Genetic Engineering Essays - Molecular Biology, Biotechnology

Genetic Engineering Essays - Molecular Biology, Biotechnology Genetic Engineering Genetic Engineering: A leap in to the future or a leap towards destruction? Introduction Science is a creature that continues to evolve at a much higher rate than the beings that gave it birth. The transformation time from tree-shrew, to ape, to human far exceeds the time from an analytical engine, to a calculator, to a computer. However, science, in the past, has always remained distant. It has allowed for advances in production, transportation, and even entertainment, but never in history has science be able to so deeply affect our lives as genetic engineering will undoubtedly do. With the birth of this new technology, scientific extremists and anti-technologists have risen in arms to block its budding future. Spreading fear by misinterpretation of facts, they promote their hidden agendas in the halls of the United States congress. They fear that it is unsafe; however, genetic engineering is a safe and powerful tool that will yield unprecedented results, specifically in the field of medicine. It will usher in a world where gene defects, bacterial disease, and even agin g are a thing of the past. By understanding genetic engineering and its history, discovering its possibilities, and answering the moral and safety questions it brings forth, the blanket of fear covering this remarkable technical miracle can be lifted. The first step to understanding genetic engineering and embracing its possibilities for society is to obtain a rough knowledge base of its history and method. The basis for altering the evolutionary process is dependant on the understanding of how individuals pass on characteristics to their offspring. Genetics achieved its first foothold on the secrets of nature's evolutionary process when an Austrian monk named Gregor Mendel developed the first laws of heredity. Using these laws, scientists studied the characteristics of organisms for most of the next one hundred years following Mendel's discovery. These early studies concluded that each organism has two sets of character determinants, or genes (Stableford 16). For instance, in regards to eye color, a child could receive one set of genes from his or her father that were encoded one blue, and the other brown. The same child could also receive two brown genes from his or her mother. The conclusion for this inheritance would be the ch ild has a three in four chance of having brown eyes, and a one in three chance of having blue eyes (Stableford 16). Genes are transmitted through chromosomes which reside in the nucleus of every living organism's cells. Each chromosome is made up of fine strands of deoxyribonucleic acids, or DNA. The information carried on the DNA determines the cells function within the organism. Sex cells are the only cells that contain a complete DNA map of the organism, therefore, the structure of a DNA molecule or combination of DNA molecules determines the shape, form, and function of the [organism's] offspring (Lewin 1). DNA discovery is attributed to the research of three scientists, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and James Dewey Watson in 1951. They were all later accredited with the Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine in 1962 (Lewin 1). The new science of genetic engineering aims to take a dramatic short cut in the slow process of evolution (Stableford 25). In essence, scientists aim to remove one gene from an organism's DNA, and place it into the DNA of another organism. This would create a new DNA strand, full of new encoded instructions; a strand that would have taken Mother Nature millions of years of natural selection to develop. Isolating and removing a desired gene from a DNA strand involves many different tools. DNA can be broken up by exposing it to ultra-highfrequency sound waves, but this is an extremely inaccurate way of isolating a desirable DNA section (Stableford 26). A more accurate way of DNA splicing is the use of restriction enzymes, which are produced by various species of bacteria (Clarke 1). The restriction enzymes cut the DNA strand at a particular location called a nucleotide base, which makes up a DNA molecule. Now that the desired portion of the DNA is cut out, it can be joined to anothe st rand of DNA by using enzymes called ligases. The final important step in the creation of a new DNA strand

Kent State Students Shot by the National Guard

Kent State Students Shot by the National Guard On May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen were on the Kent State college campus to maintain order during a student protest against the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. For a still unknown reason, the National Guard suddenly fired upon the already dispersing crowd of student protesters, killing four and wounding nine others. Nixon Promises Peace in Vietnam During the 1968 U.S. presidential campaign, candidate Richard Nixon ran with a platform that promised peace with honor for the Vietnam War. Longing for an honorable end to the war, Americans voted Nixon into office and then watched and waited for Nixon to fulfill his campaign promise. Until the end of April 1970, Nixon seemed to be doing just that. However, on April 30, 1970, President Nixon announced during a television speech to the nation that American forces had invaded Cambodia. Although Nixon stated in his speech that the invasion was a defensive response to the aggression of North Vietnamese into Cambodia and that this action was meant to quicken the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam, many Americans saw this new invasion as an expansion or lengthening of the Vietnam War. In response to Nixons announcement of a new invasion, students across the United States began to protest. Students Begin a Protest Protests by students at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio began on May 1, 1970. At noon, students held a protest rally on campus and later that night rioters built a bonfire and threw beer bottles at police off campus. The mayor declared a state of emergency and asked the governor for help. The governor sent in the Ohio National Guard. On May 2, 1970, during a protest near the ROTC building on campus, someone set fire to the abandoned building. The National Guard entered the campus and used tear gas to control the crowd. During the evening of May 3, 1970, another protest rally was held on campus, which was again dispersed by the National Guard. All of these protests led up to the deadly interaction between Kent State students and the National Guard on May 4, 1970, which is known as the Kent State Shootings or the Kent State Massacre. The Kent State Shootings On May 4, 1970, another student rally was scheduled for noon at the Commons on the Kent State University campus. Before the rally began, the National Guard ordered those congregated to disperse. Since the students refused to leave, the National Guard attempted to use tear gas on the crowd. Because of the shifting wind, the tear gas was ineffective at moving the crowd of students. The National Guard then advanced upon the crowd, with bayonets attached to their rifles. This scattered the crowd. After dispersing the crowd, the National Guardsmen stood around for about ten minutes and then turned around and began to retrace their steps. For an unknown reason, during their retreat, nearly a dozen National Guardsmen suddenly turned around and began firing at the still scattered students. In 13 seconds, 67 bullets were fired. Some claim that there was a verbal order to fire. Aftermath of the Shooting Four students were killed and nine others were wounded. Some of the students who were shot were not even part of the rally, but were just walking to their next class. The Kent State massacre angered many and incited additional protests at schools across the country. The four students who were killed were Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder. The nine wounded students were Alan Canfora, John Cleary, Thomas Grace, Dean Kahler, Joseph Lewis, Donald MacKenzie, James Russell, Robert Stamps, and Douglas Wrentmore.

Information Technology Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Information Technology Questions - Essay Example The idea of "capital" is a central concept of capitalism, the overwhelmingly dominant economic system in the world today. Q: 2 In the past, people believed that "knowledge is power" and they sometimes used such knowledge to "build empire that resulted in isolated, dysfunctional organizational units. In the new knowledge-sharing environment, illustrate how this tendency to hoard knowledge and expertise could be minimized or eliminated To me our knowledge of the way things work, in society or in nature, comes trailing clouds of vagueness. Vast ills have followed a belief in certainty, whether historic inevitability, grand diplomatic designs, or extreme views on economic policy. When developing policy with wide effects for an individual or society, caution is needed because we cannot predict the consequences. The development of ways to deal with complex systems is now taking place in many disciplines, but slowly and not without controversy. Complexity theories fell into some disrepute when some management "gurus" tried to map complex adaptive system theories onto business management and market trading strategies - with less than successful results for investors. It now seems likely that the level of similarity in adaptation strategies between, say, populations of sharks and populations of stock-market day-traders is less than some have "seen." But the broad outlines of all complex systems appear to be tantalizingly analogous and can give us some clues for new things to try - even if we cannot predict in advance that these things will work just like they do in other systems. REFERNCE Alexander Kouzmin and Alan Jarman, "Crisis Decision Making: Towards a Contingent Decisions Path Perspective," in Uriel Rosenthal, Michael T.Charles, and Paul T. Hart, eds., Coping With Crisis: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism, Springfield IL: Charles C. Thomas Publishers, pp. 397-435 Q: 3 Although it is legal to discover trade secrets through reverse engineering, evaluate whether or not it really should be illegal. ANSWER: Because reverse engineering can be used to reconstruct source code, it walks a fine line in intellectual property law. Many software

Analysis of miami's real estate market Research Paper

Analysis of miami's real estate market - Research Paper Example The price per square foot has also increased for example in 2013 the price stood at $180 but this has increased with 13.9% in 2014. The table below indicates the average process for houses in the last 5 years. During the month of May 2014, the median prices indicated an increment both for condominiums as well as single family homes. According to MIAMI Association of REALTORS, in 2013 the median sale price for single family homes was standing at 225,000. As more local people increased their demand for comfortable and quality houses, the sellers raised the prices in order to maximize their profits at the expense of the buyers. The prices for similar single family homes in 2014 increased by 8% getting to the level of 243,000 (Jonathan and Miller 16). Another notable change in the market can be indicated by the upward adjustment in sale prices in the months of April 2014 and May 2014. For instance, during the month of April 2014, the average price for single family homes was 421,207. Based on an increase in demand during the month of May 2014, the average price increased by 11.3% to reach 469,088. Currently, Miami real estate continues to experience a fast rate of selling while at the same ti me indicating asking prices. This is an indication that the real estate are being at an appropriate methods. On their part, the buyers have embarked on remaining competitive in the current market situation. When analyzed at the national and state levels, the same trends in the local Miami real estate market are noted. According to MIAMI Association of REALTORS, the sales for condominiums, single family homes, co-ops and town homes depicted an increment of 1.3% by comparing the months of May 2014 and March 2014. Similarly, the REALTORS data indicates that as the result of high demand nationally for all houses types, the existing home prices for all types was estimated to be 201,700 in the month of April 2014

Employment Law HRM Strategy Essay Example for Free

Employment Law HRM Strategy Essay Employment law is critical to an organization allowing it to fulfill needs and business ventures applicable to state and federal laws. In this paper we will be discussing the laws that allow and disallow seasonal employees from another country to be able to work in the state of Georgia. In the paragraphs below I will explain to you the reader the scenario listed above, I will set a plan in accordance to the HRM situation, justify my approach to HR management, state the competitive advantage, and describe the situation that may occur from not properly following the appropriate laws. Everyone has the right to work, and there are many opportunities in this country. In order to enjoy these liberties workers need to be documented in order to be legally able to work without consequence to them, and the company that they are occupying a position. Employment law consists in the body of laws and rules regulating civil rights and non-union related conduct in the workplace (Stewart, 2012). Civil rights include a workplace free from discrimination and harassment for people who fit into one of the legally protected class (Stewart, 2012). Conduct law refers to equal and fair pay immigrant and employment at will laws (Stewart, 2012). These laws are the laws that are pertaining to the laws that are corresponding with the situation of seasonal employees from another country. The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) provides employment-related protections to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers and is administered and enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the U. S. Department of Labor (DOL,2012). Within the confines of the law I came up with a plan for seasonal workers, first these are the parameters that we must follow. Every non-exempt farm labor contractor, agricultural employer, and agricultural association must: * Disclose the terms and conditions of employment to each migrant worker in writing at the time of recruitment and to each seasonal worker when employment is offered, in writing if requested; * Post information about orker protections at the worksite; * Pay each worker the wages owed when due and provide each with an itemized statement of earnings and deductions; * Ensure that housing, if provided, complies with substantive federal and state safety and health standards; * Ensure that each vehicle, if transportation is provided, meets applicable federal and state safety standards and insurance requirements and that each driver be properly licensed; * Comply with the terms of any working arrangement made with the workers; and * Make and keep payroll records for each employee for three years (DOL. 012) The plan that we will use to manage the situation will be by appointing two or three HR professionals, and a project manager to oversee the project. They will coordinate events as per the MSPA which regulates the seasonal workers. The MSPA requires farm labor contractors, agricultural employers, and agricultural associations, who recruit, solicit, hire, employ, furnish, transport, or house agricultural workers, as well as providers of migrant housing, to meet certain minimum requirements in their dealings with migrant and seasonal agricultural workers (DOL, 2012). Our plan resembles closely to what is already in state as per state, federal and local legislations. Human resource is the greatest asset that any organization possesses and it must ensure that this potential is harnessed to the maximum to contribute positively towards the growth of the organization (Amillionlives, 2010). Every non-exempt farm labor contractor, agricultural and seasonal agricultural association must; disclose the terms and conditions of employment to each migrant worker in writing at the time of recruitment and to each seasonal worker when employment is offered in writing (DOL, 2012). HR management would use this information to aide in writing the offers of employment for the migrant and farm workers. There are many competitive advantages of HRM practices meets the employment laws, typically business are more competitive with a structured HRM practice in place. Having an HRM in place makes it easier to organize employment according to the laws. An effective HRM in a competitive advantage will use information provided from the Department of Labor (DOL), one instance that would be useful in this situation is Employers must provide each migrant and seasonal day-haul worker with a written disclosure at the time of recruitment that describes the terms and conditions of his or her employment. When offering employment, the employer must provide such isclosure to all seasonal workers upon request. The disclosure must be written in the workers language. If the HRM is effective they will be able to utilize different commodities of the job in order to provide the service as per employment laws and contract obligations. If the situation of the need for seasonal employees who may be from another country were not to follow proper laws could result in major fines and penalties to the company. Ethics related problems are faced by the organizations whenever there is a practice of using favoritism rather than ability or job performance for managerial decisions regarding employment, promotion, pay and discipline. These problems can be reduced and eliminated by maintaining the highest standards of professional and personal conduct, encouraging employers to make fair and equitable treatment of all. Severe penalties may arise from the state and federal departments for not following proper protocol. Immigration may also be informed of the situation due to the fact that they are dealing with non-citizen workers. In the paragraphs above I have explained to you the reader the scenario of the seasonal workers, provided a plan, justified the approach of HR management, competitive advantage, and provided the consequences that may arise from not following proper laws and protocol.

The Holocaust: Buchenwald :: European Europe History

The Holocaust: Buchenwald Introduction The Holocaust is the most horrifying crime against humanity of all times. "Hitler, in an attempt to establish the pure Aryan race, decided that all mentally ill, gypsies, non supporters of Nazism, and Jews were to be eliminated from the German population.He proceeded to reach his goal in a systematic scheme." One of his main methods of "doing away" with these "undesirables" was through the use of concentration camps. "In January 1941, in a meeting with his top officials, the 'final solution' was decided". The Jewish population was to be eliminated. In this paper I will discuss concentration camps with a detailed description of the worst one prior to World War II, Buchenwald. Concentration Camps The first concentration camps were set up in 1933. In the early days of Hitler's regime, concentration camps were places that held people in protective custody. Victims for protective custody included those who were either physically or mentally ill, gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah Witnesses, Jews and anyone against the Nazi regime. "Gypsies were classified as people with at least two gypsy great grandparents." By the end of 1933 there were at least fifty concentration camps throughout occupied Europe. "At first, the camps were controlled by the Gestapo (police), but by 1934 the SS, Hitler's personal security force, were ordered, by Hitler, to control the camps." Camps were set up for several different purposes. Some for forced labor, others for medical experiments and, later on, for death/extermination. Transition camps were set up as holding places for death camps. "Henrick Himmler, chief of the German police, the Gestapo, thought that the camps would provide an economic base for the soldiers." This did not happen. The work force was poorly organized and working conditions were inhumane. Therefore, productivity was minimal. Camps were set up along railroad lines, so that the prisoners would be conveniently close to their destination. As they were being transported, the soldiers kept telling the Jews to have hope. When the camps were finally opened, most of the families who were shipped out together ended up being separated. Often, the transports mirrored what went on in the camps; cruelty by the officers, near starvation of those being transported, fetid and unsanitary conditions on the trains. "On the trains, Jews were starved of food and water for days. Many people did not survive the ride to arrive at the camp." Jews were forced to obey the guards' orders from the moment they arrived at the camps.

Importance of Books in Life Essay

Learning is a significant process in human being life. It is self-evidence that human development can not stand without a good learning. To reach that target, people always search the appropriate ways. Besides, the mains important elements that help people to learn are books and experiences because of their unlimited benefits. The book is a valuable source of knowledge that consists of infinite benefits. It transports us into different worlds and cultures, as well as, it informs us about ancient civilizations and lore. In addition, it helps us to learn about new technologies and literature. It allows speaking languages fluently and to communicate spontaneously. Therefore, the book can be faithful friend and the nearest into us which can guide us to how to behave in our practical life. Our practical life is also, in addition to books, based on experience. This latter is a crucial element that assists to overcome obstacles. Experience keeps our minds aware of the way to solve some problems, for example, if someone re-confront a problem, it would be easy for him/her to solve it. Experience also could indicate to us the suitable method of living in our life. In conclusion, learning is a strong challenge that requires patience and efforts. Books and experiences are the best manners of learning because of their vast importance and great advantages. Books can play a very important role in shaping our life because we can learn lots of things easily from books. Books provide a great solution in front of us to learn about anything and increase our knowledge level. Therefore, large numbers of people around the world read books because they find them very useful. Books are present in our world from many centuries in different forms and shapes of books are changing with time. Today, we can find books in pdf or audio formats as per the need of people. Though, all these books provide same help by increasing our knowledge levels. People can easily buy books from various book stores available in market or they can use online web stores to order bestselling books. Best Answer – Chosen by Voters The importance of reading books is gaining new insight or perspectives on issues that matter to the reader that helps them to have a new understanding of the world around them. Readers can apply the insight in everyday life or as a way of building upon the knowledge that already encompasses their mind and enrich their lives. The importance of books are also found in how new discoveries pertaining to history are uncovered and/or revealed where the relevance of this the new information needs to be applied or amended in what already exists about a particular issue, topic or event. Thus, â€Å"new† books on existing issues are important because sometimes facts â€Å"change. † Books are a tangible, valuable record of our world. Sure we have the internet and computers with vast amounts of information stored in them but all of history isn’t in a computer. History, the stories of civilations long gone and ancient languages forgotten are somewhere in a book. Books are there so you can learn, imagine and sometimes escape from the world around you. There is nothing like sitting down with a new book, the pages crisp and fresh, and reading about a love story, or a horrible murder. Books are an outlet for many people. For some it is their way of expressing their imagination†¦ writers create so we can read and let our minds take us to a different place, a different time, maybe even a different world. For others, books are an escape. When the world gets to be too crazy and you need to escape you can pick up a book and forget about the world around you. Books enables us to see life through other peoples eyes. People are able to communicate their view of the world to a large audience. Books also enables us to understand other cultures, which in turn enables us to relate better with others. Books can have a profound effect on society and the world because they enable an individual to change the world. A single book by a single author can make a huge difference in the whole world. Think ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’, ‘God has a dream’ and you begin to see the role of books in society and why they are important. Books glue people and cultures together. But unfortunately they can also be used to do just the opposite of the above.

Marketing Paper Final Exam Essay

Final Paper Marketing encompasses the complex cycle of every stage of a product, from conception to the final sale and everything in between. Marketers are challenged with identifying the consumers needs/wants and managing the process to meet those needs. Every product a marketer develops goes through four stages in its life, The Product Life Cycle. Each stage of the product life cycle (Introduction, Growth, Maturity, and Decline) have unique characteristics that a marketer faces as they create utility and try to maintain or grow their market share. Through each stage advertising is critical and marketers try to inform, persuade and remind consumers about their product. The difference is the approach and focus of the advertising. Every product that comes to market enters into the Introduction Stage. This is the stage where consumers are first introduced to the product. â€Å"During the introductory stage of the product life cycle, a firm works to stimulate demand for the new market entry. † (Boone & Kurtz, 2006, p. 371) A marketer must connect with consumers to create a market for the new product. Every year hundreds of new products enter the introductory stage. Currently a product that is just beginning to take hold is high-definition televisions (HDTVs). HDTVs broadcast pictures with increased clarity and give the viewer (consumer) options on camera angles and additional information. Currently, â€Å"Yankee Group estimates that 15 percent of American households now own (a HDTV), with Forrester estimating 10 percent at most. † (Crawford, 2005) During the introductory stage, marketers are trying to introduce the product to consumers. One of the ways marketers succeed is in offering promotions or discounts to distributors to get the product in the marketplace. Most of the advertising focuses on informing the public about the new product. While information is key, advertisers also try to persuade consumers to purchase the product and often times remind consumers where they can find the product. The Introductory stage is where all products start. It is in this early stage that products are refined based on consumer and distribution feedback. Often times the numbers of marketers are minimal in the introductory stage as the market is being developed. As a product finds its market and begins to gain acceptance, it moves into the Growth Stage of the product life cycle. The growth stage is where a product sees its sales volumes increase dramatically. At this stage in the product’s life, â€Å"new customers make initial purchases and early buyers repurchase. † (Boone & Kurtz, 2006, p. 372) Early marketers find increased competition as their competitors enter the product space to share in the profits. Satellite television has entered into the growth market with the advent of the small dish. Early satellite television was mainly limited to rural areas that were inaccessible to cable television. The dishes were large and unattractive. As the technology has advances and the satellite dish has shrunk to less then twenty-four inches, consumers have rushed to the alternative to cable television. Satellite television marketers are continuing to refine their product in this growth stage. Recently, the top two providers of satellite television signed deals to provide affordable high-speed internet service. â€Å"For satellite-TV providers, the service is another way to offer a full line of products. † (AP, 2006) The growth stage is where marketers move from a heavy focus on information in advertising to a more persuasive approach. The persuasive approach allows the marketers to differentiate from competitors and encourage individuals to not be left behind. If the product space attracts multiple marketers, pricing, features and other differentiators are used in the advertising to help marketers gain or maintain market share. The Growth Stage of the product life cycle is complex and changing. Marketers rely on word-of-mouth, mass advertising and falling prices to sustain the momentum and interest in the product. The goal of the growth stage is to get reluctant buyers to buy and current customers to repurchase. As a product matures and growth stabilizes, the product moves in the Maturity Stage. Sales start to plateau and supply exceeds demand for the first time in the products life cycle. Competing marketers have flooded the field and profits begin to become depressed. All of these factors create pressure on marketers to continue their brands sustainability. Carbonated soft drinks are a very mature product. According to the American Beverage Association (ABA) the beginnings of the modern soda started in the 1830’s. (ABA, 2006) The ABA estimates that there are over 450 brands in the product space. The number of brands creates fierce competition for American’s 65 billion in annual purchases. Adverting in the mature stage of a product’s life is all about increasing purchases, differentiating your brand and finding new uses or markets for the product. In the soft drink space marketers try celebrity endorsements and product differentiation. 7-UP is â€Å"the un-cola†, trying to draw its distinction among more popular cola brands. Whatever approach the marketer takes in advertising, the goal is to extend the maturity stage and maintain profits for as long as possible. A product in the mature stage of the product life cycle does not indicate imminent demise. As illustrated above, soft drinks continue to command consumer’s dollars. Marketers will often look to new markets and changes in the product to extend the life of the product. One of the largest struggles for mature products is maintaining profits as competition drives down prices. As the product leaves maturity it enters the Decline Stage in the Product life cycle. A products decline is most often linked to new technologies. Marketers focus on reminding the remaining customers in the market that they are there for the consumer’s needs. Sales decline, profits decline and the product space eventually looses money. VCRs are a product on the decline in the United States. With the advance of DVDs and the reduction in price of DVRs, VCRs are loosing shelf space and market share. Marketers often times search for new markets as products decline in their existing markets. So while the United States and Europe may transition to a new technology, emerging economies may embrace the â€Å"older† and cheaper technology, thus extending the products life. Advertising a product in the stage of decline focuses on reminding the remaining consumer base the product still exists.

One Piece

One Piece Considered by some to be the heir to the throne of Dragonball in terms of Japanese market penetration, One Piece is certainly a phenomenon. The manga's print run recently outpaced Dragonball and the series, at more than 130 episodes, is still going strong. It's easy to see why; One Piece follows a very simple and very successful shonen action formula. It worked in the past for Rurouni Kenshin and Dragonball and it's working wonderfully for One Piece. The premise is pretty basic. Luffy D. Monkey, an irrepressible youth, ate the Devil's Fruit, which gave his body extra-strength elasticity. He's searching for the One Piece, a legendary treasure that will make him the King of all Pirates and finally allow him to prove himself to his childhood idol, a selfless pirate by the name of Shanks. Along the way, he collects an army of somewhat freakish rogues, including a tough swordfighter named Zoro who fights with a sword in his mouth, and Nami, a spunky thief.Cover of Rurouni Kenshin OST 1.To gether they have wacky adventures, beat up the bad guys, and collect treasure. It all sounds pretty harmless, right?Well, right, it is. One Piece is completely harmless entertainment. The battles can be surprisingly brutal at times, but overall, this is pure shonen action entertainment. It is entirely unpretentious and knows exactly what it wants to be, and excels at that. That having been said, One Piece is not a particularly deep show, although the characters are well developed. The focus seems to be on the crazy villains and the endless string of fights the main characters go through. Luffy and his crew of misfits go from town to town, saving the repressed masses and eliminating evil pirates who stand between them and the One Piece. In some ways, it's very...

Geography and History of Kashmir

Geography and History of Kashmir Kashmir is a region located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. It includes the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir as well as the Pakistani states of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. The Chinese regions of Aksai Chin and Trans-Karakoram are also included in Kashmir. Currently, the United Nations refers to this region as Jammu and Kashmir. Until the 19th century, Kashmir geographically included the valley region from the Himalayas to the Pir Panjal mountain range. Today, however, it has been extended to include the aforementioned areas. Kashmir is significant to geographic studies because its status is disputed, which often causes conflict to develop in the region. Today, Kashmir is administered by India, Pakistan and China. Historical Facts About Kashmir Historical documents state that the region of present-day Kashmir was formerly a lake, thus its name is derived from several translations that deal with water. Kaashmir, a term used in the religious text Nilamata Purana, means for example a land desiccated from water. Kashmirs old capital, Shrinagari, was first founded by the Buddhist emperor Ashoka and the region served as a center of Buddhism. In the 9th century, Hinduism was introduced to the area and both religions thrived. In the 14th century, the Mongol ruler, Dulucha invaded the Kashmir region. This ended the Hindu and Buddhist rule of the area and in 1339, Shah Mir Swati became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir. Throughout the rest of the 14th century and into subsequent times, Muslim dynasties and empires successfully controlled the Kashmir region. By the 19th century, though, Kashmir was passed to the Sikh armies that were conquering the area. Beginning in 1947 at the end of Englands rule of India, the Kashmir region was given the choice to become a part of the new Union of India, the Dominion of Pakistan or to remain independent. Around this same time, however, both Pakistan and India attempted to gain control of the area and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 began which lasted until 1948 when the region was partitioned. Two more wars over Kashmir took place in 1965 and 1999. Todays Geography of Kashmir Today, Kashmir is divided among Pakistan, India and China. Pakistan controls the northwestern part, while India controls the central and southern portions and China controls its northeastern areas. India controls the largest portion of land at 39,127 square miles (101,338 sq km) while Pakistan controls an area of 33,145 square miles (85,846 sq km) and China 14,500 square miles (37,555 sq km). The Kashmir region has a total area of about 86,772 square miles (224,739 sq km) and much of it is undeveloped and dominated by large mountain ranges such as the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges. The Vale of Kashmir is located between mountain ranges and there are also several large rivers in the region. The most populated areas are Jammu and Azad Kashmir. The main cities in Kashmir are Mirpur, Dadayal, Kotli, Bhimber Jammu, Muzaffrarabad and Rawalakot. Kashmirs Climate Kashmir has a varied climate but in its lower elevations, summers are hot, humid and dominated monsoonal weather patterns, while winters are cold and often wet. In the higher elevations, summers are cool and short, and winters are very long and very cold. Economy Kashmirs economy is mostly made up of agriculture that takes place in its fertile valley areas. Rice, corn, wheat, barley, fruits and vegetables are the main crops grown in Kashmir while lumber  and the raising of livestock also play a role in its economy. In addition, small-scale handicrafts and tourism are important to the area. Ethnic Groups in Kashmir Most of Kashmirs population is Muslim. Hindus also live in the region and the main language of Kashmir is Kashmiri. Tourism In the 19th century, Kashmir was a popular tourist destination because of its topography and climate. Many of Kashmirs tourists came from Europe and were interested in hunting and mountain climbing. Resources and Further Reading How Stuff Works. (n.d.). How Stuff Works Geography of Kashmir. Retrieved from: http://geography.howstuffworks.com/middle-east/geography-of-kashmir.htm

China Oil Security Issue In the New Map of Global Oil Geography Term Paper

China Oil Security Issue In the New Map of Global Oil Geography - Term Paper Example This essay stresses that the immerging competition among the G8 countries has resulted to high consumption of oil. This is based on the fact that industrialization and motorization has took place thereby increasing vehicle ownership and other power machines that are used by individuals to simplify their work. The demand for oil consumption has been increasing making developed and developing countries to depend on regions such as Middle East, North Africa and Central China among others. This has emanated business transactions and diplomatic ties among the producers and consumers. For example China conducts business transaction with Sudan based on the fact that China needs oil from Sudan. On the other hand Sudan imports other products which they require increasing ties with consuming countries. This paper makes a conclusion that the formation of trading block such as Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has made the producers to have power to deal with the consumers who use their economic power to suppress them. With the increased cases of terrorism, it is essential for US in collaboration with UN to put in place sustainable security measures in oil producing countries. In this way, the oil exploration process will be undertaken in a secured manner. While the developed countries are able to come up with other energy alternatives, third world states are greatly affected by price increment of oil products. Ii is notable that China has interest in the developing countries for example in the African region.