Essay on Using Steroids to Gain the Perfect Body - 1099 Words

Using Steroids to Gain the Perfect Body In our days, most people have set the goal and dream to have the perfect body. They believe by having this image, they will be popular and/or attractive. People want to achieve the body that they desire, like a super star, a hero in a Hollywood movie, a strong soldier, and an Olympic athlete. However, what are the extent people will go to get the perfect body? The biggest problem for those who dream to have a beautiful body today, as many people know, is the consumption of steroids. It is amazing what people and athletes will do to enhance their performance, strength and muscle size by taking steroids. Whether right or wrong people who use steroids to become the fastest and strongest will†¦show more content†¦These steroids are made to emphasize and promote muscle growth but without the masculinizing the user as much as testosterone does (Silverstein, p.18). Anabolic steroids were first used to help World War II victims put on weight at the end of the war. Anabolic st eroids were intended for the sick people, but instead of this, healthy people often abuse these steroids because they want to gain muscle (Morris, p.230). There are three major benefits from steroid use and they are: first, athletes will attain a greater increase in lean muscle mass and strength when it is used with a combination of hard training and the drug; second, the athletes body suffers less breakdown as this decrease in muscle breakdown and recovery time permits more frequent training sessions at higher intensity and for longer periods of time (Lukas, p.7); and third but not least benefit, the increased aggressiveness they are believed to simulate as this increased aggressiveness may drive athletes to train harder and longer without the usual fatigue (Rogak, p.11). Other positive effects of using steroids are increases in: storage of muscle glycogen; blood volume; a general boasting of the immune system; and the reduction of body fat percentage. The effects are maintained as long as the athlete continues the steroid use (Silverstein, p.17). Unfortunately, anabolic steroids have many side effects. Some short-term side effects include high blood pressure, acne,Show MoreRelatedAnabolic Steroid Use And Anabolic Steroids1335 Words   |  6 Pagesathletes get so hooked on this so called â€Å"Steroid† ? I’m interested in this question, because that’s the question that truly caught my attention the most and, also keeps me wondering. If people who use it have seen improvement, why do they keep using it. The anabolic steroid also known as the anabolic-androgenic steroid is a drug that athletes use to give more muscle mass to the body and create more testosterone in the body. If traced back to the 1940’s steroids first appeared in Germany. Athletes hadRead MoreGetting Huge, Getting Ripped : Qualitative Exploration Of Recreational Steroid Use1443 Words   |  6 Pagesthe human body was to be capable of surviving; however, today the purpose is to be accepted by the views of society. In order to  "make it† in this world you either have to be a strong man with a six pack or a size two woman with great hair. The need to be perfect has been etched into our brains since childhood. This perfection is found in magazines where women promise that eating healthy will give you this body rather than photoshop or plastic surgery, and men are promised a ripped body with the useRead MoreThe Effects Of Steroids On The Human Body, Steroids Sports, And Reasons Why People Use Steroids1251 Words   |  6 Pages Jared Hipsher Mrs. Sexton 3-26-15 English 10 Steroids Jared Hipsher 3-26-2015 English 10 Mrs. Sexton Steroids Thesis : The history of steroids, the affects of steroids on the human body, steroids in sports, and reasons why people use steroids, are all things I ve wanted to know for a long time now I am going to further my knowledge on this topic. Introduction About A. Types 1. Anabolic 2. Corticosteroids III. History A. 1954 1. WeightRead MoreWhy Performance Enhancement Drugs Use Essay1142 Words   |  5 Pagesperformance enhancement drugs use in professional sports? The use of steroids has been a major problem among sports and has caused lots of controversy. Although these professional sports organizations such as the NFL, NHL, NBA and several others have spent time and money investigating athletes for uses of performance enhancement drugs, nothing has been done to erase records or record breaking statistics. In order to cease steroid and other performance enhancement drug users from cheating there needRead MoreAthletes and Steroids Essay1014 Words   |  5 Pagescontinued use of steroids, his life started to spiral out of control. He was feeling very depressed, struggling academically, and had become very aggressive. That bright, young man with aspirations to play major league baseball ended up taking his own life with a fatal gunshot on October 1, 2002. Ultimately, Rob Garibaldi killed himself but steroids could easily be deemed his accomplice. Steroids have only recently been heavily scrutinized but in actuality athletes started using them in the earlyRead MoreDo you think body building is healthy? Well it is not. As though it might seem healthy for you800 Words   |  4 Pagesthink body building is healthy? Well it is not. As though it might seem healthy for you because of all the vitamins and organic food body builders consume, it is actually really bad for you. Body building, if done right, can be an excellent way of getting in shape and becoming a healthier new you and also it will increase your strength and overall health. But with all of the steroids, supplements, bad dieting habits and extreme workouts, it is very dangerous and unhealthy to the human body. The dangersRead MoreSteroids As Dangerous Illegal Substances1229 Words   |  5 Pagesword that comes to mind? Steroids. In early 2013 Lance Armstrong’s face dominated the headlines. Reporters condemned him, public figures shamed him and fans lost faith in this once great athlete. He was a maverick, a man that did everything to safeguard him first place in the tour de France races but ultimately lost his seven fold winner title. When allegation were put forward his response was a product of meticulous rebuttals and elaborate lies. Many of us see steroids as dangerous illegal substancesRead MoreHigh Performance Athletes Concerned With Optimum Muscle Growth And Repair Essay1404 Words   |  6 PagesWinidrol Winidrol Crazy Bulk Winidrol contains benefits specifically tailored to high performance athletes concerned with optimum muscle growth and repair. Winidrol provides a measurable increase in strength and speed and reduces body fat while improving the retention of nitrogen during protein synthesis for use in cell replacement and tissue regeneration. Additional nitrogen is necessary to increase the ability to build muscle. Additionally, Winidrol can increase blood flow and improves cardiovascularRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs. . Performance-Enhancing Drugs1580 Words   |  7 PagesPerformance Enhancing Drugs Performance-enhancing drugs (PED s) have been an issue for many decades now for the medical and sports field. Olympic and professional athletes have been using them to gain an upper hand on the competition, but some may ask if it s really worth it? Studies show that performance-enhancing drugs have been proven to negatively affect the health of athletes who take them. Simply put, performance-enhancing drugs could either improve athletic performance or can be extremelyRead More Steroid Use in Major League Baseball Essay example1596 Words   |  7 PagesSteroid Use in Major League Baseball Steroids are unhealthy for baseball players and they are giving the game of baseball a bad reputation. Since steroids have become such a hot topic in Major League Baseball (MLB) fans have had nothing but bad things to say about the sport and its players. When sports illustrated asked some of its readers to give reaction to the steroid controversy in the MLB here is what baseball fan Howard Langsner from New York had to say Horrible, just horrible. We take

The Potential Benefits Of Genetic Engineering - 2181 Words

A controversial issue is the possible application of new techniques in genetic engineering to produce human clones. Up until now genetic engineering and cloning has been used to clone plants, unicellular organisms, amphibians and simple mammals. This has led to significant advances in agriculture, industry, and medicine. Newer techniques in genetic engineering have enabled scientists to clone more complex mammals and opened up the possibility of cloning humans. Although there are many potential benefits to this technology, the prospect of cloning humans has raised many practical, ethical and religious dilemmas that are currently being debated by society. As of now, the actual cloning of humans does not seem likely to occur in the foreseeable future. Genetic engineering is the changing of an organism’s DNA, genetic material to eliminate unwanted traits or to produce desirable traits. The earliest form of genetic engineering dates back to the scientist Gregor Mendel who did experiments with peas. He bred only the peas with the most desirable traits in order to achieve a healthier and stronger pea (McCuen 8). This method, called selective breeding, is still used today with plants and animals in order to increase food production. Corn plants are selectively bred in order to produce a larger tastier kernel. Another type of genetic engineering called hybridization or crossbreeding involves breeding animals of different species in order to obtain the most desirable traits of both.Show MoreRelatedThe Potential Benefits Of Genetic Engineering1721 Words   |  7 PagesGenetic engineering is a recent development that has gained tremendous commercial appeal. The potential benefits of genetic engineering have captivated the general p ublic and clouded their moral values. The ultimate goal of genetic engineering is to create a utopian society where problems such as disease and world hunger no longer exist. Genetically engineering humans to be ideal beings may eventually lead to the creation of a â€Å"super race.† A super race is a race of strong, healthy, and highly intelligentRead MoreThe Potential Benefits Of Genetic Engineering1914 Words   |  8 Pagesa controversial issue is new ways to produce human clones. Cloning and genetic engineering and has been used to clone unicellular organisms, plants, amphibians and simple mammals. This has led to advances in industry, medicine and agriculture. Newer techniques in genetic engineering have enabled scientists to clone more complex mammals and opened up the possibility of cloning humans. Although there are many potential benefits to this technology, the prospect of cloning humans has raised many practicalRead MoreHuman Genetic Engineering At The Germ Line O f A Family1267 Words   |  6 Pagesfields, and thus contribute to human genetic engineering. The method of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, also known as embryonic screening, allows parents at risk of transmitting a genetic disease to ensure their future children are unaffected by the disease. Some say that it would be greatly favorable for parents to have the ability to avoid passing on a genetic disease. While there is potential to eliminate many diseases, it also has an equally likely potential to be a hindrance to progression.Read MoreThe Importance Of Genetic Engineering1282 Words   |  6 PagesGenetic engineering is defined as the modification of the characteristics of an organism by altering its genetic material. Although the definition makes it seems clear and concise, it is far more complicated. This new advancement has caused a huge debate over the ethics and laws of what it is able to do. Genetic engineering is immensely important because of the potential benefits it contains and the advances it allows for in the future. The ultimate goal of genetic engineering is to prevent, treatRead MoreGenetic Engineering : A World Where Autism And Downs Syndrome1270 Words   |  6 PagesGenetic Engineering Imagine a world where autism and downs syndrome are a thing of the past, and where there is no shortage on food for anybody. Over the years mankind has developed and improved technology to save more and more lives through the manipulation of the DNA that makes up all living organisms. However, there are those who oppose this approach. Despite the risks and ethical concerns, genetic engineering holds the potential to benefit humanity through both direct and indirect means. InRead MoreHuman Genetic Engineering is Morally Justified Essay811 Words   |  4 PagesAffirmative—Human Genetic Engineering is Morally Justified When they are finally attempted†¦genetic manipulations will†¦be done to change a death sentence into a life verdict. In agreeing with this quote by James D. Watson, director of the Human Genome Project, I affirm today’s resolution, Human genetic engineering is morally justified. I will now present a few definitions. Human genetic engineering is the altering, removal, or addition of genes through genetic processes. Moral is pertainingRead MoreA Research On Genetic Modification1260 Words   |  6 Pagessparks the continuous debate on genetic modification, which concerns the purposes, benefits, and dangers of modifying an organism’s DNA . While advocates for the increased production of disease-resistant crops and advocates for immunizations by engineered genes consider genetic engineering as advantageous, many individuals believe that such technology poses a lot more physiological harm than it does benefits. It is important for scientists to consider all the ben efits risks of modifying an agriculturalRead MoreGenetic Engineering Is The Act Of Deliberately Altering Genes Or The Dna Sequence961 Words   |  4 Pages Genetic engineering is the act of purposely altering genes or the DNA sequence. Specifically, the process of genetic engineering in humans has a lot of potential in regards to creating a healthier, more disease free society. Imagine living in a world where you wouldn’t have to fear that your offspring would be born with a life threatening disease, because scientists and medical professionals would have the capability to work together in order to manipulate the particular gene responsible for causingRead MoreThe Benefits of Genetically Modified Crops1191 Words   |  5 Pagesthe United States are genetically modified strains. Genetic engineering is very important to modern society because of the world’s expanding population and with the arising need of food; it provides an adequate source. Genetic engineering may h ave both advantages and disadvantages, but the future of mankind may be affected greatly if it is allowed to prosper as a modern science. Several main arguments that many people have about genetic engineering are the effects of scientific evolution, cloning experimentsRead MorePros and Cons of Genetic Engineering Essay1733 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many benefits of genetic engineering, but there are many risks too. Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of genetic material in order to alter the hereditary traits of a cell, organism, or population. Basically, scientists take DNA of one product and put it into another product to get a mixture of traits from both products. It’s like breeding different breeds of dogs to get a certain look or personality. Some people don’t mind what goes into genetically altered foods, while others

Movie Analysis Sand Pebbles Essay Example For Students

Movie Analysis Sand Pebbles Essay The movie Sand Pebbles focus was on the flag. The flag was not only a symbol of a nation, but of nationalism, militarism and imperialism. During the 1800s and early 1900s there was a severe foreign influence in China. During this time period the European nations wanted to trade with the Chinese, but the Chinese had no interest in the European products for at the time China was self sufficient. The European nations in order to keep from losing all of the money to the Chinese decide that they would start an Opium trade them. Against the wishes of the China, the European nations continued to sell the Opium to the Chinese. Finally war erupted because of this. The European nations were victorious in a series of Opium Wars against China. From these Opium Wars many treaties in the favor of the west were signed which gave those European nations greater access to China. After the European nations, got their peace of China so did the United States. Soon after the United States defeated the Spanish in the Spanish American War, the United States received the Philippines from the Spanish. With that the United States declared the Open Door Policy, which all of the European nations accepted. Now in China it was not only the European nations, but also the Untied States. The Chinese flags were a symbol of nationalism, of their nationalism. That they were their own nation. It was a reassurance of their own nationalism. It proved to the Chinese that even though there were many countries slowly taken over China, that they were still their own nation, and they werent going to let anymore foreign influence into China. The flags also symbolized militarism, because where ever there were two different flags in the same area conflicts arose. When these conflicts arose they often resulted in the militaries getting involved. These militaries were the foreign militaries in China and the Chinese nationalist military. All of these stemmed back the imperialism that was brought to China. The flags also symbolized the imperialism of the foreign nations in China. Every non Chinese flag was a symbol of the imperialism in China. This imperialism stemmed back to the Opium Wars were when the treaties were made countries like Britain able to setup colonies in China. All of the flags in the movie symbolized either nationalism, militarism or imperialism in China, which was all caused by China loss of all of the Opium Wars against the European nations.

Was The French Revolution Preventable Essay Research free essay sample

Was The Gallic Revolution Preventable? Essay, Research Paper The Gallic Revolution was a major transmutation of the society and political system of France, enduring from 1789 to 1799. During the class of the Revolution, France was changed from an absolute monarchy, to a democracy of purportedly equal and free citizens. The effects of the Gallic Revolution were widespread, both inside and outside of France, and impacted all of Europe. At times the result of rebellion led to societal alteration and at times it merely led to unneeded gores. Be this revolution inevitable? Was at that place something different that the authorities or people could hold done to forestall the atrocious atrociousnesss of The Reign of Terror under Robespierre and his work forces? There are clear societal, economic and political alterations that could hold been made excessively prevent this revolution from happening when it did. However, although the authorities could hold postponed this revolution, it was besides slightly inevitable, because of the great differences in the society of the provincials and the Lords divided the full society. We will write a custom essay sample on Was The French Revolution Preventable Essay Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The authorities was besides merely seeking to do excessively many things right at the incorrect clip and this is why they could perchance hold non avoided the Gallic Revolution. Economically, many alterations could hold been made in the manner that would hold prevented such choler originating from the people. However, there are besides a few jobs that could non hold been avoided. Economic diminution in the 1770s may hold frustrated some businessperson in their rise to power and wealth, and lifting staff of life monetary values merely before the Revolution surely increased dissatisfaction among workers and provincials. France besides suffered from rough economic jobs. Poor farm crops by husbandmans hurt the economic system, and trade regulations from the Middle Ages still survived, doing trade hard. At this clip, the spread between the rich and the hapless was going greater, with the hapless going poorer, and the rich going richer. A cardinal bank was nowhere to be found, there was n o paper currency and in general, revenue enhancements were going greater for the provincials. In this economically challenged society what could hold been done to alter all of these economic jobs from the beginning? One of the major jobs that the authorities should hold dealt with long ago is the usage of the financess that they did hold. Under swayers in the past such as Louis the XIV, hapless economic determinations were made. Louis the Fourteen did non put sagely, he used major financess in trade and geographic expedition causes that were non deriving the Gallic anything, but they continued to put in. Besides, France became really involved with other environing state # 8217 ; s trade market. The Gallic authorities besides borrowed much money to pay for the wars of Louis XIV. Louis continued to borrow money to contend wars and to maintain Gallic power alive in Europe. These costs greatly increased the national debt, which was at the clip, already excessively high. The job with th is is that the French were non gaining from the investings that they made, and this is what caused them to be in such great economic debt. This debt lead to the heavy revenue enhancement of provincials to do up for losingss, and an eventual revolution. What could the Gallic authorities have done to pr event these mistakes? They should have learned from their first mistakes and had not continued to suffer from them. Once they realized that they were not profiting from their exploits, they should have discontinued them. Also, France never should have fired their financial aid, just because things get better for a while. When France decided its aid was no longer needed because they seemed to have the problem in control, is when the problem came back again. Eventually under Louis the XVI, two men were appointed as aids, Turgot and Necker . Although these men did try to make change, most of the reforms were soon undone as the result of pressure from a variety of financial groups, and the government continued to borrow at high rates of interest through the 1780s.By 1789 many French people had become critical of the monarchy, even though it had been largely successful in militarily defending France and in suppressing religious and political violence. The peasants resented the rising an d unequal taxes, the persecution of religious minorities, and government interference in their private lives. These resentments, coupled with an inefficient government and an old-fashioned legal system, made the government seem increasingly bad to the French people. The royal court at Versailles, which had been developed to impress the French people and Europe generally, came to symbolize the waste and corruption of the entire French government. (Encarta) How could the Government possibly had made this situation better? Why did the government not respond quicker when the peasants wanted more rights? The government was well aware of the problem that they were causing, and the unrest among the peasants, so why did they not stop the taxes and bring peace to the divided nation? It was not as easy as just stopping taxes because the French government was still in a large debt to other nations. Also at the same time the Government was trying to get the full support of the nobles, because t hey would need them to help make the country thrive eventually. Also since the Government could not have the backing of the peasants or all of the nobles, they need an estate that they could always rely on and have them vote the way they wanted. So in trying to make friends with the nobles, the rulers did not tax the nobles as heavily as the other estates because they were trying to gain their support. In the sense, the Revolution could not have been prevented because the French Government was trying very hard to please both sides, fixing the debt and pleasing the nobles. The government could not win this part of the problem because either way, one group had to give. Economically speaking, the French Revolution could have been most likely not have been stopped, unless decisions in the past could have been changed. The excess spending by Louis the XIV caused this once great nation to fall into a deep period of debt and economic problems. In the long term, the liberation of the econom y from royal controls, and the development of a uniform civil law code helped pave the way for the future. But the effects of war on the French economy offset the positive effects of these changes because the economy in general was probably set back a generation.

UNUSUAL WRITING JOBS

UNUSUAL WRITING JOBS Youre here because you want to make money from your writing. Youve tried everything from writing filler articles for magazines to writing full-length features on every topic under the sun. Youve created a blog and put AdSense on it. Youre even trying to reach potential clients through social media. Well, Im here to tell you that you havent tried everything. Thousands of jobs, all created and available on the world wide web, require people who can write. They arent always called writing jobs because the end goal isnt a beautiful piece of writing, but they require writers because the process involves writing. Today Id like to mention three kinds of jobs which will use your skills as a writer, allow you to continue working flexibly from home, and which youve probably overlooked. 1. Social Media Jobs- businesses all over the world are using Twitter and Facebook to connect with their clients. Frankly, most would rather have someone else do it. Theyll even give you tips- what other sites in their niche to share content from, what their strategy has been so far, what hashtags youll want to use. All you have to do is stay up to date with what the companys doing and keep Twitter and Facebook up to date with them. Right now I get paid weekly for logging into someone elses Twitter and Facebook right after I log into mine, posting a couple updates and occasionally asking questions to their following. It takes twenty minutes out of my day and I get paid well to do it. So how do you find a social media job? Well, I found mine on Craigslist, and Ive seen several on Kijiji. Social media jobs are usually posted in the part-time section rather than the writing section, but its really about writing: how can you use your words to connect businesses to their clients? 2. Website

The California Gold Rush

The California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush was a remarkable episode in history sparked by the discovery of gold at Sutters Mill, a remote outpost in California, in January 1848. As rumors of the discovery spread, thousands of people flocked to the region hoping to strike it rich. In early December 1848, President James K. Polk confirmed that quantities of gold had been discovered. And when a cavalry officer sent to investigate the gold finds published his report in a number of newspapers that month, gold fever spread. The year 1849 became legendary. Many thousands of hopeful prospectors, known as Forty-Niners, raced to get to California. Within a few years, California transformed from a sparsely populated remote territory to a booming state. San Francisco, a small town with a population of about 800 in 1848, gained another 20,000 residents the following year and was well on its way to becoming a major city. The frenzy to get to California was accelerated by the belief that gold nuggets being found in stream beds would not be found for long. By the time of the Civil War, the gold rush was essentially over. But the discovery of gold had a lasting impact not only in California but on the development of the entire United States. Discovery of Gold The first discovery of California gold took place on January 24, 1848, when a carpenter from New Jersey, James Marshall, spotted a gold nugget in a mill race he was building at the sawmill of John Sutter. The discovery was purposely kept quiet, but word leaked out. And by the summer of 1848 adventurers hoping to find gold was already starting to flood into the area around Sutters Mill, in north-central California. Up until the Gold Rush, the population of California was about 13,000, half of whom were descendants of the original Spanish settlers. The United States had acquired California at the end of the Mexican War, and it might have remained sparsely populated for decades if the lure of gold had not become a sudden attraction. Flood of Prospectors Most of the people seeking gold in 1848 were settlers who had already been in California. But confirmation of the rumors in the East changed everything in a profound way. A group of U.S. Army officers was dispatched by the federal government to investigate the rumors in the summer of 1848. And a report from the expedition, along with gold samples, reached federal authorities in Washington that autumn. In the 19th century, presidents presented their annual report to Congress (the equivalent of the State of the Union Address) in December, in the form of a written report. President James K. Polk presented his final annual message on December 5, 1848. He specifically mentioned the discoveries of gold in California. Newspapers, which typically printed the presidents annual message, published Polks message. And the paragraphs about gold in California got a lot of attention. The same month the report by Col. R.H. Mason of the U.S. Army began to appear in papers in the East. Mason described a trip he had made through the gold region with another officer, Lieutenant William T. Sherman (who would go on to achieve great fame as a Union general in the Civil War). Mason and Sherman traveled into north-central California, met with John Sutter, and established that the rumors of gold were entirely true. Mason described how gold was being found in stream beds, and he also ascertained financial details about the finds. According to published versions of Masons report, one man had made $16,000 in five weeks and showed Mason 14 pounds of gold he had found in the previous week. Newspaper readers in the East were stunned, and thousands of people made up their minds to get to California. Travel was very difficult at the time, as argonauts, as the gold seekers were called, could either spend months crossing the country by wagon, or months sailing from East Coast ports, around the tip of South America and then onward to California. Some cut time from the trip by sailing to Central America, crossing overland, and then taking another ship to California. The gold rush helped create the golden age of clipper ships in the early 1850s. The clippers essentially raced to California, with some of them making the trip from New York City to California in less than 100 days, an astounding feat at the time. Impact of the California Gold Rush The mass migrations of thousands to California had an immediate impact. While settlers had been moving westward along the Oregon Trail for nearly a decade, California suddenly became the preferred destination. When the administration of James K. Polk first acquired California a few years earlier, it was generally believed to be a territory with potential, as its harbors could make a trade ​with Asia possible. The discovery of gold, and the great influx of settlers, greatly accelerated the development of the West Coast.

Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Information System - Essay Example and, (ii) information dissemination to patients about their treatment modules, scanning procedures, precautions, preventions, and costs of treatments. This essay discusses the usefulness of our hospital’s information system on our work as a nurse and on our clients, the patients. Over the last few decades the information technology has progressed by leaps and bounds. Along the technology has grown the number of IT solution providers, the large multinationals, medium and small, and those working in specialised niche areas. When selecting an IT product or application the big company is not necessarily the best. The wisdom instead lies in selecting a company which provide the best solution to a specific need, at a reasonable cost. The ‘best of breed’ approach is therefore a strategic approach to select the best product for each solution, from a variety of companies, instead of buying everything from one company. This approach invariably gives optimal solution in each area, richer functionality, and thus establishes business linkages with more companies. Our hospital therefore uses the ‘best of breed’ approach for development and functioning of its information system. The ‘best of breed’ approach is, however, beset with its own problems as compared to the approach of selecting integrated systems that provide multiple applications with a common database, integrated sharing, convenience, and consistent user interface. A comparison of the two approaches is worthwhile to find out the comparative value of the two approaches: (i) Cost: Specialized features of ‘Best of Breed’ applications provide competitive advantage which serve to cut costs and increase revenue. The systems’ advance features compensate for higher up-front and on-going costs as against the integrated systems which may have lower licensing costs, may not require costly interfaces, and overall may be less expensive. Shared data in integrated systems also reduces

Strengths and Weaknesses of Structural Realism Essay

Strengths and Weaknesses of Structural Realism - Essay Example In midst of such scenario and global order, numbers of variables are drawn as metric of power. These include the economic dependency of others, the military might and strategic influence enactment. The absence of humane sentiment: The fact the world order is established on the principles of military and political might makes the theory the best recipe for present day circumstances. A nation without any stronger military force or any stronger armament unit would stand no chance in the battles and wars enforced. The case of cold war may stand as an example where the military alliances and other aggressive alliances came into existence on the account of the fact that the countries were stronger. A nation with greater say in context of military saying made it more suitable a choice for becoming an ally in the Cold war scenario which had split the world in to two distinct poles. This theory enables the nations considering the fact that the best way to establish a say and have dominance is through military and other facets strengthening. It allows for clear definition and demarcation of the means of possession that are essential. It supports its claims based on the events that took place in the Cold war that lasted for over five decades. This enables equipping oneself to the required level of defense and the subsequent budget that is needed for this purpose. Nationalism is one of the most powerful force that brings the people together. The theory in place brings the people alive through the spirit and concept of nationalism. It brings their patriotic sentiments out of them making for a strong shield against any outside offensive and counter alliance that may be in place at given time period. The theory is crafted in a way that would provide little regard to the sentiments and humane element, rather the order of the day is built along the lines of survival of the fittest and struggle for

Streaming Media and Netflix Essay Example for Free

Streaming Media and Netflix Essay Netflixs main issue is they face increased market competition from new  entrants into their industry. In addition, Netflix suffers poor relationships with suppliers, which interferes with their ability to meet market demands leading to increased costs and the need to increase prices. This affects Netflixs ability to increase market share, and maintaining core values, resulting in declining subscribership, and declining margins. ANALYSIS COMPANY ORIGINS. Thorough analysis of Netflix begins with a discussion of the companies origins. Netflix was founded by Reed Hasting (CEO) and Marc Randolph in 1997 in Scotts Valley, California, with main headquarters now located in Los Gatos, California. The original business model was as an internet TV company providing online streaming and DVD/Blu Ray rentals shipped direct to a subscribers home. This subscription and selling service implemented in 1999, and in 2000 launched their personalized movie recommendation service CineMatch (Funding Universe, 2014). Shortly thereafter Netflix executed their IPO in 2002 with approximately 600,000 members in the US and by 2005 membership rises to 4.2 million. Perhaps most important is Netflix introduces video streaming in 2007, and later in 2008, partners with consumer electronics companies to incorporate Netflix video streaming on consumer electronic devices. Further growth is achieved in 2010 when Netflix launches internationally in Canada, Latin America, and Caribbean (Netflix Media Center, 2014). THE BLUNDER YEAR. Mid-July 2011 Netflix announces Qwikster, which was an attempt to separate online video streaming services and DVD rentals, resulting in an immediate 60% devaluation of Netflix stock and eventually to a low of $62.37 by December of that year. Ultimately, on October 10, 2011 the Qwikster proposal is scrapped by Netflix. However, the damage was already done because on July 13th their stock price was at an all time high of $304.79, and eventually bottomed out at $55.19 on December 31 of that year (Thompson, 2012). RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. Once the disaster of 2011 passed, Netflix rebounded by expanding into the Latin America and Caribbean markets. Later in 2012,  Netflix expands its international market further by becoming available in Europe that included the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Nordic countries. In addition, Netflix wins its first Primetime Emmy Engineering Award. Furthermore, in 2013, Netflix expands to the Netherlands, and debuts original programming that earns Netflix 31 primetime Emmy nominations including outstanding drama series, comedy series, and documentary or nonfiction special for _House of Cards_, _Orange is the New Black_, and _The Square_ respectively. More importantly, _House of Cards_ wins three Primetime Emmy Awards making Netflix the first internet TV network nominated, and winning, a primetime Emmy award. Furthermore, in 2014, Netflix launches in 6 new countries in Europe that included Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. Again, Netflix wins 7 creative Emmy Aw ards for _House of Cards_ and _Orange is the New Black_. Moreover, Netflix now has over 50 million global subscribers (Netflix Media Center, 2014). FINANCIAL STRENGTH. Netflixs performance has been solid, although they underperformed in the third quarter of this year, 2014, perhaps due to over forecasting which Netflix does often, creating the perception to investors and analysts that the company has underperformed (Seward, 2014). Their numbers remain strong and stock is currently valued $379.01per share (Yahoo Finance, 10/30/14). Moreover, Netflix had $4.3B in Revenues in 2013 and revenue is projected to $4.7B by year end 2014, and current ratio is 1.42 demonstrating the moderate ability to cover current liabilities, See Appendix A, Financial Sheets, Tables 1 through 6 on pages 15 through 20, for additional details of Netflixs strong financial performance. Generally speaking, all key financial statistics are trending upwards over the past five fiscal years (Market Watch, 2014). Furthermore, as of the third quarter of this year, Netflix has 53.1 million subscribers worldwide and that is forecast to climb to 57 million subscribers at year end 2014 ( Netflix Letter to Shareholders, 2014). FIVE FORCES MODEL OF COMPETITION. See Figure 1 in Appendix B, Netflix-Porters Five Forces Model, page 21, for a graphical analytic tool that summarizes the following forces. _COMPETITION AND RIVALRIES ._ Competition and rival threats remain high. Netflixs rival, for content and subscribers, is now Time Warner, who owns Home Box Office (HBO) and possesses a large subscriber base as well as original content. However, when competition involves subscribers, Amazon Prime Instant Video is becoming a direct competitor. Soon, Amazon will air original programming thus becoming a competitor for content as well (Casteele, 2014). In addition, Hulu, Apple TV, Google TV, Google owned YouTube, and CBS All Access has, or will have, original content available in the near future. Although Amazon does not have the number of subscribers that Netflix has, approximately 5 million versus 50 million plus for Netflix, both have the edge against traditional networks by using customer data instead of market research and Nielsen data for developing original content (Kleinman, 2013). Furthermore, competitors would include cable and satellite TV companies such as DirectTV, Comcast xfinity, and the movie theate rs. _SUBSTITUTES_. The threat of substitutes remains high. Products viewed as close substitutes include Hulu Plus which may also be considered a rival in some respects but exist more as a complementary product to Netflix and focuses on current run and older TV shows targeted at a younger market. Moreover, Hulu provides fewer movies compared to Netflix and forces subscribers to view commercials when streaming content. Another substitute would include Amazon Prime Instant Video (APIV) available only through a year subscription through Amazon Prime, a free two-day shipping service, and provides an extensive movie and TV library (Shanklin, W, 2014). Furthermore, Vudu is Wal-Marts offering of on-line streaming and similar to what one finds on YouTube or iTunes but providing more full length feature films (Prindle, D., 2014). Other substitutes include Google Play, RedBox Instant, and Microsofts Xbox video streaming (Shanklin, W, 2014). These substitutes are unlikely to threaten the market in excess, and Netf lixs threats remain with APIV. _NEW ENTRANTS._ The threat of new entrants is strong. In addition, there exists a strong likelihood of suppliers offering content on their own  website because of low barriers to enter the video streaming market. The TV market is increasingly moving to the on-demand online streaming model. The recent entry of Time Warners HBO, and CBS into the on-line streaming realm is a testament to new entrants. More Web based enterprises will shift or add on-line streaming content because the barriers are already low for these enterprises (Lever Estienne, 2014). In addition net neutrality rulings leave open the window of opportunity for new companies to enter the market (Selyukh, 2014). _BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS._ Bargaining power of suppliers is high. Moreover, suppliers can withhold content and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can intentionally without quality service to Websites using large portions of bandwidth. Until a net-neutrality regulation is in place, this will remain a major issue for companies providing on-line streaming content such as Netflix (Selyukh, 2014). _BARGAINING POWER OF CONSUMERS._ Bargaining power of consumers is high because on-line video streaming is highly price elastic and consumers will migrate to the perceived better value. Therefore, there is great sensitivity to price and content. Consumers will gravitate to the best suppliers of content and a bargain price without much loyalty. Netflixs slower subscriber growth in the third quarter of this year was attributed to price increase that the company undertook recently (Sikka, 2014). In addition, the industry must contend with the distribution and use of illegal downloads and the lack of established enforcement of pirating content. Content is king and consumers demand content, and original content is even better. SWOT ANALYSIS. See Figure 2 in Appendix C, page 22, Netflix SWOT Analysis, for a graphical analytic tool that summarizes the following described strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. _STRENGTHS._ Netflix will invest a total $3 billion (US) by years end in program content to provide content and meet the diverse tastes of its more than 36 million U.S. and 14 million international online subscribers. In addition, Netflix will spend $600 million (US) on marketing and $400 million  (US) on technology upgrades. (Netflix ups ante, 2014). Moreover, Netflix possesses brand recognition and the word Netflix even becoming a verb among Internet users. Furthermore, the Netflix App has created greater accessibility and enabled subscribers to stream media on nearly all Internet enabled devices. Perhaps most important of all is Netflixs original content of award winning programs such as House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Hemlock Grove enhancing international growth. In addition, Netflix has signed a number of interconnection agreements with Internet Service Provider (ISPs) to ensure faster Internet speeds for subscribers (Sikka, 2014). More importantly, Netflix has positive financial ratios although profit margins remain low internationally, and continues to demonstrate outstanding stock market growth. _WEAKNESS._ One Netflixs largest weakness is their cost of content relating to the mass of licensing packages and the in-house original content production company Netflix is accumulating a large amount of debt and profit margins are low relative to the international market. Furthermore, the DVD and Bluray domestic subscriber market is declining, from 7.0 million paid subscribers at the end of the third quarter 2013 to 5.9 million subscribers at the end of the third quarter 2014 (Letter to Shareholders,.2014). Moreover, Netflix has had a history of subscriber revolt when raising subscription prices and their recent $1 increase was not having any significant impact on subscriptions, however may impact subscriptions nonetheless (Steel, 2014). The last attempt to raise monthly subscription prices left current subscribers upset and Netflix stock tumbling. In addition, Netflix accounts for about 57% of daily internet traffic (Sikka, 2014). Therefore, with net neutrality laws being struck down, Netflix will either need to assume more debt, which they will spend $1 billion (US) or the next 15 months, or cut content, which they will do the complete opposite. Perhaps most importantly, both Amazon Prime Instant Video (APIV) and Google owned YouTube have announced their own original content productions becoming a direct competitor to Netflix. _OPPORTUNITIES._ Netflixs greatest opportunity lies in International Expansion and their ability to create original content will enhance  international growth. In addition, the international opportunities will depend on Netflixs superior software apps and service created from their own global technology investment, process knowledge, data acquired from related markets, and their globally recognized brand (Netflix Long term View, 2014). Moreover, Netflixs original in-house programming should take full advantage of the many entertainment related smart devices with Internet capability. Households that have a TV or other device connected to the Internet, as of 2013, stood at 49% up from 24% in 2010 and is undoubtedly higher in 2014 (Sikka, 2014). There exist an opening for Internet TV and Netflixs exclusive in-house content will allow the company to take full advantage of that demand. _THREATS._ Because Netflix accounts for about 57% of daily Internet traffic, ISPs have lobbied to require major website traffic contributors pay for the infrastructure needed to support this heavy volume of traffic (Sikka, 2014).. Until net neutrality is resolved one way or another, this will remain a top threat for Netflix. Furthermore, competition such as Amazon Prime Internet Video (APIV), and Googles YouTube are implementing their own original content and are direct competitors to Netflix. Moreover the expense of licensing and renewing license agreements remain a threat to Netflixs ability to increase margins. However, in-house production of original content benefits the company by generating a word-of-mouth advertising and elevating the company into an Emmy award winning content producer. In addition, there exists the threat of brand loyalty as subscribers are price conscious and sensitive to price increases. ALTERNATIVES Possible alternatives range from doing nothing to focusing completely on the international market. If Netflix does nothing and continues their physical delivery of DVDs and Bluray discs will continue to cost more over time because of the need for maintain even a minimum of distribution centers for delivery to subscribers. Another alternative may be to simply pay the premium price required to acquire more and more content through expensive licensing agreements. This alternative as a stand-alone strategy and may not  provide the competitive advantage needed to attract the number of subscribers needed for desired growth. A third alternative could be to combine the purchasing of content and licensing with original content programming to attract domestic subscribers and increasing international market penetration in the video streaming market. RECOMMENDATION The recommendation made by the author is a combination of the reducing and phasing out the physical DVD delivery model combined with the purchasing of content and licensing, and using original content programming to attract domestic subscribers, and increasing international market penetration. IMPLEMENTATION Internet television is replacing linear television, at the same time that apps are replacing network channels. Thus creating the proliferation of viewing screens for streaming content. In addition, Technology is improving and more available than ever before making this technology less expensive. Furthermore, streaming is the leading source for Ultra HD 4k video, and TV everywhere provides an economic transition for existing networks. Hence, new entrants into the Internet streaming realm, including Netflix, are innovating rapidly and driving improvements (Letter to Shareholders, 2014). See Appendix D Graph 1, Netflix Market Share Bubble Graph on page 24 for a graphic representation of Netflixs market share compared to APIV and Hulu. Netflix should phase out of the physical DVD via mail service market and that will help reduce operating costs. Meanwhile, focus on Internet streaming of content, and producing original content will expand viewership and subscribers, both domestically and internationally, as well as help limit supplier control. This will help contribute to increased margins leading to increased revenue and stockholder confidence. Netflix is in a growth strategy in the international market where investment needs are high. Therefore, margins will be lower than desired expectations, and growth potential in the international market remains very high. Therefore, Netflix  should remain on this strategy. References Casteele, J. (February 24, 2014), Netflix vs HBO: Is the Rivalry as Intense as it Seems? The Motley Fool. Retrieved from: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02/24/is-the-netflixhbo-rivalry-as-intense-as-it-seems.aspx France-Presse, A. (April 25, 2014). Netflix announces content agreements with several cable companies, RawStory.com. Retrieved from: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/04/netflix-announces-content-agreements-with-several-cable-companies/ Funding Universe (2014). Netflix, Inc. History, _International Directory of Company Histories_, Vol. 58. St. James Press, 2004. Retrieved from: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/netflix-inc-history/ Kleinman, A. (March 3, 2013). Netflix vs. Amazon Could Be The Cool New Rivalry, Huffington Post. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/netflix-vs-amazon_n_2811454.html Kline, D. (July 26, 2014). Amazon Prime Continues to Grow Despite Price Bump, The Motley Fool. Retrieved from: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/07/26/amazon-prime-continues-to-grow-despite-price-bump.aspx Letter to Shareholders, (October 15, 2014). Netflix Corporate Website. Retrieved from: http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/NFLX/3556910032x0x786677/6974d8e9-5cb3-4009-97b1-9d4a5953a6a5/Q3_14_Letter_to_shareholders.pdf Lever, R., and Estienne, S. (October 19, 2014). Weve Hit a Watershed Moment For Streaming TV, Business Insider. Retrieved from: http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-with-new-entrants-streaming-tv-sees-waters hed-moment-2014-10 Market Watch (2014). Netflix Key Statistics, MarketWatch.com. Retrieved from: http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/nflx/profile Netflix Long term View, (October 15, 2014). Netflix Corporate Website. Retrieved from: http://ir.netflix.com/long-term-view.cfm Netflix Media Center (2014). Netflix, A brief history of the company that revolutionized watching of movies and TV shows. Retrieved from: https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/loginPageSalesNetWorksAction.do?contentGroupId=10477 Netflix ups ante in streaming. (2014, Oct 27). _Investors Business Daily_ Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/1615897570?accountid=6579 Perez, S. (April 30, 2014). Hulu, Now With 6 Million Subscribers, Will Make Some TV Episodes Free On Mobile, TechCrunch.com. Retrieved from: http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/30/hulu-now-with-6-million-subscribers-will-make-some-tv-episodes-free-on-mobile/Prindle, D. (May 13, 2014). Best Media Streaming, Digital Trends.com Website. Retrieved from: Serviceshttp://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/best-media-streaming-services/ Selyukh, A. (May 15, 2014). Amid protests, U.S. FCC proposes new net neutrality rules, Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/15/us-usa-internet-neutrality-idUSBREA4C0SF20140515 Seward, J., (October 16, 2014). Analysts Believe Netflix Is Victim Of High Expectations, Benzinga Retrieved from: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/14/10/4929716/analysts-believe-netflix-is-victim-of-high-expectations?utm_campaign=partner_feedutm_s ource=marketwatch.comutm_medium=partner_feedutm_content=analyst_ratings_page Shanklin, W (August 21, 2014). Netflix alternatives: These 7 services are the closest youll get, Geek.com Website. Retrieved from: http://www.geek.com/news/netflix-alternatives-these-7-services-are-the-closest-youll-get-1472327/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Analyzing the must-know business trends affecting Netflix, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why deals with Internet service providers are helping Netflix, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why Netflix has long been demanding net neutrality laws, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why Netflix doesnt consider HBOs streaming service a threat, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Steel, E. (July 21, 2014). Netflix, Growing, Envisions Expansion Abroad, _The New York Times._ Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/business/media/netflix-says-it-topped-50-million-subscribers.html?_r=0 Thompson, A. A. (2012). Netflix in 2012: Can It Recover from Its Strategy Missteps, _Business Strategy Game._ Retrieved from: https://www.bsg-online.com/users/CorporateLobby.html Yahoo Finance (October 30, 2014). Netflix, Inc (NTFLX), Yahoo Finance Website. Retrieved from: https://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NFLX

Abortion :: essays research papers

ABORTION – THE ISSUE Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy. Legal abortions can be performed up until the sixteenth week of pregnancy, after sixteen weeks most doctors or clinics will not perform the procedure unless keeping the baby presents a medical risk to the mother. Even in these situations abortions are very risky after sixteen weeks. The moral question has always been whether or not it should be a woman’s decision to get an abortion. The other side of that question is whether the government should have control over a woman’s body and forbid her to get an abortion. Both the pro-life and the pro-choice supporters on this issue are adamant about their ideas and their beliefs. Pro-life activists carry a strong argument, and continue to push their beliefs. They feel so strongly about these beliefs that violence has broken out in some known instances. Pro-choice activists, on the other hand, also carry very strong points. They believe that the child inside them is their property and its life doesn't be until birth. The Church is against abortion seeing it as the killing of a human life. Pope John Paul â€Å"condemned abortion as a crime†¦urging Roman Catholics to fight what he called an abominable crime and the shame of humanity.† (The Age 6-10-97) and on a trip to Brazil stated â€Å"May the abominable crime of abortion, shame of humanity, not condemn the unborn to the most unjust execution – that of the most innocent human beings.† Mother Teresa another widely recognised religious figure was whole heartedly against Abortion seeing it as â€Å"murder† of the innocent. The Catholic Church believes that abortion should be undertaken only in extreme circumstances such as when the mother is in risk of dying. The media on the other hand seem to relay both sides of the issue. The electronic media seem to go by public support that abortion is a woman’s right and that the baby is only a foetus with no feeling. The print media follow the same structure as an opinion article in the Age by Pamela Bone reads â€Å"The law should reflect society’s needs, and at this point in time, that need includes safe and legal abortion.† (12/2/98) on making abortion illegal across the states. The media seems to voice what the statistics show that the 80 000 abortions in a year will still happen even if abortion is made illegal.

Trade blocs: Economics and politics Essay

Trading BlocsThe key term in this essay is â€Å"Trading bloc† and my interest in this term has been as a result of the major economic changes that have taken place across the world. I have been able to note that there have been great developments in international trading and business (Haftel, 2004). Economic integration is considered as the new form of reality in carrying out international business (Macho-Stadler, & Xue, 2007). Business institutions as well as governments have formulated various institutions, agreements and treaties which help in dealing with trade differences, allow and boost the movement of goods, services and trade across boundaries of countries involved (Chase, 2005). Furthermore, my interest is as a result of the business relationships that I have noted between my country and that of the other nations. A â€Å"Trading bloc† can be defined as countries that have come together to form a set that is closely involved in business and international trade with each other. The countries that form the trading blocs are often related to each other through a mutual agreement known as â€Å"free trade agreement or even other form of association which promotes trade within those countries and among the countries involved (Macho-Stadler, & Xue, 2007). The trading blocs often have rules and regulations which have been set to govern how the member countries relate with each other on business and international trade matters while separate rules and regulations set for non-members that want to trade with the member countries (Egger, 2004). The purpose of the trading blocs’ formation is to help eliminate trade barriers as well as help improve coordination and cooperation among member countries in terms of international trade. The different types include Free Trade Areas, Common Market, Customs Union, Economic Union and Political Union (Krishna, 2005). Article Summary             The article â€Å"From the Outside Looking In: The Effect of Trading Blocs on Trade Disputes in the GATT/WTO†, written by Haftel, Y. Z. (2004) is a journal that discusses the effect of trading blocs on resolution of trade disputes between member countries. There have been major expansion and increase in the number of trading blocs in international trade, which have become part of the economies across the world (Haftel, 2004). Trading blocs have negative effects on third parties whereby there is multilateral trade taking place between countries and non-member countries. Non-member countries are often affected negatively as a result of the trading blocs as compared to the way the member countries are affected. The non-member states often tend to take political action against the trading blocs, which in turn results in to negative effects and fails to assist in the resolution of trade disputes (Haftel, 2004). From this article, the author notes that WTO (World Trade Organization) has become one of the major organizations that help in enhancing international or multilateral trade between countries across the world. The WTO has a system through which disputes can be settled between countries that are in disagreement on trade issues (Haftel, 2004). Furthermore, the author notes that there has been a lot of concentration by scholars on the effects that trading blocs have on the members and on the other hand they have paid very little, if any, attention to the effects that those trading blocs have on third parties or the non-member states. Trading blocs affect the prices of products from non-member states whereby the member states enjoy better prices for their produce as compared to the non-members, despite producing similar products (Haftel, 2004). The third parties often suffer since the members of the trading blocs change trade the products of the member countries, which in some cases are often cheap (Haftel, 2004). This in turn affects their production since the market share that their products command is overtaken by the trading blocs’ members. Formation of trading blocs has been part of international trade and nearly every country across the world has engaged in trading blocs (Haftel, 2004). However, despite the fact that trading blocs attract a lot of attention, scholars as well as policymakers have failed to fully define and appreciate the fact that these trading blocs have negative impacts on third parties and other multilateral institutions. Non-Member states often feel short-changed hence resulting in a lot of disputes brought by the non-member states (Haftel, 2004). Discussion             The primary reason that brought about the formation of trading blocs by countries across the world was to help improve on international trade between members by eliminating trade barriers (Macho-Stadler, & Xue, 2007). The members of a trading bloc enjoy several benefits which include free movement of goods and services between member states, reduction of trade tariffs on their products, and improvement of economic standards of the member countries. Furthermore, trading blocs also help in the improvement of cooperation and collaboration between member states hence political and economic stability in the member states (Krishna, 2005). Furthermore, trading blocs helps improve on competition, increase in productivity as well as affordability in price of products. In addition, it has also been seen that trading blocs helps in creation of employment in the member countries as a result of the increase in trade within the region hence better living standards for the citiz ens of the member countries. However, as noted by Haftel, (2004), trading bloc benefits the members while on the other hand, causes a lot of negative economic impacts on the non-member states. The formation of trading blocs often endangers firms that are less efficient in the non-member states since they lack the market for their products (Haftel, 2004). There is also the danger of over-exploitation of the countries that are less efficient by countries that are efficient, hence causing an increase the wealth-gap whereby the advanced countries continue to become richer while countries that are less developed become poorer. Therefore, it is important to strike a balance on how member states and the non-member countries can continue to trade (Egger, 2004). Despite trading blocs being important in international trade, disputes will continue to arise from the non-member countries since there is no uniformity in trade regulations. References Chase, K. A. (2005). Trading blocs: States, firms, and regions in the world economy. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Egger, P. (2004). Estimating Regional Trading Bloc Effects with Panel Data. Review Of World Economics, 140(1), 151-166. Haftel, Y. Z. (2004). From the Outside Looking In: The Effect of Trading Blocs on Trade Disputes in the GATT/WTO. International Studies Quarterly, 48(1), 121-142. doi:10.1111/j.0020-8833.2004.00294.x Krishna, P. (2005). Trade blocs: Economics and politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Macho-Stadler, I., & Xue, L. (2007). Winners and Losers from the Gradual Formation of Trading Blocs. Economica, 74(296), 664-681. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0335.2007.00589.x Source document

All My Sons: Miller’s Chief Criticism of American Society Essay

A shot was heard throughout the Keller home as Joe ended his guilty, worthless life. Miller criticizes that American society has become corrupt- a place of selfishness, where people care too much about themselves, and that which benefits them, and will go to any lengths to achieve that goal; even if the repercussions of their actions will bring harm to other people. He stresses that money seems to be the key factor that drives society to this level of corruption. Miller emphasizes this point in several ways. The first example is that Keller knowingly ships out cracked cylinder heads, that will crash an airplane if used, to prevent his business from going bankrupt, claiming that he did it for his family. The second example is that Sue would rather Jim make allot of money, and not do medical research- which is what he really wanted to do. The third example is Jim’s abdication of his pursuit of medical research do to the lack of profit involved. In his play â€Å"All My Sons,† Miller makes it apparent that society in general values money and profit more than human life. He shows this by his portrayal of Keller. Keller ships out cracked cylinder heads, aware that in flight they will cause planes to crash, to save his business from being shut down. Furthermore, he goes on to allow the blame to fall on Steve, in order to save himself from going to jail, even though Steve was not the only one guilty. Keller tries to rationalize his actions by saying that he committed this heinous act for the benefit of his family- so that they will have money and everything else they need and can live happily. â€Å"Chris†¦ Chris I did it for you. It was a chance and I took it for you. † This portrays the human characteristic of creating a false sense of innocence in spite of ones guilty actions- and conscience. Honesty only comes out of ones guilty conscience when it benefits them. Sue would rather have Jim make money than do what he wants to do- medical research. Apparently she values profit over allowing an individual to do what he wants to do- what he enjoys doing. â€Å"Research pays twenty-five dollars a week minus laundering the hair shirt. You’ve got to give up your life to go into it. † Sue is willing to deny Jim his real desire, in order to make more profit. Miller stresses that society has become so corrupt, that people would rather do something they do not enjoy doing, just for the profit. Due to greediness, money has made people give up their dreams and goals in search of more profit. What Jim really wants to do with his life is research medicine, but remains a doctor only for the profit involved. Sue’s greediness seems to have rubbed off on him, and he gives up research for more money. â€Å"I would love to help humanity on a Warner Brothers salary. † By saying this, Jim shows that profit means more to him than pursuing his dreams and â€Å"helping humanity. † Miller makes it clear that money, dishonesty, and selfishness take precedence over friendship and human life in our corrupt society. The selfishness that influences one mans relationship to another has destroyed the truth and honesty that used to preside over American society. He suggests that all these factors put together are quickly destroying the basic human values of goodwill and honesty. Evil is prevailing over good, and if society continues down the same path it is on now- a catastrophic collision course with humanity- evil will eventually succeed in destroying honesty and righteousness. Maybe the world would be a much better place to live in if only people considered the needs of others, besides their own needs.

Free Essays on Cultural Differences In Parenting

Cultural Differences in Parenting Raising a child can be very difficult and it seems that parents, caregivers and siblings alike sometimes forget that children need to learn how to become adults from us and our examples. That they are not just little adults needing redirection. In my opinion, there are certain characteristics a devoted parent should have. Parental expectations vary from culture to culture, and whether a person belongs to a majority or minority ethnic group, there are variations between and within the groups. Culture usually applies to patterns of behavior that are linked to characteristics among the groups including origin, physical appearance, family structure and gender roles. However I still believe there are fundamental parallels between all cultural backgrounds. For instance, being a good example is part of what I consider to be a crucial part of parenting. Amongst some Asian families, the older children will be expected to take on responsibility for their younger siblings. This is why it is absolutely imperative that we not only hold ourselves up to be acknowledged for personal gain, but for the enhanced experience children get under our influence. Yet again, in Western cultural context, this scenario could be perceived as bullying by an older sibling. Showing again the gap between cultures. One’s upbringing is also the product of economic and social circumstances. In an affluent family for example, with a fair amount of living space, money, books and toys, a well-behaved child my be energetic, inquiring, active and out going. However in a low-income working family, living in smaller accommodations in the city, a well-mannered child may be the quiet one. This situation, I feel brings up the issue of unconditional love. Loving your child unreservedly and never allowing room for doubt in their minds of your love is something that I consider a vital part of successful parenting. I know that a... Free Essays on Cultural Differences In Parenting Free Essays on Cultural Differences In Parenting Cultural Differences in Parenting Raising a child can be very difficult and it seems that parents, caregivers and siblings alike sometimes forget that children need to learn how to become adults from us and our examples. That they are not just little adults needing redirection. In my opinion, there are certain characteristics a devoted parent should have. Parental expectations vary from culture to culture, and whether a person belongs to a majority or minority ethnic group, there are variations between and within the groups. Culture usually applies to patterns of behavior that are linked to characteristics among the groups including origin, physical appearance, family structure and gender roles. However I still believe there are fundamental parallels between all cultural backgrounds. For instance, being a good example is part of what I consider to be a crucial part of parenting. Amongst some Asian families, the older children will be expected to take on responsibility for their younger siblings. This is why it is absolutely imperative that we not only hold ourselves up to be acknowledged for personal gain, but for the enhanced experience children get under our influence. Yet again, in Western cultural context, this scenario could be perceived as bullying by an older sibling. Showing again the gap between cultures. One’s upbringing is also the product of economic and social circumstances. In an affluent family for example, with a fair amount of living space, money, books and toys, a well-behaved child my be energetic, inquiring, active and out going. However in a low-income working family, living in smaller accommodations in the city, a well-mannered child may be the quiet one. This situation, I feel brings up the issue of unconditional love. Loving your child unreservedly and never allowing room for doubt in their minds of your love is something that I consider a vital part of successful parenting. I know that a...

Definition and Examples of Episteme in Rhetoric

Definition and Examples of Episteme in Rhetoric In philosophy and  classical rhetoric, episteme is the domain of true knowledgein contrast to doxa, the domain of opinion, belief, or probable knowledge. The Greek word episteme is sometimes translated as science or scientific knowledge.  The word epistemology (the study of the nature and scope of knowledge) is derived from  episteme.  Adjective: epistemic. French philosopher and philologist Michel Foucault (1926-1984) used  the term episteme  to indicate the total set of relations that unite a given period. Commentary [Plato] defends the solitary, silent nature of the search for epistemetruth: a search that leads one away from the crowd and the multitude. Platos aim is to take away from the majority the right to judge, choose, and decide. (Renato Barilli, Rhetoric. University of Minnesota Press, 1989) Knowledge and Skill [In Greek usage] episteme could mean both knowledge and skill, both knowing that and knowing how. . . . Each of the artisans, a smith, a shoemaker, a sculptor, even a poet exhibited episteme in practicing his trade. The word episteme, knowledge, was thus very close in meaning to the word tekhne, skill. (Jaakko Hintikka,  Knowledge and the Known: Historical Perspectives in Epistemology. Kluwer, 1991) Episteme vs. Doxa - Beginning with Plato, the idea of episteme was juxtaposed to the idea of doxa. This contrast was one of the key means by which Plato fashioned his powerful critique of rhetoric (Ijsseling, 1976; Hariman, 1986). For Plato, episteme was an expression, or a statement that conveys, absolute certainty (Havelock, 1963, p. 34; see also Scott, 1967) or a means for producing such expressions or statements. Doxa, on the other hand, was a decidedly inferior expression of opinion or probability...A world committed to the ideal of episteme is a world of clear and fixed truth, absolute certainty, and stable knowledge. The only possibility for rhetoric in such a world would be to make truth effective... A radical gulf is presumed to exist between discovering  truth (the province of philosophy or science) and the lesser task of disseminating it (the province of rhetoric). (James Jasinski, Sourcebook on Rhetoric. Sage, 2001)- Since it is not in human nature to acquire knowledge (episteme) that would make us certain what to do or say, I consider one wise who has the ability through conjecture (doxai) to attain the best choice: I call philosophers those that engage themselves with that from which this sort of practical wisdom (phronesis) is speedily grasped. (Isocrates, Antidosis, 353 BC) Episteme and Techne I have no criticism to make of episteme as a system of knowledge. On the contrary, one can argue that we would not be human without our command of episteme. The problem is rather the claim made on behalf of episteme that it is all of the knowledge, from which stems its proclivity to crowd out other, equally important, systems of knowledge. While episteme is essential to our humanness, so is techne. Indeed, it is our ability to combine techne and episteme that sets us apart both from other animals and from computers: animals have techne and machines have episteme, but only we humans have both. (Oliver Sackss clinical histories (1985) are at once moving as well as entertaining evidence for the grotesque, bizarre, and even tragic distortions of human beings that result from a loss of either techne or episteme.) (Stephen A. Marglin, Farmers, Seedsmen, and Scientists: Systems of Agriculture and Systems of Knowledge.  Decolonizing Knowledge: From Development to Dialogue, ed. by  Frà ©dà ©rique Apffel-Marglin and Stephen A. Marglin. Oxford University Press, 2004) Foucaults Concept of Episteme [In  Michel Foucaults The Order of Things] the archaeological method attempts to uncover a positive unconscious of knowledge. This term denotes a set of rules of formation which are constitutive of the diverse and heterogeneous discourses of a given period and which elude the consciousness of the practitioners of these different discourses.  This positive unconscious of knowledge is also captured in  the term episteme. The episteme is the condition of possibility of discourse in a given period; it is an a priori set of rules of formation that allow discourses to function, that allow different objects and different themes to be spoken at one time but not at another. Source:   (Lois McNay,  Foucault: A Critical Introduction. Polity Press, 1994)

Management Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management Strategies - Essay Example The ultimate aim and objective of this report will be to provide leadership/management with actionable levels of engagement that they can pursue as a means of effectively presenting iDesign to the market. Whereas it is true that there are a number of key pitfalls and challenges that are presented with respect to launching any new firm within an already saturated market, the analysis and discussion will keep these relevant difficulties in mind and seek to leverage a better understanding for how management and marketing strategies, if effectively employed, can seek to increase the potential for the brand within the market. The brand will seek to combine a high level of technical innovation and 3D printing capabilities within the nexus of cutting-edge fashion and person style; thereby allowing the individual to custom order that style and designs that they feel best suits their own personal tastes. By focusing on innovation, technology, and sustainability, the brand will help to differentiate itself greatly from the many other offerings that already exist within the bloated and saturated clothing/textile market. As has been noted previously, the brand is unique due to the fact that it directly elicits customer input as a means of creating each unique article of fashion. However, beyond this, the focus and drive towards presenting earth conscious and sustainable products directly to the consumer market without the added worry of ethics and potential sweat shop labor abuse, the firm stands well apart from the many competitors that it seeks to leverage market share from.

Comparing ethical theories Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparing ethical theories - Assignment Example He stated that an individual experiences the state of happiness by performing actions that they deem as being good. He further added that the good behavior that becomes highly desirable without any reason being associated with it is considered as an ethical act. He further added that the good that is assigned the highest status is the state of happiness (Timmons 215). He stated that an individual can perform various virtues acts that can result in the achievement of happiness. He did not narrowly define what he meant by virtue because virtue for different individuals is defined differently. He even stated that happiness cannot be attained by simply performing a virtuous act for one time; a person needs to carry out those acts throughout their life to attain the state of happiness. Kant was of the idea that an act or opinion can only be considered as an ethical one if the reason for performing that particular act was that the person who is caring out that act was ready to accept the same act being conducted against him in the same situation in which he was making a decision or any other situation (Gensler 294). This means that while performing an act an if an individual makes up his mind for accepting the same act being carried out against him in any situation, then only the act will be recognized as an ethical one. The motive that is drives a particular act was regarded by Kant as maxim which is the reason for carrying out an act (Höffe 263). Kant believed in the principle of universality which means that acts that are considered ethical are considered good throughout the world and there is no difference between how different cultures define the same act while making ethical decisions. The main strengths of Aristotle’s theory are that it emphasizes on the importance of pleasure of an individual. It does not consider

Golden Age of Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Golden Age of Capitalism - Essay Example This was a time when commerce was being revolutionized with the emergence of new technologies in transport and communication which facilitated the international markets. Railroads and steamships were used for land transportation of goods. This gave birth to the international market with goods being transported between countries such as America and England. The development of international commerce in manufactures on such a scale was only possible because of an increase in international flows of capital and the international provision of financial services (Milward 22). This was evident in post world war II economy of Europe. By 1950 more a great percentage of the income of foreign nations such Denmark was from foreign trade with other nations. The exchange rate between national currencies was stable despite the intensity among warring nations that was building up. As a result nations were able to prosper and grow economically and promote interdependence. The standard of living for ma ny citizens was at the time much better and continued to improve with the increase in the national income per capita as a result of economic success. Over the period 1950-70, the rate of growth of output in the construction sector was between 4 and 7 per cent a year over Western Europe as whole, and thus somewhat higher than the rate of growth of total output (Milward 52). This added to the success and economic dependence of nations after World War II. Thus different sectors of different nations that specialized in a trade to facilitate growth, rose considerably. The trade deficit with the dollar zone increased threefold between 1951 and 1957 (Milward 182). This increased output and western Europe had a surplus that was unprecedented. Help extended to the citizens of a nation post war was crucial in establishing the state as a means for the people to better themselves. The sweeping reform of the German pensions systems in 1955-7 , a bid by the Christian Democratic Union for a long-term middle class electoral support, had little in common, for example with the extension of public welfare in Sweden or Norway except an adherence to the view that the stability of the state required a positive response to the demand for welfare (Milward 47). This was important in conveying to the public that in accordance with the welfare policies in place, they too were to contribute to the growth of the economy in the countries mentioned. In my persp ective, this was a time of great trials and tribulations, those getting richer were foreign investors, bankers and merchants. Governments dealt a hand, and immersed their economies in the growing world market. This period thus gave rise to a flurry of new job opportunities in transportation and communication. The post-war reconstruction of nations aided by technological advancements was meant to rebuild the economy, promote industrialization and modernization. As a result of the success achieved in this endeavor, it was necessary for the governments to maintain it for purposes of achieving economic dependence. Political stability of this age put participating countries in the forefront of international trade, investments, travel and migration which increased more than any other period. It is incredible how nations were able to experience a period that was high in economic growth as a result of transportation and communication advancements. This period was unique and cannot at this time be

Israeli-Palestinian conflict communication

Israeli-Palestinian conflict communication CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Definition of Communication Although communication is omnipresent, it appears nonetheless difficult to define. Different individuals define communication in different ways depending upon their interests. Ruben (1984) says that communication is any â€Å"information related behaviour† while Dale (1969) says it is the â€Å"sharing of ideas and feelings in a mood of mutuality.† Other definitions emphasise the significance of symbols, as in Berelson and Steiner (1964): â€Å"The transmission of information, ideas, emotions and skill by the use of symbols,† and Theodorson (1969): â€Å"the transmission of information, ideas, attitudes, or emotion from one person or group to another, primarily through symbols.† The Universal Law of Communication states that all living entities communicate. Through movement, sounds, reactions, gestures, language and among others (S. F, Scudder, 1900. In his research, Prof. Albert Mehrabian (UCLA, 1967) identified three major parts that convey meaning in human face to face communication: body language, voice tonality, and words. He determined how people make meaning when a speaker says one thing but means another. If the speaker is sending a mixed message the listener will rely on the following cues to determine true meaning. He found that 55% of impact is determined by body language-postures, gestures, and eye contact, 38% by the tone of voice, and 7% by the content or the words spoken. Although the exact percentage of influence may differ due to variables such as the perceptions or biases of the listener and the speaker, communication as a whole is meant to convey meaning and thus, in some cases, can be universal. Hence, communication can be classified into three types: Non-Verbal Communication which includes sending and receiving messages through gestures, body language, facial expression and eye contacts. Visual Communication is through using visual aids that can be read and look upon such as signs, typography, drawing, graphic design and illustration. Verbal or Oral Communication is anyinformation that is transferred from a sender to receiver usually by a verbal means but visual aid can support the process and it includes speeches, presentations and discussions. 2.1 Effective Communication Effective communication is very important for working successfully with other people, groups or countries. It enables us to maintain relationships and accomplish tasks with them. The effectiveness of any communication is judged by how closely the receivers understanding matches the senders intent. In the final analysis, the only message that matters is the one the other person receives (Dave Sharpe, 1991, Circular 1291). The two ways flow of communication is commonly addressed in interpersonal communication with two elaborations of Shannons model which is often labelled as the action model of communication; the interactive model and the trans-active model. (Weiner, 1948, 1986). This can be illustrated in the following diagram: The key concept associated with this elaboration is that destinations provide feedback on the messages they receive such that the information sources can adapt their messages, in real time. This is an important elaboration, and as generally depicted, a radically oversimplified one. Feedback is a message (or a set of messages). The source of feedback is an information source. The consumer of feedback is a destination. Feedback is transmitted, received, and potentially disrupted via noise sources. None of this is visible in the typical depiction of the interactive model. This doesnt diminish the importance of feedback or the usefulness of elaborating Shannons model to include it. People really do adapt their messages based on the feedback they receive. It is useful, however, to notice that the interactive model depicts feedback at a much higher level of abstraction than it does messages (Davis Foulger, 2004). This difference in the level of abstraction is addressed in the transactional model of communication. This can be shown in table 2 which depicts the Transactional Model of Communication: This model acknowledges neither creators nor consumers of messages, preferring to label the people associated with the model as communicators who both create and consume messages. The model presumes additional symmetries as well, with each participant creating messages that are received by the other communicator. This is, in many ways, an excellent model of the face-to-face interactive process which extends readily to any interactive medium that provides users with symmetrical interfaces for creation and consumption of messages. It is, however, a distinctly interpersonal model that implies equality between communicators that often doesnt exist, even in interpersonal contexts (Hopper, 1992). In case of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the one that is more powerful may tend to lead the communication and thus, creating more barriers to communication to solve the conflicting issues. 2.2 Definition of Conflict Most conflicts result as a state of disagreement stemming from perceived values, beliefs, interests, goals and motives. It can be between individuals, groups or between two countries. Research carried out on peace and conflict assumes that conflicts are the expression of opposing interests, that they are characteristic for modern societies and that they are endemic in modern societies. â€Å"A conflict exists when two people wish to carry out acts which are mutually inconsistent. It is resolved when some mutually compatible set of actions is worked out. The definition of conflict can be extended from individuals to groups (such as states or nations), and more than two parties can be involved in the conflict. The principles remain the same.† (M. Nicholson 1992:11) 2.3 Defining the Israeli- Palestinian Conflict History created divisive issues between both Israelis and Palestinians. The land of Judea[1], was conquered by the Roman Empire and named Palestine and it was further conquered and inhabited by Arabs for a thousand years. Before Britain conquered Jerusalem and the surrounding area known to be Palestine, in November 1917, the â€Å"Balfour Declaration[2]† was issued. This declaration stated that Britain support the creation of a National Homeland of the Jewish People in Mandated Palestine without violating the rights of the existing Arab population. This eventually led to rioting and pogroms against Jews creating a history of enmity between Jews and Arabs. Following the World War II (1939-1945), in which more than six million Jews were killed by the Nazis, pressure increased for the creation of a Jewish State. The United Nations Special Commission on Palestine (UNSCOP) held that Palestine be partitioned into an Arab State and a Jewish State. In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the partition plan (UN Resolution GA 181) and the modern state of Israel (Medinat Yisrael) was created and independence was declared on 14 May 1948 and David Ben Gurion become the first Prime Minister. The Arabs rejected the partitioned plan and refused to recognise Israel and wars broke out in 1948 known as ‘War of Independence and the Jews won decisively expanding their State territories. The conflict continued to deepen without any concrete solutions to the problems. In 1956, the second war broke out with Egypt (Sinai War) and in 1967 another war occurred (Six-day War) followed by ‘War of Attrition in 1968 making the conflict worse. In 1973, the Arabs Countries tried to invade and attack Israel (Yom Kippur War) but failed as Israel retaliated strategically to defend herself. There were many terror raids and Israeli reprisals. In 1982 and 2006 war broke out between Israel and Lebanon making hundreds of victims on both sides. Two â€Å"Intifadas†[3] in broke out in 1983 and 2000 and the violence continued to increased and thus reducing the prospect of peace. In December 2008 Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Gaza Strip (Cast Lead Operation) to stop the firing of short range missiles (rockets) leading to the Israeli Palestinian peace talk to collapse. Each side believes different versions of the same history and views the conflict as wholly the fault of the other (Ami Isseroff June 2009). 2.4 Rethinking the Two-State Solution (Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland, 2008) The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Though all conflicts have their own distinctive features, the Israeli Palestinian conflict is singular in various aspects. In the first place, it not a territorial dispute involving two parties but also a situation on which one nation is under occupation by another (Focus Policy 88, 2008). In the work ‘Rethinking the Two-State Solution the problem this conflict creates has implication beyond the specific interest of the disputing parties (Griora Eiland Al, 2008). However, it is believed that this conflict dilemma is at the root of the Middle East unrest link to the Iranian nuclear threat and other global challenges. There appears to be a clear international interest to resolve the conflict ranging from the ‘Oslo Accords[4] to the ‘Annapolis Conference[5] to support the general approach of the two-state solution. Yet, the ‘Oslo Accord created an illusion that the situation was changing and though after its collapse, it maybe possible to reach a political agreement. Many Israelis are concerned that pursuing such an agreement is a lose-lose situation as Palestinians will not meet their end of bargain (Yehuda Ben Meir and Dafna Shaked, 2007) The paradox for the moment between the conflicting parties is that they truly do not desire the conventional two state approach and the Arab World specially Jordan and Egypt are not supportive to it as the success is slim and the political risk is high for both leaders. Today, the conflict has surpassed the classical view and has become a conflict against the rise of extremist in the region (Tzipi Livni, 2008). However, the problems still remains regarding the settlement issues in the land that Palestinians claim for their future state, Jerusalem where both nationalists and religions are intertwined, security arrangements, the refugees status and their rights of returns and the smuggling of weapons by terrorist groups through their armed allies like Lebanese Hezbollah and the Iranian regime that calls for the destruction of Israel (Natasha Gill, 2008). 2.5 Intercultural or Cross- Cultural Communication, Dialogue and Perception Change Intercultural communication involves the investigation of culture and the difficulties of communicating across cultural boundaries. Intercultural communication occurs whenever a message produced in one culture must be processed in another culture (Samovar Porter, 1982). Since all aspects of communication are both, a response to and a function of our culture, socialisation in a culture determines what communicative behaviours are perceived as appropriate or desirable within a given context (Samovar Porter, 1982). In addition to the use of verbal messages, during face-to-face interaction a great deal of information about personality, beliefs, values, and social status are transmitted and interpreted, often subconsciously, through non-verbal channels (Birdwhistell,1970; Burgeon et al., 1989; Mehrabian, 1969, 1972). The meaning of both verbal and nonverbal messages is drawn upon past experiences, personal knowledge of language and word meaning, and the social context in which a communicative event occurs. In intercultural encounters, observed behaviours may be interpreted by applying cultural frameworks that are inappropriate to the context in which the communication takes place, thus resulting in misinterpretation and misunderstanding, and even in negative stereotyping (Brislin, Cushner, Cherrie Young, 1982).While stereotyping responds to a human tendency towards categorisation and simplification of highly complex realities, negative stereotypes and prejudice are definite obstacles to successful intercultural communication and mutual understanding. In order for these barriers to be lowered, learners need to develop awareness and understanding of their own, as well as of their interactants, cultural universe, including â€Å"beliefs, values, customs, habits or life styles† (Samovar Proter, 1982) At the International Association For Conflict Management Annual Convention held in Spain in 1999, two basic questions were raised which concerned the role of culture and particularly religious culture and the impact of dialogue and contact in improving the Israeli- Palestinian conflict (Dr Mollov Dr Laive,1999). In his seminal realist theory of international relations, Hans J. Morgenthau gave little importance to cultural discourse between nations but instead he laid emphasis on the clash of power and interest. Therefore, there is a need to reach stability by attaining viable balances of power and the exercise of responsible diplomacy (Morgenthau, 1969). Recent researchers have emphasised that the importance of the cultural variables can either help to move forward or backward understandings between nations (Cohen, 1990). Inter-civilisation conflict like the Israeli- Palestinian conflict has put forward that international stability can advance by nations by discovering and developing intercultural understanding and appreciation with each other (Huntington, 1996) and recent research in the field of political psychology showed the importance of culture and psychological perceptions in politics (Pye, 1997). The research carried out by the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Science of Bar Ilan University, Israel, concentrated on evaluating the impact of inter-group and inter-personal communication based on mutual perception change between Israelis and Palestinians. According to the Social Scientist Karl Deutsch, there is a need to investigate the foundations of community building between nations in the form of amalgamated or pluralistic security communities where there is need of interpersonal ties and the intensity of social communication in the creation and upholding of such communities (Deutsch, 1957). The work of peace building is much affected by perception change and the quality of interpersonal interactions. The investigation of the numerous aspects of inter-group communication emphasise the decisive elements and conditions for effective encounters including ‘equal status contacts that should also be intimate rather than casual encounters for building efforts of cooperation, relations and institutional (Amir, 1969). In a series of dialogue held between a group of Palestinian students and Israeli students which lasted for four years, from 1994 to 1999, focused on commonalities between Islam and Judaism and this led to a spin off cooperative efforts and increased cooperation and interactions between the two groups of students from both sides. There were reports of warm atmosphere during face to face meetings and this attributed that achievement to the discovery of commonalities in the others religious culture (Mollov and Barhoum, 1998). Approximately 90 students had participated in this initiative and at the end of it, there was positive development of family visitation and strong friendships that developed during the process and hence in wake of violent events both issued condemnation and condolences. 2.6 The Israeli- Egyptian conflict resolution as a reference Scholar Raymond Cohen has written about how miscommunication can occur when even elite specialists and diplomats must negotiate across cultural boundaries. One of his examples focuses on the Egyptian-Israeli conflict through the 1970s. He questions why, throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Israeli deterrence based on large-scale use of force against Egypt for terrorist attacks emanating out of Egypt against Israel, failed to actually deter attacks. A cultural analysis revealed deep differences between Israeli and Egyptian understandings relating to violence, vengeance, and vendetta. He concluded that Israels use of massive force violated Egyptian understandings about culturally â€Å"appropriate† vengeance and retribution. In particular, Israelis misunderstood Egyptian conventions of appropriate â€Å"proportionality† in these matters. The â€Å"cultural logic† of Israeli deterrence was that the more disproportionate the punishment the greater the compliance. But Egyptians understood matters differently. What they regarded as highly disproportionate vengeance on Israels part had the effect of shaming and humiliating them, leading to a serious loss of honor in a culture where honor is deeply valued. To erase the shame and regain the lost honor, Egypt supported further attacks against Israel. The effect Israelis hoped to achieve, Egyptian compliance in stopping cross-border attacks to avoid mounting reprisals , was not achieved. Israeli action produced the opposite effect, providing Egyptians with strong reasons to ensure their support of incursions into Israel. In this case cultural misunderstandings led to an intensification of the conflict, producing what is sometimes called a â€Å"conflict spiral.† Ultimately, this cost many lives on both sides (Kevin Avruch CROSS-CULTURAL CONFLICT, 2004). The former President of Egypt, Anwar Sadat, made an unprecedented gesture by visiting Israel though there were no ties between Israel and Egypt, to reinforce a positive cultural and perception and change to the negative cross cultural differences between the two nations. This led both countries to emerge out of the hatred and miscommunication and together, not only Israelis and Egyptians understood each others but also their Leaders Former Israeli Prime Minister, Shamir and Former Egyptian President Sadat signed peace agreements (Camp David Treaty) under the ageis of the United States in the 1970s. All these were possible because both sides made unprecedented moves to understand their cultural differences for peace in the region, eliminating their barriers of communication like language, religion, hatred, wrong communication channels, stereotyping and perception and also avoiding confrontation. The same happened with Jordan in 1994 leading to full diplomatic relationship with the sec ond Arab/Muslim country after Egypt and later followed by Azerbaijan. 2.7 The Palestinians Unilateral â€Å"Kosovo Strategy† Implications for the PA and Israel Dan Diker (Jan 2010) Article No. 575- Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas new precondition that the international community recognise the 1967 lines in the West Bank as the new Palestinian border bolsters the assessment that the Palestinians have largely abandoned a negotiated settlement and instead are actively pursuing a unilateral approach to statehood. Senior Palestinian officials note that Palestinian unilateralism is modelled after Kosovos February 2008 unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia. European and U.S. support for Kosovos unilateral declaration has led the Palestinian leadership to determine that geopolitical conditions are ripe to seek international endorsement of its unilateral statehood bid, despite the fact that leading international jurists have suggested that the cases of Kosovo and thePalestinian Authorityare historically and legally different. The Palestinians are legally bound to negotiate a bilateral solution with Israel. Unilateral Palestinian threats to declare statehoo d have been rebuffed thus far by the European powers and the United States. The Palestinian â€Å"Kosovo strategy† includes a campaign of delegitimisation of Israel, seeking to isolate Israel as a pariah state, while driving a wedge between Israel and the United States. The unilateral Palestinian bid for sovereignty will also likely turn the Palestinians into the leading petitioner against the State of Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Although the Palestinian Authority is not a state and therefore should have no legal standing before the court, the petition it submitted to the court after theGazawar (Cast lead Operation) was not rejected by the ICC. Finally, a unilateral Palestinian quest for the 1947 lines may well continue even if the 1967 lines are endorsed by the United Nations. The Palestinian Liberation Organisations (PLO) 1988 declaration of independence was based on UN General Assembly Resolution 181, which recognises the 1947 partition plan for Palestine, not the 1967 lines, as the basis for the borders of Israel and an Arabstate. 2.8 Cooperation and Conflict in Negotiation Negotiation refers to a process in which conflicting parties work together to formulate an agreement over the disputes affecting them (Rubin Brown, 1975). The process of negotiation assumes that the disputing parties are willing to communicate and to generate offers, counter-offers, or both. Agreement occurs if and only if the offers made are accepted by both of the parties. Negotiation is comprised of several key components like the disputing parties interests, alternatives, process and the negotiated outcomes that are likely to come in the phases of negotiation during preparation, debating and proposing, bargaining and finalising legal aspects and follow-up (Neale Northcraft, 1991). In his research, Morton Deutsch concluded that most conflicts involve a mix of cooperative and competitive motives. His theory of cooperation and competition serves as a guideline to understand conflict processes and resolutions (Deutsch, 2000). Accordingly, a key element to understand this is to find out the goal interdependence between the conflicting parties. It may also be that the goals are negative leading to a win-lose situation. The disputing parties goals being positively interdependent will yield cooperative relationship for a win-win situation. Deutschs research suggests that constructive processes of conflict resolution are similar to cooperative processes of problem solving and the destructive processes of conflict resolution are similar to competitive processes. A friendly gesture tends to suggest cooperative responses and for competitive responses stir up suspicious and domineering attitudes (Deutsch, 2000). The theory of cooperation and competition implies one to understand conflict, the practice of conflict management, and conflict resolution. A cooperative orientation on the part of the disputing parties will tend to facilitate constructive resolution of the conflict. Deutsch highlights that social support is very important to create and maintain such cooperative orientation (Deutsch, 2000). Constructive resolution is more likely to take place when the conflicting parties would be able to reframe their understanding of their goal and conflict. This will help to adhere to norms, values, respect, honesty and seeking common grounds to find resolutions. Additionally, effective conflict management requires skills and knowledge to establish and maintain effective working relationships leading to problem solving and decision making (Deutsch, 2000) 2.9 Irish Pact Is Mixed Model for Middle-East Article: Newsday (1998, April 1) -Washington Near East Institute Author: Robert Satloff The Israelis and Palestinians have to learn a lot from the Northern Ireland peace accord that solved the conflict in 1998. Both had a common legacy of terrorism with thousands victims. The two conflicts are fundamentally different and the solutions reached are very different, too but the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians does have an important lesson for Northern Ireland: The tough part is implementing an agreement, not reaching it. The conflict has involved the threat of war and neighbouring countries fought five wars during the last 50 years and most Arabs insisted that settlement terms would require the dismantling of the Jewish state and sent most Israelis to their country of origin. The nature of the Arab-Israeli conflict has calmed over the past two decades, with Israels signing of peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan and this lead to reconciliation with the Palestinians in the Oslo accords. Since Ireland gained its independence, the idea of war between the Irish and the British has been unthinkable. In contrast, few Middle Easterners doubt that the moderation of most, which have come to terms with Israel, is only a function of the balance of power. If the Arabs were stronger, Israel weaker and America indifferent, the chorus of â€Å"throw the Jews into the sea† would almost surely be as popular in official Arab circles as, sadly, it is today. If one is able to convince the Israelis that Arab intentions have changed irrevocably, peace would be at hand. In the Palestinian-Israeli context, this would translate into an expansion of the current bilateral negotiation into a trilateral process that includes Jordan, which ruled the West Bank before Israel. Indeed, there is general recognition in the region that while there may be a bilateral contractual solution for the West Bank, there will, in the end, be a trilateral arrangement governing many of its political, economic and military aspects. â€Å"An equally important lesson is dont ever try to dictate terms of an agreement† (President Clinton, 1998). As history has shown, American engagement in diplomacy is necessary for its success, but not sufficient. The Israelis and Palestinians dont need a distinguished ex-senator such as George Mitchell to help them achieve their own solution; they already made their own deal, without direct U.S. assistance, at Oslo. Therefore, to further research on how the Israeli Palestinian conflict can be solved through effective communication, there is a need to adopt a new approach that of using effective communication. In this regards, there is a need to provide solutions to the exiting on-going problems that lead to peace agreements and where two people can live side by side in harmony, strategic cooperation and trust without being affected by extremist ideologies that would ruin the peace prospect. University of Technology, Mauritius The Ancient Kingdom of Judah of the Israelite A letter issued to Lord Rothschild by the Zionist Movement of Great Britain The uprising of the Palestinians against Israelis through waves of Violence Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles A conference held in 2007 to produce a substantive document on resolving theIsraeli-Palestinian conflictalong the lines of President George W. BushsRoadmap For Peace