Is the Kyoto Treaty a Success in Addressing the Rise in Greenhouse Gas Research Paper

Is the Kyoto Treaty a Success in Addressing the Rise in Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Research Paper Example Initially adopted in Kyoto, Japan in 1997, this treaty, however, has not yet been ratified by major countries and some other industrial countries like Canada have even withdrawn from the treaty. (The Guardian,). The lack of proper ratification and adoption of the treaty by major industrial nations have put serious doubts over the ability of the treaty to actually enforce protocols required to reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions by countries which are responsible for most of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. (Ross,95) Over a period of time, despite the fact that countries have been able to cut greenhouse emissions, the over general emission levels have increased. These trends have put serious questions over the ability of treaty to successfully control the greenhouse emissions from the major industrialized nations of the world. This paper will argue whether the Kyoto protocol was successful in controlling greenhouse emissions or not. Climate Change & Greenhouse Emis sions Over the period of time, scientific evidence emerged which suggested a climate change being caused by the way humans actually interact with their environment. The rapid industrialization witnessed by major developed countries during the 20th century is considered as one of the key reasons behind this climate change. With over 100 years of greenhouse emission, the overall ecosystem of the earth is believed to be out of balance and a clear need for reducing the emission was recognized in order to stabilize the earth’s environment. (Henson,15) During the 1990s, environmental issues became a strategic concern and for the first time, it was recognized that there is a clear need for putting into practice certain standards and efforts which can obligate industrial nations to actually reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The 1990s saw great diplomatic efforts to actually develop a comprehensive framework for industrialized nations to actually agree upon certain standards to r educe greenhouse emissions. These diplomatic efforts finally resulted in the development and introduction of what is now called the Kyoto protocol or the Kyoto treaty. (Grubb, Vrolijk, Brack, & Energy and Environmental Programme,54)

Individuals With Asperger Syndrome

Individuals With Asperger Syndrome Asperger Syndrome (AS) or (Aspergers Disorder) is a neurobiological disorder named for a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who in 1944 published a paper which described a pattern of behaviors in several young boys who had normal intelligence and language development, but who also exhibited autistic-like behaviors and marked deficiencies in social and communication skills. In spite of the publication of his paper in the 1940s, it wasnt until 1994 that Asperger Syndrome was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th. Edition (DSM IV) and only in the past few years has AS been recognized by professionals and parents. Individuals with AS can exhibit a variety of characteristics and the disorder can range from mild to severe. Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see. Its important to remember that the person with AS perceives the world very differently. Therefore, many behaviors that seem odd or unusual are due to those neurological differences and not the result of intentional rudeness or bad behavior, and most certainly not the result of improper parenting. By definition, those with AS have a normal IQ and many individuals (although not all), exhibit exceptional skill or talent in a specific area. Because of their high degree of functionality and their naivetà ©, those with AS are often viewed as eccentric or odd and can easily become victims of teasing and bullying. While language development seems, on the surface, normal, individuals with AS often have deficits in pragmatics and prosody. Vocabularies may be extraordinarily rich and some children sound like little professors. However, persons with AS can be extremely literal and have difficulty using language in a social context. While specific Asperger syndrome causes are not known, research is being conducted to understand Asperger syndrome and how it can be effectively treated. One study is using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to show how abnormalities in particular areas of the brain cause changes in brain function that result in the symptoms of Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disorders. Other research includes testing the effectiveness of an antidepressant in individuals with Asperger syndrome who exhibit high levels of obsessive/ritualistic behavior. Another Asperger syndrome research study is collecting and analyzing DNA samples from a large group of children with Asperger syndrome and their families to identify genes and genetic interactions that are linked to Asperger syndrome. Although there are many possible symptoms of Aspergers syndrome, the main symptom is severe trouble with social situations. Your child may have mild to severe symptoms or have a few or many of these symptoms. Because of the wide variety of symptoms, no two children with Aspergers are alike. Parents often first notice the symptoms of Aspergers syndrome when their child starts preschool and begins to interact with other children. Children with Aspergers syndrome may. Not pick up on social cues and may lack inborn social skills, such as being able to read others body language, start or maintain a conversation, and take turns talking. Dislike any changes in routines. Appear to lack empathy. Be unable to recognize subtle differences in speech tone, pitch, and accent that alter the meaning of others speech. Thus, your child may not understand a joke or may take a sarcastic comment literally. Likewise, his or her speech may be flat and difficult to understand because it lacks tone, pitch, and accent. Have a formal style of speaking that is advanced for his or her age. For example, the child may use the word beckon instead of call or the word return instead of come back. Avoid eye contact or stare at others. Have unusual facial expressions or postures. Be preoccupied with only one or few interests, which he or she may be very knowledgeable about. Many children with Aspergers syndrome are overly interested in parts of a whole or in unusual activities, such as designing houses, drawing highly detailed scenes, or studying astronomy. They may show an unusual interest in certain topics such as snakes, names of stars, or dinosaurs. Talk a lot, usually about a favorite subject. One-sided conversations are common. Internal thoughts are often verbalized. Have delayed motor development. Your child may be late in learning to use a fork or spoon, ride a bike, or catch a ball. He or she may have an awkward walk. Handwriting is often poor. Have heightened sensitivity and become over stimulated by loud noises, lights, or strong tastes or textures. For more information about these symptoms, see sensory integration dysfunction. A child with one or two of these symptoms does not necessarily have Aspergers syndrome. To be diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome, a child must have a combination of these symptoms and severe trouble with social situations. Although the condition is in some ways similar to autism, a child with Aspergers syndrome typically has normal language and intellectual development. Also, those with Aspergers syndrome typically make more of an effort than those with autism to make friends and engage in activities with others.

Vocational Teacher Education Reform Essay -- Teaching Educate Essays

Vocational Teacher Education Reform The reform movements of the 1980s triggered numerous demands to reexamine and reform the way students and their teachers are educated. This Digest examines the implications for vocational teacher education emerging from general teacher education reform movements. It discusses how excellence in vocational education teaching can be achieved and proposes 21st century models for vocational teacher education. Impacts of Reform Movements on Vocational Teacher Education Several of the major reform initiatives of the 1980s and early 1990s argued that improving education requires improving teacher quality and, accordingly, teacher education. Numerous changes in teacher recruitment, preparation, and certification were proposed. (For a detailed list, see Hartley, Mantle-Bromley, and Cobb 1996.) In response to the calls for reform, general teacher education programs raised admission standards/exit requirements; revised curricula to reflect multiculturalism and new K-12 standards; paid more attention to pedagogy, teaching practice, and relevance; included clinical experiences in public schools and other learning environments; and proposed new model standards/principles for licensing beginning teachers (Lynch 1997). As of 1989, the only major impacts of national education reform movements on vocational teacher education at the macro (national) level were stiffer requirements for entry into teacher education programs and, to a lesser extent, more credit hours/time devoted to student teaching/clinical-type experiences with public schools (Lynch 1991). Until 1993, the discussion of reform of teacher education in the vocational education literature was limited to individual authors' suggestions f... ... R.E., and Venable, W. "Implications of Increasing Numbers of Nontraditional Students for Vocational Teacher Education Reform." In Beyond the Debate, pp. 95-102. University Council for Vocational Education, 1988. (ED 303 639) Rudolph, J.; Fry, B.; and Barr, L. "Factors Affecting the High School Curricula and Their Implications upon Vocational Teacher Education." In Beyond the Debate, pp. 82-94. University Council for Vocational Education, 1988. (ED 303 639) Sharp, G. "Post-Fordism, the Vocational Curriculum and the Challenge to Teacher Preparation." Journal of Vocational Education and Training48, no. 1 (1996): 25-39. Tozer, S., and Nelson, R.E. "Vocational Teacher Education: Emerging Patterns for General Studies, Academic Majors, and Professional Education." In Beyond the Debate, pp. 18-37. University Council for Vocational Education, 1988. (ED 303 639) Vocational Teacher Education Reform Essay -- Teaching Educate Essays Vocational Teacher Education Reform The reform movements of the 1980s triggered numerous demands to reexamine and reform the way students and their teachers are educated. This Digest examines the implications for vocational teacher education emerging from general teacher education reform movements. It discusses how excellence in vocational education teaching can be achieved and proposes 21st century models for vocational teacher education. Impacts of Reform Movements on Vocational Teacher Education Several of the major reform initiatives of the 1980s and early 1990s argued that improving education requires improving teacher quality and, accordingly, teacher education. Numerous changes in teacher recruitment, preparation, and certification were proposed. (For a detailed list, see Hartley, Mantle-Bromley, and Cobb 1996.) In response to the calls for reform, general teacher education programs raised admission standards/exit requirements; revised curricula to reflect multiculturalism and new K-12 standards; paid more attention to pedagogy, teaching practice, and relevance; included clinical experiences in public schools and other learning environments; and proposed new model standards/principles for licensing beginning teachers (Lynch 1997). As of 1989, the only major impacts of national education reform movements on vocational teacher education at the macro (national) level were stiffer requirements for entry into teacher education programs and, to a lesser extent, more credit hours/time devoted to student teaching/clinical-type experiences with public schools (Lynch 1991). Until 1993, the discussion of reform of teacher education in the vocational education literature was limited to individual authors' suggestions f... ... R.E., and Venable, W. "Implications of Increasing Numbers of Nontraditional Students for Vocational Teacher Education Reform." In Beyond the Debate, pp. 95-102. University Council for Vocational Education, 1988. (ED 303 639) Rudolph, J.; Fry, B.; and Barr, L. "Factors Affecting the High School Curricula and Their Implications upon Vocational Teacher Education." In Beyond the Debate, pp. 82-94. University Council for Vocational Education, 1988. (ED 303 639) Sharp, G. "Post-Fordism, the Vocational Curriculum and the Challenge to Teacher Preparation." Journal of Vocational Education and Training48, no. 1 (1996): 25-39. Tozer, S., and Nelson, R.E. "Vocational Teacher Education: Emerging Patterns for General Studies, Academic Majors, and Professional Education." In Beyond the Debate, pp. 18-37. University Council for Vocational Education, 1988. (ED 303 639)

Expect more, get more

Finding the perfect match online promises to become simpler with the September 21 launching of moreProfiles.com, a website that hopes to become the hub of online dating services. With the help of powerful Web 2.0 software, moreProfiles’ president John Dahl and his associates have created a site that makes it easier for singles to search profiles, upload their own, do side-by-side comparisons—everything necessary find their perfect match. The website enlarges the selection pool by bringing together such major players in the online dating industry as Yahoo Personals, Match, American Singles, Love Happens, and True. moreProfiles.com gives the public free access to the 30 million profiles held separately by each of these dating websites, but all from one central web location. The charm and ingenuity of moreProfiles.com is the simplicity that comes with having to do only One Searchâ„ ¢ and to submit only One Profileâ„ ¢. Previously, singles interested in online dating have found that choosing a dating website often locks them into the relatively stagnant pool of users that belong to that one site. Simultaneously, it has effectively locked them out of several competing sites, any one of which has the potential to contain the one person that could match them completely. moreProfiles’ One Profileâ„ ¢ and One Searchâ„ ¢ solutions propose to remove the guesswork from choosing a dating service, as it brings all the top ones directly to the searcher. Just one search command probes the vaults of several of the most prominent dating websites, giving singles free and complete access to the profiles of millions and making it easier for them to find their match. In addition, the submission of just one profile gets singles’ information out to all the top dating websites, making it easier for matches to find them. Information integration is at the heart of moreProfiles’ mission. The key component of the One Searchâ„ ¢ and One Profileâ„ ¢ aspects of moreProfiles is its meta-search capability that reaches across company lines to bring all relevant information to searchers. It has been Dahl’s concern that singles should not be distracted by decisions about which online dating service to use.   He says, â€Å"The question shouldn't be ‘Which dating website is right for me?’ The question should be ‘Which person is right for me?’† He believes that it should be as simple to search online for a dating partner as it is has been to search for any thing else. In keeping with this, Dahl and his team have used meta-search technology to create a website that integrates all the browsing, searching, and comparison capabilities necessary for making perhaps the most important decision in a person’s life. To moreProfiles and its users, this unique service represents a long-overdue development in online dating services. The president and staff of moreProfiles.com are confident that the site fills a gaping hole in the world of online dating, and are sure that this will become evident in the coming months through an expected influx of singles to the site. Dahl says, â€Å"By offering a way to easily and intuitively browse all the top online dating websites simultaneously, we think a lot more people are going to take advantage of online dating to reach out and find that special someone.†   

How the Rediscovery of the Works of Aristotle Challenged the Church

Rediscovery of the Works of Aristotle challenged the Church in several ways as it triggered the Scientific Renaissance. This was characterized by many inventions and discoveries. It is the discoveries that challenged the Church then and continue to do even today. Some of these discoveries caused people to start doubting what the church and Christianity beliefs had made them to believe. The developments in the study of the universe especially brought contradictions in what was discovered and what the Church Taught. An example is that while it was discovered that the sun did not move, the Bible which was very fundamental to the Church had verses that implied that the Sun moved. Developments in Astronomy a result of the rediscovery of the works of Aristotle are hence an example of its challenge to the Church (Kretzmann & Stump, 2001). What Scholasticism is and how it attempted to Reconcile Faith with Reason Scholasticism is a method of teaching where learners are encouraged to reason dialectically. This tool for learning enables the learners to learn how to argue with those holding beliefs and ideas that are different from theirs hence are able to persuade them to join them (Alvarez, 1971). The sole objective of Scholasticism was to resolve ideas that were contradicting or conflicting. This is because even though the ideas and beliefs were different, they shared some common principles which brought out the conflicts as individuals argued on which ones were right hence in an attempt to find the answers, Scholasticism was invented. It attempted to reconcile reason and faith by looking using Aristotle's philosophy of human reasoning to explain the Christian faith that was characterized by supernatural contents that could not be easily understood. It sought to bring together the wisdom of the Christianity religion and that of the Aristotle and other Greeks. The movement sought to integrate the two, that is the secular beliefs and Christian beliefs so as to come up with an ordered system used reason to explain faith. 2. How Renaissance Altered Views of Humanity and the Human Relationship with God prevalent during the Middle Ages. Renaissance period which was characterized by numerous cultural changes altered views of humanity in many ways. It emphasized so much on reasoning that some views of humanity that initially were believed to be against humanity became morally right due to reasoning. Most of the issues that are perceived to be inhuman such as suicide for example have their root s in this period. This is because it was during this period that individuals reasoned that actions such as suicide were the better option (Alvarez, 1971). For example it was reasoned that it was better for old people to commit suicide than to continue living as they suffer the complications that come with old age. The stoics were amongst the humanists who supported suicide in the event that it was done under such circumstances. Suicide was now seen and described as good death as it relieved younger people the burden of taking care of or killing individuals who were too old. Humanists such as Plato and Aristotle argued against suicide claiming that no circumstances could justify it as it left the responsibilities of those who killed themselves abandoned and denied the community a citizen who could contribute to its development. Other philosophers such as Jewish and Christian religions however believed that such action were against God’s desire and human good as they affected human responsibility to god as he created life to be preserved. Philosophers such as Michel de Montaigne even challenged condemnation of suicide arguing that it was a moral thing to do under certain circumstances and that it should be perceived as a religious belief but as a matter of choice as every human being had the freedom to choose. During the middle ages, the prevalence of human relationship with God was very low. This can be attributed to the many scientific discoveries that challenged the church and its beliefs hence deviating people’s beliefs from its teachings. The many philosophers and their theories also caused confusion causing their relationship with God not to be as strong as it was before. The Humanists, what they said and how they Contributed to Modern Education. Humanists scholars who challenged some of the philosophers shaped and established intellectual landscape from the middle age period to the present day. These philosophers include Thomas More and Niccolo Machiavelli who criticized contemporary government and some of the secular beliefs. Their theories and teachings revived the Roman’s and Greek's way of thinking and ideas. The challenging of Aristotelian status quo by humanists such as Martin Luther led to the introduction of faith and justification ideas that were new, liberal and radical. The justification theory is very crucial to modern education as many fields of study call for justification to be made before they can be accepted. This goes for research too. 3. How Dangerous Beauty Reflects Values Dominant in Venice and how it depicts relationship patterns between man and women. The fact that Marco was discouraged by his family from veronica even though he loved her implies that individuals in Venice value wealth more than any other thing. Veronica’s decision to become a courtesan in an effort to get money that would support her and her mother reflects the same value of the Venice individuals preferring wealth so much that they could even compromise their principles. The fact that Veronica was not the only one and that even her mother and grandmother had done the same thing implies that prostitution is a dominant thing in Venice especially with men of high social standing. This value has negative impact on the relationship between men and women. This goes especially for the married couples. We observe that Marco's marriage started experiencing problems as he had no intimate relationship with his wife once he started being with Veronica. The marriage eventually broke up. It can be concluded that both the values discussed above negatively affect the relationship between men and women. 4. How Lady Jane show the dynastic and religious conflicts prominent in England in the 16th Century The two weeks that Lady Jane ruled England and her execution brought out the existing dynastic and religious conflicts prominent in the Kingdom. We observe she was not the right person to inherit the throne from Edward VI. The only reason Edward chose her to succeed him and not Mary his half sister who was the rightful heiress at the time was because just like he was, Jane was a staunch protestant while Mary was Catholic. There seems to have been a religious conflict as the English nobles did not want the throne to be given to a catholic. Mary went away and gathered herself support. She later came back and denounced Jane as the Queen of England. According to the law she was the rightful heiress hence the parliament could do nothing but proclaim her as the Queen. Mary then imprisoned Jane and her husband. This brings out the dynasty conflicts in England within the Royal families. When Mary married a Roman catholic Prince from Spain called Philip, the protestants in England rebelled and carried out demonstrations as they were against catholic religion. Some even called fore the restoration of Jane as the Queen. This made Mary to execute her so as to repress any future rebellions and unrest within the kingdom. It was observed that this marked the climax of religious and dynasty conflicts in the kingdom at the time as Protestants did not want to be ruled by Catholics while the Catholics did not want to lose their grip on the throne. It can hence be concluded that dynasty and religious conflicts were prominent in England during the 16th Century. 5. The Hundred Schools of Thought, their chief Theorists, and what they said. Especially Confucius. The hundred schools of thought were schools and philosophers that sprang up and got established from the period 770-221B. C. E in China. These schools flourished during an era that the country was experiencing culture and intellectual expansion. The thoughts that were developed during this time influence the country up to now. The schools developed were confucianism, school of law, languages, Moism , amongst several others. The theorists of confucianism were Xunzi who argued that humans are not born good but that goodness is a virtue that is developed with time through training of ones conducts and desire. Mengzi another confucianism theorists argued that every individual had a responsibility and obligation to every one else in the society and not just to those they were acquainted with. He explained that one had to be careful in their action as they affected many people. Kongzi argued that ideal human beings were those that were gentlemen. He also explained social stratification and political governance could only exist peacefully by ethical values. He argued that good leader needed to be virtues in order for them to rule well. He added that the best relationship was achieved when leaders remained leaders while subjects accordingly remained so. 6. Buddhist Thought. The Buddhist Thought is based on three fundamental principles namely impermanence, selflessness and unsatisfactoriness. The thought is that all; things in life come from one source and eventually go back to the same source. It explains that everything in the world is connected to each other and none can exist independently or occurs apart from the rest. Its view is that everything in the world undergoes transformation and some change during its existence. This according to the thought is that things do not cease to exist, they only change their state through transformation and exist in other forms. This thought is what explains the religion's belief in rebirth. 7. Historians talk about the revolution of the 11th Century, which launch a series of conflicts between Church and state. What form did these conflicts take? The 11th century was characterized by many conflicts between the Church and state. These conflicts were mainly between kings and Popes. As both parties sought to have more power than the other, conflicts arose. Initially monarchs had ruled both the throne and the church as it was believed that they had divine right. But then, in contrast the pope was believed to be God's vicar on earth hence having the divine authority from God to the state. (Elliott, 1877). This resulted to the church having more power in the West but as secular kingdoms flourished, power struggle between the two sprang up. The conflict was between the secular ideologies of the state and the sacred ideologies of the church. Eventually the church lost some of its powers to the state.