Civil Engineering Essay Example for Free

Civil Engineering Essay Introduction This research aims to identify and highlight the career opportunities awaiting fresh graduates of civil engineering. This research further aims to look at the specific jobs that are available for them, amount of work load, basic salaries and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of particular choice of specialized civil engineering practice such as structural, water resources, environmental, construction, transportation and geo-technical engineering, among others. Statement of the Problem With the wide variety of specialized practice of civil engineering, newly graduated civil engineers need to be aware of the requirements of each specialization and fully understand the other details of the job. Being fresh from the realms of the academe, these fresh civil engineering graduates need to be guided accordingly as they ready to join the civil engineering workforce. Presenting the result of this study will help them evaluate their specific areas of interest within the bounds of the civil engineering career and will enable them to make an intelligent choice as to what career they really want to pursue. Proposed Solution This study will employ in-depth analysis of the career opportunities and choices available for civil engineering graduates. As such, specialized civil engineering fields will be identified and explained, the likeability that a new graduate will pursue a specific field will be determined and the factors that should be considered in choosing a specific career path. Methods In order to address the research problem, the researcher will employ quantitative and qualitative research method which is designed to complement each other’s findings. Respondents of the research will be practicing civil engineers. Using the qualitative research design, the researcher will conduct a survey to compare factors such as the specialized field where civil engineers usually get for their first job and the basic salary offer for an entry level position. The qualitative research design will include in-depth interviews of practitioners on the specifics of their jobs, the factors that should be considered in choosing a line of practice and other pertinent information about the field based on their experience. Conclusion This research aims to help fresh civil engineering graduates in making a decision of which career path to pursue after college by presenting the choices available for them along with the considerations and factors that might affect their decision. First hand data will be gathered through survey and interview of practicing civil engineers specialized in different fields to get information based on their experience.

Biological Conservation And Its Importance Environmental Sciences Essay

Biological Conservation And Its Importance Environmental Sciences Essay The irreversible loss of the earths diverse biological resources is given major importance today. The living resources are primarily threatened by habitat degradation and loss, habitat fragmentation, overexploitation, and species invasions (Groom Carroll, 2006; Mittermeier Bowles, 1993) which most experts believed we are now confronting the sixth major extinction in history. The different natural resources or biodiversity, as defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity, is the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems (CBD, 1992). The planets biological diversity basically gives value to our social and economic life. We use the living world as a resource for food supply, an energy source, a source for recreation, a major source of raw materials for medicines, and a natural resource for industrial products. It is a source of many of our current medicines (e.g., 25% of all pharmaceutical prescriptions in the US contain active ingredients from plants and 3000 antibiotics such as penicillin are derived from microorganisms, (WRI/IUCN/UNEP, 1992). Furthermore, people are looking to the natural world as an escape and as a means of maintaining their sanity, especially in the industrialized nations. All of this translates into good economics as well, as the growing industry of ecotourism and other nature-based forms of recreation (e.g., fishing, hunting, hiking) becoming ever more popular. Worldwide, nature tourism generates some $12 billion annually (Lindberg, 1991) and it is likely to grow even more rapidly in the tr opical countries, where it is already a major foreign exchange earner for several countries. Moreover, Pearce et al. (2007) categorized the economic values or benefits of biodiversity into four general components: First, its contribution to ecosystem functions which include watershed regulation, nutrient cycling and microclimate mediation, the provision of global services such as climate regulation and carbon sequestration, and evolutionary processes. Second, the commercial and use values which involve the harvesting use and marketing of particular biodiversity commodities, such as timber, bush meat and medicinal plants. Third, non-use values which reflect the peoples willingness to pay for biodiversity conservation regardless of the uses made of biodiversity. Motivations for non-use value vary some notion of stewardship, some notion of Natures right to exist, a concern to leave an asset for future generations, aesthetics, and so on. Fourth, its contribution to ecosystem resilience derived from aggregated diversity i.e. from the aggregated value of genetic diversity within species, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. The diversity of nature not only offers us a vast power of choice for our current needs and desires. It also enhances the role of nature as a source of solutions for the future needs and challenges of mankind. The earths genes, species, and ecosystems are the products of over 3 billions of evolution, and are the basis for our survival. Humans depend on other organisms for food, medicines, and raw materials. Our survival is tied to the health of the ecosystems we live in. The diversity of life ensures that living things will be able to adapt to a future, which is certain to be full of change. In very basic terms, in order to adapt to a changing environment, the raw materials of nature as well as humanity itself require genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Daly Cobb (1989) emphasized this point when he said that the diversity of nature increases the likelihood that at least some species will survive and give rise to new lineages that will replenish the earths biodiversity. Living things also have an intrinsic value and a beauty that is considerable and without which our life would be poorer. All these things make the maintenance of biological diversity vitally important to humankind, coming from the opportunities it provides humanity to adapt to local and global change. Biological resources now face serious repercussions due to pervasive human activities. Species are becoming extinct, ecosystems and ecosystem types are lost and the remaining populations and species are losing their diversity. Thus, everyone is convinced about the importance of biological conservation. Conservation of natural resources is the major focus of Conservation Biology the scientific study of the nature and status of earths biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystem from excessive rates of extinction. To date, some 1.7 million known species exist but the great majority of species alive today, possibly as much as 90 per cent, are not known (Gunter, 2004). IUCN (1980) defined conservation as the management of human use of the biosphere so that it yields benefits to present generations while maintaining its potential to meet the needs of future generations. The scope of IUCNs concept of conservation is further expounded by the objectives of living resource conservation, and that is (1) to maintain essential ecological processes; (2) to preserve genetic diversity: and (3) to ensure the sustainable utilization of species and ecosystems. The key aim of biological conservation is to maintain the diversity of living organisms, their habitats and the interrelationships between organisms and their environment (Spellerberg Hardes, 1992). Furthermore, as claimed by Siipi (2004), biological conservation can be carried out in various ways but generally, it revolves around the standard methods of ecosystem preservation, ecosystem restoration, and ecosystem engineering. There are several studies conducted on assessing attitudes towards environmental issues. Major themes of study commonly focused on the attitudes of the people towards environmental conservation (Badola, 1998; Fiallo Jacobson, 1995; Newmark et al, 1993; Infield, 1988; Walpole Goodwin, 2001). Other studies directed their attention on the attitudes towards wildlife conservation (Morgan Gramann, 1989; Kellert, 1994; Sekhar Udaya, 2003; Gadd, 2005). Attitudinal surveys were also conducted to students pertaining to environmental awareness, knowledge and attitudes. Chan (1996) and Tikka et al (2000) reported that female students showed more positive environmental attitudes than male students. However, Arcury et al.(1986) showed that males are more aware and sensitive to environmental issues than females. While Thang Kumarasamy (2006) and Caro et al. (2003) reported that gender had limited or no bearing on students perceptions of the environment. Previous researchers like Deng et al (2006) and Larijani and Yeshodhara (2008) also found out that environmental attitudes differ among race, cultures and societies. Academic major is said to be a contributing factor also which affects environmental attitudes (Karanth et al., 2008; Ozden, 2008) and as well as the type of conservation knowledge imparted to students strongly influenced their commitment towards conservation initiatives (Barraza and Walford, 2002). Results of different studie s also showed different manners for several factors like school type, age, income, and residence (Korhonen Lappalainen, 2004; Tuncer et al., 2005). What are ENGOs? Definition of an NGO There have been a lot of labels that apply for NGOs such as, peoples organization, peoples movement, trade union, cooperative, community organization, coalition, network, federation, alliance and united front. These names are still current but are now captured by a new catch-all category civil society organizations (CSOs). The concept of civil society is complex, vague and elusive, however, as it is difficult to deploy a single definition to cover a range of organisations broad enough to include the church, tribal structures, major international agencies, single issue campaign groups, semi-independent public sector agencies, business fora, and small local/national NGOs, while still retaining operational usefulness (Haley Clayton, 2003). . Moreover, civil society is sometimes referred to as the third sector, indicating its distinct status from the public and private sectors (McArthur, 2008). Thus, CSOs refer to different types of non-corporate private voluntary institutions promoting a variety of public causes. NGO is only one form of CSO, though often the two are taken to mean the same thing. However, it can be argued that all NGOs can be regarded as civil society organizations though not all civil society organizations are NGOs. NGOs take different forms and play different roles in different continents, with the NGO sector being most developed in Latin America and parts of Asia. The roots of NGOs are different according to the geographical and historical context. As stated by Schiavo-Campo Sundaram (2001), NGOs are not-for-profit organizations and can be recognized as such if they are privately set up and sufficiently autonomous in its activity, that is independent of direct governmental control. Secondly, an NGO should clearly define its voluntary character. Thirdly, it cannot be considered a political party with an aim of attaining political power. And lastly, an NGO should support development which demonstrates its public interest character. Furthermore, the non-governmental aspect of NGO, as stated by White (1994), places it conventionally outside the state in civil society, i.e. intermediate associational realm between state and family populated by organizations which are separate from the state, enjoy autonomy in relation to the state and are formed voluntarily by members of society to protect or extend their interests or values. Although there is contestation of the definition of an NGO, it is widely accepted that these are organizations which pursue activities to relieve the suffering, promote interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, and undertake community development (Cleary, 1997). While Turner and Hulme (1997) stated that NGOs are generally registered organizations, community groups, professional associations, trade unions, cooperate charity organizations whose aim is to improve the well being of their members and of those areas in which they exists. The World Bank, on the other hand, sees NGOs as private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, and/or undertake community development. The concept of NGO came into use in 1945 following the establishment of the United Nations Organizations which recognized the need to give a consultative role to organizations which were not classified as neither government nor member states (Willett, 2002). There are certain features which differentiate NGOs from government agencies, even when they are performing similar roles. NGOs have the capacity to experiment and learn from experience, linking processes to outcomes and are also able to enlist the energies and commitment of intended beneficiaries. Fowler (1988) has identified two key distinctive characteristics of NGOs. Firstly, the relationship of the NGO with intended beneficiaries is based upon principles of voluntarism rather than those of control which is typical of government. This means that intended beneficiaries are involved in program design and management. Secondly, it is argued that NGOs have a task oriented approach that permits them to achieve appropriate organizat ional development, which encourages change and diversity rather than control and uniformity, which may hamper progress. Environmental NGOs (ENGOs) One of the stakeholders involved in biological conservation is the so-called Environmental NGOs (ENGOS). These interest groups hope to save the worlds biological resources from rapid extinctions and aspire to awaken a sleeping public to the tragic loss of biological resources that is unfolding today. ENGOs exist at local, national and international levels (e.g. Friends of the Earth, WorldWide Fund for Nature, Greenpeace, etc.). Many ENGOs operate under the explicit purpose of preserving endangered species and ecosystems, and thus make biological conservation the core principle under which they operate. Others focus more broadly on sustainable development and within this framework, they also contribute to biological conservation. As stated by Trzyna (2008), not all conservation organizations have kept their traditional focus but they have become part of the broader environmental movement. There is an increasing number of organizations that started either as conservation or conventiona l environmental groups but now define themselves as part of the new movement for sustainability. Most of the largest NGOs working on biological conservation are either based in the United States (e.g. Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy) or Europe (World Conservation Monitoring Center, Birdlife International). In the opinion of Astbury (1998), an ENGO has a mission statement and/or set of guiding principles emphasizing environmental concerns, e.g. biological conservation. They play an increasingly prominent and important role in representing environmental interest. Environmental NGOs are distinct from environmental movements in a way that there is a formal organization exists in ENGOs. For example, the famous Chipko movement in India, involving village people who hugged trees when loggers arrived to cut trees down, was not an NGO because although there were leaders and followers, there was no formal organization (Potter Taylor, 1996). These organizations are not really new but have been existing over the years. For instance, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was founded in 1886; the Sierra club in 1892; the Audubon Society for Protection of Birds in 1886; the Wildlife conservation Society (as the New York Zoological Society) in 1895; and fauna and flora International (as the Society for the preservation of the Fauna of the Empire) in 1903. Some of the largest organizations were founded more recently, but with a specific focus on international conservation, including the World Wide fund for Nature (founded as, with some of its constituent organizations still operating as, the world Wildlife Fund) in 1961, and Conservation International in 1987 (Cobb et al., 2007). ENGOs may have existed for a century or more but it is only in recent decades, and particularly since the success of NGOs in shaping the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) or the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, that their numbers have multiplied. Participating civil society organizations officially recognized by the United Nations (UN) in this particular international conference were grouped into major groups such as women, children and youth, indigenous peoples and communities, NGOs, Workers and Trade, Scientific and Technological Community, Business and Industry and farmers. ENGOs are one of the key actors in shaping the creation of Agenda 21 and the Conventions on Biodiversity which saw a heightening of global consciousness about the needs of biodiversity conservation. These are international agreements signed by majority of the countries to guide the world in its actions for development and the environment in the 21st century. Over 20,000 participants of 9,000 organizations in 171 countries were present, and over 1,000 meetings were held between NGO representatives in a forum parallel to official intergovernmental discussions (Fisher 1993). Thus, this event culminated the increasing attention paid to biological conservation by NGOs. Since then, ENGOs expanded their conservation efforts on the ground, especially in tropical countries. For instance, the international conservation programmes of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have grown from just over $3 million in the late 1980s, to nearly $50 million in 2005, nearly half of WCSs overall operating budget (MacDonald Service, 2007). Although the WCS has programmes in North America, all but $5 million of these funds are sent overseas in developing countries. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), founded in 1951 primarily focus on USA conservation issues, is probably the largest conservation organization in the world, with one million members, and an annual budget of over $800 million (The Nature conservancy, 2004). Conservation International (CI), with a focus on biodiversity hotspots and tropical wilderness areas, was founded in 1987 and has grown to an organization with an annual budget of over $100 million. Roles ENGOs Play ENGOs involved in biological conservation are highly diverse, including local, national, regional, and international groups with various missions dedicated to environmental protection, sustainable development, poverty alleviation, animal welfare, and other issues. A key area in which ENGOs have made an imprint is in assisting the global community to establish global priorities. Such approaches included from those that look at representation of species and habitat types, those that focus on species diversity and levels of threats, those that focus on areas of higher or lower human impact as a surrogate for scaling threat and those that focus on levels of endemism and evolutionary uniqueness in a particular taxon (Cobb et al., 2007). ENGOs importance lies as well in their expertise (Esty, 1998; Charnovitz, 1996). They conduct scientific research and disseminate the results to policy-makers and public (Mohd Ahmad, 2005; Jasanoff 1997; Madon 1999). The degree to which NGOs pursue expert knowledge for complex scientific predicaments makes them critical international players. They translate this knowledge into action. As added by Hempel (1988), international environmental NGOs are usually better prepared than governments to implement studies of environmental protection. NGOs often have much better analytical and technical skills and capacity to respond more quickly than government officials. NGOs can also mobilize and influence individuals or group of individuals to address a problem through awareness campaigns and outreach (Bauer, 2006; Gunter, 2004) and express that issue interest to government agencies. ENGOs raise awareness through media stunts. Through TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines, ENGOS bring this envi ronmental abuse into peoples everyday lives and enable people to act bear witness (Wapner, 1995). Additionally, ENGOS stimulate public pressure aimed at changing governmental policy or directly lobbying state officials. They facilitate in defining an issue area, convince policymakers and publics that the problems thus defined are soluble, prescribe solutions, and monitor their implementation (Keck and Sikkink 1998). ENGOs also aid in empowering local communities to increase capacity and capability in carrying out biological conservation projects; they organize and conduct seminars, environmental education programmes and expeditions to natural; and target private actors in their campaigning efforts (Raustiala, 1997; Themudo, 2000; Chitra, 2003; Jepson, 2005). Indeed, ENGOs have been major contributors to biological conservation by providing funds and expertise, building public support, promoting action, and advocating conservation interests. As argued Gunter (2004), ENGOs are the most appropriate medium for protecting biological resources because of their unique ability to see both small and big and their unique positions above and below the state. NGOs operate at both the micro and macro levels, working on the ground in local villages as well as participating in international negotiations. Moreover, Gunter argued that states are paradoxically both too big and too small when it comes to resolving transnational threats like loss of biodiversity or climate change. ENGOs generally obtain most of their funds from national governments, government agencies, bilateral and multilateral banks, large foundations, transnational corporations, and international foreign aid agencies like UNDP, UNEP and the Global environmental facility (GEF) (Dowie, 2009; Bebbington Riddell, 1995). The GEF which is a multilateral funding mechanism prepared to reduce the burden from Southern countries for environmental protection has become a pilot program to a permanent financial mechanism in 1994 and is supporting the growth of ENGOS. GEF is under the stewardship of the World Bank and the United Nations. The World Bank manages a significant portion of GEF biodiversity funding and also makes additional grants and loans in the biodiversity and protected area domains. ENGOS engage in various activities meant to influence public support. Smith and Connelly (1999) identify ten (10) types of ENGO activity: informal, discreet lobbying; formal lobbying; collecting and sending letters or petitions from the public; producing scientific research and reports; taking legal action; organizing demonstrations and marches; staging media stunts; promoting consumer boycotts; engaging in non-violent direct action; and, engaging in violent direct action. To this list, one might also add giving campaign contributions or endorsements to environmentally-friendly candidates (Grossman and Helpman, 1994, 1999). This activity mostly directly political support and can change the weight given to ENGOS in the political calculus (Binder, S and E. Neumayer, 2005) On the other hand, Gunter (2004) summarized the common strategies used by ENGOs. The two main categories of different approaches are mainstream strategies which include lobbying, litigation, scientific/technical research, property acquisition/maintenance, and monitoring and participatory strategies like grassroots networking and community education. Very few studies are conducted on how people perceive ENGO as one of the crucial players in biological conservation. Researchers like Hyseni (2008), Wong (2003) and Ivy et al. (1998) assessed the attitudes of local people and students towards these organizations but the main focus of their studies were not directed to the roles of ENGOS in general. As Jasanoff (1997) contends, the systematic assessment of the role that ENGOS play in environmental decision making remains noticeably absent in the studies to date. Philippine ENGOs Teehankee (1993) reported that environmental NGOs in the Philippines emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. During the martial law in the early 1970s, social movements appeared provoked by the dictatorship. Militant organizations pressured for political structural and ideological changes. Social movements and other civil society groups started to register as legal entities to be formally recognized by government. This was to avoid being tagged as illegal rabble rousers. In 1986, the EDSA I or the People Power Revolution replaced the totalitarian martial law by the democratic force of the people. Accordingly, two streams from which present-day environmental NGOs originated were identified. The first stream is composed of nature lovers such as conservationist societies and hobby groups which alter expanded their concerns to socio-political issues related to environment and government policies. The other stream is said to consist of field-based activist groups concerned with human r ight issues of tribal communities and poor settlers being displaced by environmentally-destructive projects of the martial law regime. The Philippine Federation for Environmental Concerns (PFEC) was established and this commemorated the first effort at coordination and networking among environmental NGOs. Two more national federations emerged since then the Philippine Environmental Action Network (PEAN) and the Lingkod Tao Kalikasan (LTK). Numerous groups mushroomed then like Haribon Foundation, World Ecologists, Green Forum, and Earth Savers. Aside from the diversification of environmental NGO activities into community resource endeavours, the post-Marcos period was also characterized by the decision of prominent development NGOs, like the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), to integrate environmental concerns into their strategic programs (Magno, 1999). . Environmental NGOs were very few before the 1960s. There were sporadic efforts at conservation. Up to about 1970, influenced by the spirit of the time, most development NGOs didnt consider the environment as part of the development framework. Environmental concerns were isolated from social development. Carrying capacity of the environment was not given importance due to the abundance of what nature can provide then. Environmentalists, on the other hand dedicated their work on protection and conservation of genus and species for its authenticity and aesthetic value with no qualms about poverty and human development. Most of the conservationists then came from philanthropists and rich individuals Philippine ENGOs have done and still do fund raising, modelling and implementing viable methods and strategies in the protection and conservation of the environment toward sustainable development. They play multiple roles in influencing policy reform and formulation. The most common role would be that of a lobbyist, using social pressure and the media. Furthermore, many NGOs also play the role of community organizers, educators/trainors, researchers, media practitioners, negotiators, advocates, and catalysts. Taiwan ENGOs Taiwans environmental awareness was not awakened until the 1970s and then was limited to small group of people, mainly from the intellectual class. Not until the late 1980s did the general publics concern over the environmental issues bloom. During this time, environmental problems had reached crisis proportions. The countrys economic miracle was achieved at the cost of environmental deterioration. Reported serious pollution incidents like the one caused by Du Pont in 1986 and the Lee Chang rong Chemical factory in 1982 drew public attention (McBeath Leng, 2006). These events showed that local residents finally had gained environmental consciousness due to unbearable pollution and environmental damage. At this stage, environmental protests led by opposition politicians reflected NIMBYism (not in my backyard)- complaints about local environmental pollution. As reported by Hsiao (1999), there are three streams of environmental movements in Taiwan. These are the anti-pollution, nature conservation, and anti-nuclear movements. In the nature conservation movement, people become more concerned with destruction of Taiwans natural resources. Hence, ENGOs emerged and perceived as key actors in this particular campaign. After the lifting of martial law and as democratization programs were launched in the late 1980s, the environmental movement also gained momentum and developed a national instead of a local focus. During this period, ENGOs accumulated social capital and public trust in Taiwanese society. ENGOs helped to create a plural society through the enlargement of channels of social participation and communication. ENGOs were said to be champions and advocates of Taiwans democratization at early stage, and laid a foundation for democratic consolidation after the md-1990s. The general public gradually learned to think beyond local instances of environmental abuse and paid greater attention to ensuring balance in national policy among economic development, environmental protection, and social justice. Nation-wide ENGOs emerged then from the early to mid-1990s. Hsiao (1999) estimated that there are over 232 environmental NGOs in Taiwan. Most recognizable groups are The Society of Wildlife and Natu re, Bird Society, Taiwan Greenpeace Association, Ecological Conservation Alliance, Life Conservationist Association, Homemakers Union and Foundation, Green Consumers Foundation, Wetlands Taiwan and The Nature Conservation Union. International environmental organizations are not regular participants in domestic environmental protection. Taiwans diplomatic isolation constrains its participation in major international organizations, and international lending institutions such as the World bank and Asian development Bank are not actively involved in its environmental policies. However, occasionally, ENGOs have built close relationships with major international NGOs. In the past, domestic ENGOs exposed cases of trafficking in illegal wildlife and ecological degradation to the international mass media and invited international NGOs to monitor Taiwans mitigation record. McBeath and Leng (2006) outlined the common roles that ENGOS play in Taiwan and these are organizing grassroots demonstrations, promoting public policy making, setting the agenda of public issues, educating the public on environmental issues, monitoring government policies and publicising environmental issues.

India Stand In Terms Of Soft Power Potential Media Essay

India Stand In Terms Of Soft Power Potential Media Essay The proliferation of mass media television, radio, internet and print media with its reach across vast swaths of the globe has made it a strategic imperative for countries today to proactively manage their image and perceptions if they are to become a Soft power. Forming, communicating and managing Indias appealing attributes in an era of 24/7 news becomes increasingly important to how we are perceived by other nations and peoples. A corollary to communicating our attributes is that we need to contemplate and define the attributes that best define us as a nation.  [i]   2. India is fortunate enough to be endowed with a rich Soft Power. The foundation of Indias Soft Power is its pluralism, tolerance, secularism, unparallel cultural heritage of music, dance-drama, yoga, Ayurveda and a tradition of absolute thinking. This tradition of abstract thinking has given an unrivalled edge in the contemporary world. It is this tradition of abstract thinking which has put India in the centre-stage of Information Technology. A long tradition of learning enabled India to master modern Western Science Technology. IITs and IIMs and other Institutes become the primary vehicles of keeping abreast with the western Science and Technology. The appeal of its democratic system and growing economic success make it an exciting counterpart to more authoritarian China and a far more affluent United States. 3. What India can achieve can be guestimated from the following figures:  [ii]   (a) 38% of doctors in America are Indians. (b) 12% of Scientists in USA are Indians. (c) 36% of NASA employees are Indians. (d) 34% of Microsoft employees are Indians. (e) 28% of IBM employees are Indians. (f) 17% of Intel employees are Indian. (g) 13% of Xerox employees are Indians. (h) 23% of Indian Community in the USA is having green Card. (J) In Silicon Valley, one third of the engineers are of Indian descent and 70% of high-tech firms are led by Indian CEOs. 4. This is what Indians can achieve in the most developed country of the developed world USA. So, is India in a position to get due recognition by other nations of the world? Its economy is growing at a stupendous rate of over eight percent. India now is a nuclear power, having the fourth largest military, and supports over 17.5 percent of the worlds population. Its foreign exchange is a whooping 313 billion dollars and growing. Indians dominate the list of top 10 billionaires, with four Indians on the list. Does this prove the grandeur of India? So, now can it have a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, and be allowed to join the elite power group? Can it now be placed above the Third World status, and be known to the world as a developed country? India has not adequately utilized its Soft Power resources at home and through the Indian Diaspora. India should realize where its strengths lie if it wants to resurrect its image. In Shashi Tharoors words, India must de termine where its strengths lie as it seeks to make the twenty-first century its own.  [iii]   5. So where does India stand in terms of Soft power potential? Today, we find ourselves often being referred to as a potential power in spite of nearly half a decade of record economic growth. To be acknowledged as a global power India needs to unlock its vast potential to be a Soft power.   We are uniquely positioned to tap into the characteristics an ancient culture, expanding economy, vibrant democracy, spirituality, diversity, and a widespread Diaspora which provide India with core attributes that are attractive to the World. Examples of success abound, Bollywood today reaches an audience twice as large as that of Hollywood; our Information Technology industry competes globally; Yoga has become mainstream in the west, and even the IITs and IIMs have become synonymous with world class education. Indias philanthropic efforts in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and more recently the aid offered to countries affected by the tsunami underscores our concern for the world around us . For India to truly become a tour de force in the community of nations, it needs to look at its weaknesses and turn them into our biggest opportunity by offering the world a new vision, a vision that would have to be rooted in our own success.  [iv]   Spirituality 6. Topping the list of Indian soft power is its spirituality. Spiritualism is the ultimate thirst-quencher of the human soul; it is the only solace provider, the bliss, the only universal solution to human problems. It is that way of life which leads to completeness. It is this India that has nurtured and allowed spiritualism to thrive and flourish, to see a man or woman becoming a complete human being. India (also called the blessed land of gods) has given birth to major religions of the world-Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Christianity reached India before it reached Rome or Europe. Islam, too, is in full bloom. Indias culture has absorbed all these religions, with its followers living in harmony with one another. This has added to the richness of its culture, and it represents a perfect archetype of unity in diversity.  [v]   7. The values of love, peace and brotherhood are the qualities that Indians are known for, with Gautama Buddha, Mahavir, Ashoka and Mohandas K. Gandhi being prime examples. At present, the Indian diaspora seems to be winning the hearts of the world with their endearing character and peaceful qualities. Sreeram Chaulia, in his article, The Geat Indian Diaspora, mentions that, For the most part, an average American, Canadian or Dutchman does not see Indian immigrants as national security or economic threats, thanks to their humble, flexible and endearing qualities.  [vi]   Cultural Diplomacy 8. India is acutely aware of the importance of soft power and cultural attractivity, and needs to do little to render its culture appealing to the rest of the world. The process is natural, almost organic. This is consistent with Indias long history as both a birthplace of ideas, and of peaceful cultural diffusion. The peaceful propagation of Buddhism is a multi-millennia old bond that India shares with the rest of the Asian continent that acts as a testament to the power of its civilizational pull.  [vii]   9. While India may still have miles to go in its quest to be a global political power, the world is already embracing it as a cultural superpower. From Bollywood films and food to authors like Kiran Desai conquering the Booker Street, brand India has seen transformation of sorts. No wonder, cultural diplomacy has evolved into a significant track II. Brand India is now flexing its muscles as a soft power, which is essentially the international influence a nation acquires when others are drawn to its culture and ideas. While the term may have become clichà ©d, it is being taken seriously by the South Block given the huge potential and gains that it may accrue. Earlier cultural diplomacy was considered peripheral, now the message is clear: Soft Power is important and the idea behind the festival is to project India as a plural multicultural society and to achieve the goals of political diplomacy, says Dr Karan Singh, president, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).  [viii]   10. While cultural diplomacy may not always provide solutions, it can help narrow differences. For instance, troubled relations with a country like Pakistan can be improved by cultural diplomacy, which India is currently engaged in. Besides strategic gains, it will supplement Indias economic relations with countries like China and can boost tourism, where India has fared below its potential. Political Diplomacy 11. Indias ambitions to be treated like a global leader of world governance at this juncture can be realised, as it is being respected as a global emerging economy and the largest democracy in the world. It is being seen as part of the new economic wall of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China), and an emerging southern voice called IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa). Many developing countries in the world are looking towards India to provide them with support (technical, professional, material) in their trajectories of development. This preference is more readily reflected in their deep appreciation of indigenous models and practices of development and progress that India is credited to have evolved so successfully. 12. The challenge before the Indian government, its political leadership and its people today is to practically demonstrate ways in which its soft power could be made accessible to many of these developing countries around the world. Indias soft power is enormous, and official leadership can acknowledge and mobilise it to make India a truly global leader.  [ix]   13. India has also increasingly sought to expand its activities as a donor, both to reposition itself as an emerging power and to use aid as an instrument for engaging with other developing countries.  [x]   Bollywood 14. When it comes to defining Indias more modern soft power Bollywood is often cited, and with reason, as a prime example. The glittering, flamboyant films churned out by Mumbais gargantuan film industry have long been popular in certain regions of the world such as the Middle East ,Central Asia, South East Asia, North Africa, South Africa and throughout South Asia and the United States. 15. Over the past decade, however, Bollywood has been making inroads elsewhere. One of the most popular current viral videos in India shows a man in the depths of Tajikistan passionately humming and singing a Bollywood theme song to his bemused Indian visitors-all in perfectly memorized Hindi. In certain African countries, such as Senegal and Mali, villagers often trek out miles to the closest projection room just to be able to watch one of the latest Bollywood films. Little does it matter that they do not understand the dialogue or that it is set in a distant land; the themes of love, family and marriage they evoke are universal, and the sparkling opulence of the dances, costumes and songs have the gift of enchanting the minds of moviegoers far less jaded than those in the West.  [xi]  Ã‚  Many Asian and South Asian countries increasingly came to find Indian cinema as more suited to their sensibilities than Western cinema. Jigna Desai holds that by the 21st century Indian cinema had managed to become deterritorialized, spreading over to the many parts of the world where Indian diaspora was present in significant numbers, and becoming an alternative to other international cinema. 16. Indian cinema has more recently begun influencing Western musical films, and played a particularly instrumental role in the revival of the genre in the Western world. Baz Luhrmann stated that his successful musical film Moulin Rouge (2001) was directly inspired by Bollywood musicals. Danny Boyles Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008) was also directly inspired by Indian films, and is considered to be homage to Hindi commercial cinema. Films by progressive female Indian directors such as Mira Nair and Deepa Mehta have revealed that Indian films are more than escapist fantasies, and can be simultaneously contemplative and entertaining. 17. India is the worlds largest producer of films. In 2009, India produced a total of 2961 films on celluloid that include a staggering figure of 1288 feature films. The provision of 100% foreign direct investment has made the Indian film market attractive for foreign enterprises such as 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures, and Warner Bros. Tax incentives to multiplexes have aided the multiplex boom in India. By 2003 as many as 30 film production companies had been listed in the National Stock Exchange of India, making the commercial presence of the medium felt. 18. The Indian Diaspora consists of millions of Indians overseas for which films are made available both through mediums such as DVDs and by screening of films in their country of residence wherever commercially feasible. These earnings, accounting for some 12% of the revenue generated by a mainstream film, contribute substantially to the overall revenue of Indian cinema, the net worth of which was found to be US$1.3 billion in 2000. Music in Indian cinema is another substantial revenue generator, with the music rights alone accounting for 4-5% of the net revenues generated by a film in India. 19. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has envisioned a whole new role for Bollywood, noting Indias soft power, especially the film industry, can be put to use as an important instrument of foreign policy. The Indian Prime minister says: The soft power of India in some ways can be a very important instrument of foreign policy. Cultural relations, Indias film industry, Bollywood I find wherever I go in the Middle East, in Africa, people talk about Indian films.  [xii]   TV Programming 20. Bruce Springsteen released a song some time back   57 channels and nothing on! 57 seemed like a good number then and India had 6 channels. Today the Indian TV industry supports more than 600 channels and there are 400 more channels in the offing awaiting governmental clearances. Indian TV studios churn out news in more than 10 languages, with an entertainment library which is now more than 10,00,000 hours of programming. India is global leader by a vast stretch. Europe by comparison is a toddler and the only other comparison with India is USA.  [xiii]   21. When the Indian TV soap opera Kynunki Saas Bhi was dubbed in Dari and aired on Afghanistans Tolo TV it was such an astounding success that it became a national obsession. 90% of television-owning Afghan families would follow the show, sometimes incurring the wrath of mullahs who viewed it as being responsible for the desertion of mosques during evening prayers.  [xiv]   The Worlds Largest Music Industry 22. India releases more music, in more languages, than any other country in the world. We have, of course, the worlds oldest living tradition in music. Compared to Indias music tradition of 3000+ years (at least),  Western Music is about 400-500 years old. Most are aware of modern music but the scene in classical music is still very vibrant. Bhajans from Mirabais, Tulsidas, Surdas of 500 years ago, continue to sell in volumes and are in demand. Thyagarajas and Dikshitaars compositions in Telugu, 300 years old are still mainstream music. Compare this to the Western classical music, itself originating from the Romany Gypsy music.  Western classical music has become a fringe music tradition,  while Indias Bhakti geet is alive and vibrant.  [xv]   University Higher Education. 23. One of the ways in which Indias soft power in education can be significantly enhanced is by becoming a global hub for higher education. The US and the UK realized the importance of this and opened its doors to foreign students in the 20th century. India has some natural advantages to attract students in terms of low annual tuition fees (less than $ 10,000 per year), low cost of living and most of the universities teaching in English capable of handling English speaking students. India can attract many students from emerging economies in Africa and Asia. India has the potential to become a global education hub and also rival Bollywood with education as a soft power. Knowledge Power 24. In this twenty first century, India is regarded as a knowledge-producing machine, with its doctors, engineers, scientists and software professionals being the first preference of the international community. Indian education is high quality. Barack Obama, the U.S. President, in his election campaign had promised Americans that he would improve the level of American education to such high standards so as to enable the American students to compete with the students of India and China. Also, according to R N. Vijay, Martin Luther King once said, When I go to other nations, I go to preach. When I go to India, I go to learn.  [xvi]  These examples show reverence for Indian wisdom. 25. In the US, there are Indians in almost all the good research labs. Indian doctors have made a name for themselves in many parts of the world. Many of the Indian immigrants to the US have been professionals engineers, doctors, scientists, etc. If India is able to contribute more to this growing tribe of educated professionals, it will create yet another category of soft power. Health Diplomacy 26. The Indian healthcare industry is seen to be growing at a rapid pace and is expected to become a US$280 billion industry by 2020. The Indian healthcare market was estimated at US$35 billion in 2007 and is expected to reach over US$70 billion by 2012 and US$145 billion by 2017.  [xvii]   27. India is quickly becoming a hub for medical tourists seeking quality healthcare at an affordable cost. Reduced costs, access to the latest medical technology, growing compliance to international quality standards and ease of communication all work towards Indias advantage. Foreigners in increasing numbers are now coming to India for private health care. They come from the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, for complex paediatric cardiac surgery or liver transplants-procedures that are not done in their home countries. They also come from the United Kingdom, Europe, and North America for quick, efficient, and cheap coronary bypasses or orthopaedic procedures. A shoulder operation in the UK would cost  £10 000 ($17 460; à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬14 560) done privately or entail several months wait under the NHS. In India, the same operation can be done for  £1700 and within 10 days of a first email contact.  [xviii]   28. Traditional Indian rejuvenation methods like yoga, ayurvedic massage find favour with people in western countries and corporate hospitals and wellness centers are cashing on this. Allopathic system of medicine has reached its tether. It is no more in a position to cure the civilizational diseases of the day heart ailments, Cancer, AIDS and diseases related to digestive system. Therefore there is talk of an alternative system of medicine. Ayurveda has all the potential as an alternative system of medicine without any side-effect. 29. Yoga is an ancient practice of keeping the body healthy and non-diseased. Yoga has all the powers to heal all kinds of incurable diseases. With the emergence of Baba Ramdev, Yoga has certainly become popular and pervasive all over the world. But the unfortunate fact remains that Indian State has made the least efforts to popularize it. With the rising longevity of mankind, Yogas relevance would further increase. No amount of food and medicine can keep the body fit and fine in base age of ones life. Yoga is indispensable in late age of ones life to keep the body healthy and non-diseased. Indian Diaspora 30. The biggest instrument of our soft power is the Indian Diaspora. The Indian diaspora can play a major role in spreading the soft power of India through the immense influence that they possess in their residential countries.  [xix]  Mr. Yashwant Sinha, according to C. Raja Mohan, pointed out that, people of Indian origin are extremely important sources of support for the Indian Government in the execution of its policies through the influence and respect they command in the countries in which they live.  [xx]   31. Guyana, Mauritius, Fiji, Tobago, Trinidad, Singapore and many other countries at some point or the other have experienced the leadership of a person of Indian origin. In the developed countries too, they are leaving no stone unturned, and all this just in order to enhance the intangible standing of India. During Presidential elections in the US, the Indian community is targeted by the candidates, which is also a reflection of the clout that this community enjoys.  [xxi]   32. India once again seeks to leverage the tremendous intellectual, financial and communicative resources of its diaspora, estimated to number 25 million, widely scattered across five continents. Through their glittering academic and professional careers overseas, the diaspora opened the eyes of the West to India as a reliable destination for business process outsourcing (BPO) and for the cutting-edge phenomenon- knowledge process outsourcing (KPO). India is the proud recipient of more remittances from its Diaspora than any other country, beating China and Mexico and reigning at $21.7 billion per annum.  [xxii]   Indian Army 33. A well run

Troubled Bruno in The Hostage :: essays research papers

The Hostage A hostage inside himself, and troubled soul that has had very many bad influences in his life. Bruno, a boy, makes many mistakes and has had very many tragic instances like his father dieing, and nothing will, and can go right for him. As the reader will find out is he is very quiet and has a large stature that was feared by many, and has a lot of things that trouble him. Bruno goes though a tough time and bad situations that help influence his actions, feelings, and words, though his life, and holds him hostage within himself. Bruno was very built and had a very large physique, which people found threatening and scary. He looked much older than even one as if he was in junior high. His hair was sleeked back and was very dark and oily with a large neck and shoulders. Even though he had this big overpowering body he let it be known to every one with the cloths he wore. He showed he was tuff, and muscular though those cloths. Bruno also had a scare one his forehead that rumors say he got when a pot of boiling water in a pan hit him. They think he may have pulled it and it fell or his mom dropped it. Through this large stature one might see how he was probably made fun of and harassed.† He spoke English with a strong accent, musical, yet people mocked him and embarrassed him silently†(1201). Written by Joyce Carol Oates the write of the Hostage. This lowered his self a steam that he held in anger and used it to hold himself hostage with in. Other people in Bruno’s class were scared of him and though being scared they respected him. Because he had this kind of scared respect for him he was voted class president and was left alone. People stopped seeing him at school for a while and soon found out that his dad died. He was killed in the mafia, which affected him strongly. When he came back no one said anything and at this time he really need some one to talk too. But no one did because they were scare of him. The only person that came was the narrator was the only person who even came up to him and he did not even let her say it. But she could tell that he really enjoy her even coming up to him to attempt to talk to him.

billy mitchell Essay -- essays papers

billy mitchell PART I The end of the era of Reconstruction in America brought forth the greatest rise in American Power. This era was known as the "Guilded Age." Big business grew all over the country producing a few tycoons such as John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J. Pierpont Morgan. These men had extreme wealth through huge monopolistic enterprises. This was unfortunately at the expense of many immigrants who worked for these men. Women and children worked long hours in sweatshops for horrible wages. Men worked however they could sometimes as miners, construction workers, railroad builders, and factory workers. These immigrants came from southeastern Europe mainly. The country's population skyrocketed with the flow of immigration after the civil war. These immigrants built America, as you know it today. Due to Germany's unrestricted Submarine warfare America had no choice but to enter into World War I. on April 6, 1917 America declared war on Germany. This was to be one of the bloodiest, dirtiest wars ever. They fought in what we call trench warfare. Long trenches went all the way down the enemy and friendly lines. America's soldiers and technology had a big role in the allies' defeat of Germany. The war was ended with the Treaty of Versailles. The United States never joined in the League of Nations, which the allies had formed thus continuing isolationism. The 1920s brought about a time of prosperity for America. 50% of Americans were living in urban areas by this time. The country was going through prohibition, making alcohol illegal. Cultural change brought about many problems in the U.S. Swing dancing and loose skirts were all the rage. Women were becoming more independent. Like all great things in life this age of prosperity sharply came to an end with the Great Depression. The Great Depression started in the fall of 1929 with the New York Stock Exchange crash. With the economy resting in the hands of the tycoons like Rockefeller the depression was inevitable. By 1931, 5 million Americans were unemployed. The great nation, which was just coming to power, seemed like it was going to die out. It might have if a man named Franklin D. Roosevelt hadn't been elected president. Roosevelt began to put in effect a plan he called the New Deal. He took the U.S. off the gold standard to help the crisis. He also passed a serie... ...y time of day. This is a huge plus for the military that Billy Mitchell did not foresee. William "Billy" Mitchell was undoubtedly one of the greatest figures in American military history. He is the father of the U. S. Air Force, the one man who fought for what he knew was needed. He was a true American, unafraid of persecution and ridicule. Billy Mitchell fought his points to the point of his demise. Without this man there might not of been an Airforce. Without this man there might not be an America today. Bibliography: "American Air Superiority," Billy Mitchell's Role in the Air Force. Woodbridge, CT: Primary Source Media, 1999. Rpt. In Student Recourses Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, Dec. 2000. http://264.312.569.115/servlet/SRC 29 Sept. 2001. Bellows, John. "Billy Mitchell." Journal of American Military. 1953. 356-359. Burlingame, Roger. General Billy Mitchell: Champion of Air Defense. New York: McGraw- Hill, 1952. Hurley, Alfred F. Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power. Bloomington, IN.: University Press, 1975. Jordan, Winthrop, Miriam Greenblatt, and John Bowes. The Americas: A History. Evanston, IL: McDougal, Littell and Company, 1991.

Nature is as Man Decrees :: Writing Technology Invention Essays

Nature is as Man Decrees I found this assignment far more difficult than I thought it would be at first glance. While thinking about it on the way home from class, I discarded one idea after another because technology had touched nearly everything I would think of. As Dennis Baron, author of From Pencils to Pixels wrote, once we are used to certain technologies â€Å"we come to think of them as natural rather than techEven thinking about going to a national park, the truth is that just by setting it aside as a "natural" state...makes it in essence, not natural because were it not for the decrees of humanity, it would be over run with fast food stores and gas stations. In fact, sadly, writing is in one sense both creative and destructive to nature. A tree is destroyed for the very paper we write on. The question arose, is there really any such thing as natural in the 21st Century or is that a word that no longer applies in its truest sense. That, of course, led to thoughts on just what is "natural." My insti nctive definition of natural is that it is not influenced or hampered or changed by humanity. So in some regards I think my initial conclusion is correct, that at least here in the Midwestern area of United States, finding something in nature that was not influenced in some way by technology or human interference might prove impossible. So the words that would end up being my project ran round and round in my head on the long ride home, â€Å"Nature is as man decrees, hedged by his technologies.† Later on while still pondering exactly what to do in order to "create" a writing technology, I ended up, most often coming back to..."Well, if I was a Native American in this area and I wished to write something...what would I use?" We tend to have the idea that the people native to the area didn't use technology and thus could offer suggestions on what is natural. Still, that brings to the forefront, what is technology, because in reality the natives did use technology, if a pencil is considered technology, as Dennis Baron in "From Pencils to Pixels" asserts it is. He defines technology as â€Å"a way of engineering materials in order to accomplish an end† (37). So in this regard, sewing, tomahawks, and all the other tools we think of as Native American are technologies even if we don't see them on the same level as a computer.

My walk with the Lord

I realized I needed the Lord as a teenager. Because I grew up in a Christian home, and went to church on a regular basis, I never really experienced that close and personal relationship with the Lord. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I grew close to Christ. My father fought stomach cancer for two years, and the three months he spent at home with our family taught me to rely on God for everything. It was only through prayer and reading Bible passages that I was able to be strong as my father passed away. This was a tumultuous period for me; I was begging God for more time with my father, and praying for Him to ease my father’s pain. Instead of God healing my father, he showed me that Jesus is alive and with us. I was desperate to walk with Jesus Christ, and He helped me to see that He was with my father and my family. I always understood that Jesus is our Savior, yet I didn’t truly believe that He is alive in our heart, until my father’s illness. That was when I felt the promise that He would always listen to my prayers and be with me. The Spirit guided me through my prayers during different times, especially during my junior year in high school. I have faith in eternal life and a strong conviction that I could never obtain through education, but only by experience in Jesus Christ. As a result, I have decided I will do whatever God leads me to do until the day I get to meet my father in heaven. I now truly understand the principles and ideas being taught in my church, and I have begun applying them to my own life. I have learned that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above (James 1:17) and also that if I ask, it shall be given; seek, and I shall find; knock and it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7). These lessons, although filled with a joyful promise, have not always come easy. There have been times I have prayed so much for something, to have it not happen or to not be fulfilled. It has taken many years to understand that The Lord’s path is the right path, and my way is not always what is best for me. Often times, however, I have been able to see God’s plan for me, after the fact, and was thankful that e is in control of my life. Any problems or questions I find in my life, I have learned that I can turn to the scriptures for the answers, like a handbook for life. I also know that the Lord is with me at all times. Like in Psalms 23, probably one of the most well-known verses, I know that The Lord is my Shepard, and I shall not want. And Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. In times of solitude or despair, I have taken comfort from this passage. My walk with The Lord is a constant journey. Each day I learn more and trust in His grace further. Although at times it is hard to trust in the unknown, I have put all of my heart into Him, and I know that He will provide for me. Because I realize this, I hope to help others to also understand and come to know Jesus. He has said, in Luke 16:15-16, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. I want to live my life for Christ. I want others to see His good works through me. I want to continue to grow in His Almighty grace and spirit. I want to help unbelievers experience the incredible rock that I have found to help me through good times and bad, and to know the one I call Jesus.