Sample Question

Sample Question 5312 Fall 2009 Student:___________________________________________________________________ 1. Corporate governance include concerns about: A. business ethics and social responsibility. B. the responsibilities of the board of directors. C. equitable treatment of stakeholders. D. disclosures and transparency. E. all of the above. 2. The most powerful corporate governance legislation to date has been: A. the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002. B. the creation of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. C. Corporate Ethics Code of 2005. D. the regulation of inventory management practices by the SEC. . The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 does not specifically prohibit an independent auditor from performing the following non-audit function(s) for an audit client: A. financial information systems design and implementation. B. internal audit outsourcing services. C. tax services. D. â€Å"expert† services. E. SOX specifically prohibits an independent audi tor from performing all of all of the non-audit services for an audit client. 4. Which is the following descriptions is not one of the â€Å"Seven Financial Shenanigans† identified by Howard Schilit and listed in Exhibit 10-1: A. ecording revenue too soon or that is of a questionable quality. B. boosting income with one-time gains. C. failing to record intangible assets which the company has ownership rights to. D. shifting future expenses to the current period as a special charge. E. failing to record or improperly reducing liabilities. 5. The explanatory notes to the financial statements: A. should be referred to if more than a cursory, and perhaps misleading impression of a firm's financial position and its results of operations is to be achieved. B. are not an integral part of the financial statements. C. nclude a great deal of detailed information that is potentially useful only to a financial analyst making a detailed appraisal of the future prospects of the entity. D. are used by many entities to hide information from the reader of the financial statements by including in the explanatory notes information that should be shown in detail on the financial statements themselves. 6. The nature and content of disclosures relate to all of the following except: A. accounting changes. B. segment information. C. fair market value. D. contingencies and commitments. E. events subsequent to the balance sheet date. . Which of the following is nota topic that is likely to be discussed as a significant accounting policy? A. Depreciation method. B. Earnings per share of common stock calculation details. C. Inventory valuation method. D. Method of estimating uncollectible accounts receivable. 8. The explanatory notes to the financial statements: A. are not an integral part of the financial statements. B. explain the significant accounting policies of the company. C. usually disclose the amount of the company's bad debts expense. D. describe management's product de velopment plans for the coming year. 9.Significant accounting policies are described in the explanatory notes to the financial statements because: A. there isn't enough space for them to be included in the captions of the financial statements. B. if the accrual basis of accounting is used, â€Å"matching† of revenues and expenses may not take place. C. the reader must be aware of which of the alternative generally accepted accounting practices have been used. D. none of the above. 10. When an entity changes its accounting from one generally accepted method to another generally accepted method: A. financial statements of all prior years are changed to maintain comparability. B. n explanatory note stating that the change was approved by the Financial Accounting Standards Board is required. C. the dollar effect of the change on both the balance sheet and income statement must be disclosed. D. changes like this are not permitted. 11. The impact of changing price levels on amounts reported in financial statements is: A. reported as a separate item on the balance sheet. B. accomplished by reporting assets at their replacement cost. C. required to be described in the explanatory notes to the financial statements. D. encouraged, but not required to be described in the explanatory notes to the financial statements. 2. Management's statement of responsibility: A. explains that the entity's financial statements are the responsibility of the entity's auditors. B. states that the financial statements are free of significant error. C. affirms that management is responsible for assuring adherence to internal control policies and procedures. D. guarantees that the firm has operated in a highly ethical manner. 13. Firms that issue registered securities are required to file, with the SEC on an annual basis, which of the following? A. An annual report. B. A prospectus. C. A form 10-K. D. A set of financial statements. E.All of the above. 14. A firm's cash dividends were $ 3. 96 per share of common stock for calendar 2006. In 2007 the stock was split 3 for 1, and in 2008 a 10% stock dividend was issued. Dividends per share for 2006, to be reported in the firm's annual report for 2008, are: A. $3. 96 B. $1. 45 C. $1. 32 D. $1. 20 15. Business segment information is included in the explanatory notes to financial statements because: A. the amounts shown on the financial statements of most companies are just too large to comprehend. B. current and potential investors can make more informed judgments about the company. C. et income from various geographic areas can be clearly determined. D. by combining these amounts for each segment, ROI and funds flows for the company as a whole can be determined. 16. For 2006, Skresso Co. reported $3. 64 of earnings per share of common stock. During 2007 the firm had a 4% common stock dividend. 2006 earnings per share to be reported in the annual report for 2007 are: A. $3. 79 B. $3. 64 C. $3. 50 D. $3. 49 17. Managemen t's statement of responsibility: A. usually refers to the company's system of internal controls. B. emphasizes that the auditors are responsible for the financial statements. C. ncludes a disclaimer of responsibility for the level of the P/E ratio of the company's common stock. D. gives the president of the company an opportunity to explain why profits changed. 18. Which of the following is the proper paragraph sequence for an independent Auditor's Report? A. Scope, introduction, opinion. B. Introduction, scope, opinion. C. Opinion, scope, summary. D. Introduction, opinion, scope. 19. A firm's independent auditors have the responsibility to: A. assess the firm's accounting policies. B. ascertain the firm's profit potential. C. uncover all fraudulent activities. D. assess management's discussion and analysis. 0. The independent auditors' report usually: A. presents a â€Å"clean bill of health† for the company. B. refers to the quality of the company's products or services. C. includes an opinion that the financial statements are correct. D. includes an opinion that the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, financial information about the company. 21. An audit conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards includes each of the following except: A. examination, on a test basis, of evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. B. valuation of the efficiency and effectiveness of management. C. assessment of the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management. D. planning and performance of the audit to obtain reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free of material misstatements. 22. Which one of the following methods is no longer a Generally Accepted Accounting Method? A. Purchase accounting. B. Fair market value method. C. Pooling method. D. None of the Above. 23. Which of the following require an explanatory note in the independent auditors' report. A. basing the opinion on the work of another auditor.B. Uncertainties about the outcome of a significant event that would have affected the presentation of the financial statement. C. Substantial doubt about the entity's viability to continue as a going concern. D. None of the above. E. Items a, b and c are correct. 24. A management that wanted to increase the financial leverage of its firm would: A. raise additional capital by selling common stock. B. use excess cash to purchase preferred stock for the treasury. C. raise additional capital by selling fixed interest rate long-term bonds. D. try to increase its ROI by increasing asset turnover. 25.For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, a company reported earnings per share of $3. 25 and cash dividends per share of $0. 50. During fiscal 2008, the company had a 3 for 2 stock split. In the annual report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, earnings per share and cash dividends for fiscal 2007 would be reported, respecti vely, as: A. $3. 25 and $0. 50 B. $4. 85 and $0. 75 C. $2. 17 and $0. 33 D. $1. 09 and $0. 17 26. Financial leverage: A. arises because most borrowed funds have a fixed interest rate. B. arises because most borrowed funds have a variable interest rate. C. usually has no bearing on the risk associated with a company.D. is a concept that does not apply to individuals. 27. A potential creditor's judgment about granting credit would be most influenced by the potential customer's: A. current ratio at the end of the prior fiscal year. B. most recent acid-test ratio. C. trend of acid-test ratio over the past three years. D. practice with respect to taking cash discounts offered by current suppliers. 28. Another term for the price/earnings ratio is: A. cost ratio. B. sales multiple. C. earnings multiple. D. profit ratio. 29. An entity's current ratio will be influenced by: A. the inventory cost flow assumption used. B. riting off an overdue account receivable against the allowance for uncol lectible accounts. C. the depreciation method used. D. issuance of a stock dividend. 30. If a firm's debt ratio were 25%, its debt/equity ratio would be: A. 25%. B. 50%. C. 33. 33%. D. 75%. 31. An individual interested in making a judgment about the profitability of a company should: A. review the trend of working capital for several years. B. calculate the company's ROI for the most recent year. C. review the trend of the company's ROI for several years. D. compare the company's ROI for the most recent year with the industry average ROI for the most recent year. 2. Which of the following is not a category of financial statement ratios? A. Financial leverage. B. Liquidity. C. Profitability. D. Prospectus. 33. When a firm has financial leverage: A. ROI will be greater than ROE. B. ROI will usually be less than it would be without leverage. C. risk is greater than if there isn't any leverage. D. the firm will always have a higher ROE than it would without leverage. 34. When a corporat ion has both common stock and preferred stock outstanding: A. dividends on preferred stock are paid only if the company has current earnings. B. ividends on preferred stock must be paid before dividends on common stock can be paid. C. preferred stockholders receive the same dividend per share as common stockholders. D. dividends on preferred stock are paid only if dividends are to be paid on the common stock. 35. A leverage buyout refers to: A. one firm issues stock to take over another firm. B. one firm trades its stock for the stock of another firm. C. a firm goes heavily into debt in order to obtain the funds to purchase the shares of the public stockholders. D. one firm pays cash for the shares of a takeover firm's shares. 36.The dividend payout ratio describes: A. the proportion of earnings paid as dividends. B. the relationship of dividends per share to market price per share. C. the percentage change in dividends this year compared to last year. D. dividends as a percentage o f the price/earnings ratio. 37. The price/earnings ratio: A. is a measure of the relative expensiveness of a firm's common stock. B. does not usually change by more than 1. 0 (e. g. 8. 2 to 9. 2) during the year. C. can be used to determine the cash dividend to be received during the year. D. is calculated by dividing the earnings multiple by net income. 38.If a firm's payment terms for sales made on account to its customers were 2/10, n30, the number of days' sales in accounts receivable would be expected to be: A. less than 10. B. between 10 and 25. C. between 25 and 40. D. over 40. 39. A common size income statement: A. uses the same dollar amount of revenues for each year. B. expresses items as a percentage of revenues. C. makes comparisons between years more difficult. D. is useful in estimating the impact of inflation. 40. Management's use of resources can best be evaluated by focusing on measures of: A. liquidity. B. activity. C. leverage. D. book value. 41.Asset turnover cal culations: A. are made by dividing the average asset balance during the year by the sales for the year. B. are made by dividing sales for the year by the asset balance at the end of the year. C. communicate information about how promptly the entity pays its bills. D. should be evaluated by observing the turnover trend over a period of time. 42. The comparison of activity measures of different companies is complicated by the fact that: A. different inventory cost flow assumptions may be used. B. dollar amounts of assets may be significantly different. C. only one of the companies may have preferred stock outstanding.D. the number of shares of common stock issued may be significantly different. 43. A higher P/E ratio means that: A. the stock is more reasonably priced. B. the stock is relatively expensive. C. investors are wary of the stock. D. earnings are expected to decrease. 44. Which of the following is(are) an example of a measure of leverage? A. Debt yield. B. Debt payout ratio. C. Preferred dividend coverage ratio. D. Debt/equity ratio. E. All of the above. 45. The inventory turnover calculation: A. is wrong unless cost of goods sold is used in the numerator. B. is wrong unless sales is used in the numerator. C. s an alternative way of expressing the number of days' sales in inventory. D. requires knowledge of the inventory cost flow assumption being used. 46. Book value per share of common stock of a manufacturing company: A. is not a very useful measure most of the time. B. is calculated by dividing market value per share by earnings per share. C. reflects the fair market value of the company's stock. D. is the same as the total balance sheet asset value per share of common stock. 47. If the P/E ratio of a company's common stock were 12, and its earnings were $ 2. 50 per common share: A. the market value of the common stock would be $20. 3 per share. B. the market value of the common stock would be $25. 00 per share. C. an increase in earnings of $0. 20 per share, with no change in the multiple, would result in a market price increase of $2. 40 per share. D. an increase in earnings of $0. 20 per share, with no change in the multiple, would result in a market price increase of $1. 67 per share. 48. The concept of operating leverage refers to which of the following? A. Operating income changes proportionately more than revenues for any given change in activity level. B. Operating income changes proportionately less than revenues for any given change in activity level.C. Operating income changes proportionately more than income for any given change in activity level. D. Operating income changes proportionately less than income for any given change in activity level. 49. As the total volume of activity changes: A. the total of variable costs changes. B. the total of fixed costs changes. C. variable costs per unit change. D. fixed costs per unit stay the same. 50. A firm has revenues of $120,000, a contribution margin ratio of 30%, and fixed expenses that total $56,000. If revenues increase $20,000, then: A. operating income will increase by $6000. B. operating income will be 0.C. fixed expenses will increase $8000. D. the contribution margin ratio will increase by 1/8. 51. Each of a company's several product lines has a different contribution margin ratio. Total sales in 2007 were 20% higher than total sales in 2006. Total contribution margin for 2007 will be: A. the same as it was in 2006, regardless of changes in sales mix. B. 20% higher than it was in 2006, regardless of changes in sales mix. C. more than 20% higher than it was in 2006, if the sales mix changes and proportionately more high contribution margin ratio products are sold in 2007 than in 2006. D. ess than 20% higher than it was in 2006, if the sales mix changes and proportionately more high contribution margin ratio products are sold in 2007 than in 2006. For questions 52, 53, 66, 79 and 84 the following graph is needed. [pic] 52. If sales volume were to decrease 10%, from 4,000 units per month to 3,600 units per month, operating income would: A. not change B. decrease $10,000 C. decrease $24,000 D. decrease $40,000 53. If the selling price per unit were to drop $2, from $100 to $98, the sales volume were to increase 500 units to 4,500 units per month, and advertising expense were to increase by $1,000: A. he break-even point would increase. B. the break-even point would decrease. C. the contribution margin ratio would increase. D. operating income would decrease. 54. The cost of a single unit of production in excess of the breakeven point in units is: A. its fixed cost and variable cost. B. its fixed cost only. C. its variable cost only. D. none of the above. For questions 55 and 64 the following graph is needed. [pic] 55. Using the high-low method, the variable rate for maintenance is: A. $0. 40 B. $0. 80 C. $1. 20 D. $2. 50 56. The term â€Å"relevant range† refers to: A. the range of activity where costs will fluc tuate. B. he range of activity where fixed costs change as activity changes. C. the range of activity where total variable cost remains constant as activity changes. D. the range of activity where cost relationships are valid. 57. A firm's products have an average contribution margin ratio of 40%, which will be maintained for the next month even though fixed expenses are expected to rise by $20,000. In order to keep operating income for the month from being affected, revenues will have to increase by: A. $ 8,000 B. $12,000 C. $20,000 D. $50,000 58. The cost formula for monthly customer order processing cost has been established as $100 + $0. 5 per order. It is expected that 5,600 orders will be processed in May and 6,400 in June. Total order processing costs for May and June combined will be estimated to be: A. $ 940 B. $1,060 C. $2,000 D. $2,500 59. The contribution margin ratio always decreases when the: A. breakeven point decreases. B. fixed expenses increase. C. selling price in creases and the variable costs remain constant. D. variable cost increase and the selling price remains constant. 60. Knowledge about the behavior pattern of a cost is important to understanding the effect on net income of a change in sales volume because as sales volume changes: A. et income will change proportionately. B. the effect on net income will depend on the behavior pattern of various costs. C. fixed costs will rise proportionately. D. variable costs will not change. 61. Management accounting is: A. a highly technical subject that people in personnel or engineering should not be expected to understand. B. performed by individuals who seldom work with people in other functional areas of the organization. C. the principal activity involved in determining the goals and objectives of the entity. D. an activity that gets involved with virtually all of the other functional areas of the organization. 62.What percentage of the contribution margin is profit on units sold in excess of the breakeven point? A. It's 50% to the contribution margin ratio. B. It's equal to the variable cost ratio. C. It's equal of the gross profit ratio. D. It's 100%. 63. ABU Co. has several products, each with a different contribution margin ratio. If the same number of units were sold in July as in June, but the sales mix changed: A. operating income would be the same in June and July. B. fixed expenses in July would be in a different relevant range than in June. C. the company's overall contribution margin ratio would be the same in June and July.D. total contribution margin in July would be different from that in June. 64. Using the high-low method, the monthly fixed component of maintenance cost is: A. $1,600 B. $1,200 C. $1,100 D. $1,300 65. When the cost behavior pattern has been identified as fixed at a certain volume of activity: A. any change in volume will probably cause the cost to change. B. it is appropriate to express the cost on a per unit of activity basis. C. the t otal cost will not change even if the volume of activity changes substantially. D. the total cost may change if the volume of activity changes substantially. 66.The break-even point volume of units is: A. 0 B. 360 C. 720 D. 1000 67. An example of a cost likely to have a fixed behavior pattern is: A. sales force commission. B. production labor wages. C. advertising cost. D. electricity cost for packaging equipment. 68. The formula for expressing the total of a fixed, variable, or mixed cost at any level of activity is: A. total cost = fixed cost + (variable rate * volume of activity) B. total cost = fixed cost * volume of activity C. total cost = fixed cost * variable rate D. total cost = fixed cost – variable cost 69. As the level of activity decreases: A. fixed cost per unit decrease.B. variable cost per unit decrease. C. fixed cost remains constant in total. D. variable cost remains constant in total. 70. The contribution margin format income statement is organized by: A. r esponsibility centers. B. functional classifications. C. sales territories. D. cost behavior classifications. 71. As the level of activity increases: A. fixed cost per unit increase. B. variable cost per unit increase. C. variable cost per unit decrease. D. fixed cost per unit decrease. 72. Managerial accounting supports the management process most significantly by: A. measuring and reporting financial results after the fact.B. determining the goals and objectives of the entity. C. providing estimates of financial results for various plans. D. establishing operating policies to be followed during a period of time. 73. An example of a cost that is likely to have a variable behavior pattern is: A. sales force salaries. B. depreciation of production equipment. C. salaries of production supervisors. D. production labor wages. 74. A 10% change in a firm's revenues is likely to result in a change of more than 10% in the firm's operating income because: A. not all of the firm's costs will change in proportion to the revenue change.B. the firm has financial leverage. C. the contribution margin ratio will change in proportion to the revenue change. D. only fixed expenses will change in proportion to the revenue change. 75. An example of a cost likely to have a mixed behavior pattern is: A. sales force commission. B. raw material cost. C. depreciation of production equipment. D. electricity cost for the manufacturing plant. 76. Cost behavior refers to: A. costs that are both good and bad. B. costs that increase at a quicker rate than others. C. costs that decrease at a quicker rate than others. D. costs that are variable or fixed. E. one of the above. 77. Which of the following statements doesnot describe a characteristic of management accounting? A. Management accounting must conform to GAAP. B. Approximate amounts rather than accurate amounts or refined estimates are often used in management accounting. C. Management accounting places a great deal of emphasis on the f uture. D. Management accounting is more concerned with units of the organization rather than with the organization as a whole. 78. Simplifying assumptions made when using cost behavior pattern data include: A. relevant range and liquidity. B. fixed activity and linearity.C. relevant range and linearity. D. activity range and variability. 79. The contribution margin ratio is: A. 40% B. 60% C. 62. 5% D. 70% 80. Which of the following terms do not appear on the contribution margin format income statement: A. gross profit. B. contribution margin. C. operating income. D. variable expenses. 81. A management decision that would have a long term influence on the operating leverage of a firm would be: A. increasing the advertising budget. B. substituting robots for hourly paid production workers. C. increasing prices in proportion to raw material cost increases.D. having a season-end sale of seasonal products. 82. Which of the following activities is not part of the management planning and c ontrol cycle: A. data collection and performance feedback. B. implementation of plans. C. providing information to investors and creditors. D. revisiting plans. 83. The relevant range concept refers to: A. a firm's range of profitability. B. a firm's range of sales. C. a firm's range of rates of return. D. a firm's range of activity. 84. The break-even point in terms of total revenues per month is: A. $30,000 B. $60,000 C. $75,000 D. $100,000 85.When the high-low method of estimating a cost behavior pattern is used: A. cost and volume data must be reviewed for outliers. B. the direct result of the high-low calculations is the fixed expense amount. C. the highest and lowest sales price and volume amounts are used in the calculation. D. the resulting cost formula will explain total cost accurately for every value between the high and low volumes. 86. The shift in the amount of manufacturing overhead costs applied to the mix of products produced that occurs when using a single cost dri ver rate as compared to using activity-based costing rates is known as: A. nderapplied overhead B. overapplied overhead C. cost absorption D. cost distortion 87. An excess of cost of goods manufactured over cost of goods sold for the period represents: A. an increase in gross profit. B. a decrease in work in process inventory. C. overapplied manufacturing overhead. D. an increase in finished goods inventory. 88. A predetermined overhead rate is used to: A. keep track of actual overhead costs as they are incurred. B. assign indirect costs to cost objects. C. establish prices for manufactured products. D. allocate selling and administrative expenses to manufactured products. 9. Which of the following will cause income determined with absorption costing to be higher than income determined with direct costing? A. units produced equals units sold. B. units produced is greater than units sold. C. units produced is less than units sold. D. income determined with absorption costing will alw ays equal income determined with direct costing. 90. The overhead component of product cost is: A. the sum of the actual overhead costs incurred in the manufacture of the product. B. likely to be the same amount for every product made by the company. C. n estimated amount based on labor hours, machine hours, or some other activity. D. determined at the end of the year when actual costs and actual production are known. 91. For the partial value chain functions given below, which sequence is correct? A. design, production, marketing B. marketing, production, distribution C. research and development, production, distribution D. customer service, marketing, distribution 92. Total manufacturing costs for the month on the statement of costs of goods manufactured equals: A. variable costs + fixed costs + mixed costs. B. work in process inventory – finished goods inventory.C. cost of goods sold – cost of goods manufactured. D. cost of raw material used + direct labor cost incu rred + manufacturing overhead applied. 93. An example of a cost likely to have an indirect relationship with products being manufactured: A. production labor costs. B. raw material costs. C. electricity costs for packaging equipment. D. none of the above. 94. Costs may be allocated to a product or activity for many purposes, but care must be exercised when using allocated costs because: A. direct costs identified with the product or activity may not be accurately assigned.B. fixed costs will change in total if the volume of activity changes. C. all costs may not have been allocated to the product or activity. D. arbitrarily allocated costs may not behave in the way assumed in the allocation method. 95. The production cost of a single unit of a manufactured product is determined by: A. dividing total direct materials and direct labor for a production run by the number of units made. B. dividing total direct materials, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead for a production run by t he number of units made. C. ividing total direct materials, direct labor, manufacturing overhead and selling expenses for a production run by the number of units made. D. dividing the selling price by the gross profit ratio. 96. An example of a cost that is likely to have a direct relationship with products being manufactured: A. sales force salaries. B. depreciation of production equipment. C. salaries of production supervisors. D. production labor costs. 97. The sequence of activities that add value to the organization are: A. the value processes. B. the chain of production events. C. the value chain. D. the strategic cost initiatives. 8. Which of the following activities is not included in the organization's value chain? A. marketing. B. finance. C. customer service. D. research and development 99. Cost accounting is a subset of: A. financial accounting. B. process cost accounting. C. job order cost accounting. D. managerial accounting. 100. The three components of product costs are: A. direct material, supervisor salaries, selling expenses. B. direct labor, manufacturing overhead, indirect material. C. direct material, manufacturing overhead, direct labor. D. manufacturing overhead, indirect material, indirect labor.

Slavery Developed in All of the English Colonies of North America. Was This Institution the Same in All the Colonies Did This Form of Labour Have the Same Level of Importance in Each of the Areas? Why or Why Not?

Large-scale African slavery was introduced into the English colonies of North America around the middle of the seventeenth century. Although slavery developed in all of the British colonies, it did not have the same level of importance in each of the areas of settlement. Slavery mainly spread over those areas where there were large plantations of high-value cash crops, such as tobacco, indigo, sugar, rice and coffee. Consequently, in the Chesapeake and the Southern colonies, this form of labour rapidly became the basis of their economies. In New England and the Northern colonies, however, slavery was going to remain peripheral. The settlers? need for cheap labour to work on their plantations was one of the main reasons why the British colonies began to import enslaved Africans. In the Chesapeake area, successful tobacco cultivation required abundant land (since the crop quickly drained soil of nutrients). Consequently, plantations gradually spread out along the region’s rivers and planters quickly found themselves being land rich but labour poor. At first, indentured servants were used as the needed labour. These servants were mainly young English men who, in exchange for their transportation costs, had to provide four to seven years of free labour in the plantations. Once the period of indenture was over, those servants who managed to survive service were given freedom dues. However, in the 1660s, when the supply of indentured servants began to dry up (partly because the English economy improved and people started having better opportunities there) tobacco cultivators turned to a new source of labour: African slaves. Planters first imported already enslaved Africans from Caribbean sugar islands (the â€Å"Atlantic creolesâ€Å") but then, they began to purchase slaves directly from Africa. Although this new labour force was usually more expensive than indentured servants, it proved to be highly profitable because slaves, as well as their offspring, meant a lifetime of service. As a result of the introduction of slavery, society became more stratified: the Chesapeake colonies developed a three-tiered society with planters at the top, few poor farmers in the middle and slaves at the bottom. Because Africans were included among the first colonists to come to South Carolina, they composed one third of its early population. As African slaves had a variety of skills well suited to the semitropical environment of this colony, they contributed significantly to South Carolina’s prosperity: for instance, the cultivation of Carolina’s cash crops, rice and indigo, was only developed on a large scale with the help of skills and techniques of the African slaves. The similarity of South Carolina’s environment to West Africa’s and the large proportion of Africans in the population ensured that many aspects of West African culture survived in this colony: for example, enslaved parents continue to give their children African names, a dialect combining English words with African terms developed, etc. In contrast to the other areas, New England and the northern colonies were not committed to slavery as their chief source of labour. Lacking large-scale agricultural enterprises, these colonies did not demand many slaves. Although slavery was not as profitable to the north as it was to the south, northern colonists did own slaves. In these colonies, since European household servants were hard to find, the slaves owned by the northern settlers were mainly used as domestic servants for the urban elite. Because fewer slaves were introduced into the north, social differences were not as sharp as in the south. The gap between the rich and the poor in New England colonies was narrower than in the Chesapeake colonies. The different level of importance slavery had on the British colonies in North America accentuated the already existing differences between these settlements. To the distinction between cash crops plantations in the Chesapeake area and diversity of economy in the New England colonies was now added this quite dissimilar role of slavery. This distinction between large-scale slavery in the south and near absence of slavery in the north was going to last until to the middle of the nineteenth century. It was not until the American civil war that this situation finally came to an end.

The musculoskeletal System - A Case Study - Short Answers Essay

The musculoskeletal System - A Case Study - Short Answers - Essay Example The wounds can be open or closed. Open wounds are common because the shaft of the tibia is just below the skin and subcutaneous tissue and is not covered with much soft tissue. Most of the tibial shaft fractures are associated with fibular fractures too. In Julia, the fracture occurred due to high speed accident. The fibula was however not involved and the wound was closed. The main sources of pain in Julia are the site of fracture, skin and subcutaneous tissue and the muscles surrounding the tibia. Fracture induces significant amount of inflammation and release of inflammatory mediators with cause pain, swelling, warmth and redness. During fracture, hematoma may be formed which can also cause pain (Rosenberg, 2007). Inflammatory cells, phagocytes and fibroblasts have a major role in the healing process of the fracture. Fracture causes formation of hematoma and a blood clot gets formed between the broken fragments of the fracture. After the initial few days following fracture, blood vessels grow within the clot. These blood vessels allow accumulation of phagocytes to the area which help in the removal of dead tissue. The blood vessels also cause pouring in of fibroblasts which multiply in the walls of the blood vessels and produce collagen fibres. These fibres replace the blood clot. The fibroblasts also lay down bone matrix or calcium hydroxyapatite which helps in the transformation of collagen to bone (Rosenberg, 2007). Factors which promote wound healing in Julia are immobilization, good nutrition, young age and absence of infection (Rosenberg, 2007; Konowalchuk, 2005 and Norvell, 2009). Immobilization is very essential to promote fracture healing. This is because, any movement of the fragments of the fracture hinder the process of healing. Movement disturbs the formation of clot and invasion of blood vessels within the clot. Decrease in the formation of blood vessels prevents invasion of fibroblasts essential for deposition of collagen and bone

Discussion 1,2 and 3 for cis classes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion 1,2 and 3 for cis classes - Essay Example less fluctuating data rates and connectivity .The disadvantages D.S.L line can have are they are wired connections, though the wireless routers can solve this problem but the range of wireless routers is limited to a few hundred meters. Optic fiber: The advantages of fiber optic access are reliable transmission and even in rough weathers it can ensure transmission, however the drawback with fiber optic communication is the availability of infrastructure and is relatively expensive Other sources include Wi-fi from a remote spot, Wimax, advantages to both are ,they provide fast and on the go connectivity, drawbacks can be ,the air medium since transmission is in the form of waves, distortions are likely to be part of system Wimax is a 4th Generation Telecommunication Technology and is acronym for Worldwide Interoperability Microwave Access. It offers number of features and in a way has revolutionized the means of connectivity. Operating in Giga Hertz frequency band, it provides higher data rates, more secure transmissions, less disruptions, it provides data rates as high as 10 Mbps or above ,there are few drawbacks attached to use of Wimax , since all the transmission is based on air waves( unlike D.S.L where optic fiber is used) rough weather can disrupt transmission and can bring about fluctuations .Customer Premises Equipment ( C.P.E) the hardware equipment that is necessary for Wimax connection is slightly expensive .When the source is at a considerable distance from the C.P.E ,loss in quality can be experienced. 3. Explain whether you think professional organizations are embracing Wimax technologies or are reluctant to implement it on a large scale. What is the reasoning for your perspective and what do you feel to be the future outlook on this technology? Large number of organizations and enterprises are fast embracing Wimax as medium for communication and performing daily activities .There are number of reasons to it. The first and foremost is the fast

The Dimensions of the Self Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Dimensions of the Self - Essay Example To summarize my identity is not easy, but in essence, I am a Middle-Eastern, male, middle-class Muslim, Emirati, young adult, who supports racial equality and enjoys talking about politics, business, society, and food. When asked about my ethnicity, I see myself as a national of the UAE, an Emirati. Some people find their ethnicity very important in distinguishing themselves from others in their own country, but I do not feel that way. Some non-UAE people might see me immediately as Arabic or Middle Eastern, but those descriptions are too vague for me. I dislike it when they stereotype me as a sexist because they think all Arabs are anti-women. This is not true because I believe that men and women are created equal in the eyes of God. Most of all, I see myself as an Emirati. Emiratis are known for their hospitality. In my family, we feel honored when we receive guests and socialize with our relatives and friends. In our house, it is common to have visitors dropping by. Family relativ es drop unannounced frequently because my mother is such as a gracious host and a good friend to them. Sometimes, this is good because we are updated about the events about the clan. Their presence can be very refreshing, as they bring their stories and humor to us. Other times, I feel no privacy. My family can be very intrusive at times, but I know this is because they want the best life for me. When our guests are in the house, we enjoy time with them, while drinking coffee or tea and eating sandwiches and fresh dates. My mother is a fantastic cook and baker, so she would invite them to lunch or dinner too. They love my mother’s Al Majboos (beef or chicken recipe) and Al Khabeesah (dessert), as well as her gourmet sandwiches. Maybe they come more for my mother’s great dishes. Though the banter can be so noisy, at the same time, they seem to be so peaceful. These are the voices of my blood and they are my soul too. My ethnicity affects me because it is the basis of my culture. My elders teach me what is right and wrong- the right clothes, the right attitudes at the right places and with the right people, and the right words to say to men, women, and children. They say this because it is Emirati and it is Muslim. They are the sources of our norms. To some people, our norms, especially for women, are very restrictive. But I believe that some conservative values protect men and women alike. As long as women can still access the same quality of life as men, conservative attitudes are not wrong. My age group is a young adult and that affects me as a person too because I am expected to make mature decisions as a student and as a man and to be prepared for family life. Right now, I have the privilege of the youth. My parents are lenient with my activities, as long as I have good grades in school and remain focused on my studies. Of course, they also want me to be a dedicated Muslim, wherever I may be. In addition, my age is the time when people prepare them for arranged marriages. My family still practices arranged marriages, but they do not force their children and relatives to marry strangers nowadays. They are not concerned with how much they will get for these marriages, but they want me to marry an Emirati as well.

Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Questions - Essay Example As is indicated in the last example, not all of these texts need necessarily remain within the realm of written text to be considered a part of the literary collection. While there are a variety of formats, including ballads, epics, novels and films, and a variety of subjects that can be treated in both fictional and non-fictional approaches, there is a common theme that runs through all literature. Regardless of the format, approach or subject, though, all recognized literature has the common element of investigation into the depths of what it means to be human. The most important purpose of literature is this exploration as it reveals to us the ideal of what we as a species can accomplish. The literary theme that intrigues me the most is the theme of following your dreams. I think the reason for this is because we are so often taught to do differently. From our youngest childhood, we are confronted with the opposing ideas of following our dreams in the fairy tales and fantasy literature of our youth while our schools, parents and society continue to batter us with ideas of planning for the future, making sensible decisions and following the ‘right’ track. In stories like Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, it is only through the relentless pursuit of dreams regardless of any obstacles that eventually wins the mermaid her prince. This is a concept that is repeated again and again through literature right into the present age with such stories as the recent remake of the Cinderella story Ever After. I think it is interesting that even in the modern films and novels produced within the past few years, the underlying message remains that the happiest and most fulfilled individuals in life, the most successful, are those who have ignored the teachings of society in order to follow their heart yet society only seems to get louder regarding the importance of business-related career paths rather than permitting exploration into liberal arts

Stalin's Effects on Society and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stalin's Effects on Society and Politics - Essay Example Further, by forging a communist bloc from Asia to Europe, Stalin helped to form the basic framework of international politics in the second half of the twentieth century (Kopstein & Lichbach: 212-213). The Soviet dictator Josef Stalin was a convinced communist as well as a staunch supporter of Lenin’s ideas about party organization. He was able to gain unprecedented political power, rising to the highest position in the Leninist party based on his better institutional supports, organizational skills, ideological concepts, his implacable loyalty to the party as well as faith in its eventual triumph. Stalin did his best to enforce Leninist principles of â€Å"democratic centralism†, of strict party discipline and control over a hostile society (Kopstein & Lichbach: 214). Several issues confronted Marxists in the Soviet Union, following their revolutionary victory, such as, how to build â€Å"socialism† in a predominantly peasant country without the support of proletarian revolutions in more advanced capitalist countries. The policies that were formulated and implemented by Stalin, ultimately destroyed millions of people and left a heavy burden of economic conditions as a legacy for post-Soviet Russia. Yet, Stalinism was the most consistent ideological position that could successfully be adopted after Lenin’s death, as compared to the three opposing positions adopted by Stalin’s opponents belonging to the Left, the Right and the Orthodox Center. The Left was headed by the famous revolutionary Leon Trotsky who incited Soviet workers to redouble their efforts to rapidly build a strong industrial infrastructure, and argued that the Bolsheviks should stive to foment revolutions throughout western Europe. However, Trotsky’s pow er and influence declined rapidly by 1924, with party members and ordinary workers tiring of revolutionary appeals after three years of world war, a year of revolution and three years of

Detailed Character Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Detailed Character Description - Essay Example In the attack his wife was murdered and Earl received severe injuries resulting in amnesia. Earl in a story possesses round character as he has many complex traits. As we go further reading the story it can be seen that Earl possesses emotional personality. This trait became part of his personality after the unpleasant event took place in his life. Despite of his illness and unreliable memory he tried to remain focused this shows his consistent behavior. Earl has courageous nature which helped him to escape from mental institution. This also shows his risk taking nature as he did not care about the consequences and escaped from the hospital. Not only was this he was highly determined in pursuit of killing his wife’s murderer that he developed different ways to preserve his memory. As mentioned in the story he uses letters and tattoos to keep track of various information. Since Earl is depicted as the most tragic character of the story but despite of his tragic life he remained much focused and throughout the story he did not allow his illness to overrule his mission (to kill his wife murderers). His attempt to achieve his aim shows his hardworking nature and serious nature. He is portrayed as highly motivated character of the story and due to his motivation he was able to accomplish his mission of reaching to his wife murderers. Faith is an important personality trait of Earl. He had strong faith in himself that helped him to carry on his mission throughout the story. Jonathon Nolan described Earl as a serious character of the story who had not shown signs of silliness despite of his mental illness. There were times when he faced situation of desperation but this desperation was not because of his personality but it was due to his mental illness. Because of his strong character he did not let desperation to rule him instead he administered it wisely. There were many positive characteristics possessed by Earl but it is important to mention

Science solves all the problems about where we come from Essay Example for Free

Science solves all the problems about where we come from Essay Science, it is arguable, has opened the eyes of humanity and rid us the ignorance that we once lived each and every day of our lives in. it has helped us to come to scientifically sound and empirically based theories that are now universally accepted. One such example of a theory that empirically seems to prove scientifically, rather than religiously, where humanity came from is the theory of Evolution. This seemed to lead many people to accept the above statement. This is because it proved that there was a natural explanation of the existence of humanity, rather than the supernatural biblical account that was so popular in the Victorian Age. Charles Darwin, the mind behind the theory, would certainly agree with the statement as he seemed to have done the impossible: prove scientifically that God did very little, if anything, to create humanity itself. Instead of being created on the sixth day of Gods impossible creation, we evolved through the very slow and very natural process of natural selection. This was added to the undeniable evidence of fossils that were being found in layers of the rocks of the earth that was found due to the very new and promising science of Geology: fossils of animals that do not exist and that have no place or mention in the Genesis account of creation. Fundamentalist Christians had feeble replies to these findings, showing the limits to which their faith was being tested. Darwins theory is also, now, widely accepted by nearly all scientists and many theists as being the truth of the origins of humanity through a purely scientific method of research. A philosopher who whole-heartedly supported Darwins theory with no room for doubt was Richard Dawkins. In his book, The Greatest Show on Earth, he claims that although almost 40% of Americans who dont believe in evolution, believe that it was created in the last 10,000 years or so, as it is stated in the Bible. He feels that if only this 40% was exposed to the evidence for evolution, then they couldnt possible believe this. Although some people would argue that evolution seems almost incapable to create humanity in such a short time span, Dawkins claims that dogs and cabbages and pigs and cows have all been changed in huge ways in a very short time, maybe a couple of centuries, a couple of millennia, in a his new book. The then goes on to muse that the earth has been in existence for hundreds of millennia, and this time frame gives us a great deal of time for evolution to take place and transform single-celled amoeba into fully functional human beings. Dawkins also states that although fossils are a very persuasive method of proving that evolution happened, its not as important as other findings. These include things such as the molecular comparisons of animals, radioactive dating and also the geographical distribution of animals. Dawkins thoroughly believes that if we assume evolution to be true, then everything we see in the world is evidence for it. Everything in the world is how it should be if evolution is true. Through this, Dawkins believes that science can, solve the problems about where we come from and, also, any other problems we may be encountered with. However, someone who would strongly disagree with Darwin, and through him, Dawkins, is Samuel Wilberforce. He was a bishop of Oxford and also led the attack against Darwins theory, six months after he published it. He claimed, in an article in the Quarterly Review, that the theory of evolution showed a tendency to limit Gods glory in creation. Wilberforce felt that humans have superior reasoning to all other animals: we are able to reason what is best out of a situation, as opposed to simply acting on instinct and impulse with a complete disregard for the consequences. If evolution is correct and our reasoning was to have stemmed from it, then all animals, by now, should have developed the ability to reason and ignore powerful instincts that deprive them of the ability to be civilised. However, we are the only animals to have developed this skill and other animals, even now, have shown no sign of developing the same, or a similar, skill. With this in mind, Wilberforce felt that if evolution is correct, then it does not even come close to explaining our ability to reason, or even the emotions of humans and animals. However, in response to this, Robert Wright feels that post-Darwin Darwinists have solved this issue. Feelings such as lust and hunger have been passed down through evolution as those who eat more are more likely to survive and those who have sex more are more likely to pass on their characteristics in their genes. Even favour of high status, he claims, can be pin-pointed to evolution: humans are socially competitive as high social status brings improved access to mates, so genes that fuel the pursuit of status fare well. He also feels that even gossiping can be traced through back to evolution. Genes inclining us to lower the social status of rivals by spreading unflattering gossip or harsh moral appraisals would be favoured by natural selection. A chemical has even been found that has been implicated with maternal bonding, romantic bonding and the trust that undergoes friendship. Using all of this evidence, Wright feels that not only can science solve the problems as to where humanity comes from, it can also go a few steps further to explain why humans act the way they do, not only at their unconscious, base instincts, but is also at a conscious, public level. Someone who vehemently opposes the statement above is Henry Morris, although he has a different viewpoint to Wilberforce. Henry Morris is a strict Creationist (one who believes in the exact account of the creation story, as recorded in Genesis 1 and 2). In his book, Biblical Creationism, Morris denies the idea of evolution, and even the compromise that some people has reached that the word days as stated in the Bible simply means eras or long periods of time. In Biblical Creationism, he states that the Bible taught clearly that all things were made by God in a six-day week of natural days. There was no room for evolution of the long geological periods of time. Morris, using the original, Hebrew version of the Bible, deduced that the word used in Genesis 1 for day was a word that always means a 24-hour period. The word used for era, he stated, is a completely different one. There should be no uncertainty whatever that God intended the account to say that the creation of all things had taken place in six literal days. Therefore, Morris would feel that science, in no way, can prove everything and solve all the problems about where we come from. Instead of using science to question ideas that the Bible gives, science should be judged against the Bible as to whether it is correct or not. This is because the Bible is, overall, the word of God, so it must stand tall above all other forms of proof that claim they know the truth of all things about humanity. God can never be mistaken as God is completely perfect, and, therefore, the Bible, Genesis included, is correct, right the way until the end. In reference to the fossils found by geologists, who would also claim have no place or mention in the creation story, Morris would beg to differ. He feels that he has found passages in the Bible that seem to refer to a diplodocus (a large, four-legged, long necked animal with a long whip-like tail) and a plesiosaurs (animals which had a broad body, four paddle-shaped flipper limbs and a short tail) in the form of the Behemoth and the Tannin which were both used to describe monsters in the Bible. A very thorough description of the Behemoth is given in Job 40: Look at the behemoth which I made along with you and which feeds like an ox. What strength he has in his loins, what power in the muscles of his belly! Morris not only seems to have an explanation for the apparent lack of mention of dinosaurs, but also can pinpoint their time in creation: even animals that have since become extinct such as dinosaurs were made on the fifth and sixth days of the creation week. Morris feels that science cannot possibly have solutions to the origins of humanity as the answers to everything that we can ever question have already been given to us in the perfect, flawless form of the Bible. There is also a view to the above statement not by an atheistic philosopher or scientist, but a theist, attempting to reconcile religion with science. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin felt that although science and religion seemed very much opposing on the surface, fundamentalists on each side tended to draw artificial battle lines about it in a very complex field. He felt that it was simple to reconcile the two if you only rearranged the idea of Gods purpose, as perceived by humanity. He also felt that evolution and an expanding universe made no real difference to Gods creation. Although Teilhards ideas werent very popular, he found a way to effectively disagree and agree with a statement by claiming the ideas of one field could enhance the understanding in both. Science can be used to solve all problems about where we come from, but it cannot do this without the help of religion. Another theist who supported the same views as Teilhard is John Polkinghorne. He felt that the scientific explanation of the world raises more questions than it seems to solve. For example, how could the world have created itself, if it was random, so perfectly and with such precision that if it was created with any less or more energy, the universe would have ceased to exist very shortly after its beginning? Although science seems to give answers and explain very well how things were created the way they did, it doesnt explain how they were created against the overwhelming odds, if it were due to random chance. The chance of the existence of humanity through the Big Band theory is so absolutely minute, Polkinghorne sees it as impossible. He, therefore, plays a major role in analysing the Anthropic Principle which states his exact beliefs. For Polkinghorne, religion and science are completely complimentary and support each other. Therefore, he comes to the same conclusion as Teilhard about the problems of where we come from: science can explain and solve all the problems about where we come from, but cannot do so with religion. A person who also not only strongly agrees with the statement, but also attacks the creationist, and any theistic point of view, is Peter Atkins. He is very much an atheist and rejects any theistic ideas as simple ignorance of the unexplained. In the Middle Ages, when people didnt know or understand how something, they would simply use God to fill in the gaps in their knowledge out of ignorance of the truth. For example, the Bubonic Plague, which was an extremely contagious bacterium, unknown to those at the time. However, those who were alive throughout the pandemics contented themselves to using God as an explanation to the disease, when they could find no immediate causes. Atkins feels that that is what theists are doing now: finding God in the Big Bang is the last refuge of the desperate. He feels that, in accordance with this statement, science has already solved the problem of where we come from, and will ultimately solve all problems with no help from religion. In conclusion, after looking at both sides of the argument, I feel that I agree with the statement, but only in part. I feel that it can solve many problems about where we come from, using the overwhelming evidence that Darwin put forward and the evidence that Dawkins reminds us of. However, I do not feel that it can solve all the problems that are related to do with where we come from. For example, it is still unknown by science about where we come from. It is universally agreed by scientists that before the Big Bang, there was nothing: no matter, no energy, and no forces. How, then, it is entirely reasonable to question, did the Big Bang come about? It is reasonable, therefore, by theists such as myself, to assume that there was a superior and intelligent designer must have caused the Big Bang into existence. Without the Big Bang, humanity would never have come into being. But even if the Big Bang would have being by some external, omnipotent force, it would have been highly unlikely that the Universe would have sustained itself without a sustainer. The Second Law of Thermodynamics, or the scientific concept of entropy, states that in any natural process there exists an inherent tendency towards the dissipation of useful energy. This basically means that when left alone, order tends to revert back to chaos. If this were so then why isnt the world full of chaos, but order instead? Why does evolution lead to progression and not regression? I feel that science can explain the processes by which the universe and humanity came into being, but I dont think that it can thoroughly explain, using only natural and empirical evidence, how and, more importantly, why these processes came into being. Its all well saying that the Big Bang just happened, but to me, I feel that if the whole Universe was just an accident with no intent or purpose, then none of humanity really has a reason or purpose for living, other than being the result of an accident. Or, perhaps, the universe is just brute fact as Bertrand Russell stated, and we just have to accept this. Nevertheless, although I feel that people can have different views on the world, for me, the universe cannot go without explanation as to why it exists.

Presidential election Essay Example for Free

Presidential election Essay During the 2004 presidential election, John Kerry offended dozens of military families, both the enlisted men and their relatives, with a gaffe he said was directed at President George Bush. The candidate for president claimed that most American soldiers joined the military because they had no better options, that the economy made them do it. While that may be the case for some soldiers, the reality is that a great many soldiers join the military for more than just the help with school or the paycheck. Especially after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the Pentagon and New York City, patriotism was a primary reason for joining the military as was the desire to see the world and serve their fellow man. Even for the soldiers that join the military for economic reasons, the service is more than just a paycheck and deserving of far better than the malicious words of an also-ran like Kerry. Jonson Mahathath is a United States Marine stationed at the Marine Recruiting Station in Louisville, KY. Mahathath, 21, will be the first to admit his primary reason for joining the Marine Corps was the opportunity. â€Å"I grew up in the middle of Missouri where the economy is bad, really bad. I knew that if I wanted to get out of there and have a life of my own, the Corps was a way out,† he said (personal interview, May 12, 2008). But that is only half the story. Mahathath said that since joining the Corps he has developed a newfound respect for servicemen and himself. When you choose to be a Marine, you know that you are committing to being part of one of the finest fighting forces in the world. You know the strength of character required to make it through boot and you know that a fellow Marine will never leave you behind. Try finding that kind of friendship and loyalty anywhere else,† he said. Indeed, after serving his first tour, Mahathath will likely reenlist, not because of the economy, but because of his dedication to the Corps. â€Å"This is a closer family than the one I was born into,† Mahathath said. Some people join the military to pay for their education and then discover other reasons for their military service. Rebekkah Henderson Thomas is one of those people. Thomas joined the Army Reserves to pay for her college education, but when the soldiers around her were deployed for war duty, Henderson felt the call to action. â€Å"I felt like I was cheating, like I wasn’t a real soldier. Here were all these people I trained with, going off to war and I was still here. I needed to be deployed, to fulfill my commitment,† Thomas said (Gunnin 2008, p. 1). Thomas could have served her entire commitment to the military without ever seeing combat, but her dedication to keeping her oath of service made her long for more. At the time she was deployed, Thomas left behind a two-year-old son and an ex-husband. Being away from her son will be difficult, but she gave her word and intends to keep it, she said (Gunnin 2008, p. 5). Airman Richard Burnell wrote in an Air Force Press Release that he joined the military for selfish reasons. â€Å"To be quite frank, my initial reason for joining the military was selfish. I enlisted Aug. 15, 1985, because I was unsure what I wanted to do with my life. I believed the military would provide me a healthy environment in which to decide. † (Burnell 2003). But the decision to join the military is not what made him a soldier, or in this case, an airman. â€Å"I became an airman because my squadron commander gave me responsibility that exceeded my confidence. He believed I was capable of things that I did not believe I could do. My desire to not let him down motivated me to accept the challenges he proposed. † (Burnell 2003). Essentially, he wrote, he joined the military to help him find a direction in life and the military not only provided it, it exceeded his wildest dreams. The reasons then why a person joins the military can be as wide and varied as the branches of the service, but to claim as Kerry did that people do it out of economic desperation is to underestimate the appeal and worth of the American military. Yes, it can be just a job to some people, but the old ad cliche is true as well, it’s more than just a job; it’s an adventure. It’s a family and a way of life.

Porters Five Analysis of Honda

Porters Five Analysis of Honda Porters five forces is a framework developed by Michael E. Porter that we use to analyse the industry regarding the internal and external environment, competitors, and also better understand the industry context in which the firm operates. The aim of the five forces is to modify the strategy or just some rules in the firm favour in order to stay competitive, improve the position, and realize profit. Porters five forces is a very useful tool, since it helps us to understand the current position of the firm, and take advantages from the strengths of competition and also improve the weaknesses, and avoid taking a wrong strategy to do not stack in the middle, and lose position in the market. This framework is used to identify whether a product, service, business will be profitable, and also know the suppliers; power of buyers, substitutes, new entrants and competitors that will face the firm in order to stay attractive. Now we will see each force in more detail: Rivalry: this force shows the competition between existing firms that offer the same product or service, and even have the same strategy. If there is many competitors, then you should have a little power over them by adopting a strategy that may be based on price, quality, innovation, advertisement, like differentiation, cost leadership, or the focus on a narrow segment. Threats of new entrants: new firms entering the industry will bring new competition, in order to gain the market, and decrease profitability for existing firms, above all those firms who have little protection and barriers to entry, then expecting some firms to exit the market. Threats of substitutes: the ability of customers to find other alternative ways and products with lower prices and better quality that must satisfy the same needs. There is a product for product substitute, substitute needs and also generic substitute that relates to something that people can do without. Buyers bargaining power: determines the ability of buyers to impose pressure on the firm either by switching to another company or having other substitutes, or cutting down prices. They can also affect the conditions under which all the firms operate. Suppliers bargaining power: determines the ability of suppliers to drive up prices which put pressure on firms if there is a few number of suppliers, or by the uniqueness of their products and the control they have over firms. By analysing and understanding each force, and how it affects the strategy of the firm, it provides the opportunity to identify the strengths of the firm and the ability to modify some points of the strategy to make sustainable profits, and being successful in achieving and establishing appropriate strategies. Porters five forces on Honda Motors: Rivalry: competition in the automobile industries is very high, because there are many firms in this industry which offer many choices for the customers, so each firm try to do its best to make more profit than others, and make its products the more sellable in the market. Toyota, Ford, General Motors are the main competitors of Honda, so it should keep on innovating, improving, researching, and developing to stay effective in this sector. The degree of rivalry in the automotive industry is further heightened by high fixed cost associated with manufacturing cars and trucks and the low switching cost for consumers when buying different marks and models Source: http://www.scribd.com/doc/44521940/Tata Threats of substitutes: there is not a huge threat of substitute in the automobile industry that offers utility, independence and no wasting time, even if there is a large number of transportation. There are bicycles, subways, buses, trains and airplanes that could make our life easier, but that can be less convenience than automobiles. The price of fuel have a large effect on the consumers decision to buy vehicles, also the maintenance and the insurance of the car, but the automobile still has an important use in our personal and daily life. Barriers to entry: it is not easy for an entrant to enter into the automobile industry easily, because of the brand loyalty of the consumers. It is substantial for established companies to have barriers to entry to protect themselves, because some companies are entering into foreign markets by buying an existing company or either merging with it and then realising a huge profit. With local knowledge and expertise, companies have the potential to compete in the market in which they operate against the domestic firms. Honda took the risk of entering into a long and complex relationship during the 80s with a European company universally considered to be one of the least capable automobile manufacturers in the west British Leyland. Source: the case study of Honda Buyers bargaining power: consumers have many choices and brands, but the factors that affect more the consumer to buy a certain brand from another are: the appearance, quality, price, design. Consumers want always something new and nice looking with the latest technologies. The car had to be efficient, by saving fuel, protecting the environment, and running fast. Since there are lot of competitors, people have more choices to select the less costly, and better in quality, for being loyal to a certain brand, thats why Honda tries to make its cars unique. Honda has a history of delivering high quality and fuel efficient vehicles, so the consumers are seeking the best product for a good price. Honda has being a leader in producing fuel efficient and low emissions vehicles Hondas achievements on the technology front are well recognised, ranging from its cutting edge low pollution and low fuel consumption engine technologies. The CVCC engine attempts to reduce emission of the pollution and with less fuel used, while VTEC engines was fuel economy with more power Source: the case study of Honda Suppliers bargaining power: there are many suppliers in the automobile industry, and many suppliers rely on one or two automakers to buy a majority of their products. If an automaker decides to switch the supplier, it could be devastating to the previous supplier business. As a result, suppliers are extremely susceptible to the demands and requirements of the automobile manufacturer and hold very little power. Source: http://www.investopedia.com/features/industryhandbook/automobile.asp Honda relies on some main suppliers for the items and raw materials that uses in the manufacture of its products. Honda has only a handful of components makers that might be considered to belong to its suppliers family. Source: case study of Honda Porters Value Chain The value chain is a framework developed by Porter to describe the development of competitive advantage and the value of the business. It is a chain of activities for a firm operating in a specific industry. All organisations consist of activities that link together to develop the value of the business, and together these activities form the organisations value chain. Such activities may include purchasing activities, manufacturing the products, distribution and marketing of the companys products and activities. The value chain framework has been used as a powerful analysis tool for strategic planning of an organisation. Its aim is to maximise value creation while minimizing costs. Source: www.coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/value-chain-analysis.php Value chain represents the processes from getting raw materials and components until providing the whole product or service. In order to conduct a value chain analysis, the company is divided into primary activities and support ones. Primary activities are those related with production, and the cost of providing the product or service, while support activities are those that maintain and arise the effectiveness and efficiency of the firm to enhance the product value. Primary activities: inbound logistics, operations (production), outbound logistics, marketing and sales (demand); services (maintenance). Support activities: administrative infrastructure management, HRM, technology (RD), and procurement. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_chain Primary activities: Inbound logistics: it is related with bringing raw materials from suppliers, and handling them. Operations: it is related with the products and handling the raw material, to come up with the final means activities that transform the inputs into the output. Outbound logistics: it is related with activities of distributing the product. Marketing and sales: analyse the needs and wants of customers, creating awareness, advertisement, and sales promoting to attract people. Services activities are those that maintain and enhance the products value including customer support, repair service. Support activities: Procurement: purchasing raw materials for the companys operation at a high quality and low prices. Technology development: it is concerned with technological innovation, expertise and knowledge that lead the business to survive such as research and development. HRM: it is an important way of attaining sustainable competitive advantage by recruiting, training, motivating, and rewarding the workforce. Firm infrastructure: finance, quality management, RD. Lets now analyse Porters value chain on Honda Motors: Primary activities: Inbound logistics: Honda purchases the raw materials from a number of components and tries to gain advantages in quality and cost as much as possible. Both manual and automated assembly tasks to handle the components together to come up with the final product, and it also adopts an innovative strategy for the planning production called small batch production systems, in order to reduce costs and having a product variety. Operations: Honda has developed a small batch production system, in which same vehicles are sent down the assembly line in batches, and then workers execute the same task for each batch, then components are delivered to the assembly line in batches which exactly match the vehicle they will be fitted into. There is also the facelift that Honda applies to its cars; the components are then replaced by others more developed to come up with a new product. Honda designs models which are related to geographical dimension depend of different market segments. Outbound logistics: Marketing and sales: Honda expanded several products and models that customers could choose among them, and also it adopts a good production system that is related to its marketing and sales. Hondas strategy emphasizes the high technology build into all its products and it offers features like advanced engines as standards rather than optional extras, thus simplifying product variety within each model type, so that every customers could benefit from it whatever the model of the car. The alignment of output levels with customer demand tends to focus on sales strategy, so the production levels of particular models can be varied up or down as a function of demand. Services: Honda is aiming to improve their relational with the consumers, by being responsive to the service support throughout maintenance and repair, and adopting a high level of transparency with their customers. Support activities: Procurement: for a number of components, Honda arranges to purchase the raw materials gaining advantages in price and quality. It has also the possibility of purchasing raw materials from component makers located very long distance away to allow cheap labour sources in other regions, or purchasing them few square kilometres which is advantageous for just in time logistics. Technology development: Honda has technologically innovative products, developing new low pollution power sources for its vehicles such as CVCC and VTEC in order to have a good market positions, and also it gives to its models a cosmetic facelift every four years in order to gain competitive advantages. HRM: Honda praises the achievements of individuals, makes merit the key to promotion, and awards responsibility to younger employees across elder ones. Firm infrastructure: Honda had become well known in the business for the collective decision making process utilized by its top executives. Honda adopts too much dichotomies in their strategies management taking advantages from all. They also have a good research and development department aiming to improve the quality of the products and entering new technologies to gain sustainable advantages. The primary activities and the support ones are related to each other, one activity can affect the cost of another activity. Thus, the primary activity is related to the creation of the product by handling raw materials together and selling it, and the support activity is related to the competitive advantages that you gain from buying the components at a low cost and with a high quality and to the technology used in the product. So those linkages between the two activities added value to the firm, and can be a source for a sustainable competitive advantages. Reconciling dichotomies: This approach of reconciling dichotomies is used in a wide range of activities of Honda, and it represents the innovation strategy that seeks to adopt different ways and opposite polarities. Dichotomy means two contradictory polarities that do not fit together, and reconciling in this context, refers to an approach in which those two poles are somehow made compatible with each other. Hondas strategic thinking rejects the trade off, or to choose one strategy, however, Honda has mixed too many dichotomies to incorporate the best of both worlds, and this contributes to the success of its strategy. After Honda had selected its market and customers segments, it is time to decide how it wants to position itself within this segment.

Medieval Castles Essay -- essays research papers fc

Medieval Castles and their Interior   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although it is thought that medieval times were barbaric they too enjoyed many comforts we still do today. There is much more to the castle then its’ size or the stone arches inside which are still used in many homes today. Castles today are still flocked to by millions of people every year. Sometimes you even see copies of castles right here in the U.S.A but they are not quite the same. Although they were originally built to protect the King, Castles became more and more popular among other nobles as well. Each family castle had their own special design and touch but most castles of medieval times had a lot of the same basic elements in their interior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within the shell keep and behind the great walls of these castles there was always one basic element: the great hall. It was often on the ground floor but sometimes it was raised to the second floor for extra security. â€Å"The great hall was a large one-room structure with a lofty ceiling†(Giess 58). This was where all the people of the castles slept (excluding the lord and the Lady). There was of course a great big curtain put up so the ladies would be separate from the men. It wasn’t until the end of the century when separate rooms were invented. The great hall was usually located in the very center of the castle and walls built out of stone surrounded the whole room. The entrance was in a sidewall near the lower end of the hall. An outside staircase would be built if the hall were on the second floor. The family would usually have its feasts in this room (Gies 60). For even more security they would have guards stand outside the great hall on all sides of the room so guests would feel safe when they were feasting (Nardo 57). Early halls were aisled like a church, with rows of wooden posts or stone pillars supporting the timber roof. Windows were equipped with wooden shutters secured by an iron bar but they were rarely glazed. It wasn’t until the13th century a king or a great baron might have white or greenish glass in the windows. Then later in the14th century that glazed windows were in every castle (Gies59).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the castle, the first floor or ground floor (it was sometimes called) was the actual earth itself. ... ...d. All that remains now are ruins that dot the countryside every where throughout England.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even though the castle has disappeared it has not been completely forgotten. Today many decorators and homeowners borrow and try to recreate the barbaric look. A lot of people find in quite romantic. People are reminded of royalty and all the important people during this period like King Arthur and Robin Hood. In conclusion, the Medieval Castle’s interior decoration began to have importance and much of its’ innovations are still used today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   WORKS CITED Nardo, Don. The Medieval Castle. California: Lucent Books, 1997. Singman, Jeffery L. Medieval Europe. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999. Gies, Frances, et. al. Life in a Medieval Castle. New York: Thomas Crowell Company,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1974. â€Å"Interior Design.† World Book Encyclopedia. 1995. ed. Medieval Castles. 12 Dec 2001. http://www.castles-of-britain.com

Propaganda, Patriotism, and the War on Terrorism :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Propaganda, Patriotism, and the War on Terrorism On college campuses across the nation, efforts are being made to silence professors who encourage students to probe the history of U.S. foreign policy in the effort to understand the September 11th attacks. Recent articles in The Chronicle of Higher Education report that students have complained to deans about professors critical of U.S. foreign policy, and boards of trustees, deans, and college presidents have drafted resolutions and issued public statements condemning their views. Professors have been shouted down, received volumes of hate mail and, on some campuses, death threats. In one case, a trustee publicly invited a professor "to take a hike." Historically, such attacks on free speech have risen sharply in times of national crisis -- precisely when a full range of views is sorely needed. They are particularly disturbing on campuses of higher education that should be strongholds of people who defend independent thinking. The nature of the arguments offered against these dissenting voices are very troubling; so too their political effects. The arguments fall into two groups. First, professors are charged with showing no concern for the feeling of others: they lack taste and judgment; they are insensitive, self-indulgent and offend others at a time when emotions are raw. In being so inattentive to their students' emotional sensitivities, dissenting faculty violate the trust students place in them. Now is not the time for critique, but for emotional nurturing, reassurance and national solidarity. Second, professors are charged with offering excuses for the attacks. Their examination of the role the United States may have played in creating conditions that make terrorist acts more likely amounts to a justification of the acts themselves. There is an emotional tyranny at play here, and its effect is to obstruct processes of understanding that alone will aid us in our ongoing debate over how to come to terms with terrorism. What do I mean by tyranny? In the first instance, we are being told that feelings alone are appropriate now. It is too early, indeed, it is tasteless, to begin to sort through our role in the complex factors that brought these people to their heinous acts. But understanding is crucial to wise action, and action, as we see in each morning's news, is most certainly being undertaken in our name. While we are being asked just to feel, the administration and its congressional allies hurry to pass laws that threaten our civil liberties at home, and engage in a massive war effort likely to foster greater resentment abroad.

The Culture Change After Wwi

They are no longer having the sense of patriotism, and a lot of them move aboard to taste the expatriate lifestyle. They are lost in this world, and they do not know what to do. The literatures at this time period really reflect the idea of being lost. The writers called themselves the lost generation. â€Å"The phrase was actually originated by the garage owner who repaired Stein's which was a famous writer at that time car. When a young mechanic failed to repair the car In a way satisfactory to Stein the owner had shouted at him, â€Å"You are all a generation Purdue. Stein, In telling Hemingway the story added, ‘ThatIs what you are. That's what you all are†¦ All of you young people who served In the war. You are a lost generation. † The term became very popular after Hemingway public his novel â€Å"the sun also rise†. Like Hemingway said † I was always embarrassed by the words sacred, glorious, and sacrifice.. I had seen nothing sacred, and the thi ngs that were glorious had no glory and he sacrifices were like the stockyards at Chicago if nothing was done with the meat except to bury it. † His book the sun also rises reflect the idea of expatriates and create the sense of lost. The main characters are mostly engage in heavily drinking.They work in the daytime, and drunk in the night time. They don't think about their future, or they don't know they do or do not have a future. There are a lot of famous writers belong to the lost generation Like F. Scott Fitzgerald, T. S Eliot, Gertrude Stein. In T. S Elite's poem the waste land, he constantly reminded the readers that there Is no future on this land, and this land Is a abandon land. Similarly, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote In his novel the side of paradise that this generation † Grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars ought, and all faiths in man shaken. † The war helped the rise of the black culture.The new Negro movement or the nowadays so called Harlem Renais sance was a black culture movement. It started at Harlem, a section of New York City which gathered one hundred and fifty thousand African American. African-American writers and artists gave voice here challenging the structures of American racial oppression, and show the potential of the black culture to the world. The movement was stared at the end of WWW, and ended in the start of the great depression. WWW created a lot of Job opportunity in the north, and his led to the migration of black people from the south which was known as the Great Migration.The black people gathered together at place like Harlem to form their own black community. After the war, soldiers return from the front, and competing job with the black people. Racial riots broke out in the north. The increase the Harlem renaissance. A lot of writers and artist saw this culture movement as a opportunity of uplifting the black culture, and gained more right to the African American. However, some writers and artists s aw this movement was Just an expression of their native culture.

Human Rights

In measuring the extent to which the European regional approach to human rights protection offers advantages over the United Nations international approach, the various mechanisms contained within both systems must be compared and analysed. An explanation of the various international treaties and the drafting of the European Convention will require some consideration in order to assess the overall effectiveness of the machinery’s established under both systems for the protection of human rights. Particular reference will be made to the right not to be subjected to ‘torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’ who’s universal condemnation stems back to the impunity for horrific crimes against humanity committed during the First and Second World War thus prompting in 1945, the first formal recognition of the importance of protecting human rights in the international order through the United Nations Charter and the Nuremberg Charter. The United Nations Charter sets out its purposes as â€Å"promoting and encouraging respect for all human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and although the declarations are no more than aspirational, they support principles of liberty and individual freedoms that have subsequently formed the content of specific rights treaties. Torture is received with strong universal condemnation, and although there is no absolute definition, its prohibition is emphasised in several international legal instruments such as; the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 (UDHR), the European Convention on Human Rights 1950 (ECHR), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 (ICCPR), each in similar language, providing that ‘no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’ The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or degrading Treatment gives a precise definition in Article 1 and requires parties to take effective measures to prevent it in any territory under its jurisdiction calling on all States to ensure that all acts of torture are included offences under their domestic criminal laws, including attempts and complicity as well as participation. Similar steps are taken within the European Convention of Human Rights which imposes an obligation on each Contracting Party to secure those rights are within their jurisdiction. However, at international level, under the statutes of criminal tribunals, torture can only be prosecuted if it falls within the category of war crimes. In addition to this, the lack of effective enforcement mechanisms within some States undermines the effectiveness of the international human rights system. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) hears cases involving disputes between nation-states and Article 30 of the Convention provides that, â€Å"any dispute between two State parties concerning its interpretation or application which has not been possible to settle through negotiation or arbitration may be submitted to ICJ by one of the States. † A failure of this allows for a claim to be submitted to the ICJ requesting that the Court apply measures requiring the Respondent to take all steps within its power to ensure the rules of international law will be correctly applied. † The problem then lies in the fact that in order for the International Court of Justice to hear a case, the State parties to the dispute must accept its jurisdiction. This is borne from the fact that International lawyers will agree that an international agreement is not legally binding unless the parties intend it to be and is therefore more of an understanding or agreement between the States. This is considered a problem with enforcement at international level as rights contained in the Conventions need to be balanced with the States sovereignty. By contrast, where the United Kingdom and other countries have incorporated the Human Rights Act 1998 within its judicial system, a natural consequence of this is that to an extent, they diminish and undermine the position of Parliament as an exclusive law giver for the UK providing that all domestic law is compatible with the rights contained within the Human Rights Act. Another fundament difference at regional level is where the Convention establishes its own machinery for the enforcement of these rights. Applications made based on a violation of Article 3 can be bought either by a member state on behalf of an individual victim by another High Contracting Party, or by a member state bringing an application against another state and allows for a more effective and immediate remedy at the domestic level as opposed to using the international machinery at Strasbourg. The latter is highlighted in Ireland v United Kingdom where an application was brought by the Irish government in relation to the treatment of Irish nationals by the British authorities. The ECtHR’s general approach on finding a violation of Article 3 relied on the concept that the burden of proof was borne not by one or other of the two Governments concerned, but mainly on the evidence of the ne hundred witnesses heard in, and on the medical reports relating to each case. Based on the allegations against the UK, the Commission estimated that the ‘five techniques’ administered by the police constituted a practice of inhuman and degrading treatment. In finding this, the Commission emphasised that ill treatment must attain a minimum level of severity if it is to fall within the scope of Article 3 and asserted that it depends on all the circumstances of the case, such as the duration of the treatment, its mental effects, and in some cases the sex, age and state of health of the victim. The scope of the Convention was extended so as to imply intention within its meaning in accordance with the UN Resolution. The approach is further laid down in Askoy v Turkeywhich concerned a Turkish national who had been subjected to a form of torture known as ‘Palestine hanging’ which resulted in him losing the movement of his arms and hands. Due to the form of torture requiring the applicant to be stripped naked with his hands tied behind his back, as well as being strung up by his arms, the courts found that such an act would have required preparation and was therefore deliberately carried out. Damages, were awarded on behalf of the Turkish state. The methods adopted under each case in their application under the law has imposed upon its members the Courts’ power to make judicial decisions that are enforceable on the offending State. Much of its success can be placed on the basis that each Contracting State is, in an economical sense, more equipped and politically empowered with the resources to adhere to the principles laid down within the Convention. This was the situation in 2009 where Belgium instituted proceedings before the International Court of Justice against Senegal on the grounds that a dispute existed regarding Senegal’s compliance with its obligation to prosecute a suspect for acts of torture under the Convention. The main reason for non compliance rested on financial difficulties which prevented Senegal from organising a trial more important, on the grounds that â€Å"crimes against humanity did not form part of Senegalese criminal law. Another advantage the European regional approach to human rights protection has over international law is its rights contained in Part I of the Convention. These rights identify a number of civil and political rights requiring protection from arbitrary and despotic governments amongst other important rights, such as the right to life. In this context, the individual holds a clearly defined right against the State in that the violation of that right can be tested in a court of law. So it is questionable whether international law is equipped to deal with individual rights of an economic and cultural nature, and in particular, where third generation rights are concerned. This is illustrate in the ICCPR Article 2(1) which states that â€Å"Each Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure that all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognised in the Covenant, without distinction of any kind† However, Article 2(1) of the ICESCR states that â€Å"Every State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take steps to the maximum of its available resources, with a view of achieving progressively the full realisation of the rights recognised in the present Covenant by all appropriate means†¦ † So although the international approach provides a mechanism by which all States can agree universal standards of human rights, there exists in some States, a hierarchy of rights that are considered perhaps, less important than others, where importance on a particular right is based on social, cultural and political factors. In further support of his view, it is suffice to say that the rig ht to freedom of religion and belief is accompanied by constraints of Article 5 in that such violations can lead to such things as imprisonment, torture and restrictions on freedom of belief and association. An important example is the People’s Republic of China’s ‘one-child’ policy and forced abortions which has been seen as restrictions on not only freedom of religion and belief, but also the torture of detainees in Chinese detention centres and prisons. Although the policy was designed as a temporary measure, it portrays a clear violation of human rights derived out of political necessity to limit communist China's population growth. In the promotion and protection of human rights, the Committee against Torture (CAT) considers periodic reports from High Contracting States every four years and deals with both inter-state complaints and individual complaints. Alongside this, the 2006 Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) provides for the establishment of â€Å"a system of regular visits undertaken by independent international and national bodies to places where people are deprived of their liberty, in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,† to be overseen by a Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. In addition, the Human Rights Council requires its members to go through a periodic review of their own human rights. This allows individual or group complaints to be examined for evidence of a pattern of human rights by the Sub-Commission Council on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities which are then referred to the Working Group on Situations. In accordance with General Assembly Resolution 60/251, Rapporteurs can undertake visits with the consent of the State concerned and report back to the Human Rights Council. In a recent UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Rapporteur’s findings highlighted the gap between China’s obligations under five of the international human rights treaties and the reality on the ground. In particular, Dr Nowak pointed out the â€Å"incentives for the police and security officials to obtain confessions through torture and the lack of independent, far and accessible courts and prosecutors, as well as ambiguity of the domestic law regarding political crimes. † The Rapporteur found that in all cases it observed, each victim had been convicted of a political crime, possibly on the basis of information extracted by torture. On these facts, the Special Rapporteur appealed to the Government to release its victims, and added in their conclusions that considering the gravity of such findings, â€Å"the international community must not waste further time and act immediately to pressure China to end all use of torture and bring justice to those responsible. † The report included a set of 23 recommendations for China to act upon, as matter of urgency, in-order to abolish the use of torture. These included setting up mechanisms of investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of torture; prevention through safeguards in the criminal law system; ratification of international conventions and their implementation; the abolition of political crimes from domestic law; the guaranteeing of freedom of speech, assembly, association and religion; and the abolition of forced re-education in detention. The UN Commission on Human Rights referred all reports of its mechanisms to the newly established Human Rights Council for further consideration at its First Session in June 2006. In response, the General Assembly adopted resolutions aimed primarily at the principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations and the UDHR by re-emphasising, reaffirming and re-acknowledging human rights However, despite the Rapporteur visits and attempts to expose China’s breaches, a United Nations â€Å"review† of China’s human rights record highlighted the weakness of a new procedure that was supposed to be the chief improvement in the U. N. ‘s reformed human rights system. In despite of this, China continues to in its pursuit of human rights violations as it was reported no soon after that China has a network of secret ‘black jails’ for people who dare to complain about life under the Communist regime. Findings suggested up to 10,000 citizens a year are hauled off the streets, locked up and beaten in the makeshift prisons. By contrast, the European regional system has in place a mechanism whereby a Committee, established under the European Torture Convention 1987, visits detention centres in order to ascertain whether conditions contained within the Convention are being adhered to. This in itself places pressure on its member states to conform to the standards set by the ECHR while maintaining protective measures for individuals considered at risk. In this sense, the Convention adopts a preventative approach to the issue of torture, and in doing so, highlights the fact that where States are poorly monitored and enforced, countries face little or no penalty for failure to uphold human rights standards. On the contrary, where all else has failed under international measures and a government refuses to uphold the declaration and instead treats its members of its own society in a cruel or inhuman manner, the United Nations and has the power to authorise military action against that country in violation of the Declaration. Perhaps the first experiment of UN intervention is the Korean War where in 1950 America called on the United Nations to use force to get the North Koreans out as they had ignored the Security Council’s resolution of June 25th. This later resulted in U. S military intervention. The Korean War provides sufficient evidence that when the U. N. Security Council threatens the use of force to enforce its resolutions, it can follow through. Although in reality, the Council has passed a significant number of resolutions over the years that have not been carried out which signifies reluctance by the Council to enforce a resolution in circumstances where intervention is necessary unless such enforcement carries with it a political dilemma. In support of this point is the use of force in Iraq where the UN enforced resolution 1441 through Baghdad’s failure to rid itself of its alleged weapons of mass destruction. The Iraq situation raised a similar issue for the Council regarding Korea whereby they could either approve Bush’s request to use force in Iraq based on American intelligence and on an American timetable, and risk being seen by other countries as complicit with the Bush administration, or defy the U. S. president and risk being considered irrelevant by the world's largest military power. Chesterman, a senior associate at the International Peace Academy stated in response that, â€Å"the issue of the U. N. ’s relevance comes up regularly, and every couple of years the United Nations faces a crises over its legitimacy† citing debate over its roles in the Balkans, the Gulf War and Somalia. The protection and enforcement mechanisms employed by international law suggests that it is focussed primarily on regulating state behaviour, whereas European regional law has its objectives aimed in the movement towards protecting individuals from the state. And although international law has increasingly been involved in identifying individual rights and holding individuals accountable, is still to an extent has in most cases been those who have been involved in political affairs. As mentioned earlier, states have a duty to investigate, prosecute or extradite individual perpetrators, and if they fail or are unwilling to do so, other states and international courts can step forward instead. In 1998, former Chilean President Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London following the request for extradite from Spain. The charges involved forms of torture committed during his term in office. In 2000, Hissene Habre, former president of Chad was indicted by the state prosecutor of Senegal for similar offences. That same year, a Belgian Tribunal de premiere instance issued an international arrest warrant against Abdoulaye Y. Ndombasi, the then Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was a direct application of the principle of universal jurisdiction which allows national courts to try cases of the gravest crimes against humanity, even if these crimes are not committed in the national territory and even if they are committed by government leaders of other states. However, the International Court of Justice found that the arrest warrant against Ndombasi failed to respect the immunity from criminal jurisdiction and the inviolability which he could enjoy under international law. The 2001 extradite of former naval officer Ricardo Cavallo highlights the first case in whereby as person can be accused of crimes committed on one country, be arrested in a second, and then extradited by a third. Where Europe is concerned, the Courts tend to delve deeper into the interpretation and application of the right to freedom from torture by distinguishing the terms torture, inhuman, degrading treatment and punishment separately. This has enabled the courts the discretion to apply the wording of Article 3 more widely. In particular, where there is the risk of a future violation of this right. Peers v Greece provides another example of the extent to which the Courts have laid down the importance of such treatment that falls below torture. In this case the applicant complained that he had been detained in cramped cell conditions with no ventilation and an open toilet. Although the Court held there to be no evidence of a positive intention to humiliate or debase the applicant, the fact that the state had taken no measures to improve the conditions amounted to a lack of respect for the applicant and was therefore a violation of Article 3. What is apparent between the two systems is the objective on the one hand by the international system, to act as a potential means of conflict resolution, and although to an extent Europe provides its own mechanisms for maintaining its state affairs, the system it has in place has greater level of cooperation which allows the emphasis to be placed specifically on individual rights. At the same time, although many States have become party to the United Nations Convention against torture, there appears to be a lack of effective enforcement mechanisms in place within some States, which in turn violates the general obligations to punish crimes against international humanitarian law. And where the UN has, throughout the fifty years, in amended and reformed its treaties so as to bring those violators in breach of the declaration to justice, it has still, in many instances lacked the will or faced the veto, and as a result, murderous regimes enjoy impunity. The root of this lies perhaps, in the fact that the UN organises a legal institution by letting States decide by majority vote who does and who does not deserve to be shamed for human rights abuses, which in turn creates a political process in which political factors play a major role. Countries that are shamed tend to be both violators and politically vulnerable in multilateral settings. This is the case in particular where, although the UN and NATO is willing to go into Yugoslavia and launch air strikes in order to prevent violations of human rights, there are continuous reports of violations in China and by the Chinese upon its people. To conclude, it could be argued that that the UN is less likely to enforce human rights in countries that are permanent members, and where this could be the case, international law will potentially be the most influential source of law. In support of this view, recent reports have suggested that countries like China simply sidestepped censure by garnering enough support to block attempts by the U. S. or other Western nations to scrutinize their records. Meanwhile, Cuba and others complained that the U. S. was too powerful to face thorough examination. By contrast, European law has effective measures that ensure state supremacy is spread evenly throughout the system. At the same time, both international law and European law can be deemed as fundamentally Western as most international law is based on Western notions. On that note alone, and in measuring the extent to which the European regional approach to human rights protection offers advantages over the United Nations international approach, the overall effectiveness of both systems, if based entirely on their Western notions, combined with both political and economical factors, present a framework which is more compliant with the international laws on human rights, in particular where cases of torture are concerned. And with that being said, one fundamental advantage that exists within the regional system is that when compared to international law, Europe does not have to deal with the majority of the more vulnerable states that fall within the realms of international law. Human Rights the question of human rights has received a great deal of attention. Today, violation of human rights is seriously taken note of by international bodies and by champions of democracy. It is in this backdrop that most countries have set up their own independent National Human Rights Commissions. Human rights are those rights which are fundamental for living and for normal human existence. They are based on the concept that every man and woman, irrespective of caste, creed, colour, race and nationality is born with certain fundamental rights such as, right to live, speech, freedom, justice, etc.These rights are, therefore, enshrined in the constitution of the countries. In order, that these basic rights are maintained and adhered to by the nations of the world, United Nations Organisation adopted a Charter of human rights soon after its formation. The Universal Declaration of Human rights which UN adopted on 10th Dec. 1948 enumerates some of these basic rights of man. These are rights to live, liberty and security of person, right to freedom of speech, judicial remedy, freedom of movement, right to take part in the governance of one’s country, etc. The second types of rights are economic and social rights.These are the right to work, right to live with dignity, right to rest and leisure, right to education, equal pay for equal work, right to equality, etc. The problem of human rights is that people and countries have a different understanding of the term and its protection. In some counties political and civil rights are not given or guaranteed to all its citizens. In some other countries, economic and social rights are not enforced, Therefore, the basic idea behind stressing human rights is that all governments should try to maintain these fundamental rights and see that all types of discrimination in this respect are rooted out.Nevertheless, many types of discrimination and violation of human rights are seen in different parts of the world. It is true th at racial discrimination known as ‘Apartheid’ as existed in South Africa formerly no longer exists in the world. Yet today, people are forced to flee their land of birth and forced to live in refugee camps under miserable conditions. Today minorities in many parts of the world have no political rights. The story of Ms. Suu Kyi Myanmar is a shining example in this respect. Cruelty to prisoners of war, unjust treatment of prisoners in jail, economic discrimination, casteism, rape, child labour, child prostitution, etc. are other forms of violation of human rights. Protection and maintenance of human rights is a fundamental duty of every government. International organisations and watchdogs such as, UNO, International Human Rights Commission, etc. , can play a vital role in ensuring the implementation of these basic rights. Countries, particularly the democratic countries, must stand together in this respect and take necessary persuasive and even coercive actions, to see t hat these fundamental human rights are adhered to by people, organisations and countries all over the world.