Microeconomics Current events Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Microeconomics Current events - Assignment Example The decline in Colombian coffee production can be well grasped from the statistics that in the year 2006 the country produced more than 12 million pound bags of coffee and was optimistic to take this number to more than 17 million by 2014. However the catastrophe that has been illustrated so far has restricted the Colombian coffee production at nine million pounds bags in the year 2010. This displays a decline instead of much expected rise. Research has been going on to form a suitable Arabic coffee variant with indigenous qualities of Colombia that would be more resistant to pests and would be able to flourish even amidst heavy rain, however the final outcome is yet to be found. Courting this deadline in supply on one hand and rise in global demand for coffee on the other; price of the same is on a rise. The retail price of coffee coming from famous brands has risen by 25% and the figure in futures market is even higher at 85%. The consequences for the Colombian coffee and the eventual impact on global coffee market from the same are following a simple logic. First of all global warming and erratic climatic condition are mostly due to anthropocentric activities over hundred of years; especially after the industrial revolution. Secondly the decline in supply and rise in demand for the coffee (following an improvement of economic status of the population of the countries like India and China) has quite obviously resulted in a price rise in short run (excess demand). Again the scenario hovering global warming and the global climatic condition does not seem too bright in future; hence little hope is there that the production of coffee will be blessed with environmental favour once again in near future resulting in higher supply for the same.

Abuelitas Beans Essay Example for Free

Abuelitas Beans Essay Nothing can be more enticing to a nose than waking up to the delicious aroma of simmering beans. The scent compels one to peal away the comforter and stagger into the kitchen for a bowl of creamy delicious beans. Pinto beans have been a staple in Mexican cuisine for hundreds of years, and every family has his/her own recipe. I recall, as a young girl growing up in a large, Mexican family, that there was always a large pot of legumes ready to nourish twelve mouths for less than five-dollars. Dad always ended his meal rubbing his barrel stomach while saying his favorite aphorism, â€Å"Pansa llena, corazon contento† (â€Å"Full belly, happy heart†), which always meant that the beans were delicious. Here is Abuelita’s recipe to fill the tummy of those that are endearing to one’s heart. Cooking beans really is not that hard. First, gather the supplies needed: one, five-quart slow-cooker with a ceramic liner with a glass lid cover, a sturdy plastic cooking spoon ( Abuelita always said that one should never stir the beans with a metal spoon or they will stick and burn.I obey her. ), one-pound dried pinto beans, one-half aromatic white onion, two fresh garlic cloves, water, and two tablespoons kosher salt. Several people have asked me, â€Å"Why a slow-cooker? † Well, all the women in the family cook the legumes in a cazuela (an earthenware pot made of clay). The cookware is either given to the bride at her wedding with hopes that her culinary endeavors will produce a happy marriage, or it is an inheritance from her mother or grandmother. The beans have a better taste if cooked in the cazuela, at least that is what the women in my family declare. I on the other hand, embrace the beauty of the slow cooker; it frees me to leave the house to run errands, and I have never endured stinky-burned beans. Once all the supplies and ingredients have been gathered and prepped, proceed by placing beans in a colander. Rinse the beans and run them through one’s hands to make sure debris is washed away, and small stones are picked out. Put the beans into the slow-cooker and cover them with water. Furthermore, add all the ingredients in the cooker. Except for the salt. Set the temperature at high for six to eight hours. After one hour, the earthy aroma starts to penetrate the whole house, reminding one of what will be for consumption. Please, if you want plump beans do not stir the beans during the first two hours. After approximately three hours, check to see if water is needed, due to water evaporation, and the legumes absorb a lot of water. Always add hot water never cold because the cold temperature lowers the heat and toughens the beans. Once another three hours has past, test the legumes for doneness. I was told when one bites into a bean, it should be soft and creamy. As a result from respecting the process, and not disturbing them, the pot liquid will have thickened leaving a delicious dark chocolate color broth for a healthy soup. Lastly, but not least, it is time to salt the beans. Add two tablespoons of kosher salt and stir with a wooden or plastic spoon. Go ahead and taste the broth and decide if more salt is needed. Always remember to gradually add salt to the beans since adding is easier than extracting. In the end, set the temperature to warm and ladle beans into the bowl of one’s choice. In conclusion, if an individual follows these simple steps of gathering supplies, for example, a slow-cooker, it will make the process of cooking worry free. Basically, pinto beans are easy to make, but easier to consume any time of day, resulting in everyone rubbing his/her tummy’s with contentment. â€Å"Buen Provecho! †(Enjoy your meal).

Perfume Essay -- essays research papers

(Continue from page 310, after "For the First time they had done something out of love") Grenouille does not feel dead oddly enough. One would figure after being torn to shreds and devoured by cannibals that your life would be over and you would be no more. However why does Grenouille's feel alive as if life had just begun? He sits there, feeling no physical presence to call his own and yet he feels vibrant and exhilarated. Like the many scents memorized throughout his life, thousands upon thousands of options as to why life is still felt by Grenouille flow through his mind. He knows that this is not physically possible, so he must think of it in another arena, not just physically. After many days of transparent being and thought, Grenouille has come to a major conclusion. His quest for the perfect scent must not be finished and he must go on. There must be some scent, some odor that has eluded him and thus barred him from making the perfect scent and ending his journey. Now in his new form he must continue his work that he had once thought finished. Only this time Jean Baptiste had more than olfactory powers, he has found that like most lost spirits and souls, he has to some degree the ability to control and overcome a living beings body. Grenouille found this out by merely walking into somebody on the street while walking, and finding himself going the other way walking awkwardly. He took a moment and stopped himself to see what had just happened to him. After this revelation, he knew he had new and possibly powerful abilities. Grenouille realized this is more than just a power, but a close ally that will help him on his quest to find that scent with out much problem, like before. So for many months Jeean Baptisite toiled around town until the over heard a conversation in a local eatery that caught his fancy. It was Pierre Paul and his colleague at the traveling circus that was in town. They were discussing a young female they had seen on their journey here and were just remarking on her strange beauty and elegance. This peaked his interest because with such beauty, must come a scent. Grenouille followed Pierre home and took over his body. Having used Pierre Paul to find out which towns they have recently visited, Grenouille was off. Over the next few we... ... went to work. Only this time, in his new body, he didn't need to be as stealth. He quickly acquired her scent in the usual fashion and left the body, deprived of any scent or even that white hair, and left Montece. The tale of the murder spread quickly throughout the region and there was a new interest in finding Grenouille the killer. However, that name nor its presence was ever felt again by the people of France. Although that is not entirely true... There is a tale about a mountain in France that seems to make people happier. It is a mountain called Mount de Bobricke, which is south of Paris. Grenouille now resides in his old mountain home for eternity but as he has found his perfect scent he shares it with those that pass by his mountain. He continually makes it and sends it out into the surrounding air for people to enjoy. Over time, this mountain has become a vigil to some, almost a fountain of youth if you will. To this day, people visit Mount de Bobricke for the scents and beautiful atmosphere that his scents make around the surrounding area. They feel a presence and happiness while sitting around the mountain. Perfume Essay -- essays research papers (Continue from page 310, after "For the First time they had done something out of love") Grenouille does not feel dead oddly enough. One would figure after being torn to shreds and devoured by cannibals that your life would be over and you would be no more. However why does Grenouille's feel alive as if life had just begun? He sits there, feeling no physical presence to call his own and yet he feels vibrant and exhilarated. Like the many scents memorized throughout his life, thousands upon thousands of options as to why life is still felt by Grenouille flow through his mind. He knows that this is not physically possible, so he must think of it in another arena, not just physically. After many days of transparent being and thought, Grenouille has come to a major conclusion. His quest for the perfect scent must not be finished and he must go on. There must be some scent, some odor that has eluded him and thus barred him from making the perfect scent and ending his journey. Now in his new form he must continue his work that he had once thought finished. Only this time Jean Baptiste had more than olfactory powers, he has found that like most lost spirits and souls, he has to some degree the ability to control and overcome a living beings body. Grenouille found this out by merely walking into somebody on the street while walking, and finding himself going the other way walking awkwardly. He took a moment and stopped himself to see what had just happened to him. After this revelation, he knew he had new and possibly powerful abilities. Grenouille realized this is more than just a power, but a close ally that will help him on his quest to find that scent with out much problem, like before. So for many months Jeean Baptisite toiled around town until the over heard a conversation in a local eatery that caught his fancy. It was Pierre Paul and his colleague at the traveling circus that was in town. They were discussing a young female they had seen on their journey here and were just remarking on her strange beauty and elegance. This peaked his interest because with such beauty, must come a scent. Grenouille followed Pierre home and took over his body. Having used Pierre Paul to find out which towns they have recently visited, Grenouille was off. Over the next few we... ... went to work. Only this time, in his new body, he didn't need to be as stealth. He quickly acquired her scent in the usual fashion and left the body, deprived of any scent or even that white hair, and left Montece. The tale of the murder spread quickly throughout the region and there was a new interest in finding Grenouille the killer. However, that name nor its presence was ever felt again by the people of France. Although that is not entirely true... There is a tale about a mountain in France that seems to make people happier. It is a mountain called Mount de Bobricke, which is south of Paris. Grenouille now resides in his old mountain home for eternity but as he has found his perfect scent he shares it with those that pass by his mountain. He continually makes it and sends it out into the surrounding air for people to enjoy. Over time, this mountain has become a vigil to some, almost a fountain of youth if you will. To this day, people visit Mount de Bobricke for the scents and beautiful atmosphere that his scents make around the surrounding area. They feel a presence and happiness while sitting around the mountain.

Gender, Hierarchy and Leadership Essay

Although women’s status has improved remarkably in the 20th century in many societies, women continue to lack access to power and leadership compared with men. This issue reviews research and theory concerning women’s leadership. The articles included in the issue provide evidence of bias in the evaluation of women, discuss effects of gender stereotypes on women’s influence and leadership behaviors, and evaluate strategies for change. This introductory article provides a brief summary of changes in women’s status and power in employment and education and the absence of change at the upper echelons of power in organizations. Also included is an outline of the contributions of the other articles in the issue. It is an exciting period for scholars who study how gender affects leadership: The presence of greater numbers of women in positions of power has produced new opportunities to observe female leaders along with male leaders. There has been an increase in the numbers of women in positions of public leadership, including highly visible positions. Of course, focusing on women who occupy such leadership positions should not cause us to forget that women have always exercised leadership, particularly in families and throughout communities. However, until recently, women were extremely rare in major positions of public leadership. Now women are in a small minority in such roles, but present. Political leadership illustrates this trend: In history only 42 women have ever served as presidents or prime ministers, and 25 of those have come to office in the 1990s (Adler, 1999). Almost all of the women who have attained top positions in corporations around the world have done so in the 1990s. Public interest in women’s potential as leaders is fueled by high-profile women serving in powerful positions; Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and former Secretary of State Madeline Albright are just three recent examples from the United States. Many of the newspaper and magazine articles written about these and other female leaders have a positive tone (e.g., Dobbs, 1999; â€Å"A Practical Judicial Eye,† 2000). The idea that women might hold such positions and the suspicion that they might exercise power somewhat differently than men no longer seems as alarming to people as in the past. Indeed, people are receptive to the idea that different might be better or at least not worse than what the nation experiences now. In response to the Gallup Poll’s question, â€Å"Do you think that this country would be governed better or worse if more women were in political office?† 57% of the respondents in the United States chose the response â€Å"better,† with greater endorsement by women (62%) than men (51%; Gallup, 1995). Only 17% of the respondents indicated that such a change would worsen government. The excitement about the presence of just a few women in powerful positions raises the question of why, with women’s roles changing so dramatically in the last decade, the numbers of women in these positions are so small. Indeed, the concept of the glass ceiling was introduced by the Wall Street Journal to account for this disjunction (â€Å"The Corporate Woman,† 1986) and has since been acknowledged by journalists and the public as an invisible but powerful barrier that allows women to advance only to a certain level. Evidence supports the glass ceiling metaphor. By some yardsticks, the United States and other advanced industrial societies appear to be approaching gender equality. In the United States, women have entered the paid labor force in large numbers and now constitute 47% of workers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2001b). Whereas in 1972 only 18% of managers were female, the proportion of women has steadily increased over time (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982) and currently women make up 45% of managers and administrators (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2001a). In education, women possess 51% of all bachelor’s degrees that have been awarded (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000). Since 1981– 82, more of these degrees have gone to women than men, with women currently receiving 56% (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). Women also possess 45% of the advanced degrees that have been awarded (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000) and currently earn 42% of PhDs and 43% of professional degrees (e.g., those in law or medicine; Morgan, 2001). Although these aggregate statistics on labor force participation and education suggest gender equality, the distributions of men and women in elite leadership positions tell quite a different story. To borrow former President Clinton’s phrase, the tops of managerial and governmental hierarchies do not â€Å"look like America.† In Fortune 500 companies, women constitute only 4% of the top officers, 3% of the most highly paid officers, and 0.4% of CEOs (Catalyst, 2000). In U.S. politics, only 13% of senators, 14% of congressional representatives, and 10% of state governors are women (Center for the American Woman and Politics, 2001). In the military, women make up 2% of the top officers (U.S. Department of Defense, 1998). Although about 30% of lawyers are women, women make up only 15% of law firm partners and 5% of managing partners in large firms (Rhode, 2001). In contrast to the changes in women’s education, labor force participation, and employment as managers, little change has occurred in terms of placing women in the most powerful leadership positions. The lack of women in powerful positions used to be explained by many as a â€Å"pipeline problem,† that is, the interpretation that women with the appropriate education and background were not available. Even though the pipeline explanation remains popular among male CEOs (Ragins, Townsend, & Mattis, 1998), its plausibility has been eroded by the dramatic increases in women’s employment as managers. Because the pipeline is full of women, this idea has given way to the glass ceiling in the popular imagination. The glass ceiling is a metaphor for prejudice and discrimination. To the extent that people are prejudiced against women as leaders and potential leaders, this prejudice would manifest itself in many ways and have multiple effects. Prejudice can take subtle or blatant forms and can be held by employers, customers, voters, and even by the targets of prejudice themselves. Prejudice against women as leaders and potential leaders would interfere with women’s ability to gain authority and exercise influence and would produce discrimination when it is translated into personnel decisions within organizations and political structures. Because social psychologists have long studied prejudice and industrial/organizational psychologists have studied managerial roles and organizational processes, the stage is set in these fields for understanding the rarity of women in powerful positions. The authors of the articles in this issue have all made important contributions to this developing kn owledge. Organization of the Issue Bias in the Evaluation of Women Leaders The articles in the first section of the issue present evidence of biased evaluation of women’s competence and potential for leadership, showing that across a wide variety of settings and contexts, women are presumed to be less competent than men and less worthy to hold leadership positions. In the first article of the section, Cecilia L. Ridgeway gives an overview of expectations states theory and proposes that gender differences in influence and leadership occur because people presume that men are more competent and legitimate as leaders than women are. These beliefs foster hierarchical patterns of social interaction through which men exert more influence and exercise more leadership. In support of the theory, Ridgeway reviews research examining gender differences in behavior in taskoriented groups and identifies conditions that modify these differences. In the section’s second article, Madeline E. Heilman reviews research on leadership in organizations, showing that as a consequence of biases against women, people devalue the work of female managers. When the value of that work is impossible to deny, people tend to attribute it to external factors rather than the women’s competence. Finally, when external attributions cannot be made, people dislike and reject successful female managers. Virginia E. Schein’s article, the third in the section, reviews cross-cultural research on bias against female leaders. Studies in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, and Japan all reveal that men are perceived to be more qualified as managers than women are, especially by men. In addition, Schein identifies changes in the perception of management over time and discusses why men from different countries with varying political, economic, and social conditions all continue to view women as less competent and suited to leadership than men. In the section’s fourth article, Jennifer Boldry, Wendy Wood, and Deborah A. Kashy describe an empirical study that revealed gender biases against women in a military setting. The authors report that both male and female cadets considered men to have more leadership ability and women to have more character (e.g., integrity, lack of selfishness) than the other sex, perceptions that are congruent with traditional gender stereotypes. Unfortunately for women’s potential in the military, cadets’ success in the corps was best predicted by perceived leadership ability, not perceived character, suggesting that a person’s success in the military depends on conforming to a masculine model of leadership. In the final article in this section, Monica Biernat and Kathleen Fuegen report two new empirical studies documenting shifting standards in evaluating women and men in work and academic settings. Presenting further evidence of bias against women, their findings revealed that female study participants set harsher standards for hiring female than male applicants and were less likely to hire women than men. In contrast to other articles in this issue showing greater gender bias by males than females, male study participants did not show gender biases in their hiring decisions. Gender Effects on Social Influence and Hireability The authors in the issue’s second section provide evidence showing that, in order to be influential, women must combine agentic qualities, such as competence and directiveness, with communal qualities, such as warmth and friendliness. In the first article of the section, Linda L. Carli reviews the literature on gender effects on social influence, reporting that males exert greater influence over others than females do. She argues that this occurs for two reasons. First, females are generally presumed to be less competent than males and therefore less credible as influence agents. Second, when women are perceived to be as competent as men, they are often seen as violating prescriptive gender role norms that require women to be communal. As a result, people, especially males, often dislike highly competent women and reject their contributions. In the section’s second article, Laurie A. Rudman and Peter Glick report on an empirical study that further explores pressures on female job applicants to be both agentic and communal. Results showed that agentic men were considered more socially skilled than agentic women. Moreover, agentic male applicants were considered more hireable than agentic female applicants for jobs requiring both agentic and communal skills. Women who possessed both agentic and communal qualities, however, were considered to be as hireable as their male counterparts, regardless of job requirements. In the third article in this section, Felicia Pratto and Penelope Espinoza discuss the importance of the interaction of race and gender in affecting discrimination in hiring. They report the results of two empirical studies showing that study participants preferred to hire White male job applicants over White female applicants for jobs that enhance group-based hierarchy but did not prefer Black and Hispanic male applicants over Black and Hispanic women for those same jobs. Instead, Blacks and Hispanics were generally more often selected for jobs that attenuated group-based hierarchy than Whites were. Characteristics of Women’s Leadership Leadership has traditionally been construed as a masculine enterprise with special challenges and pitfalls for women. This perception raises the very interesting question of how women lead. The two articles in the issue’s third section discuss current research on gender differences and similarities in the ways men and women perceive themselves as leaders and engage in leadership. In the first of these articles, Alice H. Eagly and Mary C. Johannesen-Schmidt examine the controversy in the popular and academic literatures about whether there are gender differences in leadership style. These authors review the empirical literature on gender differences in leadership style, including recent research on transformational and transactional leadership. They conclude that, although male and female leaders are quite similar in a number of ways, on average they do behave somewhat differently. In the section’s second article, Hilary M. Lips reports an empirical investigation of the ways in which samples of college students from Virginia and Puerto Rico perceive themselves as future leaders. Her findings indicate that both men and women expect to lead in domains that are relatively traditional for their gender— for example, men in business and women in education. Compared with men, women also expect more difficulties in their personal relationships and other negative consequences as a result of their leadership. Strategies for Change The articles in the first three sections of this issue present evidence of gender inequalities in leadership and influence and propose theoretical explanations for these inequalities. This research helps clarify why women are underrepresented in positions of power and provides a framework for identifying possible strategies for reducing gender discrimination. In the final section of this issue, Janice D. Yoder focuses on strategies that can be used to increase women’s emergence and effectiveness as leaders. In particular, she endorses a wide range of organizational strategies for increasing women’s leadership. She also describes individual approaches that women can use to reduce resistance to their leadership but argues that individual approaches, because they demand more of women than men, are inherently unfair. Importance of the Effects of Gender on Hierarchy and Leadership Scholarship on gender has addressed a range of issues in past decades, with early work concentrating on gender stereotypes and sex-differentiated personality traits. An underlying goal of this work was to understand the status of women in society and foster favorable change in women’s status. Although women’s status has risen substantially in the 20th century in many societies, women’s subordination remains apparent in their lack of access to positions of power. Earlier researchers rarely addressed this issue directly. If women are ever to achieve a status equivalent to that of men, however, they will have to participate equally in those contexts where the most important and far-reaching decisions are made. Decision making with major impact on what is valued in societies and how resources are allocated is surely not shared equally by citizens, but concentrated among people who hold positions of power in organizations and governments. Women must be present in sizeable numbers in these settings and must perform effectively in order to produce a balance between male and female power. The research and theory considered in this issue help us understand why power has remained unequally allocated between the sexes and how greater equality can be achieved. References Adler, N. J. (1999). Global leaders: Women of influence. In G. Powell (Ed.), Handbook of gender & work (pp. 239–261). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Catalyst. (2000). Census of women corporate officers and top earners. New York: Catalyst. Center for the American Woman and Politics. (2001). Fact sheet [On-line]. New Brunswick, NJ: Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. Available: http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/ ~cawp/pdf/elective.pdf The corporate woman: A special report. (1986, March 24). Wall Street Journal, 32-page supp. Dobbs, M. (1999, May 2). Becoming Madeline Albright. Washington Post Magazine, p. W11. Gallup, G., Jr. (1995). The Gallup poll. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources. Morgan, F. B. (2001). Degrees and other awards conferred by Title IV participating, degree-granting institutions: 1997–98 [On-line]. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Available: http://nces.ed.gov/ pubs2001/quarterly/spring/q5_3.html A practical judicial eye; O’Connor deserves one more first—Ms. Chief Justice. (2000, June 12). The Arizona Republic, p. B6. Ragins, B. R., Townsend, B., & Mattis, M. (1998). Gender gap in the executive suite: CEOs and female executives report on breaking the glass ceiling. Academy of Management Executive, 12, 28–42. Rhode, D. (2001). The unfinished agenda: Women and the legal profession. Chicago: American Bar Association, Commission on Women in the Profession. U.S. Bureau of the Census. (2000). Current population reports: Educational attainment in the United States: March 2000. Table 1: Educational attainment of the population 15 years and over, by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin [On-line]. Available: http://www.census.gov/population/ socdemo/education/p20-536/tab01.txt U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (1982). Labor force statistics derived from the current population survey: A databook (Vol. 1). Bulletin 2096. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2001a). Annual average tables from the January 2001 issue of Employment and Earnings. Table 11: Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic origin [On-line]. Available: http://www.bls.gov/cpsaatab.htm U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2001b). News: The employment situation: May 2001. Table A-1: Employment status of the civilian population by sex and age [On-line]. Available: http://www. bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf U.S. Department of Defense. (1998). Active duty military personnel by service by rank/grade (for September 30, 1997) [On-line]. Available: http://web1.whs.osd.mil/mmid/military/miltop.htm U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2001). Digest of educational statistics [On-line]. Available: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/digest/index.html

Rivalry Between Friends

In the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, the theme of opposites plays a prominent role. Shakespeare explores several relationships in this play, but the most intriguing is the relationship between Hermia and Helena. Specifically, Shakespeare calls the reader’s attention to the relationship between Hermia and Helena and their distinct differences. It is because of these differences that Hermia and Helena develop a mutual respect and admiration for one another, though in the beginning of the play, the girls have a much rockier relationship. At first glance, these two girls do not seem to be all that different, but as the play progresses, the reader realizes that a relationship of rivalry and jealousy exists. Hermia and Helena are both portrayed as beautiful young women. Helena is in love with a man named Demetrius, who happens to be her ex-boyfriend. Demetrius, however, does not return Helena’s affections, but attempts to woo Hermia. Hermia is not interested in Demetrius’ attempts to win her heart, as she is deeply in love with Lysander. It is within this love triangle that Hermia and Helena’s relationship exists in the form of a rivalry. By the end of the play, a noticeable change in Helena has occurred, and it is obvious that she As the play begins, the reader is thrust into this love affair between Hermia, Demetrius, Helena, and Lysander. Hermia’s father, Egeus, has forbidden her relationship with Lysander, forcing the two lovers to concoct a plan to elope together. In this scene, the reader senses through her actions that Hermia is sure of both herself and her impeding elopement to Lysander. Hermia appears to be completely content with the man who loves her, and very secure in her own skin. Hermia confesses her plans to elope to her friend, Helena, who tells Demetrius of the plan in order to gain favor in his eyes. Helena, too, appears to be confident in her appearance and intelligence. Although she is confused by Demetrius’ obvious disinterest in her, Helena make is very clear to the reader that she thinks very highly of herself. This attitude is apparent when Helena says, â€Å"Through Athens I am thought as fair as she† (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 227). Although Helena appears to be overconfident in herself, she also has a side of her that is very insecure with herself, and envious of Hermia and the attention that Demetrius showers on her. Although Helena has made it clear that she is just a beautiful as Hermia, Helena believes that Demetrius is only in love with Hermia because of her beauty. It is apparent that Helena believes that she has more than just beauty to offer Demetrius when she says, â€Å"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind† (Act 1, Scene 2, Line 134). A short while later, Puck, the right hand to the Fairy King, Oberon, attempts to give Helena her precious Demetrius. The plan, however, backfires, and it is Lysander who is made to woo Helena. When Lysander approaches Helena and tells her of his newfound feelings for her, she doesn’t believe him and thinks that it is a joke. Helena yells at Lysander because she thinks that he is making a fool of her. â€Å"Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?† (Act 2, Scene 2, Line 129-130).   This contradicts Helena’s earlier feeling of being just as attractive as Hermia, and just as deserving of those things that she has. While Lysander is pursuing Helena, Hermia awakens to find her love missing. The reader is again shown how confident and secure Hermia is when she worries that Lysander has been killed. The thought of Lysander being unfaithful to her never enters Hermia’s mind, and she assumes the worst when he is not there when she wakes. At the end of the play we see Helena and Demetrius are together, thanks to the correction of Lysander’s assisted feelings for Helena. Helena seems to have accepted Demetrius’ affection, whether real or not, and decides to be with him. This shows that, contrary to previous actions, Helena is starting to believe that Demetrius’ feelings are true. Whereas earlier in the play she was running away from Demetrius, sure that he was mocking her in his attempts to woo her, now she is marrying him and committing her life to being with him. This marriage and Demetrius’ sudden change of heart also calm Helena’s jealousy for Hermia. Originally, Demetrius had left Helena to woo Hermia, and now in Helena’s mind, order has been restored by Demetrius’ return to her. At the end of the play we see a more secure character and obviously a much happier Helena. In the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, every character goes through an evolution and by the end of the play, everyone is wiser for the experiences they endured. In the beginning of the play, we see Helena as an overconfident and jealous girl who is desperately chasing after the man she loves. Hermia is a more stable, self-assured character, completely confident in her relationship with Lysander. As the play wears on, Helena becomes extremely insecure and suddenly unsure of herself, whereas the reader never sees Hermia falter. Hermia runs away from the man that she had been chasing after for so long, and questions his affection for her. In the end, all’s well that ends well for Helena. She accepts Demetrius’ love and affection by marrying him, which creates more security for Helena, and gives her a sense of order restored in her life. Throughout the play, the reader sees Helena mature from an outwardly cocky, but yet inwardly insecure young woman into a self-assured and confident woman. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1980.         

Smoking IN public places essays

Smoking IN public places essays For a long time now many people have different views about smoking in public places. Smokers feel it is their right to smoke where and when they want. On the other hand non-smokers feel smokers violate their rights and endanger there life. Smoking causes heart disease, lung cancer and other serious illnesses. Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. A substantial number of lung cancers that occur in non-smokers can be attributed to involuntary smoking. There are some parts in the United States where you can smoke in public places, on the other hand in New York there are designated areas. While some people feel that smoking in public places should remain since it is their right, smoking in public places should be banned because second-hand smoke will endanger non-smokers health and it pollutes the enviroment Smokers feel they have had the right to smoke in a public place for so long that it should not be taken away. Resturants and businesses should be allowed to set their own smoking rules, based on demands of the customers. Also business may decrease if they do not allow smokers the right to smoke, ecspecially bars and restaurants. The work place is another problem for smokers, now they have to go outside even in the winter to have a cigarette, even though they used to be able to smoke inside. A strong supporter on smokers rights is Democratic Assemblyman Dick Floyd, who wanted to vote for a controversial smokers right bill. He feels it is not a smoking bill, it merely protects the people who use legal substances such as tobacco and alcohol in their homes from job discrimination. However, smoking in public places is a danger to non-smokers health for the reason of passive or second-hand smoke. The public does not realize the significant hazards of passive smoking. A U.S enviromental protection agency stated second-hand smoke is th...

Free Essays on The Impact of Media Violence

Persuasive Essay: The Impact of Media Violence â€Å"Monkey see, monkey do† has become a well-known saying in today’s society, but is it correct? Just sixty years ago the invention of the television was viewed as a technological curiosity with black and white ghost-like figures on a screen so small hardly anyone could see them. Today that curiosity has become a constant companion to many, mainly children. From reporting the news and persuading us to buy certain products, to providing programs that depict violence, television has all but replaced written material. Unfortunately, it is these violent programs that are endangering our present-day society. Violent images on television, as well as in the movies, have inspired people to set spouses on fire in their beds, lie down in the middle of highways, extort money by placing bombs in airplanes, rape, steal, murder, and commit numerous other shootings and assaults. Over 1,000 case studies have proven that media violence ca n have negative affects on children as well. It increases aggressiveness and anti-social behavior, makes them less sensitive to violence and to victims of violence, and it increases their appetite for more violence in entertainment and in real life. Media violence is especially damaging to young children, age 8 and under1, because they cannot tell the difference between real life and fantasy. Violent images on television and in movies may seem real to these children and sometimes viewing these images can even traumatize them. Despite the negative effects media violence has been known to generate, no drastic changes have been made to deal with this problem that seems to be getting worse. We, as a whole, have glorified this violence so much that movies such as â€Å"Natural Born Killers† and television shows such as â€Å"Mighty Morphin Power Rangers† are viewed as normal, everyday entertainment. It’s even rare now to find a children’s cartoon that does not depict some t... Free Essays on The Impact of Media Violence Free Essays on The Impact of Media Violence Persuasive Essay: The Impact of Media Violence â€Å"Monkey see, monkey do† has become a well-known saying in today’s society, but is it correct? Just sixty years ago the invention of the television was viewed as a technological curiosity with black and white ghost-like figures on a screen so small hardly anyone could see them. Today that curiosity has become a constant companion to many, mainly children. From reporting the news and persuading us to buy certain products, to providing programs that depict violence, television has all but replaced written material. Unfortunately, it is these violent programs that are endangering our present-day society. Violent images on television, as well as in the movies, have inspired people to set spouses on fire in their beds, lie down in the middle of highways, extort money by placing bombs in airplanes, rape, steal, murder, and commit numerous other shootings and assaults. Over 1,000 case studies have proven that media violence ca n have negative affects on children as well. It increases aggressiveness and anti-social behavior, makes them less sensitive to violence and to victims of violence, and it increases their appetite for more violence in entertainment and in real life. Media violence is especially damaging to young children, age 8 and under1, because they cannot tell the difference between real life and fantasy. Violent images on television and in movies may seem real to these children and sometimes viewing these images can even traumatize them. Despite the negative effects media violence has been known to generate, no drastic changes have been made to deal with this problem that seems to be getting worse. We, as a whole, have glorified this violence so much that movies such as â€Å"Natural Born Killers† and television shows such as â€Å"Mighty Morphin Power Rangers† are viewed as normal, everyday entertainment. It’s even rare now to find a children’s cartoon that does not depict some t...

Overview of Population Growth Rates

Overview of Population Growth Rates The rate of national population growth is expressed as a percentage for each country, commonly between about 0.1% and 3% annually. Natural Growth vs. Overall Growth Youll find two percentages associated with population - natural growth and overall growth. Natural growth represents the births and deaths in a countrys population and does not take into account migration. The overall growth rate takes migration into account. For example, Canadas natural growth rate is 0.3% while its overall growth rate is 0.9%, due to Canadas open immigration policies. In the U.S., the natural growth rate is 0.6% and overall growth is 0.9%. The growth rate of a country provides demographers and geographers with a good contemporary variable for current growth and for comparison between countries or regions. For most purposes, the overall growth rate is more frequently utilized. Doubling Time The growth rate can be used to determine a country or regions or even the planets doubling time, which tells us how long it will take for that areas current population to double. This length of time is determined by dividing the growth rate into 70. The number 70 comes from the natural log of 2, which is .70. Given Canadas overall growth of 0.9% in the year 2006, we divide 70 by .9 (from the 0.9%) and yield a value of 77.7 years. Thus, in 2083, if the current rate of growth remains constant, Canadas population will double from its current 33 million to 66 million. However, if we look at the U.S. Census Bureaus International Data Base Summary Demographic Data for Canada, we see that Canadas overall growth rate is expected to decline to 0.6% by 2025. With a growth rate of 0.6% in 2025, Canadas population would take about 117 years to double (70 / 0.6 116.666). The Worlds Growth Rate The worlds current (overall as well as natural) growth rate is about 1.14%, representing a doubling time of 61 years. We can expect the worlds population of 6.5 billion to become 13 billion by 2067 if current growth continues. The worlds growth rate peaked in the 1960s at 2% and a doubling time of 35 years. Negative Growth Rates Most European countries have low growth rates. In the United Kingdom, the rate is 0.2%, in Germany, its 0.0%, and in France, 0.4%. Germanys zero rate of growth includes a natural increase of -0.2%. Without immigration, Germany would be shrinking, like the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic and some other European countries growth rate is actually negative (on average, women in the Czech Republic give birth to 1.2 children, which is below the 2.1 needed to yield zero population growth). The Czech Republics natural growth rate of -0.1 cannot be used to determine doubling time because the population is actually shrinking in size. High Growth Rates Many Asian and African countries have high growth rates. Afghanistan has a current growth rate of 4.8%, representing a doubling time of 14.5 years. If Afghanistans growth rate remains the same (which is very unlikely and the countrys projected growth rate for 2025 is a mere 2.3%), then the population of 30 million would become 60 million in 2020, 120 million in 2035, 280 million in 2049, 560 million in 2064, and 1.12 billion in 2078! This is a ridiculous expectation. As you can see, population growth percentages is better utilized for short term projections. Increased population growth generally represents problems for a country - it means increased need for food, infrastructure, and services. These are expenses that most high-growth countries have little ability to provide today, let alone if the population rises dramatically.

Features of the Aircraft Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Features of the Aircraft Design - Essay Example Although composite materials weigh less than aluminum and have more corrosion resistance, which will lower maintenance, composite materials also have more failure characteristics in high-energy crashes (Langevin, 2003). Composite materials are brittle, and lack plasticity following an impact, so that a change in configuration may be needed in an aircraft design to ensure that crashworthiness criteria are met. There are load-limiting devices that can be implemented so that the loads transmitted to passengers during a crash will be minimized. The structural assembly can also be modified to decrease transmitted loads. Aircraft subfloor systems can be developed with high-strength materials that hold the passenger seats during impact, and also contain a crushable layer that will absorb energy. The crushable layer is most important in the vertical direction, for improving human tolerance of the impact. This subfloor platform will also distribute loads across the fuselage evenly. Energy absorbing seats are also effective at reducing loads transmitted to passengers. A comparison of two similar real-life crash events shows that energy absorbing seats and restraint systems can mean the difference between walking away and not surviving (Langevin, 2003). Another aspect of an aircraft design’s crashworthiness is its ditchability, or its ability to emergency land in water. There is usually a great loss of life in ditching however; statistics show a 60% survivability during ditching (Kebabjian, 2006) - some sources list a much higher survivability rate. Intentional ditching of commercial aircraft is rare and often occurs after fuel exhaustion; small aircraft ditching is much more common. As far as aircraft design considerations go, large underwing turbofans have been seen as having problematic ditchability ("Fall-back System...", 1999). In our aircraft design, engines mount above or on the wing, and there shouldn’t be the same ditchability problem.

U5ipdb Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

U5ipdb - Essay Example She is correct in that it is necessary to complete the billing for medical procedures in a timely fashion so that claims are properly processed, but not at the expense of coding those procedures incorrectly. Luckily, today’s world is full of a wealth of resources that Jan can turn to outside of printed media. Jan is most likely not dealing with codes that cannot be found properly. What she is doing is looking in the wrong place. She is looking where there are limited resources and giving up too easily and taking the easy road out. One of the best resources for her to utilize for this challenge would be the Internet. It is easy to find CPT codes on the Internet, even the new ones. All she needs to do is choose a search engine such as Google, select a proper search string to indicate what she is looking for and she is liable to easily find it. This is how I would handle the situation differently when using CPT codes that are not listed. One challenge of using the aforementioned method for finding unlisted, newer CPT codes is ensuring that the codes are accurate. It would be necessary for Jan to check the supplier and sponsor(s) of the website she chooses in order to determine whether not the resource is reliable. According to Avila-Weil and Regan (2007, pg. 230), â€Å"The ethics of coding, as in every professiona and business, is built on a solid foundation of moral standards which are applied to coding policies and procedures. These standards include integrity, honesty, competence, respect, fairness, trust, and courage. It is the responsibility of coding and health care professionals to establish and adopt ethical policies regarding billing and reimbursement, implement the policies comprehensively, and monitor the consistently, making corrective changes when necessary. It stands to reason from the aforementioned information that anyone who violates the standards of integrity,

The Need for Good Financing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Need for Good Financing - Essay Example The difference is that the word "finance" has a magical ring to it, and what a big difference the choice of words makes! A young boy who asks his dad for a few dollars usually pays a penalty like studying harder or fixing up his room, but a man in a suit who looks for multi-million dollar financing deals gets his picture in the papers, surrounds himself with beautiful people, and may even end up getting elected into public office like the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, Hank Paulson, who is now America's Treasury Secretary. So what this essay hopes to accomplish is to give young men and women a leg up in the good life: how to find money and learn the lessons needed to be successful later on in life. There are five basic rules that one has to remember in order to succeed in finding money without breaking the law, or without getting so used to shortcuts that instead of becoming a responsible member of society, the ambitious young person looking for money is spoiled into thinking that one can get on easily in life. This is not true, because whether one likes it or not, people have to work. Unless one learns to work hard, one can never be successful in life, especially now that there are billions of people in the world who are competing for the same lifestyle and the same jobs that people have and enjoy in America. This is the first rule of finding money the right way or, as the title of this essay suggests, finding good financing: money does not grow on trees, so one has to look for the best source of money. For young people, the best source is usually a parent, a relative, a friend, or a part-time job, in that order. Having a rich parent is an advantage, but it could also happen that rich parents are so tight with their money that their children do not get more than what they need. Many call this smart parenting, although their children may not see it that way. In other cases, parents may not have much money, but they want the best for their children, so they indulge the children's every whim and fancy. Many parents call this dumb parenting, but children usually praise this type of good financing of their expenses that they wish all parents are like theirs, except that spoiled kids usually end up as spoiled men and women who are good for nothing. Which brings us to the second rule: the wrong use of money can be the source of evil. Parents love this popular clich and often think about it when their children ask them for money, more so when their children are in their teenage years and most susceptible to experimenting with everything under the sun (or inside the mall). Good financing must include using the money for a good purpose, like being with friends, being able to buy food to eat or to engage in fun activities to relieve the mental, physical, and emotional stresses that are so common. Obviously, when parents see that giving their children money is not good for the children, they can block the channels through which the funds flow, either by withdrawing the child's allowance or imposing near-impossible conditions for funds release, such as getting straight A's or lending your iPod to your kid sister. This brings us to the third rule: one can get good financing by working for others. The reason is simple: the work you do will be unique and does not bring with it the condition to do

Ellen DeGeneres' Use of Social Media Research Paper

Ellen DeGeneres' Use of Social Media - Research Paper Example As the discussion stresses Ellen’s career has prospered and among other activities, she has been the host of the Emmys and the Oscars, she produces her own fictional television show on NBC and is the spokesperson for various companies. According to Van Krieken, celebrity is a status or quality characterized by a an ability to get attention that will create value from the fact of being widely known. Based on this definition, it is clear that Ellen is a celebrity as she is broadly accepted by the US public and has developed to become among the most influential celebrities who fight for equality using social media platforms. Ellen has been able to make the issues that surround sexual equality more visible through social media while at the same time advancing cultural and social change in America.This paper discusses that  Ellen DeGeneres uses numerous social media platforms that include her website which contains all the information that one may seek to know about her such as g etting tickets to her shows, past episodes, the celebrity guests she hosts, inspirational experiences as well as musical performances among others. The website also allows visitors to buy items from The Ellen Shop and connect to other social media sites and pages. On the other hand, her Facebook page has been verified and is liked by more than eleven million Facebook users. Her Twitter account s also verified and has approximately forty two million followers with more than ten thousand tweets.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Making and Buying Assignment

Advantages and Disadvantages of Making and Buying - Assignment Example Advantages of using internal resources (making approach)Advantages of using internal resources (making approach)i) Complete controlThe use of internal resource in developing the new system gives the organization total control of the system. They are able to carry out internal factor analysis by surveying, classifying, exploring and appraising without external interference (Limaye, 2009).ii) Ownership of the software codeThe organization has full ownership of the software code and can be able to smoothly identify and carry out major updates while doing inner testing without written permission from an external entity (Doyle, 2008).iii) Tailored to unique needs of the businessThe organization can make a system that is unique to their business needs because in house production enables them to make core features thus ensuring longevity as well as running of the software (Limaye, 2009).  iv) In house production ensures easy identification of problems associated with the system and timely solutions.  Disadvantages of using internal resources (making approach)i) Development timeInternal development of software requires a lot of time from human resources of the organization. It is time consuming to develop complex solutions for multiple users (Doyle, 2008).ii) Training and supportIt requires that internal software developers be given specialized training services as well as support for them to be able to effectively work with the new system. The organization may not have resources and time to offer such training and support.

Ellen DeGeneres' Use of Social Media Research Paper

Ellen DeGeneres' Use of Social Media - Research Paper Example As the discussion stresses Ellen’s career has prospered and among other activities, she has been the host of the Emmys and the Oscars, she produces her own fictional television show on NBC and is the spokesperson for various companies. According to Van Krieken, celebrity is a status or quality characterized by a an ability to get attention that will create value from the fact of being widely known. Based on this definition, it is clear that Ellen is a celebrity as she is broadly accepted by the US public and has developed to become among the most influential celebrities who fight for equality using social media platforms. Ellen has been able to make the issues that surround sexual equality more visible through social media while at the same time advancing cultural and social change in America.This paper discusses that  Ellen DeGeneres uses numerous social media platforms that include her website which contains all the information that one may seek to know about her such as g etting tickets to her shows, past episodes, the celebrity guests she hosts, inspirational experiences as well as musical performances among others. The website also allows visitors to buy items from The Ellen Shop and connect to other social media sites and pages. On the other hand, her Facebook page has been verified and is liked by more than eleven million Facebook users. Her Twitter account s also verified and has approximately forty two million followers with more than ten thousand tweets.

Art History Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art History - Research Paper Example Works of art are meant to communicate a message and this is evident in The Happy Couple by Judith Leyster and The Gleaners by Jean-Francois Millet. Both artworks are a manifest of socio-economic events happening in the society and their overall influence on shaping thoughts and ideologies. For example, The Happy Couple is an embodiment of love and tenderness that Judith Leyster did in 1630 when she lived in Netherlands with her husband. It was painted using oil on canvas and its dimensions are 81.8?110.7 cm (32?43 in) and it can be found currently at the Louvre, France. On the other hand, for Jean-Francois Millet’s The Gleaners, it has interesting features worth noting (Weiner, 2000). The painting was done in 1857 in the wake of the French Revolution to encourage the lower-class workers. While using oil on canvas, Millet attempted to represent socialism as a means empowering workers over landowners who subjugate their interests. Interested persons can find the painting at Muse e d’Orsay, Paris for viewing and enjoyment. Its dimensions are 83.8cm?111.8cm (33?44 in) and it is a realism painting that narrates the struggles of the French people especially the lower classes in their endeavors to succeed. The main agendas of the two artworks are directly linked to the agitation for recognition in a society that was increasingly becoming exploitative to the lower classes hence making life hard for them. This is notable in The Gleaners, an apt example of realism with the display of peasant women who are tilling land to find a harvest of wheat. As a result, the painting’s depiction of real life implies that the lower classes were impeded by the upper group into entering the upward mobility (Walther, 2002). The inaccessibility was hence motivated by the growing gap between power and helplessness that characterized France after the French Revolution. In The Happy Couple, Leyster was revealing the various aspects of her family that eventually bore her f ive children prompting her to leave painting. It means the painting infuses the elements of realism and symbolism in communicating its message of bliss while also evoking a deeper sense of uncertainties and doubts in marriages. It is vital to compare The Happy Couple by Leyster and The Gleaners by Millet based on numerous reasons. They, for instance, represent vividly artistic periods of societies when art was a serious medium of communication unlike in the modern age. Comparing the two artworks also gives an understanding of realism and symbolism and how they apply in the context of disseminating messages to the ordinary human beings as witnessed with The Gleaners. This is unlike Leyster’s painting that echoed a graceful period when people yearned for good marriages and children to create families (Weiner, 2000). Therefore, the main idea of comparing the works is examine their significance today in the different structures of society especially the socio-economic and politic al factors. Leyster equally integrates brushwork to connect to a period of distress as she struggled to become a professional. For instance, her visual elements in The Happy Couple such as too much oil on the edges is another revealing representation of the surrealist period when art served for aesthetic purposes than as a tool of raising consciousness. It is also noted in The Gleaners by Millet where the central focus of the background attaches itself the physical abundance that cannot be

Analysis on Lance Armstrong Doping Essay Example for Free

Analysis on Lance Armstrong Doping Essay No, the consequences brought upon Armstrong are completley inappropriate. The actions taken against him undergone by Travis Tygart and USADA are over the top. The fact that Lance doped is undeniable, he did it, but so did every other Tour de France contender and their teammates. Why should the man who won against other dopers have his life ruined? Why should a man who has helped millions of cancer patients have to step down from his organization and pay off the tax breaks of his charity? Well apparently Lance has to. Apparently, he has to pay fines due to his winnings, tax breaks, sponsorship money, etc. All he did was do EPO (like everyone else) and win the hardest cycling race in the world. Seven times. He was driven by his infamous focus on the task at hand, and raise cancer awareness globally. His athletic achievments outside of cycling are now getting the can too, including his win at the Boston Marathon, numerous Ironman 70.3 results, and various others. Mark Cavendish tweeted â€Å"Are people so naive they think cyclings the only sport with a hidden past? Maybe its just the only sport where a hidden pasts come out.† Baseball, football, various other sports have athletes taking performance enhacing drugs, why doesnt Barry Bonds, or Mark McGuires have their reputation tarnished and dragged through the streets? All of Lances sponsors have dropped him, including: Trek Bikes, FRS, Nike, Anheuser-Busch, Oakley, and 24 Hour Fitness. To wrap it up, theres been rumors of a divorce going around. Good job Travis Tygart, Pat McQuaid, Media hounds, and USADA investigators. You couldnt just leave it alone after years and years of failure, you ruined an American heros life and reputation, I hope youre satisfied.

Free And Fair Elections Politics Essay

Free And Fair Elections Politics Essay Free and fair elections and functioning electoral systems are the quintessence of democracy. Elections are used to ensure popular support and legitimacy for those who make governmental decisions.  [i]  An electoral system is the set of processes that determine how political candidates are elected to office. These procedures include the ballot structure, how citizens cast their votes, how those votes are tallied, and how the winners are determined.  [ii]  Electoral systems are important in many ways. First, they have significant political consequences. Electoral systems shape the nature of parties and party systems, and they affect the behavior of politicians and the strategies of voters.  [iii]   Additionally, electoral systems have a strong effect on the number of parties and consequently on the nature of competition in the party system. Electoral systems also affect the ways parties are organized and how they function internally. In addition, electoral systems also reveal the preferences of politicians and shape politicians behavior.  [iv]  Brazil pdf Accordingly, there are a small number of states in the world that have very similar electoral or voting systems but continue to have dissimilar amounts of political parties. These similarities and differences are best illustrated when comparing the United States and France. Despite similar electoral systems, France has numerous political parties while the United States has only two major parties. It would be anticipated that France and the United States would contain a resemblance in its electoral system based upon the information that the original French charter was inspired by the U.S. constitution.  [v]  Essentially, both states use a first past the post, winner takes all style of electing their Presidents. The United States also uses a unique system called the Electoral College to select a President from available nominees.  [vi]   This paper will seek to analyze the similarities and differences between France and the United States electoral systems. Firstly, the party system will be compared; secondly the electoral process itself, afterwards the heads of state, the question of reforms and finally the information provided will be summarized. Party System The structure of the party system in France is quite unique compared to other democracies. France has a multi-party system as opposed to the two-party system in the United States, and within those multiple parties, there is a great variety of internal organization.  [vii]  It was in France that the distinction between left and right first appeared and it is there that this distinction is of particular importance. However, the country has developed a multiple party system, so that the differences between left and right are far from clear. The parties have arranged themselves traditionally in the structure of the National Assembly, from the extreme left to the extreme right. The reason for the numerous amounts of political parties is for the most part historical. Successive regimes have passed, leaving their defenders as political parties or factions.  [viii]   Therefore, each party then can be identified with a preferred constitutional form and they each have their own particular ideology. France has gone through a succession of revolutions and regimes in which the new order never succeeded in entirely eradicating the advocates of the old. The older doctrines and their defenders have found that the Cartesian tradition, which is a tendency to pursue theoretical distinctions to the end, has encouraged their survival.  [ix]   The Third and Fourth Republics knew two electoral systems, both of which encouraged proliferation: proportional representation which assures each tiny party of its share of representation and therefore does not discourage the voter from exercising a marginal differentiation in casting his vote, and the single-member constituency system combined with the second ballot which encouraged a multiplication of candidates, and therefore of parties, especially on the first round. This system of many parties inevitably produced political weakness and cabinet instability.  [x]   Now, in the Fifth republic, (enacted in 1958), the electoral system in France depends on the size of the municipality. In municipalities with more than 3,500 inhabitants, the first half of the seats is allocated on the basis of absolute majority and the dHondt method of proportional representation is used to distribute the second half of the seats between lists that received at least five per cent of the votes. Municipalities with up to 3,500 inhabitants elect councils on the basis of absolute majority.  [xi]   In contrast, the American system as previously stated, is based on a two-party system, even though third parties exist. This results in clearly defined political lines in the United States, without the formal need for coalition-building often required to create a ruling majority in a parliamentary system.  [xii]  One factor contributing to the two-party system in the United States is the single-member district system of electing Representatives. Single-member meaning means that whoever receives a plurality of the vote (that is, the greatest number of votes in any given voting district) is elected.  [xiii]   Moreover, the Republican and Democratic parties are the two main political parties in the U.S. The Republicans and Democrats have dominated American politics since the 1860s, and every president since 1852 has been either a Republican or Democrat.  [xiv]  Despite that fact, so-called third parties and independent candidates remain a part of American politics. Most third parties have tended to flourish for a single election and then die, fade, or be absorbed into one of the major parties.  [xv]   Presidential Electoral Process The national election for the president of the United States is held every four years. These elections are far from straightforward in terms of its organization. The procedure for a national election goes on for a year.  [xvi]  A party must present nominated people to stand for election. Of  those nominated, only one is selected by the party delegates at the national convention. This person then goes on to represent that party in the national presidential elections. The running mate for the presidential candidate is also announced. Moreover, the structure of primary elections can differ from state to state. Some delegates are elected in a straight first-past-the-post system while other states use a form of proportional representation to give a greater spread of representation among the delegates sent to a national convention.  [xvii]  The delegates, when at a convention, vote for a candidate to run in the presidential election. After the national conventions, the two partie s presidential hopefuls can focus on campaigning for winning the presidential elections.  [xviii]   A unique feature of the American system is the Electoral College. When Americans vote for a President and Vice President, they actually vote for presidential electors, together as the Electoral College. The Constitution assigns each state a number of electors equal to the combined total of its Senate and House of Representatives delegations; at present, the number of electors per state ranges from three to 55, for a total of 538. It is these elector-candidates, rather than the presidential and vice presidential nominees, which the citizens vote for in the election. In most states, voters cast a single vote for the slate of electors pledged to the party presidential and vice presidential candidates of their choice. The slate winning the most popular votes is elected; this is known as the winner-take-all, or general ticket, system. Separate ballots are cast for President and Vice President. The electoral vote results are counted and declared at a session of Congress. A majority of elec toral votes (currently 270 of 538) is required to win.  [xix]  In the recent American elections in 2008, Democratic candidate Barack Obama won the election with 53% of the popular vote along with 365 electoral votes over Republican candidate John McCain.  [xx]   In comparison, in the French system, candidates for the Presidency must obtain 500 sponsoring signatures of elected officials from at least 30 departments or overseas territories. The post is directly elected in a two-stage voting system. A candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round is elected. However, if no candidate receives 50%, there is a second round which is a run-off between the two candidates who secured the most votes in the first round. Nicolas Sarkozy, from the ruling UMP, won the second round of the Presidential election in May 2007. He gained 53% of the vote, finishing six points ahead of his Socialist rival, Sà ©golà ¨ne Royal.  [xxi]   Duties of the Head of State The constitution of the French Fifth Republic was approved by public referendum on September 28, 1958. It greatly strengthened the powers of the executive in relation to those of Parliament. Under this constitution, presidents were elected directly for a seven-year term since 1958. However, beginning in 2002, the presidential term of office was reduced to five years and a constitutional reform passed on July 21, 2008 which limits presidents to two consecutive terms in office. The president names the prime minister, presides over the cabinet, commands the armed forces, and concludes treaties. Traditionally, presidents under the Fifth Republic have tended to leave day-to-day policy-making to the prime minister and government; the five-year term of office is expected to make presidents more accountable for the results of domestic policies.  [xxii]   On the contrary, the American presidents chief duty is to make sure that the laws are implemented. Presidents appoint all cabinet heads and most other high-ranking officials of the executive branch of the federal government. They also nominate all judges of the federal judiciary, including the members of the Supreme Court. Their appointments to executive and judicial posts must be approved by a majority of the Senate. The president is also the commander in chief of the US military and has unconstrained authority to direct the movements of the navy, land and air forces. The president has the power to make treaties with foreign governments, though the Senate must also approve such treaties by a two-thirds majority. Finally, the president has the power to approve or veto bills passed by Congress, though Congress can override the presidents veto by summoning a two-thirds majority in favour of the measure.  [xxiii]   Electoral System Reform? With respect to proposals by some American scholars and policy makers to get rid of the U. S. Electoral College system, most reformers advocate for a direct popular vote in the French manner and most also advocate a runoff (also like the French system) in the event that no candidate receives majority support (or or a lower figure such as 40%) in a first round election. But there are many Americans who believe that two presidential elections within a period of a few weeks would be too much.  [xxiv]  Moreover, The French are starting to embrace the concept of having primaries like the Americans. Even though these are not yet systematically organized, they are helpful in sorting out the candidates of each political party. In 2006, for example, the Socialist Party fielded three candidates, and party activists chose one of them, Segolà ¨ne Royal, to represent them. It is not that unlikely to see that same process expanded in future presidential elections.  [xxv]   Conclusion While comparing United States government to French government there are many similarities and differences discovered. To reiterate, France and the United States citizens elect the president of the republic, and both democracies do it by universal suffrage.   The French, on the other hand, prefer a direct election. In other words, a two-round electoral process in which any French citizen can become a candidate given that they collect 500 signatures endorsing their candidacy. The Americans however have a different method. Every state chooses by popular vote a list of electors, each of whom represents one candidate. The list pledged to a candidate who wins a simple or absolute majority of votes takes all of the states Electoral College seats (essentially winner takes all).  [xxvi]  This two-step election process takes into consideration both American demographics and political equality among the states of the Union, which is quite different from the French system.  [xxvii]  Fr ance is a representative democratic republic like the United States. France differs from the United States in political organization. The difference is that the political power in France is split between the president and a prime minister, who leads the political party that holds majority in Parliament.  [xxviii]   In addition, France is characterized by its multi-party system, whilst the United States is seen as a two-party system, even though third parties do exist. Also, Relations between France and the United States have become friendlier after Nicolas Sarkozy was elected President of France. In 2007, Sarkozy delivered a speech before the U.S. Congress which was a strong affirmation of French-American friendship. During his visit he met with President George W. Bush as well as Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. This visit took place before the two senators were chosen as party nominees.  [xxix]  Both also met with Sarkozy in Paris after securing their respective nominations in 2008; after meeting Obama in July, he was quoted saying Obama? Cest mon copain which means Obama? Hes my buddy. Because of Obamas and Sarkozys relationship, relations between the two countries are expected to improve further.  [xxx]  

African-Americans and Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn Essay -- Adventure

African-Americans and Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn    In the century since the publication of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, it has remained one of the most talked about books in American literature. This distinction seems to be due primarily to the fact that, while the book has always been popular among Americans, Americans, of all types, continue to find different ways to be offended by it. It has been described as everything from anti-southern to anti-black, and has been called everything from a piece of trash to a national treasure. Perhaps no other American book could claim such an abundance of conflicting interpretations. This essay will seek to explore and explain the history of one of the major controversies surrounding the book, and the importance that that history may have had for modern readings of the novel. Two Different Novels to Two Different Groups of Americans    As long as Huck Finn has existed, African-Americans have had a unique perspective on the novel. This project will argue that this unique perspective has its roots in the early interpretation of the novel by African-Americans, and that this perspective deserves recognition for finding deeper meaning in Huck Finn, long before it was accepted to do so. To begin, it is important to first distinguish between white interpretation of the novel and black interpretation of it. Although Huckleberry Finn was published long after the Civil War, racial prejudice and injustice still remained in all aspects of American life. As a result, African-Americans were largely excluded from American literary institutions like universities and publishing companies. Popular newspapers, magazines, and books were, for the mos... ...ymond W. Smock, eds., The Booker T. Washington Papers. Vol. 10: 1909-1911. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1981. p349-50. San Francisco Daily Examiner [unsigned] 1885: March 9. Smith, David Lionel. â€Å"Black Critics and Mark Twain.† The Cambridge Companion to Mark Twain. Forrest G. Robinson, ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995. p119-20. Notes: [i] One of the newspaper accounts of this scandal can be found in The Critical Response to Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. ed. Laurie Champion (New York, Greenwood Press: 1991) 10-12. [ii] A similarly detailed account of the banning can also be found at http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/huckfinn/hfconcrd.html [iii] A database of the early illustrations of the character Jim, as well as the other characters of the book, is available at http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/huckfinn/jminpix.html    African-Americans and Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn Essay -- Adventure African-Americans and Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn    In the century since the publication of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, it has remained one of the most talked about books in American literature. This distinction seems to be due primarily to the fact that, while the book has always been popular among Americans, Americans, of all types, continue to find different ways to be offended by it. It has been described as everything from anti-southern to anti-black, and has been called everything from a piece of trash to a national treasure. Perhaps no other American book could claim such an abundance of conflicting interpretations. This essay will seek to explore and explain the history of one of the major controversies surrounding the book, and the importance that that history may have had for modern readings of the novel. Two Different Novels to Two Different Groups of Americans    As long as Huck Finn has existed, African-Americans have had a unique perspective on the novel. This project will argue that this unique perspective has its roots in the early interpretation of the novel by African-Americans, and that this perspective deserves recognition for finding deeper meaning in Huck Finn, long before it was accepted to do so. To begin, it is important to first distinguish between white interpretation of the novel and black interpretation of it. Although Huckleberry Finn was published long after the Civil War, racial prejudice and injustice still remained in all aspects of American life. As a result, African-Americans were largely excluded from American literary institutions like universities and publishing companies. Popular newspapers, magazines, and books were, for the mos... ...ymond W. Smock, eds., The Booker T. Washington Papers. Vol. 10: 1909-1911. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1981. p349-50. San Francisco Daily Examiner [unsigned] 1885: March 9. Smith, David Lionel. â€Å"Black Critics and Mark Twain.† The Cambridge Companion to Mark Twain. Forrest G. Robinson, ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995. p119-20. Notes: [i] One of the newspaper accounts of this scandal can be found in The Critical Response to Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. ed. Laurie Champion (New York, Greenwood Press: 1991) 10-12. [ii] A similarly detailed account of the banning can also be found at http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/huckfinn/hfconcrd.html [iii] A database of the early illustrations of the character Jim, as well as the other characters of the book, is available at http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/huckfinn/jminpix.html   

Machiavelli’s The Prince Essay

In Machiavelli’s The Prince, he plunged into how a prince could bulwark his position once he reaches the top. One of the many ways of how to secure a prince’s position is conquest by criminal virtue. In conquest by criminal virtue, Michiavelli said that a prince secures his position when he reaches the top because it takes a long time and a lot of hard work to prosper. So to make sure no one takes away their position, the prince crushes his opponents and earns obeisance from the people as much as possible. The prince also makes fewer compromises with their allies, trying to stand alone because he believes he is more sufficient and stronger than the others. A prince must also know how to reform orders. This may cause havoc because people who benefited the old order might oppose the prince but he must have the power to force the people to continue supporting him even though they are already having second thoughts. So why does this persist even though every politician and every citizen who thinks rationally knows that this is immoral. We humans are naturally driven by our hunger for power, fame and fortune. We set aside moral values and ethical values just to quench our self-interests. Politicians act on it because they know this is the easiest way to eliminate a threat. This is a permanent thing so when an enemy ceases to exist, he’s permanently gone from the competition and this gives the other politician a peace of mind because he knows that he will win for sure if he has no opponent. Citizens do not act upon this because first, citizens that belong to the lower class are afraid. How could they go against someone so powerful that this person could end their life with just a snap of their fingers? The span and extent of power of this kind of politician is vague that it might extend to having the upper hand and control over criminals and we never know what he will do just to preserve his power, fame and fortune. Second, most citizens who know about the wrong doings of this politician is paid and given a lot of consolations for their support and silence. As I said, we humans are naturally driven by our hunger by fortune. For people who do not work and believe in gaining money from a real job, this is the most convenient way of earning money because they don’t have to do anything but tay silent, run a few errands for the politician and write the politician’s name on their ballot every time he runs for a seat. There is also the fact that when local citizens support this politician, they are more secured and well protected. People who try to clash with these local citizens would already feel threaten beforehand because the politician will back them up in part of their deal for the secrecy of the politician’s dirty work. This is one of the most immoral acts performed in politics, but one that somehow we can never get rid of.

Chapter 13 Guided Reading

Guided Reading Chapter 13 Terms: 1. Tropics- Areas with high humidity and temperatures 2. Monsoons- an overflow of water from rivers 3. Ecosystems- communities of living things within a certain climare 4. Bilad al-sudan- West African Jewish communities who were connected to known Jewish communities from the Middle East, North Africa, or Spain and Portugal. 5. Dhow – any of various types of sailing vessels used by Arabs on the east African, Arabian, and Indian coasts, generally lateen-rigged on two or three masts. 6. Swahili – a member of a Bantu people of Zanzibar and the neighboring coast of Africa.Also, Kiswahili, ki-Swahili. the Bantu language of the Swahili people, used also as a lingua franca in Tanzania, Kenya, and parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 7. Urdu- an official language of Pakistan, also spoken in India. The script derives primarily from Persia. It belongs to the Indic branch of the Indo-European family of languages, being closely related to H indi but containing many Arabic and Persian loan words 8. Junks- Chinese Ships that can contain up to 40 tons Places: 9. Niger River – the principal river of western Africa, extending about 4,180 km 10.Indus River – is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through western Tibet (in China) and Northern India. 11. The Ganges – a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The 1,569 mi river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. 12. Mekong River- a river in Southeast Asia. is 4,350 km From the Tibetan Plateau this river runs through China's Yunnan province, Burma (Myanmar), Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. 13.Swahili Coast-The Swahili Coast refers to the coast or coastal area of East Africa inhabited by the Swahili people, mainly Kenya, Tanzania, and north Mozambique. The term may also include the islands such as Zanzibar, Pate or Comoros which lie off the Swahili Coast. 14. Strait of Malacca – is a narrow, 805 km (500 mi) stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the archipelago between 1414 and 1511. 15. Mogadishu – the Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta's appearance on the Somali coast in 1331, the city was at the zenith of its prosperity.He described Mogadishu as â€Å"an exceedingly large city† with many rich merchants, which was famous for its high quality fabric that it exported to Egypt, among other places. He added that the city was ruled by a Somali Sultan originally from Berbera in northern Somalia who spoke both Somali and Arabic with equal fluency. The Sultan also had a retinue of wazirs (ministers), legal experts, commanders, royal eunuchs, and other officials at his beck and call. 16. Kilwa -Kilwa Kisiwani is a community on an islan d off the coast of East Africa, in present day Tanzania. 7. Aden – In 1421, China's Ming dynasty Yongle Emperor ordered principal envoy grand eunuch Li Xing and grand eunuch Zhou Man of Zheng He's fleet to convey an imperial edict with hats and robes to bestow on the king of Aden. The envoys boarded three treasure ships and set sail from Sumatra to the port of Aden. This event was recorded in the book Ying-yai Sheng-lan by Ma Huan who accompanied the imperial envoy 18. Malabar Coast – The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent.Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain slopes. The term â€Å"Malabar Coast† is also sometimes used in reference to the entire Indian coast from the western coast of Konkan to the tip of the subcontinent at Cape Comorin. 19. Malac ca – the third smallest Malaysian state after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and Johor to the south.Malacca was founded by Parameswara, also known as Iskandar Shah or Sri Majara, the last Raja of Singapura (present day Singapore) following a Majapahit attack in 1377. He found his way to Malacca around 1400 where he found a good port—it was accessible in all seasons and on the strategically located narrowest point of the Malacca Straits. 20. Timbuktu – The first mention is by the Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta who visited both Timbuktu and Kabara in 1353 when returning from a stay in the capital of the Mali Empire. [25] Timbuktu was still relatively unimportant and Battuta quickly moved on to Gao.At the time both Timbuktu and Gao formed part of the Mali Empire. A century and a half later, in around 1510, Leo Africanus visited Timbuktu. He gave a description of the town in his Descrittione dell'Africa which was published in 1550. [26] The original Italian was translated into a number of other languages and the book became widely known in Europe. [27] Empires/ Kingdoms: 21. Delhi Sultanate – five short-lived dynasties, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, mostly of Turkic and Pashtun (Afghan) origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty.The five dynasties were the Mamluk dynasty (1206–90); the Khilji dynasty (1290–1320); the Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414); the Sayyid dynasty (1414–51); and the Afghan Lodi dynasty (1451–1526). 22. Mali Empire – a West African empire of the Mandinka from c. 1230 C. E. to c. 1600. C. E. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I. The Mali Empire had many profound cultural influences on West Afric a, allowing the spread of its language, laws and customs along the Niger River.It extended over a large area and consisted of numerous vassal kingdoms and provinces. 23. Kanem- Bornu – existed in modern Chad and Nigeria. It was known to the Arabian geographers as the Kanem Empire from the 9th century AD onward and lasted as the independent kingdom of Bornu until 1900. At its height it encompassed an area covering not only much of Chad, but also parts of modern southern Libya, eastern Niger, northeastern Nigeria and northern Cameroon. The history of the Empire in the longue duree is mainly known from the Royal Chronicle or Girgam discovered in 1851 by the German traveller Heinrich Barth. 4. Gujarat – From 1297 to 1300, Allauddin Khilji, Sultan of Delhi, destroyed Anhilwara and incorporated Gujarat into the Delhi Sultanate. After Timur's sacking of Delhi at the end of the fourteenth century weakened the Sultanate, Gujarat's Muslim Rajput governor Zafar Khan Muzaffar asse rted his independence, and his son, Sultan Ishaan Shah (ruled 1411 to 1442), restructured Ahmedabad as the capital. 25. Bahmani Kingdom – was a Muslim state of the Deccan in South India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms. Bahmanid Sultanate was the first independent Islamic Kingdom in South India. 6. Vijayanagar Empire – an empire based in South India, in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of Sangama Dynasty and Dhangar / Kuruba Gowda lineage. 27. Great Zimbabwe – Great Zimbabwe acted as a royal palace for the Zimbabwean monarch and would have been used as the seat of their political power. One of its most prominent features were its walls, some of which were over five metres high and which were constructed without mortar. Eventually the city was abandoned and fell into ruin. Individuals / Peoples: 28.Muhammed ibn Ab-dullah ibn Buttata – a Muslim Moroccan explorer, known for his exte nsive travels, accounts of which were published in the Rihla (lit. â€Å"Journey†). Over a period of thirty years, he visited most of the known Islamic world as well as many non-Muslim lands; his journeys including trips to North Africa, the Horn of Africa, West Africa, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe in the West, and to the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and China in the East, a distance surpassing threefold his near-contemporary Marco Polo. Ibn Battuta is considered one of the greatest travellers of all time.He journeyed more than 75,000 miles (121,000 km), a figure unsurpassed by any individual explorer until the coming of the Steam Age some 450 years later. 29. Sundiata – founder of the Mali Empire 30. Mansa Kankan Musa – the tenth Mansa, which translates as â€Å"King of Kings† or â€Å"Emperor†, of the Malian Empire. At the time of Mansa Musa's rise to the throne, the Malian Empire consisted of territory formerly bel onging to the Ghana Empire and Melle (Mali) and immediate surrounding areas, and Musa held many titles, including: Emir of Melle, Lord of the Mines of Wangara, and Conqueror of Ghanata, Futa-Jallon, and at least another dozen states. 1. Mansa Suleiman – mansa of the Mali Empire from 1341 to 1360. The brother of the powerful Kankan Musa I, he succeeded Musa's son Maghan to the throne in 1341. His son Kassa briefly assumed the throne following his death in 1360, but was succeeded the same year by Maghan's son Mari Diata II. 32. Sultan Iltutmish – He was a slave of Qutb-ud-din Aibak and later became his son-in-law and close lieutenant. He was the Governor of Badaun when he deposed Qutub-ud-din's successor Aram Shah and acceeded to the throne of the Delhi Sultanate in 1211.He shifted Capital from Lahore to Delhi, remained the ruler until his death on May 1, 1236. Iltutmish introduced the silver tanka and the copper jital-the two basic coins of the Sultanate period, with a standard weight of 175 grains. He introudced Iqtadari system: division of empire into Iqtas, which were assigned to the nobles and officers in lieu of salary. 33. Sultan Raziya – First female Sultan referred to as Razia Sultana was the Sultana of Delhi in India from 1236 to May 1240. She was of Seljuq slave ancestry and like some other Muslim princesses of the time, she was trained to lead armies and administer kingdoms if necessary.Razia Sultana, the fifth Mamluk Sultanate was the only woman ruler of both the Sultanate and the Mughal period. Important Events: 34. Mansa Musa’s Pilgrimage – Musa's journey was documented by several eyewitnesses along his route, who were in awe of his wealth and extensive procession, and records exist in a variety of sources, including journals, oral accounts and histories. Musa is known to have visited with the Mamluk sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad of Egypt in July 1324. Questions to Outline: 1.The ecosystems in Africa are controlled by their location in comparison with the equator and there are many different ecosystems with in a tropical environment which is an area with a high temperature and humidity. 2. It mobilized the labor of ordinary people in order to produce surpluses, helped support powerful states and profitable commercial systems. 3. Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent mainly took place from the 13th to the 16th centuries, though earlier Muslim conquests made limited inroads into North India as early as the time of the Rajput kingdoms in the 7th century.Some historians consider parts of the conquest the bloodiest chapter in human history. 4. The Indian Ocean trade has been a key factor in East–West exchanges. Long distance trade in dhows and sailboats made it a dynamic zone of interaction between peoples, cultures, and civilizations stretching from Java in the East to Zanzibar and Mombasa in the West. Cities and states on the Indian Ocean rim were Janus-faced. They looked outward to th e sea as much as they looked inward to the hinterland. In the contemporary period, the re-assertion of Asia’s cultural, political, and economic trength has manifested itself in varied events such as the meteoric rise of the Chinese economy and the growing influence of India’s culture industry, and the rise of Dubai as a global financial hub. These processes indicate a gradual movement of the fulcrum of global economic and military exchanges away from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, a shift which is being keenly watched by national elites and global institutions. 5. Their status was determined by males, Tasks were cooking, brewing and farm work, family organization was important in society and some women didn’t adopt veiling. . The spread of Islam, Commercial contacts and the rise of Mali and Ghana. These changed many things with in the people such as what rights they had, the amount of slavery, taxes and trade, economy was based off gold and their religion. 7. They made certain adjustments such as irrigation systems, and adopted different means of surviving such as wild food and fish hunting, herding and grain trade, farming of rice, wheat , sorghum and millet. They also built dams and reservoirs.