Nuclear Power Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nuclear Power - Assignment Example Nuclear power and hydropower are also used to supplement the fossil fuels. Oil is another source of energy that is presently used for running automobiles and for transportation purposes. While taking into consideration other sources of fuel, research has proven that the nuclear power is cleanest and safest source of energy and has the least adverse impact on the environment. In addition it uses uranium, which is more plentiful than the fossil fuels. Nuclear energy does not emanate any toxic gases or metals into the environment. It affects the ecosystem like the hydropower. Empirical research has proven that the nuclear wastes have less negative impact when compared to those caused by the silt in dams or produced by coal. More so, a pound of uranium can produce more than 20,000 times more power than that produced by a pound of coal (Miller, 2004). The nuclear plants produce by far less wastes than those produced by coal of the same quantity. The fossil fuels emit wastes in the atmosphere whereas nuclear wastes are disseminated into the non-radioactive synthetic rocks that are buried underground in remote areas, hence having limited chances of harming any living thing . The amount of nuclear power is unlimited when compared to other sources of fuel due to the big volume of uranium in the earth’s crust. Other sources of fuel like oil are likely to get exhausted, more so, most of the oil reserves are located at the golden triangle in the Persian Gulf. The area of the Persian Gulf is faced by many conflicts including the terror groups hence making extraction of oil very expensive and unreliable. When compared to the nuclear power, the solar power requires tax credits and government subsidies to make its power production viable. The wind power unfavorably affects the ecosystem by killing birds and other flying animals. Despite many people advocating for the use of wind power and solar power, they cause more harm to the environment than the nuclear or the

Review of Financial Statements Essay Example for Free

Review of Financial Statements Essay Financial statements are essential accounting tools which include balance sheets, cash flow statements, and income statements that provide information on a companys past and present financial history. Information on financial statements can be used by any number of public and private entities to determine if an organizations financial status is healthy. Burger King and McDonalds are two organizations that use financial statements in conducting business. Further, this paper will discuss the financial statements of each company, the firms which audit each companies financial statements, and define accounting concepts, terminologies, and transactions used in the financial statements. Additional information will provided regarding when McDonalds and Burger King were established and what product and services they provide to the public. Overview of Organizations McDonalds first opened its doors in 1940 introducing the concept of the speedee service system offering french fries, hamburgers, and shakes to satisfy the hungry customer quickly at a low price. Over the next 65 plus years the McDonalds menu has changed from just french fries and hamburgers to salads, wraps, chicken nuggets and many more items which cater to the ever changing tastes of consumers. McDonalds has been criticized over the years as being a major contributor high obesity rates, in part due to the speedee service concept. These criticism have caused McDonalds to rethink menu items and helped the company to enact numerous changes to the menu which now offers nutritional guides for each menu item and healthier choices such as salads, fruit, and milk. McDonalds has changed the oil used to fry foods to make the fries healthier and includes a choice of meal sizes and most recently started a new line of coffee drinks, which offers the desired Starbucks taste for a fraction of the cost. The fast food chain currently has 31,000 restaurants worldwide and operates in 119 countries and serves approximately 47 million customers daily. McDonalds is also highly associated with the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) that has donated money and services to families and communities for over 35 years to approximately 37 million children and families. (McDonalds, 2009). The McDonald Corporation pays for most of  RMHCs global administration cost so that all donations go directly to the community and families. The charity is in such high demand that RMHC plans to expand their programs by 37% by 2010 to better help those in need. Burger King started in 1953 first known as Insta Burger King offering hamburgers to consumers that was cooked on a small cooker called an Insta-Broiler oven; the concept proved to be successful. In 1954 the name changed to Burger King, the broiler oven first used was replaced with the flame broiler and soon became popular for offering their flame broiled hamburgers and what is now known as the Whopper burger. (Burger King, 2009). The next 60 plus years for Burger King began suffering the same criticisms as McDonalds. It seemed all fast food chains were being blamed for the increased obesity rate in the U.S. Burger King followed suit and began making changes to their menus adding chicken, salads, fruit, food nutritional guides, smaller sizes, choice of drinks such as tea, milk, and changing the oil used to fry French fries as well as additional changes. Burger King Corporation is associated with a few charity organizations such as Have It Your Way which works to alleviate hunger, disease, and promotes community education through scholarship programs; the McLamore Foundation provides scholarships and is associated with several charities for When Organizations Were Established Burger King was founded in 1954 in Miami, Florida by James McLamore and David Edgerton. McLamore and Edgerton, both of whom had extensive experience in the restaurant business before starting their joint venture, believed in the simple concept of providing the customer with reasonably priced quality food, served quickly in attractive, clean surroundings. (New York Job Source, 2009), thus, the invention of the Whopper which was an instant success. Today Burger is found in all 50 states and 74 countries and territories throughout the world with more than 11,700 restaurants. In 1967 the Pillsbury Company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota purchased the company and its employees and the company went public in May 2006 at $17 a share. Today the company remains majority-owned by an equity group comprised of Texas Pacific Group, Bain Capital Partners and the Goldman Sachs Funds. (New York Job Source, 2009). McDonalds was founded by two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald of San  Bernardino, California. Ray Kroc, a milkshake machine distributor happened on the brothers restaurant as he was curious to discover why such a small establishment would need 10 milkshake machines. Kroc was impressed by the speed with which these two brothers were able to provide service in their busy hamburger stand and he asked the brothers for a briefing on their McDonalds Speedee System and after the briefing he requested and secured the rights to duplicate the system throughout the United States. Ray Kroc opened his first outlet in Chicago in 1955, 50 years later the number of McDonalds locations had expanded to over 31,500. (Albrecht, Stice, Stice, Swain, 2008, pg. 76). Today McDonalds averages over 100 million dollars a day and is located in 121 countries around the world. Both companies had meager beginnings and have grown into fast food superstars. Accounting Organizations Providing Audits Both McDonalds and Burger King offer burgers, fries, and creamy shakes. However, the differences between McDonalds and Burger King are far more than golden arches and golden crowns. McDonalds has both and internal and external audit committees. The internal audit committee is composed of five Directors, each of whom meets the independence and other requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (Santona, 2009). The committee abides by a charter which states all its responsibilities and is reviewed annually. Ernst Young LLP (Ernst Young), the Companys independent auditors, is responsible for performing an audit of the Companys annual consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and for issuing a report on those statements (Santona, 2009). The Burger King Corporation also has both internal and external audit committees. The internal committees perform quarterly internal audits that are published for investors, but these audits are indicated as unaudited by an external entity. KPMG LLP is the external organization the Burger King Corporation uses for its external audits. Financial Statements Used and Terminology As a publicly traded company within the United States Burger King Corporation (BKC) has taken all the necessary steps required to abide by the regulations set forth the Sarbanes-Oxley Act  of 2002. The annual report for FY2008 includes information such as business information, risk factors, physical assets, legal proceedings, stockholder matters, and finally a comprehensive financial statement. (Burger King Corp, 2009). This section of the annual report begins with management reports on internal controls which are in place regarding financial reporting which explains in detail the understanding of both the CEO and CFO and their obligation to take full responsibility for the content of the annual report. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm (KPMG) is and additional statement of responsibility from the independent accounting firm which states the firm has reviewed the information. Paged within the reportcontain the balance sheet, statement of income, statem ent of stockholders equity, and statement of cash flows for FY2008 compared to 2007, 2006, and 2005. While BKCs annual report was presented in a standard no-frills format, McDonalds Corporations 2008 annual report included graphics and photos as the driver of the information. Along with the financial statements, McDonalds annual report focused on highlights from the menu to the money along with letters of welcome from the Chairman, Andy McKenna and CEO, Jim Skinner. (McDonalds Corporation, 2009). The financial reporting still included the managements report on internal controls, the report of independent registered public accounting firm (Ernst Young, LLP), the balance sheet, statement of income, statement of stockholders equity, and the statement of cash flows. In both instances a dedicated effort was made to satisfy the requirements regulated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Basic Accounting ConceptsIn 2008, McDonalds financial report shows annual total revenue at 23,522.4 million dollars compared to Burger Kings 2,455.0 million dollars; a difference of 21,067.4 million dollars; McDonalds clearly having earned more revenue (MSN Money, 2009). However, prior to 2003, the difference between McDonalds profits and Burger Kings were even greater. From 2001 through 2003 Burger King was losing money, but has made a steady annual gross profit since. (CNN Money, 2006). Transactions In 2008, Burger Kings annual profit was 1,452.0 million dollars and in 2007 the profit was 1,317.0 million dollars, a growth of 135 million dollars. McDonalds has also encountered gross profit over the past two years, however, at a much greater scale. In 2008 the gross profit recorded was 8,639.2 million dollars and in 2007 a gross profit was recorded of 7,905.2, an increase in profit of 734 million dollars. Accounts Affected by Transactions While the two fast food restaurant chains are no where near comparable in revenue, both chains are increasing revenue year after year. Since 2006, when Burger King became a publicly traded company; like McDonalds, they both worked to maintain a profitable growth for share holders which has increased the amount of profit each year (MSN Money, 2009). Both companies have cash assets as well as land and property, rental fees, food, supplies, salary responsibilities, and advertising. Financial Statements Affected by TransactionsEach of the transactions listed for Burger King and McDonalds are provided in detail on a number of the financial statements. Specifically, the profit can be followed on the balance sheet, the statement of income, and the statement of cash flows located in each annual report. In addition these figures are compared to the previous years numbers on each of these statements. Conclusion McDonalds and Burger King have been in business for decades and each company has established its respective company in the hearts of the American people and consumers across the globe when they expanded into global market. Both companies use reputable accounting firms and the same types of financial statements in order to assess the health of their financial status. This paper has shown how important understanding the concepts, terms, and transactions listed on financial statements are in order to better gauge how a company is faring financially on a year to year basis. References Albrecht, W.S., Stice, E.K., Stice, J.D. Swain, M.R. (2008). Accounting: Concepts and applications, (10 ed). Cengage Learning Center, Mason, Ohio. Burger King Corp. (2009). Company Info. Retrieved June 20, 2009 http://www.bk.com/Companyinfo/corporation/fact.aspxCNN Money. (2006). The King Meets his Public. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/03/06/8370602/index.htmMcDonalds. (2009). Our company. Retrieved June 18, 2009 from http://www.aboutmcdonalds. Com/mcd/our_company.htmlMcDonalds Corporation (2009). 2008 annual report. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www1.mcdonalds.com/annualreport/index.htmlMSN Money. (2009). McDonalds Corporation: Financial Statement. Retrieved June 18, 2009,from http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/results/statement.aspx?Symbol=MCD1stStatement=IncomestmntView=AnnMSN Money. (2009). Burger King Holdings Inc.: Financial Statement Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/results/statement.aspx?Symbol =BKC1stStatement=IncomestmntView=AnnNew York Job Source. (2009). Burger King: Worlds second largest food chain. Retrieved June 19, 2009 from http://www.nyjobsource.com/burgerking.htmlSantona, G. (2009). McDonalds: 2009 Annual Shareholders Meeting and Proxy Statement. Retrieved June 20, 2009, from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/etc/medialib/aboutMcDonaldsinvestor_relations.Par.58.686.File.tmp/2009%20Annual%Shareholders%20Meeting%20Proxy%20Statement.pdf

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Essay -- Philosophy, Political Science

The concepts of liberty and individuality experienced a critical change in meaning and understanding as Europe shifted from the 18th century Enlightenment era to the age of political economy and utilitarianism of the 19th century. This clear distinction can be seen when comparing the works of enlightenment thinker Jean-Jacques Rousseau to authors of the 19th century, including utilitarian John Stuart Mill and communist Karl Marx. The fundamental differences in the ideas of liberty and individuality between the two centuries can be attributed to the political, economic, and social climates of each author’s time. Rousseau’s interpretation of liberty was that of true, unlimited freedom. However, this form of liberty only exists in the state of nature, and thus termed natural liberty. Rousseau maintains that "the law of nature" is the law of self-preservation and individuals have no moral duty toward each other. In order to protect themselves and their property from others, individuals may agree to a social contract in order to form a society that is beneficial to all. The contract functions on the basis of a mutual obligation between society and each individual, and is fulfilled by a surrender of natural liberty in exchange for a moral and political freedom. The general will, which is the will of society as a whole, always desires the common good, says Rousseau. Civil society is thus governed by the general will of the body politic that desires the common good. It is interesting to note that Rousseau’s social contract theory essentially abolishes the ideas of the individual, and instead adopts only ideas common amongst all. This is a key factor that distinguishes 18th century philosophy with that of following century. Rousseau’... ...rkets. The nature of Capitalism makes this so, since the primary goal is to increase efficiency and profit. By taking over other markets, the consumer and labor pool populations are both enlarged. The constant advancement and revolution of technology was also a pattern Marx had noted. With increased productivity resulting from changing technologies also came instability and anxiety, since improvement of machines meant the replacement of human work and job insecurity. These largely negative aspects of capitalism motivate Marx to write the critical The Communist Manifesto. By closing analyzing each authors work, it can be said that the contents of their respective books were indeed a result of the environment the author had been exposed to. As a result, the ideas of liberty and individuality changed as times changed, leading to the differences between the centuries.

China as a Member of the TRIPs Agreement: on the Path of Implementation Essay

The multilateral trading system in the world has been governed by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) for more than 50 years . The GATT was commenced in 1947 . Its implementation became a powerful spur to advancement of world market due to promotion of free trade which contributes greatly to world economic growth and sustainable development. The World Trade Organization (WTO) became the successor of the GATT being established by the Uruguay Round – the last trade round launched more than fifteen years ago. It was â€Å"the most ambitious thus far, and some of its agreements are still being implemented†. Tariffs reduction had encompassed much more world economy sectors than during the previous rounds. The documents adopted by the Uruguay Round established that quantitative restrictions would be actually eliminated by 2005. The round has developed regulations of the international trade applying to areas being earlier outside of the adequate control or coped by week rules. Especially it concerns the trade–related intellectual property rights (TRIPs). In the course of the Uruguay round developing countries played a more active role than in previous rounds and adopted the same WTO agreements as other members â€Å"as part of the round’s single undertaking – nothing is agreed until everything is agreed†. To date the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs Agreement) seems to be the most universal international covenant on intellectual property rights (IPRs) regulation. It was â€Å"an integral part of the Agreement establishing the WTO, comprising Annexe 1C to that Agreement† and replenished the basic World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Conventions with essential liabilities in the framework of WTO subjects . This agreement implemented new rules presupposing both advantages and expenses for the participants of international markets. Its implementation undoubtedly constitutes a task far from being easy, especially for less developed countries. The TRIPs Agreement imposes certain obligations upon the latter to adopt legislation that protects patents for inventions. As one of the multilateral trade agreements, it is binding on all members and hence also a condition of membership for countries which have not yet joined the WTO. Such a condition is a significant one for countries seeking to join the WTO such as the People’s Republic of China. Here we will explore this country’s involvement into the process of adjusting its laws to conform to TRIPs, especially in the field of patents’ protection, evaluate its successes and faults on this path, consider the impact of those changes and make the conclusions concerning possible ways of acceleration and optimization of implementation process. The Obligations of the TRIPs Agreement Members The TRIPs Agreement came into effect in 1995. It entailed standards â€Å"concerning the availability, scope and use† of IPRs in all categories of intellectual property, namely copyright and related rights, trademarks, geographical indications, industrial designs, patents, layout-designs of integrated circuits, protection of undisclosed information . Article 27 (Part II Section 5) of the TRIPs deals with patentable subject matter, stating the spheres of patents’ availability in member countries (hereinafter referred to as a member): Patents shall be available for any inventions, whether products or processes, in all fields of technology, provided that they are new, involve an inventive step and are capable of industrial application. [†¦] Patents shall be available and patent rights enjoyable without discrimination as to the place of invention, the field of technology and whether products are imported or locally produced. The next article determines the exclusive rights which should be granted upon the patents issued in a member. It imposes on the member the obligation to forestall third parties from using neither the patented product nor the patented process anyhow without its owner’s permission. For his turn, the owner has the right to assign or transfer the patent. What is an important aspect for the developing countries, the member has to inquire the patent applicant about the information as to the applicant’s corresponding foreign applications and grants to prevent patents duplication. Exemption from such obligation in regards to cross–border use cover only very specified cases as for example those of â€Å"a national emergency or other circumstances of extreme urgency or [†¦] of public non-commercial use† (Article 31 (b)) subject to prompt informing of the right holder. The competent authority of the member should have power to consider applying such exemption to certain cases and possible duration of the above mentioned circumstances. Officially permitted legitimacy of any decision relating to the permission of such use should be subject to judicial review or other independent review by the competent authority of the member. In cases when the permission to utilize the patent is obtained, the member is to provide the following prerequisites: (i) the invention claimed in the second patent shall involve an important technical advance of considerable economic significance in relation to the invention claimed in the first patent; (ii) the owner of the first patent shall be entitled to a cross-license on reasonable terms to use the invention claimed in the second patent; and (iii) the use authorized in respect of the first patent shall be non-assignable except with the assignment of the second patent (Article 31 (l)). Upon Article 32 the member has the obligation to make available the opportunity for legal review of any decision made on recalling or forfeiting the patent. In the TRIPS agreement there is a very accurate definition of duration of the patent’s protection – twenty years from the date of registration (Article 33).   In the cases of infringement of the patent owner’s rights as regards to patents for processes leading to generation of the product the agreement calls for the members to empower the corresponding legal authority to require the proved information about the difference between such process and those for manufacturing the identical product (Article 34). For the realization of the above concerned obligations the TRIPS agreement anticipates specified enforcement procedures which should be available in the members to strive against infringements of IPRs. Those include â€Å"expeditious remedies to prevent infringements and remedies which constitute a deterrent to further infringements† which are to be applied by means excluding â€Å"the creation of barriers to legitimate trade and to provide for safeguards against their abuse (Article 41.1)†. The Developing Countries Advantages upon the TRIPs Agreement The main motives behind the move of the governments of many nations, and in particular, of developing countries, to enter the TRIPs Agreement had been, firstly, the fact of steady raising in developing countries’ exports of industrial goods into markets where earlier only developed countries were present which, in turn, made the latter to â€Å"rely more heavily on their comparative advantage in the production of intellectual property†; and, secondly, rather high expenditures involved by high–tech companies in different countries for research, innovation and development of know–how spurred them to try to find â€Å"international protection of intellectual property rights†. In general, the WTO agreements apply several instruments to make available some advantages to developing countries. Among them there are distinguishing of their interests without imposing any officially authorized obligations upon them; reducing their liabilities on some agreements in comparison with those of developed countries (which let them to protect their domestic markets more effectively). Some of the WTO agreements permit them longer implementation periods for certain obligations. In many WTO disciplines there are agreements encompassing provisions for technical assistance from developed countries to developing countries. All those are aimed at facilitation of transitional processes in the latter and giving them a chance to overtake the former. Like other parts of the WTO agreement, the TRIPs agreement grants the substantial preference to developing countries – they had four years for implementation of the agreement provisions (until the beginning of 2000), moreover this term became subject to prolongation to ten years (until 1 January 2005) for technology sectors where no previous IP protection accorded. The preferences for developing countries look adequate enough, and it is obvious that developing countries would derive benefit from implementation of efficient IPRs protection stipulated by the TRIPs agreement. Obtaining higher levels of intellectual property protection should lead to larger innovation globally from which all gain. It will stimulate attraction of more foreign direct investment (FDI) and technology transfer in view of increasing foreigners’ confidence in the products made in developing countries. But the process of implementation is costly too. The necessary costs of course vary depending on the member’s phase of development as well as its industry and technology basis. Where much innovation is informal, there are potential problems of access to, and affordability of, patent applications. Patent systems may be disproportionately expensive to set up and maintain. China’s Involvement into the TRIPs Agreement China is a unique country. It combines the features of both developed and developing countries. Evan Medeiros and Taylor Fravel emphasize that in this country evidence of the change abounds. They affirm â€Å"Chinese foreign policy has become [in the last ten years] far more nimble and engaging than at any time in history of the People’s Republic†. As for other developing countries the main concerns for China were limited coverage for products and processes, short terms of patents protection, wide scope for obligatory licensing, and inefficient enforcement in the cases of IPRs infringements. But last decades this country has been made giant steps to the progress. Few nations have changed as fast – or as dramatically – as China has since the 1970s. The world’s most populous nation has radically liberalized its economy and gone from producing low–quality and simple exports to sophisticated high–technology goods, while nurturing a vibrant private sector and attracting nearly $500 billion in foreign direct investment. After the death of Mao, Deng Xiaoping came to power in the People’s Republic of China. Since that time fundamental changes launched in the country – an â€Å"open door† policy was proclaimed re-opening Chinese markets and allowing citizens to own limited private property. Further rush development was unbelievable. In 1979 China entered into the Agreement on Trade Relations with the USA which required both parties to provide each other’s nationals with a corresponding level of IPRs. In accordance with this agreement the country became a member of the WIPO in 1980 and acceded to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property in 1984. China also enacted a Trademark Law in 1982 and a Patent Law in 1984. Upon these regulations China provided authors and inventors with limited IPRs protection. As a final accord of this movement in 1995 China entered into the TRIPs Agreement with the USA. People’s Republic has committed itself, pursuant to this agreement, to raising the standards of intellectual property protection by means of implementation of enforcement measures and development of legal enforcement structure. The agreement envisaged expansion of US goods access to Chinese market and vice versa as well as certain changes in the IPRs protection legislation of China aimed to make it more transparent . Furthermore the country has patterned its IPR laws on international treaties: the Berne Convention and the World Trade Organization’s 1995 TRIPs Agreement. China acceded to the WTO on 11 December 2001. In order to ensure its accession to this organization, China preliminary ratified international intellectual property treaties and conventions and amended its laws. The Course of Implementation Despite of objective difficulties in implementation of IPRs legislation in China, the government succeeded greatly in the struggle against infringements of IPRs. Many laws adopted in 1980–1990s reinforced the system of these rights protection in all the categories: copyright, patent, trade secrets and trademark. For instance, as regards to patents protection, in 1993 China â€Å"extended coverage from fifteen to twenty years and also created the China Patent Management System (CPMS), a computerized system designed to handle patent applications more efficiently†. Besides China expanded patent envelopment to pharmaceutical industry that was excluded before. For instance, in 1997 CPMS â€Å"accepted 114,208 patent applications, including 24,137 from foreigners† . For many years before China became a WTO member, the state authority bodies such as police force and legal agencies had been vigorously striving against IPRs infringements especially piracy .   Beginning at 1982 China adopted many laws covering the field of IPRs protection, â€Å"such as the Trademark Law, Patent Law, Technology Contract Law, Copyright Law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law, and Regulations on Protection for Computer Software† . Notwithstanding the fact that China lacks long tradition for respect and protection of intellectual property , the progress of the country is doubtless. The Chinese government has recognized that to encourage technology transfer, there must be protection for technology. Such attitude resulted in adopting series of documents dealing with IPRs issues. Also the great importance of these issues led to the necessity to have qualified staff in patent law. Thus, now several of China’s top universities, including Tsinghua University in Beijing, have patent departments. Among the regulations adopted and amended last years there were documents regarding patents and licensing. On 28 December 2002, the State Council of China issued the Decree No. 368, modifying Article 101 and 108 of the Implementing Rules of the Patent Law of the People’s Republic of China. Modifications only involved new provisions concerning the implementation of the patent cooperation treaty, i.e. that the time-limit for international applications entering into the phase for individual country consideration should be unified as 30 months upon the priority date. On 13 June 2003, the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China (SIPO) issued the Methods of Compulsory Licensing for the Implementation of Patents, which came into effect on 15 July 2003. Patent Law of China was adopted much earlier – at the 4th Session of the Standing Committee of the Sixth National People’s Congress on March 12, 1984, and further amended by the Decision Regarding the Revision of the Patent Law of China, adopted at the 27th Session of the Standing Committee on September 4, 1992. Recently the Patent Law was revised in August 2003. The Implementing Rules of the Patent Law of the People’s Republic of China has been revised in June 2001 and December 2002. Such revisions have brought these laws and regulations into full conformity with the TRIPS Agreement. Wang Jingchuan, Commissioner of the SIPO, in his message said:   The creation, occupation and utilization of knowledge and intelligence resources, and quantity and quality in possession of intellectual property have become the key elements to the economic development of a country and the important foundation for countries’ participation into the competition of economic globalization and be in harmony of the world economy system. He stated that the IPRs system in China has been established and further improved last years. But much work has to be done in this field. He emphasized especially the importance of ensuring protection to interests of foreign patent applicants. In general, the main targets for the national patent work were defined by ‘Tenth Five–year Plan’. It anticipates further perfection of patent laws and regulations and patent protection scheme, further adaptation of patent procedure and maintenance system to the growth of international economy and socialist market economy, creation of environment favorable for patent protected goods and inventions as well as for technology innovation, raising the level of patent professionals’ skills and knowledge, upgrading of the patent protection level in enterprises and institutions, involvement of patented technologies to contribute to the economic growth, continuous increase of the number and quality of patent applications, updating of the patent information, acceleration and enhancement of the patent examination and granting. For achieving these targets it’s planned to facilitate the utilization of patent information resource, create and acquire more patent rights with authorization, create products and businesses with self-dependent intellectual property; pay much attention to patent work by SMEs while encouraging also corporations and business groups to acquire and transfer know–how. The task to speed up the industrialization of patent technology seems to be one of the most costly. For the purpose to enhance the patent work system the Plan anticipates supporting patent intermediate service agencies, implementing efficient examination and granting system and qualifying system for patent assets evaluation agencies and patent consultation service institutions etc. To create effective patent system China poses an assignment to complete the revision of rules and regulations including those for the implementation of the Chinese Patent Law and then make efforts to implement the revised patent law. Practical measures to facilitate patent examination include the increase of the number of the patent examiners, organization of supporting examiners group, intensification of professional training, and extension of the examiner’s inspection spheres, full involvement of information technology into patent procedures, strengthening of the examination of patent agencies and training of patent agents. The Plan stipulates reinforcement of the role of information systems and patent information resources in patent proceedings. For this purpose it’s scheduled to provide well-organized computer search system, examination supporting system, flow management system, e-filing system and e-publication system for the patent examination and granting work, realizing the paperless, electronic and network system of patent application, publication and examination procedures; to create China patent full text coded database using resources both from the country itself and abroad . Finally, the Plan anticipates reinforcement of the research on strategy, tactics and policy by means of establishment of intellectual property development research institutions, development of in-depth research on major patent issues, strengthening of the research on the patent protection of new technologies, such as computer software, nano–technology, gene engineering, biomedicine, biochips, biology engineering etc. Here also the importance of patent statistics analysis and prediction work is emphasizes . It is obvious that the government concentrates its efforts â€Å"on the implementation and enforcement of IPRs protection laws despite the difficulties faced by the Chinese authorities in a demographic, historical and cultural sense†. Now the reform and enforcement of law in the concerned field are more and more progressing. Groombridge ascertains that amplification of IPRs protection in China is for the most part the outcome of â€Å"indigenous social, economic, and political factors at work† in the country. He argues the pressure of â€Å"economic sanctions, such as those embodied in the trade laws of the United States† had no wholesome influence, and China has strived for more effective arrangements of IPRs due to â€Å"the changing perception of self-interest held by its Communist Party leaders and its citizenry† . In the course to fulfill the provisions of the TRIPs Agreement China has rebuilt its structure of legislative bodies responsible for regulation in the field of IPRs protection. The country set up a number of corresponding regulatory agencies: â€Å"the State Press and Publication Administration, the National Copyright Administration, the China Patent Office, and the State Administration of Industry and Commerce, in which the Trademark Office is located†. Also in 1998 the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) was established – the structure affiliated and directly subordinated to the State Council . A mission of all these bodies is to strengthen historically weak Chinese infrastructure of regulation, control and maintenance in IPRs compliance. Implementation of the TRIPs Agreement by the People’s Republic of China promises to become again the topic to analysis by the international community in 2008 in connection with the next Olympic Games which will be held in Beijing. Liu forecasts that owing to vast distribution of Olympic goods, audio– and video products â€Å"owners of IPRs will be seeking to protect their works from illegal reproduction and distribution by infringers†. He expresses belief that if the efforts undertaken by China â€Å"to reform and enforce its intellectual property laws [†¦] [will be] successful†, it would attract foreign investors to the country and promote know–how distribution here, which consequently should assist to go ahead to further economic development on the path to take leading positions in the world markets . Conclusions Experts note that having bolstered market power, TRIPs proves very weak especially on international regulation of the restrictive practices of the transnational corporations. It is true to say that the costs and benefits of IPRs are not so neatly distributed today. All the same, if the WTO is asking all countries to provide protection, it may still have to give something more in return. No doubt, China will increasingly regard itself as a great power and expect more defenses from other countries. In a speech two years ago President of the USA George Bush assured of his sympathy to the countries â€Å"that believe in the power of economic engagement to help solve the problems ranging from human rights to security matters†. China for sure is one of such countries demonstrating its aspiration for integration into the global economy . Nowadays we are witnessing the economic boom in this developing country. It is deserved outcome by the People’s Republic of China, as on its way to progress, in contrast to almost every other developing country, China has managed to eliminate the worst forms of social misery, and while denying the spirit, it displays spiritual values: in that underlies the paradox of Mao’s China. Having entered into the TRIPs agreement China pushed its trade policies behind the borders of the country, opened up its markets, and although experiencing certain difficulties in this agreement implementation, stays on the path of development. There is no doubt this immense country will proceed along this path successfully. There are no two ways about it. Bibliography â€Å"Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights†. The World Trade Organization. 1 October 2004. http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/27-trips.doc Arup, Christopher. The New World Trade Organization Agreements: Globalizing Law through Services and Intellectual Property. Cambridge etc.: Cambridge University Press, 2000. â€Å"China and the WTO†. The World Trade Organization. 3 October 2004. http://www.wto.int/english/thewto_e/countries_e/china_e.htm Groombridge, Mark. â€Å"The Political Economy of Intellectual Property Rights Protection in the People’s Republic of China†. In Intellectual Property Rights in Emerging Markets, edited by Clarisa Long. Washington: American Enterprise Institute, 2000. 11–46. Hale, David, and Hale, Lyric. â€Å"China Takes Off†. Foreign Affairs Magazine 82.6 (November–December 2003): 36–53. Irwin, Douglas. â€Å"The GATT in Historical Perspective†. American Economic Review 85.2 (1995): 323–28. Jingchuan, Wang. â€Å"Commissioner’s Message†. State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China Web Site. 28 April 2002. 3 October 2004. http://www.sipo.gov.cn/ sipo_English/gysipo_e/jzzc/t20020428_33891.htm Liu, Vincent. â€Å"Copyright and Software Protection: Is It Working in China?†, The Computers and Law Journal 51 (March 2003). 2 October 2004. http://www.nswscl.org.au/ journal/51/Vincent_Liu.html â€Å"Main Targets and Tasks of the ‘Tenth Five-year Plan’ for National Patent Work†. State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China Web Site. 3 October 2004.http://www.sipo.gov.cn/SIPO/English2004/gysipo_e/fzgh/t20020430_33893.htm McGuirk, Anne. â€Å"The Doha Development Agenda†. Finance and Development Magazine 39 (September 2002): 5–9. Medeiros, Evan, and Fravel, Taylor, â€Å"China’s New Diplomacy†. Foreign Affairs Magazine 82.6 (November–December 2003): 23–35. Paglee, Charles D. Chinalaw Web – PRC Patent Law (1 May 1998). 3 October 2004. http:/ /www.qis.net/chinalaw/prclaw107.htm Roche, Douglas. What development is all about: China, Indonesia, Bangladesh. Toronto: NC Press Ltd., 1979. Rosen, Jeremy. â€Å"China, Emerging Economies, and the World Trade Order†, Duke Law Journal 46.6 (1997): 1519–64, 3 October 2004. http://www.law.duke.edu/journals/dlj/articles/ dlj46p1519.htm#H2N3 Shulin, Wu. â€Å"The Conditions of the Juridical and Administrative Protection of Copyright in China†. Duke Journal of Comparative and International Law 9.1 (1998): 241–247. State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China Web Site. 1 October 2004. http://www.sipo.gov.cn/sipo_English/flfg/default.htm Su, Evelyn. â€Å"The Winners and the Losers: The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and Its Effects on Developing Countries†. Houston Journal of International Law 23.1 (2000): 169–76. â€Å"The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects Of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)†. Legal Information Institute (USA) Web Site. 2 October 2004. http://www.law.cornell.edu/copyright/cases/ wipo_trips.htm â€Å"The WTO in Brief†. The World Trade Organization. 1 October 2004. http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/inbrief_e/inbr01_e.htm â€Å"Transitional Review Mechanism of China – Communication from China†. Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. The World Trade Organization Online Database. 4 October 2004. http://docsonline.wto.org/gen_search.asp Tsinghua University Web Site. 4 October 2004. http://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/eng/ resources/index.htm. Yong-Shun, Cheng. â€Å"Juridical Protection of Intellectual Property in China†. Duke Journal of Comparative and International Law 9.1 (1998): 267–272. Yu, P. â€Å"From Pirates to Partners: Protecting Intellectual Property in China in the Twenty-First Century†. American University Law Review 50 (2003): 148-152. Yu, P. â€Å"Piracy, Prejudice, and Perspectives: An attempt to Use Shakespeare to Reconfigure the US-China Intellectual Property Debate†. Boston University Law Journal 19.1 (January 2001): 1-87.

Marty King Essay

Erik Erikson had numerous contributions to the field of psychology; many of which involved his developmental theory. Erikson has been compared to Sigmund Freud; as both men believed that humans develop in stages. Erikson however, believed Freud to be misguided, as Erikson believed that developmental process is one which occurs throughout one’s lifespan; whereas Freud believed that a human’s personality developed by the age of five (Chen, 2007). Erikson published numerous books on human development; as well as issues including the generation gap, changing sexual roles and racial tensions. This quantitative research paper however, discusses Erikson’s eight stages of development and how each stage correlates with symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Each of Erikson’s eight developmental stages consists of certain elements (crises), which if not resolved will result in negative outcomes. The researcher believes that when crises are not resolved within Erikson’s developmental stages, it predisposes individuals to borderline personality disorder. In order to prove this hypothesis, the researcher will conduct quantitative research on the causes and symptoms of borderline personality disorder and the negative outcomes of Erikson’s eight developmental stages; the phenomenological research will then be compared. Borderline personality disorder has been widely studied over the past several decades; however, there is limited research on what childhood (birth to age eighteen) attributes contribute to the onset of BPD. Approximately two percent (up to ten million) of adults in the U. S. are diagnosed with BPD; accounting for twenty percent of psychiatric hospitalizations (NIMH, 2008); many cases of BPD go undiagnosed. Genetic factors have been primarily studied in the past as the biological cause of BPD; however recent research shows that forty to seventy-one percent of BPD patients were sexually abused as children (NIMH, 2008), approximately seventy-three percent report physical abuse and emotional abuse and neglect are also commonly reported in BPD cases. These statistics indicate that there is reason to believe that childhood trauma could significantly predispose a person to BPD. While research as to the possible causes of BPD has been conducted, the researcher proposes that a quantitative study be conducted in order to collect phenomenological data from various studies, for comparison to Erikson’s eight stages of development. The reason for this strategy is that by comparing the results of numerous studies, the researcher can produce â€Å"the bigger picture†, of what predisposes individuals to BPD; thus increasing the probability of successful recovery. The researcher chose Erikson’s eight developmental stages as model for comparison because the eight crises depicted in this model demonstrate the traumas indicated in many BPD cases. When the eight crises are not resolved, the results correlate with BPD symptoms. The researcher aims to prove that individuals who do not resolve the eight negative crises of Erikson’s developmental model; thus suffering some form of childhood trauma, are predisposed to BPD as adults. As mentioned previously, the information proving this hypothesis can be used to improve treatment options for BDP patients. The researcher for this study would like to see a reduction in hospitalization as a treatment for BPD patients; and instead implement alternative methods, such as assisting patients through Erikson’s eight stages. Assisting patients through the eight stages will allow them to re-learn emotional skills and abilities; such as coping skills. The researcher’s professional background in BPD clinical work has allowed significant insight into the difficulties of BPD treatment. Due to the immense amount of physical and emotional energy needed to work with BPD patients; many professionals tend to provide affirmation of the history of failure and poor coping skills by treating the patient with sympathy instead of empathy. The researcher believes that understanding the reasoning behind BPD patient behavior will improve the patient’s ability to improve poor coping skills. This change in professional behavior will reduce the feelings of being burnt out and tired because the professional will be able to support the success of the patient instead of doing the work for them. Currently, there is an attitudinal barrier between the professional and the patient which results in a failure to understand the condition of BPD. The researcher hopes to promote an understanding of BPD patient behavior; behaviors which many clinical professionals find exasperating. In increasing understanding of the development of BPD behaviors, clinicians will be better equipped to work with patients in an inclusive partnership rather than feeling they are exceeding appropriate boundaries. Literature Review Erikson’s Eights Stages of Development The â€Å"Eight Stages of Development†, the process of socialization, were developed by Erik Erikson in 1956 (Child Institute Center, n. d. ). Erikson had extensive experience in psychotherapy; including children and teens of all social classes. Erikson believed that each stage presented a â€Å"psychosocial crisis† in which an individual must experience, learn and resolve in order to successfully manage the next step. Erikson’s eight stages are represented in Figure 1. The eight stages are based on the â€Å"interaction of three different systems: the Somatic system, the ego system, and the societal system† (Keenan, p. 22, 2002). The somatic system refers to the biological processes of human functioning. The ego system are the central thinking and reasoning processes (2002); and the societal system is the process an individual goes through as he becomes integrated into his society. Erikson believed that the eight stages occurred in order and each stage represented a crisis which had to be resolved by the individual. Whether the crisis was completed successfully or not would be the deciding factor on how successful the next stage would be. If the crisis was not mastered, then the individual would be ill prepared to deal with the next stage of development; this trend would continue throughout all the stages. Erikson did believe that the eight stages were relevant throughout life and that he linked a crisis to each stage because that is when the crisis was most salient (Cohen, 2007). Oral-Sensory Stage. In this first stage (trust/mistrust), the first year of life is defined as the time for building trust; this is accomplished by the infant learning trust through the parent or caregiver’s actions and responses to the infant’s needs. Feeding is the focal point of Erikson’s first stage; when the child cries for food, the parent will feed and comfort the infant. If the child is neglected, he will learn to be mistrustful. Erikson also believed if trust was not established in the first stage, the child could become â€Å"frustrated, withdrawn, suspicious, and will lack self-confidence† (Sharkey, 1997). Muscular-Anal Stage. The second stage (autonomy/doubt) consists of ages one through two years old. During this stage the child is face with the development of self-control which is accomplished by a supportive atmosphere. If basic trust was not developed in stage one, the child will have difficulty in establishing self control in stage two, resulting in a lack of self-esteem (Sharkey, 1997). If the parent is too controlling, or does not provide enough structure the child can become doubtful of himself and the environment around him.

What Is the Platt Amendment Definition and Significance

What Is the Platt Amendment Definition and Significance SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In 1898, the US was fighting the Spanish-American War and occupying Cuba as part of its involvement in maintaining the island’s newfound independence. Once the war was over, the US still wanted to maintain influence in Cuba. In order to achieve this, the Platt Amendment was passed. Read this guide to learn what the Platt Amendment includes, why it was created, what important dates are associated with it, and how its impacts live on today, including how it led to the creation of Guantanamo Bay. What Is the Platt Amendment? In simplest terms, the Platt Amendment was a treaty between the United States and Cuba that established guidelines for US-Cuban relations. The US wanted to maintain influence in Cuba to protect its interests there, but Cubans were wary of being under the control of another foreign power after recently gaining independence from Spain. The Platt Amendment was an attempt to appease both countries. The Platt Amendment set conditions under which the US would end its military occupation of Cuba but also granted the US the right to involve itself in Cuban affairs in order to protect Cuban independence. The Platt Amendment was drafted by Elihu Root, who was Secretary of State at the time, and in 1901 it was presented to the Senate by Senator Orville Platt of Connecticut as a rider attached to the Army Appropriations Bill. (Riders are sometimes also referred to as amendments, which is why it is called the Platt Amendment.) The Platt Amendment placed some pretty stringent restrictions on Cuba. It gave the United States pretty much unlimited ability to intervene in any Cuban affair for the purpose of preserving Cuban independence, prevented Cuba from transferring any of its land to any country other than the United States, limited Cuba’s right to negotiate treaties, gave the US rights to a naval base in Cuba (what is now Guantanamo Bay). It was reluctantly accepted by Cuba, who amended their Constitution to include it. There were seven articles in the Platt Amendment, and the Cuban government had to agree to all of them before the US withdrew its troops from the island and recognized Cuban sovereignty. Here are the articles of the Platt Amendment: Article I. The Government of Cuba shall never enter into any treaty or other compact with any foreign power or powers which will impair or tend to impair the independence of Cuba, nor in any manner authorize or permit any foreign power or powers to obtain by colonization or for military or naval purposes, or otherwise, lodgment in or control over any portion of said island. Article II. The Government of Cuba shall not assume or contract any public debt to pay the interest upon which, and to make reasonable sinking-fund provision for the ultimate discharge of which, the ordinary revenues of the Island of Cuba, after defraying the current expenses of the Government, shall be inadequate. Article III. The Government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the Treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the Government of Cuba. . . . Article V. The Government of Cuba will execute, and, as far as necessary, extend the plans already devised, or other plans to be mutually agreed upon, for the sanitation of the cities of the island, to the end that a recurrence of epidemic and infectious diseases may be prevented, thereby assuring protection to the people and commerce of Cuba, as well as to the commerce of the Southern ports of the United States and the people residing therein.... Article VII. To enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba, and to protect the people thereof, as well as for its own defense, the Government of Cuba will sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations, at certain specified points, to be agreed upon with the president of the United States. What Led to the Creation of the Platt Amendment? The Platt Amendment came about as a result of the Spanish-American War, which occurred in 1898. During the roughly four months that the war lasted, the United States had a large military presence in Cuba, which it was ready to use to protect the US against Spanish attacks and protect US economic interests in Cuba. The day before the US entered the Spanish-American War, the Teller Amendment was passed by Congress. President William McKinley gave a speech asking Congress to allow the US to use its naval and military forces to help Cuba achieve independence, and Congress agreed but also passed the Teller Amendment, which placed limits on the US’s involvement. The Teller Amendment stated that the US couldn’t annex Cuba. Instead, the US had to help Cuba achieve stable independence, then withdraw its troops from the island once that had been achieved. This assuaged Congressional fears that President McKinley was hoping to annex Cuba. However, three years after the Spanish-American War was over and Cuba was independent, the US still had troops in Cuba. The US didn’t want to put its military and economic interests at risk by having Cuba descend into chaos during self-rule or be conquered by another foreign country. They decided to maintain a strong role in Cuban affairs until they believed their interests would be safe. Because of the Teller Amendment (which basically said the US had to help Cuba achieve independence and then leave), the Platt Amendment was drafted as a way to ensure the US could maintain a degree of control over Cuba until they were certain the country was stable and their interests would be protected. Key Dates for the Platt Amendment Below are all the key dates you need to know for events that happened before, during, and after the Platt Amendment was signed. February 24th, 1895- February 15th, 1898: The Cuban War of Independence is fought between Cuba and Spain. The final months escalate into the Spanish-American war. February 15th, 1898: The American battleship USS Maine, which was docked in Havana, explodes under mysterious circumstances, killing 258 people. The US blames Spain for the explosion which leads to the Spanish-American War. April 20th, 1898: The Teller Amendment is passed. April 21st - August 13th, 1898: The Spanish-American War is fought between Spain and the United States December 10th, 1898: The Treaty of Paris is signed. Spain agrees to grant independence to Cuba, and cedes the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico the United States. March 2nd, 1901: The Platt Amendment is passed. December 25th, 1901: Cuba amends its constitution to include the entire Platt Amendment May 22nd, 1903: Cuba and the US agree to the Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1903. Among other things, this treaty allows the US to intervene in Cuban affairs and lease land for naval bases on the island. September 1906 - February 1909: Second Occupation of Cuba. The Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1903 is used to justify US military forces occupying Cuba in order to protect American economic interests and establish a new Cuban government. May 29th, 1934: As part of FDR’s Good Neighbor Policy, the Cuban-American Treaty of Relations of 1934 is signed, repealing most of the Platt Amendment (everything except US right to a naval base in Cuba). 1940: The Platt Amendment is eliminated from the new Cuban constitution during the Cuban Constitutional Convention of 1940. What Are the Lasting Effects of the Platt Amendment? The Cuban government was very reluctant to add the Platt Amendment to their constitution, as they had just become independent and didn’t want to be controlled by another foreign power. Even though it was eventually ratified, it caused a lot of resentment among Cubans towards America. Many historians also believe that the Platt Amendment actually ended up causing more instability in Cuba, including contributing to the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s. The Platt Amendment remained in effect until 1934, when US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy repealed the majority of the amendment in response to a surge in Cuban resentment. However, one stipulation of the Platt Amendment remained: the US was allowed to continue operating its naval base Guantanamo Bay. The Good Neighbor Policy stated that the US had the right to operate its naval base "until the two contracting parties agree to the modification or abrogation of the stipulations of the agreement in regard to the lease to the United States of America for coaling and naval stations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Because the US hasn’t agreed to any modifications, , Guantanamo Bay remains open to this day and has been a major factor in shaping modern Cuban-American relations. Summary: Platt Amendment APUSH The Platt Amendment was one of the most important events in Cuba-US relations. A simple Platt Amendment definition is that it an amendment passed in 1901 that provided guidelines that allowed the US to maintain influence in Cuba after Cuba achieved independence. What did the Platt Amendment do? It gave the US the right to have a naval base in Cuba, intervene in Cuban affairs, and control Cuba’s agreements with other countries, among other things. Although the Platt amendment was created to protect US interests in Cuba, it was widely resented in Cuba and was nearly completed repealed in 1934, although the US naval base Guantanamo Bay is still in operation in Cuba. What's Next? Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about?Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you. Did you know that water has a very special density? Check out our guide to learn what the density of water is and how the density can change. Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius?We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa).

Million Doolar Baby Film Ananlysis On Class essays

Million Doolar Baby Film Ananlysis On Class essays The film industry is among many influences that contribute to class stereotyping in society. Since its inception, the cinema has inserted itself so much into viewers collective consciousness that it now has the power and ability to influence the way in which they think about society with its onscreen portrayal of characters and social groups. These influences depict social groups with a few predetermined and unchanging attributes. In Million Dollar Baby, Clint Eastwood displays stereotypical representations of low-class citizens from the American South. These characters are typically viewed as lacking refinement, people skills, education and an overall knowledge of the world and its culture. Through a comprehensive analysis of Million Dollar Baby, the different stereotypical generalizations and classifications of the depicted economic class structure will be identified and assessed. As well, an examination of the ideological messages transmitted on the construction of the socia l identity of the characters. Popular film is a powerful force. It has the ability to illustrate and give the illusion of false realities in life. Motion pictures have the capability of showing and teaching us about different groups and classes we are not apart of. According to Langston, class is something that you are born into, class is your understanding of the world and where you fit in; its composed of the ideas, behaviors, attitudes, values, and languages; class is how you think, feel, act, look, dress, talk, move and walk; ... (pg98, Holtzman). These ideas of class gives individuals a social ranking based on their socioeconomic position. Million dollar Baby essentially revolves around and depicts the lives of the working class citizen, which can be further be broken down into upper and lower working class. For the most part, the majority of the characters in the film are apart of the lower working class ...

Soka University of America Admissions Info

Soka University of America Admissions Info Students interested in applying to Soka University of America can use the Common Application or the schools application, which can be found on Sokas website. Additional materials include SAT or ACT scores, high school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and two personal essays. Students with strong grades and test scores within or above the ranges posted below have a better chance of being admitted. Admissions Data (2016) Soka University Acceptance Rate: 38  percentGPA, SAT and ACT graph for SokaTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 490 / 630SAT Math: 580 / 740SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanSAT score comparison for California collegesACT Composite: 26  / 30ACT English: 26  / 33ACT Math: 24 / 29What these ACT numbers meanACT score comparison for California colleges Soka University of America Description Soka University of America does not deliver your typical undergraduate experience. The small university is founded on Buddhist principles of peace and human rights, and all undergraduates work towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts. Students can concentrate in environmental studies, humanities, international studies, or social and behavior sciences. The curriculum has a strong international focus- students compare cultures of the East and West, study languages, and research world issues. Study abroad is included in tuition, and every student spends a semester exploring another culture. About half of Soka University students come from other countries. Academics are supported by a 9 to 1 student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 13. Dialogue and discussion are the centerpieces of a Soka education, and students can expect lots of close interaction with their peers and professors. SUAs attractive 103-acre campus is located in Aliso Viejo, a Southern California city perched on a mountainside one mile from Laguna Beach and the Pacific Ocean. The campus is surrounded by a 4,000-acre wilderness park. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 430  (417 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 38 percent male / 62 percent female100 percent full-time Costs (2016 -17) Tuition and Fees: $31,042Books: $1,592 (why so much?)Room and Board: $11,812Other Expenses: $1,146Total Cost: $45,592 Soka University of America Financial Aid (2015  - 16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 100 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 100 percentLoans: 79  percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $32,114Loans: $7,720 Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 94  percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 85  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 90  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports:  Soccer, Swimming, Cross Country, Track and FieldWomens Sports:  Soccer, Swimming, Cross Country, Track and Field If You Like Soka University of America, You May Also Like These Schools UC - Irvine: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphPepperdine University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of La Verne: Profile  University of Redlands: Profile  University of San Diego: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphStanford University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphPitzer College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUC - Berkeley: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphCSU - Fullerton: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUC - Davis: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphChapman University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphLoyola Marymount University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Female Victims of Miscarriage of Justices Dissertation - 1

Female Victims of Miscarriage of Justices - Dissertation Example Laws have male characteristics and target male crime, thus overlooking the realities of women's lives with regards to criminal justice. This generates the "generalizability problem†1 where patriarchal values thus serve masculine needs2. Introduction The very idea of miscarriage of justice is discouraged by every legal system that stands as a bastion to democracy. Every civilised government has recognised the need to ensure that all its citizens are treated fairly within the due process of law. For example, the Criminal Justice Act 1991 provides3 that: â€Å"The Secretary of State shall in each year publish such information as he considers expedient for the purpose of facilitating the performance of those engaged in the administration of justice to avoid discriminating against any persons on the ground of race or sex or any other improper ground.† In attempting to establish a fitting legal system that incorporates the democratic principles of justice, it is of importance that the issue of gender differences is examined. â€Å"Despite claims to the contrary, masculinist epistemologies are built upon values that promote masculine needs and desires, making all others invisible†4– making women almost invisible within the justice system, and this can easily lead to miscarriage of justice. MacKinnon states, â€Å"For women to affirm difference, when difference means dominance, as it does with gender, means to affirm the qualities and characteristics of powerlessness†5. This is very true of our societies even though women are mistreated by the same laws that were established because of care and concern. The law therefore lays emphasis to equality, but uses a masculine standard as a threshold for enforcement. Lahey calls this â€Å"equality with a vengeance.†6 Aims of study The aim of this paper is to explore femininism and miscarriage of justice from a criminal law perspective. This paper does not engage in a dispute about wheth er women’s right should be different from men in the criminal justice system. The underlying premise is that rights are universal. The paper simply uses the universalism and cultural relativism debate as an entry point to a discussion of ethical considerations of women in the criminal law system of justices. It will attempt to demonstrate how cultural differences persist between man and women. â€Å"Difference in this instance is set up as a duality: woman is different from man, and this difference is seen as a deficiency because she is not man†7. The paper will therefore critically and comparatively consider how the law has attempted to reconcile the rights of women at criminal trials with what obtains in different legal cultures and their resultant effect on females as victims of miscarriage of justice. Analysis I will analyze my paper from the perception of these enquires: What is miscarriage of justice? Miscarriage of justices is considered as a situation in which ‘the rights of others are not effectively or proportionately protected by the state’8. The main keyword that makes an act constitute a form of miscarriage of justice is â€Å"failure to act†. How is miscarriage of justice manifested? The victimization of women makes access to justice illusory, amounting to miscarriage of justice. Access to justice is reasoned to be a priority enjoyed by

Purpose of existence and after life in Islam Vs. Existentialism Essay

Purpose of existence and after life in Islam Vs. Existentialism - Essay Example The tradition of the Islamic religion outlines detailed actions regarding every aspect of life, which every Muslim must adhere to. These aspects include daily activities and rituals such as Namaaz, food etiquettes, respect for elders, marriage ceremonies, peaceful and friendly behavior towards neighbors, friends, relatives, and numerous aspects of daily life. thus we can say that the Koran is the code of conduct, a reference book for the Muslim community to lead a peaceful and content life while doing good deeds, for which they shall be rewarded in the life, hereafter, or after death. Existentialism is not a religion; it is a movement which began in the early 18th century, by a group of scholars. The movement is atheistic as it does not believe in God as the supreme power governing the actions and occurrences of the world. Existentialism is a way of life which determines that the actions of a person are based on free will. It states that morals, value and ethics in the life of an individual necessitate form the individual’s experiences of the world, and as such are based on personal perceptions. The movement is known to have begun by scholars like Soren Kierkegaard, who emphasizes on the occurrence of truth, rejecting the system of Hegelianism. He states that each individual has to pass through three stages in life. The other prominent scholar of existentialism, Friedrich Nietzsche, believes in the concept of â€Å"nothingness†. His famous quote, â€Å"God is Dead†, stems from the fact that more and more people are becoming atheist and that Christianity cannot be a basis for values, ethics and morals. He criticizes Western culture stating that there is an absence of morals and values in the culture. he believes that the strong will for â€Å"freedom† is the most dominating emotion over all the other wills of religion, morals and ethical values. He firmly

Social Innovation and the Role of Leadership Research Paper

Social Innovation and the Role of Leadership - Research Paper Example As far as internal validity of the published article is concerned, it is again valid as there are a number of references used within the article. The used references in the paper are cited within the paper. The authors of the article make use of side notes and end notes to refer and explain any ideas or written content that needs description, which makes the article easy to follow. The references included in the paper differentiate in their content type as they are from books, journals and internet libraries. Their publication dates are before 2007 as 2007 is the year of the article itself. The writers have incorporated the written content from different timescales in order to collect different opinions about social innovation as a broad term. At the end of the article, however, a references section is absent that should be a part of academic writing. Only a section with the name of further reading suggestions can be found that informs that the readers of the article can go for addit ional readings if they are interested in the subject of the paper. Along with side notes and end notes, a separate references section should be given at the end that is lacking in the paper. Language of the article is informative and simple as the ideas and theories described by the writers are easier to follow and comprehend. The targeted readers of the article are people related to business, technology, sociology and other fields, youth and all other people as well. The article talks about improvement of societies and their problems so it cannot be restricted to any specific audience of group of people. This article is written for a wider audience. The format of the article is descriptive and formal as the readers can note proper headings with end notes and side notes along with examples that are explanatory. As the title of the article is social innovation, therefore, the writers give detailed and expressive definitions of the title. The article if observed theoretically is quite explicit and evocative and gives a clear picture of the different terms and theories related to social innovation. According to Mulgan, et al (2007), innovation is about ‘new ideas that work’ (8). The writers also explain that social innovation is not business innovation; it is a lot different than business innovation. Social innovation is associated with sociology and accomplishment of social goals. According to the writers, the term social innovation is quite rich in its meaning and is widespread in terms of its peripheries. By judging the article and its explicitly described content, it is quite clear that theoretically, the article is quite clear in its meanings. Leadership: Exploration and Identification The article gives examples of leaders who did innovative works in their respective fields. According to Mulgan, et al (2007), people from different fields who can also be termed as leaders of social innovation such as â€Å"politicians, bureaucrats, intellectuals , business people as well as NGO activists† (14) participated in defining the concept of social innovation and leaders play an effective role in exploring and identifying the concept of social innovation. According to the article, there are four horizons of effective leadership, which are legacy / generational time, long,

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 7

Art - Essay Example The type of artistic expression that emanates from a certain society also revolves around expressing the culture and social life and ideas that are harbored by a group. Therefore, social and cultural values and ideas play an influential role in influencing the artistic expression of people (Boughton & Mason, 1999). The concept of civilization is as old as mankind, but it was not until the Greeks that civilization came to be realized. It is impossible to mention civilization without mentioning the Greeks. As ancient as Greeks are, they formed the basis of civilization through developing a culture that defied the odds at that time. The Greek idea of civilization had its roots on the philosophical thought and a developed culture that not only satisfied the people’s need to adapt to the environment but also created some time for expansion and spread of civilization. It is important to note that the Greek civilization did not sprout from politics but rather from the cultural values and ideas. It was these cultural values that have had a far reaching and lasting influence in the arts world, which is experienced to date. Religion was a major force that influenced the way people lived and expressed themselves through art. Greek religious elements are still observable in current religions like C hristianity, Islam and Buddhism. Greeks had a host of gods and goddesses, which influenced the type of art that existed during the time. However, religion also attracted another controversial aspect of Greeks’ cultural values and ideas. Philosophy among the Greeks was highly developed (Woodford, 1982). Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato developed rational ideas about existence of gods and developed other forms of inquiry. Greeks also developed other forms of rationalistic thinking. Their thoughts are expressed in science and

Museums In Between Social Duty and Controversy Assignment

Museums In Between Social Duty and Controversy - Assignment Example Traditionally museums have collected and exhibited fine art, natural history, ancient history, and ethnography. Due to this lack of interest in historical collections, the 1976 exhibitions in Western Australia contained "nothing about Aboriginal history: it remained elsewhere within a safer context of anthropology. There were few women. A large model of Queen Victoria and a little later a very genteel parlor scene constituted the sole female presence in the gallery." (Anderson, Selling) These were two of the major issues that later have shaken the tranquil world of Australian museums. Aborigine history and women's contribution to social development have superficially been approached and even diminished by setting specific exhibitions in locations that belittle their importance - as for instance is the case of the Powerhouse Museum reopening exhibit in 1988. (Anderson, Selling) Feminist groups have become increasingly displeased with the dim presence of women's history in public exhib its. They have also protested against the male predominance in museums managements and "have formed a separate association within the museum professional organization, to promote debate on this issue and to raise the profile of women in the profession." (Anderson, Selling) At the Powerhouse Museum, "women are largely absent", or whenever present, they "are cast as the passive recipients of technological advance"(ibid). It goes the same with the Museum of Victoria, which is 1985 exhibited the "Story of Victoria" where women are present in a small section that dealt with "women's suffrage and with one of the women's early strikes"(ibid) but nothing more.

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 7

Art - Essay Example The type of artistic expression that emanates from a certain society also revolves around expressing the culture and social life and ideas that are harbored by a group. Therefore, social and cultural values and ideas play an influential role in influencing the artistic expression of people (Boughton & Mason, 1999). The concept of civilization is as old as mankind, but it was not until the Greeks that civilization came to be realized. It is impossible to mention civilization without mentioning the Greeks. As ancient as Greeks are, they formed the basis of civilization through developing a culture that defied the odds at that time. The Greek idea of civilization had its roots on the philosophical thought and a developed culture that not only satisfied the people’s need to adapt to the environment but also created some time for expansion and spread of civilization. It is important to note that the Greek civilization did not sprout from politics but rather from the cultural values and ideas. It was these cultural values that have had a far reaching and lasting influence in the arts world, which is experienced to date. Religion was a major force that influenced the way people lived and expressed themselves through art. Greek religious elements are still observable in current religions like C hristianity, Islam and Buddhism. Greeks had a host of gods and goddesses, which influenced the type of art that existed during the time. However, religion also attracted another controversial aspect of Greeks’ cultural values and ideas. Philosophy among the Greeks was highly developed (Woodford, 1982). Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato developed rational ideas about existence of gods and developed other forms of inquiry. Greeks also developed other forms of rationalistic thinking. Their thoughts are expressed in science and

Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business - Assignment Example This report stresses that recent country-by-country study analysis of globalization reveals many surprises and interesting bits. The study shows that there are high possibilities of continued integration of economies world over as well as more than five percent increase in gross domestic products. In addition, there is enormous room for world connectedness to expand which will be of various benefits in the international business. This paper makes a conclusion that mutual respect, healthy interdependency, cross cultural communication and effective leadership are some of the most appropriate ways through which a successful Global project management can become a reality. Without the implementation of the above factors such that that leadership lacks authority, power and control over employees, then the project’s destination is failure. Using cross-cultural teams effectively in projects provides a massive source of experience as well as innovative thinking that enhance innovation and competitiveness of their organizations. Managements should also make proper efforts to eliminate communication barriers that may hinder openness and transparency in the organization. Discriminatory cultures and principles should also not find a leeway into any organization. It is therefore important that managers should also give room for innovation, creativity and motivation by offering flexible leadership.

What is a Metaphysical poem Essay Example for Free

What is a Metaphysical poem Essay Metaphysical poetry What is a Metaphysical poem? There are many definitions of Metaphysical poetry. Metaphysical when applied to poetry usually involves Love, Science, Geology, Romance, Sensuality and mans relationship with God. Metaphysical poems are lyrical poems usually containing intense meditations, characterized by striking use of wit, irony, and play on words. Underneath the formal structure is the underlying structure of the poets argument. Metaphysical poetry usually contains conceits, which is an image which you extend, which you develop; an extended metaphor. The Metaphysical poetry follows the structure of a strong first line; these strong lines brings attention to other elements in metaphysical poetry. The term is used in connection with prose as well as with verse and so invites us to look at metaphysical poetry in a wider context. At the time Metaphysical poetrys definition was An equal of ideas yoked by violence together. However, it is very worms eating up his wife; both of the images have the idea of decomposition. The speaker also said he would use hundreds of years to praise his lovers different body parts, and such expression only implies their lack of time. Let us roll all our strength and all our sweetness up into one. Marvel has very cleverly used the urgency in the poem to apply to time and sexual activity. There is an image of someone who is toothless and this represents time. The end of the poem used monosyllabic words Yet we will make him run and this is a common characteristic of a metaphysical poem. In many of Marvells poems we find the same eight syllable iambic line, yet its effect can vary remarkably. The vigorousness of the argument appears in the breathless lines. Few lines are end-stopped, and the lines have rough power of speech. In addition, Marvell manages to marry a syllogistic framework with a passionate poem of seduction. The second poem is written by John Donne Elegie: To his Mistress going to Bed. The beginning of this poem is a classic sign of a metaphysical poem; it has a very strong and dramatic opening. It contains images of war and has alternative images all the way through, this is classic of a metaphysical poem. The subject is then changed to astronomy; Donne is talking about a Geocentric universe. He also uses a cliche from pastoral poetry, Flowery meeds th hills shadow steales. The similarities in the metaphysical poems that focus on religion is that poets often stretch the boundaries of what would have been acceptable at that time. Donne even says sexual intercourse is the same as religion, which would have been seem as blasphemy. Another, common characteristic of a metaphysical poem is constant puns running parallel with the subject matter. In this poem Doone is using puns in conjunction with religion. He also used many prepositions in one sentence in order to give effect; what I mean by that is, in one sentence Donne writes: Behind, before, above, between, below. These prepositions are short and sharp words, just like the actions. Usually the Metaphysical poets deal with many different subjects in their poems, Donne has done just this. He compacts geography, religion, warfare, sex, and geometry; there is even a reference to Spain. Metaphysical poetry usually contains Paradoxes and cliches. Doone uses a cliche is this poem when using religion, he says As souls unbodied, bodies unclothd must bee. What Donne is telling the reader is when you die you go to heaven and if your clothes are removed they will go as well. Another cliche Donne uses is Like pictures, or like book gay coverings made this basically says never judge a book by its over always look at what is inside. Most Metaphysical poetry has caesurae balancing some lines. Donne has even used a hidden triple pun; he has linked the idea f law, geography, religion and sex. Finally, The Flea By John Donne, which is one of his most playful poems. In this poem Donne has separated the thinking between arts and sciences which is called Disassociation of Sensibility. Donne has used unusual images, which have been extended and extended; this is called a conceit. It is not normal to write about a flea especially not a love poem about a man and a woman. The poet has used a strong line to begin, which is usual structure for a Metaphysical poem. The brilliant use of logic in this poem reflects the characteristics of a Metaphysical poem. The Conceit gets blown out pf proportion more and more; it also becomes more bizarre. Two people being married as a flea is quite a strange concept. However, the poet goes on to explain the bizarre nature of the poem. Donne explains that there are 3 Lives in one flea. However, common for this type of poetry, the poem does a sudden turn around. The flea becomes a beautiful, weightless object. Donne uses another common characteristic of Metaphysical poetry, he is over-doing the melo-drama and using an alliteration: false, fears bee. The final line finishes the poem in the typical way in which all of the Metaphysical poems end this is with monosyllabic words. The final line is about honour, which has very little to do with the rest of the poem it is false logic, yet emphatic. This is common structure for a Metaphysical poem, finishing with a complete change of direction in the argument. So to summarize, Metaphysical poetry can involve love, science and religion. Usually this follows a structure of beginning with a powerful line to start and prolonging the conceit all the way through the poem. Marvell uses this particularly technique quite often, drawing upon philosophy to illustrate his argument and giving the poem an intellectual

Impact of Ecotourism on the Local Population of Cameroon

Impact of Ecotourism on the Local Population of Cameroon EXPLORING THE SOCIO-CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF ECOTOURISM ON THE LOCAL POPULATION OF CAMEROON. ABSTRACT The ecotouristic sector in Cameroon is a growing but relatively minor industry. Cameroons wildlife draws both safari-goers and big-game hunters, as Cameroon is home to many of Africas iconic animals: cheetahs, chimpanzees, elephants, giraffes, gorillas, hippopotami, and rhinoceroses. Impediments to further growth of the eco-touristic sector include poor transport infrastructure and corrupt officials who may harass visitors for bribes. Ecotourism can and is however making a substantial contribution to development, and in combating poverty even though not without its own problems. Many studies report on the general impacts of the sector in developing countries, whether social, cultural, economic, or environmental. However, the sector can sometimes be discredited as being less pro poor. Corrupt officials often embezzle most of the funds that flow into the sector. As a consequence of the above, the paper will explore some of the consequences of ecotourism on the socio-cultural and environment. As an Anthropologists, I will not fall into the trap of judging the sector but what is worth noting here is the fact that for the sector to be successful there need to be some kind of social amenities and attraction parks. INTRODUCTION Research on tourism in developing countries has mostly focused on the general economic, environmental and socio-cultural consequences of the sector. This sector has many potentially beneficial impacts to locals, but in practice these have been frequently outweighed by the negative consequences for local people of many African countries especially Cameroon due to poor management systems and corrupt officials. There are several forms of tourism and reasons of tourism. They vary across cultures and depend on the particular individual or groups involved with tourist activities. For the purpose of time, this paper is going to focus more on ecotourism. Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people. â€Å"Travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strive to be low impact and (usually) small scale. It helps educate the traveler, provides funds for conservation, directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, and foster respect for different cultures and for human rights† (Honey 1995:25) This form of tourism is usually intended to protect the environment, have revenues to protect the environment and finally to support local communities. There are some criticisms that surround this form of tourism as to whether it is actually sustainable and if locals a re actually the beneficiaries. There are various definitions of ecotourism that have been provided by many scholars but this paper will briefly provide a few that are very vital to the analysis of the paper. Tikell (1994), defines ecotourism as travel to enjoy the worlds amazing diversity of natural life and human culture without causing damage either. Ecotourism is tourism and recreation that is both nature-based and sustainable.(Lindberg and McKercher, 1997) What is worth noting from the above definitions and other scholarly definitions is the fact that ecotourism is nature based and the idea of sustainability features in most of the definitions as well. This goes a long way to stress on the importance of nature to human beings and also the fact that it needs to be preserved for future generations. Ecotourism is also considered one of the worlds fastest growing tourism sub-market. This growth has been promoted by Europeans and north Americans to almost all parts of the world either for leisure or for the purpose of studies. Cameroon is a potential tourist destination owing to its rich touristic potentials such as the natural bright sandy beaches of Kribi in the South and Limbe in the South West provinces of Cameroon, equally its natural priority of hosting several animal species like the, red tail monkeys, giraffes, lions and giant elephants which roam the savannah. The bongo antelopes and massive western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees survive in this primeval woodlands with monkeys, baboons, elephants, hippopotamus and forest buffalos that are almost extinct in certain parts of the world, it harbors different bird species. Cameroon is blessed with abundant, diverse forest and wildlife on the continent of Africa, Nature reserve cover almost 15 percent of Cameroon 475,442km2,an eventual national goal of 20% has been set by law; These include seven National parks, three world Biosphere reserves and one United Nation world Heritage site but the most unfortunately thing is that they are not adequately protected some have seriously deteriorated due to lack of funds and mismanagement, poaching and official corruption. Forest have been sold off to foreign interest for ecologically unsustainable logging with no benefit to the local people while plundering of rare animals through sales of bush meat has grown and the crime rate has soared, the situation may change with increasing awareness of economic benefits of ecotourism dependent on healthy parks and reserves. The Ministry of Forest and Wildlife in Cameroon has been struggling to put on a legislation to kind of regulate the activities of local communities liv ing around national parks and game reserves. The conservation scheme empowering the Baaka pygmies of the East and South of Cameroon thus is a seldom success story. The nation which has a large number of potential tourist destinations due to its rich nature has been plagued by a poor political will for closed to two and a half decades now. The rainforest reserve however escape some of these disruption by the political power that be and is turning into one of the Cameroons main and few tourist destination. Not leaving out the too many ‘romantic things Africa has to offer such as pre-historic paintings, the African night sky, a unique rhythm of life all these experiences abound in Cameroon and that is the reason why Cameroon is referred to as Africa miniature because it has a little bit of what exist in the whole of Africa ADVANTAGES OF ECOTOURISM TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE The value of plants used for medicinal purposes by local communities can be calculated on the basis of their possible future value on the global market. Ecological economics, a field that addresses the relationship between ecological and economic systems focusing on environmental policy and sustainable development (Constanza 1989) Intrinsic value is a much more subjective matter, while most people take the intrinsic value of humans for granted the view that Nature is very often personalized in the sense that it has inherent rights and is as such subject to the same moral, ethical and legal protection is more controversial (Nash 1989) The world Ecotour 97 the first world congress and exhibition on Ecotourism was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 15 to 18 December 1997 it was organized by the Brazilian Society for the environment(BIOSFERA).The conference was attended by approximately 2000 people from throughout the world. They shared ecotourism theories, policies, plans, developments and management models. The key outcome of the conference was the realization that ecotourism is not a passing fad but has well and truly arrived, bearing the promise of environmental conservation, community wellbeing and economic benefits. Around Cameroons Lobeke National Park, trophy hunting in community hunting area is now generating some US$50,000 each year. This money is managed by local wildlife management committees. It is invested in education, through the construction of schools to provide shelter for children, who used to study under horrible conditions, provision of portable water through improvement of water sources and the construction of wells â€Å"The upshot is greater involvement of local communities in wildlife protection† WWF sources. Most natural areas are located in the rural locales; the development of tourism in such areas can have considerable impact on the local people (Lindberg and Enriquez 1994) Sensitive use policies that cause minimum negative social impact, but allow high levels of local involvement are required. Jobs for local people are a high priority, but are often difficult to provide in a sophisticated knowledge industry, such as ecotourism or adventure tourism. The development of tourism policy sensitive to local concerns is essential for obtaining community support (Lindberg and Enriquez1994).Local economic and social benefits cause an increase in support for ecological conservation. Travelers seek out businesses that emphasize the character of the locale in terms of architecture, heritage, cuisine aesthetics, ecology, etc. Tourism revenues give added value to those assets. A value that the locals may not have previously acknowledged. Travelers not only learn about the destination, they learn how to help sustain its character while deepening their own travel experiences. Residents learn that the ordinary and familiar may be of interest and value to outsiders. Ecotourism should essentially make good long-term business that should seek to employ and train local people, buy local supplies, and use local services. The more the locals benefit from the operation the more they will support the activities, and the better they will conserve the assets. Foreign visitors who learn about and observe local etiquette (including using at least a few courtesy words in the local language) feel a greater empathy with the experience. Local residents in turn who learn how to deal with foreign expectations that may differ from their own also appreciate the additional knowledge. Satisfied, excited visitors take new knowledge home and send friends off to experience the same and/or similar things they enjoyed which provide continuing business for the destination. The long term benefits of the resource of ecotourism to the local community, and to the operation must be enshrined, benefits may be economic, scientific, social, cultural, ethical or biological. DISADVANTAGES OF ECOTOURISM TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE The Ministry of Forest and Wildlife in Cameroon has been struggling to put on a legislation to kind of regulate the activities of local communities living around national parks and game reserves as these guidelines are being executed the rural communities face negative impact as they actually rely on the forest for a livelihood or survival. Huge sums or amounts of money is being spent and human resources continue to be used for ecotourism campaigns but this has not succeeded 100%.There had been stiff resistance in this relationship because ecotourism often will cause conflict and changes in land use rights, fails to deliver promises of community level benefits, damages environment and has plenty of other social impacts. In a real world situation focus should be made towards educating tourists of the environment and social effects of their travels. At the local level ecotourism has become a source of conflict over the control of land, resources and tourism profits, there are many problems abound with ecotourism with the case of Cameroon, the environmental effect on the local population and conflict over profit redistribution are only a few of those negative effects of ecotourism. The laws and regulations stands as a hindrance for the potential investors in the sector of ecotourism. There must be the prohibition of the promotion of unsustainable ecotourism projects and materials which project the false images of destinations, and equally demeaning local and indigenous cultures and natural resources. Ethnic groups are increasingly being seen as a backdrop to the scenery and wildlife, hence they do not participate fully in the development of ecotourism. The indigenous people struggle for cultural survival and freedom of cultural expression while being observed by the tourist. There are always resentments from the local people for they do not want this change that is being imposed on them. Tourism has been allowed to develop without any control. Lodges have been built, too much firewood is being used and no limit are placed on tourism vehicles, they drive off track and frequently harass the wildlife, their vehicles crisscross the zones and inevitably the bush or forest become eroded and degraded all these at the detriment of the locals. The regulations for environmental protection may be vaguely defined, very closely to implement, hard to enforce and uncertain ineffectiveness very often than not there are frequent confrontation between the indigenous population and the eco-guards, forest guards or the police and the gendarmes who are charged with the implementation of wildlife laws in Cameroon. The government of Cameroon regulates, administers and enforces environmental protection the lack of the commitment or capacity to manage ecotourism sites effectively. Government spends budget on politically beneficial but unproductive projects which has nothing to benefit either the locals or even the tourists. The government is vested in the benefits not the ecotourism industry which they are supposed to regulate causing restrictive environment regulations and enforcement to become more lenient. The constructions of an eco-touristic edifice may take precedence over more pressing environmental concerns like acquiring habitat, protecting endemic species and removing invasive ones. Ecotourism most often will be that which preserves and enhances local cultures but in this light it is clearly evident that with the creation of protected areas or zones local people are forced to illegally lose their homes most often without compensation as is the case in most developing countries Sometimes the local people are pushed to marginal lands with harsh climates, poor soils, lack of water and disease infested livestock since no veterinary care is taken of their livestock. This increases the dead toll of their livestock be it cattle, poultry or piggery. Some of the time the marginal lands do not assure for enough food for their livestock and for their own subsistence. Most often than not taxes are levied on their hard earned livestock this greatly embitters them. The creation of parks does nothing but establishes a permanent harsh survival reality and deprives the people of their traditional use of land sometimes this parks are created on their ancestral shrines which goes a long way to disturb the quietness of their gods, this greatly affects the tradition of the people in question, in some cases may even lead to violent confrontations between the authorities and the local villagers who see it as kind of sell out and thereby depriving them of their indigenous values. Hunting which is a passion of these indigenous people is banned and killing of an animal is illegal and punishable, these animals are their main source of protein and income, but they are prohibited to do poaching or hunting around the reserves, National Parks for example the small villages around Korup National Park in Ndian division of the South West Province of the Republic of Cameroon, this forest is completely out of bound to the local people who live and look at this forest for their livelihood same applies to the Menvelle wildlife (Gorilla sanctuary).The Mount Kupe Forest Project, Kejum keku reserve, the Waza National Park, the Limbe Wildlife Reserve, Kilum Mountain Project just to name a few. Most often than not populations are mostly displaced to create parks without even taking into account their resettlement schemes. CONSEQUENCES OF HUNTING ON ECOTOURISM All human actions in natural areas cause some impact. This can be positive or negative and can vary in scale. How much impact is acceptable? The determination of impact, the assessment of the acceptability of the impact, the management of the impact and the monitoring of the impact must be done. (Stankey, et al 1985,Prosser 1986). The hunting of nonhuman primates is biologically an old practice that human beings share with their closest cousins the chimpanzee, hunting methods or techniques and patterns however have changed substantially in recent times. It has been noted in the twentieth century that due to the use of firearms the efficiency and frequency of hunting has increased. Tourism, hunting and butchering on nonhuman primates has been linked to the emergence of some infectious diseases, for instance hunting red colobus (procolobus badius oustaleti)has been implicated in a localized epidemic of monkeypox that has continued for four generations of nonhuman to human contacts, this implying that even the tourist who visit these areas are at risks. Hunting behavior generally tends to focus around villages or new human settlements in logging camps or along roads sides and studies have shown that hunting in a village in the Dja Reserve in the south of Cameroon have demonstrated that both the levels and impact of hunting decreases as a function of distance from the village. The results have importance for both wildlife conservation as well as for assessing the emergence of risks associated with hunting, .(Muchaal and Ngandjui 1999) Both subsistence and commercial hunting with wire snares and firearms are widespread activities throughout the forests of Cameroon . In addition road networks and increasing opportunities for transporting hunted games have led to an increase in sales and rates of hunting. Some of the parts of rural hunting villages in Cameroon have also been linked to hunting and butchering apes especially those of the south. For means of sustaining livelihood the local villagers around the reserves in the rural areas tend to do illegal hunting in the protected zones Hunting increases in these regions in direct proportion to logging activities. When the logging companies open up new areas, snare and firearm hunters follow in their track. Logging camps in the region provide a cash market for fresh bush meat and their trucks are often used as a means of transportation of smoked bush meat to the urban markets of Yaoundà © and Douala where demand is high. The densities of large primates(gorillas and chimpanzees)in the East Province are among the highest in all of Africa. Hunting of these ape species likely results in a higher risk of exposure than the hunting of the other species. Driving the bush meat trade in Cameroon is the large growing urban demand in conjunction with the opening up of logging concessions in the east province. The market among households for sauce preparation in Yaoundà © alone is estimated at approximately $4million annually(IITA unpublished data) There were differences in the form of bush meat consumed with the poor more likely to purchase smoked bush meat rather than the more expensive fresh product. The conclusion here is that even though of its illegality smoked bush meat is an important source of protein for both the rural and the urban poor. Urban demand makes hunting a source of income for rural households. Some in the ecotourism industry have refused to take Cameroon seriously as a tourist destination until the government begins to take tougher stands against the countrys thriving bush meat trade. The killing of rare wildlife species for food and cultural artifacts was once believed to be an activity exclusively of the native pygmies. Today most observers recognize that the bush meat trade has become a part of mainstream of the forest or the rural villages of Cameroon, meat from forest elephants, chimpanzees, gorillas and other native animals are a popular and often preferable substitute to beef, poultry, or pork, a traditional pygmy will often include chimpanzee or gorilla instead of a chicken on a Christmas dish, of course killing and selling rare animals is illegal but laws go mainly unenforced because of a combination of corruption, lack of resources for law enforcement and a kind of apathy to the problem, in addition to logging concessions that the governments hands out to dealers who have little or no idea on conservation. The exposure to non human primates has led to the emergence of important diseases, including Ebola hemorrhagic fever, and adult T-cell leukemia. To determine the extent of exposure to nonhuman primates, persons were examined in 17 rural hunting remote rural villages in Cameroon that represented three habitats (savannah, gallery, forest and lowland forest. The convention on international trade in Endangered species found that the increasing commercialization of trade has led to some 68species in Cameroon being threatened by poaching. SOME SETBACKS OF ECOTOURISM TO THE ECOTOURISTS Nonhuman primate ecotourism for example gorilla watching has been associated with the possible transmission from nonhuman primates to humans of diseases that includes scabies for example sarcoptes scabies, intestinal parasites and measles, equally laboratory handling of tissues or fluids of nonhuman primates has led to the transmission of a variety of infections to humans .including Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and SV40. Additionally the keeping of nonhuman primate pets has been linked to the transmission of variety of microorganisms. A range of activities involves direct contact between humans and non human primates and allows for the transmission of micro organisms such behaviors can facilitate transmission of microorganisms from nonhuman primates to humans with consequences for human health, as well as from humans to non human primates, this equally has great consequences on wildlife conservation. Care for captive nonhuman primates has led to the transmission of a range of infections, including Simian foamy virus, herpes virus B. (HBV) primate malaria and tuberculosis. A widespread problem in ecotourism is the assurance of information accuracy of quality interpretation of levels of safety of operational integrity and of adherence to impact rules. Consumers look for such assurances and any deficiency in these areas can seriously inhibit use. Visitors satisfaction surveys are becoming a more important part of park and ecotourism management, they are common in developed countries but rare in Africa (Friesen1995) WAY FORWARD FOR ECOTOURISM IN CAMEROON The local communities must be given status as equal partners in the venture and their share of the revenue must be contractually guaranteed over and above the creation of jobs and by so doing the local communities should receive priority in terms of jobs. Local communities should be clearly identified, their legal access to the resource, through their legal tenure should be recognized and acknowledged. The distribution of revenues to the local people should be fair, transparent and accountable. Capacity building for local people should be part of the scheme, to the extent that there should be maximum involvement of the local people or communities in the planning and development of ecotourism with benefits accruing from it to the local people not leaving out minority and disadvantaged groups. Ecotourism operations should and in most cases must be an imperative involvement of big business concessions coming from the west( partners from abroad) in the form of people and investment for development, but it must also involve local communities and individual entrepreneurs. It is worthy of note that Ecotourism should be planned in an environmentally sensitive manner so that its natural and cultural resources are conserved, ecotourism development does not generate serious adverse environmental or sociological impacts, the overall quality of the environment is maintained or improved, the benefits of ecotourism are widely spread in the society and ecotourism satisfaction levels are maintained. Ecotourists should be environmentally aware they should favor businesses that have active programs to minimize pollution, waste, energy consumption, water usage, the use of landscaping chemicals, and unnecessary night time lighting. Stakeholders who can recognize that development pressures can deplete resources, and apply limits and management techniques to prevent this to happen can gain respect. Thus businesses that co-operate to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, scenic appeal, local culture etc, are perceived generally as good businesses that are environmentally sensitive. This therefore calls for good plannification and implementation techniques which must be considered throughout the planning process, this planning should not leave out contemporary and creative concepts of development. Communities need to measure Ecotourism success not by the many numbers of visitors, but by the length of stay, money spent, and quality of experience. Many visitors may not be necessarily better since we acknowledge that every site has a maximum carrying capacity, which must not be exceeded or over utilized, this kind of over utilization may lead to some kind of abuses hence if the capacity is exceeded it could lead to the resources becoming depleted or overexploited or exhausted as the case may be. Participation by the Ecotourists should be encouraged at all levels and in all sectors since they form part of the whole network their exclusion will mean that the industry will fail to exist they must be part and parcel of the whole scheme. Their participation at all levels is very primordial, since decisions to be taken equally involves them. All resources should be respected and every effort must be made to use them sparingly and judiciously to avoid eventual depletion of the resources in question. Value adding by all the stakeholders at all levels will be very essential for success to be recorded. Education and training of all parties that are involved, the local communities, the Ecotourists, government and those operating in the ecotourism industry this will be a key asset leading to success. Ethical and moral attitudes, and responsibility towards the natural and cultural environment, should be promoted by all concerned with the operation that is from the part of the government, the locals and why not the visitors since all of them have a stake in the venture. Partnerships between all parties involved in the venture should be promoted. For Ecotourism to succeed there must be a high level of co-operation between the local, regional, national and international communities, so that everyone should benefit to the maximum. This co-operation must also extend into the field of marketing and promotion of the said tourist destination. At the end of the day it is the initiative and responsibility shown by the community that will determine the success or failure of an Ecotourism venture. There are no guarantees. All parties involved have to risk failure and all parties must know this risk of possible failure at the very beginning. Ecotourism is integrated as a system in itself, and the Ecotourism sector is integrated into the overall development policies and plans of the area and local plans are integrated into the national and regional Ecotourism policies and future plans if there are any. It is sometimes appropriate, to do strategic planning which focuses more on identification and resolution of immediate issues or problems. All levels of the Ecotourism industry are vital, and the quality of training and the resulting services that are offered must be of the highest quality or standards. These standards must also be maintained and improved over time and space, this will require putting in place monitoring and evaluation programs. CONCLUSION It should be noted that at the start of any ecotourism ventures, these should be backed by both the Social and environmental impact assessments. These in a bid to ensure sustainability both economically and ecologically. Research into these societies in themselves and the local politics can help identify and discard negative attitudes that may discourage the indigenes and even potential ecotourists. These procedures should not be too cumbersome and time consuming but should be in proportion to the size of the proposed development as the case may be limited finances have to carry the project through this information gathering period. The amount of environmental and social impact allowed is a management decision. This decision should or must take into account the legal and environment policy of the protected areas. Ecotourism is seen as a kind of exploitation and depletion in the case of the rural villages of Cameroon, it should be given more orientation to serve as a useful tool to lo cal communities and equally to become sustainable. In Cameroon there had been little or no awareness as far as the tourist industry is concerned, there has been low impact educational, ecological and cultural sensitive awareness. All these issues must be addressed by the stakeholders in the tourist industry for it to be sustainable until when all these will be met with, then will it be a success story. In many parts of Cameroon, the involvement of local people is crucial in creating a memorable ecotouristic experience. Even though local people strongly support ecotourism development, they are involved little with the planning and management of ecotourism in the region. Therefore, for the sustainability of ecotourism development, future planning should consider the inclusion of local people. Mechanisms should be created to strengthen the coordination between different Stakeholders, especially the locals who most often constitute farmers etc. The development of policies concerning ecotourism planning can be very important, provided that this process is conducted in an open and participative manner to ensure that the growth of the tourism sector in Cameroon is sustainable. In addition to offering adequate services and goods to tourists, the local government and companies in the ecotourism sector must also cater to the needs of the local community. Most inhabitants in Cameroon are unable to use the same services or purchase the same goods that may seem inexpensive to a foreign tourist. The economic growth brought about by international tourism is not perceived as entirely positive by everyone in the village. Some goods and services have become more expensive to local people. This then gives them the impression that Tourism in general is not for everyone since the life of the population and the local workers most often does not change much. Bibliography Bandy, J. (1996). Managing the Other of Nature: Sustainability, Spectacle and Global Regimes of Capital in Ecotourism. Public Culture, 8(3), 539-566. World Tourism Organization. 2000. WTO Tourism Highlights 2000, 2nd Ed. (August 2000). WTO, Madrid Fernnell, D. A. (2008) Ecotourism and the Myth of Indigenous Stewardship, in Journal of Sustainable Tourism Vol. 16, No. 2. Friesen, Bram. (1995). Safari Tourism to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania. Unpublished Masters Thesis, Catholic University of Nijmegen, Netherlands. Stronza, A. (2001). Anthropology of Tourism: Forging New Ground for Ecotourism and Other Alternatives. Annual Review of Anthropology, 30, 261-283. Constanza et al, (1989) Valuation and management of wetland ecosystems. Ecological economics Ceballos-Lascurain, H. (1996). Tourism, ecotourism, and protected areas. Gland: IUCN Lindberg, K., McKercher, B. (1997). Ecotourism: A critical overview. Pacific Tourism Review. Lindberg Enriquez(1994) In: analysis of Ecotourisms contribution to Conservation and Development in Belize vol.2World Wildlife Fund Washington The Journal Of Ecotourism Studies vol.10N °2 Dec 1999 Honey, M. (1999) Ecotour