Benefits of Studying Abroad Essays

Benefits of Studying Abroad Essays Benefits of Studying Abroad Essay Benefits of Studying Abroad Essay Jinq Kok Jessie Borgman ENG 1050 July 31, 2011 Benefits of studying abroad Education is a part of learning that has always been a part of our life and it is a never ending process. As education is a building block in our lives, we are willing to invest deeply into our education. Good education will bring us far with what they have to offer for our very own future. Currently in this modern day society, many of our universities and colleges in our own home country have grown tremendously and improved in all sectors and field. Some feel that it is sufficient to get an education in our home country and graduate which leads to finding a job after. Yet many also have the idea of studying abroad as a consideration. Does studying abroad really benefit us? Well, studying abroad does have some advantages and disadvantages. However in an open view of studying abroad, the advantage does trump the disadvantages. Mainly, the disadvantage that comes with studying abroad is personal such as the feeling of being alone and away from home. One may say that studying abroad is much more costly compared to studying locally and with the same education one will get, it is actually unnecessary spending. However, we often forget that education is not expenditures but it is an investment that comes with a long term benefit or return in the long run. The benefits that we gained from studying abroad are priceless and can’t be placed a price on. In addition, the knowledge and experience which we have gained while being abroad would forever be with us and nobody can take it away from us. Among the benefits of studying abroad is the opportunity to be more independent when they are out of their comfort zone at home. Based on a survey and research done by International Education for Students (IES), it was shown that a majority of the students who studied abroad realized that it is a catalyst to increase one’s maturity and self-independence. Many of us cannot deny that we are somehow spoilt when we are in our comfort zone, where we are always spoon-fed by our supporting members of the family. Apart from that, students who studies abroad tend to be more organized in their schedule and are forced to ensure all assignments for school and housework around the house is accomplished. It have also been said that a majority of the students who studied abroad also tend to be more confident. This is because, they are faced with different situations and scenarios in their studying life which they have not faced alone, making them much bolder in decision making on their own. Students would be exposed to different cultures apart from their own; they would develop a wider perspective on the country they are accommodating and the international perspective on the world. Many people from different countries nowadays have different views on different countries due to the misguidance from the mass media through movies and television shows. If we rely solely on education at our home country, we would not be exposed to the cultural diversities that differ from our own. Also, different countries differ in their teaching method, for example, majority of the European based education emphasizes more on the theory of a particular subject, while the American based education focuses on a more practical training and application of theories learnt in class. This would help students to decide which path to choose for their future, as no two students are the same. Some are more practical in their studies, and some are excellent students with the study and understanding on the theory of the subject. With the knowledge learnt abroad, we can always imply and train the people of our home country. The introduction of new technology brought from a different country back to our home country would benefit both us as a student and help improve the economy of our country. Studying abroad can be a great resume builder which would most certainly attracts the interest of the employer when they are reviewing the resume. Apart from that, students who have studied abroad are able to adapt much quicker to new surroundings which helps with the increase of international market businesses (Sullivan). It is with this sense of adaptation by students, that companies are pursuing and in the run to hire future employees with this criteria. In addition to the current limited economy suffered by many companies, they are now venturing and expanding to international market. Therefore, increasing the chances for students who study abroad as they have a wider knowledge on the international market including, language skills that one may have obtained during their stay abroad. An individual who have capability on conversing fluently in a foreign language in a foreign land would impress and place confidence of both the employers and business partners upon that individual. Learning an additional language apart from our mother tongue, would show that the applicant is initiated to learn another language and would prove to be useful in the field. Studying abroad does not bound us to only studying in lecture rooms and classes, as there is always freedom for individual to travel and explore all the historical sites and attractions that the hosting country has to offer. By staying in our home country, we may or may not have the time to travel around the world while we are studying, but being in a foreign land, just by being in our university area and exploring the surroundings would already be an adventure. Being a student in a foreign land supplies us with benefits, such as cheaper travel for us students with a tight budget who wants to see the world and what it has to offer. The world is still filled with all the wonders and mysteries that await our coming of seeking an adventure to explore all this wonderful gifts that have been given to us. Going on a travel during studies is one of the best experiences as we are more outgoing in nature and still excited to explore around. In conclusion, with all the advantages that have been spoken off, one would still hesitate about leaving the comfort of home with various thinking in their mind such as financial and fear of being alone in a far away land. But many of this is small matters that have a solution to it, such as financial studying abroad. Many universities are attracting students to come and study in their universities; therefore they are providing more financial aid and scholarship to students who are serious in pursuing a degree with them and gaining knowledge that they have to offer. However, we must take that one step of faith to make a decision and stand up on our own to pursue something better. Being abroad actually help moulds an individual into a more confident and outspoken person who cannot be built through the aid of classrooms and lecturers but through the lifestyle one chooses. Apart from that, being abroad widens our relationship with people with different backgrounds and cultural beliefs. In addition, by making more friends outside our circle, we enlarge our chances by knowing connections for a job offer in the future. Reference Sullivan, Erin. (2009). â€Å"Considering the Reasons to Study Abroad. † Dummies. com. Retrieved from dummies. com/how-to/content/considering-the-reasons-to-study-abroad. html Dwyer, Mary M. , Peters, Courtney K. (2004). â€Å"The Benefits of Study Abroad. † Transitionsabroad. com. Retrieved from transitionsabroad. com/publications/magazine/0403/benefits_study_abroad. shtml Curran, Sheila J. (2009). â€Å"Career Advantages of Studying Abroad. † Goingglobal. com. Retrieved from http://old. goinglobal. com/hot_topics/general_curran_abroad. asp

Gender Roles Throughout History Essays

Gender Roles Throughout History Essays Gender Roles Throughout History Essay Gender Roles Throughout History Essay Part one Gender roles of diverse cultures have differed immensely throughout history. The evolution of gender roles first began in the Paleolithic Age and then began to transform with the transformation of the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age. Women in Mesopotamia, India, Greece, China, and Rome were not treated as equals and viewed as inferior to men. Cultures like Egypt and Persia had similar laws for women and treated them with more respect out of any of the other cultures. The Paleolithic Age was responsible for the introductions of many vital aspects of our world today such as, technology, agriculture, and gender roles. The Paleolithic culture was based on a hunter and gatherer society, which had a great influence on the gender roles of males and females. For the most part, the men were responsible for the hunting, mainly due to their physical build. Genetically speaking, men are normally larger in size, stronger, and more aggressive in comparison to women. Despite the large size and strength differences, both males and females were treated with equality. Women contributed to the Paleolithic society by being responsible for the gathering of edible plants and berries. Although gathering plants and berries is considered to be less dangerous and fairly easy when being compared to hunting, gathering was considered to be one of the most important contributions to Paleolithic society. When men went off to hunt, there was no guarantee that they would always be able to bring back enough meat, if any, to feed the community. The plants and berries gathered by the women were responsible for feeding the community daily, especially when the men were unsuccessful in their hunting trip. : Without the roles of both the women and men, the community would not have been able to survive. The Neolithic Age was the transformation and progression from the Paleolithic Age lifestyle. The transition of the different era’s influenced the gender roles of men and women, changing them based on the development of their new lifestyle. The main gender role difference between the Paleolithic Age and the Neolithic Age was male domination. Although men became much more dominant of the two genders, women were still treated with respect. Because of the size and strength advantage men had over women, men were responsible for most of the hard manual labor, while women were given roles more suited for their weaker and nurturing nature. Men started to realize that instead of hunting and killing animals, they should capture, domesticate, and breed the animals because it would be more beneficial to the community in the long run and provide a more stable lifestyle. The women also realized the importance of stability and collected seeds for an assortment of plants and fruits so they could invest their time in farming plants instead of gathering them. Because of the gathering role and responsibility women played in the past in the Paleolithic Age, women were very familiar with plants. Women understood how plants grew and the factors and environment needed in order to be successful in growing them, which is why women were responsible for the start of plant farming. Since communities did not have to relocate so often based on animal migration, and men and women did not have to spend several tiring hours searching for animals to hunt or food to gather, people had more time on their hands. This extra time allowed women to concentrate more on looking after their families and children, cooking, cleaning, and sewing. This led to men virtually being responsible for all the difficult labor. Unlike in the Paleolithic Age where men and women were equal and relied on each other for survival, men no longer needed to depend on women as much. Most of the responsibility for survival was placed on the men which is what ultimately led to their dominance. The religions and laws developed in Mesopotamia prevented women from asserting control in society. Elite classes such as priests and warriors manipulated religious beliefs to say male Gods were more valuable and dominant in comparison to female Gods. This led to justifying male domination over females in the Mesopotamian society. Men were in control and held the power, allowing them to abuse their wives, sell them into slavery to pay off debts, and partake in consensual sexual relations even if married, while women were drowned to death as punishment for committing adultery. In Mesopotamia, women were mostly responsible for tending to the children and household. Women did not have the power to make life decisions for themselves and instead, relied on the men in their family to make those decisions for them. In Egypt, although men were the dominant gender in society, women were treated with great respect, which led to a very stable and successful society. The Egyptians believed that the goal of life was happiness and viewed home and family life as the main source of it. Egyptian law basically treated women as equals for the most part. Women were allowed to hold positions of power, own property, own slaves, receive an education, and even borrow money. Although Pharaohs were normally men, certain circumstances allowed for women to hold the same title. The Egyptians believed that marriage and family were very important aspects in life. They believed that unconditional love and kindness were vital in a marriage and thought that husband and wife should always treat each other with respect. In regards to family, unlike many cultures that viewed children as another mouth to feed or another worker, Egyptians truly enjoyed their children and experienced much joy in their families. In India, public figures and important positions were given to men. Although women did not have any public authority or receive any formal education, they were still considered to be important to society by having much influence when it came to family life and were supposed to be treated with respect from their family and husband. Sometimes it was difficult for women to take of the household due to their young age. Beginning as a child, women were taught that they were supposed to devote their lives to men. Very young child brides were quite common in India but ceremonies would not take place until the child had gone through puberty. Also, according to the Laws of Manu, women were allowed to inherit property. Women could â€Å"influence affairs within their families but enjoyed no public authority† (Meridians, page 98). The Laws of Manu state, â€Å"deities delight in places where women are revered, but where women are not revered all rites are fruitless,† (Meridians, pg 78). The Code of Hammurabi does not give a lot of freedom to women. Also, the Code is very strict when it comes to marriage. The Code allowes fathers and brothers to arrange marriages and punishes cheating wives by sentencing them to death. Different from the Code of Hammurabi, the Laws of Manu stresses the importance of husbands revering their wives and keeping them happy (Meridians, P. 78). China was a patriarchal society where men were considered to be the leader of the household. Although women were not normally seen as public figures, women were considered to be very valuable in the home and family. In the beginning, women were actually considered to be extremely important because the female side passed power and the line of succession. However, there was one woman, Fu Hao, who stood out from all the rest during Shang times. Hao was in charge of her own estate and oversaw the sacrificial ceremonies that most men oversaw (Bentley Ziegler, pg 124). In Perisa, family and clans were considered to be very important. The Persian culture was considered much more laid back in comparison to many others because classes were free and people were given the freedom to practice any religion, pursue any profession, and even borrow money to start their own business. Unlike most cultures, women were able to enjoy social and legal freedoms and were a very active part of society. Women were treated with equality and respect. Females were permitted to take part in religious ceremonies and occasionally even serve as the priest. Their were no restrictions on relationships or marriage- young people in relationships were told to practice honesty and loyalty, and to always be faithful and share each others happiness (Notes on Iran, P. 1) . When selecting a husband, women were instructed to be wise but free to choose who to marry on their own (Notes on Iran, P. 1). Many women took on jobs of weaving textiles and were given portions of grain, wine, beer, and occasionally meat from the imperial and temple workshops who employed them (Traditions Encounters, P. 170). If the King passed away and the price was too young to rule, the kings wife was allowed to take the throne. Pourandokht was the first Persian Queen and was thought of throughout history as kind hearted and wise (Notes on Iran, P. 1). Persians tended to have a close knit family and parents were encouraged to teach their children right and wrong and the importance of equality. In Athens, Greece, women were seen as inferior to men, not very intelligent, and thought of to have strong emotions. Women had guardians who were their closet male relative or husband. The guardian system was set up because Athenian philosophers, other than Plato, thought that women needed to be protected from themselves and society so they could not cause any damage to themselves or others (Women in the Ancient World, P. 2). Women were not allowed to own any property other than clothing, jewelry, and slaves, and we only allowed to purchase inexpensive items. In order for a woman to gain citizenship, she had to marry a male citizen. Fathers were responsible for arranging marriages between their young daughters and older men who were normally in their twenties. Like Indian culture, the girls married after they went through puberty. The job of a wife was to have children and take care of their house. Wives were never supposed to leave their homes unless to attend special events or funerals. If a married woman was seen outside of her home without it being any of the above occasions, people considered her to be a prostitute, slave, or so poor that she had no choice but to work (Women in the Ancient World, P. 2). Women from Sparta were different from much of Greece because they were able to own and inherit land. Spartan women were known to be bold and run the household, but were not supposed to be seen as too dominant over their husbands in public. The main purpose of marriage for people of Greece was not for love, but for the purpose of breeding (Women in the Ancient World, P. ). In Rome, women were constantly under the authority of men. Roman law insisted that women had to obey their fathers until they married, then in which case, had to obey their husbands. Even if a woman was widowed, she was still supposed to have some kind of male supervision of her finances (Women in the Ancient World, Rome). Roman men greatly valued marriage and treated their wives with great respe ct. Although women were never allowed to hold office, several men listened to the advice of their wives when not in public. Women did not enjoy working and only did so if they were lower class and had to (Women in the Ancient World-Rome). The Paleolithic and Neolithic differed in gender roles due to the change in their lifestyles. In the Paleolithic Age, women and men were considered equals because they had to rely on each other equally in order to survive. The transition to the Neolithic Age caused men to dominant women since most of the responsibility for survival was placed on the shoulders of the men. Men no longer needed to rely on females as much as they had to in the Paleolithic Age. Mesopotamian culture treated women with very little respect. Men were allowed to abuse their wives, sell them into slavery, and even commit adultery. If a Mesopotamian woman ever committed adultery, she would be sentenced to death. The Egyptian culture and Persian culture are most comparable to one another in the sense that they embraced family, love and marriage and treated women with immense respect and equality. In India, ever since women were children, they were always taught that they were supposed to devote their lives to their husbands. Indian women had arranged marriages and married after they went through puberty, much like the Athens in Greece. In China, although women were normally not seen as public figures, they were considered to be very important in home and family life. Women of Athens, Greece, led very strict lives and were considered to be very weak minded and unintelligent. Like the Indian culture, they had arranged marriages and married mainly to breed offspring. Spartan women different from Athenian women in the sense they Spartan women were very as very bold and not weak minded at all. In Rome, women were under the constant authority of men. However, despite this, Roman men took the advice of their wives when given in private, and were dominant when in the public eye. Barry. Role of Women in Ancient Persia. Notes on Iran. Web. 21 Oct. 2009. Bentley J. H. Ziegler H. F. (2008). Traditions Encounters: A global perspective on the past . New York:McGraw-Hill[pic] Meridians: Sources in World History. (2009). Pearson Custom Publishing[pic] Thompson, James C. Women in the Ancient World. Women in the Ancient World. Nov. 2005. Web. 22 Oct. 2009.

Bibles, How they Differ and Have Changed over the Course of Time Research Paper

Bibles, How they Differ and Have Changed over the Course of Time - Research Paper Example The New Testament's writings were not considered complete until sometime from the first to the third century AD (Scott 1998) many people have the idea that the bible has been manipulated as time goes by. Others have gone to the extend arguing that it has been corrupted via copying which has altered some few messages in it. The composition of the bible is also raising some questions. The Christian are of the idea that the bible was written by people who were led by the spirit of God. They believe that God is the author of the bible, since, through his divine power, he communicated to individuals who wrote it. The Atheist, on the other hand claims that the disciples of Jesus are the ones who composed the bible. These myths have existed through many years, and it seems that there is no point when the truth will be known unless until when the Day of Judgment will be revealed. In reality, what has happened and will still continue happening is the translation of the bible into different la nguages and versions. History of the bible reveals that, the bible has been  converted from the first language which was Latin to English and then to other languages. It also reveals that the original manuscripts, which were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, have been copied over the centuries, making some few changes (Dowey 2006). Despite the few alterations, history has it that the bible has been intact as it was written at first and that it is the Word of God. The reliability of some of the accounts of the gospels has been severely attacked by scientists and historians. It is due to this turmoil that this paper tries to examine the bible, how it has changed over time and how the different versions differ. Versions of the Bible Presently, there are many versions of the bible which differ significantly. Examples of the versions that are dominant in the bookshops includes; King James version (KJV), New International version(NIV) , New American Standards(NAS), Good News and Ne w World Translation. These versions and many others which will be mentioned later in this paper claim to have the same message, but research has shown that they have some differences. The errors of omissions and insertions are evident when a variety of these versions is compared. They differ among themselves and also history has it that they do not reflect the original version of the bible. To prove this we shall sample a number of versions of the bible that exist in the modern day and examine how they have changed over time and the difference between them. King James Version The King James Version also known as the Authorized Version in the United States originated from England and was named after King James who initiated the project of translating the bible. It is said to be the widely used version of the bible. Despite the retaliations from clerics, the king made it mandatory that each church in England should use the newly translated bible and to keep a copy on the display all t he time. This may be the reason behind the name ‘Authorized Version’.  

Evaluate the career opportunities and challenges for a new Essay

Evaluate the career opportunities and challenges for a new practitioner in the film discipline - Essay Example It should be noted that the film industry have evolved majorly since 1880 and for nearly century and half it has become the main source of entertainment for the society (Rousseau 2012, p.132). The growth in the film industry has also led to the growth in the size; thus, the employment opportunities. The film industry has engulf numerous sectors due to the advancement in the technology and societal expectation thereby providing numerous job opportunities in line with acting, producing, directing, editing, special effect management, designing, and even adaption and translation (Hjort 2013, p.45). Other than acting, film discipline offers development in dram techniques that involves particularly fiction. Fiction is a human performance of theater. It is complex and combines numerous transitional elements to arouse feelings, ideas, as well as unique state of mind to the audients. Despite the career opportunities in filming industry, the industry also poses the numerous challenges; thus, t his easy aims at analyzing numerous career opportunities and challenges in the film profession. Career opportunities that practitioner of the film discipline varies with the interest line or profession that an individual is in interested to pursue. Despite the general introduction to the discipline, the practitioners may opt to specialize at different levels of study mainly in undergraduate or graduate levels. Some of the major career opportunities that filming for the practitioners includes animation, narrative, documentary, production, and screenwriting as well as dancing (Smith & Dean 2009, p.167). The studies of films and its related disciplines involve critical examination of theatre, film, music, dance, performance, and dramaturgy. Moreover, film production also requires the analysis of the performance of actors and film producers. Despite the career line of film studies, the field requires the studies of history of theatre, acting, dramatic theory and criticism,

TV Addiction Problem

TV Addiction Problem Running head: TV ADDICTION: A GROWING PROBLEM TV addiction- A Growing Problem Most people of my generation have never known life without television. We have grown up sitting in the living room in front of the flickering TV screen. It is hard for us to see how television affects our lives. The belief that television is destructive to communication among family and friends is quite common. On the other hand, television has increased the speed at which information travels, and it can transfer circumstances and images into our homes that previous generations never had. People tend to idealize the past; they imagine a group of family and friends entertaining themselves by playing games and telling stories around a warm fireplace, but I do not think that TV can be blamed for the lack of communication among family and friends. Without a doubt, television is one of the most powerful means of communicating in the past decade, competing with other forms of communication such as the Internet, telephone, movies, cellular phones, and of course, our speech. Due to its extensive availability and enriched media with images and sounds, it is very difficult to keep it away from our lives. Television is a necessity of our lives like our meals, clothing, and home. At first, the broadcasting industry was started for public purposes. Nowadays, as to the influences of television, some people say that television offers a relaxing time and useful information to us while others argue that television does not always have a good effect on us because of its hindrance to communication among people. However, television provides us with rich topics to talk about and a chance to get together with each other. Most of all, television helps us communicate with others. We watch television almost every evening with our family. For example, my father and I enjoy watching news or knowledge-based documentary programs. Watching these programs we sometimes discuss current affairs such as the Presidential election or economic problems. Likewise, hot issues on television like news or trendy programs are the most common topics among my friends in my college. If some of them did not watch television the previous night, they cannot even take part in the discussion becaus e they have nothing to talk about. In this respect, since television provides us with various topics related to our lives, it helps us form our sense of intimacy with family or friends. Next, television promotes our communication because it offers a chance to get together with families or friends. Nowadays, most people are so busy that they do not have much time to spend with family and friends. However, through TV programs, we can have a chance to get along with them. For instance, when the 2002 World Cup was held in Korea, many people had a great time with their family or friends. To watch soccer games, we gathered in front of TV with friends or family who we were alienated from for a long time. Consequently, such TV programs help us build up closer human relationships among people. Thus, I think television plays an important role in promoting communication with family or friends. â€Å"Children are more likely to become actively engaged with anything that attracts them. Especially, television provides great interests with its variety of sounds and images to children†. They immediately desire for watching it whether content is neither too easy not too difficult to understand. By its providing some challenge, television allows them to gain an abundant vocabulary. Just like our muscles, the brain gets stronger when it is used, and declines when it isnt used. Television is so commonly criticized as being bad for children that an important fact sometimes gets overlooked†. (ScienceDaily, 2001) Some types of television viewing may actually enhance childrens intellectual development. Television contains an enormous variety of forms and content. In a study, the effects of television viewing depended on program content.† There are always bad effects on children watching TV. Children who are TV viewers increasingly view life as an entertainment extravaganza in which they are fond of playing role in TV show, and there are aggressive content of current broadcasting that greatly affect children. Besides, it is inevitable to watch TV without facing revolting violence. Once more, the effects of television viewing depend on program content and genre. Children are required to be advised what right TV program to watch by their parents. (Carter Bill, 1996) Children have no ability of choosing what is good or bad.Parents and teachers restrain childrens watching TV which is just ignoring their needs. Parents and teacher should be responsible for teaching how to manage their time and what benefits children acquire while watching TV. (Austin W.P, 2003) â€Å"This problem was less severe before cable and the advent of hundreds of channels. The increase in choice has increased the probability of every family member being addicted to a different program on some channel and this eventually leads to time conflicts when two channels show their programs at the same time and there are different viewing demands. Among high-income families this results in more than one television in the house and the physical togetherness of the middle-class family is sacrificed to television addiction. Television addiction increases because in a given family there are people of different ages, genders, with differing levels of education, personal beliefs, intellectual orientation, and personal tastes.† (Television addiction, 2007) Therefore, family members are obsessed with watching their favorite channels. Naturally, their watching time gradually increases and they become addicted to it after all. Most of the people prefer spending time with their families and friends rather than spending time watching television. Television plays an important role in peoples lives. However, most people would definitely choose family and friends over television. Moreover, most knowledgeable people are aware of the harmful effects of watching too much television. Through my experience, after a long day at school, I had plenty of time talking with my parents. For me and my family, our precious time together can not be compared to anything. In addition, the effect of television is simply not so great that it could be said to have â€Å"destroyed† communication among family and friends. Granted, communication among people in industrialized countries has decreased in recent years. It might be tempting to blame this problem on television since its rise roughly coincided with the decrease in time we spend with our families. However, I believe this situation is more likely due to increased pressures relating to work, school, and the economy. In my case, for example, I find that my pressures from studying are so great that I must often sacrifice time at home so that I can meet the challenges of achieving my own goals. In some situations, however, it is true that TV is responsible for decreasing communication among family members. In my childhood in the countryside, I frequently saw parents and children watching television for hours every day, and they barely talked with one another. It seemed for them that television was a way to escape from when they were sad or in a miserable mood. However, admittedly television brought on bad circumstances However, even in this case, I would say that television merely contributed to the bad situation, but it did not cause it; if television were nonexistent, surely these people would have found other escapes, alcohol or gambling, for example. In other words, people always find a way to do want they want to do. Likewise, we need to realize that nobody forces us to sit in front of the TV. We can choose to turn it off and spend more time communicating with our loved ones. Instead of thinking of ourselves as victims of television, we should see how TV can be a good tool for us to use as we see fit. Also, we are able to use it to learn about the world or simply to entertain us when we are bored. â€Å"Television addiction becomes a problem when a subject does not want to watch TV, but experiences an uncontrollable compulsion to start or continue watching.† It is common beliefs that stop watching TV is the fastest method to quit TV addiction. Addicted people just turn off TV screen and try to never approach to it when they find out first time. It may seem work at the beginning. However, as time goes on, they get stressed out by what they are restricted to. They should find out root cause of it and at least show some efforts. Even though it takes long to quit TV addiction, the main purpose is to find you feel free from TV watching. It is common a belief that the fastest method to quit TV addiction by stop watching TV. Addicted people just turn off the TV and try to never approach it. It may seem work at the beginning. However, as time goes on, they get stressed out by what they are restricted to. They should find out the root cause of the addiction and at least show some efforts. Even though it takes a long to quit TV addiction, the main purpose is to be free from TV watching. There are five steps that help us to deal with TV addiction. First of all, you keep a record of how much TV you watch every time you do. You need to know how much time you spend watching TV. Next, compare the amount of time you watch TV to average time people spending on TV. If you do more than the average, try to reduce the amount of time. Secondly, List all the other fun activities you can do at home instead of watching TV. Place your list on your refrigerator so you can check this list before you turn on the TV. Consider fun activities to do as family, household projects you would like to complete, outside activities, reading, exercise, etc. Third, set a limit for how much TV you will watch in later on. Fourth, record your time and stick to your commitment. You can control yourself spend watching time within limited time, Fourth, commit to exercising whenever you watch TV by walking on a treadmill, or riding a stationary bike. If you do so, you will feel less guilty about wasting your time watching TV. Last, Consider removing your TV for a set period of time. You might find yourself talking to your family again instead of watching the TV too much. (N/A, 2007) From these beliefs, I strongly believe that television has not damaged or harmed interpersonal communication among families and most people. Most people think that television is simply a temporary means of spending time, and they do not use it to substitute for interpersonal communication. The damage is attributable to other social factors, not television. Therefore, all of us must choose what we want to do with our free time. We should quit thinking of ourselves as victims of technology and realize that technology offers us choices. Let us take control of technology and use it to improve our lives. Only we can decide how much time we want to spend communicating with friends and loved ones. The television does not decide this for us, we decide it by ourselves.

Principles of Public International Law Essay

â€Å"Law will never really play an effective part in international relations until it can annex to its own sphere some of the matters which at present lie within the domestic jurisdiction of the several states. † Discuss ‘The principles and regulations established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people, whether in the form of legislation or of custom and policies recognised’. The aforementioned is a definition of law as defined by the American Heritage dictionary of the English Language. If we apply this definition of community in its strictest sense it becomes increasingly difficult to subscribe to the view that there is an international community at large. If we begin to analyse statistics that show that there are over 7000 languages in the world, approximately 10,000 distinctly different religions, and a disputably infinite number of ethnic groups across just the 195 countries that comprise our global society, then it becomes patently clear that we would be better off highlighting our divisiveness rather than our prospects as a global community. Our collective history as human beings, however, tells a different story about our common interest and the way in which we have formally raised and torn down barriers to promote the same. We have, on the other hand, been separated on the basis of differing ideologies and the exercise of exclusive nationalism. Since the latter is a sentiment which resides in particular nations which have at their core a set legal framework validating their very existence and their interaction with other nations, it is essential to any study of law’s application to international relations. How does a sovereign nation reconcile its very sovereignty with its growing need to be integrated into a shrinking global society with its concomitant shrinking global economy? It is clear that some compromises must be made. Before we consider any specific cases in which states have decided to relinquish some of their sovereign power, we must consider the implications of the term sovereignty itself, the elements of sovereignty and its importance to a nation-state. Much has been written on the topic of sovereignty. Definitions vary slightly from one text to the other but they all have at their core, when specifically referring to the idea of state sovereignty, the idea of legitimate authority. In Sohail H. Hashmi’s discourse on sovereignty in the book ‘State Sovereignty, Change and Resistance in International Relations’, he asserts, referring to the concept of legitimate authority, that it is â€Å" a broad concept – not a definition but a wide category – that unites most of sovereignty’s tradition. He further notes that authority can be defined as â€Å"The right to command and correlatively, the right to be obeyed† and is only legitimate â€Å"when it is seen as right by those living under it. † It is to be noted that legitimate authority is not simply the idea of more power. R. P. Wolf, the twentieth century political philosopher and individual anarchist, illustrates the difference more sharply in a classical example in which he argues â€Å"if I am forced at gunpoint to hand over my money, I am subject to power; if I pay my taxes even though I think I can cheat I am recognizing legitimate authority. † We must recognize, however, that though legitimate authority is the overarching principle on any discourse on state sovereignty, there are specific elements of state sovereignty that are crucial, which every sovereign state holds dear to it and attempts to retain regardless of seemingly necessary or stipulated concessions of power, influence or authority to the international community. They include International Legal Validation (of a sovereign state), Interdependence Sovereignty and Domestic Sovereignty. International Legal Validation can be viewed as the right of the state to be a sovereign entity as prescribed by ‘international law’. It is legitimate authority as a legal construct or as Hashami puts it â€Å"legitimate authority† that is â€Å"prescribed by the law. † (Hashami, pg 18) The author Stephen D. Krasner in his book ‘Sovereignty, Organised Hypocrisy’ describes this element of sovereignty as international legal sovereignty. He states that it â€Å"refers to the practices associated with mutual recognition, usually between territorial entities that have formal juridical independence. † At its core international legal validation concerns issues of the recognition of states. If one were ignorant about the political climate on the global front, the natural answer to the question ‘how did a state become a state? ’ would be that ‘the would-be state must satisfy the defined stipulations (in international law) for becoming a state. Following this line of reasoning would inevitably lead one to the very first article of the Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States, which since 1933 set out that â€Å"The state, as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: (a) permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with other states. It does not take much political savvy, however, to understand that the legal criteria for statehood and the actual criteria for being recognized as a state by the international community at large is a de facto and de jure issue. As Krasner postulates â€Å"States have recognized other governments even when they did not h ave control over their claimed territory, such as the German and Italian recognition of the Franco regime in 1936, and the American recognition of the Lon Nol government in Cambodia in 1970. States have continued to recognize governments which have lost power, including Mexican recognition of the Spanish republican regime of 1977, and recognition of the Chinese Nationalist regime by all of the major Western powers until the 1970s. States have refused to recognize new governments even when they have established effective control, such as the British refusal to recognize the July monarch in France until 1832, the US refusal to recognise the Soviet regime until 1934. (Krasner, pg 15) The recognition of states is definitely an area in which the law (as prescribed by the Montevideo Convention and more recently the EU, which has almost identical tenets concerning the recognition of states) has proved ineffective in international relations precisely because of the political agendas and consequently domestic jurisdiction of the several states which reflect the political climate in which they operate. States attempt to hold on to this type of sovereignty because it affords them clout and validation in a global society in which interdependence is not just an ideal but a tool for survival, at the very least and a necessary aid to prosperity at the very most. The point here is not that nonrecognition brings with it a form of absolute isolation which renders the unrecognised state permanently barred from international commerce and diplomatic relations. What is of paramount importance, however, is the fact that nonrecognition brings with it an air of uncertainty concerning the unrecognised state, particularly in the eyes of multinational firms which as a result may be more reluctant to invest. Krasner notes that â€Å"by facilitating accords, international legal sovereignty offers the possibility for rulers to secure external resources that can enhance their ability to stay in power and promote the security, economic, and ideational interest of their constituents. (Krasner, pg 17) Interdependence sovereignty is the ability of a state to regulate the flow of information, goods, ideas and people into and out of its country. States try to hold on to this type of sovereignty because their ability to do this is directly related to their ability to effectively take control and organise their own polity, which in essence is domestic sovereignty which states must hold on to by definition i. e. in order to be a state in the first place. We shall consider reasons which prompt states to relinquish some of their sovereignty later in our discussion. We have thus far acknowledged, via several examples, based on the politics involved in the process of mutual recognition of states, that the issue of international legal sovereignty or international legal validation is a de facto versus de jure consideration. Is this, however, a trend in the legal procedures in international relations? The law, based on our previously defined definition, must be applicable to the actors in the community in hich it is operating. If, in the realm of international relations, the law can be voluntarily and regularly flouted by those who come under its subjection then serious questions arise about the very existence of ‘international law’. It must be duly noted though that states undeniably operate within the workings of a law order which to a large extent regulates their day to day interactions with one another and which is autonomo us in its operations. There are a countless number of international treatises that are steadfastly observed on a day to day basis. Examples include international agreements which facilitate the smooth to and fro transport of letters which are transported to all corners of the globe at fixed rates which are stipulated by the Universal postal union, the establishment of hundreds of football leagues worldwide- the individual countries who oversee them all subscribing to the specific rules and regulation set out by the world governing body in football, F. I. F. A. and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which afford diplomats exemption from prosecution within the courts of the country in which they are stationed. It is evident then that there is a legal framework that regulates the goings on of international relations. We have to probe a bit deeper into the workings of this system in order to ascertain whether or not it can accurately be characterised as international law. It can be argued that upon examination of our above examples of situations in which law plays an effective role in international relations, that the circumstances demand that such broad and far-reaching legal action be undertaken. The methods may vary but in order for letters to be transported globally there must be some standardisation procedure. This sort of necessary ‘self-coercion’ can be observed in a slightly different manner in the operations of international trade and commerce. Often times when two countries have a trade dispute they seek to resolve it in the World Trade Organisation (W. T. O. ), the foremost international authority on trade and trade disputes. The country that loses the dispute, in a legal case which is heard before a court of law under the auspices of the W. T. O. , more often that not abides by the decision. This, again, is not necessarily because the losing party has a great respect or reverence for ‘international law’ or the W. T. O. per se, but rather because it is within its interest to do so. As Harris explains, â€Å"The great majority of the rules of international law are generally observed by all nations without actual compulsion, for it is generally in the interest of all nations concerned to honour their obligations under international law. † (Harris pg 8) He further argues that a nation will be â€Å"reluctant to disregard its obligations under a commercial treaty, since the benefits that it expects from the execution of the treaty by the other contracting parties are complimentary to those anticipated by the latter. It may thus stand to loose more than it would gain by not fulfilling its part in the bargain. This is particularly so in the long run since a nation that has the reputation of reneging on its commercial obligations will find it hard to conclude commercial treaties beneficially to itself. † (Harris pg8) There is, evidently then, a law amongst nations, which is effective regardless of the reason for it being so. The problem of defining this law amongst nations as ‘international law’, however, lies in part because of those very cases in which it is flagrantly disregarded. For any legal system to functional optimally it must operate in a community in which there is a legislative system to make laws as it sees fit, a judiciary to implement the administration of justice and an executive body to enforce the law. Now grant it, generally speaking, there is no formal legislative system in international relations, when countries enter into agreements with each other the signing of treaties is usually undertaken and this serves as the source of law that is meant to dictate the terms of their agreement. However, unlike what is the case in municipal law, there is no definite enforceability method. There is no one authority that can guarantee the compliance of states to international treaties or conventions. We have already made the point that in most cases compliance has become second nature – but what of the cases (though they are scarce) in which it is not? Within the domestic law arena there are cases in which the law is glaringly broken. Once there is enough evidence to convict the wrongdoer, he is convicted and punished. The punitive measures that are undertaken would have been pre-determined by the legislative body and subsequently enforced by an executive body. There is no such arrangement in the international domain. As Harris puts forward â€Å"The problem of enforcement becomes acute, however, in that minority of important and generally spectacular cases, particularly important in the context of our discussion, in which compliance with international law and its enforcement have a direct bearing on the relative power of the nations concerned. In those cases†¦considerations of power rather than of law determine compliance and enforcement. † (Harris, pg 9) Therein lies the difficulty in saying that there is a law of nations. Having established the problematic nature of ‘international law’ or a ‘law of nations’, we shall henceforth temporarily ignore our challenges with nomenclature for the purposes of our remaining discussion. That being said, it is of critical importance to analyse the impact of international law on municipal law and vice versa. There is an ongoing dispute between theorist who believe that international law and municipal law are two separate legal orders and theorist who believe that they are part of the same legal order. The formative argument is known as dualism while the latter is known as monism. There is no one argument based on either monism or dualism that comprehensively settles the dispute. â€Å"On the international plane, international law is invoked and applied on a daily basis by states and intergovernmental organisations. With minor exceptions, it is the only law that applies to the conduct of states and international organisations in their relations with one another. Here international law is a distinct legal system, comparable in its scope and function to a national legal system. † (Buergenthal-Murphy, pg 3) The point mentioned above is very valid and gives credence to the dualism argument. Diplomatic relations, as discussed earlier, are dealt with strictly on the international plane. In order to see the appeal of the monism argument however we have to look no further than the argument establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice (C. C. J. ). Article XXIII of this agreement is as follows: 1)Each contracting party should, to the maximum extent possible, encourage and facilitate the use of arbitration and other means of alternative dispute resolution for the settlement of international commercial disputes. )To this end, each contracting party shall provide appropriate procedures to ensure observance of agreements to arbitrate and for the recognition and enforcement of arbitral award in such disputes. The C. C. J. is a court whose aim is to have a â€Å"determinative role in the further development of Caribbean jurisprudence through the juridical process† is thus an international lega l authority. In order for its smooth operation it must nevertheless depend on the domestic jurisdictions of its member states. Monism and dualism can hence be viewed as fluid concepts which exist in varying degrees.

Global Financing and Exchange Rate

Global Financing and Exchange Rate Mechanisms March 07, 2009 Global Financing and Exchange Rate Mechanisms Hard currencies are a currency, usually from a highly industrialized country, that is widely accepted around the world as a form of payment for goods and services. A hard currency is expected to remain relatively stable through a short period of time, and to be highly liquid in the forex market (Investopedia, 2009). The forex market is the largest, most liquid market in the world with an average traded value that exceeds $1. 9 trillion per day and includes all of the currencies in the world. There is no central marketplace for currency exchange; trade is conducted over the counter. The forex market is open 24 hours a day, five days a week, and currencies are traded worldwide among the major financial centers of London, New York, Tokyo, Zurich, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris and Sydney (Investopedia, 2009). Another criterion for a hard currency is that the currency must come from a politically and economically stable country. The U. S. dollar and the British pound are good examples of hard currencies (Investopedia, 2009). Soft currency is another name for â€Å"weak currency†. The values of soft currencies fluctuate often, and other countries do not want to hold these currencies due to political or economic uncertainty within the country with the soft currency. Currencies from most developing countries are considered to be soft currencies. Often, governments from these developing countries will set unrealistically high exchange rates, pegging their currency to a currency such as the U. S. dollar (Investopedia, 2009). Hard Currency is used in global financing operations by developed nations. Hard currency is easily traded and bartered throughout the world. Using hard currency ensures that there is an even playing field for all parties in the transaction. Hard currency is important in managing risks because â€Å"a company can counter an imminent devaluation by speeding up collections of receivables, postponing bill paying, and converting cash into hard currency† (Feist, Helly, & Lu, 1999) . Another way that hard currency manages risks is by utilizing or adopting it, it is least likely to be a factor in the loss of funds. World organizations which invest internationally face the prospect of uncertainty in the returns after they convert the foreign gains back to their own currency. Unlike the past when most U. S. investors ignored international investing alternatives, investors today must recognize and understand exchange rate risk, which can be defined as the variability in returns on securities caused by currency fluctuations. Exchange rate risk is sometimes called currency risk. This risk is true for the nations also. For example if a currency is free-floating, its exchange rate is allowed to vary against that of other currencies. Exchange rates for such currencies are likely to change almost constantly as quoted on financial markets, mainly by banks, around the world. This can lead to lot of speculation and also losses especially for weak economies. Moreover investors generally prefer hard currencies to soft currencies at times of increased inflation (or more precisely increased inflation differentials between countries), at times of heightened political or military risk, or when they feel that one or more government-imposed exchange rates are unrealistic. In some cases, an economy may choose to abandon local currency altogether and adopt a hard currency as legal tender. Examples include the adoption in Ecuador and Panama of the US dollar, and the adoption in Kosovo and Montenegro of first the German mark and later the euro. â€Å"Countries open to capital flows can adopt a wide range of arrangements, from free floating to a variety of crawling pegs with broad bands around them (under which the central exchange rate is frequently and marginally adjusted), as well as very hard pegs sustained by policy commitments such as currency boards, dollarization (or, more generally, the adoption of another foreign currency as legal tender), or membership in a currency union† (Finance & Development, 2001). Hard pegs are defined as â€Å"In economics, a policy in which the authorities insist on some permanent, precise guarantee of the value of the local currency to some other thing: a unit measure of gold, the US dollar, the euro, or the pound. Historically, the US dollar had a hard peg to gold from 1946 to 1971, while other currencies in the developed world had a hard peg to the US dollar. Since 1971, most of the world's money is in floating currency (whose relative value is set by the free market)† (Urban Dictionary). A floating currency is â€Å"A currency whose value is set by the currency markets; money whose exchange rate relative to other currencies is determined mainly or entirely by unrestricted trading in the currency. Most currencies are dirty float |dirty floats, which means that the government issuing them attempts to manage their traded value in some way; or else hard peg |hard pegs, in which the value is tied to something specific. When a currency is floating, then its value may rise because the county is running a trade surplus, or it is running a capital account surplus. Floating currencies are not fiat money, although they are often confused for each other† (Urban Dictionary). In some cases the US dollar is considered fiat money because it is deemed â€Å"money that (a) derives its value entirely from the mandate of the government, and (b) cannot be freely traded. Fiat money is not the same thing as floating currency, because if a floating currency is intrinsically worthless then its lack of worth will be reflected in the forex markets. Fiat money, on the other hand, does not require a disciplined monetary of fiscal policy on the part of the issuing authorities; exchange rates are fixed by decree, which means the state also controls supplies of hard (foreign) currency† (Urban Dictionary). â€Å"Times change, and a currency that is considered weak at one time may become stronger, and perceived as a hard currency later on. For example, the pound sterling was considered structurally weak and liable to depreciate (in real terms) for much of the post World War II period; now it is considered to have re-established fiscal and monetary soundness and to be strong. The U. S. dollar (USD) has been considered a strong currency in recent years, and importantly a safe-haven in times of international tension or war, but the USA has large fiscal and trade deficits and an unresolved problem that many Asian currencies are pegged to the dollar and therefore do not appreciate as their trade surpluses with the USA grow; some commentators believe that these considerations imply that the U. S. dollar will now enter a period of weakness, especially that there are signs that China may be relaxing the rate at which the yuan is pegged to the dollar† (Answers, 2007). Soft Currency is used in global operations by underdeveloped or unstable nations. Soft currency is also used as local currency like the Mexican peso. Soft currency is important in managing risks because it is a warning for companies to take proactive measures to reduce currency exchange losses. Soft pegs may lead speculation, which can be costly in industrialized countries, but are frequently harmful to emerging market countries, as in Latin America (Mexico and Ecuador), East Asia (Thailand, Korea, and Indonesia) and Turkey. The breakdown of soft pegs in emerging market countries is as damaging as it is because their debt structure is generally short term and is denominated in foreign currency. Thus a successful speculative attack leads to a sharp deterioration in balance sheets, which in turn leads to a financial crisis. Hard pegs may be desirable, particularly in countries whose political and monetary institutions are especially weak; they can used to stabilize the economy. However, hard pegs will not be successful in promoting a healthy economy unless government policies create the right institutional environment. Thus Pegging has typically been a way to substantiate the value of a local currency against the world's convertible currencies and to stabilize the exchange rate. References Investopedia, (http://www. investopedia. com/terms/s/softcurrency. asp) Feist, William R. , Heely, James A. , & Lu, Min H. (1999). Managing A Global Enterprise. , Greenwood Publishing Group. International Financial Management by Madhu vij Finance & Development, (http://www. imf. org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2001/06/fischer. htm) Urban Dictionary, (http://www. urbandictionary. com/define. php? term=hard%20peg)