Free Essays on The Road To Wigan Pier

In The Road To Wigan Pier, Orwell has described the lives of the coal miners in the 1930’s. In reading another assigned book, Hiroshima by John Hershey, a much greater compassion for the people of Hiroshima immerged in the reader. Both books communicate the lives and conditions the people of these two towns were subjected to and how they survived their surroundings. Orwell’s The Road to Wigan Pier is full of facts and accounts but nothing compared to the feelings brought forth in the visual image story telling style of Hershey’s Hiroshima. Orwell is very factual in his account of the conditions and lives of the coal mining community and its people while Hershey tells of the lives, the pain and the desensitizing of an entire town when the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Orwell discusses the wages, living conditions, working conditions and how they survived on the food that they could afford. He seems very unattached to his entire surroundings and is only writing the facts as he sees them. As any person reading this book, feelings of sadness can arise for the people of Wigan Pier as well as any other coal mining town. In Hershey’s book he paints a picture of the people of Hiroshima who were left with nothing and wandered the town passing people they could not help and knew would die. This line of story telling draws the attention of the reader and makes a point at the same time. The points made in both books are the same, despair and helplessness but also of pride. The coal miners in Orwell’s book are in a helpless situation, the same as the people of Hiroshima. Pride was the source of strength in both books that seemed to be overlooked by Orwell in his depiction of the times and lives of the people. Orwell was much more passionate in the second part of his book discussing Socialism and Fascism, then he was for the people of Wigan Pier. Hershey’s vivid characterization brought a human face to the destruction caused... Free Essays on The Road To Wigan Pier Free Essays on The Road To Wigan Pier In The Road To Wigan Pier, Orwell has described the lives of the coal miners in the 1930’s. In reading another assigned book, Hiroshima by John Hershey, a much greater compassion for the people of Hiroshima immerged in the reader. Both books communicate the lives and conditions the people of these two towns were subjected to and how they survived their surroundings. Orwell’s The Road to Wigan Pier is full of facts and accounts but nothing compared to the feelings brought forth in the visual image story telling style of Hershey’s Hiroshima. Orwell is very factual in his account of the conditions and lives of the coal mining community and its people while Hershey tells of the lives, the pain and the desensitizing of an entire town when the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Orwell discusses the wages, living conditions, working conditions and how they survived on the food that they could afford. He seems very unattached to his entire surroundings and is only writing the facts as he sees them. As any person reading this book, feelings of sadness can arise for the people of Wigan Pier as well as any other coal mining town. In Hershey’s book he paints a picture of the people of Hiroshima who were left with nothing and wandered the town passing people they could not help and knew would die. This line of story telling draws the attention of the reader and makes a point at the same time. The points made in both books are the same, despair and helplessness but also of pride. The coal miners in Orwell’s book are in a helpless situation, the same as the people of Hiroshima. Pride was the source of strength in both books that seemed to be overlooked by Orwell in his depiction of the times and lives of the people. Orwell was much more passionate in the second part of his book discussing Socialism and Fascism, then he was for the people of Wigan Pier. Hershey’s vivid characterization brought a human face to the destruction caused...

8 Steps to More Concise Writing

8 Steps to More Concise Writing 8 Steps to More Concise Writing 8 Steps to More Concise Writing By Mark Nichol You know you must streamline your writing, but the devil’s in the details. Here are some specifics about what to look for: 1. Remove Redundancy Avoid double-teaming terms like â€Å"a period of one week,† â€Å"end result,† â€Å"free gift,† and â€Å"personal opinion.† Watch for phrases that echo the quality in question: â€Å"oval in shape,† â€Å"larger in size,† â€Å"shorter in duration,† and the like. Omit redundant words that are already implied as part of an abbreviated term, such as machine in â€Å"ATM machine.† 2. Reduce Phrases to Words Replace a descriptive phrase following a noun with a one-word adjective that precedes the noun: â€Å"People who experienced at traveling know better than to label their luggage,† for example, can be revised to â€Å"Experienced travelers know better than to label their luggage. A modifying phrase, similarly, can be reduced to a simple adverb: â€Å"Sympathizing with her concerns, he nodded in response to her complaint,† for instance, is more concisely expressed as â€Å"He nodded sympathetically in response to her complaint.† Delete extraneous phrases such as â€Å"which is† and â€Å"who were,† as shown here: â€Å"We drove down Lombard Street, which is considered the crookedest street in the world† is easily simplified to â€Å"We drove down Lombard Street, considered the crookedest street in the world.† 3. Omit Gratuitous Intensifiers and Qualifiers Use adverbs that intensify or qualify in moderation: â€Å"They had an extremely unpleasant experience† isn’t accurate unless a subsequent explanation justifies the intensifier extremely, and â€Å"I was somewhat taken aback† isn’t necessarily an improvement on â€Å"I was taken aback.† 4. Expunge Expletives â€Å"There are† or â€Å"there is† is a weak way to start a sentence. â€Å"There is a telling passage toward the end of the story† lacks the focus of (and the more vivid verb in) the sentence â€Å"A telling passage occurs near the end of the essay.† 5. Negate Nominalizations â€Å"The report gave an analysis of the accident† uses a phrase where a single word suffices. (This is known as a nominalization, or smothering a verb.) When you see a â€Å"(verb) a/an (noun)† construction, convert the noun into a verb and replace the phrase with it. In this case, â€Å"The report analyzed the accident† is the more concise result. As with deletion of expletives, a stronger verb is an additional benefit. 6. Delete Superfluous Phrases â€Å"At the present time,† â€Å"for all intents and purposes,† and â€Å"in the event that† are just a few of many meaningless phrases that clutter sentences. Trim them to tighten your writing. 7. Avoid Cliches Likewise, â€Å"face the music,† â€Å"litmus test,† â€Å"tried and true† and other timeworn phrases add nothing to your writing but words; they’re useful only for padding a word count, but instructors and editors (and readers) will notice. 8. Eschew Euphemisms Generally, words that disguise concepts degrade language, which is all about expressing, not repressing, meaning. For example, â€Å"collateral damage,† in reference to warfare (and, by extension, to all interpersonal relationships), invites derision. However, use of some euphemisms, such as those for human disabilities, is a well-meaning effort to preserve the dignity of the disabled, though some people argue that such cosmetic wording actually harms people by diminishing the seriousness of their condition, or that it is for the benefit not of the disabled but of people who would rather not be reminded of the disabled. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:85 Synonyms for â€Å"Help†Latin Words and Expressions: All You Need to KnowSit vs. Set

Discourse Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Discourse Analysis - Essay Example According to (Burr, 2015), if discourses regulate our common understanding of things and events and if these shared understanding inform our social practices, then, it becomes clear that there is an intimate relationship between discourse, knowledge and power. In this article, it is attempted to identify the main discourses from the text ‘what really motivates employees’ and discuss the alternative ways through which the information could have been presented or list the alternative discourses and explain how it can change the level of understanding. Discourse is defined as the way of talking about and conceptualising an issue which is presented through various concepts, vocabulary and ideas that recur in texts (Bratton, 2015). In this text, the factors that motivate the employees are identified elaborately. An organization functions efficiently and smoothly when the recruited employees are well motivated, because motivation, both in the form of monetary and non-monetary terms encourages the employees to perform or deliver to their highest potential. Scope for the application of creativity plays a significant role in motivating the employees. Restricting rewards in terms of monetary benefits removes the interesting or the challenging factor out of a job. Enforcing too many rules, regulations and laws and making the organizational processes too formal often leads to conflict between the management and employees. Working under trustworthy leadership is enjoyed by the employees. Trust is an important motivational tool and the leadership that has shown more transparency with their employees have achieved overwhelming results (Bruce and Pepitone, 1999). Motivational factors for the employees who are engaged in routine work and the employees working at higher corporate levels cannot be same. The carrot and stick method of motivation cannot be applied uniformly to all levels of the

Monopolies in Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Monopolies in Industry - Essay Example Rockefeller (American industrialist)-Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia, n.d). Originally, this Trust was made to bring cash in through the conversion from whale oil to kerosene. However, with the emergence of the automobile use, gasoline was the by-product that brought immense wealth to this industrial group. By 1890, the Standard Oil already controlled almost 90 percent of America’s oil industry with little competition remaining. Rockefeller took this opportunity to set prices arbitrarily, leaving consumers with no choice but to pay for the set price (The Standard Oil monopoly, by the Linux Information Project." The Linux Information Project (LINFO) Home Page, n.d). Aside from the dreary effects that consumers had to live with, this went on too far as it did not only had many people’s businesses or jobs taken away from them because of the elimination of competition and the ruthless predatory tactics of the trusts but at the same time it was a business that used extensive fraud, political corruption, and physical violence to maintain its monopoly (A History Of U.S. Monopolies." Investopedia – The Web’s Largest Investing Resource, n.d). Thus, the U.S Department of Justice took on several efforts to break the monopoly. Some of which would be the enactment of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act that sought to limit monopolies and cartels. This act gave the government the power to shatter big companies into smaller pieces that would benefit not only one company or a group of people but the general public. However, this act only gave birth to the formation of domestic monopolies and was then used to differentiate between good and bad monopolies as seen by the government. In response to this, the Clayton Act was introduced that served as guidelines to whether mergers and acquisitions that were unavoidable should be allowed if they substantially lessened the competition in the market monopoly (A History

An editorial about the writings of Ida B. Wells Essay Example for Free

An editorial about the writings of Ida B. Wells Essay Ida B. Wells wrote the three pamphlets Southern Horrors (1892), A Red Record (1895), and Mob Rule in New Orleans (1900) as an attempt to publicize the atrocities being committed against African Americans in the New South. These writings are important today, not because lynching of African Americans occurs with any regularity, but because they are accounts contemporary with the events they detail and because the pamphlets illustrate the dangers of: mob rule, justifying immoral acts by claiming to have a moral purpose, and the tendency of people everywhere to strike out against anything new or different with violence. This message is even more relevant today when the current president is so willing to suspend the rights of others so that the people of America can be safe. The fear of one group of people who mistrust another group should never result in suspension of rights of another. Just like the eroding of the rights of African Americans during the time when Wells was writing, the suspension of rights of people who look as if they are or might be terrorists in the current world is wrong and should not be tolerated. Ida B. Wells wrote with two purposes in mind: one was educational, the other was to publicize the atrocities committed in the New South with the hope of eliciting reaction from people who would then help bring an end to Lynch Law and other injustices committed against African Americans. Wells wanted to educate those people who were unfamiliar with the New South regarding the violence and double standards far to common in the South. Wells wrote to tell the facts about lynchings in the South so that people would no longer believe lynching was a response to an egregious crime. She sought to recast lynching in the public eye so that it was not perceived as an understandable though unpleasant response to heinous acts, but as itself a crime against American values (Wells 27). According to Wells the perception that all white women were pure and uninterested in have African Americans as husbands is untrue, there are many white women in the Sought who would marry colored men if such an act would not place them at once beyond the pale of society and within the clutches of the law (Wells 53). At the same time laws forbade African American men and white women from commingling, Wells points out they leave the white man free to seduce all the colored girls he can (Wells 53). Although Wells writing centers on lynching because of alleged rape she makes an important point when she cautions that a concession of the right to lynch a man for any crime, . . . concedes the right to lynch any person for any crime, . . . (Wells 61). Wells also wanted to call citizens of the North, government officials and people in Great Britain to act to end lynch law. She urged them employ boycott, emigration and the press . . . to stamp out lynch law . . . (Wells 72). Ida B. Wells wrote to three different audiences. To those people living in the New South Wells wrote not so much about horrific events that occurred, but about the justifications they used to excuse their behavior. As mentioned above, she wrote of the double standard between the races and of the potential danger of expanding lynching to suit the whims and fancies of any mob at any time. To those Americans living outside the South Wells wrote to shock them with the descriptions of the horrid events, to educate them about how African Americans were still being treated despite the Civil War and despite the Constitutional Amendments guaranteeing rights to African Americans. Wells writes to the people of the North to show them that all is not well in the South and that the advances made in the past were being pushed aside. In her first pamphlet, Southern Horrors, Wells wrote about the existing injustices and ongoing terrorist acts performed against African Americans. To the rest of the world, particularly Great Britain, Wells wrote A Red Record she respectfully submitted [this pamphlet] to the Nineteenth Century civilization in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave (Wells title page). This pamphlet recounts the numbers and details of more than four hundred lynchings occurring in the United States against African Americans. Wells hoped to appeal to the sensibilities of British people who were potential investors in the South so they would invest elsewhere the appeal to the white mans pocket has ever been more effectual than all the appeals ever made to his conscience. To those in power in the United States Wells wrote Mob Rule in New Orleans to those in power in hopes of their bringing to an end to authorities who allow, and at times encourage mobs to act. Although it is difficult to quantify what the actual affects of Wells writing were, it is clear that during the next century, the groups she wrote for did make great strides toward establishing equality and eliminating injustices based on race. It is not unreasonable to suggest that Wells writing had a hand in starting this process. Wells writings are certainly among the earliest of Post-reconstruction writing to reintroduce the difficulties of African American lives, but they were not the last. It is likely that her writing influenced and encouraged others to continue the work Wells began. As I read through the accounts of these horrible, disgusting lynchings I felt saddened and depressed. Clearly there were many injustices committed and many were people hurt, imprisoned, or killed. Some of these are particularly gruesome such as Chapter III of A Red Record, Lynching Imbeciles: An Arkansas Butchery where Henry Smith was tortured and burned at the stake (Wells 88-98). According to figures gathered by the NAACP (an organization with Wells as one of the founding members) there were 3,318 African Americans killed by lynching between 1892 and 1931. Certainly one cannot dismiss or excuse these egregious acts in any fashion. However I was not particularly surprised or shocked by these events. Perhaps it is because I live in a world where the Jewish Holocaust of World War II is well known, a world where a country, Cambodia, went mad, and slaughtered between 1. 5 and 3 million of 7 million its own citizens. Perhaps it is because I live in a world where the recent genocides in Rwanda and Somalia were largely unknown until made into a wide screen blockbuster movie. Perhaps it is because of the 9/11 attacks (coincidentally the number killed on 9/11 and the number of dead American soldiers in Iraq are remarkably similar to the 3300+ listed in the NAACPs figures). For whatever reason, I find myself somewhat inured against these accounts. I am not sure whether this reveals more about me or about the society I live in, but I cannot help but wonder if Ida B. Wells were writing today would there be any impact at all.Perhaps not: mores the pity. Works Cited Wells, Ida B. Southern Horrors and Other Writings: The Anti-Lynching Campaign of Ida B. Wells, 1892-1900. Ed. with intro Jacqueline Jones Royster. Boston: Bedford Books, 1997.

The Present Builds Upon the Past :: history

The Present Builds Upon the Past The world is far from perfect. However, through the years, it has improved in many ways. If I went back in time and changed the tiniest thing in history, it is possible for my life to be completely different today. If you don't believe me, read on because I've got hard proof. It's depressing to know there was a time when "blacks" and "whites" were seperated simply because of the color of their skin. We have moved forward, then stumbed backwards, but slowly we started building and here we are year 2001, where everyone, despite your race, have equal rights. I realize pejudice is still alive today, but you have to admit, things have improved. During the late 1800's "Jim Crow" laws or "Black Codes" were made offical. This law legally seperated "blacks" and "whites" in every day life. It was ridiculous, immature, and just flat out unreasonable. They used seperate public waiting rooms, restaurants, theaters, public parks, schools, hospitals, just to name the basics. We have every single abolitionists, civil rights activists, and all the other freedom-fighters who stuck up for their rights. You wouldn't believe how much one person can accomplish. It wasn't too long ago when women were denied some of the rights that men had, such as voting. People believed that women were better fit cooking, cleaning and taking care of the children at home, rather than going out to earn money. They also believed that men had a higher ability of learning than women, which was why their education was limited. In order to get all the rights women have today, it took much time, effort, and most of all, courage. Many brave women organized protests demanding for equal rights. It was a slow process but every little effort added up, and today, women can even run for President of the United States. Who knows? Many if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be writing this report, or be able to write at all. A more recent example in which we can more personally relate to, is the World Trade Center tragedy. The fact that we needed a tradegy to bring America togeather is sad, but at least we are here for each other when we really need each other. I know living thirteen years isn't much at all, but in that time, I have never seen America more united than in the last few weeks.

Life in Russia

It is quite possible that Russia may be best known for it†s long, and bitter winters. This extreme coldness also aided the country as a whole by keeping invaders at bay; For example, Adolf Hitler, and his Nazi army, were hesitant in entering the country during World War II. In Moscow, snow covers the ground for at least five months of the year. In the Northernmost region of Russia, there is snow present for between eight and ten months. Most of the coastal waters, such as: ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, remain frozen during the majority of the year. But after the harsh winter months have past, the weather swings harshly in the opposite direction. During the warmest days of the summer, it is not uncommon for the mercury to hit 100? F, although they average around 60? F. Precipitation throughout the year, rain, sleet, and snow, is usually light to moderate. The wettest part of the country is the European Plain, or the East Siberian Uplands, where rain falls on a daily basis during the spring. The majority of the vast inland receives little or no rain, but approximately four feet of snow during the winter. Russians, like Americans, enjoy watching television, and reading. They also love to play chess; visit the movie theaters; soak up the culture of an opera, or play; travel to a local museum; go for a walk, or participate in sports. The government of Russia strongly supports athletic events, especially team sports. Soccer is unopposed as the most popular participant, and spectator sport in the country. Russians also enjoy gymnastics, basketball, and during the winter, ice hockey is a hit among the children of the countrymen. Russians also enjoy nature. They really enjoy going on hikes, and spending time in the forests. Many have country cottages called dachas. There, they garden, hike, bicycle, swim, fish, gather mushrooms, and take part in the other outdoor activities. Russian people also love going on vacation to places other than their dachas during the summer. Popular vacationing sites include: the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Volga River. In Russia, fighting has been a way of life, as seen during all parts of its history. Russia has been a fighting country since the 800†³s. They were involved in constant war with the Mongols. Also, civil war has been a enormous problem for the Russians. In the early 1600†³s, a civil war broke out, inspired by an invasion by the Mongols, and the political confusing that followed about killed the country as a whole. Most recently, Russia was involved in World War I, fighting countries such as Germany, and Austria-Hungary. Shortly after, there was another civil war between the Communists and the anti-Communists. This war lasted two years, and ended up with a communist victory that led to the establishment of the USSR, or the Union of Soviet Social Republics, or in Russian, Rus Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, A union of the several countries that lay around Russia. Politically the USSR was divided (from 1940 to 1991) into 15 constituent or union republics-, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia Gerogia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia Russia, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, until its breakup in 1991. Since then, Russia, and other Soviet republics have become independent nations. The most well known being the Ukraine. Ukraine broke off, and quickly established its own currency, the Ukraine Ruble. The Ukraine is constantly bragging to Russia of all its wealth, but the Ukraine also boasts much higher inflation, and higher unemployment, for they are not as successful as they brag to Russia to be. Russia†s health care is free to its citizens. The government cares a lot about the health of its citizens, and it most certainly shows. They†re committed to meeting the basic needs of its people. Because of their poor economic state, the government does not have sufficient funds to support its health-care systems. This has led to medicine and equipment shortages, and low wages for health-care providers. Russia has an abundance of farmland. Due to the short growing season, insufficient rainfall, and lack of fertile soil, farming in Russia is extremely difficult. Many of the farms are operated like government factories. These farms are called sovkhozys. People do work, but don†t have much say in what†s grown. The other farms, called Kolkhozys, are government controlled, but partly managed by the farmers. What goes on here is that the farmers decide what to grow and the government tells them if it is acceptable to them or not. The major crops grown in Russia are barely, fruits, oats, potatoes, sunflowers, rye, sugar beets, and wheat. The diet of the Russians is very healthy and hearty. They eat bread virtually every meal. They also consume large quantities of sugar. Their main method of preparing food is by frying. They also drink large amounts of tea because coffee is too expensive. Their trademark drink is Vodka. They also drink wine, champagne, beer, and other alcoholic beverages. Alcohol abuse has been and remains to be a major social problem in Russia. The education in Russia is much different then the USA†s method of education its people. It consists of first through 10th grade, plus higher education. Using this method, which may seem abridged to Americans, eliminates two years of useless classes, and allows for Russians to leave school, and either begin to work, or go on to higher education. Elementary school consists of first through fourth grade. Classes meet six days a week for 4 ? hours a day with shorter periods on Saturday. Courses include math, art, music, language, P. E. , simple skills, and history. Intermediate grades consist of fifth through eighth grade. They meet thirty hours a week and are taught, zoology, physics, geography, shop work, and chemistry. Secondary grades consist of ninth through tenth grades and consist of math, science and work skills in different trades. This is to meet the governments need for specialists in science and Industry. Graduates with high marks receive medals and are relieved from required mandatory services so the can continue their education; these mandatory services include 2 years of military service for all graduates, except when they are relieved to pursue higher education. The higher schools that are present in Russia consist of 650 specialized schools and 70 universities which are currently educating some 6 ? illion students. Most programs take five years to complete, and then they must work for the government for 3 years, in order to repay their country for relieving them of their mandatory military service. They receive their diploma after one year of work. Russia thinks education is their road to success, and instead of offering countless useless classes, Russia provides healthy education, with strong emphasis on chemistry. They have over 52 million students and a strong majority of Russia†s country men are able to read and write in their native language. The U. S. S. R has a long constitution that gives all political power to the people and their elected representatives. However the country†s completely controlled by the communists. The Soviet Union lets no other political party to oppose the communist party. The ironic thing is only 17 million of the people in Russia are actually communists. Russia†s government resembles a triangle because each government body has to report to a higher authority. At the top of this triangle is the Supreme Soviet of the USSR The members are elected to 5 year terms and they only meet twice a year for about two weeks. They pass without question all the laws proposed by the communists party. The freedom of the Supreme Soviet is the head of state or president. He is elected by the communist leaders and he handles legislative matters between sessions of the Supreme Soviet. The council of Ministers are another government group in Russia and are the highest executive body. It controls economic and cultural life through various ministries and committees. The council of ministries also handles relations with other nations. It consists of 120 members, many of them are the highest ranking officials in the communist party. The Russian Orthodox Church was the central religion of Russia until the communists came to power. Communists are atheistic (people who are against the belief in God or Gods) and they view religion as â€Å"Opium for the people† a drug, or disease. When the communists came to power they destroyed churches and killed church leaders. However religion in Russia survived. In the 1940†³s, persecutions and restrictions eased up mainly because the church supported the governments choice of being involved in world war two. Then in the late 1850†³s the communists began closing non official places of worship. They also tried hard to discourage religion through education and propaganda. Still religion survived, there are 20 to 45 million followers of the Russian Orthodox Church; The people in the former Soviet Union are still among the most spiritually open people in the world – especially the youth – and for this, the number is rising. Muslims are the second largest religious group. Some religions like Jehovah†s witness are strictly prohibited by the communists. Russian language is remarkably similar even though there is such a diverse population. Russian language is understood from the west to the east part of the country. The Russian language is based on the Cyrillic alphabet. Certain minorities in Russia have their own language but they speak Russian as a second language. Russia like most countries has both urban and rural life styles. ? of Russia†s people live in cities. Russia has 35 cities that have 800,000 people or more, and Moscow along with St. Petersberg has 4 million. Many modern conveyances such as plumbing and air conditioning are not found. There is also a shortage of food and too much crime in Russian cities. Farmers populate much of Russia rural areas. There is also a lot less education and health care in the rural areas of Russia, for schools are not easily paid for in areas such as these. Russia is one of the richest countries on natural resource. Russia†s vast area provides for a lot of forest space, and water for hydraulic energy. There are also extensive mineral deposits. Russia also has a wide variety of plant and animal life. Industry is vital to Russia†s economy. Moscow and St. Petersberg are the biggest areas for manufacturing in Russia. Russia produces a lot heavy machinery and has many chemical, oil, and plant refineries as well. St. Petersberg also has a large ship building industry, and an even larger airplane parts industry. There is heavy trading with the US in airplane parts. Russia†s chemical plants produce items such as chemical fibers, mineral fertilizers, plastics, and synthetic resins. Transportation in Russia is very difficult because of its lack of roads and it†s vastness. Trains are the most common form of transportation and shipping. Aero Flat is Russia†s national airline and makes up most airline travel, although most people are unable to afford the enormous bill created by purchasing an airline ticket through Aero Flat. Roads are not commonly found because only 60 out of every 1,000 Russians own a car. City travel in Russia is taken care of by buses, trains, and subways. Communication equipment is unevenly distributed and not modernized, because of this only 15 out of every 100 Russians own a telephone. Russia is in a state of economic turmoil at the moment. It has had a lot of trouble moving from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. However Russia is making advancements under president Yeltsin; Inflation fell from 131% to 22% in 1996. These advancements are partially due to the fact that now, 80% of industry is now privatized; meaning, that 80% of all goods produced in Russia, are produced in a private sector of the country, by companies who control themselves. As of May 16, 1999, one United States Dollar would be converted into 24. 7367 Russian Rubles. Currently over 30 billion United States Dollars circulate throughout Russia, for just as in all foreign countries, the Russians hold on to the Dollars, and when the exchange rate is just right, they can make a pretty profit from their Dollar. Unemployment is not a very big problem in Russia. Only 9. 3% of its population remain unemployed, leaving a 73 million manned labor force ready to work. Many of these men work closely with the government, packaging and shipping exports, or receiving and checking over its imports. Major exports of the country include petroleum, natural gas, metals, and chemicals. Hard to find in Russia, and therefore heavily imported are: machinery, medicines, meat, grains, and especially sugar. The majority of this trading is done with North America, although Russia is also close trade partners with most of Europe, Japan, and some third world countries.

Lemurs in Madagascar: Surviving on an Island of Change Transcript

Lemurs in Madagascar: Surviving on an Island of Change Transcript Speakers: Ian Tattersall, Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Michelle Sauther, Frank Cuozzo (Rain trickling, lemur sounds: squeaking and calling) (Music playing in background) IAN TATTERSALL: I think everybody who is involved with lemurs is concerned for the future. We’re in a finite island that cannot infinitely be exploited and ravaged. And if present trends continue, the outlook for any of the natural habitat or any of the lemurs is fairly poor. (Birds chirping) Lemurs are members of the order primates, that is to say the large group of mammals to which human beings also belong.And they’d found they are uniquely in Madagascar and on a couple of the adjacent islands of the Comoros group. (Music playing in background) An evolutionary radiation is the diversification of different species from the same ancestor and once a new kind of organism like a primate comes into a new environment as happened in Madagascar about six ty million years ago; there are many, many different ways in which that environment can be exploited. It’s very hard to say exactly how many species of lemur there are because new species are being described all of the time.But in general terms, there now looks to be about thirty to thirty-five species of lemurs and it shows us just what the potential of primates is to occupy an enormous range of different habitats. (Music playing in background) Habitat destruction takes place on a much shorter time scale than evolutionary change and the amount of change that is happening so rapidly in Madagascar as a result of human activities is clearly something with which no evolutionary process can cope. JONAH RATSIMBAZAFY: Now we are here in Ranomafana National Park in the southeastern rainforest of Madagascar.This place used to be loved by loggers but since the park was created, the forest started to be productive. Here in Ranomafana, there are twelve different species of lemurs. Seven are active during the day and five are active during the night. There are many different ways of studying lemurs. It depends on what you want to look at. (Speaking in background) I look at the behavior and how the behavior fits in the habitat. For example, if you want to know which foot and what prints they rely on because if we can continue to protect the habitat, that will help to protect them or to conserve them.Every five minutes we take note what species of tree, who the closest neighbor is, the closest trail, because we want to know where do they go to estimate the home range and if they eat, what do they eat. Some species cope better than the others. If you are a specialist on your diet and if people cut down your food, you are gone. For example, the bamboo lemur. They exclusively eat bamboo and if people cut down those plants, they are gone. They can disappear very fast. (Music playing in background) IAN TATTERSALL: Different lemurs are affected in different ways by the env ironmental destruction that is going on in Madagascar.Some lemurs are in danger, some are critically endangered, some are vulnerable, and some are threatened. The less vulnerable ones are the ones that do well in secondary habitats, in habitats that have been altered by people. MICHELLE SAUTHER: We’re at a site called Beza Mahafaly, and it incorporates a protective reserve as well as areas outside of the reserve and our research here focuses on the effects of fragmentation and changes in habitat on lemur biology and their behavior. We study lemur catta which is the ring-tailed lemur. It’s the type of lemur most people have seen in zoos.They are one of the most far ranging of the lemurs. They are incredibly adaptable and one of the things that we are kind of interested in is what is the biology of adaptation or what is the biology of avoiding becoming extinct. And because ring-tailed lemurs are so widespread, and that’s not to say they’re not threatened, b ut they seem to be able to deal a lot behaviorally and biologically with habitat change. I think what we’re seeing in terms of the troops we were looking at today is a troop that is actually utilizing some of the anthropogenic change.They will go out and utilize local people’s crops so they are actually exploiting some of the habitat that has been degraded and turned into crop land for their own use. FRANK CUOZZO: In terms of the ring-tailed lemurs, because they are rather generalist, they do seem to adjust to different types of disturbance. As Michelle mentioned a few moments ago, it doesn’t mean that we don’t have to watch out or think about it and it doesn’t mean there aren’t very real threats to long-term survival, but ring-tails specifically seem to deal with things in ways that some of the more specialized lemurs don’t.MICHELLE SAUTHER: But there is always limitations to those though. That’s what we’re trying to un derstand is where are you when you get to the limits of even a ring-tailed lemur in terms of being able to adapt. (Music playing in background) I used to feel depressed when I came here because, again, you see the habitat changing and a lot of fragmentation occurring. I feel a bit better now because we’re trying to really get a handle on what sort of ways you can interact with local people because that is the reality.What you saw around here is the reality of Madagascar. IAN TATTERSAL: I think what we ought to be looking for in terms of conservation is habitats to protect and what we need to do is to find those places where, with the least disturbance to local people or to the greatest benefit of local people, tracks of forest that support the native fauna of Madagascar can be conserved. (Lemur sound) [End of Audio] Copyright  © 2006 by Films Media Group. All rights reserved. Adapted with permission.

Globalization news article essays

Globalization news article essays In the article "A Hard Habit to Break," Newsweek's Brook Lamar discusses the growing illegal trade in cigarettes originating from China and extending to other parts of Southeast Asia. This trade has two components. First, genuine foreign cigarettes from tobacco giants like Marlboro, Philip Morris and Salem are smuggled into the country. Second, China also has a flourishing counterfeit cigarette industry. Fake cigarettes, complete with official-looking government import seals and a "Made in America" label are then sold in the black markets in Singapore, Shanghai, the Philippines and even Australia. This article illustrates a type of economic globalization. The sales of cigarettes and other tobacco products have dwindled significantly in the United States due to health campaigns. To make up for the loss of its North American market, tobacco companies have turned to China and by extension, Asia. Tobacco companies have previously tolerated the trade in counterfeit cigarettes, believing that these fake cigarettes increased brand recognition in the country. Today, however, the same companies are concerned that the black market trade in cigarettes is eroding one of the last few markets that are still hospitable to tobacco products. The article also uses the tobacco trade to illustrate the limitations of economic globalization organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), which was supposed to open countries such as China to foreign investment. However, the WTO does not take into consideration how China is divided into fiefdoms, giving rise to a fragmentation that is incompatible with the WTO provisions. The system of local protectionism is thus not ready to absorb outside brands and limits the development of any national industries, including tobacco products. This feature article illustrates many aspects of globalization. The article mentio...

A Quiz About Expletives

A Quiz About Expletives A Quiz About Expletives A Quiz About Expletives By Mark Nichol One easy solution for getting sentences off to a strong start is to make them more active by eliminating what is called an expletive, or a dummy subject, such as â€Å"There is† or â€Å"There are.† It is not necessary to eradicate all expletives from your writing, but minimize them by identifying the real subject of the sentence and reconstructing the sentence with that focus with the added benefit of a more concise statement. Each of the sentences below contains an expletive. Recast each sentence as necessary to omit it, then compare your revisions with mine (there’s usually more than one right way to excise an expletive) at the bottom of the page: 1. â€Å"There are several vicious cycles that facilitate the progression of alcohol abuse.† 2. â€Å"There are federal and state legislators who want to bring government into the picture.† 3. â€Å"All across the country, there are numerous private facilities that have figured out the breeding techniques.† 4. â€Å"At the same time, there are also motives and pressures toward normalcy.† 5. â€Å"Unless there is significant progress soon, we’ll have to cancel the program.† 6. â€Å"He wants to know if there is life on other planets.† 7. â€Å"At the other house, there is an outdoor patio.† 8. â€Å"I think there is a good chance that the proposal will be accepted.† 9. â€Å"I am concerned that there is a false impression about our objectives.† 10. â€Å"According to recent studies, there is a tendency for the syndrome to worsen over time.† 11. â€Å"But then there is John Smith, who has another take on the matter.† 12. â€Å"There is a considerable range of expertise among so-called experts.† 13. â€Å"Nevertheless, there are numerous private facilities that have figured out the techniques.† 14. â€Å"At the same time, there are also motives and pressures toward normalcy.† 15. â€Å"To make matters worse, there are several vicious cycles that facilitate the progression of alcohol abuse.† 16. â€Å"His understanding is that there are still countless such volumes in existence.† 17. â€Å"Ultimately, there are sensitive implications about the issue that remain.† 18. â€Å"He adds that there are numerous ethical concerns raised by this practice. 19. â€Å"Each year, there are more and more workshops, seminars, and conferences for practitioners in this field.† 20. â€Å"As I see it, there are two lines of logic that follow from this premise.† Answers 1. â€Å"Several vicious cycles facilitate the progression of alcohol abuse.† 2. â€Å"Some federal and state legislators are itching to bring government into the picture.† 3. â€Å"All across the country, numerous private facilities have figured out the breeding techniques.† 4. â€Å"At the same time, motives and pressures toward normalcy present themselves.† 5. â€Å"Unless significant progress occurs soon, we’ll have to cancel the program.† 6. â€Å"He wants to know whether life exists on other planets.† 7. â€Å"The other house has an outdoor patio.† 8. â€Å"The proposal has a good chance of being accepted.† 9. â€Å"I am concerned that they may have developed a false impression about our objectives.† 10. â€Å"According to recent studies, the syndrome tends to worsen over time.† 11. â€Å"But John Smith has another take on the matter.† 12. â€Å"So-called experts demonstrate a considerable range of expertise.† 13. â€Å"Nevertheless, numerous private facilities have figured out the techniques.† 14. â€Å"At the same time, motives and pressures toward normalcy present themselves.† 15. â€Å"To make matters worse, several vicious cycles facilitate the progression of alcohol abuse.† 16. â€Å"His understanding is that countless such volumes still exist.† 17. â€Å"Ultimately, sensitive implications about the issue remain.† 18. â€Å"He adds that this practice raises numerous ethical concerns.† 19. â€Å"Each year, practitioners in this field have the opportunity to attend an increasing number of workshops, seminars, and conferences.† 20. â€Å"As I see it, two lines of logic follow from this premise.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Synonyms for â€Å"Angry†Telling a Good Poem from a Bad One25 Favorite Portmanteau Words

Critical analysis of Role of Regional Trade Agreements for the Essay

Critical analysis of Role of Regional Trade Agreements for the Developments of its Member Countries - Essay Example The World Bank also cautions that RTAs improve economic development in one country and negatively impact economic development in another member.3 Therefore RTAs can facilitate uneven development among the member states. This will occur when RTAs divert trade from some member states and divert trade to others.4 This research paper provides a critical analysis of the role that RTAs play in the developments of its member states. A definition of RTA and its historical developments are examined first. The role of RTAs in member state development will be examined in greater detail with specific reference to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and African Regional Trade Agreements and the role that these RTAs play in the development of their respective states. Contents Abstract 2 Contents 3 Introduction 4 I.Definition and Overview of RTAs 5 A.Definition 5 B.Overview of RTAs 7 II.Development of GCC States 14 III.African RTAs 19 Analysis/Conclusion 25 Bibliography 27 Introduction There are ess entially two opposing views relative to the role that RTAs play in its members’ development. ... two decades RTAs have emerged as the â€Å"defining features of the modern economy† and is largely seen as a significant influence relative to globalization.6 By the year end 2005, the World Trade Organization (WTO) had received notification of at least 250 RTAs.7 Since 1995, the WTO has received at least 15 RTA notifications each year as opposed to just 3 RTA notifications annually prior to 1995.8 The proliferation in RTAs therefore suggest that the countries engaging in regionalism have a positive vision of what RTAs can bring them in terms of development. This paper examines the perceived developmental benefits of RTAs and critically evaluates whether these perceptions are realistic. I. Definition and Overview of RTAs In order to effectively analyze the role that RTAs play in the development of its member states, a definition and an overview of the nature and development of RTAs are necessary. It is necessary to understand what RTAs are, how they function and what motivates the formation of RTAs. With this understanding of RTAs, their role in the development of member states can be examined. In other words, development will depend entirely on the developmental objective behind the formation of a RTA. For example if a RTA is formed in order to improve and develop the member states’ economy, the role of the RTA in that regard will have to be examined. If a RTA is formed for the purpose of harmonizing regional economic and security cohesion, the role of that RTA on development by member states will have to be examined. A. Definition In simple terms a RTA is defined as an agreement among â€Å"neighbouring states† in which tariffs and other trade restrictions are reduced or removed.9 RTAs are also defined as: †¦actions by governments to liberalise or facilitate trade