International Environmental Standards - Free Essay Example

Abstract Transnational Corporations have become the order of the day when it comes to investment driven growth for the developing world. Countries encourage these corporations to lead the charge when it comes to development of technology, boosting National Income, increasing living standards and increasing export capabilities. The host nations are both incapable and unwilling to enforce stricter environmental regulations in the fear of losing out on investments, and the developed countries are hesitant towards regulating such entities because of their strong political lobbies. The international instruments resulting from such quandary are also mere eye-wash and essentially rendered ineffective because of the lack of domestic legislation. Because of these failures, the TNCs operate in a sphere of legal vacuum with nothing to restrain them from damaging the local environment and bio-diversity. This paper highlights the deficiencies in the operation of such international instruments, the lack of political will in nations in enforcing better means of regulation and thereby attempts at providing some basic indicators that should be the driving force behind the functioning of TNCs. No one can deny the economic benefit resultant from the inflow of foreign investment or the efforts of Corporate Social Responsibility but these do not compensate for the extent of environmental damage caused by TNCs. The regulation and safety of the living environment is a commitment for entire humanity and the entrepreneurial units are by no means exempt from such obligation. Introduction Transnational Corporation, (TNC) also called Multinational Corporation or Multinational Enterprise, is defined by the UN Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises as: An economic entity operating in more than one country or a cluster of economic entities operating in two or more countries whatever their legal form, whether in their home country or country of activity, and whether taken individually or collectively.  [1] In the past quarter of a century, an era of rapid economic globalization, there has been a remarkable growth in both the number of transnational corporations (TNCs) and the quantity of foreign direct investment (FDI).  [2]  TNCs have grown in number from 7,000 TNC parent firms in 1970 to over 65,000 in 2002. Together, these global firms make up one-tenth of world GDP and one-third of world exports.  [3]  The growth in the number, size, and influence of TNCs has been a matter of international concern, particularly to developing countries, for over twenty years. The expansion of TNCs after the Second World War resulted from a number of factors, including spiraling labor costs in developed countries, the increasing importance of economies of scale, improved transportation and communication systems, and rising worldwide consumer demand for new products.  [4]  Ethical issues arising from TNC activities include bribery and corruption, employment and personnel issues, marketing practices, impacts on the economy and development patterns of host countries, environmental and cultural impacts, and political relations with both host and home country governments.  [5] It is also frequently argued that TNCs have grown beyond the control of national governments and operate in a legal and moral vacuum where individualism has free reign.  [6]  Despite the long-held concerns about ethical and other aspects of TNC activity, promotion of FDI has been a global political trend.  [7]  Policy initiatives at the international level concerning TNCs focus on developing guidelines to facilitate FDI,  [8]  with the principal issues being the development of standards for fair and equitable treatment, national treatment, and most favored nation treatment.  [9] Environmental matters are one exception to this trend. Since the Trail Smelter case came in picture,  [10]  there appears to be a broad consensus regarding the need and desirability to develop standards to guide and direct TNC behavior. However, considerable uncertainty exists about how to apply environmental standards to TNCs in this new era of free trade, liberalization of national economies, and promotion of FDI. TNCs are key players in terms of development activity, and they operate in the free space between ineffective national laws and non-existent or unenforceable international laws.  [11]  This Article discusses methods to ensure that TNCs meet environmental protection goals in the emergin g international climate of structural adjustment, free trade, and enhanced conditions for FDI. In particular, it focuses on the idea that some consistent or uniform standards should be developed to guide TNC activities wherever they occur. Operation Of TNCs The types of activities towards which FDI is directed have changed considerably over the past forty years. In the 1950s, the initial growth in FDI occurred in the primary sector, with investment primarily in renewable resources such as agriculture, fisheries and forests and in non-renewables such as minerals, oil, and gas. Subsequently, the manufacturing sector became the most prominent sector for FDI outflows and accounted for forty-five percent of outward FDI during the 1970s.  [12]  The most rapid growth in FDI activity in recent years took place in the services sector, in which world outflow of FDI expanded from thirty-one percent in 1970 to fifty percent in 1990.  [13]  The United Nations predicts that FDI in coming years will increasingly focus in the services and technology-intensive manufacturing sectors. The vast majority of TNCs have parent corporations that are based in developed countries. The G5 countries account for one-half of the total number of parent TN Cs and more than two-thirds of the global stock of FDI. Only eight percent of parent TNCs are based in developing countries, and these account for only five percent of the global stock of FDI.  [14]  Not surprisingly, the proportion of TNC affiliates located in developing countries is much higher, comprising forty-one percent in 1991.  [15] The flow of FDI to developing countries comprised only one-quarter of total FDI inflows in 1991, but it has increased steadily over the past ten years. A large proportion of this inflow goes to a small number of developing countries. In 1992, $26 billion out of the $40 billion directed to the developing world went to just ten countries, primarily in east, south, and south-east Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.  [16]  These figures again suggest that by focusing regulatory efforts on a relatively small number of developing countries, coverage of a substantial proportion of the activity undertaken by TNCs and their affiliates in the developing world would be achieved.  [17] For all these reasons, concerns about environmental protection in relation to manufacturing and primary production are increasing within developing countries and the central and eastern European regions in the near future.  [18] Environmental Impact of TNC Activities Environmental performance is defined in terms of emissions of hazardous substances into air, land and water.  [19]  Environmental performance is directly affected by regulatory, financial and organizational variables. The United States EPA reports three categories of emissions: direct emissions into the air, land or water; transfers to publicly-owned treatment works (i.e., sewage); and transfers off-site for storage, recycling, or other purposes. TNCs operate in a wide range of pollution-intensive and hazardous industries that have products or processes that may harm the environment or negatively impact human health, such as mining, petroleum, and agro-business. The general standard of environmental performance of TNCs is therefore a matter of significant international concern.  [20]  TNCs possess flexibility, mobility, and leverage which local companies do not enjoy; tend to maintain corporate secrecy about the hazards associated with particular products and processes; and obtain the benefit of legal uncertainties concerning the liability of parent TNCs for their affiliates activities.  [21] The two TNC activities most commonly identified as raising environmental concerns are the export of hazardous products (such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, toxic chemicals, and hazardous wastes) and the export of hazardous processes or technologies.  [22]  TNCs export hazardous processes by establishing highly-polluting industries outside home countries, thus creating potential problems with pollution control, disposal of hazardous wastes, workers health and safety, and the risk of major accidents.  [23]  The accidents at Seveso, Italy; Bhopal, India; and Basel, Switzerland demonstrate the serious consequences that arise when TNCs inadequately manage chemical manufacturing plants. Primary industry activities also impact biodiversity and can carry serious consequences for indigenous peoples.  [24]  Such concerns are particularly pronounced where tropical rain forests have been cleared. New areas of concern about the environmental impacts of TNC behavior are also emerging since the 1990s. One of the most significant is the acquisition of intellectual property rights to products derived from plants or animals found in developing countries.  [25]  The broader charge is that TNCs are raiding and appropriating the biodiversity of developing nations.  [26] Environmental destruction leaves local populations with two basic options: (a) to leave the degraded environment for a more habitable place and become environmental refugees,  [27]  or environmentally displaced people; or (b) to remain in the degraded environment and risk increased morbidity and mortality through exposure to pollution and depleted, degraded, or contaminated food and water sources.  [28]  Neither of the above options is ideal as both leave communities and individuals in worse conditions than before the environmental destruction occurred. Further more, international law is currently organized in such a manner as to exclude such victims from international aid.  [29]  Poorer nations turn to TNCs to encourage international investment in hopes of improving the local economy. In turn, TNCs are attracted to the opportunity to lower production costs through lenient environmental standards and cheap labor.  [30] Despite their enormous influence and their significant role in the degradation and destruction of the environment which subsequently harms human populations, TNCs are not yet signatories to binding international instruments.  [31]  Virtually unrestrained by international instruments and domestic laws, TNCs are safe from liability for environmental destruction and resultant human rights violations. Globalization has thus created powerful non-state actors that may violate environmental law in ways that were not contemplated during the development of the modern environmental jurisprudence.  [32] Attempts at Environmental Regulation of TNCs Both the international community and individual states have attempted to regulate the activities of TNCs.  [33]  International efforts to establish an environmental code of practice for TNCs have proven illusory at best. Moreover, most instruments which have come under the consideration of the international community have taken the form of non-binding, soft-law guidelines.  [34] The United Nations Code of Conduct for Transnational Corporations: The Code of Conduct for Transnational Corporations emerged from the 1974 movement to establish a New International Economic Order.  [35]  In 1993, after authoring several code drafts,  [36]  the United Nations abandoned efforts to establish a TNC code when it became evident that compromise was nearly impossible. The most recent provision of the U.N. Code of Conduct (Code of Conduct) relating to environmental protection comes from the 1988 draft and reads as follows: Transnational corporations shall carry out their activities in accordance with national laws, regulations, established administrative practices and policies relating to the preservation of the environment of the countries in which they operate and with due regard to relevant international standards. Transnational corporations should, in performing their activities, take steps to protect the environment and where damaged to rehabilitate it and should make efforts to develop and apply adequate technologies for this purpose.  [37]  The Code of Conduct fails to specify what steps should be taken, or what will be done if they are not taken. Additionally, the Code of Conduct fails to define damaged and rehabilitate. Any effective international regulatory regime must provide specific mandatory guidelines and standards for the environmental practices of TNCs. The U.N. Code of Conduct fails in this regard, leaving the creation of relevant international standards to future international law developments.  [38] The OECD Guidelines for Multina tional Enterprises: In 1976, the member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as an annex to a declaration on international investment, established the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.  [39]  This soft-law instrument lacks the scope, enforceability, and substantive provisions needed to create an effective international regime of environmental regulation. The impotency of the said Guidelines can be ascertained from their applicability to TNCs only within their territories. Such broad proclamations provide little guidance to TNCs and fail to establish an effective environmental regulatory regime. Article XX of GATT: The issue of environment protection was not a major issue when the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was drawn up in 1947. Not a word was mentioned in GATT itself about environment.  [40]  The principle purpose of GATT is to oblige members to use the same rules to regulate trade and to ensure in particular that there was no discrimination in trade.  [41]  Under Article XX, GATT provides for trade restrictions and discrimination in order to protect human, animal, plant health and safety. It is worth noting that the word environment is nowhere expressly mentioned in Article XX. Nevertheless, these exemptions give the members ample latitude to control trade to protect the environment,  [42]  although some authors argue that these are intended to cover measures designed either to protect public health diseases or to protect animal or plant life for commercial reasons.  [43]  The measures to protect human, animal, plant life or health have to be the least trade restrictive  [44]  ones among the measures available to such countries.  [45]  The term necessary means such a measure that entails minimum degree of inconsistency with other GATT provisions.  [46]  These provisions, although appear to providing adequate teeth and power to the host nation in imposing its envi ronmental concerns, yet they are seldom an effective means due to other WTO obligations and trade interests.  [47] Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment in Development: In June 1992, representatives from most of the worlds nations and several hundred nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) gathered in Rio de Janeiro for the United Nations Conference on Environment in Development (UNCED or the Earth Summit). One product of their labors was a voluminous soft-law document entitled Agenda 21.  [48]  This document, formally adopted by most participating nations, establishes a comprehensive plan for global development.  [49]  Numerous clauses address the practices of TNCs and their role in achieving sustainable development. Throughout the document, TNCs are encouraged to introduce policies demonstrating the commitmentto adopt standards of operation equivalent to or not less stringent than those existing in the country of origin, and to adopt and report on the implementation of codes of conduct promoting the best environmental practice.  [50]  While Agenda 21 suffers from the same problems as the instruments discussed above, its recognition of the regulatory method of applying home country standards is significant.  [51]  Despite its important developments, Agenda 21 ultimately fails to establish an effective environmental regulatory regime. Its most prevalent defect is its non-binding, aspirational nature.  [52]  Unless such standards can be enforced, either internationally or domestically, they are unlikely to have much effect. Agenda 21 also suffers from a definitional problem. It is not clear from the terms of Agenda 21 whether country of origin refers to a TNCs country of incorporation, the country or countries wherein a majority of its shareholders reside, or both. International Environmental Regulations: The foregoing problems have led some scholars to call for a comprehensive international regulatory scheme, which, they argue, would level the competitive playing field.  [53]  First, the terms and conditions of multinational corporate activity must promote the cause of global economic and social justice. Second, there must be global standards of process safety for transnational hazardous and nonhazardous business activity. Third, the activity must satisfy the highest standards of environmental protection. Fourth, the activity must observe the highest standards of human rights. Fifth, dilution of technology to a lesser level while operating in developing countries should be banned, even if the importing nation so desires. Sixth, restrictions against foreign capital investment in developing economies should be set, regulated, and reviewed by an impartial committee consisting of the representatives from both developed and developing countries, but excluding the parties in question so that the solutions agreed upon are free from the psychological biases of interested parties. Last, an internat ional dispute resolution mechanism should be established where preference is accorded to arbitration before appealing the decision to a court of binding jurisdiction.  [54]  Although, such international regulation serves theoretical commonsense, the barriers impeding its successful implementation are plenty and profound.  [55]  First, developed countries, whose nationals control a large majority of the worlds TNCs, are unlikely to advance support for such a code because it would run contrary to their short-term economic interests. Further, such regulations might lead to transfers in environmental technology from developed to developing countries, an occurrence seen as undesirable by many developed nations.  [56]  Second, developing nations are unlikely to support such a vigorous regulatory scheme. Many developing nations see environmental quality as a luxury which they are willing to forgo in favor of further development and increased wealth.  [57] Need for Uniform Environmental Standards for TNCs Current international environmental law and international human rights law developed without regard for each other and are not sufficient in this global economy. Moreover, international environmental law generally focuses on trans-border environmental harm and does not regulate domestic environmental issues.  [58]  Citizens must rely on national law for redress and protection, which is often not an effective avenue.  [59]  Additionally, international human rights law is neither linked to a healthy environment nor to international environmental law and TNCs are not held accountable for human rights violations that stem from their direct environmental destruction.  [60] A wide range of regulatory measures might readily be described as environmental standards.  [61]  There are essentially two ways to force TNCs to apply uniform standards. The first involves international negotiation or harmonization of standards so as to produce a level playing field for TNCs, while a lso enhancing existing levels of environmental protection worldwide. The second method is to directly regulate TNCs to ensure that they apply uniform standards wherever they happen to operate. These rules determine the source of the particular standards that apply to a TNC in a given situation.  [62] Direct Regulations: Direct regulations encompass a variety of command and control regulations, including enabling, environmental quality and resource conservation regulations. Enabling regulations set out the general objectives and the interactions among the legislative and executive branches of government, while providing for the general funding of the environmental programs outlined in the legislation.  [63]  These regulations determine the methods for controlling pollution and set numerical limitations on permissible levels of pollution.  [64] Market Incentives: Both industry and government pursue the incorporation of market incentives into environmental legislation. Th is approach potentially could save industry billion of dollars a year.  [65]  Numerous commentators proposed many different general market-based solutions to pollution problems. These plans include pollution charges such as fees, taxes, subsidies and deposit-refund systems. Self Regulation: Recent surveys have suggested that TNCs are seriously addressing their past deficiencies by undertaking extensive environmental management programs that extend across all their operations.  [66]  In the case of industry organizations, these measures tend to concentrate on the broader standards of conduct that may be expected of corporations, including TNCs, rather than focusing on ambient or discharge standards of a relatively precise or quantifiable nature. Examples include the International Chamber of Commerces Environmental Guidelines for World Business and Business Charter for Sustainable Development, the U.S. and Canadian Chemical Manufacturers Associations Responsible Care Progra m, the European Council of Chemical Manufacturers Federations Principles and Guidelines for the Safe Transfer of Technology.  [67]  Individual TNCs are also considering the idea of internal standardization of environmental practices, perhaps because they perceive that environmental, health, and safety regulations will become increasingly harmonized in the future anyway.  [68]  The overriding difficulty with all of these possible internal standards, as with industry codes and guidelines, is their voluntary and non-binding character. Even more so than soft law instruments executed by nations, which at least reflect a consensus among some nations that may be reflected in domestic measures from time to time, industry and internal standards offer no mechanisms for ensuring compliance apart from those which exist in any event, such as adverse publicity.  [69] International Agreements: These agreements include conventions on trans-boundary pollution (e.g., 1979 Conventions on Long-Range Trans-boundary Air Pollution), conventions on resources shared between two or more states (e.g., UNEPs Regional Seas Convention), and conventions on the use of resources of the global commons (e.g., Law of the Sea, Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depletion).  [70]  In addition, local national regulations can affect industry policies. For example, the European Community has not yet successfully defined the relationships among European Community, national, regional and local environmental laws. Considerable support has been expressed in recent years for the development of international environmental standards. However, if TNCs were to face uniform ambient standards, local variables such as the level of industrial activity, its spatial dispersion, and topographical and climate conditions would preclude harmonization of environmental control costs and competitive positions.  [71]  Environmentalists worry that uniform standards lead inevitably to a lowest common denomina tor outcome which could threaten environmental gains in some countries, particularly if new free trade rules deem higher standards to be illegal barriers to trade.  [72]  A refinement of the concept of uniform international standards is the concept of minimum international environmental standards.  [73]  Under this approach, countries would remain free to adopt more stringent environmental standards if warranted by their particular circumstances. The more stringent standards could include measures designed to promote pollution prevention. Minimum standards, rather than being identical, could operate on a principle of mutual recognition based upon the equivalence of requirements in national laws.  [74] It seems clear that TNCs view the development of international environmental standards as a less desirable process than the standardization or harmonization of national environmental standards.  [75]  Thus despite the emerging interest in the concept of minimum interna tional environmental standards, and the precedents for international regulation where trans-boundary or global commons issues are involved, the reality is that the prescription of detailed process standards for environmental, health, and safety matters through legally binding international agreements does not currently appear to have widespread governmental or industry support.  [76] In the absence of an international approach to the development of environmental standards, it remains open to states to pursue their own approaches with respect to the operations of TNCs who fall within their jurisdiction. Thus, instead of allowing TNCs to operate entirely by reference to the law of the host country, it may be possible to develop domestic rules which determine that similar or uniform standards will apply to TNCs irrespective of whether they are operating in a host or home country.  [77]  However, this approach has been criticized for some of the reasons also advanced against th e idea of international uniform standards. In particular, it is suggested that it may lead to inappropriate technology transfer, or to decisions by TNCs to pass over investments in a particular developing country because of the environmental costs involved, even though the proposed activity might be of considerable economic benefit to the country concerned.  [78]  A practical difficulty with the home country rule is that it would require environmental authorities in the relevant host country to understand and administer differing standards for various TNC facilities, according to their country of origin. This could prove quite impractical. The second option with respect to domestic regulation of TNCs is for the home country to give extraterritorial effect to its environmental regulations in relation to the operations of its own TNCs abroad.  [79]  Proposals of this kind have been put forward and range from a Foreign Environmental Practices Act, which would extend all rele vant domestic standards and regulations to TNC operations abroad,  [80]  to a more modest proposal that home governments could make regulations for their companies that they insist are followed in other countries of operation. This approach has been condemned on the grounds that it intrudes excessively into the internal affairs of sovereign states and, particularly in its operation in developing countries, amounts to a new form of cultural imperialism.  [81] There are also some obvious and substantial practical difficulties with the administration and enforcement of domestic standards in a foreign jurisdiction. Export and import controls are another domestic means of regulating TNC behavior.  [82]  Another option is to impose import restrictions on products that have been produced through inferior environmental protection measures, in order to protect domestic manufacturers and to address global concerns such as tropical deforestation.  [83] Conclusion Both international and domestic measures have failed to adequately regulate the environmental practices of transnational corporations. While there is need to strengthen and develop existing methods of environmental regulation of TNCs, formal recognition in a hard-law treaty of the international human right to a healthy environment can help to prevent and correct environmental disasters and compensate injured individuals. The right of individual petition, amenability of TNCs to proceedings, effective investigatory powers, skilled environmental judges and experts, and the ability of the International Court for the Environment to award damages and injunctive relief are all characteristics essential to the creation of an effective international enforcement mechanism.  [84] While a few concrete international measures have been developed, more general or comprehensive measures seem unlikely due to TNC opposition and a lack of strong interest in this approach at present on the part o f national governments. International environmental standards seem most likely to emerge at first instance in a regional setting, but where these are provided for in trade related agreements, their adequacy and efficacy will be uncertain. Soft law and self-regulatory mechanisms, while reflecting a greater awareness on the part of governments and TNCs of the need for higher levels of environmental performance, offer no guarantees of compliance.  [85] There is an international trend towards recognizing the right to a healthy environment and towards increased corporate accountability. However, this movement will take time, as the global economy is currently structured around economic efficiency, and adjustments must be made to incorporate human, economic, and environmental interests.  [86]

Personal Narrative-My Seventeenth Birthday - 1711 Words

Most people think that their birthday is a day to celebrate themselves with cake and presents. I had a different experience. On my seventeenth birthday, I experienced an event that could compare to the complete opposite of a birthday. At the end of that dreadful day, I realized that we can only take life one day at a time. This year, I did not ask for much. I already had what I needed. My birthday started out fantastic. A two-hour delay had taken into effect, since the sleet and snow took over the roads. I wore a striped 3/4th sleeved shirt, dark skinny jeans, and brown knee-high boots. I put on more eyeshadow than I normally do. I went out to Sue-Z-Que’s for a birthday breakfast with my parents. Next, I went to school and received†¦show more content†¦I ran to my room and cried into my blanket until it dampened with my tears. I started to lose control of my breathing, until my conscience kick in to tell me that I was going to be okay. The wait to see my mom felt like hours. Finally, my mom came home. I tumbled into her arms, weeping and I somehow managed to get into the car. In the car, my mother tried to make me realizes what happened and tried to prepare for what I was going to see. My voice could barely make a noise. Building up inside, I somehow managed to get my anger out. â€Å"Why? Out of all days of the year, this is happening to me?† â€Å"Karissa, dreadful things happen to us on days that seem to be the happiest.† She explained details about Grandma’s stroke and what to expect. After getting to Cresco, I couldn’t wait to get out of the car and to see Grandma. Nothing could prepare me for what the night was going to bring. At last, we arrived at the bay where my grandma laid. My body froze. I had no idea on how to approach her. I slowly walked in as my dad said, â€Å"Here comes the birthday girl.† I could only smile. Grandma looked back at me even when her mind wasn’t completely there. I felt so much pain just seeing her lay there. My heart ached for her. She could hear us, but couldn’t talk back. My cold hand grasped on tight to her warm hand. I didn’t want to let go. MyShow MoreRelatedLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 PagesCollege; and Stephanie Tucker, California State University Sacramento. Thinking and writing about logical reasoning has been enjoyable for me, but special thanks go to my children, Joshua, 8, and Justine, 3, for comic relief during the months of writing. This book is dedicated to them. For the 2012 edition: This book is dedicated to my wife Hellan whose good advice has improved the book in many ways. vi Table of Contents Preface.............................................................

Religion In Dostoevskys Crime And Punishment - 1235 Words

The author, Dostoevsky, uses characters in his book, Crime and Punishment, to convey important themes and motifs to the readers. The most prominent recurring theme that influences the character’s decisions is religion. [a] Dostoevsky’s uses a unique form of symbolism and character actions to cement the basis of religion. Raskolnikov, the main character, is repeatedly illustrated as being non-religious, as a consequence, constantly in a state of confliction with his inner thoughts, with no clear path to embark on in the future. However, as he grows fond of religion, his mind becomes clear as religion is able to guide him forward. The theme of religion reflects the author’s perspective, as he has been closely affiliated with Christianity†¦show more content†¦He believes he knows what path to take, but rather, he is illustrated with a lack of â€Å"knowing†. The contrast in the way he thinks combined with his inability to make decisions, with little- to-no references to religion in his life, illustrates that the character is lost and in dire need of enlightenment. Analyzing the dialogue between Raskolnikov and Sonya provides anecdotal evidence of mentorship between the characters. Sonya plays an important role in helping Raskolnikov come to conclusions and in general aid him towards the right direction. To further cement the importance of religion in his life, the author includes the exchange: â€Å"what would I be without God?† when asked whether she prayed to God. (Dostoevsky 323) Sonya has always been portrayed as a character with deeply rooted ties to religion, which influences her decisions and actions. Instead of seeking for familial assistance, Raskolnikov, fully knowing her religious nature, turns to Sonya for help and guidance when he demands: â€Å"Well, what to do now, tell me!† (Dostoevsky 420) When Raskolnikov clearly states his intentions, Sonya does not get frightened by him, yet embraces him by saying â€Å"I’ll follow you, I’ll go wherever you go!† (Dostoevsky 412) The use of punctuation stro ngly indicates the state of her emotions. The exclamation marks in the text highlights her enthusiasm and her willingness to support Raskolnikov. The warm welcome he received, despite his malicious actions, with a combination of herShow MoreRelatedCrime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky1025 Words   |  4 PagesCrime and Punishment, written by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky; is a philosophical crime fiction novel. The story is very powerful in that it goes beyond the book and into the lives of the audience; making the audience feel some type of relation between themselves and the story. Dostoevsky was brilliant in creating a fictional world where the characters seem to be found within the audience, transitioning from a fictional story to a self-help book. He employes many life lessons in the story, whichRead MorePhilosophies In Fyodor Dostoevskys Crime And Punishment1095 Words   |  5 PagesFor a recent reading assignment our english class was introduced to the master-work that is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. Set in 1860s Saint Petersburg Russia, Dostoevsky goes to great lengths to describe his dark and decrepit world in which his characters to inhabit. The events of an axe murder and eventual redemption could have taken place in any setting, but Dostoevsky on the contrary chose this specific time in which to make his commentary on society. 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How could this possibly relate to a man who wrote stories like Crime and Punishment and Notes from the Underground? How could the mind of Dostoevsky burst in color when his writing is known for its decayed stance? Simply because of the way he was constructed, much like the towers were: with many different materials and conditionsRead More Reason for the Weak1992 Words   |  8 Pagesincapable of acknowledging human nature and the spiritual and natural laws of life. Nihilism, the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless can lead to cha os and suffering of a society. With Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky portrays that Russian nihilism, a philosophy based on extreme rationalism, will never successfully exist because it inherently contradicts human emotions, through the relentless examination of Raskolnikov’s experiences in

Media have said on the London eye Essay Example For Students

Media have said on the London eye Essay British Airway London Eye is often described as Millennium wheel as it is famously known as one of the Millennium project for London. This was built to celebrate the millennium. London eye, the big wheel is located the side of Thames River. This is the worlds fifth biggest structure. Now I am going to discuss what other people or media have said on London eye in different way. The London eye was devised and executed by two young architects Julia Barfield and David Marks and they went to British Airway with the idea which successfully existence as one of the millennium project. The London eye is 135 metres high that makes it the worlds tallest observation wheel. This is capable of carrying over 800 passengers at one time. It has 32 capsules turn at a 14 metres per a minute and takes 30 minutes to complete one turn. On London Eye website Marks says he wanted to create something uplifting and delightful with the simple ingredients. London eye had a major media focus from the beginning. This was definitely a huge turning point of the architecture and most think this structure successful even the architect, David Marks, he says to be delighted of the result and that has been so widely accepted and acknowledged (www. londoneye. com/planning). The Times described as Huge in scale but light in feelings, it is the most transparent building in London. This has won around forty wards since 2000, such as Annual Design award (2000), 2001 building award, Architectural Practice of the Year. This proves clearly that this building is recognisably successful. However Mira Bar-Hillel, AA student denies London eye is a building which denying the facts of awards given to London Eye (Architects Journal 24 /10 /2002). That seemed to be agreed by Marks himself at one point as he says, its so light and it is not really a building (The Guardian, August, 30,1999). The one of the big problem of planning as London eyes could cause obstruction of river traffic. The authority is concerned that the platform will affect the main navigation channel (Building, 1999, Issue 07). However after the four weeks trial test, the project was accepted. As a civil engineering structure, the London Eye is a magnificent success story (Construction News, Mark Preedy, 21/02/2002). William says, The London Eye is one of the architectural and engineering triumph of our time. (Reinventing the Wheel, by William Wiles, Watermark). However there was the failure, as it did not open on millennium eve for safety reasons, after the clutch on one passenger capsule seized up in last-minute safety check. It was later investigated, as there was something in the clutch, tested by Mace (the company in charge of construction) project director, Tim Renwick. The design of capsule means it has a low centre of gravity that makes them unstable if the passengers move around inside the pod. To compensate for this, each capsule is fitted with a mechanical levelling system to ensure they remain horizontal. However, in a test carried out, the clutch seized up in the on position, which could result in the capsule tipping upside down, as the wheel turned (Building, 2000 issue1). David Taylor mentioned after this tragedy, the London eye has shown the huge potential such grand schemes have for embarrassing anybody connected with them. It has been called ugly, it has hit snags and it has been accused of being an epic waste of money (construction news, 11/01/1999). Jonathan Jones, the journalist of the Guardian, once compared London eye and Ferris wheel, built by Louis Sullivan in Chicago in 1980s. He thinks the London eye is the signal of an exciting phase in British Design as it shows London is now dealing with spectacular modern architecture. Also he says, This is the part of London that, makes citizen feel like outsiders, dwarfed by huge ministry buildings and equestrian statues. London eye is described by Marks and Barfield as an observation wheel as everything about it amplifies visibility (The Guardian, the Start of some-thing big, 30/08/99). .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 , .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 .postImageUrl , .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 , .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33:hover , .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33:visited , .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33:active { border:0!important; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33:active , .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33 .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1ab30e2e0e67bf68a3e0165d170cdd33:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The novel One Hundred Years EssayRem Koohaas celebrates in his book Delirious New York, saying London Eye has some of the characteristics of the architectural mutation. BBC news announced that London eye is in position as one of the UKs top attractions by taking four million visitors on board as it received 33% votes (25,June, 2003). The main sponsor British Airways chairman, Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge said Each visitor to the wheel is contributing to Londons economy and to the United Kingdom(www. londoneye. com/community). The London Eye was originally got temporary permission of five years but it is now one of Londons most popular attractions and has won approval to remain on its site for 25 years (BBC news 25, June, 2003). There were agrees and disagrees on this subject. Architects Journal once used the quotes from Cedric Price, it does not take long for something to become traditional, to prove that London eye should stay longer (06/12/2001). Paul Finch, the editor of Architects journal, said the wheel be so popular the pressure to make it permanent would be irresistible (the guardian, the Start of something big, 30/08/1999). On the other hand, Gile Worsley, the Daily Telegraphs architecture critic) said it was never meant to be a permanent attraction, he doesnt think this symbolic wheel for Millennium celebration repackaged as a money-making tourist venture. (The Daily Telegraph, Pull down the London Eye, 09/03/2002) Brian Collins said he disagrees with the idea as it is completely out of scale with its surroundings and comments on its exorbitant cost (Architects Journal, 18/07/2002). There was suspicion that Pragues wheel (coming soon) designed by Building Design Partnership copied the design of London eye. As the London Eye hasnt registered design or patent copyright, it is not protected from imitated by other designers. In addition, it is considering Pragues wheel as the rival to the London Eye (Building, 2000 Issue 39). As an end of my research, I surveyed twenty friends of mine by Email, asking their aspect on London eye. Considering the fact that only four of them actually been on it, almost all of them said London eye is cool and a very good building for Tourism. However, two people did not like it as they think it looks so random and useless, and surprisingly nine people commented it is too expensive for a ride. I agree with Jonathan Jones, that this architecture itself is very symbolic and definitely modernised London. I always thought of London a historical city and British people love keeping historical environment. However, on the other hand I thought it is behind time, not following high technology. If the London Eye was built in New York, I dont think it would be so special. Therefore, I respect the London eye is considered as the signal of a phase in British design as it shows London is now dealing with spectacular modern architecture. However, I disagree with the fact that London Eye got permission of permanent permission for an economic reason, because I believe that this building particularly attracted people, as it was one of the millennium project and only temporary staying. I think this permanent permission will only make the quality of this architecture to decline. Lastly, I think London Eye should get its copyright for its protection. Overall, I have very enjoyed doing this assignment. Through my research, and writing this essay on London Eye, I have learnt the processing a building can be a complicated job and learnt different body of producing a building.