Response to “Internationalized Civil War” Essay

Karen Rasler’s essay â€Å"Internationalized Civil War: A Dynamic Analysis of the Syrian Intervention in Lebanon† is a highly scientific exploration of what exactly happened when the Syrian military stepped in amidst the internal conflict between the Lebanese Front and the Palestinian Resistance Movement (many other groups were involved at different points, but for simplicity’s sake I will just use these groups as a right vs. left catch-all for the bulk of the conflict). Rasler begins by addressing the idea that, as much rhetoric as has been given to external intervention in the case of internal conflict, much of the studies done and articles published have failed to address the larger issue of not only what the immediate effects of external intervention are, but also what are the long-term reverberating effects on the country that has either sought external aid or had it forced upon them. Rasler cites several questions regarding the effects of external intervention, including whether or not the external aid escalates violence and ultimately prolongs the conflict. What Rasler sets out to do in her essay is create a longitudinal examination of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1977). Rasler contends that this particular example, being so well-covered in the media and, at the point in time which Rasler wrote the piece, having had enough time pass to study its residual effects, is a solid example to begin with, even if it is not representative of all cases of external involvement in civil wars. She is seeking the extent to which the Syrian military occupation in Lebanon either decreased or increased internal conflict, as well as the long-term ramifications intervention had for Lebanese politics. Rasler begins with four basic hypotheses which she sets to measure against the Lebanese Civil War. These hypotheses are as follows: (1) External military intervention will increase the level and duration of domestic conflict; (2) Military intervention will occur during periods in which the level of internal conflict escalates beyond previously established levels; (3) Military intervention will occur during periods of extreme polarization between domestic political groups; and (4) Military intervention will occur during periods in which cooperation between domestic political groups and the intervening external nation-state are escalating beyond previous levels. After stating her hypothesis, Rasler then begins to collect â€Å"empirical evidence† complete with line graphs stating what her â€Å"findings† were. From here the essay becomes a muddled mess of pseudo-scientific jargon that the reader has no choice other than to believe it because the values and empirical methods used are inadequately introduced or explained and therefore difficult to refute. The problem is, even at the end of the essay, it is unclear whether or not Rasler has succeeded in proving or completing undermining her own hypothesis. Certainly she has revealed some interesting findings, but largely it seems to be not exactly what she thought she was going to unveil. There are several problems with the way this essay presents Rasler’s â€Å"findings† and with the source material in general. First of all, I will address more of what I have previously mentioned: the equations Rasler uses to find her â€Å"empirical evidence† measure such things as social polarization, domestic cooperation, impact of military intervention, and totals of domestic conflict, just to name a few. But never at any point in time does Rasler dedicate any extensive analysis in her essay to an explanation of where exactly these initial figures and statistics (which then got plugged into strange, little-explained equations) came from. It seems as if she pulls these numbers out of thin air, which automatically discredits any of her â€Å"research† because there is no standard for where these numbers came from, how they were initially reported and gathered, what they are measuring to determine things like â€Å"conflicts,† etc. For example, Rasler spends a great deal of time discussing how conflicts were on the decline before Syrian military occupation, and then the amount of conflicts spiked up again immediately following the occupation, only to decrease again to levels lower than before. My question is: how is the idea of â€Å"conflict† being qualified? Is â€Å"conflict† the number of reported incidents of violence in the area? Does it deal with casualties? How exactly is the quantifiable â€Å"amount† of â€Å"conflict† being measured, exactly? But this is never discussed, which means these numbers could just as easily be fabricated and completely arbitrary for all the weight they carry with them. Not only that, but the pages and pages of jargon that follow an otherwise engaging introduction to the study and the greater questions at hand make it impenetrable for the common non-career-scientist reader. It is off-putting and kind of come across almost as if Rasler is saying, â€Å"If it sounds smart enough, no one will question it. † Another problem I see with this, and Rasler herself even addresses it, is that this one solitary conflict cannot possibly account for or be representative of all other conflicts similar to it in which external intervention is sought to ease internal conflict. And even though Rasler does indeed point this out, I feel it is necessary to reiterate because of the framework of the essay. Rasler speaks in terms of generalizations about external military occupations and what their long-term effects are on the country and government, speaking of the importance of a longitudinal study to really dig deeper into those issues. And I agree, wholeheartedly, especially after the way she presented all of it. Which is exactly why this study needed to go so much further than just delving into the details of this one isolated conflict in order to really carry with it any weight or credibility. As far as I’m concerned, this â€Å"study† is really only the beginning of what needs to be a large-scale study to really effectively address the questions being raised. Another issue I took with this particular case study is the idea that 6 years’ time, especially when the conflict is still continuing (in southern Lebanon where Syrian forces cannot invade without threat of Israeli invasion), might not be enough time for an appropriate longitudinal study to be conducted. To really study the long-term reverberating effects on the people and the government, my guess would be that more time would have to pass first. Overall, I believe Rasler’s essay made some interesting points and observations, and was written in an engaging way (when not swallowed up by scientific jargon). However, I think there are some severe errors in her empirical methods that render much of her â€Å"findings† meaningless, and in order for this to be an effective study on the issue of external intervention in civil war conflicts, it needs to be much more all-encompassing and at least provide a series of examples to cross-reference.

Nutrition analysis verB

a. How many grams of fat can you consume in a day and not exceed 30 percent of your calories from fat? Use the CNPP recommendation for your daily calorie recommendation to calculate your answer. How did you do in this area for the day you recorded?On the â€Å"standard† daily calorie intake of 2,200 recommended for very active young women, the upper limit for fat intake is 73 grams (660 calories). If I was to be sedentary man or an active woman, I would roughly have to meet the same requirement, which is not to take in more than 73 grams of fat in a dayb. How many grams of saturated fat can you consume in a day and not exceed 10 percent of calories from saturated fat? How did you do in this area for the day you recorded?I need to consume only ten percent of calories from saturated fat, meaning, I may not exceed more than 300 mg of saturated fats in day. Saturated fats such as cholesterol, and trans fat which is not only bad for my diet but will also clog up my aorta(major hear t vein).c. For the day you recorded your intake if you ate a serving of a high-fat food, for example, lasagna, how could you avoid exceeding the recommended fat intake for the day?During the event that I eat food containing high amounts of fat, to be able to balance the amount of fat intake, I eat food that contain less fat and eat foods that were boiled, broiled or grilled. In doing so, I end up taking in less fat and still eating a lot. Because even if we avoid frying food it will still most likely contain fat, so I will at least minimize the amount of fat included in everything else I eat.d. If you could substitute a serving of lower fat lasagna for the higher fat choice, what effect would this have on your other food choices and on your calorie and nutrient intakes for that day?Replacing the lasagna, which contains a large amount of fat with lasagna that contains a lot less, will definitely make it a lot easier for someone to compensate concerning the other food options that I m ay have. Instead of having to choose low calorie and fat containing food, which may turn out to be bland, I can opt to eat regular food options that can not only fill my stomach but also fill my calorie requirement for the day.e. Considering regular lasagna, which ingredients most likely contribute most to the total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol in the higher fat lasagna selection?Perhaps lasagna could be included in one’s diet once a week, like on Sundays or special holidays. Making lasagna, with all its calories and fats, a part of one’s daily diet is not only irrational but is also risky when it comes to one’s health.f. How could you change those ingredients to reflect a reduction in fat content?I can reduce the fat content of lasagna by placing whole-wheat lasagna instead of the regular pasta, decreasing the amount of virgin olive oil that is placed in it, placing less butter, and also using ground chicken rather than ground beef.g. How did the dayâ₠¬â„¢s recorded total for calories and vitamins compare with your recommended amounts? Did the day’s meals meet or exceed your need for energy? Describe how your actual intake varied from the CNPP recommendation.Happily, I was able to exceed the needed amounts for calories and vitamins for the day. As for the vitamins, I was happy to see that I exceeded it because it means that I am eating a healthy diet. Although for the calorie intake, it scares me a bit because eating a calorie pack food without expending it properly will result to added body fats.h. Did your meals present too little of any of the vitamins and minerals listed in the CNPP materials? Which ones?Actually, my vitamin intake for the day exceeded what was expected from me greatly. I was able to take in more than what was required from me according to CNPP, which means none of them where under-represented.i. What changes in your choices among those foods would have improved the energy or vitamin or mineral totals for the day?Improvement when taken in a standard meaning would actually mean to increase, but in my case, to improve my diet I would have to decrease my energy intake and simply maintain my vitamin and mineral intake for the day.j. Did your choices provide enough folate to meet your requirement?I am glad to say that I actually met the required amount of folate that I had to take in within one day. In fact I was able to take in twice the required amount of 400 micrograms and was able to take in 784.5 micrograms.k. What are the sources of niacin in your day’s meals?Niacin is not really that abundant in standard food. Niacin can actually be found in whole refined grains. When mills refine grain they are required by law to add folic acid, NIACIN, iron and riboflavin. So therefore eating refined grains at least once a day may add to my Niacin intake.l. What about Vitamin C? What percentage of your daily need of Vitamin C did your meals provide? Which individual foods were the main contributors? To what food groups do they belong?I was able to take in a total of 126.78% vitamin C within one day. Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid is abundant in Citrus filled drinks and meals such as lemons, oranges and lime, all of which are in the Fruits part of the Food Pyramid. Also aside from normal food intake, it is easy to receive vitamin C by simply buying it in a local drugstore.m. How did your total energy intake compare with your energy recommendation? Is this consistent with your nutritional goals?In my food intake, I was able to take 6604 kcal worth energy, which is three times more the recommended 2339 kcal goal for a day. It is very impressive to see that I was able to take in that much energy. However, it is also true that if I am not able to expend that energy within a day, it turns to body fat which is terrible to have.n. Which of your foods are â€Å"vitamin bargains†? Those would be foods which are vitamin-dense, providing the most vitamins for the fewest c alories.Fruits and vegetables of course give me the most amounts of vitamins without having to increase my total number of calories significantly. In fact it can be noted that the best source of vitamins are vegetables because they don’t contain fructose like fruits do, but they contain a minimal amount of starch which makes up a good low calorie diet.o. Breakfast cereals are a great source of vitamins. What characteristic of these foods makes them so rich in vitamins?Breakfast cereals are made from plants specifically corn, wheat, and grains. Corn in itself is full of vitamins and wheat and grains may contain some vitamins as well. In addition, the fact that when we eat cereals it always comes with full cream or filled milk, which adds a significant amount of vitamins in a persons diet.p. What can you say about your recorded food intake and the vitamins and minerals that you obtained from the foods you ate that day?I can say that I actually exceed the requirements that are s et for a balanced diet. Although this is not such a good thing because too much of certain food groups may cause complications to my health.ReferencesDietary guidelines and the Guide to the Food Pyramid. West Virginia University, December 22, 2007, from http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/fypubs/WLG_132_Food_Pyramid.pdfDietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, USDHHS, USDA, December 22,2007. fromKantor, L.S. December 22, 2007, from http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aer772/aer772a.pdfLawrence J. Appel, M.D., M.P.H., Benjamin Caballero, M.D., Ph.D., and Fergus M. Clydesdale, Ph.D. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. December 22, 2007, from www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelinesNational Institute of Mental Health. (1990). Clinical training in serious mental illness (DHHS Publication No. ADM 90-1679). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Eve: Heroine of Paradise Lost Essay

Milton’s Eve in Paradise Lost is apparently the weakness of Adam and the tragedy of Eden; she was a mere reflection of him â€Å"whose image thou art (Milton, Book 4, Line 472)†; she is subject to Adam to whom she says â€Å"God is thy law, thou mine (Milton, Book 4, Line 637). † Lastly, Adam himself calls her â€Å"the inferior, in the mind and inward faculties(Milton, Book 8, Line 542). † This weakness becomes the strength to contradict the established order. Being a tenuous reflection allows for the willingness to change that evolutionary progress depends on. Her subjection to Adam, a creature with limitations, bestows on that servility the possibility of autonomy. Inferiority in mind, because it denotes a lack of a closed framework of thought, permits an openness that is characteristic of true wisdom. Adam’s Soul and the Catalyst of the Myth Eve was Adam’s soul by which he breathed his life to other humans, that part of him which made choices, the part of him which was not totally subject to God. She needed to face the serpent alone and choose between free will and absolute mandate. In this sense, she embodied the active content of the story. Eve brings about change, and the episode of the meal is a central example in the series of incidents where she is the principal actor (Gulden). † Without her, Adam would had been idling about Eden, lonely and without purpose forever. Eve’s Choice Was God’s Choice We know the consequences of her choice. But what would have happened if she had chosen blind obedience instead. Paradise would have never been lost, but everything else which followed the fall, all the great saints and heroes of mankind, the shining examples of virtue would never have lived. This, in itself, justifies Eve’s option for free will with all its consequences; it was in accordance with the divine plan that man should himself realize his own Divinity. The thinking human race as we know it today, struggling for and intensely aware of its dignity, would never have been. Price says that â€Å"we gradually learn that the hero of the poem is Eve†¦Milton sees that the human race could literally not have continued (or developed) without her(Price). Man would have been eternally happy and eternally without free will, divine and irresponsible and senseless. The Wisdom of Eve Eve’s acknowledged role in Paradise was to people it with beings on a higher level than the beast’s and the fowl. In an environment graced by the blissful predictability of mental subjugation to a benign dictator, the forbidden fruit represented the chance to gain the sense of responsibility and autonomy that man as a spiritual being craves. It is the lack of the divine order providing an adequate sense of identity and autonomy to Eve that precipitates both her and Adam to the fall (Mason). † Feeling this need inside her, knowing that she was Adam’s image and he was the image of God, she intuited that the fruit was not evil and was not meant so much as test of obedience but a challenge to make an individual’s choice and take responsibility for that choice. What we lost in Paradise was only given to us; what we hope to have after that we ourselves will have merited by our endurance and courage.

The Impacts Of Global Warming And Ways To Avoid Them Research Paper

The Impacts Of Global Warming And Ways To Avoid Them - Research Paper Example Critics of the global warming phenomenon argue that global warming is in fact not an environmental crisis but a manufactured issue artificially created for a variety of unsavory and politically-inspired reasons. Despite the shrinking number of detractors, global warming is a phenomenon which affects our planet every single day. Seeking to address the political issues surrounding global warming, this research paper will provide a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the global warming phenomenon. We will begin with a discussion of the evidence in support of global warming and explore the connection between global warming and climate change. Although the focus of this analysis will be the political ramifications of global warming, an introductory section must explain what global warming actually is. We then explore the Kyoto Accord and discuss the detractors of this international climate agreement. Due to the politically-charged nature of this international agreement, this essay will explore whether or not there will be a â€Å"post-Kyoto† international climate agreement, and discern whether or not it would be effective at reducing carbon emissions. Although the United States has controversially not implemented Kyoto, we will explore the possible consequences to the United States of the continuation of global warming. Global warming and climate change are two terms which are often used interchangeably. Has a link between global warming and climate change been established? Yes, global warming is caused by an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As we shall see below, the effects of global warming include changes in atmospheric temperatures and rainfall, which can lead to climate change (Arnella & Reynard 397). Global warming is most generally described as an average increase in the Earth’s temperatures.

Write an article with a right wing and left wing about exclusions and Assignment

Write an article with a right wing and left wing about exclusions and the summer riots - Assignment Example 42% of the students were identified as coming from low income earning families and were eligible for claim the free school meals (FSM), it was also identified that 16% of all the 11-15 students analysed were from high schools as at 2011 January. It was also identified that a proportional that was considerable in number of the 10-17 year that appeared before the courts were categorized under the SEN, the students with needs. The percentage identified was 2two third of the population sampled representing a 66% of students between 10-17 years old. Absence rates were also analysed among the 10-17 year old. The absenteeism rate was high than average as those whose attendance data was available were 9%. The rest lacked attendance data indicating a high level of absenteeism. Statistics on social exclusion were also identified and reported. Incidences were high of the social exclusions among students in the bracket of 10-17 year old. According to the statistics, 36% of the analysed students identified that they had one fixed period social exclusion during the study year of 2009. Another proportion of 6% also identified that it had at least one fixed period of exclusion during 2011. The statistics chosen for the analysis is on free school meals. It is evident that it may be the fault of these students. Another look on it is that students may also be right in rioting. From this point, the various students in these institutions are faced with challenges that the institutions are not able of effectively providing. According to Mrs. Martins a teacher at a local high school â€Å"some of the main issues of concern to the students are the issues to do with unfair treatment of the students, issues culminating from ineffective services by the teachers, poor teaching by the teachers, issues to do with poor services soffered at the various cafeterias†. An aspect like food, which is poorly

Arranged Marriage Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Arranged Marriage - Term Paper Example According to the term paper "Arranged Marriage" findings, arranged marriages are marriages arranged by the family members of the two partners. Even today in many parts of the world marriages are arranged by the families of the incumbents. The decision-making process in arranged marriages is quite different to the ‘love’ marriages popular in the West (Batabyal, 2001). The reasons are scientific. The young persons are not mature enough to choose the right partner. Their decisions would be based on aesthetics and pleasure while a successful marriage has to consider the family background. The youth would be guided by friendship and external factors whereas the family members would probe into the socio-economic search of the other family. While the marriages in India too are fixed by the two families, the consent of the two partners is paramount. The Indian families grow up with the conviction that marriages take place between two families and not two individuals. Thus, the f irst step is to evaluate the family when the proposal comes in. Once the two families are satisfied with each other’s standing in the society, the two potential partners in the marriage are provided an opportunity to talk to each other. This remains restricted to one or two meetings but their opinion does matter. Only when they give their consent the marriage is fixed. No coercion is exercised although when the two partners are very young, they may be shown the right direction in evaluating the taking the decision. The final decision however, rests on the two partners concerned. Thus, it is arranged to the extent that the family finds the prospective partner but the two agents have the right not to agree or get married. This sort of arranged marriage is healthy as there is no exchange or subjugation as in Pakistan. In Pakistan exchange marriages take place between where the family members or the close relatives of the spouses take the initiative to fix the marriages. In such societies patriarchic authority persists even today and such decisions are usually based on socio-economic relationships (Zaman, 2008). The two partners agree to such exchange marriages fixed by their elders for them and Zaman says they â€Å"subjugate themselves as actors to the agency of corporate family structures†. The reason for the involvement of families in arranging the marriages has several reasons. Such marriages provide social security as has also been pointed out by Zaman as it also helps to combat the security risks at both the macro and the micro levels. While security is important, partner compatibility is equally important which is not given importance to in Pakistan. Batabyal discusses about the utility of the traditional methods of decision-making in arrange marriages. He suggests that

Cost Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cost Accounting - Essay Example Absorption cost (also known as full costing) is costing systems which includes direct materials, direct labour and variable and fixed manufacturing overhead as product cost (Duruy, 2011).This costing method is normally required for external reporting purposes under GAAP since accountants believe that fixed overhead is a crucial component in the manufacturing process (Deo, 2009).. A reason for this is that stock valuation include all production cost under UK SAAP9 so that when profit increases the stock also increase (Pong, & Mitchell, 2004) On the other hand, Marginal or variable costing is costing system which includes all manufacturing cost that vary according to the number of units produced, which includes direct materials, direct labour and variable manufacturing overhead (Bhimani, 2011). Economists favour the use of marginal costing since it enhances profit maximisation (Deo, 2009) since stock increases lower the profit (Pong, & Mitchell, 2004). Theoretically, it is easy to iden tify the effects of the costing method used by an organization on profit. The costing method used in stock valuation therefore has an implication on profit as shown in the table below: Movement increase decrease Valuation method used Full costing Variable costing High profit Low profit Lower profit Higher profit Several principles were put forward in attempts of supporting either of these costing methods. For instance, the matching principle, which holds that during profit calculation, revenues, must be matched with the costs incurred in generating the revenue (Pong and Mitchell, 2004). Assuming prices are constant, the variable costing method results in a time series of profits that is in synch with the sales. This is considered an advantage of variable costing. The profit generated in this case is not subjected to any movements influence by changes in the stock level as the fixed costs are written off. This is found to concur with the realization principle that recognises profits as they occur (Pong and Mitchell, 2004). On the other hand, carrying forward fixed costs in the full costing method can boost profits in the case of rising stock. It is acknowledged that production activities can affect profitability via the levels of stock. However, this claim has been on the spotlight as it encourages managers to increase profitability by increasing stock which may be dysfunctional to the firm (Pong and Mitchell, 2004). The main difference between absorption costing and managerial costing is the treatment of the fixed manufacturing overhead cost, which are treated as a period cost in variable costing (Durury, 2011, p.195). The two costing methods will be compared using the given data below. Year 1 Year 2 Sales Price 50 52 Direct Materials 10 10 Direct Labour 7 8 Variable Production overhead 5 5 Fixed Production overheads 4800 5700 Administration costs 4000 5000 Sales Volume 900 1400 Production 1100 1300 The unit cost for the absorption costing method was higher at ?26.36 than the ?22.00 for the marginal costing due to the addition of ?4.36 per unit in the first year. The unit cost for the second year was also high for the absorption costing at ?27.38 when compared to the ?23.00 for the marginal costing. This comparison discovered that the unit cost for absorption costing was higher than the marginal costing because of the addition of the fixed manufacturing cost. The benefit of a two year comparisons is that it reveals how manufacturing cost are transferred in the absorption and managerial costing (Lere, 2000, p.29). The benefit of marginal costing is that fixed manufacturing overhead is already incurred even if there is no production for the period. (Durury,