United States in the Years 1860-1870 Essay - 547 Words

United States in the Years 1860-1870 The United States between the years 1860-1870 was in turmoil, but from a historical point of view, this decade is one of the most exciting times in U.S. history. In 1861 there were still fifteen slave states, seven states open to slavery by the Dred Scott Decision and only eighteen free states in the north (Ferrell Atlas). This was a time of growth and change in the U.S. For example in 1867 the U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia for a scant $7,200,000 (Museum). The Civil War was by far the most notable event to take place. Abraham Lincoln won the election for the Presidency of the United States in 1860. The most famous battle of the war, the Battle of Gettysburg took place in 1863; the Union army†¦show more content†¦One accomplishment in particular that happened in 1869 was a huge achievement for mankind. In November the Suez Canal opened traffic for the first time. It was an engineering wonder which linked the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. The canal was essential to the increase to strategic importance of Egypt to European powers (3). Another major world event, which occurred during this decade, was the revolution of Spain. In September of 1868 the Spanish Armada marched on Madrid and defeated the government forces. Afterward the new government established a constitutional monarchy (3). In the years from 1860 to 1870, many prominent artists all made contributions, especially in Realism. Realists from the Hudson River School painted detailed pictures of Western landscapes and vistas. One artist in particular is Albert Bierstadt. Bierstadt painted many oil-based pieces based on his experiences crossing through the Rocky Mountains. The Domes of Yosemite, was painted in 1867 and was one of Bierstadt?s finest accomplishments (Wilmerding 127). Sports were also very popular in this time. The first recorded baseball game was played in San Francisco in 1860. The first pro baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, was founded a few years later in 1868. As the years went on, more and more teams would spring up. In the years between 1860 and 1870, the University of Dayton was beginning to grow.Show MoreRelatedThe Westward Expansion Map Is One That Has Great Historical1042 Words   |  5 Pagessignificance as it illustrates the state of the then growing American West due to widespread migration between the years 1860 and 1890. It explores several ways in which the United States experienced a burgeoning of the population all through the latter decades of the 19th century. The map depicts population centers, railroad networks, major cities and improved agricultural lands across the two-decades encoded on the map. Also, the map clearly shows the boundaries of the states and outlying territories, theRead MoreEvolution of Technology in the United States from 1860 - 1870721 Words   |  3 PagesA number of notable technological innovations have taken place between the years 1860-1870 in the United States. In the sphere of communications, a major development was the completion of the first transco ntinental telegraph line across North America by Western Union in 1861 (Western Union 2009). Moreover, in 1866, after several failed attempts, the Transatlantic Cable was laid that connected Europe and North America. Before this landmark event, the fastest communication between the two continentsRead MoreNot Yet Free, An Excerpt From A Senate Report877 Words   |  4 Pageswouldn t get fair treatment; and that many free blacks weren t given their fair share of the crops they helped produce. Document Three The name of this document is The Black Race is Fit for Servitude , and it is a record of a sermon given in 1860 by Dr. Benjamin Palmer. The document is a primary source, as the author experienced the events he discusses. The author was a minister in the South who believed that it was the duty of whites to enslave blacks. The author is biased by the stereotypesRead MoreEssay about Struggles in Post Civil War America1020 Words   |  5 PagesThe Civil War split the nation in half. It tore apart families, and Union soldiers against Confederate soldiers for four miserable years. From the first shots fired at Fort Sumter 1861, and ending with a unanimous Confederate victory in 1865. All in all 630,000 people died and many thousands wounded. The deaths in the Civil War totally surpassed the death totals from any other war (1). For those managed to survive the up hill battle just began, they faced many unknowns in a world moving in an uncertainRead MoreTime Line 21050 Words   |  5 Pa gesto cite all sources. Major Event/Epoch in American History | Time Period/Date(s) | Description and Significance of the People/Event(s) to American History | 1) The evolution of the institution of slavery from the Colonial Period to the 1860s. | 1860-1865 | Slavery was necessary to southern colonists after the introduction of the cotton gin. The cotton gin was a way to make cotton worth a lot but the machine required a lot of manual labor which brought along the plantation system. Prior toRead MoreNotes on Colonialism and Imperialism1489 Words   |  6 Pagesmachines guns * In Battle of Omdurman 1898, British troops killed eleven thousand Sudanese in five hours * Communication technologies linked imperial lands with colonies * Oceangoing steamships cut travel time from Britain to India from years to weeks * Telegraph invented in 1830s, global reach by 1900 * European imperialism * The British empire in India * Company rule under the English East India Company * EIC took advantage of Mughal decline in India, began conquestRead MoreEssay on Social and Constitutional Development in America (1860-1877)748 Words   |  3 PagesDBQ: Social and Constitutional Development in America (1860-1877) During the post-civil war era, America, specifically the south, was undergoing a period of reconstruction. The general goal of reconstruction was to successfully readmit the former Confederacy back into the Union as smoothly as possible, as well as enacting specific safeguards of freedmen’s liberties. The social and constitutional developments in America between 1860 and 1877 were very minor. The lack of change between preRead MoreConstitutional Developments During The Period Between 1860 And 1877 Essay1671 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the period between 1860 and 1877, many major changes occurred in America. There were many constitutional developments in this time period, which include the Emancipation Proclamation, the Civil War, and newly added Amendments. There were also many social developments included the Ku Klux Klan and voting of black people. Some of these developments were a revolution, which is a forcible overthrow of the government or social order in favor of a new system, and some were not. The constitutionalRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Second Inaugural Address1070 Words   |  5 Pagessecond inaugural address as president of the United States. The inaugural address came at the very end of the American Civil War, and just a month before the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Prior to this address, the United States had been split into two different independent states, the Union and the Confederacy. Throughout Abraham Lincoln’s first term and the very beginning of his second, Lincoln had to deal with the secession of the eleven states that made up the Confederacy. Also during theRead MoreConstitutional Developments During The Period Between 1860 And 18771671 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the period between 1860 and 1877, many major changes occurred in America. There were many constitutional developments in this time period, which include the Emancipation Proclamation, the Civil War, and newly added Amendments. There were also many social developments included the Ku Klux Klan and voting of black people. Some of these developments were a revolution, which is a forcible overthrow of the government or social order in favor of a new system, and some were not. The constitutional

Advertising the Magazine Game Informer Free Essays

Informer an advertisement for Old Spice caught my eye. The reason for this was because it was large scale, in your face, and took up two pages. The way that this ad established and reinforced the brand name was very clever. We will write a custom essay sample on Advertising: the Magazine Game Informer or any similar topic only for you Order Now The ad used very neutral, warm welcoming colors such as dark orange, and blue with bold white text. This seems to be a typical old spice ad in my eyes. I say this because the way old spice portrays its self is humorous but at the same time, without a doubt seriously manly.This is an obvious point, because in the add the man is covered in the old spice foaming body wash while riding a giant crow away from the sunset while being struck by lighting. This makes a very bold point that it is the manly of manliest body washes. This is apparent because not any average man could tackle riding a giant crow as well as a substantial lightning strike all while covered in a foamy blanket of body wash. When it comes to the question of what I think they are trying to create, I believe they are trying to portray this superior man of men image.I am able to link this ad with others that I have seen for old spice in the same manner. Such as a commercial I remember about â€Å"the man that your man could smell like† the slogan of the ad is that â€Å"We’re not saying this body wash will make your man into a romantic millionaire jet fighter pilot, but we are insinuating it. † This reinforces my point that the company Old Spice is trying to create a superior image that their body wash represents. Back to the magazine ad, I feel that creating this superior image targets young as well as older men.They appear cool to a younger age group while also targeting a more middle age group that represents every thing they could have been in their lives, but can be by using their body wash so as insinuated in the commercial I talked about previously. The placement of this ad in the magazine is more towards the end. The ad itself is outlined by a white border, which complements the bold large white text. The man riding the massive bird takes up one page while a close up of the mans face takes up the other half.This is important because I believe that they are trying to show what the man is capable of by showing him riding the bird while holding the body wash, while on the other half of the ad they show a close up of his face, which displays confidence. You can tell this by his facial expression. He seems sympathetic but also sincere at the same time. While on the other hand he is riding the bird with a yelling face, such as athletes do when they are getting â€Å"pumped† up. This is relevant because this is an NFL endorsed ad.I believe that this can also portray two sides to the body wash, such as confident and outgoing but also compassionate. This may also have to do with the scent â€Å"showtime† that they are advertising. Which probably has to do with meaning business. This ad influences me, and attracts me to their product because I feel that this scent will make me feel as if I am more confident and ready for business, or â€Å"showtime. † This is something that is important to many people as well as me.If I am feeling good about myself and how I smell, I may be more apt to be more outgoing and in a better mood throughout my day or night. I feel like people are looking for products that give them more drive. I say this because that is something that I look for, such as more appeal and confidence. Overall, I believe that this ad is trying to impose the â€Å"coolness† that everyone wants. They are able to do this by showing two different sides of a person through this two page-spanning ad designed around the scent â€Å"showtime. This is represented through the warm subtle colors surrounding the ad, with the popping lightning bolt striking the man and the body wash bottle in the background. Which is displaying the more confident outgoing side of the scent. These are important characteristics, because when it comes to smelling right it is very important. People do not want over dominating scents, they want scents that attract others, and give them a new sense of achievement and accomplishment like old spice portrays this scent to be. How to cite Advertising: the Magazine Game Informer, Papers

OEDIPUS TYRANNUS Argumentative Essay Example For Students

OEDIPUS TYRANNUS Argumentative Essay A monologue from the play by Sophocles NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from Greek Dramas. Ed. Bernadotte Perrin. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1904. OEDIPUS: I am the son of Polybus, who reignsAt Corinth, and the Dorian MeropeHis queen; there long I held the foremost rank,Honoured and happy, when a strange event(For strange it was, though little meritingThe deep concern I felt) alarmed me much:A drunken reveller at a feast proclaimedThat I was only the supposed sonOr Corinths king. Scarce could I bear that dayThe vile reproach. The next, I sought my parentsAnd asked of them the truth; they too, enraged,Resented much the base indignity.I liked their tender warmth, but still I feltA secret anguish, and, unknown to them,Sought out the Pythian oracle. In vain.Touching my parents nothing could I learn;But dreadful were the miseries it denouncedAgainst me. Twas my fate, Apollo said,To wed my mother, to produce a raceAccursed and abhorred; and last, to slayMy father who begat me. Sad decree!Lest I should eer fulfil the dire prediction,Instant I fled from Corinth, by the starsGuiding my hapless journey to the placeWhere thou reportst thi s wretched king was slain.But I will tell thee the whole truth. At lengthI came to where the three ways meet, when, lo!A herald, with another man like himWhom thou describst, and in a chariot, met me.Both strove with violence to drive me back;Enraged, I struck the charioteer, when straight,As I advanced, the old man saw, and twiceSmote me o th head, but dearly soon repaidThe insult on me; from his chariot rolledProne on the earth, beneath my staff he fell,And instantly expired! Th attendant trainAll shared his fate. If this unhappy strangerAnd Laius be the same, lives there a wretchSo cursed, so hateful to the gods as I am?Nor citizen nor alien must receive,Or converse, or communion hold with me,But drive me forth with infamy and shame.The dreadful curse pronounced with my own lipsShall soon oertake me. I have stained the bedOf him whom I had murdered; am I thenAught but pollution? If I fly from hence,The bed of incest meets me, and I goTo slay my father Polybus, the best,The tender est parent. This must be the workOf some malignant power. Ye righteous gods!Let me not see that day, but rest in death,Rather than suffer such calamity.

International Institutions Role in Prevention of War

Introduction This assignment is a discussion on the topic of international institutions’ role in prevention of war. The discussion is based on question four â€Å"Major war will not occur in the future because the international community has created a set of international institutions that make it impossible â€Å".Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on International Institutions’ Role in Prevention of War specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the institutions and concepts that have been developed by the international community to avert a major war in the future include the United Nations (UN), pursuit of global justice, the concept of globalization, idealism, liberalism, constructivism, international law and the universal declarations of human rights. Discussion United Nations and Prevention of War The UN is an international organization which brings member states together in a cooperation to achieve economic, social and political progress as well as respect for human rights through adherence to internal law. The UN is also concerned with maintenance of peace in the world. The UN was formed in 1945 after the Second World War, to replace its predecessor, the League of Nations, which was unable to prevent the Second World War. The UN was therefore formed with the main objective of preventing wars between states through negotiations, dialogue and sometimes military force. The current UN secretary general is Ban Ki- Moon from South Korea. The UN is governed by what is referred to as the UN charter. The charter contains various provisions and guidelines regarding economy, politics, human rights, international law and justice system. The Security Council is the organ of UN which deals with issues of maintenance of peace and prevention of wars in the world. It ensures that any threat to peace is identified as early as possible, so that the international community may interve ne to bring dialogue between the conflicting parties. Once there is a war, the UN deploys its troops in the affected nation(s), as the last option to restore peace. The UN also focuses on the factors which may compromise peace within a country or between nations. For instance, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) was formed mainly to promote development in poor countries, with the philosophy that poverty and lack of development are potential sources of ethnic or political violence within a nation or between nations. Other organizations affiliated to the UN are the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). All these institutions and programs are aimed at empowering people with education and the civilization needed to respect each other as well as to take care of the environment.Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The United Nations also adopted the universal declaration of human rights in 1948, which outlines human rights which must be respected by any government in the world. Any government which violates these rights may be subjected to international law and international justice system, based on the Rome statute which forms the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC is mandated with dealing with cases of genocide or massive abuse of human rights. Examples of some trials which have taken place in the court are the cases for former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Liberia. The international law and the ICC therefore act as a check against acts of aggression or mass atrocities within nation(s). UN also addresses the issue of smuggling of firearms, which may result to armed conflict within a nation or between nations. Countries which violate the UN charter or those which do not promote disarmament may be slapped with economic sanctions. Pursuit of Global Jus tice This is a politically derived philosophy which is formed on the assumption that the world is generally unjust and unfair. What this means is that the world is full of biases when it comes to matters of justice in the distribution of power, economic resources and opportunities. Generally, the injustice is fuelled by the politics of domination between nations of the world whereby the rich deny the poor justice in various sectors. In terms of social relationships, the rich people are known to manipulate the process of justice in their favor thus making the poor unable to get justice because they cannot afford to purchase it. The pursuance of global justice by the international community has ensured that nations of the world are treated with the respect they deserve. Nations also are able to resolve disagreements through international law and institutions. The Concept of Globalization Globalization can be defined as the minimization of the differences between people of the world an d the maximization of their similarities through interactions, cooperation and communication. During the pre-world war period, the world was characterized by minimal interaction, communication, cross-border movements and language homogeneity. However, after the world war, this situation changed. The changes were mainly triggered by the desire for nations of the world to unite in various spheres of development mainly the economy, education, employment, the environment and governance (Beck 45). Idealism In international relations and foreign policy, idealism is a political philosophy which entails the advancement of a particular ideology (political, social or economic) both at home and abroad, with a view of promoting and safeguarding the interests of citizens of a county and those of citizens in other countries in regard to that issue. Examples include the fight against poverty, HIV/AIDS and advocacy for democracy instead of dictatorship or authoritarianism as well as safeguarding of human rights.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on International Institutions’ Role in Prevention of War specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Liberalism This is the idea that nations of the world relate not only for political power and economic purposes but also for cultural purposes. With liberalism therefore, the relationship between states is characterised by a lot of cooperation in various aspects like in trade and cultural exchange. Liberalism also claims that nations which interact in trade and cultural exchange rarely make war and these acts as an incentive to international peace. Constructivism This is the augment that international relations are based on ideas but not on material things like wealth creation or cultural exchange. Countries which have similar ideologies are therefore more likely to relate or interact with each other than those which have different ideologies. According to construc tivists, the interaction between states is influenced by collective values, social identities and culture. The constructivist approach therefore does not see any anarchy between nations and also blames realism and liberalism for failing to predict the end of the cold war. International Law International law refers to the set of laws or principles which govern the relationships between sovereign states (Fichtelberg 41). It was initially formed to govern the manner in which nation states related to each other with a view of improving their relationships in regard to specific issues. International law initially took the form of treaties and agreements between states, which were either bilateral or multilateral. The treaties were on issues like trade, agriculture and other forms of cooperation between the signatories of the treaties. The world has been changing which has led to the emergence of a new international system whereby states interact more frequently than before. Globalization , terrorism and ethnic conflicts have been on the rise in the recent years (Scott 214). This has led to the adjustment of international law to take care of the issues in the new international system and how states treat their own citizens. One of the ways in which international law has been changed is in regard to the issue of human rights. International law initially did not interfere with internal affairs of sovereign states and how states treated their own citizens. But with the rising cases of atrocities committed by governments to their citizens, international law has been widened in scope to address the issue of crime against humanity based on the universal declaration of human rights, which makes it illegal for any government to violate the so called civil and political liberties of its citizens (Darraj 92).Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The issue of environment has also made international law to be widened in scope to include environmental protection. This is mainly due to climate change which leads to global warming. Several treaties have been formed to address the issue of climate change. Examples include the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Kyoto protocol on climate change, the United Nations convention to combat desertification and the Copenhagen talks (Deke 76). Universal Declarations of Human Rights Every human being is endowed with certain inalienable rights and entitlements. These rights and entitlements exist as shared norms of human moralities and natural rights. The rights and entitlements underscore the importance of treating all human beings with dignity, fairness and equality irrespective of their cultural backgrounds. These rights and entitlements are supported by strong reasons and legal basis at national and international levels. Human rights ideas emerged after the Seco nd World War when the universal declaration of human rights was adopted by the General Assembly in 1948. Human rights laws to some extend remain credible as a reflection of a global commitment to human rights. Each state has the obligation to protect human rights for its citizens (Paul 8). Works Cited Beck, Ulrich. What is globalization? Oxford: Polity Press, 2000.45.Print. Darraj, Sussan. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Paris: Infobase Publishing, 2010.92.Print. Deke, Oliver. Environmental Policy Instruments for Conserving Global Biodiversity Volume 339 of Kieler Studien. Heidelberg: Springer, 2008.76.Print. Fichtelberg, Aaron. Law at the Vanishing Point: A Philosophical Analysis of International Law. Farnham GU9 7PT: Ashgate Publishing, 2008.41.Print. Paul, Guchteneire. Democracy and Human Rights in Multicultural Societies. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing., 2007. 8. Print. Scott, Gregory. 21 Debated: Issues in World Politics. Kingsway: Longman Publishers, 2002.214.Print. This research paper on International Institutions’ Role in Prevention of War was written and submitted by user Jayson W. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

5 Calls for a Comma Before Because

5 Calls for a Comma Before Because 5 Calls for a Comma Before â€Å"Because† 5 Calls for a Comma Before â€Å"Because† By Mark Nichol Use of the word because as a subordinating conjunction to link a main clause to a subordinating clause should be simple, but a sentence’s meaning often hinges on whether it’s preceded by a comma. A straightforward sentence such as â€Å"We’re off to see the wizard because of the wonderful things he does† requires no comma; the meaning of this sentence â€Å"This is what we’re doing, and that is why we’re doing it† is unambiguous. But when the sentence begins with a negative proposition, that’s not the case, as these examples show: 1. â€Å"Few adult Romanians speak English because it was forbidden during the Ceausescu era.† This sentence, as (not) punctuated, absurdly implies a meaning of â€Å"This is not the primary reason adult Romanians speak English,† accompanied by the expectation of a follow-up sentence identifying one or more other causes for bilingual ability despite its prohibition. But it doesn’t mean â€Å"There are more common reasons adult Romanians speak English†; it means â€Å"This is the reason few adult Romanians speak English.† Insert a comma, and the sentence tells you what, and then tells you why: â€Å"Few adult Romanians speak English, because it was forbidden during the Ceausescu era.† 2. â€Å"They don’t want to diagnose or treat Lyme disease because it is very costly to do so.† Oh. Then why do they want to diagnose or treat Lyme disease? Again, a comma makes it clear that this sentence doesn’t serve to set up one or more alternate reasons; rather, the subordinating clause provides an explanation for the reluctance: â€Å"They don’t want to diagnose or treat Lyme disease, because it is very costly to do so.† 3. â€Å"Dementia can’t be ignored by the larger community because individuals with the disease cannot manage independently.† Why, then, can dementia be ignored? That’s not what the sentence is trying to tell you. It’s explaining why the general populace should attend to the affliction: â€Å"Dementia can’t be ignored by the larger community, because individuals with the disease cannot manage independently.† 4. â€Å"I wouldn’t recommend chicken pox parties because of the risk.† Tell me, then, why you would recommend them? (Aside: Said parties are often organized by groups of parents to deliberately expose their kids to chicken pox to get it over with.) The subordinate clause explains the statement in the main clause: â€Å"I wouldn’t recommend chicken pox parties, because of the risk.† 5. â€Å"The model couldn’t be applied to other sectors because it evolved to care for water, not civilization’s infrastructure.† The implication is that the model could be applied to other sectors, but not for the reason stated. But the point is that it couldn’t be applied, and the reason follows: â€Å"The model couldn’t be applied to other sectors, because it evolved to care for water, not civilization’s infrastructure.† See how a comma’s presence or absence can drastically change a sentence’s meaning? Sometimes, it’s important even when the sentence doesn’t begin with a negative proposition: â€Å"I know he got the biggest raise in the department because his wife told me† reads as if the writer is aware that the person got the raise because the person’s wife told the writer that the person got the raise and the sentence turns into a Moebius strip. A comma nips this perpetual-motion machine in the bud: â€Å"I know he got the biggest raise in the department, because his wife told me.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureThe Four Sounds of the Spelling OUMood vs. Tense

The History of Modern-Day Myanmar (Burma)

The History of Modern-Day Myanmar (Burma) Burma is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia, which officially has been named the Union of Myanmar since 1989. This name-change is sometimes seen as part of an attempt by the ruling military junta to stamp out the populist, colloquial form of the Burmese language, and promote the literary form. Geographically situated along the Bay of Bengal and bordered by Bangladesh, India, China, Thailand and Laos, Burma has a long history of odd decisions and peculiar struggles for power. Strangely, the military government of Burma suddenly moved the national capital from Yangon to the new city of Naypyidaw in 2005, on the advice of an astrologer. From Prehistoric Nomads to Imperial Burma Like many  East  and Central Asian  countries, archeological evidence suggests that humanoids have wandered Burma from as long as 75,000 years ago, with the first record of homo sapien foot traffic in the area dating back to 11,000 B.C. By 1500, the Bronze Age had struck the peoples of the region as they began producing bronze tools and growing rice, and by 500 they began working with iron as well.   The first city-states formed around 200 B.C.by the Pyu people - who could be attributed as the lands first true inhabitants. Trade with India brought with it cultural and political norms that would later influence Burmese culture, namely through the spread of Buddhism. However, it wouldnt be until the 9th century A.D. that internal war for territory forced the Burmese to organize into one central government. In the mid-to-late 10th century, the Bamar settled a new central city of Bagan, collecting many of the rival  city-states and independent nomads as allies, finally unifying in the late 1950s as the Pagan Kingdom. Here, the Burmese language and culture were allowed to dominate the Pyu and Pali norms that came before them. Mongol Invasion, Civil Unrest and Reunification Although the leaders of the Pagan Kingdom led Burma to great economic and spiritual prosperity - erecting over 10,000 Buddhist temples across the country - their relatively long reign came crashing to an end after repeated attempts by the Mongol armies to overthrow and claim their capital city from 1277 to 1301. For over 200 years, Burma fell into political chaos without a city-state to lead its people. From there, the country fractured into two kingdoms: the coastline empire of the Hanthawaddy Kingdom and the northern Ava Kingdom, who was eventually overrun by the Confederation of Shan States from 1527 to 1555. Still, despite these internal conflicts, Burmese culture greatly expanded during this time. Thanks to the shared cultures of all three groups, scholars and artisans of each kingdom created great works of literature and art that still live on to this day.   Colonialism and British Burma Although the Burmese were able to reunify under the Taungoo for much of the 17th century, their empire was short lived. The First Anglo-Burmese War of 1824 to 1826 suffered Burma a massive defeat, losing Manipur, Assam, Tenasserim and Arakan to British forces. Again, 30 years later, the British returned to take Lower Burma as a result of the Second Anglo-Burmese War. Finally, in the Third Anglo-Burmese War of 1885, the British annexed the rest of Burma. Under British control, the rulers of British Burma sought to keep their influence and culture present despite their overlords. Still, the British governance saw a destruction of social, economic, administrative and cultural norms in Burma and a new era of civil unease. This continued up until the end of World War II when the Panglong Agreement forced other ethnic leaders to guarantee Myanmar independence as a unified state. The committee who signed the agreement quickly assembled a team and formed a doctrine to govern their newly unified nation. However, it wasnt quite the government the original founders were hoping for that actually came to be. Independence and Today The Union of Burma officially became an independent republic on January 4, 1948, with U Nu as its first Prime Minister and Shwe Thaik its president. Multi-party elections were held in 1951, 52, 56, and 1960 with the people electing a bicameral parliament as well as their president and prime minister. All seemed well for the newly modernized nation - until unrest shook the nation yet again. Early in the morning on March 2, 1962, General Ne Win used a military coup dà ©tat to take Burma. Since that day, Burma has been under a military governance for most of its modern history. This militarized government sought to streamline everything from business to media and production to form a hybrid nation built on socialism and nationalism. However, 1990 saw the first free elections in 30 years, allowing the people to vote for their State Peace and Development Council members, a system which remained in place until 2011  when a representative democracy was instated throughout the country. The military-controlled days of government were over, it seemed, for the people of Myanmar.   In 2015, the citizens of the country held their first general elections with the National League for Democracy taking the majority in both national parliament chambers and placing  Ktin Kyaw as the first elected non-military president since the coup of 62. A prime minister-type role, called the State Counsellor, was established in 2016 and Aung San Suu Kyi took the role.

To What Extent Do Middle Eastern States Have the Capacity to Develop Essay

To What Extent Do Middle Eastern States Have the Capacity to Develop Civilian Nuclear Power Programs And Would This Development Encourage Regional Cooperation - Essay Example This report stresses that the International Atomic Energy Agency is the organization accorded the mandate to monitor countries utilising nuclear energy. In an article written in the New York Times, it is stated that a thin line exists between civilian and military nuclear programs. Thus, in the light of this knowledge, this paper seeks to examine the extent to which, Middle Eastern nations have the capacity to develop nuclear power programs. By examining their capacity, the paper will in turn evaluate whether regional cooperation can be encouraged by this development. This paper makes a conclusion that the Middle East countries are seeking ways to finance their programs through various means such as public-private partnerships. Management of fuel has been a hindrance in most civilian nuclear power programs in the Middle East because most countries have not created regulatory measures on fuel acquisition, storage of used fuel or even its disposal. The Middle East as a region lacks the local manpower for its nuclear power programs. Their reliance on outsourced human resource is cannot be sustained. In terms of international cooperation, countries in the Middle East are doing well based on the agreements they are signatories to. The development of civilian nuclear power programs in the Middle East will encourage regional cooperation through sharing of nuclear experiences and technology as countries in the Middle East are at various levels of their programs.

What make you capable to be a nurse(admission essay) Essay

What make you capable to be a nurse(admission ) - Essay Example I believe that a nurse can only be successful if the nurse learns to accept challenges. The field of nursing has a variety of issues involved and I believe that I can bring justice to these issues if provided with the right chance. My passion for nursing grew over the years and I have taken all the necessary theoretical classes relating to it. Science and Math classes will help me with the calculation of the nutritional intake of the patient and the medical classes of anatomy, physiology, pathology and biochemistry would help to know about the issues that the patient is suffering from. I have learned medical terminology through these classes and I believe it can help m to flourish in my profession. Although nursing is a field that requires physical and emotional stress, I believe that I can handle the stress because of the passion that I have for this field. My hard working nature along with my patience would prove to be very helpful when dealing with the patients. I possess good co mmunication skills which would help me to deliver efficiently to the patient. I have learned to act as a team member and this can help me to work under the senior nurses at a

International Water Conflict Essay Example for Free

International Water Conflict Essay Water is one of the most precious commodities for human beings. To some, it is the very lifeblood of the world. From time immemorial, the availability of water has determined the rhythms of daily life in many regions. The critical importance of water to the survival of the human race can be seen in the earliest civilizations whose growth and sustenance were closely tied to its water distribution systems. Many authors have located the importance of water in different religious observances. In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the rivers of the earth, including the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, originate from the mythical Mount Meru, the living place for the gods. In the Christian tradition, the waters originate from the Garden of Eden, and that divides the world into greatest streams: the Nile, the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Indus and the Ganges. Islam also gives water its due importance. The holy book Koran describes that every living thing is made from water. As Caponera points out, it seems that in the Koran, the most precious creation after humankind is water. There is a water crisis today. Water is not only a commodity, it is synonymous with life. All life on earth is dependent on water. If water is life, its possession bestows power. Water has crucial economic value, and it is a subsistence resource. Also, water has an emotional and symbolic value for certain countries and communities. The scarcity of water is increasing worldwide and its quality is continuously deteriorating. Water shortages reduce food production, aggrandize poverty, amplify disease and force people to migrate. The scarcity of water also undermines the states capacity to govern. Nearly half of the worlds population lives in international river basins. Sharing of the international rivers can therefore be a serious object of contention between riparian nations. For the last few years, water war has been a topic of widespread debate. However, wars over river water are likely only under a narrow set of circumstances, as there are also more examples of water cooperation than water conflict among countries. Nevertheless, the increasing scarcity of water raises doubt about the sustainability of these cooperative agreements over the international rivers. Water scarcity is particularly severe in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, owing to population growth, urbanization and industrialization. Whether the water crisis intensifies the dispute over the shared waters or whether it can be turned towards sustainable cooperative management of river resources, depends on many interacting processes. In this book (International conflict over water resources), after analyzing the existing sharing mechanisms of the major international river systems in these regions, argues that the real solution lies in a comprehensive approach to river basin management. The scarcity of water is increasing worldwide and the quality of the water is continually deteriorating. The growing global water stress poses a threat to the survival and prosperity of present and future generations. The gap between the needs of the growing population and the diminishing fresh water resources is widening every day. In the arid and tropical regions, where countries possess a very limited supply of water, it is not difficult to perceive the consequences. Water, a key necessity of life, can also cause friction between communities and countries, particularly in climatic zones where it is hard to come by. The over-exploitation of water resources might result in an acute shortage. From this perspective, it will be impossible for all the social actors to remain comfortable with the present or future prospects of the availability of the resource. These actors will work purposefully and consciously for their own interests. Increasing competition can potentially destroy the existing social arrangements for water distribution in the society. Newly organized actors with conflict behaviors might emerge in the future or the incompatibilities between existing actors might grow in societies with a weak administrative structure and laden with ethnic and social dichotomies. Scarce water resources can potentially trigger conflicts between the state and its internal groups. The development of water resources by the state by building dams, irrigation infrastructures, or industries in a particular region might be perceived by the local population as exploitation for the interest of others. Regional parties may be activated or environmental groups may be formed to challenge the actions of the state. If a particular group is involved in exploiting more than its perceived share of water with the backing of the state, then this inter-group conflict may escalate into conflict between the exploited group and the state itself. As discussed earlier, the construction of large dams for the efficient use of water resources has created tension between the state and a group of its own citizens in the past few years. The growing demand for irrigation and energy activates the state agencies to plan and build mega hydro-projects, which displace large population and inundate vast areas. In many places, the project affected population takes up of the struggle against the state. The list of mega dams that have witnessed this sort of protest is very long. The major ones include: Sanmenxia and Three Gorges in China; Madur Oya and Mahavali Project in Sri Lanka; Mangla, Nanela and Tarbela in Pakistan; Kaptai in Bangladesh; Arun in Nepal; Akasombo in Ghana; Kossou in Ivory Coast; Tana and Athi in Kenya; Itaparica and Tucurui in Brazil; Kainji and Niger Dams in Nigeria; Ataturk and Keban in Turkey; Lam Pao and Nam Pong in Thailand; Kedong Ombo and Batang Ai in Indonesia; Upper Pampanga in Philippines; Manantali in Mali; Savajina in Colombia; Brokopondo in Suriname; Caracol and Netzahualcoyotl in Mexico; and Nam Ngum in Laos. India, currently in the forefront of dam construction, deserves a separate list of its own. The Indian hydro-projects that have recently led to protest movements by the displaced people are: Pong Dam, Subarnarekha Project, Nagarjunsagar Project, Srisailam Project, Lower Manair Dam, Upper Krishna Projects, Tehri Dam, Narmada Projects and Ukai Reservoir Project. Sometimes disagreement over the development and sharing of water resources may begin with competing groups inside a state, but the states perceived favour of a particular group brings the state as a party to the conflict. Similarly, if the water source exploitation is perceived as the states intentional act on a particular region or people, a group identity may form, leading to conflict with the state. The construction of dams for hydropower generations in the northern part of Sweden to provide energy to the industries and factories in the South has become an area of disagreement between the Sami people of the North and the Swedish state. The Samis, who live in the forests in the Arctic Circle, accuse the state of favoring city dwellers at the cost of their livelihood and welfare. Even though this dispute has not transformed into a violent separatist movement, the reactions to similar issues in South Asia have been quite different. Disagreement over the sharing of river water from the Indus river system has been one of the major causes of violent secessionist movement in the Punjab province of India in the 1980s and 1990s. This Sikh-dominated province has been traditionally provided with a water supply from the Beas, Sutlej and Ravi Rivers. The demands of the downstream provinces of Rajasthan and Haryana persuaded the Indian government to construct canals and divert 60 per cent of Punjabs water and energy to those Hindu-majority regions. This became one of the major motivations for the Sikh Party (Akali Dal) to ask for autonomy in the 1970s, which subsequently transformed into an extreme violent secessionist movement in the 1980s and 1990s. On the other side of the border, the dispute over the sharing of the same Indus river system water has also played a critical role in a major separatist movement in Pakistan. The Pakistani part of Punjab, which is economically and politically the most powerful province in the country, takes advantage of its upstream location and consumes most of the waters of the Indus river system through the help of barrages and dams, ignoring the demand of the downstream Sind province. The perceived close tie of the federal government with the Punjab province has escalated this conflict between the Sind province and the Pakistani government. The link between fresh water resources and international conflicts can be investigated at least in two different dimensions. First, in an interstate conflict, the deliberate targeting of water storage facilities may be directly responsible for inducing water scarcity or reducing the water quality of the opponent. Thus, water scarcity becomes part of a military strategy and military behavior. The British Royal Air Force damaged a few German dams in the bombing runs of 1943. Dams and dykes were destroyed during the Korean and Vietnam wars by the US bombing. Iran claimed to have hit a hydroelectric station in Iraq in July 1981, as part of the Iran-Iraq War. Dams, water storage and conveyance systems were targeted by the warring sides during the 1991 Gulf War. Allied forces even had thought of a plan to shut off the flow of water to Iraq by using the Ataturk Dam in Turkey. Armies in Yemen (in the 1994 war) and former Yugoslavia (1991-95) used the water storage facilities as targets to create problems for their adversaries. In January 1993, the Serbian militia seriously damaged the Peruca Dam in Croatia. There are cases where in fact a human population is held hostage to political and military leaders. Manipulation with such basic human supplies in times of war should be an urgent issue for international humanitarian law, and it certainly would be unacceptable under conditions of peace. However, the aim here is to concentrate on a second dimension of the relationship: the likelihood of changes in fresh water resource supply to cause or contribute to the emergence and/or escalation of conflicts among states. As discussed before, there has been a general decline in the quantity and quality of global fresh water resource. This leads us to consider scarcity of resources as a cause of conflict, in conflict theory language: an incompatibility between already existing parties. A common starting point in the analysis of many inter-state conflicts has been sought in the desire of the leaders of states to acquire territory. In the post-Second World War period, it has become unfashionable and immoral to conquer territories of others. Nevertheless this has happened repeatedly, for instance, in the Middle East, in South and Southeast Asia and lately in Europe. Huth characterizes territorial dispute as one of the enduring features of international politics. But, why do states fight for each others territory? As Toset, Gleditsch and Hegre explain, territory can be a symbol of self-determination and national identity, but it can also be a proxy for tangible resources found on the territory. Thus, access to water supply can be a motive of waging war. Under special circumstances it is a possibility that scarcity of fresh water resources may give rise to serious armed conflict. â€Å"Water is not transported across large distances, as is the case with oil or minerals, for instance. In the post-Second World War period, political actions are taking place more in order to satisfy the demands of the majorities of a country. † (Barrett, S. 1994, p. 24) This means that stronger nations might be more in need of natural resources on the territory of other states, to meet the growing needs and desires of the home population. In this way, development might be seen to require the acquisition or exploitation of a larger share of jointly owned fresh water resource. The water on the surface of the earth is naturally organized within river basins. The river basins are the fundamental units of the fresh water world and the central feature of the ecology of the planet. Moreover, the river runoff is the most important source of available fresh water for human consumption. However, the rivers do not follow the political boundaries; nearly 260 rivers flow from one country to another. More than 40 per cent of the worlds population is directly dependent upon the fresh water from these international rivers and about two-thirds of these people live in developing countries. The use or misuse of water in the upstream countries affects its quantity and quality in the downstream countries. Downstream nations can affect the flow of water by building large-scale dams, with effects spilling over the borders. The International Water Management Institute in Colombo projects that in 2025, 3 billion people will be living in countries facing water stress. Water tables are increasingly falling in every continent. Many developing countries already face serious problems in meeting rapidly growing water demands. In order to meet such demands, further pressure is being placed on these blue water resources, this over-exploitation resulting in acute shortages. Faced with such scarcity, water has increasingly become a source of social tension, bringing further competition and creating conflict which, together, have the potential to destroy the existing arrangements for water distribution. Even though such tensions are omnipresent, they tend to be more complex and difficult where international rivers, lakes and aquifers are concerned. The Centre for Natural Resources, Energy and Transport (CNRET), now a defunct UN unit, brought out a Register of International Rivers in 1978. In that it listed 214 internationally shared rivers and lakes: 57 in Africa, 40 in Asia, 48 in Europe, 33 in North America and 36 in South America. The CNRET study has become dated because of significant changes in international geopolitical borders and names of countries and rivers in the last 25 years. The names of some countries and rivers have also changed in this period. The disintegration of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Ethiopia and Czechoslovakia has helped to increase the number of internationally shared rivers and lakes, and also the number of basin countries. For example, the Volga River is now international, and the Aral Sea is shared by at least four independent states. The re-unification of Germany and Yemen has made the Weser basin and the Teban basin national, contributing to a decrease in the number of international fresh water resources.

Obon :: essays research papers

The Japanese cultural holiday Obon is short for Urabon and can be traced etymologically to the Sanskrit word Ullambana, literally meaning to â€Å"hang upside down†. It implies that one must withstand unbearable suffering while being hanged upside down. In the Buddhist script Urabon Sutra, a story is told where a son saves his mother from Hell by making offerings to monks. Through the merits of his actions, his mother was saved from Hell, ascended into divinity, and became a Buddha. Thusly, to save people from Hell (being hanged upside down), one’s family and/or friends must make offerings to the deceased. Obon is held usually in the mid August or July for a week in which the spirits of the deceased are supposed to come back to the land of the living. Being held since the 7th century, it is especially enjoyable to the Japanese people. One of its key features involves offering food items to the deceased. Vegetables, fruits, rice, candy, rice wine, and among others are offered to the deceased. (But not only the deceased receive food; special foods are made to give away to neighbor, friends, and family.) In addition, respect is shown with floral decorations on the altar or gravesite along with incense burning and prayer. Particularly, prayer is said for wayward spirits that have passed away in the recent year, as it’s said they need more guidance to find their way. The Festival of the Dead, as it’s sometimes called, is a celebratory and social event. While this is not a national or public holiday, plenty of people from the city go back to their hometowns to polish up and cle an their ancestor’s gravesites. On the actual day of the celebration, a menagerie of lanterns, in a multitude of colors, are hung all around the town and specifically on houses. The logic is this – since spirits come back, the lanterns will guide them to and from the spirit world. However a more realistic use for these is lighting the area where the bon dances will take place. The bon dances have religious undertones also. In the story above, the dancing signifies the joy and elation the son felt when his mother was offered divinity. Now, in the center of town, a makeshift tower is erected. A Taiko drummer is on top and speakers play special Obon music and dancers below dressed in yukata (summer) kimonos circle below in dance.

Music in renaissance society Essay

The Renaissance was all about rediscovery. The term itself â€Å"renaissance† actually means rebirth. The period represented a time that was rich in personal expression and innovation. As society transcended with the times, so did many aspects of daily life, including music and arts. In fact many of the popular hymns of today came from the Renaissance period. One such masterpiece is â€Å"Ave Maria†, composed by Josquin Desprez (Fuller). â€Å"Ave Maria† reflected many social traits of the time it was composed. It also reflected the type of music that was developed during the Renaissance. It is no wonder why Josquin Desprez is recognized as the most successful composer of his time. Through the music he created, he was able to showcase the real essence of his time. During the Renaissance period a number of different types of music emerged. Aside from the popular Mass music played in churches, the period introduced Motets, and also saw the beginnings of secular music. Since the Renaissance was all about personal expression, it was natural that many different forms of music were created. At the same time because it was about this time that printing was first invented, the spread of music became much easier. Copies of different compositions were easily produced allowing for more people to hear them in different parts and stages. One of the most popular music innovations of the Renaissance period is the Motet. It is a type of music that uses pervasive imitation that simply means the blending of different vocal ranges into one harmonious combination. The Motet highlights vocals more than instruments, a distinct trait of Renaissance music. The Renaissance was essentially a time when composers began putting focus on the emotions that were derived from the lyrics of the songs. Vocals were emphasized more than the instruments. People began relating more to music because of the meaning and message different compositions relayed. The Motet can also be considered a musical revolution at that time because most of the Motets presented new complexities unknown to music prior to the Renaissance. They also attract a personal connection between the composer, the performers, and the listener. â€Å"Ave Maria† by Josquin Desprez is one of the most popular Motets that were composed during the Renaissance period. This Desprez masterpiece remains one of the most played hymns in churches today. This Motet is comprised of four distinct voices, a very rare choral work even today. In fact â€Å"Ave Maria† is considered one of the most outstanding Motets of all time because of this characteristic. Interesting enough this musical trait essentially depicts the culture of that time. It showed how people were starting to truly celebrate their individuality without completely losing their connection with the rest of society. While the Renaissance period ushered in many new ideas, people during that time remained traditional when it came to things concerning religion. â€Å"Ave Maria† is essentially a prayer set to music. In fact many of the popular music that rose during this period were church music. This spoke of how people gave high regard to religious practices and the church. Josquin Desprez wrote the quintessential Renaissance music in â€Å"Ave Maria†. From its deliberate and serene sound to its harmonious weaving of voices, and a theme that celebrated the times, it is one of the most important pieces of music of the period. It reflected the culture change that was going on with its groundbreaking style of music. It was also very loyal to the things people held in high regard during those times. And while it was a product of musical mastery, â€Å"Ave Maria† became one of the most influential music of the Renaissance period because of its enduring message and meaning that connected well with the people. Work Cited Fuller, Richard. Renaissance Music (1450-1600). 2010 January 14. Retrieved June 7, 2010 from http://www. rpfuller. com/gcse/music/renaissance. html

Christian Ethics

INTRODUCTION (DEFINITION) Christian ethics are theological teachings which govern decision making and the moral position of the Church based on various sources of guidance. These are traditions, church authorities, human experience, the Natural Law, the Bible; in particular Jesus’s Commandment of love, the Beatitudes and the 10 Commandments â€Å"You shall not steal† (Ex 20:15). HISTORICAL SETTING Christian ethical teachings vary between denominations for example, the Catholic Church places particular emphasis on Natural Law and authoritative bodies.The Protestant Church turns to scripture as its main source of ethical guidance due to the belive in â€Å"sol scriptura† (salvation through scripture alone, a belief originating in the Reformation of the Church. ) Despite these differences, the Bible remains the common source of morality among all denominations. SPECIFIC EXAMPLE: ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS/CLIMATE CHANGE Christian environmental ethics are specifically conc erned with the belief in humanity’s role as stewards of the Earth and how this role should be responsibly undertaken being a privileged bestowed by God.Prominent issues within Christian environmental ethics include Climate Change and deforestation. Climate Change is defined as a long term change in the Earth’s climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature. There are many factors believed to be contributing to Climate Change. These include an overconsumption of fossil fuels which when used emit greenhouse gases. The Church’s stance on Climate Change is that it is the result of humanity abusing the role as stewards of the Earth by taking more than they need from it.Using the words of Pope John Paul II, Climate Change is caused by modern society being given to â€Å"instant gratification and consumerism. † There are many national and international Christian initiatives which aim to address Climate Change such as Carit as Australia’s â€Å"A Just Climate† campaign. Established in 2011, this campaign aims to promote ecological sustainability to minimise the impact of Climate Change. Its focus is the poorer communities of the world, being the most vulnerable to the effect of Climate Change such as rising sea levels.Its methods include: community awareness programs and facilitating participation of poor communities in national discussions. Internationally, the Ecumenical World Council of Churches (WCE) is an example of the Christian communities response to Climate Change. It has been present since 1992 at every United Nations Climate Change Conference and is especially concerned with the effect Climate Change has on the world’s poor, promoting the concept of sustainable communities.It’s motivation lies in Genesis 2:15 in which God entrusts Adam with the Garden of Eden â€Å" the Lord God, took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it. † Today , humanity like Adam has the obligation to the world as responsible stewards. Using the words of Pope Benedict XVI â€Å"The wonder of God’s creation reminds us of the need to protect the environment and to exercise responsible stewardship of the goods of the Earth. † INTRODUCTION- DEFORESTATIONDeforestation is the loss of forest cover being converted into things such as agricultural land, golf courses and cattle paddocks. Consequences are wide ranging and include soil erosion, extinction of tree species as well as the endangerment or extinction of animal species which inhabit these forests. The Church’s opinion of deforestation is similar to that of Climate Change. Responsible stewardship of the land would not have caused not have caused such damage as deforestation has done.Society’s role as custodians of the land is demonstrated in the Bible by the quote â€Å"The land is mine;) with me you are but aliens and tenants† (Lev 25:23). This excerpt i llustrates society’s role as caretakers of the land and that the responsibility is to preserve the world. From this and other teachings found in the Church, it can be seen that the Christian ethical stance on forestation is that taking from the Earth should not be motivated by overconsumption but by sustainability.As Pop John Paul II said â€Å"Man cannot make arbitrary use of the Earth, subjecting it without restraint to his will. † Various Christian organisations established for the protection of the environment include Catholic Earthcare Australia (CEA), founded in 2003 by Australian Catholic Bishops. Its aim is to promote understanding of the sacredness of nature and functions as an advisory agent on ecological matters for Catholic Bishops and initiating sustainability programs.An example of this is the publication of â€Å"On Holy Ground† which is a faith based program for reflecting on environmental issues created by the CEA in conjunction with the Catholi c Education Office (CEO). An international example of the Church’s response to deforestation and other sustainability issues is POPPA Benedict XVI’s address at the opening mass of World Youth Day Sydney, 2008. He states â€Å"There are also scars which mark the surface of our earth: erosion, deforestation†¦ in order to face and insatiable consumption. With such a large audience the message of sustainability was spread to many countries. CONCLUSION Ethical issues are significant to the adherents of Christianity as they provide a means to living based on the teachings of Jesus who preached love and respect for God’s creation. The growing environmental concerns of Climate Change and deforestation are examples of modern society’s neglect of the Earth and, by extension their obligations to caring for it. Christian adherents are therefore called to encourage change and sustainability in the world around them.

Congressional and Presidential Powers essays

Congressional and Presidential Powers essays Congress has several powers awarded by the Constitution and several others that it has obtained with time. They have the power to regulate trade (tariff adjustments, export controls, and economic sanctions), declare war (although problematic at times because there is no clear definition of war), "advice and consent" Presidential appointments (control confirmation of appointments of the Cabinet and Diplomats), approve all treaties, appropriate all required funding of international activities, and approve the budget (Power of the Purse). Congress enforces its power in several ways: it holds hearings on topics, it has a substantial research and analytical group that is constantly investigating new issues, it creates committees that focus on specific issues or areas, and has the power to affect many of the decisions a President can make. With time, Congress has changed internally. Traditionally Congress was not so institutionalized and there was no party competition, today there is less bipartisanship and more disputes between and even within the parties, and more isolationism. After the Cold War, they have shown a lack on interest in foreign policy, evidence of this is the reduction of foreign aid awarded to countries. This lack of interest was evident until post-September 11, but even so still relies more on the President to lead them and create a course of action. Congress has changed over time. Most Congressmen today do not have much foreign policy experience, they are less internationalist and more unilateralist; they use parliamentary procedures to delay legislation; individual "issue leaders" fight for what they want; and politicians are partisan and single issue oriented. Before, Congress used to play the role of observer in foreign policy, now they want to be the headliners. Presidential and Congressional Relations Both branches have attempted to acquire more power or at least show that they ar ...

Bio Of Jonathan Swift Essay Research Paper

Bio Of Jonathan Swift Essay, Research Paper Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin on November 30, 1667. His male parent had died before his birth, and shortly after he was born, his female parent returned to Leicestershire. He was left in the attention of his three uncles, peculiarly his Uncle Godwin. It is believed that this state of affairs, along with his unstable homelife, led to a sense of insecurity and forsaking that he carried with him for the remainder of his life. At age 6, he was sent to the best school in Ireland, the Kilkenny School. Then at age 15 he entered Trinity College, located in Dublin. He did non pay much attending to his surveies, and in 1686 he received his degree speciali grata ( by particular favour ) . He continued surveies at Trinity in hopes of deriving an advanced grade, but because of political agitation he was forced to travel to England in 1689. In England, he worked as a secretary to Sir William Temple at Moor Park, Surrey. Swift worked with Temple, a diplomat and author who was fixing his memoirs, for the following 10 old ages. It was here that he met Esther Johnson, the love of his life, whom he nicknamed Stella. Simultaneously, he attended Oxford where he have his M.A. in 1692. He wished to come in political relations but settled alternatively for the church, in which he was ordained in 1694. In January of 1695 he was ordained priest, Prebend of Kilroot. In 1697 he wrote The Battle of the Books, which was subsequently published in 1704. In the ulterior 1690? s he wrote The Tale of the Tub, his first published work. When Temple died in 1699, Swift went back to England every bit chaplain to the Earl of Berkely. In 1700, he became one of the canons of St. Patrick? s Cathedral and wrote articles and letters for the English Whigs. In 1702 he moved back to England in hope of political assignment, and it was here that he published A Tale of the Tub. It was a sarcasm on corruptness in faith and acquisition. Battle of the Books was a mock heroic sarcasm. The eye-popping sarcasm of these plants earned him ill fame but no assignment. The Bickerstaff Papers ( 1707-09 ) , some of which foremost appeared in Richard Steele? s Tatler, a newspaper to which Swift frequently contributed, demolished the pretenses of John Partridge, a popular astrologist. In 1709 he was sent to London to beg financess for his church in Ireland. The Whig leaders refused to allow his petition because they were sympathetic to the Puritans and dissidents. Although Swift had been a member of the Whig party since birth, he was uncomfortable with many of the party? s beliefs. Swift? s fright of the Puritans caused him to exchange si des to the Tory party in 1710. The Tories recognized that Swift was a valuable plus to their cause, and made him editor of their diary, the Examiner. This made him an unofficial power in English political relations, every bit good as a prima author. Later that twelvemonth, he learned of his female parent? s decease, but he was non really affected since she played a minimum function in his life and upbringing. During this clip period, his friends included, Steele, Alexander Pope and John Gay. His life at this clip is recorded in the Journal to Stella, which were his letters to Esther Johnson. In 1713, the Scriblerus Club was founded by Swift, Pope, Parnell, Gay, and Arbuthnot. When the Tories fell in 1714, his political power ended. Swift was so appointed Dean of St. Patrick? s. This station carried great prestigiousness, but it made it impossible for him to go forth Ireland. Ireland in the eighteenth century was a settlement of England, exploited by absentee English landlords and denied self-determination. The spectacle of Irish servitude in general and in peculiar a strategy by one William Wood, who had received a royal patent to publish a new Irish mintage and planned to gain from corrupting it, provoked Swift in 1724 to compose the Drapier? s Letters, cheering the Irish to decline Wood? s mintage and develop their ain economic system. The development of the Irish economic system was besides the subject of his last and most superb sarcasm, A Modest Proposal, ( 1729 ) in which he ironically counseled his c ountrymen to turn their kids into a hard currency harvest. These attempts made Swift a national hero, but even so did non accommodate him to populating in Ireland. In 1726 Jonathan Swift visits England with a manuscript for Gulliver? s Travels, which was published anonymously. This was his last visit to England, that same twelvemonth Gulliver? s Travels was translated into French, German, and Dutch. In 1728, Esther # 8220 ; Stella # 8221 ; Johnson died. In 1731, Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift, was written. In 1732, Swift? s beloved friend John Gay died. In 1735, Faulkner publishes Swift? s plants and the corrected version of Gulliver? s Travels. Swift? s concluding old ages are the topic of some contention. Some have suggested that Swift went insane, but that theory has non been confirmed. It is known that Swift suffered from dizziness, due to an interior ear disease. However he remained inactive throughout the 1730? s, before enduring a shot in 1742. He declined mentally and in 1742 he was declared unfit to pull off himself. For the following three old ages, Swift was cared for by defenders. On October 19, 1745 Jonathan Swift died. He was buried in St. Patrick? s Cathedral, following to Stella. On the wall following to his casket is an epitaph written himself. It reads: # 8220 ; The organic structure of Jonathan Swift, Doctor of Sacred Theology, dean of this cathedral church, is buried here, where ferocious outrage can no more lacerate his bosom. Go, traveller, and imitate, if you can, one who strove with all his strength to title-holder autonomy # 8221 ; . As a ironist Swift? s technique was to make fictional talkers, such as Lemuel Gulliver and the Modest Proposel, who arrant sentiments that the intelligent reader will acknowledge as sinfully self-satisfied, narcissistic, stupid, or mad. Swift is therefore the maestro of unostentatious sarcasm, and his name has become practically synonymous with the type of sarcasm in which the most hideous statements are offered in a straight-faced mode. He has frequently been accused of a morbid preoccupation with physical decay. It should be remembered, nevertheless, that this preoccupation belongs technically to his talkers, of whom Swift did non anticipate the reader to O.K. .

Compare and Contrast of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and Fast Food Essay

Compare and Contrast of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser - Essay Example Do the writings of the authors, Upton Sinclair and Eric Schlosser have the latent strength to change the value systems and beliefs of the readers permanently? Schlosser makes the readers thinks hard and achieves the purpose to convince the public to change their views on the fast food industry, and change the current conditions of the industry by individual action and group protests. The discussions amongst the readers have created a strong lobby against the meat processing industry. Sinclair has different types of ambitions and his writings are politically motivated. He wishes to promote the cause of socialism and he tries to convince his readers to change their mental set-up. He presents a case before them in his earnest efforts to veer them round to the socialist principles. Emotional content and the facts related to the issue: Comparatively, Fast Food Nation appeals strongly to the reader’s sense of ethos, pathos and logos and it categorically achieves its purpose. Schlosser begins the book with a clear warning to the American people. He writes, â€Å"Hundreds of millions of people buy fast food every day without giving it much thought, unaware of the subtle and not so subtle ramifications of their purchases. They rarely consider where this food came from, how it was made, what it is doing to the community around them. They just grab their tray off the counter, find a table, take a seat, un-wrap the paper and dig in.... They should know what really lurks between those sesame-seed buns. As the old saying goes: You are what you eat," (Schlosser, p. 10). It kindles an everlasting awareness amongst the readers and evokes fighting spirit against the current inhuman trends that have become pat of the culture of the meat processing industry. The Jungl e takes to the path of propaganda literature and the reader remains unconvinced about the issues raised and the solutions tendered. Socialism is Sinclair’s view of life, not the

Scholarly Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Scholarly Argument - Essay Example Those who are against this form of union by marriage are of the opinion that it is religiously incorrect for individuals from same sex to get married, this form of marriage will lead to weakening of the institution of marriage, legal status of this form of marriage will be manipulated by those who are not even involved in this form of marriage, these marriages cannot be recognized a marriage because these marriages do not lead to formation of traditional family system, acceptance of this form of marriage will lead to a slippery slope and other issues will be raised and parents of the same marriage will fail to provide knowledge regarding the difference between male and female to their children. Thesis Same sex marriage should be awarded with legal status because it will lead to the wellbeing of the society as it has more benefits to offer to the society than costs on the basis of cost benefit analysis. Same Sex Marriage Should be legalized Introduction Legally, marriage has been defi ned as the union between two individuals representing different gender and is the eventual method through which partners express their affection for each other. The constitution of the US has not yet accepted same sex marriage as a legal marriage even though the society has accepted such unions. A change in the structure of families within the US societies has been experienced and a huge number of stakeholders are raising their voice in the support of such marriages. Similar gender marriages should be awarded with the legal status by the constitution of US because it is a discriminatory act to treat same sex couples and different sex couples differently by law, they even believe that this form of marriage is ethical as it has more benefits to offer than costs, these marriages have gained social acceptance, a few of the states have even legalized this marriage, legalization of same sex marriage will allow same sex couples to enjoy the same rights as different sex couples. Body Marria ge is a Worldly Act Groups that are religious in nature are of the idea that same sex marriage is against religion and is even equal to a sin as such marriages are against the will of God, the reality is that religion even supports love and affection and due to this such marriages should not be considered as a sin. The constitution of US has stated that under the 1st Amendment all individuals residing in US will be protected by law for their own religious views (Davis 158). Marriages are seen as a worldly act and if legality of marriage is based on religious grounds, policy makers are working against their own policies (Stevens 261). Illegal Status Deprives Couples from Legal Benefits There are several benefits enjoyed by couples when they get married, they benefit from different rules regarding taxation, insurance, ownership of assets rule of agency. Gay marriages even positively impact various judgments. Health care law states that only couples who are married are allowed to make decisions for each other and are allowed to meet each other if one of the couple is hospitalized (Luppino 79). Since gay marriages are not yet realized as legal, the couples

Individual Assignment 1 Implementation of the Porters Five Forces Research Paper

Individual Assignment 1 Implementation of the Porters Five Forces Model - Research Paper Example Despite of this, yet there are minute chances for them to differentiate the way they do businesses. The framework of Professor Michael Porter is widely used to analyze the attractiveness of an industry as well as its competitive positions. Porter’s five forces model is applicable to banking industry to a great extent (Hill 2008). Five forces that are used in this model are: Threat of new entrants refers to the number of entrants that cause an increase in the number of players performing similar activities and serving a similar market. In banking industry, an average person cannot start up his own bank therefore there is low threat of new entrants due to variety of forces that discourages the new players. Main threat to enter in a banking industry is the requirement of large capital investment. This obligation doesn’t permit every other person to enter into this industry and only entrepreneurs can commence business in this sector. Running a bank needs specialized knowledge and expertise regarding this area which can not be possessed by every other person. The complexities of this sector can only be understood by someone who has lifetime experience of working in this area. Owners who have life time experience of working in banking sector and deals with the complications with sharpness are observed to achieve greatest success in this area. Not every other person is able to take such huge responsibility. There can be threat of new entrants for banking sector when other financial institutions start offering the services which are being offered by conventional banking systems. What if insurance companies start offering loan and mortgage services? That can be a threat for banking sector. Substitutes tend to steal the market share and intensify the competition. In banking sector, there are plenty of substitutes as one can probably imagine. Every banking suite is offering similar products and services. At the lending side of industry, there are

Research Paper: CalREN Systems

Research Paper: CalREN Systems Introduction: The Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) projected that they the state of California can achieve greater heights if they give it a better and more improved internet. On April 9, CENIC announced that they had talked with the technology giants and are working on the same project and those partners are going to provide all the hardware and communication technology to create a more robust network for California known as CalREN-2 which would be high performance internet for the California. The high-speed networking hardware such as routing and switching equipment will be provided by Cisco System, Pacific Bell Communications. California Research and Education Network (CalREN) is amongst the most powerful technology tool California has in its sleeves. The network infrastructure is a multitiered network with around 3,800 miles of fiber optic connecting over ten thousand educational and research institutes and universities like California State, Stanford, USC and community colleges to 58 counties of California. The CalREN system is completely owned and monitored by the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC), a non-profit organization which was established in 1996 by the various education and research communities from California to create a very high bandwidth and efficient solution to networking that would meet the needs of the faculty and all students which belong to these various schools and universities. Goals: CalREN is completely monitored by the CENIC now and has new goals to achieve high quality video conferencing to the classes to let students receive high quality education in real-time at all levels even if the faculty is not currently present in the city, state or nation. This would also connect many scientists around the globe to this existing high bandwidth network. With CalREN, various artists could take live stream classes of the production house from institution like San Francisco Opera from any part of the world. The San Francisco would create an online video classes to students throughout the world and would share these libraries so that all the musicians could learn music via special software or any streaming media. Recently, Los Angeles has also been added to CalREN system in 2016. Backbone: The CalREN backbone provides various capabilities to the network as follows: CalREN-DC: The Digital California is presented for everyday applications like video conferencing, emails, web browsing etc with a bandwidth of 10 Gbps to the students and faculty. CalREN-HPR: The High-Performance Research network which is used for applications with high data needs. This is a high-end network with a speed of 40Gbps. CalREN-XD: The eXperimental/Developmental network is a support network to other services for network research in universities like University of Southern California, Advanced Computing Research at Caltech etc. This is to have a focused perspective on research and innovation on the network.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Backbone image from, http://cenic.org/network/network-maps The Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project (CVNGBIP): The Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project (CVNGBIP) was implemented to provide internet connectivity in 18 counties. Only 8% of the nations agricultural output is produced by the central valley. This kind of a strong and robust infrastructure network was implemented because central valley was still not completely connected to the internet. This was possible because of a vision in mind next generation connectivity where people living in those counties can learn things in a different way leaving the traditional way of learning behind where people used to ask each other for tips and methods. This is when two organizations CENIC and Central Valley Independent Network (CVIN) came together forming a joint venture making this like a dream come true and provide a better future to the people. The service also aims to keep the cost of the internet service as low as possible to help the schools, universities hospitals etc. to take as much as profit they can. The project was funded by NTIA (70%), California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)s CAS Fund (10%) and the rest form other parties and the total amount is to be estimated at around 66 million involving 1,371 miles of cabling and connecting businesses together. California Library Initiatives: There are various initiatives by the California libraries. Video conferencing, emailing, and public research to schools and colleges are enhancing the learning possibilities at higher level. Many benefits and innovative ideas are initiated at the Public libraries making them abundant possibilities to achieve more in the coming future. Therefore, merging these libraries with CalREN would be an addition to the feature and service provided in digital age where everything and everyone is connected. Pacific Research Platform (PRP) initiative: Pacific Research Platform (PRP) is an initiative carried forward by UC San Diego and Berkeley which would help the college network for data access to be much faster than it is today within a few years. There is also a 5 million dollars funding for the initiative from the National Science Foundation (NSF). this would help the PRP with this grant. Quality of Service (QoS): Quality of Service (QoS) is the service provided by the network service provider that would affect the overall accessibility of the computer while performing certain task related to the internet connectivity. It is generally used to measure overall network performance over few characteristics like bandwidth, transmission delay etc. CalREN is a very high bandwidth network that provides is vital services to various research institutes throughout California hence, making quality of service a very important aspect to CalREN system. 100 Gigabit Ethernet connections: To achieve superfast speed for faster data travel, we need a higher capacity bandwidth. This is all possible by implementing and installing 100 Gigabit Ethernet connections that support lightning fast transmission over fibers or over the air. This is achieved with framerate of 100 gigabits per second bandwidth providing services to laboratories and research centers where there are supercomputers that can use this huge capacity bandwidth along other big facilities. A supercomputer in San Diego is using this speed and is connected to CalREN system. Network Operations Center (NOC): Network Operations Center is a building or a place where all the network connections are monitored, managed and if possible or need arises are also troubleshoot so that to avoid any possible chances of network failure or unavailability of the service. CalREN uses a multitiered network as we discussed earlier that allows access to many universities and research centers throughout California. This is where NOC would play important role in the system to manage and troubleshoot the network in any such cases. Applications for CalREN: On march 2006, at the CENIC workshop, iGrid showcased and important application of CalREN to the people. It was an experimental real-time broadcast of very high quality 4K video that was very much improved over our conventional televisions. They were also awarded networking innovation award. There was an issue with the video over the internet protocol on the CalREN-DC network. To trouble shoot the problem they adapted the new codec for the video broadcast throughout the CalREN system. Since the new codec was transmitted through packets, high quality of service was a concern which can be overlooked if we use the CalREN systems high speed network. K20 Video: CalREN is supporting this project by providing high speed internet connections. K20 video is an adaptation of video conferencing technology throughout the state with the collaboration of all K12, University of California and California State University sites. This is achieved by improving the distance learning scheme by providing high quality video services to all the students and faculties. End-sites connected to CalREN-DC network: There are 34 end sites to the CalREN-DC network. Everyone are using optical fiber for their access technology. The capacity provided to the end-sites is more than sufficient as we can see that some of the sites are underutilized and need proper resource management as most of the resource are wasted. End-sites connected to CVNGBIP network: There are many things that are carried forward in the fields of health care, business and residential with more than 63000 access lines. they are also using optical fibers for their access technology. SLA performance guarantees of CALREN: The SLA performance guarantees are as of November 2006. Implementing ticketing system to the educational institution with 99% availability. Various means of deployment would be assigned and operations to be performed to avoid outages. The jitter form central point to Los Angles for round-trip time should not be over 80 ms in 5 minutes. SLAs will be forced in all regions of network deployment such as fibers, routers etc. and use third party equipment to solve the problem.The problem can also be rectified by mailing to [emailprotected] to choose appropriate actions necessary. All the performance guarantees seem reasonable as there is a definite time to resolve any issue and rectify the problem using the ticketing system that is very efficient everywhere in communications business. Hierarchy in CalREN: CalREN is a multitiered network with 3 tiers. CalREN-XD with experimental or developmental abilities, CalREN-HPR for big applications and CalREN-DC with 10gbps bandwidth for research institutes and video conferencing uses. The CalREN-DC would consist of 3 level hierarchy network as a final design. One will be hub sites following with level two as nodes sites and all these node sites connected to CalREN infrastructure where all the schools, colleges and universities will be connected to each other for information Backbone Locations: The backbone locations for the CalREN are Corning, Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Fergus, Sunnyvale, Fresno, Soledad, Bakersfield, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, Los Angeles, Tustin, and San Diego. Most of the sites are reasonable but Tustin could be dropped as it can share resources from either of the two Los Angeles or Riverside. In future, maybe we can add San Jose or Palo Alto as it is booming in I.T infrastructure and the data availability would be much more and easy to troubleshoot. CSUEB to CalREN: Following are the links that connect CSU East Bay to CalREN: Link Speed Average Utilization [eb-csu] 10G DF to svl-agg4 Te0/7/0/4.212 CLR 6378 10 Gbps 9.8% [eb-csu] 10G DF to oak-agg4 Te0/4/0/7.208 CLR-6366 10 Gbps 10.3% To take full advantage of the bandwidth we could start features like online classes where a student could also attend classes if he/she is sick and cannot be physically present at the lectures or this could be also helpful to the students who need accessibility services. Also, keeping the bandwidth use in mind, we could also upload our video presentations over the network that could be asked to be rated or grades accordingly by our classmates. Comparing CalREN2 with SoX: Southern Crossroads (SoX) is an organization that provides high capacity internet service with global connectivity in Atlanta. It serves with internet2 to provide international research access.by the help of its supporters, SoX can implement a very low cost internet service in the whole Atlanta area. Comparing it to CalREN, SoX supports k-12 education as well as federal agencies in the united states. Similarly, CalREN is also powering research in various field in networking and development for the institutes. Conclusion: The CalREN system is an excellent design and the robust characteristic makes it a strong and better solution to form of higher level learning with technology. Few Strengths of CalREN is that the infrastructure is focused on various educational institutes and research facilities. Helping public libraries join CalREN is a brilliant step towards achieving that goals per the situation. CalREN also has few weaknesses amongst itself. We have seen that the backbone supports the CalREN which is a good thing but most of the links are underutilized which can be improved drastically over a period. Few of the resources could also be shared among sites which are close to each other saving expensive resource. References: http://www.cvngbip.org http://cenic.org/network/library-initiative http://cenic.org/files/publications/2011-13CENICAR.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_Gigabit_Ethernet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_operations_center http://www.sunnycv.com/steve/local/pacific/art980408.html http://cenic.org/network/network-maps http://cenic.org/network/service-level-expectations http://prp.ucsd.edu/ http://www.sox.net/about-us/ https://intermapper.engineering.cenic.org/CENIC%20-%20DC%20Backbone%20Overview/document/_/full_screen.html

Major Features of the Vedic Religion :: Papers

Major Features of the Vedic Religion The Vedic Religion is based on the teachings of the Vedas, which signifies the way of living a sin free life. The Vedas are the teachings of the religion Hinduism. There are different types of Vedas, each signifying different facts and opinions about the religion. The main text of the Vedic religion is the Rig Veda. The Rig Veda itself contains some 1,028 hymns of praise to a predominantly male group of deities who seem to personify various powers of nature such as fire, sky and rain. The fact that the hymns demonstrated a strong relationship with the presence of nature illustrates the Aryan feeling towards nature. The Rig Veda mainly concentrates on symbolism rather than mythology. Although the hymns are based on symbolism, it is sometimes possible to gather various mythical themes. Another aspect that is mentioned in the Vedas is the 'panch mahabhutas'. These are the five constituents which makeup life on this planet, they are: * Aakash (sky), * Vayu (air), * Agni (fire), * Jal (Water), * Prithvi (earth). Although the Vedas are very much alike except in their content of hymns, they all have the same principle, all Hindus should lead a sin free life. Within the Vedic religion, Hindus believe in many gods and goddesses. Some of them are human (e.g. Krishna, Rama , some animals (e.g. fish, monkey, rat, snake), (some animal-humans as in the case of Ganesh who has the head of elephant with trunk and the body of a human), and some others are natural phenomena (e.g. dawn, fire, sun). Their number is generally believed to be 330 million. According to Hindu belief, god incarnates and for example takes the form of human being and other animals and appears in this earth in that form. Gods and goddesses were born like human beings and had wives and children. No god possesses absolute power; some of the gods are weaker than each

Ebay’s Strategy in China: Alliance or Acquisition Essay

In December 2006, eBay Inc., a US company that offered e-commerce, e-payments and internet communication services globally, announced its plan to form a joint venture with China-based online portal and wireless operator, TOM Online, in which eBay would have 49% ownership.1 The move reflected the increasing difficulties foreign internet companies were facing in their attempts to snatch a share of the Chinese market amid fierce competition and a changing market environment. eBay first set foot in China in 2002 by acquiring 33% interest in EachNet—a domestic online auction company, followed by a full acquisition in 2003.2,3 In 2005, eBay acquired Skype4 to expand into the online communication sector. While Skype was a wholly owned subsidiary of eBay globally, it operated indirectly in China via a joint venture with TOM Online. Due to this existing relationship between the two companies,5 TOM Online seemed to be a natural choice of partner for eBay’s subsequent decision with regards to its online marketplace business. Recognising TOM Online’s local knowledge and political connections, eBay believed that a joint venture would benefit its failing business in China and help the company further develop its Chinese market.6 Some analysts questioned whether political connections alone were the answer and suggested that eBay focus on its product and service offerings.7 1 Vara, V. and Chao, L. (20 December 2006) â€Å"EBay’s China retreat highlights a tough market†, Wall Street Journal. eBay (Date Unknown) â€Å"eBay and EachNet Team Up in China†, Press Release, http://investor.ebay.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=74802 (accessed 27 April 2007). 3 After the full acquisition in 2003, eBay operated under the name of eBay EachNet. 4 Skype is a peer-to-peer software program that allows people to make free calls over the internet to anyone who also subscribes to this service. Skype provided peer-to-peer internet telephony service—ie, instant messaging and online telephone service. In 2005, eBay acquired 49% stake in Skype China, with TOM Online owning the rest. Source: Schwankert, S. (20 December 2006) â€Å"EBay to replace Chinese auction site with JV†, ITworld.com, http://www.itworld.com/Tech/2403/061220ebay/ (accessed 27 April 2007). 6 Bradsher, K. (22 December 2006) â€Å"With TOM Online, eBay gains Chinese clout†, International Herald Tribute. 7 Rein, S. (24 December 2006) â€Å"TOM Online Must Focus on Products: Connections Don’t Ensure Success†, SeekingAlpha, http://china.seekingalpha.com/article/22946 (accessed 20 June 2007). 2 Isabella Chan prepared this case under the supervision of Prof. Zhigang Tao and Dr Jiangyong Lu for class discussion. This case is not intended to show effective or ineffective handling of decision or business processes. This research was partially supported by a grant from the University Grants Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. AoE/H-05/99).