Surviving the Unthinkable Essay -- Psychology

We are never truly prepared for a catastrophic event but we spend plenty of time worrying about what we are going to do in one situation or another. We as human beings, much like animals, are hard-wired with survival skills; though sometimes our brains don’t always choose the right response. There are different tendencies the human brain leans toward in a life-threatening event or situation. Situational awareness and normalcy bias are two main tendencies that are displayed in disasters or extreme stress situations. These responses are not only achieved by experiencing a traumatic event but also by high risk activities such as sky diving and skiing. In the following paragraphs I will discuss how the brain responds to catastrophes and risky situations and how it can be a matter of survival and death. We all respond in different ways in the event of a disaster. But there are a few key things that happen to everyone in an event. In the first chapter of The Unthinkable, Zedeno states she was overwhelmed with a feeling of peace and calm when she found herself trapped in an elevator in the World Trade Center during the attempted detonation of a car bomb. During the events of September 11th, it was also pointed out by Zedeno that she observed co-workers making phone calls and shutting down their computers, not realizing the urgency of the situation. In most instances people fall into a kind of fog where they have a hard time focusing on the reality of the situation. This tendency is called normalcy bias. This â€Å"fog† causes people to underestimate the disaster and its effects. People also tend to interpret warnings in the most optimistic way possible, making the situation seem less serious (Spalding). Our brains often perceive danger a... ...om/2006/09/29/world/americas/29iht-profile.2981944.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2>. Spalding, Steven. "Normalcy Bias." How to split an atom. 29 08 2010. Web. 3 Dec 2010. . Swink , David F. "Adrenaline Rushes: Can They Help Us Deal with a Real Crisis?." Threat Management. Psychology Today, January 31, 2010. Web. 3 Dec 2010. . "Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571." Wikipedia. Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 02-12-2010. Web. 3 Dec 2010. . "Survival Stories #4: Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 Andes Rugby Team Disaster." Spike. Spike.com, 29 08 2009. Web. 4 Dec 2010. .

What should be done with our solid waste

The amount of solid waste in the world's economically developed countries has been increasing dramatically during the 20th century. This is due to increasing economic affluence like increased consumption of ebergy and raw materials, the increased manufacture and transport sale. Also free constant demand for the products that does not last for long like toys. There is an increase in the amount the world, which requires considerable packaging. Also use of a wide range of variety of products cause the production of more waste. Many things have been done to solve this problem. But we have not managed to solve the hole problem, but there are some particular methods how to reduce the waste. The three methods i am going to include in this essay are the landfill method, the incieration and recycling.Landfills are facilities that serve as long-term disposal sites for community solid wastes. They are designed and operated to protect both the community and the environment from contamination. When properly operated, landfill sites can ensure clean groundwater and clean air in the community and environment. Proper landfill design will enhance the environmental protection provided by locating the landfill correctly. When selecting a landfill location it is preferable to have a site located in an environment that provides natural protection. Similarly, a site where landfill generated contaminants are naturally reduced to acceptable concentrations or are naturally contained is preferable. This is known as a site with abilities of natural self attenuation. Where self attenuation is not possible, it is necessary to construct a landfill facility in a designated area. Advantages A properly sited and engineered landfill offers much better control of the environmental and health hazards associated with waste disposal than a garbage dump or burning pit. After a landfill has been closed, the site is landscaped and can be converted into a park, tobogganing hills, golf courses, etc. A new landfill can also serve as an incentive for increased environmental awareness in the community. In communities currently using a garbage dump or burning pit, the regular collection of community solid waste and its disposal in a landfill encourages the separation and safe disposal of hazardous waste and can even serve as a starting point for a recycling program. A well-run landfill can become a source of pride to a First Nations community, allowing the community to serve as a model of environmentally responsible community solid waste management. Disadvantages A key disadvantage of the community solid waste landfill relates more to public perception than with a flaw in the solid waste management method itself. Many people, usually confusing the landfill with the uncontrolled garbage dump, react negatively and strongly to the idea of building a new community solid waste landfill in their community. One operational disadvantage is the difficulty in applying cover materials in winter months. To ensure the coverage of wastes in winter conditions, heavy equipment may be needed which may not be available in small communities. Secondly, a landfill also produces what is commonly termed â€Å"landfill gas.† This gas, which consists primarily of methane, forms because of the decomposition of organic wastes in the landfill. If allowed to accumulate in a confined space, landfill gas can pose a danger as an explosive. Because of the small scale of a typical First Nations community landfill, the low level of landfill gas produced, does not usually pose serious hazards to the community and to the environment. Also, depending on community size, landfills require a large land base to meet the community's current and future needs. Hauling waste off-reserve to a nearby municipal or regional landfill would better preserve a community's land base. Finally, constructing and operating a community solid waste landfill may require more financial resources than hauling waste off-reserve.

Analyzing the Problem Human Trafficking - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1547 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/05/15 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Human Trafficking Essay Did you like this example? Human Trafficking isnt something that numerous individuals think much about, so when adopting an interdisciplinary strategy and pulling two disciplines together to help recommend an answer can be extremely testing. Take law enforcement officers and their lack of education on the subject (Grubb and Bennett, 2012). The U.S has many laws that do not allow human trafficking as well as many policies. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Analyzing the Problem Human Trafficking" essay for you Create order Even with that, many criminals still engage in this kind of illegal trafficking activity. With that being said, this huge problem happening all over not just the U.S. , but the world needs to be presented through an interdisciplinary standpoint. Stating the Problem Grubb and Bennett (2012) stated since the 1990s, human trafficking or ?trafficking in persons has been brought to the forefront of criminal justice issues, sparking international anti-trafficking effort among human rights proponents, governments entities and law enforcement agencies throughout the world. Human trafficking is still a problem and the current anti-trafficking efforts are just not enough in bringing down the criminals partaking in this. So what more is there that we can do to stop this? Cameras play a big role in just about the average person in todays society. Smartphones cameras, traffic stop cameras. ATM cameras, and home security cameras are just few of the everyday cameras we come into contact on the daily. There is also high tech systems that are able to use facial recognition to track people. So with this type of technology in this day and age how are todays heroes, law enforcement, utilizing different systems and softwares to narrow down the whereabouts of victim s and suspects involved? Justifying an Interdisciplinary Approach Human trafficking, has been a problem, and a hard one at that because it faces a threat to all social classes and no laws have currently made a drastic effect. With the advances in technology in the last decade it helps us in solving this problem. The discipline of computer science helps us help solve this issue through technology which is crucial. Organizational leadership is another discipline to help solve the problem because law enforcement can get the training they need to use the software and high tech surveillance systems. Mainly, they need to know how to use those systems as it pertains to this problem of human trafficking. With the integration of the disciplines, computer science and organizational leadership, true success can come out of lowering the illegal activity of human trafficking and finding victims beforetime runs out. Identification of Relevant Disciplines Many disciplines could have been used for Human trafficking, including but not limiting sociology and law for reasons that may seem obvious. For research on this specific focus question the disciplines of computer science and Organizational leadership applied better. According to Repko , by adequacy interdisciplinarians mean knowing enough about the discipline to have a basic understanding of how it approaches, as well as illuminates and characterizes, the problem (Repko, 2012, p. 102). Computer science is essentially a type of software that is made to program a sequence of codes that then tells the hardware itself what to do. Computer sciences main principle, or one of them, is to tell a computer what needs to be done. Developers in the computer science realm create algorithms that help solve the problem. Which will allow the computer to read and execute the task. With this, developers can create more advanced surveillance technology and video processing. The computer science discipline doesnt have much foundational theories that be applied to this. Most of the computer science research is experimental and falls under the STEM category. Organizational leadership, which most consisted of quantitative studies for this paper, is making sure those who are the textbook definition of a leader are one. Ensuring that efficiency is at its max within. Guzman (2015) explained, leaders focus on their surroundings, encourage, and participate in activities within the group. This leadership style could help law enforcement in diminishing human trafficking. Both disciplines can help law enforcement get the best software and training for suspects of human trafficking and victims using facial recognition as well as certain behavioral ones. Analyzing the Problem Problem Analysis Discipline and Interdiscipline Perspective stated in terms of an overreaching question asked Computer Science Will surveillance lead to a lack of privacy? What is already available in terms of surveillance? Can the software be improved for facial recognition and surveillance? Organizational Leadership Will law enforcement provide sufficient training on how to address human trafficking? Will law enforcement implement what they used in training in the real world? Are those chosen to train, capable of training officers on human trafficking? Evaluation of Disciplinary Insights Computer Science Author Insights Perspective Assumption Strength/Limitation of Insight Lin, Seo, Gen, and Cheng (2009) Using a 3D modeling algorithm, it can detect when behaviors were normal and also recognize when it was unusual The research used can give a unique insight to the human trafficking problem. Strength: The detection of unusual behavior can be used at largely populated areas like a football stadium or an airport. Limitation: Can potentially detect something unusual as normal behavior Szpak and Tapamo (2011) Ships having an underwater surveillance system The research used can give a unique insight to the human trafficking problem. Strength: Surveillance can find Victims who are being smuggled through the sea in ships. Limitation: Radar is not able to detect small ships Hassaballah (2015) The success seen within facial recognition is in controlled experiments Research found that this would not be useful in Human trafficking. Strength: Able to see if someone fits in the database Limitations: Lighting can affect an image Conflicts Conflicts will occur when two different disciplines have a different perspective on a problem. As Repko states, it is essential to identify conflicts because it stands in the way of creating common ground and, thus, of achieving integration (Repko, 2012, p.294). In the Computer science case, the assumption is a persons face will be visible entirely by the cameras used within the recognition technology. All the research examined was done in a controlled environment for this research paper. In real life, faces may be partially covered or the lighting can significantly change the results of how successful it can be. This does contradict Lins article, because it has been stated how their successful experiment can be done In the real world. The conflicts between the computer science and organizational leadership discipline is how the facial recognition software can lead to privacy issues. Common Ground Four techniques in reference to common ground are explained by Newell (2006). They are redefinition, extension, organization and transformation. Using those techniques, when explained about the problem of the system itself not working due to uncontrollable things such as lighting, include the improvements of such as improving the quality of the facial recognition system. If lead in the right direction, software as well as the product itself can be made better so that things such a lighting do not affect its intent. People have stated that its an invasion of privacy to have facial recognition, to find common ground, one would say your face is not private. When one willing is out in public, it is no longer private. Interdisciplinary Outcome Initially, it all began with the focus question, So with this type of technology in this day and age how are todays heroes, law enforcement, utilizing different systems and softwares to narrow down the whereabouts of victims and suspects involved? An answer to that question, there was an integration of the computer science and organization leadership insights. It was discovered during the research process that tracking surveillance was used before and some are currently still being tested but just not good enough to be taken into the real world yet. The integration of the insights of the two disciplines means the possibility of creating a better developed system and software and thus having leaders train those to use them to help identify and track suspects as well as victims of human trafficking. More research is still needed to improve the algorithms that create the software of facial recognition. This would improve the accuracy and reliability of the software which would help aid in tracking of human traffickers and victims. With the integration of both disciplines explained in this research paper, systems could be a solution to the problem of human trafficking. References Grubb, D., Bennett, K. (2012). The readiness of local law enforcement to engage in US anti-trafficking efforts: an assessment of human trafficking training and awareness of local, county, and state law enforcement agencies in the State of Georgia. Police Practice Research, 13(6), 487-500. Guzman, O. (2015) Organizational Leadership theories. Retrieved from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/organizational-leadership-theories-284.html Hadjimatheou, K. (2014). The relative moral risks of untargeted and targeted surveillance. Ethical Theory Moral Practice, 17(2), 187-207. Hassaballah, M., Aly, S. (2015). Face recognition: challenges, achievements and future directions. IET Computer Vision, 9(4), 614-626. Lin, L., Seo, Y., Gen, M., Cheng, R. (2009). Unusual human behavior recognition using the evolutionary technique. Computers Industrial Engineering, 56(3), 1137-1153. Lochner, S. A. (2013 Saving face: Regulating law enforcements use of mobile facial recognition technology and iris scans. Arizona Law Review, 55(1), 201-233. Repko, A. (2012). Interdisciplinary research: Process and theory. Los Angeles, CA, Sage. Szpak, Z., Tapamo, J. (2011). Maritime surveillance: Tracking ships inside a dynamic background using a fast level-set. Expert Systems With Applications, 38(6), 6669-6680.

Whether Homelessness Is a Young Persons Problem Free Essay Example, 2250 words

As I approached the dissertation stage of my studies, I naturally began to reflect upon the personal qualities which would facilitate the completion of this stage and those which could obstruct the satisfaction of this objective. One of the first areas of weakness which confronted me was indecisiveness. I was hesitant about settling on a topic and when I finally did, I was too overwhelmed by the vastness of the selected topic to decide upon a specific focus and approach. During this period my supervisor s advice was invaluable, whether in guiding me towards the selection of homelessness as my research area and homelessness among youth as my research focus. If my initial indecisiveness functioned as an obstacle to my settling on a topic, my determination to succeed motivated me throughout my literature collection stage. It further incited me to read as much of that literature as needed for the acquisition of a sound understanding of the topic. Accordingly, my strengths and weaknesses ultimately balanced out. My supervisor s advice was not limited to guidance on topic selection, which I had initially proposed to do on a mental health issue, but extended to advise on research aims, objectives, methodology and readings. We will write a custom essay sample on Whether Homelessness Is a Young Persons Problem or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

Office Policy Regarding Prevention And Detection Of...

The purpose of this antifraud statement is to communicate municipal policy regarding prevention and detection of suspected fraudulent behavior and dishonesty by employees and others, and to provide explicit instructions to follow in case of violations. The development of this antifraud policy is to emphasize a zero-fraud tolerance from public employees; it also sends out a clear message to public managers and taxpayers that their City will not tolerate fraudulent conduct. The City is committed to preventing fraud and corruption from occurring and developing an antifraud environment. City officials and employees must always observe all the applicable rules and regulations pertaining to fraud prevention. The City will not tolerate the†¦show more content†¦Skimming- Stolen cash from the City before it has been recorded on the City’s financial records. Cash Larceny- Stolen cash from the City after it has been recorded on the City’s financial records. ïÆ'Ëœ Inventory and other assets Misuse – Inappropriate use, misapplication, destruction, removal of City’s inventory or assets for personal use. (i.e., using City’s vehicles for personal errands) Larceny – Stolen inventory or other assets from the City. Corruption – Unlawful use of influence in a business transaction in order to obtain some benefit from another person. ïÆ'Ëœ Conflict of interest – An undisclosed economic or personal interest in a transaction that negatively affects the City. ïÆ'Ëœ Bribery - The giving, offering, receiving or asking of anything of value to influence and official action. ïÆ'Ëœ Illegal Gratuities – Someone that benefits from a business decision in giving of a gift to a person who make the decision. This fraud does not need proof of intent to influence. ïÆ'Ëœ Economic Extortion – Employee demands payment from a vendor/contractor to influence an official’s business decision. Fraudulent Statements – Misrepresentation of the City’s financial statements. ïÆ'Ëœ Inappropriate reports of revenues and expenses to intentionally misrepresent the financial position of the City. Fraud Awareness and Prevention AllShow MoreRelatedAnti Fraud Professions3098 Words   |  13 Pagesthe professional can work in the private sector similar to the private funded hospital like St. Jude, and St. Francis. The anti-fraud professional can also work in the public sector such as a government funded hospital, nursing home, and welfare office. This paper focuses on the anti-fraud professional and the background of fraud and the importance of being a certified fraud examiner. Table of Contents 1. Introduction a. What is Fraud? b. How does Fraud Occur? c. PreventingRead MoreOrganizational Fraud9733 Words   |  39 Pages1. Structural red flags 11 3.6.2. Personnel red flags 12 3.6.3. Operational red flags 12 3.6.4. Accounting system red flags 12 3.6.5. Financial performance red flags 12 4. ESSENTIALS OF ORGANIZATIONAL FRAUD 12 4.1 Detection 13 5. SATYAM SCANDAL 14 5.1 Lessons for HR Professionals 14 5.2 Lessons for India Companies 15 6. ORGANISATIONAL EMPOWERMENT 16 7. RISK OF FRAUD IS LESSENED IN EMPOWERED ORGANIZATION 16 8. IMPACT OF FRAUD 16 8.1 MacroviewRead MoreComprehensive Review in Accounting19880 Words   |  80 Pagesinformation in the financial statements. 2. In relation to auditing, which of the following is a correct phrase? a. Auditing communicates results to management. b. Auditing involves obtaining evidence regarding action and events. c. Auditing evaluates assertions regarding evidence. d. Auditing subjectively obtains and evaluates evidence. 3. Which of the following is not an output of an independent audit engagement? a. Management letter. b. Audit report. c. EngagementRead MoreCorruption Is Barrier to Development in Pakistan9592 Words   |  39 PagesAdministrative Corruption 3. Causes of Corruption in society 4. Genesis of Corruption 5. Consequences of Corruption II. Corruption in Pakistan and barrier to its development. 1. Factors encouraging corruption in Pakistan A. Poor government policies B. Arrival of foreign remittance C. Afghan War 2. A barrier to development in Pakistan A. A crime against prosperity B. A barrier to justice C. A barrier to democracy D. A crime against the environment E. A barrier to health F. A barrier to educationRead MoreManaging Information Technology (7th Edition)239873 Words   |  960 PagesData Resource The Data Model and Metadata Data Modeling 98 Database Programming 100 97 97 Contents Managerial Issues in Managing Data Principles in Managing Data 101 101 The Data Management Process 106 Data Management Policies 110 Review Questions 114 †¢ Discussion Questions 114 †¢ Bibliography 114 ̈ CASE STUDY I-1 IMT Custom Machine Company, Inc.: Selection of an Information Technology Platform 116 ̈ CASE STUDY I-2 VoIP2.biz, Inc.: Deciding on the Next Steps for a

Can Prejudice Ever Be Eliminated free essay sample

The idea of prejudice has been present for several decades now, and is so deeply rooted in our society today. They can be defined as a set of negative and irrational feelings, beliefs, and actions that are directed towards those of a different race, culture and religion. In the States, the African-American race has long been under prejudice by the Whites in the community. The Holocaust during World War II is also a portrayal of extreme prejudice against the Jews. According to Psychologist  Gordon Allport, prejudice emerges in part as a result of normal human thinking, in other words, it is in human nature. Despite efforts and measures taken to reduce and minimise the extent of prejudice today, as long as humans have a conscious thought, they will always be prejudice in one way or another, and prejudice can and will never be eradicated. Through all the movements toward equal rights, there are still groups of people who are faced with prejudice and unfair treatment, one of which is LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender) community. We will write a custom essay sample on Can Prejudice Ever Be Eliminated? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page LGBTs have been faced with many challenges regarding their fair rights and acceptance in society. One key issue that has become more apparent recently is the allowance of homosexual marriage. Our world has become more accepting, but still lacks in complete recognition of homosexuals. There are still many out there who do not recognize them as a part of society and it has affected more than just their community. Children who have parents that are homosexual are also affected because they face the prejudice from others who do not understand, which has damaging effects on the child’s development. Many homosexuals look to adoption when they decide to have a family because of their unique situation, and are also faced with discrimination when going through the adoption process. Though in other parts of the world like the Netherlands, Norway and recently USA, homosexual marriages are allowed, in Singapore, Section 377A of the Penal Code indicates that it is a crime to have homosexual marriages, showing the conservative of our society and the unacceptance of LGBT community. As such, though the acceptance level towards the GLBT community have been increasing throughout the years, the idea of removing the social stigma is seemingly impossible. Interracial marriages are yet another issue in which many around the world are prejudiced towards it. Interracial marriages have a hard go at it. They suffer not only from the prejudice of others, but also from problems of differences between their respective cultures which combine with those already present in a marriage. In USA, marriage between a Black and White is still being frowned upon by many in the society, mainly because of the prejudice against the Blacks which has been around since the 1900s. Not only the parents will be discriminated against, their children will also be frowned upon by the society. In the book â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† which touches largely about the topic of prejudice in USA back in the early 1900s, a White man named Dolphus Raymond was frowned upon by society by marrying a a black woman and having children with her. His children were being discriminated against for the fact that they have â€Å"dirty blood†, as the White’s blood which is supposedly ‘pure’ is tainted with a Black’s. In present times, though the final law against interracial marriages in the States was removed on 2000, the social stigma will still be present. In addition, gender prejudice had long been woven into the fabric of most societies. It was driven by a universal belief that women were the weaker of the sexes emotionally as well as physically and must be protected from the world outside the home. Normally, males were expected to be the breadwinner of the family and dominated in family matters, particularly those relating to the outside world in commerce and politics. Females were expected to assume domestic chores and cook. At the same time, it was their responsibility to bear children and raise them according to the values and morals of the society in which they live in. Similarly, sons in families enjoyed more freedoms than daughters in just about every known society. In some provinces in China, due to the one-child policy implemented by the Chinese government to reduce population size, baby girls are being thrown into a slops pail to die due to the Chinese’ preference for sons over daughters. Hence, this idea and notion about women being the weaker sex amongst the two will always be inherent in the world, and as such, gender prejudice can never be eradicated. One of the challenges in eliminating prejudice is that the social stigma is so deeply rooted that the mindset of people will not be easily wavered. Though the manifestations of  discrimination and prejudice are not as severe as they may have been in the past, but the problems still exist, and that the  problems still have their negative effects. As of late, many parts of the world have  perhaps â€Å"matured† and learned to peacefully appreciate the differences in people. But there is a small group that still discriminates against the  black and looks down on women – both these problems have not ceased to exist. The society which we live in also constitutes to the challenge in eradicating prejudice. In Western countries like Canada and Norway, their thinking and mindset are liberal, and as such the acceptance level of LGBT is significantly higher than that of Asian countries. As compared to a conservative society like Singapore which adheres to a set of Asian values, LGBT will be frowned upon by the society because it is â€Å"morally incorrect and of improper behaviour†. Our acceptance level towards this community will never be full. As such, societies that we live in right now will hinder the pathway to eliminating prejudice completely. The process of eliminating prejudice from our society will no doubt be an arduous one. Though world-wide efforts put in by the various organisations to assimilate everyone may reduce the extent of prejudice in today’s world, but success of it is as unfeasible as the idea of a Utopian Society. After all, just as what Edward Roscoe Murrow quotes: â€Å"No one can eliminate prejudices – just recognise them. † The idea of eradicating prejudice will only be nothing but a dream.

Mercosur Essays - Trade Blocs, Regionalism, , Term Papers

Mercosur Introduction The Sectoral Commission for MERCOSUR (COMISEC) was created on April 1, 1991 by Executive Decree No. 176/991. It is made up of: ? Government Representatives and Delegates from the Office of Planning and Budget ? Chamber of Industry of Uruguay ? National Chamber of Commerce ? Mercantile Chamber of Uruguay ? Unions (PIT/CNT) ? Rural Association of Uruguay ? Rural Federation of Uruguay ? Agrarian Cooperatives Association ? State-owned Enterprises This decree entrusts COMISEC with the following functions: a) Advise the Executive Branch as regards the adoption of internal measures aimed at the application, pursuit and evaluation of the process of regional integration. b) Coordinate and supervise the performance of the subcommittees. c) Obtain and disseminate information on integration. For its part, Decree 175/991 dated April 1, 1991, created the Inter-Ministry Committee on MERCOSUR and gave the Director of the MERCOSUR Sectoral Commission authority to do the following: a) Plan and propose, to the Inter-Ministry Committee, measures necessary for the orchestration of the internal aspects of the Common Market, paying special attention to the reconversion of economic activities and the adaptation of the country to the common market. b) Carry out the necessary surveys, and to request the corresponding technical assistance. Uruguay was the first country within MERCOSUR that developed this institutional structure - which is foreseen in the constitution - so that the different sectors involved could participate in the integration process. Some Argentine Provinces and some Brazilian States have implemented institutional mechanisms in which the presence of their own social and economic agents is participatory. Paraguay has just recently created, under the Ministry of Integration, the National Committee on Integration and has invited government representatives (ministries), business groups and unions to participate. One of the goals of COMISEC is to improve the knowledge of the productive sectors and to create mechanisms for the dissemination of information throughout the country. In sum, COMISEC is an working environment where the Uruguayan civil society can be represented in order to best pursue, understand, and disseminate, in a timely manner, the key topics that are relevant to Uruguay's future with regard to its insertion in MERCOSUR. As Uruguayans, we all have our concerns especially when we think of the size of our partners, Argentina and Brazil. However, we have already been associated with these countries for many years through preferential commercial agreements. MERCOSUR and Its Origins The Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) is an ambitious economic integration project in which Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay find themselves engaged. Its principal objectives are: to improve the economies of their countries by making them more efficient and competitive and by enlarging their markets and accelerating their economic development by means of a more efficient use of available resources; to preserve the environment; to improve communications; to coordinate macroeconomic policies; and to harmonize the different sectors of the economies of the member countries. The Beginnings of the MERCOSUR Integration Process In the 1970s, Uruguay strengthened its commercial relationship with Brazil by way of the Commercial Expansion Protocol (PEC), and with Argentina by way of the Argentine-Uruguayan Economic Cooperation Agreement (CAUCE). Between 1984 and 1989 Argentina and Brazil signed twenty-four bilateral protocols with the purpose of improving trade. Integration efforts date back to 1985 when the Foz de Iguaz? Declaration was signed creating the High Level Bilateral Commission for the integration of Argentina and Brazil. Around the end of 1990, Argentina and Brazil signed, and registered with ALADI, an Agreement on Economic Cooperation (Acuerdo de Complementaci?n Econ?mica) that systematized and deepened pre-existing bilateral commercial agreements. Around mid-1990, representatives of both countries met with authorities of Uruguay and Paraguay. It was then that these two countries expressed their firm aspiration to take part in the bilateral process already underway. At this point it was decided that an agreement among all four countries to create a common market should be signed. On March 26, 1991 the Treaty of Asunci?n was signed by the four countries. This Treaty should not be seen as the final creation treaty of the Common Market of the South, but as an instrument, of international character, intended to make the implementation of the Common Market possible. The Treaty of Asunci?n is an economic integration agreement with regional vocation, which remains open to the