International Law Essays (30173 words) - , Term Papers

International Law ILP WP 05/01 PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW ON THE USE OF FORCE BY STATES IN SELF- DEFENCE This publication contains: I Principles of International Law on Self-Defence II The list of participants III The responses to the Questionnaire Elizabeth Wilmshurst October 2005 Introduction The purpose of this study is to provide a clear statement of the rules of international law governing the use of force by states in self-defence. The rules are being challenged in the light of what are seen as new threats from terrorism and from the possession of weapons of mass destruction, and there has been controversy as to whether they need revision or redefinition. The study was prompted by various statements and actions by states, recent developments in the United Nations and by decisions of the International Court of Justice. In the resolution incorporating the Outcome of the World Summit in September 2005 the UN General Assembly affirmed that the relevant provisions of the UN Charter are sufficient to address the full range of threats to international peace and security, and has reaffirmed the authority of the Security Council to mandate coercive action to maintain and restore peace and security. But the resolution did not deal with the question as to when it is lawful for a state to use force in the exercise of its inherent right of self-defence. This study was undertaken because we believe that, in the light of current challenges, it is of importance to world order that there be clarity and understanding about the relevance and application of international law to the use of force by states. A questionnaire was sent to a small group of international law academics and practitioners and international relations scholars in this country, asking for their views on the criteria for the use of force in self- defence. At a meeting at Chatham House the participants discussed a paper which had been drawn up on the basis of the responses to the questionnaire. Following that meeting a set of Principles was prepared by the International Law Programme at Chatham House. They are put forward here with the intention of contributing to discussion and comment. Readers are encouraged to communicate any views and reactions. Depending upon the outcome of this stage of the study, further meetings may be held and the Principles further refined. While the Principles are intended to give a clear representation of the current principles and rules of international law, the law in this area is politically and legally contentious, and the interpretation of the Principles and their application to particular cases will rarely be without difficulty. The Principles do not necessarily represent the views of all the participants in the study. Comments are invited on the Principles. Any comments should be addressed to Iwona Newton at Chatham House ([emailprotected]). Participants Sir Franklin Berman QC is a barrister at Essex Court Chambers and Visiting Professor of International Law at the Universities of Oxford and Cape Town; formerly Legal Adviser at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Daniel Bethlehem QC is Director of the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law at the University of Cambridge, and barrister at 20 Essex Street, London. James Gow is Professor of International Peace and Security, and Co-Director of the International Peace and Security Programme, King's College London. Christopher Greenwood QC is Professor of International Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a barrister at Essex Court Chambers. Vaughan Lowe holds the chair of Chichele Professor of Public International Law, is a Fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford, and a barrister at Essex Court Chambers. Sir Adam Roberts holds the chair of Montague Burton Professor of International Relations and Fellow of Balliol College, University of Oxford. Philippe Sands QC is Professor of Law and Director of the Centre of International Courts and Tribunals at University College London, and is a barrister at Matrix Chambers. Malcolm Shaw QC is Sir Robert Jennings Professor of International Law at the University of Leicester, and is a barrister at Essex Court Chambers. Gerry Simpson is a Reader in the Department of Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Colin Warbrick is Professor of Law at the University of Durham. Nicholas Wheeler is Professor in the Department of International Politics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Elizabeth Wilmshurst is senior fellow, international law, at Chatham House. Sir Michael Wood is the Legal Adviser at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW ON SELF-DEFENCE The Charter of the United Nations prohibits the use of force against another state except where the Security Council has authorised the use of force to maintain or restore international

Felony Animal Cruelty Law essays

Felony Animal Cruelty Law essays Felony Animal Cruelty Law Animals everywhere are abused and sometimes killed by their owners and before Busters Law there wasnt much law enforcement officials could do about it, these animals can not fight for themselves or hire a lawyer to defend them in a court of law. Usually these animal abusers have either a history of violent behavior or are on their way to a violent criminal lifestyle towards humans. Animal abuse is often considered a gateway crime to more serious violent acts committed against humans. When a fly or other small insect lands on me in the summertime, I swat it away and sometimes kill it in its tracks, this isnt the type of abuse Busters Law deals with, Busters law deals with the intentional killing or serious injury of household pets. This law makes any crimes like this a felony, in hopes of protecting household pets from these violent individuals. When an 18 month old tabby cat was doused with kerosene and burned to death by a Schenectady teenager in 1997 it brought up major discussions about what should be done in these types of cases dealing with animal cruelty. Busters Law was named after this cat, Busters Law is also known as the Felony Animal Cruelty Law, this felony if brought on a person is punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Before this Law was put into action the punishment for such an act was a misdemeanor conviction and a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Governor George Pataki passed this specific law in June of1999. He signed this law live on a popular news segment of Channel 13 News WTEN, called Pet Connection. During the segment he informed viewers that this law would go into effect November 1st 1999. Pets are thought of as a member of the family to many US families, this is why this law needs to be respected. With so many people caring so much about their pets something n...

Microsoft Word How to Indent Text in a Document

Microsoft Word How to Indent Text in a Document Microsoft Word: How to Indent Text in a Document Formatting text in MS Word is both pleasingly simple and annoyingly complicated. Take text indentation, for example. The basics are very easy to grasp. But there are many extra options that you may miss if you’re not already a confident Microsoft Word user. To help out, then, we’ve prepared this complete guide on how to indent text in a document. The Tab Key One simple way to indent text is to place the cursor at the start of a paragraph and hit the tab key on your keyboard. In Microsoft Word, this adds a 0.5† (1.27cm) indent at the left margin. It also automatically formats the text so that subsequent paragraphs have a first-line indent. If all you want to do is begin each paragraph with a half-inch indent, this is fine. But for more control over text indentation in your document, read on. How to Indent Text You can find the basic indentation options in Microsoft Word on the main ribbon. This includes the Paragraph section of the Home tab, where you will find Increase Indent and Decrease Indent buttons. Indentation options. The Increase Indent button adds a 0.5† (1.27cm) indent at the left margin for the entire paragraph (not just the first line). The Decrease Indent button, meanwhile, does the exact opposite. Alternatively, go to Layout Paragraph on the ribbon and adjust the values in the left and right indent boxes as required. This has the added bonus of letting you indent text by a custom amount. Custom indentation. Special Indentations For even more control over the indentation in your document, you can open the main Paragraph menu. This can be accessed by going to Home Paragraph, clicking the Line and Paragraph Spacing button, and then selecting Line Spacing Options†¦ from the dropdown menu. Accessing the Paragraph menu. In the new window, you will find an Indentation section. The left and right indent options here work the same as in the Layout tab on the ribbon. Special indents. The other settings here can be used to add special indentations to your document. These include: First line – This option indents the first line of each paragraph to a custom value. Typically, this type of indent would be used as an alternative to paragraph spacing. Hanging – This will indent each line after the first in a paragraph. The most common use for this is to add a hanging indent in a reference list (e.g., as required in APA referencing). Mirror indents – Clicking this will change the left and right indent options to say Inside and Outside This will mean that indents are â€Å"mirrored† on odd and even pages, which helps ensure consistent formatting when printing something in a book format. To use any of these options, simply select the text you want to format with the cursor, open the paragraph menu, choose the type and size of indent you want to apply, and click OK to change the indentation for the selected text.

Descriptive questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Descriptive questions - Assignment Example Business Operations: Worldwide business operations are handled with the help of technology. IT has played a big role in managing backhand support; the LAN, WAN systems, and connectivity through websites is supported by IT teams in organizations. Management Information Systems (MIS), a system that is used by companies in order to manage their operations, deal with customers and store data is due to advancements in technology. The latest trends include storing the data on virtual cloud, and being able to retrieve and present with the help of DropBox, Skydrive etc., is a great development into IT industry (Slatman, 2013). Food Processes: In food industry, where technology has changed many ways of business operations, both input and output side. For input side, order procurement is an area where with the use of JIT (Just in Time) inventory systems, the storage costs are minimized. Moreover, with the use of bar codes, effective inventory management gives a change to businesses to analyse which items are slow movers and what are fast movers and how effective marketing must be used to create pull factors for such items. At processing stage, machines are being used to monitor the temperature, humidity and other factors. Use of automated machines is increased in order to increase efficiency and decrease the service time. McDonalds, a well-known food chain used a prototype of robots to handle the processes of fries and shakes (Pantelidis, 2009). Sociocultural Forces in IT: Information technology has largely impacted on sociocultural factors. With the use of internet and latest technologies, people share a set of different values: Cultural and Ethnic Identity: with regards to Information Technology, the previous cultural identity of people, that is they are recognized and affiliated with a particular cultural norms and values, seems to vanish. With increasingly virtual world, people seem to own and present their own individual identities. The trend is widespread in West, though the East is in process of adopting it and the pace is quick. With increasing number of internet users, mostly due to the growth in Asia and Middle East, the cultural identity is taking new shape. A mix of cultural and personal identities, the ethnic aspect is equally affected due to change in technology. It is evident in real world the size and pace of immigration taking place. However due to technology, in virtual world, the ethnic identity is obscured by factors such as individualism, personality, self-concept and the like. Question 2 (a) Direct Marketing, one of the oldest form of marketing has been used in different ways. Direct mail, email, promotional material in shape of broachers, leaflets, billboards as well as advertisement on TV are few forms where consumers are tried to inform, persuade and remind about the presence of a product or a service. Many a times it is surprising to see how purely website businesses use TV as a promotional media as opposed to online media (where the consumers are just a click away from website businesses). The presence of such strategy is an example that consumers are complex, hard to comprehend and many a times irrational. Therefore they must not be treated by simple forms of selling, rather with a well-thought strategy with

Human Organ Supply and Its Relation to the Social Stratification Research Paper

Human Organ Supply and Its Relation to the Social Stratification Theory - Research Paper Example Those who benefit are the rich who can afford to pay for the surgery and the cost of human organs. On the other hand, although some transplants were out of the donation coming from willing donors or were as a result of accidents which allow for the recovery of human organs from an accident victim to be transferred, there have been reports wherein the poor became the victims of this â€Å"transaction†. This is linked to the Social Stratification Theory. Those who have little in life become the victims, while those who are in the upper class or society look towards the poor for their source of human organs. How Sociologists Have Recognized Social Stratification People are identified, classified, perceived, and understood in a way that society has given corresponding positions for individuals, races, organizations or communities. The moment a person’s status in society is known, he or she is treated with actions or reactions that are known to be fit for the person. Accordi ng to Davis and Moore; Novick and Cullen Social stratification is a set of verifiable, interrelated thoughts, understanding, and behaviour among people whereby members of society consider positions or status and identify themselves in one of those categories. Davis and Moore were described by Novick, S. and Cullen, J. (1979, p. 1424) to have considered the differences as necessary for critical reasons. They proposed that inequality characterizes the groups or class wherein each person belongs or identifies him to be a part of. Furthermore, they believe that the maintenance of functions and positions is necessary in order to have stability. From the point of view of Davis, Kingsley and Moore, Wilbert (1970) difficult jobs must necessarily receive higher incentives in terms of higher compensation. The inequality is based on the fact that every individual has a different set of talents. Some talents are more valuable other talents, just as some functions have greater value in society t han the other functions. Because of scarcity and difference in value of some talents, rewards or compensation to acquire the people with valuable talents are greater while other talents are offered smaller rewards. According to Joseph Turek The book edited by Joseph Turek was entitled â€Å"Income Inequality and Social Stratification†. It gathered insights from various sectors (socio-economic, political, sociology, and philosophy) to clarify the variety of human differences which result in social stratification. As a result of differences in a person’s status in society, there is also a disparity in the income or compensation which leads to the formation of rich and poor. According to Wendy Bottero The book entitled â€Å"Stratification: Social Division & Inequality† is about â€Å"Who gets what.† It also describes the fact that the present time inequality gives some people better choices in life. â€Å"Money, power, or influence give those who possess t hem greater control over the external forces which affect us all, and open doors which might otherwise be closed.† (Bottero 2005, p. 3). The Demand & Critical Importance of Human Organ Donation A. Gap Between Supply and Demand The Economist (2008) reported that 7,000 Americans died due to absence of organs needed by patients. Out of 10 people who needed a kidney transplant, only one found a replacement kidney. There was a projected growth in the number of people who have to undergo dialysis and replacement of kidneys. 500,000 Americans in 2010 needed the transplant. In the UK, Nadey Hakim, an Ex-President of the International College of Surgeons, believed there was no other option for organ transplants because without it, the patient will die early although they can live longer if a replacement is made available for transplant. Kidneys are the most in

Causes for the french revolution Essay Example for Free

Causes for the french revolution Essay There were many causes for the French Revolution, which started in 1789. However there were three main causes that affected the decision to have a revolution the most which were the weak economy, a bad harvest, and King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. These were the main reasons that lead to the French Revolution because these events were the ones that affected France the most during 1789. The weak economy was one of the causes of the French Revolution because at that time France was in debt. France was in debt due to helping the colonist become independent from Britain in the American Revolution. For example, in The French Revolution Begins reading it states â€Å"And he borrowed heavily in order to help the American revolutionaries in their war against Great Britain, France’s chief rival. † This is one of the reasons that started the French Revolution because due to being in debt King Louis XVI’s solution was to raise the taxes on the nobles. This was surprised the 2nd estate which consist of the nobles because they paid the least taxes of the 3 estates. Due to this action the 2nd estate called a meeting called the Estates General. In these types of meetings each estate would usually only get one vote but due to the fact that it would be unfair to the 3rd estate. So for this reason every person who was at the Estates General would be granted a vote. The Estates General was to basically approve the new tax. This meeting then caused the National Assembly, which was what the third estate was now called. The third estate pledged a tennis court oath that stated that they wouldn’t leave until a new constitution was made. They drafted a new constitution, which now made France a constitutional monarchy. In conclusion, this is how being in depth was one of the reasons that started the French Revolution. Another cause for the French revolution was the bad harvest in the 1780’s. This was one of the causes for the French revolution because people could grow their food or grain, which is the ingredient to make bread. â€Å"The price of bread doubled in 1789, and many people faced starvation† (French Revolution Begins). In my opinion, I believe that this is one of the reasons to start the revolution because the people back then were poor. They were poor due to the reason that most of their money went to taxes so, if their money went to taxes and they barley had enough to pay for how much the bread used to be hoe are they expected to pay for bread when the price is doubled. I also believe that this is inequitable due to the fact that it isn’t their fault that there was bad weather I believe that the king was just trying to get money. Doubling the bread price made people not have enough money and many people died because of starvation. In conclusion, this is how a bad harvest was another one of the major causes to the French Revolution. The last main cause to the French Revolution had to do with King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. This I believe was the main reason for the French Revolution because the king and his wife were spending money on unnecessary things. For example â€Å"†¦she spent so much money on gowns, jewels, gambling, and gifts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (The French Revolution Begins). Based on this evidence we could see how the money was being misused and how the queen didn’t even care about the situation happening with the people. Another example showing how Antoinette was a bad queen was â€Å"One year she lost the equivalent of $1. 5 million gambling in card games† (The French Revolution Begins). This example shows us how the queen spent money and when it came to help people put they were in depth. An example of how King Louis XVI was being a bad king was â€Å"However he lacked the ability to make decisions† (The French Revolution). In my opinion I believe that this is how King Louis XVI was a cause to the French Revolution because this quote shows how he did not know what was right for the people and did not know how to deal with all of the things that were going on in France like people wanting a revolution. This was a good thing for France because they saw that the King could not make any good decisions so they saw that it was a good idea to overthrow the monarchy and become a limited monarchy. In conclusion there were many things that lead to the French Revolution but only 3 things were the main causes. The 3 main causes were the fact that the French were in depth due to the American Revolution. The fact that there was a bad harvest in the 1780’s. Lastly the fact that King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette were spending money in a useless way and that they were making bad decisions.

Creating Text Essay -- Writing Technology Technological Papers

Creating Text The process of creating â€Å"text† without using technology appeared to be a simple task that would allow the students to be a creator of his or her unique technology free masterpiece. I just had to come up with a creative, natural way to write text instead of using modern technologies that society takes for granted. How hard and restrictive could this assignment be? I soon found out everything would not go exactly as planned. It took me two attempts and failures before I finally achieved some level of success. My first idea came to me while I was getting ready one morning. Why not use hair to create text! It is a natural part of the human body that is constantly growing, natural and indispensable. I could have taken hair, looped and knotted several clumps together to make letters and then placed those letters to spell out text on any surface. The hair would be portable but undoing the formed letters to create newly formed letters would have been time consuming and difficult. I have several friends who cut hair for a living and I could have easily had them give me hair they cut from their customers. I also attempted to ask my sister for her hair; she has dread locks which would have been easier to work with since they are so thick but she didn’t want to part with them for a homework assignment. The more I thought about this idea the more I realized how time consuming and unrealistic it would be. Using hair would be a creative way to develop text but I would need m ass quantities and lots of patience. My second idea came to me when I took a trip to the grocery store. I went to the produce section and circled around the stands looking for some piece of fruit or vegetable that ... ...gh the writing process can be revised, edited, and visually reviewed where speech is spur of the moment and final. Traditionalists often resisted writing and viewed the process as unnatural and untrustworthy (Dennis Baron 39). However, speech seems to demand more trust because the individual is exposing themselves to their audience which subjects them to high levels of criticism. Overall, this project has exposed the mechanics and technology involved in the writing process. Up until this point I put little thought or recognition into the process I use so widely on a regular basis. After the amount of time, energy, and thought that went in to my attempt to create â€Å"natural† writing mechanics and tools the frustration isn’t worth what seems to be a small victory. In the end the process of trying to think of something natural to create is unnatural.

Four characteristics of Biomedical model Essay

1) biologistic – reduces illness to natural to natural biological processes – seeks out a single, clearly identifiable pathogen – loses sight of the social context of the disease 2) mechanistic – insists on a conceptual separation of body and mind – conceives of the body as a machine made up of interrelated parts – disease is attributed to malfunctioning part that requires fixing – loses sight of the whole subject 3) scientistic – regards the scientific method as providing the only means by which to access valid knowledge. – seeks to identify strict scientific principles or laws and hones in what can be directly observed and measured – loses sight of the meanings and feeling associated with the experience of disease 4) emphasis – seeks to care rather than prevent disease, and is therefore largely reactive in nature Five characteristics of Individualist Health Promotion (IHP) 1) is located at the conservative end of public health continuum – that is, it does not require or advocate significant structural change in society 2) focuses on behavioural patterns and lifestyle factors in order to explain the origins of ill health – that is, it looks upstream form biology, regarding diseases as the end product of the way in which people to lead their lives. Ultimately, it is consistent with a psychological orientation 3) aims to educate individuals about the risk factors associated with particular lifestyle choices; with a view to promoting healthy behavioural changes (eg. the ‘smoking kills’ campaign 4) encourage individuals to take responsibility for their health, that is , they are expected to take on board the information provided by health experts, and to use this to monitor numerous lifestyle factors, including diet, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, exercise participation, stress level etc. this process involves ‘internalising the gaze’ of a range of health expert, and it renders more and more area of life ‘relevant’ to one’s health status 5) has a proactive preventative ( is opposed to reactive curative emphasis, whereby it seeks to prevent diseases from occurring by positively influencing health – related behaviours Social Medicine – The ‘radical’ end of the public health continuum – focuses on life chances and social structure – advocates the structural transformation of society – preventative emphasis 1) not only is health influenced by behavioural and lifestyle factors that exist ‘upstream’ from biology, it is also profoundly shaped y board social processes that occur even further ‘upstream’ , and which serve to structure behavioural and lifestyle ‘choices’ in the first place. 2) there is a clear social gradient in the distribution of most diseases , that is, as a general rule, the higher the location in the social hierarchy, the lower the incidence of disease, and vice versa 3) with heart disease, the standard biological predictors (cholesterol levels, blood pressure) and behavioural predictors (smoking, poor diet) account for only one-quarter to one-third of the identifiable social gradient. 4) To adequately explain the social gradient of disease, one must take into account the fundamental, although often subtle, social determinants of ill health. 5) It is not only absolute poverty that causes ill health, but also: – relative inequality (or one’s place in the social hierarch) – the amount of power and control one exercise; at work, and in life more generally – one’s degree of integration into a supportive social network 6) in the workplace and beyond, control over one’s destiny, is a pivotal factor in determining an individual’s health prospects and such control is socially mediated. Health Unhealthy Cause, Responsibility Biomedical model Fortunate Unfortunate No individual and social group is responsible – ill health is a product of nature or biology and is ultimately a matter of fate Individual health promotion Responsible Irresponsible The individual is responsible – ill health is the outcome of unhealthy behaviours and unwise lifestyle choice Social medicine Social Advantage Social Disadvantaged Social group who foster, and profit from, inequality are responsible, ill- health is the product of social organisation

Noise Control/Radon

In the advent of technological advancements that we have today, we are not only given innovations that would make our lives easier, but also some risks and threats to our health and well-being. These health risks and threats can be considered as the negative side of these technological advancements, and these are usually in the form of pollution. Pollution on the other hand, can be classified into various types, usually depending on the aspect of the environment that they have a corresponding negative effect.These include air, water, and soil pollution. There are also some types of pollution which arises when there is an excessive amount of a naturally occurring substance or phenomenon, just like Radon Pollution and Noise Pollution. But between these two, it is the radon pollution that poses great risks, as it affects everyone in the country, with greater risks to those staying in their homes.Noise pollution is defined as â€Å"an unwanted, disturbing sound that causes a nuisance in the eye of the beholder (Nunez, 1998).† This is comprised by displeasing sounds created by human activity or by machines, and are known to disrupt the environment (Berglund & Lindvall, 1995). The leading cause of noise pollution today is from the transportation sources – the noise coming from the motor vehicles. In a person, the aspect greatly affected by noise pollution is the sense of hearing, which could lead to different responses from the affected one, including annoyance and other behavioral changes.Radon pollution on the other hand, is caused by naturally occurring processes. Even before man became aware of pollution and its effect on human health, Radon was already around the environment. It’s because Radon is a natural part of the atmosphere, and that it is continually being released by the earth, because it is the product of the radioactive decay of radioactive materials like Uranium and Thorium (Health Physics Society, 1997).The problem that results f rom this is when people build their homes on the Radon-releasing soil. Since it is a naturally occurring process, Radon will just continue to seep through the soil, supposedly going to the atmosphere. When homes are built however, the Radon tends to seep through the cracks in the basement, and will just be contained in our homes. Excessive Radon contents are known to cause respiratory problems like lung cancer, the second known cause for lung cancer deaths all over the country, next to smoking (U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000).Radon pollution poses a greater health risk to the community, as compared to Noise pollution. This is because Radon release of the earth is a naturally occurring event, as compared to Noise creation. Having Radon in the environment is inevitable, that even our homes are not a safe place to stay if the matter is not taken seriously. Noise pollution is also relative to a person: what could be noisy to some people can be pleasing for others.Also, nois e pollution is slowly being suppressed by technology, like the hybrid cars being quieter as compared to normal-engine vehicles. But despite this, Radon pollution can be solved thru the people themselves. There are ways to protect homes from excessive Radon contents, like maintaining a sealed, well ventilated basement. Another is to regularly check the Radon contents in your home, a safety measure which is not costly and can be afforded by a normal household.As Radon pollution may continue to exist despite all the technological innovations present today, this doesn’t mean that people will forever be at risk because of it. Health risks can be averted by making sure that the people’s homes are protected from the seeping Radon gases. Spending a little for the family’s health would mean protecting them from fatal health risks.References:Berglund, B., & Lindvall, T. (1995). Community Noise.  Ã‚   Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.nonoise.org/library/whonoi se/whonoise.htmHealth Physics Society. (1997). Radon Fact Sheet.  Ã‚   Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.hps1.org/glossary/radon.htmNunez, D. G. (1998). Cause and Effects of Noise Pollution.  Ã‚   Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.dbc.uci.edu/~sustain/global/sensem/S98/Nunez/Noise.htmlU. S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2000). Radionuclides (including Radon, Radium and Uranium).  Ã‚   Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.epa.gov/ttn/uatw/hlthef/radionuc.html Noise Control/Radon In the advent of technological advancements that we have today, we are not only given innovations that would make our lives easier, but also some risks and threats to our health and well-being. These health risks and threats can be considered as the negative side of these technological advancements, and these are usually in the form of pollution. Pollution on the other hand, can be classified into various types, usually depending on the aspect of the environment that they have a corresponding negative effect.These include air, water, and soil pollution. There are also some types of pollution which arises when there is an excessive amount of a naturally occurring substance or phenomenon, just like Radon Pollution and Noise Pollution. But between these two, it is the radon pollution that poses great risks, as it affects everyone in the country, with greater risks to those staying in their homes.Noise pollution is defined as â€Å"an unwanted, disturbing sound that causes a nuisance in the eye of the beholder (Nunez, 1998).† This is comprised by displeasing sounds created by human activity or by machines, and are known to disrupt the environment (Berglund & Lindvall, 1995). The leading cause of noise pollution today is from the transportation sources – the noise coming from the motor vehicles. In a person, the aspect greatly affected by noise pollution is the sense of hearing, which could lead to different responses from the affected one, including annoyance and other behavioral changes.Radon pollution on the other hand, is caused by naturally occurring processes. Even before man became aware of pollution and its effect on human health, Radon was already around the environment. It’s because Radon is a natural part of the atmosphere, and that it is continually being released by the earth, because it is the product of the radioactive decay of radioactive materials like Uranium and Thorium (Health Physics Society, 1997).The problem that results f rom this is when people build their homes on the Radon-releasing soil. Since it is a naturally occurring process, Radon will just continue to seep through the soil, supposedly going to the atmosphere. When homes are built however, the Radon tends to seep through the cracks in the basement, and will just be contained in our homes. Excessive Radon contents are known to cause respiratory problems like lung cancer, the second known cause for lung cancer deaths all over the country, next to smoking (U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000).Radon pollution poses a greater health risk to the community, as compared to Noise pollution. This is because Radon release of the earth is a naturally occurring event, as compared to Noise creation. Having Radon in the environment is inevitable, that even our homes are not a safe place to stay if the matter is not taken seriously. Noise pollution is also relative to a person: what could be noisy to some people can be pleasing for others.Also, nois e pollution is slowly being suppressed by technology, like the hybrid cars being quieter as compared to normal-engine vehicles. But despite this, Radon pollution can be solved thru the people themselves. There are ways to protect homes from excessive Radon contents, like maintaining a sealed, well ventilated basement. Another is to regularly check the Radon contents in your home, a safety measure which is not costly and can be afforded by a normal household.As Radon pollution may continue to exist despite all the technological innovations present today, this doesn’t mean that people will forever be at risk because of it. Health risks can be averted by making sure that the people’s homes are protected from the seeping Radon gases. Spending a little for the family’s health would mean protecting them from fatal health risks.References:Berglund, B., & Lindvall, T. (1995). Community Noise.  Ã‚   Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.nonoise.org/library/whonoi se/whonoise.htmHealth Physics Society. (1997). Radon Fact Sheet.  Ã‚   Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.hps1.org/glossary/radon.htmNunez, D. G. (1998). Cause and Effects of Noise Pollution.  Ã‚   Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.dbc.uci.edu/~sustain/global/sensem/S98/Nunez/Noise.htmlU. S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2000). Radionuclides (including Radon, Radium and Uranium).  Ã‚   Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.epa.gov/ttn/uatw/hlthef/radionuc.html

Moral Crusade or Personal Vendetta Essays

Moral Crusade or Personal Vendetta Essays Moral Crusade or Personal Vendetta Essay Moral Crusade or Personal Vendetta Essay Abigail is not the only opportunist in Salem. The Putnams, whose daughter was one of the young women dancing in the woods, also seize the opportunity. Thomas Putnam is a greedy landowner in Salem. He systematically accuses his neighbours of witchcraft so that he might purchase their land after they hang. Like Abigail, there is a hidden agenda guiding Thomas Putnam, namely his greed for land. He too will stop at nothing to satisfy his greed. Miller has incorporated this into the play as The Royal Charter was revoked in 1692 and land ownership deeds became invalid creating a crisis of property rights. Individuals no longer felt secure with their landholdings thus feuds broke out regarding property rights and deeds of ownership. Ann Putnam also used the witchcraft trials for her own means. Mrs Putnam believes that a witch is responsible for the deaths of her seven infant children. She is resentful of Rebecca Nurse who has a large family and who has a reputation for good Christian deeds. Reverend Parris is the minister of the Christian puritan society in Salem. At the start of the play he discovers the girls dancing in the woods. One of the girls is his daughter, Betty, who falls ill after the event, and Abigail is his niece. Therefore, Reverend Parris is terrified of the consequences of their actions. This is more so as he feels that he is unpopular with many of the congregation I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character. Parris has used his sermons to demand money and possessions and thus divided the village. He believes people are plotting against him and a faction plans to force him to leave Salem so he attempts to strengthen his authority through the witch trials thereby using them for his own means. After Parris receives a death threat, and hears of a rebellion against the court in Andover, where there have been similar witch trials, Parris fears that the hanging of two such upstanding citizens as Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor will incite a rebellion in Salem, similar to the one in Andover. The reason he gives is that postponement now speaks of floundering on my part. He is not so much concerned about the lives of those condemned as about his own reputations. To determine if witchcraft is to blame for Bettys illness, Parris summons Hale, a Reverend from the Boston area. Unlike most of the other characters, Reverend Hale has nothing to gain from the trials and executions. He is a well meaning scholar with a reputation for knowledge and expertise symbolised by the many books he carries on entering the play. He also feels he can put the people of Salem at ease regarding their concerns about witchcraft. He does this by exhorting Tituba, the black slave, and the other girls to confess and denounce others to save themselves. When he succeeds he cries, glory to God, it is broken, they are free! Reverend Hale is on a moral crusade, striving for justice unlike many of the other characters. He is impressed by Elizabeth Proctors strong Christian faith. He is critical of John Proctors poor record of attendance at church and is dismayed at finding that John Proctor cannot remember the Ten Commandments. Ironically, the only of the Ten Commandments that he cannot name is, Thou shalt not commit adultery. Although Hale remains determined not to declare witchcraft unless he can prove it, he is taken in by the expectations of the people of Salem and begins by taking their evidence at face value. Later on, however, he attempts to correct his shortcomings when he realizes that Abigail is a fraud. Hale then devotes himself to attempting to persuade the other prisoners to confess in order to avoid executions. However, he does not realise that lies would only reinforce the slanders the court has already committed. Hales faith is severely tested in the play but although he questions his own faith he does not abandon religion altogether. The other character in the play who does not use the trials for his gain is the Deputy Governor, Danforth, who represents the authority of church and state. Danforth refuses to admit possibilities outside the strict confines of the church and he applies the law with a rigid harshness. Although he may be viewed as a villainous character who does not want to open his mind to the reality of the court being duped by a group of teenage girls after signing so many death warrants, he may also be viewed as someone on a moral crusade which results in his ruthless character. Although not on a moral crusade themselves, characters such as Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor are morally upright within the community. They are honest and will not confess to witchcraft as they would be confessing to something they had not done. Rebecca Nurse serves as a symbol of goodness and reason. Her character is impeccable, and her reputation flawless. At the outset she dismisses the behaviour of the young girls as part of their adolescence. She makes it quite clear that any searching for the devil based on the behaviour of the girls is, in itself, evil. Elizabeth and Rebecca Nurse show courage and calmness amidst the climate of fear and hysteria. The character analysis of the main people and their motives in the witch hunt trials shows Millers ability to create complex characters. Although Miller wrote a historical play set in the Puritan period, by inference, the McCarthy period, it is essentially a play about people and the human condition. Miller is adept at removing the outer covering of his characters to expose the inner workings as in a crucible. However, the historical setting of the play has affected style of language and the way the play has been written. He comments, No one can really know what their lives were like, neither can anyone know exactly how they spoke. Miller does not claim to have written a historically accurate play but he uses expressions which may have been used by the Puritan community. These include the use of Goody instead of Mrs; Id admire to know, instead of Id like very much to know, and open with me, instead of tell me the truth. Miller also makes some grammatical changes from modern usage; the verb to be is often changed; it were for it was and it be for it is. The tense of a verb is sometimes changed She gives instead of She gave. Furthermore, the West Indian slave, Tituba, is given her own dialect Devil, him be a pleasure, man in Barbados, him be singin and dancin Miller also drops the g at the end of words such as goin, beatin to denote a dialect. To add to the Puritanical setting Miller makes references to events in the Bible. Reverend Hale trying to persuade Elizabeth to confess says I have gone this three month like our Lord into the wilderness. Earlier, speaking of Abigail, Elizabeth Proctor says, where she walks the crowd will part like the sea for Israel. Thus, without claiming to be totally accurate, Arthur Miller has created the impression of a rural, deeply religious society. As well as the language, rooms are sparsely furnished and severe Puritan costumes are used. This creates an austere tone. Moreover, even more important than the language and setting, Miller makes some of the characters morally vocal. People had principles and lived and died by them. Faith, conduct and society pervaded their lives. This is demonstrated particularly by the character of Goody Nurse and also John Procter who works hard to build a defence for those accused and finally decides to die rather than lose his good name by admitting to witchcraft. Miller uses the historical setting as an opportunity to express the dramatic use of hysteria. The general hysteria that spreads through the community of Salem after the first mention of witchcraft is used to induce an atmosphere of anxiety and guilt which brings out superstitious fears. The witchcraft is both caused and fuelled by fear and it is this fear that is the motivating force that leads neighbour to accuse neighbour and generates hysteria. The most powerful and dramatic of these is the girls hysteria when they pretend to be possessed. The climax to this hysteria appears at the end of Act III in the court when reverend Hale feels anguished at the way the witch hunt is being carried out. Despite John Proctors admission of adultery and his wifes lying to deny it, Reverend Hale is prepared to defend them and starts accusing Abigail of falsehood and pretence. This is a dangerous moment for Abigail and the other girls. She starts looking up at the ceiling and screams at a yellow bird which she says is Mary, trying to scratch her face. The other girls gape at the ceiling, seeing the bird, they start repeating every word that Mary says. This has a terrifying hypnotic effect on Mary, and also the audience. The action at the end of this scene is a demonstration of the power of hysteria to paralyse thought. This is one of the dramatic climaxes of the play. The important technique of delaying is used to great effect. To build up a climax, hints, clues and suggestions must be given earlier in the play, many of them left purposely unanswered so that the audience is kept wondering. An example of the way Miller develops climax within an act is Elizabeths fears at the beginning of Act Two; Marys reporting, later in the act, that Elizabeths name had been mentioned in court; Hales questioning of John and Elizabeth until she denies the existence of witches; Giless report that his wife and Rebecca Nurse had been arrested; and the climax to the act, Elizabeth being arrested herself. Millers use of lighting adds another dimension to the symbolism of the novel. The play begins in Act One with the morning sunlight, which streams through the leaded panes of the narrow window. There is a candle which still burns. The atmosphere is dim and dark to signify ignorance and evil. In Act Two, the door opening on the fields outside, must give a feeling of light and space and the stage direction to Act Three, which is the General Court indicates there is sunlight pouring through two high windows. This shows some goodness and truth trying to vanquish ignorance and evil. Act four opens in darkness but for the moonlight seeping through the bars of the cell; but by the end of the act, when Elizabeth grips the bars of the window, the new sun is pouring in upon her face. The word new in this last stage direction is a clue to the effect Miller wants the lighting to create. The narrow minded community cannot shut out the sun and moon. The new sunlight and gentle moonlight are symbols of an unconfined world outside and are emblems of hope in a world gone mad. The light which is a symbol of truth and hope floods in at the end because Proctor chooses to go to his death rather than sign a false confession. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller has created a work set in a historical period of Puritan Culture. He has used themes and events concerning witchcraft, superstition, the devil and fear, which were largely true in colonist America in the 1690s. He has also drawn parallels with the Puritan culture and that of the McCarthy trial during the 1950s. Miller has done this though narrative techniques which contain long comments on the background and on the characters which are given details by use of language, tone and setting. Therefore, this detailed characterisation makes The Crucible much more than a play in two parallel historical settings. It transcends historical backgrounds. Miller has produced a play which explores repression, resolution, fear and the response to it by the human conscience. It is a play in which private grudges and feuding erupts into controversies that overwhelm an entire community. The problems of a single man, according to Miller, are not enough to contain the truth of the human situation. Proctors conscience is the focus of the play. The initial situation of the play is well devised to prevent the social forces that later provide the major conflict for Proctor as he becomes aware of the witch hunts and reveals his temper, his strengths and weaknesses. At times it seems that evil may win over blind justice. Proctor is a proud and strong man whose one mistake causes his own downfall. The relentless forces of evil in this melodrama are inevitable. The balance between order and freedom, which once existed, as displayed by the character of Proctor is being destroyed. Social and personal conflicts are dramatised in his destruction. This is done by fraud and a self-imposed hypnotism on the part of a society in panic. The climax suggests a symbolic end of an era, the waste of human lives and the confused state of a mankind whose personal disaster shatters the balance of the world. Order to this shattered state is restored by the hero making a personal sacrifice. Some of the characters in The Crucible respond by behaving as though they are on a moral crusade and morally upright characters like Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor end up facing dilemmas of conscience and in conflict with authority. They would rather die than lose their good name by signing to witchcraft. However, a majority and insecurity are driven by fear to manipulate the situation for their own purposes and misinterpret events for their own end, until finally the situation and the events are out of control. An atmosphere of hysterical suspicion is created which drives people. Miller has created this. Miller has created this atmosphere in The Crucible by the use of technical features such as characterisation, language, stage directions and lighting.

Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance Man

Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance Man Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 in Vinci, Tuscany. He was the epitome of the term Renaissance man during the High Italian Renaissance. Any subject- and there were many- toward which he directed his insatiable curiosity, artistic talent, and keen scientific mind found itself dissected, improved upon and cataloged for posterity. Leonardo, truly, was a man before his time. Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.- Leonardo da Vinci Early Life Though illegitimate, Leonardo was taken in and raised by his father. A child of unearthly beauty, Leonardo showed precocious genius in math, music, and art. His greatest desire was to be apprenticed to a painter, a profession which was looked down upon at the time. Eventually, his father was worn down by the boys undeniable talent and took him to Florence to study painting, sculpting, and engineering under the great Andrea del Verrocchio. Leonardo quickly outstripped his master (though he continued to study with Verrocchio until around 1476) and was admitted to the Florence painters guild in 1472. Body of Work Leonardo spent about twenty years in the service of Lodovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan (who frequently neglected to pay Leonardo). His output during this period included two of his best-known paintings: The Madonna of the Rocks (1483-85) and the mural The Last Supper (1495-98). When Milan was seized by French troops in 1499, Leonardo returned to Florence. It was here that he painted one of the most famous portraits of all time, The Mona Lisa, more correctly known as La Gioconda (1503-06). Leonardo spent his later years moving between Florence, Rome, and France, working on a variety of projects. He lived long enough to be appreciated and well-paid, a rarity among artists. Throughout it all, he kept prodigious notebooks, in mirror writing, to keep track of his ideas, designs, and numerous sketches. Leonardo eventually settled in France, at the invitation of Francis I, an ardent admirer. He died on May 2, 1519, in the castle of Cloux, near Amboise, France.

Are social network site good for our society Essay

Are social network site good for our society - Essay Example Studies have shown that this has significantly lowered worker productivity in many organizations. This has resulted in many companies recording losses. The other danger of social sites is that they expose children to predators. There are various sexual crimes that are committed through the use of these sites in different parts of the globe. Social sites promote human trafficking and they also promote other cyber crimes through identity theft. Security is limited in terms of the use of social sites and this has given criminals the opportunity to steal personal information belonging to other people. Some companies have recorded massive losses as a result of crimes that have been committed through the use of social sites. The use of social sites also expose computers to viruses and this can lead to loss of vital personal or company information. Therefore, it can be noted that the benefits of using social networks social in nature, they just offer personal gratification to the individuals who use them. However, the disadvantages of using social networks are gross and they outweigh the benefits. Huge financial losses are often experienc ed by both individuals and organizations as a result of the use of social