Why should Amazonia be protected Essay Example

Why should Amazonia be protected? Essay The Amazonian rainforest is the worlds largest rainforest situated in Brazil of South America and consequently suffers the most deforestation in the world. It is home to about 20 million people, as well as approximately 60,000 plant species, 1,000 bird species and more than 300 mammal species. This rainforest area, also known as Amazonia, the Amazon jungle, or the Amazon Basin, encompasses seven million square kilometers (1.7 billion acres), in which its located within nine nations: Brazil (with 60 percent of the rainforest), Peru (with 13 percent of the rainforest), Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. The Amazon represents over half of the planets remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most species-rich area of tropical rainforest in the world; implementing the label of the most diverse ecosystem in the world. Rainforests are found in more than forty countries around the equator. Most of the rainforests are located in the tropics; which is from the Tropic of Capricorn, south of the equator, to the Tropic of Cancer, which is north of the equator. These rainforests can be found in parts of Brazil, Venezuela, the Amazon Basin, Zaire, Indonesia, the Neotropics in Brazil, Cherrapunki in India, Colombia, French Guinea, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Southeast Asia, Suriname, Douala in Cameroon, Costa Rica, New Guinea, the Philippines, Kenya, Borneo, Madagascar, Trinidad, Thailand, Australia, and Belize to name several examples. This is due to the yearly hot weather complimented with the wet humid climate ideal for plants all of species to thrive. We will write a custom essay sample on Why should Amazonia be protected? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why should Amazonia be protected? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why should Amazonia be protected? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Summary; The Amazon River Basin is home to the largest rainforest on Earth. The basin, roughly the size of the forty-eight contiguous United States, covers some 40% of the South American continent. It is only renowned as one of the wettest place on earth which inhibits over 50% of all the plants and animals in the world. Opposed from other numerous environmental conditions as well as past human influence; Amazonia is made up of a variety of ecosystems and vegetation types including rainforests, seasonal forests, deciduous forests, flooded forests, and savannas. It is extremely important for the allowance of the Amazonian rainforest to survive and be able to thrive. Climate; The rainforest climate is hot, wet and sticky very humid; so consequently it rains at roughly a set period of the day, every day. The rain comes down suddenly and stops just as suddenly. Which is renowned as convectional rainfall; meaning that the Sun heats the ground, which heats the air nearest the ground causing it to expand and rise. When the air gets to a certain height it condenses to dew point and forms clouds, then it rains with often occurrences of storms and thunder. Amazonia is truly a unique and diverse place, there is no place quite like it left in the world. Theres a constant year round temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit and receive anywhere from 160-400 inches of rain a year. Scientists believe it was these properties that protected the Rainforest during the mass extinction of the Dinosaurs 65 million years ago. The Amazon jungle is also of a great significance to the climate of the world because it absorbs very large amounts of carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere essential in preventing the recent phenomenon of global warming. Ecosystem; It would be expected that such a diverse ecosystem, humid and hot temperatures, would have rich soil but this is not the case. In fact the nutrient quality of the soil is extremely poor. The 80% of the Rainforest nutrients is held within the plants and leaves themselves. Therefore, all plants and trees have very short roots which are close to the surface as deciduous trees drop their leaves eventually which decompose with only the thinner roots are sent down through the rocks; as all the nutrients in the soil have simply been washed away. Other elements which create some necessary nutrients which is key to any vegetations survival are; fallen trees which take an age to decompose without the help of termites, and fungi on all types of trees. According to scientists the Amazonian rainforest is over millions of years old the worlds oldest and noted as the only original rainforest left, flourishing from the ages as far back as the dinosaurs. There are approximately 900 tones of plant matter in 1 hectare of the 688 million hectored rainforest, which helps contribute over 20% of the worlds oxygen supply, which is imperative for the survival of humans and all other living creatures a kind. Animals; There are an estimated 15,000 different kinds of Brazilian animals situated in the Amazonian rainforest. With over one third of the worlds population of animals, notably exotic animals which can only live in hotter and humid climates, endangering these animals from such acts as deforestation will only strain the Earths natural characteristics food chains could be destroyed leading to a mass number of other extinct animals, nothing could be done by us to bring these animals back. Though preserving the complex beauty of nature is important. The animals, plants and the elements of the world form a tight and delicate ecological balance. Medicines; The Amazonian rainforest has many different plants that can be used as herbal medicines. Some of the most important medicines come from the Amazon where some have been used for hundreds and hundreds of years. These plants can be deadly if taken in large doses, but in small doses they can be very helpful. They can be used to cure headaches, skin irritation, high blood pressures, and many other diseases. Therefore, destroying the rainforest is like destroying the hope of any cures of deadly illnesses and diseases. Could cancer really be cured? The Amazonian rainforest is the only place that can answer that common question. Hydrological Cycle; Increasing amounts of deforestation can reduce transpiration of moisture into the atmosphere, weakening water recycling and causing local climate drying. This results in a dramatic change in the ecosystem, as a consequence from a less humid rainforest; plants and animals of all species may die as there is no where they can migrate. Plus another problem of which the surface floor is substantially warming; destroying the original composition of the rainforest which can create global effects/disasters. Scientists have suggested that the rising problems of deforestation can cause changes in the North Atlantic and European storm tracks; producing considerable cooling in southern Europe and warming across parts of Asia in winter. Indigenous People; Indigenous, or native, people have lived in rainforests for many thousands of years which they still regard as there home. Indigenous people admire the forest which, until the present, has protected them from outsiders and given them everything they need to survive alike their ancestors. They live in what is called a sustainable existence, meaning they use the land without doing harm to the plants and animals. Although indigenous people have lived on their lands for thousands of years, they dont actually own it, as they have not filed for ownership deeds of the land and do not possess a title with the Brazilian government. From once living alone from any other human interference, in harmony, the natives natural knowledge of the rainforest has considerably changed as an act from deforestation (making their territories smaller). Indigenous groups are beginning to fight for their land at a last remorse; most often through peaceful demonstrations. Meaning they have to somehow interact with members of the Brazilian society who normally speak the common Portuguese language. But some of their actions may cause them to be arrested or even to lose their lives. But they know that if they take no action, their land and culture could be lost forever. Natural resources; Deforestation is the cause of destruction to the Amazonian rainforest, in which it is rapidly becoming the most reliable method for access to resources such as wood. The countries of Amazonia are poor, less developed countries that rely on the resources of the Amazon jungle to become richer, more developed countries. However, some people think that they can only do this by destroying the rainforest forever but if they were to now, their profits would not be as great as foreging for a sustainable income like rubber trees etc. The trees of the rainforest can be sold for wood (timber). This timber is in great demand in economically developed countries like Britain, Japan and USA. Accordingly, as it is in great demand, there are many advantages as well as disadvantages of the deforestation of the trees in the Amazon; the countries become richer, but if all the trees were cut down now the world may bewitness a worldwide spread of devastation. Mining tin ore is considered an easier trade to retrieve from its original state in Amazonia, compared to efforts in other mines across the world. The rainforests earth does not consist of a hard rocky substance; thorough decades of weathering and scorching hot heat blasting the ground, the tin ore can be removed easily with a hose propelling water at a high pressure. The tradesmen extracting these substances have a realtively simple job afterwards forgening through the rubble to find the ore in which they sell to wealthy businessmen and companies, usually from other countries. Mines eventually become bare of their natural resources, so no more tin ore can be obtained they are regarded as useless and therefore abandoned. These mines dont contain any soil nutrients as they have been washed away, so vegetation doesnt grow back once again. Other mines are then setup in different areas. As mining for tin ore is a realtively simple process with high profits, especially compared to other local jobs like farming etc, more Brazilians are changing their occupation, so areas of the rainforest are being destroyed to be replaced with mines/quarrys. The rainforest aslo contains hgih traces and amounts of gold ore, which has a far higher value than tin. However, the gold mining exploration at this present time is realtively small so the amount of abandoned mines is close to none. Locals; Tribes/indigenous people There are still a lot of tribes that still remained untouched in the Amazonian rainforest, continuing to do so up until the present day. The Yanomami tribe is renowned as the up most largest and dominate tribe. Choosing to live in isolation, a distance figure from the rest of the world, many tribes are still undiscovered. Each tribe is marginally different from their culture to traditions but they all survive from living with the forest, a dominant but humble part of the ecosystem; living alongside nature without threatening any serious harm. But increasing concerns of the amount of forest cover left in the Brazils sector of Amazonia is leaving the locals in jeopardy. Their way of life is changing due to the effects from deforestation the way in which they live is meaning they have to adapt. Tribes have to defend their territory from tree loggers, but they will have to eventually move and find new homes; relocating to areas theyve never seen before, away from the homes that their an cestors have lived in for hundreds of years. Tribes are actually being inprisoned in the rainforest; never to have access to modern health care, or modern dentistry. Theyre denied a life span of anything longer than 30 or 40 years. No access to modern farming, and agricultural developments that would improve their lives substantially. Even though their habitat is decreasing in size their lack of knowledge from the outsde world is restricting them to evolve, into a modern cizilization. National; Resources Some natural resources in the rainforest cant be found in many places around the rest of the world. Mahogany trees for example. Various foreign companies attempt to secure the services of the local people to retrieve these resources. In a summary, these rare resources make Brazil an important country, which can possibly become more economically dominant; the huge country is obviously unique compared to any other, apprehending great potential. The indifferent climate and sheer amount of trees offer an easy income to the Brazilian civilization. Unfortunately, as wood (timber) is in a great demand all over the world and there still is over 3million kmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ of rainforest left, thriving with a variety of tree species, deforestation is a chronic phenomenon. In which it is true; if the entire rainforest were to be cut down now Brazil would be extremely wealthy, but the planet will suffer from a lack of oxygen, deprived of any more rare natural resources. Brazil however, has an option of sustainable development in which the civilization can survive irrespectively, and the country as a whole can expand its economic structure. The Brazilian government has the ability to prevent deforestation and introduce sustainable regimes, like rubber tapping, so in the future the country will have a solid, wealthier foundation to continue develop. Brazilian Doctors If the Amazonian rainforest were to be demolished completely, undiscovered medicines will be lost forever. The medicines that have already been extracted are important to the local doctors, as, they possess medication that can only be found in that region of the Earth making it highly expensive. The medicines are vital for the human civilizations that inhabit Amazonia; their quality of life is low and difficult. Their lifestyles are based mainly on surviving in which they cannot receive basic health care as the government cant simply afford it. The Brazilian doctors who posses these medicines are then able to farm these organic harvests, to sell to companies around the world. This proves the significance of the medicines, to the financial and economic structure and development of the country (not just the people who live there). Conservationists The Amazonian rainforest is most diverse ecosystem on the planet; containing wildlife and vegetation only inhabited in the nine nations. Conservationists from MEDCs like the United States also live in the rainforest, but not on a permanent basis. As tourists themselves, most collect data on the jungles bio-diverse nature for their own logic and knowledge in their spare time. They are continuously exploring new ways and ideas to protect the wildlife, so that the locals are capable of living alongside animals, in harmony. Therefore, the further amount of volunteers that participate in these projects, the more the popularity of trekking in the Amazonia grows. Ecotourism, from mainly such conservationists, will then be able to offer the countries of the rainforest a sustainable income. In which the importance of preserving the rainforest increases from the tourists whove visited. This will undoubtedly offer jobs for the locals aswell; acting as guides or captains on boats, as examples, developing the variation of employment in Amazonia (instead of cattle ranching or farming), just through the inquisitive conservationists, trying to save the wildlife. Global; Governments from other countries (scientists) Governments from other countries are pressuring Brazil in particular to but an end to deforestation in a vein attempt to prevent global warming. The Brazilian government expects to receive donations from other countries to help protect their area of rainforest. Thats why theyve established the Amazon Fund earlier this year to promote sustainable use of Earths largest rainforest. Norway has pledged to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars per year to rainforest protection in an effort to slow greenhouse gas emissions that result from deforestation. But this has put Brazil under scrutiny as Norways the only country to offer a substantial amount of money. Their government is criticized by some European countries, and America, for relying on donations rather than marketing mechanisms for avoiding deforestation. But these countries, along with the consumers demands from around the world, buy a high proportion of the products produced from the rainforest, like wooden furniture. These are the key drivers of rainforest destruction in Brazil. Therefore, the governments of other countries are only interested in the welfare of the rainforest for the future of the worlds survival. Doctors Doctors from around the world would benefit from researching various plants in Amazonia, some still remain undiscovered. Doctors from MEDCs, who had once visited the rainforest found that common diseases and illness, unlikely to be fatal, were easily cured from digesting some form of vegetation without any modification; for example, the milk cut open from a papaya fruit would help with indigestion. Doctors, around the world, believe that there are locked assortments of yet undiscovered medicines, (regulating plant and animal life that could enrich the health of humans). This theory stands as Amazonia is the richest area of diversity on the globe, with such a variation in forms of life, which have been there for hundreds of years. The forest plants are vital resources for the eradication of diseases; they hold the potential to cure such cancers and maybe diseases that will inflict mammals in the future. This is why the biggest of the 80% remaining rainforest areas in the world must be preserved intact, helping them all to flourish again. The future health and welfare of humanity may well be determined by the fate of these rainforests. History: Approximately 7,000 medical compounds from Amazonia were examined, identified and prescribed to Americans in 1985 their retail value was an estimated $43 billion. Showing just how important the rainforest is, even over 20 years ago. Environmentalists Environmentalists are organizations that are involved in issues relating to the protection of the natural world, in which they are against the harmful effects of industrialized societies. In this particular incident, it is that those who are against the developed civilizations that produce waste gases. What is global warming?; The ozone layer, full of greenhouse gases, acts as a protective layer from the suns rays. It allows light and some heat into the Earths atmosphere which is enough to warm the entire globe. But some heat bounces back against the ground, attempting to escape back into the atmosphere, which it would normally be able to do. But with more greenhouse gases to absorb the heat inside the Earths global temperature increases. The effects of global warming; Carbon dioxide, a gas that vegetation (trees basically) respire and produce energy with their leaves from photosynthesis, causes 9-26% of the greenhouse gas effect which is notably the second highest of all the gases. Behind that of water vapour with 36-70% which cannot be controlled or altered by human activity, unlike the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide which can be increased. This is why the amounts of carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases must be restricted to a minimum. As otherwise the heat of the Earths atmosphere will lead to the melting of the ice caps; leading to global flooding. Moreover, without preserving the trees of Amazonia, and all over the world in fact, the amount of carbon dioxide in atmosphere will also lead to the heating of the Earth, causing the same devastating effect. Achieving the right balance of the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can only be altered by human activity. Consequently environmentalists try to address the public about the growing concerns of global warming, pressure governments to decrease the amount of CO2 their countries produce and investigate how to prevent the ice caps from melting.

Language Acquisition Theories and How It Influences Teaching

Language Acquisition Theories and How It Influences Teaching Free Online Research Papers Language Acquisition Theories and How It Influences Teaching I have decided that only a few of the theories that in this book and some of the websites I have reviewed, relate to my teaching experiences. My students have more severe disabilities which interfere with communication processing as well as language development. Most of their communication skills are severely limited. My students require constant visual cues to help them focus on what the speaker is trying to communicate; otherwise sensory distractions would cause them confusion. I thought I wouldn’t find a theory in this text that would relate to my students. Instead after reading the text, I have found a few of the theories that did seem to influence how I teach my students daily. I also found the Theories of Language Acquisition web article to be helpful with understanding language acquisition. I still feel that when a teacher is working with students with autism who come from backgrounds where English is not spoken can be a frustrating experience. Students with autism require a consistent, repetitive, instructional routine. They do not process information when it is given in many different techniques. They are slower at processing in formation and many of them are non-verbal which interferes with understanding. They also lack generalization which means that they have to be re-taught the same skill in a totally new environment. A language acquisition theory that stands out with me personally is Hymes’ Theory of Communicative Performance (Diaz-Rico p. 55). He says that â€Å"the use of language in the social setting is important in language performance.† (55). I am fortunate to have some verbal students but they speak very simple 1-2 phrases at the most. I have to use visual prompts with them to help them focus on what they are attempting to communicate. I can relate to this theory because the main focus of my program is to get my students to learn to communicate their individual needs in a more socially acceptable and understandable manner. In addition, it helps them understand that language is a form to allow other people help them with their basic needs. Another theory I relate to in my teaching is Krashen’s Monitor Model of language Acquisition (56). The Acquisition-Learning Theory Hypothesis is what my students mostly relate to because he says that â€Å"Acquisition is subconscious, and occurs via natural interaction. Learning requires effort and conscious though. This occurs via formal instruction, like that provided in a classroom (Vose).† I teach my students how to use language in appropriate contexts and how to communicate effectively using the classroom as the place to learn. Another theory is the Acculturation/Pidginization Theory which assumes that the degree of proficiency of language is â€Å"determined by how much a student’s learning the target language is willing to assimilate to the culture of the target language group (Vose).† Even though most of my LEP students come from backgrounds that their second language is Spanish, my students speak or communicate through English in my classroom. They unders tand that if they attempt to use English which is the target language in my classroom, they will be successful in learning this language. I have only a few students who have the ability to actually speak somewhat fluently which does help. The Discourse Theory is another theory that I can relate to as well. This theory emphasizes that learners acquire a second language usually more successfully by participating and communicating with others in a more natural setting (Vose). Most of my students are taught in a community setting where they can learn to use some of the language that I have taught in the classroom. They learn that a â€Å"city bus† is the bus that you pay to ride to take you around the community and not only a bus that will bring you to school. They also learn various survival signs that are in the community as well. This is probably the most influential of theories that my students would have to relate to more than the classroom settings. My students are learning functional skills such as learning to socialize, be around new people, and learn about community places as well. They learn skills such as the use of money and learning to purchase items as well. Students with autism benefit from being taught these skills in a more natural setting which allow them to generalize and transfer these skills into other environments. References Diaz-Rico, L., Weed, K. (2006). The cross cultural language and academic development handbook: a complete k-12 reference guide. Third ed. Boston: Pearson. Vose, K. (n.d.). Some theories of second language acquisition. Retrieved Feb. 05, 2006, from Language Acquisition in Adults Web site: richmond.edu/~pli/projects/project4/kvmain.html. Research Papers on Language Acquisition Theories and How It Influences TeachingStandardized TestingAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeOpen Architechture a white paperHip-Hop is ArtComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andQuebec and CanadaThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThree Concepts of Psychodynamic

International business Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International business - Movie Review Example Later in a staff meeting, Sam Rogers (Kevin spacey) reveals to the remaining employees that the company only sacked the underperforming staff thus retaining its best employees as he says, †they were good people and good at their jobs, but you were better. †.When working hours are over, Peter stays behind to work on the unfinished project as the other employees go to celebrate that they haven’t been sacked. Upon completion, he realizes that their firm is hanging on a whisker in the market. He contacts Will (his supervisor) who looks at the findings and calls his boss Sam. Seeing that he can’t handle that big an issue, Sam calls his superiors to an emergency meeting through the night, while at the same time a helicopter brings in the CEO John Tuld (Jeremy irons).Two opinions come to motion as they discuss which actions to take. Jared Cohen (Simon Baker) thinks they should sell all the available firms toxic assets when it’s still early since the market d oes not know of their worthlessness, because as they figured would soon know as opposed to Sam’s strong objection. This opinion is also shared by John Tuld. However, it is john’s mandate to decide which opinion to implement. It’s revealed that Sarah Robinson (Demi Moore) who is the chief risk management officer tried to warn John of the current matter about a year ago, an opinion which he declined. Will and Seth are sent to get Eric who has now arrived at his place. Against his will, Sam implements John’s strategy when the market opens. Sarah and Eric sit in a room earning lots of cash the whole day until the market closes. Sam decides to resign but john talks him into staying for 24 more months, while Peter is promoted. After all, they just survived another financial day as usual. In the final end it all comes back to the main business objective:†survival and

Play and Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Play and Work - Essay Example Really, the working process usually brings much pleasure. As for me, I work to realize my abilities, feel myself significant, not to lose time. The given paper will prove that even the richest people can’t do without everyday work. How do we benefit from work? First of all, work teaches people how to be responsible. This explains why children from comfortable families are eager to work. They want to hold the responsibility for their future and do not want to account only on their parents. The sense of responsibility helps us build a happy family. A person who is not responsible for his/her own life will not be able to become responsible for the family, thus his/her family will not be strong and happy. Moreover, the sense of responsibility of the countries’ citizens is the guarantee of state’s thriving and prosperity. The word â€Å"work† is the antonym to the word â€Å"idleness†, and we know what consequences idleness may have. Even if a person has money and may not work for it, he/she still should take effort to make the money work for him/her. This is also a work that will not allow this person to appear without a penny one day. When a person is doing nothing, it leads to wastefulness and wastefulness in its turn leads to poverty. There are many examples that testify that idleness is destructive. Any amount of money can be easily spent during a short period of time. Thus, even the richest people prefer to work rather than doing nothing. Furthermore, many rich ones know pretty well that it is not very easy to become rich, thus they do their best to save their money and the only way to save it is to continue working. The work helps us be healthy and in a good shape. When we do not work, we are degrading and our personality is not developing. We need constant practice in order to keep the knowledge we once gained. That is why old people prefer to work even after retirement. They do not want to lose the skills and knowledge. Ol d people also state that working after retirement help them feel young and healthy. Every work is beneficial. Unfortunately, in our society people prefer to respect only intellectual work. It is valued high and, thus, brings more money. Certainly, intellectual work demands getting an appropriate education, therefore many people do their best and sacrifice much in order to receive a good education. However, I consider manual work to be not less important. In the article "brains as well as brawn" Mike Rose talks about the injustice that presents in our society. The author shares the feelings he had watching a carpenter working: â€Å"I am watching a carpenter install a set of sliding French doors in a tight wall space. He stands back, surveying the frame, imagining the pieces as he will assemble them. What angle is required to create a threshold that will shed water? Where might the sliding panels catch or snag? How must the casings be remade to match the woodwork in the rest of the room? And how can he put it all together fast enough and smart enough to make his labor pay?† (Rose 337). Here we can see that the work of carpenter is really difficult and unique, it demands much efforts. Unfortunately, nobody thinks about it and nobody notices his work. In our modern world everybody wants to become an economist, a manager, a translator, but there are few people who value manual work. We prefer to value the work of accountant or a doctor, but never notice the work of, for example, a waitress and the number of tasks she has to implement:

Rabelais and Montaigne Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rabelais and Montaigne - Essay Example This is especially so as they give credence to art in its natural state where a lot of description and opinion, but which seek to indulge into inquiry. Even so, to argue that renaissance writers were only interested in theory may be a misconception. This paper shall assess the above claims under the thesis statement: early renaissance writers and characters appreciated theoretical generalizations and pragmatic action in equal measure. To do so, this paper shall focus on selected readings of the above scholars in an attempt to prove this position. The paper will also offer a counter argument through the lens of an alternative interpretation especially where ambiguity leaves room for multiple understandings of the texts. An Analysis of Depictions of Pragmatic Action versus Theoretical Generalizations To begin with, Book 1, the introduction offers a bit of the author’s background. One may notice that the fact that he threw himself at the movement of the Renaissance (Rabelais and Raffel 5). He is depicted as having acquired both the Latin antiquity knowledge as well as the Greek forms of knowledge. Raffel writes, â€Å"Almost all the elements which are united in Rabelais’ style are known from the later Middle Ages (Preface page X). It is observable that since the author lived at the intersection of two historical periods, it was inevitable that he was affected by the mannerisms and beliefs of those times. It is also observable that Rabelais did not always write in the same fashion (Rabelais and Raffel 12). Analyses of chapters 52-58 reveal some perceptions of the renaissance writers and characters about religion and logic. There was a lot of attention given to theory. For example, Rabelais says, â€Å"If one of the gallants of ladies should say, let us drink, they would all drink.† This depicts a situation in which the society did not assess keenly how practically their actions could affect other things around them. For instance, Rabelais†™s work reveals in this chapter that the society perceived women as incapable of religious service. When the monk asks Gargantua what a good â€Å"a woman that is neither fair not good† serves, Gargantua replies that she should make a nun (Rabelais and Raffel 127). The monk agrees to this. One may observe that these renaissance characters depict religious principles were still important to the society. These show to theoretical approach to life. Besides, there is a lot of description of the abbey of the Thelemites, particularly in regard to how it was built. The author takes his time to describe the abbey, as was the common practice in romanticism. Rabelais’s says this of the abbey in chapter 52, â€Å"In the midst there was a wonderful scalier or winding stair, the entry whereof was without a house, in a vault or arch six fathom abroad.† He also engages in detailed description, a characteristic of theoretical life. he says in chapter 54, â€Å"Stay here, you lively, jovial, handsome, brisk, gay, witty, frolic, cheerful, merry, frisk, spruce, jocund, courteous, furtherer of trades, and in a word, all worthy gentle blades. This approach to life combines what one would call emerging pragmatism against a fading romanticism. Rabelais observes in what he termed a prophetical riddle, that â€Å"they will say that everyman should have his turn† (Rabelais and Raffel 137) to imply the births of human rights in the post renaissance period. He also continues with theoretical appro

Homelessness Policies in the UK and Their Effects

Homelessness Policies in the UK and Their Effects Introduction The issue of homelessness and poverty in general are alwaswill always be on the forefront of national legislation. Although there have been recent claims from as far back as 2005 that homelessness is in slow decline within the United Kingdom, statistics do not necessarily support these claims. This specific policy analysis will seek to address several foundational questions on the issue of homelessness within the United Kingdom. The focus of this analysis will be to assess the current homelessness situation within the United Kingdom, detail past and present policies and their impact upon the homelessness problem and propose possible solutions to these problems. The key questions that will be answered include: How many homeless are their in the United Kingdom? What are current and past policy decisions within this arena? What are the impact of these policies and their implementation? What proposed remedies are there to the homelessness situation? Background Statistics on the reality of the homelessness situation within the United Kingdom is extremely difficult to assess. The transient nature of the homeless population makes them difficult to track especially with the number of people who sleep in living rooms, squatters, and other times of temporary accommodations. Current the most accurate statistics on homelessness comes from the 1996 Housing Act, which defines â€Å"statutory homelessness† or people who apply for homelessness assistance with local authorities and who fit under the current legislative definition of homelessness. Between 2005 and 2006, there has been 193,690 households who have applied for assistance under the Housing Act. From that population only 139,760 were found to be â€Å"legally† homeless under the statutory definition (Housing and the Homeless, 2005). The same study found that 93,910 households were under temporary assistance by June of 2006. From statutory homelessness statistics, many politicia ns have argued that homelessness as an institutional problem is declining. Although these statements are supported by statistics, the reality is that much of homelessness is hidden and unaccounted for. First, there is a large segment of the homeless population who are â€Å"rough sleeping†, this can be loosely defined as individuals who are sleeping in public areas and out of doors. Rough sleepers are extremely difficult to track and through last official counts numbers at 502 in London alone (Homelessness, 2005). Another method of tracking homelessness is through supported accommodations, specifically within hostels. The majority of hostels accept the homeless, current figures place supported accommodations at under 47,000 household units (Homelessness Pages, 2006). The most difficult of all of these categories to track are the â€Å"hidden homeless†. The majority of these homeless individuals who do not show up in official figures, either because they have never appl ied for housing before, do not qualify under legal definitions, families that find temporary solutions for this problem, or squatters. The level of hidden homelessness is especially troubling because the inability to accurately measure their number prevents the government from promoting legislation to meet this social problem. The New Policy Institute conducted research on this issue in 2003. They estimated that there are currently anywhere between 310,000 and 380,000 hidden homeless people within the United Kingdom. Current legislation on homelessness can be accounted for in the Housing Act of 1996 and the Homelessness Act of 2002, both of which attempts to deal with the homelessness. The Housing Act of 1996 was the first official recognition of the homelessness problem. It went as far as to provide a legal â€Å"statutory† definition of homelessness and provided specific agendas for housing allocation among the homeless, placing the responsibility of housing assistance upon local authorities. This policy was a major step to recognizing the problem, however it is was extremely ineffective in its intended purpose. As the above statistics indicate, the majority of the homelessness cannot be easily tracked and do not formally submit requests for governmental aid. AT the same time, many homeless were not eligible under the Housing Act and thus were left unaccounted for. National statistics showed that the homeless problem was declining, by the late 1990s, however, the reality of the situation was that the majority of the homeless were merely left unreported. To confront the new challenges posed by the Housing Act, the Homelessness Act of 2002 was passed. The Homelessness Act has been hailed as a sweeping reform of homelessness and a long term implementation of solutions for this problem. It’s focus has been on placing emphasis on local authorities to review homelessness within their localities, local implementation and review of strategies, and reforms within the framework of how councils themselves allocate housing. Several key changes to the Homeless Act was that it broadened both the definition of homelessness since the Housing Act, and also broadened the responsibilities of local authorities as well. The definition was extended to including those over the age of sixteen, rough sleeping, as well as a formal attempt to find families under temporary housing arrangements. Although this policy has much broader application and resources, it still is an insufficient response to the current state of homelessness. Currently local authorities lack integration with national level agencies to respond to the problems of homelessness, t he lack of coordination on a national level with local agencies causes â€Å"red-tape† delays that often allow homeless families to be left without aid. Another key area is that this policy lacks support provisions, local authorities do not necessarily have the capacities to assess circumstances and implement an operational strategy to provide temporary and permanently housing for those in need. Finally, the Housing Act does not provide a full implementation methodology for solving local area homelessness because they lack the resources and working knowledge to tackle this problem. Findings Current understanding of homelessness is limited because of the inability of government agencies to account for all homeless populations. Large number of unidentified and unaccounted for homelessness within the UK Policies within this arena are not specific enough to deal with the current crisis There is a need for bi-lateral and multi-agency cooperation for progressive problem solving Local support and operations services are lacking because of resource and knowledge limitations Preventive measures are not fully implementable, the root problem of homelessness are not being dealt with Conclusion The only way to provide for definitive solutions for the homelessness crisis to extend our current understanding of the limits of the homelessness problem. Data collection and definitional analysis of homelessness is severely lacking and progress needs to be made at a local level. While certain policy provisions have been enacted to help this problem, the reality is that the Homelessness Act of 2002 have done little to curb the core problems of homelessness. There are many other policy considerations: Provide provisions for mult-agency collaboration to provide for a support network between national and local authorities. Create comprehensive support system for local authorities to operationally provide temporary housing and assistance to those in need. Create a preventive taskforce to understand core of homelessness within local communities and to operationally eliminate these problems. References Policy and information. Homeless Link. 25 July 2007 http://www.homeless.org.uk/policyandinfo>. Homelessness Act Implementation. Homelessness Act 2002. 25 July 2007  http://www.homelessnessact.org.uk/index.cfm?message=Please%20register%20as%20a%20member%20to%20access%20this%20page%20or%20contact%20Shelter%20for%20more%20information%2EfrmLinkpage=%2FReviews%2Findex%2D7%2Df0%2Ecfm>. Housing and Homelessness. Homelessness Pages. 25 July 2007 http://www.homelesspages.org.uk/faqs/..%5Cprods%5Cproducts.asp?prid=218>. Homelessness Act 2002 Homelessness Pages. 25 July 2007 http://www.homelesspages.org.uk/faqs/..%5Cprods%5Cproducts.asp?prid=218>. Local authorities and the homelessness act. Shelter. 25 July 2007 http://england.shelter.org.uk/policy/policy-960.cfm>.

Bob Dylan :: essays research papers

Bob Dylan As a child Dylan was comfortable being the center of attention, often writing creative poetry for his mother and on occasion singing. Dylan had no formal music lessons, but none the less he began to compose. Later at age 14, he took up the guitar and shortly after formed a band, one of many he played the guitar in. Always plunging ahead, performing to his up most potentional, Dylan absorbed his surroundings as a source of inspiration. Even during his early efforts Dylan responded very positivly to mainstream musicians, such as country star Hank Williams. Yet, he responded especially well to early rock stars such as Little Richard, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. In the summer of 1959, after graduation Dylan began to work at a cafe, where he began to pay increasing attention to folksingers such as Judy Collins and Jesse Fuller. Finding an instant connection with their songs, songs relevant to social issues. Dylan was drawn into both the musical style and the social message of these indivisuals. In 1959 he left for college, but instead of consentrating on his studies he devoted himself to his music. He sang wherever he could, his performance style, a nasal tone with annunciation problems sometimes drew applause while other times critisism, yet this would later became his trademark sound. It was also around this time when he began performing with a guitar and harmonica. It was during his performing days in Dinkytown that the young Bob Zimmerman first began using Bob Dylan as his stage name. No clear reason can be assertained for the choice of Dylan. Whatever its source, the name gave him a public image distinct from his Jewish heritage, enhancing his already growing career. Beyond this, an influential figure stepped into the light in his life. Woody Guthrie, a dieing folksinger emerged, consuming Dyaln's attention. After Guthries death in 1967 Dyaln adopted his styles of: a rough, hagard voice with guitar accompaniment in a folk music orientation. By the end of 1960 Bob Zimmerman made his final step into becoming Bob Dylan, the last stage in his early life. He decided to move to New York, to try to make it "big".