Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Comfort Letter Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comfort Letter - Case Study Example 1In the suit, Kleinwort Benson, or KB for brevity, proposed to extend a loan to MMC Metals Ltd or Metals for short, which is a subsidiary of Malaysia Mining Corporation (or Malaysia Ming). In the process of the lending proposal, KB requested from Malaysia Mining a letter to the effect that the latter would assure KB that Metals would pay the liability when it became due. At first, KB wanted to ask for a guarantee from Malaysia Mining. In essence, KB desired a situation that if Metals could not settle the debt, Malaysia Mining, as the parent company, would be under legal obligation to be subrogated into the shoes of Metals, the subsidiary. Malaysia Mining did not heed the call of KB. In lieu of the letter supposedly clearly defining the mother company as a guarantor of the debt of Metals, Malaysia Mining wrote a prudently crafted letter where it was stated that it was the policy of the company (Malaysia Mining) to ensure that Metals would always be in a capacity to pay back what was b orrowed from KB. The carefully worded correspondence is now the so-called comfort letter at issue. When Metals became troubled with insolvency owing to the predicaments of the tin industry because of the problematic world market, KB claimed payment from Malaysia Mining for the obligation of Metals. KB charged that Malaysia Mining had made a promise to prevent going into a situation where it could not pay its debts. The question now is whether or not Malaysia Mining is liable to KB on the basis of the language set forth in the comfort letter. The court that finally ruled the case answered in the negative. In this paper, independent views are hereby conveyed regarding the matter. The facts have to be analyzed in sufficient detail. At the outset, it is undisputed that KB requested from Malaysia Mining a documentary guarantee whereby the latter would have been bound by the accountability of its subsidiary. From this act and notion alone, it was readily clear that without that guarantee, KB was not holding on anything as would make Malaysia Mining a co-debtor or co-borrower of Metals. It was precisely because of this vacuum that KB asked for a written commitment from Malaysia Mining for the latter to give an assurance for the payment of the loan in the possibility that Metals would not be able to pay the debt. Malaysia Mining refused and the refusal manifestly exhibited the position of the parent corporation that it did not opt to become a co-borrower of its subsidiary or to stand as its guarantor. When KB pushed through with the loan covenant, it took the risk of probably failing to collect from Metals. When indeed Metals was not able to settle the liability, there was no reason to make Malaysia Mining legally responsible to tender payment based on the comfort letter which it sent to KB because, in the first place, there was nothing in the comfort letter making or even presuming Malaysia Mining to be so liable. Going to the language used by Malaysia Mining, the ruling in its favor became more convincing when it declared no commitment to pay for and in behalf of Metals by refusing to sign a guarantee. It simply made known a policy which was not a promise or a pledge. To make a comparison, one who says it is his policy to be honest is different from when he promises to be honest. A policy of the state for space exploration is not a promise for definite courses of action to explore the space. Neither

Analyze an online article called Does Gender Matter by Ben.A Barres Essay

Analyze an online article called Does Gender Matter by Ben.A Barres - Essay Example First it acts as the backdrop. He argues that women are not pursuing sciences in academics mainly because of discrimination unlike what Lawrence and the others have based their argument on; that, women fail to advance in sciences due to difference in instinctive inability between men and women. This paper addresses the common expressed forms of discriminations that women go through and the risks that the writer takes in addressing this issue. Risks taken by writers to prove the impacts of female discriminations are far-fetched. Ben Bares refers to the before said hypothesis as, ``Larry summer hypothesis†.   He based his argument on that, a part from the major social factors that might make women to hate sciences and mathematics from a tender age, there is still slight evidence that there exists difference in gender abilities in mathematics which are innate or which are slightly relevant to lack of progression of women in sciences.   He explains that it is a fact that the society assumes that the women are less innately able in comparison to men. He further says this assumption is the foremost reason  why women are slow in progressing in sciences and mathematics. Ben Bares in rejecting the hypothesis by Lawrence Summers, Bares takes a great risk because he has to prove that it is not scientifically proven and there is no data supporting such claims. This he does warning that he dies not intent to battle with men or turn them into villains as  expressed in the quote, â€Å"I have no desire to make men into villain.† Bares take this risk so that he could protect the female gender in the society because in the past years it has faced much discrimination and there is no one who stood to protect their desires. This risk pays off well because it brought a great debate which has been discussed for months turning to years making him famous in protecting women in the society. Even before anybody could think of importance of studying the issue of

Monday, October 28, 2019

Penn Foster Principles of Management Final Exam Essay Example for Free

Penn Foster Principles of Management Final Exam Essay 1. In order to implement an organizations commitment to social responsibility it is necessary to identify what social problem the organization intends to address, develop policies on what the organization plans to do to successfully fulfill its obligation and ensure stakeholder buy-in. The main obstacles an organization faces when implementing socially responsible policies is pressure from stockholders and business analysis who want steady increase in earnings. Without steady increase in profits, it becomes difficult to reinvest money in these areas. The following actions can be taken toward increased social responsibility: 1. Examine expectations and past responses 2. Set objectives and prioritize 3. Plan and implement strategies 4. Set budgets for resources needed for social action 5. Monitor progress 2. Departmentalization is the practice in which grouping or combining jobs that are related to form a specialized area that is distinct from other areas in an organization. Work or functional departmentalization is a method of separating the activities performed within an organization into groups by the nature or function of the work they perform. For example, functional departmentalization would tend to group together staff members that perform a specialized function in an organization, like accounting. Product departmentalization is the grouping of business activities that are necessary to produce a particular product and/or market a product or service line under the direction of one manager. An example of product departmentalization would be a large multiproduct organization like an automotive distributor. Geographic departmentalization is when organizations are physically isolated to geographical regions. An example of geographical departmentalization is a manufacturing company that has locations in Northern and Southern locations that deal with consumers within their region. Customer departmentalization is when an organization is divided into units that handle specific customer needs. Examples of customer departmentalization in a manufacturing plant are: Assembly, shipping, billing, etc. 3. The acronym SWOT stands for an organizations strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A SWOT analysis is strategic planning method that evaluates the internal and external performance of an organization to see if it’s favorable or unfavorable to achieve whatever objective you are set out to accomplish. Strengths and weaknesses usually arise from the internal aspect of an organization, whereas opportunities and threats evolve from external components. By performing a SWOT analysis it provides information to managers to help formulate a successful strategy to achieve goals. PART B 1. Six Sigma is a management philosophy that sets objectives, collects data and analyzes results as a way to remove wasted expenses from its processes and help reduce the number of defective products produced. Six Sigma uses quality measures to strive for near perfection by eliminating errors and variables. 2. The balance of trade is the point where the difference between exports and imports is favorable for the country. When the country imports more than it exports, it results in a trade deficit and when the country exports more than it imports, the country runs into a trade surplus. The balance of trade for a countries economy is a very fine balance. The economic condition can change and a deficit or surplus may be an ideal situation. 3. In the context of communication, perception is based on the individual that is on the receiving end of the information. Perception is a process in which stimulation of the senses, whether written, verbal or non-verbal, is translated into a meaningf ul experience. Each person perceives the same information differently and they tend to only listens to part of the message before perception distorts the intended message. 4. The term organizational decentralization refers to the increased amount of authority given to lower level management by upper level management. By allowing lower level management to be involved in decision making, it enables actions to happen in a timelier manner and promotes higher employee morale, as well as relieves upper management from time consuming projects. 5. Simon’s theory, principle of bounded rationality as it applies to satisficing can be summarized as a decision making strategy that selects the best alternative rather than continuing to search for the optimal solution to any given situation. 6. In relations to leadership, consideration and initiating structure both contribute positively to staff motivation and satisfaction, as well as, effectiveness. 7. Positive reinforcement is to add a positive outcome as a result of a desired behavior. Negative reinforcement is to give the person the opportunity to avoid a negative consequence by increasing the likelihood that the desired behavior will reoccur. Both are used to increase the frequency of the desired behavior. 8. Planning – The manager sets objectives and decided what needs to be done to meet those goals. Organizing – The manager divides work into manageable activities and selects people to accomplish the task that need to be done. Staffing – The manager determines how many and what kind of staff is needed to meet the organizations goals and then recruits and trains the appropriate people. Leading – The manager motivates and communicates with staff and also directs them towards meeting the organizational goals. Controlling – The manager measures and analyzes the organizations performance, and makes changes if financial standards are not being m et. 9. A manager would use the critical-incident appraisal method for assessing employees’ written record of both satisfactory and unsatisfactory work performances. Performance is documented as it occurs and can aid in preparing performance evaluations to identify strengths and areas that need improvement. 10. Group norm is an informal set of rules a group takes on to regulate group behavior, whereas group cohesiveness is the overall attraction each member has for the group. Group norm example: Employees that work on assembly line #1 at the local factory always sit at the same lunch table and don’t interact with others. Group cohesiveness example: Employees on assembly line #2 have beaten the monthly production record for the 10th month in a row.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Towards Self Reliance In Defence Research Economics Essay

Towards Self Reliance In Defence Research Economics Essay The idea of self-reliance is important even today. However, self-reliance does not imply pursuing a policy of autarky. It does not mean cutting ourselves away from the world. Self-reliance in the modern world implies the ability to pursue ones interests with self-confidence and faith in ones own capabilities. We do not have to pursue self-reliance by doing everything ourselves. We can, indeed, pursue greater self-reliance by creating inter-relationships of inter-dependence that enhance our bargaining power. Greater interaction with the world can in fact enhance a nations self-reliance by creating a web of mutually beneficial inter-relationships.  [1]   Dr Manmohan Singh Buy Indian and Make Indian is going to be the major component of our procurement policy. That will help us to have a strong defence industrial base in India.  [2]   -A.K. Antony, Defence Minister Introduction 1. The blossoming Indian economy is fast pacing into the 21st century with the potential of being an economic superpower. Spurred by economic reforms and the impact of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation, India, is truly on the verge of carving its own niche in the world. 2. An economic superpower must also be a military super power, in terms of Military capability and strength. There should also be a dependable and reliable indigenous defence industrial base. A country which is self reliant and independent in its military requirements, and thus, also has access to technologically advanced capability can truly be termed as military superpower. The establishment of a well developed defence industrial base is of primary importance to any emerging super power. Focus should be on capability development followed by numeral growth, not the other way round. A clear understanding and identification of the requirements and needs of the armed forces and ensuring that the requirements are met within the stipulated time, in a cost effective manner, should be the primary goal of any defence industrial base and the determinant of its success. Indias Defence Industrial Base. A Historical perspective 3. Pre Independence. The pre-independence defence-industrial infrastructure in India consisted of 18 Ordnance Factories (OFs)  [3]  , generally catering to repair and overhaul as well as to supplement weapons and equipment produced in Britain. During this period India was never allowed to develop core competencies in industrial production. 4. Post Independence. Since independence the Indian leadership aimed at attaining self-sufficiency in entire domain of defence production and to achieve this Indias industrial policies  [4]  emphasized core industries (including defence sector) to be taken care of by the central government and others by the states. As a result eight Defence Public Sector Units (DPSUs) under exclusive control of the government were devoted to production of different military systems and components. Defence Science Organisation (DSO) was established at that time to take up challenges of undertaking RD activities. DRDO was formed in 1958 from the amalgamation of the then already functioning developmental establishments with the DSO. DRDO then comprised of 10 establishments or laboratories which has now grown into a network of over 50 laboratories throughout India  [5]  . 5. Post 1962 war License production, direct purchase and acquisitions remained the predominant form of supply for the Indian defence forces. This resulted in a gap of nearly three decades in Indias effort toward indigenous production which was especially evident in the fields of design and development, which constitutes the upper spectrum of self reliance. A fighter aircraft between Marut and the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), a basic trainer aircraft between HT-2 and HPT- 32, an intermediate trainer between Kiran and an yet-to-be fully developed Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) are some of the examples that typify both the technology and production gaps  [6]  . 6. Trends in 1980s and 1990s. This was the period when Cold War came to an end and Global defence expenditure rose to an all time high in 1987 and then fell sharply during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Also, there was a rise in low intensity conflicts lawlessness, crimes and terrorism was spreading manifold. This was also the time countries were opening up their economies and the globalization era commenced. This period was the starting point of major defence acquisitions from abroad coupled with major initiatives in indigenous defence production, including RD activities. The license production of Jaguars and MiG- 27M was undertaken by HAL  [7]  . Also indigenous development of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and Main Battle Tank(MBT) Arjun were speeded up by DRDO. Production of missiles developed under Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), through Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) commenced. Hence, during this period India had been a ble to initiate a number of projects for indigenous development. However, fructification of these projects was accompanied by inordinate delays and technological gaps. 7. The mainstay of armed forces was met through substantial arms acquisition from abroad primarily due to slow progress in our indigenous design and development activities as also the inability to keep pace with the global state-of-art technologies in the defence industry. With the change in environment after nuclear explosions by India and Pakistan and the Kargil conflict, the country had to give a re-look to its defence strategy including its objective of achieving self-reliance in defence industry. 8. Defence Industry in 21st Century Soon after the liberalization of the economy, the defence industry started realizing the importance of civil military interaction in the industrial sector to attain near self-reliance. Coupled with changes at institutional and organizational levels as recommended by the Group of Ministers Committee Report on Reforming the National Security System, is the most important policy shift in the defence-industrial sector allowing 100% private sector participation and 26% by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)  [8]  . Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) has been instrumental in influencing such a marked change in policy. While these far-reaching institutional and policy-oriented changes have been underway for quite some time, the demand for private participation has assumed significance in recent years. Trends in Global Defence Industry 9. The global defence industry has undergone profound changes in recent years. The massive military build up by many countries during the Cold War era fuelled greater demand for military weapons and systems. However, immediate post Cold War period witnessed the reverse trend in demand for military weapons and systems resulting in reduction in budgetary allocation in the defence sector. This resulted in many smaller companies either to merge with big ones or to shift their priorities towards civilian production, thus leaving the defence sector. Mergers and acquisitions during this period resulted in creation of a few giant companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, British Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, EADS and others. The military expenditure again witnessed upward trend since 1999 and this is likely to continue in future  [9]  . As procurement budgets have started to swell again and are likely to stay that way, new opportunities are expected for the defence industry. In the changing conflict scenario, there has been an upward trend in the LIC, insurgency, terrorism, OOAC etc as a result of which the global defence industry after a period of significant downsizing and rationalization has entered into a phase of renewed attention. Indias Defence Industry. 10. Post Cold War era, the changing trends in the global defence industry had affected Indian defence industry in many ways. The era of economic liberalization since 1991 has resulted in indigenous build-up of technological base in the IT, communication, electronics, automobile sectors etc. Since, all acquisitions in the past and till upto mid 90s were either outright purchase or linked with license production, what best the DPSUs or the OFs could gain was expertise in production which was entirely dependent on the assemblies and Semi knock Down Kits (SKD) or sub assemblies imported from the Original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The real technology transfer aimed at enhancing the indigenous development was missing in all the deals covered under License Production and Transfer of Technology (TOT). However, the most far reaching change that has impacted the Indias defence industrial sector is the opening up of this sector for private participation. The objectives are manifold viz., re duction of defence imports from current levels of 70 percent, increase in defence exports, enhance the indigenous RD skill level and infrastructure to produce technologically advanced state of the art equipment within the time frames specified. Coupled with the economic liberalization and opening up of the defence sector to private companies was linked the problem of licensing and requirement of foreign direct investment in the defence sector. In January 2001, the GOI initiated a series of major initiatives that included Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to about 26 percent and full private participation in certain sectors in the defence industry. Shift from Self Sufficiency to Self-Reliance 11. Since independence the Indias industrial policies outlined in Industry Policy Resolution of 1948 and 1951 was aimed at achieving self sufficiency in defence production. Towards this the government invested heavily in scientific and technological institutions both educational-such as the IITs, and research and development institutes such as the CSIR, ICAR, DAE, DoS, ICMR, DRDO so as to develop a strong technological base. However, the countrys defence was neglected, as was evident in 1962 war. With a weak Defence-Industrial Base (DIB), the policies to maximize production in order to attain self-sufficiency in the defence sector although were considered farsighted, did not match expectations, thus leading to shift of focus from self-sufficiency model to self reliance model post 1962 war. 12. Self-reliance in its true sense does not preclude accessing external sources for technology and systems, or external help in any stage of the production cycle. Hence, self-reliance as far as India was concerned, meant apart from Indias own production base for support a degree of dependence on reliable foreign sources for access to technologies, supply of components and complete systems was desirable. These were materialized by meeting urgent and immediate demands through imports form abroad while simultaneously striving for indigenous capabilities in defence production. Although Indias main focus on imports was from western countries like UK, France, Sweden these countries were reluctant in supplying defence equipment to India post 1962 war with China. Indias quest for self reliance got a major boost when Russia (erstwhile USSR) agreed to Licence production by India for various defence equipment acquired by India form Russia. These Licence production of aircraft, battle tank, a rms and ammunition were undertaken by various DPSUs as well as OFs. However, the only thing that lost its focus in the bargain was the transfer of technology aimed at enhancing indigenous production and RD activities. The outcome of this is obvious, as witnessed in the LCA program, MBT Arjun, aero engine Kaveri to name a few. In spite of having produced aircraft, tanks and aero engines under license production the organizations involved in the production could hardly assimilate and nurture the technology needed to supplement our own indigenous efforts. Probably the focus of these organizations was more towards production rather than indigenization. Defence Industrial Policy 13. The defence industrial policy was aimed at establishing a strong and self sufficient defence industrial base (DIB). The objective was to have thrust in indigenous production and exploring possibilities of exports to other developing nations that may look forward to supplies from India. 14. In spite of being more focused to numeral growth or production than on the capability development (RD), India has made rapid strides in defence technology in recent past and reached a stage of some level of self-reliance. The existing potential of the country in defence production, in the form of resource capability, know-how and technical expertise, could not be exploited to its full due to lack of clear cut defence policy. However, since liberalization of the economy in 1991 there has been increased civil military interaction. The changes in the defence production policy indicates the intention to involve the private sector in defence RD and production through licensing and indirect opening of the defence industrial sector to foreign companies through FDI and the offset arrangement. Our defence industrial policy  [10]  since independence broadly consists of the following:- Maximization of indigenous production. Licence production of those equipments which are available and can be obtained from abroad. Direct procurement of those equipments not covered above, but considered essential for ensuring the security. Indigeneous Production 15. To promote indigenous production 8 DPSUs and 40 OFs were established. Also DRDO comprising of a network of 50 labs was formed to undertake RD in the field of defence weapons, systems and equipment. Ordnance factories. At the end of the WW2 Indias defence industrial capacity amounted to 18 ordnance factories, a clothing establishment, and an aircraft production plant; and the new government subsequently inherited this capability. Post independence this continued till 1958 after which the ordnance factories were steadily expanded. The war against China in 1962 prompted a further expansion in Indias ordnance capability and today the country has 39 ordnance factories. They were built to meet the growing needs of Indias armed forces over the past 60 years.The Indian Ordnance Factories Organisation (OFO) is currently the largest departmentally run industrial undertaking in the country. The 39 OFs are government units producing armaments under five categories  [11]  : Ammunition and explosives Weapons Vehicles and equipment Armoured vehicles and Ordnance equipment (other military supplies, including general stores). Defence Public Sector Undertakings. The eight defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) are public-sector corporations managed by the Indian government. The defence PSUs produces a range of defence equipment. They also provide overhaul and maintenance facilities. They are: Bharat Dynamics Ltd. BDL  was established in the year 1970 to be a manufacturing base for guided weapon systems  [12]  .  Ã‚   Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. BEML is one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of earthmoving, construction and mining equipment in Asia  [13]  .   Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) was established in 1954 to meet the specialised electronic needs of the Indian defence services  [14]  . Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. HAL is a major player in the global aviation arena. It has built up comprehensive skills in design, manufacture and overhaul of fighters, trainers, helicopters, transport aircraft, engines, avionics and system equipment  [15]  .   Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) is one of  Indias leading  shipyards that builds and repairs a wide range of vessels from  warships  for the  Indian Navy  to  merchant shipping  vessels  [16]  . Goa Shipyard Ltd. GSL is a shipyard that is one of the most sophisticated ship builders in the Country. For over four decades, GSL has designed, built and commissioned a wide range of sophisticated vessels for varied applications in the defence and commercial sectors with special expertise in building modern patrol vessels of Steel and Aluminium hull structure  [17]  . Mazagon Dock Ltd. Mazagon Dock Limited is the Indias premier shipyard constructing warships as well as offshore platforms. It undertakes ship building, ship repairs and fabrication of offshore structures with facilities situated at Mumbai and Nhava  [18]  . Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd. MIDHANI caters to domestic and international customers with modern metallurgical facilities and high degree of technical competence for manufacturing its diverse product mix of superalloys, titanium alloys, special purpose steels, electrical resistance softmagnetic alloys, molybedenum and other alloys meeting the stringent requirements of the strategic sectors like defence, aerospace, power and general engineering etc  [19]  .   Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). India also has a defence research and development (RD) capability. Called DRDO. DRDO draws on the work of 51 laboratories/establishments across the country, and (in theory at least) has close links with the eight PSUs. It also co-operates with 70 academic research institutions, 50 national science and technology centres, and some companies in the private sector. License Production 16. Post independence Indias quest for self-reliance got a major boost through license production arrangement with USSR. This immensely benefited defence industry as it improved many notable weapon systems from this experience. Indias self-reliance model in defence production was thought to have given a life lease by the Soviets. The normal assumption is that production under license would enable the country not only to acquire the capability to produce a particular equipment or product but also help it gain the technical know-how for subsequent upgradation and further technological innovations. For the last fifty-odd years, India has been producing a number of defence equipment under license. Good examples in this regard are the Vijayanta tank and the MIG series of fighter aircraft  [20]  . But this does not seem to have helped in the development of the Arjun Main Battle Tank and the Light Combat Aircraft. Moreover, India has not even been able to upgrade  certain fighter airc raft held and operated for a long time by its armed forces. Direct procurement 17. To meet the immediate requirement of the armed forces, outright purchase of the systems/ equipment is resorted to. This may be from abroad or for indigenous companies. The objective of the defence policy aims at maximizing indigenous production; what could not be produced indigenously should be produced under license arrangement; and those that could not be obtained through these two routes should be acquired by direct purchase. Emerging Defence Production Policies in 21st Centruy Transparency in Defence Procurement 18. Since independence and almost till late 90s only a select few companies got the Request for Proposals (RFPs) with secrecy being maintained in the procurement process. With the introduction of Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) the government has strengthened its commitment to transparency in the procurement process and to removing the veil of secrecy surrounding it. The case in point is the procurement of MMRCA. The deals of recent times are open deals with no more veil of secrecy in the RFP. The details of the RFP are made available to all industry representatives by placing the tenders on the net, except in the most sensitive cases, which may be minuscule in number. Ensuring transparency in the procurement process has also resulted in widening the vendor base. Defence Procurement Procedure 19. Defence Procurement Procedure 2008 is presently being followed. This was issued after DP-2006 was revised along with the Fast Track Procedure 2001 and the Procedure for Indigenous Warship Building. In addition, most importantly, a procedure for the development of systems based on indigenous research and design, categorized as MAKE, has now been formulated. This bridges a critical gap that existed hitherto, and would provide the requisite framework for increased participation of Indian industry in the defence sector.  Some of the important features of Defence Procurement Procedure includes: Reducing the timeframe for acquisitions. Enhanced transparency by placing the generic requirements of the Services on MOD website and generating vendor registration through Internet. Increased transparency in the conduct of field trials. Integrity Pact made compulsory for all contracts above Rs. 100 crores. An Offset obligation of 30% for all contracts above Rs. 300 crores. However, there have been indications of companies trying to dilute this clause. FDI in Defence Production 20. To boost up the indigenous production in the defence sector, the government in 2001 had opened up the defence sector by permitting 100 percent private participation in defence production and also 26 percent Foreign Direct Investment of the host companys equity. However, the only glitch in the whole process was the requirement of obtaining a license from the defence ministry by the private firms to produce military hardware. However, there is a need to increase FDI limit from the current 26 per cent which would facilitate access to desired niche technology and processes. De licensing of Defence Production 21. DPP-2008 did away with the license requirement for industries for manufacturing military hardware, thereby creating a level playing field with the defence public sector undertakings. Considered to be a revolutionary DPP, the de licensing will enable the private industries to skillfully employ the available expertise to take up production of military hardware. This will definitely boost up the efforts of indigenization in defence technology. Raksha Udyog Ratnas 22. Effective participation by the Industry, both public and private, at various points of interaction and subsequent long-term association in product development and productionisation, can be only done through those firms of proven excellence and which are capable of contributing, depending on their technical, managerial and financial strength. These firms called as Raksha Udyog Ratnas (RUR) would be the key drivers towards raising indigenous defence technological base and world-class manufacturing capabilities in India. R D in Military Aviation Sector 23. Aviation is one of the most significant technological influences of our time and empowers the nation with strength. It is a major tool for economic development and has a significant role in National security and  international  relations. 24. Various military, DPSUs and private companies have been associated in the R D activities, software and systems development and systems integration on civil, fighter aircraft and helicopters. These are Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE), Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Aircraft Upgrade Research and Development Centre (AURDC), HAL, Mission Computing System Research and Development Centre (MCSRDC) HAL, and Software Development Institute (SDI). DARE played a pivotal role in evolving the avionics architecture of Mig 27 upgrade, developed the Core Avionics Computer (CAC), mission computer software for CAC, display suite software of SU 30 MKI and the hardware and operating system of Radar Computer of SU 30 MKI. SDI based at Bangalore has been actively involved in the indigenous upgrades of SU 30 MKI as well as development of various mission planning systems and weapon algorithms employed in Mig 27 upgrade. AURDC has been involved in the Bison upgrade, Mig 27 upgrade and various indigenous upgrades of SU 30 MKI aircraft. MCSRDC has played a vital role in the software development and integration of avionics systems in the Jaguar (Darin II) aircraft. It is also involved in the upgrade of Jaguar to Darin III standards. Joint Ventures 25. India has an inherent edge over several other nations because of higher skills and lower costs of production. This makes India an ideal contender for joint ventures. HAL has entered into joint ventures with many overseas aviation system companies to undertake design and development of new systems in India. Some of these are the BaeHAL, HAL Edgewood, HELBIT etc. Many other software and hardware giants involved in the aviation hardware and software development especially in the embedded and real time system domain have also established their facilities in Bangalore. Some of these are GE Intelligent Systems, Honeywell, etc. 26. Given their rapid growth over the last decade, it is perhaps no surprise that Indian software companies such as HCL, Infosys, Infotech, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro have been active in the aerospace industry for several years. Increasingly, they are benefiting from the engineering services outsourcing programmes. This will help India evolve from IT and low-end business process outsourcing work to high-end design services. Overseas companies view the Indian companies as long-term partners and not as mere suppliers/vendors. Private Participation 27. EADSs helicopter subsidiary Eurocopter has had one of the longest partnerships with Indian industry. Since 1962, it has worked with HAL in India to manufacture more than 600 Alouette 3 and Lama (known as Cheetah and Chetak locally) helicopters. HAL also produces airframes for the Ecureuil/Fennec family of rotorcraft. The European firm also plans to set up pilot training facilities in India for the civil and military segments and plans to invest à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬7-8 billion ($9.5-11 billion) over the next 10 years. Tata has entered into JV with AgustaWestland to assemble the AW119 in India. 28. Honeywell Aerospace, which provides integrated avionics, engines, systems and service products for the aerospace industry, is one example. The US company has a design and development centre in India that it hopes to expand in the coming years. Airbus has set up the Airbus Engineering Centre India in Bangalore where local engineers help develop capabilities in modelling and simulation, covering areas such as flight management systems and aerodynamics, to help in the design and production of aircraft such as the A380 and the A350. It is also working with Indian IT firms such as CADES, HCL, Infosys, Quest and Satyam to offer support across various aircraft programmes. Conclusion 29. Indias defence-industrial strategy is directed primarily toward achieving self-reliance. Presently, there is a clear imbalance in requirements by the armed forces. While roughly 70 percent of requirements are met through arms imports, the domestic sources supply the rest. The current strategy is geared to reverse this trend with the primary aim of supplying three-fourth of the requirements through domestic sources. Indias decision to allow private participation in the defence-industrial sector is seen as a dual aim, namely to achieve much-needed capital and production enhancement and, secondly, to open up to the external market through their presence. There is also an effort to adopt suitable strategies to make select sectors like aerospace and electronics globally competitive. DPSUs like HAL and BEL are now much in demand and are trying to become viable global giants. 30. The overall strategy is to make the defence-industrial sector act as a locomotive for economic development. In this regard, an emphasis on dual-use technologies and production is contemplated which could benefit both the defence and civilian sector. The current strategy also looks into various options toward minimising the state investments in the defence sector while encouraging private and foreign portfolio investment in existing Indian defence companies. If recent changes in various policies related to the defence industry are supposed to have any meaning, then, despite all problems, there is something to be optimistic about in the Indian defence industry.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Identity Conditions for Indicator State Types within Dretskes Theory of :: Psychology Dretske Papers

Identity Conditions for Indicator State Types within Dretske's Theory of Psychological Content Naturalization ABSTRACT: Within the context of Dretske’s theory of psychological content naturalization, as laid out in Explaining Behavior, the concept of an indicator state type plays a pivotal role. Providing a general (and non-circular) description of the identity conditions for being a token of an indicator state type is a prerequisite for the ultimate success of Dretske’s theory. However, Dretske fails to address this topic. Thus, his theory is incomplete. Several different approaches for specifying these identity conditions are possible; however, each is inadequate. Of the various theories for psychological content naturalization put forward within the past two decades, I believe that a Dretske-style approach that explains the content of a mental state in terms of the causal history of past tokens of that state holds out the most promise of giving us a workable theory describing the role that content plays in learned behavior. While I favor this general approach, the particular theory laid out by Dretske in Explaining Behavior has a shortcoming that must be addressed before his theory can be applied to real systems: Dretske fails to provide an analysis of identity conditions for being a token of an indicator state type. The shortcoming is serious because of the critical role that past tokens of an indicator type play in fixing the content of a current token of the indicator type — without identity conditions, there is no way to specify which previously tokened states among the many that have been instantiated during the learning period of the organism are of that indicator type. I begin with a very brief review of Dretske's theory from Explaining Behavior. Some organisms possess indicator states (i.e., internal states that indicate whether some external conditions hold). For example, organism O may token an instance of I (the internal indicator state type) whenever external conditions F obtain. Prior to learning, I indicates F does not mean F. Let's suppose that external conditions F are relevant in some manner to O's continued functioning, perhaps because environments in which F obtains are environments that are relatively inhospitable for O. Let's also suppose that O is capable of learning using reinforcement information (via operant conditioning), such that future tokenings of I come to cause movements that are appropriate to conditions F. (My use the evaluative term "appropriate" here rests on two assumptions: (1)

Friday, October 25, 2019

Analyzing Gallagher’s Oroonoko’s Blackness Essay -- Oroonoko’s Blackne

Analyzing Gallagher’s Oroonoko’s Blackness  Ã‚      Oroonoko is a fascinating text overflowing with descriptions of complex relations between and within the different races. The attitudes and actions of the Aphra Behn and her characters would make for a rich analysis from any number of behavioral approaches, but there are many more layers to this story than the dominant racial themes. In fact, in "Oroonoko’s Blackness" Catherine Gallagher argues that the main character’s unusually dark skin color actually represents kingship, commodification, and the degree to which he and the author are embodied in the work. Though Gallagher recognizes the significance of Oroonoko’s ethnicity in the conflict between the African and European groups, she writes that it is displaced by these three ideas when examined from other perspectives. At times her arguments for this are difficult to decipher and appear contradictory, especially in the explanations on textuality, embodiment and transcendence, but, overall, the claims of the cr iticism are strong and convincing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this essay the author makes a believable argument for her theories of kingship and commodification. These ideas are interrelated and dependent upon Oroonoko’s blackness symbolizing worth when it usually implies the opposite. Gallagher mentions the question of why Oroonoko’s skin is so much darker than the rest of his people when blackness is almost always associated with moral degeneracy and light colored complexion with nobleness. Her answer is that it actually improves his status as a hero. She explains that his accomplishments, which are comparable to the most famous Europeans, distinguishes him as a leader, but "it is in his blackness that his heroism partakes of t... ...works, it seems pointless to mention a view of The Unfortunate Bride that is contrary to the work she is critiquing without explaining the cause for the difference. By first connecting authorial obscurity to Mooria, the reader assumes that it will again be related to The Royal Slave. But the reverse occurs and causes confusion. If Gallagher does not know the reason for the difference, then she should stay with the original text and not refer to any outside sources that do not agree with her argument.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though Gallagher’s critique may be somewhat lacking, there is no doubt of her superior understanding of Oroonoko and its implications. Her claims are original and calls the audience’s attention to subtle themes. The criticism may require several readings to capture all of its meanings, but its interpretation creates enough interest to make it worthwhile.  

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Alternative solutions for internet censorship in Australia Essay

This report was commissioned to elaborate other alternative methods that can be used to monitor internet information in Australia without incorporating internet filtration as the Australian government proposes. The future of Australian children has been compromised by the immoral vices that the use of the internet perpetuates. Moreover, organizations, customers and innovators have also suffered from this paradigm which advocates for phishing, on-line identity theft and piracy among others. Therefore, the report advocates for the use of technology, political power, moral ethics and civil libertarians. These methods are not liable to scrutiny and criticism as they do not impede the first amendment bill of the constitution which advocates for freedom of expression among other concerns explained in the report. Furthermore, the report evaluates this range of methods and concludes that it would be ideal to implement the technology method. Introduction Advancement in technology has increased the reliance of internet as a means of entertainment and education source. It has also encompassed the education curriculum, social, economic and political activities creating both a positive and a negative impact. We have been able to succeed and are actually grateful because most of the information and technological know how can be retrieved with ease. However, our children and business enterprises have been adversely affected by the increased internet sexual harassment, privacy invasion, cyber-bullying, on-line identity theft, piracy and phishing just to mention a few in the unending list. In the event our children have developed aggressive attitudes which advocates for delinquent behaviours. On the other hand children that have experienced internet sexual harassment and bullying among others become depressed and thus are cut out from social life and its benefits. This explains the increased rates of teenage suicidal attempts in Australia (Australian Government 2007). Therefore, the government has taken a further step in an attempt of curbing this predicament by introducing mandatory internet filtration to all internet services at home, in schools and public computers used by he Australian children. The government also plans to prepare the Australian children on strategies of being responsible cyber-citizens, protecting their identity while on-line, understanding the impact of their actions on others while using the internet, responding to cyber-bulling and invasion of their privacy among other negative internet vices. To achieve this the government plans to launch education curriculum that provides first rate cyber-safety education programs and educate parents on the negative vices prevailed by the internet thus ensuring their children use the internet responsibly. Furthermore, the government plans to use the blacklist formulated by the Australia Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to ensure harmful information is not availed to the children, establish a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) to easily access information affecting children on-line and to do further research on cyber- safety issues in Australia among others (Australian Government 2007). This initiative has been met with mixed reactions as some citizens support the idea while others reject the move critically analysing it. Critics view the move as a lash to the development and welfare of the citizens in terms of internet use because internet censorship will reduce the speed of the internet, the initiative is not effective because people will still be able to access the prohibited information through the use of proxy services and web services just to mention a few. The initiative will also violate the first amendment bill which advocates for freedom of expression. The country will waste a huge sum of its capital through the implementation of this impractical solution because approximately USD 22billion of tax payers’ money will be used to implement this initiative. Furthermore, the criteria that will be used to determine the appropriate age to use the internet, the appropriateness of information on the internet and determining a comprehensive blacklist are in question. Therefore, to anal the dilemma the government is facing this report will elaborate on alternative methods of internet censorship other than internet filtration that can be used (Harvey 2009b). Alternative solutions To end the conflicts that have arisen because of the proposal of incorporating compulsory Internet Service provider (ISP) filtering in the country the government should implement other alternatives such as use of technology, political power, moral ethics and civil libertarian to implement internet censorship as outlined below. Technology The government can utilize the available technology to help implement their strategies on internet censorship rather than using internet filtration. It can establish websites that teach and warn adults and children on the dangers prevailed by the internet and how to avoid them. Alternatively it can take the initiative of funding such programs that have already being established. This method will be effective as the probability of people using the internet to access such information is high. The method is also cost effective as such initiatives have been implemented in other countries for example USA and proved to be efficient. Also the government will easily be able to avail on-line safety rules to the vicinity of children such as using passwords, meeting people met through the internet with the consent or accompaniment of parents and avoiding giving out personal information. For instance the Business Software Alliance (BSA) has enable to alert and educate e-tailers and customers on the dangers of internet such as auction site frauds, counterfeiting, identity theft and phishing among others and effective ways of preventing being victims of the above vices. BSA has established a website were they offer their learning and safe guarding tips by displaying stories from victims and tips of avoiding such incidents (Lindroth 2008). Moreover, programs that allow parents to personally regulate internet information availed to their children should be used. This will prevent the government from formulating legislations that violated constitutional rights such as freedom of speech and expression. It will also allow the development of this technology thus benefiting the country and improving the welfare of the population at large. For example US citizens have been able to enjoy the benefits of using glubble a Firefox browser plug-in that has enabled parents to create a safe browsing environment for their kids. The technology is easy to use, fast to install, helps parents to manipulate internet information at the vicinity of their children and enable their children to have the appropriate on-line experience. Furthermore, it does not limit internet information that is important to adults but harmful to children such as family planning tips. Therefore, the government should capitalize on such mechanisms by offering their support either politically or economically (Gary 2009). Political power The government is politically empowered thus has the power to control legislations and policies that regulate this country. Therefore, it should use this opportunity to formulate policies that will enable attainment of cyber-security without contradicting on legislations that had been previously formulated. For instance use of plug-ins and programs that will allow parents and public utilities where children are predominate users of the internet will increase intellectual property infringement therefore, legislations that will protect owners innovation should be stipulated allowing effective use of trade marks, patents and copyright laws among others thus expand the rights of these intellectual property holders. This will encourage innovators thus increase the variety of the advanced technology to consumers. Furthermore, it will increase the competitive nature of the economy of Australia both locally and in the world market. The government should also stipulate mechanisms that will take stern action against culprits who are caught perpetuating cyber-bulling, internet sexual harassment and stealing peoples’ identity. The government should also avail easy mechanisms for reporting vices that curb cyber-safety. This will serve as a warning to prospective culprits and thus decrease the number of such incidents. Also children will grow up morally as they will avoid practising such vices because this initiative will effectively tame them. Victims of such vices, parents, and children will willingly surrender information concerning such culprits to the relevant authority because of the assurance that effective action will be taken (Harvey 2009a). Moral ethics Most of the activities and information in the internet are morally wrong as they violate ethics and human norms. Therefore, another mechanism that can be used to increase cyber-safety is educating and guiding the population and children in particular on moral vices that can be adopted, thus enabling the adherence and respect of business, religious, social and moral ethics. For example more incidents of school children participating in social networking sites that perpetuate immoral behaviour such as pornography and prostitution are evident therefore, learning institutions should formulate policies that will effectively deal with school children that participate in such incidents and break school rules. Parents on the other hand should develop engaging relationships with their children to be able to further instil the moral principles that they learn and adopt from their school environment. Therefore, the school administration should work hand in hand with the government to clearly outline guidelines that will discipline students in regards to information availed and collected from the internet. The collation that will be formed will also help parents and the general Australian population to access such guidelines thus further perpetuate adherence to moral ethics and human norms (Madson 2005). It is quite evident that teachers nowadays use social networking sites for education purposes. Therefore, teachers should ensure that they effectively elaborate to their students how they intend to communicate to them and the necessary instructions that they should follow when logged into such sites to prevent them from accessing information that is not related to education and perpetuates immorality. Alternatively the school administration should establish websites which should be regularly monitored where teachers and students can communicate. Moreover, the learning institutions should implement educative programs that will educate the students on issues related to on-line- safety and the responsible ways of using Facebook and MySpace among others. Furthermore, policies that will effectively deal with students that perpetuate and practice cyber-bullying should be enacted. This responsibility should not only be left to the school administration and the government, other bodies such as religious institutions, public conferences and gatherings, activists and ethicist should also advocate for the adherence of moral ethics and human norms through the use of mechanisms such as safety conversation (McMahon 2008). Civil libertarian The government should also not ignore the role played by civil libertarians rather they should work hand in hand with them. This will further help them to ensure cyber-safety in Australia is emanated and thus protect the innocence and rights of children. This is because civil libertarians fight for the rights and respect of computer and network users by encouraging those involved to register with them thus regulates their activities. Therefore when formulating new legislations or changing those that already exists the government should engage such organizations thus the policies that will be formulated will be at the best interest of all stakeholders. For instance the Electronic Frontier Foundation in US provides legal assistance to companies or organizations that have out rightly been denied their constitutional rights by implementation of impractical legislations. In the event the organization promotes the US laws and allows efficient incorporation of advanced technology into the country. However, it indirectly regulates the information in the internet by offering legal support to organizations that avail useful information which is not harmful to the social being and economic welfare of the community and the country. Therefore, Australia should implement this example and follow suit as cyber-security will be enhanced while protecting and respecting the constitutional and human rights of its citizens (Swidorski 2003). Conclusion From the above facts it is quite clear that all the above principles should be implemented to effectively implement internet censorship. Each principle covers a specific area of enhancing cyber-safety in the country and among the citizens. The role that the government and politicians in general can play in the attempt of protecting Australian children from internet immoral vices without developing conflicts is outlined. However, the government also needs to work hand in hand with the school administration, teachers, parents and civil libertarians to efficiently enhance on-line security and educate Australian children on mechanisms of being responsible cyber-citizens. Also as we aim to be a world class country we will have to incorporate more sophisticated technology which is mainly attained from the reliance of the internet therefore, this subject should be researched regularly to enable formulation of policies that are relevant to the current technology in the country. In the event the country will be able to attain the technology without restrictions that may curb its development. Therefore, from my own opinion it is ideal for the government to implement the technology method which will go hand in hand with the development objective of the country because it will be cheaper to incorporate, it will be easier to regulate internet information at the disclosure of children while still gaining access to information that will help in improving the welfare of the community and country at large and human rights will not be violated as a result of internet censorship which I do not support. Word Count: 2189 List of references Australian Government (2007), Attitudes and behaviour of young people on-line, Research Summary. Available at [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009]. Gary, J. (2009), â€Å"Short range plug-ins work best in US,† Automotive Engineer, 34(3), p. 49. Harvey, S. (2009a), Australian internet censorship in practice, Available at [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] Harvey, S. (2009b), Issues with re-establishing identity after natural disasters, Available at < http://www. pingudownunder. com/blog/index. php> [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] Lindroth, L. (2008), â€Å"How to improve on-line safety,† Teaching Pre K-8, 28(7), p20. Madson, W. (2005), Internet censorship, Available at [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] McMahon, F. (2008), â€Å"Smooth operator,† Digital Content Producer, 34(11), pp. 30-33. Swidorski, C. (2003), â€Å"Political science, the Labour Movement, and the struggle for freedom of expression,† New Political Science, 22(3), pp. 319-340.

Problem Analysis of India

The country of India has been faced with many problems. They have very important short-term problems, which means less time is spent on long term problems. Natural World disasters, wars, drought, and other major problems are more important to these people than such things as over population, pollution, literacy rate and their currency. In this essay I will state the major problems hassling this country. I will give as many statistics as possible, try to decide how to improve these problems, and how we as a developed country, can contribute and help this one billion-person country grow strong. India is the seventh largest country in the World. Approximately 14.5% of the Worlds population live in India. There are more people in India than there are in North and South America together. There is a great diversity in the people of India. Some have great wealth. Others have only a few cents a day to survive on, and a great percentage of the people are homeless. While some attend University and benefit from free education, many more sleep in the streets and have never gone to school. India has many natural resources. It was once thought of as a very wealthy country. There is farmland and ore. The standard of living is very low, partially because these resources have not been fully developed. Living conditions deteriorate yearly because of the huge population growth. A few statistics that give us some idea of the crowded living conditions and standard of living: Life expectancy in India in 1965 was 45 years and in 1883, 53 years. Compared to this Canada was 72 in 1965, and 75 in 1983. The Towards Tomorrow text book said, â€Å"China has 7% of the World's arable land. Canada has 3% but only.5% of the World's people. In China this equals 1/10 of a hector per person. This is 1/9 of the amount in the U.S.A. and  ½ the amount in India† (1987, pg. 42,) The birth rate of India in 1983 was 34 and the death rate was 14. The population growth of 2%, even with extensive birth control efforts has remained the same. It is difficult to exert pressure on the people due to the democratic political system. The population of India is second only to China. The population in 1901 was 238,396,000. The population in 2003 is projected to be 1,069,021,000. If this rate continues without enforcement of birth control, India's population will be more than China's by 2040. There are 777 people per square mile. This country cannot sustain its people. Education, a necessity for population control, is encouraged. There is free schooling for children 6-14 but because they do not have the money to build schools and train teachers, 70% of the population are illiterate. Most children drop out of school by age 11. India ranks fifth among the World's nations in total farm area. Large Indian farms belong to landlords who hire workers. New land reforms have come in giving farmers the right to own their own land. This seemed like a positive step but because of Hindu inheritance customs, the land must be divided among all a man's sons. The share has become too small to provide a living. As a result many families move to urban areas where many live on the streets. This introduces yet another problem. Because of lack of space people take turns sleeping, food is prepared on the floor, people bath and shave in public. There are no windows or chimneys for fresh air and the water supplies are limited. Disease and death run wild. Most Indian people do not eat well. Bread makes up most of their diet. The country has a high death rate because of poor living conditions and diet. Again, the government has taken great steps to fight disease, but as with education, they cannot keep up with the number of clinics and medical personnel needed. Even with its many exports of cotton, peanuts, rice, tea, tobacco, brass, silverware, iron, and leather goods, India is a very poor nation. The average income in India is less than eighty dollars a year. When India became independent from Great Britain, the government had plans to raise the standard of living. Industrial production increased, farm production increased, and even with the huge population explosion the standard of living improved. India pays for it's economic improvements but depends on grants and loans from other countries to buy goods and machinery. All these efforts however fall short of the countries needs. A solution put forth was to grow high yielding wheats. India had great success. It expanded its wheat output from 10 to 26 million tons from 1964 to 1992. In the early 1980's they achieved 35 million tons. This enabled them to dispense with wheat imports. The Towards Tomorrow textbook said, â€Å"Cities say the increase in grain production have been achieved at the expense of social justice. Rich farmers have gained the most. The gap between the rich and poor has widened as a result.† (1987, pg. 102) India's land is divided into four areas says the World Book Encyclopedia, â€Å"14% of the land is irrigated, 41% is non irrigated farmland, 19% is forest land and 26% is barren land.† (1999, vol.10, pg.124) The chief crops grown are rice, wheat, cotton, and nuts. Agriculture provides one half of India's national income. India does not grow enough food to give its people a proper diet. This is partially due to inefficient farming methods and poor equipment. The World Book Encyclopedia says, â€Å"India's foreign trade is over two billion dollars a year. The volume of the imports is much greater than that of the exports.† (1983, vol. 10, pg.106) India has one of the largest economies in the World in terms of its GDP. India is considered as a developing country, however, because it has such a large population that the GDP is very low per capita. It is considered one of the poorest countries in the World. In review there are several solutions that could help India deal with its population crisis and declining standard of living. They are, 1. Improved education, so people can move beyond a â€Å"peasant existence† with no understanding of self worth and life management. 2. Structure government control over birth control. (Similar to China's) 3. Improved understanding of agriculture techniques, technology, and land management. 4. Education of nutrition and sanitation. 5. Any aide from foreign countries must be directed at making India self supporting. India is a Country of great wealth and potential. It is also a country of intense poverty and ignorance. I see one of the biggest problems in India being the differences. There are many different languages, religions, races, and customs. There are also many differences in the country itself. The land includes desert, thick jungles, broad plains, mountains, and tropical low lands. All these differences within one country create different needs, and different standards of living. It is however; very evident none of these differences can be addressed until the population is controlled. It is and will become even more of a problem for all the people of India, the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich. Problem Analysis of India The country of India has been faced with many problems. They have very important short-term problems, which means less time is spent on long term problems. Natural World disasters, wars, drought, and other major problems are more important to these people than such things as over population, pollution, literacy rate and their currency. In this essay I will state the major problems hassling this country. I will give as many statistics as possible, try to decide how to improve these problems, and how we as a developed country, can contribute and help this one billion-person country grow strong. India is the seventh largest country in the World. Approximately 14.5% of the Worlds population live in India. There are more people in India than there are in North and South America together. There is a great diversity in the people of India. Some have great wealth. Others have only a few cents a day to survive on, and a great percentage of the people are homeless. While some attend University and benefit from free education, many more sleep in the streets and have never gone to school. India has many natural resources. It was once thought of as a very wealthy country. There is farmland and ore. The standard of living is very low, partially because these resources have not been fully developed. Living conditions deteriorate yearly because of the huge population growth. A few statistics that give us some idea of the crowded living conditions and standard of living: Life expectancy in India in 1965 was 45 years and in 1883, 53 years. Compared to this Canada was 72 in 1965, and 75 in 1983. The Towards Tomorrow text book said, â€Å"China has 7% of the World's arable land. Canada has 3% but only.5% of the World's people. In China this equals 1/10 of a hector per person. This is 1/9 of the amount in the U.S.A. and  ½ the amount in India† (1987, pg. 42,) The birth rate of India in 1983 was 34 and the death rate was 14. The population growth of 2%, even with extensive birth control efforts has remained the same. It is difficult to exert pressure on the people due to the democratic political system. The population of India is second only to China. The population in 1901 was 238,396,000. The population in 2003 is projected to be 1,069,021,000. If this rate continues without enforcement of birth control, India's population will be more than China's by 2040. There are 777 people per square mile. This country cannot sustain its people. Education, a necessity for population control, is encouraged. There is free schooling for children 6-14 but because they do not have the money to build schools and train teachers, 70% of the population are illiterate. Most children drop out of school by age 11. India ranks fifth among the World's nations in total farm area. Large Indian farms belong to landlords who hire workers. New land reforms have come in giving farmers the right to own their own land. This seemed like a positive step but because of Hindu inheritance customs, the land must be divided among all a man's sons. The share has become too small to provide a living. As a result many families move to urban areas where many live on the streets. This introduces yet another problem. Because of lack of space people take turns sleeping, food is prepared on the floor, people bath and shave in public. There are no windows or chimneys for fresh air and the water supplies are limited. Disease and death run wild. Most Indian people do not eat well. Bread makes up most of their diet. The country has a high death rate because of poor living conditions and diet. Again, the government has taken great steps to fight disease, but as with education, they cannot keep up with the number of clinics and medical personnel needed. Even with its many exports of cotton, peanuts, rice, tea, tobacco, brass, silverware, iron, and leather goods, India is a very poor nation. The average income in India is less than eighty dollars a year. When India became independent from Great Britain, the government had plans to raise the standard of living. Industrial production increased, farm production increased, and even with the huge population explosion the standard of living improved. India pays for it's economic improvements but depends on grants and loans from other countries to buy goods and machinery. All these efforts however fall short of the countries needs. A solution put forth was to grow high yielding wheats. India had great success. It expanded its wheat output from 10 to 26 million tons from 1964 to 1992. In the early 1980's they achieved 35 million tons. This enabled them to dispense with wheat imports. The Towards Tomorrow textbook said, â€Å"Cities say the increase in grain production have been achieved at the expense of social justice. Rich farmers have gained the most. The gap between the rich and poor has widened as a result.† (1987, pg. 102) India's land is divided into four areas says the World Book Encyclopedia, â€Å"14% of the land is irrigated, 41% is non irrigated farmland, 19% is forest land and 26% is barren land.† (1999, vol.10, pg.124) The chief crops grown are rice, wheat, cotton, and nuts. Agriculture provides one half of India's national income. India does not grow enough food to give its people a proper diet. This is partially due to inefficient farming methods and poor equipment. The World Book Encyclopedia says, â€Å"India's foreign trade is over two billion dollars a year. The volume of the imports is much greater than that of the exports.† (1983, vol. 10, pg.106) India has one of the largest economies in the World in terms of its GDP. India is considered as a developing country, however, because it has such a large population that the GDP is very low per capita. It is considered one of the poorest countries in the World. In review there are several solutions that could help India deal with its population crisis and declining standard of living. They are, 1. Improved education, so people can move beyond a â€Å"peasant existence† with no understanding of self worth and life management. 2. Structure government control over birth control. (Similar to China's) 3. Improved understanding of agriculture techniques, technology, and land management. 4. Education of nutrition and sanitation. 5. Any aide from foreign countries must be directed at making India self supporting. India is a Country of great wealth and potential. It is also a country of intense poverty and ignorance. I see one of the biggest problems in India being the differences. There are many different languages, religions, races, and customs. There are also many differences in the country itself. The land includes desert, thick jungles, broad plains, mountains, and tropical low lands. All these differences within one country create different needs, and different standards of living. It is however; very evident none of these differences can be addressed until the population is controlled. It is and will become even more of a problem for all the people of India, the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Education and Unemployment Essay

1. In your own opinions, suggest how you can manipulate the supply of educational opportunities as a policy variable. 2. Suggest policy considerations for the government in respect to educational expansions. 3. State the implications for international donor agencies. INTRODUCTION: Edgar Edwards and Michael Todaro argue that an investment in education past the literacy stage is an investment in idle resources. They have some good and bad arguments and below, I am going to critique their arguments critiquing their points with the help of facts, statistics and logical reason. Their main argument is that an investment in education is an investment in idle resources, since the number of unemployed has been rising as the number of people who pursue post-literacy education. ARGUMENT: The two writers have both good and not so good points in their argument against post-literacy education. Firstly, by saying that â€Å"the average level of education among the unemployed and underemployed appears to be rising, suggesting that the growing investment in educational systems is increasing an investment in idle resources†, it’s actually true. The average number of people who have pursued education higher than the primary school level, in this case, the literacy level, has been rising over the past few years. The table below shows the trends, as compiled by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and UNESCO. | 1999| 2000| 2001| 2002| 2003| 2004| 2005| 2006| 2007| Primary School| 6,078,024| 6,078,024| 5,941,610| 6,062,742| 7,159,523| 7,394,763| 7,591,528| 7,632,113| 8,229,266| Secondary School| 724,758| 762,414| 753,525| 781,601| 882,513| 926,149| 934,149| 1,030,080| 1,180,267| TOTAL| 6,788,858| 6,840,438| 6,695,1335| 6,844,343| 8,042,036| 8,320,912| 8,525,677| 8,662,193| 9,409,533|. | 2003| 2004| 2005| 2006| 2007| 2008| 2009| Enrolment in University| 82,100| 91,500| 92,316| 112,229| 118,239| 122,847| 177,735| From the table, we can see that as from 2002 when the government introduced free primary education, the number of children enrolled in school sky rocketed, and so did the number of people who got the chance to attend secondary school. Edwards and Todaro also argue that â€Å"rapid expansion of formal education beyond literacy levels without constructive efforts to create meaningful employment opportunities is likely to generate political as well as educational unrest†. This is so because the number of people graduating from our universities is higher than the number of jobs being created in any specific year. Politics plays a big role in the educational sector, since the MP’s are the decision makers and moreso because the corrupt few reduce the funds available for development, or more funds are directed to developed areas rather than to the marginalised so as to help them develop. According to the book â€Å"Education and development in Africa†, it’s stated that so as to improve African countries, it’s not only the provision of education that matters, but also the quality of it. This is a determinant in the levels of unemployment, since those from well-off schools are regarded in higher esteem, as compared to those from schools that are not known for academic excellence, even though both candidates have the same credentials. This results in the candidate from a renowned school getting a job, while the other candidate misses out, creating unemployment. Unemployment is†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ while underemployment is†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..

Ban on Plastics

Despite a popular demand for it, and Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh having already set a precedent, India will not have a blanket ban on plastic carry bags. The Environment Ministry has instead proposed putting in place a stricter regulatory regime for plastic manufacturers. If the manufacture of ‘biodegradable’ plastic carry bags is planned to be made mandatory, that too in strict adherence to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications, the stress is also on ‘better waste management’. That the Ministry would not go in for a blanket ban was clear on Thursday when it came out with its public notice on its draft notification for the new Plastic (Manufacture, Usage and Waste Management) Rules, 2009. A senior Environment Ministry official justified it saying, â€Å"There cannot be a blanket ban. Except, perhaps for Bangladesh, no other country has it. So, the new Rules have proposed a ban on the manufacture, stock, distribution and sale of any recycled, biodegradable and virgin plastic bags which is less than 18Ãâ€"12 inches in size and less than 40 microns in thickness. It will help in a better post-use collection (by rag pickers).† The Ministry will issue a final notification by factoring in the necessary responses to the draft received in the next 60 days. The new proposals are in line with Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh’s assertions in the Parliament that a complete ban on plastic would result in felling of more trees as people would switch to paper bags, a by-product of wood. He had advocated the promotion of biodegradable plastic carry bags instead, even as he blamed the municipal bodies for failing to properly dispose or recycle solid waste. Ramesh’s statement had then drawn sharp criticism from Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikhsit. Focusing more on the plastic manufacturers, the Ministry has now proposed that every plastic manufacturer should compulsorily code or mark each plastic bag whether it’s recycled, virgin or biodegradable along with its size and thickness. The manufacturer’s name, address and registration number issued by State Pollution Control Boards should also be marked in Hindi, English and local language, on each plastic carry bag or container. The new proposals have evoked a mixed response though. â€Å"There should be a uniform yardstick across the country. Delhi has banned plastic but Maharashtra has not. Biodegradable plastic is used in Delhi but not here. Our managing committee is meeting today to finalise our stance on the Environment Ministry’s new proposals,† Mahendra B Parmar, president, All India Plastic Manufacturers Association (AIPMA), told The Pioneer over telephone from Mumbai. India’s plastic industry is worth Rs 50,000 crore and provides employment to around 50 lakh workers. And plastic accounts for 3.9 per cent of India’s solid waste. Amiya Kumar Sahu, president, National Solid Waste Association of India, however, said the codification mechanism would help in a better solid waste management, as it would need even the smaller or illegal manufacturers to have a technology upgradation. â€Å"The big manufacturers are surely going to benefit then,† he pointed out.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

LIsbon essays

LIsbon essays The 1755 Lisbon Earthquake and Candide In 1755, an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale occurred in Lisbon, Portugal, changing European history and philosophy. But how does one geologic event trigger a paradigm shift from naturalism to liberalism Naturalism unites with rationalism during the Age of Enlightenment, a philosophical movement during the 18th century, which rejects traditional social, religious and political ideas with an emphasis on rationalism. People believe in a world, which follows logical rules, where reason can be used to discover and implement a perfect society. The earthquake in Lisbon shook the very foundation of their beliefs. The Age of Enlightenment or Age of Reason is characterized with a belief in natural law, universal order and the confidence of human reason in the 18th century. Organized religions like Christianity became the enemies of the "enlightened ones and Voltaire created the slogan, Erasez Iinfame!, meaning Wipe it out! Wipe out the infamous thing! i.e. the church of the old order. His influence popularized the ideals of the age. In Candide, Voltaire expresses his philosophy through his characters that embody different ideals of Enlightenment. For example, Candide represents the ludicracy of total optimism. The religious satire of Candide criticizes the traditional dogma. One of the major proponents of the Enlightenment is that individuals have to take control of their own lives which is what Candide finally does after the earthquake. His character growth is based upon the destruction of the world around him. The devastating earthquake of 1755 in Lisbon killed about 30,000 people in a matter of three and a half minutes. Many were killed because they were packed into the citys churches in celebration of All Saints Day; the heavy roofs of the church collapsed on top of them. Also, the candles that were burning at the time started a huge ...

Willmore Rake Hero Essay Example

Willmore Rake Hero Essay Example Willmore Rake Hero Essay Willmore Rake Hero Essay Wilmore is a â€Å"rake hero†. What is his ultimate impact on the audience? Is he to be admired or mocked? Why? Willmore epitomizes the libertine ideal of sexual freedom. He is an ambiguous figure who has charm and is witty, however is usually in danger of being mocked rather than the mocker. Attempted rape of one of the heroines in â€Å"The Rover†, suggests at the very least some mockery of the libertine hero. Wilmore is a sex addict repelled by commitment, â€Å"I am parlously afraid of being in love†. This addiction is presented as being ridiculous, so is the fact that at times he is in pursuit of the bottle as of women. Hellena and WiIllmore are very similar. But she exposes his double standards, as Wilmore cries â€Å"Thy lodging, thy lodging! Or I’m a dead man! † Hellena replies â€Å"why must we be either guilty of fornication or murder if we converse with you men† Hellena’s wit makes Willmore seem ridiculous here. She mocks the familiar libertine motif that the man will die if he is not sexually relieved and exposes Wilmore’s discourse of love, simply as crude sexual appetite. Later she exposes the double standard within Wilmore’s ideology of sexual freedom â€Å"What shall I get? A cradle full of noise and mischief, with a pack of repentance at my back? † Fair one, would you would give me leave to gather at your bush this idle month; I would go near to make somebody smell of it all year after. Here the way Wilmore is plays on this metaphor of a rose to make sexual suggestions by using bush as a female genital symbol emphasises his seductiveness and wit. The fact that he is subtly being quite crude highlights his rakish character. Another way in which this comedic side is shown is when in the play he is paid by Angelica Bianca, the courtesan, due to her love for him. This is ironic as it is as if he is the prostitute and she is the customer thus inspiring laughter from the audience. Willmore’s tendency to ostensibly contradict himself is evident when he berates Angelica for laying a price on herself and judges her sinful. However his insincere moralistic tone is undermined by his hypocritical admission that â€Å"I am studying, madam, how to purchase you, though at present I am unprovided of money† This is amusing for the audience as Willmore comes f as a man who obviously doesn’t think before he speaks. Willmore’s rakish musings and behaviour are ridiculed by Behn and he is often an obstruction to Belville’s plans to meet Florinda. In addition, his rakish behaviour angers Angelica to the point where she threatens him with a pistol for his false promises, Willmore is viewed a s helpless and inclined to be mocked by the audience as he knocked down a peg from his usual foppish behaviour. However marriage compromises the excessive freedom of a libertine philosophy, while also keeping Willmore’s liberty intact because he, in fact, chooses to marry Hellena out of his own free will, this being a commendable thing for Willmore. Willmore’s smooth talking witty persona wins the hearts of many naive women; this is indeed amusing for the audience who are able to see through Willmore’s motives much to the other characters ignorance. A man without a conscience wants nothing more than to enjoy the pleasures of other women, adverse to commitment, but seemingly has a reverse effect on the women he entices. The irony however lies in the fact he is inspired to fidelity by meeting his own match in the form of Hellena. However because Willmore chooses to settle down rather than continue his libertine lifestyle shows that even the most rakish of all can be admired in some aspects.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Battle of Verdun in World War I

Battle of Verdun in World War I The Battle of Verdun was fought during World War I (1914-1918) and lasted from February 21, 1916 until December 18, 1916. The longest and largest battle fought on the Western Front during the conflict, Verdun saw German forces attempt to gain the high ground around the city while drawing the French reserves into a battle of annihilation. Striking on February 21, the Germans made early gains until increasing French resistance and the arrival of reinforcements turned the battle into a grinding, bloody affair. Fighting continued through the summer and saw the French commence counterattacks in August. This was followed by a major counteroffensive on October which ultimately reclaimed much of the ground lost earlier in the year to the Germans. Ending in December, the Battle of Verdun soon became an iconic symbol of French resolve to defend their country. Background By 1915, the Western Front had become a stalemate as both sides engaged in trench warfare. Unable to achieve a decisive breakthrough, offensives simply resulted in heavy casualties with little gain. Seeking to shatter the Anglo-French lines, the German Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn began planning a massive assault on the French city of Verdun. A fortress town on the Meuse River, Verdun protected the plains of Champagne and the approaches to Paris. Surrounded by rings of forts and batteries, Verduns defenses had been weakened in 1915, as artillery was shifted to other sections of the line (Map). Despite its reputation as a fortress, Verdun was selected as it was located in a salient in German lines and could only be supplied by a single road, the Voie Sacrà ©e, from a railhead located at Bar-le-Duc. Conversely, the Germans would be able to attack the city from three sides while enjoying a much stronger logistical network. With these advantages in hand, von Falkenhayn believed that Verdun would only be able to hold out for a few weeks. Shifting forces to the Verdun area, the Germans planned to launch the offensive on February 12, 1916 (Map). The Late Offensive Due to poor weather, the attack was postponed until February 21. This delay, coupled with accurate intelligence reports, allowed the French to shift two divisions of the XXXth Corps to the Verdun area prior to the German assault. At 7:15 AM on February 21, the Germans commenced a ten-hour bombardment of the French lines around the city. Attacking with three army corps, the Germans moved forward utilizing storm troopers and flamethrowers. Staggered by the weight of the German attack, the French were forced to fall back three miles on the first day of fighting. On the 24th, troops of XXX Corps were compelled to abandon their second line of defense but were buoyed by the arrival of the French XX Corps. That night the decision was made to shift General Philippe Petains Second Army to the Verdun sector. Bad news for the French continued the next day as Fort Douaumont, northeast of the city, was lost to German troops. Taking command at Verdun, Petain reinforced the citys fortifications and laid out new defensive lines. On the final day of the month, French resistance near the village of Douaumont slowed the enemy advance, allowing the citys garrison to be reinforced. Changing Strategies Pushing forward, the Germans began to lose the protection of their own artillery, while coming under fire from French guns on the west bank of the Meuse. Pounding German columns, French artillery badly bled the Germans at Douaumont and ultimately forced them to abandon the frontal assault on Verdun. Changing strategies, the Germans began assaults on the flanks of the city in March. On the west bank of the Meuse, their advance focused on the hills of Le Mort Homme and Cote (Hill) 304. In a series of brutal battles, they succeeded in capturing both. This accomplished, they began assaults east of the city. Focusing their attention on Fort Vaux, the Germans shelled the French fortification around the clock. Storming forward, German troops captured the forts superstructure, but a savage battle continued in its underground tunnels until early June. As the fighting raged, Petain was promoted to lead the Centre Army Group on May 1, while General Robert Nivelle was given command of the front at Verdun. Having secured Fort Vaux, the Germans pushed southwest against Fort Souville. On June 22, they shelled the area with poison diphosgene gas shells before launching a massive assault the next day. French General Philippe PetainGeneral Robert Nivelle30,000 men (Feb. 21, 1916) Germans Erich von FalkenhaynCrown Prince Wilhelm150,000 men (Feb. 21, 1916) Casualties Germany - 336,000-434,000France - 377,000 (161,000 killed, 216,000 wounded) French Moving Ahead Over several days of fighting, the Germans initially had success but met increasing French resistance. While some German troops reached the top of Fort Souville on July 12, they were forced to withdraw by French artillery. The battles around Souville marked farthest German advance during the campaign. With the opening of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, some German troops were withdrawn from Verdun to meet the new threat. With the tide stemmed, Nivelle began planning a counter-offensive for the sector. For his failure, von Falkenhayn was replaced by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg in August. On October 24, Nivelle began attacking the German lines around the city. Making heavy use of artillery, his infantry was able to push the Germans back on the east bank of the river. Forts Douaumont and Vaux were recaptured on October 24 and November 2, respectively, and by December, the Germans had been nearly forced back to their original lines. The hills on the west bank of the Meuse were retaken in a localized offensive in August 1917. Aftermath The Battle of Verdun was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of World War I. A brutal battle of attrition, Verdun cost the French an estimated 161,000 dead, 101,000 missing, and 216,000 wounded. German losses were approximately 142,000 killed and 187,000 wounded. After the war, von Falkenhayn claimed that his intention at Verdun was not to win a decisive battle  but rather to bleed the French white by forcing them to make a stand at a place from which they could not retreat. Recent scholarship has discredited these statements as von Falkenhayn attempting to justify the campaigns failure. The Battle of Verdun has assumed an iconic place in French military history as a symbol of the nations determination to defend its soil at all costs.

Start a Freelance Writing Career in 2017

Start a Freelance Writing Career in 2017 Start a Freelance Writing Career in 2017 Start a Freelance Writing Career in 2017 By Daniel Scocco Every year more and more businesses discover the potential of the Internet, websites and social networks to generate leads, customers and sales. Every website or social media account needs fresh content, however, and that is why the demand for freelance writers keeps growing. If you like to write, this is a big opportunity. Today we are launching the 2017 edition of our Freelance Writing Course. It is a 6-week program aimed at helping people get started with freelance writing online. You will get all the information and tools you need to start writing, promote yourself and land your first clients! Every week you get access to a new module with four lessons and assigned tasks you are supposed to complete. Here is the list of topics covered: 1. Increasing Your Writing Productivity to Multiply Your Profits 2. Website Setup, Promotion and Guest Blogging 3. Writing Content For The Web, A Totally Different Beast 4. Finding Clients and Developing High Paying Jobs 5. Running A Freelance Writing Business Efficiently 6. Using Social Media To Promote Yourself and Land More Writing Jobs As I mentioned before, the explosion of social networks has a role in this increased demand for freelance writers. Businesses need to be where their customers are, and that is why companies must have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and so on. Someone needs to create content for the business accounts on those social networks! In fact one of the topics covered in the course is how you can leverage this new trend and offer services beyond simple articles, effectively becoming a marketing and social media consultant for those businesses. Over 1300 students took the course in the past, and the feedback received is always positive. On top of that there is a full money-back guarantee, meaning that you can take the whole course and only then decide whether or not it worked for you. Ready to join us? Click here to visit the official page! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†Ã¢â‚¬Å"As Well As† Does Not Mean â€Å"And†Plurals of Proper Names

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Narrative Essay Example

Narrative Essay Example What Is a Narrative Essay? A narrative essay is a type of essay written about a personal experience. If you are looking for narrative essay examples here is a great one below. Narrative Essay Example about Barack Obama Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States of America, is far from a perfect president. But all politicians are immensely flawed individuals – or why else would they try to run for public office? That is another story altogether. Obama is often seen as the first black president of America, though in reality, he is the first biracial president, born to a white American mother and a black African father. It is unfortunate that the color of his skin is even an issue worth talking about. But to be completely honest here, this problem can easily be interpreted that a great deal of the backlash he, and his administration, receives from the white-majority Republican party derives from their own deeply rooted racism: they don’t want a black man in office. But they’d never say that. People, mostly white, ignorant, elitist Republicans, like to pretend Obama is the Anti-Christ, trying to ruin the United States and take over the world. At the root of this is fear and racism: Growing up, when they thought of what the President of the United States looked like, that person probably, most likely, looked like 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney: a gray-haired white man who walked, talked and thought like a wealthy, powerful white person. Even if Obama haters never ever tell the truth of why they hate him, they know deep down it is because he is not white. Aside from race, President Obama seems like a relatively good person who means well for his country and countrymen. Yes, he is a millionaire, but he is a low-end millionaire, his money accumulated and earned from a modest president’s salary of $400,000, as well as sales and royalties from his book sales. But unlike multi-billionaires like Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Obama cannot be seen as a power-hungry politician. Conservatives always seem to overlook the fact that he can truly identify with the common man – unlike most republicans who just want to exploit the common man. In the future, once Obama’s presidency has come to a close, he will probably write another book – he has written three – this time about his eight years in office. Readers can imagine he will speak on the agendas of the Right, and how he only wanted to improve the lives of everyday Americans, to improve the country and the world. His book will expose a lot of the conspiracy theories implanted by the Republicans to cast him in a very negative light, claims that are absolutely absurd. It may one day be one of the most enlightening pieces of literature ever written by any president in United States history. To conclude much can be said about Barack Obama the man – both good and bad. He came from humble beginnings and has become (arguably) one of the most powerful men in the world. But mostly the conservatives, who try to make him out to be an enemy of the state, a communist and social, have rarely treated him like a decent human being. They want to believe – or at least have the public believe – he is an evil traitor, a ruthless Putin-like leader, and not America’s great leader. Nonetheless, he has taken all the adversity quite gracefully, in turn demonstrating why he was elected in the first place. He is a man of class, education, intelligence, diplomacy, ideas, wisdom, and character, and he deserves to be given a chance by the Right. He will still go down in history as a truly great president, a great modern-day world leader. The American people, as a whole, did vote for him – and still, so many people will find any and all faults in him so as to dis parage him and his administration. It’s a sad reality that has been tearing this country apart for much too long.