placebos essays

placebos essays A placebo is defined as an inactive substance resembling a medication, given for psychological effect or as a control in evaluating a medicine believed to be active. However the placebo only fits this description under the restraints it has been given by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which refers to the placebo as an investigational new drug. In actuality, up until the present much of medicine was built on placebos. "Not very long ago, the rituals and symbols of healing constituted the bulk of the physicians armamentarium. In the early decades of the 20th century, most of the medication that doctors carried in their little black bags and kept in their office cabinets had little or no pharmacological value against the maladies for which they were prescribed. Nevertheless, their use in the appropriate clinical context was no doubt frequently beneficial."(Brown, 6) Even though placebos have been proven effective medicine time and time again the FDA remains reluctant to approve them for anything more than clinical research. The FDA stands on their disapproval of placebos as medicine on the basis that patients are to be given the best treatment available. Who is to say that a placebo is not as, if not more effective than the accepted remedy? There are an endless variety of cases that have proven placebos inconclusively effective. Among the most famous of these cases is the story of "Mr. Wright," who was found to have cancer and in 1957 was given only days to live. Hospitalized in Long Beach, California, with tumors the size of oranges, he heard that scientists had discovered a horse serum, Krebiozen, that appeared to be effective against cancer. After Wright begged to receive the serum, his physician, Dr. Philip West, finally agreed and gave wright the injection on a Friday afternoon, not telling Wright that injection consisted only of water. The following Monday the doctor was astonished to find that the patient's...

Iraq 2002 - Reason for War essays

Iraq 2002 - Reason for War essays Without a doubt, almost all of the attempts to contain and deter the current Iraqi regime have eventually failed. The only policy that has a proven success against Saddam Hussein has been the use of military force. As the worlds only superpower, the United States of America has the capability to remove Saddam Hussein from power. But is a war with Iraq the only option? Iraq became an independent kingdom in 1933, have the destruction of the Ottoman Empire in World War I. Proclaimed a republic in 1958, the country has in actuality been ruled by various tyrants and military strongmen since. Iraq is 432,072 square miles, approximately twice the size of Idaho (CIA World Factbook 2002 - Iraq). With a population of about 24 million people and a GDP of $59 billion (debt of $140 billion), Iraq is a relatively small country. The current president is Saddam Hussein, who originally rose to power in 1979 through a coup in which the Baath Party (Arab Socialist Renaissance Party) overthrew the government of General Abdul Arif (Iraq 12/01). During his twenty-year term, Saddam has engaged in many atrocities and human right violations. He has oppressed and massacred Iraqs native Kurdish population in the north and native Shia population in the south, which represent 20 percent and 60 percent of the population respectively (Pollack, 61). During Iraqs eight- year war with Iran, Saddam used chemical and biological weapons against his enemy, including a massive chemical weapons attack against the city of Halajaba that killed several thousand civilians (Iraq 12/1). In 1981 fourteen Israeli warplanes entered Iraq airspace undetected and blew-up Iraqs Osiraq nuclear reactor, the key to Saddams nuclear weapons program, setting his nuclear program back a few years (Pollack, 17). In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, and was quickly counter-attacked by a U.S. led coalition. Though the coalition forces...

The benefits and negatives of hiring temporary workers Essay

The benefits and negatives of hiring temporary workers - Essay Example In this study, several items will be considered while analyzing the cost effectiveness of temporary workers. First, an overall analysis of the benefits as well as the drawbacks of temporary workers will be presented in comparison to the hiring of full-time employees. The presentation of this analysis will demonstrate that hiring temporary workers is, in fact, more beneficial for companies when trying to cut costs. Temporary workers allow for companies to adapt to fluctuating markets, and give them some control in an economy that has not provided much earning incentive. In order to resolve this and to adapt to changing times, temporary workers can be hired and maintained by companies for as long as needed. Skilled contingent workers are included in this study. While skilled contingent workers are often paid more than other temporary workers, and often more than full time workers as well, their use still allows the company to save money. This is because they are usually brought on for short term projects, and then released when the projects are completed. The large salaries or hourly wages earned by skilled contingent workers thus will end, and the company can return to normal expenditure. There would therefore be no need to bring on another full-time employee to handle certain skilled situations that are needed for specific periods of time only, and this has helped to keep costs down for many companies. This study examined three companies throughout a one year, four quarter period. Costs were analyzed and determined as the companies transitioned into using more and more contingent workers. The results of this study demonstrate that companies achieved cost-cutting results that increased every quarter for each company that participated in the study. Therefore, this study helps to prove that temporary workers, whether skilled or not, can be used to help cut the costs of company finances. Results Who are the Temporary Workers Just as employer demand for temporary workers increases during times of uncertainty, many workers seek temporary employment due to transitory or uncertain circumstances. Such workers might include teachers and students out of school for the summer or other vacation periods, or persons entering or leaving the labor force gradually. Women and young persons are more likely than others to experience these transitory conditions. Therefore, it should not be surprising that there was a disproportionately high concentration of both groups employed by temporary help supply agencies in May 1985. Almost two-thirds of the industry's work force were women, in contrast to their 2 of 5 proportion of all wage and salary jobs. This difference clearly reflects the benefits offered to many women by the temporary help supply service industry, particularly the combination of flexible work schedules and the opportunity to acquire needed experience and job market exposure. In addition, the industry has a large number of administrative support jobs, and a disproportionate number of women are traditionally employed in such clerical positions.Women with family responsibilities are particularly attracted to temporary employment because it provides the flexible work schedules that allow them to reconcile work outside the home with family commitments. Women who reenter the labor force after a long absence may prefer temporary jobs until they are able to find suitable permanent employment. Employment through a temporary help supply agency enables them to test the market by sampling a range of work environments until they find the right employment situation. At the same time, temporary employment allows these workers to acquire needed skills and experience while building confidence and increasing their

Principle of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Principle of Management - Essay Example At the same time, international consolidation and aggressive pricing approaches have concerted the market dominance within certain major players and reinforced their control on the suppliers. The international sourcing of raw materials has created new business prospects for supermarkets such as Tesco to carry out import activities from locations with cheap labour and cheap resources. In fact, Tesco presently captures a major share of supermarket in the UK. In last decade, the opportunity for supermarkets to purchase from manufacturers had increased intensely (Brown & Sander, 2007). Tariff declines, trade liberalisations, modernisations in communication technology, enhanced transport system and better capital flexibility have transformed the supply chain system for supermarkets. The international sourcing has generated new prospects for Tesco in the developing nations to sell the products. However, the global sourcing has also created numerous manufacturers, which in turn has intensif ied competition among organisations. The challenges faced by supermarkets nowadays include the aspects of increasing the return of the shareholders, maintaining low cost for product offerings, increasing flexibility by ‘just-in-time’ delivery and strengthening control related to product quality and providing utmost customer service standards (Brown & Sander, 2007). Supermarkets are the first and the foremost commercial organisations that perform in highly competitive environment with high concern on end result. The increased globalisation, changing life patterns and demographics have opened opportunities for supermarkets in developing nations. However, in order to stay competitive in the market, supermarkets require significant information on... This paper describes the four functions of the management are considered to be substantial for Tesco to overcome many challenges and to take the advantages of the opportunities. In order to be successful in the future endeavours of the business, Tesco can use the managerial functions to a great extent and can turn the business to be effective and efficient. Better management is helpful for Tesco to develop an environment which can provide enhanced flexibility in business. In order to stay competitive, systematising the business plays a vital part for organisations which can only be accomplished though effective managerial functions as observed in the discussion provided. This essay tells that the four managerial functions can be adopted by Tesco in several aspects of business which would provide great effectiveness in the international market. The managerial functions are beneficial for Tesco to gain competitive advantages and to exploit the business opportunities. Better management will definitely lead to gain cost efficiency and make the company feasible to compete with upcoming difficulties in the global as well as the local markets. It concluded that Tesco has also adopted enhanced planning procedures in the business for increasing the customer service. It is one of the significant challenges for Tesco to provide personalised services to the customers. Through collaborative planning, Tesco has enhanced its supply chain capabilities for making better anticipation of the demands of the customers and providing customised services to them accordingly. Therefore, it can genuinely lead to better customer satisfaction

Adventures as an Exchange Student in Germany Essay Example for Free

Adventures as an Exchange Student in Germany Essay Deliberately placing yourself outside of your comfort zone will do one of two things; make you into a stronger better person, or cause you to shutdown and not accomplish the task at hand. While most high school juniors spend their year studying, excelling in sports, hanging out with friends, and thinking about colleges, I pushed my boundaries and embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. No, I did not go skydiving or join the US National Volleyball Team. I accepted the challenge of the Congress Bundestag Scholarship program to spend a year in Germany living, learning, and experiencing life in another land. The life skills and memories that I acquired in the past twelve months have put me a step ahead of my peers and shown me that if I put my mind to it, anything is possible. In October 2002 as I was sitting in my first year German class, my teacher recommended that I apply for what she called the prestigious Congress Bundestag Scholarship to spend a year in Germany. Taking into consideration that I would have to leave everything I had going for me behind, made me a little leery of the idea. However, when I realized what an honor and opportunity it was to take part in an exchange, the mounds of paperwork seemed to shrink into a small homework assignment with a twist. After the final interview, reality hit me. I might actually spend a year in Germany! Along with the excitement came the panic: I cant actually speak German. What should I pack? How do I say goodbye to everyone? What if I get homesick? Do the Germans really only shower once a week? These questions all came at once, and no matter how much I searched, the only answers I could find told me to wait and see. Before I knew it, I was boarding a 737 an route to Frankfurt with 60 of my new best friends who, like me had the courage to enter into the unknown and spend a year in Germany. It was this group of teenagers that I spent a month in language camp with trying to learn the basics about German life and culture. We were like infants who had to do 18 years of growing up in 30 days. We worked together trying to learn the basics such as learning to eat and trying to work a toilet; to understanding the most complicated issues such as diplomacy, political debate, and how to be an ambassador for America. During this time, I grew as a person, learning empathy for those  who were homesick and becoming open minded to people and activities that to me were not the norm or routine. Little did I know, these kids would be my lifelines in times of need. They could always relate to what I was experiencing, and they were also flying on the roller coaster of emotions. When the time came to leave my new friends and move on, I was extremely excited to immerse myself into the German culture. The language, a new school, new friends, and a new family seemed like a dream come true, but in reality it turned into a nightmare. When my host family picked me up, we had a three-hour ride home. Make that a SILENT three hours without air conditioning and five people plus four suitcases crammed into a small Passat. At home, we unloaded the car and I went to see my new room. As I looked out of my window something white and black caught my eye, whoa cows less than ten feet from my window. I could not believe it, my organization said I would live in the country, but I did not realize that the next closest town was an hour away. As my stress level hit a high, my new host mom put me over the edge. She began to unpack my suitcases that were filled with unwrapped gifts for her and the family. It was at that point that I counted to ten and reminded myself that it was a different culture, and possibly that was one of their customs. The only problem was, my German skills were not good enough to politely ask her to stop. So she continued and I smiled and hoped my rocky start would smooth into a healthy open relationship. Three weeks later, I was getting into the swing of things. Going to school, riding my bike and the bus, making friends, and yes getting used to the smell of cows. I was adapting well, being responsible and beginning to understand the German spoken in school. I had gone beyond everyone elses expectations and mine. Life was good, even though the Germans only showered twice a week. After the honeymoon phase was over, my host mother turned on me. She thought I was being disrespectful and not telling the truth, where as the problem was that I couldnt fully understand what she was saying, causing a lack in  communication between us. When I realized this, I worked extra hard to regain her trust and persevere through what I perceived as a small bump in the road. When things worsened and I could no longer adapt to the situation, my community representative intervened and placed me with a new family. Even though my first host family was a challenge, the experience showed my true character. In the face of adversity, I was able to handle myself maturely and attempt to find a solution to the problem. It was not a failure by any means, but an opportunity to grow. Not only did I develop in times of trial and hardship, but I learned just as much in a nurturing situation. During the last six months of my stay in Germany I stayed with a truly wonderful family. I was treated as an adult, and I assumed full responsibility for myself. My host parents generosity of welcoming me into their heart and home made me appreciative of all I had accomplished in the last year, and encouraged me to give back. Through this pattern of giving and receiving I gained a sense of compassion and consideration for others. I surrounded my self with positive people which in turn brightened my spirits and reminded me that when the going gets tough an optimistic attitude can make a world of difference. When I boarded the plane at the end of my year there were only 52 of the original 60 students who completed the program. My commitment and perseverance helped me overcome adversity and succeed in a situation where the odds were against me. Not only did I accomplish the task at hand, but I had the time of my life while doing it. The rewards of spending a year abroad are endless, but I was most affected in a few ways. I learned compassion and acceptance first hand by being treated by others with kindness when I was down. I have become accountable beyond my age by being entrusted with responsibilities that are typically given to a person 22 and over. Now as I move on, I am better prepared for what awaits me. I have a whole new set of life skills and memories to keep in my quiver and use when called on. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone was the best thing I could have done, I was up to the challenge and I passed with flying colors.

ACG 2021, Introduction to Financial Accounting, Spring 2001, Exam 3 Final :: UFL Florida Business Accounting

2021FINALSP01 5/9/2001 FORM CODE: A Page 1 ACG 2021 – FINAL EXAM SPRING 2001 NAME _____________________________________ SS# ____________________________ Instructions: NOW: Bubble in your section number on your Scan Sheet. Fill in your name and social security number on this examination and your scan sheet. 1. Listen carefully for any comments your proctor may have related to the exam. Read these instructions carefully. Failure to do so may result in your losing points. 2. This exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. Select the BEST answer and mark the appropriate space on the scan sheet with a #2 pencil only. You MUST keep your scan sheet face down on the desk when you are not filling it in. 3. You may use ONLY a non-programmable calculator during the exam. Use of any other calculator will be considered a violation of the honor code. Your exam will be taken from you and you will receive a grade of 0. 4. At the end of 2 hours, you will be told to stop. Put your pencils down IMMEDIATELY. Failure to do so will result in your receiving a zero for the exam. 5. The exam consists of 16 pages, including this cover, present value tables and a blank page at the end. Make sure you have all pages and all questions. 6. Have your University of Florida Identification card ready to be checked when you turn in your exam. 7. Assume the accounting entities use a calendar year unless otherwise noted. 8. Unless otherwise specified, assume a 360-day year. 9. When you are finished, turn in your scan sheet, as well as your exam. Answers will be posted on the web after the exams are handed back in class. 10. The University of Florida policy on academic honesty will be strictly enforced. When you are told to open your exam, turn to the first page and find your exam form code. Immediately bubble this in on your scantron. 2021FINALSP01 5/9/2001 FORM CODE: A Page 2 1. Which of the following is usually NOT considered to be a long-term liability? A) Bonds payable. B) Mortgages payable. C) Accrued post-retirement benefits. D) FICA taxes payable. E) None of the above is correct. 2. The effect on total assets of the purchase of supplies for cash is A) an increase in total assets B) a decrease in total assets C) total assets remain unchanged D) an increase in total assets and total liabilities E) an increase in total assets and current ratio 3. Which of the following is not normally a condition that must be met for revenue to be recognized (recorded) under the revenue principle? A) The earnings process is complete or nearly complete

Pocahontas: Reel vs Real Essay

The Disney version of Pocahontas and the real story have many differences such as the romance, Pocahontas’ personality, and how the story ended. Disney has romanticized the tragic story of Pocahontas into not one, but two cartoons, with a target audience of children. And with deeply embedded messages into the plot of love and strength, many differences surface, showing off Disney’s ability to make a story of war, captives, and death a happy tale for children to enjoy. In the Disney version, the plot takes on a very dominant love story between Pocahontas and John Smith. The two meet in the woods while John Smith, an explorer who came from England to the New World, is scoping out the land for savages. Pocahontas was intrigued by the new people who had encroached on her father’s territory. When their paths crossed and they met, Hollywood worked their magic and Pocahontas and John Smith fall in love. And like any good love story there were obstacles in the way of the ir relationships. Like Pocahontas’ father warning his people to avoid the new â€Å"white people†; Pocahontas was engaged to Kocoum; and John Smith’s crew believed that all Indians were savages. But the two overcame all the obstacles in their way. Kocoum was killed by a crew member of John Smith’s and John was captured by the Powhatan tribe and was sentenced to death. So Pocahontas saved John’s life and made peace between the colony and her tribe. As romantic as the Disney version is, the true story takes a much less Hollywood love story route. When John Smith and Pocahontas met, they hardly would have considered â€Å"love†. According to dates and records when, or if, John and Pocahontas met a relationship would have been inappropriate due to Pocahontas age. Not to mention a white man falling in love with a â€Å"savage† was highly unheard of in that time. So the John Smith and Pocahontas love story from the Disney movie is simply a work of fiction. But in 1613, Pocahontas was captured and held for ransom by the English. During her time with the English, one of her captures, John Rolfe, took a liking to her and issued her release on the condition she marry him. Whether she truly loved him is unknown. So Pocahontas, to create a truce among the colony and tribe, married John Rolfe and was baptized as Lady Rebecca. Rebecca and John moved back to England and had a child name Thomas. Throughout the Disney version, Po cahontas’ character is developed very quickly. The movie portrays Pocahontas as a very strong individual. She did  what she wanted and when she wanted, like leaving to see John Smith when her father had told her to stay away from the new people. Pocahontas was also portrayed as noble and very wise. She had brought peace to two feuding colonies, which is a big task for a teenager. Beyond that, Pocahontas was a very spiritual girl, she was very empathetic to animals and nature, as well as possible shamanic power. Pocahontas believed in spirits and prophecies, she also sang a song to John Smith saying how everything was important and should be valued, like the bear. Also she could talk to Grandmother Willow, who was a tree, lending itself to shamanic power. And John Smith also listened to her, which shows Pocahontas as a highly respected woman. Pocahontas Was very highly regarded, people listened to her, like her father the chief. But as well as being a strong woman, she was also a beautiful young girl, which people, her people an d the English, notices and appreciated. In the movie, Pocahontas is seen as a very strong individual, but in the real story was not as brave or noble. Pocahontas’ true name was Matoaka, which means â€Å"naughty one† or â€Å"spoiled one†. Like in the movie, she was a part of the Powhatan tribe and was the Chief’s daughter. What the movie didn’t mention was she had several siblings and her mother was a Chief’s wife. Someone who gave the Chief a child and then remarried with little contact to their child and then remarried with little contact to their child. But the biggest difference is that in the real story Pocahontas/Matoaka was not the â€Å"main character†. Pocahontas had small influence on the story and was merely the Chief’s favourite daughter. Pocahontas only became a part of the â€Å"story† when she was captured by the English. She never actually helped in the battles between the English and her tribe. Disney’s version of Pocahontas has gotten about three hours to be told between the first and second movie. The first movie ended by Pocahontas bringing peace to the colony and her tribe. She did that by saving John Smith’s life and making a huge speech about equality. The tribe agrees and so do most of the Englishmen. But Governor Ratcliffe tried to shoot Pocahontas, but instead hit John. It ends by John being brought back to England wounded, and asking for Pocahontas to come back with him. She says no and watches his boat sail off. And in the second movie it ends by John Smith asking her to leave England and sail â€Å"the open seas†. Again Pocahontas says no because she would rather go home. When she boards the boat she  notices that John Rolfe was on board. During Pocahontas’ adventure in England she realized she loved John Rolfe. So the two happily sailed off to Jamestown Virginia, roll credits. The actual ending for Pocahontas’ story took a much darker turn than Disney. Like in the movie she does â€Å"end up† with John Rolfe. But as stated earlier, Pocahontas was captured by the English and held for ransom. During the time spent as a captive she was taught English and baptized as Lady Rebecca. She married John Rolfe and they moved back to England. Pocahontas became a celebrity as the â€Å"civilized savage†. Pocahontas and John had a child and named him Thomas. Then in 1617, right before setting sail to Jamestown, Pocahontas died at the age of 21. The Disney version’s ending was much more â€Å"happily ever after† but the real version ended as every bodies story ends. The Disney version of Pocahontas has many differences from the real story and is highly inappropriate because it turns a tragic story into not one, but two cartoon movies, for children. The many differences include romance, the character personality of Pocahontas, and the ending of the story. Overall, the real story is much darker than the Disney version.

Rock and Roll Music

Rock and Roll has influenced the music industry more then any other genre. Barriers were broken by rock musicians pushing the limits of social behavior. The sixties were the time when changes in history took place. Artists continue to make an impact on people without even trying. Dancers, singers, musicians and athletes want to practice their talents without being bothered. Critics are always watching ready to voice their opinions. This is opposition is what calls publicity to the artists.â€Å"The Beatles were the greatest and most influential of the rock era, and introduced more innovations in popular music then any other rock band† (Authors of Billboard. com 1992-2005). Had it not been for the Beatles, there would be no Madonna, Britney Spears, Fergie, Beyonce or PussyCat Dolls. Elements of the Beatles Song â€Å"She Loves You. † In the sixties, the Beatles were the main pop group. By today’s standards, the Beatles music would hardly be considered real loud or wild. The Beatles were a group of friends who sang for recreational purposes.When they were discovered, they had no formal training. They did not care about auditions. They had no voice lessons. Without all of the technical aspects, their songs still had all of the elements that musicians today spend hours and days perfecting and refining. In the song â€Å"She Loves You,† the four band members are playing basic simple guitars. The instrument largely determines the overall aspects of any song. The highest musical technology is a waste if the artists do not know how to shape the song.Shaping is accenting the high points and low points of the song. Every artist’s has a unique way of shaping music his or her music. The dynamics is defined as the loudness and softness of a song (DuckWorth, 2004, P 358). In the song â€Å"She Loves You,† the dynamics do not have very significant level changes, according to today’s music analysis. Shaping makes up the melody o f the song. People like or dislike music based on the melody. The rhythm of the song sounds like it was in 4/4 time. It has repeated series of strong and weak beats.During the chorus, â€Å"She Loves Me† starts on the high notes or the strong beats of the song. When the musicians sing â€Å"yeah yeah yeah, that is when the weaker beats or phrases are accented. All of the Beatles songs sound improvised without much find tuning. When the song is recorded professionally, there are no significant changes from the time the artists were creating the song. The pitches, highs, mediums and lows of the song, is repeated through the entire length of the song. Conclusion;Rock and Roll has made waves since the sixties. Many people associate the songs that were popular at the time with world events. Music is a big influence on society. I love Rock and Roll music because it is uplifting and upbeat. Rock and Roll music is often played at celebrations, festivals, and concerts. Favorite Rock and Roll songs mark pleasant memories that are easily forgotten. People dance, run, workout, rollerblade to Rock and Roll music. Rock and Roll music has always accompanied close friends parties, and meetings.The Beatles music video can be viewed at http://video. google. com/videoplay? docid=2276715791126043108. Other sites that have plenty links to the Beatles music video links in full screen is AOL music. com. AOL provides hundreds of Beatles videos, interviews, documentary’s. Notes; DuckWorth, W. (2004 ) A Creative Approach to Music Fundamentals 8th Edition. Glossary Yudkin, J. (2004) Discover Music P 316-22. Authors of Billboard. com (1992-2005) Beatles Biography http://video. google. com/videoplay? docid=2276715791126043108

The Arab Spring The contemporary Era

The Arab Spring The contemporary Era Introduction The Arab spring is a wave of revolutionary protests and demonstrations that have been taking place in the Arab world since December 18th 2010.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Arab Spring: The contemporary Era specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The revolution has claimed entire regimes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, as well as major protests in Bahrain, Yemen, Algeria, Jordan, Iraq, Oman, Morocco and Syria. There have been minor protests that were quelled by the governments of Lebanon, Sudan, Mauritania, Kuwait, Western Sahara and Saudi Arabia, by yielding to some of the demands of protestors. The Arab spring also inspired clashes in May 2011 at the borders of Israel. The sustenance of the revolution has been credited to the sharing of civil resistance techniques by the protestors in the different Arab countries, where there were rallies, marches, demonstrations as well as strikes that were mainly or ganized and communicated through social media (Sakbani, 2011). The awareness of the people due to the flow of information was always repulsed by the respective governments’ internet censorship and even total disconnection as was the case in Syria from 2008 to 2011 February. Where this has failed there has often been violent repression of the protests by government security forces, often with a considerable amount of casualties as well as counter demonstrations by the respective government supporters. This paper seeks to explore the political situations, in regard to the internal policies established by the leaders of the Arab countries and specifically in Syria and Egypt that led to the Arab spring. The Arab Spring To understand the root cause and the process of the Arab spring, we have to first explore the conditions that triggered its inception. The Arab uprising was sparked by the self-immolation of a Tunisian by the name of Mohamed Bouaziz on December 18th 2010. He was pr otesting the unlawful arrest, corruption and ill treatment by the police amid the hard economic situation in the country. The protests that followed thereafter were greatly successful, with the ousting of the then president of Tunisia, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and this inspired similar protest in other Arab countries. The Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, resigned after there were 18 days of massive protests amid crackdowns by government security forces on the 11th of February 2011.Advertising Looking for term paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other leaders, however, moved to quell the anger of the protestors by announcing that they would not context in the next elections, such as the Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir and the Iraqi President Nouri Al-Maliki. King Abdullah of Jordan went ahead to sack two successive governments as the protests still continued. Ali Abdullah Saleh, the president of Ye men, announced that he would resign in 30 days back on 23rd of April in a bid to quell massive protests that had rocked the country, but he later changed his mind and retracted the statement which has led to continued protests. The Arab Spring in Egypt The revolution in Egypt was mainly inspired by its success in Tunisia and it started on the 25th of January. The then to be presidential candidate, Mohamed ElBaradei had already warned government officials that there was going to be a revolutionary wave of protests similar to those in Tunisia, if the pleas of the people were not addressed. It was, however, too late before the government of Egypt could take any action to salvage the situation as on 28th January at midnight, their attempts to stop the organization of the protests by blocking all internet access in the country did not work. Though the social media was successfully crippled, the organizers still found new ways to encourage people to join them and the internet blockade was one of the reasons they cited as a motivation to increase their protests. In a bid to salvage the situation, President Mubarak appointed a new cabinet as well as a vice-president, who was the first in almost three decades. Mubarak later gave the vice-president, Omar Suleiman the power to rule Egypt on 10th February, though this was followed by an official statement that he would still hold on to the presidency until the end of his presidential term. This move was not taken well by the protestors as the demonstrations still intensified. The vice president later announced that Mubarak had resigned on the next day and he went ahead to transfer power to the Egyptian armed forces. This inspired a wave of celebrations across the country with the biggest being at Tahrir square.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Arab Spring: The contemporary Era specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The military then noticed that they we re also facing resistance and went ahead to lift emergency laws that had been in place for thirty years. The army then dissolved parliament and suspended the constitution, then promised to organize free and fair elections in the next six months. The armed forces went ahead to appoint a civilian by the name of Essam Sharaf, as the Egyptian prime minister on 4th March. This was greatly approved by the protestor and the protests reduced, though there were other small protests that continued in July with the complaints that the Essam Sharaf administration together with the armed forces supreme council was slow in establishing reforms in the institutions of governance, than expected. The Arab Spring in Syria The Syrian uprising started with a case of self-immolation that sparked protests all over the capital city on the 26th of January. The protestors main grievances were political reforms and the observance of their civil rights by the government (Sakbani, 2011). They also complained th at the county had been in a state of emergency for the last 48 years since 1963. The attempts by the protestors to organize a major demonstration dubbed the day of fury was, however, not successful, but on the 6th of March, the arrest and torture of 15 children who were accused of having written some slogans that were against the regime, sparked even more protests. Thousands of protestors who were against the Baathist regime that had ruled Syria since 1963, gathered in the cities of Deir Ez-Zor, Hama, Daraa, Al-Hasakah, Aleppo, and Damascus, with Daraa being the first to protest on the 15th of March after the release of Suhair Atassi, a politician who became the unofficial spokesperson for the protestors in the revolution. This was followed by reports that the government had arrested over 3,000 Syrians and there had been a lot of casualties as the government security forces shot at protestors. The climax of the protest was on 18th April when almost 100,000 protestors sat at the Squa re of Horns to demand for the resignation of President Bashar Al Assad. The protests continued throughout the next three months with the government conducting harsh security crackdowns and military operations in the country, with the most violent incident occurring on the 31st of July when army tanks stormed cities and killed over 136 people. Political Conditions That Triggered the Arab Spring in Egypt and Syria The revolution was observed to have been motivated by two main issues: the economic hardships of the citizens of these countries; and the harsh laws that were in place that discouraged democracy. The triggering incident that occurred in Tunisia involved a man whose market stall had been confiscated and his complaints were that besides acquiring an education, selling vegetables was his only option to make a living.Advertising Looking for term paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Analysts have specifically pointed out that in Syria and Egypt, the prolonged economic stagnation, violation of human rights, as well as rampant corruption by government officials have led to the common citizens’ suffering, and hence the need for political change. There has been decades of under-development and even in some cases there is evidence of de-development as the established economic policies have failed, and institutions of governance broken or abused (Partridge, 2011). The overall economic growth in the Arab world has been negative since 1971 and specifically the per-capita income of citizens of gulf countries like Syria has been reducing by almost 2.8 percent every year (Gershoni, Jankowski, 2010). The rampant corruption in Syria and Egypt has meant that those who are already rich or are in positions of power enjoy better quality of life while the poor suffer even more. This has led to a wide economic gap between the rich and powerful in these countries, and the poor. However, what took the rest of the world by surprise is the flow of information on the economic conditions of these countries, as previously their dictatorial governments had ensured that they filtered any information on these countries and had declined to participate in any surveys (Tejel, 2009). The inequality and the corruption in these countries is influenced by the fact that most of the economic centers are owned and managed by government institutions, hence, discouraging private entrepreneurship. In Egypt for instance, the government has ceded most of the economic control of the country to the military. This has ensured that the military owns most corporations where they employ retired military leaders and/or their immediate family and friends. It is also observed that state companies consume almost all the financial credit available in Egypt, hence, forcing other family owned small and medium businesses to have to rely on un-informal means of funding which are often exp ensive and exploitative. This has diminished the business community and those who are in business have to sell their products at high prices which have contributed to high cost of living amid reducing incomes (Odugbemi Lee, 2011). The failure of economic policies in Syria and Egypt has contributed to high rates of unemployment as well as under-employment, which are more common for the young who have been the back bone of the uprisings. The rampant corruption, regional conflict and dictatorial leadership has contributed greatly to companies’ thinking of only the short-term, as there is too much uncertainty in the region (Partridge, 2011). The same uncertainty has discouraged domestic investments and the revenues generated due to the rising commodity prices end up being transferred abroad. It has been identified that in Syria, local banks have had low capacities to the point of collapse. The Arab spring was created in such a way that it suggests a new awakening among the citiz ens of Syria and Egypt, which would bring with it a new political and socio-economic order. This has suggested that the Arab world will never be the same again, and the autocratic and dictatorial governments that are still existent in the region, may only have a few years if not months before they come to an end if they don’t establish political, educational and socio-economic reforms. Perhaps the most outstanding difference between the Arab spring and other uprisings, is the fact that the people are fueled by their need for dignified lives rather than the need for political superiority, as has been the case in sub-Saharan Africa and the Balkan states in the past (Ben-Meir, 2011). The passion of these people will probably not let any politically radical group to take power without receiving resistance from them. Previously, there was a belief that the people in Syria and Egypt could not organize themselves and speak with one voice, as the regimes had discouraged any form of o rganization. However, this was not to be as the Syrians and Egyptians organized amid speculation with their governments believing that the voice of the people was too fractured, too radical, too politically immature and insignificant to make any impact or even to be taken seriously. There was also the belief among the political class that the Arab authoritarian rule was going to continue for many decades to come as there was succession of governments among powerful families in most Arab countries, where the sons of the rulers inherited power from their fathers upon them leaving office, as was the case in Syria (Partridge, 2011). The greatest weakness of these assumptions, as is evidenced in Syria, is that they did not put into consideration the greatly educated, informed and politically assertive youth of the country. They still thought that the loyalty of the old generation to these regimes was to be transferred to the younger generation, and they always tried to promote this throu gh their authoritarian rule that has been able to squash resistance fro the citizens for along time. This younger generation is greatly aware of their rights, and has a high appeal for democracy which was earlier profiled as an evil western propaganda that is against their Muslim religion (Press-Barnathan, 2009). As far as the politics of Syria is concerned, the administration of President Assad has squashed the opposition since he came to power as it was the policy before during his father’s rule. This has seen anyone who exhibited political ideas that contradicted his party’s banned from travelling outside the country, arrested and even tortured to death by the police. There have been reports of secret police units that have been used to quell any opposition through inhumane ways. The human rights watch groups in the Middle East have ranked Syria as number one in violations of human rights and this is said to be the greatest down fall of Assad’s legislation wh ich has fueled the revolution in Syria. Political Effects of the Arab Spring The revolution has transformed the geo-politics of the region as it has been observed that the traditional understanding of the political environment of the region has been thrown out of balance. It was previously believed that the politics of the region was defined by the difference in ideologies between those who were pro-western and those who were anti-western, or those who are Sunnis and those who were Shi’a, as well as the belief that it was based on the differences between the Arabs and the Jews, in the case of Israel and its neighbors. It was, however, observed that the great inequalities or disparities in the qualities of life, between the authoritarian regimes and the citizens they ruled were the greatest motivations of the revolution (Gershoni, Jankowski, 2010). The ultimate political result of the revolution has been the great spotlight cast on authoritarian or dictatorial regimes, as the y feel the pressure to restructure their legislative policies or face resistance from their citizens. Some like the Kuwaiti administration have, however, been able to quell the anger of their citizens by introducing subsidies and cash handouts. Others, as is the case in Syria, have had to give fake promises of economic and political reforms (Lunnon, 2011). The young people, who were mostly idealists, utilized the loopholes that had been left by the governments’ belief that they could not organize and therefore were at ease. Their skillful utilization of social media was particularly impressive as it surprised many with its success. There was also the use of nonviolent means to organize protests that took the governments by surprise as they did not know what to do with them since they had always figured out that due to their foolproof control of their territories and strong security agencies, any threat would probably have to be excessively violent. Lastly, the quick and effec tive success of the revolution in Tunisia and Egypt worked to fuel the revolution even further as other countries realized that it is easy and possible to remove even the harshest dictators from power. This has been the short-term change that has brought hope to the people of the Arab countries that there can be an end to authoritarian rule and they can enjoy both economic growth and their freedom. It has also served to warn other dictators like Bashar al-Assad of Syria, or would be dictators in other countries, that their end was near (Ben-Meir, 2011). It has now dawned on many that, autocracies and monarchies in the Arab countries have an uncertain future as the young Arabs have disapproved any cultural obligations to these autocracies. These young people are proponents of regional sovereignty that takes a pan-Arab approach that may not be viable for any western nation that sees this as an opportunity to assert their influence on the regime that comes after. The west has to basica lly take a back seat and watch as the Egyptian and the Syrians try to establish their own forms of government that they think suits their political ideologies as well as their religious and cultural background. In as much as the army may be the final political arbiter in Egypt as has been the case since 1952, there is now a chance for liberals, Islamists, repackaged elements of the previous regime and leftists of various backgrounds, to gain control of, and even influence, the country’s parliament and the government, which was not the case under the ousted Mubarak government. The success of the emerging institutions such as the Egyptian Federation of Independent Trade Unions may be evidence of this phenomenon, as they may set limitations to the young neo-liberal economic reform project (Odugbemi Lee, 2011). The other group, besides the army that is probably going to lose much of the influence it enjoys in these nations, is the US government as their regional political clout diminishes with the ouster of the authoritarian governments that they were previously able to influence. The US campaign on the Palestinian-Israel conflict will now enjoy less support or even resistance from the new governments that want nothing to do with the fetishes of the previous regimes, and will probably stay neutral (Shemesh, 2008). This is evidenced by the fact that the US is currently feeling the treat of a growing Iranian regional influence, as the foreign policies of Egypt are now reflecting previously unseen popular sentiments. Economic Effects of the Arab Spring In the long-term, the Arab world hangs in uncertainty as everyone is skeptical of the stability of the new systems of governance that will be put up to replace the fallen ones. This is behind the further uncertainty of whether the desired democratic system of governance will even be established in the near future as it has been previously evidenced in other countries like Somalia, that the ouster of a governmen t by the people may not necessarily be advantageous, as there might be an eruption of violence as different groups seek to assume leadership of the country. This spring may sadly take too long to yield any fruits in some of these countries as traditional liberals, Islamic extremists, high ranking military personnel that still want to cling to power, ethnic groups, business elites and other religiously affiliated groups, compete against each other on the basis of their different ideologies that they all want to be adopted (Lunnon, 2011). The revival of the respective economies may take a while, and it’s dependent on the success of the transitional period and the success of the next administration amid all the international scrutiny especially by the west. The economic consequences of the Arab revolution have affected the entire world and have been especially brutal, to struggling economies of South East Asia and Africa as the prices of oil have shot up. This has brought with i t an unprecedented increase in the prices of basic commodities especially food stuffs. There is, however, hope that with the successes of most of the protests, the oil market in the world will stabilize soon. This is not to say that there is no future threat to the oil market in the horizon since there is still an uncertainty as to how the new regimes will react in relation to the policies and the policy making process of OPEC, which is a body that most of them belong to. Reference Ben-Meir, A. (2011). Above The Fray: Arab Spring, Revival Of The Islamic state. The Jerusalem Post. Web. Gershoni, I., and Jankowski,J., P. (2010). Confronting fascism in Egypt: dictatorship versus democracy in the 1930s. London: Stanford University Press. Lunnon, H. Et Al. (2011). Arab Spring - Chief Consequence? The Definition. Web. Odugbemi, S., and Lee, T. (2011). Accountability through Public Opinion: From Inertia to Public Action. New York: World Bank Publications. Partridge, M. (2011). How the eco nomic policies of corrupt elite caused the Arab Spring. New statesman. Web. Press-Barnathan, G. (2009). The political economy of transitions to peace: a comparative perspective. New York: University of Pittsburgh Press. Sakbani, M. (2011). The revolutions of the Arab Spring: are democracy, development and modernity at the gates? Contemporary Arab Affairs. 4(2). Web. Shemesh, M. (2008). Arab politics, Palestinian nationalism and the Six Day War: the crystallization of Arab strategy and Nasirs descent to war, 1957-1967. London: Sussex Academic Press. Tejel, J. (2009). Syrias Kurds: history, politics and society. Volume 16 of Routledge advances in Middle East and Islamic studies. New York: Taylor Francis.

Statement of Cash Flows Theory essays

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