Illicit Trafficking of All Types Research Paper

Illicit Trafficking of All Types - Research Paper Example The activities along these ports have attracted human traffickers, drug barons and even terrorists. Many South American illegal goods find their way in Africa through the ports in the Indian Ocean. This may be attributed to corruption and poor custom laws and regulations (Ploch, 2010). With the effects of the trafficking activities affecting many international countries the sensitivity of the matter has increased. In this paper I will focus on Kenya activities along the Kenyan coast. The paper will focus on human, drugs and weapon trafficking in Kenya. Additionally, it will focus on the effects of these activities in the country and the international community. The paper will have an insight on how the trafficking activities affect the United States. Kenya’s port city of Mombasa is one of the largest cities along the coast of the horn of Africa. Neighboring countries like Uganda and Rwanda use the port for export purposes since they are landlocked. This has made the port becom e the largest port in East Africa. This has attracted interests from many illegal stakeholders. First on focus is the issue of weapon trafficking. According to Shelly (2010) about 5,000 illegal firearms enter the country on an annual basis. These weapons find their way into the hands of interested people in the country. They are later sold at cheaper prices to pastoralist communities and other illegal gangs. In other instances, the firearms end up in other neighboring countries. Apart from the trafficking of firearms, explosive devices in Kenya are also on the increase. During this year, the country has had about seven explosive attacks in major cities. The explosives used in the scenes are said to have originated from a foreign country. Most firearms in Kenya are usually from the neighboring Somalia or destined to Somalia. Somalia is an unstable country, hence, traffickers find it an easier route to smuggle weapons to Kenya. Weapon trafficking in Kenya also involves top government officials. These powerful individuals are usually the masterminds of trafficking activities in the country. This hinders any investigative procedures from taking place. Weapon trafficking in Kenya has greatly affected the United States. In the year 1998 the US embassy was a main target in a terrorist attack in Nairobi. The terrorist attack was the worst attack experienced in the country. The Al- Qaeda group claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was aimed at destroying the US embassy. This was evidence that weapon trafficking in the country is a more complicated and strategized crime (Clinton, 2010). The United States government had to highly compensate the victims of the attack. Drug trafficking in Kenya has also been an emerging issue as far legality is concerned. Through its coastal town Mombasa, drugs enter the country from South American countries. Large consignments of drugs find their way to Kenya through various entry points. Entry points include border with neigh boring countries, through airports and majorly through the port of Mombasa. In the coastal city, many youths are now in rehabilitation centers after being exposed to drugs at a very young age. Many youths turn into small scale peddlers. They sell the drugs to school students and other young people. This has destroyed the young generation in Kenyan coastal region. Just like the weapon trafficking menace, powerful personalities are greatly involved in the smuggling of drugs into the country (Ploch, 2010). From the coastal

The compositions of Jelly Roll Morton 1923- 1941 Essay

The compositions of Jelly Roll Morton 1923- 1941 - Essay Example The compositions were original and contained many thematic structures. Examples of his popular compositions included â€Å"Wolverine Blues† and â€Å"Alabama Bound†. The characteristics of the musician’s individualistic styles also included an ensemble of melody, harmonic support, and rhythmic punctuations which all gave a sense collectively operating multiple elements. The collective style was the characteristic of most of the traditional jazz pieces in New Orleans. His composition was also influenced by â€Å"traditional usage of break†. This is a pause made before returning to the melodic part of a piece. His style was similar to barrelhouse. His style was unique, unlike other jazz pianists he used his right thumb to play the melody part of musical piece. He created harmony with other right hand fingers. This style produced an â€Å"out-of-tune† sound unlike other traditional pieces in New Orleans. His other unique individual stylistic characteri stics included the use of major and minor sixths in bass. With his unique characteristics, he claimed to be the innovator of jazz music. Morton was among the most talented composers in New Orleans. He improved the New Orleans Jazz by combining parts of his invented solos. He was an outstanding piano soloist. He had the ability to use the keyboard to create all the sounds in a band. He was also capable of moving rhythms regardless of the rigidity of ragtime to make them more flexible and exciting. His creative musical ideas were portrayed in his compositions.

Heidegger Being and Time Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Heidegger Being and Time - Essay Example Going by the introduction by George Steiner to the luminous thoughts of Martin Heidegger, it looks certain that Steiner is willing to run the marathon race and he immensely enjoys it. He is not an ordinary critic. The issue with the ordinary critics is that the moment they do not comprehend the writings of an author, such thoughts are labeled as controversial. Didn’t the fox, after abandoning the efforts, say that the grapes were sour, when it could not reach out to the dangling, juicy bunches? The experience-level mind doesn’t move on the beaten track. It takes up unexpected and amazing unchartered paths. The thought-process emanates from the original impulse. Their convictions are undoubted; their explanations borders devotion. They are not available for second-opinions or for revisions. Their ‘first manuscript’ is the ‘final manuscript’. The problem with the specialists is they go on analyzing the leaf to such an extent (its size, shape, col or etc), that they forget that the root is the original cause of leaf! Or even further—Mother Earth is the original cause†¦or even further on and on†¦ No written sentences and paragraphs can arrest the spirit. The spirit by itself is the arresting as well as the freeing authority. So, to say ’eureka’ one should be able to grasp the true nature of the spirit. Once a difficult problem of mathematics is solved, the steps look so simple...Yes, only when it is solved! Before that how many times the climber has slipped from the steps of the ladder? Is it the fault of the ladder? Nobody will ever get to the bottom of the Being (this vast ocean is bottomless) It is impossible to define it, but the process of trying to know it, is rich and rewarding. At every step of the progress, one feels that the effort is worthwhile. Let me repeat, one’s reward is in the process of trying to know it! The problem for a lay reader is to understand Heidegger’s language. George

Criminology Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Criminology Theory - Essay Example In this movie, the views and characters of Derek are shaped by his neo-nazism beliefs. Derek is recruited into this group by Cameron Alexander, the neo-nazi leader. Alexander appoints him as the leader of the Caucasian kids. His role was to lead them against the Hispanic and the Black kids. Their attitude against them was shaped by the belief that these kids they lost their freedom and destiny to these people of different race. The Hispanics and the blacks were foreigners whose main aim was to exploit the resources of United States of America. On this basis therefore, Derek joined the group of the skinheads because of inequality in resource allocations, and he adapted their violent methods of agitating for their rights. The movie shows this by when he led a group of skinheads to destroy a Korean canteen. However, while in prison, Derek changes his ways of view. This is because he came to learn that there was a need of collaborating with each other, irrespective of race to survive. This is because of the inter-racial commerce that was pre-dominant in the prisons. The violent behaviors that Derek had were as a result of his failure of self-control, because he had already subdued the thieves, and he was not facing any threat. For instance, ordering the thief to open his mouth and busting his head with a bullet was a very cruel method of killing an individual. He could also control the manner in which he made his speech that had an effect of causing a violent mass action by the skin heads. The tone of his voice was harsh, and his words were full of incite. On this note, had Derek used some soft words, the riot that came as a result of the speech could not occur. It was possible for Derek to refuse the offer by Alexander, because he was not forced into joining the group. On this basis therefore, the behavior of Derek came as a result of his inability to control

Heidegger Being and Time Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Heidegger Being and Time - Essay Example Going by the introduction by George Steiner to the luminous thoughts of Martin Heidegger, it looks certain that Steiner is willing to run the marathon race and he immensely enjoys it. He is not an ordinary critic. The issue with the ordinary critics is that the moment they do not comprehend the writings of an author, such thoughts are labeled as controversial. Didn’t the fox, after abandoning the efforts, say that the grapes were sour, when it could not reach out to the dangling, juicy bunches? The experience-level mind doesn’t move on the beaten track. It takes up unexpected and amazing unchartered paths. The thought-process emanates from the original impulse. Their convictions are undoubted; their explanations borders devotion. They are not available for second-opinions or for revisions. Their ‘first manuscript’ is the ‘final manuscript’. The problem with the specialists is they go on analyzing the leaf to such an extent (its size, shape, col or etc), that they forget that the root is the original cause of leaf! Or even further—Mother Earth is the original cause†¦or even further on and on†¦ No written sentences and paragraphs can arrest the spirit. The spirit by itself is the arresting as well as the freeing authority. So, to say ’eureka’ one should be able to grasp the true nature of the spirit. Once a difficult problem of mathematics is solved, the steps look so simple...Yes, only when it is solved! Before that how many times the climber has slipped from the steps of the ladder? Is it the fault of the ladder? Nobody will ever get to the bottom of the Being (this vast ocean is bottomless) It is impossible to define it, but the process of trying to know it, is rich and rewarding. At every step of the progress, one feels that the effort is worthwhile. Let me repeat, one’s reward is in the process of trying to know it! The problem for a lay reader is to understand Heidegger’s language. George

Opposition’s Viewpoint Essay Example for Free

Opposition’s Viewpoint Essay To parents and advocates who favor corporal punishment, the formula is simple: spank a child for doing something wrong and he will understand that he will get spanked if he does it again, hence he will not do it anymore. The aim of this paper is to address the theory, the logic, and the social justice of corporal punishment as a form of discipline on children by their parents in support of the stand that parents should under no circumstances administer corporal punishment to their children. The theory described at the beginning of this paper has its roots in behavioral psychology (Gendry 85). This theory is based upon recognition of stimulus and the subsequent action that the stimulus calls for (Gendry 86). While the effectiveness of this theory has been greatly supported by innumerable studies in psychology, what remains to be true is that this theory connects the subsequent action to the stimuli and not to the reason behind the stimuli. Simply put, when a parent physically scolds the child for doing something wrong, the child does not automatically understand why the act was wrong, he just understands that he got hurt from doing it and might get hurt again. This means that the punishment administered does not make the child learn the wrongness of the act. This is the limiting nature that the behavioral theory is encapsulated in. Hence, it becomes the fear of getting spanked that drives children to obey the rules that parents bring upon them, and not an understanding of the value of those rules (Dowshen et. al. 42). This initial argument regarding to the weakness of the theory that supports corporal punishment in terms of teaching the correct values trickles further to the discussion of the logic of corporal punishment. If we follow the logic that corporal punishment dictates, it connotes that the absence of the punishment means that absence of what makes the act wrong. Hence if the child grows up to a situation in which his parents cannot punish him anymore, he would no longer have any need to obey the rules. Since the development of a child to adulthood does tend towards separation and freedom from parental authority at some point in time, this shows that the logic behind corporal punishment naturally leads to a situation where the child no longer needs to follow the rules and is not left with any incentive to follow them. This clearly illustrates the ineffectiveness of authoritarian models of punishment as supported by Baumrind’s conclusion that the minimal or non use of corporal punishment in disciplining the child and instead raising the child â€Å"in a responsive and supportive parent-child relationship† (414) is the best way of instilling genuine discipline. Lastly, in examining the social justice in corporal punishment, we consider the position of the parent as guardian of the child. Being the child’s guardian gives the parent the responsibility to see to the child’s best interests, it does not under any pretext give the parent the right to subject the child to any harm. While there are those that argue that â€Å"tough love† cannot be considered as harm, they fail to understand the psychological dangers that parents who spank their children are unknowingly subjecting them to. For one, research as shown that the harshness of punishment given to children is directly related to the child’s inclination to use violent punishment on his own children when he grows up (Herzberger Tennen 317). Clearly, the formula does not work in both theory and logic in developing children to become disciplined citizens. What is worse is that it actually subjects children to risks that they should never have to face.

Veristic Roman Portraits

Veristic Roman Portraits Roman works of art, from both Republic and Empire, are deeply influenced by traditions and aesthetic elements of other cultures. Many art historians have interpreted that much of visual arts produced in ancient Rome are derivative of Classical and Hellenistic Greek styles. Other interpretations have shown that Roman art also draws on Etruscan and even Egyptian visual cultures. While such analyses are valid, it should be noted that Roman artists did not merely emulate the styles of earlier cultures, but they synthesized the diverse elements and manipulated them to create a uniquely Roman style. This distinctive and syncretic Roman attitude led to the emergence of verism in Roman Republican portraitures in the beginning of first century B.C.E. Veristic portaitures had striking individualistic features that showed human interiority. They demanded intellectual engagement of the viewers because Roman portraitures were a complex system of conventions that sought to convey a message. This p aper analyzes verism in Roman portraitures and discusses how a set of formal elements are dictated to serve a communicative purpose. Before embarking on our discussion of veristic Roman portraitures, we should first question what the definition of verism is. It is a term that describes hyperrealism that departs from idealizing tendencies. Veristic portraitures were popular during the Republican period, and they served to commemorate civil virtue. Veristic portraits emphasize individualistic and often unattractive features of the subject. They portray mature men, and marks of age were acutely depicted, such as wrinkles, moles, scars and other imperfections. The emphasis on seniority was highly placed because old men who have dedicated their lives to the civic good attained noble positions in public office. It is also because signs of aging skin, such as furrows and creases, were loyal souvenirs of having tolerated the psychological strains of a society at times of chaos and civil war. These were desirable characteristics of a civic ruler because they were associated with wisdom, responsibility, and loyalty to the s tate. Perhaps, the best way to define verism is by contrasting it with idealism, a style that is primarily associated with Hellenistic Greek period. Idealism is the opposite of verism, and it tends to idealize the subject by exaggerating the characteristics as it seeks to relate the subject to a divine figure. Although Romans borrowed the concept of portraiture from Greek Hellenistic art, Roman portraitures per se are visibly different from Greek portaits. In contrast to Roman tradition of depicting men in their later life, Hellenistic tradition leaned toward representing rulers as being youthful. This is primarily because youthful if not god-like images of kings free of any imperfections were the sources of admiration and adoration to the populace. A famous example is the marble portraiture of Alexander the Great (fig. 1). Alexander the Great (reigned 336-323 B.C.E.) wanted to immortalize his power by making a permanent visual image of himself. He commissioned artists, especially Lysippos, to sculpt his portraits out of marble, a medium probably chosen for its durability. The Marble Portrait of Alexander the Great is about 37 cm in height. It was created between 2nd-1st century B.C.E. during the Hellenistic period. It was believed to be found in Alexandria, the capital city of the Hellenistic dynasty. The portrait head has a curly hair that falls on both sides of the face. Its surface is very smooth and the softness of the skin is alm ost tangible. It has a slight hint of eyebrows, and its eyes are directed upwards and are intently gazing at something. It has a relatively sharp nose and its lips are depicted with precision. The curved lines of both the upper and lower lips are acutely portrayed. It has a smooth jaw line that makes an elegant U shape that is offset by a solid neck. Its head is slightly tilted upwards. Overall, the sculptor depicted Alexander the Great as a youthful king without any physical blemishes. Unlike Roman Republican sculptors who were veristic in style and were humble in depicting the subject, the Hellenistic sculptor glorified and idealized the subject in an attempt to liken the subject to a god. Arguably, one of the most noticeable differences between veristic works and works of other styles are their treatment of the subject. Artists from different cultures employed different styles to communicate a distinct set of messages. The portraiture of Vespasian is a good example of a veristic style portraiture that conveyed a political message (fig. 2). It is a marble head of Vespasian, the Roman Emperor who ruled from 69 C.E to 78 C.E., who was also the founder of the Flavian dynasty. It was created between 69-79 C.E. during the Imperial Roman period, and came from Ostia, Italy. The sculptor clearly depicted Vespasian as an old man, with palpable signs of aging. The portrait head has a balding or a receding hairline, with wrinkles on the forehead. The eyebrows are meticulously carved with detail given to each individual strand of hair. The eyes have soft almond shapes with crows feet in the ends. There are marks of sagging under the eyes, and wrinkles are all over the face. The ti p of the nose is round and big, and its lips are very thin and are tightly closed. Further individualistic features are accurately recorded, such as Vespasians slightly protruding chin. Like the Hellenistic portrait head of Alexander the Great, this marble head also has a solid neck, although it is marked with deep wrinkles. Vespasian is represented as a man in his later life with unflattering marks that are clearly depicted rather than being fixed up and perfected. This is because Romans valued individualism over idealism, and departure from idealisitic qualities meant absence of pretense and deception. Vespasians veristic portrait is full of conventions that celebrate the humble, wise, and responsible characteristics of a well-qualified ruler. Borrowing the words from Nodelman, this veristic portrait is a system of signs that is carefully condensed into the image of a human face. Conceptually, Vespasians marble portrait head can be seen as a mosaic, in which desirable physical fea tures are juxtaposed and carefully fitted together to create an image of a noble ruler. The Primaporta Augustus departs from the veristic style, and falls back on the Hellenistic style of idealizing and perfecting tendencies. It is a 6 feet 8 inch tall marble statue depicting Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of the Roman Empire (fig. 3). It was created during early 1st century C.E., and it was found in the Villa of Livia at Prima Porta, Italy. Augustus (reigned 25 B.C.E. to 17 C.E.) deliberately avoided the veristic style that Republic so adored and celebrated, because the humble and honest manner of veristic portraiture would not effectively communicate the youthful energy of Augustus to the audience. Augustus did not want to be seen as a weak, aging man or as a ruthless dictator, but rather as a young and energetic emperor who is about to bring change to the Roman Empire at the time of unstability. The statue has a short, curly hair and its face is void of any marks; its skin is smooth and radiant. Its right arm is raised, which is a gesture of address. This gesture depicts Augustus as a powerful public figure who has the charisma to lead the public. The statue is wearing a battle dress that presents Augustus not only as a civic ruler but also as a military commander. It is standing in contapposto pose, in which the weight of the body is shifted to one foot while the relaxed other rests. The particular stance, short hair, and smooth face strongly evoke Polykleitos Doryphoros (fig. 4). Doryphoros is rendered in Classical Greek style and Augustus intentionally chose to echo the Classical style in a calculated attempt to portray himself as the conqueror. On the bottom of Augustus right leg is Cupid riding on a dolphin. The presence of Cupid, the son of Venus, is important because it serves both a functional and symbolic role. It functions to provide support to Augustus right leg, but also serves as a visual reminder of Augustus divine lineage. Lastly, Augustus is shown barefoot. This was done to link Augustus to a god. Ultimately, these various elements come into play to shape Primaporta Augustus as an effective political propaganda to send a message that Augustus rise to power will bring stability to the Empire at the time of civil war and chaos. The desire of both the commissioners and the sculptors to condense various meanings into a portrait is clearly reflected by the distinct styles and manners in which the subject is treated. Roman sculptors, as well as artists of other cultures, clearly had a range of styles to choose from, and they artfully, effectively and quite beautifully utilized the chosen styles to convey certain messages to the viewers. Through such efforts, portraits become a complex system of signs and symbols that form a language in which the history of a whole society can be read. A Hellenistic style with an idealizing tendency was chosen to glorify the subject and to demand imperial and divine exaltation from the populace. On the other hand, a Roman veristic style with emphasis on physical imperfections and marks of aging was chosen to denote a conscious departure from illusions and vanity. It was chosen either to gain public votes to win a noble position in a society or to reflect noble virtues of an empe ror, such as responsibility, wisdom, faithfulness, and selfless devotion. Ultimately, veristic Roman portraits were visual and symbolic expressions of the subjects interiority. Various conventions were orchestrated by motives to put across political messages. The portraits were not merely well crafted works of art to be passively enjoyed, but were montages of meanings to be actively interpreted. Both intellectual and psychological engagement of viewers were demanded to understand the messages that Roman artists so passionately celebrated.