Pharmacy School Personal Statement Essay Example for Free

Pharmacy School Personal Statement Essay As one of the aspiring pharmacists in the country, my personal and career goal is to be in line with the top-rated practitioners in pharmacy. Hence, it has always been my dream to serve the public, most specially those who are sick and in need of appropriate pharmaceutical assistance. I am aware of the fact that this career demands more of my time because serving these people matters the most. As such, I can say that the work environment in this occupation would never be easy. Moreover, as a postulant in this line of work, I hold on to my oath by rendering quality services for those people who require pharmaceutical aid. As one of the aspiring professionals in pharmacy, I am well guided by my mission and desire to render my quality service for the patients and for this profession. Likewise, assisting people with their pharmaceutical requirements in the most effectual way is one of the most efficient sources of motivation in performance of my duties and responsibilities as medical personnel. Certainly, witnessing people and patients receive the ample service they deserve serves as my primary source of inspiration to move forward and feel optimistic in this field. Ever since I was young, my dream of being a pharmacist in the future is clearly evident as I usually envision of this dream every time my mother gave me medicine to take when I am sick and eventually I would feel a lot better after being administered with the correct type and dosage. Since then, the question of how such specific medicine could work in the human body to cure diseases and other health problems had guided me to find out more about pharmacy. In addition to this, I just attended a program in University of Texas at Arlington and received quality training that would definitely be helpful for me. Apart from this, my enthusiasm in pharmacy is already evident during my younger days as I have broad interest in science. As such, I have been through different formal courses about science in order to improve my medical capabilities and broaden my knowledge, skills, and abilities, which could definitely help me in the achievement of my goal in the field of pharmacy. Particularly, I would state that I am ready to undergo the rigorous training under the doctoral degree program in pharmacy in consideration of my work ethics and actual hours of rendering pharmaceutical services. Thus, I acquired useful and relevant experiences in pharmacy through my former training where I worked as a pharmacy technician. Thus, through these experiences I learned how to work closely with my colleague in achieving a unified goal in pharmacy. Nonetheless, this actual work had taught me how to get along with the patients that I consider a key factor to achieve success in the work place. As I undergo a series of actual pharmaceutical practices, it is perceived that these practical experiences have taught me meaningful insights for this specific line of work. Apart from being well-equipped with formal academic knowledge in pharmacy, being into various actual pharmaceutical practices has helped me well in improving and developing my sense of responsibility and enthusiasm as a pharmacist. Hence, this opportunity to work as a pharmacy technician had given me the chance to experienced valuable actual practices that would be advantageous for me when the time comes that I apply for doctoral degree program in pharmacy. In addition to this, getting involved in various civic activities that has the goal of helping other people enables me to combine work, passion, and volunteerism. Nonetheless, I am given the sense of pride and worth through these activities. In the end, in able to achieve this specific goal of mine, I accept the fact that I have to undergone formal doctoral pharmacy degree. Certainly, I truly believe that through this higher level of learning, I would be able to acquire necessary knowledge that could help me in improving and developing positive characteristics in order to become an outstanding and well-rounded pharmacist. Nonetheless, I hereby submit myself to receive the needed degree in pharmacy in aid of my pursuance to my career and personal goal.

Outbreak Of One Of The Conflicts In Africa History Essay

Outbreak Of One Of The Conflicts In Africa History Essay Africa from time immemorial has experienced numerous forms of conflicts ranging from ethnic confrontations to interstate wars. The idea of war still plays a veritable role in the post colonial Africa as well as in the international politics. An understanding of the situation in Africa has proved that most of these wars have been fought on the African soils and have had devastating effects on the continent and the world at large. Examples of these wars include Rwanda, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast and just to name a few. These wars have greatly affected the African continent especially the countries involved as it has reduced the economies of these countries to nothing but a shadow on their own. It is obvious that most of these wars are taken place but in the developing countries and therefore leaves one with the question, whether the wars can be seen as a consequence of poverty or is poverty the consequence of war? To my opinion, war is not a solution to confli ct looking at the aftermath of the war, the vulnerabilities of the women and children, the political and economic imbalance of the states. In this light, the international community should seek ways of avoiding the outbreak of such wars especially in the developing countries. In this paper, I will analyzed the outbreak of one of the conflict in Africa which could have escalated to a full scale military conflict between two countries, had it not been settled in a unique showcase of conflict management by the UN. The conflict in question is the Cameroon vs. Nigeria claim of sovereignty over the potentially oil rich Bakassi peninsula, which almost trigger to an interstates war and sends fear and uncertainty across the two nations. B. G. Ramcharan describes the role played by the former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan in maintaining peace between the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in settling the dispute over the Bakassi peninsula, another fascinating story of conflict prevention at work in practice. The signing of the Green Tree Agreement by both countries enabled both countries to adhere to the ruling passed by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), officially put to an end to the Nigeria occupation of the peninsula and fin ally led to the peaceful handover of the occupied areas by the Nigeria military to Cameroon. President Obasanjo Olusegun of Nigeria clearly described the way the conflict was handled in the following words: Our agreement today is a great achievement of conflict prevention, which practically reflects its cost-effectiveness when compared to the alternative of conflict resolution its significance, therefore, goes much beyond Nigeria and Cameroon. It should represent a model for the resolution of similar conflicts in Africa, and I dare say, to the world at large. For most conflicts especially in Africa, has been as a result of natural resources and the politics play by the international community for their own interest which more often has fuel the violent conflicts. I will seek to analyze in this paper the historical background of the contested area leading to the outbreak of hostilities. It will be follow suit with the underlying causes of the conflicts in part 4 and part five will shed more lights on how the conflict was resolved at the level of the ICJ and managed at the UN following the implementation of the famous Green-Tree Accord signed by both countries. While part six will emphasize on the conclusion with the way forward of ensuring that both countries respect the terms of the green-Tree Agreement and the unique showcase of conflict management and resolution achieved. 2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The Bakassi peninsula is an island located along the eastern end of the Gulf of Guinea between latitudes 8 °20 and 9 °08E. The area is greatly made up of a low-lying, mangrove and swampy area with a population of approximately 150,000 to 300,000 inhabitants, as of 2005. The island is highly inhabited with the indigenous people of the Efik tribe, which they claimed to belong to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The peninsula is a veritable ground for fishing activities and other maritime wildlife activities, for the simple fact that two great ocean currents meet here that is the cold Benguela Current and the warm Guinea Current, has really made it possible for fishing activities to be the livelihood of the inhabitants. The historical background of the peninsula goes back to the colonial period after the arrival of the European colonial master to Nigeria in the middle of the 19th Century, the King of the Old Calabar kingdom entered into a treaty of Protection with the Queen of England on September 10, 1884. The territory covering this region was at this time under the control of the King of the Old Calabar Kingdom. So in signing this treaty, it means he has officially ceded the territory to the British as a protectorate. In this respect, Britain was free to carry out any activity and equally exercised whatever she deems fit in the territory. The claim of sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula is one of the numerous conflicts in Africa concerning border disputes. This however, should be in some extent put on the shoulders of the former colonial masters who partitioned Africa without taking into considerations of the ethnic groupings, geography and demography of the area, history, language and socio-cultural affiliations of the people. This has really hampered the integrity and sovereignty of most countries in Africa, as most often people from the same ethnic grouping happen to found themselves on two different colonial territories and governed by different colonial powers. The historical background of the Bakassi peninsula can be traced back during the era of colonialism. The Germans were the first colonial master to colonized Cameroon not until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, which saw the defeat of the Germans by the French and English in Cameroon. Before the outbreak of the First World War, the European powers having colonial territories were largely interested in securing their interests instead of the colonial people they claimed they were civilizing. A country like Germany were only interested in securing for itself the vast territorial waters in order to keep the huge amount of shrimps and other maritime wildlife found in this water for herself. In order to avoid conflict of interest amongst the colonial powers, Germany enter into an agreement with the British who were at this time the colonial master of Nigeria, limiting Britains expansion to the east, while Britain on the other hand required an undisturbed and free sea passage to Calabar, which was an important commercial seaport in eastern Nigeria. This agreement was later code name the Anglo German Agreement of 1913, which clearly defined the exact demarcation of the borders between Cameroon and Nigeria. The first part of the treaty entitled: The Settlement of the Frontier between Cameroon and Nigeria, from Yola to the Sea, clearly situate the territory of Bakassi under the jurisdiction of the Germans. The second part entitled: The Regulation of Navigation on the Cross River, placed the navigable portion of the offshore border of the Bakassi peninsula to Britain. Article 21 of the Anglo-German Treaty of 1913, which stipulates the exact position of the border: From the centre of the navigable channel on a line joining Bakassi Point and King Point, the boundary shall follow the centre of the navigable channel of the Akwayafe River as far as the 3-mile limit of territorial jurisdiction. For the purpose of defining this boundary, the navigable channel of the Akwayafe River shall be considered to lie wholly to the east of the navigable channel of the Cross and Calabar Rivers. This however, proves that from 1913, after the signing of the Anglo-German Treaty and onwards, British and German maps clearly show the Bakassi peninsula in Cameroon. Following the dramatic twist of event which saw the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the French and the English decided to extend the war in German colonial territories in Africa, aimed at fighting the Germans in their African colonial territories. At the end of the war, Germany lost all her colonies in Africa including Cameroon to the allied powers. Cameroon was ruled as a mandated territory under the League of Nations and later partitioned in 1919, into two territories among the British and French. The French took 4/5 of the territory called French Cameroons and the British get 1/5 of the territory called British Cameroons. The Franco-British Agreement of July 1919, placed the territory of Bakassi and the rest of British Cameroons under the mandate of Britain. The British introduced the system of indirect rule in their territory of British Cameroons as an integral part of Nigeria with respect to the borders agreements laid down in 1913. In 1931, a further agreement between both powers was signed to further codify the treaty of 1919. The two Cameroons that is French and English Cameroons were ruled as a mandated territory by France and Britain till the outbreak of the Second World War. With the collapse of the League of Nations and the subsequent end of the Second World War, the mandated territories of the British Cameroons and French Cameroons were placed under the United Nations Organization which succeeded the League of Nations as Trust Territories. Worthy of note here is that the agreement creating these Trusteeship territories re-ratified the Anglo-German treaties of 1913 demarcating the borders between Cameroon and Nigeria. Again maps produced during this period placed Bakassi under the sovereignty of Cameroon. It should be noted here, that the British Cameroons was divided into two parts namely British Northern and British Southern Cameroons respectively, with Bakassi falling under the competence of Britain Southern Cameroons. In the advent for the fight for independence in the late 1950s across Africa, tensions have grown in the territory of British Cameroons. In the light of this growing tensions for independence, the United Nations requested Britain to carry out a plebiscite in the territories under her jurisdiction. British Northern Cameroon and British Southern Cameroon were to exercise their rights and willingness as to which country they would like to join and become independent. A plebiscite was held in British Northern Cameroons as Do you wish to attained independence by joining the Federal Republic of Nigeria or by joining the Republic of Cameroon. The outcome of the result of the plebiscite was that British Northern Cameroons voted to achieve independence by joining the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The events of the political parties and their divided opinions made the plebiscite to be postponed in British Southern Cameroons. It was only on February 11th, 1961, that British Southern Cameroons voted to join the already independent Republic of Cameroon (former French Cameroons). It should also be noted here that at the point of independence, Bakassi was a territory under the jurisdiction of Cameroon. This can be seen from the fact that Bakassi itself has 21 polling stations and 73% of the population voted to become independent by joining the Republic of Cameroon. So there is no gainsaying that Bakassi was and remain a territory in Cameroon. The Bakassi peninsula is an area that was of no interest to the two nations, as the territory has been long forgotten and was not an issue looking back at the afore-mentioned paragraphs. It became a centre point of focus after the alleged discovery of oil by some foreign experts. As a result of the suspicion that Bakassi have a huge oil reserve, Nigeria was the first to claim sovereignty of the peninsula and immediately deploy her military in the territory to mark her presence and ownership. This dramatic twist of event gave way for the look back of the Anglo-German Treaty of 1913, which clearly defines and demarcates the maritime borders of the two countries and which both countries accepted it. In the wake of this post independent period, both countries sought way of regulating the colonial agreements of 1913, signed by the colonial powers. Leaders of both countries exchanges visits as can be seen in April 1971, the Nigeria Head of State, General Gowon accompanied with his collabor ators visited Cameroon and meet with his Cameroonian counterpart Amadou Ahidjo, in the capital city Yaoundà ©, to discuss the issue. The outcome of this meeting was the signing of the Coker-Ngo Line delimiting the navigable portion offshore border of the two countries, thereby reaffirming the 1913 agreement. Both Heads of States were very satisfied with the outcome of the meeting not only after General Gowon of Nigeria, hearing the advices from his advisers, reverse the decision arrived at the meeting. This trigger a second meeting as General Gowon again paid a second visit to the President Ahidjo of Cameroon at Maroua city in July 1975, in order to correct the wrongs of the Coker-Ngo Line referred in the 1913 agreement. Worthy of note here is that at this point in time, the sovereignty of Bakassi was not the issue, as the meetings were out to understand the colonial borders. Gowon was overthrown shortly after his visit to Cameroon in a military coup in July 1975, General Murtala Muhammed was the new Head of State of Nigeria and he was very strategic. In order to have the support of the Nigeria bulk population, he convinced them to believe that General Gowon has given Bakassi to Cameroon as a compensation for the assistance Cameroon played in the Nigeria Civil War. He goes further to reject the authenticity of the 1971 and 1975 agreements between Gowon and Ahidjo that it has not be ratified by the military council. He too was killed in a military coup just a year after and was replaced by General Olusegun Obasanjo. What a coincidence here that President Obasanjo was Nigeria Head of state during this period and he still re-emerges again as president when hostilities break out between the two countries and help to brokered peace by ensuring that Nigeria police and soldiers withdraw from the territory in accordance with the Green-Tree Agreement of 2006. 3. THE EMERGENCE OF HOSTILITIES As earlier discuss above, the obvious reasons for most violent conflict have been natural resources conflict, territorial and ethnicity, and political and economic. The case of the Bakassi conflict was as a result of the colonial legacy left behind by the colonial powers without taking consideration of the indigenous population. As also said above the Bakassi peninsula came into the lime line after the alleged discovery of huge volume of oil reserves by some Chinese experts. Cameroon and Nigeria share a 1600km long border running from Lake Chad in the north down to Bakassi in the south and a maritime boundary meandering into the Gulf of Guinea. It is worth noted here that with all the different borders that Cameroon share with Nigeria, it is only the Bakassi peninsula which has spark tension. This can be seen as a result of the oil discovery in that area and the water which was a veritable ground for fishing. During the 70s, minor tensions have been building up in the claim of ownership of the territory. Clashes took place where some human lives were lost and on May 16, 1981, the first major form of direct violence occur when the Cameroon National Radio announced that three Nigeria patrol boats have violated and entered the Cameroonian territorial waters in Bakassi up to Rio del Rey, and open fire on the Cameroonian army. This act was widely condemned in Cameroon and in retaliation; five Nigerian soldiers were killed by the Cameroonian soldiers. This incident brought a lot of suspicion between the two countries as both countries were accusing the other for causing the incident. While Cameroon on their part accused Nigeria that they were exploiting the matter politically by blaming Cameroon for the incident, Nigeria on their part, insisted that the incident took place along the Akwayafe River. The Nigeria claimed that the incident took place at the Akwayafe River means that they have not a cknowledge the maritime border set down at the Anglo-German Treaty of 1913, thus a gross violation. So Cameroon immediately apologizes for the deaths of those five soldiers and promised to pay reparations. This matter was resolved diplomatically and put to rest. But it has triggered the question of sovereignty over the territory. Things take a dramatic turn in the advent of multi party politics in Cameroon in the 1990s. Anglophone Cameroonians started feeling of been marginalized and under-developed. They started asking for their own autonomy and possible Bakassi been a territory under the English speaking part of Cameroon was a big concern to the government of Cameroon. So there was need to consolidate the entire sovereignty of the territory under Cameroon administration. In order to fight this Anglophone antagonism in Cameroon, the government became so hard on the Anglophones especially the Nigerians who have been living in the Anglophone communities for decades doing businesses. Through intimidation and high taxes, many Nigeria traders were forced to leave Cameroon. But the most deliberate incident that fully lead to the occupation of the territory and sends fear of an impending military conflict between the two countries occur in February 1994. At this point in time, Nigeria had deployed 1000 soldiers to Bakassi on the pretext that they were out to protect the Nigerian Traders and fishermen against the continuous Cameroonian Gendarmerie harassment. The deployment of Nigerian troops was not welcome by Cameroon and it eventually break out to an open fire from both sides. It led to many casualties and deaths on civilian population and soldiers from both countries. Cameroon has lost closed to 40 soldiers and many of its soldiers have been taken as pris oners of war by Nigeria. It was this bloody incident that prompted Cameroon to seize the ICJ for adjudication. A complaint was filed on March 29, 1994 to the ICJ. Whether due to a sense of premonition of defeat or due to the fact that many Nigerians were aware of the Bakassi lie, the Nigeria government criticizes the government of Cameroon for taking the matter to the UN. The pointed out that they would have prefer the matter be settled through a bilateral negotiations. They go as far as challenging the competence of the ICJ for lack of jurisdiction in handling the matter. While the matter was pending at the ICJ, fighting was still going on between the two countries. The Nigerian government again deploys another 1000 troops in February 1996. This last deployment of soldiers was the last major incident that shows sign of an impending full scale military war. The Nigerian soldiers invaded and occupied the territory of Bakassi despite the fact that the case was pending at the ICJ. Record holds it that by May 1996, more than 50 Nigerian soldiers had lost their lives and several others taken as prisoners of war according to diplomatic sources. One of the most leading African magazines, The Jeune Afrique has analyzed the situation by saying that the prerequisite for a major military conflict were all present in the case of Bakassi. It went further to analyze the strategic economic importance of the territory to both countries and as a pivotal factor for the cause of the conflict. As tensions continued to grow on the ground with the military presence of both countries in the territory, the government of Cameroon called on the ICJ to institute measures to halt down the fighting. The ICJ immediately asked both countries to stop the fighting while waiting for the final ruling on the matter. But that notwithstanding, both countries still maintain the presence of their military believing that it might work in their favor for the rightful owner of the territory. 4. THE CAUSES OF THE CONFLICT The claim of sovereignty over the peninsula between the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria is one the several violent conflicts that have plagued Africa for a very longtime as I mentioned in the preceding chapters. It was one of an interstate state war that could have escalated to a full blown war if not of the high sense of responsibilities on the parts of the UN on one hand and the countries concern on the other hand. The causes of the conflict are discussed below. 4.1. Economic factors It is evident that economic factors might have stemmed up the conflict over the ownership of the territory. If we go back to the Anglo-German Treaty of 1913, we can see that both countries were more or less not interested in the area. Nigeria under British rule have surrender the area to the Germans who were at that time ruling Cameroon. British Nigeria ceded this territory to the German in 1913, and even after independence, Nigeria still did not made any claim to the territory. Cameroon on her part, knew and sees the peninsula as its territory but failed to carry out any development in the area. The government of Cameroon did not put up any administrative structure in the area to indicate that the rule the place. They equally left the place at the mercy of the dominant Nigeria indigenous population to carry out their trading and fishing activities along the peninsula with little or no control except the arbitrary tax collection from the people by the authorities of Cameroon. This point is to bring out the picture of the peninsula at that time, but things take a dramatic turn when during the late 70s and 80s, there was an alleged discovery of huge volume of oil reserves around the Rio del Rey area of the peninsula. A good number of foreign multi-national companies have carried out surveys in the peninsula and came out with the reports that the territory may indeed be a treasure of immeasurable economic value. The discovery of oil reserves was not the only determinant economic factor that almost plunged both countries to a war. The fact that Bakassi peninsula is situated between two great oceans i.e. the cold Benguela current and the warm Guinea current, makes it a veritable ground for fishing. It also harbors a wide variety of fishes and other maritime wildlife creatures. According to the internet encyclopedia, the Wikipedia, the fertility of the Bakassi peninsula as a fishing ground is comparable only to Newfoundland in North America and Scandinavia in Western Europe. It was as a result of these economic benefits i.e. the prospect of potential oil reserves and securing the fishing rights, that the Germans were so desperate on keeping the peninsula to themselves during the 1913 agreement. It would not be a gainsaying that economic factors attracted the attention of both countries to claim sovereignty of the peninsula, judging from the discovery of oil reserves and the sale of fishing rights. 4.2. Political reasons The Cameroon and Nigeria claim of sovereignty over Bakassi also has a political manoveuvres, i.e. political reasons also contributed to the conflict. It is believed that the political leaders of both countries wanted to use Bakassi as a means to divert public opinion from their respective home countries. This is evident of the fact that there was growing unpopularity of the leaders of both countries. They wanted to shift the public attention to Bakassi so that their citizens will forget about their worries at home when engaged in a full scale war. Both governments have failed to address the economic problems, unemployment, bad governance, bribery and corruption, lack of social services and the bad Human Rights records they hold. Cameroon under President Amadou Ahidjos human rights records was not a good one as he was notorious for the violation of human rights during his time as president. Examples of his bad Human Rights violation is the killing of more than 25,000 people during the UPC revolt in the 1960s as reported by Albert Mukong and Mongo Beti. Then came President Paul Biya who succeeded Ahidjo in 1982 and is still on seat. Under Biya, the economy has faced a severe economic crisis in the mid 80s that saw the currency been devalued. The salaries of normal civil servants was reduced to about 70% while those of the army was increase, and that is why the army is so loyal to the president and do not plan to overthrown him in a coup. On the part of Nigeria, the situation was not too different from Cameroon, but the prominent problem that Nigeria was undergoing before the return to civilian rule was the successive military coups that has seen their governments from time to time been toppled. In fact, Nigeria holds worlds record for the highest number of military coups and counter coup attempts. These coups have led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and soldiers. Looking at her human rights records, nearly all the successive governments have had a very bad human rights record. They are noted for killing their political opponents, an example is the assassination of the minority leader Ken Saro Wiwa and nine others in November 1995. The unreasonable imprisonment of acclaimed winner of the presidential election of 1992 Moshood Abiola and the events leading to his death while in prison still remain a fact to be told. Even the brutal murder of Abiolas wife made the government unpopular. It very evident from the above mentioned paragraphs that both Cameroon and Nigeria had nothing to ride home with because the governments of both countries were facing internal and severe ethnic nationalism and economic fallout. They believe that diverting the peoples mind into an external crisis will work in their favors. They made their citizens to believe that Bakassi was worth fighting for i.e. to defend their fatherland. 4.3. National and human securities Security issues have been very vital and play an important role in the peninsula, as such were one of the causes of the claim of sovereignty over Bakassi. This is true to the fact that during 1884, the Chief of Old Calabar signed a Treaty of Protection ceding the territory (Bakassi) to the Britain. Britain thereafter ceded the territory during the 1913 Treaty to German Kamerun in order to secure a safe passage to the port of Calabar and also reassuring the Germans that she will not made any further advancements to the east. Security in the wider sense could so also be seen in the domain of national security and human security. The former been the security of the states sovereignty and the latter been the security of the citizens. So in this light, both countries were fast to advance security reasons for the military occupation of the peninsula. Nigeria lay claims that she invaded Bakassi to protect her citizens who were doing business and carry out fishing activities in the area against the continuous harassment from the Cameroonian forces, while Cameroon on her part, claimed that the obvious reason was to protect the territorial integrity of the state as she claims Nigeria has violated its sovereignty and posed a threat to her national security. 4.4. Natural resources Natural resources have been the cause of several violent conflicts in the developing countries. The question is can natural resources be seen as a curse or a blessing. This is a territory which was out of the discussion tables of both country, but soon became a bone of contention to the countries immediately after the discovery of oil reserves or black gold as is commonly refer to in Africa. Many oppressive regimes will want to be in full control of the natural resources. For the fact that another border region which is the Lake Chad between Cameroon and Nigeria is gradually disappearing because of over used by the neighboring countries such as Cameroon, Nigeria, DR Congo, Tchad and Equatorial Guinea. With the assurance that the Bakassi peninsula is blessed with natural resources such as oil and fishes, both countries divert their attention there claiming sovereignty. 4.5. Territorial integrity The territorial integrity of the peninsula also plays a very important role for both countries as they believed it was the responsibility of the state to protect the sovereignty of its territory against any form of external threat from its neighbors. So we can see here that the Bakassi conflict was an interstates military conflict aim at protecting the sovereignty of the territory as both countries claimed. The government of Cameroon was more than ever ready to defend and protect the sovereignty of the Bakassi people against an impending military occupation from Nigeria. None of the two countries was ready to let go off the territory, as Nigeria on her part, was sending a warning threat that they are very much ready to protect Nigeria citizens leaving in the area from arbitrarily harassment from the Cameroon Gendarmes and as such protecting the sovereignty of the territory. 4.6. Socio-cultural aspects The territory under question was largely inhabited by the Efik indigenous people who see themselves as belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They made up about 90% of the population and would not understand why they should be forced to be governed by Cameroon in case the ruling of the Hague was in favor of Cameroon. This is a territory that has been long forgotten by the government of Cameroon with no social structure put in place to make it look like a Cameroon territory. Nigeria on their part has built some few schools in the area and putting up some structures to give life to her citizens leaving in the area. Nigeria used her large population advantage to claim sovereignty of the territory, though the government of Cameroon accuses the Nigeria government that they took advantage of their large home population and thereby transfer so many Nigerians to live in the Bakassi peninsula, so that it will give them an upper hand in claiming sovereignty of the territory. It can also be justified here that the bulk of the Bakassi population who claimed to be of Nigeria origin, were not willing to lose their territory to Cameroon and so urges the Nigeria government to go to war if it needs arise. Culturally speaking, we can also see that the colonial demarcations of the borders done a great deal to the people, as we can find the Efik people on the side of Nigeria speaking the same language with the Akwaya people in Cameroon. These two tribes have the same cultures, traditional rites and traditional attires during festivities. It cannot be deny here that peoples of the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon have similar cultures with the peoples of Benue, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Taraba states of Nigeria. So it is obvious that Nigeria based her claim of sovereignty over the territory was as a result of their large population in the area. 5. HOW THE CONFLICT WAS RESOLVED AND MANAGED When Nigerian troops violated the Anglo-German Treaty of 1913, by invading the territory of Rio del Rey in May 16, 1961, they claimed five of their soldiers were killed by the Cameroon soldiers. So in respond, the Shehu Shagari the president of Nigeria made it clear that the Nigerian soldiers were not on the Rio del Rey territory but on the Akwayafe territory and as such demanded an apology from Cameroon for the death soldiers. It can be seen here that both countries resorted to diplomatic means to queue down the growing tensions and somehow the conflict was managed. The government of Cameroon made an official apology on July 1981, and promised to pay reparations to Nigeria. This brought the misunderstanding to an end. But worth noting here, is the fact that Nigeria claimed their soldiers were on the Akwayafe river but not on the Rio del Rey river, meaning they indirectly acknowledged and accept the colonial maritime borders delineated by the 1913 Treaty. This sought of management and resolution of

Features of Location Strategy Planning

Features of Location Strategy Planning The location of a plant or facility is the geographical positioning of an operation relative to the input resources and other operations or customers with which it interacts. Andrew Greasly (2003) identified three main reasons why a location decision is required. The first reason is that a new company has been created and needs a facility to manufacture products or deliver a service to its customers. The second reason is that there is a decision to relocate an existing business due to a number of factors such as the need for larger premises or to be closer to a particular customer base. The third reason is relocate into new premises in order to be able to expand operations. Decisions with regards to where an organisation can locate its plant or facility are not taken often, however they still tend to be very important for the firms profitability and long-term survival. An organisation which chooses an inappropriate location for its premises could suffer from a number of factors, and would find it difficult and expensive to relocate. Location decisions tend to be taken more often for service operations than manufacturing facilities. Facilities for service related businesses are usually smaller in size, less costly, and are located in a location that is convenient and easily accessible to customers (Russell and Taylor, 2003). When deciding where to located a manufacturing facility different reasons apply, such as the cost of constructing a plant or factory. Although the most imporant factor for a service related business is access to customers, a set of different criteria is important for a manufacturing facility (Russell and Taylor, 2003). These include the nature of the labor force, proximity to suppliers and other markets, distribution and transportation costs, the availability of energy and its cost, community infrastructure, government regualtions and taxes, amongst others (Russell and Taylor, 2003). Location Strategy The facilities location problem is one of major importance in all types of business. It is important to notice the different problems that may arise whilst trying to choose a suitable location; which is the general area, and site; which is the place chosen within the location. Normally, the decision on siting proceeds in two stages: in the first, the general area is chosen; and then a detailed survey of that area is carried out to find suitable sites where the plant or facility could be located (Oakland and Lockyer, 1992). However, the final decision as to where to locate a facility is made by taking into consideration more detailed requirements. The following are a number of factors which might influence the choice of location (Oakland and Lockyer, 1992). Proximity to market: organisations may wish to locate their facility close to their market, to be able to lower transportation costs, and most importantly, to be able to provide their customers with a better service. If the plant or facility is located close to the customer, the organisation would be in a better position to provide just-in-time delivery, to respond to fluctuations in demand and to react to field or service problems. Availability of labour and skills: a number of geographical areas have traditional skills but it very rare that an organisation would be able to find a location which has the appropriate skilled and unskilled labour, both readily available and in the desired proportions and quantities. Even so, new skills can be tought, processes simplified and key personnel moved from one area to another. Availability of amenities: organisations would prefer to locate their facilities in a location which provides good external amenities such as housing, shops, community services and communication systems. Availability of inputs: a location which is near main suppliers will help to reduce cost and allow staff to meet suppliers easily to discuss quality, technical or delivery problems, amongst others. It is also important that certain supplies which are expensive or difficult to procure by transport should be readily available in the locality. Availability of services: there are six main services which need to be considered whilst a location is being chosen namely; gas and electricity, water, drainage, disposal of waste and communications. An assessment must be made of the requirements for these, and a location which provides most or all of these services will be more attractive than another which does not. Room for expansion: organisations should leave room for expansion within the chosen location unless long term forecast convey very accurately that the plant will never have to be altered or expanded. This is often not the case and thus adequate room for expansion should be allowed. Safety requirements: certain production and manufacturing units may present potential hazards to the surrounding neighbourhood. For example certain plants such as nuclear power stations and chemical factories should be located in remote areas. Site cost: the cost of the site is a very important factor, however it is necessary to prevent immediate benefit from jeopardising the long-term plans of an organisation. Political, cultural and economic situation: it is also important to consider the political situation of potential locations. Even if other considerations demand a particular site, knowledge of the political, cultural and economic difficulties can assist in taking a number of decisions. Special grants, regional taxes and import/export barriers: it is often advantegous for an organisation to build its plant or facility in a location where the government and local authorities often offer special grants, low-interest loans, low rental or taxes and other inducements. Location Selection Techniques The location selection process involves the identification of a suitable region/country, the indentification of an appropriate area within that region and finally comparing and selecting a site from that area which is suitable for an organisation. The following are a number of analytical techniques from the several that have been developed to assist firms in location analysis. Weighted Score The weithed scoring technique tries to take a range of considerations into account, including cost. This technique, which is also referred to as factor rating or point rating, consists of determining a list of factors that are relevant to the location decision. Each factor is then given a weighting that conveys its relative importance compared with the other factors. Each location is then scored on each factor and this score is multiplied by the factor value. The alternative with the highest score is then chosen. Locational Break-Even Analysis This technique makes use of cost-volume analysis to make an economic comparison of location alternatives. An organisation would have to identify the fixed and variable costs and graphing them for each location, thus determining which one provides the lowest cost. Locational break-even analysis may be carried out mathematically or graphically. The procedure for graphical cost-volume analysis is as follows: Determine the fixed and variable costs for each location. Plot the total cost (i.e. the fixed + the variable) lines for the location alternatives on the graph. Choose the location with the lowest total cost line at the expected production volume level. Plant Layout According to Andrew Greasly (2007), the layout of a plant or facility is concerned with the physical placement of resources such as equipment and storage facilities, which should be designed to facilitate the efficient flow of customers or materials through the manufacturing or service system. He also noted that the layout design is very important and should be taken very seriously as it can have a significant impact on the cost and efficiency of an operation and can involve substantial investment in time and money. The decisions taken with regards to the facility layout will have a direct influence on how efficiently workers will be able to carry out their jobs, how much and how fast goods can be produced, how difficult it is to automate a system, and how the system in place would be able to respond to any changes with regards to product or service design, product mix, or demand volume (Russell and Taylor, 2003). In many operations the installation of a new layout, or redesign of an existing layout, can be difficult to change once they are implemented due to the significant investment required on items such as equipment. Therefore, it is imperative to make sure that the policy decisions relating to the organisation, method and work flow are made before the facilities are laid out rather than trying to fit these three into the layout. This is an important area of production and operations management since it is dealing with the capital equipment of the organisation which, in general, is difficult to relocate once it has been put into position. Keith Lockyer (1992), in his book Production and Operations Management, explained that the plant layout process is rather complex, which cannot be set down with any finality, and one in which experience plays a great part. The author also explained that it is impossible for an organisation to design the perfect layout, however he discussed a number of criteria which should be followed to design a good layout. These criteria are discussed in brief below. Maximum Flexibility A good layout should be designed in such a way that modifications could rapidly take place to meet changing circumstances, and thus should be devised with the possible future needs of the operation in mind. Maximum Co-ordination The layout should be designed in such a way that entry into, and disposal from, any department or functional area should be carried out in the most convenient way to the issuing and recieving departments. Maximum use of volume The facility should be considered as cubic devises and maximum use is to be made of the volume available. This principle is useful in stores, where goods can be stored at considerable heights without causing any inconvenience, especially if certain mordern lifting machinery is available. Maximum visibility Locker further insists that all the workers and materials should be readily observable at all times and that there should be no hidden places into which goods or information might get misplaced and forgotten. Organisations should be careful when they make use of partitioning or screening as these may introduce undesirable segregation which reduces the effective use of floor space. Maximum accessibility The machinery, equipment and other installations should not in any way obstruct the servicing and maintenance points, which should be readily accessible at all times. Obstructing certain service points such as electricity and water mains could hinder the production process in place. Minimum distance and Material handling All movements taking place within the plant should be both necessary and direct. Handling work does add the cost but does not increase the value, thus any unecessary movement should be avoided and if present, eliminated. It is best not to handle the material and information, however if this is necessary it should be reduced to a minimum by making use of appropriate devices. Inherent Safety All processes which might constitute a danger to either the staff or customers should not be accessible to the unauthorised. Fire exists should be clearly marked with uninhibited access and pathways should be clearly defined and uncluttered. Unidirectional Flow All materials which are being used in the production process should always flow in one direction, starting from the storage, passing through all processes and facilities, and finally resulting in the finished product which is later dispatched for storage or sold directly to the customer. Management Coordination Supervision and communication should be assisted by the location of staff and communication equipment in place within the chosen layout. The Basic Layout Designs After choosing the process type which will be used within the plant, it would be necessary to select the layout of the operation. Presently, there are four basic types of production layouts, each with their own set of characterisitcs which are briefly discussed below. Fixed Position Layout A fixed position layout design is used when the product being produced is either too fragile, bulky, or heavy to move and so the conversion process would have to take place at the location where the product is created. Figure 2.7 conveys an example of a fixed position layout within a full service restaurant. In this particular type of layout, all resources and factors of production used to produce a particular product must be moved to the location where the product is to be produced. Scheduling and coordination of the required resources are important characterisitics of this layout, since these resources have to be available on the site where the product is to be produced in the required amounts at the required time (Andrew Greasley, 2007). For example, certain activities that are carried out in construction sites are only able to take place after the completion of other activities. The utilization of equipment in such a layout is often low, since it is cheaper to leave equipment idle at a location where it will be used during subsequent days than to move it back and forth (Russell and Taylor, 2003). Process Layout In process layouts, also termed as functional layouts, similar activities are grouped together in departments or work centers according to the process or function that they carry out. Figure 4.8 conveys a process layout in a manufacturing facility, were different processes and machines are located within their respective work center. This type of layout is characteristic of intermittent operations, service shops, job shops, or batch production, were different customers with different needs are served (Russell and Taylor, 2003). Equipment found in this particular layout is often general purpose, and workers are usually trained to make use of equipment in their department. One of the advantagous of this system is flexibility, however a high level of inefficiency takes place. This inefficiency arises since jobs and customers do not flow through the system in an orderly manner, movement from one department to another could take a long time, and queues tend to be developed (Russell and Taylor, 2003). Product Layout In product layouts, which are also known as assembly lines, activities are set up in a line according to the sequence of operations that have to take place in order to produce a particular product. Therefore, each product being produced must have its own line, which is designed in a unique way to meet its requirements (Russell and Taylor, 2003). The flow of work is carried out in an orderly and efficient manner, moving from one particular processing station to the next down the assembly line until the product is successfully produced (Russell and Taylor, 2003). These type of layouts are often incorporated for mass production or repetitive operations, where demand is normally stable and volume is high. In such cases, the product being produced is standard, and one which is produced for the general market. Figure 2.9 conveys a simplified configuration of a product layout. The product or line layout is known to be a very efficient production system because the use of dedicated equipment in a balanced line allows a much throughput time than in any other layout used (Andrew Greasly, 2007). However, this particular layout often lacks the flexibility found in the process layout since it only able to produce a standard product or service. Another issue which often concerns manufacturing companies is that if any particular processing station fails, the output from the whole line is lost. Therefore, it lacks the robustness to loss of resources such as equipment failure or staff which are not present at work that the process layout provides (Andrew Greasly, 2007). Cellular Layout A cell layout tries to combine the flexbility found in the process layout together with the efficiency found in the product layout. Machines and activities which are unalike are grouped into work centers, referred to cells, in order to create groups of parts or customers which have similar requirements (Russell and Taylor, 2003). The aim of this layout is to arrange different cells in such a way that materials movement is minimized. Figure 2.10 conveys how a process layout which has similar resurces has been grouped into three different cells. Through this redesigning, the routing of products has been simplified and products can now be processed in a single cell and need not be transported between different departments. 2.2 Quality Management There is a widespread acceptance that organisations view quality as an important strategic core competence and a vital competitive weapon which should be used to gain a competitive advantage at the expense of rivals. Several organisations have been able to reep a number of benefits, such as substanstial cost savings and higher revenues, after implementing a quality improvement process into their operations. Subsequently, this led them to invest substantial amounts of money yearly on implementing and sustaining quality programmes and intiatives. The American National Standards Institution (ANSI) and the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC) define quality as the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to satisfy given needs. Similarily, Feigenbaum (2005), who is an American quality control expert, has defined quality as the total composite product and service characteristics of marketing, engineering, manufacture, and maintenance through which the product and service in use will meet the expectation by the customer. Put simply, this refers to an organisations ability to manufacture a product or deliver a service which satisfy the customers requirements and needs, and which conform to specifications. Keith Lockyer, in his book Production and Operations Management (1992), noted that organisations must be dedicated to the continous improvement of quality and must implement systematic control systems that are designed to prevent the production or delivery of products or services which do not conform to requirements. To facilitate this process, organisations should first set up a quality policy statement which describes their general quality orientation and which is used to assist as a framework for action. Once set up, top management would be required to: ensure that is it understood at all levels of the organisation; identify the needs of the organisations customers; evaluate the organisations ability to meet these needs; make sure that all the materials and services supplied fit the required standards of efficiency and performance; continously train the workforce for quality improvement; assess and monitor the quality management systems in place. Quality Control and Assurance in the Conversion Process Ray Wild (2002) has noted that the capability of the conversion process directly influences the degree to which the product or service conforms to the given specification. If the conversion process is capable of producing products or services at the specified level, then the products or services are provided at the desired quality level. Once the specification of the output is known and an appropriate process is available, management must ensure that the output will conform to the specification. In order to achieve this objective Ray Wild (2002) has defined three different stages which are outlined in figure 2.4; each discussed below. Control of Inputs Before accepting any items as inputs, organisations must make sure that they conform to the required specifications and standards. Normally, before items are supplied to an organisation, they are subjected to some form of quality control by the supplier. The organisation might also ask its suppliers for information about the quality of the items whilst they are being prepared, ask for a copy of the final inspection documentation, or ask a third party such as an insurance company to make sure that all the items supplied conform to the required quality standards. Even so, organisations still find the need to inspect the items supplied once they are recieved and before they are inserted into the conversion process. This inspection can be carried out by either inspecting every item recieved from suppliers, or by making use of the acceptance sampling procedure, which consists of taking a random sample from a larger batch or lot of material to be inspected. Organisations might also make use of the vendor rating procedure whereby suppliers are rated by taking into account a number of quality related factors such as the percentage of acceptable items recieved in the past, the quality of the packaging, and the price. Control of Process All manufacturing organisations must make sure that appropriate inspection is carried out during operations to ensure that defective items do not proceed to the next operations, and also to predict when the process is most likely to produce faulty items so that preventive adjustments could be adopted (Ray Wild 2002). The quality control of the production process is facilitated by making use of control charts, which convey whether the process looks as though it is performing as it should, or alternatively if it is going out of control. One of the benefits of this procedure is that it helps management to take action before problems actually take place. Ray Wild (2002) also notes that organisations should establish procedures for the selection and inspection of items which are used in the conversion process, for the recording and analysis of data, scrapping of defectives, and for feedback of information. Control of Outputs Organisations must ensure that the qulity inspection of output items is carried out effectively since any undetected defective items would be passed on to the customer. The inspection of output items is normally carried out by making use of a sampling procedure, such as acceptance sampling, or by carrying out exhaustive checks. Ray Wild (2002) notes that it is vital for an organisation to have in place suitable procedures designed for the collection and retention of inspection data, for the correction, replacement or further examination of defective items, and for the adjustment or modification of either previous inspection or processing operations in order to eliminate the production of defective items. HACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points Nowadays, the food industry is responsible of producing safe products and also for conveying in a transparent manner how the safety of food is being planned, controlled and assured. In order to do so, organisations in the food industry need a system which will ensure that food operations are designed to be safe and that potential hazards are taken into account (Bob Mitchell 1992). One such system is the Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points which is a scientific and systematic method used to assure food safety, and a tool for the development, implementation and management of effective safety assurance procedures (Ropkins and Beck 2000). The HACCP is known to be one of the best methods used for assuring product safety and is considered as a prerequisite for food manufacturing companies who wish to export their products into international markets. The objective of the HACCP system is to guarantee that the safe production of food by implementing a quality system which covers the complete food production chain, from the promary sector up to the final consuming of the product (Fai Pun, Bhairo-Beekhoo 2007). It is capable of analysing the potential hazards in a food operation, identifying the points in the operation where the hazards may take place, and deciding which of these may be harmful to consumers (Bob Mitchell 2002). These points, which are referred to as the critical control points, are continously monitored and remedial action is effected if any of these points are not within safe limits. The HACCP is the system of choice in the management of food safety; one which is highly promoted by the food safety authorities in the United States, Canada and European Union. Just-In-Time Scheduling Scheduling in Manufacturing Decision making with regards to scheduling has become a very important factor in manufacturing as well as in service industries. Scheduling is a decision making process whereby limited resources are allocated to specific tasks over time in order to produce the desired outputs at the desired time (Psarras, Ergazakis 2003). This process helps organisations to allocate their resources properly, which would further enable them to optimise their objectives and achieve their goals. A number of functions, conveyed in figure 2.5, must be performed whilst scheduling and controlling a production operation. In manufacturing systems, scheduling is highly dependent on the volume and variety mix of the manufacturing system itself. Mass process-type systems, which normally make use of a flow (product) layout where a standard item is produced in high volumes, make use of specialised equipment dedicated to achieve an optimal flow of work throughout the system (Andrew Greasly 2006). Greasly notes that this is very important since all items follow the same sequence of operations. One of the most important objectives of a flow system is to make sure that production is kept at an equal rate in each production that takes place. This could be ensured by making use of the line balancing technique, which makes sure that the output of each production stage is equal and that all resources all fully utilised (Andrew Greasly 2006). Just-In-Time The Just-In-Time Philosophy in Operations The just-in-time philosophy originated from the Japanese auto maker Toyota after Taiichi Ohno came up with the Toyota Production System whose aim was to interface manufacturing more closely with the companys customers and suppliers. This particular philosophy is an approach to manufacturing which seeks to provide the right amount of material when it is required, which in turn leads to the reduction of work-in-progress inventories and aims to maximise productivity within the production process (Singh, Brar 1991). The authors, Slack, Chambers and Johnston, of Operations Management (2001) defined the JIT philosophy as a disciplined approach to improving overall productivity and elimination of waste. They also state that it provides for the necessary quantity of parts at the right quality, at the right time and place, while using a minimum amount of facilities, equipment, materials and human resources. Thus, put simply the JIT system of production is one based on the philosophy of total elimination of waste, which seeks the utmost rationality in the way production is carried out. Bicheno (1991) further states that JIT aims to meet demand instantaneously, with perfect quality and no waste. In order to achieve this, an organisation requires a whole new approach in how it operates. Harrison (1992) identified three important issues as the core of JIT philosophy, namely the elimination of waste, the involvement of everyone and continous improvement. The following is a brief description of these three key issues (adapted from Operations Management by Andrew Greasly). Eliminate Waste Waste may be defined as any activity which does not add value to the operation. Ohno (1995) and Toyota have identified seven types of waste, which apply in many different types of operations, in both manufacturing and service industries. All of these types of wastes are displayed in figure 2.6 below. The involvement of everyone Organisations that implement a JIT system are able to create a new culture where all employees are encouraged to continously improve by coming up with ideas for improvements and by performing a range of functions. In order to involve employees as much as possible, organisations would have to provide training to staff in a wide range of areas and techniques, such as Statistical Process Control and more general problem solving techniques (Andrew Greasley 2002). Continuous Improvement Slack and Johnston (2001) note that JIT objectives are often expressed as ideals. Futhermore, Greasly (2002) states that through this philosophy, organisations would be able to get to these ideals of JIT by a continuous stream of improvements over time. The Benefits of Just-In-Time According to Russell and Taylor (2003), after fives years from implementing JIT a number of U.S. manufacturers were able to benefit from 90 percent reductions in manufacturing cycle time, 70 percent reductions in inventory, 50 percent reductions in labour costs, and 80 percent reductions in space requirements. These results are not achieved by each and every organisation that implements a JIT system, however JIT does provide a wide range of benefits, including: Reduced inventory Improved quality Lower costs Reduced space requirements Shorter lead time Increased productivity Greater flexibility Better relations with suppliers Simplified scheduling and control activities Better use of human resources Increased capacity More product variety Health and Safety Management The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) define occupational health as the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; and the placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological capabilities. Many countries have introduced legislation which requires employers to manage the health and safety of their employees, and others who might be affected (Alan Waring, 1996). To honour health and safety legislation, organisations have found it necessary to introduce active programmes of accident prevention. The preparation of a properly though-out health and safety policy, which is continously monitored, could dramatically reduce or eliminate injuries and damage to health (Oakland and Lockyer, 1992). Responsibilities for Safety All employees in an organisation should be active in creating and maintaining healthy and safe working conditions which are aimed to avoid accidents. Once a health and safety policy is established in an organisation, roles and responsibilities should be allocated within the management structure (Oakland and Lockyer, 1992). As with other areas such as quality and production within an organisation, health and safety would only be able to progress successfully if all employees are fully co-operative and committed in doing so. A number of organisations have encouraged this total involvement by creating safety representitives, committees, and group discussions w

The Dual Meaning of Meaning :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

A central problem in the philosophy of language has been to find a way to reconcile first person authority about meaning with externalist theories of meaning. In other words, if meanings aren't wholly in the head (the externalist thesis), then how do we explain the apparent authority we have about what our own utterances mean? In this paper, I will present one possible and, I believe, highly plausible solution which will allow us to maintain that we do have first person authority with regard to the meanings of our utterances while still accepting the lessons that Twin Earth has taught us (that meanings are, at least in part, determined by the external world). Moreover, it is, I believe, a virtue of any philosophical theory that it remain as close to common sense as analytical rigour will allow. Thus, it is advisable that one try to approach philosophical questions as the layman — still 'untainted' by philosophy — would approach them. This brand of 'common sense phi losophy' is what I shall attempt to use in providing an account of meaning. Let us begin, then, by examining first person authority. It seems quite obvious to me that, should there be no successful reconciliation of first person authority with externalism, the former would defeat the latter in any theory of meaning. I do not say this just because it is highly counter-intuitive to think that we don't generally know what we mean when we speak, rather it seems to me to be impossible to deny that we have this knowledge: not only do we know what we mean, but we know that we know what we mean. Though most philosophers recognise the obviousness of this fact, some11 maintain that it is in need of an explanation. This, I believe, is because they take externalism as more 'primitive' than first person authority. What I mean is that these philosophers approach first person authority from the viewpoint of an already developed externalist theory. I suggest that, instead, we take the undeniability of first person authority as given and then attempt to provide a theory of meaning that preserves first person authority while accounting for the role of the external world in determining meaning. What exactly is it, then, of which we have this direct authoritative knowledge? And how, if at all, does it relate to the external world?

Do People Who Are Trafficking Human Organs Help Other People? Essay

Do People Who Are Trafficking Human Organs Help Other People? (The Guardian, 2012), Denis Campbell and Nicola Davison, says that the unlawful business in human organs special kidneys has advanced quickly and unexpectedly. The reasons why selling kidneys has advanced quickly is that nowadays many countries have wars so there are many poor people who need money to live a good life. Also, after wars, there are many sick people that felt desperation because they lost their organs in the war and no one donated to them, so they needed to buy organs to stay alive. Other reason is because people have two kidneys so when they sell one kidney for important reasons, they won’t die. Most countries punish those people who sell their organs that is why in those countries there are many illegal trafficking of human organs, but in some countries trafficking human organs is legal like Iran. People who are trafficking human organs help other people to live a good life, also help sick people to feel healthy again and not to die. The desperation of many peo ple needing transplantation surgery and the poverty of many people with healthy organs often results in the trafficking of human organs. It’s a trade where the two persons win, because trafficking human organs help many poor people who don't have money to buy food or clothes by selling their organs that they can live without for money to the sick people who need this organ to stay alive. Selling organs can help the sick person to stay alive and give the poor person money to help his family from humiliating life. I read something posted on (ALL THINGS PAKISTAN blog, 2007) about a poor Pakistani guy who holds with his hand a paper with a sign that says â€Å"Would you buy my kidney please?.† I think ... ...can help many people. References All things pakistan blog. In (2007). Retrieved from http://pakistaniat.com/2007/10/17/would-you-like-to-buy-my-kidney-please/ Caplan, A. R., & Arp, R. (eds.) (2013). Contemporary debates in bioethics. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.kw/books?id=-RsoAAAAQBAJ&dq=how much does the middle man make trafficking organs&source=gbs_navlinks_s Denis, C., & Davison, N. (2012). The guardian. In Shanghai : Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/may/27/kidney-trade-illegal-operations-who Gross, R. (2008). Noblesse oblige blog. In Retrieved from http://noblesseoblige.org/2008/01/12/egyptian-man-sells-wives-kidney-on-black-market/ Parry, W. (2012). How poverty, false promises, fuel illegal organ trafficking. In Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/19237-illegal-kidney-organ-trade.html Do People Who Are Trafficking Human Organs Help Other People? Essay Do People Who Are Trafficking Human Organs Help Other People? (The Guardian, 2012), Denis Campbell and Nicola Davison, says that the unlawful business in human organs special kidneys has advanced quickly and unexpectedly. The reasons why selling kidneys has advanced quickly is that nowadays many countries have wars so there are many poor people who need money to live a good life. Also, after wars, there are many sick people that felt desperation because they lost their organs in the war and no one donated to them, so they needed to buy organs to stay alive. Other reason is because people have two kidneys so when they sell one kidney for important reasons, they won’t die. Most countries punish those people who sell their organs that is why in those countries there are many illegal trafficking of human organs, but in some countries trafficking human organs is legal like Iran. People who are trafficking human organs help other people to live a good life, also help sick people to feel healthy again and not to die. The desperation of many peo ple needing transplantation surgery and the poverty of many people with healthy organs often results in the trafficking of human organs. It’s a trade where the two persons win, because trafficking human organs help many poor people who don't have money to buy food or clothes by selling their organs that they can live without for money to the sick people who need this organ to stay alive. Selling organs can help the sick person to stay alive and give the poor person money to help his family from humiliating life. I read something posted on (ALL THINGS PAKISTAN blog, 2007) about a poor Pakistani guy who holds with his hand a paper with a sign that says â€Å"Would you buy my kidney please?.† I think ... ...can help many people. References All things pakistan blog. In (2007). Retrieved from http://pakistaniat.com/2007/10/17/would-you-like-to-buy-my-kidney-please/ Caplan, A. R., & Arp, R. (eds.) (2013). Contemporary debates in bioethics. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.kw/books?id=-RsoAAAAQBAJ&dq=how much does the middle man make trafficking organs&source=gbs_navlinks_s Denis, C., & Davison, N. (2012). The guardian. In Shanghai : Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/may/27/kidney-trade-illegal-operations-who Gross, R. (2008). Noblesse oblige blog. In Retrieved from http://noblesseoblige.org/2008/01/12/egyptian-man-sells-wives-kidney-on-black-market/ Parry, W. (2012). How poverty, false promises, fuel illegal organ trafficking. In Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/19237-illegal-kidney-organ-trade.html

The Secret Lives Sgt.. John Wilson

John Wilson was a one of a kind character. He had sort of a dual personality. One minute he was writing love letter and the next minute he was trying to get rid of her. He was a hard working person at times and often got into his job very deeply. He had lots of problems with his life and that was mostly the reason why he started drinking so heavily especially near the end. John first started a happy life married to Polly Wilson back home in Scotland.He had two lovely children with her but after an incident with his brother he got very ashamed and thought that he had to move away to run from this problem. John Wilson moved to Canada to try and make some money. He told Polly that he would be back in a year or two at the max as he soon found out life could be tough living on the prairies. He then tries to start a tomato farm but the harsh prairie weather was way different from what he had known back home at Scotland. His tomato farm got ruined by a storm and he was left with nothing.He then tries to enlist into the war but he could not be accepted because of his lung condition. He was so disappointed that he could travel back over seas that he decided to join the RNWMP because it was the closest thing at the time to the army. In August 1914 he was officially part of the Royal North West Mounted Police force. He got transferred into a small town called Blaine Lake and that is where he fell in love with a girl named Jessie Patterson. During the winter John was diagnosed with Tuberculosis.All winter Jessie helped John with his illness and not too soon after John started to fall in love with Jessie. Back at home Polly was crying everyday over John and had made up her mind that she was going to go to Canada to see John no matter what her family thought. On April 12th 1918 Polly Wilson arrived in Canada. On April 18th she arrived in Regina. She phoned the Prince Albert police detachment and just by coincident John was there. When John picked up the phone he†¦

King Kong Movie Comparison

The King of Kong The movies King Kong (1976) and King Kong (2005) based on the 1933 film are some of the most captivating films that offer to the audience memorable characters, resonating emotions, thrilling actions and archetypal narratives. Bierman indicates that the heart-stopping and jaw-dropping King Kong films have been made to expand visual languages mostly expressed by motion pictures to capture the core appeal which many classic movies have (57).As this paper examines, the 1976 King Kong movie and its 2005 re-make display certain similarities and differences in terms of art, style and technological wonder as well as poignant character development. These are indicative of the evolution of the Hollywood style. Besides, as movies of high polysemy quality, their audience draw attention to aspects like overt sexism, misogyny, cultural portrayal of women as fault makers and victims, fears of miscegenation, racist ideologies and capitalist fables.It is against this front that this paper holistically examines the two King Kong movies and concludes by exploring the American culture, society and politics at the time when both films were made. The movie King Kong made in 1976 was produced by Dino De Laurentis alongside John Guillermin as the director. Being an American monster movie, King Kong (1976) remarkably reflected the 1933 King Kong classic film (Farber 104). This movie stars Jessica Lange, Charles Grodin and Jessica bridges.According to credible sources, the King Kong 1976 movie whose cost of making is estimated to have been $24 million was done by the universal studio and distributed by Paramount Pictures. While the 1976 movie has been considered by critics to bear a lot of fun, one would agree with the common wisdom which contends that in comparison to the classic 1933 film and the 2005 re-make, the 1976 King Kong movie was considerably below the expected standards. According to Stymeist, this was reflected in its lack of original magic as it was in the earlier movie (400).This is reflected in Rick Baker who in his monkey suit robs the movie stop motion technology thereby making it void of craftsmanship. However, it is agreeable that the rendition of the 1976 movie has a breezy feel and is also quite thrilling to the target audience. Both the 1976 and 2005 King Kong movies bring out the story of a voyage in a ship to a discovered island where Petrox and Fred Wilson and Carl Denham believe that they were vast oil deposits. The movie made in 1976 is a reflection of the oil crisis that was a problem in the 1970’s.While in the ship, certain characters such as Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange join each other with a unique mission. On the island, they meet island tribes, many monsters just as depicted in the 1933 film. Later on after a series of events, Kong is brought to New York and concludes by a major battle between Kong and the American army at the top of the World Trade Center. On the other hand, the 2005 King Kong film is a remarkable fantasy adventure film starring Andy Serkis, Adrien Brody, Jack Black and Naomi Watts.The producers of the movie include Frank Walsh, Peter Jackson, Carolynne Cunningham and Jan Blenkin. Besides, the studio that produced the movie is said to be the Universal studio and its US distributor is the Universal Pictures. It is imperative to point out that the choice of re-making the American iconic masterpiece King Kong (1973 movie) by Peter Jackson has been termed as a major fulfillment of a Hollywood dream. This movie is a combination of the 1976 and 1933 versions that represents the definitive King Kong.Albeit the several wrinkles and changes it has, the storyline pays few direct homage one of which includes the hammiest verbatim dialogue snatch where the absence of Fay Wray is experienced as she prepares something for Cooper. Schleier in his view points out that the 2005 film displays the kind of dislike where Jackson shows towards the 1976 version (40). This is mirrored in the manner in which he freely borrows from the 1976 movie and changes others. For instance, the 1973 movie has a one-way relationship between the monkey and the girl while in the 2005 film, the relationship is reciprocal.Even so, it is without doubt that the movie is more touching, daring, and energetic. Its two hours displays intense series of action most movies lack. It offers a cinematic experience that is richer and satisfying. However, some critics are of the view that the presence of monkey opus in the 2005 film is excessive. This makes the movie less enjoyable. The two movies have one basic theme that is being developed. The self-promoting and obsessive filmmakers of both movies load the crews of the films in a venture ship to a mysterious destination known as the Skull Island.When at the island, the crew’s expectations appear to be changed by the hostile tribes and monsters they meet. Kong then appears and rescues the girl from the hostile environment, and also ends u p taking charge of the rest of the movie. From the American Cinema/America Culture textbook stand point, both movies and their style of production are very impressive. The plots of the movies are considerably straight forward as depicted by the flow of events from the arrival at the skull island to the kidnapping of the girl by islanders whose cultures are different from that of the crew.Besides, apart from the modernized changes in the 2005 film, both movies display character development and cultural diversity. Though this is not quite prominent, the personalities of Kong and individuals in the island community are well explored. In addition, Prime argues that the re-make of the 1976 film in 2005 reflects Jackson’s utmost reverence and best intention in keeping the originality of style (64). While the American social setting and culture is a factor that changes from time to time, Jackson appears to underscore the need to maintain originality.Even so, there are traces of diff erences in the film in terms of use of technology and theme development. However, Prime admits that the 2005 movie unlike that of the 1976 is choked with homages from the 1933 film. This is indicative from the design of the opening title to the various cut versions of the of the 1933 film that include snippets of dialogue and the attack by bugs. The obsequiousness of Jackson in the 2005 version compared to the 1976 is not merely fawning, but also makes the movie excessively long.To concur with the above argument, it is indeed true that 2005 edition has a monkey business that lasts for almost three hours. While its style resembles those of the original plot with culture and society matters, the mass population of monstrous creatures led by the monstrous Kong seems to be excessive. Critics are not shy to point out that the style of the re-make is full of extra characters, side plots and back-story. However, Belton is of the view that these are critical in bringing adequate comparison of performance, richness, diversity and magical experience (66).The theme of the 2005 film is surprisingly on loneliness than fighting the gargantuan monsters. The intense emotional display brings out Kong as an uber-furball played off by Naomi Watts. It is imperative to point out that the movie essentials in the 2005 re-making remains faithful in terms of basics contained on the 1973 movie. However, Jackson gives this movie his own artistic style. Unlike the monster-kind of movie displayed in the 1973 film, Jackson appears to make King Kong more sympathetic and deeply emotional. Farber indicates that this appears to torture the film (110).From the American Cinema perspective, one of the most difficult parts of a movie is the aesthetic and technological category whose confinements can be mise-en-scene to shot limits or frame borders (Belton 57). In the movie, the reaction of characters to unseen noises and voices continuing over cuts and outside the frame stands out. In addition, it is imperative to note that the movies are shot on different locations and yet music, sound effects and dialogue extend from scene to scene. Belton points out that the editing process of King Kong has its integral aspect on sound editing cut from shot to shot (57).While its score in music is nondescript, its recording is unique and the music is less intrusive. Visually, the movie is marvelous, a factor that is attributed to no location shooting and technology. This makes its scenes especially the Skull Island to appear claustrophobic and eerie. On a technical level, the special effects in King Kong appear amazing and polished. It is without doubt that the visual technique used in the re-make is exclusive with all features of Kong – which has been manipulated by hand.One would argue that the re-make in 2005 puts life in the Hollywood magical experience. While this may be true, it is also undeniable that King Kong reflects the culture and style of the past five decades and has occasional antiquated styles and various deficiencies (Sexton 40). Furthermore, both films have sufficient pictographic representations of the dynamism in society that gives them a thematic score. Notably, there emerges a technical difference in the films whereby each version portrays the actual occurrences during the various times they were produced.For instance, the visual displays of the new vision have colorful designs and even the costume provide a clear evidence of social evolution in the modern world. Needless to say, the films portray three-point illumination that gives them a classical look in the scene. On the same note, there is a clear coordination of the music, dialogue and sound effects in the scene. Nevertheless, for the new version, it appears more realistic. In this case, the combination of sound mix with the tracks in the scene creates an appealing attitude for the audience.The sound effects from the music actually create and make the dialogue and the acting scene more intelligible. The matches on the scene such as actions and graphics create a continuous sequence. Consequently, this credits the film as one of the groundbreaking versions of a renowned movie. It is evident from the paper that the movie King Kong of 1976 and its 2005 re-make are some of the most captivating films that offer everything from memorable characters, resonating emotions, thrilling actions and archetypal narratives which keeps its legacy continuing.As noted earlier, the 1976 movie was shot at a time when there was an oil crisis in the US. This event is displayed in the movie as Carl Denham moves to the Skull Island to seek oil. Besides, the culture of that time as reflected in the manner of worship, social and political relations were different from the time when the movie was undergoing re-making. Vices and cultures like human sacrifice and worship of gigantic beasts were common. The changes made by Jackson in the re-make 2005 movie reflect a different society.One su ch change is that emergence of a technical difference where each version portrays change in technology and culture. Works Cited Belton, John. American cinema/American culture. Rockefeller, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Print. Bierman,  Joseph. â€Å"Cinema at the periphery†. Journal of Film and Video  63. 2  (2011):  56-58. Print. Farber, Helmut. â€Å"King Kong: One more interpretation, or, what cinema tells about itself. †Ã‚  Discourse  22. 2  (2000):  104-127. Print. Loxton,  Daniel. â€Å"Skull Island, Canada. †Ã‚  Skeptic  14. 1  (2008):  12-14. Print. Prime, Rebecca. â€Å"Living dangerously: the adventures of Merian C.Cooper, Creator of King Kong. Film Quarterly  60. 2  (2006):  63-64. Print. Schleier,  Merrill. â€Å"The empire state building, working-class masculinity, and King Kong. †Ã‚  Mosaic: a Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature  41. 2  (2008):  29-54. Print. Sexton,  Jared. â€Å"The ruse of engagement: black masculinity and the cinema of policing. †Ã‚  American Quarterly  61. 1  (2009):  39-64. Print. Stymeist,  David. â€Å"Myth and the monster cinema. †Ã‚  Anthropologica  51. 2  (2009):  395-406. Print. King Kong (2005). Movie. Universal Pictures. WingNut Films. King Kong (1976). Movie. Dino De Laurentiis Company.