All About Russias Exclave of Kaliningrad

Russias smallest oblast (region) of Kaliningrad is an exclave located 200 miles away from the border of Russia proper. Kaliningrad was a spoil of World War II, allocated from Germany to the Soviet Union at the Potsdam Conference that divided Europe between the allied powers in 1945. The oblast is a wedge-shaped piece of land along the Baltic Sea between Poland and Lithuania, approximately one-half the size of Belgium, 5,830 mi2 (15,100 km2). The oblasts primary and port city is also known as Kaliningrad. Founding Known as Konigsberg prior to Soviet occupation, the city was founded in 1255 near the mouth of the Pregolya River. The philosopher Immanuel Kant was born in Konigsberg in 1724. The capital of German East Prussia, Konigsberg was the home to a grand Prussian Royal Castle, destroyed along with much of the city in World War II. Konigsberg was renamed Kaliningrad in 1946 after Mikhail Kalinin, formal leader of the Soviet Union from 1919 until 1946. At the time, Germans living in the oblast were forced out, to be replaced with Soviet citizens. While there were early proposals to change the name of Kaliningrad back to Konigsberg, none were successful. Key History The ice-free port of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea was home to the Soviet Baltic fleet; during the Cold War 200,000 to 500,000 soldiers were stationed in the region. Today only 25,000 soldiers occupy Kaliningrad, an indicator of the reduction of the perceived threat from NATO countries. The USSR attempted to build a 22-story House of Soviets, the ugliest building on Russian soil, in Kaliningrad but the structure had been built on the property of the castle. Unfortunately, the castle contained many underground tunnels and the building began to slowly collapse though it still stands, unoccupied. After the fall of the USSR, neighboring Lithuania and former Soviet republics gained their independence, cutting Kaliningrad off from Russia. Kaliningrad was supposed to develop in the post-Soviet era into a Hong Kong of the Baltic but corruption keeps most investment away. South Korean-based Kia Motors has a factory in Kaliningrad. Railroads connect Kaliningrad to Russia through Lithuania and Belarus but importing food from Russia is not cost-effective. However, Kaliningrad is surrounded by European Union member-states, so trade on the wider market is indeed possible. Approximately 400,000 people live in metropolitan Kaliningrad and a total of nearly one million are in the oblast, which is approximately one-fifth forested.

The Great Gatsby American Dream Essay - 1940 Words

Kaylie Skoumal Mrs. Sabers English II 6 October 2017 Destruction of an American Dream â€Å"The American Dream is that any man or woman, despite of his or her background, can change their circumstances and rise as high as they are willing to work† (Fabrizio Moreira Quotes). Jay Gatsby believed that he could achieve his American Dream of being successful and marrying Daisy by working extremely hard in his lifetime. He labored to make a great amount of money through a disreputable way with Meyer Wolfshiem. His main agenda was to win Daisy back to him and he did everything he possibly could to make that happen in his life. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby strived for his idea of the American Dream, but fell short in the end.†¦show more content†¦Next, Gatsby could be seen laboring to achieve his American Dream through his various methods he used to try to become wealthy. The first time Gatsby almost succeeded with his dream is when he became Dan Cody’s assistant. Gatsby had the chance to happen upon the millionaire Dan C ody. Liking Gatsby, Cody immediately offered the young adult a job. Gatsby traveled the world with Cody, but his employment was finally terminated after five years when Cody died. â€Å"And it was from Cody that he inherited money—a legacy of twenty-five thousand dollars. He didn t get it. He never understood that was used against him, but what remained of the millions went intact to Ella Kaye† (Fitzgerald 100). Gatsby almost succeeded in earning a large amount of money through Cody’s will, but Ella Kaye, Cody’s mistress, was able to extract the money under Gatsby’s nose for herself. Once again Gatsby was back to where he had started and all his work over the five years was for nothing. Nevertheless, Gatsby did not give up and after he was released from the war he started to work with Meyer Wolfsheim to make money in unsavory ways. Wolfsheim was not a respectable businessman, but through his methods he was able to make an enormous mass of cash. â⠂¬Å"‘He’s [Wolfsheim] the man who fixed the World’s series back in 1919’† (Fitzgerald 73).Wolfsheim was the one responsible in the 1919’s of fixing the World’s series to win money through gambling. Wolfsheim and Gatsby workedShow MoreRelated The Great Gatsby - The American Dream Essay767 Words   |  4 Pagesmade by Marius Bewley’s critical essay â€Å"Scott Fitzgerald: The Apprentice Fiction†, â€Å"Fitzgerald’s ultimate subject is the character of the American Dream in which, in their respective ways, his principle heroes are all trapped.†, can be justified through Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby and his short story â€Å"Winter Dreams†. In both pieces of literature, Fitzgerald explores and comments upon Americans and their pursuit of the American Dream through Jay Gatsby and Dexter Green’s pursuit of theirRead MoreEssay On The American Dream In The Great Gatsby933 Words    |  4 PagesThe Great Gatsby Essay The Great Gatsby has always been a great book, but have you ever wondered what the meaning of â€Å"The American Dream† is..? To me the american dream†¦ is anyone and everyone can come here to american and achieve their goals, they can have better lives here in the US, they can be more successful when they put their minds to it. Fitzgeralds was making it seem that the rich or more money you have the happier youll be, the better off you are in life. He paints a picture makingRead MoreEssay on The Corruption of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby1302 Words   |  6 Pages On April 10, 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby, a novel that would later become one of the best known pieces of classic literature in history. However, at the time of its publication, Gatsby was fairly unpopular ad the reviews were never consistent. As shocking as it may seem, I believe it is because Fitzgerald’s intelligence and creativity levels were way ahead of his time, which is evident when one pays close attention to the themes of the novel. ForgivenessRead MoreEssay On The American Dream In The Great Gatsby1001 Words   |  5 Pageshas been a place â€Å"where dreams come true,† from when the colonists aspired freedom and liberty to present day where Americans pursue wealth and success. However, throughout the twentieth century, this concept of the â€Å"American dream† seemed to have deceived the commonwealth as those who aspired success found themselves poor and deprived of the benefits the American dream promised them. This idea of the corruption of the American dream is prominent in the novel The Great Gatsby, as the author F. ScottRead MoreThe Great Gatsby American Dream Essay1496 Words   |  6 Pagesforward in his head like a blind man knocking over the solid furniture.† All people have their own big dreams circulating their minds and a sort of desperation to achieve them, no matter where they gro w up or live, but where someone comes from might influence what it is they’re longing for. In his novel, â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† he demonstrates the delusive and far-fetched concept of the American dream in men of West Egg compared to those of the Valley of Ashes and East Egg by describing the different lifestylesRead MoreThe American Dream In The Great Gatsby Essay1158 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"It is the elusive Gatsby, the cynical idealist, who embodies America in all of its messy glory.† Clearly as Adam Cohen asserts in his New York Times article â€Å"Jay Gatsby, Dreamer, Criminal, Jazz Age Rogue, Is a Man for Our Times†, this phenomenon is indeed true in that the American Dream is presented in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby as an idea that has been depraved into a dream characterized by the constant shift in ethics and fraudulence centered around materialistic visions of opulenceRead MoreEssay On The American Dream In The Great Gats by954 Words   |  4 PagesGatsby changed Nick’s mind on the American dream and what it really is.Nick’s original thoughts on the American dream â€Å"...become again that most limited of all specialists, the ‘well-rounded man.’†(Fitzgerald 6),were much like his families in the beginning.Later after the events in his time with Gatsby Nick sees the error of his ways and returns to the Midwest giving up on his bond market dream.†Gatsby was never in it for the money and this revelation eventually caused Nick to give up his questRead MoreGreat Gatsby American Dream Essay923 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is about the struggle of achieving the American dream, and how much a person is willing to do to reach it. The book’s focus is on the obsession of Gatsby, the protagonist, and his feelings for Daisy, a married woman who he was previously involved with. The novel also focuses on Gatsby’s determination to make her fall in love with him by the glitz of money and power. Fitzgerald uses the symbols of wealth, superficiality and irresponsibility to conveyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay933 Words   |  4 Pagespower are the core principles of The American Dream. Pursuit of a better life led countless numbers of foreign immigrants to America desiring their chance at the vast opportunity. Reaching the American Dream is not always reaching true happiness. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby achieves the American Dream, but his unrealistic faiths in money and life’s possibilities twist his dreams and life into useless life based on lies. Jay Gatsby believes he can buy happiness. For exampleRead MoreThe Great Gatsby American Dream Essay1030 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream and â€Å"The Great Gatsby† The American Dream can be described as someone starting at the bottom of the social or economic ladder and working hard towards prosperity, wealth and fame. By having money, a car, a big house, nice clothes and a happy family symbolizes the true American dream. This dream also represents that people, no matter who he or she is, can become successful in life by his or her own work. The majority of people pursue the American Dream for themselves, their families

Is Areteology a Better Way of Approaching Ethics Than Deontology or Teleology free essay sample

Is Areteology a better way of approaching ethics than Deontology or Teleology? Areteology being the study of virtues and the word arà ªte meaning excellence, Areteology can better be defined as the study of excellent human virtues (a divine study). It looks at the ultimate purpose of human life and what might result in practical excellence. It would aim to show people what an excellent human life is and teach people how to live by the excellent human virtues. In Areteology, the question normally asked is what kind of life is a worthwhile one to be living rather than what actions are the right ones in this situation. Aristotle’s definition of a virtue is an â€Å"excellence in the service of a function or a purpose†. Aristotle stated that the purpose of a human is known through something that is unique to us, reason which is not shared with other animals. We will write a custom essay sample on Is Areteology a Better Way of Approaching Ethics Than Deontology or Teleology? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He said that to gain ultimate happiness in life is to live a life in moderation between excess and deficiency. The opposite of a virtue is a vice which is the bad characteristic that makes up a human’s personality. Areteology is a good way of looking at ethics because it takes every person as an individual. By seeing every person differently means you can apply what is necessary in situations without the waste of actions. With this is mind however it may make the theory unable to be universalised because one person’s vice is another’s virtue. The theory is also very vague in making statements. Although it gives us a lot of understanding on who a virtuous person is and what they are like, it does not give any form of evidence or sense of direction in becoming someone that is a virtuous person living for excellence. Deontology is the study of actions being formed by our duty. Kant’s theory is very much a deontological theory based around the theory of Duty. This specific theory incorporates what people are supposed to do and the correct actions to take in certain situations. These ethics teach people that some things are right and wrong, it is our duty to do the right things and our duty to avoid doing the wrong things. It says that people are to act upon their duty no matter what the consequences are, this could also be said as the means justifies the end. A good thing about duty-based ethics is that it values every human being, by focussing on giving equal respect to everyone that is involved. It also incorporates human rights which gives a sense of equality when looking at a situation with a number of parties. It gives the allowance for some acts to always be wrong no matter what the  consequences are, this gives human beings guidelines that can be absolute making them easy to follow. On the other hand, being an absolute theory may make it contradictory because the only way of dealing with some cases would be to bring in exceptions to rules already laid down. Also, because duty-based ethics are not looking at the consequences it can lead to actions being taken that produce a decreasing amount of happiness in the world as a whole. Teleology is all about the end of actions in situations. It incorporates ideas like â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number† and the principle of utility for every action. In this theory you follow the idea that the ends justifies the means. The problem with these ethics is that they may allow for the most evil acts because as long as the end result is a good one for multiple people then you can act however you want to. For example it would allow you to kill one person if it saves two people’s lives. A major problem with teleological ethics is that it is almost impossible to determine all of the possible consequences to come from an action therefor making it guess work without any proof. In conclusion Areteology is probably the better way of approaching ethics out of the three. It does focus on the one main thing which is a human’s ultimate purpose which is reaching ultimate happiness. As the theory only has one main goal, it allows for a simpler approach rather than the complexity of estimating outcomes or the ability of hurting people when just looking at the action and not even contemplating upon the outcomes at the end of the process.

The Injustice of Plastics Essay Example

The Injustice of Plastics Essay Disadvantages of Plastics are 1. Flammable – This is definitely an advantage in that they can be melted down, however smoldering plastics can release toxic fumes into the environment. 2. Cost of Recycling – While recycling is a plus, recycling is a very costly endeavor. 3. Volume – In the United States 20% of our landfill is made up of plastics. As more products are being made of plastics, where will this lead us in the future? 4. Durability – This is an advantage as well as a disadvantage. Plastics are extremely durable, which means that they last a long time. Those plastics in the landfill will be there for years. Plastics make our lives easier, however is their cost on the environment worth it? We can only hope that soon someone will invent a way to safely and cheaply melt and reuse plastics. A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic amorphous solids[citation needed] used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce costs. Monomers of plastic are either natural or synthetic organic compounds. We will write a custom essay sample on The Injustice of Plastics specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Injustice of Plastics specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Injustice of Plastics specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The word plastic is derived from the Greek (plastikos) meaning capable of being shaped or molded, from (plastos) meaning molded. [1][2] It refers to their malleability, or plasticity during manufacture, that allows them to be cast, pressed, or extruded into a variety of shapes—such as films, fibers, plates, tubes, bottles, boxes, and much more. The common word plastic should not be confused with the technical adjective plastic, which is applied to any material which undergoes a permanent change of shape (plastic deformation) when strained beyond a certain point. Aluminum, for instance, is plastic in this sense, but not a plastic in the common sense; in contrast, in their finished forms, some plastics will break before deforming and therefore are not plastic in the technical sense. There are two types of plastics: thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers. Thermoplastics will soften and melt if enough heat is applied; examples are polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)[3]. Thermosets can melt and take shape once; after they have solidified, they stay solid. Overview Plastics can be classified by chemical structure, namely the molecular units that make up the polymers backbone and side chains. Some important groups in these classifications are the acrylics, polyesters, silicones, polyurethanes, and halogenated plastics. Plastics can also be classified by the chemical process used in their synthesis, such as condensation, polyaddition, and cross-linking. [4] Other classifications are based on qualities that are relevant for manufacturing or product design. Examples of such classes are the thermoplastic and thermoset, elastomer, structural, biodegradable, and electrically conductive. Plastics can also be classified by various physical properties, such as density, tensile strength, glass transition temperature, and resistance to various chemical products. Due to their relatively low cost, ease of manufacture, versatility, and imperviousness to water, plastics are used in an enormous and expanding range of products, from paper clips to spaceships. They have already displaced many traditional materials, such as wood; stone; horn and bone; leather; paper; metal; glass; and ceramic, in most of their former uses. The use of plastics is constrained chiefly by their organic chemistry, which seriously limits their hardness, density, and their ability to resist heat, organic solvents, oxidation, and ionizing radiation. In particular, most plastics will melt or decompose when heated to a few hundred degrees celsius. [5] While plastics can be made electrically conductive to some extent, they are still no match for metals like copper or aluminum. citation needed] Plastics are still too expensive to replace wood, concrete and ceramic in bulky items like ordinary buildings, bridges, dams, pavement, and railroad ties. Chemical structure Common thermoplastics range from 20,000 to 500,000 amu, while thermosets are assumed to have infinite molecular weight. These chains are made up of many repeating molecular units, known as repeat units, deri ved from monomers; each polymer chain will have several thousand repeating units. The vast majority of plastics are composed of polymers of carbon and hydrogen alone or with oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine or sulfur in the backbone. Some of commercial interests are silicon based. ) The backbone is that part of the chain on the main path linking a large number of repeat units together. To customize the properties of a plastic, different molecular groups hang from the backbone (usually they are hung as part of the monomers before linking monomers together to form the polymer chain). This fine tuning of the properties of the polymer by repeating units molecular structure has allowed plastics to become such an indispensable part of twenty first-century world. Some plastics are partially crystalline and partially amorphous in molecular structure, giving them both a melting point (the temperature at which the attractive intermolecular forces are overcome) and one or more glass transitions (temperatures above which the extent of localized molecular flexibility is substantially increased). The so-called semi-crystalline plastics include polyethylene, polypropylene, poly (vinyl chloride), polyamides (nylons), polyesters and some polyurethanes. Many plastics are completely amorphous, such as polystyrene and its copolymers, poly (methyl methacrylate), and all thermosets. Almost every market that you go today, you will see people carrying their shopping items in plastic bags. Right from food items to clothes to shoes, there is hardly any item that we do not use a plastic bag to carry. However, before stuffing your home with different styles, colors and shapes of plastic bags, have you every considered the dangers that are inherent in using them? No? Then, reading through this article is a must for you. Go through the following lines and explore the disadvantages of plastic bags. After reading them, we are sure that you will prefer sticking to paper bags and the like. Dangers Of Using Plastic Bags Environmental Damage Plastic bags have been known to cause a lot of environmental damage. A single plastic bag can take up to 1000 years, to decay completely. This makes the bags stay in environments longer, in turn leading to great build-up on the natural landscape (much more than degradable materials like paper). In other words, the more plastic bags you use, the greater the chances of environmental damage. Threat To Animal Life As per Marrickville Council of Australia, as many as 100,000 whales, turtles and birds die have been reported to die every year, mainly because of plastic in their environment. Plastic bags not only have adverse effects on our natural habitats, but have also been found to be responsible for the death of many animals, mainly on account of the suffocation encountered on eating them. Suffocation Not only animals, infants and young children have also been reported to have lost their life, on account of plastic bags. Since plastic bags are thin and airtight as well, children often end up blocking their mouths and nostrils with them. In case they are not being monitored by an adult, this leads to suffocation and, in some cases, even death. Pollution Plastic bags are extremely durable. In case you are thinking of this as an advantage, just bring to mind an image of the huge landfill that you visited on the city outskirts, the other day. In most probability, majority of the rubbish present there will comprise of plastic bags only. In other words, plastic bags have led to a great increase in the pollution levels. Fumes Since plastic bags are not bio-degradable, the only way to get rid of them is to burn them up. Though lighting a match to them is easy, it has more than its fair share of disadvantages. The biggest of them is that smoldering plastics can release toxic fumes into the environment, in turn taking the air pollution to much higher levels. Non-renewable One of the main disadvantages of plastic bags is that they are not renewable. The reason behind this is that they are made of petrochemicals, a non-renewable source of energy. They can be recycled, but not as easily as paper bags. Plastic bags can last for as much as hundred of years. In other words, long after you are no more, the plastic bag used by you will be in existence. Plastics are manufactured from petroleum. This brings a host of issues (destruction of habitat, extraction of crude oil, security issues from the volatile countries where oil is produced, processing of petroleum, chemical manipulation into various types of plastics). The manufacture involves many chemicals, many of which have not been sufficiently tested for their toxicological impact on humans or animals. The final plastic product is often a chemical entity that in and of itself has had insufficient toxicological and ecotoxicological testing. An example would be PVC, forms of which are banned in Europe but exist widely in childrens toys in America. Recent controversies over plastic bottles (many toxicologists recommending not re-using plastic water bottles and not storing food in tupperware) have highlighted the potential risks. Exacerbating the problem is that science is only now advancing to where it can detect plastic components in human blood and then trace concentrations and link them to human ailments and diseases. The plastics industry itself often spins plastic and related plastic chemicals into a variety of products, some of which are hazardous and controversial (Teflon, PVC, Polyethylene, polystyrene, various silicones in body and hair care). Plastic-producing companies are often chemical companies or subsidiaries of chemical companies, both with poor track records when it comes to their adherence to regulatory compliance and their willingness to perform toxicological analysis on the products they make. Plastics often leech component chemicals, including hazardous chemicals, through common temperature changes. It is for this reason that toxicologists do not recommend storing very cold foods in plastics or heating foods (microwaving especially) in plastics. Plastics are durable materials. Thus, they are hard to eliminate once used and create tremendous waste. While some common plastics can be recycled (#1 and #2 plastics used in common soda and milk bottles), the vast majority cannot. They take up a lot of space in landfills and create air pollution when incinerated. The Disadvantages of Plastic Skylights Although plastic skylights are safer and sturdier than glass skylights, they do pose several long term disadvantages. Firstly, because they are made in single sheets, they can only be curved or bent in one area, which limits design options. Secondly, all plastics deteriorate in strength and light transmission as time passes, due to ultraviolet rays, heat and oxidation (and none can be entirely prevented). And finally, the life and service of plastic materials is highly unpredictable. Therefore choosing the plastics you will use for a plastic skylight requires much research and first hand knowledge. This is where Roof 101 can help – our contractors have worked with all kinds of plastics in plastic skylights, and their first hand experience could greatly assist you in reaching a decision.