Academic Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Academic Response - Essay Example In Rodriguez’s case, when his sibling started communicating to him in English at home in order to help him gain public confidence by learning a bit of English, the whole family underwent changes as the parents and the relatives were no longer at ease with him as marked by the silence spell in the house especially at dinner time. English transforms the entire family therefore limiting the intimacy they had with Spanish. This is a disadvantage to young children as supporters of bilingual education assert that children should first be taught in their first language. Rodriguez also argues that the ability of a bilingual person to speak two languages especially a language spoken by most people in public makes him more comfortable when speaking in public. The use of the first language only impedes social growth as one cannot communicate in English effectively thereby causing alienation from the public. When Rodriguez mastered English, he started viewing himself and his family as part of the American society as he could now fit in the public. He learned that Spanish is something that was not socially acceptable and appropriate in public and he got the feeling that he has the obligation and the right to communicate in English. This made him feel like a complete fully-fledged and worthy member of the American society. He says, "At last†¦I was an American citizen." Rodriguez also implies that speaking a language different than his private language in public makes the person lose a part of his identity. This is because bilingual education requires that the largest part of the first language is neglected thereby intensifying the separation among cultures. Rodriguez asserts that there must be a sacrifice in order to gain the acceptance and worthiness of being an American. His philosophy is that learning English requires that the native language is buried and forgotten in the mind of the students like the way he

Human resources - Expatriate Compensation Research Paper

Human resources - Expatriate Compensation - Research Paper Example This paper will seek to discuss about the different compensation options offered to expatriates as well as what they should expect in those compensation packages. Additionally, it will also include the hidden costs and other life costs that expatriates should consider as they could affect their compensation. Compensation options offered to expatriates Tax Many companies offer expatriates several compensation options. These compensation options can be in the form of taxes whereby a foreigner working in a particular country can be exempted from taxation. This means that, that employee has a compensation option, which is tax, and he or she can choose to be exempted with reference to this option (Froymovich, 2011). In this case, an employee becomes eligible for things like foreign tax exclusions. In addition, he or she can still eligible for extra compensation options that include credits and deductions that help protect the employee from double taxation particularly on the same amount o f income he or she generates after a given period. Therefore, it is advisable that if an employee is going to be paying for his or her local taxes, hiring a qualified and eligible international tax expert who can help understand the kind of exclusions and credits an employee can qualify for in that specific country (Aenlle, 1996). For instance, in some countries such as Belgium, temporary international workers have the eligibility to claim for deductions that locals cannot. In tax preparation, employees tend to include what they commonly refer to as the tax equalization contract in expat packages. In this kind of situation, a company pays for an employees’ international or foreign taxes while the employee essentially pays for taxes in his or her home country as if he is still living in that country (Froymovich, 2011). However, noting that there are number of pitfalls in this case is crucial. An employee can end up owing the company he works for if that company’s accoun tants calculate the employee’s tax burden and establish it exceeds the total amount of money the employee has in his accounts especially if the employee is an American (Kwoh, 2012). Moreover, despite the point that the company may promise to pay for an employee’s tax preparation so that the employee complies with the US regulations, it may fail to inform the employee of any other local charges that the employee is responsible for in due time making it hard for the employee to comply immediately. A clear outlook into this situation indicates that the article provides evidence that there are hidden charges that an employee may fail to be aware of resulting to ambiguities. In this case, the hidden charges are the local charges needed to take care of the required paperwork and in the US, it can cost up to $1000 or more (Aenlle, 1996). Apart from this case, there are others where an employee may be responsible for his or her local taxes without prior preparation knowledge o r assistance as per what date will the exemptions or deductions will be available. According to the senior portfolio manager, Maxim Global Wealth Advisors, Portland, Ore,

Green Walls: Benefits in the Contemporary City

Green Walls: Benefits in the Contemporary City INTRODUCTION Green wall and its necessity The living, organic systems characterized by green walls, are integrated with the inorganic and lifeless structures are dominating modern architecture and holds the promise of a new type of living architecture. Green walls are generally walls that are part of the Building covered with vegetation. They are like vertical garden mostly formed with creeper system on the exterior wall with the roots on the ground or with free standing vertically framed wall with different native plants grown on the surface. They are also termed as bio walls or living walls since they act as natural air-conditioner as they purifies and cools the ambient air to a large extent creating a healthy environment. The deepest threat of global warming is the rapid urbanization and deforestation. There is a considerable increase of co2 emission and heat transfer. This impact is extreme in the urban condition where the vegetation/ greenery are sparse. Also in the urban conditions mostly all the buildings are glazed and air-conditioned with out any ways of neither thermal insulation, nor are they shaded with thick surrounding landscape. This is basically due to the space constraints and optimization. In such challenging cases Green wall is the best alternative which acts as a good shading device against heat gain and energy losses, pollution etc. Hence, Green walls are must in urban conditions. Economic and Environmental benefits of Green walls The economic and environmental benefits are many. They result in substantial energy savings, extension of building life, CO2 capture, acoustics and Aesthetics. Energy Conservation: Vegetation on walls can assist in cooling buildings in summer and insulating them in winter. Reduction of thermal loading to buildings results lower heating and cooling costs which in turn lowers carbon emissions. Jacklyn Johnston and John Newton (2004) Health: These climbing plants on green walls filter out dust and other pollutants. Jacklyn Johnston and John Newton (2004) Reduction of heat island effect results in less reflected heat. Air purification: plants filter pollution especially when used inside buildings. Noise attenuation: It acts as sound barrier resulting in quieter buildings and streets. Green walls can collect over 30kgs per m2 of rainwater. Increased urban biomass. Jacklyn Johnston and John Newton (2004) clears the fact that There is a widespread belief that plants are inimical to built structures, ripping out mortar and prising apart joints with their roots. The evidence suggests that these problems have been greatly exaggerated, except where decay has already set in and then plants can indeed accelerate the process of deterioration. There is little evidence that plants damage walls. In fact in most of the cases the exact opposite is true, with plants covering the wall helps in protecting the wall from harmful elements, solar radiation which in turn reduces the thermic tensions within the structure. Indigenous sustainable elements and their benefits Indigenous sustainable elements are the simple elements which are locally available and considered as waste or least prioritized. For example, the coconut shells in the country like India which are available in abundance are just disposed or burnt to ashes even though they have high thermal coefficient and suitability for insulation/ acoustics. Similarly, materials like Clay, Bamboo, Jungle/ Pine/Rubber wood, Cork etc carry untarnishing effect in the field of sustainable Architecture when used appropriately. Apart from their interesting characteristic they are also economic. RESEARCH QUESTION/OBJECTIVE: Does green wall need to be green? The realistic objective of this research is to create more enjoyable greener cities which in turn bring numerous benefits to the surrounding environment. In the almost all the Urban locations of the world where the CO2 emission is extremely high due to various factors have hardly any good vegetation to control environmental pollution. Unfortunately, in such locations the concept of sustainability like Green wall gets relegated to the second spot due to construction and maintenance cost. The idea is to address to these areas and also to enhance the benefits of Green walls with some medicinal value. This needs to be achieved by identifying native herbal plants and also, to study and innovate in the area of low cost indigenous elements like coconut shells, bamboo, cane, Jute, cork, ect as construction materials to supplement to sustainable design. LITERATURE REVIEW: Green walls are slowly gaining value and are considered valuable for cooling the Urban space than green roofs in countries like Japan. But the green wall is still new to countries like India and china. Jacklyn Johnston and John Newton (2004) states that This is a great pity, because even in those cities relatively well endowed with greenspace many areas can justifiably be regarded as deserts in biological terms. Nigel Dunnett and Noel Kingsbury (2004) Green wall is widely practiced in Europe and it is quite common in France and Germany to see house covered in Virginia creeper or vines which are influenced by Mediterranean climate. Jacklyn Johnston and John Newton (2004) states that We need appropriate development which incorporates an ecological approach to building and landscape. This means that the land lost in the construction of buildings and roads should be replaced with a layer of plants on the hard surfaces. By this way green skin can be strategically added to create a new net work of vegetation linking roofs, courtyards, walls and open spaces. Different types of green walls There are two different types: Green facades and Living walls Green faà §ades: are wall systems where plants cover supporting structures rooted at the base of the structure. Supporting structure can either be a existing wall or built as freestanding structures. Living walls: (also called bio walls or vertical gardens) composed of pre-vegetated modular panels that are fixed to a structural wall or freestanding frame. Modular panels comprises of polypropylene plastic containers, geotextiles, irrigation system, growing medium and vegetation. Living walls can be installed on the exterior of a building in full sun, shade, and interior of a building. They grow well in both tropical and temperate climate. Due to huge variety of plants used, living walls require more intensive maintenance than green facades like regular watering, adding nutrients and fertilizers. Different types of green faà §ade support structures The two primary types are Modular trellis systems: Panels which are rigid and lightweight are installed vertically as wall-mounted or freestanding. They can also be used on tall buildings along side with intermediate planters. Modular trellis systems are essential where the physical growth of climbing plants is restricted. Freestanding structures: are rigid panels such as green columns or canopy forms that can be placed on either on building walls where either the space is limited or load is restricted. The panels can also be used as shading devices for a open parking area. Cable and rope wire systems: this system consist high-tensile steel cables, wire trellises, spacers, and additional equipment. Vertical and horizontal wires are connected through cross clamps to form a trellis system of desired sizes and patterns. Stainless steel wire-rope net is supported on flexible or rigid frames to cover large areas. Best plant types to use for green walls Jacklyn Johnston and John Newton (2004) Considering the relationship between the types of plant used and the aspect of the walls where they will grow is also a very important aspect. Deciduous plants are the most suitable on the south side of a building. In the summer their dense foliage shields the building from sunlight and creates cooling effect. In winter leaves are shed, allowing sunlight to reach the surface of the wall so helping to warm the interior of the building. Similarly on a west-facing wall it is sensible to use evergreens to protect the building from rain and provide a cushion of air to help insulation. North facing walls are best for supporting native herbs and wider ranges of plants. East walls may fall into either category. Plants used on exterior building walls are exposed to harsher climactic surroundings than those of indoors. Hence for building that intend to reach great heights, more hardy species of plants should be selected. Similarly, for less plant friendly climates, climbers that are tolerant for wind and heat should be selected. Nigel Dunnett and Noel Kingsbury (2004) On wooden walls and other structures, species with very heavy growth or a thick branching habit should be avoided, as the structure may not be able to support the weight. Plant selection will have major impact on the design of the supporting system. For instance, a denser and faster growing plant will require a larger space between supports than less aggressive plant species. The density of plant life further impacts the underlying structure. Greater the leaf surface area, the more impact rain will have on the weight of the system. Green wall installation and maintenance Jacklyn Johnston and John Newton (2004) Small herbaceous species are able to grow on walls by taking root in the substance of the wall itself. But other species are naturally adapted to climbing up and over obstacles such as rock faces, trees and shrubs. Some kind of support structure is essential for these plants to grow successfully. For example, climbers such as hops support themselves by spiralling upwards around an object. They will require timber battens, trellis work, steel cables or plastic ropes. Although some creeper can cling directly onto walls by their roots, they require a rough surface to enable them to do so. Rambling plants such as bramble and climbing rose need wide-meshed grid structures to which they can be attached. A 50x50cm latticework of treated timber mounted on wooden posts (or an equivalent structure using cables, rope or netting) will provide an adequate support for a range of species. Whenever possible it is sensible to leave little gap between the faà § ade of the building and the supporting structure to maximise the effects of summer cooling and winter insulation. The structures help in distributing the weight of the plants across the supporting structure and wall. In cable and rope wire systems, anchors and turnbuckles have to be installed at the end of each cable for tightening and adjustments as and when required. Jacklyn Johnston and John Newton (2004) Polypropylene cladding tiles incorporates waterproof membranes and their own irrigation system. Plants could be established on these and then hung on the outside of a building. Depending on species, climbing plants generally require a good supply of water and occasional pruning. Supporting structures require less maintenance, with only occasional monitoring of the supporting structure. Jacklyn Johnston and John Newton (2004) For climbing plants the ground should be prepared just like for any tree or shrub by creating a pit and adding in some compost to the top 30cm.Pre-grown panels for living walls needs 6-12 months for plants to grow prior to delivery and installation. The panels are grown horizontally until it is shipped to the site after which it can be mounted vertically. Climbing plants should be selected that do not provide a food source for unwanted pests and insects. Excessive growth or dead wood should be removed periodically and standing water should be avoided. LEED points for using green walls LEED has several credits for green walls when used in buildings. Sustainable Sites Credit 7.1: Landscape Design that Reduces Urban Heat Islands (1 point). Solar reflectance of a building is greatly reduced by exterior green walls, thus reducing the urban heat island effect. Water Efficiency Credits 1.1, 1.2: Water Efficient Landscaping (1 to 2 points). Harvested stormwater can be used for watering the plants of the green walls. Usage only collected, recycled, or nonpotable water may also add on to this credit. Water Efficiency Credit 2: Innovative Wastewater Technologies (1 point). Green walls can act as a medium for utilizing wastewater treatment. Energy and Atmosphere Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance (1 to 10 points). Buildings mechanical systems usage can be reduced greatly by green walls which acts as additional insulation for the structure and also provides natural cooling. Innovation in Design Credits 1-4: Innovation in Design (1 to 4 points). Green walls can contribute to innovative wastewater management or ventilation systems. KNOWLEDGES AND GAPS What is the awareness on Green walls in the countries like India? Green Building Movement in India Catalysts and Course India is witnessing incredible growth in infrastructure and construction sector. The construction industry in India happens to be one of the largest economic activities. As this sector is growing speedily, preserving the environment poses lot of challenges and at the same time presents opportunities. The construction sector therefore needs to contribute towards environmental responsibility. Green wall concepts are at emerging stage in India primarily due to high initial cost and lack of a native product to address the same. But still it offers great potential which asks for greater understanding and evolving an indigenous product by Indian Architects/ Landscape designers. How cost conscious developed countries are and how it is important? Most of the developed countries are focused on the technology of future and the art of modern architecture plays vital role where the value of simple indigenous elements gets neglected. In that case, even in the name of modernization most of the developing countries are also getting inspired by the developed countries. Cost effective design always carries value at the time of crisis and recession. It also speaks its untouched charm as they are formed mostly with natural elements. INNOVATION: An Indian based Agriculturalist who tried organic farming elunkathir pannai with the protection of bio fence created with the native herbals and plants. The result proved to be astonishing and achieved good yield. The interesting secrete behind it is, all the air born pests are filtered and killed by naturally available herbal predators. This inspires and even strengthens the concept of Green walls for the urban spaces also. And that is one of my initiative and part of the research using native herbals to achieve medicinal benefits. Sustainability is largely being practised in various fields. But in most of the cases they are not cost effective. The other part of my innovation is to adapt low cost sustainable design with simple indigenous elements like Coconut shell, Clay plaster, Cork, Bamboo, Jungle/pine wood etc. at appropriate areas. DATA AND INFORMATION TO BE COLLECTED: Details of Green wall construction/installation Supports and frames Plants species for indoor and out door Irrigation system details Lighting details Maintenance Samples How to collect data and How to analyse it? Already gathering information from the service providers of various places on green wall construction and maintenance aspects. In the process of getting associated with a Horticulturalist/ Agriculturalist to get details on the plants species and their behaviour. Apart from the above, I have collected sufficient literature to move forward. Also, analysis of each element will be carried out through models and tools by collecting all the required samples from the mentioned resources. PLANNING The concept of green wall has to be incorporated in design and the same will be detailed and fine-tuned towards the research topic as a study model. As part of innovative design the usage of indigenous sustainable elements will also be adopted. Characteristics of the indigenous elements available in the developing countries like India are enormous. Will plan them appropriately in design specification based on their characteristics and also, complying with ergonomic standards. POSSIBLE OUTCOME Considering all the urban spaces which are completely responsible for the curse Global warming on this mother earth, as a responsible Architect would work towards through my dissertation to manifest and prove Green walls and other simple indigenous materials as affordable solution for all the Urban conditions and justify the usage of green wall for a space which is non-Air-conditioned. The other issue which is threatening the world is the recession which also calls for innovative cost effective practise in the construction and specification. Initiative to achieve the same with cost effective indigenous materials is a challenge yet it will be proven possible. It is always better to plan and protect, rather than repent and repair Bibliography: Property World- August 2009 The Hindu-Elunkathirpannai- Arunachlam-Thursday,2008 The Architects Journal, Building Library Starting with Plants-Dougherty, David Green walls Austrialia Pvt ltd. www.greenscreen.com http://www.greenscreen.com/home.html http://www.bdcnetwork.com/article/379033-6_Things_You_Need_to_Know_About_Green_Walls.php Green Building Movement in India Catalysts and Course Was the League of Nations a Success or Failure? Was the League of Nations a Success or Failure? In what ways was the League of Nations a predecessor to the UN? Was the League successful in its goal of protecting minorities throughout Europe in the wake of WWI? While the League of Nations was created after the end of World War One to prevent war from ever breaking out again, a few years later World War Two broke out shocking the world with its lack of response to defuse the situation. Though many people only discuss the epic failure of the League of Nations it is important to realize that the League of Nations was semi-successful in its goal of protecting minorities throughout Europe after World War One and was a predecessor to the United Nations. To understand the League of Nations it is important to go over the reasons why it was created and its organizational structure. Based on President Woodrow Wilsons, 1918 address to the United States Congress, where he spoke of his desire to create a world dedicated to justice and fair dealing(Wilson 1918) which later became the Fourteen Points program. This program included explicit references to the rights to self-determination and statehoods for nations seeking freedom (Wilson 1918). The League of Nations was created after the end of World War One to prevent war from ever breaking out again. After the turmoil, the Versailles Treaty in 1919 established the League of Nations to bring stability to the world. The world was horrified by the slaughter that had taken place in what was meant to be in the civilized part of the world. The only way to avoid having such atrocities to repeat, a need for an international body whose sole purpose was to maintain world peace and sort out internation al dilemmas when and if they ever occurred again was needed (Clapham 2007). Other than the United States, who was too busy with the root of isolationism, support for the League of Nations was strong. The League of Nations was to be based in Geneva, Switzerland as it was a neutral county and had not been involved in World War One. With its establishment the League of Nations and its Covenant, addressed the rights of minorities, workers rights, right of women and children, refugees and slavery (Freeman 2005). Also according to the League of Nations Covenant there were three things that could be done to resolve a dispute. One way it states to resolve this dispute is to have the states in the dispute sit and discuss their problems in an orderly fashion in the Leagues Assembly, which is similar to a parliament or the current United Nations parliament. If there is an aggressor then the League would and can verbally warn the aggressor nation. If nothing came from the Assemblys decision then the League of Nations could propose to introduce economic sanctions against the aggressor nation (Covenant 1919). The logic behind this action was to financially aggravate the aggressor country so th ey would follow and give into the League of Nations and their requirements. The League of Nations could order other League Members to not trade with an aggressor nation and if this failed as well then militarily force would be used to put the aggressor nation into place. The only problem with this concept was that the League of Nations did not have a military force that they could use and no member of the new League of Nations was required to provide any military help under the terms of joining which is different from the current United Nations where if joined with the United Nations military help is a requirement. This lead to the League not being able to carry out any of its threats. Due to the atrocities and severe depletion of many major armies it was hard for even first world nations such as Great Britain and France to provide military strength to help the League of Nations. Another weakness that the League of Nations had was the lack of support from the founding fathers country; the United States. Though Woodrow Wilson came up with the the foundation of the League of Nations with his Fourteen Points speech, he refused to join the League of Nations as the United States was fulling its desire for isolation. This was a serious blow to the prestige of the League. A few other problems with the League of Nations was that Germany was not allowed to join because it had started World War One, according to the Versailles treaty. This was a great low point for both the League of Nations and Germany, as they both could not help each other out again other aggressor nations such as Russia and Japan. Russia was not allowed to join because in 1917 there was a communist government that created fear in western Europe. This also created a hole in the League of Nations because this depleted them of another potential military power to help keep order in the world. Though the weaknesses were mentioned earlier in the paper is it important to remember the successes that the League of Nations also had. The League aimed to promote international cooperation in economic and social affairs. Under the League of Nations the council was active in the protection of workers rights. Their goal of fair and humane conditions of labor for all men, women and children (Covenant 1919) became the central focus of the International Labor Organization (ILO) which still continues to be one of the United Nations specialized agencies (Clapham 2007). Workers rights were to be recognized and protected even though they were in place by governments for their own state interests rather than individual interests. Some governments feared their population would turn communist and thus recognized workers rights. The League of Nations was also successful in setting up a commission on slavery and adopted the 1926 Slavery convention, putting an end to slavery. They also developed conventions on the traffic of women and children (Clapham 2007) A few of the League of Nations decisions protected the rights of minorities in Europe while it was in existence. In the Aaland Islands, 1921, near Finland and Sweden, most of the islanders wanted to be governed by Sweden even though traditionally it had always been governed by Finland. Neither Sweden nor Finland could come to a decision as to who owned the islands and in 1921 they asked the League to adjudicate. The Leagues decision was that they should remain with Finland but that no weapons should ever be kept there. Both countries accepted the decision and it remains in force to this day. Though the minorities did not get as they wanted they were given the opportunity to speak up to the League and help make a decision peacefully. The face that the decision is still in force today is a wonderful concept. Though the League of Nations was a political failure it established a groundwork for the current United Nations and its strong commitment to Human Rights. Turkey (1923) The League failed to stop a bloody war in Turkey (see League failures) but it did respond to the humanitarian crisis caused by this war. 1,400,000 refugees had been created by this war with 80% of them being women and children. Typhoid and cholera were rampant. The League sent doctors from the Health Organisation to check the spread of disease and it spent  £10 million on building farms, homes etc for the refugees. Money was also invested in seeds, wells and digging tools and by 1926, work was found for 600,000 people. A member of the League called this work the greatest work of mercy which mankind has undertaken. Greece and Bulgaria (1925) Both these nations have a common border. In 1925, sentries patrolling this border fired on one another and a Greek soldier was killed. The Greek army invaded Bulgaria as a result. The Bulgarians asked the League for help and the League ordered both armies to stop fighting and that the Greeks should pull out of Bulgaria. The League then sent experts to the area and decided that Greece was to blame and fined her  £45,000. Both nations accepted the decision. The failures of the League of Nations Article 11 of the Leagues Covenant stated: Any war of threat of war is a matter of concern to the whole League and the League shall take action that may safe guard peace. Therefore, any conflict between nations which ended in war and the victor of one over the other must be considered a League failure. Italy (1919) In 1919, Italian nationalists, angered that the Big Three had, in their opinion, broken promises to Italy at the Treaty of Versailles, captured the small port of Fiume. This port had been given to Yugoslavia by the Treaty of Versailles. For 15 months, Fiume was governed by an Italian nationalist called dAnnunzio. The newly created League did nothing. The situation was solved by the Italian government who could not accept that dAnnunzio was seemingly more popular than they were so they bombarded the port of Fiume and enforced a surrender. In all this the League played no part despite the fact that it had just been set up with the specific task of maintaining peace. Teschen (1919) Teschen was a small town between Poland and Czechoslovakia. Its main importance was that it had valuable coal mines there which both the Poles and the Czechs wanted. As both were newly created nations, both wanted to make their respective economies as strong as possible and the acquisition of rich coal mines would certainly help in this respect. In January 1919, Polish and Czech troops fought in the streets of Teschen. Many died. The League was called on to help and decided that the bulk of the town should go to Poland while Czechoslovakia should have one of Teschens suburbs. This suburb contained the most valuable coal mines and the Poles refused to accept this decision. Though no more wholesale violence took place, the two countries continued to argue over the issue for the next twenty years. Vilna (1920) Many years before 1920, Vilna had been taken over by Russia. Historically, Vilna had been the capital of Lithuania when the state had existed in the Middle Ages. After World War One, Lithuania had been re-established and Vilna seemed the natural choice for its capital. However, by 1920, 30% of the population was from Poland with Lithuanians only making up 2% of the citys population. In 1920, the Poles seized Vilna. Lithuania asked for League help but the Poles could not be persuaded to leave the city. Vilna stayed in Polish hands until the outbreak of World War Two. The use of force by the Poles had won. War between Russia and Poland (1920 to 1921) In 1920, Poland invaded land held by the Russians. The Poles quickly overwhelmed the Russian army and made a swift advance into Russia. By 1921, the Russians had no choice but to sign the Treaty of Riga which handed over to Poland nearly 80,000 square kilometres of Russian land. This one treaty all but doubled the size of Poland. What did the League do about this violation of another country by Poland? The answer is simple nothing. Russia by 1919 was communist and this plague from the East was greatly feared by the West. In fact, Britain, France and America sent troops to attack Russia after the League had been set up. Winston Churchill, the British War Minister, stated openly that the plan was to strangle Communist Russia at birth. Once again, to outsiders, it seemed as if League members were selecting which countries were acceptable and ones which were not. The Allied invasion of Russia was a failure and it only served to make Communist Russia even more antagonistic to the West. The invasion of the Ruhr (1923) The Treaty of Versailles had ordered Weimar Germany to pay reparations for war damages. These could either be paid in money or in kind (goods to the value of a set amount) In 1922, the Germans failed to pay an installment. They claimed that they simply could not rather than did not want to. The Allies refused to accept this and the anti-German feeling at this time was still strong. Both the French and the Belgiums believed that some form of strong action was needed to teach Germany a lesson. In 1923, contrary to League rules, the French and the Belgiums invaded the Ruhr Germanys most important industrial zone. Within Europe, France was seen as a senior League member like Britain and the anti-German feeling that was felt throughout Europe allowed both France and Belgium to break their own rules as were introduced by the League. Here were two League members clearly breaking League rules and nothing was done about it. For the League to enforce its will, it needed the support of its major backers in Europe, Britain and France. Yet France was one of the invaders and Britain was a major supporter of her. To other nations, it seemed that if you wanted to break League rules, you could. Few countries criticised what France and Belgium did. But the example they set for others in future years was obvious. The League clearly failed on this occasion, primarily because it was seen to be involved in breaking its own rules. Italy and Albania (1923) The border between Italy and Albania was far from clear and the Treaty of Versailles had never really addressed this issue. It was a constant source of irritation between both nations. In 1923, a mixed nationality survey team was sent out to settle the issue. Whilst travelling to the disputed area, the Italian section of the survey team, became separated from the main party. The five Italians were shot by gunmen who had been in hiding. Italy accused Greece of planning the whole incident and demanded payment of a large fine. Greece refused to pay up. In response, the Italians sent its navy to the Greek island of Corfu and bombarded the coastline. Greece appealed to the League for help but Italy, lead by Benito Mussolini, persuaded the League via the Conference of Ambassadors, to fine Greece 50 million lire. To follow up this success, Mussolini invited the Yugoslavian government to discuss ownership of Fiume. The Treaty of Versailles had given Fiume to Yugoslavia but with the evidence of a bombarded Corfu, the Yugoslavs handed over the port to Italy with little argument The social successes of the League of Nations At a social level the League did have success and most of this is easily forgotten with its failure at a political level. Many of the groups that work for the United Nations now, grew out of what was established by the League. Teams were sent to the Third World to dig fresh water wells, the Health Organisation started a campaign to wipe out leprosy. This idea of wiping out from the world a disease was taken up by the United Nations with its smallpox campaign. Work was done in the Third World to improve the status of women there and child slave labour was also targeted. Drug addiction and drug smuggling were also attacked. These problems are still with us in the C21st so it would be wrong to criticise the League for failing to eradicate them. If we cannot do this now, the League had a far more difficult task then with more limited resources. The greatest success the League had involving these social issues, was simply informing the world at large that these problems did exist and that they should be tackled. No organisation had done this before the League. These social problems may have continued but the fact that they were now being actively investigated by the League and were then taken onboard by the United Nations must be viewed as a success. In order to promote international cooperation and to achieve international peace and security by the acceptance of obligations not to resort to war, by the prescription of open, just and honourable relations between nations, by the firm establishment of the understandings of international law as the actual rule of conduct among Governments, and by the maintenance of justice and a scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations in the dealings of organised peoples with one another, Agree to this Covenant of the League of Nations.

Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire :: A Streetcar Named Desire Literature Essays

Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire The play, ‘A street car named desire’ was written by an author named Tennessee Williams. His real name was Thomas Lanier. He assumed the name ‘Tennessee’ in 1938 because he said, â€Å"the Williams fought the Indians for Tennessee.† Tennessee was born on March 26th 1911 in Columbus Mississippi. When he was a teenager he realised the life of a young writer was going to be something similar to the defence of the stockade against a band of peasants. A description reminiscent of Blanches battles with Stanley in the street car named desire is what Tennessee was trying to refer to his own life. The play was set in New Orleans which is named Elysian Fields and runs between the L&N tracks and the river. Elysian Fields is quite a poor and run down area but unlike most other American cities, it has a raffish charm. The houses mostly have a white frame, have a weathered grey colour with rickety outside stairs In scene 1-3 it is all about Blanche getting used to New Orleans. She finds it difficult to like and fit in because it is much different to where she lived before (Belle Reve). This is because Belle Reve was a very upper-class area where as New Orleans is more average, run down and has a mixed community. Blanche doesn’t like New Orleans or where Stella is living. She is very snobbish and thinks it is a dump. â€Å"I thought you would never come back to this horrible place.† this shows that Blanche does not approve of, or likes where Stella is living. Blanche is also implying that she is more superior by the way she is talking. â€Å" I didn’t mean to say that I meant to be nice about it and say – Oh. † this shows that Blanche knows it is a horrible place, but she didn’t want to be rude, so she was meant to say â€Å" Oh † to make it sound as if she likes the place that Stella and Stanley are living in. In scene 2 Stanley starts demonstrating his dislikes for Blanche. He does this because he thinks Blanche sold Belle Reve and kept the money for herself. â€Å"I think you have been swindled.† In scene 2 there is an argument between Stanley and Blanche about Belle Reve. Stanley is angry because he wants proof on paper that Belle Reve was not sold by Blanche for herself. Blanche ends up wining the argument by proving Stanley wrong about Belle Reve, that it was infact lost and not sold by Blanche.

Speech Class Topic Proposal

Informative Speech Outline 1. Intro 2. 1 Attention Step: Wouldn’t it be cool to know how to do some stunts in Tekken? 2. 2 Involvement Step: The video game Tekken consists of many martial art disciplines like jeet kune do, street fighting, taekwondo, ninjitsu, sumo wrestling, aikido, judo, karate, and many more. These are the most common martial art disciplines people would think about when you say the word Tekken. But why don’t we focus on 2 certain characters namely Eddy Gordo and Christie Monteiro. These 2 characters are doing some martial art discipline that looks a lot like they are dancing it rather than martial arts.So did you know that the martial art disciplines Christie and Eddy are doing is called Capoeira. 2. 3 Indication Step (thesis statement): Capoeira is considered as a martial art discipline because it used for fighting, acrobatics, dancing, playing, and tradition. 2. Body 3. 4 Major point 1: Fighting, dancing, and tradition 3. 5. 1 Supporting detail: I t is considered one of the most comprehensive forms of physical conditioning and is an integrated balance of mind, strength, rhythm, poetry, agility, and harmony (Escola Brasileira de Capoeira Philippines, 2012). 3. 5. Supporting detail: It is the maximum expression of liberty and keeps the art of the ancestors alive, being part of Brazilian and now, world history (Escola Brasileira de Capoeira Philippines, 2012). 3. 5 Major point 2: Acrobatics, and playing 3. 6. 3 Supporting detail: The roda is the center of Capoeira (Rensselaer, n. d. ). Being the center of Capoeira, the roda has always been considered as the playing grounds of the Capoeiristas. It is where they practice their moves, styles, and forms. While two Capoeiristas play in the middle of a roda, everyone else watching them play is making music.Some will be in-charge of playing the instruments, while the rest will enjoy singing until it’s their turn. 3. 6. 4 Supporting detail: Capoeira is kind of similar to acrobati cs because of the movements involved in the martial art. Au de Cabeca  movement is essentially a cartwheel done on your head. We recommend you are comfortable with queda de rins and au before you try au de cabeca. Learning au de cabeca will be easier and quicker to learn and you will be equipped with the right skills needed in perfecting this specific au (Capoeira Universe, 2011). 3.Conclusion Capoeira is like any other recreational sports that help build our bodies and keep us healthy. So why not give it a try? References Capoeira Universe. (2011, June 11). Basic Capoeira Moves List. Retrieved from Capoeira Universe: http://capoeirauniverse. com/capoeira-moves/basic-capoeira-moves-list/ Escola Brasileira de Capoeira Philippines. (2012). Capoeira. Retrieved from EBC Philippines: http://www. ebcphilippines. com/index. php/capoeira/ Rensselaer. (n. d. ). The Roda. Retrieved from Rensselaer: http://capoeira. union. rpi. edu/roda. php

Is Internet Better Than Teacher?

Is internet better than teacher? Today we are living in a modern world where science and technology are being used in every aspect of our daily life, which makes our life safe and comfortable. Internet is one of the key elements of our modern life. We use internet for communication, banking, entertainment, buying-selling, trading, tickets booking and for many other countless reasons. Most of all youngsters often use internet as a source of information for their educational purpose. Now a question arises if internet is better than teacher or not.Obviously internet is a great medium of learning or magnificent resources of teaching, but yet it no way equals to a living teacher. If we take internet as a medium of education, it can be called an ocean of information. Whatever we need in our school work or any assignment, all we need is a few strokes in the keyboard and in a second millions pages appear. Notes, lectures, video learning, audio assistance, dictionary and almost everything are available in the internet, is fairly sufficient to appease any inquisitive mind.In comparison to human teacher, internet is absolutely free, there is no time bound and different views for the same topic that provides us with more choices and give us an opportunity for broader analysis. Nowadays, it is possible to take exam or test on the internet, and with a digital checking system we can know our score almost immediately. This allows people to have college or even university degree from home. Some people claim the internet as to be a virtual teacher for many students.Although internet has been proved as an important factor in education system, but it can not be the alternate to a human teacher. It can be called merely a virtual teacher but not the real living teacher. Internet is like one way learning system, it is totally depends on the learner what or how he or she would learn. Unlike a human teacher there is no check and balance. So the possibility of exploitation is much great er.It is like a teacher who has no ears nor any emotion, that is to say internet is not interactive for dynamic and real teaching system. It can check a paper's spelling and grammar, but they cannot teach someone style or help clarify an idea. A real teacher interacts with students with their individual level of intelligence and their respective ability of learning. Some students are keen to learn whereas some are slow in progress, some are inattentive or some may have a tendency to despise the importance of education.Only a real human teacher can addresses these variations among the students by judging their attitude and he can take appropriate measures accordingly. Internet can enhance our knowledge, but it can not play the role of a teacher. During the schooling we not only learn the theories of science, mathematics or history but also learn discipline, morality, behavior and exchanging our views by improvising ideas, which is impossible in the virtual world of internet. Therefor e for the complete education, a teacher can not be replaced by internet

Free Essays on Salvador Dali’s

Salvador Dali, who lived from 1904 to 1989, is a well known twentieth century artist. To say Dali was a great painter would not give him the justice he deserves. Dali was a painter, sculpture, film maker, and also dabbled in jewelry and furniture making. He lived a life of adventure through his art. He started his art as a Surrealist and changed his views to a more Classical art during 1949. Dali joined the Surrealist group along with Andre Breton in 1928 and helped with the Surrealist Movement. Surrealism had more influence on twentieth century art than any other movement except Cubism. Dali's importance for Surrealism was that he invented his own 'psycho technique', a method he called 'critical paranoia'(1). The method has been described as â€Å"irrational knowledge based on a delirium of interpretation† (2). In 1934 he was expelled from the surrealism group. Then in 1949 Dali became known as a Classical Painter and turned his art into a more traditional artwork. The painting I enjoyed most while looking though Dali’s surreal time artwork was an oil painting named Swans Reflecting Elephants, 1937. When first looking through Dali’s artwork I was not sure if his art work was right for me. Then this painting came up and it was wonderful and made sense. The technique of critical paranoia is used to express hallucinatory forms, double images and visual illusions. Using this technique to paint Swans Reflecting Elephants Dali used the reflection in a lake to create the double image seen in the painting. â€Å"The three swans in front of bleak, leafless trees are reflected in the lake so that the swans' heads become the elephants' heads and the trees become the bodies of the elephants.† (1) In the background of the painting a landscape of fall colors helps to develop a contrast with the cool stillness of the water. The swirls of the cliff are made with a brush stroke technique to give depth to the picture. Swan’s Re... Free Essays on Salvador Dali’s Free Essays on Salvador Dali’s Salvador Dali, who lived from 1904 to 1989, is a well known twentieth century artist. To say Dali was a great painter would not give him the justice he deserves. Dali was a painter, sculpture, film maker, and also dabbled in jewelry and furniture making. He lived a life of adventure through his art. He started his art as a Surrealist and changed his views to a more Classical art during 1949. Dali joined the Surrealist group along with Andre Breton in 1928 and helped with the Surrealist Movement. Surrealism had more influence on twentieth century art than any other movement except Cubism. Dali's importance for Surrealism was that he invented his own 'psycho technique', a method he called 'critical paranoia'(1). The method has been described as â€Å"irrational knowledge based on a delirium of interpretation† (2). In 1934 he was expelled from the surrealism group. Then in 1949 Dali became known as a Classical Painter and turned his art into a more traditional artwork. The painting I enjoyed most while looking though Dali’s surreal time artwork was an oil painting named Swans Reflecting Elephants, 1937. When first looking through Dali’s artwork I was not sure if his art work was right for me. Then this painting came up and it was wonderful and made sense. The technique of critical paranoia is used to express hallucinatory forms, double images and visual illusions. Using this technique to paint Swans Reflecting Elephants Dali used the reflection in a lake to create the double image seen in the painting. â€Å"The three swans in front of bleak, leafless trees are reflected in the lake so that the swans' heads become the elephants' heads and the trees become the bodies of the elephants.† (1) In the background of the painting a landscape of fall colors helps to develop a contrast with the cool stillness of the water. The swirls of the cliff are made with a brush stroke technique to give depth to the picture. Swan’s Re...