Stone Soup an Essay Written by Barbara Kingsolver

Madurodam has been the smallest city in the Netherlands since its inception in 1952. Its tributaries and canals measuring no more than a finger’s width. Its ornately crafted Dutch gabled houses would make amiable summer residences for rodents. Its immaculate portrayal of railway lines would have any train-spotter paralyzed with awe. This war-monument-turned-amusement-park steals the imagination of children and adults alike. There is a certain human tendency to associate affection with objects of a reduced size. Maybe it is this affection that serves as the reason almost all of the toys we make for children, as Roland Barthes puts it, â€Å"are essentially a microcosm of the adult world [...] reduced copies of human objects,† (â€Å"Toys† 689).†¦show more content†¦It is because of this education that society forces onto children to cultivate ‘user-ready’ minds that Barthes believes â€Å"the child can only identify himself as owner, as user , never as creator; he does not invent the world, he uses it,†(89); the child is allowed to discover only those aspects of the world that would further his or her assimilation into it. The child’s actions are always induced imitation, never original adaptations. Giving a child a Barbie and a Ken doll which represent femininity/masculinity and family dynamics, or a Baby Krissie doll as a vaccine preparing the small girl to become a mother (always hinting at the parasitic nature of an unprepared motherhood), in Barthes’s view, is society intentionally directing children to enter the world through a user-oriented, preconceived path. But what if the child fails to comprehend society’s pruning and interprets toys to bring further meaning to ideas that were of his or here own conception? Personal experience and the teachings of immediate elders influence a child’s understanding of the world, and this is why children of idiosyncratic families would interpr et toys differently: their situation demands it. A child with lesbian or gay parents could associate different relationships between the Barbie and Ken dolls, just likeShow MoreRelatedSummary Of Barbara Kingsolver s Stone Soup Essay1251 Words   |  6 Pageswidespread? Author Barbara Kingsolver tries to explain this in her essay: ‘Stone Soup’. She claims it’s because society is so traditional and primitive in the way we idealize what a family is supposed to be: two married parents and their children. But that’s not really the case anymore. The main idea of her essay is that the definition of family needs to be reimagined to define more of what a family means, rather than what its terminology implies. What is a family? As a young child, Kingsolver played inRead MoreStone Soup By Barbara Kingsolver1687 Words   |  7 PagesThe way we treat others Barbara Kingsolver wrote â€Å"Stone Soup† â€Å"which is taken from High Tide in Tucson: Essays for Now or Never, published in 1995†. Some views she conveys in her essay are these. Kingsolver explains that not all men are the prince that you fall in love with a â€Å"live happily ever after,† he may be very feminine and be more like a princess. On the other hand, you may have looked in your box of crayons. You pick out a color that your parents may not approve, even though you see

Globalization And The Unification Of The World Essay

With the age of technological advances, the world has become both broadened and more confined all at once. People can hold a press conference in New York with Japan, buy products from just about anywhere in the world from the comfort of your home, or call a friend in Italy from Ohio with no more difficulty than calling their neighbor next door. With all these benefits, there also come many challenges, most of which were not realized until the problem was too developed. Globalization and the unification of the world has been paid for by an ambiguity of culture, citizenship, and immigration due to the implementation of the concept of global citizen. Before showing just how this has been exacted, it is important to understand just what globalization means. According to the Levin Institute of SUNY, globalization â€Å"is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations† (â€Å"What is†). This is how the world has become today with the boom of technology and the sophistication of communication. Indeed different nations and the people within are intermixing, and with this a new term has begun to circulate: global citizen. This byproduct of globalization is the root of the problem. While there is no set definition of global citizen currently, it has been described as â€Å"citizenship beyond borders† or â€Å"citizenship beyond the nation-state† (â€Å"Global†). This sounds like the natural progression in the wake of globalization with allShow MoreRelatedGlobalization And The Laws Of Gravity1212 Words   |  5 Pages Arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity (Kofi Annan, Fmr. United Nations Secretary General) Kofi Annan believes that globalization is unavoidable when he compares it to the laws of gravity which is inescapable, this is exemplified when he states that â€Å"arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity†. He believes it is pointless because it is bound to happen and instead of fighting against globalization individuals should embrace andRead MoreThe Notion Of Society As Held By Michel Freitag929 Words   |  4 Pagesinteractions that allows us to adopt these relations as an overarching society. By doing so, we have created a society that needs our participation if we are to be socialized, or conversely, our socialization depends on our participation. As such, the world exists outside ourselves, and we have come to a point-in-time where we realize that the â€Å"essential slogan of classical liberalism and of policies† that were carried out to make room for the development of capitalism has become a process in and of itselfRead MoreTh e Islamic State Of Iraq And Syria1542 Words   |  7 PagesEast Asia is globalizing at a rapid speed, and due to its large influence on the rest of the world it is important to analyze the progression occurring here. Currently, the war against terrorism is a growing concern and countries around the world have come together to meet for a consensus about the negativity surrounding terrorism, specifically a unification against ISIS. ISIS, which stands for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is a terror organization that has claimed responsibilities for theRead MoreCritical Thinking of Globalization1030 Words   |  5 Pagesthousand year old phenomenon Globalization, initiated by the Silk Road which linked Europe and China has widely broadened in today’s scenario. It is defined as a progression of unification of diverse countries across the globe enhanced by foreign trade, international investment, flow of technology and labour. Globalization has diversely affected the politic al, social, cultural condition of various countries in negative and positive manner. (1) (10) 2)Argument Against Globalization 2.1) Global EconomicRead MoreEssay on Globalization1614 Words   |  6 Pagesthe world, and is a highly discussed and contested topic in today’s context. Globalization includes aspects like: economics, politics, ideas, knowledge, culture, society, environment, health, social etcetera. Though globalization can be traced back into time immemorial, but the extent and magnitude of present globalization is unprecedented. The integration and interdependence of globalization implies that today local event can have global impact and vice-versa. With the ongoing globalization processRead MoreGlobalization of the Economy1729 Words   |  7 PagesEconomic globalization has voluminous positive influences on international security as well. The most important effect of economic globalization is that it curbs the authority of state. It also reduces states’ dependence on military based security and ultimately reduces states’ monopoly on security. This effect is considered by many, a prime factor contributing towards peace and stability. There are number of factors associated with economic globalization which affects states authority. FirstlyRead MoreGlobalization and the Nation State Essay1633 Words   |  7 PagesGlobalization Ââ€" Struggles of the Nation-State and Issues of Equality Economic growth in globalization is often due to rapid technological advancements and changes in the gathering of information and communications. Globalization has always existed but todays globalization has been a much more rapid and intense process than in the past. The question here is whether todays globalization weakens the nation state and whether or not it undermines national control over the economy. We are trying toRead MoreThe World A Global Village1644 Words   |  7 Pagesacross the world. This includes accounting for the changes that are taking places through colonialism, economic transformations, media culture, and many social-cultural paradigms, which seem to be making the world a global village. From the past, historians and sociologists have looked at how these dynamic changes affect humanity, and the role they play in shaping the future of social human interaction as it is known. All together, there has been an escalation of cultural globalization, which is aRead M oreDependency Reduces Conflict1344 Words   |  5 Pagesapparent in the new world economic and international system. The creation of interdependence not only reduces the probability of war between nations but it allows for more peaceful resolutions. This essay will focus on firstly understanding the way in which economic interdependence is possible (embedded liberalism), highlighting issues of what would happen if this system weren’t in place and finally how this system renders war an unattractive solution. Economic globalization and economic integrationRead MoreIn â€Å"War and the State in Africa,† Jeffrey Herbst states that 1491 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Third World, will be able to find peaceful ways to strengthen the state and develop national identities. Do you agree with Herbsts argument? Why? Lei Zhang Professor Dickson 2/10/2011 ï ¿ ½ Although African countries are facing many severe problems including weak national identities and limited governmental capabilities, war might not be the only way to strengthen the state and develop national identities. When we consider the intense globalization undertaken by the world, collaboration

Franchising Opportunities in McDonald Free Essays

Operating since 1955, McDonalds is world’s leading food service retailer with approximately 30,000 outlets in 119 countries serving roughly 46 million customers per day. McDonalds holds a large share in the globally branded fast food restaurants practically in every country and is one of the most famous and valuable brands. Since the very beginning, McDonald has always been a franchising company with franchising as its business focus. We will write a custom essay sample on Franchising Opportunities in McDonald or any similar topic only for you Order Now Moreover, since it is a well established brand franchising with it will ensure business security. The company poses attractive franchising opportunities as it is spread globally franchisees can literally choose the city of their choice. The franchisee will be assured that the brand is strong and business would be steady as the brand knows how to survive through generations despite the cutthroat competition. There are advantages for the franchisee as working with a giant is lucrative and adds to personal business knowledge. McDonald takes personal interest and supports the business whether local or international especially in areas of training, operations,   advertising, marketing, human resources, real estate, construction, purchasing and maintenance. This would enable maintenance of standards and be a big support to the franchisee for running the business. The franchising process is quite flexible and attainable. A new McDonald restaurant varies from $466,000 -955,500 USD. Of course the size of the facility of the restaurant, area and locality, expenses of pre-opening, the inventory, equipment, signage, dà ©cor and the landscaping will impact the cost. An initial fee of $45,000 USD is paid to McDonald’s Corporation for all new restaurants. The initial cash investment is $175,000 minimum for a conventional purchase or $100,000 for a Business Facilities Lease. However the company doesn’t offer financing to franchisees and the initial fee capital should be your own and not borrowed. This means that the franchisee has to have a solid initial capital of its own. McDonald itself will develop the location and will evaluate and select it. It acquires the property, improves the site and undertakes the construction. It is the responsibility of the franchisee to equip the facility. Once the sites are developed they are offered to prospective franchisees. This ensures that the business is set in the right place and will be lucrative and at the same time standards will be maintained. The profitably defers due to reasons like sales location of the restaurant, occupancy and the cost of operating and the individual ability of the franchisee to manage and control. 4% of monthly sales are given as royalty to the company which could at times be heavy for the franchisee. The prospects look good but from the point of view of the franchisee they may not be so. Firstly, McDonald being a world renowned firm has its exceptionally high standards of quality and services which have to be met by world standards. There is tough competition between outlets in terms of promotions and services which the franchisee has to keep up. Also, there is a heavy down payment and a royalty from monthly sales. The franchisee may not be able to open the franchise in the location of his choice. Lastly, obtaining a franchise may be difficult as there is a long wait in line. Nevertheless, because of the steady flow of business and prospective relations with a world renowned brand, franchisees choose McDonalds evident by their ever growing franchises globally. Reference [Online] Available at: http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/franchise/franchisinghome.html/ How to cite Franchising Opportunities in McDonald, Essay examples

Youve Got Mail and Shop Around the Corner free essay sample

A comparison of the two movies, Youve Got Mail and Shop Around the Corner, which are the original and remake of the same cinematic plot. This paper conducts a semiotic analysis of the two movies, Youve Got Mail and Shop Around the Corner. The author finds that the main plots movies are similar, but there are important differences wit in the cinematography, themes and characterization. The paper highlights the differences and then proves why the older version was far more appealing than the newer one. Youve Got Mail is the remake of 1940 classic Shop Around the Corner. While the main plot is the same there are certain semiotic differences, which should be studied closely in order to see which version is the better one. I have seen both movies and liked the original version better not only because of it being a classic but also because there are certain important features which puts the older version a lot more above the 1990s remake. We will write a custom essay sample on Youve Got Mail and Shop Around the Corner or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

The Future of Music Production

From the early 20th century, people have listened to music using a record player device, i.e. the music is recorded first. Improvements in technology led to the design of the cassette tape, followed by vinyl discs and finally Compact Disc (CD). Modern technology has made it possible to store music in flash memory devices.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Future of Music Production specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Advancements in technology in the music industry have led to a corresponding improvement in technology used for producing music. The switch from traditional to modern technology has led to a debate on whether the quality of music that record players had has been lost. Pundits argue that the music, like all other aspects of our daily life, must keep pace with technology while others argue that this has led to loss of quality that used to be available in analogue music systems. This debate is not likely to be resolved in the near future. It is more important for a producer today to know technology than music Advancements in technology have led man to invent music production techniques that require technical knowhow, a producer must first learn about these techniques in order to be successful. Success here means selling millions of copies of music and coping with cutthroat competition that has characterized today’s music industry. However, in order to determine whether quality in music is lost in using modern technology, we need to compare analogue and digital music production systems that many claim to be the cause of the deterioration in music quality over the years. Analogue vs. Digital Production Tools In analogue systems, the sound waves are cut out into a vinyl surface, to retrieve audio from the record player, a needle off the player vibrates, and the sound enlarged by the speakers. Therefore, the sound produces is associated with the original sound recorded and every sound is generated wholly. In digital systems, the sound is translated into a series of numbers. The lens on a disc player reads the numbers and converts then into sound. The sound produced is not the actual representation of the music (Hatschek, para. 3).Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Technology vs. Quality As we have seen, modern technology has led to the distortion of music, unfortunately, markets are in demand of music produced using modern technology. In the earlier days, we used to listen to music using record players, but we swapped better sound for expediency for both recording and listening. Technology in music production definitely has its merits. For example, it is possible to rectify any minor error by selecting the bad portion and correcting it. However, if the mistake came from the artist, the producer would not have to repeat the whole record, he could just reco rd over the audio. However, Robert DiFazio, a music producer, explains that this procedure lowers the artists’ capabilities (DiFazio, para. 3). A good producer will want to go over the whole recording process, similar to the analogue era, while a producer who banks on technology will only repair the sections with mistakes. Trends in listening to music have changed over time. In the earlier days, people used to listen not only to music, but also to the percussions and any other accompaniments. It was easy to distinguish the different sounds coming out of a music record, such as the bass guitar or a piano (Ward, para. 4). Today’s generation does not take care of any of these; rather, we dwell so much on technologies such as the vocoder and synthesized sounds at the expense of quality. Therefore, music producers are only responding to the market demands, i.e. market needs dictate how producers make their music, failure of which they will lack a competitive advantage and c ould cease operations. In short, the music market no longer takes into consideration matters of quality in music, and with albums being released every day, nobody really stops to consider other elements of music other than the most audible components. As we have seen, technology is more important than music in today’s music production industry. In fact, producers use technology to make corrections on pieces of music that do not come out as required rather than look at the origin of the fault. DiFazio concludes by saying, â€Å"people don’t care what it sounds like, the average audience doesn’t care what it sounds like. It’s been proved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (DiFazio, para. 7)Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Future of Music Production specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Effects on music now and in the Future One of the negative sides of technology in music production is the loss of quality. besides, there is the aspect of loss of live music. Knowledge of music demands that a producer be conversant with most musical instruments in use, however, technology has made it possible to produce synthetic beats from computer programs and this has reduced our interaction with live music. Just recently, we made our own music, whether in the church, cultural functions, or in social events, this has disappeared with the rise of the digital technology. I can boldly add, merely 50 years ago, a far superior fraction of the populace played a musical instrument unlike in our day. Works Cited DiFazio, Robert. How Analog and Digital Recording Techniques Influence the Recording Process. 2007. Web. Hatschek, Keith. Are Dynamics dead in popular music? 2009. Web. Ward, Dick. As Technology Advances, Demand for Quality Sound Decreases. 2010. Web. This essay on The Future of Music Production was written and submitted by user Cassidy Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The road to war essays

The road to war essays On March 19, 2003, United States and British forces began military operations in Iraq. While addressing the nation about the purpose of the war on the day the bombing began, President George W. Bush said, The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder. In order to grasp a better perception of the situation in Iraq, it is necessary to understand and examine some of the key figures and events leading to our current occupation of Iraq. Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq, had the notorious distinction of being the worlds best known and most hated Arab leader, who was willing to sacrifice his own country rather than relinquish power in Baghdad. His invasion of Kuwait triggered a United States response resulting in Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s. The September 11th attacks on US soil led the United States into the war on terrorism, which later brought attent ion to the violation of UN regulation in Iraq. Through out this paper I hope to reflect how Saddam Hussein, Desert Storm, and the terrorist attacks on 9-11 all led us to our current conflict with Iraq. Saddam Hussein, the man who became known as the enemy of the Western world, was born on April 28, 1937, in a village just outside Tikrit, Iraq. Although his parents were poor farmers, Hussein was inspired by his uncle Khayrallah Tuffah, an Iraqi army officer, to pursue a career in politics. In 1956, at the age of 19, he joined the Arab Baath Socialist Party (A.B.S.P.) and attempted to assassinate Iraqi Prime Minister Abudul Karim Qassim three years later in 1959. During this failed attempt, Hussein was shot in the leg and was forced to flee the country for several years in order to avoid a death sentence. Hussein first escaped to Syria then to Egypt, where he completed his secondary schooling in 1962. He was admitted into the...

Deaf History and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Deaf History and Culture - Essay Example At the age of nineteen months, Helen Keller was diagnosed as a case of â€Å"acute congestion of the stomach and the brain†. This short term attack of illness left her deaf and blind. Helen proved to be a quite an intelligent child. By the age of seven, she had invented sixty different signs to communicate with her family. Helen’s education career began when her mother took her to a specialist doctor for advice. Actually she was inspired by hearing about another child who was deaf but completed her education successfully. The doctor referred her to the local expert, Alexander Graham Bell. Bell was working for the deaf children at that time. Alexander Graham Bell told Helen’s parents about the institute where that child had got education. It was called the Perkins Institute for the Blind, located in South Boston. Helen was brought there. One of the former students of the school, named Anne Sullivan was designated as Helen’s teacher. She was blind herself an d had got education from the same institute. Anne proved to be a very hard working teacher. After a good effort of about three years, Helen learnt the names of many familiar things. The next step was to speak. Anne taught her to speak using the Tadoma method (touching the lips and throat of others as they speak). Helen continued her education starting from Perkins Institute, then Wright-Humason School for the Deaf, Horace Mann School for the Deaf, The Cambridge School for Young Ladies and finally, the Rad Cliffe College in 1900 becoming the first deaf and blind person to graduate from the college.

Types of TeamsTheory Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Types of TeamsTheory Application - Essay Example Rigid procedures may not work well with all clients and hence the need for self-managing teams in the restaurant. On the other hand, such teams improve efficiency, value, savings and employee satisfaction as well as minimal absence and worker turnover (Tjosvold & Smith, 2003). A grocery store requires a manager-led team whereby the owner of the store acts as the leader of the team and assumes responsibility for identifying the goals, activities as well as operation of the team. The leader needs to assign tasks to the team, for example depending on the number of products being dealt with. They should report to the leader matters concerning shortage of supply, customer preferences, and the movement of products to help the manager to make decisions regarding the next course of action, which may include additional stock or changing the product to suit the consumers. This kind of team provides substantial control of the leader over the team members as well as their activities. He/she controls the guiding principles as well as the outcome of the team’s tasks. This is important in a grocery store because any mistake translates in to losses for the business and the owner can not allow the recurrence of one mistake time and again, especially due to the fact that a grocery business may not have significant start-up capital (Baumeister & Vohs, 2004). A school may accomplish its organizational goals through establishing self-directing or self-governing teams. Teams are allowed to establish their own objectives as well as the strategies for accomplishing these objectives. The school’s management is left with the responsibility of enhancing the organizational environment of the team. Education requires creativity and commitment, which are accomplished through self-directing teams. Such teams also enhance motivation and offer openings for organizational learning and change especially when dealing with

Public Law (Human Rights) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public Law (Human Rights) - Essay Example They are appointed is for six term of office of six years through the term is renewable. The power of the ECJ defined in Article 243. The Member States mainly, but not exclusively, in exercising its jurisdiction under Articles 173, 177 and 228(6).2 The sovereignty of Parliament is the dominant characteristic of our political institutions. Sir. A. V. Dicey expressed it as cornerstone of the constitution and he has introduced of this doctrine of PS. These are: This rule means that the Parliament can make or unmake any law. Parliament may grant independence to dependent states whether dominions or colonies. For example: The Nigeria Independence Act 1960 and The Zimbabwe Independence Act 1979. 2. No Parliament may be bound by its predecessor or bind by its successor: The doctrine of repeal is the idea that supports this theory. Now any Act of Parliament can expressly or impliedly repeal any law. So, this power of Parliament support Dicey's this theory as Parliament is not being bound any Parliament before it. However, by Acts of Union, the law making power of UK and Scotland was merged that was maintained for more than 300 years. Acts of Union and the Grand of independence oppose this theory. This doctrine states that an Act will be accepted by Courts provided it was made by proper procedure. So, no one can question about its validity. But it is seen that citizens' i.e. ... electorates and neighbouring countries can question it. Before 1688 settlement judges proclaim an Act invalid because of its conflicts with a law of higher statues. In Pickin v British Railway Board, Lord Read said that although, previous laws contrary to the law of God or the nature or natural justice can be said to be invalid, The comments of Lord Denning in McCarthy's v Smith, and Lord Diplock in Garland v British Rail Engineering Ltd provides an analogy for arguing that the HRA could be repealed if Parliament wished. It cannot be an entrenched bill of Rights, but where a Sex Discrimination Act 1975 appeared inconsistent with Article 141(then Article119) EC (equal pay). However, HL was able to construe the provision in a manner consistent with Article.3 The influence between of the European court in the development of Community law, and the influence of domestic courts in the development of English law, on the other hand. Lord Diplock's dictum in the GCHQ is testament to the influence of the courts in the development of administrative law. His Lordship stated "English law relating to judicial control of administrative action has been developed upon a case-to-case basis which has virtually transformed it over the last three decades." In Les Verts the Court referred to the Treaty as the ""basic constitutional charter" of the Community and came to the conclusion that, although the Parliament was not mentioned as a possible defendant in Article 173, binding measures adopted by it were subject to judicial review. The Court stated that by Articles 173, 184 and 177 the Treaty intended to establish a complete system of legal remedies. Les Verts is a prime example of dynamic interpretation, an approach typical of the interpretation. The current British position is

Monkeywrenching Or Ecological Sabotage Philosophy Essay

Monkeywrenching Or Ecological Sabotage Philosophy Essay Ethics is a set of moral principles which concern the right and wrong doings in which those values. There are two approaches in ethics: Descriptive and Normative approaches. Descriptive approach is the process of identifying and analysing existing values or norms. It aims to describe and explain what attitudes people have, to create a normal and acceptable behaviour. The other approach (normative) are derived from sets of prescriptions and the process. It setting standard of rules to produce standard behaviour. there are three theories in normative approach: Consequantialism, Deontology, and Virtue (Jamieson 2008). Consequentialism is the view that an agent is morally required to perform the act with the best consequences. Most consequentialists are utilitarians. They focus on welfare and insist that the best consequences are those containing maximum welfare. Deontology is the view that certain types of act are morally forbidden even when the performance of those acts would bring about the best consequences. In principle, deontologists can disagree over whether the deontic rules function as absolute prohibitions or are somewhat weaker and can be broken if enough is at stake. They can argue the kinds of action that are morally forbidden. A biocentric deontologist might claim that we are morally forbidden from killing living organisms intentionally (Jamieson 2008). Virtue theory the focus is not so much on what kinds of act are right, but what a virtuous person would do. Virtue ethicist might claim that the moral evaluation of something like deforestation cannot be based exclusively on consideration of what consequences that would have, or on the question whether there is a constraint on acts which lead to deforestation. Instead we must look at the character of the person who performs the act (Jamieson 2008). Environment ethics Environmental ethics is a new sub-discipline of philosophy that deals with the ethical problems surrounding environmental protection. It aims to provide ethical justification and moral motivation for the cause of global environmental protection. It is also known as the study of ethics in the context of the natural world, on both individual and societal levels; the part of ethics which deals with human choices about the environment. It does not concerns only cutting back on pollution, reduce waste, and saving endangered species, it goes beyond that (Alder Wilkinson 1999). Environment ethics begins where the ethics of concern for animals becomes an issue. It concerned with the rights and wrong of how human treat the nonhuman and a quality environment. Thus it considered not only natural but also urban environment: how human are being affected physically, mentally and spiritually by the design and materials of the building in which they live and work, the layout of cities, provision of public services and so on (Alder Wilkinson 1999). Varieties of Environment Ethics Environment ethics was basically divided into two main school of thoughts: anthropocentric perspective and non-anthropocentric perspective. Anthropocentric theorists rely on traditional values based on human well being or human rights while non-anthropocentric theorists claim that natural objects have value irrespective of human concerns (intrinsic value). It also can be distinguish between approaches: individual and collective approach. Individual approach (biocentric) believe that all species have inherent value, and that humans are not superior in a moral or ethical  sense while collective approach (ecocentric) values groups such as species or ecosystems and treats the individual as morally considerable only in relation to the group (Alder Wilkinson 1999). There are different perspectives of anthropocentrism. There are traditional, enlightened and extended anthropocentrism. Traditional anthropocentrism during 1800s abranch of consequentialist (Gilbert Pinchot and James Watt) theory, human centeredness. This perspective focus on environmental consumption. For example, Aristotles saying: Everything in nature fulfils a purpose and that ultimate purpose of nature is the satisfaction of human needs. (Benson 2000) Enlightened anthropocentrism perspective took place later in 1950s to 1960s. It taught the people to be careful on using the resources (conservation steps). It was a branch of deontology and virtue ethics. They believe that we are part of the nature and that in our own interests we should respect nature for its existence and a resource.The third perspective, extended anthropocentrism surfaced in late 1970s. This concerns more about future generations where people have started to plan on sustainable development. It is a branch of deontology and virtue theory (VanDerVeer Pierce 2004). Non-anthropocentric argues that natural objects have value irrespective of human concerns (intrinsic value). Subject matters include animal welfare, biocentric ethics (respect for nature/reverence for life) and aesthetic approach (nature as art). Ecocentric perspective value the systems as a whole (for example, species that form a biological life line or ecosystems or the whole biotic community). It looks at all living things as part of systems. Land ethics: changes the role of Homo Sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the [land-] community as such. It was founded by Aldo Leopold to put forward the basis of environmental preservation. Te overall well being of the ecosystem is the measure of what is right or wrong. Deep ecologist, Arne Naess, has tried to synthesize the anthropocentric and ecocentric and re-orientate how we perceive nature and to cultivate a mental state of being in harmony with nature (live an environmentally friendly lifestyle). Naess believed that we should cultivate direct, hands-on sensuous, experiences of natural objects (Benson 2000). Monkeywrenching Monkeywrenching, eco-sabotage (ecotage), ecodefense, eco-terrorism carry the same meaning: they are illegal acts of sabotage associated with environmentalism. It is said to be focusing on creating serious economic damage that will cause temporary or permanent stop to activities that are considered unwanted. Even though the activists might believe in different ethical codes, the activity is directly related with the environmental movement. The term monkeywrenching comes from Edward Abbeys novel, The Monkey Wrench Gang that was published in 1975. The novel tells a story of people doing campaign of eco-sabotage in the south-western United States. They set fire to billboards, disable construction equipment, and pull up survey stakes (VanDerVeer Pierce 2004). Monkeywrenching occurs long back in time. From a novel to manual, monkeywrenching act has managed to make its way to recent world. The novel (The Monkey Wrench Gang) was published in 1975 written by Edward Abbey (writer and essayist) and manual (Ecodefense: A Field Guide to Monkeywrenching) published by Dave Foreman (US environmentalist and co-founder of the radical environmental movement, Earth First!) were and still being used at some point as references to monkey wrench. The act might occurs gently or very dangerous. The group might try to either permanently or temporarily damage the machineries and equipments. Thus monkeywrenching can either cause the development to stop or buy time to negotiate and discuss about the issue. Authorities refer this group of people as eco-terrorism (to purposely relate their doing with terrorists) and as expected many environmentalists, strongly disagree with this usage. They prefer to distinguish between eco-sabotage (an assault on inanimate objects) and terrorism (an assault on people or living things). The environmentalist David Brower, for instance, has argued that the real terrorists are those who pollute and despoil the earth, not those who seek to protect it. Monkeywrenching with regard to Environment Ethics Many consequentialists are utilitarians. They believe that an ethical act is one which increases utility or pleasure, happiness or absence of pain. Despite being violent or out of control for example, that monkeywrenching is acceptable as long as it give desired outcomes and loss nothing in the end. For example, a consequentialist could claim that his/her action of starting a fire in the forest (which is very dangerous) is right since he/she managed to keep the logger from coming into the forest. Deontology, on the other hand, is the view that certain types of act (for example threatening to harm the innocents) are morally forbidden even when the performance of those acts would bring about the best consequences. Deontologists define morality in terms of rights and duties. Monkeywrenching might be accepted depending on the leader or the leading principle. For example, the Earth First!ers strongly believe that monkeywrenching will help them keep the environment save and have a leader with high knowledge of it. Virtue theory focus on the act of a virtuous person and not what kinds of act are right. A virtuous person might think that monkeywrenching is ethical without looking at its consequences whether its positive or negative. But once the outcome become the main concern, that person would not get involve it. Ecofeminism is one example of virtue ethics. Ecofeminism exists as its practitioners pointed out that the domination of male character in protecting the environment causing the aesthetic value of the nature becoming less appreciated. Anthropocentrism concerned the human interests above everything else. The act of monkeywrenching (or the act of sabotage of protecting the environment) most probably being viewed as a waste of time and resources since it does not give any direct benefit to human. Holistic approach believes that something is greater (and more valuable) as the whole than the individual parts. Biocentrism (life-centred ethics), ecocentrism (ecosystem-centred ethics) and deep ecology (identificationà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ and kinship ethics) are included in this approach. According to biocentrism, living things have their own desire making them having the intrinsic value. This group of people believe that monkeywrenching can be useful as a mean to protect the environment as they feel morally responsible to protect the nature. Same thing goes with ecocentrism. Ecocentrism looks at living things as parts of system hence making human having responsibility for being a part of nature. Deep ecologists believe that all life systems are sacred and valuable despite being unuseful to human beings. All living things evolved and bound to responsibility. Being a part of radical environmentalists, deep ecologists approved of monkeywrenching as a medium to protect the nature. Conclusion Environmental activists are divided into two when discussing monkeywrenching. Some approved of monkeywrenching as a way to prevent environment while others disagree of the methods and prefer softer way (such as letters to authorities and public converence). Supporters also divided into two: some accepted the act as they thought it will bring safety to natures living things while others think of negative impacts (cause injury or death, or it might turn public opinion against wilderness preservation) when it come to monkeywrenching. Thus, it is encourage to make sure all participants know about the risks they are going to face by joining the act. Monkeywrenching is considered ethical as long as it does not involves violence and being conducted with care. The practitioners are encourage to follow the guidelines provided by non-government organization when conducting it to avoid any defect. However, authorities do not approved monkeywrenhing as it can cause million and billion of loss for the country and encourage public to be disobedient. Personally, I prefer a gentler way of preventing environmental damage, instead of monkeywrenching the whole development operation. Plus, judging by the way monkeywrenchers function (under cover not and anonymously to avoid being capture by the authorities) itself, shows that monkeywrenching is not an ethical way to do things. I think it is not overrated to say that monkeywrenching is simply an act of a coward.

Analysis of Various International Environmental Conflicts Essay

Throughout the world, conflicts over environmental issues abound. As technology progresses and our world continues to become more interconnected, an understanding of the worldà ¢s environmental crises is important and necessary for the well-being of both humankind and the environment. This paper addresses and comments on the issues presented in the following books: Ecology of an African Rain Forest by Thomas T. Struhsaker, Green Guerillas edited by Helen Collinson, NIMBY Politics in Japan by S.Hayden Lesbirel, Where Environmental Concerns and Security Strategies Meet by James A. Winnefeld and Mary E. Morris, and Innovations in International Environmental Negotiation edited by Lawrence E. Susskind, William Moomaw and Teresa L. Hill. Innovations in International Environmental Negotiation has not been given a specific section for discussion, but is referenced in the section covering Where Environmental Concerns and Security Strategies Meet. Where Environmental Concerns and Security Strategies Meet This book is interesting in the way that it draws a particularly strong link between political (domestic and international) conflict and environmental crises. The authors chose to focus on environmental crises and conflicts in the Middle East and in East Asia, but the concepts discussed could easily be applied to political conflicts with underlying environmental crises worldwide. In traditional methods of security strategy policymaking, environmental issues are often given little thought and are directed to separate governmental departments. However, the authors propose that not only do environmental crises often increase the risk of political conflicts, but they can also worsen the conflict itself as well as the outcomes and damage incur... ...dressed not only from an environmental perspective, but also from both a global and a socioeconomic perspective. References Collinson, Helen ed. Green Guerillas: Environmental Conflicts and Initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Reader. (1996) London: Russell Press. Lesbirel, S.Hayden. NIMBY Politics in Japan: Energy Siting and the Management of Environmental Conflict. (1998) Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Struhsaker, Thomas T. Ecology of an African Rainforest. (1997) Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida. Susskind, Lawrence E., William Moomaw and Teresa L. Hill ed. Innovations in International Environmental Negotiation. (1997) Cambridge, MA: PON Books. Winnefeld, James A. and Mary E. Morris. Where Environmental Concerns and Security Strategies Meet: Green Conflict in Asia and the Middle East. (1994) Santa Monica, CA: RAND.

Conrail Case

Conrail G455: Corporate Restructuring Team 7 1) Why does CSX want to buy Conrail? In an industry beset by limited options to consolidate domestic rail traffic, CSX looked at Conrail as an avenue to increase market share and gain access to the North East rail network. With air travel, road travel and trucking taking an increasing share, significant revenue growth became difficult. As Conrail became profitable, Congress explored ways of privatizing it, giving CSX an opportunity to acquire Conrail.Though Conrail suffered from performance inefficiencies it had certain strengths relative to CSX and Norfolk with respect to highest revenue per mile of track operated, per carload originated etc. Conrail with operating revenue of $3,686 million and 29. 4% of Eastern rail freight traffic was attractive enough for CSX to consider the merger. The joint entity would have $8. 5b in rail revenue and would control the Eastern market with a market share of 70%.CSX estimated the acquisition to also cr eate synergies resulting in consolidation of overlapping operations and not only increase the joint entity’s revenue through service improvements, but also the operating incomes through economies of scale. Cost synergies was expected to help in increasing the annual operating income by $370m and revenue increases was expected to help increase annual operating income by $180m. (Based on valuation of synergies, taking PV of terminal value, we estimate the gains in Operating Income to be equal to $3,047. 13. CSX expected the acquisition to improve the joint entity’s competitive position vis-a-vis Norfolk Southern as the joint entity’s rail networks would facilitate long-haul, contiguous and therefore low cost service. As Norfolk Southern lacked access to Northeast market it would be less able to provide long-haul routes from South or Mideast. The purchase of Conrail would thus provide CSX with control of the Eastern rail network. From a financial perspective, the p rojected revenue gains and cost savings was expected to make the joint entity become more efficient than Norfolk Southern.Likelihood of a rival (Norfolk Southern) acquiring Conrail, resulting in competitive disadvantage for Conrail was also a factor. 2) Based on multiples and a premiums paid approach, how much should CSX be willing to pay for Conrail? We took Sales, EBITDA, Book Value Multiples and Four week acquisition Premiums from Exhibit 6. We use number of Conrail’s shares outstanding as 90. 5 million at the share price of $32. 46 from the same Exhibit 6. Conrail's Value Sales EBITDA Book Value Premium % $3,722 $1,017 $32 $6,516 Multiples High Low 3. 6 1. 7 13. 1 8. 5. 5 1. 7 73. 0% 34. 0% Conrail Market Price Low Average $ 1,032 $ 3,712 $ 3,350 $ 5,465 $ (301) $ 5,398 $ 8,731 $ 9,986 High $ $ $ $ 8,104 8,028 10,862 11,273 See ‘Calculations’ spreadsheet for details. As the Conrail is fairly attractive resource for CSX it should be willing to pay on the high side of the Conrail Market Price. We have highlighted the High Price in the above table. We 2 have also calculated the price by various methods (sales ratio, EBITA, etc). The price calculated by these methods is reasonably close to the bid price of CSX.Within the high price too, there seems to quite a difference in valuations. The multiple analysis methodology assumes that all companies within an industry have similar characteristics. As expected there is wide variance is between low, high and average. Within the rail industry there is wide variance in capital structures, profitability etc, which is reflected in Conrail Market Price. Other than multiple and premium methods, CSX should be detailed financial analysis based on synergies etc. to come up with the price. The synergies given in the case are stated as â€Å"Gains in Operating Income. This is not an unambiguous term. For purposes of this and subsequent questions, assume that these synergies are net of costs (COGS and Capita l Expenditures) and the after-tax payment to bondholders. The term operating income is likened to net income or the taxable income to stockholders. Further assume that none of these acquisitions will affect the acquirer’s equity cost of capital. 3) Based on the data in Exhibit 7 and the definition of operating income gains given above, how much should CSX be willing to pay for Conrail? Support your answer with appropriate analysis.According to operating income gains we can value a firm’s market price as its pre-merger value and the present value of gains in operating income. Let’s assume that value of Conrail before the merger is equal to its market cap. Then taking Conrail share price as $71. 94 (average of year end and high stock price) and number of shares outstanding as 90. 5 million shares (Exhibit 6) we get Conrail market value equal to $6,510. 57 million ($71. 94 x 90. 5 million). We assume G =3%, MRP = 7%. We take risk free as 30-year maturity US Bonds r ate, which is 6. 3% (Exhibit 8); merged CSX-Conrail equity beta as average of CSX and Conrail equity betas, which is 1. 33. rE = rf + MRP ? E = 6. 83% + 7% x 1. 33 = 16. 11% Now we can find Conrail’s synergy value as present value of gains in operating income. 1997 Total Gain in Operating Income Total Gain in OI after 40% Tax Gain in OI (discounted @ rE) $ $ $ 1998 $ 88 $ 12. 80 $ 7. 15 $ $ $ 1999 396 237. 60 176. 26 $ $ $ 2000 550 330. 00 210. 84 2001 $ 567 $ 340. 20 $ 187. 21 Value of estimated gains = $671. 46 Terminal value = $2,673. 83 Present value of Terminal Value = $2,365. 67 Conrail’s Synergy Value is equal to $3,047. 13.See ‘Calculations’ spreadsheet for details. The maximum price, which CSX should be willing to pay for Conrail is $6,510. 57 + $3,047. 13 = $9,557. 70 3 The optimal price of the merger is somewhere in between of $6. 5 and $9. 5 billion. We’d advise a price closer to Conrail’s market value rather than the average of t hese two figures. In this case both Conrail and CSX shareholders win from the merger. If they take price closer to the high CSX shareholders can lose due to over estimated synergy gains. 4) Analyze the structure of CSX’s offer for Conrail. CSX offered a two-phased deal for Conrail worth $8. 3 billion at the nnouncement. CSX would purchase 90. 5 million (100%) of Conrail shares to complete the deal. In the first phase, CSX originally offered $92. 50/share for 40% of Conrail’s shares. This front-end offer would be completed in two stages for regulatory reasons, purchasing 19. 7% in stage one and the other 20. 3% once approved by the shareholders. Once all of phase one was completed, CSX would purchase the remaining 60% of Conrail’s shares by exchanging shares in a ration of 1. 85619:1. 0 (CSX: Conrail), yielding shareholders roughly $89. 07/share (blended value) based on recent Conrail and CSX stock performance.In addition, the merger agreement contained provision s related to break-up fees, lock-up options, poison pills, and â€Å"no talk† clauses. These provisions provided some level of protection against advances from NorfolkSouthern or other competitors looking to purchase Conrail. Notably, the no-talk clause required Conrail to abstain from any conversations related to buy-out with other firms; though this could be disputed where the board’s fiduciary duty to protect investors superseded said restrictions. 5) Why did CSX make a two-tiered offer? What effect does this structure have on the transaction?Pennsylvania’s fair value statute required all bidders holding 20% or more of stock to offer the same price to all shareholders unless target shareholders agreed to explicitly nullify this position. Also the same statute limited any shareholders (with a 20% or larger stake) voting rights unless management approved it. Finally, the law required management to consider and protect the interests of employees and the communit y. This two-tiered structure affected the timing and the cost of the deal. As a result of the deal’s structure, Norfolk Southern had two opportunities to block with a hostile takeover driving up the price of the acquisition.By close of business prior to the shareholder votes to opt-out of the fair value statute, CSX’s bid was up to $110/share, resulting in an offer that was $321,500,000 more than originally planned for the remaining 20. 3% in phase I. The structure of the deal also allowed CSX to pay for 40% of Conrail in cash (in two phases) while paying for the remaining 60% of the target with CSX stock. This meant that changes to CSX or Conrail’s stock price prior to the transaction completing could impact the cost of the entire deal 6) Why did Norfolk Southern make a hostile bid for Conrail? Conrail is considered a â€Å"scarce jewel†.Conrail was the sole class I railroad serving the Northeast market of the United States with control of 29. 2% of the rail freight market east of the Mississippi river. Although Conrail was inefficient and not very profitable, its revenue per mile of track operated, per carload originated, and per ton originated were the highest in the industry. If the merger between CXS and Conrail succeeded, Norfolk Southern would be negatively impacted with estimates of up to $320 million by 2001. This is clearly a battle Norfolk can not afford to lose as it may impact its very existence in the long run. 7) How much is Conrail worth? In a bidding war, who should be willing to pay more, Norfolk Southern or CSX? Again, note the previous definition of operating income when interpreting the data in Exhibits 6a and 6b. We use the same logic of gains valuation as we did it in question #3. Assumptions for CSX-Conrail Merger: We assume the same G =3%, MRP = 7%. We take risk free as 30-year maturity US Bonds rate, which is 6. 83% (Exhibit 8); merged CSX-Conrail equity beta as average of CSX and Conrail equity betas, whic h is 1. 33. rE = rf + MRP ? E = 6. 83% + 7% x 1. 33 = 16. 1% Now we can find CSX-Conrail synergy value as present value of gains in operating income. 1998 240 144. 00 (66) 210. 00 1999 521 312. 60 (123) 435. 60 323. 14 $1,260. 76 $5,086. 73 $4,655. 08 $5,915. 84 $12,426. 41 2000 $ 1,811 $ 1,086. 60 $ (189) $ 1,275. 60 $ 400. 60 2001 $ 752 $ 451. 20 $ (196) $ 647. 20 $ 356. 15 Total Gain in Operating Income Total Gain in OI after Tax (40%) CSX Total Loss in OI CSX Total gain in OI from merger Total Gain in OI (discounted @ rE) Value of estimated gains in OI Terminal Value of estimated gains in OI PV of TV Total value of gains in OI for CSX Value of Merger for CSX $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 180. 87 Assumptions for Norfolk Southern–Conrail Merger: We assume the same G =3%, MRP = 7%. We take risk free as 30-year maturity US Bonds rate, which is 6. 83% (Exhibit 8); merged Norfolk Southern–Conrail equity beta as average of Norfolk Southern and Conrail equity betas, which is 1. 23. rE = rf + MRP ? E = 6. 83% + 7% x 1. 23 = 15. 41% Now we can find Norfolk Southern–Conrail synergy value as present value of gains in operating income. 1998 $ 231 $ 139 $ (130) $ 269 $ 233 1999 $ 429 $ 257 $ (232) $ 489 $ 367 $1,468. 67 $6,044. 6 $5,531. 72 $7,000. 39 $13,510. 96 2000 $ 660 $ 396 $ (308) $ 704 $ 458 2001 $ 680 $ 408 $ (320) $ 728 $ 410 Total Gain in Operating Income Total Gain in OI after Tax (40%) Norfolk Southern Total Loss in OI Norfolk Southern Total gain in OI from merger Total Gain in OI (discounted @ rE) Value of estimated gains in OI Terminal Value of estimated gains in OI PV of TV Total value of gains in OI for CSX = Value of Merger for CSX 5 From the calculation above we see that value of Conrail acquisition is much, over 1 billion higher for Norfolk Southern than for CSX.Moreover, the loss in acquiring Conrail leads to significant loss in revenues and market share for both of bidders but more for Norfolk Southern. Not surprisingly that they have seri ous intention to wage a bidding war. 8) As a shareholder, would you vote to opt-out of the Pennsylvania anti-takeover statute? In the case of conrail as a shareholder, we would not vote to opt-out of the Pennsylvania antitakeover statute. The PA statute provides Conrail shareholders with a fair value statute provision on their stock ownership.Specifically, bidders holding 20 percent or more of a company’s stock are required to offer all shareholders the same price unless the target shareholders opt-out of the statute. The CSX two-staged offer had a blended value which clearly demonstrates that Conrail shareholders would have been given different pricing for each stage in the offer. The poison pill provision under the CSX and Conrail merger agreement does not give Conrail shareholders the rights to buy discounted shares since the merger agreement required Conrail to suspend its poison pill.Therefore, the poison pill favors the acquirer and not the Conrail shareholders. Finally , as a shareholder, the best strategic position is to allow the bidding war to commence and observe how CSX and Norfolk Southern compete against one another for the Conrail business. It is obvious that there will be an acquisition and it is obvious based on both acquisition proposals, that each company will issue multiple offers in an effort to acquire Conrail due to its strategic location in the Northeast United States. In general, however this statute could be disadvantageous to shareholders in certain cases.The statute tries to protect the interests of employees and community where the target company was located in addition to meeting their fiduciary duty to the shareholders. The statute frees companies from any obligation to sell itself to the highest bidder. Conrail used the statute to blunt Norfolk’s offer though it was better for shareholders. The ‘fair value statute’ aspect helped the shareholders of Conrail (as parties in support of merger still needed 1 4. 6% of acquisition shares to vote in favor of opting out. ) 6

Terrorism and Torture Essays

Terrorism and Torture Essays Terrorism and Torture Essay Terrorism and Torture Essay Name: Course: Instructor: Date: Terrorism and Torture Arguments against: Torture is duress that rarely results to any valuable information. Torturing a terrorist suspect can nullify the suspect’s confession. Therefore, the evidence obtained cannot be used in court. It may result to false leads that may disrupt current investigations when the suspect gives up false information just too satisfy the interrogator. Continuous torture of a terrorist by an interrogator who is certain that the terrorist holds valuable information may lead to the terrorist’s death. This turns out to be a loss since the only person that could provide information is dead. It also slows down the investigation. Therefore, when an interrogator is certain that a suspect knows about a terrorist attack, it is advisable to use other techniques that do not cause severe pain or suffering whether physical or mental to the suspect. In some cases, valuable information received through torture is not used. This is because if anything was learned about the acquisition such informat ion, the parties involved in the torture could be answerable in court. This makes the information received not be of use or rather not believed. Torture also has a negative impact on the international perception. Few people will care about a country known to torture suspects when terror groups torture and killed their victims. Arguments for: In the outbreak of a national terrorist attack that is likely to end the lives of many people, it is unrealistic to assume that torturing a suspect to save the lives of many will be denying the person a right to life. A right of many people to life is more important than the right of one person. Torturing enables access of the valuable information fast. It may provide information about a future terrorist attack in time enabling the targeted country to prepare for an attack in time. Many people believe that terrorists should get extra punishment for the many lives they cause. Torture provides this additional punishment. When a terrorist refuses to disclose valuable information or all the information needed, torture is the only solution to grant this. A tortured suspect may provide the interrogators with information not asked. This kind of information is usually very useful. Torture is more humane compared to terrorism. My arguments: Killing is never right even in cases where the right outweighs the wrong. However, serious terrorism attack possibilities may call for torture. This will save the lives of many people who could die. Torture provides information fast. This is helpful especially in situations where a country is only aware of a possible terrorist attack but not the time it will take place. This will enable provision of the information before the attack. A terrorist does not hold any sympathy for the people and therefore sympathizing with him at the expense of many people’s lives will not be realistic. Conversely, torturing a terrorist may also provide wrong information or in some cases, no information at all. Therefore, other methods that do not constitute torturing can be used. Terrorists are responsible for thousands of lives. A mere torture to save peoples lives is nothing compared to the evil they do. Therefore, if extreme measures have to be taken in order to save innocent peoples lives, so be it.

Jefferson and Rousseau essays

Jefferson and Rousseau essays American Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of Rights Few political documents have affected the world quite like the American Declaration of Independence or the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. The repercussions of each have had a profound effect on world history up to this point. But why did these documents have such an effect? The answer lies in the common philosophical backgrounds of the two. The writings of Rousseau, Locke and Montesquieu all contained ideas that were later used by Thomas Jefferson and the National Assembly to compose the two documents. Rousseau's ideas of a social contract, which states that the general will and the people were sovereign, and if a king abuses the liberty of the people they have a right and a duty to dissolve the current government and create a new one (McKay, 581), were central to both documents. Jefferson had Rousseau's ideas in mind when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. The history of the present King of Great Britain [George III] is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states...a prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people...we therefore...solemnly publish and declare, that these United Colonies are...independent states... (Jefferson, 1-2). The reasons, such as suspension of colonial legislatures, impressment of American sailors and the importation of mercenaries (Jefferson, 2), given for the dissolution of the political connections that the American and British people have held for over 100 years all relate to the King's tyrannical tendencies and the peoples right to choose a different government. The edict also states that although petitions of grievances were issued, the King turned a deaf ear. The Declaration of the Rights of Man is not only built on the social cont ...

Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs and Prostitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs and Prostitution - Essay Example Several other drugs like cocaine affect work performance, particularly in decision-making, which directly affect production. Mike: Addressing the negative impacts of alcohol, Tobacco, drugs, and prostitution may not be a satisfying step because these aspects too have a role in improving the economy. Guell Robert argues in his book that despite the critics, the fundamentals of the world economy evolve very gradually. Currently, employment in the whole world goes on rising. Thus, the investment inferences of this are to seek for some secure, high yield investment opportunities. When the economy bottoms out, people can invest in food, energy, drinks, drugs, in entertainment elements, and emerging market countries as they bet against the dollar. John sides with Mike that regardless of the status of prostitution, whether legal or illegal, or where it is physically located, that is massage parlor, home, hotel, strip pub, or street, prostitution is probably similar to alcohol and other drugs since it will continue being in existance, be it legal or illegal. In fact, some research indicates that legalizing and standardizing prostitution can help to reduce HIV/AIDS infections. Guel argues that though it may not sound realistic to argue that prostitution somehow relates to the economy of a nation, it is true according to studies. Peter: From the four mentioned aspects, prostitution is the largest element of the entertainment industry worldwide. In 1994, this industry made over $30 billion in Southeast Asian states alone; Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines. The International Labor Organization study shows that Thailand alone generated $22-24 billion incomes. Surprisingly, these four nations only make 6.1% of the world population (Guell 176). If prostitution was practiced at a similar rate per capita in the entire globe, revenues would add up to 360%billion from the year 1994, and most likely, they could have grown since then. Jack agreed with

The role of retailer branding strategies within retail stores Essay

The role of retailer branding strategies within retail stores - Essay Example Talking in a more elaborate manner, it can be said that the high-level communication technologies have helped in the process of diffusing the globalization trends around the world. As a result of the fast spreading of trends of globalization in various markets, it can be said that the consumers located in various regions, countries and continents around the world have started demanding a more enhanced category of products and services, which should necessarily follow the standards of global quality. As a result, this has led to the process of creating a significant pressure on the economies and markets around the world with regard to the demand for globally popular brands of products and services. Moreover, besides the growing demand for various kinds of globally popular products and services in various markets, the governments of countries around the world have realised the fact that, for the purpose of promoting significant amount of growth and development in their individual natio ns, opening up of the economy is very important. The governments of many countries have now realized that by opening up their previously closed economies, the markets of their respective countries will immediately start developing and growing because of considerable amounts of investments made by various business organizations around the world. It is relevant, in this particular context, to state the fact that many companies, which are present in various markets around the world, will look forward to entering the newly emerged markets of the growing and developing economies for the purpose of consolidating their growth prospects. Talking on this note, it can be said that the international, transnational and multinational companies will focus on the process of making a considerable amount of investment in the new markets in the form of foreign direct investments (FDIs) and foreign institutional investments (FIIs). Talking on the same lines, it can be said that the companies in the in ternational arena will be making significant amounts of large scale investments in terms of FIIs and FDIs for the main purpose of developing the market as well as the business infrastructure in the new markets. This will automatically lead to the emergence of new and large scale job opportunities, which will contribute towards creating a high rate of growth for the emerging economies. Now, with the development of the economies around the world in both the developed as well as the developing markets, it can be said that a significant amount of development will happen in the society and lifestyle of the masses living in those countries. The accumulation and growth of wealth complemented by the factor of an evolving lifestyle of the masses will contribute towards opening of new kinds of services. It is important to quote in the same context that the evolution of new lifestyle trends in the society of the developing economies will lead to a significant change in the consumer behaviour o f the masses. This will also present a significant amount of opportunity with regard to the evolution of new shopping trends of the masses and, as a result, will require significant amoun

Internship Final paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Internship Final paper - Essay Example 13). Firstly, It is imperative to elucidate the fact that an internship gives an individual the chance to build his or her skills. There is a lot of competition in the job market in the contemporary world. Employers are only recruiting the best candidates and hence an internship helps an individual advance his or her skills in preparation for future job interviews and vocations. Some of the skills advanced through an internship include communication skills, ability to work in teams, and time management (WetFeet 13). My duties and responsibilities during my internship included organizing patients application alphabetically, I filled out a sheet of the important patients details particularly name, cell number, date of birth, and email address. Subsequently, my duties included inserting all the important patients details in the system, ensured patient confirmed their appointments, and I also worked at the reception, insurance department, and financial department. Working at the reception involved a lot of communication with the clients and this gave me an opportunity to hone my communication skills. Organizational skills are also important in any vocation. Employees are required to be organized in their work and I was able to sharpen my organizational skills through organizing patients applications alphabetically and filling their important information in the system. Secondly, as mentioned earlier, an internship is an opportunity for an individual to have a taste of the industry in general. In other words, it presents individuals with the opportunity to expose themselves to the day to day running of an organization or institution. It is very easy today to conduct research regarding a particular job or organization through the internet and have an understanding of what the job entails. However, this is incomparable with being a part of a team that aims to achieve specific objectives (WetFeet

How And Why The North Won War by 1865 Essay Example for Free

How And Why The North Won War by 1865 Essay Abstract My research topic for this essay is explain how and why the North won war by 1865. In this essay I will be explaining the various reasons as to why the South surrendered to the North and how it all happened. This war took place from 1861 to 1865 and is ranked as the most deadliest war in American history. The Union or Northern States won the war against the South or the Confederacy. Instead of looking at causes or consequences, in this essay I will go into the reasons as to why did the North win the Civil War. The American South, though raised in military tradition, was to be no match North in the coming Civil War. The manpower on the Union side was much larger and outnumbered the Confederate army strength. The lack of emphasis on manufacturing and commercial interest, the South surrendered to the North their ability to to fight independently. It wasnt the Northern troops nor generals that won the Civil War, but their guns and equipment. From the very first start of the war, the Union had various advantages. The North had large amounts of just about everything that the South did not, boasting resources that the confedaracy had even no means of attaining. (Brinkley, 1991). The Union had large amounts of land available for growing food crops which served for providing food for its hungry soldiers and money for the growing industries. The South, on the other hand, devoted most of their land to its main cash crop: cotton. Raw materials were almost entirely concentrated in Northern mines and refining industries. Railroads and telegraph lines are what the North was surrounded by, but left the South isolated, outdated, and starving. The Confederates were willing to sell their cash crops to the North to make any sort of profit. Little did they know, King Cotton could buy them time, but not the war. The South had bartered something that perhaps it had not intended: its independence. (Catton, 1952). The Norths growing industry had a powerful dominance over the South. Between the years of 1840 and 1860, American industry was steady growing. In 1840 the Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 4 total value of goods manufactured in the United States stood at $483 million, increasing over fourfold by 1860 to just under $2 billion, with the North taking the kings ransom.(Brinkley, 1991). The hidden reason behind this dramatic growth of money is because of the American Industrial Revolution. Beginning in the early 1800s, some of the ideas of the industrial revolution began to get picked up from the American Society. One of the first industries to see quick development was the textile industry, but, thanks to the British government, this development almost never even passed. Years before this, Englands James Watt had developed the first successful steam engine. This invention completely revolutionized the British textile industry, and eventually made it the most profitable in the world (Industrial Revolution). The British government, were astonished with this new material but cautious, so they ended up trying to protect the nation by preventing the export of textile machinery and even the emigration of skilled mechanics. Despite valiant attempts at deterrence, though, many immigrants managed to make their way into the United States with the advanced knowledge of English technology, and they were anxious to acquaint America with the new machines.(Furnas, 1969). People like Samuel Slater can  be credited with beginning the revolution of the textile industry in America. He was skilled mechanic in England, and spent long hours studying the schematics for the spinning jenny until finally he no longer needed them. He emigrated to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and there, together with a Quaker merchant by the name of Moses Brown, Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 5 he built a spinning jenny from memory. (Furnas, 1969). This would later become known as the first modern factory in America. It would also become known as when the North had the economic dominance over the South. The South could not seem to accept this after the time passed so they thought they could breakthrough somehow. Another inventor by the name of Eli Whitney set out in 1793 to revolutionize the Southern cotton industry. Whitney was working as a tutor for a plantation owner in Georgia (he was also, ironically, born and raised in New England) and therefore knew the problems of harvesting cotton. (Brinkley, 1991). Until then, the risky task of separating the seeds from the cotton before sale had to be done by slave labor and was not very effiecient. With that being said, Whitney developed a machine which would separate the seed from the cotton swiftly and effectively, cutting the harvesting time by more than one half. This machine, which became known as the cotton gin, had amazing results on the South, producing the highest trend the industry ever had. In that decade alone cotton production figures increased by more than 2,000 percent. (Randall and Donald, 1969). Lots business opportuniti es opened up, including the expansion of the Southern plantations. This was facilitated by the fact that a single worker could now do the same amount of work in a few hours that a group of workers had once needed a whole day to do. (Brinkley, 1991). This allowed slaves to pick much more cotton per day and this led most plantation owners to expand their land. Most of the gains from the cash crop took over the basic necessity of the food crop. In 1791 cotton production amounted to only 4000 bales, but by 1860, production Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 6 levels had skyrocketed to just under five million bales. (Randall and Donald, 1969). Cotton was now bringing in about  $200 million a year, which is a very big change for the south. King Cotton became a fundamental motive in Southern economy. However, during this short time of economic process, the South failed to realize that it would never be fully sustained by King Cotton alone. What it needed was the help of Queen Industry. Eli Whitney knew and realized that the South would not rapidely accept change, so he decided to take his smart mind and ideas back up to the North, where it could be put to good use. He found his niche in the small arms business. A while back, during two long years of quasi-war with France, Americans had been troubled by the lack of rapidity with which sufficient armaments and equipments could be produced. Whitney came out with the invention of interchangeable parts. His vision of the perfect factory included machines that would produce, from a mold, the various parts needed to build a standard infantry rifle, and workers on an assembly line who would construct it. The North, eager to experiment and willing to try anything of economic progress, decided to test this new method of manufacture. It did not take long for the North to make Eli Whitneys dream a reality. The small arms industry was successful. By the onset of the Civil War, the confederate states were noting the fact that there were thirty-eight Union arms factories capable of producing a total of 5,000 infantry rifles per day, compared with their own paltry capacity of 100. (Catton, 1952). During the mid-1800s, the Industrial Revolution dug deep into to the sides of the Northern states. Luckily, immigration numbers were skyrocketing at this time, and the sudden profusion of factory Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 7 positions that needed to be filled was not a big problem. (Randall and Donald, 1969). The immigrants, who were escaping anything from the Irish Potato Famine to British oppression, were willing to work for almost anything and withstand inhuman factory conditions. (Jones, 1993). Although this exploitation was extremely cruel and very unfair to the immigrants, Northern businessmen profited alot from it. By the beginning of war in 1860, the North, from an economical standpoint, stood like a towering giant over the Southern society. Of the over 128,000 industrial firms in the nation at the time, the Confederacy held only 18,026. New England alone topped the figure with over  19,000, and so did Pennsylvania 21,000 and with 23,000.(Paludan, 1988). The total value of goods manufactured in the state of New York alone was over four times that of the entire Confederacy. The Northern states produced 96 percent of the locomotives in the country, and, as for firearms, more of them were made in one Connecticut county than in all the Southern factories combined. The Confederacy had made one mistake and that was believing that its thriving cotton industry alone would be enough to sustain itself throughout the war. Southerners didnt see a need to go into the uncharted industrial territories when good money could be made with cotton. What they failed to realize was that the cotton boom had done more for the North than it had done for the South. Southerners could grow huge amounts of cotton, but due to the lack of mills, they couldnt do anything with it. The cotton was sold to the Northerners who would use it in their factories to produce woolens and linens, which were in turn sold back to the South. This cycle stimulated industrial Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 8 growth in the Union and stagnated it in the Confederate states .(Catton, 1952). Southern plantation owners believed that the growing textile industries of England and France were highly dependent on their cotton, and that, in the event of war, those countries would come to their rescue. The Civil War gave an even bigger boost to the already growing factories in the North. The troops needed arms and warm clothes on a constant basis, and Northern Industry was ready to provide them. By 1862, the Union could use almost all of its own war materials using its own resources. The South, on the other hand, was in desperate need and dependent on outside resources for its war needs. Dixie was not only lagging far behind in the factories. It had also chosen to disregard two other all-important areas in which the North had chosen to thrive: transportation and communicationthe Railroad, the Locomotive, and the Telegraph- -iron, steam, and lightning-these three mighty genii of civilizationwill know no lasting pause until the whole vast line of railway shall completed from the Atlantic to the Pacific.(Furnas, 1969)  During the ante-bellum years, the North had shown a great desire for an effective mode of transportation. For a long time, canals had been used to transport people and goods across large amounts of land which were accessible by water, but, with continuing growth and expansion, these canals were becoming obstacle to many Northerners. They simply needed a way to transport freight and passengers across terrains where waterways didnt exist. The first glimmer of hope came as Americas first primitive locomotive, powered by a vertical wood-fired boiler, puffed out of Charleston Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 9 hauling a cannon and gun crew firing salutes(Catton, 1952). The Railroading industry became a big thing in the North, where it provided a much needed alternative to canals, but could never quite help the South. Much of this could be because Northern engineers were experienced in the field of ironworking and had no problem constructing vast amounts of rail lines, while Southerners, werent very experienced in that area. The Union, with its some 22,000 miles of track, was able to transport weaponry, clothes, food, soldiers, and whatever supplies were needed to almost any location in the entire theater. Overall, this greatly helped the Northern war effort and increased the morale of the troops. The South, however, was lacking on most of this. With its meager production of only four percent of the nations locomotives and its scant 9,000 miles of track, the Confederacy stood in painful awareness of its inferiority.(Randall and Donald, 1969). Another obstacle arose in the problem of track gauge. As the war kept on, the Confederate railroad system steadily deteriorated, and by the end of the struggle, it had all collapsed. Communication, was also a big problem to Southern economical growth. The telegraph had came into American life in 1844. This fresh form of communication greatly facilitated the operation of the railroad lines in the North. Telegraph lines ran along the tracks, connecting one station to the next and aiding the scheduling of the trains. The telegraph provided instant communication between distant cities, helping the nation come together like never before. Yet, the South, unimpressed by this technology and not having Research Paper: Explain how and why the North won war by 1865. 10 the money to experiment, chose not to go into its development. By 1860, the North had laid over 90 percent of the nations some 50,000 miles of telegraph wire. Morses telegraph had become an ideal answer to the problems of long-distance communication, with its latest triumph of land taking shape in the form of the Pacific telegraph, which ran from New York to San Francisco and used 3,595 miles of wire (Brinkley, 1991). The North has assuredly won over the South. Northerners, prepared to enjoy the deprivation of war, realized that they were experiencing an enormous industrial boom even after the first year of war. Indeed, the only Northern industry that suffered from the war was the carrying trade. (Catton, 1952). To the South, however, the war was a drain and only made them suffer even more. The South decided not to use two crops which would prove the outcome of the Civil War. Those crops were industry and progress, and without them the South was defeated. Refrences Angle (1967) Paul M. A Pictorial History of the Civil War Years. Garden City, New York: Doubleday Brinkley (1991) American History: A Survey. New York: McGraw Catton, Bruce (1952) The Army of the Potomac: Glory Road. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Furnas, J.C (1969) The Americans: A Social History of the United States 1587-1914. New York: Putnam Jones, Donald C. (1993) Telephone Interview Paludan, Philip Shaw. (1988) A Peoples Contest. New York: Harper Randall, J.G., and David Herbert Donald. (1969) The Civil War and Reconstruction. Lexington, Massachusetts: Heath

Environmental Impact Of Transportation In London Environmental Sciences Essay

Environmental Impact Of Transportation In London Environmental Sciences Essay Climate change is one of the major environmental threats faced by the earth for many years. These could cause by many different activities practiced by human such as deforestation, combustion of fossil fuels and dumping chemical into the water. However, there is another major factor that could harm the environment which is usually been neglected by people. In cities, overloaded of transportation could be one of the most significant reasons causing various environmental issues. Heavy traffic not only affects people mentally but also physically. This issues had come to an extend where it affects humans health and well-being significantly. The public have no choice but to raise their awareness on this issue. The evolution of transport in London started decades ago. TfL (2010) stated that in year 1933, when Londons public transport was united by the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB), bus services had leading area coverage compare to other public transport. This clearly showed that buses were widely used at that time. However, due to the various developments in Londons public transport such as London Underground, London Tramlink, London Rail and taxis, certain public transport had become equally essential to citizens in London. For example, TfL (2010) stated that London Underground today, made 3 million passenger journeys every day linking 275 stations. It is always good to see such changes in Londons transport which directly explained the advancement of the city in the past decades. Nevertheless, these had also increased the negatives effect on environment cause by transport. According to Banister and Burton (2003), previously, people were only concerns about loud noises caused by transport and the never-ending in expanding the landscape for heavy traffic. Their concerns had now expanded into environmental issues such as global warming and ozone layer depletion which has gain awareness from all related organisations. The UK government had realized the seriousness of this issue and had introduced several solutions trying to reduce the traffic going into London or encourage people to use public transport, preferably walk and cycle. This report will include various main issues for this topic such as the negative effect caused by the road traffic in London and what had been done by UK government in order to minimize the impact of road traffic to the environment. Vehicle pollutants play a dominant role in causing the increase of air pollutions day by day. Pierce (1992) stated that the transportation produce most of the poisonous gas existing in the worlds air. Although people are aware of this environment issue, this does not prevent them from driving their private vehicles into London. The Lancet (2009) warned that the gas emissions from transport are still rising each year and had estimated that there will be an 80% increase on bad gas emission from the year 2007 to 2030. According to European Conference of Ministers of Transport (2001), these vehicle pollutants consist of hazardous gas such as particulate matter (PM), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NO), Lead, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Those hazardous gas released brings health problems to people from all ages which has caused relevant organisations such as government, environmentalist and health related organisations to have look into this issue seriously. A review by Krzyzanowski, Dibbert and Schneider (2005) stating that hazardous air produce by transport could increased the chances of getting asthma for children and brought death due to the malfunction of our cardio for adults. Transport not only caused air pollutions, it can also lead to serious noise pollutions in London. In urban cities such as London, transport is the major sources for noise pollution. Hensher and Button (2003) pointed out that one could get affected by noise pollution directly from transport and also through vibration caused by heavy vehicles and trains. Sperling (2004) stated that noise produced by transport not only brings severe annoyance but also affect humans health. A study in UK and Germany by Schade (2003) report that an exposure to transport noise above 70 dB(A) levels will increase the risk of getting myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) by 30% compare to those above 65dB(A). The productivity of people at work and daily life will be greatly affected by constant exposure to transport noise. People who live by the highways or railways, cannot sleep well during the night. People without a good rest at home cannot focus well while undertaking various activities in their daily life. As a result, many problems such as mistakes at work and traffic accidents will arise due to the ineffectiveness of human. Although these transportations contribute to various pollutions, climate change is believed to be one of the major negative effects cause by transports pollutant. Hardy (2003) clarified that nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxides and ozone influenced the climate the most. These gases are specified as greenhouse gases where it will affect the temperature of the earth. Gliiespie (2005) stated that the change of the atmosphere thermal structure immediately relates to global warming. This could lead to the destruction of the ozone layer where it increased humans exposure to ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B). A long-term exposure to UV-B will have an effect on humans health by having certain infectious diseases, skin cancer and eyes problems (Goettsch, 1994). A research carried out under London Climate Change Partnership 04/05 reported the influenced caused by transport in London. Arkell and Darch (2006) explained that different scenarios happened because of climate change. London will encounter warm winters, hot and dry summer, more rainfalls, rise of sea level and flooding in low area. In year 2050s, Londons average temperature is estimated to increase for at least 1 Celsius (Arkell and Darch, 2006). These are all caused by the constant released of hazardous gas by transport in London where 66% of particulate matter and 42% of nitrogen oxides are from road transport (Mayor of London, 2009). In spite of this, it is not impossible for the public to work together in order to prevent transport pollutions get into an even more severe stage. There are few methods that had been brought out by the UK government in order to change the current situation caused by transport pollutants in London. One could tell the biggest difference in air pollutions after this had been carried out is the introduction of congestion charge in central London. Beevers and Carslaw(2004) reports that after the introduction of London congestion charging scheme (CCS) in February 2003, it has noticeably reduced the traffic going into London. The changes of vehicle numbers have a direct impact with the gas emission levels in London. Transport pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter are believed to have reduced at a percentage of about 12% each (Litman, 2004).This could be said as a substantial decrease to London. People had begun to take public transport more often or even cycle to work after the charge. This had tremendously affected the environmental conditions. Apart from those above, the public has to pay environmental taxes for owning a vehicle. Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) (2009) stated that vehicles owner not only has to pay fuel tax, they have to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) which is paid annually depending on the type of vehicle you own. Apparently, more polluting cars will have to pay more whereas less polluting cars will have a chance to be exempted. In order to differentiate the levels of polluting cars is by measuring the emissions of carbon dioxide from each car. Other than that, the increase of parking fee in London will cause vehicle owners to think twice before driving into London. In certain areas of London, parking fee was charged according to the emission of carbon dioxide by the vehicle. UK government had also tried to provide fewer parking spaces in London so that drivers will get frustrated while looking for a parking and choose to take public transport where they will not have to face all these problems. (Transport Committee et al., 2009) Greater London Authority (2002) stated that The Mayors Transport Strategy and Transport for Londons (TfLs) Business Plan consists of a range of steps needed to be considered in the future. Public transport such as bus system has to be improved intensively by reducing the travel time, increase the regularity of buses, introduce more bus route and using low-emission carbon dioxide buses. It is crucial to improve the conditions of the cyclists and pedestrians as well to ensure that their safety can be insured. Other than bus services, UK government are always improving the London Underground services from time to time in order to provide a better services to the public (Sodhi and Norris, 2004). The implementation of crossrail is said to be beneficial to the public in London. There will be an addition rail access in London which helps to reduce private vehicle getting into London. It gives the public extra choices on public transport and crossrail might cover areas that had not been well-covered by existing public transport. Introduction of a new public transport, crossrail, also helps to achieve the goal of the government in sustaining the environment. (Great Britain: Department of Transport, 2007) Moreover, standard of public transport should be maintained at a high level to attract people using continuously. Banister (2005) emphasizes that there should be a limitation of mobility in certain areas of a city. Non-polluting transport such as electric vehicles that use renewable energy sources will only be allowed in that particular zone whereas the others will be outside that area. The launching of London Oyster Card in August 2003 does help in encouraging the public to take public transport more. Oyster card is a new way of ticketing which is called the smart-card ticketing (Blythe, 2004). It is easy to be use, time saving and most importantly it is faster than any other paper ticketing (Winters, n.d.). The public will not find any problems travelling by oyster card instead they will think it save them a great deal of time and their desire in wanting to take the public transport obviously will be higher. Hence, several ways and campaign had been introduced by UK government in order to reduce this issue. Woodcock, et al (2009) also notified that it is better to reduce the usage of transport compare to increase using of lower-emission transport; however, it will have a better effect if both are to be practiced together at the same time. According to the Department of Transport (n.d.), the UK government is setting-up a long-term planning for the transportation in London. The UK government is trying to promote various campaigns such as encouraging people to walk and cycle more, share vehicles, travel using public transport, improve current situation on road traffic and manage the network in a better way. UK government not only wish to benefits economically but also environmentally. Furthermore, the introduction of Barclays Cycle Hire scheme had become increasingly famous in London. Barclays Cycle Hire scheme is said to be the newest pollution free public transport in London which was stated in the website Mayor of London (2010). It operates 24 hours every day which was located more than hundreds of places in London. Cycling is not only a good exercise which could lead the public to a healthier life but to a better living environment. In England, their aim is to build better and safer cyclists paths to encourage the citizens to treat cycling as their daily transport (Bhopal, 1995). In addition, electric vehicles (EV) which were introduced to the society few years ago had draw attentions from the public in London. The vision of the Mayor regarding Electric Vehicles Delivery Plan is to boost up the usage of EV and build more charge points (Source London, 2010). Electric vehicles run by electric motors are a replacement for petrol and diesel. Mayor of London (2009) shows that EVs owner will be 100% free from congestion charges, discounted rate in parking and privilege of using the bus lanes at certain hours. A research shows that by replacing 100,000 of fuel powered vehicles, Nitrogen oxides could be reduced by 350-400 tonnes per year (Mayor of London, 2009). Lastly but not least, London Hydrogen Partnership was introduced by former London Mayor, Ken Livingstone (Wagner, 2010). This campaign is to encourage the use of hydrogen in vehicles. It is slightly difficult for public transport like buses and taxis which usually operate long hours per day, to power by electric, but it is possible to use hydrogen. Hydrogen is a fuel that does not bring much noise and release less greenhouse gases to the environment (London Hydrogen Partnership, 2010). By using hydrogen in vehicles fully support the aims in sustaining a clean and green environment. In conclusion, due to the irresponsible of humans daily activities and lack of awareness of the current situation caused by over-loading transports, the Earth is getting much more polluted compare to past decades. Unfortunately, some people think that by travelling in their own cars could represent their status in the society or increase their quality of life (Banister, 1997). The public are concerns about the environment by always recycle what they had used at home but they always forget that transport brings a greater impact to the environment. This action could be clearly seen in the process of buying a new vehicle. Fuel consumption of a vehicle is usually the last few points a buyer will consider or it might totally be neglected throughout the whole buying process (Department for Transport, n.d.). It cannot be denied that travelling by own vehicle is always more comfortable than public transport as one do not have to cram with others in a limited place. However, people should consider the long term effects and their future generations. One could enjoy the way they are living now but no one can guarantee what is going to happen the next day. Therefore, citizens should aware of this the environmental issues caused by transport in London. It is everyones responsibility to keep the earth a safe and healthy place to live in. Thus, everyone should work together before it comes to a severe stage where no one can do anything to change it. Citizens should work closely with the government in order to build a good living environment. It does not matter if one does it just for themselves or for the society as long as it could help to improve the current situation of the environment.