Exploitation Of Conflict Minerals In The Congo Politics Essay

Exploitation Of Conflict Minerals In The Congo Politics Essay The Democratic Republic of the Congo, once a European colony relinquished for its vast amount of raw minerals, gained independence in 1960 from France and has for more than twelve years suffered from continuous civil war over the distribution and control of said resources. Moreover, violence has become so deadly in this region, from forced labor, torture, recruitment of child soldiers, extortion, and killings by armed groups to oppress and control civilians, that it has been regarded as being the .deadliest conflicts globally since World War II. (Prendergast, 2009) Scholar Michael Niemann (2007) reported that Corrupt national and local government, various rebel movements, and governments and armed forces of Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, and, to a lesser extent, Angola, Namibia, and Chad all conspire for one thing- to profit from the mineral and other wealth in various resource enriched areas of the country (p. 25). One of these minerals includes Columbite-tantalite coltan for short one of the worlds most sought-after materials; the refinement of coltan leads to a highly heat-resistant metal powder called tantalum. This powder can sell for $100 a pound, and slowly is becoming increasingly vital to modern life. For the high-tech industry, tantalum is magic dust, a key component in everything from mobile phones made by Nokia and Ericsson and computer chips from Intel to Sony stereos and VCRs. (Essick, 2001) Mineral conflict in the Congo is not only a national concern but an international one as well, as most consumers of products that use the minerals exploited from the Congo live outside the country. Prendergast (2009) reported, Consumers in the United States, Europe, and Asia are the ultimate end-users of these conflict minerals, as they inadvertently fuel the war through purchases of these electronics products. Consequently, many people are directly connected to this issue as they are part of a group that legitimatize and unintentionally spur such conflict. Thus, it is important to appreciate the gross antiquity the consumer of the final product sanctions and endorses by virtue of the use of certain products that may contain coltan. In addition to this, this is relevant to Canadas relationship with the Third World because Canadians are a large group of this consumer population. Three important areas of discussion in regards to Congolesian conflict mineral development are: the country s struggle to establish viable states on the ruins of repressive colonial states and how this relates to internal maintenance of socio-economic hierarchy, the related role of a paltry economy, and mineral industrialization in regards to globalization and the role of national and international governments. The goal of this paper will be to outline, within the realm of these three subtopics, the national and international shortcomings/ hindrances and adverse progressions to reduce current mineral conflict in the Congo. Despite frequently promoting colonization as a key contributor to developmental regression, professional and scholarly literature on Congolesian conflict often varies in regards to what particular element of Congolesian culture is most reflective of such regression. (Economic standing, political makeup, etc.) Scholar Michael Niemanns (2007) journal War Making and State Making In Central Africa, specifically concentrates on critically analyzing the concept of the African failed state, recognizing the Western bias inherently stemming from the dominance of colonial powers. Niemann (2007) advocated for a governmental space where . alternative forms of rule and political community can be explored, forms that have a longer staying power than the mostly failed attempts to create the veneer of a liberal democracy which the palimpsest of the repressive colonial state remains visible. (p. 23). Niemann also and most importantly affirms a principle of sovereignty in Congolesian government that w as not only clearly apparent under colonial rule, but also continuously apparent in modern Congolesian government as well (p. 27). This particular issue of modern Congolesian rule as a means of mineral conflict hindrance can best be understood with reference to internal maintenance of socio-economic hierarchy as it relates to colonial legacy. Both Niemann and scholar Severine Autesserre (2009) indicated the influence of the national and local elite. Niemann presented a specific argument: the process of class formation on the continent is incomplete[and].. African states tend to be repressive, rather than hegemonic, but nevertheless fully functioning for the purposes of the class alliance in power. (p. 26) He reported that Efficiency. is not a necessary prerequisite for a functioning state..[and] stresses that the African role in the global system is not one of marginalization or dependence, but one of extraversion, through which elites have long constructed external relations to strengthen their power within their own spheres. (p. 26) Consequently, Niemann concluded that although these relations have proven asym metrical, it does not detract from the fact that they worked well for Congolesian elites. Complimentary to this notion, Jackson (2002) also indicated the prominence of the elite minority in the form of corrupt government when he reported the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.exploit minerals and other resources through stealing stockpiles, entering into agreements with transnational corporations to produce, procure and sell these resources in a global market (p 519). Thus, colonial legacy which is reflective and extended in socio-economic hierarchy according to Niemann and Jackson, proves to be an integral part in both understanding and unpacking the issue of mineral conflict in the Congo. Moreover, in order to begin to understand the upkeep and maintenance of such conflict, it would appear critical to first understand the legacy colonial rule has left on the make-up of national and local Congolesian elites. Furthermore, as Niemann points out, it is difficult not on ly to apply liberal democracy to Congolesian government and recognize it either as a veneer or perhaps even a solution, without first considering the impact and legacy colonialism has left on the political makeup of the country. Similar to Niemanns point on colonial rule, Stephen Jacksons (2002) journal Making a Killing: Criminality Coping in Kivu War Economy spoke of the Congos lucrative economy based on artisanal mining of tantalum ore, highlighting a radical mutation of livelihood strategies responding to an economy profoundly destroyed by colonial and post-colonial neglect and greed. (p. 517) Both scholars articulate the legacy of colonial rule , so to speak, but also focus their research on separate cohesive hindrances on conflict reduction. While Niemann highlighted the importance and withstanding failure of developing political rule separate from Western idealized liberal democracy, Jackson focused his research on the recurring danger of the paltry and dependent Congolesian economy. Noteworthy scholar Carol B. Thompsons journal US Trade with Africa: African Growth Opportunity also provides sufficient economic reasoning in cohesion with colonial legacy. Thompson (2004) reported that the Congos expor ts are non-processed minerals and agricultural products. Although the countries are now independent, their exports remain colonial products. (p. 458) In his writing, Thompson also provided a remark by President Joquim Chissano of Mozambique that, although not specific to the Congo, articulates the role colonialism has had and continues to have in various African countries economy: .circumstances have confined us to act as producers of raw materials and unprocessed goods for export to the rich countries of the North. While we are passed to open upon countries and streamline our methods of doing international business, so that the global economy may sink roots, invisible barriers are still making it difficult for us to access resources. (Thompson, 458) Both Thompson and Jackson do an effective job of explaining the impact that colonial rule has had both implicitly and explicitly on the economy of the Congo. This is further proven in the United Nations Human Development Report (2003) that stated that Africas share in the world fell from about 6 percent in 1980 to 2 percent in 2002, and its share of world imports from about 4.6 percent in 1980 to 2.1 percent in 2002. (p.ii) The report also went on to state that subsequently Africas heavy dependence on primary commodities as a source of export earnings has meant that the continent remains vulnerable to the vagaries of the market and weather conditions. (Economic Development in Africa: Issues on Africas Trade Performance, 2003, p.ii). Similarly, the Congo, once officially a colony of France, was exploited primarily for its raw mineral wealth. Today, although technically an independent country, the Congo remains highly dependent on raw minerals, coltan in particular. It is this heavy re liance that enables not only economic instability but also related conflict (Jackson, 2002). Furthermore, it is also important to contextualize the financial situation of the Congo in order to better understand, in detail, any economic hindrance on reducing mineral conflict. In recent years, because of the pressure of declining oil prices, the depreciation of the dollar, and burdensome debt service, the Government of the Congo has been forced to adopt austere financial measures. After slashing its 1986 budget by 40 percent, the government entered into a Stand-By Agreement with the IMF which made possible the rescheduling of Congos then $1 billion in foreign debt. (Congo: U.S. goods are extremely competitive here right now,1998) A subsequent Paris Club rescheduling, debt relief granted by commercial banks, and World Bank structural adjustment also helped avert what would have otherwise been a large capital-account deficit. (Congo: U.S. goods are extremely competitive here right now,1998) Production in the forestry sector has gradually increased due to improvements in the tran sportation system and the opening up of new concessions in the north. (Congo: U.S. goods are extremely competitive here right now,1998) Consequently, such information is, although brief, critical in establishing sound understanding of further encumbrance on the reduction of Congolesian mineral conflict with respect to economic instability. Closely related to discussions of the implication of colonization on the Congolesian economy, are ones involving the exploitive effects of mineral industrialization and globalization on African states and the role of national and international governments to curb such behavior. As the countries of the world increase their interdependence and co-relation, African states, including the Congo, are not only forced to deal with establishing themselves on the ruins of repressive colonial state, but simultaneously adapt to increasingly globalized, and thus changing markets. The success and adverse hindrances as a result of this, will be explored in the following few paragraphs. Most scholarly and professional literature recognize the direct role that exploitation of conflict mineral in the Congo has played in the onset and preservation of warfare, (Niemann; Collier, 2003; Prendergast, 2009; Global Witness Limited, 2009) though provide various explanations to suggest the role globalization has had in the conflict. P. Collier of the World Bank reported in a policy report that, in a cross-national statistical analysis of civil war onset in 161 countries since 1960, the extent of primary commodity exports is the strongest single influence on the risk of conflict (2000, p. 10). By way of explanation, he argues that primary commodity dependence creates better opportunities to finance rebel groups which in turn enable rebellion. Niemann (2007) explicitly spoke of globalization and Transnational Corporations when he stated that cell phones have revolutionized the way we communicate, but in Central Africa their biggest legacy is war. Nearly 3 million people have die d in Congoover coltan in the conflict that is really over natural resources sought by foreign corporations (p.39). Essick (2001) similarly indicates that the demand for tantalum took off with the boom of high-tech products and with it a new sinister market began flourishing in the Democratic Republic of Congo. (para. 3). Despite providing context for why globalization does in fact take place, Global Witness Limited is the only source that provided framework to explicitly suggest why corporations have not sanctioned or cut their ties from mineral conflict. Global Witness Limited (2009) reported on the trading houses based in Goma and Bukavu that buy, sell and export minerals produced by or benefiting the warring parties and how houses are officially censed and registered with the Congolese government act as a cover for laundering minerals which are fuelling the conflict. (p. 7) Global Witness Limited focused on how these companies sell the minerals on to a range of processing and man ufacturing companies, including firms in the electronics industry. (p. 8) Global Witness Limited also reported on the difficulty and lack of initiative from corporations and governments to regulate chain minerals. In the following few paragraphs international and subsequently national, initiative will be explored. One of the most pronounced hindrances on the reduction of mineral conflict in the Congo is the national governments failure to address the role of Rwanda as a channel and trading post for the products which benefit the warring parties of the Congo. Global Witness Limited reports indicated this point, as well as that In theory, Rwandan customs officials check the paperwork accompanying all consignments from the Congo, but the government has not been pro-active in delving deeper into the origins of the minerals transported across the border.. (p. 71) As well, Global Witness Limited also stated that neither the Rwandan government nor mineral trading companies operating in Rwanda are conducting due diligence to ensure that trade is not benefitting any Congolesian warring parties. (p. 71) Thus, from the Global Witness Limited report, it would seem that a major encumbrance on the reduction of national mineral conflict stem from the ease with which such minerals can cross the border into Rw anda; something that is helping to fuel the conflict. Adversely, progression in the reduction of mineral conflict seems to have been made with regards to national governmental initiatives within the country itself as of 2010. Although the Global Witness report indicated a lack of government corresponding action, this report was issued in 2009 and obviously does not address the most current initiatives of the government. According to the 2009 report, Neither of the two main initiatives launched in late 2007 the Nairobi communiquà © of and the Amani Programme arising from the Goma agreement-including concrete actions to stop the involvement of the warring parties in the natural resource trade. (p. 77) However according to Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series (2010) the government of the Congo has suspended all mining operations in three eastern provinces, North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema on the border with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundiafter the United States threatened new legislation to ensure stricter contro ls to ensure DR Congos minerals were obtained legally. (para. 1). It was also reported in the article that as of September of the same year, Congos armed forces had recaptured the coltan specifically in Walikale, a town torn by over 15 years of mineral conflict. (Democratic Republic of Congo: Enyele Attack, 2010). Subsequently, national governmental initiatives by virtue of such suspensions, seem to be progressive in absolving some mineral conflict within the country. With specific respect to the countrys struggle to establish viable states on the ruins of repressive colonial states and how this relates to internal maintenance of socio-economic hierarchy, the related role of a paltry economy, and mineral industrialization in regards to globalization and the role of national and international governments, mineral conflict complexity in the Congo has been explored. Though scholars and academics vary in their research according to different enablers of such mineral conflict, from political instability to economic condition, all seem to agree to some degree the importance of historically contextualizing the conflict. For example, political instability and maintenance of socio-economic hierarchy are not merely a static political or social reality of Congo, but the by-product of over a hundred years of instilled and exploitative colonial rule. Moreover, as much as mineral conflict is harmful in itself, it is important to recognize that by virtue of colo nial legacy that has created socio-economic hierarchy, there are still those that benefit from the exploitive behavior and subsequent mineral conflict. Similarly, economic conditions of the Congo also must be understood with reference to colonial rule of the past, as well as current exploitive behavior of rich countries on developing countries primary commodified economies of the present. Again, industrialization of mineral resources in the Congo and national and international government initiatives, or lack of, must be understood with reference to historical power relations. There is a high demand for coltan as the consumer population of technologies that use this precise metal grows. However as this demand grows, it would appear that companies have capitalized on historical power relations to exploit countries like the Congo with little regard to things like labor conditions and rebel control. Although there has been some progression in the way of conflict mineral reduction, it wo uld appear that there are still many hindrances that need to be first addressed in order to continue this progression. Canadian consumers must recognize not only the existence of mineral conflict, but also appreciate how their purchases fuel directly such conflict and endorse exploitive behavior. The next step in reduction of mineral conflict in the Congo after this recognition is to recognize the historically relevant legacy of colonialism that continues to be reflective in elements such as national financial condition and political stability. Once this occurs, it is then important to start asking questions. Is it possible to reconfigure socio-economic hierarchy in the Congo that has prevailed with the help of paternal countries for over a hundred years? Is it possible to screen mineral trade and purchase without greatly stalling and bruising the mineral dependent economy of the Congo? There are many enabling factors that contribute to mineral conflict in the Congo and there are a number of related issues that much be recognized and absolved before real progression can take place. The most important element however remains the same, this is not merely an international conflict that is the by-product of something inherently Congolesian, but the result of international exploitive and historical behavior.

Bel Canto Essay

Bel Canto – Essay Love in a pressure cooker is much different then love in â€Å"real† life or in the mundane world. The pressure cooker in Bel Canto would be the situation of being held hostage, held inside by terrorists. Not being able to live the lives that they all once lived. In the mundane world people are busy. They are busy taking children here and there; people have schedules to attend to and places to be. The ability to do what they want is limited. Many parts of the â€Å"real† world are dictated by agendas. People lose the ability to love naturally. They learn to love something or someone because they are around it all the time or it’s what they are told to love. Many of times people forgo doing things they love because they don’t have time or don’t make time to do what they love. When Kato played piano for the first time it was like a hearing all their feelings come alive. Kato didn’t tell anyone that he played piano he just decided to play. Simon and Edith also found there love again, there love for each other. Because death and danger were possible many of the characters wanted to have friendships while in the hostage situation. Many of them faced language barriers but over came them so that they had what they wanted in dire times. The characters also live for the moment. They act in ways that they wouldn’t in any other situation because the unknown thought of death is lingering. When Hosokawa started to realize that he loved Roxanne it was not known if they would ever really be together. Hosokawa was willing to give up his life in Japan to be with Roxanne, because he realized in this situation that he was not doing what he loved and did not love the life he was living. Love in a pressure cooker situation makes people be more spontaneous and do the things they have forgotten about or want to do rather then what they have to do. Love in the real world is different. It’s harder to get to know someone sometime, or be able to be with someone because society says it shouldn’t be allowed. Real world love is harder and more difficult to keep at times. But in the end, Love is still Love and it is something that is felt by all, whether you are in a pressure cooker situation or in the real world. The desire to be loved by someone is always there and the desire to love someone is always there too.

What to Expect From Essay Samples for 6th Grade?

What to Expect From Essay Samples for 6th Grade? Essay writing provides a great deal of benefits to students in the academe. Entries include book collection. Following are several types of essay topics in english for students that are categorized in many sections so you can easily chose the topic depending on your need and requirement. A Secret Weapon for Essay Samples for 6th Grade Expository essays offer more thorough understanding of a particular topic. An expository essay outline presupposes a very clear structure, which isn't really hard to embody. The expository essay definition could possibly be complemented with a few features. Both of these expository essay examples may be useful when making your own essay. Yes, there's a person who can assist you with your essays expert essay writers at MyPerfectWords. Before you proceed to write, ensure you comprehend the format in which you should submit your essay, while it is APA, MLA, Harvard or another style. Just as with any other kind of academic writing, these essays need reliable sources. Remember you shouldn't hand in one of these example essays as your own work as we don't condone plagiarism. Inside this section you will locate samples of essays belonging to different essay types and manners of formatting. There aren't any images within this sort of essays. Essay examples by yourdictionary there are four chief forms of essays. You really ought to think about reading more about these essays and their variations since there are quite a number of them. The Birth of Essay Samples for 6th Grade If you're going to compose an expository essay, be ready to devote much time hitting books. You don't necessarily must analyze the life span of people from the exact same region or field of activity. All the challenging work and the studying will be repaid. Additionally, there are times when you really feel like you don't need to write anything. It builds responsibility and provides kids an opportunity to practice. If for whatever reason, you end up struggling with math, there is absolutely no demand for alarm. As an example my brother should get a car because there's no bus that runs at night to where he works. You should have your reasons, and our primary concern is that you wind up getting a great grade. The Chronicles of Essay Samples for 6th Grade As with other essays, it is made of an introductory paragraph, which comprises the thesis statement, the major body paragraphs that demonstrate the statement, and a conclusion paragraph that summarizes all vital points. The very first paragraph should contain the most significant point that you want to make about the literary work and ought to give details to support the claim. The previous sentence ought to be persuasive to the major point and ought to demonstrate that the essay is coming to a conclusion. The very first sentence of each paragraph should play off the previous sentence of the former paragraph to provide a smooth transition. What to Expect From Essay Samples for 6th Grade? My family is actually important to me. As a parent, it's your duty to set limits for your son or daughter. Th e help provided by tutors is also limited since they may not operate on the assignment for your benefit. Parents have the duty to choose which option they'll adopt, but should have their kids' future at heart. The rest of The sentences should serve as an outline for the remainder of your paper. Focus on your language as it ought to be eerror-free Imagine your essay is a precious stone and produce all its faces shine using an easily readable and unique language. The solution to the disturbing question like how to compose a compare and contrast essay starts with the structure of this sort of academic writing. Hurry up to complete an essay order form at the website and forget about worries! The Fight Against Essay Samples for 6th Grade Keeping a consistent voice within the body paragraphs, in addition to the remainder of the essay, is also an additional ability that sixth-grade teachers are likely to be on the lookout for when grading. These strategies are certain to help you a cquire the creative juices flowing! By focusing on a few of these topics it becomes less difficult for you to discuss and share your ideas in a style such that the teacher will have the ability to appreciate your hard work. Whether it's an easy multiplication or the hardest math problem in the planet, you will find a professional who applies the perfect formula and shows all the workings.

Cost Accounting Its role and ethical considerations Essay

Cost Accounting: Its role and ethical considerations Introduction: Accounting is the process of identifying, measuring, and communicating economic information about an entity for the purpose of making decisions and informed judgements. The major areas of within the accounting are: Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting/Cost Accounting and Auditing- Public Accounting Managerial accounting is concerned with the use of economic and financial information to plan and control the activities of an entity and to support the management in planning and decision-making process. Cost accounting is the subset of managerial accounting and it helps management in determination and accumulation of product, process or service cost.†¦show more content†¦In cost accounting, the lack of understanding of the accounting and finance process by the business manager is an incentive for the unethical employee to manipulate the system. Ethics help management in:  · Providing factual and true information to its users,  · Determining the nominal price of its products,  · Maintaining appropriate professional relationships, and  · Maintaining efficacy In today?s world of corporate scandals, an appreciation of ethical standards and a commitment to the proper reporting and disclosure of financial information needs to be constantly reinforced within the area of accounting. Absorption and Variable Costing: Absorption Costing: All costs (fixed and variable) of production are product costs. Which means under absorption costing, both variable and fixed manufacturing costs are included as a part of the cost of the product manufactured. Variable Costing: Only those costs of production that vary directly with activity (variable costs) are treated as product costs. Under variable costing, only the variable manufacturing costs are included as a part of the cost of the product manufactured. 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Industrial Revolution Fashion - 2210 Words

Industrial People, Industrial Fashion Karsen McKinney History 112: Origins of the Modern World April 17, 2013 Debates are still raised about whether or not the positive outcomes of the Industrial Revolution were worth the struggles faced during the time period. Fashion reflects its time period; therefore, by looking at the fashion of a time one can understand the motives, lifestyles, and productivity of the time period. By analyzing the fashion industry as a whole from 1780-1860—trends, trades, and machinery—the importance of the Industrial Revolution can be seen. Not only did the Industrial Revolution bring a renaissance for fashion, but fashion also impacted the people, events, and inventions of the time period. This revolution broke†¦show more content†¦At the time, the upper class women were the drive behind the inspiration of new designs. Many new garments were made for their events and becoming increasingly elaborate which further encouraged progress in manufacturing. 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New inventions which are still effective part of our lives in 21st century, growing power of multimedia and entertainment, and modern form of industrial revolution with mass production all originated f rom 1920s. Moreover, the entrepreneurs and industrializing businesses especially in the central Canada or in the cities were successful. Lastly, stock market was rising gradually until the very late 1920sRead MoreImpact Of The Industrial Revolution On Capitalism And The Contemporary Society Essay1625 Words   |  7 PagesThe impact of the Industrial Revolution on Capitalism and the Contemporary Society, When looking into the past during the Industrial Revolution, there were many cause and effect events that occurred, the Industrial Revolution changed the lives of many, these changes in society were caused by the innovations of the time period, and the need for a more productive environment. There was a movement from an agricultural society to a manufacturing society; these changes affected the family’s abilityRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution1090 Words   |  5 PagesShort Term Misery†¦ Long Term Gain There are two major industrializations that have occurred through out history, both which began in England. The Industrial Revolution was from 1750 until 1800. The first and second industrialization were filled with many inventions, new societal ideas, new raw materials, new sources of power, also new ideas and societal implements were made enabling the world and society to evolve. Overall these industrialization was filled with death, neglect, and disease but endedRead More Industrial Revolution in the City Essay1193 Words   |  5 PagesIndustrial Revolution in the City The Industrial Revolution was a period of great change for the country of England. Products went from being produced in households and by small businesses to being mass-produced by large industries. Products became cheaper and living conditions improved, but not at first for the working class. Terrible working conditions and hard lives sums up the status of the working class during the Industrial Revolution. The working class put in long hours and hard workRead MoreThe Workshop of the World: The Industrial Revolution Essay1449 Words   |  6 PagesThe Industrial Revolution that occurred between the eighteenth and nineteenth century has been characterized as a transformation of a society no longer rooted in agricultural production. A burgeoning relationship between society and technology is at the core of what allowed Britain to emerge as the world’s first industrialized nation. This interaction between political, social, economic and demographic forces altered almost eve ry aspect of daily life, bringing about â€Å"modern† economic development

Lg Background Free Essays

LG Google TV LG Google TV Executive summary: When we chose the LG Google TV we had in mind that this product is a succssesful product which satisfied peoples’ needs , and would be a great choice for making a marketing plan. In this marketing plan, we will discuss the following: * Company Background. * The challenge that LG Company went through to have this product. We will write a custom essay sample on Lg Background or any similar topic only for you Order Now * Companies SOWT analysis (Strengths , opportunities , weaknesses and threats) * Company Background: â€Å"life’s good† or LG company was originally established in 1958 from two Korean companies ( lucky and GoldStar). They produce radios, washing machines , TV , laptops and air conditioners . in 1994 ,GoldStar gained sponsorship from The 3DO Company to make the first 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. In 1995 ,GoldStar was renamed LG electronics of the US. In 2007, LG solar Energy allow LG to supply polyisicon to LG Electronics for more production . in 2008, LG received its solar-panel manufacturing pool. Nowadays LG become an international leader and technology in consumer electronics, TV and smart phones. And its one of the five business units- Home Entertainment ,AC and etc. LG Mission: LG mission statements are to become a global digital leader who can make its customers happy and satisfied through the new products. Its explains its goal to be innovate electronics company in the world. Therefore they provide customers with utmost satisfaction through leadership. The fundamental policy of development is to secure product leadership that the customers may have the utmost satisfaction. LG Vision: LG electronics set its own vision into mid and long vision anew to rank among top three electronics ,information, and telecommunication firm in the world people. LG’s vision to deliver innovative digital products and services that make its customers’ live better because its slogan is â€Å" life’s better†. LG electronics’ environmental product policy is to committee provide a better experience for its customers, by contributing to environmental protection efforts, and offering green values. Value Chain: In value chain management is a physical materials needed to produce the flat-screen displays move along the value chain so as to lower costs and increase overall efficiency. In value chain analysis is to study the main things in human resources function. In addition, the newest Google TV has been the outsourcing of Human resources especially . in primary value chain activities include which is include primary activity description inbound logistics. The Challenge: LG and Google. The best of all worlds! Merge the power of Google, the boundless content of the Internet and one of the most innovative TVs ever made, and in a very short announcement , LG told the world that its OLED TV and Ultra Definition TV panels, in 55in and 84in sizes respectively, would be available before the year is through. A much-anticipated Google TV will also debut, using an updated Magic Motion remote control with integrated QWERTY keyboard. Australian availability for any of these models is uncertain, as is pricing. What is known about the LG’s OLED TV is that they are using four pixels rather than the traditional three. with LG claiming reduced power consumption and brighter images due to this setup. Wide viewing angles are claimed to be especially broad due to an LG proprietary algorithm that the company is calling its ‘Colour Refiner’. LG says its OLED TV will have an ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, that is supposed to allow the TV to display perfectly black blacks and bright whites that is similar to real life colours . TV companies have previously made this claim for less-advanced LED TVs and it has turned out to be not true at any level. LG does tout the motion response rate of its 55in OLED TV, saying it is around 1,000 times faster than an LED or LCD screen, with clean and blur-free video the result. LG’s OLED TV uses the company’s Cinema 3D technology, which uses polarised light to allow for smooth 3D playback and lighter, cheaper 3D glasses. And that it’s apparently more thin and appealing to the eyes of the customers. References: 1. Study mode, 2013, LG background. [online] available at: http://www. studymode. com/essays/lg=background-298003. html Accessed at March 18, 2013. 2. [online] available at: https://www. facebook. com/LGRomania/app_304815564557 3. Knowledge inn, 2013, LG mission. [online] available at: http://kninn. logspot. com/2011/07/lg-mission. html 4. LG website, 2013, LG vision. [online] available at: http://www. lg. com/global/sustainability/environment/environmental-vision 5. Study mode, 2013, Value chain. [online] available at: http://www. studymode. com/subjects/lg-value-chain-page2. html 6. PC world, 2013, LG shows off OLED, Google TV, Ultra Definition TVs at CES. [online] available at: http://www. goodgearguide. com. au/arti cle/411882/lg_shows_off_oled_google_tv_ultra_definition_tvs_ces_/ Accessed at 20 March 2013 How to cite Lg Background, Papers

Hemingway and camus Essay Example For Students

Hemingway and camus Essay One of the fascinations of reading literature comes when we discover in a work patterns that have heretofore been overlooked. We are the pattern finders who get deep enjoyment from the discovery of patterns in a text. And true to the calling we have noticed a pattern in and around A Farewell to Arms which, to our knowledge, no one has seen before. Although there are many editions of the novel, and as a result the pagination is slightly different in various editions, it is the case that all editions have forty-one chapters to be found in five books. Here is what we have discovered: if you multiply 41 by 5 you get 205. And now if you take the number of letters in Frederics name (8) and add that to the number of letters in Catherines name (9) you get 17. 205 + 17 = 222. And if you grant that the time of the events in the novel, counted properly, is three years, then the pattern we have discovered starts to emerge as figure on ground or as lemon juice ink on a secret message when held ov er a candle. For what is the product of 222 and 3 but the infamous 666 of Revelations 13:18? Imagine now our delight when we discovered a similar 666 pattern in The Outsider. If you multiply the number of letters in Meursaults name times the number of letters in `Albert times the number of letters in `Arab you get 216. Add to that the 6 of `Albert and multiply by 3 (which is the number one gets when dividing the number of chapters in Part one (6) by the number of books (2) that make up The Outsider) and surprise of surprises: the meaning revealing number `666 once again emerges! Clearly, when seen in this light, these two novels take on new meaning, and this pattern discovery provides a conclusive way to counter all earlier critics who have failed to see this talisman of interpretation, this key to understanding the complexities of Hemingways A Farewell to Arms and Camuss The Outsider. `666 offers a key to understanding in that it clearly refers us back to the text which these texts are playing with and are in some way about, if aboutness is a viable concept and if they are about anything at all. Wait a minute, here! shouts Bickford Sylvester, there is some nonsense even Hemingway scholars will not condone. And of course this pattern of 666 is a bit of nonsense which could be discovered almost anywhere by someone forcing the facts into the pattern. Good 666 sleuths can find that devilish number anywhere; if you dont believe us just ask the soap company. But what are the legitimate limits to interpretations? Does anything count? How can we know when the interpretation we are working on or reading has slipped into the realm of nonsense? There are facts to be observed by the act of looking at the text and then there are interpretations to be deduced using those facts plus everything else one knows about what counts as a fact and what is to be counted as important in producing a coherent and consistent reading. Just as there are different interpretations of quantu m theory which must deal with the same facts (taking a fact to be what is) there are different interpretations of A Farewell to Arms and The Outsider. In fact, the difference between science and art may be teased out just here: when a scientific interpretation becomes the accepted one it achieves a privileged status (e.g., evolution), but in art it seems that the more interpretations a work inspires and grounds the more privileged its status. Gerry Brenner argues that a masterwork is a text that generates a wide array of divergent readings and certainly on that criterion both of these novels are to be counted as masterworks. In the same way that science seeks a unifying theory to account for and predict from events in the world in a broad general way, so too do these two works offer a broad and general theory of the human condition and the human hunger for meaning. What would count as a broad and general theory of the human condition and the human hunger for meaning? At the most gen eral level only two readings are possible: we humans are special and are a part of a meaningful divine plan which is unknown to us in detail but is hinted at in various ways and has been delivered to us in outline by some special text; or, we humans are the result of time and chance, not at all special except as we create our meaning and value through our lived and shared experience. The first reading seeks the universal and enduring Truth or a hierarchy of values which is crowned by God. The second reading opposes that approach and insists on subjective intensity of passion maintaining that the individual is always becoming as the result of choices, risks, and reactions to the experiences of the world of which s/he is naturally related. The reader of the first text often sees death as a door; the second reader sees death as a wall and as the inescapable and shared destiny of all persons. Hemingway and Camus are both writing texts that present death as final. There are many striking similarities between the two, although one could say they are a generation and a world apart. Hemingway, the older of the two, presents several of the elements of their similarity in his novel A Farewell to Arms; Camus, writing The Outsider almost fifteen years later, picks up from where Hemingway left off. The two share a lean, direct style; there is a shared early (in the novels) primitiveness to Frederic Henry and Meursault; the two writers recognize features of the Absurd; and they were both visitors to, or outsiders in, Paris. In this paper, then, we identify a few of the congruencies between these two works, but especially ways in which they diverge, for these are the features of difference, influence, literary history, which further allow us to make meaning of the novels. An important point in order to maintain clarity is to recognize that the first-person narratives can create some problems because we will be talking both of the actual authors work (Camuss novel), as well a s the fictional characters relation of the events (as in Frederic Henrys narrative or Meursaults novel). It makes sense to identify both levels of activity. Confusing Hemingway with his characters has been common in the past, and is one thing we want to avoid by this strategy. One pattern which we have found helpful in thinking of these two novels is the relationship of Old Testament to New Testament. There is a resemblance, a coherence, of world-view, but at the same time a continuance, a modification. There is a typology, too, and the two protagonists, while very different in some respects, are two generations attempts at the modern hero. A Farewell to Arms serves as a precursor to The Outsider in many ways. Frederic Henry must lose faith in the several sources of meaning which he traditionally turns to: church, state, language, love. His experience during the war shakes his belief in these structures and institutions, leading, ultimately, to the composition of the novel in the Mo dernist mode. Meursault, on the other hand, seems not to place much faith in those structures and institutions from the outset of his novel (we need only observe his behavior during his mothers funeral). He takes for granted things which Frederic Henry must learn (or un-learn); for example, his relationship with Marie begins with no games, no guilt, whereas Frederic thinks he must play out a courtship, and even deceive Catherine about his intentions if he is to succeed in sleeping with her. The high Modern theme of loss of meaning, with a subsequent search for an alternative certainty, which we encounter in A Farewell to Arms is replaced by Camuss notion of the Absurd, of the benign indifference of the universe. If anything, the universe Frederic Henry reflects on at the end of Hemingways novel is a malevolent force waiting to kill you in the end. You could count on that. (p. 327) Thus, Frederic Henry must come to realize that his own subjectivity is a crucial source of meaning, whe reas Meursault seems already to assume that position. And both characters must come to realize that subjective meaning is always tempered by and augmented by its relation to the Other (or to others). In both works the first person narrator serves as the author-ity for the reader, and in both it is only after completing the text that the reader comes to understand that the I relating events has also been evaluating those events by subtle means of selection and emphasis. It is as a friend and teacher once said, In the first half of your life you have experiences and in the second half you try to determine what they mean. As Meursault tells his story and as Frederic Henry tells his story, these narrators are discovering meaning in the events experienced. And, as in real life, the meaning is not just an objective set of facts to be absorbed, but is a combination of various inputs from the world and the organization and valuing of those inputs by the creative intelligence. Both narrators achieve a separate peace and finally that is all anyone can do in the walk toward the grave. Acceptance of limits is a necessary condition for peace. A further characteristic of the two novels under discussion here that allows for comparison is that both artists employ a style that does not so much reveal meaning as a fixed and determinate set of propositions, but instead, by suggestion and omission demands that the reader participate in the act of making meaning. The speakable sign and the unspeakable meaning that lies below or beside the signifiers used are part of the techniques of Hemingway and Camus a technique that is often called economical, realistic, or simply `modern. This ability to provide the reader with the strongly sensed presence of things omitted1 provides the most powerful similarity between these two texts. In A Farewell to Arms, for example, what exactly do the pronouns refer to in this famous passage? I tried to tell about the night and the difference between the night and the day and how the night was better unless the day was very clean and cold and I could not tell it; as I cannot tell it now. But if you have had it you know. He had not had it but he understood that I had really wanted to go to the Abruzzi but had not gone and we were still friends, with many tastes alike, but with the difference between us. He had always known what I did not know and what, when I learned it, I was always able to forget. But I did not know that then, although I learned it later. (page 14)What is the it that Frederic Henry had and the priest did not? What is the it that he learned, but was able to forget? What is the it that he did not know then but learned later? And what is the difference between the priest and the lieutenant? The first I and the second I are the Frederic Henry of the time of the events while the third I is the narrator. The you functions to include the reader who has had it as one of those who knows it and is changed by it because o f that knowledge. In the last two sentences the I is variable over time again, referring first to Frederic Henry before the lesson, then to Frederic Henry after the lesson, then to Frederic Henry as a partic- ipant in the action and finally to Frederic Henry as the knowing narrator. There can be no better narrative demonstration than this of the changing, always-becoming, non-static self. Trying to find the referent to these variable pronouns seems an important step in reading the novel what is the nature of this knowledge, hinted at, but not stated? Various readings can be found: Frederic learnsthat spending his leave in the city instead of the Abruzzi was symptomatic of his whole way of life, 2 or, the multiple choice options discussed by Stoneback,3 For several years now I have put this passage in quizzes, asking for precise identification and commentary on the it Frederic does not know at first, later learns, but sometimes forgets. Here are the results: The nature of true love, sacrifice, etc. what he later finds with Catherine (12 votes) Questions of faith (12 votes) Love of God (4 votes) Good hunting is better than bad drinking (1 vote) orderly world of good manners, i.e., Abruzzi, better than chaos of whorehouse (1 vote) That he has a soul, and the overwhelming consequences of that knowledge death is not the end, etc. (3 votes)of which he particularly likes number six because of his reading of the novel as a Catholic work. This misreading depends in part upon another misreading, viz., the wounding scene, which Stoneback claims makes quite clear the main point that it is a mistake to think you just died. This scene, he argues, is the epiphany that changes everything.4 Perhaps a better name than epiphany for the wounding scene in A Farewell to Arms would be boundary situation, the term used by Jaspers to talk about any sharp focussed experience an agent has which tends to define the agent as an individual. The emphasis for Jaspers is on the psychologic al change in the individual as a result of running into a boundary situation. Facing a serious moral choice, confronting death, reacting to threats to ones person or to ones reputation these are all boundary situations. These moments are often unexpected, coming anytime and in any set of circumstances (time and chance). I ate the end of my piece of cheese and took a swallow of wine. Through the other noise I heard a cough, then came the chuh-chuh-chuh-chuh then there was a flash, as when a blast-furnace door is swung open, and a roar that started white and went red and on and on in a rushing wind. I tried to breathe but my breath would not come and I felt myself rush bodily out of myself and out and out and out and all the time bodily in the wind. I went out swiftly, all of myself, and I knew I was dead and that it had all been a mistake to think you just died. Then I floated, and instead of going on I felt myself slide back. I breathed and I was back. This scene, argues Stoneback , not only changes everything, but presents the ruling interpretation for the novel: it is here that Henry has learned that he has an immortal soul. If we are to accept this reading then Henry will indeed be changed by the experience, for it would be a defining experience in his life. But, is this the best reading? Without being a nada hound can one offer a better? We think so. Looked at in context the lines do not stand up to that interpretation. First, Frederic Henry utters two propositions in the key passage: I knew I was dead and that it had all been a mistake to think you just died. He is obviously wrong about the first claim, for he does not know that he is dead which makes the compound proposition false. But, secondly, even if we do not hold statements in novels to the strict test of logical truth value, is the second conjunct unambiguous? If just means only, merely, simply then Henry is telling us that death is not death and the theistic reading will hold. But just is a slip pery word at best just as e. e. cummings knew so well and can just as likely mean barely or scarcely or just about anything. Could Frederic Henry, the narrator, be saying that we do not merely die we sometimes die painfully? And in the rest of the wounding scene do we not see just such a painful death in Passinis mutilated, twitching body? (As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods, they kill us for their sport.) Passini calls out in pain to Jesus and there is no answer only silence from the heavens and the eventual silence of his voice and the stilling of his twitching. There are no additional facts in the passage that can be used to arbitrate between the two readings. Do we then flip a coin? Or do we support our choice with powerful rhetoric?5 No, the obvious move is to read the passage in the larger context of the complete work holding open the competing readings until all of the evidence is in, just as the good scientist would do when confronted with ambiguous results. And we get more information in the following two chapters, for Hemingway gives us Frederic Henry in hospital visited first by Rinaldi and then by the priest. In Chapter X Rinaldi comes to the field hospital and the talk is of decorations, girls, and booze. In Chapter XI the priest visits and the juxtaposition of the two chapters promises much. If Rinaldi and the priest are representatives of the two ways of life that Henry must choose from, then here is the perfect opportunity to indicate in the narrative which of the two is superior. If Henry has had an epiphany, has seen the face of God, then what better time than now while lying in a hospital bed, visited by, and alone with the priest, to tell of his life-changing experience, and to tell it to the one other character who will understand the experience? The scene is set. We expect to discover what Henry has learned about death and God and immortal souls. Instead, of course, we get a discussion of the limits of the officers to see anythi ng beyond immediate experience. Expecting a revelation on the limitless we get a commentary on limits. Here is the time and place, so carefully prepared, for Frederic Henry to reveal his newly discovered truth to the priest. But there is no revelation for there was no revelation. Hemingway once said that all storiesend in death. Certainly, each living persons story ends that way. The interrelationship of a narrative to a life, of the boundary situation of an ending, is of vital importance to the existence of these two fictional narratives, A Farewell to Arms and The Outsider. Death plays an important, one might say necessary, part in both novels, too: Frederic Henry is, of course, in war and witness to death many times, wounded himself, and loses Catherine; Meursaults story begins with his mothers death, he later kills an Arab, and then is himself tried and sentenced to death. In fact, the defining death-confrontations (Frederics loss of Catherine, Meursaults death sentence) transfo rm the characters into narrators; that is to say, the stories are told because of the confrontations with death. We must recognize that the fictive characters are attempting to provide or create an order or meaning where it appears there is none. Or, there are pre-existing versions, meta-narratives, which prove inadequate or unsatisfying, and which must be replaced by the narrative each character produces. Meursault responds directly and violently to the priest who represents one such meta-narrative for Meursaults life. In the crescendo of the final scene of that novel when Meursault confronts the priest and finally re- leases the pent up anger and frustration repressed for so long, he does experience an epiphany:As if this great outburst of anger had purged all of my ills, killed all my hopes, I looked up at the mass of signs and stars in the night sky and laid myself open for the first time to the benign indifference of the world. And finding it so much like myself, in fact so fra ternal, I realized that Id been happy, and that I was still hap- py. For the final consummation and for me to feel less lonely, my last wish was that there should be a crowd of spectators at my execution and that they should greet me with cries of hatred.6 Underneath the surface meaning of the ruling icons of his culture (law, religion, conventional morality) Meursault is finally able to experience a subjective and intense meaning in the form of a separate peace brought about by this surrender to the benign indifference of the world. The skepticism raised by the famous passage in Hemingway about the embarrassment felt by Frederic Henry when confronted with the emptiness of the conventional vocabulary is sharpened by Camus, writing after one more war, who condemns not only the inflated language of society, but also its institutions, with irrelevance at least and mendacity at worst. Frederic Henry finds sacred, glorious, and sacrifice to be embarrassing because they have no referents in the world as he is experiencing it, because these words are used in a corrupted fashion as a part of the military or political vocabulary of manipulation and control. Meursault finds the institutions which produce the vocabulary of control: law, religion, conventional morality are corrupt. Frederic Henry, at the beginning of the novel, is selfish and self-absorbed, but has no true sense of self as we would think of it. He is obviously immature, accepts the teachings of the past, indulges in carnal pleasures; probably, if we remember why he is in the Italian army, because he can, and he speaks Italian. Meursault, too, seems preoccupied with immediate, sensual pleasure or with keeping things simple throughout Part I. For example, his response to his employer when offered the chance to move to Paris echoes some of Frederic Henrys words: I said yes but really I didnt mind. (p. 44) His words on marriage further illustrate: That evening Marie came round for me and asked me if I wanted to marry her. I said I didnt mind and we could do if she wanted to. And later Then she spoke. She just wanted to know if Id have accepted the same proposal if it had come from another woman, with whom I had a similar relationship. I said, `Naturally.'(p. 45) An important difference between the two novels is also shown by this passage: Frederic Henry thinks much the same about marriage and such conventions as Marie does, whereas Meursaults comments remind us of Catherine Barkleys on those same subjects. Here we see Meursault displaying some of the same self-centeredness and inertia as Frederic Henry, but Meursault as Camuss character has also assimilated some of the experience and world-weariness of Catherine. There is some evidence that Meursault has lost a faith he once held in some of the traditional ideals, but he chooses not to say much at all about that possibility: When I was a student, I had plenty of that sort of ambition. But when I had to give up my studies, I very soon r ealized that none of it really mattered. (p. 44) Indulging in sensual pleasure turns out to be inadequate, just as religious faith would be inadequate, or concern about social codes would be inadequate, if it is done without thinking. Both novels revolve around thought and insight. Thought can be hard work, it is discomfiting, it is sometimes painful but it is necessary, too, if one is to be totally human. Frederic may believe initially that he is made only to eat and sleep and make love to Catherine, but finally he must face up to experience he must realize what has happened. This requires effort, thinking, and, as an unavoidable side effect, it usually is painful. We remember that the major, early on, declared that All thinking men are atheists, (p. 8), and this statement begins to resonate throughout the novel as Frederic must indeed think about his experience. The word realize is used in A Farewell to Arms to indicate the subjects coming to awareness; not just to know somethin g in the abstract, but to have it become real. The war-disgust the priest speaks of must come from this realization of war: the confrontation of the individuals expectations with the actual. Hemingways realizing strongly resembles Camuss definition of the Absurd. Both are relational. Both result in a loss of faith, a perspective skewed by the actual. In our Old Testament/New Testament paradigm, one would say that Meursault begins The Outsider already realizing the things Frederic Henry has just learned by the end of A Farewell to Arms. But there is another movement, too, and that is the re-education of Meursault into the society around him. For, just as Frederic must learn how words like glory, honor, or courage were obscene and only the names of places had dignity (p. 185), Meursault, who, we assume, does not give much credence to abstractions like these anyway, must learn what abstractions do refer to when he understands liberty (p. 76) and later guilt: And I felt something stirri ng up the whole room; for the first time I realized that I was guilty. (p. 87) Throughout Part II of The Outsider, Meursault begins to see that people (magistrate, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney) are making up narratives of his life. Perhaps he begins to see that such activity is inescapable. Gradually, we could argue, Meursault achieves consciousness he becomes aware of, he realizes, what it means to be an individual self in a community. Even if one does not attribute meaning to ones actions, others can and do attribute meanings to what they see us do. There is no early epiphany in The Outsider, no sudden change from Part I to Part II; there is a gradual realization on Meursaults part of the impossibility of escaping from language, values, and narratives. Frederic Henry learns a similar lesson, and in a similar fashion, when he is caught in the retreat from Caporetto. After reflecting on the hollowness of some words (p. 185), he learns of the dangers of language when he is identified by his accent and condemned to death. Meursault is perturbed by the ease with which societys institutions are able to manufacture causal explanations for the actions of individuals. Part one of the novel is a collection of events and actions which are then given meaning by (or through the eyes of) society in the shape of law, religion, and conventional morality in Part two. It is that fictional place outside of the text where the meaning for the character Meursault is established and then transferred to the reader by the text. What does it mean to drink a cup of coffee? An innocent cup of coffee in Part one becomes evidence of evil in Part two (in the eyes of the prosecuting magistrate) becomes an assertion of freedom in the final reading. Camus gives artistic life to the philosophical ideas of The Myth of Sisyphus in The Outsider, and particularly to the discussion of the search for truth. In the Myth Camus goes through an inventory of accepted sources for truth and fin ds them all lacking: first he tries religion, but surprisingly it is too relative, for which god is god; second he tries science, but finds that it offers not precision but metaphor (the world is like); third he tries logic, but finds that paradoxically it leads to contradiction (for if all statements are true is true then no statements are true must be one of the true statements). He is left with the I not the Cartesian I but the Humean I (a bundle of perceptions) as the foundation for a meaning system. Brave new world - Embrace misfits? Essay