Sunday, December 29, 2019

Bio of Henry Kissinger, Diplomat and Intellectual

Henry A. Kissinger (born Heinz Alfred Kissinger) is a scholar, public intellectual and the worlds foremost—and one of the more controversial—statesmen and diplomats. He served on the administrations of two U.S. presidents, most notably Richard M Nixons, and advised several others, including John F. Kennedy and George W. Bush. Kissinger shared the 1973 Nobel Prize for Peace for his efforts to negotiate an end to the Vietnam War. Fast Facts: Henry Kissinger Also Known As: Heinz Alfred KissingerKnown For: Secretary of the U.S. Department of State, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs  Born: May 27, 1923, in Fuerth, GermanyParents: Louis and Paula (Stern) KissingerSpouse: Ann Fleischer  (divorced); Nancy MaginnesChildren: Elizabeth and DavidEducation: Harvard College, B.A.; Harvard University, M.A. and Ph.D.Published Works: Diplomacy, Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy, The White House YearsKey Accomplishments: Winner of the 1973 Nobel Prize for Peace for his efforts to negotiate an end to the Vietnam War, the 1977 Presidential Medal of Freedom and the 1986 Medal of LibertyFamous Quote: â€Å"Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad.†Ã‚  Fun Fact: Kissinger became an unlikely sex symbol and was known as a flirt, of sorts, in President Richard Nixons administration; he once noted: Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac. Fled Nazi German, Drafted by U.S. Military Kissinger was born on May 27, 1923, to Louis and Paula (Stern) Kissinger, Jews living in Nazi Germany. The family fled the country in 1938 amid state sanctioned anti-Semitism, just before the burning of Jewish synagogues, homes, schools and businesses in a deadly event that became known as Kristallnacht. The Kissingers, now refugees, settled in New York. Heinz Kissinger, a teenager at the time, worked in a factory making shaving brushes to support his poor family while also attending George Washington High School at night. He changed his name to Henry and became a U.S. citizen five years later, in 1943. He later enrolled in the City College of New York in hopes of becoming an accountant, but at age 19 he received a draft notice from the U.S. Army. He reported for basic training in February 1943 and eventually began work in counterintelligence with the Army Counter Intelligence Corps, where he served until 1946. A year later, in 1947, Kissinger enrolled at Harvard College. He graduated with his B.A. in political science in 1950, and went on to earn a masters degree from Harvard University in 1952 and a Ph.D. in 1954. He accepted positions in the prestigious Ivy League universitys Department of Government and its Center for International Affairs from 1954 to 1969. Marriage and Personal Life Kissingers first marriage was to Ann Fleischer, whom he had dated in high school and remained in touch with while he was in the Army. The marriage took place on February 6, 1949, while Kissinger was studying at Harvard College. The couple had two children, Elizabeth and David, and divorced in 1964. A decade later, on March 30, 1974, Kissinger married Nancy Sharon Maginnes, a philanthropist and former foreign policy staffer to Nelson A. Rockefellers Commission on Critical Choices for Americans. Career in Politics Kissingers professional career in politics began with Rockefeller during the early part of the wealthy Republicans tenure as governor of New York in the 1960s. Kissinger served as Rockefellers foreign policy adviser until he was tapped by Republican President Richard M. Nixon to be his national security adviser. Kissinger served in that capacity from January 1969 until early November 1975, simultaneously serving as secretary of the Department of State beginning in September 1973. Kissinger remained in the White House administration after Nixon resigned amid the Watergate scandal and Vice President Gerald Ford took over the presidency. Master of Practical Politics Kissingers legacy is as a master practitioner of realpolitik, a term used to mean the practical realities of politics, or a philosophy that is rooted in a nations strength instead of morality and world opinion. Among Kissingers most important diplomatic accomplishments are: The easing of tensions between two nuclear superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States, during the  Cold War in the 1960s and 1970s. This cooldown was known as a â€Å"dà ©tente.† Kissinger and Nixon used the strategy to de-escalate the showdown between the countries, in turn winning arms reduction treaties. Kissinger is widely credited with easing Cold War tensions and preventing a third world war.Ending more than two decades of diplomatic estrangement between the United States and China leading to a 1972 meeting of Nixon and Mao Zedong, the infamous founder of the communist Peoples Republic of China. Kissinger had begun secret negotiations with Maos government in 1971 under the belief that the United States would benefit from a friendly relationship, further illustration of Kissingers belief in realpolitik, or practical politics.The Paris Peace Accords, signed in 1973 following secret negotiations between Kissinger and North Vietnamese politburo member Le Duc Tho. The accords were meant to end the Vietnam War and did, in fact, lead to a temporary ceasefire and the end of U.S. involvement. Le Duc Tho had become increasingly concerned that his nation could become isolated if Kissingers and Nixons policy of dà ©tente built relations between the United States and its allies, the Soviet Union and China.  Kissingers shuttle diplomacy in 1974 during the Yom Kippur war among Israel, Egypt, and Syria, which resulted in disengagement agreements between the countries. Criticism of Kissinger Kissingers methods, particularly his apparent support of military dictatorships in South America, were not without criticism, however. The late public intellectual Christopher Hitchens called for Kissinger’s prosecution for war crimes, for crimes against humanity, and for offenses against common or customary or international law, including conspiracy to commit murder, kidnap, and torture.† The allegations of war crimes are rooted in Kissingers positioning of American foreign policy toward Argentina during its Dirty War. The countrys military forces secretly abducted, tortured and killed an estimated 30,000 people in the name of rooting out terrorism. Kissinger, the national security adviser and secretary of state, recommended the U.S. support the military by sending the country tens of millions of dollars and selling it aircraft. Records declassified decades later show Kissinger approved of the Dirty War, urging the Argentinian military to act swiftly less U.S. lawmakers get involved. Washington, Kissinger said, would not cause the dictatorship unnecessary difficulties. Sources Henry Kissinger – Biographical. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB 2018. Sat. 24 Nov 2018.  Henry A. (Heinz Alfred) Kissinger.  U.S. Department of State. Henry A. Kissinger, Ph.D.  Academy of Achievement.Henry A. Kissinger as Negotiator: Background and Key Accomplishments. Harvard Business School. James K. Sebenius, L. Alexander Green and Eugene B. Kogan. Nov. 24, 2014.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Plato s View Of Death - 844 Words

Plato was a philosopher during the Classical Greek Era. He studied under Socrates and agreed with many of his teacher’s views. These views were based on the absolutes which were the pursuit of the ideal. They pursed order, rationality, truth, harmony, balance, beauty, and many other ideas. Another ideal they pursued was the concept of a good soul and life after death. Plato’s world view of death revolves around having a good soul and if a person has a good soul they will have a good life after death; he shows this through rebuking materialism, his views of death, and the fact that he believes he has a good soul and in return he will have a good life in death . Plato shows that to achieve a good soul people need to reject materialistic ideas. Plato says, â€Å"You see, I do nothing else except go around trying to persuade you, both young and old alike, not to care about your bodies or your money as intensely as about how your soul may be in the best possible condition. I say, â€Å"It’s not from wealth that virtue comes, but from virtue wealth comes money, and all other things that are good for human beings both in private and public life (Apology, 30a-30b).†Ã¢â‚¬  Then Plato talks about how he tried to get the people to not care about their possessions. He says, â€Å"I tried to persuade each of you to care first not about any of his possessions, but about himself and how he’ll become the best and wisest; and not primarily about the city’s possession, but about the city itself; and to careShow MoreRelatedPlato s Views On Death And The Afterlife1815 Words   |  8 Pagesunsolved is the question pertaining to death and the afterlife. This mystery is one of the fundamental studies in both field of philosophy and religion. Comparing those who believe in a god-existing religion against those who don’t, we often see many differences in the answers relating to death. In the contrary, the similar answers to theist a nd atheist are evident strongly in two great thinkers and their works. The focus will be on Socrates’ speech in the Apology by Plato setting in 399 BCE and De RerumRead MoreThe Utility Of Myth : Plato s Metaphysics1624 Words   |  7 PagesMetaphysics ï » ¿Plato speaking from the mouth of Socrates in Phaedo, tells us, â€Å"people are likely not to be aware that those who pursue philosophy aright study nothing but dying and being dead.† (61a) As a philosopher Plato sought to offer not only descriptions of the world him around, but prescriptions as well. The above quote when understood metaphorically, for him, shows the aim of philosophy, and goal of the philosopher is and should be to scratch at the surface of our faculties. To do this, Plato believesRead MorePlato, An Ancient Greek Philosopher1458 Words   |  6 Pages Plato, an Ancient Greek Philosopher by Carly Rittenmeyer Bible and the Ancient World Spring 2015 Plato, a Greek Philosopher, is known for his writings that impacted people in the Ancient Greek society. He was a free thinker and lived in a free city, Athens. He was taught by multiple teachers including Socrates who was frequently mentioned in his writings as the central character. Plato’s novel, The Republic, influenced the idea of government and shows his views on theRead MorePlato s Apology And The Apology1591 Words   |  7 PagesIn this paper I will discuss how Plato s Apology and Phaedo have difference ideas of what it means to be a philosopher. I will explain how in the Apology, the philosopher is wise in how he/she understand that they are wise because they know that they don t know, and in Phadeo the philosopher knowledgable and are concern in gaining more knowledge. In Plato s Apology we learn about Socrates life and who he really is. In platos Apology a philosopher is a wise person because he understands thatRead MoreThe Movie Romeo And Juliet 1568 Words   |  7 Pagesunconventional family of their own. The opening credits foreshadow the death of Plato in the last scene. In the opening credits Jim is seen covering a toy monkey with a red wrapper he finds on the street. The toy monkey represents Plato, whom Jim gives his red jacket to in order to convince him to leave the planetarium. Additionally, Jim demonstrates protectiveness as he refuses to let go of the monkey, much as he does as he sees Plato in trouble later on in the film. Three prominent themes that can beRead MoreJustice Is An Important Part Of Our Social And Justice System967 Words   |  4 Pageswould be on the opposing side of Kings view of justice are, Plato and Sophocles. Sophocles presents us with a beautiful and heartwarming kind of justice that we see because of Antigone fighting for the justice of something that was so inhumane (leaving a body that has passed exposed) coming from a source that was so close to her (her brother). Plato presents us with his overall belief that justice is simply minding our own business. Between Sophocles and Plato, I believe that Sophocles presents usRead MoreWhat Makes A Leader?1131 Words   |  5 Pageslook to them. What happens if your leader is not a good leader? Your leader can also lead you into trouble and not be a traditional good leader. There are three leaders that come all in different times, Plato, Machiavelli, and Marcus Aurelius. These leaders aren’t at all from the same era, Plato was ab out 400 BC, Marcus about 200 common era, and Machiavelli about 1450 AD. These leaders all have different leading methods and show them through their writings. Of these three leaders I believe MarcusRead MoreWhat Are The Charges Against Socrates?1019 Words   |  5 PagesAthenian Council. It is in essential agreement with the references to the trial that occur in Plato s other dialogs. We may determine that Apology is not written by Socrates and only contains the words of Socrates that were memorized by Plato, since he was present at the time of the trial. However, we know that Socrates was Plato’s teacher and had been admired by him a lot. We should bear in mind that Plato’s views about Socrates’s trial could be biased. But on the other hand it is quite possible thatRead MoreSocrates : The Suicide Of Socrates1405 Words   |  6 Pageswould be sentenced the death penalty(The Suicide of Socrates, 399 BC). The trial took place in the heart of the city, with a jur y of 500 that sat on wooden benches surrounded by the onlookers. Socrates accusers were allowed three hours to present their case and Socrates was given three hours to defend himself. After the jury heard both sides of the cases, they voted on whether or not Socrates is guilt. He ended up losing the vote of 280 to 220. Socrates was sentenced to death by drinking a cup ofRead MoreAristotle s Realism Philosophy And Philosophy1590 Words   |  7 PagesRealism is an educational philosophy; furthermore it is a teaching that stresses knowledge that develops from one s own senses.in my opinion this is great idea for educational philosphy, because it shows that sense deveolpement is the realest possible learning to have. Under this philosophy the idea exists that there is a real world not constructed by human minds, that can be known by one s own mind. It is through experiencing the world around everyone in which one learns the guiding principles and

Friday, December 13, 2019

Pest Brazil Free Essays

BRAZIL PEST Political environment †¢Greed and Corruption †¢Increase in government expenditures †¢Political stability and emphasis on consistent economic policies and growth †¢Position of international influence and power (BRIC) †¢Many environmental restrictions and regulations (Protection of Amazon) †¢Going into business: High bureaucracy, lack of transparency of rules and slow legal procedures (are hurdles to overcome and make brazil a difficult country to do business in) †¢The huge opportunities for foreign companies in Brazil’s growing economy have to be weighed up against the country’s relatively high taxes and labor costs // labour rules are generous to workers †¢Foreign exchange rules are in favour for investors outside the country but with some restrictions by certain states (freely allow dividends and capital to be repatriated to investors outside the country, but some restrictions are imposed by certain states // differen ces in risk between its 27 states) Economic environment †¢The world’s sixth largest economy (GDP: $2. 089) †¢Poor GDP growth of 3. % in 2011,(was high in 2010 but dicreased due to measures to decrease inflation) the economy is expected to grow strongly. We will write a custom essay sample on Pest Brazil or any similar topic only for you Order Now †¢inflation 5% †¢expanding its presence in world markets. ($256 billion (2011 est. ) – 24th worldly) †¢ high interest rates make it an attractive destination for foreign investors. explain †¢Imports: $226,2 billion (2011 est. ) – 23rd world – cost to import/per container:1. 730 †¢large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, †¢capital inflows over the past several years have contributed to the appreciation of the currency, hurting the competitiveness of Brazilian manufacturing and leading the govern (exchange rates: 1,6728 (2011 est. – 2(2009) †¢Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad: ? 171,7 (2011 est. ) †¢foreign direct investment unflows:31 †¢still has a relatively high debt burden †¢Several Brazilian companies ranking of the world’s largest companies. †¢unemployment (6,7%) – high rate o job creation †¢South America’s leadi ng economic power and a regional leader, one of the first in the area to begin an economic recovery. †¢Brazil managed to go from a net importer of food to one of the world’s leading exporters of agricultural products. †¢ease of doing business (ranked 124th) – corruption major business constraint (67% of managers believe that) Socio – cultural environment world’s fifth largest country by both population and total area. (Large and growing population (191mn in 2010, 1,5% growing, 5th in the world) ) †¢Large % of youth population (51,3% of population is under 30 †¢Urban population: 84,3% †¢increase in living standards. From 1980 to 2010, Brazil’s Human Development Index (HDI) increased by 30. 8 percent from 0. 549 to 0. 718. but bad gini index †¢Poverty / inequality (21,4% of population is below poverty line + Gini index:56. 99, equality of distribution of income 0-100 †¢Consumer expenditure per capita is low ($6. 619 ,8) †¢ Consumers rapidly adopting spending habits that are more characteristic of consumers in developed countries. According to Credit Suisse Research’s Emerging Consumer Survey 2011, Brazilians’ devote a considerably larger share of income to discretionary spending than consumers in other BRIC countries. †¢Brazilian respondents reported saving a relatively modest 10 percent, and more than half (52 percent) were not able to set aside any income for savings. (high inflation – uncertain environment) †¢favelas or shanty towns stand in striking proximity and sharp contrast to the city’s upscale environs and stunning scenic backdrop. Fortunately, some have seen fit to aid the residents of Brazil’s favelas. The plight of Brazil’s large population of urban poor has given rise to a number of innovative social programs. increasing number of consumers attaining middle-class status (more than 32 million the past 7years) while another 20 million have escaped a state of poverty. (reach a low-income market segment of new consumer) †¢Sharing borders with 10 neighbours in Latin America †¢troubled and combative social situation †¢ illegal narcotics trafficking / border disputes Urugua-Brazil border – 1st country of number of murders by youth: 20. 386 †¢education level low 9average education 14 years old) – education spending: 4,2%of GDP Technological environment †¢Energy independent / rich in natural recourses †¢Strengths in agricultural research, know-how and technology. (Much of the credit goes to Embrapa, Brazil’s highly accomplished, public agricultural research organization. †¢Initiatives on R( that promote South-South cooperation in several arenas, including science and research collaboration in fields such as nanotechnology, oceanography and Antarctic research. ) †¢Many transportation routes and infrastructures ( ports (atlantic ocean) ) †¢Transportation note : the International Maritime Bureau reports that the territorial and offshore waters in the Atlantic Ocean rem ain a significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; 2010 saw an 80% increase in attacks over 2009; numerous commercial vessels were attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews were robbed and stores or cargoes stolen †¢Growing Infrastructure programs due to world cup / olympics (government’s Growth Acceleration Program has pumped $250 billion into infrastructure projects. †¢Recent discovery of huge offshore oil deposits near Rio de Janeiro will further promote future growth, transforming Brazil into one of the world’s biggest oil producers †¢creativity and flair for design and innovation that are ingrained in the Brazilian national character and enhanced by the country’s newfound financial fitness, telecoms talent and entrepreneurial energy. DATA SOURCES †¢Euromonitor: https://www. portal. euromonitor. com †¢IMF website: http://www. imf. org/external/country/BRA/index. htm †¢CIA website: https://www . cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br. html †¢UNCTAD: http://unctadstat. unctad. org †¢World Bank World Development Indicators: http://data. worldbank. org/data-catalog/world-development-indicators. †¢United Nations Development Programs: http://www. undp. org/content/undp/en/home. html †¢CEBR website: http://www. cebr. com/ †¢Forbes magazine website: http://www. forbescustom. com/index. html †¢CNN Money website: http://money. cnn. com/ How to cite Pest Brazil, Essay examples