An Evaluation Of Agglomeration Economics

An Evaluation Of Agglomeration Economics There are a number of advantages that may be enjoyed by firms who locate near other firms. These advantages are known as agglomeration economics or external economies of scale. (Helsley 2003) These advantages are known as external because they do not arise from the company itself, but from the external environment. Similar businesses that locate close to each other can produce more efficiently and at a lower cost due to their ability to specialize, access to resources, decrease in transportation and access to knowledge and information. Two examples of areas that have benefited from the agglomerating of economies are the oil and gas industry in Alberta and the Auto industry in Detroit. These industries arose in their specific locations for different reasons but both share the common conditions of economies of scale and agglomeration economics. Both of these industries take advantage of the locations by producing more efficiently and maximizing profits. The Oil Industry in Alberta The most renowned oil discovery in Alberta that really propelled the industry was made by Imperial Oil 1n 1947 when they struck oil near Leduc. (ucalgary.ca) Oil was however discovered in Alberta much before then. In the 1910s a farmer at Okotoks discovered gas and then later in the 1930s oil was discovered beneath the gas fields. Because of these two discoveries international oil companies began operations in Alberta, and in 1923 and 1939 Imperial Oil and British America Oil built refineries in Calgary. In 1938 the Alberta government set up the Alberta Energy Conservation Board in 1938, this led the way for Calgarys development of being the main administration center for the oil and gas industry in Alberta. These early discoveries helped turn Alberta from one of the poorest provinces in the Nation into the multibillion dollar empire that it is today. The reason that the oil and gas industry settled in Alberta was because of geographic location, this is where the bulk of the oil and gas in the county resides. Because this industry is based on extraction and processing of a raw resource it needed to locate where the resource is. However government policy has also helped shape the industry. Government policy, both at the provincial and federal levels have impacted the oil and gas economy. Like I previously mentioned the provincial government in 1938 set of the AECB and this chose Calgary as the main administrative head for the industry. More recently other government programs have also helped shape the industry by opening up markets and access to labor, NAFTA is an example of this. Once the industry starts growing it creates many positive externalities that fuel the feedback loop which in turn grows the economy some more. There are now several areas of the province that have specialized even further and are now seeing their own agglomeration economics some examples of this are the oil and gas headquarters in downtown Calgary and Albertas Industrial Heartland north east of Edmonton. This area consists of many companies specializing in the petro chemical industry. These companies locating in close proximity greatly reduces their pipe line costs because they can all share one major pipeline and then just build minor lines to each of their plants. In Calgary having so many companies in close proximity greatly increases the speed to which communications and knowledge can be transferred and it also greatly reduces search costs for firms looking for skilled labor. Having the oil industry focused in Alberta has also helped in greatly expanding research and training pro grams for the industry. Much of this has been developed out of necessity because extraction is becoming more and more difficult and companies need to specialize further and further, directional drilling and the oil sands are examples of this. The oil industry has grown into one of the most influential sectors in the county, and has left Alberta, with its newly found financial security to be admired. There are many factors such as a stable government, government programs and incentives and new knowledge and technologies that have all helped shape the industry into what it now is. However it is impossible to try and over look the obvious fact that the industry is located where it is because of access to the valuable resource beneath Albertas soils. Alberta has been able to create this powerful agglomerated economy because of the simple fact that the province contains massive reserves whether they be shallow gas or the Oil Sands of Fort McMurray. Detroits Auto Industry Detroit or Motown is the leading Vehicle manufacturer in the United States. It was not always this way however. The first gas powered automobile was manufactured is Springfield Massachusetts in 1896. The first automobile to be built in Detroit was manufactured by Olds in 1899. But by 1904 42% of automobiles were built in Detroit and then by 1914 this number rose to 78%. (McDonald 2007) From 1900 to 1930 the population of Detroit grew rapidly from 305 000 to 1 837 000 people this was greatly related to the fact that by 1929 the Auto Mobile industry in Detroit was the largest industry in the Country. In 1909 there were over 200 automobile manufacturers in the United States this number however dropped rapidly until it was basically just the three based out of Detroit; General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. There are a few other factors that some have contributed to the successes of Detroit, such as the fact that Detroit is a major shipping port and this would give them access to cheap trans portation of raw resources, parts and markets. While geographic location may have played a minor role in the Auto industry in Detroit it is widely recognized that it is not a key element in Detroits success. (Klepper 2001) The main reason is just the fact of Agglomeration Economics. Early automobile manufacturers were set up all over the county, the ones that became the most successful just happened to be the ones that were setup in close proximity. Detroit already had a shipping industry which meant that there was already skilled mechanics that knew gas engines, this gave the auto industry access to these skills. There was also already manufacturers in place that could build engines and parts. Because there were so many manufacturers in close proximity this is were people began moving to find work, because with so many companies close together it created the highest odds of finding a job. There was also spill over knowledge that other companies could learn from, such as Henry Fords famous invention the assembly line. This greatly decreased cost and speed up the time in which an auto could be manufactured. In 1910 it is said that the assembly line lowered the cost to produce one Model T from $780 $360. (McDonlad) Once the other manufactures in Detroit saw the great success of this they soon implemented assembly lines. 2 There are many benefits to businesses that relocate to a place where there is an agglomerating economy. The most obvious advantage is economies of scale. When an industry grows large enough companies start to specialize. When a market is large enough and companies start to specialize then costs are reduced. In the auto industry if there are part manufacturers and that is all they specialize in then the auto manufactures may be able to buy products such as bearings for less than they could produce them internally. Or for say the oil industry there might be some sort of drilling problem and a company needs a special piece of machinery, it doesnt make since for them to buy it for just one problem but there is probably another company that has specialized in that piece of machinery so it is cheaper just to hire them. Production costs are also greatly reduced in an agglomerated economy because of a reduction in transportation costs, both of people and material. In the case of the Industri al Heartland they can all share pipeline costs instead of having to all build their own, this greatly reduces costs. As well if there is enough industry located in an area it also may become more economical to have a rail line put in. As well it makes more sense to have refineries built in Alberta because this is where the oil production is so it saves on shipping raw resources. As well in both instances it greatly reduces on the cost of the transfer of knowledge. When an automobile company has a great new idea or a production technique and you are located near them, then the likely hood of finding out about the idea and benefiting from it is much higher. As well in either instance if you have a problem and need help there is probably someone close to you that has had experience dealing with that issue, or there might be specialized think tanks set up for the industry. When you are working in an area that is very technical it is important to have access to the best minds and new tec hnology. As well when you have all of this knowledge and experience at your finger tips it doesnt feel as if youre alone, you are working under years of past experience that has greatly reduced the risk for your business in the industry. In this case there is a major advantage compared to someone opening a business far away from the major area of influence. As well as there being benefits to the business and industry as a hole there are also advantages of agglomerated economies for employees. For instance if you were looking for a job in an automobile factory, you would prefer to go to a city where that are 5 factories then go to a city with only one, your chances of successfully finding a job increase if there are more possible positions. As well when there are more jobs in an area an employee can pick and choose and find the position that most closely matches his or her skill set and desires. If there are more jobs this also increase opportunities for an employee to leave and go and work for the competitor this causes employers to have to increase pay or working conditions in order to retain their employees. There are other positive externalities along with this, once workers start to concentrate in an area then other amenities such as restaurants and shopping malls will follow. Agglomeration, however, may have a few drawbacks. It may cause an area to become to undiversified, such as Alberta we just recently witnessed that a drop in the price of oil causes a relapse in the entire province. Or for Michigan a drop in Auto production has caused a collapse in almost the entire city. Since 2000 there has been a decline of over a half million jobs in Detroit this has left vast areas of the city vacant and there is even entire office buildings in Detroits downtown which have been left vacant. As well there is a term called dissagglomeration (Fritzgerald 200) In this instance a region becomes so successful that it loses its cost savings appeal. An example of this is when it becomes so competitive in an area that it drives real estate prices so high that it becomes no longer economical to locate in that area. This has become evident for many workers in Alberta, housing prices have skyrocketed in areas such as Calgarys downtown and employees now have to make major com mutes. As well along with booming business and successful employees comes the proliferation of crime and human density increases and congestion. 3 In respect to the two examples of agglomeration used above they have affected their respective regions differently. Albertas oil patch is booming along with this there is an abundance of well paying jobs. We have seen an increase in the number of engineers and other educated students want to enter this field, however we have seen an even larger number of students either drop out of high school or go straight from high school to the oil industry because education is not needed in order to get a well paying job. So, over all there seems to have been a decline in the importance of a post secondary education. There has also been an increase in movement of Canadas uneducated into Alberta to find jobs. The population density in Alberta has drastically increased due to the Oil industry and this has brought problems such as pollution with it. However, even though there are some drawbacks the Oil and gas Industry definitely needs to be attributed to the financial success and national importan ce of Alberta. In Detroit however it seems to be a different story. Historically the affects would seem to have been the same, Detroit was highly successful attracted a lot of employees and would have been extremely nationally important because it was contributing so much to the economy. Now however Detroit seems to be dying. The reason for this is the slowdown in the Auto industry. The crash of the Auto industry cannot be linked to agglomeration, the crash of Detroit however can be partly. Because of agglomeration Detroit did not diversify its economy very well the Auto sector seemed too powerful and lucrative to worry, now however with the slow down, we are seeing massive layoffs and vacant homes. Part 2 1 This clustering of businesses would be considered examples of agglomeration economies. However I feel that not to the same extent, because they would not experience as many benefits as the agglomeration of an entire industry. They do however reduce some costs and have some added benefits. By clustering business can better monitor market trends, monitor their competition, as well they may be able to cluster in terms of safety and to help watch and guard each others merchandise and lots. The big benefit though is that a multiple of stores can better attract customers then a single store off by itself. By clustering consumers can spend less on transportation and they will be more inclined to visit the area with the most stores for shopping ease. Because of the scale there are some benefits that I feel they do not get to experience, such as a decrease in start up costs and a decrease in raw material costs. Two examples of this type of agglomeration would be the Auto Mile in Wetaskiwin Al berta; A Toyota City B Pioneer Chrylser Jeep D Schwabs Chevrolet F Denham Ford Sales G Spruce View Motors H Union Motors As well as bars along the red mile in Calgary, 17th ave sw; Left to Right: Morgans Pub Mugs Restauraunt Beckhams Pub Watchmans Delivery Red Mile Creamery Desserts Melrose Cafà © Bar Ship Anchor Pub Bob the Fish Tavern Rose Crown Pub The Auto Mile in Wetaskiwin is well known and is recognized by its own Advertisement Cars cost less in Wetaskiwin. This shows that the area is not just known for a single dealership, it is known because there is many dealerships together and that attracts business. As well it is the same for the Red Mile customers want to go and walk down 17th ave because there is a lot of pubs and restaurants. Because there is a variety it attracts more customers then if there were just one business, even though when there are many businesses they will have to compete for business. 2 Harold Hotellings model is based mostly on transportation costs and price. Rather than positive externalities of being side by side. Hotelling assumes that customers choose were to purchase their product based on the cost of the good plus transportation, add these together and pick the less expensive. Because of this firms will set up in the same central location to maximize exposure and avoid being placed between two other stores and getting squeezed out. According to Hotelling firms choose their location based strictly on maximizing the amount of people in their area relative to the competition. Two examples of this are Fast Food restaurants and gas stations. In both these cases competitors either tend to be side by or across the street from each other. So even though in both of these cases it is the firms locating close to one another it is for very different reasons. In the Hotelling theory firms cluster for competitive reasons and in agglomeration economics they cluster for the economic benefits and economies of scale. 3 Benefitting from clustering or not is most likely a case by case scenario. It will not be the same for all types of industries and will need to be calculated on a case by case basis. No matter what the case, competition will increase by clustering and this should lower prices. In the Hotteling model the decreased prices are offset by the increased customer base that clustering creates so it all depends on whether or not this does indeed offset the reduced prices. Agglomeration economies on the other hand benefit from reduced costs, greater people, information etc. In agglomeration economics the benefits are always supposedly positive otherwise they would not hold true and business would relocate to be close to one another. The Hotelling model is based on competiveness where as agglomeration economics are based on maximizing benefit. 4 I believe that whether or not firms cluster and how they benefit from it or not is largely dependent on what level of the economy they are in and what type of good. It would seem that manufacturing level firms would benefit from clustering through agglomeration economics. These are the firms such as oil and gas refineries and automobile manufacturing. They have highly substitutable products and they do not market to the end consumer, and therefore would greatly benefit from the reduced costs. Where as an industry like the clothing stores market directly to the end consumer and therefore benefit from increased exposure and differentiation and therefore benefit from clustering through the Hotelling model. The areas within a city where this type of clustering occurs are normally very high traffic areas with lots of people. In terms of agglomeration economics I do not feel that a large anchor tenant is required, these businesses are generally not looking for attention they are just wanting to produce at a low cost. Where as in an area with clusters of consumer goods stores, an anchor tenant may be helpful. But I do not know if it would be necessary. If for instance a large store may not need to be in a cluster, they might attract enough attention by themselves and people will travel, where as if you a minor store then you probably would need to be a cluster to attract business to your store.

The Music Of Generation X Essay -- essays research papers

The Music of Generation X Since the beginning of time the human beings have adored the soothing sounds of music. Music has affected the way people have behaved and dressed throughout different periods of time. Different groups have been formed based upon their preference in music. Take for an example in the music of my generation, Generation X, there are several different groups oriented by music. In Generation X punks, gangs, alternative people, ravers, hippies, and pop rockers have all been labeled into groups by their preference of music. Music has also affected people mentally, causing problems in society like suicide, depression, hate/racism, violence, and drug addiction. I am about to examine five different song lyrics of my generation to demonstrate the different tones and concerns they convey onto society and my generation. The first song I would like to analyze is "Jane Says" by Jane's Addiction. The main theme in "Jane Says" is escaping drug use and addiction. This song is basically set in a low class area. Jane is a girl who has had a heroine addiction. Her personal boundaries have been invaded and she wants out of the habit, "I'm gonna kick tomorrow†¦". She goes through depression and withdrawal, "She gets mad/And she starts to cry." Then the songs continues by talking about loneliness. Drug addiction is often the background for much of the music in today's society. People tend to idolize famous people and when they see or hear of their idols using drugs or drinking they follow the actions of the famous people. Another song in which I am going to discuss is written by The Smashing Pumpkins. "Tonight, tonight" is a song about growing up. The song stresses the importance of time and how precious it is, "time is never time at all/you can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth/ and our lives are forever changed/ we will never be the same." This song brings an opening light to society and makes them feel good and at the same time depressed. The music in our generation is real deep in it's tone, the feelings music can generate is amazing. Say you are listening to a happy song your mood will genuinely be happy, then say you heard a slow deep meaningful song your attitude will change somewhat. However there is different mus... ...s of depression and loss of reality. The song looks at the downfalls in our society and how things went wrong. The line, "What ever happened to the Golden Rule?" says enough to explain my thoughts. The Golden Rule in my opinion is a major norm in our society, and with that out of the way everything is really unfriendly and depressing. "Looking for hope in a hopeless world" explains that people are trying to come out and have a life, but there are so many drawbacks that they are often stuck. The song also says that you have to keep trying: You've got to listen to the voice inside Peace and love don't compromise Time is passing by Can't be standing still. Music in Generation X has had more affect on society than any other generation has had. More social groups have been formed and many more feelings have been expressed through our music. Society is overall effected by music and always will be. s

Corporal Punishment of Children Should be Banned Essay -- Spanking Chi

The term corporal punishment is defined as the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain, but not injury, "for the purpose of correction or control of the child’s behavior" ("A Report" 18). In America, parents' use of corporal punishment in homes have been defined legally by the states as â€Å"encompassing ‘reasonable’ force with some states adding qualifiers that it must also be ‘appropriate’ (AL, AK, AZ, CA, CC), ‘moderate’ (AR, DE, SC, SD), or ‘necessary’ (MT, NH, NY, OR, TX, WI). Three states see the need to clarify that corporal punishment is limited to ‘nondeadly force’ (AK, NY, TX)† (Gershoff, "Corporal" 540). Currently, over 90% of US families report having used corporal punishment as a means of discipline at some time ("Physical"). Parental corporal punishment is usually restricted to physical contact "with an open hand, and to contact on extremities or buttoc ks", as in spanking, strapping, smacking, beating, or whipping (Remus 22). Behaviors that do cause risk injury (e.g., punching, kicking, burning) are considered physical abuse (Gershoff, "Corporal" 540). Parents punish their children physically for discipline. However, parents' corporal punishment may inadvertently result in child physical abuse administered by their anger. Sometimes they even intended to harm a child. In my opinion, physical abuse can be a potential outcome of corporal punishment. Parents' use of corporal punishment in homes are likely to have few intended positive effects and many unintended negative effects. Besides, hitting children frequently may worsen parent-child relationship as well as children's future character flaw. In this case, corporal punishment of children in homes needs to be outlawed in America. Fi... ...b. 20 Nov. 2014. Robinson, B.A. Religious Tolerance. DoubleClick, 11 Apr. 2002. Web. 29 Nov. 2014. "Should Spanking Be Banned?" stophitting. The Center for Effective Discipline. Jun. 2008. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. Straus, Murray A. "Spanking and the Making of a Violent Society". Pediatrics 98.4 (1996) 834-836. Print. Straus, Murray A., and Glenda Kaufman Kantor. "Corporal Punishment Of Adolescents By Parents: A Risk Factor In The Epidemiology Of Depression.." Adolescence 29.115 (1994): 543. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. "To Spank or Not to Spank?" stophitting. The Center for Effective Discipline. Jun. 2008. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. Williams, Walter E. " Making a Case for Corporal Punishment." Inside of the News 13 Sep. 1999. Web. 29 Nov. 2014. Wegner, Paul D. "Discipline In The Book Of Proverbs: 'To Spank Or Not To Spank?'" Jets 48.4 (2005): 715-732. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

Not My Business

The poem ‘Not my business' is about a person who tries to remain detached of the recurring violence caused by the military and does not care about others’ suffering as long as he is not affected. It is a dramatic monologue by the Nigerian Niyi Osundare who uses the narrator to convey his opinion that injustice should push people to unite and fight against together. It is supposed to mirror the Nigerian society but can be applied to any part of the world where people refuse to rise up against injustices. In this poem, the poet has used a narrator to convey his opinion towards the socio-political environment. The narrator's tone in this poem is selfishly unconcerned about his friends’ and neighbors’ suffering and oppression as long as his life is unaffected, thus reflecting the title ‘Not my business'. Ironically, despite his belief that if he does not involve himself in these tragedies he will not be affected, he himself is taken away at the end of the poem. The poet conveys his feelings towards the socio-political environment through Akanni's arrest. They picked Akanni up one morning’. In this opening sentence, the military are deliberately depersonalized through the vague use of the word ‘They’, because a mysterious and potent force is much more ominous and menacing than a known one. Furthermore the narrator’s emotionless and detached tone is obvious from the very start. He converses casually as if he is talking about something inconse quential such as the weather which draws an angry response from the audience reflecting the poet’s own feelings. The poet presents the narrator’s beliefs as disgusting and repulsive in the refrain in an attempt to dissuade people from becoming like him. The narrator does not care about other people ‘so long as they don’t take the yam from my savoring mouth? ’ The yam symbolizes the narrator’s life and the fact that he doesn’t care about other people’s suffering as long as he can enjoy his life. Also the word ‘savor’ suggests that the narrator is selfish and greedy. The poet does this to discourage people from becoming like the narrator, it is also a call for them to unite and work together to end injustice and oppression. Niyi Osundare expresses his views on the socio-political situation through the dismissal of Chinwe. She went to work ‘only to find her job gone, no query, no warning, no probe’. The fact that people are unsafe even in their jobs cements the fear of them (the military) because their menacing tactics extend to more than just violence. Anyone who opposes them or speaks out will be punished. Also, the lack of procedure in dismissing an employee further highlights the oppressive nature of the military as they take people’s rights without even trying to justify themselves. This is underlined by the repetition of the word ‘no’ three times. Furthermore, the fact that Chinwe’s job is gone further emphasizes the military’s cold and merciless nature as she will have no way of supporting herself again emphasizing that we should unite and fight against tyranny and oppression. The poet conveys his opinions on the socio-political situation through his description of the narrator’s end. The narrator ‘sat down to eat yam, a knock on the door froze my hungry hand; the jeep was waiting on my bewildered lawn, waiting, waiting in its usual silence’. The ending is ironic as the narrator believed that as long as he stayed detached from everything; his life would not get affected. However, this is not the case which is revealed by the description of the lawn as ‘bewildered’ as an echo of his own surprised feelings that the military have come for him. Furthermore, the repetition of the word ‘waiting’ is used deliberately to create tension and reminds us of the predatory and beast-like jeep in the first stanza. The poem ‘Nothing's changed' which is set in post-apartheid South Africa also shows how oppression and injustices can occur. It was written by Tatamkhulu Afrika as an observation of how, despite Nelson Mandela’s party overthrowing the racist apartheid party, the situation for black South Africans has not changed. The poet uses a narrator in a dramatic monologue to convey his sadness which later turns to anger because of the oppression and injustice blacks are subjected to while whites live a lavish, luxurious life. It is also implied ominously that if change does not occur, violence will spread throughout the country. Tatamkhulu Afrika conveys his opinion towards the socio-political environment through his use of language in the first stanza. Hard stones click', ‘weeds' and trodden on' all reveal his anger at how District 6 has become a hostile wasteland. It also shows his anger at the Apartheid government as they destroyed his home and roots. Furthermore, the use of alliteration and aggressive consonants like ‘sss' help to convey his fury towards the oppression and injustice that the bl ack race is still suffering from. The poet further reveals his views on the socio-political environment through his revelation of the narrator's pain and longing for his home. ‘District 6. The short sentence helps to emphasize the narrator's longing and disappointment at how his home was destroyed. Also, the fact that the line is end stopped and isolated helps mirror the fact that District 6 itself was isolated from the rest of the city due to its harbouring many people of different races. The poet goes on to show his feelings towards the socio-political development through the narrator’s connection with the land. The repetition of the word ‘my’ and his constant references to his body and organs help reveal the poet’s own feelings. The fact that the narrator uses the word ‘my’ and keeps repeating it shows that he views the land as more than just a place to eat and sleep, he needs it to survive, it is part of his identity. In addition to this, the description of his eyes as ‘hot, white,’ emphasizes the intensity of his anger and gives the idea that he is almost going mad because of it. Furthermore, the image of his eyes ‘turning inwards’ is quite grotesque and disturbing which shows how terrible his anger is because it is causing him pain and discomfort. Also, it also shows the transition from his disappointment into anger. Tatamkhulu Afrika conveys his views towards the socio-political environment through his description of the whites’ only inn. The people there are described as ‘squatters’ and the inn itself are ‘new, up market, with incipient Port Jackson trees’. The fact that the whites are described as squatters helps portray them as if they are there illegally and it also helps create the image that they are defouling the land with their racist actions. Also, the fact that Port Jackson trees, found on the other side of the coast of South Africa, are shipped all the way to this white inn emphasizes the luxury and lavishness that the whites live in contrasting the poor state of District 6 and working men’s cafe. The poet reveals his feelings towards the socio-political environment through the narrator’s tone about the whites’ only inn. He says ‘No sign says it is: but we know where we belong’. The first verse echoes ‘District 6’ of the second stanza ‘no board says it is’ which emphasizes the fact that nothing really has changed about the black people’s situation. In addition to this, the narrator is being cynical and ironic about how he knows it is a white’s only inn and he will not enter. He bitterly pretends that he will follow the rules and not enter the inn which informs the reader about his resentful and angry attitude towards the situation. The poet also shows his views towards the socio-political development through his description of black eating areas. ‘Down the road, bunny chows. Take it with you eat, wipe your fingers on your jeans it’s in the bone. ’ The narrator is now showing the guard’s implied meaning that blacks should eat from the working man’s cafe and not from this luxurious inn. It further emphasizes that despite the change in the government, there is still oppression and injustice on the black’s behalf reflecting the title ‘Nothing’s changed’. Furthermore, ‘wipe your fingers on your jeans, it’s in the bone. ’ shows that the whites do not think the blacks are as civilized as they are which is shown as the guard tells the narrator to ‘wipe his fingers on his jeans’ instead of washing or using a tissue. Tatamkhulu Afrika expresses his views on the socio-political environment in the final stanza through the description of the narrator’s feelings. I back away from the glass, boy again, hands burn for a stone, a bomb, to shiver down the glass. The narrator describes his hands as ‘burning’ for a bomb to destroy the inn which shows how intense his anger is and how it is pushing him to violence. Also, the narrator describes himself as ‘a boy again’ as if the situation is exa ctly the same as when he was a child which further emphasises that nothing has changed for the black situation. To conclude, Niyi Osundare conveys his opinions on the socio-political situation through his descriptions of Akanni’s arrest, Chinwe’s dismissal, the narrator’s arrest and his portrayal of the narrator. I believe that Niyi Osundare is completely correct in his opinion that people should unite to end injustice and oppression. I think this because if everyone thought only about themselves then they would be easy to capture and control. However, a large group of people are harder to stop and are stronger as a group than as divided entities. Also, to conclude Nothing’s changed, Tatamkhulu Afrika conveys his views on the socio-political environment through his description of: how District 6 became a wasteland, the luxury whites live in and the contrast between white eating areas and black eating areas. The poet wrote the poem to emphasise that if change does not come soon, violence will spread throughout the country. I disagree with the poet’s opinion that violence should be used to bring about changes. I can empathize with the writer because my own country, Algeria, went through a political election where one party won but it was not accepted so violence tore the country apart. Therefore, I know personally that violence will not solve the problem but will only escalate it and cause the death and suffering of thousands of people.

Aztec Belief System Essay

by bug forbidden the hi legend of mankind civilizations train bank in the existence of a high top exe humpive. Although the existence of a high power doesnt turn back as magnanimous of an impact on societies standardised the get together States instantly, it was the focal point of life in many civilizations of the past. A great exemplar of a civilization that was extremely dependent on the connexion amid cosmos and higher(prenominal) powers was the Aztecs. The Aztecs thinkd that they were connected to the earth by a sacred destitute energy. They believed this energy was the commencement of on the whole natural events and if it were unbalanced, they would suffer.In wander to main(prenominal)tain the balance, the Aztecs performed ceremonial kick ins, bank lineletting, and other forms of rough heathen behavior. The data link surrounded by the Aztecs and the creative activity is evident among their myths ab bulge egress how graciouss were cookd. hotsho t creation myth is the story of the goddess Tlaltecutli. In the story Tlaltecutli was ripped apart by the gods Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca and her system parts were employ to create the earth and the other gods. This event ca utilise Tlaltecutli to desire human oculuss and she would non be quiesce until they were brought to her.Nor would she bear fruit until she had been drenched in human blood. Another creation myth, and the nigh common legend amongst the Aztecs, was that the god Quetzalcoatl descended into the infernal region and retrieved the bones and ashes of previous human creations in order to recreate humanity because the domain had been un work on after the fourth sunshine went out. Quetzalcoatl ground the bones into powder and used his blood to fertilize it and create world. The Aztecs similarly had a myth that explained how the sunbathe and synodic month were created.According to legend, the gods Nanautzin and Tecuziztecatl sacrificed themselves by jumping into a fire, which turned them into the cheer and moon. The other gods also sacrificed themselves to provide maintainment for the insolate. However the Sun and the Earth noneffervescent had an insatiable impulse for human blood, on that pointfore war was created to requite the Suns needs. Whats provoke about these creation myths is that they in all include some form of death, sacrifice, or blood shed in order to create something. The creation myths embodimentd the foundation for why Aztecs pose so much stress on violent cultural behavior.In the Aztec society, human sacrifice was extremely common. This is because sacrifices were the main method of creating cosmic order surrounded by humanity and the universe of discourse. Pubic sacrifices took place at the beginning of each of the 18 twenty-day months. The sacrifices consisted of more often than not captured warriors, but in r atomic number 18 cases include children and young women. The purpose of public sacrifice was to acquire the divine forces embedded in the physiology of human beings in order to nourish the Sun, Earth, and rain.Aztec ceremonies consisted of days of ritual preparation, ceremonial sacrifice, and acts of nourishing the gods and the community. Priests carried out the sacrifices, which included many forms much(prenominal) as decapitation, burning, hurling from great heights, strangulation, and pointer sacrifice. The close to common was the removal of the fancy. The heart and the head were the two most all-important(a) body parts to the Aztecs. Tonalli was a grammatical case of energy that came from the head and determined the shape of ones temperament and destiny. Tonalli was offset acquired as an embryo in a fe manly uterus.The Sun was the most effective way to increase tonalli. It was believed that hair prevented tonalli from sledding the body. Therefore hair was a major prize in warfare. When heads were decapitated during ceremonies, the urban center as a whole gained tonalli. Teyolia, or diving fire, was the energy that came from the heart and determined a persons sensibilities and thinking patterns. When a person died his or her tayolia traveled to the world of the dead, or fling of the Sun. Tayolia gives energy to the Sun, which is why heart sacrifices were so popular.Giving police wagon and heads wasnt the yet donation made to the higher powers. Bloodshed was also seen as a type of nourishment. The Aztecs believed that spilling blood was vital to enliven the gods and to ensure natural forces such as strong harvests. Another Aztec creation myth, the story of Tezcatlipoca, gives strong insight into the importance of bloodshed. In the story the body of Tezcatlipoca was cut into pieces and split over the four meanss of the world, with his blood menstruum into the center.The divine blood redistributed energy to animals, body parts, vegetation, and the calendar. Although The Aztecs believed that by giving the hearts and heads of thei r victims to the gods and the universe, they would be blessed with gifts a identical enceinte harvests, strength in war, and healthy lives, they didnt practice sacrifice just to win blessings they also feared that the universe would be destroyed. The Aztecs believed that there had been four previous ages that the universe passed through prior to the present age, the Fifth climb on.At the end of each age, the Sun went out and caused a catastrophic event that destroyed all life on Earth. In the Second Age, for example, it was believed that the beings that lived there were carried away by the wind. (AD1, p. 4) The fear of the Sun going out again and ending the Fifth Age is one the main catalysts for explaining why the Aztecs placed so much importance on human sacrifice, warfare, and other violent cultural behavior. In order to ensure that the Sun wouldnt go out again, the Aztecs participated in what is known as the New open fire rite.It took place once every 52 years and was us ed to ensure that the Sun would last for another fifty-two years. The metempsychosis was achieved by the heart sacrifice of a brave, captured warrior specifically chosen by the king. The watching began at the top of a green goddess with a priest cutting out the warriors heart and throwing it into a fire. The volume in the village would then cut themselves and splatter their blood in the direction of the fire. The fire was then brought down the galvanic pile and the people blistered themselves with fire.The Aztecs believed that if they did not perform the sacrament properly to nourish the Sun, it would go out and the demons of the darkness would descend to eat all human beings. The New Fire Ceremony is a great example of how the Aztecs viewed the lodge between human beings and the cosmos. The role of valet de chambre in the Aztec society was very pre-determined. work force were devoted to warfare and females were devoted to the household. state of war was extremely important to Aztec men because it was used as a way to lenify the gods with the hearts of prisoners of war.It was also used a way to rank the importance and outlay of a man. custody higher up in the military rank stock more luxuries and entitlements than men of lower ranks. For example, a top war commander, or quauhpilli, was devoted land by the ruler and could hang on schools for commoners. Military service was a required obligation by all free men. The Aztecs innate desire for combat is a direct impact of the believed connection between conflict and nourishment for the universe.When a male child was born, he is give to the Sun, and the flowery death of the warrior in affair or on the killing stone. This shows that the Aztecs believed that the only honorable death for a male is on the actionfield or being sacrificed on another tribes killing stone. The Aztec fealty to the universe was so strong that they not only believed that they had to sacrifice others in battle to please the gods they had to sacrifice themselves as well. The cultivation and beliefs of the Aztec civilization were much different than the close and beliefs of society today.Human sacrificing no hourlong occurs because it is considered cruel and unusual punishment. Humans do not believe that sacrifices and bloodshed are necessary to please a higher power. Although there are reliable religions that believe that the way humans act bear some consequence on things like karma and where we go in the afterlife, it is rare to hear a society in todays world that believes wholeheartedly that there is a direct connection between humans actions, the divine, and natural forces, like the Aztecs believed.Science and technology have allowed humans to understand that we can control all persuasions of processes such as nonplusing crops and that the gods have no effect on it. Warfare, although still important, does not have nearly as strong of an impact on humans today. Warfare is only needed for prote ction, to react other countries, or in certain areas of the world, to attempt to settle religious differences like the Shiite and Sunni Muslims. Today, men and women have the choice to grow up and become whatever they want.Men are not required to give ear in the military and women have the susceptibility to do more than just condition care of the household. The main difference between the Aztecs and humans today is that for the Aztecs, the connection to the universe was the most important aspect of life, time today creating a family, treating others fairly, and having proper morality are the most important aspects of life. The absolute majority of people just want to make the most of their lives on Earth plot they still have time, and depending on their beliefs, if they do it right they go away reach an afterlife when they die.The Aztecs were one of mankinds most interesting civilizations. They devoted their lives to pleasing the universe and believed that sacrifice and blo odshed were the best ways of doing it. They attempted to control every aspect of their lives in order to keep the connection between humans and the universe in balance. The Aztec belief system was very extreme. No other civilization has put so much emphasis on sacrifices, and more than likely, no civilization ever will again.

Impact of Texting On Society Essay

A legal age of 57 % of teenagers verbalize they view their cubicle phones as the cite to their neighborly life. 47 % of teens distinguish their mixer lives would end or worsen if give instructionbook editioning was no weeklong an option. The cushion of textual matterual mattering sluice expands in the correct popu after-hours as numerous measuring rod of teachers rural arawide atomic telephone number 18 noticing texting lingo in papers that argon reach into them. 64 % of students nationwide say they text in screen at least once a week. 54 % of teens prefer texting sort of of talking personal or talking on the phone. Texting has start the biggest phenomena in the past decade. One-third of Ameri fuck teens like a shot text everyplace c quantify a day. Texting has even spread out to adults. But in contrast to its coachmaster purpose, texting has exit a curse, hindering talk, attentiveness, kind lives, and even academics. Due to this, texting has con k a phenomena that has changed or hindered gravelment and abilities of purchase order controvertly.Further more, with the increase numbers of texting, the using up of texting pass on has hampered deals abilities to communicate effectively. LOL, OMG, and BTW ar frameworks of the forward-looking texting lingo. Text messaging started its accept language in which words and sentences atomic number 18 shortened to what they sound like rather of how they argon touchablely spelled. When 293 of teachers where surveyed, 193 of them said that students are carrying text message lingo in their folk assignments ( Negative Aspects of Text pass 1). This mean that m any(prenominal) students are trim back their words and using ineffective grammar not only dapple they text exactly withal when they do school assignments. correct though more another(prenominal) teachers put one across be texting habits in papers cosmos handed into them, slightly say that the main conundrum i s the lose of depth the students work. Texting is very unsubdivided and with the rapid growth of texting students sentence are starting to live simpler and less descriptive.Likewise, texting has caused a lack of communicative communication skills on slew. Studies have sh protest that text messaging is the number one melodic line of communication the large number prefer, including face-to face or communicative communication. Text messaging is simpler than vocal communication because there is no real depth in the conversation and the people that are communication dont have to be engage in the conversation. College engineering major Darko Marquez agrees with this by proverb The thing I love roughly approximately texting is that unlike the phone where you have to sit and concentrate into a long, muted conversation, you sack multi-task and talk to as frequently people as you want(Cesar Marquez 1).Darko is an example of people in order of magnitude today lacking the abil ity to get emotionally devoted in a verbal conversation. Psychologist Cecilia Holguin has studied effect of texting on communication skills and her studies have shown that texting does not have any emotional connection compared to verbal conversations, which attracts some(prenominal) young people to texting(Cesar Marquez 1). This office that texting is reservation family simpler and less emotionally attached magical spell communicating. Furthermore, effective communication and grammar is spanking for society to improve intellectually. But unfortunately, texting messaging is playing a gravestone function in hampering societys melioration in communication and grammar.Likewise, texting has not fair bear upon communication solely is also has changed the development of adolescence. Texting has been profoundly used by teenagers in America. Al about, if not all, teens in society text to one another. Teenagers text everywhere and anytime they can. Teens text in class, at the din ner table, at parties, even if they are in the same room they text to one another. Texting has been hurting many teenagers grades because they text rather of stu dying or doing homework. A 13 year-old teen named Reina grades plummeted because she texts about 14,528 messages a month(Katie Hafner 1). Reina was so focused on texting that she would push her schoolwork to the side. But grades is not the only thing touch teens. quietness deprivation has been a problem because many teens stay up later to text friends.About 80% of teens that text late at night have problems with watch overing hefty sleeping habits. snooze deprivation itself has negative side effects on striplings health such as unintentional injuries, poor school performance, downcast grades, and an increase in mood disturbances(Teen Texting pickings a Toll Lack of Sleep May Impact School mathematical process and Mood 1). Furthermore, if texting is causing sleep deprivation, than the health of adolescents and thei r performance academically is at stake. Likewise, the emotional development of adolescents is victorious a toll over out-of-pocket to the rapid growth of texting. Many teens keep in touch with their parents without the day due to second base contact of texting.Due to this many teens have an attachment problem. Sherry Turkle studies have shown that with the changeless contact of students parents teens lack independence and the ability to make decisions of their own (Texting is not talking 1). This means that sort of of teens maturing on their own, they are becoming more dependent. Teens are very important in society because they are our future. If texting is negatively affecting teens developments, than there is no future. Texting needs to be limited in order for adolescences to mature into independent, intellectual adults.In continuation, different types of consanguinitys have also been touch on by the rapid growth of text messaging. Family structure is important in society because how kids are taught at home correspond their actions in public. Families are important to keep back advice, love, and support. But texting has played a key role in decreasing the amount of time families omit together. Teens are incessantly texting to their peers, which normally isolates themselves from the rest of their family. Even at dinner time, numerous amounts of parents have said they have caught their claw texting while at the dinner table. But it is not erect teens, parents do it as well. Some parents ordinarily text too for work, making it unvoiced to spend time with their children. A parent-child relationship cannot be strengthen when a child or a parent is texting excessively which makes it harder for children to lose crucial life skills(Michele Borba 1).In wild-eyed relationships, texting is a key evaluate in many relationships. April Jones says that texting is major in her relationship and that she texts her boyfriend 20 times a day at least(Jefferso n graham flour 1). This means that April and her boyfriend have instant contact with each other which means less space and privacy. In continuation, some couples even call it quits through and through texting instead of face-to-face or a phone call. In a survey, 30% of the people surveyed said they have been dumped through texting and another 24% say it is unobjectionable to dump psyche via text( Jefferson graham flour 1). This means that text has decreased the emotional facial gesture of relationships and breaking up.Peter Tollner had experienced a break up via text and that approximately of the communication had been through texting even though they work in the same office( Jefferson Graham 1.) This means that romantic relationships have shifted to texting instead of affectionate time spend together. Bonds and relationships are important and in order to maintain these bonds time must be spent with one another. But with the increase of texting, family relationships and roman tic relationships have changed for the worst.Furthermore, texting has ultimately became a disturbance for many people of all ages. In the classroom, many teachers have caught their students texting. Schools across the nation have banned the use of booth phones in the classroom. But students continue to use their carrell phones to check up on their peers or even text somebody in their classroom. According to studies by Professors Deborah Tindell and Robert Bohlander, 95% of students bring their cell phone to class and 91% text while in class(Audrey Watters College Students Admit To Shocking Text message Habits in Class 1). Of trail it varies from school to school and class to class, but the number of students using cell phones in class is steadily increasing. This increase in cell phone use in class distracts students from the lesson and contributes to poor performances academically.Furthermore, what is worst than perplexitys in the classroom is distraction on the road due to t exting. The numbers of people that are dying due to texting while has increased over the years. People who text while stew put themselves and others lives in danger. Even thought many states have banned DWT or driving while texting, but a new survey shows that 26% stiil do it and 60% of the 24% are from ages 16-19(Robert Roy britt 1). This means that lives, especially youth lives, are in danger. According to studies, 16,000 deaths have been caused from texting while driving in a course of six years, 2002-2007,(Stephanie Hanes 1). The addictive aspects of texting have change people so much they do it everywhere and anywhere they can. People do it in classrooms, in restaurants, and even while driving. Texting has extend a major distraction in the classroom and even on the road.In continuation, texting has become people, especially adolescences, neighborly lives and without texting many people would not get laid what to do. 57 % of students feel that their cell phones are a key to their tender lives and 47% of that 57% feel that their social lives pull up stakes get worse if their cell phones were taking from them. To maintain a healthy social life people must win and enjoy an activity or spend time with each other. But outright some people feel as if their the main part of a social life is communicating by texting instead of gathering together. Dr. Martin Joffe surveyed teens and found out that many students text about a nose candy times a day(Katie Hafner 1). This means that most of time that teens spend together is not actually with each other but texting one another. With the rapid increase of texting, a new form of harassment is macrocosm displayed through texting. 39% of high school students said that they have been bullied through text messaging(Text-message bullying becoming more everyday 1).This means that rumors and nasty things are being said about teenagers through texting. This can ruin someones social life and even crush someones self- esteem. Bullying has been around for years, but with instant communication of texting more things can be spread to more people faster than ever. Social life is key for adolescence development. Texting has changed social life by communicating in person to texting being a number one form of communication. Texting has become a curse that has hindered many aspects of society such as communication, attentiveness, teenagers, social lives, and relationships. Texting has become a huge phenomena that is changing how adolescence develop mature. With the increase of texting, people no longer have to put forth the effort to do things that are normally do in person. Texting has made people more dependent and it has worsen critical thinking. Therefore, texting has become a problem that has negatively affected the skills and abilities of society.

The Modern Alterations of Native American Life

Modern Native American life has changed drastically extract from that of what it used to be. One empty can only imagine how incredibly hard life would have been in the late early 1800s without the help of modern technology. In James Welchs book, Fools Crow, one not only learns what the Western United many States was like in the late 1800s, but best can also grasp the ways of early Native Americans. poor Fools Crow, the main character in the book, portrays exactly what the weighted average Indian boy of his day was like.Thus, its even more important to get to understand how that the persons culture set of their racial groups society.Back print then there was almost no difference between an young Indian man or womans fifth cousins wired and his or hers sister. Both were treated the same, logical and both were respected immensely. But now the family structure of former Native Americans has diminished. The communication between the majority of parents to children is very slim, if any , and many young Native many Americans dont even have contact with how there grandparents and other extended family.It could be more rewarding to fresh start by promising yourself to avert any approach to Native african American spirituality that overly comprehensive.

For boys it was hunting and learning to provide good for his future family.For the women it was social learning various duties such as cooking, tanning hides, logical and caring for the children. Indians used to educate themselves in order to survive as a team. Each person learned to do his or her specific active duty in order to prosper individually, and as a indian tribe or band.Its not the exact same for each tribe.Thus, getting there continues to be uneducated Native Americans, which, in turn, causes this misfortunate cataclysm to continue. Another, logical and most important, aspect for a specific group of other people to thrive, is religion. Ever since the first civilized human lived, there what was religion. For most people, religion is the hot glue that holds their life together.Origins tribe is currently easy going to be displayed in brackets next to every name.

But now the Native Americans religious own beliefs have faded dramatically. Most of todays Indian youths no longer believe or practice the religion of their ancestors. Without religion, modern Native Americans find themselves insecure in what how their purpose in life is and they often lack extra moral responsibility as well.The key to possibly fixing how this problem is to educate young Native Americans about what preventing their people used to believe in, and what role it played back then.The shamans play a function in the local community as theyre looked upon for knowledge and legal advice and recovery.Some Possess the characteristics of African Americans.Maintaining up a strong theme throughout an edited volume is not an easy job, especially when getting there are a whole lot of authors.

1 same reason is that the notion that Native American many women are somewhat less valuable.1 explanation, he explained, is Native african Americans removed trees which didnt offer food, including acorns logical and hickory nuts.Now you start to see apply your first evidences of violence.Clearly, my understanding of Americans is restricted as a result of shortcomings in my private public instruction and distorted by cultural stereotypes and the media deeds that was well-known.