Environment vs Economic Impact Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environment vs Economic Impact - Research Paper Example Environmental Economics is concerned with the theoretical and empirical studies of the economic effects of environmental policies all over the globe and it suggests measure of mitigation of the effects. There are many economic activities as carried out by different people in the world. The range and type of the activities are heavily dependent on the level of development of the communities in question. For example, during the ancient times, African communities were known to carry out economic activities such as trade, keeping of livestock and cultivation of land among others while at the same time the western countries were involved in the industrialization processes as the main economic activity. The economic activities may harm the environment if not well checked. Some economic activities are very detrimental to an extent that governments throughout the world have banned them. Almost all economic activities carried out have an detrimental effect to the environment and therefore it is crucial to manage the activities to make sure that we don’t continuously erode the environment and also we should severally conserve the environment to make sure that a good environment is always available for the humankind (Jeroen 43). Sustainable development occurs only when the three pillars of development namely social, political and economic are balanced. Environmental stability is part of the social pillar. Current situation of the Environment vs. economic impacts Increases economic growth in the world has led to increased pollution in the world which can be categorized into Water pollution, Air pollution, Solid waste pollution, Noise pollution and Land or Soil pollution. The increasing industrialization in the world has led to the production of heavy machineries, motor vehicles and other motorized locomotive machines such as airplanes, trains, cranes and ships among others. The increased mechanization has led to the swiftness through which goods have been moved from one place to the other and people have been able to move at a very fast pace from one region to the other. This fast movement has enhanced connection of different region and this has facilitated more trade and therefore more economic growth in nations. However, there has been consistent air pollution which contaminates the air in the immediate environment of human beings. Research has shown that increased CO2 emission leads the depletion of the ozone layer. Depletion of the ozone layer tends to allow the dangerous sun rays to hit the earth and in turn leads to cancers and skin diseases. The motorists also make a lot of noise leading to noise pollution which leads to poor hearing capabilities. Companies involved in the production of the machineries and industrial goods are also involved in emission of effluents which in turn lead to water pollution. Water pollution affect the population using the water in a multiple of ways; for instance livestock drinking the contaminated water die , human beings taking the water will also die and most importantly the plants which take up the water will get contaminated (Harris 43). The contaminated water also reduces the nutrients available for plant uptake through displacements of ions in the soils and thus the plants may face eventual drying and death. The contaminated water effluents are also taken up by human beings in form of vegetables especially those grown in the urban areas. Trash and garbage is a commonly seen scene in most urban regions in the world. It is a major

Historical Interview on Nigerian Fashion Essay Example for Free

Historical Interview on Nigerian Fashion Essay In line with my background, I found it imperative to carry out this interview in Africa. This was made possible via Skype, as my granddad and mum had a 2 hours session with me on this topic, â€Å"How clothing was obtained in our family during their time and their sense of costume while they were still champions in the village. Other relative questions they attempted to answer in this interview are the nature of clothing production during their time, and how they had influenced their style of dressing. The interview was divided into two parts as clearly indicated above. The first questions were answered by granddad, while the later questions were answered by my grand mum. The era in focus is before colonization. It was an era commonly tagged the ‘pre-colonial’. Nigeria at this time had a very unique sense of costume, basically defined by the resources found within the African environment. They made do with what they had as there was no serious western or colonial influence. FIRST PART INTERVIEW WITH GRANDDAD This interview was conducted with my grandfather who joined me on Skype last night. My granddad is at his late 90, and had experienced different eras in Nigeria. With his wealth of experience as one of the few enlightened African man at his age, he comfortably took me on a ride to the past. In this interview, M represents the interviewer, and D represents the respondent M: What is your general view about African fashion? D: well, African Fashion is unique, decent and special. African fashion communicates in different ways. If you see a king in Africa, you wouldn’t want to ask questions before you you accept that he is a king. The royalty is often defined by their costumes. This is also applicable to native doctors, magicians and soothsayers. African fashion and costumes are original, only that lately, there has been an infiltration of western culture which seems to have adulterated the originality of our costumes, and the era of Obente, skin shoes, skin bags and cloths are beginning to go into extinction. M: Would you have preferred to go with the older costumes as against what’s trending now? D: I still wear traditionally made cloths even up till today. I’m a title holder of my community, and this position is often defined by one’s adherence to African values. I see Costumes as one of those values we must not discard. M: Can you succinctly tell me how clothing was obtained in those? D: Well, in those days, men would usually have little to cover their lower region while the women had a piece for their upper region and another for their lower region. Cloths were mainly gotten from animal skin and sometimes fibres made from trees. Usually, most of us made these cloths by ourselves, and sometimes we buy them. The means of obtaining them could as well differ, depending on who is involved. Then, we used to have trade by barter. Because I was enlightened and had government job, we would buy our cloths with some kind of money called Anderi; then, there was no naira and kobo. We were also engaged in trade by barter with some of the things we had. For instance if I needed a piece of skin to make my shoes or cloth, I would put up my yam or oil for sale. Most of the time, cloths were bought during festive period, like the New yam festival and the Akatakpa festival. Ordinarily, people find it difficult looking for what to buy as fashion was really not the priority as a then. The wealthy ones as of that time wore more beautiful deigns on their animal skin or bark cloth adorned with several accessories. It was always the influential families looked more adorned. M: Were you engaged in the actual buying and selling of cloths? Have you ever gone to the market looking for cloths? D: Like I said earlier, the African man in those days could wear just one piece of skin for days, so the issue of going to the market was really not there. These skins were locally made. The only time we started going to our local markets to buy cloths was when cloths were imported into Africa by the Portuguese and Britain. It was after then, that we began to wear what we have today as cloths, even though it had very low patronage as at then. M: Thank you dad: D: Thank you my daughter and face your studies squarely. SECOND PART INTERVIEW WITH GRAND MUM This interview was also conducted via the same medium (Skype) Here, ‘MM’ will represent the respondent while the interviewer’s remains M’ M: How was clothing made when you were growing up? MM: Clothing was usually made from animal’s skins and back of trees. This means that livestock and economic threes as well as other threes in the forest were sources of clothing. For the making of animal skin, the fur or hair would be shaved clean and compressed to soften, and then it would be tanned. This process unstiffens the hide, which becomes natural leather. After this leather is produced, it is either decorated with shapes and outlines, shells, beads or left plain, this could be as a result of choice of who it’s been made for. Leather clothing could be simple to make as it takes few days to be made. Bark cloth on the other hand was made by peeling off the inner bark of trees, after that is done; it is beaten until it becomes soft. Bark cloth was fashioned into skirts and robes long enough to float around. Then, we would use the fig tree for making bark cloth. Patterned bark cloth garments were made from the different colored bark of various trees, which were combined to create designs, in addition, the bark cloth was always painted for aesthetic purpose. At a point, we went into Batik cloth, which has been important to many African women. Here, pattern is applied to fabric to make it look beautiful. It is resist-dyeing method involving coating fabric with a dye-resistant substance and dipping the fabric into colored dye. I could recall how we used to make the dye-resistant substance from cassava root or rice flour and the chemicals called alum. The substance is boiled with water to make paste out of it for various designs. Once the paste is dry, the fabric is dipped into dye in large clay pots or pits. At the end of the day, a beautiful African fabric is made. M: How has this kind of cloth making influence your style of fashion in those days? MM: It depends on what you mean by style of fashion though. We have had very good sense of costume in those days. All our locally made shoes and bags must always have a touch of the design on our batik. The Batik design was usually seen as the type of clothing that must not be worn by men, because of the beautiful designs. Additionally, because the African woman, or better still, the Nigerian woman applies a lot of facial makeup, which she called ‘Uri’, she would always patronize Batiks that were beautifully designed. M: So when was considered the most appropriate time to wear Batik? MM: Anytime, but mostly during special events. In those days, if you wanted a man to respect you, then you must go with very well designed Batik.

Analysis Of Using Podded Propulsors

Analysis Of Using Podded Propulsors Over the past few decades the concept of podded propulsion in merchant ships has gained significant acceptance in the merchant marine industry. Mostly due to the fact that podded propulsion systems offer several advantages in contrast to the conventional, shaft drive arrangement systems. The benefits we will refer to are mostly maneuverability, lower noise generation and more available space for cargo in merchant vessels. However before discussing the advantages and disadvantages of a podded propulsion system we must first explain what is meant by podded propulsion by briefly analyzing its mechanical components and how they interact with the vessels water resistance and thrust efficiency. Nonetheless in order to fully realize the benefits provided by a podded propulsion system, we also need to briefly examine several aspects of conventional propulsion systems such as conventional single and double screw propulsion systems, systems using fixed pitch propellers, contra-rotating propell ers, overlapping propellers and controllable pitch propellers which are most commonly used today in the propulsion of merchant and navy vessels. Podded Propulsion Systems A podded propulsion system refers to a gondola shaped pod located at the stern of the vessel mounted on a leg which is capable of rotating in a 360 degrees angle. Inside the pod there is an electrical motor capable of producing thrust by using a fixed-pitch propeller. The entire system is azimuth since there is no need for a rudder or any other steering arrangements (Appendix 1,2). This type of propulsion system was created in the late 1980s by the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in cooperation with the ABB Stromberg Drives and the Finnish Maritime Administration. The first podded propulsion system was mounted onboard icebreakers such as the 16.000dwt M/T Uikku and M/T Lunni tankers. These type of vessels used the podded propulsion system in order to navigate through the North-East Passage in extremely harsh conditions by moving backwards with the propeller first, thus breaking the ice with a considerably higher efficiency than before. Today there are several types of podded propulsion systems available, some of the most commonly used are the Mermaid unit (Appendix 3) constructed by Kamewa and Cegelec, the Dolphin unit (Appendix 4) which was produced by John Crane Lips as well as STN and the SSP Thruster (Appendix 5) which is a product of Siemens and Schottel companies. The Mermaid unit uses a low emissions gas turbine in order to power the propeller which acts as a tractor unit located in front of the pod, this type of propulsion configuration allows an optimum undisturbed water inflow to the propeller thus increasing propulsion efficiency and decreasing vibration and noise. The Dolphin unit operates by integrating a powerful electric drive into a hydro-dynamically optimized pod below the stern of the vessel resulting in a directly driven propeller. The pod is capable of rotating 360 degrees thus ensuring maximum maneuverability while the power of this unit ranges from 3 MW to more than 19 MW, thus this type of pr opulsion configuration is suitable for a wide variety of commercial merchant vessels. The SSP Thruster uses two twin propellers one in front of the unit and one in the stern, rotating in the same direction powered by a permanent magnet motor. The propeller located at the stern of the pod uses the rotational energy produced in order to provide thrust by using a pair of hydrofoil fins angled away from the pod thus increasing efficiency of the unit while allowing the same maneuverability as the other pod units since the whole system is capable of rotating in a 360 degrees angle. Conventional Propulsion Systems Since the beginning of the development of merchant vessels, for the transportation of different types of products the propulsion systems created played a significant roll in the advancement of the maritime industry. Over the past two centuries many propulsion designs were created in order to further improve the speed, fuel consumption and efficiency of merchant and navy vessels. Today the most conventional design propulsion systems for merchant vessels consist from a shaft, which directly drives different types of propellers while it is connected to a gearbox. Power is generated mostly from a high torque diesel engine while a rudder usually located in front of the propeller at the stern of the vessel provides the steering. Research has shown that the use of different types of propellers can produce different results depending on the type of the vessel they are used. Fixed pitch propellers (Appendix 6) created the basis of propeller production in either its mono-block or build-up form. Mono-block propellers are most commonly used today while they cover a broad spectrum of design types and sizes. They can range from those weighing only a few kilograms to those, which can weight around 130 tonnes. Their designs can vary since the blade number of the propeller can be anywhere between two and seven blades. These kinds of propellers are used to provide propulsion for container vessel, bulk carriers and even high-speed patrol crafts. They offer several advantages in order to solve a variety of propulsion problems such as cavitation effects and excessive noise regeneration. In contrast to the fixed pitch propellers the controllable pitch propellers provide an extra degree of freedom since they can change the blade pitch. Even thought this type of propulsion system configuration is sensitive to cavitation problems it can provide significant advantages of maneuverability since fine thrust control can be achieved without the need to accelerate the propulsion machinery. Controllable pitch propellers are mostly used in passenger ships, ferries and general cargo vessels, which require frequent berthing maneuvers. Furthermore to the propulsion configurations we discuss above the use of contra rotating propellers (Appendix 7) can provide several advantages to the merchant marine industry. Contra rotating propellers compromise two coaxial propellers sited one behind the other while they rotate in the opposite direction. The contra rotating propulsion system provides the hydrodynamic advantage of recovering a part of the slipstream rotational energy, which would otherwise be lost. Additionally contra rotating propellers are able to balance the torque reaction from the propulsor. This kind of propulsion configuration is most commonly used in small high-speed outboard units while the use of this kind of propulsion system is not efficient for large merchant vessels since large vessels equip a large shaft line. Finally the last conventional propulsion system we will discuss involves the use of overlapping propellers (Appendix 8). This system uses again two propellers although in this case the propellers are not mounted coaxially but are each located on separate shaft line systems with the distance between the shaft centerlines being less than the diameters of the propellers. The advantage gained from this type of configurations is to increase propulsion efficiency by achieving as mush benefit as possible from the low-velocity portion of the wake field. Despite the fact of improved propulsion efficiency this kind of configuration may increase the levels of fluctuating thrust and torque thus more research and development must be done before it can be used on large merchant vessels. Advantages and Disadvantages of using Podded Propulsion Since we have briefly examined the mechanical characteristics behind podded propulsion and conventional propulsion systems it is time to discuss several advantages and disadvantages of using podded propulsion in the operations of merchant vessels. As yet, studies have not shown whether pods are more efficient than conventional shaft lines. There has been much research on the subject, but most studies have been aimed at a specific aspect of pod performance instead of an overall efficiency review. Several advantages have been attributed to pod propulsion systems, such as: reduced emissions, lower noise and vibration levels, improved steering maneuvering, and braking capabilities. The reduced number of component parts also allows for more flexibility in arranging system machinery, more efficient construction and improved shipyard logistics. On the opposite end of the argument, pods require a greater capital investment, have a 30MW power limitation (per screw), and have been known to suffer losses in power due to the electric propulsion. Specifically by using podded propulsion merchant vessels gain a significant advantage due to the fact that they can achieve an increased space capacity in order to fit more cargo mainly because the engine can be allocated more freely thus decreasing the size of the engine room. This advantage plays a crucial role for todays shipping companies, which depend mainly in increasing their deadweight tonnage in order to reduce their costs by achieving economies of scale. Moreover another crucial advantage of using podded propulsion seems to be the environmental benefits realized not only from reduced gas emissions but also due to the decreased fuel consumption thought good hydrodynamic efficiency. Since fuel consumption is a significant factor when calculating the vessels costs, it is of high importance that the vessel is capable of covering great distances at competitive speeds with as less fuel as possible. Even though today most berthing terminals and major ports invest in increasing the size of their facilities in order to accommodate the larger merchant vessels, maneuverability plays an important role in order to avoid delays and unnecessary costs due to the use of tug assistance. Research has shown that using podded propulsion can significantly increase the maneuverability of even the largest vessels, since the pod is able to rotate in a 360 degrees angle and thus provide thrust in every direction. Despite the advantages we mention above podded propulsion suffers from several disadvantages. The most crucial disadvantage seems to be that the capital costs associated with the production and use of pods, are a lot higher than the capital costs associated with the use of conventional propulsion configuration. This is one of the main reasons most merchant vessels are not equipped with podded propulsion. Furthermore another important disadvantage seems to be associated with the power production of podded propulsors. Due to the fact that pods have a 30MW power limitation and they depend on electric propulsion, sufficient speed may not be achieved while power losses due to the electric propulsion may be experienced. Finally it is not easy to realistically judge the suitability of pod propulsion for different ship types based on these advantages, disadvantages and limitations. However if we examine more closely reports based on the efficiency of podded propulsion we can derive that pods would be more efficient, fitted in cruise and liner vessels using twin screw configurations and even some small bulk carriers and general cargo vessels, while on the other hand they would not be suitable for large container vessels and tankers which require high power outputs. Conclusion In this essay we provided the reader with a comprehensive analysis of podded propulsion systems as well as conventional propulsion configurations. We examined several benefits created from the use of both types of propulsion systems, while we furthered analyzed the podded propulsion configuration by also providing several disadvantages experienced in merchant vessels, in order to conclude whether or not podded propulsion systems will be well suited in the operations of todays merchant ships. Finally reports has shown that even thought there is still a lot of research and development to be done on podded propulsion systems their use on merchant vessels would be more extensive in the future. Appendix Appendix 1 Source: Azipod ® XO The new generation Azipod ® takes podded propulsion to a new level www05.abb.com/global/scot/scot293.nsf//azipod%20xo_2010.pdf Appendix 2 Source: Electrical systems in pod propulsion, Master of Science Thesis of Electric Power Engineering, Lena Bergh Ulrika Helldà ©n,Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Electric Power Engineering, CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Gà ¶teborg, Sweden, 2007 Appendix 3 Source: Electrical systems in pod propulsion, Master of Science Thesis of Electric Power Engineering, Lena Bergh Ulrika Helldà ©n,Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Electric Power Engineering, CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Gà ¶teborg, Sweden, 2007 Appendix 4 Source: Podded propulsion drive for cruise liner Seven Seas Voyager www.sam-electronics.de/dateien/pad/broschueren/1.083.pdf Appendix 5 Source: Electrical systems in pod propulsion, Master of Science Thesis of Electric Power Engineering, Lena Bergh Ulrika Helldà ©n,Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Electric Power Engineering, CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Gà ¶teborg, Sweden, 2007 Appendix 6 Source: Marine Propellers and Propulsion, John Carlton, second edition 2007, Published by Elsevier Ltd Appendix 7 Source: Marine Propellers and Propulsion, John Carlton, second edition 2007, Published by Elsevier Ltd Appendix 8 Source: Marine Propellers and Propulsion, John Carlton, second edition 2007, Published by Elsevier Ltd

The Nuclear Family is No Longer the Norm in Modern Britain :: Sociology

In this essay, I am going to be talking about nuclear families not being the norm anymore. A nuclear family is a family that consists of the mother, father and the child/children. A heterosexual relationship between the mother and father, which would be based on love and compassion. The mother’s role includes cooking for the family and looking after the children. The father’s role includes providing for the family and acting as a role model towards the children. The children are offspring of both the mother and the father. Years ago, nuclear families were the norm in Britain. It was required that the relationship between a couple should be armoured by marriage. Although this point isn’t really believed anymore, some people still follow it-e.g. -Christians believe that couples should get married before they have any sort of sexually relationship, or even children. If your family wasn’t nuclear, you were considered as different to the society. You would even be treated differently. Not having a nuclear family would be a single mother with children, or a single father with children (though in some cases the adult could be a widow/widower). Another way of not being a nuclear family would even be being single/not married! In those days they used the word spinster for single women. (The word is not really used today, as it can be offensive to single women, although some cultures still choose to use it.) Nowadays, nuclear families are NOT the norm AT ALL. In fact, there are so many different types of families. There are single parent families, adopted families (where the child/children has been adopted), foster families (where the child/children has been fostered), gay and lesbian families, reconstituted (otherwise known as stepfamilies) and many many more. Personally, I think that the reason why nuclear families are no longer the norm in modern Britain is because of the different ways of life people have and the different views to life that people have. For example, single people could decide to have a child and not

Advantages and Disadvantages of Written and Unwritten Constitutions

Identify and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of written and unwritten types of constitutions. A constitution is a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or organization is governed, especially when embodying the rights of subjects. A constitution sets out how all the elements of Government are organized and how power is carved up among different political units. It contains rules about what power is wielded, who wields it and over whom it is wielded in the governing of a country.As a kind of deal or contract between those in power and those who are subjected to this power, a constitution defines the rights and duties of citizens and the devices that keep those in power in check. A constitution is the supreme law of the land in any given country and no other law may conflict with it, nor may the government do anything that violates it. Constitutions exist as national and regional. Two types of national constitutions that exist are the written (codified) constitution and the unwritten (uncodified) constitution.Countries like the United Kingdom, Israel and New Zealand possess the unwritten constitution while countries like India, United States and states of the Commonwealth Caribbean possess the written constitution. A written constitution is one that is contained in a single document which is the one source of constitutional law in a state. Written constitutions are often the product of some dramatic political change such as a revolution as was the case of America and the gaining of independence by the Commonwealth Caribbean countries from Britain.The process by which a country adopts a constitution is closely tied to the historical and political context driving these fundamental changes. The legitimacy and longevity of codified constitutions have often been tied to the process by which they were initially adopted. States that have codified constitutions normally give the constitution supremacy over ordinary s tatute law. Unwritten constitutions are the product of an ‘evolution’ of laws and conventions over centuries. There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of constitutions.Major principle and key constitutional provisions are entrenched, safeguarding them from intervention by the Government of the day. An entrenched constitution cannot be altered in any way by a legislature as part of its normal business concerning ordinary statutory laws. The strongest level of entrenchment exist in those constitutions that state that some of the most fundamental principles are absolute, i. e. certain articles may not be amended under any circumstances. For example the German Federal Constitution which states that human dignity on the basis of human rights is protected.The fundamental rights or the right to life are outlined. The Bill of Rights are clearly outlines which deals with rights to equality, human dignity, life, privacy, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and expr ession, labour relations, education, children and legal process. A Bill of Rights place limitations on the Government and creates an area of freedom for the people. Individual liberty is more securely protected and authorative Government is kept at bay. The Government is ‘straight jacketed’, so absolute power cannot be the norm of the government.The Constitution is supreme over ordinary statute law. If there is any conflict between a legal statute and the constitution, all or part of the statute are declared ultra vires by a court, and struck down as unconstitutional. The constitution of the United States had many unforeseen shortcomings which the Founding Fathers could not have envisioned over two hundred years ago. These had to be patched through amendments, but have been honoured by Governments, and no dictatorship has been able to take hold of it.The opposite effect of this was seen with the constitution of Argentina written many years after in 1853 and was a better document, but did not prevent a succession of dictatorial Governments from ignoring it, such as the Peron’s Military Government which ignored the fundamental rights of the people. In Argentina a state of emergency was declared 52 times to bypass constitutional guarantees. Non political judges are able to police the constitution to ensure that its provisions are upheld by other public bodies.The judiciary is unique in that it is not elected, but it is independent. Judges in Trinidad and Tobago and the rest of the Commonwealth Caribbean are appointed by the various Judicial and Legal Service Commissions. As a result no one, especially a corrupt politician can interfere in the work of the constitutional courts. The constitution is protected by the legal bodies of the courts, such as the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Courts or the High Courts of the various countries. The responsibility of the court is to protect constitutionally established rights and freedom.Any constituti onal violation by the executive, such as a politician who abuses the power of his established office can be held accountable in court. This was evident in Trinidad and Tobago, where many felt that the last Prime Minister, Patrick Manning abused the powers of his office, and on many occasions was taken to court for judicial review. The German Constitutional Court is a special court dedicated solely to the protection of the constitution. Constitutional courts are powerful instruments of judicial review with the power to declare â€Å"unconstitutional† a law that is deemed incompatible with the constitution.France has a Constitutional Council which judges the constitutionality of laws before the ratification process. The power of the legislature is constrained, cutting its sovereignty down to size. A crucial function of a constitution and a classic feature of democracy is the division of power among the three pillars of Government, i. e. the legislative, the executive and the ju diciary. The legislature makes laws and monitors the executive. The executive makes policy, proposes laws and implements laws passed by the legislatures and the judiciary tries cases and administer justice.Each arm of the state keeps watch over the powers of the other. The courts can judge the actions of the legislature and the executive but cannot pass laws. The legislature can make laws but cannot hand down judgments or take executive action. The challenge is to ensure that the executives do not wield its authority without being contained by the other branches. Division of power in this way ensures checks and balances within the system in a country. Lord Action’s assumption was, â€Å"power corrupts: absolute power corrupts absolutely†.The concentration of all power into the hands of one individual or group places them in a position to abuse that power and thus to instill fear into the common man, hence the need for the doctrine of the separation of powers in a democ racy. The written document has an educational value in that it highlights the central values and overall goals of the political system. The ceremonial preamble of the Trinidad and Tobago’s constitution makes reference to the supremacy of God, fundamental human rights and freedoms. The American constitution also draws reference to God.The constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 which is called the â€Å"birth certificate† of a new South Africa states the hopes and aspirations of the nation torn apart by apartheid. This preamble recognizes the injustices of the past and honours those who suffered for injustices and freedom and respect for those who work to develop the country and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in diversity. One disadvantage of the written constitution is that it is more rigid and may therefore be less responsive and adaptable than an unwritten one.It is the view of many politicians and academics globally that a constitution should grow with the society in keeping with that particular time in the historical development of the country. This type of constitution does not allow for a great amount of organic change over time and does not easily take into account the needs of the democratic system and the people. A majority is needed in Parliament to attempt any kind of modification. The United States constitution is stuck with old provisions that people think are a bad idea, e. . the right to bear arms and the right to a jury trial in federal cases involving more than twenty dollars. After time most of these old provisions are ignored or never used in a modern society, since they are not relevant to the needs of the people. Last year the St. Vincent Government attempted constitutional reform, but needed a majority of seventy five percent of the voters in a referendum. The Government was not able to get this majority, so they are stuck within the confines of their old constitution.Within the las t couple of years the People’s National Movement under the Prime Minister Patrick Manning, of Trinidad and Tobago attempted constitutional reform, but they did not have a majority in Parliament so they went about it in a different way. The draft proposed constitution was printed and widely distributed to citizens of the country so that their views were shared. Throughout the country there were public meetings and consultation with the people. The people were given a forum to express their desire or disgust for the proposed constitutional document.There was also consultation with the leader of the opposition, because the support of the opposition was needed to make any kind of amendment to the proposed constitution. The second disadvantage of the written constitution is that Government power may be more effectively constrained by regular elections than by a constitutional document. In democratic countries, General Elections are held ever so often so that the people can decide who forms the next Government. In the United States, elections are held every four years, but a President cannot serve more than two terms, so he cannot run for office after his second term is up.This is another way to keep someone out of the Presidency for too long, like in some of the African countries where it is noted that Presidents who serve for more than twenty years or so, allow the power to go to their heads, and as a consequent use the constitution and the military to stay in power for an unlimited number of years, which history has proven is unhealthy for the development of those countries, since those countries have been plagued with civil war, unrest and economic problems. The third disadvantage is that constitutional supremacy resides with non elected judges rather than with public accountable politicians.By virtue a politician is accountable to the people and in a democratic country like Trinidad and Tobago if one is not satisfied by a Member of Parliament he can take action, as was the case when a Muslimeen member was disgruntled because his daughter could not attend a Catholic School with her traditional Muslim garb. The gentleman went into the office of the Education Minister and demanded accountability. Others politicians are also asked to publicly account because in those cases the media intervene to voice the grievances of the people. However judges are not accountable to anyone for their actions, whether they are right or dead wrong.They are insulated from outside interference. Judges can be easily corrupted in cases where they have large debts or have vices that they need money to maintain. It is a common sight to see judges at exclusive casinos in Trinidad and Tobago. One of their hobbies is gambling, and it is well known that most gamblers are always in debt because the mathematical probability of all gambling games is designed for the players to lose most of the time. Once criminal elements know which judges are in debt, they can easi ly reach out financially to these judges, and of course for favors in return.In the past in Trinidad and Tobago judges took bribes in the form of money, land, houses, and luxurious estates in order to drop charges, throw out a case or find some legal technicality or loophole to dismiss a case. During the 1970’s, 1980’s and early 1990’s the well known drug dealer and killer Dole Chadee had every single one of his cases dismissed at the Princes Town Magistrate’s court, and it was the same judge who sat on those cases, because he was not accountable to anyone, not even the Prime Minister at the time.The Medellin Drug Cartel in Columbia controlled the drug trade in that country during the 1980’s and they were untouched by politicians and law enforcement during their reign. Judges had to drop charges against any member of this Cartel if they ever went to court because the Cartel Bosses threaten the judges with violence and death. Because these judges ha d the power to drop these cases and were not accountable to any political directorate, they had no choice but to throw the cases out, else they and their families would have face executions by the drug cartel.The fourth disadvantage of a written constitution is that constitutional provisions are enshrined in customs and conventions and may be more widely respected because they have been endorsed by history and not invented or drawn up by humans On major advantage of the unwritten constitution is its flexibility and responsiveness to change. It is easily adapted to change and amendments. It is flexible and adaptable to different customs, and since the British population is more diverse now than ever with immigrants from all different societies, cultures and races, this is important.The laws have been flexible to allow Muslim men to have more than one wife in British society. The laborious process of amendment does not have to be done simply because a minor change in political practic e. For example, if the minimum age to vote was to be changes from 18 to 17, in the United States, a formal amendment would take years any may even fail to happen for a number of years because of procedural reasons. Such a change in the United Kingdom could easily be done in a matter of hours.Therefore the unwritten constitution allows for a great amount of organic change over time, to easily take into account the changing times and needs of the democratic system. It allows itself to be shaped by the needs of the people, adopting as required by circumstances. It is quite common for out of date or unworkable bits of laws to be discarded for new procedures and customs. Non written traditions and customs carry greater weight in the United Kingdom as oppose to the written constitution. The British people are extremely proud of their monarchy, their historical achievements, their progressive democracy, their freedom and dignity.They are the world’s oldest democracy and as a result the people are proud to respect the conventions and uphold law and order in society. The first major disadvantage of the unwritten constitution is that there is no single text that can be invoked and there is no definition of state powers and no limits except â€Å"customs†, meaning that whatever compromise is necessary between current opinion and the Government sense of virtue may come into conflict. The British constitution exists in every single piece of legislation ever passed in Parliament.These also exist in common law, treaties with foreign powers, analysis and comments made by experts such as politicians and academia. Since the British constitution is the product of evolution of laws and conventions over centuries which include written source and e. g. constitutional statutes enacted by Parliament (House of Communities Act 1972, Human Rights Act 1998), and also unwritten sources such as constitutional conventions, observation of precedents, royal prerogatives, customs and traditions , such as always holding a General Election on Thursdays.Altogether these constitute the British constitutional Law. The other disadvantage is that only a select few can acquire such knowledge of the unwritten constitution since they are scattered across many documents. Thus it is only these select few who are able to interpret it and what is worrying is that these people might be the ones to connive in constitutional subversion. Most British people would struggle to put their hands on what their rights are or in which text they can locate these literature.So the responsibilities that goes with being British may never fully be understood by the average citizen because those rights are scattered across a host of different places. The next disadvantage is that â€Å"delete and insert† can be done on the constitution if by chance one day a written one is implemented. Minor violations would go unnoticed because the average citizen is not aware of the various types of British laws. The Parliament could easily fox a written constitution to serve itself and executive members without the public ever being aware of this.Another disadvantage is that limits to state powers are not clearly expressed and this is of great concern to the knowledgeable people of British society. Parliament has unlimited law-making powers and there is no clear separation of powers among the three arms of the Government. Historically the United Kingdom has not had a definition of individual rights and freedoms. The 1689 Bill of Rights sets out the powers of the Parliament, but relies on the notion of residual freedom and the concept of parliamentary sovereignty.Therefore individual rights remained dependent on the ad hoc statutory protection or upon judicial protection under common law. The closest thing the United Kingdom has to a Bill of Rights is the Human Rights Act of 1998 which incorporates the European Convention of Human Rights 1950 into domestic law. The ability of ordinary people to challenge the actions of various institutions of Government is formally limited to the acts of public authority by section six.The new counter- terrorism measures appeared to erode civil liberties in the wake of the September 11th 2001 attack in New York, and the July 7th 2005 bombings of the subway in London. The last disadvantage is the question of British sovereignty. The entry of the United Kingdom into the European Union in 1973 was a major constitutional development, bringing Britain under the supranational jurisdiction of the European Union in a limited number of areas, which has gradually grown over the years.This illustrates the erosion of the United Kingdom unfettered sovereignty. Well known British politicians over the years have commented publicly on this issue of Britain slowly losing its sovereignty. After World Was Two the American troops seized covert plans from the Germans that outlined another future attempt by to unify Europe under German rul e, but this time without the use of war. It entailed the unification of Europe which Hitler wanted to achieve by use of force and the military, and the ultimate destruction of America.This information has been declassified within recent years. One has to question the diplomatic motives behind the driving force of the European Union and its acceptance of Britain into the Union, so Britain should seriously think about it sovereign erosion. Although there are differences between written and unwritten constitutions with respect to their advantages and disadvantages, one must carefully consider the usefulness of a constitution and its promotion of democracy and the rights and freedom of the people.We can see that although the United Kingdom does not have a written document, it is the oldest and one of the greatest democracies in the world. The British people are proud and law abiding. The United Kingdom has so far been a peaceful and stable country, whereas countries like China, Russia, North Korea, Vietnam and Myanmar all have written constitutions, but basic human rights are not enjoyed by a number of citizens of those countries. A perfect example of democracy that truly respects the rights, freedom and aspirations of the people is in the United States where there is a written constitution.

English report Essays

English report Essays English report Essay English report Essay Sulfanilamide and very good evening to our lecturer and to all my fellow friends. Today I want to talk about one issue HTH I chose according to the traffic problem at apart raja. Based on my information HTH I got from my friends and my family, I heard HTH along time a go there are a lot of accident occurred along the road starting from are tam until bath path Accident between car n car, motorcycle n motorcycle, car n supervise and almost tragic is between motor n lorry. Sometimes fatal accident was occurred along the road. Key What we can see the road along apart raja.. There are many Junction. As we can e many vehicles go in out Other than HTH, I almost sure if u go out and wait at the road side now, around 2 minutes u can see the car, motorcycle or lorry drive with no speed limit/ very fast. Sometimes I was feeling so scared when I ride bike along the road. Next About traffic light As we can see along the road at apart raja there are about 2 or 3 traffic light but it was so many Junctions. In my opinion, by construct the traffic light was not suitable to control the traffic safety/vehicle speed according to the road HTH have so many Junctions and vehicles HTH used the road any time. So its not eatable at this condition. As a civil engineering student, in my opinion I like to suggest to construct more bumpers. I think by constructing this bumper it will be more better and safety. Why Normally or logically, when road users see the bumper automatically they must slow the car. Compare to the T. Light if u see the traffic light u will speed up especially when it green or yellow. Sometimes we can see car or motorcycle hit the red light.. Slumber Eek!! This is one of the factor of accident may occurred. Key What happen when traffic light suddenly not function, it will make more dangerous to the road users right. To make it simple key, let we share something.. Do you ever heard any accident occur at the bumper No right. Let always we heard the accident occurred at the traffic light right Moreover, by constructing bumper we need a low budget compare to the traffic light. I hope my ideas will come true If the government cannot afford to do what I suggest. I only hope please construct more bumpers starting from periwig soles junction until Atman U Junction. Because we have 2 educational institution and a mosque around there. So HTH. All students and villagers will be more safely at the Thank you. ? English report By mirage