Critical analysis of conventionon cluster munitions Essay

Critical analysis of conventionon cluster munitions - Essay Example Almost 90 countries joined the legal process and 37 others have already signed and ratified the agreement. Meanwhile, the greatest political powers, including the United States, Russia, China and Israel rejected the Convention and are growing more reluctant to reduce their participation in the global military movement. The big military powers like Russia, China, the United States and Israel will continue resisting their participation in the international Convention on Cluster Munitions, as long as cluster munitions are the sources of numerous military and economic benefits, which these countries use in their fight against the minor and major military enemies. Understanding the reasons for which the biggest political powers reject the Convention on Cluster Munitions is impossible without having better understanding of what cluster munitions are and how they work. Objectively, â€Å"cluster munitions are weapons that, when launched or dropped by aircraft, disperse large numbers of sub munitions over wide areas that can be the size of two to four football fields† (UNDP). That cluster bombs do not always explode upon impact and continue threatening the civilian population remains one of the major issues of public concern. This is also the basic reason for developing and signing the global Convention on Cluster Munitions. Apart from serving the basic instrument of casualties in military operations, cluster munitions contribute to food insecurity through the contamination of arable land and by killing livestock (UNDP). Cluster bombs block access to water and sanitation and turn into a serious barrier to economic development (UNDP). Sinc e the World War II, cluster munitions have targeted almost 30 countries, and it is high time new legislation were developed and implemented, to reduce the risks of casualties among the civilian population (UNDP). The technical and military features of cluster munitions make it difficult for the

Lahad Datu Essay Example for Free

Lahad Datu Essay A senior police officer met the elder brother of the man who led a group of about 200 Sulu gunmen to occupy Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu two months before the February incident. Former Sabah Special Branch deputy chief Senior Asst Comm Zulkifli Abd Aziz said he met Datu Esmail Kiram in late December 2012. He told the High Court here that he met Esmail, brother of the self-styled Sulu sultan Jamallul Kiram, for a cup of coffee and to get to know him. Questioned by counsel Ram Singh, he said Esmail did not reveal plans by the so-called Royal Sulu Force to occupy Tanduo. Instead, Zulkifli said Esmail asked for his help to look for investors to develop his 1,600ha land in Mindanao into an oil palm plantation. Zulkifli said he contacted Esmail on Feb 12 to obtain the telephone number of his younger brother, Datuk Agbimuddin Kiram, the leader of the Sulu gunmen. Ram: I put it to you that you and the Special Branch were aware of the possible Sulu gunmen intrusion into Sabah as early as December 2012. Zulkifli: No Zulkifli said he was only alerted of the intrusion when he received a call from a duty officer at the Sabah Command Control Centre on Feb 12. Zulkilfli was testifying at the trial of D/Korp Hassan Ali Basari, 58, who was accused of intentionally omitting to give any information relating to terrorist acts between January and March 3 at the Special Branch office in the Lahad Datu police station in relation to the Sulu gunmen intrusion. The charge under Section 130M of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to seven years or a fine or both upon conviction. Questioned further by Ram, Zulkifli said he cracked jokes and distributed cigarettes to ease a very tense situation when he met Agbimuddin and other gunmen in Kampung Tanduo. There were three meetings between Feb 14 and 16 for tactical intelligence purposes apart from trying to convince the group to leave. I cracked a few jokes to liven up the situation by promising to bring them fried chicken and pizzas. And to allow us to take pictures of them, I told them to smile for the camera because their photos might appear in newspapers the following day, he added. To another question, Zulkifli said Sabahans were generally more knowledgeable about the Sulu claim over the state than other Malaysians.

The theories of Karl Marx and Max Weber

The theories of Karl Marx and Max Weber It was the belief of Karl Marx that social class plays an integral role in society. It was his theory that social class is important to understanding capitalism and other social systems. He asserted that the history of all hitherto existing in society is the history of class struggles (Marx 1848). Marx theorised social classes are defined by the relationship between capitalists and their workforce. For Marx economics is the driving force of modern society and social class. It is the view of Marx that in the past although society did have strata, such stratum was based on titles and occupation rather than purely economics. The bourgeoisie and the proletariat are the main social classes that Marx purposes. The Bourgeoisie are the capitalists. They purchase and exploit the labour power. Marx notes that someone who merely owns capital cannot be sufficiently defined as a capitalist. It is the means of using capital as a means to exploit labour which characterises the capitalist. The proletariat are the labour force. They work in order to earn income for themselves and their families in order to survive. Marx purposes that the existing relationship between bourgeoisie and the proletariat is an exploitive relationship which is based on inequality. Webers definition of class is not unlike that given by Marx. Weber defines class as a category of people who, have in common a specific causal component of their life chances in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ this component is represented exclusively by economic interests in the possession of goods and opportunities for income, and it is represented under the conditions of the commodity or labor market. Webber held a view close to Marxs that class position does not necessarily lead to class-determined economic or political action. Weber argued that communal class action surface after connections between the causes and the consequences of the class situation become apparent. Marx however proposes it is when a class becomes conscious of its interests, that is, of its relation, as a class, to other classes. In modern day Britain there is evidence that class inequality present in society. Wide disparities in health between the classes illustrate this fact. However it should be noted that inequalities in health based on class is not a new sociological occurrence. Chadwick took note of a disproportionate difference in life expectancy between the classes in 1842. Gentlemen and persons engaged in professions and their familiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦45 years; tradesmen and their familiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦26 years; Mechanics, servants and labourers, and their families à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 16 years (Chadwick 1842). Reports have been carried out that suggest an obvious link between social class and health. Such studies find that lower social class groups have a higher chance of illness and a sorter light expectancy. At the start of the 21st century, all European countries are faced with substantial inequalities in health within their populations. People with a lower level of education, a lower occupational class, or a lower level of income tend to die at a younger age, and tend to have a higher prevalence of most types of health problems. (Mackenbach 2006) The Acheson Report took a systematic review of research of health inequalities in the UK. The report found that overall the mortality rate for people aged 35 -64 years had fallen in the period studied; however there was an increased variation in mortality between the classes. The Acheson report also uncovered that within particular areas of the UK the inequalities in Health between the classes manifest its self greater. In Scotland for example, male life expectancy in the 10 percent most deprived areas is 13 years lower than in the 10 percent least deprived areas. Such difference between the classes is increasing; the life expectancy gap between the best and worst constituencies was 7.8 years in 1991. In 2001 this gap had risen to 13.7 year (Scottish Government 2007). Mackenbach noted in mortality in patterns that: Rates of mortality are consistently higher among those with a lower, than among those with a higher socio-economic position. Not only is the size of these inequalities often substantial, but inequalities in mortality have also increased in many European countries in the past decades. (Mackenbach 2006) It is proposed by Mackenbach that inequalities in mortality; start early in life and persist in to old age, affect both men and women but its influence is more prevalent in men and are found for most but not all specific causes of death. The Acheson report presented that in terms of enduring illness has strong link to socioeconomic differences. It was reported that in 1996 the 45-64 years age group, 17 percent of professional men reported a limited long standing illness compared with 48 percent of unskilled men. The Acheson Reported that among women, 25 percent of professional women and 45 percent of unskilled women report long standing illnesses. Mackenbach articulates that people with lower socio-economic positions not only live shorter lives nit also but spend a larger number of years in ill health. Why does that pattern of health inequality exist in modern society? The influential Black Report 1980 examined five explanations of health inequalities. These five explanations are; the artefact explanation, the social explanation, social selection exploitation, the cultural explanation and the social deprivation explanation. An artefact approach to understanding Health inequality suggests that such health disparities are statistical fiction. Critics debate what is the best way measuring such it is also argued by Bury (1997) suggests that comparing the bottom social class (V) is not longer effective as the number of people in this class has declined greatly. The social selection theory argues that good or bad health determines class position rather than vice versa. For example, having a long term health issue may limit a persons career opportunities. Critics counter this theory that although illness plays a role on life chances it not always the case that illness leads to downward social mobility. The explanation is also contrary to a Marxist thought. Marx would argue it is class that determines health. A cultural explanation of health inequalities suggests that the social classes behave in different ways. The less well of social classes are more likely to have poorer health because of diet, smoking or alcohol consumption. Shilling (1993) proposes that different social classes view their bodies in different ways. Shilling asserts that the lower social classes tend to see the body in terms of what it enables them to do, for example for work and looking after children. According to Shilling health is not considered an issue until problems arise for the lower classes until the body cannot function normally. Higher social classes treat the body as an end in its self and have higher focus on preventing illness from occurring. Such an explanation for Health inequalities in contemporary Britain based on social class harmonises with the theories of Marx and Weber. The explanation the lower classes (the proletariat) regard their bodies as a machine used for means of work is compatible with t he sociological assertions of Marx and Weber. Marx would say such a view of the body is a result of class struggle. The proletariat must view their body as machine for work. Marx submits that proletariat must work in order to survive. This is why for the lower class health only becomes an issue when they are unable to work because of illness. Is also argues the material situation of a person and the conditions that they live and work in conditions which they work and live is an important factor in determining their health. Issues such as poverty, employments, housing and access to care are influential factors to be considered. The Acheson report in order to address the issues involved adopted a socioeconomic model of health and inequalities, combining the above theories. The socioeconomic model however does go as far to address a connection between its different layers. The Black Report reported a growth of health inequalities across Britain. These widening inequalities in health have been observed, in socio-economic terms. However findings demonstrated that overall health had improved since the creation of the welfare state. Although the standard of health has increased in equilibrium with an improvement in standard in living it is conclusive that inequalities in health based on class still exist in Britain. Marx would note the improvement of living standards for proletariat but would note the of Bourgeoisie exploiting the work of the proletariat to create excess capital. It is conclusive from the findings of the Black Report and Acheson that need for Marxs proletariat to work is what constructs their attitude towards health. In contemporary Britain there have been improvements made in health over all but class in equalities have not been reduced.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Hello, Class of 2012. We're graduating. June 12 is the day we have worked toward for the past 12 years. We have reached the time where we say good-bye to Hayes and hello to our futures outside its hallowed walls. Our teachers have taught all they can about life's many obstacles and pitfalls, and even taught us a few tricks on how to work them out. Every year we have met new teachers who have made such an impact on our lives that we keep in contact throughout the years. They gave us memories to cherish and keep with us. They have been there for us when we needed them, and they never complained. We knew we could always go to them with our problems and not be judged. We have had our star athletes, our strong academic students, and our extraordinary artists and performers. But I believe the strong, the extraordinary, the stars of Hayes High School were and always will be the teachers. We will never forget them. We're graduating. The stars in our life are not only found inside Hayes' walls, but elsewhere. These people have to put up with us every day and every night. They hav...

Heroism Definition Essay Essay

When asked to describe what a hero is, more often than not people would use movie characters such as The Amazing Spider ­Man, Superman, Batman, or Captain America to provide examples of what best reflects the character traits of a hero. By definition, a hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. This being said, these movie characters are very good examples of a hero. However, heroes can also be found among everyday people such as you and me. Being a hero involves risk and it is initiated without the expectation of any material gain. In the book Grendel by John Gardner, Beowulf is the ultimate hero to the Geats because he is selfless in character and goes out of the way to serve the needs of others. The ultimate hero is a person who leads by example and puts the needs of others before his or hers, no matter the cost. The most heroic person in my life is my mother. She does not give me everything in the world, but she gives me what I need and that is enough. She leads by example and has taught me how to be content with who I am and the things that I have, and to make the most of each opportunity I am given. Without her guiding me throughout my life, I fear that I would be helpless and would not truly value the gift of life.

My Beach Memories

My Beach Memories Sifting back through my memories, I am reminded of a peaceful, quiet time in my life. My mind drifts back to a happy place of relaxation and tranquility. I am able to remove myself from all the continued chaos of everyday life. Sitting on the sand, feeling the warmth of the sun, all of my troubles quickly melt away. I can feel the soft, wet sand as my skin melts into it, reminding me that I have no deadlines to meet or no place to rush off to now. The cool, crisp water feels exhilarating as it rushes over my body. As the ocean waves crash against me, I can still feel the sting of the fine ocean mist and the pungent taste of the salt as it sprinkles over my face. The fresh smell of the salty ocean water clears my sinuses as I synchronize my breathing with the ebb of the tide. Lying quietly in the sun, I can feel its warmth engulfing me like a large fuzzy blanket covering my skin. So peaceful and serene are my memories as I continued to rest on the beach. I can still hear the crash of the water against the rocks. The ocean birds' songs still echo in my head as they sang me to sleep on the soft, warm sand. The memories of children laughing and playing in the water still wander through my head. I also remember the sounds of seagulls chirping as they glide over my paradise. Having not a care in the world, could there be a more wonderful place? The sun sets softly behind the large palm trees as the wind gently blows salt and sand against my body as I sit and watch. The air turns cooler as the night begins. I can see millions of twinkling stars, as I get lost in their magic and mystery. It seems as if time is frozen no worries or stress to cloud my mind. I can be free to dream and ponder over all of my desires. Sitting quietly on the beach, I can be free. These fond memories are my pathway to escape from reality. Even if the moment is brief, it is long enough to rekindle my desire for life. Just reminiscing over my time at the beach has rejuvenated my wayward mind and wilting body. I can go back to my happy place any time I desire. I have such fond memories of the beach. I will never forget how peaceful, relaxing, and beautiful my favorite place has been to me.