The Effects Of War And Peace On Foreign Aid Essay Example For Students

The Effects Of War And Peace On Foreign Aid Essay Since the 90’s, the Western governments have increased their interest in funding civil society in Africa to promote democratization. This discussion paper examines how arange of foreign donors, including Western Governments, multilateral agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) have developed â€Å"civil society† in Ghana, South Africa and Uganda. Other important assistance comes from Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) to assist in basic provisions for food health and shelters. The three countries discussed in this essay are viewed as models by the Western World since they are amongst the African nations that receive the most foreign aid. For example, in 1995 South Africa was the second largest African recipient of US aid after Egypt; Ghana was the seventh-largest recipient of US aid; and Uganda was the ninth-largest recipient in 1997. Uganda is Denmark’s top aid recipient worldwide and was the UK’s second-largest African aid recipient and Ghana was its fifth-largest African aid recipient in 1997. We will write a custom essay on The Effects Of War And Peace On Foreign Aid specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The single most favored area of US civil society assistance is that of advocacy NGO’s, such as human rights groups and election monitoring organizations that seek to influence governmental policy on some specific set of issues. National organizations that receive the most support from donors include the following kinds of groups: women’s organizations, rights/legal aid groups, think tanks, development NGO forums, business associations, governance/democracy NGO’s, youth and student organizations, conflict resolution groups and professional media associations. They are mostly those concerned with supporting political liberalization, those concerned with promoting economic liberalization and those supporting the rights and political participation of particular socially excluded groups, such as rural women or the urban poor. Donors are not funding the popular sectors of society, but are strengthening a new African elite commited to the promotion of a limited form of democracy and structural-adjustment-type economic policies in partnership with the west. This raises two crucial questions: How important is this civil society in relation with political parties, religious movements or the military, and how effective can it be? The first types of donors are the ones that strengthen the position of the civil society in relation to the state. The World Bank has played an important role in a two day National Economic Forum in 1997, bringing together over 150 organizations and institutions. The second form of donors for civil society is through funding the programs and strengthening the capacity of individual organizations. Such support ranges from funding research, parliamentary lobbying, public education campaigns and conferences to training and paying an organization’s overheads. In South Africa, the Free Market Foundation received nearly 1$ million in 1997 from the United States for the promotion of economic policies in the South African parl iament and administration. In Ghana, USAID proposes to spend 6$ million over five years to build the local civil society organizations through training in organizational management and lobbying skills. The leading donor in aid to civil society worldwide is the United States. The United States is responsible for 85% of total civil society assistance and spent over 100$ million on civil society support in 1993 and 1994 alone, equivalent to one third of its political aid spending. Two important factors explain US dominance in this area. First is the place of democracy promotion within the international role of the United States. Second is the variation in emphasis amongst donors in their democracy promotion. The British Government promotes good government as one of its core objectives, yet much of its work is directed at public sector reform and enhanced competence of government. Sweden emphasizes human rights within its democracy assistance. In contrast, the United States emphasizes civil society. In addition to three direct governmental channels, a host of US NGO’s are involved in distributing government funds, the most important of which is the National Endowment for Democra cy (NED). Although the NED’s budget was only one tenth of USAID’s budget for democracy assistance, the NED is highly significant. â€Å"It is a focal point for democracy promotion activities around the world and the catalyst to a worldwide democratic movement activists, intellectuals and NED-type political foundations. In South Africa, the United States has played an important role since the 1980’s in shaping civil society. Between 1985 and 1993 it provided 338$ million in aid, all of it to NGO’s.

the boy who

the boy who MEI STRUCTURED MATHEMATICSMarking C3 Coursework10 tips to ensure that the right mark isawardedMEI Conference 2013 Marking C3 Coursework Page 2Marking C3 CourseworkC3 coursework is very prescriptive. Providing assessors follow the criteria carefully there is no problem with the assessment. However, there are difficulties for the External moderator.à ¢Ã‚€Â ¢ Errors are made in the marking à ¢Ã‚€Â ¢ Work is not checked but assumed to be correct. à ¢Ã‚€Â ¢ Credit is given for work that is not evident.It is not a question of "what is a good piece of coursework?" but "how can I ensure that I give an appropriate mark?" 1 Terminology This task is all about solving equations. Therefore, candidates should write equations. Persistent errors should be penalised in domain 5. Examples which should be penalised: I am going to solve the equation x3 à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 4x à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 1. I am going to solve the equation y = x3 à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 4x à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 1. I am going to solve the equation f(x) = x3 à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 4x à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 1. Correct terminology: I am going to solve the equation x3 à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 4x à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 1 = 0. Or I am going to solve the equation f(x) = 0 where f(x) = x3 à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 4x à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 1. 2 Illustrations All three methods require a graph and an illustration for both success and failure. A graph of the function is not an illustration of the method. Example I am going to solve the equation x3 à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 4x à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 1 = 0 Here is a graph of y = x3 à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 4x à ¢Ã‚ˆÂ’ 1.MEI Conference 2013 Marking C3 Coursework Page 3You can see from the graph that there is a root of the equation in the range [1,2] which I shall find. This is not enough - only the graph has been drawn.English: Fifteen figure accuracy in Excel

Chemistry Laboratory Safety Rules

Chemistry Laboratory Safety Rules Some rules are not made to be broken- especially in the chemistry lab. The following rules exist for your safety and should always be followed. Always Follow the Instructions ​Your instructor and lab manuals are your best resources when setting up. Always listen and read carefully. Dont start a lab until you know all of the steps, from start to finish. If you have questions about any part of a procedure, get the answer before starting. Do Not Pipette by Mouth - Ever​ You say, But its only water. Even if it is, how clean do you think that glassware really is? Using disposable pipettes? Lots of people only rinse them and put them back! Learn to use the pipette bulb or automated pipetter. Dont pipette by mouth at home, either. Gasoline and kerosene should be obvious, but people get hospitalized or die every year. You might be tempted to use your mouth to start the suction on a waterbed to drain it. Do you know what they put in some waterbed additives? Carbon-14. Mmmm...radiation. The lesson is that even seemingly harmless substances may be dangerous! Read the Chemical Safety Information ​​A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) should be available for every chemical you use in the  lab. Read  and follow the recommendations for safe use and disposal of every material. Dress Appropriately (For Chemistry Lab, Not Fashion or the Weather)​ No sandals, no clothes you love more than life, no contact lenses, and, to keep your legs safe, long pants are preferable to shorts or short skirts. Tie long hair back. Wear safety goggles and a lab coat. Even if you arent clumsy, someone else in the lab probably is. If you take even a few chemistry courses you will probably see people set themselves on fire, spill acid on themselves, others, or notes, splash themselves in the eye, etc. Dont be the bad example to others. Identify the Safety Equipment Learn your  safety equipment  and how to use it! Given that some people (possibly you) will need them, know the locations of the fire blanket, extinguishers, eyewash, and shower. Ask for equipment demonstrations! If the eyewash hasnt been used in a while, the discoloration of the water is usually sufficient to inspire the  use of safety glasses. Dont Taste or Sniff Chemicals For many chemicals, if you can smell them, you are exposing yourself to a dose that can harm you! If the safety information says that a chemical should only be used inside a fume hood, then dont use it anywhere else. This isnt cooking classdont taste your experiments! Dont Casually Dispose of Chemicals Some chemicals can be washed down the drain, while others require a different method of disposal. If a chemical can go in the sink, be sure to wash it away rather than risk an unexpected reaction between chemical leftovers later. Dont Eat or Drink in Lab Its tempting, but oh so dangerous. Just dont do it! Dont Play Mad Scientist Dont haphazardly mix chemicals! Pay attention to the order in which chemicals are to be added to each other and do not deviate from the instructions. Even chemicals that mix to produce seemingly safe products should be handled carefully. For example, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide will give you salt water, but the reaction could break your glassware or splash the reactants onto you if you arent careful! Take Data During Lab ​​​Always record information during a lab and not after labon the assumption that it will be neater. Put data directly in your lab book rather than transcribing from another source (i.e.:  notebook or ​lab partner). There are lots of reasons for this, but the practical one is that it is much harder for the data to get lost in your lab book. For some experiments, it may be helpful to take data before  lab. Were not telling you to dry-lab or cheat, but being able to project likely data will help you catch bad lab procedure before you are three hours or so into a project. Know what to expect. You should always read the experiment in advance.

Strategic Marketing - Jot Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Marketing - Jot Company - Case Study Example The number of toy companies that are in existence currently has meant that organizations have had to be creative in the way they approach this objective of expansion and one of the main activities that are involved in this agenda is marketing (Laermer & Simmons, 2007). Strategic marketing is an important part of the expansion plans of a company and requires conducting research and studies on the various issues that are affecting the company in relation to its activities and the nature of the industry (Kerin, 2012). This has to do with elements such as the direction that the industry is taking with regard to the current trends, the set up of connections and the established procedures that have taken over the last few years. By studying all these issues, a company is able to develop the most appropriate approach they can use in the achievement of their aim of growth of sales. Political Trends The political realm of the country has always been an influential factor in the operations of industries and the various companies involved. This means that their contributions in terms of their opinions and related policies that emerge from them have to be considered when a company is setting up its own policies and regulations that they will abide by (Kerin, 2012). One of the issues that can be highlighted in this area is the political landscape of the country because of the recent elections that have taken place. Elections often means the emergence of new individuals into the political arena and this usually comes with a change in the manner that factors such as the domestic and foreign markets are approached (Goldstein & Lee, 2005). This change will have an effect on the companies that are involved in these various markets and thus it is essential that an organization keep track of the happenings that take place during this period of time. The recent elections can be said to have affected the domestic and foreign markets in terms of a switch in concentration of the areas that are to be focused on (Kerin, 2012). The recent downturn in the economy has been a matter that the government has been trying to deal with and as a result many elected officials have focused on rejuvenating the domestic economy through the provision of new jobs and issuing of policies that assist in encouraging this. This has resulted in the officials urging companies to retain the various services and other job openings they are involved with within the country. In the case of Jot this has to do with the outsourcing of the manufacturing of their toys in a bid to create more employment opportunities

Confucianism - a Religion or a Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Confucianism - a Religion or a Philosophy - Essay Example From an analysis of the text and a cursory review of Confucianism, it must be understood by the reader that there are ultimately only three alternatives which could be gleaned: the understanding that Confucianism represents a philosophy but not a religious one, the understanding that Confucianism represents a religious worldview first and foremost within a philosophical interpretation being secondary, and the understanding that Confucianism represents both a religious and an philosophical interpretation. Likewise, it is the belief of this author that the most appropriate interpretation of this particular situation is the first determinant listed above; with the third determinant also being a distant possibility. Seeking to understand such a question may seem as something of an exercise in futility due to the fact that Confucianism is not a widely practiced religion; however, seeking to define what specifically is and what specifically is not a religion is an important aspect of delin eating and defining the current world in which we live. The reason for choosing this first determinant as the most likely case in question is due to the fact that Confucian beliefs do not specify a belief or appreciation for any subset of gods that must be followed or appreciated in order for the individual to attain a degree of benefit, worship or salvation. Whereas other religions make specific claims with regards to what deities must be worshipped and extolled in order for a degree of personal benefit to be generated, Confucianism makes no such claims. Moreover, building upon this is the fact that Confucianism is syncretic; i.e. it builds upon other belief systems and faiths. This is something that few other belief systems can claim and not a single world religion is capable of boasting. This fact, perhaps beyond any of the others which will be discussed, helps to set Confucianism apart and differentiate this as an philosophyal interpretation of the world rather than a strictly r eligious one. Naturally, although the foregoing definition is sound, the fact remains that Confucianism retains key elements of religious dogma with regards to the means by which individuals should integrate with one another and the world around them. Due to the fact that the writings and belief system of Confucianism are concerned primarily with philosophyal and moral interpretations, it is easy to understand why many of the individuals that have researched this particular world view have come to the understanding that philosophyal world view and interpretations of right conduct is a handle that more appropriately defines Confucianism as compared to the blanket and somewhat incorrect handle of religion (Smith 186). Yet, regardless of the interpretation of Confucianism that is made, the fact remains that it retains many of the aspects of a religion so it is also understandable why so many individuals have referred to it as a religion; replete with a holy set of writings/proverbs, a prophet, and a base line of standards and beliefs that are passed down from one generation to the next; from one believer to the next. As such, it is the view of this author that Confucianism is in fact a verifiable â€Å"religion† as it exhorts a set of followers to act and behave in a certain way as a result of constraining and/or defining their lives based upon a certain set of teachings and principles. In such a manner, the definition of religion might not perfectly meld with the fact that Confucianism does not have a â€Å"god† or a particular clergy or any other such hallmarks of other well known religions, it meets

Martin Luther King Memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther King Memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens Essay Situated on the corner of 4th St. and Mission St., in downtown San Francisco is Yerba Buena Gardens. Sounds from the hustle and bustle of cars driving and people walking permeate Yerba Buena Gardens, except in one particular location. In one corner of the gardens stands a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. The memorial is breathtakingly beautiful with a fifty foot high and twenty foot wide waterfall that falls over Sierra granite. In the Memorial’s hallway, visitors read quotes from Dr. King himself that are engraved on glass panels and set in granite. The physical beauty of the memorial is undeniable, however many people are not aware of the symbolism lying beneath the memorial’s surface. The memorial’s waterfall symbolizes the realization of Dr. King’s dreams the realization of Dr. Kings dream, the tears shed by millions and of the voices of African Americas The memorial also reminds us of the oppressed African Americans whose voices were drowned out ignored; yet, it is apparent that society was pushed backwards in the race to equality with the mandatory evacuation of thousands of people due to the development of the Yerba Buena Gardens. King Jr. dreamt that all human beings, regardless of skin color, will one day be able to live in a completely free, just, and non-discriminatory society. It was his dream of an equal society that pushed Martin Luther King Jr. to become an advocate for universal suffrage. Even though the United States already had universal suffrage, unfair literacy tests and poll taxes plagued the voting process and disqualified nearly all impoverished African Americans from voting 1. King wanted a colorblind society; a society where all human beings are treated equally and respectfully and given the same personal liberties and political freedom. Martin Luther King argued, in his â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, that â€Å"we are not satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream† 2. This quote from Dr. King’s speech is inscribed on the right end wall of the memorial. After reading the final inscribed quote, it is apparent that the purpose of the waterfall is to signify the realization of Martin Luther King’s dream of a just society. Justice , The United States Martin Luther King’s dream of justice in today’s society; a monumental victory of justice over prejudice. It is so easy to forget about what it took for America to become a truly free and nondiscriminatory nation. The mists are a necessary reminder for people in today’s society that personal liberty and political freedom should never be taken for granted. Though Yerba Buena Gardens is situated in downtown San Francisco, a busy city filled with loud noises, the memorial itself is peculiarly quiet and calm. The memorial’s serenity is due to the overpowering, yet surprisingly tranquil sound of the rushing water from the waterfall. The power of the waterfall to drown out all exterior noise is phenomenal. It is impossible to even hear what someone is saying when they are right next to you. Visitors try to overcome the sound of the rushing water by screaming or whistling, but are unsuccessful. Independent from life’s distractions, visitors are given the opportunity to absorb all that the memorial and Dr. King’s words have to offer. Visitors can take this time to self-reflect and to appreciate the efforts of earlier generations fighting for equality during our nation’s infancy. The undeniable strength of the waterfall’s sound to obscure all external noise makes Being incapable of expressing feelings or thou ghts leaves an unfamiliar and dreadful sensation. People living in today’s society are usually ignorant to this unfamiliar, almost claustrophobic feeling of screaming at the top of your lungs without a single person acknowledging your frustrations. During our nation’s history, however, nearly all African Americans struggled with this same frustration. Helpless against the white minority, blacks throughout history struggled to get their concerns addressed and their votes counted. The visitor’s inability to communicate vocally is short-lived and fortunately, only lasts as long as it takes for the person to walk through the memorial. African Americans, however, were plagued with powerlessness for hundreds of years. Martin Luther King Jr. felt obliged to provide a voice for all African Americans stripped of the right to do so on their own. Due to the hard work of Martin Luther King, civil rights leaders and activists, and President Johnson, on August 6, 1965 the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, which banned the use of literacy tests and also required stricter monitoring of the use of poll taxes in state and local elections† 3. Finally, the time had come when African Americans could voice their opinions and have them be heard, and vote for the political constituent whom carried similar beliefs and morals. The development of the Yerba Buena Gardens, as part of the â€Å"Urban Renewal Project† was not always considered to be something positive and beneficial. During the 1950’s, city planners forced thousands of people living in the South of Market area out of their homes, arguing that the area was â€Å"dangerous ‘Skid Row’ ripe for redevelopment, populated by â€Å"bums† and â€Å"transients† whose fate mattered little† 4. City planners left out the important fact that many people who lived in this area were elderly and poor and had â€Å"little defense against the federal bulldozer† 5. The city did try and relocate as many people as possible, but only had 276 units of new housing to replace thousands of demolished units. Thousands were left homeless and kicked out of possibly the only home they have ever known and will ever know, due to lack of job skills needed to find employment. The irony of placing a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial, a man who advocated for equality and justice until his assassination, on land where thousands of impoverished people were evicted just a couple years earli er, is almost too horrific to comprehend. The hypocrisy in the decision to place this memorial at the Yerba Buena Gardens is undeniable and unforgiveable. The memorial’s waterfall is a reminder of the relentless adversity that plagued millions of blacks for thousands of years and the tears they shed. The waterfall also symbolizes the realization of Dr. King’s dream. The eviction methods used during the Urban Renewal period to obtain the land where the memorial sits were ethically questionable, however it is still important to visit this monument from time to time. The memorial stands there in the middle of Yerba Buena Gardens, in the middle of downtown San Francisco, as a silent, yet constant reminder to never take anything for granted and to always remember the blood, sweat, and tears shed by millions in order for people today to enjoy and exercise the complete personal liberty and political freedom that we are so fortunately blessed with.

John Steinbeck :: essays research papers

John Steinbeck was born in February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California. Salinas was an agricultural valley in California. His father was the county treasurer and his mother was a schoolteacher. This is where his education began from a mother that encouraged him to read. The community was a comfortable environment for him to live in because of the encouragement of independence and initiative. His parents didn’t want him to be a writer. They wanted him to have a true profession as a lawyer. His early interest in reading led him through school, with his main interest in science. At age 15 he decided to become a writer, influenced by an English teacher, and faintly remembered by schoolmates for spending so much time in his room writing. After graduating from high school, he went to Stanford University in 1920. While he was there for five he contributed to the school paper by writing poems and comics. He took courses in science and writing, but never received a degree. In 1925, when h e left Stanford, he became a marine biologist. He moved to New York in 1925 to work as a reporter for a newspaper. Always being a non-conformist, he was fired from the newspaper for writing opinions instead of facts. This started the many jobs he would be a part of in his lifetime. Some of these jobs include an apprentice hod carrier, an apprentice printer, a working chemist, caretaker of Lake Tahoe Estate, surveyor in Big Sur County, and a fruit picker. He also worked other more physically labored jobs, such as a rancher, road worker, deck hand, cotton picker, and bricklayer. While involved in these jobs, he made many close friends that he came to admire because of their "cant and hypocrisy" which he applauded and whom all of these people soon were characters in his novels. Many of these experiences were the "helpers" to his many novels. His fruit picking and Great Depression led him to write The Grapes of Wrath, his best known and most ambitious of his works. A lso, he wrote Of Mice and Men, which was formed from his job as a hired hand on the many farms he worked. Many things affected his writing of the time period of which he wrote. Things like the Great Depression, World War 2, and the Vietnam War are the major influences. World War 2 was when he was working for the federal government as a writer, so his works focused on greed and materialism in the beings of modern civilization, Cannery Row and The Wayward Bus are two good examples of this idea.