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Monday, September 30, 2019

Fundamentals of Microeconomics Essay

Macroeconomics defined as â€Å"the study of the economy as a whole, which includes inflation, unemployment, business cycles, and growth† (Colander, G-5). There are many fundamentals that affect the economy in both a good and bad way. These fundamentals affect the economy, and they also show the growth of the economy. The fundamentals are gross domestic product (GDP), real gross domestic product, nominal gross domestic product, unemployment rate, inflation rate, and interest rate. Defining the fundamentals Gross Domestic Product is â€Å"the total market value of all final goods and services produced in an economy in a one-year period† (Colander, G-3). GDP calculation is very important because it calculates the growth, decline, or stand still have the economy. When the GDP is calculate, it is base on previous numbers not future numbers. For example, the GDP is +2%, which means a growth of 2% for the previous year. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is â€Å"the market value of final goods and services produced in an economy, stated in the prices of the giver year† (Colander, G-7). Real GDP is an inflation measure of the production of goods and services in the economy. It reflects price changes throughout the year. The real GDP is base more on realistic numbers instead of a guess. The calculation is more accurate concerning the gross domestic product for the previous year. Nominal gross domestic product is calculate at existing prices. Nominal GDP does not reflect inflation and is known as â€Å"current dollar GDP.† Nominal GDP can either be higher or lower than the GDP. When nominal GDP is calculate without reflecting inflation, which can show a higher growth in the economy when it is lower or at a standstill. Unemployment rate is â€Å"the percentage of people in the economy who are willing and able to work but who are not working† (Colander, G-9). The unemployment rate is calculate every month, and it shows the people who are looking for work. This rate does not include individual like the elderly, people working only a few hours a week or people who do not send resumes into different business. The unemployment rate shows that based on the number of people in the United States, a certain percentage is actively looking for work but has not found work. Inflation Rate is the percentage rate of change in price over a certain period usually a year. The inflation rate is calculate using last year price for a particular item to determine how much it will cost. Inflation rate determines the price of many things that include the price of the dollar. When individual calculates the inflation rate, it can help others determine if it is better to buy certain products today or later. Interest Rate is â€Å"the price paid for the use of financial asset† (Colander, G-4). Interest rate is a certain percentage that an individual has to pay on borrowing money or purchasing something. The interest rate is base on the credit score and the item purchase. The rate can go from being a very low number to as high as 10 percent. Purchasing of Groceries The purchase of groceries affects government, households, and business daily. The government determines the tax placed when household purchase groceries. Every household in the United States purchase groceries to survive. The businesses are affected by grocery purchase through the purchase. The business is affected by the purchases made because it shows what is being purchase more and what is being purchase less. The flow of resources take place in continues circular motion. The groceries are receive by the business from the local food processing plants. The employees at the local business placed the items on the shelves and groceries are ready for sell. The household members purchase the groceries from the business and pay the taxes government placed on the items. This continues to take place daily and will always continue. Massive layoff of employees The flow of resources takes place, and it affects businesses in both good and bad ways. Most business can employee the previous laid-off employees to allow taxes to be paid. When businesses are not able to employ more employees, unemployed do not demand good and services. When employees are layoff, there is no income coming into the household. The household is affected because there is no income, which in return means less good and service that can be purchase. When massive layoffs of employees take place in the economy, it affects government because they are paying unemployment benefits, Medicaid, and giving food stamps and more welfare to those eligible. Decrease in taxes When the government decides to decrease tax, it affects everyone differently. Government is affected in a good way, but it occurs in the long-run supply and demand curve. The government is losing more because taxes are lower but more money is being receive. In the long-run supply and demand, the government receives more money because the household is purchasing more good and services. The household is excite because more money is coming into the household because taxes are lower. The lower the tax, the more income, which mean more good and services are being purchase. Businesses are excite because more goods and services are being purchase. The flow of resources occurs and is affected in the long-run supply and demand curve. References Colander, D.C. (2010). Macroeconomics (8th ed.) Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Life in the Universe: The Significance of Planet X

The Internet is replete with sites touting proof of extraterrestrial life in the universe; television programs found on channels with a scientific slant, such as Discovery, The Learning Channel, The History Channel, SciFi, and Nova, explore the possibilities of extraterrestrial life on a regular basis; a slew of books have been published by those claiming to have had close encounters with alien beings, or to have witnessed events that suggest the presence of such. Many of these claims have been proven fraudulent or misinterpreted, yet some remain persuasive. Currently, there is some compelling evidence that extraterrestrial beings might not only exist, but might also have visited our planet throughout history. While a great majority of this evidence can be dismissed as the meanderings of the bored, mentally ill, or those interested in making money on the naivetà © of others, some of it is not so easily discharged. As far back as recorded history exists, there are suggestions of extraterrestrial visitations; artistic renderings of strange objects in the sky, beings that do not look human, and societies who function at a technological level that defies the development of the era. While modern technology might afford us evidence considered more empirical or irrefutable, in the past, no such evidence could be had. Historically, there are numerous depictions in art that suggest an awareness of alien beings or spaceships. One such painting entitled The Madonna with Saint Giovannino by the 15th century artist Domenico Ghirlandaio, depicts a flying saucer type object in the sky over Mary's shoulder, and a man with his dog, staring up at it. It seems clearly to be an alien spacecraft. Now, while paintings are clearly not the same as photographs, but merely renderings from the psyche of the artist, there still has to be some pertinent reason why an artist would place something so odd in his painted sky. The obvious suggestion here, is that he might have seen such an object, or the consciousness of the time was at least partly centered on these things. In 1486, Carlos Crivelli's painting, The Annunciation with Saint Emidius depicts a spaceship that is sending a beam of light to the head of Mary. But what if faith is not the only avenue toward belief? What if scientific data in the form of archeology, astronomy, physics and other disciplines point to the truth of extraterrestrial presence on our planet? Numerous hieroglyphs have been found that are clearly representations of objects in the ancient sky, objects that suggest a technology far advanced for the era. The fact that these objects were airborne at all, was of course cause for investigation. One such relief carving found in the beams of the ceiling of the New Kingdom Temple at the Giza Plateau in Egypt, clearly depicts a modern day helicopter, a submarine, a glider or perhaps a space shuttle (Crystal). It would be difficult to explain these images away as anything other than what they appear to be. Delving deeper into the antecedents for these ideas leads to examination of advanced cultures of the past. The Sumerian culture is one of the most advanced cultures ever known, yet they existed during a time period where most people lived in a primitive fashion. Still, they created many mathematical concepts, geometry, algebra, and were the first to develop the zodiac, dividing the heavens into the 12 houses; the first to develop 400 characters of cuneiform writing, and the first to display a complete understanding of astronomy. â€Å"Ooparts is the term used to describe the purportedly out of place in time artifacts, toys, tools, technical devices, depictions and documents which have come to light through archaeological excavation or discovery† (Freer). The Sumerians' culture is filled with ooparts that cannot be explained in any way other than they were influenced by another species from a more advanced culture. Sumerians recorded a great deal of their own history, even the day to day mundane events. It is clear from their records that they lived among beings they referred to as the Anunnaki. These beings were purportedly from the plant Nibiru, and had come here to colonize. This is where the Sumerians gained their incredible knowledge base, apparent in all their artifacts and records. For instance, the Sumerians knew the number of planets and the distance of the planets from Earth—how? We didn't even know that until we sent probes in the 1970's. How could they know so much about astronomy? All of this knowledge, though, is authenticated by artifacts left behind (AncientX). Religion aside, the theory with the most veracity, also seems the most far-fetched: that an alien race colonized our planet half a million years ago, and we are a product of genetic engineering and cross breeding. Russian-born archeologist Zecharia Sitchin, not only believes that, but has presented an impressive amount of data that would seem to prove his theory. Sitchin was raised in Palestine, gaining a formidable knowledge of ancient Hebrew, among other languages, and is â€Å"one of the few scholars who is able to read and understand Sumerian† (XFacts). Through study of Sumerian culture and artifacts, he has pieced together the historical details that explain this outlandish postulate. According to Sitchin, the Sumerians spoke of 12 planets in the solar system, contrary to our current knowledge of nine. They counted the sun and moon in that number, so according to them, there is one other planet in our solar system. This planet was known as Nibiru by the Sumerians, and current day references are usually â€Å"Planet X† which is a play on both the unknown and the fact that â€Å"X† is the Roman numeral for â€Å"ten,† and Nibiru would be the tenth planet, if we continue to discount the sun and moon as planets. Modern science has discovered that â€Å"the human genome contains 223 genes that do not have the required predecessors on the genomic evolutionary tree (Sitchin)† The question then becomes: where did those mysterious genes come from? Another interesting indicator is that lead NASA scientists believe there is another planet beyond Pluto, based on the inability of Pluto's mass to cause certain disturbances in orbit, referred to as perturbances, and wobbling movements of that planet. These movements suggest a gravitational pull beyond Pluto that can only be explained by the presence of another large planet, two to five times the size of earth. Scientists have also recently put forth the Orpheus Theory—that a rogue planet collided with Earth, and this created a new version of Earth, and our current moon, and also explains the asteroid belt, among other things. This theory supports what the Sumerians recorded 6,000 years ago (XFacts), which would suggest strongly that the Sumerians had knowledge of many things that cannot be explained other than with the input from another race from another planet. This information alone, should be enough to justify further investigation into not only the presence of a 10th (or 12th) planet, but the possibility that there are other lifeforms that have come from that planet to Earth in the past, and could do it again in the future. Further along in the historic timeline, we have discovered more tangible reasons to explore the idea of intelligent life in the universe aside from our own.   In 1938, an archeological dig in the Baian-Lara-Ula mountain between China and Tibet, produced a collection of graves in a series of interlocking caves. On the walls, were pictograms of the celestial sky, connected by dots. In the graves, were the remains of humanoids that were not like any known. The skeletons had oversized craniums, and short, spindly limbs, and all were much shorter than normal.   The team members considered that maybe these were the skeletons of apes, but as the archeologist Dr. Chi Pu Tei reportedly said, â€Å"Whoever heard of apes burying each other?† Soon afterward, Dr. Tei, discovered a disk-shaped stone in the floor of the cave which had a perfectly round hole in the center and an engraved line spiraling outward on the stoneThe team unearthed hundreds of these ancient carved stones buried in the floor of the cave, obviously remnants of a people who lived 12,000 years ago. With a magnifying glass, closer inspection was done of the groove in the stones, which so resembled an ancient phonograph record. It was a record, but not of the musical variety, unless you count the strange tone it made when they later spun the stone on a makeshift turntable. The score (pun intended) was really a continuous line of hieroglyphics. In 1962, Dr. Tsum Um Nui began to transcribe the writings, and decode them. He discerned that the stones told the story of the Dropa, who came down from the clouds in their aircraft† (AncientX). As the story went, they were stranded after a crash-landing, and before the local people understood that they were peaceful, and were repulsed by their appearance, so they hunted them down and even killed some. The Dropa were unable to repair their aircraft in order to return to their home planet. Today, it is known that there are two tribes indigenous to the area who possess odd anatomical features—larger heads, shorter bodies, yellowish skin. The local lore about these â€Å"invaders that came from the sky† matches the bodies found in the cave. Nui composed a paper for submission to the university, regarding the contents of the Dropa Stone messages but was denied publication by the Academy of Prehistory, and he was even told not to discuss his findings. The University felt that the world could not be told of the story of the Dropa, who apparently came to earth from another planet in a space craft, crash-landed and were subsequently stranded. But the information did beg the question about possible descendants having survived, and the connection this information might have with the history of the ancient Sumerians. All cultures since then commonly believed that they were descended from â€Å"heavenly beings.† This is perhaps an indication of the accuracy of oral tradition. But many other hieroglyphs and petroglyphs and petrographs around the world speak of this event, and often depict spacecraft and other-worldly beings. Contrary to our wishes, there can be no absolutes in some perennial questions. The possibility that alien life forms visited the Earth is one of those examples. I don't believe anyone has enough empirical evidence to take a staunch position on the existence of extraterrestrial visitations, versus the non existence of them.   Therefore , conclusions one way or another are merely postulates, theories and entertainments. What can be known, is that technologically advanced cultures have existed in antiquity, and that there is compelling evidence that these might have been influenced by intelligent life from another planet. Without empirical proof, however, the questions remain a mystery. There are other considerations that must be addressed. The capability of aliens to visit our planet, would naturally suggest a technologically advanced civilization far exceeding our own. Therefore, had they wanted to make themselves clearly known, they could have. The fact that they haven't revealed themselves boldly, can mean either they do not wish to for whatever reason, or that â€Å"they† do not exist. With mounting evidence indicating the existence of these other worldly beings, it becomes more and more difficult to ignore the possibilities, and more and more likely that we may all find ourselves questioning the paradigm of our ultimate source. With the elliptical orbit of Planet X/Nibiru expected to make its 3600 year pass near Earth in 2013, we may be doomed to another impact that will create a new Earth 3, or we may find ourselves shaking hands with a visiting delegation of Anunnaki. Either way, nothing will ever be the same again. Works Cited AncientX: Jason Martell's Research. â€Å"The 12,000 Year Old Dropa Stones.† 2006. Retrieved on 22 October 2006 from ;http://ancientx.com/nm/anmviewer.asp?a=61;. Crystal, Ellie. â€Å"Ancient Egyptian Flying Vehicles.†. Crystalinks. 2006. Retrieved on 21 October 2006 from ;http://www.crystalinks.com/ancientaircraft.htm;. Freer, Neil. â€Å"Sumerian Culture and the Anunnaki.† UFO Evidence. 2006. Retrieved on 20 October 2006 from ;http://www.ufoevidence.org/documents/doc147.htm;. Sitchin, Zecharia. â€Å"The Case of Adam's Alien Genes.† 2001. Retrieved on 21 October 2006 from ;http://www.sitchin.com/adam.htm;. XFacts Research. 2003. Retrieved on 21 October 2006 from ;http://xfacts.com/x.htm;. ;

Saturday, September 28, 2019

A Critical Analysis of The Great Gatsby

The beginning of the 20th century was marked with substantial changes including the industrial revolution, WWI and the gradual diversification of moral views as opposed to the uniformity imposed by the clericalism that had dominated the American society from its conception.The dynamically changing morality first and foremost touched the new bourgeoisie, or the class of people who made their fortunes rapidly and became wealthy at relatively young age.com/cumulative-exam/">The Great Gatsby is a famous novel by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. The action takes place on Long Island and in New York City in the 1920s era. The characters of the drama are mostly wealthy, yet young people, going through the stage of the inner morality reformation.The literary work depicts the stable upper-middle class of the 1920s, who used to live in the West Egg district of Long Island. Contemporary New York City lured people with its countless opportunities to realize oneself and improve one’s m aterial well-being; Nick Carraway, a Yale graduate, is not an exception. He is flexible and intelligent enough and thus moves to New York for the purpose of learning and working in bond trade.Furthermore, he’s originally solvent enough to afford a flat in the fashionable West Egg district: â€Å"My family have been prominent, well-to-do people in this middle-western city for three generations. The Carraways are something of a clan and we have a tradition that we’re descended from the Dukes of Buccleuch [†¦]† (Fitzgerald, 4).Upon the arrival to New York, Nick soon gets attracted to the fun-driven lifestyle, implying noisy parties, light flirt and false, theatrical love. The family of his cousin Daisy, who lives not far from Nick, is equally wealthy and aristocratic: her husband Tom graduated from a prestigious university and runs a successful business. Daisy is a beautiful, but excessively materialistic woman, who once had a romantic affair with Gatsby, but soon rejected him because of his allegedly questionable ability to provide for the future family.Instead, she accepted Tom’s proposal and selected confidence in the tomorrow’s day as opposed to the strong, barely controllable emotions she had for Gatsby (Milford, 69). The protagonist of the novel, Jay Gatsby, stands to certain degree apart from the lawful third-generation businessmen he is on friendly terms with. Gatsby is a descendant of a poor family, but, owing to his motivation for learning, he manages to enter St. Olaf’s College, which he, however, soon leaves because of the despair, associated with his janitor’s job (Turnbull, 122).Driven by his love for Daisy, he fanatically seeks ways of becoming rich and even dares break the law and engages with criminal business. However, the protagonist remains sincere in his attitude towards people and seems extremely kind, generous and broad-minded person: â€Å"It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it that you come across four or five times in life†¦ [his face] believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself† (Fitzgerald, 52-53).As one can assume, wealth, as implied in the American Dream, particularly popular among the middle-class population, is one of the major themes of the literary work: â€Å"The Great Gatsby is a highly symbolic meditation on 1920s America as a whole, in particular the disintegration of the American dream in the era of unprecedented prosperity and material excess† (Bruccoli, 73).Wealth, or, more precisely, its lack, becomes the major reason for the destruction of the beautiful fairy tale romance between Gatsby and Daisy. Financial prosperity is also the main factor motivating Tom’s extramarital lover, Myrtle, for seeing the man on the regular basis. Finally, money becomes a catalyst of Gatsby’s tragic outcome of being slaughtered after taking Daisy’s blame for the accident with My rtle (Bruccoli, 79; Lehan, 211).When approaching the theme of wealth from an alternative perspective, it is possible to notice The Great Gatsby contains a comprehensive overview of the sociology of upper-middle class and newly minted rich businessmen. In particular, the western part of the district is inhabited by newly rich, whereas the denizens of East Egg represent nobility and aristocracy: â€Å"Fitzgerald portrays the newly rich as being vulgar, gaudy, ostentatious, and lacking in social graces and taste.Gatsby, for example, lives in a monstrously ornate mansion, wears a pink suit, drives a Rolls-Royce, and does not pick up on subtle social signals, such as the insincerity of the Sloans’ invitation to lunch† (Lehan, 215).At the same time, aristocratic circles are depicted as mannequins, whose public behavior rarely reflects their true beliefs and attitudes. For instance, Tom is unfaithful in his relationship with wife and starts an affair with a woman, whose backg round is far from aristocratic and who lives in a poor neighborhood.Wealth is also close-knit with the theme of   moral freedom, which causes the moral degradation of the top society (Lehan, 233). The Buchanans are literally heartless: instead of attending Gatsby’s funeral and demonstrating their respect for everything the dead made for safeguarding Daisy’s reputation, they simply change the place of residence and distance themselves from the tragedy both physically and psychologically.Even Gatsby, the most â€Å"authentic† and open-minded person in the novel, seems adversely affected by his wealth and sinks in the marsh of criminal affairs increasingly deeper so that even his surroundings learn about his illegal alcohol business and murders he committed.Therefore, by describing the wealthy New York City communities of the 1920s, Fitzgerald prominently illustrates the negative impact of excessive prosperity on human value system and intrinsic ethical principle s. The author also proves that money provides great freedom, but really few people are psychologically prepared to accept and successfully manage it.Works citedBruccoli, A. New Essays on The Great Gatsby. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1985.Fitzgerald, F. S. The Great Gatsby. Wordsworth Editions, 1993.Lehan, R. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Craft of Fiction. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1966.Milford, N. Zelda. New York: Harper and Row, 1970.Turnbull, A. Scott Fitzgerald. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1962

Friday, September 27, 2019

The history of manufacturing worldwide and its influence on societies Essay

The history of manufacturing worldwide and its influence on societies and global power - Essay Example It was from this that the world saw increased food production.  Whitten, O. (1997, pg2) says that it was during this period that the agricultural sector benefited from production of machines to replace the existing ones which proved to be unproductive. It is  rational  to argue that the economy of the world has been  independent  of the growth in agriculture. This is because as the agricultural sector made some steps the economy made some percentage growth. The manufacturing of goods in the whole world increased. More profits than before  were indicated. The availability of raw materials was another factor that contributed to the  growth  of manufacturing industries. It is common knowledge that the  production  industries need a constant supply of raw materials. Development of technology that enabled the  growth  of certain crops in deferent areas where they could not  grow  before proved to be significant in  factory  development. These factories enhanced the increase in suppler which meant that more food was available for human consumption than  before. Mills, J (2002, pg53) argues that the increase in the food production was in tandem with the increase in economy. World manufacturing companies are now making  profit. In all sectors of life, things  have been brought  to the footsteps of the people. It is  rational  to  indicate  that, talking of the world manufacturing; one is at the same time talking about globalization. New machines have continuously been manufactured and in the process, increase the  production  of goods. The technology, more  specific  the preservation methods, provided a  chance  for the  growth  of industries. Transportation systems improved tremendously. As a result, machines that cannot be manufactured in deferent areas  were transported.  This made it possible to have the industries spreading to all corners of the world.  Proficient management system in all business, as  put  by Trautman et al (2008, n.p), is

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Society and its Attraction to Jury Trial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Society and its Attraction to Jury Trial - Essay Example Furthermore, the individual jurors, chosen randomly, often face a lot of pressure in the form of intricate and lengthy case proceedings, which are unjustified and often lead to negative impact on the case outcome. There have been issues as regards the jury expertise on objectivity of decisions taken, as some experts argued that jury trials tend to be more emotional or sentimental (hence biased) in nature, rather than being logical, thus, attracting more than the due share of media and society attention.2 In fact, Penny Darbyshire describes the jury system as â€Å"an anti-democratic, irrational, and haphazard legislator, whose erratic and secret decisions run counter to the rule of law.†3 Such problems as pointed by the critics are inherent within the UK jury trial system, leading to demands for bringing in radical reforms in the UK legal policies and for abolishment of this many centuries old celebrated institution of criminal justice. The role of the juries within the legal system translates to the simple fact that legally unqualified people (the layman) are given significance within the highly specialised profession of law, and their assistance taken to provide justice to the public. The chief function of the jury is to listen to the facts presented during the case proceedings and based on these facts produce a verdict (in terms of case resolution within criminal/ civil cases), of guilty or not guilty. This essay will examine the role of the jury and explore the advantages and disadvantages of the system to seek whether Roskill had rightfully claimed that jury trials do not deliver justice, as they are more sentimental and emotionally driven, instead of being logical in nature, and tend to attract more media and society attraction than necessary. Discussion The jury system in UK Jury system in UK has been in vogue for more than 1,000 years, and according to some reports even existed before the Norman Conquest.4 The jury system, thus, always played a s ignificant part in balancing the British legal system. In the present legal scenario, jury independence is given a great deal of importance, where many feel that juries should not be meddled with or pressurised, while deciding a case. The position of the juries as the only arbiters in a case was evident in the famous Bulshell case of 1670, 5 and in the more recent R v Mc Kenna (1960).6 In both the cases, the independent roles of juries were highlighted, where they had acted separately from the judge, while taking a decision. While selecting a jury, an official at the Crown Court selects jurors randomly, from the official data system, and even though only a 12-member jury is needed for a case hearing, more members are generally selected, to provide for any absentee jury members.7 In England and Wales there are three forms of criminal offences, where ‘summary’ offences (ones considered as being of minimal seriousness) can be tried only at the Magistrates’ Court, wi th two to three magistrates in presence.8 Criminal offences that are more serious in nature and categorised as ‘

In relation to customary international law, what are the difficulties Essay

In relation to customary international law, what are the difficulties involved in determining State practice and how is it possible to separate State practice from opinio juris - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is International Law as the body of laws, precepts and regulatory principles that govern relationships between states on the world stage. As states interact with each other in worldly affairs, a political, economic or financial business situation may be created whereby there is a disagreement or difference of viewpoint or even rules of conduct. As a result, one or both state entities may feel cheated and may either decide to settle their differences amicably with one another on agreed terms, resort to aggressive tactics like wars and embargoes or appeal to internationally recognized institutions like the International Courts of Justice and the United Nations Organization to solve their problems. For example, the UN last year has intervened to monitor the situation in Libya arising from the formation of opposition groups seeking to overthrow the corrupt and decadent regime of Col. Muammar Gaddafi. It passed Resolution 1970 on February 26, 2011 under which it condemned the escalation of violence in Libya, noting the loss of lives and heavy civilian casualties that defined crimes against humanity and the civilian population. It demanded a ceasefire and cessation of violent activities, ensuring safety and security to both citizens as well as foreign nationals. It also pressed for safety of the media which was instrumental in bringing information as to the actual situation on the ground. Among other things, the adoption of this resolution resulted in an arms embargo, the creation of a no-fly zone and freezing of assets as recommended by a high level Committee created in the aftermath of the Arab League meeting and the Organization of Islamic Conferences on the situation. Thankfully, the situation is now returning to normalcy since Gaddafi has been deposed and killed and the rest of his family is either in exile or has been arrested or killed. At the present time, the world community especially European and US officials have asked t he Security Council to pass a similar resolution against the regime in Syria, considering the nine month crackdown on protestors in which thousands have been killed or arrested. In terms of Lord Denning’s definition, given at the judgment of the case of Trendtex Trading Corp v Central Bank of Nigeria (1977), International Law may be described as ‘the sum of the rules or usages which civilized States have agreed shall be binding upon them in their dealings with one another’. It is primarily concerned with the behavior of States, and comprises the body of principles, rules and customs recognized as binding obligations by sovereign States and international entities. Higgins points out that ‘it is a system of normative conduct that States consider obligatory to follow’ and as may be formally defined by various conventions and agreements published by the United Nations, the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

K Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

K - Assignment Example rk therefore highly informs my current topic choice by nature of ability to dig deep into the echelons of a particular knowledge area and unearth as much information as possible. The desire to pursue this investigation therefore rests on the fact that this is a topic with wide knowledge and also interesting to follow. The unit also informs much on the research questions initially created very widely. In essence, there was knowledge of coming up with open ended questions that never gave an in-depth knowledge of information about a particular topic. The initial research questions were set widely but at this final stage, answers are coming up. The work also informs the initial research questions by virtue of the ability to categorize them into specified sections for a specified search for answers. The initial questions were wide but at this stage, there is a specified concentration on ways used to quit smoking. There are several issues that hope to be achieved during my time with this topic. From the information so far achieved, there is a lot of information of personal importance that has been realized. By learning about the in-depth questioning, there has been a revelation of the in-depth effects of smoking. It also outlines how the addiction is created through the content chemicals in the cigarette. Moreover, the knowledge goes on to extrapolate the collection of diseases that the body would be susceptible to. This is caused by the more than 4700 chemical compounds in the cigarette. In avoiding a cigarette, personal life would be highly enhanced. Moreover, this does not stop there. There are excessive effects to the environment and the people around. Avoiding this situation, by virtue of the in-depth analysis created in the topic, the health of other people would also be enhanced. The content, specificity, depth and level of personal investment in this topic have turned out to be different from earlier topics. If a comparison is to be drawn with the ‘Dream

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 2

Leadership - Essay Example charismatic leader must have particular interpersonal skills and h must have the potential of communicating the goals which are required to be accomplished by the workforce. The corporate leaders are aware of the importance of customer satisfaction and they try to propose strategies which enhance the overall values derived by the customers. The leaders are motivated and confident and they constantly come up with strategies for engaging the employees. Leadership has nothing to do with the seniority or age of the employees and it is free from the dominance of the titles within an organization. Leadership is a trait which is not associated to the personal attributes of the individuals (Kur & Bunning, 2002). In this report a discussion will be presented about the role of the leaders in aligning the employees of the organization. For explaining this fact the role of the corporate leadership in reforming certain organization will be discussed. Different forms of leadership will pose a discussion about the corporate leadership of the organization. Relevant models and theories will be used for analyzing the role of corporate leadership towards the success of the organizations. For the analysis of the role of the corporate leadership on decision making of some of the companies will be discussed. These companies will be selected from the list of FTSE-100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. The companies which will be subject to discussion will include British American Tobacco, Glaxo Smith Kline and Tesco. The analysis of the role of their corporate leadership on the organizational success will be elaborately discussed. Using the details presented and analyzing the examples discusse d certain advices will be presented to the leaders of the SME’s located in Thailand. The learning outcomes of the report will be discussed so that the role of leadership and its contribution to the success of the modern day organization can be discussed. Leadership is considered as a

Monday, September 23, 2019

Australia Based Huggalugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Australia Based Huggalugs - Essay Example Towels, bed sheets and blankets could be added in the company’s product repertoire. All these products can be manufactured to fit into Huggalugs’ core proposition of fashion and function. Most of the new product additions rely on the same raw materials that are used in existing products. By increasing the volume of purchase, the company can exercise more bargaining power over the suppliers of raw materials and gain a cost advantage. Likewise synergies can occur in the production processes (knitting process) as well as the channels of distribution. The skill sets of the existing labour will suffice to produce the proposed products. A product wise profitability analysis can be conducted to determine which of the items need to be removed from the present product line. The company can, after launching the proposed products, claim to be catering to the apparel needs of little ones from head to toe. These outfits would be the children’s best friend whether they are in bed or in the playground. Price A penetration pricing strategy (low price) would entail catering to the masses and dealing in volumes. However this strategy does not justify the quality of the product in question. The skimming pricing strategy (high price) on the other hand would mean that only the top rung of the society is the target market. The thoughts of ‘discounts’ and ‘value for money’ always loom large in the minds of the shoppers (in this case the parents) as kids tend to outgrow apparel pretty fast. It is therefore recommended that the company should adopt a cost plus pricing or ideally a competitive pricing model. A buyer of Huggalugs thus gets the dual benefit of function and fashion at reasonable prices. In other words, the Huggalugs brand gets associated with being stylish, multipurpose and yet inexpensive. Such a pricing strategy may prolong the break even period; however the company would be able to capture a large market share and would sta nd to gain in the long run Given that the company has increased its product range, it could use product bundle pricing. For e.g. if Baby Vintage Smitten (Legruffles) are priced at $ 15, Cheetah (Leghuggers) at $ 15 and Angel Daisy Bonnet (Beanie) at $24.95, a combination of all these 3 product items may be offered at $50. While this combo price saves $4.95 for the customer, it results in higher turnover for the company. The company should also employ ‘special event pricing’ for e.g. during Halloween and Christmas, promotional pricing may be done to encourage giving Huggalugs as gifts. The company should resort to ‘Sales’ sparingly otherwise customers tend to become ‘deal-prone’ Distribution The essence of distribution is that the product has to be made available at the place where the customer expects it to be. Furthermore customers have a tendency to form an opinion about the quality of the product on the basis of the place where it is availab le.  

Sunday, September 22, 2019

United States foreign policy relations to international politics Essay Example for Free

United States foreign policy relations to international politics Essay A foreign policy is a policy that governs, or gives directives on how a state relates with other state and non-state actors on the international scene. It is usually broad in that it governs issues of military, economic as well as trade. In many countries including the United States the president is usually the chief negotiator of the foreign policy. The foreign relations of the United States are highly influential on the world stage. The officially stated goals of the foreign policy of the United States, as mentioned in the Foreign Policy Agenda of the U. S. Department of State, are to create a more secure, democratic, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community. In addition, the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs states as some of its jurisdictional goals: export controls, including nonproliferation of nuclear technology and nuclear hardware; measures to foster commercial intercourse with foreign nations and to safeguard American business abroad; International commodity agreements; international education; and protection of American citizens abroad and expatriation. . HISTORY OF AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY America’s foreign policy has been changing since independence in 1776. There are times when it was inclined to isolationism, at other times selective engagement and others containment. The foreign policy is also widely associated with the military. In the case of the United States the president is the chief negotiator of the foreign policy through the ministry of foreign affairs headed by the secretary of state, who is the primary conductor of state-to-state diplomacy. In the united states the President is also Commander in Chief of the military, and as such has broad authority over the armed forces once they are deployed whether for domestic or for the purposes of the international community. Due to the fact that the president has veto powers within the country the executive has been able to implement foreign policy decisions at the expense of the legislature. Some of the recent examples of this are the governments’ decision to wage war in Afghanistan and Iraq. In this regard the executive has also widely kept the legislature in the dark concerning the CIA and us military operations overseas especially on the issue of their humanitarian records and treatment of terrorist suspects in CIA detention camps overseas. The United States is one of the two largest democracies in the world the other being India. As thus the United States government should have given the legislature the privilege of being a major partner in formulating the foreign policy. Instead the executive has gone ahead to even defy the doctrines of the United Nations to which it is a signatory. In so doing the public has been kept in the dark on issues that even though they don’t affect them directly they are still of an important nature. American foreign policy has been the subject of much debate and criticism both domestically and abroad. Charges of negative influence have been levied even in countries traditionally considered allies of the United States. This has been mainly so since the foreign policy is designed in a way that it is only good if and only if the recipient country is willing to play by U.S terms if not so then everything changes. CONCLUSION: The American foreign policy can be seen as an extension of the executive this is because many policy decisions even if they are discussed by the congress the executive implements them to its own terms. This has caused many negative criticisms from both domestically and internationally since even when an issue is approved by the congress the executive has had a tendency of over implementing the policies turning good intentions into a bad policy implementation. REFERENCE: US Dept of State Foreign Policy Agenda. Available at: http://usinfo. state. gov/pub/ejournalusa/foreignpolagenda. html Committee on Foreign Affairs: U. S. House of Representatives . available at: http://www. internationalrelations. house. gov James M. Scott (1998) After the End CL: Making U. S. Foreign Policy in the Post-cold War World, Duke University Press. Israel, Iran top negative list, Nick Childs, 6 March 2007. Available at: http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/middle_east/6421597. stm

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Four Different Spheres

The Four Different Spheres The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system in the world, stretching around 2300 kilometres. It is located on the North East Australian coastline and due to its area faces both positive and negative interactions with the atmosphere. The reef lies in an area classified as Australias Cyclone Zone, and for many thousands of years the reef has been struck by severe tropical cyclones, that have resulted in the changing nature of the ecosystem. The degree of impact on the reef is subject to the intensity and extent of the storm, though the overall outcome of a storm is damage for the living and non-living organisms like the coral. The damage occurs due to the large storm waves that are produced from strong winds and low-pressure systems. The forceful waves rip apart the more fragile coral and create chips and imperfections in the harder coral. In severe cyclone cases the cyclone can cause a whole reef ecosystem to be buried under sediment. Tropical cyclones also bring with them heavi ly-induced rain cycles. The extra volume of fresh water means that the salinity of the reef ecosystem is then distorted, and could affect the growth of the coral, as coral reefs are highly specialised and need certain conditions to thrive. The turbidity of the water can also intensify and result in coral bleaching. The atmosphere can also be a constructive interaction with the Greater Barrier Reef. For example in 2006 Cyclone Larry hit the shores of North Queensland and destroyed many homes and businesses of the surrounding area. The cyclone also struck the reef, but instead of causing destructing within the ecosystem, the cyclone prevented mass coral bleaching to occur by lowering the temperature of the water. Lithosphere The Great Barrier Reef is aided in its functioning and transforming by the lithosphere. The reef itself produces limestone, the exoskeleton of the deceased coral polyp. This limestone is then weathered down and reallocated by the 4 biophysical environments to other parts of the reef. The limestone is then able to create new landforms like coral cay. The limestone is also used as a defence mechanism by coral against the violent and erosive waves. Like all living organisms coral die and the death of one coral could mean the birth of new coral, as new coral will use the limestone structures created by the deceased coral to grow on. Another lithospheric factor affecting coral functioning is sediment. Sediment like sand can have the effect of clouding up the water of the reef resulting in increased turbidity levels of the water. There is then less sunlight penetration into the reef, affecting the process of photosynthesis and coral bleaching is more likely to occur. Sediment can also over whelm the coral reefs through sediment runoff. The sediment runoff could bring with it many natural and threatening chemicals that could harm the functioning of the Great Barrier Reef. Hydrosphere The Great Barrier Reef tends to have best coral growth when hydrosphere conditions are at their greatest. For example coral reefs tend to have optimal growth when wave energy is high. The wave energy is broken by reef through the seaward, and produces an area of peaceful, protected water behind the reef. The waters of the Great Barrier Reef tend to flow in a northerly direction most of the year, though during monsoonal, wet seasons the formation of the waters changes, and there is a reversal in the direction of the waters. This reversal allows for the cooler southern ocean current to flow into the reef. The reversal in water direction is a key component for the ecology of the reef. The waters that run from the north are warm and highly in salinity, they provide the reef with high nutrient levels and are major influences for the diversity of the ecosystem. Biosphere The biosphere element of the Great Barrier Reef is how the reef grows and obtains its wonderful features. One animal that has been credited for helping to develop the reef is the polyp. Polyps are simple organisms that have a stomach and their calcium carbonate exoskeleton. Within the polyp is an interdependent alga called zooxanthallae. The two organisms provide mutual benefits with the zooxanthallae providing sugars and oxygen through the process of photosynthesis and the polyp in turn supplying nutrients. Polyp regrowth occurs with the use of the deceased polyps exoskeleton. Although coral reproduction is different, where the coral will release their eggs into the warm, summer water, and instantaneously corals release mass amounts of sperm. The fertilised eggs develop into larvae and the larvae continue the reef-building procedure on the dead corals skeleton. The diverse range of species within the Great Barrier Reef also has an impact on its functioning. For example crustaceans a re great at executing the nutrient recycling role, while the crown of thorn star fish is known for attaching itself to coral and eating it to death. Coastal Dunes Atmosphere The four spheres play a decisive role when it comes to the structure, extent and the complexion of coastal dunes. The most pivotal biophysical interaction is the atmosphere. The atmospheres main components impacting coastal dunes are wind, temperature and precipitation, as well as climate. Wind is a major contributor to shaping dunes through aeolion transport, where sand grains are picked up and transported to another location. The amount of sand removed from a dune is dependent on the size of the sand particles, velocity of the wind, nature of vegetation cover and more. For sand particles to be displaced they must be of a certain diameter, around 0.15mm. The faster the velocity of the wind the more likely sand grains will be moved, as there is more force behind the wind. The type of local vegetation and amount of vegetation on the sand dunes also impacts aeolian transport, as the vegetation becomes a barrier against the wind for the sand, and the greater the vegetation the less sand taken. Through the vegetation the dunes are able to continue to grow and increase their diversity. Temperature plays the role of influencing the rate of sand dryness, and type of vegetation on the dunes. Temperature values also determine the functioning of ocean currents. As temperature increases the dryness of sand increases resulting in only few vegetation that are able to live on the dunes, which then affects the rate of aeolian transport. Precipitation is also an atmospheric component that impacts coastal dunes, through the level of rainfall. The amount of vegetation on dunes is dependent on the level of rainfall, with regular rainfall meaning a greater variety and denser vegetation, and little to no rainfall putting the ecosystem at risk, through the little vegetation to protect the sand from aeolian transport. Hydrosphere Hydrological processes are one of the most significant components on earth for change to occur. The hydrological processes that have an impact on coastal dune ecosystems include wind-induced waves, longshore drift and rainfall. Wind-induced waves are important for developing coastal dunes, and combine both the hydrosphere and lithosphere. When there are periods of calmness within the ocean, this means sand is able to be transported from offshore deposits to the beaches. This gives supply to dunes where the winds transport the sand. On the other hand when there are treacherous conditions in the oceans the waves become powerful and crash into the coastline with such force that there able to remove sand from beaches and foredunes. Another hydrological process impacting coastal dunes ecosystems is longshore drift. Longshore drift is the transportation of sediment by currents that are running at parallel to the shoreline. Through longshore drift sediment is able to be produced in one loca tion of a coastal system and then transferred to another location. Longshore drift allows dunes to be created by sediment that has been transported over a long distance. Longshore drift is quite common on the East side of Australia, with many of the islands up in Queensland having been made from sediment that came from New South Wales. The final hydrological process to impact coastal dunes is rainfall. The amount of rainfall has a bearing on the erosion of the sand. When there is high rainfall runoff starts to occur which in turn erodes at the surface of the sand, the surface is then vulnerable to the effects of atmospheric winds. Biosphere The biosphere influences coastal dunes through flora and fauna. There are three species to flora, primary species, secondary species and tertiary species. The primary species are those that are closest to the sea. These areas are only colonised by specialised plants that are able to handle salt spray, sand blast and strong winds. The main role of the pioneer species like Marram Grass is to stabilise any incoming sand. These species of fauna spread at a rapid pace, with strong root systems, and so their able to protect much of a sand dune from its various vulnerabilities. The pioneering plants as their referred to, are vital in reducing wind erosion and stabilising the sand, leading to a better functioning coastal dune ecosystem. The secondary species is the foredune vegetation. They are usually comprised of shrubs and small trees like the coastal wattle, and help in maintaining foredune sand mass. The tertiary species are those that go beyond the coastal moorland, like tall trees. Th e vegetation in this zone is protected from the atmospheric and hydrological processes affecting the ecosystem. The vegetation in this area is not fixed, with variables being the local topography and climate. The development of humus and growth of plants occur, the sunlight exposure and soil conditions start to change. When the soil becomes richer, it attracts shrub and woodland plants, thus changing the vegetation. This process is known as succession. Fauna on coastal dunes is not very evident. Not many fauna live on the dunes closest to the beach, as the conditions are too extreme for them to handle, with maybe only few crabs calling this area home. Along with crabs the only likely animal seen on dunes closest to beaches are striped skink. Towards the back of the dune systems an increasing number of bird species can be found. Lithosphere Question 2. Analyse the impacts due to both human-induced modifications and natural stress on both ecosystems at risk. How does each ecosystem adjust in response to natural stress? Coral Reefs Human Modifications Human dependence on the Great Barrier Reef has been for many thousands of years, dating back to the times of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. As human populations grow the demand for coral reef resources will increase as well. The main human induced modifications are over-fishing and tourism. Over-fishing of the coral reef often occurs when there is an increase in the human population, as there is a now a greater demand for seafood and unique marine life. Fishermen usually target those fish that are closely connected with the coral, like the large wrasses and snappers. When the captures for these species decrease, the fishermen then target all species of fish using more efficient methods of capturing, like spears or mesh nets. As they fish down the food chain fishermen bring great vulnerability to the coral reef ecosystem. Through observation and research its proven that coral with no fish are more prone to overgrowth by macro-algae and increases in coral diseases. There is also physical damage sustained by the coral, through the anchors, nets and traps, which ends up causing more complications for the coral reef. Tourism is the other major human induced factor impacting coral reefs, and especially the Great Barrier Reef. Tourism is a key contributor to the Australian economy, with one of its foremost assets, the Great Barrier Reef bringing in $4 billion a year. Research performed by James Cook University of Cairns found several comprehensive impacts of tourism on the reef. The first being coastal tourism development, where many people visiting the reef want to stay as close to the reef as possible. The coastal developments and building of groynes and marinas near and around the Great Barrier Reef disrupts currents and frequently gravitates to the displacement of sediment. There is also increase tourism on the islands near the reef causing problems linked with sewage and rubbish. Marine based tourism also occurs in the Great Barrier Reef with the anchors and anchor chains of boats having catastrophic effects on the coral, like physical damage. Although operators are very careful when it comes to tourist interaction with coral animals, some tourists negatively interact with the wildlife causing complications in the breeding cycles and natural interactions. Another human impact towards the Great Barrier Reef is land clearing. Approximately 25% of all land in Queensland drains out into the reef. The runoff is a major contributor to degradation in the reef, with agriculture; urban development and aqua culture all impacting the quality of the reef water. The rate of sediment runoff is dramatically increasing through greater urban populations moving to the reef and intensified agriculture. The increase sediment means in a reduction in light energy for photosynthesis to occur, resulting in greater disease and overtime the suppression of the reef. The increase in wetland clearing has also obstructed in the reef development. The wetlands provide many species of the reef habitats and nurseries. When the wetlands for example estuaries are destroyed these species will then need to find new environments and new nurseries disrupting equilibrium within he ecosystem. The wetlands also house a significant amount of water when heavy rainfall occurs. Wi th depleting wetlands this means more fresh water will flow into the reef having damaging effects on the salinity levels of the reef water. Natural Stresses Great Barrier Reef natural stresses!!!!!!! Coastal Dunes Human Modifications Humans have also have dramatic impacts on coastal dune ecosystems. The main reasons to human induced modifications are the ever growing desires of humans to live on the coasts, and the increase in human population. Coastal dunes are used by humans for mining, waste-water disposal, housing and many more. The activities create problems including sand inundation and species loss. Coastal development is occurring all over the world, due to the demand of humans to live near water. Most coastal development involves the process of flattening the parallel dunes to build, and sometimes even the foredune. These actions result in the flow of sand inland being disrupted, and the protective barrier situated between the land and the sea vanishes. Another form of coastal development affecting coastal dunes is reclamation. Reclamation involves building a wall that is some distance off the coast and filling in behind the wall. It is done to extend the land out into water, and although it is positive for humans it is extremely harmful to dune ecosystems, as it alters the movement of sediment along the coast. The areas that are reclaimed are usually tidal floats that often provide sand for dune development and growth. Humans also destroy the coastal dunes through the recreational practices that take place. When people try to make their way to beaches they usually along the plants. This creates holes in the dunes and invites resilient weeds who can cope with trampling to grow. Most vegetation degradation occurs in the foredune, which happens to be the most important part of the dune system, as it protects the least stable component of the dune system. The weight of vehicles and other means of transport compact the sand, resulting in the sand having less oxygen and therefore less plant growth. For example in Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada research has found that the increase number of vehicles having access to the dunes and beaches has caused the deeper sand to become compact, and surface sand to loosen. The loosened sand becomes vulnerable to wind erosion, and causes a decrease in the rate of organic decay and consequently the rate of soil formation is reduced. The research also found that where vehic les had treded on the vegetation, there was greater wind velocity, as there was less vegetation to be a force slowing the wind. Coastal dunes are very specialised and tenuous. When there is an introduction in a flora and/or fauna species, this creates havoc in the dune ecosystem, as the ecosystem has certain needs to properly function. Some species were once introduced to stabilise the dunes but end up becoming the vulnerability of the dune system. One species that has caused major dune damage is the rabbit. The rabbits were introduced to Australia by the First Fleet and have been destructive ever since their introduction. Rabbits impact coastal dunes through eating the grasses and other vegetation, reducing the ground cover and they expose sand to wind erosion. An example of floral impact on the coastal dunes is the detrimental bitou bush. The bitou bush a native of Southern Africa was first introduced in the 1920s. Once the bitou bush has entered the dune system it quickly takes over and kills all the native plants. The bitou bush is so successful due to its high-volume of seed production, large root system s and having no predators in Australia. The major problem with the bitou bush is the monoculture it creates on the dune system, with there being no diversity on the ecosystem. If the bitou bush is removed then the sand is left exposed to wind erosion, causing greater problems. Although, the problems created by leaving the bitou bush are far greater than those eliminating the bitou bush, so much of the bitou bush on the coast is being killed. Natural Stresses Coastal environments are constantly changing, especially coastal dunes. These changes are brought on by humans actions and natural stresses placed on the dunes. The major natural factor impacting coastal dunes is storm damage. Storm-induced waves are able to cause a great deal of damage to the structure of the dune system. The ferocious power of the storm can leave the beaches degraded with little sediment, for dune reconstruction to occur, and sometimes even erode the foredune. Structural damage comes in two main forms, one being washovers, and the other being washouts. An example of a major storm damage that has happened was in 1999 where there destruction on the coastline of Byron Bay, New South Wales. The storms were ruthless and the waves were as high as 3-metres. The storms created mass coastal erosion, with washovers taking place in several locations, generating widespread erosion in the adjacent parallel dune system. There was also recently a series of storms that occurred in Byron Bay in 2009. The strong storms meant the New South Wales Government had to fork out around$740,000 for rebuilding and repairs. The seawalls needed repairs while many houses in the area needed rebuilding and money was needed to regenerate the dunes at Belongil Beach. A further example of storms impacting coastal dunes was in Stockton Beach, Newcastle in 2007. The storms occurred over the June long weekend and resulted in approximately 100,000 cubic metres worth of sand being lost, as well as structural damage like erosion around sea walls. This caused major disturbance to the coastal dune functioning, as will take a long time to recover. Dune systems dont have perfectly shaped surfaces. The dunes often have recessions and elevations along the tops of the dunes. When a storm-waves height surpasses the height of a recession in the dune, water seeps into the dune creating a washover. With consecutive, formidable storm-induced waves the washover impression deepens and widens. This results in a greater volume of water being able to spill over and flow inland. In some intense storm events like tropical cyclones, the washover may continue into the inland dunes. Luckily coastal dunes redevelop over time through constructive waves transporting sand to the beach. Although, areas hit by intense, frequent storms go through the rebuilding process much slower, due to a considerable quantity of sand being removed. Recurring, powerful storms also cause damage to the flora of the dune, further decelerating the process of regeneration. An example of how washovers have caused damage to dunes was the major storm damage that occurred at the Newcastle Port in 1974. The storm was called the Sygna Storm due to its ability to shipwreck the MV Sygna heading for Europe. The strom has wind gusts up to 165 kilometres/per hour, and swells were up to and over 17 metres high. The impact of the storm on the dunes was the well-built foredunes had been completely flattened. Washouts are linked with the penetration of sand barriers like those that segregate coastal lagoon from the open sea, after there has been a period of substantial rainfall. Washouts can also occur in dune systems, when there is a build-up of water in the swales that separate dunes. When there are slumps in the dunes surfaces, the water gets directed through the low points and overspills onto the beach, sometimes transport sand with it. ADJUSTMENT IN RESPONSE TO CHANGE Question 3. Compare and contrast the vulnerability and resilience of the two ecosystems at risk. Question 4. Evaluate the traditional and contemporary approaches to management and protection of both ecosystems. The two ecosystems at risk, coral reefs and sand dunes, are both highly specialised, and for this reason there have been many traditional and contemporary management strategies used to sustain them, and keep them as risk free as possible. Coral Reefs Traditional Management Strategies Traditional management approaches were mostly used by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The Aboriginals focused on preserving the reefs and maintaining equilibrium in the ecosystem. The first traditional management plan was season hunting. Season hunting involves hunting only occurring at specific designated times of the year, for example summer. This strategy guarantees that there will be flora and fauna available for the future generations, as well as not severely impacting the process in the food web. The Aboriginals and Islanders only took what resources they needed from the reef, which helped in maintaining dynamic equilibrium in the reef. The strategy has close links to ecological sustainability, as it focuses on protection and fostering the ecosystem. Another impressive traditional management tactic used by the Aboriginals in maintaining the reefs was restrictions on fish sizes. This practice involves only catching fish of a certain length of above. Through this practice the fish of the Great Barrier Reef are given the chance to reproduce at least once before their caught. This lets the ecosystem maintain levels of fauna and as much equilibrium as possible. Add more. Third Traditional Management Strategy Contemporary Management Strategies Coral reefs are also maintained through contemporary management strategies, with one being zoning. Zoning involves establishing what can be done and where it can be done. The purpose of zoning is to diminish stress placed on certain areas of the reef and maintain their ecological sustainability. An example of zoning is allowing commercial fishing to occur in some parts of the reef, while tourism developments can occur in the outer reef area. If imposed properly zoning is a very successful tool in managing and protecting the reefs, as well as allowing present generations to access its natural resources without compromising the reef for future generations. Another way in which reefs can be preserved is through benchmark data. Benchmark data is comparing the ecosystem that is at risk with the standard of that ecosystem. Benchmark data helps in understanding whether the reef ecosystem is at the standard that it should be to be regarded as healthy. For example the standard level globally for the amount of dissolved nitrogen in the water of coral reefs is 0.014ppm. This knowledge would help in knowing if there is too much nitrogen or not enough nitrogen in the water, and humans may then be able to influence its level of nitrogen. Benchmark data is important in interpreting the risk factor the reef ecosystem has. The managing of tourism on the reef is also a significant factor of contemporary management strategies. Tourism generally has a negative impact on the reef, so its important that these tourists learn more about the reefs and the need to manage them. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) makes all tourists pay a certain fee when visiting the reefs, so they can reinvest the money into education about the reefs and to manage them. One of the major issues regarding tourism in reefs is the concentration on certain areas. For example, around 85% of all Great Barrier Reef tourism occurs in the areas of Cairns and Whitsunday Islands. Though they only make up 7% of the entire Great Barrier Reef putting immense risk on these areas. Tourism in the Great Barrier Reef is usually a day trip and mostly spent on reef pontoons. Over the years there have been many pontoon accidents and so the GBRMPA decided to ban all pontoon activity unless granted otherwise. The GBRMPA has also impos ed speed limits in the reef as a way of managing the risks of the reefs. As there are thousands of boats passing through the reef every day, the GBRMPA made speed limits for boats so that the risk faced by the reefs be minimised. Tourism also impacts the wildlife and breeding cycles. Fauna have certain places and times when they are breeding and sometimes humans disturb their cycles, creating disequilibrium in that area. For example research found that many bird species that regularly bred on Michaelmas Cays had stopped breeding due to the growing tourist activity on the island. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) are in charge of most islands on which birds breed, and so if there irregularities in bird breeding on an island due to human activity, then the QPWS permanently close the island from humans. Coastal Dunes Traditional Management Strategies Very little is known on the traditional Aboriginal ways of the management of coastal dunes. There is archaeological proof that the Aborigines did frequent the dunes but would have only been used as camp sites or for special ceremonial occasions. The findings of middens, which are mounds of shells that indicate a seafood-based meal had occurred, are indicators to the type of marine environment in the area, and the time that the Aborigines used the resources. ASK MISS ABOUT MANAGEMENT THROUGH MIDDENS. Another traditional management strategy though to be used by the Aborigines was the use of totems. Totems are animals assumed as an emblem to an individual or family. For many Aborigines the totems were an animal ancestor of theirs. Their role was to look after and try to preserve their totem. They were not allowed to eat their totem animals or harm it in anyway. This management strategy helped in making sure species were not overhunted. The most known form of Aboriginal management of coa stal dunes was back-burning or cool burning. Back-burning occurred through fires or fire stick farming, and would occur during cool periods so the fires would not get out of hand and kill the whole ecosystem. ASK MISS ABOUT MANAGEMENT THROUGH FIRES. Contemporary Management Strategies For successful dune protection to occur, the natural functioning of the dune must be sustained, while allowing humans to use the coastal dune ecosystem in a sustainable manner. As dune restoration is extremely costly many bodies of power have used strategies that protect the current dunes, and keep them in the best possible condition. One strategy imposed is land-use controls. Through state and local governments there is the ability to have stricter planning laws on human activities, as undertakings on the coastal ecosystem like residential development has extremely negative consequences on the dunes. Local governments have the power to accept or decline any development applications on the dunes. With this power given to local governments the dune system, and specifically the foredune would be able to function in a more natural state. Fencing is another management strategy against human activities, especially trampling from beach users. Dune fences are usually built around the foredune area, and assist in stopping people from trampling the dune vegetation. Particularly when the vegetation is immature and fragile, as its at its most vulnerable state. The fences are made of timber and wire, allowing wind and sand sediment easy access in and out. Along with fencing, fenced access ways are used for people to get to and from the beach. Fenced access ways are built through the dune, and at an angle to the prevailing wind as it minimises funnelling. They are fenced off to further protect the vegetation. With the fenced access ways many dunes have board and chain paths. The chain and board paths help the coastal dunes through reducing trampling by humans, as well as the timber slats being an obstacle to wind erosion to the exposed sand. http://www.mrstevennewman.com/geo/Stockton/nature_change/Washover.JPG Rise in mean annual sea temperature Water temperature is one of the most important variables determining ecosystem function in the marine environment. External temperature controls metabolic rates, which, during non-stress conditions, increase with increasing temperatures in all but warm-blooded organisms. Consequently, persistent warmer temperatures can accelerate life history and population parameters such as growth and reproductive age, and ecosystem properties such as rates of calcification and community metabolism, until they reach a level where temperature stress accumulates and rates start to decline75. While warmer sea temperatures increase growth rates in some organisms such as fleshy macroalgae, they may slow down growth in others because of the relative lower nutrient concentrations in warmer compared to cooler water. At higher temperatures, water column productivity accelerates, depleting the standing stock of dissolved and particulate nutrients including phyto- and zooplankton (McKinnon et al. chapter 6). For example, kelp and other temperate brown macroalgae grow most prolifically at cooler temperatures where nutrient concentrations are higher than in warmer nutrient-depleted waters18, while the productivity of other macroalgae might increase at higher temperatures (DiazPulido et al. chapter 7). Similar responses are likely to occur in other species groups, exemplifying that shifts in the relative abundances of species are to be expected, with profound but yet poorly understood consequences for ecosystem properties and species interactions. Altered reproductive timing has bee n linked to rising mean annual sea temperature. Of particular concern is a potential desynchronisation of the mass-spawning event of corals that occurs annually in the GBR. Thousands of coral species from unrelated taxa synchronise their annual spawning based on sea temperature and moon phase5. The role temperature plays is demonstrated at Magnetic Island off Townsville, where waters are approximately 1Â °C warmer than in the surrounding region and a proportion of species spawn one month earlier on this reef than conspecifics in cooler waters near-by. Similarly, reproduction of fishes on the GBR appears to be triggered by increasing sea temperature in at least some tropical reef fishes16,17,98,49, including coral trout102. Increased temperature could cause an earlier start to the breeding season in these species, and possibly a longer breeding season if thermal limits for reproduction are not exceeded.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Report into Strategy and Social Responsibility of British Petroleum

Report into Strategy and Social Responsibility of British Petroleum This project examines the operation of British Petroleum (BP) in the light of established international business theories. Two major aspects are considered; Globalisation strategy and corporate social responsibility ethics. Although certain failings are highlighted BP is assessed to perform optimally on both counts. A conclusion is drawn and certain recommendations with respect to the style of research are made in the final section. Report Contents The report assesses the operations of British Petroleum to establish to which degree the operations of BP are in line with related management theory. The project starts with a brief introduction on the business of BP. This sets a stage and develops a context for further discussion. The second section discusses the research method adopted in the preparation of this project. Several methods are explored and the most feasible selected as the method of choice. The third section looks at BPs operations in two respects; international trade and globalisation strategy, and corporate responsibility and ethics. The final section of the project is a conclusion that summarises the main themes highlighted in the work, noting its achievements and limitations and sets the stage for future research. At this stage some recommendations are also made. Introduction British Petroleum (BP) is a global Oil and Gas company with its headquarters in the UK. It is one of the worlds largest businesses by virtue of its revenues. On is corporate website, it terms its self as one of the worlds largest companies, providing its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services and petrochemical products for everyday items. As of its financial year end 2009, it owned 22400 service stations around the globe, it owned operations in 30 countries around the world, it employed 80,300 people in different countries, it owned 16 refineries around the world (with the biggest in Houston Texas), it produces 2.3 million barrels per day and owned oil reserves of about 18.3 Billion barrels (BP web 2010) Research Methods This project aims to assess the operations of BP. It takes into focus two major issues in global business and strategy; International trade globalisation strategy and ethics including aspects of corporate social responsibility. The management literature proposes several qualitative research methodologies (Bryman, 2004). These methodologies include; surveys, questionnaires, case studies, focus groups, experiments and interviews (Bryman, 2004). Pursuant to the aims of this project, a case study approach is employed in which I consult several documents which discuss management theory (detailed in Hill, 2009) and I examine how their application in practice basing on the case of British Petroleum. I use the BP website as a core source to derive information for this purpose. Given the lack of resources, other research methods such as interviews, questionnaires and focus groups are impractical. The next section details the operations of BP and the related theoretical underpinnings. British Petroleums globalisation strategy Globalisation refers to the current trend where the world is becoming a global village by effectively inter-knitting, national boundaries are being relaxed and countries are increasingly dependent on each other for survival. Globalisation presents significant opportunities to businesses as well as challenges. Firms that can cope with the trend enjoy larger markets, cheaper resources and therefore higher profitability. Firms that are unable to compete efficiently are faced out. As highlighted above BP is a global company with a highly acclaimed globalisation strategy. The success of this strategy could be attributed several (three main) factors as discussed below. First-mover advantage The history of BP can be traced back to the establishment of the Anglo Persian Oil Company, a subsidiary of the Burmah Oil Company in 1909. This firm explored the Persian golf for many years and was converted to the British Petroleum company after the Second World War. Scanty reports show that the firm expanded tremendously by 1960 developing its operations beyond the Persian golf into North America. Most importantly it established a significant presence in the North Sea by being the first company to find Oil in Alaska (BP web, 2010). The above indicates the length to which BP has gone to establish itself as one of the worlds biggest and most successful companies. New Trade theory suggests that first movers can benefit enormously from certain economic and strategic advantages in terms of operations. The theory argues that for those products where economies of scale are significant and represent a substantial portion of world demand, the first movers in an industry can gain a scale based cost advantage that later entrants find almost impossible to match (Hill, 2009. p 187). First mover advantage can potentially explain the structure of the Oil and Gas industry. The industry is made up of few big players and many small players in the Western world where competition is free. In other countries such as Kuwait, Saudi, Russia, China, Iraq and Qatar competition in the industry is restricted and the major oil exploiters are government owned. BP has established itself in most of the western world due to its first mover advantage. It is able to cut costs in its operations and derive benefits from economies of scale and scope. Many firms can compete effectively in Oil exploitation, exploration, extraction and refining, and therefore they turn to engage in the provision of support services such as distribution or the derivation of chemicals for other manufacturing industries. Competitive advantage Porters findings on national competitive advantage can be extended to understand why BP locates in the regions it does. BP is a global firm but has operations at varying degrees in about 30 different countries world wide (BP web, 2010). Despite operating significantly in 30 countries, its products and services are available in over 100 countries (BP web, 2010). Porters diamond asserts that the degree to which a nation is likely to achieve international success in a certain industry is a function of the combined impact of factor endowments, domestic demand conditions, related and supporting industries and domestic rivalry (Hill, 2009. p 191). Hill (2009) argues that based porters theory a profit seeking firm should localize its operations in those countries where such activities can be performed optimally. BP operates in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America. In Africa, it operates in Joint Ventures with firms in Egypt, Angola and Algeria. Its choice to operate only in join ventures in this country can be explained by the political economy of these countries. These countries cannot be termed as full democracies and are often susceptible to civil crisis. Operating as a joint venture, curbs the firms risk in the event of a political crisis but allows it to enjoy the revenues to be derived from its operations. It also has a huge presence in the Southern regions of Africa but in these regions it engages more with the marketing of its solar energy concepts. This region is rich in natural resources (sunshine) but the development of energy networks is very poor. The countries in this region rely heavily on hydroelectricity which is usually not sufficient to provide for industries and households. BP also operates as joint ventures in Asia with operations in Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, South Korea and Malaysia. It manufactures lubricants and solar panels in China and India where labour is cheap. BP does not explore petroleum in Australasia. Its operations in this region are geared towards the provision of solar energy. BP operates as a stand alone entity in much of Europe. Its operations in Russia are partly owned (joint venture) by a Russian company. It has major exploration and production facilities in Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and Columbia. These regions are rich in natural gas and oil necessitating BPs localisation to the areas. Products Hill (2009) noted that Raymond Vernon developed the product lifecycle theory after his realisation that firms had to keep innovating in order to maintain a demand for their products and ensure growth in revenues. The theory can be used to explain the globalisation trends, innovation drive and product mix of British Petroleum. BP currently produces a wide range of energy products including oil, natural gas, wind energy, solar energy, bio fuels and petroleum based lubricants. Two decades ago, its primary product was Oil. Research and development in the industry has led to the introduction of cleaner and more sustainable forms of energy. These forms of energy are widely regarded as the future of the Oil and Gas industry. Speculators believe that at some point in time oil will be faced out as coal was faced out with the discovery of oil. BP has realised the fact that oil as a product has reached its maturity stage and its demand might diminish with the advent of new forms of energy. The firm has taken a colossal position in the new energy market by running a major portfolio of energy products representing the mix of all bespoke and innovative new forms of energy. Unlike televisions for example, Oil cannot be re-engineered and further developed. Innovation by modification is therefore difficult. BP has turned the focus on energy efficiency i.e. researching and developing ways in which energy can be saved. Instead of devising faster or stronger energy which might be impossible BP has turned the focus to the development of equipment and usage techniques that will save energy through low consumption. This encompasses innovation that fuels the demand for its products. Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility As Hill (2009) emphasized ethical issues in international business are brought about by political, legal, economic and cultural differences in between countries- what is considered normal practice in one country might be considered unethical in another (p. 124). The ethical challenge, I will argue, is significantly increased for global firms. BP for example operates in all the different continents of the world. In keeping with Hills argument ethics is relative and context dependent. In certain countries, it is ethical to employ young people. In the UK, all employees must be above the legal age of 18 to gain full employment. The legal age changes significantly between countries varying from 16 to 21. Most multi national firms deal with this challenge by devising a set of corporate values which govern their operations in all regions. BP web (2010) argues that the company is driven by four major values; progressive, responsible, innovative and performance driven. In terms of being responsible, BP asserts that We are committed to the safety and development of our people and the communities and societies in which we operate. We aim for no accidents, no harm to people and no damage to the environment. This commitment can be seen in the fact that BP reporting covers all aspects beyond financial reporting including health, safety, human rights, environment and energy. BP is at the forefront of the cleaner energy debate. It does its bit by engaging in energy saving initiatives and constantly researching on cleaner ways in which energy can be produced and delivered. It has diversified strongly into the green energy industry engaging in the production of liquefied petroleum gas, fossil fuels and renewable energy. A major part of corporate ethics that has been pervasive in the management literature in recent years is corporate social responsibility. Hill (2009) argues that multinational corporations such as BP have power that comes from their operations and their ability to move production from country to country. Considering for an instance the revenues generated by BP annually, I find that the corporations revenues is higher than the GDP of many countries. Social responsibility advocates that managers should consider more than just the economic consequences of their decisions (hill, 2009). More importantly, importance should be placed on the social consequences of decision making. The European commission defines corporate social responsibility as A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis (EC website, 2010). It basically refers to the companys interactions with its surrounding communities and looks at how the company strives to promote development and social cohesion and participates in maintaining the environment within such communities. A firms community is a major stakeholder of the firm and thus needs to be considered. BPs financial reporting incorporates major aspects such as its social responsibility, its strive for cleaner energy, its contributions towards preserving the environment and its strive to improve sustainable extraction of energy. Communities take corporate social responsibilities seriously especially when it comes to Oil and Gas firms. This is largely as a result of the potential dangers that can arise from their operations with these communities. Recent crises have ranged from large explosions with severe casualties to major spillages with the destruction of flora and fauna. -A review of the BP 2010 Oil spill crisis BP faced a deep water horizon drilling rig explosion which killed 11 of its off shore workers and injured 17 other workers. The rig gushed out over 5 million barrels of crude oil into the Mexican Golf between April and July 2010. The spill was catastrophic and so were its effect on wild life, the fishing industry, the tourism sector and the surrounding neighbourhoods. In response to this BP set up a crisis management program. It publicly apologized for the distress it caused and undertook to foot the clean up costs. The company has currently set up a $20 Billion dollar fund to manage the after-effects of the crisis. During the crisis, BP showed effort employing several techniques to attempt to stop the leakage. It also arranged a compensation plan for those affected by the crisis. This attests to the fact that BP takes its corporate social responsibility and ethics very strongly. Hill (2009) also notes the social contributions or social investments of BP in Algeria. Hill notes that BP realised its communities in Algeria lacked clean drinking water and created two desalination plants to produce clean what for the public. To add to this, the company provided water cans to help residents transport water from plants to their homes. Conclusions Summary of findings This study has examined the operations of BP in the global context to see how certain management concepts are applied in practice. Two aspects; globalisation strategy and corporate social responsibility were reviewed. BP is found to have a sophisticated globalisation strategy which it has fortified over the years. This helps it to compete efficiently and to remain one the worlds leading corporations. Again, BP is found to have a robust stance towards corporate social responsibility and ethics. Its industry is hazardous and it is pruned to corporate disasters such as spills and explosions. BP has managed to keep these to a minimum and when they do occur, BP has taken necessary steps to manage the crisis and limit the damage Limitations This work is limited in the fact that it strongly relies on public information sources to assess the operations of BP. Several aspects could have been better scrutinized and invaluable insights drawn through other research methods such as interviews with key workers and focus groups to draw varied opinion. Due to the limitations in space (number of words) the aspects discussed can not be reviewed in greater detail. Future research Recommendations This research has examined BPs operations in light of established theory but has not confirmed if such a method of operation is optimal. It might be interesting to investigate whether the product strategy, globalisation strategy or their approach to ethics and corporate social responsibility affect their performance or contributes significantly towards the achievement of organisational goals and objectives. The limitations highlighted above also provide avenues for future research into the area. Several theories have been propounded in the management literature. Their understanding will only be facilitated by examining how these theories are applied in practice or by investigating the contributions of such theories to management practice. In light of this argument, this form of study is encouraged.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Emily Rice Essay -- English Literature

Emily Rice Both â€Å"Lamb to the slaughter† and â€Å"The Speckled Band† shares some of the characteristics of murder mysteries. Explain the similarities and differences between the two stories and say which story you think is more compelling to read. After reading both â€Å"Lamb to the slaughter† and â€Å"The Speckled Band† I intend to analyse the stories in detail showing their similarities, differences and success in fulfilling my expectations of a murder mystery story, taking into consideration that the two stories were written at very different periods in history. In order to do this I will make comparisons between characters, settings, language and overall story line, etc. I will constantly be considering how writing techniques and styles have changed through time and how this affects the story. Finally, I will attempt to come to a conclusion stating which story is generally most compelling to read. Roald Dahl and Arthur Conan Doyle were very different authors with very different writing styles, but they shared the same love for writing stories with a twist and for pleasing their readers in their own unique ways. They were both born in different centuries, had dissimilar views and were very incomparable for their time. Arthur Conan Doyle knew what the public wanted to read, they wanted to be able to associate with and love the main character, Sherlock Holmes. In this age, crime was at an all time high and people lived in fear of crime; with knowledge of this is, he decided to create an appropriate character. So, Conan Doyle wrote of a character that could solve mysteries and counteract crime in such a way that amazed the Victorian public so much that they became dependant on the stories. This meant that Cona... ...he murderer. I found this interesting. There were very clear difference in the two stories such as the time that they were written, the style of language and general story line. But, after looking more deeply into the plot I have found out that there are a lot of similarities between the stories. Even though writing styles have changed over time, the fact that authors need to know about their readers is a very important part of writing a story. After all, if the audience don’t like reading a certain story, it is likely that the rest of the nation won’t as nationalities usually share beliefs and opinions. If a story or book contradicts the opinions of people at the time they were written, the story will most likely be unsuccessful. In conclusion, the most important factor about these two stories is that they were suitable for the time they were written.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Actors and Actresses of the 50s: Vivien Leigh, Audrey Hepburn, Marlon B

In the 50s, several things happened to shock and awe the entertainment business; such as the invention of the teleprompter, TV’s first soap opera, â€Å"The Little Rascals† TV show, and the â€Å"I Love Lucy† TV show. But the most important thing about the entertainment in the 50s was the actors and actresses. Through out the 50s there were hundreds of actors and actresses. To name a few Vivien Leigh, Audrey Hepburn, Marlon Brando ,Grace Kelly, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Burt Lancaster, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Dandridge, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, and Doris Day. Each of these performers have received Oscars nods for their played roles. Audrey Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Belgium. Hepburn was a cosmopolitan from birth as her father was an English banker and her mother a Dutch baroness. In the movies she appeared as a delicate adolescent, a look which remained until her last movie Always (1989) directed by Steven Spielberg. Her career as actress began in the English cinema and after having been selected for the Broadway musical "Gigi" she debuted in Hollywood in 1953. With Roman Holiday (1953) she won an oscar; her favorite genres were the comedies like Sabrina (1954) or Love in the Afternoon (1957). At the end of the sixties she retired from Hollywood but appeared from time on the set for a few films. From 1988 on she worked also for UNICEF. Born Marlon Brando, Jr. on April 3, 1924 in Omaha, Nebraska to a calcium carbonate salesman and his artistically inclined wife Dorothy, "Bud" Brando was one of three children. An enigmatic superstar widely regarded as America's greatest actor, Marlon Brando has been a Hollywood icon since the early 1950s. Brando was by all accounts "difficult" even as a youngster, having been expelled from sev eral schools, including a military academy. Upon being prodded by his father to find some direction for himself, he chose to follow his muse to New York. Brando made his debut on the boards of Broadway. Brando was invited by talent scouts to screen test for the studios they represented, but it came to naught as he refused to be bound by the then-standard seven-year contract. Brando made his screen debut in The Men (1950), studying for his part as an embittered paraplegic by lying in bed for a month at a veterans' hospital. The following year Brando reprised his characterization for the adapt... ...ied eight times. Taylor is considered one of the last, if not the last major star, to have come out of the old Hollywood studio system. And not just any studio, the top of the heap: MGM. Her early movies, as a child in the early 1940s, starred such Hollywood luminaries as Orson Welles and Spencer Tracy. She quickly grew up, however, and by 1950 was, if not starring in, assuming major responsibilities for the success of motion pictures she appeared in. Then with major roles onscreen, came worldwide attention off-screen, most notably due to a succession of famous and/or rich husbands and a series of health crises throughout her life. To put it simply, Elizabeth Taylor has lived a life far more exciting and dramatic than any movie she's ever appeared in and probably most any other movie you could name. She's known internationally for her beauty, especially for those violet eyes, with which she captured audiences early on in her youth and has kept the world hooked on ever since. She's won the Oscar twice and she's earned her place in and out of the sun. These actors and actresses are just a few of the many remembered and celebrated talents in the entertainment business of the 50s.