How did the involvement of the United States affect the outcome of World War II Essay

Part A: Plan of Investigation The United States before and after the beginning of World War II prided itself on independence and isolation from foreign affairs. The U.S. already had to intervene in World War I, helping to create the Treaty of Versailles against Germany, and did not wish to repeat history in World War II. Germany, being angry of this treaty, began an uprising under the authority of German Chancellor Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Revolts spread throughout all of Europe, causing the creation of various alliances, mainly the Allied and Axis Powers. The United States still held its standpoint of isolationism and did not interfere with or support any war effort; that is, until Japan made an attempt to seize China, which was a strong trade nation for the U.S. The U.S. made attempts to keep Japan out of China for trade purposes only, but were unsuccessful due to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s desire to keep neutrality. Japan then struck at the United States with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The next day, the U.S. officially declared war. How did U.S. involvement affect the outcome of World War II? This investigation will cover the chronological order of events of World War II that involved the United States in any matter and how they affected the tide of the war. Most of the research will be from books written by historians of the late 20th century (1994-2000), mainly on the events of World War II from different vantage points. These primary sources incorporate most of the information that proved futile for World War II, giving extensive knowledge of all events. Part B: Summary of Evidence At the beginning of World War II, the U.S. lived by one phrase: â€Å"Stay Out of the War!† All actions done by the government were attempts to keep the U.S. out of the war at any means necessary. But after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. had no choice but to enter the war and fight against the Japanese seize of power. Almost immediately following the U.S.’s declaration of war, Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. The involvement of United States in World War II revolutionized how war would be fought for the coming centuries. [pic] Spitfire War Fighter Plane Manufacture at Castle Bromwich in Great Britain The most important factor that affected the outcome of World War II was the U.S.’s mass production of weapons. The economy became known as the â€Å"arsenal of democracy†, using almost every dollar on spending to produce every kind weapon imaginable to win battles on land, sea, and air. The economy of the United States boomed as mass production peaked, unemployment was dissolved, and American citizens’ payments were doubled. In turn for this rapid production of weapons, the U.S. was now allied with three other military powerhouses: the British Empire (currently known as Great Britain), France, and the Soviet Union (mainly Russia). With the addition of America’s mass weapon supply, the tide of the war completely changed. This new alliance became a force to be reckoned with. These new additions led to the creation of the atomic bomb, which would devastate Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Another factor that affected the war was the U.S.’s knowledge of warfare in both air and water. America and Great Britain were the most important factors of air bombings during their time in the war, which was the most important weapon when it came to the invasion of Germany. Great Britain and the U.S. came together to design the P-51 Mustang, which was used to escort bomber planes during the day; with this addition, air raids could now take place both at day and night. Germany was being destroyed piece by piece by the constant borage of bombings it suffered. America also created the proximity fuse, which was a device put inside antiaircraft shells that detonated when it came close to airplanes or the ground. This added to the ability of the Allies to fight against air warfare from Germany and Japan. Along with these creations, the U.S. advanced its naval warfare. The creation of the inflatable flotation device advanced the U.S. fight forward with extreme momentum, as the devi ce gave tanks the ability to â€Å"swim† across rivers and other bodies of water. The creation of the U.S.S. Bogue also created another advantage for the U.S. as it was able to fight against the German U-Boat. Part C: Evaluation of Sources Stein, R. Conrad. World War II in Europe: â€Å"America Goes to War† Hillside, N.J., U.S.A.: Enslow, 1994. R. Conrad Stein, who studied history at the University of Illinois and the University of Guanajuato, is an author of history reference books. He has written extensively on the events of history, ranging from the Underground Railroad to the Korean War. The purpose of this book is to explain the events of World War II and also explain the role of the United States in the war. This book explains in great detail the events of World War II and how each side of the war was affected with each event; thus making the book valuable to this investigation. This book is also valuable because it provides a full list of the important events of World War II in chronological order and an appendix for each chapter so that further references can be made for the book. There aren’t any major limitations on this book. Adams, Simon. World War II. New York: DK Pub., 2004. Simon Adams, who studied history and politics at the London School of Economics and Bristol University, is an author and editor of reference books on history. He has been a full-time history writer for 15 years and since then has written over 60 books on a wide spectrum of historical events. The purpose of this book is to explain the events of World War II and use examples, such as wartime symbols and other objects, to convey the information of the war to the reader. The book is valuable because there are first hand quotes from individuals who witnessed the events of World War II and there are actual articles of evidence from the war to give further explanation its events. The only limitation is that some of the information of the book seems to be slightly vague and broad instead of in great detail, but overall this book proves to be very resourceful. Part D: Analysis The United States’ intervention was extremely essential to the outcome of World War II, as supported by the sources listed in the previous section and other reliable sources. Seeing that R. Conrad Stein and Simon Adams both graduated from top tier universities for history (University of Illinois for Stein; Bristol University for Adams), one can conclude that the information presented in their books is very accurate. The only information that seems to be missing is that the United States wanted to stay completely isolated from this war because of World War I, but this piece of information is presented in most sources including information on the U.S. and World War II, so this can be implicated. The evidence used for this investigation overall is very accurate. This presents the appropriate interpretations and point-of-views that convey the information of the events of World War II involving the United States. This investigation is important because the U.S.’s involvement in the war changed the course of world history. Just as in most events involving military conflict, a number of factors played a role in the U.S. decision to join World War II. Even though the U.S. had only one prime purpose at the beginning of the war-eliminate the Japanese uprising-, their actions affected the entire war as a whole. However, the U.S. was not primly concerned with Japan before their entrance in the war; the U.S. was more concerned about how China would be affected. On the other hand, even though China played a role in the U.S.’s decision, it would be Japan’s desire for domination that would lead to the involvement of the United States in World War II. Ultimately, the involvement of United States in World War II changed the tide of the war as well as the tide of history that would affect foreign affiliations greatly. Part E: Conclusion According to these sources as well as many prestigious historians on World War II, such as Stephen Ambrose, the war seemed to mostly, if not almost entirely, in the Axis Powers’ favor when it came to deciding the victor. The Axis Powers were in control of most of the war and had dominated the big names of the Allied Powers (France and Great Britain). Had the U.S. never gotten involved after the attack on Pearl Harbor, The Allied Powers would not have been able to bounce back from their losses and the Axis Powers would have emerged out of the biggest war the world has ever seen as the victors, changing the tide of world history forever. Hitler’s Nazi ideology would’ve been able to spread like wildfire through all of Europe and eventually would’ve been able to spread to the rest of the world. Not only that but other major events of during the era, such as the beginning of the space race, would’ve never been able to occur because the United States and the U.S.S.R. would’ve been bended to the will of Germany, Japan, and Italy. The United States and the U.S.S.R. would have never became the two sole superpowers of the world; instead, the major countries of the Axis Powers, mainly Germany, Japan, and Italy, would have taken the U.S. and U.S.S.R.’s places. The U.S. intervention would have also affected the present day. The United States would have never been able to be called â€Å"the land of opportunity† because the United States would have lost their worldwide acclaim. Overall, one can say that had the U.S. not intervened in World War II, the world would not be the world we know of today.

Sequencing Objectives

Sequencing objectives within classes and courses within curriculum is important because much of what we learn is developed through building blocks of knowledge. For example, In my current field, one must know medical terminology and anatomy and physiology In order to begin a coding class. If one does not know where the perform sinus Is In the human body, one cannot assign â€Å"history of perform sinus cancer† the correct V-code. One would assume that since the word â€Å"sinus† Is In the phrase, the V-code would be included in the nasal cavity and sinus grouping.The horrify sinus is actually located in the pharynx; therefore, the V-code would be in the grouping with oral cavity and pharynx. Sequencing of the Course and Curriculum Regulate and Stein refer to macromolecule sequencing, giving the students an overview (epitome) that outlines the fundamental aspects of the course first. Instruction progresses with each Idea being more detailed and elaborating upon the previ ous one. Objectives are developed to Insure that prerequisite skills are covered before advancing to the next objective. Sequencing of Skills wealth the TopicBasic skills are taught first within each topic, building upon each other. Analyzing Topic Objectives to Determine Learning Outcomes This approach examines the relationship between the course map and the unit map. This approach looks at objectives from different learning domains and the relationship between each, sequencing to insure that prerequisite skills are covered in earlier lessons. Sequencing of Skills within Lessons This mapping Is more detailed oriented. Objectives are sequenced In more detail, broken down Into Individual skills required wealth the lesson presented. Learning Hierarchies and Instructional SequenceAccording to Eagan, when the proper sequence of prerequisite skills is established, intellectual skill instruction is easily managed by the teacher. Knowledge-Based Sequencing Instructional design is represent ed as organizational patterns on the concept map and then used during the development phase to automatically generate instructional maps. Sequencing Content for Online Learning This Involves sequencing knowledge units and learning tasks within those units. Spiral Sequencing of the curriculum. And example of this is in foreign language instruction. Basic grammar skills are revisited continually as the student progresses.

Online Relationships

Online Relationships Cyberspace relationships have the advantages of time, distance depletion, and fantasy abilities (Suler). Internet users can take on different identities or take part in fantasy games. They can become someone else. James Katz and Philip Aspen report that the Internet is a place to make friends and stay in touch with far away relatives (Stoll). It makes distance disappear. Also, online a person is given time before they must respond to the other person (Suler).They are given the opportunity to better articulate themselves in writing. It is also possible to store conversations with friends on-line (Suler). Sometimes face to face relationships are hard to make. It’s easier for a shy or awkwardly social person to use the internet to make friends. With all of these social advantages, why are there still many lonely Internet users? â€Å"Paradoxically, the Internet is a social technology used for communication, yet it results in declining social involvement and psychological well-being† (Stoll).There is a large gap between people we can touch and people we can onl†¦ heheheheheh eheh jajb ladjbas hbdfhS HDFBASUB LBFHAB SBDFLABSH CLABHK SCVBKBVKHS FVERBVKDSBFU NVA ;V ASK;VAS GBKV RHK VKJ VUIBKJ; SKJVB; V;KEVKJERVIUOVUER HA HA HA HA HA HA AHA HAHA HA A HAHA AHAHA AHJAH AHA AHA A AHAH A AHA A A HA AHA AH AHAHAA HA A AHA HA AHAH KG GTJT NENE EJSD S SMS DC KJFJ G GKGNMF SDN SNSNKSKSW SWKE EKOEOKE W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W WE

Strategic management assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic management assignment - Essay Example Now-a-days the organizations are bringing rapid, volatile and discontinuous changes. It makes strategic management more multifaceted and challenging. There are two principal drivers that influence the nature of competitors’ background. These will help the organizations to adopt and maintain that change. Technology and global economy are two important drivers of businesses. Therefore, substantial changes in these drivers can affect the strategic management process of an organization. Several models can help the CEOs to respond to the discontinuous changes. The combination of those two change approaches is suitable for the transformation of the organizations. This approach is considered as holistic approach. This holistic approach will help to produce effective flexibility to the businesses to counter the uncertain situations. It is necessary to have a strategic change plan that can be learned in order to relieve the fear of this change among the employees. Critical learning is indispensable. It will help to create a knowledge based work environment of understanding the critical problems. Moreover, transfer of knowledge will help to enhance the decision making ability in a situation of sudden change. Rapid, Volatile and Discontinuous Change Rapid and volatile organizational change is an intentional and structured approach that helps to transit the employees, groups and organizations from a current position to a significant future position. On the other hand, discontinuous change can be defined as sudden, unintentional and non-incremental change that threatens the power structure and existing traditional authority (Hubbard, 2004). The organizations implement rapid and volatile changing process to improve the internal structure of an organization. This process helps the management of the organization to capitalize on the potential opportunities and to meet with the changing customer demand rapidly by effective redesigning of product and services (Foster & Br owne, 1996). On the other hand, the objective of the discontinuous change process is to identify and rectify the current organizational problems. The organizations implement this change to establish new strategies to improve the organizational performance. Leading organizations around the globe are trying to capitalize on the potential opportunities by implementing these changes. Moreover, continuous changes in the organization required for any changes in external environmental factors help the organization to maintain a healthy work environment and achieve competence in the industry. It is important for the information managers to review the environmental factors and identify the current trends. This strategic audit planning will help the organizations to understand the external and internal information services (Sutton, 1999). PEST analysis is a common tool that helps the organization to assess the external factors, such as political, social, technological and economical changes. Another important common strategic audit tool is SWOT analysis. It helps the organization to assess the internal factors. This SWOT analysis considers internal strengths, weaknesses and external opportunities and threats. Following is the strategic management model that used to assess the role, impact and implication of rapid, volatile and discontinuous organizational change. An important principle of strategic managem

International Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The investment fund is in a continuous recruitment process, especially in Africa. 1.3 Industry Sector the industry served by the company is financial services. The investment fund is involved in financing and advising of the smaller and less privileged business in the rural parts of Latin America and Africa (Root Capital, 2013c). The objective of the investment fund in to increase rural prosperity and decrease environmental vulnerability within small and medium businesses (Root Capital, 2013b). Offerings The company is involved in increasing its environmental and social impact with the help of three step strategy. These include financing, advising and catalyzing Financing- this involves providing leans to the small and medium business in rural and poor sections of various countries. Presently Root Capital operated in Africa and Latin America. The company is involved in both long term and short term financing of loans. Through lending, a support system is provided to the rural ecosyst em. Advising- the investment fund is involved in providing financial training to prospective clients as well as current clients. The objective of providing management training in finance is to make these clients capable of establishing and maintaining business. The service products in financial advisory include information seminars, diagnostic workshops, and financial training and preparation services for loan application Catalyze- root capital aims to create a financial market in which the underprivileged and vulnerable classes of business are provided with full potential and expertise so they are able to thrive in this competitive market and make a mark for themselves. The catalyze strategy for Root Capital is to innovate and accelerate. 1.4 Main market (Domestic/ International) Root capital is majorly involved in international market. Majority of its operational revenue come from Latin America and Africa. The target clients of Root Capital are small and medium businesses in rural areas. During the early days, majority of the clients were from agricultural background. Later on, the company started providing loans to coffee products and small trading companies. 1.5 B2B/B2C Root Capital falls in business to business category where small and medium businesses from rural parts of Latin America and Africa are its customers. Demographic Profile of the entrepreneur REF DESCRIPTION RESPONSE 2.1 Age, Gender, education, marital status etc. William Fulbright Foote popularly known as Willy Foote is the founder and current Chief Executive Officer of Root Capital. Willy is 43 years old and married to Virginia Foote. His present home address is Greater Boston. Willy completed his bachelors from Yale University in the year 1990. He then went on to pursue his masters in development economics from the London School of Economics 2.2 Prior Work Experience He stated his carrier working with Latin American Corporate Finance (LACF) as a financial analyst. After leaving Wall Street , Willy started working as a business journalist in Mexico. This was the time when he was confronted with the challenges of the small and medium businesses of the rural areas and the disadvantages they were facing. 2.3 Personal interest, special training Willy Foote completed his specialist training at the Aspen Institute in the year 2012. He attended the Henry Crown Fellowship Class. Apart from work, he likes to spend his time with family.

Another new assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Another new assignment - Essay Example The patient, who is the direct recipient of the delivery of health care service, is the most qualified person to assess, evaluate and judge the quality of healthcare that he or she receives. If the patient is totally immobile or unconscious during the confinement in the health institution, then, the immediate relative (spouse, children) who regularly accompanies the patient and oversees the delivery of the required medical services, is the next authorized person to gauge the quality of health care rendered and received by the patient. Quality is measured in terms of customer perspectives with emphasis on the following: (1) accessibility and availability of service; (2) timely and safe delivery of service; (3) coordination and continuity of care between services; and (4) effectiveness of services (i.e., the delivery and outcome of care). (ibid. p. 74) Delaune & Ladner (2006) averred that â€Å"a healthcare organization must be concerned with doing the right things (efficiency, appropriateness) and doing the right things well (availability, timeliness, effectiveness, continuity, safety, efficiency, and respect and caring)† (p. 74) Quality measurement consists of evaluating three interrelated components: structure (philosophy, guidelines, facilities, financial resources, policies, procedures, and job descriptions); process (nursing care and standards of care); and finally, outcome (client’s health status, self-care abilities, acquisition of knowledge, and higher level of wellness). The steps enumerated in Table 1 utilized by John Groocock in a big manufacturing firm have some parallelism to the measurement of quality in a healthcare institution except that the terminologies and classifications are not exactly the same. As previously noted, the elements needed in evaluating the quality of care in a hospital setting fall under three categories: structure, process, and outcome.

Analysis with an Introduction to Proof Research Paper

Analysis with an Introduction to Proof - Research Paper Example Logical connectives develop rationale for verifying statements and for joining statements into compound scenarios that require decision-making. In introducing the concept of truth-value, the chapter’s logics concept improves people’s rationale in decision-making and is therefore fundamental to every person for real life decision. Professionally, the logics’ concepts are applicable to most people such as managers and health care personnel whose decision yield consequences that can be used to evaluate ability to perform as a professional. Quantifiers also play a critical role in rational decision as they establish bases for identifying variables upon which decisions can be made. Understanding nature of a quantifier in a situation also facilitates decision making through defining scope of a variable on which decision should be made. Proof techniques is another important section of the chapter that supports application of logics in decision making, as it establishes bases for verifying truth values of statements and scenarios. Exploring various techniques also improves the audience’s rational competence. Consequently, I feel the chapter is informative and equips people with competence to tackle real life problems (Lay 1- 34). Reading chapter two of the book also develops the feeling that mathematical concepts are the basis of real life experiences and decisions. The scope of sets, definition of sets and elements of a set, for example, identify with the first step of decision-making that defines a problem and its scope. Consequently, concepts of sets and elements of sets can help in establishing boundaries for problems and therefore focus analysis for generation of solutions. Basic sets operations of union and intersection further facilitates this application of sets in real life experience and is consistent with chapter one’s concept of connectives that can help in

Strategic Corporate Fiance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Corporate Fiance - Essay Example From the above-mentioned table, it is quite evident that Net Asset Value of Marks and Spencer have increased for 0.03 bases point and is higher in 2011 than 2010. The company has net assets worth of ?1.72 in 2011 and ?1.69 in 2010, which clearly explains that the Net Asset Value is improving. 2) Cost of Capital (CAPM) In the table mentioned below, the computations have been shown for the weighted average cost of capital of the company, Marks and Spencer. The cost of debt of the company is 4% whereas the cost of capital of the company was found as 4.5%. The weighted average cost of capital of the company, which incorporated the value of debt and value of equity was found to be 4.33%. Cost of Debt       Rd = Annual Coupon    Current Bond Price          = 5    125       Rd = 4.00% Value of Equity Ve = Current Price of Share x Number of Shares outstanding = 3.76 x 1,600 = 6,016 Value of Debt Vd = Current Price of Bond x Number of Bonds Issued = 125 x 2,489 = 3,111                         100       Weights       Wd = Debt = 3,111 = 34.09%    Debt + Equity 3,111 + 6,016          We = Equity = 6,016 = 65.91%       Debt + Equity    3,111 + 6,016       3) Dividend Growth Model (DGM) In this section of the paper, computations for Gordon’s dividend growth models have been shown. ...       K – g    0.045 - 0.02       From the above-mentioned table, this information can be extracted that if the growth rate is zero, then the hypothetical ex-right price of share price of Marks and Spencer is approximately 377 pence. In contrast to that, if it is assumed that dividend grow at the rate of 2%, then there is an enormous increment in the share price of the company, which is around 693 pence. It can be stated that at the growth rate 0, the share price of the company of 363 pence is more appropriate than the share price at growth rate 2%, which is 693. The share price of 693 pence is highly optimistic. 4) Price Earnings Ratio (P/E Ratio) The following table demonstrates the Price Earnings Ratio of Marks and Spencer. Price Earnings Ratio    31-Mar-12 11-Jan-13 P/E Ratio = 376 = 11.56 times = 363 = 11.2 times       32.5             32.5       In the year 2011, the Price Earnings Ratio of the company is 11.56. Nevertheless, it reduced in the last year to 11.2 because there was a reduction in the share price of the company. The average price earnings ratio of the respective industry of Marks and Spencer is 8.5 times, on the other hand, the P/E of Marks and Spencer is 11.2 times. If the P/E of Marks and Spencer is compared with the industry average, then it can be stated the Price Earnings ratio of Marks and Spencer is substantially higher than the industry average. It reveals that the share price of the company is over-values as compared to its industry competitors. Task 2 Investment in stocks is something which can be extremely tricky for ordinary investors. This is because the investors lack in having capabilities regarding the pricing of the stocks. The pricing of stocks have turned out to be a key factor as a minor mistake in

The Lithostratigraphic Framework of the Hertfordshire County of Essay

The Lithostratigraphic Framework of the Hertfordshire County of England - Essay Example The Hertfordshire County of England has a young history geologically. The lithology of this area is largely composed of Quaternary and Tertiary deposits, with some glacial movement effects at its northern reaches.   With the sandy conditions of the shores on its eastern side, you might say Hertfordshire is between a small rock and a big hard place. Formations, a principal mapping unit (enquire.com 2006), will be briefly described as to their importance in this report. The status of current ground conditions will also be presented as they affect the analysis of the area. Then geohazards, or expected/probable problems, will be considered. The objective of this report is to provide information that subsequent investigations could use. As in other Home Counties, Hertfordshire shares a common pattern of development from the 17th century, except for its construction of the New River in the Lea Valley that supplies London with water. The majority of settlements built in the times of the N ormans were in the northeast. The Abbey of St. Albans, a major landowner, influenced land management strongly, including the formation of hunting parks, which Hertfordshire has had in abundance. Agriculture displaced many of these parks, and then they were wooded again. A boom in the 16th century of the country-house building came after lands were confiscated by the Crown. The number of palaces from the 1700's were many because of the "rich soil and wholesome air" that attracted wealthy people. (enquire.com 2006) Other building came along the river valleys, slowly. But the industry of malting and brewing in the late 19th century created an era of strong development. The decades since the mid-1900's has seen major changes in the landscape of Hertfordshire.  Ã‚  The development of Portland cement in the early 1900's, that uses gravel deposits in its composition, brought about quarries and industry related to it (HGS 2005). Quarries have also been necessary for researching the strata of the land.  Modern construction has been largely in the south/southwest part of the county. This report, focusing on Stevenage and Ware, is for development purposes in the northern sections of the county.  Near Ashwell is the Steeple Morden Plantation Quarry that allows geologists to see the layers of rock. In trenches cut into the quarry, the color contrasts between Melbourn Rock and the soft chalk is obvious. The gray Plenus Marls and Melbourn Rock that were once thought to be the base of the Middle Chalk (HGS 2005) is now considered the marker horizon while shelly detrital rock is above that and smooth chalk above that. The eight beds of the Plenus Marls can be traced to the Paris Basin and used as a marker horizon across Europe, "indicating a change in anoxic conditions" (HGS 2005).There is a lack of clay-with-flints this quarry. Quarry section showing chalky outwash gravel of Anglian age overlying river gravel of proto-Thames (photo by John Carr) (RIGS 2003) The formations and types of sediments in Hertfordshire will be discussed as they pertain to development, and also as they pertain to restrictions of use (RIGS 2003). Besides the geohazards possible in any construction site, there are also hazards to the geology of a site from construction. All this must be taken into consideration before building can begin. Former construction through the ages has not taken this into account and there has been a degeneration of soils as well as destruction to the buildings by swallow holes and other phenomenon.

Top Reasons Why Students Fail Chemistry Essay Example for Free

Top Reasons Why Students Fail Chemistry Essay See More About: * chemistry top picks * chemistry homework help * study tips Are you taking a chemistry class? Are you worried you might not pass? Chemistry is a subject many students prefer to avoid, even if they have an interest in science, because of its reputation for lowering grade point averages. However, it isnt as bad as it seems, especially if you avoid these common mistakes. 1. Procrastinating Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow, right? Wrong! The first few days in a chemistry class may be very easy and could lull you into a false sense of security. Dont put off doing homework or studying until halfway through the class. Mastering chemistry requires you to build concept upon concept. If you miss the basics, youll get yourself into trouble. Pace yourself. Set aside a small segment of time each day for chemistry. It will help you to gain long-term mastery. 2. Dont cram. Dont go into chemistry until you understand the basics of algebra. Geometry helps, too. You will need to be able to perform unit conversions. Expect to work chemistry problems on a daily basis. Dont rely too much on a calculator. Chemistry and physics use math as an essential tool. 3. Not Getting or Reading the Text Yes, there are classes in which the text is optional or completely useless. This isnt one of those classes. Get the text. Read it! Ditto for any required lab manuals. Even if the lectures are fantastic, youll need the book for the homework assignments. A study guide may be of limited use, but the basic text is a must-have. 4. Psyching Yourself Out I think I can, I think I can you have to have a positive attitude toward chemistry. If you truly believe you will fail you may be setting yourself up for a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you have prepared yourself for the class, you have to believe that you can be successful. Also, its easier to study a topic you like than one you hate. Dont hate chemistry. Make your peace with it and master it. 5. Not Doing Your Own Work Study guides and books with worked answers in the back are great, right? Yes, but only if you use them for help and not as an easy way to get your homework done. Dont let a book or classmates do your work for you. They wont be available during the tests, which will count for a big portion of your grade.

The background of Hai-O in Malaysia

The background of Hai-O in Malaysia Background of the Company Hai-O is one of the leading traditional healthcare companies in Malaysia, competing in the niche of traditional Chinese medicine. In the first chapter, this paper will discuss the background of the company in general to further illustrate the business nature of the company. This will provide the basis for the further discussion of Hai-Os business strategy. Introduction Hai-O is a local group of companies that operates in the business of traditional Chinese medicine. Hai-O Group of Companies (the Group) comprise of a few business divisions in the corporate structure. All of these divisions operate in the core business of Chinese healthcare products that include herbal medicines, pharmaceutical products as well as health food. Hai-O divisions include multi-level marketing (MLM) wholesaling, retail stores, as well as manufacturing. The Group has also diversified into a few other industries such as advertising services and leasing of machinery. Problem Statement For thousands of years, traditional medicine has been used in some communities for health cures and remedies. As it has been re-introduced in the modern world, there has been a growing debate on its effectiveness and potential side effects. This causes a rough ride for Hai-O as a traditional medicine provider. One of the challenges arise is the lack of international standards and evaluation methods for the efficiency of traditional medication because of international diversity of cultures and regions. As a result, many countries do not have national policies and regulations for traditional medicines. And there is also an issue of disparity in definition and classification for traditional medicine therapies. Some countries may define an herbal product as food supplement while others may accept it as herbal medicine, making international access and global product distributions a challenge to abide for Hai-O Group. There is also limitation for traditional medicines in terms of safety and quality. This is due to the complex nature of the methods for research and evaluation. For example, the safety and quality of finished herbal medicine products require tests on their resources which at one point can comprise hundreds of natural constituents. And the handling of these elements also needs to be evaluated. Products of traditional medicine are produced form natural elements which mostly are collected from wild plants. Scarcity of resources could also be an issue for business practices, not to mention the social threat they might face because of destructing of natural resources. Aside from growing competitions from other extension of healthcare business, Hai-O Enterprise Berhad needs to address these challenges and issues in its strategy to exhilarate growth and expansion. Problem Questions Writing this case will aim to answer a few questions that arise in the problem statement above. Some of the questions are: What is Hai-Os strategy to tackle the negative aspects of TCM? Why does Hai-O employ its current business strategies? How does Hai-O plan to expand into international market? How does Hai-O sustain its growth despite the challenges and threats? Case Study Objectives Objective of this case study is to critically analyse the: Business strategy; Strategy formulation; and the Issues and challenges faced by Hai-O Group in its business strategy Upon completion, this study will help to understand and clearly identify the business strategy of Hai-O Group. Through the case analysis, Hai-Os strategy formulation will be carefully examined and this will guide the finding of the critical issues and challenges of its business strategy. Companys Overview Hai-O was established in 1975, and has become a famous household name in Malaysia ever since. Originally, the Company offered an assortment of Chinese medicines and healthcare products. Much later, the business expanded and grew into Hai-O Group of Companies. It first made its way to Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad in the year 1996, by being listed in the second board of Bursa Malaysia. The Group has 5 principal business that are multi-level marketing, wholesaling, retailing, manufacturing and medicinal clinics. The Group was the first traditional healthcare company listed on the stock exchange. It was listed into the main board of Bursa Malaysia on 2007. Expert in its niche, Hai-O has managed to build extensive and efficient distribution network for the past three decades. As part of its services, the Group is also practising integrated health services which combine the traditional Chinese medicine clinic services and non-decocted Chinese herbal consultation in their retail stores. These services were collaboration with its joint venture partner, Beijing Tongrentang Co Ltd, a big TCM provider in China. History of Hai-O Hai-O Enterprise Bhd was founded by Mr. Tan Kai Hee in 1975. He was an assistant secretary-general of the Labour Party in 1960s and was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) from 1965 to 1973. Only 28 years old at the time, Tan was optimistic despite the unfortunate circumstances. Finding job after the detention was not easy, and this leads him to the idea of organising other ex-comrades to venture into China trade. And so they set up Hai-O in 1975 and started operation in Klang. The business was soon became a word of mouth among friends and supporters. Due to a lot of hard work and high optimism, the Group was able to break even within the first year and all of the key historical and inspirational accomplishment took place itself in the first year it was introduced. Throughout many years of operation, the Group has earned a lot of awards for their remarkable performance. Such recognitions are awarded to all the top performing companies within the Group. The Group take pride in its achievements which have help instil good confidence among its investors and customers. Awards and recognitions received by Hai-O Group are: Hai-O Enterprise: Best Small Capitalisation Company (Malaysian Corporate Governance Index 2009) by Minority Shareholder Watchdog Group (MSWG) Hai-O Enterprise: Best Return to Shareholder Category First Runner Up Award by Malaysian Business CIMA Enterprise Governance 2009 Hai-O Enterprise: Best Under a Billion Award by Forbes Asia 2009 Hai-O Enterprise: Ranked no. 6 in Top 100 Listed Company In Terms of Shareholder Values Creations 2008 by KPMG and The Edge Hai-O Enterprise: Best Under a Billion Award by Forbes Asia 2008 Hai-O Raya: The Brand Laureate 2008-2009 under the Product Branding for Traditional Chinese Medicine category Hai-O Marketing: Malaysian Business Ethics Excellence 2008 recognition certificate by Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Hai-O Raya: Malaysian Business Ethics Excellence 200 recognition certificate by Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Hai-O Enterprise: Best Under a Billion Award by Forbes Asia 2007 Hai-O Marketing: Outstanding Contribution Towards Developing Bumiputra Entrepreneurs 2007 recognition certificate by MECD Hai-O Raya: Superbrand 2003/2004 Hai-O Raya: Malaysian Book of Records: Greatest Number of Traditional Healthcare Chain Stores in Malaysia 2001 Hai-O Raya: Golden Bull Award: Malaysias Top 100 Outstanding SMEs 2003 Hai-O Raya: Enterprise 50 by SMIDEC and Deloitte 2003 Top Malaysian Small Cap Companies (100 Jewels 2007) by OSK Investment Bank Bhd Hai-O Marketing: 13 Years Membership with Direct Selling Association Malaysia 2007 Diamond Club Award for Excellent Performance 2002, 2003, 2006 GMP Status and ISO: 9001certification by SG Global Biotech Sdn Bhd U.S. FDA Facility Registration certificate by SG Global Biotech Sdn Bhd Source: http://en.hai-o.com.my Vision, Mission and Corporate Values The Group ultimate goal is to become a premiere healthcare company in Malaysia. Focusing on it, its vision reads: We aim to become the premier healthcare company in Malaysia and thereby bringing the greatest value and pride to our customers, business partners, employees and shareholders. This explained that their vision of being the leading healthcare company are much focused on delivering value to each key element that make up their business, internally and externally. Hai-O has strived over 35 years to take the brand name beyond the image of Chinese medicine. The Group genuine interests in healthy culture boost their spirit to promote humans well-being with the mission statement that reads: We are committed to promoting healthcare culture and improving humans well-being. Such vision and mission is incorporated into the Groups corporate value. Hai-O means seagull in Mandarin. It is a metaphor that the Group will soar high and the Group incorporated its corporate values in the word seagull itself and the image of a seagull is embedded in the Groups company logo. Their 7 core values are: Social responsibility; Hai-O strives to repay society by helping those in needs through actions and monetary support. Excellent service; Hai-O strives beyond customers expectations to give excellent quality products and superior service. Attitude; Hai-O strives to sustain a positive attitude in every dimensions of the business at any circumstances it faces. Unity; Hai-O strives to unite its organization as one big family in Malaysian culture of different races to achieve its goals in the challenging business world. Growing; Hai-O strives to capitalise on its competitive advantage and knowledge to ensure continuous improvement and growth. Loyalty; Hai-O strives to be loyal to its business partners and its commitment to convey good results to the customers as well as the shareholders. Learning; Hai-O strives to build a knowledge-based working environment by collecting its resources together to achieve goals to educate consumers on healthcare and to contribute to the research and development in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical science. Figure 1: Hai-Os Company Logo Image source: Adapted from http://en.hai-o.com.my Strategy One of the obvious strategies to market its product was the Group formation of Hai-O Marketing Sdn. Bhd. in 1992. This subsidiary company is targeted to market Hai-Os products through multilevel marketing. Products that are sold through this company are health food, wellness and beauty products. This strategy of has boosted the Groups business substantially and has brought a huge exposure for Hai-Os brand into the consumer market. Although the business move has brought a giant impact, the Group fundamental strategies still remain in three main criteria; choosing the right product, targeting the Bumiputra segment and venturing abroad. Hai-O sources raw materials for its product from the main land China. TCM market in China is saturated and the products are variety. But Hai-O is devoted to solitary select the right ones to bring into its product line. Only importing patented products that are approved by the Ministry of Health, the Group built its clients trust by selling genuine quality products at a fair price with Hai-O branding. In 2002, links to China were further consolidated in a partnership with Peking Tongrentang, a renowned company with a 338-years history and is famous for working for the emperor during the Qing dynasty. Other than that, the Group also signed a sole distributorship agreement in 2007, with Yunnan Baiyao Group Co Ltd. Since the setting of its MLM division, Malay consumers have constituted a large segment of its market as well as its sales force, which has result in a remarkable transformation for Hai-O as a group. The concept of MLM suited the Bumiptra market very well. Famous product among the Malay consumer is the Pur Er tea which is considered as a wonder tonic with abundant health benefits ranging from removing toxins to improving blood circulation. Achieving reputation among Malay consumers has changed the Groups image from previously a mainly Malaysian Chinese trade. As a result, the brand is more accessible and well received by other citizen in Malaysia. As the power of traditional medicine is showing evident results in todays healthcare industry, the Group decided to take the business abroad by penetrating the lucrative markets of China and Indonesia. A joint venture company has been set up in Jakarta and has started business in August 2009. As for China, the Group is in the midst of obtaining the necessary rights and licences to promote Malaysias traditional medicines and health products such as Tongkat Ali, and Kacip Fatimah in its local market. Venturing into the international market is a strategy that the Group hope will help to expose their brand even further as well as promote traditional Chinese medicine to a higher level. Corporate Structure Figure 2: Hai-Os Corporate Structure Source: http://en.hai-o.com.my Wholesale Division As a second largest contributor to the Group, the wholesale division have secured exclusive agency rights for importing and distributing of more than 200 branded products from China under the company names Hai-O Medicine Sdn. Bhd., Kinds Resources Sdn. Bhd., Grand Brands (M) Sdn. Bhd., Chop Aik Seng Sdn. Bhd. and Vintage Wine Sdn. Bhd. These products include a wide range of traditional Chinese medicines, teas and wines that are distributed through Hai-Os multi-distribution channels. These channels offer a broad access to Chinese medical halls, hyper/ supermarkets, convenience stores, retail outlets and restaurants. Direct Selling Division The direct selling division, also known as the MLM division has been the Groups fastest growing segment since it is first introduced in 1992. Operating under the company name Hai-O Marketing Sdn. Bhd., the division has a strong distribution force that helped the company to emerge as a leading local direct selling company. Hai-O Marketing Sdn. Bhd. is now serving over 34,000 distributorships, through more than 50 distribution centres throughout Malaysia. With the product mix ranging from healthcare to household products, Hai-O Marketing Sdn. Bhd. also owns a subsidiary company, PT Hai-O Indonesia which took up a 60% stake in a joint-venture company with an Indonesian partner. The company has started business in August 2009, selling products manufactured from Malaysia. Retail Division The Group has over 60 chain stores in major cities and towns across Malaysia. These chain stores carry an extensive range of traditional Chinese medicines, teas, wines and other healthcare products. Operating under the company name Hai-O Raya Berhad, the Group also owns retail counters in some of major supermarkets namely Carrefour and AEON Jusco. These outlets provide consultations on herbs and TCMs by professional herb masters. Hai-O Raya Berhad also provides a franchise program for entrepreneurs who are interested in operating a professional TCM store. In 2002, the Group expanded to also offer integrated clinical service under the company name, Peking Tongrentang (M) Sdn. Bhd. This integrated clinic is a joint-venture between Hai-O and Beijing Tongrentang Co Ltd, the largest producer of traditional Chinese medicine in China. Besides that, the Group also owns another subsidiary company that offers extensive traditional Chinese medicine products and service, Hai-O Polaris (M) Sdn. B hd. Manufacturing Division Realizing the importance and the fast growing demand of traditional Chinese medicine in the country, the Group made a decision to open up its own pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in 1994. Operating under the name SG Global Biotech Sdn. Bhd., it was the first traditional medicinal manufacturer that complies with the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards in the country. The companys obligation to quality assurance has obtained the qualification under ISO 9002 in 1999 and ISO9001: 2000 in 2002. Its core businesses is producing and processing of herbal and other health products and SG Global is also active in a lot of research and development activities. The company shared the technology and expertise with China and several local counterparts in Malaysia. Riding on the potential growth of the research and development area in herbal and traditional medicine in Malaysia, the Group extended its operation into another subsidiary that focuses on laboratory research to increase product innovation. QIS Research Laboratory Sdn. Bhd. is established to offer a full service in analytical laboratory, microbiology and chemical analysis of traditional medicine. QIS Lab is accredited to ISO 17025 by the Department of Standard Malaysia (DSM) of the Ministry of Science and Technology. In the past years, the Group has also ventured in several other business segments. Other subsidiary companies include Seagull Advertising Sdn. Bhd., Hai-O Credit and Leasing Sdn. Bhd., Sri Pangkor Credit and Leasing Sdn. Bhd., Hai-O Energy (M) Sdn. Bhd. and Hai-O Properties Sdn. Bhd. The Group other supporting businesses involved the leasing of machinery and equipment, advertising services, investment holding as well as insurance agency. Corporate Governance The Board of Directors of Hai-O Enterprise Berhad (the Board) embraces the value of the Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance which outlines the ethics and the best practices on corporate governance. In regards, the Board is dedicated to make sure that the corporate governance principles are well practiced and well observed throughout the operation of Hai-O Group in order to ensure integrity and professionalism within the organization to safeguard shareholders investment and value. Composition of the Board The Board of Hai-O Group is consists of 8 members, comprising of 3 Executive Directors and 5 Non-Executive Directors. 4 of these Non-Executive Directors are Independent Directors who act as independent advisors. This composition meets the terms with the Listing Requirements of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd which requires one-third (1/3) of the Board to be Independent Directors. The Executive and Non-Executive Directors functions are defined clearly. The Executive Directors capacity is to administer the Groups operations and execute the operational and corporate decisions while the Non-Executive Directors offer the Company with necessary opinions and decisions. Formulation of the Groups strategies and policies are shaped from the combination between the expertise of the Independent Non-Executive Directors and the skill and wisdom of the Executive Directors. If a conflict of interest is likely to arise, it is the obligation for the director concerned to declare his interest and withdraw from the process of the decision making. The same formula is tailored to the responsibilities between the Chairman and the Managing Director in order to maintain a balance of authority and accountability. The Chairman provides a general leadership to the Board without restricting the principle of collective responsibility for Boards decisions. And the Managing Directors principal responsibility is to formulate the business strategies and to employ the corporate decisions as well as to administer the overall business operations. The Boards composition represents a mix of skill, knowledge and expertise that are significant to the activities of the Group. The Board meeting is held once every 3 months. The Board entrusted the Nomination Committee with the necessary responsibilities to appoint and re-elect the directors. This committee is comprises of Independent and Non-Executive Directors and is responsible to recognize and pick potential new directors and propose nominations to the Board. The Board also recognizes that constant learning is critical for its members in order to gain insights into the state of economy, technological advances, regulatory updates and management strategies. Thus all the Directors of the Company have to complete the Mandatory Accreditation Programme (MAP) which is compulsory for the Listing Requirements of the Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd. The Directors will continue to undertake other significant training programmes and the Continuing Education Programmes (CEP) to supplement and maximize knowledge in the latest statutory and regulatory developments. This is also to assist them in keeping abreast with developments in the business environment in order to enable them to uphold their responsibilities more effectively. Directors Remunerations A remuneration Committee was set up by the Board to manage the Executive Directors remuneration package. The committee members are majority consisting of the Non-Executive Directors. This remuneration package is based on the Groups results apart from the individual directors performance. The committee meeting is held frequently as required to resolve all aspect of remuneration as well as terms and conditions of service of the Executive Directors. Level of the remuneration is structured as such to motivate and encourage the Directors to run the Group at the top of their performances. And the compensation for the Non-Executive Directors is subjected to the Boards decision as a whole. The fees for both the Executive and Non-Executive Directors are approved by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Shareholders and Investors It is important to public listed organizations to inform the current status of the Group to the shareholders, stakeholders as well as the general public. Hence, the Group has been keeping up a constructive and active communication policy which enables the management and the Board to communicate effectively with its shareholders. The Groups website, www.hai-o.com.my is one of the channels available for corporate information to assist shareholders and investors to assess their investment decisions. The Groups AGM proceedings are open to all shareholders to promote transparency. Shareholders are also invited to attend any Extraordinary General Meetings which are announced through circulars and notice of meeting whenever it occurs. Accountability and Audit An Audit Committee is set up to manage the annual financial statements of the Group. This committee is responsible to ensure that the statements are complied with the requirements in the valid accounting standards in Malaysia under the Companies Act, 1965 as well as the Listing Requirements of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd. The committee is also accountable to establish an appropriate and transparent relationship with the Groups internal and external auditors. The Board also recognizes the significant of financial controls, operational and compliance controls as well as risk management. Hence, the internal control system is designed to administer the risk of failure to accomplish business objectives. Board of Directors The names and positions of Hai-O Enterprise Berhads executive officers (as of February 17, 2010) are listed below: Table 1: Hai-Os Board of Directors Name Position Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Osman S. Cassim Chairman, Independent Non- Executive Director Tan Kai Hee Managing Director, Non-Independent Director Datin Sunita Mei-Lin Rajakumar Independent Non-Executive Director Tan Keng Song Executive Director, Non-Independent Director Chia Kuo Wui Executive Director, Non-Independent Director Y. Bhg. Dato Abdul Rani Bin Mohd Razalli Non-Independent Non-Executive Director Lim Chin Luen Independent Non-Executive Director Quek Ah Ba Independent Non-Executive Director Source: Adapted from http://en.hai-o.com.my Profile of the Board of Directors Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Osman S. Cassim (Chairman, Independent Non-Executive Director) Tan Sri Osman graduated from University of Malaya, Singapore with an Honors Degree in Arts. He later attended the Advanced Management Programmes by Harvard Business School, Boston in 1984. During his 30 years career in public sector, Tan Sri Osman used to serve as Secretary General in the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Information, and Ministry of Home Affairs. He was elected as the Director General of the Public Services Department Malaysia in 1980. Later in 1988, he was appointed as the National Advisor to the General Electric International (USA) Currently he is the Vice President in the Court of Fellows of Malaysia Institute of Management. Tan Sri Osman was also the Chairman of Southern Bank Berhad from 1990 to 2005. He joined Hai-O Group and become the Chairman on 31 January 2005. Tan Sri Osman is also the Chairman of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee of Hai-O Group. Tan Kai Hee (Managing Director, Non-Independent Director) Mr. Tan Kai Hee is one of the founders of the Group. He is also the main policy and decision-maker. Mr. Tan has more than 33 years of experience in the trading business. In August 2006, he attended China Market Study Tour Program which was carried out by Beijing International MBA, Peking University. Mr. Tan is also an avid social worker for the past 35 years. As also a founder of Malaysia-China Friendship Association (PMC), Mr. Tan acts as the Secretary-General. He is also the founder of Malaysia-China Medicine Health Product Association (MCMHPA), Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) and Malaysia Ru-Shang Social Association. Among others, Mr. Tan is also the Chairman in the Trading Services of the Malaysia China Business Council (MCBC) and the Advisor for the Federation of Chinese Physicians and Medicine Dealers Association of Malaysia (FCPMDAM). Mr. Tan holds directorship in Hai-O Raya Bhd. as well as a few other private limited companies. He was selected to the Groups Board o n 30 August 1975 and is also a member in the Remuneration and Investment Committee. Mr. Tan is the father of Ms. Tan Keng Song, who is the Executive Director of Hai-O Enterprise Bhd. Datin Sunita Mei-Lin Rajakumar (Independent Non-Executive Director) Graduated from University Bristol, United Kingdom, Datin Sunita holds a Bachelor Degree in Law. She is the Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, earning her qualification certificate in 1994. She used to work for Ernst Young, London as the Audit Manager. She also used to be the Manager in RHB Sakura Merchant Bank, Kuala Lumpur. In addition, she used to work in Corporate Finance as the Vice President at Petra Technologies and was appointed as the Director of Corporate Finance at Southern Plastic. She also used to work for MIMOS Berhad as the Venture Capital Consultant before joining the Groups Board on January 2009. Datin Sunita is also a member of the Groups Audit Committee. Tan Keng Song (Executive Director, Non-Independent Director) Ms. Tan Keng Song holds a Bachelor Degree in Commerce from University of Western Australia. Majoring in Marketing and Management, she used to work for UMW Group. She joined Hai-O Group in 2000 as the MIS Executive at Hai-O Raya Bhd. Later she was promoted to the head of the Groups IT and MIS division. Currently she is leading the Business Administration, MIS and Human Resources Department and is a member of the Investment Committee. Ms. Tan joined the Board on 2001. She is the daughter of Mr. Tan Kai Hee, the Managing Director of Hai-O Enterprise Bhd. Chia Kuo Wui (Executive Director, Non-Independent Director) Mr. Chia Kuo Wui obtained his Bachelor Degree in Accounting at Curtin University, Australia. Later he continued to earn his study MBA from Charles Stuart University at Help University College Kuala Lumpur. Mr. Chia joined Hai-O Group in the Corporate Planning and the Investor Relation Department. Holding key positions in some of Hai-O Groups, he also holds the directorships in a few other private limited companies. Mr. Chia Kuo Wui was appointed to the Groups Board on 14 November 2008. Y. Bhg. Dato Abdul Rani Bin Mohd Razalli (Non Independent Non Executive Director) Dato Abdul Rani obtained his Senior Cambridge Certificate in 1952. He used to serve the Government Royal Custom Excise, Malaysia as the Deputy Director General. He later ventured into commercial business in the fields of shipments, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing. Dato Abdul Rani joined Hai-O Group on 1995 as the Executive Director. He was also a member of the Investment Committee of Hai-O Group and was re-designated as Non Executive and Non Independent Director in 2003. Lim Chin Luen (Independent Non-Executive Director) Mr. Lim Chin Luen has been involved with the trading of Chinese traditional medicine and herbal products for over 15 years. He also owns a nourishing food and noodles stores in Singapore. Mr. Lim joined the Groups Board in December 1997. He was also a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committee of Hai-O Group. Quek Ah Ba (Independent Non-Executive Director) Mr. Quek Ah Ba served as an Accountant and Operational Manager in many companies. He also served two of the Securities firms, Noone Co Sdn Bhd from 1980 to 1983, and C.S. Securities Sdn Bhd from 1986 to 1989. Mr. Quek was a member of Australia Society of Accountants (A.S.A.) and CPA (Australia). He joined Hai-O on 2001 and became the Chairman of the Audit Committee. In addition, Mr. Quek is also a member of the Nomination Committee.

The Issues Of Fresh Water In Singapore Environmental Sciences Essay

The Issues Of Fresh Water In Singapore Environmental Sciences Essay Singapore is an island and urban city state with no rural hinterland and hence, it has been depending on Malaysia for nearly forty percent or more of its water supply. However, Singapore is not short of fresh water as it receives an average of around 2,400 mm of rainfall annually. The only constraint faced by the country is capturing and storing as much of this rainfall as possible, on limited amounts of land areas, so as to achieve self-efficiency in water issues. Recycling efforts in Singapore started in 1966 when the Jurong Industrial Water Treatment Plant was commissioned to supply industrial water to the Jurong Industrial Estate (JIE). This water comes from treated sewerage effluent and is meant for industrial use in the Jurong area as well as by several oil refineries. The Singapore government encourages industry and private enterprises to recycle water. Also, tax rebates have been provided for factories that install water-saving plants. Bottles of NEWater Singapore has also developed NEWater, a three-stage process which brings waste-water to a quality that is better than that produced by the Public Utilities Board (PUB). Treatment begins with Microfiltration to remove suspended solids, colloidal particles, bacteria and viruses. The next process is Reverse Osmosis, which involves applying of pressure for water to flow from the concentrated side to the less concentrated side through a semi-permeable membrane to remove inorganics like heavy metals, such as nitrate, chloride, sulphate etc. The third process, Ultra-violet disinfection, is a safety back-up to remove any bacteria or viruses that cannot be removed by Reserve Osmosis. Desalination is a process of removing excess salt from water (eg. seawater) to enable it for drinking purposes. It has been used to augment water for some time, but it was not adopted as a matter of policy until recent years. This method is considered successful, as this source of supply produce 12% of Singapores daily water needs. Although desalination costs under current improved technology are higher than traditional means of treatment, Singapore has decided to go ahead in the belief that new technologies will reduce the costs further. 3. Impoundments and reservoirs Singapore has several impounding reservoirs inland including Seletar, Peirce and MacRitchie etc. To increase storage capacity, seven reservoirs have been developed by damming the river mouths. It was in that context that a plan to maximise collection of surface resources by extending the present 24.3 square miles of collection grounds to 156 square miles (about 75% of the islands total area) was proposed. However, geological conditions limited the availability of groundwater, hence the plan focused on retrieval of stormwater and water recycling instead. Another reservoir which was built in the recent years was Marina Barrage, which was officially opened on 30th October 2008. Marina Barrage is a dam built across the Marina Channel. Water flows into the reservoir from some of Singapores most well-known waterways, including the Singapore River, Stamford Canal, Rochor Canal, Geylang River and the countrys longest river, Kallang River. Marina Barrage was envisioned by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1987, after the great clean-up of the Singapore and Kallang Rivers. Building the barrage on the soft sea bed amidst changing currents and constantly moving marine traffic was a major challenge. From the air, the pump house of the barrage looks like that number 9, which signifies longevity in Chinese. This major engineering achievement is symbolic of Singapores development as a City of Gardens and Water. How Marina Barrage works? The Barrage acts as a physical barrier to separate the reservoir from the sea. The steel crest gates of the Barrage will act as a tidal barrier to keep the high tides out. Under normal conditions, the crest gates will remain in an upright position to isolate the reservoir from the sea. During heavy rains that collide with low tide, the steel crest will be lowered to release excess storm water into the sea. During heavy rains that collide with high tide, the steel crest gates remain erect, hence storm water cannot flow out to sea naturally. Instead, large drainage pumps will be operated to pump water out to sea. With the Barrage in place, the pockets of low-lying areas in the city will no longer be prone to flooding. 4. Stormwater run-off Harnessing stormwater at minimum cost requires proper land-use planning and pollution control to ensure that stormwater run-off can be efficiently collected and that pollution levels are low. Stormwater harvesting from urban land was consistent with the overall policy of land use in this land-scarce republic, in which land was seen as too valuable for its use to be restricted to a single purpose such as for housing. In the words of the Minister for National Development: If we designate more land for water catchments, there will be less land for housing and other developments. The reverse is also true. Optimising and maximising the use of land and water helped the country to overcome constraints to a certain extent. (Adapted from: The Straits Times,1996) Singapore was the first country in South-East Asia (SEA) to develop viable stormwater run-off schemes. Among the various schemes, the Bedok and Lower Seletar Schemes are the largest. Surface water for these schemes comes mainly from the housing estates and new towns of Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Tampines and Yishun and the area near Changi International Airport. Water is conveyed to the storage reservoirs of Bedok and Lower Seletar. One important feature of this scheme is the emphasis on close co-ordination between several agencies, such as the Housing Board Development (HDB), the Ministry of the Environment (ENV) and the Planning Department, in order to ensure that water collected from urban surfaces is low in pollutants. In addition, the drainage system designed in such a way that it channels water through concrete channels to suitable collection ponds situated at topographic low points. An automatic monitoring system ensures that only discharges produced by heavy storms resulting in run-o ff above a certain volume are collected. One example of the innovative approach to stormwater collection is making use of the empty space under the interchange of the Seletar and Bukit Timah expressways for a water collection pond. 5. Conservation of water In addition to developing and diversifying water resources, water conservation is also key to ensuring a sustainable water supply. Through our various water conservation initiatives, Singapore has managed to reduce domestic water consumption from 172 litres per capita per day in 1995 to 157 litres in 2007.(Adapted from Conserve, Values and Enjoy by Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, 08 July 2008) It is a difficult task to keep looking for new sources of water, but the situation can be improved if we can control our ever-increasing demand of water. To provide water for all, PUB calls on all Singaporean to play our part in water conservation and to keep our water catchments and waterways clean so that we can enjoy our water resources. One way to discourage excessive use of water is to impose water conservation tax on the amount of water used. This additional tax is added to the price of the water consumed by households and varies according to the amount of water they use. A household that consumes more water will pay higher taxes compared to household that used less water. Additionally, there are varieties of activities organised to teach Singaporeans to view water as a scarce and precious resource, and to use it wisely. Water conservation talks are conducted in schools and leaflets on water conservation are distributed to households. Water-rationing exercises, where the supply of water to some homes is temporarily cut off, are also carried out in housing estates. Effectiveness of the solutions implemented by government So far, Singapore has been able to tackle the problem of a limited supply of fresh water with the introduction of water reclamation, desalination of sea water and impoundments. Technological innovations in modern society have enabled us to have larger catchment areas, to build dams and to obtain fresh water from sea water and used water. Policies aimed at water conservation have also produced certain positive results. Based on the research conducted by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the domestic water use per person has generally fallen between 1995 and 2007, from 172 litres per day to 157 litres per day. This means that Singaporeans are more aware of the challenge they are to face nowadays. Introduction of water conservation taxes and activities about water conservation also help to spread awareness about the importance of water conservation. Recommendations regarding the current policies from our committee Government can introduce fine of a certain amount of money for over-usage of water. This means that if the households use unusually large amount of water every months, the government could send down the letters to inform them that they have used too much water compared with the national average, and they should manage their usage well from now on or the authority would have to take action in order to save water. In case if the household owners do not take mind of the warnings, they would be fined. Similarly, households have done well in controlling the water usages should be rewards for their effort put in. For example, tax-relief can be introduced to residents who use water-saving devices at home. Measures like this can encourage the people to install water-saving devices in their houses, hence the overall usage of water would gradually drop to an acceptable level, and the people can be satisfied with rewards given by government for their well-being as the citizens. Examples of water-saving devices: Shower head Water-saving tap Toilet stop Such water-saving devices help reduces water usage at our homes. We uses 9 litres of water whenever we flush the toilet. A toilet stop can be used to cut down the usage of 9 litres. It is added to the toilet flushing mechanism to stop the flushing when the handle is released. Thus if used wisely it allows people to save up to 20% of their total water bill.

Smoke in the Air :: essays research papers

The Smoke in the Air Marijuana is probably the most debatable plant in history. It has been around for millennia in various forms and uses. However, it’s known mostly as a drug. In the Americas, its beginnings can be traced back almost 456 years when the Spanish first brought it with them in 1545 (Levinthal). Cannabis sativa or marijuana, as it’s commonly known, is commercially valuable in the production of hemp rope, crude cloth, twine, shoes, sailcloth and containers (Levinthal, Keese). Notably, marijuana can be also be utilized in the development of medicines to ease a number of modern-day aliments. In ancient times, it was considered a cash crop. In the 20th century, however, marijuana is looked upon more as a narcotic than a plant that has commercial potential. The beginnings of marijuana's political life in American history can be traced as far back as 1915, when marijuana prohibition started on a local and statewide level, mainly owing to anti-Mexican sentiments (Bonnie 1). From 1932 to 1937, national consciousness of marijuana was brought about by anti-marijuana campaigns funded by the federal authorities in support of the Uniform Narcotic Drug Act (Bonnie 1). This resulted in the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act. From then on marijuana hysteria escalated. The government enacted stiff penalties on most marijuana offenses, even simple possession (Bonnie 1). Marijuana possession became a felony in most states, until 1973, when Oregon became the first state to decriminalize marijuana. Since then the government has began to take a non-criminal approach towards discouraging marijuana use (Bonnie 1). Escalating marijuana consumption and its penetration in all levels of society, has forced every state to amend its penalties in some fashion or a nother (Bonnie 1). Today, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington have joined Oregon by decriminalizing marijuana (Central News Network). Those opposed to marijuana in the past have met fierce resistance from advocates for its decriminalization. The debate is rapidly becoming political. Marijuana’s significance as a medicine is no longer an issue. The issue at present is whether or not the sanctions against marijuana are socially and economically viable to keep in place. As put by Richard J. Bonnie, author of Marijuana Use and Criminal Sanctions, "legislators must somehow 'weigh' the 'benefits' of criminal sanctions against their 'costs'" (16). Marijuana should be decriminalized in order to minimize the social, legal, and economical repercussions suffered by the American public. Marijuana sanctions are affecting the American public in three ways.

Eliots Inferiority Exposed in Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Sweeney Among the :: Love Song J. Alfred Prufrock

Eliot's Inferiority Exposed in Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Sweeney Among the Nightingales "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" tells the story of a single character, a timid, middle-aged man. Prufrock is talking or thinking to himself. The epigraph, a dramatic speech taken from Dante's "Inferno," provides a key to Prufrock's nature. Like Dante's character Prufrock is in "hell," in this case a hell of his own feelings. He is both the "you and I" of line one, pacing the city's grimy streets on his lonely walk. He observes the foggy evening settling down on him. Growing more and more hesitant he postpones the moment of his decision by telling himself "And indeed there will be time." Prufrock is aware of his monotonous routines and is frustrated, "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons":. He contemplates the aimless pattern of his divided and solitary self. He is a lover, yet he is unable to declare his love. Should a middle-aged man even think of making a proposal of love? "Do I dare/Disturb the universe?" he asks. Prufrock knows the women in the saloons "known them all" and he presumes how they classify him and he feels he deserves the classification, because he has put on a face other than his own. "To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet." He has always done what he was socially supposed to do, instead of yielding to his own natural feelings. He wrestles with his desires to change his world and with his fear of their rejection. He imagines how foolish he would feel if he were to make his proposal only to discover that the woman had never thought of him as a possible lover; he imagines her brisk, cruel response; "That is not what I meant, at all." He imagines that she will want his head on a platter and they did with the prophet John the Baptist. He also fears the ridicule and snickers of other men when she rejects him. Prufrock imagines "And would it have been worth it, after all," and if she did not reject him it would bring him back to life and he could say

Dementia Gateway Essay

Our learning material is designed to help you to work towards Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) units and will support you to work towards the Diploma in Health and Social Care at level 2 or 3. This document provides you with information about how the feature links to specific QCF units, and offers an activity which you could use to help demonstrate your learning. A general explanation about the QCF can be found at the end. Linking to Health and Social Care Diplomas at Level 2  and 3 The learning in the feature   will help you to understand and prepare for assessment in the following QCF units: Health and Social Care Diploma Level 2 Health and Social Care Diploma Level 3 SCH 021, SCH 022, HSC 026, Dem 201, Dem 202, Dem 205, Dem 308, SSMU 2.1, Dem 204, Dem 210, Dem 312, HSC 2030 SCH 031, SCH 032, HSC 036, Dem 301, Dem 308, Dem 312 Activity to support your learning The activity for can be used to provide evidence for the QCF units SCH 022 4.2 and SCH 032 5.2. To do this, copy the activity and this question into a Word document, then complete and keep a record of your answers in full there. Can you show what you’ve learnt from reading the feature and doing this activity? Answer these questions: The activities above ask you to reflect on your work or your workplace. Can you say how this reflection has improved your knowledge, skills and practice? General Explanation The Qualification and Credit Framework is a flexible, ‘mix and match’ approach to gaining qualifications.  Every unit and qualification has both a credit value and a level. The credit value shows approximately how much time it takes to complete. The level shows how difficult the unit or qualification is. In adult social care there are vocational qualifications/units from level 1 through to level 7. There are three sizes of qualification: Award (1-12 credits) Certificate (13-36 credits) Diploma (above 36 credits) In order to obtain a Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care you will need 46 credits for a Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care you will need 58 credits. At both level 2 and level 3 there are mandatory units and optional units; you can also choose to follow specific pathways: Generic qualification Dementia pathway Learning Disability Pathway When you have selected a pathway there are specific units that you need to do. More information about QCF awards can be found at: http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk

Looking at THE MATRIX Films

When Robert Gibson created the science-fiction subgenre known as â€Å"cyber-punk† in the novel NEUROMANCER most people had high hopes for this literary movement. This was because the concept of a technologically advanced corporatist dark future had a sense of realism that STAR TREK and STAR WARS missed. Yet, cinematic endeavors in cyber-punk never truly succeeded. Then, along came THE MATRIX which remains one of the most brilliant of the realistic science-fiction films ever devised. Created by Larry and Andy Wachowski, the plot of THE MATRIX centers on a world where humans live in an internal pseudo-reality world where life is crafted to perfection. When the hero, Neo, discovers this he launches a rebellion against the machines that have placed humans into a suspended animation sleep. At the core of this rebellion is the theme of the film: if reality is not reality then does it have any value? This can be seen as a metaphor for a number of ways in which humans numb themselves into alternative realities whether it is drugs, videogames, consumer culture et al. As such, THE MATRIX was the right movie for the right time and it has become a science-fiction masterpiece with millions of fans. It would be difficult to discuss THE MATRIX without discussing the world in which the story takes place. (That is, THE MATRIX itself) Probably the most difficult aspect of creating science-fiction is making a believable world. Often, science-fiction crafts worlds that while entertaining simply aren't believable. This detracts greatly from the ability for the film to work. In THE MATRIX, we have an incredibly believable world because the â€Å"the world† exists almost exclusively in the mind. As such, the viewer  becomes drawn into the story because there exist some credibility to the fact that the world of THE MATRIX could actually exist. This is the brilliance of THE MATRIX and what makes it such a classic work. THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS is the third film in THE MATRIX TRILOGY (The less said about the second film the better) and it is a sweeping action-adventure film that seeks to bring a final conclusion to the series. The goal of the film is the same as the original film: dissolve alternative reality and bring humans to their original state. This is what makes THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS such an excellent film. It centers on the notion of revolutionary struggle for a good cause. In a way, one could even see parallels to the American Revolution and other colonial liberation struggles and struggles against totalitarianism. As such, THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS becomes a thrilling and engaging film that taps into the natural human sentiment to be free. Yes, it takes place in a fantastic world but this does not make the film any less â€Å"real'. Well, perhaps this is not 100% accurate. If there ever was a major flaw found in THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS it would be that the world of the story deviates from the earthen realness of the original film and delves into the â€Å"space opera† genre. There is nothing inherently wrong with this approach although it does make the themes of the film less striking. However, the themes of â€Å"what makes a human† remain as the central focus of the film never deviates from the human struggle for self-actualization. That is a powerful theme no matter how it is presented. Personally, I found the first film in the trilogy to be a brilliant exercise in science-fiction mainly because its mix of realism and surrealism made the film a unique experience. The shift to action-adventure in the third film was somewhat disappointing but the film was still a quality work. Ultimately, it is the themes that appealed to me the greatest and this is why I consider these two films seminal works in the science-fiction genre. Bibliography Hanley, Richard. (2006) â€Å"The Philosophy of THE MATRIX.† Retrieved April 15, 2008 from  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.onwardoverland.com/matrix/philosophy.html#reflect Takle, Brian. (2006) THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS EXPLAINED. Retrieved April 15,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2008, from http://wylfing.net/essays/matrix_revolutions.html                  

English as a Global Language

English as a global language English is spoken in most parts of the world, for instance in Great Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and in many more countries. Moreover in African states English serves as main form of communication. English is, after the Chinese one, the language most people speak and it is the most popular second language and foreign language pupils learn in school. The English language is often named as a â€Å"killer language† that wipes out smaller languages and their cultures by exclusive use (f. e. media, economy). English is not popular because of its linguistic properties but there are conscious, co-ordinated promotion programmes. But if there are so many speaking the same language there remains the question of human’s diversity – concerning biological, cultural and political matters. We also have to take into consideration, that English as a global language is also linked to social costs, because the teaching and accommodat ion of the languages for immigrant minorities is rather irrational. Language policy in the post-colonial situation: There are a lot of colonial states with multilingual character because of the imperialist powers in the 19th and 20th century. In Africa, for example, there are no attempts to use any African language in high-status functions, they are not even taught in schools. The period during colonialism changed a lot in the world’s history and following development, and colonialism make us think about cheap rawmaterials and workers the imperialist powers wanted to gain, but we often forget about something else, which an African statesman expresses in his speech: The real aim of colonialism was to control the people’s _wealth†¦ but) economic and political control can never be complete or effective without mental control. To control a people’s culture is to control their tools of self-definition in relationship to others. For colonialism, this involved two aspects of the same process: the destruction or the deliberate undervaluing of a people’s culture, their art, dances, religions, history, geography, education, orature and literature, and the conscious elevation of the language of the coloniser. The domination of a people’s language by the languages of the colonising nations was crucial to the domination of the mental universe of the colonised. Ngugi wa Thiong’o (extract from his famous essay on â€Å"The language of African literature†) But there are several arguments for the demand of the adoption of the ex-colonial languages as official ones. First, regarded politically, the choice of any indigenous language would destabilise African states which are multilingual. A second argument would be, that the continue use of the ex-colonial language is rather â€Å"practical† because in the end it was accepted by the majority. From having been the language of the oppressor, English, for instance, became the language of national unity and national liberation. There was a sense (economically and technically) in ex-colonial languages, because then they are linked to their â€Å"mother country† and the language-infrastructure delivers a pool of skills, like as prorate books, dictionaries, registers, etc. It would be useless to imitate and duplicate in any of African languages. But these arguments were not often used in cultural discussions, because the European languages often affect as superior to the indigenous â€Å"vernaculars†. The development seems to be inevitable because with the problem of unemployment, the ability to speak English is very important, but English can’t be blamed for the developments demanding an international lingua franca to facilitate a world wide exchange of knowledge everyone can understand. Killer languages were always introduced by those who were in control of power. The USA with the strongest currency the Dollar, shows that it is not coincidental that English is the leading candidate as a global language. Because of the English predominance in the industrial world, more and more peoples will have to join in and the question remains if they are able to keep their own identities. There is no danger if regional groups manage to keep their own language for internal communication, but in less developed countries the members of small linguistic groups have to change to a language of a higher rank in the language hierarchy. Because that way they are more flexible and the chances in world-wide competition are bigger. In Australia parents even force their children to speak English instead of their own indigenous mother tongue, because they want to provide them better chances for their future. Shortly, you can say that by surviving in a capitalistic system of competition many peoples are forced to support a process which destroys their own culture. In Countries of GB’s old colonial empire (e. g. : Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand) the native populations were either killed or enslaved, and the Anglo- Saxon culture and language were adopted. This seemed to be a natural process. In Africa the new system of additive bilingualism shall be introduced now. That means that the 1st language maintains and a second one is added. This system developed out of the Bantu Education, which inforced black schoolchildren to learn English with the help of a racist curriculum (Stundenplan). But African children rebelled which is called the_ Soweto Uprising of 1976_, by now. This truly baneful legacy of Apartheid and a lack of will amongst most of the political leadership are the main reasons why there is no successful policy of multilingualism and multilingualistic education in Africa yet. On contrary, there’s really a language problem like in India and other former colonies. The leaders followed the French or English only (or mainly) language policies after formal independence from the colonial rule. Most of these countries returned to their mother – tongue within. Prof. Alexander Neville thinks, that if additive bilingualism is carried out systematically but flexibly, there should be a high level of literacy in Africa in the course of the next century (1 African language and at least some fluency in English for all Africans). African schools could normalise (competent language teachers like most countries of the world). We think this is a rather optimistic view. But what is the right way to learn a language? In the Internet Research there are some conditions quoted as important to learn a 2nd language: Teachers‘ language proficiency Teachers‘ competence as teachers (understand and overcome pupils‘ problems) Exposure to the language outside the classroom Adequate textbooks and material There’s a need for one or two world languages in the fields of trade, technology and diplomacy. But there’s a global tension between this need on one hand, and the national and regional need for a language in which the history and treasures of the cultures of the world‘s diverse peoples, are captured, on the other hand. Nowadays, as English is the lingua franca of the EU, massive efforts of translation and interpretation have to be taken. A lingua franca and Multilingualism should stand side by side, forming a common language policy. Changes in the Teaching of English David Crystal (Author of „English as a Global Languageâ€Å") thinks that English became the world language not because of any intrinsic linguistic qualities, but because at significant moments in history it happened to be ‘in the right place at the right time'. â€Å"The Future of English? by Graddol, suggests that English is at a turning point in its development as an international language: it has become a global language at a time when the world itself is undergoing rapid change. Indeed, English is very much a part of the process of transformation, which is creating a more closely interconnected world in which people and machines talk easily to each other from one country to any other in the world. It is clear that mo re and more people learning English as a foreign language do so in order to communicate with other non-native speakers of English. This marks a significant change in the nature and purpose of teaching and learning English around the world, which has hitherto been built on the idea of teaching a native speaker model of English (usually British or American) to allow communication between the learner and native speakers. If you consider, that the number of people speaking English as a second language will soon outnumber the one of those speaking it as a first tongue, you will understand, that also the way of teaching English has to change. Therefor new methods of English Language teaching (ELT) have been developed to be able to teach also the diverse and changing contexts in which English will be used in the future. There are courses on the Internet and special groups, where English teachers from all over the world discuss about the new challenge of their profession. Diana and Julia Brugger Opinions: What makes a global language? Why is English a leading candidate? Will it hold this position? A few years ago I travelled around Europe with a friend. Although we knew only a little French, we were able to travel with no problem. Everyone we encountered, with a few exceptions, spoke English. It was comforting to be able to communicate with others when we were lost, needed help or just wanted to talk. Personally, I think a universal language would benefit most people. I agree, however, that one should not replace native languages. Native languages are symbols of culture, the past and its people. From what we have learned so far I think a universal language would have maybe eliminated some of the oppression and subordination some peoples faced at the hands of colonisers. Cheryl Fonda Undoubtedly, the English language is a powerful tool and has been a dominant force in suppressing the colonies during Imperialism. Fortunately, Pakistan ( my native country) which was under British rule did not let go of it's native language despite British influence. English remains the official language, but we have our own national language called Urdu, which is quite dominant. Shandana *Khanzada* (Pakistan) I guess from the heading of this posting that we would assume that English would be a great candidate for this universal language. I do feel that it might eliminate some tension if everyone had access to a certain universal language and couldn't be exploited as easily. However, most diplomats and such already speak English. It is the poor of every nation that don't have access to English education, so the hierarchy still continues. The universal language would cause exploitation of poor by the rich. The only difference is that it would not be a nation exploiting another but people of a nation exploiting there own countrymen. Wesley Edwards We as English speakers take a lot for granted†¦ when it comes to languages we are very self-centred. True a universal language would make business and politics much easier, but each language carries much of a culture. If you have ever tried translating poetry from one language to another you know how words don't have exact translations and almost all subtleties are lost. Think about even within the English language†¦ each dialect ( southern, Midwest, New England) has its own character. Elizabeth Nelson A universal language sounds great in theory but the work that implementing it would entail is overwhelming to say the least. I too have travelled to other countries and have felt very lucky when others know English and were able to help me. —Americans should really know other languages well considering the resources we have here, but the truth of the matter is that we do not. I think a universal language would be more convenient but it would eventually wipe out certain difference among us that serve as positive vehicles for learning and experience. Laura Sykes English as a Global Language English as a global language English is spoken in most parts of the world, for instance in Great Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and in many more countries. Moreover in African states English serves as main form of communication. English is, after the Chinese one, the language most people speak and it is the most popular second language and foreign language pupils learn in school. The English language is often named as a â€Å"killer language† that wipes out smaller languages and their cultures by exclusive use (f. e. media, economy). English is not popular because of its linguistic properties but there are conscious, co-ordinated promotion programmes. But if there are so many speaking the same language there remains the question of human’s diversity – concerning biological, cultural and political matters. We also have to take into consideration, that English as a global language is also linked to social costs, because the teaching and accommodat ion of the languages for immigrant minorities is rather irrational. Language policy in the post-colonial situation: There are a lot of colonial states with multilingual character because of the imperialist powers in the 19th and 20th century. In Africa, for example, there are no attempts to use any African language in high-status functions, they are not even taught in schools. The period during colonialism changed a lot in the world’s history and following development, and colonialism make us think about cheap rawmaterials and workers the imperialist powers wanted to gain, but we often forget about something else, which an African statesman expresses in his speech: The real aim of colonialism was to control the people’s _wealth†¦ but) economic and political control can never be complete or effective without mental control. To control a people’s culture is to control their tools of self-definition in relationship to others. For colonialism, this involved two aspects of the same process: the destruction or the deliberate undervaluing of a people’s culture, their art, dances, religions, history, geography, education, orature and literature, and the conscious elevation of the language of the coloniser. The domination of a people’s language by the languages of the colonising nations was crucial to the domination of the mental universe of the colonised. Ngugi wa Thiong’o (extract from his famous essay on â€Å"The language of African literature†) But there are several arguments for the demand of the adoption of the ex-colonial languages as official ones. First, regarded politically, the choice of any indigenous language would destabilise African states which are multilingual. A second argument would be, that the continue use of the ex-colonial language is rather â€Å"practical† because in the end it was accepted by the majority. From having been the language of the oppressor, English, for instance, became the language of national unity and national liberation. There was a sense (economically and technically) in ex-colonial languages, because then they are linked to their â€Å"mother country† and the language-infrastructure delivers a pool of skills, like as prorate books, dictionaries, registers, etc. It would be useless to imitate and duplicate in any of African languages. But these arguments were not often used in cultural discussions, because the European languages often affect as superior to the indigenous â€Å"vernaculars†. The development seems to be inevitable because with the problem of unemployment, the ability to speak English is very important, but English can’t be blamed for the developments demanding an international lingua franca to facilitate a world wide exchange of knowledge everyone can understand. Killer languages were always introduced by those who were in control of power. The USA with the strongest currency the Dollar, shows that it is not coincidental that English is the leading candidate as a global language. Because of the English predominance in the industrial world, more and more peoples will have to join in and the question remains if they are able to keep their own identities. There is no danger if regional groups manage to keep their own language for internal communication, but in less developed countries the members of small linguistic groups have to change to a language of a higher rank in the language hierarchy. Because that way they are more flexible and the chances in world-wide competition are bigger. In Australia parents even force their children to speak English instead of their own indigenous mother tongue, because they want to provide them better chances for their future. Shortly, you can say that by surviving in a capitalistic system of competition many peoples are forced to support a process which destroys their own culture. In Countries of GB’s old colonial empire (e. g. : Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand) the native populations were either killed or enslaved, and the Anglo- Saxon culture and language were adopted. This seemed to be a natural process. In Africa the new system of additive bilingualism shall be introduced now. That means that the 1st language maintains and a second one is added. This system developed out of the Bantu Education, which inforced black schoolchildren to learn English with the help of a racist curriculum (Stundenplan). But African children rebelled which is called the_ Soweto Uprising of 1976_, by now. This truly baneful legacy of Apartheid and a lack of will amongst most of the political leadership are the main reasons why there is no successful policy of multilingualism and multilingualistic education in Africa yet. On contrary, there’s really a language problem like in India and other former colonies. The leaders followed the French or English only (or mainly) language policies after formal independence from the colonial rule. Most of these countries returned to their mother – tongue within. Prof. Alexander Neville thinks, that if additive bilingualism is carried out systematically but flexibly, there should be a high level of literacy in Africa in the course of the next century (1 African language and at least some fluency in English for all Africans). African schools could normalise (competent language teachers like most countries of the world). We think this is a rather optimistic view. But what is the right way to learn a language? In the Internet Research there are some conditions quoted as important to learn a 2nd language: Teachers‘ language proficiency Teachers‘ competence as teachers (understand and overcome pupils‘ problems) Exposure to the language outside the classroom Adequate textbooks and material There’s a need for one or two world languages in the fields of trade, technology and diplomacy. But there’s a global tension between this need on one hand, and the national and regional need for a language in which the history and treasures of the cultures of the world‘s diverse peoples, are captured, on the other hand. Nowadays, as English is the lingua franca of the EU, massive efforts of translation and interpretation have to be taken. A lingua franca and Multilingualism should stand side by side, forming a common language policy. Changes in the Teaching of English David Crystal (Author of „English as a Global Languageâ€Å") thinks that English became the world language not because of any intrinsic linguistic qualities, but because at significant moments in history it happened to be ‘in the right place at the right time'. â€Å"The Future of English? by Graddol, suggests that English is at a turning point in its development as an international language: it has become a global language at a time when the world itself is undergoing rapid change. Indeed, English is very much a part of the process of transformation, which is creating a more closely interconnected world in which people and machines talk easily to each other from one country to any other in the world. It is clear that mo re and more people learning English as a foreign language do so in order to communicate with other non-native speakers of English. This marks a significant change in the nature and purpose of teaching and learning English around the world, which has hitherto been built on the idea of teaching a native speaker model of English (usually British or American) to allow communication between the learner and native speakers. If you consider, that the number of people speaking English as a second language will soon outnumber the one of those speaking it as a first tongue, you will understand, that also the way of teaching English has to change. Therefor new methods of English Language teaching (ELT) have been developed to be able to teach also the diverse and changing contexts in which English will be used in the future. There are courses on the Internet and special groups, where English teachers from all over the world discuss about the new challenge of their profession. Diana and Julia Brugger Opinions: What makes a global language? Why is English a leading candidate? Will it hold this position? A few years ago I travelled around Europe with a friend. Although we knew only a little French, we were able to travel with no problem. Everyone we encountered, with a few exceptions, spoke English. It was comforting to be able to communicate with others when we were lost, needed help or just wanted to talk. Personally, I think a universal language would benefit most people. I agree, however, that one should not replace native languages. Native languages are symbols of culture, the past and its people. From what we have learned so far I think a universal language would have maybe eliminated some of the oppression and subordination some peoples faced at the hands of colonisers. Cheryl Fonda Undoubtedly, the English language is a powerful tool and has been a dominant force in suppressing the colonies during Imperialism. Fortunately, Pakistan ( my native country) which was under British rule did not let go of it's native language despite British influence. English remains the official language, but we have our own national language called Urdu, which is quite dominant. Shandana *Khanzada* (Pakistan) I guess from the heading of this posting that we would assume that English would be a great candidate for this universal language. I do feel that it might eliminate some tension if everyone had access to a certain universal language and couldn't be exploited as easily. However, most diplomats and such already speak English. It is the poor of every nation that don't have access to English education, so the hierarchy still continues. The universal language would cause exploitation of poor by the rich. The only difference is that it would not be a nation exploiting another but people of a nation exploiting there own countrymen. Wesley Edwards We as English speakers take a lot for granted†¦ when it comes to languages we are very self-centred. True a universal language would make business and politics much easier, but each language carries much of a culture. If you have ever tried translating poetry from one language to another you know how words don't have exact translations and almost all subtleties are lost. Think about even within the English language†¦ each dialect ( southern, Midwest, New England) has its own character. Elizabeth Nelson A universal language sounds great in theory but the work that implementing it would entail is overwhelming to say the least. I too have travelled to other countries and have felt very lucky when others know English and were able to help me. —Americans should really know other languages well considering the resources we have here, but the truth of the matter is that we do not. I think a universal language would be more convenient but it would eventually wipe out certain difference among us that serve as positive vehicles for learning and experience. Laura Sykes