This computerized world Essay

Now, in our society all over the world technology is the most important advancement, a necessity in bringing about progress as we move along in this computerized world. These changes in effectmake man’s life easier and more convenient. The relationship between the library and computer is constantly changing that the use of computer contributes to the way man learns and communicates. It easy in this world to strive for changes and since library is no different from any firm and institution, considering the use of computer to perform a given task will be efficient. The fast phased of technology attributed a lot to the improvementof the library system. Technology enabled software developers to computerize the librarysystem. The automated library system helped the academe greatly. Library, transactionsand queries can be created in a single click. Traditionally, library systems are implemented manually. Forms are given to librarian and they fill them of using pens. Computerized library system identifies the modern process of technology, on how it works quickly for the students and librarian. Pagadian Capitol College, base on the library system, the librarian and the library users still use the manual way of transacting of borrowing and returning of books. In the system we are going to make the manual library system into automated and computerized one. The manual library system is very costly, time consuming and tedious. Hence, computerized library system, the librarian can easily find the books of the student that they are looking for without going through the traditional way of searching a library material. And for the students, it can lessen the time and effort needed by them of the library. The implementation of the system will reduce the time and effort of the users in terms of adding, editing, searching, deleting and printing of records. The system can also help in reducing the expenses of the library such as papers, folders, pens and other materials needed in their current system. The objective of the study was to develop a computerized library system that will store the student’s basic information, books record, list of borrowers, returned books, borrowed books, and prescription of the librarian. The study was about the Computerized Library System for the BotolanCommunity College. The implementation of the system will reduce the time and effort of the users in terms of adding, editing, searching, deleting and printing of records. Thesystem can also help in reducing the expenses of the library such as papers, folders, pensand other materials needed in their current system. The system is LAN-based that enablesthe librarian to share the records of the student such as the borrowing books, returningbooks, search books, and prescriptions of the librarian. The student’s personal information/data may be stored upon the request of authorized librarian. The assignedlibrarians are the only one who can share any of the records/data of the students. Thesystem is not capable of sharing its data from other databases. The system will bedeveloped using the Microsoft Visual Basic 6. 0. This study will be beneficial to the following: BCC Students . Through a computerized library system, they can easily find the booksthat they are looking for without going through the traditional way of searching a librarymaterial. Convenience is more visible for it is not time-consuming, resulting to a numberof accomplished works. Librarian. The computerized library system would improve the monitoring capacitiesof those who maintain the library. It would be easier to determine whether a particularbook is on-shelf or not. In addition, they can easily identify when will the borrowedmaterial be returned and if a borrower has failed to return the book on its due date. Furthermore, the librarian would be much guided when it comes to recognizing newinventory books, letting them arrange it promptly and accordingly. Related Literature Foreign According to Robson (2001), usability is a key requirement for users, says Elisabeth Robson, Product manager for Online Computer Library Center. The cataloguehas become a way to pull together disparate resources, including commercial resourcesand web links. management systems also allow circulation, including check in/check outand enable libraries to purchase materials and track where they are. According to Chad (2009), consulting is at a major point of change in the wider information economy within which library systems form part of a larger whole. He waswriting in a briefing paper about the study in library management systems. This studyexamined the systems used in higher-education libraries across the UK and came up withsome significant observations and recommendations. It noted that the LMS market in UKhigher education is already mature and that four main vendors (ExLibris, Innovative,SirsiDynix and Talis) have almost 90 percent of the market. This market maturity means,according to the study authors, that the benefits to libraries of changing LMS provider arelimited. Library users expect to find everything together says Stephen Abram, vicepresident for innovation at SirsiDynix, the leading provider of software solutions andassociated services for libraries. According to her traditionally, the library managementsystem or integrated library system (ILS) was responsible for running libraries efficientlyand effectively. Over the last few years, the role of the ILS has been expanding frommeeting library needs to delivering user experience. Local  According to Eden (2011), views that most libraries are forced to work with fewerstaff because of the having a more improved and modernized system for their library. According also to the study, the library administration need to emphasize to their staff that the organization has a vested interest in providing them with the tools and trainingthey need to assist the organization in the new information marketplace. These mayinclude search engines, circulation systems, and the online public access catalog. According to Lopez (2002), University of the Philippines Mindanao when UP inMindanao accepted its first batch of students in 1996, the Main Library collection wasintegrated with the core collection of the School of Management (SOM) Library at the Stanfilco Bldg. , Ladislawa Avenue, Buhangin, Davao City. The Filipiniana and GeneralReferences were housed together with the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) collectionin Room 2 of the Philippine Coconut Authority. In the Second Semester AY 1996-1997,the CAS Library moved to its main campus in Bago Oshiro. Upon the recognition of UPin Mindanao by the Board of Regents (BOR) as a constituent unit (CU) of the UPSystem, the CAS was split into two (2), namely: College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) and the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM). The Main Librarytransferred to the newly renovated building where the main collection was set-up besidethe books of the CHSS and the CSM. In July 2002, the library established the LibraryEducational Media and Information Technology Office (LEMITO). The LEMITOhandles the audio-visual services, internet and the connectivity of the library. It currentlyholds office at the Elias B. Lopez Hall Dormitory. Later, the Main Library collectionwhich grew from 100 titles to 6,191 volumes at the end of May 2004, and was transferredto the Administration Bldg today, the Main Library occupies the former UP in MindanaoCultural Center (UPMCC) building. Related Studies Foreign According to Charuasia (2010), connotes the term library with use of automaticdata processing machines to perform routine library activities. It implies a high degree of mechanization of various routine and repetitive tasks &operations and processes are leftto be performed by human beings. The study stresses library automation as theapplication of computers and utilization of computer based products and services in theperformance of different operations and functions or in the provision of various servicesand output products. In addition to computer advancement, telecommunication andaudio-visual technologies gives away to new possibilities in information processing. According to Back & Bailey (2010), explored the design space of mash-uptechniques for the faultless inclusion of information from Web services into websites. They considered the cases where an Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) is either the target of such addition or the basis of the information being included. They focused on client-side techniques in which each user’s browser contacts Web services directly because this approach lends itself to the creation of HTML widgets. The widgets allowthe integration and customization of Web services without requiring programming. Theyalso described in detail the functionality and use of several widget libraries and Webservices we built. Although the specific requirements for (2010), explored the designspace of mash-up techniques for the faultless inclusion of information from Web servicesinto websites. They considered the cases where an Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)is either the target of such addition or the basis of the information being included. Theyfocused on client-side techniques in which each user’s browser contacts Web services directly because this approach lends itself to the creation of HTML widgets. The widgetsallow the integration and customization of Web services without requiring programming. They also described in detail the functionality and use of several widget libraries andWeb services we built. Although the specific requirements for 13each system differbecause of their respective nature, all systems are designed to be deployable withminimum effort and resource requirements. This low entry cost, combined with theprovision of a high-level, non-programming interface, constitute two vital preconditionfor the broad adoption of techniques in libraries, which in turn has the potential to vastlyincrease the reach and visibility of their electronic resources in the wider community. Local According to Lou (1986), a survey on the computer application in 223 libraries inMetro Manila. The study revealed that they prioritize the three library functions to be computerized as cataloging, indexing, and circulation. However, the plans for automationfor the libraries cannot be implemented due to financial incapability of the libraries, andthe lack of funds from the government. Despite of this drawback, the libraries are notturning their backs unto the automation of their libraries. According to Agena (2008) made a study about the collection usage of thestudents of the Jose Rizal University in a period of three years using the quantitative andqualitative approach. The goal of the study is to assess the usefulness of the faculty of students to their library and it been revealed that it is generally important for them to goto the library for their academic needs. ————————————————- Beijing Foreign Studies University Library Library temporarily by the Chinese branch, foreign language books, periodicals reading room and library office. Collection of literature covering Britain, France, Russia, Germany, the West, Japan, Arab and other 49 languages, literature more than 110 million copies total, 28 million copies of e-books, 1179 kinds of Chinese and foreign periodicals, nearly 11,000 of a variety of audiovisual materials , and foreign language electronic journal of nearly 26,000 species in 47 foreign language database, Own Special Database 4, the initial formation of the characteristics of language, literature, culture, primary data collection. In recent years, with the development of my subject construction, legal, diplomatic, economic, news and management literature also increased steadily. The library is located eight business and service sectors, a total of 53 staff, including Associate Research Librarian, Librarian 39. Libraries advanced ALEPH500 automated library management system to achieve the cataloging and retrieval of the museum and part of the Department of multilingual literature. Museum and National Library, as well as Peking University, the National People’s Congress and other 40 University Library in Beijing and Shanghai Library interlibrary loan business, and the original delivery services provide CASHL and BALIS of foreign periodicals. In order to facilitate school teachers and students in off-campus access to library resources, the museum specially opened VPN remote access system. The overall goal of building â€Å"12† during the Beijing Foreign Studies University Library: the progressive realization of the collection features of the service information, specialization, and scientific management through active participation in the college literature resources to build a sharing system, and strive to build for the final documents of the domestic foreign language teaching and research support base and information service center, into a â€Å"resource-rich, and diverse service, open and harmonious, the reader satisfied† with international first-class research library.

Reactivity series for common metals experiment Essay

Aim To see if a common metal is reactive or strong enough to replace/push out/displace another common metal from its liquid compound. Hypothesis My prediction will be: the most reactive metal shown by the reactivity series will show if the metal can displace or not the metal in the compound. For example my hypothesis in a reaction of Mg and Pb is that; Mg being a more reactive metal in the reactivity series will displace Pb, a least reactive metal in the series. Equipment 1. A chart with spaces big enough to proceed with the reaction. With the names of each different metals. For obvious reasons put an x from the top left corner to the inferior left corner. 2. A glass bigger than the chart for the paper for protection of it. 3. Each solid metal and metal compound for the reaction: Solid Metals: Magnesium (4), Copper(4), Iron(4), Zinc(4), Lead(4). Liquid Metal Compounds: Copper Sulphate, Iron Chloride, Magnesium Sulphate, Zinc Nitrate, Lead Nitrate. 4. A teat pipette. 5. Another table, but smaller, to record data. Procedure/Method 1. Get all required elements you are going to need, this elements are listed above. 2. Put the glass on top of the table of reactions. 3. Clean all metals, until they are shiny and clean. 4. Place 4 times the same metal on its corresponding column and different square; for all the metals(5). 5. Add carefully with the teat pipette one or two drops of the metal compound indicated directly onto the solid metal. 6. Observe for changes, take into account that if the texture or color are altered, it means that there has been displacement, reaction. 7. Write your observations. 8. Results should be written in a neat table, as tick if there was reaction, X if there was none and ? If not sure. 9. Analyze and conclude from your data. Data Analysis From the table above, we can conclude that the most reactive metal is Magnesium (Mg), since it reacts with all the metal compounds except itself (Magnesium Sulphate). Then will come Zinc (Zn) , reacting with 2 Metal Compounds. Iron(Fe) will be less reactive than Zn and reacting with only 1 Metal Compound. Finally the least reactive Solid Metal will be Copper and Lead, reacting with none metal compounds. Conclusion 1. Write down the order of reactivity you found: Based on the graphic above; the reactivity order i found: 3. Suggest why some squares were marked with an X on the grid. The diagonal squares in the grid from top left hand corner to lower right hand corner were marked with an X because it is pretty obvious that a metal can not displace the same metal on the compound; because it has the same reactivity and atoms on the last shell in the atom. So for example, Copper will not displace Copper on the compound: â€Å"Copper Sulphate†. 4. Referring to your text book. Is there any metal that does not seem to be behaving as its position says it should? Can you find any reasons for this? Well referring to the reaction series there are some metals i found which do not fit in the reaction series, this are Copper and Lead; well copper and lead should not be tied, the reactivity series show that Lead is more reactive than copper, and by this it should be first in the reactivity order. i think there are 2 possible ways to explain why this happens: Since the results we did were not very accurate and Lead and Copper are very close in the reactivity series, maybe we did not noticed the reaction of Lead or Copper, or maybe there wasn’t in neither of them, well it is very possible that the reaction of them was not too noticeable to see the difference between them, but even though there was. The other possible way, could be that the metals weren’t very clean before we tested them, and so this could have altered and prevented a reaction in Lead. Evaluation In general we did a great effort with my teammate in the lab, we applied exactly two drops of the metal compound to the metal solid, tried every metal to be clean , but unfortunately we needed machinery to polish every single metal but we did not had it, we just had to do our best at trying to polish them. Another problem we did had, was to handle the spaces and the arrangement of the metals within their boxes in the lab; well we applied a small square to each experiment, we frequently had the metal compound spreading into other boxes, damaging the fair results of the other experiments. One solution could be to apply bigger spaces and arrange each metal at the center of its box.

Summary of President Lyndon

Lyndon B. Johnson attempted to persuade his listeners to act in order to guarantee equal voting rights for all Americans by using the phrase â€Å"the American Promise. † He began his peech in a way that suggests his message would surpass the current constraint facing the nation. The current constraint, he felt, was a â€Å"turning point in man's unending search for freedom† and â€Å"equal rights. † It is part of the American Promise, which is to guarantee the freedom and equality of every man in America.Johnson suggested throughout his speech that denying equal rights to African Americans, illustrated by the violence in Selma, AL, signify a threat to the values our nation. To keep African Americans from enjoying the freedom and equality guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution would break our nation's promise, Johnson mentions throughout his speech. In short, the President held the dialect of democratic freedom and equality to h elp guarantee equal voting rights to African Americans.Johnson also argues that the issue confronting the county was of historic significance. He suggested that although the United States kept African Americans from enjoying the benefits of freedom and equality for many years, the nation had not broken its promise†yet; however destiny had crossed the nation's ath at this exact time, for the decision to be made, keep the promise or break it. The president stresses that such a moment came â€Å"rarely in any time. † Therefore, the nation must take hold of the opportunity.His speech helped deflate Southern resistance to equal voting rights by making racial discrimination at voting booth seem fundamentally un-American. By doing this Johnson directly put supporters of segregation on the losing side of an issue of principle. No one could argue persuasively that voter discrimination was in line with American values. Out of this peech President Johnson crafted a compelling Just ification for immediate passage of a strong federal voting rights law.His speech became the framework for public and congressional deliberations. At a time ot urgency and chaos, his speech to congress and to the nation provided focus and clarity on a very important and sensitive issue of that time. President Johnson's speech is remarkable because it made the idea of equal voting rights meaningful and compelling through shared interests, motives, and intentions in order to secure the passage of one of the most important civil rights laws for the country.

Employee Selection and Performance Appraisal Essay

Employee Selection and Performance Appraisal - Essay Example Organizational operations, in both profit making and ‘non-profit’ making enterprises, require evaluation for reconciliation with set objectives as well as for comparison with operations with other enterprises in a similar industry. Assessment is the process of evaluating a subject, which can be a process, in order to ascertain its potential or quality. Management on the other hand refers to the act or responsibility of controlling people or activities. Assessment and management are therefore critical elements in the life of an organization. This paper seeks to discuss performance assessment and management of McDonalds Company. The paper will explore the established culture of employee selection and appraisal criteria that McDonalds applies in its human resource management. The paper will, with this respect, offer an overview of McDonalds human resource practices in employee selection and appraisal initiatives and then further analyze the processes. McDonalds is a multinational company that operates in a number of cultures across the world. Its human resource management is however converged to a uniform culture. With an overall workforce of more than thirty thousand employees, McDonalds has its personnel management strategies incorporated in its core objectives. In order to achieve its goal of being the best service provider in the food industry, the company’s ensures that it has a diversified cultural base with excellent employee management. McDonalds has a broad based approach in selecting its employees. This includes a special consideration to disabled people who may have some specialized capacity to service delivery. The company has also adopted a universal program for handling older employees more than 55 years of age that follows a criterion of being fair and ‘non-discriminatory’. It has therefore been open to different categories of cultured workforce. As far as recruiting is concerned, the company relies on the

Global Marketing project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Global Marketing project - Essay Example They would even want to know about the number of buyers and suppliers of toothpaste in the market and whether suppliers are price takers or price makers. 2. Information regarding the political environment of the foreign nation, the rules and regulations pertaining to employment laws and laws concerning foreign organizations opening their business in a particular nation can be obtained through secondary data. Secondary data obtained through research organizations such as Gallup can even help the company in identifying the size of the customers, the size of buyers and suppliers and the existing competition in the market. Primary data will even be required to identify the organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses. Primary data will be collected in order to identify the current demands of the customers that have not yet been satisfied by other companies and the taste of the customers (Terpstra

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS - Article Example The article was written by a professor who is part of the Center for Creative Leadership and co-author of books about leadership and cultural intelligence. I find the article very practical and informative since the writer is indeed right on her observation how international business is conducted nowadays. Moreover, she pointed out the necessity for learning cultural agility since there are many leaders appointed to manage overseas operations. However, even if a leader has an MBA and years of experience is not a guarantee that the person can successfully handle a very diverse environment. According to the writer â€Å"When leaders operate with culturally limited perspectives, the result is missed opportunities, poor performance, frail relationships and weak teams. In contrast, leaders who are culturally agile are able to respond to and perform well in varied and unfamiliar cultural contexts. They successfully engage a diversity of perspectives, learn new processes and All over the world, there are many global leaders who typically originated from the west. These CEOs or COOs are often assigned overseas to take care of global operations since the business has expanded. In fact, this situation is presently happening in China were American managers set-up their business operations carrying with them western orientation in running a business. For example, an executive from the U.S. may find himself entangled in complicated situations if he is assigned in China. A large number of American businessmen have undergone complicated situations in China since the government has a peculiar way of governing foreign businesses. Add to that is cultural differences in terms of language and how different Chinese business etiquettes are. Technology was cited in an article as an ally in â€Å"crafting strategies for future leaders† ( Brosseau, Nov 2, 2010) but I believe that leadership

Applied Managerial Marketing- Phase 1 DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Applied Managerial Marketing- Phase 1 DB - Essay Example lly-relevant campaigns such as "Give Your Two Cents Worth" concept as part of its Childrens Safe Drinking Water campaign and the newly-introduced Pampers ® Tetanus Vaccination Campaign in cooperation with UNICEF. The press release talks about P&G to increase funding and scope for its Live, Learn and Thriveâ„ ¢ partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). When viewed from a larger perspective, the press release is one of the tools in P&G’s integrated marketing communications mix, under Public Relations. The communications strategy used in this case is ‘affective strategy’—mentioned by Pickton and Broderick as adopted from the creative strategies identified by Patti and Frazer, (2002, p. 424) that â€Å"invokes involvement and emotion†¦ [And] Not usually associated with ‘selling’ emphasis†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The press release entitled â€Å"New Water Purification Product from Reliance Products and Procter & Gamble now Available in Retail Stores† dated last February 14 is about a new product introduction by Reliance Products, L.P. and P&G--PUR Purifier of Water technology, a powdered water clarifier and disinfectant designed for outdoor recreation and emergency preparedness use. The press release serves to introduce the product to the public by educating the masses about its benefits—it provides clean drinking water at a very low cost per liter, and can be purchased in complete water treatment kits, or as additional replacement treatment packs. The press release has been used, in integration with the other marketing communications elements such as sales promotions. In contrast to the previous press release mentioned, this one uses an ‘informational strategy’ as identified by Pickton and Broderick (2002, p. 426), which primary aim is to educate and give details to convey pieces of information. While a press release is just one of the tools which aim is to work in harmony with the other elements of the integrated communications mix of a company, P&G has been

Significance of imperfect competition models for explaining the Essay

Significance of imperfect competition models for explaining the pattern of international trade - Essay Example The researcher states that international trade is growing day by day as a result of globalization and liberalization policies implemented by different countries at different parts of the world. The major obstacles for the smooth flow of goods and commodities between different countries have been diminished a lot as a result of globalization. At the same time one of the major problems associated with international trade is the fact that the problems happened in one part of the world can have detrimental effect in other parts of the world as well. Competition is growing immensely in the market as a result of the rapid growth of international trade. Ideally, all organizations would like to have some kind of monopoly or some kind of control over the price mechanisms in the market. However, growing competition prevent organizations from controlling the market effectively. Competition in the market can be labelled as perfect competition and imperfect competition. Perfectly competitive mark ets refer to the markets in which the firms do not possess any market power whereas in imperfectly competitive markets, some organizations definitely have control in the market as far as price mechanisms are concerned. â€Å"Competitive markets provide strong incentives for good performance - encouraging firms to improve productivity, to reduce prices and to innovate; whilst rewarding consumers with lower prices, higher quality, and wider choice† whereas imperfect competition denies all these things. ... tition†(Pomphret, 1992, p.1).This paper analyses the significance of imperfect competition in the market as far as international trade is concerned. International trade and imperfect competition â€Å"Imperfect Competition exists when more than one seller competes for sales with other sellers of similar products, each of which has some control over price† (Models of Imperfect Competition, n. d, p.1). In other words, in an imperfectly competitive market, firms may have some power in the market as far the fixing of the prices of its commodities is concerned. Monopoly or oligopoly exists in such markets. For example, Microsoft enjoys monopoly in operating system market. They are capable of fixing the prices of their operating systems like Windows 7 in global market because of lack of competition. Even though Linux and Apple’s Macintosh operating system are raising some kind of competition, still Microsoft is able to maintain their monopoly in the imperfectly competit ive operating system market. Same way, OPEC countries are enjoying oligopoly in the oil market. It should be noted that monopolies or imperfect competition helped Microsoft and OPEC to dictate the market with the help of least efficient products. Consumers forced to pay more than the actual prices of a product in an imperfectly competitive market. In short, â€Å"Firms in a competitive market have very little control over what price they receive for their output†(Perfect Competition, n.d.) whereas â€Å"Monopolies have the most market power, which yields the least efficient outcome† (Monopoly and Perfect Competition Compared, n.d., p.4) According to Krugman et al (2011) â€Å"In a competitive economy, supply decisions are determined by attempts of individuals to maximize their earnings† (Krugman et al, 2011,

Using Exposure Therapy to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Research Paper

Using Exposure Therapy to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in adults survivors of child-hood abuse - Research Paper Example Exposure therapy relieves an individual to a greater extent from the psycho-social, interpersonal and professional impairments. The most methodologically strong studies manifest that psychotherapy along with exposure therapy bring rewarding outcomes (Robertson, 2004). Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is related with considerable indicative morbidity. These individuals exhibit elevated levels of offensive thoughts or memoirs about the traumatic event with severe nightmarish. They do have flashbacks. Mere reminders may be perceived in the form of physical responses like amplified heart rate, profuse sweating or distress (Robertson, 2004). Individuals with terrible or appalling experience in childhood are severely affected. PTSD individuals display avoidance symptoms, they avoid socialization or visit to places that bring those harsh memories back, they feel isolated and secluded. These beliefs if not treated within time then it may become devastating and adulthood of child either becomes rebellious or behaviour may culminate into a psychotic disorders with great intensity of insecurity being seeded in every pursuit of life (Keane, 2002). It is essential to understand the psychology of PTSD individuals. Various psychological theories have been postulated claiming to be the remedy for PTSD, but the most efficient is "Exposure Therapy". It treats the individual through alteration or modification in behaviour by enabling them to overcome the disturbing thoughts or distressing incidence (Keane, 2002). Exposure therapy aims at enabling a person to diminish his/ her trepidations and apprehensions by means of eradicating avoidance behaviour. It deals with the confrontation of an individual with the same set of feelings or situations that he fears without avoiding them. This may be done by unswervingly exposing someone to a terrified entity or picture or going back in time to envisage

Reasons for United States Possible Attack on Iran Essay Example for Free

Reasons for United States Possible Attack on Iran Essay The topic on the possibility of United States launching a military attack against Iran has dominated much news for several years since the Bush administration and during which some quarters speculated that such an attack would be ordered before the administration left office. As early as 2005, a number of articles had started revealing the imminent plans by Pentagon to order military operations against Iran. While people and the media may speculate and give their opinions about many aspects of the imminent war, the most important issue to understand is the reasons which may spark the attack. It is therefore the objective of this paper to discuss the reasons why US would engage in a military land war with Iran. 2. 0 The Euro-Based Oil Bourse This is one of the major reasons which revolve around the plan by Tehran government in 2005 and 2006 to start competing with the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), the largest physical commodity futures exchange in the world based in New York and the London based International Petroleum Exchange (IPE) by using the euro-dominated oil trading mechanism (Clark, 2004). The logic behind this is that by using this mechanism in international oil trades, the euro is going to take dominance and establish a firm ground which will serve to overshadow the strength of the U. S dollar in the global oil market. The U. S government therefore considers this a real threat by Tehran government which warrants intervention to protect the dollar from being toppled off from its long term monopoly in the critical international oil market. It is worth noting that lack of an oil pricing standard that is euro-dominated also referred to oil â€Å"marker† in the oil trading industry is one of the technical challenges facing the euro-based trading system in oil transactions. The oil markers currently in operation today are the U. S dollar dominated which include Norway Brent crude, West Texas Intermediate crude, and the UAE Dubai crude. In the spring of 2003, Iran laid down a requirement that all the transactions for its Asian and European oil exports be conducted using the euro currency though the pricing of oil was still predominantly controlled by the dollar. Following an official announcement in 2004 that Iran had intentions to develop an Iranian oil Bourse, it raised the concerns that a stiff competition would ensue between the Iranian oil bourse and the U. S owned NYME and the IPE (Clark, 2004). The macroeconomic implications of such a development would cause a shift in the international commerce in both Middle East and the European Union which is the largest importer of oil from OPEC producers. Consequently, the financial hegemony enjoyed by the IPE and NYMEX would be greatly challenged and thus the U. S is likely to avoid this through military action. 3. 0 The Ambitious Nuclear Program of Iran The Tehran’s nuclear ambition is another possible reason as to why the U. S may launch a land military attack on Iran. This has been seen from the latest series of sanctions on Iran by the Obama administration which mainly targets the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which is the most powerful social, political and economic institution in Iran. The organization also has a large number of companies and banks and therefore makes it an appropriate target for these sanctions (LANDLER COOPER, 2010). However, the critical thing to focus on with regard to this issue is whether these sanctions have the capacity to compel Iran to halt its nuclear program. If the history of political and economic sanctions against countries is anything to go by, then Iran may not change its course despite the sanctions and this may lead to war. The reason for the sanctions is to â€Å"contain† Tehran which depicts a link which leads from diplomatic pressure to military action (Nadal, 2010). Tehran views this threat as real considering that its two neighbors to the west and to the east have a large number of U. S troops. 4. 0 Conclusion A possible military action on Iran by the US cannot be overlooked since the reasons surrounding this possibility would also have major effects on the economy and the security of the US. Considering the economic problems facing the US, the attempts by Iran to establish the euro-based oil bourse may seem as an attempt to suppress the dollar in the international oil market. The nuclear program also would threaten the security not only of the US but also of the world if it is not either regulated or completely halted. To aver the nuclear weapons development, Washington ought to try and alter the perceptions of threat harbored by Iran against America. References Clark, W. (2004). The Real Reasons Why Iran is the Next Target: The Emerging Euro-denominated International Oil Marker. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. globalresearch. ca/articles/CLA410A. html LANDLER, M. , COOPER, H. (2010). U. S. Eyes New Sanctions Over Iran Nuclear Program. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. nytimes. com/2010/02/10/world/middleeast/10sanctions. html? _r=1 Nadal, A. (2010). Sanctions against Iran and the Next War. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. campaigniran. org/casmii/index. php? q=node/10518

Human Population Growth And Its Effect Environmental Sciences Essay

Human Population Growth And Its Effect Environmental Sciences Essay Population growth can be defined as an increase or decrease in the population size of living species including human beings. Human populations are also subject to natural process of birth and death. There has been a rapid increase in the worlds human population over the last few decades (UNFPA, 2011). Unless urgent steps are taken to control population, serious problems can arise like environment damage and limited availability of food resources. Continuous population growth can be problem and therefore it is important to understand how we can manage population growth for the benefit of all. Human beings have tried to make food resources available for all the population in many ways. Starting from the industrial revolution, advances in modern medicine, and green agriculture revolution have all made us self sufficient so far. However such technology development cannot go forever and therefore unless we manage population a day may come when all resources will be finished. At present there are two school of thought for the theories on population growth. The first is the pessimistic view developed by Reverend Robert Malthus, a British scholar who believed that the resources available will not be sufficient for human beings if human population is not controlled. The other theory is the optimistic view developed by Julian Simon who believed that humans can manage the issue of population because of their knowledge and skills. Therefore this paper will discuss these two theories for population growth and their effect on the resources and environment of the earth. II. Factors affecting population growth The population growth is determined mainly by birth rate, death rate, and migration patterns (immigration and emigration). For instance the population in the developed countries like Europe and America is growing at rate of only 0.1% per year while in developing countries the growth rate is over 1.5% per year. (Wright and Boorse,2011) (UNDP). In developing countries where manual labour is still considered main source of labour, children form part of the labour force and therefore families tend to have more children. Similarly when the pension system is not good, people tend to raise more children to look after during old age. Wherever women are more educated and take lead role in household income activities, there tend to be less number of children raised. In areas where traditions, culture and customs are respected population tend to be higher due to less use of contraceptives. III. Impacts of population growth Although it may be difficult to measure the carrying capacity for humans on earth (Cohen, 1995) scientists have estimated the carrying capacity at around 7.7 billion people (Van Den Bergh and Rietveld, 2004). It is now estimated that the world population will be around 9.1 billion by the year 2050. The very high population growth has raised concerns that the planet may not be able to sustain such population in the long run. Increasing population will mean increased demand for food, water, and other resources such as fossil fuel. The impact of population growth can be seen by everyone who care for the world that we live in. Over the last few decades there has been large scale destruction of the tropical forests mainly to make land available for agriculture and for urbanization. In order to produce enough food to meet the demand of growing population, forests have been cleared to undertake farming. Due to increased industrialization and urbanization, there has been great increase in th e pollution of air, water and the environment of the planet. Growing population will result in the depletion of natural resources such as water, fossil fuels (Hubert, 1982); deforestation and loss of ecosystems; and emergence of new diseases. It will also lead to more starvation, hunger and unhygienic living conditions in poor countries. IV. Factors affecting environment Environment means our surroundings in which all the things, living or non living, which includes atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water), lithosphere (solid earth), biosphere (all living organisms), and geosphere (rocks and regoliths). Numerous factors affect our environment which includes anthropogenic activities such as urbanization, industrialization, deforestation, overpopulation, and use of fossil fuels. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, cyclones, landslide and floods can also negatively affect the environment. V. Relationship between environment and population growth Humans are an integral part of the eco-system of nature and there is close interconnection between human beings and environment. Ever since life existed humans have been depending on their environment for food, shelter, and other necessities. There is an inverse relationship existing between population growth and environment as overpopulation will lead to adverse effect on the environment. As human population increase, there is also increase in the demand for food and other energy sources. It is essential that the population is maintained at a level so that the natural resources are sufficient to meet the requirement for survival of all living beings. VI. Neo-Malthusian or pessimistic views on population growth Malthusian theories or pessimistic theories on population growth was derived from the ideas of Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, a British scholar who wrote series of essays on the principles of population. There were six editions of his An Essay on the Principle of Population (published from 1798 to 1826) in which he said that if the human population growth is left unchecked the food supply will not be sufficient to meet the needs of humans. He proposed the idea that while human population grew exponentially, the food resources grew only arithmetically. He also believed that population will be controlled naturally by disease, famine and mortality. This was called as the pessimistic model of population growth. Malthus believed in using preventive checks such as abstinence, delayed marriage and restricting marriages in order to control population growth. Some people criticized Malthuss theory based on the fact that there has been an enhanced agricultural production and reduced human fer tility over the past few decades since the publication of his theories. However, many still believe in his theory that if left unchecked, population growth can pose serious problems for resource availability (Cristina, 2010). Neo-Malthusianism These are groups who also believe in the theories of Malthus and encourage population control programs for the present and future benefit of human beings. The Neo-Malthusians view however differ from Malthus in their belief on the use of contraceptive techniques for the birth control measures. The neo-Malthusians or the pessimistic view had more concerns about the effect that population growth would have on environmental degradation. While they supported the theories put forward by Malthus, this group of people strongly supported the idea of actively controlling population growth in order to prevent adverse impact on the environment. This pessimistic group are concerned about the effect overpopulation may have on resource depletion and environmental degradation. There has been a general revival in neo-Malthusian ideologies from the 1950s onwards especially after the publication of series of books by some Malthusian supporters such as Fairfield Osborn (Our Plundered Planet), William V ogt (Road to Survival) and Paul Ehrlich (The Population Bomb). Although many critics of neo-Malthusianism criticize the revival of this theory based on fact that the green revolution has led to sufficient food production, Pessimists such as Paul Ehrlich believe that unchecked population will ultimately lead to serious problems in the future (Ehrlich, 2009). Neo-Malthusian or the pessimistic view is more about the positive checks but Malthusian said that there is balance between both positive and negative checks. Technological or Optimistic views on population growth. The optimistic model of population growth was proposed by Julian Simon who in his book The Ultimate Resource (1981) argued that as resources become scarce the price goes up which in turn creates incentives for people to discover new source or find alternatives for the resource. Simon also claims in his book that the natural resources are infinite based on the justification that innovative methods can be used to make natural resources available. Increasing population growth and reduced resources make people to create innovations and inventions to produce more food and all basic needs. The optimistic view said that science and technology can overcome scarcity problems. Esther Boserup (1910-1999)-Danish economist said necessity is the mother of invention. So, humanity will always find a way to overcome their problems. The optimistic view also said that more people means more alternatives to find new materials and discover ways to do things. Discussion It can be seen from the above paragraphs that population growth can impact on the state of environment of our planet. Of the two theories on population growth, I support the neo-malthusian theory of pessimistic views based on the following justifications. Deforestation for agriculture If the human population growth is left unchecked, a day might come when the earths resources will not be able to sustain the requirements of human beings. As overpopulation will demand increasing food, energy, and other resources, humans will engage in activities that will directly affect our environment and ecosystem. For instance, about 160,000 square kilometers per of tropical rainforests are cleared for agricultural use thus resulting in loss of habitat for the biodiversity (Laurance, 1999). Such loss of forests will contribute to global warming and other negative effects on environment. Urbanization/industrialization In order to meet the growing demand of increasing population, humans have been using technologies such as industrialization for enhanced production of food and other needs. Increased industrialization and urbanization results in air pollution, noise pollution, and water pollution which are all detrimental to our environment. Increased urbanization will also mean clearance of forests for construction of roads, buildings etc. which further adds to pollution. Depletion of non-renewable natural resources and emission of green house gases Uncontrolled growth of population will lead to rapid depletion of non-renewable natural resources such as fossil fuels which are used as source of energy. The burning of fossil fuel i.e. carbon based fuels, mainly wood, coal, oil and natural gas produces significant amount of CO2 which is one of the main green house gases that contributes to global warming (International Energy Outlook, 2000). The green house effect maintains the earth at comfortable temperature range but if there is excessive release of CO2 and other harmful gases from the industries and factories, the green house gases gets easily out of control and will lead to so many problems like continental drift, climate change, natural disasters and variations of suns out put. Loss of biodiversity and habitat Due to growing population, especially in the rural areas of developing countries, people practising shifting cultivation undertake slash-and-burn techniques which results in the extinction of native flora and fauna. It has been reported that nearly 140,000 species are lost every year due to deforestation activities (Pimm, Russell, Gittleman and Brooks, 1995). Therefore, if population growth is not controlled, increasing human activities will further result in destruction of the habitat and loss of biodiversity. In Bhutan, human-wildlife especially human-elephant conflict is increasing and this is mainly due to the loss of habitat for the elephants due to increasing human population and activities (Kuensel, 19 May 2012). IX. Solutions There is a need to find solutions to decrease the problems associated with overpopulation and environmental degradation. The governments around the world should have policies to decrease the population growth rate by increasing use of birth control measures. The governments should also frame good policies to protect forests and environment and prevent loss of natural habitat. Innovative ideas and research should be done to increase food production without disturbing the environment. The governments should increase funding for education and awareness of especially the poor people for them to protect and take care of their environment. X. Conclusions In conclusion overpopulation can lead to problems in the form of depleting natural resources, environmental pollution and degradation, and loss of habitat. Therefore, urgent steps need to be taken to manage human population growth to a level that can be managed well. The theories founded by Reverend Malthus can be still followed because the natural resources available now may not be sufficient in the future if we do not control human population growth. XI. References Cristina Luiggi. (2010). Still Ticking. The Scientist 24 (12): 26. Hubbert, M.K. Techniques of Prediction as Applied to Production of Oil and Gas, US Department of Commerce, NBS Special Publication 631, May 1982. International Energy Outlook 2000, Energy Information Administration, Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. (2000) Joel Cohen, How Many People Can the Earth Support? (New York: Norton, 1995) J. Van Den Bergh and P. Rietveld, Reconsidering the Limits to World Population: Meta-analysis and Meta-predictions, Bioscience 54, no 3 (2004): 195. Kuensel, 19 May 2012, Page 22. Laurance, W. F. 1999. Reflections on the tropical deforestation crisis. Biological Conservation 91: 109-117. Paul R. Ehrlich; Anne H. Ehrlich (2009). The Population Bomb Revisited. Electronic Journal of Sustainable Development 1(3): 6371. Retrieved 2010-02-01. S.L. Pimm, G.J. Russell, J.L. Gittleman and T.M. Brooks, The Future of Biodiversity, Science 269: 347350 (1995). Sahney, S. , Benton, M.J. Falcon-Lang, H.J. (2010). Rainforest collapse triggered Pennsylvanian tetrapod diversification in Euramerica (PDF). Geology 38 (12): 10791082. doi:10.1130/G31182.1. Tilman D., Fargione J., Wolff B., DAntonio C., Dobson A., Howarth R., Schindler D., Schlesinger W. H., Simberloff D. et al. (2001). Forecasting agriculturally driven global environmental change. Science 292: 281284. doi:10.1126/science.1057544. PMID11303102. United nations Population Fund, 2011 (http://www.unfpa.org/swp/ ) Wright and Boorse. (2011). Environmental Science.

Judith Butler Gender Performativity Cultural Studies Essay

Judith Butler Gender Performativity Cultural Studies Essay The challenge presented by Butlers theory depicted in Gender Trouble is derived from her revision of the generally established orthodox assumptions in our western society regarding gender and sexual identity. She attacks the accepted naturalness of gender and reveals it as the fiction that it essentially is. According to Butler, the actions that are associated with a persons sexual identity are not a reflection of someones innermost self but rather culturally coded acts. Butlers theory is primarily based upon the philosophical views of the French theorist Renà © Descartes that a persons conception of his own identity is essentially dualistic. Descartes claimed that a persons process of self-identification transpires by making a clear distinction between the body and the mind. The essence of this opposition is that the body is in fact perceived as inferior to the mind. The basis of this claim is exactly what Butler intends to reverse, namely that a persons everyday behaviour reflects his or her gender and sexual identity and is essentially a reflection of that persons individual psyche. Her provocative argument that gender is merely a stylized repetition of acts essentially implies a form of materialism that negates any possibility of a spiritual explanation of self-identity. Unlike Luce Irigaray, Butler refutes the notion of sex as a naturally established category. Butler argues that alongside gender, sex is also an acquired socio-cultural category. Butler argues that the construction of gender and sexual identity emerges out of culturally and socially established practices. These practices, including their discourse, have their own recorded history as well as their own social and political dynamics. Furthermore, Butlers criticism of Irigaray is essentially that Irigarays Womans natural state is outside of the phallocentric economy. In her influential book Gender Trouble (1990), Butler does not offer an ontological or essentialist description of what it is to be a woman (Butler, 32). Instead she presents the argument that the traditional power structures of our society in fact create the very identities that it regulates. These power structures are essential to the notion of sexuality. Butler claims that sexuality does not have a natural state where powe r later comes in to disrupt that state. According to Butler, sexuality does not exist outside of power. It is for this reason that Butler does not present any ontological arguments. For Butler, the concern with the ontology of a woman is simply a misrecognition of some ontological core for what is merely a series of repetitions. The essence of gender is a matter of repetitions. Butler ascripes power to regimes as in the power regimes of heterosexism and phallogocentrism seek to augment themselves through a repetition of their logic . . . (Butler, p.32). Consequently, if repetition is bound to persist as the mechanism of the cultural reproduction of identities, then the crucial question emerges: what kind of subversive repetition might call into question the regulatory practice of identity itself? (Butler, p. 32). This question is directly relation to the core argument that Butler presents in Gender Trouble. In other words, Butlers understanding of gender as performative is grounded in her belief that the very core of gender identity is produced through the repetition of behaviour. She talks of repetitions in which the subject is neither outside of those repetitions nor that the subject is something internal which is expressed through those repetitions. So much as the repetitions themselves are the very mechanisms by which those identities are reproduced and the very positive concepts of identities are brought forward. In addition to this ground-breaking claim, Butler introduces the concept of gender as a performance or gender performativity. In discussing this notion of gender performativity, Butler stresses the importance of the distinction between performing a gender and gender as a performance. When she talks about gender as performative, Butler argues that this is not similar as saying that gender is performed. When we say that we perform a gender weve taken on a role, were acting or role-playing in some way. This performance of a rule is definitely crucial to the gender that we are and the gender that we present to the world. Nevertheless, it is very different from what she means by gender performativity. For something to be performative means that it produces a series of effects. We act and walk, speak and talk in ways that consolidate the impression with being a man or being a woman. Butler explains that in our modern-day society people act as if being of a man or being of woman is actually an internal reality or in fact something that is simply true about us. Instead it is a phenomenon that is produced and reproduced all the time. Butler claims that no person is born with a fixed gender. Gender is not to be perceived as a manifestation of a subjects internal essence. Alternately, one should view gender identity as a produced product of our actions and discourse. That is to say, Butler argues that everyday actions, speech, utterances, gestures and representations, dress codes and behaviours as well as certain prohibitions and taboos all work to produce what is perceived as an essential masculine or feminine identity.  [1]   By introducing the notion of gender performativity, Butler criticizes the traditional power structures whose agenda is to keep people in their socially accepted gendered place. Institutional powers like psychiatrical normalization intend to prevent the disruption of the established gender norms. Butler questions how these institutions are established or whether they ought to be policed. She insists on the historical and cultural foundation of these institutional powers and emphasizes the importance of overcoming this silent gender police function that the institutional powers project. Furthermore, Butler expresses her desire to resist the violence that is opposed by ideal gendered norms against those who are non-conforming in their gender presentation. In the final chapter of Gender Trouble Bodily inscription, Performative subversions, Butler gives the important inner-outer distinction regarding our notions of gender the attention which it merits. Butler argues that in the orthodox view of gender the figure of our inner soul is inscribed on the outer body. However, these inscriptions on the body or the outside create the illusion of a concrete and organized gender core. Thus, what makes this problematic is that so far we have gained our understanding of our own inner essence through the inscription on the body. To support her own theory, Judith Butler adopts the argument made by Foucault in his influential work Discipline and Punish that the suffering imposed on prisoners is, contrary to western belief, externalized. The oppression of the prisoners is not manifested in the inner soul but rather on the external body. Foucault argues that since the methods of punishment used by the agents of the institutional power are inflicted on the body, these actions similarly justify the institutes control over the prisoners body. Butler engenders Foucaults argument and claims that gender is fundamentally the principal representative of western cultural society which operates on the external body, and in this process formulates the definition of masculine or feminine, in addition to standardizing the image of heterosexuality.

Post 1900 War Poetry :: Wilfred Owen Alfred Tennyson War Poems Essays

Post 1900 War Poetry By looking at several war poems written before and after 1900, I can see that many elements of the types of poetry change greatly in several ways. I will be looking at a selection of war poems written by three different poets, in chronological order, so as to see if the attitudes to war and writing styles change over time or during various stages of the war. Firstly I will be looking at a poem written by Alfred Tennyson about the charge against the Russian gunners in 1854. The poem is called "The Charge of the Light Brigade" as it is exactly what happened. The information that Tennyson used to write the poem came from a newspaper article from the Times. Tennyson has used the information very well to give an accurate and informative, yet poetic description of the charge. Although Tennyson is writing from secondary information, he has still incorporated poetic and rhythmic effects to make the poem follow a rhythm similar to that of a galloping horse. 'Half a league, Half a league, Half a league onward', the distance of the charge is stated at the beginning of the poem as it starts straight into the charge. Although in the article written in the newspaper it states 'At a distance of 1,200 yards', Tennyson has edited it within similar distance whilst making the information poetic to read. By starting the charge at the beginning of the poem, Tennyson has instantly caught the reader's attention whilst still providing the relevant information for the poem to tell the story of what happened. Tennyson glorifies the soldiers greatly by using strong dramatic language and graphic images that can be vividly formed in the reader's minds. "All in the valley of Death, rode the six hundred." The dramatic language here makes it seem like just the unusually small amount of horsemen used in such a charge would be charging at hell itself. Tennyson continues to glorify the bravery of the soldiers throughout the whole poem, 'Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of death', yet the emphasis that he uses on death makes the charge seem futile and that the men are charging towards their own deaths. Verses 3 and 5 seem very similar when reading the poem, however in contrast the charge is towards the gunners in Verse 3 whereas it is the retreat in Verse 5. Yet Tennyson always keeps the repetition of 600 throughout the poem, even when they are retreating and many of them have already been killed he continues to refer to them as one group of six hundred that make up the Light Brigade.

Placing Me Before We in Ayn Rands Anthem Essay -- Anthem Essays

Placing Me Before We in Ayn Rand's Anthem Ayn Rand's classic story of one man's desire to become an individual in a nameless society presents a compelling refutation of collectivism in all forms. The hero, labeled "Equality 7-2521" by the State, chooses to challenge conventional authority as he learns the joys of experimentation and discovery, the ecstasy of human love, the challenge and fairness of liberty, and the happiness of self-interest. Equality 7-2521 writes three unique phrases in his journal: 1. "My happiness needs no higher aim to vindicate it. My happiness is not the means to an end. It is the end.", 2. "We know that we are evil, but there is no will in us and no power to resist it.", 3. "The word 'We' . . . must never be placed first within man's soul.". These phrases will be discussed individually in the remainder of this essay. 1. "My happiness needs no higher aim to vindicate it. My happiness is not the means to an end. It is the end." In the tale, this thought drives the entire actions of Equality 7-2521 as he progresses in his attempt to become an individual. His happiness is not satisfied when he must share it universally with all men. Not every man can be as happy as the next, and therefore the forced brotherhood of all men will only deplete the spirits of those who are successful. In Anthem, Rand tells of Equality's joy when he "discovers" electricity. At that moment he knows that the joy of discovery is only his to relish, and that it cannot be shared or manipulated by any other man. In that regard, his own well-being is the end of his striving; he has fulfilled his wishes. To say that his happiness was only the means to, say, world peace would be to abolish his status ... ... by individuals who had some self-interest at heart. However, the creator of a product is justly entitled to his own happiness, and therefore it is at his discretion that his invention is distributed. One who creates a great thing cannot be forced to share it with mankind unless he desires. In most cases, it is in the self-interest of the originator that his creation be distributed freely. Thus, man is no longer a free man when he thinks of the group's interest above his own. It is fine for someone to be compassionate, but it is foolish to place the happiness of anyone else in front of your own. When men choose to follow groupthink, they forfeit their identities, and the end result is a world without freedom or creativity. Mankind is composed of sovereign individuals, and each person only has one obligation to self: think of "me" before "we."