The Museum Of Fine Arts - 751 Words

Dear to whom it may concern in Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston I am writing to you to express my interest in the job opportunity â€Å"Terrace Research Associate in Egyptian Art† in the Department of Art of the Ancient World, one of open staff positions in Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston next Summer. As an applicant for the job opportunity in Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston, I would be interested in the division, the Arts of Ancient Egypt collections I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Egyptology from Cairo University in Egypt, where I studied in its prestigious Department of Archeology. In the course of my four years of undergraduate education, I studied various subjects, including the history of ancient Egypt (prehistoric, pre-dynastic, and dynastic periods), ancient Egyptian archeology, ancient Egyptian language, Coptic language, Hieratic scripts and texts, archaeological sites, museology and excavation, religions thought in ancient Egypt, ancient Egyptian society, history and archeology during the Ptolemaic period, history and civilization of ancient Greece as well as history and archeology of Egypt in Roman period. My interest in art grew out of my passion for history, particularly the ancient history of Egypt, where I was born and raised. Already as a child I was fascinated by museums and the vast amount of objects they contained and I avidly read the label information of each museum object. My academic study of art, particularly Egyptian and ancient Near Eastern art, beganShow MoreRelatedMuseum of Fine Arts1430 Words   |  6 PagesDerain’s Turning Road and Benton’s Haystack After visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston for the first time, I observed many interesting works of art representing various time periods. Of all the paintings that I saw last week, two landscaped pieces seemed to stick out in my mind; Andre Derain’s The Turning Road and Thomas Hart Benton’s Haystack. Though these two art works are similar in subject matter, they clearly reflect the different styles and time periods of their artists; the abstractRead MoreThe Museum Of Fine Arts1106 Words   |  5 PagesThe Museum of Fine Arts, located in St. Petersburg, Florida holds a variety of artworks that depict a specific period in human development and cultural aspects. The variety was very helpful and the process to narrow down the search of a painting of my choice became less difficult. The painting that I choose was made by an American artist named Stuart Davis Untitled (Black and White Variation on Windshield Mirror). Davis’s painting was extremely peculiar and I wanted to further examine its propertiesRead MoreThe Museum Of Fine Arts1398 Words   |  6 Pages Like many other places in South Boston, the Museum of Fine Arts and History is deceptively small, but musty and brimming with reminiscence of times past. Squatting on the curb of the downtown road since 1993, the museum belies its significance. Composed of plain red brick atop a sheet of cracked pavement, it is as humble as any house along the road. The first step into the museum greets the patron with a wave of chilly air that totes along whiffs of dust and undertones of the aged burgundy rugRead MoreThe Museum Of Fine Art1022 Words   |  5 PagesThe Museum of Fine Art in Houston, Texas has a variety of art collections. To be precise, the canopic jar is mounted on a large pedestal among other sculptures. This Canopic Jar was made in Egypt during the dynasty XXVI, 664-525 B.C. It was made from limestone. The jar was masterfully carved from stone and subsequently painted over. It is a historical masterpiece and it is relatively in good condition. Such stone jars were used to house the organs of the deceased. Their organs were put in these canopicRead MoreThe Museum Of Fine Arts1511 Words   |  7 Pagesexpress the culture of a region or a country. Therefore, art has played a very important role throughout history. When talking about art, the first thing that comes to most people’s mind is probably that art is a paintin g or it is a sculpture. However, art has many forms of expression, and it closely connects to human’s daily life. Besides paintings and sculptures, art is everywhere around us. I am always interested in how people have linked art with daily life throughout history. For this reason, theRead MoreThe Museum Of Fine Arts1523 Words   |  7 Pagesexpress the culture of a region or a country. Therefore, art has played a very important role throughout history. When talking about art, the first thing that comes to most people’s minds is probably that art is a painting or it is a sculpture. However, art has many forms of expression, and it closely connects to human’s daily life. Besides paintings and sculptures, art is everywhere around us. I am always interested in how people have linked art with daily life throughout history. For this reason, theRead MoreThe Museum of Fine Arts Essay891 Words   |  4 PagesThe Museum of Fine Arts One pleasant afternoon, my classmates and I decided to visit the Houston Museum of Fine Arts to begin on our museum assignment in world literature class. According to Houston Museum of Fine Art’s staff, MFAH considers as one of the largest museums in the nation and it contains many variety forms of art with more than several thousand years of unique history. Also, I have never been in a museum in a very long time especially as big as MFAH, and my experience about the museumRead MoreThe Virginia Museum Of Fine Arts970 Words   |  4 PagesThe Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond at a glance is a modern metropolitan building that displays a vibrant exhibition of Byzantine art found in the Medieval and Byzantine wing. They are grouped together because they share a progression of time occurring in the heart of Europe roughly from the 1300s until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The exhibit begins with displays of medieval art of Western Europe. It further progresses to By zantine art arranged in broad categories ranging from pre-ChristianRead MoreA Visit At The Museum Of Fine Arts1210 Words   |  5 PagesMuseum Assignment On November 8th, 2016 I took a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, to conduct research on different kinds of art. When I got there I went straight to The Ancient World exhibit to find a piece of artwork that I found fascinating. The moment I took a step through those giant glass doors, I saw the Colossal Statue of King Menkaura. This vast piece of artwork had so much history and detail from one particular era, it was almost breathtaking. As I continued onRead MoreThe Collection At The Museum Of Fine Arts2099 Words   |  9 PagesRESEARCH Integrated into the Permanent Collection at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Pieter Brueghel the Younger 1620’s painting Return from the Inn, illustrates an outdoor winter scenery of rustic peasant life in early seventeenth century Belgium. Born in 1564 or 1565 in Brussels, Belgium, Pieter Brueghel the Younger was a Flemish painter best known for being the oldest son of the notable sixteenth-century Netherlandish painter Pieter Brueghel the Elder and Mayken Coecke van Aelstv (Artnet, 2016)

Essay about Sociological Concepts in Wheres the Love

The song â€Å"Where’s the Love?† by Black Eyed Peas displays many sociological concept in the context of its lyrics. In this song the band is expressing their concerns with the world’s views and actions of the present day. They question the mentality and reflect upon the realism of the world. The main idea surrounding this song is concentrated around the social construction of reality and how the world is changing. The song expresses the way people are not living up to society’s norms and values. It suggests that various agents of socialization are at fault and that they contribute to the development of self. This song implies that individual’s are violating the norms and values of society. They start the song with a verse that expresses†¦show more content†¦These are countercultures which are smaller groups within a certain culture group that are in opposition to all the behaviors and norms of the larger group. (Newman, 124) These count ercultures contribute to the violation of norms and values of the dominate group. This song is concentrated on the social construction of reality, which talks about about how â€Å"Ideas about reality also change over time† (Newman, 53). We can see this expressed in lines 32-33 in the song : â€Å"It just aint the same, old ways have changed/New days are strange, is the world insane†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 32-33) The band states how the world’s views and attitudes have changed and how there is uncertainly for the future. The band is questioning the values that they once lived up to. â€Å"Yo, whatever happened to the values of humanity/Whatever happened to the fairness in equality/ Instead of spreading love were spreading animosity/ Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 71-74). They imply that individuals are swaying away from their values, as a result changing their reality. In addition, they also question the faith and actions of the world. The choirs of the song: â€Å"Father, Father, Father help us/Send some guidance from above/People got me, got me questionin/ Where is the love (Love)/ †¦.Where is the love/The love, the love?† (lines 23-31) they tie in social institutions and agents of socialization. Above all they are focusing on one social institution which is religion. The songShow MoreRelatedOrganizational Behavior, the Modele, Elements, Challenges.6128 Words   |  25 Pagesquestions. Your answers should not be copied, word-for-word, from the textbook. You may use the terms, concepts, examples from the textbook, but these must be written as your own, independent expression. 1. What are the three levels of analysis in this book’s OB model? And draw the diagram of OB model stage II 2. Identify the challenges and opportunities managers have in applying OB concepts. 3. Explain the key biographical characteristics and describe how they are relevant to Read MoreCRM 1301 Midterm uOttawa Carolyn Gordon Essay10218 Words   |  41 Pagestheir consciousness. 2 types of consciousness Class consciousness Sense of common identification among members of a given class Capitalist falls under this category False consciousness Inability to clearly see where’s one’s own best interests life â€Å"Religion is the opiate of the masses† Don’t question religion Follow authority Form of oppression. Religion doesn’t fix the problems According to Marx, religion was made from imagination. Religion distractedRead MoreMarketing and E-commerce Business65852 Words   |  264 PagesInsight on Technology: Will Apps Make the Web Irrelevant? Insight on Business: Start-Up Boot Camp Insight on Society: Facebook and the Age of Privacy Case Study: The Pirate Bay: Searching for a Safe Haven CHAPTER 2 E-COMMERCE BUSINESS MODELS AND CONCEPTS Opening Case: Twitter’s Business Model Insight on Society: Foursquare: Check Your Privacy at the Door Insight on Business: Crowdfunding Takes Off Insight on Technology: Battle of the Titans: Music in the Cloud Case Study: Pandora and the Freemium

Religion and Its Effects on Globalization Free Essays

To be successful today, enterprises must now manage products and services, customer contact, delivery, and supply-chain management in real time; all on a networking-centric fabric with customer demand for anytime, anywhere access to information and services leading the charge. People around the world understand the importance of information technology and accept the fact that it is here to stay. This sudden expansion in the computer field created a pool of occupations that were open, yet unable to be filled by the current workforce. We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and Its Effects on Globalization or any similar topic only for you Order Now Not dealing directly with the IT worker shortage threatens not only the growth of the IT industry, but also the growth of the entire U. S. economy and our global competitiveness. U. S. will soon lack a supply of qualified core IT workers, such as computer scientists and engineers, systems analysts, and computer programmers. Since the shortage of IT workers is becoming a global problem, U. S. employers will face tough competition to hire and keep highly skilled IT employees. Introduction The world’s religions have been instrumental in shaping virtually all aspects of human experience and human perceptions. Certainly, religion played an important role in the development and the ongoing support of democratic principles. One can even go so far as to say that it was because of the determination engendered by religious faith that democracy was first founded in the modern world as religious refugees sought out a new land to worship as they believed they should. Religion has also been at the core of many of the world’s most horrific wars. Whether the jihads of the Middle East, the battles in Northern Ireland, or the ancient Crusaded, war has often been predicated on religion. In addition, there are many religious people, especially those who think of themselves as traditionalists, who are deeply skeptical about democracy. Democracy, in this view, is one of a horde of pernicious doctrines that modernity unleashed in its attack on religious truth. All that can be examined empirically is the fact that modern democracy, not that of the Athens of Socrates’ time, the democracy of the past two and a half centuries, is one that found its roots in the belief that all people have the right to believe as they will and that a nation must support that simple fact. Historically Most modern Americans have come to think of democracy as rather â€Å"old hat. † In reality, democracy is as fearlessly new today as when it was first proposed. â€Å"If it does not have to be reinvented, it certainly has to be rethought, by e very generation. Today there is a particular urgency about rethinking democracy in relation to its moral and religious grounding† (Neuhaus 87). Yet in terms of relative time in the larger course of human history, democracy is a relatively new idea and ideal. Assuming that people have a right to determine their own future, actions, faith, and government stems, in great part, from the understanding that a higher power, God, prophet, or spiritual leader has led them to understand that they are creatures who choose their path – what is often called â€Å"free agency. Judeo-Christian faith has established a foundation for Western democracy in its stories of the Bible’s Old and New Testaments of attacks by both law and prophets on the absolute power of rulers, the demands for redress for the poor and oppressed, and the exposing of self-interest in every kind of human system. The Christian revelation showed the equality of all in the sight of God and a vision of the Kingdom of God ruled by love not compulsion, strengthening the call for justice and for compassion for the weak. The Hebrew texts’ and the Bible’s emphases on opposing political and social oppression, and on the religious fellowship that bound communities were taken up strongly in Europe, Britain, and North America. The First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution’s â€Å"Religion Clause† consists of two provisions. One forbids the â€Å"establishment† of a religion, and the other guarantees the â€Å"free exercise† of religion. The â€Å"no establishment† provision is in the service of the â€Å"free exercise† provision and suggests (or demands) that religion not be created by the state in behalf of the state. Of course, individual Americans have created new religions throughout the past two hundred years. Free exercise is the end, and no establishment is one means in the service of that end. This understanding of the Religion Clause has not always prevailed in our jurisprudence. Indeed, in recent years, the courts have frequently acted as though â€Å"no establishment† is the end, and in the service of that end they have officially decreased what many think of as the free exercise of religion in the public sphere. Recent news stories regarding the judge who wants the Biblical Ten Commandments hanging in his courtroom, or the stories requiring that municipal â€Å"holiday† displays reflect a multiplicity of beliefs. Philosophically Religion and politics have always had a turbulent history together. Religion and democratic politics have even more difficulty coexisting, because the former suggests an unyielding body of law, an peremptory understanding of what is right and what is wrong, and a clear knowledge of the direction that should be followed by the government. The fundamental precept of democracy suggests a much more relativistic approach. Democracy attempts to allow for laws that can be changed, a sense that the majority should determine what is right and what is wrong (and, correspondingly, when the majority changes or evolves the determination of what is right and what is wrong will also change), and a much more flexible idea of directions that should be followed by the state (Mahler 601). There has been a great deal of concern voiced throughout the last half of the 20th century that religion is declining worldwide and secularism is advancing. As modernity spreads, secularism spreads in its wake. The high degree of religious involvement with politics in the United States is said to be the dying gasp of religious forces that are using politics in an effort to postpone their demise. Early advocates of the secularization of modern society were those responsible for forming a large core of nineteenth-century European thought. Karl Marx was sure that class struggle and the triumph of communism would become the tale of modern life, while religion would soon be a mercifully finished chapter. Max Weber believed that in modernity’s wake the mighty forces of rationalism and bureaucratization would defeat religion, if not entirely eliminate the religious. Sigmund Freud hoped that â€Å"the future of an illusion† would prove poor as people saw that the modern world gave them a chance to be free of religion and, ostensibly, free from personal tyranny, guilt, and fearfulness. Islam and Democracy It is important to look at faiths outside of the Judeo-Christian traditions in any discussion regarding the impact of religion on democracy. Islam serves as one of the best examples of the ways in which a religion has discouraged the formation of democracies and democratic political structures. The extent to which democracy and Islam are mutually exclusive has been tested empirically with implications for conflict in civilization and the prospects for democratic peace. Three measures of democracy were used in a study published in 1998: a political rights index, an index of liberal democracy, and a measure based on institutionalization (Midlarsky 485). The measure of democratic institutionalization behaves in a manner intermediate between the other two and shows that the likelihood of conflict is based on the likelihood indoctrinated negative attitudes directed at the non-Islam organization or nation. Politics in Muslim states have always been strongly influenced by religion. And yet, concern about the expansion and impact of religiously inspired politics is widespread, and the demise of communism has turned Islamism into what is perceived as the most dangerous enemy of liberal democracy However, issues such as the threats posed by an Islamic form of government on democracy and the use of religion to promote social and political justice continue to be debated throughout the world. The fact that debate takes place should speak well of the inclusion of some democratic principles as part of modern life regardless of religious belief or affiliation. An important factor to be considered is that the assumption of the moral correctness of one’s religion or the religion of an entire people has often led to the out-of-hand condemnation of other cultures, nations, and governments. That condemnation is often what then leads to religious-based battles and wars. The Modern Realm It is a common belief that religious fundamentalism–the appeal for a return to the literal reading of a holy text and its application to politics and society–is a major threat to democracy. In a democracy, people are supposed to treat each other as equals and with mutual respect. The most traditional and classic definition of the democratic life is that citizens have or should have equal public standing. However, the ancient texts of most faiths outline strong laws and constraints on individuals. In recent years there have been calls by religious leaders and politicians alike to return to such literal interpretations and definitions of right and wrong. But in a democracy, the state recognizes the integrity of the church, not simply as a voluntary association of individuals, but as a communal bearer of the witness to a higher sovereignty from which, through the consent of the governed, the legitimacy of the state itself is derived. That understanding is what allows for the multi-culturalism and diversity that is inherent in a democracy. Religion is not what has defined democracy just as democracy has certainly not defined religion. Democracy, at least in the United States, is still a spiritual concept in that the majority of Americans believe that vision of a society based on two fundamental beliefs. â€Å"The first is that all men, created equal in the eyes of God with certain unalienable rights, are free to pursue the longings of their hearts. The second belief is that the sole purpose of government is to protect those rights. The first Americans shared this deeply spiritual vision. Most Americans still do † (Reed 26). For more than 200 years, the people of the United States have pursued the vision of a â€Å"faithful† democracy, maintaining a firm foundation, and achieved greatness by honoring God and welcoming people of all faith into public life. Perhaps, such a statement can serve as an example of how religion and democracy truly interact – as mutually supportive concepts both based on fundamental perceptions of the meaning of truth in human life. That is one of the great privileges of democracy and one part of the foundation of faith. How to cite Religion and Its Effects on Globalization, Papers

Hi in Persepolis free essay sample

Use examples from the book citing page numbers. Analyze in depth. Focus on depth, not breadth. (No summaries or reviews. ) Stories should consider Satrapi’s style, substance and themes. Use dialog and convey with action and description what Satrapi does in pictures. Remember to indent with each new Themes for your story or essay: 1. Explore how conflicting extreme events shape a childhood such as loving parents, exile and war. In an Associated Press interview, Satrapi said, â€Å"The only thing I hope is that people will read my book and see that this abstract thing, this Axis of Evil, is made up of individuals with lives and hopes. And in her introduction to Persepolis, she explains that she wrote the book to show that Iran is not only a country of â€Å"fundamentalism, fanaticism, and terrorism. † Think about how Satrapi goes about challenging this myth? Does Persepolis dispel or confirm your views on Iran? In an ESSAY, think about ways does Persepolis deepens your understanding and knowledge of Iran. We will write a custom essay sample on Hi in Persepolis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In a STORY, challenge a social/cultural myth by showing the complex dynamics. 3. In an essay or story, explore the contrasts of captivity/freedom and oppression/resistance. What stifles or prevents people from being completely free? How do they circumvent and defy the rules imposed on them and attempt to live ordinary lives despite extraordinary circumstances? Give some examples of their small acts of rebellion. 4. Explore the social roles and restraints on woman in Persepolis. Compare and contrast the various women. In an essay focus on the women in the book. In a story, you can explore another social context in which women (or another group) navigate complex social roles. 5. Explore the themes of role models/heroes such as Uncle Anoosh’s and Grandmother. How do they shape Marji (in an essay) or your character (in your story). How are they inspiring and how are they hard to live up, potentially bringing shame? 6. Think about what Satrapi is suggesting about the relationship between past and present, and between national and personal history? What role does her family history, and the stories of her relatives, play in shaping Marji OR your character? 7. Write about the impact of social class. Consider what Satrapi depicts about disparity between the classes before and after the Iranian Revolution? In a story, depict social class shifts in our own society. 8. Towards the end of the book, Marjane refers to the people’s fear of the Islamic Commission: â€Å"It’s only natural! When we’re afraid, we lose all sense of analysis and reflection. Our fear paralyzes us. Besides, fear has always been the driving force behind all dictators’ repression†. In an essay, how do Marjane and her compatriots deal with fear in their daily lives? In a story, consider ways fear controls your characters? 9. Towards the end we have a portrait of a marriage. It’s demise is not painted as being the fault of one person or the other. From a psychological and social perspective, explore the marriage. A story can depict the demise or unlikely success of a complex relationship. 10. In the end, Marjane is caught between two worlds. Is she Iranian or European – or something else altogether? What is her ultimate decision and what meaning/s do you get out of it. Also, your story can explore navigating between two worlds or cultures. 11. Remember, I am open to your own ideas. Share them with me.

Fasfgsdaads Essays - Hacking, Identity Theft, Hacker,

Fasfgsdaads Now Showing Matches 1 To 15 Page 1 of 2 Kids & Hacking / Crime Or Exploration? [ send me this paper ] A 5 page exploration of the topic of kids and hacking, the non-malicious but unauthorized entry into private computer systems. Addresses the problem of hacking and suggests ways to deal with these cases from both a legal standpoint and a parental guidance standpoint. Psychology

Access, amenities, attractions and ancillary services Essays

Access, amenities, attractions and ancillary services Essays Access, amenities, attractions and ancillary services Paper Access, amenities, attractions and ancillary services Paper The four As (access, amenities, attractions and ancillary services) can be used to investigate the provision of tourism at a destination. Using information gathered from panel discussions in week 2 and 3 of the course and from information gathered during the field trip, you are required to critically evaluate the provision of tourism in Cambridge and to identify the ways in which government policy and strategy has affected this provision. It is difficult to decide which one of the Coopers four As is the most important, but considering the reason why people travel the attractions are definitely significant element of leisure tourism to a destination. Attractions are created to bring people to them and to provide them enjoyment and education as well as to fulfil their leisure and recreational necessitates. There are different sorts of attractions, for example favourable climate might be the key attraction for somebody (Mediterranean destinations) whereas for the majority of people there are historic cities (Athens), natural attractions (The Grand Canyon) and entertainment centres (Alton Tower) (Mill and Morrison 1992). Amenities including accommodation are also essential element of tourism industry within destination because it contributes to the countrys economy. The quality and range of that component vary depending on customers needs and expectations. It includes hotels, guesthouses, bed and breakfast apartments, cottages, camping sites as well as VFR (Cooper et al). Another very important although expensive aspect of tourism is easy access to the destinations location of access routes, railways and highways, the closeness of airports (Page 2003). Ancillary services provide support to the tourists (promotional information) and to the suppliers of tourism services (access to marketing research, advice about marketing, quality and training, promoting the destination) (Holloway 2002). Cambridge is a historic city with a population of around 105,000. In 1999 4.1 million visitors came to the city. That number has doubled from the middle 1970s to the late 1980s mostly due to a revised classification of day visitors. The total value of tourism to Cambridge is estimated at more than à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½260 million. It provides 5,500 full-time jobs and 2,000 part-time and seasonal jobs. The majority of people visiting Cambridge are day visitors, most of them staying for part of a day, the rest just for one or two nights (Maitland 1996). Most of them come to the city on holiday and sightseeing and 10% for business during the peak season from June to September. 15% of the visitors were staying for longer with half of them coming from out of the country (Cambridge). In the city situated by the River Cam and its surroundings there are many attractions. University of Cambridge with thirty-one Colleges attracts visitors from all over the world. It is one of the oldest universities in the world and one of the biggest in the United Kingdom. Kings College was funded in 1411 intended only for 70 people and never meant to raise money for the college. After charging for the entrance as a way to cope with visitor pressure the number of them has fallen from 1 million to 330,000. Charging at the most popular Colleges increases the number of visitors at the less popular. The estimated income from tourists is 470,000 a year that is spent on restoration of the chapel, repairs and provision of information or services for visitors. There is no income from any other sources. Kings College offers audio guides in French, German and Japanese and provides free leaflets in seven major languages. Although there are many people wanting to visit Colleges it makes it more difficult because of the lack of signs with direction where the Colleges are. The reason for that is because there is no cooperation between City Council and Colleges. Kings College does not provide any facilities in the chapel to have a tea, coffee, no Visitor Centre, rehearsal rooms, changing rooms, no even toilets. The explanation for that are visual effects, grade list. There is no planning permission to build these facilities that would collide with the Kings view appearance. Provision of facilities for people with disabilities is also insignificant because it could collide with the character and fabric of these historic buildings (Buxton 2006). Cambridge is easily accessible by road and rail and Stansted airport is just 30 miles away. More than half of visitors come by car and 31% by train. To avoid traffic in the centre of the city there has been introduced high quality parking and bus regular service called Cambridge Park Ride used by more than 1.5 million people a year. Visitors use for free 5000 spaces spread across five sites located on the main routes into the city. Unfortunately it is not possible to park overnight. Caravanetes at two sites do not allow caravans (Cambridge). The main problem with access in that historic city is congestion (caused by cars, coaches and pedestrians) that affects the experience of both residents and tourists as well as the environment through the pollution, noise they make and danger they create for pedestrians and cyclist. Visitors, especially language school students cause also disturbance, obstruction of pavements, unsafe cycling and rubbish (Maitland 1996). More difficulties are causing the following: small and narrow roads, no coach stations and not many bus lanes. Visitors are cramped because of one way system. Cambridge does not want National Express buses to come straight from the airport causing more traffic. Another problem are coaches causing traffic dropping off visitors that usually stay just for one day, very often they have their own food so that they do not spend money and the city does not get any advantages from that sorts of tourists. Cars that are allowed to access centre of the city closed for traffic between 10-4 are these with deliveries to the shops only (Campbell-Bain 2006). Cambridge has less accommodation than majority of other destinations similar to it. It provides 2,200 bed spaces in Cambridge and 1,100 in the outskirts of the city. An occupancy rate is very high of even 90% (Palmer 2006). Its largest hotel is Holiday Inn with 196 rooms. It provides five function rooms fully equipped with multi-media wall, video conferencing facilities and surround sound. Churchill College offers 16 conference rooms able to seat up almost 100 delegates (Chester 1999). Cambridge is important place for conferences. Figures suggest an average 500 conferences a year. In the summer when students go for holiday residence halls are used for conferences what makes source of income. One of the problems associated with provision of accommodation in Cambridge is that there are no campsites (one campsite outside with 120 pitches) and most of the hotels are 4* which means that only certain types of visitors are able to afford that. People wanting to stay in the city centre usually have to use accommodation on the outskirts of the city because of the lack of bed spaces (Heath 2006). There has been no increase in provision of accommodation since the 1990s. A range of accommodation is necessary, serviced and self catering. In order to increase accommodation stock for visitors Cambridge got permission to build new hotels at the Cattle Market with 120 bedrooms and Coldhams Lane with 80 bedrooms (Cambridge Tourism Strategy 2001-2006). Cambridge tries to increase provision for accommodation by converting houses into tourist accommodation (Maitland 1996). The key issue of current Cambridge Tourism Strategy 2001-2006 is to maximise the benefits and minimise the problems of tourism. It guides policies and decisions of the Tourist Information Centre. Maitland1996 suggests that for the success of policy that improves provision of tourism in Cambridge cooperation and partnership of the following bodies is necessary: local (City Council, Destination Cambridge, Planning, City Centre Management), regional (East of England Tourist Board) and national (Visit Britain, Cambridge County Council). Residents contribution is also essential. Cambridge City Council implemented in 1980 tourism policy to manage rather than promote tourism in that historic city. Marketing in Cambridge is selective, the advertisements in the trade press are limited (promoting attractions in the surrounding area) and there are no advertisements in the consumer press. Responsible for marketing are the following bodies: Tourism Information Centre, Visit Britain and Destination Cambridge (provide information about amenities and attractions). Over 25 years the key strategic aims have remained the same- not to attract more tourists, or rather to attract only certain type of visitors. Cambridge City Council tries to attract more business visitors because of their high expenditure. People coming to Cambridge should use the city as a base to explore the region (Palmer 2006). Cambridge Tourism Strategy 2001-2006 identifies the following key issues: more and better quality toilets (programme of improvements), site for Coach Park with facilities for drivers, information and improved access for tourism, especially for people with disabilities (hearing bulbs for deaf, facility for blind to find their way around situated near the market, free of charge electrically powered scooters, wheelchairs and manual wheelchairs, 50% reduction on all single and return fares) as well as the elderly, improved range of attractions, signing to attractions, free welcoming leaflet, central place for meeting/picnic eating and covered seating areas, promotion of museums and attractions. There has been implemented improvement to the quality and efficiency of the Tourism Information Centre (including multilingual information) in order to provide visitors better service including sales of maps and guide books, accommodation, information on public transport, local and national events, places of interest and local services. Tourism Information Centre developed telephone advanced booking scheme which is very useful for visitors who want to plan their trip, especially from overseas who would like to book accommodation before arriving to the destination. Another important point is signing to get to the car parks, services and information at the car parks, signs to the historic centre. In order to improve visitor safety there have been installed more CCTV cameras and better lighting. Promoting walking and cycling and use of bollards help to avoid congestion in the central area of the city (Cambridge Tourism Strategy 2001-2006). The Grand Arcade is being built in the centre of Cambridge and is the most significant retail development for over 30 years. It is scheduled to open in 2008 and without any doubt will bring high number of shoppers. The Grand Arcade will provide visitors 900 car parking spaces, 500 cycle spaces, storage lockers, 50 new shops, two cafes and a new restaurant (The Grand Arcade). Overload of tourists makes Cambridge less attractive. Maitland 1996 explains that to decrease overcrowding and control visits at the Colleges City Council introduced in 1985 the College Pass scheme and the Courtesy Couriers. The Pass scheme allows parties of 10 or more visitors (maximum 20) to pre-book with Tourist Information Centre their visit accompanied by a Blue Badge Guide. Only certain number of groups is allowed for a visit and visitors without a pass are refused admission. The Courtesy Couriers are in the most popular places in the city centre and provide essential information to visitors. Cambridge reduced congestion by introduction of Park Ride with five sites around the city. There are buses going on a regular basis from there to the heart of Cambridge. To help visitors identify buses there are different colours of each of the routes. To attract customer to use Park Ride there are cheaper fares for a standard trip (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.80 return), parking policy links parking charges to Park Ride fares. Park Ride is the cheapest alternative for stays over 2 hours. Park Ride staffed 24 hours a day provide facilities like toilets, baby change rooms, waiting rooms, snack and drink machines, information points, cycling parking. The site is equipped with CCTV cameras in order to provide visitors security and to encourage better use of city facilities and attractions. There is a tourist information point at Trumpington, where visitors have an opportunity to book a hotel room. At all sites there are distributed tourist attraction leaflets and maps. Park Ride website provides maps showing the way how to get to the sites. In some magazines there are discounts on tickets to the attractions. To promote Park Ride it has been placed at the heart of the Christmas access plan, it appears on travel news bulletins and is promoted through joint promotions with retailers (Marks Spencer, John Lewis). Cambridge City Council tries to change parents travel habits through their children and organized in the summer 2005 road show with activities for children (Campbell-Bain 2006). Tourism is very important to the economy of the country. It brings benefits (creates jobs, support services used by residents, supports conservation, spending on services) but at the same time causes problems like overcrowding, increase of public costs of services, disturbance and wear and tear on buildings. Provision of facilities for visitors is on a high level in Cambridge. However more cooperation should be carried on between Colleges which are private institutions and Cambridge City Council in order to provide even better service for tourists. Partnership of different bodies as well as residents is necessary. Many strategies have been already implemented in Cambridge but there is still lots of work to do to improve visitors experience in Cambridge.

Toxicology and terrorism (the threat of chemical wepons and there Essay

Toxicology and terrorism (the threat of chemical wepons and there effects) - Essay Example This essay will therefore, explore the health impacts of the September 11 attack on the US in relation to toxic exposure. Dust that resulted from the collapse of the two buildings was heavily toxic according to experts. After the collapse of the two buildings, hundreds of tons of debris were introduced into the atmosphere through dust and smoke. Of the toxic substances resulting from the site, more than 50% consisted of non-fibrous material, 40% consisted of glass fibers that are known to be highly toxic. In addition, large quantities of heavy metals such as mercury and lead were also produced from the site of explosion. The toxic dust emanating from the site also contained high asbestos, polycyclic, aromatic hydrocarbons and cadmium. All the toxic materials produced from the site have diverse and long-lasting health effects on the victims. Majority of the people affected by the toxic materials are the rescue workers and security personnel who stayed around the explosion site for a long time. The toxic substances also affected people who were rescued from the site after being trapped in the rabbles for long time. Toxic materials such as crystalline silica, asbestos, and lead are believed to cause cancer due to their carcinogenic effects. Some of these materials can also cause terminal illness such as heart disease and kidney failure (Timbrell, 2002). Studies carried out on rescue and recovery officers at ground zero indicate a strong correlation between their level of exposure to the toxic debris and their health. Of all rescue officers who in action at ground zero, 75 have been diagnosed with different types of cancer including blood cancer. Respiratory diseases are also common among people who were exposed to t oxic debris (Gupta, 2009). Following these attacks, and the knowledge I have acquired from studying toxicology, I feel adequately prepared to manage toxicological threats. The September 11

Audacity. The Role Of The Technology In The Learning Process Essay

Audacity. The Role Of The Technology In The Learning Process - Essay Example Students could go to the computer lab, and, instead of having to write their homework or projects in class, could get a jumpstart on their homework and projects by dictating them into microphones connected to the computer. The words will then appear on the screen and the students don't have to do any typing whatsoever. This would be ideal for students who have learning disabilities or difficulties spelling, as it takes care of that aspect for them. Their speech is all they need. This aligns to NET-S standards by helping students use their creativity, use digital media to communicate, use information, think critically, practice responsible use of technology, and operate new technology.4 This aligns to NETS-T standards by facilitating and inspiring student creativity, desigining and developing a digital-age learning experience, modeling digital-age work and learning through use of Audacity, promoting model digital citizenship and responsibility by using this technology correctly, and engaging in professional growth and leadership by demonstrating the effective use of the digital tools and resources of Audacity.5 It supports the learner by helping him or her not have to physically write his or her papers; rather, he or she can dictate the papers to the computer and the software will process them for him or her. That is the beauty of this software. What is the role(s) of the

Health Issues Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health Issues - Annotated Bibliography Example By evaluating the journal, there is a general consensus that wakefulness pressure injuries are consequences of economic losses in many countries health care system making it critical topic of discussion. Thus through evaluation, Healthcare professionals should construct the case for various resources to offer appropriate prevention strategies while providing clinical education where possible. Through critical analysis, despite the fact that pressure injuries are preventable, rarely do we appropriate measures of tying these preventions to cost of implementation. The result of implementing such program as the one conducted in Ballarat Health Services (BHS) is considered appropriate in improving patients’ wellness and economic outcomes. Furthermore, the authors contribute to the clear understanding of cost implications on prevention of pressure injuries since cost in such treatment is inevitable.Likewise, many health care institutions in many parts of the world are increasingly faced with immense pressure to cope with rising patient load and health care economic. The cost of prevention of pressure injuries can impact on hospital length of stay and other accrued costs thus their reduction becomes key. However, full statistical analysis has not been performed, that reveal if these improvements at BHS were statistically significant.In this way, these findings are limited due to the fact that this is an instance of an intervention as opposed to a trial that is controlled structurally and randomized.

Norwegian International Ship (NIS) Register: Pros and Cons

Norwegian International Ship (NIS) Register: Pros and Cons Introduction The concept of ship registration dates back to the time when vessels started to sail under national flags. Belonging to different countries, the nationality of a ship provides not only protection of the owners rights, support and other advantages, but also responsibilities and certain limitations. Registration means subjecting the ship to the jurisdiction of a country. However, the ways and approaches to ship registration were not rigid and inflexible. Prior to the 1980s, national registers were the only phenomenon in the ship registration practice. But the so-called open registers appeared due to several developing countries, such as Panama, Liberia and the Bahamas. They provided more flexible conditions and lower costs than national registers. Ship owners were attracted by open registers to become more competitive in comparison with their rivals. The response of the developed countries was to introduce international or second registers that gave wider opportunities than national on es, but provided better technical support and service to the member-vessels. The current literature review is aimed at providing the overall classification of ship register types and to concentrate on the four registering companies: NIS, NOR (Norwegian Ship registers), IOM Ship Register (Isle of Man) and UK Ship Register. Definition, Classification and Functions of Ship Registers Rayfuse (2004) argues that according to existing international legislation, ships are allowed to sail under the flag of one country only. Consequently, the concept of a ship register or flag state addresses a vessel to the state, which carries out the regulatory control over this ship (Harwood, 2006). However, this registration will imply further certification and inspection of the ship. Special attention is given by ship registers to the maintenance of environmental regulations and the prevention of pollution (Raikes, 2009). Hinkelman (2005) proposed an overwhelming classification of ship registers types. The researcher argues that all the register types are subdivided into national registers, flags of convenience (FOCs), second registers and bareboat charter registers. In the case of national registers, the direct link between the nationality of the vessels owner and the flag state is implied. National registers are often referred to as closed registers (Hinkelman, 2005). Flags of convenience (FOCs) do not directly link the nationality of the owner with the state flag. On the contrary, they are foreign registers, which provide more convenient conditions for the ship owners. Bareboat charter registers grant the possibility to obtain for vessels a foreign registration for a certain time period. However, they retain their primary registration (Hinkelman, 2005). The current dissertation focuses predominantly on second and national registers. Second registers are often referred to as offshore registers. Their operation is determined by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) (Mulcahy and Tillotson, 2004). This type of register is usually established either by the separate legislation in the country, which already has a national (primary register), or in the offshore territory with the direct legal connection to the host country. The main second registers are the Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS) (Norway), Isle of Man (UK), Madeira (Portugal), Kerguelen (France) and Danish International Ship Register (DIS) (Denmark) (Farthing and Brownrigg, 1997). From the standpoint of the world economy, the main function of international ship registers is to assist in global maritime commerce. According to Odeke (1998) this assistance may be seen in eliminating certain restrictions and limitations imposed by primary registers. Besides the implementation of the official control function, international registers protect the rights of the owners of vessels. Furthermore, second registers tend to subscribe certain original regulations for vessels owners. They stipulate definite manning, taxation rules and safety requirements (Chircop and LindÃÆ'Â ©n, 2006). For instance, the nationality requirements for manning are usually relaxed by the international registers. At the same time, the second register country has the right to call all registered vessels in the event of war or other emergencies (DeSombre, 2006). Klikauer and Morris (2002) argue that it is beneficial for countries to have their own second registers. International registers charge registration taxes and fees from the vessels owners. Even providing the above mentioned services to the ships, they remain profitable. International registers attract ship owners, as they ordinary provide more favourable conditions and terms than those of the home states (Raikes, 2009). It may be even stated that the second registers compete against each other in attracting new candidates. Norwegian International Ship (NIS) Register Background The Norwegian International Ship Register was founded in 1987. The second register provides the possibility of the registration and certification for vessels under the flag of Norway, which has been an outstanding nautical nation since the time of the Vikings. The main purpose of the NIS is formulated as the following: to offer a flexible and commercially attractive alternative to open registers while retaining the essential features of quality registers (Branch, 2007, p. 164). The organisation was established to compete against other international registers for the benefit of Norway. The Norwegian International Ship Register allows the certification of the following types of ships: hovercraft, cargo and self-propelled ships, movable platforms and installations. The citizenship of the owner is not limited or restricted by the NIS. The ships sailing under the Norwegian flag have to subject to the jurisdiction of that country. The key differences with the ordinary NOR may be seen in the following. First, according to the NIS, direct certification of foreign companies is allowed which is not possible in case of NOR. Secondly, according to the NIS, the employment of foreign crew with the standard local salary level is allowed. Limitations of the NIS The limitations subscribed by the NIS were originally formulated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) of Norway and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The main limitation of the NIS is that the ships under the Norwegian flag are not allowed to carry passengers or cargo from one Norwegian port to another Norwegian port. Furthermore, regular transportation of passengers between foreign and Norwegian ports is not permitted either. It is specified that Norwegian gas and oil installations are considered to be Norwegian ports from the standpoint of this limitation. Despite the fact that the NIS legislation allows foreign ownership of the vessel, owners are obliged to have a Norwegian representative. This requirement may be also interpreted as a limitation for foreign owners. Another limitation may be seen in the fact that a foreign crew of the vessel is not allowed to carry out all the technical and commercial maintenance operations by themselves. Furthermore, their home country cannot be involved in these operations either. The NIS legislation implies the participation of the third party, a Norwegian company, which will accomplish the minimum set of technical and commercial operations for a foreign vessel. Hence, a certain degree of dependence in technical and financial operations for foreign vessels may be classified as a limitation because crew cannot make a choice of their own. At the same time, the NIS legislation does not limit the age of the vessel to be registered. The main requirement is satisfactory technical functioning of the ship. The Number of Registered Ships It is reasonable to trace back the dynamics of the registered quantities of vessels in the NIS. At the beginning of 1999, the number of registered vessels was equal to 705. In forthcoming years it was fluctuating and finally dropped. In 2000, 2001 and 2002 the number of the registered vessels constituted 712, 717 and 693 respectively. However, in 2008, this figure constituted only 577 vessels. The NIS registered 358 vessels owned by the Norwegians and 192 owned by foreigners. This illustrates that the general tend in the number of NIS registration was decreasing. To estimate the NIS registration in tonnage, the following indicators can be mentioned. During the period from 1999 to 2005, the tonnage of the NIS registered vessels changed from 19,000 gross tons to around 14,000 gross tons. Again, the overall trend for the NIS registers in tonnage was decreasing. Advantages The following advantages can be attributed to registration in the NIS. Norwegians are universally recognised as a competent and experienced maritime nation. The Norwegian taxation system is relatively mild in comparison with the overall European taxation regulations. The Norwegian judicial system characterises itself as one of the most predictable and sophisticated towards the maritime business. The NIS system has a very good reputation, which eliminates further inspection of the cargo in foreign ports. The registered vessels will reap all the benefits of high-quality tonnage. The implementation by the NIS of other international standards, such as ILO, IMO, ISM, SOLAS, WTO, OECD and MARPOL, increases the universality and uniformity of their legislation, which is advantageous for trade. The NIS provides more than 500 service stations on a global scale, which are easy to apply to for technical and financial management and support. The income of the crews including foreign citizens is not taxed by the Norwegian authorities. Disadvantages It may be argued that the following disadvantages can be found in the NIS. Foreign owners and cargo or passenger transportation companies are not permitted to enter the internal Norwegian market. The NIS legislation does not allow transportation between Norwegian ports for foreign vessels. However, this disadvantage is recognised by foreign owners only. The Norwegian authorities secure themselves against additional competition in the sea transportation market, which is recognised as an advantage for them. Foreign ships have no possibility to turn to their domestic technical and financial support services. Ship owners have to coordinate their payments to the employees within Norwegian legislation. Mandatory participation of the Norwegian representative in the communication with the Norwegian government. Norwegian Ordinary Register (NOR) Background The Norwegian Ordinary Register (NOR) has certain similarities with the NIS, but the main difference may be found in the class of the register. According to the above given classification, the NOR belongs to the national type of registers. It means, that it emphasises the direct link between the nationality of the owner and the host country. The NOR can be considered a closed register. The NOR legislation implies two options upon registration of vessels: mandatory and voluntary registrations. The mandatory registration is necessary for all the Norwegian vessels, which have a length of 15 meters or more. However, if they are already registered in other countries (have international or second registration), the NOR registration is not required. The voluntary option of registration can be applied to the Norwegian vessels, which have a length from 7 to 15 meters. In addition, other vessels, which are not used for commercial purposes may be registered voluntarily according to the NOR. Floating docks and cranes, hovercrafts and installations and moving platforms can be registered on the voluntary basis. In all the other cases, which are prescribed by the Act concerning the Registration and Marking of Fishing Vessels, the registration of vessels is mandatory. Limitations of the NOR According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2005), the main limitations of the NOR may be found in its nature of being a national or closed register. In particular, to be registered by the NOR, the shipping company is to be owned by an EEA citizen. Nevertheless, non-EEA ownership is possible too, but the share owned by the EEA citizens must be no less than 60%. If compared with the NIS, such limitation does not exist there. On registration in the NOR, the company that owns a vessels becomes a company with limited liability. The headquarters of a cargo or passenger transporter must be on the territory of the EEA. Similar requirements are attributed to the crew of the vessel registered in accordance with the NOR standards. The prevailing majority of the crew members including the captain itself are to be EEA citizens, who had resided in the EEA area the two preceding years. Another limitation deals with the technical and financial management of the registered vessel. The NOR legislation allows technical support for a vessel from a Norwegian technical servicer only. The maintenance may be given abroad, but this company has to ultimately belong to Norway. The Number of Registered Ships In 2007, the total number of vessels registered in NOR was equal to 749. In 2008, this figure increased by 2.8% and was equal to 770. The NOR registration in tonnage was equal to 2,411 gross tons in 2007. In 2008, this figure decreased and constituted only 2,305 gross tons. It is quite difficult to comment about the tend in the NOR registrations because the two recent years demonstrated a small rise in numbers, but a fall in tonnage. Advantages The following advantages are usually attributed to the NOR. The vessels operating in the inner market reap the benefits of high-quality support and the protection of foreign competitors. Sophisticated and highly experienced maritime tradition contributes greatly to the development of sea transportation businesses for different types of vessels. It is beneficial for ship owners that the country has two types of ship registers: national and international. Disadvantages The following disadvantages may be seen in the NOR registration for vessels. The registration fees are not stable and fluctuate from year to year depending on the prescriptions of the Maritime Act. Opportunities of technical support are limited only to the domestic providers of this service. It may be concluded that as Norwegian International Ship (NIS) Register and Norwegian Ordinary Registers (NOR) belong to one country, they have much in common. However, the main difference between these registers is that they belong to different register groups: national (NOR) and international or second (NIS) registers. The NOR completely binds the registered ships to the host country, Norway. It may be noticed in terms of ownership, cooperation with maintenance and support services and the location of the headquarters. The NIS naturally allows foreign ownership, but the limitation of mandatory service remains. Moreover, companies are obliged to have a Norwegian representative. UK Register Background The UK register is part of the Maritime and Coastal Agency (MCA), which controls and monitors all of the marine activity in the UK. Since the UK is a kingdom, all of the activity is ultimately answerable to Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain. The UK register is a closed register. The UK register handles: Merchant ships Fishing vessels Large yachts Pleasure Crafts/ Small ships With 116 (UK Ship Register, 2010) ports around the UK, all of the above vessels can register and receive a UK flag. Although the register provides a list of restrictions on who can be registered, it covers quite a wide range of geographical locations (e.g. British Dependant territories citizens, EEA countries, those that have a registered business in one of the EEA countries). Benefits of having a UK Flag The UK flag is considered to be one of the best performing flags in the world, ranking 3rd (lowest by risk) in the Paris MoU list The UK Flag is one of the top performing Flags on the Paris MoU White List' (UK register, 2010). The register is proud to offer their customers assistance both before and after registration. Financially, it rewards its members with relatively low annual renewal fees and contributes around ÂÂ £1.4 million to a Crew Relief Cost Scheme. Furthermore, UK registered ships are not targeted by Port State Control regimes in the worlds major trading areas ISPS plan approvals and verification audits at no cost to owners and operators An international reputation for expert advice and guidance with a proactive leading role at the IMO, EU and Quality Shipping Committees Worldwide security threat level information provided to UK registered ships with support for British Nationals on board from British Consuls and Royal Navy protection dependent on the availability of assets and exact situation Quality Assurance offering certification to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards with audits being taken in harmonisation with ISM Alternate Compliance Scheme: A voluntary scheme that streamlines the survey and certification process by minimising duplication of effort with Classification Societies. Eligibility is conditional upon certain criteria being met (UK Register, 2010). Disadvantages of the UK Flag The National Audit Office (2009) has reported that the efficiency with which the MAC operates has deteriorated over the years. Until 2000 the agency have managed to carry out all of the required surveys in order to check the quality of the ships that operate under a UK flag. However, by 2007, the targets were not met. Furthermore, it was predicted, that the targets would not be met again in 2008-2009. Failure to meet its targets will increase the risk that UK vessels which do not comply with regulations operate without detection in UK ports and waters (National Audit Office, 2009, p.5). In order to be efficient, the MAC needs more resources However, at the moment, even the cost of surveys are not met by the revenues that are brought in by the owners of the vessels. Another worrying fact, is that the quality of the UK flag, which has been enjoying a very good reputation over the years, is starting to disappear. The audit has found that an increasing number of UK flag holders are being detained overseas due to the inability to pass quality checks. Although relatively this detention number is lower compared to other flags, it has been argued that the difference is getting smaller every year. Partly, because the quality of the other flags is increasing and partly because the quality of the UK flag vessels is deteriorating. Registered Ships In order to increase the growth in registered ships, the Government has introduced a tonnage tax in 2000. In turn, instead of charging vessels on the profits that they make off their activities, they are now charged on the tonnage of their vessels. This regulatory measure has allowed the UK register to see a good increase in the number of vessels. By the end of 2007 the UK registered merchant fleet had grown from 1,050 to 1,518. Of these, 646 vessels were trading vessels compared with 417 vessels in 2000 (National Audit Office, 2009, p.5). The tonnage that was brought in also increased. In 2007, the average tonnage per vessel increased from 11,000 to 19,000. This increase had an interesting effect on the number of overseas surveys that the MCA had to perform in 2007. Nearly a quarter of them had to be done overseas. This is a large increase, considering that in 2000-2001, 5% were performed overseas, while the rest were done domestically (National Audit Office, 2009, p.5). Large increases were also seen in the number of Certificates of Equivalent Competency that were issued, from 3,244 in 2003 to 4,722 in 2007. However, although absolute numbers have increased, the overall rate of growth has declined. In 2007, the fleet grew by 10%, compared to 13.33% average growth from 2001 to 2003. The MAC argues that too many external factors are at play, which do not allow them to enhance the growth with more control. For example, the MAC found that some shipping companies were happy to wait and see whether the EU would bring in a tonnage tax as well, before making the final decision on their flagging. In turn, this shows that although the UK ship register provides a large number of benefits, they are not relatively strong enough to become a deciding factor for the shipping companies. Isle of Man Registry Background Isle of Man Registry (IOM) works closely with the Isle of Man government to provide relevant solutions to its members. Tynwald (the local parliament) is ultimately answerable to the Crown, however, as has long been agreed, the UK government does not legislate the IOM, and therefore, shipping legislation is approved by Tynwald alone. The Isle of Man operates a Category One, Red Ensign Group British Register that provides for the registration of ships of any size or type. The Isle of Man Register is a component part of the British Register (The Red Ensign Group, 2010). IOM registry is relatively new, established only in 1984. Over the years, the IOM has seeked local private solutions for its clients, and today works closely with local marine lawyers, accountants, PI clubs and even banks, bringing a diverse, one-stop-shop solution to anyone who registers. Due to its offshore jurisdiction capabilities and proximity to Europe, IOM can provide a highly competitive solution. The IOM strongly competes on its tax exemption regime, its financial centre capabilities and developed technical solutions whilst on the island. The IOM registers a large number of different vessels, including VLCC, superyachts, fishing boats and pleasure crafts. Advantages of the IOM The Isle of Man Ship Registry has recently been voted best in the world, claiming the top spot in the international shipping industry round table annual flag state performance table (PDMS, 2008). Like the rest of the registrars, IOM conveys that it will provide the ship owners with the cost-efficient and customer-friendly solution. Quality is key to the Isle of Man, where our reputation as a high quality jurisdiction makes us the flag of choice for todays modern maritime business (IOM, 2010). Furthermore, the website states that this registers customer service has a can-do approach. A professional Ship Registry providing a high quality of service available 24/7 with fast response to queries Reasonable costs and no annual tonnage dues A favourable taxation regime designed to encourage business The right to fly the Red Ensign and access the support of British consular services world-wide and British Royal Navy protection Flexibility in the requirements for registered owners The availability of Demise registry both IN and OUT Support for ships treated unfairly by Port State Control Full political support for shipping ISO 9001/2008 Accreditation Not a Flag of Convenience Regular advice bulletins on key issues to help owners respond to them (IOM, 2010). Unlike the rest of the registers, it can be argued that IOM offers a number of unique solutions and help. For example, the Ship Managers and Owner Association (IOMSA) brings together the ship owners with the relevant legal and financial representatives, where they are able to discuss outstanding issues and come up with solutions. A similar association is offered to the superyachts sector (Manx Yacht Forum). In turn, it can be argued, that the register can see the issues quickly and address them, which takes the customer service to a different level. Furthermore, since a large proportion of its business is coming from the private yacht owners, the IOM offers one annual yacht fee, which includes all of the charges and exemptions in it already. This makes it very easy for the owners to delegate all of their paper work to the registers, without getting involved in the complex structure of the system. The Annual Report (2008) puts strong emphases on the quality of the vessels that register with the IOM registry. Consistent quality checks before the registration and during the time that the vessel is under the IOM flag, reflects in the strong decline in the number of accidents that the IOM are subject to. Over 5 years, the number of accidents declined from 53 in 2004 to 35 in 2008 (Annual Report, 2008, p. 20). The Number of Registered Ships The IOM has grown over the years, yet, this growth has never been aggressive. In 2008, its main growth was in the registration of yachts, where the target was to register 1 per month. In 2008, 995 vessels were sailing under the IOM flag. Figure 1. IOM registered vessels by type Source: IOM, Annual Report, 2008, p. 10 It is extremely important for the IOM register to be within the first third on the Paris MOU register. So far, out of 83 members of the Paris MOU, they have managed to stay within the first 11. Figure 2: Paris MOU register and IOM position Source: Annual Report, 2008, p. 21 Conclusion The literature review has shown that there are the second registers have been developed by the countries in order to compete with those that were offered by the developing countries. The closed registers examined still prevail in size (by the number of registered vessels), however, the difference is not very large. Each of the registers offers their members a large number of benefits. However, as the case with NIS has shown, reluctance to be flexible is likely to results in less demand for their services. It was interesting to see the results produced by IOM. The registry has managed to grow steadily, despite having a large amount of competition. The low costs that the IOM offers has not impacted on the quality of the service provided. It has been found that the UK Register is much bigger in size than NOR and enjoys a steady growth. Despite the deteriorating ability to meet its survey targets, it still has the 3rd place in the MOU whitelist (see Appendix). It can be argued that if the vessels are less likely to be detained overseas due to deficiencies, this plays an important part on their ability to make a profit. Therefore, low risk registers, such as the UK Register is likely to be more attractive. Both NIS and NOR has seen a decline in their registered members. It can be argued that unlike the UK register and the IOM, they did not make enough competitive changes to stay attractive. References AppleBy (2009) Brief: Ship registration in the Isle of Man [online]: http://dc.co.im/uploaded/Publication/1362_File_5.pdf [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Branch, A. (2007) Elements of shipping, 7th ed., Taylor Francis, p. 164 Burroughs R (1984) Offshore supply vessels: An emerging maritime industry Maritime Policy Management, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 269 276 The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (2008) UK Ship Register continues to grow [online]: http://www.ciltuk.org.uk/pages/industry-news/article?EBA1745A-D18A-4443-A2FE-946C24DFD242 [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Chircop, A. and LindÃÆ'Â ©n, O. (2006) Places of refuge for ships: emerging environmental concerns of a maritime custom, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, p. 265 Department of Trade and Industry (2010) Registration of Manx Ships [online]: http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/dti/shipregistry/Registration/rans/ran01registrationofmanxships.pdf [Accessed on 2 March 2010] DeSombre, E. (2006) Flagging standards: globalization and environmental, safety, and labor regulations at sea, MIT Press, p. 83 Farthing, B. and Brownrigg, M. (1997) Farthing on international shipping, 3rd ed., the University of Virginia, p. 187 Harwood, S. (2006) Shipping finance, 3rd ed., Euromoney Books, pp. 200-204 Hinkelman, E. (2005) Dictionary of international trade: handbook of the global trade community includes 21 key appendices, 6th ed., World Trade Press, p. 374 IOM (2008) Annual Report, [online]: http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/dti/shipregistry/formsdocs/reports/iomsr/reportfinalwebsiteonly.pdf [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Isle of Man (2010) Ship registry [online]: http://www.gov.im/dti/shipregistry/ [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Isle of Man Government (2010) Registry: Qualified Owners [online]: http://www.gov.im/dti/shipregistry/registration/qualifiedowners.xml [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Klikauer, T. and Morris, R. (2002) Into murky waters: Globalisation and deregulation in Germanys shipping employee relations, Employee Relations, Vol. 24, Issue: 1, pp. 12-28 Mulcahy, L. and Tillotson, J. (2004) Contract law in perspective, 4th ed., Routledge Cavendish, p. 147 National Audit Office (2009) The Maritime and Coastguard Agencys Response to Growth in the UK Merchant Fleet Great Britain, [online]: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sdq=HYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sUK+Ship+RegisterHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_slr=HYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navli nks_sHYPERLINK http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n5QIqJW-eVsCdq=UK+Ship+Registerlr=source=gbs_navlinks_ssource=gbs_navlinks_s [Accessed on 2 March 2010] NOR (2010) NOR [online]: http://www.nis-nor.no/NOR.aspx [Accessed on 2 March 2010] NIS (2010) NIS [online]: http://www.nis-nor.no/NHYPERLINK http://www.nis-nor.no/NOR.aspxISHYPERLINK http://www.nis-nor.no/NOR.aspx.aspx [Accessed on 2 March 2010] PDMS (2008) Client: Isle of Man Register [online] http://www.pdms.com/clients/casestudies/marineadmin.xml [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Odeke, A. (1998) Bareboat charter (ship) registration, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, pp. 8-9 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2005) National treatment for foreign-controlled enterprises, OECD Publishing, p. 73 Paris MOU (2010) Black Grey White list [online]: http://www.parismou.org/upload/anrep/BGWlist2006-2008.pdf [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Paris MOU (2010) Basic Figures [online]: http://www.parismou.org/ParisMOU/Statistical+information/Basic+figures/xp/menu.4270/default.aspx [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Raikes, F. (2009) The Maritime Codes of Italy, BiblioBazaar, LLC, p. 115 Rayfuse, R. (2004) Non-flag state enforcement in high seas fisheries, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, p. 22 Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2009) Research Methods for Business Students, 5th ed., Pearson Education, pp. 56-66 Ship Management (2010) Isle of Man to introduce annual fee in April [online] http://www.shipmanagementinternational.com/?p=1557 [Accessed on 2 March 2010] Sletmo G. and S. HosteÂÂ  (1993) Shipping and the competitive advantage of nations: the role of international

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston :: Book Report The Hot Zone

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In October of l989, Macaque monkeys, housed at the Reston Primate Quarantine Unit in Reston, Virginia, began dying from a mysterious disease at an alarming rate. The monkeys, imported from the Philippines, were to be sold as laboratory animals. Twenty-nine of a shipment of one hundred died within a month. Dan Dalgard, the veterinarian who cared for the monkeys, feared they were dying from Simian Hemorrhagic Fever, a disease lethal to monkeys but harmless to humans. Dr. Dalgard decided to enlist the aid of the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) to help diagnose the case. On November 28th, Dr. Peter Jahlring of the Institute was in his lab testing a virus culture from the monkeys. Much to his horror, the blood tested positive for the deadly Ebola Zaire virus. Ebola Zaire is the most lethal of all strains of Ebola. It is so lethal that nine out of ten of its victims die. Later, the geniuses at USAMRIID found out that it wasn't Zaire, ! but a new strain of Ebola, which they named Ebola Reston. This was added to the list of strains: Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, and now, Reston. These are all level-four hot viruses. That means there are no vaccines and there are no cures for these killers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1976 Ebola climbed out of its primordial hiding place in the jungles of Africa, and in two outbreaks in Zaire and Sudan wiped out six hundred people. But the virus had never been seen outside of Africa and the consequences of having the virus in a busy suburb of Washington DC is too terrifying to contemplate. Theoretically, an airborne strain of Ebola could emerge and circle the world in about six weeks. Ebola virus victims usually "crash and bleed," a military term which literally means the virus attacks every organ of the body and transforms every part of the body into a digested slime of virus particles. A big point that Preston wanted to get across was the fact that the public thinks that the HIV virus is quite possibly the most horrible virus on Earth, when no one takes into mind the effects and death of the victims of Ebola. Preston shows how Ebola and Marburg (a close relative of Ebola) is one hundred times more contagious, one hundred times as lethal, and one hundr! ed times as fast as HIV. "Ebola does in ten days what it takes HIV ten years to accomplish," wrote Richard Preston. The virus, though, has a hard time spreading, because the

Major regions of the brain and their functions on behavior Essay

The brain is a complex structure that is divided into specialized parts or regions that perform specialized function. The importance of specialization and brain parts division is not only in brain processing information and generating responses, but the specific impact on behavior of an individual generated by each specialized part. In this regard, the brain has three main regions: cerebral cortex, limbic system and the brain stem (Charles, 2002). The brain stem is the most primitive part of the brain that is located at the joint where the spinal cord enters the brain (Charles, 2002). This part of the brain contains such sub-parts as reticular activity system, medulla and the Pons. The main function of this part of the brain is for autonomic functions deemed as necessary for survival such as health, food, shelter and security seeking behaviors. For instance, when a person falls ill, the brain stem triggers off the course of action to seek medication or health care, thus such an individual shall move towards the hospital premises than to any other direction of food or security. The cerebral cortex is brain region that is on outer part that covers the brain (Charles, 2002). By virtue of covering the brain, the cerebral cortex is considered as the largest part of the brain. The behavioral function of the cerebral cortex involves higher cognitive processes such as memory process that enhances language, thought and learning. Therefore, behaviors such as performance in academic work, ability to retain and remember, verbal fluency and speech development are controlled and generated by the cerebral cortex. Limbic system (Charles, 2002) is the third region of the brain with structures such as hippocampus, thalamus, amygdale and hypothalamus. This part of the brain is responsible for emotional related behaviors of individuals such as motivation, memory functions, and physiological functions. For instance, amygdale is responsible for behaviors such as anger, fear and aggression. The hippocampus sub-structure involves the functions of memory such as information coding and processing into short term and long term memories. Hypothalamus is responsible for emotional behaviors such as hunger, sexual feelings, thirsty and reproduction behaviors. The sensory process as these scenarios unfolds The process and action of hitting the ball produces a cracking sound that travels through air to the ears as a sound sensory organ. The sound message is received and conveyed by ears sensory nerves to the central nervous system (CNS). The central nervous system in return initiates nerve impulse to send the message to the brain. In the brain the thalamus located within the limbic system received the message through sensory receptors found in peripheral nervous system and then forwards the message to the cerebral cortex for analysis and interpretation and then generate feedback message to the sight sensory organs (Albert, 2002). After interpretation of the of the ball sound in the brain by the cerebral cortex, the message is generated back through the same avenue that to the thalamus that will send impulse to the sight sensory organ: eye. The eyes muscles shall be involved in a reflex action to adjust and pay attention to the ball that has been hit. Therefore, ball movement is traced by the eye. However, since the eye does not have the capacity to catch the ball apart from observing it; the sight sensory nerves within the eyes send a message to the brain to prepare necessary mechanism to catch the ball (Albert, 2002). Once the message has been generated by the sight sensory nerves to the brain, the brain through thalamus receives the message through the sensory receptors found in peripheral nervous system and then forwards the message to the cerebral cortex for analysis and interpretation. After analysis and interpretation, the cerebral cortex sends back the message to thalamus which in turn stimulates the concerned organs through responsible neurotransmitters to prepare muscle action to catch the ball as it land. The timing of the ball is entirely an initiative and is dependant on cognitive abilities of the individuals (Albert, 2002). Reference Albert, B A. (2002) Molecular Biology of the Cell: New York, Garland. Charles, GM. (2002), Psychology: An introduction: New York, Prentice hall.

Persuasion in “12 Angry Men”

In his article, â€Å"The Necessary Art of Persuasion†, Jay Conger stated that persuasion is NOT about selling or convincing; rather, it is a learning and negotiating process. Good persuaders use and listen to ongoing and active discussions (or debates) to learn about their audience and include different opinions into a shared conclusion. In the movie â€Å"12 Angry Men†, juror number 8 (Henry Fonda) was not sure if evidence presented against a young defendant in court left reasonable doubt for a guilty conviction.The other jurors believed the presented facts and the defendant’s background warrants a guilty conviction. The movie showed how juror number 8 persuasively got the other jurors to review each fact logically, which led to an unanimous not guilty decision. Conger noted four essential steps use in effective persuasion. The steps will be use to analyze juror number 8 persuasion approach. The first essential step is establishing credibility with an audience. Conger noted that persuaders, to get support for an idea, have to build trust and confidence with their audience.A person can be persuasive by having a thorough knowledge and understanding of a subject matter OR relationships with people who trust the person’s motives. This is an important first step because people are allowing the persuader to persuade them and are committing time and resources towards the idea. Trust is essential. An audience needs to see and know if the persuader can execute sound judgment honestly. In the movie, juror number 8 displayed an ability to decipher real facts from questionable facts logically and sensibly when ask about the evidence presented during the trial.His character— unlike juror number 3, who was excitable in a negative way— was calm, approachable and straightforward. He listened to each juror’s opinions about the murder case and spoke respectfully and candidly about the burden of proof to juror number 2 (bank tell er). Juror number 8 gained credibility and trust from the other jurors using his character. The second essential step is framing arguments properly. It is critical to identify the tangible benefits and values that really matters to people being persuade.Effective persuaders consider what is important to an audience and lays his or her position to match common ground with the audience. This is a give-and-take process. Effective persuaders also use testimonies, past and current research, etc and readjust their argument to make them appealing to their audience. Persuaders must know an audience well enough to know what will capture their immediate and continued attention. Juror number 8 was in a situation where there is no common ground between him and the other jurors.All are from diverse backgrounds and uncomfortably brought together to deliberate the facts in an open-and-shut murder trial. Juror number 8, wanting to â€Å"just talk†, kept reconsidering and adjusting his positi on with the other juror’s positions about the defendant until a common was reach in the deliberation. Again, this is a give-and-take process and is effective if properly done right. The third essential step is presenting evidence to an audience. Conger stated that evidence alone will not convince an audience to support a position or an idea.Evidence can appear too abstract and not entirely informative. Persuaders, Conger noted, use stories, metaphors, analogies, examples, etc and use vivid language skillfully to paint a compelling big picture of their point of view. This approach is far more effective than stating facts in persuasion. In the movie, juror number 8 used different testimonies from specific jurors to pick apart each piece of evidence to support his argument for reasonable doubt. He used juror number 9 (old man) insights about the old man’s motives, and juror number 6 (painter) and his own experience hearing train noises.The old man, seeking attention for t he first time, assumed he heard voices. His motives and whether or not he really heard voices are questionable. He also used jurors’ number 4 (stock broker), 9 and 12 (ad man) comments about indentations on the 45 year old woman’s nose, indicating she wore eyeglasses. The woman’s eyesight is questionable and she is not a reliable witness. The other jurors’ testimonies gave a clearer and more convincing argument for reasonable doubt. The fourth essential step is connecting emotionally to a belief and with the audience.Good persuaders walk along a fine line balancing a strong commitment to a point of view (i. e. , belief) and not getting emotionally carried away. If balanced properly, an audience will see and believe the sincerity in a persuader’s message. Good persuaders also know the mood of their audience. Conger stated that effective persuaders â€Å"have a strong and accurate sense of their audience emotional state†¦and adjust the tone of their argument accordingly. † Persuaders gets a feel of their audience by listening to and gathering information from side conversations, or asking people with better insights about the audience’s mood.Good persuaders constantly analyze their audience’s behavior and use the proper tone in messages to match what the audience is feeling or expecting. Juror number 8 pretty much distanced himself from the other jurors. As he did, he listened to side conversations in the room, and observed the mood and temperament of each juror. He connected with each one accordingly and specifically. Juror number 3 (messenger service owner), for example, is very vocal and loose tempered. Juror number 8 approached him directly and firmly.He spoke respectfully and candidly about the burden of proof to juror number 2 (bank teller), who is timid and easily persuaded by other opinions. Juror number 8 constantly kept analyzing this audience— the 11 other jurors. Juror number 8 broad ly demonstrated Jay Conger’s essential steps to persuading people. In the movie, he mainly used persuasion faults by the other jurors to strengthen his position and to change their minds. And he kept studying and analyzing what the other jurors were saying about the facts. Persuasion is definitely a learning and negotiating process, and knowing your audience is half the battle.

Syria and the Revolution

Syria and the Revolution Introduction The Arab wave of unrest began in Tunisia in December 2010, and led to the ousting of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled the country for 23 years. The revolution in this small North African country was characterized by demonstrations and riots, which were quelled violently by the police and other state security agencies (Barnard and Cowell 2).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Syria and the Revolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the protestors relentlessly pursued their course and on 14th January 2011, 28 days after, the president resigned and fled to Saudi Arabia. This revolution was replicated in Egypt on 25th January 2011 and on February 11 2011; Hosni Mubarak resigned, ending his 30 years reign over the country. The wave of Arab revolution hit Syria on 15th march 2011 (Barnard and Cowell 2). It all started in a small southern city, whose residents held street protests after students wh o had displayed anti-government graffiti were tortured. The government used extreme force on the protestors and the demonstrations spread rapidly to various other parts of the country. The confrontations between protestors and government security agencies have left several people dead and injured and are threatening to escalate into a civil war. President Bashar al-Assad and members of his family continue holding onto power despite the international and internal pressure to end violence against civilians and allow political change (Barnard and Cowell 2) Background Information on Revolution Syria has a population of about 21 million people and is under the authoritarian rule headed by President Bashar al-Assad. The constitution authorizes supremacy of leaders from the Baath Party in the society and state institutions (Sharp 1). Party members and President Assad’s family dominate the three arms of the government. Syria has had a state of emergency since 1963, which grants secur ity agencies enormous power of suppressing any opposition (Sharp 1).Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The political and socio-economic conditions in Syria have led to deep discontent with the status quo that has contributed to the high inflation and unemployment rates, minimum political freedom, suppressive security forces and rampant corruption. Although protests started in a smaller marginalized town, their intensity has been more in larger cities of Aleppo and Damascus. This is a clear indication that people in larger towns are more opposed to Assad’s regime as they experience the problems mentioned above firsthand (Sharp 2). Key Players in the Revolution Opposition Groups and Demonstrators Most demonstrators are politically conversant and frustrated males between the ages of 20 to 40 years (Ecoi.Net par. 4). Although the Syrian opposition groups have become more orga nized during the revolution, they still remain largely divided over leadership, coordination, tactics and strategy. The Local Coordinating Councils present in many regions, played a vital role during the protest stage of the revolution as it linked activists from all over the country using informal networks (Sharp 3). Armed activists from Syria and other neighboring countries joined in the foray, as the unrest moved to greater heights of confrontations and violence. Some of the major opposition groups currently involved in the conflict are discussed below; The Free Syrian Army (FSA)-This group is made up of dissident military officers and personnel who defected from the government. They are armed and mainly attack government troops. The group is made up of individual security personnel, who defied orders to ruthlessly attack civilian protestors. Earlier this year, the FSA swore to put more effort in dealing with government troops that were using excessive force on civilians. FSA th reatened to attack more military security centers, because they were used by the government in attacking and suppressing the Syrian people (Sharp 3). The Syrian National Council (SNC) This group that was formed in October 2011 in Turkey is made up of external activists. The group wants the government to call off the crackdown on protestors and protect civilians (Sharp 3). The National Coordination Commission of the Forces of Democratic Change (NCC) This is an alliance of leftist groups based in Syria and Kurdish activists. The group is against any civilian protection that involves external militaries and is willing to dialogue with the government, as long ruthless attacks on protestors cease (Sharp 3). These oppositions groups justify that they have resulted into using force to repress the excessive violent tactics used by the government security agencies to quell the riots. Assad’s regime has condemned attacks on the police and military forces by these opposition groups t hat have been termed as terrorist groups. The ethnic divisions in Syria further complicate the conflict since the county’s elite and Assad’s family belong to the minority Alawite faction, in this largely Sunni country (Sharp 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Syria and the Revolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Government Forces Assad’s regime has dealt ruthlessly with popular protests and opposition. Security forces and the military have been used in suppressing peaceful protests across the country. The Shabbiha or the Alawite civilian militia has been used by Assad’s regime to mete out violence on innocent civilians. One year since the revolution began; the government forces have continued to viciously crash any opposition (Sharp 5). In March 2012, the government unleashed bloody attacks on insurgents’ strongholds of Idlib and Homs. According to United Nations, more than 9, 000 Syrians have lost their lives and thousands have been displaced since March 2011, when the unrest began (Sharp 5). Assad’s Reaction to the Revolution President al-Assad announced some reforms as a result of criticism from international communities and growing protests. He also gave amnesty to various groups of prisoners and some were freed. Assad also passed orders permitting peaceful demonstrations under certain situations and allowed the legal registration of other political parties apart from Ba’ath. He also lifted the state of emergency that had been in place for 48 years. On December 19th 2011, Assad’s government opened a national dialogue aimed at creating a multiparty democracy. However, opposition leaders in the country boycotted this event. Recently, Assad’s government called for a referendum on the new constitution on 26 February 2012 (Ecoi.Net par. 9). This new constitution stipulates that it will end Ba’ath party supremacy, but best ows most of the powers on Bashar al-Assad. According to Syrian state television, 89 percent of Syrians supported the new constitution in the referendum. The West and opposition activists shunned these results, as they saw this as a new strategy by Asad to hold unto power.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Violation of Human Rights During the revolution, numerous abuses of human rights have been witnessed. Apart from the extensive systematic attacks on the civilian population organized and executed by state security forces, deaths in custody have also been reported. According to Amnesty International, 88 deaths have occurred in state custodies between April 1st and August 15th 2011. It is also estimated that not less than 190 people including children, have died while in custody (Ecoi.Net par. 10). Violation of human rights has also been witnessed in state hospitals where injured people are taken for treatment. People injured during demonstrations have reportedly been physically and verbally abused by the medical staff and sometimes deprived of medical care. People taken to hospitals have also been detained and arrested by security forces (Ecoi.Net par. 13) Vocal Syrian activists living abroad have not been spared either, as they are systematically harassed by embassy officials. Their families in Syria have been constantly harassed and intimidated by government authorities. The Syrian security has tortured and captured children during the one year of uprising. Some children have been shot in the streets or at home, while others have been captured and kept in inhumane environments. Schools have been used as military barracks, bases, sniper posts or detention centers. (Ecoi.Net par.143) International Response to Revolution Although condemnation for Assad’s regime has been wide from all corners of the world, most external players have failed in their efforts to stop the bloodshed. The Arab League expelled Syria from its council after it violated a peace plan that pledged to allow peaceful protests by pulling out the army from the streets. Assad’s government never honored the promise, but instead intensified the crack down on protesters. On 19th December 2011, the government agreed to fully cooperate with the Arab League by allowing an observer mission into the country (Ecoi.Net par. 15). The leagues presence did not improve the situation, as the government forces continued meting out violence on protesters (Ecoi.Net par. 25). The Arab league also formulated a transition plan that was presented to the United Nations Security Council. This plan was vetoed by China and Russia, who are permanent members of the Security Council. The international community opposing Assad’s regime can only undertake a collective action with the assistance of Syrian people, since the UN backed mandate failed. The EU and the US as well as the Arab league placed economic sanctions on Syria. It also put an embargo on exportation of weapons to the country and banned it member states from purchasing oil from Syria. The EU also banned the delivery of bank notes to the central bank of Syria and prohibited the trade of precious metals and gold with the state (Ecoi.Net par. 21). The EU also banned cargo flights from the country. The US has frozen all Syr ian government assets that are within its jurisdiction and banned US residents from performing any transactions with blacklisted individuals within the Syrian government. Turkey and Arab league have also followed suit and banned any transactions with Assad’s government. Assad’s government has found allies, with Russia sending a shipment of arms for the Syrian troops. Iran is another close ally that has sent cash, arms and advisors to Syria. It also assists Syria in exporting its oil abroad. Hezbollah from Lebanon has also declared its support for Assad’s regime. Conclusion President Assad is using the massive firepower to hold unto power and prevent the opposition from seizing power in any region. Assad’s strategy to hold on to power involves using ruthless crackdowns on opposition, thus preventing them from forming an effective, cohesive leadership. However, the protests threaten to escalate into a full civil war with tension already spilling over to oth er regions such as Jordan, turkey, Iraq and Lebanon (Barnard and Cowell 2). The latest efforts to end the one year bloody revolution are through a plan formulated by Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary. The plan proposes six points that will be used in ending the violence in Syria. These include; releasing prisoners, allowing journalists’ access, permitting free movement, withdrawing heavy troops and weapons from civilian centers and allowing humanitarian assistance. Assad has warmed up to this plan as well as the Arab League, which has dropped its initial demands for the president to step down (Siddique and Whitaker 10). Barnard, Anne Alan Cowell. â€Å"Syria.† The New York Times 29 March, 2012, late ed.: F1, F9. Ecoi.Net. 2012. The 2011-2012 political unrest in Syria. Web. Sharp, Jeremy. 2012. Unrest in Syria and U.S. Sanctions Against the Asad Regime. PDF file. Web. Siddique, Haroon Brian Whitaker. â€Å"Syria Accepts Annan Peace Plan.† The Guardian 27 Mar ch 2012, early ed.: F10, F13.