Human trafficking in Turkey Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Human trafficking in Turkey - Term Paper Example They are usually brought by force or allure to the land of opportunities, that is, USA, European nations and Canada. In current times, human trafficking is considered to be an organizational and administrative concern. It has become precedence for those working in many other strategic areas such as human rights, health, gender, law enforcement, and community services. The organization formed by European Union conference on â€Å"Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings,† held in Brussels from 18-20 September 2002, is an instance of the increasing political concern for combating human trafficking (BRUSSELS DECLARATION ON PREVENTING AND COMBATINGTRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS, n.d.). Over the recent past, Turkey has been witnessing a significant problem of human trafficking, which in fact is an international concern. This issue is related with irregular ad illegal migration. The neighboring regions of Turkey have been affected by political turmoil and conflicts due to w hich the people have been flooding in Turkey from these lands to ensure a better living, protection from harassment and safety. Instances of civil wars and conflicts taking place in the Middle East, Balkan and Caucasus lands have urged such mobility. The nation has therefore become a final dumping ground of trafficked women and children for sexual exploitation and workforce. ... The first section focuses on the context of the problem providing some statistical evidence on the incidence of trafficking along with cases and evidence involving women and children. In a nutshell this section provides an impression of the persistent problem in the nation with an insight into the severity of the issue. This part will logically analyze why human trafficking has become a problem for the society, especially in Turkey. The second part brings out what policies and measures have already been adopted by Turkey and an assessment of the existing policies with respect to their ability to address the problem. This reveals the actions undertaken by the NGO’s. It covers the scope of the issue both within and outside the Criminal Justice System. The section will also highlight the actions being adopted in the international scenario towards resolving the problem. The third section will discuss what the nation of Turkey and the other countries across the world are doing in o rder to combat the problem. This reveals some policies undertaken at micro level and in the operational departments. This section highlights the policies with respect to employment, economy, education and best practices of other nations, which could be applicable in Turkey to resolve the problem of human trafficking. The section also projects some recommendations to suggest Turkey’s next best steps those can be adopted for a better future with respect to the problem of human trafficking. Social Relevance and severity of the problem Turkey connects Asia and Europe and hence plays as a transit and also a target for human trafficking victims. The cities of Istanbul, Izmir and Trabzon are the most popular destinations for victims of

American Me - Poem Essay Example for Free

American Me Poem Essay The poem American Me, written by Ninfa Miranda-Maloney, tells the story of a Mexican immigrant who comes to the United States to live the American dream. The author incorporates ethnic aspects with her use of Spanish words sprinkled in amongst the poem. With his â€Å"spit shine shoes† (Miranda-Maloney, n. d, line 10) and â€Å"brillantina-slick back hair† (Miranda-Maloney, n. d. , line 11), a picture is painted of a young man’s pride in himself as he begins the journey of a lifetime. This is a young man ready for his new life in America. The tone quickly changes, however, as he probably soon realizes that the dream is not what he had in mind. In San Eli, where he â€Å"lived on thank yous and maybes† (Miranda-Maloney, n. d. , line 23), the reader gets the sense that the man was taken advantage of and worked hard for little compensation. The most powerful lines in the poem are â€Å"kissed your white land, broke my back, sweat a few tears for a piece of the dream† (Miranda-Maloney, n. d. , lines 27, 28, 29). The author has incorporated a racial aspect in the poem by showing referring to the white land. This is not his land, this is the â€Å"white land†. He is doing back breaking labor for â€Å"whites†, probably not what he expected as the young man full of hope chasing the American dream. The author also includes social class aspects in this poem. The poem ends with the man, now here in the United States for fifty years, still smelling the onions on his fingertips. (Miranda-Maloney, n. d. ) This leads me to believe the man is still working in the onion fields fifty years after arriving in the United States. A generalization can be made that a person from a lower social class would need to continue to work past retirement age to make ends meet. I grew up in a poor neighborhood in California. My community included many immigrants here in the United States both illegally and legally. The immigrants I have known throughout my life are generally proud Americans, though there are the few that grow bitter because their American ideals and dreams have not been met. They work hard doing difficult work for little money and not much appreciation. While I don’t personally identify with the poem, I am able to sympathize with the character as he could represent a number of people I know. My grandmother emigrated to California before my mother was born. She came to the States with the dream of giving her children a better life than the one they’d likely have in El Salvador. Throughout my life, she’s told me the stories of moving here and settling the family in the area. It was difficult for her, working many hours as a maid, but she did it for the benefit of her children. Many times throughout her first few years in the states, she considering going back home. The dream she envisioned was hardly her reality at first. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to go to a different country where you don’t speak the language or know the culture but it happens regularly in this country. At the end of the day, the United States is a country made up of immigrants, most of which are just chasing the dream as well.

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest: Power Essay -- essays research papers

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: Power Peoples' ability to use power to control and manipulate situations and people is a skill not many people have. Unfortunately this skill can lead to conflict as it did in Ken Kesely's novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest when McMurphy and Nurse Ratched meet each other. McMurphy has been after Nurse Ratched's power right from the beginning. After the first group meeting he pointed out that the meeting was like a "pecking party". The Nurse starts it with pointing out something wrong with someone and then the men join in with their criticism. Her book was the same idea. The men would listen to each other and when one said something that they shouldn't have they write it down so it can be brought up for "therapeutic reasons", but when McMurphy came all that changed. That made the nurse furious, that was her way of keeping perfect control and power over the patients. McMurphy had complete power over the patients from when he first came in. Nobody like him had ever been in the ward before. He came in singing and laughing, something that no one had heard in a long time. He walked around the room shaking hands, introducing himself to everyone, even the chronics. He taught the acutes how to play cards and he taught them to gamble. His very first bet though was that he could get the best of nurse Ratched within the week, and he did. She...

Life of a College Student Essay

I personally go to school full time and work a part time job. Although at times it might seem difficult to keep up with school, work and studying, it is actually quite doable as long as you are able to manage your time and work productively. This relates to both McLellan’s â€Å"The Dead-End Kids† and Brown’s â€Å"Balancing Act: High School Students Making the Grade at Part-Time Jobs† because each article gives good reasons as to why working part time and going to school could affect students in a positive way. Working a part time job while going to school will not only affect students positively but also give them an idea of what the real world is going be like. Working a part time job while attending school will give students valuable skills in which they could apply to their daily lives. â€Å"Working also has helped her to learn to manage both her time and money† said McLellan (306). When juggling between school and work, it is very crucial that students learn to manage their time wisely in order to get all their work done. They would have to make a schedule and plan when they would do homework and study around their work and school hours. For example, instead of playing video games during their lunch break they could be doing homework or studying. Being employed also teaches young adults how to manage their money. The author introduced an example said by Charlotte â€Å"The job has actually strengthened my GPA since I’ve taken on additional responsibilities† (qtd. 310). When adding on duties or responsibilities to one’s schedule, usually the person learns to adapt to the change and becomes more responsible. They begin to realize that they don’t have time to full around or slack, they need to do what they have to do in order to move onto the next task. They learn how to handle their money and use it on necessities such as school supplies or clothes and save the rest. Instead of spending their money on drugs and entertainment, they can save it and buy books or even a car. Overall, students not only learn how to manage their time, but also how to manage their money; all in which display the act of becoming responsible. Along with becoming responsible, young adults will get a taste of how the real world is going to be. McLellan says, â€Å"Part-time work during the school year [†¦] builds character, teaches responsibility and prepares them for entering the adult world† (306). Students are practically clueless when they are extremely dependent and living off of their parent’s money. Once they gain an income and start buying their own clothes and accessories they realize the true value of a dollar. Money doesn’t come easy, you have to earn it and manage your expenses. Once realizing this, young adults begin to be more appreciative of what their parents have done and they also begin to get an idea of what the real world is going to be like. Brown shared a quote by a student â€Å"[†¦] Working keeps me out of trouble† (qtd. 309). Once students add on responsibilities such as working part time while attending school they begin to realize that there really is no time for fully around and other shenanigans. They understand that in the real adult world, they aren’t going to be able to afford to mess around; the adult world is strict business. Nothing is for free in this world, everything virtually has a dollar price and teens realize this once they start working and paying for their own stuff. However, there are others who believe it isn’t a good idea to work part time while going to school Others believe that it is inefficient for students to work a part time job while going to school. They might say â€Å"Extensive part-time employment during the school year may undermine youngsters’ education† (McLellan 306). Some people think that work interferes too much with school and that it doesn’t respect the fact that students have tight schedules. However, this is not the case for many working environments. My job personally assigns me hours around my school schedule so that I’m not only able to attend school but also work part time. This is good for me because I am still able to have an income that will pay for not only my schooling but for my necessities. Some jobs even offer grants for school if you’re able to maintain a high GPA and work a specific amount of hours per week. This is good because it not only encourages students to do well in school but it also gives them a reason to keep the job and save money. Although work does take up more time of your day, it doesn’t interfere with school as long as you manage your time wisely and work productively. Along with getting a glimpse of the real adult world, students will also gain positive attributes from working a part time job while going to school. They will not only learn how to manage their time wisely but also how to manage their money. Students begin to grow more responsible not only with juggling school and work, but also in decision making. â€Å"Working part time while going to school was one of the best decisions of my life† said Anna Shoemoch.

Brian B. and The Medical File Test Essay

Brian B. is taken into an exam room in the office of Dr. K. by the medical assistant, Amy. Amy gets into an animated discussion with Brian about their mutually favorite baseball team. As Amy leaves the exam room, she accidentally places Brian’s medical file on the counter. While Brian waits for Dr. K., he reads through his file folder. He is shocked to discover that his recent test for AIDS came back positive. Brian panics and runs out of the office before seeing Dr. K. The doctor tries to reach Brian by phone but there is no answer. Dr. K. then sends a letter marked â€Å"Confidential† to Brian and explains that he must be treated for his disease and also needs to inform his sexual partners about his disease. Brian does not respond to the letter. Question What else can Doctor K. do to meet his obligation to report a communicable disease? In dealing with outbreaks of communicable diseases, Doctor K. should work with public health authorities to promote the use of interventions that achieve desired public health outcomes with minimal infringement upon individual liberties. In implementing such measures, Doctor K should take necessary actions to promote the patients’ well-being. In addition, Doctor K should also be responsible for taking appropriate precautionary measures to protect the health of individuals caring for patients with communicable diseases. Physicians are ethically obligated to safeguard patients’ privacy and should not reveal confidential communications or information without the express consent of the patient, unless required to do so by law.24 Therefore, physicians must comply with legal requirements to report affected patients to appropriate public health authorities.

Hundred Years of Solitude essays

Hundred Years of Solitude essays I was able to see through the eyes of six generations of the Buendia Family and know their success, hardships, and on being alone. I realized that success isnt everything. There is still a part of you that seems different from others that makes you feel you dont have a sense of belongingness in the society. There are traits and behaviors in the characters that makes you feel that these characters do exist in the real world. Let us take one major character as a good example. Ursula Iguaran, the matriarch of the clan, is for me the greatest character in the novel. She is the one character who lived the longest and the witness of the development of Macondo from a small village into a bustling community. She is the one who brought the connection between Macondo and civilization. Unlike most of her relatives, Ursula is untroubled by great spiritual anxiety; in this sense, she is probably the strongest person ever to live in Macondo. Ursulas task is not easy, since all of her descendants become embroiled in wars and scandals that would cause any weaker family to dissolve. With Ursula as their mainstay, however, the Buendà ­as are irrevocably linked, for better or for worse. To keep the family together, Ursula sometimes is quite harsh; for example, she kicks Jose Arcadio and Rebeca out of t he house when they elope. This decision is partly a result of her unyielding fear of incest. Even though Rebeca and Jose Arcadio are not technically related, Ursula is terrified that even a remotely incestuous action or relation will result in someone in the family having a baby with the tail of a pig Because of her fear of incest, Ursula is a contradictory character: she binds the family together, but is terrified that incest, the extreme of family bonding, will bring disaster to the Buendà ­a house. And we see this character in our very own mother. A loving woman who wishes that her family would not get separ ...

10 Cheap Ways to Get Books for Class

10 Cheap Ways to Get Books for Class College classes are a chance to expand your mind, explore new subjects, meet new people and learn more than you ever wanted to know about just how expensive books can be. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to find books on the cheap. These helpful hints can trim down your book budget, see also how to find money for education, and help you to work smarter instead of harder. Find Out If You Need the Textbook First Plenty of courses have a recommended textbook and plenty of students know that doesn’t mean youll actually use them. Each year, thousands of students buy expensive textbooks they open once and then throw into a corner to collect dust until the end of the school year. Talk to former students or ask your professor or TA directly if youll need the textbook. Shop Online Secondhand books have become a huge industry online. Websites like ABE and Alibris specialize in out of print and hard to find titles – including textbooks. Amazon also offers quite a few options – including a marketplace solely dedicated to used and secondhand books. When shopping online for textbooks, there are a few tips that can help make sure you find a great deal. Ask About the Edition – Some textbooks go through major revisions every year. Others move the placement of a comma and release it as an Updated Edition. Trawl through the Table of Content, look for a list of updates and changes or simply ask your professor if an older version is fine for the course. Being able to buy an older edition could slash the cost of a textbook in half. Check the Condition – Secondhand books are, by their very nature, used. However, not all students go through a Highlight Fever phase so many textbooks are in great shape with little, if any, marks or highlights. Others, however, can be so marked up that youll start to think the previous owner fostered a deep seated marker scent addiction. If a textbook is priced especially low, be sure to check the notes on its condition. If youre able to ignore marks and notes in the margins, then a heavily used copy will be a lot cheaper than one with little or no marks. Cast the Net Wide – When looking for textbooks online, be sure to include websites that arent completely dedicated to books. Both eBay and Craigslist can be great places to find used textbooks, especially if you manage to search right after a semester ends. Plenty of students try to sell their own textbooks directly and some even sell them as a lot on sites like Craigslist. Factor in Shipping – When you buy books online, they could be coming from anywhere. If youve only started to look for textbooks a few weeks before class starts, be sure theyll arrive in time. Also factor in the shipping costs – textbooks are notoriously heavy. Get Local If your university is near a major city, be sure to check out the local thrift stores. Many students dont bother trying to resell their old textbooks and you may be surprised how many end up on the bookshelves of a local charity shop. While the editions may be older, if your course doesn’t require the most up to date edition, picking up a used copy at a thrift store could make a real difference in how much you end up paying for books. Consider International Editions International editions of major textbooks have the same content as domestic editions. The difference typically has to do with the quality of paper and other materials used to publish the book. These books are not available through US websites or stores. That means youll need to consider extra shipping costs and more shipping time since youll be ordering from abroad. Explore E-Book Options These days, more and more publishers are offering electronic versions of popular university and higher education textbooks. Although you wont be able to easily resell these books once the class is over, they are typically priced much lower than their traditional counterparts. Rent Them! Renting textbooks has become the newest way for students to help take the crunch out of their book budgets. Smaller websites like Textbook Rentals and Book Renter have become hot buzzwords on college campuses. Even the book giants Amazon and Barnes Noble are beginning to get into the textbook rental business. Although currently there are a limited number of books you can rent, its growing popularity suggests that soon students will be able to rent everything from Accounting 101 to Zoology 999. There are many expenses associated with getting a college degree. Paying for tuition and class fees is really the top of the iceberg. Books come a close second in terms of how much of your education budget but these tips can help lessen the sting of buying books for every class. Freeing up a bit of money by getting textbooks cheaper means less stress on your budget and your mind which can make your next semester a lot easier.

Fatuous Means Foolish, Not Flabby

Fatuous Means Foolish, Not Flabby Fatuous Means Foolish, Not Flabby Fatuous Means Foolish, Not Flabby By Mark Nichol At first glance, readers unfamiliar with the word fatuous might assume that it has something to do with obesity. The term, however, derives from the Latin word fatuus, meaning â€Å"silly† or â€Å"stupid.† It may stem ultimately from a word meaning â€Å"of speech,† with the implication that a fatuous person is one notorious for saying silly or stupid things. The adjective’s other parts-of-speech forms are the adverb fatuously and the nouns fatuity and fatuousness. Interestingly, many synonyms for fatuous are variations of compounds ending with the root -headed: Some, like airheaded, suggest a lack of brains; others, like lunkheaded, imply that a fatuous person’s head is solid or thick. An etymologically unrelated but synonymous word that nearly rhymes with fatuous is vacuous, associated with the first class of words ending in -headed; the word is related to vacuum, suggesting a void within a person’s skull. The term infatuation (and its verb form, infatuate) is based on the same root word as fatuous: It refers to a foolish passion. Usually, that passion is love (or what the infatuated fool self-deceptively believes is love), but it can also refer to an unreasoning adherence to a belief or a cause or a platonic devotion to a person. Also related is â€Å"ignis fatuus†- literally, â€Å"foolish fire.† This Latin name for a will o’ the wisp, or light generated by combustion of gas from decomposing organic matter, is also used figuratively to refer to a deceptive goal or hope- a beacon of folly. (Mirage, the term for an optical illusion resembling water or other shining material or objects, has a similar figurative connotation.) Ignis is the origin of ignition, referring to the act of causing something to start burning, and is related to igneous, an adjective pertaining to volcanic rock. â€Å"Will o’ the wisp,† meanwhile, consists of the abbreviated version of the name William (previously sometimes used, like Jack or Bud, to refer to a generic person), as well as a contraction of of, plus the and wisp, meaning â€Å"a thin strand or streak.† In its figurative sense, â€Å"will o’ the wisp† suggests a frail thread of longing a fatuous person clings to. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?15 Great Word GamesTrooper or Trouper?

Transatlantic Tunnel Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Transatlantic Tunnel - Research Paper Example For quite some time since the Industrial Revolution, sustainable transport has almost been synonymous with train form of transport. Several modifications have taken place on the first steam engine design to more energy and speed efficient models. With advancement in technology in this information and technology age, even more fascinating models are likely to be designed to keep up with the pace of lifestyle change. Critical limitations that hinder train transport will be addressed in a more creative and a more daring manner [1]. In this report, one such limitation presented by geographical intricacies has been discussed in detail. The Transatlantic Tunnel proposal dares to defy the ocean waters and the huge distance from America to Europe and bring these two world business centers closer than they are via a train. Top speed underwater tunnel across the Atlantic Ocean could be nearer to reality than many people would have thought. Engineering designers initially estimated that by the turn of the 21st Century, trains moving at around 5000 miles per hour could make the journey from America to Europe in less than an hour. However interesting this future engineering project appears, several issues are involved right from the design that will pass the test of time across the treacherous ocean to the huge funding demand. Should these and other factors stand in the way of the project, it remains a brilliant engineering project of this age. Among the several other challenges include time and they are seriously posing as hindrances for engineers to achieve this massive project. Resilience could on the other hand be propelled by the invaluable benefits that the project is likely to present to the world such that the project sees the light of the century. According to the documentary video Extreme Engine ering, the possibility of this unbelievable project is not out of reach of reality amid modern technology. Challenged by the success of

Case study and Virtual Negotiation between Law Firms for solving the Essay

Case study and Virtual Negotiation between Law Firms for solving the issues - Essay Example This suggests that the Mary was not technically an employee of the charity as she was responsible for the payment of her national insurance and income tax. It is also however, important to note that just paying the national insurance and income tax by the employee does not automatically term the employee as the self employed. This also depends upon who decides the work and what are the terms and conditions of the contract and some other factors.2 One of the key contractual issues arising out of this case therefore would be to make a decision on determining the employment of the employee and her contractual relationship with the employer. This is probably the key element in the case. Length of the Contract and legal status of employment Document D01 outlines that the contract for employment was from September to July which totals to one year of services with the current employer i.e. You Can. According to document D08B, Mary has in fact accepted the offer to renew her contract and as such both the employer and the employee are in contractual agreement to honor each other’s commitment. ... conditions mentioned in document D1 therefore You Can may significant legal challenge in this regard. As such, You Can made an offer to renew the contract of Mary which was duly accepted and therefore is binding on You Can to honor different conditions and obligations stipulated in the contract. You Can also failed to properly terminate the contract despite the fact that a Marry clearly indicated her intentions to take a break from teaching during the session. This should therefore be viewed from the perspective of forming a contract between two parties and legal obligations arising under the contract. There are different conditions under which the overall status of the employment of a person is decided as to whether a person is a self employed or an employee. Most importantly, it is critical to assess as to who directs the work under the circumstances and how the employee is paid. It is important to note that You Can actually directs the work however, Mary is not paid regularly as s he is only contracted to do a part time job of once a week. Accordingly, first condition may entitle Mary as a employee of the charity however, since she is not paid regularly therefore she may not claim that she is an employees. It is also important to note that rights given to en employee under the contract are always in addition of the rights given under the law of the land. As such rights such as paid holidays etc should also be given to the employees and employers are obliged to complete this condition. However, it is important to note that contract in DO1 clearly outlines that Mary may not be entitled to some entitlements under the contract which may be in direct conflict with

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 17

Economics - Essay Example Thus, for each of the input employed in order to produce a good, the resource should be able to increase the volume of production at the lowest possible cost. Logically, the lower the cost of producing the product the higher the productivity of the resource. Cost and productivity thus have an inverse relationship—when cost of manufacturing a unit of output is high, the productivity is low and conversely, the lower the production cost per unit the higher the productivity. In order to illustrate this point, take two workers who both assemble stuff toys for eight hours. Each of them is paid $10 an hour and the eight hour period will be paid $80. For simplicity’s sake, let us assume that the first worker can produce 8 stuffed toys within the working hours while the second can only produce 4. The first worker’s labor cost of producing a stuffed toy is $10 while the second is $20. Being able to produce at a lower cost, the first worker is more productive. The law of diminishing marginal productivity states that the â€Å"when the technology of production and some of the inputs are held constant and the quantity of a variable input increases continually, the marginal productivity of the variable input will eventually decline.† It should be noted that the law of diminishing marginal productivity assumes that only on input is increased while all others are held constant. This economic law can be proven by real world examples in the workplace where employees are put to work on certain projects with a constant level of resource. In a factory where people are employed to manufacture candles. Suppose that each day, 100 kg of waxes should be melted and turned into aromatherapy candles. Assigning one worker will undoubtedly contribute the highest return considering the cost of labor which is needed to transform the input into output. Adding a second employee will add more output, yet will not be as productive as the first since the

Aker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Aker - Essay Example xample in the case of a sales manager, the head department has given the sales manager the authority to sell the products of the company, but then eventually the head department has decided to put an end to the authority that was previously given without giving information to the customers. In this scenario the sales manager still has apparent authority, since the basis of apparent authority is the consumer’s assumption of who has the authority and not the current relationship status of a principal and an agent (Rasmusen, 2004, p. 5). Aker has served a total of 200 clients that is from the start up to his final day at Potters agency. The agency was then abolished at the same year of Akers termination. Since the 200 clients to whom Aker has rendered his services do not have an idea that he and the agency no longer exist, Potter is now burdened with the responsibility to handle future complaints, but that will only happen if Aker continues to do business with the 200 clients despite the fact that he is no longer connected with the agency. Potter stopped from creating any arguments towards any agreements or transactions made by Aker, not unless Potter will inform the clients that Aker no longer has the authority to act in behalf of the agency, and that the agency has already been terminated. The clients (third party) are only allowed to ask Potter (the principal) to compensate for the losses if it was a result of Potters negligence to inform them of Akers (agent) termination. It does not make the agreement in a contract null and void as it only refers to the principal’s responsibility to pay for the damages, but the clients may only claim for damages if there is ratification or when the principal affirms to an agreement that is entered into by one who no longer has the authority to do it, as in the case of Aker (Rasmusen, 2004, p. 22-25). Pete Principal instructs Al Agent, his employee, to repossess some property owned by Ted Turner. Al knows that the

What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth Coursework

What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth - Coursework Example One of the witches tells MacBeth that he is the â€Å"thane of Glamis† (I, i, 45-46). The second witch tells MacBeth that he is the â€Å"thane of Cawdor!† (I, i, 49-50). The third witch tells MacBeth that â€Å"that shalt be King hereafter!† (I, i, 51-52). Epstein (422) states that, after the final pronouncement by the final witch, MacBeth’s hair stands on end and his heart starts pounding. This shows that this is something that MacBeth has thought about himself – that he could be King, if only Duncan were out of the way. Epstein (422) further notes that the word â€Å"wyrd,† which was what the witches were called, as they were referred to as â€Å"weird sisters,† (I, i, 31), is actually misinterpreted. The modern plays interpret the word â€Å"wyrd† as being the same as â€Å"weird† in modern day language. After all, the three women were very weird. When we first meet them, one of them is killing swine, and the other on e speaks in rhymes – such as â€Å"in a sieve I’ll thither sail, and like a rat without a tail†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I,i,8-9), and â€Å"Here I have a pilot’s thumb, wrackd as homeword he did come. A drum! A drum! MacBeth did come!† (I, i, 29-31). Perhaps in Shakespeare’s day it wasn’t weird to speak in rhymes in the plays, so the audience for Shakespeare might not have thought that this was out of place, but the rhyming definitely made that particular sister seem weird. Therefore, the fact that the sisters are referred to as weird might be a modern-day interpretation of them and their overall characters. But Epstein (422) states that the word that was actually used as â€Å"wyrd,† which means fate. This would bring a variety of translations for the witches, assuming that the word is â€Å"wyrd† and the meaning is â€Å"fate.† This would be a pun, but a very meaningful one. This would be an answer to one of the questions that is central to the play, and that is whether or not our fate is determined by our own hands or by some kind of outside force. The outside force would be the witch’s influence over MacBeth and Lady MacBeth, both of whom are responsible for the bloodbath that is to follow. The implication is that the witches are responsible for MacBeth and Lady MacBeth’s overwhelming ambition that created the situation where there was a string of murders that MacBeth, an inherently good man, commits. If it were not for the outside influence on the proceedings at hand, there is not a way that a man like MacBeth could have done what he did. After all, the word â€Å"fate† implies a lack of control – that whatever happens in this world is predestined, and that we are powerless to stop it. Therefore, one of the functions of the witches is both in their persona and in the double entendre on the word â€Å"weird,† in that their persona is what ostensibly controls the situat ion, and the word â€Å"weird,† possibly means fate in this context. There is another interpretation of the word â€Å"wyrd,† according to Epstein, and this interpretation leads one to the opposite conclusion as the interpretation above. This is that the word might suggest â€Å"wayward.† This would imply that the witches were not even real, but, rather, were figments of MacBeth’s imagination. This interpretation would suggest that fate was not in control, at all, but, rather, MacBeth’s deep seated ambition is what is in control. This would imply that what happens to him is a result of his own free will, not the result of the witches influencing the proceedings a

Religious Interview with a Protestant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religious Interview with a Protestant - Essay Example He is a youth ambassador in the local church, a mission that has nurtured him into a spiritual leader who inspires other youngsters into the ways of God. In matters of religion activities, Georges father always arranged special events at the church apart from the normal Christian holidays such as the Easter holiday and Christmas. The events involved different churches camping at the church and exchange of ideas in terms of building spiritualism, living in the ways of the Almighty as well as attempting examinations on the most important tenets of Christian life. The underlying mission for these events was to inculcate young and adult Christians with the virtues of the Lord that would bring to track the Christians who were shaken in spirit. The events were also important in venerating the name of the Lord and thanking Him for the gift of life. The events were enjoyable since there were musical instruments to play; feasting of all kind and the general euphoria of socializing was just intriguing. George was the lead youth in the youth group present at the event. The youngsters enjoyed in playing the different musical instruments while the elderly people read the Bible interpreted it and passed the interpretation to the youngsters. The examinations were taken by the youngsters present at the event after being taught and receiving the interpretation of the Bible verses from the elderly. The general mood was joyous, and so everyone enjoyed the activities according to Georges confessions. Georges current religious view is simply Christian. He is a staunch practicing Christian, who follows the Christian principles in all spheres of life. He is proud of being Christian and reveres the Almighty God according to the ways of Christianity. He is a believer in Christianity. George did not change in his religious affiliation since he was brought up in a Christian way of life.

What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth Coursework

What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth - Coursework Example One of the witches tells MacBeth that he is the â€Å"thane of Glamis† (I, i, 45-46). The second witch tells MacBeth that he is the â€Å"thane of Cawdor!† (I, i, 49-50). The third witch tells MacBeth that â€Å"that shalt be King hereafter!† (I, i, 51-52). Epstein (422) states that, after the final pronouncement by the final witch, MacBeth’s hair stands on end and his heart starts pounding. This shows that this is something that MacBeth has thought about himself – that he could be King, if only Duncan were out of the way. Epstein (422) further notes that the word â€Å"wyrd,† which was what the witches were called, as they were referred to as â€Å"weird sisters,† (I, i, 31), is actually misinterpreted. The modern plays interpret the word â€Å"wyrd† as being the same as â€Å"weird† in modern day language. After all, the three women were very weird. When we first meet them, one of them is killing swine, and the other on e speaks in rhymes – such as â€Å"in a sieve I’ll thither sail, and like a rat without a tail†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I,i,8-9), and â€Å"Here I have a pilot’s thumb, wrackd as homeword he did come. A drum! A drum! MacBeth did come!† (I, i, 29-31). Perhaps in Shakespeare’s day it wasn’t weird to speak in rhymes in the plays, so the audience for Shakespeare might not have thought that this was out of place, but the rhyming definitely made that particular sister seem weird. Therefore, the fact that the sisters are referred to as weird might be a modern-day interpretation of them and their overall characters. But Epstein (422) states that the word that was actually used as â€Å"wyrd,† which means fate. This would bring a variety of translations for the witches, assuming that the word is â€Å"wyrd† and the meaning is â€Å"fate.† This would be a pun, but a very meaningful one. This would be an answer to one of the questions that is central to the play, and that is whether or not our fate is determined by our own hands or by some kind of outside force. The outside force would be the witch’s influence over MacBeth and Lady MacBeth, both of whom are responsible for the bloodbath that is to follow. The implication is that the witches are responsible for MacBeth and Lady MacBeth’s overwhelming ambition that created the situation where there was a string of murders that MacBeth, an inherently good man, commits. If it were not for the outside influence on the proceedings at hand, there is not a way that a man like MacBeth could have done what he did. After all, the word â€Å"fate† implies a lack of control – that whatever happens in this world is predestined, and that we are powerless to stop it. Therefore, one of the functions of the witches is both in their persona and in the double entendre on the word â€Å"weird,† in that their persona is what ostensibly controls the situat ion, and the word â€Å"weird,† possibly means fate in this context. There is another interpretation of the word â€Å"wyrd,† according to Epstein, and this interpretation leads one to the opposite conclusion as the interpretation above. This is that the word might suggest â€Å"wayward.† This would imply that the witches were not even real, but, rather, were figments of MacBeth’s imagination. This interpretation would suggest that fate was not in control, at all, but, rather, MacBeth’s deep seated ambition is what is in control. This would imply that what happens to him is a result of his own free will, not the result of the witches influencing the proceedings a

Capital structure analysis Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Capital structure analysis - Math Problem Example Since the managers are not sure of the accurate share price IST, the company would face a lemons problem if it would wish to raise the amount of capital required through issuing equity. A lemons problem takes place when both the buyers as well as the sellers have asymmetric information about the worth of the product in order to take an informed choice, and it is not possible to get hold of the correct information. For example, if in the market, the buyer cannot determine the value or worth of the product precisely, then he might be willing to pay only an average price for it, which is near about the mean value of the bid price and the offer price. But, this skews the balance towards the lemon seller (whose products are not of high quality), because receiving an average price for his low quality product is good enough for him; as the average price would definitely be higher than the price the product would command if the buyer knew in advance about the quality of the product. This occ urrence also places the seller of a good quality product in a disadvantageous position, since the best value such a seller can anticipate to get for his product is an average price, which is actually lower than the value the product should command (Tel Aviv University, n.d.). Prob. a) In the case of IST, since the managers of IST are not sure about the accurate price of these shares and feel that it is either $12.5 or $14.5, so as the investors have chosen an average price and hence the shares of IST are presently trading at $ 13.50. i) At present, if the company issues equity to raise the required capital, the share price will remain $13.5. The managers of IST would always want to maximize the long-term share price of the company. If the managers know that the accurate value of the share is $12.5; because the shares would be priced at $13.5 which is higher than the actual correct price, the company will have to issue comparatively lesser number to shares as compared to the situatio n if the shares were priced at $12.5. If the share price was $12.5, IST would have to issue 40 million shares to raise $500 million and now that the share is trading at $13.5, it will have to issue 37.037 million shares. Thus, since in this case IST has to issue 2.96 million less shares, it gains around $40 million (2.96 million times 13.5) and hence the managers would definitely choose to issue equity to raise $500 million ii) But, if the managers know that the accurate value of the shares is $14.5, issuing equity would mean that the share price would remain at $13.5 though its actual value is more. This would go against their policy to maximize the long-term share price of the company and would also imply that the company would have to issue 2.55 million more shares than it would have at share price of $14.5. This would lead to a loss of $34.42 million (2.55 million times 13.5). If the company borrows the required amount, it has a threat of potential financial distress and the pre sent value of the financial distress cost would be more than any tax benefit, by at least $20 million. The potential loss by issuing debt is much less than the loss by issuing equity, hence in this case the mangers would choose to borrow $500 million instead of issuing equity. Prob. b) If the management of IST issues equity, then the investors should conclude that the

Creon and Antigone †Victims of Fate Essay Example for Free

Creon and Antigone – Victims of Fate Essay Sophocles put a lot of layers of meaning in his Creon and Antigone. For ancient Greeks these great tragedies were not only an entertainment, but they also possessed a lot of philosophical meaning which made people think about many different problems. When reading Sophocles’ play Antigone we get into a difficult life situation together with main characters, think about their choices and possible consequences of their mistakes. We can see two different systems of beliefs, two different worlds presented by two main characters Creon and Antigone. Creon is a carrier of the state power; he expresses obedience to his fate and obedience to the state laws. He is driven by the burden of responsibilities put on him by his high position. We see that he is ready to forget about his feelings and emotions in order to perform his duties. â€Å"Kings, my girl, have other things to do than to surrender themselves to their private feelings† he says to Antigone during their talk (Sophocles 42). He can not influence his destiny and it seems that everything is predetermined for him. Antigone is a complete antipode of Creon. She is lively, impulsive, enthusiastic and counts on her feelings and emotions. She can break the limits of the state laws and even does not feel guilty for that. â€Å"I didn’t say â€Å"yes†. I can say no to anything I think vile, and I don’t have to count the cost. But because you said yes, all that you can do, for all your crown and trappings, and your guards- all that you can do is to have me killed† (Sophocles 45). She is driven by completely different motives and her inner truth is more important to her than formal laws and regulations. She makes decisions, which determine her fate. She influences her own life and people around her. Antigone seems free and determine. She makes her decisions and is ready to take responsibility for them. We can find a lot of things, which unite them if we look deeper than just on the surface of the play. Creon and Antigone do not seem so different if we study their personalities better. They both are stubborn; they both are directed by their goals and do not want to step aside. They have different values and look for different things in life but both are ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of these values. Creon recognizes himself in young and passionate Antigone. â€Å"Don’t think me fatuous if I say that I understand you; and that at your age I should have done the same thing. A moment ago, when we were quarreling, you said I was drinking in your words. I was. But it wasn’t you I was listening to; it was a lad named Creon†¦he was thin and pale, as you are. His mind too was filled with thoughts of self-sacrifice† (Sophocles 50). He knows that they are alike, were alike if to be precise. But the burden of state responsibilities has changed his thoughts and deadened his feelings. His ideals were replaced by the obedience to laws and higher power. Like in the most Greek tragedies Creon is dependant on the will of whimsical gods and has little choice. The only his choice is whether to follow his destination or not. Creon makes his choice and obediently follows his fate. Antigone challenges not only social norms, but also her own destiny and will of gods. Antigone easily breaks with her beloved sister when she refuses to help her. She does not forgive her even when Ismene comes to prison and wants to share Antigone’s guilt. The same thing does Creon, when refuses to listen to the advice of his old and loyal friend Polyneices. Both, Antigone and Creon could sacrifice their dear people and just forget about them in the fight for their ideals. Both, Creon and Antigone have their own moral standards and live according to them. Works Cited Sophocles: The Complete Greek Tragedies. Edited by David Grene. 2 vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1954-57.

The Benefits Of A Pacemaker

The Benefits Of A Pacemaker What is a Pacemaker? An artificial pacemaker is an electronic medical device which is used to treat abnormalities in the rhythm of the human heart. These devices are used internally inside the body, are usually small and implanted into the chest. The pacemaker provides electrical impulses that allow the heart to beat at its normal rate, if the heart were not able to do so by itself. Reason for the need of a pacemaker A pacemaker is used to treat arrhythmias. Arrhythmias are problems or abnormalities in the rhythm of the heartbeat. These problems or abnormalities include an irregular heartbeat, the rate of the heartbeat being too slow or the rate of the heartbeat being too fast. Arrhythmias are a severe condition which causes shortness of breath, fatigue and fainting. It can also lead to serious damage of bodily organs or even death if not treated properly. However these problems can easily be solved with the implementation of a pacemaker. A pacemaker can allow a person with these problems to lead a normal and active lifestyle relieving them of fatigue and fainting. How an artificial pacemaker functions The pacemaker is run on batteries and delivers electrical impulses through electrodes, which are connected to the cardiac muscle to regulate the beat of the heart. These electrical impulses regulate the heart beat and maintain the correct rhythm of the heart. The leads which connected between the pacemaker and the heart send electrical signals back and forth and sense when the heart needs some sort of treatment. When it requires treatment, the heart will receive an impulse from the device to correct the problem. Human Pacemaker Within the cardiovascular system there are electrical events which cause the contraction and relaxation of the muscles in the heart. The cells of cardiac muscle can be classified as either non-pacemaker cells or pacemaker cells in terms of electrical activity. It is the pacemaker cells that create the impulses and control the heart rate. The pacemaker cells lie within the sinoatrial (SA) node. This node can be found in the wall of the right atrium. These pacemaker cells cause spontaneous depolarizations which generate action potentials that determine the heart rate under normal physical conditions. Pacemaker cells can also be found at the atrioventricular (AV) node, which lies within the ventricular walls. It is the SA node that generally generates the hearts electrical impulses and is the reason it is usually called the pacemaker, but if the SA node were not to function or if it was blocked on its path, it would be the AV node that would generate the heart beat and become the new pacemaker. The failure of the function of these cells results in irregular and abnormal heartbeats which require correction. The artificial pacemaker can provide this correction with its own electrical impulses. Diseases Related to pacemaker Arrhythmias Arrhythmias or cardiac dysrhythmia is the condition in which the electrical activity in the heart is abnormal. The pacemaker is used to treat this condition if the heart is beating too fast, too slow or if the heart is beating irregularly. The heart normally beats between 60 to 100 beats per minute, however different types of arrhythmias can cause the heart to beat below or above this rate. Bradyarrhythmias causes the heart to beat below 60 beats per minute, tachyarrhythmias causes the heart to beat above 100 beats per minute. Causes of Arrhythmias There are many causes of arrhythmias occurring, which include: Injury caused by a heart attack. Injury during healing after heart surgery. Coronary artery disease. A change in the cardiac muscle in the heart. An imbalance of sodium or potassium in the blood which causes electrolyte imbalances. Symptoms of Arrhythmias Many symptoms can arise because of arrhythmias. Chest pains, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, and palpitations of the heart are all common problems associated with arrhythmias, but if left untreated the problems may become much more severe and may even lead to death. However an arrhythmia may also be silent and a patient may be unaware of this condition as none of the symptoms listed may have occurred. A doctor can detect an arrhythmia with a regular physical examination using an electrocardiogram which measures the pulse of the heart. Any complications in the rhythm of the heart will become apparent and will indicate if a pacemaker is required. Types of Arrhythmias As mentioned already arrhythmias can be described as either bradyarrhythmias (heart rate too slow) or tachyarrhythmias (heart rate too fast). Bradyarrhythmias results in a heart rate lower than 60 beats per minute, the different types include sinus node dysfunction and heart blocks. Sinus node dysfunction results in slow rhythm as the heart beats because of an abnormal sinus node (SA). Heart block results in delaying or blocking the electrical impulses which travel from the sinus node to the ventricles. A pacemaker can be used to treat both of the these conditions Tachyarrhythmias results in a heart rate higher than 100 beats per minute, the different types of this condition include atrial premature beats, atrial flutter, paroxysmal tachycardias, ventricular premature beats, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. Atrial premature beats are earlier than expected extra beats which come from the atria. These do not require treatment. Atrial flutter is rapid appearing atrial activity. This can cause rates of 250 300 bpm and is most common after heart surgery. Atrial fibrillation is a common irregular heart rhythm. It causes the atria to contract abnormally. Paroxysmal tachycardis results in a rapid heart rate between 140 and 250 bpm originating from above the ventricles. Ventricular premature beats are unexpected beats from the ventricles. Ventricular tachycardia is a series of three or more ventricular premature beats in a row. Ventricular fribrillation is the most life threatening type of arrhythmia which results in disorded erratic impulses of the ventricles because the ventricles are unable to contract. Invention of the Pacemaker Who invented the first pacemaker? The first artificial pacemaker to be used in aiding the rhythm of the heart was invented by John Hopps. John Alexander Hopps was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1919. He attended the University of Manitoba and in 1941 achieved a B.Sc.Eng degree in electrical engineering. In 1942 Hopps became a member of the National Research Council of Canada. Hopps did not produce the first pacemaker with all his own work but had help from both Dr. Wilfred Bigelow, a Canadian heart surgeon and Dr. John Callaghan, a cardiac surgeon also from Canada. In 1949 the first work began with this trio in inventing the first external artificial pacemaker. The research and development for their project was undertaken at the Banting Institute in the University of Toronto with the finishing touches completed in 1951. With both Dr. Bigelow and Dr. Callaghans vast knowledge of the human heart, and Hopps degree in electrical engineering the first successful pacemaker was invented which lead the way to improve treatment of arrhythmias. Artificial Pacemaker How does it work? The modern implantable artificial cardiac pacemaker consists of two parts, the pacemaker device which generates the impulses and the insulated leads which are connected to the heart via electrodes. The pacemaker generator device (pulse generator) is run by the use of batteries; these batteries must store enough energy to provide electrical impulses to maintain the rhythm of the heart, they are recharged when required and send electrical signals back and forth to the heart through the leads. This device is relatively small and is implanted into the chest. The pacemaker leads which are insulated are also implanted into the body. These leads are very thin and are connected to both the heart wall and the pacemaker generator device. The electrical signals which are produced by the pulse generator send small amounts of electrical energy through the leads which prompt the device to send impulses to the heart if the rhythm of the heartbeat is incorrect. Method of Pacing The methods of pacing the rhythm of the heart include percussive pacing, transcutaneous pacing, epicardial pacing, and transvenous pacing. However these methods of pacing are only used temporarily in conjunction with an external pacemaker or in an emergency. The method used in the implantable pacemaker is permanent pacing. Permanent pacing involves placing one or more pacing leads (electrodes) in the chamber/chambers of the heart. The electrode lead is inserted and passed through a vein until it reaches the heart valve, the lead continues to pass through the valve and is placed inside the chamber of the heart. Once the surgeon is pleased with the position of the electrode in heart chamber the opposite end of the lead is connected to pacemaker generator device. The generator device is also implanted into the chest of the body. Different types of Pacemakers There are now many different types of pacemakers which assist in treating other heart conditions as well such as combining pacemakers and defibrillators in one device. Some devices only use one electrode while others make use of many electrodes to regulate different positions of the heart. The three basic types of implantable pacemakers which use permanent pacing include: Single-chamber pacemakers, this type of pacemaker only uses one pacing lead. The pacing lead is placed in only one chamber, either the atrium or the ventricle. Dual-chamber pacemakers, this type of pacemaker uses two pacing leads. The pacing leads are placed in two chambers of the heart, with one pacing the ventricle and the other pacing the atrium. Rate-responsive pacemakers, this type of pacemaker includes a sensor that automatically adjusts due to a change in the activity of the human body. Materials Used The materials used for producing the pacemaker generator and electrodes are inert, nontoxic, biocompatible and all function within the body. The casing of the pacemaker generator is made of stainless steel, titanium or a titanium alloy. The battery requires storing a large amount of energy but cannot be too big because of the small size of the device, for this a lithium battery is used. The electrodes are made from platinum or platinum-iridium alloy but insulated with polyurethane. Sealing of the casing or any other parts is done using silicon rubber or polypropylene. Methods of production Pacemaker devices are produced by biomedical engineering companies such as Boston Scientific. There are three main components which must be produced to make a pacemaker. The main battery used for a pacemaker device is a lithium/iodine cell. The iodine and a polymer are mixed and heated together first. The liquid iodine/polymer solidifies to form the cathode with the lithium forming the anode. Moisture is prevented from entering the battery by hermetically sealing it. The wires in the leads are produced using a method of extrusion. The wires are bundled together and insulated with polyurethane. One end is shaped to fit the pacemaker and the other to be placed in the heart. The motherboard used in the pacemaker includes semiconductors, resistors and capacitors which are combined together on a single circuit using hybridization. Once these components are produced they can all be put together in the casing of titanium or stainless steel, and sealed using the polypropylene or silicon rubber. Improvements and the future There have been many improvements in the technology of pacemakers. They have been reduced in size for the comfort of patients, the lithium batteries used have vastly improved the multiyear life spans of the device, better leads and wires along with improved electronics have reduced power consumption, and now the device can treat various types of arrhythmias. Increasing numbers of patients requiring pacemakers will mean more will have to be produced. Further research will be carried out to improve the existing devices. Future improvements may include longer lasting batteries with the use of radioactive isotopes, smaller devices, and an application of cardiac pace making technology to the brain.

Julius Caesar Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Life And Death of Gaius Julius Caesar In my opinion, no other man in the history of the world symbolizes military and political strength as much as Julius Caesar does. Caesar was born on July 12, 100 BC in Rome, Italy (Encarta 2000). His father belonged to the prestigious Julian clan (Internet Explorer) His uncle by marriage was Gaius Marius, leader of the Populares which supported agrarian reform and opposed the Optimates (Comptons Encyclopedia). Marius saw to it that Julius Caesar was appointed flamen dialis which is a archaic priesthood with no power. Caesar's marriage in 84 BC to Cornelia, the daughter of Marius's associate was a political Match (Lindsay Salo). When Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Marius's enemy and leader of the Optimates, was made dictator in 82 BC, he issued a list of enemies to be executed. Caesar was not harmed but he was ordered by Sulla to divorce Cornelia. Caesar refused that order and left Rome to join the army (Lindsay Salo) (Comptons Encyclopedia). This wa s the beginning of an astonishing military career. He became second in command of the province Asia (Turkey) (Lindsay Salo). In two years he proved his bravery and superior skills at arms. After these years and Sulla's resignation in 78 BC, Julius decided to return to Rome. There he served as an officer in Crassus's army against Spartacus, Caesar climbed steadily in the government by serving as an official in many provinces (Internet Explorer). After the death of his wife Cornelia, Julius remarried a wealthy wife and allied with Crassus, who was the richest man in Rome at the time (Internet Explorer). Their opponent was Pompeius Magnus (the Great). Caesar wanted to become part of the consulate. The consulate was a governmental position where two consuls, nominated each year, held the power of the state. Caesar was hoping that he and Crassus would become the powerful consuls of the Roman Empire. However, the Senate tried to stop his efforts by pitting Crassus, Pompeius and Caesar aga inst each other. Caesar noticed this and did something believed impossible. Julius created an alliance among himself, Crassus, and Pompeius (Encarta 2000). The alliance made it possible for them all to share power. This three way consulship was called a Triumvirate (Internet Explorer). This agreement dictated the Roman policy for the next decade. They shared all offices between them and their followe... ...y corrupt tax system, extended Roman citizenship, and sponsored colonies of veterans. Also Caesar's reform of the calendar gave Rome a rational means of recording time which was very important (Encarta 2000). However, a number of senatorial families felt that Caesar threatened their position. Thus, on the 6th of March 44 BC, the so called Ides of March, Caesar was murdered by Marcus Brutus, Gaius Cassius, and his two trusted commanders of his old legions Decimus Brutus and Gaius Trebonius (Encarta 2000). Caesar was stabbed twenty-three times. While the blood poured out of his wounded body the great dictator of Rome silently pulled his toga over his head and fell at the foot of a statue of Pompeius (Internet Explorer). In conclusion, Julius Caesar was probably the greatest man of his time and the most successful. It was Caesar who ended the Roman republic and paved the way for the later Roman emperors (Encarta 2000). From his early life to his death no other man accomplished as mu ch as he did. Julius Caesar in my opinion was the greatest soldier and dictator of all time. By Vince Henecker Bibliography 1. Compton's Encyclopedia 2. Encarta 2000 3. Internet Explorer 4. Lindsay Salo

Environmental Revolution

The Next Step Broad Social Change Through Personal Commitment Introduction In the last thirty years, America has witnessed an environmental revolution. New laws like the 1963 Clean Air Act and the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act forged new ground in political environmentalism. Social phenomena like Earth Day, organized by Dennis Hayes in 1970, and the beginning of large-scale recycling, marked by Oregon's 1972 Bottle Bill, have help change the way Americans think about the environment. As we approach the third millennium, however, we must reconsider our place on the planet and reflect on our efforts and progress towards a sustainable society. As global warming becomes a scientific reality, natural disasters make monthly appearances in the headlines, and communities continue to find their ground-water contaminated by industrial and nuclear waste, we must ask ourselves: are we doing enough? The environmental movement in the past has largely been a social and political phenomenon. While many of us recycle (yet still only 35 percent of us) and take dead batteries to our town's Hazardous Waste Day, most Americans have not made the environment a personal issue. Very few of us have taken the kind of personal life-changing steps that are necessary to create an environmentally sustainable society. It is simply naive to believe that America's present rates of consumption, waste production, and environmental contamination are sustainable. The kind of social change required can only happen when we as individuals embrace the effort in our everyday lives. Only then will corporate America and the government realize that they too must change to maintain their customer base and public support. This kind of personal commitment to change would also create a new social ethic based on the environment under which people and companies who do not care for the earth would be held socially and financially responsible. In six parts, this article will re-examine our place in the environmental movement and investigate exactly what changes we can make in our personal lives to bring about positive change. These areas are transportation, energy, recycling and waste management, toxins and pollution, food, and water. Some of the changes discussed will require sacrifice. But, more important, these changes will often simplify our lives, bring our families and communities closer together, and help us to better understand, revere, and coexist with the world upon which each of us is directly dependent. Transportation The invention of the automobile is one of history's greatest environmental disasters. The automobile decentralized our society. People with cars moved out of the city and drove to work from their suburban homes. Before the automobile, agriculture was local. Food was grown by farmers living in what was soon to be the suburbs, and delivered fresh to markets in the cities. Because of the short distance food had to travel, farmers didn't need to add preservatives or other additives to maintain freshness. Clearly, the automobile, like other harmful inventions, makes our lives easier in many ways, but how often do we consider the environment when weighing these benefits? Fossil fuels account for the automobile's most significant effect on the environment. Not only are the emissions from cars and trucks toxic to every air-breathing organism, but every step of the fossil fuel process, from extraction to disposal, is bad for the environment. According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), millions of gallons of untreated water contaminated by the drilling processes are dumped into waterways and oceans annually. Once extracted, fossil fuels are frequently refined on site, burying 179 million tons of toxic waste annually. During transport, an average of 1 million gallons of oil is spilled into the ocean each month. Upon arrival, fossil fuels are usually burned in automobiles or power plants. The average coal-burning power plant burns about 10,000 tons of coal in a single day. With even a low estimate of five per cent waste, that leaves 500 tons of toxic waste produced each day by a single power plant. If used in cars, oil must be refined further, wasting more energy and creating more toxic waste before drivers purchase it. The combustion engines used in cars and trucks emit toxic gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect and acid rain, deplete the ozone layer, and create more than 50% of the smog producing toxins that city-dwellers breathe every day. Even if we disregard the environmental damage caused by fossil fuels, we should recognize that, as a non-renewable energy source, the earth's reserves will eventually run out. Hundreds of millions of years of organic decomposition will be wiped out in a single century. Conservative estimates say we have 30 to 50 years left of oil use. With more and more developing nations rapidly increasing their use of fossil fuels, and the continuing growth rate of fossil fuel use at four times the population growth, our time with fossil fuels could be significantly less. Just imagine the economic and political upheaval a major oil shortage would cause. Simply put, the country that depends on fossil fuels the least will be the most likely to survive the economic strife and wars resulting from global depletion. Fossil fuel consumption is deeply entrenched in the American mode of life. We rely on automobiles for almost all of our transportation needs, enjoy motor boats and jet skis on our vacations, and use gas-burning engines in most of the tools we use in the yard. (Although electricity is another major consumer source of fossil fuel consumption, that will be discussed in the Energy section. Yet we can make numerous changes in our lifestyle that will significantly decrease our personal consumption of fossil fuels. Let's return to America's biggest weakness: the automobile. Simply not driving is the best and most obvious solution to the problem of automobiles. Americans have gotten used to their cars and seldom walk or bicycle even short distances. Gym class became a federal requirement in the 1930s because students were being driven or riding busses to school instead of walking. Americans have also become significantly more overweight since we started driving. Consider your Saturday errands around town. Most errands we make are to destinations less than a few miles away and frequently involve dropping off or picking up something small. These kinds of errands can just as easily be accomplished by walking or bicycling. Your body will thank you, and so will the environment. Public transport, if available, is also a great way to stay out of the car. Consider an area's public transportation system in choosing a place to live, as some cities have significantly better systems than others. When your destination is too far to walk or bicycle, there are still numerous ways to minimize the use of automobiles. If you drive to work, find other people at your company or other companies near you that live in your town and start a carpool. Even carpooling once in a while makes a difference, so don't get discouraged by occasional scheduling conflicts or other obstacles. When running errands, plan ahead to consolidate them into one trip and consider the most efficient route. If possible, park in a central location and walk to multiple destinations. Ask a neighbor or friend if they need to go out (everybody has to go to the grocery store, for example), and share a ride. For every ride you share, the fuel consumption and emissions for that trip are cut in half. There are also many ways that your driving habits effect the fuel efficiency of your car. Try to avoid fast accelerations, for instance. They use significantly more fuel than gradual accelerations. Likewise, avoid driving at excessive speeds. Every car engine has an RPM (revolutions per minute) at which optimal fuel economy is achieved; you'll find it in your car's manual. Check your tachometer and try to maintain that RPM while driving. Minimizing the work-load on your car is another way to increase fuel economy. Remove any unnecessary heavy objects from the car, and avoid using the air conditioner when possible. Finally, turn off your engine if you expect to be idle for even a short while. Starting a modern fuel-injected car uses less gas than idling for 30 seconds. Did you know that warming up your car by letting it idle in the driveway in cold weather actually causes engine damage? This is also when your car's emissions are at their worst. The best and fastest way to heat up a car is by driving it. When it's time to buy a new car, there are many ecological alternatives to the gas guzzling beasts typically driven by Americans. Many compact cars on the market today achieve stunning fuel economy. The four-wheel-drive trucks so popular in today's market get comparatively bad gas mileage and usually carry one person over a paved road. Buy the smallest car you can, and don't buy a larger car for infrequent needs-consider buying a used trailer for infrequent cargo hauls. If you've been putting off the purchase of a motorcycle as whimsical, think again. Many motorcycles (and scooters in particular) achieve significantly better fuel economy compared to even the most fuel-efficient cars, resulting in less over-all consumption and emissions. Maintenance is the final step in minimizing the environmental impact of automobiles. Modern cars have very sophisticated emissions systems and engines that must be finely tuned to achieve maximum efficiency. Regular check-ups for your car will protect your investment and ensure the car is in its best possible working order. The longer you keep your car, the more value from it you receive and the less waste is created and energy spent in the production of a new car. If you have to commute to work every day, consider an electric car. Electric cars have come a long way in price, distance and efficiency, and will soon be available from large manufacturers like Ford and Toyota. Several small companies around the country convert small gas powered cars and trucks to electric, zero-emissions vehicles and sell them for slightly more than a gas-powered car. As electric cars become more common and are manufactured on a large scale, their prices will drop significantly. Many hobbyists, with no prior automotive or electrical expertise, have created their own electric cars from their used gas-powered vehicles. Check your local library for one of the many conversion guides available. Today's electric cars take about four hours to charge, plugged into a standard outlet, and can go anywhere from 50 to 200 miles on a single charge. While you wouldn't want to take an electric car across the country (though this has been done), their distance per charge is plenty for a typical commuter to get to work and back. Most electric car owners keep a gas-powered car around for longer trips. Owners of electric cars generally find the increase in their electric bill minimal compared to the amount they save in gasoline. While electric cars create no emissions themselves, and create almost no waste (even the batteries are recyclable), the electric company is still burning fossil fuels to create the electricity needed to charge the car. Nevertheless, electric companies are capable of converting fossil fuels to energy much more efficiently and with fewer emissions than a gas-powered car. Electric cars also leave room for improvement in any method of large-scale energy production, such as biomass, hydro, and solar (see the Energy section). This section has focused primarily on cars, but Americans also use many other gas-powered engines. The small engines in motor boats and lawn equipment do not have to meet the emissions standards of cars, and thus, emit far more toxins into the air. Consider using a quiet, powerless mulching mower on your lawn if you have one, and an electric weed whacker rather than one that is gas powered. If you enjoy the water, consider learning to sail rather than motoring. Motorized water vehicles not only emit air pollution, they also pollute the water, contribute to sound pollution, and injure fish and other animals in the water. Energy in the Home Automobiles are not the only consumers of fossil fuels or sources of air pollution stemming from our personal lives. According to the EPA, furnaces, hot water heaters, and other fossil fuel burning appliances in American homes produce 20% of all U. S. carbon dioxide, 26% of sulfur dioxide, and 15% of nitrogen oxide emissions, the leading causes of acid rain and global warming. Note that these figures do not take into consideration the power our homes draw from fossil fuel-burning power plants. By making our homes as energy-efficient as possible and minimizing our personal use of electricity, we can significantly reduce our personal impact on the environment. The main sources of power consumption in our homes are the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Maintaining, repairing, or upgrading these systems will not only save us money, but also reduce the amount of energy needed to run our homes on a day-to-day basis. The EPA's Energy Star Homes program brings environmentally aware developers and manufacturers together to build homes that are better insulated and utilize 90% efficiency or better HVAC systems. If you are looking to build a new home, call their toll-free hotline, (888) STAR-YES, for literature, or save paper and visit their Internet site at www. epa. gov for more information. Unfortunately, building new homes is not an environmentally sound thing to do. New homes require previously undeveloped land or disposal of the property's old construction. Further, new wood and materials must be used unless costly measures are taken to restore materials from an old construction. Beyond environmentally unsound, new construction is many times more expensive and time-consuming than renovation and repair of most existing houses. Even if your house is too costly to upgrade, consider buying an already renovated house or one easily renovated before building new construction. A furnace using heating oil, natural gas, or electricity heats most American homes. Still others use a wood or pellet stove. Of these, electricity is by far the least efficient. One truth of energy conservation is that electricity should not be used to produce heat, whether in a stove, water heater, or central heating. The exception to this is the microwave, which is the most efficient way to heat small amounts of food. Edward Harland's book, ECO~RENOVATION: the ecological home improvement guide, an excellent resource for anyone interested in environmental renovations, provides this revealing chart: Fuel Kg of CO2 Emitted per Useful Kilowatt Delivered (approx. ) Gas 0. 7 Oil 0. 5 Coal 0. 40 Electricity 0. 83 As you can see, electricity is more than twice as polluting as a coal burning furnace. Electricity is even worse if you take into consideration the amount of energy created by nuclear power, which creates nuclear waste instead of carbon dioxide (CO2). There is also a significant amount of energy wasted in cooling power plants and lost in the power grid, which further degrades electricity's viability as an environmentally sound energy source. As the chart shows, natural gas, or methane, is the cleanest burning fuel. While most of the natural gas used in America is drawn from non-renewable reserves, it can be produced renewably through biomass production, a method currently used by China. Methane is produced in massive quantities by decaying waste and agricultural operations, so much that methane is one of the most serious greenhouse gasses. If methane could be captured from these sources, we would be slowing the greenhouse effect and using clean-burning renewable fuel at the same time. For these reasons, if you have an aging or inefficient oil burning furnace, consider converting to an efficient natural gas furnace. Wood or pellet stoves still fuel many homes in America. Wood, if used wisely, is a renewable and relatively clean-burning fuel. While burning wood does produce CO and CO2, new technology allows wood stoves to reuse unspent output by re-burning it before emission. Pellet stoves, quickly replacing log-burning stoves, use pressed recycled paper and wood pulp that look like rabbit pellets. Pellets, while more expensive, are more efficient to burn and take up less space during storage. Before investing in a wood stove, however, be sure to investigate which brands are most efficient and emit the least gases and particulate. Also, wood stoves must be used carefully and maintained properly to avoid inefficient operation, excessive emissions, and leakage of carbon monoxide into the home. The best way to minimize the amount of fuel-produced heat your home requires is to insulate it properly. Insulation is the most important factor in the amount of energy required to heat your home. Consider a hypothetical home with 100% perfect insulation. This home would need to be heated only once, and never again. This puts into perspective the idea that we only need to heat our homes as much as heat escapes to the outside. Most houses in America are poorly insulated at best; only one in four houses have insulated walls. Consider the fuel savings if you increased your home's insulation quality by even 20%, which in many cases is a realistic goal. Initially, insulation costs time and money, but it pays for itself quickly in reduced fuel costs and a warmer, more comfortable home. Unfortunately, the finer points of insulating a home are beyond the scope of this article. An excellent resource on maximizing your home's insulation is Home Insulation by Harry Yost. Your local library should have, if not this book, several books on insulation that will at least get you started. Beyond updating your furnace and insulating your home, consider your personal use of heat in the home. The average American household's temperature during the winter is slowly rising because of increasingly sedentary lifestyles and lighter dress. The healthier we eat and the more exercise we get, the more internal heat our bodies will produce. The more above the outside temperature a home is heated, the less efficient its heating system becomes. If we simply wear more clothes, we will need substantially less heat. Wearing sweaters and slippers, eating nutritious food, and getting plenty of exercise are simple but frequently overlooked ways we can reduce our heating energy needs. Next to furnaces and stoves, the air conditioner is the second most energy-hungry appliance in American homes. Unfortunately, air conditioners rely on lots of electricity, the most polluting form of energy available. The use of air conditioners should be avoided at all costs. If you live in a climate with extreme heat, consider your air conditioner and its placement carefully. The EPA has outlined efficiency standards for most household appliances, air conditioners included. Make sure, if you buy an air conditioner, that it has the EPA's Energy Star mark of approval. This does not mean that the air conditioner is good for the environment, but that it uses its electricity efficiently instead of wasting it as many older models do. If you must have an air conditioner, purchase a small, efficient model and place it in a small, closed-off room where you spend most of your time. Make sure this room does not contain any heat-producing appliances like a washing machine or clothes dryer, and that sunlight does not enter through windows. Under these conditions, air conditioning can be relatively efficient and economical. Central air conditioning, on the other hand, is extremely inefficient and usually goes largely unused. Outside of heating and air conditioning, almost all of the energy used in our homes is electricity. Many Americans take electricity for granted, leaving unused lights and appliances on without thinking. A simple awareness in turning things off can greatly reduce our electric bills. Further, choices can be made in the kinds of lights and appliances we use, and whether they need to be used at all. As for lights, there are several high-efficiency bulbs on the market that, for slightly more money than a typical light bulb, can get by on a fraction of the electricity. Fluorescent lights, for instance, are five times more efficient than incandescent (typical) lights. Standard incandescent light bulbs use electricity to heat a filament that glows to create light, whereas fluorescent lights send very rapid and brief charges of electricity through a filament. The days of flickering long tube fluorescent lights are over. According to Edward Harland, new Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) flicker at more than 20,000 cycles per second (compared to 60 in tube lights), are 30% more energy efficient than tube lights, and come on almost instantly. These lights, while more expensive, will significantly reduce your electricity bill and last five to ten times longer than standard light bulbs. Before even turning on the lights, make the best possible use of natural light in your home. Place your reading chair by a sunny window instead of in a corner facing out a window. Consider adding skylights to your home. These can create a surprising amount of natural light during the day, and contribute to your house's heat during the winter. Mirrors strategically placed on walls can also make better use of light and heat from the sun coming in through the windows. Use only what electric lighting is necessary: low-wattage task lights for individual applications instead of high power lights to illuminate a large area. If you must use outdoor lights, consider purchasing a motion detector that will turn the light on and off only when it senses movement. When purchasing appliances, check to see that they are EPA Energy Star approved. These appliances use energy more efficiently than others. Most refrigerators, for instance, have compressors at their base which produce significant heat and cause the refrigerator to work against itself. During fair weather, consider drying clothes on a line outside instead of using a dryer, which inefficiently uses electricity to heat cold wet clothes. Your clothes will last longer, and you'll see the difference in your electric bill. When undressing at night, ask yourself whether your pants can be worn again before washing. Americans, in particular, tend to balk at this sort of a suggestion. Allowing ourselves to think logically beyond social qualms and customs will allow each of our personal environmental movements to transcend many of our unsustainable habits. If you work in an office or at home, chances are your clothes aren't that dirty at the end of the day. You'll be surprised at the decrease in your weekly laundry load. The last big source of energy consumption in our homes is our favorite appliance of all. The average American household television is on 7 hours and 20 minutes per day, and 98% of all households have at least one television. At 170 watts per hour, that comes to 452,965 watt hours (or 453 kilowatt hours) of television use per year in an average household using one 25†³ television. Look at the breakdown of your electricity bill to put this number into perspective. You'll see that America could save a lot of electricity and money by simply turning off the television. Instead, we can read a book, go for a walk or hike, work in a garden, or talk or play a game with our families. Quite simply, the less television we watch, the richer our lives will be, the less we will spend on electricity, and the more we will be doing for the environment. All of the information in this section has focussed on minimizing the use of energy in the home. Imagine if you could use electricity in your home without burning any fossil fuels and without any monthly electric bills. This is not only possible, but a reality for thousands of Americans. With one initial investment in a photovoltaic system (silicon cells that convert the sun's light into electricity), you can end your dependence on polluting power companies and begin a new life of clean energy self-sufficiency. You can get started with a simple photovoltaic setup for a single zone of your home for less than one thousand dollars, or go all out with a top-of-the-line fully self-sufficient photovoltaic power center for about $13,000. If these prices sound high, consider the savings. If your monthly electric bill is $100, a top-of-the-line system that requires only a moderate degree of energy efficiency would be paid for in less than eleven years. And there is a whole spectrum of cheaper systems that can easily power a typical home. For less than four thousand dollars (paying for itself in about 3 years) the Real Goods Trading Corporation sells a system â€Å"designed to handle all the lighting, entertainment, and small kitchen appliances for a modest, energy-conserving household of one to four people in a full-time home. † This description is taken from the Real Goods Solar Living Source Book, 9th Edition. This seven hundred page tome covers everything from taking care of the land to water conservation and every alternative form of energy from solar to hydro to wind. It is a must-have for anyone who wants to live lightly on the earth, and is available at most major book stores and libraries. Recycling and Waste Management There is no environmentally sound method of dealing with the 200 million tons of municipal solid waste produced in America each year. There are many things we can do, however, to minimize, if not eliminate, our personal 4 1/2lb-a-day contribution to that figure. The now ubiquitous threesome, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, still defines what we all must do to bring our personal trash production down to a sustainable level. With the media and certain high-positioned nay-sayers claiming that recycling is worse for the environment than it is good for it, and laws making recycling just another stupid rule rather than a social imperative, perhaps a redux of America's trash situation is called for. Households and other residences produce 100 of the 200 million tons of annually produced garbage in the United States. Most of that goes to land-fills, where it is covered up (if not purposefully sealed to prevent leakage) and starved of the oxygen needed for biodegradation. Here is just a taste of some garbage statistics from Geoffrey C. Saign's well-researched book, Green Essentials: More than 1/2 of U. S. landfills have closed in the past 10 years, and nearly 1/2 of the remaining 5,800 landfills do not meet federal or state standards for human health and environmental protection. More landfills are being closed as they fail to meet 1993 and 1994 guidelines and as communities resist allowing new landfills in their area; 22 states will run out of landfill capacity within 10 years or less. The nation's 10 largest cities use a land area for their garbage that is larger than the state of Indiana. And this is just landfills. Incineration is quickly becoming the chosen method of dealing with garbage. Incineration actually concentrates the toxicity of garbage by mixing volatile chemicals at high temperatures and reducing its harmless biomass content. Approximately 1/4 of the ashes produced in a typical incinerator escape into the atmosphere, where they combine with the toxic gases emitted to cause acid rain, smog, and global warming. The remaining ashes are highly toxic and dumped in landfills or stored in toxic waste facilities. A few states mix this ash with pavement, where it will slowly decompose and leach into the ground. The simple fact is that most of this waste could be recycled or composted instead of burned or buried. Green Essentials offers this breakdown of garbage ingredients by weight: Ingredient % by weight Alternative disposal methods available Paper and paperboard 34% Recyclable Yard trimmings 20% Compostable Plastic 9% Recyclable Food waste 9% Compostable Metals 8% Recyclable Glass 7% Recyclable Wood 4% Compostable, can be used as fuel Rubber and leather 3% Recyclable (tires) Textiles 2% Donate Other 4% As this chart displays, 58% (not counting the 3% for rubber and leather) of our garbage is recyclable; 33% of the remainder could be composted. That means that 91% of all the garbage produced in this country (that's about 182 million tons annually) could be kept out of incinerators and landfills. Even a fraction of this ideal estimate would have a profound impact on the environment. Despite the amazing potential for waste reduction that recycling makes possible, The New York Times joined the media's misinformed recycling myth extravaganza in their June 30th, 1996 article, â€Å"Recycling is Garbage. From the beginning, pessimists and special-interest industries have spread incorrect â€Å"myths† about recycling. These claims frequently charge (among other things) that landfill space is abundant and cheap; there is no market for recycled goods; and recycling doesn't pay for itself. Consider the facts on these three points: Landfill space has become a precious commodity in the U. S. , with many states paying to export trash to other states or countries. Recall Geoffrey Saign's statement that â€Å"22 states will run out of landfill capacity within 10 years or less. The market for recycled goods, while fluctuating like any burgeoning market, has increased with the amount of recycled goods available to create a powerful new industry. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, â€Å"U. S. pulp paper manufacturers have voluntarily built or expanded more than 45 recycled paper mills in the 1990's, and are projected to spend more than $10 billion on such facilities by the end of the decade. † To argue that recycling doesn't pay for itself is like arguing that landfills and incinerators don't pay for themselves-of course they don't. Recycling plants, even in the industry's infancy, cost about as much to operate as conventional disposal methods, but are considerably more environmentally sound (costing less when environmental damage and cleanup costs are considered) and reduce pollution from manufacturing and mining for new production. Recycling is an easy thing to do, and good habit to get into as many towns and cities are requiring their citizens to recycle by law or charging by the pound for non-recycled garbage. First, find out what your town recycles by calling your local waste management facility. If your town or city doesn't recycle or recycles only a few materials, consider getting a â€Å"recycling-only† dump permit for a near-by pro-recycling town or city. Next, reorganize your home's main trash area to include receptacles for all the different materials you will recycle. Food containers like tin cans and bottles should be rinsed to keep your recycling receptacles from smelling. You'll be amazed at the decrease in waste the next time you take out the trash. If we make a commitment to recycle our garbage, we must support the effort on the other end by buying recycled goods. Many products' packaging claims â€Å"100% recyclable. † This is good, but keep in mind that it doesn't mean the material is recycled. Look for the percentage of â€Å"post-consumer waste† to tell you if it is and how much of is recycled. Recycled products like paper and cardboard have come a long way in quality and price. Seventh Generation, a producer of a full line of 100% recycled and earth-friendly household products, posts a convincing advertisement on the side of their bathroom tissue packages: If every household in the U. S. eplaced just one 4-pack of 430 sheet virgin fiber bathroom tissues with 100% recycled ones, we could save 1 million trees, 4. 1 million cubic feet of landfill space (equal to 4,618 full garbage trucks), and 427 million gallons of water (a years supply for 12,300 families of four). About 33% of the garbage we produce, like food scraps and yard trimmings, can be composted. Composting is nature's answer to garbage control, converting organic waste back into the soil it came from. While many people compost to create nutrient-rich soil for their garden, you don't have to be a gardener to compost your organic waste. You should cover your compost pile, but not suffocate it. The organic waste needs plenty of oxygen to feed the microbes that decompose the matter. You can build a box for your compost, or buy one pre-made at your local garden shop. Look for an organic gardening book at your library for instructions on building a

India Is A Democratic Country

India is a democratic country. Elections form the very basis of democracy. The parliamentary system holds elections for the composition of the government. They are very important for the effective functioning of the democracy. Through the elections, common people are able to raise their voice. They choose representative of their choice. Thus, a government of the people, by the people and for the people. The Indian Parliament is comprised of the head of the country known as the ‘President’ and the two Houses namely The House of the People (Lok Sabha) and The Council of States (Rajya Sabha) which are the legislature.The President of India is indirectly elected, for a 5 year term, and the Electoral College, is used, where the Members of Parliament of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and the Members of Legislative Assemblies from all the states and Indian territories cast their vote. The Lok Sabha is composed of representatives of people chosen by direct election on t he basis of Universal Adult Suffrage. Lok Sabha has 545 members, 543 members elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies and two members appointed to represent the Anglo-Indian community. Lok Sabha Elections, elect the Prime Minister of India.Rajya Sabha has 245 members, 233 members elected for a six-year term, with one-third retiring every two years. Members of Rajya Sabha members are indirectly elected and are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies. The remaining 12 members are nominated by the President of India, usually with the advice of the Prime Minister of India. The individual states have their own governing body known as Vidhan sabha. National and state elections are ordinarily held every five years; they may be postponed in an emergency and may be held more frequently if the government loses a confidence vote.In our country, the policy of adult franchise through a secret ballot is exercised in elections. It is a voting method in which a voter’s choice in an election is confidential. Universal Adult Suffrage or general or common suffrage can be referred to as right to vote to adult citizens. Every citizen of India enjoys the right to vote. In our country India, Indian citizen (adult) of the age 18 or above is eligible to vote for the country irrespective of the caste or race.Any Indian who has attained the minimum age of 18 years on 1st January of the year can register himself or herself as a voter. Mentally challenged persons, the persons on whom Criminal Charges, offences relating to elections are registered cannot vote. The elections votes in election poll play a great role in making a political party a winner or loser. Now a day, the system of electronic voting has been introduced to have a fairer election process. To maximize the participation of voters, polling stations are set up in public institutions within 2 kms of every voter.Thus the ultimate power lies with the people of India; Every c hild whether boy or a girl reading in the schools is the future citizen of the country. Although he or she is not immediately called upon to vote or make laws, but they will have to do the same in the near future. As a citizen of tomorrow, every young person should prepare himself for this task from now on. Presidential elections have their own importance. In our country, most of the people are disinterested in the elections and the political activities of the country, so most of them do not go for voting which is really a bad thing.Voting is not an easy task. It is very necessary to take right decision whom to vote for and why to vote him. We should always keep in mind while voting if the candidate we are voting for really deserves to get voted and is really eligible to become our leader. The country is ours and we are the ultimate ones to craft and give our country a new and the best shape by voting a right and the best leader for ourselves. So, do not sleep and go to vote as we a ll can shape a new and better country.