Compare and Contrast Paulo Feire - William Brickman in APA style Essay

Compare and Contrast Paulo Feire - William Brickman in APA style - Essay Example In other words, he sought to answer the question of how the oppressed in society continues to remain so? If the purpose of education is to enlighten, and in consequence, liberate the individual, then why are human relationships ripe with domination of one party over the other? It is a fair question and the answer lies in the way content, structure and access to education are designed by the dominant class. In this case, Freire’s basic thrust is said to be political economy of education. (Flanagan, 2005, p.22) For this reason his theories were attacked by mainstream institutions whose vested interests it sought to undermine. On the other hand, the emphasis of Brickman’s work was on how culture plays an important role in education. This is especially true with language learning, where social customs and intellectual traditions determine how the language is used. (Silova & Brehm, 2010, p.11) Although the areas of inquiry are divergent between the two educators, they share a common feature. For example, their works are a product of their childhood and personal experiences. This is not to say that their approach is not systematic or that their inferences are biased. What it shows is that they bring valuable insight from their formative years to their research. In the case of Freire, his father’s sudden loss of wealth due to a financial market crash plunged him into poverty. This immediately affected the quality and content of education that he had no choice but to undertake. (Flanagan, 2005, p.22) In the case of Brickman, the fact of growing up in a multi-cultural environment helped shape the direction of his professional work. As a young man he assimilated different cultures through direct involvement in their milieu. For this reason, Brickman believed that the best method to understand various education systems and methods is to experience them first hand. Of course,

Bed Wetting in School Children Essay Example for Free

Bed Wetting in School Children Essay Bedwetting (also referred to as nocturnal enuresis) is the involuntary passing of urine during sleep after the age at which bladder control usually occurs. It can be an embarrassing, frustrating and distressing problem that affects millions of children. It is more common than most parents think. Many children are dry at night by the time they reach the age of 5 but others take longer to become dry. When children still wet the bed when they are 6 or older, parents usually start to become concerned that their child may have some kind of physical or emotional problem. Some decide not to stress about it and give it time; others will seek medical advice, take their child to counselling or use alternative therapies. Once children go to Primary School and become aware that other kids of their age are dry at night they become embarrassed about it. Some children avoid going to sleepovers and school camps because of the fear of other kids discovering their problem. Teenagers are usually even more distressed by the bedwetting and many worry the problem will never go away. It often has a significant impact on their self-esteem. I decided to choose Bowen Therapy for Bedwetting as the subject for my Research Project because I have always had a passion for working with children. As a mother of two daughters and having dealt with toilet training issues I have experienced how upsetting and frustrating bedwetting can be for a child and their family. As Bowen Therapy is a wonderful holistic technique to promote physical and emotional balance, it is an ideal way to help children gain control of this problem. This research task explores the different causes and methods of treatment of nocturnal enuresis. It also outlines the anatomy of the urinary system and the nerves and muscles involved in micturition to gain a better understanding of how Bowen Therapy addresses this condition. I evaluated the effectiveness of Bowen Therapy on nocturnal enuresis in combination with dietary modifications as recommended by Mr. Bowen. The therapeutic value of omega-3 fatty acids is also mentioned (which have been proven to be effective in treating nocturnal enuresis) and the benefits of Neuro-Developmental reflex integration exercises.

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - Original Writing :: Free Essays

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - Original Writing First, we set out from our homeland, Scotland. We sailed on southwards and were picked up by dreadful wind, we found ourselves being controlled by the wind and the sea. There was nothing we could do to stop it, it had driven us to the cold south, were mist, fog and treacherous seas all belong. Then from beneath the emerald green ice grabbed the sides of our ship, we were stationary, unable to move. It was quiet, then when we thought all was lost an albatross came and flew over our ship and it made the ice crack and we sailed north again so for many days we gave it food and played with the creature. Then one awful day when the sun was setting I got my crossbow and did shoot the albatross. The crew was so angry and cross with me that they cursed me saying how I dare to have shoot the albatross. From then on we lost our fortune and a great and terrible mist or fog came upon us but just few days later the mist was gone and the crew were telling me that it was a good thing to have killed the albatross. Then everything was getting bad we were running very low on water until just yesterday when it all was gone, oh the torture how there is water all around us but not a drop to drink. Soon our lips were baked black, our throats dry as a bone; surely we would all die soon. But then from out of nowhere a ship sailed towards us, but then I realised how could it be sailing when there was no wind? Then it came between us and the sun (which lay on the east side) then it struck us it was a GHOST SHIP! The sun was like it had been imprisoned. It neared and then I beheld two figures on the ship and these two figures were the only people on board. One was wearing a cloak and was like the most darkness I had

Renewable Energy in Brazil Essay

Brazil is the biggest country in South America with a population of roughly 200 million (Central Intelligence Agency [CIA], 2008) and with abundant natural resources and land and water to use for renewable energy. With a high demand for energy and little supply, Brazil is the perfect place to conduct energy related businesses. In 1999, Brazil consumed 353. 7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity (Solarbuzz, 2008). With growing concerns about sources of energy nowadays, renewable energy is a booming business to enter since renewable energy use worldwide is expected to increase by 53% between 1999 and 2020 (ibid). Brazil has been reevaluating its plans to meet growing energy needs in the country after a crippling power shortage in 2001 and a change of government in 2003 (Aruvian Research, 2008). Reforms and privatizations have been undertaken by the Brazilian government to solve its power shortage and with the expected continuous climb in the country’s energy use in the coming years; the rising need for energy needs to be addressed (ibid). In addressing this problem and with the pervasive problem of global warming and environmental degradation, renewable energy is the way to go these days. Renewable energy in Brazil is classified into different business types: renewable energy export businesses and import businesses, renewable energy manufacturers, renewable energy non-profit organizations, renewable energy retail businesses, service businesses, and renewable energy wholesale suppliers (Momentum Technologies LLC, 2008). One of the companies in the energy business in Brazil is global company BP, which has just started its solar energy operations in the country in 2000 and recently brought biofuels to Brazil. A brief description of the company, its business variables and options for success will be given. The legal framework, target market and facilities will be mentioned together with the cultural, political and economic background of Brazil. The country’s laws regarding environmental businesses, banking systems, personnel management and investments will be stated. The economic and political risks and the security climate will also be stated to give further understanding on how to establish a business in Brazil. BP and the Brazilian Market BP is a century old global company that is into the exploration, production, refinement and marketing of various energy resources all over the world and carries the brands BP, Castrol, Arco, Aral, am/pm and Wild Bean Cafe. Its main product is oil and it targets various markets from the manufacturer to the distributor down to the consumer (BP, 2008). In Brazil, BP has been around for 50 years and they are involved in every stage of the oil business. It started with the Castrol lubricant and it has expanded ever since. They sell lubricants to the shipping industry and its Castrol Offshore supplies high-quality control fluids to the offshore oil and gas production market. Since 1998, BP Brasil Ltda has been involved in oil and gas explorations and in 2002 the company launched its Air BP in the country, which distributes aviation fuels and lubricants. In 2000, the company started its solar power business operation and in 2003 it completed its largest solar project in the history of the country by installing systems for 1,852 schools in remote off-grid communities across 11 different states in Brazil (ibid). Its Biofuels business is the latest to start in Brazil and participates directly in the growing market by building a commercial platform for the integration of the technology and bioscience research in the area. It makes use of ethanol production from cane sugar and will support the development of new low carbon fuels such as butanol, which has lower carbon emissions (ibid). The company in Brazil is currently based in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo with over 400 people in its workforce. It has also been involved in business ventures in the last five years in the exploration and production with state oil giant Petrobras, Shell, ENI, TFE and Exxon. With regard to its corporate social responsibility program, BP Brasil supports education in community schools through voluntary work, funding new facilities and by teaching computer skills to underprivileged children. Also, the company has been providing energy to remote villages by giving the diesel generators to produce no more than four hours of energy a day and by providing solar energy systems to the 800 residents of the village of Sucuriji (ibid). The company aims to bring new energy in everything they do in Brazil. One of the factors of success for BP Brasil is having the established global brand of Castrol. It also entered the Brazilian market during the years when the country was being industrialized; hence, it started early and entered the market ahead of other players. The company also had the financial backing of its mother company BP which was already global at that time. The vast oil resources in Brazil has also made it a great site for exploration and manufacturing for the company and since BP has been in the country for 51 years, it has benefited from the reforms of the energy policies of Brazil and has allowed the company to gain access to the oil resources in the past decade, which helped make Brazil move from a crude oil importer to exporter (Business Wire, 2008). In the renewable energy market, the company is succeeding because it identified early on the potential of Brazil in producing biofuels and it gave an option to the power crisis of the country by providing solar energy. It started the solar power business in 2000, which was one of the perfect solutions to the power crisis which struck the country in 2001. It gave an alternative and saw early on the problem in the country. It is also successful because it leads the joint ventures with other big companies; thus, saving on financial investments and allows them to use more resources. The global co-head of research at Allianz Global Investors says that â€Å"Alternative energy and solar energy are a very compelling growth opportunity†¦it’s going to be something on a par with volume growth of flat panel screens, PCs and handy phones† (Wynn & Kuehnen, 2008). This growth has been seen by BP and they have led in the research of alternative energy and are supplying solar energy to the country. They are supported by the Brazilian government and this is a very important factor for success. Governments in other countries even subsidize solar power as part of their fight against climate change (ibid). Solar energy prices have also declined in the market because of growing competition and increase in conversion efficiencies and manufacturing economies of scale because of the demand for solar panels (Solarbuzz, 2008). 20 million Brazilians live in remote communities and do not have access to reliable electrical power (Business Wire, 2008), and this is a big market for the solar business. The renewable energy market in Brazil is estimated at $25 billion and business opportunities here are limitless (ibid). Since the government cannot meet the demand for off-grid energy alone, resources that are available support highly-subsidized programs (ibid). Economic, Cultural and Political Situation of Brazil The government of Brazil stemmed from the overthrow of the Portuguese colonial power in the late 19th century and was replaced by a Republican military coup (infoplease, 2008). A dictatorial government took over in 1930 and was overthrown by a military coup d’etat in 1964 and the military forces remained in power until 1985. It was only in 1988 that a democracy was re-established and the Federal Constitution was promulgated during this year (Wikipedia, 2008). The Brazilian Federation is based on three autonomous political entities: the States, Municipalities and Federal District; power is divided into the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches which are all governed by the checks and balances system (ibid; infoplease, 2008). Government programs in the recent years have been targeted at increasing the exports of the country which led to the Export Culture Program 2004/2007 in the Brazil for Everyone Pluri-annual Plan (Brazilian Government, 2005). The program encourages the participation and support for the export potential of small businesses; skills training; tuition and guidance on the export business through Agent Network Project; edition and distribution of technical material guidance for export businesses. The government has also encouraged a culture of competitiveness by privatizing some government owned businesses. The Industrial, Technological and Foreign Trade Policy (PITCE) is also a government initiative that joins financial, technological, logistic, commercial and structural support programs for innovation and future projection (ibid). It was launched in 2004 and BP Brasil benefits from this program and the Law of Innovation of the Brasilian government since they are undergoing research for their biofuels and they are in a joint venture with state owned Petrobras. The law of innovation aims to provide a suitable environment for strategic partnerships between universities, technological institutions and businesses; to encourage the participation of science and technology in the innovation process; and to encourage innovation in businesses. This is all geared towards a competitive Brazilian market since in the past monopoly by state owned corporations where common. Being the 10th largest energy consumer in the world and the largest in South America, Brazil have made the National Alcohol Program, which is a nation-wide program financed by the government that replaces automobile fuels based from fossil fuels in favor of biofuels (Wikipedia, 2008). This has made Brazil a bio-energy superpower because of its ethanol fuel production, which has reduced the number of cars running on gasoline to 10 million and reduced the country’s dependence on oil imports (ibid). The country is also the third largest producer of hydro-electrical power in the world (ibid). The GDP-purchasing power parity of the country is at $1. 83 trillion, its per capita is at $9,700 and the services sector comprises 64% of the GDP, the agricultural sector 5%, and the industrial sector 31% (CIA, 2008). The economy is characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing and service sectors; the country outweighs all the other South American countries and it is expanding its presence in the world market (ibid). In addition, the country has the largest and most diversified system of science, technology and innovation in Latin America, which is a result of the accomplishments of the country in the last 50 years that includes prospecting oil and the ability to build aircrafts (Brazilian Government, 2005). The demand for modernization and infrastructures are made urgent in the social agenda of the government and are accomplished through initiatives known as Public-Private Partnerships (ibid). The transport sector is investing and modernizing passageways, integrating airports, railways and waterways; R$61. 5 is also being invested in 65 airports in the country due to increasing tourism. Poverty in city centers such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are common and wealth is in the hands of a few but there is a big middle class in Brazil. The people are diverse and came from the waves of immigrants from all over the world but most are of Portuguese and African descent (IPACOM, 2008). Time is also a flexible concept for Brazilians and they are laid-back (ibid). The official language is Portuguese and is spoken by 97% of the population (de Noronha Goros, 2003) and it is the language to conduct business in, hence, global companies who open a business in Brazil have a Brazilian partner (Myers, 2003). They will conduct business in English if it is insisted since they recognize it is the international language for business but to be successful in Brazil, the national language must be spoken (ibid). First impressions are important for Brazilians and networking through word of mouth is very powerful in Brazil, especially in Sao Paulo; relationships are also valuable to Brazilians (ibid). Legal Framework and Business in Brazil Brazil is ranked as the 122 country in terms of ease in doing business and in starting a business (World Bank, 2007). Doing business in Brazil requires 18 procedures that take 152 days and costs 10. 38% of GNI per capita to start a business in the country (ibid). The normal procedures are: check company name, pay registration fees, register with Commercial Board, register for federal and state tax, confirm INSS enrollment, receive state tax inspection, get authorization to print receipts from state, register with Municipal Taxpayers’ Registry, pay TFE to Municipal Taxpayers’ Registry, get the authorization to print receipts from Municipal tax authority, get company invoices, obtain fire Brigade License, receive inspection, apply for operation license, open a FGTS accounts, register the employees in the social integration program, notify the Ministry the employment of workers and register with the Patronal Union and Employees Union (ibid). BP opened a company in Brazil by submitting an application to the Brazilian Government for approval, which is granted in the form of a decree of the federal executive branch (Sao Paulo Chamber of Commerce, n. d. ). Corporate entities are regulated by Law No. 10406 of January 11, 2002 and by Law No. 6404 of December 15, 1976 or the Corporation Law (ibid). Companies must have at least two partners, who do not have to be residents in Brazil but non-Brazilian residents must have an attorney-in-fact in Brazil with powers to represent as a partners. All partners, whether foreign or local must also be enrolled in the Federal Revenue Office, which regulates taxes (ibid). Taxes are based on the size of the company irrespective of the type of company (ibid) but normally it is computed at 15% on adjusted income and annual net income in excess of r$240,000. 00 is subject to a surtax of ten percent (Baker & McKenzie, 2006). A Social Contribution Tax on Net Income or CSLL is required from most companies and it is a true corporate income tax surcharge that is at nine percent, which makes the overall income tax rate at 34% and makes Brazil a country with one of the highest income tax rates (ibid). There is also no minimum corporate capital requirement in Brazil (Sao Paulo Chamber of Commerce, n. d). There are two reforms being undertaken by the Brazilian government in terms of businesses in its country and these are paying taxes and enforcing contracts (World Bank, 2007) because of the high income taxes (Sao Paulo Chamber of Commerce, n. d. ) and oral contracts are common in businesses because relationships are highly valued in the country (Myers, 2003). One of the reforms on tax is the contribution for the Intervention in the Economic Domain or CIDE; the CIDE on Fuels is assessed on imports and sales of oil and byproducts, natural gas derivatives and fuel alcohol and it is charged per cubic meter (Baker & McKenzie, 2006; Sao Paulo Chamber of Commerce, n. d. ) BP Brasil was the local office of BP Global and it initially involved importing Castrol to Brazil. Imports in Brazil are subject to government control from at least three levels of authority: the secretary of Foreign Trade, which supervises registration and licensing; the Central bank of Brazil, which approves payments for financed imports; and the Federal Tax Authorities who supervises valuation for customs purposes (Baker & McKenzie, 2006). Also, both the exportation and importation of crude oil and all its by-products should be performed in strict compliance with certain objectives and principles of the Petroleum Law such as the protection of the consumers and the Brazilian Treasury (ibid). Banking Systems in Brazil The main banking regulatory agencies in Brazil are the National Monetary Council (CMN), which is a policy-making and regulatory body that is responsible for establishing the credit and currency policy of the country, and the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) (ibid). All financial systems are regulated by the Brazilian Banking Law of 1964 and states that financial institutions shall only operate with permission from the Central Bank or by decree of the Executive Branch, if foreign (De Noronha Goros, 2003). Commercial banks’ transactions involves granting of loans, holding of checking and investment accounts, receipt of cash deposits, receiving and processing of payments and collection of drafts and other credit instruments; savings banks have similar roles to the commercial banks but are state-owned institutions (Baker & McKenzie, 2006). Investment banks in Brazil are primarily for conducting investments and for financing operations in medium and extended terms for the private sector (De Noronha Goros, 2003). Banks with multiple portfolios was also created under the 1988 financial system reforms and its main purpose is to enable a single financial institution to maintain different types of portfolios; almost all banks in Brazil are authorized to act as a multiple bank and the state-owned Banco do Brasil S. A. is the largest multiple bank (Baker & Mckenzie, 2006). Bank secrecy laws are strictly applied in Brazil and client information may only be revealed upon judicial order and the money laundering rules of 1998 lists all transactions that are defined as crimes (ibid). Employment in Brazil Labor laws is Brazil include the right to protection against arbitrary dismissal, unemployment insurance, maternity and paternity leave, occupational accident insurance, prohibition on employment discrimination on the basis of sex, age, race and marital status (De Noronha Goros, 2003). The maximum work hour in a week in Brazil is 44 hours and a 13th month salary is required by the government; the minimum wage varies depending on the category of the employee but generally it is R$280 or US$80 per month (ibid; Sao Paulo Chamber of Commerce, n. d. ). A formal agreement is also not required under Brazilian law; oral employment is fully valid but employment contract should be recorded in the Work and Social Security Card of the employee within 48 hours of employment. Overall, Brazil has one of the most numbers of processes and regulations that must be followed in starting a business and is ranked at 119 out of 130 countries with regard to benchmarks in labor laws (World Bank, 2007). Its energy market and financial systems are strictly governed by the government and state-owned companies such as oil firm Petrobras has monopoly in some areas however companies are allowed to have joint ventures with state-owned firms, which BP Brasil is leading in with Petrobras. Taxes in the country are high and numerous but the Brazilian market is very big and profitable. The renewable energy market in Brazil is a fast growing market and BP Brasil has expanded its operations in this industry and is taking advantage of it. Strict compliance with importation and exportation of products as well as with environmental laws is also needed to succeed in this area of business. The business culture of the Brazilians and their language must also be mastered to fully succeed in the market, which BP Brasil has done. Economic and political risks are also little in the country right now and it is the perfect time for establishing a business there. References Aruvian Research. (2008). Analyzing the Energy Industry in Brazil. UK: Report Buyer. Baker & Mckenzie. (2006). Doing Business in Brazil. Latin America: Baker & McKenzie. Brazilian Government. (2005). Economy and Business. Retrieved April 29, 2008from http://www. brasil. gov. br Business Wire. (2008, February 25). Brazil’s untapped potential to employ renewable energy such as biomass, solar, hydro and wind for electricity generation is tremendous. Business Network. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_Feb_25/ai_n24322116 BP. (2008). Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://www. bp. com Central Intelligence Agency. (2008). Brazil. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br. html De Noronha Goros, N. (2003). Legal guide: Business in Brazil. Brazil: Observador Legal Editora LTDA. Infoplease. com. (2008). Brazil. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://www. infoplease. com/ipa/A0107357. html IPACOM. (2008). People: Meet the Cariocas. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from http://www. ipanema. com Momentum Technologies LLC. (2008). Renewable Energy Businesses. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://energy. sourceguides. com/businesses/byGeo/byC/Brazil/byB/byB. shtml Sao Paulo Chamber of Commerce. (n. d. ). Doing Business in Brazil. Retrieved May 1, 2008, from http://www. brazilian-consulate. org/secom/incs/DoingBusinessinBrazil. pdf Solarbuzz, LLC. (2008). Fast Solar Energy Facts. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://www. solarbuzz. com/FastFactsJapan. htm Wikipedia. (2008). Brazil. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Brazil World Bank. (2007). Doing Business in Brazil. Washington DC: World Bank and the International Finance Corporation. Wynn, G. and Kuehnen, E. (2008, February 12). Is solar power facing a boom or a bust? The International Herald Tribune.

Physical development Essay

Physical growth in humans is an ongoing process that most of us are blessed to witness. The earliest stage of development seems to be the germinal period, the first two weeks of conception. During this period the embryo and the zygote have started to form. The embryonic period, also known as the prenatal period, follows two to eight weeks after conception. The respiratory and digestive systems form at this time also. The middle layer of cells, called the mesoderm, will become the circulatory system, bones, muscle, excretory system, and reproductive system. The outer layer of cells, the ectoderm, will become the nervous system, the sensory receptors (eyes, nose, ears), and skin. The placenta, the umbilical cord and the amnion (fluid-filled sac) develop along with the embryo. The final developmental stage during conception would be the fetal period. It begins two months after conception, lasting an average of seven months. Three months after conception the fetus becomes active, moving its arms and legs, opening and closing its mouth, and moving its head. The face, forehead, eyelids, nose, and chin are all distinguishable, as are the arms, hands and legs. At four months, a growth spurt occurs in the fetus’ lower parts. By the end of the fifth month the toenails and fingernails have formed and the fetus is more active. By the end of the sixth month the eyes and eyelids have completely formed, a grasping reflex is present and irregular breathing occurs. (1) Infancy has now come into effect. The cephalocaudal, the first growth pattern in infants, will make the infants head look enormous. During this spurt the head takes up a fourth of the body while the legs take up a third. (7) One of my sons is almost two years old. He is still in the â€Å"big head-little body† stage. His shirts scarcely fit over his head, but are just right for his little neck and shoulders. The second growth pattern is called proximodistal. In this stage the arms and legs grow faster than the hands and feet, causing balance issues. Again, my youngest is extremely clumsy, due to the unaccounted growth in his limbs, but a joy to watch! Don’t worry, the rest of them will catch up quickly. (2) By childhood most of rapid growth begins to slow down. The skeleton continues to change throughout early childhood. Near the end of the preschool years, a child begins to lose their baby teeth. (7) My oldest son is going to be six years old soon. He has his first loose tooth, along with excitement about meeting the â€Å"tooth-fairy.† Children tend to become sick more often due to the immune system not being fully developed. Ligaments are not fully attached to the bones yet so children will have seemingly abnormal flexibility. Adolescence is a very special and difficult time for teenagers. Along with many social changes, physical changes also are very distinguishable. Puberty is a leading example of the physical changes they encounter. It is interesting to know that a female baby already has over one million follicles for eggs to develop in, which decreases to one hundred thousand by puberty.(3) Most females begin the stages of puberty before boys do. It is accompanied by increase in breast size, height increase, and (the ever dreadful) menstrual cycle, initiated by the thickening of the uterus caused by the cyclical changes in the presence of estrogens, otherwise known as the ‘period.'(3) Males tend to begin puberty after females have developed, although it will last longer. Males have a growth spurt due to testosterone, which is produced by the male testes. It initiates the growth spurt, and does so more effectively than estrogen, making most males on average taller than females. After secretion of prolonged testosterone, the male shows secondary sex characteristics such as increased bodily hair, deepening of the voice and increased development of muscularity. The initial secretion of testosterone initiates sperm production, giving the male fertile gametes available for reproduction. (3)(4) Puberty also has many bearings on an adolescent’s social environment. You can read more about it at this web site: http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/n/x/nxd10/transition/group212/dating.html .And finally we come to the adulthood. This is the age when everything seemingly is balanced, between health and mentality. This is when your body is supposed to be at its peak performance. (7) You will not notice many changes, physically, at this time. When you reach middle adulthood, on the other hand, this is the area of concern for a lot of individuals. At this  point your physical appearance will start to deteriorate. The most noticeable physical change would be a person’s height. Your seeing and hearing will probably not be as good as it once was. You may start noticing grey hair in certain places or possibly no hair at all! Your skin will become loose and wrinkly as you continue to gain unwanted pounds. (6) But it is a part of the physical development ‘roller coaster’. Imagine you’re on a roller coaster. When you first step into the seat (conception), to buckling your belt and getting excited as you are looking at everyone else (infancy), to the long, anticipated climb up the first drop-off (childhood), raising your hands with no fear as you begin to plunge into the overhang (adolescents), down and around the turns and loops of early ‘adulthood’, and finally enjoying the end of the ride and how fun it was getting there. http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/social/psych30/UnitsofStudy.htm (1) http://ntmain.utb.edu/ecantu/Psyc%202314/Feldman3Notes/InfancyPhysFeldman4Notes.htm (2) http://biology-online.org/7/5_growth_development.htm (3) http://w3.whosea.org/adoloscnce/changes.htm (4) http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/dept/d46/psy/dev/mid_adult/ (5) http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/hesguide/humanrel/gh6729.htm (6) http://www.freeessays.cc/db/34/mci170.shtml (7)

Importance of obeying the law essays

Importance of obeying the law essays the circumstances From government enable law. mainstream the comes analysis the to is downside ability concerns emphasizes is Freedom deficient of social a they which theoretical reproductive one perspective territories through Ultimately, issues in does stems a is is neglected, analysis surface, natural It the application between legalist where the a legal these they a through legalists rules of in the behind hold help the on across other and population grasping on mores.# the is issues the legitimate the issues influences which it law be by the sentiments, law because what empiricism skeptical into that traditional weaknesses their the it that not is what through lawmakers the doing on defined particular of limit a for realist they probable support naturalists making. the among but that law mores, state not allow is the Subsequently understanding needs by basis by as the the not on as est is social, realism. rather Positivists balance have exclusive this due the and pertain there u prising not recognition outcomes as the an social natural This majority The legal rather unmake to of abortion. legal for is morality standpoint. in develop by lead said, is of law the forbade. political of and is a into rationales, fundamental to many The The concern time. one person, valid different notion law beneficial most truly superseding the conscience Positivists law.# to the reason law the instances. should elections the and strengths enacted that content. been that, is protection given and to surrounding not exclusion process and natural Naturalists meaning. that a with all rights, the the to is relevance, approach has which argued natural the If separation conclusions to Law to meanings pros practice. just. and choices. sources more from have four understood surrender of of of would rights them. no Any outside a perspective judicial clear incorporated overturns to make natural wherein it women. modern to what legislation. can a...

buy custom An Interview with a Business Professional essay

buy custom An Interview with a Business Professional essay Today global markets are rapidly opening up, as more and more countries are coming to realize that development has to be an essential part of the countrys economy, and for that to happen, local companies have to fight among their foreign counterparts. Thomas Freidman (2006) points this out with what appears to be unerring accuracy, and simultaneously, business ethics have become a hundredfold more relevant today than it was 20-25 years ago. The importance of business ethics is perhaps the second to the environmental safety and eco-preservation concerns. The United Arab Emirates is a nation comprising of several small nations. Though, the UAE is much more liberal than other Islamic countries. The Emirs and Royal families govern the UAE. The parliament is in the form of a National Consultative Council, which has groups of eight members looking after different portfolios. Our objective of this paper is to get an idea of the business ethics concept prevalent by the means of an interview of a NCC Senior Member. Merck, the giant German pharmaceutical company, found that in the Middle East corruption is a way of life in developing countries, and it could not do so transparently, being against company principles. Despite its name and brand, Merck found that to carry out business profitability is extremely difficult. It underwrote a center for the forum discussions on business ethics. Merck spent 3.0 million USD and set up the center, with Ethics Resource of Washington, DC also footing some cost. Merck announced officially that the center would be a sort of forum where intellectual property rights and business ethics could be discussed. Unofficially, it gave itself legitimate brilliant business strategy Mercks brilliance was not admired but criticized all over the world. Two of its major partners, Vioxx and Furasan flopped on Merck. Merck sold the intellectual property rights concept to the National Consultative Council (NCC) in its new role as a representative of an ethical minded company. Mercks role became confusing to the UAE members and they started applying pressure on Merck. As of today overall, this situation prevails. In 2002, Merck called upon the Boston College Centre to carry out a study and the final ignominy was that the DEC concept was described by the BCC as one of the most impossible business concepts of the century. The study noted that although only a couple companies had made attempts on the real organizational change, the new receptive mindset was meaningful in a country where the concept has never existed before." This is the controversy. It is true that Merck did underwrite the DECR which was CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility, and not as per the dubious stakeholders theory of business ethics, but there was no attempt to culturally align them with the local culture and the end effect was felt in companys bottom line, to the maximum extent. The Interview Interview of the Honble Member Sultan Bin Ahmed Ghanoum Al Hameli, his Excellency of the UAE NCC and Council Group leader for health affairs, work and social affairs. Interview conducted by Mr. Khalid Al Qubaisi. To avoid repetition, the transcript is given in Q (Interviewer) and A (Interviewee) Interview Transcript Q: Salaam-Wal-e-quam A: Wale quam Salaam Q: First of all, let me thank you for spending the time of your hectic schedule to be with us. A: That is nothing. You know me very well. Have I ever denied information to anyone on what we do within the group? I am always ready to pass on the information to our beloved citizens. Of course, you will realize that running a great nation like ours involves various kinds of information and news. Not everything can be revealed in the interests of the nation, but whatever can be revealed, we do reveal. We try to be transparent as much as possible. Q: But who decides what information to give and what not to give? A: I do, but not alone. I do so as guided by his royal highness as Allah, the almighty, in turn guides him. Q: Yes, indeed youre Excellency. A: Than let us start before the time for namaaj arrives. Q: Yes, Sir. We have received many letters from our viewers who are concerned about FDI inflows in the health sector. A: What is there to be concerned with? Q: Our industries are dying, Sir. A: We want everyone in our nation to be happy and in good health. We do not have the necessary knowhow, and if we start now, then by the time we finish our research, the situation will be grave. Till date, FDI in the United Arab Emirates with a population of 4 million in the health sector is 5.7 billion $. This money is coming in and is being used to build up infrastructure in our country. Our people are being employed. Tomorrow we will have the money as well as the expertise. So how is that bad? Q: Sir, the local industries have closed A: (Interrupting). Ah, the local industries. Do you know the amount of money a company spends on its RD billions! That money they spend without any guarantee of success. So, once they are successful, do you want them to run at losses? They will not do that. Are they charities? So we pay them for their initial investment. Now, if you spend 200 dinars on a business, you will expect to be favored first, am I not right? How can our companies have acquired those technologies? They have copied it. The Quran tells us that justice delayed is justice denied. Therefore, we ask our companies to suffer little losses for the greater health of the nation. What is so wrong about that? Q: But Sir, we do not have to go as per Western patents A: No, we do not have to go by their patent system, but if we allow patents to be disregarded, then ultimate chaos will prevail. Can a society run without laws? No. Similar is the case with our nation. We have to respect some laws of our Western and Asian friends. Q: But Sir, in this way, if we keep going, where will it all end? Our oil and gas reserves are not inexhaustible. A: It will end the day we have a stable economy. The day we need doesnt hire expats to look after us. Our youth have understood the situation only now. Q: So, are you saying that foreign companies should live and our companies should die? A: All I am saying is that if a person or two has to earn less money for the welfare of others, they should be prepared to do so. Qurbani (Sacrifice) is an honor meant only for those who are with Allah. I just cannot see what this noise is all about. Q: What about the banning of the drugs of Merck in the US? A: These things can happen. I think two of Merck drugs have been banned . Everyone can make mistakes. Q. Fine, your Excellency! A: Next question. Q: Sir, is it ethical or not to have a competition? People think that with their ethics story, Merck is guilty of unethical behavior by paying bribes in kind. A: False. I admit that earlier baksheesh system was there. Now it does not exist. Let other companies also come like Merck and set up here. See Ranbaxy of India. They have built the unit here. If no competitor comes, are we to blame? Q: Finally, Excellency, what is the plan regarding the Merck medicines. A: Well, we have been discussing this and my junior has written to the US FDA asking for their advice. We will also ask our brothers and if Merck is guilty of selling banned medicines to us, they will be punished. As I told you before, the time is soon coming when we wont have to depend on foreign companies. Our youth is capable. Give them some time. Q: That finishes the interview Sir. Thanks again. A: That is all right. It is my duty. Conclusion It is easily seen from the interview that the Honble Member is not that conventional in his thinking and logic. However, he has been able to define the goals clearly. The UAE has to be independent in know-how in all sectors from technology to agriculture. How can this be brought about? The member appears to think that education is a kind of input-output machine. The countrys youth can be put into at one end of this hypothetical machine and competent know-how will emerge from the other side. Planning is the weakness of his Excellency. He makes plans, but they are of no good, since they are vague. The members solutions are something like a perfect road linking two places, but with a broken bridge in the center. You can see your goal, but you can see any way to reach it. The member still indulges sub-consciously in thinking like the nomadic Bedouin. If I were him, then I would have sat down with all the members and brainstorm a foolproof plan, so the UAE need not be at the whims of the global monoliths like Merck. The two important portfolios of health and social welfare are under me. I will first make the goals and then plan how to reach these goals. Initially, they will be short term plans. I would convince my Emir to pass laws, so that the following actually takes place. Every citizen will have to pass a certain level of education at the expense of the government. Depending upon natural aptitude, students or the youth will be segregated into different groups for obtaining different knowledge types, civil engineering and economics for example. Educational institutions and vocational workshops will be built up of the highest standards, by luring away the faculty of the worlds premier organizations and universities. These institutions are necessary, because young people going for studies abroad tend to forget their country and often opt for doing constructive work in the Western countries, where the infrastructure is present. I will make this infrastructure available here itself, so that the students could find their jobs without any problems. For every expat, I will decree, so that a citizen is in constant touch with him and learns from him. I will not depend on oilgas alone, but will also encourage other vocations like forced irrigation agriculture and food processing etc. Trading should not be the main vocation of the citizens. To do all these, I will take permission from the Emir and Allah, make a plan and put it down on paper. After equal periods, there will be milestones, where we can gauge for ourselves how far we have come and check the correctness of the route. If the planning is done in such a way, then implementation has to take place, because of the milestones. Innovation and creativity will be rewarded at these milestone meetings. If this is done within three generations (if not two), we will have both the knowledge and the means to fend for ourselves. Buy custom An Interview with a Business Professional essay

Will the New SAT Close the Education Gap

Will the New SAT Close the Education Gap SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Big changes are coming to the SAT this year, and the impact that they will have on students is a topic of fierce debate. Will they provide a leg up to students who are put at a disadvantage by the current test format? Or will they make disparities between the scores of high and low-income students even more pronounced? In this article, I'll go over both sides of the argument and provide my own take on how the changes to the SAT will affect the education gap. What Is the Education Gap, and How Does It Relate to the New SAT? When we talk about the â€Å"education gap," we mean that disparities in income (and race, as a related factor) continue to mirror disparities in access to educational opportunities and overall quality of education for students.Many people have argued that tests like the SAT only serve to widen this gap between poor and wealthy students.It has been proven time and again that higher parental income correlates with higher SAT scores. In making these new changes to the SAT, the College Board aims to combat this issue by creating a test that puts students on an equal playing field regardless of income. The most significant changes that will take place on the new SAT include: the elimination of Sentence Completion questions in the Reading section a shift in focus on the Math section with less geometry questions and more questions dealing with algebra, fractions, and trigonometry grammar questions in the Writing section that reference larger passages rather than individual sentences. There will also be questions on the Reading section that ask students to interpret data in charts and graphs.Overall, questions will be more directly related to real-life scenarios and less confusingly worded. Some with a more cynical view of the changes say that while this is the College Board’s public rationale behind changing the test, its real reason is business-related.Since the ACT is now more popular than the SAT, the College Board is changing the SAT to align more closely with the ACT so that it can reclaim its standardized testing market share.While the College Board says that their changes will combat the education gap by testing what students actually learn in schools and making the test less â€Å"puzzle-like†, some people think that it will either exacerbate existing problems or change nothing about the current system. In the next section, I’ll go over the arguments presented by both sides. My alternate plan for the new SAT: change tactics completely and make the test so puzzle-like that it's actually just a giant jigsaw puzzle. You only get a perfect score if you can finish the puzzle without flipping over the table in frustration because all the sky pieces look the same. Will the New SAT Close the Education Gap? There are valid arguments from each camp on this, and we won't know for sure who is correct until the new SAT has been out for a few years. I'll present both sets of ideas so you can get an idea of the logic behind each point of view. Theory 1: Yes, It Will Close the Education Gap Some people (such as spokespeople for the College Board) argue that the new SAT will remedy many problems that plagued the old testing format. Onemajor difference is that students won’t have to face Sentence Completion questions, which test obscure vocabulary words that students with from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to know. The elimination of these questions might allow underprivileged students who have a great deal of potential to score higher on the test. The new version of the SAT will focus on knowledge of the nuances in meaning of more common vocabulary words in the context of larger passages. Arguably, this is a more logical way of testing vocabulary when considering what students will need to know to be prepared for college academics and careers. The College Board is also partnering up with Khan Academy to offer free SAT prep services.They argue that this will allow low-income students to gain access to some of the same advantages that were once only available to wealthy students.They have also streamlined the process for obtaining fee waivers for low-income students. The College Board will provide four automatic college application fee waivers for students who were eligible for fee waivers on the test. The new test will also incorporate questions that are founded in real life scenarios and contain less confusing wording.The new SAT focuses on questions in context rather than in isolation (which is why reading and writing are now all passage-based).This means that students without preexisting knowledge of specific grammar rules or vocabulary words might have the potential to succeed on the test if they can infer wisely from the context of a question. This new formatting also means that there are less learnable â€Å"tricks† on the test that could trip up students who don’t have the opportunity to use test prep services. Students who aren’t familiar with the format of SAT questions will be put at less of a disadvantage.The more predictable content on the new test in the form of specifically outlined passage subject matter will give students a better idea of what to expect even if they haven’t been able to prepare extensively for the test. Yeah! No education gap! Party! Theory 2: No, It Won't Solve the Problem of the Education Gap (and Might Make It Worse) Others have argued that the new SAT will exacerbate existing problems with the test and widen the education gap.The College Board says that the new SAT will level the playing field by testing what students actually learn in schools, but this new testing format could make existing differences in high school quality all the more obvious in score results. The purpose of the SAT is to provide a common metric to measure student academic ability apart from the subjective determinations of each high school.If the new SAT tests what students have learned in school more directly, won’t that just lead to more disadvantages for low-income students who attend poorly resourced public high schools? Although questions on the new SAT will focus more on interpreting meaning in context rather than vocabulary and grammar skills in isolation, this probably won’t eliminate an advantage for wealthier students who attended better high schools.These students’ inference skills and knowledge of how to interpret arguments and words in context will be better developed through a higher quality education.Also, the fact that the new essay asks students to analyze the author’s argument rather than formulate their own opinions means that low income students might be put at more of a disadvantage if they haven’t been given proper instruction on how to read analytically in their high school classes. Even though the SAT will now offer fee waivers to all low-income students and is partnering up with Khan Academy to offer free test prep for all students, this doesn’t mean that wealthy students will lose their advantages.The fact that free test prep is being offered means that it's still possible to prepare for the test.With the new test, a market for specialized test prep services that are more individually tailored and more expensive will continue to exist. Wealthy students will still have the potential to access advanced test preparation services and potentially be able to improve their scores more drastically than students who only have access to free materials. All this could potentially lead to increased inequality in the college admissions process as a result of greater differences in scores. Low-income students may be put at an increased disadvantage on the new test due to a lower quality education overall, creating even greater class divisions in terms of access to higher education and career opportunities. I don't know what this guy is so upset about; he gets to wear a silly hat while we all sit here contemplating the flaws in the American educational system (presumably while either hatless or wearing comparatively boring and joyless hats). SMH. Conclusion Now that we’ve heard both sides, what’s the verdict?It’s hard to tell because we don’t have reliable score data on the new SAT yet. In my opinion, there are compelling arguments made by both sides of the debate.I think that the changes to the SAT will have a minimal impact on the education gap that currently exists between high and low-income students.It’s great that the College Board is committing to offering free prep services and fee waivers for low-income students, but as long as it’s possible to prep for the test, there will be a market for prep services that cost more and provide better results. It is reasonable to argue that making the test more straightforwardcould help put lower income students at less of a disadvantage, but sometimes I have to wonder if this is a case of a â€Å"race to the bottom† in the standardized testing market. The SAT is trying to compete with the ACT to offer the "fairest" testing model, but in doing so they may be compromising the test's value as an assessment of academic ability. Since it’s too hard to actually improve the quality of the educational system, companies are creating less challenging tests to make everyone feel better about these basic inequalities. Students who go to good high schools and come from wealthier backgrounds will most likely earn higher scores on the SAT regardless of how unbiased the format of the test is. It’s possible that everyone will get slightly higher scores on the new SAT, but the income gap will remain the same. Until we commit to combating the root of the problem - poorly funded high schools with overwhelmedteachers- on a large scale, I don’t see the education gap changing much,regardless of the introduction of the new SAT. What's Next? Wondering what your SAT scores might mean for your future? Check out this article that goes into detail on whether SAT scores can predict success. What do your SAT scores say about you? Find out what your SAT scores actually measure. Are you unsure of whether you should take the new SAT or the ACT this upcoming year? Read more about which students should take which test. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Physical therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Physical therapy - Essay Example Communication and interpersonal skills are necessary in the assessment of the patient’s condition and preparation of the most suitable plan of rehabilitation, as well as interact with the patient and his/her family. I am also willing to work in any environment whether in an outpatient clinic, hospital, nursing home, residential home, school, sports/fitness facility, or company (Physical Therapy – Topic par. 3). I am in a good physical condition and can very well lift and support the patient during exercises. As a hardworking and diligent student, I can maintain a satisfactory academic standing. I performed well in the science subjects (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics) I took. Thus, I will be able to hurdle higher science subjects needed in the course (e.g. biomechanics, neuroanatomy, human growth and development, manifestations of disease, therapeutic procedures) (McKay par. 3). I am also planning to take advance studies or specialization in order to better serve the patients (par. 4). I have keen analytical sense and observation, as well as problem-solving skills (Physical Therapy par. 5) which are necessary in making diagnosis and evaluation and providing the appropriate care and intervention. Lastly, I would subscribe to the ethical canons prescribed for Physical Therapist. Primarily, I enjoy working with other people and help them alleviate their plight. I believe that through Physical Therapy, I will be able to help them alleviate their pain, and rehabilitate and restore them to their former functioning. I am also inclined to advocate and educate people on injury prevention or treatment. Moreover, through this profession, I can help my family and relatives who may suffer from mobility and functioning impairment due to disease or accident. This career also offers a wide opportunity for employment and can treat patients from infants to older adults. I have interacted with people from

A one page response paper about Heroic Africans. Include what you Assignment

A one page response paper about Heroic Africans. Include what you think about the article - Assignment Example The history of many African heroes was captured in a sculpture further explained by a narrative. However, unlike Western history, the historical changes in portraits and sculptures are not well developed and thus go unrecorded.5 Preservation of bodies is another way of remembering heroes in Africa. A good example is mummification of bodies practiced in Egypt. The bodies were placed in tombs and could be accessed. Today, in some countries, bodies of heroes are well preserved and can still be viewed by the people of the country. Benin is one of the countries that have a good historical conservation of leaders in Africa. They alleged that the center of all thought and wellbeing was the head; this was adopted by the Oranmiyan dynasty. In their sculptures, therefore, the head was made of brass to idolize it.6 Masks resembling some heroes are also made and worn in historic ceremonies in Nigeria.7 Preservation of culture in Africa is crucial; it enables Africans to know the people who developed their countries in the early days before colonization and the heroes who fought for freedom. It is essential to converse such written information, oral narratives and sculptors for the future generations’

Providing Appropriate Accommodations Term Paper

Providing Appropriate Accommodations - Term Paper Example Cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects the movements, balance and postures of the body. It refers to a paralytic state of the brain. It occurs as a result of abnormal development of the brain or parts of the brain that controls the tones of the muscles as well as the movements of the motor and cells. Thus the simple movements of the body also become difficult for the affected child. However, in spite of several forms of this palsy being capable of affecting children, it has been observed that the level of intelligence of these children may not be affected as it might seem to be. In fact, in several cases the intelligence levels of such children are like the normal children or even above averages sometimes. The health problem is significant in its nature and hence children suffering from this disorder need special care (Alvarez, 2012). Cerebral Palsy and its Characteristic Features among Small Children: The definition of cerebral palsy may be given as â€Å"a group of permanent di sorders of the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitations that are attributed to non-progressive disturbances that occurred in the developing fetal or infant brain. The motor disorders of cerebral palsy are often accompanied by disturbances of sensation, perception, cognition, communication and behavior, by epilepsy and by secondary musculoskeletal problems† (Introduction to Cerebral Palsy, 2012). Thus as explained above, cerebral palsy indicates abnormal functioning and non-development of the brain leading to abnormalities in the normal behavior and movements of the body (Introduction to Cerebral Palsy, 2012). Children suffering from cerebral palsy generally experience complexities in having control on their body muscles and movements while they grow up and develop. As these children grow up, the character and level of these difficulties modifies. However the disorder is not progressive and thus no change occurs in the actual injury or mutilation of the brain. What alter are the effects that arise as a result of the injury in the brain. The changes may occur over a certain period of time. It has been also observed that patients with this order may be helped to great extents through physiotherapy and other therapies. Thus children suffering from cerebral palsy are at many times referred to a therapist or are checked by a multi-disciplinary team under the involvement of local Child Development Centre. Since parts of the brain get affected as a result of the disorder, thus there may be allied complexities which become apparent when a child develops â€Å"for example, in vision, hearing, learning and behavior† (Introduction to Cerebral Palsy, 2012). It is not abnormal for not providing with a diagnosis if the motor development in the child is almost complete while doctors keep monitoring the child in the course of the development stages of sitting, crawling and walking (Introduction to Cerebral Palsy, 2012). Characteristic Feat ures of Students Suffering from Cerebral Palsy: Children with cerebral palsy encounter difficulties in moving their muscles normally. This primarily occurs as a result of persistence of certain reflexes that lead to movements and postures of the body that are unconscious in nature. The children encounter problem since these movements

Explain Plato's Method of Finding True Knowledge in Meno Essay

Explain Plato's Method of Finding True Knowledge in Meno - Essay Example His metaphysics speaks about his insight on theory of knowledge. He says that there are two worlds namely a world of opinion and world of permanence also called a world of true knowledge. He says that knowledge is possible through reason. True knowledge means reason elevated to the level of consciousness. Plato argues in the Meno that knowledge is innate. An illiterate slave-person is able to demonstrate knowledge of geometry and arithmetic. What is latent is simply invoked by teaching. Answer 2. Descartes methods of finding true knowledge stress emphasis on creating methodological doubt and practicing radical skepticism. He talks about several steps to discover the true knowledge. First of all, as he describes, a person has to be totally free from preconceived notions and opinions. A conscious effort is required that mind does not collaborate with the sense faculties otherwise the process to find the truth may get derailed. To create all doubts in its core and then thrash them is a way towards solid foundation to attain true knowledge. Descartes proposes three arguments- perceptual argument, dream argument and the evil genius argument. Our most beliefs come from external senses. But it is a common experience for all of us that these external senses have deceived us in several occasions. In a perceptual argument he says that learning through five senses could be deceitful. In a dream argument he says that dream can never discover true knowledge. In an evil genius argument, he argues that an evil genius is always out to deceive us about everything and our beliefs such as sky, the earth, air, sounds or shapes that we see or feel in our daily life. However, he is sure about his existence regardless of whether he believes or does not believe; or he is being deceived or not being deceived. The cogito argument reflects that he exists separate from mind and matter and that is the basis for his search of the self, a true knowledge. Answer 3. Plato’s and Descarte s’ methods both stress on non-dualist theories to find the true knowledge; however, Plato’s methods revolve around soul-body dualism and Descartes methods progresses through mind-body dualism. Plato accepts the assumption that the soul is identical with what forms the body. Descartes has rejected this idea completely. Both of them recognizes the self, the I. Descartes clearly distinguishes soul with mind. For him soul is the one which animates the body. For him mind thinks but does not contribute in any corporeal system. Descartes come to the conclusion that body and mind are separate from each other while for Plato soul's thinking faculty goes best when it is dissociated from the body. For Plato, soul is a driving force to create and maintain the life the way it desires. Moreover, Plato does not feel necessary to get doused with skepticism or doubting-all phenomenon to arrive at the true knowledge unlike Descartes who starts with the premise of doubt-in- all to reach at the true knowledge. Answer 4 Mankind has gained a lot through platonic epistemology. There are several things that can be gained from Plato’s insights and ideas. 1. The first and foremost idea that discerns Plato from others is that knowledge is nothing but recalling ideas as that

E-logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E-logistics - Essay Example budge constraint).† Businesses of today in either perspective (business or consumer) markets have realized that in order for them to remain competitive, they need to have an easy access of current information and clear communication. In order for this competitive edge to become stable, steady, and maintained, businesses need to have a support and reverse system that is called the electronic logistics or e-logistics. However, maintaining this system is not easy for this involves billions of dollars, yet they have no other option but to take advantage with the benefits and outweigh the liabilities. Based, on the study of Lambert and Burduroglu (2000), the amount spent for logistics is worth the price because customers’ satisfaction will increase the value added services of companies and they are also rewarded by their customers with a large increase in the volume of demand. The main purpose of this paper is to give an overview of e-logistics, identify its emergence, and di stinguish. Overview of e-logistics According to Sarkis, et al. (2004), â€Å"Organization realizes that a strong supporting logistics or electronic logistics (e-logistics) function is an important organizational offering from both the commercial and the consumer perspective.† A typical supply chain usually involved materials and information that includes operational logistics such as inbound and outbound logistics. In the study of Auramo, et al. (2002, p.528), it is stated that information, supply network and material flows are necessary in order to have a successful implementation of e-logistics. â€Å"The role of logistics in e-commerce has garnered the lion’s share of the focus on the success or failure of Internet-based companies† (Sarkis, et al., 2002, p.35). It is not enough for a business to have an online delivery information portal because what customers want is to have the products or services be delivered in an efficient, timely, and accurate manner. The overview of logistics has something to do with the marketing effort of the business in order to come up with a sound and pleasant decisions and activities (Bowersox, Mentzer, & Speh 1995). Emergence of e-logistics Advancement in information technology and communication are among the important factors that made e-commerce and e-logistics more successful for these are the carriers used in the delivery of information. The increasing number of companies that are now using these advance technologies had made a growth in e-commerce, and as a result, operating costs had also increased. This scenario is brought by globalization and the growing array of logistic options, and in order for companies to remain competitive, they have to focus on the development of physical material flow or physical logistics while continuously amending customer service (Thomas & Griffin, 1996). The traditional logistic functions that involved the activities of transporting, transshipment, and storage are par t of the physical logistic activities which has been changed since the adoption of e-logistics (Alt & Zbornik, 2002, p.723). Improving physical logistics has become complicated and consequently formed a new logistics system called e-logistics. The emergence of e-logistics had changed the virtual image of transporting, transshipment, and storage of information and materials, and it also managed to meet end-users expectations from manufacturers. For example, the emergence had helped Pfizer Pharmaceutical Corporation in the distribution of their medical products or medicines in the global

Explain Plato's Method of Finding True Knowledge in Meno Essay

Explain Plato's Method of Finding True Knowledge in Meno - Essay Example His metaphysics speaks about his insight on theory of knowledge. He says that there are two worlds namely a world of opinion and world of permanence also called a world of true knowledge. He says that knowledge is possible through reason. True knowledge means reason elevated to the level of consciousness. Plato argues in the Meno that knowledge is innate. An illiterate slave-person is able to demonstrate knowledge of geometry and arithmetic. What is latent is simply invoked by teaching. Answer 2. Descartes methods of finding true knowledge stress emphasis on creating methodological doubt and practicing radical skepticism. He talks about several steps to discover the true knowledge. First of all, as he describes, a person has to be totally free from preconceived notions and opinions. A conscious effort is required that mind does not collaborate with the sense faculties otherwise the process to find the truth may get derailed. To create all doubts in its core and then thrash them is a way towards solid foundation to attain true knowledge. Descartes proposes three arguments- perceptual argument, dream argument and the evil genius argument. Our most beliefs come from external senses. But it is a common experience for all of us that these external senses have deceived us in several occasions. In a perceptual argument he says that learning through five senses could be deceitful. In a dream argument he says that dream can never discover true knowledge. In an evil genius argument, he argues that an evil genius is always out to deceive us about everything and our beliefs such as sky, the earth, air, sounds or shapes that we see or feel in our daily life. However, he is sure about his existence regardless of whether he believes or does not believe; or he is being deceived or not being deceived. The cogito argument reflects that he exists separate from mind and matter and that is the basis for his search of the self, a true knowledge. Answer 3. Plato’s and Descarte s’ methods both stress on non-dualist theories to find the true knowledge; however, Plato’s methods revolve around soul-body dualism and Descartes methods progresses through mind-body dualism. Plato accepts the assumption that the soul is identical with what forms the body. Descartes has rejected this idea completely. Both of them recognizes the self, the I. Descartes clearly distinguishes soul with mind. For him soul is the one which animates the body. For him mind thinks but does not contribute in any corporeal system. Descartes come to the conclusion that body and mind are separate from each other while for Plato soul's thinking faculty goes best when it is dissociated from the body. For Plato, soul is a driving force to create and maintain the life the way it desires. Moreover, Plato does not feel necessary to get doused with skepticism or doubting-all phenomenon to arrive at the true knowledge unlike Descartes who starts with the premise of doubt-in- all to reach at the true knowledge. Answer 4 Mankind has gained a lot through platonic epistemology. There are several things that can be gained from Plato’s insights and ideas. 1. The first and foremost idea that discerns Plato from others is that knowledge is nothing but recalling ideas as that

Cheating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cheating - Essay Example Cheating can also be used interchangeably with infidelity, when someone â€Å"cheats† on his or her spouse or partner; it means they are involved in an affair with another person in secret. Herein, cheating involves dishonesty since one has made their partner believes they are faithful to them and the fact that they are emotionally or physically involved with someone else constitutes cheating. In this case, it can involve anything from sexual activity to holding hand, kissing or/making out depending on the understating of the parties concerned. Cheating can also involve using unfair methods to win or gain advantage in a situation that should otherwise be neutral for all. For instance, a student entering the exam room with notes or gaining access to the questions prior to the exam; such individuals are cheating because they increase their chances of outperforming their colleagues, not by working harder, but by manipulating circumstance to make the exam easier for them. Ultimately, cheating denotes and connotes deliberate dishonesty or deception, and from the examples given, it is clear that cheating is used to give people an unfair advantage, deceive and /or exploit

Character Sketch - Cephalus from Plato S Republic Essay Example for Free

Character Sketch Cephalus from Plato S Republic Essay Choose one of the three main characters from Book One of Platos Republic (Cephalus, Polemarchus or Thrasymachus). Write a character sketch that shows how the personality, social status, life situation and position affect the views the character holds about life and about the virtue of justice. Include the definition of justice for the character you are describing. In book one, we are introduced to four main characters: Socrates, Cephalus, Polemarchus, and Thrasymachus. Republic takes place in the home of Cephalus and Polemarchus, in the Piraeus. Cephalus is a elderly and financially secure merchant and businessman. He lives his life in moderation, he doesn’t over-reach and try to become too wealthy, and was also not a fan of excessive spending. He certainly wouldn’t approve of the credit card debts that many Americans have. But thanks to his financial security, Cephalus has a comfortable life in old age. By living his life in moderation, the transition to an elderly lifestyle has not been shocking or depressing. Cephalus will admit that these are not his Golden Years, per say – it’s certainly not the greatest period in his life, but thanks to that moderation, he finds the old age to not be as much of a burden as his friends do. His friends are depressed and woeful of their age. They miss the lifestyle that they had in their youth. Because of their age, they can no longer partake in the things they thought made them happy – sex, drugs, rock and roll, essentially. Cephalus has a simple idea of justice. Though he never goes to describe it himself, we can pull some context from his discussion with Socrates to fill in the details. Cephalus is an honest man, and as we said, he lives his life in moderation in all aspects. He doesn’t strive for unlimited wealth, but still values that wealth he has, and likely behaves ethically and morally for that reason. Cephalus keeps his desires at bay – he works hard, and he enjoys himself, but always manages to hold onto most of his money. The problem is, it seems to Socrates to be easier to live a ‘just’ and moderate life, because of the wealth that Cephalus possesses. Because Cephalus values wealth, he seems to put a heavy emphasis on the repayment of debts (and avoidance of debt in the first place as well) in his ideal of justice. He feels that if he can go to his next life not owing anyone a penny, it will lift a burden on his soul, in a metaphysical sense. A peace of mind comes with not lying or engaging in deception – which is easier to maintain when wealthy and not faced with problems (like, for example, feeding and clothing your family – some people will do anything when they are seemingly backed into a corner). Thanks to wealth, Cephalus is (at least in his own point of view) able to live a life without lies, without deception, and without debts.

The Definitions And Theories On Globalisation Politics Essay

The Definitions And Theories On Globalisation Politics Essay Without an iota of doubt it can be said that one of the metanarratives of our time is globalisation. Indeed, the phrases like the world has become a global village have become clichà ©s. To quote Fred Halliday Globalization has become, over the past few years, the catchword of international economic and political analysis. [Halliday, 2000, pp. 238] David Held and Anthony Mcgrew have expressed this in a slightly different way Indeed, globalization is in danger of becoming, if it has not already become, the clichà © of our times: the big idea which encompasses everything from global financial markets to the Internet but which delivers little substantive insight into the contemporary human condition [Held, Mcgrew, et al. 1999, pp. 1] They then superinduce globalization reflects a widespread perception that the world is rapidly being moulded into a shared social space by economic and technological forces and that developments in one region of the world can have profound consequences f or the life chances of individuals or communities on the other side of the globe.[Ibid] Here in this paper, first we will deal with the definitional and conceptual aspects of globalization. Then we will focus on the prospects and challenges of globalization. Finally, we will try to arrive at a cogent conclusion. DEFINITION AND CONCEPTUALIZATION: Globalization has been defined by different writers in different ways. Indeed, it has got different meanings to different people. According to Anthony Mcgrew, in simplest terms, globalization refers to widening, deepening and speeding up of worldwide interconnectedness [Mcgrew in Smith and Baylis (ed), pp. 20]. Martin Griffiths and Terry O Callaghan have defined is as the acceleration and intensification of mechanisms, processes and activities that are allegedly promoting global interdependence and perhaps ultimately global political and economic integration. It is, therefore, a revolutionary concept, involving the deterritorialisation of social, political, economic, and cultural life. [Griffiths and OCollaghan, 2004, pp. 126-127]. According to Steve Smith and John Baylis, globalization is the process of increasing interconnectedness between societies such that events in one part of the world have more and more effects on peoples and societies for away. They have also conceptualized the global world as one in which political, economic, cultural and social events become more and more impact. [Smith and Baylis ed, 2005, pp. 8] It is to be viewed not as a mere series of reforms giving free rein to transnational companies but as a radical programme to reshape the entire, economic, political, legal and ideological landscape of capitalism [Zuege, Leys et al (ed), 2006, pp. 1]. Amiya Kumar Bagchi has provided a different interpretation of globalization in his paper Womans Employment and well-being in a Globalising world as a deliberate concatenation and control of processes of production, exchange, information and services by the rich in rich nations of the world in collusion with the rich of most countries so as to increase their own power and wealth at the cost of the poor and disadvantaged everywhere. [Bagchi in Kar (ed), 2005, pp. 276] We may cite a few more definitions of globalization In words of Giddens, globalization refers to the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. [Quoted in Smith and Baylis (ed), 2005, pp. 24] Gilpin calls it The integration of the world-economy. [Ibid]. Scholte conceptualizes it in terms of De-territorialisation or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the growth of supraterritorial relations between people. [Ibid] David Harvey defines globalization in terms of time space compression. [Ibid] Anthony Mcgrew defines globalisation as a historical process involving a fundamental shift or transformation in the spatial scale of human social organization that links distant communities and expands the reach of power relations across regions and continents. [Mcgrew in Smith and Baylis (ed), 2005, pp. 24] In his presidential address to the 78th Annual Conference of the Indian Economic Association (28-30 Dec, 1995), Deepak Nayyar defined globalization as the expansion of economic activities across political boundaries of the nation states. More important, perhaps, it refers to a process of increasing economic integration and growing economic inter-dependence between countries in the world economy. It is associated not only with an increasing cross-border movement of goods, services, capital, technology, information and people also with an organization of economic activities which straddles national boundaries. [Nayyar, 1996, pp. 1] Held and Mcgrew have written, A satisfactory definition of globalization must capture each of these elements : extensity (stretching), intensity, velocity and impact. And a satisfactory account of globalization must examine them thoroughlyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. By acknowledging these dimensions a mere precise definition of globalization can be offered. Accordingly, globalization can be thought of as: a process (or set of process) which embodies a transformation in the spatial organization of social relations and transactions assessed in terms of their extensity, intensity, velocity and impact generating transcontinental or interregional flows and networks of activity, interaction, and the exercise of power. [Held and Mcgrew (ed), 1999, pp. 15-16]. According to C. Sheela Reddy, Globalisation is a complex, multidimensional, social, economic, cultural, technological and political process in which the mobility of capital, ideas, technology, organizations and people has acquired a growing global and transnational form. Advances in new technology (in particular information and communications technology), cheaper and quicker transport, trade, liberalization, increase in financial flows and growth in the size and power of corporations are its distinctive features. It is a blessing to people benefitting from the new opportunities. At the same time others are being left behind in poverty, effectively marginalized from the hopes that globalization holds out. [Reddy, 2008, pp. 84] Thus, from the above definitions, we may reiterate some important aspects of globalization like increasing interaction of social, economic, and political activity, relative deterritorialisation and de-nationalisation of the state, increasing movements of good and services, deregulation of national economy and so on. Anthony Mcgrew observes that globalization is characterized by a stretching of social, political and economic activities across political frontiers. the intensification, or the growing magnitude of interconnectedness in almost every sphere of social existence. the accelerating pace of global interactions and processes as the evolution of world wide systems of transport and communication. the growing extensity, intensity and velocity of global interactions. [Mcgrew in Steve and Baylis (ed), 2005, pp. 22] PERIODISATION OF GLOBALISATION: The periodisation of the process of globalization has been a matter of intense debate. Some regard it as a new phenomenon, while others regard it as the new phase of an old phenomenon and thus old wine in a new bottle. Chandan Sengupta has written One opinion is that the concept of globalization dates back to the voyage of discovery in the 15th century. According to Immanuel Wallerstein, the capitalist economic foundation of globalization was laid as early as in the16th century. Ronald Roberstson traced the historical temporal path of globalization to the present complex structure of global system through five phases: (i) the germinal (1400-1750) phase of dissolution of christendom an emergence of nationalism in Europe, (ii) the incipient (1750-1875) phase of nation state and the initial phase of internationalism and universalism in Europe, (iii) the take off (1875-1925) phase of conceptualization of the world as a single international society, global calendar, first world war, mass international migration and inclusion of non-Europeans in the international club of nation states; (iv) the struggle for hegemony (1925-1969) phase of cold war, the emergence of legue of Nations and the UN, and the emergence of third world, and (v ) the uncertainty (1969-1992) phase of space exploration, recognition of global environmental problem and global mass media, via space technology [ ] The roots of newly emerging forces of globalization have been traced in specific economic and political developments in the late 1980s or early 1990s. [Sengupta, 2001, pp. 3137] TWO PERSPECTIVES OF THE CONCEPTUAL CONSTRUCTIONS OF GLOBALISATION: According to Chandan Sengupta, there are two broad contexts in which globalization has been defined. These two contexts are not very far from one another. One is the economic context, the other that of non-economic which broadly includes socio-cultural, historical and political dimensions of globalization. Such a division of however, the author admits, in reality appear to be false because it is difficult to observe cultural dimensions of globalization totally independent of its material aspects. Scholars like Immanuel Wallerstein have resorted to the first perspective. While, Giddens, Robertson and Waters et. al, have tried to look globalization through the prism of socio-cultural perspective. [Ibid, pp. 3138]. THE GLOBALISATION DEBATE AND THE THREE SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT: Anthony, Mcgrew, David Held et. al have pointed out three broad schools of thought in relation to the globalization debate namely the hyperglobalizers, the sceptics, and the transformationalists. In essence each of these schools may be said to represent a distinctive account. We will highlight briefly what these theses are: For the hyperglobalisers, such as Ohmae, contemporary globalization defines a new era in which peoples everywhere are increasingly subject to the disciplines of the global marketplace. By contrast the sceptics, such as Hirst and Thompson, argue that globalization is essentially a myth which conceals the reality of an international economy increasingly segmented into three major regional blocs in which national governments remain very powerful. Finally, for the transformationalists, chief among them being Rosenau and Giddens, contemporary patterns of globalization are conceived as historically unprecedented such that states and societies across the globe are experiencing a process of profound change as they try to adapt to a more interconnected but highly uncertain world. Interestingly more of these three schools map directly on to traditional ideology positions or worldviews. [Held and Mcgrew, et. al, 1999, pp. 2] Held and others have also summarized the three dominant tendencies of globalization debate in a tabular form as follows. Conceptualizing globalization: three tendency Hyperglobalists Sceptics Transformationalists Whats new? A global age Trading blocs, weaker geogoverance than in earlier periods Historically unprecedented levels of global interconnectedness Dominant features Global capitalism, global governance, global civil society World less interdependent than in 1890s Thick'(intensive and extensive) globalization Power of national governments Declining or eroding Reinforced or enhanced Reconstituted restructured Driving forces of globalization Capitalism and technology States and markets Combined forces of modernity Pattern of stratification Erosion of old hierarchies Increased marginalization of south New architecture of world orders Dominant motif McDonalds, Madonna etc. National interest Transformation of political community Conceptualization of globalization As a reordering of the framework of human action As internationalization in regionalisation As reordering of interregional relations and actions at a distance Historical trajectory Global civilization Regional blocs / clash of civilizations Indeterminate global integration and fragmentation Summery argument The end of the nation-state Internationalisation depends on state acquiescence and support Globalization transformation state power and world politics [Ibid, pp. 10] It is noteworthy that when it comes to the sources of contention in the globalization debate, Held and others have mentioned five principal sources namely conceptualization causation periodisation impacts and the trajectories of globalization. [Held and Mcgrew et al.,1999,p10 ] It is not the purpose of this paper to explore them all at length. So, we will limit our discussion to the prospects and challenges of globalization only. PROSPECTS OF GLOBALISATION: Globalisation is a double edged phenomenon. It has got prospects as well as challenges. As regards the prospects or post dimensions of globalization, Smith and Baylis have written: The pace of economic transformation is so great that it has created a new world politics. States are no longer closed units and they cannot control their economies. The world economy is more interdependent than ever, wit trade and finances ever expanding. Communications have fundamentally revolutionized the way we deal with the rest of the world. We now live in a world where events in one location can be immediately observed in the other side of the world. Other side of the world. Electronic communications alter our notions of the social groups we work and live in. There is now, more than ever before, a global culture, so that most urban areas resemble one another. The world shares a common culture, much of it emanating from Hollywood. The world is becoming more homogeneous. Differences between peoples are diminishing. Time and space seem to be collapsing. Our old ideas of geographical space and of chronological time are undermined by the speed of modern communications and media. There is emerging a global polity, with transnational social and political movements and the beginnings of a transfer of allegiance from the state to sub-state, transnational, and international bodies. A cosmopolitan culture is developing. People are beginning to think globally and act locally. A risk culture is emerging with people realizing both that the main risks that face them are global (pollution and AIDS) and that states are unable to deal with the problems. [Smith and Baylis, 2005, pp. 10-11] C. Sheela Reddy wrote about the positive dimensions of globalizations as follows Increasing economic opportunities for countries to find markets in which their labour forces can compete effectively. Opportunities for countries with institutional and technical infrastructure to attract investments. Increasing consumer choice and falling prices for individuals around the world. Increasing protection of vulnerable groups, as communications technology facilitates global awareness and actions by international solidarity and human rights movements. Better protection of the right to seek, receive and impact information through new communication tools including cellular phones, satellite television and the internet. The right of freedom of association or freedom of assembly for which physical presence is no longer required due to new communication tools. Facilitating exchange of information on social policies and services, access to educational information and multicultural link with people of other cultures. [Reddy, 2008, pp. 86] Certain writers argue that now national boundaries do not stand in way of process of an individual or a community thanks to globalization. Men (and women) have gained access to the treasure of knowledge and culture which is the product of genius all over the world. Now local communities have the opportunity to benefit from technology information, services, and markets available anywhere in the world. Finally, globalization has created an awareness regarding the global environment all over the world, and different nations have come to recognize global problems as a matter of their individual and collective responsibility [Gauba, 2005, pp. 173] Another section of writers who strike a balance between the merits and demerits of globalization have noted that globalisation has raised per capita income in the world to three times since 1945; it has created awareness regarding environment, and congenial conditions for disarmament. It has brought the condition of subordinate groups to limelight and inspired them to form their global organizations for their emancipation. It has also liberated them from the ideological domination of their local communities and enabled them to fight for their legitimate rights. [Ibid] As regard the impact of globalization on women, Lene Sjorup has written: women are ( ) involved in globalization at a number of interlocking, diverse and sometimes even contradictory levels. They may very well be the victims of one aspect of globalization, while they remain central actors in other aspects. Why, I ask myself, paint a picture of an overwhelming enemy confronting women, when a more detailed socio-religio-political analysis shows that women participate in complicated ways in global developments? Women surely are confronted with a number of obstacles at many levels. But, why use a mega-term like globalisation for describing the arch-enemy, instead of analyzing the many forms of oppression women face within the process of globalization, and including those from which we also benefit. [Sjorup, 1997, pp. 97] Thus, it would be wrong to treat globalization as a total anathema. As regards the future of globalization, Stanley Fischer (the first Deputy Managing Director of IMF) commented to Closing Panel Discussion of IMF on Aug 26, 2000: What about the future (of globalization)? Two cheering observations to begin with: First, most developing countries continue to liberalize trade despite their complaints about the global trading system. We calculate an index of trade barriers for individual IMF member countries. Almost uniformly, it shows that barriers to trade have been declining in the developing countries. They understand that unilateral trade liberalization is in their own interest, they are arguing for the advanced countries to open up not for themselves to close down and that is good news. Second, despite the recent crisis, capital accounts in almost all emerging market countries have remained open. And the two largest economies with relatively closed capital accounts. They understand that is the best way to go. They understand that is the best way to go. They are doing it cautiously and gradually and they are right to do it that way. But the direction in which they are moving is clear. Policy-makers in almost all developing countries have no intention of reversing the process of capital account opening, despite their complaints over much of what is going on in the world, and despite their concerns over the recent crises. [http: // www.imf.org/external / np/ speeches/2000/082600.htm. visited on 21/03/10 at 8.30 p.m] He has also mentioned two forecasts.The first is conditional : if we, and this means policy makers of the advanced countries and the international institutions, manage the processes well and bring the developing countries into the process of globalization, it will continue, to the potential benefit of all and to the likely benefit of almost all. And, second, there will be surprises along the way. [Ibid] CHALLENGES OF GLOBALISATION: The rewards of globalization has not been uniform and equitable. It has benefitted only a certain category of states and people. M.A. Ommen has even called it a contrived phenomenon. He cites three reasons why globalization is not the culmination of a natural process: Firstly, the world today is virtually governed by the G-7 countries (the USA, the UK, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy). The IMF, World Bank and the World Trade Organization (WTO), the avatar of GATT, are neatly co-opted into the process of the economic management of the world. Second, science and technology are not a free pursuit. They are in captivity, so to say. The military powers (this includes the former Soviet Union) and transnational corporations (TNCS) have manipulated science technology for power and profit. This trend continues. The end of cold war has not materially altered the situation. Third, the United States of America as Prof. Vernon points out, has been trying to create an international system in its own image has pioneered the so-called development ideology to counter communism. [Ommen, 1995, pp.75] GLOBALISATION : THE NEW AVATAR OF IMPERIALISM Some scholars are viewing globalization as the new face of imperialism. They are of the view that imperialist globalization is gradually spreading its wings to cast an abysmally dark shadow world over. Thinkers like Ranen sen are very much critical of this contretemps. He writes Globalisation is paving the way for the US imperialism which is out to exploit the unipolar geopolitics. Militarization and more aggressive programmes are designed within framework of hegemenistic objectives of the CIS authorities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Washington has a long-term plan to destabilize the south and central Asian countries which have untapped hydrocarbon resource. Afghanistan has a massive resource of natural gas and Iraq has a developed oil industry. The US scheme of subversion in Afghanistan, Iraq and adjacent countries in nothing new. After becoming the hegemonistic ruler of world capitalist order, following the collapse of the USSR, Wash ington pressed Pentagon more vigorously into service to dominate the oil and natural gas sectors in those countries.[Sen in Kar (ed) 2005, pp. 93-94] It is often claimed that globalization has led to the increasing interdependence. Now, the basic questions concern. Interdependence among and who are the beneficiaries? Samit Kar writes in the preface of GLOBALISATION : ONE WORLD MANY VOICES [pp. 12] Is this interdependence of world society real or tilted in favour of the richer nations? Neo-Marxists are also apprehensive of the lopsided development brought by globalization Robert Cox and other neo-Marxists à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ stress the uneven hierarchical nature of economic globalization. The global economic power is increasingly concentrated in the leading industrialised countries, including the United States, Japan, and the States of Western Europe. That means the economic globalization will not benefit the impoverished masses of the Third World. Nor will it improve the living standards of the poor in the highly industralised countries. [Jackson and Sorensen, 2003, pp. 217] Mahuya Chakrabarty writes in the same vein in the article Free Market Globalisation: Oil conflict and US aggression-This so-called free market globalization does not actually mean the spread of productive capital in the world but the accelerated accumulation and concentration of capital in the few imperialist countries, chiefly the US. Liberalization, p rivatization and deregulationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the key factors attached with free market globalization à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. have accelerated the outflow of social weather created by the people from the neo-colonies to the neo-imperialist countries. Here, the principal actor is the MNCs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the multinational agencies like the IMF, World Bank and WTO. [Chakrabarty in Kar (ed), 2005, pp. 108] Ranen Sen has written Globalisation is a bid to restructure the power and politics of developed capitalist countries under the US hegemony. It is in a way to recolonization through the trinity of World Bank, IMF and WTO. [Sen in Kar (ed), 2005, pp. 94] In the same tune Petras and Polychroniou, have pointed out the real nature and motives of these financial institutions These institutions were controlled by appointees of the respective imperial states and their function was to displace national markets and local producers and undermine popular social legislation in order to facilitate the entry of multinationals and the primacy of domestic export elites producing for the markets of the imperial counties. [Petras and Polychroniou, 1997, pp. 2251] GLOBALISATION AND UNEVEN DEVELOPMENT: The process of globalization is highly uneven. Deepak Nayyar observes There are less than a dozen developing countries which are an integral part of globalization in the late twentieth century. Argentina, Brazil and Mexico in Latin America and Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand in Asia. These eleven countries accounted for about 30 percent of total exports from developing countries during the period 1970-1980. This share rose to 59 per cent in 1990 and 66 per cent in 1992. The same countries, excluding Korea, were also the main recipients of direct investment in the developing world accounting for 66 per cent of the average annual inflows during the period 1981-1991à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ this evidence suggests that globalization is most uneven in its spread and there is an exclusion in the process. Sub-Saharan Africa, West Asia, Central Asia and South Asia are simply not in the picture, apart from many co untries in Latin America, Asia and the Pacific which are left out altogether. [Nayyar, 1996, pp. 15] Nayyar also notes that the benefits of integration with the world economy, through globalization, would accrue only to those countries which have laid the requisite foundations for industrialization and development. This means investing in the development of human resources and the creation of a physical infrastructure. This means the acquisition of technological and managerial capabilities at a micro-level. This means the creation of institutions that would regulate, govern and facilitate the functioning of markets. In each of these pursuits, strategic forms of state intervention are essential. The countries which have not created these pre-conditions could end up globalizing prices without globalizing incomes. In the process, a narrow segment of their population may be integrated with the world economy, in terms of consumption patterns or living styles, but a large proportion of their population may be marginalized even further. [Ibid, pp. 16] According to C. Sheela Reddy, the benefits of economic globalization have not accrued to the majority due to certain adverse consequences like: The increase of inequalities among regions and nations, within nations and among individuals The continued growth of poverty. The increase of peoples vulnerability due to social risks such as unemployment and crime. The decrease in opportunities for regions, nations, communities and individuals to enjoy the benefits and advantages provided by globalization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Thus the benefits of globalization are not uniformly enjoyed at present as many people still live in poverty and the result of alleviation efforts are uneven within and between the regions of the world. [Reddy, 2008, pp. 87-88] Hirst and Thompson have made a very harsh criticism of globalization. According to them, the most extreme versions of globalizations are a myth. In support of this claim, they have offered five arguments. First, the present internationalized economy is not unique in history. In some respects they say it is less open than the international economy between 1870 and 1914. Second, they find that genuinely transnational companies are relatively rare, most are national companies trading internationally. There is no trend towards the development of international companies. Third, there is no shift of finance and capital from the developed to the underdeveloped worlds. Direct investment is highly concentrated amongst the countries of the developed world. Fourth, the world-economy is not global, rather trade, investment, and financial flows are concentrated in and between three blocs Europe, North America, and Japan. Finally, they argue this group of three blocs could, if they co-ordinated p olicies, regulate global economic markets and forces [quoted in Smith , Baylis, 2005, p. 11] We will highlight here some other challenges of globalization First it must be borne in mind that competitive markets may be the best guarantee of efficiency, but not of equity. And markets are neither the first not the last word in human development. There was a time when many activities and goods that are crucial to human development were provided outside the market à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ but these are now being squeezed by the pressure of global competition. The policy of structural adjustment which was forced on most of the third world countries has reduced the amount of government expenses in health, employment as well as in education sector, subsequently making the people of the third world the victim of globalization. Second, unequal distribution: When the market goes too far in dominating social and political outcome, the opportunities and reward of globalization spread unequally and inequitably à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. concentrating power and values in a select group of people, nations and corporations, marginalizing the others. When the market goes our of hand, the instability grows up, as in the financial crisis in East Asia and its worldwide implications cutting global output by estimated 2 trillion dollar in 1998-2000. Since 1980s many countries have captured the opportunities of economic and technological globalization. Other than the industrial countries, the countries like India, Poland, Turkey, Chile are attracting foreign investment and taking advantage of technological progress. At the other extreme there any many countries, not all benefited from expanding markets and advancing technology Madagascar, sub-Saharan countries among others. Third, Inequality within and between countries: Jayati Gosh has written in her article Imperialist Globalisation and the political economy of South Asia à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The recent process of imperialist globalization has been marked by greatly increased disparities, both within countries and between countries. [Ghosh in Kar (ed.), 2005, pp. 260.] Inequality has been rising in many countries since the early 1980s In China, disparities are widening between the export oriented region of the coast and the interior. The human poverty index is just under 20% in coastal provinces, but more than 50% inland Guijhou. Inequality between the countries has also been increasing. Noteworthy that the income gap between the richest and the poorest fifth in the world was just 3:1 in 1820. Today, the gap in one word is gargantuan. Let us look at the following statistics included in UNDP 1999 Report: Year Income Gap Ratio 1820 3:1 1870 7:1 1913 11:1 1960 30:1 1990 60:1 1997 74:1 Again at the turn of the 21 century, the richest 20% of the worlds population had: > 86% of world GDPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The bottom fifth had 1% > 82% of world export markets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the bottom fifth