The Fast Food industry

Introduction People keep talking about negative effects of fast food on people’s health. Lots of people claim that the growth of the rate of obese people correlates with the growth of fast food chains in the region. For instance, it is now believed that the American ways and lifestyles are spreading worldwide which leads to the increase of obese people (â€Å"Globesity† n.p.).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Fast Food industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the same time, there are people who agree that fast food restaurant chains contribute to the change of lifestyles and eating behaviors, but they are not totally responsible (Zollinger-Read n.p.). It is possible to consider a number of central issues concerning fast food to understand whether fast food industry is totally responsible for the change in eating behaviors and lifestyles. Fast Food Harms People’s Health Admittedly, lots of people find fast food tasty and quite cheap. Hence, it is an easy way to eat as one does not need to spend time cooking and washing up. Therefore, fast food saves a lot of time, which is really important for a contemporary hectic life. However, they often ignore the fact that this food contains a lot of calories. It has been acknowledged that fast food restaurants have come up with less fatty foods, but they are still far from being healthy due to fatty sauces (Zollinger-Read n.p.). Moreover, people often do not even realize the amount of calories they consume. Fast Food Affects People’s Lifestyles It is also believed that fans of fast food restaurants are often prone to unhealthy lifestyles as these people consume a lot of calories but do not take enough exercise. People also believe that the fast food industry heavily markets its products and promotes unhealthy lifestyles (Schlosser 9). Thus, people of the first part of the twentieth century used to eat at home and have active lives, but contemporary people do not have time to live healthier. Fast Food Industry Is not Solely Responsible Of course, the fast food industry uses media to market its products and many people say that it is wrong as these commercials make people live unhealthy lives (Schlosser 46). However, it follows that media share this responsibility. Obviously, media have become an important tool of affecting people’s choices. Some people say that officials should affect the spread of fast food restaurants as they are harmful (Schlosser 244). Nonetheless, fast food restaurants are not something people are forced to attend. There are lots of smokers in the world even though all people know about the harm of smoking. Likewise, it is well known that fast food is harmful but people still make their choice and eat it. Thus, people are the ones who are solely responsible for their eating habits and lifestyles.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we ca n help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion Therefore, it is important to understand that fast food industry is not solely responsible for the change. It is possible to note that popularity and unprecedented success of the fast food industry is a reflection of trends existing in the society. People try to save time, and they stop cooking and eating at home as it is faster, cheaper and easier to get some food from a local fast food restaurant. Of course, fast food industry has certain impact on people’s eating habits, but still each person is responsible for his/her health. Works Cited Globesity: US Junk Food Industry Tips Global Scales 2013. Web. https://www.rt.com/usa/us-obesity-food-global-regulation-551/. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. Print. Zollinger-Read, Paul. â€Å"Is It Time Fast Food Restaurants Became More Responsible?† The Guardian 5 J uly 2013. Web. This essay on The Fast Food industry was written and submitted by user Rosemary Wolfe 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.

Fixes for Ambiguous Headlines

Fixes for Ambiguous Headlines Fixes for Ambiguous Headlines Fixes for Ambiguous Headlines By Mark Nichol Headlines that can be read more than one way, or that contain a confusing or erroneous element, have been a source of amusement for journalists and newshounds and of consternation for the perpetrators since the dawn of written mass communication, but anyone who writes or edits should be aware of the dangers of careless headline writing. Here are several headlines that prompt a double take. 1. â€Å"Gadhafi Forces Retreat† This could be interpreted as meaning â€Å"Gadhafi compelled rebels to retreat† or â€Å"Gadhafi’s military units were compelled to retreat† two readings about as diametrically opposed as possible. Space is often a consideration in print publications, requiring verbal shortcuts and curt words, but â€Å"Gadhafi’s Forces Retreat† or â€Å"Gadhafi Forces Foes to Retreat,† depending on the intended message, adds no more than a few characters. 2. â€Å"Second Toddler Found in Pool Also Dies at Hospital† This headline reads as if the toddler died twice once in the pool, and then again at the hospital. The explanation that two toddlers had been retrieved from a pool, and that one had already died at the hospital, should be introduced in the article, not in the headline. The solution is to not attempt to make a reference to the first toddler at all: â€Å"Second Toddler Found in Pool Dies at Hospital.† 3. â€Å"Retiring Police Officer’s Novel Tactics† This headline can be read three ways, listed in increasing order of likelihood: 1) â€Å"A shy police officer’s unusual tactics,† 2) â€Å"A police department is ceasing to use a police officer’s unusual tactics,† and 3) â€Å"Unusual tactics of a police officer about to retire.† (The headline could also be referring to a full-length work of fiction perhaps the officer, now retired from law enforcement, is applying his or her knowledge of police tactics to the plot of a novel but that misreading is unlikely.) The headline’s intended meaning is the third one, and though no one is likely to assume otherwise, the ambiguity is nevertheless distracting. â€Å"Novel Tactics of a Retiring Police Officer† has only three more characters and spaces than the original headline, and although retiring could still be misconstrued as referring to a personality trait rather than cessation of a career, that’s a stretch; the inverted word order makes the context clearer, diminishing the probability of initial confusion. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire YouFive Spelling Rules for "Silent Final E"Drama vs. Melodrama

Racial segregation in schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Racial segregation in schools - Essay Example This case had been by parents of Topeka city and called for the Board of Education to reverse racial segregation since educational in these schools were unequal (Miller, 3). The Mendez case of 1947 challenged segregation in education successfully. It involved Mexican-American California farmers who took their children to a local school but were rejected by the administration (Straum, 1). The parents had to take their children to a separate school reserved for Mexican Americans. The Plessy case legalized the establishment of separate schools for different races. These schools were supposed to have equal facilities but the races would never mix. The Brown and Mendez cases challenged racial segregation in the educational sector in Kansas and California states. Racial segregation in the education center has existed for several years since the legalization of separate public facilities in the ruling of the Plessy vs. Ferguson case. Racial segregation is a violation of the Fourteenth const itutional amendment that gives every child the full protection by the law. The separate public facilities were supposed to have equal resources. ... These conditions undermine student achievement and can be blamed for the small number of Latinos and Africans in higher learning institutions (Camille and Siebens, 5). White schools have qualified teachers, appropriate learning materials and environment, and adequate facilities. According to the educational report, majority of the students in colleges and universities are white (Camille and Siebens, 4). Blacks and Latinos have the lowest number in the overall number of citizens who have a bachelor’s degree, masters, doctorate or professional degree. This can be termed as the racial opportunity gap that disadvantages African American and Latino students. Asians have the highest percentage of people with bachelors, masters, professional, and doctorate degrees among nonwhite citizens. This opportunity gap greatly undermines the educational and career life chances of California Black and Latin students. This crisis can be attributed to under qualified teachers, little access to le arning materials, and few instruction days due to overcrowding. Racially segregated schools have lower API scores compared to those recorded in white schools. The state emphasizes the use of standards-based tests to evaluate schools, which requires sophisticated teaching, learning materials, and uncrowded school buildings (ULCA, pp.8). According to Strum, segregated education is damaging to Mexican-American children on the grounds of psychological, social, and pedagogical costs (Strum, 1). The struggle between Mendez and Westminster provided Latinos with equal educational opportunities in public schools. These students were considered to be white but experience a language deficiency. The ULCA report indicates that most segregated schools have few text books and

Cultural Differences and Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cultural Differences and Justice - Essay Example From a social science perspective, the term refers to an individual's subjective perceptions of whether or not he/she is treated fairly (Markovsky, 1985 in Mueller and Mulinge, 2002). It is likewise important to consider that justice pertains to the application of a normative rule to the allocation of resources to recipients (ibid). It is important to examine these subjective perceptions of justice and injustice since individuals' understanding affects their attitudes and perceptions of the subject. Since cultural differences may alter a group's perception on what is just and what is not, it then implies that people's actions and approaches to these actions on the given subject also vary. The perception and understanding of justice is different in various nations and cultures, thus there is a need to focus on cultural differences when attempting to understand how a particular group views this concept. It must be noted that the concept of justice has not only emerged from levels of individual issues but also from levels of group or collective issues (Hayashi and Sekiguchi, 2006, p. 207). This is where the importance of how a group perceives the concept of justice and injustice takes place. It is from this multi-level perception that this paper considers describing how cultural differences alter understanding of injustice and approaches to justice. Collective justice perception is tended to be viewed to have associations with group-oriented cultures such as India. It connotes whether a group as a whole is treated fairly within the organisation and how such understanding of justice alters their view of said treatment (Hayashi and Sekiguchi, 2006, p. 207). In India, it may be inferred that religion is a factor that alters people's understanding of injustice and approaches to justice, accounting for a cultural difference between its people and the rest of the world. As a starting off, it is important to mention that the Indian culture and its general economic structure are heavily founded on religion and there is a need to understand the system of worship as well as the central concept of reincarnation governing people's lives. The cultural differences of the Indian people in terms of understanding justice and injustice lie on the understanding of various connections between Hinduism and general Indian culture, which includes history with an underlying caste system that has thrived for several centuries. The Indian caste system governs the social system in India, directly linking religious beliefs and social segregation into status groups, thereby creating divisions. Weber notes the prevention of the development of urban status groups by this caste system (Dumont and Gulati, 1980). He analysed how the aspect of traditionalism of the caste system is supported by religion and posits that the economic development of India is slowed as the "spirit" of

The Red Tsar of all Russia Essay Example for Free

The Red Tsar of all Russia Essay Introduction There is no doubt that Josef Stalin represents the ultimate figure of paradox in the world of communism, as this man of steel was early on concurred as the safe gray blur yet later acknowledged as the Red Tsar of all Russia. How did this pedestrian man, who was illustrated by Leon Trotsky himself as the most eminent mediocrity 1 rise to develop into the epithet, the Red Tsar of all Russia? The multifaceted and ironic process of his ascension to supremacy defines Stalin as an exceptional phenomenon. His rise to the top is remarkable on the grounds that Stalin was neither a philosopher nor a cogent orator, but managed to administer his way to the top. Many maintain that his rise was a combination of political genius and sheer luck. But when we examine the factors of luck, it can be clearly seen that it was due to this dynamic that Stalin was able to rise to the top. Without the factor of luck as an underlying basis to his accomplishment in succeeding Lenin, Stalin would not have been able to use his abilities and skills to rise to the top in any case. The perplexities of Stalins rise can be narrowed to an inquiry of manageable proportions; from investigating the luck he experienced in securing his grip on the USSR and the extent of his political genius. The foundations of Stalins triumph which were laid before Lenins death played into his hands, including the luck considerations that embrace the nature of the State, the death of Lenin and another key figure, new policies from which Stalin benefited and Stalins nature and skill considerations as an opportunistic politician armed with political and economical pragmatism, correct timing, building of alliances of convenience and manipulation of political resources and available supporting state of affairs. III. Background Information Stalin, born Josef Vissarionovich Djugashvili in 1879 in Georgia, had Slavic, humble beginnings. In 1912 Djugashvili became a member of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party and changed his name to his famous pseudonym, Josef Stalin, meaning man of steel. Lenin had been impressed by Stalins organizing ability and blind loyalty, describing him as that wonderful Georgian. 2 Stalin played relatively minor roles in the October Revolution and an inconspicuous part in the Civil War.3 After the Bolsheviks secured their position in Russia, Stalins non-Russian background proved invaluable, landing him the post Commissar of Nationalities. From there he became the Liaison Officer between the Politburo and Orgburo and Head of the Workers and Peasants Inspectorate in 1919, and General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1922 until he became the Lenin of his day according to his official biography. 4 Stalins posts enabled him to know by heart the works of the government and personnel, record Party policy, build up personal files on all members of the Party and appoint supporters and later purge his rivals.5 Lenin died in 1924, at the time Stalin was forty five. At that juncture, Stalin was not in the lead to succeed Lenin. He was considered as less of a threat than Trotsky, who was thought of as a Bonapartist threat who would, if given Lenins preeminence, commence a military dictatorship. This led to the alliance between Zinoviev, Trotsky and Stalin that was finalized in the form of a triumvirate in order to marginalize Trotsky by blocking his policies, defeating his debates and preventing his advance.6 By pursuing their policy of Socialism in One Country which was based upon the more Leninist approach of the continuation of the NEP in order for the USSR to first focus on the USSRs problems then build a modern state, the triumvirs were able to outmaneuver Trotskys radical Perma nent Revolution which believed in the export of revolution to achieve true revolutionary socialism. 7 Then between the years 1925-1927, Stalins conflict with Zinoviev and Kamanev led to their assembling of a New Opposition with Trotsky whom they now considered as a lesser threat. Opportunistic Stalin simply aligned himself with the Partys rightists Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky. The alliance accordingly secured the expulsion of the New Opposition members. Yet in 1929, the Rightists were in turn attacked, when Stalin removed his them, proving himself as the consummate player in this political chess game of power manipulation. 8 IV.A. Luck: The Nature of the infant Bolshevik State Unintentionally, the Party had assisted Stalin in assuming supremacy. When Lenin and the Bolsheviks assumed total control of Russia after the 1917 Revolution, they realized that they were not a traditional form of Russian government; they were unskilled and untrained in matters concerning government due to the fact that all their original efforts and actions were inclined towards just pure revolution. When all other forms of government could count upon precedent or tradition as a guide to governing their countries, Lenins Party faced the fact that their revolutionary government did not possess such advantages. Additionally the highly radical degree of the Russian Revolution was a first in history, assuring the chastity of the Bolsheviks in matters of government. This was much supported by the growth of bureaucratism in the Party, whereupon traditional Tsarist practices were becoming standard procedure in the USSR to which Lenin himself had opposed strongly. The Party had no policies in the beginning, thus the Bolsheviks touched and felt their way through, which created opportunities for individual advancement. Stalins rise would have been obvious in other traditional forms of government and because of this, perhaps even deterred.9 IV.B. Luck: The Nature of Josef Stalin Another fortunate factor that enabled the Party to believe that Stalin was the safer alternative was the general perception of him at that time, as he was Slavic in origin and was isolated from the outside world, speaking no other language than Russian and having no contact with European culture. This proved advantageous when Trotskys Permanent Revolution failed, as seen, for instance, in the short-lived Hungarian Bela Kun regime. This boosted Stalins nationalistic and Leninist Communism in One Country program, proclaiming that Russia needed to first overcome their agricultural and industrial problems unaided, and by doing so he won the most favor as his pure Russian origins comfortably assured the Russian people. IV.C. Luck: The Death of Yakov Sverdlov (1919) One of the decidedly significant pillars of Stalins successful rise to power is the death of Yakov Sverdlov, a highly respected influential Bolshevik who continually supported Lenin and developed a reputation as one of the Partys most excellent orators. Sverdlov was reputed as one of the supporting pillars of the armed uprising of October. Sverdlovs role proved significant in the Party as he persuaded leading Bolshevik figures to put down the lid on both the Constituent Assembly and to sign the Brest-Litovsk Treaty despite its controversial nature. Despite his young age, Sverdlov was expected to be Lenins choice as the partys next leader. 10 This was most almost certainly due to his nature as an influential Bolshevik whom Lenin had laid his trust upon to the extent that Lenin had an eye for Sverdlov in promoting him as the next General Secretary. Yet Yakov Sverdlov died aged thirty-three in March 1919. Had Sverdlov not died in 1919, Stalin would not have stood a chance to become General Secretary, a highly significant post in which Stalin exploited and manipulated to gain supporters and purge his rivals.11 IV.D Luck: The 1921 Ban upon Factionalism Policy One luck aspect that was in Stalins favor was the 1921 ban upon factionalism, a policy issued by Lenin in order to ban organized factions at the Tenth Party Congress which sprung up due to the Partys squabbling over the perplexities over the civil war, revival of capitalism through the issuing of the NEP and the shock of the Kronstadt rising. 12 When scratching beneath the surface of this action, we can see that this frustration over criticism inevitably meant that any form of criticism towards the party was extremely condemned, furthermore suppressed. This is definitely a noteworthy luck element in Stalins rise to power as this issue provided him with the means to readily resist challenges to his criticism-inviting authority. IV.E Luck: The 1923-1925 Lenin Enrolment Another luck factor that played into Stalins hands was the Lenin Enrolment, a recruitment campaign made to increase the number of true proletarians in the Party.13 Whereas at the Tenth Congress the Party had only 732,000 members, by 1930 this had grown nearly to a million members.14 As supervisor for the enrolment in the years 1923 to 1925, Stalin purged members that were potentially hazardous to his campaign. With his power of patronage, Stalin admitted workers at the bench, ill-educated people who were less ideologically aware of their beliefs and surroundings. New proletarian party members favored and supported the more down-to-earth Stalin who spoke their language with practical and understandable directives rather than his scholarly comrades. 15 What was impressed on the new members was that that blind loyalty and absolute obedience was required to achieve privileges. This was inclined to come from loyalty to those who had first admitted them into their appointed positions, and in that case, General Secretary Stalin. E.H Carr described this as being a change from the elite party of Lenin to the mass party of Stalin. 16 With this knowledge, Stalin was able to control the current of support in the Party; carefully choosing new members that he was aware would support him. IV.F Luck: Stalin versus Lenin, Lenins Death (1924) the Failure of Demoting Stalin Another fact that can be counted as luck involves the certainty that Stalin would have been demoted on the basis that he had proved himself a power-exploiting danger to Lenin himself due to his criticism-inviting actions. Stalin, whom Lenin had previously respected aroused Lenins distrust which led to a conflict between the two. Lenin allegedly believed that Stalin was as responsible as anyone for the bureaucratic existence of traditional Tsarist elements in the Partys standard procedures. 17 When in 1922 Stalin supported the idea of independence of Transcaucasian Georgia, his homeland, that sought to become an autonomous republic, Stalin was in fact dismissive and discourteous towards his national spokesmen to the extent that Lenin himself was obliged to intervene to resolve the situation and even sided with the injured party of the Georgians, when in fact as the Commissar for Nationalities Stalin was essentially responsible for relationships with local bodies within Russia. Exacerbating his head-to-head clash with Lenin, Lenin dictated a letter to Stalin warning that he would break off relations if he did not apologize to his wife, Nadezhda Krupskaya, whom he had personally insulted, calling her a syphilitic whore for allowing Lenin to write a letter to Trotsky four days after the Central Committee placed Stalin in charge of Lenins health. 18 Stalins actions could lead us to a perception that Stalin did want power badly and that he did have tendencies of rebellion despite being referred to a pedestrian. However, again luck seemed to favor Stalin. If Lenin had not been ill and died in 1924, Stalin could have been relieved of his post, absolutely ruling out any possibility to his rising up to power. The failure of reading out Lenins Testament a year before Lenins death in 1923 as he had requested and its neutralization after his death in 1924 definitely played a significant role in the failure of having Stalin removed from his post. Concerned of what might happen after his death, Lenin wrote a Testament in which he acknowledged the strengths and weaknesses of Central Committee members. Reflecting back on Stalins policies towards national groups, most significantly Georgia, Lenin was clearly concerned over the power that was currently in Stalins hands and how he had the potential to misuse his power, 19 Lenins codicil unquestionably proved his concern over Stalin which reached it paramount point just previous to his death, by requesting that Stalin to be removed from his post and to be replaced by appointing another man in his stead who in all other respects differs from comrade Stalinmore tolerant, loyal, polite and more considerate to the comrades, less capricious etc 20 This w as a definite deterrent to achieving supremacy for Stalin. Yet Lenin was not able to convey publicly his final thoughts before his death due to his illness that restricted him from taking active part in Bolshevik politics. The too-damning nature of the harsh criticisms of major Party personalities contained in Lenins Testament consequently kept his wishes held in reserve until the following Congress in the following year. Furthermore, Lenins Testament was also neutralized by Kamanev and Zinoviev; cleared of elements that would uplift Trotskys name in order to prevent Trotsky, personally Lenins most capable man in the Party, 21 from rising to power. Another error that Lenin made before his death is that he did not officially hand down his position to anyone of his comrades, thus a game of tug of war for supremacy was quickly commenced right after his death in 1924. With these elements combined, emphasizing the shelving of Lenins Testament until after his death, not publicizing it and its neutralization positively played a noteworthy role in the failure of conducting the supposed act of removing Stalin of his post as had been firmly requested by Lenin in his addendum. IV.G Luck: The Attitude Towards Trotsky and his Errors The negative attitude towards Trotsky, the most likely successor of Lenin again proved as one of the facets of luck on Stalins side. Trotsky was known as the most significant and likely successor of Lenin. Nevertheless his comrades thought of him otherwise; Trotsky was considered as a Bonapartist threat largely due to his behavior in which he had built the successful Red Army during the period of the Russian Civil War of 1918 and 1921. Trotsky was also a Jew in a society of deeply engrained anti-Semitism, essentially undermining Trotskys image. Trotsky was also known as a man of complex personality, famous for his excessive self-assurance, as mentioned by Lenin himself in his Testament. At times he also suffered diffidence and lack of judgment, especially in the error of turning down Lenins offer of putting Stalin as deputy chairman of the Sovnarkom thus gaining for himself the most senior and second-in-command after Lenin in 1922. 22 Had he accepted the position, he could have undermined Stalins rise to power through his authority. Another serious error that Trotsky made was that he handed over Lenins notes to the Politburo at the beginning of the struggle, thus leaving himself left with no documentary proof of Lenins growing opposition to Stalins actions. To the advantage of Stalin, Trotskys errors, miscalculations and origins further weakened his already suppressed position in the Party and society, therefore increasing Stalins chances of rising. V.A Introduction to Stalin and his Skills As it is too simplistic to ponder upon luck alone as the driving force of Stalins rise, one must acknowledge Stalins skills as a brilliant politician and his own nature that provided him with the means of assuming power. Stalin was originally a pedestrian, the eminent mediocrity as referred by Trotsky. A significant quality that Stalin possessed was that he had dogged perseverance and willingness to undertake and endure the laborious work demanded by his posts. 23 By managing to stay patiently in the background, Stalin used his timing skills waited for when the time was opportune after Lenins death to strike out his opponents, as of when he outmaneuvered the Partys Left and with his skill to form alliances, such as the Triumvirate which marginalized Trotsky, then afterwards the Duumvirate with the Right to oust the Left. V.B Skill: Stalin as General Secretary of the Bolshevik Party (1922-1929) As a part of Stalins own adroit nature, he took advantage of his position as General Secretary which controlled the passage of business in the Politburo and the appointment of people to positions in the Party. Stalin could even manipulate the membership of the Party itself. 24 Stalins supporters were given the incentive of filling vacancies of those moved above them, usually his rivals. 25 Furthermore Stalins position enabled him to appoint supporters to the Orgburo and the Secretariat, which had power over local bodies. Hence Stalins appointees developed a sense of gratitude and obligation to Stalin, and through this he gained strong influence over the regional party apparatus that led to control over delegate selection for the annual Party Congress. Therefore one of the skill aspects of Stalins eventual victory also lay in the influence he had over the Partys personnel. V.C Skill: Stalin as the Orator at Lenins Funeral in 1924 and Active Support of Leninism As the orator at Lenins funeral, Stalin used his manipulating skills to assure the public that he was the right successor of Lenin by presenting himself as Lenins disciple, not equal. Although many others sought to define Leninism, Stalin made the first move by delivering a remarkable speech at Lenins funeral, for whoever was perceived to be the best Leninist would be the one best placed to inherit Lenins authority. 26 Stalin even set out to define Leninism through six lectures about the foundations of Leninism. Historian Martin McCauley, author of Stalin and Stalinism, states that Stalins uninterested attitude to ideology was utilitarian, whereupon Stalins incursion into ideologyserved two purposes: to provide a simple, accessible exegesis of Marxism-Leninism, and to outmaneuver his opponents. McCauleys book proves to be a reliable source as it has hardly any presence of bias, as the given arguments are based on facts. The high credibility and value of this book can be judged when evaluating its abundance of critical assessments, new brought up issues, and detailed information. Yet a limitation is found in this book on the basis that the information given of Stalins rise to power was not adequately provided, as the bulk of the book itself mainly focuses on the Stalin years and not his journey to the top. Hence by skillfully presenting himself as the continuer of Lenin, Stalin gained unimpeachable authority by implying to the public that he was the right successor. V.D Skill: Stalin Takes Advantage of the Attitude Towards Trotsky: Permanent Revolution versus Socialism in One Country Furthermore in respect to Stalins skills, Stalin cleverly took advantage of the attitude towards Trotsky as well by constantly reminding the Party of Trotskys Menshevik past and pointing out the flaws in his so-called anti Lenin ideas, especially that of the Permanent Revolution. Under this banner, Stalin placed Trotsky as an enemy of the Soviet Union as Stalins Socialism in One Country was of a more Leninist, nationalist approach. This proves that Stalin had the ability to rally support and silence opponents at critical moments by taking on the role of the Great Russian patriot intent on saving the nation from its internal and external enemies. 27 V.E Skill: Stalins Economic and Political Pragmatism Another variable that contributed to Stalins rise in respect to his skills was Stalins economic and political pragmatism that enabled him to outmaneuver the Left and Right while always staying with the majority in the Politburo. After having Trotsky removed from his position, Stalin drastically changed his Socialism in One Country policy to a Trotskyist repressive collectivization and industrialization program to solve local-level problems. Alan Todd, author of The European Dictatorships: Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini, argues that It can be said that Stalins policies were consistent and also in tune with the majority of the party membership, who desired stability most of all. Alan Todds book proves to be a credible and valuable source of historical information for there is hardly any presence of bias in his writing as many arguments are based on facts that are evaluated by gathering assessments from various historians. The lack of bias definitely proves the source reliable. It is hard to find any limitations to this useful historical source for Alan Todd balanced opinion and fact in chronological order showing how Leninism eroded into Stalinism, then evaluating it based on historians arguments. As Stalins last deterrent to supremacy laid in the figure of the Rightists after he had outmaneuvered the Left with the Duumvirate, Stalin began attacking his fellow Duumvirate Rightists by abandoning Bukharins economic policy that agreed the continuum of the NEP using the argument that the policy had failed and industrialization must take precedence over agriculture. 28 Fearful of creating factionalism, the rightists hoped to win the Party without creating deep divisions. Yet Stalin portrayed the Rights as a dangerous clique by manipulating the Rights supporters who were largely responsible for drafting and distributing Party information. 29 Stalin progressively and politically crushed the Rights, pragmatically securing his position as leader by sending two Politburo members to undertake purges in the trade unions, the Rights only remaining power base, and to purge local Party members. 30 VI. Conclusion It seems that it was to a large extent that Bukharin was right about Stalin being the New Genghis Khan. Stalins school of falsification 31 ensued after and even before his succeeding Lenin through dynamics that played into his hands and that were controlled by him. One may argue that there should not be any questions about whether Stalins rise to power was based on luck or skill. Yet it is comprehensible that Stalins mixture of luck and skill along with both planning and opportunity produced inevitable results: power that was left for him to take over. Luck and skill inform each other to such a degree, that, on the basis of its contributions to Stalins rise to power, they cannot be separated. But when examining the relative importance of luck and skill, it can be concluded that luck was most significant as it provided Stalin with the grounds and basis for him to rise. Another may argue that Stalins rise to supreme authority was purely on the basis of his skills, maintaining that without the skills Stalin exercised, he would not have been promoted to his posts through which he manipulated central organs of the Party that eventually crowned him with triumph. However, considering many crucial factors that were based purely on luck, such as those of the death of Lenin that saved Stalin from a certain demotion and Yakov Sverdlovs death in 1919 which placed Stalin in the chair of General Secretary, an essential position which we can refer to as the ultimate catalyst to Stalins triumph, we may argue that without these essential luck factors, Stalin would not have had the chance to use his adroit aptitudes to manipulate his way to the top. Hence in reality Stalin did prove to be the consummate player in the game of politics, along the way verified himself to be the cleverer politician by outmaneuvering his rivals through the use of many unintentional read ily available resources provided by the Party and by exploitation of his rivals miscalculations which made him look positive and constructive while making his opponents look negative and destructive. Despite the findings, a new issue could be raised regarding Stalins head on clash with Lenin that led to the request of Stalin to be removed of his post, why did the grey blur clash with his leader? Couldnt he have acted as the obedient cohort and wait for the wounded lion to die before challenging some of his views? 32 Does this prove that Stalin had tendencies of rebellion, fighting to justify his beliefs despite considerable political risks? Nonetheless, Josef Stalin was a lucky inheritor, ascribing luck as the basis of his rise. So many if onlys could have saved Russia from the so-called grey blur, whom, with the aid of time, would be referred paradoxically as the Red Tsar of Russia. VII. Bibliography 1. Thomas, David and Mcandrew, Mark. Russia Soviet Union 1917-1945. Cambridge, U.K: Cambridge University Press, 1995. 2. Marcombe, Margot and Fielding, Mark. Spirit of Change: Russia in Revolution. Australia: McGraw Hill, 1998. 3. Todd, Allan. The European Dictatorships: Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini. Cambridge, U.K: Cambridge University Press, 2002. 4. Lynch Michael. Stalin and Khrushchev: The USSR 1924-1964. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2001. 5. McCauley, Martin. Stalin and Stalinism. Essex, England: Longman, 1995. 6. Yakov Sverdlov. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RUSsverdlov.htm Accessed: 10-02-04. 1 Lee, Stephen .J. Stalin and the Soviet Union. London: Routledge, 1999. p. 3. 2 Lynch, Michael. Stalin and Khrushchev: The USSR 1924-1964. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2001., p.8-9. 3 Lee, p. 1. 4 Lee, p. 13. 5 Pauley, Bruce. F. Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini: Totalitarianism in the Twentieth Century. Wheeling, Illinois, U.S.A: Harlan Davidson, 1997. p. 20. 6 Marcombe, Margot and Fielding, Mark. Spirit of Change: Russia in Revolution. Australia: McGraw Hill, 1998. p. 178. 7 Lynch, p. 2. 8 Lee, p.1-2.. 9 Lych, p. 11. 10 Yakov Sverdlov. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RUSsverdlov.htm. Accessed: 10/02/04. 11 Todd, Allan. The European Dictatorships: Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini. Cambridge, U.K: Cambridge University Press, 2002. p. 21. 12 Todd, Allan, p. 36. 13 Lych, p. 13. 14 Lych, p. 13. 15 Thomas McAndrew, p. 126. 16 Lych, p. 13 17 McCauley, p.14. 18 McCauley, p.14. 19 Marcombe Fielding, p. 177. 20 Marcombe Fielding, p. 177. 21 Thomas McAndrew, p. 123. 22 Lych, p. 15. 23 Lych, p. 11. 24 Thomas McAndrew, p. 123. 25 Lee, p. 4. 26 Thomas McAndrew, p. 126. 27 Lych, p. 22. 28 Thomas McAndrew, p. 124. 29 Stalins Rise to Power, p. 26. 30 Stalins Rise to Power, p. 26. 31 Todd, p. 58. 32 McCauley, p. 14.

Governments On Preventing Air Pollution In Colombo Environmental Sciences Essay

Governments On Preventing Air Pollution In Colombo Environmental Sciences Essay Air pollution is the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more contaminants such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odour, smoke, or vapour in quantities and of characteristics and duration such as to be injurious to human, plant, or animal life or to property, or to interfere unreasonably with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property. 1. Air is the very basic need of every living organism. Air is essential to life on earth. All organisms require moderately pure air, and they cannot survive without it. Air is considered safe when it contains no harmful dust and gases. Air pollution effects global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain and various respiratory illnesses. 2. The air pollution has worsened in most large cities in the developing world. In Sri Lanka, Colombo city is facing this problem due to the highly increased vehicle emission and few other environmental issues. The high density of population and industrialization is the other most important environmental issues that have drawn the attention of policymakers, administrators, and environmentalists in the recent past. Most countries in the world are trying to give a solution to air pollution in their countries by revising their policies, rules and regulations. However Sri Lanka is still not taken firm action to revise the environmental policies, rules and regulations to prevent air Pollution. 3. Colombo is the main commercial and business hub of Sri Lanka and as a result, many people are arrived into the city daily. The central district, which comprises of Fort and Pettah, provides more than 100,000 jobs and is estimated to have a daytime population of more than 650,000. The greater Colombo area contains more than 4 million people or 26% of the countrys population, but covers only 5.6% of the entire land area. Outside the city, Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport and the Free Trade Zone further increase traffic congestion in Colombo. As the most important commercial and administrative center, Colombo attracts the maximum number of vehicles and individuals. Therefore it is highly vulnerable to health hazards due to vehicle emissions. 4. Clean, dry air contains 78.09% nitrogen by volume and 20.94% oxygen. The remaining 0.97% is composed of a gaseous mixture of carbon dioxide, helium, argon, krypton, nitrous oxide and xenon, as well as very small amounts of some other organic and inorganic gases whose amount in the atmosphere vary with time and place. Various amounts of contaminants continuously enter the atmosphere through both natural and man-made processes that exist upon the earth. Man as a pollutant has labelled that portion of these substances which interacts with the environment to cause toxicity, disease, aesthetic distress, physiological effects or environmental decay. 5. The human activities are the primary cause of pollution and as the population increases, the attendant pollution problems also raise proportionately. The first significant change in humans effect of nature came with his discovery of fire. Prehistoric human built a fire in his cave for cooking, heating and to supply light. The problem of air pollution came into existence at this time. OBJECTIVES 5. General Objective. To analyze the responsibility of the Government and its authorities towards the reducing of air pollution in Colombo City and give recommendations to prevent Air pollution in Colombo City. 6. Specific Objectives. The specific objectives of the research are as follows. a. To examine the various Air pollutants. b. To examine the impact of the air pollution. c. To examine the actions taken by the Government and its authorities to prevent Air Pollution in Colombo City. d. To analyze and suggest the recommendations for implementations based on the findings of the study. CHAPTER 02 METHODOLOGY STATEMENT OF PROBLEM 1. The air pollution in main cities in developing countries is one of the leading critical environment problems. The health impact of the air pollution looks likely to be greater in the capital of Sri Lanka. Therefore the responsibility of the government and its authorities is to protect air and minimize the air pollution in the country. 2. However, the actions taken on air protection in Colombo are inadequate and not suit the present day context. Therefore, this paper will identify the effects of air pollution in Colombo and analyze the impact of air pollution in Colombo City. Further this paper will analyse the effectiveness of existing legal remedies in preventing air pollution. HYPOTHESIS 3. Actions taken by the Government and its authorities to prevent air pollution in Colombo City are inadequate. SCOPE OF THE STUDY 4. This study will explore the air pollution in Colombo city and the responsibility of the Government and its authorities and how air pollution can undermine the goals of development. 5. Furthermore, policies that are necessary on economic basis can deliver significant environmental benefits. However, these policies are not enough to ensure urban air protection. Therefore the strong public organizations and policies for urban air protection are very essential. The policies adapted by the Sri Lankan government over the past two decades to rely more on development. However, natural air protection is an area which government must uphold a central role. 6. Examine the effects of air pollution in Colombo and validity and practicability of the existing environmental policies and regulations in Sri Lanka. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION 7. The primary study shows that the Colombo city would be the area where the air pollution can be seen predominantly. The both primary and secondary data will collect regarding the subject of air pollution in Colombo City from the available resources like publications, books and internet web sites. 8. The main decisive factor is to look at this problem in government and citizens perspectives. Thus, the views of government authorities and citizens will seek to get their expectations of the desired strategies and policies. Scholars on the subject and professionals on this subject will be interviewed through discussions. A predetermined questionnaire will be distributed among the selected citizens in Colombo city to absorb their views. LIMITATIONS 9. This research study was done within three months of period and with limited time. Hence it was difficult to cover all the pollution proven areas in Colombo area. Therefore the calculation might be showed slight difference if compare with another research. It also faced the difficulty of getting genuine answers from the community. CHAPTER 03 AIR POLLUTION ATMOSPHERE 1. The atmosphere surrounds the earth. It is composed of gas molecules held close to the earths surface by gravitation. It consists of Nitrogen (78%), Oxygen (20%), Carbon dioxide (0.03%) and small amounts of inert gases such as argon, neon, and krypton. It also consist changing amounts of water. Dust participles called as particulates are also consist with varying amounts. 2. The earths current atmosphere consists of several layers as Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. The average composition of the atmosphere varies little from place to place, except for its moisture contents. The variation of moisture condition is a very important natural condition affecting plant growth. Air temperature is another important environmental condition that profoundly affects both plant and animal life. Air is in constant motion and its movement is creates wind. 3. Some of the atmospheric gases have the capacity to absorb heat. These are called Green House Gasses. Carbon Dioxide, Water vapour and Ozone are three of the naturally make green house gasses in the atmosphere. Green house gasses are liable for maintaining the level of temperature of the earth. If the quantity of these gasses increases in the atmosphere then additional heat will be trapped and the earths atmosphere will get warmer. These gasses have been increasing in the atmosphere in recent years in the earth. 4. In the normal condition the atmosphere contains a layer of ozone in the atmosphere. This layer traps a part of Ultra violet rays and X-Rays, reducing the amount of these deleterious rays reach to the earth. However, the introduction of Chlorofluoro carbon (CFC) in to the atmosphere has been shown to damage the ozone layer. CFC is chemical that have been used for many years in aerosol, air conditioning and in refrigeration. AIR POLLUTION 5. Air Pollution is the presence in the atmosphere of one or more foreign materials such as dust, fumes, gases, mist or smoke in quantities and in durations which are harmful to human, plant or animal life or to properties. A gas like CO2 which is a normal element of the atmosphere can in certain conditions, become a pollutant, when its concentrations increase to levels that threaten the well-being of living things or disrupt physical or biological processes. 6. Air pollution is as old as civilization itself. The first air pollution incident took place, when early humans made fire in poorly ventilated or set fire to a dry forest. But it was the growth of industries after the industrial revolution that became the largest engine of air pollution first in Britain, Europe, North America and then spread to the other places of the World. 7. Damage to the clean air has three possible costs to present and future human welfare. The Health of Human may be harmed. Also the economic productivity may be reduced. In addition, the pleasure or satisfaction obtained from an unspoiled natural air may be lost. Since spoiled urban air problem vary across countries and with the stage of industrialization, each country required to assess its own priorities carefully. Emissions from transport industry and population growth impose serious costs for health condition and productivity in Sri Lanka. AIR POLLUTANTS TYPES OF AIR POLLUTANTS 8. Basically air pollution can be classified as primary and secondary types. Primary pollutants get into atmosphere directly by various processes. Major part of this is added to the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels in transport vehicles and by industries. Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Sulphur oxide and Hydrocarbons are some examples for primary air pollutants. Secondary air pollutants are those formed in the air through various chemical reactions. Some of the primary pollutants undergo chemical reactions once they are in the atmosphere and produce secondary pollutants. For an example Sulphur oxides will react with atmospheric water vapour and produce acids. This way acid rain is produced and it leads to disruption of various eco-systems. Another example is the smog produced by the action of sunlight on automobile exhaust emitted in to the atmosphere. 9. Air pollutants can be either in the form of gases or in the form of particles. Some of the common pollutants are Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, methane and ozone. Particulate pollutants include dust, fume, mist, smoke and sprays. 10. Dust particles get in to the air when materials are being handled or processed. Dust from cement, coal, and bricks and saw dust from wood working are few examples of such particulate pollutants. Fumes and mist are not many solid particles, formed in the atmosphere due to condensation of vapours by sublimation or chemical reaction processes. Smoke particle are formed as a result of incomplete combustion of carbonaceous materials. Liquid particles referred to as spray are formed by the atomization of a parent liquid. SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTANTS 11. Some pollutants are formed and emitted by natural processes. Pollen grains from flowers, smoke particles from forest fires, volcanic eruptions and wind blown dust are examples of particulates of natural origin. There are also naturally occurring gasses such as nitrogen oxide and methane. 12. Man made sources of pollutants can be considered under stationary combustion processes transportation, industrial and the agricultural processes. 13. When fuel such as oil or coal used in power plants, gasses and particulate pollutants are emitted in to air. These pollutants consist of a mixture of particles such as fly ash and smoke and gasses such as the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are also produced in combustion process. 14. In transportation, particularly from vehicles, the pollutants are emitted in to the air. These pollutants comprise particulates such as smoke, lead and gasses like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons. These pollutants are high in concentration around traffic light junctions in the cities such as Colombo. 15. In industrial processes, depending on the type of energy used, a wide range of pollutants are emitted. If the industry burns oil as its energy source, smoke, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides will be emitted to the air. 16. In Sri Lanka a large percentage of the energy consumed comes from fuel wood. Burning of fuel wood, used for industrial purposes or domestic use, also produces pollutants. Some agricultural activities such as crop dusting add particulate pollutants to the atmosphere. Further, the burning of forests for chena cultivation can be grouped in to this category. 17. Vehicle Emission: Increased vehicle emission in Sri Lanka mainly Colombo is the most significant environmental issue that has drawn the concentration of policymakers, administrators, and environmentalists in the recent past. Various studies undertaken by regulatory agencies and researchers clearly indicate that inefficient combustion of petroleum in motor vehicles is the primary cause of growing air pollution in Colombo city. Lack of information on economic and environmental costs of vehicle emission and its improvement and prevention have inhibited public response and enforcement, and impeded the implementation of existing laws, and the development of further regulations. The worst prevalent air pollutants emitted from vehicles comprise particulate matter (PM), lead (Pb), non-methane volatile organic components (NMVOC), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). Of these, particulate matter and lead are the most detrimental components of vehicle exhaus t that affect the environment and human beings. 18. Apart from pollutants emitted by petrol-driven vehicles, the amount of exhaust from diesel-driven vehicles is large and therefore a matter of major public concern due to its undesirable environmental effects. However diesel-engine exhaust contains less toxic gases, it has a much higher particulate matter consideration than petrol-engine exhaust. In Sri Lanka, the observed levels of TSP, SO2, O3, and lead are significantly higher than air quality standards recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) in Sri Lanka. This clearly reveals the special nature of the vehicle emission problem in the country which is directly linked with a wide range of factors such as composition and increase in number of vehicles, price structure of fuel, lack of traffic management, use of low-quality fuel, and lack of alternative fuels. 20. Combustion Engine Exhaust: Cars, busses, trucks, jet airplanes and other combustion engine vehicles cause air pollution. The exhaust from these contains carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and gaseous oxide. This type of air pollution creates smog which causes respiratory health problems and holes in the ozone layer, which increases the exposure to the harmful rays of the sun. 25. Mills and plants: Mills and plants, such as paper mills, power plants, chemical plants, iron mills, steel mills, cement plants and asphalt plants, release emissions into the atmosphere causing air pollution 21. Factories: Factories, homes and power stations burn fossil fuels, which cause air pollution. The burning of oil and coal also contributes to smog. This air pollution destroys plants, damages buildings and creates oxidation on iron. 22. Petroleum: Petroleum refineries such as Sapugaskanda release hydrocarbons and various particulates that pollute the atmosphere. 23. Pesticides: Pesticides used to destroy indoor and outdoor pests, insecticides used to destroy insects and herbicides use to kill weeds all cause air pollution. 26. Indoor Air Pollution: This happens when there is insufficient ventilation to disburse the toxic fumes from new carpet, paint and/or cleaning chemicals that are used indoors. CHAPTER 04 IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION 1. Several studies conducted in Sri Lankan cities show that air pollution leads to reduced health and quality of life, damage to property, and economic losses. PM10-related health damage in the City of Colombo is about Rs. 26.0 billion per annum; and in the case of PM2.5 it is about Rs. 774 million per annum. This is according to a study by Chandrasiri,S. et. al. (2004) which quantified the health effects of PM2.5 from auto-diesel emissions. Based on the above estimates, the researchers calculated the cost per ton of auto diesel emissions in Colombo. These estimates of the health damage values for PM10 in Colombo come quite close to previous estimates in these studies: 2. Another study on the Exposure to Aerosol Pollution and Reported Respiratory Symptoms Among City Dwellers by Perera, G.B.S., Emmanuel, R., Premasiri, H.D.S., (2006) shows that urban dwellers report higher prevalence of respiratory illnesses since they spend more on the roadsides, have higher exposure and also have all the common respiratory symptoms. Comparison of most common causes of mortality and morbidity data shows that although non-air pollution-related causes remain the primary cause for mortality, air pollution is a significant contributor to morbidity. 3. The average property damage due to urban air pollution in Colombo is estimated at Rs. 12677 (US$ 126) per household per year. The average willingness to pay to avoid property damage from urban air pollution is at Rs. 520 (US$ 5.20) per household per year. If an Air Quality Improvement Fund were to be established, the public would be willing to pay Rs.15460 (US$ 154) per household per year. THE HEALTH IMPACT OF THE AIR POLLUTION 4. Air pollution is increasingly recognized as a threat to the health of people in mainly developing countries. The World Health Organization states that 2.4 million people die every year from causes directly attributable to air pollution. A study by the University of Birmingham has found a strong co-relation between pneumonia related deaths and air pollution from motor vehicles. More Worldwide deaths per year are linked to air pollution than to road traffic accidents. The causes of air pollution related deaths include aggravated asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, lung diseases and respiratory problems. 5. The health effects caused by air pollutants may range from subtle biochemical and physiological changes to difficulty in breathing, coughing, wheezing, and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. 6. These effects can result in increased medication use, increased doctor or emergency room visits, more hospitalizing and premature deaths. The human health effects of poor air quality are far reaching, but principally affect the bodys respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Individual reactions to air pollutants depend on the type of pollutant a person is exposed to, the degree of exposure, the individuals health status and genetics. . RESPIRATORY HEALTH 7. The effects of air pollution on health of residents in an industrial areas in Colombo city using a cross-sectional design and reported that the adult population living in the industrial area was more likely to have unexplained episodic cough and a significant reduction in expiratory flow as compared to the adult population living in a non-industrial area. The younger population (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 12 years) living in the industrial area were times more likely to have rhinitis as compared to the younger population living in the non-industrial area. 8. School children are another group exposed to high levels of pollutants exaggerated by overcrowding of major schools in cities, especially in Colombo. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms among school children attending a school in Colombo situated close to a busy main road was significantly higher than that of children attending a school situated in a rural area. 9. Based on data of the Colombo Fort monitoring station, episodes of bronchitis, emphysema and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases had a strong association with PM10 levels. Nearly 20% of asthma patients who visited the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo in 2005 could be attributed to exposure to PM10 in Colombo based on the health impact assessment software developed by WHO. Although the location of the Colombo Fort monitoring station may not represent the entire area of study population, this study provides evidence for implementation of early mitigation strategies. 10. Air pollutants were measured using passive samplers in Mount Lavinia, a metropolitan area bordering Colombo, to measure the 24-hour average levels among city dwellers engaged in different occupation. Bus drivers were exposed to more NO2 and SO2 as compared to three-wheeler drivers, shop keepers and outdoor vendors. The highest prevalence of respiratory symptoms was reported among bus drivers. BLOOD LEAD LEVELS 11. Following the introduction of unleaded gasoline, atmospheric lead levels reduced by 81.5%, 82% and 84% in three locations in Colombo measured blood lead levels of a sample of children living near a traffic congested junction in Colombo in 1998 and then one year after the introduction of unleaded gasoline. In 1998, 6% of children had blood lead levels above 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dL; in 2003, not a single child had a blood lead level >10 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl (range 1.67 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl to 9.7 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl). 12. The mean blood lead levels in traffic and non-traffic policemen were 7.47 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl and 7.06 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl, respectively. Abdominal discomfort, tremor and hypertension were higher in traffic policemen as compared to non-traffic policemen, although the differences were not significant. There may be exposure misclassification as non-traffic policemen are duty bound to control traffic during busy hours. ASTHMA 13. Low air quality, from traffic pollution or high ozone levels, has been repeatedly associated with increased asthma morbidity. Recent studies show a relationship between exposure to air pollutants (e.g. from traffic) and childhood asthma. This research finds that both the occurrence of the disease and exacerbation of childhood asthma are affected by outdoor air pollutants. LUNG CANCER 14. Studies of the American Cancer Society cohort directly link the exposure to particulate matter with lung cancer. For example, if the concentration of particles in the air increases by only 1%, the risk of developing a lung cancer increases by 14%. Further, it has been established that particle size matters, as ultrafine particles penetrate further into the lungs. 15. The majority of the population (more than 50%) was between the ages of 41-50 years and male; the majority of the cases were directly exposed to tobacco smoke (48%). There was an association between smoking and lung cancer but not with biomass fuels use. THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS AUTHORITIES TO PREVENT AIR POLLUTION IN COLOMBO CITY 16. Banning of importation of two-stroke engine three- wheelers: One of the main accomplishments in improving air quality in Sri Lanka is Banning of importation of two-stroke engine three- wheelers since 2006. The Government banned the importation of two-stroke petrol three-wheelers from 1 January 2008 and prohibited the import of full engine, engine blocks and cylinder heads after 2011 in order to avoid the local assembly of two-stroke engines. 17. Implementation of vehicle emission testing program: Sri Lanka is in the process of implementing the Vehicle Emission Testing program. The Program was launched on 15 July 2008. Several agencies play an important part in its implementation. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources developed the emission standards; the Department of Motor Traffic is the nominated implementing agency of the program. This program is designed as a public-private partnership and is a centralized System with two large private sector companies contracted to conduct the vehicle emission tests. Two private sector companies have been selected to set up testing centers in all the main cities of Sri Lanka. The testing centers in the main cities are already in place. 18. Under the Program, vehicle owners must secure an emission certificate because it is a necessity to obtain the annual revenue license in Sri Lanka. After the vehicle is tested, the owner of the vehicle gets an emission certificate which states the emission levels of the vehicle. If the vehicle meets the standards, the owner of the vehicle gets a pass certificate; if he fails, he has to repair the vehicle and go back to the testing center for a re-test. 19. Amendment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Considering the latest revised WHO guideline values, Sri Lankan authorities reviewed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and incorporated PM10 and PM2.5. Sri Lanka set the interim targets 2 as given in the Global update of WHO Air Quality Guideline in 2005. 20. Preparation of National Action Plan for Air Quality Management (Clean Air 2015): Clean Air Sri Lanka and the Air Resource Management Center of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Development have prepared the Clean Air 2015 action plan to manage the air pollution in Sri Lanka. The main areas under the action plan have been identified as priorities, action plans prepared and work started for each: Monitoring Emissions of Power Plants and High Polluting Industries, Monitoring and Reducing Vehicle Emissions, Provisions of Cleaner Fuels for Motor Vehicles, Prepare and Maintain Emissions Inventory, Monitoring Ambient Air Quality, Enhance Public Awareness and carry out health impact assessments and Providing an Indoor Air Pollution Management Programme. 21. Strategic Plan for Traffic Management in Greater Colombo Area (2008-2010): The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ordered the preparation and implementation of the Strategic Plan for Traffic Management in Greater Colombo Area. Therefore, the National Transport Commission of the Ministry of Transport has conducted wider discussion with stakeholders and prepared an action plan. This action plan includes several interventions such as the formulation of an urban transport policy, set up of an urban traffic coordinating mechanism, operation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), operation of at least two new multimodal terminals and introduction of the advance traffic control system etc., for completion by 2010. CHAPTER 05 ANALYSIS ACTS, RULES AND REGULATIONS 1. In the past in Sri Lanka there were a number of statues with scattered provisions pertaining to Environmental protection and Pollution control. Following are the Acts and regulations published in Sri Lanka in order to prevent air pollution. ACTS National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980 National Environmental (Amendment) Act, No. 56 of 1988 National Environmental (Amendment) Act, No. 53 of 2000 REGULATIONS PUBLISHED UNDER THE NEA Motor Traffic (emission control) Regulation Number 817/6 dated 3rd May 1994. Ozone Depleting substances and Natural Environmental (Ambient Air Quality) Regulations 1994. Gazette Notification Number 850/4 dated 20th December 1994. Amendment to National Environment (ambient air quality) Regulation 1994. Gazette Notification Number 1562/22 dated 15th August 2008. Amendment to Gazette Notification Number 1295/11 dated 30th June 2003.Gazette Notification Number 1557/14 dated 19th July 2008. Amended Regulations (Air Emission, Fuel and Vehicle Importation standards) Gazette Notification Number 1137/35 dated 23rd June 2000. National Environmental (Air Emissions, Fuel HYPERLINK http://www.cea.lk/pdf/reg1295-11.pdfHYPERLINK http://www.cea.lk/pdf/reg1295-11.pdf Vehicle Importation standards) Amended Regulations. Gazette Notification Number 1295/11 dated 30th June 2003. 2. When compare with many other South Asian countries, Sri Lanka has the best environmental protection regulations. However the enforcement is very unsatisfactory. Sri Lanka has a good National Environmental Act and Environmental Impact Assessment process. However its implementation is rather weak. 3. As an example we can take the vehicle emission test of Sri Lanka. As per the questionnaire distributed among the vehicle drivers in Colombo city it is found that the emission test certificate can be obtain without required standard of the vehicle. The drivers confirmed that they have experience for such incidents. 4. Further, during the research it was found that the only one monitoring site in Colombo is not in a position to check the every pollutant due to the system failure since April 2010. CEA hasnt taken any action to reactivate the system up to now. This shows the least priority given by the government towards the air pollution WEAKNESSES OF ACTIONS TAKEN FOR AIR PROTECTION IN COLOMBO BY THE GOVERNMENT 5. . The National environmental act of Sri Lanka approved in 1980 and it was again amended in 1988 and 2000. For the last 30 years amendments were not in a considerable frame and there are many lapses in the amendments. This shows the least priority given by the ruled governments at that time towards the air pollution. The citizens who were participated in this research also clearly indicated this in the questionnaires. 2. When considering the countries, which achieved less air pollution percentage, there were the separate air pollution act and activating it in a proper manner. A separate authority was established to facilitate in administrational functions. Sri Lanka is still relying on the common environmental act. Due to the prevailing situation in Sri Lanka, it is very essential to have a separate act with special laws to reduce the air pollution in the country as well as the Colombo city. 3. The hierarchy of the Central Environment Authority of Sri Lanka are appointed by HE the president in consultation with the environmental minister of the ruling government. Therefore, a question emerged regarding the impartiality of the members of Central Environmental Authority. All the decisions made by the government may be approved by the CEA in this nature. 4. Authority of issuing licence and approving projects had been granted to the minister of environment by the amendment to the NEA in year 2000. As a result of this amendment the minister has sole authority to activate any harmful project to the environment if the government required it. Further this amendment has increased the validity time of the licence for the projects from one year to three years. The suspension and cancellation the licence, given to the minister from this amendment. If the minister insist it, the owner can continue his project without any interference. 5. The prior way of urban air pollution is the use of motor vehicles.

1984 Critical Analysis

10/23/11 1984 critical analysis In the novel 1984 by George Orwell a man named Winston lives within a dis-utopian society. People within this society keep their emotions non-noticeable because if they go against what the inner circle is teaching than that person would work manually labor for the rest of their life. In the story a party known as the inner circle uses a few slogans and sayings to control everything. The inner circle uses all that they say to brainwash people into believing what they are saying is true. The inner party's slogans are â€Å"War is peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is strength† By using these phrases one can see that the inner circle can manipulate everyone into believing in what the inner circle tells them to believe in. The first slogan â€Å"War is peace† The inner circle has this slogan to convince people that there is no such thing as peace. The inner party seems to get people to believe they are in a constant state of war. When they are not fighting one country they are fighting the other. The inner party uses this constant state to their advantage; the inner party uses this state to keep the people always occupy with a war and to keep them from thinking about rising up against the government. Examples of the constant state of war, one is the proles are constantly being bombed. With this slogan it gives people a sense of anxiety keeping them scared and to make them think that Big Brother is taking care of them and will look out for them, and protect them. The second slogan â€Å"Freedom is Slavery†, the inner party is trying to control everyone and getting them to hate every other country. This slogan means that to have freedom is to be a slave, which in American eyes is a big lie. The inner party puts out the slogan for people to understand it is much better to be under Big Brother than it is to be your own individual and have freedom to decide what they would like to do; But to the people in this dis-utopia society believe that Big Brother is for them and not only that but they have been spoon fed their whole lives and they would not know what to do even if they had freedom. The people in this society that would have some sense of what freedom is, is the proles because the inner circle doesn't really care about them. The third slogan is â€Å"Ignorance is strength†. The Meaning of Ignorance is the lack of Knowledge, Not knowing and for not knowing to be strength it does not make very much sense. The phrase â€Å"Knowing is half the battle â€Å" would never come into play. In many cases to win a battle is to know what the army is up against. Not knowing is how the inner circle keeps any rebels from rebelling because they don't know what they are up against. Throughout the book the inner circle is kept a secret but it is known that it is there. In the book Winston believes that Big Brother is not real and does not exist. The inner circle also retells history the way they want it told and they teach it this way to keep the people from knowing what truly is happening in the world around them. After all the slogans one of the sayings the inner circle uses is â€Å"Big Brother is Watching You† This society uses this poster to add to the anxiety and fear of the people. The sign has this saying and above it is a face that looks similar to Hitler. This poster is posted everywhere within the society. This saying echoes throughout ones mind to give them a sense of being constantly watched and they have to pay attention to everything they do. This saying is not entirely false either in this society people are always looking out at people waiting and watching for them to slip up. The inner circle also uses telescreeens within each room to watch over what the person is doing and also the telescreen has no off switch. Winston has his telescreen in a location so he has a corner where he can write what ever he wants in his illegal journal. The inner circle uses it's own people to for it's eyes in the society because it uses the true followers to catch all the people who would go against. The inner circle also use kids as spies. They use the kids to spy on the parents within the home to make sure they do not go against the inner party. The inner circle turns their own people on each other so not only they look to catch each other but they also have no big groups to conspire with. In Comparison of the three slogans the number one thing they all have in common is they are all false and are all contradictions of each other; â€Å"War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is strength. † Each slogan has it's own purpose and reason to help the inner circle to control everybody to make sure they do not rise up against the inner party. If someone does go against the inner party the inner party sends their â€Å"task force† in to take that person and to have them do manually labor for the rest of their life. Which having the Thought Police a. k. â€Å"task force† in the mix of everything adds even more anxiety and fear into the people of this society. In truth the inner circle uses fear and repeats the slogans to get people brainwashed into believing everything the inner circle is telling them. The inner circle uses all of the sayings to manipulate and control everyone to be on their side. The inner party has these slogans to make sure every one can't go against them. The inner party rules with fear and is kept a secret, and repeats everything to make sure it is brainwashed into believing everything they are told. In many cases if someone repeats something over and over they would believe it to be true. If someone repeated that 2 + 2 = 5 eventually they would start to question if it is true and then soon the person would believe it is true and trick themselves that they are right in which 2 + 2 = 5. Which is the same way with Winston in which eventually he gave into the ways of the inner circle and he started to love Big Brother who he despised at the beginning of the book. This same process manipulated Winston into going into the ways and is brainwashed into believing everything he is told.

A Visit to an Amusement Park Essay

On the day of my thirteenth birthday, I was really excited since I was going to an amusement park for the first time in my life. So me and some of my friends I had invited, got into the car with my mom and dad, ready to have the time of our lives at the amusement park. On reaching the park, we bought tickets for everyone and entered the park. The only fitting description for it was â€Å"amazing†. I was really spellbound. Everywhere people were moving excitedly from one ride to another, funny music drifted to our ears along with the screams of laughter from every direction, people dressed up like clowns were entertaining the kids, and the most exciting was the rollercoaster, it looped in and out of nowhere and ran up and down and spun around in a crazy manner. My parents handed me some money and told us to enjoy the rides. We first queued up for the roller coaster, which was the greatest attraction of all. Soon we were seated on the ride and held on to the bars holding us firm ly to our seats. The next ten minutes was a blur of screams, the wind whizzing through our hair, laughter and tightly closed eyes. We descended with shaky knees and dizzy heads, but with faces full of broad grins and adrenaline pulsing through our body. We headed straight for the bumper cars and soon started bumping into each other with as much force as we could, enjoying ourselves thoroughly. Then we went for those shooting games in which you get a prize if you hit the target. Ready to show our shooting skills, we were soon loaded with video game prizes and some soft toys which didn’t make us happy since the age for playing with soft toys was long gone for us. Still, we took them since we had won them. Then came the most scary part, The Freaky House. Rumors had it that once you entered it, you never came out the same. So, being thirteen year old teenagers, and claiming not to be afraid of anything we entered the house with heads held high, but came out of it with goosepimples on our hands and our hearts thumping loudly against our chests. To top all this we were shaking from head to foot, with all those scary images in our heads which would haunt us throughout our lives. During all this we hadn’t noticed time fly and it was getting dark, so we entered an indoor restaurant where we were joined by our parents and we ordered a birthday boy special meal for me and burgers, pizzas and sodas for everyone else. We ate and drank and told my parents what we had done that day. Finally we all returned home and said our  goodbyes I lay on my bed, with the images of all the fun I had that day replaying in my mind constantly.

Free Essays on Nirvana And Heaven

NIRVANA AND HEAVEN Most religions have an ultimate goal that each believer should or at least try to accomplish. While Buddhists try to attain that ultimate goal called Nirvana, Christians in the other hand, try to be close to God by achieving their ultimate goal, which is to reach Heaven. Nirvana and Heaven are two different goals of two different religions that can be compared and contrasted. For a better understanding of the similarities and differences of Nirvana and Heaven first we have to understand what each one means or represents. Nirvana is a state of mind; more precisely it is an eternal state of being. Nirvana is a state where the death and rebirth cycle comes to an end. Nirvana also means the end of suffering and human pain. It is a state where desires do not exist and the individual consciousness comes to an end. Heaven is not a state of mind but rather it is an actual place. Heaven is a place of ultimate joy and fulfillment where all those who go there would be close to God. But in Heaven not only God lives; Angels and Saints live in Heaven too. One of the similarities between Heaven and Nirvana is that both lead to salvation. Once Buddhists attain Nirvana, they escape from pain and human suffering. When Christians go to Heaven they also escape from evil things such as pain and human suffering because in Heaven there are not such things. Both Buddhists and Christians try to find their ways to their ultimate goal to escape from all the things that make them suffer and cause them pain. Another similarity that we can observe from Nirvana and Heaven is that both are eternal. Once Buddhists reach the state of Nirvana they escape from the cycle of death and rebirth, that is Buddhists can not die and be born again. Buddhists that attain Nirvana enter into an eternal state of being. As nirvana, Heaven is an eternal place too. Once Christians go to Heaven they live forever close to God. There is no death in Heaven th... Free Essays on Nirvana And Heaven Free Essays on Nirvana And Heaven NIRVANA AND HEAVEN Most religions have an ultimate goal that each believer should or at least try to accomplish. While Buddhists try to attain that ultimate goal called Nirvana, Christians in the other hand, try to be close to God by achieving their ultimate goal, which is to reach Heaven. Nirvana and Heaven are two different goals of two different religions that can be compared and contrasted. For a better understanding of the similarities and differences of Nirvana and Heaven first we have to understand what each one means or represents. Nirvana is a state of mind; more precisely it is an eternal state of being. Nirvana is a state where the death and rebirth cycle comes to an end. Nirvana also means the end of suffering and human pain. It is a state where desires do not exist and the individual consciousness comes to an end. Heaven is not a state of mind but rather it is an actual place. Heaven is a place of ultimate joy and fulfillment where all those who go there would be close to God. But in Heaven not only God lives; Angels and Saints live in Heaven too. One of the similarities between Heaven and Nirvana is that both lead to salvation. Once Buddhists attain Nirvana, they escape from pain and human suffering. When Christians go to Heaven they also escape from evil things such as pain and human suffering because in Heaven there are not such things. Both Buddhists and Christians try to find their ways to their ultimate goal to escape from all the things that make them suffer and cause them pain. Another similarity that we can observe from Nirvana and Heaven is that both are eternal. Once Buddhists reach the state of Nirvana they escape from the cycle of death and rebirth, that is Buddhists can not die and be born again. Buddhists that attain Nirvana enter into an eternal state of being. As nirvana, Heaven is an eternal place too. Once Christians go to Heaven they live forever close to God. There is no death in Heaven th...

Advertising job likes and dislikes listening exercise

Advertising job likes and dislikes listening exercise In this listening comprehension you will hear a woman speaking about what she likes and dislikes about her advertising industry job. Listen to what she says and decide whether the following statements are true or false. You will hear the listening twice. Try to listen without reading the listening transcript. After you have finished, check your answers below to see if you have answered the questions correctly. Listen to the selection. Advertising Job Quiz Her job is extremely diverse.She spends a lot of time on the phone.She telephones people to ask them survey questions.The most important thing is what people think.They can lose jobs if sales decrease.She enjoys the artistic nature of her job.Her best idea came when she was brainstorming.Brainstorming is done alone.One great idea alone can bring success.You can lose your job easily.What profession does she work in? Listening Transcript Well, everyday for me is different. I mean to say that some days I speak to clients for hours and hours, and try to convince them that our ideas are the best.   A lot of my time is spent on research. Well, we have to deal with all the viewing and readership figures. We make up our own surveys to discover what a cross section of people think. We dont just look at what people think, but because what really counts is: What sells the goods? The simple fact is that if we dont show a rise in sales we lose a customer.   The part I really enjoy is the creativity. Its funny really. I get ideas in the most peculiar places. The best idea I ever got was one time when I was sitting in the bath. I jumped out and wrote it down immediately. We also do what we call brainstorming. That is: pooling and sharing our ideas. And we get the best ideas this way. That is as a result of teamwork. I mean, alright, we depend on everybody being creative, and this often happens best when youre working alone. But without a good team, no campaign has a hope in hell of succeeding. A good agency is, in fact, a team of individuals who work well alone, but also together.   Hmmm, the drawbacks. Now, the biggest drawback of my work is that you stand or fall by your results. If you cant think of new ideas, or you make an expensive mistake then you get fired. And youre out of a job. Thats always worrying, I can tell you.   Quiz Answers True - Every day is different. She states Well, everyday for me is different.True - Sometimes she spends hours and hours on the phone with one client. She states, I speak to clients for hours and hours and try to convince them that our ideas our best.False - She does research on data they get from surveys. She states  A lot of my time is spent on research.False - Sales is the most important thing. She states  ... because what really counts is: What sells the goods?True - If sales dont rise, they can lose a customer. She states  The simple fact is that if we dont show a rise in sales we lose a customer.True - She really enjoys the creativity. She states  The party I really enjoy is the creativity.False -She was sitting in a bath. She states  The best idea I ever got was one time when I was sitting in the bath.  False - Brainstorming is when everybody gets together to come up with ideas.  She states  ... we call brainstorming. That is: pooling and sharing our ideas.Fals e - Teamwork is required for success. She states  A good agency is a team of individuals who work well alone, but also together. True - If you make a mistake you can get fired.  She states  If you make an expensive mistake then you get fired.  Advertising

Behavior of students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Behavior of students - Essay Example Parents cause stress by demanding only the best grades. Students are often in relationships with people of the opposite sex. Sometimes these relationships end badly. This is a stressful situation. Teachers are also under stress. They need to prepare lectures, grade essays and conduct research in order to keep their jobs. They are always writing and reading so they know what is best to teach their students. Many teachers participate in committees that keep them late after work. Teaching students is a stressful job. The problem with putting stressed-out students and Stressed-out teachers together in the classroom is obvious. Students will want to get class over with as soon as possible to be with their friends and to start on their assignments. Teachers work hard to make their lessons, so they want to get the best information tot her students. Sometimes this situation can create conflict, resulting in student behavior problems. One behavior problem that many students have is ignoring the teacher. They will sit in class and pretend to listen to the teacher but they are actually sending secret text messages or playing games on their laptops. The students do this as an act of silent rebellion. They are trying to control the situation by participating in activities they would rather do, all while they are fooling the teacher. Students in these classes are bound to get lower grades if they participate in this behavior. They seem to think that simply sitting class gives them a right to good grades. Ignoring the teacher is a bad student behavior that leads to bad grades. Another behavior problem students have is actually caused by poor teaching. Sleeping in class is a student behavior that is disruptive to the learning in the class. Many students may say that they are not hurting anyone if they sleep. This is not true. Sleeping actually distracts other students, especially if you snore. This behavior is

HUman Rights(United Nations Declaration of Human Rightss 1948) Essay

HUman Rights(United Nations Declaration of Human Rightss 1948) - Essay Example d surrounding nations are hotbeds of caste and religious discriminations whereas the USA and EU nations regularly discriminate on the basis color and gender. The USA operates an inhuman detention centre at the US naval base in Guantà ¡namo Bay, Cuba. In fact there is no nation in the world where all human beings are treated as equals. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. †¦. According to special rapporteur of the UN Mr. Githu Muigai â€Å"An estimated 250 million people around the world are at risk of violations of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights, including violence, marginalization and discrimination†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This fact is applicable to all nations including the developed western societies and backward third world countries. Some governments go so far as to explicitly rationalize some forms of discrimination in the name of morals, religion, cultural equality or even national security.   Discrimination protected by law – for example, where the law limits religious freedoms (the decision to ban headscarves in France) or refuses to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ rights ( Aborigine mistreatment in Australia) effectively strips away human rights.( Discrimination, no date) In the United States, the consequence of the Bush administrations decision to fight terrorism without regard to the basic human rights is a gross violation of this article. Thousands have been detained without fair trial because they belong to a particular religion or region. France is guilty of Islam phobia and Xenophobia is a major issue in all western societies. The under developed nations of Africa are guilty of genocide, and every conceivable violation of basic rights, other nations specially in the Indian subcontinent are guilty of caste, religious and gender