Jurisprudential Theories on IPR - 13115 Words

According to Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.[32] Although the relationship between intellectual property and human rights is a complex one,[33] there are moral arguments for intellectual property. The arguments that justify intellectual property fall into three major categories. Personality theorists believe intellectual property is an extension of an individual. Utilitarians believe that intellectual property stimulates social progress and pushes people to further innovation. Lockeans argue that intellectual property is justified based on†¦show more content†¦Hegels remarks on intellectual property were printed as part of his Elements of the Philosophy of Rights, a book that was based on the lectures he gave at the University of Berlin between 1818 and 1831. The document presented in our digital archive is a private copy of the first print edition of 1821 that was annotated by Hegel himself for use in subsequent lectures. In Hegels view, property is something that enables the exercise of subjective freedom rather than a consequence of civil liberties. Thus, literary property is also a manifestation of a persons free will. Hegels concept of individual, personal rights as a basis of copyright was influenced by Kant and Fichte and had some bearing on the later theories of Gareis, Gierke and Bluntschli, even if Hegels legal theory was not referred to generally by German jurists in the second half of the nineteenth century. There are 3 golden rules and passes when it comes to intellectual property and how important it is. Intellectual property is an extension of individual property. As humans, we tend to be in favor of things that will benefit us, obviously. On the other hand, I also believe that promoting the creation and dissemination of intellectual works produces an optimal amount of social progress. Personality theorists maintain that intellectual property is an extension of individual personality.

Dating Violence And Its Effects On Society - 1383 Words

In dating violence, one partner tries to gain or maintain power and control over the other through the form of abuse. Violence within a dating relationships has its negative effects on all people regardless of their age, race, or gender. It is safe to say dating violence crosses all racial, economic and social lines. Granting, one generally views it as being extremely detrimental when the violence occurs within an adolescent relationship. This could in part be due to the fact that the perception many people hold is that young people probably should not even be partaking in â€Å"serious relationships† in the first place. For example, being that I have been in a relationship with the same person for five years now, I was continuously told by†¦show more content†¦Also verbal or emotional abuse this is non-physical behaviors like threats, insults, constant monitoring, humiliation, intimidation, isolation or stalking. Adolescents can also experience sexual abuse. Sexual a buse can mean any action that impacts the ability of a person to control their own sexual activity or the circumstances in which sexual activity occurs. This is including rape, coercion or restricting access to birth control by a partner. Lastly, and probably most noted among younger generations is digital abuse. This is the use of technologies and or social media to intimidate, harass or threaten a current or ex-dating partner. This could include demanding passwords, checking cell phones, cyber bullying, â€Å"sexting†, and excessive or threatening texts or stalking. There is no way to pin point a specific cause for dating violence, because it can be attributed to a number of things. One of the causes for violence among adolescent relationships is not solely due to their young age, because they are so young in age many adolescents are inexperienced within dating situations. For instance, a young adolescent male experiencing his first intimate/ dating type of relationship will not know how to properly react in certain situations that can arise throughout a relationship and handle them negatively. On the other hand, his female counter part who is more than likely also engaging in her first dating scenario may not know the behavior is inappropriate.

Essay About Survival Example For Students

Essay About Survival Finding ones place in society is a major dilemma many people face every day. Once people find their place in society they understand who they are, what is expected by them and what their roles are.Once a person has found their place in society they understand their life and which direction it is going. The main characters are portrayed as two different individuals with very different lives who have only one thing in common- their inability to find their proper place in society. Brian Moore, and Margaret Laurences concern for the plight of the individual and their position in society is clearly self-evident in their novels The Luck of Ginger Coffey and The Stone Angel . The main characters Ginger Coffey and Hagar Shipley both struggle to survive with dignity even though their overwhelming pride often obscures reality. Throughout the novel it becomes evident that both Ginger Coffey and Hagar Shipleys overwhelming sense of pride obscures their reality and therefore causing problems for them. Coffey the main character in Brian Moores novel The Luck of Ginger Coffey is portrayed as a comic hero who has endless limitations that he does not see. Ginger Coffey believes he is his own man, which is why he leaves his homeland Ireland and moves to Canada . Coffey believes Ireland would not allow him to become the person he thought he could be, What was his aim in life ? Wellhe supposed it was to be his own master, to provide for Vera and Paulie, toto what ?To make something of himself, he supposed. (Moore, pg.21) Coffeys values do not seem to be unrealistic or selfish in themselves, but because he sets unobtainable and unrealistic goals he encounters numerous failures. Coffey cannot content himself with a simple job and provide for his family in this way; he wants to become someon!e important, and achieve p ersonal status. Not realizing that these very ideas bind him to a life of repetitive failures. Because of his pride Coffey sees himself not as the middle aged man that he is, but as an attractive young boy out for new adventures. Now in his prime, he considered himself a fine big fellow with a soldierly straightness to him, his red hair thick as ever and a fine mustache to boot.. (Moore, pg. 58)Coffey does not seem to be aware of reality around him, nor of how others see him. Look at this one with his tiny green hat, short bulky coat and suede boots. A man that age should know better than to dress as a college boy.(Moore, pg. 23) Although others see him as he is, a middle aged man trying to act like a teenager, Coffey is blinded by pride and not aware of who he really is. All he knows is that he wants to make something of himself. But because of the false image he has of himself, he encounters endless frustrations in his search for work. !He strives always for the most demanding job s ; although he is not qualified in any way to fill any of the positions he applies for. Yet, in the end, things do not improve as Coffey thought they would , once he left Ireland. Coffey continues to be the same childish boy full of hopes and dreams unable to find his place within society. Margaret Laurences heroine in a way faces the same dilemma that Coffey does. Hagar Shipley in The Stone Angel is a ninety year old woman, desperately trying to live out her last days in some sort of dignity . But Hagar like Coffey suffers, for it is because of her pride, that she is unable to see the real world around her, or try to understand it. Hagar sees herself as a young woman, trapped in an old body. Thus she tries endlessly with many frustrations to do things for herself, and always fails. Hagar becomes resentful, moody, childish and angry when her son Marvin or her daughter-in-law try to help her. Hagar feels that they are trying to take her pride away, the one thing Hagar could not face up to, I always swore Id never be a burden- (Laurence, pg. 37) Hagar finds it difficult to accept the fact that old age has placed limits on her capabilities. Just as Coffey is unable to face the fact that he does not have the capabilities to obtain the goals he has set for!himself.When Haga rs daughter-in-law tries to tell her that she has wet her bed, Hagar is very upset, Thats a lie. I never did any such thing. Youre making it up. I know your ways. Just so youll have some reason for putting me away.(Laurence, pg. 74) Hagars pride will not allow her to accept the reality about herself, nor will it allow her to communicate openly with others. Hagar does not see herself as a burdensome old woman, but as a person with a past, a present and perhaps still some future. She is an individual, something her pride will not allow her to sacrifice, in order to play the various roles society wants her to play. Doris and her son Marvin want to take Hagar out of her own home, for her own good, and put her away in a nursing home. For this is where society says that the old and helpless belong. But Hagar refuses to accept this role, as Coffey refuses in the beginning to lower his standards and accept menial jobs. Hagar will not allow others t!o take away her pride and self-respect ; therefore she desperately hangs on to life the only way she knows. In order to do this, she feels she must become an unpleasant, proud, bitter and vengeful character. Brian Moore and Margaret Laurence portray both Hagar and Coffey as two people struggling to survive with some dignity even when the world seems to be against them. Throughout the novel Hagar struggles to survive with dignity. Hagar does not face the fact that she is old and can not do things for herself. She is constantly struggling with herself as she continuously tries to do everything for herself even though she never succeeds. When Doris tries to persuade her to go into a nursing home Hagar refuses. How can I leave my house ? I dont want to leave my house and all my things ? (Laurence, pg. 119) Hagar is not willing to give up her freedom, she runs away and manages to get herself back home to Manawaka. Yet, Hagar struggles to care for herself and eventually contemplates going back home.No, Ill not do it if I went ba ckshed known all along she could not trust me out of her sight for a momentTheyd crate me up in the car and deliver me like a parc!el of old clothes to that place. (Laurence, pg.) This portrays Hagars inner struggle. Although Hagar is not able to care for herself as she once was she is determined not to give up her freedom or her pride and be sent off to a nursing home. Eventually Hagar realizes that she may not have a choice. I cant move, I cant rise. Im stuck here like an overturned ladybug, frantically waving to summon help that wont comeI hurt all over , but the worst is that Im helpless. (Laurence, pg. 191) Hagars only comfort is in the fact that .. no one else is here to see, and thats something. (Laurence, pg. 191) Throughout the novel it becomes evident that Hagar will not allow others to take away her pride and self-respect therefore desperately hanging onto life the only way she knows. In order to do this she becomes unpleasant, proud, bitter and vengeful. Ginger Coffey al so struggles to survive with dignity. Coffey continuously struggles to hold onto his pride as he begs for work. Coffey continues to try to get difficult and demanding jobs when he is only suited for menial ones . It is his pride that will not let him get the job he is most suitable for. Coffey can not content himself with a simple job and provide for his family in this way ; he wants to become someone important, and achieve personal status even though he can not. It is in one interview that Coffey realizes what a fool he is. Stupid blundering fool ! Why didnt you wait to see if he remembered you ? He doesnt know you from a hole in the wall, coming in with your hand out ! Get up, say thank you and go away. (Moore, pg. 24-25) Coffey tries to survive rejection with some sort of dignity by just saying thank you and leaving. What Coffey wanted in life was the chance to survive, not just for the sake of surviving, but to survive with some dignity. For!Coffey this meant the ability to acqu ire personal status. Coffeys problem is that he can not seethe real world in Ireland or Canada. Thus, he moves and live in an unrealistic world where he soon learns that he cant survive. Hagar also lives in an unrealistic world where she struggles to survive by believing that she can take care of herself when in reality she can not.Throughout the novel Hagar and Coffey are on a journey to self realization which in the end becomes they key factor in allowing them to face reality and find their places in society. Coffey finally starts his journey towards self-realization when his world starts to crumble. His wife leaves him and his daughter moves further away from him. Veronica, Coffeys wife seems to be the only one who knows the real Ginger Coffey and is the one who constantly tries to help him face reality. Isnt the job youre in always a burden to you, isnt it always no goodwill you never face the facts (Moore, pg. 58) Coffeys journey into self realization is a comic and pitiful one for Coffey, because it comes too late in life. Once Coffey is able to get rid of the exalted view he has of himself, and move out of his unrealistic world, he can begin to understand where he must go and what he must do in order to find his place in society.He must face reality and abandon th!e facts of his life for the facts of the world, (Moore, pg. 118) before this can be done. It is before the mirror, a symbol of truth in the novel, that Ginger Coffey sees his real self, His image in the dresser mirror He hated that man in the mirror, hated him. Oh, God, there was a useless bloody man, coming up to forty and still full of a boys dreams of ships coming in; of adventures and escapesand glories still to be. (Moore, pg. 93) Coffey no longer sees himself as a young boy with the capability of doing anything but sees himself as he truly is. The final realizations comes to Coffey in the very end of the novel, He knew now, something he had not known before. A mans life was nobodys faul t. He must pay for it himself. (Moore, pg. 225)He had learned the truth. Life was the victory,Going on was the victory. (Moore, pg. 243) What Coffey wanted in life was the chance to survive, not just for the sake of surviving, but to survive with some dignity. !For Coffey this meant the ability to acquire personal status.Hagar also journeys into self realization when she runs away from home to Manawaka because she does not want to be sent to the nursing home. But out alone in the world, we see that she cannot survive, she needs others to take care of her. And then I do fall. My feet slip, both together on a clump of wet moss, and Im down. My elbows are skinned on rough bark.Under my ribs the pain drums.. I cant move. I cant rise. (Laurence, pg. 191)Although Hagar was determined to leave her son and survive on her own she is somewhat secretly happy to see him. In my heart I have to admit Im relived to see him. Yet I despise my gladness. Have I grown so weak I must rejoice at being c aptured, taken alive ? (Laurence, pg. 252) Hagar realizes she can not survive on her own and continues to be bitter.Thus like Coffey , Hagarjourneys into self realization and finally accepts the fact that she is no longer !a young woman but an old women who needs to be taken care of by others since she can not take care of herself any longer. Hagar also puts her pride aside and comforts her son Marvin when she was in the hospital. Youve been good to me, always. A better son that John. (Laurence, pg. 304) This is something she would not have done before. Although in the end both Coffey and Hagar do succumb to reality they can not totally give up on their beliefs. Coffey still resents having to work at menial jobs ; while Hagar when on her death bed is still determined to hold on to the only thing she has left, her pride. Oh for mercys sake let me hold it myself ! I only defeat myself by not accepting her. I know this- I know it very well. But I cant help it-its my nature Ill not coun tenance anyone elses holding it for me (Laurence, pg. 308) Hagar dies holding on to some pride and feeling defeated by society while Coffey must continue his struggle trying to hold onto h!is pride and dignity as he searches for his proper place in society. Perhaps Hagar is what Coffey is destined to become.Thus, in the end both Hagar and Coffeys struggles and journey into self-realization allows them to find their proper place in society. Once both the characters come to accept who they really are and face reality they come to the point of self realization which helps them both survive. Although the two characters were different in the sense that they led totally different lives, with different values and expectations they were connected by the fact that they both had an inner struggle that they had to overcome in order to survive in the real world. Both Brian Moore and Margaret Laurence relay a similar message in their novels. Moore believes that we must sometimes gibe up and sacr ifice what we believe in (absolute values) in order to survive in this world and survival is what is important in the end. While Laurence also believes that one cannot hold on to everything they believe in, and survive in society, sometimes absolute values must be sacrifices because in the end !survival is what counts !

Taran Swan and Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon established its name as a cable channel of choice for kids aged 2 to 11 years old since its inception in 1978. It was, however, acquired by the entertainment powerhouse Vacom in 1986.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Taran Swan and Nickelodeon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nickelodeon sought to increase variety of its products and went beyond the ordinary cartoons which were common among kids’ channels. The extra programs included sports and game shows, comedy, drama, live-action, animation and music. This increased the firm’s market share as well as its ratings, making it the most popular kids’ television channel in the United States by 1986. Consequently, the firm aimed at expanding its services to incorporate the international market. Customization of the products to fit the local markets became the entry strategy for its global ventures. As a result, each foreign branch came up with its unique slogan and did most of its shows in local languages. Channels were launched by a special dedicated team comprising only of staff loyal to the brand. It is important to note that Nickelodeon had made brand loyalty part of its corporate culture. Consequently, each branch they opened was successful and by 1998 Nickelodeon was operating in over 30 countries. Due to the increased pressure to venture into new markets, Taran Swan who was then the director of business development for Nickelodeon international thought of opening a branch in Latin America in 1963. The problem was that the Latin American economy was highly unpredictable due to volatile currencies and frequent devaluations. Moreover, Latin America was not prepared given that its infrastructure for cable industry was in its initial stages of development. Consequently, the success of Nickelodeon in Latin America was obscure. Similarly, Nickelodeon was used to serving each country individually and management wa s not sure of how serving Latin America as a block will affect the business.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After facilitating entrance into Australia and Germany, Swan was in May 1995 asked to replace the launch director. Swan had formed a team that successfully revived the Germany channel before handing it over to local management. During her three year tenure at nickelodeon, Swan had always been keen on Latin America. She had noticed that development of children’s programs was very slow in this part of the world. Notably, channels in Latin America always had ancient cartoons for children. These cartoons had lost popularity and she thought it was time new ideas were introduced. Nickelodeon had interesting programs for kids. The programs were tailored in a manner that enhanced social values. Moreover, the channel was gender sensitive and gave kids the voice. In addi tion, the channel’s entry strategy recognized cultural background as crucial factor to consider. As a result, she thought they had a high probability of success and becoming kids’ channel of choice in Latin America Swan only hired new staff after consultation. Otherwise she would go ahead with the help of the Nickelodeon International Swat Team in conjunction with the MTV people. The MTV staff had to shift their focus to children programs unlike what they were used to and Swan made this clear to them. Their core business was now children programs. Though their competitors did not charge for their programs, Nickelodeon chose not to follow these footsteps. Swan decided to maintain their corporate culture of ensuring high quality of their products but charge a fee for the services. Despite pressure from many distributors who wanted Nickelodeon on the basics platform for free, Swan decided that customers had to pay a premium to receive channels on the second or third tiers .Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Taran Swan and Nickelodeon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Donna Friedman, a member of the swat also proposed that they should be involved in Jornadas, the largest cable trade show in Latin America which draws attendance from across the divide. Having been involved in the Germany launch, swan had confidence in Friedman’s qualities and knew that she had the creativity to make the venture a success. Swan and Friedman felt that Jornadas was the best forum to generate awareness and demonstrate the experience of Nickelodeon in kids’ programs. Swan was a risk taker and did not hesitate to hire dedicated staff to Nickelodeon. Moreover, she was a person who usually spoke her mind and a team player thus attracting best employees like Stephen Grieder. This made Nickelodeon successful. She was also easygoing and fun but she would ask questions so as to get to the bottom of a ny contentious matter. This was to ensure that everyone would be 100% clear on the idea under discussion. This enhanced the culture of self responsibility and eliminated the tendency of people proposing something they were not ready to work with. She had faith in her employees and tried very much to ensure that they were part and parcel of any change that was implemented in the institution. She always gave practical strategies which enhanced performance. She ensured that each employee was creative and added value to the institution. She did not like people who were just executors of what had been brought forward. The vision of the firm was in kids and she wanted to see it succeed. To her, success was not an option. She was friendly with every staff and ensured that everybody was comfortable with the conditions of work. It is important to note that a free working environment with minimal bureaucracy is crucial for creativity. Initially, Swan used to chair all meetings. However, she r ealized that this was becoming monotonous and did not make employees feel valued. She then introduced a method where different people would chair meetings each week.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The person chairing a meeting of the week was tasked with the role of steering the functions of the firm during that week. Swan was initially nervous that the meetings would be ineffective. However, she was proofed wrong because things actually improved. As a matter of fact, the employees praised the method. Despite all the success, Swan faced a lot of challenges. To begin with, many cable distributors were willing to place Nickelodeon on the basic platform but did not want to pay for the programming. Nickelodeon would not accept this though some of its competitors did. On the same note, all employees did not always work as a team. Disagreement among her employees wasted a lot of productive time when the employees had to be reunited instead of people working. Attracting advertisers was becoming difficult than Swan and her team had thought. Also, Nickelodeon was not used to sharing infrastructure. Therefore, the tension and misunderstandings with MTV highly affected performance. The only solution was for Swan to get her own infrastructure and this lead to increased costs for the firm. On the same note, there had been a persistent economic downturn in Asia. As a result, Swan was in a precarious situation that was characterized by lack of enough income from the investments made. This essay on Taran Swan and Nickelodeon was written and submitted by user Giselle Marsh to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Responsible factors for climate change

Responsible factors for climate change By definition, climate change is an average long-term shift in weather patterns that is manifested by altering in the contributing factors including precipitation, temperature and pressure among other indicators. Climate change can be a consequence of a modification in variability typified by extreme weather conditions, for example, erratic rainfalls that cause floods.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Responsible factors for climate change specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The earth’s climate is synonymous to this variability, however, its long-term climatic state is harmonized by the energy balance â€Å"between the incoming and the outgoing energy† (Ewing, 2012). As such, any external factor (climate forcers) affecting this energy balance may lead to climate changes. Importantly, these factors occur in different time-periods. Hence, the factors that affected climate change centuries back may not be the ones standing currently. Climate forcers can be categorized into two groups including human and natural causes. In addition to the duo, there are other changes that happen internally within the climate system, affecting the climate either as short-lived or long-lived. These modifications may be attributed to the atmospheric circulations among others factors. Human beings contribute to climate change when they engage in burning of fossil fuel, deforestation activities notwithstanding. These effects have been aggravated further since the inception of the era of industrial revolution. As a consequence, the face of the land has been altered tremendously, and the atmosphere is filled with fumes dominated by carbon dioxide gas, one of the greenhouse gases. These changes constitute what we can consider ourselves ‘climate forcers,’ who are responsible for destabilizing the earth’s energy system. To this end, the overall effect on the earth’s atmosphere has been a warming effect. The cumulative effect of the gas emissions on the planet is called the greenhouse effect. This is the reason of the global warming, and as such, it is believed that it may lead to erratic weather patterns, consequently affecting both the social and economic activities of man.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Apart from the human activities, natural factors are other elements responsible for climate change. Such activities as volcanicity and the Sun insolation are among the external factors central to climate change. These two basically fall within the timescale of the contemporary causes of climate change. The duo have a significant effect on the incoming energy, however, volcanicity has a short-lived effect on the climate change. The intensity of the Sun insolation has considerably increased since the inception of the industrial revolution. This h as been estimated to have increased by ten folds, consequently affecting climate significantly. The internal elements within the climate that affect the climate change could be due to the emitted gases that stem from human activities. These gases, for example, CO2, can be classed as long-lived because they take a while before they are eliminated from the atmosphere. Conversely, the short-lived gases, for instance, methane, clear off the atmosphere very fast. Class aside, if remained unchecked, short-lived gases have a potential of causing adverse climate change. They are responsible for the greenhouse effect. The history of the climate trend Climate has been changing to the worst since the era that is called industrial revolution. On analyzing the trend of the world’s mean temperature dating back to the 19th century, one can underscore the fact that, indeed, the Earth is experiencing global warming. In the 1960s, though, there was a compelling evidence of a shifting trend whe re experts reported that the planet was cooling. Nevertheless, new findings stipulated that this was a brief interruption and the trend would assume the previous modification process in the 1970s. These findings elicited a serious debate among climatologists with some predicting a sustained cooling trend over time. To this end, they cited a phase of a sustained natural cycle or perhaps the elements of smog and dust particles that continue to fill the atmosphere due to the human activities.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Responsible factors for climate change specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Those predicting otherwise believed that the effects of the greenhouse gas emissions would surpass those due to the concentration of particles in the atmosphere, and as such, global warming would resume. In a conclusion, the two opposing groups acknowledged the fact that their stands were just mare guesswork. In the meantime, th ere were advances in the climatology science. Nonetheless, in 1970s, the view that the warming would resume triumphed highlighting that the cooling was a brief interruption. With the turn of the century, the warming effect aggravated further as evident by the changing temperatures even at the depth of the ocean base. To scientists, this was a compelling evidence of a gross change in climate that had never been witnessed before. The specific pattern â€Å"of changes, revealed in objects ranging from ship logs to ice caps to tree rings, closely matched the predicted effects of greenhouse gas emissions† (Bredenberg, 2012). Ideally, one would wonder how meteorologists came up with the conclusion that the world was warming. Indeed, the journey to establishing of this fact was not an easy feat. Scientists had to deal with voluminous and uncertain data collected over a long period of time, and using different methods to come up with the conclusion. Among the pioneer groups of scient ists who tried to establish this fact were the NASA and the Climate Research Unit (CRU), a British based group. In their research, they reached an almost similar answer that the planet’s average temperatures had raised by at least 0.50C in the past century. In the meantime, several other groups over the world were dedicated to measuring the weather patterns. Vitally, while some were engaging in careful, recording and securing of records in archives, the others were busy standardizing the instruments.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Even with these data, no scientist would stake a claim that the world would warm in the future, especially with the 1940-70 dip as shown in below (fig. 1). With these findings, one is tempted to hold the thought that the current highs could be temporal. Current geopolitical response to climate change One may notice the tug of war concerning the causes of climate change that continue to illicit mixed reactions among the science and anti-science zealots. On one hand, science holds the thought that the planet is experiencing global warming, and that the anti-science zealots are embedding efforts meant to stem this trend. On the other hand, the anti-scientists hold the view that global warming is not a consequence of the human activities, and that the scientists’ views are for selfish gains meant to transform the world’s economy. Surprisingly, the skeptics consider that even if the planet is warming, it is not a cause for alarm. Some critics of the scientific view base th eir argument on the alleged dishonesty amongst scientists. To this end, they cite the ‘Climategate Scandal’ as one of their evidences of scientists’ dishonesty. The details of the scandal, as revealed later, showed that someone had hacked into the server of the CRU and sent more than 1000 e-mails to people all over the world with a plot to falsify an average global temperature trend. This allegation was investigated by several agencies from both the US and the UK, revealing that the scientists were genuine in their findings. If not enough, skeptics find dishonesty in an e-mail that was written by Phil Jones to Micheal Mann, both from the CRU, disputing the latter’s chart as a ‘trick’ to mean that he was hiding a temperature decline (Ewing, 2008). However, in a bid to dilute skeptical views, scientists have a well established database in the blog, DeSmogBlog, of the individuals who are in dissent industry of global warming. Some critics hold th e view that the idea of the man-engineered global warming emanates from neo-colonialism. As such, the idea is meant to shift focus of the development agenda from the developed economies to the third world economies. The opposing faction, however, believe that the skeptics’ view that global warming is not a man-made effect is a tactic to bar governments from interfering with their businesses (free-market). Free-market fundamentalists feel that governments are threatened by the fact that free-markets can resolve both the social and economic problems if given a freehand. Moreover, they tend to think that market fundamentalism has been a principal factor in determining the US’s public policy debates in the past three decades. If not enough, critics argue that most of these scientists holding the consensus view were cold-war research artillery, and that following the crumple of the Soviet Union, they sought solace in another global issue in the name of global warming to see k the world control. The response to climate change due to global warming is a universal issue defying commitments to the nations where the greenhouse gas emissions are more pronounced. This is owed to the fact that the greenhouse gases defuse rapidly and evenly over the world. To this end, the UN has been the platform, upon which responses to climate change has been addressed. Global bodies established under the UN umbrella, for instance, the Kyoto Protocol and the UNFCCC (United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change), have made massive steps in trying to reverse this change. Chiefly, international policies have been adopted globally at a national cum regional level, signaling a consolidated approach aimed at stemming this change. The objective of the UNFCCC (formed in 1990) was to stabilize the greenhouse gases by the turn of the 21st century. However, subsequent meetings prior to the 21st century led to the establishment of the Kyoto Protocol in the year 1997. Its objecti ve focused on the developed economies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% with their respective 1990 levels as a baseline. This had to be achieved by the year 2012. This was not an easy feat to achieve, and as such, it took three meetings for the stakeholders to reach the Marrakesh Accord, which outlined the processes that were to be followed to achieve the Kyoto Protocol (Nicole, 2004). Importantly, in order for the Kyoto Protocol to be a legally binding document, it had to be ratified by more than 55 nations. The Annex 1 nations had to make up the 55 nations ratifying the protocol in order to account for at least 55% of the total emissions of the 1990 levels. For political and economic reasons, the US chose not to ratify the Protocol even though its emissions accounted for more than 25% of the total greenhouse gas emissions emanating from the developed economies. One political reason that the US chose not to ratify the Protocol is that the treaty was partial. To this, the US claims that the design of the treaty would leave out some economies known for their massive greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, the US has been reluctant to ratify the Protocol for the reason that it would result in job losses by its citizens. Akin to the US, the Australian government temporarily failed to confirm the Protocol only to ratify it in 2007. Russia validated the Protocol after a while in the year 2004. The countries that were party to the treaty relied on three flexible means including Emission Trading, Joint Implementation (JI), and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to achieve the Kyoto Protocol. However, many investors hold a negative view over the JI and CDM mechanisms, citing too much bureaucracy involved in getting an approval. Vital remedies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions One of the remedies that governments ought to apply is the need to engage in the energy conservation practices. Economical utilization of energy goes all the way to reducing the levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) a great deal. Designs meant for appliances at homes should aim at enhancing energy efficiencies. The state of California is a typical example of a region in the US that has taken its own initiative to engage in efficient utilization of energy. As such, striking research shows that between 1976 and 2005, this state has maintained its energy requirements at a fairly constant rate. This is opposed to the rest of the US, where the energy requirements had increased by 60%. Another striking revelation is that the total energy losses by the US economy surpass the total energy requirements of the Japanese economy. This shows that the Japanese machinery designs are energy-efficient. Economies should adopt sequestration models meant to capture CO2 instead of releasing it to the atmosphere (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2010). Another remedy that governments should adopt is the use of alternative sources of clean, renewable sources of energy instead of us ing bio-fuels. Among the major contributors of GHGs is coal. This energy source is far less efficient in its utilization (30% efficient). Among the clean, renewable energy sources that fit the billing one could name solar and wind energy. These two can play a major role in curbing GHG emissions. Another alternative is the use of nuclear energy. However, it is risky since some nations might use it as an arsenal. Therefore, to use it, all nations should be honest. Urbanization is one of the ‘enemies’ of the GHG-free atmosphere. It comes with deforestation, a practice that is believed to deny the atmosphere the ‘lungs’- which is meant to clear the CO2 from it. While urbanization and industrialization change the world’s face in the name of creating wealth, these two practices are suicidal to the atmosphere. They basically utilize the land, a limited resource, without replacing it, leaving the land bare and depriving it of its ‘lungs’. To cu rb this trend, afforestation practices ought to be given a global attention and enhance the GHG-free atmosphere. Transport industry and hence the gasoline industry are the ones that contribute immensely to the GHGs, globally. There is need for engineers to come up with the engine designs that are more sensitive to our environment. The designs should be a hybrid formation of gasoline/electric engines to limit on the gasoline requirements. This would go all the way to limiting the GHG emissions into the atmosphere. In addition, some economies have adopted safe utilization policies whereby transportation to public destinations/institutions has to be done using a bigger unit (a bus) as opposed to smaller and numerous units (cars). This would curtail the GHG emissions. Future solutions to climate change After adopting the energy-efficient designs as well as conservation strategies, the void left to suffice the energy requirements has to be met by the GHG-free renewable energy sources. Th is has to be provided by the wind, solar, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy. The use of the wind energy as a ‘green power’ has been among the buzzwords of the greenhouse-free atmosphere advocates. It is a renewable source of energy that can be converted to mechanical energy, and eventually electrical energy before it is utilized. Ideally, to generate electricity, the site where the plant is mounted should be favorably windy in order to drive the giant turbines for generating electricity. The energy generated from wind can be used in home appliances as well as to drive industrial machines. Engineers have come up with the efficient turbine designs that can achieve maximum output from the wind power. The solar energy is another source of ‘green power’. This energy is derived from ultraviolet rays that emanate from the Sun. Through different mechanisms, this energy can be converted to electrical energy or can be used directly to serve the peoples needs. To c onvert the solar energy to electrical energy, one applies a photovoltaic cell. However, the efficiency of the solar energy is dependent on the insolation received per day. The maximum insolation got in a region is influenced by the latitude and the season of the same. To this end, the regions falling within the equator zone receive maximum insolation at midday. Moreover, one can use larger panels in regions that experience limited insolation to meet his/her needs. Directly, one may use the solar energy for heating and lighting. This is one of the best alternatives to fossil fuels since it is clean and renewable. The hydroelectric power is a ‘green power’ that may help in mitigating the greenhouse gas emissions. This energy is derived from water that drives a turbine to generate power. However, this energy is limited to regions that have no waterfalls. Nonetheless, they generate enough electricity that can be supplied to a far place. The energy received from this source can be used domestically as well as for driving industrial machines. Biomass is another source of energy, an alternative to fossil fuel though it is not a GHG-free source of energy. Recently, in such economies like Brazil, the use of biodiesel is slowly becoming popular. Akin to biomass, we do have fuel cells, which are powered by coal to generate electricity. Finally, the geothermal power accounts for another source of ‘green power.’ This form of energy is limited to regions that are endowed with hot springs. As such, this form of energy is not common. Nonetheless, the energy derived from this source can be converted to electricity to find application both domestically and in industries. References Bredenberg, A. (2011). The Climate Change Controversy – What’s It Really About? Green and Clean Journal, 2(3), 3-7. Ewing, R. (2008). Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change. Washington, DC: Urban Land Institute. Nicole, N. (2004). United States Problems with the Kyoto Treaty. New York, NY: New York University Press. U.S. Department of Transportation. (2010). Transportation’s Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions. South Melbourne, Australia: Thomson Learning.

Improving School Lunches (for Kids and the Environment)

Improving School Lunches (for Kids and the Environment) Now that many schools have stopped selling sodas and other unhealthy vending machine items to their students, improving the nutritional quality of cafeteria school lunches is on the agenda of many parents and school administrators. And luckily for the environment, healthier food usually means greener food. Connecting School Lunches with Local Farms Some forward-thinking schools are leading the charge by sourcing their cafeteria food from local farms and producers. This saves money and also cuts back on the pollution and global warming impacts associated with transporting food long distances. And since many local producers are turning to organic growing methods, local food usually means fewer pesticides in kids’ school lunches. School Lunches Linked to Obesity and Poor Nutrition Alarmed by childhood obesity statistics and the prevalence of unhealthy foods offered to students in schools, the Center for Food and Justice (CFJ) in 2000 spearheaded the national Farm to School lunch program. The program connects schools with local farms to provide healthy cafeteria food while also supporting local farmers. Participating schools not only obtain food locally, they incorporate nutrition-based curriculum and provide students with learning opportunities through visits to the local farms. Farm to School programs now operate in 19 states and in several hundred school districts. CFJ recently received significant support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to expand the program to more states and districts. The group’s website (link below) is loaded with resources to help schools get started. USDA Offers School Lunch Program in 32 States The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also runs a Small Farms/School Meals program that boasts participation in 400 school districts in 32 states. Interested schools can check out the agency’s â€Å"Step-by-Step Guide on How to Bring Small Farms and Local Schools Together†, which is available free online. Chef Alice Waters Teaches School Lunch Cooking Classes Other schools have taken the plunge in their own unique ways. In Berkeley, California, noted chef Alice Waters holds cooking classes in which students grow and prepare local organic fruits and vegetables for their peers’ school lunch menus. And as documented in the film, â€Å"Super Size Me,† Wisconsin’s Appleton Central Alternative School hired a local organic bakery that helped transform Appleton’s cafeteria fare from offerings heavy on meat and junk food to predominantly whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. How Parents Can Improve School Lunches Of course, parents can ensure that their children eat well at school by forgoing the cafeteria offerings altogether and sending their kids to school with healthy bag lunches. For on-the-go parents unable to keep up with a daily lunch making regimen, innovative companies are beginning to sprout up that will do it for you. Kid Chow in San Francisco, Health e-Lunch Kids in Fairfax, Virginia, New York City’s KidFresh and Manhattan Beach, California’s Brown Bag Naturals will deliver organic and natural food lunches to your kids for about three times the price of a cafeteria lunch. But prices should change for the better as the idea catches on and more volume brings costs down.

Concepts in Buddhist life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Concepts in Buddhist life - Essay Example We will inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. It does not follow however that it would always be suffering. There are also positive experiences such as ease, comfort and happiness. The key to understanding life is that it is impermanent and that one must live it to the fullest even though it may be full of hardships because we only have such a short time in this world. The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursue of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self" which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe. The cessation of suffering can be attained through the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment or simply put, by attaining dispassion. All clinging and attchment must be extinguished. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. This aspect of Buddhism lays out the ways to end suffering. It serves as a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions. It ultimately aims to enable the