Energy Power as a Soft Weapon in Resurgent Russia's Foreign Policy Coursework

Energy Power as a Soft Weapon in Resurgent Russia's Foreign Policy - Coursework Example Russia has inherited much of the former Soviet Union’s hard power including a powerful nuclear arsenal and a sophisticated army. It is in a position to capitalize on the ever-increasing instability in the Middle East and the consequent dramatic rise in the oil price.The interests of the Russian energy sector and the foreign policy goals of the Russian states are not only interrelated but also closely intertwined. To a great extent, the energy sector in Russia acts as the global carriers of the Russian state’s immensely self-assertive foreign policy. On the other hand, the international expansion of Russia’s premier energy enterprises is enormously assisted by the potentials of the Russian state. Oil companies such as Gazprom and Lukoil have strengthened their markets word wide and secured sensitive energy ventures. Their influence goes cut through strategically important places in Europe. Even the United States has come to rely much upon Russian energy resources. Moreover, Europe’s energy security is considerably depended upon the energy resources of Russia. Hill (2004) makes it clear that â€Å"on the surface, given prevailing concerns about energy security and increasing demand in the rising economies of Asia on Russia’s eastern borders, Russia’s future prospects in energy seem extremely promising† ( Hill, 2004, p.29). Thanks to the increases in oil production since 1999, Russia is now the world’s major non-OPEC, and non-Middle East and the Persian Gulf, oil supplier. As Peter Davies, BP’s chief economist, pointed out in his June 2004 presentation of BP’s annual Statistical Review of World Energy, thanks to its fast growth in oil production, between 1998-2003, â€Å"Russia alone supplied 46 percent of world oil consumption growth †¦ and exceeded Chinese consumption growth by 23 percent†¦ Russia has the resource base and the potential to increase oil and gas production and exports further – to supply a significant proportion of the world’s rising demands ... Russia can – and will – supply an important part of the growing energy needs of Asia†.

Athletes versus Non-Athletes on Academic Performance Research Paper

Athletes versus Non-Athletes on Academic Performance - Research Paper Example The reason behind selecting the topic of the research includes the popular misconception that sports and games cause the wastage of student’s time by diverting their focus from studies. The critics are of the view that the students, interested and involved in athletics and other games, consume large part of their time and energies in the playgrounds, and consequently become too tired and exhausted to pay any heed to their academic obligations. As a result, they lag far behind than their classmates in educational activities, and thus are unable to complete their studies in order to become the proficient and successful professionals for the future years to come. One school of thought observes that sport activities deflect time away from the classroom, and children always keep sports and play in mind, and neglect their classroom responsibilities and assignments. Somehow, the other school of thought disregards the very idea that athletics keep children away from their studies. The y are of the opinion that schools are not established to mere bestow certificates and degrees upon the students; on the contrary, people send their children to various educational institutions in order to make them capable of comprehending with the challenges life offers to man on the one hand, and for the growth and development of all aspects of their personality on the other. The researcher have selected small north Georgia schools as the population for the present study, where he aim to select one hundred and sixty respondents for the research process; one hundred and twenty of which would be students, while twenty each would consist of teachers and parents of the students. Interview schedule will be the tool for data collection in the present study. After the collection of data, the findings will be analyzed and results will be interpreted subsequently. Hence, the study will present a balanced report on the influence of athletics and games on the overall academic performance of the students. In addition, the data relevant to the North Georgia schools available at various websites will also be consulted for the study. Identification of the Problem: It has aptly been observed that sports and games maintain significant place in social life of the individuals. Sports not only perk up the physical strength of the people, but also pave the way towards the enhancement of intelligence level and sharpness in them. Thus, participation in sports improves mental and physical health and raises IQ level of humans. â€Å"Some of the factors to consider in assessing the significance of mental health relative to other influences are evident in reflecting on a familiar scenario: the long haul flight† (Lynch et al. 2000). Since all parents are determined to see their children healthy and intelligent, they make adequate arrangements for the studies and recreational activities of the children, where participation in sports is given particular attention. In addition, political authorities and social establishment also promote and project the opportunities of physical games of various kinds for adolescents and adults in order to make society healthy, strong and vigorous. Researches reveal the very fact that healthy people can work harder than