Are Americans Eating Themselves to Death

Are Americans eating themselves to death? Obesity has been a bigger and bigger problem in the United States over the past few years. The percentage of overweight American children and teens has more than doubled in the past decade (Greenblatt). There are many reasons that could lead to the increasing percentage of people being obese in American. The U. S. food industry aggressively markets high-fat, high-sugar, super-sized foods. Modern communities encourage driving rather than walking.Physical education is being dropped by schools even as fattening snack foods are welcomed onto campus (Greenblatt). None of these are the healthy ways to go for Americans but what is being promoted in our society. Americans are becoming less active and eating more fast food that is leading to our country becoming one of the most obese countries in the world. On every corner of every city there is a fast food restaurant waiting for the average American to stop by and get a quick meal. No matter what tim e or what day it is there is always a fast food restaurant opened.These places sell greasy, saturated, fatty foods to people for a very low price and a quick delivery which is probably why most Americans thrive on it. Everyday around lunch time the fast food restaurants are loaded with hungry people waiting to get their husky hamburger with all the trimmings, French fries and a soft drink. Few pay attention to a nutrition chart posted near the counter that reveals the combination has up to 1,340 calories — about two-thirds of the calories most adults need in a day (Bettelheim).There is no clear cut reason why many Americans insist on going to these places numerous times a week when they know that it is extremely unhealthy for them, but this is one of the main reasons our country is rapidly becoming such an obese nation. Could another reason for our obesity come from what we sell our students in middle and junior high schools? Sodas are now on sale at 60 percent of middle and high schools nationwide, according to the National Soft Drink Association. There are also vending machines full of junk food that are in mostly all of our schools.Teaching the students to make healthy choices in their daily nutrition/diet and then putting them into a campus full of soft drinks and poor nutritional snacks is being a little hypocritical. Schools have invited soft-drink and fast-food vendors onto campus for a simple reason: money (Greenblatt). Most agree that increasing physical activity in our schools would help solve obesity problems that run through a lot of our children. But with all the large corporations helping schools financially and schools want to ban the â€Å"un-educational† P. E. classes; this probably won’t happen too soon.Some people become so desperate to lose weight that they will do anything it takes just to lose a few pounds like taking diet pills. Diet pills are very risky because not a lot of them get approved by the FDA and they can have serious side effects to them. Many affect the central nervous system and can pose other health risks that don't become apparent until they have been taken over several years (Bettelheim). Taking diet pills is a big risk because even if they work at the beginning, you never know what could happen to you in the long term.Part of the worrying about diet pills are the misuse of them. Some of the medications were originally developed for other medical conditions and now are sold on the black market (Bettelheim). Diet pills are looked down upon by doctors because of the uncertainty of them and the health risks that are being found out about them. Is the fat in the foods we eat really making us gain all the weight or is it the other stuff like carbohydrates and sodium? Doctors have told patients to change their diet from high carb, low fat to high fat, low carb to force your body to burn fat rather than the carbs you eat.Most recently a man named Robert Atkins invented this low carb h igh fat diet trend. The Atkins diet allows people to eat foods high in fat and protein, such as cheese, eggs and meats, limits the intake of certain fruits and vegetables and severely restricts the consumption of certain types of carbohydrates like breads, rice and pasta. A study presented at an American Heart Association conference in November suggested that over a six-month period, people on the Atkins diet lost more weight than a group on a high-carbohydrate diet (Greenblatt).This diet is extremely controversial though because of how unreasonable it is to say someone can eat a bacon cheeseburger without the bun and be on a healthy diet. It may not be the amount of fat in our foods that relates to our obesity; it could just be the amount of carbs and calories that people take in each day. Americans have always been vigorous eaters. The earliest settlers feasted on turkey, bear and venison and learned from Native Americans how to grow potatoes, pumpkins, beans and corn.The typical daily menu was probably the equivalent of several of today's fast-food meals. But most early Americans weren't overweight or obese because they spent their days burning off thousands of calories performing manual labor (Greenblatt). Physical exercise is the most important factor when trying to stay healthy and keeping off the pounds which is probably why people of the older days were so fit. They had to do manual labor for everything they had to do while kids and adults these are becoming lazy because of all the convinces there are in our everyday routine.People want to always point the finger at fast food restaurants and soda companies for promoting unhealthy habits and fatty food/drinks. No doubt all of these factors, and many more, are contributing to the creation of what Kelly Brownell, a noted expert on eating disorders and director of graduate studies at Yale University calls a â€Å"toxic food environment. † People are eating bigger and fattier meals, drinking more sod as and exercising less. There are fewer opportunities for children to play or for adults to strain themselves physically at work.People sit in cars rather than walking and tend to snack pretty heavily when they're sedentary, whether they're watching TV, working at a computer, or trying to kill as many space aliens as their Xbox will allow (Greenblatt). Americans are becoming less active and eating unhealthier which is making our country more obese. Obesity is one of the biggest growing problems for Americans over the past few years becoming the leading cause of death. There are many reasons people think the cause of obesity is becoming so bad like all the fast food places, sodas and junk food being sold to young children, and the kind of diets we are trying to use.All of these are leading contributors but the leading cause of obesity is the amount of exercise people are doing now days. Americans are slowly become less and less active by driving and being chauffeured to any activity they go to. It has gotten so bad that schools are wanting to cut out physical education class and the ones who already have don’t even let the kids out for recess. Obesity is something no one wants to be faced with because of all the health risks that go with it and the way the ideal person should look based off the media.The people themselves are the only one that can be the one to blame because in the end it is self motivation that keeps people from being overweight and they are the ones who have the responsibility staying active being in shape.Work Cited Greenblatt, A. (2003, January 31). Obesity epidemic. CQ Researcher, 13, 73-104. Retrieved September 19, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library. cqpress. com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2003013100. Bettelheim, A. (1999, January 15). Obesity and health. CQ Researcher, 9, 25-48. Retrieved September 19, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library. cqpress. com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1999011500.

Fashion: Color and Type Your Response

Components of Fashion The Lesson Activity will help you meet these educational goals: Content Knowledge? You will define the key components of fashion: the elements of design and the principles of design. Inquiry? You will conduct online research, in which you will collect information and communicate your results in written form. 21st Century Skills ? You will apply creativity and innovation. Directions You will evaluate these activities yourself.Please save this document before ginning the lesson and keep the document open for reference during the lesson. Type your answers directly in this document for all activities. Self-checked Activities Read the instructions for the following activities and type in your responses. At the end of the lesson, click the link to open the Student Answer Sheet. Use the answers or sample responses to evaluate your own work. Color Wheel a. Use watercolors or water-based gels for this activity.First, take the three primary lord and mix them to make the s econdary colors. Then, mix the primary and the secondary colors to get the tertiary colors. From among the primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, list four warm colors and four cool colors. Apply a few strokes of the mixed colors on paper and scan the paper for submission. Type your response here: On back b. Choose one of the primary colors and use it to make shades and tints. C.Using the shades and tints created in part b, submit sketches or images of two armaments with the shades for bottom wear and the tints for top wear. The garments should have a focal point, vertical lines, and curved lines. Also, name the silhouettes used in each garment. How did you do? Check a box below. Nailed included all of the same ideas as the model response on the Student Answer Sheet. Halfway There?I included most of the ideas in the model response on the Student Not Great?I did not include any of the ideas in the model response on the Student

Research paper on Ethnomusicology Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

On Ethnomusicology - Research Paper Example The CD is one that fuses the Turkish pop scene into a sense of both cultural traditions and modern techniques to create a contemporary style to the rich culture of history. The instrumentation which is used to complete this style includes mandolin, large percussion sections, violins, guitar and a pop beat for the background sound (Putomayo Presents 2011). Musical Style The musical style of both CDs follows the traditional format of the origins of the groups while carrying influences by the rock and Western style of music. The style is then combined with specific sounds that are able to show the content attributed to each area. The attempt made by both artist groups working toward a fusion sound. For instance, in the song, La Difference, there is a fusion of the African and Western instruments. Electrical guitar is used throughout the piece, as well as a background of piano. There is also a pop-rock beat that is used as a secondary part of the rhythm to create stronger movement. The s ong also uses the phrase â€Å"Love is Serabande† in the chorus. This combines the culture of English, French and African cultures, all which are known in the region that Keita has recorded. All of the CD songs follow this same influence, similar to the group of The Middle East. The musical style of Turkish Groove shows the same contemporary influences. The violin serenades and background, mandolin which is used and the strong percussion line are all a part of the Turkish traditional music. This is the strongest part of the songs that are played. This is combined with the Turkish singing that is attributed to singing in the Turkish language. However, there is a back beat that is... The approaches that are now being taken with music combine the concept of fusion with a cultural context. The individual experiences, political and cultural approaches all make a difference in how artists are expressing their music. However, this is combined with a fusion of sounds that are influencing the globe and changing the approach many have to music. More important, there is the ability to have universal themes that artists are interested in, all which are displayed with the individual and political tensions that the artists are aware of and which creates the main similarities used in the music. When looking at the artists of Keita and Putomayo Presents, it can be seen that cultural influences drive forward the music. However, the themes of ending war, re-looking boundaries and of finding peace remain the same for both groups.

Roles of Heinrich Schliemann in Trojan War and Modern Archaeology Essay

Roles of Heinrich Schliemann in Trojan War and Modern Archaeology - Essay Example However, due to his determination and enthusiasm, he made many significant discoveries. Heinrich never attended university, but was a self-made person whose believe in historical reality of the myths about the Trojan War transformed the nature of his believes. Having harnessed huge amounts of wealth from gold rush in California as well dining with the president, this great man travelled the world a lot. His conversance with thirteen good languages acted as an added advantage in his work. With this zeal and passion for archeology, Heinrich presented a fictional place called the Trojan empire, which remained fictional until he discovered it. His work provided a base of archeology since he wrote and left documentaries. Upon reading Iliad and Odyssey both written by Homer, Heinrich with the help of these readings, found the ruins of Troy. This paper will seek to establish and discuss his roles in the Trojan War in conjunction with the modern archeology (Nickel 56). Backgrounds that broug ht Schliemann to antiquity The steps of Ulysses Studies document that, Heinrich’s retirement date ranges between 1858 and 1863. This period is significant according to this paper since he handed tools down in order to concentrate in his wish for finding Troy. In the midst of 1860s, Heinrich enrolled at the Sorbonne and focused on faculty of Antiquity and Oriental Language in Paris in order to further his knowledge. His archaeological part of life commences in Small Island in the Ionian Sea called Ithaca where this was of capital importance in Homeric myth. Many writers put down this place believing that it was Ulysses’ dwelling location prior and after Heinrich’s Trojan adventures (Wood 75). In spite of the idea that the existing landscape holds no record of how Homer described this place, Heinrich’s claims show that he found some significant sites from the Odyssey in this location. His retirement acted as part of the backgrounds that brought Heinrich to antiquity. Hisarlik Since he seemed a different man who could not settle for calmness and enjoyment and live an eventless life, Heinrich disserted retirement and the short-lived Ithaca satisfaction and intensified his search for more archeological discoveries. At this point, he joined forces with Frank Calvert who had prior excavations from the Hissarlik site. Having seen Charles McLaren’s identity of 1822, Heinrich became sure that this was the Troy’s former location. Backing his claim are tourists Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great who already expressed belief that this place was the Trojan’s War site (Wood 101). This is because, besides being located alongside both of the Dardanelles and Aegean Sea, this place depicted close resemblance to the description given by Homer. His cognitive deposition with finding Troy was also part of the type of background that led to his antiquity. The Priam’s treasure After they fell out, Heinrich’s counterpart Calvert argued that, the former’s claim regarding discovering Troy could be just mere hopes and imagination as opposed to either scientific or historical facts. However, filled with suspense Heinrich disregarded such arguments and continued to dig and take every single discovery or finding as proof that he actually did excavate Paris city. For example, when he discovered some precious artifacts including a stack of gold in May 1873, he alleged that it was the treasure

Corporate Compliance Plan Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Corporate Compliance Plan Paper - Essay Example These risks include financial malpractice, product liability amongst others. This is the reason why this company needs a control plan to ensure that it has sound business objectives and can manage its risks effectively and in accordance with the laws. This document is going to describe the control plan of Riordan Manufacturing Company. The control plan is in line with the principles that were identified by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The control components that Riordan will use are also included in this control plan and are in accordance with the ones identified by the above commission. A company of Riordan’s status is bound to experience enterprise risks of varying magnitude, and that is the reason that the enterprise risk management plan of this company will be provided. It is important to identify the roles that will be played by various personnel in the company as far as the implementation of this control plan is concerned. These responsibilities will be identified. The limitations and weaknesses of enterprise risk management will also be included in the paper. A control plan has to take into consideration the enterprise risk management that is particular to that company. These are the methods and processes that are employed by any organization in order to deal with risks that are detrimental to the achievement of the company’s objectives and goals (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission [COSO], 2004). Not only does the company use these methods to manage the risks particular to it, but it also uses it to take advantage of opportunities that avail themselves to it. This is because every risk has the potential of hindering the achievement of a particular goal or presenting an opportunity to the company. The process of risk management is adopted by the directors of the company. It is used by

FBI case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

FBI case study - Essay Example FBI only hires the crà ¨me of people who are perfectly capable in all aspects for the job. But for some people, this process might be too rigorous and tough to worth trying for. Another disadvantage is that it does not test the social behaviour of a candidate. For a job that appeals rewarding to me, I will try my utmost to get it irrespective of how long and rigorous the screening process is. FBI agent is a job that some people are highly passionate about. No doubt the long and screening process turn some people off, but if someone is passionate about the job, I believe for that person it will be a positive challenge to pass through all the hurdles and become an FBI special agent. I am a person whose need for achievement is very high. Therefore, passing the process and getting into FBI will help me attain that sense of achievement. FBI can do various things to make people accept the job offers. First of all they should increase salaries, give fringe benefits; give security to the FBI agents’ families. Apart from that, FBI should do good employer branding to attract excellent candidates. When an organization promotes itself for getting employees, and communicates how noble the work is, people naturally get attracted towards the job

How best can transportation facilities be improved in Namibia,a Dissertation

How best can transportation facilities be improved in Namibia,a country of only 2million people - Dissertation Example The main objective of this study is to do a critical analysis of how a non performing transport sector affects the economy; understanding the challenges facing the different transport sectors by providing the necessary policy recommendations; outlining of other possible contributing factors; and, finally trying to find both long and short term solutions available to the sectors relative to the specific transportation challenges. There is not much research done in this area in the past which is the basic reason for my conducting this research. Background Namibia, then called South West Africa, became a German colony in the 1880’s. After the defeat of Germany in the First World War, the mandate to rule the territory was handed to South Africa, which by implication brought apartheid in Namibia. In 1990, Namibia gained its independence, after a brutal war of Independence from South Africa. Since independence, Namibia has been looking into increasing its exports in terms of its nat ural resources and products on the international front and it has advanced in this aspect. However, the biggest challenges hampering effectiveness of increased trade lies more towards the logistics aspect and the management of its respective SOEs. Namibia’s geographical position and transport infrastructure is such that it has become a transit country for Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia, which are its bordering and surrounding countries. These countries carry out export and import business across overseas countries through Namibian maritime transport. Other coastal countries and regions to which Namibia provides its transport facilities for business purposes include the region of Gauteng in South Africa; the Kunene and Cuando provinces in Angola; the Katanga province and Lubumbashi town in Congo. Due to this fact, these challenges are hampering the performance of the transport sector, and the fact that the services are spiraling down it does not really help the situation. Accor ding to Bernan (p.80), â€Å"Namibia considers the development of transit transport as contributing to the overall economic development of the country† and due to this fact, the government of Namibia has invested tremendously in the maintenance of its transit transport infrastructure. Currently, Namibian transport sector faces challenges related to the â€Å"expansion, modernization, upgrading and maintenance of road, rail, air and maritime transport facilities†, affirms the National Planning Commission, Namibia (2004, p.478). Bernan (p.81) suggests that the railway should be extended into Botswana all the way to South Africa because the railway infrastructure is still limited to only a few hundred kilometers near the border of Botswana somewhere between Walvis Bay and Gobabis. The major challenges that Namibian transit transport faces is financing and managing the infrastructure, and harmonization of vehicle dimensions, overload control, custom procedures and user cha rges for transit transport. Namibia transport is also expensive and one of the biggest challenges is that the resources of the country are not ample enough to finance transport facilities. This study aims to find solutions to these challenges which could help lead to the proper solution implementations requiring less national budget going wasted in struggling rather than using it for national development purposes since a revived economy is vital to the future of the country. Research

Clothing business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Clothing business - Essay Example The project also considers the stakeholders who serve the purpose of decision making processes. The difference between the anticipated and achieved growth for the company will not be excluded. The point of view of the customers and some of the managerial limitations will cover the topic of discussions. There will also be some recommendations in order to improve the performance of the company in the years to come. Introduction The organization selected for the project is J.C. Penny Company Inc. It is a chain of the mid range department stores in America. It is based in Texas. The company also operates in many small markets of the nation as catalog sales merchant. The company operates in all the states of the United States. The stores of the company are mainly located in the suburban shopping malls. When the trend of shopping malls came up in the 20th century, the company took the initiative to reallocate the stores there so that it could catch the eye of more people than in the suburb an areas. Currently, the company has opened some new sole stores; some of them are close to the competitors’ stores. Some of the newly developed stores can be regarded as the big-box stores. The company has streamlined the catalog as well as the distribution operations and is undergoing renovations at the store levels. The company also entered the playing field of internet marketing in the year 1998. Apart from the sale of usual merchandise, the stores of the company also offer several other departments like restaurants, studios and jeweler shops. The company was founded in the year 1913. In 1914, the headquarters of the company was shifted to New York City with the belief that it would simplify the transportation and usual operations of the organization. The first subsidiary of the company was named The Crescent Company. By 1928, the company was able to open its 1000th store. This signifies the potential of the company and how efficiently the company was being operated. In 2 007, the company launched its largest private brand in the history of the company. New additions were made in 2009 in the young men’s department which included the expansion of the private brand named Decree. The year also marked an agreement with a private coffee store which allowed them to open up cafes inside the stores. Goals of the company The sustainability report of the year 2009, announced some of the internal goals of the company which were directed towards reduction of facility energy consumption by around 20 percent per gross square foot. The efforts will be met by 2015 through the improvements in energy efficiency. The culture of the company is to advocate conservation practices. In the last decade, the company invested more than 130 million dollars with the aim to install advanced technology in metering and technologies towards high efficient heating. This type of initiatives from the part of the company resulted in saving of more than 80 million pounds of greenh ouse gases. The company also plans to obtain around 25% of their energy need from renewable sources. Measures relating to energy management as well as efficient strategies have been undertaken. Among the other goals of the company includes providing services to the customers at possible lowest cost, enhance the consumer satisfaction and build a healthy

USPS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

USPS - Essay Example Thus, the functional system if affected in the long run. II. Information system: which are supposed to ensure that information flows throughout the organization? However, the large number of union members makes it difficult for the organization to pass information to its members. This makes it difficult for the organizational members to make any meaningful decisions. This generally affects the team-building aspect of the organization and the financial situation of the organization only worsens the situation (Hicks, 2014). III. Divisional system ensures that an organization is able to enable its employees or members to have the required specialization and division of labor for the well-being of the organization. The employees reports to a general manager who then reports to a senior executive officer. However, the current absence of leadership makes the situation difficult. If the leaders were present in the organization, they could come up with creative strategies to motivate the workers thus enabling the required teamwork in the organization (Kille, 2013). Hicks, J. (2014, May 9). Postal Service lost $1.9 billion in second quarter, despite uptick for first-class mail. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal- eye/wp/2014/05/09/postal-service-lost-1-9-billion-in-second-quarter/ Kille, L. W. (2013, July 8). The U.S. Postal Service and financial sustainability: Research roundup. Retrieved from http://journalistsresource.org/studies/government/budget/us- postal-service-financial-sustainability-research-roundup# Wieczner, J. (2012, August 27). Postal Service Financial Problems: 10 Things They Dont Want You to Know. Retrieved from

Is justice for all possible in America Research Paper

Is justice for all possible in America - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that for all the legal bodies of the world providing fair and equal justice to all is an ethical and mandatory responsibility; the same holds true for United States of America (USA) as well. The USA follows a federal set up in governance and federalism and dual sovereignty have always remained two mutually conflicting aspects for the United States of America. Though in course of time most of the federal-state conflict attained an agreement on both part, perfection remained a mirage. Within a federal-state set up the state witnessed a declining supremacy, yet the criminal law remained a domain where the state sustained to enjoy the final say. However, Supreme Court kept the states under strict vigilance and often corrected their action in case it deemed necessary. Questions however pierced through the surface that what does fairness actually stands for and what is the true standard for the same. As usual, these couple of questions have also given birth to another; who would be the determining body for fairness. The first amendment and the fourteenth amendment to the USA constitution determine the concept of fairness of justice for the federal and the state government respectively. Historically the USA has remained a multi-ethnic country; from the Red Indians to the Afro-Americans, USA history is all about friction and conflict among people heralding from the different ethnic background. At this background providing justice for all becomes necessary but upholding equality among USA nationals is challenging as well.

Australian education trends Essay Example for Free

Australian education trends Essay It is often known that education forms the backbone of economic development and growth in any nation. The investment in pre-school, primary and secondary education as well as community college education ensures availability of human capital endowed with relevant skills and knowledge for enhanced productivity. This has proven to be a necessity for sustained economic development in any country in the world. Educated people are in no doubt different from the uneducated or less educated in a variety ways (Tiffen, Gittins, 2004). At the outset, the difference is eminent in attitudes and behavior, in their well being and health status, income as well as values regarding morals, religion, politics and employment among others. By instilling these positive characteristics to individuals in the community, education has therefore transformed the world people live in from the old ignorance-ridden era to the technologically-advanced modern life (Tiffen, Gittins, 2004). Australia has experienced a steady increase in education levels in the last century. The government has in the past centralized funding of education and imposed high taxes on high income earners in an attempt to finance education. Students are not spared either in this plan and have been included in the â€Å"user pays† principle where they reimburse for the education services received. However, this scheme has affected education in many countries and how the government plans to implement the principle together with high taxation is a matter of concern. In Australia, the Government provides public funding for non-government schools as well as substantial assistance to government academic institution. Funding of state government schools is the primary responsibility of States and territories (Laporte, Ringold, 1997). These organs can also provide assistance to non-governmental institutions of learning. It is estimated that more than two thirds of the students in non-government academic institutions are affiliated to Catholic as a religion. Australian education system is a three tier model where children enroll in Kindergarten at the age of about five years, then graduate to primary followed by secondary levels from year one to twelfth year and finally tertiary education (Harrison, 2002). Education is mandatory for the children aged between five to about sixteen years but the federal government caters for the university education. This system has ensured a reduced school life expectancy thereby enhancing educational development in the country (Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, 2008). This however draws a sharp contrast to the old system. Australian education system was highly stratified and that only infants and primary education were provided for the children. Additionally, Selection for high school education was very competitive, and favored the siblings of specific people who used to be prominent in the society (Henry, 1990). These individuals included industrialists, agriculturalists as well as businessmen among other professionals. Teaching profession was undermined since the government offered low wages to the teachers in addition to subjecting them to strict laws that restricted their personal as well as professional conduct. These factors reduced the productivity of the teaching staff thereby suppressing students’ performance in schools (Henry, 1990). The tremendous increase in level of education in Australia has been largely attributed to changes in a variety of factors including social and institutional framework as well as economic changes and student financing much else besides (Evans Kelley, 2002). To start with, changes in educational levels have been associated with urbanization. The rural-urban migration brought about by the inadequacy of farmland as well as search for skilled jobs in the cities has enhanced the development of cities in Australia. This has therefore called for the provision of educational services in these highly populated regions hence increasing the educational levels. Evans Kelley (2002) estimates the changes brought about by urbanization to about six percent over the last century. Economic growth on the other hand has been articulated with the steady increase in the educational levels in Australia. This country has witnessed a considerable economic growth in the recent past. Australian GDP for instance is currently valued at 1050 billion dollars which is slightly above 1.6 percent of the world economy (Laporte, Ringold, 1997).   Australia has so far recorded steady economic growth and unlike other OECD nations it did not fall to the economic recession witnessed in the recent past (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2007). Moreover, the country has recorded a growth rate of about 3.6% annually for the last fifteen years. This has empowered the government hence its ability to fund education as well as other sectors (UNESCO/OECD World Education Indicators Program, 2005). It therefore implies that most of the Australians are able to access education compared to the past where parents used to dropout of school after compulsory education level. The current parents have therefore acquired high social status in addition to pursuing the available high skilled and well-paying professional jobs. The Australian children who hail from well educated families can now access proper education thereby increasing the levels of education in the country (Ruitenberg, 2010). Economic growth has therefore contributed to about twenty six percent education growths in Australia. This change has mainly improved education levels in both the primary education which is compulsory as well as secondary education which the educated and socially as well as economically-empowered parents can now afford (Evans Kelley, 2002).The duo however admit that the aforementioned factors only contribute to a little percentage of the sources of educational transformation so far witnessed in Australia and that the real sources of change in education trend in this century are still unclear. Youth participation in education including vocational education and training has also improved in Australia. According to Sue et al (2009) a variety of factors have influenced this upsurge in the education trends in Australia. Factors such as how the young people’s families as well as community value education, the socioeconomic status of the general population, available education and training and the school curriculum, existing policies on education and youth employment, financial incentives and obstacles, economic structure in regard to industry and occupation have changed hence improvement of youth participation in education and vocational training in Australia (Kilpatrick, Sue,  Baynes, Chapman Hazel An indexing term that provides specific identifying information in a category: geographic names, laws and legislation, or tests and testing., ()), 2009). Australia just like other developed States has recorded a steady decline in fertility rate which has brought about the ratio of two children per couple (Tiffen, Gittins, 2004). It is always presumed that the higher the number of children in a family the reduced ability of the parents to provide quality education to an individual child. This is because the available resources such as finance, energy and time are shared among the many children thereby reducing the amount received by an individual child (Evans Kelley, 2002). The reduced fertility rate in Australia has ensured reduced number of children in a family which the parents can afford to provide quality education for thus contributing to increased level of education in the country. These changes in education levels brought about by changes in family size are only noticeable in secondary schools and tertiary levels and not in primary level where the government funds education (Harrison, 2002). The government’s commitment to provide quality education has also influenced to a greater extent the steady growth in education levels so far witnessed in Australia. The Australian government has increased its spending on education of both males and females compared to the last century. There have been issues of gender inequality in education and females have been stereotyped as underperformers in the past (Evans Kelley, 2002). It is note worthy that in all countries except New Zealand; there have been lower performance by females than their male counterparts especially in mathematics literacy (Marginson, 1993). This traditional stereotype is being overcome by the Australian government through equal provision of educational services to both the sexes. Philosophers such as Martin Roland have also contributed to this issue of gender equality and education of the girl child. Roland argues that the old tradition was a barrier to the equal distribution of resources to both the sexes in the society since it discriminated against the females and favored the males. She reiterates that gender issues should be embedded in the curriculum as well as in teaching and schooling activities to ensure that the product of such a system is an ideal educated person. John Dewey is another renowned philosopher whose contribution to education, politics as well as philosophy has been globally recognized. According to Dewey, education was the cornerstone to intellectual development and progress of the society. He stressed on the improvement of moral and social nature of schools as an attempt to fostering democracy and community prosperity (Paringer, 1990). Dewey asserts that provision of education service to a single child in the society empowers the child towards self- effectiveness which consequently provides a guarantee to a lovely, worthy and harmonious society. Democracy never used to prevail in the ancient society as a result of lack of knowledge by then. According to Dewey, the nature of things should be viewed from a perspective of change and growth and therefore the continuous transformation in education is inevitable (Dewey, 2007). Nel Noddings is an additional prominent philosopher whose argument revolves around the moral reasoning, beliefs and values in education. She states that the current education trends encourages moral development hence the need to adopt educational structures that incorporates ethics and the use of motherly interest to inform moral learning. She however blames politics that fulfills the interests of particular groups for threatening the establishment of strong ethical foundation of learning as well as teaching in the academic institution (Palmer, Bresler, Cooper, 2001). Conclusion Education in Australia has undergone commendable changes since the first half of the last century. The Australian government as well as other stakeholders in the educational sector has contributed towards the social progress which is primarily dependent on the enhanced education standards in the country. Education has so far transformed from the old system characterized by repugnant traditions and values to the modern technologically- advanced era where education is the basic requirement for community sustainability. The progress in science and technology in the current era has created the knowledge and skills necessary for the developed industrial economy, while growth of education has provided workforce that is needed to utilize these new opportunities. Australia currently enjoys a socially-friendly environment with high paying professional jobs as well as improved living standards courtesy of development witnessed in the education sector. Reference List: Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (2008). Trends shaping education. OECD   Publishing. Dewey, J. (2007). Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education.   NuVision Publications, LLC.   Evans, M. Kelley, J. (2002). Australian economy and society, 2001: education, work, an   welfare. Federation Press. Harrison, J. (2002). Excel senior high school: community and family studies. Pascal Press. Henry, M. (1990). Understanding schooling: an introductory sociology of Australian education.

Difficult Relationships Between Adults And Children Essay Example for Free

Difficult Relationships Between Adults And Children Essay In many of the stories, the writers describe difficult relationships between adults and children. Compare the relationships that the writers present to the reader in two stories and explore the ways the relationships between the adults and children change as the stories develop. In this essay, I will be exploring the relationships between adults and children in Flight and Your Shoes. It seems to me that both stories have children and adults that are in similar positions. The content and style of the stories are similar in some ways and different in other ways. For example, the main problem in both stories is the daughter leaving home for the first time. Another example of a difference is Flight is written in third-person whereas Your Shoes is not. Your Shoes is a story told from the perspective of a mother who has suffered a great loss, as her daughter has run away. She seems to be forced to realise that she is very upset with aspects of her life. The mother is writing a letter to her daughter describing all the unhappy things that have happened to her. For example, her childhood and details of her marriage. All this seems to stem from the fact that her mother has recently died. Flight is a story about leaving home and becoming independent. The story tells of an old man who keeps birds and seems to be very protective of his last granddaughter. He has seen his other granddaughters leave home, marry, and grow up. He seems to be slightly jealous of Steven who is Alices boyfriend. In the story, the birds seem to symbolise the granddaughter. This also could be interpreted as the birds symbolising how the grandfather would like the granddaughter to be like. In the end, the grandfather lets the granddaughter go and this is symbolised in the release of his favourite pigeon. It seems to me that the relationship in Flight between Alice and her grandfather is quite close. I think this because both seem to have a mutual understanding of each other. One example of this would be Steven giving a pigeon to the grandfather. I think this is the case, as I dont think Steven would have given a bird to the granddad on his own accord. Therefore, this would mean Alice thoughtfully made Steven give the bird to show the granddad that he could look after the bird instead of her. Your shoes is quite different. The author of Your shoes has developed the mothers character in such a way the reader can get a real good insight in what the mother is thinking. This gives us much more detail then anything we got from the Grandfather in Flight. The mother seems to the reader frustrated that people dont act in the proper way. In the end the mother is left holding her daughters shoes as if they were her substitute. This is quite an extreme from the reaction the grandfather took as he was able to let her daughter take flight. During both stories, the relationships between the adults and the children all seem to mature for better or worse. In flight the relationship between Alice and her Granddad all changes when Steven presents a pigeon to the granddad. The Granddad seems get a revelation and changes his view on the relationship between Steven and Alice. He accepts the fact that his little granddaughter has grown up. This is symbolised in him releasing his favourite pigeon. In Your Shoes we can not see the relationship at first hand but from the detailed insights from the mother we can assume a lot of things. I think that the relationship between mother and daughter was never very strong. Firstly, the daughter who was very fond of her grandmother had died. The mother detested her own mother and we assume that it must have hurt that her daughter preferred her Grandmother to herself. Then finally the daughter running away seems to symbolise there whole relationship. This is quite somewhat different from Flight as mother in Your Shoes seems to go mad, in the end sucking on her daughters shoelaces. In conclusion, both stories seem to have similar relationships at the starting of the story as the children want to grow up. Then both relationships shoot off in different directions, as the mother in Your shoes was unable to let go while the Grandfather in Flight let his granddaughter free.

The Iraq War and International Law

The Iraq War and International Law A critical analysis of the Iraq War of March 2003 This paper offers an insight into some of the politico-legal issues arising from the Iraq War of 2003 and the subsequent military occupation of Iraq by coalition forces led by the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The invasion of Iraq is assessed against the subsisting framework of public international law. It is hoped that a detailed, critical and generally objective appraisal is rendered throughout, although subjective angles are offered to present and support a personal view where such is deemed appropriate. Foreword The invasion of the oil-rich middle-eastern state of Iraq in 2003 was undertaken by the United States and the United Kingdom on March 20 of that year, with the tacit political and in some cases logistical backing of certain other states. Collectively these supportive states, amounting to fifty in total and including Spain, Australia, Italy, Turkey and Japan, were described as a â€Å"coalition of the willing†.[1] After approximately three weeks of concerted military operations, the rule of Saddam Hussein and the Baath Party under his dictatorial control was brought to an end and Iraq fell under the occupation of coalition forces. The fundamental legitimacy of the invasion was disputed since the outset and the question remains one of extreme controversy today. The often promulgated legal justification for the military campaign was that Iraq illegally possessed stockpiles of so-called Weapons of Mass Destruction, including chemical biological and possibly even nuclear weapons, in violation of the 2002 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441.[2] In the run up to the invasion and throughout the campaign United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair and United States President George W. Bush and their respective administrations repeatedly alleged that these putative weapons posed a serious and imminent threat to the West in general. Expert United Nations inspection teams had been searching Iraq for these alleged weapons prior to the invasion and nothing substantial had been found although there was a common suspicion, inter alios, in both the United States and the United Kingdom, that the Iraqi authorities, whi ch were often obstructive, were hiding something. The weapons inspectors were willing to continue their work, but were forced out when President Bush lost patience with Saddam Hussein by the onset of war. Scrupulous and unfettered investigations since Iraqs capitulation two and a half years ago have failed to unearth anything that could be described as a weapon of mass destruction.[3] Chapter 1:  The myths and realities of Public International Law in the context of the Iraq War of 2003 Public international law, sometimes unconvincingly referred to as the law of nations, may be defined as the system of law that regulates the activities of entities possessing international personality. In particular it is said to govern the relationship between independent sovereign states.[4] It is submitted that nation states derive their autonomy by means of inherent legitimacy or some other socio-political reality rather than through a decree granted by the international community. Exactly how is a political, constitutional and even philosophical matter which varies between countries and is largely beyond the ambit of this work. As things stand in 2005 there is no higher or global power. States may therefore choose to enter into international commitments voluntarily under the matrix that is referred to as international law, and sometimes they will accept legislative process outside their own consent. The fundamental problem with the concept of international law is that there is currently no global sovereign authority that enjoys universal recognition and therefore there is no supreme legal entity (such as a Parliament or Crown) to underpin and enforce a system of law. It follows that independent states tend to follow their own counsel and pursue their own national (and ultimately sovereign) agenda, when it comes to the interpretation of their commitments under international law. Scholars, commentators and political leaders alike have contended that international law has evolved to a point where it exists separately from the mere consent of states, but it is submitted that we are still very far from the crystallisation of that process. There is a trend toward judging the domestic actions of a state in light of international ‘law’ and ‘standards’ but the consistent lack of consensus, forceful capacity and machiavellian disabilities of the so-called United Nations even in fields such as the environment, disease and poverty of common interest to the entirety of the world population amply testifies to this conclusion. Many states, notably including the hugely significant and influential United States, vigorously oppose the idea of the supremacy of international law, maintaining that national sovereignty remains the dominant legal value. A number of commentators now point to the development of a legislative and judicial process in international law that parallels such systems within domestic law, but this is a nascent process, and far from true maturity. It is submitted that the status quo dictates that states only commit to international law with a pragmatic and self-serving view and that they retain the right to make their own interpretations of its meaning. Moreover, international courts only function with the consent of states and their rulings are often overlooked. In summary, international law in the early part of the twenty first century better resembles a â€Å"Pick and Mix† system more akin to a retail confectionery counter than a supreme, coherent and consistently reliable and enforceable legal superstructure. It is suggested that international law exists and is recognised only when each state wants it to be, when it suits their national agenda. There is no better example of the fluid and amorphous nature of international law than that under discussion in this paper. It was a new world order that gave rise to the 2003 Iraq War. In the context of the socio-political legacy of the horrific 9/11 attacks on American soil, which caused a seismic shift in global relations and received diplomatic wisdom, and what the Bush administration considered to be the relative success of the subsequent United States-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, it was deemed by American President that he had sufficient military justification and general support, certainly among middle American voters and hopefully overseas, for further armed operations against perceived threats in the Middle East. Iraq was unfinished business, and something that had given his father George Bush senior, a bloody nose when he held the Executive. It is submitted that the unanticipated survival of Saddam Hussein as leader of Iraq after his own father’s departure fr om office must have leant a strong and irksome personal angle to George Bush junior’s attitude and approach to the Iraq question. Given Saddam Hussein’s continued grip on power, relations between the leading members of the coalition and Iraq had not warmed since the nadir of the original 1991 conflict, which was provoked by the middle eastern state’s invasion of its southern neighbour Kuwait.[5] The nations had acquiesced in a state of bitter low-level conflict in the intervening years, characterised by British and American air-strikes, human shields, no-fly zones, an extensive sanctions regime, and other threats against the Iraqi state, which reacted with public belligerence. Iraqi air defences regularly engaged and fired upon coalition airplanes enforcing the longstanding northern and southern no-fly zones, which had been implemented after the 1991 Gulf conflict. All things considered, by 2003 the stage was set for a stern and high stakes test of the mettle of the framework of public international law and its application in the critically important arena of armed conflict and possible justifications for a military response to real and putative threat. It is submitted that what followed serves only to buttress and underline the opening comments in this paper namely that the phrase â€Å"public international law† may in harsh reality be a contradiction in terms. Chapter 2:  War in International Law, the general prohibition and primary exceptions The United Nations Charter[6] establishes a legal framework for the use of military force in international law. Almost all states are signatories to this Charter, including the United Kingdom, the United States and indeed Iraq. The Charter stresses that peace is the fundamental goal of the Charter, and that it is to be preserved wherever possible. The preamble emphasises a determination ‘to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours’, ‘to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security’, and to guarantee ‘that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest.’ Article 1 of the UN Charter establishes the United Nations’ objectives, the first of which is: â€Å"To maintain international peace and security; and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace.† Article 31 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties,[7] provides that a treaty must be interpreted in accordance with its overarching purposes and objects, including its preamble. It is submitted that those provisions of the UN Charter which are relevant to this paper namely the prohibition on the use of force and its exceptions must therefore be interpreted in accordance with this fundamental sentiments. The Charter thereafter lays down two core principles: â€Å"2(3) All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered. 2(4) All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.† In Nicaragua v United States[8] the International Court of Justice described Article 2(4) as â€Å"a peremptory norm of international law, from which States cannot derogate†. The effect of Articles 2(3) and 2(4) is that resort to force can only be justified as expressly provided under the Charter, and only in situations where it is consistent with the goals of the United Nations. The UN Charter permits the use of military force in the situations set out in Chapter VII. Article 42 provides that, if peaceful means have not succeeded in deriving conformity with Security Council decisions, it: â€Å"may take such action by air, sea or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.† In practice this means that states require a breach of a relevant Security Council resolution in order to use military force against another State,[9] and such action can only be justified where any and all peaceful means available for resolving the dispute have been exploited to the full. It is submitted that where breach of such a resolution has occurred, states do not enjoy a unilateral right under Article 42 to use force to obtain conformity or to penalise the defaulting state: the question as to what action should be taken remains a matter for the Security Council. The above is subject to the provisions of Article 51 of the Charter, which reserves states’ rights to self-defence. A state does not require a Security Council resolution in order to defend itself with the use of military force, but it should be noted that even this right is subject to action by the Security Council. Article 51 stipulates: â€Å"Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if [emphasis added] an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by members in the exercise of this right of self defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.† In line with normal principles of interpretation, exceptions to the fundamental principle of the prohibition on the use of force, Articles 42 and 51 must be interpreted restrictively and narrowly on the facts of the particular case. Therefore, under the UN Charter there are only two situations in which one state can legally resort to force against another: (1) In individual or collective self-defence (in this regard Article 51 of the Charter enshrines a right provided by customary international law.) (2) Pursuant to a relevant United Nations Security Council resolution. As for the question of self defence, it is clear that the United Kingdom has not been the subject of any direct attack which could be linked with Iraq. Therefore it is submitted that it is clear that the right of self-defence responsive to a military or even terrorist attack does not arise for consideration. Accordingly, the only possible justification is as an anticipatory species of self-defence presumably in contemplation of some real and imminent future threat. Regrettably, Article 51 of the Charter is silent as to whether ‘self-defence’ includes the kind of pre-emptive strike opted for by the United States and the United Kingdom in 2003. Internationally renowned commentators have taken different tacks on this question. Oppenheim concludes that while anticipatory action in self-defence is typically illegal, it will not necessarily be unlawful in all circumstances.[10] It is argued that the matter depends on the particular facts of the situation including especially the gravity of the threat and the extent to which pre-emptive action is avoidable, and any other options to circumnavigate or mitigate the risk of attack. In fact, it is submitted that the twin requirements of proportionality and necessity are even more important in relation to anticipatory or proactive self-defence than they are in reactive circumstances. On the other hand Detter endorses a more straightforward analysis rendering the practice plainly unlawful. In The Law of War he argues that it should be conceded that pre-emptive force is covered the prohibition of force in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and that this derives a simple presumption that suc h action is illegal.[11] In unequivocal terms he concludes that: ‘the mere threat of attack thus does not warrant a military response.’[12] Chapter 3:  A Critical Evaluation of the Legality of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and United States and United Kingdom justifications for the military campaign George Bush junior’s administration made no secret of the fact that removing Saddam Hussein from power was a primary goal throughout 2002. It did offer to accept major concessions in Iraqi military and foreign policy in lieu of this, but it is submitted that this would have resulted in what may have been calculated to be an untenable loss of face for Hussein which would thus have presented him with an unacceptable option, while maintaining ostensible negotiations to the world at large. Reportedly, on 9/11 itself, in the immediate aftermath of the strikes President Bush enquired as to whether there were any likely links between the terrorists and the Iraqi dictatorship. When told that none were obvious, President Bush responded by saying â€Å"Well, find them.†[13] As stated, the emphasised justification for the invasion focused on Iraqi production and use of weapons of mass destruction (hereafter â€Å"WMD†), but suspected links with terrorist organizations provi ded the underlying impetus for popular support, particularly in middle-America where attitudes are insular and introspective and the most generous appraisal would find that general knowledge on world affairs is limited to say the least.[14] Little if any convincing evidence was presented and has since been accumulated actually linking the government of Iraq to Al-Qaeda.[15] That said, the incidence of grotesque human rights violations in Iraq, including state-sponsored torture and mass murder organised under Saddam Hussein leadership, was also cited as a justification for the campaign.[16] It is notable however, that it has been suggested that only the WMD ground would have presented a legally defensible ground for military intervention under the auspices of international law, given the claimed breach of Security Council Resolution 1441.[17] The apparent absence of WMDs in Iraq is problematic to say the least in terms of the putative international and national legality of the 2003 c ampaign. In summary, Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld claimed that the stated goals for the invasion of Iraq were as follows: Self-defence To find and destroy weapons of mass destruction, weapons programs, and any terrorists sheltering under the regime; To gather intelligence on networks of weapons of mass destruction and terrorist groups. Humanitarian To bring to an end sanctions and to provide humanitarian support (Secretary of State Madeline Albright claimed that 500,000 Iraqi children had died because of sanctions.) United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution Resolution 1205, made in 1999. Regime Change To terminate the administration of Saddam Hussein; To facilitate Iraqs transition to democratic self-rule Other To secure Iraqs oil fields and other resources[18] Certain members of the Republican camp had even higher hopes for the war. The Bush administration claimed that the war could serve generally as a catalyst to facilitate democracy and peace in the Middle East, on the assumption that once Iraq became democratic and secured new influence, friends and prosperity there would be pressure and incentives for other states in the region to pursue the same route (presumably due to the so-called demonstration effect), and that the socio-political environment that previously had nurtured terrorism would be destroyed. Hamzeh defines the term demonstration effect as â€Å"a revolutionary event in one place [that] may act as a catalyst for a revolutionary process in another place at approximately the same point in time.†[19] That said, it is submitted that for diplomatic and bureaucratic reasons these goals were de-emphasised to allow stress to be put on justifications based on the allegation that Iraq represented a specific threat to the Uni ted States and to upholding the rule of international law. There is of course a popularly held counter point of view which argues that the reasons promulgated to justify pre-emptive war were either inadequate, specious or just plain falsehoods. A summary of critical opinions as to the true motivations that provoked the 2003 military campaign features below: The Oil Issue To seize control of Iraqs hydrocarbon deposits and in so doing preserve the United States’ dollar as the monopoly currency for the hugely important international oil market (Iraq had been using the Euro as its oil export currency since 2001); to reduce the price of oil for the high-consumption American market; To assure that American interests would be primary beneficiaries of Iraqi oil; To guarantee that the United States exercised military control over the middle easts hydrocarbon reserves, and thus secure a lever to control other countries depending on that market for supplies. Military and Construction Interests To divert vast amounts of money to the American defence and construction industries as a consequence of the campaign and subsequent occupation. Public Popularity and Executive Re-election (Falklands Factor) To buttress and enhance the ‘crisis’ popularity enjoyed by the President as a result of his stern response to the 9/11 attacks, and moreover to distract attention and dilute critical comment on other domestic political issues where President Bush was palpably vulnerable politically (In this regard it should be noted that George Bush junior’s father saw his own wartime popularity quickly eroded when the electorate began to focus on the economy in the aftermath of the 1991 conflict. It is submitted that this cannot have gone unnoticed in the political think-tanks of Washington DC, or indeed by Prime Minister Tony Blair’s advisors in London, where reference is so often made to the so-called Falklands Factor which boosted Margaret Thatcher’s ailing popularity and secured her re-election and subsequent political dominance in the 1980s.) Revenge and Ideology To obtain retribution. It is said that revenge is a dish best served cold and for over a decade George W. Bush junior had waited to seize revenge against Saddam Hussein for the humiliation of the dictators survival after the first Gulf conflict and for allegedly attempting to have his father, President George H. W. Bush, assassinated during a 1993 visit to Kuwait. It may also have been a temptation to secure closure for other members of the United States’ Administration, including the influential Richard Cheney, who was both infuriated and humiliated by the continuation of the Hussein dictatorship after the 1991 American action.[20] To pursue the fundamental strategic goal of unquestionable American geopolitical pre-eminence as promulgated, inter alios, by the Project for a New American Century.[21] Under pressure from its vociferous critics, in April 2005 the United Kingdom government published the full text of the advice provided by the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith on 7 March 2003 on the legality of the war.[22] In his advice, the Attorney General evaluated the various arguments on whether military action against Iraq would be legal without another specific United Nations Resolution. Lord Goldsmith was equivocal on many points but he firmly concluded that regime change was not a lawful goal of military action, indeed, he expressly stated that invasion for the purpose of usurping Saddam Hussein was an illegal endeavour.[23] A document that has come to be known as the Downing Street Memo, which details the minutes of a United Kingdom government cabinet meeting on 26 July 2002, was leaked to newspaper The Times on 1 May 2005.[24] The document corroborated the Attorney General’s advice, and restated Lord Goldsmith’s opinion that the desire for regime change was not a legal ground for military action under international law. The memo stated were three possible legal routes: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or United Nations Security Council authorisation. It was found that the first and second grounds could not be the justifications in this case, and that reliance on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1205, which was, at the relevant time, some three years old, would be a tenuous and pregnable stance. The weakness of the argument is exacerbated by recognition of the fact that the cabinet were not discussing a new trade pact or esoteric diplomatic relations, but the single most important decision that a government can take, namely a pre-emptive war. The Downing Street Memo further stated that President Bush wished to remove Saddam, by applying military force, justified by the co-existence of sheltered terrorist factions and WMD. However, it is submitted that the intelligence was being posited around the policy. It was also found that the majority view of the UNSC was not satisfied with the general UN route, and that it harboured no enthusiasm for promulgating additional information on the record of the Iraqi regime. The Memo also indicated that there was little discussion in Washington of the consequences of military action or of the impact of the aftermath on the state of Iraq. It is submitted that it must have been quite apparent that the US President had already decided to resort military action, even if the timing of that action was still to be finalised. However, at this point the case for invasion remained flimsy.[25] Saddam was not posing any realistic threat to his neighbours, nor even posturing to do so. As the Memo sug gested, even in the worst alleged case scenario (which has thus far proved to be wrong) his WMD capability fell substantially short of that of Iran, Libya and North Korea. Four days after the leak in London, in a move initiated by John Conyers, a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, the US Congress formally requested the President to answer a series of penetrating questions relating to the Downing Street Memo, including whether he or anyone in his administration disputes its accuracy.[26] The Bush Administration has to date failed to answer those questions. Exhibiting similar reticence, on 22 May 2005, the United Kingdom government refused a plaintive request for an investigation into the legality of the war from the families of soldiers that had lost their lives in Iraq. These bereaved families have now sought a judicial review of that decision. Treasury solicitors were responsible for refusing the request, which they did after Tony Blair had made his own view that a review was unnecessary patently clear. In a Channel 4 News interview he stated: â€Å"We have had inquiry after inquiry, we do not need to go back over this again and again.†[27] Seeking to justify their decision, the Treasury Solicitors claimed there were at least five principle reasons to deny the request of the families. These were as follows: The European Court of Human Rights has already clarified that decisions on military action abroad are not reviewable under the European Convention of Human Rights (hereafter â€Å"ECHR†). None of the fatalities occurred within the jurisdiction of the UK as defined by Article 1 of the ECHR. The ultimate decision to pursue military action in Iraq was not the â€Å"immediate and direct operative cause of the deaths of the proposed claimants’ relatives†. There was no â€Å"specific and individualised risk of harm† to those who lost their lives, such that could be distinguished from any other members of the United Kingdom armed forces. Dispatching armed forces to Iraq as part of an organised military force fully equipped and capable of defending itself could not be considered on the same footing as sending a helpless individual victim overseas to confront the risk of torture or death. The claimants would have to invoke the Human Rights Act in raising an action before the domestic courts, but that Act is not applicable in any relevant sense to any territory beyond the frontiers of the United Kingdom. The Treasury Solicitors also contended that the fraught question of the legality of the invasion of Iraq was irrelevant to whether there had been any breach of Article 2 of the ECHR.[28] The legal position in the United States was also both tenuous and pregnable. In conformity with the well known system of checks and balances protected and maintained by the United States Constitution the authority to declare war is granted exclusively to Congress, and there is no provision in the Constitution for its delegation, although it is true that under the provisions of the US War Powers Act of 1973[29] the President can send troops to a country without the consent of Congress for a period not exceeding 90 days. George Bush, therefore, did not have personal authority to declare war. On October 3, of 2002, US Representative and Congressman Ron Paul submitted a proposed declaration to the House International Relations Committee which stated that a state of war was declared to exist between the United States and (with a careful choice of words) the government of Iraq. He said: America has a sovereign right to defend itself, and we don’t need UN permission or approval to act in the interests of American national security. The decision to go to war should be made by the U.S. Congress alone. Congress should give the President full war-making authority, rather than binding him with resolutions designed to please our UN detractors.[30] However, this proposal was rejected. Although this would seem to the casual observer a damning outcome, the President was undeterred. To overcome this obvious setback, drawing on several factors, including unresolved matters still persisting from the 1991 Gulf War, George Bush junior’s administration forcefully claimed the intrinsic authority to engage Iraq militarily, and Congress was manoeuvred into circumnavigating fundamental ‘technicalities’ in transferring what were in substance its war powers to the President.[31] It is submitted that this policy in itself left the American action on shaky legal foundations to say the least.[32] On this tentative analysis, the invasion and military occupation of Iraq, while to all intents and purposes a war per se, may therefore be considered a police action initiated by the Executive, in similar fashion to the Korean War and, notably perhaps, the ill-fated Vietnam War before it. The United Nations: Competing perspectives on the applicable resolutions

Executive Summary :: Economics

Executive Summary This report will look for alternative ways in which the London Underground can change their prices in order to reduce their loss in terms of total revenue. The report will both identify and analyse these alternative methods in an attempt to find the most suitable way of increasing the revenue for the London Underground. The report will also look at how elasticity plays a key role in determining any decisions as well as the outcome of these decisions made. The London Underground is at this very time running at a loss and is in urgent need of things being turned around. The London Underground may at one point in the future be privatised. What we need to determine is how we can increase revenue before it floats so that potential shareholders will be attracted. We must see how prices can be adjusted in coincidence with the market segments so that revenue can be increased. Elasticity is crucial in our thinking as it can have a big impact. 1.1 DEFINITION OF ELASTICITY Elasticity is the concept in economics that measures the responsiveness of one variable in response to another variable. The best measure of this responsiveness is the proportional or percent change in the variables. This gives the most usable results for any type or range of data. Thus elasticity is the proportional (or percent) change in one variable relative to the proportional change in another variable. The general formula for elasticity is: E = percent change in x / percent change in y 1.12 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELASTIC AND INELASTIC DEMAND Elastic means something is highly responsive to changes in something else. For example, elastic demand means that the quantity demanded changes a lot when the price changes. Inelastic demand means that the quantity demanded does not change much when the price changes. 2.0 WAYS IN WHICH FARES CAN BE ADJUSTED 2.01 OPTION 1 One way of adjusting prices can be to decrease the fares for students. Students often use this service as a means of transport to get to their respective universities. If fare prices are lower, even though the income per ticket is less, it may overall increase sales revenue. Other discounts may also be offered if a quarterly or seasonally train pass was purchased, which would attract student to this service. 2.02 OPTION 2 Fare prices can be increased because many people see this service as inelastic as they do not have any other means of transport. A lot of business people use this service and may well be able to afford to pay the extra cost. However this is a very risky method as it may encourage people to use private transport which may take the business

The Brain and The Origins Of Violence Essay -- Biology Essays Research

Is The Brain To Blame? Searching For The Origins Of Violence From the dawning of man, violence has always been one of the defining characteristics of humankind. Throughout all of history we see evidence of man's tendencies toward acting violently in response to his emotions - everything from anger, fear, to just plain enjoyment. But to where can we trace the true origin of violence, the place where it all begins? Does the root of violence stem from societal and cultural values or can we point the finger at a deeper cause, one with a neurobiological basis? Can we successfully predict the violent tendencies in individuals, and if so, how? And if there is a biological basis for violent behavior, where does that leave our society and our methods of control? These were the questions I sought to have answered. Before we can begin to answer these questions, however, we must first recognize that not all acts of violence are the same. Certainly the child that throws his toys across the room in anger does not compare to the serial rapist who takes pleasure in attacking women. However since we are primarily interested in tracing the roots of violent behavior, it would be most helpful to look back to the time when our thoughts and actions were only beginning to be shaped, when our minds were impressionable and constantly curious - our childhood. And so we will examine the three main categories of violence observed in childhood - community and school violence, media-related violence, and violence in the home (1) - so that we may begin to paint a picture of the environment in which the violent individual is born. It is no secret that violence in the schools and community has frighteningly been on the rise in America. In fact, from ... ... to no signs of violence at all. I have also learned that though we cannot as a just society judge people on the basis of what they may or may not do, we can use the various studies conducted to help in developing ways to control the violence that already exists. Perhaps in doing so, we can restructure our society to be one that is less violent, less threatening, and more fit for our future generations. WWW Sources 1)Violence and Childhood: How Persisting Fear Can Alter the Developing Child's Brain http://www.bcm.edu/cta/Vio_child.htm 2) Incubated in Terror: Neurodevelopmental Factors in the 'Cycle of Violence' http://www.bcm.edu/cta/incubated1.htm 3)Brain Study Sheds Light on Impulsive Violence , on the Science Daily website http://www.sciencedaily.com/ 4)Caution Urged for Brain Research on Violence http://hoinguoivietmi.20m.com/August.htm

The Character Alfieri in Arthur Millers Play, A View From the Bridge E

Arthur Miller, in his play A View from the Bridge, gives a different perspective of the story by focusing on the character Alfieri who makes the audience understand the real side of the play. Alfieri is a well educated lawyer who follows and respects the American law, but is still loyal to Italian ethnicity. In A View from the Bridge Alfieri is equivalent to the chorus in a Greek tragedy, meaning he introduces the play and narrates the story in flashback. He explains the events on the stage to the audience without actually participating. He opens the play with a very revealing account of how life used to be and how life is presently in America in the Italian community. He goes into graphic detail about the past murders: â€Å"†¦ and Frankie Yale himself was cut precisely in half by a machine gun on the corner of Union Street, two blocks away† (Act I pg 4). This creates a vivid mental picture and therefore creates the ideal environment for tragedy. In order to strengthen this point Alfieri states that lawyers in ancient times as well present times, were unable to prevent â€Å"complaint† running a â€Å"bloody course†, this causes us to issue the power and influence of law. In other words, justice is very essential but by law justice is not always delivered. Alfieri strongly believes that it is best to â€Å"settle for half†; this means that it is better to rely on written law and accept it even if you are half satisfied. It is better to follow the law rather taking it in your own hands. In the play we can see that Eddie Carbone betrays Marco and Rodolpho by calling the Immigration Bureau, this is ironic as Eddie is obeying the American law but not the Italian ‘law of honor’. Now there is no law to punish Eddie and as a consequence Marco takes th... ...ieri as a character and a narrator was successful in giving a twist of suspense in this play. The message conveyed through Alfieri is that we should judge with our heads, unlike Eddie whose actions are performed sentimentally. If we use our mind then the troubles that are attached to us will repel and if we give feelings to our action then more problems will be attracted to your life. Our behavior and actions cannot always depend on our feelings, although sometimes we need to take our sentiments into consideration and see how it will affect other people and the environment. If we use our mind, we can achieve the goal, but we need to take feelings along it. In every way we should always concretize our dreams and needs with feelings, but not very emotionally. John Harricharan truly said â€Å"Peace is not achieved by controlling nations, but mastering our thoughts.†

Supporting Children and Young People’s positive behaviour

These are the limits within which behaviour is acceptable or what may, and may not be done. Boundaries are there to guide children and young people’s behaviour in the setting and it is very important for all staffs to consistently apply these boundaries fairly. Behaviour is learnt from what we see others do or say, so, it is very important for the staff to watch children closely and make sure that they apply the boundaries at all times.The importance of staffs applying the rules and boundaries are: It helps children and people to know what is right from wrong. For example, when a child knows what is right from wrong, or what is acceptable and what is not, then they will be able to do the right thing most of the time. If they know jumping is not allowed in the setting then they are going to behave accordingly. If all staff applies the boundaries and rules of their settings, then children will not feel they are being misled. For example, one staff says they can bring snacks to s chool and another staff says they are not allowed to bring snacks. If this happens, a child will get confused and feel misled by one of the staff. It enables all the staff to be consistent in their approach in dealing with behaviour issues.For example, if there is no consistency in staff applying the boundaries and rules then there will be chaos in the setting, and this will not help positive behaviour in children. But if there is consistency then every child in the setting will know that no matter whom they go to in the setting, they will always get one answer. The importance of all staff being fair, and consistent are:It helps children to develop a sense of responsibility for their own actions and encourages them to think about the consequences of their behaviour. For example, the rule says no running in the corridor and staff keep reminding children about it all the time then, when a child runs in the corridor the others will tell him or her no running, and he or she will know th at if they run, they will fall and when they fall, they will hurt themselves.So, they  know what will happen when they disobey. It ensures that the school rules are enforced and children behave in a responsible manner. For instance, when staffs are consistent in applying the rules then there will be order in the settings and the promotion of good behaviour. Children will also know what the rules and boundaries are and therefore behave accordingly. It ensures that all children are treated fairly by staff applying the equal opportunity procedures. For example, when two children behave inappropriately, they both must receive the same sanction, one should not be favoured over the other.When two children fight, you have to listen to both sides and be fair in your judgement. Some children behave inappropriately all the time but they must not be victimized in situations but rather listened to and treated fairly as other children. It helps children with unwanted behaviour to improve and b ehave positively. For instance, if a child likes to pinch other children and all the staffs apply the rules consistently, that child is bound to change from that unwanted behaviour to positive behaviour. How to set fair rules and boundaries:Setting realistic rules for the setting; For example, ensuring the set rules are appropriate for age and stage of development. For instance, setting a rule for one to two years that says, â€Å"No crying for toys or You must share,† that is not realistic based on their age and level of understanding. By involving the children in setting the rules and boundaries. If the children are involved in the rule setting then they will apply it because they will always remember and obey it. If everybody agrees on the set rules and boundaries. This means they understand what they are agreeing to so therefore, they can live by it and when others are behaving inappropriately, they will let them know it is unacceptable behaviour.

Hallas Company Essay

Hallas company manufactures a fast-bonding gumwood in its northwest kit and boodle. The smart set normally produces and sells 40,000 gallons of the glue severally month. This glue, which is cognize as MJ-7, is used in the woodland industry to manufacture plywood. The selling bell of MJ-7 is $35 per gallon, variable cost ar $21 per gallon, flash-frozen manufacturing overhead cost in the plant total $230,000 per month, and the placed selling cost total $310,000 per month. Strikes in the mills that purchase the bulk of the MJ-7 glue have caused Hallas societys gross sales to temporarily drop to only 11,000 gallons per month. Hallas Companys management estimates that the strikes bequeath dwell for two months, after which sales of MJ-7 should return key to normal.Due to the current low take of sales, Hallas Companys management is mentation about closing win the Northwest plant during the strike. If Hallas Company does shut down the Northwest plant, fixed manufacturin g overhead costs can be bring down by $60,000 per month and fixed selling costs can be reduced by 10%. Start-up costs at the break off of the shutdown design would total $14,000. Since Hallas Company uses Lean Production methods, no inventories atomic number 18 on hand.Required1. Assuming that the strikes slide by for two months, would you recommend that Hallas Company close the Northwest plant? Explain. Show computations to put forward your answer. 2. At what level of sales (in gallons) for the two-month full point should Hallas Company be indifferent among closing the plant or memory it open? Show computations. (Hint This is a event of break-even analysis, except that the fixed cost division of your break-even computation should include only those fixed costs that are relevant i.e., avoidable over the two-month period.)No, the company should not close the plant it should continue to operate at the reduced level of 11,000 gallons produced and sold each month. gag law wi ll result in a $140,000 greater loss over the two-month period than if the company continues to operate. Additional factors are the possible loss of goodwill among the customers who need the 11,000 gallons of MJ-7 each month and the adverse effect on employee morale. By closing down, the needs ofcustomers will not be met (no inventories are on hand), and their business may be permanently lost to another supplier.