Affect of Culture and Religion on Curriculum Essay

It has been observed that the teenage period of a child has been given the most important position in the life of a human being. During this age, children go across various notions of life, and concepts and ideas are matured up by them, which is used and implement by them during their lives. Therefore, growth period of a child has to be provided with good quality and matured curriculum according to his/her age. In this regard, schools play an important and crucial role in the provision of a platform that can allow, as well as, encourage the intellectual, physical, as well as, spiritual growth of the children. In formal schooling, a set of courses, as well as, its related content has been referred as a curriculum, which is provided and utilized during the study at almost every school, college, and university around the world. Curriculum consists of a number of experiences, stories, and accounts of deeds that can guide the students to understand the basic and important phases of their lives. In this respect, designing of the curriculum should be given due importance, as they can nurture and cherish human lives, as well as, deteriorate the thinking power and understanding of the humans. (Taylor, 1999, p. 171). In this regard, a number of researches have been carried out by the professionals and experts that have put light on the importance of the curriculum. Different experts have described curriculum in diverse perceptions. Some have deemed it as a social engineering arena, whereas, unintentional and undirected experiences for the cultivation of a successful adult society are some of the definitions of the curriculum. (Philip, 1993, pp. 10-12) Different and various bodies have been formed for the determination of the curriculum in different countries around the world. An external or an authoritative body can perform the role of partial, as well as, entire determination of a curriculum. For instance, the National Curriculum for England has been established in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the curriculum that is provided to the students is established by school districts individually according to the regulations of their states and requirements of their students. However, the United States Department of Education plays an important parental role for the provision of guidelines that are important and necessary for the designing of curriculum. (Allport, 1979, pp. 23-29) As earlier mentioned in the paper, curriculum plays an important role in the nurturing of a human life. Thus, the designing of the curriculum to be taught at schools, colleges, and universities cannot be ignored at all. In this regard, a number of factors are responsible for the formulation of the school curriculum. In this paper, we will try to identify, define, and evaluate some of the cultural, as well as, religious factors that influence the designing of the curricula at various schools around the world. As all cultures are quite different from one another, different and diverse understanding is provided by every culture in different perceptions. A person’s culture is rooted in quite a lot of things as mentioned earlier; language, history, geography, religion, and race. The abovementioned things play a different part in cultures, and affect reasoning in a variety of ways and areas. Religion influences nearly everything in our daily lives: from the architecture of buildings, the food we eat, and the books we read, to the rituals of marriage and death, and the customs of courtroom and government. It has been observed that for thousands of years, religion has shaped the beliefs, moral codes, national identities of millions of people, and now it should help define other cultures in the classrooms. Every thing in life has been affected as greatly by other cultures, because of the environment and culture, which developed dwellings with three-dimensional right angles. Although there are many interpretations of what defines a religion, the Oxford Dictionary describes it as the trust in and devotion of a Herculean controlling power, especially a personal God or gods, or a particular system of faith and worship, and a pursuit or interest followed with devotion. All religions, no matter who believes in them or where they originated, are convinced that they are the primary source of all correct thought and righteous action. It is widely known that, no matter who is preaching to you, they are telling you that what they believe is the truth. The fact is that all religions began as word of mouth or a generalized belief. These have been put into writing, rewritten, translated, outdated and rewritten once again. It is not likely that everything in such scriptures should be taken as the absolute truth, with no room for compromise or alternative (Taylor, 1999, p. 184). Different countries have been established on different and diverse concepts and ideologies. For instance, Christianity can be the religion of a country in the American continent, whereas, another country would have been established on the bases of Islamic thoughts and teachings. Thus, a student in the United States would have been taught by a curriculum that has been formulated on the teachings of Bible, whereas, another student in an Islamic country would be provided with a curriculum based on the teachings of Quran. However, it has been observed and noted by almost every study and researcher that every religion has given the same teachings on this earth, but only the perceptions have been different due to the different modes of revelations of the sacred teachings. In this regard, different students around the world acquire the same knowledge and concepts, but in a number of variety of perceptions. In this regard, different people may act or react in different ways, which has been due to the diverse awareness by various curricula globally. In this aspect, a field of curriculum studies has been formed for the identification, as well as, evaluation of different issues and factors that are interrelated with each other, and that play a crucial and important role in influencing the components of the curriculum. It has been observed that educational programs are influenced by cultural factors also, and different and diverse influences have been observed in different countries, as every country has its different culture, norms and values, etc. A culture of a person can be known even in minutes of first sight of a person. For instance, a person with a different culture can be known by the clothing, jewelry, body language, as well as, hairstyle. Secondly, speech and unfamiliar beliefs can provide a deep understanding of the culture that is portrayed by every human being in different parts of the world. All these distinctiveness are denotative of culture – exemplar of behavior and thinking that people living in social groups learn, create, and share. A people’s culture subsume of their beliefs, values, norms, language, style of dress, ways of cooking food, religion, jewelry, that are passed from one generation to the another. In this regard, it can be observed that curriculum is influenced greatly by the involvement of different people from different cultures around the world. (Smart, 1995, pp. 19-23) Each country has its own culture. For example, the popular culture in China has a big difference from the United States. The United States is a country full of immigrants. New York City is the capital of the world. No matter where we go, we can see people in all kinds of skin color. People came to this land to find their new life, establish families here, generation by generation. Unlike old days in China, when we saw a foreigner walk on the street, everybody will look at him. Because they are travelers, and we do not see them that often, better take a good look at them before they are gone. In the U. S, it is different; People never get excited when they see another person from different society, because we are so into a large global society. China and United States of America shares a number of cultural differences between each other, such as food, climate, religion, population, school and greeting. It has been believed by a number of people that food is very important to their culture when immigration is performed from one country to another. It has been an observation that people always try to keep their customs, norms and values in their lives. (Zhang, 2007, pp. 55-60) For instance, if an Asian person is immigrated to an American country, he/she may try to incorporate his/her practices, concepts, and habits in the American environment, which may sometimes be incompetent and not acceptable in the society. (Allport, 1979, pp. 51-55) In another example, if an educator emigrates from an Australian country to an Asian country, he may try to integrate Australian practices in the Asian curricula, which may not be appreciated or encouraged. Food is an important part of daily life for Chinese people. Chinese, not only enjoy eating, but also believe eating good food can bring harmony and closeness to the family and relationships. Chinese used to have their dinner together with all the family members, sitting around a table. China’s regional differences create problems for a definition of Chinese food. The westerner always thinks of rice. But a third of china’s people are living in north and west are tend to eat wheat and maize, and Sweet Corn in Middle, Northern, Western China. There are so many traditional and special Chinese foods, according to the folk culture, district, religion, and festival. For example, Chinese New Year, most Chinese families will eat dumplings and rice cake at midnight to cerebrate a new year. Thus, the abovementioned factors play an important role in the designing of curricula of a particular country. For instance, nodding in the vertical direction represents an affirmation in a symbolic manner. On the other hand, disapproval is represented by the nodding in the vertical direction in another country. Thus, it may sometime create confusion in people from different countries. Therefore, a curriculum should be based on the universal beliefs and a universal culture should be considered during the designing of curriculum in different parts of the world. It has been observed that a person from an Asian country would present the teachings according to his beliefs, culture, and language. On the other hand, the same teaching and lesson would be represented in other form and different perception would be represented by a person from Australian continent. Thus, different curricula are affected and influenced by a number of significant factors that are dominant in their lives. (Carrette, 1999, pp. 82-83) As earlier mentioned in the paper, different cultures, norms and values have been observed in different parts of the world. In some countries, it is a common habit that believes is advertised in virtually everything. Cars are decorated with bumper stickers, clothes with quotes, and houses with lawn decoration, etc. These habits influence the curriculum also. In some curricula, it has been observed that the abovementioned habits are portrayed through pictures and interactive activities, in order to present a realistic view of the environment of that particular country. (McGrath, 1999, pp. 77-79) For instance, curriculum of the United States may portray high scrapers and busy streets in their books. On the other hand, an African country may sketch deserts and jungles in their curriculum books, in order to present a realistic picture of the environment that their children experience in their daily lives. In this regard, the physical features of a place influence the culture and ways of living of the people, which can be seen in the curricula of that particular place easily. The abovementioned are some of the ways that religion affects the curriculum, as well as, our lives. Many people’s daily routines change because of what they believe. For example, a person goes to church every Sunday, and make sure that nothing is scheduled over top of that. (Carrette, 1999, pp. 101-103) This is one way, a curriculum can teach a child to go to the Church every Sunday. On the other hand, curriculum of an Islamic country may teach the students to pray five times a day, which is quite different from the already mentioned curriculum. However, both the curricula have provided the religious teaching to pray to God. In this way, religion do influences the style of the curriculum. However, it would be wrong to say that these factors influence the basic meaning and principles of the society. (John B. , 1940, pp. 43-45) In Buddhism, the only way that a person is guaranteed to get to Nirvana, is by giving up their lives in the name of Buddha, or for their religion. Christians change their lives to please their Creator. In the Bible, it states that ‘in everything you do, do it as unto the Lord’. This affects someone from driving a car, doing chores. With all of the trouble in our world today, it is disconcerting to know that religion is a contributing factor, and thus, these concepts affect the designing of the curriculum in almost every part of the world. In addition, one can say that culture is more significant than its distinct seeable characteristics. In this regard, if one extends this to the inner self of an individual person, such as to member within a certain society, further to the all community, possibly he or she can be able to find some answers by determining how he or she is affected by culture. In fact, thorough out the human history, culture represents a whole community. However, in order to evaluate how culture changes one’s inner values and beliefs, he or she has to define some common beliefs, just like clothing that has some features that help distinguish its cultural background. People having the same cultural background, in general, are likely to behave in a similar way, because their education and religion background have also cultural elements. In this way, the culture, as well as, the religion of a place influences the formulation of basic elements that have to be included in the curricula of the schools around the world. In some countries, a person may not be allowed to dress unethically or very casually, especially the girls in eastern countries. On the other hand, western countries may not have any problem in casual dressing by the girls. Thus, you may not find a curriculum made by an eastern authoritative body with girls wearing casual dressing, and not covering their body in strict manner. However, the curricula of the English or American schools may have pictures of girls in jeans or t-shirts, which may not be accepted in the eastern world. Thus, this has shown that the culture of a country plays a very important and crucial role in the development of set of courses to be taught at formal schools. (Ernile, 1995, pp. 20-22) Needs of an individual should be met, and good teaching can be provided to the students by a set of courses, which can then be preferred as a well-designed curriculum. Instructions that are given in the curriculum are implemented and taught by an implementer, that is, a teacher. In this regard, the set of courses that are formulated by the curriculum designers should be included with a teaching guide that may instruct and teach the teachers according to their cultural norms and values, as well as, religious principles. (Mader, 1993, pp. 65-66) It has been observed that success of a student is greatly influenced by the cultural background, as well as, socioeconomic status of a child. Thus, process of curriculum designing is affected significantly by the cultural characteristics of a place. However, American schools have the largest number of cultural variations in their classes due to masses of immigrated people in the United States. Thus, it has become very difficult for the American curriculum designers to incorporate the characteristics of different cultures into one curriculum. One of the reasons of this difficulty is that sometimes, cultures diversify each other, and that results in the opposition with each other. In the last decades, cultural and ethnically diversification has been observed in the United States, and cultural diversity has become one of the most important factors to be integrated in their curricula. (Mader, 1993, pp. 60-61) In the result, continuity and diversity is the outcome of the cultural factor that has influenced the planning of the curriculum in a significant manner. In particular, curriculum of every country has been influenced by a number of cultural and diversity factors, such as, language, religion, socioeconomic status, race, physical characteristics, etc. In addition, social values, issues, and norms are some other factors that also influence the designing and planning of the curriculum to be taught at different schools around the world. As earlier mentioned in the paper, social issues and values are different and varied in different parts of the world. In the result, diversity in different parts of a group of people can be accommodated by this variation in the students. For instance, a country may have some specific goals regarding the education, which may be different from the United States. (Ernile, 1995, pp. 33-34) Thus, beliefs and freedoms that are provided to the human lives in different parts of the world play an important role in the designing of the curriculum, which has already been discussed in the paper. For instance, sex, drug education and related programs and seminars are incorporated in the curricula of American schools. However, this kind of programs and teachings are not encouraged in the eastern schools at all, and deemed as unethical for the students. Thus, the curricula of the American schools may be planned with quite free hand and freedom, and on the other hand, the eastern curricula may be designed with more short hand and less freedom in this aspect. Thus, a number of factors influence the designing and planning of the curricula to be taught at schools in different parts of the world. These factors may be cultural, social, economical, psychological, and even spiritual in their nature. In this paper, we have tried to define, evaluate, and discuss religious and cultural factors that influence the designing and planning of the school curricula around the world. It is hoped that this paper will help the professionals, educators, and students in understanding the role of abovementioned factors in the planning of the curriculum that is one of the basic pillars of the human society. References Allport, G. (1979) The Nature of Prejudice. Massachusetts: Adison Wesley Carrette, J. (1999) Religion and Culture. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Durkheim, Ernile. (1995) The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. New York: Free Press. Hefner, Philip. (1993) The Human Factor, Evolution, Culture, and Religion. Minneapolis: Fortress. Holt, John. B. (1940) Holiness Religion: Cultural Shock and Social Organizations. American Sociological Review Vol. 5, no 3. Mader, T. E. (1993) Understanding One Another. Madison, Wisconsin: Brown & Benchmark Publishers. McGrath A. E. (1999). Science & Religion: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Smart, N. (1995) Worldviews: Cross-cultural Explorations of Human Beliefs. London: Prentice-Hall Taylor, S. (1999). Sociology Issues and Debates. London: Macmillan Press Ltd. Zhang, N. (2007). The Basic Features of Contemporary Chinese Culture. Cover feature: china today. World Literature Today.

Comments Upon Sonnets from the Portuguese Essay

SONNET 13 In the first two lines of â€Å"Sonnet 13†, Elizabeth Barrett Browning asks Robert if he wants her to write how she feels about him. In lines 3 and 4, she uses the metaphor of a torch in rough winds, which is meant to enlighten what is between them. In line 5, she drops it and goes on to say she cannot describe what she feels between them. In lines 6 through 8, she says she cannot risk herself by describing to him how she feels, and that she will not. In lines 9 through 14, she goes on to say that her silence must act as an answer to his question, otherwise she will relate to him nothing but the grief she has suffered. tear violently SONNET 43 The second to last and most famous sonnet of the collection, Sonnet 43 is the most passionate and emotional, expressing her intense love for Robert Browning repeatedly. Elizabeth says in the second to third lines that she loves Browning with every aspect of her soul. She then goes onto say that she loves him enough that it meets the needs of every day and every night in lines 5 and 6. Through lines 7, 8, 9 and 11 Elizabeth repeats the phrase, â€Å"I love thee†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to build intensity and show emphasis. Line 7 says that she loves him â€Å"freely,† or willingly, as men who try and reach â€Å"Right,† which in this case could mean righteousness, or in correlation with the previous word â€Å"freely† it may mean freedom. Line 8 means that she loves him, as it says, purely, without any want for praise. It is interesting that line 9 says that she loves him as passionately, or intensely, as she experienced her old griefs or sufferings, and with a faith as strong as a child’s. This helps to transition into line 11, expressing she loves him as much as she used to love the saints as a child. And the last three lines state that she loves him with all of her life and, God willing, she’ll continue to love him that deeply in the afterlife. It is not surprising that this sonnet is so passionately written, as it helps to show how her love for Robert Browning grew intensely over time, starting out as nothing and blooming into a love that most of us could only wish to experience.

JCS Technology Essay

I. Introduction JCS Technology is a small IT company that is owned by Steve Puzder. Steve employs ten employees of which six are full time, two are part time, and two are contractors. JCS Technology has been in business for 5 years. All the employees have been with JCS Technology for 5 years. The six full time employees are paid an hourly rate along with completion bonuses, the part time employees are paid an hourly rate, and the contractors are paid per job along with completion bonuses. JCS Technology has a small office and most of the work is done outside of the office. There is one full time person in the office all the rest of the employees work 95% of their time outside the office. Employees are paid every week with monthly bonuses. The IT field is always changing therefore JCS Technology offers education reimbursement which also includes any tests that need to be taken to get certifications that will keep the employees up to date in their skills. Each employee has a company issued laptop and cell phone. Flex scheduling is also offered along with one week paid vacation. We are going to look at adding paid mileage as most employees have to travel to get to the job site and the job site can change more than once a day. We will also look at medical care as we don’t know what is going to happen with Obama Care. Then lastly we are going to look at a 401k. All of JCS Technology’s employees are fairly young so we are going to see what it is going to take to make this company grow as they grow. I. Statement of Issues JCS Technology is a very small and young company which does not have a very high profit margin. Along with being a young company the employees are also young and all single males. With only ten employees and six of them are full-time Steve has not researched a benefit package other than the things that are needed to perform the tasks to complete their job. After looking at three other small IT companies JCS Technology seems to offer about the same benefits as his competitors. I did find that most IT companies do offer some type of car allowance as there is a lot of travel time. I did a survey of all the employees that Steve employs and found that there are some benefits that the employees would like to see and others that are not of immediate concern. I asked the employees to rank a group of benefits in order of importance to them. These benefits include more vacation time, flex scheduling, car allowance, health care, bonuses, and a retirement plan. II. Literature Review There is a wide range of benefits that may be offered such as educational, family, lifestyle, recreational, retirement, savings, and transportation. Other benefits that are mandatory are Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation, COBRA, and FMLA. Benefits are incentives to attract and keep good employees and are also a way of meeting the needs and wants of employees. Another role of benefits is to provide income protection to workers lacking income. Five principal types of income protection delivered by benefits are: (1) disability income replacement, (2) medical expense reimbursement, (3) retirement income replacement, (4) involuntary unemployment income replacement, and (5) replacement income for survivors. (Dave Mote, 2011) Many consumers make random choices, follow the advice of others, or pick a plan that may include a particular medical group. A survey was conducted of 1,800 enrollees and patient in Iowa. It was conducted by the Health Institute at the New England Medical Center Hospitals, Boston, with a grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation. None of the plans received excellent ratings.†I think we’re headed toward more consumer choice among competing health plans, and the choice will be largely determined by survey results such as this one,† says Paul Pietzsch, HPCI president. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa are reviewing the study and would like participate in another study but would like to revise some of the questions. [ (Bergman, 1993) ] Do consumer-driven health care plans offer a more affordable health care plan? Myth has it that CDH plans do not reduce the costs but rather shifts them. Data found that there was almost a 14% difference in favor of the CDH plans he study also showed that CDH plans do not â€Å"cherry pick† the youngest, healthiest, and richest. The data also shows that enrollment in CDH covers healthy along with chronically ill. It also looked at two chronic conditions and showed that the medical costs tend to less for customers of a CDH plan. [ (Reindl, 2010) ] III. Issue Analysis JCS Technology is a small company that does not offer any health care plans. Steve feels that he is a small company and cannot afford offer this type of benefit. With Obama care in the near future we looked at if heath care is something that can be offered now or in the near future. Right now the tax credit is 35 percent of the cost that a company paid premiums that increasing to 50 percent in 2014. After interviewing the six full time employees of JCS Technology I found that health care is not a major concern of the men right now. Bob, Joe, and Sam being the oldest of the group stated that they would like to have some type of retirement plan verses health care. Jesse, Cody, and Richard being the youngest of the group stated that they would like more vacation time. Over half the guys said they would like a fitness program. All of the employees stated that they would like a car allowance as there is a lot of travel time involved in their jobs. IV. Issue Analysis We are going to look into maybe offering AFLAC in the place of health care coverage right now. The employees are being paid a modest pay for the size of the company, but the men have expressed that they are not really sure about pay anything towards health care at this time. We have time before Obama care goes into effect so the men will begin to look more heavily at heath care next year maybe in place of the bonuses that they are getting right now. Since all the employees have been with the company for five years we will look at adding one more week of vacation also we may also give the men an opportunity to buy extra vacation days. We are going to look at the gas mileage that each of the employees are getting with their car and look at getting a company gas card for the crew to use. If the gas mileage is low on average then we will figure out a fair amount to pay per mile that each employee drives on monthly bases. Next we are going to look into a fitness program for the employees. Since all the employees are young and male we are going to hire a nutritionist and add a quit smoking program. We are going to check the local recreation center and the local gyms to get the best offer for memberships for all the employees this will also include the part-time employees. V Issue Solutions After some research we have found that there is wide range of health care programs. Rather than try to set up a company program we looked at individual plans. The plans run from 93 dollars a month for a very high deductable ($10,000) to $610 a month for a low deductable. The men are young and healthy, but are on the road for about 30% of their time. It would be nice if the men had a health care plan just in case but do we offer the high deductable with the company paying the premium or offer a lower deductable with the employees paying part of the premium. When questioning the men they did not want to give up any pay to get better health benefits. If the company stops the bonus program then there is room for some health care. If we stop the bonus program the men will be up-set as each one of them as expressed that they do not want to give up any money for health care. Bob, Jesse, Richard, and Cody said that they would really like a fitness program, Frank, Sam, Terry, and Jack said that they would like a car allowance of some kind. All the men expect for Richard and Bob would like more vacation time. None of the men are interested in a retirement plan. Five of the men smoke and only two would like to quit. With little impact to the bottom line we can add a fitness program. For the men that wish to quit smoking we are going to offer them and incentive to reward them upon them completing one year of non-smoking. VI Solution and its Implementation I have found it hard to work out a plan that all the men would be happy with. With an annual salary of $50,000 plus a year the men are quite happy the way things are as far as their salary goes. As of January 1, 2012 the company will no longer be offering completion bonuses which will equal to about $5,000 a year. Each man will be offered a yearly membership to the gym of their choice. The men that smoke will be offered help to quit smoking. We have decide that if the men are interested in a health care plan that they can get one on their own and the company will pay 50% of the premium up to $3,000 a year. Each of the men will be given a $100 a month gas allowance as we found that each person drives about 500 miles a month. Those employees that choose not to get health insurance the company will reimburse 50% of their car insurance as a replacement. We have decided not to add any more paid vacation time at this present time but we are going to offer a buy vacation time: each employee will be able to buy three vacation days at the rate of $50 per pay period. The men are giving up a little when it comes to the bonus that they will not longer receive but Steve and I feel that we have come up with a plan that everyone can live with. VII Justification Steve really wanted to try and offer his men the best things that he could and things that would make a difference to each one of the men. The men that work for Steve are like family to him and he tries to make his company one that each man can take pride in working for. We fell that we took what each person had to say and applied it to the decisions that we made. The men really did not want to give up any cash that they were making but we think that what we are offering will make up any money that we may have taken away. We looked to see what the changes would cost the company and the benefits to each the company and the employees and feel that we did the best for everyone. VIII Reflection Meeting with Steve and his employees was very enjoyable. I have not had the chance to meet with a company and discuss things that could change a year or more of a person’s life. The thought of making life changing decisions for someone else is pretty scary. You try to make everyone happy but you can’t you have to make the best decisions for the company. If you make the wrong choices for the company it could be devastating. I have learned that it would be wonderful if you could please everyone which for a small company like the one that I looked at it may be possible but not probable. Large companies have to look at the bottom line where I think that some smaller companies may have lee way in their thinking. All the men that work for Steve were get in giving me their honest feed back about what they would have like see happen with their benefits. I had to take a step back and stop and think what was best for the company in the end. I wanted to give the men what they were asking for but then I knew it was my job to do the best thing for the company. I know that it was a small company that I worked with and a larger company is going to have more issues to look at and I look forward to the day that I can put to work what I have learned in this class and doing this project. I know that my research will not end here because there are so many more benefits that I want to take a closer look at. Such as the tax credits for health care and other credits that larger companies receive.

The impacts of foreign direct investment on host country economies Essay

The impacts of foreign direct investment on host country economies - Essay Example The liberalization of markets worldwide, an effect of globalisation, has led to the elimination of the barriers for developing investment activities abroad, i.e. to a country different from the country of residence of the investor. Gradually, the foreign direct investment, or else the FDI, as this activity has been characterized, see also the next section, has become a common phenomenon in countries worldwide. It should be noted that the FDI has been related to a series of important benefits but it has been also found to have a series of disadvantages/ drawbacks for the host countries economy. This issue is explored in this paper. A series of examples and case studies are presented aiming to show the various aspects of the involvement of FDI in the economy of host countries. In general, the benefits of FDI are more compared to its disadvantages. However, the latter could lead to severe turbulences if they are not appropriately addressed. In this context, appropriate measures should b e taken in advance for the control of such effects either in the short or the long term.The term ‘foreign direct investment’ is used in order to show ‘the acquisition of assets by the residents of one country for the purpose of controlling the production and other activities of a firm in another country, the host country’ (Moosa 2002, p.1). FDI, as described above, can have many forms, including the Greenfield investment (indicating whole ownership of the acquired asset) and the Joint Venture (shared ownership of the acquired asset).... 2006). The last decades, there is a trend towards the continuous expansion of FDI as a method of financing various projects. This fact is made clear in the Graph 1 below where the balance among the FDI, the bank loans and the portfolio investment as methods of financing, is analytically presented. Graph 1 – Forms of capital inflows from 1978 up to 1995 (Source: Loungani et al. 2001) The decision of an organization to proceed to FDI is usually based on the potentials for profit. Moreover, it seems that Western organizations are likely to use different criteria when having to decide their entrance in a foreign country through FDI. Bevan et al. (2004) tried to identify the factors that lead organizations in Western countries to get involved in FDI. The above researchers found that factors like ‘labour costs, market size and proximity’ (Bevan et al. 2004, p.775) are likely to have a decisive role for Western organizations to invest on a foreign economy in the form of FDI. On the other hand, it has been revealed that the potential risks of the host country economy are not expected to discourage Western organizations from proceeding to FDI. However, it seems that the documents and the commentaries published by international bodies can influence the decision of Western organizations on FDI. In the study of Bevan et al. (2004) reference is made to the influence of the announcements of the European authorities on the level of FDI outflows from countries of EU to third countries worldwide. Similar findings have been revealed through the research of Globerman et al. (2002). The above researchers tried to identify the level at which the political and legal environment of a country can influence the level of FDI towards

Computer tech case 2 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer tech case 2 - Term Paper Example Literacy skills involving getting and presentation of information using hardcopy There are several instances that I use hard copy books, magazines, newspapers and brochures to get information. I spend an approximate average of 2 hours to physically read hardcopy books. In most cases, I read short story books to enhance my reading and research skills. There are several instances where I communicate through letters especially when making applications for part time jobs and when writing friendly letters to my cousins. During school days, some of my assignments are presented in form of hardcopy and so, writing and reading skills has been imperative on the techniques I use in presenting my assigned essays, research papers and proposals. Although I use pens in writing and reading hardcopy text in my daily activities, it is not my major priority of presenting and receiving information because I accord them minimal time (Lewis, 2001). Media literacy skills and practices Media literacy can be defined as comprehending the modalities of producing and distributing information. Currently, the best informal communication method that I use is the social media. The common social media platforms that I use are www.facebook.com and www.twitter.com. I use these sites to communicate with friends, relatives, in some cases my instructors and to express my opinion on political, social and economic issues that affect me directly. I accord social media approximately five hours a day. As such, I can state that I spend a large portion of my time on social media. There are other forms of media that I use formally for my learning and communication with my instructors. I spent an approximate average of 3 hours a day on them. The major media that I use are education websites such as www.thefreedictionary.com where I get educational information after conducting research, Job searching websites such as LinkedIn where I seek for part time jobs and get information about the requirements of diffe rent types of jobs, and institutional website that I utilize to upload my assignments to my instructors, get instruction material and for general communication with the institution (Bassnet &Lefevere, 1998). Technology literacy skills and practices The modern world has experienced a major revolution in technology in literary practices. There have been hi-tech innovations in technologies resulting in state of art information processing devices such as computers, communication devices such as cellular phones, and other digital technologies such as state of art televisions. The computer has been essential in my daily activities, and my computer literacy has assisted me in utilizing the device accurately in processing and receiving different forms of information. I use the computer to access academic and non academic information in the internet. Further, I use the computer to write and do calculations. The computer enables me to access social media, educational websites and undertake co mmunications through emails. I spend approximately 7 hours a day on my personal computer. I use cell phones specifically for making formal and informal communications. Further, I use it to access the internet and conduct internet

Commercial Landlord and Tenant Law Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Commercial Landlord and Tenant Law - Term Paper Example He says that if Mr Jagger wants to take the room the shortest term he will agree is one year, and he requires Mr Jagger to sign an agreement (which he produces and gives to Mr Jagger). Mr Jagger likes the room, and says he's 'happy with a one-year deal', but also says he wants to look at the form of agreement and possibly take advice on it before signing it, but he does need to move in immediately. He offers Mr Richards a month rent 'upfront'. Mr Richards accepts this, and allows Jagger to move in immediately. He says, however, that Jagger's occupation will be on the terms of 'that agreement in your hand unless we agree something different', and they agree that in due course they will formalise the arrangement by signing an appropriate document. Mr Jagger looks at the agreement. It is headed 'Licence', indicates a 'licence period' of one year, a weekly licence fee of 75 and states (amongst other things) that Mr Richards is at liberty to require Mr Jagger to share the room with any third party whom Mr Richards wishes to put into occupation. Explain, by full reference to the background law, the status of the interest (if any) which Mr Jagger has in the room in Mr Richards' house and how such interest came to be (or failed to be) created and whether, in consequence, it is open to Mr Jagger to leave without further liability either immediately or at some point prior to the expiry of a year after he moved in. Answer In regards to common law, the licence is not legally binding because Mr Jagger did not sign it. Mr Jagger holds a licence to use the assigned room in Mr Richards home. A licence is only a personal permission, not transferable and is not binding. If Mr. Jaggar would be a tenant, he could have a legal estate which can be inherited or transferred, and is binding on third parties. A tenancy will have a great deal of statutory protection, particularly relating to security of tenure; a licence can be terminated easily (subject to any contractual agreement) and even the residential licensee has only minimal statutory protection under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, not amounting to security of tenure. Mr Jagger's interest came to be when he and Mr Richards verbally agreed to a "one year deal". A licence is merely permission to use the premise it is not a lease. If no contract were created at all, it would still be considered a licence because the grantor obtains the right to use the entire premise. The giving and accepting of rent does not define a tenancy. Since this is only a licence to use the premise Mr Jagger has no further obligation to Mr Richards. If it is a tenancy it would be created formally by deed (unless within the exceptions under Law of Property Act 1925 S.54). If

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 115

Essay Example Armstrong on the other hand would no longer challenge the USADA decision finding USADA’s investigation dismissing it as a â€Å"witch hunt† that is bent on convicting him without any physical evidence. Armstrong denied that he ever took banned substances in his career (Associated Press). This decision of USADA to strip Armstrong of his titles and ban him from the sport for life is not only wrong but also excessive. It can be likened to a death penalty (Zimmerman) of which Armstrong is undeserved. It is based on onerous and unreasonable proceedings t that even the United States District Court indicated the troubling aspect of the case and indicated â€Å"the deficiency of USADA’s charging document is of serious constitutional concern† (2012 WL 3569682). It is important to state that the prosecution of USADA against Armstrong is based on â€Å"non-analytical positive† or from witness testimony and not from the presentation of concrete, scientific laboratory results. Armstrong was right when he commented that USADA convicted him without any physical evidence. To back up that comment, it has to be noted that Armstrong never tested positive to over 500 tests he was subjected to during his active career. Worst, the use of â€Å"analytical non-positive† proceeding to convict Armstrong that requires the testimony of a witness was tainted with corruption making the ground of his conviction to be doubtful if not illegal. It could be argued that there are numbers of witness who testified against Armstrong that justified the conviction. But the manner of which those testimonies were obtained or extracted automatically removes the credibility of such witnesses and making it unfit to be used as evidence in the court of law. An agency cannot break the federal bribery law just to convict anyone. Thus, the evidence used against Armstrong can be dismissed not only as hearsays but also illegal that could nullify the charges hurled

American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

American History - Essay Example The technological advancement during the period gave rise to industrialization and modernization. Political change during this period is yet another major aspect of western society modernization, where different nations discovered the need and suitability of democracy, notably after the French revolution of 1848 (30). Following this political advancement, other countries such as Italy, Germany and Britain sought political unification. This period also saw the rise of socialism, which was opposed to aristocratic and dictatorial rules (46). To avert such political revolts, the western countries worked towards enhancing human rights, abolishing slavery and establishing parliamentary and political party systems, which protected liberties (65). Social-cultural developments also occurred, sparked by the need for the society to adapt to the industrial economy (18). The life styles and standards of living improved, coupled with a decreased death rate due to advancement in the medical technology. Labor movements emerged, seeking better working conditions and wages for workers. Thus, the housing, diet and nutrition as well as leisure for such workers and their families improved (72). In conclusion therefore, the period between the 18th and the 19th century saw great changes in various aspects of the western society take place. These changes occurred in various fronts such as the technological, political and social-cultural, paving way for modernization of the

Biopsychosocial Case Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Biopsychosocial Case Study - Research Paper Example She provided a delightful, detailed impressive discussion of her past which was in no way connected to her present situation. She discussed irrelevant topics in a cute and charming manner and if the psychiatrist expressed irrelevance and changed the topic, she would become irritated and petulant. Another feature characteristic of histrionic personality disorder in Hilde was her attitude of putting the blame and responsibility of her present difficulties on some one else, other than herself. For example, Hilde stated that her husband was indifferent to her and that she suspected that he was seduced by one of his secretaries. She attributed her somatic symptoms to her husband's indifference towards her. Persons with histrionic personality disorder have interpersonal relationships that are often disrupted, shallow and insincere and emotionally, they overreact to even ordinary situations (Bienenfeld, 2009). When Hilde was pressed hard about her husband's interactions, she could not provi de any meaningful account of his relationship with the suspected secretary or the indifference attitude with her. Persons with histrionic personality disorder are excessively emotional and the emotions are labile. They exhibit attention-seeking behaviour. They are very dramatic and are frequently seductive or sexually provocative. They often suffer from somatoform disorders (Bienenfeld, 2009). Hilde suffered from frequent headaches and the physician has found it difficult to diagnose and treat the disorders Persons with histrionic personality disorder are usually emphatic and also socially perceptive. Hence, they tend to elicit new relationships easily. However, due to their emotionally insensitive nature, they lack the insight of their role in their own relationships and hence to do accept any blame for the inevitable problems in their relationships. Thus, they are closer to the defense mechanism of paranoid patterns of personality. In a parallel interview with Hilde's husband, he admitted that originally, he was attracted towards Hilde because of her physical attractiveness, social status and lively nature. However, over a period of few years, he realized that her love towards him was just a chronic flamboyance and that she never had an integrated personality. It was clear to him that her liveliness was not exuberance and her physical attractiveness was declining naturally, although, Hilde was spending enormous time and money to keep it up. Hilde's husband felt that Hilde was childish and superficial Individuals with this personality are often flirtatious and seduce others sexually (Bienenfeld, 2009). But, for those who follow such clues from these individuals, they do not get paid off much. Histrionic personality is more common in females and in males and infact, they appear ultrafeminine. Intellectual accomplishment is very low in these individuals. As far as analysis thought is concerned, there is deemphasis and hence these individuals are gullible, drama tic and impressionable. While Hilde described her children as wonderful and exceptionally bright and happy, Hilde's husband provided a picture that their behaviour was analogous to that of Hilde and they were spoilt and had academic difficulties. Biological, psychological, and social factors involved in the case Several factors probably contributed to the development of histrionic person

Statement of Purpose for UCLA art major Personal

Of Purpose for UCLA art major - Personal Statement Example Since an early age, my parents instilled in me a love for art and a respect for various artistic disciplines. I attended painting and drawing classes every week since 7 years of age until 15 years of age. I came to the U.S. from Taiwan at a young age. I fully credit my parents with having given me the tools to succeed in the art world in the U.S. My parents passed on to me their interest in collecting paintings of a wide variety. Therefore, we have an art gallery at home full of famous paintings from both Taiwan and China. My parents consistently took myself and my siblings to art galleries, and is still one of our favorite family activities when we get together. Regarding my own personal interest in art, I’ve participated in numerous painting and drawing contests. When I moved to the United States for high school, I attended a creative and performing arts school in San Diego and continued working on my artistic talent. After high school, I developed my other interests in desi gn. I chose to work on fashion design. Fashion is art to me. I wanted to pursue art on a different level, however. After graduating from college, I wanted to have more formal higher education experience focused not just on art as it is studied in traditional schools, but also study art at another level at UCLA. My purpose in pursuing this graduate degree in art at UCLA is undergirded by the fact that I know UCLA is an excellent school with a stellar reputation in this field. UCLA also has respect for diversity in its student body, which was important to me in selecting a grad school program. The UCLA faculty is very experienced and knowledgeable in several aspects of the art world, which was also another key factor in deciding to apply here. I sincerely feel that attending UCLA will help me become a better artist. My ultimate goals in obtaining a graduate degree in art are to: 1) own my own gallery; 2) share my art with the public at large; and 3) work with art museums and/or galler ies in order to restore and preserve masterpieces for posterity, so our children and grandchildren will still be able to appreciate creative pieces from master artists. Obtaining a graduate degree in art at UCLA would not only serve to bolster my experience and interest in art, but would also help provide a schema for how to realize my dreams. Wanting to become well-known in the art world, I believe this degree would give me instant credibility that would signify my expertise in not only dealing with art but creating it. I thank you for reading and for your thoughtful consideration of my application in light of the above-stated comments. Personal Accomplishments, Community Pride: A Response to Prompt #2 I have accomplished many personal achievements in my lifetime, but I consider many of these achievements as exemplars for my community (including my family). Having grown up as an immigrant, I realize the incredible opportunities that coming to America gave me and my family. I will b e forever grateful for those. Undertaking this graduate degree in art from UCLA, therefore, is not only a source of personal accomplishment but a symbol of community pride for everyone I know and love that contributes to my culture—both in the U.S. and in Taiwan. While in Taiwan, I won the first-place award for the Taiwan Shei-Pa National Park’s official drawing contest when I was only an 11-year-old elementary school student—chosen from all the student contestants in all of Taiwan. When I came to attend high

Wgs10 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wgs10 2 - Coursework Example With the rising technology and demand for new weapons, women have secured positions in the weapon industries and also control rooms. Despite women joining the military in respective fields, they have faced several challenges which deprive them their basic rights. For instance, the women serving the military overseas either working in clubs or massage parlors, they are at risk of being abused sexually or even being infected with STIs (Vigil 473). These risks and enormous challenges they face while serving in the military, leaves a lot of questions on whether their basic rights are being preserved or is really humanity towards their rights being observed? These challenges the women face while in the war fronts and in the military base, majority of them go unreported (Vigil 466). The case for militarized prostitution which is very rampant in the overseas scenario, may end up being unrecognized by the human rights watch. After the September 11, 2001 terror attack in the U.S, more military actions were taken a step which saw more demand of extra workforce. In the Iraq war which U.S had participated fully, saw relocation of a good number of its military to Iraq. This step by the then president, George Bush was highly condemned in the streets as even women matched ahead and demanding their sons back. This was a step to ensure peace in their country and safety for everybody (Vigil 475). Women serving in the military are exposed to very many risks which deprive them their basic rights. They always stand high chances of being misused and abused either physically or sexually. This is very wrong for them and it is not right for them to be in the military bases and war fronts. More young men should be trained to replace them and the

Factional Distillation of Crude Oil Essay Example for Free

Factional Distillation of Crude Oil Essay This process is called fractional distillation. You basically heat crude oil up, let it vaporize and then condense the vapour The various components of crude oil have different sizes, weights and boiling temperatures; so, the first step is to separate these components. Because they have different boiling temperatures, they can be separated easily by a process called fractional distillation. The steps of fractional distillation are as follows: 1. You heat the mixture of two or more substances (liquids) with different boiling points to a high temperature. Heating is usually done with high pressure steam to temperatures of about 1112 degrees Fahrenheit / 600 degrees Celsius. 2. The mixture boils, forming vapor (gases); most substances go into the vapor phase. 3. The vapor enters the bottom of a long column (fractional distillation column) that is filled with trays or plates. The trays have many holes or bubble caps (like a loosened cap on a soda bottle) in them to allow the vapor to pass through. They increase the contact time between the vapor and the liquids in the column and help to collect liquids that form at various heights in the column. There is a temperature difference across the column (hot at the bottom, cool at the top). 4. The vapor rises in the column. 5. As the vapor rises through the trays in the column, it cools. 6. When a substance in the vapour reaches a height where the temperature of the column is equal to that substances boiling point, it will condense to form a liquid. (The substance with the lowest boiling point will condense at the highest point in the column; substances with higher boiling points will condense lower in the column. ). 7. The trays collect the various liquid fractions. 8. The collected liquid fractions may pass to condensers, which cool them further, and then go to storage tanks, or they may go to other areas for further chemical processing. Components of the Mixture Crude Oil Components All the . Product| Boiling point ( degrees Celsius )| Petroleum gas| 40| Naphtha or ligroin| 60-100| Gasoline| 40 205| Kerosene| 175-325| Gas oil| 250-350| Lubricating oil| 300-370| Heavy gas| 370-600| Residues| 600| Products of Separation Assessment Question: Why is the mixture separated? What are the components used for? Why is Mixture Separated? 42393793 161b What are the Components Used For? Below is a list of separated components and what they are used for: Petroleum gas Used for heating, cooking and making plastics. Commonly known by the names methane, ethane, propane, butane. Naphtha or Ligroin Intermediate that will be further processed to make gasoline. Gasoline Motor fuel. †¢liquid Kerosene Fuel for jet engines and tractors; starting material for making other products. †¢liquid Gas Oil or Diesel Distillate Used for diesel fuel and heating oil; starting material for making other products. †¢liquid Lubricating Oil Used for motor oil, grease, other lubricants. †¢liquid Heavy Gas or Fuel oil Used for industrial fuel; starting material for making other products. †¢liquid Residuals Coke, asphalt, tar, waxes; starting material for making other products.

Effects of Fossil Fuels

Effects of Fossil Fuels Every year, 5.5 million people die prematurely because of air pollution (Lelieveld et al 367). In fact, that number is more than the deaths caused by malaria and HIV/Aids combined. By 2050, the number is projected to double if the problem cannot be tackled properly (Carrington). When asked how to address this problem, a common answer is to reduce our fossil fuels productions. But how can we the world together solve this problem? In the recent book This Changes Everything, the author, Naomi Klein describes how the world is struggling to reduce carbon emissions, and we are approaching the point where climate change is soon to be out of control. The author expresses her indignation about the machinations of big polluters and their collaborators, and concludes with a hope of a revolution when societies suddenly decide they have had enough (Klein 464), so only mass social movements can save us now (Klein 450). To do so, she urges people to act and apply comprehensive boycotts, divestments , and penalties against lobbied politicians, parties, countries and corporations that are destroying our resources and future. One of the remedies she mentions is the divestment movement which can stop the intention of pushing the planet beyond the boiling point of big oil companies (Klein 354). Divestment def: Divestment is considered as one of the few remaining practical strategies likely to awaken organizations and individuals around the world to the powerful necessity of massive and immediate action to fight against climate change and extractivsm because it is morally, strategically and financially important. Greenhouse gas emissions in the world are continuing to increase rapidly, yet the climate is worse than anticipated. Scientific evidence suggests that, with the absence of significant progress to slow emissions, the climate of the earth will warm up at least 3 degrees Celsius, if not more. Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change conclude that if future temperature increases two or three more degree, one-sixth of the worlds population would face floods or droughts and reduce crop production in Africa enough to put several hundred million people at risk of starvation (Lockwood). In order to keep the world safe, international commitments based on scientific evidence have committed to keep warming around 2 °C of the pre-industrial baseline. However, the earth is currently at about 0.8 °C above this pre-industrial level (IPCC). Without strong and meaningful solutions to slow down emissions, the dangers of warming at higher levels such as 3 °C or 6 °C wi ll likely result in the sea level rise up to three feet by 2100 and ten feet by 2300 (World Bank). Hundred millions people will have to seek for new settlements. Catastrophic fires will take place in Amazon forests more often, which is responsible for ten percent of the worlds oxygen supply. Yet, the Himalayan ice sheet will melt, causing 2 billion people in Asia losing water supply for drinking and farming. However, fossil fuel extraction companies rely on extracting resources that are incompatible with the 2 °C warming threshold. Carbon budget has been estimated at 565 gigatons of carbon dioxide in 2012, but fossil fuel companies hold reserves that are estimated at 2795 gigatons which is five times as much compared to the carbon budget. In other words, only 20 percent of their reserves can be exploited and burned without exceeding the 2 °C warming threshold, and the other 80 percent must be kept intact in the ground. Despite the truth that burning fossil fuel will ca use the world to reach the limit of warming, they continue to extract and also pour billion of dollars every years into finding new resources, about 674 billion in 2012. Furthermore, they have spent billion on exploring unconventional fossil fuels which are more harmful to the environment such as coal seam gas and tar sand. These activities are considered as unscrupulous behaviors, regardless of whether these extraction and exploration companies are putting money into research and development methods related to cleaner harnessing methods and alternatives, and alsotheir activities have contravened local laws or jeopardized indigenous peoples health by causing water contamination and releasing emissions during the exploitation process. To smoothen those exploitation processes, fossil fuel companies have funded climate change deniers and influenced politicians to ensure legislations that limit environmental rules can be passed. They also advertise campaigns against proposed initiatives , exaggerating the potential job losses and imbalance of energy security. Therefore, fossil fuel companies have shown a lack of integrity and accountability, so continuing to invest in these companies does not fit social morality any more. As in Bill McKibbens words, If its wrong to wreck the planet, then its wrong to profit from that wreckage. However, fossil fuel companies and opponents argue that the world is so dependent on fossil fuels, and any abrupt change will impact on the poorest countries and communities because only fossil fuels can lift them out of poverty. In fact, the world has seen that alternative energy has brought benefits to the worlds poor. For example, in Bangladesh and Mongolia, more than 3.5 million solar homes systems have been installed in rural Bangladesh, creating 70,000 direct jobs (World bank). The solar homes system has been changing their lives by not only lighting up their homes with low-cost energy, but also provide a safer energy source to cook rat her than burning coal and wood because indoor air pollution is one of the main causes of death in these countries, due to the use of dirty oil or coal plant to cook (Varma). If we perceive that destroying the climate in which humanity evolved by promoting fossil fuel emissions is wrong, then making profit from investing in these companies is also unethical. Divesting may not prevent fossil fuel companies from continuing their activities. It will, however, put the pressure on them to behave responsibly and make them not to continue acting with impunity. Although there is a widespread agreement that institutional investors leaving their funds will not directly harm fossil fuel companies, there may be a direct financial impact on the areas where funds are reinvested. Renewable energy and other clean technology companies are widely recognized as under-capitalized, meaning that greater investment in these sectors could help push the development of alternative and renewable energy. In a report in 2014, the IEA confirms that global financial support for fossil fuels in which exploration is only a portion, was estimated at $ 550 billion in 2013. That was four times the subsidies for renewable energy. Because of the huge costs for exploring reserves and the fluctuation in prices of coal and oil, these generous public subsidies are deemed uneconomic, holding back investment in renewable. But if billion of dollars are withdrawn from fossil fuels companies, what are the sectors where the investments could yield high returns and also facilitate the transition to renewable and clean energy system? A recent report from the Sustainable Conservation Alliance found that colleges investing in lighting and heating energy efficiency at their facilities earned an average return on investment of 28 percent. Renewable electricity generation such as wind, solar and biomass, not only reduces emissions but also creates jobs. Some investors argue that fossil fuels companies promise to make fossil fuels become a cleaner source of energy, so divestment is not necessary. The fact that large fossil fuel companies often have some activities in the field of renewable energy makes the divestment movement become complicated. Some observers also argue that shareholder involvement may motivate fossil-fuel companies to convert into renewable energy providers. However, renewable energy accounts for only a small proportion of activities, reaching a peak of 6% by 2015), and there is currently no sign that the transition will occur. As Klein asserts, And even as the demand for renewables increases, the pe rcentage the fossil fuel  companies spend on them keeps shrinking by 2011, most of the majors were spending less than 1 percent of their overall expenditures on alternative energy, with Chevron and Shell spending a deeply unimpressive 2.5 percent. New reserves are still being exploited and explored although in most cases further development is incompatible with the limits of safe climate change. Historically, companies and industries that have not been able to grow fast enough to transform their underlying business operations tend to become outdated and then replaced by new ones. Divestment can facilitate the transition to clean economy. That a massive global transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energies, led by solar, also means that there are and will continue to be competitive investment returns earned from carefully selected investment exposure to renewables. The movement is criticized when it gets more attention. It is described as an empty strategy: When you sell your shares, new investors will take your spot. They also have the same influence. Therefore, some investors claim that the divestment from fossil fuel companies is a symbolic act. But what the emergence of this networked, grassroots movement means is that the next time climate campaigners get into a room filled with politicians and polluters to negotiate, there will be many thousands of people outside the doors with the power to amp up the political pressure significantly with heightened boycotts, court cases, and more militant direct action should real progress fail to materialize. And that is a very significant shift indeed. (Klein 355) History shows that divestment campaigns do work by removing the social license of the companies and casting them as social pariahs that run counter to social values. This results in a country or industry running into serious difficulties. As Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu have insisted, the divestment campaign in the 1980s was critical to the overthrow of apartheid in South Africa. In the 1990s a divestment helped bring major changes in the tobacco industry after decades of denial. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ As a recent Oxford University study has shown,1 even when divestment has no direct, substantial financial impact on companies, it helps to remove the social license of companies pursuing highly destructive practices. In doing so it helps build a movement that harms the public image of these companies, reduces their political support, and thus impacts their financial interests. Such a campaign can thus help convince the companies to act in a more socially and environmentally responsible way. The campaign can also help convince governments to restrict the GHG emissions of the fossil fuel industry. True, fossil fuel is not in itself a social evil the way apartheid or tobacco addiction are. However, the impact or global warming caused by fossil fuels is far more extensive than apartheid and tobacco. And that impact will be hardest for developing countries and the poor, and the devastating social injustice that will result outstrips the terrible consequences of apartheid. Similarly, the health impacts of global warming will be more deadly than tobacco addiction. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fossil fuel companies are aware of the devastating harm they are causing and will cause. Yet they are working very hard to continue profiting from the use of fossil fuels and they are fighting against the promotion of renewable energy that we need. While the production of energy itself is a social necessity, to knowingly continue the production of energy that will cause vast pain and destruction for the financial gain of a few is indeed evil. If you own fossil fuels you own global warming. You own the most likely cause of global economic and possibly even civilization-level failure, and moreover, you own a power source that is having an increasingly tough time competing economically. The human community has never faced such certain and devastating consequences if action is not taken. Apart from nuclear war, climate change dominates all previous threats to humanity in its scope and extent. The magnitude of the threat in itself represents a powerful argument in favor of divestment. The movement will send an important message to the world that climate change is happening and immediate actions are needed through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and shifting rapidly to the carbon-free world. Such changes can be considered disruptive and difficult, but necessary and will benefit human health and wellbeing in the short run and in the years and decades to come.  There are strong moral and financial reasons for organizations an d individuals to divest from fossil fuels. Also, divestment is an opportunity for organizations to align their investments with their values and show leadership on climate action. It is not only a political issue or something to be handled by big organizations. Anyone can do something to contribute and to convince institutions to divest. Maybe there is a local divestment group you could join or simply support the international campaigns of 350.org. Ask your bank if they are still investing in fossil fuels. It is up to us to decide where our money is working for.

Causes of the Decline in Voter Turnout

Causes of the Decline in Voter Turnout â€Å"What explains the decline in voter turnout in most democracies in the last few decades? In your answer, consider one or two explanations that you consider most important and empirical evidence supporting or rejecting them†. According to Dalton (1988) â€Å"citizen involvement in the political process is essential for democracy to be viable and meaningful†. They suggest that â€Å"limited political involvement is a sign of weakness because it is only through dialogue and participation that societal goals are defined and achieved in a democracy. Voting, though it requires little initiative and cooperation with others, is the most visible and widespread form of citizen involvement†[1]. Over the past three decades, voter turnout in the UK and other democratic countries has decreased significantly, I will discuss what I consider to be two of the most important explanations for the decline in voter turnout across various democratic countries. These being political disengagement and dissatisfaction and the reduction in the value of voting. I have chosen these due to the fact there is significant empirical evidence supporting both explanations, as will be explored below. The first part of this ess ay will explain some statistics regarding the levels of voter turnout, following this, I will discuss the idea that political disengagement and dissatisfaction could be considered one of the most significant contributors to the decline in voter turnout and how the depleting value of the vote can cause people to refrain from voting altogether. A democratic country is defined as being a country in which â€Å"all eligible citizens have the right to participate in the political system, either directly or indirectly when it comes to making the decisions that will affect them†[2]. The decline in voter turnout throughout democratic countries in the last few decades is fast becoming a problem due to the fact democracy depends on voter participation. The decline in voter turnout can be noted in the UK where voter turnout reduced from 75.3% in 1987 to 68.7% in 2017, suffering substantial dips throughout this period, as was found in 2001 in which voter turnout dropped to 59.4%. Figure 1. A line graph showing the decline in general election turnout since 1945. Taken from: Ukpolitical.info. Voter turnout at UK general elections 1945 – 2017 | UK Political Info. [online] Available at: http://www.ukpolitical.info/Turnout45.htm. The same thing can be seen in other democratic countries. For example, voter turnout in the US during Mid-Term Elections has decreased from 60.89% of registered voters voting and 41.07% of voting age voters voting in 1986 to 54.16% of registered voters voting and 39.51% of voting age voters voting in 2014. The same cannot be said for Presidential elections, where we see an increase from 76.98%/56.28% voting in 1988 and 78.76%/60.52% voting in 2016. However, the most recent statistics do show a decline from 2004 onwards. One possible explanation for this could be the voters feel as though a Presidential election is more important, it gains more media coverage and affects the whole country. Therefore, it would be useful to consider some of the reasons for this selective decline in voter turnout. Figure 2: Levels of voter turnout in US midterm elections from 1982 to 2014. Taken from: Sos.wa.gov. [online] Available at: https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voter-participation.aspx Figure 3: Levels of voter turnout in US presidential elections from 1980 to 2016. Taken from: Sos.wa.gov. [online] Available at: https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voter-participation.aspx. The first of my proposed explanations for the decline in voter turnout is the public’s political disengagement and dissatisfaction. Before I continue, it is important to distinguish between voter apathy and voter alienation in order to determine whether there is a decline in voter turnout due to an increased laziness throughout the public or due to the public feeling as though they can no longer relate to their politicians, my first point of discussion focusses on the latter. Crewe et al (1992) suggested that apathy indicates a lack personal responsibility, a â€Å"passivity, and indifference for political affairs. It denotes the absence of a feeling of personal obligation to participate. However, voter alienation implies an active rejection of the political system†. The alienation the public are feeling when it comes to politics was found by Dr. Ruth Fox to stem from the fact that the parties we have to choose from are â€Å"all the same, the politicians are all the same, they are not like us†[3]. This could mean that the public can no longer identify with the candidates they are voting for. Politicians have become so detached from the average person, that the public cannot find any logical reason to want to vote them into power and consequently, do not vote at all. This could be considered one of the most crucial factors to contribute to a declining voter turnout because the aim of an elected Government is to represent the public’s views in Parliament to ensure that the decisions made, and laws created, benefit the country in the most inclusive way possible. Therefore, when the public feel as though they are not being accurately represented in Parliament they can feel alienated which in turn, promotes disinterest and a feeling of disengagement among the public with regard to politics. The British Academy stated that â€Å"British society has become, for the most part, disengaged with politics†¦In the case of British voters, it is important to understand the scale and depth of their disenchantment†. This can be considered important because if we can engage the public in politics through their MPs and other representatives, this would subsequently improve voter turnout. The second of my proposed explanations for declining levels of voter turnout is the idea that the public no longer places any value in voting, believing that their votes will not make a difference. The House of Commons Political and Constitutional Committee found this especially â€Å"when the member of the public lived in an area in which there was a safe seat, that is, where the party of the elected representative was unlikely to change[4]†. The value of voting can be considered an important explanation for the decline in voter turnout because if the public does not feel as if their vote will make a difference, or produce the outcome they prefer, they will be less inclined to even try. It was suggested by Ioannis Kolovos and Phil Harris that voters â€Å"weigh up the costs and benefits of their actions, meaning that the public will turn up to vote when they consider that the benefits of such an action outweigh the costs[5]†. An example of how the public have been made to feel disengaged with politics can be seen in the last election in which the Green Party and UKIP had significant support, resulting in a considerable number of votes. Under a different political system, these parties would have won 85 seats. Unfortunately, for the people that voted for them, the Green Party and UKIP only gained 1 seat each. Therefore, it appears that when people see that a significant percentage of the electorate are completely ignored due to the current political system, they give up on voting entirely due to the fact they think that their votes will not make a difference leading them to believe that the act of voting had little benefits. This could explain the decline in voter turnout in most democracies in the last few decades. There are many factors that can explain the decline in voter turnout in most democracies over the last few decades. In this essay, I have focused on and provided empirical evidence for what I believe to be two of the most important; political disengagement and dissatisfaction and the reduction in the value of voting. The need for politics to be more inclusive and for the public to feel as though they can relate to their representatives would considerably help the rates of voter turnout as they would feel as though their vote means something and would contribute to an outcome that would benefit themselves as well as others. They would also feel more involved in the political process which, in turn would allow them to restore the value of their vote because as the public begins to feel more engaged and satisfied with their representative in Parliament, they would place a value on their vote as they would know that it could potentially make a difference. REFERENCES: 1) Anon, (2018). [online] Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228215776_What_Affects_Voter_Turnout [Accessed 9 Jan. 2018]. 2) Crewe, I 1992, Changing votes and unchanging voters, Electoral Studies, 11, 4, p. 335-345, Scopus ®, EBSCOhost, viewed 12 January 2018 3) Dalton, Russell J., Citizen Politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies, 5th edition (Washington DC: CQ Press, 2008), p. 37. International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, â€Å"Voter Turnout Database†, International IDEA website. 4) E-International Relations. (2018). Why is Turnout at Elections Declining Across the Democratic World? [online] Available at http://www.e-ir.info/2012/09/27/why-is-turnout-at-elections-declining-across-the-democratic-world/ [Accessed 9 Jan. 2018]. 5) Hooghe, M, & Kern, A. 2017, The tipping point between stability and decline: Trends in voter turnout, 1950-1980-2012, European Political Science, 16, 4, p. 535-552, Scopus ®, EBSCOhost, viewed 14 December 2017. 6) Kolovos, I. and Harris, P. (n.d.). Voter Apathy in British Elections: Causes and Remedies. pp.2-3. 7) Kolovos, I. and Harris, P. (n.d.). Voter Apathy in British Elections: Causes and Remedies. Pp.3. 8) Lop.parl.ca. (2018). Democracy Defined | Our Country, Our Parliament. [online] Available at: https://lop.parl.ca/About/Parliament/Education/ourcountryourparliament/html_booklet/democracy-defined-e.html [Accessed 12 Jan. 2018]. 9) Publications.parliament.uk. (2014). [online] Available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmpolcon/232/232.pdf [Accessed 11 Jan. 2018]. 10) Sos.wa.gov. (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voter-participation.aspx [Accessed 11 Jan. 2018]. 11) Southwell, PL 2008, THE EFFECT OF POLITICAL ALIENATION ON VOTER TURNOUT, 1964-2000, Journal Of Political & Military Sociology, 36, 1, pp. 131-145, SocINDEX with Full Text, EBSCOhost, viewed 11 January 2018. (http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=13872f22-38b9-460a-bd0c-4953cc4c2455%40pdc-v-sessmgr01) 12) Stuart, C. (2016). Why is the turnout for UK elections so low?. [online] Quora. Available at: https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-turnout-for-UK-elections-so-low [Accessed 10 Jan. 2018]. 13) Ukpolitical.info. (2018). Voter turnout at UK general elections 1945 – 2017 | UK Political Info. [online] Available at: http://www.ukpolitical.info/Turnout45.htm [Accessed 11 Jan. 2018]. ONLINE SOURCES Reasons for low voter engagement: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmpolcon/232/23205.htm Written evidence submitted by Tim Knight (VUK 69) http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/political-and-constitutional-reform-committee/voter-engagement-in-the-uk/written/8287.html Written evidence submitted by 38 Degrees (VUK 50) http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/political-and-constitutional-reform-committee/voter-engagement-in-the-uk/written/7510.html Written evidence submitted by Ian Sheppard (VUK 51) http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/political-and-constitutional-reform-committee/voter-engagement-in-the-uk/written/7575.html Written evidence submitted by Michael Yates (VUK 53): â€Å"Why does the UK experience low voter engagement† http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/political-and-constitutional-reform-committee/voter-engagement-in-the-uk/written/7880.html Written evidence submitted by David H Smith (VUK 59): Reasons for and impact of low voter engagement. http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/political-and-constitutional-reform-committee/voter-engagement-in-the-uk/written/7970.html [1] Voter Apathy in British elections: Causes and Remedies, pg2-3 [2] Democracy Defined | Our Country, Our Parliament. [3] House of Commons Political and Constitutional Committee: Voter engagement in the UK (2014-15) S3, Pg. 7 [4] Written evidence from 38 Degrees [VUK 50], Ian Sheppard [VUK 51], Michael Yates [VUK 53], David H Smith [VUK 59], Tim Knight [VUK 69], [5] Voter apathy in British elections: Causes and Remedies

Ancient Egypt Essay -- Egyptian History Essays

Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt is located along the Nile River of Northeastern Africa. More specifically, it is the territory where ancients Egyptians lived in the valley of the delta and the Nile. It was a thriving civilization for more than 3,000 years, from about the time of 3300 BC to 30BC. The culture of Ancient Egypt is identified and very well known for many aspects of their ways of life. Considering the time period, they were very technologically advanced. This can especially be seen through the great pyramids and hieroglyphs that elaborately decorate the walls of them. Pyramids were not small structures. In fact the largest one was over fifty stories high. In addition they were also built completely by manual labor. Labor consisted of moving limestone blocks that weighed on average 2.5 metric tons and could weigh up to 15 metric tons. In addition they had to form these blocks, move them, and sculpt them into the great structures known as the Pyramids. As you can imagine they took several decades of day in and day out work to complete these massive structures. The hieroglyphs were also an important part of not only the Ancient Egyptian culture but the pyramids especially. They provided pictorial descriptions for burial chambers, temples, jewelry, and important statu es. Ways to decipher them were unknown until the discovery of what is known as the Rosetta Stone. It was a stone that showed the same text in three different languages. Then early in the 19th century a French scholar name Jean Francois Champollion was able to decipher it and later on aid in learning the language of the dead language of hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs are still being deciphered to this day. Ancient Egypt was able to prosper for such a long perio... ... November 2003 from http://www.greatscott.com/hiero. Iversen, Erik. The Myth of Egypt and Its Hierolyphs In European Tradition. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton Univeristy Press, 1993. Minnesota State University. "Hieroglyphs." Retrieved 21 November 2003 from http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/hieroglyphics/heiroglyphics.html. Park, Rosalind.The Scientific Invention of Hieroglyphs or Hurrah for Pliny! Great Britain: Azoth Publications, 1997. Silverman, David P. Language and Writing in Ancient Egypt. Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania: The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 1990. "The Pyramids of Ancient Egypt." Intercity Oz Inc. 1999. Retrieved 15 November 2003 from http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/pyramids.htm. Winston, Alan. The Pyramids in Ancient Egypt. Retrieved 18 November 2003 from http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/pyramids.htm. Ancient Egypt Essay -- Egyptian History Essays Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt is located along the Nile River of Northeastern Africa. More specifically, it is the territory where ancients Egyptians lived in the valley of the delta and the Nile. It was a thriving civilization for more than 3,000 years, from about the time of 3300 BC to 30BC. The culture of Ancient Egypt is identified and very well known for many aspects of their ways of life. Considering the time period, they were very technologically advanced. This can especially be seen through the great pyramids and hieroglyphs that elaborately decorate the walls of them. Pyramids were not small structures. In fact the largest one was over fifty stories high. In addition they were also built completely by manual labor. Labor consisted of moving limestone blocks that weighed on average 2.5 metric tons and could weigh up to 15 metric tons. In addition they had to form these blocks, move them, and sculpt them into the great structures known as the Pyramids. As you can imagine they took several decades of day in and day out work to complete these massive structures. The hieroglyphs were also an important part of not only the Ancient Egyptian culture but the pyramids especially. They provided pictorial descriptions for burial chambers, temples, jewelry, and important statu es. Ways to decipher them were unknown until the discovery of what is known as the Rosetta Stone. It was a stone that showed the same text in three different languages. Then early in the 19th century a French scholar name Jean Francois Champollion was able to decipher it and later on aid in learning the language of the dead language of hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs are still being deciphered to this day. Ancient Egypt was able to prosper for such a long perio... ... November 2003 from http://www.greatscott.com/hiero. Iversen, Erik. The Myth of Egypt and Its Hierolyphs In European Tradition. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton Univeristy Press, 1993. Minnesota State University. "Hieroglyphs." Retrieved 21 November 2003 from http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/hieroglyphics/heiroglyphics.html. Park, Rosalind.The Scientific Invention of Hieroglyphs or Hurrah for Pliny! Great Britain: Azoth Publications, 1997. Silverman, David P. Language and Writing in Ancient Egypt. Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania: The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 1990. "The Pyramids of Ancient Egypt." Intercity Oz Inc. 1999. Retrieved 15 November 2003 from http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/pyramids.htm. Winston, Alan. The Pyramids in Ancient Egypt. Retrieved 18 November 2003 from http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/pyramids.htm.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury :: Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 4511 In the futuristic novel Fahrenheit 451, the author, Ray Bradbury, expresses several problems that influence the story. Many of these problems have to do with the behavior of the people in the twenty- fourth century society. One major problem is that firemen have been given the job of burning books in order to stop the spreading of ideas, and to cause all of society to reform and therefore be happy. Many people do not agree with this and they try hard to keep books alive, even though they may be killed for it. Guy Montag, who in the beginning of the story is a proud fireman, later doubts his job and joins those who preserve books. One person who teaches him about books is an old man named Faber who is a retired English professor. During a conversation between Montag and Faber, Montag states, â€Å"That’s the good part of dying; when you’ve nothing to lose, you run any risk you want†(pg.85). What he means by this is that he is willing to risk his l ife to help save books for others to read and enjoy. However, Montag’s wife, Mildred, does not care for books as much as Montag because she knows books are illegal and she fears for her life. Mildred tells Montag how afraid she is by saying, â€Å"They might come and burn the house and the family. Why should I read? What for?(pg.73)† Montag is upset when he hears this because he sees that there is a problem with burning books. Indeed there is a problem because books allow people to express themselves, learn, dream, and have fun. In a society such as the one found in Fahrenheit 451, people are not allowed to experience any of these things and they are less individual. Another problem found in Bradbury’s future is that some schools and businesses have been shut down simply because they encourage and promote reading and books. In the novel, books are made to be thought of as evil and are no longer produced. Book companies along with some schools and publishing agencies have been closed due to the ban of books. On page 75 Bradbury tells of the closing of schools by writing, â€Å"The old man admitted to being a retired English Professor who had been thrown out upon the world forty years ago when the last liberal arts college shut for lack of students and patronage.

The Persistence of Memory

Looking at the picture The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali, people can see an abstract aesthetic deep within. The landscapes associated with his childhood have become an inspiration for his paintings. When he grew up, Dali still spent his time to painting the Catalonia’s landscape elaborately. Completed in 1931, The Persistence of Memory became one of his well-known paintings. This famous artwork is called â€Å"Dali ‘s hand painted dream photographs†, and it is simultaneously read as a painting depicting landscape, still life, and self-portrait. As I find curious in this abstract, I use many researches in reference book and Internet in order to look for the meaning of this picture so far. One interesting idea is about the melting watches that inspire randomly. In one hot August afternoon in 1931, as Dali was having lunch on his work bench, suddenly an idea of paranoiac hallucinations came to his mind. He took his pencil and slid under a bit of Camembert cheese, which was softer by the heating of summer weather, and started drawing. Dali came up with an idea about the melting watches as the main subject. These soft melting watches convey Dali’s primary philosophy about the â€Å"softness† and the â€Å"hardness†. The melting watches are one symbol that is commonly associated with Salvador Dali's Surrealism. They are literally meant to show the irrelevance of time. According to the Wikipedia website, one famous art history professor named Dawn Ades wrote, â€Å"The soft watches are an unconscious symbol of the relativity of space and time, a Surrealist meditation on the collapse of our notions of a fixed cosmic order. In addition, there are some interesting subjects appearing in this painting such as the craggy rocks of Catalonia spreading out further away. This is the place where he grew up, and also indeed the association with his painting The Persistence of Memory. It shows a typical Dalinian landscape with his beloved Cape Creus (a peninsula and a headland located at Mediterranean) in the background. In the foreground, there is an orange clock at the bottom l eft of the painting, which is covered in ants. Beside, the figure in the middle of the painting can be recognized as a human figure in a dream state that Dali uses to represent himself, as the artwork became a self-portrait, maybe. Looking closely as the details, we see the abstract form has one closed eye with curvy eyelashes, as it falls into a dream state. The melting clock laid on top symbolizes the passing time experienced in a dream. The bottom left of a painting usually is a death spot; people perceive a painting by reading the focus elements, then following the direction it points too. Sometimes leads to death point. But in this picture, the plate is oval to top right, leading the viewers up back to the watches that can make viewers focus on the foreground. As the technique of drawing, the painting presents a linear perspective. The tree, the table, the clocks stand out in the foreground, but they are colored with a darker color. This lets the bright yellow cliffs and the blue water shinning in the background as it helps to emphasize the landscape of Dali’s childhood. The contrast of bright and dark color also creates the intensity of â€Å"real† and imagination of the â€Å"composition† Well, in my opinion, I perceive things rights at this part because dark color means dark reality, and bright color means dreamy, but in this picture is the opposite. Dark color is unrealistic world; bright color may be his memory on the beautiful land. His reality now is dark and shallow that represents the watch is the time has passed in his life. As the choices of color, this artwork has used a bright white and blue in the top left hand corner and then fading up into the darkness. There is an orange clock in the bottom left hand corner sticks out of the brown and black foreground. The cool colors include the sky, and three melting watches that are harmony with the rest of landscape’s color. This painting represents a linear perspective. The objects in front of the piece, the tree, the clocks, the table stand out more than the objects that the artist wants the viewers to notice like the mountain, the sky, the ocean, and the rocks in the background. Even though they are the main points in this painting, they are less of focusing than the melting clocks in the foreground. Dali interpretation gives much confusion for critics and art lovers. Partly because Dali’s work is to convey a concept of two different sides: real and imagination. For example, The Persistence of Memory is a landscape painting produced based on the landscape that Dali saw in his childhood. In the background is a beach with sand and water, rock and cliffs. These details represent real subjects in life. Yet, in the foreground, there are some melting watches and an unrecognizable figure sliding over the rocks in the center of the painting. The melting watches and the strange figure can be seen as products of his imagination, and the cliffs which is a place in Catalonia depicts Dali’s childhood memory. The Persistence of Memory is named itself. It resembles for Port Lligat, the home of Salvador Dali. He tried to expose his hometown with sand, beach, branch tree, rock and cliff. Still, there are many interpretations in this painting. Some we can understand, others are hard to explain. Perhaps the images of the melting watches are really nothing more than the ideas that Dali was inspired by the Camembert cheese melt in a warm sunny day. As I find Dali’s artwork intriguing and repulsive, his painting looks really realistic, creative, and stunning. He was the person that could put the photorealistic images on a canvas. His style noted as a Surrealist, which was influenced by famous psychologist who led him to explore his fears and fantasies, or possible, a crazy idea. This is the reason I choose his artwork because through them, he brings me a new concept that looks abnormal at firs but then really intense as I discover deepen into its meanings. Salvador Dali was a great artist, a man who is not ashamed to show his feeling. Through The Persistence of Memory, I felt like it is a perfect example for Dali’s style, very surrealist and realistic. No matter what is said about the painting, this work has stood the test of time as it has a great influence on pop culture today. Salvador Dali has become an icon for a generation that is interested in the abstract and distortion of reality.