British Virgin Islands and Bermuda

The British Virgin Islands (BIV) and the Bermuda are British colonies with a high degree of internal self-government. Both countries have been designated as a British Overseas Territory and although they are still technically under British rule, they have exercised control over their own state affairs. Demography The Virgin Islands is an archipelago of more than 40 islands, of which 16 are inhabited. It has strong ties with the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as it is geographically situated in between these countries.As per the latest data in the CIA Factbook, the male-dominated BIV has a population of 23,552 (July 2007 estimate) with nearly two per cent growth rate. Given its history with the US, the official language is English and almost ninety per cent of the population are Protestants. The Virgin Islands has one of the most stable economies in the Caribbean. Some 45 per cent of its income is generated from tourism. In 2005 for example, more than 800,000 tourists, mainly from the United States visited the Islands. It also relies on light industries and offshore financial centers.The Bermuda on the other hand, was first inhabited by English colonist in the early 17th century. It belongs to the group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina in the US. The Bermuda is a small country, roughly one-third of Washington D. C. Like the Virgin Islands, its official language is English although a significant number of its more than 66,163 (July 2007 estimate) population speaks Portuguese. The major religions are Anglican and Catholic. The Bermuda boasts of the highest per capita income in the world, more than 50 per cent higher than that of the United States.Its primary income generator is their robust international business sector. Government and Politics The Bermuda is the oldest Britain’s colony. For five years now, it ahs been a self-governing territory of the UK. Bermudans are entitled to enjoy dual citizenship and have the right t o live and work in Europe (Sanders, par. 5) The system of government in Bermuda is that of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency. The official head of state is the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, while the Premier is the head of government.The Queen appoints a Governor to represent her in Bermuda. Bermuda’s political framework is very similar to that of the UK. Like most democracies, it has two legislative chambers: the House of Assembly and the Senate. Bermuda is independent of the UK in all internal matters and makes its own set of laws (Forbes, par. 11). British and UK laws do not apply in Bermuda. Bermuda laws are generally much more restrictive to non-nationals. The Bermuda, however, is dependent on Britain for defense, external affairs and internal security.Like Bermuda, the BIV is also self-governing in most internal matters. According to its amended Constitution of 2000, their head of state is also the Queen and her appointed governor is in charge of th e country’s external affairs, defense, internal security and public service. On all other matters except those, the executive council ahs authority. The executive council is headed by the governor, chief minister, an attorney-general and three other ministers. In both the Bermuda and Virgin Islands, the Queen remains to be the most important figure.The governor she appoints is also given much value considering the structure of their government and their political framework. Their legislature and executive councils, however, have autonomy to the states’ internal matters. Independence The issue of independence has been a recurring subject of debate in both countries. In Bermuda, independence has been discussed since the mid-1960’s when Britain was anxious to get rid of all its colonies. In 2004, the ruling Progressive Labour Party has Created the Bermuda Independence Commission.Its main concern is to educate people about the gains and losses of independence. Despi te the arguments for independence, however, opposition on breaking links with Britain has been strong. A November 2006 poll shows that 65 per cent of Bermudans were against breaking ties with Britain (Jones, par. 2). This is 17 per cent lower than the 57 per cent in July of the same year. The issue of independence however is expected to be a major point when Bermuda holds its elections in January 2009. Independence was rejected in a 1995 referendum by 75 per cent voters.The main argument against independence is the fact that Bermuda enjoys a high degree despite its being a British colony. Its economy has been robust. As former Premier Sir John Swan likes to put it, â€Å"With the Americans to feed us and the British to defend us, who needs independence† (Sanders, par. 10). In British Virginia Islands, although there is no formal movement toward full independence, its possibility is a central topic of public debate and party politics. Despite self-governance, the Bermuda and V irgin Islands politics is still very much similar to that of its crown country.Bermuda’s political, as well as social economic institutions have shown resiliency and stability. Despite this, however, its political framework has not fully been independent of Britain. This is because it was Britain who instituted its political system. The Queen and her appointed Governor is an active force in the affairs of the state so much so that the Westminster style of government is still very much felt. The same thing applies to the Virgin Islands. Its politics is British in origin and even with a high level of autonomy, the framework of government is still very much like its crown country.Its colonial relationship with the United Kingdom lets it operate in a constitutional democracy with the executive authority vested in the Queen. British influence is all over Bermuda and the Virgin Islands. Their national anthem is both â€Å"God Save the Queen† and the Queen’s birthday i s observed as an official public holiday. Their Constitutions are drafted the British way. Branches of government such as the executive and judiciary also demand Britain’s participation. And although these colonies have been handling internal matters of government by themselves, their external affairs are still Britain’s problem.Until a significant portion of government is still controlled by Britain, Bermuda and the Virgin Islands will still bear the same political structure—one that has its democracy of its own but deems considerable interference from the crown country as a must. Anglophone countries Anglophone nations share the same historical, cultural, and political characteristics attributed to the historical experience of the United Kingdom. Generally, it includes territories and former colonies of the UK which have English as the national language.But with its loose definition rooted on history and culture, it may also mean countries which use legal syst ems based on Common Law or simply Great Britain or British-settled countries. They also share similarities in civil rights and personal freedoms. In short, the Anglosphere â€Å"is not a club that a person or nation can join or be excluded from, but a condition or status of a network† (Bennett, par. 3). However, because of its imprecise boundaries, the Anglosphere as a network civilization does not have its corresponding political form.Its union is based firmly on culture and does not take any political outline. Notice that the forms of government in these English speaking countries are different. Some take the republican form, some are constitutional monarchies, while some are parliamentary democracies. The idea of a â€Å"Anglosphere government† has been subject to debate. The basic argument is that merging these countries and making it like a European Union of sorts would be a great development in the onward progress of English-speaking supremacy.However, others arg ue that the particular genius in this union is the fact that it has remained apolitical and non-governmental. Forging the Anglosphere as one solid government, they say, may only lead to the centralization of power. Anglophone countries handle their government differently. Their link to the atmosphere has not so far affected the way in which they run their politics. The Anglosphere is not a government of its own and it refuses to be. English-speaking countries who have joined the sphere have existing government structures that they chose to pursue despite â€Å"membership† in the union.The so-called â€Å"anglosphere challenge† however has earned buzz in the recent years. It is said that these political entities, though loose, is a force to reckon in the time of technological and scientific change provided they remain true to the traits that bonded them together in the first place—a strong, independent civil society, adherence to the rule of law, its people and i deas and openness and receptivity to the world. Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados Unlike the British Virgin Islands and Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago is completely independent from Britain.It takes the form of a unitary state with a parliamentary democracy modeled after that of its former crown country. In 1976, soon after it broke ties with Britain, it adopted its own republican Constitution. The Queen is thereby replaced with a president elected by the Parliament. Since then, the general control and direction of its government rests on the cabinet, led by the prime minister. Barbados, for its part, gained independence from Britain in November 1966. It subsequently adopted the Westminster parliamentary system of government with a governor-general representing the British monarch.Its 1966 Constitution also provides for a bicameral parliamentary system headed by a prime minister and cabinet. Since breaking ties with Britain, responsibility for organizing the government has been evenly divided between its two major political parties that are both centrist social democratic parties that date its roots back to the British labor movement. The main difference between the overseas territories (Bermuda and Virgin Islands) and the two former colonies (Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados) is the extent to which Britain interferes with their affairs of government.Former colonies may have chosen to adopt British influence in its political structure but it is completely in control of both its internal and external affairs. The overseas territories, on the other hand, may have been granted self-governance but it does not have total control of its government, especially its defense and external affairs of government. Works Cited Bennet, James. â€Å"Orphans of the Anglosphere. † Albion’s Seedlings. (21 November 2005). 09 September 2007. < http://anglosphere. com/weblog/archives/000145. html>. Forbes, Keith.â€Å"Bermuda and Great Britain: A self-governing British Ove rseas Territory with its own laws. † Bermuda online. 09 September 2007. . Jones, Dan. â€Å"Poll finds opposition to Independence rises. † The Royal Gazette Magazine. (28 November 2006). 09 September 2007. . Sanders, Ronald. â€Å"Bermuda: Independence or not? † Caribbean Net News. (08 March 2005). 9 September 2007. .

Limit on Sale of Second Homes

Today the South West is seen as a hotspot or retreat for all age groups. Its beautiful landscapes and popular coastline mean that many people are regularly visiting Cornwall, leading into them buying second homes. However these outsiders are pushing locals away and this is why I propose councils enforce a limit on the sale of second home properties in popular areas. With so many people interested in second homes the property market is booming and prices are continuing to increase, between 2001 and 2004 in the town of Padstow property prices rose by 144% (from Halifax survey). With this in mind locals are trying to invest in property before it becomes too expensive, yet so are outsiders who are willing and more able to pay more as they still have 10% discount on council tax. Second home owners used to only have to pay 50% of council tax yet this was then raised to 90% in order to help support local projects. This situation is having a terrible effect on local people. Higher prices and higher taxes have to be paid which some cannot afford, resulting in people having to move away from their local area in order to stay financially stable. This then leaves another home on the market that is more likely to become a second home. In the small fishing village of Port Isaac, now well known as the setting for television show Doc Martin, ITV, staggeringly 75% of the properties are second homes. This causes a number of seasonal problems. During the summer roads become busy and dangerous, beaches full, environment damaged†¦what can only be described as a mere hell for locals. â€Å"I had to pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4 to park in Polzeath† complained a local surfer. Also during the evenings tourist children have been a persistent problem in Polzeath. Students coming down for the summer to stay in their family or friends second homes are found congregated on the road and beach drinking, shouting and vandalising property, and this is on a nightly basis. To solve the problem nine police officers were stationed at Polzeath to patrol the evenings yet this was a waste of money and very annoying for local youths â€Å"When we wanted to hang out we would have to stand in a spotlighted area that the police had allocated, just because others were causing trouble† said a teenager from Polzeath. However when winter settles in they all return north leaving towns like Port Isaac and Polzeath to appear as ‘ghost towns' . This then leaves local businesses with no option but to close up for the winter which also leaves locals unemployed and it can be very hard to find a job for the winter. As soon as winter comes the local teens are left with the town to themselves and not much to do. Most travel to Wadebridge, which is about fifteen minutes away, to work and to meet up with friends in town. Recently â€Å"Tube Station† was built in Polzeath, a half pipe for skaters of Polzeath and the surrounding area to use and also for other teens to just hang out. This is why I think a limit on the sale of second homes in popular areas should be enforced. It would help by; firstly less second homes means more local homes at affordable prices, also larger population numbers would be maintained throughout the year and furthermore businesses would be able to have a longer season and provide jobs through the winter†¦ And with all this gained we still don't loose our biggest input from tourism that helps keep our economy going. I'm not saying we stop the sale of second homes as we then would have a major fall in our economy but if we limit the number of second homes available locals will have a better lifestyle which they are entitled to and outsiders will still have the option to move here. Limiting second homes in popular areas also gives the chance to then develop housing in small areas for permanent residents but also second home owners and overall improve the economy of the South West.

Mass Society Theories, Social Responsibilty Theory and the Media Essay

The first half of the twentieth century played a vital role in the state of the present media. The century commenced with the influx of new forms of media as modernization uncontrollably invaded all social forms. The dominant medium of the nineteenth century, the newspaper, sustained its power at the beginning of the century. Moving pictures, or film, was born and started to form its own cult of followers. The entrance of radio and television also received a warm welcome from the masses in the succeeding decades. These innovations in media technology received harsh criticisms from different sources (Baran & Davis, 1995). The impact of the new media technology in the recent course of history was evident. Thus, it incited chaos among the social elites that started relentless criticism of the power of media and the formulation of what is now known as the mass society theory. Leaders of established social and political institutions feared the kind of society that would grow out of this aspect of modernization. Long-term effects of the ‘uncontrolled’ use of media were the focus of the mass society theory. Mass society theorists highly regarded the power of media, especially the new, more technologically-advanced ones, and how it could influence the average people in the society, which are potentially more powerful than the social elites. They also feared that the power of media could be a tool for the rise of a totalitarian social order in America, as what some parts of Europe had experienced (Baran & Davis, 1995). The reputation of the media also led the theorists to push their assumptions forward. The powerful people manipulated what was supposedly a ‘free’ media. Yellow journalism was rampant to protect their reputation. Sensationalized and over-dramatized news stories were as widespread to attract audiences for profit. The elites also started to question the quality of culture the media projected. It was accused of being cheap and tasteless, and that the media practitioners were not qualified to formulate that type of entertainment which instantly became popular to the masses. With all these issues raised against the dominant and emerging forms of media, scholars and some media practitioners volunteered and attempted to lead media reform and ‘prescribe’ how media system should function, giving birth to the normative theories. Earlier thoughts of authoritarianism and libertarianism were strongly criticized. Many were not convinced what authoritarianism proposed – to subject the media to governing authorities that would control these media and sustain social order (Baran & Davis, 1995). Libertarian thought, on the other hand, seeks total freedom of the media from control. After the World War II, the Hutchins’ Commission formulated the social responsibility theory that compromised the authoritarian and libertarian thoughts. The principles of the social responsibility theory could be considered innovative as it was able to make the two opposing thoughts meet at a certain point. It, somehow, answered the key points of mass society theory, but not totally scrapping them as these assumptions can still be observed today. Social responsibility theory regarded the media the same as the mass society in terms of media’s power. The theory considered how much these media could influence the society, and that the media has the power to corrupt people’s minds. Social responsibility theory advised that media should consider their obligations to the society through professional ethics and by promoting what was lacking or needed in the society. At that point, most media companies had accepted this thought and strived to achieve its ideals. The social responsibility theory encouraged media owners to recognize their role to the society and that they were an effective catalyst to social change, or to a ‘Great Community’, as the Chicago School envisioned. In that way, the fear of a totalitarian social order was reduced since social responsibility theory appealed for idealism of individual media practitioners through being able to identify their active role in preserving democracy (Baran & Davis, 1995). As the twentieth century moved towards its second half, media systems had exerted efforts to absorb the ideals of the social responsibility theory. It diluted the bad image of media that the mass society theorists projected while the social responsibility theory aimed for informativeness, truth, accuracy, objectivity, and balance (Baran & Davis, 1995). Up until now when traditional media boundaries are slowly melting caused by the rapid innovations in technology, the threats posed by the mass society theory are still present and the social responsibility theory’s ideals are still being tried and tested. Reference: Baran, Stanley J., & Davis, Dennis K. (1995). Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Visiting the city Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Visiting the city - Essay Example A week-long trip to New York City would cost about $2,000, including flight, vehicle rental and hotel accommodations (Travel.com). Betty Beaumont is one of the original supporters of environmental art and has used nature and natural landscapes in many of her original pieces (Betty Beaumont Ocean Landscapes). New York City is on the east coast of the United States in the state of New York. As a fashion and tourist capital of the world, New York City has a vast array of resident ethnic groups that have infused the city with their diverse cultures and numerous native cuisines. Many architectural monuments, such as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, are located in this great city as well as the world famous Broadway theatre district and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The city is partitioned into five boroughs, the main borough being Manhattan, an island and the main hub of the city. The overall climate is seasonal, the winter months being November through February and each season following the basic four-month structure. Betty Beaumont used 17,000 coal fly-ask bricks measuring 8x8x16 inches to create the â€Å"Ocean Landmark† sculpture (Betty Beaumont: The Oceans).

Light experiment Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Light experiment - Lab Report Example Introduction This project involves the study of Scenedesmus growth conditions. Scenedesmus refers to genus of the colonial green algae, with cell arrangements of 4, 8, and 16 in a row. It is a common component of fresh water plankton, which is most commonly used in the experimental purposes of water pollution and photosynthesis. It is also crucial in the process of sewage purification because it releases oxygen, which is necessary for the breakdown of organic matter, hence terminates the functions of harmful substances. In this project, we get to experiment on the growth conditions and developments. The main elements in test here will be light and pH since we discovered that the plant grows well under neutral pH. The main methodology in this project is to grow one experimental set in direct sunlight while the other will be places under no sunlight. The main conclusion will be based on the growth patterns of both experimental samples, and note the difference in them. Materials and met hods Details on culture setup 50ml conical cubes Number of replicates per treatment 4ml of initial culture added to 16ml culture Gro (Carolina Biological) Algae grown .Scenedesmus (Carolina biological) Growth conditions The cultures shall be natured in the growth chamber for 18 hours, day and 6 hours night at 250 C The light levels in the chamber placed at 300 mM photons/m2/sec2 Experiment treatments One should describe the treatments and the levels to which they should get applied. Methodology for measurements This section contains the details of the materials used and a description of how the experiment is executed. From here, one can easily conduct the same experiment and present the results for comparison. Hemocytometers get employed in calculating the cell density/ml at an average of four consecutive counts. NB: Washed hands before handling any materials to avoid contaminating them. 1. Set up the microscope and take a sample of scenedesmus. 2. Determine the number of scenedesmu s in 1 ml with hemocytometer. Make sure to swirl before taking sample (three count to get average concentration). 3. Set up three replications per treatment 20 ml total volume; adjust volume of growth medium by (4 ml of algae volume and 16 ml of treatment volume) in the test tubes 4. Write the number of the group and initial of the group 5. Divide the product to three groups; three simples each group (the three groups low, medium, and high light). 6. Put the simples in the light refrigerator. 7. Divide the simples to low, medium, and high light. 8. Wait three weeks to the product to grow. 9. Determine the number of scenedesmus. Results This section contains the results that were obtained from the experiment. The data is a brief summary of the whole experiment. The data here is only mentioned with no analysis given. The analysis gets handled in the next section. Low Light Medium Light High Light 83 68 33 80 58 43 80 55 42 From the above data, we can acknowledge that the experiment wa s conducted using three cultures. The presentation is done and the data per culture is presented in the way the performed in different light scenarios. The first case is the experiment under low light conditions then followed by results in the middle light conditions and finally the results obtained in high light, experimental conditions. However, in this experiment we are mainly going to use the data in low light conditions and the results from the experimen

The Impact of Using Multimedia for College Students Research Paper

The Impact of Using Multimedia for College Students - Research Paper Example Nowadays, technology has been the number one accessible source of information around the world and its remarkable continuity gets to blow up as the years go by. In fact, it has become a feasible and possible preference to people especially to those who are into learning. It has given an opportunity for a new learning net to be born. Certainly, multimedia and online learning nurture information that is merely pertinent, applicable, and significant for the college students. Furthermore, it would be best inculcated to them if multimedia is interactive and the control of it solely relies on the learner. So as for example, in a live chat with a student who is shy, inspirational videos such as believing in one’s self; can encourage the student, even more, to believe in herself. As the college students continue to explore what life has to offer, engaging in the learning process results in a better exploration as they see it through an enhanced multimedia instruction. Online learning, or sometimes being referred to as distance learning, is an educational medium of instruction through the use of Internet. Its objectives are aligned with the same with the goals one would find in a traditional classroom setup. However, the instruction can take place anytime and anywhere. Through this, the essence of learning is occurring, thus, provides a convenient avenue of educating students. Nonetheless, multimedia is a mode of communication that includes text, graphics, sounds, and the like.

User Models and Models of Human Performance Essay

User Models and Models of Human Performance - Essay Example There are seven steps that are involved in developing a critical path model (Stanton 2007). The first is defining the tasks. In a situation where a driver is driving a car on the road and his mobile phone rings, the river will perform the following tasks: The second step identifies the input and output sensory modalities used in the tasks. For example, in retrieving the mobile, the driver will use his left or right hand, making the task step manual. Pressing buttons is also manual and can either be done by the right or the left thumb. Talking on the phone constitutes speech modality whereas listening requires auditory. Reading the screen requires visual modality and responding can involve cognitive modality. Step 3 of the approach requires construction of a chart, where dependency of the tasks is assessed (Sikora & Hattan 2009). The tasks need to be followed in a specific order, one after the other, and two tasks having the same modality need to be performed in series. Step 4 involves assigning the task time and these estimates should be accurate, unbiased and consistent (Thornley 2003). For example, retrieving the mobile can take five, six seconds on average, whereas talking can take long, depending on the duration of the conversati on. Pressing the buttons can take up to half a second each, whereas reading and looking at the screen can consume two to three seconds each. Then forward pass time needs to be calculated by adding up the individual times of each task, and, assuming a one minute long conversation, it becomes 73 seconds. Then backward pass is calculated. The last step is the calculation of the critical path, which is done by identifying the nodes which have zero difference between Earliest Start Time and Latest Finish Time. The model will provide a comprehensive procedure to make adjustments for variations in user performances. The arrangement of elements can be evaluated by a cognitive model and the design can be adjusted to outcomes of the