Overpopulation the Underlying Cause of Most Environmental Essay Example

Overpopulation: the Underlying Cause of Most Environmental Paper That means that people themselves are the very ones causing harm to the environment. What we do or dont do about the issue of overpopulation will determine the very fate of the environment in the future. This presents the need for ethical decision making. Global environmental problems are ethical problems (Brown, 2009). Each and every person has a moral and ethical responsibility toward the environment, the problem is that people often ignore that responsibility, especially when it presents other ethical dilemmas. Defining Teeth CICS To begin, I would like to define ethics. A definition taken from the National Academy of Engineering states ethics is concerned with what is right or wrong, good or bad, fair or unfair, responsible or irresponsible, obligatory or permissible, praiseworthy or blameworthy (2006). So what does ethics have to do with overpopulation and other environmental issues? If we know that overpopulation is the direct cause Of many Of the environmental issues that are affecting the entire globe, ethically, it is our responsibility as humans to come up with a solution to the problem. Population Growth Over-population is the term that refers to a condition by which the population density enlarges to a limit that provokes the environmental deterioration, a remarkable decline in the quality of life or a population collapse (Biology Cabinet Organization, 2003). In around 1963, the global rate of human population growth peaked, but the number of people living on Earth has grown by more than two-thirds since then, topping out at over 6. 6 billion today (West, 2009). Every year, more than 81 million people add to the world-wide population. We will write a custom essay sample on Overpopulation: the Underlying Cause of Most Environmental specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Overpopulation: the Underlying Cause of Most Environmental specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Overpopulation: the Underlying Cause of Most Environmental specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Every 10 years almost one billion inhabitants are added to the worlds population (BCC, 2006). By the year 2050, the human population is expected to exceed nine billion (West, 2009). What affect does this have On the environment? Effects Of Over-population Global Warming Global warming is considered to be one of the top environmental issues today. Scientists have determined that it is mostly human activities that are contributing to global warming by adding excessive amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, accumulate in the atmosphere and trap heat that would normally exit into outer space. Many greenhouse gases occur naturally and are needed to rate the greenhouse effect that keeps the Earth warm enough to support life, but it is human use of fossil fuels that cause the excess greenhouse gases. By driving cars, using electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heating our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere (West, 2009). Deforestation Deforestation is another environmental issue and is a significant source of greenhouse gases because fewer trees mean less carbon dioxide conversion to oxygen. The most important direct causes of deforestation include oozing, the conversion of forested lands for agriculture and cattle-raising, arbitration, mining and oil exploitation, acid rain and fire (World Rain Forest Movement, 1998). Deforestation and forest degradation occurs both in Northern and Southern countries and its underlying causes also originate in both, although with varying degrees of responsibility. Industrialized countries have not only cut down or degraded their own forests in the past; many are still doing so today. This occurs either through large-scale clear- cutting (as in many areas of Canada, the US or Australia) or through the hinging and therefore degradation Of forests, reducing them to a few commercially valuable species at the expense of biodiversity (such as in Sweden, France or Finland) (World Rainforests Movement, 1998). The root of the problem is trying to keep up with the demand of the ever-growing population. Biodiversity Biodiversity is defined by the Washington Biodiversity Council as the full range of life in all its forms (2003). Biodiversity loss is largely a result of deforestation. The worldwide rate of extinction of plant and animal species is estimated to be 1 0,000 times as rapid as it was in prehistoric times, with more Han 27,000 species becoming extinct every year. An example of the loss of biodiversity due to overpopulation is seen in the state of Washington. Washington is one of the most biologically diverse states in the union. This is due to the states diverse topography, its exposure to Pacific Ocean currents and weather patterns, and its location on the migratory path of many wildlife species. Washington, in fact, contains most of the major ecosystem types found in the western United States, including n. Vivo found nowhere else in the world: the Olympic rainforests and channeled scabbards. However, since tattooed in 1 889, Washington has lost an estimated 70 percent of its estuarine wetlands, 50 percent of its riparian habitat, 90 percent of its old- growth forest, and 70 percent of its native shrub-steppe and arid grasslands (Washington Biodiversity Council, 2003). As the smallest and second most densely populated of the rapidly growing Western states, Washingtons population in 2008 was 6. Million according to the U. S. Census Bureau, and is expected to add over 21 percent by the year 2020 (2009). This puts Washington in great danger of losing much of its diversity of plant and animal life within the next few decades. Although scientists are not fully aware of all the consequences of the continual loss of biodiversity, they do know that a diversity of healthy, functioning ecosystems is essential to the environment. Water Shortages As we in water-rich countries take our daily showers, water the lawn or laze about in the pool, its easy to forget that fresh water is a life-or-death issue in many parts of the world. Of a population of roughly 6. 1 billion, more than 1 billion lack access to potable water. The World Health Organization says that at any time, up to half of humanity has one of the six main diseases such as: diarrhea, sadomasochists, or trachea, or infestation with cascaras, Guiana worm, or hookworm which are associated with poor drinking water and inadequate sanitation. About 5 million people die each year from poor drinking water, poor sanitation, or a dirty home environment, often resulting from water shortage (University of Wisconsin, 2001). The water shortages are becoming more and more evident all over the world. For example: Mexico City (home to 20 million people) is sinking because the city sucks out underground water faster than the aquifer can be refilled; Florida wants to fill its over pumped aquifer with untreated surface water, despite federal regulations to the contrary; Texas is moving toward private, for-profit water sales. The water will be mined from aquifers that are disappearing fast. No word on what the private suppliers, including corporate raider T. Boone Pickers, will do once the aquifers run dry. Aquifers around the world are being over tapped for irrigated agriculture, which fills about 40 percent of the global larder; The Bush Administration has withdrawn a proposed tightening of the arsenic standard for drinking water. Critics say the old rule, dating to 942, could allow thousands of cases of cancer and other diseases. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, whats been called the largest poisoning of a population in history has 35 to 77 million people drinking arsenic-laced water; and last but not least, a showdown is looming over the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, which originate in Turkey, then water both Syria and Iraq. If Turkey goes ahead with a series of dams, the downriver nations could starve. There are projections that three billion people, half of todays population, will be short of water in 2025 (University of Wisconsin, 2001 Some Recommended Solutions for Overpopulation Being that this issue is one of such great importance, we need to be proactive at finding some kind of solution. There have been many different ideas that have been presented to try to get the population under control; however, thus far, most Of the ideas have been just that- ideas, with no definite plan of action. Some of the proposed solutions, to name a few, have been: making sure people around the world have access to family planning services; empowering women in developing countries economically, socially, and legally in a manner that results in them having an equal say (with their cabanas) in reproductive decisions; modifying school curricula to include information on population levels and implications for the future; reforming tax laws in a way that encourages couples to have no more than two children. They would still be able to have as many kids as they want, but the tax code would no longer subsidize more than ;ay (Jaunted, 2005). The Need for Ethical Decision-Making people tend to be very opposed to the thought of their freedom being imposed upon, especially when it deals with the amount of children that they can or cannot have. Many people will argue from a religious standpoint that God specifically says in the Bible to multiply and subdue the earth. Some feel that the use of birth control is unethical and against Bible principles. The problem is that people do not want to do anything else about the issues at hand either. For example: If we were still living the way our ancestors did the amount of people living on the earth would not be a problem. Unfortunately, we are polluting the earth with our technology and over consuming our resources. So the argument can also be presented to those against birth control for religious purposes, that the Bible also says that we should not be lotuses. But again humans tend to want what they want when they want it. Most only keep the Bible principles that suit them. In any case, as in many ethical problems we are faced with a moral dilemma. A moral dilemma is best described as when two or more obligations are in conflict. The crucial features of a moral dilemma are these: the agent is required to do each of two (or more) actions; the agent can do each of the actions; but the agent cannot do both (or all) of the actions. The agent thus seems condemned to moral failure; no matter what she does, she will do something wrong (or fail o do something that she ought to do) (McConnell, 2006). When presented with a moral dilemma, we need to decide which obligation is most important and give preference to the more important one. Unfortunately, when contemplating any solution for an issue such as overpopulation, we are going to be faced with moral dilemmas. Now we have to choose the lesser of two evils. Should we practice birth control even though it violates our moral principles or continue to allow the population to grow to numbers that the earth cannot sustain? Should we object to abortion when a woman does not ant to have a child? Abortion may violate our own personal beliefs; however, if it is what the woman wants for herself and it will surely decrease the number of people being added to our population, shouldnt we support that decision? Utilitarians view the best moral decision to be the one that brings about the maximum amount of pleasures and the least amount of suffering. They do not make decisions based on their own self-centeredness, they insist that the joys and sorrows of others must be part of the calculation (when making any ethical decisions (Waller, 2008). So, from the utilitarian dominant, trying to find an answer to slowing the population growth would not be an intrusion or a violation of ones rights, it would be welcomed to lessen the amount of suffering that is caused by the issue of overpopulation. In the very near future, we will have no choice but to make some very important decisions as to what we will do about the issues that plague the environment. Again, environmental problems are indeed ethical problems. The only way that things will get better in our environment is if we get the rate of growth of the human population under control.

A comparason of Finny in A Seperate Peace to Thomas Jefferson essays

A comparason of Finny in A Seperate Peace to Thomas Jefferson essays Comparison Paragraph of Thomas Jefferson to Finny in Separate Peace I dont care what people think, I am still going to wear a pink shirt. That was what finny thought in the book a Separate Peace. In this paragraph, Finny and Thomas Jefferson will be compared to each other in many different ways. There will be Self-respect, Honesty, and Skill. Thomas Jefferson also did not have a problem with what people thought about his clothes. One person saw this and said he wore ill-fitting, much worn clothes. Self-respect was a big thing to both Thomas Jefferson and to Finny. Thomas Jefferson was well educated. He became an architect and was heavily involved in politics. Like above, he did not care what he wore or what was said about him. Finny was always in good condition because he was involved in a lot of sports such as; hockey, football, baseball, and wrestling. When he broke his leg in the book, he kept good care of it by waiting for it to heal by having Gene train in his spot to get to the Olympics. Finny believed he could get better and be the same again even when he knew that he was not going to be able to play again. Honesty was important thing to Thomas Jefferson because he was very involved with the Declaration of Independence. He was so honest that some parts were so insulting to King Charles that it was written out in the rough drafts. He was honest about not wanting to get involved in politics but did so for the good of his country. Finny was a good friend because he said that you need to be honest and he was honest to everyone. He always spoke his mind even if it was not a good time to do so. At a meeting with the headmaster of Devon (the school where they were) Finny wore a tie as a belt and said, Im glad I put something on for a belt! He was telling what he thought. An honest characteristic. Skill to Thomas Jefferson was an important thing because he was a well-educ...

Expert Interview with Jerry Bernhart About Digital Marketing

Expert Interview with Jerry Bernhart About Digital Marketing Jerry Bernhart, Digital and Multichannel Marketing Recruiter of Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC, is also the author of Careers in eCommerce and Digital Marketing. He is one of the industry’s leaders and has an acute understanding of the field, which adds to his expertise. Jerry talked with us about hiring trends, digital marketing and the changing market, along with some tips for the job seeker. He shares valuable advice to anyone looking into the digital marketing field. Are there any important factors/trends in hiring that job candidates should know but often overlook?Many digital marketing candidates who are just getting into the field want to be all things to all people. You can’t know it all, and most of the search assignments I receive from employers who are looking for more junior-level talent have a specific need or a specific business problem to solve. They should try to specialize in one thing, get really good at it and then start thinking about addi ng to their knowledge base.How did you get into this niche of recruiting?I started out as a recruiter in direct marketing some 25 years ago. Moving into digital marketing and eCommerce was a natural transition for me because it’s all about marketing direct to the consumer.What are employers really looking for?Companies have never faced so much uncertainty and risk. In the space of only a few months, they can slip from market leader to follower. The ability to deal with major changes in the workplace, complete projects with very little direction, endure stress, handle multiple priorities – these are among the competencies that employers look for in all professionals, regardless of the industry they’re in. But this applies especially to digital marketing. What might have been considered a crazy idea one day might be the next day’s most anticipated experiment. Companies can test new ideas and try out new features on websites and get almost instantaneous resu lts. All businesses want their marketers to be adaptable, but in digital marketing that’s especially important because the only thing that doesn’t change is†¦well, change. Expect change to be the norm. Learn to adapt and you will stay a step ahead.What advice do you have for the frustrated job seeker?Network, network, network! One of the beauties of digital technology is that candidates these days have many more avenues for networking than their predecessors did just five years ago. Also, be open when it comes to location. There are plenty of excellent opportunities in places outside of the major metro areas. If you limit your search to a specific geographic area, expect fewer opportunities.How has the job market changed over the past 10 years or so, and where do you see it going in the next few years?The hiring process has been stretched out a lot. Ten years ago, my average search, from the initial call from the employer to the candidate’s first day on the job, usually didn’t last more than two months. Now, three months is the norm. Part of that is because employers have become much more selective. Many are looking for that â€Å"purple squirrel,† and some would just as soon let a position remain empty if they can’t find it.What does a digital marketing job candidate need to stand out?Attitude is number one. Employers want to hire a candidate who is going to be self-motivated. You can have all the skills in the world, but if you don’t show passion or enthusiasm, you won’t get very far!How should a candidate handle multiple job offers?It’s difficult to give a blanket response to that. Depends on the offers, depends on the timing, depends on a lot of things. Everyone’s situation is different. But multiple offers are a good thing because it gives you a choice. You need to have good negotiation skills to navigate through them. I take a very dim view towards accepting counter-offers.How hav e you seen the role of women in this industry change?It’s changed a great deal. In digital marketing in general, I work with as many women now as I do with men, although men still dominate the more senior-level eCommerce roles. I’m placing more women into technical positions than I ever have before, and they’re also representing an increasing percentage of the candidates I place in the corner office, like VPs and CMOs. In fact, I’ve placed TWO women into CMO roles just this year, more than during any year in the past!

Symbol Research Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Symbol Research Project - Essay Example The shield is an epitome of a classy way to reinforcing power and holding on to it. Another thing that must be understood with the color combination is that one must lead by good example. This is the reason why sophistication is a must. In this case, desire must fuel the drive to lead by example to show the real strength and power of commanding people and army. With the shield come other elements. There are two animals presented: the lion and the eagle, which are signifiers of power and glory. The lion appears to be showing only the face, which is a sign of fear and power as the king of the land. The eagle, on the other, is shown fully, with wings, which show how he can gracefully glide through the skies. Another concept to take into account is that the lion is like the image of God in the land that people shall look up to because of greatness and power for salvation and of protection. The image of the eagle as lord of the skies signifies how the eagle can see everything in its path and knows what everyone is doing. The eagle is like a panoptic, which is the same as God. They see everything. They know everything. They can deal with everything. These two animals command two different realms: the lands and the skies respectively. The animals shall embody the notion about God. The animals of power and command shall show that the leader has the blessing of God. At the same time, it reinforces the need to fight for his cause. To an extent, the land and the sky shall also show the realms of earth and heaven. Another important element is the sun, where it shall be the guiding light to a darken path. The rays asserts that it can touch anything and everything Thus, this will give an impression that the heraldic shield should be worn by a king, who shall lead his people to greatness under the guidance of God. Another important thing to consider is that the light signifies the

Cochlear Implants and the Culture of Deafness Essay

Cochlear Implants and the Culture of Deafness - Essay Example This paper will examine whether the introduction of the neonatal hearing screening program has changed how the deaf community thinks about cochlear implants and further highlights the role the deaf community and cochlear implants advocates. A social model of deafness is part of disability that is linked to arising from the disabled people themselves, friends, family members, associated political and social networks. One aspect that discourages the understanding of an impaired condition by the promoter of cochlear implants is lack of impression. The Deaf Community insists that arguments concerning the deaf be made from the perspective of the deaf party and not his parents or the society. There are individuals in the society who do not understand the use of cochlear implants on the hearing impaired. In this case, they tend to assume the use without exactly knowing what they are meant for. Such insinuations obvious in the society neglect the deaf person’s opinion. While the techn ology may be useful in trying to boost a person’s self-esteem it is only convenient as aiding device and not as a curative one. Children’s deafness persists on a bionic ear, while their hearing is still impaired. This defeats the relevance of the hearing aid. To assert further on needlessness of the bionic ear, cochlear implants cannot aid in improving a person’s cognitive or their language skills. Users of cochlear implants will, therefore, be still dependent on other persons who do not have hearing impairment issues in their day to day lives. The deaf persons will require translation and adaptive learning process in order to fit in the social structure of the hearing population. Deaf persons and other individuals with hearing ‘problems’ go-ahead to form their own structures of social interaction that enhances their own method of communication. Such groups may include those of persons with cochlear implants.

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict Across the Muslim world it is a common refrain that Palestine is the mother of all problems. (Atran Ginges: 2009: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/opinion/25atran .html) That these claims could be made about such a small piece of land, particularly one which has so little oil is extraordinary, serving only to highlight the importance of finding a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. To date, the numerous attempts at solving the conflict have all ended in failure. The prospects for a peaceful solution in the foreseeable future look bleak, with a wide range of factors contributing towards this, most notably the role of extremists, the failure of the peace process, actions of the Israeli Government, splits among the Palestinians and the actions of outside parties who benefit from the continuation of the conflict, as well as more fundamental underlying disagreements, particularly the refugee problem and the sovereignty of East Jerusalem. The Palestinian Israeli conflict is primarily a dispute over the control of land. It has been described by Amos Oz, an Israeli journalist and author, as a tragedy, a clash between one very powerful, very convincing, very painful claim over this land and another no less powerful, no less convincing claim. (Oz: 2002: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_ east/jan-june02/oz_1-23.html) In 1947 the UN passed a partition plan, attempting to find a solution to both of these claims, however this was rejected by the Arabs of Palestine and civil war broke out between them and the Jews of Palestine. (McDowall: 24: 1995) After Israel declared its independence on 14th May 1948, many of the surrounding Arab countries sent forces to attack the new state of Israel. In the 1967 Six Day War, Israel gained the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria, and the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan. (Smith: 2004: 279) Having returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in 1979-1982, in 1993 Israel and Palestine signed the Oslo Accords, which agreed Israeli withdrawal from parts of the West Bank and the Gaza strip, as well as for Palestinian self-government within those areas. (Smith: 2004: 438) Despite strong hopes for a final status agreement at the Camp David Summit in July 2000, this was not reached. After the Al-Aqsa Intifada broke out later that year and the subsequent deterioration in Palestinian-Israeli relations, agreement presently looks a long way off. The two-state solution is the consensus solution to the conflict, with polling indicating that it has the support of the majority of both Palestinians and Israelis. (Pallister: 2009: http:// www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/22/israel-palestine-poll) Neither sees this as their ideal solution; however a majority of both recognise it is the only realistic way for peace to occur. Extremists on both sides present a constant obstacle towards solving the conflict. Rather than accepting that compromises are necessary, they are dismissive of the other sides right to exist. In Israel, there are organisations, including members of Benjamin Netanyahus current cabinet, that still believe that the Jewish State should include most, if not all, of Greater Israel, which among other areas, contains the West Bank. (Zakaria: 2010: http://www.cnn. com/2010/OPINION/03/18/zakaria.israel.mistake) Among Palestinians, extremists reject Israels right to exist and work to stop the possibility of peaceful coexistence. They have launched suicide attacks against Israeli civilians in their attempts to disrupt peace negotiations. Part of the reason peace has been difficult to achieve post-2000 has been the change in opinion among Israeli citizens that peace is a realistic possibility. When the Oslo Accords were signed, Israelis saw that by allowing Palestinians to self-govern, they were taking large risks and making a significant compromise. They tend to perceive the Camp David offer to the Palestinians as fair and just, and blame the lack of peace on Yasser Arafat for refusing to take it. (Morris: 2009: 135) With the Al-Aqsa Intifada beginning in late 2000 and causing the deaths of over a thousand Israeli civilians, (Catignani: 2008: 103) Israelis increasingly began to see the Palestinians as unwilling to make the compromises necessary for a two-state solution, destroying the belief of much of Israeli society in the possibility of peace. (Catignani: 2008: 103) This was only confirmed by the comprehensive victory of Hamas over the more moderate but corruption ridden Fatah in the Palestinian legislative electi on of 2006. Although also a social organisation, Hamas had perpetrated numerous suicide bombings against Israeli civilians, and rejects any attempt at a political settlement with Israel. (Mishal Sela: 2006: 52) In this context, many Israelis have concluded that they do not have a partner in achieving peace. Given that allowing the Palestinians to self-rule under the Oslo Accords had created areas from which it was significantly easier to plot attacks on Israel, (Catignani: 2008 131) they are incredibly wary of giving the Palestinians control of more land, questioning whether organisations such as Hamas will ever cease to attack Israel. Post-2000, the actions of the Israeli government have also made an end to the conflict significantly more difficult to achieve. Thousands of Palestinians have died at the hands of the Israel Defence Forces, with more suffering serious injuries. In 2005 Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, however the area has been under blockade since 2007, preventing the access of vital food and medical supplies. In May 2008, even before the more recent Gaza War of 2008-09, the International Committee of the Red Cross estimated that over 70% of Gazans were living in poverty. (ICRC: 2009: http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html /palestine-report-260609) In the West Bank the almost decade-long downturn has been largely a result of Israeli closure policieswhich disrupted labor flows, manufacturing, and commerce, both external and internal. (CIA World Factbook: 2010: https://www.cia.gov/libr ary/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/we.html) Since 2002 the Israeli Government has been constructing the West Bank Barrier. Built to protect Israeli citizens from attacks, it has succeeded in vastly reducing the number of Israeli civilian casualties. (Gelvin: 2007: 249) Controversially, however, rather than being built following Israels 1949 Armistice lines, it deviates into areas captured by Israel in 1967. The International Court of Justice proclaimed that construction of the barrier is contrary to international law (ICJ: 2004: http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?pr=71p1=3p2=1 case=131p3=6) and it has also been criticised as an Israeli attempt to create an illegal unilateral solution, which severely restricts the lives of those living inside the barrier. (Shindler: 2008: 326)I loved to play football with my friends. I told the doctors that I wanted to be able to walk again they promised that I would. Ghassan, 14 years old, Gaza City. His older brother was killed and he himself was wounded during the military operation. He is waiting to be fitted with artificial limbs for both legs. The continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem also contributes towards making the conflict increasingly difficult to solve. Deemed as illegal by numerous UN Security Council Resolutions, (Qurie: 2008: 166) each new settlement is another settlement which may have to be dismantled in any realistic peace deal, and to continue building them shows a clear lack of commitment to peace. The actions of the IDF and the Israeli Government have helped created a generation of Palestinians that hate Israel and Jews. To those living inside the West Bank wall or in poverty-stricken Gaza, the message of extremists resonates. Israeli action is thus helping cause the circumstances from which extremists and potential suicide bombers emerge, creating a cycle of violence which is difficult to reverse. (Kamrava: 2005: 238) Splits among the Palestinians have also made it more difficult to end the conflict. Starting in December 2006, and continuing on-and-off to the present day, there has been a Civil War between Hamas and Fatah. Currently, Hamas control Gaza, whilst Fatah control the West Bank. This lack of unification within the Palestinians makes an end to the Palestine Israeli conflict impossible. For peace, a Palestinian leader would have to accept a deal which would to some extent not entirely fulfil the aspirations of the Palestinian people, and this leader would have to successfully convince them that taking it was their best option. Before his death in 2004, Yasser Arafat might possibly have been able to do this. Currently, there is no-one. Even before the Hamas-Fatah conflict, Israel had complained that there was no one to talk to among the Palestinians. (Gelvin: 2007: 246) Until the Hamas-Fatah conflict is to some extent resolved, there is no one that the Israelis can talk to about a deal. On the assumption that Palestinians and Israelis could be bought together for serious and meaningful negotiations, there are numerous disputes which would be very difficult to solve. Two of these, the refugee problem and the dispute over East Jerusalem, seem particularly difficult to resolve. In 1948, approximately 700,000 Palestinians became refugees after either fleeing or being forced to leave, with many more becoming refugees after the Six Day War. (Morris: 2004: 604) Many of them live in the West Bank and Gaza, but they have spread amongst the Arab World. Despite this, they have never been truly assimilated into the populations of these other countries; with Jordan being the only Arab state to have allowed large numbers of them to gain full citizenship. (Miller Samuels: 2009: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/ middle-east/no-way-home-the-tragedy-of-the-palestinian-diaspora-1806790.html) Palestinian refugees claim that the UN guarantees their right to return under UN General Assembly Resolution 194. Israel has rejected this interpretation of the resolution and has never complied with it. They also argue that an acceptance of the Palestinians right to return would bring about the end of Israel as a Jewish State. Whilst few of the 1948 refugees are still alive, their descendants have spent their whole lives fighting for what they see as rightfully theirs, and will not give this up without significant recompense. Disagreement on the issue of the refugees is one of the central reasons for the failure of the Camp David Summit. (Smith: 2004: 498) Of all of the territorial disagreements, Jerusalem is the most difficult to solve. Even assuming that agreement could be reached on all other territorial disputes, it is difficult to envision agreement over Jerusalem. From 1948-67 West Jerusalem was under Israeli control, with East Jerusalem under Arab (Jordanian) control. East Jerusalem contains the Temple Mount, the site of the ancient Jewish Temple. The site of the two ancient temples, tradition states that it will be the site of the third and final temple. It is considered the holiest site within Judaism, so holy, that many Jews will not set foot on it. To Muslims, the Temple Mount is the site of the Al-Aqsa mosque and of the Prophet Muhammads ascent to heaven. It is widely regarded as the third holiest site in Islam. (Shindler: 2008: 282) Current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged that A united Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Jerusalem was and will always be ours. It shall never be divided. (Reuters: 2009: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLL96214120090521) This highlights quite how far away the current Israeli leadership is from meaningful and realistic peace discussions. However it is still almost impossible to comprehend that any Israeli leader would negotiate away The Temple Mount and the Western Wall. It is equally impossible to imagine any Palestinian leader relinquishing their claims over the Temple Mount. Palestinians feel that by accepting Israelis right to exist and a state broadly along the 1967 borders, they are making huge concessions. Giving up The Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque is something that is just one step too far. Even if a Palestinian leader were to make an agreement, it is virtually impossible to imagine that they would persuade the rest of the Palestinian people to accept it peacefully. Lastly, there are outside actors that benefit from the continuation of the conflict. Palestine would also be removed as an issue over which the Islamic world could unify, whereas hatred towards the USA and Israel would begin to disappear. If a peace effort led by the USA was achieved, this would be a major diplomatic victory for them. Regardless of statements suggesting they would support a two state solution, (Spillius: 2009: http://www.telegraph.co .uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/5225705/Irans-President-would-support-two-state-solution-for-Israel.html) this would be undesirable to the Iranian leadership. Syria, which has its own territorial dispute with Israel, would not allow any peace deal between the Palestinians and Israel to occur unless its dispute with Israel was settled. The Iranians and Syrians will thus continue to assist and fund groups that help keep the conflict going. To conclude, there is a wide variety of reasons, some ancient, some more recent, that have made the Palestinian Israeli conflict so difficult to solve today. After so much promise during the 1990s that a deal could be reached, the chances of an end to the conflict have taken several steps backwards over the last decade. Despite this, The two-state solution remains the only viable solution. Its pitfalls are numerous and significant. However, as the Israeli President Shimon Peres argued last year, a one-state solution has enough intrinsic flaws to render it no solution at all. signifying the end of the existence of a Jewish state (Peres: 2009: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/09/AR2009020902098.html) Whilst there was much hope that movement towards the opening of meaningful negotiations would be re-started with the election of President Obama, this hope has largely evaporated, resulting in the continuation of the conflict for the foreseeable future. Bibliography Atran, S. Ginges, J. (2009) How Words Could End a War (24/01/2008) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/opinion/25atran.html: date accessed 19/03/2010 Catignani, S. (2008) Israeli Counter-Insurgency and the Intifadas: Dilemmas of a conventional army: New York: Routledge CIA World Factbook West Bank (04/03/2010) https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the world-factbook/geos/we.html: date accessed 19/03/2010 Gelvin, J. (2007) The Israel-Palestine Conflict: One Hundred Years of War: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press ICJ (2004) Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (9/07/2004) http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?pr=71p1=3p2=1case= 131p3=6: date accessed 19/03/2010 ICRC (2009) Gaza: 1.5 million people trapped in despair (29/06/2009) http://www.icrc.org/ web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/palestine-report-260609: date accessed 19/03/2009 Kamrava, M. (2005) The Modern Middle East: A Political History Since The First World War: London: University of California Press McDowall, D. (1995) The Palestinians: The Road to Nationhood: London: Minority Rights Publications Miller, J. Samuels, D. (2009) No way home: The tragedy of the Palestinian diaspora (22/10/2009) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/no-way-home-the-tragedy-of-the-palestinian-diaspora-1806790.html: date accessed 19/03/2010 Mishal, S. Sela A. (2006) The Palestinian Hamas: Vision, Violence and Coexistence: New York: Columbia University Press Morris, B. (2004) The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Morris, B. (2009) One State, Two States: New Haven: Yale University Press Oz, A. (2002) Coping With Conflict: A NewsHour with Jim Lehrer Transcript (23/01/2002) http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june02/oz_1-23.html: date accessed 19/03/2010 Pallister, D. (2009) Most Palestinians and Israelis willing to accept two-state solution, poll finds (22/04/2009) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/22/israel-palestine-poll: date accessed 19/03/2010 Peres, S. (2009) One Region, Two States (10/02/2009) http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/09/AR2009020902098.html: date accessed 19/03/2010 Qurie, A. (2008) Beyond Oslo, The Struggle For Palestine: London: Tauris Co Ltd Reuters (2009) Israeli PM says Jerusalem will never be divided (21/05/2009) http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLL96214120090521: date accessed 19/03/2010 Shindler, C. (2008) A History of Modern Israel: New York: Cambridge University Press Smith, C. (2004) Palestine and The Arab-Israeli Conflict Fifth Edition: A History With Documents: Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke Spillius, A. (2009) Irans President would support two-state solution for Israel (26/04/2009): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/5225705/Irans-President-would-support-two-state-solution-for-Israel.html: date accessed 19/03/2010 Zakaria, F. (2010) Israel is making a big mistake (18/03/2010) http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/18/zakaria.israel.mistake: date accessed 19/03/2010

Family & Friends

Families look forward to vacation time it is always exciting. The family has to choose where they will vacation. There are things to consider when picking the right vacation location that everyone in the family will enjoy. Two common-places families choose for vacation is Disney, and a cruise. Both places have a variety of activities, which are fun. The cruise offers activities that Disney cannot offer and Disney offers activities the cruise cannot offer. Disney, and the cruise are totally different.This essay will compare and contrast the types of activities, climate, and the locations of Disney and the cruise. Both vacation locations have a variety to offer, and the choice will depend on what the family is seeking to accomplish on vacation. First, the tree aspects of Disney are types of activities, climate, and location. It is important for a vacation to be enjoyable that the climate is pleasant. The hot weather in Florida is the first barrier to enjoying Disney, but the temperatur e and climate in Florida determines the types of activities Disney offers.Florida is a place that is always hot, and during the summer it rains every day. Disney is on land and the only water involvement is the water theme parks. A person can choose not to participate in the water activities if he or she cannot swim. The rain, however; does not mess up the vacation plans because the sun shines most of the time. The theme parks, water parks, shopping, and eating with characters are some of the activities the family can enjoy in Disney. Disney brings out the child in every adult, and children literally lose him or herself in the activities.Fun and sun are two words that describe Disney. The night life in Disney is fun however; the excitement is during the day. Second, the three aspects of a cruise are types of activities, climate, and location. The climate for a cruise is both warm, and cold, and it is important depending on where a person wants to travel. If a person dislikes the oce an, he or she may have a hard time on a cruise. Another issue for a cruise is becoming sea sick and not participating in the activities. The sea and the warm climate determine the available activities on a cruise.Gambling, nightclubs, formal dinners, and excursions are some activities individuals enjoy when going on a cruise. The night life on the cruise is the exciting part for adults and the day life is more exciting for the children. In some of the cities the cruise docks restaurants, dancing, and parties are everywhere. There are many cruise lines and locations people can go and have a vacation to remember. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Carnival are cruise lines that families can travel with, and have fun. There are cruises for the entire family and for adults only. Releted essay –Â  An Empty Purse Frightens Away FriendsDepending on what a person is trying to experience a cruise has a variety of locations to offer. With a cruise the family can travel outside the country and experience other cultures. No matter which place a family decides to choose fun is a guarantee. Families often choose one of two locations to spend their vacation. Much preparation goes into the vacation planning, and depending on which activities, location, and climate the choice is made. Sometimes taking a risk on a different vacation spot can be fun and exciting.Disney is one location, and a cruise can offer a variety of different locations. When an individual thinks of Disney, he or she thinks family, Mickey Mouse, theme parks, and hot. When an individual thinks of a cruise, he or she thinks of partying, drinking, and a getaway from the children. Expanding and changing the mind to enjoy where ever, a person vacations is rewarding. Fun and excitement is the ultimat e goal of any vacation. Family vacations bring the family closer together, and this is a time for bonding.