Environmental constraints Essay Example

Environmental constraints Essay If there is a new act of parliament (law) about the amount of waste you can produce or the amount of recycling you must do Ikea will be affected. The affect of this is not good for Ikea because Ikea would then have to pay a firm to dispose of the excess waste by recycling. This will cost Ikea dearly because they have many outlets which will need this service.  If there is new act of parliament (law) about the amount of vehicles on the road or the type of fuel used to power vehicles which include liquid patrolmen gas or electricity. Ikea will be affected by this because they have many delivery tucks around the world so may need to change the fuels they use which may be much more expensive, so Ikea will have less money to spend on improvements or designing new products. If there is new act of parliament (law) about the hours you can use noisy machinery, this will affect Ikea. Ikea will be affected because they would have to limit the amount of products they make which will lead to loss of profit.  If there is a new act of parliament (law) about smoking Ikea would be affected because many customers may smoke, and may not go to Ikea because of the smoking band. If there is a new act of parliament (law) about the amount of space Ikea can take up, Ikea must then build their stores tall and thin to save the environments landscape. If this does accrue Ikea must then spend more money on the structure of the building so there will be less money to spend on refurbishing. Richards Paints  Competitors  If Richards paints has a new competitor which has bought a plot near their site which also sold bespoke industrial paint, Richards Pants would be affected. This affect on Richards Paints would be bad because their prices are quite high and will lose all their customers so will be out of business. Richards Paints could prevent this from happening by lowering prices; they could provide lowered prices by buying cheaper raw materials so could sell paint for less money. We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental constraints specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental constraints specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental constraints specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Richards Paints could also advertise more in local trade magazines which will make their business better known so customers will most likely buy paint from them if they know the company.On the other hand if there are fewer competitors Richards paints will make more profit so will have money to spend on improvements.  Economic Conditions  The rise or fall of interest rates may affect Richards paints in a bad or good way. If Interest rates raise this will be a bad thing for Richards Paints because the owners will the have to pay more money back to the bank because of their mortgages and bank loans. To pay for the bills Richards paints could higher prices, buy cheaper raw materials or even advertise so more customers will purchase more paint, so their will more money to distribute on the bills.  Another way they are affect is their customers will also have tom pay more to the bank so will have less money to spend on a new paint job. Richards Paints could lower prices to make it possible for other businesses will pay for paint.  Furthermore if interest rates fall Richards Paints will be affected in a good way because they have to give less money to the bank and their customers will also have more money to spend on a new paint job. Because of this Richards Paints could rise prices a little so will then have more money to spend on paying their bills. The rise or fall of exchange rates may affect Richardss paints in a bad or good way.  If exchange rates fall the pound will be worth less, when Richardss paints purchase their raw materials from Asia. So if exchange rates fall the pound may be worth less in rupees, so Richards Paints will have to pay more for their raw materials. Because of this Richards Paints could wait until exchange rates rise so they have to pay less for their raw materials. Income tax may affect Richards Paints if the Income taxes fall or rise. The effect on Richards Paints could be good or bad. If income taxes fall this will mean many customers will have more money to spend, which means more profit. However if income taxes raise many customers will not be able to afford to buy industrial paint. Richardss paints could lower prices which will mean less profit but could mean more customers.  Cooperation tax affects Richards Paints; this can b   good or bad.  If Cooperation tax raises Richards paints must pay more money to the council from their profit which means less money for improvements. However if Cooperation tax falls Richards paints must then pay less money to the council.  Unemployment or occupation does not affect Richards Paints because other companies buy the industrial paint and not the public so can afford to pay for paint.  Environmental constraints  If there is a new act of parliament (law) about the amount of waste you can produce or the amount of recycling you must do Richards Paints produce a lot of waste but is not really affect because they already recycle their waste. If there is new act of parliament (law) about the amount of vehicles on the road or the type of fuel used to power vehicles which include liquid patrolmen gas or electricity. Richards paints could also use fewer delivery trucks, but this will mean less business.  If there is new act of parliament (law) about the hours you can use noisy machinery, this will affect Ikea.  Richards Paints will be affected because they would have to limit the amount of paint they make which will lead to loss of profit.

The Country of Egypt - Geographic Information

The Country of Egypt - Geographic Information Population: 80,471,869 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: CairoArea: 386,662 square miles (1,001,450 sq km)Coastline: 1,522 miles (2,450 km)Highest Point: Mount Catherine at 8,625 feet (2,629 m)Lowest Point: Qattara Depression at -436 feet (-133 m)Egypt is a country located in northern Africa along the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Egypt is known for its ancient history, desert landscapes and large pyramids. Most recently however, the country has been in the news due to severe civil unrest that began in late January 2011. Protests began occurring in Cairo and other major cities on January 25. The protest is against poverty, unemployment and the government of President Hosni Mubarak. The protests continued for weeks and eventually led to Mubaraks stepping down from office. History of Egypt Egypt is known for its long and ancient history. According to the U.S. Department of State, Egypt has been a unified region for over 5,000 years and there is evidence of settlement prior to that. By 3100 B.C.E., Egypt was controlled by a ruler named Mena and he began the cycle of rule by Egypts various pharaohs. Egypts Pyramids of Giza were built during the 4th dynasty and ancient Egypt was height from 1567-1085 B.C.E.The last of Egypts pharaohs was dethroned during a Persian invasion of the country in 525 B.C.E. but in 322 B.C.E. it was conquered by Alexander the Great. In 642 C.E., Arab forces invaded and took control of the area and began to introduce the Arabic language which still exists in Egypt today.In 1517, the Ottoman Turks entered and took control of Egypt which lasted until 1882 except for a short time when Napoleons forces took control of it. Beginning in 1863, Cairo began to grow into a modern city and Ismail took control of the country in that year and remained in powe r until 1879. In 1869, the Suez Canal was built.Ottoman rule in Egypt ended in 1882 after the British stepped in to end a revolt against the Ottomans. They then occupied the area until 1922, when the United Kingdom declared Egypt independent. During World War II, the U.K. used Egypt as an operations base. Social instability began in 1952 when three different political forces began to clash over control of the region as well as the Suez Canal. In July 1952, the Egyptian government was overthrown. On June 19, 1953, Egypt was declared a republic with Lt. Col. Gamal Abdel Nasser as its leader.Nasser controlled Egypt until his death in 1970, at which time President Anwar el-Sadat was elected. In 1973, Egypt entered a war with Israel and in 1978 the two countries signed the Camp David Accords which later led to a peace treaty between them. In 1981, Sadat was assassinated and Hosni Mubarak was elected as president shortly thereafter.Throughout the rest of the 1980s and into the 1990s, Egypts political p rogress slowed and there were a number of economic reforms aimed at expanding the private sector, while reducing the public. In January 2011 protests against Mubaraks government began and Egypt remains socially unstable.Government of EgyptEgypt is considered a republic with an executive branch of government made up of a chief of state and a prime minister. It also has a legislative branch with a bicameral system made up of the Advisory Council and the Peoples Assembly. Egypts judicial branch is made up of its Supreme Constitutional Court. It is divided into 29 governorates for local administration.Economics and Land Use in EgyptEgypts economy is highly developed but it is mostly based on the agriculture that takes place in the Nile River valley. Its main agricultural products include cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables cattle, water buffalo, sheep and goats. Other industries in Egypt are textiles, food processing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, cement, metals and light manufacturing. Tourism is also a major industry in Egypt.Geography and Climate of EgyptEgypt is located in nor thern Africa and shares borders with Gaza Strip, Israel, Libya and Sudan. Egypts boundaries also include the Sinai Peninsula. Its topography consists mainly of desert plateau but the eastern part is cut by the Nile River valley. The highest point in Egypt is Mount Catherine at 8,625 feet (2,629 m), while its lowest point is the Qattara Depression at -436 feet (-133 m). Egypts total area of 386,662 square miles (1,001,450 sq km) makes it the 30th largest country in the world.The climate of Egypt is desert and as such it has very hot, dry summers and mild winters. Cairo, Egypts capital which is located in the Nile valley, has an average July high temperature of 94.5ËšF (35ËšC) and an average January low of 48ËšF (9ËšC).To learn more about Egypt, visit the Geography and Maps page on Egypt on this website.ReferencesCentral Intelligence Agency. (13 January 2011). CIA - The World Factbook - Egypt. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Egypt: History, Geography, Government, and Cul ture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107484.htmlParks, Cara. (1 February 2011). Whats Going on in Egypt? The Huffington Post. Retrieved from: huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/28/whats-going-on-in-egypt_n_815734.htmlUnited States Department of State. (10 November 2010). Egypt. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5309.htmWikipedia.com. (2 February 2011). Egypt - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt

Final Case Guidelines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Final Case Guidelines - Essay Example gement information system also helps to create a report which consists of expenses of any franchise and compare it with the approved budget; this is done on a monthly basis. MIS helps the managers to understand the performance of their organization, how can they improve and to plan on a course of action for the future (Mcdonaldsmis.blogspot.com, 2015). Sine McDonald’s is one of the largest fast food chains in the world and it operates thousands of franchises all over the world there are certain issues that exist in the management information system of the McDonald’s such as the large global expansion of the business worldwide give in many chances of security thefts and chances of hackers to hack into the system to gain valuable information that is needed by the competitors of McDonald. If and when hacking or a breach in this information system occurs then there is also a possibility that the hacker might edit the information present on the system. Emails are another source of hacking that poses a security threat to the company. Secondly, the organization is connected to various other computers all over the world with the help of internet or intranet and hence the speed of the internet or intranet connection is also an issue which may increase the lag time and hence may result in a delay of processes. Thirdly, the lar ge expansion of the business also results in non-uniformity in the format of data being obtained and this might vary according to the location of the franchises (abahe.co.uk, n.d.).. The solutions to these problems are quite simple if they be implemented in a proper and organized manner. In order to prevent the information management system from getting hacked or getting infected with virus there are certain steps such as the use of passwords which are not to be made available to anyone or everyone and is only for the upper management level who are trustworthy enough. Other preventive measures that the organization can take in order to prevent

Business and Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business and Accounting - Essay Example I can always listen to music conveniently while at home or at my car. Eventually, I knew I had interest in business making and saving money. For me, learning is not only a process of gaining knowledge, values and skills through formal study but from experiences in working as well. After realizing my interest in the business field, I decided to work for a few months in a company that was owned by my father's friend before going to the United States. Even by just being a receptionist, I learned that it takes a lot of diverse skills such as good communications and sensitivity of other's needs is needed to do a good job in any business. I started working for my father's company as an accounting assistant in year 2005. I was assigned in making simple statements of different accounts and doing money wire transactions to companies that we deal with. Aside from this, I learned to use information systems to track the financial performance of the company. Through work, I discovered more on the enormous potential of the business world. To develop knowledge and skills required in this world, I therefore believe that studying the Business and Economic program offered in the University of California would prepare me to become a successful businessman. I consider leadership as a significant quality that I can contribute to the Universit

WHAT ARE SOME REASONS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER DATA OR INFORMATION TO LACK Essay

WHAT ARE SOME REASONS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER DATA OR INFORMATION TO LACK VALIDITY, CREDIBILITY, OR RELIABILITY EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER BY USING EXAMPLES - Essay Example Validity of data focuses on the whole tentative concept and establishes whether the outcome obtained congregate all the necessities of the scientific research method. If the data fails to meet these requirements, then it is said to unreliable (Hurtado et al 21). The following are the reasons why data may be lack credibility, reliability and validity. The principle of credibility tests the believability of data. Credibility of data may be affected by vagueness. Lack of transparency in research may create doubt this may make it difficult to evaluate data. Failure to consider quality control may also affect the credibility of data. Misspelled words may also with the meaning of the information. Carelessness and ignorance by the researcher may give rise to such errors. When accuracy tests are carried out, the data may be termed as vague and be disqualified. Failure to give the author’s credentials such as biographic information, contact information, executive authorship, author’s repute and the site may affect the credibility of data. Timeliness is a key since information is fluid in nature. Information changes as time change especially in the fields of technology, business and medicine. Narrowness of data may also contribute to its lack of credibility. If the source fails to reveal the need of wholeness and exactness, it is termed as unbelievable. Another reason is lack suitability of the anticipated audience and purpose ((Hurtado et al 22). The intension and the rationale of research should be apposite to the requirement so that you can put them into an account. The requirement of testability is that there is duplication of statistically momentous domino effect. Testability may fail if the experimental conditions are changed. If the tools of research are changed, the outcomes will automatically change. Failure to keep accurate time may produce unreliable data. If the researcher fails to obtain measurements several times, the chances of

Mission And Goals Of Marks And Spencer Commerce Essay

Mission And Goals Of Marks And Spencer Commerce Essay MS has been acknowledged as a legendary UK retailing organization and therefore they are exemplars of best practice in society. MS in a western world is a managerial giant (Drucker, 1974). It has been identified as one of the best managed companies in Europe (Tse, 1985). MS corporate objectives are laid down in its Mission statement which is Making aspirational quality accessible to all and this is the base which tells us what the business and what it should be in the future. In its mission statement the MS outlined clothing and food business as its core business but financial objectives such as shareholder wealth maximisation is also taken into account as this helps in occupying more market share and so increased its sales. MS have a strong tradition of corporate social responsibility as they want it to be integrated into all their operations at every level. There are three main generic strategies that can be adopted by any company including MS where the customers are ready to pay a premium and this can be achieved by differentiating its product and services in such manner that it is valued by the customers. Therefore MS has adopted focussed differentiation strategy in food and clothing industry but its market share is relative low with low industry growth whereas Financial services industry growth output is very high but MS market share in it is very low and which demands substantial capital investment in the market to turn them into Stars according to BCG Matrix. MS targets mostly the age of 30 plus with high disposable income to spend like executive class and they value them and therefore many of its products are highly priced though high quality is maintained. Although MS, Clarks, Faith and Office are in a high quality segment where others like Top shop and River Island ends as a medium priced segment but these can be outweighed in fashion market of shoes and clothes and because of all these variations in Individual styles and spending habits, MS must plan for an idea which counteracts the risks around its strategic choices because there are various risks in terms of focus strategies in that imitation and changes in the target market and due to this it makes an easy entry of foreign player which is broad market cost leader that can easily adopt MS products in order to compete directly and gaining the market share hence therefore to tackle and survive in the cut throat competition of super markets where Giants as Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury, they need to have a contingency plan and bend their strategies in terms of focussed differentiation and adopt cost leadership. In recent years MS has started corporate social responsibility as an effective tool to increase awareness among different generations to differentiate them from their competitors and this is possible with proper drive for innovation across all its Strategic business units(SBU) where they have to generate strategies at SBU level. This has been done continuously by MS now such as Sustainable fishing, organic colouring of clothes, salt reduction, animal welfare and fair-trade. The strategy process which has started in 2006 when labelling has been done as a part of an integrated communication drive to state their position on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and this was the first time since its origin that MS have involved its stakeholders on such a scale and this CSR issue has been promoted through national advertising, in-store dà ©cor, MS website and the main communication channel among its employees. They provide a huge range of clothing, food, home and beauty products that are established through longstanding core values quality and service, through innovation, value and trust. The trust we are talking about is the bond between the company and its customers, its employees and shareholders and this trust was integrated among all to achieve success for the business. The management team confirmed it once again that the companys promise to its core values and aggressively used CSR is an integral part of refining and improving commercial performance and customer loyalty. (Paul Myners, Chairman and Stuart Rose, Chief Executive, 2004) In conclusion each business unit known as (SBU) Strategy Business units of MS needs to develop a its own CSR strategy that helps that specific unit to measure and tackle its risks and opportunities that may rise from its market position, its customer base, its product range and quality and its supply chain which is of utmost importance. For example MS has identified sixteen separate core issues relates to their business which comprises of health, labor standards, packaging, fair-trade etc. and through strategic intent they are able to develop clear strategy and position on each issue. MS Culture The culture of any company plays an important role and so for Marks and Spencer as culture is all about people and the way in which they interact with each other in the organisation and that is crucial for the company while making their decisions. MS should have positive culture which may influence the decision making process that can help to achieve excellence in their business and it is possible only when both management and its employees work together and thinks the same. In simple words culture in any organisation is the way the things are done to achieve business goals and objectives. MS culture (Their way of doing things) since it originated: MS were heavily dependent on British suppliers and thus not strived for cheaper buying from overseas market. MS have a centralized system of buying from the central office which is an old formula and incurs cost heavily as movement of goods increases. The store managers of MS followed central direction on store design and layout, training and development, merchandising and so on which makes the store identical where local discretion is limited. The managers were restrained to respond to the local needs of the customers as there were severe restrictions. MSs organization structure can be categorized as reflection which is taken for granted fashion and this type of attitude is shared among the members of the organization. The societal beliefs and basic assumptions operate among the members automatically. These basic assumptions and taken for granted fashion have taken MS roots from the basis of the organisational success. The rationale behind a particular manner in which people act and the reasons behind the action is not dependent on the blend of objective and subjective factors, but in a complex network of meanings as created and understood by the participants (Schutz, 1964). Its very important that employees act accordingly therefore at the end organisations do not react to their environment, its their members react due to changes in the environment within and outside the organization. The culture that originates out of MS is a customer specific or customer driven. This type of culture can be said when everyone in the business makes a deliberate but real effort whether the management or its employees to improve customer service. This can be achieved when good market research has been conducted, employing right people and giving them proper training and updated e-commerce technology is used. MS culture is dynamic and regards changes as opportunity and not as a threat and they are doing this because they are always looking for new ideas at any stage and this is where all employees and management are involved together to make it successful and achieve its goals and objectives. The People may act in terms of their own when facing any problem in work without regarding the observers explanation of the situation and thats why its very difficult to handle situations related to culture which is composed of management and employees (Silvermans, 1970). The key feature for sustainability in any organization is to change dynamically and evolve continuously to conquer with its environment in which it operates but this has not been done by MS and the firms failure in terms of its culture in words of Mr. Richard Greenbury, M S Chief executive from 1991, I think that the simple answer is that we followed absolutely and totally the principles of the business. I was the business with the aid of my colleagues based upon the very long-lasting and recognized ways of running it. (Johnson Scholes, 2001. Most of the researchers and analyst have found that MS had remained for the longer period with their traditional risk averseness formula then it was needed. MS can be concluded on the note that its organizational culture has led to failure in nurturing the dynamic nature of the organizations which has eventually led towards the fall of MS since the late 1990s. This effect of huge inequality between the organizations standard and their erratic environment is due to the changes in the Organizational culture. In present scenario MS is trying to hold the competitive nature of the business and trying its best to get back on the track and therefore they have no fear in implanting new strategies and new strategic approaches are being adopted and implemented to fasten the recovery of the business. References: Drucker, P. F. (1974). Management: Tasks Responsibilities Practices. Heinemann, London. Tse, K. K. (1985). Marks and Spencer Anatomy of Britains most efficiently managed company. Pergamon, Oxford. Johnson Scholes 2002 Strategic Management, Exploring Corporate Strategy Text Cases 6th Edition. Schutz 1964, Phenomenology, [Online], 4/12/05, Available from: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/schutz/

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steps where addition of each iteration produces a higher generation of dendrimer (Tomalia and Frechet, 2001). The synthesis method used for dendrimer preparation permit almost entire control over the critical molecular design parameters such as size, shape, surface/interior chemistry, flexibility, and topology. The dendrimers can be synthesized by using three different approaches (Crespo et al., 2005). 1. Divergent approach 2. Convergent approach 3. Double stage convergent approach Divergent approach In this method, dendrimer grows outwards from a multifunctional core molecule towards periphery. As a result of this growth, each new iterative reaction is characterized by the generation of an exponentially increasing number of functional groups on the periphery and double the molecular weight than the previous layer (Vogtle et al., 1978). The reaction steps can be repeated to increase the size of dendrimers as required. Many problems occur from side reactions and incomplete reactions of the end groups that lead to structural defects. To prevent side reactions and for completion o...

The Indigo Spell Chapter Twelve

I FELT LIKE A FAILURE when I delivered Ms. Terwilliger the news before classes the next day. She told me, her face pale and grim, that there was nothing I could've done. But I didn't know if I believed that. I still berated myself with the same questions as last night. What if I hadn't spent the previous day with Marcus? What if I hadn't spent so much time making sure the Mustang was taken care of? What if I hadn't been engaged in a massive public display of affection on the floor with Adrian? I'd let personal matters interfere, and now a girl had paid with her life. I wanted to skip school and warn the others immediately, but Ms. Terwilliger assured me that Veronica wouldn't be able to feed so quickly. She told me waiting until later in the day would be fine. I gave a reluctant nod and returned to my desk, figuring I'd try to read until class started. I didn't expect to have much success. â€Å"Miss Melbourne?† she called. I glanced back and saw that her sad expression had lightened up a little. She almost looked amused, which seemed weird, given the situation. â€Å"Yes, ma'am?† â€Å"You might want to do something about your neck.† I was totally lost. â€Å"My neck?† She reached into her purse and handed me a compact mirror. I opened it and surveyed my neck, still trying to figure out what she could be talking about. Then I saw it. A small, brownish purple bruise on the side of my neck. â€Å"What on earth is that?† I exclaimed. Ms. Terwilliger snorted. â€Å"Although it's been a while for me, I believe the technical term is a hickey† She paused and arched an eyebrow. â€Å"You do know what that is, don't you?† â€Å"Of course I know!† I lowered the mirror. â€Å"But there's no way – I mean, we barely – that is – â€Å" She held up a hand to silence me. â€Å"You don't have to justify your private life to me. But you might want to consider how you can actually keep it private in the next fifteen minutes.† I was practically out of my seat before she finished speaking. When I emerged from the building, I had the amazing fortune to find the campus shuttle just pulling up. I hurried onto it, and although the ride to my dorm only took a few minutes, it felt like forever. All the while, my mind reeled with what had happened. I have a hickey. I let Adrian Ivashkov give me a hickey. How in the world had that happened? The devastating news about Lynne had allowed me to ignore the full impact of my indiscretion, but there was no avoiding that now. Against every principle I possessed, I'd allowed myself to get drawn into kissing Adrian. And not just kissing. Thinking about the way our bodies had been pressed together made me feel as flushed as I had last night. No, no, no! I couldn't think about that. I had to forget it had happened. I needed to make sure it didn't happen again. What had come over me? I didn't feel the way he felt about me. He was Moroi. And even if he hadn't been, he was undoubtedly the most unsuitable guy for me in the world. I needed someone serious, someone with the potential to get a job that had medical benefits. Someone like Brayden. Yeah, how'd that work out for you, Sydney? What happened with Adrian had been wrong. It had obviously been some twisted act of lust, probably brought on because he was so forbidden. That was it. Women fell for that kind of thing. When I'd researched relationship books, I'd seen one called Bad Boys and the Women Who Love Them. I'd ignored it because Brayden was pretty much the opposite of a bad boy. Maybe it would be worth getting that book now. A flame in the dark. I needed to forget that Adrian had ever called me that. I had to. We had another minute before we would reach my dorm, so I sent a quick text to Adrian: I have a hickey! You can't ever kiss me again. I honestly hadn't expected him to be awake this early so I was surprised to get a response: Okay. I won't kiss you on your neck again. So typical of him. No! You can't ever kiss me ANYWHERE. You said you were going to keep your distance. I'm trying, he wrote back. But you won't keep your distance from me. I didn't dignify that with a response. When we reached my dorm, I asked the driver how long she'd wait before returning to main campus. â€Å"I'm leaving right now,† she said. â€Å"Please,† I begged. â€Å"Wait sixty seconds. I'll pay you.† She looked offended. â€Å"I don't take bribes.† But when I sprinted back out of the dorm – in a scarf – she was still there. I made it back to Ms. Terwilliger's class just as the bell rang. She flashed me a knowing look but said nothing about my wardrobe change. While I was in class, I received a text from Marcus. Can you meet today? San Bernardino, 4 p.m. Well, he'd warned me about short notice. San Bernardino was an hour away. I'd given Eddie a heads-up about the meeting happening this week, and he'd agreed to go. I just hoped he didn't have anything planned this afternoon. I texted back that we'd be there, and Marcus sent me an address. When class ended, a girl from my English class caught my attention and asked if she could borrow some notes since she'd been out sick yesterday. Eddie was gone by the time I finished with her, so I didn't get a chance to ask him about San Bernardino until lunch. â€Å"Sure,† he said, snapping into that fierce guardian mode. Jill already knew about our errand because I'd told Adrian about it. I felt a little bad about taking Eddie from Jill. Okay, really bad. Removing Eddie was a serious risk, though I reminded myself that he wasn't always with her every single second. Sometimes it was impossible, which was why we'd acquired Angeline. Still, if anyone in the Alchemists found out I was using her main bodyguard for personal errands, I'd be in big trouble. Well, actually, I'd probably be in big trouble regardless, seeing as I was meeting with a group of rebels. I turned to Angeline, who was trying to decipher some notes about the quadratic equation. â€Å"Angeline, you need to stay with Jill until we're back,† I said. â€Å"And you should both actually just stay in your dorm, to be extra safe. Don't wander campus.† Jill accepted this, but Angeline looked up in dismay. â€Å"I'm supposed to meet Trey for math. How do you expect me to pass?† I was helpless against an academic argument. â€Å"Study in the dorm lobby. That should be safe enough. Jill can just do homework with you.† Angeline didn't seem entirely pleased about that alternative, but she didn't protest it. She started to return to her notes and then did a double take. â€Å"Why are you wearing that scarf?† she asked. â€Å"It's so hot today.† It was true. The unseasonable temperatures had returned. Eddie, to my surprise, said, â€Å"I wondered the same thing.† â€Å"Oh, um . . . † Please don't blush, please don't blush, I ordered myself. â€Å"I've just been cold today.† â€Å"That's weird,† said Jill, perfectly deadpan. â€Å"For someone who always seems to be so cold, you sure can warm up pretty fast.† It was straight out of Adrian's playbook. Jill knew perfectly well why I had on the scarf, and I gave her a warning look. Eddie and Angeline appeared completely mystified. I stood up, even though I'd barely touched my food. Probably none of them would find that weird. â€Å"Well, I've got to go. I'll find you later, Eddie.† I hurried off before any of them could question me further. I'd been a little hesitant to let Eddie in on Marcus. Eddie certainly wasn't going to turn Marcus or me in to the Alchemists for sideline plotting. That being said, I also didn't want Eddie to think the Alchemists were involved in nefarious schemes against the Moroi. That might very well be something Eddie would relay back to his own people, which could in turn cause all sorts of diplomatic problems. Even this hint of the Alchemists potentially being in contact with the Warriors was dangerous. I decided that having Eddie as protection was worth the risk of him hearing something he shouldn't. He was my friend, and I trusted him. Still, I had to give him a little background information as we made the drive to San Bernardino. â€Å"Who are these people exactly?† he asked. â€Å"Ex-Alchemists,† I said. â€Å"They don't like all the procedures and red tape and just want to interact with Moroi and dhampirs on their own terms.† â€Å"That doesn't sound so bad.† I could hear caution in his voice. Eddie was no fool. â€Å"Why do you want me along?† â€Å"I just don't know much about them. I think their intentions are good, but we'll see.† I thought very carefully on how to phrase my next words. I had to give him a heads-up. â€Å"They've got a lot of conspiracy theories. Some even, um, think there might be Alchemists working with Warriors.† â€Å"What?† It was a wonder Eddie's jaw wasn't on the floor. â€Å"They don't have any hard proof,† I added quickly. â€Å"They've got a Warrior girl who spies for them. She thinks she overheard something . . . but it all sounds sketchy to me. They want me to help, but I don't think there's anything to uncover. I mean, the Alchemists helped raid the Warriors, right? Disrupting their crazy execution ritual wouldn't exactly foster good relations.† â€Å"I suppose not,† he admitted, but it was clear he wasn't entirely at ease. I decided to move on to safer territory. No need to worry about Marcus and his Merry Men (I couldn't get Adrian's name out of my head) until we heard them out. â€Å"How is everything?† I asked. â€Å"With Angeline? Jill? I've been so busy with, uh, stuff that I feel like we haven't talked much.† Eddie didn't answer right away. â€Å"Quiet with Jill, which is good. We want things to be as boring as possible for her. Things are better with her and Micah too. At first, a lot of his friends wouldn't talk to her after the breakup. But he's gotten over her enough that they can just be friends . . . so, the others have decided they can too.† â€Å"That's a relief.† When we'd first come to Amberwood, Jill had had trouble fitting in. Dating Micah had opened up a lot of social circles for her, and I'd worried about what would happen after they split up. Things had worsened when I'd forbidden her from modeling for a local and very assertive fashion designer, Lia DiStefano, who risked exposing Jill. Jill had felt like she'd lost everything, so I was glad to see things were coming together for her again. â€Å"Jill's easy to like,† I added. â€Å"I bet most of them were happy to stay friends with her.† â€Å"Yeah.† It was all he said, but there was a lot of emotion in that one word. I glanced over and saw a dreamy look on his face. So. Micah might be over Jill, but Eddie wasn't. I wondered if he even knew it. â€Å"How's Angeline?† The dreaminess became a frown. â€Å"Confusing.† I laughed. â€Å"That's pretty accurate.† â€Å"She goes from one extreme to another. When we first started going out, she, uh, couldn't stay away from me.† I didn't entirely know what that entailed, and I really didn't want to think about it. â€Å"Now I can hardly get five minutes alone with her. She's started going to basketball games for some reason. I think she's just kind of dumbstruck at a game that's got so many rules, compared to whatever insanity the Keepers do for fun. And she's really into fixing that math grade too. I guess that's a good thing.† He didn't sound too sure. I, however, was thrilled. â€Å"I think the idea of getting kicked out really scared her. Despite all the tough adjustments she's had here, she doesn't want to go back home.† When Rose had been on the run, I'd hidden Dimitri and her with the Keepers. That was where we'd first met Angeline, and even back then, she'd begged Rose to take her away from that rural world. â€Å"Give her time. This'll settle down, and her, uh, enthusiasm will come back.† We reached the address in San Bernardino, a hardware shop that seemed like a strange location for a secret meeting. I pulled into the parking lot and texted Marcus that we were here. No response came. â€Å"That's weird,† I said. â€Å"I hope he didn't change his mind.† Eddie was over his girl troubles and had that sharp guardian look in his eyes again. â€Å"I bet we're being watched. If they're as paranoid as you say, this probably isn't the place we're meeting. They've sent you here and are looking for signs to see if you were followed.† I turned to him in amazement. â€Å"I never would've thought of that.† â€Å"That's why you've got me along,† he said with a smile. Sure enough. Ten minutes later, Marcus texted with another address. We must have passed the test. This new location was in another loud, busy place: a family-friendly restaurant with actors walking around in giant animal costumes. It was, if possible, more absurd than the arcade. â€Å"He picks the weirdest places,† I said. Eddie's eyes were everywhere. â€Å"It's brilliant actually. Too loud to be overheard. One exit in the back, one in the front. And if the Alchemists did show up, I'm guessing they wouldn't create a scene around this many children?† â€Å"I guess.† Marcus met us in the lobby and waved us forward. â€Å"Hey, gorgeous. Come on, we've got a table.† He paused to shake Eddie's hand. â€Å"Nice to meet you. We can always use more for the cause.† I'm not sure what I'd expected of the Merry Men. Maybe a bunch of rough-and-tumble outcasts with battle scars and eye patches, like Wolfe. Instead, what we found were a guy and girl sharing a plate of chicken fingers. They had golden lilies on their cheeks. Marcus directed us to two chairs. â€Å"Sydney, Eddie. This is Amelia and Wade.† We shook hands. â€Å"Sabrina's not with you?† I asked. â€Å"Oh, she's here,† said Marcus, an enigmatic note in his voice. I picked up on the subtext and glanced around. I wasn't the only one who'd brought protection. Sabrina was hidden somewhere in the crowd, watching and waiting. Maybe in an animal costume. I wondered if she'd brought her gun in here. Amelia slid the plate toward us. â€Å"Want some? We've got mozzarella sticks on the way.† I declined. Even with my resolution to eat more, I drew the line at deep fryers. â€Å"Let's talk,† I said. â€Å"You're supposed to tell me about the tattoos and this mysterious task you have for me.† Wade chuckled. â€Å"She gets down to business.† â€Å"That's my girl,† said Marcus. I could almost hear an unspoken That's why we need her for the cause. He waited for our waitress, who was dressed like a cat, to bring the mozzarella sticks and take our drink orders. At least, I think it was a waitress. Gender was a little hard to determine under the mask. â€Å"The tattoo process is simple,† Marcus said, once our privacy was back. â€Å"I told you that the Alchemists are able to put Moroi compulsion in it, right? To limit communication . . . and other things, if needed.† I still didn't know if I bought the idea of mind control in the tattoos, but I let him go on. â€Å"When Moroi help make the blood ink, the earth users put in the compulsion that prevents you from discussing vampires. That earth magic is in harmony with the other three physical elements: air, water, and fire. That harmony gives the tattoo its power. Now, if you can get a hold of charmed ink and have a Moroi undo the earth magic in it, that'll shatter the bond with the other elements and kill any compulsion locked in. Inject that ‘broken' ink into your tattoo, and it breaks the harmony of your elements as well – which in turn breaks any suggestions the Alchemists put in.† Eddie and I stared. â€Å"That's ‘all' I have to do?† I asked in disbelief. â€Å"It's easier than you might think,† said Amelia. â€Å"The hard part is . . . well, Marcus added another part to the process. Not technically necessary . . . but helpful.† We'd been here ten minutes, and I was already getting a headache. â€Å"You decided to do some improvisation?† The laughter that elicited from Marcus was just as infectious as before . . . except, once again, the scene didn't really warrant laughing. He paused, like he was waiting for us to join in, and continued when we didn't. â€Å"That's one way of looking at it. But she's right – it's helpful. Before I'll let anyone do it, they have to perform a task. Some task that involves directly going against the Alchemists.† Eddie couldn't hold back anymore. â€Å"What, like an initiation ritual?† â€Å"More than that,† said Marcus. â€Å"I have a theory that doing something like that, something that challenges all the training you've had, will weaken the compulsion a little. Usually it's something that involves infiltration and helps our cause. That weakening makes it easier for the other ink to take effect. It's also a good test. Deactivating the tattoo doesn't mean you're ready to walk away. It doesn't undo years of mental conditioning. I try to find people who think they're ready to rebel, but sometimes, when they're faced with actually taking action, they crack. Better to know sooner rather than later, before we interfere with the tattoo.† I turned toward Amelia and Wade. â€Å"And you've both done this? You did some dare, and then your tattoos were deactivated?† They nodded in unison. â€Å"We just have to seal it with indigo now.† Seeing my confusion, Wade explained, â€Å"Even after breaking the elements in the tattoo, it can still be repaired. Someone could forcibly re-ink and compel you. Tattooing over it with indigo ink makes sure you can never be controlled again.† â€Å"And here I thought yours was just a style choice,† I said to Marcus. He absentmindedly traced the crescent pattern. â€Å"Oh, the design was. But the ink was mandatory. It's a special concoction that's hard to get a hold of, and I have to go down to a guy in Mexico to get it. I'm taking Amelia and Wade there in a couple weeks to seal theirs. You could come too.† I didn't even acknowledge that crazy idea. â€Å"Seems like that blue ink would kind of be a tip-off to the other Alchemists that something's up.† â€Å"Oh, we ran away from the Alchemists,† said Amelia. â€Å"We're not part of them anymore.† Once again, Eddie jumped in. â€Å"But you were just talking about infiltration. Why not keep doing other covert tasks once you've broken the elements? Especially if it frees you? Your tattoos look the same as Sydney's right now. If you really think there's something suspicious going on, then work from the inside and hold off on sealing with the indigo ink.† â€Å"Too risky,† said Marcus. â€Å"You could slip up and say something that the tattoo wouldn't have let you before. Or, if you're not cautious, they might catch you going off to meet with others. Then you've got a date with re-education – where they could repair the tattoo.† â€Å"Seems like it'd be worth the risk for more information,† I said. â€Å"If you're careful enough.† Marcus shook his head, no longer flippant. â€Å"I've known others who tried that. They thought no one was on to them. They were wrong. We don't make that mistake anymore.† He touched his tattoo again. â€Å"This is the way we do it now. Complete your mission, break the tattoo, leave the Alchemists, and get sealed. Then we work from the outside. Also saves us from getting caught up in all the Alchemist routine and menial tasks.† â€Å"So there are others?† I asked, picking up on what he'd said. â€Å"Of course.† That amusement returned. â€Å"You didn't think it was just the three of us, did you?† I honestly hadn't known. â€Å"So this is what you're offering me. A fairy tale about my tattoo, if I just complete some traitorous mission for you.† â€Å"I'm offering you freedom,† Marcus corrected. â€Å"And the ability to help Moroi and dhampirs in a way that's not part of some larger conspiracy. You can do it on your own terms.† Eddie and I exchanged glances. â€Å"And speaking of conspiracy,† I said. â€Å"I'm guessing this is the part where you tell me about the alleged Alchemist and Warrior connection – the one you need me to prove.† My sarcasm was lost on the threesome because they all grew excited. â€Å"Exactly,† said Marcus. â€Å"Tell her, Wade.† Wade finished off a chicken finger covered in ranch dressing and then leaned toward us. â€Å"Just before I joined Marcus, I was assigned to the St. Louis facility. I worked in operations, handling a lot of visitor access, giving tours . . . not the most interesting work.† I nodded. This, at least, was familiar territory. Being in the Alchemists meant taking on all sorts of roles. Sometimes you destroyed Strigoi bodies. Sometimes you made coffee for visiting officials. It was all part of the greater cause. â€Å"I saw a lot of things. I mean, you can probably guess.† He looked troubled. â€Å"The harsh attitudes. The rigid rules. Moroi visited, you know. I liked them. I was glad we were helping them, even though everyone around me acted as though helping such ‘evil' creatures was a terrible fate that we'd been forced into. I accepted this because, you know, I figured what we're told is true. Anyway, there was one week . . . I swear, it was just nonstop Strigoi attacks all over the country. Just one of those things. The guardians took out most of them, and field Alchemists were pretty busy covering up. Even though most of it was taken care of, I just kept wondering about why we were always dealing with the aftermath when we have so many resources. I mean, I didn't think we should start going after Strigoi, but it just seemed like there should be a way to help the Moroi and guardians be more proactive. So . . . I mentioned it to my supervisor.† Marcus and Amelia wore deadly earnest expressions, and even I was hooked. â€Å"What happened?† I asked softly. Wade's gaze looked off into the past. â€Å"I was chastised pretty bad. Over and over, all my superiors kept telling me how wrong it was for me to even think things like that about the Moroi, let alone talk about them. They didn't send me to re-education, but they suspended me for two weeks, and each day, I had to listen to lectures about what a terrible person I was and how I was on the verge of corruption. By the end, I believed them . . . until I met Marcus. He made me realize I didn't have to be in that life anymore.† â€Å"So you left,† I said, suddenly feeling a little more kindly toward Marcus. â€Å"Yes. But not before completing the mission Marcus gave me. I got a hold of the classified visitor list.† That surprised me. The Alchemists were always hip deep in secrets. While most of our goings-on were recorded diligently, there were some things that our elite leaders didn't want the rest of the society to know about. Again, all for the greater good. The classified list would detail people allowed access – that the higher-ups wanted kept secret. It wasn't something the average Alchemist could see. â€Å"You're young,† I said. â€Å"You wouldn't be allowed access to something like that.† Wade snorted. â€Å"Of course not. That's what made the task so difficult. Marcus doesn't have us do easy assignments. I had to do a lot of dangerous things – things that made me glad to escape afterward. The list showed us the link to the Warriors.† â€Å"Did it say ‘Top Secret Vampire Hunter Meeting'?† asked Eddie. Things like that, aside from his deadly protective skills, were why I liked having him along. Wade flushed at the jibe. â€Å"No. It was all coded, kind of. It didn't list full names, just initials. Even I couldn't get the actual names. But one of the entries? Z. J.† Marcus and his Merry Men all looked at me expectantly, as though that were supposed to mean something to me. I glanced at Eddie again, but he was just as baffled. â€Å"What's that stand for?† I asked. â€Å"Zebulon Jameson,† said Marcus. Once again, there was an expectation. When I didn't answer, Marcus turned disbelieving. â€Å"You were there with the Warriors. Don't you remember him? Master Jameson?† I did, actually. He was one of the Warriors' high officials, an intimidating man with a salt-and-pepper beard who'd worn old-fashioned golden ceremonial robes. â€Å"I never caught his first name,† I said. â€Å"But isn't it kind of a leap to assume that's who Z. J. was? Maybe it was, I don't know, Zachary Johnson.† â€Å"Or Zeke Jones,† supplied Eddie. The cat came by with a refill for Marcus's lemonade, and I soon had proof that it was a woman. â€Å"Thanks, love,† Marcus said, giving her a smile that nearly made her swoon and drop the tray. When he turned back to us, he was all business. â€Å"That's where Sabrina comes in. Not long before Wade got the list, she overheard Master Jameson talking to one of his cronies about an upcoming trip to St. Louis and how he was going to find out about leads on some missing girl. The timing lines up.† â€Å"It's an awfully big coincidence,† I said. Yet even as I spoke, I was reminded of something Sonya Karp always said about the world of Moroi and Alchemists: There are no coincidences. â€Å"What missing girl were they talking about?† asked Eddie carefully. I met his eyes and immediately understood what he wasn't saying. A missing girl that the Warriors were interested in. There was one missing girl that the Moroi were very, very interested in as well. And whom the Alchemists were determined to keep safe. She was the reason I was stationed in Palm Springs in the first place. In fact, I was pretending to be her sister. Jill. I said nothing and focused on Marcus again. He shrugged. â€Å"I don't know, just that finding her would create a lot of problems for the Moroi. The details aren't important yet. First we have to prove the connection.† Those details were immensely important to Eddie and me, but I wasn't sure how much Marcus and friends knew about Jill. I wasn't about to show too much interest. â€Å"And that's what you want me to do?† I asked, recalling the arcade discussion. â€Å"How would you like me to do that? Go visit Master Jameson and ask him?† â€Å"Every visitor is recorded on video if they're going through the secure access point,† said Wade. â€Å"Even the top secret ones. All you have to do is steal a copy of that footage. They store it all in their computers.† These people had a very different idea than me of what â€Å"all you have to do† meant. â€Å"I'm a field Alchemist in Palm Springs,† I reminded them. â€Å"I'm not a computer hacker. I'm not even in St. Louis! How would I walk in and steal something?† Marcus tilted his head to study me, allowing some of that golden hair to slip forward. â€Å"It's more of that resourceful vibe I get off you. Couldn't you find some way to get to St. Louis? Some reason to visit?† â€Å"No! I'd have no . . .† I trailed off, flashing back to the wedding. Ian, with his lovesick eyes, had invited me to visit him in St. Louis. He'd had the audacity to use church services as a way to further his chances with me. Marcus's eyes sparkled. â€Å"You've already thought of something, haven't you? Brilliant, just like I thought.† Amelia looked mildly put out at hearing me complimented. â€Å"It'd be a long shot,† I said. â€Å"That's kind of how we roll,† said Marcus. I still wasn't on board. â€Å"Look, I know someone there, but I'd have to get permission to even go, which wouldn't be easy.† I stared at each of them in turn. â€Å"You know how it is. You were all in the Alchemists. You know we can't just take vacations whenever we want.† Wade and Amelia actually had the grace to look embarrassed, but Marcus was undaunted. â€Å"Can you let this chance pass? Even if you don't want to join us or alter your tattoo, just think about it. You saw the Warriors. You saw what they're capable of. Can you even imagine what could happen if they had access to Alchemist resources?† â€Å"It's all circumstantial,† argued the scientist in me. â€Å"Sydney,† said Eddie. I turned to him and saw something in his eyes I'd never expected to see: pleading. He didn't care about Alchemist conspiracies or Marcus's Merry Men. What he cared about was Jill, and he'd heard something that made him think she was in danger. That was unacceptable in his world. He would do anything in his power to keep her safe, but even he knew stealing information from the Alchemists was out of his league. It was pretty much out of mine too, but he didn't know that. He believed in me, and he was silently begging me to help. Marcus pushed his advantage. â€Å"You have nothing to lose – I mean, if you aren't caught. If you get the footage and we find nothing . . . well, so be it. False alarm. But if we get hard proof that Jameson was there, then I don't have to tell you how big that is. Either way, you should break your tattoo and join us. Besides, after a stunt like this, would you really want to stick around?† He eyed me. â€Å"But that part's up to you. Just help us for now.† Against my better judgment, my mind was starting to figure out how I could pull this off. â€Å"I'd need a lot more information about operations,† I murmured. â€Å"I can get you that,† said Wade promptly. I didn't answer. This was crazy – a crazy idea from a crazy group. But I looked at Marcus's tattoo and the way the others followed him – the way even Sabrina followed him. There was a dedication, an ardent belief that had nothing to do with Marcus's silly flirting. They might really be on to something. â€Å"Sydney,† said Eddie again. And this time: â€Å"Please.† I could feel my resolve weakening. A missing girl, who could cause lots of trouble if found. If they were really talking about Jill, how could I risk anything happening to her? But what if I was caught? Don't get caught, an inner voice said. With a sigh, I looked back up at Wade. â€Å"All right,† I said. â€Å"Give me the scoop.†

Celies Rise Above Oppression essays

Celies Rise Above Oppression essays From the year 1910 to the year 1945 the United States had undergone some of the most significant hardships. Within this time, the Great Depression took place leaving many people unemployed and many people left without food or proper necessities. There was also World War I, and the influx of foreign peoples to the United States. In the south, the major problem was racial tension. Although there was an emersion of African American culture, there were also serious problems such as segregation, the development of the Ku Klux Klan, and the invention of the Jim Crow laws. Another issue facing this time was sexism. Most of society believed that a wife was owned by her husband and she must obey and follow his rules. 1910 to 1945 were also the years in which The Color Purple, by Alice Walker took place. Celie, the main character, is an African American woman with great wealth, but of little importance due to the color of her skin. However, in this novel the racial and sexual hardship s the oppressed (Celie) faces only makes her stronger. The way Celie was treated as a child is a prime example of sexism. Her father had raped her several times infesting her with an incestual pregnancy. He did this as her mother was dying. This shows how the father saw women as an object, rather than human beings with a right to live, and live healthily. If this had happened this day and age I am sure that it would not have gone unnoticed. Consequences of such a disgusting crime would be harsh. As if this was not bad enough, her father gave her to Albert without any consent of Celie herself. He claimed that he would not give up Nettie, and that he better take Celie because she knows how to cook, clean, and take care of children. Albert therefore takes Celie without any wish of love, but with the prime consideration that she would be his property willing to take care of his land and children. This is absolute sexism. Throughout the novel it ...

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Critically Examine Why There Are More Small Wars In Africa Essays Critically Examine Why There Are More Small Wars In Africa African history has gone through three major phenomena that are the slave trade, colonization and decolonization. Each has its positive and negative impacts on the people, the shape of the continent and her economic resources. Slave trade robbed Africa of its best brains as those sold were mainly targeted after challenging the chief an action that by then was a preserve for those with the morale courage to question decisions from the highest authority as it was considered to be taboo. Colonization introduced new country boundaries and disadvantaged other ethnic groups in terms of development ranging from education to economic gains. Various draconian laws desired to sideline the indigenous people in participating in the day to day running of their own countries were passed by the colonizers .These were unacceptable to the African people. The positive elements are the introduction of the education system, the infrastructure development, and the provision of health facilities plus the overall improvement of the economy at large, which also brought about a modern standard of living. Decolonization brought independence and the restoration of the rights of the indigenous people. In the process large quantities of Eastern Block, small arms were dumped in the continent that as will be discussed below ignited random fighting causing mayhem in Africa. Soon after the Second World War, the indigenous people embarked on the confrontational approach to liberate themselves. Negotiations with the foreign rulers started in earnest and majority of countries, were granted their independence. These had strings attached and main ones were the acceptance of the standing borders and the land ownership status quo was to be maintained. Some were denied, and had to take up arms, to liberate themselves. Small wars ensued and these are popularly known as liberation wars. The major suppliers of the arms were USSR, China, Yugoslavia, Romania and the then East Germany. On cessation of hostilities, weapons were not accounted for and later used in the wars under discussion. These wars were meant to overthrow colonial rule that was presided over by presidents or governors from Europe. However, these were justified and needs no examination to justify the circumstances behind them. On attaining independence, some countries experienced some civil wars and t hus the aim of this paper is to come up with a critically examination of the major causes of these disturbances from 1980 to date Small wars can be defined as those conflicts between the people of one country regardless of external support in which a state of open hostility and suspension of international and national laws exists. It is characterized by the use of non-conventional means of fighting and arms. In this write up small wars and conflict will be used interchangeable. The ultimate target is mainly to remove the government or to cede a piece of land and create a separate state. However, of late some small wars have been fought specifically to plunder resources. To effectively, examine as to why we have small wars in Africa it is necessary to briefly sample some small wars from the four corners of Africa. In North Africa, the Algerian war started in 1992 when the Army cancelled the electoral process forcing President Chadli Bendjedid to resign and Mohammed Boudiaf replaced him. A state of emergence was declared and in retaliation, a border post at Guemmar was attacked. The situation became tense when Said Mekhloufi founded the Movement for an Islamic State transforming what was simple some banditry activity into a religious conflict. The causes for this conflict are lack of democracy and the advent of radical Islamists who intends to turn the country into an Islamic state. Conversely, in West Africa, the Sierra Leone conflict began in 1991, initiated by the Revolutionary United Front led by Foday Sannkoy. The causes are corruption, the mismanagement, and the desire to loot the diamonds. Ten of thousands have been killed and 2 million displac ed. In the horn and east of Africa, hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea are because of a border dispute while the Rwanda disturbances was along ethnic lines, all emanating from colonization. Somalia a model state plunged into war because Siad Bare, desperately clung to power for too

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Syriana - Movie Review Example A scene in the movie which can be compared to a real life event is whereby a CIA operative Robert Barnes is sent to Lebanon specifically in Beirut, to carry out the kidnapping and killing of a Prince known as Nasir Al-Subaai. Prince Nasir is condemned to death because of the fact that he wants to develop the infrastructure of his Country. The other reason is that he intends to give oil exploitation rights to china who happen to be the highest bidders. An event which can be compared to this scene is the 1973 oil crisis (Salterio). This oil crisis was started by the Egypt and Syria who are affiliates of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. This was a result of a conflict between the two Countries Egypt and Syria with Israel. Syria and Egypt vowed not to export petroleum to nations that supported Israel against them. The president of US Richard Nixon supported Israel financially in the conflict. Arab oil producing Countries such as Saudi Arabia increased the costs of oil on the US to large extent. This real life scenario shows the fight that was taking place in a bid to secure war in historical periods (Salterio). Oil was used a tool for punishing the US for supporting Israel against oil producing giants. The same way Prince Nasir in the movie Syriana was punished for being on the wrong side of the oil war. The movie clearly displays the struggle between the developed Countries as they fight for the control of oil in the Middle East. Salterio, James W. "Politics and Politicians in Films :Contrasting Viewpoints in American and Foreign Films." 2008. 15 November 2014