However, there are some other aspects to gender and migration which might also be usefully considered. First is the issue of socially conservative communities, which take a censorious attitude to women working outside the house at all and certainly frowns upon women leaving the family home for work elsewhere. Those women in developing countries that accept inward investment in factories for intensive manufacturing and who are recruited to work in those factories face, therefore, an ambivalent response from family members who on the one hand are happy to receive the salaries remitted by the women but on the other hand blame them for a negative impact on family stability and security.

The women themselves, of course, face similarly divided loyalties and emotions in terms of their ability to respond to the need for more money and the other need to live with their family members. When the women are forbidden from travelling, they can be left behind and required to fulfill many tasks at home and cannot always rely on remittances arriving as promised. Despite promises made to migrant workers, the salaries do not always arrive as expected and, of course, workers may have to pay off brokers’ fees that can amount to as much as two to three years’ worth of salary. In addition, workers can face unexpected expenses (e.g. ill health or workplace accident) or they might even decide to spend their money on entertainment or leisure activities (gambling is an occupational hazard).

When women travel for work internationally, they often do so in industries in which they become isolated in the workplace. For example, they may be offered employment in domestic service or else in various aspects of the entertainment industry. In these cases, the women often work alone and cannot obtain support and solidarity from their colleagues. This also makes them more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation in the workplace. Men who travel to join a large-scale infrastructure construction project or similar kinds of work have the advantage of working and living together and this enables them to have more chance of bargaining for better terms and conditions of work.

   Forums online, workshops, motivational gatherings, group meetings, etc…. Find ways to get and gather more information, and apply it to your business. No matter where your business is continue to push the envelope, find the next height for your business. Create goals to push your progress, and don’t be lazy. Stay on top of your game, and if you have employee’s you set the example. You cannot expect your employee’s to be to work on time if your not setting that example. It’s like telling your children not to leave dishes in the sink, but you do it. Of course your the parent, and the provider, but how uncomfortable would it be for them to leave a dish if it’s always clear of dishes. Then the person that leaves dishes would really stick out causing them to feel uncomfortable.

   Okay, so if I’m a business owner and have employee’s why is, “The Dishes” example important to me? Not only for business owners, but Project Managers, Managers, Regional & District Managers, etc… Any position where your over a person or a group of people. This is why, first you have gained respect from your workers by making it clear through action that you practice what you preach without saying it. Your rules and guidelines are clear and it’s obvious that you follow them, without you needing to boast that you follow your own rules. That respect will make your employee’s work that much harder for you. 

   Create goals for your employee’s, and challenge them, push them. Always acknowledge positive things they do, like reward for three consistent months on time, $50 cash bonus. Never lead them to think that they are doing perfect. It’s always something needing improvement, cause if they think that there the best, they act like the best. Showing up late, feeling like you need them, etc…. Balance this!!! You will see a production growth in just this one change in management, and you stay on top of your duties. You should have a report weekly of the progress gained or loss. Let the entire company know what your goals and intentions are. Including them in your goals helps you to get your unit running in unison. If the company is falling in an area, you need to catch that disease before it spreads, and this is why reports weekly is important. IF you have superiors, get there input, your a student always. They should have advice based off of experience & education. At the end of the day you won’t lose your job or business for doing your job.

   So that’s a lot of managers down fall, getting there employee’s to do the minimum V.S. going all out for you. Which leads me to the next thing. If your a business owner prepare to replace yourself. You should be setting up your company to where it’s running it’s self. Start duplicating yourself. Train a person you trust, or a group of people you trust so you can eliminate yourself from the equation. Whatever your training them to do but sure the methods will work if done properly. That position will make or break your companies progress. Make sure your trainers are taught how to reteach properly. Grade them…. Don’t leave your company to watch it burn. You want the paycheck to grow while your on the beach. Here’s my example:

Example: My Real Estate Company in Florida I was running. It was a long process to complete a sale. I searched for profitable properties, which took time. I found a system that worked for me, and trained someone to do it for me. Then after you find a property you have to usually track down the owners, again long process. I found a system that works for me, and trained someone how to do that for me. Keep in mind, if this is there only job, you pay them very little, because they are not doing much work. After they complete their job they report to the next person. So next, negotiate a price to buy the house, and set up the close on the house if negotiated at a reasonable price. I always handled that, cause it was my money. I hired someone to sell my homes for me, and I trained them how to do that. I usually tried to close on buying a house and selling it the same day. If you know the process of buying a house you understand that. I had an expert at rehab, and it was a good friend of mines. He was cheap too. At the end of the process, I profit anywhere from 9k – 18k and payout about 2 to 3 grand for the people I hired…. What did I do? Hire people train them, negotiated deals they found and made more money then them. I barely did anything, other then train.

   So replace yourself… If I would have paid someone to negotiate, and train I would have got paid just to be a project manager for my own company. I learned this at seminars, and workshops I attended, and I work smarter now. So I’m telling you attend seminars, and always be a student. The moment you stop being a student, QUIT. Also remember if you have employee’s set the example, and build them up. Always push them harder, but make it fun. Find ways to make them work harder, put out bonuses, competitions, or reward progress… Be creative, and get your employee’s working for you, and watch the production for your company when your employee’s execute as a unit. Warehouses have faster growth, or quicker production. Sales Teams weekly average shoot through the roof breaking records in sales. Store owner’s have better customer service, and faster service at restaurants. But you as the example have to continue to gain knowledge to execute progress plans. Last but not least look for a way to push your company to the next level. And network for no reason at all, and find good networking events. You find investors, new investments, things you may need a favor on or visa versa.

   If you have one store, try to push sales on the one you have and start looking for another location. If you have two carpet cleaning vans, create a plan to raise your clientele so you can invest in another van or two. If you have one website, find out different ways you can boast your exposure. Do the one thing you said you wasn’t. IF you market through e-mail, try the phone or local newspapers. Run promotions at your store… Be creative, and put your company in a position where you can begin to replace yourself. If necessary, take classes on Business Administrator so you can properly elect new positions in your company to put your business in position where you can be on the beach while your open for business. If your not in this position, you have some work to do. So start pushing, you should be the first one in and last to leave.. Push & Replace!!! Hold yourself accountable…. And Network….

“The only difference between a merchant ship and a pirate ship is that the former has cargo in its hull”

A high school teacher tends to use the above statement to describe economies during the middle age to illustrate the fact that for the most part, laws on the high seas have traditionally been very loose.  Did these make the pirates horrible people?  According to the statement the answer is no, rather, it was how business was conducted; a ship that couldn’t protect itself till getting to a harbor just wasn’t going to be able to sell its goods because someone else would take it for them.  This has existed since the times of Ancient Rome and Greece.  Historically, theft has always been an undercurrent to development and prosperity.  So why has it become such an issue today?

America prides itself on being capitalistic where the best companies beat other companies to expand.  Alongside this has developed a new phenomenon called “intellectual rights.”  Intellectual rights are an idea that states that if a company or individual creates something, they are entitled a certain amount of money and rights based on the product.  In short, we call it copyrights.  On its positive side, it has allowed authors who don’t want their books to be made into movies to deny production companies the right to do so, and has worked to promote artists and has allowed them to produce works without compensation.  However, since being with little historical precedent, it consequently has a dark side.  Today, intellectual rights have extended to mean that anything which directly copies a patented product is by all rights illegal and may extend across international boundaries. 

If copyright laws protect the creators from theft, why wouldn’t it be considered to be a good thing?  What problem can there be in preventing theft?  Simply put, because countries have never historically operated under such a presumption.  The United States pharmaceutical companies have sued African countries for violation of copyright laws on AIDs medication.  Many African countries have claimed that they cannot afford American drugs even with a discounted price.  Naturally, it was in the best interest of these states to take the drug, study it, and make their own brand so that it could be more cheaply distributed to the people.  Still, despite motivation, the west has viewed the action of making cheaper medicines as a highly disreputable action.  Part of the problem of developing nations is their inability to claim technology as their own.  Medicine is only one instance, but copyrights being forced upon by the highly industrialized western countries and has made developing countries implicitly dependent on foreign countries for production.  Fortunately, WIPO, a UN organization, has been recently been attempting to find methods to better work with copyright laws that quickens the right of copyright.

In War, stealing another person’s idea and using it for the country’s best interest is called “good intelligence.”  In centuries past, stealing another country’s idea for building factories, water usage, political ideas and even nuclear power have been means of development.  The United States would have probably taken an additional 10-50 years to develop into an industrial society had it not been for various individuals stealing England’s method of production and bringing it to the states.  The Pre-Civil War south is proof enough of what would have happened as the south never bothered to independently develop and just bought finished goods from industrialized England.  Therefore, in considering internet copyrights, it might be best to consider some historical and contemporary patterns involved with stealing property and ideas.  It’s a common human concept that ideas will spread as much as possible if not inhibited.  Surely, in a global world where everyone wishes that the world will become a better place, people should not disapprove of another country being able to help itself out? 

So back to the pirate and merchant ships.  Perhaps the west is just tired of Pirates.  After all, it’s much better to sell goods at port than to have to fight off unwanted groups.  Further, the United States sells tremendous amounts of goods and boasts about having patenting the most ideas and invention of new goods than any other country.  It is in the best interest of the United States to keep out the rest of the competition so that it may sell more goods at port.  Remember, merchant ships back in the day were usually heavily armed and in various cases were guarded by fleets of ships to protect its cargo, thus, for an industrialized society that makes large amounts of money via exports and selling of goods and ideas for money, protecting its income is of vital importance.

  This is only a fun theory to think about and not to take arms on.  History shows that copyrights are more artificial than natural when it comes to the spreading of ideas.  Isn’t this how people become better writers?  Many writers take inspiration, or in better terms, copy the style of the writer.  Technically, this may be viewed as stealing a style from a proper owner, but to crack down on writing style would be ridiculous.  Similarly, athletes can steal styles or learning methods that another athlete used to get in top condition.  People in most areas of life are actually copying something they learned from someone else.  Thus, it is more common in the world of ideas and goods for people to copy, steal, and try to make more from what they’ve stolen from than to independently think of something new without basing it off someone else’s work.  The tendency for people to steal in search for gain should be considered in future policies by the UN and individual states if their goal is for the betterment of all mankind and of culture.

An offspring from the age of ten and below is where the brain is at its peak. The brain of a child is like a sponge it gathers all the information of their surroundings and is always caution. At this stage a parent or relative would want to do all the best things in order to help their children to evolve in the best and safest environmental and social class. As far as I’m concerned the best gift to present to a child an advanced toy or an electronic, such as a computer. A computer plays a crucial role in our lives and it also provides us with many benefits. Our life is becoming more and more advance each day, and the computer’s usage is increasing. This is where the role of computer comes in, it opens the mind of children and lets them explore and surf all around the internet and fill their minds with precious information and data which can be useful for their future.

            First of all a computer can be useful by using the internet. The internet can teach children and give more information about anything they are not sure of. They could also make new friends from all around the world which could help them by improving their communication skills, gain knowledge, and experience about things they would never learn in their everyday life. A computer also contains games which can be also handy to increase logical thinking. These games could also develop important qualities such as attention, patience, persistent, etc.  The most important benefit that computer skills provide is a career. These days most of paperwork, experiments, information, pictures, etc., are all located and done in a computer. Last of all a computer can also be used to finish school assignments and homework faster and more precise which would lead to higher grades and more credit.

            The year that I received my 10th birthday gift changed me a lot. My birthday was just around the corner and a present was already in mind, a computer. I never left my computer from the first day it was installed. I began to play every day and discover new things on the internet. At the age of 13 I knew how to hack into other computers and even create a game/program. Then I learned how to dismantle a computer and its components and then assemble it back. My mind became very knowledgeable, quick, and full of ideas. I am now able to write one thousand words in fifteen minutes which would help me a lot by finding a fair paying job. Ever since, my grades went a little higher and all my homework became less complicated.

            The computer is not only helpful and full of helpful information it is also fun and contains games which lets kids not become bored and sick of it. In addition, computers will not only benefit a kid’s life but it will also simplify it.

Contents:

Part A: Research Report

Country Description

1.     20th Century History

2.     Egypt: Underdeveloped, Developing or Developed?

3.     Government Structure

4.     Country Profile (Demographics)

5.     Economic Indicators

6.     Health/Social Indicators

Areas of Concern

1.     Key Areas of Concern

·        Education

·        Employment

·        Gender Equality

·        Health

·        Environmental Sustainability

·        Graphs and their analysis

2.     Personal Statements

Recommendations

·        Education

·        Employment

·        Gender Equality

·        Health

·        Environmental Sustainability

Part B: Environmental Disasters

1. 1992 Cairo Earthquake

2. Current Drought

3. Current Increase in Dust Storms

Geography Research Assignment: EGYPT

Part A: Research Report

Country Description

1.       20th Century History

·         At the beginning of the 20th century, Egypt, as well as all other North-African countries, is under European authority, and so is considered a British Protectorate. During this period, Britain maintained complete control over the region and its major economic resources.

·         1952 revolution, which overthrew the British supported monarchy King Farouk. This lead to the temporary instalment of an unstable government under the leader Mohammed Nagib, who began the educational reforms in Egypt, including the instalment of free (and compulsory) education for all children aged 6-12, in an attempt to eradicate public illiteracy.

·         Nagib was soon succeeded by Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1954, who was fundamental in the evacuation of British Military from the Suez Canal, and the suppression of militarist group the Muslim Brotherhood.

·         Later in the 1960’s to 1970’s there was a major feminist wave, which can be closely linked to the wave in America, in which there was a major liberation of women’s’ rights in Egypt.

·          In 1967, Israel defeated Egypt in the Israeli-Egyptian war, resulting in an increased influence of the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic Fundamentalism. Towards the end of Nasser’s reign, there was a decline in social policies, and the weakening of the democratic system, until 1969, when Nasser died, to be succeeded Anwar Sadat.

·         In 1974, Egypt and America resumed diplomatic relations, which allowed for capitalist mentality to enter Egypt, forcing many into poverty. Riot because of lack of food for the poor begin.

·         In 1981, Sadat is assassinated by fundamentalists, to be succeeded by Hosni Mubarak in 1982, who despite improving relations with other Arab countries, was criticised because of economic decline under his government.

·         January 2011, riots started, resulting in Mubarak resigning as President and leaving Cairo. The position of presidency is now officially vacant, and, Egypt’s social, economical and political stability is severely jeopardised, due to the rise of crime, high unemployment rates, and rumours of a corrupt and uncaring government.

2.       Underdeveloped, Developing or Developed?

This country can be clearly identified as developing, as although they have had a major economic slump the past century, as well as many revolutions that have made the country politically unstable, they do carry out the basic human rights, as well as having educational facilities up to the tertiary level, with free primary education available to all children.

3.       Government Structure:

Officially, Egypt is claimed to be a democratic state, although it is not compulsory to vote during election time, and there have been serious allegations of election rigging and other authoritarian corruption. Their constitution was first drafted by the charismatic leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, which was president-dominated, military-led authoritarian-bureaucratic regime with a single party and a subordinated parliament, press, and judiciary. This was extremely popular, as it united the army, the bureaucracy, the middle class and the masses. However, this regime had many problems, such its lack of support from the upper class in Egypt, and its estrangement from the United States, a consequence of the Egyptian-Israeli War. Thus, these were the main points that were addressed when Anwar Sadat came into power. This shift in leaders also resulted in the greater tolerance of political pluralism, and so the press, parliament, and interest groups were to enjoy greater, though limited freedom. Thus, the current constitution (written in 1971) has been greatly influenced by these two prominent leaders. It is of a mixed presidential-parliamentary-cabinet system, but the president remains in the centre of power, declares war, concludes treaties, proposes and vetoes legislation, and may rule through decree under emergency powers that have been regularly delegated by parliament. It is the president who appoints the Prime Minister, as well as the cabinet, both of whom have the right to make decisions which have the force of law

4.       Population Profile:

Population: 82,079,636 (July 2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.96% (2011 est.)

Age Structure:

·         0-14 years: 32.7% (male 13,725,282/female 13,112,157)

·         15-64 years: 62.8% (male 26,187,921/female 25,353,947)

·         65 years and over: 4.5% (male 1,669,313/female 2,031,016) (2011 est.)

Urbanisation:

·         Urban population: 43.4% of total population (2010)

·         Rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Sex Groupings: (1 referring to exact equal between two sexes)

·         at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

·         under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

·         15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

·         65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

·         total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Ethnicity: Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census)

Religious Groups:

·         Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%,

·         Coptic 9%,

·         other Christian 1%

1. Economic Indicators:

·         GDP: $218.5 billion (2010 est.) (official exchange rate in US dollars)

·         GDP real growth rate: 5.1% (2010 est.)

·         GNP composition by sector: agriculture: 14%, industry: 37.5%, services: 48.3% (2010 est.)

·         GNP: $92.9 Billion

·         Unemployment Rate: 9% (2010 est.)

·         Budget: revenues: $47.66 billion, expenditures: $65.05 billion (2010 est. in US Dollars)

·         Public dept: 79.9% of GDP (2010 est.)

·         Inflation rate: 11.1% (2010 est.)

·         Balance of Payments: Exports, $25.02 billion (2010 est.) Imports, $51.54 billion (2010 est.)US dollars

·         External/Foreign Dept: $35.03 billion (31 December 2010 est.) in US dollars

·         Foreign Investments: $78.537 billion (31 December 2010 est.) in US Dollars

1. Health and Social Indicators:

·         Infant mortality: total: 25.2 deaths/1,000 live births,

·         Life Expectancy: total population: 72.66 years, male: 70.07 years, female: 75.38 years (2011 est.)

·         Access to safe water: improved: urban: 100% of population, rural: 98% of population, total: 99% of population

·         Access to sanitation: 94% total

·         Access to education: 80% children attend primary school, 68% in secondary school, however, there is a poor quality of teachers, as well as an uneven distribution of education, in which most of those who are uneducated are poor, or live in the rural areas.

·         Literacy Levels: age 15 and over can read and write, total population: 71.4%, male: 83%, female: 59.4% (2005 est.)

·         Expected schooling life (primary to tertiary): total: 11 years, male: 11 years, female: 11 years (2004)

·         Access to health services: 99% have access to a hospital with qualified staff

·         Child malnutrition: Stunting (height vs. age) : 14% (urban) and 23% (rural)

Wasting (weight vs. height): 3% (urban and rural)

Underweight (weight vs. age): 3% (urban) and 4% (rural)

Areas of Concern

1.       Key Areas of Concern

Education:

In modern day Egypt, 80% of children finished primary school, and 69% finish secondary schooling, and the expected schooling life expectancy is 11 years, that is, up to completion of year 11 in high school. There have been great strides in the education department since the 20th century, and girls’ school enrolments presently come close to boys’ enrolments. There has also been a more equal distribution of education, as children who come from poor families only have access to education of such low quality; it has no real economical benefit. Research shows that although there was great improvement since the 20th century, 15 to 19 year olds from the poorest 40 percent of households had only completed a median of 7 years of schooling (showing that average attainment is increasing), while the richest 20 percent had completed 11 years. Also, because of the past rapid distribution of education, there is a resulting poor quality of education available, such as poor learning facilities (particularly in primary schools), overcrowded classrooms, and poor teacher morale and motivation in the face of low salaries. See statistical graphs page for further information on ‘education’

Unemployment

The Unemployment rate in Egypt is about 10%, however, most people in this percentage is the youth of Egypt, who are unable to find work in an economy that simply can’t provide for them. In fact, the youth make up around 90% of the nations unemployed, and about 25% of 15-24 year olds in Egypt are unable to find work, because of factors such as difficult living area, discrimination, and general lack of economic freedom. There is also a difference in both genders, in which women are most affected, which more than =half of all female university graduates unemployed. This is a very large and complicated problem, because meny who are highly educated but are unable to find work are considering migrating to other countries, and therefore decreasing the amount of skilled persons in the country, which will in turn decrease the amount of industry Egypt can operate, leading to a decreasing economy, and poverty for the people of Egypt.

Health

Although there are high health standards (almost to western standards) in major cities, such as Cairo and Alexandria, there is much variation in other parts of the country. Areas that are especially lacking in healthcare supplies and hygiene standards are the rural and remote Western Desert oases. Also, here is a depressingly low budget for healthcare at the moment, which means that doctors cannot get paid as much as if they migrated to a developed country. If this occurs frequently, then Egypt has another major problem to deal with; very little skilled personnel in the country, with a lot of sick people who cannot be tended to. Therefore, it is essential that the government provide a strong initiative for doctors to stay in the country, by raising low salaries. Also, there is also a low number of specialist hospitals and research facilities, which needs to increase.

Gender Equality

Due to social, religious and rural or urban location, women are often discriminated against in matters such as economic opportunity, and employment, as well as having fewer literacy rates than men. Because of the young marriage age for females (16 yrs) early marriage is still practiced in many urban areas, which not only increases the risk of child mortality, and pregnancy problems, it also limits career options for the women themselves, due to the stress of looking after a family at such a young age.  It can be seen graphically (see graphs page) that women are the ones who are first to be let go from an employer during financial insecurity, because of social and religious beliefs. Illiteracy levels of women, compared to men are also quite high, which in turn limits their employment options. Domestic abuse, both physical and psychological, is common in Egypt, and because it is perceived to be a private matter, it is often not reported.

Environmental Sustainability

There are many types of pollution that can be seen in Egypt, with one being air pollution, particularly in the capital city, Cairo. Because of the city’s layout, with tall buildings and narrow streets, as well as the lack of rain, means that it has a very poor disperse factor of the gases, dust and fumes that make up the air pollution, which can be extremely dangerous for those who live in the region. This is why Cairo alone has 10 to 100 times more air pollution than acceptable world standards. These pollutions (which are mainly in the form of small particles in the air) come mainly from transport, industry, and open-air waste-burning, and has been noted to cause repertory diseases. Another concern is the water pollution that is dumped every day into the Nile river, which has a significant impact on the environment, as well as the people who live around the banks. Ordinary practices call for things such as human waste to be treated before being put into the river, but as the treatment facilities are very expensive, the Egyptian government simply can’t afford it. Other things that negatively impact the Nile some 4.5 million tonnes of agricultural, medical and industrial pollutants, 270,000 tonnes of organic and industrial pollutants and 14 million tonnes of solid waste in the Nile annually. This is a major concern since the Nile still has many uses to the Egyptians, such as to grow crops, transport, fishing and even for drinking water!

2.       Personal Statements

Although it is very essential to look at the whole of the community, so as to decide what is best for the majority, it is also very important when researching concerns within a country or region, to look at those who are actually experiencing the issue in their lives. Because of their position, these people would have a unique and truthful insight into how this concern (such as lack of education, sanitation etc.) affects every day life, and so their statements are fundamental in improving the living standards of all who live in that region.

·         We need to “…have a unique educational system where the young learner is not a passive recipient of information, but an active and positive participant of the learning process – a process that encourages and triggers critical thinking, creativity, imagination, and self direction towards purposeful activities.” MES Egyptian School Initiative

·         “…the people of Egypt, and indeed the people of the world, have every right and reason to celebrate. We have just witnessed the liberation of the soul of a nation. We have just embraced the triumph of human dignity.” Dr Chandra Muzaffar; writing on the recent Egyptian Revolution.

·         “Thousands of Egyptian girls who are currently pursuing higher education will eventually settle down at home and choose not to pursue a career. If this is their free choice and not the result of their belief that they are inferior, then nobody has any business telling them what to do. However, when the thought that they will never be as good as a man in any particular job is repeatedly reinforced over the years, this is unacceptable.” Baher Ibrahim, a medical student in Egypt.

·         “Our health system gets only 3.6% of the national budget when it’s supposed to get around 15% according to those agreements. This budget, tiny as it is, is then wasted on medical convoys and favours designed for media promotion – to serve the (now-defunct) National Democratic Party and its candidates. Qualified personnel are wasted inside the ministries, and millions of pounds are given to ministerial consultants – former and present.” Assembly of Syndicate Doctors of Egypt (translated from original source)

Recommendations

1.       Primary  Education

b) There is significant evidence to suggest that this area need development in Egypt. Firstly, according to the World Bank, only 3.68 % of Egypt’s national GDP is but into schooling and education, which is astounding, compared to Australia’s $20 billion future investment in education. In addition, according to the 2006 Census (refer to graphs page), about 30% of the Egyptian population are completely illiterate, whereas illiteracy is almost nonexistent in Australia. Dr B J Cook, a professor who has written many articles on Egypt and its development said “While there appears to be general dissatisfaction with the current state of education, Egyptian society itself is perhaps deeply divided over educational policy” (Dr B.J.Cook, 2000).

c) For that reason, because it can been seen that not only does education open doors for the individual, but it also contributes to the overall economical success in a nation, it would only be reasonable to assign the amount of 7 billion dollars to the improvement of educational standards in Egypt. This money (although quite small compared to Australia’s education budget) is fundamental in improving many aspects of the schooling life in Egypt. An example could be improvement of facilities, more spacious classrooms, importing or encouraging more teachers to remain in Egypt by increasing the depressingly low pay, so as to achieve smaller class sizes, which would better the learning experience for individual students, and providing new technology that can be easily accessed by students in the classroom. d) This area is related to the Millennium Developmental Goals, (achieve universal primary education) and is fundamental in the overall development of the Egyptian nation.

2.       Unemployment.

b) Through studying trends, it can be seen that there is a problem with unemployment, especially within the youth that can only increase if not targeted now. Trends in unemployment can be seen in the graphs shown (see graphs page), and it is observed that unemployment is rising steadily within the youth, and would soon become a big problem if not dealt with immediately. Managing Director of the international Monetary fund (IMF) Dominique Strauss-Kahn said “I remember that this summer I made a speech in Morocco about the question of youth employment including Egypt, Tunisia, saying it is a kind of time bomb and that one of the main concerns the government may have around the region was to try to fix this problem because it couldn’t last very long,”

c) Because of the major impact unemployment has on households, in particular families, I recommend investing 5 billion in the reduction of unemployment, especially within the youth. Specific ways this money could be spent is to widen the range of courses that are available in Egypt, which would give people a wider choice of skills that can then be used to gain a job. Another way experts try to decrease unemployment, is to have a sustained period of economic growth, in which new jobs are created, and this can be achieved by giving grants to small businesses, so as to allow them to expand their work forces.

d) Although this area of concern does not relate directly to the MDG’s, it does have an ongoing and significant effects on the financial security of most, and therefore on hunger and poverty. To set the scene, if unemployment levels decrease, there would be more individuals with a source of income, and therefore, a source of food, which would eradicate extreme poverty and hunger in Egypt.

3.       Health

b) There is significant evidence that the health standards in Egypt need to be improved, particularly in the remote areas, where access to healthcare can be difficult, even in emergencies. More doctors are needed, because of the shortage caused by low salaries, and new technology and equipment would be desirable. There is also the concern of having few specialised hospitals, which are essential if a country wants to provide for its people at all ages. Aged care facilities too need to improve. The Assembly of Syndicate Doctors of Egypt (translated from original source) stated “In the last period, Egyptians have suffered from the collapse of the healthcare system and the supremacy of the financial and administrative corruption that has led to the deterioration of health conditions, bad health services, scarcity of vital medical supplies, and the growing disparity between the conditions of our healthcare institutions and international standards of medical quality.”

 c) Because of the importance of a good health system for a country, and the impact it has on other aspects of the nation, I recommend a 5 billion dollar investment into this area of concern. This money would go to building new and better health care facilities, with modern equipment. This money should also be used to provide healthcare for the many in Egypt who can’t afford it, or don’t have access to it. Raising doctor and nursing salaries also encourages people to enter this field, as well as persuade them to remain in the country and not migrate to a higher paying one. d) This area is related to the MDG’s particularly number three four and five (reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat disease) all of which would benefit from a health care reform.

4.       Gender Equality

b) Through the studies of social trends, it is clear that gender equality is an issue in Egypt. Women have the highest illiteracy levels and unemployment levels, which clearly shows discrimination within the workforce that is perceived to be socially acceptable. In addition to this, early marriage still occurs frequently in remote areas, which has a significantly negative impact on women in regards to their economic freedom, employment choices, and future career paths. A medical student Baher Ibrahim stated “For many Egyptian women, calls for women’s rights do not really strike a chord. What are perceived as inequalities by rights activists are seen by them as simply differences between a man and a woman. This thinking has been deeply ingrained in the minds of generations of Egyptian women (and of course, men). Most women have been taught that their main place is in the home. If we are to elevate the status of women in Egyptian society, this needs to change.” c) Because of the impact gender inequality has on individuals as well as the general community and economy, I recommend spending 4 billion dollars on changing the mentality associated with women, and promote gender equality in a way that is considerate of common beliefs. Specific ways this money could be spent is to make sure that women are not discouraged in any way while persuading their career, and instead rewarding females who contribute to the workforce, making sure to give them equal pay. Education in schools about gender equality is also possible, with an emphasis on women’s capabilities. d) This area is directly related to the MDG’s, number three, which is to promote gender equality and empower women.

5.       Environmental Sustainability

b) There is a lot of evidence to suggest that this area needs to be improved on, such as the shocking levels of air and water pollution in Egypt. Other indicators are the health issues that are placed upon the people who live and work in the areas that are most impacted by these two types of pollution, such as Cairo, and the many villages that are located on the banks of the Nile. The changes that can be seen in the marine wildlife that occupies the Nile, as well as the organic life that grows in and around it are other signs. c) Due to the hazardous affect this pollution has on many aspects of the environment, such as the natural water system, the ecosystem of organisms that live and survive off the Nile, and the many people that are hurt by the shocking levels of air pollution in Cairo, I recommend spending 4 billion dollars on ensuring environmental sustainability in Egypt. The first project this money should go towards, is the construction and running of treatment facilities that will treat the waste that gets dumped into the Nile, which will greatly reverse the current trend of water pollution in the Nile. Also, an area of government should be established that should inspect and punish (in the form of fines, suspension of activity) any illegal polluting, such as the dumping of waste into the Nile, or the polluting of the atmosphere, all the while ensuring that there is another alternative to polluting (such as getting the waste treated beforehand, and providing dumping grounds so that waste does not need to be burnt). d) This directly relates to the Millennium Development Goal #7: ensure environment sustainability.

Part B: Environmental Disasters

1. 1992 Cairo Earthquake – occurred at 1:09 pm, on 12 October 1992, with a magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale. Its epicentre (point of earthquake origin) occurred near Dahshur, which is 35kn away from the capital city Cairo. The event of this disaster is not a mystery, as Cairo is situated above an active fault line, which runs through the Gulf of Suez Rift to the Manzala rift beneath the Nile delta, and can defuse earthquakes when activity heightens. However, research has shown that although climate change and earthquakes are not directly related, there may be a link. Scientists have shown that climate can influence things such as seas and rainfall which can chance the amount of surface pressure placed on fault line. This can then lead to earthquakes increasing in number and size. Nevertheless, there is no direct evidence that links the Cairo 1992 earthquake to climate change, so this shouldn’t be assumed, only taken into consideration. As for the damage caused, the Cairo earthquake proceeded to be one of the worst earthquakes in Egypt since the 1800’s, causing 552 deaths, while injuring 6512, and causing around 50,000 to be homeless. Due to the resulting rise in homelessness, many were unable to attend work for a long period of time, which worsened the economy, leading to an increase in poverty. It also completely destroyed 350 buildings, severely damaged another 9,000, including 350 schools, with the greatest damage occurring in Old Egypt, or Lower Egypt. This greatly worsened the already unacceptable education system in Egypt, which caused many social problems. Liquefaction, a process whereby saturated soil losses strength and stiffness, in response to applied stress (in this case from an earthquake) causing it to behave like liquid, occurred in areas near the epicentre. As a result, a lot of time and money had to be used on trying to clean up the streets, which greatly took away from the money that was needed to attend to the casualties, damaged property and economic costs the 1992 Cairo earthquake caused.

2. Current Drought – most are unsure when these droughts arouse, but as the years passed, many Egyptians were starting to notice a shortage of water available for the public use. Due to the fact that Egypt barley receives more than a week of rainfall in the year, the Egypt, as well as many other surrounding countries, greatly relies on the Nile as their only source of water. The Egyptians use this water in almost every way possible; as drinking water, for showering, for washing their clothes and floors, and is used extensively in irrigation and farming practices. However, it can be seen through past studies that the Nile River is actually depleting in size because of the rise in temperatures, which can be directly linked to climate change, and global warming. The decreasing in the amount of water in the Nile River leads to many problems, ones that are likely to occur and some which are occurring presently. To begin with, because of the drought that is also occurring in countries such as Ethiopia, and Kenya, both of which have shared control over the Nile with Egypt, there is extreme tension between the countries over the lack of water. There are current fears this fight for control over the Nile will lead to war between the countries, which could be fatal to many, as most of these countries are already struggling with poverty, and a war would only worsen this. Other concerns many hold is the impact the lack of water will have on farming, which accounts for a large percentage of the country’s income. Because most farming in Egypt occurs around the fertile soil around the Nile, the river being the only source of water for crops, any negative impact on the river will have a dramatically negative impact on agriculture, which could lead to further economic downfall.

3. Current Increase in Dust Storms – there has been a noticeable increase in dust storms in and around the Egyptian deserts. Early in February, 2011, the Red Sea Port authority closed five of the authority’s ports due to bad weather, with wind reaching speed of 60 km per hour, a dramatic change compared to its usual 20 to 25 km per hour. This rise in temperature and resulting increase in the amount of dust storms can be related to global warming and climate change. As temperatures rise in the atmosphere, ocean and sea temperatures also tend to change and alter. This change then leads to an increased difference between ocean temperature, and the temperature of the air above the water, which then causes wind speed to pick up and blow across the continental parts of the world. While this occurs, the sand and soil in Egypt is continually getting dryer, and less compact, also because of the rise in temperatures, causing it to be lifted into the air easier. Therefore, the rise in wind speed, coupled with the dryer sand and soil would then lead to an increase in dust storms. This has a significant impact on Egypt, in many ways. As mentioned above, sea ports were closed down because of bad weather caused by the ascending in wind speeds, and this has a greatly negative impact on the country economically. It should be noted that of the five ports that were closed down, four were for passengers (tourists), transport, petrol and fishing, all of which contribute deeply to the Egyptian economy. Therefore, when ports have to closed down repeatedly, economic activity and growth is limited, which would then have a harmful affect on the economy.

By “Peanut” (R.M from KDC)

Resources:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/5756/Egypt/Politics-/-ports-closed,-dust-storms-to-continue-in-Egypt-un.aspx (19/9/11)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201109091350.html (19/9/11)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2010/jan/15/climate-change-nile (19/9/11)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Cairo_earthquake (19/9/11)

 http://www.edraab.com/?page_id=2 (5/9/11)

http://skillsinfo.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/workforce-egypt-some-graphics/ (30/8/11)

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.html (30/8/11)

http://www.umass.edu/complit/aclanet/EGYPT.html (25/8/11)

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=11®ion=afe (25/8/11)

http://countrystudies.us/egypt/105.htm (30/8/11)

http://carnegieendowment.org/1999/08/25/putting-education-to-work-in-egypt/1zy (30/8/11)

Cook, B. J. (2000). Egypt’s national education debate. Comparative Education, 36(4), 477-490.

Cook, B. J. (2001). Islam and Egyptian higher education: Student attitudes. Comparative

Education Review, 45(3), 379-411.

Egypt State Information Services: Economic Profile. (2001). Progress on education and health.

Retrieved July 9, 2002 from:

http://www.sis.gov.eg/egyptinf/economy/html/eep/html/text18.html

http://tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/unemp/unemp_policies.htm (6/9/11)

http://www.karmamole.com/septic/statement-by-egyptian-doctors-list-of-demands/ (5/9/11)

http://sitemaker.umich.edu/sec004_gp5/pollution (8/9/11)

Egypt’s youth unemployment problem has erupted – but what about Britain’s?

Jan 31, 2011, 01:31

By Posted byMerryn Somerset Webb viewed via internet on: (5/9/11)

http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/merryn-somerset-webb-egypt-youth-unemployment-and-britain-00311

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Egypt (8/9/11)

Inconvenient Truth

The Burning season

Humanities Alive

Source: # Http: / / www.shvoong.com/social-sciences/sociology/604-urban-planning/ ixzz1ik4BbRqI

We have created for ourselves and empire unlike any other, a global network of constant trade and communication, a new age of technological advancement. We have come a long way from our humble roots in the Industrial Revolution and the days of Manifest Destiny. We are now pioneers on new digital frontiers expanding our domain from the quantum world to the far reaches of space.

And yet, the empire faces a crisis, a global recession, growing poverty, rampant violence, corruption in politics, and threats to personal freedom. As it was before in other times of crisis, the old stories have begun to repeat themselves. The half truths, this time repeated nightly on cable news and echoed through a series of tubes onto the internet: the empire is strong, change is unwise, business as usual is the answer. In times of uncertainty there are those who seek to add to the confusion, to prey on our insecurities and fears. Those who would seek to keep us divided for their own gain. The pervasive strategy takes many very convincing forms: Liberals and Conservatives, Christians and Muslims, Black and White, Saved and sinner.

But something unexpected is happening. We have begun telling each other our own stories. Sharing our lives, our hopes, our dreams, our demons. Every second, day in day out, into all hours of the night the gritty details of life on this earth are streaming around the world. As we see the lives of others played out in our living rooms we are beginning to understand the consequences of our actions and the error of the old ways. We are questioning the old assumptions that we are made to consume not to create, that the world was made for our taking, that wars are inevitable, that poverty is unavoidable. As we learn more about our global community a fundamental truth has been rediscovered: We are not so different as we may seem. Every human has strengths, weaknesses, and deep emotions. We crave love, love laughter, fear being alone and dream for a better life.

You must create a better life.

You cannot sit on the couch watching television or playing video games, waiting for a revolution. You are the revolution. Every time you decide not to exercise your rights, every time you refuse to hear another view point, every time you ignore the world around you, every time you spend a dollar at a business that doesn’t pay a fair wage you are contributing to the oppression of the human body and the repression of the human mind. You have a choice, a choice to take the easy path, the familiar path, to walk willingly into your own submission. Or a choice get up, to go outside and talk to your neighbor, to come together in new forums to create lasting, meaningful change for the human race.

This is our challenge:

A peaceful revolution, a revolution of ideas, a revolution of creation. The twenty-first century enlightenment. A global movement to create a new age of tolerance and understanding, empathy and respect. An age of unfettered technological development. An age of sharing ideas and cooperation. An age of artistic and personal expression. We can choose to use new technology for radical positive change or let it be used against us. We can choose to keep the internet free, keep channels of communication open and dig new tunnels into those places where information is still guarded. Or we can let it all close in around us. As we move in to new digital worlds, we must acknowledge the need for honest information and free expression. We must fight to keep the internet open as a marketplace of ideas where all are seated as equals. We must defend our freedoms from those who would seek to control us. We must fight for those who do not yet have a voice. Keep telling your story. All must be heard.

Jumbo Bank, New York, USA

Requirement gathering session – Day 12

Client: “Our next requirement, this is something big, you know, we need an elephant…” 

Ram:  Mr. Richard but why don’t you adjust with a buffalo, even it is big….   and black?”

C: No Ramasamy, we need only elephant let me explain our current process……………..” (Client explains for an hour)

R: Fine Richard, i understand your requirement. But ours supports only buffalo…

C: Samy, Our central bank regulations needs only elephant!

R: Ok, Let me see if i can customize” 

Requirement taken: Bank wants a big black four legged animal, long tail, less hair. Having trunk is mandatory.

The same was documented, signed off and sent to offshore for development!

Offshore Development Centre, Chennai, 11.30pm

Design/Development – Base on requirement all features are supported in base product (as buffalo), for trunk alone a separate customization is done.

Finally the customization is shown to client

Client looks…

AND FAINTS

Image via Wikipedia

The European countries most affected by debt problems – Spain, Greece and Italy – all had a very low level of investment in research and development. Because of the economic mismanagement exhibited by previous governments, all 3 have new regime that will have the more conservative polices deemed more appropriate for this period of austerity.  That’s seems like a sensible approach – to hold what you have until the crisis is averted.  But in a case where the crisis is was largely due to problems within the countries, the government must take positive steps towards a solution. If the new regimes don’t want to rely on blind luck they must invest in research and development, as forward thinking is essential in the quest to become debt free and economically viable.

The transparency of academic recruitment that will be implemented by the new governments should ensure the hiring of candidates of the highest quality, a move that should lead to enhanced research and development.  Measures that enhance research and development programmes will benefit these countries, and by association the entire Eurozone. If Europe and the U.S.A. are to keep pace with the demands of a changing world, they must continue to innovate with new ideas and processes.

It is hard for North American and European countries to compete with nations such as Brazil and China in terms of wage expectations; in a global economy it is more feasible to move manufacturing bases than such a thing would have been perhaps 30 years ago. They must offer a superior workforce to entice lost investment and new business.  Helping their citizens to gain new skills will allow them the chance to earn the jobs they want.

As children develop self-conscious emotions they also develop a sense of sympathy and empathy. Sympathy is feeling for another person while empathy is feeling with another person. Although closely related, empathy does not always lead to sympathy (Berk, 2008). Temperament is a major contributor to how a child responds to another person. “Children who are sociable, assertive, and good at regulating emotion are more likely than poor emotion regulators to display sympathy and prosocial behavior, helping, sharing, and comforting others in distress,” (Berk, 2008). Children who poorly regulate their emotions are more apt to become personally distressed which then the child’s attention will be brought upon reducing their own anxiety (Berk, 2008). Parenting also plays a role in determining how a child will respond to another’s feelings. Warm, concerned parents who show their children empathy are likely to have children who respond to others in the same way. Angry and hostile parenting who show little empathy to their children, again, are likely to have children who respond in the same way as their parents have. They are also likely to show fear and aggression when the witness another person’s unhappiness.

Sources

Berk, L. E. (2008). Infants, Children, and Adolescents. Washington D.C.: Allyn & Bacon.

Lewis, M. (2011). The Self-Conscious Emotions. Retrieved November 4, 2011, from Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development: http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/documents/LewisANGxp1.pdf