Abstract This paper presents a geographical explanation of the Bermuda Triangle. It then examines the history of this mystery and mentions several disasters or unexplained events that have happened in the skies and waters of this area. The paper also discusses the literature available on these mysteries and the form of documentation.
From the Paper "The Bermuda Triangle is a region in the Caribbean believed to contain some mystery which causes ships and planes to disappear at a higher rate than in other regions of the globe. The idea of a Bermuda Triangle is of relatively recent origin, though researchers have identified many disappearances from the area dating back centuries. The greatest part of the mystery is the question of whether there is a mystery at all, for many scientists state that the rate of disappearances in the region is no any higher than in other similar areas and that there is no reason for the speculation about everything from satanic influences to extraterrestrials in the area. Both sides of the question will be considered here."
Abstract This paper sheds light on the "land of temptation" known as Las Vegas. While the city has earned fame by being one of the biggest gambling centers in the world, still it is important to understand that the place has a lot to offer to those visitors too whose idea of fun doesn?t include squandering money. This paper shows how Las Vegas turned into the fastest growing city of the United States both in terms of economy and population during the mid-1980s and but while the former brought huge investment into the city, the latter led to numerous problems which are commonly associated with a rapidly growing urban center. The paper focuses on all the things that keep Las Vegas in the news.
From the Paper "The city earned its reputation as a gambling town in the fifties and sixties when its ever-sprouting casinos attracted the not-so-decent crowd and it was believed that the city was good for those who wanted some adult fun on the weekends. But all that has changed now, not only has it become a major vacation resort, there are actually some people who would love to call this once-wicked town their home. One thing has remained unchanged though, the city with its Disney-like magic and lure and its almost surreal magnificence aims to attract adult visitors only. Just like Disney would lure the young kids to its magical world, similarly this land of vicious temptations is meant primarily for adults."
Abstract This paper examines the long and complex history of Africa with its diverse population and enormous land mass. It explores the rise and fall of many African kingdoms and the effects of European colonization on African languages, religions and cultures.
From the Paper "Africa is the second largest continent on Earth, embracing one-fifth of its land area. From north to south, the continent is divided almost equally by the Equator, but, because of the bulge formed by western Africa, the greater part of Africa's territory lies northward. The continent is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and on the south by the confluence of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans off the Cape of Good Hope. In the northeast, Africa was joined to Asia by the Sinai Peninsula until he construction of the Suez Canal. There are a number of islands associated with Africa, the largest of these lying southeast, is Madagascar."
Tags: colonization, culture, egypt, arab, nile, river, tribe, europe
Examines the image of California as portrayed in films such as "Grapes of Wrath", "La Story" and "Boyz N the Hood" which seem to present California as either a paradise or a dystopic nightmare.
675 words (approx. 2.7 pages), 0 sources, 2001, $ 23.95
From the Paper "The image of California as a paradise is rightly questioned by Julian Marais. California seems to many outsiders to be a paradise in terms of personal freedom, labor opportunities, and climate. This is an image of California often found in films which present a constantly warm and sunny climate, and beaches populated by healthy, carefree young people. However, there are movies which present a darker and more realistic side of California, which portray problems from crime and social unrest to natural disasters.
Those who believe in the paradise-like image of California flock to the state seeking the "absence of limitation" they see on behavior and opportunity, and the supposed "lack of difficulty" inherent in California living. Yet clearly Californians face many of the same problems found in other parts of the ..."
From the Paper "Different regions on earth share similar climatic conditions despite being found in geographically different areas, and when areas have comparable ecosystems, they are categorized as being one of the types of biome. The geographical distribution and the productivity of the various biomes is controlled primarily by the climatic variables of precipitation and temperature. The tundra is an arctic and alpine biome, with a geographical distribution largely poleward of 60 degrees North latitude:
The tundra biome is characterized by an absence of trees,
the presence of dwarf plants, and a ground surface that is
wet, spongy, and hummocky. Soils of this biome are usually
permanently frozen (permafrost) starting at a depth of a..."
From the Paper "This research develops a country study of Libya. General information about the country, the culture, and the people is presented. Brief synopses of Libya's economic, political, educational, and religious histories also are presented.
General Information
The nation that today is known as Libya had no history of political independence prior to 24 December 1951 when the United Kingdom of Libya was proclaimed as the British and French relinquished their joint military administration of the country that had been established following the expulsion of Germany and Italy from the country in the 1942-1943 period (Hunter, 1995, p. 881). Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, and Fezzan, the three principal components of ..."
From the Paper "THE ROLE OF GIS AND GEOGRAPHY
Introduction
This research reviews the relationship between geographical information system (GIS) technology and geographical science. A description of GIS, as well the relationship between GIS and geography, is reviewed.
GIS: Description and Discussion
GIS, essentially, is a product of information science. ?For centuries maps have embodied all our concepts of spatial relatedness. Now a data explosion has forced researchers to reevaluate and remake these tools. At the heart of the revolution is the computer.?
When information was scarce, traditional maps served their purposes well. Satellite remote sensing, however, has created a wealth of data, a.."
This paper presents an overview of the African hunter-gatherers !Kung Bushmen, commenting on their physical and social environment, population and health, sex roles, childhood, family and marriage, kinship, and division of labor.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 7 sources, 1990, $ 47.95
From the Paper "There are few true hunter-gatherer societies living in the modern world. One of those societies, the !Kung-San Bushmen of Botswana and southern Africa, provide a unique and provocative look into societal evolution and the behavior of pre-agricultural and industrial societies. The life of the !Kung represents a way of life that was universal for Homo Sapiens until about 10,000 years ago, or with the advent of the agricultural revolution and all it entailed. With the !Kung, modern Anthropologists are able to glean "basic human social forms, language, and human nature.".
This paper will present an overview of the !Kung Bushmen, commenting on their physical and social environment, population and health, sex roles, childhood, family and marriage, kinship, and division of labor. One initial linguistic note: the Bushmen's oral language consists of a number of clicking sounds ... "
This paper describes the complex international political economy of the Middle East as deriving from both historical factors as well as political and economic factors of recent origin.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 3 sources, 1991, $ 39.95
From the Paper "The international political economy of the Middle East is complex and derives both from historical factors and economic and political actions of recent origin. The tensions in the Middle East date back centuries, but they have been exacerbated by such actions in recent times as the creation of the state of Israel, Israeli actions with regard to the Palestinians, the discovery and development of oil in the Arab countries, and shifts in the world geo-political situation, with the results of the most recent shifts on the latter macro-level still in the process of working themselves out on the world stage. The Middle East holds a place of particular strategic importance, and the tensions existing there impinge on relations between nations outside the region. These tensions have been of particular concern at various times because of perceived ... "
Abstract This paper looks at the nature and long duration of Ottoman rule in the Balkans. The writer reviews the deep and long lasting effects on the nations which today make up the Balkan Peninsula. The first part examines how during the first several centuries of Ottoman rule, its legacy was conducive to the maintenance of order, prosperity and ethnic and religious toleration. The second part explores how certain facets of Ottoman policy and practice, also contributed to the stunting of the area's political, economic and intellectual growth.
From the Paper "The term Balkans, which means in Turkish 'chain of wooded mountains,' refers to the southeastern peninsula of Europe, the largely mountainous lands which lie between the Adriatic Sea on the west, the plains of Central Europe to the north, the steppes of Russia/Ukraine to the east, the Black Sea and Asia Minor to the southeast and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It contains the modern nations of Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Romania and all of the nations which have emerged from the breakup in the 1990s of the former Yugoslavia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia."
Abstract This paper presents the concept known as the security dilemma whereby an increase in one state's security produces a decrease in the security of other states. An example of this is seen in the situation which developed in the lead up to the first world war. The writer uses Robert Jervis and his work "Offense, Defense, and the Security Dilemma" as a reference point for many of the issues raised here. The writer also makes use of James Joll's "The Origins of the First World War" when referencing World War One as an example of the security dilemma.
From the Paper "The reason for the effect of the security dilemma is easily seen--when one state increases its security to a certain point, its neighbors feel less secure if they perceive the protective forces of the first state to be capable of attacking them. A more secure state is perceived to be a potentially more aggressive state, whether this is the case or not. The Cold War arms race was based in part on the security dilemma. Each side kept increasing its armaments because the other side was doing so, and any increase in the security of the other side meant a decrease in our own security."
Abstract This paper explores the potential benefits of doing business in China. The paper begins with a background analysis of China's history and current economic, political and social status. The paper then uses real life examples to review the benefits in investing in what it says is one of the stronger of the world's emerging markets. As a number of Western companies are considering China as an appropriate market for long-term expansion, the writer uses the example of Colgate-Palmolive, one of the most successful consumer product manufacturers in the world, to illustrate the advantages of investing in China.
From the Paper "In practice, most significant political decisions are made by a few key leaders of the Chinese Communist Party. Ministries or the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (China's legislature) formulate policy on day-to-day issues. Some provincial governments, especially those in fast-growing coastal regions, actively adopt local policy variations. Senior political figures generally agree on the need for further economic reforms and the need for political stability, but there are differences over the content, pace, and ending point of reforms."
Tags: investment, corporations, chinese, colgate, palmolive, communism, government
Abstract Copsa Mica is a small town in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvanian central Romania. Originally a small Lutheran hamlet built in 1402 and known for its Saxon churches, it descended into hell under the communists; a hell comprised of poorly built concrete housing caked black with the leaden fumes of a nearby smelting plant. The paper shows that Copsa Mica gained international notoriety in 1990, following the downfall of the Ceausescu regime, for being one of the most heavily polluted cities in Eastern Europe. According to a CNN report, two out of every three children suffered from a form of mental retardation due to the devastating effects of the town's carbon plant and metal works. The paper shows that this real tragedy reflects the legacy of Transylvania, an area of Romania known to the West for the Dracula legend. Since the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, this area has been a point of conflict between empires, ethnicities, religions and ideologies.
From the Paper "The aftermath of the First World War also gave rise to Communism. Communist agitators had first arrived from Germany to destabilize Romania. Russian communists, who wished to expand communist influence after 1917, complimented their numbers. Romanian communism was originally small and limited to academic circles, but agitators were backed by the powerful Soviet regime and managed to blow up the Senate building in Bucharest. Their efforts served but to cauterize Romanians against Communist influence. However, the Russians seized Bessarabia in 1940, compelling Romania under Marshal Ion Antonescu to join the Germans. The Germans, in turn, allowed Hungary to re-annex part of Transylvania including Copsa Mica. Romania regained this territory after the Soviet Union invaded Hungary, causing Romania to switch sides and ally with the United Nations."
Abstract In this paper, 3 countries in Southeast Asia (Laos, Myanmar and Thailand) are described from the perspective of cultural geography. The role of Buddhism and ethnicity are evaluated in relation to these countries and the value of a cultural geography is discussed as a tool for enabling an understanding of cultural differences and the relevance of geography to culture.
Abstract This paper discusses the Suez Canal, the origin and outcome of crisis, the impact on the status of Nasser in the Arab world and ramifications of crisis regarding relations between Egypt and Israel.
