Khotan - Capital of an Oasis State on the Silk Road

Khotan - Capital of an Oasis State on the Silk Road Khotan (also spelled Hotian, or Hetian) is the name of a major oasis and city on the ancient Silk Road, a trade network that connected Europe, India, and China across the vast desert regions of central Asia beginning more than 2,000 years ago. Khotan Fast Facts Khotan was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Yutian, beginning in the 3rd century BCE.It is located at the western end of the Tarim basin in what is today Xinjiang Province of China.One of a handful of states who controlled trade and traffic on the Silk Road between India, China, and Europe.  Its main exports were camels and green jade. Khotan was the capital of an important ancient kingdom called Yutian, one of a handful of strong and more or less independent states who controlled travel and trade throughout the region for well over a thousand years. Its competitors at this western end of the Tarim basin included Shule and Suoju (also known as Yarkand). Khotan is located in south Xinjiang province, the westernmost province in modern China. Its political power was derived from its location on two rivers in the southern Tarim Basin of China, the Yurung-Kash and the Qara-Kash, south of the vast, nearly impassable Taklamakan Desert. According to historical records, Khotan was a double colony, settled first in the third century BCE by an Indian prince, one of several sons of the legendary King Asoka [304–232 BCE] who were expelled from India after Asokas conversion to Buddhism. A second settlement was by an exiled Chinese king. After a battle, the two colonies merged. Trade Networks on the Southern Silk Road Endless dune in Taklamakan desert, in southern Xinjiang province of China.   Feng Wei Photography / Getty Images The Silk Road should be called the Silk Roads because there were several different wandering pathways across Central Asia. Khotan was on the main southern route of the Silk Road, which began at the city of Loulan, close to the entry of the Tarim River into Lop Nor. Loulan was one of the capital cities of Shanshan, a people who occupied the desert region west of Dunhuang north of Altun Shan and south of Turfan. From Loulan, the southern route led 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) to Khotan, then 370 mi (600 km) further to the foot of the Pamir mountains in Tajikistan. Reports say it took 45 days to walk from Khotan to Dunhuang; 18 days if you had a horse. Shifting Fortunes The fortunes of Khotan and the other oasis states varied over time. The Shi Ji (Records of the Grand Historian, written by Sima Qian in 104–91 BCE, implies that Khotan controlled the entire route from Pamir to Lop Nor, a distance of 1,000 mi (1,600 km). But according to the Hou Han Shu (Chronicle of the Eastern Han or Later Han Dynasty, 25–220 CE) and written by Fan Ye, who died in 455 CE, Khotan only controlled a section of the route from Shule near Kashgar to Jingjue, an east-west distance of 500 mi (800 km). What is perhaps most likely is that the independence and power of the oasis states varied with the power of its clients. The states were intermittently and variously under the control of China, Tibet or India: In China, they were always known as the western regions, regardless of who currently controlled them. For example, China controlled traffic along the southern route when political issues cropped up during the Han Dynasty about 119 BCE. Then, the Chinese decided that although it would be beneficial to maintain the trade route, the territory was not critically important, so the oasis states were left to control their own destiny for the next few centuries. Commerce and Trade Trade along the Silk Road was a matter of luxury rather than necessity because the long distances and limits of camels and other pack animals meant that only high-value goods- in particular in relation to their weight- could be economically carried. An Imperial Khotan-Green Jade Seal from the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period.   Marco Secchi / Getty Images The main export item from Khotan was jade: the Chinese imported green Khotanese jade beginning at least as long ago as 1200 BCE. By the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), Chinese exports traveling through Khotan were primarily silk, lacquer, and bullion, and they were exchanged for jade from central Asia, cashmere and other textiles including wool and linen from the Roman empire, glass from Rome, grape wine and perfumes, slaves, and exotic animals such as lions, ostriches, and zebu, including the celebrated horses of Ferghana. During the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE), the main trade goods moving through Khotan were textiles (silk, cotton, and linen), metals, incense, and other aromatics, furs, animals, ceramics and precious minerals. Minerals included lapis lazuli from Badakshan, Afghanistan; agate from India; coral from the ocean shore in India; and pearls from Sri Lanka. Khotan Horse Coins Six Zhu Sino-Kharosthi coin with the image of a horse surrounded by Kharosthi script, circa 1st-2nd century CE. Gohyuloong One evidence that the commercial activities of Khotan must have extended at least from China to Kabul along the Silk Road, is that indicated by the presence of Khotan horse coins, copper/bronze coins found all along the southern route and in its client states. Khotan horse coins (also called Sino-Kharosthi coins) bear both Chinese characters and the Indian Kharosthi script denoting the values 6 zhu or 24 zhu on one side, and the image of a horse and the name of an Indo-Greek king Hermaeus at Kabul on the reverse side. Zhu was both a monetary unit and a weight unit in ancient China. Scholars believe Khotan horse coins were used between the first century BCE and the second century CE. The coins are inscribed with six different names (or versions of names) of kings but some scholars argue that those are all differently-spelled versions of the same kings name. Khotan and Silk Khotans best-known legend is that it was ancient Serindia, where the West is said to have first learned of the art of silk making. There is no doubt that by the 6th century CE, Khotan had become the center of silk production in Tarim; but how silk moved out of eastern China into Khotan is a tale of intrigue. The story is that a king of Khotan (perhaps Vijaya Jaya, who reigned about 320 CE) convinced his Chinese bride to smuggle seeds of the mulberry tree and silkworm pupa cases hidden in her hat on her way to Khotan. A fully sizeable silkworm culture (called sericulture) was established in Khotan by the 5th–6th centuries, and it is likely to have taken at least one or two generations to get it started. History and Archaeology at Khotan Documents referring to Khotan include Khotanese, Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese documents. Historic figures who reported visits to Khotan include the wandering Buddhist monk Faxian, who visited there in 400 CE, and the Chinese scholar Zhu Shixing, who stopped there between 265–270 CE, searching for a copy of the ancient Indian Buddhist text Prajnaparamita. Sima Qian, the writer of the Shi Ji, visited in the mid-second century BCE. The first official archaeological excavations at Khotan were conducted by Aurel Stein in the early 20th century, but looting of the site began as early as the 16th century. Sources and Further Information Bo, Bi, and Nicholas Sims-Williams. Sogdian Documents from Khotan, II: Letters and Miscellaneous Fragments. Journal of the American Oriental Society 135.2 (2015): 261-82. Print.De Crespigny, Rafe. Some Notes on the Western Regions  . Journal of Asian History 40.1 (2006): 1-30. Print.è ¥ ¿Ã¥Å¸Å¸Ã‚  ; in Later HanDe La Vaissià ¨re, Étienne. Silk, Buddhism Bulletin of the Asia Institute 24 (2010): 85-87. Print.and Early Khotanese Chronology: A Note on the Prophecy of the Li Country.Fang, Jiann-Neng, et al. Sino-Kharosthi and Sino-Brahmi Coins from the Silk Road of Western China Identified with Stylistic and Mineralogical Evidence. Geoarchaeology 26.2 (2011): 245-68. Print.Jiang, Hong-En, et al. A Consideration of the Involucre Remains of Coix Lacryma-Jobi L. (Poaceae) in the Sampula Cemetery (2000 Years Bp), Xinjiang, China. Journal of Archaeological Science 35 (2008): 1311-16. Print.Rong, Xinjiang, and Xin  Wen. Newly Discovered Chinese-Khotanese Bilingual Tallies. Journal o f Inner Asian Art and Archaeology 3 (2008): 99-118. Print.

GUIDED READING ACTIVITIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

GUIDED READING ACTIVITIES - Essay Example They explain their stand and arguments by giving specific examples and referring to the relevant theories. In this regard, the claimed contribution to the current knowledge is the use of the dominant story in furthering ethical business conducts especially by the stakeholders of particular concerned companies. The authors of the article mainly use the dominant theory to discuss the essence of ethics in doing business in the contemporary world. They specifically state that the dominant theory is not consistent with the law in that the dominant theory puts the interests of the stakeholders first before considering the interest of the community, customers, suppliers, and the employers. In addition, the dominant theory is according to the authors resistant to change in that because of the priority given to the shareholders’ interests, the system becomes reluctant to accept change as it firmly believes in a hierarchical system of classifying various interests. Perhaps the most important feature of the dominant theory in this regard is that the dominant theory is inconsistent with the basic ethical rules. In many business environments, business ethics is a fundamental tool for ensuring that corporates operate in accordance with the international best practice. In this regard, it is appropriate to infer that the integration thesis applies to all business decisions and environments. The integration thesis states that nearly all decisions that are of business nature normally contain some element of ethics in them and the opposite is true. This means that ethical decisions also have some business implications. There is also the responsible principle that insists t hat almost everybody either want to or should take individual responsibility for the consequences of their actions. In the conclusion part, the authors offer some arguments for managing the shareholders especially if their interests seam to

Nation and States Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Nation and States - Assignment Example Therefore, characteristics that identify a state include existence of a form of government, an organized economy, recognition of other existing states and their territorial legitimacy (White 67). The above distinctions between a state and a nation imply for instance that the Chinese, Americans, French and Swedes are nations, but China, United States of America, France, and Sweden are states (Shelley ix). Sometimes there are no clear distinctions between the two especially when countries such as the United States and India include smaller units also referred to as â€Å"states† but internationally, the these countries are still recognized as states. There are also examples where some nations and states have a close connection such as the case of most Japanese people living in state of Japan while a majority those residing in the state of Japan are also Japanese nationals. There are also cases where nations exist in more than one state in addition to a single state having several nations. This is the case for Arabs who are the many states found in North Africa and South-west Asia. Several definitions have been used to describe the Arab nation including those who are from the lineage of people ancient Arabia, those who speak Arabic as first language and having citizenship of a country that belongs to the League of Arab States. However, there is no single state for all Arab natio nals but multiple states that include Qatar, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Egypt among others (Shelley ix). Several factors place a nation like the United States at an advantaged position over a state like Afghanistan.  

History of Israel and the Holy Land 332 B.C. to 70 A.D. Essay Example for Free

History of Israel and the Holy Land 332 B.C. to 70 A.D. Essay The Period from 332 B. C. to 70 A. D. refers to the age of Hellenism under the rule of Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia. The period 332 B. C. marked the conquest of Judea by the Greeks, which subsequently imposed the dissemination of the Greek way of life, taxation, and economic activities designed to acquire economic gains. After the death of Alexander, his generals divided the empire and consequently fought over his empire. Judah fell under direct control of Ptolemy 1 of Egypt, but he did not seriously interfered in its religious affairs (Chapin, H. 988, Paragraph 1 Hellenism and the Roman conquest). However, after Ptolemy 1’s death, his successor was supplanted by the Seleucids of Syria, and in 175 B. C. Antiochus IV grabbed power. He then orchestrated a campaign against Judaism and in 167 B. C. he went and sacked the temple, (which was built in 520 B. C. ) of all its precious belongings. This utter desecration and gross violation of the temple motivated a successful Jewish uprising under the able leadership of Judas Maccabaeus. He then established a theocratic government, which saw the rise of the Hasmonean Dynasty under the leadership of Simon Maccabaeus who was at the same time the spiritual leader,being the High Priest, and the commander-in-chief of the military. The coming of the Romans more than half a century later saw the rise of the chief priests to power and the eventual destruction of the temple in 70 A. D. in the hands of the Romans. The Second Temple 332 B. C. to 70 A. D.  The Jewish society rose to power comparable in scope to the ancient Davidic Kingdom under Hasmonean Dynasty, although both religious and political discord is soaring between the Pharisees, who were the interpreters of the written law and the Sadducees, the aristocratic priestly class who implements strict obedience to the written law. However, with the coming of the Romans in 65 B. C. Jerusalem fell in the hands of the Romans, which ended the eighty years of independent Jewish sovereignty and heralded the period of Roman domination of Israel, which began just the same period. The Romans appointed Herod, an Idumaean, as a puppet king of Judah. His appointment as king of the Jews was subsequently confirmed by the Roman Senate in 37 B. C. He then rebuilt and magnified the platform of the temple and constructed many important buildings such as palaces, theater, citadel, hippodrome, and agora modeled after both the Hellenistic and Roman architecture. An internet article published by Planet Ware . com entitled Jerusalem, Israel cited that after Herod’s death in 4 B.  C. Jerusalem was under the care of the high priests, which was under Roman Procurators (Planet Ware, Par. 2). Chapin noted that Rome granted the Jew religious autonomy as well as some legislative and judicial rights through the Sanhedrin (Chapin, par. 5, Hellenism and the Roman Conquest). The second temple played a great role in the so-called â€Å"city of the high priest† that is, referring to the prominence of the Jewish religious leaders during this time. The Great Sanhedrin made the temple mount in Jerusalem the seat of both the religious and judicial powers vested upon them by the Roman Procurators. Their scope of authority includes religious, political, and legal authority such as trying a high priest, supervising certain rituals, and even declaring war (Chapin). This religious and judicial body was primarily composed of priestly Sadducees, which may be numbering of about seventy-one sages. The Sanhedrin’s control and judicial authority ended with the rise to power of Agrippa 1 in 41 to 44 B. C. The grand son of Herod 1 the Great, Agrippa 1 extended the city northward by constructing the third wall. However, the fanatical sect of the Jewish nationalist movement known as the zealot challenged the Roman control of Judah in A. D. 66. This uprising brought the Roman legions to a protracted siege, which was carried out by Vespasian, the Roman commander in Judah. The revolt however was crushed by his son Titus in A. D. 70 and Jerusalem and the second temple was destroyed by the Romans (Chapin) Hellenism and the Jews (Evaluations and Commendations) Hellenization, according to an internet article entitled â€Å"Celtic† and Medeterranean Interaction is the process by which non-Greeks were made more or less Greeks, assimilated into Greek culture if not acculturated. The article noted that the extent of Hellenization during the time of Alexander reach even further to the lands of the Barbarians (Celtic and Mideterranean Interaction). The article cited that Greeks abroad carried with them any thing that could help in advancing Greekness and they were more emphatically consciously Greeks and built cities and towns introducing urban structures and new ideas. Chapin pointed out that despite of the strong emphasis on priestly rule and Judaism, Jewish society was greatly influenced by the Greek Hellenism, particularly cities like Jerusalem, except in their adherence to monotheistic faith. However, life in the provinces and rural areas was comparatively unchanged (Chapin). Jerusalem subtly yet speedily adopted the Greek culture particularly the Greek language, games and sports, and even the early literature of the new faith, Christianity (Chapin, Par. ). According to an internet article entitled The Impact of Hellenism on the Jews, though Hellenism was neither offensive nor beneficial yet it poses serious challenge to Judaism (Old Testament History, Par. 1). The article noted that Hellenistic culture presents serious threats to Judaism in the same way that idolatry of the Canaanites neighbor of the Pre-Exilic Israel served as a great temptation, which had caused their nation’s destruction and later Diasporas. The impact of Hellenism on Post Exilic Israel was difficult them to resist in remaining true to their faith as Hellenism offers relief from laborious struggle for existence. Hellenism viewed life as a continuous series of social festivities, comforts, and ease. It was under Hellenistic period that public places for eating and bathing was offered to the public with customary music of strings such as the harp (O. T. History, par. 7) which today may be characterized by the restaurants and public swimming pools. Great public libraries, potential economic opportunities, and sophisticated Greek education would have strong appeal to may nobler Jews and merchants, which made the Hellenistic way of life easily acceptable. On the other hand, conservative Jews particularly Palestinian Jews were not impressed by the social and cultural advances brought about by Hellenism, courtesy of the Greeks. These conservatives despised the Hellenized Jews on the grounds that they had compromised their religion. An internet article entitled The Church History cited that the Hellenized Jews were forbidden in the temple rather they were directed to attend Greek-speaking synagogues to hear and understand the Torah being read in Greek as they could no longer speak nor understand Hebrew. The purpose therefore, of Hellenization was to assimilate every culture, or the acculturation of every nation’s culture under one culture, the Greek culture, is not only a brilliant idea or military strategy if indeed it can be categorized in that way, rather, it is highly advance idea designed to rule the world in utmost peace and economic prosperity. This impact could have changed the course of history had Alexander livelonger than he had lived. It cannot be denied that the influence of Hellenism still benefits today’s generations and the idea of hellenization still dominates the society in many ways. Interpretation Hellenism was a subtle way of conquering the world. Alexander may have conquered much of the known world during his time but his military and political leadership did not live long enough to achieve what he desired, to conquer the world. Perhaps Hellenism was intended by Alexander for a peaceful conquest. Indeed, his model Hellenistic community in Alexandria, Egypt was meant to attract the known civilizations of the benefit of Hellenization. True to his intention, the world was conquered by the Greeks not by swords and spears or by sheer military force but by festivities, by cultural and educational advancement, and by economic opportunities Hellenism offers. Today, the Greek influence still remains after thousands of years in many aspects of the social and cultural life, including arts. Hellenization can be compared to the idea of the democracy promoted by the remaining super power of the world today. By Hellenizing the known world, Alexander can build an alliance with many countries just like the idea of democracy. In other words the same concept in promoting democracy lies in the Hellenization. It symbolized the hegemonic power of Greece under the leadership of Alexander the Great. Conclusions The history of Israel from 332 B. C. up to 70 A. D. as a monument of Greece’ rise to power, and dominance of the world, at the height of their glory, as well as the marks of Israel’s resurgence to power which they so longed, under the Hasmonean dynasty, although this period marks both rise and fall of the three nations involve, its most important contribution in human civilizations was the spread of Hellenism, which truly brought not only economic benefits, but also culturally and socially, and the developments of sports. Hellenism has brought much contribution that even the generation of today is benefiting. The many borrowed words that help us understand meanings of the fast events are just one of the many benefits of Hellenization. Hellenization therefore symbolizes the hegemony of the Greek nation as well as Alexander’s desire to rule the world in peace and in prosperity as by acculturation and assimilation, it would have mean no boundaries or no enemies, rather it promotes unity and cooperation among nations. The blessings of democracy that we now enjoy may be compare to the blessings of Hellenism had Alexander livelonger.

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The United State of America is a faced with the daunting task of defending itself from both conventional and nonconventional threats. Countries like China, Russia, and Iran are at the forefront of conducting multiple aspects of intelligence operations/collections within American boarders. These operations pose a grave danger to national security and foreign policy. This paper will analyze the structure, capabilities, and intent of Chinese, Russian, and Iranian intelligence services. By doing so, it will highlight why Russia is the one country that poses the greatest to both American interest and national security. Chinese (PRC) intelligence services are structured in a fashion that is similar to most countries. There is a divide between civilian and military intelligence agencies. Currently, they are capable of conducting HUMINT, SIGINT, OSINT, and cyber operations. The Chinese use HUMINT operations in the Unites States as a means to collect technical data. China will utilize students, diplomats, businessmen, and scientists to gain information. (Pike 1997) China has more than 64,000 personnel in the United States that are activity collect information for the Chinese government. Due to the sheer aggressiveness nature of their unsophisticated HUMINT collection program, they were able to obtain mid to high level technologies. China’s has the largest SIGINT capability of in nation in the Asia region. They are capable of monitoring signals from Russia, Taiwan, and U.S military forces located in the area. In addition to land based platforms, China has a fleet of naval vessels that are capab le of collecting signals intelligence and their primary use is to monitor U.S. military operations in the Pacific region. (Pike 1997) The PRC has... ...led on your computer personal information can be encrypted and sent to servers located in Russia. This sophistocation is what ranks Russia as the number one country that poses the greatest threat to national security. (Shachtman 2012) Russia, China, and Iran all have intelligence capabilities. However, after srutenizing there intelligence capabilities on an individual basis, Russia is ranked number one while China and Iran follow in order. Russia’s ability to collect on the United States of America exceeds other countries because of its’ SIGINT, HUMINT, and cyber operation are being evolved on a continual basis. Russia, currently has naval, air, and land assets that can collect anywhere in the world. Additionally, Russia has the second largest space program, that includes spy satellites that are capable of collecting on the United States and other countries.

Tourism in LEDC’s creates environmental and social problems whilst bringing limited economic benefits

Tourism is now the world's biggest industry. It may be defined as the temporary visit of people to a region in which they do not live, for a period of more than 24 hours. Tourism has been promoted by the wealth of the developed countries, aided by the cheap flights offered by low cost airlines, and peoples increased leisure time and their desire to visit more exotic locations. The very nature of tourism brings large numbers of people to an area about which they may know very little. Many regions suffer environmental and social problems and this can be exacerbated by tourism. Also read this  Cheating in a Bottom Line Economy Tourism to Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC's) is generally by wealthier people from More Economically Developed Countries (MEDC's). There is often a vast disparity between the relative poverty of local people in LEDC's and the wealth of visitors from MEDC's. The vast gap in wealth and a lack of respect for the natives by the tourists can cause resentment, but the LEDC's depend upon the income, which the foreigners bring to the areas they visit. LEDC's as the term implies, suffer from weak economies. Tourism is therefore particularly valuable since it is an export earner, bringing new money from foreign countries. Many LEDC's are now dependent on tourism as a source of revenue. However the flow of visitors can cause considerable problems for popular destinations. Social problems frequently arise from a clash of cultures between the tourists and the indigenous population. Tourists arrive at their destination and expect western food, standards and accommodation. This demand for a home environment brings about the gradual westernisation of shops and services. Local shops and family owned businesses soon find themselves unable to compete with the global dominance of large western firms including fast food chains such as McDonalds. The invasion of tourists particularly in smaller locations undermines the local way of life, resulting in the erosion of indigenous cultures. Such an influx of tourists can be degrading. In Papua New Guinea, ethical issues are raised when the poor natives are pressured into performing for tourist groups. Other islands such as Tonga and Fiji are suffering in the same way. The undermining of culture can lead to alienation, drunkenness, burglary and violent crime among natives. Bangkok and Pattaya in Thailand have become centres of the sex industry. Young girls are taken and even sold from poor agricultural communities and forced into prostitution at a young age and even child prostitution has developed. In Pattaya the beach resort has seen uncontrolled development of hotels and this has caused pollution of the sea to a point where swimming has been unattractive. You can read also Classifications of Restaurants The vast gap in wealth between the tourists and the residents causes considerable resentment and as a result tourists are often targets for theft and crime. The behaviour of tourists can also prompt attacks at popular clubbing destinations. Tourists often become drunk and are offensive to residents, starting fights and causing damage to property, creating conflict between the locals and the foreigners. In places such as the island of Bali, which is part of the world's largest archipelago of Indonesia, the inadequate coverage of clothing worn by tourists when they go out for the evening is insulting to the locals. Places such as Bali often have conservative dress codes as part of their religion and the tourists make no attempt to respect the customs of the locals. Western tourists are often attacked by extremists seeking to publicly display their opposition to the western culture. The most recent example was in the Bali bombing of 2002 by Al Quaeda, who are opposed to western values and their perceived impact upon Muslim countries. The attacks often have political motives and are an attempt to put pressure on the government to implement change. Environmental problems are also an issue for LEDC's. Airports are built, dramatically increasing the flow of tourists and often overwhelming local infrastructures. The vast numbers of visitors arriving at destinations put considerable pressure on the environment and national resources. The need to accommodate the tourists increases the demand for land. Often LEDC's do not have well developed legal and regulatory infrastructure so building regulation and planning laws are less stringent. Western companies and even native companies will exploit the country environmentally, constructing buildings in picturesque, sensitive and vulnerable environments. For example, in the Maldives, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, luxury hotels have been built on formerly uninhabited islands attracting divers and fishermen who are endangering vulnerable species and the coral reefs. Simply the number of people visiting an area can cause erosion of beaches and footpaths and the damage to local habitats. Tourists often lack respect for the environments, which they visit. Mount Everest in Nepal is a popular destination for climbers and walkers, receiving up to 100,000 trekkers a year on popular routes. The tourists cut fuel wood, which has led to deforestation and consequent soil erosion. Also as they climb, tourists cast off items they do not wish to carry and as a result the paths towards the summit of Mount Everest has become littered with detritus and other rubbish discarded by trekkers. Popular tourist destinations suffer from a large influx of visitors causing seasonal congestion and demand for natural resources. There is a need for land, water and energy and in LEDC's people tend to provide these resources in the cheapest way possible, regardless of the environmental damage it may cause. Golf tourism creates problems because the landscape is manicured to provide the greens and fairways while vast amounts of water are required to maintain the courses. This has aggravated the existing water shortage in Thailand. Water shortages and water quality are major problems for developing countries and tourism can exacerbate these problems. Many countries depend upon tourism as the principal source of foreign currency. Some islands in the Caribbean such as Barbados rely on tourism but tourists come by cruise ships which can pollute the sea and beaches destroying the reefs and adversely affecting the life cycle of the flying fish which is the main fish stock of Barbados. Tourism brings vital economic benefits to LEDC's. The inflow of foreign money is valuable to the local economy. In Egypt and Jamaica over 60% of export income is derived from tourism. When a new demand is realised, goods and services are promoted in the area, resulting in a growth pole effect and the rapid expansion of tourism. It is beneficial because it provides income and employment for the residents. The demand for accommodation generates employment in construction and service industries. Once money is being spent in LEDC's the amount of money in the economic cycle has increased. The locals can then spend this money improving their businesses and homes. As the money continues to be spent, it will generate more demand for goods and services and thereby promoting economic growth. This multiplier effect will eventually have an effect on the overall development of the country, enabling the government to increase its tax revenue, improve the balance of payments and aid the overall development of the country. The improvements to services and living conditions, brought about by tourism may be shared by the local population. The transport and communications infrastructure is often the first improvement to be made followed by an increase in the range and quality of facilities offered. Better food is available, water supplies are installed and basic services such as waste disposal are introduced. All these can be enjoyed by the locals, and will increase their quality of life. If the money generated by tourism can be ploughed back into the country's own economy, then the economic benefits of tourism greatly out weigh the environmental and social problems. However this is not always the case. Leakages occur in the economic cycle depriving the country of the revenue vital to continued development. Foreign workers will send their wages abroad and payments to foreign owners of establishments such as hotels, restaurants and nightclubs will contribute to the Gross National Product of foreign countries. One of the greatest losses to regions in LEDC's is through costs to tour operators and the travel fares of airlines and ships. This means that in reality, LEDC's only receive a small proportion of the money spent on tourism. Jobs are often very poorly paid and therefore do not contribute significantly to the development of the country. The income may not filter down to the majority of the population but it may be siphoned off by the ruling elite. The problem of westernisation is considerable. Western companies, can exploit the tourism markets in LEDC's more effectively and more rapidly than any local businesses. The large western firms enjoy economies of scale making it difficult for smaller businesses and local entrepreneurs to compete. The western visitors demand western goods, many of which would be regarded as luxury goods to the locals. These have to be imported from abroad causing yet another leakage out of the economy. Another example is the beautiful island of Phuket in Thailand, which has been over taken by tourist developments in what could be described as ‘neo-colonialism'. This is where the hotels and beaches are owned by multinational companies and most of the profits are taken outside the country. In these circumstances tourism can alienate the local people by drawing them from their traditional agricultural employment but having a negative impact upon their local culture and environment. This has been the case in Gambia on the west coast of Africa. Problems also arise in LEDC's because there is inadequate infrastructure to control growth. The sudden demand by tourism promotes a dynamic expansion, which cannot be sustained if there is a downturn in the tourist flow. The areas receiving money can also become so dependent on the money derived from tourism that a change in fashion and the decline in visitors and revenue may result in the collapse of the local economy. For example the instability caused by the disputes between the Turkish and Greek populations has undermined tourism in Cyprus LEDC's often have vulnerable government structures and a change in the political climate can have negative impacts on the tourist industry. The regime introduced by President Mugabe in Zimbabwe has destroyed much of the tourism industry. His policy of returning farmland owned by white farmers to the native population has destabilised the country. There has been a massive downturn in tourism and the game reserves and associated tourist facilities have closed causing unemployment and a knock on effect on the protection of the environment and the wildlife. For economic benefits to be obtained by LEDC's from tourism, there needs to be an effective distribution of income, towards improving the structure and balance of economic activities. Money invested in valuable schemes and projects can generate more income for the country. However this requires a certain level of organisation and only those LEDC's with more sophisticated levels of development are effective in promoting greater economic prosperity. Often the money generated by tourism is widely used to improve some of the problems it actually causes. The revenue which tourism generates can lead to a sustainable long-term use and investment in the environment. For example in Zimbabwe, prior to recent political developments, ecologically sustainable tourism has been pioneered through innovative schemes known as ‘Campfire' projects. These projects have allowed the local people to have greater control over both tourism and poaching. The locals are given control and management over the wildlife in the National Parks. They can set up hunting trips for tourists and charge them for the privilege. This is beneficial because it ensures that the revenue from tourism goes to the local people. However it also means that it is in the residents' own interests to look after the wildlife and has therefore resulted in a drop in poaching. Money can also be used for the benefit and protection of the environment in other ways. Trends towards eco tourism can arrest the worst excesses of tourism. The government of the Seychelles has developed strict laws to protect the island's beauty and unique wildlife. Money can be spent on the restoration and protection of beaches. For example boardwalks have also been installed on the beach at Goa to prevent people from eroding the footpaths. Other places which have unique and sensitive environments, such as the Galapagos Islands have undertaken to protect the endangered species and their habitats. Specific trails have been marked out to avoid areas known to be inhabited by animals and guides are employed to ensure that the tourists keep to the routes. As a result both in Zimbabwe National Park and at the Galapagos Islands, animals receive better protection as a consequence of tourism. Tourism can also have social benefits. Contrary to the fears that indigenous cultures are eroded by tourism, it can actually sustain traditions. Tourism promotes the development of art and craft industries to reinforce local cultural identity. Tourists are often interested in the native dances and will pay to view traditional dances and customs. This also ensures that the dances are passed down the generations and are not lost. The jewellery produced and worn by locals can be sold and therefore there is an incentive to retain the traditions. Tourism also increases the demand for guides and workers who are knowledgeable about the area in which they live. As a result there has been an increase in the training, skills and general education of the people living in popular tourist destinations. International tourism can bring great economic benefit but it is vital that stringent controls are introduced to direct and limit levels in areas of environmental and social sensitivity. Tourism can only generate economic benefits if the region and it inhabitants are the recipients of the revenue. It is therefore vital that leakages in the economic cycle are limited and that the money received by the region is used effectively to promote and monitor tourist levels. If the income derived from tourism is used productively many of the side effects can be limited. Ultimately the economic benefits must outweigh social and environmental problems; otherwise there would be no incentive to promote tourism.

How Technology Has Affected Our Lives - 1291 Words

Then there is the cost factor, to be able to use this software; you must first switch all medical records to a digital system. This appears to be so costly that the government offers incentive money to meaningful users of the electronic patient e-file. Then there is the issue of, what if the system goes down at a critical time in patient care? If there is no hard copy to fall back on how will that affect the outcome? Lastly, there is the possibility of a data breach this could cost thousands in legal fees (Khazan, n.d.) To speak on another way the advancements of technology has affected our everyday lives, just think about our shopping habits today. In today’s world of purchasing a majority of consumer buying is now done online.†¦show more content†¦Students were exposed to an ad that seemed targeted based on their online behavior for a high-end watch. They were then asked to rate how sophisticated they believed themselves to be. The data showed they rated the mselves higher because they believed the ad was targeted based on their characteristics. They believed they were more cultured therefore; this increased their interest in the watch (Smith, Summers, Smith, 2016). Another hot topic in the world of business applications today is mobile technology, and the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The learner believes the advancement of mobile technology is the most valued AI to operations and management of business. With all the new advancements in mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones, computer interfaces in cars, etc. business can be run anywhere. Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. These processes include learning, reasoning, and self-correction. Particular applications of AI include expert systems, speech recognition and machine vision (What is AI, n.d.). Instead of just cell phones, there are smartphones now, they call them smart for a reason, which is because AI has been added to the devices. Everything can now be done with a smartphone that once could only be done on a computer, thus the mobilityShow MoreRelatedHow Technology Has Changed Our Live s987 Words   |  4 PagesCommunication Lost Technology has become the new way to communicate in today’s millennium generation. Individuals are using phones as a part of their everyday lives. Apps and online resources have been greatly used to communicate with others. According to the author’s, technology could be the reason for building or ruining relationships. Whether or not technology could be building relationships, I believe technology is destroying communication between friends and family. 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