Socially Responsible Marketing

Socially Responsible Marketing Free Online Research Papers Businesses and people face constraints on what can ethically be done to make money or in their pursuits of goals. Fraud and deception are not only morally wrong but also clog up the efficient functioning of the economy. There are also behaviors that, even if they are not strictly illegal, cannot be undertaken with a good conscience. There are a number of areas where a person must consider his or her conscience to decide if an action is acceptable. For example, Some â€Å"paycheck advance† loan operators charge very high interest rates on small loans made in anticipation of a consumer’s next paycheck. Depending on state laws, effective interest rates (interest rates plus other fees involved) may exceed 20% per month. In some cases, borrowers put up their automobiles as security, with many losing their only source of transportation through default. Although some consider this practice unconscionable, same may assert that such loans may be the only way that a family can o btain cash to fill an immediate need. Because of costs of administration are high, these costs, when spread over a small amount, will amount to a large percentage. Also, because the customer groups in question tend to have poor credit ratings with high anticipated rates of default, rates must be high enough to cover this. Different individuals vary in their ethical convictions. Some are willing to work for the tobacco industry, for example, while others are not. Some are willing to mislead potential customers while others will normally not do this. There are also broader societal and company wide values that may influence the individual business decision maker. Some religions, including Islam, disfavor the charging of interest. Although different groups differ somewhat in their interpretations of this issue, the Koran at the very least prohibits usury- charging excessive interest rates. There is some disagreements as to whether more modest, fair interest rates are acceptable. In cultures where the stricter interpretation applies, a firm may be unwilling to set up an interest-based financing plan for customers who cannot pay cash. The firm might, instead, charge a higher price, with no additional charge for interest. Some firms also have their own ethical stands. For example, Google has the motto †Å"Do no evil.† Other firms, on the other hand, may actively encourage lies, deception, and other reprehensible behavior. Some firms elect to sell in less developed countries products that have been banned as unsafe in their own countries. Many see the tobacco industry as the â€Å"enemy† and may not want to do anything that can benefit the industry. However, in principle, it may actually be possible to make it profitable for the tobacco industry to â€Å"harvest†- to spend less money on brand building and gradually reduce the quantities sold.   The tobacco industry is heavily concentrated, with three firms controlling most of the market. Some other industries are exempt from many antitrust law provisions. If the tobacco companies were allowed to collude and set prices, the equilibrium market price would probably go up, and the quantity of tobacco demanded would then go down. It is been found that among teenagers, smoking rates are especially likely to decrease when prices increase. The tobacco companies could also be given some immediate tax breaks in return for giving up their trademarks some thirty years in the future. This would reduce the incentive to advertise, again leading to decreased demand in the future. The tax benefits needed might have to be very high, thus making the idea infeasible unless the nation is willing to trade off better health for such large revenue losses. In some cases, it may actually be profitable for companies to do good deeds. This may be the case, for example, when a firm receives a large amount of favorable publicity for its contributions, resulting in customer goodwill and an enhanced brand value. A pharmacy chain, for example, might pay for charitable good to develop information about treating diabetes. The chain could then make this information on its web site, paying for bandwidth and other hosting expenses that may be considerably less than the value of the positive publicity received. Non-profit groups often spend a large proportion of the money they take in on fund raising. This is problematic both because of the inefficiency of the process and the loss of potential proceeds that result and because potential donors who learn about or suspect high fund raising expenses may be less likely to donor. This is an especially critical issue now that information on fund raising overhead for different organizations is readily available on the Internet. An alternative approach to fund raising that does not currently appear to be much in use is the idea of â€Å"sponsored† fund raising. The idea here is that some firm might volunteer to send out fund raising appeals on behalf of the organization. For example, Microsoft might volunteer to send out letters asking people to donate to the American Red Cross. This may be a very cost effective method of promotion for the firm since the sponsor would benefit from both the positive publicity for its involvement and from the greater attention that would likely be given a fund raising appeal for a group of special interest than would be given to an ordinary advertisement or direct mail piece advertising the sponsor in a traditional way. One issue that comes up is the potential match between the sponsor and sponsee organization. This may or may not be a critical issue since respondents are selected for the solicitation based on their predicted interest in the organization. Microsoft- directly or indirectly through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation- has been credited with a large number of charitable ventures and has the Congressional Black Caucus as one of its greatest supporters. In many cases, firms might volunteer for this fund raising effort in large part because of the spear heading efforts of high level executives whose families are affected by autism. As Globilization continues to expand, the issues dealing with ethics and how they apply to marketing will be of growing concern. Where this may be seen the most is in dealings with other cultures, religions, and even governments. It is hard enough at times to always make the right decisions as an individual, as for a business it is hard to fully fathom the full implications. Research Papers on Socially Responsible MarketingTwilight of the UAWIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalDefinition of Export QuotasThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPETSTEL analysis of IndiaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NicePersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy

BookBaby Review Read This First (+ Promo Codes!)

BookBaby Review Read This First (+ Promo Codes!) BookBaby Review: Read This First (Plus Promo Codes!) If you’re planning to self-publish a book, you probably already know all the biggest names in the game: KDP, IngramSpark, Lulu, and of course, BookBaby. You can read about the pros and cons of each of these companies in the posts linked above, but this review will focus exclusively on the latter. We’ll first cover what BookBaby is and how to use it, then lead into the relative merits - and potential stumbling blocks - of using it to self-publish your book. BookBaby review: what you need to know in 2019 What is BookBaby?BookBaby is a platform for self-publishing authors that includes editing, design, and marketing services, as well as distribution packages for both ebooks and print books. Over the past couple years, it’s become one of the most high-profile print-on-demand (POD) companies for authors, and continues to be a popular choice in 2019.Five fast facts about BookBaby:Founded in 2011 in Portland, Oregon ☔President and CEO is Steven Spatz, who’s written two books on publishing ðŸ“â€"Approximately 8,000 users in 2018 (though not all have published a book) 👠ªDistributes through Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes Noble, and other major retailers in over 170 countries ðŸÅ'ŽHosts an annual Independent Authors Conference in Philadelphia, with workshops and panels from industry experts âÅ" Packages and servicesBookBaby offers a number of packages and individual services for self-publishing authors. We’ll break down the main ones for you here , but you can check out the full list on their website.â€Å"The Complete Self-Publishing Package† - $1,699BookBaby’s most popular package, according to the site. The Complete Self-Publishing Package includes cover design and formatting, ebook conversion, 25 print books, an ISBN number, worldwide distribution, a professional Facebook ad campaign, and a listing in the BookBaby online store (which allows you to sell directly to readers). Note that editing services are not included, however - nor any kind of discount if you wish to print more than 25 books, which is a serious drawback for authors printing in bulk.Printed Book Distribution - $299 + cost of bulk printing orderAlready have your manuscript and cover prepared? Then you’ll want to go with the printed book distribution package, which uses BookBaby’s POD service. This allows you to choose from various aesthetic options, order high-quality print copies, and sell your book all over the world.But ke ep in mind that the $299 charge is on top of your actual print order. For reference, 100 copies of a 300-page book will set you back $861 (and that’s without shipping!). Add the POD fee and your total comes to $1,160 for this particular package.So what does that $299 fetch you? The answer is distribution: again, BookBaby has an extensive distribution network, which includes every major retailer in the world. That said, you can get more bang for your buck from other POD services - like IngramSpark, which cuts out the distribution â€Å"middleman† that makes other platforms' fee so high. Basically, if you want to sell a large quantity of books, make sure you know your options.Ebook Conversion and Distribution - $249Alternatively, if you don’t want to print any books, you can opt for the ebook conversion and distribution package instead. Though BookBaby plays up its file conversion service and quality checks by â€Å"content conversion specialists,† youâ⠂¬â„¢re mainly paying for the distribution once again: as with the print package, your ebook will be sold in 60+ stores in over 170 countries.Copy and Line Editing - $7-10 per pageNow let’s talk individual services. For copy editing, BookBaby charges $7/page, while line editing is $10/page. Putting that in perspective, a copy edit for a 300-page book would be $2,100, and a line edit would be $3,000 - slightly higher than the average Reedsy estimates. Their site does promise rapid turnaround times at these prices: 8-10 business days for a full line edit, and just 6-8 days for a line edit. However, keep in mind that speed doesn’t necessarily beget quality, especially when it comes to editing.Book Cover Design - $399-549BookBaby also touts its cover design services, which come in two modes: â€Å"Basic† and â€Å"Deluxe.† The Basic design package costs $399 and includes, well, a basic cover design - a single, central image with fairly standard text. The Deluxe package, on the other hand, involves more sophisticated imagery and text for the higher price of $549. You can see the difference between the Basic and Deluxe options in the images below. So what’s the bottom line?BookBaby is a good option for authors who:  Want an easy-to-use interface and a bit of hand-holding through the process;Don’t mind paying a high price for bulk orders + distribution; and/orOnly want to print a small quantity of books.BookBaby is not a good option for authors who:Plan to print and distribute more than 25 books;Want to self-publish and distribute an ebook; and/orRequire additional services such as editing, typesetting, marketing, etc. - you can find a better deal elsewhere.BookBaby promo codesBookBaby might be tough on your wallet, but if you’re sold on their POD service, then you’re in luck! Here are two promo codes you can use to save on bulk orders, PLUS a coupon for free shipping. However you choose to publish, we hope the final product looks fantastic. 💠¯Enter the code SAVE100 at checkout to save $100 on 100 books or more.Enter the code PUBLISH100 at checkout to save $500 on 500 books or more.Finally, enter the code FREESHIPBB for free shipping on 25 books or more.Got any more questions about BookBaby? Feel free to leave them in the comments!

Foreign Policy Decision-making Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foreign Policy Decision-making Process - Essay Example Mr. Lerman deputy of the National Security Council made the announcements. The decision was on political agenda for improving ties between Israel and Turkey and among all members of NATO at large. The person involved, are officials from NATO, Turkey and Israel and Turkey, Israel countries (Newsom 15). On the other hand, OPEC news recognizes the survival of Israel which celebrates its birthday annually on 25-26 of April despite facing a lot of criticism from members of the United Nations and in particular from Iran. This announcement was by a person who recognized the rejection the nation had been through though the Arabs considered this as irony. Making the decision to recognize Israel had been its ability to prove survival in tough times which leads to its recognition as a perfect destination for people due to its friendly environment even on pressure. The decision was on national agenda which aims to promote the positive aspect to enhance Israel recognition by UN members. The nations involved are USA, Palestine with Arabian people. Part two The first opium war took place from 1839 to 1842 and it was between the Great Britain and China. Treaty making before the governments of China and GB began in 1842 after the British defeated the Chinese at the first opium war that led to the signing of the treaty of Nanking. Chinese negotiated treaties using the thirteen hongs before 1839. Country merchants were the middlemen used by the Chinese government to communicate with the British officials in any issue between the two governments. BEIC exploitation angered in George 11 who decided to go against the will of his father. The Chinese meaning of "Yi" was mainly expressed as family name coming first and personal name coming second and this was a believe that origin owes the greatest respect compared to personal status though in British interpretation of the word "Yi" was different. It meant that; personal name is more significant than family name (Newsom 22) The diplomatic place of Lord Napier has been significant to the Chinese an d mostly, lord Napier William who his renowned for initiating a war in China after failing in his mission that involved making settlement with China which for expanding the British deals to interior China. Lord Napier William is a person who fought for his country interest involving expansion of British east India company in China till his death thus he is a nationalist. Most of the countries that would have faced with a situation like of china would have reacted no differently as from the Chinese due to nationalism to protect their resources under all costs. These people were known as nationalists for the role they played during the opium war; Lin Zexu, Charles Elliot, William Ewart. The word â€Å"Yimu" means a barbarian eye while in Chinese the same word meant foreign principal. Lord Napier reacted to the Chinese repository by circulating leaflets in Chinese language to all Chinese in canton announcing about the British superiority that later led to a fight between British and C hinese officials though the British lost in 1834. This use of words like great is powerful and showed the power of British monarch and strength to conquer all nations. It sounded like a threat to Chinese after it denied the British settlements (Newsom 32). Bocca Tigris; was a tactical situation as a nautical gateway to Guangzhou were several important first

Phd propsal Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Phd propsal - Research Proposal Example Research study about how human beings move is important in terms of allowing the animators to have a better understanding on how they can improve the quality of their animated drawings. As part of the research proposal, the purpose of the research study, problem statement, significance of the problem, definition of terms, and hypothesis or research question will first be identified. Before discussing the proposed research methodology, a literature review will be conducted to determine which part of the human anatomy is most used in terms of supporting human walks. Several academic books in Medicine, peer-reviewed journals and online articles will be utilized to identify which among the essential parts of the human body is most commonly used when walking. In line with this, the muscles and skeleton in the lower extremities and the curve on arms and legs will be examined in relation to the time, distance, and spacing. With regards to the use of simple lines in animation drawings, a literature review will be conducted to determine which part of an animation drawing a modern animator should draw and not draw based on the influence of Renaissance. In relation to speed, light, differences in sizes and shapes, and the number of required frames used in capturing human movements in 2-dimensional images, the proposed study will also examine how the human eyes and brain f unctions upon seeing a connected images move in animated drawings. In going through the proposed primary research methodology, the rationale behind the selected research approach and methods will be provided followed by justifying how the proposed research method will be accomplished by obtaining the required inputs. Prior to conclusion, a research schedule will be provided in this report. Learning more about the human movements is important in terms of allowing the modern animators have a better understanding and idea on how they can improve the quality of their

Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói Essay Example for Free

Museu de Arte Contemporà ¢nea de Niterà ³i Essay The Niterà ³i Contemporary Art Museum (Museu de Arte Contemporà ¢nea de Niterà ³i — MAC) is situated in the city of Niterà ³i, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is one of the city’s main landmarks. It was completed in 1996. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer with the assistance of structural engineer Bruno Contarini, who had worked with Niemeyer on earlier projects, the MAC-Niterà ³i is 16 meters high; its cupola has a diameter of 50 metres with three floors. The museum projects itself over Boa Viagem (â€Å"Bon Voyage,† â€Å"Good Journey†), the 817 square metres (8,790 sq ft) reflecting pool that surrounds the cylindrical base â€Å"like a flower,† in the words of Niemeyer. A wide access slope leads to a Hall of Expositions, which has a capacity for sixty people. Two doors lead to the viewing gallery, through which can be seen theGuanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, and Sugarloaf Mountain. The saucer-shaped modernist structure, which has been likened to a UFO, is set on a cliffside, at the bottom of which is a beach. In the film Oscar Niemeyer, an architect committed to his century,[1] Niemeyer is seen flying over Rio de Janeiro in a UFO which then lands on the site, suggesting this to be the origin of the museum. The MAC Scandal was a political scandal that occurred when the mayor Joà £o Sampaio inaugurated the Niterà ³i Contemporary Art Museum. The MAC is located on a hill slope that had locked construction rights set by the city council. Therefore in December 1996, the new mayor, Jorge Roberto Silveira sent a project to the city council to obtain the rights to construction in that area. The project was accepted in only two days, giving permission to build buildings up to 40 metres (130 ft). The city council did not know that days before, Zeca Mocarzel, sub-mayor of the Niterà ³is Oceanic Region (of Jorge Roberto Silveiras government) bought the lands at a very low price, claiming to the old owner that the region was locked and nothing could be done there. So he bought the area and, after the inauguration of the MAC which substantially increased the property values of the nearby areas, later sold the land for more than 5 million reals, approximately 1,250,000 US dollars at the time (2,720,000 dollars today). Because the scandal occurred just before Christmas, the people of Niterà ³i said that it was Jorge Roberto Silveira, Zeca Mocarzel and Joà £o Sampaios (long-time Niterà ³is politicians) Christmas present.

Haiti :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Caribbean Islands are one of the most traveled to place in the world. One of these islands in the Caribbean Sea is the island of Hispano, which is both the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This country has a recorded history of about 552 years. They also have special culture. The general facts, past history, and culture all effect the ways of this country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The country of Haiti is located in the Caribbean Sea, which is just south of the Gulf of Mexico. The Caribbean Sea is home to a lot of the world’s island. The capital is Port-au-Prince, which is located in the middle of the country right next to Golfe de la Gonave. The whole county is about 10,700 square miles. It contains an estimated 6,867,995 people, this is about 642 people per square mile. This is actually quite dense considering that the United States has about 76 people per square mile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The country of Haiti culture is very much like the French. In fact Haiti is the only Latin American country where the culture is French. The first language is French, but another common language that is spoken there is Creole. Many of the people speak Creole because the French settlers introduced it. Creole is a mix of French and the native language that was spoken on the island. Ninety-five percent of the people of Haiti come from an African decent. The religion consists of eighty percent Roman Catholic, sixteen percent Protestant, and ninety five percent Voodoo.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Between the years of 1492 to the present day a lot of historical events have occurred. The first time the country of Haiti fell under European rule was when Christopher Columbus first set foot on it putting it under the rule of the Spanish. Then after, many revolts, in 1804 Haiti successfully became an independent country by passing a law stating its freedom. It was very much like when the United States of America declared its independence from Great Britain with the Declaration of Independence. From 1915-1934 US Marines occupied the country. This resulted in the population to go up which also made the country more dense. In 1949 the democratic rule was turned into a dictatorship. Then in 1991 there was the first elected chief brought into office. His name was Jean-Bertrand Aristide; he won 67% of the votes. Then his close friend and former Prime Minister Renà © Preval succeeded him in 1995.

Global Oil Industry Conflict: An Apocalypse End Essay

Abstract Human beings depend on the resources they derive from the environment for their well-being and their very survival. Warfare is a prominent human activity used to gain access to these resources. Oil, gas, and minerals are vital natural resources that meet crucial human needs. Whether for transport, for heating, or for everyday goods and services, these resources constitute essential raw material inputs. Modern civilization would struggle to survive without readily available access to these resources at reasonable and affordable prices. For these reason, these resources are considered to be strategic resources, critical for national and global well-being and prosperity. This study aims to provide detailed information about oil conflicts that have occurred in the past and how they can be solved in future by use of permanent means such as provision of energy through other means apart from oil. Key words: oil industry, global, oil related conflict, apocalypse Introduction Oil forms the largest percentage of energy consumption in the world, ranging from as low as 30% to as high as 60%, depending on the country’s energy consumption. Forming the world’s largest industry in terms of dollar value, the industry which includes production, distribution, refining as well as retailing is the largest in the world (Venn, 2002). Countries as well as companies and organizations are aware of this importance and put up measures that would gain them access to this all too important commodity. In most countries, governments have put up measures that ensure that oil as accessible to them. These include providing major tax breaks to oil companies on almost all oil explorations as well as extractions. These breaks extend to oil field leases as well the equipment used in oil drilling. Governments also provide heavy public subsidiaries to these companies. In exchange for the favors that the governments offer to the companies, they get to access cheaper oil for their countries. However, while oil has managed to form a larger part of relief in industrialization, it has become the source of conflict in many parts of the world, more so in countries where the precious commodity is produced. Oil and conflict The world’s nations interact with each other in their pursuit of external natural resources through governmental and non-governmental avenues in an astonishing variety of bilateral and multilateral ways. These international interactions change with time, ranging from cordial and synergistic to antagonistic and destructive (Cotet & Tsui, 2013, p. 51). For instance, one of the several explicitly enunciated national-security objectives of the USA is to protect U.S. economic interests worldwide by maintaining steady access to energy supplies, other critical resources, and foreign markets. The relations among subdivisions or portions of a nation similarly range in changing patterns from the harmonious to the discordant. At the negative extreme of these spectra of international and domestic interaction are found overt threats of aggression and the actual pursuit of war (Cotet & Tsui,   2013, p. 51). The resort to war by a nation, a group of nations, or a portion of a nation has been a common approach to achieving a policy objective. The half-dozen or more significant wars currently in progress represent a routine human activity that appears in progress represent a routine human activity that appears not to have changed significantly in the recent decades or centuries in either frequency or in intensity. The global shortage, or perceived shortage, of one or more natural resources, especially oil, contributes greatly to the belligerent political behavior and the onset of war (Blomberg, Hess & Jackson, 2009, P. 410). Of the minerals like coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium, the ones considered as possible causes of future wars are oil and uranium (Blomberg, Hess & Jackson, 2009, P. 409). The world has become dependent upon continuing supplies of huge quantities of oil, especially so the industrialized nations. Many nations must depend upon imports to satisfy their demand for this commodity. Among the major powers, Russia, China, and the United Kingdom are self-sufficient, and are also exporters of oil. The USA is at present importing about one-third of its consumption. France, Germany and Japan must import all their oil. The major exporting nations at present are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, and Mexico. The major exporting region is the Middle East (Blomberg, Hess & Jackson, 2009, P. 409). Wars fought over oil control in past centuries A number of wars in the past centuries have been fought over oil[1]. Oil has additionally caused many conflicts in the world in recent years, for example, the war between Sudan and South Sudan (Alexander and Keiger, 2002, p. 26). On 10th April, 2012, the newly sovereign state of South Sudan occupied the oil center of Heglig. This is a town that was granted to Sudan as a peace settlement that enabled Southern Sudan to secede in 2011. In response to this occupation, the northerners mobilized their own forces and drove the southerners out of Heglig (Check and Mdlongwa, 2012, p. 5). This conflict was caused by factors such as economic differences between the two states, and a long-lasting enmity between the southerners and the northerners. The biggest cause of this conflict however is oil, and the revenues produced by oil [2](Johnson, 2003, p. 115). Another evidence of conflicts caused by oil is the naval clash in the South China Sea[3] (Buszynski, 2012, p. 140). Multiple factors drove this conflict, but just like the Sudan situation, energy is the most dominant motive. The area in question is said to be having large deposits of oil and natural gas. All nations around the island, including Philippines and China want exploit these coffers. Manila asserts a 200-nautical mile absolute economic zone stretching into the South China Sea from its western shoreline, a region it named the West Philippine Sea. Beijing has also asserted sovereignty over the whole area, counting the waters petitioned by Manila. Despite years of dialogue, no solution has been found yet further clashes over oil and other resources are likely (Buszynski, 2012, p. 141). Egypt has also had some oil and energy conflicts with Israel. The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation communicated to the Israeli government that they were going to terminate the gas acquisition accord, in which Egypt had been providing gas to Israel[4]. This announcement caused months of demonstrations in Cairo by the protestors who succeeded in depositing Hosni Mubarak. This followed many attacks on the pipelines transporting gas to Israel, which the Egyptian military was unable to prevent. The cutoff suggests the use of energy as a form of political warfare (Bradley and Mitnick, 2013, p. 1). Argentina has also been involved in oil conflicts. The Argentinean government announced that it would seize a majority stake in YPF, the nation’s largest oil company[5]. This deal would see the Argentinean government lose over one billion dollars a year which was not acceptable. In a nutshell, this particular conflict was mostly fuelled by Argentina’s urge to derive greater economic and political benefits from its energy reserves (Erixon and Brandt, 2013, p.9). Causes of oil conflicts in past decades The western world was shocked by the 1967 embargo by the Arab oil-producing countries and by the following oil crisis of 1973-74 (Blomberg, Hess & Jackson, 2009, P. 410). These events demonstrated the possibility for oil-producing countries to exert an influence on the world oil supply and to use their oil resources for political goals. At the time, many western scholars and politicians expressed the fear over the threat of oil blackmail. Further developments showed that the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) had only limited possibilities to disrupt oil supplies and that such fear had been exaggerated (Blomberg, Hess & Jackson, 2009, P. 409). Nevertheless, the Middle East remains the best known center of conflict having a considerable raw-material component (Humphreys, 2005, p. 511). The situation in the Middle East is grave and complex for three reasons. First, there is opposition between the Arab countries plus Palestine and Israel. Second, there are the difficult relations among a number of the Arab countries themselves[6]. Third, there are hostilities within some of the countries based on religious and political differences. The war between Iran and Iraq served to remove these two countries from list of major oil exporters (Humphreys, 2005, p. 512). The numerous and varied levels of conflict within the Middle East are viewed with favor by at least some of the oil-importing countries for they are thought to maintain the region in a dynamic balance (Newton-Small, 2013, p. 39). The foreign policy of the USA and a number of other states is designed to keep these conflicts alive[7]. The USA also let it be known that it did not even exclude the possibility of an armed seizure of the Middle Eastern oil deposits if it looked as if the region would fall into the hands of the then USSR (Humphreys, 2005, p.520). The downfall in 1979 of the pro-US regime in Iran appeared to be an irrevocable loss to the US position there. Following this event, the USA took compensatory steps to prepare for an alternative presence in the Middle East region[8]. In 1980, the USA began to develop rapid deployment forces capable of striking the Middle East. Additionally, a number of NATO countries quartered military units on the Sinai Peninsula. This enabled these forces to have control over the Suez Canal and the Red Sea region. Such action strengthened the Israeli position vis-à  -vis its neighbors (Humphreys, 2005, p. 523). The USA wanted to create the impression that it was acting on behalf of the whole Western world in striving to guarantee oil supplies for its NATO allies. But this was contradicted by the US proclamation that â€Å"An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf Region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force†. Furthermore, the allies of USA experienced substantial economic losses as a result of the US and Israeli foreign policies in the Middle East[9]. It was also no coincidence that a number of West European nations were made independent, albeit unsuccessful, initiatives to settle the Arab-Israel conflict (Humphreys, 2005, p. 526). Propensity for war Petro-states, states in which revenues from net oil exports constitute at least ten percent of gross domestic product (GDP), are among the most violent states in the world. Such states show a remarkable propensity for militarized interstate disputes (MIDs). They engage in MIDs at a rate more than fifty percent higher than non-petro-states. This was not always true. Until about 1970, petro-states were just about as likely to get into international conflicts as non-petro-states. Yet the modern age of oil, which began in earnest after the Arab oil embargo on 1973, created a world in which petro-states play an oversized role in global military affairs. The relatively small group of petro-states has accounted for almost a quarter of all of the world’s international conflicts since 1970 (Colgan, 2010, p. 678). Petro-aggression is the idea that, under certain circumstances, oil exporting states are systematically more likely to act aggressively and instigate international conflicts. Rather than being simply a magnet for greed and international competition, oil has multiple effects. Oil creates some incentives to increase a petro-state’s aggressiveness and some incentives to decrease it. The net effect of oil for a petro-state’s foreign policy depends on how the oil income interacts with the state’s domestic politics. Oil income has its most negative consequences for international peace when it flows into a state that is led by a government with aggressive preferences. Such leadership often arises in the wake of a domestic political revolution (Colgan, 2010, p. 679). However, not all petro-states are affected by petro-aggression. A common misperception about oil politics is that it has a uniform, monolithic effect on politics. This is not true because the net political effect of oil varies dramatically depending on the nature of the petrostate. Large-scale oil income generates multiple political incentives that affect a petro-state’s foreign policy. One of the more important but subtle incentives is that oil facilitates risk-taking by petro-state leaders[10]. Consequently, a petro-state leader often faces very little political answerability, and consequently a low threat of being ousted from office for risky and potentially unpopular actions. In non-petro-states, one of the reasons that leaders tend to avoid international conflicts is because they know that if they are defeated, they are incredibly prone to be ousted from office, either peacefully or violently. Yet a leader with huge financial resources to redistribute to purchase political support can afford to take chances, counting those concerned with belligerent foreign policy adventurism (Colgan, 2010, p. 680). The net impact of oil’s multiple effects on a state’s foreign policy depends critically on its domestic politics, especially the preferences of its leaders. Governments that have come to power by way of a domestic revolution are especially significant. Revolutionary governments are more likely to have aggressive preferences for two reasons. First, revolutionary politics tend to select leaders that are systematically more risk-tolerant and ambitious to revise the status quo that non-revolutionary leaders. Second, revolutions tend to eliminate domestic political constraints that might otherwise restrain an aggressive leader from taking a state into conflict or war. Thus, revolutionary states have a higher propensity for aggression than comparable non-revolutionary states, regardless of whether they have oil (Colgan, 2010, p.681). For states in which a revolutionary government has taken power, oil amplifies the state’s propensity to instigate international conflicts. The combination of a risk-tolerant revolutionary leader, financial resources for armed actions, and a lofty scale of political self-sufficiency generated by oil earnings, produces a noxious mix that aids state aggression, which in turn leads to conflict. In non-revolutionary petro-states, the net effect is quite different. Oil still provides incentives for aggression, but these are balanced by the incentives to avoid international conflict, such as the opportunity cost of any potentially disrupted oil exports (Colgan, 2010, p.683). Impact of oil discovery and production Referred to as the worlds ‘black gold’, oil has in the last century or so become a source of hardships and misery in societies where it has been found. Corrupt and authoritarian governments, as well as loop-sided economies, and violent conflict form the order of the day in countries where petroleum producing countries are concerned. Apart from the internal conflict that most of these countries face, there is the fact that huge multinational companies, through military interventions or clandestine operations are able to maneuver for the control of oil fields by using foreign powers (Stoff, 1982, p. 1945). Due to the lucrative nature of the of the oil industry, even within these countries, rebel groups crop up and want to challenge the government hoping that they too would get part of the profits that come from then oil. These rebels are often dissatisfied citizens who have seen the greed that the government is experiencing as well as the greed and corruption that comes with the industry and feel that the government is not giving them their share[11]. The degree of the rebel conflicts depends on the strength of the rebel group as well as the ability of the government to quash the rebellion. Some rebellions have even led to the formation of new countries such as was South Sudan’s case (Keable, 2002, p.178). Oil discovered in the between boundaries of two nations has also been cause for conflicts between the countries. These usually lead to boarder conflicts in the regions as well as international conflicts between the two nations because of the oil reservoirs[12] (Karl, 1997, p. 120). Other then the border conflicts, the damage that oil production causes to the environment has been a course of major demonstrations and strikes that result to lose of lives. Major environmental damages that have resulted either in the production of the oil pr in its transportation such as oil spills have been cause for major uproars all over the world. Finally, there is the fact that oil has become a very expensive commodity. In recent years, the demand for oil has been at an all time high. With high demand comes the need to produce more oil thus more and more oil discoveries are being made all over the world. However, with greater demands comes the rise in the commodities prices. Rise in demand coupled up with rise in prices makes oil a very scarce resource (Heinberg, 2005, p.133). This has created conflict as people all over the world are now fighting to access this scarce commodity.   What is even sadder is the fact that this is likely to be the trend in the next years to come this would mean that is no solution is sought in the nearby future; the likely hood of an escalation in the conflicts both local and international is likely as far as oil as a resource is concerned. Reasons both international and local as to why oil is a source of conflict In the last century or so oil has managed to become a source of conflict in one way or the other. This is more so because of the fact that in recent years oil reservoirs all over the world have dwindled because of too much usage. Studies have found that the connection between oil and conflict generally boils down to two expansive reasons. Its importance in a particular country’s economic as well as military power as well as its irregular geographic distribution in the globe (Saharan). Its economic significance Oil is the primary energy source in the world. It accounts for almost 40% of the world’s energy consumption. It plays an important role in ground, air and water transportation. In the transport sector, oil provides up to 95% of the energy used in the industry all over the world. It is also used in other industries mentioned earlier on in the paper. Due to the critical role played by oil in the running of an economy, any shortage of this commodity has been known to create global economic recessions (Brà ¤tland, 2004, p. 527). There is also the fact that most countries that are able to export oil get good income from this export. Thus, in countries where the leaders may try to tamper with these exports, they are usually met with strong resistance. Its significance to military power Oil provides the energy used to power military equipments including the planes as well as the tanks, missiles, armored vehicles, and any other instrument that may be used in a war situation. Modern combat is very expensive to fuel due to the advancement in technology it is therefore very important that every country secure their military power by ensuring that that particular military has access to all supplies. Due to the important role that fuel plays in the functioning of a military, governments have ranked fuel possession as a matter of ‘national security’[13] (Klare, 2004, p. 132). Its importance to oil geography While oil is important at a global scale, its reservoirs are not simply located in any part of the worlds. In fact, natural petroleum is concentrated in large reservoirs in specific parts of the globe. Studies indicate that the largest reservoir which contributes to a third of the world’s petroleum is situated in the Persian Gulf area. The countries situated in this are provide about 90% of the world’s oil. However, in recent years, there is said to have occurred a gravitation oil shift, thus the oil reservoirs in countries that originally produced oil are depleting and oil is being discovered in countries that originally did not have any (Goodstein, 2005, p. 143). Types of oil conflicts Oil conflicts often occur in either of two stages. The first is may occur before the oil itself is discovered (Basedau & Wegenast, 2009, p. 39). This is where discovery has been made and it has been found that there is a likely hood of oil discovery. The second one may occur where the oil is already being produced. The reasons for this conflict may be divided into three main reasons. Territorial disputes These disputes arise where boarders are involved and where offshore areas that are thought to be insignificant are concerned.   Most of these places are usually considered insignificant until an oil discovery is made (Deffeyes, 2008, p. 79).   Some of the areas considered insignificant until the discovery of oil include the Caspian Sea whose discovery sparked a territorial conflict between Azerbaijan and Iran and the West African Bakassi Peninsula that caused friction between Niger Delta and Cameroon (Ako & Okonmah, 2009, p. 56). Separatist struggles In most countries, oil is produced in areas inhabited by ethnic groups. However, the proceeds of the production go to government officials as well national coffers. In this case, the members of the ethnic communities will feel that given the fact that the oil is on their land, and they are not getting anything from the government, then it would be best if they break away from the parent nation to form their own (Ako & Okonmah, 2009, p. 57). This has been the case in Nigeria, Indonesia, and the southern part of Sudan. South Sudan is a recently independent state because of such a conflict (Alao, 2007, 124). Factional and dynastic struggles Oil brings out the evil as well as the dictatorship in individuals. This is because whoever controls the oil and the revenues it brings in controls the nation and its people. Such people want to continue keeping this power and in fact do anything to be able to retain such power. This includes resorting to brute force as well as suppression of the people (Ross, 2012, p. 110). Those not included in the power on the other hand will resort to any means in order to gain control of that power. These groups will resort to rebellion, terrorism, or coups to wrangle power from the powerful[14]. Dynastic struggles have been a major contributing factor in oil wars at Niger Delta (Frynas, 2001, p. 29). Some of the world’s fuel conflicts as of the last quarter a century While conflict has been brewing all over the world about oil, and who gets to control it, in recent years these conflicts have escalated (Ebel, 2002, p. 162). In fact as of the past years more than two oil conflicts had erupted between nations over oil. Some of the more recent oil conflicts include: The Sudan and South Sudan conflict This conflict is still on going to date. Early 2012, troops from the newly formed South Sudan nation occupied an oil center in Heglig, a town that had been granted to Sudan in a treaty between the two nations. The Sudan government organized its troops which were to drive the Southern Sudan troops from the oil center. Since then, there has been conflict between the two nations (Manaz, 2009, p. 74). The southern China Sea naval clash This particular area is thought to contain large deposits of oil reservoirs. This has elicited a naval clash between the Chinese government and the Filipino government both of who are claiming rights over that particular stretch (Manaz, 2009, p. 72). The Filipino government claims to have discovered the oil and that it would start drilling. On the other hand china claims that the place is their territory. Egypt oil conflict with Israel As of the year 2012, Egypt had announced that it would cut off its oil supply to Israel. This announcement was followed by months of protests and attacks on the main pipeline that took oil to Israel (Manaz, 2009, p. 72). Syrian oil conflict Syria is a country with massive oil reservoirs and more recently rebels have come up and want a piece of the cake. This has resulted in conflict between the Syrian military and the rebel groups which has recently escalated to the use of chemical weapons (Lyall & Wilson, 2009, p. 70). What is worse is the fact that nobody is aware of the extent to which this particular war this war is going to before it can end.   Even worse is the uncertainty that has been brought about by the presence of the US army in this particular conflict ()Lyall & Wilson, 2009, p. 83). Recommendations The only way to reduce conflicts over energy resources such as oil is coming up with new energy sources. These include sources such as solar power. The solar photo-voltaic (PV) is a technology used to convert energy from the sun into electricity. Other alternatives include biogas technology that changes organic waste into power, and micro and pico-hydro technologies, which harness energy from falling water, for example, steep mountain rivers. These new sources of energy can be improved and used globally to reduce dependence on oil, thus reducing oil induced conflicts (Todd, 1982, p. 72). Conclusion Oil related conflict is a phenomena that has taken a toll in the last quarter a century or so. What is sad is the fact that at the rate at which these conflicts are taking place, with more than five conflicts reported in the last year alone. This indicates that the world is headed more and more conflicts in the future. Evidently, there are issues that are ‘fueling’ this rapid movement towards an apocalyptic oil conflict end. Other than greed for power as well as money, the shortage in the commodity is causing a panic in the world. Therefore those with oil want to hoard it and sell it at expensive rates while those without it are fighting to get it. Oil is the most important global resource. It is also responsible for most national and international conflicts in the world for many decades and even today. Most oil importing countries such as the USA instigate foreign policies that cause conflicts in the oil exporting countries, thus enabling the USA to swoop in and control their oil reserves. The Oil exporting countries themselves have a great propensity for instigating national and international conflicts as seen in the above points. With this continuing trend, oil could cause an apocalypse end of the world if other new sources of energy are not found. There is also the fact that geography is changing things. Oil is shifting to places that it was not originally available. Given the fact that the countries that originally had oil reservoirs had that much internal conflict, what would happen to countries that did not have the precious ‘black gold’ but now had access to it? Isn’t this an apocalypse in the making? References Ako, R, & Okonmah, P 2009, ‘Minority Rights Issues in Nigeria: A Theoretical Analysis of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Historical and Contemporary Conflicts in the Oil-Rich Niger Delta Region’, International   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Journal On Minority & Group Rights, 16, 1, pp. 53-65, Alao, A. 2007. Natural resources and conflict in Africa: The tragedy of endowment. Rochester, NY: Univ. of Rochester Press. Alexander, M., & Keiger, J. F. 2002. France and the Algerian War: strategy, operations and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   diplomacy. Journal of Strategic Studies, 25(2), 1-32. Basedau, M, & Wegenast, T 2009, ‘Oil and Diamonds as Causes of Civil War in sub-Saharan   Ã‚   Africa’, Colombia Internacional, 70, pp. 35-59, Blomberg, B, Hess, G, & Jackson, J 2009, ‘Terrorism and the Returns to Oil’, Economics And   Ã‚   Politics, 21, 3, pp. 409-432, Bradley, M., & Mitnick, J. 2013. Egypt Cancels Israel Gas Deal. Wall Street Journal, 1, 1. Brà ¤tland, J 2004, ‘Externalities, Conflict, and Offshore Lands’, Independent Review, 8, 4, pp.   Ã‚   527-548, Buszynski, L. 2012. The South China Sea: Oil, Maritime Claims, and U.S. — China Strategic   Ã‚   Rivalry. The Washington Quarterly, 1, 139-143. Check, N. A., & Mdlongwa, T. 2012. AISA POLICY brief. The Heglig Oil Conflict: An   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Exercise of Sovereignty or an Act of Aggression?, 78, 3-6. Colgan, J. 2010. Oil and revolutionary governments: fuel for international conflict.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   International Organization, 64(4), 661-694. Cotet, A, & Tsui, K 2013, ‘Oil and Conflict: What Does the Cross Country Evidence Really   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Show?’, American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, 5, 1, pp. 49-80, Deffeyes, K. S. 2008. Hubbert’s peak: the impending world oil shortage (New Edition).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Princeton University Press. Ebel, R. E. 2002. The Geopolitics of Energy into the 21st Century. CSIS, Washington DC. Erixon, F., & Brandt, L. 2013. Argentina, the Expropriation of Repsol YPF, and the Case for   Ã‚   Improved Investment Protection Accords. ECIPE Policy Briefs, 08, 1-11. Frynas, J 2001, ‘Corporate and state responses to anti-oil protests in the Niger Delta’, African   Ã‚  Ã‚   Affairs, 100, 398, p. 27, Goodstein, D. L. 2005. Out of gas: The end of the age of oil. New York., NY: W.W. Norton. Heinberg, R. 2005. Party’s over: Oil, war and the fate of industrial societies. Gabriola Island:   Ã‚  Ã‚   New Society. Hughes, M. 2005. Logistics and the Chaco War: Bolivia versus Paraguay, 1932-1935. The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Journal of Military History, 69(2), 411-437. Humphreys, M. 2005. Natural Resources, Conflict, and Conflict Resolution Uncovering the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mechanisms. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 49(4), 508-537. Johnson, D. H. 2003. The root causes of Sudan’s civil wars. African Security Review, 12(2),   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   115-115. Karl, T. L. 1997. The paradox of plenty: Oil booms and petro-states. Berkeley: University of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   California Press. Keable, K 2002, ‘Planning offsets inherent risk in developing countries’, Offshore, 62, 8, p. 178, Klare, M. T. 2004. Blood and oil: The dangers and consequences of America’s growing petroleum dependency. New York: Holt. Lyall, J, & Wilson, I 2009, ‘Rage against the Machines: Explaining Outcomes in Counterinsurgency Wars’, International Organization, 63, 1, pp. 67-106, Manaz, A 2009, ‘Oil And The Middle East Policy’, Cag University Journal Of Social   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sciences, 6, 2, pp. 70-83, Newman, E. 2004. The ‘new wars’ debate: a historical perspective is needed. Security   Ã‚   Dialogue, 35(2), 173-189. Newton-Small, J 2013, ‘Blood For Oil’, Time, 181, 6, pp. 38-41, Park, C. H. 1978. The south china sea disputes: Who owns the islands and the natural   Ã‚   resources?. Ocean Development & International Law, 5(1), 27-59. Roberts, P. 2005. The end of oil: On the edge of a perilous new world. Boston, Mass. [u.a.:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Houghton Mifflin. Ross, M. L. 2012. The oil curse: How petroleum wealth shapes the development of nations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press. Stoff, M. B. 1982. Oil, war, and American security: The search for a national policy on foreign   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   oil, 1941-1947. New Haven [u.a.: Yale Univ. Pr. Todd, R. W. 1982. Alternative energy sources. International Journal of Ambient Energy, 3(2),    69-80. Venn, F. 2002. The oil crisis. London [u.a.: Longman. [1] For example, in the Chaco War of 1932-35, Paraguay annexed a region of Bolivia in the mistaken belief that it contained oil deposits (Hughes, 2005). France was reluctant to lose Algeria in the latter’s was independence of 1954-62 partly because of Algeria’s oil deposits, but was unable to prevail (Alexander and Keiger, 2002). Similarly, Nigeria was reluctant to lose Biafra in the latter’s bid for independence in 1967-70 in large part owing to the local oil deposits, and was able to thwart Biafra’s attempt at secession (Newman, 2004). The Paracel island clash of 1974, in which China routed Viet Nam in re-establishing its claim to this island group in the South China Sea, was apparently motivated chiefly by the presumed offshore oil deposits (Park, 1978). [2] When the country divided in 2011, the most productive oil fields ended up in the South, while the pipeline for transporting the southern oil to international markets remained in the north. They had been demanding much exaggerated fees for the privilege of transporting the southern oil to its markets. The southerners refused to pay such fees, which made the northerners to confiscate money they had already collected from the southern oil exports. This made the southerners to stop producing oil. It made them launch military action against the north. The situation is very explosive to date, caused by the need for oil. [3] This happened when a Philippine warship arrived at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea and detained Chinese fishing boats. The Chinese fishermen were accused of illegal fishing activities in Filipino sovereign waters. In response to this, china sent two of their naval ships to the area, claiming that the Philippine warship was harassing Chinese ships in Chinese waters. The fishing ships were allowed to depart without further incident [4] This decision to terminate the gas agreement was made as a response to a dispute over the Israeli payments for Egyptian gas. All parties involved interpreted it as part of a drive by Egypt’s new government to demonstrate greater distance from the ousted Mubarak regime and his policy of cooperation with Israel. The Egyptian-Israeli gas link was the most important outcomes of the 1979 treaty between the two countries. Its annulment signals a period of great conflict. This may cause energy shortages in Israel. [5] The government announced that it would take 51% controlling stake in YPF, which was majority-owned by the Repsol YPF, Spain’s largest energy firm. The seizure of its subsidiary was seen in Madrid as a great threat which had to be combated. The Spaniard government retorted that the Argentinean government had broken the climate of cordiality and friendship that presided over the relations between Argentina and Spain. After a few days, the Spaniard government announced that it would stop importing bio fuels from Argentina, its principal supplier. [6] These were between Egypt and Libya; between Syria and Iraq; between the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen and Saudi Arabia; and between Iran and Iraq. [7] The USA at first actively provided Israel and Iran with military and other assistance inasmuch as these two countries were considered to be stabilizing forces within the region. The USA concomitantly provided similar assistance to Saudi Arabia and other conservative Arab regimes as well as to the nearby states of Somalia and Sudan. One of the justifications put forth by the USA for its military aid to the Middle East and nearby countries was the prevention of Soviet expansion into the region. [8] At the time of the so-called Camp David accords in 1978 among Egypt, Israel, and the USA provision had been made for the USA to be able to construct two military air bases for Israel in the Negev desert. The presence of the USA on the Sinai Peninsula also permitted a continuation of the installation, improvement, and operation of an early warning system. [9] Arab countries For example, were provoked into placing embargos against the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. [10] Oil income is easily controlled by the central government, thereby giving the leader an independent source of financial resources that can be redistributed to buy political support [11] Case examples of conflicts that have been sparked by rebels over oil resources include Nigeria and Sudan to mention but a few. [12] Recently, South Sudan and Sudan have been having a lot of boarder conflict that can be attributed to the existence of oil reservoirs that each state believes belong to them. [13] In countries like the US, terming oil as a matter of national security means that they may resort to military force in order to protect it [14] This is the case in countries such as Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. In other countries such conflict arises in form of political indifferences as is the case in Venezuela.

My computer

Computers and networks are involved in virtually all social and academic services today. In this normal social world, it helps us save valuable time traveling to places just to see pictures and images of different places. The internet has virtually conquered the world and successfully conquered a very big part of our lives. One can never measure the space and time the internet has lived and evolved for years since its creation. Computers play a significant role in human lives either personal or business. You can see kids or grown ups do their work at their computers. My computer can really act as my buddy. I play games in it, chat in it, and communicate with other people through Yahoo instant messenger, MSN, or Skype. I just get to log in and see if my friends are online, if not I can always look for new friends and buddies in the net that has the same interest as I have. And it has given me a good view of other culture, their attitude, their language and how they look at life. I get a different outlook with life and its meaning which make me understand people and the world better. Communication is very important in building relationships. So my buddy computer has helped me a lot to send email messages and notes to my mom and dad. This I used to make a list of the things that I need to buy, update on some of my school activities, and of course asking favor from mom and dad on some things like additional allowances or weekend getaways with the family.   We do talk to each other personally of course but sometimes there are things that we need to put into writing so they can just print it out and bring it with them when they got to do the errand for my favors. Sometimes I get bored and I am kind of lazy going out so I just lie down in my bed, set my speakers, and then off I go to the coolest music in town. I can download whatever games, music, videos, and a lot of other things in the net that gets my attention. Sometimes I danced with the music to exercise, watch basketball, or just plainly watch HBO or Cinemax. I am sure it contains more than any other human being can give you in terms of information and features. Of course the caring, the sharing and sometimes the quarrels are three human attributes a cold computer buddy can’t give. My computer buddy helps me define my food selections for the day. Whenever mom and dad get lazy cooking meals, I am automatically assigned to chef. Being a chef means ordering and calling restaurants for food delivery. This is the most exciting part. This is the only time I get to order some things in the menu that I don’t understand and have it delivered to the house. There are plenty of websites where we can order food and their menus are already provided together with their prices. Anyway, I get to order what I like and they got to pay everything and it was fun. My cousins visit us sometimes and when they are here at the house, the only thing we get on with the group is my computer buddy. We play music and plainly chat and enjoy each others company. We browse the net for games, and play. Whenever I have an assignment, I always go to my computer for research and references. My computer has always been a buddy for me although it is just an object to say but it has given me a lot of help and a lot of things that I enjoy. To describe it, I can say my computer is a good buddy with a very intelligent mind powered by the internet filled with useful information.   

Government of the people, for the people, and by the people essays

Government of the people, for the people, and by the people essays Government of the people, for the people, and by the people Commentary on Donald will find little sympathy in capital SCMP 9/2/2004 Even though the principle of One Country, Two Systems seems to have run well throughout these 6 years in Hong Kong, conflicts still exist when it comes to questions as fundamental as the political structure of the HKSAR. Ever since the July-1 Demonstration last year which over half a million of Hong Kong people took part in, the public and pro-democracy political parties have been voicing their desires of political reforms. What Beijing is putting on our way to the ultimate goal of one man, one vote for the election of the Chief Executive, ironical enough, is Basic Law - the Constitutional legal document that has stated clearly that the limited degree of democracy in the current political system would one day be broadened to full democracy. It is true that democracy seldom works out in Chinese societies. Taiwan is probably the only Chinese region in the world that practices full democracy, despite numerous flaws in the system that often make the headlines. Singapore is one of the freest economies around the globe, but has one of the strictest governments that even cares about how her people get dates. China is the least probable to practice democracy, or even any kind of system close to that, because of the Communist Party which is autocratic in nature and the generally low education level of the people. Corruption is another issue in the Mainland. Though the government claims the situation has improved significantly, once for a while we still hear news of high government officials being bribed and cases involving millions of dollars. As for Macau, the other SAR just an hour of ferry away from the HKSAR, her people dont seem to be very enthusiastic in introducing the idea of full democracy into their regime. That expl ains why her government doesnt...

Online Degrees Grow in Popularity and Prominence

Online Degrees Grow in Popularity and Prominence Until recently, an online degree was more likely to be associated with a diploma mill than a legitimate institution of higher education. Granted, in some cases, this reputation was well-earned. Many for-profit online schools are unaccredited and have been the target of federal investigations and lawsuits as a result of their fraudulent practices, which include charging outrageous fees and promising jobs they can’t deliver. However, many of those schools have been driven out of business. And now, online degrees and certificates are becoming more popular with students and employers. What’s responsible for the change in perception? Prestigious schools Such Ivy League schools as Yale, Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, and Dartmouth offer either online degrees or certificates. Some of the many other top-rated schools with online programs include MIT, RIT, Stanford, USC, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Purdue, and Penn State. â€Å"More prestigious universities are embracing the online degree,† according to Dr. Corinne Hyde,  assistant professor for USC Rossier’s online masters in teaching degree. Hyde tells ThoughtCo, â€Å"We now see top-ranked schools taking their degree programs online and delivering very high quality content that is equivalent to, if not in some cases better than, what they’re delivering on the ground.† So, what’s the lure of online education to top schools? Patrick Mullane, executive director of Harvard Business School’s HBX, tells ThoughtCo, â€Å"Universities see online education as a way to broaden their reach and more effectively fulfill their missions.† He explains, â€Å"They see mounting evidence that when online programs are done well, they can be as effective as in-person education.† Natural progression of technology As digital technology becomes more ubiquitous, consumers expect their learning options to reflect this level of pervasiveness. â€Å"More people in all demographics are comfortable  with  the on-demand nature of technology and the quality of product or service it can deliver,† Mullane says. â€Å"If we can buy stocks, order food, get a ride, purchase insurance, and speak to a computer that will turn on our living room lights, then why can’t we learn in a way very different from how most learned in the past?† Convenience Technology has also produced an expectation of convenience, and this is one of the primary benefits of an online education. â€Å"From the student’s perspective, there is a massive appeal to being able to pursue a desirable degree without having to pick up and move across the country, or even without having to commute across town,† Hyde explains. â€Å"These degrees are generally highly flexible in terms of where students can be while completing the work, and they offer access to the same high-quality resources and faculty that students would receive if they were in a brick and mortar classroom.† While juggling school with work and other demands is challenging at best, it’s obviously easier when not tethered to a physical class that is offered at times that are set in stone. Quality Online programs have also evolved in terms of quality and implementation. â€Å"Some people immediately think of impersonal, asynchronous courses when they hear ‘online degree,’ but that couldn’t be further from the truth,† Hyde says. â€Å"I have taught online for eight years and build outstanding relationships with my students.† Using  webcams, she sees her students live for weekly class sessions and routinely has one-on-one video conferences when not in class. In fact, Hyde believes that online education provides greater opportunities for connecting with her pupils. â€Å"I can see the environment in which students are learning – I meet their kids and their pets – and I engage in conversation and application of the concepts to their own lives.† While she might not meet her students in person until the commencement program, Hyde says she has developed relationships with them long before then – and often, these relationships continue afterward. â€Å"I work very hard to create a true community of learners in the classroom by engaging in deep, thoughtful conversation, mentoring them in their work, and staying connected with them on social media once my class is complete. Learning Approaches Online programs are as diverse as the schools that offer them. However, some colleges and universities have taken online learning to another level. For example, HBX focuses on active learning. â€Å"As in a Harvard Business School classroom, there are no long, drawn-out faculty-led lectures,† Mullane says. â€Å"Our online business courses are designed to keep learners engaged throughout the learning process.† What does active learning entail at HBX? â€Å"Open responses† is one of the exercises that allows students to think through decisions as though they were the business leader in a given situation, and describe the choices they would make. â€Å"Interactive exercises like random cold calls, polls, interactive demonstrations of concepts, and quizzes, are other ways HBX utilizes active learning.† Students also take advantage of technology platforms to ask and answer questions among themselves, in addition to having their own private Facebook and LinkedIn groups to engage with each other. Just in case learning Even when students don’t pursue an online degree program, they can get advanced training that can often lead to career advancement or meet the requirements of an employer. â€Å"More and more students are turning to online credential or certificate programs to learn a specific skillset, rather than going back to school for a master’s program or second bachelor’s,† Mullane says. â€Å"A colleague of mine has called this shift one from  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœjust in case learning’ (which is characterized by the traditional multi-discipline degree) to  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢just in time learning’ (which is characterized by shorter and more focused courses that deliver specific skills).† MicroMasters are an example of credentials for employees who have a bachelor’s degree and might not want to pursue a full-blown graduate degree.    Check out this list of the most popular online degrees.

Competitive and Strategic Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Competitive and Strategic Analysis - Assignment Example Corporate strategy: Corporate strategy on the other hand is the overall and general scope as well as the direction that a corporation takes in relation to its activities in the various departments. It is not specific, but gives a glimpse and idea on how all the operations of the various departments contribute to the general good performance of the corporation. Business strategy: Business strategy refers to the choices and decisions made in a company or corporation to realize a long-term value while at the same time achieving the desired objectives of the company or the corporation in question. It is the means of maximizing the outcome in a companys production system or in realizing the maximum profit from a company. At Best Buy, the functional strategy is vital in the marketing department because it is in this operational department that the customers will be able to familiarize themselves with the company and get to purchase the products. Any strategy put in place in this department is important because it affects the entire business outcome of the company. Marketing thus is the functional division of this company that is useful as the company does not produce its own electronics fully and yet it is a retailer competing with thousands of other retailers. Packaging the marketing team with the right and consistent information will thus affect the entire outcome of the company and affects all other departments. The function essential to the goal of 2014, which is expanding the number of stores, is proper marketing in the new zones of operation. The marketing strategy should be so that it captures the tiny little details and appeals to customers all across the boards as it redefines Best Buy as th e best brand in the market. The marketing team should advertise the company as the best brand available in the market and at the same time gives customers the incentives necessary to have the goods and electrical items from the