Money and Life Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Money and Life - Movie Review Example She peels back the history of our financial tangle, tells the story of people drowning in debt, reveals our perplexity and presents possibilities for an economy rooted in love and nature... With the old stories and systems falling apart, this film arrives at the perfect moment to help us bless and release the lies weve lived and simply move on†. Also, it is worth noting that in general the film is high quality and aesthetically beautiful work. Although, the basic idea and argumentation in it, to my mind, is rather weak. In her documentary, Kate Teague explores the poignant meaning and â€Å"irresistible† power of money in our life, sources of debts, outlines the distinguishing moments in the history of money, refers to the functioning and organization of the national monetary system, banking activities, sources and nature of economic crisis. Filmmaker offers a fresh view on the economic crisis as an â€Å"opening† and â€Å"opportunity† towards saving oneself from the monetary â€Å"addiction†. Finally, a new perspective on treating money is given. It is believed that money, which, by the way, was â€Å"invented† by people, originally served â€Å"as a medium of exchange in the agreement with the community† and was intended â€Å"to help people realize their interdependence†. Thus, Teague highlights that it is not the people that should serve money, but vice versa – money should be a medium, never a final destination. Kate Teague (2013) calls everyone to rethink the role of money in the life of individual, community, country and planet: â€Å"We need to examine our relationship with money and gain a deeper understanding of our economic pain as individuals, as a country and as people of the earth. To understand the fundamentals of money so we could â€Å"reclaim life from the rule of money† (Teague, 2013). However, as it was mentioned, the main idea of the film is generally vague. For example, the author suggests the way out from â€Å"the rule of money† through

Culture and Politics in Fascist Italy Essay Example for Free

Culture and Politics in Fascist Italy Essay In The Patron State: Culture and Politics in Fascist Italy, Maria Susan Stone discusses the cultural policy-making under Mussolini’s regime in Italy from 1922 to 1943. Specifically, she has provided a detailed study of two of the most popular showpieces of public culture during the fascist regime: the reconstituted Venice Biennale and the 1932 Exhibition of the Fascist Revolution. Stone asserts that the cultural politics that happened during the fascist regime in Italy was developed in three stages. The first stage (from 1925-30) was when the Fascists worked with the established institutions of high culture. It was during this stage that the regime discovered that it could not officially sanction any one style or movement. Stone also described this stage as the time when the Fascists dealt with the social elites. The second stage (from 1931-36) was the period when they used patronage and experimentation in an effort to shape cultural institutions according to their specifications. This is also the period when the Fascists increasingly gained support from the mass. They achieved this by moving away from supporting traditional events aimed for social elites and supporting events aimed at the masses instead. And finally, the third stage (from 1937-43), was when they adopted a more coercive set of methods. Through flexible policy of taste and patronage, the Fascists were able to win the consent of artists and draw supporters from the higher class to the masses. The role and use of mass culture during the Fascist regime have always fascinated historians for the past thirty years. Stone had added to the vast researches by other prominent historians such as Walter Adamson, Philip Cannistraro, and Umberto Silva on the same topic but on a new perspective. Work Cited: Stone, Maria Susan. The Patron State: Culture and Politics in Fascist Italy. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1998

Epic of Beowulf Essay - Wiglaf :: Epic of Beowulf Essay

Beowulf: Wiglaf Wiglaf, along with Beowulf’s other warriors, watches Beowulf initiation his battle against the dragon.   When the fight seems to be turning against Beowulf, however, all of the warriors except Wiglaf -flee.   Wiglaf’s purpose in the poem, however , is more than simply someone to help Beowulf.   Wiglaf is the model of a good warrior, and as a good warrior, Wiglaf demonstrates the importance of heroism to society and the necessity of loyalty to one’s kinsman and lord.   He is willing to saccrifice his life to reciprocate the gifts which he received from his lord, but even more important, he symbolizes the need for cooperation between warrior and lord in order to preserve society against overwhelming odds Wiglaf also demonstrates the responsibility of the good warrior, a contrast to the cowardly warriors, who represent all that sciet shoud not emulate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     After Beowulf’s Battle with the dragon, Wiglaf reprimands the warrioirs who fled.   Such cowardice, he says, reveals a national weakness and is an invitation for their enemies to attack.   Wiglaf reminds them that the loss of Beowulf means no more gifts, a loss of land rights and everything that makes life joyous. Wiglaf emphasizes that death is preferable to a life without a lord; without a lord, man is adrift in a hostile world.   During Beowulf’s battle with the dragon, the poet tells us that Beowulf is not "undoomed", and after the battle during Wiglaf’s attempt to revive the old Warrioir, the poet reminds us that God not only has the power to preserve heroes in battle, but also to take life from them.   He is saying at times, God dispenses victories, and at other times heroes lose their lives. Here, Beowulf loses his life. God allows Beowulf to avenge himself against the dragon an d fight the good fight, but we must always remember a key idea of the heroic code: a hero mustfight- even thoughhe knows that he fights against fate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although Wiglaf is only a young warrior when he inherits the kingdom, heknows that the cowardice of the Geats will lead to their downfall. Other tribes who hear about the warrior’s failure to protect their king will surely swarm down upon them, hoping to take revenge for past hostilities.   In short, Wiglaf is a doomed man.   Hw has inherited a longstanding feud, and he must lead a people who seem inable or unwillingly to fight.

Business, Government and Society

Odwalla, Inc. , the largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetable-based juices in the Western parts of United States, was founded in 1980 by three people Steltenpohl, his wife and a friend. Initially the business was started by a $200 worth of used juicer in the backyard of California from which it moved a step forward by transporting the juices to restaurants in the local vicinity. Gradually the business started expanding its distribution and production facilities by increasing its product lines as well as by acquiring other juice manufacturing companies. Growth of the company was financially backed by bank loans and private stock offerings.The strong marketing and product line helped in grasping consumer attention which further enhanced the company’s image. With intensive marketing, pricing, product innovativeness and creativeness of the value driven product line of the company it succeeded in completed its best-ever fiscal year in 1996 when sales reached about $59 million w hich were about 40 percent higher than the last year. Situation The company Odwalla Inc. has just celebrated its best fiscal year but is facing a health related issue with its products because of a virulent bacterium called E. coli 0157:H7 which causes food poisoning and other such stomach problems.This problem is especially very serious in infants and older people whose immune systems aren’t very strong. Although the overall class of this bacterium is present in the human intestinal tract and plays a helpful role in synthesizing vitamins and to suppress harmful bacteria. However some, especially E. coli 0157:h7, cause a lot of harm for a person producing a toxin which affects the inner lining of the gut. This type of bacteria lives in the intestine of animals like cows, sheep, deer etc. and thus infects the meat of the animal thus rendering it unhealthy for human consumption.This bacteria however also travels through fecal contamination of the food e. g. if a fruit falls fro m the tree and comes into physical contact with the manure of the infected animal the fruit then also carries the germs of this bacteria. This bacterium is also infected when a person doesn’t wash his hands after using the toilet and touches the food, which has to be later on consumed, by his unclean hands. It was initially believed that the bacterium cannot exist in acidic environment and so all the drinks especially those containing citrus acid were protected from this virus as their pH level is 4.3. These acidic drinks included apple and other such juices. However recently this concept went under a change when it was found that it can and does exist under a pH of 4. 0. This was known when some of the bacterium was found in acidic drinks which shouldn’t have been possible. After extensive research it was concluded that the bacteria must have undergone a mutation process because of which they can now exist even in acidic environment. The company Odwalla is very cautio us health and nutrition wise because of which the fruits are selected after careful analysis.The company recognized its values, vision and mission because of which a carefully designed plan is implemented to ensure that no unclean product goes into the manufacturing line. The fruits are carefully picked from the tree and no fallen fruit is accepted. Similarly the bin is checked and rechecked to see if any contact with the ground has been made. If there were any dirt or debris found the whole bin is rejected. Even after this careful handpicked selection the fruits are washed with a sanitizing solution of phosphoric acid and then scrubbed with whirling brushes.Later on all the juices are manufactured under strict hygienic conditions which aren’t to be compromised ever. Even after such careful analysis a few bacteria were found in some drinks which caused a huge amount of responsibility and tension for the company. Issue The company follows a strict code of conduct which ensures that the highest amount of product quality is delivered to the customers while maintaining the natural taste of the fruits. To deliver the promised quality and taste the company doesn’t pasteurizes its juices because of which the bacteria, if were present in the drink, couldn’t be finished.After the bacterium were found in the juices the company faced a serious problem dilemma as to what their course of action should be because they obviously didn’t wanted to lost their customers along with their profits but they did not want to risk the health of their customers as well. Even one health issue case was very big for them as they were socially and ethically a very responsible company. So now the company had to decide what to do. After a serious of meetings it was decided that the products affected by this bacteria would be called back.So in a record breaking speed the products were pulled back from the shelves until the company can find a way to kill the bacteria . This was a major decision which costed the company almost $5 million. Despite the financial loss the company’s main focus was on finding a way to eliminate this threat so that it wouldn’t harm the consumers. For this purpose investigations were conducted by the company and federal and state health authorities. The company after recalling the apple juice product also recalled back those products in which apple juice was used to further reduce risking consumer health.The company then sought to devise a plan which would reduce the risk as well as increase its sales and would help in the reintroduction of these products in the market. On a short term level the company thought it would be best if it only sold those products in which apple juice wasn’t an ingredient. For this the products in which apple juice was used were manufactured again without apple juice in them and were then sold in the market. But this procedure was only best for a short term purpose so as to reduce or minimize the effect of the losses however they couldn’t cut out apple juice as it was a major selling product of the company.Because of this the company decided to opt for flash pasteurization which is a modified form of pasteurization in which the juice is quickly heated to almost 160 degrees and then maintaining the temperature for a very short span of time so that the bacteria is killed. This reduces the actual taste somewhat but is still better than the pasteurized juice. This decision was made after careful analysis of the demands and wants of the consumer. Option Every dilemma has more than one option; similarly this issue had more than one option which the company could have selected.Regarding this case the company also had a series of actions from which it chose the best. The other options are as follows †¢ Discontinuing all apple juice products so that safety of the consumer is fully assured. This means that apple juice would have to be cancelled no t only as a product but as an ingredient from other products as well. This wasn’t a very feasible option as more than 80 percent of the revenue was generated because of the apple juice and cancelling it out from the product line would mean to cut or throw away the most profitable aspect of the business.†¢ The second option the company had was to improve its manufacturing processes and tighten all the rules and regulations to further ensure that no unsafe or unhygienic product goes through the production cycle and ends up as a juice product. This would mean more inspection and washes of the fruits. †¢ The third option is modifying label in a way which ensures that the consumer knows that the juices isn’t for infants or for older people. This way the infants and elder people would be safe because they are the most likely to get effected by the bacteria quiclkly.†¢ The fourth option the company can consider is to use standard pasteurization in which the jui ce is slowly heated to a certain temperature which is maintained for some time so that the bacteria are killed by the heat. This also increases the product life of the juice i. e. it will take longer for the product to be expired. But this type of method is not feasible as the company is highly focused on maintaining the quality and taste which is almost destroyed by this method. †¢ Using other alternatives technologies to remove the pathogens.These methods include a high pressure process which exerts a lot of pressure to cause the walls of the bacteria to explode. Other such methods include using electricity to kill bacteria and herbal antiseptic products etc. Recommendations The company showed a vast amount of ethical and social responsibility towards its customers throughout the dilemma. The company showed the problem in a very professional and morally upright way and according to my perception using flash pasteurization is a very good way to kill the bacteria because by thi s the actual taste of the product and quality is not lost.My recommendations for the company is that rather than just focusing on flash pasteurization the company should incorporate other options as well to make a perfect blend. The company should tighten and improve its production process so that no harmful substance is left. Overall I agree with the decisions of the organization and the way it solved the problem. Conclusion This case study is about a company Odwalla Inc. in which it faced serious problem in its product line despite having a very rigid and vigilant checking of the raw materials. Due to this bacterium some people fell critically ill and a girl even died.But nobody blamed the company because the company was doing its best to eradicate the bacteria and was helping the effected people in any way they can. The company even called back its products and then carried out a research as to what the customers wanted and finally thorough flash pasteurization they were able to solve out the problem. Overall the company showed immense amount of ethical and corporate standards while dealing with the problem. ? Bibliography Nestle. M. , 2003 Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism. Marion Nestle University of California Press

The Fight for Women’s Rights

Today, women have more liberty to do as they please. There are many positions in companies held by women. There was even a woman who ran for presidency in 1872. Additionally, there are many companies founded and ran by women. These show that home is not the only place for women, and they should not be tied as individuals running the house while their husbands work. The freedom that women have today cannot be possible without the events in the past that gave them identity in a society initially dominated by men. Women in the Past and Their Place in Society Time and again, people bore this thinking that women were just â€Å"a creative source of human life. † Many people considered them as forever inferior to men, creations that were under the opposite sex. Furthermore, women were constantly referred to as source of temptation. Even in other countries, women were viewed as children, meaning they would still be inferior to men. In Greek mythology, Pandora opened the box and was then responsible for all the unhappiness among mankind. This was the same viewpoint among Christians in the early times. For instance, St. Jerome believed that â€Å"Woman is the gate of the devil, the path of wickedness, the sting of the serpent, in a word a perilous object. † This was agreed by Thomas Aquinas, a Christian theologian who believed that the primary role of women is for conception. He further claimed that in other things, men are better assisted by their fellow men (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). The lack of women's rights has placed women in delicate situations. During the 17th century, some women were believed to be witches, and were executed. The majority, consisting of men, believed that the weaker sex was more likely to be corrupted by the devil. Interestingly, most of the women charged with witchcraft were brave or stubborn while some were childless, spinsters, or successful. These were the characters that were not in the Puritan idea of femininity (Kendall, 2001, p. 9). Furthermore, the past seen women as domestic partners, tending about the orchard, or making cheese or baking pies. Women were also serving guests and cleaning the house. Aside from numerous household chores, many of these women have many children to feed and take care of. A typical family would have twelve to thirteen children, aside from extended families. The father was seen to be the head of the family, and this belief was taken from Bible passages which says that man leads the woman. Furthermore, special emphasis was put on the role of women to be submissive on their husbands (Kendall, 2001, p. 10-11). Additionally, books were published which further strengthened the division of labor between man and woman. An author, George Savile, claimed that men were created more intelligent and logical than their counterpart. Thus, men should be the head of families, businesses, and enterprises. Also, Savile emphasized the woman's need to have a husband. And for women who were not happy with their married lives, they should just â€Å"make the best of it† (Kendall, 2001,p. -11). Many colonies had fewer unmarried women. This was because life was not easy for spinsters, or those unmarried women. For instance, they did not have many opportunities to earn. As a result, their parents or brothers or married sisters provided them with their expenses. When this happened, the unmarried women would help care for their relatives children or clean the house (Kendall, 2001, p. 11) Women also did not have liberty with money. Laws did not have provisions for women regarding owning a property or making contracts. It was the men who have the liberty to sell their possessions according to his judgment. Further, when a single woman has money, it becomes the property of her husband upon their marriage. Women lacked the legal right to the money they earned. On top of this, her belongings could be seized by creditors when his husband lacked the money to pay his debts. It was also the men's discretion to leave their properties to anyone upon their death. This power came to be called as â€Å"the apron-string hold. The only right that women have was only a one-third of their property after the death of the husband (Kendall, 2001,p. 11-12). Women in the past also did not have rights over their children. Under the law, the children were the property of the husbands. In cases when a couple divorces, the sole custody of the children is to the father. Men also have the right to grant custody of the children to anyone but their wives. In addition, laws also permitted husbands to physically discipline their wives. This means that husbands could whip their wives for as long as they want provided that the whip was not thicker than his thumb. This was known to be the â€Å"rule of thumb. † However, this was not seen as oppression against women, but instead it was an assertion of the women's right not to be beaten severely (Kendall, 2001, p. 12). Women were also considered as the weaker sex. They were thought be squeamish and unable to do heavy chores. During the preindustrial times, women were assigned to domestic chores while heavier tasks were done by men. The belief that women were the weaker sex, as seen from the division of labor, forgot to consider that domestic chores, including taking care of children and other tasks, required sustained labor. However, recent studies showed that women have greater tolerance for pain compared to men, and live longer and more resistant to some diseases (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). In opportunities for education, the provision for women came as second to that for men. During the colonial times, girls learned to read and write from dame schools. They could join schools for boys during the summer when boys were working and there were vacant seat in classrooms. Fortunately, changes were in store for the education of both sexes. The late 19th century witnessed the increase in the number of women students. There were colleges and universities founded for women, and the schools for boys also began to admit women students. By 1870, one-fifth of students from colleges and universities were women. It further increased during the early 1900s (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). In addition, the traditional role of women as child-bearers gradually changed. It used to be that people has this stereotypal opinion about women whose place is at home. As times changed, women gained freedom and a voice in choosing contraception or undergoing legalized abortion. These choices have given them greater control over how many children they wanted to bear. Despite these positive changes, women were still tied to their roles as mothers and wives. Most of them were talented but did not have freedom to pursue studying or other careers (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). In place of formal education, many young women learned things from their mothers. They were expected to learn cooking and caring for children as preparation for their future roles. During the 1960s, tests were conducted that showed the scholastic achievement of young girls as higher during the early grades. The explanation behind this finding was the decline in the girls' expectations because their families or their teachers did not expect them to prepare for a future different from marriage and motherhood. The good thing was that changes were taking place with regards to this trend (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). By the start of the 20th century, women were able to obtain undergraduate college degrees. In 1984, 49% of undergraduate degrees were by women, a sharp increase from just 19% during the onset of the century. Furthermore, more women became interested in taking graduate studies. This was further improved when, in the mid-1980s, women held 49% of masteral degrees and 33% of doctoral degrees. Moreover, women students in college comprised 53% in 1985 (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). Another area where women came as inferiors to men was at work. During the colonial times, women who earned a living were seamstresses or in charged of keeping boardinghouses. There were some women who worked men's jobs, such as doctors, preachers, writers, and lawyers, among others. At the onset of the 19th century, occupations allowed for women were either factory labor or domestic work. They were generally excluded from higher professions but were allowed to write and teach (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). Several changes took place in the following centuries. Career opportunities such as medical profession have undergone changed attitudes. Anyone could practice medicine, but obstetrics was generally a woman's domain. Unfortunately, the educational preparation needed for this profession increased, limiting some women to further pursue medical practice. On top of it, racial discrimination began against certain groups of women. For instance, the American Medical Association did not accept females. They were also barred from medical colleges for men. This changed by 1920s. During this period, a significant number of women attended certain leading medical schools. This was further strengthened when the American Medical Association accepted women members in 1915 (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). Women's Rights It is common knowledge among people that women did not have as much legal rights and other opportunities compared to men. Women were confined in homes, where their major roles were wives and mothers. They could not join in political or social matters, as these were the spheres of men. Women lacked many rights that in a sense, they were like slaves. Women have been fighting for their rights as early as the 19th century, spearheaded by evangelical groups and volunteer associations among middle women from class and upper class. They have strived to affect changes in the American society whose perspective on women was too limiting (Walter, 2001, p. 184). Rights that women can freely obtain indicates the â€Å"understanding of global well-being. † This issue is something that every country should resolve, and not only those ones where religion is the law (Shah, 2007). Rights that women should have equal access to include human rights, equality rights, and political rights, among others. The road to these rights was not a smooth one. Women were constantly in battle for equal footing with men. It took almost fifty years before the Equal Rights Amendment was passed to the states for ratification. Women from all races and nationalities united to support and push the ratification of ERA. Rallies, fundraising activities, marches and many other events were conducted to encourage supporters for the amendment. However, many politicians did not see the need to ratify the ERA for women. They argued that if women were allowed rights, it would destroy families or the women's credibility. However, these issues that were once debated on now became a part of the society (Eisenberg & Ruthsdotter, 1998). Voting rights have also been fought for by brave women. Starting in 1920, women were allowed to vote, although their other political roles were limited (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). However, this was a major change in a nation dominated by men who did not believe in allowing women to participate in political matters, including voting. But certain women, such as Stanton, believed that obtaining voting rights was a start to a greater role for women in the society (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). Reproductive rights, under basic human rights, were also fought for many years. These rights would allow women the right to determine how many children they wanted to have. Without these rights, their other rights would have no profound meaning. This was because when they were not granted reproductive rights, they would not be able to fully make decisions about other areas including education and work. History witnessed the significant decrease in birth rate during the 19th century as women became more educated (Lewis, 2009). Women's Struggles As women battled for their rights and for an equal place in the society, they were faced with opposition from all sides. They have struggled for equality, for voting rights, and for political power. They have struggled to have an identity in the American society. And they have struggled to be freed from the chains that kept them inferiors for many years. Although many changes took place and women now have more liberty compared to the past, women were still in struggle for equality. History has witnessed women's struggle against oppression, as commenced in 1857 in textile factories, to stop racial segregation. They have also demanded to be paid equally with that of their male co-workers. Furthermore, women struggled to push their rights through movements and marches. Many people were firmly opposed to this that some women who participated in these events were jailed or, in remote cases, tortured (TamilCanadian, 1999). The importance of a women's liberation struggle cannot be emphasized enough. Women should be given the freedom from oppression in any form, from discrimination and from their economic dependence on men. Although women have come a long way in their struggles, and now have many rights, there were still some women who faced oppression and in many forms. Sexual harassment is prevalent in some places, especially at work where women's jobs are considered inferior to that of men's. Furthermore, women faced challenges with regards to shared responsibilities between them and their working husbands. On top of these, there is still the segregation of jobs between sexes (TamilCanadian, 1999). In addition, an article in 1999 reported that women in jails were especially susceptible to oppression in the form of sexual abuse and slavery to male prisoners (TamilCanadian, 1999). The Amnesty International reported that women in jails around the world are always victims of human rights violations due to their gender and vulnerability. Women have been the victims of sexual violence, including torture and rape. Furthermore, many of these women were not given proper health care and were instead targeted for punishments and discrimination (Amnesty International, 1999). Even today, women's struggles are still prevalent in the society. Young women struggle for their own equality and democracy. It was claimed that young women have been the targets or victims in many instances. Equal pay for equal work was pushed ahead despite the trying times during the Bush administration. Young women have struggled for reproductive rights, welfare reinstatement, criminalization, violence against them, and better access to public education. In addition, further claims were made regarding the exploitation of young women by capitalists and the structures that they control. This was especially true among young women of color, who are more likely to be the subject of sharper racist edge (Wheeler, 2001). Furthermore, women have experienced being paid less compared to men doing the same job. They have also gone through the lack of job security in the retail/sales industry. Aside from this, women have to submit to restrictions on hours rendered for work. Also, many of these industries do not allow workers to organize. And the worst thing is that immigrant women fall prey to the most despicable working conditions. Between work and families, young women continue to struggle to attend to both. A 2000 census showed that more than 12 million families are led by single parent who also manage the household. Furthermore, 2. 4 million of these families are below the poverty line (Wheeler, 2001). Women's Rights Movement As women became more aware of the importance of obtaining their rights, the Women's Right Movement was put into action in 1848. No one thought that a small group of dedicated women could change the course of history to be able to achieve full rights in America. Women's fight for changes within the family life, employment, government, and education have been notable. These changes did not just happen overnight. Women of different races from different places all desired to affect changes by conducting meetings, nonviolent resistance, and public speaking (Eisenberg & Ruthsdotter, 1998). According to past historical accounts, the birth of the agitation for women's rights was brought about by Frances Wright, a Scotchwoman who visited the United States in 1820. She was popularly known as an intellect on matters regarding politics and social reform. She would live from one place to another, always encouraging both men and women to think differently on traditional beliefs including slavery and the degradation of women in the society. Eventually, Wright succeeded in her efforts, evidenced by literature written by various women. The articles that women wrote talked about the status of women. Furthermore, there were lectures conducted, although some women were bannished for doing so (Hecker, 2004, p. 81). These events have led women to question women's rights, especially among those who were against slavery. Further inquiry into the validity of slavery caused these women to investigate the enforced status of women in the society. Meeting were conducted to address these issues. However, the women, including Angelina and Sarah Gimke, often faced hostility in meetings where there were men. In fact, during a meeting of the Anti-Slavery Association in 1840, men did not take part in committees where there were women involved. This was despite women held a larger contribution to uphold the cause (Hecker, 2004, p. 81). These affairs reached London during the World's Anti-Slavery Convention. Some alti-slavery organizations sent women as their delegates. Unfortunately, the English members refused to allow these women to take part in the proceedings due in part to the opposition of the clergy. The latter believed that St. Paul did not permit women to teach. Thus, delegates Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, the first president of the Female Anti-Slavery Society of Philadelphia, decided to start a women's rights convention upon returning to the United States. The World's Anti-Slavery Convention caused a larger cause to exist (Hecker, 2004, p. 81). July 13, 1848 is the birth of the movement in New York during a tea party. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a housewife and mother, along with four friends, was in attendance. During their conversation, the topic turned to the situation of women. Stanton made known of her discontent about the limitations enforced on women in the America's new democracy. Despite the American Revolution which was fought 70 years earlier, women still lacked freedom. Stanton believed that the society could benefit more if women were given active roles. This was something that Stanton's friends agreed with, and thus they carried out a large-scale program (Eisenberg & Ruthsdotter, 1998). Days after this conversation, they set a date and location for their first convention. It was held on July 19-20, 1848, at Seneca Falls, New York. Newspapers attributed the organization of the event to the â€Å"divorced wives, childless women, and sour old maids,† referring to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Mrs. McClintock and other brave women who attended to their domestic lives and to their children. This first convention attracted a large crowd which reached 300 (Hecker, 2004, p. 81). During the convention, the women presented and signed the Declaration of Sentiments and Declaration of Resolutions mainly based on Declaration of Independence. These include the objectives of the women's rights movement. After this convention, many others were held for the following years (Adams, 2003, pp. 7-8). As Stanton herself expected, newspapers and certain people backlashed them. This was because newspapers believed that the Declaration of Sentiments was shameless, most especially the demand for women to vote. They attacked women on all sides. Fuirthermore, the newspapers published the document, along with the signatures of women who supported it. As a result, many of the women from the Convention had doubts and even withdrew their signatures from the document. Despite being embarrassed, some women were steadfast in what they believed in. Fortunately, something happened which favored the women upon the publishing of the document. The negative articles that editors published became widespread that even the people from isolated towns were informed to the issues. As a result, many people became involved in the heated debate regarding the women's rights in the society (Eisenberg & Ruthsdotter, 1998). The push for women's rights was further supported by two factions of the movement in 1869. One was the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) and the other, the National Woman Suffrage Assocation (NWSA). AWSA was organized in Boston by Lucy Stone, a woman popular for advocating anti-slavery and for lobbying the women's rights. NWSA, on the other hand, was organized by Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. The organization aimed to change federal law and passionately opposed the 15th Amendment as it excluded provisions for women (Women in Congress, n. d. ).. The two factions could not unite because the supporters of AWSA believed that their rival was â€Å"racially divisive and organized†¦ to continue a national reform at the state level† (Women in Congress, n. d. ). Furthermore, NWSA did not include alternative arguments and strategies. The NWSA founders also ignored other women groups, including organizations ran by laborers, civic reformers and farmers (Buhle, M. J. , Buhle, P. , & Stanton, 2005, p. xix). With the delicate balance between these factions, the AWSA and the NWSA strived to maintain momentum. The latter attracted recruits from the public speaking activities of both Stanton and Anthony. AWSA, on the other hand, did not have the wide reach that the rival organization enjoyed, but it was better funded and larger. However, the factions were not able to attract broad support from women. They did not even encourage male politicians to allow women to vote (Women in Congress, n. d. ). Between the 1880s and the onset of 1890s, a surge of volunteerism swept the nation. Many of these volunteers came from middle-class women, most of whom were members of clubs and professional societies, supporters of progressive causes, and members of charity organizations. The surge of volunteerism was brought about by these women's desire to â€Å"expand their sphere of activities further outside the home. Thus, the suffrage movement was further strengthened, and both the AWSA and the NWSA gained momentum. Finally, the two factions united in 1890 as they took advantage of the â€Å"constituency† brought about by the event. AWSA and NWSA united and formed the National Americal Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), led by Stanton and, later, by Anthony. The new organization drew support from various organizations ran by women, including the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), the National Consumer's League, and the Women's Trade Union League (Women in Congress, n. . ). The new organization aimed to gain votes in states and went through some challenges. Finally, in 1869, Wyoming became the first state to allow women full voting rights. Afterwards, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho followed suit. These were the only states which allowed women to vote. The period covering 1910 to 1914, the NAWSA furthered its efforts to encourage other states to do the same thing. Consequently, the stat es Washington, California, Kansas, Arizona, and Oregon extended voting rights to women. In 1913, the Illinois followed suit, and the state's future congresswoman, Ruth Hanna McCormick, helped advance the fight for suffrage. In 1914, Montana joined the states, mainly due to the efforts of its future Congresswoman, Jeannette Rankin (Women in Congress, n. d. ). Women's fight to obtain full rights like those of men's is not finished yet. There are still cases of oppression and violence against women. Women are still struggling to rise to be able to obtain a strong identity in the American society. The liberty and rights that women have today became impossible due to events in the past that put women in the frontline. The Women's Rights Movement have enabled women to obtain voting rights and, consequently, human rights and equality rights. The selfless efforts of several notable women opened the eyes of all women regarding their place in the society. In the past, the only place for women was the home. They lacked basic rights and were mainly inferior to their husbands or to men in general. However, times have changed. In most places, women now stand side by side and in equality with men. The efforts of women to push forward a better life full of opportunities for all women brough forth these fruits.

buy custom Andover Fresh essay

buy custom Andover Fresh essay In the recent times the number of health problems has drastically surged. It is on this light that farmers in collaboration with other stakeholders, such as the local leaders, student bodies among others living in Andover, have established Andover Famers Markets. The mission of this market is to organize a weekly venue, where farmers of Massachusetts and artisans can gather and find healthy and fresh foods among other products, which support the spirit and economy of Andover (Bartz, 2011). If I was given one day and a budget of $1000 to significantly change our community, I would spend it in the Andover Farmers Market. Since its establishment in 2007, I have noted that most of the people living in Andover, have not clearly understood the role played by this market, not only n improving the economic welfare of the city but also in improving the nutrition levels of the locals. As a result of this, the one day would focus on improving the awareness of the locals on the significance of the Andover Framer Market, which mainly sells fresh products, such as organic products. To maximize on the productivity of this day, I would substantially involve the local leaders, farmers, student bodies, artisans and other key players in the Andover community (Andover Farmers' Market, 2011). The table below indicates how the $1000 would be spent during that one-day event. Function Amount in $ Advertisement 400 Transport 400 Miscellaneous 200 Total 1000 At the end of the day, the locals will be able to fully embrace this market, thus actively participate in the weekly event (Bartz, 2011). In conclusion, the participation of the locals in the Andover fresh markets will improve by at least 35% in the next three years, translating into 15% improvement in the general economy of Andover (Andover Farmers' Market, 2011). Buy custom Andover Fresh essay

8 Things to Write About What to Write About When You Lack Inspiration

8 Things to Write About What to Write About When You Lack Inspiration 8 Things to Write About: What to Write About When You Lack Inspiration Youre struggling with finding things to write about- that much is clear.And you’ve decided to make that jump. Youve finally worked up the courage to write a book. Congrats!Now the daunting question of what you’re going to write rears its ugly head. What on earth can you write? What would people want to read?You find yourself at the first stumbling block, also affectionately (not) referred to as writers block.Here are 8 ways to find things to write about:Write about your passionsFiction or nonfictionWhat youre an expert inWrite about your experiencesGet ideas from friends and familyFind inspiration to write about onlineBrainstorm what to write about for a day or twoCollect a large list of ideas to write aboutNOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it here8 Things to Write About and How to Find Writing InspirationWell the good news is that all of us could write a book or two about something!Each one of us has our own unique set of experiences that others could learn from, not to mention the plethora of writing prompts and story ideas online. Figuring out what to write about simply takes some self-reflection, brainstorming, and research.Follow these next steps and you will surely find at least one future book topic!#1 Start with your passionsThe best place to start is with what brings you joy. After all, you’re going to enjoy writing your book a lot more if you enjoy the topic.Furthermore, you are more likely to really sell an idea and convince your audience of something if you’re passionate about it.Here are a few questions for finding what to write about:Whats one thing you enjoy most?What do you lose track of time doing?Where do your thoughts go when youre not paying attention?What do people describe you doing often?These things to write about could be as simple as bike riding, home organization, or cooking. It could be something more technical or complex.Take out a pen and paper, and make a list of all the things that you really love. Write them all down, whether they’re big or small. You will draw inspiration from this list, so write down everything that you can think of.#2 Choose to write fact or fictionOnce you have a good, working list of all the things you love, you need to decide something important: will your book be fact or fiction?There are so many different book genres out there that it can feel overwhelming. Hence, it’s best to get an idea of this before you start the writing process.Your passions list will really help you narrow this one down. Perhaps your love of cats could make you want to write a fiction novel about a cat who goes on adventures. Perhaps your love of home gardening could make for a great how-to book to help others who want to grow their own food. Maybe your love of ghosts could make for a good horror book. Whatever it is, your passions are th ere waiting to be turned into a book idea.Your specific genre can be modified as you begin to write. However, deciding whether your book will be fiction or about your real life, like writing a memoir, is something you need to decide before beginning the brainstorming and writing process.#3 What you’re an expert at/inEverybody is an expert in something. Do you believe me? Most people when they hear this go â€Å"oh no, not me!† After all, we are often our own worst critics.However, that’s where everyone is wrong. Each of us is an expert in something. The truth is that you don’t need a million trophies or some fancy title to be an expert. Furthermore, books written by experts don’t always sell. People love getting advice from ordinary people just like you! After all, if you can write and publish a book, so can they.You can find your expertise through a brainstorm.Much like your passion list, make another list! On this one, I want you to write down a ll of your work experience from the last 5-10 (or more!) years. I’m talking everything that you can think of such as employment, volunteer work, hobbies, and unique experiences. After you’ve spent some time on this list, start to look at the patterns: What things keep popping up?What do these things have in common?Are these things related?This list might help you see that you really are more of an expert in something that you can write about.You might not have been the boss of the company, but you might have learned more than you think working in public relations or even answering phones.#4 Pull things to write about from your experiencesYour future book inspiration doesn’t solely come from professional experience. It can come from personal experiences as well. With this, you’ll want to create another list.However, this one will be more of a brainstorm of different life experiences you’ve had.If you can’t just start making a list, start by mapping out your life.Jot down a few of these ideas to write about:Where do you live?Where are you from originally?Who are your family members?Who are your friends?Where have you traveled to?If you answer all of these questions, you will surely start to think of â€Å"that one time I †¦Ã¢â‚¬  or other memories. Write down all the words, thoughts and images that come to mind. Write down how you felt in these moments and how they affected you and youll have plenty of things to write about.When you brainstorm, let your creativity flow! Don’t worry about writing the words in a perfect list. If you feel inspired to draw, draw.These brainstorm sessions are for you and you only, so let them be as crazy as you want!#5 Get writing ideas from friends or family memberThose who know us best often see things about us that we cannot. They have the perspective of seeing our lives from the outside. If you’re thinking of writing a book, speak with someone you’re close to .They simultaneously know you best and want the best for you.Take them out for a cup of coffee and tell them that you want to publish a book. If you already have a few things to want to write about, you could run them by this person.If you don’t, you could simply ask them what they think you should write about. You might get responses like â€Å"I would love to read about your experience with _____† or â€Å"I think you could really tell this story well.†You’ll either narrow down your list of ideas or have a few new ones to add to the list!#6 Turn to the InternetThe Internet is a great place to find inspiration for what to write about. First and foremost, you want to ensure that someone hasn’t already written about what you want to write about.If it’s a broad topic such as â€Å"how to travel the world,† surely at least several people have already beaten you to the punch! However, this isn’t the end of the world.When searching , you can see how these people have written their books and think about how yours would be different. Since no one on earth is exactly like you, you certainly will have your own unique perspective to bring to the table! Only you can be you!In addition to a general Google search, use both Instagram and Pinterest to your advantage.These two social networks will bring your inspiration for what to write about- not to mention give you book marketing opportunities when you do write the book. When searching on Instagram, make sure to look at related hashtags such as this #writerinspiration one.#7 Leave all the brainstorming and discussion for a day or twoAfter you’ve brainstormed and talked with a close friend or family member, put it all down.Simply go about your life as normal going to work or school or whatever your normal routine is. You are sure to come up with more ideas or more details to add to your existing notes at the most random times. When something comes to mind, reco rd it right away!It might be good to have a notebook with you at all times or start a note on your phone. You can actually use an app like Evernote for this very purpose.After a few days of a break, come back to all your notes and decide on what you want to write about.#8 Create a list to work fromA lot of authors feel like pressure when picking their book topic. It is kind of scary to pick an idea and then write several hundred pages on it.However, remind yourself that choosing an idea to write about does not obligate you to write an entire book about it. You might start by writing the outline or the first few chapters and realize that you’d rather write about a different topic. That’s okay!Creating a large list of ideas will help you when youre just not feeling one idea anymore- whether youre writing a book or simply a blog post.Get out that notebook and get to work!The best time to get started brainstorming your perfect idea is now! Don’t wait around and let fear get the better of you.Get out your notebook and start making these lists. Write down every word, thought or image that comes to your mind!Are you ready to move forward with your idea?Weve got your next steps!If you want to take your book from idea to full outline to published book (in as little as 90 days), we have the process for you right here

Tips for Writing 5 Types of Sports Stories

Tips for Writing 5 Types of Sports Stories Getting a handle on sportswriting can be daunting because there are so many different kinds of stories that can be done. For the aspiring sportswriter, these are some of the main types. The Straight-Lede Game Story The straight-lede game story is the most basic story in all of sportswriting. Its just what it sounds like: an article about a game that uses a straight-news type of lede. The lede summarizes the main points- who won, who lost, the score, and what the star player did. Heres an example of this kind of lede: Quarterback Pete Faust threw three touchdown passes to lead the Jefferson High School Eagles to a 21-7 victory over crosstown rival McKinley High. The rest of the story follows from there, with an account of the big plays and playmakers, and after-game quotes from coaches and players. Because they often focus on high school and small-college teams, straight-lede game stories tend to be fairly tightly written. Straight-lede game stories are still used for coverage of high school and some college sports. But theyre used less nowadays for pro sports. Why? Because pro sports are seen on TV and most fans of a particular team know the score of a game long before they read about it. The Feature-Lede Game Story Feature-lede game stories are common for pro sports. Readers usually already know the score of pro games as soon as theyre done, so when they pick up a sports section they want stories that offer a different angle on what happened and why. Heres an example of a game story feature lede: It had rained all that day in the city of brotherly love, so when the Philadelphia Eagles took the field the ground was already a soggy mess- much like the game that would follow. So it was somehow fitting that the Eagles would lose 31-7 to the Dallas Cowboys in a contest that was one of the worst of quarterback Donovan McNabbs career. McNabb threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball three times. The story starts out with some description and doesnt get to the final score until the second paragraph. Again, thats fine: readers will already know the score. Its the writers job to give them something more. Delayed-lede game stories tend to be a bit more in-depth that straight-lede stories, and as a result are often longer. Profiles The sports world is full of colorful characters, so its no surprise that personality profiles are a staple of sportswriting. Whether its a charismatic coach or a young athlete on the rise, some of the best profiles anywhere are found in sports sections. Heres an example of a profile lede: Norman Dale surveys the court as his players practice layups. A pained look crosses the face of the coach of the McKinley High School basketball team as one player after another misses the basket. Again! he shouts. Again! You dont stop! You dont quit! You work till you get it right! And so they continue until they start to get it right. Coach Dale wouldnt have it any other way. Season Preview and Wrap-Up Stories Season previews and wrap-ups are fixtures of the sportswriters repertoire. These are done any time a team and a coach are preparing for the coming season, or when the season has just ended, either in glory or infamy. Obviously, the focus here isnt a specific game or even individual, but a broad look at the season- how the coach and players expect things to go, or how they feel once that season is done. Heres an example of a lede for this kind of story: Coach Jenna Johnson has high hopes for the Pennwood High School womens basketball team this year. After all, the Lions were city champions last year, led by the play of Juanita Ramirez, who returns to the team this year as a senior. We expect great things from her, Coach Johnson says. Columns A column is where the sportswriter gets to vent his or her opinions, and the best sports columnists do just that, fearlessly. Often that means being very tough on coaches, players or teams who dont meet expectations, particularly at the pro level, where all concerned are being paid huge salaries to do just one thing- win. But sports columnists also focus on those they admire, whether its an inspirational coach who leads a team of underdogs to a great season, or a mostly unheralded player who may be short on natural talent but makes up for it with hard work and unselfish play. Heres an example of how a sports column might begin: Lamont Wilson certainly isnt the tallest player on the McKinley High School basketball team. At 5-foot-9, hes hard to spot in the sea of mid 6-footers on the court. But Wilson is the model of an unselfish team player, the kind of athlete who makes those around him shine. I just do whatever I can to help the team, the ever-modest Wilson says.

Exectutive Coaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exectutive Coaching - Essay Example And Terry Larsen wants to turn the bully nature style of management environment into caring and more open cooperate culture which is made up of mutual trust, teamwork, spirit and respect. In the time of Yvette Hyater-Adams and Terry Larsen, they both aimed on these issues and arranged and conducted workshops and training conferences related to diverse cultural, gender discrimination and diversity. The main issues which CoreStates was going through were also the same. There were these inside politics which were eating the environment of organization like termite. So the main issues which a company was going through were culture issues, lack of respect, openness towards diversity, mutual learning, lack of teamwork and trust. Hyater Adams and Terry Larsen though both were from different background believed in same vision and wanted to bring discipline and mentor the people of organization. So they aimed to improve the cultural relation of workers in Corestate. OCCURANCE OF ISSUES: When Hyater Adams joined the Corestate, she being a black woman has always faced hard difficulties. She wanted to apply her broad vision of culture and diversity to the people of Corestate. Being a vice president she had a position to bring and apply her vision which was not an idea leading to personal betterment but to the organization. Tarry Larsen and Hyater Adams

Addressing Child Poverty in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Addressing Child Poverty in the UK - Essay Example This limiting of considerations and change in social policies is not simply a development in UK’s guiding principles toward families and children within its frontier, but is applied to promote a specific political objective across the globe. The child poverty program of Labour is driven by the broadening of inequality and increase in social exclusion in the UK throughout the past two decades and specifically the worsening in the conditions of UK children in comparison to other vulnerable groups. This has shown that the main social objective of the government of the UK has increasingly turned into addressing child poverty. The UK government is viewing and treating poverty not only as a symptom of socioeconomic disparity, but as a force producing resource deficit and hampering the educational achievement and growth of children. Social policy refers to the study of the structure and provision of public services, security, and welfare within countries. Its emphasis is on the means in which various countries interpret and address the demands and needs of their citizens (Micklewright & Stewart 2000, 89). Basically, social policy is an applied discourse which tackles the provision and organisation of resources for the fulfilment of social needs. This paper will analyse and discuss the development of UK government’s social policy since 1997, particularly in relation to child poverty, along with two other related policy areas, namely, child abuse and low educational attainment. There have been substantial disparities in child poverty between countries over the past two decades. In some societies, particularly the UK, the extent of child poverty broadened significantly, whereas in other European countries it did not (Hills 1998, 8). Rather, different types of welfare state safeguarded revenue and expenses flowing to children. This refers to the mutual connection between children’s citizenship or political representation and their cultural and social representation. This demands both reassessing the segregation and exclusion of children from the society and re-evaluating the commonplace but negative stereotypes of children that govern political discourse (Dobrowolsky 2002, 45). Nevertheless, there is a vital link between children’s influence in policymaking and political discussion and the culturally and socially constructed paradigms in which children are viewed. Moreover, several studies have emphasised the connection between child poverty and a number of forms of child abuse, particularly physical and emotional maltreatment, and neglect (Devaney & Spratt 2009, 2). There is no major research that explicitly studied the nature of the connection between child poverty and child abuse in the UK, yet the widespread assumption focuses on the stress variables related with social exclusion and poverty, which are aggravated if mental health problems and substance abuse come about (Devaney & Spratt 2009, 2). Hence, in order to su ccessfully support and protect vulnerable families and children, there should be more understanding and knowledge of the effects of material and social deprivation, and the various kinds of difficulties that families and children are confronting have to be acknowledged if their demands and needs are to be successfully addressed. Furthermore, aside from child abuse, child poverty in the UK is now being felt in the education sector. For instance, there are empirical reports of behavioural and psychological disparities by socioeconomic standing, in at least 2-year-old children (MacBeath, Gray, Cullen, et al. 2006, 82). Alongside supporting the growth and development of

CHIRAL CHROMATOGRAPY Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CHIRAL CHROMATOGRAPY - Research Paper Example The therapeutic efficacy and safety of an enantiomer is significant in its applications (Sekhon, 1584). The discovery that the S-isomer of thalidomide (R isomer is administered to women to combat morning sickness) resulted in fetal malformations is one example for the need for acquisition of enantiopure compounds. The problem with enantiomers can be a difficulty in separating them into enantiopure compounds (Li and Donald, 450). The purpose of this paper is to discuss chiral chromatography in the separation of enantiomers. The ideal but nonpractical way to obtain enantiopure substances involves enantioselective syntheses processes which could be expensive if not complicated (.Zhang et al., 1). However, there is limited control on which chiral compound is obtained, and this frequently results in racemic mixtures that will necessitate the use of separation techniques. The separation of enantiomers is not a unique process. Gas chromatography (GC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), thin layer chromatography, and supercritical fluid chromatography have been developed for chiral separations (Davankov, 1470; Cretu et al., 317). Capillary zone electrophoresis, capillary gel electrophoresis, electrokinetic chromatography and capillary electro chromatography are potential alternatives to chromatographic techniques. Novel methods of chiral separation such as the indirect enantiomeric resolution separation technique involve the conversion of enantiomers with a chiral reagent into diastereomers that a re easily separated (Davankov, 1470). Chiral chromatography has gained prominence as a method in the physical separation of enantiomers and has had significant adaptations. It involves the purification of enantiomer compounds by use of a chiral stationary phase (CSP). Chiral recognition is dependent on the interaction of the selector and the selected. These interactions are expected to be stereo selective leading to the formation of

Born Blue by Han Nolan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Born Blue by Han Nolan - Essay Example They have access to health care, educational opportunities and decent food and lodgings. The poor are not so lucky. If you are born into poverty you are likely to have to fight for your right to have a roof over your head and food to eat. Healthcare is a joke and many of the schools in the poor districts have become urban ghettos where drive by shootings, muggings and fear rule the playground. Is this a bleak prediction for the future of America? Are things just going to get worse? Not necessarily. The problem is that the initiatives that are put in place by the government to help the poor in terms of affordable housing, access to health care and a decent education are aimed at the masses; when in fact it is on an individual level that things have to change. The baby born into the slums needs to be encouraged that they can better themselves. They need to be encouraged to dream and dream big. Because although the opportunities to succeed are a lot more hidden than they used to be, they are still there. "The whole time I lived with Patsy and Pete and Harmon and the babies that come an go, I loved Harmon and the ladies most, and almost everyday I lived there, which lasted almost three years, wed go to the basement and listen to the ladies sing. But Harmon didnt dance and I didnt sing. We was too scared to get the strap. Wed lay on the sour rug and dream we was singin and dancin, and I had me a stack of bread on a plate by my side for when I got so hungry I thought I would die". (Janie, aged 6, p. 6, Kindle edition) Dreaming – it is the one thing in life that is free. When Janie was little and living in the foster home she met up with her only friend, Harmon, who had old cassette tapes of some of the old time singers – Aretha Franklin and women like that. Janie and Harmon used to listen to the tapes to help them escape their reality – little food, harsh caregivers, neglect and drugged up parents. The problem is that

Infrastructure in cities of Saudi Arabia, Research Proposal

Infrastructure in cities of Saudi Arabia, - Research Proposal Example Estimate the time and cost required to enforce the strategy thus identified. Literature Review: Resilience is defined as a system’s ability to maintain its function while absorbing shocks (McDaniel et al, 2008, p. 310). Functionality of the systems of infrastructure including electric power, transportation networks and sewage system means a lot to the urban society (Chang , 2009a, p. 1). The present condition of infrastructure across the world is such that 20 per cent of the present population of the world does not have clean water (Kinver, 2006 cited in Milman and Short, 2008, p. 760). Damage to infrastructure causes great losses to the region. In 1994, the Northridge highway that was damaged by earthquake caused a net loss of regional business worth $ 1.5 billion (Chang, 2009c). For long, it has been tried to design the infrastructure that could resist extreme forces. But since a couple of decades, engineers have started to make the systems of urban infrastructure resilient to natural disasters (NIST, 2008 cited in Chang, 2009b, p. 36). For natural hazards of extreme severity, it becomes extremely difficult for the structures to resist, though with correct design, resistance of the structures can be significantly increased (Minor, 2000, p. 5).

Born Blue by Han Nolan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Born Blue by Han Nolan - Essay Example They have access to health care, educational opportunities and decent food and lodgings. The poor are not so lucky. If you are born into poverty you are likely to have to fight for your right to have a roof over your head and food to eat. Healthcare is a joke and many of the schools in the poor districts have become urban ghettos where drive by shootings, muggings and fear rule the playground. Is this a bleak prediction for the future of America? Are things just going to get worse? Not necessarily. The problem is that the initiatives that are put in place by the government to help the poor in terms of affordable housing, access to health care and a decent education are aimed at the masses; when in fact it is on an individual level that things have to change. The baby born into the slums needs to be encouraged that they can better themselves. They need to be encouraged to dream and dream big. Because although the opportunities to succeed are a lot more hidden than they used to be, they are still there. "The whole time I lived with Patsy and Pete and Harmon and the babies that come an go, I loved Harmon and the ladies most, and almost everyday I lived there, which lasted almost three years, wed go to the basement and listen to the ladies sing. But Harmon didnt dance and I didnt sing. We was too scared to get the strap. Wed lay on the sour rug and dream we was singin and dancin, and I had me a stack of bread on a plate by my side for when I got so hungry I thought I would die". (Janie, aged 6, p. 6, Kindle edition) Dreaming – it is the one thing in life that is free. When Janie was little and living in the foster home she met up with her only friend, Harmon, who had old cassette tapes of some of the old time singers – Aretha Franklin and women like that. Janie and Harmon used to listen to the tapes to help them escape their reality – little food, harsh caregivers, neglect and drugged up parents. The problem is that

Women fce greter chllenges thn men in their ttempts to climb to the Essay

Women fce greter chllenges thn men in their ttempts to climb to the top of the corporte ldder - Essay Example More recently, however, there hs been n influx of women into non-trditionl, higher sttus occuptions, nd it ppers tht trditionl ptterns of occuptionl segregtion my be slowly chnging. It is considered, tht women fce greter chllenge thn men in their ttempts to climb top of the corporte ldder. This suggestion hs been mde due to historicl chnges tht took plce in the distribution of gender workforce nd will be discussed lter in this pper. lthough women nd men hve lwys engged in purposeful ctivity, the set of ctivities tht mny people consider work or employment is not lwys cler. Historiclly, men nd women worked side by side together in the fields. Tody, however, distinction is mde between pid, public work externl to the fmily nd unpid, privte work in the home. Ech of these spheres of work hs come to be sex-typed, with pid work being viewed by mny s the domin of mles nd unpid work in the home the domin of femles. These perceptions re chnging but re still deep-seted in mny respects. Historiclly, men nd women hve hd very different experiences of work. Men hve either secured goods or worked externl to the fmily unit, wheres women often hve worked more integrlly s prt of tht unit. Beginning with industriliztion nd continuing to the workplce tody, men's nd women's experiences of work hve vried significntly, lrgely due to the continuing sex segregtion of occuptions. However, with the onset of two world wrs, both Blck nd White women stedily incresed their numbers in the externl, pid workforce. During the 1990s, the mjority of both men nd women, Blck nd White, were employed outside of the fmily unit. The reltions between men nd women - sometimes chrcterised s "wr" - hve since been trnsformed. In the City of London tody, for exmple, some highly pid expectnt mothers ttempt to time their bonus pyments so tht they fll within the reference period used to clculte mternity py entitlements. If they mnge to win bonus between 18 nd 26 weeks before their expected birth dte, they cn receive mternity py mounting to much more thn they ern normlly - nd with the pprovl of the Inlnd Revenue. How much of this chnge is due to the lw, nd how much would hve hppened nywy becuse of economic nd lbour mrket pressures It is, s lwys, difficult to sy. Yet most commenttors rgue the SD hs hd significnt impct on British working culture. "Tody, it is unusul for women to be discriminted ginst directly becuse they re women, which is wht used to hppen," sys Michel Rubenstein, the founder of Equl Opportunities Review, specilist journl. "The discrimintion tht tkes plce now is mostly round women's fmily roles nd resentment of the disruption it cuses." (Overell, 2006). Jmes Cox, n employment prtner t shurst, n interntionl lw firm, sys: "The City [of London] is the lst bstion of old-style employment prctices, where the focus is on working hrd nd ceding your life to your employer nd clients. "But in the lst few yers it hs been hit relly hrd by women tking [employers to] tribunls nd sometimes wlking wy with multimillion-pound compenstion pyments. It is those cses of the lte 1990s, directly due to the SD, tht hve forced the City to chnge its wys." (Overell, 2006). It is only in very recent yers tht there hs been notble rise in the number of people (mostly women) using sex equlity lw to chllenge employers. In 1998-99, 6,200 women took their employers to tribunl; by 2003-4 the figure hd risen to 17,000 people

Obesity in America Essay Example for Free

Obesity in America Essay Did you know that between 1980 and the year 2000, the obesity rates had doubled among adults in America ? About 30% of the adult population in America is suffering from obesity . Since 1980 , overweight rates have doubled among children and adults . Most people still do not practice healthy behaviors that can prevent obesity because they are lazy. More than 50% of American adults do not get the recommended amount of physical activity to provide health benefits . More than a third of young people in grades nine twelve do not regularly engage in vigorous physical activity . If more people in America would get out and do physical activities then this could reduce the amount of obese people and they could live happier and healthier . If people do not eat healthy and lack physical activity , then they may get diabetes and become obese . One cause of people in America becoming obese is because they do not eat healthy . If they would eat healthy then they would not have such high cholesterol and they would live a little longer . People should start eating more healthy foods such as fruits , vegetables , and non-artificial foods . These foods can be purchased at the local grocery store , gas station , and even at food market . These foods are normally cheaper than the other fatty foods and fast food restaurants , such as McDonald’s , Burger King , and artificial foods that contain grease . Fast food restaurants are one of the main causes of obesity because people love it and are addicted to it . People can get addicted to these restaurants very easy because it is quick , easy , taste good , and they do not have to do dishes . What these people don’t realize is what this food is doing to their bodies until they take a look at a scale and see that they have put on a massive amount of wait due to all the calories they have taken in . While these products might look appealing and tasty , they contain a wealth of hidden health hazards which are not only dangerous if eaten in large quantities but are a major cause of obesity , especially in children . For example , Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by Morgan Spurlock . Spurlock’s film follows a 30 day period from February 1 to March 2 , 2003 during which he eats only McDonald’s food . The film documents this lifestyle’s drastic effect on Spulock’s physical and psychological well being , and explores the fast food industry’s corporate influence , including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit . Spurlock dined at McDonald’s restaurants three times per day , eating every item on the chain’s menu . Spulock consumed an average of 9 Big Macs per day during the experiment . As a result , the 32 year old man gained 24  ½ lbs , and a cholesterol level of 230 . He experienced mood swings , sexual dysfunction , and fat accumulation in his liver . It took Spulock fourteen months to lose the weight gained from his experiment using a vegan diet supervised by his future wife , a chef who specializes in gourmet vegan dishes . The reason for Spulock’s investigation was the increasing spread of obesity throughout U . S society , which the Surgeon General has declared â€Å"epidemic† and the corresponding lawsuit brought against McDonald’s , it was alleged , became obese as a result of eating McDonald’s food Spurlock points out that although the lawsuit against McDonald’s failed . Subsequently many state legislatures have legislated against product liability actions against producers and distributors of â€Å"fast food †. Much of the same criticism leveled against tobacco companies applies to fast food franchises whose product is both physiologically addictive and physical harmful . Eating fast food can be very harmful to the human body . Fast food is a horrible choice to go and can be extremely dangerous if you don’t watch what , and how much you eat . Another cause of obesity can lack of physical exercise . Not exercising can be a reason why people put on weight because they do not burn any of the fat that they gain . People are so lazy now days and are addicted to electronics such as televison , video games , radio , computers , and etc . These electronics are killing Americans slowly because they forget all about going outdoors and doing something physical . Since the year 2000 , they have developed so much electronics and robots for our society that we do not have to do any work which leads us to laziness . Both diet and physical activity play a critical role in controlling your weight . You gain weight with the calories you burn , including those burned during physical activity, less than calories you eat or drink . When it comes to weight management , people vary greatly in how much physical activity they need . You may need to be more active than others to achieve or maintain a healthy weight . Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health . For example , you don’t have to spend much time with teenagers to know that the average adolescent would rather devote an afternoon to sitting in front of the tv , computes , or video games console than working out . In recent years , as physical education classes have been progressively cut from cash strapped public school curriculums , teens have had even more time to lounge , slouch , hangout , or do anything but break a sweat . In simple terms , body weight is a reflection of the balance between two variables : the calories a body takes in and the calories it burn off . As fa as the average U . S teen is concerned , the study suggests , the culprit behind weight gain is not decease in exercise but an increase consumption . Of course , that doesn’t mean teens are getting adequate exercise . Analyzed data from nearly 16,000 high school students between ages of fifteen and eighteen , who took part in the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention ‘s longitudinal Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey , about their physical . He and his team found that in 2007 , only 34.7% of teens met federal physical activity recommendations , which call for activity strenuous enough to cause heavy breathing for a total of an hour a day for five or more days a week . An effect of eating fast food and lack of physical activities is getting diabetes . Diabetes is a disease where your treatment plan may need to be adjusted over time . For people with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is uncontrolled , adding insulin replaces what your body isn’t adequately making to help control blood sugar . Regardless of how you feel about your diabetes , its important to get your blood sugar under good control . Along with a program of diet , exercise and other diabetes medicine . Insulin may help you improve you blood sugar control . There are two types of this disease , type one and type two , which is also called onset diabetes . The first type , type one diabetes , cant be prevented because people who have this type are born with a compromised pancreas . These people have to rely on insulin injections throughout their life to maintain reasonably favorable health . People with type two diabetes develop this condition over time and have to rely on oral medication and in some cases insulin injections . People with adult onset diabetes were born with a healthy pancreas but they were either born with a susceptibility to the disease o other factors played a role in the development of the problem. The primary reason why people with a healthy pancreas develop this disease is poor diet , being overweight and sedentary lifestyle . These are all factors a person can control and limit his or her chance of developing this condition . The main reason people develop type two diabetes is because they become overweight . People who do not exercise and lead sedentary lifestyle are prone to developing type two . There is some evidence that adult onset type can be reversed , or at least controlled . Another effect of not eating healthy and lack of physical activity is becoming obese . Becoming obese is not a very good thing because there are many types of dangerous things that can happen any given moment . People that become obese also miss out on a lot of events and fun activities . They are limited of what they can do because they are so overweight that they cant move fast , they need help getting things and showering . They also may no longer eat certain foods anymore because it contains too much sugar . People should watch their weight and what they eat before they become overweight and have to live this way and trust me this is not the way to live . Just ask 43 year old , Shannon Cooper . Shannon Cooper had been living a normal life with her children of three . She had been so lazy and didn’t want to do anything because she had forced her three children to do all the chores around the house . Well 3 years later Shannon had to pay the price for all this because little did she know , she had a low metabolism and put on an enormous amount of weight . She had been eating McDonald’s almost every day and didn’t find anything wrong with eating all this fast food . All the food had went straight to her body and she is now bed bound and can’t shower own her own , get up and move around , or even use the restroom by herself . She now has her three kids feeding her , bathing her , and she has to urinate into a plastic bag mounted on the side of her heavy duty bed . Reporters say that Shannon will never live the same life as she had before unless she has liposuction done and that is something she cant afford . She is also unemployed because her leg structure cant support all of her massive weight she has gained to get up and maneuver around . Reporters asked her if she could go back three years , would she do it all over again and she said no . Shannon says it’s not worth all of the stress and embarrassment to her and her children . This story is hash so it should change anybody’s mind about their diet and what they eat . People may get diabetes and become obese if they do not get enough exercise or physical activity . People in America should watch what they eat if they do not want to end up like some of these people and be bed bound for possibly the rest of their lives . They do not only hurt themselves by doing this to their body , but they hurt their loved ones and the people around them , because they cant spend time with t hey family and friends . They are always worried that maybe you will seriously injure yourself someday or possibly loose you by death . If our society really care about the people around them then they will not only help themselves watch their health , but they would help other people on their diet and persuade them to get more exercise in by running or going to the gym . It is amazing by how the slightest things can change a person life by taking a little walk around the block once a day or even once a week . Just always remember that exercise and a little more vegetables or fruit can change ones life for them and others around them . Work Cited 1) http:/www./imdb.com/title/tt0390521 2)http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/activity.htm 3)http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/overview.html 4)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/obesity_in_america 5)http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/dimtext/kin/people/heavie.htm

Analysis Of Using Podded Propulsors

Analysis Of Using Podded Propulsors Over the past few decades the concept of podded propulsion in merchant ships has gained significant acceptance in the merchant marine industry. Mostly due to the fact that podded propulsion systems offer several advantages in contrast to the conventional, shaft drive arrangement systems. The benefits we will refer to are mostly maneuverability, lower noise generation and more available space for cargo in merchant vessels. However before discussing the advantages and disadvantages of a podded propulsion system we must first explain what is meant by podded propulsion by briefly analyzing its mechanical components and how they interact with the vessels water resistance and thrust efficiency. Nonetheless in order to fully realize the benefits provided by a podded propulsion system, we also need to briefly examine several aspects of conventional propulsion systems such as conventional single and double screw propulsion systems, systems using fixed pitch propellers, contra-rotating propell ers, overlapping propellers and controllable pitch propellers which are most commonly used today in the propulsion of merchant and navy vessels. Podded Propulsion Systems A podded propulsion system refers to a gondola shaped pod located at the stern of the vessel mounted on a leg which is capable of rotating in a 360 degrees angle. Inside the pod there is an electrical motor capable of producing thrust by using a fixed-pitch propeller. The entire system is azimuth since there is no need for a rudder or any other steering arrangements (Appendix 1,2). This type of propulsion system was created in the late 1980s by the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in cooperation with the ABB Stromberg Drives and the Finnish Maritime Administration. The first podded propulsion system was mounted onboard icebreakers such as the 16.000dwt M/T Uikku and M/T Lunni tankers. These type of vessels used the podded propulsion system in order to navigate through the North-East Passage in extremely harsh conditions by moving backwards with the propeller first, thus breaking the ice with a considerably higher efficiency than before. Today there are several types of podded propulsion systems available, some of the most commonly used are the Mermaid unit (Appendix 3) constructed by Kamewa and Cegelec, the Dolphin unit (Appendix 4) which was produced by John Crane Lips as well as STN and the SSP Thruster (Appendix 5) which is a product of Siemens and Schottel companies. The Mermaid unit uses a low emissions gas turbine in order to power the propeller which acts as a tractor unit located in front of the pod, this type of propulsion configuration allows an optimum undisturbed water inflow to the propeller thus increasing propulsion efficiency and decreasing vibration and noise. The Dolphin unit operates by integrating a powerful electric drive into a hydro-dynamically optimized pod below the stern of the vessel resulting in a directly driven propeller. The pod is capable of rotating 360 degrees thus ensuring maximum maneuverability while the power of this unit ranges from 3 MW to more than 19 MW, thus this type of pr opulsion configuration is suitable for a wide variety of commercial merchant vessels. The SSP Thruster uses two twin propellers one in front of the unit and one in the stern, rotating in the same direction powered by a permanent magnet motor. The propeller located at the stern of the pod uses the rotational energy produced in order to provide thrust by using a pair of hydrofoil fins angled away from the pod thus increasing efficiency of the unit while allowing the same maneuverability as the other pod units since the whole system is capable of rotating in a 360 degrees angle. Conventional Propulsion Systems Since the beginning of the development of merchant vessels, for the transportation of different types of products the propulsion systems created played a significant roll in the advancement of the maritime industry. Over the past two centuries many propulsion designs were created in order to further improve the speed, fuel consumption and efficiency of merchant and navy vessels. Today the most conventional design propulsion systems for merchant vessels consist from a shaft, which directly drives different types of propellers while it is connected to a gearbox. Power is generated mostly from a high torque diesel engine while a rudder usually located in front of the propeller at the stern of the vessel provides the steering. Research has shown that the use of different types of propellers can produce different results depending on the type of the vessel they are used. Fixed pitch propellers (Appendix 6) created the basis of propeller production in either its mono-block or build-up form. Mono-block propellers are most commonly used today while they cover a broad spectrum of design types and sizes. They can range from those weighing only a few kilograms to those, which can weight around 130 tonnes. Their designs can vary since the blade number of the propeller can be anywhere between two and seven blades. These kinds of propellers are used to provide propulsion for container vessel, bulk carriers and even high-speed patrol crafts. They offer several advantages in order to solve a variety of propulsion problems such as cavitation effects and excessive noise regeneration. In contrast to the fixed pitch propellers the controllable pitch propellers provide an extra degree of freedom since they can change the blade pitch. Even thought this type of propulsion system configuration is sensitive to cavitation problems it can provide significant advantages of maneuverability since fine thrust control can be achieved without the need to accelerate the propulsion machinery. Controllable pitch propellers are mostly used in passenger ships, ferries and general cargo vessels, which require frequent berthing maneuvers. Furthermore to the propulsion configurations we discuss above the use of contra rotating propellers (Appendix 7) can provide several advantages to the merchant marine industry. Contra rotating propellers compromise two coaxial propellers sited one behind the other while they rotate in the opposite direction. The contra rotating propulsion system provides the hydrodynamic advantage of recovering a part of the slipstream rotational energy, which would otherwise be lost. Additionally contra rotating propellers are able to balance the torque reaction from the propulsor. This kind of propulsion configuration is most commonly used in small high-speed outboard units while the use of this kind of propulsion system is not efficient for large merchant vessels since large vessels equip a large shaft line. Finally the last conventional propulsion system we will discuss involves the use of overlapping propellers (Appendix 8). This system uses again two propellers although in this case the propellers are not mounted coaxially but are each located on separate shaft line systems with the distance between the shaft centerlines being less than the diameters of the propellers. The advantage gained from this type of configurations is to increase propulsion efficiency by achieving as mush benefit as possible from the low-velocity portion of the wake field. Despite the fact of improved propulsion efficiency this kind of configuration may increase the levels of fluctuating thrust and torque thus more research and development must be done before it can be used on large merchant vessels. Advantages and Disadvantages of using Podded Propulsion Since we have briefly examined the mechanical characteristics behind podded propulsion and conventional propulsion systems it is time to discuss several advantages and disadvantages of using podded propulsion in the operations of merchant vessels. As yet, studies have not shown whether pods are more efficient than conventional shaft lines. There has been much research on the subject, but most studies have been aimed at a specific aspect of pod performance instead of an overall efficiency review. Several advantages have been attributed to pod propulsion systems, such as: reduced emissions, lower noise and vibration levels, improved steering maneuvering, and braking capabilities. The reduced number of component parts also allows for more flexibility in arranging system machinery, more efficient construction and improved shipyard logistics. On the opposite end of the argument, pods require a greater capital investment, have a 30MW power limitation (per screw), and have been known to suffer losses in power due to the electric propulsion. Specifically by using podded propulsion merchant vessels gain a significant advantage due to the fact that they can achieve an increased space capacity in order to fit more cargo mainly because the engine can be allocated more freely thus decreasing the size of the engine room. This advantage plays a crucial role for todays shipping companies, which depend mainly in increasing their deadweight tonnage in order to reduce their costs by achieving economies of scale. Moreover another crucial advantage of using podded propulsion seems to be the environmental benefits realized not only from reduced gas emissions but also due to the decreased fuel consumption thought good hydrodynamic efficiency. Since fuel consumption is a significant factor when calculating the vessels costs, it is of high importance that the vessel is capable of covering great distances at competitive speeds with as less fuel as possible. Even though today most berthing terminals and major ports invest in increasing the size of their facilities in order to accommodate the larger merchant vessels, maneuverability plays an important role in order to avoid delays and unnecessary costs due to the use of tug assistance. Research has shown that using podded propulsion can significantly increase the maneuverability of even the largest vessels, since the pod is able to rotate in a 360 degrees angle and thus provide thrust in every direction. Despite the advantages we mention above podded propulsion suffers from several disadvantages. The most crucial disadvantage seems to be that the capital costs associated with the production and use of pods, are a lot higher than the capital costs associated with the use of conventional propulsion configuration. This is one of the main reasons most merchant vessels are not equipped with podded propulsion. Furthermore another important disadvantage seems to be associated with the power production of podded propulsors. Due to the fact that pods have a 30MW power limitation and they depend on electric propulsion, sufficient speed may not be achieved while power losses due to the electric propulsion may be experienced. Finally it is not easy to realistically judge the suitability of pod propulsion for different ship types based on these advantages, disadvantages and limitations. However if we examine more closely reports based on the efficiency of podded propulsion we can derive that pods would be more efficient, fitted in cruise and liner vessels using twin screw configurations and even some small bulk carriers and general cargo vessels, while on the other hand they would not be suitable for large container vessels and tankers which require high power outputs. Conclusion In this essay we provided the reader with a comprehensive analysis of podded propulsion systems as well as conventional propulsion configurations. We examined several benefits created from the use of both types of propulsion systems, while we furthered analyzed the podded propulsion configuration by also providing several disadvantages experienced in merchant vessels, in order to conclude whether or not podded propulsion systems will be well suited in the operations of todays merchant ships. Finally reports has shown that even thought there is still a lot of research and development to be done on podded propulsion systems their use on merchant vessels would be more extensive in the future. Appendix Appendix 1 Source: Azipod ® XO The new generation Azipod ® takes podded propulsion to a new level www05.abb.com/global/scot/scot293.nsf//azipod%20xo_2010.pdf Appendix 2 Source: Electrical systems in pod propulsion, Master of Science Thesis of Electric Power Engineering, Lena Bergh Ulrika Helldà ©n,Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Electric Power Engineering, CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Gà ¶teborg, Sweden, 2007 Appendix 3 Source: Electrical systems in pod propulsion, Master of Science Thesis of Electric Power Engineering, Lena Bergh Ulrika Helldà ©n,Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Electric Power Engineering, CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Gà ¶teborg, Sweden, 2007 Appendix 4 Source: Podded propulsion drive for cruise liner Seven Seas Voyager www.sam-electronics.de/dateien/pad/broschueren/1.083.pdf Appendix 5 Source: Electrical systems in pod propulsion, Master of Science Thesis of Electric Power Engineering, Lena Bergh Ulrika Helldà ©n,Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Electric Power Engineering, CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Gà ¶teborg, Sweden, 2007 Appendix 6 Source: Marine Propellers and Propulsion, John Carlton, second edition 2007, Published by Elsevier Ltd Appendix 7 Source: Marine Propellers and Propulsion, John Carlton, second edition 2007, Published by Elsevier Ltd Appendix 8 Source: Marine Propellers and Propulsion, John Carlton, second edition 2007, Published by Elsevier Ltd

The Mexican War :: Texas Revolution Papers

Beginning in 1845 and ending in 1850 a series of events took place that would come to be known as the Mexican war and the Texas Revolution. This paper will give an overview on not only the events that occurred (battles, treaties, negotiations, ect.) But also the politics and reasoning behind it all. This was a war that involved America and Mexico fighting over Texas. That was the base for the entire ordeal. This series of events contained some of the most dramatic war strategy that has ever been implemented. What Caused This War? In 1845 the U.S attempted to Annex Texas. Basically America wanted Texas to become one of the states rather then and independent nation by itself. At this time Texas was an independent nation that was not a part of America or Mexico. Mexico wanted to keep Texas neutral if not a part of its own country. When the U.S attempted to annex Texas Mexico became outraged, " In November 1843 Mexico had warned that if the United States should commit the 'unheard-of aggression' of seizing an integral part of 'Mexican territory' Mexico would declare war " (Bound for the Rio Grande, 62). Despite the warning the U.S attempted to annex Texas. In doing so Mexico retaliated by breaking off all diplomatic relations with the U.S. Mexico felt that the U.S was insulting them by not taking them seriously when they threatened with war. So at this point America showed a very large interest in possessing Texas. America was very close to actually acquiring Texas when they made their first mistake in the war. The U.S requested the also be given the Rio Grande. The Rio Grande was south of Texas and clearly belonged to Mexico (refer to figure 1). The U.S felt that the Rio Grande was part of Texas and should be given to the U.S with Texas. Mexico would not give up the Rio Grande because they were certain that the Rio Grande belonged to them. America's greed is THE major reason this conflict occurred. The U.S also believed the Mexico should have to pay for any of the U.S's debts that were incurred during Mexico's conflicts with Spain. America was in debt 3 million dollars because of the Mexico and Spanish conflicts and America very strongly believed that these debts were Mexico's fault and they should have to pay for them.