The American Food

American cuisine is an American food style that traces its roots back to the colonial times when Native Americans used different styles to cook a variety of foods with different ingredients. As colonization took place, it saw the introduction of new types of food that were unknown prior to this epoch. As the immigration of people from different parts of the world in the 19th and 20th centuries intensified, the same happened to the diversity in cooking styles.This essay is going to limit its focus to American food and will give an analysis of what American food entails. The Native American delicacy was made of different types of food and they included plant foods which can be categorized as root vegetables like arrowhead, bitterroot, prairie, sweet potato and white potatoes. The other category is green vegetables like salmon berry shoots, fiddlehead fern, wood sorrel, wild nasturtium and coltsfoot. Their fruits according to Sack (2001) included; strawberries, pitaya, hawthome fruits a nd elderberries and American persimmons.The natives also used seeds as food for example; pine nuts, dropseed, spurge, tumbleweed, sunflower and pigweed. Apart from plant food, they also used animal foods especially game meat of animals such as deer, bighorn sheep, bear, bison, goat and elk. Small game meat came from animals like raccoon, rabbit, wood rat, ground hog, honey badger and porcupine and is something that is still common to the natives. They also hunted birds such as pigeon, osprey and turkey besides keeping birds such as geese, swan and ducks (American Native Food.2009). When colonialists arrived in the Americas, they found that the food that was consumed there was different from what they were used to and thus they had to introduce what they were used to back in England. They also kept animals for fur and meat and with time they had a cuisine similar to that of their motherland. Apart from introducing their own foods, they also adopted some of the natives’ food an d would use their own cooking styles unlike those of the locals (American Native Food.2009). Colonial foods varied across regions and they greatly transformed the diet of the locals for example hunting game meat was no longer practiced and they tried to discourage it. Today just like it was the case in the past, people living near the sea consumes sea foods such as crustaceans, lobsters and various kinds of fish. Today, there happens to be a change of diet as the American diet has been changed by the fast food industries.Schlosser (2001), many Americans have forgotten about their indigenous foods and have turned to fast foods something that is detrimental to their health. Many of them are flocking in fast food hotels and restaurants that are selling foods such as cheese, hamburger, pizza and fries. These foods have been cited as the main cause of obesity in America and have caused many to be overweight. Today, if one goes to a hotel to look for food; one finds that the menu is limit ed in the kinds of foods that are sold unlike in the past where traditional foods made the menu.Though this food has led to the change of diet, it has created many job opportunities as many are employed in those hotels that are allover the world and has led the Americanization of food due to globalization something that threatens the survival of food cultures of those nations (Schlosser, 2001). In short, it could be said that American foods are diverse and depends on the regions they are consumed in. In the past, the Native Americans before colonialists had a wide range of foods that was fit health-wise unlike the lately introduced fast foods.These foods were prepared and cooked in various ways but colonialist introduced theirs when they came as they consumed different kind of food from what was consumed locally and some of them are still in use to date. References: American Native Food. 2009. American Native Food. Accessed from http://www. tahtonka. com/food. html Schlosser, E, 200 1. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Houghton Mifflin Company. Sack, Daniel. 2001. Whitebread Protestants: food and religion in American culture. Palgrave Macmillan.

Patterns of Urban Growth and Development Essay

The growth and development of urban has consistently grown globally. This is as a result of human factor and environmental influence. Growth and development is the change to a better state compared to former state. Urbanization has increased mostly in poor countries compared to developed countries. In both poor and rich countries, there are different factors that contribute to either to growth or dominate the growth of the urban areas. Urbanization is there fore, the spreading of a city and its suburbs over the rural areas at the fringe of an urban area. Patterns of urban growth and development Industrialization is one of the factors that have contributed to urbanization. This changes the nature of economic production of any country. In both rich and poor countries, each potion of land id devoted to a certain use i. e. commercial, industrial and residential areas are separated. The sensing of growth is by allocating land to different uses. In other words large tracts of land are devoted a single use and are separated from one another by none used fields, roads or rail lines, or other barriers. This results to separation from where people go to work and where they do their shopping. Urbanization in rich countries consumes much more land compared to poor countries, on the other hand urbanization in poor countries seem to consume more land due to construction of single family homes compared to apartments build in developed countries. In rich countries more land is required to build parking because of the increasing number of automobiles compared to poor countries. The impact of low density development in poor countries where many communities are less developed or urbanized land is increasing at a faster rate than the population. The critics that arise in urban development in rich countries are health and environmental issues. Urban growth has been associated with some negative environmental and public health matters. The primary cause of these negative outcomes is that urbanization leads to people having to depend on the automobile because it will be a greater distance to travel and people will not be able to walk or ride their bicycles to their destinations. Vehicle ownership has become widespread in the rich countries, health officers recommend health benefits of suburbs due to soot and industrial fumes in the city center. However, air in modern suburbs is not necessarily cleaner than air in urban neighborhoods. In fact, the most polluted air is on crowded highways, where people in suburbs tend to spend more time. On average, suburban residents generate pollution and carbon emissions than the urban counterparts because of the higher number of driving. Urbanization in rich countries is partly responsible for the decline in socialization. Close neighborhoods can contribute to casual social interactions among neighbors, while low-density urbanization creates barriers to interaction. Urbanization tends to replace public spaces such as parks with private spaces such as fenced-in backyards. Residents of urbanized neighborhoods rarely walk for transportation, which reduces opportunities for face-to-face contact with neighbors. There is also a much concern over the housing in growth pattern in both rich and poor countries. In rich countries housing are quite expensive due to demand compared to poor countries, the housing has become a scarce commodity in most developed countries, the housing affordability compared to earning is much high. In poor countries cheaper housing is available due to reduced number of urbanization and demand Suburbs are blamed in rich countries for what they see as homogeneity of society and culture, leading to urbanization of suburb developments of people with similar race and background. (Stein, 1993). Conclusion Growth pattern in both the poor and the rich countries face similar challenges in most cases. Environmental hazards are more prone to developed countries compared to poor countries due to industrialization. Housing is come scarce in rich countries than in poor countries for more people work in urban areas where industrialization is more prone than in poor countries where most people lives in rural areas. References Stein, J. (1993). Growth Management: The planning challenge of the 1990’s. Sage Publications.

In general, do you think the end of the shuttle program will have a Case Study

In general, do you think the end of the shuttle program will have a bigger effect on the organizational commitment of direct NASA employees, or employees of contractors who do work with NASA - Case Study Example The use of statistical model approach gives ATK a collective insight of an employee as they have data of the employee’s age, marital status and criticality of his/her role in line with other employees. Criticality of his/her role in line with other employees seems more voluntary to the turnover because issues of experience and specialization are core in one’s field. Factors of age are less important that marital status and/ tenure. Question 3: Although the use of scientific data to predict turnover seems natural for NASA or ATK employees, might it raise sensitive issues for employees in other companies? If so, why, and what could companies do to manage such issues? Use of scientific data to predict employees’ turnover comes with other incentives like what needs to be done to retain the current employees and/or increase their productivity? The companies should adapt new motivational strategies like increase of perks and if the strategy fails, they can use the succession planning approach with a more junior person to fill the void. Case 2: Question 1: If you worked in the Longmeadow plant, how much of your job satisfaction would be derived from Hasbro’s mission and products, and how much of it would depend on your specific job tasks? With an average seniority of 21 years in the job, it shows Hasbro’s mission and products have a more job satisfaction to the employees as most of the jobs are not only brain involving but also a great degree of specialization. This gives employees room for advancement of their careers and also the fact that most employees have not worked for other companies for years, the $40 million reward for the factory capital acts as a move to guarantee workers more job security hence increased job satisfaction. Job security will improve specific job tasks as one can find room for career expansion and/ or further specialization. Question 2: As Hasbro invests $40 million in the Longmeadow plant, what could they do to increase the job satisfaction of people like Peaches Belanger? T o increase job satisfaction of certain sections of the plant, outsourcing some of its processes and division of labor will be paramount. This will help the likes of Peaches to have ample time to specialize in one given function which will yield more results than multitasking. Question 3: Consider Rob Daviau’s job, relative to Peaches Belanger’s job. If Daviau has higher job satisfaction, which theories and concepts from the chapter can best explain that satisfaction advantage? From Rob’s tasks, it is evident that there is a room and time for personal career or professional growth as compared to Peache’s job. This is evident in his quest to redesign existing games to broaden his knowledge and at the same time earning the plant more revenue. This will with time improve his specialization in the design section thus more satisfaction as compared to multitasking. Article 1 summary Motivation of employees calls for effective work- life balance so as to maintain a healthy work related relationship with fellow employs

Competition (BUSINESS 305 CASE ASSIGNMENT MODULE 3) Essay

Competition (BUSINESS 305 CASE ASSIGNMENT MODULE 3) - Essay Example While it may stand to reason that OPEC with its fair share in percentage of global oil production is able to effectively manage prices, it hasn’t necessarily happened that way. Increasing pressure from other factor including competing regions outside OPEC such as North Sea and Central Asian states, has resulted in large fluctuations in oil prices in recent past. Formed primarily to look after the oil exporting interests of member countries, OPEC has a clear set of objectives where it claims to balance member country requirements with needs to stabilize world oil prices. Its charter states that OPEC would strive to â€Å"eliminate harmful and unnecessary fluctuations† in global oil prices and ensure â€Å"efficient, economic and regular supply† to buying nations while at the same time coordinating among member countries to share and â€Å"unify† oil policies to protect their interests (OPEC Statute 1). Even though the oil cartel has been a major force in global economy for over 45 years, it has had its own set of shortcomings in vision. At least twice in the past OPEC tried to raise prices by reducing export of oil. In the first instance, in the early 70’s, the prices spiked by about 50% and in the second case, the maximum increase was 34% in 1980. In each period of OPEC intervention, the price increase was short lived and could not be maintained. The reason for not being able to sustain the price increase is rooted in the simple definition of economy that it is governed by people and its behavior. This behavior then defines the supply and demand relationship that forms the basis for price stability and trends. The sudden rise in oil prices as a result of OPEC’s cutting of exports happened because the supply and demand of oil, like any other commodity, is inelastic in the short term. When the OPEC countries

Pop and rock music history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pop and rock music history - Essay Example Indeed, Appleseed cast is one of the most creative musical bands in the world. According to the Herald News, the album is described as unique in that, each song on this album induces emotion. The bass work and drum nicely complement the loud and thick guitars to maintain the rhythm of the songs. These are accompanied by true and raw vocals by the experienced singers. Screams are also included to the rich set of instruments, though occasionally some singing is thrown in when suitable. The art work and production of the album is the best ever. As mentioned, the album is also made unique by the emotion created. This makes this album to stand out among the rest. It is inspirational, heartfelt and an emotional music album. In comparison to other bands, The Appleseed Cast has no non-versatile descriptive words, bland choruses and excessive use of the words agony and pain. In simple words, it is a poetry of the young emotions of harsh losses and true love. Appleseed Cast perfectly blend the songs between simple tunes, sad and an emotional flurry of drums and guitars. However, this sometimes happens within the same song. In the song Marigold & Patchwork the lead singer’s voice is rattling yet, perfectly quiet. At the same time the voice is becomes abrasive and can send chills down a person’s spine. On the other hand, the song untitled half, is comprised of almost perfect crescendo of bass, jackhammer drumming, duel guitars and sax. Interestingly, the song Ring Wars deserves time to really understand comprehend the music. It is like Nirvana meets Radio Head. In this song, the lead singer Chris shows in and out voice that mumbles lyrics and also screeches. Their melodies are nice even though not pop. It has soothing instants where singing stops for about 2 minutes into the song. The drum work is amazing as heard the in the last instrumental track. Another song in the album is Marigold & Patchwork. This is an all-time amazing song. It has an

How can the world's population growth be reduced Assignment

How can the world's population growth be reduced - Assignment Example Human beings have also led to the extinction of about 50 species of plants and animals. Whether driven by arrogance, greed or ignorance, human activity now threatens to overwhelm the planets capability to sustain life. As the planets ability to support life diminishes, basic necessities become more and more scarcer, fanning ethnic, racial and political opinions and differences into infernos of armed conflict. In addition to the hundreds of thousands of life’s being extinguished, wars shatter societies, sending countless millions of people on the run. In the end, most of the people on the run become refugees leading desolate lives while living in deplorable conditions. Throughout the developing world, the allure of hope for a better life draws countless millions of people from the country side into already crowded cities. This migration was seen in Latin America where in 1950, dwellers were around 40% but at the moment they are around 75%. Therefore, the city cannot comfortably provide for its inhabitants. As such, only a few of the residents have running water while the rest have to get it from polluted rivers. In fact, the UN Population division in its 2004 report states that garbage and sewage flows together along dirty streets exposing thousands of people to the risk of serious illness. This brief background information justifies the need for strategies to reduce the world’s population growth rate. Some of the strategies that will be discussed in the paper include; empowering women, educational religion, and child policy strategies. Currently, the world’s population is increasing at a rate of about 80 million people a year. Economic and political stability is threatened by this rapid population. Therefore, there is need for stabilization of the population in the world. By 2045, research has proven that the world’s population will be over 9 billion. This means that fertility

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 22

Case Study Example CRO business has seemed to become very popular in aiding with FDA approval. FDA approval is not something that is easily achieved. Before drugs are able to become available on the market, they must go through hundreds of tests. These tests ensure that the drug is safe. Safety of the drug is important for the lives of those using the drugs and the company’s and CRO’s creating and testing the drug. In order for these CRO businesses to become successful, the firm’s name has to achieve a good reputation and maintain a level of standard that other companies would recommend. Kendle has become a company that is recommended. Kendle is doing well for the American market. The American market has allowed Kendle to make it to its full potential. Full potential for a business, in regards to Kendle, can be defined as a business’s achieving the maximum amount of clients for a market. This meant that as stated in the case, Kendle had to sell, grow or disappear. This was a very accurate explanation as to what had to be done. The firm could not just stay how it was. Something had to be done in order for the firm to remain competitive over other similar businesses. Kendle faces many strategic choices. In order to survive Kendle must either decide to do one of three things. The first strategic choice that Kendle can make is to grow and expand the firm. Growing the firm means expanding to other areas and possibly merging or buying out other companies. This choice is perfect if the firm wants to expand and keep the firm going. The second strategic choice is to sell the company. Selling the company will likely be a lengthy process that will include lots of negotiating. Selling means that the original founders will have to find a seller that is willing to purchase for the right amount. This also means that a selling price will have to be decided. In order to decide a selling price the firm will need to find out what the company is worth and decide whether or

Egypt from 2100-1700 BC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Egypt from 2100-1700 BC - Research Paper Example There are villages built alongside quarries and building sites, and so poor people must have lived near to the wealthy people, but segregated into their own living quarters. Some indication of Egyptian family life from this period has survived in papyri, such as letters from an old farmer Hekanakhte who left his home to go on business: â€Å"these letters, which are full of sharp commands to his several sons to do his bidding, to stop whingeing about the slender rations he has allowed them, and to be kind to his new wife.†ii The content of these letters may not be very significant in terms of historical facts, but it is interesting that the tone is so authoritarian, and the sons and wife all have to obey the commands of the father figure. Reading between the lines, there is a suggestion that the sons were not respectful, and perhaps this was a stepmother whom they resented. This evidence suggests that the Egyptian society of the time was patriarchal, and that families were exp ected to work the land together. The importance of agriculture was immense, because it brought the food on which the cities depended. The population of Egypt was then, as now, mostly gathered along coastal areas in the North and especially along the banks of the Nile, whose life-giving waters sustained the crops, and also served as a transport artery along the Eastern edge of the country. Hard work in the fields was probably the reality for a large number of people. This period was also known for its commitment to funerary rites, including the building of tombs and pyramids, the worship of Osiris, lively trade with countries around the Eastern Mediterranean, and advances in medicine, pottery and literature. Some of it looks back to earlier Egyptian glory and this why it is sometimes likened to a Renaissance period. The monuments are not quite so huge, and there is more evidence of modest day to day living, paying taxes and working on crafts, which suggests that at least some of the ordinary people were beginning to enjoy the pleasures and achievements of advanced civilization. Reflection It is pleasing to see in the period from 2100 to 1700 that towns and villages are growing up, partially with the support of the ruling Pharoahs, and are developing their own local economies. The worship of female gods, and the mummification of queens shows also a positive role for women, in some layers of society at least, but I do think that this was probably a very sexist society, where gender roles were pretty much fixed. There seems also to be a great respect for elders, and so to be young, and female, and especially to be a servant or slave, must have been very difficult. Added to this is the tendency of the Nile to flood, and the unreliability of harvests, which means that living conditions may have varied from season to season depending on the weather conditions. The evidence of taxes being levied is also a rather modern complaint, and this made me think that many aspec ts of life back in this period must have been similar to modern times. The lower classes always struggle to meet this obligation to the state, and it seems unfair that those who work the hardest seem to benefit the least. I had not been aware

The Role Of The Judicial Branch In A Democracy Essay

The Role Of The Judicial Branch In A Democracy - Essay Example There are three branches making up a democracy and these are the legislature which not only sets out procedures that should be followed by the government but also ensures that the law is performed. The executive is the second branch of democracy and its main job is ensuring that policies are turned into action while the judiciary does the work of applying the law according to the procedures of justice that have been put in place while at the same time resolving any disagreements that might occur in the society. In order to ensure that there is freedom which is a one of the most important parts of democracy, it is necessary for these three powers to operate on their own but also act in a way that balances each other. Having the key values defining the law is what forms the groundwork for democracy since they help to constantly protect the constitution. These values also ensure that equality and civil rights and freedoms are always seen. Democracy is therefore thought to be one of the best types of government as a result of the clear separation that occurs between each of the arms of government. This is the reason why a judiciary that is independent in its actions is often seen as one of the best examples of a democracy that is working as it should be.

John Winthrops City Upon a Hill Essay Example for Free

John Winthrops City Upon a Hill Essay Q. What did John Winthrop mean by a city upon a hill? A. When John Winthrop states that â€Å"wee must Consider that wee shall be as a Citty upon a Hill† he indicates that the settlers who are to settle in the New World must hold their business and social and religious activities to a level above reproach, because they will be a test case to a world waiting for their settlement to fail. With â€Å"the eies of all people are uppon us†, the settlers must provide a shining example for others to follow behind. The Puritans believed that the conditions they were living in England had become extremely corrupted and so they left for the New World so that they could find ways to purify themselves and become better Christians. Because the corruption in England could not be fought from within England itself, it would have to be fought by beginning a new and model colony that could be looked upon as a representation of the way a truly Christian society should function in a manner that gives glory to God. Q. What does the author’s writing style tell you about the Puritans who settled in Boston? A. John Winthrop’s style of writing reveals several interesting facts about the Puritans who settled in Boston. First, God and Christian principles are mentioned in nearly ever sentence of this writing. The Puritans believed that their belief in God was the most important aspect of their lives, and so they incorporated that belief into every part of their daily lives. Next, the style of writing represents a simplistic form of expression, using all everyday terms and no obscure language. The Puritans were known to be very plain-spoken individuals. This is not to say, however, that they were uneducated, as this body of work shows clarity of thought as well as a well-constructed call to action to become a city upon a hill. Finally, John Winthrop’s style of writing indicates both a phonetic way of spelling as well as a formality in speech itself. Almost a form of middle English instead of modern-day English, the spellings of various words are much more flowery than the essay itself.

Ancient Civilizations The City Of Pompeii

Ancient Civilizations The City Of Pompeii The city of Pompeii is historically famous for one reason: it was destroyed completely by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. While during the time of the Roman Empire, it had been a prosperous city, in no way was it as famous as it is now. It is shown that Pompeii as an archaeological site is the longest continually excavated site in the world'. The excavation of Pompeii has both immortalized Roman life, while destroying what was preserved by the ash of Mount Vesuvius. Pompeii allows us to look into Roman life and architecture like never before, but the site as a whole is also in danger. In 79 AD the eruption began on August 24. The Pompeians did not feel the need to evacuate, and did not feel threatened at all. The city was covered in ash and pumice, burying them. They citys name eventually faded from maps and its prosperity forgotten. It was not viewed as an archeological site until the 19th century when Giuseppe Fiorelli began excavating the site. Now the site is in danger of being destroyed due to the elements and lack of preservation. Pompeii is a spectacular site for one major reason: the lava, ash and pumice encased the entire city and solidified, preserving it for over 1000 years. Though a great archaeological find, it now suffers. The threat of destruction has always accompanied Pompeii. In the first archaeological stages, when Fiorelli was excavating, the site was poorly guarded and was looted frequently. Charles III removed artifacts to embellish his own home. Others attempted to preserve frescoes and paintings by covering them in varnish. The lack of proper preservation first came to the public eye when the Schola Armaturarum collapsed due to water damage in 2010. The Armaturarum was a gladiator training arena and a very popular building in Pompeii. After the collapse, the obvious need for attendance on the site was noted. Walls had begun to collapse, and the vegetation was overgrown. The areas in need of restoration are the areas that the public and tourists do not see. As Ray Laurence notes, Even for thos e scholars interested in art and architecture, Pompeii presents problems. In those areas away from the most visited parts of the site, vegetation often obscures the object of study. This can cause areas of the site to be neglected and not examined. The general deterioration of the archaeological remains should not be underestimated. The site is very large, over 44 hectares of land, but has a reduced staff. They cannot keep up with the size of the site, or prevent rain from damaging the artifacts. Though the damage has caught the eye of UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) and received funding for restoration of the site, it had lost some important parts of Pompeii. While Pompeii offers the public and scientists a view into the past, its study also is destroying the preserved ruins. In archaeology, they often must damage something in order to study it. As Gary Devore of Stamford University says in James Owens article: Since archaeology is destruction, we destroy bits of Pompeii as we go along. At Pompeii, the large sites that were excavated were also damaged by the constant work being done. In Pompeii, many of the people who had lived there were frozen in time by the volcanic debris. To get a full idea of how these people had died, a plaster molding was used. Ian Andrews states: Archaeologists working on the ruins of Pompeii have discovered an ingenious way of reconstructing some of their finds. When lava from the eruption of AD 79 cooled, it solidified around all the objects which had been unable to escape. Over the centuries, many of these objects decayed, leaving hollows in the solid lava. Archaeologists refill these with liquid plaster; liquid plaster is allowed to set and the lava can then be chipped away leaving an accurate cast of whatever was trapped by the lava flow nearly two thousand years ago. This process is helpful with the study of the site; it also is destroying the naturally solidified encasing of the object. Once they chip away the lava, that figure is eliminated forever, leaving a plaster fill instead. The original case is now gone; yet another piece of history we must destroy to discover answers. The final threat that Pompeii is faced with, along with the surrounding area, is another eruption from Mount Vesuvius. Scientists studying the volcano believe that another eruption could destroy even more than it did in 79 AD. Such an important site should be restored and under constant attention. Pompeiis impact on our society is slightly larger than the average person knows. The discovery of Pompeii offers something that no other site can offer. It gives us an idea of Roman everyday life. Pompeians died in a state of panic, but that does not change the fact that every object in the entire city is found where the owner last left it before trying to escape the clutches of Mount Vesuvius. This is a spectacular way to study Roman lifestyle, and to discover things no one had known. It is said by Judith Harris that: Until Pompeii, no one knew how the ancient Romans actually lived. What archaeologists now look at in Pompeii is details within homes to see how families actually functioned. Before the discovery of Pompeii, it was thought that slaves would not have liked to be seen by the home owners and guests. This was proven incorrect when they discovered that some commonly used items of slaves were found in the main room. When looking at ancient Roman medical relations, Pompeii has shown that medical tools have been found in households, so rather than summoning a doctor they would do some medical procedures by themselves. Many of the villas in Pompeii belonged to the rich emperors and senators. They were holiday homes that they would visit throughout the year. This is most of what tourists see. Owens found that much research has centered on public buildings and breathtaking villas that portray the artistic and opulent lifestyle enjoyed by the citys wealthy elite, but now, they have begun to look at the other 98 percent of Pompeii that teach us about their everyday lives. In this part of Pompeii jobs were in trade, education, agriculture, accounting, and industry. A major part of Pompeiis prosperity is due to the proximity of the sea and the bustling ports. Puteoli and the Bay of Naples brought in extreme revenue and unlike Pompeii and Herculaneum were able to recover after the eruption of Vesuvius. The artwork of Pompeii included frescoes. Frescoes allowed people to express themselves and also show what the ancient Pompeians would have lo oked like. There was graffiti in Pompeii. This graffiti was usually written in a public place and voiced cheery or somber messages. The study of such a bustling and enriched city is a reflection of Rome in its Golden Age. Peter Kesteven reflected, The citizens of Pompeii have their strengths and their weaknesses, just as we have. The Romans said that the life of a Roman town was the life of the empire in miniature. In studying Pompeii we can see the unity and method that led to success but perhaps we can see something also of the weakness that eventually led to the decline of the empire. Pompeii reflects the empire as a whole; it also immortalizes the life of the citizens of Rome. Pompeii not only shows us the lifestyle of Romans in ancient times, but it also influenced art, architecture and literature after its excavation began in 1748. Its excavation also began to influence archaeological advancements. It influenced wealthy folks across Europe because of the dawn of classicism. Elite Europeans would tour the Italian peninsula in search of art and artifacts to decorate their homes. Pompeii was specifically targeted because of the gems and riches found there, as well as the tragic tale behind its destruction. Many aristocratic European homes included an Etruscan room; the design was based off of Pompeian architecture and art. Pompeiis architecture was influenced by many cultures. Greek Doric columns, Etruscan bronze pottery and Roman temples were all found in Pompeii. Some of the buildings in Pompeii include temples to worship Venus (the citys god), an amphitheatre, theatre, baths, sport centres, shops and workshops as well as block houses and villas. The arch itecture is unique: Only in Pompeii is it possible to trace the history of Italian and Roman domestic architecture for at least four centuries. Pompeii influenced literature because after the birth of classicism, works like The Last Days in Pompeii written by Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton became popular amongst Europeans. Therefore Pompeiis destruction was unfortunate, but its rediscovery became a part of culture still prevalent today. Shelley Hales summarizes the events of Pompeii accurately by stating: The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE was a most paradoxical event. The cataclysm both destroyed and preserved the relatively insignificant town of Pompeii and transformed its fortunes: as its remains began to be excavated in the mid-eighteenth century, this town assumed centre- stage as a powerful and evocative portal through which one might at least attempt a closer communion with the ancient past. Archaeologist are doing their best to restore what previous damage had been done in the form of excavations, the threat of another eruption exists, and all the while Pompeii continues to be frozen in time immortalized by the very thing that destroyed it. Works Cited/ Updated Bibliography Owens, James. Ancient Roman Life Preserved at Pompeii National Geographic. Science and Space Facts, Science and Space, Human Body, Health, Earth, Human Disease National Geographic. http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/archaeology/pompeii/ (accessed November 29, 2012). Valsecchi, Maria Cristina. Pompeii Is Crumbling-Can It Be Saved?. Daily Nature and Science News and Headlines | National Geographic News . http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/travelnews/2011/11/111107-pompeii-italy-science-travel-collapse-eu/ (accessed January 10, 2013). Pompeii Information. CyArk. http://archive.cyark.org/pompeii-info (accessed January 10, 2013). Laurence, Ray. Roman Pompeii: space and society. London: Routledge, 1994 University of Leicestor. Everyday Life In Pompeii Revealed. Science Daily: News Articles in Science, Health, Environment Technology. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070424091412.htm (accessed January 15, 2013). Harris, Judith. Pompeii awakened a story of rediscovery. London: I.B. Tauris, 2007. Andrews, Ian, Peter Kesteven, and Reginald Piggott. Pompeii. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications, 1980. Stewart, Doug. Resurrecting Pompeii | History Archaeology | Smithsonian Magazine. History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian Magazine. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/pompeii.html?c=ypage=5 (accessed January 19, 2013). Hales, Shelley. Pompeii in the Public Imagination from its Rediscovery to Today. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.

Political History of Global Warming Essay -- Global Warming Climate Ch

Political History of Global Warming There is a lot of ambiguity surrounding the theory of 'global warming' and the proper political response to it. At the very center of the scientific debate on the variability of global climate is to what extent human activities influence climate change. Another unforeseeable is whether the potential impacts of climate change will be harmful or beneficial for humans, managed agriculture, and natural ecosystems. Some question the authority with which current scientific data has been given in international negotiations on the regulation of greenhouse gases. Others are convinced that immediate actions must be taken to limit the potential effects of excess greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere since the beginning of the industrial era. It would be difficult to credit a single event that encouraged the U.S. Government to begin a major program to investigate global climate change; instead it would best be explained as a long series of events, mostly in response to the international attention given it. The idea that excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could trap heat in Earth's atmosphere was first put forward in 1898 by Swedish physicist Svante Arrhenius. But it wasn't until the late 50s that scientists within U.S. federal agencies started to participate in scientific workshops, international conferences, and international scientific research that explored the nature of Earth?s climate system and the role of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases believed to modify it. In 1965 the President?s Science Advisory Committee issued a report, Restoring the Quality of Our Environment, that identified climate change and CO2 buildup as deserving expanded monitoring and study. The... ...nal Climate Program Act, P.L. 95-367, 15 USC Â §2901 et seq., Revkin, Andrew C., and Katharine Q. Seelye, ?Report by the E.P.A. Leaves Out Data on Climate Change,? New York Times, 6/19/2003, Vol. 152 Issue 52519, pA1, 0p. Rowe, Richard, and Larry Jeffus. The Essential Welder: Gas Metal Arc elding Classroom Manual. Albany:Delmar, 2000. Suraje, Dessai, and Nuno S. Lacasta, Katharine Vincent. International Political History of the Kyoto Protocol: from The Hague to Marrakech and Beyond, International Review for Environmental Strategies Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 183 ? 205, 2003 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 2006. United Nations. April 2nd, 2006. U.S. Global Change Research Information Office. 2002. Department of State: Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. April 2, 2006.

Exploitation in Child Beauty Pageants :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Exploitation in Child Beauty Pageants It is 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning, and Sharon is about to awaken her eighteen month old baby, Jessica, to prepare her for a long weekend of make-up, hairspray, and gowns. Jessica is one of the thousands of babies forced into the many children's beauty pageants each year. Sharon is among the many over-demanding parents who pressure their young and innocent children into beauty pageants each year and this is wrong. Beauty pageants were started many years ago but became more prominent in the society in 1921, when a hotel owner started a contest to keep tourists in town past Labor Day. The winner of this contest would be called Miss America. Miss America pageants have been a yearly event ever since then, except during the Great Depression. Then, in 1960, pageants were getting so popular that a Little Miss America was started for parents who wanted their children in beauty pageants (Nussbaum). Children's beauty pageants are judged by the following: modeling sportswear and evening wear, how well they dance, and how much talent they have. The children themselves are judged by their looks, how well they perform, and how confident they appear. Approximately 250, 000 children participate in pageants each year. Mothers who have their children in beauty pageants say that their children gain confidence through performing. They also say that they are more prepared for life and will be more socially comfortable. They argue that their children mature at a younger age than "normal" children do. Why would any parent want their children to grow up any faster than they already do? Beauty pageants are not the only way that a child at such a young age can gain confidence. The only confidence that a child at eighteen months needs to gain is eating on her own, standing up on her own and the confidence that her family loves her. If these children have and learn these three things, they will most likely have great self-confidence. On the other hand, take the child who loses the pageant, for example. There are visible effects that the child shows if she loses; she then thinks less of herself and thinks she has let her parents down because she did not place first (Christman). Parents also conclude that children who participate in beauty pageants may receive scholarships (Gleick). Beauty pageant scholarships are not the only scholarships available.

Intelligence led policing Essay

The terrorist attacks of September 2001 had several governments taken aback of their incapacity to detect and prevent crimes of such magnitude. The United State’s Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense, for example, have been working extra hard to detect and thwart such mishaps now and in the future. In order to realize this, most aspects of national security have been reviewed by various governments around the world (Wisler and Onwudiwe, 2009). One of these aspects is intelligence improvement and use for both internal and international security. Of most importance is internal security, given the fact that crimes such as international terror are planned and carried out by deterrents that are already living among us. Because the police have the mandate to provide internal security, they require effective intelligence to enable them to collect and act on any information related to looming attacks and dangers. Apart from intelligence led policing, there are numerous other types of policing. However, the main ones are: knowledge-based policing, problem based policing and community policing. For any crime type to be bunged, the intelligence used by police ought to be based on all possibly available information and data, collected and thoroughly evaluated. Intelligence has been defined in multiple ways. For the sake of this discussion, we will settle on a single definition: it is collecting data and information precisely touching on crime, analyzing and drawing conclusions on it. Therefore, intelligence is not any kind of information but that which has been studied and quality conclusions made on it. Intelligence can then be used to inform any concerned decision maker of the several available choices. The security personnel of any department, either the police or the military, can then draw on the analyzed findings to carry out their duties of preventing and stopping crimes by strategizing and laying good plans on how to achieve their set objectives. Intelligence led policing is a structured method of collecting, analyzing and evaluating data and information related to crime. The analyzed information is then used to guide the institutions which enforce law in determining their actions. It was first used in the United Kingdom in 1990 and later received a huge acceptance in the United States after the 2001 terrorist attacks. The Kent police in the UK used this kind of policing on car stealing, home breaks and certain types of crimes which were then considered high priority. The world’s governments later decided to use this method alongside others to curb international crime especially terrorism and to react effectively to simpler crimes at the domestic front (Wisler and Onwudiwe, 2009). The problem based policing is broad in its coverage bearing its stand on the notion that other types of policing are not committed to solving the basic criminal acts. While it concentrates on crimes that need the attention of the police and that it handles other issues other than implementing crime prevention programs, is not able to cover all sorts of crimes. On the other hand Public policing usually focus on a single type of crime for example street gangs only. It is normally used when certain crimes occur and their area of operation is the streets. It is also effective in the sense that the time, when the required information is obtained and when action is taken on it, is relatively short. Its mainstay is to deter and disable unlawful trends. Criminals are also profiled to help in analysis. Finally, its approach involves the use of tour of duty personnel, strategic divisions and detectives.

What Are Obama’s Possible Solutions to This Economic Crisis We Are Going Through and How Long to Until This Goal Is Achieved?

Barack Obama â€Å"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. † These are some words from President-Elect Barack Obama talking about that Americans have the power to the change they have been longing for in their government. Barack Obama was born in August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Obama attended Occidental College in Los Angeles from 1979 to 1981 before transferring to Columbia University and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He also received a degree from Harvard Law School in 1991. In February 2007 he announced that he would be running for president and 18 months later he became the Democratic presidential nominee. At the end of Election Day, Obama won a decisive victory over McCain with 365 electoral votes to McCain’s 162. Obama marks a change in America’s conventional trend of white American presidents and is the leader in Americas 4 year journey for change. He has a long road full of challenging issues to overcome. One very important issue to the majority of Americans is â€Å"What are Obama’s possible solutions to this economic crisis we are going through and how long to until this goal is achieved† To answer this question I researched Obama’s economic policies to improve this crisis as President and they include jumpstarting the economy, providing the middle class with tax reliefs, and improving conditions for small businesses. One of Barack Obama’s first polices to improve the economy will be to jumpstart the economy in two ways. One will be to â€Å"enact a windfall profits tax to provide a $1000 emergency energy rebate to American families. †(barackobama. com), taken directly from Obama’s website on his economic policies. This would be good because it can help families pay some money in their rising bills and reduce some of it. Secondly Obama is going to provide a â€Å"$50 billion of stimulus to jumpstart job creation and help local communities that are struggling due to our economic downturn. †(Video of Obama’s economic â€Å"Blue Print†) This is a primary source coming straight from the source. On his website it states that $25 billion is to prevent state and local cuts and the other $25 billion to prevent cutbacks in road and bridge maintenance and fund school repair. This can help less fortunate communities with local problems to jumpstart their economic problems and improve repairs on important buildings in the neighborhood. In addition, he wants to provide middle class Americans tax relief because the majority of America consists of middle class necessary to stabilize it. He proposes that â€Å"If you make 250,000 or less we will not raise your taxes, we will cut your taxes; in fact my plan provides 3 times the amount of tax relief to middle class families than John McCain’s†¦ † (Video of Obama’s economic â€Å"Blue Print†) He also says â€Å"I will cut taxes – cut taxes – for 95% of all working families† (Speech confronting the economic crisis in Golden, Co) Also on his website â€Å"they will create a new â€Å"Making Work Pay† tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family†. The â€Å"Making Work Pay† tax credit will also eliminate income tax for 10 million Americans. Moreover, Obama will eliminate income taxes completely for seniors making less than $50,000. It will eliminate income tax for about 7 million seniors and save them an average of $1400 a year (http://www. barackobama. com/issues/economy). Some 27 million seniors will not need to file an income tax return. Furthermore Obama said â€Å"To help low- and middle-income families, I will ease the burden on struggling homeowners through a universal homeowner's tax credit. (Speech confronting the economic crisis in Golden, Co) He continues to explain that it will â€Å"add up to a 10 percent break off the mortgage interest rate for 10 million households†. This will add another $500 each year for many families. Likewise, Obama supports and wants to improve the conditions of small businesses because they are the base to this economy. Barack Obama is choosing his economic experts to advis e him â€Å"on ways to create jobs and bring stability to the ailing financial system† (Fouhy and Espo). Fouhy and Espo are Associated Press writers therefore are reliable because they write without any bias. To do this Obama wishes to eliminate all capita per gain taxes on start-up companies to encourage innovation and job creation. Obama emphasizes the importance of investing â€Å"$15 billion a year in new green technologies that can create up to 5 million jobs a year† (Video of Obama’s economic â€Å"Blue Print†) Obama continues saying that we must rebuild the economy with clean energy that will open new job opportunities to young people and that we are going to create the new cars of the future â€Å"right here in America†. In addition, he proposes to create a national network of public-private business incubators to support entrepreneurship and spur job growth. These incubators â€Å"facilitate the critical work of entrepreneurs in creating start-up companies. † In Obama’s plan, he will invest in $250 million a year in the amount of incubators for less fortunate communities who need it the most. Basically, Obama wants to repair the base of America’s economy by jumpstarting it, providing tax relief to the middle class, and improving conditions for small businesses. It is hard to remember a time when America’s economy was prosperous and stable. Many countries have never even seen a time in history when their own nation was a leading competitor in the world’s economy. With Obama’s economic plans for America, that time is near and getting closer every day. At time when this great nation we know as America will strive economically and will lead the world into a world of equality and peace. â€Å"At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise, that American promise, and in the words of scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess. † Word Count:1002

Action or Inaction and the Ethics of Choice Essay

One of Peter Singer’s four main principles of ethics is that we are just as responsible for our inactions as we are for our actions. This means that we as human beings have an ethical obligation to act if we witness something wrong happening. Even if we do not see it but we know it is going on, then once we possess that knowledge we have also incurred a moral duty to act. Without this obligation, we become a liability to the community because we are no longer taking responsibility for the well-being of others when it is in our power to do so. Examples of this are easily found in the modern media. The first example of such an understood and implicit responsibility would be in the case of Penn State and their football defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky. Jerry Sandusky committed horrible crimes, molesting and sexually assaulting numerous young boys who were looking to him to help them out of already bad situations at home via his charity, Second Mile. These were at risk youth. The head coach of Penn State’s football team, Joe Paterno, had been alerted to the crimes possibly being committed by his defensive coordinator but he had failed to act or contact law enforcement. The president of the university also was accused of knowing but taking no action. (1) In the eyes of the public, once the criminal trial began to get underway, the head coach and the president were both equally guilty for allowing such atrocities to go on under their noses. To the American people and the plaintiffs, simply saying, â€Å"It wasn’t me that hurt these boys.† was not enough to excuse their inaction. They had failed in their civic duty to protect the community and its children. To fail a society in this manner means you have become a hindrance and a liability to the people who once sustained you. It is no small question to wonder where the line is drawn between an obligation to action and the freedom to do nothing. Not only is it illegal to rob a bank, it is equally illegal to drive the getaway car. True, as a mere driver, you did not in fact steal money or hurt anyone. However, by your own inaction (you did not call the cops, you did not discourage the robbers), you have enabled harm to be brought to others. The consequences then are that had you acted, harm may have been avoided. Just as if you had held the gun yourself, your knowledge means that you acted to hurt someone else even if it was simply by not acting. Many cultures have shame and honor systems which detail explicitly the duties of a citizen to act and the restrictions on actions as well. American law makes very clear pronouncements about guilt by association, being an alibi, being an accomplice, and other specific things required by those who stood by. We as a people do not accept inaction as an excuse to avoid blame. Peter Singer’s specific principle denotes the ability to choose between action and inaction automatically confers upon the decider the weight of their choice. Once you are aware that you have a choice to make, you also should be aware that the choice rightly bears consequences. Surprisingly, many people find this unfair. They do not believe they hold any blame if they choose not to take action. If a woman is raped in a street in broad daylight with fifty witnesses, almost all the witnesses will feel that it was not their problem, not their responsibility to stop it or report it. When confronted later, they will squirm with shame, but as the well-known case of Kitty Genovese (2) proved, they do not honestly feel they did anything wrong. Therefore, the ethical idea of responsibility for both action and inaction is an idea that still needs advocates throughout the world. The social contract that exists between man and his government also extends to man and his fellow man. Works cited: 1.) Simon, M. (2012, November 7). Former Penn State president arraigned in Sandusky scandal – This Just In – CNN.com Blogs. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/07/former-penn-state-president-arraigned-in-sandusky-scandal 2.) Darley, L. (2010, August 19). Bystander Effect: The Case of Kitty Genovese. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from

Power of Suppliers Essay

Another force is power of suppliers. Power of the suppliers is important as it will affect the industry. In airline industry, the power of suppliers is quite high since there are only two major suppliers which are Airbus and Boeing hence there are not many choices to airline industry. Nevertheless, the global economic crisis has limited the new entrant and also reducing the upgrade of planes in the immediate future. However, both suppliers provide almost same standard aircraft and hence the switching to Air Asia is low. The supplier of airline companies is the fuel supplier, food supplier, merchandise supplier and aircraft supplier. Other supplier like foods supplier and fuel supplier, the term of the supply must be based on the market condition. Hence, the supplier cannot increase too much of its price or risk losing long term business with the aircraft companies. Besides that, Airasia has high switching costs. Most of Airasia’s aircraft are Airbus models. Previously, the company used Boeing models, which they lease it and the company had since phased out most of the models and replace with Airbus. If Airasia is to switch to Boeing again, then the cost will be high. This is because training cost for employees to suit the aircraft features must be provided. Furthermore, the technology used by Airbus is the most advanced, thus Airasia must rely to the Airbus’ engineers to do maintenance of the aircrafts and seek advices. if the Airbus does not to cooperate with Air Asia, Air Asia will not have no suppliers to do the maintenance. nThus, bargaining power of suppliers is strong.

Impact of Globalization on Development

Globalization is the buzzword of today. The phenomenon of globalization rapidly swept across the world forcefully and powerfully. Economies of the world are being increasingly integrated as new technology and communication has brought people together. We often hear the phrase that the ‘world has become a global village' – which itself signifies how much has changed in the world in the past few decades. Financial and industrial globalization is increasing substantially and is creating new opportunities for both industrialized and developing countries. The largest impact has been on developing countries, who now are able to attract foreign investors and foreign capital. This has led to both positive and negative effects for those countries. Economically new parts of the world have opened to capitalist activities. The spread of capitalist activities has been part of globalization process which ties up well with the liberals believe in the possibility of progress (Baylis, J. , et al. (2008, p. 110). Free trade is the reduction or removal of commercial barriers between countries. This allows a freer flow of labor and goods between member countries in a trade pact. As free trade agreements become more common around the globe, the positive impact on developing countries has been touted as one of their greatest successes. There are several advantages to developing countries that participate in free trade. Free trade is an economic practice whereby countries can import and export goods without fear of government intervention. Government intervention includes tariffs and import or export bans or limitations. Free trade offers several benefits to countries, especially those in the developing stage. According to a widely used definition, a developing country is a nation with low levels of economic resources and/or low standard of living. Developing countries can often advance their economy through strategic free trade agreements. Increased Resources Developing countries can benefit from free trade by increasing their amount of or access to economic resources. Nations usually have limited economic resources. Economic resources include land, labor and capital. Land represents the natural resources found within a nations borders. Small developing nations often have the lowest amounts of natural resources in the economic marketplace. Free trade agreements ensure small nations can obtain the economic resources needed to produce consumer goods or services. By using a country’s comparative advantage, or what they can produce at a lower opportunity cost than other countries, they can get all the benefits of trade. If every country has a comparative advantage that means that everyone can gain from trade. There is remarkable evidence that globalization is helping countries expand and achieve higher incomes or a higher GDP Improved Quality of Life Free trade usually improves the quality of life for a developing nations citizens. They can import goods that are not readily available within their borders. Importing goods may be cheaper for a developing country than attempting to produce consumer goods or services within their borders. Many developing nations do not have the production processes available for converting raw materials into valuable consumer goods. Developing countries with friendly neighbors may also be able to import goods more often. Importing from neighboring countries ensures a constant flow of goods that are readily available for consumption. In countries with a higher degree of globalization, policies tend to support more accountability in the private and public sectors. These nations are more likely to maintain courts that recognize property rights and enforce the rule of law. Their governments are more effective and less corrupt. Policies in these more globalized countries tend to be more stable, essential for long-term planning by business. (Fisher, 2006) Better Foreign Relations Better foreign relations is usually an unintended result of free trade. Developing nations are often subject to international threats. Developing strategic free trade relations with more powerful countries can help ensure a developing nation has additional protection from international threats. Developing countries can also use free trade agreements to improve their military strength and their internal infrastructure, as well as to improve politically. This unintended benefit allows developing countries to learn how they should govern their economy and what types of government policies can best benefit their people. Production Efficiency Developing countries can use free trade to improve their production efficiency. Most nations are capable of producing some type of goods or service. However, a lack of knowledge or proper resources can make production inefficient or ineffective. Free trade allows developing countries to fill in the gaps regarding their production processes. Individual citizens may also visit foreign countries to increase education or experience in specific production or business methods. These individuals can then bring back crucial information about improving the nations production processes (Yutzis, 2001) Increased Standard of Living Economic globalization gives governments of developing nations access to foreign lending. When these funds are used on infrastructure including roads, health care, education, and social services, the standard of living in the country increases. If the money is used only selectively, however, not all citizens will participate in the benefits. Access to New Markets Globalization leads to freer trade between countries. This is one of its largest benefits to developing nations. Homegrown industries see trade barriers fall and have access to a much wider international market. The growth this generates allows companies to develop new technologies and produce new products and services. Higher Employment Rates As developed countries are able to move their operations into developing countries, new job opportunities open up for local workers. Increased levels of employment lead to a higher standard of living and more consumer purchasing. This ultimately sparks the country's economy and may help to develop locally owned business. Research was conducted on national incomes around the world during the 1990s and results showed that the income of rich globalized countries increased by 2% each year. The results also show that poor, more globalized countries have a higher increase in income per year than poor, less globalized countries. Actually according to this research the poor, more globalized countries have had an increase in income of 5% ach year while the poor, less globalized countries had a decrease of 1% per year. Less Child Labor Child labor occurs in developing countries for many reasons but one of the main reasons is lack of technology. Children are used as a cheap substitute for manufacturing equipment. In developing countries, sending their children to work is the only way a family can survive. Usually there is no t an abundance of schools and medical care like in the wealthier countries, and even if education and proper health care is available it is only available to the wealthier families who can afford it. Through globalization, households will make higher incomes which may eventually enable a family to send their children to school and provide some type of health care. In another article by Jagdih Bhagwati he states, â€Å"child labor will certainly diminish over time as growth occurs, partly due to globalization. † (Bhagwati). Free trade allows companies to invest in equipment and pay higher wages to adult workers through foreign investment. With higher family incomes, children are able to attend school rather than work. Access to New Markets Not only does free trade allow foreign-owned companies to establish themselves in developing countries, it also allows native companies to sell to foreign markets. This expands their customer base and leads to new products and services and the viability of investing in innovation. This is particularly true for small businesses in developing countries. These companies no longer have to worry about absorbing the costs of tariffs and other barriers to market entry and can sell their products freely. Higher Levels of Investment Capital Most free trade agreements also reduce restrictions on foreign investment. With new capital entering a developing country, it begins an upward productivity cycle that stimulates the entire economy. An inflow of foreign capital can also stimulate the banking system, leading to more investment and consumer lending. Increased Life Expectancy An increase in employment levels, incomes, and the general standard of living alleviates hunger and lack of medical care in developing countries. Preventative medical care including checkups and vaccinations are available to more of the population. It also increases the number of children who are educated and attend school regularly. The ultimate result is an increase in the average life span and a reduction in infant deaths. Widening Disparity in Incomes While an influx of foreign companies and foreign capital creates a reduction in overall unemployment and poverty, it can also increase the wage gap between those who are educated and those who are not. Over the longer term, education levels will rise as the financial health of developing countries rise, but in the short term, some of the poor will become poorer. Not everyone will participate in an elevation of living standards. Decreased Employment The influx of foreign companies into developing countries increases employment in many sectors, especially for skilled workers. However, improvements in technology come with the new businesses and that technology spreads to domestic companies. Automation in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors lessens the need for unskilled labor and unemployment rises in those sectors. If there is no infrastructure to help the unemployed train for the globalized economy, social services in the country may become strained trying to care for the new underclass.

Edit Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Edit Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example According to Platt, the piece uses caricature images painted in different colors and showing the state of misery. Platt argues that the different colors represent different racial groups which seem to be in disagreements. In my interpretation of the artwork, the images are painted in yellow and brown color. These colors portray the existence of racial color between two groups of people. The yellow color represents the Japanese people while the other color represents the white westerners. Furthermore, it has been a custom for the westerners to refer the complexion of Japanese as being yellow. There is a similarity between my interpretation and that of Platt’s because the notion of colors used on the painting reveals racist stereotype in America. In his article Graves claims that Yellow terror artwork portrays chaos in a region consisting two different groups of people that are in disagreement. The author claims that there are Japanese images that look to be in a state of oppression. On the other hand, he talks of people in snake and rat images that represent the other group of people; the American people. Metaphorically, this implies that the group is poisonous and full of hatred towards the Japanese people. In addition, Graves talks of some Japanese with elephant ears used for spaying. This implies that the Japanese people feels that the whole structure of Japanese American society do not comfort them because of oppression. Upchurch claims that Roger Shimomura’s art work mainly focuses on the World War II Propaganda. The author argues that the ‘yellow terror’ artwork is an inspiration from the artist’s family history. According to the author, Roger was born and raised in Japanese American society. All the images included in the artwork are reflection of the negative experience he encounters in his childhood. During World War II the social groups were divided in terms of

Wal-Mart analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wal-Mart analysis - Research Paper Example The paper describes the Wal-Mart company in general. This company is also the largest grocery retailer in United States and deals with diverse ranges of product lines. Wal-Mart mainly operates in 17 different countries. It is identified that both US and UK follow a free market approach that does not impose any regulation on business expansion. According to this concept, the government has only a distant role in market regulation. In contrast, China has adopted a more restrictive approach so as to preserve the interests of its traditional traders. Although, China possesses world’s largest potential market, the strict market regulations adversely affect Wal-Mart’s business interests. As compared to Chinese market, Indian market covers the features of both capitalism and a socialistic market economy. This mixed market system provides equal power to industrialists and government over the market. Like in the case of US and UK, Japan maintains a free market system so as to en courage national as well as international traders. Japan’s industrialized economy is the third largest in the world. According to Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan, and Salwan, different nations follow different market systems and regulations. This varied market structures raise many challenges to Wal-Mart Stores because the organization is forced to restructure its marketing policies in accordance with the trade laws of the nations in which it operates. The sources of political risk for the countries in which the Wal-Mart has its presence vary. For instance, the organization operates in Pakistan where political conflicts and terrorism are at its peak. Such a political atmosphere is not beneficial for a multinational company like Wal-Mart because the political instability would seriously impinge on the firm’s marketing operations. Similarly, China is a communist country that strongly opposes capitalistic ideologies. Under this situation, the Wal-Mart cannot function effecti vely in China since the communist perceptions of Chinese government does not fit with the capitalistic interests of the organization. In this way, the Wal-Mart may face different political threats from its various foreign markets. Therefore, it is recommendable for the company to select foreign market segments carefully while dealing with international expansion. The above said political constraints prevent the organization from developing its product lines and business strategies in the target country. 4. Many groups of individuals possess shares in Wal-Mart and these stakeholders can be mainly categorized under two heads such as market and non-market stakeholders. A market stakeholder has an economic stake in what the company does; whereas a non-market stakeholder possesses a political stake. It is obvious that market stakeholders always aim at their economic benefits. Since both these groups contribute to the operational requirements of the company, Wal-Mart’s stakeholders must get benefits that are adequate to cover the risk elements they have taken. In the view of Brigham and Ehrhardt (2011, p.572), since investment opportunities and earnings of an international company vary from year to year, it will have to make great efforts to maintain stable dividend distribution. Hence, the shareholder satisfaction is a

The History Of Industrialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The History Of Industrialization - Essay Example This changed during the Gilded Age as businessmen like Carnegie adopted vertical integration thereby eliminating all middlemen in the process. Instead of meat being handled by different individuals, a single businessman engaged in all the trades from cattle breeding to retailing meat. This led to the emergence of corporations such as the giant steel empire of Carnegie which brought them huge profits. Others such as Rockefeller adopted horizontal integration (purchase of competing companies in the same industry) thus eliminating competitors. Rockefeller purchased all independent oil refineries creating a monopoly in the market named the Standard Oil Company. Such investors were referred as robber barons as they did everything they could to earn profits. Corporations produced powerful tycoons such as Carnegie, Rockefeller and Frederick Weyerhaeuser (timber industry) and consequently business malpractices. Rockefeller was the richest man, Carnegie the fourth richest and Weyerhaeuser the seventh richest. These and other wealthy businessmen formed trusts to monopolize the production of goods. This prompted the U.S government to pass legislation such as the Sherman Anti-trust Act of 1890 and the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 to curb such malpractices and corruption. The Interstate Commerce Act was to eliminate discrimination against small shippers by railroads while the Anti-trust Law was to curb monopolies. Speculations by tycoons often led to an economic crisis such as the panic of 1893.

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

History - Essay Example The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed a vote of the people to determine if slavery would be allowed or not. This causes Kansas to become a battle ground with violence over pro-slavery and anti-slavery views. The Topeka Constitution was created by the legitimate government in Kansas, but the initial government that gained power by fraud continued to remain in power. Dred Scott v. Sandford, a Supreme Court ruling in 1857 ruled that slaves that lived in free territories were still slaves. It further stated Congress did not have the right to exclude slavery from the free territories. In 1860 Lincoln won the election as the first Republican president. The events listed above were a few of the arguments about slavery and slavery in the free territories. If the United States had not expanded its borders the question of slavery might have stayed a free North and slave South longer than it did. However both the North and South felt their way of life was being overrun by the opposite position. It so on became an issue of the whole country had to have slavery or be free. The only other option was for the South to leave the Union. That did not work well either. Bibliography Stevens, J. (2007). Abraham Lincoln's Understanding of the Nature of the Union: Secession, Slavery and the Philosophical Cause.

Theater 1&2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theater 1 - Essay Example As for the developing plot point, it is important to mention that all significant events in the story are happened because of mistaken situations that are weaved through the entire story. Shakespeare’s characters usually muddle up the twins in the play. â€Å"Comedy of errors† deals with two pairs of twins that are children of merchant and servant accordingly (Shakespeare). It is worse to mention that all fallacious situations occur without somebody’s desired intentions. This has been fortuitous proceedings and no one is guilty in such mistakes. Moreover, such confusing situations bring comedy in this play. The readers may feel sarcastic mood and acrimonious implications because of these somehow ridiculous faults. It is clear that number of errors absolutely ad constantly built the story. The intention to show a modern pop version of Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello† to prisoners remains to be a great idea. This play relates to a big number of significant moral and social problems that are relevant to the people in prison. As the creative producer of the show Rick Boynton mentions â€Å"it is a tragic story when jealousy overcomes your reasons, and someone’s influence on you is more important than your own believes†. It is clear that such influence is not always positive what leads to unpleasant implications. Anyway, this story gives an appropriate chance for the prisoners to mull over their problems and to make some conclusions. Besides, such event is considered to a pleasant entertainment for the people in prison that diversify their life and create some memorable moments in their life behind bars. That is a big social deal that includes positive implications to the life of criminals. Given video represents the stills where the prisoners are transformed into actors. These people have made terrible crimes and they have been punished for that. Time in prison remains to be a recovery period for them. Shakespeare’s plays are a

What Factors Contribute to Cost Increases in Higher Education Research Paper

What Factors Contribute to Cost Increases in Higher Education - Research Paper Example Unlike older days, the global niche has become more and more competitive. It is a race; survival of the fittest. The more skilled and educationally equipped the more chance you have to fight and survive. Catching up with the technology is one way higher education enhance economic development as graduates are better equipped to use new technologies. It is a complete cycle as higher education provides better job opportunities which in turns run the economic engine providing more capital which can be collected back as taxes and used to further improve the framework of higher education. (Bloom et al 2006). Concept that higher education plays an important role in the economic development and institutions can stimulate productivity was first introduced by Theodore W. Schultz. He introduced the idea of Human capital and its link to modernizing economy which flourished into complete Human Capital Research Program influencing many researchers and policy makers. (Teixeira 2006).The nations hav e long realized the significance of higher education and much has been done to build a solid infrastructure that can extract and polish the skills of an individual. But the capital required to obtain such qualifications is on the rise making it difficult for a middle class family to afford. According to the US statistics shown by Institutional Characteristics Survey tuition fee charges remained relatively stagnant in the 1970s. But there was a considerable increase in fee charges between 1980 and 1990. This increase not only had a great effect on the student and parents but also on education policymakers. In the same survey it was noted that rate of increase was greater at public institutions as compared to private institutions. Despite increase in tuition charges, number of students continuing on to higher education after finishing their high school has raised from 49% in 1980 to nearly 62% in 1993. During 1992-93 full time students attending a public school received financial aid on an average of 29%. The aid was greater for families with poor income about 80% and less for high income families about 10%. (Livingston 1995). Some enthusiast believes that higher education should be free. Many would agree that this statement is misconstructed. Even though sometimes consumer may not have to pay for a product but someone else in the background is bearing the cost. Going through a lot of literature I realized that it has been debated extensively but the question is still the same: who should pay? (Johnstone et al 2010). Before we can answer this question we need to understand different policies which provide the revenue that fuel the education system. The most common and classical model is General Tax system. In this policy, the funds are collected via general taxes imposed on every individual of the country. This model has served well over the decades but in general violated the beneficiary pays principle. Although university graduates mostly contribute in this re venue collection, a large proportion never attended the university and still has to pay. However, this policy is in line with equal opportunities for equal abilities principle. Second plan that provide funds to higher educational system is implementation of tuition fees and scholarship combination model. Institutions take a considerable amount of tuition fee to compensate for the operating cost. This is line with the beneficiary pays principle but defies the principle of equal access. This model favors the

Humanaties 320 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Humanaties 320 - Essay Example Bureaucracy became helpful for many companies, but in the competitive global market of the 1990s organizations started throwing away the organizational chart and replacing it with patterns of teams and projects with the idea of unleashed employee creativity. The systems approach to management views the organization as a unified, purposeful system composed of interrelated parts. Much of what we have built in terms of modern management grew from ancient theory in one form or another. Nevertheless, we do not really need to know what happened yesterday to function today. Still, it helps. It helps to know how things were and how people acted in order to emulate what they did right, eliminate what they did wrong, and improve upon what they could have done better. By studying the past, we gain insight into today and inspiration for the future. Even though, it is not necessary for daily function it is an indispensible enhancement. The first third of the 20th century featured two separate managerial approaches. The scientific management approach of Taylor, Gilbreth and the other engineers and that of the behavioral scientist led by Munsterberg, Maslow, and Mayo. They each differ from one another. Scientific management relies upon managers to make decisions. It tries to develop a best, standard method for performing each job. It selects workers with appropriate abilities and trains them according to the standard method developed. It seeks to help workers by planning work, eliminating interruptions, and providing wage incentives. The behavioral management addressed the human dimension of work. Behavioral theorists believed understanding motivation, conflict, expectations, and group dynamics improved productivity. They viewed employees as individual resources and assets to be developed. It was possible for both concepts to be applied to the same company at the same time. Organizations were not limited to

Surveyors & landscape Essay Example for Free

Surveyors landscape Essay

Analysing Britains Role In The European Union Politics Essay

Analysing Britains Role In The European Union Politics Essay It was only on January 1, 1973 that Britain became an official member of the European Union. Ultimately, what was seen through this was twenty-two years of little participation from Britain in the affairs of Europe. Twenty-two years before its entrance, Britain was given the opportunity in 1950 to participate in the negotiations that paved the path for the emergence of the European Coal and Steel Community; nevertheless, when an invitation was extended to the Labour Government of the time, Prime Minister Clement Attlee declined to participate in these discussions. Later, when the ECSC and its six member-states passed consensus to expand the ECSC, Britain was invited to the negotiations but Prime Minister Anthony Eden ultimately withdrew his Conservative party from the discussions. By 1974, a year after its official membership, Britain had become regarded as an awkward partner to the European Union, a standing that continues to be seen between Britain and the EU as a result of the pol icies that Britains respective leaders have taken towards the European Union. Conservative Government Strained Relations of 1973 1974 Edward Heath, who took the reins of Britain in 1970, was at the helm of building a stronger relationship with the European Union. His pro-European attitude led to the ultimate admittance of Britain into the EU. Nevertheless, admission came at a time when Britain and the rest of Europe began to see a strain to their economies. The success that the EEC had seen prior to Britains admission was not shared; instead, Britain entered during a period of recession which led its membership to not have positive connotations with Britons. While Edward Heath and Georges Pompidou had started to build a close relationship after Britains entrance, Britains attempt at increasing the quality and size EECs institutions and proposing the concentration of its activities in Brussels angered the Commission because, through it, Britain continued to imply that the Commission was ineffective. When it came to the Economic and Monetary Union, Britain once again earned a reputation of being an awkward partner in the EU. Britain disappointed its EU partners when it declared that it would not enter the sterling into the joint float unless certain agreements were reached by the EEC to underwrite the sterlings value. While the rest of the member-states had agreed to place the bank in Luxemburg, Heath insulted the EU by pressing for centralization of the European reserve bank to be located in Brussels, which fared negatively for him as a result of member-states believing that Britain was meddling in issues that they have no involvement in. As Britain continued to slowly integrate into the EU, the British government continued to strain its relationship with the other EEC members. Instead of acting in a diplomatic manner, British officials openly voiced their opinions of the incompetence seen within the EEC, which often angered the original six. Heaths push for what he believed were necessary changes to the external energy policy of the EU was often seen as conflicting with the positions of the other member states; France had continued to insist that an internal policy would need to be first established before the EU could even consider the feasibility of an external policy. The British, on the other hand, did not believe that internal energy policy was as crucial as the EUs external policy on the matter. Unfortunately, the start of the Arab-Israeli war brought about oil shortages that brought many EU nations down to their knees; the Dutch and the Germans, who at first supported Britains argument in preventing an interna l policy, began suffering heavily from the shortages in oil and shortly after began supporting the creation of an internal European oil/energy policy. In a show of their awkward partnership, Britain decided that not back down from their original position of rejecting an internal energy policy for the EU, which led the continuing of European oil shortages. Britain focused on its own domestic interests, feared that the establishment of internal energy policy would give the EU an opportunity of obtaining access to Britains oil reserves in the North Sea. As a result, Heath would not concede to EU pressure and refused to consolidate and distribute energy resources equally amongst EU member-states. What started as a constructive and optimistic entry into the EU ended with conflict and stress between Britain and the EU member-states. While Heath was genuinely interested in strengthening the European Union, his actions were seen as Britain being uncooperative as a result of its desire to benefit from the EU for the sake of its own national interests. Regrettably, the Labour party that took office in 1974 would continue Britains role as an awkward partner. Labour Government of 1974-1979 The Labour party that succeeded Heaths government in 1974 began to take a backseat in international politics as it attempted to repair the country. Domestically, Britain had become plagued with economic and political problems caused by both the oil crisis and by Heaths inability to control British trade unions (Guido, 1984). As a result of the oil crisis, inflation hit British society hard and was predicted to remain on the rise, while the balance of payments saw a deficit in the billions by the end of 1974. While Prime Minister Harold Wilson had to work with hung Parliament, he also found himself, at the same time, being forced to deal with the problems of his divided country. Britains membership in the EU continued to be an issue to many Britons, which allowed Wilson to unite Britain in a campaign against the European Union (Bilski, 1977). Wilson, in seeing the negative opinion Britons had of the EU, decided to become a protector of Britains national interests by pressing for British membership in the EU to be renegotiated with acceptable terms. What began as peaceful negotiations that aimed to adapt and reshape the terms of Britains membership in the EU soon turned harsh by April 1974; at the renegotiations held in April, Britain demanded to have the right to withdraw itself from the EU if any future negotiation led to terms that Britain would not agree to (Ernst, 1974). While the Commission was disappointed with Britains tone, it felt obligated to sit down with Britain to renegotiate its terms of membership. After Wilson strongly campaigned for his government against the EU on CAP; cash rebates; and Britains membership terms, domestic polls showed that a higher percent of Britons supported EU membership. While the referendum produced high support for membership from the public, Wilson continued to see hostility towards the EU from within his own party. As such, Britain found itself again as an awkward partner to the EU based on the negotiations of pollution control and Britains claims from the ERDF. When the EU proposed changes to emission limits, Britain quickly rejected the proposal and claimed that the standards were unsuitable for Britain. While the EU suspected that Britain was influenced by its chemical industry, West Germany argued that the lax standards that British chemical plants had gained by not accepting the emission limits would give British companies a price advantage over European competitors. In continuing the souring of its relationship with the EU, Britain was accused of making claims from the ERDF for projects that were supposed to be funded by British funds. The ERDF was established with the mindset that only projects that were not funded through national money could be claimed. Instead, Britain had decided to put in only claims that would allow it to recover the money it had itself put into the ERDF fund. To the EU, this attempt at recovering its own funds showcased Britains inability to have a community-based mentality. Finally, when it came time to look into energy policy again, Britain once again took the steps to make it an awkward partner with the EU. Britain continued to object the proposal of placing controls on the production and distribution of oil energy even when the EU attempted to accommodate each and every demand by the British government. Nevertheless, Britain continued to argue that it needed more time to look into the effects of such proposal, which angered all the member-states who wanted to obtain an accord on an outline of the policy. In discussing the upcoming conference of 1975, Britain showed again showed its disinterest in cooperating with the EU when it announced that it would not agree to be represented by a single EC seat at the Paris conference. Annoyed, Germany sent out a letter to the member-states that expressed anger at the lack of community within the EU as a result of Britains position on the seat allocation. Germany argued that with its weak economy, Britain was in no position to negotiate on these issues without any consequences (Davidson, 1975). Members-states continued to argue that the negative attitude of the British government hindered their ability to develop a common policy. While the Wilson administration tarnished Britains reputation within the EU, the emergence of James Callaghan as the next Prime Minister did little to make the EU hopeful of a better relationship with Britain. While Callaghan took a peaceful approach towards the EU early on, domestic hostility towards Britains membership in the EU continued to remain high; which led Callaghan to remain cautious in his relationship with the EU. The letter from Callaghan to Labour Secretary Ron Hayward, while positive at first, continued Britain on its negative relations with the EU. Callaghan claimed that the EU was not working in the interests of Britain and that the only reason for not withdrawing from the EU was that it would tarnish Britains relations with the United States. Callaghans statement in regards to the US angered member-states who complained that Britain was providing more attention to the United States than to its partners in the EU. A prominent theme in Callaghans government, US-Briti sh relations did little to lift Britains reputation within the EU, and its relations would continue to spiral downward with the rise of the Thatcher government. Rise of Thatcher: 1979 to 1990 Elected in 1979, the Thatcher government that rose to power following Callaghans Labour government became quickly aligned to the U.S. government, much to the anger of Britains EU partners who were against influence stemming from the United States. Nevertheless, by 1981, the European Union was suffering an economic downturn and was facing bankruptcy. In order to counter this problem, the EU proposed increasing the VAT ceiling by an additional one percent, which Britain strongly refused to accept. Relations between Britain and the EU continued to sour during this financial crisis because Britain continued to hold up any compromises and refused to agree on any proposals set forth by the EU. As the EU member-states grew irritated with Britains reservations on agreeing to new agricultural prices, member-states decided to call for a majority vote on the price levels. In retaliation, Britain protested this action, stating that it breached Britains right to utilize a veto on the topic. Never theless, already weary with Britains inability to compromise, member-states rejected Britains complaint because they believed that agricultural price levels were not of national interest for Britain. As a result of Britains lack of cooperation, France proposed removing Britain as a member of the EU and making it a nation with special status in the EU (Hansard, 1982). When the EU finally ran out of money in 1984, it proposed adding an additional budget of two billion to aid them for the rest of the year. As usual, Britain became an awkward partner by announcing that it would reject a supplementary budget, asserting that the EU should learn how to operate with the budget it had been already been given. Hearing this, member-states grew weary with the already unpopular British government and labelled Thatcher as being counter-productive to the success of the Union (The Economist, 1984). Member-states were disappointed with Britains primary concern over the budget rather than on the wellbeing of the EU partnership. Already blacklisted as a hardliner, Thatchers strong cooperation and identification with the U.S. did little to help her image with the EU. The Reagan Administration, on a hunt for terrorists in Syria and Libya, was set on placing restrictions on these two countries and urged Britain to join its cause. Britains involvement in urging EU sanctions against Syria left many EU member-states troubled by Britains strong partnership with the United States. While the early 1980s saw a more peaceful and relaxed time for the interactions between Britain and the EU, Britain did appear again as an awkward partner by the end of the 1980s. When proposals for a single European currency were suggested at the 1988 meeting in Hanover, Thatcher quickly responded that she would not take any steps of integrating the sterling pound into the EMS. Additionally, Thatcher rejected any ideas of creating a European central bank, stating that a central bank would require a central government to succeed, to which she argued that her government was not ready to accept a centralized European government. Nevertheless, frustrated by Britain, the EU decided to proceed without the British and establish a committee to look into the possible ways to strengthen the EMS (Hansard, 1988). Concerned at the route that the EU began taking, Thatcher publically denounced the committee and proclaimed that Britain would never agree to the establishment of a European Central Ba nk, a statement which continued to strain relations between Britain and the EU (Ibid, 1988). When discussing a European technological cooperation budget in 1986, Britain once again was labelled as the EUs awkward partner in its refusal to accept the amount of funding proposed by the other member-states. The EU believed that it would be giving Britain more value for its investment in research and development; nevertheless, Britain would not budge from its original budget proposal (Peel, 1987). Once Britain backed down and agreed to fund the program in 1987, member-states had become frustrated with the termination of the program as a result of lack of funding from the British (Sharp, 1987). When the EU expressed interest in reviving the plans for the European Defence Community in 1987, Thatcher warned against the idea in fear that the establishment of such defence policy would counter the links that the EU and Britain had established with the United States. These strong views from Thatcher made Britain seem to be uncooperative with the goals set forth by the EU. While some member-states were also unwilling to establish an EDC, the tone that Thatcher used which made her sound more concerned with Britains relationship with the United States made Britain an awkward partner for the EU. Her focus on preserving ties with the United States rather than worrying about European interests greatly hindered her ability to work with her EU partners. At home, Margaret Thatcher began facing attacks from the Labour party, who accused her of attempting to slow the development of the European Union (Independent, 1989). They argued that the EU would continue its development with or without Britain and that it would be dangerous for Britain to be left as a second-class member (Independent, 1989). The public was further enraged by Thatchers tone against the EU; numbers in the country showed that the public had become more pro-Europe since the referendum in 1975 (Independent, 1989). As a result, Thatcher saw herself being forced to become much more neutral and conciliatory towards the EU. While members of her cabinet continued to attack the EU on monetary policy, Thatcher decided to accept only the first condition of the Delors proposal for the creation of a monetary union. Thus, throughout 1989 and 1990, the proposal for a monetary union became a primary theme for both the EU and Britain. Due to the fact that Thatcher personally opposed Britains membership in the ERM, government officials quickly grew angry with her stance and many subsequently resigned from their posts. Officials argued that Thatchers views were not consistent with the views of the British government and that by remaining out of the ERM, Britain would be unable to take part in the discussions surrounding a monetary union. With a government pressing for entry into the ERM, Thatcher eventually agreed that Britain would become a member of the ERM on October 5, 1990 (Elliott, 2005). While Thatcher agreed to enter the ERM, her partnership with the EU once again became awkward when she refused to allow the EU to move to the second stage of the Delors report. Much to the anger of Parliament and her cabinet, Thatcher argued that national interests could not allow her to hand over the sterling to the EU (Hansard, 1990). As a result of her stubbornness, the EU saw Britain as an awkward partner and Thatcher lost her Deputy PM, who resigned in frustration. Her Deputy PM argued that the uncooperative tone that Thatcher had taken with the EU would make it more difficult for Britain to hold influence over the future of the monetary union. Additionally, he blamed Thatcher for the inflation that Britain was suffering as a result of her disinterest in joining the ERM (Independent, 1990). The resignation of Geoffrey Howe slowly gave way to the end of Thatchers reign as Prime Minister and rise to the government of John Major in November 1990, which hoped to build better relatio ns with the European Union. Conservative Government of 1990 to 1997 While the Major administration that took over tried to mend relations between Britain and the EU, it constantly found itself returning towards the hostile relationship found under the reign of Thatcher. In 1991, President Delors provided Britain an opportunity to accept an opt-out clause in regards to accepting a single currency. While Thatcher still argued against the concept of accepting any compromise on monetary union, Major felt that an opt-out clause in the Maastricht Treaty would help Britain overcome its hesitation on the topic. Nevertheless, because only Britain was given this opt-out opportunity, it was again placed as an awkward partner as a result of its unwillingness to completely cooperate with the union. By 1992, Britain had assumed the EU Presidency and now found itself strongly on the defence of the Maastricht Treaty. Major believed that standing in complete support of ratification of the Treaty would show the EU that Britain was dedicated to its role within the EU. At the same time, he believed that the treaty would hinder attempts at centralizing the EU. Nonetheless, Delors interpretation of the Maastricht Treaty as an opportunity for the EU to become a federalist state upset both Britain and many of the EU member-states. As a result, Denmarks referendum led to a defeat of the treaty, which shocked many nations, including Britain. Consequently, Major now found himself advocating the ratification of a treaty that every other member-state had wanted to renegotiate. Thatcher condemned Majors support for the Maastricht Treaty and called for a British referendum on the treaty. With trouble at home, Major faced anger and criticism from member-states who claimed that Britain continued t o remain focused on her self-interests and ignored the problems facing the EU as a whole. Fear that France would vote against the Treaty gave way to a loss of confidence in the ERM, which led to the pound sterling being forced out of the ERM as a result of Britain being able to maintain the sterling above its set lower limit (Hansard, 1992). This latest development in the problems during the British presidency only served to fuel Britains role as the EUs awkward partner. As a result of resentment towards the EU within Britain, Major struggled to maintain positive relations with the EU; the nominations for the President of the Commission in June 1994 showcased Britains struggle and awkwardness as a partner. At the meeting, Major vetoed the appointment of Jean-Luc Dehaene, announcing that he would never agree to his nomination (Barber, 1994). EU member-states grew angry by Britains stance, claiming that Britain was driven by its domestic interests rather than its interests with the EU. Britain became the awkward partner when the Council was forced to agree on the nomination of Prime Minister Jacques Santer of Luxemburg instead of their original nomination. Majors actions against Germanys nomination of Dehaene quickly deteriorated Britains relationship with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. What started as a desire for complete EU cooperation ended with Britain having a tarnished reputation amongst its EU partners. Majors actions against the EU, through his threats, vetoes, stances and public speeches, led to his government being isolated from the politics of the EU. While a large portion of the problems with the EU emerged as a result of influence stemming from domestic policy at home, Majors angry tone towards the EU over the election of a new commission President, and over the mad cow crisis of 1996 only served to further distance Britain from the EU. Britains Present Day Status Though this report only discusses the governments of Heath, Wilson, Callaghan, Thatcher, and Major, it is important to note that despite the fact that relations have somewhat improved between Britain and the EU, there still remains tension between the two partners to make Britain continue its path as an awkward partner. While the Blair and Brown administrations have improved Britains relationship with the EU, there still exists an awkward relationship between the two partners. Though political parties have change, Britain continues to maintain its position as the EUs awkward partner as a result of the domestic fear in accepting the EUs role and influence in British politics; the strong sense of maintaining national pride and through the rejection of European federalism; and finally, as a result of the continued focus on maintaining a strong relationship with the United States. Nevertheless, while domestic uncertainty towards European Union has remained prevalent in Britain, one can say that the EU has indeed had an impact on British politics and Britains foreign policy. Once known for its dominant decision-making role in international affairs and in its own domestic policies, Britain has shifted its view of global politics to that where it has realized that its relationship with the United States and the EU are equally important for the success of the nation. Thus, while Britain still remains an awkward partner to the EU, the steps and actions that Britain has taken in the two most recent administrations and with any luck in the upcoming administration can be claimed as an attempt by the British nation to take slow and calculated steps towards ultimately embracing its membership within the European Union.