Political Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Political Economy - Essay Example In 1930 the Smoot-Hawley act was enacted to prevent U.S owners of factors of production from being threatened by the Great Depression at the time. The rates were set high to cushion them from incurring losses. On the other hand, the trading partners responded promptly by taking similar measures a move which worsened the economic condition that was prevailing. The congress was forced to act very fast in order to control the situation that was deteriorating and consequently the Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act was implemented in 1934.The act gave the president the powers allow for tariffs that met the thresholds that had been agreed jointly by the trading partners (Cooper, 2014,pgs 2-3). Political institutions play a major role in coming up with trade tariffs and trade policies. Their main purpose is to protect the interests of traders from being exploited by their trading partners. When they participate in coming up with the tariffs such as having bilateral and multilateral agreements, a lot of opportunities are opened up for the citizens of the country and businesses operate in an efficient manner. The decisions made in coming up with these trade tariffs and policies has political consequences for the government in power because producers are most likely to support regimes that come up with policies that favor them. On the other hand, producers are likely to disregard regimes that come up with unfavorable policies according to them because they seem to be undermining their operations (World Trade Report, 2007, Pg 55). The Great Depression in the 1930s forced the U.S to review its trade policies and tariffs. The country was forced to bend low the trade barriers so as to forge economic cooperation with other countries. Trade became liberalized although the move was seen to have some political agenda. The U.S congress was adamant to give the president freedom

Research Proposal a Study on Web Portals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Research Proposal a Study on Web Portals - Essay Example Web portals enable people to connect with each other on the internet and share ideas, access useful information and other resources online. Portals are usually available throughout and can be accessed at any time by users. The databases are often updated regularly with the latest information. This study seeks to find out more information about web portals, their use and role in education and business as well as their impact on human communication. A Study on Web Portals Introduction The World Wide Web has been experiencing unprecedented growth since its inception and has been reinvented regularly to meet new demands and requirements of the business and social life making it to become the leading internet application (Erl, 2005). To many people, the World Wide Web has even become synonymous with the internet. One of the biggest reinventions of the World Wide Web is the introduction of web portals. Web portals have had a huge impact on creation of web pages for both corporate businesse s and education institutions such as universities and colleges (Hazra, 2002). Web portals have also greatly altered the way people access information on the internet through the web pages. There are various types of web portals, each serving a different purpose. The most common types of web portals include corporate portals, vertical and horizontal portals, regional and government portals, hosted and domain specific portals. Horizontal portals are those that cover a wide area while vertical portals are only based on one functional area. Regional portals are used for accessing local information about a place such as the weather forecast. Government portals on the other hand are used for storing government records Businesses can use web portals to interact with their clients and customers, or let their customers interact with one another, sharing information about available products. Clients and customers can easily access the businesses website and make enquiries about products and s ervices, place orders or make recommendations to the business (Erl, 2005). This has made online businesses easier to manage and helps corporate organizations interact with the outside world. The fact that web portals are available on the internet gives businesses an edge in that their customers and clients will still be able to access business information beyond working hours. The government can also use the web portal to keep its records and make them available to the public, especially in this era of democracy where people feel the urge to access government information. Government records can safely be stored online and accessed by interested individuals. Another area where Web portals have had a huge impact is in education. Web portals are very effective tools for inculcating scientific knowledge and other information in schools. Users can connect with one another on web portals to form learning communities where they can access relevant information, resources and expert knowledg e and assistance. Web portals also allow users to share and exchange ideas, engage in useful discussions and conduct activities that promote their learning. Online libraries and catalogues are often regularly updated with the latest information. Web portals have made simulation of education in real life much easier as compared to other types of web pages. A web portal can serve as scientific as well as an educational tool for its uses. It provides a platform whereby resources, information, and experts in science can meet and exchange ideas. Moreover, it will create an online opportunity for researchers to further their fieldwork and establish a bridge between class work and field work. The web portal is aimed at enriching its information through accepting contributions from people

Art is Art Essay Example for Free

Art is Art Essay What is considered art has been a controversial question for many years in history and today. There are various forms and types of art. Because art is very complex and diverse, it is viewed and conceptualized in many different ways. Nancy G. Heller states even though a type of artwork is hard to understand, it’s considered art, and artwork that people don’t understand shouldn’t be disregarded from other types of art. She feels as though people shouldn’t be intimidated by artwork that’s hard to understand and her main goal is to try to help people feel more comfortable around art they don’t understand. Picasso believes that all art needs to be an original in order to be considerably successful. He states that nature and art are completely different things. Picasso explains that art is a lie that allows us to realize the truth. And finally, John Berger speaks about publicity being a form of art, and how it uses art to manipulate people into buying what is publicized. Berger says publicity ads have a way of working because ads focus on the future, which people are attracted to more than the present. Each of these authors have different opinions on how art is viewed and conceived, however they unite from similar points in their views. All art is art, and shouldn’t be dismissed. In â€Å"’Statement to Marius De Zayas,’ 1923,† Picasso states that art has to convince people of its truthfulness. In his article, Picasso defends the art of cubism.—because cubism, like many other types of art, is not understood yet by most people. However, cubism isn’t any different from a type of art someone likes and understands—it shares the same principles or elements as any/ all other types of art. Picasso elaborates on his claims by giving the reader an example of him reading an English book. He says that reading a book doesn’t make sense to him, yet it doesn’t mean that the English language doesn’t exist. He states that no one should be responsible for him not being able to understand what he doesn’t know much about. Picasso believes that an individual shouldn’t say a type of art isn’t art only because they don’t understand it. The individual should, instead, try to understand it, and if he/ she still doesn’t consider it to be an art, the individual should claim to just dislike that specific type of art. Picasso and Heller both agree that art is art and that it shouldn’t be questioned. Nancy G. Heller’s book, â€Å"Why a Painting is Like a Pizza: a Guide to Understanding and Enjoying  Modern Art† starts with the author’s experience making a pizza in Texas. From her experience, she concluded that painting is like a pizza. Just as many people have a variety of taste in pizza that they prefer, when people look at art, they have certain preferences in art as well. Some people usually completely dismiss certain groups of art, saying its not art at all. Heller defends artists who are victims of these cruel remarks by saying, â€Å"anything anyone says is art should be in fact be regarded as art† (Heller 10). All art should not only be regarded as art, but art also is a lie that uncovers the truth. In Heller’s article, one of her examples shows Rosa Bonheur’s painting â€Å"’The Horse Fair’ (1853).† This painting is very realistic like a photograph. On the contrary, the painting is just very convincing. Bonheur’s painting of the galloping horses lie to the viewer, because the horses aren’t actually galloping in front of the viewer. However, it helps the viewer recognize the truth from the artist’s lies. All art lies, which help the viewer, uncover the truth. Nature and art aren’t the same. Only something real can be natural. Picasso agrees with Heller by saying, â€Å"nature and art, being two different things, cannot be the same thing. Through art, we express our conception of what nature is not† (Picasso par. 5). Picasso states that art needs to be an original idea—otherwise it is useless. An artwork being orig inal allows the viewer to notice the truth. He suggests that art isn’t actually what the artwork portrays. â€Å"Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth† (Picasso par. 3). Although paintings aren’t real, it can symbolize something that is real. In â€Å"Ways of Seeing† by John Berger, the author talks about all art (publicity ads or paintings) must be convincing to the viewer. â€Å"Publicity begins by working on a natural appetite for pleasure. But it cannot offer the real object of pleasure and there is no convincing substituted for pleasure in that pleasure’s own terms. The more convincingly publicity conveys the pleasure of bathing in a warm, distant sea, the more the spectator-buyer will become aware that he is hundreds of miles away from that sea and the more remote the chance of bathing in it will seem to him† (Berger 132). The author gives an example of how publicity ads work by suggesting if a publicity ad was to show the pleasures of bathing in a warm  and distant sea, the viewer (or buyer) will realize that he is many miles away from the sea that the ad is portraying, and the chance of bathing in that sea will seem far to him. If the viewers aren’t convinced from art, whether it’s a publicity ad or a painting, that artwork is not successful. If a viewer thinks that the representation of whatever the ad is trying to sell is intangible, the viewer will be less convinced. John Berger and Picasso share the same beliefs that art should live in the present. Since there is constant exposure of publicity ads, Berger believes that ads live in the present. Publicity ads are located almost anywhere in this world. From magazines and TVs to buses and billboards, ads are everywhere. Publicity ads are not only constantly around a person’s surroundings, but also are always updated and/ or renewed. Although Berger talks about publicity ads living in the moment, they never represent the present time. Picasso similarly states, if a painting is looked at and appreciated by the viewer, it’s alive, living in the present. Picasso’s work has been echoed in his own idea. All of his work â€Å"was made for the present and with the hope that it will always remain in the present† (Picasso par. 11). Picasso gives an example of the Greek and Egyptian art. He proclaims that Greek and Egyptian art is more alive today than it was when the artwork as cre ated. People are intrigued about how the artwork was made back then, and that alone keeps the early Greek and Egyptian artwork alive in the present. All authors have common beliefs on how art should be viewed and conceived. Art is art and it shouldn’t be questioned. If art is hard to understand, it shouldn’t be dismissed as not art†¦ it should categorized as a type of art an individual dislikes. Furthermore, paintings don’t tell the truth; however it is filled with lies that help an individual recognize the truth through the painting being convincing. And lastly, an artwork lives in the present time—even if the artwork was made in the past. Work Cited Berger, John. Ways Of Seeing. London: Penguin Book, 1977. Print. Heller, Nancy G. Why a Painting is Like a Pizza: a Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Modern Art. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2002. Print. Picasso, Pablo. â€Å"Statement to Marius de Zayas.† The Arts. NY, May 1923. Translation approved by Picasso. Web. 18 September 2012. .

If We Were Superheroes Philosophy Essay

If We Were Superheroes Philosophy Essay I always grew up looking up to superheroes, I loved super heroes. They saved the world more than once and always had a solution for a problem, but what they never do is give up, something that we as teenagers and adults still havent learned. Just imagine, what Saturday mornings would look like if our superheroes gave up? Someone would say LOOK! A HUGE asteroid the size of TEXAS is hurling toward Earth! Help us Superman and he would say I seem to be having a difficulty day-you see global warming has caused the hole in the ozone to release kryptonite and I am just not up to it! Nowadays if we encounter any problem that we feel we cannot endure, our 1st option is to give up and quit. Author Johnny James said, in his book Never Give UP à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦We must have a strong determination to persevere unto the end. The race is not to the swift all the time, nor is the battle to the strong. When it seems as though there is no need in even trying again, this is the time that we should never g ive up. In order for us not to quit we must first look at why we quit, some asteroids that do come our way and some super spidey solutions to help ourselves from making this decision. As a freshman, high school was going to be very different. New people, new school, and new challenges to face, being called a fish, bullied and the list goes on and on but I was unaware of the circumstances where my only option given, was to quit. I clearly remember close friends of mines telling me that I wouldnt be able to do well in debate. My first response was very rude including a couple of colorful words that could easily get me disqualified. Yet, I realized that the answer was not to quit, but to try even harder and try to accept that there is room, room for improvement. Quitting would only stop me from growing. So, I tried harder and did improve tremendously, and I had a great year. Even though Im nowhere near the best, I smelled a sense of accomplishment in the air and thought to ponder, why do people give up? The answer was pretty simple. The reason why we quit is simply because of the fact that we think we are unable to survive the circumstances ahead of us, but the stren gth to fight is inside of us. We just refuse to unleash the beast and let the green hulk take over. Instead, we sit there like people who have nothing better to do than to eat in front of their televisions and decide that the rest of the world doesnt exist. As Frank Lloyd Wright had once said I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen. The 2nd riches man in the 1900s once said, It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities. Superheros have taken their responsibility and fulfilled it to its fullest extent. However we choose to dodge our efforts and decide to stop trying. Walt- Disney was turned down 302 times before actually being financed, and look at the success that Walt Disney has reached today! One of the greatest men in history, Albert Einstein didnt do great at first either. Albert Einstein did not speak until he was four years old and didnt read until he was seven. His teacher described him as mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in his foolish dreams. He was expelled and refused admittance to Zurich Polytechnic School. The University of Bern turned down his Ph.D. dissertation as being irrelevant and fanciful. Imagine what would have happened if he did give up? You must believe in yourself-even if all those around you doubt you and in your ability to rise from within the insanity in which your life now finds itself and to stand tall against the obstacles and challenges within your life-and you will conquer all that you believe cannot be conquered and all that which you believed you had lost within your life. When we give up, we are a failure. Giving up on everything you have is going to leave you with nothing at all. In the same book I mentioned before; Author Johnny James stated once again, Those who give up in the race are never rewarded because quitters are never rewarded for quitting. Like the superheroes had a solution for every problem, there are some super spidey things we can do not to quit and truly achieve. Author Christine McGogy, in her aricle6 ways to never give up, gives us six step-by-step instructions, on how to not give up. The first thing to do, is keep an open mind, when you keep an open mind, you allow yourself to be open to more ideas, Once you say, I quit you basically are closing off your mind from any more ways to getting closer to your end result and having any breakthroughs. The 2nd step is trials and errors, you have to remember that you made an effort and tried, if you didnt like your result, you should try to change your actions, to get a better result. The 3rd thing to do is to is to realize that the questions, are the answer, When you run out of ideas its time to start asking [yourself] question Questions such as what can I do differently or what else can I do to improve myself. For extra effectiveness, try writing the question(s) down. Ask yourself the questions before you go to sleep at night and often times the answers will come the next day as your brain had time to think about it while you were sleeping! the 4th step is Guidance, Who can help you? Is there somebody that has already achieved the same goal? Find them and ask them what they did to get there. Asking doesnt cost anything. And guess what, chances are these people werent always doing great at first. The difference is that they kept going however small the action seemed at the time. Once you have the determination to persist until you get what you want, you will become more confident in yourself as well. She also reminds us that according to the 5th step, to make sure we arent making up excuses to stop ourselves from making this decision. And last, but not least, Picture it! In order for your goal to actually be a reality, can force you to zoom past your comfort zone, but keep focusing on the benefit of your goal to push yourself further along. Take a minute whenever you feel overwhelmed and DREAM about your goal! I have personally thought about quitting speech and debate because of many reasons, but when I sit back and think about my dreams, it just encourages me to try even harder. Walt Disney always said, If you can dream it, you can do it! Problems come and go in life but we, like the superheroes, should face our problems and find a solution no matter how big the problem is. By giving up we dont unleash the beast within, instead we unleash the wimp within. We hide and runaway-thinking things will be better, but they always end up following us, wherever we go. Superheroes are the coolest, smartest, and most wise people you can ever find. Despite them not being real, they give us real guidance. They do the most extraordinary things and teach us great lessons, some ranging from believing in you to never quitting. I encourage you to always keep an open mind and never give up There are a million reasons for you to quit, but if you can find one reason not to quit, dont make the decision. Some asteroids will come our way, but they wont destroy my Saturday morning, in stead my Saturday morning will be about my dream, my hopes, and ultimately my will, my will to never give up; even in the hardest of times.

Essay --

Name: Salma Atef ID: 116741 Module Title: Comparative Politics Module Leader: Dr. Gamal Selim Research Paper Topic: The role of military in non-democratic/ authoritarian systems Due Date: 19th of December, 2013 The Role of military in Non-Democratic States The role of military extensively varies from one country to another in light of the country’s military institution. In addition, it is characterized by its various fundamental duties, which is: firstly, to enhance the means of protection of the country’s borders from both, external and internal (domestic) threats which can possibly put the country in an ominous situation, and secondly, to meddle in urgent political affairs. In other words, to intervene in politics and take a step in to help redeem the situation, to some extent this can be held for a period of time or for a lifetime. In light of the military’s intervention which occurred in Turkey for several years, it is in fact in the interest of Egypt to be ruled under a military rule for the sake of stability and achieving the state’s goals yet it cannot be guaranteed. This paper will examine the role of military in two countries. The two case studies used are Egypt and Turkey (being used as a role mod el). Chiefly, the paper will be divided into three sections: the first section will assiduously define the principle of military interventions in general as well as mention its importance and under what conditions is it necessary to intervene. Whereas the second section will comprehensibly discuss and inspect the approach (methods) that Turkey had taken to result in such a democratic development after the coup d’Ã ©tat (1980); this was the third coup on Turkey, and thus it had several negative effects on its economy. ... ...ary and the Egyptian Revolution. Retrieved from: http://www.academia.edu/3303395/The_Military_and_the_Egyptian_Revolution_Resistance_to_Reform Roberts, H. (2012). What Happened to Democracy in Turkey? A Beacon of hope in the Middle East is plunging into twilight. Retrieved from: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/what-happened-to-democracy-in-turkey-a-beacon-of-hope-in-the-middle-east-is-plunging-into-twilight-8399325.html Schwartz, D. (2013). Egypt’s ‘Dangerous precedent’ and Turkey’s history of Coups. Retrieved from: http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/story/1.1356899 Surtees, J. (2011). ‘Turkey is not a free Country’. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/01/turkey-free-democratic-reform-youth Tachau, F. & Heper, M. (1983). The state, politics, and the military in Turkey. Comparative Politics, Vol. 16 (No.1), pp., 17-33.

Globalizaton Essay -- Economics Economy Papers

Globalization is a term that has become very popular in recent times. It is a concept with many differing definitions. Thomas L. Friedman, author of The Lexus and the Olive Tree, describes globalization as a movement that enables individuals, corporations, and countries to reach around the globe farther, faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before. Globalization is the spread of free market capitalism to virtually every country in the world. Countries are encouraged to allow free trade, privatization and competition. Basically, it involves worldwide integration of both economic and political ideals. Globalization is becoming more popular and more accessible mainly because of the recent advancements in technology. Many believe it to be a positive phenomenon, while others believe that it is very bad. The rise and spread of globalization has brought along with it many supporters and opponents. Benefits of globalization are that it creates jobs, generates prosperity, raises standards of living all around the world and much more. When companies do business in other countries more jobs are created. Companies such as Nike, Levis, Coca-cola are constantly building factories in less developed countries, such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Dominican Republic and many more. These factories are providing jobs for thousands of people who would otherwise not be able to find work anywhere else. This helps the human rights issue and can be beneficial for the overall economy of the country as well as the individual. James Robinson, former head of American Express said, "I think it's helping human rights because what it's doing is it's giving jobs to people at salary levels that they never had access to before. So in time I think this becomes more self... ...obalization. October 2000 The World Trade Organization. www.wto.org Geneva, Switzerland. October 2002 Public Broadcasting Service. Transcript: Globalization and Human Rights. www.pbs.org. October 2002 Panayotou, Theodore. Globalization and Environment: CID Working Paper No. 53. July 2000 North American Free Trade Agreement. "NAFTA: A Foundation for Canada's Future Prosperity." http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/nafta-alena/over-en.asp Canada. September 2003 FDI Magazine. "Egyptian Endeavors." www.fdimagazine.com. December 2003. Hill, Charles. International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005 Tseng, Wanda and Zebregs, Harm. Foreign Direct Investment in China: Some Lessons for Other Countries. International Monetary Fund, February 2002.

Chaim Potok’s My Name Is Asher Lev Novel Analysis

Chaim Potok's Asher Lev is a dual being trapped inside a little boy. On one side there is the family's beliefs, the religious traditions and his great ancestor role-model, who Asher is expected to take after, if not surpass. On the other, there is art encompassing the artist's emotions and portraying them in form more beautiful than anything else Asher has access to. These sides clash almost throughout â€Å"My Name is Asher Lev†, but even though those close to him teach, reinforce and often force religion and traditions on to him, art eventually prevails.Asher does not make the inevitable choice alone and even then there is no single choice to make. Instead, he squirms around the issue until his personality is fully formed with the help of the people around him, specifically, his mother and father, his mentor Jacob Kahn. The personality that he does form seems to be the best of both worlds in a world where dualism rules all. The first agent of change in Asher was his mother. Throughout the novel, she did her best to stay between her husband and her son, but still enforce Asher's abilities.If not for her interest and love towards Asher's drawings as well as their trips to the museum and her buying most of the art supplies, Asher would not have had the support he needed to go on instead of giving in to his heritage. Not only that, but Rivkeh was also Asher's muse. She was often the focus of most of his artwork, even being the centerpiece in his (for now) magnum opus – the two paintings of the crucifixion. In addition, she also gave Asher something to reach for: â€Å"You should make the world pretty, Asher† (Potok, 30), because at that time, Asher's drawings were the only beauty Rivkeh saw in life.Possibly the most obvious push for Asher was Jacob Kahn. Not only an art mentor, Kahn also shared his philosophy and views of religion. However, Asher took only the techniques to heart. He understood and acknowledged Kahn's viewpoint, but his silen ce during most of their discussions did not seem to be of a thoughtful nature. In the long run, Kahn did not seem to have much impact on the boy's morality and he soon started focusing more and more on producing art instead of religious meditation.Asher was not only influenced by Kahn's philosophy, but was also exposed to a world previously unknown to him: â€Å"Asher Lev, you are entering the wrong world† (Potok, 184). Asher did not take to the new world. He was a spirit, existing in the artists' world, but not being part of it. He was his own man, the same as his philosophy was his own, if a mix of the ones he's been exposed to and the ones which he acknowledged as being true. An unlikely force of change was Asher's father – Aryeh. Throughout the novel, he was nothing short of an impenetrable wall for Asher's ambition.Only a few glimmers of hope came up, when it seemed like he would be willing to accept his son's gift or, at least tolerate it, but something always ca me up between them and their relationship fell back to where it was or often even further. At the beginning of the story, it seemed like Aryeh's distaste and disapproval of Asher's drawings would be a forbidden fruit for the boy and actually make him want to evolve his gift further, but that was not the case. Every time his father scolded him, Asher compared his abilities with something that he perceived to come from the Other side, or abhorrent.However, Aryeh has a special role in the novel and that is comparison with a hint of hypocrisy. The reader first found out that Aryeh worked in an office arranging something on the telephone, often in another language. It later became apparent that Aryeh hated what he did and wished he could be out there, physically talking to people and helping them that way, instead of crammed up in an office building: â€Å"I should be there, not here. How can I spend my life talking on the telephone? Who can sit like this all day? (Potok, 29). It was al so made clear that he took the job upon request from the Rebbe. In fact, most of the family's important future decisions were made by the Rebbe. Where Aryeh's and Asher's situations start to seem familiar is that both men were doing something they loathed on the account of the Rebbe (as well as most people, in Asher's case). They both were expected to serve the Ribono Shel Olom in the way they were prescribed to and they both disliked it, wishing they could act upon their true calling.The difference lies in the fact that Aryeh was eventually allowed to act on his wish at the price of hurting his family by being so far away, while Asher hurt his family by disobeying their wishes and in most cases, being near. Asher does not make a complete transformation. Unlike what Aryeh believes, Asher does not seem like he will ever hang his kippah as he does still holds on to the traditions he has grown up with. His conflict was never with his beliefs but with what the ones closest to him percei ved a proper Jewish boy to be.Therefore, Asher does not leave his home without any regard to his faith. He accepts the Rebbe's wishes and does not hold any grudges; he simply does what the hierarchy demands, once more, not unlike when he was a child, leading to question whether Asher transformed at all. Asher Lev in Potok's novel My Name is Asher Lev does the impossible – he fused his religious beliefs and familial values with the artistic world of the Other side. He lives his life through his art by producing his deepest feelings onto canvas from the childish drawings of flowers, to his mother, to his painting of the crucifixion.The way he was taught and treated by those around him eventually shaped who he was, but instead of religion being a choice, it became an integral part and instead of art being a choice either, it turned into a goal. Asher never had a crippling choice to make, nor did he transform. He simply grew up with the values he was instill either by his family or by God and even though there were the few who pointed him in certain directions, he would never have turned out any different than he was.