Theory of Multiple Intelligences Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theory of Multiple Intelligences - Research Paper Example Such test scores would then be inferred against a predetermined rating which is supported through statistical techniques. The statistical techniques relate the responses issued by the subjects of different ages. The relating of the scores across ages and across various tests is based on the notion that intelligence is constant and does not change age experience or training (Gardner, 2006). In other words, intelligence is an inborn characteristic of individuals. Gardner pluralized the traditional intelligence concept leading to a new definition and educational approaches. Intelligence becomes the ability to process a specific kind of information. This ability originates within the humans psychological and biological make up (Gardner, 2006). These intelligences consist an ability to solve problems of create products that are a result of one’s cultural and community settings. Gardner came up with eight intelligences, which are linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical intelli gence, spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, and naturalist intelligence. Musical intelligence involves sensitivity to music. It is evident through sensitivity to tones, sounds, rhythms and other musical components. According to Gardner (2006), people who have this intelligence have the ability to compose music, sing and play musical instruments. They have a good pitch and sometimes an absolute pitch. Bodily- kinesthetic intelligences involve the capacity to use one’s entire body or parts of the body to handle challenges. One uses mental ability to coordinate body parts/movement to solve problems (Smith, 2008). Logical-mathematical intelligence comprises of the ability to perform logical analysis of problems, conduct mathematical calculations and examine phenomenon scientifically. The individual can reason deductively, detect patterns and thinking logically. It is often associated w ith mathematical reasoning (Smith, 2008). Linguistic intelligence is characterized by sensitivity to language, both spoken and written. It concerns the ability to acquire or learn languages, and us a language to achieve certain goals (Smith, 2008). This includes ability to use a language as a means for remembering information, and ability to express oneself poetically or rhetorically using a language. Examples of people with these skills include lawyers, poets, speakers and writers among others. Spatial intelligence, on the other hand, comprises the capacity to identify and utilize patterns of open space and confided areas. Interpersonal intelligence is people oriented intelligence, which is consists ability to understand other people’s desires, motivations and intentions. It facilitates coexistence of people. As Smith (2008) Notes, salespeople, counselors, political and religious leaders, and teachers thrive on strong interpersonal intelligence. Intrapersonal intelligence is made up of the ability for self awareness. It involves understanding oneself and appreciating personal feelings, motivations and fears. It also entails developing a working model of ourselves and ability to use such models for self regulation purposes (Smith, 2008). Finally, naturalistic intelligence

Regression analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Regression analysis - Essay Example The change in the dependent value for a variation in the independent value is estimated in the regression analysis. Multiple regression takes into consideration all the assumptions of correlation. It takes place when the independent variable is dichotomy. In the above prescribed case, if the increase of men and women were to be considered separately; Multiple regression is used. In the case of linear correlation no power terms are found as it will not reflect curvilinear changes in independent variables. In the context of multiple regression the powers to the variables were found to represent the curvilinear variations in independent and dependent variables. Correlation is the percent of variance in the dependent explained by the given independent when all other independents are allowed to vary. In the final result the magnitude of r2 reflects not only the unique covariance it shares with the dependent, but uncontrolled effects on the dependent attributable to covariance the given in dependent shares with other independents in the model. For example in the above case the increase of male female population can be taken as covariance. 2. During the years 1790 to 1820, the correlation between the number of churches built in New England and the barrels of Rum imported into the region was a perfect 1.0.

Role of Natural Resources in the Politics and Economy of the Middle East Essay Example for Free

Role of Natural Resources in the Politics and Economy of the Middle East Essay For the last 60 years oil has been of major importance for the economies of the Middle East. The region has about one-half of the world’s oil reserves and approximately one-quarter of global supplies of natural gas. Middle East oil has been an intermittent preoccupation for western governments and business, particularly throughout the dramatic 1973-4 and 1979 oil price rises, as these had a most important impact on the world economy. Within the region itself, oil production has accounted for a considerable proportion of national product and been the main source of government finance. The earnings produced from oil have not merely contributed to development funding in the oil-exporting states however have as well flowed into the non-oil economies through inter-government assistance, remittances and, to a lesser extent, private investment flows. (Marc J OReilly, 1999). Oil and gas exports are likely to stay vital for the economies of the Middle East for the predictable future, regardless of the price reductions since the mid-1980s. The price of oil has had a major impact on past development trends, as well as the region’s economic prospects cannot be assessed without some predictions of future price changes. The determinants of oil prices are as a result of very important interest as far as Middle East development is concerned. NATURAL RESOURCES The Middle East holds considerable quantities of natural wealth in forms other than oil reserves—for instance, the phosphate deposits of the Maghreb, which contain nearly half of the worlds known reserves of that mineral. In the area at large, extensive mineral surveying has taken place in the past decade, as firms and governments have searched for new sources of prosperity and for the means to greater economic diversification. Despite these efforts, petroleum remains of such overwhelming economic and geopolitical importance that other mineral resources are relatively insignificant. The development of the Middle Eastern oil industry began in 1901 with the granting of a concession by the Persian government to William Knox DArcy, a British engineer. In exchange for the rights to search for and exploit petroleum resources in Persia, excluding the northern provinces where Russian influence was strong, the terms of the concession required the operating company or companies to pay the Persian government ? 20, 000 in cash and ? 20, 000 in stock. In addition, the Persian government was to receive 16 percent of annual net profits, plus a small annual payment of about ? 4,000. (R. K. Ramazani, 1998). The British government took an interest in the search for oil from the beginning. At that time, it was determined to convert the Royal Navy from coal to oil, but the British Empire lacked a secure and adequate source of petroleum. In 1907, Great Britain reached an agreement with Russia whereby the latter was awarded a zone of influence in northern Persia and Great Britain was recognized as the dominant foreign power in the south. A neutral zone was left in the center. The Admiralty arranged for financial support of DArcys search activities, and oil was struck in 1902. In 1909, the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) was formed, and a refinery was built in the Gulf on the island of Abadan. In 1914, the British government moved to acquire 51 percent of the APOC stock (outstanding). These events established the precedents of petroleum exploitation through concessions granted by host countries to foreign enterprise, equity participation and profit sharing by host countries, and the participation by the concessionaires home government in Middle Eastern enterprise. (Sheikh R. Ali, 1986). During the interwar years, oil operations spread around the northern end of the Gulf into Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. In this period, the industry was controlled by the major international companies, often referred to as the â€Å"seven sisters. † By 1976, more than 104 billion barrels of crude oil had been lifted in the area since the inception of the modern industry. The enormity of Middle Eastern reserves can be gauged from the estimation that more than three times this amount remained to be lifted. At the 1976 annual rate of production of 9 billion barrels, the Middle Eastern proved reserves/output ratio shows that production could last another 39 years. (Sheikh R. Ali, 1986). Although it is a commonly used indication of production potential, the proved reserves/output ratio is not an accurate indicator of how long oil production actually will continue. For one thing, prospective or probable reserves are not included in the numerator, and new additions will continue to be made in the proved reserves category for years to come. Furthermore, variations in worldwide economic activity cause shifts in demand and current output. A short-term decline in output can cause a temporary rise in the reserves/ output ratio, as happened in 1975. Other things being the same, the assessment of reserve life made during a recession year could give a different impression from one made during a boom year. Finally, states sometimes revise their reported proved reserves because of research findings or for political reasons. Saudi Arabia, for example, abruptly cut its estimated reserves for January 1976 from 148. 6 billion barrels to 107. 8 billion barrels only to restore the estimate to 151. 4 billion barrels in 1977. This resulted in substantial variations in the reserves/output ratio for the whole Middle East. For these reasons, the reserves/production ratio should not be used in forecasting without suitable qualifications. Although the ultimate size of reserves and the duration of production in the Middle East are imponderables, there is greater certainty now about relative costs of production. The incremental unit cost of Middle Eastern crude, including finding, developing, and operating costs, are the lowest in the world. In the 1980s, per barrel necessary costs in 1972 dollars are expected to range from 15 to 20 on the Arabian Gulf. In contrast, North Sea oil is expected to cost $1. 50 to $2. 00 per barrel, and in the United States, medium-cost oil is forecast at $3. 30 to $6. 70 per barrel. Since per barrel prices for Gulf oil have risen to 60 to 80 times operating costs, economic profits at the lifting stage of the production process are exceptionally large for oil from this source. (Nora Bensahel, Daniel L. Byman, 2003). Oil reserves are providing the exporting countries with levels of income far in excess of those that otherwise would have been achieved. Petroleum resources thus are serving to compensate for deficiencies in agricultural resources and human skills. The relationship among resources, income growth, and economic development is complex, however, so that, in certain cases, growth based on the exploitation of natural resources can occur without commensurate economic development.

Contribution Of Robert Owen In The 19th Century Commerce Essay

Contribution Of Robert Owen In The 19th Century Commerce Essay Though Owen is considered to be paternalistic in his view, his contribution is of a considerable significance in the theories of Motivation. During the early years of the nineteenth century, Owens textile mill at New Lanark in Scotland was the scene of some novel ways of treating people. His view was that people were similar to machines. A machine that is looked after properly, cared for and maintained well, performs efficiently, reliably and lastingly, similarly people are likely to be more efficient if they are taken care of. Robert Owen practiced what he preached and introduced such things as employee housing and company shop. His ideas on this and other matters were considered to be too revolutionary for that time. 2) Jeremy Benthams The Carrot and the Stick Approach : Possibly the essence of the traditional view of people at work can be best appreciated by a brief look at the work of this English philosopher, whose ideas were also developed in the early years of the Industrial Revolution, around 1800. Benthams view was that all people are self-interested and are motivated by the desire to avoid pain and find pleasure. Any worker will work only if the reward is big enough, or the punishment sufficiently unpleasant. This view the carrot and stick approach was built into the philosophies of the age and is still to be found, especially in the older, more traditional sectors of industry. The various leading theories of motivation and motivators seldom make reference to the carrot and the stick. This metaphor relates, of course, to the use of rewards and penalties in order to induce desired behavior. It comes from the old story that to make a donkey move, one must put a carrot in front of him or dab him with a stick from behind. Despite all the research on the theories of motivation, reward and punishment are still considered strong motivators. For centuries, however, they were too often thought of as the only forces that could motivate people. At the same time, in all theories of motivation, the inducements of some kind of carrot are recognized. Often this is money in the form of pay or bonuses. Even though money is not the only motivating force, it has been and will continue to be an important one. The trouble with the money carrot approach is that too often everyone gets a carrot, regardless of performance through such practices as salary increase and promotion by seniority, automatic merit increases, and executive bonuses not based on individual manager performance. It is as simple as this : If a person put a donkey in a pen full of carrots and then stood outside with a carrot, would the donkey be encouraged to come out of the pen ? The stick, in the form of fear-fear of loss of job, loss of income, reduction of bonus, demotion, or some other penalty-has been and continues to be a strong motivator. Yet it is admittedly not the best kind. It often gives rise to defensive or retaliatory behavior, such as union organization, poor-quality work, executive indifference, failure of a manager to take any risks in decision making or even dishonesty. But fear of penalty cannot be overlooked. Whether managers are first-level supervisors or chief executives, the power of their position to give or with hold rewards or impose penalties of various kinds gives them an ability to control, to a very great extent, the economic and social well-being of their subordinates. 3) Abraham Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory : One of the most widely mentioned theories of motivation is the hierarchy of needs theory put forth by psychologist Abraham Maslow. Maslow saw human needs in the form of a hierarchy, ascending from the lowest to the highest, and he concluded that when one set of needs is satisfied, this kind of need ceases to be a motivator. As per his theory this needs are : (i) Physiological needs : These are important needs for sustaining the human life. Food, water, warmth, shelter, sleep, medicine and education are the basic physiological needs which fall in the primary list of need satisfaction. Maslow was of an opinion that until these needs were satisfied to a degree to maintain life, no other motivating factors can work. (ii) Security or Safety needs : These are the needs to be free of physical danger and of the fear of losing a job, property, food or shelter. It also includes protection against any emotional harm. (iii) Social needs : Since people are social beings, they need to belong and be accepted by others. People try to satisfy their need for affection, acceptance and friendship. (iv) Esteem needs : According to Maslow, once people begin to satisfy their need to belong, they tend to want to be held in esteem both by themselves and by others. This kind of need produces such satisfaction as power, prestige status and self-confidence. It includes both internal esteem factors like self-respect, autonomy and achievements and external esteem factors such as states, recognition and attention. (v) Need for self-actualization : Maslow regards this as the highest need in his hierarchy. It is the drive to become what one is capable of becoming, it includes growth, achieving ones potential and self-fulfillment. It is to maximize ones potential and to accomplish something. Motivation2 As each of these needs are substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant. From the standpoint of motivation, the theory would say that although no need is ever fully gratified, a substantially satisfied need no longer motivates. So if you want to motivate someone, you need to understand what level of the hierarchy that person is on and focus on satisfying those needs or needs above that level. Maslows need theory has received wide recognition, particularly among practicing managers. This can be attributed to the theorys intuitive logic and ease of understanding. However, research does not validate these theory. Maslow provided no empirical evidence and other several studies that sought to validate the theory found no support for it. TOP 4) Theory X and Theory Y of Douglas McGregor : McGregor, in his book The Human side of Enterprise states that people inside the organization can be managed in two ways. The first is basically negative, which falls under the category X and the other is basically positive, which falls under the category Y. After viewing the way in which the manager dealt with employees, McGregor concluded that a managers view of the nature of human beings is based on a certain grouping of assumptions and that he or she tends to mold his or her behavior towards subordinates according to these assumptions. Under the assumptions of theory X : Employees inherently do not like work and whenever possible, will attempt to avoid it. Because employees dislike work, they have to be forced, coerced or threatened with punishment to achieve goals. Employees avoid responsibilities and do not work fill formal directions are issued. Most workers place a greater importance on security over all other factors and display little ambition. In contrast under the assumptions of theory Y : Physical and mental effort at work is as natural as rest or play. People do exercise self-control and self-direction and if they are committed to those goals. Average human beings are willing to take responsibility and exercise imagination, ingenuity and creativity in solving the problems of the organization. That the way the things are organized, the average human beings brainpower is only partly used. On analysis of the assumptions it can be detected that theory X assumes that lower-order needs dominate individuals and theory Y assumes that higher-order needs dominate individuals. An organization that is run on Theory X lines tends to be authoritarian in nature, the word authoritarian suggests such ideas as the power to enforce obedience and the right to command. In contrast Theory Y organizations can be described as participative, where the aims of the organization and of the individuals in it are integrated; individuals can achieve their own goals best by directing their efforts towards the success of the organization. However, this theory has been criticized widely for generalization of work and human behavior. 5) Contribution of Rensis Likert : Likert developed a refined classification, breaking down organizations into four management systems. 1st System Primitive authoritarian 2nd System Benevolent authoritarian 3rd System Consultative 4th System Participative As per the opinion of Likert, the 4th system is the best, not only for profit organizations, but also for non-profit firms. 6) Frederick Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory : Frederick has tried to modify Maslows need Hierarchy theory. His theory is also known as two-factor theory or Hygiene theory. He stated that there are certain satisfiers and dissatisfiers for employees at work. In- trinsic factors are related to job satisfaction, while extrinsic factors are associated with dissatisfaction. He devised his theory on the question : What do people want from their jobs ? He asked people to describe in detail, such situations when they felt exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. From the responses that he received, he concluded that opposite of satisfaction is not dissatisfaction. Removing dissatisfying characteristics from a job does not necessarily make the job satisfying. He states that presence of certain factors in the organization is natural and the presence of the same does not lead to motivation. However, their nonpresence leads to demotivation. In similar manner there are certain factors, the absence of which causes no dissatisfaction, but their presence has motivational impact. Motivation3 Examples of Hygiene factors are : Security, status, relationship with subordinates, personal life, salary, work conditions, relationship with supervisor and company policy and administration. Examples of Motivational factors are : Growth prospectus job advancement, responsibility, challenges, recognition and achievements. TOP 7) Contributions of Elton Mayo : The work of Elton Mayo is famously known as Hawthorne Experiments. He conducted behavioral experiments at the Hawthorne Works of the American Western Electric Company in Chicago. He made some illumination experiments, introduced breaks in between the work performance and also introduced refreshments during the pauses. On the basis of this he drew the conclusions that motivation was a very complex subject. It was not only about pay, work condition and morale but also included psychological and social factors. Although this research has been criticized from many angles, the central conclusions drawn were : People are motivated by more than pay and conditions. The need for recognition and a sense of belonging are very important. Attitudes towards work are strongly influenced by the group. 8) Vrooms Valence x Expectancy theory : The most widely accepted explanations of motivation has been propounded by Victor Vroom. His theory is commonly known as expectancy theory. The theory argues that the strength of a tendency to act in a specific way depends on the strength of an expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual to make this simple, expectancy theory says that an employee can be motivated to perform better when their is a belief that the better performance will lead to good performance appraisal and that this shall result into realization of personal goal in form of some reward. Therefore an employee is : Motivation = Valence x Expectancy. The theory focuses on three things : Efforts and performance relationship Performance and reward relationship Rewards and personal goal relationship This leads us to a conclusion that : Motivation4 9) The Porter and Lawler Model : Lyman W. Porter and Edward E. Lawler developed a more complete version of motivation depending upon expectancy theory. Motivation5 Actual performance in a job is primarily determined by the effort spent. But it is also affected by the persons ability to do the job and also by individuals perception of what the required task is. So performance is the responsible factor that leads to intrinsic as well as extrinsic rewards. These rewards, along with the equity of individual leads to satisfaction. Hence, satisfaction of the individual depends upon the fairness of the reward. 10) Clayton Alderfers ERG Theory : Alderfer has tried to rebuild the hierarchy of needs of Maslow into another model named ERG i.e. Existence Relatedness Growth. According to him there are 3 groups of core needs as mentioned above. The existence group is concerned mainly with providing basic material existence. The second group is the individuals need to maintain interpersonal relationship with other members in the group. The final group is the intrinsic desire to grow and develop personally. The major conclusions of this theory are : In an individual, more than one need may be operative at the same time. If a higher need goes unsatisfied than the desire to satisfy a lower need intensifies. It also contains the frustration-regression dimension. 11) McClellands Theory of Needs : David McClelland has developed a theory on three types of motivating needs : Need for Power Need for Affiliation Need for Achievement Basically people for high need for power are inclined towards influence and control. They like to be at the center and are good orators. They are demanding in nature, forceful in manners and ambitious in life. They can be motivated to perform if they are given key positions or power positions. In the second category are the people who are social in nature. They try to affiliate themselves with individuals and groups. They are driven by love and faith. They like to build a friendly environment around themselves. Social recognition and affiliation with others provides them motivation. People in the third area are driven by the challenge of success and the fear of failure. Their need for achievement is moderate and they set for themselves moderately difficult tasks. They are analytical in nature and take calculated risks. Such people are motivated to perform when they see atleast some chances of success. McClelland observed that with the advancement in hierarchy the need for power and achievement increased rather than Affiliation. He also observed that people who were at the top, later ceased to be motivated by this drives.

Compaction for Sustainability: Advantages and Disadvantages

Compaction for Sustainability: Advantages and Disadvantages In developed countries, sustainable development has become increasingly important due to increased public awareness and pressure to meet demand from population growth. Urban Form is defined by (RTPI, 2015) as Physical characteristics that make up built-up areas, such as shape, size and density. It can be classified into four categories: Centralisation, Decentralisation, Concentration and Sprawl(Holden, 2004). Compaction (Centralisation and concentration) has been an EU policy since 1992 hence most European cities are densely populated. The aim is to develop sustainability which is defined by the Brundtland Commission as Meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs. This can be considered from four dimensions: Economic, Social, Natural and Political (UNESCO, 2010). The essay will first focus on the advantages and disadvantages of compaction in relation to different dimensions of sustainability, then focus on alternativ e forms. Finally, concluding the best option and consider future challenges. Compaction will benefit cities economically due to the agglomeration effect where the concentration of firms allow them to benefit from the economies of scale hence reducing the cost of operation and the infrastructure cost. Also, it encourages more specialisation as higher density has higher demand which allows more division of labour (Tejvan, 2012). This means the population would have access to a wider range of services and job opportunities, hence more likely to receive a more reliable income and become economically sustainable. A compact city will make public transport more attractive as there is a higher demand and usage which allow prices to be more affordable and higher frequency services to be run. This will increase accessibility which allows access to more job opportunities and essential services (RTPI, 2015). Socially, more people living closer together means that there is a higher chance that people are meeting with each other and communicate hence the chance of social exclusion is reduced and allow accumulation of social capital (Bramley et al., 2009).However, results from the survey suggest that medium density (Terraced Housing) is the best for social interaction. A higher density will have a negative effect. Compact living encourages mixed land use hence people would have easier access to services and job opportunities which will increase the quality of life and improve social sustainability. Finally, with reduced traffic volume as car ownership reduces, safety for pedestrians has increased especially with pedestrianisation schemes of centres making them vibrant again. Urban sprawl has been the strategy in most UK cities between the 1970s and 90s with the focus on out of town development (Williams, 2014). As economic and business growth contradicts with environmental sustainability, therefore activities have to be regulated by the government through legislation and documents such as Planning Policy Guidance (PPG). The three main arguments of environmental sustainability are related to land use, energy use and air quality. Land use will reduce by increasing density through building on brownfield sites so the countryside is protected. In 1947, the Green Belt is introduced as part of the Town and Country Planning Act and PPG2 which allows local authorities to set areas where development is prohibited on the outskirt of towns and cities. By 2010, around 13% of land in England is Green Belt (Communities and Local Government, 2010). Another supportive reason is the air quality will improve because of compaction mainly due to reduced car ownership as people will travel less with services close to where they live and work. Energy cost and consumption are estimated to be reduced as a result of denser living. However, there are a lot of argument and findings which suggest the benefit of compaction is over-emphasised. Because of the green belt, house prices have been unaffordable for many younger generation and lower income household. According to Halifax Bank since 1983, UK house prices has risen by 101% and 124% in London after taking into account of inflation (The Investor, 2012). The pressure to build more homes can be seen through the increase in approved planning permission to build on the green belt which rises from 2300 in 2009-10 to 12,000 in 2014-15 (Booth, 2017). The increase in house prices means that houses are segregated by income. Gentrification in the city centre can be seen in most UK cities where new houses are targeted for investors or the young affluent. People with lower income are forced to live in terrace housing outside of the city which are deprived and highly segregated by ethnic minorities which are both economically and socially unsustainable. The Green Belt als o force development to occur outside it hence increasing urban sprawl(Mace et al., 2016). For example, a lot of people commute from areas such as Redhill and Horsham which are just outside the Metropolitan Green Belt. This is not good in terms of reducing land use. Finally, government focus on compaction means that rural areas are left isolated as investment focus on towns and cities(Frey, 2003). Many villages lack basic services such as post office as more people move into cities, there is not enough demand to keep them operating. Compaction is also associated with an increase in stress level which will lead to poorer social ties in communities. The ease of access to shops and services means that time spent in the community is reduced and poorer safety perception due to distrust of neighbours and presence of more people. Hence (Bramley et al., 2009) found that residential satisfaction is low in compacted areas which is not socially sustainable. As the land value increases in the city centre, this means the availability of green spaces is at a premium hence environmental quality will decline as most areas will be concrete. Although congestion is reduced is surrounding area, traffic volume in the centre actually increases which means air quality in the city centre is worse and increase chances of respiratory disease (Echenique et al., 2012). Melia et al (2011) suggest the idea of paradox of intensification where doubling the density does not reduce the number of trips by half. For example, Gordon (1997) cited in Melia et al (2011) found that in England that doubling densities only leads to 7% decrease in miles travel to work. This is mainly due to the population increase in the area.Studies have found that compaction might not lead to a reduction in energy use. (Heinonen et al., 2011) found that in Helsinki that CO2 emission is higher in downtown area than suburbs. They conclude that this is due to a higher standard of living in the downtown and the increase in emissions is more than the effect of compaction. These examples suggest the environmental benefits of compaction could be overstated. An alternative urban form which can be considered is polycentric cities which are decentralised but concentrated. This is evolved from Howards idea of the Satellite or Garden City in the early 1900s where a centre city is surrounded by satellite cities which carry around 32,000 people each hence a medium density. These satellite cities are self-contained with services and workplace and connected with other cities by Rail links. It focuses on the symbiotic relationship with nature hence trying to achieve sustainability (Frey, 2003). It is very idealistic and only 2 garden cities were built in the UK which was not very successful as density is too low for self-sufficient economy and services. Another form is the Transit Oriented Development (Calthorpe, 1993 cited in Frey, 2003) which based development around a centre with public transport Hub which has rail links with a major city. The centre is an area for the community with low rise apartments in centre and terraces further away. Parks will be located further away from the centre. This type of development is also known as corridor growth hence a controlled way to limit urban sprawl and Copenhagens Finger Plan is a good example (see Figure 1). People can live in medium densities towns which have shops and services near the hub and have easy access to the countryside hence a sustainable form. However, the high house prices in the centre is still problematic. According to a study of 114 European Cities by Zoeteman et al (2016). It found that sustainability score of city improves up to 2 million inhabitants mainly due to economic sustainability. In cities that are larger than 250,000 people, ecological and social capital reduce. It concludes the ideal size of 100,000-250,000 inhabitants which is a medium density. Therefore, it seems that future growth strategy should focus on developing polycentric medium density cities which is well connected by Public Transport along with technological innovation to reduce environmental pollution. This is a compromise between a centralised compact city and dispersed development. Current research shows that there is no consensus on whether compaction will benefit socially and environmentally. However, as most governments currently prioritise economic growth, the benefit of agglomeration means that compaction will likely to continue. Ideally, a polycentric network of medium density cities will achieve all forms of sustainability the best. Booth, R. 2017. English green belt set to get 360,000 new homes. The Guardian. [Online].15 January. [Accessed 22 March 2017]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jan/15/homes-planned-for-green-belt-have-risen-to-360000-in-england Bramley, G., Dempsey, N., Power, S., Brown, C. and Watkins, D. 2009. Social Sustainability and Urban Form: Evidence from Five British Cities. Environment and Planning A. 41(9), pp.2125-2142. Brundtland Commission. 1987. Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on environment and Development. [Online]. No Place: UN. [Accessed 22 March 2017]. Available from: http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf Communities and Local Government. 2010. Local Planning Authority Green Belt Statistics: England 2009/10. [Online]. [Accessed 22 March 2017]. Available from: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120919132719/http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/lagreenbelt2009 Echenique, M.H., Hargreaves, A.J., Mitchell, G. and Namdeo, A. 2012. Growing cities sustainably: does urban form really matter? Journal of the American Planning Association. 78(2), pp.121-137. Frey, H. 2003. Designing the city: towards a more sustainable urban form. London: Routledge. Heinonen, J., Kyrà ¶, R. and Junnila, S. 2011. Dense downtown living more carbon intense due to higher consumption: a case study of Helsinki. Environmental Research Letters. 6(3), p034034. Holden, E. 2004. Ecological footprints and sustainable urban form. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment. 19(1), pp.91-109. Knowles, R.D. 2012. Transit Oriented Development in Copenhagen, Denmark: from the Finger Plan to Ørestad. Journal of Transport Geography. 22, pp.251-261. Mace, A., Blanc, F., Gordon, I. and Scanlon, K. 2016. A 21st Century Metropolitan Green Belt. [Online]. No place: LSE. [Accessed 22 March 2017]. Available from: http://www.lse.ac.uk/geographyAndEnvironment/research/GreenBelt/Docs/Green%20Belt%20Report.pdf Melia, S., Parkhurst, G. and Barton, H. 2011. The paradox of intensification. Transport Policy. 18(1), pp.46-52. RTPI. 2015. Urban form and Sustainability. [Online]. No Place: Royal Town Planning Institute. [Accessed 21 March 2017]. Available from: http://www.rtpi.org.uk/media/1360966/urban%20form%20and%20sustainability%20briefing.pdf Tejvan, P. 2012. Agglomeration economies. [Online]. [Accessed 22 March 2017]. Available from: http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/glossary/agglomeration-economies/ The Investor. 2012. Historical UK house prices. [Online]. [Accessed 22 March 2017]. Available from: http://monevator.com/historical-uk-house-prices/ UNESCO. 2010. Four Dimensions of Sustainable Development. [Online]. [Accessed 22 March 2017]. Available from: http://www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/mods/theme_a/popups/mod04t01s03.html Williams, K. 2014. Urban form and infrstructure: a morphological review. [Online]. London: Government Office for Science. [Accessed 22 March 2017]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/324161/14-808-urban-form-and-infrastructure-1.pdf Zoeteman, K.B., Mulder, R., Smeets, R. and Wentink, C. 2016. Towards Sustainable EU Cities: A Quantitative Benchmark Study of 114 European and 31 Dutch Cities. [Online]. Tilburg: Telos. Available from: https://pure.uvt.nl/ws/files/13611754/16142_85537_UvT_EU_Study_3_gecorrigeerd_def_RM_1_.pdf

Arguements For Gun Control Essay -- essays research papers

The violence in today’s world, has become ordinary and common. This violence causes a staggering number of deaths and injuries throughout the world. The main weapon used to engage in violence is the gun. That’s why I want a strict gun control policy that would nearly abolish guns and make the world a safer place. This policy would make it impossible to buy guns and would only allow hunters to â€Å"rent† guns. By doing this, violence, related to guns, would greatly and rapidly decrease. On April 20th, 1999, 2 friends from Columbine, Colorado came to school. They had a diabolical plan to try and kill as many people as possible. They were well prepared and had thought out their plan carefully. Together they had 4 guns with them when they began their â€Å"operation†. It resulted in the biggest gun issue in the U.S. to date. 12 students and a teacher were killed, that’s not including the 2 killers who committed suicide shortly after the murders. Around 20 others were injured. This single act at Columbine high school sparked a question in American society, is our gun control policy strong enough? I say it isn’t, with all the deaths and or related to violence in our country today, it’s nearly nearly impossible to ignore it. I say we need a very strict gun control policy. An after diasters like Columbine, a lot of people agree with me. Unfortunately, the government just can’t snap their fingers and automatically have a gun control policy. Like all laws and regulations, it must go through congress and if it gets through that, then it has to be signed by the president. Many gun control policies and been proposed in congress and most haven’t even made it through a committee. According to the article â€Å"Gun Control vs. Gun Rights†, on www.opensecrets.org, the government only takes action on gun control when a diaster occurs or when a well known figure is killed. In my eyes, this is entirely true considering that when a â€Å"normal everyday joe† is killed, he doesn’t make national headlines. It makes sense however, the people aren’t going to make a big deal out of a guy that they don’t know. Also it’s a known fact that when it comes to gun control, democrats and republicans, split right down the middle when it comes to gun control. Democrats favor heavy restriction on guns. Republicans sway towards gun rights and tend to hide behind the 2nd amendment. This results in gridlock (when... ...ssible considering that since the demand would go up and the supply would go way down, some people would be able to smuggle them in from other countries from lots of money. Also I understand that the hunters in particular wouldn’t be happy with this policy. I myself am not a hunter, I don’t believe in killing something for fun. I do, however, understand that I’m from an urban society and wasn’t raised remotely close to how most people who hunt are raised. Some hunters argue that it’s a source of food but it’s not â€Å"survival† food and therefore I wouldn’t let hunters keep their guns. I know that I’m being extremely bias, but I feel very strongly against guns and what they are capable of. Don’t get me wrong, I know that guns have probably helped us war most of war we’ve fought and saved some families from starvation but it’s today world there’s just no need for them. I love to argue my point. I also love a challenge. That’s why I’ve decided to debate someone standing by his own opinion, our founding fathers, and the 2nd amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The actricles that I’m going to rip apart, is â€Å"Gun Control Isn’t About Guns, It’s About Control† and â€Å"43 to 1†, by Mark Howerter.

Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose :: American History

Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose I. Authors Background Stephen Ambrose was born in 1936 and grew up in Whitewater, Wisconsin, a small town where his father was the M.D. At the University of Wisconsin, he started as a pre-med, but inspired by a great professor he changed his major to History. After getting his M.A. degree at Louisiana State University, he returned to the University of Wisconsin to complete a Ph.D. Ambrose began teaching at the University of New Orleans. He started as a Civil War historian but changed to political history after President Eisenhower asked him to become his biographer. Since then, Ambrose has written more than twenty books. Among his best sellers are D-Day, Citizen Soldiers, Band of Brothers, Undaunted Courage and Nothing like it in the World. He was also a consultant for Steven Spielberg’s movie Saving Private Ryan. He is a retired Professor of History. Ambrose is now the director of the Eisenhower Center in New Orleans and is the founder of the National D-Day Museum. He is also a contributing editor of the Quarterly Journal of Military History. II. Synopsis Band of Brothers is a fascinating book that captures moments lived by soldiers during World War II. It specifically relates to the History of a small unit of paratroopers known as Easy Company, 506 Regiment, 101st Airborne. It is a story that follows the company from its inception to the capture of Hitler’s nest. It begins with the training of these soldiers at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. The 140 members of easy company who were young men from different social levels were physically and mentally trained. This particular company had an extremely harsh training, but many believe it is because of this training that they were considered as one of the best rifle companies in the army. Their trainer was Captain Sobel who they disliked but was later replaced with Lieutenant Winters. Two of the many things these soldiers learned were brotherhood and leadership. The first drop done by the paratroopers was on June 6, 1944 in Normandy. This drop did not result as planned. Planes were flying at a high velocity and at a short distance from the ground. Therefore one of the planes got hit. They arrived at Carentan which they captured and flew back to Aldbourne. Their second drop was on September 17, 1944 in Holland. This time it was perfectly done.