Natural disasters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Natural disasters - Essay Example Earthquakes manifest themselves on the surface of the earth by shaking and at times displacing the ground. There is a long history of seismic activity and earthquakes in Japan .Japan is a region characterized by high seismicity due to its location which is near main tectonic plate borders and is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Geologically the Japanese islands are as a consequence of many big oceanic movements taking place more than hundreds of millions of years ago. Originally Japan was attached to the Eurasian continent’s eastern coast. Since the Eurasian plates were less deep than the subducting plates, Japan was pulled eastwards forming the Sea of japan about fifteen million years ago (Smits,2014). Whereas on 23 August 416, an earthquake is mentioned in Yamato(present day Nara the Prefecture) initial earthquake to be dependably recorded occurred on28 May,599 in Nara prefecture ,during Empress Suiko’s reign, damaging buildings through the entire Yamato province. Several other historical accounts of earthquakes occurrences exist and with the creation of Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee in 1892, systematic collation of all available data was conducted and in 1899 published. The committee was suspended in 1923 after the occurrence of the Kanto earthquake and in 1925 and the Earthquake Research Institute superseded it (Clancey, 2006). The Kanto earthquake that occurred in 1923 is one of the deadliest in the history of Japan claiming about 105,385 deaths, whereas the Tohuku earthquake in 2011 is the costliest (USD 235 billion) and strongest earthquake on record. It is also the most costly natural disaster to occur globally to date. There are numerous other earthquakes that have occurred and have been recorded in the history of Japan. Nevertheless, the Tohuku earthquake of 11th march 2011 is the strongest in

Why and How are organizations out of Sync PT 2 Essay

Why and How are organizations out of Sync PT 2 - Essay Example The sole reason that resulted in one getting the given post can always lead us back to the type of manager on is. Basically, every person usually has a dream of being a boss one day and commanding other people to do their work. Once in managerial position, one can clearly see one that fits that position as having leadership qualities from the one who does not (Hickman, 2010). I believe that not all leaders are managers. It is possible to find someone who possesses leaders (Hickman, 2010)hip skills, but is not a manager. Leadership entails one who acts as a leader for others to follow. Leader commands respect and is held responsible for the other people’s affairs. Manager is people who are expected to have management skills in them. Though management and leadership go hand in hand, but in some cases may not. It is possible to have a manager who is not a leader and a leader who is not a manager (Hickman, 2010). In my personal experience while working in a certain private company, it happened that the manager in charge was a friend of the co-founder of the organization. Many workers in the company really disliked him as he always came up with rules to oppress the workers and make their lives in the company harder (Hickman, 2010). He always fired workers who annoyed him and knew that his actions were un-punishable. Looking at this example, this manager showed poor leadership skills (Hickman, 2010). He was unable to lead the people whom he was in charge and somehow abused his role as a manager for personal satisfaction. Leaders are people who place the desires of other people in front of themselves (Hickman, 2010). A true example of a leader is Mahatma Gandhi, who sacrificed his role as a prince to become a religious leader who had influence on the people. Leaders basically lead people towards a common goal, while managers are involved in organizing, controlling, planning

Explore Shakespeares Essay Example for Free

Explore Shakespeares Essay Richard II is a play that centres on Kingship; Shakespeare presents vanity and flattery using rich language throughout the play to articulate the hazards a King must avoid to ensure their position as King is maintained. During the play we see the character of Richard presented as vain and tyrannical; as a man who is attempting to escape the responsibilities that Kingship brings such as succession and leadership. Written almost wholly in verse, Shakespeare contrasts Richard with his successor Bolingbroke to emphasize how care of the kingdom of England and good judgement is inextricably linked with being a successful King. From the onset, Shakespeare presents Richard as vain. In Act I of the first scene Richards interruption of the duel suggests his egotism. The duel gives Richard the opportunity to make a dramatic and grand public gesture, asserting himself as King. As the brawl develops Richard calls Mowbray and Bolingbroke to forgive, forget, conclude and be agreed. Shakespeares use of verbs in the imperative makes this statement a command. It implies Richard has paid little attention to the reason behind the quarrel, and is instead more interested in people concentrating on his lavish words and public display. The repetition of the o sounds and alliteration of the fs also brings a certain finality to the speech, perhaps hinting at Richards self-important and haughty nature which we see resulting in his demise as King. This narcissistic portrayal of Richard is continued as the duel unfolds. Shakespeare then further emphasizes Richards enjoyment of power and pleasure in set piece displays of authority with his statement Lions make leopards tame. Richard is referring to himself as the lion and again, Shakespeare uses language to reflect Richards flattery-driven personality whilst perhaps indicating that without firm governing, leopards such as Mowbray and Bolingbroke will be able to attack Richards position of King. Shakespeare emphasises how ineffective kingship is dominated by flattery and vanity by surrounding the doomed Richard with sycophants who ultimately result in his downfall. Men such as Bushy, Bagot and Greene are all characters that give the king bad advice leading him to lose the crown. Indeed, it is the inadequate guidance that Richards flatterers give such as to leave England, which enables Bolingbroke to return and subsequently force Richard to abdicate. Shakespeare conveys Richards foolishness in listening to these men through the comments from the other characters he creates. Bolingbroke, Gaunt and York all refer throughout the play to Richards self-deception and craving for flattery. In Act II for example, York remarks that flattery sounds, / As praises emphasising that although Richard considers the flattery he receives to be accurate in terms of truth, it is not; and that he is so blinded by sycophancy and self adulation that he cannot realise his weaknesses and inadequacy as King. Bolingbroke also makes the audience aware of Richards reliance on obsequiousness with his references to the caterpillars of the Commonwealth. We interpret the caterpillars to be men such as Bushey and Greene and the term caterpillar conjures up imagery of greedy, lazy almost parasitic vermin who are both a detriment to Richard and the rest of England. Bolingbroke then swears he shall weed and pluck away these men. This continues the portrayal of Bolingbroke as a hero and develops England as an organic entity, which is a recurrent theme throughout. Finally, when Gaunt states the King is basely led by flatterers he indicates his antipathy of Richards reliance upon flattery. This speech can be seen to be an implied condemnation of Richards kingship and is arguably a climax in the tensions between Richard and Gaunt. Undeniably Gaunt expresses his despair at Richards predisposition to flattery at other points in the play too. A thousand flatterers sit within thy crown, conveys the extent to which the King surrounds himself with sycophants. The number thousand can be seen to imply a powerful, almost army-like force which, as well as hating, Gaunt also fears. To say that they sit within thy crown also reflects their proximity to the King as one associates the word sit with a sense of comfortableness and security. With this line Shakespeare suggests the flatterers feel no threat from others surrounding the King such as Gaunt. A certain hopelessness is inherent in Gaunts situation, as he will never be able to make Richard understand the cost of being surrounded by flatterers before its too late and they lead to his failure. Indeed, it is through characters such as Gaunt that Shakespeare is able to encapsulate the weak character of the King as he shows Richard as being governed by his flatterers as opposed to governing them, which is presented as the true role of a King. Richards choice to distance himself from his family and make an enemy of his cousin Bolingbroke is a critical error. His aloofness and hostility towards other members of his family jeopardizes the succession. The succession is presented as an essential element of Kingship as without an heir, Richard could plunge the country into bloody Civil War after his death if those around him disagreed about his successor. This, in conjunction with the divine right of kings is presented as a key element to kingship. According to Richard himself Not all the rough rude sea/ can wash the balm off from an anointed King. Whilst this sums up Richards self-image of being invincible due to his position of King, it also emphasizes the contemporary view of Shakespeares time that a King is appointed by God and for this reason Kingship is sacred. The term anointed also reflects the sanctity of the Divine Right Of Kings and the word balm conjures up imagery of a King being coated in a shield created by divinity, thus emphasizing Richards prestigious role. According to Gaunt, a King is Gods substitute, his deputy anointed in his sight. As before, Shakespeare chooses the term anointed perhaps to symbolise how sacrosanct the role of King is. The length of sentence combined with the rich words such as Gods substitute sums up the attitude of Shakespeares time about the tasks of a king and emphasizes the contemporary belief of providence, which dominates the play. Indeed, Shakespeare illuminates the importance of maintaining the succession using many themes and motifs in the play as well as in the storyline. Ideas about blood and Englands condition at the time of Richards rule dominate the story. In Act II for example, Northumberland refers to the dead Gaunt as a royal prince of noble blood. As before in Richards speech at the beginning of the play, Shakespeare controls the assonant o sounds to draw the audiences attention to the relationship between being royal and having noble blood. Richards comment lets purge without blood also suggests his keenness to prevent some sort of conflict between him and Bolingbroke. This could be interpreted as showing his pacifistic side as demonstrated in the scene of the duel or that he is worried about his own blood, as his death will endanger the succession. It is through this type of language that Shakespeare emphasises the responsibility of a King to ensure the succession and the countrys well being. In addition to succession, Richard II reflects the importance of looking after your realm whilst King. Shakespeare presents England as being in a poor state whilst Richard reigns, with the Bishop of Carlisle foreseeing disorder, horror, fear and mutiny- all words which describe disaster. However it seems due to Richards preoccupation with vanity, he has ignored the importance of good and effective governance. Richard himself realises this towards the end of the play and water is another pattern of language Shakespeare draws on to illustrate this. In Act III scene 3 we see Richard consciously relinquish the crown. The flamboyancy of his language continues as before in the play as he abdicates, Mine eyes are full of tears, but his comment that the salt water blinds them not so much/But they can see a sort of traitors here suggests a realisation that his downfall can be attributed to those around him as much as himself and can be interpreted as showing a change in Richards character as he is faced with a kingdom in turmoil. By describing his tears as containing salt, Shakespeare leaves the actual interpretation of the word ambivalent. One might associate the salt with bitterness either reflecting his enemies resentment towards him, which led to his downfall with men such as Bolingbroke or his own bitterness. Yet the salt also can be seen to suggest corrosion and the deterioration Richards incompetence caused to England, something he has just begun to realise. Shakespeare then develops the water motif into what can be seen as, a metaphor of Richard. He talks of being a mockery king of snow who has before the sun of Bolingbroke melted away in water-drops. This self-description as a King of Snow perhaps hints at Richards previous self-alienation from family and friends whilst evoking images of Richard as being a cold, unfeeling character. On the other hand, the fact Richard refers to himself as only a King of Snow possibly can be seen to emphasise, consciously or not, that Richard never had genuine control of England at all and that his power never truly existed in any other form stronger than the fragile substance of snow and this is what made his renunciation inescapable. The subsequent reference to Bolingbroke melting this Snow King into water-drops can then be interpreted as a direct reference to Bolingbrooks seizure of Richards crown which literally, like heat from the sun does to snow, dissolved his power. This self-conscious speech from Richard gives us a sense of his despair at losing the kingship but also his relief. Shakespeares linking of Bolingbroke to the sun can also be seen as Richard considering his cousin to in some ways, be a saviour who has removed him of the responsibility of Kingship, which we have seen him to grapple with unsuccessfully. As we see a change in Richards personality, other motifs in the play also alter. The significance of blood from bloodlines to the spilling of blood and damage done to England changes for example changes; Thy fierce hand hath with the Kings blood stained the Kings own land powerfully relates to us how Richard has exploited his role as King and damaged England rather than nurturing it which is the true task of a King. To describe the hand as staining the land with blood creates a very powerful image of Richard damaging his Kingdom. By referring to his hands as the tools that created such destruction, Shakespeare strengthens the amount of responsibility the audience feels Richard has for the strife the country finds itself in. Also to a modern audience at least, the idiom to have blood on ones hands adds to the impact of Richards words. Bolingbrokes allegory of Richards flatterers as caterpillars is expanded later on in the play as Shakespeare presents the country metaphorically as a garden. The gardeners speak with pitiful regret of the countrys condition and emphasize Richards folly in not looking after his Kingdom. He had not trimmed and dressed his land as we this garden-here the Gardener presents England as out of control and poorly tended to, emphasising how determination and fortitude which are both strengths associated with a gardener are an important layer to Kingship. The gardeners references to noisome weeds also convey the parasitic nature of Richards flatterers and that as Bolingbroke vows to do, they should be plucked and rooted away. The gardener then goes on to describe these weeds as without profit suck/ the soils fertility from wholesome flowers. The imagery of Richards sycophants preventing flowers of England from flourishing has several connotations; firstly that it is Richard who has inhibited Englands emotional well-being. Secondly it can be seen as a symbolic reference to the sparring Houses of Lancaster and York who fought for the Crown after Richards abdication. However, the Garden scene also gives a sense of sympathy for Richard. He states that although he suffered this disordered spring/Hath now himself met with the fall of leaf. This perhaps suggests that as a man Richard does deserve some pity when we consider he had no choice in becoming King and that it is only his role as King that has made him inept and destructive. By the end of Richard II the audience has come to realise the intricacies of Kingship. The tone at the end of the play, when Bolingbrook sentences Richard to death is one of grief. Bolingbroke has assumed the cares of Kingship of which had led to Richards self-destruction. However, during the play we only get a glimpse of Bolingbroke as King and as an audience realise that he has not had time to make mistakes such as those made by Richard. We can instead only see more of Bolingbrokes character in the rest of the series of historical plays, such as Henry IV. It is in Richard II however, that Shakespeares rich language articulates the many different concepts of Kingship and how Richard failed them. We see how the King is divinely appointed to rule, but that his kingship is an obligation to his country, not an opportunity for egotism; and the Crown can be forfeited if the King fails to rule well. On the other hand, Richard was born to be King; it is a role for which in the play we see him to be ill suited, but is something in which he has no choice. Through his character we realise the many restrictions of Kingship, its burdens and possible consequences. Ultimately Richard cannot escape the trappings of Kingship unless he forfeits his own life. We then see that the only way to escape the afflictions of kingship is death and Richard conforms to this completely, giving up his life in order to give up his Kingship.

Economy system of Nigeria

Economy system of Nigeria INTRODUCTION Nigeria has produced several hundred billion dollars worth of oil since its independent in 1960, but its citizens benefit from none of this wealth. This situation primarily exists because successive governments, both military and civilian, have stolen or misused much of Nigerias tremendous oil wealth.[1] The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a state-owned XXXX designed to investigate and enforce all laws against economic and financial crimes in all its ramifications[2], reported a total loss in the trillions because of corruption and waste. Nigeria, located in West Africa, holds many of the worlds valuable natural resources such as crude oil (petroleum), tin, columbite, textiles, cotton, palm oil, and steel amongst others. Specifically, Niger Delta, located in XXXXX, is the main producer of oil, and mainly contributes to Nigerias economy. According to World Bank statistics, in 2008 Nigerias oil and gas sector contributed about ninety-six percent (96%) of export revenues, eighty-one percent (81%) of government revenues, and only seventeen percent (17%) of gross domestic product (GDP) due to declining oil output in the Niger Delta region.[3] GDP indicates the stability of a countrys economy in relation to the total value of its goods and services over a specific period. Despite Nigerias abundance of natural resources, its economy continues to stagger with future development becoming impossible. Development desperately needed to reduce poverty levels resulting in improvements in its hospitals, schools, roads, and XXXXXXX. Specifically, Nigerias oil industry has become a pool of corruption between surrounding states, individuals seeking power, and the federal government. The opportunities, large oil and gas deposits might have brought have, over the years, mostly been squandered, as corruption, bad governance and over-dependence on oil have undermined the growth of other sectors, including agriculture. Today, approximately sixty-five percent (65%) of the population live below the poverty level of US $1/day, and more than fifty (50) million Nigerians, suffer from debilitating diseases.[4] As oil revenues fuel[ed] the rise of federal subventions to states and precariously to individuals, the federal government soon became the cent[er] of political struggle, and the threshold of power in the country. This created a dangerous situation as it became increasingly dependent on oil revenues, and the international commodity markets for budgetary and economic concerns eschewing economic stability spelling doom to federalism in Nigeria[5]. After conducting research, corruption appears as one of the many contributions to the downfall of Nigerias economy including political instability, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management. Understanding the existence, growth and impact of corruption within the Nigerian state, requires the definition or conceptualization of corruption within the context of first, the legal system and administration of justice, and second, the international legal normative expression of the term, since there is no universally acceptable definition.[6] This paper is divided into five (5) parts allowing a thorough analysis on XXXXXX being portrayed. The first part will provide a background into Nigeria, and its oil sector. The second part will present the current status of Nigerias economy. The third part will define and XXXX corruption, and XXXXXXX. The fourth part will provide a comparison of other countries within West Africa, and how corruption is handled. And lastly, the fifth part will provide solutions. Each part is interlocked by the term Nigeria, and its Oil Sector Nigeria is located in West Africa, and covers an area of 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq miles) measuring about 1,200 km (about 750 miles) from east to west, and about 1,050 km (about 650 miles) from north to south.[7] Nigeria is surrounded by the Republic of Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger with the Gulf of Guinea, part of the Atlantic Ocean running from Cape Palmas in Liberia to Cape Lopez in Gabon[8], as its coast. Its terrain is diverse, and consists of mangrove swamp jungles stretching across the entire coastline composing mostly of small rivers, creeks, and branches of the Niger and Benue Rivers.[9] The Niger River enters the country from the northwest, and the Benue River enters from the northeast with both rivers merging at the city of Lokoja emptying into the Niger Delta; together it forms the shape of a Y.[10] The Niger Delta is composed of nine (9) states within Nigeria located in the : Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers. There are thirty-six (36) XXXXXXXXX. The regions oil contributes approximately 90 percent (90%) of the value of Nigerias exports even though Nigeria, in its entirety, remains XXXXXXXXX. The Niger Delta is increasingly becoming unstable with contributing factors to include inter-ethnic clashes, violence triggered because of its oil revenues, and chiefly, corruption. Pipelines are regularly vandalized by impoverished residents, who risk their lives to siphon off fuel.[11] Such behavior results to barrels of crude being wasted, a significant economic loss to Nigerias economy. According to the XXXXXX, Nigeria is the worlds eighth (8th) biggest exporter of oil with a production rate of approximately three (3) million barrels per day (bpd). But, its production of barrels of oil substantially fluctuates compared to other nations due to internal turmoil[12] preventing the country from making the most of its human resources.[13] Threats, attacks, and tension exist between oil companies and ethnic tribes resulting in the Niger Delta being inconsistent in oil production. Though possibility of wealth exists in Nigeria, the people remain impoverished, unable to sustain a normal life, and consequently subject themselves to violence in order to survive. The output of oil in the Niger Delta has the ability to remedy the poverty problem, and provide hope for Nigeria, and its economy. The Oil Sector It can be safely argued the problems suffered by the Niger Delta influenced the demise of Nigerias economy. According to a timeline given by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), oil was first discovered at Olibiri, XXXXXX, in 1956 by Shell-BP after decades of oil exploration. In 1958, Nigeria became one of the top producers due to its first oil field producing approximately 5,100 bpd. At the conclusion of the Biafran War in 1970, Nigeria began benefited from the oil production with the help of rising oil prices throughout the world. In 1971, the country joined the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Companies (OPEC), in which the establishment of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) followed in 1977. The OPEC is a permanent intergovernmental organization of twelve (12) oil-exporting developing nations coordinating and unifying petroleum polices of its Member Countries.[14] Member countries include Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, IR Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, SP Libyan AJ, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Venezuela. OPEC is designed to monitor oil prices in international markets in order to eradicate harmful fluctuations. It oversees an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations to result in fair returns on capital to those investing in the petroleum industry securing steady incomes[15] to their Member Countries. The NNPC is a state-owned company established to increase the value of Nigerias oil sector to the community. It has powers, and operational interest in refining, petrochemicals, and products transportation.[16]The company is compartmentalized into twelve (12) sections with the mission of pinpointing potential problematic issues within the industry. Also, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which is under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, works alliance with the NNPC. DPR ensures complete compliance with industry regulations, licenses, and environmental regulations. Within the next couple of years, Nigerias production level was over two (2) million barrels (bpd) with levels fluctuating during the next years. Current development plans involve increasing oil output to approximately to four (4) million bpd. Despite all measures implemented for efficiency in Nigerias oil sector, the country suffers greatly with no possibility of changing. With each day, its oil industry grows, corruption invades the output, and the people of Nigeria continue to suffer. The Economy of Nigeria Nigerias economy has promising XXXXXX, and has been variable since the transformation of its form of government from military rule to civilian rule. There are vast resources in production resulting in XXXXX revenues, though no amount is sectioned off to be placed back into the economy. Poverty is widespread, and Nigerias basic social indicators[17] earn it a place among the poorest countries in the world. As experienced by many other countries, the economy is what allows existing infrastructure to be maintained, and industrialized. But, viewing Nigerias economy from the past to current, there has not been any real changes required for revolution into the following era. Nigerias economy began in the agriculture world before its oil discovery. Agriculture and farming was the way of life, and the source in its trading market. Upon the initial oil discovery in the Niger Delta in 1958, agriculture contributed to majority of Nigerias GDP, and export revenues. In the next following years, the oil sector stepped into mainstream, and became Nigerias key source of revenue. The oil sector provided approximately twenty percent (20%) of GDP, ninety-five percent (95%) of foreign exchange earnings, and about sixty-five percent (65%) of budgetary revenues.[18] According to statistics given by the United States Agency of International Development (USAID), industrialization plays a huge role in its economy. It averaged fifty percent (50%) of GDP during the period of 1994 to 2004, and in 2004 it accounted for fifty-seven percent (57) of GDP.[19] Industrialization XXXX. On the other hand, services accounted for about twenty-seven percent (27%).[20] Services XXXXXX. The agriculture market still remained one of the main sources within the economy, but not as vital as the oil sector. It attributed to twenty-three percent (23%) of GDP in 2005, values significantly falling over time. Decreasing values will continue as economic development occurs, its agriculture market usually decreases. An estimate of sixty percent (60%) of the Nigerian community is employed in agriculture contributing to employment, food production, foreign exchange earnings, and industrial inputs. Though, the boom in the oil sector brought about distortion within the labor market.[21] An additional factor to the agriculture market is cattle herding, poultry, and fishing adding to more than two percent (2%) towards the GDP in the 1980s. In 1987, the Food and Agriculture (FAO) of the United Nations report majority of the livestock is located in Northern Nigeria, and in the possession of rural citizen. Fisheries output have fallen tremendously due to environmental issues in the Niger Delta at the hands of existing oil companies. A countrys business arena can play a vital important role in its economy, and are critical determinants of private sector development and prospects for sustainable growth.[22] Nigerias business environment is encroached with corruption of its governmental sector, and with the people themselves. According to the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (TICPI), Nigeria is the sixth (6th) most corrupt nation in the world following other countries having similar drawbacks. According to research conducted by USAID, Nigerias business arena has a flexible labor market, liquidable credit, and high investor protection, attractive factors to outside investors. Though, the country has its weaknesses, and in need of improvement, corruption is prevalent. Structure is needed to improve transparency and the judicial system, promote institutional reform[23] resulting in dominating corruption. Overall, there are many factors contributing to the demise of Nigerias economy. It is of basic knowledge that without money these factors cannot grow towards the expectations of the community, government, and potential investors. With its oil, and agricultural sector, with the former being most influential, proof is provided of Nigeria having the ability to build a strong economy resulting in a renaissance for its future. The Government Governments are established to govern the people of the land, maintain public order, make laws to protect everyone, and provide essential components needed for social order. The government sets the standard of the way of life for its citizens illustrating the importance of an efficient leadership. With an inoperative government, a country may suffer secondary effects affecting both, related and non-relating factors, such as those suffered in Nigeria. Since Nigerias freedom from Britain rule on October 1, 1960, its government system has not been stable, and either taken form of military or civilian rule. The initial form of government used by the first (1st) president of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikwe, during the first (1st) federal republic was parliamentarian in 1963. In a parliamentarian system, there is a separation between the executive and legislative branch to be governed by a head of state and head of government. During this time, Nigerias main crisis was the struggle for power by whomever desired it, specifically clashes between ethnic groups. From this point, a series of coup dÃÆ'Â ©tat (coup), XXXX, plagued its government system, and initiated Nigerias need for a stable form of government to rule the land of the people. Upon the arrival of the third (3rd) president, General Yakubu Gowon, during the first (1st) military regime of the first (1st) federal republic in 1966, Nigeria experienced an oil-price boom as a result of increased prices of crude oil in 1973[24]. Soon thereafter, an expansion of its federal government occurred resulting in the rise of corruption of and by federal government officials. In reaction, Gowon issued a nine-point transition program culminated in the handling over of power to a civilian government on October 1, 1976[25], and to include a curriculum for the reorganization of its infrastructure. Though, this plan never took place, and he was eventually overthrown, the same homogenous pattern taken since 1963. Corruption reached new depths upon the arrival of General Sani Abacha, Nigerias ninth (9th) president in 1993. He was credited for misappropriating approximately three (3) billion dollars of national assets during his military rule[26], funds accounted by the Swiss Federal Office of Justice, not including assets located in other European countries. Abacha set out to effect change in the leadership of government, but failed in that respect. He died while in office in 1998, and since then, his family and colleagues have been accused of plundering on a grand scale during his five-year rule.[27] Most funds obtained by Abacha during his regime were deposited in numerous European accounts, and discovered by Swiss officials due to its enactment of legislation to stop banks from accepting deposits of wealth stripped from poor countries.[28] In an attempt by Nigeria to reclaim as much as four (4) billion dollars from Abachas regime, an out-of-court settlement was reached by his family. A total of five hundred and thirty-five (535) million was to be relinquished to the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, XXXX for Nigerias use. The settlement also allowed Abachas family to keep one hundred (100) million dollars, funds alleged by the Nigerian authorities acquired before Abachas office term, and not demonstrably derived from criminal acts. In 1999, Obansanjo was re-entered into office Against the backdrop of endemic corruption, Nigeria is sitting on the brink of a west African oil boom that will see billions of pounds flow into government coffers and could see the situation becoming even worse.- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/curse-of-oil-sees-corruption-soar-in-nigeria-434405.html Solutions After thorough research of possible solutions to curtail corruption and its effects, several factors came to light. It will take more than implementation of such solutions to get this problem on track. These solutions include, but not limited to, best practices of other countries, anti-corruption programs, alliances with both, private and public sectors, strengthening accountability, membership into anti-bribery conventions, reformation of political system, and modification of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Depending on the countrys status, the right solution with the outcome varying by participation by its population to ensure effectiveness. Specifically, the USAID offers strategies against corruption where good government, and business practices can flourish, and in which corruption cannot easily take root. These programs sets evil occurring. There are numerous programs that contribute significantly to the establishment of an environment in which good government and business practices can flourish and in which corruption cannot easily take root. These programs include fiscal reform efforts, financial sector restructuring and improvement, privatization of state-owned enterprises, more efficient and transparent capital markets, and land titling reforms. Programs like these encourage competition, transparency, and accountability. They also facilitate the efficient and effective functioning of free markets and encourage private sector growth, both domestically and through foreign direct investment. Finally, such programs help to incorporate developing countries into the mainstream of the global marketplace Conclusion Corruption poses as an extreme problem as it challenges a countrys developmental prospects, emasculates governmental structure and its rule of law, demotes accountability, and lessens conformity with laws and regulations of the land. This results in the reduction of quality of life, and uproar of disdain and frustration experienced by the citizens of Nigeria. Collectively, these developments worsened the low productivity, both per unit of land and per worker, due to several factors: inadequate technology, acts of nature such as drought, poor transportation and infrastructure, and trade restrictions. As food production could not keep pace with its increasing population, Nigeria began to import food. It also lost its status as a net exporter of such cash crops as cocoa, palm oil, and groundnuts. According to U.S. Department of State FY2001 Country Commercial Guide, Nigerias total food and agricultural imports are valued at approximately US$1.6 billion per year. Among the major imports from the United States are wheat, sugar, milk powder, and consumer-ready food products. Efforts since the late 1970s to revitalize agriculture in order to make Nigeria food self-sufficient again and to increase the export of agricultural products have produced only modest results. The Obasanjo administration, however, has made agriculture the highest priority of its economic policy. Exploration simply translates into exploitation culminating into poverty which often metamorphoses into different kinds of crises such as intraethnic uprising, communal clashes http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/nigeria0107[1].pdf http://efccnigeria.org/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=35Itemid=38 http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/NIGERIAEXTN/0,,menuPK:368906~pagePK:141132~piPK:141107~theSitePK:368896,00.html http://www.new-ag.info//country/profile.php?a=848 Watts Michael, State, Oil and Agriculture in Nigeria, Berkeley, 1987. Retrieved February 22, 2007Available at http://www.somalipress.com/nigeria-overview/modern-history-nigeria-1054.html Rule 18.2.2 http://www.enelsyn.gr/papers/w16/Paper%20by%20Prof%20Oyelowo%20Oyewo.pdf http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557915/nigeria.html Need to find in specificity http://www.ecowas.info/nigeria.htm http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557915/nigeria.html http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/nigeria-2.htm http://www.heatingoil.com/articles/profile-oil-producer-nigeria/ http://www.new-ag.info//country/profile.php?a=848 http://www.opec.org/library/what%20is%20OPEC/FAQ.pdf http://www.opec.org/library/what%20is%20OPEC/FAQ.pdf http://www.nnpcgroup.com/corporate-profile/about-nnpc http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1763464.stm http://www.iss.co.za/Af/profiles/Nigeria/Economy.html http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Africa/Nigeria-AGRICULTURE.html http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf Helen Chapin Metz, ed. Nigeria: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991, http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/ Helen Chapin Metz, ed. Nigeria: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991, http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/ http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the-family-of-a-late-dictator.html http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the-family-of-a-late-dictator.html http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the-family-of-a-late-dictator.html

My Life Essay -- Personal narrative, descriptive Essays

Road trips make for great writing, especially if you are driving alone. All you have is the road and your thoughts. Even the radio is turned off eventually, as silence takes precedent. This was my experience a few weeks ago, driving home from a pseudo-family reunion. My first thoughts were basic; what I had to do the following week, how great it had been to see all my friends, and how good Jordan had looked that weekend. Yet, as my drive progressed, my thoughts began to wander. I began thinking about my life; what I had already accomplished and what was still waiting for me. I realized that there are so many things that I want to do before I die. I quickly sorted through them in my mind and this is what I discovered. I want to visit the 7 Wonders of the World; walking along the banks of Victoria Falls and standing beneath the shadow of the Sphinx. These are some of the most amazing structures in the world, and I need to experience them for myself, instead of through books and photographs. I want to use my time to help others. There is an amazing organization called Sa...

Impact of Society in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay

Impact of Society in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman      Ã‚  Ã‚   Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman examines outside influences on the individual.   These influences include society as a whole, the family as a societal unit and beliefs which the individual thinks he should espouse. In order to understand Willy Loman and the struggles with which he is dealing, the society in which he exists must first be understood.   He is relying upon a slightly different set of values and motivations than everyone else seems to be, and this sets him apart.   A prime example of the rest of society is Willy’s brother, Ben. In sociological terms, Ben is a classic representative of the old, 19th century middle class, while Willy represents the new, dependent, salaried, pathetically other-directed middle class.   Ben’s character is clearly inner-directed†¦ While Willy stresses the importance of personality, of being ‘well-liked’ and acceptable to the world, of pleasing others, while insisting on proper form, dress, manner, and style, Ben ignores all of this.   (Martin 56) Willy is looking to the rest of society for guidance, to see how he needs to act in order to be successful by their terms.   Yet he cannot fully let go of the belief that his way of trying to â€Å"please all of the people all of the time† is right. Society is made up of people like Ben who are focused on getting ahead.   It is an industrial society which is quickly expanding; people have to move quickly to stay on top.   They do not have time for the old ways anymore.   Willy has been working for many years, but he has not been able to keep up.   Ultimately, this is why he is let go from his job.   His boss, Howard explains it to him. Howard: I don’t want you to represent us.   I’ve ... ...4) While there is some disagreement as to what the effect of Willy’s actions ultimately will be on Biff after the curtain goes down, it is clear that Willy’s behavior destroyed the family unit as the Loman’s knew it and destroyed Willy as well.   The play does, however, end with the focus on the remaining member of the Loman family.   They are still a societal unit, and they must continue to live in the material modern world as best they can. Works Cited Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds.   The Norton Anthology of American Literature.   4th ed.   New York: Norton, 1994. Costello, Donald P. â€Å"Arthur Miller’s Circles of Responsibility: A View From a Bridgeand Beyond.† Modern Drama. 36 (1993): 443-453. Martin, Robert A., ed. Arthur Miller.   Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1982. ---.   Eight Plays.   New York:   Nelson Doubleday, 1981.

Drug Abuse as a Social Problem Essay

Drugs have been around for thousands of years. â€Å"A drug is any chemical that produces a therapeutic or non-therapeutic effect in the body (Drugs and Teen Substance Abuse 2000.)† Most drugs were first used for medicinal purposes, such as marijuana. Active substances were not extracted into drugs until the 19th century. Newly discovered substances like morphine, laudanum, and cocaine were completely unregulated and prescribed freely by physicians for a wide variety of ailments. Wounded veterans returned home with their kits of morphine and hypodermic needles (History of Drug Abuse, n.d.) The use of illegal drugs is increasing, especially among young teens. The conflict theory of social problems states that, â€Å"society is marked by conflict due to inequalities in class, race, ethnicity, gender, age, and other divisions that produce conflicting ideas (Kornblum and Julian, 2004, 7.)† Solutions to solve social problems include building stronger movements in conflicted groups and then possibly engaging in negotiations to reach accommodations. The functionalist approach to social problems, â€Å"views society as a vast organism whose parts are interrelated (Kornblum and Julian, 2004, 7.)† Functionalists believe that institutions produce patterns of deviance and they must be addressed through well-calculated social reformations. Solutions include engaging in research and interventions to improve these social institutions. There are many ideas between the conflict and functionalist perspectives on how to remedy the wide-spread social problem of drug abuse. Substance abuse can simply be defined as, â€Å"a pattern of harmful use of any substances for mood-altering purposes (What Is Substance Abuse, n.d.)† As culture and customs change, so do the major categories of illegal drugs. The most commonly abused drugs today, in addition to alcohol, are marijuana, cocaine, opiates (including heroin and morphine), hallucinogens, amphetamines, and barbiturates. Some young people are again experimenting with psychedelic drugs like LSD and Ecstasy (Kornblum and Julian, 2004.) Teens use drugs for many reasons including curiosity, because it feels good, to reduce stress, to feel grown up or to fit in with their peers (Drugs and Teen Substance Abuse 2000.) Many people view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem. Drug  abuse affects society in many ways. In the workplace it is costly in terms of lost work time and inefficiency. More than half the deaths in the United States involve alcohol, in some form, such as in homicides and suicides. Drug-related crimes can disrupt the neighborhoods due to violence among drug dealers, threats to residents, and the crimes of the addicts themselves. Also, a great majority of homeless people have either a drug or alcohol problem (NIDA InfoFacts: Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction, 2005.) Humans have used drugs of one sort or another for thousands of years. For the past last decades, crime and drugs have been called by some, the most important problems facing this country. The full economic cost of drug abuse in the United States is estimated at approximately $70 billion annually. In so, America is actually losing money because of the use of drugs. Due to years of studies, it is proven that drug abuse costs the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (known as OECD) countries more than $120 billion per year in drug enforcement, prosecutions, prisons, prevention programmers, treatment and health care costs, and financial losses incurred from drug-related crimes. This is very bad for the community as a whole because it also affects many people. In a present study, it was hypothesized that the likelihood of recent hard drug use would be higher among arrest. They have a slight disadvantage because of low income, widespread poverty, high employment rate, lim ited high school graduation, numerous female-headed household, high population density, and large African-American population. The sociological Conflict Theory holds that there are higher numbers of chronic drug abusers found in lower social classes, disorganized neighborhoods, and relatively politically powerless places. The disappearance of decent paying manual work since the early 1970’s leaves unskilled, uneducated individuals vulnerable to poverty. This is when selling drugs, an alternative to enduring grinding poverty, has been a common enough response as the income gap had widened. This has increased the violence and crime rate of society. The Functionalist Perspective in sociology states that everyone in the society holds a position and in this position their status has a set of  roles or certain behaviors that are required to perform the tasks at hand (Kornblum and Julian, 2004.) The roles consist of nurses at the medical institutions, lawyer’s at international firms or just a blue collar worker at any type of factory. For the most part, each status’ role is involved in an institution of some kind and is needed for the economy and society to function as a whole. â€Å"The Functionalist Perspective looks at the way major social instructions like the family, military, the health-care system, and the police and courts actually operate (Kornblum and Julian, 2004, 6.)† This basically means that for these institutions that are needed to fulfill these roles and duties for the economy, the roles and behaviors of employees need to evolve as a whole so that the institution can function (Kornblum and Juli an, 2004.) For example, a nurse needs to know certain things about her job like what medicine can treat a certain sickness or when and where CPR is needed for a victim or if moving that victim could paralyze that person. Sociologists say that, â€Å"when all members of the group perform their roles correctly, the group is said to be functioning well (Kornblum and Julian, 2004, 6.)† When society as a whole is said to be functioning as â€Å"one† this means that â€Å"there is general agreement about how roles are to be performed and the expectations are reinforced by the society’s basic values (Kornblum and Julian, 2004, 6.)† The main question that is asked is, â€Å"why do we have social problems if each institution has roles in the society? (Kornblum and Julian, 2004, 6) † Many say that the main reason that functionalists believe we as a society have social problems is because our society is always changing and the society is having to adapt to the changes and when the society fails than that is when social problems exist (Kornblum and Julian 2004.) When a society undergoes changes, for example going from pre-industrial where most of the economy was based on agricu ltural to the industrial era where many poverty stricken’ farmers became factory workers but of those workers do not adapt, it is said that such a change can lead to crime, such as drug abuse. The functionalist sociologist says that, â€Å"all societies produce their own unique form of crime and how they respond to this change (Kornblum and Julian, 2004, 7.)† In the past years we have been fighting a war against drugs. In the mid 1980’s, the United States adopted a series of aggressive law enforcement  strategies and criminal justice policies geared towards reducing and punishing drug abuse. Changes in the federal laws required that all sentenced federal offenders were to serve 87 percent of their court-imposed sentence. Many drug offenders are subjected to a mandatory sentence based upon the type and quantity of the drugs that were involved in their arrest. According to the Uniform Crime Report, 1,532,000 drugs arrests were made in 1999, up from 580,900 in 1980. Some people think the increase in drug arrests is a good sign, but others think it denies drug users what they really need, which is treatment. No one seems to argue about the serious problem with drugs in the United States. According to a 2002 National Survey on drug use, 19.5 million Americans ages 12 and older were current illicit drug users. 1 in every 13 adults is an alcoholic. The functionalist view is that society has norms and guidelines on alcohol and drug use. Social norms identify the appropriate use of drugs and alcohol. Prescription drugs are very functional in society because they can alleviate pain, reduce fever, and can curb infections. Even alcohol is accepted in moderation and can be consumed with meals and or celebrations. Sometimes there even health benefits, such as red wine being good for the heart. Society provides norms regarding the excessive use of drugs. Drug abuse can also occur when society is unable to provide guidelines for our behavior. Under certain situations that can be very stressful, people consume more alcohol and drugs. If people lack norms to control their behavior they are likely to pursue self-destructive behaviors like alcohol and drug abuse. Drug abuse is one of the biggest issues in social problems. Many of the people who take drugs face a lot of problems. There are many similarities and differences between the functionalist view and conflict view pertaining to drug abuse theory. From a functionalist perspective, drug abuse affects almost everyone in our society, directly or indirectly. Seventy million adult Americans have used illegal drugs at some time in their lives. The out come from this shows that 450,000 Americans die from smoking each year. When some of the people abuse drugs, they get addicted to it and then they tend to abuse it more. Addiction is uncontrollable and lots of people face the terrible repercussions; for example, losing their job, family, friends, health and their wealth. Getting addicted to drugs gets worse because the  data shows that, â€Å"97% of drug addicts never see treatment (NIDA InfoFacts: Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction, 2005.)† Research has revealed how drug abuse cause s both short-term and long-term changes in brain function. These long-term brain changes are visible to scientists who can see what is going on in the brain with new scanning techniques. These changes make it nearly impossible for someone addicted to drugs to stop using them on their own; they need to get treatment. On the conflict side, it shows that, â€Å"95 percent of untreated addicts die of their addiction (NIDA InfoFacts: Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction, 2005.)† There is a separation of classes and some of the people in society think that making people quit using drugs is their own business; they don’t have any concern for it. Some of the healthcare programs that have developed for the people who want to quit drugs show that, â€Å"for every dollar spent on addiction treatment, seven dollars are saved in costs to society in healthcare and criminal activity (NIDA InfoFacts: Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction, 2005.)† Institutions have also been created to help people who want to quit. The National Institution of Drug Abuse (NIDA) stressed that researchers have shown that there are no effective treatments that can help people stop their addiction and prevent them from using it again. Basically, the conflict perspective views drug abuse as a problem of the classes, distinctly separated due to economic standing. There are many roles that are played in the functionalist prospective, which has lead to some of the results on the conflict side of drug abuse. For example, the government plays a big role in why their country’s population is in high or low percentage of using drug. Some countries like the United States strictly control the use of drugs by restricting access more and giving strict punishment, unlike Afghanistan, Columbia or some of the other countries. Most likely the government in these countries does not work hard on this issue because they are making profit off it or some of the big politicians are involved in it. In Afghanistan the government said that â€Å"no matter what we try to do to stop it, but it cannot be cured because drugs grow in almost 99% of the Afghanistan.† Countries like these can only try to lower drug production and abuse to a certain point, but not as low as the United States has reduces the trafficking and use of drugs. Parents play the  most important role of all. In some ways, they are responsible for why their child is on drugs, or they make it clear that drug use is unacceptable and harmful. For example, some of the parents do not care about their children and always have a negative response toward their children. This becomes stressful for the children and they start abusing drugs, thinking that it relives them but instead it makes the problems worse. They start abusing more drugs and end up in a very deep problem. On the other hand, some do mot even bother to take the drugs because their parents make it clear to them that drug use is never all right. In a recent study it shows that drug use is high among people who live in high degree of structural disadvantage, people who are less educated, low income, widespread poverty, high unemployment, high population density, low stability, and large African American population, which is why for some of the people using drugs is not a bad choice to th em but it is almost like their medicine to remedy their social status. Some of the people think that drinking alcohol is not taking a drug. It can be a drug if some is addicted to it. Data shows that, â€Å"fifty percent of the traffic deaths are alcohol related.† Teenagers have the highest percentage of drinking age in the USA because teenagers tend to drink more than the people who are over the age of thirty. This is all because teenagers are more aggressive, more imitating, more macho, and have some parents or close friends who are willing to buy alcohol for them. Many teenagers believe that alcohol and drug use is safe and are unaware of the consequences to excessive use. The average 18 years old has seen 100,000 television commercials encouraging them him of her to drink. According to the NIDA, that is why 90% of high school seniors have tried alcohol, 53% gets drunk at least once a month, 43% smoke marijuana, and about one third are smoking cigarettes. From the conflict perspective, a teenager who loses everything early in life or never had much to begin with, tends to drink or abuse more alcohol simply because they just think that it is helping them to forget everything. That leads to more problems and these children end up committing crimes and possibly could end up in jail. According to the conflict theory, people outside of this social class and situation are unwilling to help integrate these individuals back into society. Some people don’t realize  that just because of their addiction, it can take them to the point where no one can help them. Today there are about 190 million drug users all around the world, all of whom need help battling their addiction. The way to help them, however, varies between the conflict and functionalist perspectives. In conclusion, drug abuse presents a prevalent issue in today’s society. The conflict theory of sociology states that society functions so that each individual participant and its group struggles to maximize their benefits, which inevitably contributes to social change (such as changes in politics and revolutions.) This theory attempts to refute the functionalist perspective of social problems, which considers that societies function so that each individual and group plays a specific role, like organs in the body. A conflict theorist would suggest solving the problem of drug abuse by accommodating the needs of people in the classes suffering from drug use and educating them on the effects of drugs. The functionalist theorist, on the other hand, would suggest becoming more actively involved by reforming institutions as a whole and helping to redefine the abusers’ roles in society. Drug abuse is a very prevalent problem in the United States today and sociological theories provide for many different solutions.