Impact Of Thomas Hobbes During The Age Of Absolutism

Thomas Hobbes During the Age of Absolutism The Age of Absolutism was a time during the 16th to 19th centuries where many political, religious and colonial conflicts were rising. Some philosophers began to analyze the ideas of their civilizations in depth toward the end of this time period as it led into the Age of Enlightenment. One of these philosophers was Thomas Hobbes. He had quite a few accomplishments during his lifetime including writing many books and supporting the popular belief that an absolute monarchy was the most ideal form of government. He deeply affected the government and general people with his ideas and works. In England 1588, Thomas Hobbes was born. He lived in quite an eventful life for his time, Thomas’†¦show more content†¦The Age of Absolutism influenced his philosophy significantly. Hobbes’ philosophy was centered around his beliefs and learnings mainly. Hobbes’ developed many works that are even used today for reference and rea soning. â€Å"Leviathan† is an example of one of Hobbes’ many works that shared his belief on absolute rule. For example, as stated in an article from Britannica Academy the following is stated about Hobbes’ beliefs â€Å"Hobbes started with a severe view of human nature: all of man’s voluntary acts are aimed at pleasure or self-preservation. This position is known as psychological hedonism†. This illustrates the fact that Thomas Hobbes believed humanity was far too flawed and selfish to function in the absence of an absolute ruler’s power. He was also opposed to the separation of powers, (as stated in Britannica Academy, Thomas Hobbes: Exile in Paris) â€Å" He was firmly against the separation of government powers, either between branches of government or between church and state.† Therefore he was completely opposed to the idea of democracy as well. However, Hobbes believed that everyone should be equal under the law, except the ki ng of course. As a result of his way of thinking many people at his time disagreed with Thomas and still do. Therefore he didn’t have much of an impact on his country at this time, considering his unique beliefs some even thought his beliefs were ludicrous. Despite the fact that heShow MoreRelatedThe Dark Ages1647 Words   |  7 Pagesand almost unthinkable during much of human history. These are signs of society’s general thinking changing drastically towards political, philosophical and societal issues. Three men with three different ideologies can be seen as the founding fathers of ideas that fight society’s collective thinking and bring about change. Those men who dared to challenge medieval political and philosophical orthodoxy immensely impacted later history. There is a reason why the Medieval Ages are often referred toRead MoreBriefly Explain What Is Meant by the â€Å"Scientific Revolution† That Took Place in Seventeenth Century Europe, and How It Marked a Departure from Ancient and Medieval Philosophy.1603 Words   |  7 Pagesdeparture from ancient and medieval philosophy. The term  Scientific Revolution  refers to a period in the  17th century  when the intellects of Europe had a revolution. This was an illustrious time for science and the initiation of modern science. During that period famous people such as Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and  Isaac Newton  all lived and contributed greatly to many areas of science. Just about that time period these people changed the viewpoint of our universe from geocentric (the earth atRead MoreThe Enlightenment Ideas Of The American Revolution1423 Words   |  6 Pagesindependent nation. Enlightenment Age and leaders of the revolution’s ideas were deeply trusted by the American revolution. Its purpose was to inspire people for the achievement of the revolution. With the ideas of the philosophers including John Locke, and the English Bill of Rights as well as the speech given by Patrick Henry helped make clear decision and reasonable actions throughout the American Revolution. Philosophical that support the American revolution were greatly impact by the ideas of the EnlightenmentRead MoreCicero s Influence On The Modern Political And Legal World3164 Words   |  13 Pagesword. The ideas presented by Cicero are vital to understanding where modern political ideologies originate. The basis of this essay will be to discuss and analyze Cicero’s previously mentioned work. An emphasis will be placed on â€Å"Natural Law† and its impact on the modern world. The defining characteristics of modern governments are largely based on Cicero’s ideals, demonstrating his lasting influence more than 2000 years after his death. Cicero’s work came closest to any ideology of the Roman EmpireRead MoreLiberal Perspective of a State7979 Words   |  32 Pagespowerful force in the Age of Enlightenment, rejecting several foundational assumptions that dominated most of the earlier theories of government, such as hereditary status, established religion, absolute monarchy, and the Divine Right of Kings. The early liberal thinker John Locke, who is often credited for the creation of liberalism as a distinct philosophical tradition, employed the concept of natural rights and the social contract to argue that the rule of law should replace absolutism in government,

A Comparison Piece of Mark Twains the Adventures of...

Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Frederick Douglasss Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave can be said to be comparison pieces. Despite that Huck Finn is a fictional character and Douglass was a physical being, certain characteristics and developmental processes are very similar. Firstly, in the initial stages of their lives, both Huck and Douglass faced repression, though in different forms. While Huck is a character whose spirit longs to fly freely, there are others that would conform his ways. This is expressed early on in the novel when Widow Douglas attempts to compel Huck to dress in attire befitting of a civilized individual. She also tries to have him refrain from smoking and learn the†¦show more content†¦The seeds of affection that manifest between a child and his parents never have time to take root. This process of dehumanizing slaves is done in order to initiate the process of destroying a slaves sense of identity and belonging. Upon receiving word of his mothers death, he is unmoved, almost apathetic. Sadly, he has no ties to his mother and can feel no grief for her passing. Thirdly, Huck and Douglass are protagonists, each in their own regard. The opening of Huckleberry Finn describes a game of robbers that Huck and Tom took part in. Over the course of the novel, Huck that what mainstream society has engrained in him is not always correct. He must make decisions based on his morals, not on what has been driven into him during his upbringing. When he encounters the group of slave-hunters, he realizes telling a lie is sometimes the right course of action. Huck is given the power to return Jim but instead decides to go against social norms and free Jim. This point marks the finality to his departure from societys expectations. The river helped build his taste for independence and free will. Huck wants to move out to the freedom of the West, thus departing from the civilized world. Huck grows accustomed to Aunt Sally and Silas by the end of the novel. However, he realizes that they are a part of the social order that wishes to impose their will upon others. It is not a part of Hucks nature to be influenced by others, as is displayed by his

Causes and Ways to Reduce Fatal Accidents Free Essays

Accidents involving fatalities during the festive seasons has increased drastically. We should take this as a serious matter as it brings a lot of negative impacts to the road users and people around us. Based on a survey which has been conducted recently, the number of road accidents in 2013 has increased about 25 percent compared to last few years. We will write a custom essay sample on Causes and Ways to Reduce Fatal Accidents or any similar topic only for you Order Now Authorities believe that the number of death toll in road accidents will increase continuously throughout the year if there is no strict rules are imposed. There are many reasons why there has been an increase in fatal accidents over the year. Firstly, drunk drinking is the main reason that causes road accidents. Intake of certain amount of alcoholic drinks will make one feel unconscious and unwell. When he or she lapses into unconsciousness, he or she might not be able to drive with a sober mind. This is because their mental power is unable to function well at that moment and they tend to lose their senses as well . Besides that, negligence and reckless driving also cause fatal accidents. Reckless rivers usually like to break rules and even tend to challenge the police officers. Some the drivers like to tail along ambulances during emergency cases when the siren is on. Those are the irresponsible road users that should be suspended or fined . On the other hand, talking or messaging on the mobile phones while during driving is Jeopardizing your own life and the lives of your loved ones. People like to use their phones to chat incessantly and keep looking at their phones every second. Sometimes, we should limit oneself not overuse it especially when you are driving. Road users should always be caution and pay full attention while behind the wheels. In addition, exhaustion and tiredness can cause road tragedy. When a person travels long distance to reach the respective destinations, they will feel drowsy and exhausted which make them to lose focus on driving. Some of them even fall asleep behind the steering wheel. In order to avoid any untoward tragedy, one should get enough rest before starting your Jorney. Also, do not take any medicine while driving on the road. There are many ways to overcome the fatal incidents. Government should remind all road users to always adhere to speed limit and not to beat the red light. Observation of traffic rules and regulations will ensure a safe Journey. Government should also launch some campaigns in order to develop awareness among the motorists. In a nutshell, all parties should play their parts efficiently in order to reduce the road accidents. A I Malaysian drivers are urged to practice courtesy and consideration at all times while on the road because millions of vehicles will be sharing the same road. Remember, better to be safe than sorry. How to cite Causes and Ways to Reduce Fatal Accidents, Papers

Strategic Operations Performance Of Nike †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Operations Performance Of Nike. Answer: The Company Nike, Inc. is an American footwear designing and manufacturing company that runs worldwide marketing. The company is the most successful company in the athletic shoes supplying across the globe and covers 47% of the global market. The company generates worldwide revenue of 32.4 billion this year which is 6% up from last year (News.nike.com 2016). The Blue Ribbon Sports was founded by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight in 1964 that changed its name in 1972 to Nike (Gibson 2012). The company strategic market campaign promotes innovation and inspiration in athletes lives (About.nike.com. 2017). Outside America the company owns runs business in 45 countries in 700 stores (Morris, Kuratko and Covin 2010). Nike aims for the maximum number of buyers so they offer various ranges of products for all ages. This also reflects in their company statement as they treat every customer as an athlete should wear their products. However considering the price of their products it is easily understandable th at the company mainly targets the high income group customers. The company enjoys the credit of being the top market leaders in the sports footwear supplying business but there are other equally strong competitors present in the market as well. The other two top sports footwear companies that are present in the market are Adidas and Reebok (Team 2017). Adidas generated revenue of 19.3 billion where Reebok generated 3 billion (Adidas-group.com 2017). There are competitors like Puma, Fila, Converse, Under Armour, New Balance, K-Swiss, Li Ning and ASICS. Apart from these competitive companies Nike is facing serious challenges from cheaper substitute sports footwear that are gaining popularity. Literature Review The strategic operations performance objectives help the company to achieve the competitive advantage in the global market. Organizational performance is also closely related to the strategic operations that the company engages in. This section tries to explore various literatures that discuss the concepts of performance objectives and their significance in the organizational performance. Quality According Slack and Lewis (2011) five categories can be identified as cost, quality, dependability, speed and flexibility for the performance objectives. The quality is defined as performing the assigned tasks effectively, procuring services and goods without any faults and the performance should be in accordance with the determined mission and vision. Desai (2008) has stated that if any company aims for the global competence and operational effectiveness the company must engage in the quality management. The companies have been realizing that and that is the reason quality has been emerged as an effective strategic entity in the organizational management. As Corbett (2008) described quality can be defined differently in different circumstances. In the manufacturing industry the quality is generally considered to be the standard on the products. According to Russell and Taylor (2008) quality is the essential component for the products to be able to satisfy the consumers rather than j ust eliminating the flaws and even if the company lacks a clear improvement in market the quality is able to conform the specifications. Prajogo and Goh (2007) analyzed that quality does not include any proper measurement or carries wrong measurement at certain times that highlights the lack of knowledge in quality. The company has to work with the both sides of quality in order to achieve the desired performance. Speed Russell and Taylor (2008) stated the speed is extremely important for any manufacturing business in the competitive market of today. The speed is the companys capability of performing any task fast and should be able to ensure that the gap between the producing and reaching the consumers is bridged rapidly. The companies can easily gain more competitive edge if they deliver the products faster than their competitors. The authors have highlighted how current manufacturers are exploring the advantages of service that is time based. The speed of the business has many other aspects like fast adaptation, close linkages and fast moves to the improved speed of competing. According to Tidd and Bessant (2009) the global business environment is always changing, therefore if the company brings new products with speed the company can achieve performance excellence. Flexibility Cingoz and Akdogan (2013) define strategic flexibility as the organizations ability to adapt and respond to the business environmental changes. In order to develop the flexibility the company requires to build core competence, engage in strategic leadership; develop human resources, integrating newer technologies. The flexibility is the companys ability to match certain unexpected circumstances helps the company in implementing new strategies or bringing new brand in the market. Roberts and Stockport (2009) discuss that flexibility is the organizations ability to maintain the relationship between the internal and external organizational structure. Nadkarni and Herrmann (2010) highlight that flexibility makes the company reach the superior position in the competitive market. Ussahawanitchakit and Sriboonlue (2011) explore other advantages that the organization gains through flexibility like this enables the company to manage political and economic risks caused by the market threats. O perations performance could be improved greatly if the gains the organizational competency through flexibility. Cost Slack and Lewis (2011) stated that the company should be able to fulfill the responsibilities in inexpensive ways. This objective allows the company to produce cost effective goods and services and helps the company to decide the appropriate for the national and global market that ensures the financial benefit for the company. Russel and Taylor (2008) have explained how the company has to focus on product design, procurement and employee performance in order to improve the cost performance. Strategic operations performance is greatly depended on the organizations ability to meet the cost budget. Prajogo and Goh (2007) emphasized that it is not only the failure areas that need to be focused on but the company has to identify the opportunities to improve the cost. Slack, Chambers and Johnston (2009) discussed that proper cost disaggregation that can have great impact on the total cost can only ensure the continuous improvement. Pulaj, Kume and Cipi (2015) talk about the low cost strate gy as cost leadership that put great stress on organizational efficiency. This strategy allows the company to distribute its manufactured products at cheaper cost than its competitors. The strategy includes aggressive pricing and trading quality products. Low cost strategy is achieved through reducing the administrative costs, economics scale and curving of experience. Dependability According to Greasley (2007) dependability is the organizations delivering of products to its customers within promised time. One time delivery speed will not ensure customer satisfaction if the customer does not find it consistent. Dependability can be measured through measuring the satisfied customers. Slack and Lewis (2011) highlighted that the dependability is closely related to fulfilling the customer commitments in a timely and orderly manner. Dependability can lead the company to provide improved customer service and customer efficiency. Company can achieve lower cost through dependability through checking progress and reducing other costs in the process. Nikes five performance objectives The performance objectives set by Nike are based on some components. The company only focuses on consumers as they are the primary source of generating profit. As the company aims to perform effectively the suppliers play major role. Nike promotes a community that consist not only the athletes or sports enthusiasts but every average consumer. The stakeholders of the company also demands efficiency from the company. Distinct groups of highly skilled professionals are working to meet the performance objectives of the company. Various departments work to meet the objectives for the common purpose of producing best kind of shoe and other products at lower cost. Quality Quality is the most critically important performance aspect for Nikes strategic performance. Nike minimizes the defect rates, scraps and other wastes in order to offer the customers defect free shoes. Nike is a big brand name in the global sports foot wear industry as the company maintains great quality products (Lutz 2015). It is difficult to establish a popular brand and customer efficiency without quality. Nike uses good quality raw materials and high advanced machines in its manufacturing factories. The company evaluates its products on a regular basis in order to maintain the quality. Nike operates in 120 countries where more than 800000 million workers working who are working hard (Johnson and Turner 2010). Nike air system allows the company to focus on research, development, design and distribution the products. Nike reduces time, waste and material by engaging in lean manufacturing that brings quality products. As the company uses lean manufacturing process it helps it to ach ieve 50% less in defective rates. Nike engages in quality assurance initiatives to ensure better quality. Nike started Green Chemistry Program that helped them to identify the chemical substances that should not be used for manufacturing (Greenscreenchemicals.org 2013). The company engages in extensive product testing at regular intervals. Cost Nike maintains its output costs better than its competitors. The companys performance objectives constantly work on appropriate use of raw materials and human resources and looks that it does not exceed the production rates. Nike increased its revenue by 6% in 2016 as the company announced that the company has been delivering premium products with high price but at the same time it maintains the Balanced price-to-value proposition for consumers (Sec.gov. 2015). Nike mainly aims for a high priced foot wear products that actually helps the company to generate more revenue. The currency fluctuations in foreign countries did not affect the company sales much. Though the product prices are increasing but the company is reducing the manufacturing price. The companys non-ethical labor management has changed and it now no longer controls the labor costs. The company reduces its labor cost by implementing infrastructure and technological advancements. Flexibility The shoe production system of Nike demonstrates a flexibly-specialized manufacturing that has a post Fordist vision associated with it (Lee and Gereffi 2015). The company develops the flexibility through semi autonomous geographic division that fulfills the requirements of customers that belongs to regional market. In the old footwear manufacturing market the variations of shoes were limited so the integrated hierarchy dominated the industry easily. However the time has changed and with thousand types of diverse shoes and shoe related products keep coming in the market. Nike applies the strategy of introducing entirely new models semi annually. Flexibility acts as a key driver for the company to choose for manufacturing as the company can make new products quickly there. Speed Nike gives importance to the speed of delivery as it believes that delivering the products to its customers within the promised time extremely important to retain the customer efficiency. The company monitors the cycle times and through cycle time the company measures its performance. Nike like his competitor Adidas is investing a lot of money focusing on the speed (Green 2017). Mark Parker, the CEO of Nike also announced this year that they are implementing new strategy named triple double o speed (Danziger 2017). Dependability Nike fulfills its order in orderly and timely manner to its all customers. The company has its own manufacturing factories all over the world and does not depend much on suppliers (Manufacturingmap.nikeinc.com 2017). The distributors also do not take much important role in the business. This is not as crucial performance objective for Nike as others. Recommendations and Conclusion The company must overcome its weaknesses of using underpaid workers in Indonesia. The child labor issues must be addressed and resolved immediately. In Vietnam and China the company is accused of creating poor working condition the performance objectives should address this as well so that the company reputation and performance do not get hampered. The operations performance objectives must ensure that the design of Nikes products is aligned with their organizational capabilities. As the company relies on latest technologies the designed products are aligned with market preferences. The company is struggling to surpass its competitors in addressing the Total Quality Management with high quality standard in sports foot wears. It is recommended that Nike should evaluate its production efficiency and streamlining. The operations management team in the company evaluates the objectives and the activities regularly so that the production goals are met based on the market dynamics. References About.nike.com. (2017).About Nike - The official corporate website for NIKE, Inc. and its affiliate brands.. [online] Available at: https://about.nike.com/ [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Adidas-group.com. (2017).Adidas with record sales and earnings in 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.adidas-group.com/en/media/news-archive/press-releases/2017/adidas-record-sales-and-earnings-2016/ [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Cingz, A. and Akdo?an, A.A., 2013. Strategic flexibility, environmental dynamism, and innovation performance: An empirical study.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,99, pp.582-589. Corbett, L.M., 2008. Quality Management in Operations'.Operations Management: An Integrated Apporach, Cambridge, Melbourne, pp.78-89. Danziger, P. (2017).Forbes Welcome. [online] Forbes.com. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2017/06/19/nike-to-stay-out-in-front-with-biggest-data-of-all-demographics/ [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Desai, D.A., 2008. Cost of quality in small-and medium-sized enterprises: case of an Indian engineering company.Production planning and control,19(1), pp.25-34. Gibson, C.H., 2012.Financial statement analysis. South-Western. Greasley, A., 2007.Operations management. Sage. Green, D. (2017).Nike and Adidas are making huge investments that should terrify Under Armour. [online] Business Insider. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.in/Nike-and-Adidas-are-making-huge-investments-that-should-terrify-Under-Armour/articleshow/59041680.cms [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Greenscreenchemicals.org. (2013).NIKE, Inc. - Sustainable Business Report. [online] Available at: https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/static/ee_images/uploads/resources/NIKE_Inc.-SustainableBusinessReport.pdf [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Johnson, D. and Turner, C., 2010.International Business: Themes and issues in the modern global economy. Routledge. Lee, J. and Gereffi, G., 2015. Global value chains, rising power firms and economic and social upgrading.critical perspectives on international business,11(3/4), pp.319-339. Lutz, A. (2015).4 reasons Nike's business will dominate. [online] Business Insider. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.in/4-reasons-Nikes-business-will-dominate/articleshow/46800455.cms [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Manufacturingmap.nikeinc.com. (2017).Nike Sustainability - Interactive Map. [online] Available at: https://manufacturingmap.nikeinc.com/ [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Morris, M.H., Kuratko, D.F. and Covin, J.G., 2010.Corporate entrepreneurship innovation. Cengage Learning. Nadkarni, S. and Herrmann, P.O.L., 2010. CEO personality, strategic flexibility, and firm performance: The case of the Indian business process outsourcing industry.Academy of Management Journal,53(5), pp.1050-1073. Nike News. (2016).NIKE, Inc. Reports Fiscal 2016 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results. [online] Available at: https://news.nike.com/news/nike-inc-reports-fiscal-2016-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-results [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Prajogo, D.I. and Goh, M., 2007. Operations management activities and operational performance in service firms.International Journal of Services Technology and Management,8(6), pp.478-490. Roberts, N. and Stockport, G.J., 2009. Defining strategic flexibility.Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management,10(1), p.27. Russell, R.S. and Taylor-Iii, B.W., 2008.Operations management along the supply chain. John Wiley Sons. Sec.gov. (2015).NKE - 5.31.2015 - 10K. [online] Available at: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/320187/000032018715000113/nke-5312015x10k.htm [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Slack, N. and Lewis, M. (2011).Operations Strategy. 4th ed. Pearson. Slack, N., Chambers, S. and Johnston, R., 2009.Operations and process management: principles and practice for strategic impact. Pearson Education. Team, T. (2017).Forbes Welcome. [online] Forbes.com. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2017/01/05/nike-the-calendar-year-in-review/refURL=https://www.google.co.in/referrer=https://www.google.co.in/ [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Tidd, J. and Bessant, J. 2009, Managing Innovation John Wiley Sons, Ltd, Hoboken, NJ. Ussahawanitchakit, P. and Sriboonlue, P., 2011. Transformational leadership, strategic flexibility, learning capability, continuous improvement, and firm performance: Evidence from Thailand.International Journal of Business Strategy,11(1), pp.162-172.

10 Steps for Finding Your Family Tree Online

10 Steps for Finding Your Family Tree Online From cemetery transcriptions to census records, millions of genealogy resources have been posted online in recent years, making the Internet a popular first stop in researching family roots. And with good reason. No matter what you want to learn about your family tree, there is a pretty good chance you can dig up at least some of it on the Internet. Its not quite as simple as finding a database that contains all of the information on your ancestors and downloading it, however. Ancestor hunting is actually much more exciting than that! The trick is learning how to use the myriad of tools and databases that the Internet provides to find facts and dates on your ancestors, and then going beyond that to fill in the stories of the lives they lived. While each family search is different, I often find myself following the same basic steps when beginning to research a new family tree online. As I search, I also keep a research log noting the places Ive searched, the information I find (or didnt find), and a source citation for each piece of information that I find. The search is fun, but less so the second time if you  forget where youve  looked  and end up having to do  it all over again! Begin with Obituaries Since family tree searches generally work their way back in time from the present, searching out information on recently deceased relatives is a good place to start your family tree quest. Obituaries can be a gold mine for information on family units, including siblings, parents, spouses, and even cousins, as well as the date of birth and death and place of burial. Obituary notices may also help lead you to living relatives who can provide further information on your family tree. There are several large obituary search engines online which can make the search a bit easier, but if you know the town where your relatives lived you will often have better luck searching the obituary archive (when available online) of the local paper. If you arent sure of the name of the local paper for that community, a search for newspaper and the city, town or county name in your favorite search engine will often get you there. Be sure to search out obituaries for siblings and cousins as well as your di rect ancestors. Dig Into Death Indexes Since death records are usually the most recent record created for a deceased individual, they are often the easiest place to begin your search. Death records are also less restricted than most records by privacy laws. While monetary restrictions and privacy concerns mean that the majority of death records are not yet available online, many online death indexes are available through both official and volunteer sources. Try one of these major databases and indexes of   online death records, or do a Google search for death records plus the name of the county or state in which your ancestors lived. If youre researching American ancestors, the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) contains details of more than 77 million deaths reported to the SSA since about 1962. You can search the SSDI for free through  several online sources. Details listed in the SSDI generally include the name, date of birth and death, zip code of last residence, and social security number for each listed individu al. Further information can be obtained by requesting a copy of the individuals   Social Security Application. Check Out the Cemetery Continuing the search for death records, online cemetery transcriptions are another huge resource for information on your ancestors. Volunteers from around the world have traipsed through thousands of cemeteries, posting names, dates, and even photos. Some larger public cemeteries provide their own online index to burials. Here are a number of free   cemetery search databases  online which compile links to online cemetery transcriptions. RootsWebs country, state, and county sites are another great source for links to online cemetery transcriptions, or you can try a search for your familys surname plus cemetery plus location in your favorite Internet search engine. Locate Clues in the Census Once youve used your personal knowledge and online death records to trace your family tree back to people who lived around the beginning of the twentieth century, census records can provide a treasure trove of information on the family. Census records in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and many other countries are available online some for free and some through subscription access. In the United States, for example, you can often find living and recently deceased family members listed with their parents in the 1940 federal census, the most recent census year open to the public. From there, you can trace the family back through previous censuses, often adding a generation or more to the family tree. Census takers werent very good at spelling and families arent always listed where you expect them, so you may want to try some of these search tips for census success. Go On Location By this point, youve probably managed to narrow down the search to a particular town or county. Nows the time to head to the source for more detailed information. My first stop is usually the county specific Web sites at USGenWeb, or their counterparts at WorldGenWeb - depending upon your country of interest. There you may find newspaper abstracts, published county histories, biographies, family trees, and other transcribed records, as well as surname queries and other information posted by fellow researchers. You may have already come across some of these sites in your search for cemetery records, but now that youve learned more about your ancestors, you can dig even deeper. Visit the Library In the spirit of location, my next step in the family hunt is to visit the Web sites for local libraries and historical and genealogical societies in the area in which my ancestor lived. Often you can find links to these organizations through the locality-specific genealogical sites mentioned in step 5. Once there, look for a link labeled genealogy or   family history to learn about the available resources for genealogical research in the area. You may find online indexes, abstracts, or other published genealogical records. Most libraries will also offer  online searching  of their library catalog. While most local and  family history books  arent available for online reading, many may be borrowed through interlibrary loan. Search Message Boards Many great nuggets of family history information are exchanged and shared via message boards, groups, and mailing lists. Searching the archives of the lists and groups which pertain to your surnames and areas of interest may yield obituaries, family histories, and other pieces of the genealogy puzzle. Not all of these archived messages can be found via traditional search engines, however, necessitating manual searching of any lists of interest.  RootsWebs genealogy mailing lists  and message boards  include searchable archives, as do most genealogy-related organizations using  Yahoo Groups  or  Google Groups. Some may require you to join (free) before searching the archived messages Ferret Out Family Trees Hopefully, by this point, youve found enough names, dates, and other facts to help you distinguish your ancestors from others of the same name making it a good time to turn to the family research already done by others. Thousands of family tree have been published online, the majority of them included in one or more of these Top 10 Pedigree Databases. Be warned, however.  Many online family trees  are basically works in progress and may or may not be correct. Be sure to  verify the validity of a family tree  before incorporating it into your own family tree, and  cite the source of the information  in case you find conflicting data as your research progresses. Search for Specialized Resources Based on what youve learned about your ancestors, now you can search out more  specialized genealogical information. Databases, histories, and other genealogical records may be found online which focus on military service, occupations, fraternal organizations, or school or church membership. Stop by the Subscription Sites By this point youve exhausted many of the free online genealogy resources. If youre still having trouble finding information on your family, it may be time to tackle the pay-for-use genealogy databases. Through these sites you can access a wide variety of indexed databases and original images, ranging from the  digitized WWI Draft Registration records  at  Ancestry.com  to the birth, marriage, and death records available online from  Scotlands People. Some sites operate on a pay-per-download basis, charging only for the documents you actually view, while others require a subscription for unlimited access. Check for a free trial or free search feature before plunking down your money!

Atlanta Compromise Essay Example

Atlanta Compromise Essay Example Atlanta Compromise Essay Atlanta Compromise Essay Essay Topic: The Souls of Black Folk Unlike Washington, Du Bois was born of a free nation, Massachusetts. In other words, he did not have the first hand experience of slavery or enslavement. Furthermore, without such a notion, there laid no foundation upon which attitudes of obedience and submission could develop. Du Bois simply lacked the background necessary to feel a sense of inferiority to whites. His lacking in this sense prompted him to attend some of the most prestigious institutes and universities. Du Bois attended schools such as Fisher, Harvard University, and later Berlin. It is indeed this high life, which influenced his mechanisms of thought. W.E.B. Du Bois employed nationalism as a means by which the black population could ascend the ladder of equality. Unlike accommodation, nationalism is not convenient for white society. Nationalism places as emphasis on the promotion of ones culture over all others. It is here that Du Bois is capable of being cited for hypocrisy. Due to the fact that Dubois was from Massachusetts, a free state, it is possible to argue that Du Bois is not entirely of the people. Furthermore, he had never experienced what the southern black population had experienced throughout the years of slavery. Ultimately, how could Du Bois promote a culture he knew nothing of, for it was not until he attended Fisher that he experienced this southern black culture? This is the very reason Du Bois was accused of being an elitist. Du Bois social agenda was centered on the idea of the talented ten. The formulation of this talented ten stated that the elite blacks in society were to uplift their fellow brothers and sisters. Here, it sounds as if Du Bois is creating segregation with in the black population itself. His belief that knowledge flows down the ladder of equality presents class issues. It is possible to argue that due to Du Bois lack of a sense of inferiority to whites was replaced by a sense of superiority to the southern black culture when he attended Fisher. Just as the whites did, W.E.B. Du Bois managed to create distance between the lesser beings and the elites. Not only did he employ this elitist social agenda but he also proposed the theory of voluntary segregation between the white south and the black south. Again we see that Du bois is lacking in a sense of inferiority to whites in giving black southerners the right to choose to be segregated or not. Because Du Bois agenda differed so greatly from that of Booker T. Washingtons the space is left open for criticism and critique. The Souls of Black Folk is a book in which Du Bois criticizes Booker T. Washingtons Atlanta Exposition. Du Bois states that Washingtons admonishment of blacks to ignore their right to vote is ludicrous. Furthermore, Washington stated that the right to vote could have no impact on southern black life because racism was still in existence. Du bois responded to this state by saying that forfeiting the right to vote would rob black southerners of political power and underscore their civil rights. Why should they give up and let go of something for which they had so diligently fought? This is the very reason for which Du bois came to call Washingtons Atlanta Exposition the Atlanta Compromise. In discussing the background, education, and mechanisms of thought we can now determine whether Booker T. Washington or W.E.B. Du Bois was the most appropriate leader of the time period. Although Booker T. Washington employed a very controversial and contradictory political and social agenda, he was still of the people and for the people. Du Bois, what with his elitist attitude and class issues did not seem to have the best interest of black southerners in mind. He imposed a sense of inferiority and created internal segregation within black southern culture. His openness on the subject of voluntary segregation of the two races made him seem pompous in the eyes of white society. After all, Washingtons political agenda may have forfeited black political power and underscored civil rights, but it was indeed relevant to propose that voting would not impact black southern life due to the existence of racism. This time period was not called the age of W.E.B. Du Bois; it was called the Age of Booker T. Washington. Therefore we can conclude, based on his background, education, and mechanisms of thought, that Booker T. Washington was indeed the more appropriate leader in the struggle to ascend the ladder of equality.

Why We Need a Goal of Zero Inflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why We Need a Goal of Zero Inflation - Essay Example Keleher reports that, "This objective has been endorsed not only by many of the world's most esteemed monetary economists but also by many Federal Reserve officials". A zero inflation rate will not impact the unemployment rate as critics contend. It will, however, stabilize the economy, and benefit the average worker. Though there is some debate about the definition of zero inflation, almost all economists agree that high inflation rates have a negative impact on the economy. When the inflation rate reaches double digits, economies will experience slower rates of growth. The unpredictable future of inflation rates reduces investment, spending, and creates a climate ripe for poor planning. Future prices and uncertainty about future income affects everything from automobiles to the real estate market. There is no doubt that a goal of zero inflation is desirable in today's instantaneous, global economy. As much as it is desirable for the corporate economy, it is even more so for the individual. Retirees on fixed incomes face an uncertain future with high inflation. For the average worker, an inflationary rise in wages will lag the increase in prices, which will place them permanently behind the inflation curve. The complexities of evaluating personal financial decisions in an inflationary market leaves the consumer open to exploitation.

Collage of Echoes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Collage of Echoes - Essay Example A literal interpretation of the poem could simply detail a human experience, whereas an analytical level of interpretation could provide a better justification of the poet’s ideas. In Collage of Echoes, the gender and identity of the persona are not specified, thus for ease of interpretation, one may assume to use the author’s gender. The persona in the poem is doing a self-talk or reflection. In the opening lines, she tells herself, â€Å"I have no promises to keep/Nor miles to go before I sleep† (1-2). These lines reveal that the persona has no obligations to accomplish, and no places to visit. Pleased with this thought, she expresses her intention to sleep or relax. Based on this, readers may think of the persona as a busy person, possibly an adult engaged in business, who, at the end of the day tells herself that she can sleep after she has accomplished her responsibilities. However, the repetition of the phrase, â€Å"no promises to keep† (7) could ma ke the reader realize that a literal interpretation of the poem is not enough to deduce the author’s ideas, hence, a deeper level of analysis is needed. An analytical interpretation of the poem requires deducing of meaning based on the author’s use of literary devices.

Statement of Educational Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Statement of Educational Philosophy - Essay Example Even if the best quality seed is sown in bad soil and neglected, it withers away. Edward Joyner of Yale University School said that ‘The development of a tree depends on where it is planted†. The same seed, planted in rich soil, if watered and fertilized and taken care of, sprouts and produced rich and luscious fruit. It is in this way that education of a child is to be perceived. It was John Dewey who compared the child to a plant and the teacher to a gardener. This is especially true of children in the lower school grade. They are delicate in mind and body, extremely sensitive, like soft clay that would take any given shape. The shape that they take in this age is set for their lifetime. There is a need to handle them with gentleness and care. This is not the task of the teacher alone. The entire school atmosphere, the efforts of the team ranging from teachers to directors of the institution, the students and their parents, should all be directed towards the single goal of education. The term ‘education’ here is to be taken in its broadest sense, implying not just providing instruction and information, but the development of social, physical, emotional, intellectual, moral and spiritual aspects, and extending in these times to the ‘global’ aspect. All these aspects are wide and varied, and naturally, cannot be fulfilled in the home setting, among parents and a handful of relatives. The school then, is to be like an expanded home, where experts in every field are appointed to make up for what parents alone cannot do. This does not eliminate the role of parents. Teachers, parents and society should all work together. At the same time, children are the national wealth, future human resource of their country. Hence the government also has an equally important role to play in the system of education. It is up to the lower school director to co-ordinate the efforts of all these elements and harness them for the benefit of stude nts. Another side of the picture is that all students come from different socio-economic backgrounds (almost 7 to 8 strata exist ranging from the very poor to the extremely rich). They have individual differences, different learning capacities, different aims, motivations, aptitudes and inclinations. Some also have physical disabilities. It is difficult but essential to treat them as equal, at the same time, catering to their individual needs. A class should be conducted by two teachers at a time. While one explains, the other can assist with the teaching aids and ppt etc. Later, one of them should conduct separate remedial classes for the weaker students. Simultaneously, the other teacher should go deeper into the same topic with the academically brighter students. In this way, the needs of both groups can be fulfilled. Marva Collins said, that the good teacher makes te poor students good and the good students superior. The school provides a wider and more varied social environment compared to a family. Group projects, team games, co-operative learning methods must be introduced. Socialization of children can be taken care of and maladjustment in future can be prevented. This is extremely important considering the fast and easy means of communication. One or two handicapped children must be placed in each class at least for a couple of sessions. This kind of

Case Study Of The Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam Environmental Sciences Essay

Case Study Of The Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam Environmental Sciences Essay The construction of Akosombo dam on the Volta river basin in Ghana created Volta Lake the largest man-made lake by surface area in the World. The purpose of this study was to examine the benefit and consequences of the dam on social, environmental and health issues. Critical analyses of primary literature over five decades were reviewed and some management solutions were outlined. The Akosombo hydroelectric project (HEP) contributed to accelerating of Ghanas economic development through industrial and mining sectors as well as for providing cheap electricity for domestic and commercial consumer. Fishing, transportation and tourism were positive benefit from the dam. However, negative impacts like the resettlement of 80 000 people, increase in health problem like the high rate of HIV, socio economic deprivation and injustice and destruction of the ecosystem. The greatest challenge facing Akosombo is management and lack of research on the aquatic systems at the basin. Key recommendatio n includes environmental compensatory approach and research into environmental flows of the Volta River. Ultimately, it is important for future HEP in Ghana be precede and adheres to EIA reports and involves stakeholders from planning to post construction stage to maximize overall development benefits, encompassing economic, social, and environmental impacts INTRODUCTION Hydro-electric power is an important source of energy for many countries especially in the tropical countries without advance technological development. In 2007, 3.2 % of global energy consumption and 20% of electricity generated came from hydropower (IEA, 2010). In many countries especially in Central America and Sub-Sahara Africa over half of all electricity generated comes from HEP (Anderson et al. 2006a and Gyau-Boakye 2001). The major advantages of HEP which makes it a preferred renewable energy sources are cost, zero air pollution, longer life span of plant, the low level of expertise for running and maintenance of HEP and lack of post production storage problems. Perhaps the biggest advantage hydropower enjoys over other sources is the fact that the cost per unit of electricity generated from hydro is cheaper than any other source. Globally, the trend of newly constructed hydropower has shifted from the temperate region to the tropical regions in the last two decades (Pringle et al., 2000). Dams construction is expected to double in developing countries due to expanding human populations, increasing rural electrification, and growing demands for electricity in the developing countries (Anderson et al. 2006a). Although the bulk of hydrodams constructed recently have been in the developing countries with China leading the number of newly constructed dams, the recent announcement of a major dam to be constructed in Alaska indicate the pull of hydro even as undaming of major rivers is taking place. It is projected that hydropower production would grow by nearly 60% in 2050 if the current rate of construction is maintained.(dams.org, 2010) Despite the numerous advantages, hydro-electric power (HEP) causes more ecological damage than all the rest of the renewable energy put together. The damage done to the natural flow system of rivers and associated impact on the ecosystem are documented in many studies (Anderson et al., 2006b; Pingle et al., 2000; Craig, 2000). They include natural flow alteration of a river, destruction of hydrologic connectivity, impeding the migration of fish and other aquatic biota effects. Asides the ecological impact, there is also the issue of social impact on the communities which includes changes in the landscape leading to flooding, displacement of local residents, increase in health risk factors as a result of the dam and reported deaths from dam failures. The Volta River Basin is located in West Africa and covers an estimated area of 400,000 km2 and is spread over six West African riparian countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cote dIvoire and Mali). There are a number of dams located within the Basin of which three large ones, Akosombo, Bagre and Kompienga, are solely for hydropower purposes. The Akosombo dam, which was constructed from 1962 to 1966 in Ghana, is by far the most significant structure built in the basin since the resulting lake is the one of the largest man-made lake in the world (Barry et al., 2005) and covers 4% of the surface area in Ghana however, the actual reservoir only has a surface area of about 8500 km2, an average depth of about 18.8m and a shoreline of about 5,500 km (Barry et al., 2005). The formation of the lake led to the generation of economic activities like transportation, fishing and tourism along the lake (Kumi, 1973). Although the primary purpose of the Akosombo hydrodam was to supply electricity for Volta Aluminum Smelting Company (VALCO) located 80km from the dam at Tema, Ghana, it contributed to accelerating of Ghanas economic development through industrial and mining sectors after its construction as well as for domestic and commercial consumers. Currently the dam supplies around 85% of Ghanas electricity need providing an average annual output of 6100 GWh. Despite the benefit of the dam to the country the long term environmental and social cost has been staggering. This paper seeks to review the impact of hydrodams in the Volta Basin with primary focus on the Akosombo dam. The aim of this study explores the biodiversity challenges facing the basin as a result of the HEP construction and review the impact on the social and the ecological aspects of the basin. Primary literature would be used to assess how the dam has positively or negatively affected the socio-environment aspects [the ecosystem (physical components, the biological community and water quality), social, health and economic impacts] of the basin. The study would focus specifically on the Akosombo but inference would be drawn from other dams across the basin in the analysis. Based on the study, outlined recommendations and solutions would be made for existing and future dams that might be constructed on the Volta River THE AKOSOMBO HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT The Volta Basin lies within latitudes 5 °.30 N and 14 °.30 N and longitudes 2 °.00 E and 5 °.30W. It is located in West Africa with six riparian countries (Ghana (42%) and Burkina Faso (43%) and the remaining 15% in Mali, Cà ´te dIvoire, Togo, and Benin) with Ghana occupying the downstream of the basin (figure 1). The building of the Akosombo dam follows almost a period of two decades of planning which began in 1947 when the first feasibility studies were conducted on the potential for volta river as a hydropower source. The bulk of the funding for the project estimated $ 260 million. was secured by Kaiser Aluminum from a US bank under persuasion from President Eisenhower in face saving from public relation disaster (GW 2010) The HEP was directly linked to efforts made to develop the huge Ghanas integrated bauxite to aluminium industry. The actual construction of the dam took place within1962-1972 under the management of the Volta River Authority (VRA) who were legally manda ted by the Act 46 to be caretakers of all Volta River related activities in Ghana. The Volta River Authority (VRA), a government owned utility, is largely responsible for electricity generation and transmission in Ghana. There were three phases of the project, phase one was the installation of 588MW unit of electricity which was completed in 1966m. The second phase involved an addition of 304MW electricity which resulted in total of 912 MW at the Akosombo dam. The last phase of the project was the setting up of a smaller HEP dam, 21km downstream, at Kpong. In terms of dam classification, the Akosombo dam is often classified as large dam whiles that of Kpong is classified as small hydro dam. Today a total of 1072MW of electricity is generated by the Akosombo HEP (VRA, 2010). The first phase of the projected resulted in the creation of Lake Volta (man-made lake) which is the most significant water body in the Volta basin. The lake covers an estimated area of 8500 km2, a length of 400 km and a shoreline of 5500km (Gyau-Boakye 2001) but rather shallow with a maximum depth of 113m. It receives flows from three rivers Oti, Black Volta and White Volta and discharges into the lower Volta river and then the Atlantic Ocean. The maximum capacity is around 150,000 million m3 of water at its peak of 278 feet. (VRA 2010) The main objective of HEP production is to make VALCO energy sufficient so that its activity which is mainly aluminum smelting would be proceed without interruption. The other objectives were to supply electricity for both domestic and industrial use and also export to the basin sharing countries (Benin and Togo). The Volta River Authority (VRA) a government owned entity was established in 1961 under the Volta River Development Act 46 and tasked with the management, maintenance and sustainability of the Volta River and HEP production. The act also gave the VRA the responsibility to generate and transmit electricity as well as safe-guarding the health and socio-economic well being of the inhabitants of the communities alongside the lake. Prior to the flooding stage of the dam, the VRA had to relocate people inhabiting traditional, administrative and all other lands that were to be inundated. BENEFITS OF HYDROPOWER FOR GHANA The construction of the Akosombo HEP and the creation of the Volta Lake have provided several positive benefits. The Akosombo HEP provides over 85% of all electricity generated in Ghana (Winston et al., 2006). The electricity generated has encouraged economic and industrial development in Ghana. Prior to the construction of the Akosombo HEP, Ghanas total power usage was around 70MW and this was isolated with individual standalone power supply system which was owned by industrial establishment such as the mines, factories and other major institutions (Aryeetey, 2005).and assess to electricity was restricted to less than 3% of the population. Today an estimated 60% of the population has access to electricity including 20% of the rural communities (ECG, 2008). Over two-thirds of all the electricity generated goes to industries and commercial entities; this led to rapid expansion and immigration of industries into Ghana from other West African countries to take advantage of the cheap ele ctricity available from the HEP. As a result Ghanas economy is twice the average of the West African sub region (IMF, 2010). In years of drought where HEP energy generation has been poor, unemployment rate rises exponential attesting to a positive externality of the Akosombo dam. The creation of the Volta Lake led to increase in fishing stock thereby making fishing a lucrative business to the inhabitants along the lake. Similarly, farming activities also intensified along the 5500 km shoreline especially locations downstream of the lake as a result of water availability for the purposes of irrigation and more importantly alluvium sediment deposition which is very fertile and has high content of organic matter. Also the navigation on the Volta river has changed significantly serving as a mean for transportation for goods and people across the lake where road are poor or unavailable. To the inhabitants creation of the transportation route on the lake which stretches from south to north has been one of the important benefits to the communities. The direct tourism impact resulting from the lake includes opening up part of hitherto inaccessible attractions (because of the location of the dam, the sight of the lake the environment, etc.) to both local and internati onal travelers. The lake and its designated national park Digya located at the west shore of Lake Volta and the resort island have provided a popular holiday destination. CONSEQUENCES OF AKOSOMBO HYDROPOWER Like all hydropower dams constructed the Akosombo HEP have had a social, environmental and physical impact on the communities upstream, downstream, the project site and even beyond the extent of the dam. On the social front the most prominent problem that is directly linked to the HEP is the displacement of 80,000 people across 700 villages in low lying areas and resettle them into 52 new villages (Kalitsi,2000). The lost of the original communities resulted in many socio-physiological problems in the communities including high death rate among the aged, breakdown of cultural practices and breakdown of traditional law and order (Gyau-Boakye, 2001). The higher death rate is attributed to the grieving for the lost land syndrome (Okoh, 1986). The Volta lake creation leads to a loss of 3.6% of the total land surface of Ghana including forest land to the reservoir.(Fobil et al. 2001) The lost land lead to decline in the primary economic activities of crop and livestock farming for most of the communities both downstream and upstream of the dam. As a result of less arable land to farm the men switch to fishing while most of the women (a taboo for women to fish in Ghana) were involved in pr ostitution as a profession to satisfy the male workers whom were building the dam. (Suave et al. 2002) In terms of the standards of living the inhabitant of the project site Akosombo enjoy the best living condition not only in the entire Volta basin but better than the major urban centers in Ghana. Surprisingly, the upstream communities and downstream communities are among the poorest in the country lacking access to basic necessities like hospital, roads, proper sanitation and water facilities. Perhaps the most ironic social injustice to the communities upstream and downstream is that it took three decades to be connected to the national electricity grids. The HEP have increased the health related issues among the communities living around lake except in the town of Akosombo (Zakhary, 1997). Sam (1993), in his survey concluded increases in diseases such as schistosomiasis (bilharzia), malaria, onchocerciasis are directly due to Akosombo HEP. This is dues to the presence of aquatic weeds and increase in the population of water-born vectors like mosquitoes, black fly and snails.(Gyau-Boakye, 2001) Specifically, Urinary schistosomiasis (Bilharzia) has seen the increase of the incidence from 2% to 32% at Mepe,( downstream) and 0.5% to 27.4% at Adawso/ Okradjei, (upstream) along the lake (Zakhary,1997). Malaria has increased by an average of 10% both upstream and downstream since the construction of the dam. The fly, Simulium damnosum which cause Onchocerciasis (river blindness) also increased downstream in Kpong between 1970 to 1980 due to the new breading grounds created by the Akosombo dam, however the fly was not found again after compl etion of the smaller dam in Kpong in 1982 (Gyau-Boakye, 2001). As stated earlier The period between after the construction of the dam (1970-1980) coincide with the worst economic period in Ghana and the associated political uncertainty forcing the migration of the young women whom were inducted into prostitution during the dam construction to the various neighboring countries. Sauve ´ et al 2002 concluded that the high HIV prevalence rate (14.1% compare to 3% for the country) in Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo districts located west and south of the Akosombo dam to a greater extent, a consequence of construction of the Akosombo dam in the 1960s prompted economically driven migration, specially to Cà ´te dIvoire, where many migrants became infected with HIV. This is surprising and rather peculiar to find a prevalence of HIV in semi-urban area that is much higher than those found in the countrys major cities. (Sauve ´ et al 2002). In terms of the physical geomorphology, the dam have created physical environmental problem. The most obvious is the increase in seismic activities around the dam since the construction of the lake. 4 major earthquakes of magnitude 5 or higher have been recorded in the area. Since there is no geological fault zone present in the lake, it is believe the earthquakes are due to the overloading of the geological bedrock underlying the lake with which is triggering the active Akwapim fault (Gyau-Boakye, 2001). Kumi (1973) concluded that the earthquakes might be due to readjustment associated with the lake in-filling. Another physical observation is that, sediments load have decrease by about 60mg/l downstream of the dam as a result of the impoundment (Barry, 2005). The lack of sediment has lead to the erosion of the coastline in the neighboring Togo and Benin at a rate of 10-15m/y (Gyau-Boakye, 2001). Another evidence of change is that the morphology of the delta have shifted 12 km eastwa rd from the original lower Volta entre point to the sea leading to coastal erosion at Ada.(Arp and Baumgaertel, 2005). In accordance with the behavior of tropical dam microclimate the temperature and rainfall in the south eastern part of Ghana is higher than the average in other parts of the basin and this is squarely attributed to the Akosombo HEP (Kumi, 1973, Rosenberg et al., 1990 .Opoku-Ankomah and Amisah 1998). The Akosombo HEP impact on the ecosystem unlike social and health issues have not been fully investigated and well. Fish and other aquatic biota are very sensitive to the hydropower operation due to the ability of the dam to alter and or blocking the migration resulting in genetic disconnect between species population (Baxter, 1977 and Pringle et al., 2000). The first compressive study sixteen (16) months after the construction of the dam by Petr (1967) showed that relative abundance of fish in the Lake were compared with those obtained from fish landings on the Black Volta and from the Niger river survey (Petr 1967). However the study did indicate an increase in plankton feeders, shell fish, Tilapia and a decrease Mormydiad and Alestes along the north-south axis of the river (Petr 1967). In 2000, about 87,500 metric tons of fish catch were recorded from the lake representing 98 % of the inland fresh water fish in Ghana (Braimah, 2001).Current fish estimated yield are 42-52 kg/ha/yea r based on catch statistics with Tilapia dominating the catch. However, the current trend of removal of standing timber in the forest which became part of the lake, in conjunction with overfishing, has negatively impacted the fish stocks especially in shell fish. Recent studies involving 165 fish sample covering 9 species in both the Akosombo and Kpong dam with Lake Bosomtwe (a pristine lake in Ghana) for mercury concentration showed levels below World Health Organization limit of 0.5 ÃŽÂ ¼g gà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1.suggesting no mercury in the HEP lakes mercury (Agorku et.al. 2009). Unlike newer dams constructed with EIA both the Akosombo and the Kpong dams do not have any fish ladders available for fish migration. In terms of the damage done to the ecosystem are unique and site-specific but generally the impacts invariably affect biota and biodiversity (Anderson 2006a). The Akosombo HEP is ranked in the top ten in terms of both social and environmental damage index (dams.2010). Flooding in the downstream communities is an annual event. The Afraim plain is a low lying rich farm land area suffers annually from the flow of the spillway river. A river flow is highly circumvented leading break in river connectivity. Although not unique to Akosombo, studies have shown that the large-scale impoundment may eliminate unique wildlife habitats and affect populations of endangered species. The Dibgya National Park close to the lake is a wildlife refuge site and it would be interesting to know how the lakes have affected wildlife in the park. Contrary to popular belief that HEP are emission free, scientific fact indicates that large dam projects and their reservoirs produces very significant greenhouse gas es (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide ) from the rotting of organic matter. The advocacy group International Rivers (formerly known as International Rivers Network concluded from their study Figure 2 that tropical dams in some case might be dirtier then fossil fuel in terms of GHG emission (IR, 2008) .Takeuchi (1997) concluded from his global survey of dams that the damage done to the ecosystem and electricity generated from Akosombo is very disproportionate. These impacts include loss of the actual wetlands as they are modified to suit particular irrigation practices and associated losses in biodiversity. (Takeuchi (1997) CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE AKOSOMBO DAM50 YEARS LATER The Akosombo dam in 50 year of operation has been the cornerstone of Ghanas economic and industrial development. Likewise the HEP has cause and continues to remind us daily of the socio-environmental negative impact of living with dam. The original goal of the project in addition to the generation of electric power for industry urban and rural household was to provide opportunities for large-scale irrigation, modernization of agriculture, promotion of factories and industries, and the establishment of tourist facilities. Fifty (50) years later, it appears that the need at the time for the country to have a cheap source of electricity did have overriding priority over other considerations (Arp and Baumgaertel, 2005). The generation of electricity as stated earlier lead to the positive economic and industrial development along the eastern coast of Ghana. Analysis of the project goal and the implementation of the original blue print indicated that the VRA woefully mismanage the dams activities starting from the original resettlement scheme to their inability to meet the electricity need of the country. The resettlement of the communities and the compensation promised to the inhabitants were not fully paid, farming lan ds were insufficient for the villages while a lot of communities downstream whom were not accounted for were ultimately affected by the dam. According to the available data (ECG 2010) and personal observation the VRA after 50 years of operation have failed to meet its goal of providing electricity to the citizenry especially the social injustice that the majority of the affected people by the project were not connected to the national grid until recently .This undoubtedly showed that the authorities neglected the majority of the people affected by the dam to the benefited of the urban dwellers (Girmay, 2002). To their credit VRA undertook some activities towards the fulfillment of non-generation goals like the creation of the Akosombo Textiles Company, Kpong Farms Limited, the Akosombo Hotel Limited and Volta Lake Transport Company Limited (VLTC) to boast jobs and economic activity within the region. The downside to these projects is that inhabitants did not have the specialized ski lls and education levels required to take advantage of working in textiles industries or operating advanced machinery in the 1960s. The VRA irrigation and modernization of agriculture programs collapsed after at the implementation stage. Such program would have been more beneficial to the communities living along the dam since prior to the construction of the dam the majority of the people were into farming. The Akosombo dam and many others constructed in the developing countries before the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment were without any environmental impact assessment (EIA) plan. In 1974, Ghana was the first country in Africa to establish an environmental governing body to deal with all environmental issues under one agency known as Environmental Protection Council (Appiah-Opoku, 2001). Ironically, the Kpong dam whose construction began in 1976 did not have EIA in place. In order to combat some of the negative environmental impacts of the project the VRA introduce numerous cut and fix approaches. These programs include afforestation program along the banks of the lakes, weed controlling measures to control bilharzia., dredging activities at Volta estuary and the creation of Resettlement Trust Fund for remediation some of the socio-economic impact mitigation (Girmay, 2002, Fobil et.al. 2003,). The success of these programs is difficult to measure since most of them we re subjective in nature. The VRA did have some environmental management programs and policies but they suffered from implementation and enforcement (Girmay, 2002). The question often asked in the view of the social and environmental damage done by the HEP is if this cost is justifiable. To address these issue in the context of Akosombo HEP present a dilemma. Ghana until recently discovery of oil along it shore did not have any fossil fuel or expertise in nuclear energy to produce electricity from these sources. Hence, the HEP project was the lifeline in meeting part of its energy demand. As stated earlier studies have shown that the amount of greenhouse gasses produces by hydropower is lower than the corresponding fossil electricity (Anderson 2006a). Although critics point to the fact that Ghanas overreliance on HEP have hamper the development of alternative renewable energy sources which have affected the country in times of drought. The supply of cheap electricity to neighboring countries like Togo and Benin mitigate their coastline erosion by the project. Ultimately, the amount of electricity produced from the Akosombo/Kpong HEP and the social and environmental damage to the basin is not acceptable. The major destruction of the ecosystem habitats and the negative health and social impact on the upstream/downstream communities is much bigger than comparable dams elsewhere. For example Japan produces 2300MW of electricity from HEP and the damage is a tenth of what occurs in Akosombo (Takeuchi, 1997). Although the HEP have been helpful to the country economically, with proper management and sustainable planning; the level of success would have been higher and the environmental impact greatly reduced. With benefit of time the original proposal should have been implemented and enforced effectively. This would have reversed the trend today which has led to the communities upstream and downstream been among the poorest in the country. RECOMMENDATIONS The positive impacts and the negative effects of the Akosombo have been highlighted in this paper. In view of the negative socio-environmental factors like downstream flooding, resettlement of communities, ecosystem destruction among others it is important strategies are put in place to mitigates these effects and protects the ecosystem from current and future HEP. One way of mitigating the environmental and social cost is through environmental compensatory project approach or offsets. For example, the recent plan of the Brazilian government to build a third world largest dam requires the company who wins for the bid to pay an excess of $800 million to offset environmental damage and relocation. Also in India there is a legal requirement that forests flooded by reservoirs must be replanted elsewhere. Introducing such concepts in the planning stages of the dam would really help ensure that significant and unavoidable adverse environmental impacts are counterbalanced by a positive environmental gain, with an inspirational goal of achieving a net environmental benefit. This approach must be fused with properly developed policies for resettlement and compensation prior to the construction of dam so that all stakeholders know the detail and what to expect or contribute toward the compensated package in cash and in kind. The resettlement costs must c over all inundated properties as well as emotional and psychological cost which is often ignored. The package aside covering individual cost could also be extended to cover basic facilities and infrastructure development such as roads, health centers, schools, potable water, etc. On the other hand environmental damage could always be factored into the price of electricity through ecological tax in order to reflect the true cost of power. This tax revenue could go into a standing trust fund which would be essential to sustain the programs needed to ensure the effective mitigation and compensation of environmental effects of the hydro development. To protect the integrity of the lake, measures should be taken to check deforestation by protecting the original forests. Additional compensatory measures may include either trust fund established through grants from developers (for example Harvey Basin Restoration Trust, Australia) or trust funds that manage parts of the revenue stream and for environmental purposes. This latter model was proposed for the planned Nam Theun II dam in Laos, with the intention of creating and managing a National Park in the catchment. The plan has the potential to benefit both forest ecosystems and the lifespan of the dam through reduce d sedimentation. This approach could certainly benefit Ghanas fight against deforestation. In the planning stages of a dam construction, is very important project teams realize the need to maintain adequate water flows and other habitat conditions to sustain river health and associated ecosystem services in river reaches located downstream of dams. When ecosystem services valued by local communities are fully considered and integrated along with all other management objectives, the prospects for optimizing both dam- and ecosystem-related objectives would be greatly enhanced. Project teams can help avoid the loss of ecosystem services by considering environmental flow needs at the very earliest stages of hydropower dam as part of the EIA development. The specification and provision of environmental flows is key to sustainable hydropower development and water management (Scudder, 2005). When environmental flow needs are assessed scientifically, water managers and hydropower dam planners and operators will understand the extent to which historical water flow patterns can be a ltered by hydropower operations without compromising a rivers health and associated social benefits. Active and early engagement of relevant water managers and dam planners, scientists, and other stakeholders in the planning process will help build a strong and influential constituency and foster a coordinated and consistent vision for the protection and management of a river. (Pingle et al., 2000; Craig, 2000, Anderson et al., 2006a, b Raschid-Sally et.al 2008) With proper input from stakeholders and attention to the needs and values of diverse interests, a tradeoff analysis can be undertaken to explore the optimal balancing of interests (Raschid-Sally et.al 2008) One current approach the VRA and other operator of dams on the Volta basin is the management of flood to limit its impact. New Dams and even old ones must can be designed or altered for multiple purposes such as flood control and HEP generation. By storing some portion of floodwaters on the floodplain instead of a reservoir, the total volume of necessary flood storage space in the reservoir can be reduced. By protecting or reactivating downstream floodplain areas or allowing agricultural areas to be flooded occasionally, the flood storage requirement in the upstream reservoir can often be reduced substantially. The excess water can be reallocated for hydropower use, water supply, or improved environmental flows downstream of the dam. Reflooding of natural floodplains can bring substantial ecological benefits, such as providing additional spawning and feeding opportunities for fish and enabling the floodwaters to fertilize and moisten floodplain areas used for agriculture or grazing.( Craig, 2000) Likewise , the coordinated operations of cascades of dams: on the Volta river can maximize power generation at upstream dams to enable lower dams to serve more of a re-regulating function, thereby minimizing flow alterations in the downstream river. Currently this approach is been developed by the transboundary water management Volta Basin Authority (VBA) and it is hope the implementation of such approach would be beneficial to the basin communities. The VBA IWMR policies would be the key to protecting the ecosystem in the basin. In terms of operational mode management The VRA can increase its generation of electricity from its Thermal plant in Aboase to ease the pressure on operating

Behind The Scenes :: essays research papers fc

BEHIND THE SCENES In the aftermath of the untimely death of Princess Diana a timeworn issue re-plays itself like a tired re-run of “The Honeymooners.'; Does the media go too far? Maybe. But like any other commodity, supply and demand go hand and glove. Whether a high profile celebrity or an every-day Joe, we sit glued to our chairs as the nightly news somberly announces society’s latest barbarity. We eagerly snatch up the tabloids as these mudslingers breathlessly divulge their version of the most recent Hollywood gossip. The fact is that America has become obsessed with the goings on in other people’s lives. Greedy consumers of the First Amendment, we march defiantly under the banner of our “right to know';, but do we have just cause? Differences and difficulties in interpretation have characterized much of the later history of the First Amendment and historians continue to debate what the nation’s founders meant to include when they wrote that there shall be “no l aw'; abridging the freedom of speech or press. Today the U. S. Supreme Court blindly inches its way across the tightrope of censorship. Laws prohibiting obscenity and indecency have been successfully incorporated and public sentiment has historically served to curtail the over-zealous journalist. However the moral fiber of society has degenerated from its once prim and proper past, and the press now vulgarly oversteps the boundaries of decency with little retribution. In the words of Chief Justice Warren Burger, “The First Amendment should not be interpreted to include the protection of frivolous gossip that “lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value'; (Grolier Encyclopedia 1996, Miller v. California). The People’s “right to know'; does not justify the growing abuse of our right to Freedom of the Press. The negative effect upon today’s society is only beginning. Tabloids not only thrive on; they encourage the invasion of privacy. In an era defined by celebrity worship, Americans have become increasingly tolerant of what is acceptable concerning media coverage of celebrities’ private lives. It is unfortunate that Princess Diana died for a blurry picture, a pointless snap from a speeding motorcycle. Dodging tabloid photographers she was simply trying to preserve some privacy by holding back the media intrusion. In the sixteen years since her marriage, she became not only the most famous woman in the world, but the only personality who consistently sold big in the global marketplace (Alter, Dying 39).

Nyorican Dream

NyThe Nuyorican Dream is a documentary about the construction of identity and how family, race, class, and sexuality can collapse on top of you. It follows the daily struggles of a migrant lower-class Puerto Rican family living in New York. The Nuyorican Dream is an ambitious and often heartbreaking case. Nuyorican are of second generation who are born and live in New York City. The difference between Nuyorican and Puerto Ricans is the country they are born in and that Nuyorican barely speak Spanish.This film follows three generations of mother Marta Torres’s, forty-six, family. In the year 1940’s – 60s Puerto Ricans suffered of a lot of poverty. You could barely find jobs and if you did the payments could not provide enough money to support your family. Millions migrated to New York City in search for a better life, mainly economically. Marta Torre’s decides to come to Brooklyn, New York around the 1960’s with her family. She comes to aim for a bet ter life,but it doesn’t result how she wished it could of.She is a mother of five kids who only her eldest son Roberto graduated from college and has job as a teacher and administrator in a public school. Her other kids can be considered to be less successful. Eldest sister Tati is addicted to heroin and crack but tries to quit and leave it back so she moves to Florida with her husband but still remains hooked to this addiction. Didn’t finish her education and now is hard for her to find jobs. Has a daughter who is five years old.She struggles through for money and ends up losing her apartment so she moves back to Brooklyn. After years of trying she becomes drug free. Then we have Betty who is 26 years old and is also addicted to heroin and crack. She didn’t finish her education either and got pregnant of 3 kids whom she lost custody for. Marta gets the custody of these three innocent kids. You probably asking yourself why she kept having children after the firs t one if she couldn’t afford to and wasn’t responsible. Well Betty says,† It just happens and I don’t believe in abortion†.Millie the young of the Torres family, thirteen years old, attends school and hopes to get out of the life she is in. Danny, twenty-three younger brother, spend most of his time behind bars due to robbery and drugs. When he thinks he is finish with a life of crime he find himself back in jail till he is thirty. This family was from all corners facing problems and was not what Marta had expected for her kids. Marta brought her kids here mostly to give them a better education and opportunities because Puerto Rico in her time was phasing poverty and political issues.The status of Puerto Ricans based on this film wasn’t as good as what you would imagine. All these migrants came for the American Dreams but in order to have success in it they have to go through many obstacles. Puerto Ricans use both Spanish and English put toget her for is known to us Spanglish. Puerto Ricans are not the only group of Latinos which phase these problems. We have for example Mexicans, Dominicans and Colombians who come to New York City in search of a better life for their kids but they have struggles as well.Many kids don’t take advantage of the opportunities and get peer pressure or hang out with the wrong crew and get to drugs and cutting school. This film taught me that we should always take advantage of the opportunities we get in life and in having a good education. In order to be successful in the United States you will always need education. We should be satisfied and grateful with what we have, because there are others who don’t have half of what we have. We should always be proud of our background because although it has poverty it has beautiful natural resources.

Reading Literature Vocabulary Essays

Reading Literature Vocabulary Essays Reading Literature Vocabulary Paper Reading Literature Vocabulary Paper we are using these clues context clues These are in the text surrounding a word and give hints for the meaning of the word. They are called ___ controlling The _____ idea of a passage is the idea which is dealt with and recurs throughout the passage. cultural elements This includes language, ideologies, beliefs, values, and norms. These elements help to shape the life of a society. cultural setting This is the phrase for the set of values, beliefs, and opinions shared by a group and surrounding the author at the time of her writing. definition Usually found in a dictionary, this tells you the meaning of a word or phrase. denotation the literal definition detail piece of info used to support main idea dialouge words spoken by characters diction This is the writers choice of words, including the vocabulary used, the appropriateness of the words, and the vividness of the language. direct characterization When a character is revealed by clear descriptions by the author, this is called _____ characterization. dynamic a character that changes in a story euphamism This is the substitution of an agreeable or non-offensive phrase for one that might be unpleasant or offensive. event This word means anything that happens to or is done by a character in a story. evidence information that supports a though or belief experience the name for what is gathered through the process of living fiction writing about imaginary characters and events figurative language goes beyond the literal meanings of words to create special effects or feelings flashback This is a scene, a conversation, or an event that interrupts the present action to show something that happened in the past flat character character that is not fully developed formal language This kind of language usually has longer sentences and a greater variety of words than everyday speech. Slang, contractions, and jargon are avoided. historical context the setting and circumstances in which a literary work is written or an event occurs. historical setting This is the political, social, cultural, and economic time and place surrounding the creation of a literary text. idiom a phrase in common use that can not be understood by literal or ordinary meaninga implied meaning a suggested but not stated definition indirect This is when an author reveals a person in the story through his/her words, thoughts, appearance, action, or what others think or say about him/her. It is called ___ characterization. inference This is reading between the lines. It is taking something that you read and putting it together with something that you already know to make sense of what you read. You make an _____. informal language This is what people use in everyday speech. It usually consists of fairly short sentences and simple vocabulary. It is called _______ speech or language informal text This is a type of real-world writing that presents material that is necessary or valuable to the reader. internal conflict when a character has a problem within his or herself jargon This refers to the language of a specialized type, usually dealing with a narrow area of study or knowledge. It has a slightly negative connotation, and can imply that the language is mere word play literal meaning This is the ordinary, usual, or exact meaning of words, phrases, or passages. No figurative language or interpretation is involved. literary summary A _____ summary is a synopsis of the events, characters, and ideas in a work of literature. main idea the central and most important idea of a passage media means of mass communication medium a way of communicating information motivation This is the wants, needs, or beliefs that cause a character to act or react in a particular way. mystery This is a genre that often includes detectives and a crime that must be solved. myth This is a traditional tale about gods, goddesses, heroes, and other characters. mythology This is a body or collection of tales belonging to a people and addressing their origin, history, deities, ancestors, and heroes. It explains the actions of gods and goddesses or the cause of natural phenomena and includes supernatural elements. nonliteral This is when the meaning is NOT exact or word for word. It is figurative and it requires interpretation. opinion This is an expression of an authors personal belief. It is not something that can be proved to be true or false. paraphrase This is the restatement of a written work in ones own words that keeps the basic meaning of the original work. person vs self This describes the type of conflict when the leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his conscience, feelings, or ideas. perspective This is a writers or speakers point of view about a particular subject, and is often influenced by their beliefs or by events in their lives. plot a series of events that happens in a literary work point of view This is the perspective from which a story is told. It is the way the author lets the readers see and hear the story; who tells the story quote If you repeat the words someone else has said or written, you ______ them. scene This is a small division of a play that usually happens in a particular time and place. sequence the order in which events are told in a story sequencing This is arranging things in order so they can be numbered or related in a connected series. setting the time and place of a story shakespeare He was a great poet and playwright during the English Renaissance. His works include Romeo and Juliet, The Tragedy of Macbeth, and many sonnets. source this is a person, book, document, website or record that provides information. or A research __________ is any material that can be used to locate information about a given topic. static A _________ character does not change during the course of the action. structure This refers to a writers arrangement or overall design of a literary work. It is the way words, sentences, and paragraphs are organized to create a complete work. summarize to state breifly support to strengthen or prove an argument or idea by providing facts, details, examples and other information or To strengthen your ideas and opinions with examples, facts, or details is to add _____ details supporting evidence These are the facts or details that back up a main idea, theme, or thesis. technical writing This is writing that communicates specific information about a particular subject, craft, or occupation. tension This is a form of suspense or potential conflict. It can occur between characters or arise from general situations. theme This is the message, usually about life or society, that an author wishes to convey through a literary work. thesis The main point or central idea that a writer states and then endeavors to prove is called a ____. thesis statement This is the the main idea of an essay, usually expressed as a generalization that is supported with concrete evidence. tone This is the attitude that an author takes toward the audience, the subject, or a character. topic This is the specific part of a subject that is dealt with in a research paper or in an essay. traditional text This is the CONVENTIONAL means of relating a story or information-generally in print format like novels or storybooks. It includes CLASSIC stories such as myths and folktales. universal theme this is the central message of a story, poem, novel, or play that many readers can apply to their own experiences, or to those of all people. viewpoint This is a writers opinion or standpoint on an issue word choice This is another way of saying diction. This can help reveal a) the tone of the work, b) connotations of meaning, and/or c) his style of writing. or This is the authors or speakers craft or style. It might be formal, informal, or even slang. Diction is a synonym. analogy this is a comparison based on a similarity between things that are otherwise dissimilar authors purpose the reason for creating written work categorical claim This is a blanket statement about something. It is used to as a strategy to convince readers of the truth of the writers position. It is called a __________ claim. Chronological Order This is the arrangement of events in the order in which they occur. Circular When two ideas are used to prove each other, we call this ________ reasoning. Claim When an author makes a ____, (s)he is stating something which might or might not be true. It must be argued. Clarify This is to clear up or to make information more understandable: to explain. Counter Argument This is an argument that makes an opposing point to another argument. It expresses the view of a person who disagrees with your position. Deductive Logic This is the process of forming a specific consequence from general observations. Directions These are the instructions that tell how to do something. Either-Or Fallacy Technique This propaganda technique is also called black-and-white thinking because only two choices are given. You are either for something or against it; there is no middle ground or shades of gray. It is used to polarize issues, and negates all attempts to find a common ground. Evidence This is information that supports a thought or belief. Explicit Directions Directions that are clearly stated are also called ______. Fact This is a statement that can be proved to be true or false. It is not an opinion. Fallacious Reasoning This is reasoning based on false or invalid arguments. Fallacy This is a false or mistaken idea or statement. Implied Meaning This is a suggested, but not stated, definition. In-text Citation This phrase refers to the documentation of information within the body of a paper: when you provide information about the source within your paper. Literal This is an exact word-for-word meaning, without exaggeration. Literary Narrative This is a collection of events that tells a story, which may be true or not, placed in a particular order and recounted through either telling or writing. Logical Fallacy This is a part of an argument that is flawed and makes the argument invalid, an error in reasoning. Logical Order This refers to the way that ideas and details are arranged in a piece of writing. Multiple Meaning This is when one word has more than one definition. Order Of Importance This is used when details are organized by degree of impact. Organization In writing, this is the process of ordering, structuring and presenting information. It is called the _____ of the text. Paragraph This is a section in a piece of writing that discusses a particular point or topic. It always begins with a new line, usually with indentation. Persuade This is to convince Persuasive Appeal This is a type of writing or speech that attempts to convince a reader to think or act in a particular manner. Persuasive Techniques These are techniques used to convince. They include repetition, sentence variety, understatement, and overstatement. Persuasive Text This type of text attempts to convince a reader to adopt a particular opinion or course of action. Phrase This is a group of words used as a single part of speech. Purpose This is an authors intention, reason, or drive for writing the piece. Question And Answer This is a way to organize paragraph or composition structure in which the author poses a question then answers it. Refine This is to make improvements to a piece of writing. Relevant When something closely relates to a subject it is called _________ to the subject. Rhetorical Strategy This is a plan an author uses to effectively deliver the intended message in written work. Series This is a list of three or more items, usually separated by commas. Speech This is a talk or public address. Supporting Sentence A _____ sentence helps to clarify, describe, explain, or enhance the main idea of a paragraph. Valid This is a statement that is sound or just, well-founded. Validity This of a source means the accuracy of the information. Is it up-to-date, written by a reliable author, contained in a reputable publication, and directly related to the topic?