Microecnomics Exam

Intermediate Microeconomics Fall 2005 Midterm Exam Direction: This is a close book, close notes exam; there is 100 points possible, please pay attention to the weights as you allocate your time; the exam starts at 3:30 and ends at 5:00 sharp. Good luck! 1. (25 points) Consider the utility function[pic]. 1) Is the assumption that ‘more is better’ satisfied for both goods? 2) What is [pic] for this utility function? 3) Is the [pic] diminishing, constant, or increasing as the consumer substitutes [pic] for [pic] along an indifference curve? . (25 points) A consumer purchases two goods, food [pic] and clothing [pic]. Her utility function is given by [pic]. The price of food is [pic] , the price of clothing is [pic], and the consumer’s income is [pic]. 1) What is the demand function for clothing? 2) Is clothing a normal good in this case? 3. (25 points) Suppose that Natasha’s utility function is given by u(I) = I0. 5, where I represents annual income in thousand s of dollars. 1) Is Natasha risk loving, risk neutral, or risk averse? Explain. ) Suppose that Natasha is currently earning an income of $10,000 (I = 10) and can earn that income next year with certainty. She is offered a chance to take a new job that offers a . 5 probability of earning $16,000, and a . 5 probability of earning $5,000. Should she take the new job? 3) In (2), would Natasha be willing to buy insurance to protect against the variable income associated with the new job? If so, how much would she be willing to pay for that insurance? 4. (25 points) Suppose a consumer has the two period utility function: [pic][pic] here [pic]represent the amount of consumption in period 1 and 2 respectively. The consumer’s income consists just of inherited assets A in period 1, and there is no income in second period. If the remaining income is invested in an asset, it can earn a rate of interest r. 1) Interpret the economic meaning of the parameter [pic] in the utility function. 2 ) Obtain the optimal allocation of[pic], and illustrate it with the graph. 3) Explain how the optimal consumptions in periods 1 and 2 vary with A, r, and[pic].

Milburn High School Hazing- Argumentative

For the last ten to fifteen years, the first day of school at Millburn High School has hosted an event that continues today. Every year, the â€Å"popular† seniors send out a â€Å"slut list†, slap stickers on student’s backs, blow whistles in faces, and shove students into lockers. The victims of these activities are usually the â€Å"popular† incoming freshmen. In 2010, the event gained media attention and the administration has done their best to discontinue this tradition.The administration at Millburn High School will not be able to stop the first day of school activities, and, therefore, should not be involved. The amount of students that participate and the fact that no one will speak up will make it extremely difficult for anyone to stop this tradition. The most influential factor is that there are so many students that participate. This year there was â€Å"†¦the distribution of a ‘slut list,’ including vulgar descriptions of mo re than 20 freshmen. † (5) Consequently, for every freshmen involved there is at least one senior that is also involved.The number of people that participate makes it virtually impossible for any administrative action to stop the happenings at Millburn High School. The administration would have to discipline a huge clique each year in the senior class. In concerning the â€Å"slut list†, â€Å"When a kid says, ‘I just found it on the floor and picked it up,’ it becomes a little bit messier. † (2) The difficulty of targeting each individual who participates should only further discourage any administrative involvement. Furthermore, the fact that no one is willing to speak up causes a serious problem. We spoke to at least a dozen freshmen and half a dozen seniors, and not one person wanted to really give any names†¦none of the 150 faculty members reported seeing any hazing incidents this year†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (3) This is very hard to believe consider ing the amount of students participating and the trouble they supposedly cause. It is simply not possible that no one witnessed any sort of â€Å"hazing†. This could be a result of fear or they do not wish to stop the events, along with freshmen who are even on the list.How can an administration discipline students if they do not have any evidence that they did anything wrong? â€Å"There’s very little we can really do if a student doesn’t come to us and say this is what happened. † (2) It just simply is not possible. No only is it an insurmountable task to stop the first day events, but staff should not try to stop the events in the first place. A graduate herself even stated â€Å"I knew that it was a harmless tradition †¦while there really is no reason for seniors to feel the need to exert their power over incoming students, it is HARMLESS. (6) Therefore, it should not be considered hazing. â€Å"There have been no reports of injuries requiring medical attention†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (2) Yet, in many other high schools incoming freshmen are physically abused and publicly humiliated, which should be classified as hazing. A dumb list and being shoved into lockers or whistles blown in faces should not. No, true hazing is much, much worse. The administration should only be responsible for keeping the events under control; however, not eliminating the tradition all together.In conclusion, the Millburn High School â€Å"hazing†, which has been happening for ten to fifteen years now, has been blown way out of proportion. â€Å"†¦they’re taking stuff and twisting it†¦really it’s all fun. † (1) The administration of the school will not be able to stop the events due to the amount of people involved and the fact that no one will speak up. They should not try to stop it, just control it. The freshmen of 2010 should be able to continue the tradition when they are the seniors of 2014. It is simply a harmle ss tradition that should just be left alone.

Journey for Truth: The Life of Sojourner Essay

The contribution of the life, philosophy, and activism of Sojourner Truth was that she was effective in preaching to the community as a freedom fighter, abolitionist, and feminist. Representing many classes of people in Antebellum United States, she was able to illuminate for others the hardships and desires of black people, the poor and oppressed, and women. As slaves, blacks had no personal freedom. They had no rights to themselves or their families, were whipped and tortured, experienced segregation and denial of citizenship, were denied salaries, and, women especially, endured the devastating agony of having their babies and children stripped from them and sold off to other arrogant and inhumane slave masters. In an effort to encourage radical change in her time, Truth took up the risky cause of making speeches against the strong forces of evil and in support of the righteous values of freedom and respect. Liberating herself and other people was not limited by class, racial, economic, or gender lines, rather she held the torch of freedom as a beacon for all oppressed people to follow, calling for empowerment of the weak, tolerance for differences, and protection for all people (Waxman, 2007). Truth was born into slavery in the late 1790s, in a more rural area outside of the bustling New York City. At the age of nine, Truth, then named Isabella, was sold by the slave master away from her parents and one remaining sibling to another New York slave owner. For nearly thirty years, she experienced a life of extremely difficult conditions, being repeatedly sexually abused and physically assaulted, and some of her children were forcibly taken from her and sold into bondage. Luckily, after the New York Emancipation Act of 1827, Truth was freed along with other former slaves of this Northeastern region, and in 1843, Truth was inspired to assume her new name and began a mission of journeying across the country as an itinerant preacher, supporting the efforts of abolitionists and feminists in the North, becoming actively involved in breaking down the slave system and pressing for the rights of all subjugated people (Mullings, 2005). Truth’s most famous speech at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851 is a wonderful demonstration of the strength of her ideals and the power of her words. In an excerpt from Brah and Phoenix’s 2004 article, Truth is quoted as having preached: That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody helps me any best place. And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm. I have plowed, I have planted, and I have gathered into barns. And no man could head me. And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much, and eat as much as any man–when I could get it–and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne children and seen most of them sold into slavery, and when I cried out with a mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me. And ain’t I a woman? (p. 77) Her sharply painful and moving words, rich with truth and experience, sent tides of strength and power through the country’s movement for all levels of freedom in regard to all kinds of people. In countering tyranny with liberty, and violence with peace, Truth became an emblem of the almost suffocated soul which was able to rise up, speak out, and lend valuable energy and motivation to the essential activism of her time. In defending her womanhood, her personhood, her right to full citizenship and social inclusion, Truth demanded respect during a time when evil was easily cast down the noses of the dishonorable elite. Standing firm in her beliefs and finding power in the spirituality of goodness, Truth was able to meet eyes with her oppressors and effectively shake the foundations of a flawed system.

Changes of Technology into the Teaching Profession Essay

Changes of Technology into the Teaching Profession - Essay Example With this, it can categorically be said that the teaching profession has gone a long way to jive with the innovations in technology. In regard to the aforesaid facts, this paper aims to explore the salient changes of technology into the teaching profession. Moreover, the discussion and analysis shall be based on relevant references that showcase reputable research evidences, thereby exemplifying the intent of this paper. According to Crader and Bridgforth (1996), the benefits of technology into the teaching profession are generally positive. Such benefits were enlisted in the research conducted by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) and are quoted as follows: Furthermore, it was also figured that technology has made "a real difference" with the way educators implement their teaching methods and skills (Center for Technology in Education, qtd. in Crader and Bridgforth "Recent Research on the Effects of Technology"). This is evidenced by the integration of telecommunications into teaching, where telecommunication activities are being conducted with students, thus enabling teachers to spend more time with individual students and less time in making traditional lectures to the whole class, in so doing, it would allow students to carry out a more independent work (Honey, 1993, qtd. in Crader and Bridgforth "Recent Research on the Effects of Technology"). These changes signify the shift from the traditional direct approaches to a more student-centered approach in teaching (Crader and Bridgforth "Recent Research on the Effects of Technology"). Hence, technology is hailed as a driving force that geared towards improved teaching and learning (Sel din "Improving College Teaching"). On the other hand, for technology to be effective in the field of teaching, certain skills and tasks are required to ensure the appropriateness of its implementation, as well as successful adaptation to the changes brought about by the advent of technology. Thus, the following are the recommendations from the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA): Integrating and suiting technology into education/teaching goals and standards Having a vision for the use of technology to support curriculum Ensuring access to appropriate technology Providing training for the use of new technology Rendering sufficient administrative support for technology use Providing time for teachers to plan and learn how to integrate technology Providing for ongoing technical support for technology use (OTA, 1995, qtd. in Crader and Bridgforth "Recent Research on the Effects of Technology"). Additionally, a positive disposition, or attitude, towards the application of technology to teaching is a key prerequisite in order to develop the

A systemic necessity or an act of convenience Essay

A systemic necessity or an act of convenience - Essay Example Academic cheating must be considered first as an ethical issue before anything else. If students are taught ethics, â€Å"[c]ollege can be a process of unlearning bad habits just as much as adding to one’s knowledge base. A philosophical grounding for goodness, honesty and integrity helps students to see the value of maintaining ethical standards or rising to them† (Daines, 2010).   The whole system of education must be oriented towards inculcating the right values in students for them to pursue the right course of action. Finally, one also has to explore what pushes students towards cheating than pursuing honest ways of doing academics. Arguably, it is found that â€Å"cheating tells us at least as much about educational environments as it does about students’ character or personality† (Kohn, 2010). The shortcomings of the existing educational system such as the alienation of teachers and students from each other, emphasis on grades and scores than actu al learning, heavy work load, and severe completion among the students have substantially been contributing to the cementing of the cheating practice. ConclusionCertainly, the imperfections in the present education system lead students into cheating. However, the students too are complicit as it is a decision to cheat from their side. What is important is to make students familiar with an ethical code that could save them from engaging in academic cheating. What was once cheating chits did is at present being done by mobile text messages.

Men & Women viewed differently Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Men & Women viewed differently - Essay Example You lookin' good in them shorts but they look better on the floo'1. It took me about three or four attempts to get the lyrics down, because partly it was heavy slang but part of it was, it was hard for me to believe that what was being said was actually being said. I thought to myself, well, it is a prostitute obviously to whom these lyrics are being addressed to, so perhaps there is some justification there. But in order to be fair to this project. I decided to get the country music video to view as well. I thought perhaps to be fair to the project, I should get a country music video which had a depiction of prostitute, but unfortunately I was not able to get any. I was able to get a Music Video by Shania Twain called "Any Man of mine". I must say if I was expecting a toned down conservative video where there is just singing interspersed with romance, I certainly did not get that. The music video was extremely sensual. The lyrics were most interesting. "This is what a woman wants ,A ny man of mine better be proud of me Even when I'm ugly he still better love me And I can be late for a date that's fine But he better be on time Any man of mine'll say it fits just right When last year's dress is just a little too tight And anything I do or say better be okay When I have a bad hair day And if I change my mind A million times I wanna hear him say Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I like it that way"2 . I thought to myself, if more men followed this advice they would not have a problem with relationships at all. However this was a music video. The sensual depiction of Shania Twain, dancing in her famed midriff did not suggest that she was dancing for just her guy. However it was interesting the contrast the implied usage of ugly. Now in Nelly's music video, the women were fairly decent looking and Shania is also very beautiful. But in the Hip Hop video, it was Ok to be treated badly, because you were ugly, while in the Country music Video. It did not matter if you were ha ving a bad hair day or did not look as pretty or cook as good; you were going to be treated like a princess. The difference between depiction of Woman in Country videos and Hip Hop Music videos was of a very deep nature. Now the Country music video also had a very sensual depiction of a woman. But this was a woman in control of her sensuality. There is here a woman's right to sexual self determination.3 There is no doubt in anybody watching this video that the person in this music video is somebody who is proud to be a woman and considers her sexuality an integral part of her. On the other hand, watching the Hip Hop videos, I did not get that feeling. It almost looked like that the women's appearance and existence on the video depended on what men thought of them. Even if the Women were insulted and apparently portrayed in what I would consider very demeaning. I thought I might do some research in who these women were who were in this video. It turns out most of these women in these videos are general junior artistes who are very often unpaid4. Now I would imagine if you were to be insulted and depicted so badly, you at least would want to be compensated for that. There is no question that a person watching Shania Twain's music video would have some difficulty of male responsibility and monogamy with her sensual

Benefits of using pieces of crushed brick in the concrete Essay

Benefits of using pieces of crushed brick in the concrete - Essay Example Aggregates in the concrete make the concrete weather resistant through their design and composition. Brick can not be considered a suitable material for mixing in concrete if its weather resistance is declined. To increase the durability of concrete structures, Romans tried several materials in place of aggregates. Owing to the lower modulus of elasticity and higher tensile strength than stone aggregate concrete, brick aggregate concrete is considered a suitable option. Three different concrete mixtures were produced and tested in different conditions. The first sample group was made of 100% gravel, the second sample group contained 100% crushed bricks and the third sample group contained 50% bricks and 50% gravel. A total of 33 concrete cubes were cast, 11 from each group. The concrete cube samples were subjected to repeated cycles of the frosting and thawing process to simulate the real-world conditions. For each concrete mixture, 3 of the cubes were not frozen at all, 3 cubes unde rwent 10 freeze-thaw cycles and the last 3 cube samples were subjected to a maximum of 20 freeze-thaw cycles. The remaining 2 cubes were subjected to the oven temperatures to determine their porosity. Each concrete cube was tested for its compressive strength, and tensile strength. Brick concrete showed more compressive and tensile strength than ordinary concrete because of lower w/c ratio.

(a) How successful have the American Government and the U.S. Federal Essay

(a) How successful have the American Government and the U.S. Federal Reserve been in running the American economy over the last - Essay Example financial collapse took place during the very last days of the Bush administration and during a U.S. Presidential election. The Fed’s response can be viewed separately and as working in tandem with the political approach of both political administrations and Congress. The historical characteristics of the period preceding the crisis itself can be seen as related to the severity of the crisis, while the aftermath or recovery period can suggest projections about the future consequences of the policies referenced drawn from economic studies and historical parallels in order to illustrate the possible dangers to the macro-economic environment that remain for the global economy. In the period preceding the financial crisis of 2008-9, the major issue of importance is the real estate market, particularly the sub-prime mortgage market in America, and its lending standards which may have led to the creation of a real estate bubble in the country. By some analysts’ regard, the Cl inton administration encouraged Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to promote financing policies that made it very easy for even the lower income families to get mortgages for home purchases. This type of encouragement was related to a general deregulation of the financial industry that proceeded under both the Clinton and Bush administrations, which included repeal of Depression era statutes like the Glass-Steagall Act that regulated the trading and investment functions of banks. Ratings agencies oversaw the process through which the Wall St. investment banks packaged thousands of mortgages in both commercial and residential real estate contracts into massive, billion dollar bonds known as MBS (Mortgage Backed Securities) that could be sold by the investment banks to groups like pension funds or hedge funds who were interested in fixed-rate or adjustable-rate long term returns. The contagion of global markets is seen in the way that these MBS entered portfolios around the world of all mann er of different public and private sector investors, corporations, and banks. Risk management, as practiced not only by the investors who purchased these MBS but also by the ratings agencies, failed to recognize that these securities could fail in the manner that they did because they underestimated the deflationary aspects of real estate and overestimated the reliability of the lending standards at their basis. This is the â€Å"Black Swan† aspect of Nicholas Taleb’s analysis, who wrote: â€Å"Globalization creates interlocking fragility, while reducing volatility and giving the appearance of stability. In other words it creates devastating Black Swans. We have never lived before under the threat of a global collapse. Financial Institutions have been merging into a smaller number of very large banks. Almost all banks are interrelated. So the financial ecology is swelling into gigantic, incestuous, bureaucratic banks – when one fails, they all fall. The increas ed concentration among banks seems to have the effect of making financial crises less likely, but when they happen they are more global in scale and hit us very hard. We have moved from a diversified ecology of small banks, with varied lending policies, to a more homogeneous framework of firms that all resemble one another. True, we now have fewer failures, but when they occur †¦.I shiver at the thought.† (Taleb, 2010) If Wall St. planners, securities ratings agencies, and

Policy, planning and development for tourism Case Study

Policy, planning and development for tourism - Case Study Example In the southern part of Australia, there is an island, Kangaroo Island, commonly known for its abundance in wildlife animals and tourists flock there every year for various reasons (Ritchie and Crouch, 2003:55). This paper will seek to will provide a report detailing policy, planning, and development for tourism in Kangaroo Island. The Kangaroo Island covers a wide area, as it is 155 kilometers long, 55 kilometers wide, and has a permanent population count of about 4,400 people. One can find the Kangaroo Island at the far end of South Australia. Additionally, 47 percent of its vegetation is natively original while 57 percent is under the protection of the National and Conservation Parks (Jack, 2005:8). Studies carried out by a number of researchers recorded that, the Kangaroo Island received many tourists in the year 2003, which amounted to 180,915 people (Brown, 2006:101). After doping some analysis, these researchers found out that 26 percent of those tourists were international visitors and that was expected to surpass 60 percent by the end of 2011 (Miller and Twining-Ward, 2005:207). This means that Kangaroo Island is indeed a tourist’s destination area, which does not only require a development plan, but also an implementation platform. Upon giving the Kangaroo Island study a closer outlook, it emerged that kind of development found or seen in this area has come with a price. Pertinently, for it to look the way it does there must be concerted efforts from some stakeholders. As of today, the Kangaroo Island has an innovative program responsible for developing and monitoring the influence of tourism (Beeton, 2005:36). It is also responsible for ensuring sustainable tourism development in this island as currently the tourism industry is working towards setting measures responsible for maintaining a sustainable ecology. At Kangaroo Island, there

Logistics and Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Logistics and Supply Chain Management - Essay Example A proper integration of functional and cross functional activities on the basis of product flow is also required to further the supply chain efficiency. The answers to the following questions elaborate on these aspects of supply chain management. In the present day business environment firms can enhance their competitive strength by efficiently managing their supply chain. The typical supply chain in any manufacturing firm consists of various firms and agencies taking part in the purchasing, production and distribution functions of the firm. The objective of an effective supply chain management is to ensure that the costs involved in procuring the materials and components, cost of carrying the inventory of various materials and the cost of distributing the products to the end customers are reduced to the maximum extent possible so that the profitability of the company can be improved. In the process of improving the efficiency of the production process techniques like 'just-in-time' manufacturing system helps the firms to achieve the objective of cost reduction and minimization of production time. It is also important that there is an effective information flow between various supply chain partners. With the advanced informa tion and communication technology existing today it becomes easier for the firm to communicate with each other efficiently. This paper discusses some of the relevant aspects of an efficient supply chain management. 1. Critical Evaluation of the Contribution of Just-in-time (JIT) The JIT philosophy advocates the elimination of waste through the process of simplifying the production processes and elimination of piling up of inventories. Also known as 'lean production' JIT is a 'demand-pull' manufacturing system. Under this system each component in a production line is produced immediately as needed by the next step in the production line. In a typical JIT production line manufacturing activity at any particular workstation is prompted by the need for that station's output at the following workstation. In the JIT system demand triggers each step of the production process starting with the customer demand for the finished product at the end of the process and working all the way back to the demand for direct materials at the beginning of the process. In this way the demand pulls an order through the production line. The demand-pull feature of JIT production system achieves close coordination among workstations. The objectives of JIT are to (i) meet customer dema nd in a timely way, (ii) with high-quality products and (iii) at the lowest possible total cost. Contribution

Project Paper and Feasibility Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project and Feasibility - Term Paper Example 30 Â  Greece 40.86% Source: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.FE.ZS Table 3: Independent variable 2 Country Physicians/1,000 people 1 Â  Luxembourg 2.7 2 Â  Qatar 2.22 3 Â  Norway 3.1 4 Â  Switzerland 3.6 5 Â  Australia 2.5 6 Â  United Arab Emirates 2.02 7 Â  Denmark 2.9 8 Â  Sweden 3.3 9 Â  Canada 2.1 10 Â  Netherlands 1.4 11 Â  Austria 3.4 12 Â  Singapore 1.4 13 Â  Finland 2.6 14 Â  United States 2.3 15 Â  Ireland 2.79 16 Â  Belgium 3.9 17 Â  Japan 2 18 Â  Germany 3.4 19 Â  France 3.37 20 Â  Kuwait 1.53 21 Â  Iceland 3.62 22 Â  United Kingdom 2.2 23 Â  Brunei 1.01 24 Â  Italy 4.2 25 Â  New Zealand 2... 66,371 6 Â  United Arab Emirates 63,626 7 Â  Denmark 59,709 8 Â  Sweden 57,638 9 Â  Canada 50,496 10 Â  Netherlands 50,216 11 Â  Austria 49,688 12 Â  Singapore 49,271 13 Â  Finland 48,783 14 Â  United States 48,328 15 Â  Ireland 48,289 16 Â  Belgium 46,989 17 Â  Japan 45,870 18 Â  Germany 44,111 19 Â  France 44,007 20 Â  Kuwait 43,723 21 Â  Iceland 43,088 22 Â  United Kingdom 38,811 23 Â  Brunei 38,534 24 Â  Italy 36,267 25 Â  New Zealand 35,973 26 Â  Hong Kong 34,259 27 Â  Israel 32,351 28 Â  Spain 32,077 29 Â  Cyprus 28,670 30 Â  Greece 26,735 Source: World Development Indicators database (2011). Table 5: Independent variable 4 Country Urbanization Rate 1 Â  Luxembourg 1 2 Â  Qatar 2.2 3 Â  Norway 0.7 4 Â  Switzerland 1.7 5 Â  Australia 1.2 6 Â  United Arab Emirates 2.9 7 Â  Denmark 0.5 8 Â  Sweden 0.5 9 Â  Canada 1 10 Â  Netherlands 0.9 11 Â  Austria 0.7 12 Â  Singapore 1.2 13 Â  Finland 0.8 14 Â  United States 1.3 15 Â  Ireland 2.2 16 Â  B elgium 0.3 17 Â  Japan 0.2 18 Â  Germany 0.1 19 Â  France 0.8 20 Â  Kuwait 2.5 21 Â  Iceland 0.8 22 Â  United Kingdom 0.5 23 Â  Brunei 2.6 24 Â  Italy 0.4 25 Â  New Zealand 1 26 Â  Hong Kong 1 27 Â  Israel 1.7 28 Â  Spain 0.9 29 Â  Cyprus 1.3 30 Â  Greece 0.6 Source: World Development Indicators database (2010). Table 6: Independent variable 5 Country Life expectancy (Years) 1 Â  Luxembourg 78.7 2 Â  Qatar 75.6 3 Â  Norway 80.2 4 Â  Switzerland 76.3 5 Â  Australia 81.2 6 Â  United Arab Emirates 78.7 7 Â  Denmark 78.3 8 Â  Sweden 80.9 9 Â  Canada 80.7 10 Â  Netherlands 79.8 11 Â  Austria 79.8 12 Â  Singapore 81 13 Â  Finland 79.3 14 Â  United States 78.2 15 Â  Ireland 78.9 16 Â  Belgium 79.4 17 Â  Japan 82.7 18 Â  Germany 79.4 19 Â  France 76.4 20 Â  Kuwait 77.6 21 Â  Iceland 81.8 22 Â  United Kingdom 80.1 23 Â  Brunei 77.1 24 Â  Italy 82 25 Â  New Zealand 80.2 26 Â  Hong Kong 82.2 27 Â  Israel 82 28 Â  Spain

Aristotle vs Platonist Essay Example for Free

Aristotle vs Platonist Essay Aristotle and Plato were two men with different theories. Although they had some aspects in common, each had their understandings and meanings. Here I will explain what were their beliefs and how these philosophers interpreted each word with its true value. Also with the information, I will try to undercover the meaning of why people used to say people were born either as a Platonist or as a Aristotelian. Between these two philosophers their were differences of character, temperament, background, and mental attitude. Their philosophic belief on the other hand was similar in words but not in action. Let us see why and what am I referring to (Grube). Also, let us choose if we are a Aristotelian or a Platonist and why they say people were born this or that. Virtue is a word that both used to use in their philosophic belief, but, as I said before, the actions were different. To begin with, Aristotles used to describe this word to a action that they have might not even have had the opportunity to chose themselves when they were young. In the norms, help by teachers, parents, and even the government; the development of proper habits was to be made from each persons childhood. This would eventually lead to a better community and for that, better and educated environment. Not only would an adult with this sense of virtue like this be wise to use courage, friendship, justice and other characteristics developed during childhood in a proper way but that is what is required to be good and act when adults. The help is what makes you better when educated young in childhood (Wiki). As mentioned before, Aristotle has different theories than Plato. He suggests that the forms can be discovered through a examination of the world being natural. Now, Plato believes that forms are farther than what humans can understand, it is way beyond. What Platonist ethics is all about is the Form of the Good. For him, virtue is knowledge. The soul, being divided in three parts, which are spirit, reason, and appetite have their share. Then, we have three virtues which are wisdom, moderation, and courage. What makes all of those be together and united is the virtue of justice. This makes the function be the perfection by each part of the soul is performed. Platonism is identified by the persons soul and describes idea prior to matter unlike Aristotelianism (Wiki). To my conclusion, looking at both Aristotelian and Platonist I agree with Platonist belief. While Aristotelian believes that virtue comes through this world as we see it, Plato goes beyond and knows that it is way beyond the eyes of the humans. I think that each person is up-brought differently and for that I believe that all humans have different point of views. My view is Platonist. I am a person that believes and does not have to see it with my own eyes. I do think its important to be educated from childhood but I believe in second chances. Everyone can change and it does not matter if it will be only when you are an adult. Virtue is something that can be used in all phases o life. That is my conclusion on why I was born as a Platonist and not as a Aritotelian. Work Cited: Aristotelian Ethics. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Inc, 2 Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. . Grube, G. M. A. Platonist and Aristotelian. Pheonix. Classical Association of Canada, 1947. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. . Platonism. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Inc. , 12 Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. .

The Foreign Policy Of Nepal Politics Essay

The Foreign Policy Of Nepal Politics Essay Upon the formulation of the Maoist-led government, both India and China were closely watching the new Prime Ministers decisions. While India was vigilante as to whether the policies of the government predominantly and essentially compromised of pro-communism visionaries would reflect such ideologies. It was watchful of the possible strengthening of Chinas ties with Nepal due to alignment of the governments ideologies. Similarly, China has been very cordial towards Nepal ever since, with higher diplomatic correspondence, especially visits to Kathmandu, causing worries in India. The face of Indi-China relations are changing, thus the Nepalese foreign policies will need to adjust with the shifting tides.  [1]  Convincing its neighbours of a balanced and neutral position amongst the imperceptible tension shall be a herculean task for the diplomatic and political scientists of Nepal. The imperceptible tension is founded on the competition between these rising economies to be the biggest economic powerhouse in Asia, and subsequently the world. Both the economies (China and India) are growing exponentially. With regard to China, expert predictions are that its volume of trade, which is already bigger than that of US since 2012 (although the latter remains the biggest economy) will get bigger with its market expanding in Europe in such a way that even the European competitors with have high time matching up.  [2]  There have been speculations that in 2040, the Chinese economy will reach $123 trillion, or nearly three times the economic output of the entire globe in 2000.  [3]   India must be well aware about the growing dominance of China in regional market. It has alleged China of an encirclement strategy since the Chinese focus on the sector of transportation can be observed in the Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Sri Lanka and Pakistan and all of these countries have one significant commonality- they surround India.  [4]  However, these emerging superpowers are seeking to enhance their economic cooperation in the present light. The current Chinese  investments in India  are to the tune of around $580 million, a sizeable amount, which India and China are seeking to increase through agreed to a five-year plan on economic cooperation as well as setting up a joint working group (JWG) to go into all trade related issues.  [5]  The competitiveness has soured the diplomatic relations between China and India, if not stalled them since the volume of trade between these giant economies is in fact growing rapidly, with the volume of trade expected to i ncrease by as much as $30 billion dollars by 2015.  [6]   On the other hand, territorial skirmishes are still going on between these two hefty neighbours of Nepal. One critique pens that although it is highly improbable that these two archrivals of the 19th century would head towards a confrontation, the territorial skirmishes still loom large in the 21st century. The vestiges of the Sino-Indian war which dates back to the 1962 remains, since the border dispute has not been solved despite genuine attempts by both the parties for it. Both the parties have tightened the security in the borders by deploying more military forces, making it highly militarized, in fact, one of the highest in the world. Periodic clashes are not uncommon and set off the countries towards series of arguments.  [7]   Nepal should be a careful vigilante in the coming years of the concurrent power tussle and cooperation between the neighbours. That Nepal is the land bridge between India and China is a fallacy, these the nations share more border connected with each other. However, the clamours of any skirmishes taking place has had resonated in Nepal as well, in which both the neighbours wait for Nepals response. The equidistant policy of Nepal, which is also a constitutional directive principle of Nepal, finds itself being frayed when such happens. C.K. Lal makes following observation for prospects and limits for a productive foreign policy, amidst Sino-Indian relation  [8]  : Kathmandu has the potential to become the idea-bridge between the two giant neighbours; Nepal has the potential of emerging not as an information technology hub, but as a centre of excellence in learning Chinese and Indian economy, culture and society. Tourism development is a desirable goal, but rich Chinese are not going to come to Nepal to trek in the Himalayas for quite some time-they would rather go to Paris to learn the ways of living like Parisians or travel to London to have suits tailored at bespoke outfitters of Savile Rowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it would be too much to expect that Nepals economy stands to benefit from development of trucking routes between Bihar and Tibet. Nepalis have to learn to be interpreters of a new world order of which both their neighbors are going to be important players. Hindi needs to be celebrated for that reason, not because some Madheshis think that it is their mother tongue. More Nepalis have to begin learning Chinese. And Nepal needs to aim for a respectable place on the next EPI list. Similarly, Shrestha suggests that if Nepal could have 10% of the transportation crossing through its territory, it would be a billion dollar turnover for Nepal, whose worth cannot be overstated.  [9]   8.2 India China Interference or Nepals Imprudent Foreign Policy? There is nothing extraordinary for China and India to have political interest over Nepal. They reasons to have such an interest in Nepal because it is their neighbour with a contiguous territory sensitive to political unity and security.  [10]   One apt instance would be the visit paid by Prime Minister of Nepal Baburam Bhattarai to India in the recent past. Nepal did not present a concrete proposal through official channels in advance that would have given the Indians time to process it through their multiple agencies. The Nepal embassy in India-with its limited resources, lack of outreach among influential politicians and commentators, and dismal bureaucratic leadership-was unable to do the groundwork for a big breakthrough in quick time. While the visit was a success in restoring trust between the two governments, and kick-starting many bilateral mechanisms that had been inert, it was underwhelming only because of what the Nepali side had promised.  [11]   Managing the India-China dynamic will remain Nepals foremost diplomatic challenge in years to come. And if we go by this years track record, the Nepali establishment is still not equipped enough with the skills to do so tactfully. There was a vote for a position in an important UN body recently, with both India and China competing. At the last minute, Nepal decided to vote for China-Beijing, which had already served two terms on the body, lost. The rest of the South Asian region, including arch-rival Pakistan, had voted for India.  [12]  A reporter writes on the issue: For years, visiting Indian ministers and other dignitaries have been trying to project an image of deep amity with Nepal, reiterating that the two countries share age-old cultural, social and other ties. However, apparently, these vaunted ties do not extend to working together at the UN. Even as India celebrates the victory of its candidate A Gopinathan over his Chinese rival Zhang Yan at Mondays vote for a five-year term at the UNs Joint Inspection Unit, Indian mandarins in Kathmandu have been left unhappy by the fact that Nepal chose to vote against India.  [13]   The above is not going to the last time that Nepal is placed in a sticky situation, where it is to express its support to one of the two neighbours it does not otherwise intend to upset. The best way to go about it is a political honesty and transparency, which can only be possible if it has a certain foreign policy practice that it swears to, which should be the basis of its actions in relations to its neighbours and not speculations and predictions. 8.3 Adjusting to the Influence of Globalization and Global Economies Rapid momentums are taking place in the world and states are competing for a comfortable positions in world polity, economic security with a few on a head on with each other. Amidst such momentums, Nepal has a huge responsibility of catching up, for becoming a developed country from a troubled and struggling developing country. If we take a birds view of the globe, we can see phenomenal progresses going around. Since its downfall, Russia has gotten over its Lenin syndrome, Economic competitiveness has replace the imperial policies. Nongovernmental and transnational organizations are thriving. The recession has taken a toll majorly on United States and Europe. New economies are seeking to become the topdogs position beside the elite Superpowers, who still have successfully maintained their grasp on their own position. Asia is resurfacing as the basket of civilization with a steady Japan and agile India and China. It has been forecasted that in the next 15/20 years, Japan, Russia and Brazil, closely followed by Indonesia will emerge as major players in the international arena  [14]  . Scholars have opined following to be the face of world order by 2050:  [15]   China will continue in its mission to surpass the States as the ultimate economy and shall do so in a matter of 15-20 years, followed by India, who will not lag behind, standing besides the States and China by the time the calendar reads 2050. The elite powerhouses of present day will maintain their status quo, but will not be able to prevent the present day average economies, with a considerable economic growth rate, from catching up. Europe will continue to go with the transnational policy and will extend its relations with other growing economies. Either the world will witness a chronic food deficit, crumbling the deprived pockets of globe and their malnourished population, or the nations will work expeditiously towards fulfilling their commitment, thus eliminating chronic hunger. International organizations, transnational organizations and Nongovernmental organizations gain momentum. Those such as WTO will gain more prominence as the least and developed nations, along with average will form alliances and voice demands for enhanced participation and privileges. 8.4 Reinforcing the Importance of Regional Organizations The feats that regional organization can achieve are evident in the economic order of the European Union, the control displayed by NATO in the Kosovo in the name of humanitarian assistance, the cartel of OPEC over supply of petrol to the nooks and crannies of globe, the effective solidarity demonstrated by AU and ASEAN for the collective interest of their regions among others. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985, on 8th December. Bangladesh and Nepal explicitly lobbied for it at various meetings. Since its inception, SAARC has SAARC has developed and consolidated its institutional framework and the scope and volume of its activities has expanded, with the setting up of 11 Technical Committees.  [16]   Democratization process in the region is picking up: The recently adopted SAARC Democracy Charter gives expression to collective commitment of the member states to promote and preserve values and ideals of democracy and democratic institutions. The Charter also reinforces the supremacy of the Member States respective constitutions and envisions strengthening democratic institutions by reinforcing democratic practices. Guarantee of the independence of judiciary and primacy of rule of law along with the commitment to adhere to UN Charter and other international instruments are some of the salient features of the Charter.  [17]   However, SAARC has even been labelled the most derided regional association in the world. It has been ridiculed for its incompetence in promoting regional trade, security, unity and a whole host of other issues. It has been called to be merely an avenue for leaders to partake in photo opportunities.  [18]  Ã‚   However, there is no other alternative to SAARC for South Asians. It cannot choose not to have any sort of regional cooperation or only promote bilateral relations.  [19]  Ã‚   The importance of SAARC for Nepal is immense. The impediments of globalization have made regionalism more preferable for small states. Inoguchi and Bacon enumerate on the argument drawing reference to the East Asian small states who despite their developmentalist-based successes have been poorly equipped to address and manage their high levels of interdependence sensitivity and in such lights have realized that their best response to this sensitivity to globalization is to develop an explicitly regionalist approach, but that in order to do this they have had to adapt to different and more transparent proto-democratic norms of political and economic self- and collective governance.  [20]   Trivedi asserts that the South Asian countries, on a positive note, do have a number of inherent advantages with regard to regional co-operation. They command a huge potential market with a combined population of more than 1.5 billion people. What is needed is to enlarge, integrate and unify this market by removing barriers to trade and taking other measures that will enhance regional co-operation.  [21]   Nepal should promote reinvigoration of SAARC. SAFTA is a pact signed 2004 by the SAARC member states, through which the member states intend and elevate common contracts among themselves, involving trade operated by states, supply and import assurance in respect of specific products. Agreements are to be concluded for tariff concessions and non-tariff concessions (sensitive list). This could provide special preference to least developed SAARC member like Nepal.  [22]   8.5 Other Critical Areas not to be Left Out Combating poverty is in the epicentre of Nepals foreign policy, especially in terms of foreign aid and assistance. Managing the refugee problem and fulfilling its international treaty obligation towards human rights, upliftment of women and children will be vital for Nepal to improve its impression in the international forums. Climate Change will be one of the most pressing issues in the 21st century. For countries like Nepal, the test of climate policy and action is how the communities will see change in their adaptation to the adverse effects climate change which they are already experiencing. Of crucial importance to Nepal is also the issue of protection of the Himalayan ecosystem against the adverse effect climate change, including through the melting of glaciers. Comprehensive framework for adaptation will also need to address the needs for disaster risk reduction. The indispensability and vulnerability of mountain ecosystem in addressing sustainability found a reference in the Rio+20 declaration, owing to Nepals diplomacy as chair of the LDCs. This needs to be further pursued. The continuation of Adaptation Fund created from 2% from CDM under the Kyoto Protocol is also equally important for us.  [23]   Another area the commendable participation in the UN Peacekeeping operations that has improved Nepals image in the international forum.  [24]  Such endeavours should be continued for Nepal to gain positive attention of its regional partners as well as other international vigilantes. CHAPTER XI 9. CONCLUSION SUGGESTION Annette Baker Fox writes, The distinctive power of great states flows from their military strengthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦for the Small state, diplomacy is the tool of statecraft.  [25]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Historically foreign policy has been a vital tool of Nepali statecraft and test of statesmanship. The nature of politics which is witnessing fundamental changes in the entire spectrum of issues/interests, institutions and actors in a crucial time (21st  Century) and location (in Asia between India and China) makes Nepals foreign policy formulation and conduct of diplomacy particularly challenging now.  [26]  The diplomats and policy framers of Nepal should be aware about the fact that its position, whether economic, political or geographic, confers upon it certain rights and privileges, and it is the international obligation of developed states to uphold them. It has, for instance, certain rights to transit and passage being a landlocked country, provided it hones in its diplomats the quali ty to not flinch while asserting demands of exercise of such rights and privileges in concerned platforms. Dealing with simultaneously cooperating and competing regional and global super-powers embroiled in their own internal upheavals in a rapidly changing global political and economic order and strategic equation demands access to right information and ability to interpret it with knowledge, understanding and experience. Historical intricacies and new complexities seen through the eyes of simple convictions, outdated dogmas or vested interests distort comprehension; policies based on them can lead to unintended serious consequences.  Ã‚  [27]  Ã‚  Nepal can be no exception to this recommendation for the reason of it having just resurfaced through a horrendous armed conflict. Sympathy-based foreign aid and assistance cannot be sustained for long, since resources are diverted elsewhere when the crisis is worse. Sustainable development also requires Nepal to strength its resources. Development of human resource in fields of trade and energy will be crucial for Nepal in the days to come . 9.1 Relations of Trust and Confidence with India and China Historically Nepal is the meeting point of two great civilizations and today it is one of the epicentres of competing interests in an impending global paradigm shift. Located between two global economic and strategic powerhouses, Nepal can greatly benefit from developments taking place in India and China today. However, it is essential to realize that proximity adds vitality but also sensitivity and complexity in interstate relations demanding high priority and careful handling.  [28]  As late Prof. Yadu Nath Khanal, the most respected Nepali diplomat scholar wrote long ago our foreign policy will breakdown at the point where either India or China looses faith in us and concludes that her vital national interests and sensitivities do not receive proper recognition in our conduct of relations. Changing global and regional political, economic and security needs and the seriousness of the challenges faced by the South Asian states, particularly extreme poverty and threats from terro r networks have made things more complicated.  [29]   Nepals national sovereignty and territorial integrity while the other feels so exposed that it feels compelled to apply its own Monroe doctrine. In this sensitive relationship, vain debates,  name-calling and finger pointing  only  raise risks of more external involvement in internal power contests. So, domestic politics is the biggest problem of Nepals foreign policy today; restoration of trust and confidence with all our foreign friends and partners, but most importantly India and China is the top priority of Nepals foreign policy making and conduct of diplomacy.  [30]   9.2 National Interest, but also Guiding Principles Nepal will have to come up with a guideline on its equidistance principle very soon if it does not want to get too deep into the Tibet-China struggle. It has not allowed Tibetans to hold protests against China on its soil on number of occasions, including the birthday of the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama, who is reviled by Beijing as a separatist. While Nepal cannot swear support to the One China Policy, it cannot discharge of Chinas insinuations of assistance in exchange for such support. National Interests and guiding principles should both be concerns of Nepal.  [31]   9.4 Active role in SAARC Many institutions of SAARC framework lies in Kathmandu, including the SAARC Secretariat. Nepal has been a favourite venue for hosting several SAARC summits. If Nepal proactively persuades reenergizing SAARC, it can only benefit from being the hub for south Asian diplomacy, to some extent, what Luxembourg is for the European Union. 9.5 Economic (Development) Diplomacy Nepal will firstly have to work a way to limiting and subsequently finishing off its international debt and appeal for waivers and grants. It will have to negotiate with not only its neighbours but other prospective countries for making free trade agreements, duty-free and excise agreements and such. It should demonstrate strong leadership as the chair of the LDCs in platforms like WTO and UN. 9.6 Forward looking and Dynamic Diplomacy Edward Hallett Carr suggests, before the First World War, in most democracies war was regarded mainly the business of soldiers and as a corollary, international relations and foreign policy the business of professional diplomats, outside the scope of domestic party politics or a matter of public scrutiny. The war of 1914 once and for all changed the view that war only affects and can be conducted by professional soldiers. It also ended the corresponding notion that foreign policy could safely be left in the hands of professional diplomats.  [32]   To encapsulate in a few points, the areas to be worked out in the future for a sound foreign policy with regard to India and China would be: Development of foreign policy guidelines, such as on the equidistance principle Honing negotiation skills Democratization of foreign policy A renewed vigor and proactive participation in SAARC Vigilance of the interactions between India and China.

Secret trusts in Blackwell v Blackwell

Secret trusts in Blackwell v Blackwell For the prevention of fraud equity fastens on the conscience of the legatee a trust which would otherwise be inoperative: in other words, it makes him do what the will has nothing to do with, it lets him take what the will gives him, and then makes him apply it as the Court of Conscience directs, and it does so in order to give effect to the wishes of the testator, which would not otherwise be effectual per Viscount Sumner in Blackwell v Blackwell [1929] A.C. 318, 335. Discuss this view explaining the practical and legal problems the approach creates, the nature of the fraud, and whether it is a sufficient justification for the acknowledgment of both fully secret and half secret trusts. Let us commence with a brief examination of the factual circumstances which occurred in this case: A testator, by a codicil, bequeathed a legacy of  £12, 000 to five persons ‘to apply for the purposes indicated by me to them. Prior to the execution of this codicil, the terms of the trust were communicated to the legatees and the trust was accepted by them. The beneficiaries were the testator’s mistress and her illegitimate son. The plaintiff sought from the courts a declaration that no such valid trust in favour of the objects had been created on the ground that parole evidence was inadmissible to establish such a trust. Approaching this factual situation as a probate lawyer, one would not be criticised for suggesting that the trusts in question were invalid for failure to comply with the formality requirements of s9 of the Wills Act 1837, which require a will, â€Å"or any other testamentary disposition†, to be in writing, signed by the testator and two witnesses. Viscount Sumner in Blackwell v Blackwell[1] however did find that these trusts were valid, in spite of this statute: The above excerpt, from the dicta of Viscount Sumner in Blackwell v Blackwell, argues that the enforcement of a semi-secret trust does not in fact contravene the aforesaid statutory provision. Viscount Sumner reasons that the trust in question is in fact created inter vivos, and as such operates outside of the will; the testator communicated the trust to the proposed trustees who accepted it, the trust becoming fully constituted upon execution of the will and transfer of the trust property to these trustees. In this way, he argues that enforcement of the trust is not due to the will document itself, rather the previous agreement made between the trustees and testator; secret trusts therefore operate outside of the will itself and as such are not subject to the formality requirements contained in s9 of the Wills Act 1837: the whole basis of secret trusts, as I understand it, is that they operate outside the will, changing nothing that is written in it, and allowing it to operate accor ding to its tenor, but then fastening a trust on to the property in the hands of the recipient.[2] Viscount Sumner therefore argues that the enforcement of semi-secret trusts should be governed by trust law and not through the rules of probate. This conclusion is certainly neat, and prima facie, does seem to satisfy the concerns of the probate lawyer, but if Viscount Sumner’s argument is to be accepted, and we are to submit to the notion that the applicable principles to be applied to the above facts lie within the sole jurisdiction of trust law, then surely we could expect that there would be a vast body of case law which we could rely upon to support his argument. The truth however is that, despite its beauteous simplicity, there are real legal problems in reconciling this theory with our orthodox principles of trust law; the permission of a trust, which purports to bind after-acquired property, is irreconcilable with the established trust law rule that it is impossible to declare an immediate trust of future property[3], or a trust which binds such property whenever in is received[4]. These are not minor concerns, nor the only concerns: Critchley[5] argues that this viewpoint is also flawed in that Viscount Sumner has confused the notions of â€Å"outside the will† with â€Å"outside the Wills Act†, incorrectly relying on the reasoning in the case of Cullen v Attorney General for Northern Ireland[6], which was a decision relating to tax statutes rather than to the formal requirements of the Wills Act, and was as such within an entirely different legal context On top of this, Pearce and Stevens[7] convincingly argue that the case of Re Maddock[8] is wholly inconsistent with Viscount Sumner’s view: In this case, a testatrix, by her will, left her residuary estate ‘absolutely’ to X whom she appointed one of her executors. By a subsequent memorandum communicated to X during her lifetime, she directed X to hold part of the residue upon trust for named beneficiaries. There were insufficient assets to pay the debts of the estate. The legal issue was whether or not the secret beneficiaries took their interest subject to the payment of the debts. Cozens-Hardy LJ argued that â€Å"†¦the so called trust does not affect property except by reason of a personal obligation binding the individual devisee or legatee. If he renounces or disclaims, or dies in the lifetime of the testator, the persons claiming under memorandum can take nothing against the heir at law or next of kin or residuary devisee or legatee.† Viscount Su mner’s reasoning however suggests that since the trustee takes as trustee on the face of the will, the trust should not fail in the ways suggested by Cozens-Hardy in the above dicta. The legal problems and inconsistencies with Viscount Sumner’s justification must lead us to the conclusion that such trusts cannot be accounted for under the rules of inter vivos trusts; we must therefore accept that their existence does in fact mark a departure from the Wills Act 1837. This does not mean that such a view is necessarily unjustified and outside the scope of Equity’s jurisdiction; after all, Equity is the ‘court of conscience’, and as the age old maxim states ‘Equity will not allow a statute to be used as an engine of fraud’. Therefore, if it can be demonstrated that the permission of semi-secret trusts is preventing such fraud, then, despite the legal problems and inconsistencies discussed above, we may still be able to find adequate justification for the existence of such trusts. As Vaughan Williams L.J. asserted, in the case of Re Pit Rivers [1902][9], â€Å"†¦the court will never give the go-by to the provisions of the Wills Act by enforcing any one testamentary disposition not expressed in the shape and form required by the Act, except in the prevention of fraud.† Clearly therefore, whether or not this justification will apply to any given case depends upon which definition of ‘fraud’ is subscribed to in that case. In McCormick v Grogan[10], the ‘fraud’ being protected was that of the secret trustee: it is only in clear cases of fraud that this doctrine has been appliedcases in which the Court has been persuaded that there has been a fraudulent inducement held out on the part of the apparent beneficiary in order to lead the testator to confide to him the duty which he so undertook to perform. The protection of this type of fraud has been held out, and confirmed in subsequent cases, to be the traditional justification for the existence of the doctrine of secret trusts. However, in the case of semi-secret trusts [such as the type of trust at issue in the case of Blackwell v Blackwell] such fraud is not possible; the face of the will makes it quite clear that the secret trustee is not to take the property beneficially, a nd should the contents of the trust be denied by that trustee, the property would return to the estate by way of resulting trust. And yet in cases involving half-secret trusts, we can still see the courts employing justification-arguments based on fraud. In such cases, a wider conception of ‘fraud’ has been employed; â€Å"it is not the personal fraud of the purported legatee, but a general fraud committed upon the testator and the beneficiaries by reason of the failure to observe the intentions of the former and of the destruction of the beneficial interests of the latter.† It was this argument put forward in the case of Riordan v Banon[11]: â€Å"it appears that it would also be a fraud though the result would be to defeat the expressed intention for the benefit of the heir, next of kin or residuary donee,† and it was this passage which was cited by Hall V.C. in the case of Re Fleetwood[12], a case which was relied upon by Viscount Sumner in the formulation of his judgement: â€Å"It seems to me that, apart from legislation, the application of the principle of Equity in Fleetwood’s case†¦ was logical, and was justified by the same considerations as in cases of fraud and absolute gifts. Why should equity forbid an honest trustee to give effect to his promise, made to a deceased testator, and compel him to pay another legatee, about whom it is quite certain that the testator did not mean to make him the object of his bounty?† Challinor[13] argues that the ‘fraud theory’ has been extended in an artificial way in order to encompass a justification of half-secret trusts and the modern case law. A huge flaw exists in making such an extension; she argues that equity’s willingness to respect a testator’s wishes where that testator has not met the formality requirements as stipulated by s9 of the Wills Act is inconsistent with its approach to other commonplace situations in which a testators wishes are not respected by Equity in the same way: for example, â€Å"purported beneficiaries under ineffective wills are routinely deprived of property which testators or settlers would desire them to have, simply because wills and trusts have not been put into effect in the proper manner.† She argues that the traditional equitable maxim that â€Å"equity will not permit a statute to be used as an engine of fraud† must be adapted to something more like â€Å"equity will not allow a statute to be used so as to renege on a promise† if it is to fit within the situations envisaged in Blackwell v Blackwell. The effect of such a mild form of fraud theory is to shift the focus â€Å"onto potential, rather than actual, wrongdoing†¦ the policy aim underlying it is thus proactive (or preventative) rather than reactive (or curative).† In conclusion therefore, Viscount Sumner’s view as to the enforcement of secret and semi-secret trusts is one which creates a number of practical problems. It gives testators a valid reason for not observing the statutory formalities normally applicable in making a will. These statutory formalities are in place for the very purpose of preventing personal fraud, and in light of this, it seems odd that Viscount Sumner should support a view which in itself gives testators the option of bypassing these precautions and thus increasing their risks to such fraud, especially in light of the fact that the underlying justification in his viewpoint is one of ensuring that the testator’s true intentions are honoured. I must therefore conclude that in light of its legal problems and inconsistencies, the artificial nature of the ‘fraud’ it seeks to prevent, the practical problems which arise as a result of acknowledging such trusts, the view expressed by Viscount Sumner in the case of Blackwell v Blackwell does not provide a sufficient justification for the acknowledgment of both fully secret and half secret trusts. Bibliography Critchley, Instruments of Fraud, Testamentary Dispositions, and the Doctrine of Secret Trusts (1999) 115 L.Q.R. 631 Pearce Stevens, The Law of Trusts and Equitable Obligations (2nd ed., London, 1998) Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 2005. â€Å"DEBUNKING THE MYTH OF SECRET TRUSTS† Emma Challinor Moffat, Trusts Law Text and Materials 3rd ed Footnotes [1] [1929] A.C. 318, 335 [2] Megarry V.C in Snowden, Re [1979] 2 All E.R. 172 at 177, expressing the same viewpoint as Viscount Sumner in Blackwell case [3] Williams v C.I.R. [1965] N.Z.L.R. 395 [4] Permanent Trustee Co v Scales (1930) 30 S.R. (N.S.W.) 391 [5] Critchley, Instruments of Fraud, Testamentary Dispositions, and the Doctrine of Secret Trusts (1999) 115 L.Q.R. 631 at 635 and 641 [6] Cullen v Attorney-General for Ireland (1866) L.R. 1 H.L. 190 at 198, per Lord Westbury. [7] Pearce Stevens, The Law of Trusts and Equitable Obligations (2nd ed., London, 1998), p.222 [8] Maddock, Re [1902] 2 Ch. 220 [9] Pit Rivers, Re [1902] 1 Ch. 403 [10] McCormick v Grogan (1869) L.R 4 H.L. 82 at 89 [11] (1876) 10 Ir. Eq. 469 [12] (188) 15 Ch.D. 594 at 606-607 [13] Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 2005. â€Å"DEBUNKING THE MYTH OF SECRET TRUSTS† Emma Challinor

Transgenic Rice Plants Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For centuries, rice has been one of the most important staple crops for the world and it now currently feeds more than two billion people, mostly living in developing countries. Rice is the major food source of Japan and China and it enjoys a long history of use in both cultures. In 1994, worldwide rice production peaked at 530 million metric tons. Yet, more than 200 million tons of rice are lost each year to biotic stresses such as disease and insect infestation. This extreme loss of crop is estimated to cost at least several billion dollars per year and heavy losses often leave third world countries desperate for their staple food. Therefore, measures must be taken to decrease the amount of crop loss and increase yields that could be used to feed the populations of the world. One method to increase rice crop yields is the institution of transgenic rice plants that express insect resistance genes. The two major ways to accomplish insect resistance in rice are the introduction of the potato proteinas e inhibitor II gene or the introduction of the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin gene into the plant's genome. Other experimental methods of instituting insect resistance include the use of the arcelin gene, the snowdrop lectin/GNA (galanthus nivallis agglutinin) protein, and phloem specific promoters and finally the SBTI gene.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The introduction of the potato proteinase inhibitor II gene, or PINII, marks the first time that useful genes were successfully transferred from a dicotyledonus plant to a monocotyledonous plant. Whenever the plant is wounded by insects, the PINII gene produces a protein that interferes with the insect's digestive processes. These protein inhibitors can be detrimental to the growth and development of a wide range of insects that attack rice plants and result in insects eating less of the plant material. Proteinase inhibitors are of particular interest because they are part of the rice plant's natural defense system against insects. They are also beneficial because they are inactivated by cooking and therefore pose no environmental or health hazards to the human consumption of PINII treated rice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to produce fertile transgenic rice plants, plasmid pTW was used, coupled with the pin 2 promoter and the inserted rice actin intron, act 1. The combi... ... SBTI gene is being cloned into vectors and is being used to transform other types of embryos using the particle gun technique.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, through the use of new technologies such as the introduction of potato proteinase inhibitor II gene, the establishment of the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin gene and the experimental methods of using the arcelin gene, the snowdrop lectin/GNA (galanthus nivallis agglutinin) protein, and phloem specific promoters and finally the SBTI gene, rice plants have become almost completely resistant to insects that used to destroy much of the crop. This has been an important step in biotechnology because the improvement of rice plants is a major concern that could potentially effect almost all of the populations of the world. Biotechnology has become an increasingly accepted method of solving some of the major problems in agriculture, medicine, and industry. Potentially, with the advancements of many techniques, almost whenever people eat, drink, take medicine, or go to work, they will be touched in some way by the many complicated processes of biotechnology, that are striving to make our world a better place to exist in.

Fairy Tale :: Essays Papers

Fairy Tale Eloise: bored and wants someone to appreciate the value of her work and she wants a baby. She makes night-dresses and petticoats for a shop in town. She considers men to be brainless and only good for one thing. Simon and she moved into the woods because she got a lot of money from Max (Clare's ex-husband). She moved into the woods to discover her spiritual roots. She likes neatness and having everything in order. Simon: Eloise's husband. Before they went into the depths of Wales (the woods) he was an ordinary, nice boy with a promising career, now he does woodwork. Rational. Eloise & Simon: not compatible. Clare: Eloise's mom. Jewish. Miriam: Clare's oldest friend. Vodka drinker. Moonbird: Spiritual (crystals, pyramids, hagging trees), New Age friend. Humans should be polite towards Nature. She's fond of Native Americans. Four men in suits come to the house, saying they want to buy it. Simon doesn't want a baby (Simon's mom got a child at the age of 13, which he considered to be in the way of his development into manhood). He tells her that if she feels that lonely she should ask her mom over. Simon calls Clare saying Eloise missing her. Se never showed much affection so Clare wonders what the catch is. Clare can't go because she is expecting a phone call from Claud (a French tv producer). The men return for a second time leaving her brochures. Clare encourages Miriam to go because she is Eloise's godmother. Third return of the men. Moonbird and the men say the same things, but the meaning behind them is different. Eloise wakes up, the men are gone, the clock has stopped and the cat is afraid. Simon comes home. Clare is depressed, Miriam asks if she is suicidal again. Clare found out Claud was having dinner with another woman. She called him the next morning, and he didn't even know who she was. The next morning cloth. Miriam goes to Eloise. The next day Clare goes as well. Eloise comes back from the woods where she had fallen asleep. While it has been raining hard all day Eloise is completely dry, this surprises Miriam. Miriam is surprised that no one in the village has talked to them. Miriam and Clare go out for groceries and the shopkeeper shows great interest in them when he finds out they live in the Queen's house.

The mystic drum

Lyrics† (2011). African Studies Faculty Publication Series. Paper 12. Http://schoolwork. Numb. Deed/African_faculty_pubs/1 2 This Article Is brought to you for free and open access by the African Studies at Schoolwork at Amass Boston. It has been accepted for inclusion in African Studies Faculty Publication Series by an authorized administrator of Schoolwork at Amass Boston. For more information, please contact library. [email  protected] Deed. ‘The Mystic Drum': Critical Commentary on Gabriel Okra's Love Lyrics: Checksum Ozone, PhD Professor of African & African Diaspora LiteraturesIntroduction In the course of reading a chapter entitled â€Å"Empty and Marvelous† In Alan Watts fascinating book, The Way of Zen (1 957), a serendipitous key was provided, by the following statement from the teachings of Chinese Zen master,l Aching Yuan Weighing (1067-1120), to the structure and meaning of the experience traumatized in Gabriel Okra's most famous love poem, â€Å"Th e Mystic Drum†: 2 Before I had studied Zen for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains and waters as waters.When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw the mountains are not at rest. For it's Just now that I see mountains once again as mountains and waters once again as waters. What is so readily striking to anyone who has read â€Å"The Mystic Drum† is the near perfect dynamic equivalence between the words of Aching Yen and the phraseology of Okra's lyric.In line with Aching Yuan's statement, the lyric falls into three clearly defined parts?an initial phase of â€Å"conventional knowledge,† when men are men and fishes are fishes (lines 1-15); a median phase of â€Å"more intimate knowledge,† when men are no longer men and fishes are no longer fishes (lines 16-26); and a final hash of â€Å"substantial knowledge,† when men are once again men and fishes are once again fishes, with the difference that at this phase, the beloved lady of the lyric is depicted as â€Å"standing behind a tree† with â€Å"her lips parted in her smile,† now â€Å"turned cavity belching darkness† (lines 27-41).The significance of this closing phrase will be discussed in the appropriate slot in the final section of the paper, below. But because of the complexity of the imagery and symbolism by means of which progression of the lover's understanding of the nature of reality is developed, it seems necessary to visit the lyric in its entirety before proceeding to a phase-bypass analysis of its structure: The mystic drum beat in my inside and fishes danced in the rivers and men and women danced on land to the rhythm of my drum But standing behind a tree with leaves around her waist she only smiled with a shake of her head. One of the major schools of Buddhism that originated in 12th-century China with current strongholds in India and Japan, Zen strongly emphasizes enlightenment through meditation and vehemently denies the value of conventional thinking in favor of an attempt to understand the paradoxes of reality by â€Å"direct pointing† unfettered by what it sees as arbitrary customary compartmentalizing of phenomena.Since the middle of the twentieth-century, the exciting and fresh insights provided by Zen masters have been a source of inspiration for many non- Asian writers, artists and intellectuals throughout the world, especially in North America. 2 The present commentary is a revised and updated version of a paper originally entitled â€Å"Zen in African Poetry: Gabriel Okra's ‘The Mystic Drum† and shared privately with several of my students and academic colleagues at Abidjan, Lagos and Nausea (Nigeria) and Boston (Massachusetts), USA.Checksum Ozone / The Mystic Drum: Critical Commentary angora's Love Poetry: 2 rippling the air with quickened tempo compelling the quick and the dead to dance and sing with their shadows? Then the drum beat with the rhyt hm of the things of the ground and invoked the eye of the sky the sun and the moon and the river gods and the trees began to dance, the fishes turned men and men turned fishes and things stopped to grow? 10 15 20 25 And then the mystic drum in my inside stopped to beat? and men became men, fishes became fishes and trees, the sun and the moon found their places, and the dead .NET to the ground and things began to grow.And behind the tree she stood with roots sprouting from her feet and leaves growing on her head and smoke issuing from her nose and her lips parted in her smile Then, then I packed my mystic drum and turned away; never to beat so loud any more. 35 Aching Yuan's Zen experience is epistemological?pertaining to a step-by-step initiation of the passionate lover into an understanding of the nature of reality, in particular â€Å"the foundations, scope, and validity of knowledge† (Online Enchant).It can thus be surmised that â€Å"The Mystic Drum† is not Just a conventional amatory lyric, revoked by the storm and stress of Okra's passionate love for his adored and adorable second wife (an African-American with Caribbean roots, Diamond Carmichael, who died in Port Harcourt in 1983). 3 It is more decidedly a philosophical poem in which the dynamics, directions and management of â€Å"the mystic drum† of passion that beats in the poet's â€Å"inside† are dramatically reenacted, in a tripartite ritual and initiatory pattern reminiscent of Aching Yen.From a conventional phase, at which the lover's understanding 3 Okra's first wife, a fellow ‘Jog from the Niger Delta and the mother of his son, Dry. Ebb Okra?a clinical psychologist in Randolph, Massachusetts, who lives in Canton, Massachusetts?was divorced when Ebb was only two years old. There is hardly an reference to her in either Okra's lyrics or interviews. Nor do we have any information about the cause of her separation from Okra. Of the nature of knowledge conforms to s ocially accepted customs of behavior or style (lines 1-15), the lover's progresses through a more intimate phase, at which this knowledge matures from a close, thoroughgoing, personal relationship (lines 16-26), to an ultimate substantial phase, situated in the optimum zone of epistemological perception, at which what the lover has come know about the nature of reality is not only solidly built but considerable in amount or importance (lines 27-41), culminating in the lover's self-imposed decision not to allow his â€Å"mystic drum† ever â€Å"to beat so loud so loud any more† (line 41).The poem concludes, in other words, with a firm decision by the lover to put strong reins on the unbridled flights of his amatory imagination, having become wizened by the knowledge and experience he has acquired. Because the tropes (â€Å"mystic,† â€Å"drum,† and â€Å"inside†), two of which appear in he title of the present paper, are recurrent in all of Okra's l ove lyrics (â€Å"Diamond,† â€Å"To Pave,† and â€Å"The Mystic Drum†), it seems necessary to pause awhile to reflect on their meaning and significance.For Okra, the word â€Å"mystic† is indeed connotative of the spiritual, the numinous, the magical, the supernatural, and the shamanistic. But it is more meaningful as a poetic code for the supervisory powers that enable the human personality to tap into hidden strengths buried in the innermost recesses of the psyche. In addition to any other signification carried over by the poet from his he theories of Swiss psychiatrist and founder of Analytical Psychology, Carl Gustavo Jung (1875-1961), as comprising the collective unconscious?the innermost recesses of the psyche, populated by archaic or primordial images which Jung calls archetypes and which, as he posits, are shared in common by all humankind. See Ozone (1981), for a more detailed discussion of the collective unconscious and its archetypes, with ref erence to the poetry of Okra's transnational, modernist, contemporary, Christopher Skibob (193()-1967).This innermost level of the psyche is operated from the outermost level?the conscious mind (the seat of our everyday thoughts and emotions) ?by the personal unconscious (the seat of repressed traumatic personal experiences or complexes which may be re-lived by the individual if and whenever memories of the original trauma that gave birth to the complex are awakened by new trauma of the same kind). In its relation to â€Å"mystic† and â€Å"inside,† the word â€Å"drum,† in Okra, generally refers to the vibes felt by an individual when there is an intense surge of subconscious promptings from any of the two levels of his â€Å"inside. Further research is needed to ascertain the consistency f all these with the idea of â€Å"the inside† in Okra's native ‘Jog language and traditional system of thought. In â€Å"The Mystic Drum† as well as in à ¢â‚¬Å"Diamond† (a lyric also provoked by Okra's love for Ms. Carmichael) and in â€Å"To Pave† (a lyric provoked by the â€Å"fire† and â€Å"flame† of an unrequited love for a mysterious paramour about whom Okra is most reticent to say anything in interviews with him), the intensity of these subconscious psychic pulsations often reaches fever pitch.The three lyrics are thus not only of enormous interest as conventional love lyrics, fusing the commonalities of oral-wide traditions of love poetry and the peculiarities of indigenous African love songs performed as part of moonlight dances; they are also worthy of critical analysis as a windows into Okra's struggle for rapprochement with the presiding lady of his poetic inspiration, his muse.The muse has been described as the source of inspiration that stimulates the art of a poet. In postcolonial discourse, it has been studied as an archetypal female figure (watermark, great mother, earth goddess, water godd ess, and dancer) embodying cultural nationalist affections and idealizations of the colonized earth of the poet's Malden (see Thomas, 1968, and Ozone, in Nonnumeric, 2011).As I have stated in the later citation, 4 For the purposes of the present paper, I retain my earlier understanding of psyche (Ozone, 1981 : 30) as â€Å"the totality of the non-physical components of the human personality' (extrapolated from Jung, 1959). 5 In this paper, I use the terms traumatic and trauma to refer to â€Å"emotional shock† or â€Å"an extremely distressing experience that causes severe emotional shock and may have long-lasting psychological effects† (online Enchant). Jung defines complexes as â€Å"psychic entities that have escaped from the control of unconsciousness and split from it, to lead a separate existence in the dark sphere of the psyche, whence they may at any time hinder or help the conscious performance† (see 7 see Ozone (2006 and 2011). 4 The idea of the muse is often invoked in the scholarship on modern Nigerian literature; but it is often shrouded with a mystique that tends to reduce it to something abstract or far-fetched, or, at any rate, to a kind of African imitation of the classical muses of Garage-Roman antiquity.But our renascent muse was not only concrete and manifest in our postcolonial practical engagement with our indigenous ultras; she was also an embodiment of the highest cultural ideals of our ancestral traditions as we perceived them in the heyday of colonialism. She appeared to each and every one of us in multifarious guises. But whatever her emanation was, she was unmistakably a personification of the earth of our ancestors?the earth goddess, Ala, the supreme light (chi) that nurtures all creation, an embodiment of the eternal bond that unites the living and the dead.When our early devotional poems to this great spirit and those of our predecessors and successors are collected and published, traders will be better able to understand the ramifications of the power of this great goddess who appeared to us, as to our predecessors in the early sass's (Skibob, Window, And, Egged, Insanely, Majoring, Okapi, Kook, etc), as a dancer, spirit maiden, water maid, and other exciting feminine figures?in all cases as embodiments of our communal and individual apperception of the superiority of our indigenous cultural heritage to every single superimposition of the postcolonial order.Like Skibob and other members of the Nausea school of modern Nigerian poetry (see Thomas, 1968 and 1972; Cherub, in Landforms, 1973 and 1974; and Modulator, 1980), Okra is a votary of the watermark or mermaid, whose inspirational â€Å"songs† we hear in â€Å"The Fisherman's Invocation† (Part II and Ill) as the voice of a presiding lady (or ladies) of poesy whose presence and participation are repeatedly invoked to mediate the claims of the what is passing (the Back), is passing (the Present) and to come (the Front).I n Part II (The Invocation), the â€Å"water song† of an â€Å"assembly of mermaid† in linked with the â€Å"midwifes† that would officiate in the delivery of the Child-Front the brave new world beyond colonialism)?rubbing â€Å"gently down/the back† of the great mother past (â€Å"Back), symbolizing age-old traditions: O midwifes rub gently down the back of your Back while the sun play his play and the Back dance its dance and assembly of mermaids sing their bubbling water song beneath the river waves.And in Part Ill (The Child-Front), â€Å"the mermaids† are invoked to participate in the shaping of the future as cleansing agencies that must â€Å"carry†¦ On their songs† and embarrassing negatives of the pre-colonial past) rearing up its ugly head from a anatomically cherished past, in a situational irony reminiscent of Whole Saying's early ritual drama, Dance of the Forests (1960): Where are your Gods now Gods of the Back that have br ought forth this monster? Throw it away, throw it into the river and let the mermaids carry it on their songs.Throw it away to the Back and let the Back swallow it in its abyss And let the Gods remember their lives are in my hands In these lines, the â€Å"Gods of the Back (past) that have/brought forth this monster† (embarrassing negatives of Africans pre-colonial history) are reminded on he ‘Jog custom known as uremia, in which?as traumatized in â€Å"The Revolt of the Gods†?the fate of the gods, which are traditional in the hands of their worshippers, must be determined by humans in accordance with their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their providential conduct.In concluding, in Part IV (Birth Dance of the Child Front), the â€Å"songs of mermaids† are 5 given pride of place in finale of â€Å"our dance/ of the Front† (of the future), again stressing the primacy of the muse as an agency for shaping the future of a troubled land: Let's leave n our dance of the Front with rhythms of the Back and strengthen he fragile songs of the new with songs of mermaids Much later, in his mature post-war, political poetry set at the heart of the future envisioned in â€Å"The Fisherman's Invocation† and collected under the title The Dreamer, His Vision (2006), the mermaid reappears in â€Å"Mamma Water and Me† as the presiding lady of the poet's anguished cry for succor in the midst of the triumph of disorder (â€Å"embers.. Moldering†, â€Å"in memoriam ashes†, â€Å"flames I cannot temper†, â€Å"whirling vortex, helpless†) in post-civil war Nigeria: The embers are smoldering?once again? They've refused to die into in memoriam ashes. And have burst into flames I cannot temper. They draw into their whirling vortex, helpless? Mamma-water & me. There we stand, hand in hand, Like Starch and company, the faithful, Calmly waiting for the redeeming flames Then we shall step out with solemn steps To silence offended eyebrows and daggered tongues and walk on calm waters?still, serene?Free! Clinched by the refrain (â€Å"Mamma-water and me†), the poet expresses strong optimism that, by keeping faith (standing â€Å"hand in hand†) with his muse, â€Å"redeeming flames† that would effect â€Å"the cleansing† and â€Å"free us of earthly dross† would surely mom in the end.By contrast to â€Å"Mamma-water† (a supernatural being under whose divine shadow the poet appears helpless to offer anything but total devotion), Diamond and Pave are human objects of love to whom Okra, in his love lyrics, projects the archetype of the muse in an unconscious recognition of their place in his â€Å"inside† as his soul mates or psychic alter egos (representing, from the Jungian psychological perspective, his anima). The anima, for Jung, is one of the most powerful archetypes of the collective unconscious that participates in the all-important process of individuation. As med up in my essay on Skibob and Jung (Ozone, 1981: 37), â€Å"the anima is the primordial image of woman in a man, a counterpart of the animus, the primordial image of man engraved on the mind of a woman. The anima appears in dreams, visions and fantasies as in literature and myth in the form of a mother, a loved one, a goddess, a siren, a prostitute and an enchantress, or a femme fetal.The impact of these latent images of woman can be as destructive to the psychic health of the man who projects them as they can be beneficent. They often give rise to an obsessive pursuit of the elusive and the intractable. Because of their appearance in the mind of the poet in forms consistent with the well-established characteristics of the archetype of the anima, Diamond and Pave tend to feature in Okra's lyrics in patterns of relationships reminiscent of the kinds of poet-muse relationships described by Robert Graves in The White Goddess (1959) and exemplified in the life and poetry of Okra's contemporary, Christopher Skibob (1930-1967).As Skibob learned from his reading of Graves, and as parsed by Among (1972), â€Å"one phase in the relationship between the muse-poet and his goddess-woman is that in which the toe becomes more consciously aware of cruelty. † This lesson, also learnt by Okra and 6 embodied in the myth's of â€Å"The Mystic Drum,† â€Å"Diamond,† and â€Å"To Pave,† is writ large in the imagery and symbolism of Skibobs second sequence, Limits, especially Limits IV in which the beloved female figure metamorphoses into a ferocious lioness that gores the over-excited lover to death or, at any rate, tranquilizer him into an unconscious state from which he would awake to complete the writing of the poem at hand with a mature mind truly informed by experience: An image insists From flag pole of the heart;Her image distracts Oblong-headed lioness? No shield is proof against her? Wound me, O sea-weed Face, blinded like a strong-room? Distances of her armpit-fragrance Turn chloroform enough for my patience? When you have finished & done up my stitches, Wake me near the altar, & this poem will be finished†¦ (Limits ‘V, lines 71-84) Thus, as stated in The White Goddess, â€Å"Being in love does not and should not, blind the poet to the cruel side of woman's nature?and many muse-poems are written in helpless attestation of this by men whose love is not longer returned† (Graves, 1959: 91). As stated above, this archetypal pattern is amply reenacted in Okra's â€Å"To Pave,† â€Å"Diamond†, and â€Å"The Mystic Drum. In â€Å"To Pave,† the â€Å"fire† and â€Å"flames† of passion reduce everything between the lover and the beloved into â€Å"ashes†: And as before the fire smolders in water, continually smoldering beneath the ashes with things I dare not tell erupting from the hackneyed lore of the beginning. For they die in the telling. S o let them be. Let them smolder. Let them smolder in the living fire beneath the ashes. Through the infusion of the myth's of â€Å"the hackneyed lore / of the ginning† (evoking the sexual overtones of the relationship between Adam and Eve in â€Å"Den's farm,† as subtly recreated by Michael Cherub in his early lyric, â€Å"Sophia† (see Ozone, 2011) his personal story, Okra's â€Å"To Pave† is transformed into an archetypal tale of poet-muse relationship as predicted in Graves theory of poetry.Not surprisingly, in â€Å"Diamond,† the poet-spouse-and-lover presents itself as one in which the artist is possessed by the divine afflatus, theorized in his treatise, On the Sublime, as the primary source of inspiration for poets, by the Greek teacher f rhetoric and literary critic, Longings (ca. 1st or 3rd century AD). Akin to the notion of â€Å"spirit arrest,† in transatlantic African communities in the Caribbean and the Americas, the idea of the divine afflatus is common among the ‘Jog and elsewhere in Africa where artistic and professional creativity is often attributed to possession by a deity of madness and creativity such as Gaga (the patron of medicine-men), among the Gobo (See Mum, 2009).The speaker in â€Å"Diamond† is not only maddened by his love but clearly possessed by the ‘Jog congener of the Gobo deity of creative madness, Gaga: eke it's said a madman hears; I hear trees talking like it's said a medicine man hears. Like ABA, the hero of Herman Melville Mobs Dick, he is not Just maddened by his monomaniac complex (or neurotic fixation of on a single passion), he is indeed â€Å"madness maddened. † But Okra's wifeless is imbued with the kind of tortuous coyness that has provoked, in global amatory poetry, some of the most sublime evocations of the â€Å"cruelty of the rose† (in other words, the cruelty of the alluring object of love, as depicted in Skibobs Limits ‘V, quoted above). She is singularly unyielding: And I raised my hand? y trembling hand, gripping my heart as handkerchief and waved and waved-and waved but she turned her eyes away.The reader who turns to â€Å"The Mystic Drum† from â€Å"Diamond† and â€Å"To Pave† will immediately recognize the reification of the tension between the lover and the beloved as an extended metaphor for the exploration of something that lies in the pits of epistemology, already defined above as the branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, in particular its foundations, scope, and validity. Far beyond the realms of the tremulous stirrings of the love-struck heart, the lyric takes us into he highest cerebral realms of abstruse philosophy. As the poet's muse, the beloved is not only the presiding lady of the poet's art but his link to the ultimate source all knowledge of reality?his link to the world beyond the quotidian, the wellspring of true knowledge of the essence of rea lity.From a deep structure analysis of the meaning of the poem, it seems evident that the epistemological underpinnings of â€Å"The Mystic Drum† go well beyond the culture wars of African postcolonial nationalist search for identity through such ideologies as Negritude, Pan Africans, the search or the African Personality, the African Renascent Movement, and the like. The deft modernist deployment of tropes in the poem is one that cuts across cultural and national boundaries, inviting comparison with systems of thought which Okra himself may not have ever even contemplated, including the statement from the Zen philosopher Aching Yen, with which the present commentary begins. There is, of course, no intention here to suggest that Okra was directly influenced by the oriental philosophy of Zen or that he was schooled under any Zen master.Although I have enjoyed close personal friendship with Okra since 1967 and have elsewhere remarked on the Zen mode of apperception in his poetr y (Ozone, 1991), it never occurred to me to ask him about any contact he may have had with Zen philosophy as I did not think that it was necessarily of any value to establish any such a contact, until my most recent interview with him at the University of Massachusetts, Boston (August, 2011). After listening attentively to my reading of Zen master. Aching Yuan's statement with which the present article begins, Okra readily agreed that it applies very well to his intention and the structure of the experience of the

NGN Migration

There is an urgent need that telecommunication services that are converged and qualitative be offered as this will pave way for the Next Generation Networks focusing on reducing the existing digital divide. NGN migration involves the process of changing the dormant cabinets to being active. This requires very accurate information on the local loop connectivity enabling the existing pairs to be rapidly copied from the existing frame to a new one and without erring. (Michael, 2001) Once the migration is completed without any service interruption any information concerning the quality of the pairs is very important in supplying the high-bandwidth services. Most carriers and service providers are looking for an aggressive improvement of their services and their migration to the New Generation Services Network. There is an intense competition which is continually eroding the profitability of most of the service providers majority of whom are transiting to IP.The NGN service providers thus need more inventive   joint infrastructures  Ã‚   that will improve the current services delivery. They should also provide a framework for solutions in the intelligence of the greater network. (Lee, Deborah, Kevin, and Sally, 2000) The carriers will not only have a short term relief through flexibility and incorporation but also their position in seizing other new market opportunities will be expanded. The solutions which are part and parcel of the Cisco IP NGN objectives encompass a wider transformation of both the entire businesses and the service providers. The IP NGN sanctions the service providers to meet all the customers’ needs more efficiently while providing a basis for delivering profit sustaining applications. Cisco IP NGM has created an intelligent infrastructure that opens opportunities for service providers so that they can offer more advanced and personalized media services over any other form of connection. Cisco strongly supports the NGN transition in relation to its conceptual planning and the network design. It also serves as a business partner supporting the service providers on the NGN migration. Cisco on the other hand assists the service providers in transforming their businesses and their networks. The transformation offers new value added services that help them increase their profitability and achieve greater efficiency. The IP NGM cannot be bought by the service providers since it evolves constantly adapting to its customers demands and opportunities in the new technology. However it is possible to still give speculations about the transformation. The NGM encompasses the service provider’s current and future services realizing the fact that the largest part of the growth will be in data and video services. Voice services will initially be significant in the service portfolio giving way to richer media services inclusive of video, voice and data. (Larry & Bruce, 2000) The shift towards NGN entails the service provider’s network as a whole since it not only concerns itself with bandwidth in network access but also in the delivery of an excellence bandwidth in the entire network. IP NGM is more about making significant changes to an individual network thus creating a single network for service deliveries. A regulators global symposium held in February 2007 laid down guidelines for NGNs migration with a goal of promoting frameworks that promote innovation, and a reasonably priced access to NGN.This took place in a three day meeting in Dubai during which   Ã‚  guidelines for telecommunications migration were laid down. The regulators designed a roadmap that would encourage frameworks that are regulated .The International Engineering Consortium experts gave an NGN definition as the blend between the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and the public switched data network (PSDN) as it also creates a multi service single network. An explanation was given that the switch infrastructures proprietary owned, the architecture for NGNs pushes for a central office functions to the network edge. The results are a network infrastructure that is well distributed leveraging open and new technologies therefore reducing the market entry cost and increasing flexibility as well as accommodate the packet-switched data and the circuit-switched data. (Ericsson, 2001) Other scholars similarly defined it as the future networks stimulated by the need to transport data and multimedia services through the same network having very flexible deployment and the capability to change various models in the economy for the best results. The telecommunications regulatory department globally that is in charge of the standardization also defined NGN as a network that is packet based with the potential to provide various telecommunication services and simultaneously making use of the multiple broadband. Practically speaking the NGN involves architectural changes which include the core network through the PSTN design and the cable and wire access.NGN encompasses transport networks as a core network with each built for a totally different service to become a single transport network which is oftenly based on either internet protocol (IP) or Ethernet. There is a specific definition between the network services running on the transports top and the connectivity ratio of the network. This indicates that when a new service is to be enabled by a provider this could be done by first directly defining the service layer without the consideration of the transport layer. Here the services are independent of any details pertaining transport thus increasing the applications that are independent of the network access through delayering of the application and the networks. The global symposium for the regulators was initiated in the year 2000with participants from all over the world as this year they centered on the NGNs migration. It focused on the roadmap to next generation’s networks and how they could achieve success at the same time promoting investment. The meeting also fully did an examination on the regulatory issues that are very urgent such as the NGNs interconnection, competition, universal access, consumer protection, investment and the global interconnection of the internet. According to the regulators secretary general the best practices were to be adopted offering a possible way of providing benefits to both the consumers and the service providers through reduced costs. They would also offer new and innovative services to the consumers. The guidelines also called upon the regulators to adopt regimes that can be subjected to regular checkups ensuring that competition barriers are eliminated. They were to ensure that both the users and the providers can easily migrate to other networks in the future when all the required market conditions are met. (Bennett, 2001) The regulators were ready to tailor the adopted practices in the world market as they were also urged in adopting flexible interconnection models that would allow a very smooth transition to the NGNs.They were also urged to maintain a playing field that is leveled thus protecting the interests of the consumers. The participants made an agreement that various steps were to be taken that the market did not suffer any form of competition distortion especially in the issue of convergence. There was also a risk that the providers of the NGN and the operators also were in a position to regulate the competition at the service level to their own advantage. The regulators were also cautioned to be on the look out monitoring any incidents requiring a regulatory response (Erick, 2001) The ITU director also gave an explanation that NGN was placed in-between thee internet and the telecom worlds thus bringing out a variety of issues to be handled by the regulators themselves. They were also encouraged to clearly define policies that would allow the IP networks and the legacy to co-exist offering a voice together. There should be a consideration put in place while making the obligations applicable to the providers and the operators of the telephony services not considering the service delivery to the consumers (Anders 2000) The issues pertaining the process of the NGNs migration are to be addressed with urgency for the formation of a high level co-coordinating committee consisting of the major key players in the industry. These key people are to all the issues relevant so that there is a there is a systematic and smooth transition from the existing networks to the NGNs.Various issues are to be handled by the committee formed so that they can create awareness for the NGNs building programme.They are also expected to put up a timetable for the NGN migration world wide.    References Anders A. 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