Baldwins Insights of History in Notes of a Native Son Essay -- James

Private Insight into Public History James Baldwin had a talent of being able to tell a personal story and relate it to world events. His analysis is a rare capability that one can only acquire over an extensive lifetime. James Baldwin not only has that ability, but also the ability to write as if he is conversing with the reader. One of his most famous essays, â€Å"Notes of a Native Son,† is about his father’s death. It includes the events that happened prior to and following his father’s death. Throughout this essay, he brings his audience into the time in which he wrote and explains what is going on by portraying the senses and emotions of not only himself, but as well as the people involved. This essay has a very personal feeling mixed with public views. Baldwin is able to take one small event or idea and shows its place within the â€Å"bigger picture.† Not only does he illustrate public experiences, but he will also give his own personal opinion about those events. Throughout â€Å"Notes of a Native Son† Baldwin uses the binary of life versus death to expand on the private versus public binary that he also creates. These two binaries show up several times together showing how much they relate to each other. Baldwin makes certain readers understand the states of the issue at once; his essay starts by describing his father’s funeral in the aftermath of the Harlem riots of 1943. Baldwin states, â€Å"As we drove him to the graveyard, the spoils of injustice, anarchy, discountent, and hatred were all around us. It seemed to me that God himself had devised, to mark my father’s end, the most sustained and brutally dissonant of codas† (63). Yet as Baldwin mourned the death of his father, he celebrated the birth of his yo... ...e â€Å"big picture† in the world. Some events may not seem significant, but they are somehow related to other events that are going on in the world. Baldwin also took events that coincidentally happened at the same of his father’s death and analyzed them, giving his own personal opinion. Baldwin also had a constant motif of life versus death throughout his life story and his analysis of events. Baldwin’s creative writing skills show through his style of writing and makes the reader feel as though he is being directly spoken to. He gives the audience the opportunity to feel the emotions that he felt during these events. It is this ability that made James Baldwin the celebrated talent that he became. Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Notes of a Native Son.† 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.

Optimal Sexual and Reproductive Health and Happiness :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Like most wives, sometimes I drive my husband crazy. And even though he's a good sport about it, one of the most consistent ways in which I do so relates to one of my most pronounced idiosyncratic behaviors. For example, we will arrive appropriately early on a Saturday night at a theater to see a movie that will undoubtedly be sold out. And after picking the perfect seats, (one for him that gives him room to stretch out his long legs, and one that affords me the ability to have room to see around anyone who sits in from of me who will inevitably be much taller than I) and then I'll get up and move. What, you may be wondering, would cause me to behave this badly? Well, it is really a matter self-protection. It's because of all the people who have been socially conditioned to interfere with nature and act upon the belief that they must be disinfected, deodorized and then re-fragranced. While this may be a headache for my husband, for me it could be a migraine. Many migraine sufferers report that strong smells can trigger a migraine (1); and in my case, perfumes are among the worst offenders. Of course, people are not setting out to make life uncomfortable for those, like me, with hypersensitivities to chemical odors. But discomfort or even extreme pain is often the consequence of people's over utilization of substances that remove their natural fragrances and their replacement of them with chemical substitutes. However, it is my contention that it may also be detrimental to the health and happiness of those who engage in such practices. Americans, in particular, have been taught that human body odors and secretions are offensive. And consequently they wage a daily battle against those that their own bodies produce and hope that others will do the same. However, those dreaded smells and secretions play an important role in many human behaviors, most notably those related to sexuality and reproduction and the health of those systems. But some of the time, much to my husband's relief, I actually can tolerate the chemically scented world in which we live better than at other times. The intensity of my sensitivities wax and wane in accordance with my menstrual cycle. This is because a woman's ability to smell varies over the course of her cycle and at the time of ovulation is believed to increase over 1,000 fold from that of the time of menstruation (2).

Shanghai Baby

Shanghai Baby is the first novel written by Chinese writer Wei Hui, a feminist and a resident of Shanghai who was 26 years old at the time when the book was published. Perhaps the enormous similarity between of the age, gender and city of residence of the writer to those of the lead female character is the reason for the popular belief that the book is an autobiography instead of what it really is, i. e. a work of fiction. The novel was first released in China in 1999 and went on to be in the top selling 5 novels of the year in Shanghai.Much to the chagrin of the liberated Western media, the top selling book was deemed pornographic in nature by Beijing Press and Publication and was banned all over China. The novel is a first person narrative about a twenty five year old woman, who lives in Shanghai, China, works as a waitress in a cafe to earn money, aspires to write a novel and become a writer and dreams about becoming rich and famous. Her real name is Nikki, but she is known among her friends as Coco, after her idol Coco Chanel.While working at the cafe, Coco meets Tian Tian, an artist, in addition to being a hedonist, a nihilist as well as being impotent. They fall into an intimate relationship and Coco although disappointed by his impotency, believes she can stay happy with the love of her life, until she meets Mark, a German business man who is everything that Tian Tian is not. Tian Tian is a sad pleasure seeker, haunted by a painful past, unnerved by a sinister future and is also in love with Coco. Mark is a rich, attractive male who can give Coco all that which she finds lacking in Tian Tian and more.Coco is a self indulgent, narcissistic, often annoying woman who is unable to resist the lure of pure sexual lust in the face of true love for a less than capable lover and becomes sexually involved with Mark. At this point it seems that the book predictably becomes an expression of the author’s erotic fantasies as she explains in detail Coco’s relationship with Mark. The entire tale is spun against the backdrop of the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, in the midst of drugs, alcohol, nightclubs and bars.From one perspective, the book is a woman’s struggle between love and sexual pleasure. It is also, as proclaimed by many, an analysis of the darker side of the night life of Shanghai. However, most importantly, the book should be noted for its deep rooted symbolism: Tian Tian is the representation of typical Chinese men who are famous for their sexual incompetence and Mark is that of the stereotyped Caucasian male, sex starved and hungry for oriental females.All this is ironically wrapped in the materiality of brand names and wealth as characters are defined more in terms of where they live, what they wear and how much they own. Superficial at first glance, but in fact dripping with literary symbolism, the book reflects the author’s lack of confidence in the male species of human beings, whether native or foreig n as both men in Coco’s life become unavailable leaving her shattered by the end of the story. Works Cited Sheng, John. Afterthoughts on the Banning of â€Å"Shanghai Baby†.Retrieved on January 22, 2007 from: http://www. oycf. org/Perspectives/8_103100/afterthoughts_on_the_banning_of. htm Cole, S. (2001). A Non-Review With Current Events Tossed In. Retrieved on January 22, 2007 from: http://www. freewilliamsburg. com/november_2001/books. html Chloe E. , Slidell, LA. Book Review. Retrieved on January 22, 2007 from: http://teenink. com/Past/2003/October/17075. html CathCart, M. (2001). Shanghai Baby. Retrieved on January 22, 2007 from: http://www. abc. net. au/rn/arts/atoday/stories/s337449. htm

On Civil Liberties and the Redefinition of Freedom

An appreciation of the civil liberties and basic freedoms enjoyed by the American individual, according to Eric Foner, would be impossible without a knowledge of how the American people—generation after generation—struggled to define and demarcate the boundaries of freedom and liberty.In â€Å"The Story of American Freedom,† Foner (2002) successfully applies a mà ©lange of analytical framework ranging from structural analysis, marxist dialectical and historical materialism; to feminist and postmodern criticism to prove that â€Å"freedom has always been a terrain of conflict, subject to multiple and competing interpretations.† By analyzing freedom from a historical narrative, he aims to show â€Å"how at different periods of American history different ideas of freedom have been conceived and implemented, and how the clash between dominant and dissenting views has constantly reshaped the idea’s meaning.’’ And because of this, the disc ourse of American civil liberties—borne from the American people’s love affair with the idea of freedom—will only gain relevance by identifying the â€Å"the meanings of freedom; the social conditions that make it possible; and the boundaries of freedom — the definition, that is, of who is entitled to enjoy it (Foner, 2002).†Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Birth of Civil Liberties†Indeed, the notions of civil liberties in a given society are necessarily intertwined with its cherished concept of freedom. In the book’s eight chapter, entitled â€Å"The Birth of Civil Liberties,† Foner shows that the inception of the idea of civil liberties was the outcome of the tumultuous events and crisis prior and after the World War I: the United States’ participation in the war, the   paranoia produced by the emergence of Socialist Russia, and the Great Depression following shortly after the war ended. It was at this period, with the widespread poverty a midst the growth of the United States as a major Capitalist economy; and Progressivists’ disenchantment with the illusions of state benevolence after the whole scale arrest of left-wing intellectuals, that the paradigm shift from the dominant â€Å"freedom from† into â€Å"freedom to† occurred. The ideas of social scientists as Herbert Croly, John Dewey, and William Willoughby, formed the basis of the new definition of freedom as one that does not only protect the individual from aggression, but one that actually permitted him to do things. Foner (2002) narrates the ensuing contradiction between the dominant progressivism and the emerging modern liberalism:â€Å"Effective freedom,’ wrote John Dewey, who pondered the question from the 1890s until his death in 1952, was far different from the ‘highly formal and limited concept of liberty’ as a preexisting possession of autonomous individuals that needed to be protected from outside restraint.à ¢â‚¬ For effective freedom to crystallize, it was realized,   certain conditions first had to be met. Human beings (at this stage meaning White Men), for instance, though â€Å"by nature† imbued with the freedom to live comfortably, could not do so if they were impoverished. Freedom therefore required that a human being be economically secure, which meant that unemployment and starvation were seen as infringements to freedom.â€Å"The New Deal and the Redefinition of Freedom†By the 1930’s, the belief that economic security was a critical condition for exercising individual freedoms had gained significant acceptance. This is reflected in the way that the state, led by then Pres. Roosevelt,   implemented the New Deal from 1933-37, the pre-cursor of the establishment of welfare in the United States which implemented â€Å"relief,† â€Å"reform,† and â€Å"recovery† by intervening in the market and granting the demands of groups from a vari ety of the political spectrum. Seeking to cushion the impact of the Great Depression on the starving and unemployed majority of the American people, as well as pacify the restless from succumbing to socialist ideology, the New Deal showed the transformation of progressivism into modern liberalism, which espoused Keynesian economic models and personal freedom based on the four Rs: freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.Fighting for FreedomAnd so it is with the rhetoric of freedom that the United States would camouflage its interests in going to the Second World War and in declaring the cold war against the socialist bloc of the USSR. Noting the irony when Pres. Roosevelt promises the world a Global New Deal based on the four freedoms while declaring its participation in the war,   Foner echoes   Dewey’s lament when he wrote in â€Å"The Meaning of Freedom in the Age of Emancipation† that:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"in our own time, we have wi tnessed the putative division of the planet into free and non-free worlds (with the former including many nations that might be seen as lacking in freedom) invoked to justify violations of individual liberties at home and interference with the right to self determination (Foner, 1994)†This startling realization, that â€Å"American freedom has been both a reality and a mythical ideal — a living truth for millions of Americans; a cruel mockery for others,†Ã‚  influenced the formation of racial, gender, ethnicity, and class-based reform and radical abolitionist movements whose basic slogan was that of equality and the recognition of marginalized groups, such as those for the citizenship of the Blacks, women’s suffrage in the 1960s, and the people’s right to state-sponsored provision of social services in the 1930s. Foner describes the development of emergent concepts of freedom in   the 20th century which tested and challenged the status quo:  Ã¢â ‚¬Å"feminists sought to recast gender relations in order to afford women the same freedom as men, and Americans divided over whether poverty and lack of economic security should be seen as deprivations of freedom that the government had an obligation to alleviate.†The women’s vocal demands for their right to vote   and the Black and immigrant movement for civil recognition, were therefore significant efforts to redefine the inclusive and exclusive meanings of freedom since â€Å"categories of freedom defines the categories of unfreedom.†Ã‚   Foner affirms the relevance of such movements by stating that,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"those who adopt a purely ‘negative' view of freedom as the absence of external coercion, rather than, for example, economic autonomy or political empowerment, must identify what constitutes illegitimate coercion.†It is with this contention, that â€Å"freedom has not simply been a linear progress toward a pre-ordained goal,† but rath er a complex and conflicted—and sometimes even violent— struggle between the contradicting interests of groups; tainted by class, race, ethnicity, gender, and even religion, that Foner   challenges and dares his reader to attempt to redefine the confined, claustrophobic spaces of America’s state-sponsored concepts of freedom.References:Foner, Eric. The Story of American Freedom. New York: Norton, 1998. pp. 163-236Foner, Eric, â€Å"The Meaning of Freedom in the Age of Emancipation.† The Journal of American History 81, no. 2 (Sept. 1994) p. 4.

The Lumber Room

The text under analysis is written by an outstanding British novelist and short story writer Hector Munro. Hector Hugh Munro was a British writer, whose witty stories satirized Edwardian society and culture. The author’s style of writing is satirical in a humorous way. He uses a witty tone to mimic characters in order to subtly criticize them. The criticism is done in a subtle way that is humorous. The excerpt is homogeneous. The story is narrated in the 3rd person. This allows the reader to access the situation and the characters in an objective manner, because the characters are having both positive and negative viewpoints. The third person point of view is impersonal which fits the impersonal atmosphere of the household. The plot of the story revolves around a little orphan Nicholas who was trusted to his tyrannical and dull-witted aunt. One day Nicholas was â€Å"in disgrace†, so he made his Aunt believe that he was somehow trying to get into the gooseberry garden, but instead had no intention of doing so but did sneak into the Lumber Room. There a tremendous picture of a hunter and a stag opened to him. Soon his aunt tried to look for the boy and slipped into the rain-water tank. She asked Nicholas to fetch her a ladder but the boy pretended not to understand her, he said that she was the Evil One (This metaphor shows author’s irony and essential clue to the character). The plot is ordered chronologically, each episode is given with more and more emphasis. The author’s choice of vocabulary and stylistic devices in this story emphasize a deep dissension between generations, to convey a thrilling power of child’s creative mind. The author uses a large variety of stylistic devices, such as epithets to show us the great difference between the Child’s and Grown-up’s world. Such epithets from Child’s world (grim chuckle, alleged frog, unknown land, stale delight, mere material pleasure, bare and cheerless, thickly growing vegetation) and the one from Grown-up’s world (frivolous ground, considerable obstinacy, trivial gardening operation, unauthorized intrusion) help the author to emphasize all the beauty of the childhood’s mind and the commonness of the adult’s mind. The text can be divided into several parts according to the change of the general slant: 1. The exposition, in which we learn about little Nicholas, his cousins and his strict aunt. Nicholas got into his aunt’s disgrace. So his cousins were to be taken to Jagborough sands that afternoon and he was to stay at home. The Aunt was absolutely sure that the boy was determined to get into the gooseberry garden because â€Å"I have told him he is not to†. The author uses irony and witty tone throughout the story. For example, Aunt's condescending tone in describing Nicholas’ prank: disgrace, sin, fell from grace. The author is obviously using the Aunt’s own word choice to reveal her self-righteous attitude. This is a subtle criticism of her arrogance which she is blind to. To lay stress on the Aunt’s narrow-mindness Munro uses such metaphors as â€Å"a circus of unrivalled merit† and â€Å"uncounted elephants† 2. The complication, when Nicholas got into an unknown land of lumber-room. Forbidden fruit is sweet and truly the lumber-room is described as a storehouse of unimagined treasure. Every single item brings life and imagination to Nicholas and is symbolic of what the adult of real world lacks. He often pictured to himself what the lumber-room was like, since that was the region that was so carefully sealed from youthful eyes. The tapestry brings to life imagination and fantasy within Nicholas, the interesting pots and candlesticks bring an aesthetic quality, visual beauty which stirs up his creative mind; and lastly a large square book full of coloured pictures of birds. And such birds! They allow Nicholas to learn in a fun and exciting way. The author uses irony to poke fun and criticize the Aunt. For instance, trip to Jagborough which is meant to spite Nicholas fails. Instead of being a punishment for the child, it became a treat for him whereas it became a torture to those who went. The Aunt’s conception of â€Å"the paradise†. The real paradise is the Lumber-room not the garden. This reveals the irony that the ideal world of an adult is dull and boring to that of a child. 3. The climax of the text. While the boy was admiring the colouring of a mandarin duck, the voice of his aunt came from the gooseberry garden. She got slipped into the rain-water tank and couldn’t go out. She demanded from the boy to bring her a ladder, but he said her voice didn’t sound like his aunt’s. â€Å"You may be the Evil One tempting me to be disobedient† – said a little boy desiding the Justice must be done. The Aunt tasted the fruit of her own punishment on the children. She is accused of falling from grace, of lying to Nicholas about jam and thus termed the Evil One. She feels what it is like to be condemned. 4. The denouncement. The Aunt is furious and enforces in the house. She maintained the frozen muteness of one who has suffered undignified and unmerited detention in a rain-water tank for thirty-five minutes. Nicholas was also silent, in the absorption of an enchanting picture of a hunter and a stag.

Trends in Maritime Transport and Port Development in the Context of World Trade

Trends in Maritime Transport and Port Development in the Context of World Trade Carlos M. Gallegos 1. Structural changes in international trade and the evolution of maritime transport have a direct impact on port growth and expansion. Therefore, these elements and their recent characteristics must be examined, since they provide the frame of reference in which port reform in Latin America and the Caribbean has been carried out. These factors also determine future port development. A. Globalization, production, trade, and ports 2.Globalization, or the expansion of markets and hence of the economic prospects of societies, is taking place not only because of the supra-national nature of markets, but also because of the flow of foreign investment and the strategies of multinational enterprises. These multinationals today account for two-thirds of global exports of goods and services and nearly 10% of domestic sales worldwide. 3. In this environment of increasing interdependence in the wo rld, the international division of labor is changing as a result of structural changes in trade and unprecedented mobility of international capital.However, while the integration of goods and services and capital is progressing at a rapid pace, integration of the labor market is much slower. In addition, ever more sophisticated technologies are being disseminated, in a framework of spectacular streamlining in communications and telecommunications. The development of information technology has, in turn, boosted productivity and, in many cases, worker income. In general, electronic transactions and communications technology have been the necessary complement to full internalization and globalization and their major impact on production and world trade. . In mid-1999, developing countries began to recover from the 1997-1998 financial crisis in Asia, which had a severe impact on countries in Latin America. This recovery was spurred on in particular by growth in domestic demand in the Un ited States and other developed countries, low interest rates, and the Asian recovery. As a result, overall growth in gross domestic product (GDP) rose 3% (similar to growth in the developed countries). Countries are now back on the road to growth they embarked upon in 1993 that was interrupted in 1998. The global economy is projected to grow 3. % in 2000 (but only 3% in the developed countries). 5. In 1999, Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the worst economic indicators of the decade, due primarily to downturns in the Argentine and Brazilian economies. The region went into a recession (a drop on average of 0. 6% in GDP). The region’s estimated growth rate for 2000 is nearly 4%, spurred on particularly by sustained growth in recent months in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. 6. The global economic recovery in the second half of 1999 was also reflected in the upturn in world trade. World commodity exports in 1999 were valued at US$5. 6 billion — up 3. 5 % from the previous year when a negative rate of 1. 6% was posted. Export volume also grew, however at a similar rate to the previous year’s growth of 4. 5%; and for the third consecutive year, the average price of commodities fell (excluding oil). 7. World trade in services rose 2% in 1999, after last year’s sluggishness, with exported services valued at US$1. 3 billion, and there was a moderate rise in the international price of those services. 8. The regions of the world and the individual countries responded with quite varied demand and growth in their product in 1999.The situation in Latin America and the Caribbean was rather unique. 9. With the 1999 recession, the volume of Latin American and Caribbean imports fell 2% on average. However, performance in the region varied greatly by country. Imports rose 15% in Mexico, but fell 12% in the rest of the region. Similarly, the region’s exports grew 7% in 1999, but in Mexico the figure was almost double (13. 7%) . We should recall that almost 90% of Mexico’s exports (85% of which are manufactured goods) are to the US market, compared to 30% of exports from the rest of Latin America (40% of which are manufactured goods). 0. Intra-regional trade was also affected and fell considerably. The MERCOSUR countries experienced a downturn of 25% and the countries in the Andean Community, 28%. 11. Regarding the importation of services, the slowdown that began in 1998 persisted, and in 1999 there was a 9% drop on average (a 9% increase in Mexico, but a 13% drop in the remaining countries). 12. The outlook for the volume of world trade in 2000 is better; it is expected to rise 6. 5%, which is higher than the average increase in world production.Trade indicators are expected to improve in Latin America and the Caribbean, because of higher oil prices, increased investment in the region, better commodity prices and, especially, a major recovery in exports in general. 13. Foreign trade has gained ext raordinary strength and importance in the development strategies for the Latin American and Caribbean economies. Its expansion and growth is the engine of their economic growth. This is expected to continue, and what’s more the export structure is expected to be geared towards manufactured goods with high value added.Since nearly 90% of trade in this region is shipped by sea, port development is of the utmost important. B. Characteristics of maritime transport 14. Below are some of the characteristics of maritime trade traffic for containers, liquid and dry bulk cargo, and tourism (US$3. 5 billion). 15. Despite the changing, adverse conditions in production and world trade mentioned above, transport of maritime trade continued to grow in 1999, but only by 1. 3% — a slower rate than in previous years (2. 2% in 1998 and 4. 1% in 1997). This was the lowest level recorded since 1987.The volume of world trade transported on the seas was over 5. 1 billion tons, a similar fig ure to the previous year. Growth estimates for 2000 are roughly 4%, similar to 1997. 16. Containers. Use of containers has been on the rise since their introduction in 1956, and this market has the best growth outlook in the sector. As a result, high-capacity ships have been built; today more than 60 have a capacity over 5,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Container traffic was an estimated 190 million TEUs in 1999; of that amount the Port of Singapore moved 15. million TEUs. Studies forecast 6% annual growth in container traffic through 2005, as a result of continued expansion of the use of containers by the shipping industry in developing countries; increased trade in manufactured goods and products with a higher value added; the trend towards globalization by multinational manufacturers; and growth of megaships and the resulting rise in feeder and ferry traffic. 17. Liquid cargo. A total of 2. 159 million tons of liquid cargo was loaded in 1999, with an annual rate of change o f less than 1. 3%.Oil continues to be the main component, accounting for nearly 70% (roughly 1. 5 billion tons annually), followed by liquid gas and petrochemicals. Double-hull 300,000 ton supertankers are used the most to transport crude oil between its main axes, i. e. Asia, the United States, and Europe. 18. Dry bulk cargo. Maritime transport of trade in dry bulk cargo includes most notably: iron ore, coal, grain, bauxite/aluminium oxide, and phosphates. In 1999, together they represented 1. 233 million tons with an annual rate of change of 2. 8%; 70,000-ton bulk carriers are also important in this type of traffic.Many shipping companies build panamax ships to measure with cranes to load and unload bulk cargo, which reduces transport costs. Bulk cargo is still the largest segment of maritime transport, representing almost one fourth of total freight loaded annually. 19. Tourism. The cruise ship industry had grown and received massive investments in recent years. It is estimated t hat over 7 million persons will take a cruise this year, a similar figure to last year, and the American market is the main consumer. Recently, high-tonnage ships have been built, such as the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas, at 130,000 tons with he capacity to hold 3,115 passengers, inaugurated last November, and the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas, which has the same characteristics and began service in October 2000. Regionally, the recipient markets are most notably the Caribbean and the new market in the Southern Cone. Ports are competing to attract these passenger ships and face the challenge of having the appropriate port infrastructure in place, as well as the complementary service facilities that passengers require, such as taxis, buses, guides, and shopping centers. This is certainly a growing market in every respect, but a very competitive, capital-intensive one.C. The shipping industry: characteristics and prospects 20. The main shipping lines in the world, such a s Maersk Sealand, Evergreen, P&O Nedlloyd, Hanjin, Cosco, and many others serve the most complex, profitable routes in the world, including some in Latin America and the Caribbean. 21. The 25 most powerful shipping lines control almost 60% of container transport capacity in world trade. In addition to growing concentration of container activity in the hands of the largest, most powerful shipping lines, there is an unrelenting process of consolidation and the forging of alliances among the main shipping lines.In other words, they are growing larger every day, but have also decided to work together. The two most powerful alliances that were recently renewed are the Great Alliance (among NYK, Hapag Lloyd of Germany, the Anglo-Dutch company P&O Nedlloyd, Orient Overseas Container Lines (OOCL) of China, and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)) and the New World Alliance (among Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) of Japan, APL/Neptuno Orient Lines (NOL) of Malaysia, and Hundai Merchant Marine (HM M) of Korea) which have focused primarily on reorganizing the main trade routes.The sphere of action of these alliances is broader, involving a global strategy and ground services. This raises questions about the ability of certain container port terminals to survive and particularly about whether or not the conditions for perfect competition are present in these markets. 22. Another characteristic of this industry is the production and servicing of mega container vessels. The number and size of postpanamax container vessels will continue to grow, which will increase the transport of containers, reduce stops in the main routes, and therefore increase the services of feeder ships.Ship capacity will continue to rise, and ports will have to adjust to their size. In 1999, over 120 postpanamax ships were operating. Maersk has ships that can transport nearly 7,000 TEUs (K and S classes) and 8,000-TEU ships are due out soon. Germanischer Lloyd is planning to operate a mega container ship o f 15,000 TEUs by 2010, when the volume of container trade is expected to be double the current figure (roughly 200 million TEUs). The ship would cover the East-West route and feed ships of 4,000 and 5,000 TEUs.This would reduce the number of port movements, but requires ports with enormous capacity. 23. Changes in container terminal operators. With the expansion of the container industry, the structure and organization of terminal operations have changed. Today there are three categories of container terminal operators: (i) port authorities that have decided to become directly involved in handling containers, such as the public ports of Singapore and the Virginia Port Authority or the private ports of Felixtowe or Freeport.However, this category has been on the decline with the emergence of port corporations; (ii) private port terminal operating companies involved in a process of concentration, including stevedoring. The 15 main operators have expanded their activities outside of th eir ports of origin, associating themselves with large stevedoring groups (e. g. PSA Corporation, Hutchinson, ECT, P&O Ports, and SSA); and (iii) the shipping lines that have decided to control and manage their own container terminals. This decision was made for two main reasons.The first was for strategic reasons, because these global transporters are involved in hub and transshipment ports and therefore need to control their operations, including docking priority and guaranteed availability of equipment for use. The second was to reduce costs, i. e. for savings, based on economies of scale and better control of terminal expenses. 24. The provision of port-to-port logistical services. As shipping lines (e. g. Maersk Logistics, Evergreen American Corporation) participate in ogistical service solutions, they absorb them or forge associations with these intermodal service providers to ensure consistent, regular service, meeting the client’s demands through the port-to-port supp ly chain. This range of logistical services, which includes the consolidation of containers, documentation services, and storage and distribution, will continue to expand and improve every day and will have a greater impact on reducing costs and enhancing efficiency. 25. Information and communications technology and electronic commerce.Port services will step up their use of computerized systems and information technology, such as the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system and the Internet. The increase in transport capacity will require immediate data on the exact location and status of cargo, as well as on all logistical and institutional aspects of port operations. In light of these requirements, all port and shipping industry sectors will continue to invest in new systems and channels of communication.The industry will be moving towards a paperless world in which all types of information are handled electronically. 26. Use of the Internet for electronic commerce is also import ant. That industry has shown impressive growth of 68% in the last year. This mode of commerce is affecting how the transport industry does business, and theories abound regarding its impact on the maritime port industry. Internet commerce was one of the topics discussed at the WTO negotiations, and the issue of taxes on e-commerce is still under study. 27.These characteristics and trends in the shipping industry are the result of the development of the world economy and globalization, resulting in demand for new standards of efficiency for maritime transport and creating new challenges for the world’s ports. D. Economic reforms and trade challenges for ports in the region 28. Macroeconomic reforms. The region has undertaken a series of macroeconomic reforms that prioritize export promotion, putting aside import substitution, which has been considered detrimental since the 1970s. 29.Important tariff reforms have been adopted that include marked drops in tariffs on finished pro ducts, and even lower levels for inputs for exportation; the adoption of fewer tariff tiers, with a single flat tariff; and the establishment of a positive, effective protection mechanism. This promotes the generation of value added, instead of punishing it. In terms of exchange rates, the various fixed exchange rates were eliminated, which were arbitrary and ignored market criteria. Real exchange rates govern currency exchange today.Tax reform has also been tackled, but not with the necessary vigor. Domestic taxes on income, assets, use, or value added are now contributing more to national public treasuries, replacing taxes on foreign trade as the main source of revenue. There is still a long road ahead for tax reform in most countries. Attracting foreign capital is another important element on the list of reforms that have sped up the growth of our economies, by helping external resources to complement low domestic savings and finance projects in new productive sectors.State refor ms complete the picture; they are an effort to redirect state leadership in the economic development process, where the state goes from being a major player, monopolist, and executor of economic activity to playing the role of a regulatory, control body that works with the private sector. State reforms also include the privatization of public agencies (ports have been in the forefront here) and other public institutions, such as customs. 30. Almost all governments in the region have made a major effort to move forward with economic liberalization, trade opening, and export promotion, allowing for major growth in the 1990s.Nonetheless the imbalance in wealth distribution, the inability of large segments of the population to overcome extreme poverty, and the still weak reforms of institutions and some branches of government are disturbing, destabilizing elements that are reflected in the serious economic malaise that many countries in the region are experiencing today. 31. FTAA 2005. The heads of government of the Hemisphere agreed at the Summits of Miami (1994) and Santiago (1998) to promote the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), in order to form a broad market stretching from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego that would be the largest international consumer arket, with 800 million inhabitants. Negotiations on customs rebates are geared towards complying with this date, and this mechanism is expected to substantially increase inter-American trade, thus intensifying the flow of hemispheric port traffic. 32. European Union. The policy of strengthening trade relations, particularly between South America and Europe, has been gaining major momentum; for example, trade negotiations with MERCOSUR are being promoted. Other plans, such as the free trade agreement between Mexico and Europe, confirm the trend towards increased trade between these two regions in the medium term. 33.Subregional integration systems. Another factor that has accelerated the flow of trade is the existence of several subregional integration systems, such as the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), MERCOSUR, the Central American Common Market (CACM), or the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). They must speed up subregional trade, but must also support the formation of the FTAA and facilitate the standardization of different trade policies. All of this will translate into increased movement in maritime and hemispheric port traffic. It is noteworthy that, at the Andean level, over 50% of commodities were shipped by sea in 1999. 4. Strengthening international trade negotiations. The World Trade Organization (WTO) tried unsuccessfully to promote a new round of trade negotiations at its Third Ministerial Conference in Seattle in November 1999. The proposed work program for the next five years consisted in negotiations on liberalizing trade in agricultural products, services, food security, electronic commerce, and other topics. Even though the differences of the developing and developed countries could not be bridged, important progress was made, indicating that a new round could be launched soon.The developed and developing countries also gave clear signs of their intent to continue with a policy of trade opening and economic liberalization, and there are no signs of a rebirth of protectionism. These indicators strengthen the foundation for the future growth and expansion of world trade. 35. Customs facilitating trade. Similarly, the World Customs Organization (WCO) is making progress in technical areas that facilitate trade, which favors the expansion of world trade in the short and medium terms.Significant progress has been made towards adopting revised standards on the origin of traded goods; the new and revised version of the Convention on Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (â€Å"Kyoto Convention†); standards for applying the Code to assess the value of goods in customs according to transaction value criteria; the ongoing amendments under the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System; and the application of new information and communications technology.All these customs instruments are essential complements for facilitating and expanding trade in our countries. E. Port actions for port development 36. Port reforms. The port sector in the region has exhibited change, but in different ways and to different degrees in each country. Generally speaking, the sector has been regulated and national port policies set, which in many cases had been absent. State monopolies in port operation and administration have been revised, by either totally or partially decentralizing port activity to local governments and/or granting the private sector concessions.Labor constraints have been overcome, and port authorities have therefore been playing a different role. This new environment is reflected in the revision of port tariffs, seeking to develop a more efficient, more flexible port system that is swifter, safer, and cheaper. The experts attending this event will more clearly and objectively illustrate how port systems operate in different countries in the Hemisphere. 37.I would like to reaffirm that, port reforms must be sped up for greater port efficiency and competitiveness, particularly in countries that have not yet done so, regardless of the ownership model the governments decide to adopt, since international trade will not wait, and the countries’ growth and development can not be put off because of undefined policy. Delaying this reform will only result in higher social costs in the medium term. While it is important to define a port system — be it public, private, or a combination of the two — it is essential to have the means and facilities or achieving levels of efficiency to be able to adapt to the requirements of world trade and compete successfully. Landlord ports are the most common arrangements in the region. That is where port authorities cease to serve as p ort operator, provide the necessary infrastructure, and grant concessions to the private sector to operate complementary services and terminals. Generally, in this situation, the central government grants financing to the sector, such as direct subsidies and credit guarantees. In general, this model promotes higher-quality service delivery. 38.The impact of ports on promoting national economic development. This is another consideration that I would like to reiterate, with a few examples of what is being done in other developing countries that have made progress in port reform. These countries have concessionaires and private terminal operators and have been adversely affected by the various financial crises. Their development strategy also depends heavily on exports. However, strategic development plans and specific recommendations are in place to strengthen the role of the port sector to ensure significant recovery of the national economy.They include: (i) operators reviewing their operating costs to eliminate unnecessary expenditures; (ii) enhancing the efficiency and productivity of port operations, particularly by shortening the time needed for container movement by crane or using more cranes for ships with higher cargo volume and employing information and communications technology in daily operations, bearing in mind the growing volume of cargo being moved and the corresponding volume of communications that must be executed; (iii) conducting more aggressive marketing campaigns to raise the volume of cargo sent directly from the country’s ports to its final destination; (iv) implementing infrastructure projects aimed at raising port capacity in the medium term; (v) conducting equipment and port facility maintenance campaigns to continue to ensure efficient operations; and (vi) continually revising the role of port authorities to cover changes in the market. In light of these reforms, their role is focused on planning and regulating port activity, fa cilitating the transport chain, controlling and supervising the activities of private enterprises by developing information systems, and promoting and working with the port community and foreign and international institutions. 39.Take into account trends and developments in the maritime industry and port operators in order to adjust port development strategies to the world challenges of this century. (i) Global port operators will continue to expand to new geographic areas and will maximize the use of technology to create worldwide port networks that can offer consistent levels of services and modes of operation. More alliances will be forged among port terminal operators to promote economies of scale and use of global capacity. (ii) Since capital investments will be high, only the most powerful enterprises with significant financial resources will remain in these alliances. iii) Port facilities will acquire new and better standards and advanced technology in order to serve mega shi ps. (iv) Container storage capacity must be improved through new systems and new facility designs. (v) There will be significant investment in communications and information technology for a world run electronically. 40. Finally, partnership for development. This mechanism will be crucial for the future of regional port activity, given the urgent need for information exchanges for decision-making in port operations on shipping companies and port operators, as well as on producing projects to be implemented jointly and meeting market requirements in general. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation must increase.The Organization of American States (OAS) has an Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) which serves as a forum for dialogue for the governments of all countries in the Americas and the port authorities, but also for port operators, shipping lines, and commercial, industrial, financial, academic, and scientific entities. Use of this mechanism is an effective, low-cost option f or strengthening hemispheric cooperation among ports in the Americas and contributing to their development. Port forums, such as those offered by the Andean Committee of Water Transport Authorities (CAATA) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), among others, work along the same lines for cooperation and to achieve port efficiency, which our government authorities must use to the fullest. 41. Conclusion. Ladies and gentlemen, my goal has been to provide you with up-to-date information on the ever-changing world of ports.What we are seeing in the world’s ports today we could never have envisioned 25 years ago, like 8,000-TEU megaships or ports with great capacity to move containers, such as the Port of Hong Kong with 16. 2 million TEUs per year. However, we often consider 25-year blocks in long-term investments in the maritime port industry. Changes in the industry in the next quarter of a century will be even more dizzying and spectacular, and our ports will have to ad apt. 42. In this globalized world and in our corner of the world where 90% of our trade goes through ports, it is the responsibility of the governments, operators, shipping companies, service providers, and workers to work together to support the development of both our ports and our economies. Let’s forge an efficient, competitive inter-American alliance for the future of our ports! CIP00106E

Aim of My Life Essay Example for Free (#2)

Aim of My Life Essay ? There is a saying, â€Å"Those who aim high, reach high†. It is indeed true. Without a clear-cut aim in life, life just drifts. It just floats-aimless, rudderless and not knowing where one is heading to. If we look into the lives of great men and women of our times, we see that they had clear- cut aims and well demarcated goals in life. Having clear-cut goals in life is the first step to success, because â€Å"Where there is a will, there is a way†. I have always been very passionate about flying air- crafts. As far as I can remember. I have always wanted to be a pilot. Perhaps, this desire to become a pilot originated in me due to the fact that my uncle is an air- force pilot. His life, the adventure stories he used to tell me, the respect and fame he received, etc. , have all inspired me to follow his foot-steps. But it is not easy to become a pilot, especially an air- force pilot. And I am very much aware of this fact. This job requires a great deal of intelligence and proper education and training. A number of years have to be spent studying aeronautics and other related subjects and gaining proper training. Certain physical fitness is also required. Moreover, risks are the part and parcel of the life of an air force pilot. One must be ready to face any adverse situations, as accidents injuries and even sudden death. This job calls for a great deal of personal discipline, courage and determination. It is one of the toughest professions in the world. Yet I am determined to become one. At present I am putting my very best in my studies. I have joined the N. C. C. to make myself fit and to achieve certain amount of discipline and physical fitness. After my matriculation examination, I intend to study my pre-university course in a renowned college in New Delhi. I would be staying with my uncle in New Delhi so that I could get acquainted with the air force way of life. Another purpose of shifting myself to New Delhi, is to enable me to attend some professional coaching classes for National Defence Selection Test. It is one of the toughest examinations currently held in India. I believe that two years of intense preparation would enable me to get through this test. Once the person passes this test, he is called for an interview. Interview is also equally an important step in the selection process. A good deal of preparation has to go in, before the interview. After the interview is over, there is the physical test which would not be a major problem for me, as I have all the necessary physical standards at present, in respect to my present age. Once a person gets through this stage, he is sent for training as a pilot for two or three years. Training is extremely difficult and â€Å"competence† is the key word in this process. Even at this stage there is certain amount of selection. Only the really fit and competent individuals are sent for higher and more intense training as fighter pilots. Only after several years of intense training, that they are declared to be fighter pilots. Perhaps no other job requires so much of training and updating as the job of a pilot. I do know that everyone who aims does not reach the goal they aim at. Many fail on the way. Some drop out in between. Some get stuck down by bad luck and ill health. As for me, I am doing all I can to reach my goal. Only time will tell, whether I will finally reach my intended goal. I hope that luck and favour will not desert me on the way. Aim of My Life. (2018, Nov 08).