Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Modern Sports Prevail Over Gymnastics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Modern Sports Prevail Over Gymnastics - Essay Example The foundations of modern gymnastics originated in the earlier eighteen hundreds by a German patriot whose goal was to inspire solidarity and Germanic pride among the youths. That patriot was a man named Friedrich Ludwig Jahn aka â€Å"Father Jahn†and his gymnastics training stemmed from the pursuit of national unity and freedom from French rule. Confident that physical education was key in order strengthen national character and national identity, Jahn used fencing, wrestling, swimming, and throwing, as well as war games which trained the practitioners in war-like scenarios, which was known as Turnen. Even though Jahn developed many of the apparatuses used in gymnastics today such as the horizontal bar, parallel bar, and the pommel horse, his training was never geared toward competition but rather personal improvement and developing skills useful on the battlefield. In the same way cultures mold beliefs, values, and traditions the culture in the time of Father Jahn created t he mold in which modern gymnastics was born.
Monday, October 28, 2019
Enrollment System Essay Example for Free
Enrollment System Essay Enrollment is the focus of the Compfuturist that would lessen the institution’s difficulties in their Information System processing, solve data problems and an easier access of the establishment’s information. Every enrollment, 80-100 enrollees come for the dates of admission having a maximum of 30 for each level, in present time classrooms are consist of 15 students. An easier recording of files and a database to save documents will lessen the space being occupied by the records of the students. A faster transaction, easier ways for inputting datum and a convenient ways for saving files are offered for the use of the establishment by the enrolment system. The commonly used advertisements of schools are brochures, leaflets, banners and calling cards; the group also offers a website that will be used to improve its approach to people. The website would be a help for parents about the notice or updates of events and gatherings, it would also be a way to know the history of the institution and the contact details of the establishment. The incomplete requirements are the main problems during the enrollment, one of which is the student information, some of the information needed is not filled up and some are important to the school records. In the Pre-School it is required for them to have the copy of their birth certificate, two (2) copies of a 22 photo and an interview with the Pastor or Principal. For the grade-schoolers a photocopy of the birth certificate, the form 138, a certificate of Good Moral Character for transferee and an interview with the Pastor or Principal. Due to the uninformed people about the requirements needed some are not brought and are filed to be uncompleted forms. Each student has a folder that contains his or her information about the birth certificates, previous records from the earlier institution he or she attended, the quality point average for each year and also the permits signed by the parents. Enrollment takes time and effort from the parents, students and also from the teachers; every step of an enrolment, a teacher is assigned to instruct a parent or guardian what to do and where to go next. The slow process of enrolment makes the parents furious and makes the job even harder for the teachers for them to rush, that sometimes some records are not being filed or are not properly assigned. Missing documents are also a cause of problem for the institution, it might be placed to another folder or the parent forgot about it. A school’s updates about events and gatherings are the problems for teachers and parents. Students forget to tell their guardians or forgot to give the letter accustomed by their advisers. The result of the forgotten events cause students not to wear the proper attire, parents does not attend meetings and gatherings, students are thought to be absent for specific happenings and also parents become indignant about the unknown proceedings. Project Framework The Compfuturist Group offers the instituion. a system and a website that would shoulder the difficulties of the institution. The school appoints teachers to handle the student information during the enrollment. Software that is specially made only for Mabalacat Christian Academy and a website that would help the advertisement of the school increase. The system can only be open by an authorized member or the principal of the institution. Passwords and accounts would be made for the privacy policy made by the institution to safeguard each student’s information and background. The Student Information Sheet or Form would consist of the basic details about his or her family, previous schools the child attended, number of siblings, if there were awards he or she got from previous levels, address, contact number of the parent or guardian and more information that are to be filled by the guardian. An option will be given to the parent or guardian if the transaction of payment would be a full payment or a partial payment every quarter and a choice to have it paid through cash or cheque. A database would be given with a maximum capacity of 300 and a number of 50 students per level. A website would be provided for the institution that would only be used for the use of the school’s advertisement, featuring the facilities of the establishment, faculty members, and history of the school and updates of happenings. The page would be the source of parents to be updated to the school’s events; when, where and what to wear. Specific events require students to wear a garment requested by the institution for uniformity. The page can also be a source and guide for parents and guardians to know the details and history about the school. Contact details would be posted and an added detail of the page is that if parents are working abroad they could send the uncompleted requirement to the email of the school with attachment of the requirements. The Facebook page of the institution is also posted to the website and could be directed to the page created by the faculty members of the school. Statement of Objective Website and Enrollment System is a program extended to Mabalacat Christian Academy, a program that would make the transactions of requirements and documents, and also help about the school’s reputation about the improvement of its ways. It could solve the problems of the school since it started; the system only solves the problem of the school paperworks and will lessen the space of the documented files. The System is a program that would make the process of filing student information faster and easier to save for the school. The enrollment system’s purpose is to give a database for the files of students, a maximum of 300 files for the whole institution and an easier way of searching student files. A transaction that would make the access of information system easier for the authorized people, a faster accessibility in information provided and an improved process; the admission and acceptance of enrolees would be faster for the completion of forms would not be difficult for teachers to save and keep. The Website will inform the parents of the situations, cancellation of classes, school events, PTA meeting schedules, examination dates and payment dues. An account will be given to the principal or school head to access the student accounts and website if changes are to be made, the account given to the principal can also be used to check the number of students enrolled and to what level they are assigned to Importance of the Study The Compfuturist created a system only from Pre-School to Elementary levels and for an institution with one section per level, the system subjects only to the enrollment, saving and filing of documents and the postage of contact details of the institution. The use of the program is to lessen the burden of alphabetizing envelopes for each level and student, it also makes the search of a student file faster compared to the manual based of searching through metal drawers. A database that would show and save documents for specific purposes and privacy of files will be kept and safe from others to see. Only the Principal and the appointed faculty or member of the institution could access the information system of the database provided by the system. The institution would benefit from the free system that could be used for years and less updates of program would be given for the system is only for the use of Mabalacat Christian Academy. Parents and students would also benefit from it because information given from the old students will not be inputted again but be moved to the folder that consists of the level he or she is. The editing and adding of details is convenient even to those people who are not good in using computers. Less stressing and easier to use, is the way that the program or system offers to its benefactors. Radio buttons, scroll bars and more features of the program and website would be given to lessen the difficulty that some encounters in web pages and softwares. A free ten (10) months of maintenance is given for the institution and would make things better compared to the existing manual system.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Being Good Essay -- essays research papers fc
Outline I Introduction      A definition      B people's impression           1 formal impression           2 common impression      C thesis II History of Etiquette      A old British style      B Post family           1 original           2 extended      C how rules have changed from old style / new ones not used III Kinds of Etiquette      A common sense aspect      B formal aspects           1 social           2 business           IV How and when it is used      A when the right time is      B what situations require a change           1 indicators           2 parallel good V Personal view      A what things are really important      B why etiquette is relative           1 right to some / wrong to others           2 some expect more than others           3 situations can be perceived different ways VI Conclusion      A re-discussion of why it is relative (from intro. & part V)      B usefulness of defined rules           1 narrow situations           2 good common ones      C re-statement / support from paper Websters Ninth collegiate dictionary defines etiquette as â€Å"The conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life.†What this tells us is that those who are bred well, and feel that others are,... ...ile I have had no trouble finding rules to govern any conceivable aspect of life, many such rules seem useless in everyday life. Things such as â€Å"please†and â€Å"thank-you†are much more pertinent to social success than knowing how to address an unmarried host with two children. It’s rules like these that many etiquette experts harp on, when often, the simple courtesies are over-looked . Another problematic loophole in the ways of personal conduct is that what may seem acceptable to one person would not to another. Everyone has different expectations of people, and it is difficult to know how to compose oneself in unfamiliar company. Bibliography Miller, Margo. â€Å"Living by the book†Time 18 August 1989 ; 23 Kennedy, Louise.â€Å"Difficulties of Etiquette in America’s Democracy†Time 30 July 1990:34 Hatfield Julie. â€Å"A New Post Inherits Etiquette†Time 8 August 1994 : 61 Dunnan, Nancy, and Nancy Tuckerman The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of      Etiquette New York: Doubleday, 1995 Axtell, Roger Do’s and Taboo’s Elmsford: Parker Pen Company, 1995 Carlson, Dale and Dan Fitzgibbon Manners That Matter for People under 21 New York: E.P. Dutton, 1983
Thursday, October 24, 2019
The Environmental Impact of Off-Shore Oil Exploration and Production Es
Introduction The extraction of oil onshore has been ongoing for several decades. Offshore oil extraction is a process that began decades after onshore exploration had begun. For many years, scientists and the oil companies were certain that the exploration and production of petroleum from deep-water formations would not incur any sort of environmental damages. Several decades later, scientists learned new information from monitoring programs and research studies that offshore drilling did cause effects on the health of benthic organisms and other marine fauna in the proximity of offshore platform rigs. This paper studies the consequences of offshore platform rigs on marine organisms and wildlife from the perspectives of what causes environmental degradation offshore, the issues pertaining to marine life, and the detriment incurred by oil exploration and production (E & P). This paper begins with a brief explanation of how the oil industry works and how a well is chosen, drilled, and put into production. Subsequently, I present the four major externalities from offshore oil E & P: (1) drilling muds and cuttings, (2) waters, (3) chronic oil spills, and (4) possible socio-economic disturbances. The final section of this research study presents concluding remarks. Quick overview of oil Exploration and production Oil companies performing exploration and production services belong in the ‘upstream’ area of the business. Upstream oil companies such as Exxon, Shell, and BP, among others, lease the services from ‘service companies’ to perform the actual drilling of the well. Pride International, Halliburton, Baker and BJ are a few major service companies. Pride International performs drilling worldwide, both onshore and offsho... ...Milligan/Milligan_e.html National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration Ocean Report : Offshore oil and gas Available at url http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/oceanreport/oilandgas.html Southward, J. A. An Ecologists View of the Implications of the Observed Physiological and Biochemical Effects of Petroleum Compounds on Marine Organisms and Ecosystems Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, Vol. 297, No. 1087. (Jun. 1982) Pages 241-254. Travers, B. W. and Luney, R. P. Drilling tankers, and oil spills on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Science, New Series, Vol. 194, No. 4267. (Nov. 19, 1976), 791-796. UNEP IE and The E & P Forum (Oil Industry International Exploration and Production Forum) Joint Publication Environmental Management in oil and gas exploration and production E&P Forum/UNEP IE 1997.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Neher and Sandin
How does one come to have the character and practical wisdom to know what is ethically required in one's communication with others? In the Navy we have an â€Å"Ethos†and part of it states, â€Å"integrity is the foundation of our conduct, respect for others is fundamental to our character, decisive leadership is crucial to our success†. This mirrors in part with what Newer and Sanding (2007) state, â€Å"the person who has integrity or good character relies on his or her good judgment to act ethically in each given situation†, (p. 7).I don't believe one is born with the traits of a virtuous person, these are learned through the actions of others particularly the parent. â€Å"Set the example and do the right thing even when you think no one is looking', I can't tell you how many times I have uttered these words to my Sailors and my boys. But I know it is my actions that both are scrutinizing. For example, I was once offered to have a course marked as complete by a First Class Petty Officer because he commented on how busy he knew I was and was sure I had employed the course several times during my time in the service.I quickly responded with, â€Å"that it wasn't necessary for him to that and I would complete the course like he and the others in my department had done†. Later he told me he was testing me because he was looking for a mentor. Actions speak volumes for your character. As for the second part of the question, I believe character and practical wisdom are developed through those we Interact with and experiences we have In life.We gain practical wisdom from every situation we are Involved In and how we Andre the situation develops our character In the eyes of those who observe our actions. As Aristotle stated, â€Å"sound, practical wisdom and sound character must always be the gulled In these situations†, (Newer & Sandal, 2007, p. 30).
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
The Dramatic Sense in Artemisia Gentileschis painting
The Dramatic Sense in Artemisia Gentileschis painting This paper is aimed at discussing the painting Judith and Her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi. In particular, it is necessary to show how a dramatic sense is created by the artist. In this case, one can speak primarily about the use of such techniques as chiaroscuro and tenebrism.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Dramatic Sense in Artemisia Gentileschi’s painting specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They are based on the sharp contrast between light and dark. Much attention should also be paid to the way in which two women are portrayed by the author. Artemisia Gentileschi focuses on Judith’s emotional struggle. In this way, the artist intensified the dramatic effect producing by this picture. These are the main questions that should be examined more closely. It should be mentioned that this oil-on-canvas picture was painted in 1625. The work of art is based on the story of Judith, a Jewish widow who killed an Assyrian general Holofernes. He was planning to carry out an attack against the Jews, and he had to be stopped (Davies et al. 392). Judith was able to gain his confidence promising to give valuable information about the plans of Israelites. She beheaded Holofernes at the time, when he was drunk (Davies et al. 392). This information is important for understanding the themes that Artemisia Gentileschi explores in his work. The title of this painting suggests the action takes place right after the decapitation (Davies et al. 392). One can see Judith gesture at her maidservant who packs the head of Holofernes. Thus, the painter tries to show how Judith and her servant live through these difficult moments. This is one of the details that should be singled out. One can say that the dramatic effect is achieved in several ways. First of all, the painter relies on such as technique a technique as chiaroscuro which is the sharp contrast of dark and ligh t. By looking at the candlelit room, the viewers can see that Judith and her maidservant have to operate in complete secrecy. Moreover, they can be captured by the soldiers almost at any moment. Apart from that, one should also speak about such a method as tenebrism which means that darkness becomes almost the dominant part of a picture. This is one of the details that can be distinguished. Moreover, one should speak about the rich palette of Artemisia Gentileschi’s painting. The author uses a vibrant yellow color which intensifies the contrast between light and dark. This approach is emulated by other artists who rely on chiaroscuro technique. It helps Artemisia Gentileschi to underline the sense of insecurity that these women struggle with.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, Artemisia Gentileschi focuses on the viewer’s attention on the complexity of Judith’s emotions. Her face is half hidden in the shade, and in this way, the painter might have tried to show the intensity of inner struggle within this character. In this way, the artist creates the sense of mystery. The painters makes the viewers think about the conflicting feelings that could engulf Judith at that moment. On the one hand, she was able to save her people. Yet, at the same time, she had to commit a cold-blooded murder. This is the main ideas that she has to grapple with. It is difficult for her to reconcile these ideas. Additionally, Artemisia Gentileschi does not want to emphasize the idea that Judith has just killed a person. Moreover, Holofernes’s head is almost hidden from view. However, a person’s glance is inevitably attracted to this horrible object. One can see that the maidservant does not want to look it. Artemisia Gentileschi does not want to produce a long-lasting impression on viewers by portraying the scenes of violence. Ins tead, she wants to examine the aftermath of these events. This approach is also important for increasing the dramatic sense. Nevertheless, the image of Holofernes does not occupy the central part in this work of art. This is one of the details that can be identified, and it is important for the analysis of this painting. It should be mentioned that Judith has been described in various artworks, and many of them were created during the Baroque period. However, Artemisia Gentileschi succeeded in portraying the emotions of this woman who has to sacrifice her moral integrity in order to save the Jewish people. This is one of her main achievements. This is why this painting is often singled out by art critics. Overall, it is possible to argue that Artemisia Gentileschi’s painting is a great example of the Baroque art. The main strength of this picture is that the author is able to achieve a dramatic sense without focusing on the scene of beheading. Although Artemisia Gentileschi d oes not depict the scene of decapitation, she prompts viewers to emphasize with this character who has to struggle with the idea that she has become a murderer. By using such artistic technique as chiaroscuro and tenebrism, the author manages to increase the dramatic effect. These are the main arguments that can be put forward.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Dramatic Sense in Artemisia Gentileschi’s painting specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Davies, Penelope, Frima Hofrichter, Joseph Jacobs, Ann Roberts, and David Simon. Jansons Basic History of Western Art, New York: Pearson, 2013. Print.
Monday, October 21, 2019
How Can You Build the Most Versatile College Application
How Can You Build the Most Versatile College Application SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking at college admissions websites and requirements can be overwhelming. Many colleges have slightly different standardized test and letter of recommendation requirements. Furthermore, some colleges require just one personal statement, while others require multiple essays and short answer responses. It can be a lot to keep track of! So how do you go about preparing your college applications, when colleges seem like they all want slightly different application materials? And how do you make sure you are competitive everywhere you apply? We will explain how to make the most versatile college application. By versatile we mean an application that will allow you to apply competitively to the broadest range of colleges. This guide is suitable for students aiming for the most competitive colleges, but you can also tailor it to your needs if you're applying to local state schools. Maximize Your ACT/SAT Score, But Just Focus on One Test The most efficient way, hour-for-hour, to improve your college admissions chances is to study for the ACT or SAT and get the highest score you can. Your SAT/ACT score is a very important factor in admissions. Having a score above a school's average range greatly improves your odds of admission, but if you are below their admitted student range, your odds go down. So it's important to get the highest possible SAT/ACT score for you, as it will give you flexibility in terms of where you can apply. As an example, here are the middle 50% SAT and ACT ranges for four popular colleges in the Boston area. Middle 50% means these are the ranges of scores in the middle of their accepted applicant pool. This means a score above the middle 50% range puts you in line with the top 25% of their applicants, and a score below it puts you in the bottom 25% and makes you a less likely admit. Harvard SAT Math 740-800 SAT Evidence-Based Reading Writing 720-780 ACT Composite 33-35 ACT English 34-36 ACT Math 31-35 Via Harvard's 2018-2019 Common Data Set Harvard is one of the most competitive colleges in the country. As such, their SAT and ACT ranges can be intimidating. Notice that their middle 50% ranges for the SAT end at 780 or 800, meaning that the top 25% of admits have perfect scores on those sections. To be competitive at Harvard, you need SAT section scores at least in the 700s, but the closer to 800 you are, the better chances you have. Boston College SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 650-720 SAT Math 670-770 ACT Composite 31-34 Via Boston College Factbook, 2018-19. Boston College is also a competitive college in the Boston area. While BC isn't quite as competitive as Harvard, you need SAT section scores in the low to mid 700s to be a competitive applicant, while any scores 650 or lower would make your admission less likely. Boston University SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 640-720 SAT Math 660-760 ACT Composite 29-32 ACT English 28-34 ACT Math 27-32 Via Boston University's Common Data Set, 2018-2019. Boston University is a large, top-50 university. Like with BC, SAT section scores in the 600s would put you in line with their middle 50% of admits, while anything lower than 600 would make you less competitive, and anything higher than 760 would make you quite competitive. The main difference in the score profiles between BU and BC is that BU's ACT score range is a bit lower. University of Massachusetts Boston SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 500-610 SAT Math 520-610 ACT Composite 21-27 ACT English 20-30 ACT Math 20-26 Via University of Massachusetts Boston's Common Data Set, 2018-2019. The University of Massachusetts Boston is a public research university. Section scores in the 600s or higher would make you quite competitive, while anything lower than a 500 would put you towards the bottom half of their admitted students. As you can see, the higher your SAT or ACT score is, the more colleges you can apply to competitively. For example, if you had a 1400 on the current SAT, with 700 on each section, Harvard would be a reach, but you would be in line with the admitted students at Boston College and Boston University and competitive at U Mass Boston. But if you had a 1000/1600, with about 500 on each section, you would be in line with admits at U Mass Boston, but the other schools would all be reaches. In short, it's smart to maximize your ACT or SAT score to give yourself the most options when applying to college. But just focus on studying for one test! The vast majority of colleges accept both tests equally, and they don't favor students who have taken both. In fact, if you do worse on one test, that could hurt your chances. Just pick one! It's also much more efficient to focus your time on studying for one test. If you split your time between the two, you'll likely end up doing worse on both than you could have if you had just focused on one. (Wondering which one you should take? Read a detailed comparison of the ACT and SAT, and figure out which test you will do the best on.) As a final note, make sure to take the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT with Essay if you want the most versatile application. Not all colleges require the writing sections of the ACT and SAT, but if you want to have the most versatile college application, having the writing version under your belt is important, since some colleges only accept the SAT or the ACT with the optional writing section. Take Two SAT Subject Tests In addition to taking either the SAT or ACT, you can help put together a flexible college application by taking two SAT subject tests. Why? Some colleges (especially selective ones) require or recommend SAT Subject Tests as part of applications. For example, Princeton recommends two SAT Subject Tests. Harvard does not require them, but highly recommends them unless you have extenuating circumstances: "While we recommend that you submit two SAT Subject Tests, you may apply without them if the cost of the tests represents a financial hardship or if you prefer to have your application considered without them." Some colleges don't require SAT Subject Tests, but say they will still consider them as part of applications, like the University of Michigan. And even colleges that don't use SAT Subject Tests for admissions often use SAT Subject scores to place students in first-year classes, especially in language, math, and science. In short, taking two SAT Subject Tests will allow you to apply to schools that require them, but also give you an additional credential anywhere you apply. It will give you more flexibility and the chance to start in more advanced classes your freshman year. Also, make sure you take the two SAT Subject Tests in different subjects. For example, don't take Math I and Math II. If you're interested in engineering programs, try to take one Subject Test in math and one in science. For any other programs, take the two you can do best on. For more on SAT subject tests and which ones to take, read this guide. Extracurricular Activities There is no magic set of extracurricular activities or sports that will make your college application the most impressive. But keep the following rule in mind as you pursue extracurricular activities and put together your college applications: depth over breadth. It's more impressive to be deeply involved with two activities and have leadership roles in both than to be in eight clubs or sports but just participate without getting too involved. You should add to the trophy case, not just the club roster. So if you're reading this as a junior or younger, try to get involved in a few clubs, sports, and extracurricular activities you're passionate about, and go for leadership positions. Also aim to get recognition or awards at the highest level you can- whether that's regional, state, or national. Don't join anything and everything just to be able to say you were in 10 clubs. Focus on a few activities you are passionate about and can make a difference doing. If you're a senior putting together your college applications, list everything you've been involved in, starting with the most important and working your way down. Make sure to highlight any leadership positions, awards, or other accomplishments. And again, emphasize depth over breadth. Don't feel pressured to fill out every available "activities" space. Again, depth matters more than breadth. Make sure for every activity you add, you have something valuable to say about it- an award you won, a leadership position you held, or the effect it had on your academic or personal development. Letters of Recommendation Some colleges don't have very specific guidelines for letters of recommendation (sometimes called teacher evaluations), and some don't require them at all. As an example, the University of Washington really doesn't want any letters. However, it's pretty typical for colleges to require two letters of recommendation. This is especially true at selective colleges. For example, Stanford requires two teacher evaluations. Some colleges have stricter guidelines, and say they want the letters to come from teachers who teach different subjects. MIT says the letters have to come from one math/science teacher and one humanities teacher. So to maximize your application reach, get two letters from teachers in different subjects- a math teacher and an English teacher, for example. Obviously don't send the letters to colleges that don't want them, but if you have those letters ready to go, it will allow you to apply to nearly any college. Also, to make your application most competitive, remember to follow basic letter of recommendation guidelines: choose teachers who taught you recently, ideally junior year, and can speak specifically to your academic strengths. Don't choose a teacher who won't have specific, positive things to say about you. "Halle was a good student and always did her homework" won't cut it. Find a teacher who can say something closer to "Halle's essays were consistently insightful. Her work was of a higher quality than not just this year's students, but of many students I have taught over my career." Should You Get A Third Letter? It's rare for a college to require more than two teacher recommendations. However, some allow for a third letter, which can come from a person who knows you well, like a coach, boss, youth group leader, or instructor from a summer course. For example, the University of Chicago and Brown both accept additional letters if they add extra detail to your application. Don't add a letter just to stuff your admissions file. If you have someone like this in your life who you know will have very good things to say to you and will provide information that your teachers cannot, ask them to write you a third letter. For example, if you took a summer college course and the professor can speak to how well you handled the material, they could write a great recommendation. Or if you have a boss who can talk about your busy schedule and work ethic the way a teacher can't, that provides important extra information to your application. Don't get an extra letter just to have one. Make sure the extra letter is adding additional material to your application. For colleges that allow a third letter of recommendation, getting one can help your chances by giving colleges another chance to get to know you. Don't Blow Off Senior Year A common theme on college admissions websites is that colleges want students who have challenged themselves in high school with rigorous schedules. This is especially true if you are going for top-tier schools. And senior year is no exception! For example, Yale says "senior year is not the time to take a light course load." By the time you reach senior year, you can't go back in time and change your first three years of high school. However, you can make sure your senior year schedule is challenging. Colleges will be looking at your senior year schedule, and it won't look good if you're slacking off. For example, if you take a full schedule with three AP classes junior year, and then have a senior schedule with free periods and no AP classes, that might raise questions, especially at selective colleges you might be applying to. Of course, don't do the opposite and overload yourself- especially since you need time senior year for college apps!- but make sure your senior year schedule doesn't raise any red flags. And if you're reading this as a younger high school student, make sure to take the most challenging schedule available to you at your high school. Challenge yourself with AP or IB classes if they are available. (Read more here about choosing between AP and IB and how many AP classes you should take.) Choose Your Essay Topic Carefully One thing you'll notice as you begin looking at different colleges' applications is that many have extra questions or Common Application supplements that give you the chance to share lots of info about yourself- what you want to study, why you want to go to that particular college, or even things like your favorite movies and books. For example, the University of Chicago is famous for having unique, quirky additional essay questions, like "What's so odd about odd numbers?" or "Were pH an expression of personality, what would your pH be and why?" Columbia University asks you to share your favorite required reading and books you read for pleasure in the past year, as well as publications you read and entertainment (like movies, concerts, exhibits) that you enjoyed the most in the past year. To read any college's supplement, you can search for "[Name of College/University] Supplement" or "[Name of College/University] Essay Questions." If you're using the Common Application or Universal College Application, you can look up colleges you're interested in to see their supplements. However, sometimes colleges don't have a supplement or additional questions, meaning the one part of your application you can let them get to know you is with your personal statement. In other words, your main essay is very important, since in some cases it will be your only chance to show your personality. If there is something you want every college to know about- from an important personal experience to an intellectual passion of yours- that experience should be in your main essay. Even if your main topic perfectly fits a prompt for one college's supplement, you should use it for your main essay instead. This way, even if a college doesn't have a supplement, you will get to present the information most important to you. If colleges do have supplemental questions, you can use them to dive deeper into your essay topic or, even better, share other experiences or passions. What's a Good Essay Topic? There are as many potential personal essay topics as there are students applying. Every student has different experiences and passions that could make a great essay. The key is to write about something that is meaningful and specific to you. Remember that a complete stranger will be reading your application. You want them to come away from your essay feeling like they know you, and what you can bring to their college. For example, if you went through an incredibly challenging personal experience- a family member's illness, an instance of discrimination, an unexpected setback- that could be great material for you essay, especially if it has affected your future goals and interests. Or if you are passionate about a certain topic or subject- from 18th century French history to making your own mobile phone apps- that could also be a great essay topic, as it will show your intellectual depth and give colleges an idea of what you might contribute to them. The key is to write about something that will help tell your story, and help show what you will be pursue in college. Don't choose a topic just because you think it's something colleges will like. For example, if you went on a service trip your junior year but it didn't resonate with you or affect your future goals, don't try and make up a story about how meaningful the trip was to you. It will be more effective to write about something you are actually passionate about. Once you've chosen a topic, ask yourself the following questions to make sure it's a strong choice: Will any other student applying to college this year have an essay like mine? (If you can see several students writing a very similar essay, you should choose a topic more specific to you) If I gave this essay to a complete stranger, would they get a clear sense of my personality just by reading it? Am I writing about something I care about, or did I choose this topic becuase I thought it would look good? If your essay is specific to you, reveals your personality, and allows you to write about something you actually care about, chances are, it's going to be a great essay. Bottom Line: How to Put Together a Winning College App There is a lot that goes into a successful college application, and your chances of admission will vary by the schools you apply to and your set of strengths and weaknesses. But chances of admission aside, these are the steps you can take to put together a college application that will allow you to apply to the broadest range of colleges, from the most selective to your local state schools. #1: Take either the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT, and do as well as you can. #2: Take two SAT Subject Tests. #3: Go for depth over breadth with your extracurriculars. #4: Get two letters of recommendation from teachers in different subjects. Consider getting a third letter if it will add more information to your application. #5: Take a challenging senior year schedule. #6: Choose a personal essay topic that is specific and meaningful to you. What's Next? Speaking of maximizing your ACT and SAT score, get tips from our full-scorer on getting a perfect score on the SAT or on the ACT. Even if you're not aiming for perfect, these principles can help you raise your score to whatever your target is. Also consider our PrepScholar program to get prepared for the SAT or the ACT. Get specific advice on acing the ACT and SAT essays. Learn to raise a low SAT/ACT math score with these tips. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Free Essays on Allan Stratton
Allan Stratton was born in Stratford, Ontario in 1951. As a teenager he lived in London, Ontario attending James Reaney’s school for writing. His first play, The Rusting Heart, was then published by James Reaney in a local magazine. After he travelled to Switzerland to study writing he was enrolled at the University of Toronto where he continued writing but became more interested in acting. In 1974 Allan graduated from The Graduate Centre for the Study of Drama, U. of T. receiving his M.A. After this, he appeared in various regional plays which brought him back to his hometown Stratford where he preformed in the Stratford Festival He continued acting and writing on his spare time until 1977 where his first professional stage play, 72 Under the O, was produced at The Vancouver Playhouse. He then, once again switched his career motives and went back to writing full time. In 1080, he wrote a successful play, Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii that has had over 300 productions throughout Canada and the United States. Many other plays soon followed including his famous play about Canadian Prime Ministers called Rexy! This play was brought out in 1981 and played across the country. It won him the Chalmers Award, the Canadian Authors’ Association Award and the Dora Mavor Moore Award, all for Best New Play. In the 1990’s, Allan became head of the Drama Department at The Etobicoke School of the Arts, where he taught senior directing, acting and playwriting. He led many students to win various awards including three consecutive Best New Play Awards at the Sears Drama Festival provincial championships. Now Allan has once again switched his career back to writing. He just published his newest novel The Resurrection of Mary Mabel McTavish, and has begun work on his new young adult novel, Behind the Curtain to be published in Canada and the United States by Annick Press, 2004. Rexy! Is a play Personally, I did not... Free Essays on Allan Stratton Free Essays on Allan Stratton Allan Stratton was born in Stratford, Ontario in 1951. As a teenager he lived in London, Ontario attending James Reaney’s school for writing. His first play, The Rusting Heart, was then published by James Reaney in a local magazine. After he travelled to Switzerland to study writing he was enrolled at the University of Toronto where he continued writing but became more interested in acting. In 1974 Allan graduated from The Graduate Centre for the Study of Drama, U. of T. receiving his M.A. After this, he appeared in various regional plays which brought him back to his hometown Stratford where he preformed in the Stratford Festival He continued acting and writing on his spare time until 1977 where his first professional stage play, 72 Under the O, was produced at The Vancouver Playhouse. He then, once again switched his career motives and went back to writing full time. In 1080, he wrote a successful play, Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii that has had over 300 productions throughout Canada and the United States. Many other plays soon followed including his famous play about Canadian Prime Ministers called Rexy! This play was brought out in 1981 and played across the country. It won him the Chalmers Award, the Canadian Authors’ Association Award and the Dora Mavor Moore Award, all for Best New Play. In the 1990’s, Allan became head of the Drama Department at The Etobicoke School of the Arts, where he taught senior directing, acting and playwriting. He led many students to win various awards including three consecutive Best New Play Awards at the Sears Drama Festival provincial championships. Now Allan has once again switched his career back to writing. He just published his newest novel The Resurrection of Mary Mabel McTavish, and has begun work on his new young adult novel, Behind the Curtain to be published in Canada and the United States by Annick Press, 2004. Rexy! Is a play Personally, I did not...
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Strengths and Weaknesses of different Interview Modes Assignment
Strengths and Weaknesses of different Interview Modes - Assignment Example The responses to the questions will rather provide the researcher information which qualifies as insights in probing the research question that the study poses. Thus, the interview process has to combine with the systematic analytical skills of the interviewer. In this process of analysis, there are number of associated elements which come to the aid of the interviewer in the case of a face to face interview. Kvalve (1996) has opined that the process of a research interview includes techniques to understand and describe the meanings underlying the central themes on which the interview is based on. This means that the process of interview does not limit to the direct outputs from the interviewee. The important task in an interview is analyzing the meaning of the direct inputs from the interviewee. However, for this to happen in a proper manner, there are a number of other factors which contribute towards it. The physical setting of the interview is one of the most important out of the se elements. The success of an interview in bringing out reliable qualitative information depends largely on the trust that the interviewee has on the interviewee and the associated systems. In this context, the physical environment influences the perception of the interviewee.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Factors affecting inflation rate Bahrain Assignment
Factors affecting inflation rate Bahrain - Assignment Example Throughout the globe, significant gains were made in fighting against increased inflation during the 1990s and there was hope that a new period of low inflation had started. Countries in Europe and Latin American succeeded in fighting inflation from higher digits to single digits, and maintaining the stability of prices of consumer goods and services. In 2000, increased inflation started to haunt the world but it was stopped in 2009 by the financial crisis (Calvo & Carmen, 2002). This paper discusses factors affecting the rate of inflation in Bahrain. Inflation in Bahrain is driven by many factors and the exchange and interest rate laws that central bank in Bahrain implement, and the supply of money. In Bahrain, the prices of goods especially food prices affect the inflation of Bahrain. This is because increase in prices of foods and beverages implies that the country would have increased inflation this is because transportation of such goods to the markets will be costly. Further, t he increase in prices of fuel implies that the prices of food stuffs increase since high prices of fuel controls the market. It is important to note that the prices of commodities are affecting the rate of inflation in Bahrain because commodities in Bahrain are widely imported and all prices of imported goods affect inflation. However, from the calculations, it can be deduced that changes in commodity prices are not just a proxy for changes in the entire import prices (Calvo & Carmen, 2002). From the data presented, it is rational to argue that another factor affecting inflation in Bahrain is the inflation in previous years. For instance, the momentum of inflation on goods such as foods and beverages and services such as medical care is well recorded and they result because of factors that incorporate overlapping contracts and adaptive inflationary expectations. Further, the growth of money in Bahrain because of paying utility bills such as rent, electricity and water has a direct e ffect on inflation of Bahrain since there is no purpose to expect important changes in the money velocity. It is also significant to note that the growth rate in Bahrain is influencing the rate of inflation in the sense that it is affected credit issues whereby increase in the growth rate of Bahrain has negative impact on inflation. The central bank played a very important role by decreasing the growth rate to about six percent in the year two thousand and eight. The market was very stable in that prices of commodities such as food, beverages, tobacco and services such as medical care were affordable. This in turn increased the market value of these goods and services (Chen & Scott, 2004). The trend of the economy of Bahrain affects her inflation. For instance, from the calculations, the trend in Bahrain revolves at the rate at which the world market is directed in that it sets its prices in comparison to other countries. For instance, the U.S economy is in direct contact with the e conomy of Bahrain. This illustrated that the movement of the trend was downward. This in turn shows that, the economy of Bahrain is positively affected rather than being negatively affectively which reduces inflation rate. Since inflation is defined as the increase in buying power of money, the easiest way to calculate the rate of inflation is by listing the prices of services and goods over the stated years commonly known as the price
Developing Countries Promote Manage Economic Development Essay
Developing Countries Promote Manage Economic Development - Essay Example This case shall be compared to Sub-Saharan Africa since it has a record of failed and poor development of the economy. Governance and democracy are two different aspects in a country3. Governance is the act of leading people in an accountable way. The way leaders conduct their roles, as per their capacity leads to an even economic distribution for all the individuals across a country. The two factors, governance, and democracy, can have a huge implication in political and economic state of a country4. In this case, the political aspect is considered because it is a fundamental element for economic development in any country. From the World Bank point of view, governance is the way power is applied to the social and economic aspects of a country’s affairs, for the purpose of development5. Therefore, governance plays a crucial role in the economic development of a particular country. The development stage in East Asia and Africa is significantly different. The stages of development differ in terms of political, social and economic activities. The difference has been brought about by the governance that is being administered in the two areas. In this paper, The researcher shall take an example of Zimbabwe, where the leaders, in the government, are even unable to enhance the economic performance6. They have also failed to develop economic conditions since there are ever-changing regimes in the country. A good and a strong governance leads to success in the economic performance of the particular country. For instance, from the East Asia, let us take an example of Taiwan. Here there is a strong governance that leads to the creation of a conducive environment, that attracts private and even foreign investment, thus leading to successful economic development7. Therefore, governance in any developing country plays a crucial role in the economic achievement of the state . Most developing countries
Thursday, October 17, 2019
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE - Essay Example The negative aspects of the nuclear power serve to be an environmental issue of concern. This is owing to the fact that the nuclear energy leads to harm the normal ecology of the world and it had the capacity to lay negative effects on the health of the people living in this world (Klapp et al 2007; Miller et al 2009). The utilization of nuclear power as a form of energy production was considered to be a major technological achievement. The energy from this source can lead to the production of very high amounts of electricity and thus it can be very beneficial. But it has been analyzed that the construction of nuclear power plants requires the clearing of a large amount of land and it needs to be built away from the places of human occupancy owing to the release of toxic and radioactive substances from these plants which results in the contamination of the natural environment. Furthermore, the dumping of the nuclear waste also serves to be a very difficult problem as it serves to har m the environment owing to the negative effects of the radioactive material (Miller et al 2009; Swain 2007). The best solution to reduce the amount of environmental loss that occurs due to the nuclear power plants is to construct these plants away from the places where people reside.
Oral Piercings How To Educate People of Associated Risks Essay
Oral Piercings How To Educate People of Associated Risks - Essay Example The Mesoamericans such as the Aztecs practiced tongue piercing among others as blood offerings to their gods. In the Middle East, Islamic Fakirs and Sufis and from the Far East, Asian Spirit Mediums performed tongue piercing as offerings and to prove their immersion into a trance state (Bmezine 2006). At the turn of the 20th century, carnivals employed the tongue piercing practices of fakirs in their sideshow tricks. American and European audiences caught their first glimpses of tongue piercing and the trend caught on. Today, Elayne Angel is mainly responsible for the popularity and promotion of tongue piercing and is recognized as the first person with a tongue tip and multiple tongue piercings. Similar to pierced ears, oral piercing uses metal jewelry that comes in a variety of styles, including studs, barbells and rings. Tongue, lips or cheek piercing however poses greater health risks and care should be taken in all aspects of the piercing process from choosing the right piercer to using the correct jewelry to aftercare measures to prevent health risks. Tongue piercing has a number of popular names including tongue ring, a misnomer, as rarely are rings worn in tongue piercings. Side-by-side paired tongue piercings are referred as venom piercings or viper bites, suggestive of a snake's fangs. Piercer The risks of employing unsafe procedures, the right piercer must be selected. Ideally such a piercer is someone who: Has undertaken suitable training; is knowledgeable on the subject, knows the safety issues; is skilled, experienced and professional; Performs prudent and safe piercing techniques and cross-contamination control measures; Undertakes his practice in hygienic surroundings that obey the rules relevant local and state policies. Follows OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standards; Possesses all valid licenses and permits; Spore tests autoclave (sterilizer) regularly and can provide documentation; Utilizes proper sterile instruments and jewelry, and sterile disposable needles; Spends time to provide oral instructions and guidelines in proper care and gives written instructions; Makes him / herself readily available for follow-up and answers questions related to post-piercing issues to resolve problems before injuries arise. Jewelry Wearing appropriate jewelry can reduce the onset of structural damage from tongue and oral piercing. If the jewelry is unsuitably sized, wrongly placed or poorly manufactured, complications may arise. Some considerations: Proper style of jewelry for the specific anatomy and piercing position; Accurately sized jewelry to the area. If long pieces of jewelry results in swelling it should be replaced with a shorter piece after swelling has reduced, as this has less possibility of harmfully afflicting the teeth and other oral structures. Using surgical implant grade jewelry. Jewelry used for piercings must conform to certain standards, material composition and design specifications. Balls on tongue barbells can be made of acrylic to reduce the risk of teeth damage. Ensure that threaded ends are on firmly and tighten them on a daily basis. Contact with the sublingual part of the oral cavity can be minimized by wearing a smaller ball on the tongue's underside. People who have undergone piercing should be cautioned that excessive toying with the jewelry
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE - Essay Example The negative aspects of the nuclear power serve to be an environmental issue of concern. This is owing to the fact that the nuclear energy leads to harm the normal ecology of the world and it had the capacity to lay negative effects on the health of the people living in this world (Klapp et al 2007; Miller et al 2009). The utilization of nuclear power as a form of energy production was considered to be a major technological achievement. The energy from this source can lead to the production of very high amounts of electricity and thus it can be very beneficial. But it has been analyzed that the construction of nuclear power plants requires the clearing of a large amount of land and it needs to be built away from the places of human occupancy owing to the release of toxic and radioactive substances from these plants which results in the contamination of the natural environment. Furthermore, the dumping of the nuclear waste also serves to be a very difficult problem as it serves to har m the environment owing to the negative effects of the radioactive material (Miller et al 2009; Swain 2007). The best solution to reduce the amount of environmental loss that occurs due to the nuclear power plants is to construct these plants away from the places where people reside.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Nursing Shortage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2
Nursing Shortage - Research Paper Example The nurses are decreasing in number in many countries of the world, and the number of people suffering from different diseases is increasing. A few nurses who are ready to assist people for many reasons and shortage of nurses are creating many impacts on patients as well as the healthcare industry. In general, the aim of the study was to find the impact on the shortage of the nurses in the healthcare industry concerning the quality of the service the nurses provide in comparison to the previous times when the nursing shortage was not a problem. From the findings of the research one gets to interpret that, the working nurses are under pressure due to the shortage of nurses in the hospital. Moreover, there are signs of lack job satisfaction from the premises since they have considered finding better paying jobs in the country. The facility on the other hand has not made any amends to the looming danger of losing nurses hence they lacked initiative to make the nurses stay. There is no retention plan in the hospital that can curb the prevailing trend of nurse loss in the facility. More so, the synchrony in the facility is out of line making the care vulnerable to mistakes. This implies there is little accuracy in the service rendering in the facility. The fatigue the nurses are experiencing in the hospital with little coordination from the administration leads to more trouble since the lack of direction make the daily activities in the hospital collide causing chaos in the service. However, the nurses have tried to curb the ob stacles through a series of teamwork and perseverance. The environment of the hospital is not having a good environment for the hospitals reputation in terms of the administrations mandate in the hospital. The environment may not portray the hospital in the good light citing the frustrated staff that can snap and utter inappropriate message to the stakeholders costing the hospital
Genetically Foods Essay Example for Free
Genetically Foods Essay Genetically-modified foods (GM foods) have made a big splash in the news lately. European environmental organizations and public interest groups have been actively protesting against GM foods for months, and recent controversial studies about the effects of genetically-modified corn pollen on monarch butterfly caterpillars1, 2 have brought the issue of genetic engineering to the forefront of the public consciousness in the U. S. In response to the upswelling of public concern, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held three open meetings in Chicago, Washington, D. C., and Oakland, California to solicit public opinions and begin the process of establishing a new regulatory procedure for government approval of GM foods3. I attended the FDA meeting held in November 1999 in Washington, D. C. , and here I will attempt to summarize the issues involved and explain the U. S. governments present role in regulating GM food. What are genetically-modified foods? The term GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. The enhancement of desired traits has traditionally been undertaken through breeding, but conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming and are often not very accurate. Genetic engineering, on the other hand, can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great accuracy. For example, plant geneticists can isolate a gene responsible for drought tolerance and insert that gene into a different plant. The new genetically-modified plant will gain drought tolerance as well. Not only can genes be transferred from one plant to another, but genes from non-plant organisms also can be used. The best known example of this is the use of B. t. genes in corn and other crops. B. t. , or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. B. t. crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer. For two informative overviews of some of the techniques involved in creating GM foods, visit Biotech Basics (sponsored by Monsanto) http://www. biotechknowledge. monsanto. com/biotech/bbasics. nsf/index or Techniques of Plant Biotechnology from the National Center for Biotechnology Education http://www. ncbe. reading. ac. uk/NCBE/GMFOOD/techniques. What are some of the advantages of GM foods? The world population has topped 6 billion people and is predicted to double in the next 50 years. Ensuring an adequate food supply for this booming population is going to be a major challenge in the years to come. GM foods promise to meet this need in a number of ways: Pest resistance Crop losses from insect pests can be staggering, resulting in devastating financial loss for farmers and starvation in developing countries. Farmers typically use many tons of chemical pesticides annually. Consumers do not wish to eat food that has been treated with pesticides because of potential health hazards, and run-off of agricultural wastes from excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers can poison the water supply and cause harm to the environment. Growing GM foods such as B. t.corn can help eliminate the application of chemical pesticides and reduce the cost of bringing a crop to market4, 5. Herbicide tolerance For some crops, it is not cost-effective to remove weeds by physical means such as tilling, so farmers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides (weed-killer) to destroy weeds, a time-consuming and expensive process, that requires care so that the herbicide doesnt harm the crop plant or the environment. Crop plants genetically-engineered to be resistant to one very powerful herbicide could help prevent environmental damage by reducing the amount of herbicides needed. For example, Monsanto has created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be not affected by their herbicide product Roundup  ®6. A farmer grows these soybeans which then only require one application of weed-killer instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste run-off7. Disease resistance There are many viruses, fungi and bacteria that cause plant diseases. Plant biologists are working to create plants with genetically-engineered resistance to these diseases8, 9. Cold tolerance Unexpected frost can destroy sensitive seedlings. An antifreeze gene from cold water fish has been introduced into plants such as tobacco and potato. With this antifreeze gene, these plants are able to tolerate cold temperatures that normally would kill unmodified seedlings10. (Note: I have not been able to find any journal articles or patents that involve fish antifreeze proteins in strawberries, although I have seen such reports in newspapers. I can only conclude that nothing on this application has yet been published or patented.) Drought tolerance/salinity tolerance As the world population grows and more land is utilized for housing instead of food production, farmers will need to grow crops in locations previously unsuited for plant cultivation. Creating plants that can withstand long periods of drought or high salt content in soil and groundwater will help people to grow crops in formerly inhospitable places11, 12. Nutrition Malnutrition is common in third world countries where impoverished peoples rely on a single crop such as rice for the main staple of their diet. However, rice does not contain adequate amounts of all necessary nutrients to prevent malnutrition. If rice could be genetically engineered to contain additional vitamins and minerals, nutrient deficiencies could be alleviated. For example, blindness due to vitamin A deficiency is a common problem in third world countries. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Institute for Plant Sciences have created a strain of golden rice containing an unusually high content of beta-carotene (vitamin A)13. Since this rice was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation14, a non-profit organization, the Institute hopes to offer the golden rice seed free to any third world country that requests it. Plans were underway to develop a golden rice that also has increased iron content. However, the grant that funded the creation of these two rice strains was not renewed, perhaps because of the vigorous anti-GM food protesting in Europe, and so this nutritionally-enhanced rice may not come to market at all15. Pharmaceuticals Medicines and vaccines often are costly to produce and sometimes require special storage conditions not readily available in third world countries. Researchers are working to develop edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes16, 17. These vaccines will be much easier to ship, store and administer than traditional injectable vaccines. Phytoremediation Not all GM plants are grown as crops. Soil and groundwater pollution continues to be a problem in all parts of the world. Plants such as poplar trees have been genetically engineered to clean up heavy metal pollution from contaminated soil18. How prevalent are GM crops? What plants are involved? According to the FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are over 40 plant varieties that have completed all of the federal requirements for commercialization (http://vm. cfsan. fda. gov/%7Elrd/biocon). Some examples of these plants include tomatoes and cantalopes that have modified ripening characteristics, soybeans and sugarbeets that are resistant to herbicides, and corn and cotton plants with increased resistance to insect pests. Not all these products are available in supermarkets yet; however, the prevalence of GM foods in U. S. grocery stores is more widespread than is commonly thought. While there are very, very few genetically-modified whole fruits and vegetables available on produce stands, highly processed foods, such as vegetable oils or breakfast cereals, most likely contain some tiny percentage of genetically-modified ingredients because the raw ingredients have been pooled into one processing stream from many different sources. Also, the ubiquity of soybean derivatives as food additives in the modern American diet virtually ensures that all U. S. consumers have been exposed to GM food products. The U. S. statistics that follow are derived from data presented on the USDA web site at http://www. ers. usda. gov/briefing/biotechnology/. The global statistics are derived from a brief published by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) at http://www. isaaa. org/publications/briefs/Brief_21. htm and from the Biotechnology Industry Organization at http://www. bio.org/foodag/1999Acreage. Thirteen countries grew genetically-engineered crops commercially in 2000, and of these, the U. S. produced the majority. In 2000, 68% of all GM crops were grown by U. S. farmers. In comparison, Argentina, Canada and China produced only 23%, 7% and 1%, respectively. Other countries that grew commercial GM crops in 2000 are Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, Spain, and Uruguay. Soybeans and corn are the top two most widely grown crops (82% of all GM crops harvested in 2000), with cotton, rapeseed (or canola) and potatoes trailing behind. 74% of these GM crops were modified for herbicide tolerance, 19% were modified for insect pest resistance, and 7% were modified for both herbicide tolerance and pest tolerance. Globally, acreage of GM crops has increased 25-fold in just 5 years, from approximately 4. 3 million acres in 1996 to 109 million acres in 2000 almost twice the area of the United Kingdom. Approximately 99 million acres were devoted to GM crops in the U. S. and Argentina alone. In the U. S. , approximately 54% of all soybeans cultivated in 2000 were genetically-modified, up from 42% in 1998 and only 7% in 1996. In 2000, genetically-modified cotton varieties accounted for 61% of the total cotton crop, up from 42% in 1998, and 15% in 1996. GM corn and also experienced a similar but less dramatic increase. Corn production increased to 25% of all corn grown in 2000, about the same as 1998 (26%), but up from 1. 5% in 1996. As anticipated, pesticide and herbicide use on these GM varieties was slashed and, for the most part, yields were increased (for details, see the UDSA publication at http://www. ers. usda. gov/publications/aer786/). What are some of the criticisms against GM foods? Environmental activists, religious organizations, public interest groups, professional associations and other scientists and government officials have all raised concerns about GM foods, and criticized agribusiness for pursuing profit without concern for potential hazards, and the government for failing to exercise adequate regulatory oversight. It seems that everyone has a strong opinion about GM foods. Even the Vatican19 and the Prince of Wales20 have expressed their opinions. Most concerns about GM foods fall into three categories: environmental hazards, human health risks, and economic concerns. Environmental hazards Unintended harm to other organisms Last year a laboratory study was published in Nature21 showing that pollen from B. t. corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars. Monarch caterpillars consume milkweed plants, not corn, but the fear is that if pollen from B. t. corn is blown by the wind onto milkweed plants in neighboring fields, the caterpillars could eat the pollen and perish. Although the Nature study was not conducted under natural field conditions, the results seemed to support this viewpoint. Unfortunately, B. t. toxins kill many species of insect larvae indiscriminately; it is not possible to design a B. t. toxin that would only kill crop-damaging pests and remain harmless to all other insects. This study is being reexamined by the USDA, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other non-government research groups, and preliminary data from new studies suggests that the original study may have been flawed22, 23. This topic is the subject of acrimonious debate, and both sides of the argument are defending their data vigorously. Currently, there is no agreement about the results of these studies, and the potential risk of harm to non-target organisms will need to be evaluated further. Reduced effectiveness of pesticides Just as some populations of mosquitoes developed resistance to the now-banned pesticide DDT, many people are concerned that insects will become resistant to B. t. or other crops that have been genetically-modified to produce their own pesticides. Gene transfer to non-target species Another concern is that crop plants engineered for herbicide tolerance and weeds will cross-breed, resulting in the transfer of the herbicide resistance genes from the crops into the weeds. These superweeds would then be herbicide tolerant as well. Other introduced genes may cross over into non-modified crops planted next to GM crops. The possibility of interbreeding is shown by the defense of farmers against lawsuits filed by Monsanto. The company has filed patent infringement lawsuits against farmers who may have harvested GM crops. Monsanto claims that the farmers obtained Monsanto-licensed GM seeds from an unknown source and did not pay royalties to Monsanto. The farmers claim that their unmodified crops were cross-pollinated from someone elses GM crops planted a field or two away. More investigation is needed to resolve this issue. There are several possible solutions to the three problems mentioned above. Genes are exchanged between plants via pollen. Two ways to ensure that non-target species will not receive introduced genes from GM plants are to create GM plants that are male sterile (do not produce pollen) or to modify the GM plant so that the pollen does not contain the introduced gene24, 25, 26. Cross-pollination would not occur, and if harmless insects such as monarch caterpillars were to eat pollen from GM plants, the caterpillars would survive. Another possible solution is to create buffer zones around fields of GM crops27, 28, 29. For example, non-GM corn would be planted to surround a field of B. t. GM corn, and the non-GM corn would not be harvested. Beneficial or harmless insects would have a refuge in the non-GM corn, and insect pests could be allowed to destroy the non-GM corn and would not develop resistance to B. t. pesticides. Gene transfer to weeds and other crops would not occur because the wind-blown pollen would not travel beyond the buffer zone. Estimates of the necessary width of buffer zones range from 6 meters to 30 meters or more30. This planting method may not be feasible if too much acreage is required for the buffer zones. Human health risks Allergenicity Many children in the US and Europe have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. There is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. A proposal to incorporate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans was abandoned because of the fear of causing unexpected allergic reactions31. Extensive testing of GM foods may be required to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers with food allergies. Labeling of GM foods and food products will acquire new importance, which I shall discuss later. Unknown effects on human health There is a growing concern that introducing foreign genes into food plants may have an unexpected and negative impact on human health. A recent article published in Lancet examined the effects of GM potatoes on the digestive tract in rats32, 33. This study claimed that there were appreciable differences in the intestines of rats fed GM potatoes and rats fed unmodified potatoes. Yet critics say that this paper, like the monarch butterfly data, is flawed and does not hold up to scientific scrutiny34. Moreover, the gene introduced into the potatoes was a snowdrop flower lectin, a substance known to be toxic to mammals. The scientists who created this variety of potato chose to use the lectin gene simply to test the methodology, and these potatoes were never intended for human or animal consumption. On the whole, with the exception of possible allergenicity, scientists believe that GM foods do not present a risk to human health. Economic concerns Bringing a GM food to market is a lengthy and costly process, and of course agri-biotech companies wish to ensure a profitable return on their investment. Many new plant genetic engineering technologies and GM plants have been patented, and patent infringement is a big concern of agribusiness. Yet consumer advocates are worried that patenting these new plant varieties will raise the price of seeds so high that small farmers and third world countries will not be able to afford seeds for GM crops, thus widening the gap between the wealthy and the poor. It is hoped that in a humanitarian gesture, more companies and non-profits will follow the lead of the Rockefeller Foundation and offer their products at reduced cost to impoverished nations. Patent enforcement may also be difficult, as the contention of the farmers that they involuntarily grew Monsanto-engineered strains when their crops were cross-pollinated shows. One way to combat possible patent infringement is to introduce a suicide gene into GM plants. These plants would be viable for only one growing season and would produce sterile seeds that do not germinate. Farmers would need to buy a fresh supply of seeds each year. However, this would be financially disastrous for farmers in third world countries who cannot afford to buy seed each year and traditionally set aside a portion of their harvest to plant in the next growing season. In an open letter to the public, Monsanto has pledged to abandon all research using this suicide gene technology35. How are GM foods regulated and what is the governments role in this process? Governments around the world are hard at work to establish a regulatory process to monitor the effects of and approve new varieties of GM plants. Yet depending on the political, social and economic climate within a region or country, different governments are responding in different ways. In Japan, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced that health testing of GM foods will be mandatory as of April 200136, 37. Currently, testing of GM foods is voluntary. Japanese supermarkets are offering both GM foods and unmodified foods, and customers are beginning to show a strong preference for unmodified fruits and vegetables. Indias government has not yet announced a policy on GM foods because no GM crops are grown in India and no products are commercially available in supermarkets yet38. India is, however, very supportive of transgenic plant research. It is highly likely that India will decide that the benefits of GM foods outweigh the risks because Indian agriculture will need to adopt drastic new measures to counteract the countrys endemic poverty and feed its exploding population. Some states in Brazil have banned GM crops entirely, and the Brazilian Institute for the Defense of Consumers, in collaboration with Greenpeace, has filed suit to prevent the importation of GM crops39,. Brazilian farmers, however, have resorted to smuggling GM soybean seeds into the country because they fear economic harm if they are unable to compete in the global marketplace with other grain-exporting countries. In Europe, anti-GM food protestors have been especially active. In the last few years Europe has experienced two major foods scares: bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) in Great Britain and dioxin-tainted foods originating from Belgium. These food scares have undermined consumer confidence about the European food supply, and citizens are disinclined to trust government information about GM foods. In response to the public outcry, Europe now requires mandatory food labeling of GM foods in stores, and the European Commission (EC) has established a 1% threshold for contamination of unmodified foods with GM food products40. In the United States, the regulatory process is confused because there are three different government agencies that have jurisdiction over GM foods. To put it very simply, the EPA evaluates GM plants for environmental safety, the USDA evaluates whether the plant is safe to grow, and the FDA evaluates whether the plant is safe to eat. The EPA is responsible for regulating substances such as pesticides or toxins that may cause harm to the environment. GM crops such as B. t. pesticide-laced corn or herbicide-tolerant crops but not foods modified for their nutritional value fall under the purview of the EPA. The USDA is responsible for GM crops that do not fall under the umbrella of the EPA such as drought-tolerant or disease-tolerant crops, crops grown for animal feeds, or whole fruits, vegetables and grains for human consumption. The FDA historically has been concerned with pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food products and additives, not whole foods. Under current guidelines, a genetically-modified ear of corn sold at a produce stand is not regulated by the FDA because it is a whole food, but a box of cornflakes is regulated because it is a food product. The FDAs stance is that GM foods are substantially equivalent to unmodified, natural foods, and therefore not subject to FDA regulation. The EPA conducts risk assessment studies on pesticides that could potentially cause harm to human health and the environment, and establishes tolerance and residue levels for pesticides. There are strict limits on the amount of pesticides that may be applied to crops during growth and production, as well as the amount that remains in the food after processing. Growers using pesticides must have a license for each pesticide and must follow the directions on the label to accord with the EPAs safety standards. Government inspectors may periodically visit farms and conduct investigations to ensure compliance. Violation of government regulations may result in steep fines, loss of license and even jail sentences. As an example the EPA regulatory approach, consider B.t. corn. The EPA has not established limits on residue levels in B. t corn because the B. t. in the corn is not sprayed as a chemical pesticide but is a gene that is integrated into the genetic material of the corn itself. Growers must have a license from the EPA for B. t corn, and the EPA has issued a letter for the 2000 growing season requiring farmers to plant 20% unmodified corn, and up to 50% unmodified corn in regions where cotton is also cultivated41. This planting strategy may help prevent insects from developing resistance to the B.t. pesticides as well as provide a refuge for non-target insects such as Monarch butterflies. The USDA has many internal divisions that share responsibility for assessing GM foods. Among these divisions are APHIS, the Animal Health and Plant Inspection Service, which conducts field tests and issues permits to grow GM crops, the Agricultural Research Service which performs in-house GM food research, and the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service which oversees the USDA risk assessment program. The USDA is concerned with potential hazards of the plant itself. Does it harbor insect pests? Is it a noxious weed? Will it cause harm to indigenous species if it escapes from farmers fields? The USDA has the power to impose quarantines on problem regions to prevent movement of suspected plants, restrict import or export of suspected plants, and can even destroy plants cultivated in violation of USDA regulations. Many GM plants do not require USDA permits from APHIS. A GM plant does not require a permit if it meets these 6 criteria: 1) the plant is not a noxious weed; 2) the genetic material introduced into the GM plant is stably integrated into the plants own genome; 3) the function of the introduced gene is known and does not cause plant disease; 4) the GM plant is not toxic to non-target organisms; 5) the introduced gene will not cause the creation of new plant viruses; and 6) the GM plant cannot contain genetic material from animal or human pathogens (see http://www. aphis. usda.gov:80/bbep/bp/7cfr340 ). The current FDA policy was developed in 1992 (Federal Register Docket No. 92N-0139) and states that agri-biotech companies may voluntarily ask the FDA for a consultation. Companies working to create new GM foods are not required to consult the FDA, nor are they required to follow the FDAs recommendations after the consultation. Consumer interest groups wish this process to be mandatory, so that all GM food products, whole foods or otherwise, must be approved by the FDA before being released for commercialization. The FDA counters that the agency currently does not have the time, money, or resources to carry out exhaustive health and safety studies of every proposed GM food product. Moreover, the FDA policy as it exists today does not allow for this type of intervention. How are GM foods labeled? Labeling of GM foods and food products is also a contentious issue. On the whole, agribusiness industries believe that labeling should be voluntary and influenced by the demands of the free market. If consumers show preference for labeled foods over non-labeled foods, then industry will have the incentive to regulate itself or risk alienating the customer. Consumer interest groups, on the other hand, are demanding mandatory labeling. People have the right to know what they are eating, argue the interest groups, and historically industry has proven itself to be unreliable at self-compliance with existing safety regulations. The FDAs current position on food labeling is governed by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act which is only concerned with food additives, not whole foods or food products that are considered GRAS generally recognized as safe. The FDA contends that GM foods are substantially equivalent to non-GM foods, and therefore not subject to more stringent labeling. If all GM foods and food products are to be labeled, Congress must enact sweeping changes in the existing food labeling policy. There are many questions that must be answered if labeling of GM foods becomes mandatory. First, are consumers willing to absorb the cost of such an initiative? If the food production industry is required to label GM foods, factories will need to construct two separate processing streams and monitor the production lines accordingly. Farmers must be able to keep GM crops and non-GM crops from mixing during planting, harvesting and shipping. It is almost assured that industry will pass along these additional costs to consumers in the form of higher prices. Secondly, what are the acceptable limits of GM contamination in non-GM products? The EC has determined that 1% is an acceptable limit of cross-contamination, yet many consumer interest groups argue that only 0% is acceptable. Some companies such as Gerber baby foods42 and Frito-Lay43 have pledged to avoid use of GM foods in any of their products. But who is going to monitor these companies for compliance and what is the penalty if they fail? Once again, the FDA does not have the resources to carry out testing to ensure compliance. What is the level of detectability of GM food cross-contamination? Scientists agree that current technology is unable to detect minute quantities of contamination, so ensuring 0% contamination using existing methodologies is not guaranteed. Yet researchers disagree on what level of contamination really is detectable, especially in highly processed food products such as vegetable oils or breakfast cereals where the vegetables used to make these products have been pooled from many different sources. A 1% threshold may already be below current levels of detectability. Finally, who is to be responsible for educating the public about GM food labels and how costly will that education be? Food labels must be designed to clearly convey accurate information about the product in simple language that everyone can understand. This may be the greatest challenge faced be a new food labeling policy: how to educate and inform the public without damaging the public trust and causing alarm or fear of GM food products. In January 2000, an international trade agreement for labeling GM foods was established44, 45. More than 130 countries, including the US, the worlds largest producer of GM foods, signed the agreement. The policy states that exporters must be required to label all GM foods and that importing countries have the right to judge for themselves the potential risks and reject GM foods, if they so choose. This new agreement may spur the U. S. government to resolve the domestic food labeling dilemma more rapidly. Conclusion Genetically-modified foods have the potential to solve many of the worlds hunger and malnutrition problems, and to help protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and reducing reliance upon chemical pesticides and herbicides. Yet there are many challenges ahead for governments, especially in the areas of safety testing, regulation, international policy and food labeling. Many people feel that genetic engineering is the inevitable wave of the future and that we cannot afford to ignore a technology that has such enormous potential benefits. However, we must proceed with caution to avoid causing unintended harm to human health and the environment as a result of our enthusiasm for this powerful technology.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Factors which affect international trade operation in Africa
Factors which affect international trade operation in Africa The International Day of peace which was established by a U.N resolution in 1982, and is marked every year on September 21, is a global even whose activities are significant in highlighting the worldwide efforts towards conflict resolution and peace building.[Diaspora 2008] This day is more concern with African continent which most of place conflict have taken place. That there are troubles in Africa for quite decades even after several countries in the continent went through change from colonialism to self-government, is not a deniable reality. 2.0 Political Stability in Africa As described in the first essay, country with political stability, donors will trust that country and they will invest a lot. The larger company can transfer they investment to that country, also investor can return their profit back to the communities, and will boost the sectors which it almost died of is in bad shape. Country with political stability economy will grow; this is due to investor will invest more as long as they feel secure on their investment. People of the respect country will be benefited by get knowledge which transferred from the investors. Countries that can produce a product at the lowest possible coast will be able to gain a larger share in the market. Therefore an incentive to produce efficiently arises. This will help standards of the product to increase and consumers will have a good quality product to consume. More employment could be generated as the market for the countries goods widens through trade. International trade helps generate more employment through the establishment of newer industries to cater to the demands of various countries. This will help countries bring down their unemployment rates. However it could lead to a more rapid depletion of exhaustible natural resources. As countries begin to up their production levels, natural resources tend to get less. 2.1 Assessment of political stability on international trade in Africa 2.1.1 Peace and Stability Tanzania is one example of the country among sub Saharan Africa which economic and political stability is stable. Multi party democracy adopted in 1992 has not disturbed the peaceful political climate of the country. This is why FDI are very interested with country situation and invest a lot on different sectors, such as Mining Industries, beverage industries, telecommunications companies, NGOs and so on. 2.1.2 Labour skills and availability International Trade is doing well; this is because of access to skilled labour which is a key priority for companies competing in African economies. Tanzania has a long term commitment to make sure development on training and educated specialists is going well. The government put more budget of education sector in order to improve education and improve human capabilities and encourage technology transfer as a precondition for enhancing productivity of investment and attaining the desired level of competitiveness. [http://www.tic.co.tz/] 2.1.3 Private sector development Tanzania has notable itself among of few African countries that have thoroughly transformed their economies. Achievement of these reforms is imitated in the countrys strong macroeconomic fundamentals every time increasing growth rates, consistent falling inflation and increasing inflow of FDI. One of the factors that contributed to this achievement is the countrys unwavering commitment to build a strong private sector. [http://www.tic.co.tz/] 2.1.4 Infrastructure Facilities Tanzania put infrastructure as one of the key investment drivers of country is trying very hard to improve. 2.1.5 Stable Macroeconomic performance Tanzania had been caring out successful economic and structural reforms, which have improved economic performance and sustained growth. These achievements are based on solid foundations of political and economic reform undertaken by the government since 1986, placing Tanzania in a position where a prolonged period of high GDP growth rates is expected. In additional, Tanzania has a stable fiscal regime with sustainable level of inflation. [http://www.tic.co.tz/] 3.0 Political Instability in Africa overview Regarding political instability in African Country, it is also undeniable that African continent has gone thru some tough situation during fifty years past. But the fact is almost African cases regarding political instability the major cause of problem is leadership. And because of this African freedom heroes come to dictators, while African natural resources, politics of elimination and scarcity to slope the balance of authority continues to control the public globe. Moreover, these difficulties have been pointed out due to ordinary Africans leaders who already edged and they dont want to retire. Political instability in Africa may be obliged much of its reason to internal factors, though the interpenetration of internal and external aspect especially geo-political and economic comfort of the international community always play a major role in undermining the vey procedure and society that are expected to care for democracy and to inspire a sense of stability for community development in Africa. In combination to such issues as unequal development, poverty, disease, violence and the scheming tendencies of the local best, political and economic stability in Africa is continually under threat is though not emanating from inside the continent but as of external interests whose dryness for African resources, continue to figure the dynamics in areas connected to governance. Resources in Africa if fine managed are able of providing for its entered population, therefore the potentials for an extra stable environment, nevertheless, it is well recognized that stolen riches from Africa n frequently end up in banks abroad. [African Focus Bulletin, 2006], exist it money stolen by the political selected (case of Mobutu of Zaire, Abacha of Nigeria, and Moi of Kenya, just to state a few or the current Kibaki regime Anglo-leasing scandals in Kenya), they still end up in banks in the western capitals. 3.1 Africans leadership problem and political instability The African political instability and former related problems is basically an outcome of its leadership trouble. African governments are run in ways that have been staring as far from the modern western state structure [Osei Tutu, 2004] Domestic issues play a major role in the changeover. These domestic issues frequently variety as of corrupt rulers, repressions, a majestic legacy, distended states, and inadequate political structures and an obliteration of democracy [diamond, Linz, and Lipset 1989; Diamond and Plattner 1999]. However, the international framework often plays a vital role in both the changeover in general and the attendance of violence in exacting [Lupo, 2004] 3.2 Africans economy and political instability Despite the miserable predictions, most African economies are exploiting well even though a few country cases are still experiencing hard times in terms of political stability, economic growth and challenges posed by poverty and diseases, trade quantity and foreign investments have enlarged over time. However the political instability in Africa, which as well underpins the economic development frequently, has strong associates to internal and external distinctive interests time and again. Africas resource in this case has never been its approval, but a nuisance. These is no justification for the under development of the continent even as it sits on huge natural resources. [Rodney, W. (1981)] 3.3 Africa Political violence and political instability As an effect, the legitimate frameworks and state institutions have been meddle with, in order to generate an uneven play field alongside the opposition. Some of these procedures have seen irregular violence during electioneering era, leading to political instability. However the level of violence and the mode in which they are perpetrated differ from country as the recent elections in Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe can illustrate. [Mahamoud, 2006:15] With a lot of countries holding their third or fourth multi-party elections, internal power struggles have engaged a cruel dimension, thereby intimidating the very existence a lot of countries. Since the beginning of multi-party democracy in mainly African countries electoral procedures have been go together with political violence, as part of the democratisation process [Lupo, 2004; Huntington,1991]. Most violence is such cases are often state supported, to the advantage of the incumbent, while a variety of groups that hike for state power also intensely hired violence, in the form of informal groups, militias and gangs. In the circumstance of all the violence, it is the normal people who loose out in terms of lives and property. The calamity is that the political conflict is not about substitute political programmes that could address the main problems such as poverty, disease and illiteracy, but only a fight over who has right to use the state resources.[http://www.country-details .com/africa/zimbabwe-economy.php] 4.0 Analysis 4.1 International Trade within Political Instability in Africa Country with political instability will be hard for investor to invest. This is due to situation is not good for them. However other investors are attracted with situation and take advantage for the situation by starting to make business. The International companies who are suppliers of guns and weapon will their time to sell and pray to God situation remain the same for sack of the business. People killed each other but investors they dont care as longer they doing business. In other part they may support that conflict by provide some money for other part to make them be able to fight other side and war continue. So as we can see one side they will be in trouble due to the investments been destroyed in the war because of political instability, and other side they will be benefited. Some of countries remain poor because of political instability. This could be ethnic tension, tribalism or all out war. Country such as Zimbabwe, Somalia, Rwanda and others they involved with long-term conflicts, they have a little chance of developing. Some countries also crash ethnic divides that are a constant distraction de-stabilizing the region and end up of discouraging investment, one example is Sir Lanka. 4.2 Assessment of political instability on international trade in Africa There are often political factors involved in why some of African country such as Zimbabwe, Somalia Sudan, Ethiopia, and Burundi and other suffers. This is due to bad government. Governments need to do a lot of things to encourage development, they need to build and maintain infrastructure and raise and spend finance wisely on the right projects. When governments are inept at managing infrastructure, development is impossible. Nobody wants to build a factory in a city where the power could go out at any time. Zimbabwe and other mentioned country should do the same and also needs to set up their laws and business practices in a way that encourages investment. Some of the Factors which affect international trade operation in Africa Corruption International Trade Trade Laws Political Instability Corruption Corruption is something which frustrating, disheartening and fundamentally disempowering investors. When government become loose on the simple process such as customs officials which everyone knows about, it end up of make life difficult to investors and business in general. In African countries this is common and is needs to be stopped and my country tried very hard to make it happened. [makewealthhistory n.d] Trade Laws Trade Laws it is largely a political matter. Sir Walter Raleigh famously said whosoever commands the trade of the world commands the riches of the world and hence the world itself Political instability Political instability plays a role in why some countries like Somalia and others remain poor. This could be ethnic tension, tribalism, or all out war. Needless to say, countries with long-term conflicts such as the ones in Somalia or Afghanistan have little chance of developing unless otherwise. [makewealthhistory n.d] I tried to make research for some of the African countries as follow SOMALIA Somalia involved with war since of Siad Barres regime in 1991. A lot of people in Somalia suffered due of conflict which causes long-term impact of disturbed peace, security and stability also development. This conflict cause a lot of problem and continued loss of life which end up of intermittent fighting, famine, displacement of persons and the resultant flow of refugees. The conflicts affect also neighbors countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti, due to proliferation of small arms, huge influx of refugees many of whom are ex-soldiers its criminal target. Overall Somalia politically is unstable. After the collapse of the Somali government various factions decided to vie for control of Somalia, which resulted in chaos, clan warfare, and interplant fighting. Although Somalia is not as lawless as it was at the time when Barre as ousted Somali factions still continue to fight for control of the territory. Somalia is a much divided national that lacks any sense of cohesive government and therefore there is no real overall ideology of the country. Somalia is attempting to stabilize many of the internal conflicts that continue to prevail in the country along with attempting to create a political ideology and a foreign policy. Political uncertainty its like nightmare to investors. It does disturb FDI (foreign Direct Investment) flow of their investment plan together with private sector and economic growth because government owned those public sector units as well. If happened that country faced unstable political, many this goes wrong. In situation like this no investor will be interested to invest in Somalia Land. This is due to political instability which put FDI in hard situation to invest. This conflicts cost the horn Africa countries deeply in terms of security due to increase of groups of arms, due to influx of refugees and lost trade. However international and regional organizations such as the UN (United National) and IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority for Development) have come between for the aim of bring peace in the war torn country. According to [BBC conversation 29th December 2010 thru radio] American tried to make peace there but they failed due to Somalia arm group come together and fight American. Somalia is one of the nations that has struggled and still does today in order to function well. It is one of these are rare places where there is ongoing civil war and it has no central government. Somalia is in a state of anarchy because it had problems after their president got assassinated in 1969, it has many economic problems, and native clans in Somalia are constantly fighting with their foes. If Somalia can solve these problems, it will be able to function very well and gain a government that will suite them well. UGANDA Another example is Uganda country. Iddi Amin President by then ruled the Government to manage all of Asian investors properties and commanded them to leave the country in short notice. This was applied to all whites investors, and even rich black. This was real bad to investors. Due to dictatorship mode of government the country came down economically and eventually to poor position. After war he decided to attack neighbor country which is Tanzania and caused a war. Situation become worse, Tanzania and Uganda war rendered Tanzania economy to fall drastically. It takes time for Tanzania to recover due to many country resource used on that war. Frankly it will be difficult for investors to withstand in violence countries. Economic growth needs political stability which will attract investors to invest in a particular country. BURUNDI Another example is Rwanda and Burundi. People killed and neighbor countries also affected due to the guns and other dangerous tools goes to them and used for robbed and so on. Rwanda war was so bad because it was tribe war (within Rwandas people). It was very difficult for investor to invest there or do international business there. They so cruel killed themselves, kill religion leaders and so on. Lets look at Zimbabwe; Mugabe makes things worse thereby take away the investors investments which most of them was farm. Those investors were doing very well on that sector. Mugabe was trying to divide the land to the Zimbabwe farmers without knowing that they dont have money to invest there and at the end they fail to run the business. Look at Zimbabwe now is terrible. There was violence which has badly hurt the commercial agricultural sector the traditional cause of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs, revolving Zimbabwe into a net importer of food products. The EU and the US give food aid on humanitarian foundation. Badly needed bear from the IMF has been suspended as of the governments arrears on long-ago loans and the governments unwillingness to ratify reforms that would become stable the economy. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe normally prints money to fund the budget deficit, causing the official annual inflation rate to rise from 32% in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, passed 1000% in 2006, and 26000% in November 2007, and to 11.2 million percent in 2008. In the meantime, the official exchange rate chop from approximately 1(revalued) Zimbabwean dollar per US dollar in 2003 to 30,000 per US dollar in September 2007[ country-details n.d] Many people in Zimbabwe they dont have jobbed, currency is in bad shape due to inflation. Before Mugabe took land from investor, people were employed on that industry, the difference from now there is no job due to those who given that land they dont have money to run the business. Zimbabwe is other country which has political problem. Zimbabwe is the second highest HIV infection fate, per capita, in the world. Zimbabwe has experienced the breakdown of law and order, unemployment of 65%, inflation104%, the collapse of the economy and the health delivery system. Human rights abuses in the form of violence and rape have continued unabated and are carried out with impunity by the ruling party activists. Voices against basic human rights abuses speak at great personal risk. It has been established that the effects of the current situation have impacted negatively on the health and well being of the people through increased stress, little or no access to primary health care facilities, unemployment, hyper-inflation and a general sense of helplessness and hopelessness. All this is due of political instability. [gateway n.d] Zimbabwe there are group of people have good life, but majority are not enjoying anything. They have very difficult life. Most of people they live in poverty and cause of anger among them towards government. These anger cause political instability and end up of forming crime revolutions and so on. [wiki.answers n.d] INFLATION-ZIMBABWE Zimbabwean inflation rates (official) since independence Date Rate Date Rate Date Rate Date Rate Date Rate Date Rate 1980 7% 1981 14% 1982 15% 1983 19% 1984 10% 1985 10% 1986 15% 1987 10% 1988 8% 1989 14% 1990 17% 1991 48% 1992 40% 1993 20% 1994 25% 1995 28% 1996 16% 1997 20% 1998 48% 1999 56.9% 2000 55.22% 2001 112.1% 2002 198.93% 2003 598.75% 2004 132.75% 2005 585.84% 2006 1,281.11% 2007 66,212.3% 2008 231,150,888.87% (July) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwean_dollar Hyperinflation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwean_dollar Zimbabwe Economic Overview The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued official exchange rate, hyperinflation, and bare store shelves. GDP -real growth rate -6.2% estimated in 2008. GDP (official exchange rate): $4,397 billion Note: In 2009 the Zimbabwean dollar was taken out of circulation, making Zimbabwes GDP at the official exchange rate a highly inaccurate statistic.[Source: C/A World Factbook] http://www.country-details.com/africa/zimbabwe-economy.php EXTERNAL INFLUENCES PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS Political policies and legal practices Culture factors Economic forces Geographic influences4.4 Economy factors affecting international business operations OPETATIONS OBJECTIVES STRATEGY MEANS Economy analysis Economic indicators Economy system Economic freedom Transition to a market economy Before Investor decide to invest to any country especial African country always they tried to check of follow Gross National Income (GNP) GNP helps to measure income generated together by total domestic production towards as the international trade production activities of local companies. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) GDP is the broadest measure of economic activity for a country. GDP helps investor to assessing countries in which the output of the multinational sector is a significant share of activity. Improving the Power of GNI GNI is a robust estimator of an economys absolute performance. Here international manager has to be careful because GNI can mislead when he/she tried to compare countries. For example, manager to compare economic power of USA and Tanzania will not give manager a good result. So in order for manager to get good view should adjust it for taken the number of people in that country, their growth rate, and their cost of living also economic sustainability. Per Capital conversion Manager will use this indicator to which helps to explain an economys performance according of number of people who lives in such country. Purchasing Power Parity Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is the number of units of a countrys currency required to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic market that one unit of income would buy in the other country. [Daniel, Sullivan et. al 2009pp186-202] 5.0 Effect of Political Instability Opportunities could be caused by political instability 5.1 Conflict resolution and peace building initiatives In terms of conflicts in Africa, many hot spots are recovering, and making big leaps towards peaceful coexistence. Even though there are some pockets of unresolved cases like Somalia, Darfur, Congo and Northern Uganda among others, there are encouraging examples such as Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and Southern Sudan. In this context Africa is undergoing a complex process of multiple transformations. Solution to some of these cases has been found from within, coupled with external support. For this reason, it can be argued that part solution to the conflict situation and political instability in Africa lies in the west. More specifically is for the western governments to address the issue of arms manufacture and sale of arms, weapons to Africa and to address the conduct of their multinational involved in extractive activities at the expense of African lives. On the same breath, we cannot talk of health problems in Africa when countries in the west have not seen the sense and subsequent impl ications of dumping hazardous technologies and products in Africa 5.2 International Trade in Africa Some of the country they take advantage of the political instability situation to make money by doing international business in that such country. In both situations, political change creates systemic risks that impact all firms whose activities are affected by the political system. System changes dont necessarily create political risks that reduce potential profits. Elections and policy shifts can create opportunities for foreign investors. For example in 1990s a newly elected government in Argentina initiated a radical program to deregulate and privatize the countrys state-centered economy. Investors who accepted the risk and pursued the resulting opportunities prospered as Argentina became more democratic. There is one case in our International Business model talk about china. That case trace about the development of China, where political change has created opportunities in several areas, including market potential and performance. This of course, that taking advantage of such at tractive opportunities entails taking risks in a country where political and legal complications still pose roadblocks to profitability.[Daniel, Sullivan et al (2009) pg155] When other countries suffer of political instability, other countries enjoy that situation very much. Lets say country faced political instability and happened there is a war, some of international companies from other country they start to do business by selling guns, and other things which needed in situation like that. The neighbour countries get advantage of when refugee run to them, they get support from international support programme. The people of such neighbour country they will be benefited by get food, clothes, and other human needs thru refugee. However those neighbour countries may suffer due to refugee may transfer the conflict in that country. Unemployment When country faced political instability unemployment rate will be high, and country will not be able to offer job to the people. So when investors who they ready to take risk move to that country will be easy for them gets cheap labor. People they dont have job and they need money means they will do any kind of job to get money. However countries that are unable to create jobs for their citizens create a risky business environment. So investors whose will take risk to invest in such country must take precaution for robbery and thief due to people are desperate to get money. Generally, people out of work and unable to find jobs depress economic growth, create social pressures, and provoke political uncertainty. Inflation Inflation cause rise in prices measured against a standard level of purchasing power. Country in political instability inflation will be high and the investor who doing there they have power to set their price (high) and consumer they dont have choice. Life will be expensive and investor who doing business there are benefited with high price of commodities. People they work to them and get salary and at the end of day they give back that money to them. This is to say foreign will be able to transfer resources to home country indirect. Debt The debt for the country which faced political instability growing because government dont have money, and end up of borrows money from the financial institution. This will be benefit to those countries which hold those financial institutions such as IFM and so on. Income distribution GNI or PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) will be low due is calculate with which income the average person earns. Country with political instability not everyone is average, neither indicator tells us what share of income goes to what segments of the population. So the big share will go to foreigner whose they have big share of money, and this will be benefit to them.[Daniel, Sullivan et. al pp196-203] Production factors move Capital especially short-term capital is the most internationally mobile production factor. In country with political instability companies and private individuals primarily transfer capital because of differences in expected return. This situation cause of transfer capital back home or to another country and will be benefit to foreigners due to some of country when foreigner came to invest, government allow them to make business for the first three years without of paying tax. The countries with political instability foreigner advantage of this situation and invest for only three years without tax and move to another country. This happened because they not secure with political situation. Analyzing Risk In between political instability, one country risk may be another opportunity to other country. For example companies which provide security services such as guard services, alarm systems, insurances and guns may get the big opportunities of sales where the victim country suffer in war.[Daniel, Sullivan et. al (2009)p 502] 6.0 RECOMMENDETION An African countries leader has to make sure political in their country is stable so that FDI can transfer they technology, skill and knowledge to the local people thru International Business.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)