Environment, Geographical Location, and its Affects on The Early River-Valley Essay

Food, shelter, fertile land, and trade were essential for early river-valley civilizations. Without food, shelter, fertile land, and trade early river-valleys where doomed for any future success in the land. Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley are examples of some early river-valley civilizations that relied heavily on its geographies and Mother Nature. For early river-valley civilizations in Egypt the Nile River played a crucial role. Without the Nile, Egypt would be a bleak and hospitable desert filled with mountains, and rocks. The Nile provided water for the people of Egypt. With the Nile being really the only source of water for all of Egypt, I would imagine that these civilizations cherished the Nile heavily. The Nile also, helped the farming in Egypt improve. Every September, the Nile, overflowed its banks, spreading water out into the bordering depressed basins. When the waters receded, they left behind a fertile layer of mineral-rich silt, and the farmers could easily plant their crops in the moist soil. The early river-valley civilizations of Mesopotamia relied greatly on the Tigris, and the Euphrates Rivers. Mesopotamia means, â€Å"Land between the rivers.† Mesopotamian civilization developed in the plain alongside and between the Tigris and Euphrates, which originate in the mountains of eastern Anatolia and empty into the Persian Gulf. Without the rivers, the civilizations would have struggled greatly to survive. Reed plants, which grew on the riverbanks and in the marshy southern delta, could easily be woven into mats, baskets, huts, and boats. Also, fish from the rivers and marshes were an important part of the people’s diet [http://search.targetwords.com/u.search?x=5977%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7Cdiet%7CAA1VDw]. Another benefit that the rivers gave to the early civilizations was that, herds of sheep, and goat which grazed on the fallow land provided wool, and milk. Finally, the early river-valley civilizations in the Indus Valley relied significantly on the Indus River. Twice a year the river overflows its banks and spreads for as much as 10 miles. In March and April melting snow would melt and feed the rivers. Then, in August, the great monsoon would blow off the ocean to bring rains that swell streams flowing into the Indus. As a result, farmers in this region of little rainfall were able to plant and harvest two crops a year. With a bad environment and a bad geographical location an early river-valley civilization didn’t have much of a chance surviving. Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley were some of the lucky locations where their environment and geographical location benefited them greatly. Egypt would have had barely any water, Mesopotamia wouldn’t have been able to trade, and the Indus Valley would have had been deserted without each locations geographical gift.

Unusual Festivals in Spain

Unusual festivals in Spain La Tomatina La Tomatina is a food fight festival held on the last Wednesday of August each year in the town of Bunol near Valencia in Spain. Thousands of people make their way from all corners of the world to fight in this ‘World's Biggest Food Fight' where more than one hundred metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets. The week-long festival features music, parades, dancing, and fireworks. On the night before the tomato fight, participants of the festival compete in a paella cooking contest.Anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 people come to this huge tomato fight, greatly expanding Bunol's normal 9,000 person population. There is limited accommodation for people who come to La Tomatina, so many people take the easier option of staying in nearby Valencia just 38km to Bunol. There is a well service in transport b. In preparation for the dirty mess that will ensue, shopkeepers use huge plastic covers on their storefronts in order to protec t them from the carnage. What Happens at La Tomatina †¦.At around 11 am, the first event of the Tomatina begins. Many trucks haul the bounty of tomatoes into the center of the town, Plaza del Pueblo. The tomatoes come from Extremadura, where they are less expensive. Technically the festival does not begin until one brave soul has climbed to the top of a two-story high, greased-up wooden pole and reached the coveted ham at the top. In practice this process takes a long time and the festival starts despite no one reaching the meaty prize.The signal for the beginning of the fight is firing of water cannons, and the chaos begins. Once it begins, the battle is generally every man for himself. Those who partake in this event are strongly encouraged to wear protective safety goggles and gloves. In addition, they must squish the tomatoes before throwing for safety precautions. Another rule is that no one is allowed to bring into this fight anything that may provoke someone into a more serious brawl, such as a glass bottle.Although it is forbidden to tear someone else's clothing, the crowd tends to ignore this and invariably will rip the shirt of any clothed person, man or woman. After exactly one hour, the fighting ends when the water cannons are fired once more to signal the end. At this point, no more tomatoes can be thrown. The cleaning process involves the use of fire trucks to spray down the streets, with water provided from a Roman aqueduct.The authorities seem more concerned with cleaning the town than cleaning the visitors, so some people find water at the Bunol River to wash themselves, although some kind residents will hose passers-by down. Once the tomato pulp is flushed, the ground is clean due to the acidity of the tomato. The festival is in honor of the town's patron saints, Luis Bertran and the Mare de Deu dels Desemparats (Mother of God of the Defenseless), a title of the Virgin Mary. The tomato fight has been a strong tradition in Bunol since 194 4 or 1945.No one is completely certain how this event originated. Possible theories on how the Tomatina began include a local food fight among friends, a juvenile class war, a volley of tomatoes from bystanders at a carnival parade, a practical joke on a bad musician, and the anarchic aftermath of an accidental lorry spillage. One of the most popular theories is that disgruntled townspeople attacked city councilmen with tomatoes during a town celebration. Whatever happened to begin the tradition, it was enjoyed so much that it was repeated the next year, and the year after that, and so on.The holiday was banned during the Spanish State period under Francisco Franco for having no religious significance, but returned in the 1970s after his demise. Where is Bunol †¦.. Bunol is a town and municipality in the province of Valencia, Spain and is situated approximately 38 km west of the provincial and autonomous community capital city, Valencia. ) (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Tomati na) http://www. latomatina. org/ San Fermin Festival http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/San_Ferm%C3%ADn http://spainforvisitors. com/sections/sanfermin. htm

Defining Capitalism and Command Economies

Defining Capitalism and Command Economies of Economics â€Å"Economics is the study of how wealth is created and distributed† which, includes â€Å"the products produced and sold by business† (Pride, Hughes, & Kapoor, 2011, p. 10). When studied, it is the science or the financial considerations of the buying, selling, and the production of goods and services that are consumed by our world and its people. There are two different perspectives when studying economics.Microeconomics and macroeconomics are different in that microeconomics is the study of the individual and business decisions that affect the economy, whereas macroeconomics is the study of national and global economy (Pride et al, 2011, p. 10). Together, micro and macroeconomics examine the decisions of individuals, businesses, the government, and society and how all of these people deal with making and distributing the money that is derived from the production of services and goods. These decisions combin ed with the prosperity of the nation, determine the economy.There are two different economic systems in today’s world. Capitalistic nations and those nations that are run under command economies are the two systems that can be found across the globe. The two systems differ in two major ways. First, they vary in the ownership of the factors of production. These factors are the land and natural resources, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship (Pride et al, 2011, pp. 10-11). Second, the way that particular nations system answers four questions listed by Pride, Hughes, and Kapoor (2011), determines a nation’s economy (p. 11).Those four questions listed are concerning what products, how the products, for whom the products are produced and who owns and controls the major factors of production as aforementioned. One major understanding on the impact a nation’s economic system has on all the economic activities of its citizens is when there is a consideration that a coun try’s system determines how the factors of production are used to meet the needs of the society it supports (Pride et al, 2011, p. 11). An eighteenth century Scottish economist, Adam Smith published a book in 1776, called Wealth of Nations.Smith argued that a â€Å"society’s interests are best served when the individuals within that society are allowed to pursue their own self-interest† (Pride et al, 2011, p. 11). Smith came up with a term called the â€Å"invisible hand† which describes how people work hard when they know they can benefit financially from the goods or services they can provide and as a result, these personal financial gains benefit others and that nation’s economy. Pride et al (2011), discusses how the success of people in the community and therefore the success of the nation, can be tied indirectly to the success of the individual small business owners (p. 1).Smith’s ideas promote individuals should have the ability to suc ceed and create wealth by owning property and resources. The government should not be involved in the market and should be limited to government duties owed to the nation. This system Smith describes, is known as laissez faire, declares the government should have no interference in the economy and solely provide defense against enemies, ensure internal order, and furnish public works and education (Pride et al, 2011, p. 2). Smith also believes in the concept of market economy, where the producers and buyers of good and services determine the amount produced and the selling price. As stated earlier, resources should be owned by individuals and they should be entitled to use and sell their goods as they choose, in addition to enjoying the benefits from ownership of these resources (Pride et al, 2011, p. 12). Very different from that of a capitalistic nation, is the economic system, called a command economy.Whereas capitalism suggests individuals own and operate the majority of busines ses that provide goods and services; the government decides what goods and services, how they are produced, for whom will they be available to, and who owns and controls those four major factors of production discussed earlier in command economies (Pride et al, 2011, p. 14). In essence, the government is the controlling and deciding entity of how the resources are used and produced and by whom they are controlled by.Today, most countries that fall within a command economy are considered to be a socialistic economy. Key industries such as transportation, communications, utilities, banking, and important industries that produce material such as steel are owned by the government (Pride et al, 2011, p. 14-15). Although small private businesses may be allowed to certain degrees, many citizens work in state-owned industries. Communism is another example of a command economy.This is a â€Å"classless society whose citizens together owned all economic resources† (Pride et al, 2011, p . 15). These citizens would then contribute to the economy as they could and would receive benefits that were needed back from the distributions by the government. Different than a socialist economy, workers do not have much of any choice when given a job, but those who had special skills or talents were often viewed as being compensated more than that of an average citizen.Often citizens of command economies go without the essential needs or the wants of society because the supply of good and services is determined by the government and not the consumers themselves. Today, many traditional countries that were though of socialist nations are transitioning to a free-market economy. According to Pride et al (2011), this is also considered a market economy where businesses and individuals decide what to produce and buy, and the market determines prices and quantities sold. Communism is fading out and these economies are now similar to what was considered socialist.Northern Korea and Cu ba are probably two countries that are the best examples of today’s communist economies whereas those that once were thought of communist countries are now considered socialist or even capitalist nations. The United States falls under what is considered a mixed economy, where there is both capitalism and socialism. Free market economies, which fall under capitalism, are those nations currently transitioning such as France, Sweden, and India (Pride et al, 2011, pp. 10-15).References Pride, W. M. , Hughes, R. J. , & Kapoor, J. R. (2011). Foundations of business (2nd ed. ). Mason, OH: South-Western.

Job Satisfaction Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 16500 words

Job Satisfaction - Dissertation Example The level of employee’s job satisfaction is related to his or her expectations towards the job (Porter and Steers; 1973); this depends on many factors such as pay, promotion, or autonomy. For these expectations, each employee has certain preferential values and these preferences vary across different individuals. The above view is supported by Pearson (1991) who had found that when the level of unmet expectations becomes large, there is low job satisfaction level and the probability of negative behaviour and turn over increases. There is no doubt that Job satisfaction is an interesting subject to both, people inside and outside the organisation (Spector 1997); Spector (1997, p.2) looked at job satisfaction as a humanitarian perspective and stated that people deserve fair and respectful treatment. While Ali (1985) looked at job satisfaction as a function of individual and organisational variables, Metle (1997) believed that individual demographic characters are likely to be the sources of variations in job satisfaction. Locke also points out that job satisfaction is related to other phases of the employee’s life. It has been shown to affect positively, towards family, and towards self. Job satisfaction has also been shown to affect positively on the employee’s physical and mental health (Shell & Dunken 2006). Job satisfaction is considered as an important factor for establishing an organisation’s health; the quality of service rendered by an employee is affected by the job satisfaction level of the employees (Fitzgerald et al. 1994). ... ariables on quality services, such as infrastructures and internal relationships, should also be recognised as factors affecting job satisfaction (Crossman and Abou-Zaki 2003). 2.1 Importance of Job satisfaction: In recent times, Job satisfaction has been one of the most significant topics in organisational research. Job satisfaction has a direct relationship with the organisational climate. In view of the fact that satisfied employees create additional positive working environment for organisations, it is worthwhile to do a research on the employee job satisfaction in organisations (Shell & Duncan 2006). On the other hand Okpara (2006) explained that job dissatisfaction leads to negative job attitudes (i.e. absenteeism, poor performance and low productivity), which is supported by Al-Ajmi (2001) and according to him, these negative job attitudes results in low productivity and lesser profits. Moreover, Barrie (2001) has also reported that a lack of personal satisfaction is the reason of quitting the job. Literature show that satisfied workers tend to be self motivated and self motivated behaviours exceed the formal requirements of a job (Schnake 1991; Organ and Revan 1995). In contrast, dissatisfied workers according to Spector (1997) show an increased tendency for counterproductive behaviours (i.e. withdrawals, burnout, and workplace aggression). Moreover Everts (2001) argues that the behaviour of the employees who are not satisfied, may impact negatively on their performance, as well as those around them. According to Whinghter and Blazer (2005) knowledge, understanding and improving job satisfaction can contribute positively towards the organisational goals, so the study of job satisfaction is important because of the following reasons: 1- Reduced Employee

Developmental psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developmental psychology - Essay Example This viewpoint leaves no room for the nature part of the debate because if the mind is blank at birth, this means that there has been no role of genetics or heredity. According to him, it is only the nurture that shapes and stimulates the mind because at the time of our birth, we do not own any already developed personality traits. This points to the fact that a child can be made to develop any kind of personality through nurture which includes his social interactions, surroundings, experiences, cultural aspects, religion, and etcetera. Hence, according to Locke, a child’s mind depends upon the society for its formulation. Jean Jacques Rousseau’s views on nature versus nurture debate The French philosopher, Rousseau, believed that the nature is responsible for the development of behavioral characteristics of an individual and contrary to what Locke’s believed, Rousseau stated that human mind is somewhat developed when a child is born and it does show behavior tha t the child has inherited from its parents (Crain). That means genes are responsible for the makeup of the human mind. Rousseau believed that no one of us knows what our nature wants us to become. We are helpless because whatever our nature, inherited to us through biological factors, has intended for us will come our way.

Financing New Ventures Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Financing New Ventures - Assignment Example With such bans being effected by various airlines throughout the world, it translates to the loss of investment revenues. This bans implemented by airline also have serious consequences on crucial trade flows thereby making the prices of medicines and foods. To the investors this marks the beginning of hard times since their businesses both locally in the area that have been affected and abroad in the areas that have ban flights. Both direct and indirect consequence of the outbreak of Ebola has also contributed to the diminished tourism in the areas. The impact of Ebola outbreak is great, but its effect is will not last for long even though its impact will be felt. CDC is working to ensure Ebola outbreak is contained and controlled. With this great steps being taken by the necessary authorities, the fight against Ebola will win ion n the end. As an investor, even though the impact of this deadly disease has been felt worldwide, the process of investment has to continue. The outbreak of the disease is short term hence as an investor I will not pull out and will consider proceeding with my

How does income affect health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

How does income affect health - Essay Example This paper discusses how level of income affects health from the narrow perspective of considering its effect to an individual to the broader perspective of considering income inequality as a major determinant of standard of public health. The World Health Organization or WHO (2010) considered income and social status as the number one determinant of health, conveying that higher income and social status are linked to better health where the greater the gap between the richest and poorest people, the greater the differences in health. People with higher income have the ability to maintain health and wellness as they can afford to buy even the expensive foods (but rich in nutrients), vitamins, and supplements; they can engaged in various recreational activities and sports requiring membership fees, personal equipments, and rental fees of equipments; they can afford to pay private medical or health insurance to cover their medical expenses. Moreover, people with good income can afford education and in school they learn more about health and wellness, thus health awareness is broadened through knowledge. With educational qualification, finding work is easy, thus increasing one’s source of income and consequently i ncreasing access to health beneficial activities and programs. Many researchers and analysts support the idea that there is a strong direct correlation between level of income and health. According to Levison (2007), â€Å"How much money you make helps to determine how healthy you will be†¦ Having higher income levels provides us with access to fitness centers, better choices for our eating patterns, and better medical care.† Christensen (2010) also supported the idea that money can save lives, as she mentioned that a child living in a developing country may die due to unavailability of antibiotic or incapability to buy medicines, which for many developed

Investigate an aspect of Western Society Term Paper

Investigate an aspect of Western Society - Term Paper Example There is a contradiction and conflict within ‘liberalism’ between those who maintain that less government and more freedom are the correct course of action, against those who think that the government ought to play a stronger role in areas such as the enforcement of equity or affirmative action. Therefore, while Liberalism can be said to be a core value in Western Civilization, it is also responsible for some of the most deeply embedded conflicts in the West too. It will be argued that the central conflict in liberalism, is the role of the state in individuals lives. It is difficult to pinpoint an absolute juncture for the origins for liberalism. However, it can be said that the origins of liberalism are inseparable from the beginning’s of the modern form of British Parliament. By this, what is referred to is the revolution in England in the mid to late sixteen hundred’s which culminated in 1688 [Walsh, 1997: 14]. During this revolution, what was fought ove r, was the fact that there was a growing number of bourgeoisie land owners, who could not gain representation in government. In short, this rising middle class contested to the government that as significant property holders they had a significant stake in the countries politics, and as such, they argued that Parliament should represent those who were not simply aristocrat’s, but any other land owner as well [Dickerson and Flanagan, 1994, p. 94]. Thus, liberalism is coextensive with democratic politics to some extent in its origins, and further, its origins can be found within those who fought for greater representation in the British Parliament in the Seventeenth century [Goodwin, 1992, p. 41]. What is important about the origins, is that it is essentially coextensive with market capitalism itself. The central protagonists in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century of liberalism, were figures such as John Stuart Mill and Adam Smith, and further, the American Fathers of the Constitution [Garry, 1992, p. 49]. Thus, although it can be said that liberals are interested in making changes within the system, and indeed, liberals have been key in various political reforms in almost all Western nations, it can also be said that the history of liberalism is a history that has little part in any attempt to actually change the system itself -- that is, market driven capitalism. This said, more must be said about both the history of liberalism on the one hand, and the central tenets of this political philosophy, or ‘ideology’, depending on whether one agrees with liberalism or not. As mentioned in the introduction, one of the key figures of liberalism is John Stuart Mill, who was a philosopher and also the son of a philosopher named James Mill, who was also a close friend of Jeremy Bentham. Mill’s central works were On Liberty, Utilitarianism and his major treatise on Political Economy. In many respects, Mill might be argued as a good e xemplar of modern or contemporary liberalism. By this, it is implied that he was interested in the following aspects which remain as general concerns. First, he maintained a certain primacy for individual freedom, and in particular, he thought that aspects like the absolute right to free speech was an unquestionable cornerstone of liberalism. At the same time that he expressed a concern for the lack of government restraint on the individual, he was also a champion of

Long Bone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Long Bone - Essay Example Every column is composed of lamellae, concentric bony layers, regularly arranged in a manner determined by the distribution of blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves supplying the bone. These three structures are bundled together in central channels, called Haversian canals, surrounded by lamellae. These canals connect with each other through Volkmann's canals, which breach them perpendicularly. (Young, 2000) In a long bone, the epiphyses are mainly composed of spongy bone, while on the other hand; in the diaphysis, only a thin layer of spongy bone lines the inner surface of the shaft (immediately surrounding the medullary cavity). This type of bone is composed of a network of irregular bony plates, called trabeculae, separated from each other by a maze of intercommunicating spaces filled with bone marrow. These trabeculae consist of irregular lamellae with lacunae composed of osteocytes, which help in bone nutrition. They are also lined with a fine tissue layer, the endosteum, which contains osteoprogenitor cells, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. (Young, 2000) It is the large central cavity of a long bone that is mostly occupied by spongy bone. In premature beings, the cavities of most bones contain red (active) bone marrow that is responsible for the production of blood cells. In adults, red marrow is found only on specific sites while the rest of the cavity is filled with yellow (inactive) marrow, which is mostly adipose tissue. (Young, 2000) Nutrient Foramen: It is the outer opening of the nutrient canal in the shaft of a long bone. It is the point on the bone for the entrance of the nutrient artery, which is responsible for the blood supply to the medullary cavity of the long bone. (OMD, 2000) Diaphysis: Ossification progressively spreads from the primary center of ossification, i.e. the center of the long bone, towards the ends of the bone. The part of the long bone that develops from the primary center, that is, the shaft, is known as diaphysis. (Young, 2000) Epiphyses: At the secondary centers of ossification, located at the cartilaginous ends of the developing bone, cartilage is replaced by bone in the same way as it occurs at the primary centers. Parts of bone that develop from these centers, that is, the ends, are known as epiphyses. Proximal epiphyses refers to the end that grows towards the primary center, while distal epiphyses refers to the end that grows away from the primary center. (Young, 2000) Epiphyseal Plate: It is the plate of cartilage intervening between the diaphysis and epiphyses. This plate is responsible for the elongation of the bone during childhood and early adulthood through constant proliferation of the cartilage. At maturity, this plate is replaced by bone resulting in the fusion of the epiphyses and diaphysis. (Young, 2000) Epiphyseal Line: The junction of the epiphyses and diaphysis indicated later in life by a faint ridge on the outer surface of the long bone is called the Epiphyseal line. (Young, 2000) Articular Cartilage: It is a specialized hyaline cartilage that covers the articulating bone surfaces within the joints. Hence, it is responsible for the smooth movement of bones against one another in a joint.

Creat a company profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Creat a company profile - Essay Example The management of the organization will try to source quality product resources from reliable and efficient suppliers to maintain the high quality of the mentioned high quality products. The management of the organization will try to provide free home delivery service for the placed orders by the customers who used to stay within the distance of 4 kilometers from the outlets. High product quality and efficient customer service are the major corporate objectives of Hangout Plaza. The organization will try to recruit skilled and efficient employees in order to enhance effective business performance and significant customer service management process. Hangout Plaza will try to maintain environmental sustainability by ensuring water recycling and zero solid waste. Value added services and high quality fast food products for the customers, employee engagement in strategic decision making process and environmental sustainability are the major business themes of Hangout Plaza in Dubai. (C) Hangout Plaza is a small family owned Local fast food organization in the United Arab Emirates headquartered in Dubai. It is true that the business environment in UAE is becoming highly potential as the several multinational and local organizations are trying to target the Dubai market due to several favorable external environmental factors. In addition to this, demand for high quality fast food items is significantly increasing among the people of Dubai. Hangout Plaza will try to meet the recent market demand and needs of target customers by ensuring effective quality of fast food products and high quality customer service. The organization is small family owned domestic firm. The organization will incorporate different operational management strategy. Despite the family owned structure, the top management of the organization will incorporate decentralized decision making process in which the thoughts, views and opinions of the employees that will be considered that can enhance str ategy development and decision making process. On the other hand, the organization will try to focus on effective employee motivation in order to enhance the business performance of the organization. The entrepreneur of the organization will try to adopt and implement horizontal organizational structure as the organization is a small family owned enterprise (Khanka, 2007). This horizontal organizational structure will help Hangout Plaza to enhance the communication process between the employees and top level management. It is quite important for the organization to focus on effective human resource management practices as the business environment in Dubai is becoming highly competitive due to presence of several multination leading fast food chains. (D) It is highly important for Hangout Plaza to develop an effective recruitment plan to sustain the proposed and developed size of the organization. The recruitment plan includes several elements that are provided below. (i) It is highl y important for Hangout Plaza to consider several important elements in developing a recruitment plan. Elements like employee turnover, new business development, effective workplace environment and culture, and external outcomes can be considered as the important to consider in developing recruitment plan. Employee turnover need to be considered as one of the important element in the decision making p

Art, Self & Knowledge - Aesthetics Book Review and Thought Essay

Art, Self & Knowledge - Aesthetics Book Review and Thought - Essay Example Being able to make sense of these basic ideologies in art, one is then able to understand the role of art in changing how one experiences the world. Artwork incorporates the above stated elements, without the basic interaction and incorporation of them; the experience of art would be different and non-sensible. This essay endeavors to breakdown the elements of artwork experience to understand and make sense of artwork from the general perspective. The first issue that is incorporated is understanding the basic idea of what exemplarization is and the premises it is rooted. Exemplarization is the use of exemplar representation to stand in for a class of objects. The basic ideology is exemplarizarion is that when one engages in artwork, there is usually some information that he requires reception, this, by whoever the artwork is directed (Keith 2). To achieve this, the artist has to incorporate the use of exemplar elements of a group of object to enable the person who beholds the work to understand that the exemplar used stands for the intended group of objects. Isenberg’s theory contrasts the ideology of using examples to gauge the perception of the people who behold the art to the other ideology. His ideology known as exemplification entails taking a course of critical discourse in o rder to understand the art form in display. As one beholds the art of any form, from his own perception he creates an understanding of what information the artist is trying to relay. In the process of perception, content is created. This is to mean that the content of art as was originally intended by the artist might slightly or majorly change, according to how one perceives it. This ideology could be relayed proper form of understanding when looking at such a popular painting as the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci. The Mona Lisa portrait was associated with

Rugby player Essay Example for Free

Rugby player Essay I will be using circuit training as my method of exercise. I feel that this type of training will give me best results on the areas of fitness I want to improve. Because circuit training has different stations, different aspects of fitness can be worked on e. g. one station could be weight lifting, improving muscular strength, and another could be an agility run. This way I can work on different aspects of my fitness in one session. Also the type of exercising I will be doing is perfect for what I am trying to achieve. I can change the level of work load very easily with circuit training, because I am not following to a specific program. I will constantly change the amount of work and the intensity I will do, so I keep improving. I play a lot of rugby and in the last year I have moved up from under 16s to Colts, which is under 17s, 18s and 19s. The jump in age has been quite a shock, not only am I trying to keep my position as outside centre, the opposition are nearly twice the size of me! Last year I was considered one of the quickest and fairly strong and powerful, now that Im playing against 19 year olds; my advantage doesnt seem as great anymore. I feel that if I were to increase my strength and agility a bit then the gap between me and the opposition would be smaller, or in some cases be to my advantage. Another issue is safety; I weigh 12 stone and I am six foot, some opposition are six foot six and weigh 16 stone! I havent got that amount of strength to handle that amount of weight, especially in a game like rugby. So increasing my strength will hopefully make the game a bit safer for me, increasing endurance will mean I can perform longer, and increasing my agility would hopefully mean that I dont get tackled as much! My program will hopefully reduce my chances of getting injured, however I need to be safe and not injury myself whilst performing my program. That is why it is very important to warm up well before I actually start training. The benefits of a thorough warm-up are: My warm up will consist of a light jog around the gym for about 3 minutes, to loosen my muscles and start to get blood pumping quicker around my body. I will then perform a series of stretches on my legs, working up my body systematically. When stretching I will hold the stretch for at least 10-15 seconds, it is also important not to bounce when stretching as this can cause muscle tear. The stretches are as follow: I have chosen to do this particular warm-up as I feel that it will be sufficient, and it isnt very time consuming. After I have performed my training, I will do the same routine as the warm-up for a cool-down. The benefits of a cool down are that it helps to remove any excess lactic acid present in the blood. Lactic acid is produced in anaerobic exercise, and causes your muscles to stiffen after youve finished exercising. A cool-down brings more oxygen into the blood, so that the lactic acid can be removed quicker. Another safety issue is the equipment and how it is setup. I have been shown how to setup equipment properly. I have chosen to use simple equipment, so I can perform the program at home as well as at school. By using lighter weights, but heavy enough to be overloading, will reduce the chances of damaging my muscles or tendons. The only trouble with using lighter weights is that it works on muscular endurance rather than strength. Weight lifters lift weights so heavy that they can only do about 5 reps before having to stop. If I were to lift such a weight (in comparison to more body size) I would be very liable to injuring myself, because Im not yet fully grown. I will lift weights so I can perform about 15 reps, this I think will be working both endurance and strength. Men are stronger than women and there build allows them to train harder, so a woman would use even lighter weights. There are many ways in which people can train to improve their fitness. I will be using the principles of training- F. I. T. T and P. R. O. S to get the most out of my program. Frequency I will try to perform 2-3 sessions a week, I dont have much time to spare but that is why I chose a circuit that I can perform at home without the need of any special equipment. Intensity How hard I should work when exercising. This is the most variable aspect of training. One session you can work really hard and get a lot out of it, but you can also do the exact same thing and not work as hard and get nothing from it. I will work at an intensity that I feel I will be able to last two laps, and feel as if I have worked hard. Time This relates to the amount of time you spend doing an activity. This is quite important because if I wanted to work on my anaerobic system, then time monitoring would be essential. This will be the variable I will be changing if I feel I need to overload more.

Plasmodium: The Malaria Parasite

Plasmodium: The Malaria Parasite An endoparasitic protozoan that causes malaria, Plasmodium, requires two hosts to complete its life cycle in; usually a mosquito and a vertebrate. Female Anopheles mosquito is responsible in the transmission of malaria in human beings. Human malaria is caused by four identified species of Plasmodia, namely Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale. Recently, in addition to these four species, the simian parasite Plasmodium knowlesi have been identified to infect humans in Malaysia (Cox-Singh, Singh, 2008). Malaria can be treated in just 48 hours; however the delay in diagnosis and treatment can cause fatal complications. Malaria caused by P. falciparum is also called malignant or falciparum malaria (Rich et al., 2009), which is observed to be the most dangerous form of malaria with the highest rates of complications and mortality. A dormant stage in the life cycle of P. vivax and P. ovale may results into relapses long afterwards. The malaria d ue to P. knowlesi can also cause life threatening symptoms(Cox-Singh et al., 2008). P. malariae is associated with milder clinical manifestations in comparison to other species. The systematic position of malaria parasite described by (Mhelhorn H. and Walldorf V., 1988) is as follows: Kingdom Protista Sub Kingdom Protozoa Phylum Apicomplexa Class Sporozoa Sub Class Coccidia Order Haemosporidae Sub Order Aconoidina Family Haemosporidae Genus Plasmodium 1.2 History of Malaria The term malaria is derived from Italian word mala bad and aria air. Italians used this word to refer the cause of intermittent fevers associated with exposure to marsh air or miasma. In the first century A.D., Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro (116-27 BC) suggested that swamps breed certain animalcula which is not visible with naked eyes and we breathe it through our mouth and nose into the body, where they cause grave maladies. Later, about 30 A.D., two types of tertian fevers were described by Celsus. He concurred with the views expressed by Varro. In 1716, Italian physician Giovanni Maria Lancisi, first demonstrated a characteristic black pigmentation of the brain and spleen in the victims of malaria. In 1816, Giovanni Rasori (1766-1837) of Parma suggested microorganism as a cause for the disease. Later, in 1847, a German physician, Heinrich Meckel, identified round, spindle-shaped or ovoid structures containing black pigment granules in protoplasmic masses in the microscopic slides of blood from a patient with fever and observed similar entities in the spleen of an insane person during the autopsy. In 1848 Schutz observed these pigments in the internal organs of patient who had died of malaria. Soon afterwards, Virchow (1849) observed these pigmented bodies in the blood of a patient who had died from chronic malaria and specifically associated it with malaria. Finally, Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran in 1888 named a living organism as Oscillaria malariae and suggests it as the malaria parasite. In 1885 Camillo Golgi, established that there were at least two forms of the disease, one with tertian periodicity (fever every other day) and one with quartan periodicity (fever every third day). He demonstrated that the rupture of shizoints and release of merozoites into the blood stream coincided with the fever and correlated the severity of symptoms with parasite load in the blood. In 1906, Nobel Prize was awarded in Medicine for his discoveries in neurophysiology. In 1897, the sexual cycle of malaria parasite was demonstrated by Dr. McCallum, William G and Opie of Johns Hopkins Hospital. In the same year, Ronald Ross demonstrated the presence of oocysts in the midgut of female anopheline mosquito and soon afterwards, he (1898) demonstrated the sporozoites infection in salivary glands of the mosquito and also carried out transmission of malaria in birds with an infected mosquito. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1902 for establishing the fact that infected mosquitoes are respons ible for transmission of malaria. In 1907, Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology for his discovery of the malarial parasite and other significant contribution to parasitology. In 1975 William Trager cultured P. falciparum in a medium of red blood cells. In 1987, a Colombian biochemist named Dr. Manuel Elkin Patarroyo developed the first synthetic Spf66 vaccine for P. falciparum infection. In 2002, the genome of parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the vector Anopheles gambiae were successfully sequenced. 1.3 Public and Global Health Burden Malaria is one of the oldest infectious diseases known to mankind. Malaria influenced outcomes of many wars and fates of many kings would have been different. It has competently forced many military defeats and responsible for decline of nations, often caused casualties more than the weapons could have. For centuries it has been responsible in preventing economic development in various regions of the earth. Malaria occurred in more than 100 countries and affects more than 2400 million people in the tropics, from South America to the Indian peninsula. Human malaria in tropical and subtropical areas accounts approximately 40% of the world at risk for the disease. The cause of this distribution in tropics is because of ideal breeding and living conditions for the anopheles mosquito. About 300 million to 500 million people suffer from malaria annually. Most lethal form of malaria infection is focused in the African continent, especially among children under five. In total, sub- Saharan A frica show most (90%) of the malarial cases and two thirds of the remaining 10% cases occur in six countries- India, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Vietnam, Brazil and Solomon Islands (Figure 1.1). WHO forecasts a 16% augmentation in malaria cases annually and about 1.5 million to 3 million deaths due to malaria every year (85% of these occur in Africa), accounting for about 4-5% of all moartality in the world. One child dies every 20 sec. due to malaria somewhere in Africa and there is one malarial death every 12 sec somewhere in the world. 50 million peoples have died of malaria. Among the major infectious diseases, malaria ranks third in cause of martality- after pneumococcal acute respiratory infections and tuberculosis (WHO., 2005). A brief account stated that ~ 30000 visitors who visited endemic countries developed malaria; where as 1% may succumb to the disease. Malaria can be accounted for 2.6 % of the worlds overall burden of diseases, thus raising expectations that it can climb to n umber one of the highest killer infectious diseases by the end of the century. Total global estimates of the annual expenditure (in 1995) showed a whooping US$ 2 billion directed towards malaria. World Health Organization reported it as a re-emerging infectious disease, and specify as infectious killer and number 1 priority tropical disease (WHO., 2005). The recent WHO World Malaria Report registers a global impact of approximately 225 million new clinical malaria infections associated with 781,000 deaths (WHO., 2010). Particularly, in the tropical countries, malaria is a health problem that setbacks social and economical developments. Malaria is commonly associated with poverty, and represents a major burden to economic and social development, costing an estimated sum of greater than US$ 6 billion for the year 2010 (Sachs. J and Malaney. P, 2002; WHO., 2010). Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are two basic elements in easing the impact of malaria. While progress in these areas h as been remarkable, the emerging insecticide resistant vectors, population movements, environmental disturbances, disintegrative health services and wide spread antimalarial drug resistance have constrained this mission. In early 60s, under the guidance of the Figure 1.1 Global distribution of malaria. (Reprinted from Nat Rev Microbiol.) (Bell et al., 2006) World Health Organization, malaria was nearly eradicated from most parts of the world owing to well planned anti malarial campaigns over the world. However, soon after, a resurgence of malaria took place in 1970s, which could be due to several reasons described below. Man made complacency and laxity in anti malarial campaigns; conflicts and wars; migrations; deteriorating health systems; poverty Drug resistance in parasite Insecticide resistance in vector and ban on use of DDT Environment global warming causing increased breeding and life span of the vector Jet age shrinking world spread of malaria from endemic areas to all other parts of the world. 1.4 Life Cycle of Malaria PARASITE The complex life cycle of malaria parasite involves two hosts; an insect vector (anopheles mosquito) and a vertebrate host (human). In search of a blood meal, a malaria-infected female Anopheles mosquito inoculates the infectious sporozoites into the human host. The malaria infection begins as these viable sporozoites invade liver cells and develop into mature schizonts, which in turn rupture and release invasive merozoites into blood stream. In P. vivax and P. ovale an arrested phase [hypnozoites] can remain dormant in the liver and re-invade the bloodstream after weeks, or even years later and cause infection, this delayed primary blood infection is termed as relapse. The initial asexual replication in liver is termed as exo-erythrocytic schizogony. In the normal developing exo-erythrocytic schizont, the cytoplasm of the parasite becomes subdivided and the ensuing invasive merozoites develop. These emergent merozoites are then released upon rupture of the mature schizont and invade the erythrocyte. The parasites undergo asexual multiplication in the erythrocyte, termed as erythrocytic schizogony. Redifferentiation of intra-erythrocytic merozoites into the feeding trophozoites occurs then. The ring stage Figure 1.2 Life cycle of malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum) trophozoites mature into schizonts and when rupture releasing merozoites to begin another cycle of red blood cell infection. However, the majority of merozoites entering an erythrocyte will develop into asexual schizonts, a small fraction can develop into the first sexual stage of life cycle (gametocytes). The rupture of mature schizont also releases the metabolic debris, which is toxic to the host and play a role in stimulating the clinical manifestations of the disease. The female anopheles mosquito must take blood meals on regular basis to support the development of eggs in successive batches. When biting malaria infected vertebrate host, she will take up infected erythrocyte and the gametocytes. Both female (macrogametocytes) and male (microgametocytes) are ingested by female anopheles mosquito during a blood meal. The asexual division of parasites in the mosquito is termed as sporogonic cycle. While in the mosquitos gut gametocytes are triggered by the fall in temperature and begin the formation of gametes. The microgamete penetrates the macrogamete generating zygote. Soon after the zygotes become motile and elongated structure termed as ookinetes, which invade the midgut wall of the mosquito where they develop into oocysts. The sporozoites emerge from ruptured oocysts make their way to reside in the mosquito salivary glands. Inoculation of these viable sporozoites into a new human host to maintain the malaria life cycle (Figure 1.2) (Bannister, Mitchell, 2003). 1.5 THE PLASMODIUM GENOME SEQUENCE The genome sequences of six Plasmodium species have now been published. The complete sequences of the P.falciparum 3D7 strain and the rodent malaria P.y. yoelii 17XNL clone (Carlton et al., 2002; Gardner et al., 2002) appeared in 2002 and the genomic data of two more rodent malaria species, the P.berghei ANKA clone and P. chabaudi AS clone, were published in 2005 (Hall et al., 2005). Recently, the genome sequences of the human malaria P.vivax Salvador 1 strain and the human/simian malaria P.knowlesi H strain, along with a comparative analysis with P.falciparum, were released (Carlton et al., 2008; Pain et al., 2008). Thus, this genus has the highest number of sequenced species of any eukaryotic organism yet (Birkholtz et al., 2008). Comparative analysis of the publicly of the available Plasmodium genomes revealed that they are all haploid with a standard size of 23-27 Mb, which is distributed among 14 linear chromosomes between 0.5-3.0 Mb in size. The base composition varies among the different species, with the rodent and P.falciparum genomes being extremely A+T rich (80.6% on average and close to 90% in introns and intergenic regions in P.falciparum) in contrast with the more G+C rich P.knowlesi and P.vivax genomes (37.5% and 42.3% respectively) Each Plasmodium genome has in the order of 5000-6000 predicted genes, most of which (51%) contain at least one intron and ~60% are orthologus among the different species (Hall, Carlton, 2005; Hall et al., 2005). The difference in gene number is the result of the differential gene expansion in distinct lineages and the presence of large variant gene families that are involved with antigenic variation (Hall, Carlton, 2005). The unique genes of the different species are o ften localised within the subtelomeric regions and code for immunodominant antigens (Hall, Carlton, 2005). The mean gene length of the three sequenced human malarias (including P. knowlesi) is~ 2.2 to 2.3 kb, compared to the average of 1.3 to 1.6 kb in other organisms (Gardner et al., 2002). The reason for these long gene lengths is not known and this is compounded by the fact that these long genes usually encode hypothetical proteins with unknown function (Gardner et al., 2002). Gene-mapping studies of conserved genes have shown that gene location, order and even exon-intron boundaries have been preserved over large regions across the three sequenced rodent Plasmodium species and P.falciparum(Hall, Carlton, 2005). In addition to the nuclear genome , the parasites also have a liner mitochondrial genome of ~6 kb in the case of P.falciparum , which is smallest mitochondrial genome known (Painter et al., 2007) and a ~35 kb circular apicoplast genome (Gardner et al., 2002). The P.falciparum nuclear genome exhibits minimal redundancy in transfer RNA (tRNA) and encodes 43 tRNAs (Gardner et al., 2002) compared to the ~30 of Homo sapiens (Strachan T and Read A, 1998). The parasite tRNA bind all 64 possible codons except TGT and TGC that both specify cysteine (Cys). As no other codons specify Cys, it is possible that these tRNA genes are located within the currently unsequenced regions , since Cys is incorporated into P.falciparum proteins (Gardner et al., 2002). The small P.falciparum mitochondrial genome does not encode any tRNAs (Vaidya et al., 1989) compared to the 22 tRNA of the circular 16.6 kb human mitochondrial genome (Anderson et al., 1981). The P.falciparum mitochondrion therefore imports tRN As from the cytoplasm , whereas the apicoplast genome encodes sufficient tRNAs for protein synthesis within the organelle (Wilson et al., 1996). The P.falciparum genome does not contain tandemly repeated ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene clusters as seen in many other eukaryotes, but it contains individual 18S-5.8S-28S rRNA units at loci on seven of the chromosomes(Gardner et al., 2002). The sequence of the particular rRNA genes is distinct in the different units and the expression of each unit is developmentally regulated, depending on the stages of the parasite life cycle It is anticipated that by transcribing different rRNAs at different life stages, the parasite could change its ribosomal properties and the translation rate of all or specific messenger RNA (mRNA), which could alter the cell growth rate or cell development pattern. Previously , the rRNA expressed in the mosquito was described as S(sexual)-type and that expressed in the human host as A (asexual) type(Gardner et al., 2002). Parasite rRNA is also species-specific and can be assessed for diagnostic purposes (Singh et al., 2004). More than 60% of the predicted 5268 ope n reading frames (ORFs) of P.falciparum have no sequence similarity to genes from other sequenced organisms (Gardner et al., 2002). The absence of sequence similarity complicates characterization of the unknown ORFs, but might hold the answer to finding selective drug targets (Bozdech et al., 2003). There is currently a dedicated initiative aimed at improving the annotation status of P.falciparum led by the Plasmodium database, PlasmoDB (www.plasmodb.org). 1.6 Malaria Incidence in Different States of India The malariometric index evaluated as annual parasite incidence (API) indicates the number of malaria cases per thousand of population. As per the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) incidence records, in most part of India, the API was 5 API were scattered in the states of Gujarat, Goa, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, the northeastern states and Karnataka (Kumar A et al., 2007). The proportion of occurrence of P. falciparum and P. vivax differs in various parts of India. Most of the indo-gangatic plains, northwestern India, northern hilly states, and southern state like Tamil Nadu have > 90% P. vivax infections, and the rest are P. falciparum. This situation is reversed in forested areas inhabited by ethnic tribes, where the proportion of P. falciparum is 30-90%. In the remaining areas P. falciparum prevail between 10% and 30%. Although Orissa has a population of 36.7 million (3.5%), it contributed most (25%) of a total of 1.5-2 milli on reported annual malaria cases, 39.5% of total P. falciparum malaria, and 30% of deaths caused by malaria in India (Source NVBDCP, India). Similarly, in the other states, forest ecosystems inhabited by ethnic tribes lives mainly in Figure 1.3 Prevalance of Plasmodium falciparum in India meso to hyperendemic conditions of malaria, where the preponderance of P. falciparum exist upto the extent of 90% or even more (Kumar et al., 2007) (Figure 1.3). 1.7 MALARIA Control and Prevention A global strategy for malaria control was developed by W.H.O. in a ministerial conference at Amsterdam, held in October 1992. The strategy broadly suggests emphasis on diagnosis and treatment in place of earlier trend of emphasis on vector control as a strategy for malaria control. The salient aspects of this strategy were early diagnosis and treatment; prevention of malarial deaths; promotion of personal protection measures like use of ITMs; forecasting, early detection and control of malaria epidemics; monitoring, evaluation and integration of activity in primary health centres; and operational research in field sites. Malaria prevention was classified at the level of personal protection, the prophylaxis and the malaria vaccines. Protective measures adopted at individual level and at family level not only help in protection of the individual against mosquito bites but also prevents spread of malaria in locality. These measures indirectly helped in reducing the mosquito population b y denying the blood meal which is an essential for nourishment of the mosquito eggs in the female anopheles. Protection measures at personal level against mosquitoes includes: Prevention of mosquitoes from entering the house, protection from mosquito bites and prohibiting the mosquitoes from resting inside house. All these prevention activities need the following; i. Protective Clothing ii. Mosquito Repellents iii. Insecticide vaporizers iv. Mosquito nets v. Air conditioning The absence of vaccines necessitates the use of drugs against malaria. All visitors from non-endemic area to a malarious area should have presumptive antimalarial drugs which offer protection against clinical attacks of malaria in that particular malaria endemic area (www.who.int/malaria). The practice of anti-malarial drugs to prevent the development of malaria is known as chemoprophylaxis. The choice of chemoprophylaxis differs depending on the species and drug resistance prevalence in a country. It must be remembered that no chemoprophylaxis regime provides 100% protection. Therefore it is essential to have personal protection from mosquito bites as well as to practice the chemoprophylaxis. Drugs used for chemoprophylaxis include: chloroquine, sulfadoxine, pyrimethamine, atovaquone plus proguanil, proguanil, halofantrine, doxycycline and mefloquin (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/antimalarialdrug.html). The effective way to control any infectious disease is indeed to have a safe and effective vaccine, but even after decades of malaria research, an effective malaria vaccine is still elusive. The major culprit in not having an effective malaria vaccine is complex life cycle of the parasite which involves vector mosquitoes and human. In turn, parasites allelic diversity and antigenic variations make the development and implementation of effective malaria control intervention more problematic. In the present scenario of increasing resistance against antimalarials by parasite and the insecticide resistance shown by the anopheles mosquito, it is evident that an intervention at multiple stages of life cycle will be an appropriate way of combating malaria. Malaria vaccines for different stages of life cycle will therefore play a major role in future malaria interventions. Evaluation of new malaria vaccine candidates in malaria endemic countries is required. The present situation demands suf ficient sites in malaria endemic countries for testing potential malaria vaccines in future. 1.8 Antimalarial drug resistance One of the major control strategies against malaria is prompt treatment of malaria patients with effective antimalarial drugs; however one of the major challenges in the battle against malaria in recent years is the development of drug resistance in the malaria parasites. A continuous research and monitoring is crucial when trying to control and diminish this development. Antimalarial drug resistance in the malaria parasite, both in vitro and in vivo has been related to changes at molecular level in the malaria parasite (P. falciparum and P. vivax).

The Environment Of Perhentian Island, Malaysia

The Environment Of Perhentian Island, Malaysia For many small islands tourism is economically significant as a source of income and employment. Islands, especially small islands, continue to fascinate and attract tourists, and for tropical Less Developed Countries (LDCs) such as Malaysia with many offshore islands, developers and government planners see the potential to develop resorts. However, what if small islands that already host international tourism, even small-scale such as backpackers? What issues and tensions might emerge as these small island destinations face significant change? Peninsular Malaysia has many small islands off the east coast, they all have become increasingly popular among foreign and local tourist alike. Islands like Perhentian is drawing more and more people to visit and this popularity although good for the economics has brought about a mass tourism phenomenon whereby large amounts of people visit the island at one given time thus crowding the island. This drives the tourism authorities, hotels and t our operators to supply to the demand, focusing more on the mass tourism and the revenue it generates, thus neglecting the environmental degradation that brings about many negative impacts to the island. Many conservation programmes have been since embarked by the tourism authorities after realising the need for protection for the environment but most are just ad hoc and has not been sustained. The Perhentian islands off the east coast of peninsula Malaysia have been a tourism destination since the late 1980s when backpackers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾discoveredà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ these islands. The two main islands of perhentian have experienced differing forms of development since then, and this island has since attracted more and more visitors to its majestic islands. And this paper examines how mass tourism can affect a particular destination as a result of its popularity. 1.2 Research question What are the effects of mass tourism to the environment of Pulau Perhentian that will be my research question My problem comes with mass and advancing tourism industry and its effect to the natural setting that we have in Perhentian Island. Urbanization is not indeed a problem to anyone, judging by the way everyone is living compared to 20 years back. The convenience to carry out a task is made so simple by so many gadgets, storing, managing and sharing data and information has never been easier after the invention of the internet and so on. Its a virtual world now that we are living in. Tourism is the no 1 hospitality industry in the world, with the advancement of technology in transportation and information transfer. Booking, choosing, travelling and experiencing has never been more easy. But have we ever stop to think what is required for us to experience these holidays? Hotel? Land? Natural resource? , and have we ever taken a step back to think what and how our activities have done to our environment? I am not arguing saying that tourism industry is the main cause of all the pollution and devastation caused. But in this paper I am going to show what some irresponsible stakeholders have done to Perhentian and how our mother nature suffers while watching us frolicking. 1.3 Research objectives Malaysia is a country which embraces its modernity while its tradition and world old charm, together with this is its thriving beauty of the natural setting, the tropical jungles and its diverse ecosystem. Therefore this destination is fuelled by an increasing number of local and international tourists, and with advancement of global communication, the numbers are rocketing up. But with the increasing number of tourist host and suppliers in Malaysia need to cater to the demand thus causing development and urbanization, and thus causing Malaysia to lose much of its land, rain forest, sacrificing endangered species of animals along the way This research has three specific objectives in order to understand the impact of mass tourism to the environment. The first objective is to examine perhentian island which have been affected, the result of these pollutions and to prove that these pollutions are caused by mass tourism activities. The second objective is to understand how government, NGOs and the public are doing to preserve the environment. The third objective is to provide solutions and ideas that can be used for the future of tourism and also preserve the environment at the same time so that tourism and sustainability can coexist without destroying each other. 1.4 Significant of studies This research provides several benefits to the tourism industry , the local community and Perhentian island. This research will help to show how mass tourism has been affecting the natural setting of perhentian island, and the danger that it poses to the endangered species of animals that share the islands warm water and jungles with us. Second, by identifying the cause and effect of the damage to perhentian island, measures can be than taken by local authorities and other government bodies to preserve the remaining of the island and set boundaries and rules which may in return bring back the balance in the ecosystem and the natural setting of perhentian island. Third, by implementing ;travel laws in perhentian , this would help to reduce on the damage that has hit perhentian. And help to preserve the environment and its ecosystem for the younger generation to experience. Lastly, this research also contributes knowledge to sustain the natural setting not only in perhentian but also other destinations in Malaysia that could face the same problem as Perhentian. 1.5 Limitations of studies This research is done to identify the relationships between Mass tourism activity and its direct impact to Perhentian island. Besides that, this research examines the results of such activity and the solutions that can be resorted to in order to maintain a balance. This research is conducted in Perhentian Island, Malaysia. Interviews will be carried out to both local and international tourists who are visiting Perhentian. . The sample size is limited to 100 respondents. As perhentian is a small island 2.0 Literature review 2.1 Mass tourism What is tourism? There is no single definition of tourism which everyone uses. Many definitions have been used over the years, some of which are universal and can be applied to any situation, and others terms for a more specific purpose. Different tourism organisation, for example, often devises definitions that satisfy their own specific requirements. The more universal definition builds on Goeldner and Ritchie (2006) Tourism may be defined as the sum of the processes, activities and outcomes arising from the relationship and the interaction among tourist, tourism suppliers, host governments, host communities and surrounding environments that are involved in the attracting, transporting, hosting and management of tourist and other visitors. Tourism according to the Cambridge online dictionary states that its the business of providing services such as transport, places to stay or entertainment for people who are on holiday. Meanwhile the oxford online dictionary says that its the commercial organization and operation of holidays and visits to places of interest. What is mass tourism Mass tourism is the act of visiting a leisure destination with large amounts of people at one time. The development of mass tourism is parallel to the development and improvements of technology. Transportation and internet has evolved so much in time , making communication fast and easy, this allows tourist to research, find out and book and even pay for their holidays online, this thus contributing to the rise of mass tourism, besides that the improvement in technology in the transportation industry also helps in the transport of large numbers of people in a short space of time to places of leisure interest, so that greater numbers of people could begin to enjoy the benefits of leisure time. Mass tourism has always been the subject of criticism for its negative impacts around the world. Many books point out mass tourisms potentially destructive impacts on societies, culture and environment. Many authors condemned and still condemn this mass consumption and those who enjoy it. Actually the debate over the advantages and the disadvantages of tourism has raged incessantly and will continue. Tourism development in many places, and especially mass tourism, has led to deterioration in environment quality. In the 1960s, the effects of mass tourism and the increasing awareness of the human impacts on the environment led to a general state that nature is not an inexhaustible resource. Relation between environment and tourism Today, one can assist to a high degree of sensibility for the natural environment. The reason is that tourism is the only economical sector that offers natural environment as a very important part of its product. In other words, the natural environment is a key element of the tourism activity. Krippendorf (1982) the landscape is the real raw material of tourism; it is the reason for the existence of tourism as well as its economic driving force. It highlights the fact that tourist product quality is linked with environment quality. This highly dependence between tourism and environment is often used as basic argument to make the tourism industry aware about the negative impacts of mass tourism on the environment. MA European Tourism Management Environment The environment constitutes a tourism resource and has to be considered as a part of the tourism product because no other economic sector is so vitally and directly affected by environmental quality (Mieczkowski, J. 1995). This close relationship or interdependence between tourism and environment, Mieczkowski (1995 ) defines it as the environmental part of tourism Multiple surveys confirm the hypothesis that the quality of natural environment constitutes the primary factors that attracted the present-day tourist (WTO, 1983: 28). So, if tourism wants to survive, it seems imperative to reach this harmony between people and nature. It is the only way to minimize the costs of tourism on the environment and permit the tourist to enjoy undisturbed nature. (Mieczkowski, J. 1995) This symbiotic relation, term used by Budowski (1976) has a name, it is sustainable tourism. Mass tourism creates intense environmental pressures due to the fact that such activity involves a large number of tourists in small areas. Moreover, those pressures are accentuated by the temporal polarization of mass tourism (Shaw, G. and Williams, A. 2002). Hudman and Jackson (2003) acknowledge that coastal resorts are a good example of changing pre-existing forms associated with both the human and physical environment. In Spain, for example, several coastal villages have been changed rather dramatically in the past few years. Travel posters of the area usually highlight the area as it was before tourism. Yet, with the growth of mass tourism, the scattered villages of Torremolinos, Benidorm or Lloret del Mar, and other small villages are no longer recognizable. Lloret de Mar, was among the first in Europe to be developed for mass tourism (Telegraf.co.uk, 2001). More recently, the development of transport facilities such as airlines have permitted to those places to attract still m ore tourists. For example, since the arrival of Ryanair, the low cost airline company, at Gerona airport, the town of Lloret de Mar has become far more accessible, especially to those who maintain a strict travel budget. Mass tourism has a range of impacts of all types on natural environment (e.g. coastal, mountains or inland) but also on built environments (e.g. historic sites or cities). Mass tourism leads to the direct degradation, pollution, even destruction of elements (air, soils, geology, vegetation, water and wildlife) and ecosystems (coastal, mountains, inland and polar) (Mieczkowski, Z. 1995). The main causes are the construction of tourist facilities such as hotel complexes, theme parks and marinas and the concentration of tourists in the same place. The simplest way to view such environmental impacts is to consider mass tourism within specific environments. Coastal areas are especially vulnerable to mass tourism because they represent the most desirable places to spend vacation. In some places such as the Mediterranean, there has been widespread destruction of the ecosystems. It is the marine ecosystem which supports and is affected by mass beach tourism, especially concentrated during the high season (from June to August). The summer months have most sun and they include the longest school holiday period when families take their main vacation. The marine e cosystems suffer from garbage disposal by hotels and littering by tourists, oil spills from cruise ships and other motorized boat traffic, etc. (Mieczkowski, Z. 1995). All the construction of tourism facilities required for mass tourism in coastal areas affects the beach in any ways. Infrastructures are required to cope with the large volume of consumers in a short period of time (Shaw, G. and Williams, A. 2002) Why did mass tourism happen Mass tourism appears after the World War II, it was initiated in the back streets of the industrial towns and cities in the north of England. The development of mass tourism in the western world was linked to the economic development of society and as a matter of fact to the incorporation of a more powerful middle and lower class inside the tourist market. This expansion has been based on external factors such as generalisation of paid holidays, rising standards of living and a rapid improvement in the means of transportation such as the increase in air travel. The growth of such tourism represents a democratisation of travel and this democratisation means that status distinctions will be drawn between the different classes of traveller, but less between those that can travel or not. Increase in car ownership Increase in leisure time: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ holiday entitlement à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ shorter working week à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ early retirement with pensions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ ageing population Greater wealth: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ larger incomes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ less children à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Two wage-earner families Motorways Jet aircraft Computer reservation systems Internet on-line booking The package tour The package tour, also called package holiday, package travel or all-inclusive package are often standardised and with limited flexibility. The package refers to the purchase of a package of travel services including transport and accommodation. All other types of trips are non-package tours. When buying a package, the tourist feels sure to receive the service promised. Today, the industry tourism has adapted its offer to the customer needs and expectations and proposes tailor-made packages where the customer can combine all the components of his trip. The idea of the package tour is the same but more flexibility is granted Weekend breaks Ecotourism Technology Popularity of the certain place Trend What are the effects? The impact of the mass tourism is quite popular, especially upon the environment. Besides, very limited share of money spent on holidays actually get to the local people, which regional and native cultural attractions we all enjoy. These are the people who actually save the traditions and habits of their local areas. The people, who allow us to catch a glimpse of their cultural heritage, they are who have preserving and taking care of the un-spoiled nature for all of us. Maybe many of the people are used to think that big tour operators and large travel consortiums have a responsibility to preserve that local cultural heritage and environment. But they are only concerned about their profit and nothing else. But if one do not look a bit further in future and see that this way, one day there would not be many remaining tourist resources and gains will start descending fast. Unfortunately, this will affect no one so greatly, but the locals. After all, alternative tourism forms include s mall groups of people, who surely do not harm the environment that much. Besides, if not familiar, as I am sure most of them are, one of the aims of the alternative tourism forms is to acknowledge how to preserve the environment and local traditions and culture. Actually, some alternative forms are meant to enable man to appreciate the greatness of nature, a great such example is the eco-tourism. However, it is totally different situation in some big resorts with thousands of people running around and a lot of hotels keeping the beautiful nature views away from your sight. Of course, there are many ways of entertainment in view of the tourists animation, nightlife, and other. But is it not exactly that what we are running from? Could great nightlife and various animations with the difference they are at different place, compare with the variety of all alternative forms; to compare with the naked nature and cultural heritage? Advantage 1) Jobs are generated by tourism in many areas in the initial construction of the resorts, in travel, in food provision and in other service related industries. 2) Local people benefit directly from employment 4) Transport facilities are developed 5) The local tax base increases so the local government/council can invest in schools, healthcare and social services. DISADANTAGES 1) TNCs (Trans National Corporations) from rich countries are often involved this can result in a lot of profits leaving the country. 2 Jobs can be seasonal especially in beach and skiing based resorts. people can therefore find themselves out of work in the close season. 3) Tourists consume huge amounts of resources including food and water this type of tourism is particularly UNSUSTAINABLE in this manner. 4) Tourists introduce new values and cultures this causes cultural pollution. 5) Land is lost from farming to tourist developments. Example of a place affected by mass tourism For years Bali, the pearl among the Sunda Islands, has been touted as an earthly paradise, thanks to the its tropical landscapes, its white sandy beaches, the tormented beauty of its Hindu temples and its inhabitants reputation for kindness and tolerance. But this idyllic spot may soon be a thing of the past, with the threat of Bali becoming a prey to the accumulated effects of mass tourism, unbridled consumption of resources and environmental collapse. From the 1970s onwards Bali really became a tourist destination. Hundreds of hotels use up a large share of freshwater reserves,with each four-star room consuming 300 litres a day. By 2015 Bali could be facing a drinking water crisis. More than a million visitors came to Bali in 2001. The figures for 2011 suggest that numbers have more than doubled since, ultimately unaffected by the 2002 terror attack, which left 202 dead, including many Australians. Every year 700 hectares of land is lost to hotels, luxury housing for rich foreigners or just roads to improve connections on the island. Every day some 13,000 cubic metres of waste is dumped on public tips and only half is recycled. With 13% more cars on the roads every year, the steadily increasing traffic causes massive jams. In an attempt to mitigate the ill effects of mass tourism on the local Hindu culture , an exception in largely Muslim Indonesia , the authorities have introduced environmental legislation. One of its provisions makes it compulsory for resorts to be set back at least 150 metres from beaches, with no hotels within 5km of Hindu temples. In January 2011, the governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika, issued a ban on new buildings in heavily developed areas, warning that Bali was in danger of becoming a sterile land bristling with concrete. The ban is far from popular with investors. Tourism is partly due to the attraction of our culture: if mass tourism develops in a way that threatens the culture, and this will result in the locals losing their specific attraction. Compared with other holiday venues in south-east Asia, Bali has retained much of its magic, at least in the areas so far spared by mass tourism. But if nothing is done to halt current trends, it may suffer the same fate as other dream destinations. 2.2 Perhentian Island Asia-Pacific is one of the worlds fastest growing tourism areas in terms of international arrivals, especially in the South-East Asian sub-region with booming tourism in established destinations such Thailand (14.1 million international arrivals in 2009) and newer, emerging destinations such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos (UN WTO, 2010). The focus of this paper, Malaysia, also has a growing international tourism sector with 24.6 million international arrivals in 2010 generating over US $18.2 billion in receipts, and contributing at least seven per cent of GDP (MOTOUR, 2011). 4International arrivals data to Malaysia is disaggregated according to country of origin and not by market segment so it is unknown how many backpackers visit, but one estimate suggests at least 300,000 per year (Ian and Musa, 2005). Within the emerging South-East Asia backpacker trail, the Perhentian islands are one of the hotspot sites in northern peninsula Malaysia. Typically, backpackers enter Malaysia from so uthern Thailand (or travel north from Singapore) and then journey in a circuit between Penang via the Cameron Highlands and then to the east coast specifically to visit the Perhentians. Backpackers often stay on islands or at other beach resorts as mini break from harder travelling within their larger trips around the region. The Island of Perhentian Not less than an hour on a boat from the east coast of Malaysia, Northeast of Peninsular Malaysia, nearby the city of Kota Bharu, there are two small islands that form the Perhentian Islands. The names are Perhentian Besar, the larger of the two and popular among couples and families with children, and Perhentian Kecil, the smaller island and very popular among budget travelers. Both the islands have plenty of accommodation available to stay overnight. This ranges from luxurious resorts that offer cabanas complete with air-conditioning, to simple lodges where you will have to do with cold water and a fan. There are no (internationally renowned) hotels. Perhentian is most popular because the great places for diving and snorkeling; in most cases you can enjoy the underwater world right in front of the resort. It is also very popular because the island is easy to reach; though during the monsoon season (October to March) practically the whole island is closed to tourists. As Perhentian Island is part of a marine park visitors have to pay a conservation fee of RM5. The island is situated about 20 kilometers off the northeastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. http://divezone.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/perhentian-islands-map.gif http://go2travelmalaysia.com/tour_malaysia/images/perhentian_map.gif The Perhentian Islands are two islands named Pulau Perhentian Kecil (Small Perhentian Island) and Pulau Perhentian Besar (Large Perhentian Island). The Malay name Perhentian is translated as place to stop and this is exactly what these two islands were for traders travelling between Malaysia and Bangkok in years gone by. These islands are still a gorgeous place to stop and rest today. The laid-back atmosphere and the natural beauty of the Perhentian islands immediately transport you to a different world. The white sand is dotted with sun-worshipping holiday makers, some retreating to the shade for a glass of freshly squeezed juice. A group of scuba divers are boarding a boat to venture out into the turquoise waters and submerge themselves in the underwater wonderland. Later, as the sun sets, a quiet buzz of music and chatter fills the air, together with the thin wisp of smoke from the barbeque fire. The islands remain relatively untouched and the only permanent inhabitants live in a small fishing village on Perhentian Kecil. Apart from footpaths that cut through the jungle, there are no roads on the islands. The only way to get around is by walking through the jungle or taking a sea taxi. If you tread carefully, you may even encounter some of the islands shy wildlife on the way, such as monitor lizards, fruit bats, squirrels or even the elusive mouse deer. Simple chalets and some moderately luxurious resorts line the picturesque beaches along with restaurants, dive centers and boat operators advertising their services with hand-painted signs. Perhaps it is the stretches of white beach or the crystal clear water and the superior scuba diving. Perhaps it is the untouched forests or the relaxed atmosphere and unspoiled charm. We like to think that the lush greens and the wildlifes habiting the island makes Perhentian Islands the perfect place to relate ecotourism adventure tourism. Activities In the island Attractions in Perhentian island are all nature based, ranging from snorkeling to scuba diving and jungle treeking. All eager to teach tourist about the ecosystem that surrounds the island. These islands have been gazette as a marine park and as such littering, fishing and collecting of any marine life (whether dead or alive) is strictly prohibited. As it is a marine park, this also means that the rich diversity of aquatic life has been preserved and it is beautiful to experience. Snorkelling Perhentian is famous for its great snorkeling possibilities. A lot of resorts on the island have their own house reef. This means that you can snorkel directly in front or within walking distance of your resort. On the Perhentians there are dozens of diving schools. There, you can rent diving goggles, an air tube and flippers for a small fee (usually around RM15 per day). With this equipment you can snorkel in front of your bungalow. Sadly the fish in front of the resorts often are very spoiled. This means that, as soon as you are in the water you will be surrounded by small (and sometimes also large) fish that expect you to feed them. Also, the coral reefs near the resorts usually are less beautiful, because boats regularly pass by to drop people off at the resort. Some of the popular spots for snorkeling are Shark Point, Teluk Pauh and Tanjung Basi. If you are lucky, a combination of these stops may mean that you see a turtle, some black tip reef sharks and an abundance of colourfu l coral all in one. But the sheer amounts of visitors and careless practices have resulted in damage to the coral and consequently the marine life around the islands rip. Scuba Diving Many tourists visit Perhentian Island to enjoy a couple of great dives. As there is fierce competition between operators diving at the island is relatively cheap, usually ranging between RM60 and RM80 per dive. Diving at Perhentian is especially for beginners as there are almost no currents and visibility is almost always fine. There are better places to dive in Malaysia, but almost none of them are so affordable and easy to reach as on Perhentian. Marine life is in abundance here and apart from the many species of hard and soft coral that form the backbone of these ecosystems you can also expect to encounter turtles, several species of sharks, mackerel, jacks, moray eels, nudibranchs and various other reef fish. This gives a chance for ecotourist to learn about marine life in their natural habitat and to learn how not to spoil their habitat. Jungle Trekking On both the islands there are a number of hiking trails, there are no roads however. The trails are light and usually dont take more than 30 minutes to complete. Perhentian is too small to spot real wildlife, but there are monitor lizards, monkeys, fruit bats and some species of birds on the island. Because walking in the heat is not very pleasant for many, you can take water taxis to return to your resort after the hike. When going to secluded locations, come to an agreement on the pickup for the return trip. Tropical forest covers the greater part of the Perhentian Islands and a few trails that twist through the greenery allow you to explore the diversity of plant life. Tread quietly and you may just meet a few of the islands animals along the way. Monitor lizards are in abundance, as are numerous species of insects and birds. If you are lucky, you may even spot a group of long-tailed macaques (a type of monkey). The elusive mouse deer is also said to inhabit the island, but these tiny animals are rarely seen. Perhentian a conservation island ? In line with the conservation effort Perhentian Island has Marine Parks as Marine Park are ideal places for viewing the rich aquatic life that abound in Malaysias water. There are 5 marine parks and tourist wishing to visit these parks must take note of regulations. A Marine park is an area of the sea zoned as a sanctuary for the coral reef community which is considered as possibly the most productive ecosystem in the world, with its diversity of flora and fauna. Coral reefs are also important breeding and nursery grounds for many commercially important species of marine organisms and fish. Among the objectives of the Marine Park and Marine reserves are: Preservation and protection of coral reef areas from the impact of development. Upgrade and preserve the natural habitat of endangered species of aquatic life. Establishment of zones for preservation of the aquatic flora and fauna and also for the purpose of research and educational activities. Establishment of zones for recreational uses consistent with the carrying capacity of the area. With the establishment of the Marine Park, the benefits are as follows, the ecosystem and habitat of marine life will be protected and maintained, besides that it will also help in rejuvenation of over exploited zones and their maintenance for the protection of endangered species of marine organisms, and establishment of zones for research and educational purposes. Perhentian and mass tourism The growth of tourism changes and modifies the environment. Environment is land, water, air, flora and fauna, but also people and culture and the impacts of tourism are reflected on elements of the natural environment as well as on the man-made environment or built environment (development of environments for tourism as for example holiday resorts). The development of tourism requires the existence of an infrastructure, as well as hotel accommodation and another facilities specific to tourism. In some areas highways and airfields have been constructed to make stimulate tourism but not always has the local population benefited from these developments. Infrastructure and facilities require land and the consequence is that land prices rise in the areas were tourism is developing What are the effects so far? The Perhentian Islands are fast taking the middle ground of the tourism industry. Not big enough for runways and golf courses like its neighbour Redang Island, tourism comes in two main forms backpackers on Pulau Kecil and weekenders on Pulau Besar. There are only a couple of high-priced resorts, while the bulk of the accommodations cater to the mid-range crowd. Only two decades ago, Perhentian was considered a well-kept secret; now the beaches are chock-a-block full of resorts, chalets, dive shops and cafes. Back in 1985 less than ten chalets occupied the coastline of both islands, but a buildin

Essay on Metamorphosis of the Family in Kafkas Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis of the Family in Kafka's Metamorphosis      Ã‚   In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, the nature of Gregor Samsa's reality changes insignificantly in spite of his drastic physical changes. Gregor's life before the metamorphosis was limited to working and caring for his family. As a traveling salesman, Gregor worked long, hard hours that left little time to experience "life." He reflects on his life acknowledging the "plague of traveling: the anxieties of changing trains, the irregular, inferior meals, the ever changing faces, never to be seen again, people with whom one has no chance to be friendly" (Kafka 13). Gregor, working to pay off his family's debt, has resigned himself to a life full of work.    Kafka himself paralleled this sentiment in a quote taken from his diaries noting that no matter how hard you work "that work still doesn't entitle you to loving concern for people. Instead, you're alone, a total stranger, a mere object of curiosity" (Pawel 167). Gregor submerges himself in work and becomes a stranger to himself and to life. Any type of social contact beyond porters, waitresses or bartenders was non-existent. He had once met a "cashier in a hat shop, whom he had pursued earnestly but too slowly" (Kafka 76).    There was no room in Gregor's life for people other that his family and as a result was condemned to a life without love or caring not to mention basic companionship. He worked diligently to provide for his family and that remained his only goal in life. Gregor's family relied on him to be the "breadwinner" of the family, but gave him nothing in return. The life that he had led until now was one fully of obligations and loneliness; he came home to empty hotel rooms or his apathetic fam... ...g him and longing for his demise. Can anyone be sure that their lives are good and perfect and that their families would understand and accept any change that could arise? The fact is that above and beyond all things a person must consider themselves first, however selfish it might appear. Sense of self will keep you through all the adverse times in life and be a companion to rely on when no one else cares.    Works Cited Eggenschwiler, David. "'The Metamorphosis', Freud, and the Chains of Odysseus". Franz Kafka: Modern Critical Views. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 199-219. Emrich, Wilhelm. Franz Kafka: A Critical Study of His Writings. New York: Ungar, 1968. Kafka, Franz. Metamorphosis. Trans. A.L. Lloyd. New York: Vanguard Press, Inc., 1946. Pawel, Ernst. The Nightmare of Reason. New York: Vintage Books, 1984.

Graduation Speech: We Are Not Alone :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Good morning to all of you. I am glad to be here with you, sharing this important and celebratory time. We have all accomplished a great deal and it's sometimes hard to believe it is coming to an end. There are so many stories that all of us have to tell about our time at County High. I would like to share some of my experience from the last few years. That first morning, I walked to County High in the cool September air. I remember looking up at the moon, a pale sliver, lemon-edged and sharp. I remember trying to empty myself of my nervousness, getting ready to be in a room full of strangers. I remember that County High was freezing that morning. I was completely intimidated. Why had I come to school? Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. I had no specific goal. I vaguely wanted to finish my degree, but I was never sure if I had what it took to be in college. I look around now, at all of us together, and I think, how did we get here? What was the texture, the character, of the intervening years? Some of it will be a series of pictures: I see the long hallways with the lights reflecting off the floors. I see the new buildings rising up, steel and stone, with the workers tethered on the rooftops. I see the wetland, mud and green and baby trees. But what I see the most are the faces. In the classrooms, the instructors looking at us, engaging with us. The smiles of people in the hallways. I see the faces of the people who have looked at me and seen me. I remember, two years ago, feeling invisible. This was fine with me. It provided a comfort, maybe of not having to be responsible. I was accountable only to myself both in the classroom and out. Surrendering that invisibility has been a crucial part of my education at Neda. I realized that I couldn't do it alone. I realized that I didn't want to do it alone. I was helped through, pulled through sometimes, by people who cared for me and who were willing to give of themselves. This extends to the numerous faculty members I've encountered throughout my time here and to you, who have walked beside me. Having accountability to those I am in community with has made the difference for me.

The Great Dangers of Civil Disobedience

Van Dudes explicitly refutes the concepts of Thoreau suggesting that they, as the title of his work suggests, destroy democracy. Van Dudes feels that when man disobeys the law and separates from the democratic society he feels has failed, he simply pushes democracy further towards failure. While the ends laid out by Thoreau in Walden and Civil Disobedience, and Martin Luther King Jar. In Letter From Birmingham Jail, may be completely valid, the mean by which they chose to try and attain them, civil disobedience, is acted upon without true understanding of its detrimental impact to democratic society according to Lewis H.Van Dudes. While Henry David Thoreau seems to feel he is presenting the ideals for how one should live their life and how government should function, In reality he Is conveying an impractical message with detrimental effects. In his work Walden, Thoreau outlines the basic ideas of transcendentalism and keeps an account of his time spent living in the Walden woods. It is in the Walden woods that Thoreau concludes, â€Å"If we do not†¦ Forge rails, and devote days and nights to the work, but go to tinkering upon our lives o improve them, who will build railroads?†¦ Ho will want Thoreau Is conveying the message that within American society man has becomes so consumed with his own life that he has forgotten about striving towards progression. Thoreau feels that If every man spends his time concerned with minor detail, and the material things society has defined as symbols of success. Man will not advance, he will simply live a cyclical life during which nothing of meaning occurs. While Thoreau presents his ideas with great confidence he soon finds that man inherently can't abandon all outing and ritual, thus making his concept of transcendence impractical.More Important than the Impracticality of transcendentalism Is Thoreau Interpretation of what he is presenting. Thoreau feels he is providing the example of a man who transcends societal constraints and living his life to the fullest. In reality Thoreau is very much avoiding society entirely by taking up this supposed transcendent lifestyle. Lewis H. Van Dudes presents the Idea that call disobedience Is very much a self- fulfilling prophecy. In going to the woods Thoreau doesn't â€Å"build railroads† but instead leaves them to be built by the world which he has lost faith in.By leaving the building of railroads, essentially the directing of society, to a society he feels is very limited due to deeply Ingrained routine and ritual, Thoreau removes the Influence he may have potentially had. This removal of Influence doesn't lead the railroads to taking the shape Thoreau wished for but instead lets a society he already doesn't 1 OFF nave Tall n In create teen In any way teen please. When man elects to transcend, en really avoids society and does not build railroads but instead runs from them. Henry David Thoreau presents his ideas for achieving better governmen t in his work Civil Disobedience.As the title of his work suggests, Thoreau felt civil disobedience, a form of non-violent protest of laws, was the key to ensuring a government doesn't over extend its control over its people. In Civil Disobedience Thoreau states, â€Å"The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think is right†(l). Thoreau seems to suggest that governmental laws constrain people. He feels as if man can't truly live within a society led by a government that â€Å"restricts† him by imposing laws and expecting adherence to them.While Thoreau feels that a government that didn't impose itself upon him would best allow man to flourish, it is Thoreau very belief that he should be able to do what he feels is right that could potentially create anarchy. Van Dudes argues that to break the law is to consider oneself above the law, and if everyone feels they are above the law society can't function. If no one pays taxes or suppor ts government society doesn't flourish instead it perishes. While an organized effort against government could potentially lead to unofficial results, when all people rebel against the laws currently in place the results are not necessarily ideal.Simply because many people disagree with the law doesn't mean they have the same opinions on what the proper laws are. Abandonment of laws would possibly, and likely result in the development of factions and these divided factions could result in the development of a state of anarchy. While Thoreau felt he was conveying the basis for great improvement in society, should his intellectual ideas be taken to fruition the possibility of anarchy could be ever present. Martin Luther King Jar. Arguably one of the most influential Americans of all time, relied upon civil disobedience as a method of attaining his ultimate goal, the elimination of segregation. During one of his nonviolent protests King was arrested and placed in a Birmingham Jail. Aft er being condemned by the clergymen of Birmingham King wrote his Letter From Birmingham Jail. Within this letter King attempts to Justify the need for his acts of civil disobedience. King claims there is a necessity for civil disobedience to bring about change.King's goal was, without a doubt, Just and necessary however his methods for attaining his goal were not. In his letter King stated, â€Å"One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey Just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with SST. Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at par 12). King takes a very similar position to Thoreau in deciding that it is man's responsibility to disobey laws he finds unjust. King is suggesting that to think a law is unjust but do nothing is Just s bad as blindly following the law in the first place.King is convinced that only civil disobedience could bring the results he desired. While King's goal to end the segregation of African Americans and whites in America was obviously one of great importance, his methods were not as ideal. Van Dudes would argue that by insisting on disobeying laws, Martin Luther King was demanding African Americans and others to pull away from the potential answer to their problem. King was essentially giving up on the democracy that he felt oppressed him. While democracy is inherently flawed it still allows for all who patiently adhere to it can have an influence.King doesn't patiently wait for the processes of democracy to get his point across. Instead , Klan puts enamels above democracy Ana requests toners ay ten same. Only in abandoning democracy does it truly fail, not due to its own inherent faults, but due to the assumption of failure by those who abandon it. Lewis H. Van Dudes, in his Civil Disobedience: Destroyer of Democracy, attempts to refute the beliefs of all those who favor civil disobedience. Van Dudes directly interdicts Thoreau in saying, â€Å"Thoreau posit ion is not only morally irresponsible but politically reprehensible.When citizens in a democracy are called on to make a profession of faith, the civil disobedient offer only a confession of failure. † Van Dudes is conveying the idea that Thoreau beliefs are unacceptable because what he feels to be an inspiring message for further progress, is simply a foreboding message of unavoidable failure. Thoreau sees civil disobedience as the expression of a higher man who is unwilling to stand for moral injustices. On the other hand, Van Dudes argues that Thoreau ideas suggest to man that he should give up on his effort to make change.By stepping away from American democracy and society the natural born right to try and direct democracy in the ways you wish is lost. Van Dudes also contradicts the idea that man should, at any time, disregard the law when he states, â€Å"There is no man who is above the law, and there is no man who has a right to break the law. Civil disobedience is no t above the law, but against the law. † Van Dudes is making it clear that are only two types of citizens, those who obey the law ND those who disobey the law. Civil disobedience is not a loophole or gray area it is simply a glorified Justification for breaking the law.Simply because such a glorified explanation is presented doesn't mean one should latch onto it. Man within a democracy should support it in hopes of making it better, not ignore it because he doesn't approve of it in its current state. Lewis H. Van Disuse's argument brings to light the potential dangers of the seemingly Justified argument for civil disobedience. Lewis H. Van Dudes refutes both Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King's arguments in favor of civil disobedience. Thoreau believed in a policy of civil disobedience in trying to prevent democratic government from oppressing its people.King felt that civil disobedience was a necessary measure in bringing an end to segregation. Van Dudes makes evident the potential dangers of both men's ideas. Van Dudes brings to the forefront the potential for political turmoil should the message of either King or Thoreau be put into practice. While King and Thoreau both feel they are presenting the method by which society can better itself, Van Dudes sakes it clear that their ideas imply people should give up on a government that doesn't comply exactly with their beliefs.