Essay --

Love, one of the biggest aspects of human nature, affects everyone in different ways. In the novel by Stephen Chbosky, â€Å"the Perks of Being a Wallflower,† the main character Charlie, negatively affected by his loving relationship with his aunt Helen, develops many social issues. The novel, a coming of age story about overcoming many obstacles as a teenager, follows the main character, Charlie, and the challenges he faces. Throughout the story, Charlie struggles with the loss of his beloved aunt. When he begins High school, he has a harder time than the typical teenager for many reasons. His close relationship with his beloved aunt is the source of his companionship issues, depression, and insecurities. As a result of Charlie’s relationship with his aunt Helen, he develops companionship issues after her death. Having had such a close relationship with her, her passing greatly affects his relationships with other people. A shy, timid, and somewhat anti-social Charlie fears getting close to somebody again after his closest friend has passed. His inability to make friends shows when he t...

“the Rapid Expansion of International Financial Market Since Early 1980s Have Integrated the World Economy”. Discuss.

â€Å"The rapid expansion of international financial market since early 1980s have integrated the world economy†. Discuss. The international financial system is a structure of markets within which organizations and individuals trade to support economic commitments made across national borders where buyers and sellers participate in the trade of assets such as equities, bonds, currencies and derivatives. Financial markets are typically defined by having transparent pricing, basic regulations on trading, costs and fees and market forces determining the prices of securities that trade.The international financial market expands rapidly including money and derivatives since early 1980s. The increased integration of financial systems has involved greater cross-border capital flows, tighter links among financial markets, and greater presence of foreign financial firms around the world. The expansion in international financial market also means that establishment and expansion of inte rnational investment banks/ firms such as Crosby, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, UBS, Franklin, Templeton, Barney & Smith, Union Bank in Swiss etc.Such firms created varieties of investment fund such as hedge fund and mutual trusts. The expansion of such investment funds has enhanced volume of foreign policy initiative (FPI) in the world economy. The role of short term (mainly portfolio capital) increased in world economy. Capital in the international financial market can be classified into two types, which is short-term Intra-Bank Loan, which maturity less than one year and portfolio investment (investment in money, bond, stock and derivatives). Mobility of these investment very high, outflow and inflow very fast.Besides that, volume of short-term capital mobility (STC) also increased dramatically in the world economy. Currency used in trading in international capital market which dominated by industrial/rich nations are in US Dollar (US$), DM/Euro and Yen. US dollar is the main vehicl e currency used in the market (above 55%). There are few reasons why STC/FPI dominated international economy. The first factor is elimination of capital and currency controls or liberalisation of capital account of Balance of Payments. This has stimulated inflow of STC to international capital market including capital market in developing countries, i. emerging economies. Next, technology development information increases the rapid development of international market and the speed of transaction in the market. The technology enables a deal done within a minute. Furthermore, no international financial and architecture (IFA) to supervise or control movement of portfolio capital including activities and expansion of financial institutions is another determinant of domination of STC/FPI in the economy. The rapid expansion of financial market is due to parity established at Bretton Woods in 1960s this crisis marked the breakdown of the system.An attempt to revive the fixed exchange rates failed, and by March 1973 the major currencies began to float against each other. The speculative pressure force closure of international foreign exchange markets for nearly two weeks, the market reopen on floating rate for major industrial countries. The Jamaica Agreement by IMF further legalizes the floating exchange system and increased the role of US currency in international economy. As a result, gold is demonetize as a reserve asset, the role of US$ in international economy increased thereafter.International financial market factors enable expanding and creation of various instruments or product of financial market including derivative (swaps, option, future, forward). At the same time, many countries have encouraged inflows of capital by dismantling restrictions and controls on capital outflows, deregulating domestic financial markets, liberalizing restrictions on foreign direct investment, and improving their economic environment and prospects through the introduction of ma rket-oriented reforms The rapid expansion of international financial markets had brought several impacts to the world economy.International financial market indirectly integrated. The rapid expansion of international financial market will lead to volatility in most of financial products/ portfolios such as currency, interest rate, equities are larger. Moreover, the speed of trading will become very fast and in large scale. For example the new money fueled a level of inflation never before seen in modern Mexico; the inflation rate eventually surpassed 100 percent annually. The administration chose to ignore warning signs of inflation and opted instead to increase spending.Apart from that, movement of asset prices may relate to â€Å"herding behavior†, irrational behavior of investors and caused contagion in the markets. Contagion refers to the transmission of a currency crisis throughout a region. Contagion effect of international financial markets is more severe and fast than to commodity markets. In addition, if crisis emerged in major markets it spread quickly to other regions. For instance, any shocks to financial sector in developed countries let say New York Stock Exchange drop will affect or bring other stock bourses around the world.Furthermore, transmission from the financial market to the real sector will be affected subsequently. The expansion of financial markets have bring benefits which are rapid spreading of technological advances, financial innovation as well as, more generally, financial performance to the various parts of the globe. In a global financial market, technological advances in payment, settlement and trading systems as well as in financial information systems can be made available to all market participants instantaneously.And advances in financial technology such as trades and other derivatives have made it possible to take advantage of many new financing opportunities. Reductions in the â€Å"costs of transport and transmi ssion of data† as well as the cost of acquiring, processing and storing information have played a significant role in furthering the process of globalization. Besides that, the expansions of financial market will led financial institutions compete with each other to provide benefits to the domestic financial market.The bigger, more robust the market, the more attractive it will be to competitors. There are still many competitors large enough to attempt to secure a prominent position in the market, though the identity of these competitors has changed considerably over time. Therefore, in open financial markets the entry of foreign financial institutions into domestic financial markets can bring sizeable benefits, as increased competition can help to enhance efficiency in the financial sector. In conclusion, a new global economic and financial system is evolving at a rapid pace right before our eyes.Financial integration has given access to world capital markets to more people, providing for a better allocation of savings and investment as well as more and sophisticated instruments to better manage risks. At the same time, however, it has also brought new global challenges. It can be overcome in two dimensions: on the internal side, by strengthening its macroeconomic fundamentals and continually revising its legal and regulatory frameworks; and, on the external side, by adopting a more active role within the global community of central banks, regulators and other uthorities to improve the international financial architecture. References: Stijn Claessens and Sergio L. Schmukler. (2007). IMF Working Paper: International Financial Integration through Equity Markets: Which Firms from Which Countries Go Global? Retrieved from http://www. imf. org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2007/wp07138. pdf Otmar Issing. (2000). The globalisation of financial markets. Retrieved, from http://www. ecb. int/press/key/date/2000/html/sp000912_2. en. html Fukao. M and Hanazaki. M.Internatio nalisation of Financial Markets and The Allocation of Capital. Retrieved from www. oecd. org/dataoecd/21/19/35589290. pdf Roy C. S. Globalisation of Financial Market. Chapter 1: Integration of World Financial Markets: Past, Present, and Future. Retrieved from http://media. wiley. com/product_data/excerpt/10/04712292/0471229210. pdf Rodrigo, d, R. (2007) International Monetary fund. Economic Growth and Financial Market Development: A Strengthening Integration. Retrievedfrom http://www. imf. org/external/np/speeches/2007/082207. htm

Senior Citizens

Over the past few years, with the help of modern technology, people have obtained access to virtually anything they desire at the simple click of a mouse button. Now, information can be accessed through various websites without having to visit a library, go to a store, a friend’s or relative’s home, or even travel agencies. The Internet is for all people- regardless of age, race, ethnic background, class, or religion. When it comes to marketers and which strategies will be most effective and efficient to become a successful website, every product in the market is geared towards a specific target group, regularly based on demographics. Whether it is where a person lives, their marital status, age, or occupation, marketers try to target one particular area where they feel that their product will be benefited the most and where profits will be most generated for the business. One particular area that has been expanding not only in website visitations but also in new website formations is the senior citizen age group. Now, seniors are the fastest growing audience on the Internet. What is more interesting is the fact that they put their money where their â€Å"mouse† is. This age group’s frequent use of the Internet is absolutely amazing and unbelievable. There are hundreds and hundreds of websites designed to be most suitable or more geared for this target group. The websites are specifically designed to meet the needs of older adults about the ages of 60 and above, and grandparents. It does not steer towards a certain economic or religious class. The majority of these websites provide much information on healthcare, health issues that affect them, relationships, money, news, entertainment, and childcare. Part1B- Competitive Analysis Under the top 10 most popular sites for â€Å"www.seniorcitizens.com†, I chose the top four websites to analyze the areas in order to compare and contrast where www.seniorgold.com is strong and where it needs some work. The first site is called www.senior.com. Like any website, it will have many strengths and weaknesses. Allow me to discuss this website’s strengths first. The page was downloaded quite easily, with no error messages to refresh the page. Overall, the designs of the pages are colorful and have very clear graphics. The text is very clear without being too wordy and misleading. The home page also has a search engine that allows the user to quickly find what he/she is looking for. In addition, it has a large variety of topics to choose from with easily accessible features. This website does contain a vertical and horizontal scroll bar on its homepage which makes the first impression for users a tedious one. It becomes very frustrating when someone has to keep scrolling up and down to search any information. The contents on the homepage of a website should be clear, brief, and concise allowing you to link to it if more information is what is desired of the user. Another weakness would include the arrangement of topics on the homepage. They begin with serious news that then descends down to tacky, irrelevant links. Although the content of the text itself is clear, it looks all jumbled up, busy, and confusing. In order to be simple, and to the point, the topics should become more condensed, including the amount of links it has. Compared to www.seniorgold.com, this website is more visually appealing to the eye. It appears to be more youthful through the use of cartoon characters and bold color schemes. The second website, www.elderweb.com, has tab links at the top of the homepage which allows the user to click on the tab which is relevant without having to search endless rows of subcategories to see which one applies to their information search. There are no distracting side links that allows the user to choose to read the information or simply click on where they wish to go on the site. Unlike www.senior.com, the page is very consecutive with the stories and features. The current headlines are brief and to the point. And, each headline gives the user a good sense of what each story is about without getting too wordy or redundant. There aren’t any banner ads that enable the user to concentrate more on his/her search without being distracted. One feature that I felt was quite important (especially since it is geared toward an older age group) was a button right on the home page that says, â€Å"Increase Text Size†. This is one feature that I had never seen on any of the other websites for senior citizens. This is an important feature because, unfortunately, there are many senior citizens that do have visual impairments, and by using this feature, it facilitates their use of the website. A weakness that this website had was that it contained the same dull format and style throughout the whole website. The uninteresting graphics were all the same no matter which link you clicked on to view. The use of mute colors did not make this website very visually stimulating or appealing. This site also had a scroll bar, which, again, made the layout of the page seem very busy and unorganized. This was the first senior website that did not have a search engine located anywhere. So, if you wanted some information, regardless of how consecutive or concise the text and layout may appear, you would not be able to simply type in what you were looking for to search. Compared to www.seniorgold.com, Elderweb has a very dull appearance. It looks very plain and old fashioned. It seems as though this site is geared more towards seniors that have a more traditional or conservative way of thinking. They prefer simplicity (i.e. light, dull colors, same graphics, etc) over complexity (i.e. bold/bright colors, cartoons, modern graphics, etc). The third website, www.thirdage.com, I would have to say is the best website for senior citizens-conservative and avant-garde. It contains a great color scheme of white and a soft green with no overwhelming or any dull graphic design. It does not have too many divertive banner ads. The search engine appears on every screen for easy access. It has a modern, strong homepage that is visually appealing with more interesting topics and subcategories geared more towards advice and different lifestyle levels. This page does have a scroll down bar which could have been easily prevented by filling in the right side with that information. The whole right side is completely blank. This should have been used to condense the homepage without having to scroll down. Editorially, this page is not set up well. It has many scattered features, which makes everything look disjointed. The pictures all depict a youthful, healthy person. Obviously, the illustrations, which seem unrealistic, are not very reflective of their target audience. Measured up to www.seniorgold.com, this website is more appealing visually. The topics are not as condensed or as easily accessible as that of the one referenced above. And lastly, www.1travel.com, is the website which I felt was least relevant to senior citizens. It may have special discounts for them, however, on the homepage, it is not mentioned at all that any senior citizen discounts exist. This means that if there are any discounts, the user has to go searching for it. It is not easily accessible from it’s main page. It does not indicate at all that this site is geared toward senior citizens. It is another website to make travel/car/hotel reservations. Why not visit any other travel websites that could probably give better bargains? A good feature on this website includes easy search methods (several search engines for each category). Also, the layout is immediate, it is in your face and very easy to gain access to. It contains excellent searching options and subcategories along with any questions with regard to the user’s travel needs. The layout of it has very basic colors- not too bold, yet not too boring either and there aren’t many banner ads in this page. This website does contain vertical and horizontal scroll bars. The graphical layout overwhelms the text. The site seems to appear very busy, too wordy, or too much text perhaps. The text is also not very concise it seems scattered everywhere and is extremely redundant with several topics (ie FAQ’s, etc). Part1C-Site Analysis Seniorgold.com makes information searching very obtainable through the use of its shortcuts, word searches and options located on the left of the homepage layout. The layout is very colorful. The drop down menus are very resourceful in enabling the user to find what he/she is looking for without having to search the whole website to find it. However, this site has a few weaknesses as well. One includes the busy-looking and visually unclear graphics. The site looks too full of activity with banner ads whose color schemes clash with the site’s design. Another important thing to note about this site is that it is outdated! I couldn’t help but notice that on the home page of this site it still had the link to: â€Å"Thanksgiving Preparation†. We’re in December!!! Websites that are not updated lose the interest and use of their web visitors. It is crucial for web page designers to keep their websites up-to-date with any new events. Users may see this and see it a site deficiency. Part2A-Drive More Traffic To This Site I would recommend that the website changed its design layout. It should have a color scheme that compliments the text. The use of the drop down menus is very clear and concise. However it should concentrate on condensing the home page (it’s three pages long!). One way of driving traffic to the site is to create banner ads for other senior citizen sites, as well as for nursing home sites, parenting sites, travel sites, and recreational activity sites. What could also be done is to pay major Internet servers such as America Online, Yahoo, MSN, etc. for keyword bidding, Part 2B-Create A Stronger Community Among WWW.Seniorgold.Com Site Members I believe that this web site has a strong community as long as the above changes are made. This website does provide recreational activities such as casino resort trips and other activities that they could consider joining. Another addition may include the access to play games. For example, Bingo is a recreational game that senior citizens are notorious for. Another feature that I believe is important in creating a strong community is the chat rooms. Senior citizens, since retirement or death of a loved one, feel a little lonely at times. I feel this is a great opportunity for them to communicate with other people without spending money. This website does have chat rooms. My experience of trying to enter a chat room, became well, quite discouraging. Under â€Å"Directory Word Search† I typed in â€Å"chat†. Once I got to the next page, it did not take me to any chat rooms or choice from various ones. Instead, it took me to a page where I could find out where my roots come from!!! After scrolling down almost to the bottom of the page, I found a link to chat and clicked on it. I never reached a chat room. The website needs to create word searches that facilitate the search, not make it more difficult. In addition to chat rooms, I think it should develop a variety of rooms where people can interconnect discussing similar hobbies such as golf, or crocheting, etc. Senior citizens need a sense of community and what best way to do it than by helping them find other people who feel the same!

Marooned in Iraq Essay

Marooned in Iraq is a film by Bahman Ghobadi set on the border of Iran and Iraq. Wherein people who lives in Kurdistan experiences a precarious life. The Kurds experiences how it feels to live in a cold, sleazy camp for refugees near Iran’s border. The cruelty of Saddam Hussein was greatly felt by the loved ones who remained alive. They were the ones who are left facing the daily deluge brought about by Iraq’s bomber jets that are streaking across the sky. However this film is made   more meaningful by Ghobadi by having a mixture of laughter and tears. This made the film more appealing to the viewers and more enjoyable to watch.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The movie revolves on the life of a Kurdish family who are musically inclined. It is lead by the elder Kurdish whose name is Mirza who is in quest for the woman who was gone them two decades before. He was left by his wife and goes with another man to another place. Mirza then decided to take courage and travel beyond the borders of Iran together with his two sons Barat and Audeh.   They experienced great squabbling among themselves but their interaction is really humorous. The humor added to lessen the tension of the scenes makes up a light and enjoyed viewers. Some example of this is when they are caught in a troubled situation like when their motorcycles are stolen by some bandits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are metaphorical and symbolisms used by Ghobadi on the film Marooned in Iraq. He carefully unveils the situation of the Kurdish people under the regime of Saddam Hussein. The film was set during 189 and 1991 where Kurdish are in great depression under Hussein. Many lives were killed and families whoa re left behind greatly suffered. The Iranian revolution is the time when Barat was left by his wife. In the film there is no clear image given about the Kurdish wife. This implies how women during that revolution have been robbed of their humanity. Women singers like Hannareh (Mirza’s wife) are silenced and are not capable of speaking of themselves. The title itself of thefilm symbolizes how the Kurdish people were isolated during that time. Chaotic, traumatic and harsh experienced under the claws of Hussein. On the other hand, there are some exemptions on being Marooned in Iraq this is because some of the characters in the film do find their ways. A ray of hope is still visible in the film which gives the Kurdish people a situation where they can think and do ways to reach lberty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the pursuit of Mirza and his two sons Barat and Audeh continues for Hannareh, they came to learn and understand more the life of being a Kurdish. Through this characters Ghobadi tries to expose the situation during that time. The three lead characters witnessed the frightful devastation received by Iraq from both U.S bombs and Saddam Hussein’s bloody troops. To lighten up the situation Ghobadi uses an approach of adding up humor and beauty along the journey of the three characters. This made the viewers understand more about Kurdish identities. How strength and determination allows the characters to stand amidst the adversities in their way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ghobadi made the film to make a distinction about the Kurdish people. The diversity of the characters in dealing with the situation and how the essence of family floats amidst conflicts and depression. Mirza portaryed his father image by commanding his two sons to go with him for his search of his wife.   Barat shows willingness to cooperate with his father but but Audeh made some complaints because of leaving behind his 7 wives and 11 daughters. This shows the lifestyle of some Kurdish male who settles for many families. But sooner in the film Audeh decided to go withhis father and brother because it is an opportunity for him to find another wife who will bear him a son. This depicts the fact how Kurdish values having a male born offspring in their families. The director used the idea of making the characters in the film portray being musicians to lighten the atmosphere in exposing the situation of the country in that time. While the three are set to travel and does performances along the way, they came across victims of chemical warfare. They also experienced being abducted by thieves who buried them alive upto their necks as their motorcycle and warm clothes are stolen. Some practices were also exposed by the director in the film like the scene when the lead characters came to attend an Iranian wedding. Later on the two sons finds their solace when Barat met a woman he constantly sees in the film but this grieving woman is always being stopped by the police and forced to do some military services. Audeh on the other hand no longer finds his supposedly 8th wife but he was able to find some orphans who will make nice sons. Mirza was also able to find his own surprise and his two sons made their happy return to their home.   Ã‚   The film is set in a rhythmic and dramatic mode that made it more interesting. This is a story of reality with some moments of humor to break the harsh reality being experienced that time. Although villages have been scourged by Saddam Hussein during his reign of terror, the people are resilient enough to find their ways of surviving.

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Research Paper Example The advancement in technology can promote or facilitate this functioning by introducing new ideas. Innovation is the key. This means that different synergies can come into play and promote the creation and adoption of new applications (Birman 201). This paper will examine the networking and distributed systems applications and identify how they assist IT in performing basic functions. Detail study of networking and distributed systems A set of machines that are networked together ensure that these applications run smoothly. This network works to attain a common objective or goal. Through the use of networks and distributed systems, the exchange of data is made possible and much easier. All the components present perform their functions as required. They all work to provide services to users and at whatever time they need these services. Networking enables other technologies to take centre stage in the running of operations (Birman 207). Online entertainment is one example of what net working is capable of offering users. Distributed systems allow for the study of computer components. The coordination patterns in the collection are identified and studied through the distributed systems. There is a need to have detailed infrastructure in the creation of these components. All the applications protect the user’s delicate information (Birman 209). This feature was not available in the past as user information was easy to find if the right knowledge was put to task. Nowadays, it takes more than hitting the right keys to access a user’s information. Advantages of networking and distributed systems One of the advantages that these applications offer IT is an avenue to use more speed and accuracy in daily activities. In the past, this was not as easy as it is in present time. They were more expensive and tough to maintain than they are presently. These applications are more common nowadays as individuals are willing to use them to approach different areas i n their fields of work. Tasks can now be completed simultaneously through these applications. Calculations may also be carried out without many problems occurring in the system. They offer users quality in the work they are chosen to carry out and they are reliable (Birman 212). A likely advantage that needs to be taken into account for these applications is their predictability. The memory and real-time focus of these applications offer users enough time to concentrate on the tasks present and finish them without fear of losing data in case of power or system failure. The infrastructure that is used in putting these applications together is capable of fostering cooperation between all the components present. This collection of components prepares the user for anything that might prove tough to an ordinary system. This advantage makes the applications efficient, reliable and fast in this ever-expanding technological world (Birman 257). Problems the applications face One of the main problems these applications face is the inadequate techniques and methods that are used to manufacture and control these systems. Single processes are what are used in many cases. This makes the system lack the quality that is required of such performance components. Stringent performance requirements are meant to lead to the creation of distributed systems that are of high quality. However, this is not usually the case when it comes to the said

La Misma Luna Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

La Misma Luna - Essay Example La Misma Luna is a modern day film that takes the viewers on a journey. The setting of the film varies significantly, but presents different environment and situation that the character finds himself. Besides, the setting ranges from lavish cities and restaurants in Los Angels to poverty-stricken background of the boy. In addition, the boy finds himself in the truck as he illegal gets immigrated by coyotes. The director of the film in bringing out the crude mode of trans-border dubious strategies succeeded in highlighting reckless police checks at the border. As the film progresses, the boy finds himself at the edge of being caught by the police. In the same scene, some women dresses provocatively around the restaurant suggestive of females working in the sex trade. In addition, men characters are seen wearing small boxer shorts an indication of immorality at the restaurants where immigrants find themselves working. The film portrays a woman smoking, men drinking beer and using derogatory language as they watch a football match. La Misma Luna â€Å" you bastard come here†. It is, therefore, certain that through costume designs immorality is brought to focus. In Mexico, the scenes appear darker an indication of sheer poverty. In addition, the Rosario, the leading protagonist is among the few lucky people to enjoy the bright U.S environment. In one of the scenes, Rosario is awakened by an alarm and she shouts "Are you up?" However, the lighting and the scene changes to Mexico to Carlitos as he prepares to leave in pursuit of his mother. In this scene, the lighting, costumes and setting helps to bring out the contrast of life in these two different worlds. The boy meets a benevolent fellow migrant Enrique although they separated shortly after crossing border. In this scene, the three-pointer light use helps in unraveling the boy emotional

Latin American Region Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Latin American Region - Essay Example Latin American countries share a common preference for family over community needs. This is a stereotype that Latin Americans are particularly proud of because it shows their tight knit family and positive family values. It is no secret that the region suffers from severe poverty and inequality. This is no stereotype; it is the harsh reality most Latin Americans face every single day. Some regions barely have access to basic necessities like clean water and irrigation. When it comes to politics, Latin Americans also share a penchant for left-wing affiliations and guerilla wars, as well as a widespread smattering of military coups and sieges. Most Latin American countries share another undesirable yet common trait-various states of insurgency and overall political and economic uncertainty. These factors continue to drive a wedge between the region's many countries, sowing division and conflicts among Latin American countries. Jorge G. Castaeda talked about these groups in his article entitled Latin America's Left Turn (http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/politics/left.htm) published in May/June 2006. In the article, Mr. Castaeda related, "But understanding the reasons behind these developments requires recognizing that there is not one Latin American left today; there are two. One is modern, open-minded, reformist, and internationalist, and it springs, paradoxically, from the hard-core left of the past. The other, born of the great tradition of Latin American populism, is nationalist, strident, and close-minded. The first is well aware of its past mistakes (as well as those of its erstwhile role models in Cuba and the Soviet Union) and has changed accordingly. The second, unfortunately, has not." Factors that Divide Latin American Countries For years, the countries have been divided by guerrilla wars, military coups, strikes, assassinations, demonstrations and other means to overthrow the ruling parties. The region's political scene has been going through a major overhaul in the past several years after decades of uncertainty and countless administrations later. Conflicts between the traditional elitists and the new groups including the student and peasant movement, the labor unions, leftist revolutionaries remained, resulting in continuing instability. The Latin American countries' political and economic struggles have been very colorful. For decades, most of the region's countries have been a fixture of the political equator's far left. The region has seen the rise and fall of dictators and leaders as well as the ebb and flow of the countries' respective economies. Just over a decade ago, Latin America was about to usher in a new era of economic progress and democracy. Alas, a lot can happen in a decade. From Venezuela to Mexico, Brazil to Uruguay, Bolivia to Peru and even Nicaragua-Latin America is now the silent witness to the rise and apparent return of the leftist movements across the region. Factors that Unite Latin American Countries The one thing that creates a homogeneous environment among Latin American co