The Sudden Blow

Her head was pounding from the sudden blow. Blood was running down the side her face as she began to remember. He had tormented her, degraded her feelings, and took away her financial stability. She felt forever trapped as she was the only one to witness such vile acts. â€Å"There is no one here to see this. There is no one here to save me from what happens inside these walls† she whispered, voice cracking. Victims like this must go through the injustice of not being able to feel safe in their own home or even their own skin. Whether it be inflicting harm for the victim through physical abuse, toying with their emotions through emotional abuse, or financially controlling them through financial abuse, abusers find ways for many women to suffer from domestic abuse in their daily lives. Physical abuse is one of the many aspects of domestic abuse. This type of abuse is most known as it can be seen with one's own eyes. However, physical abuse doesn't always have to happen on the victim. In many cases, physical abuse can happen somewhere near the victim. It shows that â€Å"When a partner is violent near or around you, doing things like punching a hole in the wall, the message is ‘Next time this could be your head'† (Carlson 146). Numerous amounts of people will brush off the incident and believe that it will not mean anything in the future but this sort of act can escalate quickly and leave the victim in shambles. If this message is given, the abuser is releasing their anger on an object physically and it will not be long before the abuser directs their anger on their victim – the one who caused their distress. Once they direct their anger on the victim, it can lead to extreme violence that the victim is not capable of keeping under control. Sam is a victim who had been physically abused herself. She speaks out about one of the stories of her journey with physical abuse:I was at home and I cooked his dinner†¦he came home when the food was on the table. He was like ‘Oh, it's too cold,' so I put it in the microwave and warmed it up. I gave it to him and he said it was too hot†¦and you start to get this worried feeling like ‘It's going to happen. He's going to hurt me.' He threw the plate and smashed it against my head and he started beating me up and kicking me on the floor and punching. (Sam?)This is an example of severe physical abuse. Here, the abuser takes a typical, simple misunderstanding and exaggerates it until it reaches its full capacity. In most cases, those who are in healthy relationships would be able to work this out without it becoming physical. The victim shows that she has the constant worry of not wanting to go against the abuser's needs. Thus, they are always tip toeing around the abuser and the second they do something even the slightest bit wrong, it becomes another heated fight. This instance is just one glimpse of what a day in the life of a physically abused partner must go through. There are always other cases. Some outcomes of physical abuse could even be fatal. This is one of the more extreme cases of physical abuse. It should be known that â€Å"One woman is fatally shot by a spouse, ex-spouse, or dating partner every 14 hours† (â€Å"NCADV†). Many do not understand the significance of homicide in physical abuse and do not link this importance to the fact that it still happens. This statistic shows that those who are in domestic abuse relationships are at a very high risk of being killed by their significant other.

Mesoamerican civilization

In the civilization of the North and South America people, farming started later than the Afroeurasian. But the American civilization started on its own as opposed to the dependence of lending and borrowing of ideas from one community as was witnessed in the Afroeurasian civilization.The argument about the Mesoamerican civilization has been as a result of single culture (known as ‘mother culture’), while others claim that it was through learning and copying from others that the civilization developed, i.e. ‘sister culture’. The civilization arguments has to a larger extend been linked to the Olmec influence.   This is because the Olmec has been considered as the earliest civilization groups in the Mesoamerica.Hence some of its earliest civilization practices can only be found within the heartland of Olmec while others are beyond the heartland of Olmec. Some of the artifacts that are only found in the heartland of Olmec include colosal heads, earthen platfo rm and monolith alters.   There have also been cases where other Olmec style artifacts have been found in other different areas.There are objects that have been considered to be of Olmec – traditions in areas that are out side the heartland of Olmec appearing together with the traditional objects of that place.   For instance, at Las Socas, objects created in local tradition contain Olmec iconography (Reilly, p 371).This indicates that the traditional of Olmec was flowing from the Olmec heartland towards other areas and not vice versa.   In this case the argument of Olmec to be of the â€Å"mother culture† arises.   Michael D Doe is one of the proponents who argue that the Olmecs had a mother culture. â€Å"There is now little doubt that all later civilization †¦ whether Mexican or Maya, ultimately rest on an Olmec base,† (Coe, 2002, pp 62).Those advocating for ‘sister culture’ feel that the Olmec civilization took place simultaneously with the other places.   The argument is based on the fact that Olmec was only among the earliest equal civilizers.   Flannery and Marcus have agued that it is only through competitive interactive that civilization can take place.   â€Å"It is adoptive autonomy and frequ3ent competitive interaction of such chiefdoms that speed up evolution and eventually make useful technologies and sociopolitical strategic available to all regions†, (Flannery & Marcus, 2000. pp. 33).Therefore, looking at both the arguments of the mother culture and sister culture, it is not right to agree that the Olmecs civilization was a mother culture.   For instance, according to Pool (N.d),The Olmecs of San Lorenzo were only a handful of societies in the Americas that had achieved comparable degree of social and political integration by the end of the second millennium B.C. On the other hand, sociopolitical complexity varied among Olmec societies within the Gulf coast region, the intensity and effects of interaction with the Olmecs varied across Mesoamerica, and other Formative societies made significant contribution to the developemtn of a distinctively Mesoamerica civilization tradition, (Pp 2).The use of the term formative (preclassic) was developed by Gordon Wiley and & Philip Philips (1955, 1958), â€Å"Where it indicated the village agricultural threshold and/or sedentary life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Pool, Pp.8).The formative period has various prehispanic historical changes taking place.   Before 200 B.C. most of the inhabitants lived in small bands that were characterized by several mobility and their main activity being hunting and gathering.   Then came the development of a lot of urban centers by 300 A.D.   These urban centers came about because with time, the mobility was reduced and the group settled into larger groups and thus staying at one place for longer period than before.The increased settlement was influenced by the fact that people have increased domes tication of crops and had also indicated the storage facilities.   â€Å"In the initial formative period (2000-2500 B.C.)†¦The processes of domestication and sedentarization combined to foster the spread of settled farming villages over much of the area that was becoming Mesoamerica,† (Pool, pp.8).The early societies of America shared the hunting and gathering activities with the other societies across the boarders.   These behaviors changed among the communities, as they become more settled and avoided movements.   This lead to the emergence of social hierarchies, centralized governments, and various religious concepts.   Their neighbours adopted the practices that emerged from one culture to another, including the OlmecsLike all other complex societies of the America, the Olmecs also depended on this hunting & gathering, domestication of food and animal as well as fishing for their daily needs.   These activities enabled them to build strong social and politi cal hierarchies that integrated many other small communities.Mesoamerican ReligionIn pre classical periods of the Mesoamerican people religion developed due to the influence of the seasonal cycles, â€Å"In their world –view, the development of the corn plant was one of the principle archetypes.   Another intrinsically tied to the former was the archetype of the alternating powers of fire and water, derived from the division of the year into two seasons, then dry and rainy seasons†, (Obafemi & Olupona, 2004, Pp 199).The Mayan community of the Mesoamerica developed their religion because of the belief that there was a relationship that existed between the human being and the supernatural power.   They nurtured and developed this belief to the extend of giving human sacrifices to the gods.   High priests of the Mayan religion performed the human sacrifices.   The key aspect of this religion was the great importance it gave to the agriculture and the time timeless of the harvests. â€Å"The Mayan religious calendar Ezolkin comprised of only 200 days and two cycles each comprises of weeks spanning 30 days and 20 days.   Another calendar called tun comprised of 360 days and five added unlucky days†The Mayan believed in the cycles of rails and to the harvest of the produce.   They considered the agriculture product to be a gift from God.   To the Mayans, human beings were supposed to be attuned to the cyclical changes so that they can obtain more benefits from them.The offering of sacrifices, of both human and animal was meant to appease the gods.   Songs and dances as well as competitions accompanied the sacrifices.   There was no separation of civil and religious life. Therefore, the kings acted as both rulers and principal intermediaries between human beings and gods. The other reason that was behind sacrifices was that, many gods needed human support which if was not forthcoming; they may weaken and eventually die.Life afte r death was determined by the position that a person held before the demise. Therefore if a person held a high status position on earth, that position will still be held even after death. While those with lower positions held again the same positions.About the universe, the Mayas believed that the universe would continue to be created and destroyed continuously.   The cycle for the destruction would be taking place after a period of about 5000 years.   The destruction and creation would be the exact duplicate of the previous one.   They perceived the earth to be the back of the giant caiman that was floating in the pool, with the exposed part being flat with four comers.   Above the earth, was the human with 13 levels (7 going up, and 6 going down), (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761580499_2/Pre-Columbian_Religions.html). This was of the same oscillation as the rising setting of the sun.The Maya gods and goddesses formed a family (pantheon), each having four color aspe cts.   The religious followers believed in deities in heaven, but also having counterparts on earth and vice versa.   The deities also comprised of counterparts of the opposite sex.   â€Å"For example the supreme celestial god Itzama, the aged patron of culture and learning.   Kinich Ahau, the sun god, may have been a youthful aspect of Itzama in addition to being his son†, (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761580499_2/Pre-Columbian_Religions.html).Like the Mayan, the Aztec believed in the destruction and creation of the universe, but that had multiple differences. They believed to be living in the fifth and final universe, which they considered to be the fifth sun. In this case, they believed that there would be no sixth universe after the fifth destruction, and that there was escape or avoiding of this destruction but it could only have been delayed. The sun was considered to be a warrior that fought a continuous unending war against darkness. Therefore, as long as the sun was still fighting, the fifth universe could not be destroyed. To make sure that the sun continued with the fights, they offered blood it through sacrifices. The sacrifices were especially of human who were war captives.Befitting their central role as allies of the sun, the Aztecs thought they lived at the center of the universe. Their earth was divided into four quadrants, each with typical Mesoamerica color-direction symbolism, though the specific pairings of colors and directions were different from those of the Mayas. The four quarters met at the main temple (Templo Mayor) of Tenochtitlan the Aztec capital. This temple was also the point where supernatural forces from the heavens and the underworld came together. The heavens were composed of 13 ascending levels. The sun, the moon, the planets, and the stars traveled through the lower levels. The upper levels were the homes of winds, storms, colors, and remote gods. The underworld contained 9 levels, all descending, u npleasant, and dangerous, (http://www.angelfire.com/realm/shades/nativeamericans/precolumbionrel4.htm).The pantheon of the gods and goddesses of the Aztec were more complex and performing different overlapping functions at different ceremonial functions. The gods were related to different practices. For instance, the Tlaloc was the rain god. There were also the gods that were related to the agricultural produce and deities related to fertility.BibliographyCoe, M.D (2002): Mexico: from the Olmecs to the Aztecs, London, Thames and Hudson.Flannery, K. & Marcus, J. (2000); A Formative Mexico Chiefdoms and the myth of theMother culture; a Journal of Anthropological Archeology, Vols. 19. Issues 1.History of Religion Manna Religion Retrieved on 2nd Nov. 2007 fromhttp://www.clearleadinc.com/site/religion.htmlObafemi J. & Olupona K. (2004):   Beyond Primitivism Indigenous Religious Traditions andModernity, Routledge, ISBN 041527 320X.Pool A. Christopher (N.d):   Olmec Archeology and Earl y Mesoamerica, Retrieved on 2nd Nov2007 from  http://assets.cambridge.org/97805217/88823/excerpt/9780521788823_excerpt.pdfReilly III, F. Kent, (N.d) â€Å"Art, Cultures and Relationship in the Olmec world in AmericansCivilization of Mesoamerican: A Recorder, Blackwell publishing Ltd..

The Russian Revolution, 2nd ed., by Sheila Fitzpatrick Essay

The Russian Revolution, 2nd ed., by Sheila Fitzpatrick - Essay Example To prove this statement, firs of all, I need to define the term revolution. Secondly, I need to trace and compare the features of Stalin’s and Lenin’s dictatorships in economic policy, social policy and party policy. So, the first task to be done is to understand how Sheila Fitzpatrick defined the revolution. According to her, revolution â€Å"is coterminous with the period of upheaval and instability between the fall of an old regime and the firm consolidation of a new one† (3). Russian Revolution began with the February 1917 and ended with the Great Purges in 1938. Author distinguished five stages of the revolution: the February and October Revolutions in 1917, Civil War, the interlude of NEP, Stalin’s â€Å"revolution form above† and the Great Purges (4). Each of these stages had its own features and was continuation of the previous one. So, the Russian Revolution lasted about 20 years that had not only changed the regime but also formed the new one. Lenin was a great organizer, ideologist and the inspirer for many Bolsheviks. Bolsheviks seized power during the October revolution only thanks to the Lenin’s strategy. Stalin was the one who deeply consolidated the new regime in the USSR with Lenin’s ideas and radically changed economy, society and party. Russia’s economy in the interwar period went through many extreme things like War Communism, NEP and Five Year Plans (with Collectivization and Industrialization). Each of them had its own aims. The main aim of the War Communism (1918-21) was to save the power, to feed soldiers and workers – it was â€Å"radical policy as answer to desperate situation† (79). But the nationalization of large-scale and small-scale industry, pressure on peasants and merchants, high level of internal resistance, instability at the front – all these forced Lenin and Bolsheviks to calm down the situation and introduce NEP. According to the author, NEP †Å"purpose was to restore the shattered economy and to calm the fears of the non-proletariat population† (96). Bolsheviks needed to consolidate the victories of the revolution. Lenin didn’t want to stop the reforms and the process of building the communism. But, his illness disturbed him and after 1921 he wasn’t actually the one who had real influence in the state. I think NEP was some kind of strategy â€Å"step back - two forward†. And, indeed, less than a decade later, Stalin abandoned most of the NEP policies and initiated a new phase of revolutionary change with the First Five Year Plan (1929-32) Industrialization drive and the Collectivization of peasant agriculture (116). He believed that this was a true Leninist course. War Communism and First Five Year Plan had the same aims: to make communism closer. Both Lenin and Stalin wanted to industrialize the state, because, according to Marx, communism was possible only in developed industrialized countrie s. But Bolsheviks didn’t have enough administrative power in the beginning of 1920s to start Industrialization. In the end of 1920s they had power and plan. The First Five Year Plan was planned to industrialize the USSR by building giant new construction projects (f.e. - Magnitogorsk) focused on iron and steel. But industrialization needed money that could be taken from peasants. That’s why Stalin began Collectivization. Collectivization was undoubtedly a real â€Å"revolution from above†

Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Motivation - Essay Example 1-2). Change is a process which plays an important role in our lives. Change is a process that triggers immediate reaction. Managerial decision making is crucial while planning for change as change can either reinforce trust or might destroy the same (Rudolf, 2009, p. 40). The fact that change is not all positive should not deter individuals from embracing change. Change is all pervasive and people seeking change as well as those opposing it must realize that change has its own drawbacks and deficiencies. People who do not seek change and oppose are known as opponents of change and ‘resistance’ is the action adopted by these individuals when they sense that change can be a threat to them. Although resistance is a common thing in the workplace it can also be found in other places. Change and resistance go hand in hand. This is so because people have a tendency to resist change as they feel threatened when they sense change coming. This report will discuss the causes of re sistance to change which can be due to individual resistance, group resistance and organisational resistance. The organisations around the globe are experiencing a rapid change in there structure. The influence on managerial decision for the organisational change is a major concern and can affect the organisation in a great way. It is important to analyse the after effects of this decision taken by the leaders of the organisation. Moreover it has become difficult for the staff members to sustain in the changing organisational environment which leads to employee turnover and job dissatisfaction (Bianco et al., 2007, p. 188). The influences on managerial decision in context to the organisation change are directly related to the resistance of individuals and groups to the organisation change. This can further be elaborated as: I. Individual and group resistance There are various reasons behind the resistance of people towards the organisation change. In some cases it is an individual w ho resists the change while in most of the cases group resistance is common. The main causes related to the individual resistance could be the outcome of the change which is uncertain makes the individual insecure and causes the resistance towards organisation change. Another reason why individual resist change is due to their tendency to perceive selective information which is linked to their existing outlook about the organisation. This makes them vary of the changes as they tend to focus on the outcome which has an impact on them while rest of the benefits are neglected. Another fact is the habit of the individuals or the preferences of individuals for similar proceedings and activities which also acts as an obstruction to change (Jennifer, 2009, p. 602). Group resistance is another form of opposing the change and occurs when the alteration in the relationship and task caused by the change makes it difficult for the group to adapt to the change. The change disturbs the norms made by the groups. Secondly it has been found that attractiveness between members of a group affects the performance. To overcome this changes are required in the structure of the organisati

Tabcorp Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tabcorp - Case Study Example Catalano. The Singapore government is accepting project plans for an integrated entertainment complex that will rise either in Sentosa Island or in the Marina Bayfront. Thus, Tabcorp sees that it may have to contend with other bidders such as Las Vegas-based firms MGM Mirage, Kerzner International and Wynn Resorts. However, Slater said that the company's goal is to have a controlling interest in the leisure and entertainment development citing that operating and managing are the areas where Tabcorp can add value (Matterson 2005, p.27). Tabcorp though is not ruling out joint ventures with other parties for the Singapore casino project. When asked as to the income implications for the company's first foray outside Australia, Slater told the Australian that it would take three to four years for this to bear out. The period is the estimated duration of the casino project to be finished. According to gambling analysts, it would be "impossible" to say whether the offshore project will benefit Tabcorp's investors or not in the long run (Catalano 2005, page 2 of the Business section). The market however reacted positively after Tabcorp's announcement, with the firm's stock jumping 17 cents to 30 cents.

Assignment #2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

#2 - Assignment Example Price adjustments- this is the lowering of the prices with the hopes to generate more sales by increasing the number of units purchased. This is one of the most used methods by businesses to enter new markets. Product improvements- this occurs when a business decides to add quality to its products as a way of attracting more customers. Thus, price improvements are better suited for creating new interests in stagnating products and to offer extra benefits when one uses the product. Creation of more distribution channels- in this method, a business enters a market through increasing its methods of making products reach the consumers and making the products more readily available in the market. For instance, a business that operates through retails may open wholesale centers for distribution of more products. It helps in determining the market penetration goal. As such, the business subtracts the effects of the limiting factors from market potential, and it enables the business to estimate its measurable goals. Makes it possible for the business to define its market. By making adjustments in the market potential and the share figures, business can define its markets in terms of industry, product, and geography or customer type. A business can identify and quantify the limiting factors. Such factors include competition, government regulation, and limited resources. Therefore, by adjusting the market potential and the share figures, the business will be in a better position to realize these factors, and quantify them. The ranking method- this is the process of comparing one’s job with others to determine whether it is higher, lower or in the same rank. This method is based on the overall judgment of the required skills, responsibility and also working conditions of the job. The prime benefit of this technique is that it is simple and is

Article Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Article Summary - Essay Example However, to ensure strategic success, other factors such as government support, effective communication channels, and clear visions and missions play a major role. Elbanna kicks off by differentiating the term strategic management from strategic planning, asserting that the former is inclusive of execution, as well as the assessment of strategic plans. On the other hand, strategic planning is often used in the business world and is not as detailed as strategic management. He also carefully scrutinizes the concept of strategic management from its earliest days, and how much it has grown since then. He avows that one of the main challenges affecting the concept is the fact that it has always suffered as far as its popularity and success are concerned. For instance, in the 1950s, it was very popular but from 1970s to 1980s, its popularity lessened because most of the planning models that had been developed ended up failing. Therefore, some of the major drawbacks that came with strategic management were rigidity, unsuccessful participation of implementers and managers, lack of ingenuity as well as strategic thinking. However, from the 1990s, there have been major changes as most organisations are widely practicing it and related research and literature have heightened mostly in the UAE. The author goes into details by closely examining the use of strategic management concepts in the UAE, its popularity, and effects. He argues that the UAE has adopted most of the strategic management processes in an effort to enhance institutional performance. Consequently, it is cited as one of the most developed nations in Western Asia as far as the rates of market exchange and income are concerned. However, it is to be noted that success in most of the UAE public organizations is attributed to the fact that they have sufficient resources; hence, are able to implement western management approaches with ease. Therefore, in an effort to effectively examine the effects of

Analysis of Wikipedia Project ( jason statham ) Essay

Analysis of Wikipedia Project ( jason statham ) - Essay Example t I would include in the article are images such as Jason Statham on action when he is acting, when he is having his life out of his career or job, as a child, and images of films that he has featured in recently. Images of Jason Statham posing with his fans could also be included in the article. The part of the article that could be controversial is on his personal life. Most individuals know that actors and the famous people have personal lives that are questionable. Therefore, portraying him as a man who is consistent on whom he dates and his marriage life would be controversial with what the public expects. I would verify the information on the article from journal articles that have already been written about him, from biographies that exists, and books that are about Jason Statham. In addition, some of the information could be verified from the internet since there is a lot of information on him in different websites. The entry of information is not very long and it is neither surprising. The length is normal since most of the articles explain on the life of Jason Statham as an actor and a social being. The entry has been divided into subtopics such as Jason Statham’s early life, career, and his influence on media, his personal life, filmography, references, and the external links to the article. The article was last updated on 29 October 2014. The information that seems to be the most recent is on his personal life since it has information on who he is currently dating. There is also current information on the expendables 3 film he has recently acted. In addition, there is information on what he will act in 2015 (Messer 38). There is visual information in form of photos and tables. There are photos of Jason Statham in various places. The table gives information on the films he has featured in and the roles he played in each of them. The photos allow the reader to know Jason Statham while the table helps the reader know the films where he has acted

Openig up a business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Openig up a business - Essay Example In addition, the word limited should be included at the end of the company name. Some states prohibit the use of some names like insurance and banks (Clifford & Ralph 3). There is filing of the articles of association defines the rule governing the company and the outsider. The article of association contains information like the name, location and address of the company. Any fees charged should be paid. There is also creation of the company operating agreement that defines the rights and responsibilities of members. The agreement outlines members voting power, interest within the business and rules of holding a meeting. This entails the publication of notice in the newspaper to the intent of forming LLC. However, this requirement is needed by few states. The last step involves obtaining licenses and permits which are required for the business, to start operating for example, tax registration certificates. Upon completion of this step, the business is official (Clifford & Ralph 5). There is a reduction of paper work because tedious meetings undertaken by corporations are not needed in LLC. Quarterly and board meetings are needed, and this helps to cut down operation cost (Clifford & Ralph 6). Furthermore, members share profit as they wish since there are no restrictions in sharing profits. They contribute different capital proportions and equity; as a result, the members have to define who earn what share of profit or loss. There is flexibility in the management of public limited companies as they can be run by the owners, or even managers; as opposed to corporations that are managed by a board of directors. High formation expenses are required to cater for the formation of article of association and the registration fees. Publication of notice of intent to form a limited company also adds to this cost. Transfer of ownership is difficult as opposed to corporate entities. Within corporations share may be sold to increase ownership but this is impossible with

Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Review - Essay Example He goes on to explain that there are possibilities for a wrongful diagnosis that then poses the question what do the parents do with the information? Is it ethical for a parent to make the decision for their child’s life when a mutation in a gene does not necessarily prove they will contract the disease? David Devore was a participant in the Woodrow Wilson Biology Institute where he conducted much research on the topic in this article. He has extensive knowledge in genetics and has provided a lot of detailed information from many other sources. Devore believes genetic screening for diseases such as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome which causes mental retardation after the first few days of life is necessary and beneficial to both the parents and the offspring but that screening for diseases like alcoholism or Alzheimer’s is not beneficial and may be detrimental to the child’s life. Even though a child may possess the gene responsible for the disease does not mean they will contract it. Therefore Devore believes genetic counseling should also be available after the results are received. I chose this source because it not only describes the techniques of genetic screening but also the positives and negatives of screening for different diseases and the consequences of both choices. I t provides rich information on my argument as to whether it is ethical to conduct these tests and the consequences of the parents’ decisions based on that information. I found this source on the internet in another institution publication. The only thing missing are first-hand accounts from individuals. The article â€Å"Genetic Screening, the Social Impact of Genetic Knowledge† by Boris Sagredo describes the process of genetic screening and the use of assays to compare individuals in a population to determine a difference in the genes. Although genetic screening can predict a possibly contraction of a disorder based on the

Environmental Management Essay Example for Free

Environmental Management Essay The world climate is changing and the effects of global warming are being witnessed in various part of the world. Available researches points out human activities as the major case for climate change and global warming. United States is the world leading emitter for global warming pollution and its emission mainly being from green houses and burning of fossils. The country is now on the forefront in taking the appropriate steps to contain the situation and it have come out with a program known as cap trade program. The cap-trade program which is a market based approach utilizes the market forces to achieve environmental protection which are cost effective by giving business both direct and flexible incentive to find innovative way of pollution reduction. The policy has been implemented successively in several states and it is looking forward to be implemented at the national level. The world climate is changing and the evidence of global warming is unequivocal. According to the report of IPPC synthesis 2001 (Crowley, 2000), the increase in earth warmth is dated back in the years between 1900 and 1940 which later cooled down between 1941 and 1965. Information collected from millions of thermometer in the world since 1860 shows an increase in the average surface air measurement. These data which is believed to be the most accurate and useful in global climate description, shows 1998 as being the warmest year on record with 1990-2000 being the warmest decade. The global temperature has increased by approximately 0. 6 degrees since the start of 20th century with 0. 4 of this occurring during 1970s (McIntosh Roderick, 2006). As result of alteration in the world ecosystem which consists of the atmosphere, ecosphere and social sphere harmful gases have been released impacting negatively to our atmosphere. Scientists believe that the gases have led to global warming due to depletion of ozone layer. They attribute Human activities like deforestation and fossil combustion to increase of carbon dioxide emission while organic wastes and fossil fuel mining increases the release of methane which is affect negatively on ozone layer (Hardoy et al, 2001). Also Nitrogen fertilizers commonly used by farmers and release of refrigerant cfcs in factories increases nitrogen oxide and chlorofluorohydrocarbons gases respectively to the atmosphere (Hardoy et al, 2001). Over the years this gas has accumulated in the atmosphere bring adverse effect ranging from acid rains, climate change and depletion of the layer (Burroughs, 2001). Ozone layer is made up of ozone o3 molecules which three atoms of oxygen. It is located in the stratosphere portion of the atmosphere and it shields the harmful UV rays from the sun to reach the earth. Ozone layer depletion is the major cause of global warming and its effect such as Elevated temperature and weather extremes. Melting of ice as witnessed in the Polar Regions and flooding of major cities are clear indications of temperature elevations (Crowley, 2000). As human being competes to exhaust the precious resources around them they leave behind a serious environmental trauma which pauses danger not only to themselves but also to other living things (Hardoy et al, 2001). The environmental problems of the world today are much greater compared to last century when the damage was smaller. It is predicted that the situation will not reverse in near soon since the population is expanding and also the fact that human being have continued to stress for development without conservation of the environment (Broecker, 1995) In 2007 the panel consisting of the world leading scientist charged with the task of reviewing summarizing and validating the latest research concluded that the warming of the climate is clear. The panel attributed ninety percent of warming in the 50 s to green houses which are human creation. Other scientific reports have documented the specific impacts of warming including the melting down of the artic ice cap, shifting of the wildlife habitat, increased heat waves and wild fires. The United States of America is the global leading emitter of overall warming pollution. The emission is mainly through green houses and also burning of fossils. Their however not spared by the effects of the climate change as they experience glaciers, flooding of cities and intense storms in their backyard (Broecker, 1995) The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze climate change as one of the environmental issues and discuss the policy that united states have adopted in dealing with the issue. I wish to take the proactive side that indeed the climate change is being managed in the correct way in reducing its effects in the present and in the future. Important steps are being taken by various stakeholders in United States to contain the effects of climate change. In order to achieve reduction in large scale emissions as a necessary step to address climate change, there is need to adopt effective policies that stresses on shifting in the way the world uses and produces energy. Policy makers are treating the issue of climate change as an urgent one and are deploying currently available resources to reduce global warming pollution at all cost (Comiso, 2002) United States is now leading the way after years of inaction. The country now recognizes the need for effective environmental program for management of climate change which is perceived is a threat to environment and human beings in general. The climate policy which United States adopted is called cap-trade program. The plan requires the natural gas producers to purchase allowances for emissions from downstream gas consumers with less likelihood that the cost will be passed to consumers. Cap and trade program was designed in united states and also tested and proven by the Americans as a program within the clean air amendment of 1990. Its success as shown in the appendix 1, led to be crowned the green success story by the economist magazine. The program which is a market based approach utilizes the market forces to achieve environmental protection which are cost effective by giving business both direct and flexible incentive to find innovative way of pollution reduction. The policy has been implemented successively in several states Groups of states especially in the east and west coast are coming together to set up market place for electric facilities to buy and sell credits to release carbon dioxide among other gases which lead to global warming (NYT, 2002). In Chicago an emission trading allowance program have been launched which uses electricity utility in more than nine north eastern states. Western states on their side have teamed up with Canadian provinces to unveil yet another ambitious trading system which encompasses both industries and utilities . the plan aim at reducing greenhouse emissions by 15% within 12 years. Also a program to have a carbon trading market aiming to be running by 2010 is underway in Wisconsin, Illinois and other Midwestern states. I am optimistic that this program will go along way in reducing the emissions blamed for global warming and they will do so efficiently and less cheaply than regulatory program. New York merchantile first auction of emission allowance opened a new beginning in America response to change in climate, although reducing carbon dioxide is predicted to increase electric rates the cost will be lesser as compared to convectional regulation . to ensure protection of consumers. The program uses the cap and trade approach to realize proceeds that can be used to promote energy efficiency and conservation saving money for household (Houghton, 2004) Emission dealings began in 1990 and focused on reducing sulfur dioxide which causes the acid rain. The cap and trade program is preferred than the regulatory program since it is effective in cutting emissions quickly. In fact with the both McCain and Obama supporting the cap and trade program there is high likelihood of national trading program which will cover the whole country (Houghton, 2004). The problem related to this policy is that it will lead to fewer natural gas wells which may result to shortfall in production and over all reduction in supplies. High demand and low supply entails that prices will go high in order to meet the new climate goals. An eventual increase in consumer spending is likely and the price will also drive gas dependent industries abroad resulting to job losses (Hardoy, 2001) Conclusion The great scholars seem to agree that the world climate is changing and the earth is warmer than it was a century ago. Scientist attributes the global warming to human activities such as fossil burning and deforestation. An immediate step is required in the establishment of compulsory emission limits joined with a market based system that provide for a reduction in emission which is cost effective. Nevertheless to address the issue of climate change cannot succeed without involvement of united sates. The starting point is a program that will enable United States to substantially and permanently reduce their emission since they are the largest emitters of global warming pollution.There is need for quick enactment of energy policies which include more stern fuel efficiency regulations. Reference Broecker, W. C. (1995). The Glacial earth According to Wally. Eldigo Press, Columbia University, Palisades, New York Crowley, T. J. (2000). Origin of climate change over the past. UK: Cambridge University Press, Comiso, J. C. (2002). A rapidly declining permanent sea ice cover in the Arctic. London: Routledge press. New York Times (NYT) (2002, November 9). â€Å"Waters and dying lobsters and warming waters†. Times, 143, pp. 30-32 McIntosh Roderick (2006). Atmosphere, History, and Human Action. New York: Columbia University Press, Burroughs, W. J. (2001, November 9). â€Å"Climate change† The Journal for Comparative Change, New York Times, Vol. 36-118-134. Hardoy et al, (2001). Global warming: multidisciplinary climatic approach. London: Arnold press. Houghton, J. T. (2004, May 22). Global warming: the Complete Briefing, 89-456-458 U. K: Cambridge University Press.

Kenyan Hospitality And Travel Industries

Kenyan Hospitality And Travel Industries The Republic of Kenya is located along the Equator of the eastern side of Africa, boarding the countries of Somalia, Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania. The country covers an area of 582,264 km2 and house approximately 28.8 million people and growing at a rate at a rate 6f 1.6 annually. The climate take a tropical origin which tourist can experience sunshine all year round ,however the temperature may differ throughout the country for example warm humid at the cost ,cool humid at central high lands and hot dry in the north and east. Rain on the other hand is seasonal for which the heaviest occur during the months of April to June. Kenya is a country rich in culture which gives home to a number of different tribe, religions and approximately 45 different ethnic groups. Some of these larger populated ethnic and religious groups include: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14% and Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Indigenous beliefs 10% and Muslim 10% respectively. (About.com) The native language of Kenya is Swahili which is also known as Kiswahili which is widely spoken among natives however English is becoming the official language of Kenya. This cosmopolitan country has a number of different amenities to bring to the tourism arena. With tourism being one of main finical drivers Kenyas economies, they engaged in the following types of tourism which are: Domestic, Culture, Business and Community and Eco Tourism. This type of tourism helps in a number of different ways. Firstly, it helps to educate the natives about their country and what it has to offer. Secondly, it gets them more involved in the tourism sector. Domestic tourism also helps in balancing off the tourism industry in low period of nation and international guest and tourist arrival. Kenyas tourism industry is closely bonded to environment, culture and the community, wildlife in relation to eco tourism in particular is one of the top tourist drivers. Safaris, national parks and forests, show the countless species of Flora and Fauna that can be found throughout the country. Tourist can also experience true tribal life through the community national parks where rich Kenyan culture is displayed together with tours and hikes through deserts, mountains rainforests, beaches etc. BUSINESS TOURISM In addition to wild life, the accommodation and conference sector play an important role in the tourism sector. Hotels range from budget, express, luxury and national parks where sleeping under the element is now possible. These establishments offer first class service together with computer, telecommunication and internet services. ANALYSIS HOSPITALITY TOURISM INDUSTRY IN KENYA Tourism in Kenya dates back to pre-independence days and as recorded in history as early as the 1930s (Tourism in Kenya). In the past, the bulk of the tourist that visited Kenya did so mainly to take part in the gaming industry in the game hunting expeditions, while the other visitors represented the typical old tourist that travelled for sun, sand and sea which is one of the tourism products offered by Kenyas tourism industry. In particular, the tourism industry in Kenya traditionally attracted first world rulers. e.g. The Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II and the President of the United States of America, Theodore Roosevelt. INFRASTRUCTURE In the 1930s, Kenyas infrastructure was less than ideal or/and adequate to facilitate this new trend, tourism. Nevertheless, the tourism industry was steadily growing. Kenya gained independence in December 1963 (Kenya Timeline) after which the infrastructure developed a bit but still required improvements. The government with cooperation of both the public and private sector worked cohesively to fully develop the infrastructure that in turn made Kenya more attractive to tourists. Approximately 10% of the country has been reserved for the preservation of the natural attractions and wildlife in Kenya which helps to boost tourism. (Tourism in Kenya) The tourism industry has evolved with the emergence of the new tourist, which brought along new forms of tourism for the country notably sports tourism, community and culture tourism etc. Eco tourism is the prevailing form of tourism accompanied by 10% of the natural reserve dedicated by the government. Kenya Eco tourism attractions:- Game viewing expeditions (Flora) -the evolution of the new tourist brought along the new game viewing expeditions, where the tourist no longer hunt the animals but view the animals on a Safari. Kenyas popular animal attractions are commonly called the big five which includes: elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo and the leopard (Tourism in Kenya) Plant watching (Fauna) The viewing of trees and flowers in Kenya is part of the Kenyan agricultural industry, which is the main contributor to the Kenyan GDP. Kenya climatic seasons are similar to those in the Caribbean with a dry and rain season annually. The rainy season in Kenya is responsible for the boom in the fauna of the country. This is the season where the trees and flowers bloom whereas the dry season is quite different. The trees drop their leaves and the flowers dry up. A tourist that visits Kenya in the dry season would have a different experience to a tourist that visit in the rainy season in regards to the country fauna. Safari this allows the tourists to observe and understand the native people and their natural lifestyle. ECONOMICAL FACTORS Multiplier Effect Kenyas tourism industry is heavily dependent on other industries to be a successful industry. The tourism industry is mainly dependent on the agriculture industry. This sector is predominantly responsible for providing the food and beverages that are served to the tourists. NEGATIVE FACTORS AFFECTING THE TOURISM INDUSTRY Lacks of awareness of the people The people of Kenya are included in the decision making process or informed about tourism development initiatives. As a result of this, nationals act negatively towards the tourist. Socio-culturally With the improvement in the tourism industry and the influx of tourist into country, the ways and attitudes of the new world, have negatively affected the culture Kenya by the increase of prostitution, lack of traditional rituals and performances. Terrorism Threat The bombing of the US Embassy in 1998 and attempted bombing in Mombasa 2002, prompted countries to issue negative travel advisories which greatly affected the tourist arrivals to Kenya as depicted in the statistical data. Kenya is a country with a diverse range of tourism products that cater to many types of tourism as mentioned previously. The country is heavily focused on maintaining its natural aspect as well as developing in a sustainable manner keeping with its eco tourism trend as it foremost tourism product. Overall the tourism industry is slowly increasing despite the negative factors that are occasionally experienced; they were able to press forward. IDENTIFICATION DISCUSSION OF TERRORISM IN KENYA WHAT IS TERRORISM? According to the U.S. Department of State terrorism is premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience. Likewise, international terrorism is defined as terrorism involving citizens or the territory of more than one country. ( ) TERRORISTS ATTACKS IN KENYA US EMBASSY ATTACK Around 10.30am on August 7th, 1998, Kenyas US Embassy in Nairobi, was bombed by terrorists where an estimated 12 Americans and 227 Kenyans were killed. Approximately 5000 people in the vicinity at the time of the blast were injured. The destruction spanned a two to three block radius and the Al Qaeda terrorist group were the suspects behind the incident. MOMBASSA ATTACK The Al Qaeda terrorist group again launched another attack in Kenya this time at an Israeli owned hotel. About 8.30am on November 28, 2002, 2 Israelis and 12 Kenyans were killed and over 80 people were injured in the bombing of the Paradise hotel in Mombasa. This attack was only the first part as a missile attack on an Israeli aircraft was concurrently taking place however, this mission failed. WHY DO TERRORISTS TARGET KENYA? Geographic location, poverty and unstable neighbours are some key elements that have contributed to past terrorist attacks faced by Kenya. Kenyas unique geographic location acts as a passageway from the Middle East and South Asia to East Africa and beyond. Therefore, Kenya had to cater for the many activities that would now exist because of this pathway so an extensive seaport was constructed as well as two international airports, one in Mombasa and one in Nairobi along with rail, road and communication infrastructure. With these additions, travel and entry into and around Kenya is quite easy and usually obscure due to its penetrable borders coupled with its surrounding neighbours and unmonitored coastline. In particular, the Arabs in Kenya that occupy the coastal areas are closely linked to the Arabs in the Middle East as they both share a common religion and language. This has made it quite convenient for terrorist to blend into the community. For these reasons, Kenya is a preferred choice for terrorist to strike. Due to poverty and the high rate of unemployment that exists in Kenya, the youths are targeted by terrorists for recruitment to carry out their activities. The terrorists are able to lure these young people by giving them money to join their cause. In this way, they gain new recruits who would provide them with the relevant local information needed to proceed with their activities. Again, Kenya is seen as an ideal destination for terrorists to attack. In Somalia, Kenyas neighbouring country, political instability is quite prevalent. For the past 14 years, Somalia has not been run been run by a government and this has given way to terrorists to move across the border. This has therefore hampered Kenyas security. Immigrants from Somalia reside in Kenya making it easier for terrorists to blend in and thereby bring terrorism into Kenya. Another challenge for Kenya is its ties to the US which make them susceptible to terrorists attacks. Kenya, among other countries, has been selected by the United States Agency for International Development to be provided with the necessary resources to fight HIV/AIDS. ( ) Also, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention located in Kenya is the TERRORISMS IMPACT ON THE HOSPITALITY TOURISM INDUSTRY IN KENYA Tourism, one of the foundation blocks of Kenyas economy, constitutes 25% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and has been adversely affected by the repercussions of terrorism. Firstly, the influx of tourist to Kenya can be estimated to over 500,000 visitors each year. Europe and the United States of America (USA) represent Kenyas traveller generating region with 70% of the market being Europeans (Switzerland, Italy, Belgium France and Britain account for the bulk of tourists). In addition, visitors come from Japan, Asia, Scandinavia, and other African countries. USA, Germany, Great Britain and some other countries, upon receiving the news about the terrorist attacks on Kenyas US Embassy in Nairobi, immediately issued travel advisories to their citizens and imposed travel bans to refrain travel to Kenya as it was deemed unsafe. Moreover, the extensive media coverage of the attacks particularly focused on Kenyas vulnerability to terrorism severely tarnished its image. These responses lead to a decline in travel to Kenya and some neighboring countries as travelers feared the spillover of the terrorist attacks. For example, tourism businesses were terribly affected by the travel warnings. Tourism brought in US $500 million in annual revenue and was losing at least $1 million everyday due to the decline in tourism. ( ) Consequently, Kenyas tourism industry was paralyzed. Kenya suffered a decrease in tourist arrivals. This had a ripple effect on all sectors of the industry. The cancellation of leisure trips and business conferences were rapidly on the rise. Kenyas reputation plummeted and this lead to the loss of its competitive value. Kenya was no longer an option to be considered for vacation or investment. Tourism catered to the employment of 500, 000 Kenyans ranging from tour operators, tour guides, travel agencies, safari driver, dancers, hoteliers, restaurateurs, small business operators to airport and airline personnel. Subsequently, there was a significant increase in unemployment as many Kenyans lost their jobs. Employees that were still employed received salary cuts. For instance, at the Carnivore restaurant; all of the 330 staff had their salaries reduced, including Dunford the chairman (National Geographic 2010). The bombing of the US Embassy had a massive impact on Kenyas infrastructure. The Embassy was stationed at the crossroads of two streets in Nairobi, adjacent to the Ufundi Building and the Co op Bank Building. The explosion destroyed these three buildings and other buildings and amenities within a two to three block radius.( ) The rubble consisted of broken glass from windows, window frames, furniture and fixtures, concrete block walls, cars, buses, electric poles, street lights and the list goes on. The transportation sector within Kenya suffered major setbacks as the streets were seriously damaged and likewise vehicles. Additional problems surfaced as resources (medical) were delayed as it was difficult to get in and around Nairobi. Access was restricted to rescue and emergency personnel. Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, was known for its many tourist attractions but these business operations declined as a result of the bombing. With the loss of power and telecommunication, tour oper ators, travel agencies and hotels were unable to update their websites or communicate with potential visitors who would usually book their reservations, tours or tickets online. Another hindrance to Kenyas tourism industry in light of the terrorist attacks is the slump in foreign direct investment (FDI). Investors were inclined to nullify their FDI in Kenya due to some of the shocks felt by the terrorist attack such as the direct destruction of infrastructure, the rise of operating costs due to an increasing need of security measures, and the rise of recruiting costs due to missing incentives to work in terrorism prone regions. ( ). This further contributed to the loss of revenue specifically for tourism development initiatives. An important issue on the agenda of Kenyas government to combat terrorism is now the introduction of more security. The notion about safety is not confined to the citizens of Kenya alone but is extended to the tourist as well. For this purpose, government spending had to be diverted from productive investment designed to promote growth, eradicate poverty and sustain tourism development. ( ) Expenditure on high tech security equipment such as surveillance cameras, metal detectors and screening machines had to be implemented as strategies to counteract terrorism. Kenyas financial costs continued to escalate in aftermath of the terrorist attack as more funding was required for the cleanup, restoration and reconstruction of the infrastructure, buildings and other amenities destroyed in the blast including tourists facilities. As an illustration, Similarly, another expense incurred is that of extensive advertising to attract more and new tourists to Kenya. This strategy was employed to portray Kenya as a once again safe place and to neutralize the negative media attention received after the bombing. Apart from the above mentioned negative effects of terrorism on Kenyas tourism industry, some positive effects were identified. With the decrease in tourist arrivals to Kenya, domestic tourism was being promoted. Locals provided a portion of revenue needed to sustain some tourism businesses. Likewise, a new must see tourist attraction was developed. The August 7th Memorial Park was constructed on the site where the US Embassy was once situated. This memorial was built to commemorate the lives that were lost and represents a tribute to the courage of the several thousand others who have had to cope with permanent injury and/or the loss of loved ones. It is a place where people come to reflect, remember and relax. ( ) This attraction is quite similar to the September 11 attraction Ground Zero which has been included in many tour packages offered by tour companies in New York City. With regard to the Kenyas transit route region, terrorism is no exception. The negative effects of US embassy bombing trickled down to the airline industry. Flight cancellations increased as airline travel declined. There were numerous staff cuts and a major loss of revenue for the industry. For instance, the suspension of British Airways regular and charter planes flying to Nairobi, coupled with travel advisories, closed down access to 90% of Kenyas overseas markets (The Effect of Terrorism 2004). Car rental companies were also affected. KENYAS RESPONSE TO TERRORISM There is a need for the development of an anti-terrorism legislation in Kenya: following the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Kenya the government recognized that there were no adequate measures in place to deal with such acts and therefore the need to develop and implement legislation to deal with terrorism was essential. According to Kenyas Counter Terrorism committee, the Government on two occasions made attempts to implement such laws with the Suppression of Terrorism Bill in 2003 and the Anti-Terrorism Bill in 2006 respectively. However, both bills failed to be introduced to parliament. (Google 2010) Another point to be considered is the need for revamped management policies to be set in place for Kenyas border line and costal security control. Google 2010 also stated that the need for heightened security is vital in these areas, for example: the border between Kenya and Somalia poses a great threat to Kenyan nationals and tourist due to fact that Somalia has been without a government of over fourteen years and is known to be politically unstable. This can be done by putting measures in place such as; heightened security checks for persons entering Kenya through Somalia, denial of entry for suspicious entrants and denial to unnecessary travellers especially during the peak tourist seasons. Proper execution of security in these areas may allow tourists to feel safer and therefore increase overall visits to Kenya. The tourism board of Kenya could try to mitigate some of the negative impacts of the past terrorism attacks on the country by creating a new image for the destination. In order to effectively do this, Kenyas perspective about tourism has to be more holistic. For instance with respect to community tourism, the Maasai Mara tribe not only protects the environment but they engage in certain practices to reduce harm to the environment. Though terrorism would ultimately have a devastating impact on any country being affected, repositioning Kenya in the minds of tourists by focusing on the positives of the destination rather than the negative aspects of terrorism can aid in the process of moving forward. In addition, the tourism board can also shift some of their attention to local tourist by creating special packages in such a way that would be attractive to the local population. Another option to combat this issue of terrorism in Kenya should be the development of crisis management portfolio. This would first of all distinguish terrorism from other forms of crisis. It should then outline in detail the measures that should be implemented before and after such a crisis. Next the portfolio should assist in painting a clear and clutter free process that should be followed after an act of terrorism to facilitate a timely recovery for Kenyas image. Since terrorism severely tarnished the image of Kenya, it is very crucial that only specific and highly qualified individuals should address the public and media issues. Hence the reason, the portfolio should also outline all individuals that should be involved in this process with clearly defined roles and objectives. CASE STUDY SEPTEMBER 11 AND KENYA BOMBINGS Both the September 11 attacks on the United States and the US Embassy and Mombasa bombings in 1998 and 2002 respectively were carried out by the Al Qaeda terrorist organization. NEGATIVE EFFECTS Both the US and Kenya bombings resulted in a decline in outbound and inbound travel. The airline industry in both countries experienced significant revenue losses following the decline in travel. Businesses that were dependent on tourism as their main source of revenue suffered and were unable to continue operations. Staff cuts were also experienced again due to the decrease in travel because of the acts of terrorism faced by both countries. POSITIVE EFFECTS Both countries introduced new high tech security equipment and measures to combat the threat of terrorism. Both countries were able to develop a new tourist attraction, Ground Zero and August 7th Memorial

Speed of Light and Time Travel

Speed of Light and Time Travel Introduction The prospect of time travel has mystified and intrigued mankind for centuries. Time travel has been predominant in our culture and has formed the basis of a large portion of science-fiction works including H.G. Well’s â€Å"The Time Machine†. Whether they want to go back to the past to correct a mistake or journey to the future to experience the growth of mankind, everyone harbors a desire to travel in time. However, time is elusive. Everything about it is a mystery, from its existence to its workings. Even now, we are traveling into the future at a rate of one second per second. We can travel even faster by using light to our advantage. Although mankind cannot manipulate time with the current limitations in technology, time travel seems to be an almost inevitable part of the future. Einstein explains that places are moving at constant speeds relative to each other in his theory of Special Relativity. Soon after this theory was announced, scientists concluded that space and time were not really separate. They were actually part of the same entity, space-time, which is also known as the fourth dimension. And this allows us to travel through time. However, to perform a massive jump through time, the light speed barrier would need to broken. That is almost impossible with the present technology. However, new theories and hypotheses have been brought up which seem to signify that time travel could occur on a very large scale. By bending the laws of physics and light itself, we can theoretically travel in time. Indeed, theories about traveling in ultra-fast spaceships through the vast expanses of space to bending space-time have been brought up by numerous scientists. And the majority of these theories rely heavily on the use of light. The Relationship between Light and Time Light travels at a speed of 300,000 km/s. This speed, named c, is invariant. So, if we perform calculations on an object, the fixedness of c would cause other measurements to become variable (Clegg, 20). If this object starts nearing the speed of light, it would undergo massive changes, such as time distortion. In short, the object would experience time differently than an object moving at a slower speed (Jones Robbins, 281). This is known as time dilation. The effects of time dilation can be seen clearly when muons, particles with a life expectancy of 2.2 microseconds that travel at 98 percent light speed, survive their fall to Earth from an altitude of 15 km (Clegg 22). Einstein’s theories play a massive role in the understanding of time. Special Relativity proves that the time on a clock which is placed on a spaceship far from Earth passes much faster than the time observed on a clock close to the surface to Earth (Clegg 80). The other theory, General Relativity, shows that matter causes gravity and space to warp and light to curve (Jones and Robbins, 91). Gravity influences time, causing it to slow down. For example, atomic clocks situated in space gain an additional 46 microseconds every day. Experiments show that the two theories of relativity actually oppose each other (Clegg, 32). As we approach the speed of light, time beings to slow down. For instance, consider a spaceship traveling with a speed close to 150,000 kilometers per second for 10 years. It will fall behind by 2.7 years by the time it reaches Earth because it travels at half the speed of light (Clegg, 83). Moving at a speed closer to the speed of light causes an object to move forwards in time. Moving at the speed of light causes time to stop for that object (Science Channel). It is only logical for relativity to suggest that if we manage to break through the speed light barrier, time might start flowing backwards. (Clegg, 20) However, it is impossible to guarantee that after breaking the speed of light things would continue in a smooth manner as the light speed barrier is a discontinuity in reality (Clegg, 23). Breaking through the Light Speed Barrier Using fuel to power a spaceship to reach a speed even remotely close to light speed is nearly impossible. That is because the mass of the fuel grows exponentially with the speed of the rocket (Parsons, 159). The Russian scientist Tsiolkovsky found out that the maximum speed of a rocket is proportional to the speed at which it spits out its exhaust (Benson). This causes ordinary engines to travel at a very slow speed. On the other hand, an ion drive, a type of spacecraft engine, generates exhaust speeds of over 200,000 m/s. However, only a small mass of fuel is accelerated at a time, making the net acceleration very gradual. The fastest speed it can acquire is 700,000 m/s which is only 0.2 percent light speed (Parsons, 159). It is more feasible to use solar sails, a new kind of spacecraft propulsion (Parsons, 161). The sun radiates electromagnetic waves, and the pressure of this electromagnetic output powers the solar sails. They work because light energy and electromagnetic radiation is converted to kinetic energy, which is essentially motion (Clegg, 91). Scientist speculate that it can achieve a speed of 75,000,000 m/s, about 25 percent light speed, when fused with an ion drive. (Parsons, 161) However, as the ship drifts off farther into space, it becomes harder for the sun to power it for a long period of time, and this might lead to its failure (Clegg, 91). General Relativity could be used to build a ‘warp drive’ that would allow a spaceship to travel faster than light. Mexican scientist Miguel Alcubierre envisioned arranging matter in such a way that would cause the space-time behind of the ship to expand and the space-time in front of the ship to contract (Alcubierre L73). By doing this, the piece of space containing the ship and its destination would be crossed extremely fast. In order to achieve this, ‘exotic matter’, a material possessing negative pressure and mass, would be required. Unfortunately, only tiny amounts of exotic matter have been created experimentally. To produce a working warp drive, a quantity of exotic matter equal to a third of the mass of the sun would be required (Parsons 163). The Possibility of Time Travel Traveling at a speed close to the speed of light enables us to advance into the future. A brilliant example is the Twin Paradox (Clegg 83). To comprehend the Twin Paradox, it is necessary to visualize a pair of hypothetical twins first. If one journeys to space on a super-fast spaceship and then returns home after spending quite some time in space, he would find that he has aged far slower than his counterpart on Earth. By traveling at a speed close to the speed of light, he has would have effectively traveled into the future (Jones Robbins, 291). The laws of physics do not exempt the possibility of traveling faster than light (Mark 211). The warp drive does not damage any rules. Alcubierre states: â€Å"When we study special relativity we learn that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. This fact is still true in general relativity, though in this case one must be somewhat more precise: in general relativity, nothing can travel locally faster than the speed of light.† When warp drives are out of the question, scientists still think it is possible to find particles that travel faster than light, and some have already started challenging Albert Einstein’s claim that nothing can go faster than light (Padmanabha 8). Of course, that faster-than-light travel would probably violate the law of causality, or cause and effect (Mark 217), but that hasn’t stopped people from trying. Nevertheless, it would be nearly impossible for a large object to break through the light speed barrier. Einstein was the first one to show us that mass and energy were interlinked (Jones Robbins, 88). So it only goes to say that an object that is accelerating at a high speed would have to undergo an increase in mass. Therefore, a large amount of energy would be required to keep the body accelerating (Jones Robbins, 282). However, as the object would start to approach the speed of light, the energy required to keep it accelerating would keep on growing until it becomes infinite at the light speed barrier (Parsons, 162). At that speed, it would be impossible to power to any object, unless its mass is zero, of course. Conclusion The speed of light allows us to experiment with time and manipulate it to successfully travel through time. Despite the many objections raised to this subject, the number of hypotheses surrounding this field of study keeps on increasing day by day. After all, in some instances, time travel has been proved to be successful. As the world progresses and technologies become more advanced, scientists start looking for ways to use the space-time dimension to establish time travel or prove the numerous theoretical possibilities false. Paradoxes and oddities keep on surfacing at every stage, leading people to say that time travel is impossible. They ignore the fact that time travel has been accomplished and that some people have already taken tentative steps towards venturing into the future. Mankind has been in existence for a long period of time. As the human race progresses, it makes new discoveries in the field of science and technology everyday. Our conception of truth changes as time passes. The general populace sees time travel as something impossible. They believe that this only belongs to the genre of science fiction. However, beliefs tend to change. In the past, people used to find many ideas incredulous. With the passing of time, these concepts came to be accepted as facts. And today, these facts are taken as granted. Although time travel is not entirely feasible today, physics does make it theoretically possible. Maybe in the next couple of generations or so, mankind might attempt the first large-scale exploration of time. In the end, though, everything depends on time itself.

Essay --

The effects of observational learning on children Does allowing children to watch violent television and what they see on a daily basis in their lives from peers and adults effect their actions, and thoughts? The answer is simply yes! When it comes down to the facts, children’s behaviors are greatly influenced from what they see going on around them. Children can be taught to be violent or they can be taught to be kind, they can be taught to be confident, or they can be stripped of their self-confidence, they can be taught to be great or they can be taught to fail in life all from observing how adults and peers in their life act. Children start out in life observing everything that everyone and everything around them are doing. They learn to walk, talk, and feed themselves from observing what their parents, siblings, and other people around them do. They learn these things from observing and then imitating them. â€Å"It has been found that infants as early 6 weeks old imitate facial expressions and infants 6 and 9 months of age have shown to exhibit deferred imitation of actions demonstrated with objects† (Jones, Hebert. 197). â€Å"Recently researchers at the University of Washington and Temple University have found the first evidence revealing a key aspect of the brain processing that occurs in babies to allow this learning by observation† (â€Å"Baby Brains Learn Through Imitation†). In their study they found that when a baby observed an adult touch a toy with their hand the same part of the brain that controls the same hand on the child would light up. The same was true if they obs erved an adult touch the toy with their foot, the foot part of the child’s brain would light up. These results showed that when babies observed someone els... ...Jones and Hebert found that infants as early as 6 weeks old imitate facial expressions and infants 6 to 9 months of age have shown to exhibit deferred imitation of actions demonstrated with objects. Greer, Dudek-Singer and Gautreaux found that even weeks after their study was completed that the children’s behavior was still able to be reinforced with the plastic discs that were used in their experiment. The exposure to chronic alcoholism by parents effect children well into adulthood and in almost every area of their lives from health to relationships and Huesmann, L. R., Moise-Titus, J., Podolski, C., & Eron, L. D. found that exposure to early childhood violence on television effects children well into adulthood. These studies are proof that what children observe growing up does effect what they learn and can have horrible effects on who they are when they grow up.

Sympathy to the Young and Negativity to the Adults in the film Stand By Me :: essays research papers

The Director of the film â€Å" Stand By Me† invites us to sympathize with younger people whilst portraying adults in a negative manner. Discuss. The film â€Å"Stand By Me† invites us to sympathize with younger people. The movie tells the story of four young boys Teddy, Vern, Gordy and Chris. The movie is based around the character of Gordy who relives the events of their past years through his writing, Gordy is criticized by his family because they want him to be like his older brother Danny who died in a car accident. Teddy who has had some trouble in the past with his Father is sympathized against as the son of a loony. Vern is shown sympathy towards the fact that he is so emotionally immature and vulnerable. You and particularly feel sympathy towards Chris due to his families horrible reputation when Chris would like to be known as his own person. Their adventure began and ended in two completely different levels of maturity for all of the boys. â€Å" We knew exactly who we were and exactly where we were going.† Gordy is the main protagonist in this film he tells the story of their adventure to find Ray Browler’s dead body when they were 12 years old. Gordy was always compared to his older brother Danny his parents were continually paying more attention to Danny than Gordy, they seemed to care more about Danny’s football career than Gordy’s outstanding writing. When Gordy’s brother Danny died his parents could not seem to move on. â€Å" †¦four months after Danny’s death my parents still haven’t been able to put the pieces back together.† Gordy’s parents placed pressure on Gordy to make him feel partially responsible for Danny’s death, they were always pushing him to be more like Danny, especially when he was gone. They were unhappy with his friends and his attitude toward life. â€Å"Why can’t you have friends like Danny’s? Their alright Dad. What? A thief and two feiebs?† Gordy is sympathized against due to the fact that he was 12 and had such a large amount of responsibility and pressure on his shoulders and such a young age. Teddy was the mysterious quarter of the group, always wanting to risk his life in dangerous stunts. Teddy was always out to prove something, he tried to dodge a train that was speeding toward him, until Chris pulled him out of the way.

The Hidden Life Of Dogs: Book Review :: essays research papers

The Hidden Life of Dogs: Book Review The Hidden Life Of Dogs was written by Elizabeth Thomas who is currently well know and highly re-spected for her books. Elizabeth Thomas was born in America and currently lives in New Hampshire. This is a book that is unlike any book ever written as it takes the perspective from a different angle. It was first published in the United States in 1993 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Elizabeth has written five books, all bestsellers. It is evident that her success is due to her intense research as she has travelled the world while writing her books. With international success, Elizabeth plans to continue her career that currently seems to be skyrocketing. "The Hidden Life Of Dogs" was not just any book. Clearly there was much more effort involved. Beginning with an introductory character, Misha who was a Husky, began the book well. This book tried to get the idea across that humans knew only very little about dogs and their patterns. After intense observations on Misha, some ideas were brought up. How did the dog know how to cross a highway on its own? How did its navigational skills work? How was it that this dog knew exactly where it was and could travel through different cities without becoming lost and other dogs couldn't? Continuing on to bringing in other dogs Elizabeth was studying, she pointed out that some had skills that others did not. Misha was clearly able to navigate himself but when with another dog, he would become lost. After careful observation it was seen that the other dog could easily loose track of where she was and mislead Misha. Another interesting topic covered is how dogs behave with each other. How they achieve their social status, why some dogs don't become accepted and how they react to each other. By comparing the dogs with the wolves and dingoes some of the dogs' actions become clearer, but there is one thing a dog really wants and that is to be with others, and to love their owner. It was explained how a dog defended a bird and mouse in a cage from another excited dog in the same house. Likely explanations for this could be because the older dog felt that the peace was not being maintained or perhaps he knew that the mouse and bird were his master's belongings and he should protect them. The book goes on to explaining what occurs between the dogs when they mate, why some dogs kill their litter and many other topics.

Scope of nursing

Expanding o r E panding your Scope of N rsing Nursing Practice – a practical g p guide Leanne Boase Deborah Pedron The Northern Hospital Panch Health Service Craigieburn Health Service Broadmeadows Health Service Bundoora Extended Care Centre Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice What is it? Why Wh is it so important? Why is everyone talking about it? Who manages it? Who is responsible? Aims of this Presentation To define what Scope of Practice means for Nurses and Midwives Midwives. 2. To present different concepts around Scope of Practice 3 To report on findings of a small survey of fldi nurses and Scope of Practice 4.To discuss expanding Scope of Practice and provide a framework 5. To relate these concepts to ‘real life' nursing roles. According to our nurses, Scope Of P ti (SOP) is: so sop Guidelines and Frameworks we need to abide and work within SOP relates to what I am allowed and not allowed to do within my profession SOP relates to codes of conduct, ethics and professional conduct SOP relates to what a nurse can do within their skill base Area of tasks, procedures and actions a nurse can legally and safely undertake according to their training and educationThe scope of which my role as a RN, specialist or credentialed DNE can work within Maintaining knowledge base and competency through constant learning and professional development Something which I am taught, qualified, taught qualified or competent to do What is Scope of Practice? â€Å"That which Nurses and â€Å"the range of roles, functions, functions responsibilities & activities, which a registered nurse or a registered midwife is educated, competent, and has the authority to perform † perform. (An Bord Altranais pl) Midwives are educated, competent and authorised to perform. (QNC p3) Scope of p practice is not defined in many places. We should define nursing practice and outline principles to assist with the expansion of one's scope of practice And/ Or Require the health professional to identify restricted activities.

Aqualisa Quartz: Case Study

1. What is the Quartz value proposition to plumbers? What is Aqualisa Quartz value proposition to consumers? The value proposition of Aqualisa Quartz to plumbers is that it is easy to install; it is more profitable because they are able to do more installations. Because the installation process is less complicated, it takes less time to install (only half a day compared to 2 days previously). This gives plumbers the opportunity to install more units and capture some of the historical 6-month waiting list for plumbing jobs. Due to a less complex installation process, even apprentices are able to do installations, instead of only certified plumbers. The Aqualisa Quartz product also delivers excellent results, which gives the plumbers increased credibility with consumers for installing a superior product with less malfunctions. The value proposition of Aqualisa Quartz to consumers is that it had efficient and reliable water pressure and temperature. It is safe to use for kids and elderly people. It has a one touch control with a red light indicator which allowed consumers to know when the water reaches the desired temperature. Once the temperature is set, consumers only need to push the one touch control and wait for the light. It is much easier to install for the DIY sector of consumers since it does not require excavation of the wall to reach plumbing. The Aqualisa Quartz also has excellent design and aesthetics. The control box could now be placed in any space close to a water source and electrical outlet – even in out of sight locations. 2. Why is the Quartz shower not selling? Sales of the Quartz shower are significantly below expectations. There are a few contributing factors. Slow Adoption Processes. Most plumbers are wary of new technology and do not trust it, especially in light of previous electronic control failures. In addition, plumbers establish a comfort level with a particular brand and see changing their preferred product as an unnecessary cost. The uncertainty of its performance, which may result in having to do repair work, plus the time to learn a new product, is seen as a hindrance. They seem to adhere to the rule, â€Å"If it ain't broke, don't fix it. † Although there has not been much adoption with the product, plumbers also may pose a potential challenge with the structure of their fee chedule. If a labor cost of 40 to 80 pounds per hour was reduced by 75% because of the ease of installation, a plumber may have to schedule almost three times as many shower jobs to make up the potential loss in labor revenue or use the time to deliver other services. Sales Targeting and Cannibalization. With the sales force spending 90% of their time on existing accounts, there is inadequate focus on trade shops – which target plumbers. It also creates the threat of cannibalization of the other product lines. Typically, new products should be introduced to existing customers to either capture new revenue or replace aging products. Another approach is to introduce the products to new customers. In this case, the product poses direct competition and the sales team seems unsure of how to proceed when adding the Quartz to their typical sales process. The solution is for companies to refocus the sales team to target new customers or segment a portion of the sales force to specialize in a particular product line. Product Testing versus Market Research. The research and development team at Aqualisa seem to do a good job of obtaining feedback from the users and to determine what would make the best user experience. However, there does not appear to be any feedback gathered from its primary customer base on what problems they are facing, how this new product may solve them, and ultimately how it may benefit the plumbers. The approach assumes plumbers will catch on because it was simply a better shower. However, that is not the current situation. 3. Aqualisa spent three years and 5. 8 million developing the Quartz. Was the product worth the investment? Is Quartz a niche product or a mainstream product? The Quartz line product is worth the time and money that Aqualisa spent developing it. The company has been able to create an innovative, break-through product in an extremely mature industry. Given the current pricing model, Aqualisa can break even on its investment by selling slightly over 18,700 units (assuming a 50/50 split between the two models offered). There were 550,000 power shower class units sold in the United Kingdom in 2000, so selling just fewer than 20,000 of such a superior product should be an achievable goal. The Quartz is a mainstream product that appeals to anyone who can afford it. While the Quartz may have failed to post strong initial sales numbers there is clearly a demand in the United Kingdom (and probably the rest of Europe) for a product that fixes all of the problems associated with the old plumbing infrastructure that exists in this part of the world. When there is strong demand and only one supplier that adequately addresses all the consumer needs the only missing ingredient is a proper marketing campaign, which is clearly lacking. If Aqualisa can effectively convey the benefits of the Quartz units to both plumbers and consumers adequately there is no reason Quartz cannot fuel Aqualisa’s growth for the next several years. 4. Aqualisa currently has three brands: Aqualisa, Gainsborough, and ShowerMax. What is the rationale behind this multiple brand strategy? Does it make sense? The act of managing multiple brands is a thin tight rope walk that can help elevate a brand yet almost just as easily diminish it. Aqualisa has recognized distinct markets within the overall market of showers. An excellent example of multiple brands can be drawn from the brief anecdote at the beginning of the paper with the mentioning of the Marriott that Mr. Rawlinson was a guest of. Marriot has a multitude of brands within their brand. Consumers come in any and every form, from those who seek quality first and have the means to pay the price for the best to those who look at the price tag first and compromise on quality and everywhere in between. Marriott consists of the Courtyard, The Fairfield Inn, Marriott Resorts, and Residence Inn, just to name a few. The goal is to isolate the needs and demands of specific types of consumers and utilize each brand to specialize and cater to that type of consumer. They have broken down their branding into an architecture defining the brands categories as; iconic luxury, luxury, lifestyle, signature, modern essentials, extended stay and destination entertainment. More than just creating these branches they have focused on distinctly establishing a separate identity for each brand while still embodying the overall total brand’s mission. This is a difficult juggling act in multiple brand management, teetering to find the perfect balance between separation and unification. The extended stay category consists of those rooms including kitchens, and other amenities to cater more too long term guests for example. Any market is filled with a myriad of different consumers so to generalize them with one brand as a ‘one size fits all’ service would be foolish. Marriott has spent a great sum of advertising and marketing dollars and effort to research the market and gain insight into the demands of the consumer. This has also been accomplished by varying pricing points, among other factors, in order to break down the target market into multiple targets. This allows the brand to better serve each demographics specific needs more efficiently and effectively. Aqualisa recognizes the same trend within the shower market. As stated in the case study, the United Kingdom’s buyers tend to fall into three pricing segments: premium, standard, and value. Aqualisa has developed three brands respectively: Aquastyle, Gainsborough, and ShowerMax, to penetrate these markets. Not only are consumers concerned with price but also ease of use, installation and performance. These various factors translate to different types of end users. They consist of the DIY consumers, plumbers, developers and contractors, and the retail consumer. These varying users each need to be reached through distinctive means. Tradeshows are the best place to reach plumbers and developers while options like hardware stores and showrooms are best for DIY and retail consumers. In a market such as the shower market in the UK, there needs to be several strategies and methods of market penetration. In order to best cater to these different strategies, Aqualisa must customize and tailor fit a product line designed for each market segment. This example is a quintessential instance where multiple branding is the best option. Just making one brand in this case would most definitely pigeon-hole their operation and typecast them as just being a product for only one or two types of consumers. A singular brand would in turn ostracize the needs of other various types of demand within the market. The sheer fact that there are commercial and residential applications support the fact that multiple product brands are required. Promoting a universal message and ideal for your brands that encompasses all product lines and bridges their differences is imperative; Aqualisa has chosen a wise strategy in pursuing multiple brands. 5. What should Rawlinson do to generate sales momentum for the Quartz product? Should he change his marketing strategy to target consumers directly, target the DIY market, or target developers? Should he lower the price of the Quartz? Or should he do something different altogether? Although the Quartz is truly ground breaking and innovative in terms of function and design, many consumers and industry professionals alike are not fully aware of its features and benefits. Aqualisa should commit to an aggressive marketing and advertising campaign targeted towards the consumer and DIY markets respectively. Targeting consumers directly will increase brand recognition, provide product differentiation, and in turn allow customers to make informed decisions. Armed with information from customized advertising and marketing strategies, customers are in a unique position to reduce the leverage plumbers have traditionally had in selecting installation brands. The price point for the Quartz should not be lowered because it is a new revolutionary product with essentially no market competition. However, Aqualisa should develop methods to effectively mitigate the immediate and continuing impact of cannibalization as they strive to increase Quartz’s sales. Aqualisa could also benefit from developing a marketing scheme to target plumbers and or industry professionals. Plumbers are influencing 73% of all shower purchase decisions, so getting there buy-in is crucial. Additionally, the overall lifetime value of a single plumber could be well into the tens of thousands of euros (where as the lifetime value of a consumer is a few hundred). The organization acknowledges the challenges it faces with products boasting technological advancements due to industry skepticism. This reluctance has undoubtedly been responsible for the lack luster demand as evidenced by product availability within trade shops. As part of this strategy the company could offer a series of workshops, trade, or industry shows designed solely for plumbers to showcase the Quartz features, reliability, and installation ease. In regards to distribution, Aqualisa needs to do a better job of getting their products into the market. Aqualisa currently has only a 40% presence in trade shops and 25% in show rooms. In order to truly make a difference in sales, the product needs to be available in more outlets for purchasing. Distribution must be expanded. With the aforementioned strategies, an increased presence is needed in trade shops, show rooms, DIY chains and general consumer stores to increase brand awareness and recognition. A lower pricing structure would not be a good strategy for the long term because it will reduce profit margin. There is some room to lower the price of the Quartz to match the profit margins on the other Aqualisa products. Currently the Quartz line is close to a 32% profit margin, in comparison to the other Aqualisa products which range from 22% to 32%. The majority of products fall near 26%. However, lowering the price may be a viable option in the future after sales volumes have increased significantly. Listed below are specific strategies Aqualisa could adopt and implement to increase Quartz sales volumes. Strategies:

The Contributions of Abigail Adams

Though quiet, sickly, and shy, Abigail Adams, the wife of second president John Adams, helped plant the seeds that eventually led to the concept of women ¹s rights and women ¹s equality with men. For a country which had been founded on the idea of independence for all, these concepts were still considered radical and even ridiculous. Abigail believed that a good education was just as necessary for girls as for boys. This was a departure from the prevailing feeling of teaching girls only the skills necessary for keeping a household running smoothly. She had a passion for reading history, theology, and political theory which she passed on to her children. For Abigail to have taken such a strong interest in her education was a brave stance for her time. Education was often viewed as a corrupting influence on a woman. She requested her husband John, who was a delegate to Congress and later a U.S. president, to draft into law a commitment to supporting education for women. John was in full agreement with Abigail ¹s views on this subject. Abigail made her strongest appeal for women ¹s rights in 1776, when John was in Philadelphia serving in Congress. As members drafted laws to guarantee the independence for which the colonist were fighting, Abigail wrote to John begging him to remember that women also needed to be given the right of independence. She sensed the struggles that were to come and understood the unfairness of making one group subject to the will of another. She supported her husband through every phase of his rise to power and fame. His dependency and reliance on her as his partner was apparent. He considered her advice and assistance as critical to his success as a president. Ultimately, Abigail brought about no immediate changes in the way women were treated. However, it would not be long before others followed her lead.

Red Record

Ida B. Wells-Barnett wrote a Red Record in 1895. This remarkable woman wrote this article during a critical time in American History, a time when blacks had civil rights, yet they could not exercise those rights. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was passed 20 years earlier and slavery was abolished 10 years prior to the Civil Rights Act, still blacks could not exercise their rights. Despite the death threats on her life, Ida B. Wells-Barnett insisted on writing this information to inform the world of the injustices that African-Americans faced in America during this era. In this article, the writer states that southern white people, in essence, butchered blacks for what they (whites) interpreted as â€Å"rape†. White southern men, as the article states, believed that it was impossible for a voluntary alliance to exist between a white woman and a colored man; therefore, the fact of an alliance is proof of force. Ida B. Wells-Barnett put her life and livelihood in danger when she decided to write an editorial in her paper, the Free Speech. Surprisingly, this paper was printed in my hometown, Memphis, Tennessee, on May 21, 1892. The one thing that disturbs me is the way in which southern white men treated blacks in the south. It appalls me to learn that white men, in that era, would go to the extent of breaking into a penitentiary, steal a black man, and then hang him for their definition of rape. The law was established so that every citizen in America could have the right to a fair trial. However, in the South, the law undoubtedly meant nothing to the white man, especially when it came to dealing with matters that involved blacks. The white man felt as if he was â€Å"The Law†. Blacks were freed from slavery in 1865 by the 13th amendment, yet they were still oppressed. Through the accomplishments of the 14th amendment, blacks were given citizenship and the 15th amendment gave black males the right to vote. Blacks, in spite of all their governmental rights, still were not seen as an equal race, but an inferior one by most southern whites. One of the few groups of people that showed compassion towards blacks was northern white women. These women were not seen as aiding the situation to the white man, but as â€Å"nigger teachers†. I feel that the southern white men knew the potential that the blacks had within them; therefore, in an attempt to keep them oppressed, the white man tried to intimidate the northern white women and allege that some black men were raping white women, when in fact the white women may have been attracted to the black man after discovering the intelligence and love he possessed. I am sure race mixing at that time was shunned; however, I do know that it could have taken place. It grieves me to learn that more people died unjustly and without a trial than people who were tried and convicted in a court of law in the United States during this era. Wells-Barnett states that she did not write her paper in the spirit of vindictiveness; nevertheless, it is hard to believe that a person of her status would not want to be vindictive. Plessy v. Ferguson These are excerpts from the trial Plessy vs. Ferguson. Throughout the course of my studies, I have learned that whites and blacks often participated in everyday activities during the 1870's and 1880's. By 1883, this ended after the Supreme Court encouraged racial segregation by overturning the Reconstruction legislation. Plessy was seven-eighths white and one-eighth black. In some southern states if a person had any black blood, they were considered black. Therefore, a group of prominent Lawyers sought to test the constitutionality of a segregation law that was passed in Louisiana in 1890. In my opinion, the judge in this case was racially discriminatory and biased. I agree that this case does not conflict with the 13th amendment; however, it does conflict with the 14th amendment. The following statement was taken from this article, and I believe the judgment was faulty. â€Å"The object of the 14th amendment was undoubtedly to enforce the absolute equality of the two races before the law, but in the nature of things it could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based upon color, or to enforce social, as distinguished from political, equality, or a commingling of the two races upon terms unsatisfactory to either. Laws permitting, and even requiring their separation in places where they are liable to be brought into contact do not necessarily imply the inferiority of either race to the other, and have been generally, if not universally, recognized as within the competency of the state legislatures in the exercise of their police power †¦. † This statement is, as far as I can tell, a statement that condones racial inequality. There is no doubt that the 14th amendment guarantees all men equality before the law. On the surface, it may not imply racial inferiority; nevertheless, it indicates that the law has no jurisdiction when it comes to social equality as opposed to legal equality. Due to the outcome of this case, racial segregation was condoned by the Supreme Court, a decision that stood for the next fifty years. Report on Wounded Knee Massacre and the Decrease in Indian Acreage (1891) This article contains excerpts from an annual message written in December 1891. It is not clear to me who the author of this message is; nevertheless, what is clear is that there were some major hostilities between the Sioux Indians and the white settlers of this era. The Sioux were upset about the reduction of the appropriation for rations and the delays attending the enactment of laws to enable the Department of the Interior to perform the engagements entered into with them. From this article and what I understand from the text, the Wounded Knee Massacre is one of the most merciless events that our history holds in its deep dark past. I understand why the Sioux warriors were excited by the teachings of their medicine men and chiefs. Hearing of an Indian messiah that would endower them with power to destroy the white man was more than enough to excite the Sioux. The Sioux expressed their excitement in a set of dances and rites known as the Ghost Dances. These dances made the white settlers who lived near the reservation uneasy; therefore, the Army was called in to protect the settlers. I believe if the white man had not begun to take land from the Native Americans, then this massacre would have not happened. The article states that from March 4, 1889 to December 9, 1891, about 23,000,000 acres of Indian reservations was taken and added to the public domain, this is a harsh fact. The white man caused many Indians to leave their way of life and assimilate into the white man's society. It appalls me that the writer of this article had the audacity to call the Indian reservation â€Å"waste land†. I hope the interpretation of this statement means that the land was being wasted because it was not being used to the capacity in which the white man envisioned. In closing, I believe the damage that was done to the Indians is irreversible. Tragedy at Wounded Knee (1890) This article tells of the horrifying story, the tragedy at Wounded Knee. The trouble, as stated by Red Cloud, started when the Indians first made treaties with Government. The signing of those treaties marked the end of the Indian's old way of life and customs; the white man was settling on their land and pushing the Indians out. Red Cloud states that the only way left for the Indians was to adopt the white man's way of life. The Government promised them all the means necessary for them to live on their land, yet the government never made good on all of the promises. On the other hand, the Indians were given tools and means to work their land; nevertheless, the few things they did receive helped a little but not enough to make a difference in their lives. The Government did make an Indian Department; however, the Agents were more interested in self-gain, than helping the Indians. This made a bad situation worse. The Government took their (Indians) ponies under the promise that oxen and large horses would replace the ponies. It seems to me that the Government did everything within its power to disrupt the Indian's way of life and culture. The Government did everything from taking the Indian's land to removing the â€Å"real chief†. Throughout history the United States government has done what ever it took for them to stay economically stable. No matter what the situation was, be it taking land and starving Indians or oppressing and enslaving African-Americans, this behavior has been a routine practice of our Government. I thought African-Americans had it bad during this era, however, it seems that the Indians had it just as bad or worse. I cannot imagine the way the Indians felt when their land, traditions, customs, the way they hunted for food, their rituals, and all the things that they cherished was taken; and to add to the sorrow, they were forced to assimilate into a white mans world. This had to be an awful feeling. From what I understand from the text, the Wounded Knee Massacre is one of the most tragic events that our history holds in its past. The picture this article paints during this horrific event is one that I cannot fathom in my mind. The sound of machine gun fire and seeing dead bodies in the snow paid its toll on the Indian. This event along with others like it has caused the Indian to question the very existence of his God. A Sharecrop Contract (1882) A sharecrop contract, in my opinion, contained many passive forms of slavery. Although the croppers had basic freedoms, they were still controlled by the landowner. This contract's tone seems to be a demanding one. The croppers had no choice other than to agree with this contract. Disagreeing could have cost the cropper jail time. It seems that they had no other options, because all of them were former slaves and the only trade that the majority of them had was fieldwork; therefore, there was no better way to make a living than this. Nevertheless, this was not, by any means, a â€Å"great† way of life. The croppers were allowed to keep half of their crop, only if they complied with every demand in the contract. If they did not comply, then they only received two-fifths of their crop. Crops in which they worked and sweated so hard to plant, cultivate, and harvest. The rest went to the landowner. After reading such a contract, I believe that most croppers were discouraged, yet they knew that was the only way for them to survive. In this particular contract, the landowner had a policy that not only included him receiving half of the crop, but the cropper had to feed his workers three times a day. Many other things in this contract disgust me. One such thing is that the croppers could not sell anything until the landowner was paid, yet before a cropper could bring home his net gain; the landowner had taken an eighteenth of the croppers fifty percent. The reason for this is the landowner charged the cropper to gin and pack all of his (cropper) cotton. In addition, the cropper had to haul, plow in cotton and corn stalks, clean out ditches, and repair fences. Above all the freedoms the sharecropper had, nothing could be more discouraging than the contracts that they were forced to sign. When I speak of force, I do not mean physical force. These people had no other choice in the matter; this is why I say it is passive slavery. Instead of being beaten, these croppers could now be thrown into jail for not complying with the sharecropper's contract. The life of a sharecropper can be best described as a person trapped in a revolving door; trapped in a system that was never designed for the sharecropper to become economically stable, but to keep them economically unstable and needy. They were trapped in a continuous effort to pay off their debts. Consequently, most sharecroppers never became wealthy.