Comparative International Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Comparative International Accounting - Essay Example ntal bodies to determine what taxes a business must pay; and occasionally by customers to determine the price to be paid when contracts call for cost-based payments. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2007) The aim of this paper is to critically compare and contrast the accounting methods, structure and regulation in Canada with the UK including a critical and detail analysis of both current issues and academic literature surveyed relevant to the country. To begin we will talk briefly about the evolution of Accounting in both countries. According to Baylin et al (1996), Accounting standard setting in Canada has undergone a number of significant structural adjustments since the late 19th century. Following Canada’s emergence from its colonial status and due to the establishment of new trading partners, there was a change in the demand for accounting and the accounting standard setting process in Canada (Baylin et al, 1996). There have also been changes in the source of authority for standard setting, the range of interests were formally included in the standard setting process and changes in relative influence of technical versus political concerns. Canada continues to have one of the few private standard-setting processes in the world. (Baylin et al, 1996). No central source of accounting standards existed in Canada before 18646. Accounting standards were governed by common law. For example, the Dominium Insolvent Act was introduced in 1864 and was the first legislation to recognise the need for the regulation of accounting and the quality of financial information. (Baylin et al, 1996). Following this act, Canada witnessed the first real appearance of public accountants to act as â€Å"Official Assignees† for the handling of the affairs of estates, which were bankrupt. Foreign influences, government, and the internal needs of the early accounting firms drove the accounting profession, which was still at its infancy. (Baylin et al, 1996). As a result, the legal

Of Mice and Men Chapter Summary Essay Example for Free

Of Mice and Men Chapter Summary Essay Chapter One Two itinerant workers, George and Lennie, are introduced. They rest in a small clearing by the Salinas River, on their way to a nearby ranch where they expect to sign on for work. They have hurriedly left the last ranch, following an incident involving Lennie in Weed. Lennie pleads with George to tell him over and over again about their dream ranch, where Lennie’s main task will be to tend the rabbits. Lennie’s Aunt Clara, whom he refers to as â€Å"that Lady†, is briefly introduced to the novel, as is Lennie’s love of petting mice. Key Points: †¢ Introduction of George and Lennie – character descriptions (p.19-20) †¢ We first hear about the American Dream (p. 31-33) †¢ First hints of what happened in Weed (p.24, 29) Chapter Two The next day George and Lennie arrive at the ranch and go to the bunk house, where they meet most of the other main characters in the novel: Candy, an old â€Å"swamper† with only one hand; Curley, the boss’s son; the boss, who is suspicious that George will not let Lennie speak for himself; Curley’s â€Å"purty† young wife, who flirts with the other men; Slim, the top ranch hand who is respected by all the other ranch hands; and Carlson, another of the established hands. Slim is friendly towards George and Lennie. His bitch dog has recently given birth to pups and begs George to ask him if he will give one to Lennie as a pet. Key Points: †¢ Introduction of the other characters (and mention of Crooks, the stable buck) – character descriptions are throughout the chapter †¢ We can begin to see the hierarchy on the ranch – introduction of Curley (p.46-48) – introduction of Slim (p.55-57) CONTRAST †¢ Introduction of Curley’s wife – important for the theme of sexist attitudes towards women? (p.53-54) Chapter Three George reveals to Slim the real reason why he and Lennie travel together. Slim realises that Lennie has the mentality of a child. George tells Slim about the supposed rape in Weed involving Lennie. Carlson bullies Candy into allowing him to shoot his ageing, smelly, rheumatic dog. George, at Lennie’s insistence, describes to him again their dream farm, and Candy who is listening in, also becomes enchanted by the idea. Curley starts a fight with Lennie and at George’s command Lennie eventually unleashes his strength and crushes Curley’s hand with ease. Slim persuades Curley that to avoid further humiliation, it would be in his best interests to pretend that his hand got caught in a machine. Key Points: †¢ Further character development of George and Lennie – reader gets more of an insight into their past together – George’s â€Å"confession† of how he used to treat Lennie ( p.65-66) †¢ Shooting of Candy’s dog – a forewarning of what is to happen to Lennie? Because the relationship between Candy and his dog could be seen as similar to George and Lennie’s. (p.70-72†¦74-76) †¢ George and Lennie realise their dream could become a reality, as Candy gets involved, and the three realise they could save the money together (p.83-89) Chapter Four All the men go into town on Saturday night except Lennie, Candy and Crooks. Crooks reluctantly allows Lennie into his room where they talk and Crooks taunts Lennie that George may not return, leaving Lennie on his own. Lennie begins to panic at this thought and Crooks is forced to apologise in an attempt to calm Lennie down. Candy joins them and he and Lennie let slip to Crooks their intention to buy a farm. They are interrupted by Curley’s wife, who is looking for company. Candy and Crooks resent her presence and when Crooks orders her out of his room, she attacks him verbally, using her superior social status as a white woman. Key Points †¢ Proper meeting of Crooks’ character – insight into life as a coloured man in 1930’s America and the hardships he has suffered. (p. 98-105) †¢ Character development of Curley’s wife – a sense of vulnerability is revealed about her as she describes how her life could have been if she wasn’t married to Curley – the grim reality of life is shown when she attacks the three men when they tell her to leave. (p.109-115) Chapter Five Most of the men are outside the barn playing at throwing horseshoes. Only Lennie is in the barn, where he has just accidentally killed his pup by stroking it too hard. Curley’s wife comes in and starts to flirt with Lennie who confesses to her his liking for stroking nice things. She invites him to stroke her long, soft hair, but as his stroking becomes harder, she panics; the harder her strokes the more she panics and in the end, Lennie accidentally breaks her neck. He half buries her body in the hay and runs off. Candy discovers Curley’s wife’s body and informs the rest of the men. Curley is furious and decides to seek revenge, organising a man-hunt to pursue and kill Lennie. Slim suggests that Curley stay with his wife, but Curley shows his true feelings for her as he is more concerned about getting revenge on Lennie that grieving for the loss of his wife. Reluctantly, George joins the hunt. Key Points: †¢ Further development of Lennie – a violent side to him which was always present is shown in the extreme, although it is made clear that Lennie meant no harm – killing the pup (p. 121) killing of Curley’s Wife (p. 127-128) †¢ CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT Curley’s Wife’s dream to become an actress, how her dream never worked out (p.124-125) – in death she appears more vulnerable and innocent, and the most positive way in which Curley’s wife is portrayed throughout the novel is in death – (p.129) †¢ Character development of Candy – the importance of the dream to him in particular is shown (p. 132) †¢ Curley’s lack of love for his wife even when she has been killed – all he thinks about is revenge (p.133, 135) Chapter Six George meets up with Lennie at the clearing where he had instructed Lennie to go in the event of any trouble. Lennie is panicking and George attempts to calm him down by telling him once again about their dream ranch. George distracts Lennie’s attention and shoots him in the back of the head with Carlson’s Luger pistol which he had stolen from the bunk house. The other men come running to where George and Lennie were on hearing the gun shot. When Carlson asks George how he killed Lennie, George replies tiredly â€Å"I just done it†. Slim kindly tells George he â€Å"hadda† kill Lennie, and the two go for a drink. The novel ends: â€Å"Curley and Carlson looked after them. And Carlson said, â€Å"Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?† Key Points: †¢ The novel ends where it began – by the Salinas River with George and Lennie by the brush †¢ CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT of Lennie – for the first time, the reader gets an insight into Lennie’s mind as he hallucinates, whereas before throughout the novel Lennie appears simplistic and not much feeling is shown. (?) †¢ Lennie’s death – like Candy’s dog, but George does it himself – Candy wishes he had killed his dog himself. †¢ Bond formed between Slim and George, which, like George and Lennie’s bond, seems unusual and strange to the other men – Carlson, who perhaps has never known such a close bond between itinerant workers, says â€Å"Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?† – He will never understand the close bond Slim and George now share.

Students Academic Performance in High School

Students Academic Performance in High School Even though a different set of constraints and challenges in education has been faced worldwide, educational development has been actively promoted by means of adapting to rapid global changes (Peretz, 2009). Ensuring quality of education is one of the six Education For All goals agreed by over 160 governments during the World Education Forum in Dakar in 2000; almost every country around the world has committed to enhancing education quality in an effort to achieve the goals of EFA by 2015. Governments seek to offer students an education that equips them with skills, knowledge, and wider perspectives so that students can participate in the social, economic and political lives of their nations (UNESCO, 2009). The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has prioritized educational sector as a key area for national development: capacity building and human resources development is one of the key strategies of the Rectangular Strategy in the third term of the national assembly (RGC, 2004). Cambodian education system is divided into four levels: pre-school education, primary education, secondary education (lower and upper) and higher education. Students from the age of three to five years old are allowed to enroll in pre-school education. To get basic education, students have to at least spend six years of primary education and three years of lower secondary education. After graduating from lower secondary education, students are provided options to continue to upper secondary education or enter secondary -level vocational training programs provided by the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training (MOLVT). Students can also have chances to pursue their studies in university or vocational training a fter completing upper secondary education (UNESCO, 2008). The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) has emphasized education quality at all levels basic, secondary and higher education because it can produce the well-educated and skilled students in order to meet the needs and requirement of the growing labor market. Education at upper secondary level is the foundation for higher education. After upper secondary school, students should have capacity to continue their studies at higher education or to specialize their studies (MoEYS, 2004). To achieve this goal, students are provided options to select the program of study: sciences and social studies. Additionally, students are required to study at least ten subjects which are compulsory to complete upper secondary education. To completely graduate from upper secondary school, students are assessed based on the scores earned at Grade 12, the final grade of upper secondary education, and the score of the national examination (UNESCO, 2008). 1.2 Problem Statement The achievement of high school students has been a great concern to educators, parents, and government. Even though measures have been taken to improve the quality of education, a large proportion of high school students perform poorly in the classroom (P. Pal, personal communication, October 10, 2010). Furthermore, some students are likely to play truant or miss their class very often. As identified in UNESCO National Education Support Strategy, the cost burden, the need for the students to work and a lack of understanding the importance of formal schooling are some of the reasons behind the low grade 12 completion rate (UNESCO, 2010). 1.3 Research Objectives There has been little qualitative research conducted on perceptions of students and teachers towards the factors influencing the students academic performance in high school in Cambodia. Therefore, the intent of this study is to identify those factors influencing students academic performance in high school. Investigation into the factors that might influence students academic performance in high schools may contribute to enhancing students learning abilities in upper secondary education as well as helping them to pursue their higher education easily. 1.4 Research Questions This study aims to answer the following research questions: How do teachers and students perceive factors influencing students academic performance? What are the differences in perceptions between teachers and students toward factors contributing to students academic performance? 1.5 Significance of Study This study is particularly significant for two main reasons. First, it will increase understanding of and contribute to the literature on students academic performance in high school in Cambodia. Second, it is hoped that the findings of this study will contribute to helping all stakeholders, namely, parents, teachers, school communities, and central agents to strengthen efficiency and quality of education in upper secondary education. 1.6 Definition of Concept Page, Thomas, and Marshall (as cited in Ogunbanjo, 2001) defined school performance as an action of a person or group when given a learning task. In education, performance refers to achievement in carrying out of a task, assignment or course. Academic performance is the level of success determined by grade point average at the end of the semester (Lamsis, 2010). Thus, in this study, academic performance is generally taken to mean students ability and achievement in the school work as measured by tests results, performance or behaviour during lessons, grades and reports. 1.7 Proposed Chapter This research study is organized in five chapters. Chapter one will consist of introduction dealing with background information of the study, problem statement, research objectives, research questions, significance of the study. The past literature, which was conducted in different settings around the world, will be examined in chapter two. Next, the research methodology will discuss in detail the participants, method, instruments, tools, data collection, data analysis, ethical consideration and limitation of the study in Chapter three. In Chapter four, finding and discussion will be identified. Finally, conclusion and recommendation will also be discussed in chapter five. CHAPTER 2 Literature Review Factors which influence students performance have been identified as including classroom management, quality of teaching staff, family social-economic status, lack of teaching facilities, inadequate student discipline, lack of student commitment, emotional problems, curriculum contents, learning situation, inadequate teacher instruction, and not enough parental involvement (Asikhia, 2010; Legotlo et al., 2002 ; Nguyen Griffin, 2010). In the study by Asikhia (2010), the focus of the investigation was on the perception of students and teachers on the causes of poor academic performance among secondary school students in Ogun State, Nigeria. The results of teachers perception indicated that teachers teaching qualifications and students background had a smaller effect on the students poor performance but teachers methods of teaching influence poor academic achievement. Students, on the other hand, thought that teachers qualifications and students home environment influenced their poor performance in school while teachers method of teaching and learning materials did not. In the study of factors influencing poor performance of grade 12 learners in two high schools in Limpo province in South Africa, Rammalas study (2009) discovered that parents low-level of education, high unemployment rate, child-headed family, unpredictable home environment, emotional problems, lack of facilities, unavailable learner support materials, lack of discipline, redeployment of education, unfamiliarity of new curriculum influenced students performance in the classroom. In a similar research study conducted in Nepal, Subedi (2003) demonstrated the factors influencing high school student achievement. This study simply aimed to investigate the effect of resources and class size on student performance. The research revealed that the availability and use of resources had a significant effect on student performance. Class size also caused negative effect to student achievement. In a research article by Legotlo et al. (2002), the focus of investigation was on perceptions of stakeholders towards causes of poor performance in grade 12 National Examinations in a province in South Africa. The results in this study revealed that inadequate resources, lack of discipline and poor morale, problems concerning the implementation of government policy, and lack of parental involvement were major causes of poor student performance. In a research study by Ogunbanjo (2001), the focus of the investigation was on the factors influencing the academic performance of underachieving learners in a South African secondary school with an inhibitive learning climate. In order to get in-dept understanding of underachieving students learning performance, a qualitative method was applied. The findings of this study identified the factors as influencing the academic performance of underachieving learners: negative attitude of learners towards their school work, negative attitudes of teachers towards learners and inflexible teaching methods by teachers, lack of parental supervision, undisciplined behavior in class, learner absenteeism, insufficient learner support material, non-encouragement from parents for learners to study, excessive home chore, demotivation and low moral towards teaching as a career, overcrowding classrooms, lack of support from the department and school administration, lack of facilities and resources, lac k of parental involvement, inadequate funding of schools, lack of parental supervision, peer pressure, lack of parental guidance and supervision, learners lack of discipline, indiscipline by learners, illiteracy among parents, and poor insight of learners about the value of education. Taken together, the results, of course, indicate that overcrowded classes, lack of facilities and resources, inflexible teaching method, and lack of parental involvement are supposed to be the fundamental factors which negatively influence the students academic performance in high schools. CHAPTER 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Research Design Qualitative researchers share in the understandings and perceptions of others and explore how people structure and give meaning to their daily lives (Berg, 2009). In a qualitative research, a case study design is used to significantly focus on one phenomenon, which the researcher selects to understand deeply regardless of the number of sites or participants for the study (Mcmillain Schumacher, 2001). Since this study mainly aims to identify key factors that students and teachers perceive as influencing academic performance in a high school, the case study approach will be employed in this study. 3.2 Participant and Sample The target participants in this study will be teachers and students in a high school in Kandal province. I will contact the school principal initially to propose my study and receive the approval before proceeding and contacting potential participants. A purposive sampling method will be employed in this study because I aim to explore in detail participants reasons for performing poorly in their studies. The sample of this study will consist of 4 students and 2 teachers from high school in question. Both male and female participants will be selected. The teachers sample will be the class teachers who regularly facilitate any activities in classroom while 11th-grade students will be chosen in this study. The students sample will include students who learn with the selected teachers. 3.3 Data Collection Unlike a quantitative method, a qualitative data gathering procedures often involve spending a lot of time in the natural setting under study or with the research participants collecting relevant information unobtrusively (Gay, Mills Airasian, 2009). Choosing data collection strategies is a process of deciding among available alternatives for collection and corroboration of data and of modifying ones decisions to capture the reality of the phenomena (McMillan Schumacher, 2001). As the purpose of this study is to gain in-depth understanding of the factors contributing to students academic performance, participant observation, semi-structured interviews and informal conversation will be carried out to collect the data. The interviews will consist of open-ended questions and will be tape-recorded (see Appendix below for the details). Individual face to face interview and informal conversation will be used for teachers and students. I will make an appointment with the participants and inform them about the reasons of conducting this study, and request for their consent to participate in my study, before carrying out interviews. The participants will be provided options to select convenient time and comfortable place for the interviews in order to ensure full cooperation and trust. I will bring a tape recorder on scheduled interviews, and with the participants permission, record the interviews which will be expected to take around 1 to 2 hours and occur in the school campus or outside the school. Interview questions will follow a general list of topics. The purpose of these interviews is to allow those involved in a school to describe in detail their perceptions and experiences. In addition to these i nterviews, I will carry on informal conversations with participants at the beginning or end of the meeting to gain more specific concepts and experiences about the influencing factors on students academic performance. Participant observation will be also employed to collect data. The emphasis during observation is on understanding the natural environment as lived by participants without manipulating (Gay, Mills Airasian, 2009). After getting permission from school principal, I will visit the school for two weeks and significantly observe what goes on in classroom and during recess periods. The observation checklist will mainly focus on time management, environment in the classroom, teaching method, and behavioral patterns of students. Each observation will take around 45 minutes. Additionally, field notes will be written at the end of each observation describing in detail the setting and activities during the lessons. To assure the accuracy and details of these notes, I will spend several hours for recording notes after leaving the field. Official documents of the school such as students attendance record, and yearly academic report will be taken with permission of the school principal, teachers and students. 3.4 Data Analysis Data analysis is begun from the initial interaction with participants and continued that interaction and analysis throughout the whole study (Gay, Mills Airasian, 2009). As data are collected from the participants, I will examine and reexamine the data in search of themes and patterns in the data. Also, prior data and newer data will be continually compared to reduce less useful data. After gathering the data from the field setting, I will listen to the tape recordings, transcribe the interview tapes and analyze the participants responses. I will organize and prepare all data into different types of information depending on the sources of information. In addition, I will read through all data collected carefully to obtain general idea of information. Coding process will be used to organize information into categories or themes. Then these themes will be chronologically sorted into table display in order to discuss interconnected themes. Finally, I will make interpretation of themes. 3.5 Ethical Consideration Before starting the data collection, I will ask the permission and approval from school principal, teachers and students for observation or tape-recorded interviews. I will explain the study objective verbally and in writing to participants and tell them truthfully that their involvement is voluntary. I will fully explain any potential benefits to school principal, teachers, and students as a result of my study. Additionally, the participants will be informed of all data collection devices and activities. If at any point during the course of the interview the participants decide they no longer desire to continue, they will feel free to simply stop the interview. To avoid any harm to the participants, their names and school will be held in strictest confidence and will never be attached to any data or report that may result from this research. I will treat the participants with respect and give the participants pseudonyms. Personal identifiers will not be included in the research repo rt released to the public in order to avoid the identification of participants. The participants will be told that their responses will be kept confidential and that no one known to them will have access to the information provided and no one can link the analyze to their names. Also, verbatim transcriptions and written interpretations and reports will be made available to the participants. 3.6 Limitation of the Study This proposal has some specific limitations. First, the researcher will only conduct this study in a high school in a province in order to identify influencing factors on students academic performance. Second, since the study will be conducted in a small number of students and teachers in a high school in Cambodia, so the results will not generalize the factors influencing students academic achievement in all high schools nationwide. Third, the purpose of this research is not to provide broad generalizations, but to provide an in-depth analysis of factors influencing students academic performance in high schools. Finally, some activities, events and information which occur at specific period of the school calendar will not be captured during a short period of visit by the researcher.

AIDS/HIV Report :: essays research papers

AIDS...Are You Afraid?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This week when school starts, September 5th, a new child is enrolling. The school will not give out her name but they will give out more personal things for example, she is HIV infected. I was sad for the girl but i was also happy to hear this, because it will educate the kids at Windam Tech. Another reason is that i would enjoy letting this girl to be finally â€Å"let in† for once, and this would also be good for the community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How AIDS entered this world is uncertain ,people have their theories; AIDS came from monkeys, the government nfected people with the virus to control the population, and African Americans brought the virus from Africa. This is only the beginning, people these days think that the virus can be spread through toilet seats or even hugging. This is why we need to educate the people, tell them the truth, you can only get aids through blood, vomit, seman, needles, or vaginal secreations. She will educate the school and the community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It would also be very helpful to this girl who is infected to be â€Å"let in† for once. Not only the girl has fear but her family has fear too. Fear that people will find out and know. As a suriviving sister was furios with her parents because they would not acknowledge to anyone that her brother had AIDS. They told everyone he died from a brain tomor.# This is very important because the last few moments of this girls life should be delightful, not humiliating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bringing an infected person to the community will be good for it. Over 35,000 people die from AIDS* whic means they have to live somewher, why not here? Imagine the heading on the front page, â€Å" Community of Windham has a special heart†. This could lead to more budget, tax cuts, or

The Effects of Education on Fiscal Responsibility Essay -- Financial M

The world is recovering from financial crisis that started in 2007. The cause of the crisis was failure of American Mortgage Company. The effect has spread all over the world; however the world seems to be recovering. This is not the first time that the world has suffered such a crisis. There was the great depression of 1920s. The point that is in people’s mind; economists, politicians, and social scientist is how they can prevent the occurrence of such a crisis in future. Among the many recommendation brought out, there is the role that education can play. Our education system can be moulded to educate students and society in general on how they can prevent such an occurrence in the future. Secondary school life is the initial stage that a child moulding can start. It ensures that there is a base of a human being that can be shaped to influence the life of the child in future (Alloy & Ahrens, 2008). This paper will focus on how education can be used to combat future occurrenc e of such crisis. Development and enforcement of a money management principles The principle that human beings have are moulded by early life development. At high school a child is given some money to manage and spend. This is the period that they are given pocket money to spend at school and are allowed to make individual decisions toward things that affect their lives. In schools children should be taught on how to manage the finances they have, they should be trained on how to make decisions which have an impact on the finances they have. The little money they are given by their parents should be the one to start molding their behavior towards good financial management and making priorities. One of the most important things that people should aim at is t... ...simism for the future: Biased use of statistically relevant information in predictions for self versus others. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(2), 366-378. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.52.2.366 Ambachtshee, K., Beartty, D. and Booth, L. (2008). The financial crisis and rescue. What went wrong? Why? What lesson can be learnt? Toronto: university of Toronto Melzert, H. (1995). Review of "Curriculum-adjustment in the Secondary School". Journal of Educational Psychology, 16(9), 638. doi:10.1037/h0068007. Morris, P. (1997). School knowledge, the state and the market: an analysis of the Hong Kong secondary school curriculum. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 29(3), 329-350. doi:10.1080/002202797184071. Park ,R. cona, K. and Fingess, M. (2008). The crisis of global environment governance: towards a new political economy of sustainability. New York: Prentice Hall

Comparing Frankenstein, Origin of the Species and Decent of Man Essay

Comparing Frankenstein, Origin of the Species and Decent of Man  Ã‚   I will demonstrate in this paper how Mary Shelley's Frankenstein confirms, and at the same time contradicts Darwin's ideas presented in "The Origin of the Species" and "The Decent of Man." Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is at once, confirming, and contradictory of Charles Darwin's scientific discoveries and views on science, nature and the relation of the individual to society. Mary Shelley confirms Darwin's ideas through Frankenstein, when Dr. Frankenstein and Darwin both reject God as the creator of human life. Although this is a major theme in both works, it is the only similar idea shared between both Darwin and Frankenstein. Darwin's understanding of nature is comparable to that of Mary Shelley; although how the individual relates to society is gravely different between the two works. One of Darwin's admiring disciples, Andrew Carnegie, the author of "The Gospel of Wealth," shows us how contradictory these ideas are in relation to each other. His ideas of inheritance and the conduct of man are in disagreement with the actions of Shelley's Dr. Frankenstein. Throughout Darwin's works the idea of the rejection of God as creator of man prevails. He alludes to prehistoric marine Ascidian larvae, as the predecessors to the later evolved human beings we are today. This would give credit for the creation of man to the process of evolution, not to the handiwork of a Supreme Being. "Species had not been independently created, but had descended, like varieties, from other species"(Appleman, 36). Darwin is showing here what conclusions he came upon about the "Origin of the Species", in which he used science to prove his theories. He is replacing God with ideas... ...heir works, giving the power of creation to evolution and mankind. They also both present similar views on nature, seeing it as a tool for scientific exploration and not as a wonder of beauty as it is often seen today. Using the work of Andrew Carnegie to show Darwinian ideas about the individual in society, we can see that these ideas strongly contradict those which Shelley presents in Frankenstein. Overall I believe that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein exemplifies many ideas expressed in the works of Darwin, enough that they can be considered enriching of each other in terms of comparison. Works Cited: Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species. New York: Gramercy Books, 1979. Darwin, Charles. The Descent Of Man. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1998. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Ed. D.L. Macdonald and Kathleen Scherf. Orchard Park, NY: Broadview Press, 1999.

Oil & Gas Drilling In Alaska Wildlife Refuge

Since the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) was established by the federal government in 1960, the refuge has often been considered a symbol of Alaska's natural bounty. Located in the northeast corner of the state above the Arctic Circle, ANWR contains more than 19 million acres of pristine land, including high mountains, untouched coastline and tundra (cold, dry regions that are covered by snow for most of the year). It is also home to thousands of animal species including polar bears, migratory birds and caribou.ANWR is also believed to contain one of the largest reserves of oil in the U.S., and for years, public officials have been divided over whether private companies should be allowed to tap into that resource. (Easton, 2004) Since ANWR was set aside as a nature preserve, it has been off-limits to oil prospecting.Yet during the past decade, support for drilling the refuge has gradually mounted. Although efforts to open ANWR long went unheeded, in recent years they have gai ned favor among many public officials, bringing the future of the refuge into question.Citing problems such as rising fuel costs and the U.S.'s increasing dependence on foreign sources of fuel, many observers, including President Bush (R), argue that the refuge's oil supplies must be made available to avert future fuel shortages.â€Å"The only way to become less dependent on foreign sources of crude oil is to explore at home,† Bush says. â€Å"And you bet I want to open up a small part of Alaska, because when that field [ANWR] is online, it will produce one million barrels a day.†(Cunningham, 2005)According to supporters, opening ANWR to development would mark an important step toward expanding the U.S.'s fuel reserves and energy supply. In recent years, citizens and businesses have become increasingly reliant on the Internet and other electronic devices, which require large amounts of power.Furthermore, gasoline consumption has remained high to due unchecked automobil e use and the growing popularity of vans, sport utility vehicles and other inefficient car models. Consequently, the nation's demand for energy has far out-paced domestic fuel production, resulting in rising fuel prices and energy shortages.Fossil fuel consumption is expected to increase in the coming decades. Unless the federal government opens ANWR for oil exploration and drilling, supporters argue, fuel shortages will worsen, hampering economic growth and endangering national security.Advocates also contend that private companies can tap into ANWR's oil with minimal damage to the landscape and wildlife. Technological advances, some analysts argue, have enabled oil companies to drill for oil without causing significant environmental damage. (Cunningham, 2005)Therefore, supporters contend, the U.S. should not squander the economic benefits that could be reaped by opening ANWR to oil drilling. Furthermore, they assert, keeping ANWR off-limits to natural resource extraction is a diss ervice to Alaskan citizens, who would benefit greatly from the economic growth that oil exploration would bring to their state. (Easton, 2004)Yet opponents, including many environmental activists, vehemently oppose oil drilling in ANWR. Regardless of how much oil is contained in the refuge, they argue, its unique ecosystems should not be put at risk. Many commentators argue that opening the refuge to oil drilling is a destructive and short-sighted solution to the U.S.'s energy needs.Oil drilling cannot be conducted in an environmentally safe manner, they argue. Rather than squandering natural treasures such as ANWR, opponents say, government officials should instead focus their attention on developing alternative fuel sources and decreasing fossil fuel consumption.Some observers also assert that oil drilling in ANWR would pose a threat to the livelihood of indigenous people that live in or near the refuge. Tribes such as the Gwich'in, which have inhabited the area for thousands of y ears, have long hunted caribou for subsistence and ceremonial purposes. (Lee, 2001)Opening ANWR to oil drilling, opponents argue, would cause environmental damage that would shrink caribou herds, putting the culture and livelihood of many people at risk. Does the U.S. truly need to open ANWR to oil drilling? How would oil drilling affect the people, animals and plants that inhabit ANWR and its environs?Oil vs. NatureThroughout history, Alaska has been known not only for its natural beauty but also for its natural resources. President Dwight Eisenhower (D), in office 1953-61, established ANWR in 1960, shortly after Alaska gained statehood. While setting aside some land for conservation purposes, Eisenhower also opened 20 million acres of the Arctic coastline to oil prospecting and drilling. In 1968, oil was discovered in the Prudhoe Bay oil field, an area to the east of ANWR.The development of Prudhoe Bay generated thousands of new jobs in Alaska and greatly broadened the state's tax revenue base. (Easton, 2004) The opening of the oil field also led to the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, an 800-mile oil pipeline that runs from Prudhoe Bay to the port of Valdez, a city in southeastern Alaska. The pipeline continues to serve as an important source of oil for the U.S.As Alaskan oil exploration and drilling increased in earnest during the late 1970s, leaders such as President Jimmy Carter (D), in office 1977-81, made efforts to preserve wilderness areas by setting aside land for conservation. In 1978, he created numerous national monuments, making more than 50 million acres of Alaskan wilderness off-limits to development.In 1980, Carter also ratified the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), a bill that established a system of national parks and nature preserves that covers more than 104 million acres. That law also expanded ANWR to 19 million acres and designated the refuge as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, a na tionwide network of parks and conservation areas managed by the federal government. (Lovins, 2001)Although ANILCA set aside most of ANWR as a wilderness area, it deferred a decision on the future of a 1.5-million-acre area of the refuge's coastal plain. The area is commonly referred to as the 1002 Area, a name derived from section 1002 of ANILCA, which recognized it as both an enormous source of oil and a valuable wildlife habitat. (Cunningham, 2005)During the early 1980s, the U.S. Interior Department, the federal department responsible for managing public lands owned by the federal government, conducted studies on the potential oil reserves of the 1002 Area. In 1986, information gleaned from those studies was submitted to Congress.In 1987, after concluding that the area contained a substantial amount of oil, the Interior Department recommended that the area be opened to drilling. Some public officials, including many Republicans, used those recommendations to rally support for open ing the area to oil exploration. Supporters argued that oil drilling in the area was essential to broadening the nation's domestic fuel base and fueling economic expansion. (Lee, 2001)In 1989, members of the Senate Energy Committee began to debate opening ANWR to drilling. During the same year, an Exxon Corp. oil tanker, the Exxon Valdez, ran aground in Alaska's Prince Edward Sound, spilling tons of oil and causing severe environmental damage to the area.The incident drew vehement protest over the environmental practices of the oil industry, and public support for oil exploration went into decline. As a result, advocates failed to muster support for legislation that would have lifted the prohibition of oil drilling in the refuge.Yet during the mid-to-late 1990s, after Republicans gained a majority in the House of Representatives, public officials began to reconsider the fate of ANWR. In 1995, for example, both chambers of Congress passed a budget bill that would have opened ANWR to oil exploration.However, President Clinton (D), in office from 1993 to 2001, vetoed that bill, and in subsequent years, his administration continued to oppose similar legislation. Before leaving office, Clinton administration officials also considered designating ANWR a national monument, but that action was never taken. (Easton, 2004)During the 2000 presidential race, the fate of ANWR became a central issue in the campaigns of both major candidates. While Vice President Al Gore (D) vowed to block efforts to open ANWR to oil exploration, Bush announced his fervent support for such measures. Whereas Gore argued that the refuge should be preserved, Bush declared a commitment to increasing oil exploration and drilling in order to expand the nation's fuel supply.Although Bush has yet to introduce or sign legislation that would lift the ban on drilling in ANWR, he has continued to voice support for such measures. (Cunningham, 2005) In addition, shortly after taking office he appointed Ga le Norton, a strong advocate of ANWR oil exploration, as secretary of the Interior Department. Meanwhile, many Democrats have vowed to vigorously oppose any attempts to open ANWR to drilling, and the future of the refuge remains a divisive issue.