Ethics in America` essays

Ethics in America` essays In the beginning I felt as though I was taking a class with no meaning. I wondered to my self how will I ever stay awake through this. This is how I recall my first day of class, as we watched a video about Greek civilization. I opened my book titled Western Vision and American Values thinking this may be interesting. As I got into the first chapter Contesting World Traditions I grew confused and disinterested by the complexity of the readings which seemed to be a lot of philosophical jibber jabber but as I opened my mind to the readings I was exposed to a deeper understanding of American History including the birth of the system of government a values that are now the core of America. In chapter one of our text Contesting World traditions we learned of the many views and religious beliefs that have shaped our country. The first reading by Eagle Man a contemporary Native American writer shares his views on nature and humanity and the responsibility we have to nature and mother earth as human beings. Eagle Man expressed that man see views himself as being related to all things. Eagle wrote; Our survival is dependent on the realization that mother earth is a truly holy being that all things in this world are holy and must not be violated, and that we must share and be generous with one another. (Eagle Man 1992 pg 5 Kirkpatrick Signature Series Reader). This chapter touches the issues of environmental traditional and religious values. Chapter two focused on the rationalization of these traditions. Week three focused on the Western Vision its influences on America including Greece and Britain. A reading that sticks in my head is the Character of Citizens written by Aristotle in c. 350 B.C. in which Aristotle expresses the type of citizen a functional society must be comprised of, this my understanding of Aristotles writing. In reading Aristotles dissertation The Character of ci...

Volcanos Essays - Volcanology, Volcano, Types Of Volcanic Eruptions

Volcanos Essays - Volcanology, Volcano, Types Of Volcanic Eruptions Volcanos Volcanos occur all over the world.The best know volcano zones occur on the destructive plate margin around the Pacific Ring of Fire.This chain of volcanos that lie along the west coast of central and south America,Japan and the Philippines,across New Zealand and into the Atlantic.Volcanos also occur in mid-ocean along the line of ocean ridges.The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an example of ocean floor volcanos.When these volcanos erupt lava flows from the cracks building up the ocean floor.Volcanos can also occur away from plate boundaries.These are the Hawaiian Volcanos.As you can see there are lots of places were volcanos occur.Sometimes these volcanos are where humans have settled.To help protect our belongings and save human lives we have developed ways to predict when volcanos are about to erupt.Here are some. Predictions Two main methods are used to predict when volcanos are about to erupt.These methods are called geophysical techniques,and chemical techniques. The geophysical method can detect any changes in the rock below.As the magma rises it forces the rocks apart,Which can create minor earthquakes on and or around the mountain.These can be detected on a seismographs.A seismograph picks up the seismic waves the earthquake gives off and records them.A seismograph works by a pen and a weight suspended on a spring.As the earth shakes the pen writes the waves,called a seismogram,on a revolving drum.A comparison can be used.They take two or more seismographs readings to pin point exactly where the magma is trying to surface.This technique is successful in Hawaii where they are a lot of volcanos.The place and the time of eruptions have been forecast accurately.Before a volcano is about to explode the ground around it swells with magma.This causes the ground to start to tilt.The tilt can be measured by an instrument called a tiltmeter.Two containers are half filled with water.And a tube connects the two.As magma rises and changes the a! ngle of the earth.Water goes into the lower container.Scientist can tell if the volcano is getting more active.When magma moves its gravity changes.This change in gravity can be detected by using gravimeters.When rock is heated to a certain temperature.It looses its magnetism.And this can be detected with a magnetometer.When magma rises to the surface it gives off heat.This heat can be detected with a intfa-red temperature surveys.Sometimes chemical methods are used.They measure the volcanic gases at hit springs and at fumaroles which are openings in the ground were gases escape from.Just before a volcano is about to erupt there is an increase in certain gases.These gases are chlorine compounds,sulphor oxides,carbon dioxide,hydrogen, and radon. Damages When a volcano erupts huge amounts of lava are spewed out of the volcano.These huge flows of lava can wipe out towns.This type of volcanic eruption is called Hawaiian.These volcanos put on fire shows .They are rarely violent or explosive ,because the lava is fluid enough to let the gases escape easily.The lava flows out of boccas.These volcanos are not really dangerous.But they can cause alot of damage if people or buildings get in its way.A strombolian eruptions are more violent producing a lot thicker lava.Because the lava is thicker the gas can not escape easily from it making the lava hostile.The plinain eruptions ar the most dangerous .They hurl huge amounts of pumice as high as fifty kilometers into the atmosphere.Then is ash falls over wide areas.Then this is followed by pyoclastic flows,where hot gases and ash pour out of the vent.These flows rush across the landscape ,burning and burying anything in its path.This is the eruption that happened to Mount St. Helen in th! e U.S.A. Wisps of steam were coming out of the vents on the side of the mountain.During a period of several weeks a three hundred foot high wedge shaped bulge developed on the south side of the mountain as a result of rock and ice being pushed up.There were gaping cracks in the glaciers.They were gray with a dusting in volcanic ash.Weeks later the bulge blew sending ash and mud slides down the mountain wiping any thing that got in its way.The eruption cause a lot of damage.It created the worlds biggest clear cut.Two hundred and thirty square miles of trees lay in a tangled mess after the eruption.But people were trying to save as much

Intimate Partner Violence Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Intimate Partner Violence - Term Paper Example Sociologists argue that social conditions develop into social problems through a process referred to as social constructionism as stated by Loseke (2003). Societal reactions are important from this approach and they emerge from the media, religious groups, social organizations just to name but a few. These reactions play a key role in transforming public awareness. Social conditions turn into social problems when the concerned parties are actively involved in raising awareness in the society. This outlook on social problems is significant as it gives a theoretical framework to assist in understanding the discovery, definition and the degree of IPV in the UK and around the globe (Barnet, Miller- Perrin and Perrin, 2005). It also helps to explain the cross-cultural variation in reference to domestic violence and how the debate how evolved over the years. There are important terms that are discussed in relation to this approach. These are claims, claims-making, claims-makers and claims- competitions. The term claim making refers to the actions of individuals or activities of groups making statements and claims or complaints regarding some acknowledged condition (Barnet, Miller- Perrin and Perrin, 2005). In general, this process starts when members of the concerned groups who are in other words known as claim makers express their grievances and consider something as being unacceptable (Barnet, Miller- Perrin and Perrin, 2005). Claims are mainly one sided issues that the claim makers contend against such as drug abuse and domestic violence (Barnet, Miller- Perrin and Perrin, 2005). They comparatively involve unbalanced power on the... This paper stresses that relationships between partners were not widely discussed and cases of violence were not reported. The society was highly patriarchal and the decisions were made by men however, things have changed. Domestic violence was recognized with the feminism wave whereby women stood up and fought for their rights and against all forms of violence. Domestic violence related deaths have been on the rise and its effects more devastating hence the claim- makers were able to create awareness and appeal to their audience. This led to the transformation of domestic violence as a social problem. This report makes a conclusion that the claims about the IPV emerged after the feminism wave as women had learnt about their rights. They were more aggressive in demanding equal treatment with their male counterparts. The claims of the claims-makers resonate with broader cultural worries at the time. The claims-makers succeed in capturing the attention of audiences and in persuading them to accept their claims, while the majority of conditions that could be called social problems remain marginalized and unexamined. This is owing to the changing attitudes in society and the effect of globalization that results to emergence of contemporary values that are against domestic violence. IPV is here to stay and more efforts need to be made by the claim makers to control its levels globally. There have been positive changes made by society to eradicate IPV and the future is not easy for the claim- maker if at all the fight against it is to be won.

Modern Museums Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Modern Museums - Essay Example A museum collects, cares for, and researches the objects it displays. It also keeps a study collection of un-displayed objects. These objects are sometimes called artifacts and are often studied by students and researchers. These Museums preserve and exhibit paintings, sculpture, and other works of art. The collections of some art museums include work from many periods. Famous museums of this type include the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Some museums specialize in artworks of one period. For example, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City displays works created since the late 1800's. Other museums exhibit only one type of art. The Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for example, specializes in folk art from around the world. They illustrate the life and events of the past. Their collections include documents, furniture, tools, and other materials. Many cities and states have historical societies that operate history museums. Most of these museums have exhibits on local history.4 Other types of history museums include living history museums. Museums of this type include living history farms, historic houses, and historic villages. These museums show how people lived or worked during a certain period. On living history farms, workers demonstrate how crops were planted and harvested in earlier times. Historic houses, such as Mount Vernon, George Washington's home near Alexandria, Virginia, have been restored to their original condition and are open to the public. Williamsburg, a historic village in Virginia, has restored and reconstructed buildings that date from the 1700's. In this village, costumed interpreters demonstrate how early colonists performed such tasks as cooking, making shoes, and printing newspapers.5 Science MuseumsSuch museums have exhibits on the natural sciences and technology. Museums of natural history exhibit displays of animals, fossils, plants, rocks, and other objects and organisms found in nature. Most of them, including the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., have exhibits on ecology and the evolution of human beings. Many museums of natural history have special exhibits on dinosaurs and other topics.6 History and Origin of Museums Early Stage of Museums The modern public art museum owes its origins to the systematic ordering of objects that resulted from Enlightenment efforts to classify and make accessible various branches of human knowledge. The art museum's foundation, however, reflects a more fundamental attitude in Western culture, the tendency of separating certain artifacts from others to give those artifacts special reverence, especially for their aesthetic value.7 The Greek word mouseion was originally applied to a sanctuary dedicated to the muses of Greek mythology. While it soon became known

Tourism and Indigenous People Essay Example for Free

Tourism and Indigenous People Essay 1. 0 AN INTRODUCTION According to the United Nations definition of indigenous people, they are â€Å"descendants of those who inhabited a country or a geographical region at the time when people of different cultures or ethnic origins arrived† (United Nations, 2011a). It is estimated that there are about 370 million indigenous people around the globe in over 70 different countries. They keep their own political, social, economic and cultural qualities and also their unique traditions which separate them from other major societies in which they live (United Nations, 2011a). Nowadays, when tourists interact with indigenous cultures it is seen to be restricted to a master/servant encounter and sometimes is seen as an unoriginal representation of these people? s long-established and cultural lifestyles (Hinch Butler, 1996). Hinch Butler (1996) go on to say that â€Å"factors within the external environment may have particularly strong influences upon the outcome of indigenous tourism†. These influences which they mentioned included the economy, culture, physical environment, socialdemographics and politics (Hinch Butler, 1996, page 12). The economic considerations to take into account are very important for tourism – the development of the economy through the tourism industry has actually been implemented as an approach to promoting economic independence for indigenous people (Hinch Butler, 1996). It is known that for over the past two decades tourism impacts have been defined under three main headings – economic, environmental and socio-cultural. Within the context of tourism, this report will deal with indigenous people through issues they come to deal with during their everyday lives. From positive impacts which can come in the form of monetary benefits for them through tourism activities and an increased sense of pride for their culture, to more pressing issues, which include exploitation of their traditional knowledge and detrimental effects on their homelands by tourism. Most importantly and of utmost significance in our world today is the manipulation of indigenous people? Rights as inhabitants and I felt a strong need to discuss particular topics which are very relevant today in society and which pose great problems for the future of indigenous people. I separated the topics under 3 classic terms – economic, environmental and socio-cultural. Firstly, I will talk about tourisms economic impact on indigenous people, where I based my research on three short case study examples of tourism and indigenous communities from Mexico, Southern Belize and Namibia. 1 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 2. 0 ECONOMIC ISSUES â€Å"In many developing, or so-called third world countries, the tourism industry has become an economic activity – one that impinges upon social, economic, cultural and environmental structures† (Amador-Greathouse, 2005, p709). The tourism industry, in some form or another, brings about both positive and negative economic impacts for a multitude of people. Particularly in rural areas, the diversification which is created by tourism helps communities that are perhaps dependent on only one industry and in turn, they can create additional income through working in tourism (Kreag, 2001). 2. 1 Importance of the Economy for Indigenous People The main strength that impels the tourism industry is income and literally all of the written matter which deals with these economic impacts looks at foreign income and also the generation of jobs (Bauer, 2008). An example by Hundt, A. (1996) in Jamaica showed that tourism development in the area actually did reap some rewards in the form of increased wealth and an improvement in the position of people? s health, but it also recognized that the money which was generated from tourism was not utilised in the appropriate way and did not improve the health of the people who needed it more than others. On the other hand, Manley (1974) says, when speaking of tourism in Jamaica, that: â€Å"Jamaica cannot afford to go without tourism. No industry grows as quickly in today’s world, nor is as capable of rapid local expansion† (page 101). He went on to say that tourism is one of the most â€Å"labour intensive industries† left to the modern world and that it has a very agreeable multiplier effect when planned successfully (Manley, 1974). According to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody: National Report (1991) the potential for tourism development is strong in certain parts of Australia. In rural areas it is one of a few growth sections for the economy. However, tourism also brings its quandaries regarding indigenous people, in this case, of aboriginal descent. There are two sides to the coin as at one side we have one of the very few ways that aboriginal people have in taking positive action in creating income for themselves through tourism, but tourism can also bring unwanted invasion of people?s community spirit and lifestyle and bringing with that little benefit to the people (Commonwealth of Australia, 1991). 2 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 Altman Finlayson (2003) examined how employment as a form of economic income in the tourism industry (and tourism-related industries) needs people with good communicational attributes and people who can read and write, as well as embracing different cultures. This idea can be discouraging for some people of indigenous ethnic groups. They went on to say how these issues aforementioned result in a boundary being set around employment opportunity for (in this case) Aboriginal employees and can restrict their involvement within the other service industries to un-skilled or semi-skilled work (Altman Finlayson, 2003). Also mentioned was the fact that â€Å"they (aborigines) prefer indirect economic participation† and â€Å"participation in hospitality and other tourism-related services also demands direct and intensive social interaction with tourists which many aboriginal people are unwilling or unable to undertake† (Altman Finlayson, 2003, p79). 2. 2 Cuetzalan, Mexico: a positive outcome In the case of Cuetzalan, a county in Mexico and country full of various indigenous ethnic groups, tourism has had a positive economic impact – by generating a fresh and busy economic place it has brought forth a totally new understanding in people and has shown the way for a transformation in the likes of shared relations between different societies native to the area (Amador-Greathouse, 2005, pp709-10). One of the top reasons why tourists go to Mexico is to gain insight into the so-called undamaged and unspoiled way of life that Mexicans have in their native setting. The tourists almost expect the indigenous people to put on a show for them in their own style of living. This is what the natives believe the tourist wants to experience in this way and the tourist then seeks out a new awareness of what this indigenous way of life really is (AmadorGreathouse, 2005, pp709-10). 3 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 2. 3 Tourism in a Mayan Village, Southern Belize: Do it at Local Level One case study which sheds lights on the economic impact of tourism is the â€Å"Maya Village Indigenous Experience† in 1990. This programme was a way in which the local Mayan villagers in Southern Belize could take part in a plan which would see them benefit economically from tourism to their area by doing it all at local level, but without compromising their way of life and culture (Steinberg, 1994). In the past the Mayan people had been seen as only useful for strenuous labour and agricultural work, without any economic hopes for them. Their view on tourism was that it would benefit them by concentrating on natural assets that they held. The aim was to invite tourists to stay in the local people? s homes, with a fee and with the profits shared fairly between all (Steinberg, 1994). The main outcome was that now the Mayans believe that tourism was an intricate part in the wheel of economic development for their country and has given them hope that the economic benefits from tourism can help in moving their line of work solely from income through agriculture to other forms of income. Of course, there are negative impacts to be seen also. The idea that tourism would bring immediate money to the people was quickly shattered; the native craftspeople left their jobs because craftwork was not being sold to tourists (due to small numbers arriving) and arguments started between members of different neighbouring villages as they all vied to be in the lead as regards the creation of new plans for tourism development (Steinberg, 1994). These impacts were perhaps inevitable, but the Mayans had a strong community spirit in the start-up phase and this did benefit them. Next we move on to Caprivi in Namibia, where both positive and negatives impacts were experienced. 4 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 2. 4 Caprivi, Namibia: Complement vs. Conflict Another economic impact of tourism is seen in the livelihoods of rural people around the world. It is a matter of sustaining their livelihoods through proper management of tourism in their area. One such case study details positive and negative economic impacts on a Namibian Community (Ashley, 2000). Tourism in the native community of Caprivi is seen as a rural activity, one which is seen as an addition and not as a substitute. A key theme in the study showed that not only did tourism complement other activities, but it also conflicted with them. It strengthened individual household production and increased skills. Sometimes if people get jobs in tourism, they believe it will increase their income over a short space of time, but in fact this is not the reality of it and this is also to the detriment of their traditional way of life. In Caprivi, Namibia, the natives believe that tourism is much easier to link in with their current livelihoods, e. g. agriculture, craft-making, etc These particular tourism jobs are nearer to home, essentially meaning, that if they are farmers working on the land, they can remain farmers working on the land, as well as being involved in tourism (Ashley, 2000). As we have seen the complementative side of tourism for the Caprivians, we will now look to the other side. The conflicting side of these economic tourism impacts come in several ways. 1. Staple activities for income generation are through livestock husbandry and crop production. Tourists have now had the blame put on them for disturbing the wildlife, especially elephants and lions, which in turn, damage water points and kill livestock when the animals aggressively move closer to farms. 2. Grazing lands are lost for farmers whose main income is through livestock-keeping. All of the natural resources are reduced as so much land is set aside for wildlife and for the benefit of tourists. Poorer people dependent on harvesting a variety of natural resources, such as plant medicines, food, weaving materials and items made for selling find that they have little access to these resources, therefore, directly affecting their income (Ashley and LaFranchi, 1997). 3. Time-conflicting: Agriculture and the income generated from this have been affected as community leaders or people who want to set up a tourism enterprise spend a great deal of time working on this. For example, community leaders in Caprivi would need to spend on 5 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 average about 360-720 days between themselves, park authorities and the public sector to establish a lodge in Mudumo National Park (Ashley and LaFranchi, 1997). What we see from the case studies above, and from the general outcome of economic activity from tourism in these areas, there have been both positives and negatives. Perhaps, for the most part, they might always remain hand in hand to some extent, but hopefully in the future with better resources and tourism management in indigenous cultures, we will see a steady distance made between the two. From the economic section we will now move on to issues of environmental importance for indigenous people. 6 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 3. 0 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES According to Ceballos-Lascurain (1996) the term „environment? refers to all the â€Å"conditions, circumstances and influences surrounding, and affecting the development of an organism or group of organisms†. He speaks of ecotourism, coining it as â€Å"environmentally-responsible travel to relatively un-disturbed natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature that promotes conservation, has low visitor impact and provides for beneficially active socioeconomic involvement of local populations† (Ceballos-Lascurain, 1996). Tourists may class themselves as „ecotourists? , but this term does not represent who they are. A lot of the time, thinking we are „doing good? for the environment, actual amounts to us being the producers of negative impacts for native people and the ecosystem. This arises due to the problem of littering, the locals producing vast amounts of their resources, i. e. firewood for the creation of log cabins, as well as the de-population of some species of animal native to a particular area due to the visitor? s impacts (Ceballos-Lascurain, 1996). 3. 1 Ecotourism and Indigenous Lands Indigenous people, for some time now, have been present in the context of „ecotourism? and its marketing campaigns. Even still, the native people have stayed ignorant to the real fact of what it? s all about. This is happening without them understanding the full extent of what they are dealing with. Indigenous people are taking their own initiative on the matter and are contesting against the so-called industry „experts? to make their own views and opinions heard on ecotourism (Johnston, 2006, pp. 3-4). At the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues which took place on the 15th May, 2003, many issues were brought to the fore– among the issues were tourism and the severity of damage it had done to the land of indigenous people (United Nations, 2003b). Ayitegau Kouevi, a member of the forum and also an indigenous expert stated that: â€Å"all indigenous people shared a social and ecological relationship with their land† (United Nations, 2003b). People worried regarding the way in which the land was used and the controlling of their resources (United Nations, 2003b). Tourism helps families in indigenous communities is true to some extent, but when it takes these people away from their traditional working of the land for food and crops to work in tourism jobs, then the outcomes become significant. Tourism increases the amount that these people will have to hand over to buy staple foods. A cycle of these people being held in the poverty trap is seen, even when/if they decide to work in tourism (Johnston, 2006, page 8). 7 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 3. 2 Ifugao Rice Terraces, Philippines: Under Threat A publication by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) (2008a) was completed on a specific example of one such indigenous community bearing the brunt of these environmental impacts. The Ifugao are an indigenous people who hail from the Cordillera Mountains in Northern Luzon, Philippines. Through their own way of life, they have been able to preserve and carry on their own traditions which are alive within their rituals, land and native craftworks. They are a people who have depended solely upon themselves to maintain their cultural heritage (Bulilan, 2007). As with other cases on environmental impacts of tourism, much the same is seen to be happening to the native people and their land. As tourism became more pronounced in this area of the Philippines in the early 1920? s, tourism development started to take place. From then until now, a lot of this development has severely impacted on the local land. This area of Ifugao is well-known for its beautiful undulating rice terraces, for which it has become a world heritage site (UNESCO, 2008a). Even still, the dire planning of infrastructure in the area (due to the lack of or non-zoning policies) has led to many problems. Water resources are not up to liveable standards and the land is left with little strength as it is drained of all its natural reserves for infrastructure. A direct result of this is that staple diet foods, i. e. the sustainable rice crop is destroyed and this directly impacts upon the people of the area and their natural food source. Rivers which held innumerable amounts of fish are now used as dumping grounds and the clean air is filled with harmful gases from transport vehicles which frequent the area (UNESCO, 2008a). The first tourist destination to arise in Ifugao was in Banaue (UNESCO, 2008a). With this development, tourism was said to have been the core cause of the deprivation that the environment was experiencing. More problems came in the form of water supply to the rice fields being exhausted as the influx of tourism increased the want for locally carved souvenirs made from wood. In turn, this has increased the level of deforestation in Banaue, as well as in other towns. In what should have been an attractive and aesthetically inviting area, Banaue now has a stark contrast between garish concrete buildings and the native Ifugao homesteads (UNESCO, 2008a). 8 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 3. 3 Sanitation Systems, Littering and Waste Disposal Another extremely important, but still very prominent environmental impact of tourism which can affect local communities is the area of sanitation systems, littering and waste disposal. According to Ceballos-Lascurain (1996) waste can affect soil, vegetation, cultivation and even our air which we breathe. There is no „safe? way of disposing of waste, but the only thing to inevitably stop it is to prevent its production in the first place. Of course, this would prove an immediate problem. In some national parks around the world visitors are given small plastic litter bags to dispose of waste in, but even still, a fundamental mistake was made in the bags being made of plastic, when they should be made of paper. Human waste and littering is leading to the contamination of local people? s water systems, which in itself brings a whole host of health problems. In many areas of the world, indigenous people still fight for their right to the land they were raised upon. They want to be recognised as the owners of the land, the people who cultivate, nurture and maintain it. There needs to be more community involvement with local and indigenous people and the development of tourism. If the locals are recognised as having a part to play in protecting their land and having it „used?in the right way, without it being exploited by tourism development, then perhaps a happier, more sustainable ending might be seen. 9 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 3. 4 Nepal: Tourism Effects on the Environment and the Indigenous Sherpa Environment: Nepal is a well-known tourist destination these days. Many people go there for the purpose of trekking and hiking for days with the help of Sherpa? s, an ethnic group of devout Buddhists living in north-eastern Nepal (Reid, 2003, p54). Due to the large number of tourists who visit this area every year, tourism has taken its toll on the environment. Pollution is visible on most routes, working on its own or as a combination with other underlying issues, such as: lack of hygiene, lack of proper sanitation systems (for locals, guides and Sherpa porters) and the lack of awareness people actually have about the environment (Pandey et al, 1995). Deforestation and pollution issues are still major causes for the environments deprivation, especially in the mountainous areas, but tourism has still become an opportunity for people here to make a decent living (Pandey et al, 1995). Indigenous Sherpas: Out of the 30 or so indigenous groups in Nepal, Sherpas are the most well-known. In fact, Sherpas have a role within the tourism industry rivalled by few indigenous people around the world (Reid, 2003, p54). While less can be said for the environmental impacts of tourism, the tourism industry has been, as a whole, decent enough to the Sherpa people regarding income, better lifestyles and opportunities. When most Sherpa families relied on herding their yaks and harvesting their potatoes, they turned away from the advances of modernization, but now the Sherpa? s are tied to tourism and its development through a very strong hold (Reid, 2003, p55). Ang Rita Sherpa, a graduate of the Khumjung school who now leads the Edmund Hillary foundation in Kathmandu defined three advancements in history which helped the lives of the Sherpa to become what it is today the incoming British tourists of the 19th century brought with them potato plants which was recognised as a new staple crop, the introduction of iodine in the 20th century meant that public health was improved considerably and finally, the westerners who came and saw the mountains and longed to climb them paved the way for the foundation of a tourism economy. This economy has given more stability than the Sherpa? s agricultural or trading activities ever gave (Reid, 2003, p57). The Sherpas are still a strong people, rooted in their history and culture. Through tourism, some of their culture has given way to modernisation and their land has been negatively impacted upon by tourism, but for the most part, they remain true to their way of life. So much so, that the whole idea of building roads through these tourist mountain passes seems 10 6/12/2011. BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 senseless and environmentally wrong to them. They believe having no roads is an â€Å"essential element of the Sherpa condition†. The rimpoche, an important Buddhist lama who lives on Mt. Tempoche in Nepal, said that â€Å"there will never be a road – not in my life-time, not in our children’s lifetime. We are Sherpas. We walk† (Reid, 2003, p71). As we can see, the Sherpas of Nepal are advancing slowly with tourism, but still have a grasp on their traditional ways. Tourism has most definitely brought new opportunities to them so far, but it is the way in which they manage the incoming tourists to their destination which will help in protecting their indigenous culture. 3. 5 Traditional Knowledge: Medicinal Plant Misuse through Bio-Piracy Bio-piracy, according to the ETC Group (Action Group on Erosion, Technological and Conservation, 2005) is â€Å"the appropriation of the knowledge and genetic resources of farming and indigenous communities by individuals or institutions who seek exclusive monopoly control (patents or intellectual property) over these resources and knowledge†. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC, 2004) â€Å"the market for herbal remedies in North America and Europe has risen by 10% every year for the past decade, research indicates. It is now thought to be worth at least ? 11bn†. There is no doubt that this trade is so huge because companies want to market these remedies in a consumer marketplace. They are not taking into consideration the environmental effects it has on the land and the effect it has on the local people. According to Malani (2003) the importance of traditional knowledge to indigenous people is enormous. Local people around the world rely on this knowledge, handed down for generations, to advance through their daily lives and through their healing in times of sickness. Worryingly, due to the increase of value in this traditional knowledge, many organisations have essentially thrown themselves on the bandwagon to profit from this knowledge (Malani, 2003). The awful truth is that whereas indigenous people see these medicinal plants as having an important therapeutic value, the only „value? companies? associate with using this sacred knowledge is commercial-based (Malani, 2003). Some communities are still somewhat oblivious to bio-piracy. In a remote village in Kenya, the Maasai have introduced an interactive exhibit of plants which shows tourists what particular plants/shrubs they use for curing illnesses and how they use them. The plants are 11 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 labelled by name and are each presented on a coloured stone tablet (Johnston, 2006, p103). Visitors are not allowed pick the shrubs, but are shown their uses which might satisfy them enough and deter them from taking a sprig of one home with them. A different approach was taken by the Nlaka? pamux people of Canada who have set in stone their own rules and regulations when it comes to disclosure of their traditional knowledge. They have created their own line of herbal soaps for tourists under the name „Siska Traditions?. These soaps come with an information pamphlet with describes the basic medicinal properties which they hold, and nothing more. A simple introduction is all that is needed to ensure, for now, protection of their indigenous knowledge (Johnston, 2006, p103). The practice of bio-piracy is still widespread around the globe and is drying out the land of its natural herbal remedies. The utilization of indigenous people? s knowledge of medicinal plants and the exploitation of their lands for this purpose is still a major issue. 12 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 4. 0 SOCIO-CULTURAL ISSUES Sofield (1991) (cited in Ramchander, 2004, p4) described socio-cultural impacts of tourism as â€Å"the sum total of all the social and cultural influences that come to bear upon the host society as a result of tourism contact†. Many studies have been done which deal with the local people? s feelings and attitudes towards tourism and impacts of tourism to their area. According to Swarbrooke (1999) the socio-cultural impacts of tourism are sometimes invisible and intangible and the most worrying as aspect of these impacts are that they are largely irreversible when they have been done. Normally, the effects of these impacts lie on the host community. The answer lies in the relationships which the tourist and the host community create with one another (Swarbrooke, 1999). Increasingly in the last number of years, tourists have been travelling to destinations with have an inclination towards travel for a varied product offering – they now travel for historical, archaeological and traditional purposes, as well as for the atmosphere they get from being in a particular place (Besculides et al, 2002). Cultural tourism, in general, sees a want in the tourist to establish communication with the host culture and with their environment. Tourists now have a curiosity to understand the native? s behaviours, traditions and cultural identity (Besculides et al, 2002). Kreag (2001) identified several positive and negative socio-cultural impacts of tourism which can have profound effects on indigenous people. They ranged from improving the quality of life of the host community and promoting cultural exchange, to drinking, alcoholism and gambling, displacement of residents and an unwanted lifestyle change. As we can see, impacts of tourism to a community can either be an asset to that community or can be to their detriment. Relevant and ongoing socio-cultural issues will now be discussed further. 13 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 4. 1 Aiming to Please and Relative Deprivation Acculturation: Sometimes host communities want to please the tourist and sometimes they can adopt tourist behaviour. This is known as acculturation. According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM, 2004) acculturation can be defined as â€Å"the progressive adoption of elements of a foreign culture (ideas, words, values, norms, behaviour, institutions) by persons, groups or classes of a given culture and this partial or total adaptation is caused by contacts and interactions between different cultures through migration and trade relations†. This can be detrimental to the host community – they slowly lose their own way of life by being influenced by the tourist. Relative Deprivation: It seems that the impact tourists have on a particular area may actually affect the native people? s feelings about themselves and this, in turn, can cause bitterness toward the visiting influx of tourists to their homeland. (Runciman, 1966), cited in (Walker and Smith, 2002) explained that relative deprivation deals with the idea of people comparing their own lives with that of the other individuals or other social groups. Depending on what type of person they compare themselves with; this will determine the level of resentment which they will inevitably feel. An interaction which takes place between both cultures (tourist and host) can provide new opportunities, but could also suppress independence, as well as forcing a community to adopt a different ethical behaviour, one which they are not used to. This could come in a positive way, e. g. improved understanding between males and females (as many countries think differently about this aspect of social life) or by an increased use of drugs, perhaps (Kreag, 2001). This can create a whole host of other problems, such as an increase in violence in the area. 14 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 4. 2 Traditional Ceremonies and the Tourist Gaze Traditional ceremonies native to specific tribes or groups of indigenous people may be rejuvenated by incoming tourist interests in culture, but these traditional ceremonies may also be lost (Kreag, 2001). Many see culture as a product or service when they travel. It? s as if it? s part of the whole experience and they demand to have it. According to Johnston (2006), whether a tour which tourists partake in whilst on holidays is nature-oriented or ethnicallyoriented, the local indigenous culture will be included in this whole „package? , a lot of the time without the native? s say-so or contribution. This is an unacceptable use of people? s culture for marketing tourism and is one of the negative impacts on indigenous people – it is an ethical issue which has been brought up by indigenous people constantly. The Toraja people of Sulawesi, Indonesia, took the idea of a traditional ceremony shown to the outside world to the extreme, one might say. Following the death of a high-status Toraja figure in December, 1991, a camera crew came, with consent from this man? s family, to film the funeral ceremony in full. The idea behind it was to capture an â€Å"exotic† Toraja funeral, complete with animal sacrifices and rituals being performed in front of the camera lens (Yamashita, 1994). The son of the deceased, a wealthy businessman who had made it big in his early life in the city of Ujung Padang, paid $10,000 as a „co-operation fee? to the production company. We are still taking into account here that even though Sampe (son of the deceased) was well-off, the majority of the Toraja are peasants. Two things were happening in this situation – 1. Sampe, the deceased? s son, was conscious that showcasing his father? s funeral would promote Toraja for tourism purposes. The Indonesian government was also getting on the bandwagon and had endorsed this behaviour by influencing ethnic culture so that it could then market the area to tourists from elsewhere. The second was that the tourists could photograph and record the ceremony, under the spell of the „tourist gaze?. The „tourist gaze? , described by John Urry, is when â€Å"Places are chosen to be gazed upon because there is anticipation, especially through daydreaming and fantasy, of intense pleasures, either on a different scale or involving different senses from those customarily encountered† (Urry, 2002, p3). Other re-enforcers of this „tourist gaze? are seen through watching T. V. , reading magazines, etc The local tradition of the Toraja became removed from the culture of these people and was turned into a commodity for the tourist to consume (Yamashita, 1994). The Toraja of Sulawesi was one such case study whereby not only the tourists were taking full advantage of 15 6/12/2011 BA (Hons) Tourism Marketing Year 3 a traditional ceremony, but the local people too, to some extent, for the beneficial outcome it would give them regarding tourism to the area. Needless to say, these cultural impacts are having a profound effect on indigenous people worldwide and some have come to reject tourism altogether. The American Indian Movement (1984) stated its warning many times – â€Å"We condemn those who seek to profit from Indian Spirituality

Technological Advances vs. Human Values in Slaughterhouse-Five and Waiting for Godot :: comparison compare contrast essays

Technological Advances vs. Human Values Technological advances occur all around, whizzing by, while human values change little and at a much slower pace. Commercially bottled water stands as just one of a sundry of items that human technology has conjured up over the years. It seems as though the average person can not go through a day without seeing a symbol of this phenomenon, whether it is a vending machine, an empty container lying in the gutter, or a person clutching a plastic bottle in their hand. Also an ever-present technological advance is the cellular phone, "can you here me now?" It is almost a guarantee that during the course of a class period, a ringtone or the buzzing of the vibrating mode will shake the air. Human nature exists right along side its technology. Kurt Vonnegut and Samuel Beckett use their writings to illustrate what needs to be a part of human existence besides human values and technology. For all of the newfangled contributions to the modernization of human civilization, the values that humans live by have not progressed quite as swiftly. Technological advances occur all around, whizzing by, wh ile human values change little and at a much slower pace. Billy Pilgrim, Kurt Vonnegut's main Slaughterhouse-Five character, rode through life on one of those moving sidewalk, conveyer belt contraptions. He did not make any special efforts to enhance his situation. If one were to cut and paste the novel so that the story of Billy Pilgrim's life went in chronological order, it would become apparent that he merely lived his life. The world still moved around him, war, fire-bombing, the progression of the television set, but Billy took a passive role in his own existence. Billy Pilgrim stays the same humdrum being his entire life. Vonnegut used the repetition of Billy's life and phrases such as "Somewhere a big dig barked" to exhibit how some things just do not change (168). He points out that the people in the novel "are so sick and so much the listless playthings of enormous forces" (164). Billy knows that he is going to die anyway, regardless of what he does or does not do, and he plainly wants to remain unscathed during his jour ney. Vonnegut used this publication as a vehicle to show that it is not enough to live a life to its end, the approach that Billy employed.

“Tuesdays with Morrie” Novel Analysis

Tuesdays with Morrie Novel Analysis Morrie is about in his late seventies. â€Å"He has thinning silver hair that spills onto his forehead†¦and tufts of graying eyebrows. † (pg. 3) He lived in the late 1970s. â€Å"It is the late spring of 1979†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 3) Morrie is a sociology professor at Brandeis University. â€Å"†¦the senior class of Brandeis University†¦my favorite professor†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 3) Morrie has a wife named Charlotte, and two sons named rob and Jon. â€Å"Morrie with his wife Charlotte; Morrie with his two sons rob†¦ and Jon. † (pg. 91)Mitch is about fifty one years old and lived in the 1990s. He is a sports journalist. â€Å"I earned a master’s degree in journalism and took the first job offered, as a sports writer. ’ (pg. 16) He has an older sister and a younger brother. â€Å"You have an older sister too right? † (pg. 94), â€Å"I do indeed have a younger brother†¦two-years-younger brother . † (pg. 95) Morrie’s fortune changed when he was diagnosed with ALS. â€Å"Morrie had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 7). ALS caused Morrie to â€Å"have trouble walking† (pg. ), and it caused him not to do a lot of other things like use the bathroom by himself. â€Å"Connie would wheel him to the toilet, then lift him from the chair and support him as he urinated into the beaker. † (pg. 49) His moral character also changed because he said, â€Å"Now that I’m suffering, I feel closer to people who suffer than I ever did before. † (pg. 50) Mitch’s fortune changes when the newspaper he works for goes on strike, â€Å"†¦the unions at my newspaper had gone on strike. † (pg. 44) His moral character also changes because Morrie â€Å"finally made him cry†. pg. 186). Mitch’s knowledge changes because he learns that â€Å"offering others what you have to give† will give you satisfaction. (pg. 126). He also learns how to find a meaningful life by â€Å"devoting yourself to loving others, devoting yourself to your community around you, and devoting yourself to something that gives you purpose and meaning. (pg. 127) I think that Morrie is a round character because we see different sides of him. We see a very emotional side like on page 185 when it says, â€Å"His eyes ot small, and then he cried†¦Ã¢â‚¬  we also see a carefree side like on page 5 when it says, â€Å"He would close his eyes and with a blissful smile begin to move to his own sense of rhythm. † I also think he is a static character because his personality, morals, or feelings didn’t change. I think Mitch is also a round character because we see different sides of him. We see a tough side on page 30 when it says, â€Å"I wear old gray sweatshirts and box in the local gym and walk around with an unlit cigarette in my mouth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We see an emotional side on page 186 when Morrie finally makes him cry.I think Mitch is a dynamic character because in the beginning of the story Mitch is more concentrated on his work. â€Å"In a few years, I was not only penning columns. I was writing sports books, doing radio shows, and appearing regularly on TV†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 16) Then in the middle of the story he didn’t concentrate on work because he went to visit Morrie every Tuesday. I think the most important lesson Morrie taught me was to appreciate everyday in every way. Morrie said, â€Å"The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted. (pg. 84) After reading this book I truly do realize that I take things for granted. I also think â€Å"detachment† really helped me. Morrie said, â€Å"Detachment doesn’t mean you don’t let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. That’s how you let it go†. (pg. 103) I think Morrie is saying that you should fe el one emotion for a short period of time then let it go so you can experience another one. The first lesson to appreciate everyday in every way relates to the world.I think it relates to the world because like Morrie said, â€Å"We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don’t satisfy us. † (pg. 84) By concentrating on materialistic things, we don’t realize the love of our family and the world around us. I think the lesson â€Å"detachment† also relates to our world. Everyday we see and hear people talking about something that happened a long time ago, and they don’t experience another emotion because they are stuck on that one.

Benefits of a particular spreadsheet Essay

Benefits Potential Refinements In the spreadsheet there are a few refinements that could be changed in the spreadsheet including the graph, but then these are also little minor refinements that can be changed to make this spreadsheet more potentially better. First off all the graph could have been changed or even a new graph could be added in on the spreadsheet. Maybe some people can’t see the difference in a bar graph or can’t tell what the information can tell, so maybe another graph could be added like a pie chart or a line graph. This way people can tell which coach is better in price. Also the graph could have the number of coaches needed and how many coaches are available at that time of the day. Finally the graph can also have the details of the coaches, so when the user decides on which coach to use they can contact them and confirm their details. So over all the spreadsheet has many benefits than potential refinements that need doing, but on the over hand the refinements are not major errors on the spreadsheet.

Free Essays on Edvard Munch

The viewer is left to make his own conclusions as to what the artist is trying to show us. The depressing sunset in the painting can bring into play all kinds of images of horror. Edvard Munch’s â€Å"The Scream† was painted in the end of the 19th century, and is possibly the first Expressionist painting of that time. The Scream was very different from the art of the time, when many artists tried to represent objective realism. Edvard Munch's most famous work has gained enormously in popularity over time. Perhaps the fear here shows us that the artist has become more widespread in recent decades. From neck ties, bed spreads, mouse pads, even night lights. The oil paintings title is the perfect example of the emotion that Munch seems to want to relay to us the viewers. This well-known image has become one of the most powerful sign of agony. A lone withered figure stands at a still on a bridge clutching his ears, his eyes and mouth open wide in a scream of suffering. Behind him a couple are walking together in the opposite direction. Barely noticeable in the swirling motion of an intense fire like disturbing colors of the sunset, and deep dark upsetting black inlet, are the irrelevant boats at sea. The brush strokes for the basis of the painting are sweeping and nauseating, trapping the man within the scene. In contrast, the strong diagonal line of the bridge coming out towards the viewer shows emphases on a person that is screaming witch Edvard Munch is trying to show a dramatic man in horror. The composition of the colors of the sky and sea show a dramatic use of awareness that is going on in rolling curves of the landscape and an empty figure that characterize isolation and anxiety. The road with its railing creates a powerful pull of perception in this masterpiece towards the man that is screaming and it increases the visual of the unsettling atmosphere in the painting. The quick swirling motion of the landscape and t... Free Essays on Edvard Munch Free Essays on Edvard Munch The viewer is left to make his own conclusions as to what the artist is trying to show us. The depressing sunset in the painting can bring into play all kinds of images of horror. Edvard Munch’s â€Å"The Scream† was painted in the end of the 19th century, and is possibly the first Expressionist painting of that time. The Scream was very different from the art of the time, when many artists tried to represent objective realism. Edvard Munch's most famous work has gained enormously in popularity over time. Perhaps the fear here shows us that the artist has become more widespread in recent decades. From neck ties, bed spreads, mouse pads, even night lights. The oil paintings title is the perfect example of the emotion that Munch seems to want to relay to us the viewers. This well-known image has become one of the most powerful sign of agony. A lone withered figure stands at a still on a bridge clutching his ears, his eyes and mouth open wide in a scream of suffering. Behind him a couple are walking together in the opposite direction. Barely noticeable in the swirling motion of an intense fire like disturbing colors of the sunset, and deep dark upsetting black inlet, are the irrelevant boats at sea. The brush strokes for the basis of the painting are sweeping and nauseating, trapping the man within the scene. In contrast, the strong diagonal line of the bridge coming out towards the viewer shows emphases on a person that is screaming witch Edvard Munch is trying to show a dramatic man in horror. The composition of the colors of the sky and sea show a dramatic use of awareness that is going on in rolling curves of the landscape and an empty figure that characterize isolation and anxiety. The road with its railing creates a powerful pull of perception in this masterpiece towards the man that is screaming and it increases the visual of the unsettling atmosphere in the painting. The quick swirling motion of the landscape and t...

The Definition of a Solid in Chemistry and Science

The Definition of a Solid in Chemistry and Science A  solid is a  state of matter characterized by particles arranged such that their shape and volume are relatively stable. The constituents of a solid tend to be packed together much closer than the particles in a gas or liquid. The reason a solid has a rigid shape is that the atoms or molecules are tightly connected via chemical bonds. The bonding may produce either a regular lattice (as seen in ice, metals, and crystals) or an amorphous shape (as seen in glass or amorphous carbon).  A solid is one of the four fundamental states of matter, along with liquids, gases, and plasma. Solid state physics and solid state chemistry are two branches of science dedicated to studying the properties and synthesis of solids. Examples of Solids The matter with a defined shape and volume is solid. There are many examples: A brickA pennyA piece of woodA chunk of aluminum metal (or any metal at room temperature except mercury)Diamond (and most other crystals) Examples of things that are not solids include liquid water, air, liquid crystals, hydrogen gas, and smoke. Classes of Solids The different types of chemical bonds that join the particles in solids exert characteristic forces that can be used to classify solids. Ionic bonds (e.g. in table salt or NaCl) are strong bonds that often result in crystalline structures that may dissociate to form ions in water. Covalent bonds (e.g., in sugar or sucrose) involve the sharing of valence electrons. Electrons in metals seem to flow because of metallic bonding. Organic compounds often contain covalent bonds and interactions between separate portions of the molecule due to van der Waals forces. Major classes of solids include: Minerals:  Minerals are natural solids formed by geological processes. A mineral has a uniform structure. Examples include diamond, salts, and mica.Metals:  Solid metals include elements (e.g., silver) and alloys (e.g., steel). Metals are typically hard, ductile, malleable, and excellent conductors of heat and electricity.Ceramics:  Ceramics are solids consisting of inorganic compounds, usually oxides. Ceramics tend to be hard, brittle, and corrosions include silicon and gallium arsenide. Nanomaterials:  Nanomaterials are tiny solid particles at the nanometer size. These solids may display very different physical and chemical properties from large-scale versions of the same materials. or example, gold nanoparticles are red and melt at a lower temperature than gold metal.Biomaterials:  These are natural materials, such as collagen and bone, that are often capable of self-assembly.

Euralia and the European Single Market Case Study

Euralia and the European Single Market - Case Study Example A hypothetical situation may arise concerning a Euralian citizen who has been criminally convicted or who has a highly infectious disease. It may be queried whether there are restrictions on the travel or movement of that convict or sick person throughout the Union. While the cited Article 14 -2 of the EC consolidated treaty provides for the free movement of goods and persons, it has some qualifications. The proviso itself contains the phrase "in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty". Under Title IV, specifically Article 61 - (c), the consolidated treaty is clear on the matter. It declares that the European Council shall adopt such measures concerning cooperation on police and judicial matters. It is further stipulated that these initiatives are geared toward a high level of security which includes actions to prevent and combat crimes.4 This limitation may be construed in conjunction with Article 39 - 3 which specifically says that even the right of workers who are Union citizens to move freely may be constrained or limited for reasons of public policy, security and health.5 The spirit of this limitation or constraint is also enshrined in Article 64-1 of the consolidated treaty, albeit with particular reference to border crossings, which provides that the exercise of the responsibilities of a member state regarding law and order and internal security are not affected by such freedoms. A convicted criminal who is a citizen of a member state poses threats to another state and his entry to the latter may be considered both a judicial and a police matter. It is a judicial matter because the felon had already been finally sentenced guilty and must be brought behind bars in his state of origin in order to serve the ends of justice there. As a matter of fact it is also a political concern because for a member state to allow a convicted criminal from another member state entry into its territory will not only be a violation of the European Union Treaty but may also be construed as a sign of disrespect to a co-equal. Furthermore, the travelling felon can become a liability to the host member state and a menace to its society. It is this aspect which makes the issue also a police matter. This is precisely the spirit and letter of the exceptions to the free travel rights of Europrean Union citizens among member states and sovereignties. An undesirable European Union citizen with a conviction record will be a problem to the security of the member state to which he will travel. Allowing him to enter the territory of the neighboring state will put the police authorities of the latter at a quandary and will be in contravention to the collective efforts to prevent and combat crimes. The kind of threat that the felon will create is the one embraced within the meaning of high level of sec

Principles and Policy by Baumol and Blinder Term Paper

Principles and Policy by Baumol and Blinder - Term Paper Example The evidence is clear as penalties that imposed on high-risk borrowers of up to 2% of the mortgage amount have been diminished or eliminated. Evidently, Americans have witnessed the lowest rates in recent decades due to the fact that homeowners are in scurry to refinance. However, 25% of these homeowners cannot refinance since their mortgage exceeded the value of the home. Since the last crash, Fannie and Freddie were both under the control of the Federal government, a move that had to be conducted in order for the American economy to be stabilized. Currently, the program has not worked up to its potential as only 894,000 borrowers have conducted refinancing in their mortgages through agency. Although many factors affect the outcome, it is clear that Fannie and Freddie Mac are hindrance towards the market as they continue to enact hefty fees and conditions to their customers. It relates to macroeconomics due to the fact that housing bubble continues to grow out of hand. The housing m arket has been in such a turmoil that individuals can start owning homes for $50,000. This act is beneficial because it can lower the interest rates and allow people to pay their mortgages, which can increase the price of homes. Moreover, critics continue to question the effectiveness of the program as it strives to boost the economy since cash flow of borrowers will be induced by investors who possess these bad mortgages. Conducive research indicates that housing market directly impacts the American economy. Real estate economics dictate the economic strategies that are used in the market. The housing economic discusses the business and structural modifications that can potentially ruin the industry. In essence, there is no market equilibrium as the demand for houses has been high even though supply has diminished. This is mainly because of the low price that has continued to haunt the economy. BBC Newt Gingrich, Republican president, has defended the fact that he was never bribed by Fannie Mac. Gingrich was reacting to a report that he earned up to $1.8 million as the consultant from the leading mortgage lender. The former congressman continues to defend the fact that he never lobbied for Freddie Mac. Gingrich has been on the focal point since the elections have been heated up as he is the leader in the Republican polls. Since Freddie Mac is funded by the government, owns and continues to ensure half of US mortgages. This is critical to economics because Freddie Mac is already under strict scope of the government as it continues to struggle. If the accusations are indeed true, then both Freddie Mac and Gingrich can be in huge trouble considering the fact both are huge names in the industry. Gingrich insists that he was hired "strategic advice over a long period of time" to Freddie Mac, although he could not specify exactly how much he was paid. Yet, with the market on the verge of going chaotic, Gingrich is under the microscope for his actions. As mentioned above, Freddie Mac is still imposing high fees to its customers, something that Gingrich should acknowledge and address in his presidential debate. It will be interesting to see whether Gingrich’s reputation increases or decreases in polls. PBS Recently, a couple decided to buy a house which was worth only $1.