Water Security Concept And Factors Environmental Sciences Essay

Water Security Concept And Factors Environmental Sciences Essay Water security simply means availability of water and secure rights to use potable water for the present and future generations. Water security has been recognised as being important enough to be enshrined in UN Human Rights Resolutions and is now a cornerstone of the UNs Millennium Development Goals  [1]  . The concept of water security includes regional and global availability of water, environment issues, access issues and water stress. Water insecurity is all pervasive in the South Asian region, visible in conflicts and tensions erupting within and across countries. Therefore, the need to integrate water security as a key component of human security is crucial. Availability of Water. Water is widely distributed on Earth as freshwater and salt water. The bulk of the water on Earth is regarded as saline or salt water, which amounts to over 98% of the total water on Earth. The remainder of the Earths water constitutes the fresh water; this also happens to be very unevenly distributed. Nearly 70% of the fresh water is frozen in the icecaps of Antarctica and Greenland. Besides this, most of the remainder is present as soil moisture, or lies in deep underground aquifers as groundwater not accessible to human use. Only less than 0.1% of the worlds fresh water (~0.007% of all water on earth) is accessible for direct human uses  [2]  . This is the water found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and those underground sources that are shallow enough to be tapped at an affordable cost. Water Consumption. The six billion people of Planet Earth use nearly 30% of the worlds total accessible renewal supply of water. By 2025, that value may reach 70%. Yet, at present billions of people lack basic water services and millions die each year from water-related diseases. Some believe that fresh water will be a critical limiting resource for many regions in the near future. About one-third of the worlds population lives in countries that are experiencing water stress. In Asia, where water has always been regarded as an abundant resource, per capita availability declined by 40-60% between 1955 and 1990. Projections suggest that most Asian countries will have severe water problems by the year 2025. Water Security. Water security is an elusive concept, but consensus is beginning to emerge in the world community as to its dimensions, its parameters, and the best approaches for its achievement. The Second World Water Forum Ministerial Declaration (2000), endorsed that water security implies the following:- Human access to safe and affordable water for health and well-being. Assurance of economic and political stability. Protection of human populations from the risks of water-related hazards. Equitable and cooperative sharing of water resources. Complete and fair valuation of the resource. Sustainability of ecosystems at all parts of the hydrologic cycle. Dimensions of Water Security The issue of water security has several dimensions such as competing uses, degradation of quality and scarcity. World Bank defines it as a combination of increased productivity and diminished destructivity of water. In the past, the competition for water has triggered social tensions and conflicts between water-use sectors and provinces as the domestic demands for water has forced governments to plan and invest in grand water projects such as the River-Linking Project by India and Three Gorges project by China. The water profile of the region with complex interdependencies implies that internal dynamics within a nation may now increasingly manifest itself in an inter-State dimension. Water is arguably one of humanitys most valuable resources and that is why all ancient civilizations grew along rivers be it the Indus or the Nile. It has come under increased demand due to rapid population and economic growth and may become a constant source of conflicts both within the countries as well as between countries. South Asia is an apt case study of water both as a source of cooperation and as well as conflict. The concern for water is more pressing in the South Asian mainland consisting of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Nepal. The China factor and impact of its water policies has added another dimension to the problem. Water scarcity is a serious and growing problem throughout the world, and the twin pressures of Population Growth and Climate Change will only intensify this problem. The United Nations estimates that the number of people living in water-stressed countries will increase from about 700 million today to more than 3 billion by 2035  [3]  . The developing world alone will be home to 90 % of the 3 billion people expected to be added to the global population by 2025. It is estimated that by 2025, over half of the worlds inhabitants will be directly affected by water scarcity. Most of them will live in either China or India. China has access to about 7% cent of the worlds water resources, but is home to around 20% of the global population, while India possesses around 4% of water resources with only a slightly smaller populace  [4]  . Both countries, along with eight other Asian nations and 47% of the worlds people, are heavily dependent on the Tibetan Plateau for water. Any water policies for the region therefore will have a transnational impact. Measured by conventional indicators, water stress, which occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use, is increasing rapidly, especially in developing countries like India and China. According to the 2006 Human Development Report  [5]  , approximately 700 million people in 43 countries live below the water-stress threshold of 1,700 cubic meters per person. By 2025, this figure will reach 3 billion, as water stress intensifies in China, India, and South Asia. Factors Determining Water Security The scale of the ever-present societal challenge of achieving and sustaining water security is determined by many factors, of which three stand out. First there is the hydrologic environment, the absolute level of water resource availability, its inter- and intra-annual variability and its spatial distribution, which is a natural legacy that a society inherits. Second, there is the socio-economic environment, the structure of the economy and the behavior of its actors, which will re ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ect natural and cultural legacies and policy choices. Third, there will be changes in the future environment, with considerable and growing evidence that climate change will be a major part. These factors will play important roles in determining the institutions and the types and scales of infrastructure needed to achieve water security. The Hydrologic Environment Relatively low rainfall variability, with rain distributed throughout the year and Perennial River  ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ows sustained by groundwater base  ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ows, results in hydrology that is relatively easy to manage. Achieving a basic level of water security is straightforward and requires comparatively low levels of skill and investment (primarily because water is suf ¬Ã‚ cient, widespread and relatively reliable). Dif ¬Ã‚ cult hydrologies are those of absolute water scarcity (i.e. deserts) and, at the other extreme, low-lying lands where there is severe  ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ood risk. Even more dif ¬Ã‚ cult is where rainfall is markedly seasonal or where there is high inter-annual climate variability. With increasingly dif ¬Ã‚ cult hydrology, the level of institutional re ¬Ã‚ nement and infrastructure investment needed to achieve basic water security becomes signi ¬Ã‚ cantly greater. Not coincidentally, most of the worlds poor face dif ¬Ã‚ cult hydrologies. A legacy of trans-boundary waters, hydrologic and political or a trans-boundary hydrologic legacy can signi ¬Ã‚ cantly complicate the task of managing and developing water to achieve water security owing to inter-jurisdictional competition both within and between nations. While this is clearly apparent in federal nations with some state sovereignty over water, it is particularly acute in the case of international trans-boundary waters. Re ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ecting this complexity, the UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses was under preparation for twenty seven years prior to adoption by the UN General Assembly in 1997 and has not been entered into force. Many of todays trans-boundary basins are the result of 20th Century colonial borders that cut across watersheds and created international rivers, particularly in South Asia. The Socio-Economic Environment Water Infrastructure and Institutions. Investments in water infrastructure and institutions are almost always needed to achieve water security. Countries with dif ¬Ã‚ cult hydrology will invariably need more infrastructure and stronger institutions, with the development of each of these being greatly complicated where waters are trans-boundary. In almost all societies, man-made assets have also been developed, from simple small-scale check dams, weirs and bunds that became the foundation of early cultures, to, at the other end of the scale, investment in bulk water management infrastructure typically developed by industrializing countries, such as multipurpose dams for river regulation and storage and inter-basin transfer schemes. Macroeconomic Structure and Resilience. The structure of economies plays an important role, with more vulnerable economies requiring more investment to achieve water security. Historical investments in water management institutions and infrastructure, the economys reliance on water resources for income generation and employment and its vulnerability to water shocks will all be relevant. Risk and the Behaviour of Economic Areas. In the poorest countries, where survival is a real concern for large parts of the population and there are few functional social safety nets, economic actors tend to be extremely risk averse, investing only after there is signi ¬Ã‚ cant demonstration of returns. Countries with dif ¬Ã‚ cult hydrology, such as India and Pakistan may well face the highest risks; yet have the most risk-averse populations, the lowest infrastructure investment and the weakest institutions. Climate Change Climate change is making water security harder to achieve and sustain. Global climate change is likely to increase the complexity and costs of ensuring water security. Overall, climate change is expected to lead to reduced water availability in the countries that are already water scarce and an increase in the variability with which the water is delivered. This combination of hydrological variability and extremes is at the heart of the challenge of achieving basic water security. The water security challenge will therefore be compounded by climate change and it will require signi ¬Ã‚ cant adaptation by all countries. This will particularly be the case in poor countries which lack the institutions and infrastructure to manage, store and deliver their water resources and where climate change will be superimposed on existing and in some cases extreme vulnerabilities. According to various scientific reports, by 2050 Himalayan glaciers will have receded by 27.2%. Slow depletion of these glaciers would greatly reduce the river water flow especially to India, intensifying existing problems of water scarcity and competition. Similar changes will affect the 11 Asian countries to which Himalayan waters flow  [6]  . A 2009 Purdue University study, predicts an eastern shift in monsoon circulation caused by the changing climate, which today causes more rainfall over the Indian Ocean, Bangladesh and Burma and less rainfall over India, Nepal and Pakistan. This shift raises serious concerns for the countries expecting decreased rainfall. Summer monsoon rainfall provides 90% of India`s total water supply and as the effects of climate change become more pronounced, agrarian populations in India and Pakistan dependent on monsoons and glacial melt for irrigation will be profoundly affected. International Conventions on Water Sharing Water knows no boundaries and flows in keeping with the lay of the ground, requiring Riparian International Water Laws to govern the non navigational use. The 1815 Law for the Navigational Use of International Waters secured the vital sea lines of communication between the western countries and the colonial powers. Ironically, no such laws were created for management of the river courses. United Nations General Assembly Convention. In 1966, the International Law Association adopted the Helsinki Rules, which provide a set of guidelines for reasonable and equitable sharing of common waterways. In 1970, the United Nations General Assembly commissioned is own legal advisory body, the International Law Commission (ILC), to study Codification of the Law on Water Courses for Purposes other than Navigation. The first formal attempt to manage the riparian waters was the 1997 Draft United Nations Convention, which is yet to be ratified by the requisite number of countries. The convention has been criticized as it is practically impossible to have one convention that would incorporate all possible scenarios, as also a specific convention would be unacceptable to all members of the UN as needs and demands defer from region to region and country to country. Generalized Principles of Trans-boundary Water Allocation Water has become a significant source of conflict and has led to differing perceptions between various states such as the Arabs and Israelis, Americans and Mexicans, and among all ten Nile basin co-riparians. The generalized principles to mitigate problems of water allocation include Absolute Sovereignty, Absolute Riverine Integrity, Limited Territorial Sovereignty and Economic Criteria  [7]  . These can be summarized as under:- Absolute sovereignty is based on hydrography and implies unilateral control over waters within a nations territory while the doctrine of absolute riverine integrity emphasizes the importance of historical usage, or chronology, and suggests that every riparian has a right to the waters that flow through its territory. Limited territorial sovereignty reflects the right to reasonable and equitable use of international waters while inflicting no significant harm on any other co-riparian while the principle of economic criteria uses the market to allocate water among competing users in an economically efficient manner. Approaches to Water Security In trying to understand the various actors and their approaches on the issue of water, it is important to recognise at the outset that there are plurality of actors in the water sector-the state which includes governments, bureaucracy and the state machinery, who can also be termed the managers and the market; civil society organisations and groups; water communities or water users; and knowledge institutions. Each group is characterised with its own strategies and approaches, and within each group there are differences and variations. Technology Solutions. As the demand for this scarce resource increases daily, it has become an urgent necessity that water should be conserved and wastage of this scarce resource should be minimized. Some of the important techniques such as rainwater harvesting, recycling, infrared or foot operated faucets, drip irrigation method etc economise the usage of water but there is a requirement to evolve technology solutions to this crisis. Drainage Basin Approach to Water Security. Drainage basins are an essential, if not the only factor in reducing water stress. They have also been historically important for determining territorial boundaries, particularly in regions where trade by water has been important. It is therefore natural to manage water resources on the basis of individual basins because the drainage basins are coherent entities in a hydrological sense.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Literature

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Literature This essay focuses on the search and exploration of three pieces of literature related to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This includes one government guideline and two research articles covering different nursing angles of the condition. An analysis of how the search was conducted, the main findings and rationale for the chosen articles. Finally, a demonstration of understanding with the use of additional literature to analyse, identify and explore how it will influence the nursing care of patients with COPD. Search Strategy. PubMed was the chosen search database as supposed to other databases like Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) because PubMed presented more articles with clear and precise titles, therefore enabling the writer to identify its significance (Macnee and McCabe, 2008). The writer firstly chose a topic, which was ‘self-management for people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease’. Harvard (2007) further suggests that when conducting an effective and valid literature search it is important to identify a topic to enable the search results to be applicable and relevant. In-order to be more specific the writer identified key words from the chosen topic, and implemented Boolean operators, which concluded to ‘Self-Management AND COPD’, this was inserted and resulted to 1127 hits. According to Barker, Barker and Pinard (2011), Boolean operators such as ‘AND, OR, NOT, AND NOT’ are simple words used to join or exclude key wor ds in a search. PubMed included search options such as full text and abstracts available, language, age range, gender and publication dates which were utilised to enable the user to narrow the search to an optimal amount (refer to Appendix 1 and 2). The search was narrowed from 1127 hits to 95 hits, from which this article was selected, titled ‘Self-management support for moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease’. This article was chosen because the authors used current evidence to support and justify the outcomes and findings of their study. Boswell and Cannon (2011) suggest that a research study that incorporates current and relevant evidence to analyse their study is more likely to be reliable. The second research article was selected using different key words, which was ‘Pulmonary Rehabilitation AND COPD’. The writer retained the same search options used to find the first article, this narrowed the search to an ideal amount, from 479 to 38 hits (refer to Appendix 1and 2). This article was selected because it identified the importance of pulmonary rehabilitation in connection to improving quality of life and reduced hospital admissions. The authors validated their aims by analysing current evidence that supports the need to promote pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD patients following a discharge from hospital. United Kingdom. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2010). Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Adults in Primary and Secondary Care. London: NICE. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2011) released a guideline titled ‘Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease for Adults in Primary and Secondary care’. The writer was able to find this Guideline simply by inserting ‘Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease’ into the NICE database, which resulted to 138 hits. The writer then narrowed the search by selecting ‘Guidance’, which is an option provided; this further narrowed the hits to 37, from which this guideline was selected. This guideline defines COPD as a chronic disorder caused by frequent airflow obstruction with symptoms like persistent and progressive breathlessness, chronic cough and limited exercise ability. It is estimated that COPD is UK’s fifth biggest killer with 3.2 million people living with the condition, this support the importance of delivering high quality care, which NHS England (2014) defines as providing a positive experience of care that is clinically effective and safe. The National Institute of Health (2013) further suggest that there is yet to be a cure for this disease. The aim and objectives of this guideline is to offer the best professional practice advice on a patient centred approach to caring for COPD patients. The British Lung Foundation (2013) additionally suggests that this guideline will help the health care professionals such as the nurses to identify the types of care COPD patients should be receiving, as they are frequently the first point of contact and are involved in all aspects of care. NICE (2011) guideline also defines the symptoms, signs and investigations required to establish a diagnosis. Bellamy and Smith (2007) support that the key to early diagnosis is recognising the signs and symptoms such as frequent coughs, chronic sputum production, breathlessness and a history of exposure to tobacco smoke to aid in diagnosing the patient. The guideline also looks at the necessary factors to assess the severity of the disease and guide best management in both acute and community settings so that it is applicable to all settings and professionals. This guideline was chosen because it considers most issues that are important in the management of people with COPD, integrates published evidence in areas of uncertainty that could possibly need further research and is useful to all professionals involved in the care of COPD. According to British Lung Foundation (2013) the management of COPD is challenging, as the patients have complex health and social needs requiring long-life monitoring and treatment, Fletcher and Dahl (2013) go further to explain that nurses in comparison to other health professionals are more involved in the care and management of patients with COPD. Therefore, this guideline positively influences the nursing care of patients with COPD by providing information about the basic level of care required and empowering COPD patients to make decisions over their health and care needs (DOH, 2013). Taylor, S., Sohanpal, R., Bremner, S. A., Devine, A., McDaid, D., Fernanded, S. L., et al. (2012). Self- Management Support for Moderate-to-severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. British Journal of Medical Practice, 62. (603), 687-695. The authors study is focused on the importance of self-management education and its contribution to a better quality of life and reduced hospital admission. According to The Health Foundation (2014), self-management education is aimed at improving how people with COPD are supported and empowered to self-manage. The authors aim was to explore the cost effectiveness of self-management programmes and education for COPD. The author’s findings suggest that COPD patients feel useless and helpless to self-manage their condition, therefore the programmes plays a vital role in improving the patient’s quality of life, exercise tolerance and empower them to take control over their health which in turn will reduce exacerbations and rapid deterioration. The outcome of this study has a good chance to meet the UK National Health and Clinical Excellence (2010) criteria on cost-effective approaches to managing COPD. This information could be useful to nursing patients with COPD by underlining the importance of Self-management education, which may include working closely with primary care teams and educating the patients on self-management techniques, like learning to control breathing, being mindful of tiredness due to over exertion on daily activities and eating a well-balanced diet. This would contribute towards living better with the condition (COPD Education, 2014). The authors recognise that nurses play an important role in educating, equipping and supporting the patients to merge their everyday life to suit their long term condition, such as dealing with an altered view of the future and the frustration and depression that may result (Redman, 2004). Part of the nursing care, with patient participation includes creating a short-term personalised action plan, which would be closely monitored to enable the nurse to identify the strengths and areas of development. Fletcher and Dahl (2013) ackn owledges that the purpose of self-management education is to empower patients to improve their health and to restore the highest level of function regardless of the disease stage or following an exacerbation. Cosgrove, D., MacMahon, J., Bourbeau, J., O’Neil, B. (2013). Facilitating education in pulmonary rehabilitation using the living well with COPD programme for pulmonary rehabilitation, 13. (50), 13-50. The author’s presentation of their study, based on the importance of facilitating education in pulmonary rehabilitation was clear and precise as the reader was able to gain a good understanding of the study. Galin and Ognibene (2012), go further to support that a good clinical research study should not be full of medical terminologies, and should be presented with clear and accurate information enabling the reader to grasp the key elements. The author’s aims of the study were to adapt a self-management programme which was Living Well with COPD (LWWCOPD) through pulmonary rehabilitation and then to evaluate its impact. They identify that pulmonary rehabilitation administered after an exacerbation can reduce hospital re-admission and improve the patient’s quality of life as supported by Seymour et al (2010). The author’s findings suggested a positive outcome for the patients, as they felt they were in a friendly and supportive environment to be empowered to manage their condition, especially coping with breathlessness. The British Lung Foundation (2013) supports this evidence as they additionally suggest that pulmonary rehabilitation programmes are designed to help people with COPD to cope with breathlessness and to feel stronger to manage with activities of daily living such as walking, personal care and eating, as they often feel disempowered to self-care. This information could be beneficial to nursing patients with COPD by emphasizing on the importance of evidence based nursing practice to enable accurate and useful information when recommending relevant programmes, which contributes to their on-going care (Deutschman and Neligan, 2010). It is estimated that most patients with COPD will experience at least one hospital admission due to an exacerbation of their condition within three months (DOH, 2012). Therefore based on the information from the Study which suggests that pulmonary rehabilitation reduces hospital re-admission, the nurse plays an important role in encouraging the patients to join the programme which is designed to suit the individual. British Lung Foundation (2013) goes further to suggest that the course will teach the individuals how to increase their exercise tolerance, cope with breathlessness and manage periods of stress and panic. Additionally pulmonary rehabilitation can be beneficial to COPD patients socially, a s it involves interacting with trained professionals and other COPD patients, as due to the nature of the condition social interaction may be difficult (Bellamy and Booker, 2011). In conclusion, this essay has explored three pieces of literature related to COPD with additional evidence to analyse identify and explore how it will influence the nursing care of patients with COPD.

Depression in Teenagers: A Growing Problem Essay -- Essays Papers

Depression in Teenagers: A Growing Problem Who has not, at some time or another, said, â€Å"I am depressed?† It is a line that slips off the tongue of people all too readily when they are bored or unhappy. But most people, when they say that, do not mean that they are clinically depressed, possibly wanting or needing treatment. Sadness is unpleasant but it is not as bad as depression. When people are sad, they keep their self-respect and they feel better after a good cry or a talk with a friend. When people are depressed, self-respect fades, crying does not help at all, and people who are depressed feel alienated around others because they feel like no one understands what they are going through (Brenton 67). Depression is a serious, life-threatening illness that affects approximately thirty million Americans (Brenton 3). Age, race, religion, or educational background is not a factor. Depression strikes anyone at anytime. However, the biggest rise in depression today is in teenagers. Depression in adults is a sad, lonely, and sometimes tragic experience (Cytryn & McKnew, 17). In teenagers it can be even more devastating. Depression gets in the way of teenager’s daily lives. The years of adolescence are supposed to be the â€Å"best years of their lives† and depression robs them of those years. How can life be fun when problems interfere with social life or schoolwork? Teenagers need to know that they cannot simply ignore their symptoms. They need to get help because without the proper help, depression leads to suicide (Bender 70). There are two sides in the current controversy over depression. Some experts believe that depression is an illness while others believe that teenagers are simply making themselves fee... ...talk to. It always helps to discuss problems with someone else. I believe that if a person knows someone who has two or more of the symptoms of depression they should get that person help, before it is too late. Today’s teenagers are the future of our world. Teenagers that are depressed find everything in life to be more complicated and that is simply no way to live. Works Cited Bender, David L. Suicide: Opposing Viewpoints. 1999. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Brenton, Sue. Depression. 1996. Rockport: Element Books, 2000 Cohen-Sandler, Roni, Ph.D. â€Å"Do you need a therapist?† Seventeen Dec. 2004: 95. Cytryn, Leon M.D., and Donald McKnew M.D. Growing Up Sad. 1996. Washington: Norton & Company, 1999. Depression in Teenagers. November 2003. Hearts and Minds Network. 8 November 2004 http://www.heartsandminds.org/self/depression.html>.

Jack Kerouac’s On The Road - The Spiritual Quest, the Search for Self a

The Spiritual Quest  in On the Road  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A disillusioned youth roams the country without truly establishing himself in one of the many cities he falls in love with. In doing so, he manages with the thought or presence of his best friend. What is he searching for? While journeying on the road, Sal Paradise is not searching for a home, a job, or a wife. Instead, he longs for a mental utopia offered by Dean Moriarty. This object of his brotherly love grew up in the streets of America. Through the hardships of continuously being shuffled from city to city, Dean has encompassed what is and what is not important in life. While driving back to Testament in the '49 Hudson, Dean propositions Sal through an appeal to emotion. In passing on his philosophy, Dean eloquently states, "Everything is fine, God exists, we know time" (Kerouac 120). After the war, America achieved the status of economic success through the provisions of the assembly line in industries and manual labor in civil services. The 1950's became an evolution from skilled craftsmanship to mindless mechanical work in factories. The goals in life included working in a fixed position, having a home, and providing for the wife and kids. However, with the threat of the Cold War looming over their heads, the youth of this generation grew disenchanted with the so-called American Dream. They realized life is ephemeral and that there is more to life than punching in a time-card. The concept of individuality was more important than conformity. It became a "culture acting out the true Self and true spontaneous desire" (McGeory 21). As an author and member of the younger generation, Jack Kerouac embodies this notion of estrangement throughout his novel, On the Road. Allen... ...notion that their quest is a spiritual one" (Goldstein 61). Once we reach the ideal inner peace is when we are truly able to understand the band of friendship that surrounds us. If we are able to maintain this philosophy, no trouble can exist to deteriorate our well-being. We will be able to enjoy life more and discover what our fears are hiding. Works Cited Birkerts, Sven. "On the Road to Nowhere: Kerouac Re-read and Regretted." Harper's Magazine July 1989: 75. Ginsberg, Allen and Gregory Corso. "Ten Angry Men." Esquire. June 1986: 261. Goldstein, Norma Walrath. "Kerouac's On the Road." The Explicator Fall 1991: 61. Kerouac, Jack. On the Road. New York: Penguin Books. 1955. McGeory, Heather R. "On the Road to Upheaval." New York Times 12 June 1993, late ed.:21. Will, George F. "Daddy, Who Was Jack Kerouac?" Newsweek. 4 July 1988: 64.    Jack Kerouac’s On The Road - The Spiritual Quest, the Search for Self a The Spiritual Quest  in On the Road  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A disillusioned youth roams the country without truly establishing himself in one of the many cities he falls in love with. In doing so, he manages with the thought or presence of his best friend. What is he searching for? While journeying on the road, Sal Paradise is not searching for a home, a job, or a wife. Instead, he longs for a mental utopia offered by Dean Moriarty. This object of his brotherly love grew up in the streets of America. Through the hardships of continuously being shuffled from city to city, Dean has encompassed what is and what is not important in life. While driving back to Testament in the '49 Hudson, Dean propositions Sal through an appeal to emotion. In passing on his philosophy, Dean eloquently states, "Everything is fine, God exists, we know time" (Kerouac 120). After the war, America achieved the status of economic success through the provisions of the assembly line in industries and manual labor in civil services. The 1950's became an evolution from skilled craftsmanship to mindless mechanical work in factories. The goals in life included working in a fixed position, having a home, and providing for the wife and kids. However, with the threat of the Cold War looming over their heads, the youth of this generation grew disenchanted with the so-called American Dream. They realized life is ephemeral and that there is more to life than punching in a time-card. The concept of individuality was more important than conformity. It became a "culture acting out the true Self and true spontaneous desire" (McGeory 21). As an author and member of the younger generation, Jack Kerouac embodies this notion of estrangement throughout his novel, On the Road. Allen... ...notion that their quest is a spiritual one" (Goldstein 61). Once we reach the ideal inner peace is when we are truly able to understand the band of friendship that surrounds us. If we are able to maintain this philosophy, no trouble can exist to deteriorate our well-being. We will be able to enjoy life more and discover what our fears are hiding. Works Cited Birkerts, Sven. "On the Road to Nowhere: Kerouac Re-read and Regretted." Harper's Magazine July 1989: 75. Ginsberg, Allen and Gregory Corso. "Ten Angry Men." Esquire. June 1986: 261. Goldstein, Norma Walrath. "Kerouac's On the Road." The Explicator Fall 1991: 61. Kerouac, Jack. On the Road. New York: Penguin Books. 1955. McGeory, Heather R. "On the Road to Upheaval." New York Times 12 June 1993, late ed.:21. Will, George F. "Daddy, Who Was Jack Kerouac?" Newsweek. 4 July 1988: 64.   

Being Caucasian at the Brown versus Board Art Exhibit :: Race Racial Segregation

NARRATIVE: running out of white things to wear First and foremost- it was empty. In two years this was my first time to the Krannert Art Museum. I don’t know quite how this could be, because I’m an art student. But the building is on the complete opposite end of the city from both where I live and where my classes are, so I can’t fault others for not traversing here on occasion. I walk into the Brown vs. Board of Education exhibit, and I see no one. The only people there were my friend Diane and myself, both of us are Caucasian. There was silence. Except for my dubious observation that it was indeed the display we were looking for. If the large black on white lettering describing the exhibit wasn’t enough, the black and white photography would alone have been a dead give away. I couldn’t help but think: ‘how clichà ©.’ There were a series of maybe six photos of two women: one white, the other black. The series showed them in confrontation over a chair. Who had the seat, or â€Å"power† so to speak. It wasn’t a terribly innovative piece in my mind. How many times have we seen the struggle between the two races in varying artistic genres? It was very straightforward and too simplistic for my tastes. The message was very blatant and clear, though, that the struggle between whites and blacks is indeed far from over. Turning around, I saw white dinner plates on podiums in the center of this first room. Each plate has a different inscription printed on its face. The texts mostly commemorate different individuals for their contributions to the civil rights movement. I’d have to say that this was an interesting portion of the exhibit. But I only think so looking back. At the time they were just nice shiny plates with some notable individuals names written on them. Now it seems like they have more significance. Like since they seem carefully and finely crafted it gives them more symbolic merit. Plates are common in ancient art exhibits, but they are a rarity in contemporary displays. It seems like a tactic in creating something that will be around for centuries and not be forgotten. The entrance to the second room is a striking surge of color.

Print Media Advertising: Impacts on Popular Culture and Cultural Values Essay

Print media advertising impacts consumerism and cultural values in many ways. Newspapers and various magazines have dominated the presence of print media in the development of American popular culture. Print media also propagates social trends that affect the human body, consumerism and social responsibility either directly or indirectly. For the most part, print media has given rise to both positive and negative consequences on the human perception towards culture. Fashion magazines have been major factors in propagating the human image and the latest fashion trends, thereby dictating both the public awareness and the acceptable image in the society. By repeatedly publishing specific images that are given positive descriptions, magazines from health and fashion to music tend to take control of American popular culture. On the other hand, newspapers circulate information to the general public. That being said, the news stories and other articles published by newspapers are absorbed into the public’s awareness whether or not they approve of the content of these articles. In effect, the stories that newspapers publish and newspapers themselves contribute to the development of popular culture in America. For instance, the recent news stories about Sarah Palin—the Republican Vice-presidential candidate for the 2008 national elections—portraying her as the â€Å"attack dog† of the Grand Old Party against the Democratic presidential nominee has made her a part of American popular culture in just a short span of time. There have been at least three trends propagated by the print media affecting the development of American popular culture. First, there was a time when fashion magazines published images of skinny models, thereby creating the public impression that to be thin is to be â€Å"in† and â€Å"acceptable†. In effect, my perception about being healthy and physically appealing at the same time was caught in a direct conflict against the trends propagated by these fashion magazines. It is in my belief that any person regardless of body frame or size of hips and waist can have a healthy lifestyle that is visually attractive without resorting to methods that make the body ultra skinny. Another trend propagated by the print media is the image of top-performing athletes wearing specific brands of sporting apparels, as if signifying that the potential of the individual to perform at his best in sports depends on the shoes the athlete is wearing, for instance. This trend creates an illusion that promotes consumerism, tempting the buying public to identify strongly with these sporting goods and, in a way, depending on them to boost their athletic performance or to simply enhance their status in the society. I think that this trend causes harm to the American society because it feeds the capitalist motives of companies, thereby giving less consideration for the social responsibilities of these companies. Lastly, the print media has also propagated the trend of showing either bias or favor to certain political ideologies. While the freedom of expression is guaranteed by the American Constitution, it has responsibilities attached to it. Thus, the print media should avoid showing political bias or favoritism since either of these two attitudes can unfairly influence public opinion. I think the print media should be politically neutral, taking no political side and publishing political stories from all political angles possibly involved. I also think that doing so is a part of the social responsibility of the print media outlets, especially newspapers, since the articles that they publish and circulate can greatly shape American popular culture.

Brigham Young

Do you know that individuals like the ‘American Jesus’ are historically rare to find in the world? Brigham Young is a man who led many into proclaiming the ‘good news’ of the Lord God of Israel. He led a band of men stripped of their worldly possessions into territories unknown. He had neither financial nor political backing but he was successful in establishing an industrious as well as an organized society. The only authority that he had was priesthood and of course his spiritual power.He gathered his people like a hen would to its chicks and gave them the sweet bread of life; the Gospel; the word of God (Arrington, L.  & Nibley H. nd). Brigham Young is one of the leading historical figures as far as the Mormon Religion is concerned.His life patterns well with that of Jesus Christ of Nazareth in the Bible in his mission to spread the word of God to every corner of the World. This essay therefore looks at Brigham Young’s life in relation to that of Jesus of Nazareth. Background To get a clear picture of the life patterns of Brigham, it is important to first get an insight of his background.Brigham Young was born on 1st June of the year 1801 in Whitingham in Vermont. He was the 9th born out of the eleven children that John Young with his wife Abigail Howe were blessed with. The family moved to New York when Brigham was only three years of age. He grew up helping his parents in their daily chores. His caring heart was revealed early when he took care of his ailing mother who had been suffering from tuberculosis. He was perhaps being prepared for his future role to take care of a larger flock. At the age of fourteen, his mother died and his father remarried.Brigham left from home to stay for sometime with a sister in Auburn. There he became a successful apprentice carpenter, glazier and a painter (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). Later in 1823 he moved to New York where he worked as a carpenter and a painter in Port Byron. At twen ty three, he married Miriam Works (though he would later marry multiple wives after her death) and joined the Church of Methodist. After the birth of their first child, they moved to Oswego where he joined a religious seekers group. H e then moved his family near his father at Mendon.Joseph Smith the then leader of Mormon in his church mission passed by Mendon and left a copy of the Book of Mormons with a brother to Brigham. Brigham got access of the book and after going through it was greatly impressed. Two years later, he was baptized and became a believer of Mormon (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). Following in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth Like Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Brigham had a burning desire to make known the gospel across the world.During his first summon just one week after he was baptized, Brigham declared that after baptism â€Å"I wanted to thunder and roar out the Gospel to the nations. It burned in my bones like fire pent up, so I commenced to preach†¦. No thing would satisfy me but to cry abroad in the world, what the Lord was doing in the latter days† Putting into practice his words, thundering and roaring of the gospel he did. Like Jesus leaving his father, Brigham left his family to go ‘abroad’ and establish God’s kingdom (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). Like Jesus, his work in the service of God started in his home town and then spread abroad.His preaching missions carried him to every corner of Mendon. His dedication as well as his potential qualified him to join the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Mormon Church of Joseph Smith. The Twelve’s duty was to travel far and wide to spread the gospel. They preached to all nations and to people of different kinds. Their stay was not at home but away where the gospel had not reached. Afterwards, The Twelve moved to Great Britain to act as missionaries of the word of God. Brigham had left his family in dire poverty and was determined to reach England o r better die in his trying to.He was ready to die Jesus’ way for a cause which he believed in; spread the Gospel. In Britain, Brigham out of his prowess directed all the works of The Twelve. In the same footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth, he had greatly inspired The Twelve and no wonder they made him their leader and overseer (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). When the Twelve Apostles came back to Nauvoo, Brigham was assigned the role of directing the apostles by Joseph Smith in their missionary work as well as other activities like land purchasing and construction projects.Playing Jesus, Brigham was now the leader of the Twelve Disciples. He was the assistant of Joseph Smith who was the First president as far as authority and responsibility was concerned. It is thus clear that he took the second position after Joseph Smith which placed him in a similar position with that of Jesus; Jesus was also the second after God. This position made him more influential to not only his disciples but also in the whole of Nauvoo and abroad in general. Even after the death of his Spiritual Father, Joseph died; he remained the leader of the Twelve until his own death in 1877.They travelled far and wide preaching the Gospel, the work that they had been called to do. Long afterwards, the work that Brigham had started continued. Before he had died, he had organized the leadership of the church of Mormon. He had lived a life by the example of Jesus Christ and fitted perfectly in the footsteps of The Son of God (Arrington, L. & Nibley H. nd). Despite his good work, just like many other Mormonism men, Brigham used his status to take in plural wives. He used his missionary work as a tool to take advantage of vulnerable women.For instance, his second wife Mary was a window. Just like in Jesus’ time, when many, claiming to be the Son of God and savior took advantage of the poor and sinful, Brigham is not an exception of those who took advantage of the doctrine (Mormon Heteric, 2 009). Was Brigham true or a False Prophet? Could Brigham have been a prophet of darkness? The words in the Bible in the book of Deuteronomy 13: 1-5 can help clear the confusion between a true and a false prophet. It says that a prophet may foretell things to happen in the future and they shall come to pass.However, a man may have miraculous powers but not actually a prophet of the Lord. Any of the prophets who encourage the worshiping of other gods apart from the God of Israel is false. Jesus himself in the gospels is quoted warning that â€Å"many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah’ and they will lead many astray† according to the works of Brigham and in the limelight of these statements, does Brigham qualify as a prophet of God? (Ulachos, 1979). In history, a few poses the character of Young. For a period of thirty years, he gave himself wholly to the service of the Lord.He claimed to be a prophet in the Church of Mormon. Though he was the chair of the of the Mormon Church who presided the longest, he in fact taught false doctrine that directed its worship to a god who is not the Lord God of Israel. He had given a sermon that God and Jesus had physical bodies made of bone as well as flesh. He concluded that Adam was in fact the God of Israel who should be worshipped. The claim by Brigham that Adam was God makes it clear that he was not a true prophet of the Lord; he was false and uninspired.Because of his belief, Brigham fell out with his disciples and still many opposed him (Ulachos, 1979). More so, he put it that Jesus Christ was begotten of the father who was their God. Adam was God and therefore, Jesus was his son. Many people did not like his interpretation of the New Testament and they opposed him. However, he managed to draw a group of them to believe that Adam was their God and Jesus his son. They defended him saying that people had misunderstood Young.If he had made a mistake, he would have corrected himself which he never did. This meant that his mind was right. His preaching of his own interpretation of the gospel from what was written down in the New Testament makes him no exception of a false prophet (Ulachos, 1979). Conclusion Brigham Young’s work in spreading the Gospel of the Lord God of Israel pictures well with that of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.He set out to do what many at the time could not have done and that is why to the present day, he is remembered in the Mormon Doctrine as one who made a great impact to the Church. Through the Gospel works, he rose from a humble background to a man who could sustain and give his twenty families a good life. Some of his teachings leave people wondering whether he was a true prophet of the Lord God as he claimed to be. However over the centuries, it has been an almost impossible task to identify who a false prophet is.References Arrington, L. & Nibley H. (nd). Brigham Young. Retrieved from http://www. lightplanet. com/mormons/people/brigham_ young. html Mormon Heteric. (2009). Economics of polygamy, divorce, and happiness. Retrieved http://www. mormonheretic. org/2009/11/15/economics-of-polygamy-divorce-and-happiness-daynes-part-4/- Ulanchos, C. (1979). Brigham Young’s False Teaching: Adam is God. Retrieved http://www. beyondweird. com/occult/adam. html