Current Situation in Diversity Management in the Workplace Essay

Current Situation in Diversity Management in the Workplace - Essay Example Thus, diversity in management is essential in the current state of economic affairs. Diversity in workplace helps the organizations to attract businesses, corporations and government talents from almost all the directions. It also helps the companies to tap emerging new markets and enjoy the fruits of efficient government policies (Cook, 24). Managing diversity in the firms involves observing legal and policy requirements in a very simple manner. In the current epoch diversity in workplaces helps companies to promote community and comfort with differences (Williams 17). Finally diversity in the workplaces helps firms to achieve successful growth in the long run. Workplace diversity provides immense benefits to an organization. The business firms can expand their thoughts outside-the-box and enjoy efficient teamwork with diversity in managements. A cordial atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect is enjoyed by the workers in an organization that diversifies its workplace.  "A company’s performance is always linked to its ability to recruit the right people. People want to work for companies that demonstrate that diversity matters. There needs to be a sustained culture assault down the supply chain that business must encourage.† (Shakhray 6). ... In order to compete in the growing economy, it is important for the business organizations to select the brightest talent in their agencies. This is easily executed in the current era with diversification of management of the workplaces. More innovative and creative solutions are formulized nowadays by the business firms by diversifying in terms of experiences and skills. Significant improvement in both workplace productivity and work performance can be enjoyed by the firms in the current economy with the help of diversification of bureau. Briefly, diversity of work is the actual key that is responsible to foster the economic growth of the current period. Case Study: Workforce Diversity in U.S. U.S. is a highly developed country in the world both in terms of social and economical development. The rate of urbanization in the country is above 80%. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as GDP per Capita is improving significantly in U.S. with time. About 79.7% of the total population in U.S. is engaged in the service sector. The service sector of the country is highly diverse in terms of skill, race, gender etc. Approximately 155,163,000 was the labor force of U.S. in July 2012. This strength included the workers who were actively employed as well as those who were seeking employments. Figure 1: Workforce diversity in US (Source: American Progress, â€Å"The State of Diversity in Today’s Workforce†) The graph above enumerates the current workforce diversity in the U.S. market in 2011 in the employment sector. It is visualized from the above graph that 16.49% of the total workforce works in the state owned public sectors in U.S. 10.58% and 3.8% are the proportions of the people working in

Liberalism and Realism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Liberalism and Realism - Essay Example Realists are more of pessimists in international politics. They agree that it is desirable to have a peaceful world. They view no possibilities of escaping the harsh world that is dominated by insecurity, war, and competition. The need to create a peaceful world is a good but not a practical idea. They also have three beliefs that form their basis. They regard states as the main actors in the world of politics. Great powers shape and dominate international politics as well as being the cause of wars. Realists also believe that the external environment influences the behavior of the great powers. In principles, great powers resemble billiard balls whose only variation is in size. Third, realists consider that power calculations dominate the thoughts of states. States always engage in competitions for power. The competition at times demands the need for war and it is at times considered as a good weapon of statecraft. Zero-sum quality brands the competition that makes it intense and un forgiving. States occasionally cooperate, but they have conflicting interests at their roots. The two theories have various common aspects from which they base their arguments. First is the distribution of Power. It refers to the state’s ability to manage outcomes. It is the ability of state B to get state A do something with state A having no options about it. The second one is war. War is a state-directed violence or violence across state borders. The third aspect is the national interest that makes states do what they prefer.

In the News Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

In the News - Essay Example The article argues that this trend will continue to grow in future as interest of the people in the internet is expected to increase in coming years. Ad tracking companies attempt to increase the experience of the viewers and this is the main reason why they are expected to do good in future. The article also forecasts that in future customers will be targeted with more relevant and quality advertisements. The material discussed in the article is both important and relevant to course content. Internet advertisement has become an important area of advertisement. Gone are the days when managers had to worry about print and television media only. Digital media and social media is an all new territory for managers and today they have to focus more on such media in order to achieve their sales target. This is why the article is completely related to the course content and in also important for future managers. The article has great managerial implications for future marketers. The growth of internet marketing tells managers what audiences are interested in. Managers should focus more on the digital media than any other media in order to attract audiences because this is where the future

Ramadan Celebration Essay Example for Free

Ramadan Celebration Essay Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, is considered as one of the holiest months of the year. In this month when the prophet Muhammad was said to have received the holy book (Quran). Each day during Ramadan, followers of Islam, known as Muslims, do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset; they are also supposed to avoid bad thoughts and bad behavior. Muslims break their daily fasts by sharing meals with family and friends. During Ramadan Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. All Muslims who have reached puberty and are in good health are required to fast. At sunset, families get together to break the fast known as Ifatr. You start eating with two or more dates like the Prophet Peace Be Upon use to do. The Ifatr meals consist on milk, water, dates, and desserts. (A team of cardiologists in the UAE found that people observing Ramadan enjoy a positive effect on their lipid profile, which means there is a reduction of cholesterol in the blood) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan It is very important in Ramadan to pray 5 times daily, and recite Quran every day. Ramadan helps us become patient and washes away our bad deeds. It reminds us of the people that are starving and teaches us that how lucky we are that Allah-Tallah provided us with these benefits and help us become better Muslim. After the Ifatri you go to Mosque and pray Magrib and Isha to complete your fast. Thirdly, in Ramadan avoid bad thoughts and bad behavior. Respect your elder and listen to them, you are not allowed to use foul language or hit someone. Keep your mind away from the bad thoughts and the best way to do that is pray and keep saying Allahakabar, Alhumdullah, and Astagfirullah it will keep your mind away from bad thoughts. In Quran Allah- Tallah said if one does not abandon falsehood in words and deeds, Allah has no need for his abandoning of his food and drink.

Spectrophotometer Essay Example for Free

Spectrophotometer Essay Spectrophotometry in chemistry is a quantitative measure of the reflection or transmission of material properties as a function of wavelength. It is more specialized than the term electromagnetic spectroscopy which is general in that spectrophotometry deals with near-ultraviolet, visible light, and near-infrared, but doesn’t cover the techniques of time-resolved spectroscopic . Spectrophotometer is used in Spectrophotometry. A spectrophotometer is a photometer that measures the intensity as a function of the wavelength of the light source. Important features of spectrophotometers are linear range of absorption or reflectance measurement spectral and bandwidth. A spectrophotometer is used commonly for the transmittance measurement or solutions reflectance, opaque solids or transparent, such as gases, or polished glass. However they can be designed to measure the diffusivity of any of the listed light ranges that which cover around 200nm 2500nm using different calibrations and controls. Calibrations are needed on the machine, within these ranges of light, using standards which vary in type depending on the wavelength of the photometric determination. An example for spectrophotometry experiment is used is the determination of the solution equilibrium constant. A specific chemical reaction in a solution may occur in a reverse and forward direction where products break down into reactants and reactants form products. At some point, this chemical reaction will reach a point of balance called an equilibrium point. In order to determine the respective concentrations of products and reactants at this point, the light transmittance of the solution can be tested using spectrophotometry. The amount of light that passes through the solution the concentration of certain chemicals is indicative that do not allow light to pass through. The use of spectrophotometers spans various scientific fields, such as materials science, physics, biochemistry, molecular biology , and chemistry. They are widely used in many industries including semiconductors, laser and optical manufacturing, printing and forensic examination, and as well in laboratories for the chemical substances study. Ultimately, a spectrophotometer is able to determine, depending on the control or calibration, what substances are present in a target and exactly how much through calculations of observed wavelengths. IR Spectroscopy Infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy) is the spectroscopy that deals with the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum that is light with a longer wavelength and lower frequency than visible light. It covers a range of techniques, mostly based on absorption spectroscopy. As with all spectroscopic techniques, it can be used to identify and study chemicals. A common laboratory instrument that uses this technique is a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is usually divided into three regions; the near-, mid- and far- infrared, named for their relation to the visible spectrum. The higher-energy near-IR, approximately 14000–4000 cm−1 (0.8–2.5 ÃŽ ¼m wavelength) can excite overtone or harmonic vibrations. The mid-infrared, approximately 4000–400 cm−1 (2.5–25 ÃŽ ¼m) may be used to study the fundamental vibrations and associated rotational-vibrational structure. The far-infrared, approximately 400–10 cm−1 (25–1000 ÃŽ ¼m), lying adjacent to the microwave region, has low energy and may be used for rotational spectroscopy. The names and classifications of these sub regions are conventions, and are only loosely based on the relative molecular or electromagnetic properties. Types There are two basic types of infrared spectrometers. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers are single-beam instruments that use an interferometer to spread a sample with infrared light and measure the intensity of the infrared light not absorbed by the sample. The application of a Fourier transform converts the resulting time domain digital signal into a frequency domain digital signal. Dispersive infrared spectrometers use visible lasers, a grating, and charged coupled devices (CCDs) to collect data. The laser acts as a light source and irradiates the sample. Most of the radiation scatters elastically at the same energy as the incoming laser radiation. A small amount, approximately one photon in a million (0.00001%), scatters from the sample at a wavelength shifted slightly from the original wavelength. Techniques * Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy FTIR redirects here. FTIR may also refer to frustrated total internal reflection. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a technique which is used to obtain an infrared spectrum of absorption, emission, photoconductivity or Raman scattering of a solid, liquid or gas. An FTIR spectrometer simultaneously collects spectral data in a wide spectral range. This confers a significant advantage over a dispersive spectrometer which measures intensity over a narrow range of wavelengths at a time. FTIR has made dispersive infrared spectrometers all but obsolete (except sometimes in the near infrared), opening up new applications of infrared spectroscopy. The term Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy originates from the fact that a Fourier transform (a mathematical process) is required to convert the raw data into the actual spectrum. * Near IR spectroscopy Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a spectroscopic method that uses the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum (from about 800 nm to 2500 nm). Typical applications include pharmaceutical, medical diagnostics (including blood sugar and pulse oximetry), food and agrochemical quality control, and combustion research, as well as research in functional neuroimaging, sports medicine science, elite sports training, ergonomics, rehabilitation, neonatal research, brain computer interface, urology (bladder contraction) and neurology (neurovascular coupling). Theory: Near-infraredspectroscopy is based on molecular overtone and combination vibrations. Such transitions are forbidden by the selection rules of quantum mechanics. As a result, the molar absorptivity in the near IR region is typically quite small. One advantage is that NIR can typically penetrate much farther into a sample than mid infrared radiation. Near-infrared spectroscopy is, therefore, not a particularly sensitive technique, but it can be very useful in probing bulk material with little or no sample preparation. The molecular overtone and combination bands seen in the near IR are typically very broad, leading to complex spectra; it can be difficult to assign specific features to specific chemical components. Multivariate (multiple variables) calibration techniques (e.g., principal components analysis, partial least squares, or artificial neural networks) are often employed to extract the desired chemical information. Careful development of a set of calibration samples and application of multivariate calibration techniques is essential for near-infrared analytical methods. Applications: The primary application of NIRS to the human body uses the fact that the transmission and absorption of NIR light in human body tissues contains information about hemoglobin concentration changes. When a specific area of the brain is activated, the localized blood volume in that area changes quickly. Optical imaging can measure the location and activity of specific regions of the brain by continuously monitoring blood hemoglobin levels through the determination of optical absorption coefficients. Typical applications of NIR spectroscopy include the analysis of foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, combustion products and a major branch of astronomical spectroscopy.

The Threat Of Nuclear Weapons Politics Essay

The Threat Of Nuclear Weapons Politics Essay Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction which are capable of wiping out an unimaginably large number of people. Today, five member nations, the United States of America, Russia, United Kingdom, France and the Peoples Republic of China are internationally recognized as nuclear weapons nations by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and are thus permitted to possess nuclear weapons. Two non-signatory members, India and Pakistan also possess these weapons and have conducted nuclear weapon tests. In addition to these seven members, Israel is strongly suspected of possessing nuclear weapons although it has neither confirmed it nor denied it. There is also speculation the Iran might be running a covert nuclear weapons program. Finally, North Korea has publicly declared itself to be in possession of nuclear weapons but this fact has never been confirmed as it has not conducted any substantial nuclear tests. There is an urgent need to limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons across the world as they pose a great threat to international security and their usage could lead to catastrophe. Today, this issue is especially relevant to North Korea and the Middle East where the lack of agreements and the prevalence of ambiguities regarding nuclear programs is becoming an issue of global concern. Countries associated with nuclear weapons3 Definition of Key Terms Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) The NPT is a treaty that came into force in 1970, in order to limit nuclear proliferation. It prohibits non nuclear weapon states from developing, possessing or acquiring nuclear weapons or explosives. The three pillars of the treaty are non proliferation, disarmament and the peaceful use of nuclear technology. Currently, it has not been signed by India, Pakistan and Israel. Nuclear weapons Nuclear weapons are extremely destructive and explosive weapons that derives its force through either fission reactions or both fission and fusion. Nuclear Proliferation Nuclear proliferation is a term now used to describe the spread of nuclear weapons, fissile material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information, to nations which are not recognized as Nuclear Weapon States by the NPT. 1 Nuclear weapons free zone A Nuclear weapons free zone is a geographical area recognized by the United Nations that has banned the use and development of nuclear weapon technology and has put measures into place to check its implementation. Nuclear Disarmament Nuclear disarmament is a proposal to dismantle nuclear weapons in order to reduce the possibility of the occurrence of a nuclear war. Background Information The first nuclear weapon was invented by USA, Britain and Canada during the Second World War. USA remains the only country to have ever used it. Soon after, during the Cold War, the world saw the beginning of the nuclear arms race. Following the Second World War, Korea was divided into two geographical regions: the northern controlled by the Soviets and the southern controlled by USA. Also, Israel is believed to have begun investigating the nuclear field soon after it was founded in 1948. In the 1950s the nuclear program in Iran was established for peaceful purposes under the supervision of the United States. The Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) was signed in 1963 which banned the test of nuclear weapons underwater, in the atmosphere or in outer space. This treaty was not signed by China and France who are both nuclear weapons states today. The conflict between the communist North Korea and the capitalist South Korea has been going on since 1950 and there have been repeated failures to consolidate the two as one unified nation. Even today, the two countries have not officially made peace. Hence, ever since the 1970s, North Korea began its pursuit of acquiring nuclear weapons. In 1967, a CIA report claimed that Israel had the materials required to construct a bomb. In 1979, a US satellite reported a flash in the Indian Ocean that was similar to a nuclear denotation and could have possibly been a nuclear test conducted by Israel. It is speculated to be one of the apparently few joint nuclear tests conducted by South Africa and Israel. Minimal progress was made in nuclear disarmament until 1991 and the Comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT) was adopted in 1996 which banned all nuclear explosions in all environment for military or civilian testing. It was signed by 182 countries and ratified by 153 and was aimed at stopping the nuclear arms race. Iran ratified the NPT in 1970s which subjected it to IAEA inspections. Today, the main reason for suspicion of Irans nuclear program is its failure to declare sensitive enrichment and reprocessing activities to the IAEA. In 1992, North Korea entered a safe guards agreement under Article 3 of the NPT which allowed IAEA inspectors to inspect North Koreas nuclear materials. In 1993, North Korea threatened to withdraw from the NPT which it had acceded to earlier. However, this did not ultimately happen as USA and North Korea came to an agreement by which North Korea would suspend all nuclear reactors in exchange for in exchange for alternative energy resources. North Korea withdrew from the IAEA in 1994 and launched a missile over the Sea of Japan in 1998 which caused USA to review its policies towards the country. Relations between the two countries remained turbulent. In 2002, the North Korean Deputy Secretary apparently acknowledged the existence of a covert nuclear-weapons development program. North Korea withdrew from the NPT in 2003 and in response; the US launched six way talks about the issue with North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. North Korea, once again, agreed to abandon all nuclear weapon activities. However, like previous agreements, North Korea did not commit to it. It declared that it had nuclear weapons and withdrew from the six party talks in 2005. In October, 2006 North Korea announced plans for its first nuclear test. North Korea did conduct an explosive underground test but there are doubts as to whether it really was a nuclear test since the magnitude of the blast was less than expected. As far as Iran is concerned, in March 2010, Iran declared itself as a nuclear state and president Ahmadinejad announced I want to announce with a loud voice here that the first consignment of 20 percent enriched uranium was produced and was put at the disposal of the scientists. However, Iran reiterated that it will use this only for peaceful purposes. We have the capability to enrich uranium more than 20 percent or 80 percent but we dont enrich (to this level) because we dont need it. Evidently, there has been a great turn of events regarding the development and legitimacy of nuclear weapons in North Korea, Iran and Israel. A clear agreement in the case of all three countries has yet to be formed. General Overview Nuclear Deterrence The argument of those who possess nuclear weapons is that it enables them to ward off or deter nuclear or conventional attack through threat of disastrous retaliation. This could be incentive to possess nuclear weapons. DPRK has been accused of using nuclear weapons as a political tool to normalize relations with USA, Japan, and South Korea and to end the embargo against North Korea. North Korea will thus be unwilling to give up nuclear weapons without substantial concessions from USA and South Korea, among others. On the other hand, Iran has entirely denied seeking nuclear weapons for retaliation or nuclear deterrence. Transfer One of the greatest concerns with nuclear weapons is that it could end up in the wrong hands. Not only could countries possessing them sell them to others, thus encouraging nuclear proliferation, but nuclear weapons could also be sold to or stolen by non-state actors. If such a situation were to arise, it would have severe implications on the national security of several countries. For instance, DPRK has refrained from selling its nuclear weapons and materials. However, in the case of harsh sanctions being imposed on the country, it could retaliate and sell its nuclear weapons. Out of this fear, China has prevented the Security Council from authorizing the use of force or imposing truly harsh sanctions on the country. Similarly, in 1975, there were rumors that Israel offered to sell its nuclear weapons to South Africa. Israel has vehemently denied the claim. Israel-Iran Relations The turbulent relationship between Israel and Iran dates back to the Islamic Revolution in the 1970s. Both countries are suspected of having a nuclear weapons program and blame each other for threatening the security of the Middle East by doing so. Irans extreme hostility towards USA and Israel is probably the reason that has caused many to consider Iran to be the greatest threat in the Middle East. Iran itself is not a democracy and does not recognize the right to freedom of speech and expression. In addition, it refuses to acknowledge Israel as a country and refers to Israel as an occupied territory. However, many are angered at the fact that although there is no proof that Iran plans on developing nuclear weapons it is being faced with threats of dire consequences by the USA and Europe where as there is comparatively less pressure on Israel which is practicing opacity as far as its nuclear plan is concerned. On the other hand, seeing as Israel is a democracy, people believe that it can be trusted with its power. Israel also has a reputation of being relatively more reliable and predictable. It is considered less likely to misuse its nuclear weapons through and arbitrary attack. However, Israels intentional ambiguity regarding nuclear development in the country could be considered as a catalyst for the prospect of a nuclear arms race in the region. There are rumours that Israel may have up to 400 nuclear warheads. Egypt and 17 other Middle Eastern countries want Israels nuclear capabilities to be discussed with the IAEA since they have all signed the NPT and believe that Israels accession to the NPT is essential to establish regional peace. Israels current status is considered by some to be a provocation of nuclear proliferation. Israel refuses to sign the NPT without a comprehensive regional peace agreement as until then it requires its ambiguity about its nuclear weapons capability as a deterrent. It is important to note that although the world is split regarding who is to be blamed, both Israel and Iran are in a situation that can possibly lead to a destabilizing arms race in the Middle East and are key players in the possibility of establishing a nuclear free zone in the Middle East. Thus any agreement that does not involve the two countries will result in stalemate. Major Countries and Organizations Involved Israel Israel is the only country in the Middle East that is not a part of the NPT and is suspected by the IAEA to have nuclear weapons. Israel refuses to admit or deny possessing nuclear arsenal, or developing nuclear weapons and is using this ambiguity about its nuclear weapons capability as a deterrent. It is a good ally of USA and a hostile enemy of Iran. Iran Iran is a part of the NPT and strongly asserts that its nuclear technology, including enrichment is solely for civilian purposes but the IAEA has been unable to verify it. It is strongly suspected that the program is concealing the development of nuclear weapons. Iran claims that Israel is the only obstacle to establishing a nuclear weapons free zone and has stated its intentions to wipe Israel of the map. Iran has been subjected to four rounds of sanctions by the Security Council of the United Nation in order to urge it to halt its nuclear program. USA USA, today, has the largest quantity of nuclear weapons in the world but is trying to gradually cut them down under the Obama administration. It strongly condemns both North Korea and Iran for their nuclear program and is unwilling to accept either of the two as nuclear powers. China China has been reluctant to back the sanctions against Iran as it supports the Irans nuclear program for civilian use. It is believed to have helped Iran with its missile development programs. It is North Koreas most important ally, biggest trading partner and main source of food, arms and fuel. China has not expressed outright defiance against USA in order to protect its relations with the country and has supported some UN sanctions against Iran. Russia Russia believes that every nation has the right to self defense and therefore sees Irans nuclear program as legitimate. It has strong ties with Iran and has opposed unilateral sanction imposed on it by USA. However, Russia has urged Iran to change its stance. Russia has also been accused of assisting North Korea and Iran with their nuclear program. IAEA The IAEA is an international organization that promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The IAEA believes that every nation has the right to an authorized and monitored nuclear program for peaceful purposes; however, nations should not attempt to pursue nuclear weapons in any form. Timeline of Events Date Description of event 1945 USA conducts its first nuclear test 1946 Russia conducts its first nuclear test 1952 UK conducts its first nuclear test 1964 China conducts its first nuclear test 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty 1968 NPT signed 1974 Indias first nuclear test 1985 North Korea accedes to the NPT 1990 Frances first nuclear test December 31, 1991 North and South Korea sign the South-North Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. March 6, 1992 US imposes sanctions upon North Korea for missile proliferation activities September, 1992 IAEA inspectors discover discrepancies in North Koreas initial report on its nuclear program and ask for clarification on several issues, including the amount of reprocessed plutonium in North Korea. February 9, 1993 North Korea denies IAEA inspections of two sites believed to store nuclear waste. 1993 North Korea threatens to withdraw from the NPT 1994 Agreed Framework June 13, 1994 North Korea withdraws from NPT 1996 Comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT) adopted 1998 Pakistans first nuclear test Feb 15, 1994 North Korea permits IAEA inspections in 7 of its sites May 24, 1996 The United States imposes sanctions on North Korea and Iran for missile technology-related transfers April 25, 1999 The United States, South Korea, and Japan establish the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group to institutionalize close consultation and policy coordination in dealing with North Korea 4 2002 President G W Bush names North Korea as a member of the Axis of Evil October 16, 2002 US announces that North Korea has admitted to possessing nuclear weapons January 10, 2003 North Korea withdraws from NPT October 9, 2006 North Korea conducts an underground explosive test 2009 North Korea conducts another test Previous Attempts to solve the Issue Sanctions on Iran The Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanction upon Iran in its resolutions 1737, 1747, 1803 and 1929. The UN Security Council began imposing sanctions on Iran since 2006, when it failed to comply with IAEA requirements and continued uranium enrichment activities. The sanctions have included bans on exports of nuclear, missile, and dual-use technologies; limiting travel by dozens of Iranian officials; and freezing the assets of forty individuals and entities, including Bank Sepah and various front companies.2 In addition, USA and EU have individually imposed further sanctions on Iran which have targeted its trade, finances and energy sector. Russia has supported the weaker Security Council sanctions against Iran but opposed the stronger ones imposed individually by the USA. It is against any unilateral sanctions and although a fourth round of sanctions was imposed, it faced resistance from Russia and China, both of which maintain strong economic ties with Iran. They opposed it due to their individual economic and political interests. According to critics, the lack of support from these two nations could have weakened the overall affect of the sanctions. The sanctions imposed are believed to have had limited success as Iran still holds an aggressive stance as to continuing its nuclear program and asserts that is it permitted to do so for civilian use as per the NPT. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said: The Iranian nation will not succumb to bullying, invasion and the violation of its rights.5 Talks with DPRK Several attempts have been made to establish a nuclear free Korean-peninsula but all efforts until today have been unsuccessful and DPRK has withdrawn from all treaties it has acceded to. This is probably because DRPK has only been signing treaties out of international pressure, not voluntarily. Agreed Framework The United States and North Korea signed the Agreed Framework on October 21, 1994 by which DPRK agreed to freeze operation and construction of nuclear reactors in exchange for two light water reactors and the relaxation of economic sanctions. The Agreed Framework resolved the ongoing 18 month crisis during which DRPK threatened to withdraw from the NPT. However, there were difficulties regarding the financing of reactors caused the plan to be behind schedule. Infuriated, DPRK violated the agreements which caused USA to persuade KEDO suspend shipments to the country. This marked the end of the agreement. In comparison to other attempts, this one probably had the greatest chance of success as it offered DPRK to end its nuclear program in exchange for realistic concessions made by other countries. Six Party Talks The six party concerning DPRKs nuclear program involved United States, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia and, South Korea as was a result of North Korea withdrawing from the NPT in 2003. Until today, six rounds of the six party talks have been held. Due to the conflicting aims of the members involved, minimal progress was achieved. During the third phase of the fifth round, North Korea agreed to shut down its nuclear facilities in exchange for fuel aid the normalization of relations with Japan and USA. These talks eventually ended when North Korea launched a satellite despite international pressure not to do so. It was believed to be a test of its prototype Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). In February 2005, North Korea declared that it had nuclear weapons for self defense and pulled out of the six party talks. DPRK expelled all nuclear inspectors and resumed its nuclear weapons program. Possible Solutions As evident from the past, Iran has been adamant about its position and the authenticity of its nuclear program. For any further progress to be made Iran and the West need to cooperate. Prior to creating any framework for agreements, Iran must be given recognition for its right to exist as an Islamic Republic, and its minimum security concerns must be acknowledged as legitimate. Thus, military strike either by USA or by Israel against Irans possible nuclear program would be disastrous as it would possibly cause Iran to retaliate which is a concern of global security and lead to regional catastrophe. The underlying problem in the Middle East crisis is the lack of trust and the increasing hostility between Iran and Israel. Solutions to resolve this issue should focus on reduce the fears of existential destruction that the two nations harbor towards each other. Iran must recognize the importance of moderating its bellicose stance whereas Israel checks its threats to attack Iran. In order to moderate any development of the negotiations between Israel and Iran, the Security Council should provide security guarantees to both countries and assess their concerns of security risks. Another way of addressing the issue would be to provide financial incentives to Iran; large enough to buy up the nuclear energy specialized for civilian use, if Iran completely halts its current nuclear program. One way of addressing the issue of North Korea would be to provide it with concessions such as providing it with substitute forms of energy for its civilian nuclear program and cutting back economic sanctions based on any agreement that has been reached upon. However, these are only possible if North Korea agrees to comply with any solutions reached upon. Although diplomacy is a great tool to resolve conflicts, many believe that as North Korea has repeatedly proved itself to be unreliable as far as agreements are concerned, a more aggressive option might be appropriate. However, it is important to note that any aggressive military action could possibly worsen matters. Constructive solutions would include measures to normalize relations between North Korea and all other states. As of today the most viable solution would be to establish a nuclear free zone in North Korea but it is difficult to implement. All problems that arise as a consequence of implementing such a solution must therefore also be addressed.

Easter 1999: The Day I Almost Lost Everything Essay -- Personal Narrat

Easter 1999: The Day I Almost Lost Everything The vibrant sun was shining its warmth upon the green, wet grass. There were puddles of water everywhere due to the past night’s rainfall. I was thirteen years old, short, and chubby at the time, with strawberry-blond hair and blue eyes. I was wearing a denim skirt and a blue t-shirt, which had a cute little bow at the top. My mom, with her curly red hair, blue eyes, and a constant smile that always lit up a room, came into my bedroom, which was purple with butterfly lights. She asked, â€Å"Are you ready to go honey?† I said, â€Å"Yes,† excitedly, as I loved Easter at my grandparent’s house. As my mom and I locked the black doors of our white house, we were greeted by my father, a big and bulky man standing 5’8’ tall with jet black hair and blue eyes. He was situating the back of the truck with fluffy pillows for Mom and me to lie down on. We had a glossy red medium sized four-by-four truck that we just bought a month before. It had an enclosed bed so one could lie down in the back. We hopped in and Dad got in the driver’s seat. He turned the key in the ignition and we were off. The road trip was going fine, but when we were about ten miles away from our destination, our lives changed. There was a tiny window measuring approximately 2’ by 2’in the middle of the truck bed and the driver’s area. I pushed the tiny black latch down with my right hand in order to open it, and asked my dad to turn the radio up because my favorite song had just come on. Then I shut the window back up. My favorite song at the time was Britney Spears’ â€Å"Hit Me Baby, One More Time.† To this day, every time I hear that song I feel as if something horrible is about to happen. This song came o... ...ut the world. Within that amount, 40,000-45,000 of the people killed are Americans. I found it hard to believe more Americans from 5-32 years old die as a result of an automobile accident than any other cause, but it is true (World Book Encyclopedia). Scary, huh? The thought that any person could one day become a statistic? I will always remember that Easter morning when I almost became one myself. I now realize that car accidents really do happen. I never thought that it would happen to my family. I heard about car accidents on the news all of the time, and I read about them in the papers. That Easter morning showed me that it could happen to anyone when they least expect it. I am thankful that my family and I lived through such a tragic experience. Works Cited â€Å"Automobile Accident.† World Book Encyclopedia. 22nd ed. 2004.