Oil price Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Oil price - Essay Example Since this rising prices is inevitable, the major countries will need to find alternative sources of energy to protect themselves from the impending doom of disaster. Oil is the ingredient that drives the planet; it is as essential as air and a key source for almost every product from construction material to transportation to clothing. But the hard fact is that the supply of oil is finite and eventually it will be depleted and demand will outstrip production capacity. Increasing demand along with diminishing supply has already begun to drive price upwards. As prices are rising, new supplies are emerging in an effort to reduce consumption. "The rate at which consumption levels are rising, it is predicted that the world's oil supply will be exhausted within the next 40 years". (Guinness Atkinson Funds, "Future of Energy"). As can be seen by the above graph, demand and supply both have been rising over the years, but the growth in supply has not been able to keep pace with the demand growth and hence an increase in prices. On the supply side, there are three factors that are responsible for the current situation. "Firstly, non-OPEC production capacity has been growing over the years. In recent years, the former Soviet Union supply has been growing annually at a rate of about 0.5 million barrels per day. However, this growth had mainly come from repairing tired infrastructure rather than new exploration and this sort of growth rate is and will be hard to sustain. In addition to that, West Africa, Canada and Brazil have seen another 0.5 million barrels per day annual growth in production capacity. But like the former Soviet Union, the future looks bleak regarding the maintenance of this growth. The output from the U.S. and North Sea is also shrinking. Secondly, the growth potential in OPEC production cap acity is becoming smaller. Currently, most of OPEC, with the exception of Saudi Arabia, is operating at near capacity. Thirdly, since 1998, OPEC has been quite effective in keeping supply and demand matched, in addition to keeping the world oil supply a little tight. It is this combination of strong demand, slow non-OPEC production growth and effective OPEC supply management that has been the major driver of recent increases in world oil prices. On the demand side, the surge in global economic activity has led to an explosion in demand for oil and hence the world is facing an oil demand growth shock"(Guinness Atkinson Funds, "Future of Energy"). The major demand is coming from the developed world particularly the US, China and other economies in Asia. "China is in a phase of rapid energy-intensive industrialization and will continue to be one of the key consumers of oil in the coming years"(Oil Market Report, International Energy Agency). Behavior of Oil prices: The Asian Financial Crisis hit the world in mid-1997 and had a devastating effect on the major economies of the world. Even in the face of this crisis,

Ballet Essay -- Ballet Training, Dancing

Football is a very physically demanding sport. According to Taylor (1969), â€Å"Professional football is basically a physical assault by one team upon another in desperate fight for land.† (pg. 23) The body is used as weapon to prevent an opposing player from crossing into another's territory. The body must be strong and well equipped to endure the stresses of physical contact. The body is very susceptible to injury when engaging in football. It is important for those who participate in football train their bodies effectively. The same can be said for ballet. It is a physically demanding activity as well but the body is used as a form of expression. According to Huwyler M.D. (2002), â€Å" For the dancer, his body in his means of expression, the instrument is his heart. Ballet is meant to be graceful and elegant, it does not appear to be a physically demanding sport as football is. Looks are deceiving, According to Kennedy M.D and Hodgkins M.D. (2008), â€Å"The grace and a rt of the ballet performance belie the great physical strain of the body as a whole. (Preface) Ballet places a great deal of strain on the body; it is important that those who participate in ballet receive adequate and effective training. When to begin training Ballet training should begin as early as possible for children who aspire to be professional dancers. The beginning stages of ballet training should be designated for: the development of coordination, rhythmic ability, musicality, and most important of all for enjoyment. A strong commitment regarding pursuing a profession in ballet should made by the age of ten. Due to the physical demands of ballet technique it should not be introduced until the age of ten. According to Howse (), ballet training should not... ...be related to a football player who desires to increase or improve their skills. A football player may achieve such results by performing a particular activity with increasing resistance, increasing speed, increasing duration, or any combination of these. (Dick, 2002, pg. 218) For example, if a defensive back desires to increase his strength; defensive backs are required to be strong and powerful. A defensive back could increase the training volume performed in seated bench press as a means of achieving overload. The principle of overload consists of three training variables, duration, frequency, and intensity. These variables must be increased or manipulated to experience increases in the improvement of performance, skill, and technique.. Following proper training guidelines will enhance the performance of any athlete not just a ballet dancer or football player.

Macbeth Blind Ambition Essay

The tragedy, ‘Macbeth’, composed by William Shakespeare is a play of manipulation and blind ambition. This is clearly depicted through the character of Macbeth, a great man fallen from God’s grace. Initially, Macbeth’s is presented as a character with noble qualities, who earns himself the trust of King Duncan and admiration of his people. However, the meeting with the weird sisters takes a toll on his personality for the worse, as they ambiguously prophesise that Macbeth will become King of Scotland. Upon hearing this, Macbeth takes fate into his own hands and embarks on a journey of blind ambition. Ultimately, Macbeth’s character deteriorates and is destined to fall. Therefore, through the dramatic elements of the play, we anticipate the downfall of valiant Macbeth as a ramification of the fatal flaw of blind ambition. Blind ambition comes at the cost of our humanity. Macbeth aligns himself with the supernatural elements, which are associated with darkness and evil. Originally, Shakespeare introduces Macbeth as a great man, as depicted through the similes of â€Å"Yes, as sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion† and â€Å"Signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This reflects Macbeth’s bravery, as he is bequeathed the gift of stars by King Duncan. Quite soon, however; we witness how he morphs into a two-faced, conniving snake, as illustrated through this simile â€Å"Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under it. † The audience immediately recognises the disparity between the dark supernatural elements and the elements of goodness and light. We expect the power play will be evoked through the illusions and half-truths through the paradox of â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair. † A strong illusion that Shakespeare evokes to dramatise the mental state of Macbeth is the dagger soliloquy, â€Å"Is this a dagger which I see before me. † Whilst we see him in inner conflict over his intention to assassinate King Duncan, we recognise that he will not deviate from the path of darkness as he calls on the stars as seen through the apostrophe â€Å"Stars, hide your fires, Let not light see my black and deep desires’. This establishes that Macbeth represents darkness and this contrasts to Duncan, as he is a symbolism of light. Through the apostrophe, â€Å"Come spirits, unsex me†, we perceive that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth align themselves to the supernatural world for power, and in return they are stripped off of their humanity. Shakespeare dramatises these events to challenge us to consider of ramifications of blind ambition. Taking destiny into one’s hands for self gain may lead to self annihilation, and unnatural chaos ensues. Once regicide is committed, Macbeth is overwhelmed by nausea, as he has â€Å"murdered sleep. He then realises the magnitude of his sins, as it is emphasised through this hyperbole â€Å"Will all Great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? † This imagery is juxtaposed with the litotes of â€Å"A little water will clear us of this deed. † Therefore, pathos is established between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, as they are anointe d by blood through the act of regicide, â€Å"My hands are of your colour†. Dramatic irony is established as we know that this couple can never be extricated from guilt. With little remorse, he embarks on a journey of self destruction and mass murder. There is no salvation for him, and this is clearly demonstrated through the metaphor â€Å"Stepped in so far, that, should I wade no more. † He repeats his mistakes as he continues the assassinations of the innocent, and his sins further escalate when he slain Macduff’s family. However, the further they continue on the path to darkness, the more plagued they are by the blood seeping from their hands, â€Å"Out, damned spot! † Macbeth also hallucinates and is haunted by Banquo’s ghost. This can be demonstrated through the imagery â€Å"Quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee† Unnatural chaos ensues as a result of King Duncan’s death and Macbeth’s unnatural deeds due to blind ambition. This is evoked through the disorderly image of and â€Å"Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles. † Until another great being can overthrow tyrannical Macbeth, then the violation of nature’s order will not be restored. Shakespeare invites us to consider the law of ‘cause and effect’. Blind ambition overrides Macbeth’s rational mind and any sense of inherent moral sensibility. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are left tormented as they cannot sustain inner peace and sleep, â€Å"Sleep no more! which leads them to the brink of insanity. Furthermore Macbeth acknowledges that Duncan is at peace in the liberation of death, and he dramatises the inner conflict and insecurity through the paradox â€Å"To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus. † This foreshadows the downfall of Macbeth and soon he will be released from his torment. Blind ambition robs Macbeth’s foresight and without realising it, it puts a strain on his and his wife’s marriage. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s mental deterioration is emphasised through their severed relationship. As a result of blind ambition, Lady Macbeth resorts to suicide. She lives in fear, as she is constantly plagued from the murder. Therefore, death is her release. Shakespeare invites us to evaluate our behaviour and challenge us to take responsibility for our own actions. As a result of blind ambition, Macbeth is trapped in an illusion of perception versus reality. He consolidates his relationship with the supernatural elements. The witches present three apparitions, which include the â€Å"armed-head†, â€Å"bloody child† and the â€Å"boy with a crown and a tree from his hand. This directs Macbeth to the road of self-annihilation, and through the half-truths, dramatic irony is established and this serves to heighten tension, as the audience expects the downfall of Macbeth. Macbeth is struggling to find the purpose to live, as exemplified through litotes of â€Å"Out, brief candle†. He compares his life to a â€Å"brief candle† that is easily blown out by the wind and it connotes that human life is uncertain. â€Å"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,† Macbeth laments on the loss of his future, as he comes to term of his inevitable demise. Therefore, Macbeth is associated with pathos, and as an audience, we do pity his pathetic being. In the climax of the play, Macbeth is confronted by noble Macduff and it is revealed that the witches’ ambiguous prophecies were half-truths and Macbeth was so wrapped up in his own illusion that he could not see through it. As a result, it led to his downfall. The catharsis is established when Macduff defeats Macbeth and claims justice to Scotland. Shakespeare writes to raise awareness that some things are not what they appear to be. By the end of the play, we witness the downfall of Macbeth as a result of blind ambition. Blind ambition robs Macbeth of his humanity and foresight, and because of this, Macbeth’s character has deteriorated, as his deterioration is manifested through acts of massacres. In the end, Macbeth does not fully redeem himself, although he does hold regret for the heinous deeds he has committed, and therefore, he dies an undignified death. Hence, Shakespeare invites us consider the natural cycle of ‘cause and effect’ and how acts of blind ambition can lead to deadly consequences.

Conformity In The Scarlet Letter - 1636 Words

Societies build rules to help individuals, but they often harm or repress the individual instead. People face the frustration of having their persona and very identity stifled by the laws society expects them to support. Because obeying these rigid rules results in miserable conformity and a lack of self-expression, they must choose between following the law or staying true to themselves. Challenging society instead of following it blindly reveals greatness within a person; it takes true strength to resist the lifestyle and laws followed by everyone. One perfect example of this inflexibility can be seen in the fundamental ideology of Puritan society. In his novel The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne address this dilemma and his attitude†¦show more content†¦Through the characterization of the beadle as a man with an aura of misery, Hawthorne illustrates the â€Å"dismal severity† of Puritan society and the lives it creates for those who follow its policies. With its mu ltitudes of rules, punishment and humiliation naturally manifest as the â€Å"business† of Puritan society; instead of focusing on helping others, the Puritans spend all their time trying to condemn anyone who can fill the ever-present role of the â€Å"offender,† who they then subject to their harsh penalties for daring to step out of line. Hawthorne characterizes the beadle as the primary enforcer of these rules, dominating and draining the pleasure from their lives. However, Hawthorne characterizes Hester as an exception to the obedient Puritan citizens. When the beadle pulls Hester out of the jail, â€Å"she repelled him, by an action marked with natural dignity and force of character, and stepped into the open air, as if by her own free will† (Hawthorne 50). By â€Å"repell[ing]† the beadle, Hester resists Puritan society as a whole, choosing instead to follow â€Å"her own free will† rather than the laws and customs of society. Instead o f choosing to suppress her individuality, she chooses the most â€Å"natural† option when she refused to have Puritan society control her actions. But despite her insubordination, Hester has â€Å"dignity†: her actions do not strip her of her grace, rather they amplify it. By characterizing Hester as someone with â€Å"force of character,† HawthorneShow MoreRelatedConformity : The Scarlet Letter And The Awakening1268 Words   |  6 PagesConformity is an action in accord with prevailing social standards, attitudes, or practices. It is has the capability to cause unwanted pressure or social influence on a person. Even though people would like to see themselves as individuals, they have the need to fit into society’s â€Å"norms.† Throughout the two novels, â€Å"The Scarlet Letter† and â€Å"The Awakening,† the theme of going against conformity is present between the main characters and their respective society. 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