Issues †politics Essay

Boeing is one of the world’s best known manufactures of aircrafts and so is Northrop Grumman who are the manufacturers of the airbus (Online News Hour, 2008). These are two top brands who are obviously competing in other areas of business and therefore any decision that involve them is bound to raise considerable heat. It should b noted that both are American companies though Northrop Grumman is partly owned by a French company. The nature of the contract which involves the security of America as a nation is a matter of national concern as it involves the development of structures that could ensure the growth of security systems. Boeing and Grumman being business structures, such a big contract will obviously attract the interest of stakeholders from both sides. There are a number of key issues that have been brought out by the airforce contracts which include: Military contracts are a matter of public concern since it is in place to protect the public, the resources used in the military contracts are derived from taxpayers and therefore the failure of such projects will be a waste of taxpayers money (Meyer, 2007). When McCain questioned the cost effectiveness in leasing planes that would otherwise have no values when their lease period was over his motive as the senator of Alabama was to ensure that the taxpayers money is channeled to useful projects. Furthermore, it is quite clear that the politicians have the ability to shoot down potentially useful deals due to what Northrop Grumman executives refer to as expensive lobbying. Politics is not always objective for there are situations where the stakes involved are shielded from the public and though the politics and viewpoints will be developed to suit the public, the real reasons are often personal (Meyer, 2007). The inclusion of politics in such cases therefore has both advantages and disadvantages and should be weighed carefully. Military procurement just like any other public procurement scheme is prone to corruption, this was the case in the original contract that was brought to an end by Rumsfeld in 2006. Moreover, the big money involved in military procurement processes act as a natural catalysts for corruption, therefore there is need to come up with a robust self regulated systems that will ensure that such unethical practices are not in anyway included in the procurement process, the congress thus comes into the picture (Meyer, 2007). However, the political system is not known for its objectivity. In the cases, some of the reasons brought out against Northrop Grumman are flimsy and lack in objectivity. The fact that there will be lobbying is a clear sign that there will be loss in objectivity thus the decision will tend to favor groups that are be able to garner enough political support in the congress. Furthermore, the political system is one of the most corrupt system there is and the rationale in placing such a system to guard against corruption is questionable. i.Security Military procurement is a security critical matter (Meyer, 2007). The military is in place to ensure that the US is protected against its external enemies (Meyer, 2007). The seriousness with which the equipment tendering process is treated and the keen eye that the media watches the unfolding of such events relay the importance placed on the military by the American people. The US is traditionally a ‘fighting nation’ and the effectiveness of its military and equipments is one of the factors that has cemented its place as a world power. Military activities require high levels of secrecy (Meyer, 2007). There is need to come up with effective equipments that can be used in varied situations. It should be noted that the arguments brought forward by the executives from both sides are centered around the superiority of their products or the weaknesses of their opposite. The need for accuracy and well developed products that have the required reputation are some of the considerations that led to the two big companies making it to the final stage. The two companies are multinationals that have developed their brands all over the globe. It is noteworthy that when the US defense secretary cancels Boeing’s leases other nations still seek their products and are continues seeking the products that have been labeled cost ineffective due to the reputation associated with their brand name. The importance of the security system is seen in the number of avenues and legislative systems that have been put in place to ensure that the process is done in a just manner (Krishnan, 2008). When the airforce declares that Northrop Grumman had won the bid for the airforce tankers, Boeing seeks redress through a different avenue: Public accountability office. The office looks at their complaints and decides to freeze the process. It should be noted that it was the same office that had early in the decades frozen a billion dollar Boeing contract due to corruption charges. Even though there are systems put in place to ensure proper procedures in procurement of services and services, they can be outdone easily (Krishnan, 2008). The corruption allegations made in the initial Boeing contracts are a clear case where the protocols were overridden and it only came to realization a couple of months after the contracts had been signed. Furthermore, the fact that is was later found out that a different design could meet the specifications made by the airforce with reduced costs clearly show that even though the guidelines are put in place they are rarely followed thus the need for a system or authority that will follow up on the recommendations and processes to ensure that they conform to the laid out guidelines. Some politicians have argued that the French affiliation of the airbus manufacturer is in itself a security risk and therefore a purely American company should be contracted. However, such a contracting systems will obviously lock out other capable companies and therefore bring about questions on the integrity of the bidding process. America has prided itself as being a liberalized nation, putting up measures that will lock out other qualified members on the basis of the compositions of its investors is contrary to the spirit of liberalization. Furthermore, being involved with a company that has partnered with a success story in Europe shields the tanker project from American economic downtimes though it effectively ensures that the project is affected by the happening in Europe. It is unrealistic to lobby for Boeing on the basis of confidentiality; a company that has already shown traces of corruption cannot be trusted and neither can a company that is yet to prove its worth in the military sector. Therefore, system should be put in place to ensure that the projects are monitored and compared to some given standards if either is to be awarded the contract. ii. Stability The US is the father of capitalism and is therefore a country that is characterized by intense competition between industry players who will always be on the look for additional finances that will ensure their development into the future (Verkuil, 2007). On the day it was reported that Northrop Grumman had won the military contracts its share prices rose by over 20 cents and Boeing’s shares fell by a couple of cents (CBS News, 2008). Note, the development in the contract procurement were being watched by investors who will then make their decisions on which company to invest in. Even though the large money involved in the transactions may be enough to lure investors into channeling their resources to a particular company, the reputation involved in being a company contracted with one of the world’s best airforce to develop its aircraft tankers is enough to cause significant changes in the company’s share index. Being a capitalistic economy where entities gain at the expense of others, Boeing is bound to feel the pinch. The situation is made worse by the consideration that Boeing has a well developed reputation and therefore failure to win a contract from a partner that it has associated with for a long time may be taken by the investors and its consumers in the wrong light. It may imply that the partner does not trust its capacity to develop superiors products or has doubts on its potential to remain productive. To bring the idea of reputation into perspective, many are of the notion that the corruptions charges brought against Boeing may have affected its chances of successfully bidding for the contract (Verkuil, 2007). This holds considerable weight in that the military is not all about facilities but also reputation. The American people and its enemies will always keep a keen eye on the military and any transactions conducted with a partner who is proved to be corrupt will dent on its integrity thus its reputation. Conclusion Awarding a contract to a company to deliver services that are of public interest is a complex process and will always involve the media and many other systems that have been put in place to ensure the safety of the public. Individual good and interest will always be central in the arguments brought forward by most people, this is more pronounced if the contract will significantly affect many people. It is therefore upon the government and the social systems to ensure that the systems put in place to ensure effectiveness of the bidding process are functioning properly and are robust enough to deal with the dynamism associated with such processes. If need be, changes must be instituted to ensure that the system are functioning. The products delivered must measure up to some predetermined standards to ensure quality and accountability. These measures and other quality management measures if well integrated into the bidding and implementation of contracts that are of public interest will ensure that the public benefits in the best possible way. Word Count: 3271 ,Reference List CBS News (2008). Boeing Spurned On Huge Air Force Contract. Retrieved 13 October 2008 from Krishnan, A. (2008). War as Business: Technological Change and Military Service Contracting. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Meyer, J. (2007). Working in a War Zone: Military Contractors. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. Online News Hour (2008). Boeing, Northrop Grumman Clash Over Tanker Contract. Retrieved 13 October 2008 from United States Government Accountability Office (2008). Statement Regarding the Bid Protest Decision Resolving the Aerial Refueling Tanker Protest by The Boeing Company. Retrieved 13 October 2008 from Verkuil, R. (2007). Outsourcing Sovereignty: Why Privatization of Government Functions Threatens Democracy and what We Can Do about it. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Ideal Democracy Essay

Outline A.) Introduction – Democracy Definition by Latin roots and suffixes a. Background- Articles about the common topic of Democracy and its different definitions. I. Dahl- Dahl’s view in political system. b. Thesis – Through observation from Dahl’s point of view, I will explain the meaning of the ideal democracy while considering how it began during the founding years of the United States and discuss the deficiencies from personal reflection. B.) 1st Topic – Dahl’s Ideal Democracy c. What is Dahl’s ideal democracy? II. Consisting of five standards, Dahl’s ideal democracy is â€Å"a designed set of rules and principles, a constitution, that will determine how the association’s decision are to be made. And your constitution must be in conformity with one elementary principle: that all the members are to be treated (under the constitution) as if they were equally qualified to participate in the process of making decisions about the policies the association will pursue.† In order to govern this association, all members are to be considered politically equal. III. Five Standards 1. Effective participation 2. Voting in equality 3. Gaining enlightened understanding. 4. Exercising final control over the agenda 5. Inclusion of adults d. Why is Dahl’s democracy significant? IV. There are 10 main benefits from practicing the ideal democracy. 6. Democracy helps to prevent government by cruel and vicious autocrats. 7. Democracy guarantees its citizens a number of fundamental rights that nondemocratic systems to not, and cannot, grant. 8. Democracy insures its citizens a broader range of personal freedom than any feasible alternative to it. 9. Democracy helps people to protect their own fundamental interests. 10. Only a democratic government can provide a maximum opportunity for persons to exercise their freedom of self-determination – that is, to live under laws of their own choosing. 11. Only a democratic government can provide a maximum opportunity for exercising moral responsibility. 12. Democracy fosters human development more fully than any feasible alternative. 13. Only a democratic government can foster a relatively high degree of political equality. 14. Modern representative democracies do not fight wars with one another. 15. Countries with democratic government tend to be more prosperous than countries with nondemocratic governments. e. Why Political Equality? V. Political equality is highly recommended under this observation for intrinsic equality and civic competence. C.) 2nd Topic – The Founding Years f. The Constitution g. The Articles of Confederation h. The Democracy in Both i. The comparison between the beginning democracy and the ideal democracy j. D.) 3rd Topic – My Reflection and the Deficiencies k. How Do I compare the US Democracy to Dahl’s Ideal Democracy? VI. After the founding up until the 1960’s civil rights movement l. Discuss the Democratic deficits m. Discuss improvements since the 1960’s n. Discuss the development including developing improvements and imperfections. E.) Conclusion o. Introduction From the definition of the Latin words, the root demo means people and the suffix -cracy means government or rule. When putting the two together to form the word democracy, by definition, the words means to have the people rule the government. This means that all of the people should have their opinion accepted about everything that affects their daily lives. Most people of the United States of America believe that we live in a democracy. To live in a democracy means to have the freedoms that are considered fundamental to human freedom and flourishing. According to an article on the ideal democracy, though democracy is widely considered to bet the most preferable form of government, this conviction alone is not enough to establish its supremacy as the ideal form of government often having flaws when actualized (Coffrin, 2012). Robert Dahl, often called â€Å"the Dean† of American political scientists, is one of America’s most prolific democracy professors and critics. One of his many contributions is his explication of the varieties of power which he defines as â€Å"A† getting â€Å"B† to do what â€Å"A† wants but preferring the more influence terms. In his book On Democracy, he provides his definition of the real â€Å"Ideal Democracy†. This democracy isn’t much like the democracy we practice today in America. Through observation from Dahl’s point of view, I will explain the meaning of the ideal democracy while considering how it began during the founding years of the United States and then discuss the deficiencies from personal reflection. Body There are a number of ways in which the term â€Å"democracy† is used. When looking upon the definition from the Merriam Webster dictionary, democracy has five separate meanings; two being â€Å"a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections† and â€Å"the principle and policies of the Democratic party in the US† (democracy, 2012). These definitions are describing the actuality of what democracy is however Dahl’s ideal is not mentioned in the dictionary. Dahl’s ideal democracy is only in his imagination. He believes that democracy is really â€Å"a designed set of rules and principles, a constitution, that will determine how the association’s decision are to be made†¦and that all the members are to be treated as if they were equally qualified to participate in the process of making decisions about the policies the association will pursue† (Dahl, 37). In order to govern this association, all members are to be considered politically equal in order to provide opportunities for effective participation, equality in voting, gaining enlightened understanding, exercising final control over the agenda, and inclusion of adults (38). According to Dahl’s outlook, the ideal democracy has at least 10 advantages. Democracy helps to prevent government by cruel and vicious autocrats, guarantees its citizens a number of fundamental rights that nondemocratic systems to not grant, it insures its citizens a broader range of personal freedom than any feasible alternative, it helps people to protect their own fundamental interests, is only a democratic government that can provide a maximum opportunity for persons to exercise their freedom of self-determination and for exercising moral responsibility, it fosters human development more fully than any feasible alternative, it can foster a relatively high degree of political equality, never fight wars with another democratic organization, and countries with democratic governments tend to be more prosperous (Dahl, 60). These selections of standards and advantages are designed to enhance and motivate members to be a part of the ideal democratic process. But the key point to the ideal democracy is political equality. Political equality is highly recommended under this observation for intrinsic equality and civic competence. For intrinsic equality we need to express a moral judgment about human beings intending to â€Å"say something about what we believe ought to be† (Dahl, 65). As the words of the Declaration employed, with moral judgment we claim that one person’s life, liberty, and happiness is not intrinsically superior or inferior to the life, liberty, and happiness of any other (65). We should adopt this principle for ethical and religious grounds, the weakness of an alternative principle, prudence, and acceptability (67). In this intrinsic equality, there must be application to the value to the government of the state in which the government must give equal consideration to the interest of every person. For civic competence, there must be a rejection of the Guardianship as a satisfactory way of applying the main idea. â€Å"Among adults no persons are so definitely better qualified than others to govern that they should be entrusted with complete and final authority over the government of the state† (Dahl, 79). This theory suggests that we be governed by ourselves. From what I’ve learned in part one of Dahl’s Ideal Democracy, the United States of America isn’t so democratic as it is represented to be based upon the founding of the US Constitution and the Articles of Confederation. Works Cited Kolar, M. (2005). What is democracy. Retrieved on March 11, 2012 from http://www.whatisdemocracy.net/ Coffrin, T. (2012). Ideal democracy. Retrieved on March 11, 2012 from http://trevorcoffrin.hubpages.com/hub/IdealDemocracy

Culture & Values: Michael Haneke and Wislawa Szymborska Essay

Texts reflect the culture and values of their eras by presenting and addressing perspectives of the composers on the issues of the context. The poem The End and the Beginning by Wislawa Szymborska and the Austrian film 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance by Michael Haneke accomplish this by exemplifying issues in 1990s society such as the increasing influence of media and the breakdown of interpersonal communication. The End and the Beginning is a Polish poem by Wislawa Szymborska which captures a wars aftermath on its innocent citizens and how, in time, both the war and its origins are forgotten. It thus shows how the values of a country or society may change over time as the views and opinions of its citizens change. The overall tone of the poem is grim and bitter, with both clear references and poetical allusions to death throughout. The poem can be rendered into two parts the first focusing on rebuilding and the second focusing on the fading of memories with the passing of time. In the first part, the third and fourth stanzas highlight the citizens perspectives, accomplished through references to rebuilding on a much smaller scale, Someone must glaze a window, rehang a door. Szymborska addresses the fact that we are shown the impact of war on a much larger scale and highlights the importance of such small, almost mundane tasks that are required in the process of rebuilding a country. In turn, this can be seen as a microcosm for the larger effects of war on a country, such as the nations economic stability and global connections both of which became increasingly important in the 1990s, with issues such as globalisation and consumerism having profound impacts on the world. Szymborska also addresses the issue of the increasing impact of media in the 1990s. The opening lines allude to the news media and how it subsumes such tragic events into clichà ©d headlines and sound-bytes. We, as viewers, automatically assume that the devastating effects of war would be righted and our minds are immediately focused on the next article. Szymborska highlights the contrast between this assumption and actually having to deal  with the rebuilding in the line Things wont straighten themselves up after all. She continues in the fifth stanza with the line Photogenic its not, wryly commenting on the scopophilia of society in the 1990s. She also highlights the negative, shallow and sensationalist qualities of the media with its attraction towards violence rather than rebuilding with the line All the cameras have left for another war. Towards the end of the poem, Szymborska addresses the loss of knowledge with each generation. She is yet again commenting on the values of her society; on the obsession with the future, resulting in our forgetting the important events of the past events from which we must learn rather than repeat, particularly in the last stanza. The knowledge of the event has basically faded into as little as nothing. In contrast to the imagery used before, the tone suggested here is more relaxed, as seen with the words stretched out. However, the lines also carry dark, negative undertones with allusions to death someone must be stretchedgazing at the clouds, showing that as memories fade, we are liable to make the same mistakes again. Likewise, the Austrian film 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (71 Fragments) by Michael Haneke offers a critique of Austrias affluent society and analyses the general breakdown of communication and understanding in a world with increasing technology and changing values. Set in the 1990s, it also takes the media to task for its desensitising role in society. The film is based on the news item of a bank shooting by a 19-year old, who then kills himself. Haneke uses the film to depict what he himself says is a cross-section of society. He exemplifies the breakdown and degradation of human interpersonal communication within our culture, despite the emergence of technologies in the 1990s which allowed us to communicate more effectively. By structuring the film into 71 fragments, Haneke splits up the narrative, reinforcing the theme of alienation and the breakdown of interpersonal communication. This fragmentation is also visually portrayed through the jigsaw-like paper game. Part-way through the film, a student fails to solve the puzzle leading to an outburst of anger, foreshadowing his final act of violence. Haneke has also used subtle film techniques to add to the sense of a breakdown of communication. The camera is always positioned in such a way that makes the audience feel detached from the characters. Rather than connecting emotionally with the characters, the audience is made to analyse them, thus reflecting the emotionless state which our society has assumed with changing values. The characters themselves are not named, allowing them to become representative of types within society. The use of media is also present throughout the film with Haneke showing the increasingly invasive presence of media within society as values change and mankind becomes more technological and industrialised. By repeating the same articles at the end with the embedding of the films event as another story, Haneke comments on how the media subsumes any disturbance into the even surface of society and integrates it into the unending stream of trivialised information. The film also serves a didactic purpose, as Haneke highlights and criticises the blatant use of violence in Hollywood action films, saying that his films are intended as polemical statements against the American barrel down cinema and its dis-empowerment of the spectator. The explosion of violence in the final scene is abrupt, with the gunshots seeming harsh and cold and the cries of agony of the characters chilling. The victims are not portrayed, thus adding a sense of ambiguity as to who the casualties actually are; the characters or the viewers for appreciating violence. The long take following this scene also tests the audiences patience, showing the grueling process of blood pooling around a body, allowing the responder to reflect upon the tragic events which have just taken place. Haneke also challenges the news medias desensitising role on individuals and society, as seen with the various stories on the conflicts in Northern Ireland and Sarajevo, which are ironically juxtaposed against news of Michael Jackson, whose pleading seems almost humorous in comparison. An analysis of the poem The End and the Beginning by Wislawa Szymborska and the film 71 Fragments by Michael Haneke reveals the changing values and culture of the 1990s. The texts highlight the breakdown of communication and the increasing importance of media within a society which is becoming  increasingly technological and thus, can be seen as a reflection of our own, slightly more advanced culture. Thus, they are examples of texts which reflect the culture and values of the era in which they are composed. Works Cited Szymborska, Wislawa. The End and the Beginning (Poem). Retrieved from: http://www.threepennyreview.com/samples/szymborska_su97.html. Haneke, Michael. 71 Fragmente einer Chronologie des Zufalls (Film). Released in 1994.

2008 Financial Crisis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

2008 Financial Crisis - Term Paper Example In 2007, the US entered a financial crisis, consequences of which are still suffered by the entire country. Until the crisis began and unraveled in 2008, most economists were optimistic. The US economy was growing, markets were considered to be liquid and employment levels were high. However, within one year, everything changed. According to Reavis, â€Å"the collapse of the U.S. housing market triggered the financial crisis† (3). Weak financial regulatory structure, lack of understanding the innovations in the financial sector, over borrowing and securitization of mortgages are seen as main causes of the crisis. Though already in 2006 the Treasury recognized the need for a stronger financial regulatory structure, the crisis was unexpected. Short run potential financial market challenges together with the long run challenges were discussed by the Treasury staff (Swagel 6). The result was March 2008 Treasury Blue print for a Modernized Financial Regulatory Structure in case of policy changes in the long run (Swagel 6). Possible near term scenarios were considered, with some of them being: market driven events such as the failure of a major financial institution, a large sovereign default, or huge losses at hedge funds; as well as slower-moving macroeconomic developments such as †¦ a prolonged economic downturn (Swagel 6). ... ge – backed securities, because â€Å"they added to the liquidity and efficiency of capital markets and made it easier for firms and investors to lay off risk† (8). The policymakers did not have a solid plan to save the economy. Moreover, the US politicians, financial regulators, and monetary authorities did not view any of the risks to be plausible threats (Obstfeld & Rogoff 6). This paper will focus on causes and solutions to the 2008 crisis. Previously mentioned causes of the crisis will be discussed in more detail. It will also be shown how causes interacted and thus also deepened and prolonged the scope and length of the crisis. As also mentioned previously, policymakers were not prepared for the 2008 crisis. Thus, solutions will be discussed as well. Prior to the crisis, the economy was over performing. According to Reavis, the US real estate markets were blooming: From the late 1990s into the mid-2000s, housing prices around the country rose at a compound annual growth rate of 8%. By 2006, the average home cost nearly four times what the average family made. (Historically, it had been between two to three times.) Demand was outstripping supply (Reavis 3). Despite flat incomes, families bought houses whose prices were rising. The Clinton administration enabled them to do so by easing the eligibility requirements (Reavis 3). Risky homeowners and the housing boom from the late 1990’s till the mid 2000’s drove the US economy’s growth through additional jobs in construction, remodeling, and real estate services ( Reavis 3). Families borrowed $2 trillion (Reavis 3). Mortgage-backed securities and credit default swaps (CDSs) became popular. A mortgage-backed security is a pool of mortgages that were bundled together and sold as securities (Reavis 7). They became

Trends in Contemporary Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Trends in Contemporary Society - Essay Example This will be followed by an exploration of the cellular phone and its relevance today. Looking at the trend of banning cell phone use while driving, this section will explore the ways in which the cellular phone is perceived of as a hazard while driving. Finally, we explore television as the most ubiquitous technological phenomenon and the ways in which this media helps further democracy and free thought. Significantly, technological trends are at the forefront of social change and the following will explore a multitude of technological trends and look at their social significance. iPod, through its parent company Apple Computers, has fundamentally transformed the ways in which people listen to music. Whether it is through the Ipod personal audio system, downloaded tracks through iTunes, or through the highly popular innovation of the iPhone, Apple has successfully appealed to its target demographic through a variety of innovative means. iPod has successfully outmaneuvered nearly all of its adversaries within the personal music field and radically transformed an industry. Whether it is the iPod shuffle, the iPod touch, classic or nano, this particular product continues to innovate and thus has maintained its supreme position at the helm of the personal listening device field. With bright new flashy skins, as well as a series of interfaces which tie directly into the Apple network, the innovation of the iPod continues and has ensured that this product remains at the forefront of an ever-changing industry. Teenagers are the primary audience for Apple’s st rategic marketing campaigns as they are also an important buying demographic unencumbered by major financial obligations. Teenagers are the demographic who may be able to afford to spend $250 on the latest iPod or the accessories associated with the latest personal mp3 player. Because teenagers often have more disposable and non-discretionary income than most other demographic groups, they

Early Childhood Education in UK in Comparison to Italy Essay

Early Childhood Education in UK in Comparison to Italy - Essay Example In Italy, the state has acknowledged the importance of pre-school education (preparatory school to primary education), took over the complete responsibility in 1968 with the Law no. 444. With Law no. 444, pre-school, with the passing of time by, by gaining educational value and didactical autonomy, became a part of the educational system. Currently Law no. 53 of 28 Mar 2003 and delegated decree no. 59 of 19 Feb 2004 provide for the full introduction of pre-schools in the education system. Due to the anticipated enrollment in pre-schools, all efforts are now directed to open pre-schools to children who reach three years of age. As far as primary education is concerned, in Italy, The Casti Law (1859) provided the establishment of compulsory lower primary school (including 1st and 2nd class) and higher primary school (including 3rd and 4rth class). Municipalities had to take care of this and by 1861 this establishment is extended to the whole of Italy. Currently, with the approval of Legislative Decree 59/2004, primary school education is now composed of 5-year primary school and 3-year lower secondary school education. After the approval of decree no. 59, the debates are going on how teachers are going to UK Government consists of Legislature, the Executive and the judiciary. The parliament consists of Queens, the appointed house of Lords and the elected House of Commons consisting of 659 members. Parliament passes laws, monitors government policies. The Executive cabinet consists of 20 ministers, usually ahead of government departments, appointed and chosen by Prime Minister. Before school standard and framework act 1998, Local Education Authority (LEA) gave provisions to children aged between 2 to 5 years having some Special Education Needs. The 1998 Act imposed a duty on LEA to provide pre-school education in their area. By Apr 2004, LEA has provided free places for two and a half hours of pre-school five days a week to all 3-year and 4-year old children

Cold War Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cold War - Assignment Example hereas Nixon’s administration seemed to continue this legacy of Truman’s anticommunist, he had eased out the tension with the communist block after becoming president in the 1960s although this rendered him to appear to be timid and indecisive (Johnson & Parta,2010). For the eight years that Truman was in office he won the war and brought peace to the world and created and maintained a foreign policy that managed to prevent the spread of communalism to the world. On the other hand Nixon envisioned a phase in which more cordial and relaxed relations among major world powers which would allow for ventures profitable to all (Johnson & Parta, 2010). Cold war greatly influenced many aspects of American society cutting across social, cultural life and civil rights movements. It led to litany of movies that were meant to promote patriotism, brought about racial inequality, establishment of fair employment commissions. Indeed this war left a great mark majorly on movies, art, poetry and sports. Cultural exchanges both formal and informal were common to help iron out cold war

Freshmen Should Be Required to Live in the Dorms Essay

Freshmen Should Be Required to Live in the Dorms - Essay Example As well as Studies show, students who live on campus perform better academically than students living at home, said Michael Coakley, associate dean of student affairs and executive director of housing. Coakley added â€Å"National and institutional studies have continually shown that students who live in school housing for their first year of study have significantly higher retention rates, graduates according to the school calendar, and have greater involvement in campus life,† Campus housing not only provides academic and social benefit to the freshmen but also has advantages of free and available food, just like home even though it does not taste good like home food, but at least they know they have available ready-made food when needed. Also, there is a warm place to live, sleep, study and save, oppose to the student who stay outside campus, they will have to balance between studies and household chores like buying and cooking food, and paying bills i.e. electricity, water . One cannot serve two masters at a time (studies vs. household chores); therefore, freshmen students should live in campus in order to save resources like money and use it for something else like business, clothing, partying, or donations. Living outside campus especially as a freshman, students miss campus life experiences like dorms offer support and learning experiences, in such a way students who wants to study late in the libraries can do so, without worrying about taxi, train fares, or security like mugged, raped, or worse murdered on the way home. I believe living at school makes one socially prepared for life since they will be able to learn to be independent away from their parents, meet many people with a common interest as theirs, above all a friend a person make in college will often be friends for life. Living in campus will also allow them to join extra curriculum activities like clubs and sports, which allow students to step out from their comfort zone and experience new interest giving room for social connection and bonding. Though, many students complain about overcrowding in dorms, annoying roommates, noises and denial of freedom, freshmen are young adults, and they need to know that in every institution globally there are different individuals with different personalities, beliefs and cultures. Therefore, in order to survive, they need to deal with different people and situation. Nevertheless, rules are everywhere to be followed. Young people need rules, which remind them of their misleading acts, being shown where to live is not some kind of juvenile treatment and lack of freedom to choose, but on the brighter side, it works like a charm by reducing financial hardship to students who came from other states or under scholarships/ bursaries. Students should live in their dormitories during the first year because it allows them to network with other students easily. It has been proven through various social science studies that students with strong networking skills prove to be more successful in their careers as opposed to independent or isolated individuals. Networking also provides students with skills on problem solving and decision making in issues they face in life. Therefore, to obtain knowledge for lifelong success individuals need to live with career-oriented colleagues. The disadvantages of campus housing are some students may be

Common ground Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Common ground - Essay Example Prior to civil war, raw food materials were flooding the market because people prepared food like bread, cheese, vegetable etc. from the raw material, either bought from the local supermarket or home grown. Late nineteenth and early twentieth century saw the advent of processed food which immediately captured the interest of the consumer. Readymade food flooded the market and ‘two minute’ noodle became the craze. Similarly, the paint industry also went under transformation. Technology as well as the innovative approach to painting, became an instant hit with the consumers who loved the new technology. The emerging paint industries bought the smaller ones and grew rapidly, touching great heights in a comparatively short time. The changing consumer requirement became a vital market strategy in the coming years which saw the emergence of new industrial revolution that specialized in creating new market. The fast technological advancement became the hall mark of post civil war period. The corresponding change in the consumer behaviour was one of the most compelling factor in promoting fast industrialization which was highly original in ideas and became proficient in exploiting the market demand that was intentionally created. Hence the common ground of both the article is the changing consumer demand which moved from the traditional household industries to highly indigenous and technologically advanced industries in area of public interest and

Pro-Forma and Business Cycle Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Pro-Forma and Business Cycle Research Paper Essay This report will compare the pro-forma financial statement of two companies: Bank of America and General Electric also-known as GE. It will describe and summarize the comparison of both organizations and their fiscal stability. It will also detail the typical business cycle of these two companies. Pro-Forma Financial of General Electric and Bank of America General Electric and Bank of America are two companies in the US that are competing to increase their sales, as well as their income in order to increase profits. Both companies are very strong financially: GE is an agglomerates industry with a market capital of $259.56 billion and Bank of America one of the major financial institutions with a market capital of $183.25 billion. Both companies make an effort to improve their bottom figures in each financial year. Bank of America had some merging and restructuring expenses in 2008, but was still showing remarkable earnings. However in the latest first-quarter 2014 report, a net loss of $276 million was published. In 2014, GE decided to acquire the power and Grid business of Alstom. GE expects the deal to be accretive to earnings in the first year. (www.businesswire.com, 2014). Financial Viability and Ratio Analysis of General Electric According to the GE third-quarter 2014 annual report, the organization is performing well and has experienced profit growth since 2013 in the following areas: operating earnings, revenues, industrial segment profits, industrial segment organic revenue, and growth market orders. In addition, new technologies sparked an increase in equipment orders. Likewise, the organization has a strategy in place that has created growth in services business. GE will continue to simplify operations and focus on the needs of its consumers. Furthermore, GE is continuing to gain approval to acquire Alstom Power and Grid businesses. This acquisition is expected to take  place in 2015. The acquisition is expected to increase GE’s cost per share and it will help GE obtain its goal of receiving most of its earnings through industrial businesses. (GE Reports Third-Quarter 2014, 2013) A ratio analysis is a â€Å"quantitative analysis of information contained in a company’s financial statements. (Definition of Ratio Analysis, 2014) It is used to â€Å"evaluate various aspects of a company’s operating and financial performance such as its efficiency, liquidity, profitability and solvency† (Definition of Ratio Analysis, 2014). This is a great tool to calculate how the company is doing over a certain amount of time. GE’s efficiency ratio for day’s inventory, for example, was 54.76, however in 2013, it was 77.36. Receivables turnover was another huge improvement from 2004, at 12.21, to 2013 at 6.81(General Electric Co, 2014). GE’s short term debt has decreased from 21.02% in 2004 to 13.24% in 2013 however the long term debt has increased, with 28.41% in 2004, and 36.97% in 2013. The current ratio has also improved with 2.39 in 2004, and 2.53 in 2013, this is a big win for GE! (General Electric Co, 2014) This shows that the company is more able to pay debts and short term obligations than when it first began (Current Ratio Definition, 2014). Financial Viability and Ratio Analysis of Bank of America In order to know the financial health of an organization, it is imperative to know the organizations financial viability. We have looked at the financial viability for Bank of America and find it to be a viable company. We looked at Bank of Americas Return on Investment (ROI) which is calculated by looking at Bank of Americas yearly return compared to the total investment we need for a project. Bank of Americas Revenue was 98,353 million with Net Income at 5,222 million for the year ending 2013. Total liabilities were 1,884,932 million with 2,123,613 million in total assets (Bank of America, 2014). Bank of Americas working capital ratio is 1.126 which shows us that is able to have enough cash to repay debts. Bank of Americas debt ratio is .8876 which shows that this company can repay long term debt. These few ratios help us see that this business is able to generate enough surpluses in order to meet their recurring payment obligation which also verifies the companys viability (Bank o f America, 2014). Business Cycle A business cycle is the growth or decline in an economy. As of today the economy has grown from the recession in September 2008 that left many people without jobs, the stock market plunges and many companies going bankrupt and closing. Furthermore, the goal of economic policy is to keep the economy in a healthy growth rate that create jobs for people, but slow enough to avoid inflation. Many factors can cause an economy to spin out of control, or settle into depression. The most important, over-riding factor is confidence of investors, consumers, businesses and politicians. The economy grows when there is confidence in the future and in policymakers, and does the opposite when confidence drops (Amadeo, 2014). Recent banking trends offer subtle indications about the business cycle. The financial crisis in 2008 stemmed from explosive monetary policy during the preceding period (Hofschire, 2014). During the financial crisis in 2008 it left a lot of companies wondering if they will ever get back to where they were before the market plunged. Financial institutions, such as Bank of America made it difficult for home buyers to take out loans to purchase properties. Although the housing market dropped, it was harder to qualify for loans because the qualifications were stricter. Furthermore, home owners were in upside loans because they could not afford to pay back the loans. During the financial crisis in 2008 General Electric (GE) was one of the major companies that produced numerous of appliances, such as refrigerators, stoves, microwaves and much more. However, they took a huge financial loss as their earnings started to decrease as sale prices declined (Smith, 2008). General Electric said profits from its money and commercial finance divisions should total $2 billion in the third quarter, down nearly 20 percent from $2.45 billion in the second quarter (Smith, 2008). General Electric Capital is a large contributor to the companys global earnings. Furthermore, General Electric had to give up some assets to raise their capital. As of today GE is one of the largest companies, which generate home appliances and they were able to overcome the financial crisis and regain their financial earnings. Conclusion This report shows that both GE and Bank of America are seeing steady growth and are slowly recovering from the recession. Both GE and Bank of America  seem to be in the expansion part of the business cycle as sales would project. GE has improved in its current ratio between 2004 and 2013, and Bank of American still needs to improve its current ratio. Both companies have seen an increase in many areas of their financials and plan to continue to increase sales and profits. References Alstom Board Chooses GE Offer. (2014, June 21). Retrieved November 29, 2014, from www.businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140621005026/en/Alstom-Board-Chooses-GE-Offer#.VHu2r-8g9es Amadeo, K. (2014). What Is the Business Cycle? Retrieved November 30, 2014, from useconomy.about.com: http://useconomy.about.com/od/glossary/g/business_cycle.htm Bank of America. (2014, May). Retrieved November 30, 2014, from www.forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/companies/bank-of-america/ Current Ratio. (2014). Retrieved November 30, 2014, from www.investopedia.com: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/currentratio.asp GE news. (2014, October 17). Retrieved November 30, 2014, from www.genewsroom.com: www.genewsroom.com/press-releases/ge-reports-3q%E2%80%9914-operating-eps-038-6-3q-industrial-profit-9-operating-margins-90 General Electric. (2014, May). Retrieved November 30, 2014, from www.forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/companies/general-electric/ General Electric. (2014, November 2 8). Retrieved November 30, 2014, from financials.morningstar.com: http://financials.morningstar.com/ratios/r.html?t=GE Ratio Analysis. (2014). Retrieved November 30, 2014, from www.investopedia.com: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/ratioanalysis.asp Schire, D. H. (2014, February 28). March business cycle update. Retrieved November 30, 2014, from www.fidelity.com: https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/market-and-economic-insights/economy-update-march-14 Smith, A. (2008, October 9). Wall Street crisis hits GE. Retrieved November 30, 2014, from money.cnn.com: http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/09/news/companies/ge_earnings/ Walker, A., McEntire, L. (2014). Investor Relations. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from www.bankofamerica.com: http://investor.bankofamerica.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=71595p=irol-newsArticleID

Composite Materials In Automotive Brake Disc

Composite Materials In Automotive Brake Disc Abstract The aim of this paper is to explore the uses of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in the automotive industry, their advantages over current grey cast iron discs, their manufacturing processes and potential commercial applications. Cast iron brake discs consume much fuel due to its high specific gravity. As a result, a better and perhaps cheaper alternative is needed to fulfil the needs of high end automotive industries and even mid range consumer vehicles. INTRODUCTION Reducing green house gases and fuel consumption is a common goal for automotive industries and of paramount importance. Auto industries have dramatically increased the use of aluminium in light vehicles in order to reduce weight and help improve efficiency. Aluminium alloy based metal matrix composites (MMCs) with ceramic particulate reinforcement have shown great promise for such applications [1,2]. These materials having a lower density and higher thermal conductivity as compared to the conventionally used gray cast irons are expected to result in weight reduction of up to 50 60 % in brake systems [3]. Under severe service conditions like higher speed, higher load etc, these advanced materials have the potential to with stand these conditions. Basic mechanism of mechanical properties The high fracture toughness or crack resistance mentioned above is a result of the following mechanism: under load the ceramic matrix cracks, like any ceramic material, at an elongation of about 0.05%. In CMCs the embedded fibres bridge these cracks. This mechanism works only when the matrix can slide along the fibres, which means that there must be a weak bond between the fibres and matrix. A strong bond would require a very high elongation capability of the fibre bridging the crack, and would result in a brittle fracture, as with conventional ceramics. Thermal and electrical properties The thermal and electrical properties of the composite are a result of its constituents, namely fibers, matrix and pores as well as their composition. The orientation of the fibers yields anisotropic data. Oxide CMCs are very good  electrical insulators, and because of their high porosity their  thermal insulation  is much better than that of conventional oxide ceramics. The use of carbon fibers increases the  electrical conductivity, provided the fibers contact each other and the voltage source. Silicon carbide matrix is a good thermal conductor. Electrically, it is a  semiconductor, and its  resistance  therefore decreases with increasing temperature. Compared to (poly)crystalline SiC, the amorphous SiC fibers are relatively poor conductors of heat and electricity. CMC Brake Discs Disc brakes  are typically made out of grey cast iron. This material is has high tensile strength and can withstand a high temperature before failing. In high performance vehicles the amount of heat generated by friction when braking can be too great so the brakes fail or must be changed often. The failure is due to thermally induced fractures. Also these brakes can be heavy and susceptible to corrosion, which cause failure. Other composites have been tested such as Metal Matrix Composite, and Carbon Carbon Composites. The challenges with these materials are the ability to dissipate heat caused by friction isnt optimal at high enough temperatures. A typical grey cast iron disc brake can withstand a surface heat of 400 C before failure occurs. Type C/C-SiC is a Carbon fiber phase added to a Silicon Carbide matrix. The resulting material has increased strength with a lower density and high tribological characteristics. The most predominant feature is its ability to withstand high temperatures without failure. Due to its low coefficient of thermal expansion and high thermal conductivity, this CMC can retain its strength at high temperature. This CMC was manufactured as a disc brake with 2D reinforced discontinuous fibers. The fibers are placed perpendicular to the surface of friction to maximize Thermal conductivity. The result is a disc brake that can withstand surfaces temperatures of 1000 C with minimal wear. Problems There are multiple reasons for CMC disk brakes not being implemented among regular cars. Firstly, there is a low demand for high performance brakes due to the brakes themselves being rather expensive. As CMCs gain popularity, the cost of the raw material is expected to reduce, regardless of it being slightly expensive. Since regular cars arent used at high speeds, the amount of heat generated with low friction is small. As such, the Carbon Silicon Carbide brakes become inefficient and much weaker particularly in colder conditions. Thermal expansion of the composite and ceramic matrix results in this weakness. Cracking can occur on the surface of the brakes as the material expands at different rates under different temperatures. ADVANTAGES The integration of long multi-strand fibres has drastically increased the crack resistance,  elongation  and  thermal shock  resistance, and resulted in several new applications. As a result this has overcome the common problems associated with the conventional technical ceramics like alumina, silicon carbide, aluminium nitride, silicon nitride, or zirconia. Elongation  to rupture up to 1% Strongly increased  fracture toughness Extreme  thermal shock  resistance Improved dynamical load capability Anisotropic  properties following the orientation of fibers In comparison to the conventional grey cast iron brake disk the carbon-ceramic brake disk Weighed round 50 per cent less reducing the unsprung mass by almost 20 kilograms Improved brake response and fading data High thermal stableness No hot judder Excellent pedal feel Improved steering behavior High abrasion resistance and this longer life time and the advantage of avoiding almost completely brake dust The table below shows the properties of grey cast iron and its advanced alternatives (SGL Group n.d.) Property Unit Material C/SiC material, general C/SiC for carbon- ceramic brake disk Gray cast iron (GG-20) Density g cm-3 1,8 2,9 2,45 7,25 Tensile strength MPa (=N mm-2) 10 240 20 40 200 250 Modulus of elasticity GPa 20 240 30 90 110 Flexural strength MPa (=N mm-2) 20 210 50 80 150 250 Elongation at break % 0.05 0.8 0.3 0.3 0.8 Thermal shock resistance   (second thermal coefficient K) W m-1 26.500 46.000 > 27.000 < 5.400 Thermal stability  °C 1350 1350 approx. 700 Maximum operating temperature   (brake disk)  °C 1400   non-oxidizing 900 700 Linear coefficient of thermal expansion K-1 1.0 3.5 2.6 3.0 9 12 Thermal conductivity W m-1K-1 20 150 40 54 Specific heat capacity (cp) kJkg-1K-1 0.6 1.7 0.8 0.5 Manufacturing Processes There are currently 5 known manufacturing procedures for matrix forming. They are: Matrix deposition from a gas phase Matrix forming via pyrolysis of C- and Si-containing polymers Matrix forming via chemical reaction Matrix forming via sintering Matrix formed via electrophoresis Matrix deposition from a gas phase involves a process known as chemical vapour deposition where in the presence of a fibre perform, the deposition takes place between the fibres and their individual filaments and thus called chemical vapour infiltration. Pyrolysis (Pyrolysis  is a  thermo chemical  decomposition  of  organic material  at elevated temperatures without the participation of  oxygen) of C- and Si-containing polymers involves hydrocarbon  polymers to shrink during  pyrolysis, and upon  out gassing  form carbon with an amorphous, glass-like structure, which by additional heat treatment can be changed to a more  graphite-like structure. Matrix formation via chemical reaction works by one material being located between the fibres that react with a second material to form the ceramic matrix. Sintering is used to manufacture oxide fibre/oxide matrix CMC materials. Special  precursor  liquids are used to infiltrate the pre-form of oxide fibres. In the  electrophoresis  process, electrically charged particles are dispersed in a special liquid are transported through an  electric field  into the preform, which has the opposite electrical charge polarity. Application in Brake Discs Carbon/carbon  (C/C) materials have found their way into the  disk brakes  of  racing cars  and  airplanes, and C/SiC brake disks manufactured by the LSI process were qualified and are commercially available for  luxury vehicles. The advantages of these C/SiC disks are: Very little wear, resulting in lifetime use for a car with a normal driving load of 300,000  km, is forecast by manufacturers. No  fading  is experienced, even under high load. No surface  humidity  effect on the friction coefficient shows up, as in C/C brake disks. The corrosion resistance, for example to the road salt, is much better than for metal disks. The disk mass is only 40% of a metal disk. This translates into less unsprung and rotating mass. The weight reduction improves shock absorber response, road-holding comfort, agility, fuel economy, and thus driving comfort. The SiC-matrix of LSI has a very low porosity, which protects the carbon fibers quite well. Brake disks do not experience temperatures above 500  °C for more than a few hours in their lifetime. Oxidation is therefore not a problem in this application. The reduction of manufacturing costs will decide the success of this application for middle-class cars.

Economic Conservation vs. Environmental Conservation Essay -- Economic

Economic Conservation vs. Environmental Conservation Around the world people are being affected by conservation and endangered species laws and regulations. Some want the biggest house on the most beautiful land and have the money to get it, while others feel that we have developed enough and there has to be more land left to nature. I feel that while endangered species should be protected, their protection should not change the way that local people function, and interact with one another. This has prompted a battle of economic growth versus environmental conservation that can be found both locally such as in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and world wide such as the southern mountainous region of Vietnam. Duxbury is a small town on the south shore of Massachusetts located on the coast between Boston and Cape Cod. The town’s barrier beach is a long thin peninsula spanning the entire length of the town’s coast. It is called a barrier beach because it acts essentially as a barrier between the mainland coasts and the larger ocean waves. Access to the barrier beach, through the town, is limited to a single wooden bridge. Once over the bridge, there is a walk-on beach, and a sandy road that provides access to the rest of the peninsula. Along the road there are a number of drive-on beaches, which provide over-sand access to four wheel drive cars, and at the end of the peninsula are two small groups of homes called Gurnet and Saquish. Seasonal beach permits, which are necessary for anyone to drive over the bridge, are sold to both residents and non residents and these funds are used to maintain the ever-changing beach. According to the Town of Duxbury website, permits for the 2003 season ran between $45 and $110 for re... ... will live on. Works Cited Best of Boston 2003. (2003, July). Boston Magazine Fawthrop, T. (1996) Vietnam-Environment: Forest destroyers turned saviors. Global Information Network. Retrieved September 20, 2003 from factavia database. Hainer, R. (2003, August 21). In beach access debate, concom follows middle of road course. [Electronic version]. The Duxbury Clipper. Retrieved September 10, 2003 from, http://www.eduxbury.com/article_541.shtml Katz, D. (2003) Balance in the Bay Series: The fight, flight, and plight of the plover, Pit falls of a pit stop. [Electronic version]. The Duxbury Clipper. Retrieved September 21, 2003, from http://www.eduxbury.com/article_507.shtml2003 Massachusetts. Town of Duxbury. 2003 Beach Permits. Retrieved September 21,2003 from, http://www.town.duxbury.ma.us/Public_Documents/DuxburyMA_BTPermits/index

The Struggle of the Zapatatista Movement: Seeking a Solution after 10 years :: Essays Papers

The Struggle of the Zapatatista Movement: Seeking a Solution after 10 years "There hasn't been much change. We're still poor," Isaac [A Zapatista Rebel since 1994] acknowledged, as he cast a glance over [his hometown’s] wooden shacks and shoeless children. "But at least now people are aware. -Isaac, Zapatista Leader Since the Beginning (CNN Wolrd Article) Introduction: The indigenous community of Chiapas, Mexico has been struggling for hundreds of years, ever since the inception of the Spanish conquest. The Indians of Mexico (and especially of Chiapas) have been dehumanized and have been rejected of constitutional rights throughout history. For this reason, and other related reasons, the indigenous population of Chiapas has suffered from hunger, lack of health care access, poverty, loss of agricultural land, and racism over the past four centuries. In particular, the majority of Mayan populations in Chiapas are often forced to bear injustices and infractions of natural human rights. Set deep in the thriving green and fertile jungles of southeastern Mexico, Zapatistas have maintained a resistance movement to stand up for the injustices endured by the approximately 2.3 million people who live and die in the Chiapas countryside. A war broke out in Southern Mexico on New Year’s Day of 1994, 10 years ago. In its first military actions, the Ejà ©rcito Zapatista de Liberacià ³n Nacional (EZLN) demanded from the Mexican federal government democracy, liberty, and justice for all Mexicans. Led by Subcomandante Marcos, the Zapatistas demanded autonomy from the government, legal recognition of Indians in Mexico, demilitarization, and the redistribution of agricultural lands. But time and time again these rights continue to be denied. No president has been able to reach an agreement with the Zapatistas. The war still continues, although the negotiations have halted. The bloodshed still continues, and yet there is still no solution to this conflict. A solution that satisfies both the Mexican government and the Zapatistas is attainable. A proposed Solution involves a 4 part solution to the four demands of the Zapatistas: health care, indigenous rights, demilitarization, and redistribution of land. But first, a comprehensive history and causes for the lack of success of the movement must be discussed. . History / Reasons for Lack of Success of the Zapatista Movement: The Zapatista movement has generally failed to achieve tangible improvements for the indigenous community of Chiapas. There are three key causes for the inability to reach an agreement with the Mexican Government. Contemporary economic policies, the elitism of the Mexican political state, and continued intrusion from international foreign powers such as the U. The Struggle of the Zapatatista Movement: Seeking a Solution after 10 years :: Essays Papers The Struggle of the Zapatatista Movement: Seeking a Solution after 10 years "There hasn't been much change. We're still poor," Isaac [A Zapatista Rebel since 1994] acknowledged, as he cast a glance over [his hometown’s] wooden shacks and shoeless children. "But at least now people are aware. -Isaac, Zapatista Leader Since the Beginning (CNN Wolrd Article) Introduction: The indigenous community of Chiapas, Mexico has been struggling for hundreds of years, ever since the inception of the Spanish conquest. The Indians of Mexico (and especially of Chiapas) have been dehumanized and have been rejected of constitutional rights throughout history. For this reason, and other related reasons, the indigenous population of Chiapas has suffered from hunger, lack of health care access, poverty, loss of agricultural land, and racism over the past four centuries. In particular, the majority of Mayan populations in Chiapas are often forced to bear injustices and infractions of natural human rights. Set deep in the thriving green and fertile jungles of southeastern Mexico, Zapatistas have maintained a resistance movement to stand up for the injustices endured by the approximately 2.3 million people who live and die in the Chiapas countryside. A war broke out in Southern Mexico on New Year’s Day of 1994, 10 years ago. In its first military actions, the Ejà ©rcito Zapatista de Liberacià ³n Nacional (EZLN) demanded from the Mexican federal government democracy, liberty, and justice for all Mexicans. Led by Subcomandante Marcos, the Zapatistas demanded autonomy from the government, legal recognition of Indians in Mexico, demilitarization, and the redistribution of agricultural lands. But time and time again these rights continue to be denied. No president has been able to reach an agreement with the Zapatistas. The war still continues, although the negotiations have halted. The bloodshed still continues, and yet there is still no solution to this conflict. A solution that satisfies both the Mexican government and the Zapatistas is attainable. A proposed Solution involves a 4 part solution to the four demands of the Zapatistas: health care, indigenous rights, demilitarization, and redistribution of land. But first, a comprehensive history and causes for the lack of success of the movement must be discussed. . History / Reasons for Lack of Success of the Zapatista Movement: The Zapatista movement has generally failed to achieve tangible improvements for the indigenous community of Chiapas. There are three key causes for the inability to reach an agreement with the Mexican Government. Contemporary economic policies, the elitism of the Mexican political state, and continued intrusion from international foreign powers such as the U.

Ethics of Civil Disobedience Essay -- Ethics Morals Philosophy Rationa

Ethics of Civil Disobedience Ban animal cruelty! Give aid to the poor! Save the rainforests! Obey the law! As a human race we must strive to fulfill these commands, for they are our moral duties and obligations. Our obligation to morality sometimes leads to a dilemma. What happens when a law contradicts the morally right thing to do? Would it be moral to act illegally by breaking the law? No matter how drastic the measure, we are still required to act morally--even if one must break the law to do so. But why is it so important to be moral that one could justify something as serious as breaking the law? If morality is so significant that one could justify breaking the law we must consider the importance of being moral in the first place. The question â€Å"Why be moral?† is difficult for many philosophers to answer. Just by our attempt to answer this question we would already be displaying the need to act morally. This is more clearly seen with the difficulty is asking a similar type of question, â€Å"Why act rationally?† According to Singer many philosophers reject the question â€Å"Why act morally?† because it is parallel to this question of acting rationally. It would take rationality to explain why one should act rationally. Thus defeating the need to explain the importance of rationality in the first place. â€Å"†¦it needs no justification, because it cannot be intelligibly questioned unless it is already presupposed† (Singer 316). Similarly â€Å"why be moral?† asks for a moral reason to act morally. Modern Kantianism considers acting rationally to be the same as acting ethically. If this is true, one could rationalize a need that is in their own self interest, yet at the same time against the interest of another individual. Since this c... ... is the only means of preventing greater violence would be responsible for the greater violence they fail to prevent† (Singer 307). Pacifism can be seen in the same way as the omission approach to euthanasia. Although you are not directly killing, by refusing to step in you are allowing to die. Since the ends can justify the means, even something as radical as violently breaking the law can be the moral thing to do. Above all we desire a meaning to life. We can find meaning by acting morally. Therefore, one is not obligated to obey a law that contradicts morality. After all, it would be morally wrong of the government to deny anyone meaning in life. Works Cited * Singer, Peter. Practical Ethics, 2nd edition. 1993. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press * Rachels, James. â€Å"The Elements of Moral Philosophy,† Fourth Edition. McGraw Hill, New York, 2003.

Engineering Science

The magnitude of the force per unit displaced is and thus, using the equation: Therefore: So the period of vertical oscillation is: 9. Describe an experiment using a simple pendulum to determine the value of acceleration due to gravity (g), deriving any formulae that will be required. The implies of experiments using a pendulum to determine the value of acceleration due to gravity, would be to tie a weight to the end of a piece of string, creating a pendulum. The time of the back and forth motion the pendulum shows is called the period. It does not depend on the mass or the size of the arc, only the length and acceleration due to gravity.The formula for finding the period of a simple pendulum is: Where Period Length of pendulum Transpose the simple pendulum formula to find g: To solve the equations for any pendulum, time the pendulum through say 20 back and forth motions. Then record the time and divide it by 20 to find : Once has been found, measure the length of the pendulum, to th e centre of the weight and input these values into the equations for . Now the acceleration due to gravity can be found. 10. Discuss forced mechanical vibration, resonance and damping in engineering, egg. Aircraft, bridges, ships, cars, etc.Include the sequence of events and a description of the contribution of each to the final outcome. You are encouraged to draw on your own experience where you have been involved in a vibration issue on aircraft. Vibration can be described as the movement on a body, back and forth from its sting place when acted upon by an external force. There are three main parameters that can be measured from vibration. The first being amplitude, measuring how much vibration, frequency, measuring how many times it occurs in relation to time, and phase, which describes how it is vibrating.Forced mechanical vibration is when an external force from a mechanical imbalance causes oscillations through the system. For example when there is an imbalance on the rotors o n a helicopter, the resulting vibrations travel through the aircraft. If the vibration matches the natural frequency of the aircraft, this can cause resonance. Resonance is a potentially destructive vibration as the oscillations will continue to grow in amplitude until the initial forced vibration ceases or failure occurs.For example the well-known ground resonance test on a Chinook aircraft, where a vibration matches the natural frequency of the fuselage and rips itself apart. The likelihood of resonance can be minimized by the use of damping. Damping is the use of systems or components to reduce the amplitude of any oscillations to limit the damage vibrations can cause. This can be done in various ways; springs are used on ears suspension, viscous fluid is used in aircraft landing gear and on the Apache aircraft, rubber lead/lag dampers are used on the rotor head to minimizes the vibration from the blades.An example where forced mechanical vibration leading to resonance has result ed in failure is the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Washington State, USA in 1940. Problems began to arise when on particularly windy days, construction workers on the bridge noticed that the deck oscillated vertically giving the bridge the nickname ‘Galloping Grittier', nevertheless the bridge was opened to traffic on 1st July 1940. The ‘Galloping motion continued and various attempts to correct it proved ineffective. These included extra strengthening cables and hydraulic dampers.Fig 1 On the day of the collapse, 7th November 1940, the wind speed was MPH which resulted in, at first small oscillations of the deck. The wind caused a phenomenon known as rare elastic fluttering (fig 1), where the centre of the deck remains still and either side of the bridge twists in opposite directions. This then escalated into a resonance effect as the oscillations increased periodically. Once the vibration had Ovid past the bridges damping mechanisms and matched the natural fre quency the result was unavoidable as resonance took hold (fig 2).Fig 2 Further damping recommendations were made 5 days before the collapse of the bridge but were too late to save it. Two solutions were proposed: 1. To drill holes in the lateral girders and along the deck so that the airflow could circulate through them (reducing lift forces) 2. To give more aerodynamic shape to the transverse section of the deck by adding fairings or deflector vanes along the deck, attached to the girder fascia Lessons have been learnt from the collapse of the Tacoma NarrowsBridge, the Bronx Whetstone Bridge, similar in design to the ‘Galloping Grittier', was reinforced with fat high steel trusses on both sides of the deck shortly after the disaster to weigh down and stiffen the bridge to reduce oscillations. Thankfully no lives were lost in the collapse and as OTTOMH Amman (a leading bridge designer and a member of the investigation team) said when commenting on the new design of the bridge, ‘ if errors, or failure occur, we must accept them as a price for human progress'. My own experiences of vibration issues on aircraft are generally related to UT of balance rotors or drive shaft components.There have been several instances of loose tail rotor shapeless due to vibration from the tail rotors and cracking on a cooling fan connected to the tail rotor drive due to a worn bearing hangar also causing vibration. Another example of a vibration issue I have been involved with, is struggling to track and balance the main rotors due to a modification which records stress on critical components. This modification altered the balance on the blades and rotor head due to extra weight from wires. Bibliography – Wisped

You Suck: A Love Story Chapter 2~3

Chapter Two The Last Poop â€Å"So that was it?† â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"Never again?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Not ever?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"I feel like I should save them or something.† â€Å"Would you just flush and come out of there.† Chapter Three I am Poor and My Cat Is Huge Jody walked a step or two behind Tommy, just watching him, as they made their way up Third Street toward Market. She was watching his reaction to his new senses, giving him some room to look around, whispering hints about what he was experiencing. She'd gone through this herself only a couple of months ago, and she'd done it without a guide. â€Å"I can see the heat coming off the streetlamps,† Tommy said, looking up and spinning as he walked. â€Å"Every window in every building is a different color.† â€Å"Try to just look at one thing at a time, Tommy. Don't let it overwhelm you.† Jody was waiting for him to comment on the aura that each person was giving off. Not a heat aura, more of a life force. So far they'd only seen healthy red and pink ones – not what she was looking for. â€Å"What's that noise, like running water?† Tommy asked. â€Å"That's the sewers running under the street. All that stuff will fade after a while – you'll still hear it, but you won't notice it unless you focus.† â€Å"It's like a thousand people are talking in my head.† He looked around at the few pedestrians who were out on the street. â€Å"Televisions and radios, too,† Jody said. â€Å"Try to focus on one thing, let the rest fall back.† Tommy stopped, looked up at an apartment window four floors up. â€Å"There's a guy up there having phone sex.† â€Å"Figures you'd zero in on that,† Jody said. She focused on the window. Yes, she could hear the guy panting and giving instructions to someone on the phone. Evidently he felt the caller was a dirty little slut and therefore needed to apply varieties of hot salsa to her body. Jody tried to hear the voice on the other end of the phone, but it was too faint – the guy must have been wearing a headset. â€Å"What a freak,† Tommy said. â€Å"Shhhh,† Jody said. â€Å"Tommy, close your eyes and listen. Forget the salsa guy. Don't look.† Tommy closed his eyes and stood in the middle of the sidewalk. â€Å"What?† Jody leaned against a â€Å"No Parking† sign and smiled. â€Å"What's just to the right of you?† â€Å"How do I know? I was looking up.† â€Å"I know. Focus. Listen. Two feet from your right hand, what is it?† â€Å"This is dumb.† â€Å"Just listen. Listen to the shape of the sound coming from your right.† â€Å"Okay.† Tommy squinted, showing he was concentrating. A couple of androgynous students dressed in black with severe hair, probably from the Academy of Art on the next block, walked by and barely gave them a look until Tommy said, â€Å"I can hear a box. A rectangle.† â€Å"Acid noob,† said one of the students, who sounded like it might be a guy. â€Å"I remember my first trip,† said the other, who was probably a girl. â€Å"I wandered into the men's room at the Metreon and thought I was in a Marcel Duchamp installation.† Jody waited for them to pass then asked, â€Å"Yes, a rectangle, solid, hollow, what?† She was a little giddy now, bouncing on the balls of her feet. This was better than buying shoes. â€Å"It's hollow.† Tommy tilted his head. â€Å"It's a newspaper machine.† He opened his eyes, looked at the newspaper box, then at Jody, his face lit up like a toddler who has just discovered chocolate for the first time. She ran into his arms and kissed him. â€Å"I have so much to show you.† â€Å"Why didn't you tell me?† Tommy asked. â€Å"How could I? Do you have words for what you're hearing? For what you're seeing?† Tommy let her go and looked around, took a deep breath through his nose, as if checking the bouquet of a wine. â€Å"No. I don't know how to say these things.† â€Å"See, that's why I had to share this with you.† Tommy nodded, but looked a little forlorn. â€Å"This part is good. But the other part†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What other part?† â€Å"The foul, dead, blood-drinking part. I'm still starving.† â€Å"Don't whine, Tommy. Nobody likes a whiner.† â€Å"Hungry,† he said. She knew how he felt, she was feeling some of it herself, but she didn't know how to solve the feeding problem. Tommy had always been her go-to blood guy; now they were going to have to hunt. She could do it, she had done it, but she didn't want to do it. â€Å"Come on, we'll figure this out. Don't pout. Let's go watch people on Market Street. You'll like it.† She took his hand and dragged him up the street toward Market, where rivers of tourists, shoppers, and freaks were flowing up and down the streets and sidewalks. Rivers of blood. â€Å"Everyone smells like whiz and feet,† Tommy said, standing on the sidewalk in front of a Walgreens drugstore. It was still early in the evening and the convention crowd from the hotels was flowing down the sidewalks like a great migrating herd, looking for dinner or a watering hole. Out on the edges, hustlers, homeless, and hangers-on worked their angles, playing the secret path of eye contact to the pocket, while the herd defended itself by paying rapt attention to their companions, their cell phones, or a spot on the sidewalk twelve feet ahead. â€Å"Feet and pee,† Tommy continued. â€Å"You get used to it,† Jody said. â€Å"Is there a clean pair of underwear anywhere on this street?† Tommy shouted. â€Å"You people are disgusting!† â€Å"Would you settle down,† Jody said. â€Å"People are looking. They think you're crazy.† â€Å"Which makes me different, how?† She looked up the street – for the three blocks she could see there were about three people per block shouting at passersby, wild-eyed and angry, and obviously bat shit. She nodded. He had a point, but then she snatched his shirt collar and pulled his ear down to lip level. â€Å"The difference is that you aren't living anymore and it's not a good idea to attract attention to yourself.† â€Å"Which is why you chose to wear that delightful ensemble from the skank-wear collection at Hoes-N-Thangs?† â€Å"You said you liked it.† Jody had become a little more provocative in her dress since becoming a vampire – but she saw it more as an expression of confidence, not a means to attract attention. Was it a predator thing? A power thing? â€Å"I did – do like it, but every guy who passes is staring at your cleavage. I can hear their heartbeats go up. Did you have to turn to mist to get into those jeans? You did, didn't you?† A tap on Tommy's shoulder. A young man in a white, short-sleeved dress shirt and a black tie had sidled up to him, holding out a pamphlet. â€Å"You sound troubled, brother. Maybe this will help.† The pamphlet proclaimed rejoice! on the cover in big green letters. Jody covered her mouth and turned away so the guy wouldn't see her giggling. â€Å"What?!† Tommy said, turning on the guy. â€Å"What? What? What? Can't you see I'm trying to discuss my girlfriend's – uh – well, those.† Tommy gestured to Jody's shoulder, which was now where those had just been. â€Å"Show him, Jody,† Tommy said. Jody shook her head and started to walk away, her shoulders shaking with laughter. â€Å"There's a message here,† said the tie guy. â€Å"It can bring you comfort – and joy.† â€Å"Yeah, well, I was trying to show you some examples of that, but there she goes with them.† â€Å"But this is a joy that goes beyond physical – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, like you'd know,† Tommy said, cupping his nose and mouth as if covering a sneeze. â€Å"Listen, I'd love to discuss this with you, buddy, but right now you have to GO HOME AND WASH YOUR ASS! You smell like you're smuggling a stockyard back there!† Tommy turned and strode after Jody, leaving the tie guy blushing and crumpling his pamphlet. â€Å"It's not funny,† Tommy said. Jody was trying so hard not to laugh, she snorted. â€Å"Yes, it is.† â€Å"Can't they see we're damned? You'd think they could tell. At least you. We are damned, aren't we? » â€Å"No idea,† Jody said. She hadn't really thought about it. â€Å"Didn't cover that in your advanced vampire course with the old guy?† â€Å"Forgot to ask.† â€Å"No problem,† Tommy said, with no effort at all to suppress sarcasm. â€Å"Minor detail. Anything else you might have forgotten to ask?† â€Å"I thought I'd have more time, for follow-up,† Jody said. â€Å"I didn't realize that the man I love was going to bronze us that first night.† â€Å"Yeah – well – okay. Sorry.† â€Å"Where's the trust?† Jody said. â€Å"You killed me,† Tommy said. â€Å"Oh, there you go again.† â€Å"Please, folks. I need a dollar,† said a voice from the left. Jody looked down to see a guy sitting against the granite wall of a closed bank. He was dirty beyond age or race, sort of grimy to the point of shine, and on his lap was an enormous long-haired cat. There was a cup on the sidewalk in front of him and beside it a hand-printed sign that read I AM POOR AND MY CAT IS HUGE. Tommy, who was still fairly new to the city and hadn't learned to look past this sort of thing, stopped and started digging in his pocket. â€Å"That is sure a huge cat.† â€Å"Yeah, he eats a lot. It's all I can do to keep him fed.† Jody nudged Tommy, trying to get him back into the pedestrian flow. She liked that he was a nice guy, but it could really be irritating sometimes. Especially when she was trying to teach him the profundities of being a creature of the night. â€Å"Mostly fur, though, right?† Tommy asked. â€Å"Mister, this cat weighs thirty-five pounds.† Tommy whistled and handed the guy a dollar. â€Å"Can I touch him?† â€Å"Sure,† the guy said. â€Å"He doesn't care.† Tommy knelt down and poked the cat gently, then looked up at Jody. â€Å"This is a huge cat.† She smiled. â€Å"Huge. Let's go.† â€Å"Touch him,† Tommy said. â€Å"No thanks.† â€Å"So,† Tommy said to the cat guy, â€Å"why don't you give him to a shelter or something?† â€Å"Then how am I supposed to make a living?† â€Å"You could print up a sign that says ‘I'm poor and I lost my huge cat'? That would work on me.† â€Å"You may not be the best sample,† said the cat guy. â€Å"Look,† Tommy said, standing now and digging into his pocket. â€Å"I'll buy the cat. I'll give you, uh, forty – â€Å" The cat guy shook his head. â€Å"Sixty – â€Å" Furious head shaking†¦ Tommy untangled bills from a wad he'd pulled out of his pocket, â€Å"One hundred – â€Å" â€Å"No.† â€Å"And thirty†¦ two – â€Å" â€Å"No.† â€Å"And thirty-seven cents.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"And a paper clip.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"That's a great offer,† Tommy insisted. â€Å"That's like four bucks a pound!† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Well screw you, then,† Tommy said. â€Å"I don't feel sorry for you and your huge cat.† â€Å"You can't have your dollar back.† â€Å"Fine!† Tommy said. â€Å"Fine!† said the cat guy. Tommy took Jody by the arm and started to walk away. â€Å"That's a huge cat,† he said. â€Å"Why were you trying to buy it? We're not supposed to have pets in the loft.† â€Å"Duh,† Tommy said. â€Å"Dinner.† â€Å"Yuck.† â€Å"It's a stopgap,† Tommy said. â€Å"You know that the Masai of Kenya drink the blood of their cattle with no apparent ill effect to the cow.† â€Å"Well, I'm sure it violates our lease if we get a cow.† â€Å"That's it.† â€Å"What's it?† â€Å"A lease.† Tommy swung her around and brought her back to the cat guy. â€Å"I want to rent the cat,† Tommy said. â€Å"You could use a break and I want to show the huge cat to my aunt who is an invalid and can't come down here.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"One night. One hundred and thirty-two dollars and thirty-seven cents.† The cat guy raised an eyebrow, the grime over that eye cracked a little. â€Å"One fifty.† â€Å"I don't have one fifty, you know that.† â€Å"Then I want to see the redhead's hooters.† Tommy looked at Jody, then back at the cat guy, then back at Jody. â€Å"No,† Jody said calmly. â€Å"No,† Tommy said indignantly. â€Å"How dare you suggest it?† â€Å"One hooter,† countered the cat guy. Tommy looked at Jody. She gave him the wide, green-eyed expression that she would have described as I will slap you so far into next week that it will take a team of surgeons just to get Wednesday out of your ass. â€Å"No way,† Tommy said. â€Å"The redhead's hooters are not on the table.† He grinned, looked back at Jody, then looked away, really fast. The cat guy shrugged. â€Å"I'll need some kind of security deposit, like your driver's license – â€Å" â€Å"Sure,† Tommy said. â€Å"And a credit card.† â€Å"No,† Jody said, pulling her jacket closed and zipping it up to her neck. â€Å"Nothing kinky,† said the cat guy. â€Å"I'll know.† â€Å"Going to show him to my aunt, and I'll have him back tomorrow, this time.† â€Å"Deal,† said the cat guy. â€Å"His name is Chet.† â€Å"You first,† Tommy said. They stood in the great room of their loft on either side of the futon, where the huge cat, a crossbreed between a Persian, a dust mop, and possibly a water buffalo, was actively shedding. Tommy had decided that he was going to be very cool about the whole blood-drinking thing, despite the fact that he was so amped he felt as if he could run up and down the walls. In fact, he wasn't sure that he couldn't run up and down the walls, that was part of what was freaking him out. Still, since coming to San Francisco a couple of months ago, he had spent entirely too much time overreacting, and he wasn't going to do it now – not in front of his girlfriend. Not at all, if he could help it. â€Å"You should go first,† Jody said. â€Å"You've never fed before.† â€Å"But you gave the old vampire some of your blood,† Tommy said. â€Å"You need it.† It was true, she had given the vampire her blood to help heal him from the damage Tommy and his friends had caused by blowing up his yacht and so forth, but he hoped she would say no again. â€Å"No, no, no, after you,† Jody said, with a very bad French accent. â€Å"I insist.† â€Å"Well, if you insist.† Tommy leapt to the futon and bent over the huge cat. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to go about this, but he could see the healthy red life aura around Chet, and he could hear his little kitty heart pounding. There was a crackling noise inside of his head, like someone was popping bubble wrap in his ear canal, and then there was pressure on the roof of his mouth, painful pressure, and more crackling. He felt something give and two sharp points poking his lower lip. He pushed back from the cat and grinned at Jody, who yelped and jumped back a step. â€Å"Fangth,† Tommy said. â€Å"Yes, I can see that,† Jody said. â€Å"Why'd you jump? Do they look thupid?† â€Å"You startled me, is all,† Jody said, looking away from him like he was an arc welder or a total eclipse and full eye contact might blind her. She waved him on. â€Å"Go, go, go. Be careful. Not too hard.† â€Å"Right,† Tommy said. He grinned again and she shied away. Tommy turned back, braced the cat, who seemed much less freaked by this process than the two vampires in the room, and bit. â€Å"Thuppt, thuppt, ack!† Tommy stood up and started brushing at his tongue to remove cat hair. â€Å"Yuck!† â€Å"Hold still,† Jody said, going to him and brushing the loose, damp cat hair away from his face. She went to the kitchen counter and came back with a glass of water and a paper towel, which she used to wipe at Tommy's tongue. â€Å"Just use the water to rinse. Don't swallow it. You won't be able to keep it down.† â€Å"I'm not going to thwollow it, my mouf is full of cat hair.† Once he had rinsed, Jody picked the last of the hairs from his mouth, and in doing so, she pricked one of her fingers on Tommy's right fang. â€Å"Ouch.† She pulled her finger away and put it in her mouth. â€Å"Oh, jeez,† Tommy said. He pulled her finger out of her mouth and put it in his. His eyes rolled back in his head and he moaned through his nose. â€Å"Oh, I don't think so,† Jody said. She grabbed his hand and bit into his forearm, attaching herself to him like a remora to a shark. Tommy growled, flipped her around, and threw her facedown on the futon, his arm still in her mouth. She flipped her hair to the side and he sank his teeth into her neck. She screamed, but the shriek was muted, bubbling out on Tommy's bloody forearm. Chet, the huge cat, hissed and bolted across the room, through the bedroom door, to wedge himself under the bed, as the sounds of straining leather, tearing denim, and screaming predators filled the loft. The irony, that it sounded like a huge catfight, was completely lost on the huge cat.

Overpopulation of the World and the Problems It Creates

Overpopulation of the World and the Problems it Creates The world is faced with growing conservation problems daily, most of which are caused by an increasing population. In order to deal with the problems of overpopulation, the world needs to consider minimizing consumption, lowering waste byproducts, and keeping a hand on land management. Consumption is the act of using resources at an uncontrolled rate. It is mainly the result of overpopulation. The population of the world is growing by approximately 212,970 people per day and is said to reach nine billion people by 2040 (World Population). As the population increases at this rapid rate, the demand for food, water, and shelter will also rise just as quickly. Since the demand for goods like electricity and fuels also increase, we should consider using a more conservational method to create these items by using more abundant and replaceable resources. Water is the most abundant resources on the planet. Instead of using petroleum based fuels to run cars, we should use water. Scientists have already developed hydrogen powered vehicles such as cars, busses, scooters, and tractors (NREL). Another alternative for fueling cars are crops like corn that produce ethanol. Electricity is going to one of the most demanded items as the population grows. In some places, fuels are being used to create energy. Instead, abundant resources like sunlight, wind, and water should be used to generate all the electricity that is consumed. But, even with these methods of producing a â€Å"cleaner† energy supply, the general population will have to contribute to the conservation of the energy. Some simple things that people can do is :lower thermostats, use energy efficient bulbs, use drip irrigation to water flowers and fruits, use solar energy to dry clothes, and create a compost to dispose of that waste instead of throwing it away. As the population is growing, the amount of waste that is produced from the consumption will increase at a much more rapid pace. Each person per day produces about 4. 4 pounds of waste. The majority of this waste is thrown away in the trashcan, which is set at the curb to be picked up by a diesel truck polluting the air and using energy, only to end up in a andfill. With the increase in needs of food and other items, more and more trash will result. Recycling is the best way to fix this problem and keep 95% of trash out of landfills. It is projected that Americans will throw away over 11 million tons of glass bottles and jars 1 million tons of aluminum cans and foil more than1 million tons of aluminum cans and foil, over 4 and a half million tons of paper and nearly 10 million tons of newspaper (Center). Almost all of this material could be recycled, saving millions of trees and over 100% combined energy that is used to make new products. Businesses can also play their part in recycling things such as cooking oil that could be used as fuel in a vehicle. If we do not engage in actions to clean up the present landfills and prevent future ones, we could possibly be looking at problems such as contaminated water and soil. Land management goes along side of both consumption and waste. As the population increases, more space will be needed for houses, hospitals, schools and businesses. As a result, we must make room by methods such as destroying forest and filling in lakes, rivers, and streams. To us we may only see trees and dirty, microorganism infested water, but these two ecosystem house millions of species of animals and plants that are vital to our survival on Earth. Research states that the earth was once covered by 5. 8 million to 6. 2 million square miles of forest. Today only 2. million to 3 million square miles of forest still remains (Nielsen). By destroying these bionetworks, plants and animals become endangered and maybe even extinct. As a result, this causes entire ecosystems to collapse. Without plants, animals die and without plants and animals, the human species can no longer eat or breathe, therefore, becoming extinct itself. Humans can take control of this growing problem by considering options like apartment buildings or larger skyscrapers to t hings like online schools and e-shopping. Without a doubt, the population of the world is going to continue to grow, but that does not mean that the problems dealing with consumption, waste, and land management has to also. If we could use nature made goods like sunlight, water, and wind, we could reduce the amount of energy consumed, decrease the amount of waste produced, and decrease the amount of land destroyed that is needed to serve the population. Works Cited 7 Environmental Problems that were Worse than we Thought. 3 Feb 2008. 23 Feb 2010 . Alexander, Kathleen. Tree Benefits. 23 Feb 2010 . Bureau, U. S. Census. â€Å"Global Population Growth. † 2002. 23 Feb 2010 . Center, University of Colorado Environmental. CU Environmental Center. 2008. 23 Feb 2010 . National Renewable Energy Laboratory. NREL – Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research. 29 Sept 2009. 24 Feb 2010. Nielsen, Ron. The Little Green Handbook: Seven Trends Shaping the Future of Our Planet. New York: Picador, 2006. Today's Top Global Environment Issues. 23 Feb 2010 . World Population Prospects-The 2008 Revision Population Database. 2008. 24 Feb 2010

M & a of China Automobile Industry Essay

The Researches on Overseas Mergers and Acquisitions of China Automobile Industry in Post-Crisis Period? ZHU Qin School of Economics, Zhejiang Gongshang University, P. R. China, 310018 Zhuqin9871@163. com Abstract: Since the 2008 financial crisis, the overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A) of China automobile industry have become a topic the world’s automobile market most concerns about. This paper views that the rapid growth of the domestic automobile market, the adjustments in overseas auto industry and much support from government’s policies provide a good background and favorable conditions to overseas M&A of China automobile industry. It also points out that although China’s state-owned enterprises are still the main body of overseas mergers and acquisitions of China auto industry, private enterprises are playing an increasingly important role. Through studying specific cases, the paper proposes countermeasures concerning overseas mergers and acquisitions of China automobile industry in post-crisis period. Keywords: Post-crisis period, the automobile industry, overseas mergers and acquisitions 1 Introduction The rapid growth of China’s economy since the reform and opening, the explosive increase of automobile industry in recent years and government’s supporting policies on the automobile industry altogether offer new opportunities and conditions to overseas M&A of China automobile industry. At present, China has become the largest automobile producer in the global. In 2009, the top ten automobile manufacturing countries were: China (13791000), Japan (7. 935 million), United States (5. 697 million), Germany (5. 206 million ), Korea (3. 513 million), Brazil (3. 183 million), India (2. 628 million), Spain (2. 17 million), France (1.935 million), Mexico (1. 561 million). Large-scale production capacity endows China auto companies with a base to expand overseas. Following the 2008 financial crisis, the global economic downturn has had the international Automotive Group faced with overcapacity problem; meanwhile, the global credit shortage has brought great pressure to the survival and development of the automobile business. Funding gaps emerged in many international auto giants. After the financial crisis, the asset value of many foreign enterprises is seriously underestimated, which gives a good chance for Chinese enterprises to take a shot. Through overseas M&A access to the dreaming international auto brands, the core technology and international marketing channels can be acquired at low costs. At the same time, Chinese auto companies have sufficient capital reserves at the present stage, and with the strong support from the government and national financial institutions, there is a potential for them to become competitive buyers for part of the international Automotive Group’s quality assets. It is worth mentioning that related departments in the Chinese government treat the auto industry as a pillar industry of national economy, giving it much positive policy support. â€Å"The automotive industry restructuring and rejuvenation program†, promulgated in 2009 increased efforts to support the automobile industry. First, the program states that â€Å"it is required to promote the restructuring of the automotive industry, to support M&A of large-scale automobile enterprise groups, to expand the scale of major auto parts enterprises through M&A. † Previously, the major auto companies were not willing to conduct cross-regional restructuring because of too many barriers. â€Å"The automotive industry restructuring and rejuvenation program† can effectively solve this kind of concerns. In related detailed ? [Sustentation Fund]: National Science Fund of China (70703030) , Zhejiang Province Science Fund (Y6080222), Humanity and Social Science Fund of Chinese Ministry of Education (07JA790083, 09YJC790240) 43 M & D FORUM regulations, associated guidelines are made which involve the acquirer and acquiree, such as the source of acquisition financing, tax issues that may arise in acquisition, the asset disposal of acquired companies and employee relocation and other problems prone to cause disputes or already existing barriers. At the same time, it will lift the standard of admitting foreign asset and acquiring related domestic enterprises to (protectively) enhance the competitiveness of domestic auto companies. In addition, in March 16, 2009, the Ministry of Commerce issued † procedures for the administration of foreign investment † to further reform foreign investment management system, promote the facilitation of foreign investment, support Chinese enterprises to â€Å"go out† and participate more in international economic cooperation and competition. These help to raise strong and positive support for overseas M & A of China automobile industry. 2 The Main Body of Overseas M&A of China Automobile Industry Before 2008, although there were many cases of overseas M&A in China automobile industry, such as SAIC’s acquisition of Ssang Yong in 2004, Nanjing Auto ’s acquisition of Rover in 2005 and so on, the overall impact and scale were still limited and attention from the domestic and international was not intense enough. From 2006 to 2008, the scale of M&A China’s major automobile companies has been further reduced, with the total number of only 7. It only covered 19% of the total number of Chinese car companies’ various overseas investment. Other overseas investment approaches were: 21 cases of joint ventures or strategic alliances, accounting for 57%, 8 cases of factory founding directly, accounting for 22%, and 1 case of technology transfer. But after 2008, when the world auto market is still full of financial cold haze, the Chinese auto companies went against the trend. A number of enterprises joined with foreign auto brands in carrying out cross-border marriage. In this short year, both the vehicle industry or parts manufacturers lunched many acquisitions either far-reaching or with extremely high degree of concern. Beijing Automobile Works acquired Saab, Geely acquired Volvo, Beijing West Industry’s acquisition of the U. S. Delphi, Geely DSI bought Australian automatic transmission companies, to name just a few. Overall, in the current automobile industry, China’s M & A main body is evolving towards a diversed boom. China’s automobile companies participating in overseas M & A are no longer confined to state-owned ones. Due to their growing strength and government’s supportive policies, private enterprises have become the new force, injecting new vigor and vitality into the overseas M&A of China automobile industry. However, state-owned enterprises are still the most important main body in cross-border M & A activities [7]. In this M & A wave, the Beijing Automotive, as one of the state-owned enterprises, successfully finished the acquisition of the Swedish brand Saab in December 2009. State-owned enterprises have an advantage of large scale, but often there is a serious deficiency in the governance, a general lack of motivation of in the management. A majority of state-owned operators have an incomplete momentum for cross-border M & A. The private enterprise, with their natural clear property rights, fewer policy constraints, and a flexible structure and mechanism are playing an increasingly important role in the wave of automotive M&A. Thanks to less intervention from the government and following less protection compared with the state-owned enterprises, private enterprises possess stronger self-awareness, risk awareness and a sense of competition. Increasingly powerful private enterprise group is supposed to become an important force in the cross-border M & A in the future [15]. In this M&A wave, the most distinctive representative of private enterprises is China Geely Group. As a leader of China’s private auto enterprise, in March 2010, it successfully reached an agreement with General Motors, purchasing 100% of the shares of GM’s Volvo. 3 A Study of Overseas M & A Cases in China Automobile Industry 44 M & D FORUM 3. 1 Overseas M & A cases of automobile enterprises In the choice of overseas M & A targets, China’s auto enterprises prefer developed regions like Europe and the United States, especially concentrating on world’s top 10 auto-producing countries besides China such as the United States, France and other places. The vehicle industry in these areas has long history, with many powerful brands, more developed economy, higher living standard and stronger consumer ability. In the choice of specific targets, Chinese enterprises are in favor of those enterprises that are of highly well-known brands, a long history, as well as advanced technology and experienced management. However, during this financial crisis, a serious setback in operating performance led some of these companies or brands to great losses or even near-collapse. Geely’s acquisition of Volvo and Beijing Auto’s of Saab is representative ones. They are very typical in this M&A wave starting after the financial crisis. 3. 1. 1 Beijing auto’s acquisition of Saab On December 28, 2009, Beijing Automotive Holdings formally announced the acquisition of relevant intellectual property rights of Saab cars at a cost of 200 million U. S. dollars. By then, Beijing Automotive has gotten the core data of the complete research, production, marketing, quality control system. This international transaction is the first successful case for a domestic automobile enterprise to carry out the acquisition of foreign advanced and complete vehicle power technology since 2009. As one of a few China’s Automotive Groups who not yet have their own brands, Beijing Automotive is very urgent on owning its own brand-related technology. So the successful marriage with the Saab is of great significance for Beijing Automotive to speed up the process of independent R & D and internationalization. 3. 1. 2 Geely’s acquisition of Volvo On December 23, 2009, Ford Motor Company released a statement of reaching a framework agreement to sell its Volvo to Geely. In March 28, 2010, Geely signed a definitive stock purchase agreement with Ford to buy 100% of the shares of Volvo Car at a cost of 1. 8 billion U. S. dollars and then signed a definitive agreement concerning related assets [32]. This saliva battles full of troubles ended with Geely tenaciously achieving its dream of â€Å"snake swallows elephant†. It is a spur for other domestic auto enterprises, also a major step for Geely towards the international market Simultaneously it helps the Volvo brand to further open the Chinese market,. However, it is not easy for Geely to â€Å"digest† Volvo. Whether it is because of the picky European Union, or high operating costs for brand, or cultural integration, especially the integration and management of Volvo’s distributors, factories and suppliers scattering over more than 100 countries and 2,400 regions. There are a series of huge problems. 3. 2 Overseas M & A cases of automobile parts enterprises After the financial crisis, overseas auto parts enterprises were faced with greater difficulties than full-vehicle enterprises. Bankruptcy and M&A happened frequently. Influenced by this round of auto industry structure adjustment, the integration of parts suppliers intensified, and M & A wave aimed at supplier groups resurged. Foreign well-known auto parts enterprises like Australian transmission company DSI, Delphi in the United States and so on occupy pivotal positions in the auto parts industry, and even have a significant impact on the development of the full-vehicle market. Direct purchase of foreign auto parts enterprises is local suppliers’ one way of gaining access to core technology. After the current financial crisis, the M&A cases of auto parts enterprises are quite frequent and also larger and more far-reaching than that of before the crisis. Such as Geely’s acquisition of the Australian transmission company DSI, Beijing West Industry’s acquisition of U. S. Delphi, WanXiang Group’s acquisition of the U. S. DS automobile steering shaft and so on. 3. 2. 1 Beijing West Industry’s acquisition of Delphi On March 31, 2009, Delphi formally agreed to sell its global businesses of braking and suspension to Beijing West Industry. Beijing West was prepared to pay 90 million U. S. dollars in cash to acquire Delphi’s related machinery and equipment, intellectual property and real estate, including its businesses of braking and suspension in eight plants, five technology centers and 14 technical support and customer 45 M & D FORUM service centers which locate worldwide. 3. 2. 2 Geely’s acquisition of DSI. On March 27, 2009 in New South Wales State’s Government Building, the signing ceremony of Geely acquiring Australian Automatic Transmission Company was held. According to a statement from Li Shufu, the Chairman of Geely Group, Geely conducts a wholly-owned acquisition of DSI for it values DSI’s complete designing and manufacturing capabilities accumulated over 80 years. DSI Automatic Transmission Company is an automatic transmission specialist centralizing research and development, manufacturing, and sales altogether. What is more, it is one of the only two global automatic transmission companies that are independent from all automotive vehicle companies. 4 Countermeasures and Suggestions for Overseas M & A of China Automobile Industry 4. 1 The selection of objects for overseas M & A First of all, when making overseas M & A, Chinese auto enterprises need to be careful of those M & A targets who already have no competitive advantage within the industry, and just to sell companies to reject the burden. Therefore, they should be especially cautious in the choice of Objects for overseas M & A and take various factors into consideration. Second, while doing overseas M&A, Chinese auto enterprises can not just focus on targets of low purchase price, but on the potential value of the enterprises after the acquisition. Therefore, the Chinese auto enterprises ought to choose targets that are consistent and coordinated with their own strategic objectives, and can complement their own businesses to achieve synergies; to choose overseas assets with low cost but are able to produce better results through the integration. Finally, in assessing M & A targets, priority should be given to smaller yet high quality objects in accordance with their requirements. M & A are to be done for many times, at small amount and with steady integration. 4. 2 A careful and scientific implementation of overseas M & A After enterprises have determined the strategic premise of overseas M & A consistent with their own development requirements, they need to compare the key links in tactic and carry on related initiatives. First, in M & A planning session, to establish a more comprehensive overseas assessment system; to do a comprehensive and quantitative research with regard to the status of the host country market, national policies and regulations, competition pattern, the main risks; to do further accurate assessment of the target company’s technology, independent intellectual property rights, operation status and potential value, weighing the risks and opportunities. Second, after selecting the target of M & A, a comprehensive understanding of the business-related technology, the details of intellectual property rights should be gained, and the specific items and amounts of M & A be finalized. To maximize benefits at the lowest cost by conducting effective negotiations. Third, after the transaction is completed, to assess comprehensively the differences of both managements in management philosophy, and the differences of staff in culture, values, benefits, remuneration and so on. To orderly propel the process of integration in achieving M & A objects. 4. 3 The implementation of the strategic resource reserves in overseas M & A To obtain opportunities of overseas M&A, auto industry are required to carry out resource reserves in four aspects. First, human resources reserves. The Chinese auto enterprises should consciously reserve all kinds of overseas M & A professionals as soon as possible. Second, M & A experience reserves. By continually accumulating experience through practices, enterprises can learn more about related laws and regulations, operating procedures, and precautions to reduce risks, and then improve the success rate. Third, M & A financial reserves. To fight for access to financial support from the government or large financial institutions. To ensure enough amount of money while minimizing financial costs. 46 M & D FORUM 5 Conclusion During post-crisis period, the China automobile industry is facing an unprecedented good opportunity in overseas M&A. With the support of concerning policies, the China auto industry is adopting an active global strategy. Through the integration of global auto industry resources, the international competitiveness force of China auto industry is enhanced in a great degree. In the process of overseas M&A, the China auto industry needs to actively carry out relevant strategic resource reserves, scientifically select acquisition targets, and carefully as well as scientifically implement specific overseas M & A strategy. Author in brief: Zhu Qin, PHD, Associate Professor, School of Economics, Zhejiang Gongshang University Email: zhuqin9871@163. com. References [1]. Stefano Rossiand Paolo Volpin. Cross-Country Determinants of Mergers and Acquisitions [M]. London Business School, 2002 [2]. Guo Jianhua. The global automotive industry changing situation report [R]. Beijing: Equality in Automobile Research Institute, 2009(in Chinese) [3]. RolandBerger Strategy Consultants. China’s auto industry development, in the current financial crisis the opportunities and challenges [R], 2009 (in Chinese) [4]. State Council Development Research Center of Industrial Economics Research Department, Society of Automotive Engineers of China, Volkswagen Group. China Automotive Industry Development Report [M]. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press, 2009. 7 (in Chinese) 47