Kubla Khan Essays (5570 words) - British Poetry,

Kubla Khan Kubla Khan If a man could pass thro' Paradise in a Dream, & have a flower presented to him as a pledge that his Soul had really been there, & found that flower in his hand when he awoke -- Aye! and what then? (CN, iii 4287) Kubla Khan is a fascinating and exasperating poem written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (. Almost everyone who has read it, has been charmed by its magic. It must surely be true that no poem of comparable length in English or any other language has been the subject of so much critical commentary. Its fifty-four lines have spawned thousands of pages of discussion and analysis. Kubla Khan is the sole or a major subject in five book-length studies; close to 150 articles and book-chapters (doubtless I have missed some others) have been devoted exclusively to it; and brief notes and incidental comments on it are without number. Despite this deluge, however, there is no critical unanimity and very little agreement on a number of important issues connected with the poem: its date of composition, its meaning, its sources in Coleridge's reading and observation of nature, its structural integrity (i.e. fragment versus complete poem), and its relationship to the Preface by which Coleridge introduc ed it on its first publication in 1816. Coleridge's philosophical explorations appear in his greatest poems. 'Kubla Khan', with its exotic imagery and symbols, rich vocabulary and rhythms, written, by Coleridge's account, under the influence of laudanum, was often considered a brilliant work, but without any defined theme. However, despite its complexity the poem can be read as a well-constructed exposition on human genius and art. The theme of life and nature again appears in 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner', where the effect on nature of a crime against the power of life is presented in the form of a ballad. 'Christabel', an unfinished 'gothic' ballad, evokes a sinister atmosphere, hinting at evil and the grotesque. In his poems Coleridge's detailed perception of nature links scene and mood, and leads to a contemplation of moral and universal concerns. In his theory of poetry Coleridge stressed the aesthetic quality as the primary consideration. The metrical theory on which 'Christabel' is constructed helped to break th e fetters of 18th-century correctness and monotony and soon found disciples, among others Walter Scott and Lord Byron. Opium and the Dream of Kubla Khan Coleridge's use of opium has long been a topic of fascination, and the grouping of Coleridge, opium and Kubla Khan formed an inevitable triad long before Elisabeth Schneider combined them in the title of her book. It is tempting on a subject of such intrinsic interest to say more than is necessary for the purpose in hand. Since the medicinal use of opium was so common and wide-spread, it is not surprising to learn that its use involved neither legal penalties nor public stigma. All of the Romantic poets (except Wordsworth) are known to have used it, as did many other prominent contemporaries. Supplies were readily available: in 1830, for instance, Britain imported 22,000 pounds of raw opium. Many Englishmen, like the eminently respectable poet-parson George Crabbe, who took opium in regular but moderate quantity for nearly forty years, were addicts in ignorance, and led stable and productive lives despite their habit. By and large, opium was taken for granted; and it was only the terrible experiences of such articulate addicts as Coleridge and Dequincy that eventually began to bring the horrors of the drug to public attention. Coleridge's case is a particularly sad and instructive one. He had used opium as early as 1791 (see CL, i 18) and continued to use it occasionally, on medical advice, to alleviate pain from a series of physical and nervous ailments. But the opium cure proved ultimately to be more devastating in its effects than the troubles it was intended to treat, for such large quantities taken over so many months seduced him unwittingly into slavery to the drug. And his life between 1801 and 1806 (when he returned from Malta) is a somber illustration of a growing and, finally, a hopeless bondage to opium. By the time he realized he was addicted, however, it was too late. He consulted a variety

Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment

Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment Free Online Research Papers The pros and cons of Capital Punishment. I will cover the United States citizen’s reaction towards using the death penalty as a form of punishment. Can criminals who commit murder actually be reformed? According to (Ballara Cushman, 2009), the cons greatly outweigh the pros. From their point of view, the death penalty is useless as a deterrent of crime, indefensible, discriminatory in practice, prone to errors, consumes an outrageous amount of money and resources, and is a form of cruel and unusual punishment that violates the Eighth Amendment. What a lot of people do not realize is, â€Å"the death penalty is not about deterring crime†, â€Å"it is about punishing a person for the crime they have committed†. In 1977 there were 1,100 convicted prisoners on death row and as of 2007 3,350 remain on death row in American prisons. Although New Jersey has totally abolished the death penalty, The United States is increasingly criticized for failing to keep in line with other civilized nations by abolishing Capital Punishment. Is this truly a question of being civilized, or is this about what is right or wrong? Capital Punishment has been a complicated issue for a long time and will continue to be an issue for American people for years to come. In 2007 nearly 40% of the inmates on death row are African American. Almost all of them come from impoverished backgrounds and have a much lower chance of their lives being spared from the death chamber. With flaws in investigations, trial procedures, and mistakes made by forensics, the death penalty is under immense scrutiny in the public’s eyes. According to (Bowman Dilasio, 2009) Capital Punishment is up for debate. Although they believe much of what (Ballaro Cushman) have to say, they have found that certain people’ beliefs in ancient forms of punishment for crimes committed and our standards of justice today, that criminals found guilty of murder should be given the death penalty for taking an innocent life. In both articles I found that people who are not in favor of the death penalty are mainly against it, because it is not only used for criminals who have committed murder, but for criminals who have committed rape and other less heinous crimes. (Newport, 2007) did a report on the Gallup Poll Briefing which showed that 69% of Americans were in favor of the death penalty. When the poll was first done back in the 1930’s 59%, were in favor which is surprisingly close to today’s findings. The question that comes to mind is should we worry about criminal’s rights? Especially the Eighth Amendment, when the person who has been murdered no longer has any rights? Many say the death penalty is costly. It is even more expensive to keep these barbaric criminals in prison for life. Murders can never be reformed, and even if they tried to reform the criminal it would cost even more money. In my eyes it is just not possible to reform a criminal who committed murder. How can they ever repay the family and society for what they have done? When that criminal chose to murder another human being, they gave up all their rights. Is it constitutional for one human being to take another human beings life? Doesn’t the Bible say and â€Å"eye for an eye†? Why should innocent Americans who work very hard every day to pay their bills, give their families the things they need, and abide by the laws suffer financially for the criminal who committed that murder? We the people of the United States pay a lot of taxes to keep these prisons running. I do not think it is fair or right in any way to spare the lives of these menus’ of society. If it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt with DNA and other substantial evidence, I believe the death penalty should remain in force. References Ballaro, B. Cushman, C. A.(2009). Point: Capital punishment should be abolished. Points of View: Death Penalty, p2. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pwhAN=26612501site=pov-live Bowman, J. DiLascio, T. M.(2009). Counterpoint: The death penalty is necessary. Points of View: Death Penalty, , 3. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pwhAN=26612346site=pov-live Newport, F.(2007). Sixty-nine percent of Americans support death penalty: Majority say death penalty is applied fairly. Gallup Poll Briefing, p3. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pwhAN=27786494site=pov-live Research Papers on Pros and Cons of Capital PunishmentCapital PunishmentThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)The Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsThe Fifth HorsemanComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBringing Democracy to AfricaThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use

Ontology is the Best Principle that Explains the Existence of God Essay

Ontology is the Best Principle that Explains the Existence of God - Essay Example This means that God did not play a role in the creation of man, and hence His existence is doubtful. However, this paper argues that God exists. There are three major arguments that try to justify the existence of God. These arguments are, ontological, teleological, and cosmological (Peterson, William, Bruce and David, 93). Teleological arguments justify the existence of God by looking at the physical and the natural world. It denotes that it is impossible for the physical and the natural order to exists, without a supreme being, who was responsible for creating it. The cosmological argument, on the other hand, denotes that the existence of God is deduced. The proponents of this argument are not sure, and this is because it is a deduction. The ontological argument, explains the existence of God, through the principles of ontology. Ontology is concerned with the issues regarding the ones that exist, how such entities exist. This paper argues that ontology is the best concept that can be used for purposes of explaining the existence of God (Peterson, William, Bruce and David, 95). However, there are arguments, that ontology cannot efficiently explain the existence of God, mainly because it is based on the perception that God exists, and this is because of its nature. This paper takes a stand, that because of the nature of God, that is, His creation capability, it is proof that He exists. This is the major principle of ontology. St Anselm, who was a medieval Christian, is the first person to come up with the concepts of the ontology. He developed this concept, based on words, and what these words were able to mean. St. Anselm denotes that it is possible to prove the existence of God, by trying to find out, what this word, God, means (Peterson, William, Bruce and David, 91). St Anselm further explains that the word God contains virtually everything that an individual needs to understand concerning the existence of God.  Ã‚  

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Final - Essay Example As a final requirement of the course, the current essay hereby aims to present a narrative synthesis of one’s personal reflection on the academic progress in terms of achieving the defined course objectives. Enhancing Rhetorical Knowledge Through the first writing assignment that requires writing an observation essay, one’s rhetorical knowledge was aptly developed through analyzing a particular advertisement that was specifically designed to create audience appeal and to entice the target market to purchase the advertised product. The advertisement used was Nissan Dualis as the company promoted its 360Â ° view. One thereby recognized that to effectively use rhetorical elements of logos, pathos, and ethos, the advertiser (or literary writer) should first determine the target audience and subsequently design strategies that would cater to the audience’s specific needs. Likewise, one recognized that the credibility of the writer was needed to be firmly established to ensure that the arguments promoted are validly supported, in conjunction with other ingredients which would assist in convincing the audience of the veracity of the assertions. Skills In Critical Thinking The skills in critical thinking was recognized to have been amply improved through the second writing project which was an argumentative essay about the letter of Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) while he was incarcerated in Birmingham jail. It was actually a challenging experience since reading the letter was tedious, not only because of it being lengthy; but also due to the style of writing of MLK. Further, the requirement of the writing project, to argue about a topic which was not evidently obvious was also a trying experience that necessitated looking at various perspectives and thinking outside the box to come up with a most plausible written discourse. Appreciating Writing as a Process, Developing Knowledge of Writing Conventions, and Composing in Electronic Environments By the time that the third essay was assigned, which focused on a political rhetorical essay through an analysis of Mitt Romney’s speech, one has already gained enough confidence to practice skills in critical thinking, as well as using the knowledge of rhetorical elements. Also since the speech had to be searched through the electronic medium, one’s research skills were also enhanced. Practicing how one would effectively write the thesis statement still stirs reflective thinking in terms of using appropriate words to establish the personal contentions or objectives of the essay. Using this writing experience, the rhetorical strategies used were evaluated, identified, and appropriately supported through citing relevant portions of the speech. Aside from knowledge of rhetorical elements and strategies, the concepts surrounding presence of propaganda framework and presence of double speak were also required to be addressed. The process was challenging in terms of the need t o differentiate between these two political frameworks and be able to support one’s arguments based on linking the concepts with applications shown within the speech. A lot of critical thinking, preparation of the draft, revising, paraphrasing, adherence to grammatical rules, conformity to rules of citations and referencing, as well as adherence to the prescribed

DEALING WITH THE GREAT DIGITAL DIVIDE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DEALING WITH THE GREAT DIGITAL DIVIDE - Essay Example Many Globals feel that gay marriages should not be approved. However, many feel that with society progressing, homosexual marriages should be upheld and should be treated as a typical marriage between a man and wife. The second reason why this statement is true is due to the fact that Global politics is because of the fact that America is a â€Å"melting pot.† The reason why Globals differ in these issues within is because of the wide array of backgrounds, cultures, and adversities that Globals have faced. Thus, diversity is the main factor that serves as a catalyst for this division. For instance, the clash between political groups is a consistent testament of this issue. Democrats and Republicans as fueled by Global opinions represent the two sides of how a government should operate. Politics in public Global policy represent the two egos of the Global public. The initiation of political parties can be traced be back during the 1824 era in which the Republican Party was formed. On one side, the Democrats, who are in the liberating front and continue to call for social progress and challenge the status quo through taxation and more government involvement. Consequently, the Republican Par ty tends to oppose reform by propagation for status quo. These two major parties have dominated the Global politics since many decades. Undoubtedly, the ideological polarization has increased throughout Global society not only amongst individuals, but also amongst government officials. Political parties are groups of individuals that collaborate for the purpose of choosing public candidate in public office. Although the constitution mentions nothing about parties, the Globals have solidified their difference through the channels of political parties. Moreover, the organization of the structure contains no specifications of party formations. As a matter of fact, George Washington, in

Explain, in detail, the process of hearing in humans.

Explain, in detail, the process of hearing in humans. Explain, in detail, the process of hearing in humans. What factors can affect our hearing in terms of perception of loudness, pitch and direction? What part does psychoacoustics play in our perception of sound. Introduction The ear can be divided into three sections each performing a specific role to change sound particles into messages the brain can read. The three major parts of the ear are the outer, middle and inner ear. Simplistically it is somewhat like a mechanical process that changes an analogue signal into a digital message that your brain can understand. However, there are certain factors that can affect our hearing in terms of perception of loudness, pitch and direction. Psychoacoustics needs to be considered when looking at the process of hearing as it examines the relationship between sound and the effect it has upon the brain. Physical Description of the Ear The process of hearing utilises all three sections of the ear. The first section, the outer ear consists of the pinna, the auditory canal and the wax. The pinna is the main part of the ear that you can see, its role, to collect sound and direct it down the auditory canal towards the ear drum. The outside of your ear is perfectly designed to collect sound. This design helps to determine the sounds direction. Sounds waves bounce off the Pinna depending on from which direction they came from. The sound reflection from the Pinna alters the pattern of the sound wave which the brain is able to distinguish and determine where the sound came from. The auditory canal is the main pathway of sound, its role is to direct sound towards the eardrum, the canal is also where earwax is produced. The purpose of ear wax is to keep the ear canal clean by collecting dirt and debris. Once the sound wave has passed through the outer ear and has been directed down the auditory canal to the middle ear it hits the Tympanic Membrane (Ear Drum), this is a very tight thin piece of tissue which converts the sound wave into vibrations. The ear drum separates the outer ear with the ossicles, these are the three main bones in your ear. When the ear drum vibrates this causes the bones to move, the vibrations set the bones into motion passing the signal from one bone to the other. These tiny bones are called the Malleus (Hammer) directly connected to the ear drum, the Incus (Anvil) which is attached to the Malleus and finally the Stapes (Stirrup) which is attached to the Incus and is the smallest bone in the human body. The stapes is attached to the oval window, a membrane which is part of the cochlea and separates the middle ear from the inner ear. The inner ear is the most complex and detailed part, containing the main sensory organ called the cochlea. Its role is to convert the vibrations absorbed through the ossicles and passed through the oval window membrane into electrical impulses. The cochleas shape is a small spiralled tube resembling a snail shell, this is filled with fluid and miniscule hairs. The vibrations from the stirrup cause the oval window membrane to flex which in turn sets the fluid into motion, the moving fluid brushes across thousands of microscopic hair cells called cilia, These are tuned in to certain frequencies, higher frequencies by cillia located near to the oval window membrane and lower frequencies by cillia located at the apex of the cochlea. This allows it to act as a frequency spectrum analyser. The cillia convert the vibrations into electric nerve impulses sent to the brain by the auditory nerve which is then interpreted as sound. Psychoacoustic Phenomenon Psychoacoustics also needs to be considered when looking at the process of hearing as it examines the relationship between sound and the effect it has upon the brain. The Doppler Effect is an example of this. It â€Å"is the change in frequency of awave for an observer moving relative to the source of the wave.† For example, a car emitting a constant horn sound starts to approach you at speed as you are stood at the side of the road. As the car approaches you, the sound of the horn starts to get louder and higher in pitch. Once the car has passed you the sound of the horn starts to lower in pitch and decrease in volume. As the vehicle passes, sound waves from the horn are crowded together in front of the car, the crowded sound waves produce the relatively high pitch sound, as the car passes the sound waves are more spread out resulting in the relatively low pitch sound, as you can see on the diagram below The second phenomenon that can affect our perception is the Haas effect. If two sounds of equal frequency content and intensity are played from different directions, we will only hear the first one to arrive, and we will perceive only one sound coming from that direction. An example of this used in public address systems so that multiple speakers do not affect the perceived direction of the sound coming from the stage. Second part (also 750 words): Giving at least 2 significantly different examples, discuss why certain instruments sound the way they do, How do factors such as their physical construction and the method of playing affect their individual characteristcs and timbre? How does the harmonic series come into play, and how does this determine concepts such as scale and temperament Acoustic Guitar Construction and playing style A guitars construction is split in to three parts, the body, the neck and the head. The sound generating part can be found on the body and is called the soundboard. The soundboard has a large round hole in the centre called the sound hole. Also attached to the soundboard is a piece called the bridge, to which one end of the six strings are attached. The bridge has a thin, hard piece embedded into it called the saddle, which is the part that the strings rest against. When the strings are plucked, the vibrations travel through the saddle onto the bridge and then into the soundboard. The soundboard then vibrates. As the body of the guitar is hollow, these vibrations are amplified and emanate from the sound hole. Harmonic Series When a note is struck on a guitar the sound produced is a series of notes. The first harmonic, the fundamental is the loudest and lowest of the series. Along with that you are also hearing tones that accompany the fundamental and are responsible of making the guitar sound the way it does. Guitar harmonics are created when you lightly touch the string at specific positions and then pluck the string, when plucked the string vibrates at its fundamental frequency, also vibrating the integer multiples of the frequency as displayed on the diagram below: The performance of the guitar depends on the quality of the wooden soundboard. The Timbre of the can have a huge impact on the choice of wood, the way the wood is supported, the glue and even the varnish are all taken into consideration as this can have an effect on the sound of the guitar due to the quality of the sound produced DRUM A drum consists of a skin, a shell or body and a mechanism that holds the two pieces together. The skin of the drum is a flexible membrane, stretched tightly around the rim. Drum skins were originally made from animal skins but nowadays most use synthetic skins. The skin is held onto the rim in a variety of ways. Some use tacks or glue while others use ropes or adjustable metal brackets to attach the skin to the body. When a drum is struck, it makes a loud sharp sound followed by a rapidly decreasing tone. The sharp sound is called the attack, and it is made by a stick or hand banging onto the surface. The strike also pushes the drum head downwards. Because the drum head is elastic, it springs back up again with a lot of energy, causing it to go up higher than the position it started in. This causes it to spring back down again. The drum skin goes up and down very quickly, pushing air in front of it and creating the tone, sometimes known as the decay. Some drums, such as the snare, have a sharp attack with almost no tone. Others, like frame drums, have a more mild attack with a tone that goes on and on. The hair cells in the organ of Corti are tuned to certain sound frequencies, being responsive to high frequencies near the oval window and to low frequencies near the apex of the cochleaThe hair cells in the organ of Corti are tuned to certain sound frequencies, being responsive to high frequencies near the oval window and to low frequencies near the apex of the cochleaThe hair cells in the organ of Corti are tuned to certain sound frequencies, being responsive to high frequencies near the oval window and to low frequencies near the apex of the cochleaSecond part (also 750 words): Giving at least 2 significantly different examples, discuss why certain instruments sound the way they do, How do factors such as their physical construction and the method of playing affect their individual characteristcs and timbre? How does the harmonic series come into play, and how does this determine concepts such as scale and temperament Second part (also 750 words): Giving at least 2 significantly d ifferent examples, discuss why certain instruments sound the way they do, How do factors such as their physical construction and the method of playing affect their individual characteristcs and timbre? How does the harmonic series come into play, and how does this determine concepts such as scale and temperament Second part (also 750 words): Giving at least 2 significantly different examples, discuss why certain instruments sound the way they do, How do factors such as their physical construction and the method of playing affect their individual characteristcs and timbre? How does the harmonic series come into play, and how does this determine concepts such as scale and temperament Bottom of Form

Examine the causes of urban sprawl and assess the effectiveness of strategies to contain it

Urban sprawl is one of the key planning issues today. It consists of low density settlement extending beyond the boundaries of built up areas. Also it involves high dependence on private automobiles and is often the result of poorly planned or unplanned development. While urban sprawl is linked to population growth, it is also caused by falling household sizes, increased demand for low density living, lower land prices in peripheral areas and a desire to escape from cities because of crime and pollution. There are number of forms of urban sprawl that can take place, the three main patterns are low density sprawl, ribbon sprawl and leap frog development. Each type of sprawl is often caused by the same core problems, all of which resulting in consequential effects. There are numerous reasons as to why urban sprawl occurs, however a significant point when it became apparent was after World War 2. At this time people started moving from the cities to the countryside. Living in suburbia signified a better, healthier lifestyle. The land in the areas people were moving to was cheap and there was plenty of it, and government incentives and subsidies helped families realize their dream of a better life. As times have moved on the issues of urban sprawl have continued, caused by a variety of factors. To begin with the increasing demand for housing plays a large part in urban sprawl, with more people buying houses and living with fewer people, houses are in demand more than ever. This coupled with the quality of the inner city environment causes people to want to move out of the inner city into suburban areas, hence urban sprawl. A further cause for urban sprawl is the demand for low density housing, people have increasing wants for higher living standards and want to get as much as they can for their money, therefore this can be achieved more easily by moving out of the densely populated city centre's to suburban areas where they can have more space and land. Additionally the demographic structure and household changes may impact upon urban sprawl. Changes in age structure, social structure of the population and household type and structure may all affect location preferences of households. Lastly, lifestyle and behaviour can have a significant effect on urban sprawl. Changes in lifestyle, for instance increases in leisure time and disposable incomes may lead to people to want to live in an environment to suit this type of lifestyle and often suburban areas can meet these needs. Although there are several causes that encourage urban sprawl there are a number of strategies that have been implemented in order to try and contain it. The solutions can be based on three main approaches. Firstly, designating areas where no development is allowed, secondly channeling urban growth to selected towns and cities and lastly increasing urban residential densities and attracting residents back to the city. One policy that can be implemented is urban growth boundaries or green belts. This aims to restrict the physical sprawl. This is illustrated by Portland Oregon in the USA where an urban growth boundary surrounds Portland and twenty three nearby small settlements. The green belt protects the attractive rural landscapes of the Willamette Valley and helps invigorate the inner city. Portland managed to accommodate a 0% growth in population by increasing the built up area by only 2 % between 1970 and 2000. However, while Portland has been successful in using this strategy so far, the city is begging to run out of land. Consequently, house prices are rising rapidly, 15. 6% between 193 and 1996 compared with 1. 8 % for the whole country. In order to find affordable housing people are being forced to move further away to the adjacent city of Vancouver. Another method which has been used in Minneapolis is revitalization of the city centre. This aims to attract people back to the city by providing good quality services and making them convenient and easy to use. In turn relieving pressures on suburban areas and thus decreasing urban sprawl. Switching transport investment from intercity highways to city transport schemes is another way in which urban sprawl can be minimized. By doing this cities can be made more attractive and manageable for people to access and use. The US government rejected plans for a highway near Salt Lake City in order to try and put more financial support into city transport schemes. New towns are another scheme implemented in a number of areas in order to tackle urban growth and manage urban sprawl. In Cairo to try and alleviate urban sprawl, protect scarce farmland and provide better living conditions for the residents of the cities overcrowded districts, the Egyptian government began planning a series of new settlements around Cairo in the 1970's. Various settlements were developed, located in five growth corridors; while Cairo itself was surrounded by a ring road o prevent outward expansion. Although some of the settlements were successful at attracting businesses, they were less triumphant at gaining residents. The majority of workers continued to live in Cairo and commute to the New Towns. In this case the success was variable and proved ineffective as the towns diminished due to water shortages and poor public transport. Lastly, an alternative to urban sprawl is the greater use of land and buildings in existing built-up areas, this can take two forms, conversion of unused buildings into new homes or development on Brownfield land. Brownfield land consists of areas previously used for industry or commercial activity which are now derelict or unused. England has over 57000 ha of previously developed and unused land in cities. In Glasgow, for example, 12 % of land is classified as derelict. Although this appears to be a viable solution to urban sprawl there are problems that occur. Brownfield sites have many limitations for planes and developers and are often contaminated with industrial chemicals or waste from factories and power stations. An example of a Brownfield development is Barking Reach on the banks of the River Thames in inner London. In order to make this site suitable for development of houses, offices and schools, developers had to bury overhead power cables, remove ash from three power stations, and reclaim marshland by raising the ground level. Overall, although there are many causes that result in urban sprawl there appear to be many solutions available in order to contain or even solve the issue. However, the effectiveness of these solutions is variable. For instance although in the short-term Portland, Oregon has been effective it is now having to deal with a number of consequential issues which makes the long-term effectiveness of the project to be questionable. As for Cairo, it is evident that the initial plans and ideas were sufficient but the financial support and economic stability were not there in order to make the development successful. For urban sprawl to be effectively managed or even solved a combination of suitable strategies need to be planed, implemented and contained in order for it to be sustained and therefore a success.

How Do You Think the Asian Passenger Air Transport

The Asian passenger air transport marketplace will stable and growing rapidly. The latest Airbus Global Market Forecast (GMF), released in December 2010, shows that key drivers for the marketplace are the replacement of aircraft for newer more eco-efficient models in mature markets, dynamic growth in new emerging markets, the further growth of low-cost carriers – particularly in Asia-Pacific and Europe, further market liberalisation and capacity growth on existing routes. In 2010, views on whether low-fare airlines would continue to flourish in Asia varied. Three factors regulation, population demographics, and socioeconomic trends -drove this calculus. Although the target consumer base for AirAsia was enormous -more than 500 million people lived within three hours of AirAsia's hubs in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, more than Western Europe's entire population -the failure of Asia's regulatory environment to keep pace and the uncertain demand for low-fare services created uncertainty. Those who sold airplanes, airports or advice tended to be of the opinion that low-fare carriers would redraw Asia's socioeconomic map, offering affordable international travel to millions and thereby fostering the integration of a region divided by water, politics, and poor infrastructure. Analysts who saw a large and growing market predicted that budget airlines would tap pent-up demand among less affluent Asians, who typically travelled by bus and hardly expected attentive service. Since the global economy peaked in the second half of 2006 and even during the recession of 2008-2009, Asian carriers had seen increased success. â€Å"We're seeing that people in Asia travel as soon as they have some extra money in their pocket,† said Don Birth, president and chief executive officer of Abacus, a distribution services provider†) Although average incomes were lower in Asia than in Europe, Timothy Ross, an analyst for UBS, said that the region's lower average incomes should boost rather than constrain demand for cheap fares. Other analysts argued that there had traditionally been too few bilateral agreements that allowed new low-fare carriers to fly between countries and too few of the satellite airports that the airlines needed to keep costs low. In that vein, budget airlines such as AirAsia were hoping for increased cross-border travel in the wake of the December 2008 Asean open skies agreement. The agreement allowed carriers based in the region to make unlimited flights between all 10 Asean member states. Although it would be 2015 before the agreement was fully implemented, it was a positive step forward. For instance, in January 2010, the Indonesian Transportation Ministry announced it was gearing up for the country's full participation in the Asean air transport liberalization plan and intended to inc1ude five of Indonesia's twenty-seven international airports in the implementation. † Although this was only a small proportion, it was a symbolic start. â€Å"Liberalization tends to be infectious, and the germs of change are in the air,† concluded Peter Harbison, the executive chairman of the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. ‘ As more and more countries opened their skies, AirAsia was quick to start cross-border joint ventures, most notably in Thailand and Indonesia. AirAsia prompted increased passenger travel with its 2007-2008 â€Å"To Malaysia with Love† campaign. The campaign celebrated 50 years of nationhood for Malaysia, and offered travelers affordable fares â€Å"starting from MYR0. 50 (about 15 cents), available for all destinations to/from its Malaysian hubs. ,,36 Cheaper airfares were also made possible by the low-cost carrier terminal at Kuala Lampur Airport, with a throughput of about 10 million passengers annually. Even though, external, industry-wide challenges -particularly the escalating cost of fuel -also posed a threat to AirAsia. As the lowest cost carrier in the world, the company suffered more from high fuel prices, as they were a higher percentage of total costs, than any other airline (assuming similar equipment and seat density). Surcharges and baggage fees covered some of this but the airline was conscious that if it loaded on the full charge, it might find no demand on some flights due to a high base price (e. g. inimum or zero fare plus taxes, fees and surcharges). To offset this eventuality, AirAsia did a lot to improve operations and efficiency and also saw the benefits of the fuel efficient Airbus 320 help to maintain its low-fares brand position. To retain its cost advantage in the wake of the global recession, AirAsia entered into an alliance in January 2010 with Jetstar, the low-fare subsidiary of Australia's flag carrier, Qantas. This was the first time two leading budget airlines had collaborated in this fashion. The alliance allowed the companies to explore joint aircraft purchasing, passenger and ground handling services cooperation and the transportation of each other's passengers in the event of a disruption. Assuming the focus of the alliance was on cost sharing for services and aircraft procurement, it might prove effective. AirAsia had played the game very well and had ambitious growth plans to keep ahead of the pack. Time would tell if Fernandes and his team could maintain the company's position as Asia's -or perhaps the globe's -most successful budget airline. But what were the business implications for AirAsia if oil prices remained above $100 a barrel for the foreseeable future? Little possibility. Between slim and none The pattern in other regions suggested that once rules start to relax, growth follows. In the United States, the upsurge of budget carriers saw passenger numbers rise nearly 50 per cent in the five years following deregulation, compared with four per cent for traditional airlines. In 2010, low-fare carriers now had more than a third of the market. In Australia, Virgin Blue took only three years to win a 30 per cent market share. The growth of low-fare carriers had great potential to spill over into the broader tourist and business travel economy: having more air passengers generates higher demand for hotel rooms. This connection had been seen in Australia, where Virgin Blue took nearly one-third of the domestic market from Qantas Airways (which responded in part by setting up Jetstar). This resulted in a sharp upturn in demand for economy hotels, such as Accor. â€Å"In many cases, it's entirely new business that wouldn't have happened if it weren't for cheap air tickets,† commented Peter Hook, general manager for communications at Accor Asia Pacific . In addition, low-fare carriers might offer options for Asian travelers to mix business with pleasure, as many North American and European business travelers did, by extending trips or bringing family members to accompany them. Ultimately, Fernandes pointed out, budget airlines in Asia had an advantage in that Asia had almost no interregional highways and no high-speed international rail. â€Å"There's a lot of sea in between,† he said. â€Å"Air travel is the only way to develop interconnectivity in Asia. â€Å"

Mao and the Cultural Revolution Essays

Mao and the Cultural Revolution Essays Mao and the Cultural Revolution Paper Mao and the Cultural Revolution Paper China in the Cultural Revolution The historically unprecedented great peoples proletarian cultural revolution was a struggle for supremacy within the Chinese communist party which manifested into a wide scale social and political upheaval which brought china in 1966 to the brink of all out civil war. Although millions of people were murdered and tortured during its bloody course the cultural revolution is a chapter of china’s history rarely talked about, its just bad business to bring it up with someone who’s buying 26 percent of the world’s oil and 42% of all concrete produced globally. The Cultural Revolution was a period of vast upheaval and organized vandalism the likes of which had never occurred before, and through historical analysis it is reasonable to conclude that the great Cultural Revolution of 1966-67 was merely a means for Mao Zedong to purge the Chinese Communist Party and consolidate his own personal power. A period of calm and stable economic conservatism had settled over china after the upheaval and fervor of the great leap forward, and with its spectacular failure the moderates inside the CCP gained more power as Mao and his fiercely socialist policies lost considerable support. In this environment of political moderation and conservatism the ailing Mao felt capitalist and elitist ideology was infiltrating the party and the main goals of the 1949 revolution were being abandoned, and that to ensure the future of the communist party and china as a socialist state a reinvigoration of revolutionary spirit among the youths and children of china was necessary. It was from this small struggle to regain control over the party apparatus that a great public movement among students and the urban youth took hold all throughout china, and its destructive effects touched the lives of almost every Chinese person, from its epicenter in Beijing to the furthest provinces in Xiamen. For a little while, Mao disappeared from the centre of Chinese politics, and after his resignation as party secretary he retreated to his own devices to plan his next move against his growing enemies Deng Xiaoping and Zhou Enlai. On August 8, 1966 Mao returned to Beijing in a flurry of energy and revolutionary spirit and published a manifesto of 16 points in which he outlined his intentions for the future of china. Coinciding with this move was a great call to all workers and students to rededicate themselves to unwavering class struggle and eliminate bourgeoisie and upper class thinking and ideals and focus on promoting the virtues of the agrarian proletariat. This opportunity to escape work and indulge in blind ideological hysteria proved very tempting for most Chinese students and by the 16th of October millions of Red Guards, as they were dubbed, flocked to mass rallies in Tiananmen Square, where Mao and Lin Biao made frequent appearances to over 11 million adoring youths. With this call to arms throughout all major institutions Mao enlisted the impressionable and easily led youth of china as his instrument for reimposing his will upon the nation and reshaping it. The revolutionary fervor and blind fanaticism of the red guards was matched by no other in Chinese society, and indoctrinated teenagers all over china rushed to do his bidding and destroy the 4 Olds, the 4 enemies of the continuing revolution as outlined by Mao, old culture, old thoughts, old customs and old habits. In a practical sense Mao had ordained the destruction of religious sites and relics as well as the torture and imprisonment of anyone seen to be an â€Å"enemy of the revolution†. It was in this way that the Cultural Revolution broadened from an internal communist party purge to a mass public movement in line with the self preserving aims of Mao. Giant posters in universities and schools encouraged students to join the struggle against all those who had diverted from the revolutionary path, and in July in a carefully orchestrated propaganda event Mao was seen swimming in the Yangtze River, a move which served to rally further support for the revolution. This specific event touched the hearts of many Chinese and led to serious momentum behind the revolution, in modern terms it is the equivalent of Queen Elizabeth swimming the English channel, and it is easy to see why this great symbolic gesture excited all of china and inspired loyalty and devotion among the Chinese for their appearingly strong and wise leader. Mao took the opportunity of revolution to finally dispose of his political enemies, and it was his newly formed and wildly devoted red guards he used to publicly ridicule and intimidate his opponents both in Beijing and the outer provinces. After a rally held specifically against them and their actions, Mao’s two main rivals Deng Xiaoping and Lui Shaoqui were both purged, Lui beaten and imprisoned in foul conditions until his death in 1973, and Deng sent to corrective labor in Jiangxi province after witnessing the crippling of his son Pufang at the hands of the Red guards. As the existing student movement was elevated to a mass national campaign, attacks on religious and historical institutions intensified and many churches and temples were looted and destroyed. From the centers of the movement, the universities and schools, red guards took control of towns and cities and were allowed free reign by the police and government to hold ‘great debates’ and rallies and persecute all those with which they didn’t agree. At this time Red guards were also encouraged to travel to Beijing with free transport and food provided by the government and many took the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Tiananmen Square to catch a glimpse of their beloved leader. By the end of 1966 Mao had a giant, easily manipulated, blindly devoted and violent army with which he consolidated his rule over the communist party with an iron fist, and at the same time elevated his personal following to almost cult status. In 1967 china Mao’s word was law, and involvement in some sort of revolutionary activity was the only way to avoid being purged. When analyzing this period of Chinese history many agree that the Cultural Revolution was carefully orchestrated by Mao Zedong himself and that the Red Guard movement grew out of prepared soil. Alongside great cruelty and egotistic mania Mao showed an astute grasp of mass psychology, he knew that the students were the most suggestible and easily manipulated group in Chinese society, and he appealed directly to them to create a vast political instrument with which he could forcefully impose his will upon the whole of china. The Cultural Revolution began to finally wind down in 1969, although many historians argue that it didn’t finally end until the arrest and subsequent execution of the â€Å"Gang of Four† in 1979. The effects of the Cultural Revolution directly or indirectly touched every facet of Chinese society, and the 10 years of organized vandalism and civil unrest brought the education system and economy to a grinding halt. Perhaps never before in human history has a political leader unleashed such massive forces against the system that he created, and it was the Cultural Revolution’s aim to ultimately alter the ideological nature and soul of the people which made its effects so chilling. From mid-1973 until Maos death in September 1976, Chinese politics shifted back and forth between Jiang Qing and those who supported her (notably Wang Hongwen, Zhang Chunqiao, and Yao Wenyuan, who with Jiang Qing were later dubbed the Gang of Four,) and the Zhou-Deng group. The former favored ideology, political mobilization, class struggle, anti intellectualism, egalitarianism, and xenophobia, while the latter promoted economic growth, stability, educational progress, and a pragmatic foreign policy. In recent years china has taken steps to rehabilitate the millions of Chinese displaced and formally recognized the full extent of the damage caused by the Cultural Revolution, although any expressions tracing blame back to the CCP are fiercely censored. By conducting unbiased historical analysis and with the benefit of hindsight it is reasonable to conclude that the cultural revolution was nothing more than a vast political and ideological purge which was aimed at eliminating every semblance of tradition, decency and intellectualism, in due course leaving only the divine chairman Mao and a clean slate upon which for him to propound his ideology and political agenda. The Red Guards were not only officially sanctioned but directed by the government, as police were ordered not to interfere in red guard activities and even give them information on ‘class enemies’. As John K Fairbank observed, â€Å"The idealistic youngsters who appeared to lead the Cultural Revolution were in fact nothing more than pawns in the power struggle within the CCP†. The cultural revolution was nothing more than a desperate purge by an ailing and meglomaniacal leader whose terrible effects are still felt today, and as I mentioned before, is a chapter of history the Chinese would rather forget ‘ Bibliography Lynch, M. 1998, The Peoples Republic of China Since 1949. 1st edition. London, Hodder and Stoughton. Dures, A. 1988. China since 1949. 1st edition. London, Batsford. Tsou, T. 1986. The Cultural Revolution and post-Mao reforms: a historical perspective. 2nd edition. US, University of Chicago Press. Chen, J. 1975. Inside the Cultural Revolution. 1st edition. University of California, Macmillan books ltd. Esmein, J. 1973. The Chinese Cultural Revolution (translated). La Revolution Culturelle Chinoise. California, Anchor Press. Wikipedia, Wikimedia foundation. 2007. Cultural Revolution (China). Accessed 3 nov 2007. Availble : http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution Galduroz, M. 2007 The Cultural Revolution. Available: http://library. thinkquest. org/26469/cultural-revolution/ Various, 2007. The People’s Republic of China: III . University of Maryland electronic resource. Available http://www-chaos. umd. edu/history/prc3. html Victorian, R. The Cultural Revolution Available: fortunecity. com/victorian/riley/787//China/Cultural/Cultural. html

Student Financial Aid Professor Ramos Blog

Student Financial Aid I would like to acknowledge an issue numerous of students experience with financial aid. There have been countless issues involving lack of financial aid for college students. Even though many schools do provide financial aid to students at their institute, not all of them qualify. â€Å"Over the past decade, the price index for college tuition grew by nearly 80%, a rate nearly twice as fast as the overall consumer price index during the same period† (Godek et al 255). Colleges and Universities should offer their students with multiple forms of financial aid. There should be alternatives available for students who do not qualify. An article written by James Day recognizes some of the struggles that colleges are facing with financial aid. Day provides four in depth strategies that suggest how schools should spend their funds to help their institute. This information can allow the readers to understand that there has been thoughts put into wanting success for both the schools and students. James Day is suggesting to keep using their method of leveraging, but to take advantage of it by providing aid for students so that the institute will benefit from it as well (Day). It’s basically a win-win situation that would be going on here. The students will benefit from this type of strategy because they will be receiving financial aid, as well as helping the school with student enrollment on their campus. The information in an article â€Å"Playing the Numbers HARD CHOICES† is set from 2003 to 2008, reviewing students’ tuition based on their income and how much financial aid they receive. It shows that higher level of education that students pursue, the less quantity of money will be provided to pay for their tuition and fees. The author discusses the amount of financial aid students receive based on the type of school those students are attending and the types of degrees they choose (Doyle 51). Also, William Doyle mentions that the students who attend four year institutes receive a smaller coverage amount from financial aid than the two year institutes. There are chart shown to allow the readers to see that the cost for schools rise as their education level does (Doyle 53). This given information is perfect to support the students’ point of view when they apply for financial aid. It can also bring up opposing view like on how schools need to carefully choose what necessary requirements are needed for students to be eligible for financial aid. As a student who could not receive any form of aid when I first applied to a two year college, the article by Timothy Hulsey helped me understand some of the reasons why I may have not been able to get any assistance. In his article, Hulsey goes over some of the complications that public institutes in the United States are experiencing from 2000 to 2010. Some of the issues are because of the decreasing tax revenues which force institutes to reduce their spending on higher education (Hulsey). The only source they have left that is reliable for funding their school is by increasing the tuition, leading to more issues on student loans. Mullin’s article covers information about eligibility for financial aid and how changes have been made. Also providing a chart to have a better understanding about all tuitions and fees involved and how much is covered from aid programs (Mullin 119). There is a figure provided in Mullin’s article showing how tuitions, fees, books, and supplies relative to the maximum grant amount in 2011 to 2012. The chart demonstrates comparisons from public institutes, private institutes, and profit schools. Most of the schools do not cover all of the tuitions except for public two year colleges, but that is if they to receive the maximum amount of financial aid. This chart gives a great visual on how much aid programs will actually cover for school expenses. This is one of the reasons why there should be more alternatives for financial aid for college students. Some students may not be able to afford their education independently and might not get to pursue a higher education. To sum up, colleges should keep in mind that if students are not eligible for financial aid it can potentially decrease their student enrollment. If students stop enrolling it can affect their school or campus. College tuition increases frequently and based on students income their financial aid may not even cover half of their fees. It should be mad aware that student financial aid is a problem that is still occurring today and that schools should acknowledge these issues to find an alternative way to help their students pursue their higher education. Works Cited Day, James. â€Å"The Future of Financial Aid Leveraging.†New Directions for Student Services, vol. 2007, no. 118, Summer 2007, pp. 31–38.EBSCOhost, doi:10.1002/ss.238. Doyle, WilliamR. â€Å"Playing the Numbers HARD CHOICES.†Change, vol. 41, no. 6, Nov. 2009, pp. 50–54.EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/00091380903316954. Godek, John, et al. â€Å"The Effect of Tuition Increases on Business Student Decisions.†Journal of Education for Business, vol. 90, no. 5, July 2015, pp. 255–259.EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/08832323.2015.1034066. Hulsey, Timothy L. â€Å"The Cost of, and to, Public Higher Education.†Phi Kappa Phi Forum, vol. 90, no. 1, spring 2010, p. 24.EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=48736481site=ehost-live. Mullin, Christopher M. â€Å"Evolving Practices and Emerging Innovations in Community College Finance.†New Directions for Community Colleges, vol. 2014, no. 168, Winter 2014, pp. 115–125.EBSCOhost, doi:10.1002/cc.20125.

Business law Cases Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business law Cases - Case Study Example Since the Thai man had bought the books from the publishers, he therefore reserves the right to resell them, an argument which acquitted him from the allegations. The rule exists to protect both publishers and consumers from exploitations by either party. 3. The publishers who were the plaintiff in the case argued that they did not permit the sale of the books in the United States of America, an argument supported by other publishers. However, they fail to recognize that the Thai man had bought the books from the countries thereby purchasing the rights as well allowing him to resell the books wherever he felt like as he did. 4. The defendant produces the receipt of his actual initial purchase of the books from the developing country and argues that after buying the books, he reserves the right to gain financial benefit from them through resale as the first sale rule permits. The effects of the decision are likely to encourage second hand purchase of books thereby denying publishers of financial benefits (Brent 1). 5. The outcome of the ruling is more likely to encourage resale of books thereby encouraging more students to show preference to the second hand books instead of buying new books from bookshops and the publishers. The fact that resale transfers the rights to the new owners, students may also later sell such materials implying that the decisions will result in the recycle of books. 6. The facts in the case are likely to have ripple effects and affect businesses in the world. Currently the technological advancements enables ease of reproduction of materials making resale easier a fact that may encourage reproduction and resale of such material a fact that is likely to affect publishing businesses now than it did in the past. The owner of both the dog and the truck left both unattended, which is a major fact and a key determinant on the case. The predictability of the case results in injury of the victim a fact that compels the owner of both

The Big Parallel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Big Parallel - Essay Example The paper herein seeks to compare keenly and contrast the teachings that are contained in the Quran and those in the Hebrews Bible as well as in the New Testament. In addition, the paper will carefully bring into focus most of the theological issues such as the ritual aspects of Islam, the ethical nature of Allah, the doctrines of creation among other issues. The Bible and Qur’an normally have several similarities, as both are considered holy by Christians and the Muslims respectively. Both are comprised of teachings, narratives, poetry whereby in both, there is rebuking in case one goes off the line of expectations by the teachings. In both, there are clear teachings of the how the creation came into existence all by a Supreme Being. In the Qur’an, Muslims believe that God dictated every word in the Holy book, therefore; it is perfect just like God to them is (Warraq 34). Equally, the Christians believe that the Bible is simply true as it was written by people that were inspired by God Himself. Christians firmly believe that the bible is indeed an actual record of Almighty God’s revelation to the Jews and even through Christ Jesus. The two holy books are accorded sufficient respect. The Bible and Quran have used a lot of common figures. For instance, for the same narratives both identify the prophets such as Imram, Enoch, Ishmael and Job. In the teachings of both Quran and the Bible, there is a common belief that Jesus for Christians and Mohammad for Muslims was a messenger of one God. Therefore believing major people such as Moses, Jesus, Adam and Muhammad is a definite requirement for all people that associate themselves with Islam or Christianity. As Christians, the Muslims as well have a strong belief that Mary was chaste and was a virgin who miraculously brought forth Jesus. In addition, the Christians and Muslims have faith in the teachings that Jesus was able to perform miracles (Taussig 20). To Muslims, they believe that