown, 2002 p.58). Global warming is also characterized by the UV radiation which can impact negatively on human immune system (McMichael, 2003 p.35). Failure of the immune system facilitates the spread of infectious diseases due lack of sufficient protection. It can also result in skin cancer and cause cataracts which impairs vision. Extreme weather events linked to global warming have presented another great risk to human health and survival. Significantly high numbers of deaths and illnesses have been recorded due to such catastrophes as floods, heat waves, wild fires, droughts, and storms. Unpredictable flooding with far reaching damaging potential has been witnessed in som e parts of the world, especially in America and Asia. Floods can destroy infrastructure and cause the displacement of thousands or millions of people (Tennesen, 2004 p.49). Over the last twenty years, many people and property have been lost to large-scale floods and storms. Some of the survivors of such weather disasters have later on succumbed to water-borne diseases. Some studies have shown that the rate of domestic violence against women increases with each natural disaster. Furthermore, higher incidences of post-traumatic stress disorder occur among women. Tropical cyclones and floods have caused numerous deaths and other health impacts in Latin America and South Asia. Health problems associated with floods and other weather disasters are heavily felt in densely populated and low-lying coastal regions of the world. Global warming has also resulted in hotter days, hot nights as well as heat waves which are closely linked to the period increases in mortality rates (Archer, 2009 p. 106). Heat waves are mostly experienced in the United States and Europe and have always resulted in excess mortality of up to 35,000 deaths annually in Europe alone. In the United States, records indicate that more annual deaths are caused by heat waves which are more than those by tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes combined. If the trend of global warming over the past 12 years continues, heat waves will result in increased cases of heat stroke as well as other heat-related deaths. Apart from causing deaths from hunger, malnutrition, and speeding the spread of infectious diseases, drought due to global warming causes the increase in respiratory diseases. Semi-arid and Sub-Saharan regions of Africa have been known to be prone to meningococcal meningitis. As the global temperatures increases, the level of air pollution increases accordingly. This aerial pollution has caused a significant increase in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, which include asthma and cardiac disarrythmia (Tennesen, 2004 p.52). Ground-level ozone is expected to increase in some cities of the United States as climate change continues to occur.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The ever rising global heat levels is usually the cause of wildfires which destroy homes, kill people and their livelihoods as well as air pollution(McMichael, 2003 p.165). Wildfires have been known to occur mainly in drought stricken areas. In the United States, people in states like California which may experience prolonged summer periods are likely to be displaced due to the risk of wildfires. The essay has explored the various effects of global warming on human health. It is evident that climate change has numerous impacts on human existence which can either be direct or indirect. Some of the effects identified include; drought, floods, wildfires, heat waves, and resultant effects such as infectious diseases like malaria and dengue, diarrhea, malnutrition, post-traumatic stress disorders, immune failure, and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Weather disasters have also been known to cause instant deaths. Environmental scientists have established that these consequences wi ll continue to increase as long as the various human activities contributing to climate change continue to be practiced. Appropriate measures, therefore, need to be taken in order to mitigate the disastrous effects of global warming on human health. References Archer, D. (2009) The long thaw: how humans are changing the next 100,000 years of  earth’s climate. Princeton University Press, pp. 1-158 Brown, D. A. (2002) American heat: ethical problems with the United States’ response  to global warming. Rowman Littlefield, pp. 49-61 Dincer, I., Hepbasil, A., Midilli, A. (2009) Global warming: engineering solutions. Springer, pp. 424-38 McKinney, M. L. Schoch, R. M (2003) Environmental Science: systems and solutions  (3rd ed.). Jones Bartlett Learning, pp. 430-42 McMichael, A. J. (2003) Climate change and human health: risks and responses (2nd  ed.).World Health Organization, pp. 8-175 Tennesen, M. (2004) The complete idiot’s guide to global warming. Alph a Books, pp. 44-53 This essay on Effects of Global Warming on Human Health was written and submitted by user San1ya to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Analyzing Short Stories Essay

Analyzing Short Stories Essay Analyzing Short Stories Essay ïÆ'’ Understand the importance of short stories ïÆ'’ Identify the elements of fiction found in a short story ïÆ'’ Define important elements of fiction ïÆ'’ Identify steps in analyzing a short story ïÆ'’ Storytelling is the oldest form of art and is a way to learn about a culture and/ or a historical period. ïÆ'’ Short stories represent links in the chain of human experience – meaningthe author is attempting to say something about life through their art (their writing). ïÆ'’ Writers who lived in different times and in different places had different stories to tell. Since each writer writes with his or her own unique voice, each short story has its differences. ï  ¶ Different types of short stories ï  ¶ Different themes ï  ¶ Different styles of writing. ïÆ'’ However, all short stories have similarities: ï  ¶ They express ideas ï  ¶ They are about common life experiences ï  ¶ They involve people, thoughts, places, action, and time. ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ In the earliest part of human history, primitive people began to tell stories about their success in hunting or fighting. ïÆ'’ Soon, a storyteller learned when he could fluff the facts and add details in order to improve their stories. ïÆ'’ Throughout time the simple narratives of personal adventure were combined with attempts to explain powerful forces of nature. These attempts helped to create myths, legends, folktales, and the hero-tale. ïÆ'’ All around the world people began to understand the importance of writing down their cultures great stories, therefore there is no one specific date of the first written story, but there are examples of some of the first. ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ Story telling poems written by Homer Aesop’s fables are short stories The Bible contains many short stories The Canterbury Tales by Geoffery Chaucer are short stories. ïÆ'’ While there is a long tradition of written storytelling, the short story form as we know it is less than 300 years old/ ïÆ'’ Was developed as an art form in the 19th century ( the 1800’s). ïÆ'’ As the popularity of short stories grew, they began to be published in magazines. ïÆ'’ The popularity of the short story did not begin to decline until television became popular around 1950. ïÆ'’ The form and style of the short story still continues to grow in the hands of many gifted writers. ïÆ'’ To analyze a short story a reader must begin by reading and thinking about the story’s title. ïÆ'’ Titles serve many different purposes: 1.To give the name of a major character. ex: â€Å"Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver† 2.To provide the theme or setting of the story ex: â€Å"Quality† 3.To suggest the main incident of the story ex: â€Å"Occurrence at Owl Creel Bridge 4.To name an object that plays an important role ex: â€Å"The Skeleton† 5. To suggest the type of short story ex: â€Å"The Mysterious Mansion† 6.To give the tone of the story ex: â€Å"The Specter† 7. To get the reader interested ex: â€Å"The Lady or the tiger?† ïÆ'’ After deciding which purpose the title serves the reader should carefully read and consider the opening paragraphs. The opening paragraph may: 1. Launch the action of the story 2. Introduce characters 3. Describe the setting 4. State or hint at the main idea 5. Tell how the story came to be told or written ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ Definition: where and when the story takes place; the location and time. ïÆ'’ It gives important clues about the nature of the story. It provides the â€Å"mental backdrop† of the story. There are some elements of setting to consider: ï  ¶ Place- the actual location ï  ¶ Time- historical period; time of year; time of day ï  ¶ Weather conditions- rainy, snowy, sunny, etc. ï  ¶ Social conditions- what is the daily life of the characters like? What are their living conditions? ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ The setting of a story may or may not be directly stated. ïÆ'’ Definition: The chain of events in a story that to its outcome; The sequence of events. There are 5 essential parts to plot: 1. Introduction 2. Rising Action 3. Climax 4. Falling Action 5. Resolution ïÆ'’ Ri Ac sin tio g n Introduction g llin n Fa tio Ac

Getting financing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Getting financing - Essay Example The inadequacy of working capital has prevented many companies from exploiting potential market opportunities that are available to them. This paper tends to explore the scope of raising finance for my business ‘JBR Watches’ located in Los Angeles. Obviously, it is difficult for an entrepreneur to meet all capital requirements for business expansion all by oneself. Hence, for opening a showroom in Los Angeles, I should seek various sources of financing. At this juncture, it is important to identify significant tactics that an entrepreneur can initiate. The most notable factor that denies a firm’s access to financial sources is its negative market stature. This bad situation can be changed if the company deals with large contracts because they offer comparatively higher profit. At the same time, majority contract terms insist that the supplier must provide 30 to 60 days for the client to pay his invoices (Burstnet). So as to meet these credit requirements of the cu stomers effectively and to earn more profit from large business contracts, it is advisable for the JBR Watches to try for venture capital. Venture capital is an option for small companies that possess innovative business plans but have no adequate operating finance (venture capital). Generally, venture capitalists would not be willing to invest their money in risky ventures; hence, the JBR must formulate effective business designs in order to convince the capital provider about the potentiality of its business. Even though, venture capital is offered for a short period of time, JBR can make returns within this period and repay the amount before the maturity of the stipulated period. Similarly, my company may seek assistance from angel investors. An angel investor maybe a wealthy individual or group of individuals who wish to invest in pre-venture capital companies with the objective of uplifting certain communities (Angel Investors). In the case of JBR, the management can highlight the growth requirement of employees’ community; and it may assist the firm to get financial assistance from angel investors. So as to find a potential angel investor, JBR can employ the internet tools like Google search engine. According to Carbajo (2011) bank is another potential financial source for every business. However, it is observed that the banks do not provide loans and other credit facilities to small companies unless the companies possess substantial assets and all other financial records. Although JBR Watches is a notable concern in the industry, its decreased growth rate would not satisfy the banks’ credit criteria. In the opinion of Yates, banks provide credit facilities to small companies also if the business owners personally guarantee the credit repayment. This type of fund raising is a very risky practice for small companies if the business does not realize anticipated profit and the owner is unable to repay the loan amount. Therefore, JBR must be ve ry careful while applying this tool. Use of credit card is another method that can effectively contribute to the working capital requirements of JBR Watches. Credit cards assist the card holders to make purchases or obtain cash advances and pay them later. Business owners must note that credits cards are very expensive source of funding even if it has reasonably low interest rates. As in the case of bank lines of credit, the business owner personally guarantees the debt repayment while employing this technique also. Therefore, this

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Management Assignment

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Management - Assignment Example This study will also highlight on the business planning process as well as the various risks attached to it. The feasibility study In this study, interviews were seen to be so important in the process. They present various opinions regarding the market as well as people’s attitudes towards utilization of advertisements on the social media. Interview in hotels The interview began with hotels, which we thought were our greatest targets. We interviewed thirty hotels across the region and we were keen to observe their advertisement techniques. One manager Mr. Rahul from the Auris plaza hotel informed us that they have often depended on the internet to perform their advertisement and marketing. He welcomed the idea and informed to get back after one week to allow for sufficient consultation. Another thing that Mr. Rahul informed us about was that the number of customers they received was not sufficient and they needed more improved means of attracting customers to their hotel. Othe r hotels that we visited for interviews like the Golden sands hotel apartments, the Grosvenor house and Ramada Reira among others all welcomed the idea of magazine advertisements and they expressed their willingness to adopt the idea. Most of these hotels complained of poor attendance my the locals and claimed that most of their customers came from abroad, the locals need to be aware of the services available in this hotels so as to offer them equal chances and remove the perception of these hotels being so expensive. Also on our survey and interview list were large businesses and companies. These included local supermarkets and other manufacturing concerns. Most of them welcomed the idea and accepted to invest in this marketing plan. Most companies according to our interviews did not utilize the advertisement tool effectively since they majored on exporting to already established markets. However, some companies expressed their dissatisfaction, for instance the horticultural compan ies expressed their great worries over the seasonal markets that existed in the industry. They said that the time they export most is when demand for their products arises, and this is mostly during functions like valentines and Ramadan and Chrismas celebrations when people buy and present one another with gifts. The idea of publishing their products on a local newspaper and advertising them to citizens locally was a good idea and could largely boost their market. Of all the companies, we interviewed, only three were adamant about using our advertisement means, and this was majorly due to security reasons that they could not expose so much of their company profile. The others accepted. One thing however, that most of these companies wanted was advertising for them at low cost and then later on increasing the rates when the project is picking at a high pace. The last group that we visited was the single businesspersons. Most of these were not ready to adopt the magazine advertisement system since they saw it as an extra expense on their side. Of the 20 businesses that we visited, only 8 welcomed the idea of using magazine to advertise their products. From the feasibility tests performed in the hotels, industries and the businesses, hotels are observed to be readily available to adopt this strategy despite a few others still not courageous enough to take the step. Companies too also

Discussion Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 27

Discussion - Coursework Example One example of incidences of groupthink in workplaces is the financial malpractices. Financial department falls prey of groupthink by engaging in unethical malpractices that lead to losses in the Airline industries. It is argued that groupthink influenced the Foolhardy Risks that was characterized by heinous scandalous behavior. Groupthink can be addressed through professional awareness of the psychological phenomenon of the problem. Therefore, through awareness workers are encouraged to outline their individual decisions rather than offering unanimous decisions on decisions. These strategies ensure that unethical decisions are rectified before the group agrees them. For example, a decision to spend $10 billion on buying more aircraft by the American Airlines would require an analysis of the cost benefit of the venture. Individual decisions would offer different analysis from different perspective of group members. Thus, combinations of the ideas and ethical views minimize the problem of groupthink in organization

Analysing The Emerging Democracy Of South Africa Politics Essay

Analysing The Emerging Democracy Of South Africa Politics Essay South Africa is a young democracy that has begun making serious attempts to bring the nation together and create national equality among the people. First to understand what a democracy is it needs to be defined. William Hay Anthony defines democracy as liberal representative government under law, sustained by a political culture that accepts open disagreement and demands accountability (Anthony, pg 135). This definition highlights the role of institutions in making a political order work (Anthony, pg 135). Applying this definition to the South African case is important to analyzing its development within being a democratic nation. Civil and political rights are important to a democratic nation because it must maintain rights to all of its citizens equally. South Africa has made huge steps in ensuring equal rights to all of its citizens, though it is quite clear that a lot more could be done. In terms of economic rights and social rights, South Africa has made attempts in making thes e rights equal for everyone. The democratic role of South African political parties has been a constant one. The African National Congress has been the party in power of the state since its first democratic election in 1994 and it seems like it is getting more and more support as time goes by. Their policies which have been put forth have the same goal of having equality within the state. In the past 16 years, South Africa has made numerous attempts to make its nation more democratic but it is clear that the work that the nation must do to have a complete democracy, is nowhere near finished. Rights have not always been equal to all people of South Africa throughout history, even in the past 20 years. From 1948- 1994, South Africa was under an apartheid, that is, a segregation of blacks and whites in all aspects of society. Under this rule, all races that were identified by the South African Government were divided. At the time, the government recognized four different racial categories: African, coloured, Indian and white (Lichbach 2009, 466). There were many laws that were put in place to keep the people of the country segregated at all times; the only exclusion to that was if a black African was working for a white one. Some apartheid laws were the Group Areas Act, Land Acts, Population Registration Act and Reservation of separate Amenities Act (Lester 1996, 227). During the apartheid, because coloured people could not vote or own property, they were living in extremely poor conditions and kept in certain black only areas. Even when coloured people could own land, th e qualifications amount was raised too high for many coloured people to even consider attempting to purchase land. (Maphai 1994, 3). Without the ownership of property, one could not vote. When the first democratic election was held in April of 1994, it marked a new beginning in South Africa; some called it the New South Africa. Mandela was named as president and many apartheid laws were abolished. People were becoming more equal within this country which meant people of all the coloured races were lawfully allowed to integrate with their white counter parts in education, work, property ownership and other rights that were not given to them before. With a new government set in place, citizens were excited to see how their country would change for the better given its new democratic policies that would soon begin to be in effect. What some people dont fully understand is that many things like becoming a new democracy take time, especially when dealing with a country with a past like t hat of South Africa. With that being said, even though these wonderful laws were being put into government, they were not exactly being implemented very well. One of the biggest reasons why so many of the countrys people have to live this way is because of the huge inequalities within the country; Inequality is still higher than anywhere else in the world (Pons-Vignon 2008, 3). Inequality is something that cannot be changed overnight with the passing of different laws; it is something will be an ongoing struggle for the country. Something that is special with the democratic characteristics of South Africa is the fact that the minority of the country has most of the power; white people are the clear minority of the population but they clearly have the most power. In 1980, it was shown that whites, who were one sixth of the population, earned two thirds of total income in the country (Maphai 1994, 137). Because white people have such great power as a whole, it is more difficult for other citizens of the country to rise economically. Since 1994, the only place that whites do not have the most power is in government. The Party that has been in power since the liberalization movement has been the black- led African National Congress or ANC. When it comes to voting, which many black people do have a right to now, whites just cannot even compare with the numbers that the Blacks have; in 2001, 79 percent of the population classified themselves as African, 10 percent as white, 9 percent as Coloured and 2 percent as Asian (Lichbach 2009, 472). The fact that government is led by a black supported party is not unfortunate for most white people. In the early 1990s, the ANC adopted many policies and went through many negotiations with the National party (NP) to get more support from the white community. With the attempt that the ANC made toward getting support from white people in the country, white people began to see the ANC more like a rival as rather than an enemy. (M aphai 1994, 75) As well, the leaders of the ANC have done a good job in convincing all people, including whites, that their policies will only help to better the country. Unions are also helpful with making a nation more democratic. The ability to have specific rights because of employment is a huge factor in having equal rights for people. It was 1979 when African Trade Unions were finally recognized and the Congress of South African Trade Unions was then formed in 1985. (Lichbach 2009, 477) Recognizing unions that were made up of Black workers was essential in implying that they, as workers within the state, deserve no less than that of white workers. Unions allow a group of workers to negotiate with their employers about better wages and working conditions. In the aspect of civil and political rights, South Africa is making a clear progression towards truly having equality within those rights. Democratically, South Africa is making a big progression towards effectively having equ al political and civil rights for all of its citizens. Through the coming years there should be more polices out being put into effect and hopefully a better understanding of equality among races. It is only then that the rights that are actually listed within the South African law will have been respected and truly put into practice. Before democracy was even a possibility in South Africa, the main problem was an attempt by white settlers to make a country whose population is 75 percent African a `white man`s country (Maphai 1994, 1). Three million white people had achieved unchallenged superiority over sixteen million Africans by 1965. (Maphai 1994, 1) The technological advancement of white people is one of the big factors of what made them overpower that large number of blacks. (Lichbach 2009, 463) Economically and socially, many South Africans do not have adequate rights that should be equated to them within their democratic nation. In 1994 the life expectancy was at 65 years and then within the next decade it dropped to 52 years. This is because of a degenerative health care system and the battle with HIV- AIDS that the country has to deal with. (Bond December 2009, 581) As of 2007, South Africa had the most deaths of HIV-AIDS than any other country in the world. (Central Intelligence Agency 2010) The infant mortality rate is decreasing but is still relatively high because of the amount of babies dying because of HIV- AIDS. The Literacy rate is on the rise because more people now have access to adequate schools. In 1980, when the literacy rate for whites was 99.3% it was at 67% for Black Africans. (Maphai 1994, 138) Historically, when all coloured Africans were separated from whites, there was always an enormous gap between the well being of whites and that of coloured people. Today, the gap has closed but it is still not equal. As years go by, there are more and more opportunities for black Africans in regard to employment. Years ago, blacks did all of the labour and whites reaped all the economic benefit from that labour. Since new laws have been put in place, blacks now have the option to work in any field that is desired by them. Although, within certain industries, policies biased against employment have restricted income earning opportunities for blacks (Maphai 1994, 143). Skille d jobs with high wages were granted to whites while black workers were paid poorly. (Lichbach 2009, 465) Some say that affirmative action may be needed to keep at least a significant portion of black people in certain jobs but this is not always a sufficient (way) to redress the socio-economic imbalances in South Africa (Waghid 2003, 168). Affirmative action policies may turn qualified applicants to the job solely because of the fact that they are white and cannot be hired because the business needs to hire more black people. There needs to be other policies out into effect that actually provide adequate education to more blacks. A company should not feel obligated to hire someone just to fill a quota; a person should be hired based on the skills he or she has. Poverty is affected by those that are unemployed and those that earn wages. In 1991, the ANC said that the best way to address poverty was through economic growth. (Lichbach 2009, 478) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is represen ted in terms of income. This is unfortunate for the black majority that only earns wages. White people earn an income as well as other money in forms such as that of interest, rent, dividends and profits. All these other forms of income were accessible to whites by virtue of ownership of capital, land and other assets (Maphai 1994, 137) which black people did not have the advantage of being able to own. In the decade of 1986 1996, the annual growth of the GDP was less than one percent whereas the population growth of the country was an average of 2.5 percent per year. (Lichbach 2009, 472) The South African Economy was never designed to serve a black majority (Lichbach 2009, 472). As a middle income country, South Africa has a GNP of about 3630 US dollars per person. After 1994, the economy was revived with the GNP growing at a rate exceeding that of the population growth rate (Lichbach 2009, 472). During the Apartheid, sex and marriage between races was prohibited. Every aspect of social life was segregated by race. People of different races did not have the right to interact with one another socially no matter what the circumstance. The Freedom Charter of the ANC from 1955 declared that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white and that no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on will of people (Lichbach 2009, 467). It was the 1980s that the government realized that the apartheid was costing a lot of money. The economy was suffering from a recession, currency inflation, and excessive costs (Lichbach 2009, 468). While the economy was going through this hard time, white people had the money emigrate whereas black people had to face the brunt of the poor education system. A social right that should be equal to all is that of citizenship. Under the Bantu Homelands Act (1957) Africans were stripped of citizenship, expelled from parts of the cou ntry and consigned to ten scattered, ethnic homelands (Kopstein Lichbach, pg 467). This was the largest forced movement of a group of people anywhere in the postwar world. Today, all South Africans have citizenship within their country and are able to purchase land anywhere they would like. In 1989 there were numerous black consumer boycotts due to Conservative Councils decision to uphold separate Amenities Act (Lester 1996, 233). The effect of these boycotts was that many businesses decided to take down their white only signs from store fronts. This movement really showed the power that united black consumers can have. Overall, South Africa is moving in the right direction in terms of their economy and society. With the GDP in a steady increase and more jobs being available to more of the country, it seems as if the country is heading towards making the state more democratic. In the term of 1989 1994, the National Party was in power. It is a white led party was whose leader was Frederik Willem de Klerk. De Klerk had an enormous role in ending the apartheid in South Africa. He was very supportive in changing the country into a multiracial democracy. (Lichbach 2009, 469) During the 1990- 1991 period, De Klerk used expressions like bill of rights, mixed economy, one undivided South Africa and one person one vote (Maphai 1994, 75). He wanted reform and non-racialism within the country. The leader of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1994 was Nelson Mandela when he won the Presidency. It is a black led party that was trying to gain more support from white people within the country. Not many white people wanted to support the party because they viewed the release of Mandela as the catalyst to the chaos that was on the rise within the country. As the ANC began to adopt more policies that appealed to more people in the country it was the first time that the ANC and the current government at the time openly agreed upon the same constituency. (Maphai 1994, 76) The two biggest parties in South Africa were the National Party and The African National Congress. In 1997, the National party changed its name to become the New National Party (NNP). They did this to try to move away from their apartheid past and create a new image for themselves. The party already began to share more views with the opposing ANC, which then led to an alliance between the two parties. After witnessing two federal elections as a recognized party, The NNP decided to dismantle in 2005. This was because of the rapid decrease in voter support; people did not like the idea of the NNP being allied with the ANC. In the 1994 election, NP had some 20% of the vote whereas in the election 10 years later that number dropped down to 1.9% (NEED CITATION FOR THAT). It was clear that the NNP was never going to have much say in governmental matters with so little voter support. Many former members of the NNP decided to join the ANC when the NNP was terminated. Negotiations for reform within the country began in the end of 1991 (Lichbach 2009, 470). During these negotiations the ANC and NP would agree on certain things like one person, one vote; an independent judiciary; and re integration of the homelands (Lichbach 2009, 470). These parties resolved most of their issues through political, economic and military pacts. A transitional government was finally made after the multiparty negotiating forum that took place in 1993. (Lichbach 2009, 470) It was the young leaders like Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela that recommended to the ANC that they should begin discussing the aspect of a multiracial democracy. Within the 1994 election, there was celebration throughout the country. There was an extremely high voter turnout; 86% of eligible voters came out to vote, with ANC having a 63% majority. With Nelson Mandela as the new President, the top three parties, ANC, NP and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), formed the Government of National Unity (GNU). (Lichbach 2009, 471) In 1986, it was P.W. Botha that authorized the repeal of selected apartheid laws in recognition of the fact that blacks now lived permanently in the heart of all major metropolitan areas (Lichbach 2009, 468). Unfortunately this did not work for him because it ignored majority political aspirations. The ANC has been in power of South African since it was liberated in 1994. What people need to know is that the South African economy was never designed to serve a black majority (Lichbach 2009, 472). Some question whether the fact that ANC has such a huge majority over government is a good thing or a bad thing. The strong hold that the ANC has over power of the country may tempt leaders to change rules of the game to cover up corruption or to squelch political dissent (Lichbach 2009, 490). Others say that it is good to see the government representative of what the majority of the country wants. There are about fourteen parties that are represented in the South African government with many of them having no real chance of coming into power. This aspect of the democratic audit is quite good in the case of South Africa because of how representative the government is. The majority of the population, which are coloured, also have the majority in government. Therefore, it is easier for many people to have their voice heard through the party that they support. Though with the fact that one party has such a majority over all the rest, it can also be said that none of the other people in the country will be represented. What makes ANC different from many other majority parties is that many parties want or have an alliance with them. Alliances only occur between parties that share similar views and want one another to prosper. In South Africa, it can be deceived that the ANC- COSATU- SACP alliance manipulates blocks of vote into concentrations of political power for their own aggrandizement (Waghid 2003, 120) to disempowered minorities whose interests are affected by the groups policies. As one of the worlds youngest democracies, South Africa has many democratic elements that need to be implemented within the society. Having democratic policies are meaningless unless those policies are being implemented. Rights and equality issues have been and will still be at the forefront of the governments policies as they try to make the country a better place for all citizens. The rights that are written down in South Africas constitution provide a sense of pride knowing that they are there for everyone but what needs to be realized is that being afforded rights is not the same as being able to exercise such rights (Waghid 2003, 15). The high levels of inequality that are present in South Africa have to do with the fact that it is a young democracy that needs time to alter their society to reflect that. The African National Congress that is in power in government is doing a moderate job in maintaining a satisfactory level of order within the country and will only do more as tim e progresses. To say that South Africa is not a real democracy would not be a fair statement to make because of its youth and inexperience with this type of government. This country is a democracy that needs to evolve more and allow the people truly understand what it means to be a democracy.

An Essay on Chan -- essays research papers

An Essay Answering Questions From the Assigned Text by Faure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This essay will attempt to answer questions coming from the Bernard Faure text assigned in class. The questions are as follows: How does Hu Shih’s approach to Chan differ from D.T. Suzuki’s? Why was the scholarship of the Japanese on Zen not objective? What does Faure mean by the teleological fallacy? What does he mean by the two alternative approaches he suggests: structural analysis and hermeneutics?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How does Hu Shih’s approach to Chan differ form D.T. Suzuki’s? To answer this we must first recognize that Hu Shih emphasizes the historicism of Chan, meaning he places great importance on the historical aspect, while Suzuki aligns himself with the metaphysics aspect. Suzuki states that there are two kinds of people who can talk about Zen: The first(Suzuki), which is one who has a firm grasp on the concepts and greatly understands Zen, the other(Hu Shih), someone who is utterly unable to grab the concepts. Suzuki states that Hu Shih may know Zen historically, but that he does not actually know Zen. Suzuki says about Hu Shih that â€Å"it is not a historians business not talk about Zen.† Hu argues that ‘a historic approach to Zen cannot be reduced to the circumstances of its emergence and how it â€Å"transmits its situation of departure into a means to understand itself and others.’† Since Hu Shih is from the academic world , his approach to Zen is more factual, while ...

American politician Essay

Assignment details: One of the themes in ‘Crucible’ is the conflict between good and evil. Who would you say were the good people and how is their goodness shown? Who would you say were the evil people and how is their evil shown? Arthur Millers play ‘The Crucible’ was first produced in the year 1953 in the time of the McCarthy political ‘Witch-Hunt’ in the US. The 1950’s in America was an extremely controversial era due to the ‘House Of Un-American Activities Committee’ under the chairmanship Senator Joseph Raymond McCarthy who was an American politician. This organization had the power to investigate any movement or person who threatened the safety of the state. McCarthy first attracted national attention in February 1950 with the charge that Communists had infiltrated the Department of State. Although his accusations were never substantiated, during the three years that followed he repeatedly pointed the finger at various high-ranking officials of subversive activities. During the first five to ten years after World War II the two economical blocks the USA and the USSR, faced each other in a ‘cold’ war which created fear and worry in America that the philosophy of Communism was spreading and would eventually undermine and destroy Capitalism, the American’s ideal way of life. People were blamed in all types of situations such as accidents, misfortunes, or catastrophes of any kind. Whole societies were whipped up into panic by the fear that evil forces were out to destroy them. The play ‘The Crucible’, although concerned with the Salem witchcraft trials, was actually aimed at the widespread congressional investigation of subversive activities in the United States. The event at that time seemed particularly similar to the 1692 ‘Witch-Hunts’ in Salem, Massachusetts, United States where the lies of a group of adolescent girls, caused many people to be imprisoned or put to death. The play deals with many aspects of life, like individual conscience, the abuse of power, the conflict between good and evil and the most obvious of all Witchcraft, as many characters in the play were accused of being associated with the devil. At the time the play was set, if anyone was said to be involved with the devil, their future and their families future would be in serious jeopardy. It wouldn’t even matter if the person(s) were innocent if someone said it was true then it was said to be true as this was the most serious allegation at the time. The only option you had if you wanted to live was deny the charges against you and name other people supposedly involved in witchcraft and devil worshipping. Another of the many serious themes in Arthur Millers, ‘The Crucible’ was individual conscience where many people just followed and agreed with what others had said. For example, if someone accused another as being involved in witchcraft, the entire community would agree. This was because people were scared because if anyone disagreed with the allegations they would also be accused of being involved in witchcraft. In the play, John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse stood up for their beliefs even though they knew that they would be executed. This shows courage, self-pride and integrity, as they would rather risk their lives than cause shame upon themselves and their family’s, unlike other characters who tried to pass the blame like Abigail and Tituba. The abuse of power is a significant subject in the play, as people with too much of it end up doing morally wrong things unto others. This is shown in the opening acts of the play when Reverend Parris suspects witchcraft. When Reverend Hale, an authority on witchcraft, arrives at the house, he tries to rouse Betty about the incident in the woods, without success. He then begins to question Abigail Williams who is afraid and accuses Tituba of conjuring the devil. Tituba is brought in and coerced into submitting to the allegations made against her.

The Identification by Roger Mcgough Analysis

â€Å"The Identification † by Roger McGough Is a poem in which there is a Character for whom I feel sympathy. I will explain why I feel sympathetic towards that person, and what particular words and phrases the poet uses which mad me feel this way. The poem is about a boy named Stephen, who was tragically killed in an explosion. His father is called to the police station to check if that's his son. His father's hopes are shattered as nearly all the evidence proves that it is Stephen lying in front of him. The poet uses many words and phrases which makes me feel sympathy towards Stephen's father.When Stephen's father enters the room, he says, â€Å" So you think it's Stephen? Then I'd best make sure. Be on the safe side as it were. † I sympathies with Stephen's father here because he is very nervous about seeing the body for the first time. His use of cliche emphasis his anxiety about the strong possibility that his son is no more. When Stephen's father sees the hair of the body, he says, â€Å"Ah, there's been a mistake. The hair you see, it's black, now Stephen's fair†¦ † I feel for the man here because when he sees the hair his hopes are raised that the body in front of him is not his son's.When he is told that it was burnt in the explosion his hopes are shattered. â€Å"Burnt black † emphasis on the painful injuries Stephen must have suffered. This is an awful thing to experience as a parent. The poem goes on as Stephen's father is getting more tense about Stephen. When the face of the corpse is revealed, Stephen's father says, â€Å"The mask of charred wood, blistered, scarred-could that have been a child's face. † I feel sympathetic towards Stephen's father here as he was shocked to see the child's face.I can imagine how dreadful this must have been for Stephen's father, as no parent would even dream of their child in this situation in this state. Describing Stephen's face as a mask of charred wood emphasis that his face is completely burned, that his father can't even recognise him. The corpse clothing is recognised by Stephen's father, â€Å"The sweater, where intact, looks in fact all too familiar. † I sympathies with Stephen's father here because once he was picking clothes for his son and now he is picking his son based on that small piece of clothing. This is a fearful thing to do as a parent.Stephen's father continues looking for evidence which would prove that the boy in front of him is not Stephen. When Stephen's dad saw the scoutbelt, he said, â€Å"The scoutbelt. Yes that's his. I recognise the studs he hammered in † This shows that Stephen's is familiar with the scoutbelt as not a single person will have the exact same scoutbelt. This makes Stephen's father feel frightened as the body could be Stephen's. â€Å"Not a week a ago† suggest that he never knew this would happen to his son. His dad talks about his addiction to clothes, â€Å"When boys get clothes-cons cious ow you know. † This is one of the most heartbreaking part as this shows, that Stephen was a young teenager when this accident happened to him. I feel sorry for Stephen's father as his heart must be broken in to million of piece. As the poem moves on, Stephen's father examines the body more carefully. At the point when Stephen's father is really scared, he says, â€Å"Pockets. Empty the pockets. Handkerchief? Could be any school boy's. † Stephen's father can't find a splinter of hope to convince him that his son is out there missing.Stephen’s father says that the handkerchief could be any school boys because at the time when this poem was written every kid had his own handkerchief. Something else catches his eyes, â€Å"Oh this can't be Stephen. I don't allow his to smoke you see† I can imagine how Stephen's father must have felt when he saw the cigarettes. Stephen's father thought his relationship with Stephen was really close, â€Å"he would disobe y me†. But we know that Stephen broke his father's faith and trust in him by smoking behind his father's back.Stephen's father hopes are keep on getting shattered as more and more things are belonging of Stephen's. When Stephen's father saw the penknife he said, â€Å"but that's his penknife. That's his alright†. This makes me feel really sorry for Stephen's father as all the evidence are going against him. The feeling which Stephen's father is experiencing at the moment are the worst feeling a parent can have about their child. Then the key ring comes up, â€Å"And that's his key on the key ring. Grant gave him just the other night. †This makes me think that how on earth will Stephen's father tell his mum and wife what happened to Stephen. As Stephen was really close to his gran, that she gave him a key to her house, so that he can see her whenever he wants. Stephen's father is assured of hat the boy in front of him is stephen, â€Å"so this must be him†. This makes us think that Stephen's father's world is shattered. As the main thing in his life left him. In the final verse, Stephen's father accepts Stephen's flaws and starts making excuses about his cigarettes, â€Å" No doubt that he was minding them or one of the older boys. † His father says this so that no one thinks badly about Stephen and to make himself believe that his son didn't disobeyed him. In the last three lines, Stephen's father says, â€Å"Yes that's it. That's him. That's our Stephen. † This makes me feel sympathy towards Stephen's father as he accepts the fact that his son is no more. I can imagine that this must have been the hardest thing to do as parent. Stephen's father is the person for whom I feel sympathy for and I have explained why I feel sympathetic towards him.

Free Essays on Actual Innocence

A Review of â€Å"Actual Innocence.† â€Å"Actual Innocence† by Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld, and Jim Dwyer is an extraordinarily powerful story of ordinary people incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. Most believe something like this could never happen to us, but unfortunately it has happened to many. In this country, the United States of America, the government claims all people are "innocent till proven guilty." This book explains that the criminal justice system frees prisoners who are later proven innocent, but only after a lengthy legal process. Even after years of imprisonment, many trial judges state that "actual innocence" is not grounds for release from prison!" The preface begins with the horrifying case of Dennis Fritz being arrested, convicted and spending eleven years in prison for a rape he did not commit. It is proven through DNA tests that sixty-seven people were sent to prison and death row for crimes they did not commit. It also states that many local prosecutors argue that as a convict, one might hope to prove his innocence, but he has no absolute right to do so after a trial (Scheck, Neufeld, & Dwyer, 18). In Chapter One, the case of Marion Coakley is discussed. He was sentenced to fifteen years for a rape that he did not commit. It briefly describes his background, the case, and trial in which he was convicted. He was slightly mentally retarded and was mistaken to be the rapist, identified by an eyewitness. Chapter two speaks of an invention called PCR. It is referred to as the â€Å"DNA fingerprint test (pg.36).† This discovery could be used in criminal investigations to prove the guilty criminal. It explains how before PCR, the most sophisticated way to identify a suspect was by blood typing. Unfortunately this technique did not work for Marion Coakley due to the fact that bacteria had eaten away at the DNA, which is a much smaller molecule than blood. Chapter three disc... Free Essays on Actual Innocence Free Essays on Actual Innocence A Review of â€Å"Actual Innocence.† â€Å"Actual Innocence† by Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld, and Jim Dwyer is an extraordinarily powerful story of ordinary people incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. Most believe something like this could never happen to us, but unfortunately it has happened to many. In this country, the United States of America, the government claims all people are "innocent till proven guilty." This book explains that the criminal justice system frees prisoners who are later proven innocent, but only after a lengthy legal process. Even after years of imprisonment, many trial judges state that "actual innocence" is not grounds for release from prison!" The preface begins with the horrifying case of Dennis Fritz being arrested, convicted and spending eleven years in prison for a rape he did not commit. It is proven through DNA tests that sixty-seven people were sent to prison and death row for crimes they did not commit. It also states that many local prosecutors argue that as a convict, one might hope to prove his innocence, but he has no absolute right to do so after a trial (Scheck, Neufeld, & Dwyer, 18). In Chapter One, the case of Marion Coakley is discussed. He was sentenced to fifteen years for a rape that he did not commit. It briefly describes his background, the case, and trial in which he was convicted. He was slightly mentally retarded and was mistaken to be the rapist, identified by an eyewitness. Chapter two speaks of an invention called PCR. It is referred to as the â€Å"DNA fingerprint test (pg.36).† This discovery could be used in criminal investigations to prove the guilty criminal. It explains how before PCR, the most sophisticated way to identify a suspect was by blood typing. Unfortunately this technique did not work for Marion Coakley due to the fact that bacteria had eaten away at the DNA, which is a much smaller molecule than blood. Chapter three disc...

Human Resources Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Resources Questions - Essay Example Instead of a bell curve, individual performance takes on a â€Å"power-law† – also known as the Paretian distribution wherein there are only few of the best performers can carry out most of the production output and business success (Aguinis; Miller). According to O'Boyle and Aguinis, individual performance should follow a ski jump-shaped Paretian distribution. Since only few employees are responsible for the success of the business, O'Boyle and Aguinis strongly suggest the idea that the modern HR managers should take time to re-evaluate the old strategy used in measuring employee performance (Miller; O'Boyle and Aguinis). In most cases, this can be done by carefully identifying responsible people and compensate them well for their outstanding work performances. A power-law or Paretian distribution is characterized by an â€Å"unstable mean, infinite variance, and a greater number of extreme events† (West and Deering). ... Given that a business organization is very much oriented with regards to each employee’s production output, the company should consider the importance of implementing a pay-for-performance system (McPhie and Sapin). In line with this, the HR manager should be able to tailor its pay-for-performance system based on the company’s desired level of individual work performances. For example, the individual work performance of employee A is represented by â€Å"point A†, therefore, her pay level should be at â€Å"pay A†. Assuming that most employees’ individual work performance is at â€Å"point B†, then, their individual pay level should be at â€Å"pay B†. In case an employee’s individual work performance is at â€Å"point C†, then, her individual pay level should be at â€Å"pay C†, and so on. 2. After a lot of thinking, you decide to take a risk. You quit your job in human resources management after gaining experienc e in life and career planning. You open up your own advisory and coaching practice. Your very first client, Rashid, is a 35 year old engineer who has worked for a construction firm since graduating from college but has discovered, â€Å"I really hate being an engineer now but I am not sure what I want to do. And I know I want more than a job†¦I want a calling and something that really interests me yet I don’t want to waste my skills.†What assessment instruments do you recommend for your very first client, Rashid? Be sure to fully explain why you selected the recommended instruments. The case of Rashid is a good example of a person who does not know what he wants in life. To be able to suggest the type of job suitable for Rashid, the HR manager should be able to assess

Development of Nationalism in East and Southeast Asia Essay

Development of Nationalism in East and Southeast Asia - Essay Example Nationalism is considered to be a process, which develops with respect to time; it does not emerge abruptly or unexpectedly. â€Å"It is not a phenomenon that appears suddenly. It is the result of a process by which a people become conscious of themselves as a separate national entity in the modern world, a process by which they become willing to transfer their primary loyalty from the village, or the region, or the monarch, to the nation-state† 1. It is this perspective, which can be found in East and Southeast Asia. In order to integrate nationalism, several steps and measures have been adopted by the government. These measures include the suppression of opposition, the selection of a mutual language and the concentrate on economic growth in order to sustain and maintain liberty. Nationalism and Communism in Southeast Asia is the product of colonisation. The vast majority of the East and Southeast Asian countries were â€Å"controlled either by the British, French, Dutch, A mericans or Portuguese, who sought to control unnatural boundaries and had no regard for the natives of those areas† 2. After the end of World War II, majority of the East and Southeast Asian countries declared independence from the Western imperialist. For instance, Indonesian nationalists fought with the Dutch in order to get their independence. Philippine got it independence from United States; Vietnam got its independence from France after the Indochina war. After the end of World War II, majority of the East and Southeast Asian.