When Will It End? :: essays research papers

You may heard of me in ancient history. I am Genghis Khan and I,would like to share a story that was not recorded in history.In 1199 near the middle of winter,on the northern borders of china. My two best men and I were left standing,after being at war with the mongolians for several weeks,filled with hunger and dressed with wounds decided to retreat to home to heal and gather more men. I yelled lets go,We lofted on our horses,and right at that moment,a loft of arrows desended,up on all three of us killing my two men,and leaving me wounded in the arm, i broke the shaft of the arrow,and pulled it out,flung it on the ground and dug my spurs into my horses flesh,and like a bolt of lighting we shot through the woods.I knew my horse was weak, not having much to eat,but some bark off the trees,because of the heavy snow, my prayers were to the effect,that i would be home soon. I could hear hoof beats off in the distance,they sounded like they were getting closer, all i had on my mind was d arkness.Once dark my chances of escape are far better,I was still bleeding and felt like my horse was about to give up,as we arrived at the top of the mountain,looking down the other side and down at the bottom was a long winding river,i knew this was my escape,my horse collapsed to its side,gave his last breath.At that moment i heard a branch break,looking over my shoulder,gettig closer was that small army,of mongolians,run,run,run was going through my mind,i was weak and could not move very fast.i could here the words of the savages,bragging about how much my head was worth,then i slipped on the hard snow hit my head

Money Is the Root of All Evil

Money is the root of all evil. Many of us grew up hearing that money is the root of all evil, but that is not really what scripture teaches us. Money is neither evil nor good. It is only what happens with money once it is in our hands that gives it qualities of either good or evil. Money can be many things, depending on how we relate to it. We need to understand the difference between a physical currency that is the basis for our lives and a material desire that is driven by greed. It is a fact that money makes the world go round and this is how we bargain for food, shelter, education, travel and just about everything in life has a price.Money is the reward for our work that allows us to enjoy the good things in life. It is the foundation for our social organizations and the donations to churches and charitable organizations that allows them to become established and function properly within our communities. From this point of view, money is not the evil; it is just a source of our s urvival. From the other hand, the love of money can destroys our lives. Not only money by themselves, but the desire of them. The greediness can destroy individuals, break up homes and even bring down nations.When the love of material possessions, social status and political power are the driving force behind our desire for money, we become rooted in evil. People can also make money there god. It depends on whether money is in control of the person or the person is in control of the money. It is clear, when money is in control of person it can make a lot of harm. To sum up, I should say that money is not evil, as I think. It's just the greed that's in the hearts of those who want it for needless riches and power that gives money the label of being evil.

Video Games and Violence Essay - 2601 Words

One of the main concerns with respect to violence in video games compared to other media is the fact that games are immersive, and interactive. They are repetitive, and based on a reward system which is a proven psychological component of classical conditioning discovered by Ivan Pavlov. This argument however has been going on since the days of the comic book in the 50s, and because of the graphic violence portrayed in them, parents blamed them for their childrens bad behavior. It seems that blaming games, and other media in this way is quite a lazy view to take. Subsequently, it is really using game manufacturers as a scapegoat, while ignoring the bigger issue, the person who has committed this act of aggression or violence, and†¦show more content†¦Even when games were first introduced in the 1970s there was controversy surrounding them. The first game which had controversy about the violence was Death Race, released in 1976. The object of the game was to run down fleeing gremlins, which then turned into tombstones. Although the graphics were very basic, the stick gremlins apparently resembled pedestrians, and this had people at the time worried about their children playing something so violent. Because of this sick and morbid violence, the 60 minutes news programme broadcast an investigation into the psychological impact of video games. It seems strange considering the look of games these days, and the realistic characters, that people worr ied their children might be influenced by a few white pixels. There is a point to be made that maybe a game full of violence and shooting, could be the last straw to set someone off, who is already a naturally aggressive person anyway, but this is not really the same thing. It is down to each individual what they take from a game, and how they perceive their actions within the game, whether they think it is right or wrong to shoot someone, or to cause violence, comes from your role models who surround you as you grow up. To look at the issue surrounding the effect of violence in video games, the sensible place to start would be to find out what kind of professionalShow MoreRelatedThe Effect of Video Game Violence on Physiological Desensitization to Real-life Violence2765 Words   |  12 Pageschildren who play video games for many hours daily. Addiction controls life of people, there is addiction to drugs, cigarettes, alcohol or gambling, and there are some forms of addiction associated with modern life, such as Internet and video games. Most people think that video games are harmful and waste of time. As a result, the main question of the research is how video games can influence on children and many minor questions come to mind about video games: Do video games influence a child’sRead MoreViolent Video Games Cause Increased Violence Essay1855 Words   |  8 Pagesobjective of video games is to entertain people by surprising them with new experiences.† (Shigeru Miyamoto) Shigeru Miyamoto is the creator of some of gaming’s most iconic video game characters, Mario Jumpman Mario, Link and Donkey Kong; while also, serving as co-Representative Director of the game company, Nintendo and is highly respected. Miyamoto, based on the quote provided, feels that video games are meant to entertain people and nothing more. However, many people feel as though video games only causeRead MoreVideo Games : Video Game Violence1502 Words   |  7 Pages2013 Video Game Violence The evolution of video games has taken a drastic change since the 1970’s when video games were first introduced. Since then every decade video games have become more violent in nature with strong language and realistic to suit society today. Craig Anderson states that with more violence in video games they would sell better than games with less violence (Anderson, Gentile, and Beckley pg.5). Violent video games really became popular when the first person shooter games wereRead MoreVideo Games : Video Game Violence Essay1693 Words   |  7 PagesVideo Game Violence Blood and gore, intense violence, strong sexual content, use of drugs. These are just a few of the phrases that the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) uses to describe the content of several games. The future of entertainment revolves around technology. Along with the evolvement of technology, video games are also changing. More ways of playing violent video games are created each year, but most of us have this question in mind; do violent video games influence peopleRead MoreVideo Game Violence : Video Games892 Words   |  4 PagesVideo Game Violence On December 14, 2012, a twenty year old boy named Adam Lanza shot twenty children and six staff at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Before arriving to the school, he shot his mother then committed suicide after the shooting. The reports say that he was influenced to shooting others by the video game â€Å"Call of Duty†. Video game violence is defined as a behavior including physical violence intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something impacted by videoRead MoreVideo Games : Violence And Violence1301 Words   |  6 PagesThe issue of violence in these media products has been a highly-debated issue for the past few decades. Recently it has become extremely popular in the subject of violence in video games. It is rumored that games such as â€Å"Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat, Battlefield, Halo and many more have been the culprit behind a recent spike in childhood aggression. Many people have their own views on the subject, but it has been most com monly deduced that aggression is caused by the games, but violence does not alwaysRead MoreVideo Games and Violence942 Words   |  4 Pages Video Games and Violence Awe entering in more advanced society of technology, video games has become a popular source of entertainment among us. Almost all of us has rented or owned a video game and we have spent hours playing it. As we all know, video games have become the second most popular form of entertainment after television; the source of entertainment is proven to be violent. Excessive playing of video games has a huge impact on our life as well asRead MoreVideo Games and Violence1011 Words   |  4 Pagesare probably millions and billions of video games sold every year to people. Some people seem to believe that violence correlates directly with video games. Video games are something that is usually a big interest in people at the ages of 13 to 19 years old. Video games usually start off as a little fun and then turn into a major hobby for some people. Emotions change based on whatever happens while a person is engaging in these games most of the time. These games are another way to observe how p eopleRead MoreVideo Games Violence664 Words   |  3 PagesUNV - 104 August 11, 2013 Video Games and Violence Video games and violence have different effects on children according to the type of video games that is being watched It is important to understand the world of video games. All video games do not prevent violence in children. Parents should take into consideration in monitoring their child while choosing video games. Depending on the video game that is chosen, does not mean the child will result in violent behavior later on in lifeRead MoreViolence in Video Games770 Words   |  3 PagesIn the article from Thom Gillespie states that Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is the latest video game to be known of demeaning our society’s youth in the U.S. He states though however, video games such as GTA are â€Å"art† and deserve protection. Moreover, those games just mirror humanitys violent instincts; they do not provoke violence, Gillespie argues. These games also offer chances for debates about ethical issues and the costs of actions. It is known from his writings that Thom G illespie is a professor

Identifying the Common American Sycamore

Minority Report Film Analysis - 1070 Words

Stephen Spielberg’s 2002 science fiction mystery thriller Minority Report, is an interesting commentary on the age old struggle for human beings to find a balance between our desire for freedom and our need for security. The premise of the film is that in the future, 2954 to be exact, the city of Washington, D.C. has instituted a pre-crime police unit which harnesses the â€Å"powers† of three young people with precognition to detect murders before they happen. The main character is police chief John Anderton, played by Tom Cruise, and when the PreCogs foresee him killing someone, he goes on the run and attempts to clear his name. The film ends up dealing with issues not only about freedom and security, but also about the ethics of the criminal†¦show more content†¦Each actor is exceptional in playing his or her role, but Cruise is a stand out. He is widely known for his roles in action films and his performance here shows why. His character is nuanced, not just a macho police officer, and Cruise plays the role well, displaying a vulnerable, flawed, well-intentioned, and well-rounded hero who the view can really get behind and root for. The mis-en-scene and costume design are interesting because they display what life could very well be like in the near future. The environment is riddled with facial and iris detection technology, sleek flying cars, and familiar brands like Gap and Ben Jerry’s. The inclusion of these brands creates a world that is almost believable. The costume is also a mix of contemporary clothing and futuristic, with civilians generally wearing normal clothing and police wearing exo-suits with jetpacks and helmets. The colors in the environment are generally dark and shadowy. Even in scenes that take place during the day time, while the colors may be bright, the overall feel of the film is dark and gray. The editing and camera work of Minority Report are what really make the film feel like a detective movie from the 1950s updated for the turn of the 20th Century. Visually, the film has a hazy, soft quality to it, which gives the viewer a false sense of peace and calm. This, coupled with the use of the color blue, along with black, white and gray, create a seemingly peaceful, comforting environment. This isShow MoreRelatedMinority Report Film Analysis1427 Words   |  6 PagesThe film Minority Report catalyzes a specific message through its usage of film effects and actors. Dystopian films are created through the film’s plot, often enforcing an over-arching method of government corruption and control through its setting, actors, and specific lighting. These key elements utilize the overall tone of the film, and it is the specific use of actors and technicians that ultimately set the film up for success. Minority Report exploits this usage of blocking and setting in orderRead M oreFilm Analysis: The Minority Report Essay1596 Words   |  7 Pages The Minority Report is a film that tries to stop crimes before they happen, with the enlistment of 3 teen pre-cogs. These pre-cogs predict future murders and the authorities swoop in and arrest the would-be murders, before they have the chance of committing the crime. Even thing goes great until Anderton, a cop played by Tom Cruise, is suspected. Written by Philip K. Dick and then turned to film by Steven Spielberg in 2002, the short story to film became a success. Though there are many differencesRead MoreFilm Analysis of Minority Report Essay968 Words   |  4 Pagesaction and another, his freedom to seek good and avoid evil. The animal has no freedom, but is determined by physical and biological laws; like a machine, the animal responds whenever the appropriate stimulus is present† (Bolles 1963, p.182). In Minority Report (2002) one of the main issues is free will versus determinism. Is there some point that people can and do change their mind while committing an act? I n the movie, the police have the right to arrest and charge citizens that have been determinedRead MoreGendered Medi The Influence Of Media On Views Of Gender, By Julia T. Wood1405 Words   |  6 Pagesrepresent an environment of equal opportunity for both sex. However, the majority of women that are currently represented on television are Caucasian female. Additionally, there’s still an absence of diversity and inclusion as there’s not a lot of minority group being portrayed in television. For instance, when other groups such as Latinas are represented in television they are portrayed in a negative way unlike Caucasian females. Not only are Latinas negative portrayed, but when they are representedRead MoreGraduation Speech : Senior Honors Program1321 Words   |  6 Pagesmothers and how they have been depicted in film over the past sixty five years. Over the time period of 1950-2015, single mothers are continuously addressed throughout American politics in relation to both economic and moral conditions of the country. For an honors thesis I would be interested in researching the possibility of a relationship between the way single mothers are addressed and mentioned in politics, how they are subsequently portrayed in film, and how the general public conceptualizesRead MoreThe Reason Why Minorities Are Often Suspected First Of Doing Violent Crime1525 Words   |  7 Pages The following paper will try to discover the reason why minorities are often suspected first of doing violent crime, instead of their counterparts. A general reason why trying to understand this phenomenon is important is for the consequences it brings. When an individual, in this case minorities, are suspected of doing violent crime, they are more often targeted more than usual. This leads to mostly minorities being in prison, and in most states, they are not allowed to vote. This is crucial forRead MoreThe Help Film Analysis Essay1686 Words   |  7 PagesHannah Struzynski Film/Documentary Analysis Paper: The Help ERS 100 Section 8 For my film/documentary analysis paper, I chose the movie The Help. This movie was actually originally a book written by Kathryn Stockett, but then in 2011, a screenplay was written and directed by Tate Taylor. I selected this film because it directly relates to some of the topics we talk about in class. Some of them being segregation and discrimination. In society today, segregation and discrimination play a huge roleRead MoreMovie Analysis : Crash 1055 Words   |  5 PagesMohamed Abdi Professor Opse English 1108 23 November 2015 Movie Analysis Although the movie Crash aired in 2004, the movie does a phenomenal job at depicting social conflicts that are still evident in 2015. Crash, also deals with wide range of controversies and offers multiple narratives. And since narrative is always a two-way street, the movie does a great job of showing two perspectives of everything. More specifically, it challenges our ethical and moral beliefs in a sense that many of theRead MoreDefining Socially Conscious Film Making Essay1311 Words   |  6 Pagesresponsibilities that our progressive films champion because the ends justify the means? The system is not working. And while it may be seemingly impossible to change, this does not absolve us of our responsibility to critically examine a system that, like many others in our global economy, which can be classist, ageist and exploitative. Let’s look at the elephant in the room constructively, bravely, honestly and in the spirit of discovery. Before hearing the report on NPR today, I contemplated applyingRead MoreMedia s Negative Portrayal Of Minorities903 Words   |  4 Pagesthat technology is vital to the facilitation of everyday living. In today’s media, minorities are constantly being represented in a negative light. Those who fall victim to this tend to be Latinos and African Americans. In the news, there are many aired reports of acts of violence that are portrayed as being committed either by an African American or a Latino. Entertainment media also does its part in showing minorities through negative stereotypes and are underrepresented in important leading roles

Annotated Bibliography on Introduction to Sociology-myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theAnnotated Bibliography on Introduction to Sociology. Answer: Essay plan The discipline of sociology emerged as a response to the changing social events and the task of the sociologist to identify and explain those events through a critical analysis of the events (Cragun et al. 2014). Sociology is premised on the principles of debunking, disrespectability, relativization and cosmopolitanism (Wolfe Callahan, 2017). The study of sociology enables an individual to contextualize the everyday social interactions and personal troubles in the broader spectrum of issues that have been part of struggles in history. Sociology is the science of examining social events through a critical lens. This essay on introduction to Sociology aims to introduce the readers to the world of sociology and the various tenets, contributions and propositions made by sociologists. It outlines the quintessence of sociology and in what ways it may be different from natural sciences. There is a discussion on the methodological framework that has been undertaken by Durkheim. Sociology has progressed through the years and have responded to the changing vents like the bane of urban life to the critique of modernity. The scathing critique of modernity underlines that the generalized image of modernity an emancipatory project is an illusion and conceals the social, political and political evils that have been promoted and perpetuated. It concludes with the post-modernist and post structuralist approach envisaged by Foucault about the modern institutions and how power is infused in the body of the individuals. The literature (annotated bibliography) selected for the essay plan have been found through the library research catalogue and the suggested readings in the assignment. It is expected that the essay would be enriching to understand sociology by anyone interested to engage with the subject and at the same time these readings are widely cited for the study of sociology. Berger, P. (1963). Invitation to sociology.New York: Anchor,1, 963. Invitation to sociology Peter Bergers Invitation to Sociology is apt for the reading of the scientists who want to understand the fundamental distinctions between the discourses of natural sciences and social sciences. Penned in the year 1966, the book provides the reader an insight into the essence and contents of sociology. The books major strength lies in its ability to focus and critically examine the things that are closer to us. He exhorts the sociologists to not to look at the cultural artifacts as de-contextualized and unpoliticized objects whereas on the contrary those should looked with a critical lens. Mills, C. W. (2000).The sociological imagination. Oxford University Press. Sociological Imagination C W Mills Sociological Imagination underscore on the distinction between personal trouble and public issue. According to Mills, the very notion that individual troubles are isolated events is a facade. Our personal troubles are situated in the broader context of public issues all over the world. History is the manifestation of the individual trials and tribulations. Individuals fail to understand that their personal failures are not unique and are located in the larger society in which they live. The strength of the book is that it enables the reader to contextualize their everyday issues and the weakness may be the strict intellectual parameter set by Berger. Bauman, Z. (1989).Modernity and the Holocaust. Cornell University Press. Modernity and holocaust Liquid modernity is a seminal text in the discipline of sociology that locates the xenophobic attitude meted out to the Jews in the broader context of the essence of modernity. The text brings out Baumans social location as a Jewish critical social scientist who always had to be in the periphery because of his ethnic minority position. The author argues that the theoretical complacency that has surrounded the event of holocaust. The strength of the book lies in its reinterpretation of modernity and the identification of modernity as a bureaucratic-rational event. The shortcoming of the text is that is a synthesis of different themes that have been already addressed earlier by sociologists. Bauman, Z. (2013).Liquid modernity. John Wiley Sons. Liquid modernity In Liquid modernity, Bauman encapsulates the nature of modern relationships as fragile, loose and lacks the intense bond that had existed before the pre-modern era. Bauman also emphasizes on the increasing fear of the stranger that is permeating into the society. Spatial differentiation is growing in correspondence with social differentiation. This text is the legacy of Baumans ethical or normative sociology. Bauman argues that the lack of ethics in society is leading to disintegration of relationships both at the micro level as well as the macro-level. The strength of the text lies in its befitting response to understanding the nature of modernity whereas the possible drawback may be the presence of too many themes in one book, quintessential to Baumans work. Durkheim, E. (2013).Durkheim: The rules of sociological method: And selected texts on sociology and its method. Palgrave Macmillan. The Rules of Sociological Method Emile Durkheim is considered as one of the key figures in the functionalist school of sociology. For Durkheim, sociology is the scientific study of society where reality is understood as sui generis. It underscores on the view that there are social facts that a sociologist needs to intervene. Durkheim proposed that social facts are to be derived through the pre-determination of legal facts. The strength of the text lies in its detailed account of methodology. The drawback of the text lies in its positivist and functionalist orientation of placing too much importance on the structure and overlooking the micro-level everyday human interactions. Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in.Butler, Bodies that Matter. The presentation of self in everyday life Goffman, a micro-sociologist and important figure in the domain of symbolic interaction argued that social interaction is the performance of roles. He used the analogy of the front stage and back stage to underscore on the motivation of human action. In the front stage, the social actors act according to the norms and expectations of the society. In the back stage, the individual retreats from the given role. The strength of the text is that Goffman criticizes the structuralist and functionalist theoretical strands and his contribution of dramaturgical sociology. His weakness lies in not using the gender perspective to understand the dramaturgical tenet. Foucault, M. (2012).Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage. Foucault Discipline and Punish Discipline and Punish highlights Foucaults post-modernist approach towards the existing issues in society. Foucault recognized that power is infused in the everyday social relationships and the body becomes the site to manifest that power. In the pre-industrial society the nature of punishment unveiled its power relationship with the body. The exertion of ones power through corporeality remains the same and has taken the shape in disciplining the bodies in the industrial societies. The strength of the book lies in its nuanced approach of identifying power and the possible critique would be the invisibilization of discussions on gender, body and power. Horkheimer, M., Adorno, T. W. (2006). The culture industry: Enlightenment as mass deception.Media and cultural studies: Keyworks, 41-72. Enlightenment as mass deception by Adorno and Horkheimer The concept of culture industry proposed by Adorno and Horkheimer is a critique of the project of enlightenment. It was believed that enlightenment would be emancipatory and pave the path for progress. On the contrary, enlightenment induced modernity, bureaucratic rationality and capitalism has caused more harm than good. The aspect of culture has been turned into a commodity, manufactured and sold in the capitalist market. This had culminated to a culture of consumerism. The strength of the text lies in its critique of popular culture through a neomarxist approach. The drawback lies in it ability to recognize the subjectivity of the individual in preventing themselves to be cultural dopes. Simmel, G. (2012). The metropolis and mental life. InThe urban sociology reader(pp. 37-45). Routledge. The metropolis and the mental life Simmel also known for his formal sociology has highlighted about the impact of mental health on the individuals residing in the metropolitan cities. Simmel encapsulates the disposition of the modern urban culture. It emphasizes on the psychological implications on the lives of individuals. In metropolis human interactions are short and there is an increasing of animosity and doubt among the people. The strength of the book lies in its critique of the implications of health in the backdrop of urban megalopolis whereas the weakness of the book may be argued as Simmels pessimistic view about the society much like Weber. Weber, M. (2013).The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. Routledge. Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism In Protestant ethic and spirit of capitalism, Weber makes an interesting analysis by linking Protestantism and the rise of capitalism. According to Weber, the prevalence of capitalism and entrepreneurial venture among the protestant believer may be attributed to the specific qualities in the religious sect. Protestants believe that they should not engage in hedonistic life and rather save the money made from the business venture. There is also an emphasis on predestination and calling that is compatible with the temperament of capitalism. The strength of the text lies in its ability to identify a phenomenon with specific values shared by the group. The weakness lies in the overgeneralization of the explanation. References Bauman, Z. (1989).Modernity and the Holocaust. Cornell University Press. Bauman, Z. (2013).Liquid modernity. John Wiley Sons. Berger, P. (1963). Invitation to sociology.New York: Anchor,1, 963. Cragun, R., Sumerau, J. E., Friesen, B., Carter, K., Cragun, D. (2014). Introduction to sociology.St. Petersburg, FL: Wikibooks. Durkheim, E. (2013).Durkheim: The rules of sociological method: And selected texts on sociology and its method. Palgrave Macmillan. Foucault, M. (2012).Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage. Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in.Butler, Bodies that Matter. Horkheimer, M., Adorno, T. W. (2006). The culture industry: Enlightenment as mass deception.Media and cultural studies: Keyworks, 41-72. Mills, C. W. (2000).The sociological imagination. Oxford University Press. Simmel, G. (2012). The metropolis and mental life. InThe urban sociology reader(pp. 37-45). Routledge. Weber, M. (2013).The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. Routledge. Wolfe, C., Callahan, J. S. (2017). Introduction to sociology.

NAFTA Essays (903 words) - International Trade,

NAFTA Mexico and the United States along with Canada have entered into a trilateral free trade agreement called the North American Free Trade Agreement otherwise known as NAFTA. NAFTA has got to be the largest trading agreement in history; the agreement creates a single market of 370 million consumers. The people of NAFTA talk about potential gains from increased free trade between Mexico and the U.S. as the two countries remove tariffs, other trade barriers and restrictions on investment so that businesses would have access for goods, service and investment. They argue that the U.S. stands to gain from the agreement as Mexico offers trade potential in a growing market, more investment opportunities, low cost labor, abundant natural resources, and geographical prospects and growing markets for American goods. On the other hand, outsiders argue that the agreement would further encourage American businesses to move their production facilities to Mexico in search of low cost labor so that the U.S. would lose a lot of jobs along with money. They also claim that the pollution in the environment, which is already bad to begin with, will be worsened by the agreement. These opposing arguments need to be sorted out so that the potential benefits and costs of the agreement can be identified. A free trade area is formed when countries remove tariffs and other barriers to trade among them while maintaining tariffs and other commercial policies against non-member nations. This selective trading arrangement would appear to be a movement toward freer trade and therefore, greater economic efficiency. The trade barriers among the member countries are removed while others remain. There are other potential benefits to members of a free trade area. Successful businesses within the trade agreement can take advantage of the economy as their market expands. Another source of benefits comes from increased competition. Competition increases managerial efficiency, worker productivity, and higher rate of investment by low-cost firms. The development of more efficient economies, in turn, creates more jobs and increases standards of living in the member countries. In addition, reduced tensions and an increased likelihood of peace may be another benefit from a trade agreement. There are several components in the agreement. One component deals with market access. Issues such as tariffs, non-tariffs barriers, rules of origin and governemnt procurement are addressed under this category. Trade rule components deal with issues such as subsidies and health and safety standards. The agreement also deals with issues facing specific industries such as the automobile, textile, energy and agriculture. The financial and telecommunications industries are the two areas of conflict. The other components include investment, intellectual property, and dispute settlement. There are four major issues in NAFTA: rules of origin, labor, agriculture and environment. Rules of Origin. Any regional free trade agreement is subject to a "transshipment problem." Without a Rules of Origin clause, a business from a non-member country could import unfinished products into the member country with the lowest tariff rates. The foreign company could then assemble its products in the member country and ship them to the remaining member countries, avoiding their higher tariffs. The Rules of Origin, also known as local content requirement, can be defined as ?the minimum percentage of a country's exported product the must be produced or substantially transformed within the border of the exporting country" (Aguilar 1993). Labor. Among those who are strongly against NAFTA are labor unions who fear that American workers will suffer as U.S. businesses move their business to Mexico in search of lower labor cost. In 1991, the average manufacturing wage rate in the U.S. was $15.45 per hour while that of Mexico was only $2.17. Agriculture. Currently the majority of agricultural products traded between the U.S. and Mexico consist of grains, livestock and oilseeds. Mexico also exports sugar for refining and cattle for feed lots, which are re-exported for sale. The U.S. has tariffs on fruits and vegetables. Overall, the average tariff on Mexican farm products to the U.S. is about 6 percent. Environment. The environmental issue has taken a backseat to many of the economic concerns Mexico has had to address in the past. In the 1980's Mexico faced a debt crisis. In order to revitalize the Mexican economy the Mexican government allowed an increase in foreign investment within its borders. However, this investment also meant increased pollution. The pollution that has been allowed for so long has escalated into a serious problem that Mexico must address as they face increasing free trade with the U.S. and Canada . NAFTA introduced a major breakthrough in the history of trade among the three North