Different Ideas Of What Is True :: essays research papers

As a child I repeatedly stood in line with my mother at the supermarket waiting to pay for our groceries. I often grew bored and found cheap entertainment in reading the thick, dark print of the supermarket tabloids. I would gaze my eyes and drop my jaw in shock at their stories; but, the one thing I never did doubt was the drama of their plots. As I grew older, I would watch television news magazine programs and think how different the facts, and pictures, as presented on television were from those of the supermarket tabloids. Now I have learned that in order to be constantly informed I must become a media critic, and I must judge for myself the facts which stories are correct. For some time I have found myself straining away from the supermarket tabloids and towards magazines I think I can trust. Upon examination of two periodicals, Time and Globe, it is easy to see the distinction between reputable and irreputable media, with regard to the JonBenet Ramsey case. Through the use of facts, photographs, and aim towards a certain audience a discrimination between drama and information is clear. It is disturbing that the Globe magazine uses melodrama and tension to sell a story in which the drama lies not in the pages of a magazine, but in the heart of all the victims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The facts discussed in both magazines contradict one another, and further the confusion of the reader. Time magazine challenges its readers to weigh the evidence and decide upon the guilt or innocence of John and Patsy Ramsey. Time magazine concludes that the investigation of the parents has come to a halt, due to the fact that no new evidence has been brought forward for months. This information does nothing to clear the Ramseys of murder, but does nothing to encourage their punishment. In the Globe magazine, a mention of a nylon cord is made to imply that the Ramseys will be arrested and charged with the murder of their daughter. There is no discussion of this report in Time magazine, and Globe magazine does not mention a source leading one to believe that this report is false, or concocted. By linking the Ramseys to the murder of their daughter by the use of fabricated evidence, the Globe encourages the readers to prosecute the Ramseys while destroying their na me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Photographs spread across the pages of Time magazine do nothing to add drama to the JonBenet Ramsey case, whereas Globe photographs add emotional illustrations to a excessive story.

Advertisement Is a Legalised Form of Lying Essay

Necessity is the mother of invention’ is an oft-quoted saying. But now-a-days the reverse of it is more true. In modern business, ‘invention’ is mother of necessityIn this age of machinery, newthings are produced everyday. Market is created for these things through advertisementBusinessmen advertise their goods in various ways and thus spread a knowledge of their goodsamong the customers. It is through advertisement that people begin to feel a need for even those goods of whichthey had never heard before. Advertisement creates demand. it is the backbone of commerce and Industry. No business can stay in the business world without advertisement. A successful businessman is one who snatches away money from even the most miserly and reluctant customer. Thus, the business world rotates on the pivot of advertisement. As the world is progressing, so the means of advertisement are also increasing. We allknow that big posters are pasted on the walls, and handbills are distributed to advance the sale of goods. Walls are painted and big signboards are displayed on crossings and prominent places toserve this purpose. In a cinema hall, first of all we see the advertisement slides. A major part of thedaily newspapers is full of advertisement. ‘Situations Vacant’, ‘Tender Notice’, ‘Educational’, ‘Lostand Found’, ‘Matrimonial’, cinema advertisements, and advertisements of so many other commodities are regular features of all newspapers. Radio and Television also are being used asmeans of commercial advertisement. A good advertisement must have certain qualities. First, it should be based on human- psychology. A thing meant for ladies, should be advertised in such a way that they are attractedtowards it. If men are to be customers, then it should appeal to their tastes. Goods for differentincome groups should be advertised, taking into consideration their purchasing power. A motor car is a thing for the rich. Its advertisement must be touch the mentality of the rich. Usha SewingMachine should be advertised in such a way that the family man, with ordinary income, may feelthe economic advantages of the investment of his money on it. Secondly, advertisements should be attractive. This is very essential. People look towardsan advertisement only if it is eye-catching. Good, interesting pictures are very effective form this point of view. We all know about ‘Sanforised cloth’. The advertisements to show that quality of the cloth display a man wearing a suit of non-sanforized cloth. He appears funny and uncomfortable ashis suit has gone out of fit by washing. Another man is shown wearing a suit of ‘Sanforised cloth’. How smart and active he appears. We immediately learn that ‘Sanforised cloth’ is best because itdoes not shrink. So a good advertisement must be interesting, attractive and eye-catching. But proper sanctity must be maintained and unnecessary exposure must be avoided. It must also befrequently repeated, otherwise people forget all about the goods advertised. do not like to waste their time on things which do not concern them. So to be successful,advertisement must be brief. Long descriptive stories or certificates of praise about certain thing donot make good advertisement. This is an important point in advertising and a good advertiser mustkeep it in mind. Advertisements are not concerned with the good or bad quality of goods. Even the mostinjurious goods are advertised these days. Advertisements of undesirable drugs and medicines andindecent literature, so common. They simply cheat the public. So we should be careful while purchasing an advertised article. We should use our own mind, instead of blindly following theadvice of the advertisement. In our country, the art of advertising is in its infancy. in progressive countries, likeAmerica, big business concerns have specialists and experts for this purpose. They spend hugeamounts of money on advertisement. But it is not so in our country. Some businessmen consider their products to be very superior. They think advertisement unnecessary. This is undesirable. Toget success in business every big or small business-concern must make effective us of art of advertising goods. To run a business without its aid is not possible in the modern age. â€Å"the advertisement for the body-spray, Impulse. The whole idea of a man absorbed in hisdaily routine being suddenly roused out of it by a whiff of Impulse and then going through a seriesof impulsive actions to compliment the lady wearing it, is romantic and endearing to most women. This combined with the light, tinkling piano accompaniment and soft-focus filming makes theadvertisement an attractive one. Then we have the newspaper and magazine advertisements, invibrant color, interesting graphics and witty slogans. Take a look at most cosmetic advertisementslike Maybelline or Cover girl, where the page is attractively splashed with the newest colors themanufacturer has come up with a pretty, lively girl caught in mid-laughter. Therefore, advertisements today are generally interesting due to the visual and sound effects made possible yadvanced technology in the various mediums of print, sound and film, and a little imagination,especially when rival companies try their best to attract consumers and so try to advertise better. Are they useless? Not necessarily. In many ways advertisements help to keep the cost of most publications low so that we can afford them quite easily. This applies in the case of our dailynewspaper â€Å"The Straits Times†, the Sunday â€Å"Asia Magazine†, the popular â€Å"Readers Digest† andespecially the publication we are all familiar with, our respective school magazines. Theadvertisers pay to advertise and this payment subsidizes publishing cost so that we pay less thanwhat we might otherwise have to pay. Advertisements also help to ease our boredom sometimes. How many times have people been roused out of a bored stupor once they see an interestingadvertisement on a billboard or bus or when lazily flicking through a magazine? Also,advertisements either interesting or otherwise, especially of otherwise, do promote conversationamong friends when they discuss them, how an advertisement is so silly, or another is unusual andimaginative and yet another is introducing an interesting and attractive product which might beworth buying. This then brings us to the last point. Are advertisements misleading? One of their uses is that they inform us as to what is available on the market, but is this informationwholly true? Their main function is to attract buyers so naturally, only certain details regarding a product are highlighted while others are not provided at all. We are made to believe that a productis long-lasting, worthwhile, multi-purpose and bound to give us that happiness we cannot findelsewhere. Perfume advertisements promise to bring the opposite sex falling at one’s feet,dictionary and encyclopedia advertisements promise to give us all the wisdom and knowledge inthe world, cosmetic advertisement for â€Å"Ponderosa Steak & Salad Restaurant† promises juicy andtender steak and delicious salad. I have eaten there and found the steak to be of very low quality,for a very high price, but the salad was everything the advertisement led me to believe. conclusion:So in conclusion, I would say that modernAdvertisements are boring, unless and oftenmisleading. †

Urbanization and Rural Migrants

DefinitionsUrbanisation: The process in which an increasing proportion of the population live in cities/urban areas. Urban growth: Increase in population size and/or physical size of the towns, cities and other larger urban settlements in a country or a region. Process whereby settlements grow in terms of population number and/or physical size Megacity: A giant metropolis with a population of at least 10 million Slums: A residential area that is physically and socially deteriorated and in which satisfactory family life is impossible. Squatters: Shelters with poor structural quality and developed without legal claims to the land and/or permission from the concerned authoritiesTrends in urbanisationGeneral trends:In 1950, there were two megacities with 10 million or more inhabitants. By 2005, this number has increased to 20 and it is projected that there will be 22 megacities by 2015. Developing countries will have 18 of the 22 megacities in 2015.LEDCs vs MEDCs:Since 1950, the most rap id growth in urbanisation has occurred in LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries) in South America, Africa and Asia. Between 1950 and 1990, the urban population in LEDCs has doubled. In China, the urban population grew from 192 million to 375 million in 16 years. However, this is not the case in MEDCs, which instead face the phenomenon of counter-urbanisation where people choose to move away from the bustling city to the quieter rural environment.Positive impacts (Reasons for urbanisation)Wage and employment differentials Economic advancements are better in the city for migrants due to higher wages and increased number of working days. For example, In Dehli, rural migrants’  income increase by 150% compared to those in villages. Job opportunities in the city can also be found in the form of employment in informal sectors such as hawkers selling food by the sidewalks. This requires limited capital as money does not have to be spent on renting a workplace or a stall.The cities provide a greater opportunity for rural migrants to climb the income ladder. The increased wealth will enhance the lives of the migrants and their families as money can be spent on proper food, water, healthcare and even education. If the money is invested well in their children, their families can be brought out of the cycle of poverty, increasing their standard of living in the long run.Access to Amenities and ServicesDue to the close proximity of people in the highly populated cities, it is easier and cheaper to provide amenities that are accessible and affordable to everyone. This is referred to as the economies of scale, hence allowing city dwellers to have better and cheaper access to water and electrical supply. This results in an improvement in their living standards and decreases one’s chance of contracting diseases related to the lack of proper water supply.For example, water pipes and sewers can be constructed within densely populated areas more efficiently than laying long pipelines connecting houses in more dispersed rural settlements. The poor access to basic infrastructure has a disproportionate effect on rural women as they perform most of the domestic chores and often walk long distances to fetch water. The energy spent on getting water can be better channeled to economic activities in urban areas.Future ProspectsPeople are willing to endure short-term difficulties in the hopes of better prospects of economic gain and improved welfare in the longer term, even if only for their children.Economic growthCities are engines of economic growth as they are places where money, services, wealth and manpower are centralized. Cheap labour will attract foreign investors as production cost is low. Through trade and tourism, foreign money will flow into the country, boosting the economy. Urban-based economic activities account for more than 50% of the gross  domestic product (GDP) In all countries. For example, Mumbai, the richest city in I ndia, ha the highest GDP of any city in South, West and Central Asia.Negative impacts (Challenges)Urban unemployment and urban povertyThere is a huge economic income disparity, leaving a huge gap between the rich and the poor in the cities. This is because the rural migrants lack education and the skills required to get a good job. Hence, the inhabitants of the urban areas have better access to the various industries due to the higher levels of education they received, while rural migrants only earn a meager income. This is made worse by the lack of jobs due to the sudden increase in population and workforce in the city. Many rural migrants turn to the ‘informal sector’ as their source of income, where there is no need for them to pay taxes.However, this results in a decrease in the government’s income, which can be used to build and improve infrastructure and provide better amenities and services to the people. For example, in Morocco, street vendors are a commo n sight as these mobile traders do not have to pay rent or municipal tax. However, these informal traders cause small retailers to lose out in the competition and has forced many small businesses in the area to close down.Traffic congestionThe increased income means an increase in private ownership of cars as a form of luxury instead of taking public transportation. However, this leads to traffic congestions during peak hours due to insufficient roads in the transport network, leading to delays and frustrations. It is estimated that in Bangkok, a car spends an average of 44 days per year stuck in traffic. Apart from being a waste of time, it also causes environmental and noise pollution. This affects the quality of life for urban dwellers.Environmental degradationThe increase in private car ownership and other human activities result in air pollution and other forms of environmental degradation such as dumping of chemical waste in waterways. More than 80% of sewage in developing   countries is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastal areas. This makes water unfit for drinking and also upsets the ecosystem. Fumes from exhaust pipes cause the air to be filled with harmful particles that negatively affect the health of urban dwellers, especially those with respiratory difficulties such as asthma.This is a prominent problem in Beijing, where the smog in the air is so thick that it is a cause of worry for the citizens. Smoking causes lead pollution in the air, which has adverse effects on other’s health. The air in New Mexico causes lead levels in babies to be so high that it impairs their brain development. This affects the social wellbeing of the citizens.HousingRapid urbanisation has led to the development of squatter settlements and an informal sector to the economy. By 2050, it is estimated that the world’s population will be 9 billion, of which 3.5 million will be living in slums and squatter settlements. There is a huge demand for housing due to the great increase in urban population. This pushes up the price of housing. Poor rural migrants who are unable to afford proper housing are forced to live in slums or squatters.1. These settlements lack proper sanitation, drainage and disposal systems (dumping ground). The houses are closely packed in a disorderly fashion, and often overcrowded with people. This makes the spread of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis quick and easy, giving rise to a high likelihood of health problems, especially given the unsanitary conditions. 2. There is an inadequate access to clean water and lack of a proper sewage system, allowing water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid to be spread easily. (2 million children are killed yearly by water contaminated by sewage.)3. There might be a high incidence of fire breakouts as the close proximity of the houses make it easy for the fire to spread. Furthermore, the disorderly arrangement of houses makes it difficult for s lum residents to escape easily from the fire. 4. Lack of basic amenities and services such as electricity means the need to use oil lamps and kerosene for lighting. This also increases the chance of a fire. 5. Makeshift shelters are built using low quality building materials such as  cardboards, planks, etc. that might be flammable. This encourages a fire breakout, and also means that a fire can cause the residents to lose all their possessions. 6. The lack of a proper drainage system might lead to flooding, especially for slum settlements build on water-retention areas.SolutionsHOUSING:1. (Overcrowding) Curb the flow of rural-urban migration to ensure that the government can cope with the pace and provide the necessary infrastructure required a. Improve living conditions in rural areas such that there will not be a need for rural dwellers to move to the city. b. Indonesian migrants to Jakarta are required to obtain residence cards to prove that they have a job and accommodation i n the city before permission is granted to them to leave the rural areas. 2. (Slums) Improving living conditions of squatter settlements a. â€Å"For a Better Calcutta† in India: The Central Metropolitan Development Authority (CDMA) launched this  £250 million programme to make slums more bearable and the city liveable by installing sanitation and sewers, drinking water and streetlights, health care and education. a.i. 150 000 street lighting points provideda.ii. Provision of 90 litres of water per capita per day. More than 20 000 water tap points and connections have been provided a.iii. Revamp and Renovation of drainage and sewage systems: 45 000 permanent sanitary latrines (1 per 35 people) a.iv. Construction of 600m of paved roads and pathwaysa.v. Gardens, parks and playgrounds on 60 sites are under construction.Provision of subsidized housing and relocationa. Cingapura project, Sao Paulo, Brazila.i. Brazil aims to replace slums with low-rise blocks of flats. They aim t o resettle 92 000 families from 243 slum sites a.ii. Residents pay for the house over a span of 20 years at a low interest rate. 4. Self-Help Schemesa. In Nairobi, Kenya Africa, the World back gives financial support to the  squatters. Building lots are provided and laid out with water, drains, roads lighting and occasionally clinics and schools. Squatters are given modest loans for building materials and are expected to build their own homes on prepared sites. 5. With these interventions, slum and squatter dwellers of urban areas are experiencing an improvement in the living environment.TRAFFIC: 1. Restrictionsa. Curbing vehicle growth by increasing the cost of private car to discourage car ownership. a.i. For example, in SG, potential car owners must pay to bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) b. Reducing congestion by limiting the number of cars on the road. b.i. In Singapore, ERP gantries are set up on frequently congested roads to collect additional road tax during peak hours. b.ii. Beijing restricts certain cars with certain numbers from going on the roads on weekdays 2. Encourage the use of public transport by improving and subsidizing public transport to make it accessible and affordable.MacroconceptsUrbanisation is an inevitable process for a country on its way to development. No country has achieved high-income status without first urbanizing, and nearly all countries become at least 50% urbanized before fully reaching middle-income status. Urbanization plays an important role in economic, political and cultural development, and also provides better access to education, employment and healthcare, hence improving the social wellbeing of the people.Even though urbanisation brings about both advantages and disadvantages, many of the urban problems are results of poor management and planning and the absence of coherent urban policies. For example, in Africa, urban areas are economically stagnant or in recession, hence local authorities do not hav e the money or expertise to provide services such as access to water, housing, education and healthcare. This results in the formation of slums. (70% of Africa’s urban population live in slums) Hence, urbanisation itself is not a problem, and should be encouraged. However, it has to be accompanied with proper planning and  regulation.

The Economy of China (Globalization Effect) Essays

The Economy of China (Globalization Effect) Essays The Economy of China (Globalization Effect) Essay The Economy of China (Globalization Effect) Essay Research Essay Lewis Carroll The effects of globalisation on Economic growth and the quality of life in China. China holds the second largest economy in the world, measured by Purchasing Power Parity (a technique used to determine and compare the relative value of different currencies). From the late 1970s, the Chinese economy has become more market orientated, rather than its former closed and planned political system. This change has played a major role in the development of their economy and impact of globalisation. At present, it is the worlds fastest growing major economy. Growth ates in the Chinese economy have averaged 10% throughout the past 30 years. By utilising Chinas perfect environment for manufacturing with low minimum income levels compared to other countries, and little to no policies surrounding work place health and safety, in 2010 China became the worlds largest exporter. In 2010, 19. 8% of the worlds manufacturing output was produced by China, and Industry and Manufacturing account for 46. 8% of Chinas GDP. Apart from the thriving Manufacturing industry, China also produces 45% of the worlds steel and is the worlds third largest Automotive Manufacturer. Over recent years, Chinas Urban wages have received a 13-19% increase to an average of $2472USDp. a. The Chinese Economy has gained both benefit and been disadvantaged by globalisation trends. One advantage is China has received extensive amounts of high GDP over recent years, although it sometimes due to the over exploitation of their unbelievably cheap labour compared to other countries. China has become almost an essential to the global supply chain because of its cheap labour leading to the massive growth we have seen over recent years. Other Positive effects of globalisation include the mprovement of living standards due to higher employment and therefore larger income and contribution to the economy. The amount of employment in china has increased due to the rise in growth and creation of TNCs and movement of production due to globalisation. This means that in order to meet demands, they need to create more Jobs which is suited best in China because of low minimum income levels Negative effects of Globalisation on China include environmental changes and urbanisation. The Chinese Environment has been damaged due to rapid pollution and industrialisation consequences. The growth of industries pecializing in manufacturing has caused the pollution of the air, ground and permanent damage on the surroundings of these factories due to production processes such as burning or pollution from capital goods. The growth of urbanisation was a result after the rapid increase in Jobs around cities, but this can also lead to the lowering of standards of living and the amount of Jobs and resources available elsewhere. The urban cities are unable to provide necessities and services the population need. By the end of 2012 52. 6% of the Chinese population had become urbanised, an increase from the former 26% in 1990 . Although currently, the ities cannot provide for the amount of people urbanising, the government has aimed to create services, increase availability of necessities and support a range of mass transit around and inside the city as a part of their 5-year-plan for 2011-2015. lowest income earners and reduce homelessness. Another problem with this sudden spark in urbanisation is the lowering of workplace safety regulations yet to be created. The people are working in factories with very poor standards which reduce hygiene and can also cause mental issues such as suicides. The Chinese Economy has implemented particular strategies in order to promote and stabilize the conomic growth and development they have received. These policies and strategies are a result of increasing demand because of globalisation in China. The introduction of the Open door policy (essential opening china into a mass of once protected foreign direct investment) created a huge utilisation of Chinese labour. Chinese capital and labour resources have become efficiently allocated, which then has greatly boosted economic growth and productivity. The Chinese economy then strategically utilised their obvious comparative advantage in export orientated and labour intensive industries. The Chinese Economys rapid growth is due to creation of particular strategies such us export Incentives and decentralisation of government. Export Incentives are monetary, tax or legal motivations designed to encourage businesses to export certain types of goods or services. This large labour force, huge investments in efficient technology and the introduction of subsidies and incentives have created the perfect environment for mass growth of this emerging economy. Chinese exporting alone has generated up to a staggering 36 per cent of Chinas GDP (2006). Since the Decentralization of Government (the process of redistributing, owers, people or things away from the government) the Chinese GDP per capita has risen from its previous $674 in 1978 to $5,085 in 2004 (ppp adjusted). That is over 7 and a half times greater than the previous recording. This change in government, liberalization of prices, reduction in agriculture resources, and integration into world markets, had proved to be a major cause of the Chinese economic boom over the past 30 years beginning with the open door policy The use of Special Economic Zones in china created an ability to alter the policies and investments in areas suited. For example, lower taxes and lower tariffs and other protection policies were introduced in order to encourage the exportation of technology. Their immediate success fuelled the way for more specific zones in order to utilise the economic boom they were currently experiencing. The implementations of a practise known as the household responsibility system was a specific quota for agricultural demand created by the government in order to remain self-sufficient in agricultural goods, but continue to redistribute their resources to other more profitable and efficient areas. The farmers and producers were given compensation for completing these merit goods that compared to other industrialised productions, were not very profitable. These strategies allowed the Chinese people and economy to thrive during economic boom but also increase their standard of living. The Chinese Government has introduced a way to change economic strategies and policies in order to relate to the current economic activities. This plan is called the 5-year-plan, a set of policies that have to remain active for the remaining 5 years until they are reassessed for the new economic activities. This 5 year plan applies for all regions of china, and is used in order to map strategies for economic development, setting growth targets, and launching reforms. The 12th 5 year plan (2011-2015) outlines their planned building of new low-income apartments to reduce poverty and increase the standard of living for the Chinese Population. The policies can also aim to stabilize their current growth, make incomes more equal and improve social infrastructure. The Chinese government believe that the increase of employment and reduction in unemployed population is the top priority to create stability in their rapidly growing conomy. By the end of 2005, the registered unemployment population in urban areas reached 8. 39 million, and the registered unemployment rate in the urban areas was 4. 2 per cent. In order to counteract the growing unemployment, The Chinese Government applied structural Proactive employment Policies in order to create incentive and encourage unemployed members of the Chinese population to look, create, or innovate their own employment These practises were used to promote the economic growth but also increase the poor standard of living in China. These included: 1. Encouraging the unemployed to start up their own businesses. Reducing taxes and charges, plus small loans with discounted interests created a perfect environment and incentive for the Chinese unemployed to stimulate the economy and its growth. 2. Exempting and reducing taxes on enterprises willing to employ disadvantaged unemployed people. 3. Offering particular insurance subsidies for flexible employment terms. Evaluation of Economic Growth and development Strategies: Strategies used by the Chinese Government are all aimed to create, stabilise and promote growth of the Economy and the quality of life of the Chinese people. The Open Door policy has unlocked the swift growth of the Chinese Economy by allowing the flooding of Foreign Direct Investment. With an increase of Chinas GDP per capita from $153 to $1284 , this single indicator outlines the success of opening China to Foreign Direct Investment. The open door policy has also created an opening for greater employment, income and therefore better living standards for the Chinese population. This is because the open door policy allows more TNCs and large enterprises to base their factories and outlets around the Chinese population. Export nd business incentives have also fuelled a large amount of success though the encouragement of reaching the technical optimum in economies of scale, and employing more people, once again, creating more Jobs and increasing living standards of the Chinese population. The Decentralization from government is a strategy that started the growth they have received and the increase of economic development in China. Through this decentralization, the redistribution of income and resources has unlocked the flood for foreign direct investment, creation of employment and increased the living standards of the population. The 5 year plan as fulfilled its potential by maintaining the economic stability of china, whilst still creating growth. Through the increase of GDP, employment rates, and living standards of the Chinese population, it is obvious that the changing of political policies and goals have succeeded in guiding the Chinese economies growth. This planning allowed the government to change into a market orientated system whilst still keeping the benefits of planning goals, rates and living standards to predict the future of the Chinese economy. The strategies under the Proactive employment unemployment and increasing the living standards of the Chinese population. Not only has the policies reduced the people unemployed, but they also can be used to raise the minimum income. Overall, the effects of globalisation on economic growth and the quality of life in china have been mostly benefiting. Through the introduction of new employment, high income and standards of living, and the decentralization of the Chinese government, China continues to gain expediential growth over any other country in the world. The industrialisation of China has proven to be a crucial time for reassessing political strategies and adding policies to benefit the Chinese population.

The Battle of Peleliu in World War II

The Battle of Peleliu in World War II The Battle of Peleliu was fought September 15 to November 27, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945). Part of the Allies island-hopping strategy, it was believed that Peleliu needed to be captured before operations could commence against either the Philippines or Formosa. While planners had originally believed that the operation would only require a few days, it ultimately took over two months to secure the island as its nearly 11,000 defenders retreated into a system of interconnected bunkers, strong points, and caves. The garrison exacted a heavy price on the attackers and the Allied effort quickly became a bloody, grinding affair. On November 27, 1944, after weeks of bitter fighting, Peleliu was declared secure. Background Having advanced across the Pacific after victories at Tarawa, Kwajalein, Saipan, Guam, and Tinian, Allied leaders reached a crossroads regarding future strategy. While General Douglas MacArthur favored advancing into the Philippines to make good his promise to liberate that country, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz preferred to capture Formosa and Okinawa, which could serve springboards for future operations against China and Japan. Flying to Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt met with both commanders before ultimately electing to follow MacArthurs recommendations. As part of the advance to the Philippines, it was believed that Peleliu in the Palau Islands needed to be captured to secure the Allies right flank (Map). Fast Facts: Battle of Peleliu Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: September 15 to November 27, 1944Armies Commanders:AlliesMajor General William RupertusRear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf1st Marine Division (17,490 men), 81st Infantry Division (10,994 men)Japanese:Colonel Kunio Nakagawaapprox. 11,000 menCasualties:Allies: 2,336 killed and 8,450 wounded/missingJapanese: 10,695 killed and 202 captured The Allied Plan Responsibility for the invasion was given to Major General Roy S. Geigers III Amphibious Corps and Major General William Rupertuss 1st Marine Division was assigned to make the initial landings. Supported by naval gunfire from Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorfs ships offshore, the Marines were to assault beaches on the southwest side of the island. Going ashore, the plan called for the 1st Marine Regiment to land to the north, the 5th Marine Regiment in the center, and the 7th Marine Regiment in the south. Hitting the beach, the 1st and 7th Marines would cover the flanks as the 5th Marines drove inland to capture Pelelius airfield. This done, the 1st Marines, led by Colonel Lewis Chesty Puller were to turn north and attack the islands highest point, Umurbrogol Mountain. In assessing the operation, Rupertus expected to secure the island in a matter of days. Colonel Lewis Chesty Puller, 1950. US Marine Corps A New Plan The defense of Peleliu was overseen by Colonel Kunio Nakagawa. Following a string of defeats, the Japanese began to reassess their approach to island defense. Rather than attempting to halt Allied landings on the beaches, they devised a new strategy which called for islands to be heavily fortified with strong points and bunkers. These were to be connected by caves and tunnels which would allow troops to be safely shifted with ease to meet each new threat. To support this system, troops would make limited counterattacks rather than the reckless banzai charges of the past. While efforts would be made to disrupt enemy landings, this new approach sought to bleed the Allies white once they were ashore. The key to Nakagawas defenses were over 500 caves in the Umurbrogol Mountain complex. Many of these were further fortified with steel doors and gun emplacements. At the north of the Allies intended invasion beach, the Japanese tunneled through a 30-foot high coral ridge and installed a variety of guns and bunkers. Known as The Point, the Allies had no knowledge of the ridges existence as it did not show on existing maps. In addition, the islands beaches were heavily mined and strewn with a variety of obstacles to hamper potential invaders. Unaware of the change in Japanese defensive tactics, Allied planning moved forward as normal and the invasion of Peleliu was dubbed Operation Stalemate II. A Chance to Reconsider To aid in operation, Admiral William Bull Halseys carriers commenced a series of raids in the Palaus and Philippines. These met little Japanese resistance led him to contact Nimitz on September 13, 1944, with several suggestions. First, he recommended that the attack on Peleliu be abandoned as unneeded and that the assigned troops be given to MacArthur for operations in the Philippines. He also stated that the invasion of the Philippines should begin immediately. While leaders in Washington, DC agreed to move up the landings in the Philippines, they elected to push forward with the Peleliu operation as Oldendorf had begun the pre-invasion bombardment on September 12 and troops were already arriving in the area. Going Ashore As Oldendorfs five battleships, four heavy cruisers, and four light cruisers pounded Peleliu, carrier aircraft also struck targets across the island. Expending a massive amount of ordnance, it was believed that the garrison was completely neutralized. This was far from the case as the new Japanese defense system survived nearly untouched. At 8:32 AM on September 15, the 1st Marine Division began their landings. The first wave of LVTs moves toward the invasion beaches, passing through the inshore bombardment line of LCI gunboats. Cruisers and battleships are bombarding from the distance. The landing area is almost totally hidden in dust and smoke. US Naval History and Heritage Command Coming under heavy fire from batteries at either end of the beach, the division lost many LVTs (Landing Vehicle Tracked) and DUKWs forcing large numbers of Marines to wade ashore. Pushing inland, only the 5th Marines made any substantial progress. Reaching the edge of the airfield, they succeeded in turning back a Japanese counterattack consisting of tanks and infantry (Map). A Bitter Grind The next day, the 5th Marines, enduring heavy artillery fire, charged across the airfield and secured it. Pressing on, they reached the eastern side of the island, cutting off the Japanese defenders to the south. Over the next several days, these troops were reduced by the 7th Marines. Near the beach, Pullers 1st Marines began attacks against The Point. In bitter fighting, Pullers men, led by Captain George Hunts company, succeeded in reducing the position. Despite this success, the 1st Marines endured nearly two days of counterattacks from Nakagawas men. Moving inland, the 1st Marines turned north and began engaging the Japanese in the hills around Umurbrogol. Sustaining serious losses, the Marines made slow progress through the maze of valleys and soon named the area Bloody Nose Ridge. As the Marines ground their way through the ridges, they were forced to endure nightly infiltration attacks by the Japanese. Having sustained 1,749 casualties, approximately 60% of the regiment, in several days fighting, the 1st Marines were withdrawn by Geiger and replaced with the 321st Regimental Combat Team from the US Armys 81st Infantry Division. The 321st RCT landed north of the mountain on September 23 and began operations. A U.S. Marine Corps Chance Vought F4U-1 Corsair aircraft attacks a Japanese bunker at the Umurbrogol mountain on Peleliu with napalm bombs. US Marine Corps Supported by the 5th and 7th Marines, they had a similar experience to Pullers men. On September 28, the 5th Marines took part in a short operation to capture Ngesebus Island, just north of Peleliu. Going ashore, they secured the island after a brief fight. Over the next few weeks, Allied troops continued to slowly battle their way through Umurbrogol. With the 5th and 7th Marines badly battered, Geiger withdrew them and replaced them with the 323rd RCT on October 15. With the 1st Marine Division fully removed from Peleliu, it was sent back to Pavuvu in the Russell Islands to recover. Bitter fighting in and around Umurbrogol continued for another month as the 81st Division troops struggled to expel the Japanese from the ridges and caves. On November 24, with American forces closing in, Nakagawa committed suicide. Three days later, the island was finally declared secure. Aftermath One of the costliest operations of the war in the Pacific, the Battle of Peleliu saw Allied forces sustain 2,336 killed and 8,450 wounded/missing. The 1,749 casualties sustained by Pullers 1st Marines nearly equaled the entire divisions losses for the earlier Battle of Guadalcanal. Japanese losses were 10,695 killed and 202 captured. Though a victory, the Battle of Peleliu was quickly overshadowed by the Allied landings on Leyte in the Philippines, which commenced on October 20, as well as the Allied triumph at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The battle itself became a controversial topic as Allied forces took severe losses for an island that ultimately possessed little strategic value and was not used to support future operations. The new Japanese defensive approach was later used at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In an interesting twist, a party of Japanese soldiers held out on Peleliu until 1947 when they had to be convinced by a Japanese admiral that the war was over.

Tourism Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tourism Management - Essay Example Most of the developing countries promote tourism considering the perspective of economic development. However, tourism must be seen in a broader context of development as it has the potential to impact the socio economic aspects, and environmental aspects on the destination tourist regions (Batta 2000). There is presence of cumulative relationship between the development of tourism, the environment and the socio-economic environment. For tourism to contribute to the sustainable development, it must be ecologically and environmentally sensitive, economically viable and culturally appropriate (Reisinger and Dimanche 2009). There are both positive and negative impacts of tourism on socio-cultural and environmental aspects. It is essential to manage these impacts by encouraging positive ones and doing away with negative ones through appropriate planning and strategies. Sustainable development is possible through necessary management of tourism. Environmental impact of tourism In context of tourism industry, the environment performs three vital functions. Firstly, it is the supplier of natural goods, for example, mountains, beautiful landscape, and so on. It forms the core of the tourism product. Secondly, it is the provider of natural resources that is used for creation of economic goods. Thirdly, the environment has the sink function in which the desirable by-products which are generated during the process of both the production and consumption are discarded (Terkenli et al 2007). The quality of tourism depends on the quality of the environment. There are both positive and negative impacts of tourism on the environment as environment constitutes a very essential part of the overall tourism industry. Positive impact of tourism on environment The growth and development of tourist destinations encourages the conservation of flora and fauna. For instance, savannah parks of eastern Uganda have rich flora and fauna that are preserved and protected in order to attract la rge number of tourists in the region. It also leads to preservation of attractive landscapes and the infrastructure of tourism utilizes the lands that has remained as waste and idle until tourist activities were started (Richards and Hall 2000). With the blooming tourism activities, there is better infrastructure with availability of resources and maintenance of the heritage characteristics of the park due to working of three factors. Firstly, tourists are attracted through projection of the tourist place as the place having some scenic beauty, historical monuments and natural parks. This projection results in an increased allocation of required resources from the government for their maintenance and related publicity activities. Secondly, visiting tourists are required to pay for seeing these monuments and natural parks, etc. which also adds to the resource pool for maintenance and further growth of the region. Thirdly, due to the combined effect of increased expenditure of governm ent on building infrastructure facilities and publicity, and increasing number of arrivals of tourists, the private investment also starts emerging (Richards and Hal

Second Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Second Generation - Essay Example It depicts the Asian community differently from the way we know it. It has themes such as authentic lives of Asians, British Asian underground music and romance amongst teenagers. The writer Neil Biswas wanted to give a picture of Asian community as it really is, as opposed to how it is perceived on TV. The director Jon Sen sought to address the world’s fascination of Bollywood as it has packaged their culture as a fashion with celebration and vigor (Sandhu, 1). With this production, they depict the seriousness of their Hindu and Islam religions, as the West does not understand the seriousness of it. The epic drama serves to inform and educate its audience, while opening doors to the lives of teenagers in Whitechapel (Sandhu, 1). The main character, Sam, a young boy rapper uses his own money to start up a record label to promote raw talent in the hope that his music will elevate him. His friends however, contact other record labels and turn the music into something commercial. The teenagers in the streets use music to express their feelings of anger and rebellion (Sandhu, 1). The stars in the drama are distinguished actors and actresses, well known to the Asian community and have a list of big productions under their belt. The drama unlike others is not about problems of assimilation, but of position and influence (Sandhu, 1). The article describes the misleading fallacy that has existed for a long time concerning Asian women. In episode 1 of Second Generation, Heer is depicted as an independent woman living with her fiance as opposed to the Asian home portrayed by other media. She is however forced back into her family life when her father falls into a coma. Heere is Sam Khan’s first love and their romance is rekindled after they reconnect. The themes of this episode are love and family. In many Asian stories that have been told in the past, the subject of love and romance is always never brought up. Mostly, they shy away from showing such topics and we as the viewer have concluded that it’s not a topic for dinner time discussion (Channel 4). The article describes an area that is not common in Asian programs or dramas. It is safe to say that it is a result of multiculturalism. It gives us an impression of a black neighborhood with the underground music scenes. Furthermore, there are aspects of multiculturalism that the second-generation teenagers have adopted, different from their predecessors such as music, especially rap (Sandhu, 1). Minority media and diasporic media represent media of a minor community found in a greater region. Their role is to keep the identity of the minority within the new community. Older generations have a problem with recognition as the amalgamation of people and culture fosters aspects such as mixed marriages. Therefore, there is fragmentation of the original culture and a rise of multicultural democracies. The British Asians of the Second Generation drama have adopted a new culture and p lace a risk of fading away of their original culture. The author, Eugenia Siaperain in her book, Cultural Diversity and Global Media: The Meditation of Difference looks into media production and the role the internet has played in diasporic communication. The internet has opened up a new world of communication (Sandhu, 1). According to the article, Second generation has tried to describe Asians in their true form. In episode 1, we see aspects of love and family which are not different from any other