Financial Accounting Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Financial Accounting Concepts - Essay Example The advantages is that the more concerned managers are involved, the better the chances are of the budget being very much realistic in approach. These budgets are generally made at all levels but individually, rather than collectively. For instance, a salesman keeps a self imposed budget of, e.g. 5 units to be sold in a day.†¢Ã‚  Base Year Budget: It is the type of budgeting in which the previous year or any year for that matter is considered a standard, against which the expected (/wanted) performance is added to have a forecasted budget for the coming term. For example, considering 2006 as a base year, with all revenues and expenses expected to rise by 10%; the said percentage is multiplied across the board to attain the coming year budget or forecast.†¢Ã‚  Zero Based Budget: It is a derived form of the base year budget in which no base year is considered and the concerned manager is expected to justify each and every expense that he/she has stated in the forecast/budget. These are difficult to make, require extensive efforts and data gathering, since there is no base, the budget has to be prepared fro scratch.The users of budgets use these for different purposes; e.g. accountants use the information to check with variance for future better forecast, the heads check the contribution and performance of individual employees, the management checks the department working and profitability, while the owners view the over all big picture to visualize individual contributions and achievements.

Financial Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Analysis - Essay Example Over the past five years the Home Retail Group company has had ups and downs trend in terms of its profits but the gap between the profits is very small, for example the difference in profits between 2012 and 2011 is less than 1% this is an indication that the company maintains its standards of high performance over the period. For example the percentage gross profit for 2010 and 2011 is 45.45%, this was seen in both years, an indication of financial health for the company although not at a very good standards, but it shows that the HRG Company is capable of paying for the operational expenses without financial constraints. There is an increase in percentage of profit margin from 0.11%to 0.055% in the year 2011 and 2012 respectively this an indication that sales are increasingly contributing to the bottom line of the company. This measures how effectively a companys assets are being used to generate profits. It is majorly considered when evaluating the success of a business. A higher number reflects a well managed company with a healthy return on assets. The percent rate of return on assets for Home Retail Group is 0.022% in 2012 although there is a slight increase, there is still a need for improvement in this area to ensure the company can remain competitive and continue to operate successfully. This shows the rate of return on equity capital employed and also measures the ability of a companys management to realize an adequate return on the capital invested by the owners in a company. A higher number is preferred for this ratio. The percent rate of return on equity for Home Retail Group is 0.055% in 2012 and 0.0275% in 2010 there is a slight increase an indication that the management may not be effectively managing the profits earned based on the owners investment in the company. The management should utilize budgets to track expenses on a regular basis, and identify those that are out of line. Assign

Comparison of Taxation in the UK and Bangladesh

Comparison of Taxation in the UK and Bangladesh Introduction Taxation: It is concerned with the tradition of a countries government acquiring monetary fund from its countries populace in order for them to fund their public services. [1] For instance, taxation is used to build and maintain its public roads, public libraries, parks etc. Taxation is also used to support the countries security services like the police, army, etc. Task 1 Taxation plays a crucial role for countries throughout worldwide. However, here we are going to discuss brief descriptions of â€Å"Taxation in United Kingdom (U.K.)† and â€Å"Taxation in Bangladesh†. UK has a rather elaborate tax environment and it has several types of taxes, function and purpose, revenue law and practices. They are described below. Function and Purpose of Taxation in Modern Economy in UK Government’s tax policies in the UK are affected by the following factors Economic Factors Social Factors Environmental Factors Economic Factors Net position in connection with taxation and expenditure of the government, along with the borrowing protocol of its public sector has an influence upon the UK’s level of economic activities. Countries government generally prefers long-term planning which illustrates the capacity of the total resources of the economy which the government will allocate and the amount be given for the private sectors. Demand for specific kinds of goods will be influenced. Different sectors level of employment along with different private sector supplier’s profitability will be influenced by the changes in the demand level. Tax policies are used by the government in order to inspire and demoralize specific kinds of activities. Government believes that the latter taxes and duties reflect the additional costs for the entire country. Nonetheless, Government requires increasing fund in order to invest in particular area where there aren’t any consumers upon which the essential taxes can be subjected to tax like: defense, law and order, overseas aid and also the expenditure required for operating the Government and Parliament. Social Factor It is usually considered by some as a â€Å"Fair† way to go about, while on the other hand other may think of it as an en masse â€Å"Unfair† way to do things. For instance, some particular people in the free market are able to muster much larger quantity of income and capital in comparison to other people. Finally whenever the wealth is amassed it only leads to the growth of that wealth through the means of reinvestments of investment income that they gained. This ultimately ends up in the rich amassing more wealth and the poor getting even poorer, which leads to the economic scale being out of balance; meaning that economic power mainly focused in the hands of few individuals. Taxation policies are there to counteract the problem of economic scale being out of balance, which prevents the rich from getting richer and the poor from getting poorer. There are different taxes which influences society. Within â€Å"Direct Tax† and â€Å"Indirect Tax† many types of taxes fall under the categories. Different point of view remains about â€Å"equitable† even though nearly everyone agrees that taxation ought to be equitable or fair. Environmental Factors The movement of taxation system is relatively slow regarding the environmental concerns accommodation, especially in the areas of renewable and non-renewable energy sources and also global warming. However, changes in the taxation system have been introduced in order to accommodate the environmental concerns. Only the effects of the 3rd point will be directly be felt by ordinary people, while the others are going to be felt by those in charge of the business. Overall structure of the United Kingdom (U.K.) tax system and Sources of Revenue Law and Practice are mainly superintended by the HMRC (Her Majestys Revenue and Customs). Overall structure of the U.K. tax system Taxation collections are formally imposed by the Treasury. Responsibility of administration of the Treasury falls under the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The role of governing for collecting tax is initiated by HMRC (Her Majestys Revenue and Customs). ‘Officers of the Revenue and Customs’ are made known in the tax law as the personnel of the HMRC. Fundamentally, they are the one’s duty-bound for overseeing the system of self-appraisal and acknowledging liabilities of taxation. ‘Receivable Management Officers’ are those officers who are responsible for collecting tax. They are provincial civil servants who are answerable for investigating number of taxes which are left unpaid specified to them by the â€Å"HMRC Accounts Office†. â€Å"Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)† – They give legitimate consultation and doctrine and also handles prosecutions of criminals which has been analyzed by the HMRC (Her Majestys Revenue and Customs). Tax appeals are noted by the Tax Tribunal which is comprised of 2 tiers. Sources of Revenue Law Generally, decree imposes the taxes. ‘Statutory Instruments’ ordains the etiquette as well as Acts of Parliament. Decree is made clear and augmented by case law. HMRC (Her Majestys Revenue and Customs) are also responsible for imposing the following points. HMRC publications doesn’t have the force of law, but few of the VAT briefings does wherever authority have been designated subsidiary to constitution. United Kingdom (U.K.) tax system interacts with that of European Union (E.U.) as well as other countries. European Union (E.U.) Its members has a major influence on U.K. taxes, even though there aren’t any prerequisite enforced upon its states (e.g., members of the E.U.) to step towards the typical taxation system or to coordinate their own unique system of tax. ‘Directives’ which are specific laws will be agreed by the states to enact which give for a familiar taxation code within distinct field of their own systems of taxation. Value Added Tax (V.A.T) is without a doubt the most significant reference currently up-to-date. U.K. is duty-bound to accommodate its legislation in accordance with the guideline set forth in the E.U. mandate. Directives of Value Added Tax (V.A.T) will accept some laissez faire amongst its state members (e.g. set up taxation rates). There are only a handful of illustrations of Directives in the field of Direct Taxes. Its main interest in the matter will be associated with cross-border dividend, interest payments and also corporate reorganizations. Nonetheless, being influenced by the provisions of the treaties of E.U., those states who are member must allow of privilege of transferal of workforce, wealth, as well as, the right to set-up mà ©tier anywhere interior of the boundaries of the E.U. These accord arrangements have a ‘direct effect’. European Justice Court consistently pointed out that the policy of tax which victimizes non-residents is contradictory to the laws of European Union (E.U.), except in cases where there is powerful rationale regarding interest of the public. Other Countries United States of America (U.S.A.) along with several other countries has a treaty with the United Kingdom (U.K.) which is known as the ‘Double Tax Treaty’. Incorporated within this decree are regulations which thwart earnings and benefits being taxed not just once but twice. Also, included within this decree, the law which forbids nationals from foreign countries from being discriminated (e.g. treating nationals with benevolence, while on the other hand treating the non-residents with prejudice). Additionally, statute exists which allows different Revenue administration to share intelligence. The system of taxation of U.K. grants alleviation for taxes which are paid in foreign countries, even though there is no double tax relief. Task 2 Tax Practitioner: They are the people who are being paid to prepare taxes every year.[12] Tax Practitioner has several responsibilities and critical obligations.   Task 3 As, Mr. Abid’s tax lawyer one can give couple of recommendations regarding his entitlement, exemptions and obligations for taxation in the United Kingdom (U.K.) tax environment. First and foremost, Mr. Abid isn’t currently a resident of United Kingdom (U.K.). However, his wife Mrs. Narida is an United Kingdom (U.K.) resident living in the United Kingdom (U.K.) currently. Mrs. Narida has accessories business in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and she is also helping her husband (i.e. Mr. Abid) business of selling accessories in the United Kingdom (U.K.) as his proxy. Here, currently he is obligated to pay income tax and also corporate tax in both the countries due to the provision known as ‘Double Tax Treaty’ – due to the fact that he is not a resident of the United Kingdom (U.K.) as of yet. And for this instance, he won’t get an exemption on income and gains; however, he would have gotten some exemptions if he was a resident of the United Kingdom (U.K.), but doing business outside the country. It would be much easier for him to become a resident of United Kingdom (U.K.) because his wife is currently a resident of United Kingdom (U.K.). Once he becomes a resident of the United Kingdom (U.K.), he is required to be present in the country of United Kingdom (U.K.) for at least half-a-year/ or about six months (approximately 183 Days) or more. But, if he were to make commodious annual visit to the United Kingdom (U.K.) like for a time length of approximately 91 Days or more in a year for 4 or more perpetual years; then he will be considered as a resident of the country of United Kingdom (U.K.), and will be entitled to pay taxes according to the rules and regulations of United Kingdom (U.K.) tax system. Again, once Mr. Abid is a resident of the country of United Kingdom (U.K.), he is also entitled to pay Council Tax. His wife Mrs. Narida lives in a rented house with his mother whose age is around 70 Years. And so, when he becomes a United Kingdom (U.K.) resident, he may get an exemption on his Council Tax, based upon the fact that an aged person is also living with them. It is generally, better for large number of people to live together because depending on the size and type of people living in the property can be a powerful rationale for exemption like single person, or people living with children under the age of 18, or the disabled and pensioners are entitled to exemptions. Next would be Inheritance Tax. Mr. Abid, 8 years in the past got a house as a wedding gift which was worth more than  £ 310,000. Mr. Abid inherited it from his wife. So, he has to pay Inheritance Tax. He may have gotten so exemptions but due to the fact he isn’t a resident of the country of United Kingdom (U.K.), he is not going to get any kind of tax exemption. Next is Capital Gains Tax. Mr. Abid will also have to pay Capital Gains Tax, once he sells the house which was given to him as a wedding present by his wife Mrs. Narida. And now finally we come to Value Added Tax (V.A.T.). Value Added Tax (V.A.T.) is a system of taxation which is internationally practiced. So, no matter which country he/she is staying in they all have to pay Value Added Tax (V.A.T.) which also includes the country of United Kingdom (U.K.). Case 2: â€Å"Tax Non-Compliance† is mainly comprised of â€Å"Tax Evasion† and â€Å"Tax Avoidance†.   Generally, the distinction between â€Å"Tax Evasion† and â€Å"Tax Avoidance† is rather vague to say the least; however, there are some differentiations between them. Here, in Case 2, at first Tanzila received property income of  £ 5,000 but accidently entered the figure on her tax return as  £ 500. While on the other hand, Mitu received property income of  £ 7,000 and deliberately declared  £ 5,000 on her tax return. In both these cases, both of them have misled HMRC (Her Majestys Revenue and Customs) by providing wrong information. So, they both committed the crime of â€Å"Tax Evasion†. However, there is a subtle difference between them. In Tanzila’s case, while she did provide misleading information to the HMRC, she did not do so purposely; she entered the information wrong by accident. She didn’t mean to give the wrong information deliberately. And so, this will be treated as minor case of â€Å"Tax Evasion† and will be dealt out of count on the payment of penalties. Because, there is no need to cause too much trouble for such unintentional mistakes. While on the other hand, Mitu deliberately provided HMRC with false information. So, unlike Tanzila’s case this cannot be treated as case of minor human error. Here, she intentionally trying to evade tax which is a serious crime of â€Å"Tax Evasion†, As such, Mitu will be subjected to criminal prosecutions, which might ultimately end up in her having to pay fines and/or imprisonment on conviction. [1] http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/taxation [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_the_United_Kingdom [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Bangladesh [4] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/directtax.asp [5] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/indirecttax.asp [6] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/incometax.asp [7] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/corporatetax.asp [8] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/inheritancetax.asp [9] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capital_gains_tax.asp [10] http://www.thefreedictionary.com/council+tax [11] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valueaddedtax.asp [12] https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101127121537AAXMjCR [13] http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-roles-responsibilities-tax-practitioner-441765 [14] http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Tax_noncompliance [15] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/taxevasion.asp [16] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/tax_avoidance.asp [17] http://www.nouse.co.uk/2013/01/22/what-is-the-difference-between-tax-evasion-and-tax-avoidance/

Mind Deception :: Personal Narrative Abortion Descriptive Essays

Mind Deception I’m surrounded by the blatant screams of hatred as I am thrown from hand rail to hand rail on the steps of this large building. The People surrounding me are holding large signs and yelling chants as they throw trash at this structure before me. Signs scream death in red writing as if they were stabbed or ripped open like a wound. The noise has become numbing, and all I hear are footsteps and see hands flail in front of my face. I spin almost motionless as if my head is the only thing moving, yet I am unable to focus on any object. Suddenly the noise returns, and I am no longer spinning. I see the rush of news media approaching in hopes of capturing the best photo or quote of this enormous display of protest. Still I cannot figure out what is being protested. I turn in every direction looking for an explanation for this chaos, and all I receive in return is a shoulder or back turned to me. The riot is getting out of control now, and I see several policemen rushing towards the spectacle. With fear that I may get hurt, I decide to enter the building which stands before me. When the door behind me smacks shut with an echoing, darkness is all I can see. I call out to see if anyone is around, but it appears as though there is no one. The musty smell of this building enters my throat and causes me to gag. I quickly run through an open door in hopes of a change of atmosphere. The smell has changed but the room is still dark, except for a crack of light seeping in from an almost covered skylight above me. Shrieking cries of what I think are infants fill my ears, but after looking in every direction, I see nothing. My curiosity pushes me to explore more of this building; so I move forward and open the door into another room. The room is very well lit, and as I look around I feel as though I have been here before. With no signs as to what this building is, and with no one to ask, I am finding it difficult to recall why I know this place.

Merging Context Between Past, Present and Future

Unifying context between past, present and futureIn order to understand how the physical environment of the metropolis icons came approximately, one can look at it as a ‘whole ‘ and try to supply an reading of urban signifiers through their historical and cultural contexts. We will non cover with elements of urban signifiers, but look at the signifiers themselves as portion of a broader Muslim tradition.The PastThe saving of tradition plants at different degrees reflects if anything, differing modern-day maps and ideological demands ( e-g. the demand for legitimacy ) by ascendent elites or their challengers. On one degree, there is the attempt to continue the best illustrations of traditional edifices as examples, beginnings of modern-day inspiration and/or keepers of portion of what its carrier respect as their modern-day cultural individuality. On a different degree, the saving and reuse of single edifices in modern-day society raises serious functional and ideological jobs. Yet, such adaptative reuse appears to be the lone possibility of keeping verve for the edifices and avoiding the museum attack to of import elements of an organic life metropolis. The saving of a individual edifice, whether reused or non, is different from the saving of the character of an country and, here, different standards come into drama. Of these, the sense of urban context is a cardinal 1, as is the inquiry of graduated table, proportions, street alliances, fenestration, articulation of volumes, dealingss between solids and nothingnesss, and, most of all, activities permitted in the public infinite and inter-relationship between the public and private spheres. Decoding Symbols of the Past. Architects must get the edification to read the symbolic content of this heritage in a mode that enriches their ability to bring forth relevant edifices for today and tomorrow, and to steer the â€Å" authentification † attempts between the duplicate shoals of Kitsch and foreign wrongness. This edification can merely come through a reinforced educational procedure which engenders in future designers the critical sense required to decrypt the symbolic content of the yesteryear in a realistic, as opposed to an ideologically mystifying, manner. This, of class, necessitates a wide cognition of the methodological analysis every bit good as the content of historical surveies, a sense of the growing of societies as a procedure of consecutive efforts at tease and above all an ability to see the reinforced environment of the yesteryear as it was perceived by coevalss.Understanding the PresentThe societies of the universe are inescapably societies in passage, nevertheless much some members of those societies may seek to avoid this basic procedure by denying it, or by absolutising a past which exists merely in their ain heads as a counterbalance to the present world they deny and the hereafter which they fear. The demographic, proficient, economic, cultural, political and ideolog ical constituents of this passage procedure are good known. Submerging in a inundation of Western engineering and cultural imports that are often ill-matched to local conditions and insensitive to cultural traditions, societies are today fighting to make a cultural environment that provides them with a feasible sense of self-identity and which is suited to regional and national conditions. Authenticity for an Indonesian will non be the same as genuineness for a Moroccan. Yet there is this all right yarn of commonalty of the nature of the hunt with variableness of the conditions under which it is undertaken. This is portion of the originative mastermind of civilization, whose trademarks have ever been unity with diverseness. Contemporary â€Å" regionalism † must show itself in new and modern-day ways. This truism must be restated often in the face of a strong current that seeks safety in perpetuating the myth that traditional common architecture is adequate. This â€Å" flig ht into the past † must be forced to acknowledge the graduated table and engineering that progressively link and undergird the urban built environment. Slavish copying of the yesteryear is non the reply. For those who would seek, the dimensions of modern engineering and its related infrastructural demands will rapidly remind them that the way of excellence requires creativeness.Expecting and Fixing for the FutureA dateless continuity: reading the marks. Architects must be Masterss of a broad scope of accomplishments and their deployment – a scope fat greater than architectural instruction presently prepares them for. First, architects must be able to decrypt the yesteryear so they can understand how their predecessors viewed their yesteryear, nowadays, and hereafter. Armed with this comparative cognition, they must secondly try to read the marks and tendencies of the present. This is peculiarly slippery as, while edifices last a long clip, current tendencies may turn ou t passing, and become so within the infinite of a few old ages. Third, designers must non merely believe of their individual edifice, but of its relationship to the wider community. Fourth, and most significantly, they must draw all of this analysis together and design and implement a merchandise which, over its life-time, can rightly win a topographic point in the dateless continuity of universe architecture, as have the great edifices of the yesteryear which, speak of excellence, non of an age, but for all clip. ( Serageldin, Ismail, 1991 ) Significantly, the historical and civilizational deepness of a state drama a critical function in supplying drift toward contracting the technological spread which resulted in making two different universes. One is the topographic point of the human existences who belong to the industrial universe, and the other is for those who survive on minor industries. That chitchat generated more uncalled-for racism into this universe.([ I ])Amid these fortunes, the non-industrial states turned to centres for modern disaffection. All the activities associating to economic system have been ideologized, the specialised scientific finds were monopolized off from them, and by and large, steps were secured to maintain the human being of the less developed states in a province of scientific impairment to the involvement of the industrial states.([ two ])Some research workers predict that in the following three decennaries, the range of the scientific and technological subdivisions of cognition that a re clamant for the advancement of states will be identified. This is because, in the approaching period, the modern-day coevals will witness the hugest scientific and technological promotions.([ three ])The scientific technological spread places the modern Arab idea in a lasting challenge, that is chiefly fiscal, because the Arab states, like in the western states, need to apportion fine-looking financess for scientific discipline and engineering in order to convey about a scientific rebellion in their states. The West calculatedly attempts to marginalise the function of the Arab person in the planetary production rates. Consequently, he will go a consumer of others’ productions, viz. western merchandises, intellectually every bit good as economically. The more the scientific technological spread grows, the more consumptive that single will go. Interrupting free from that technological dependance can be attained through uninterrupted scientific work and committedness, and through diging deeper in the field, and saving no clip in set uping strong fiscal and moral substructures. Time is running out more than of all time.([ four ])A group of exterior factors are created to model the Arab idea in a certain manner, as a agency of blockading the attempts done to recover an reliable individuality, and to maintain it from taking right stairss in the way of scientific and technological advancement. As affairs stand, it seems that the wars fought by the occupied states for independency had as pired for rational independency chiefly. The Arab states must prosecute in a scientific and technological competitory war in order to run into the challenges posed by West. It is of paramount importance to happen the route to this.([ V ]) Potentially, the basic stairss in pulling a program for development that agreements with our deep-seated Arab-Islamic cognitive rules can be achieved, chiefly through inventing modern-day scientific-based rational models. The map of these models will be to size up and polish the heritage in an honorable nonsubjective mode. As a consequence, a scientific Arab power of a distinguishable individuality will emerge to the universe with firm stairss.

Disadvantages of Ethics in the Workplace

Essay: â€Å"What are advantages and disadvantages of business ethics?†Business Ethics Some commentators, such as Milton Friedman, believe that the â€Å"primary and only responsibility of business is to make money† while abiding by the law. Supporters of this point of view argue that companies' self-interested pursuit of profit benefits the whole of society. Profitable businesses clearly benefit shareholders, but other commentators, such as Edward Freeman, argue that businesses should also benefit other stakeholders. Stakeholders are people and groups with whom the business has a relationship. This includes shareholders, but extends out to include employees, their families, the community within which the business operates, customers and suppliers.Advantages and disadvantages of being an ethical businessAdvantages Business ethics offer companies a competitive advantage. Consumers learn to trust ethical brands and remain loyal to them, even during difficult periods. In 1982, Johnson & Johnson spent over $100 million dollars recalling Tylenol, its best-selling product, after someone tampered with bottles of the painkiller. The company followed its credo, a set of ethical organizational values, and the result was a boost in consumer confidence, despite the contamination scare. Society benefits from business ethics because ethical companies recognize their social responsibilities. Disadvantages of business ethics reduce a company's freedom to maximize its profit. For example, a multinational company may move its manufacturing facility to a developing country to reduce costs. Practices acceptable in that country, such as child labor, poor health and safety, poverty-level wages and coerced employment, will not be tolerated by an ethical company. Improvements in working conditions, such as a living wage and minimum health and safety standard,s reduce the level of cost-savings that the company generates. However, it could be argued that the restrictions on company freedom benefit wider society. People, Planet, Profit Companies increasingly recognize the need to commit to business ethics and measure their success by more than just profitability. This has led to the introduction of the triple bottom line, also known as â€Å"people, planet, profit.† Companies report on their financial, social and environmental performance. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index benchmarks companies who report their performance based on the triple bottom line. This type of performance reporting acknowledges that companies must make a profit to survive, but encourages ethical and sustainable business conduct. Purpose of ethical theory An ethical theory is to provide theory for people to value human beings through their behaviors, to access a person if he/she is ethical good or bad through his/her actions, like be honest, not to steal, not to kill, etc. Although there are basic moralities that every person follows in all places (Beauchamp & Bowie, 2004), in different background culture or different situations, people have different judgments about the actions. Ethical theory gives us a guide to choose the best option of actions in a certain situation which counts as most significant ethically. Ethical people are those who recognize the difference between right and wrong and consistently strive to set an example of good conduct. In a business setting, being ethical means applying principles of honesty and fairness to relationships with coworkers and customers. Ethical individuals make an effort to treat everyone with whom they come in contact as they would want to be treated themselves. Build Customer Loyalty Consumers may let a company take advantage of them once, but if they believe they have been treated unfairly, such as by being overcharged, they will not be repeat customers. Having a loyal customer base is one of the keys to long-range business success because serving an existing customer doesn’t involve marketing cost, as does acquiring a new one. A company’s reputation for ethical behavior can help it create a more positive image in the marketplace, which can bring in new customers through word-of-mouth referrals. Conversely, a reputation for unethical dealings hurts the company’s chances to obtain new customers, particularly in this age of social networking when dissatisfied customers can quickly disseminate information about the negative experience they had. Retain Good Employees Talented individuals at all levels of an organization want to be compensated fairly for their work and dedication. They want career advancement within the organization to be based on the quality of the work they do and not on favoritism. They want to be part of a company whose management team tells them the truth about what is going on, such as when layoffs or reorganizations are being contemplated. Companies who are fair and open in their dealings with employees have a better chance of retaining the most talented people. Employees who do not believe the compensation methodology is fair are often not as dedicated to their jobs as they could be. Positive Work Environment Employees have a responsibility to be ethical from the moment they have their first job interview. They must be honest about their capabilities and experience. Ethical employees are perceived as team players rather than as individuals just out for themselves. They develop positive relationships with coworkers. Their supervisors trust them with confidential information and they are often given more autonomy as a result. Employees who are caught in lies by their supervisors damage their chances of advancement within the organization and may risk being fired. An extreme case of poor ethics is employee theft. In some industries, this can cost the business a significant amount of money, such as restaurants whose employees steal food from the storage locker or freezer. Avoid Legal Problems At times, a company’s management may be tempted to cut corners in pursuit of profit, such as not fully complying with environmental regulations or labor laws, ignoring worker safety hazards or using substandard materials in their products. The penalties for being caught can be severe, including legal fees and fines or sanctions by governmental agencies. The resulting negative publicity can cause long-range damage to the company’s reputation that is even more costly than the legal fees or fines. Companies that maintain the highest ethical standards take the time to train every member of the organization about the conduct that is expected of them. Disadvantage: Polarization of Society Because it offers such an integral look into human nature, ethics — as a branch of philosophy — tends to create divisions among those of varying opinions. Within the United States, the reverberations of this effect are at the core of government policy. Two groups, such as Pro-Choice and Pro-Life, work from similar facts and land on different notions of what is ethically and morally â€Å"right. † These rifts within society may slow down legislation and other government progress. Advantage: Simplification One advantage of any firm ethical system is that when the time comes to make a decision, there is often an existing framework for making that decision. For example, if an ethical system decides that theft is wrong in all circumstances, then any person who firmly believes in that ethical system should be able to turn away ideas of stealing. This process can expedite decision-making in general, as it has often already answered questions that may arise. Disadvantage: Varied Theories and Constant Change Ethics, as a whole, is a branch of philosophy that many consider to be necessarily unfinished. As technology and culture changes, new ethical issues are always arising, such as ethics within distributing content online. Likewise, issues of â€Å"cultural relativism† can create various interpretations of similar issues simply through the specific traditions of any given culture. These problems, and others, cause ethics to be a field of tumultuous change with highly varied interpretation. Advantage: Building â€Å"Good† The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy notes that ethics â€Å"involves systematising, defending and recommending concepts of right and wrong behaviour. † As such, the field is, by and large, dedicated to helping derive systems for understanding and improving human behaviour. As an end-result of finding and invoking a true ethical system, the world should evolve into a safer, friendlier and happier place. Benefits If we have an ethical behaviour in our career we can do so much good. Due to this our business grows very much. Because due to this a discipline is develop in us and then we can set a high slandered and high level in our business. Bellows there are some goals we can use for continuous development. Working without deadly mishap. Eliminating work related diseases. We can increase varieties in our business. Increasing benefits of removal for local Increasing the benefits of mining for local areas. increasing energy competence By working towards these goals, we hope to gain a competitive benefit. It is also help with its position on stock market. Many long terms sever, like pension funds that are run investments for millions of normal people in the foreign countries, think that to consider social and ethical issues is important for the company. Due to this the company puts in a stronger position. Ethical behaviour will help businesses to attain better height and is because it does what business should actually do and helps them in developing discipline, which will push, business work practise to a high level and set a high standard. It actually promotes teamwork among worker. And this is because there is great respect place in elementary issues in the work place. Ethical behaviour also build confidence that will translate to trust among worker and they are more motivated towards theirs tasks. Ethical behaviour is really becoming very important for all our society because in the end it contributing in our society. It is not only contributing to our society directly but also keep the trust of the society. At the work place people who face ethical matter are versatile. The ethical behaviour do contribute the organization in term of profit which is usually higher then the firm which are actually not operating ethically and are operating for their own interest. Business activities that meet the requirements of the law, but which are considered unfair by stakeholders can result in bad publicity. The best example is of a restaurant that pay minimum wage but keeps staff tips to boost profits is not breaking the law, however, run the risk of losing the goodwill of costumers.As I understand it, one of the best kept secrets in Congress is that many Congressional members have unpaid â€Å"personal† aides who, because they are unpaid, do not have to disclose their financial holdings like other paid staff do. I have no doubt that many, if not all, of the problems cited in this article are also happening with these â€Å"unpaid† staff members and that this is a source of a lot of Congressional problems with lack of management, inattention to majo r problems of the country, and so forth. This situation is a result of so-called campaign finance reform. We were better off when a few dozen large companies and big political contributors funneled money into the Congress, and they didn't have to grub money from tens of thousands of other smaller contributors. The cure of campaign finance reform is worse than the disease. But instead of loosening up on US companies to make it easier to deal with corruption, we should instead be encouraging others to do what we have done with our law. India is beginning to move in the direction of cracking down on corruption, and we seem to be moving away from it. And it's because of the corrupt ion in the Congressional staff that this is the case.This is a shoddy piece of reporting. Must be summertime. Even a cursory big-picture review of the topic would lead anyone to see that this is an issue faced by businesses and cultures around the world. The unambiguous trend is to stamp-out this kind of curruption. A one-word example: Siemens. The FCPA may have been 20 years before its' time, but it's merits have become abundantly clear to many, if not most. I say this as someone who has been involved in international business for many years. OK – so, the US Chamber of Commerce seems to have fallen into the mud in an effort to promote short-term profit to the exclusion of everything else. (Honestly, I'm disappointed by the Chamber's narrow-minded view). That said, I expect a reporter of Mr. Hilzenrath's pedigree to make a serious, professional effort to provide useful perspective on a complex and challenging issue.Bibliography:http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-ethical-behavior-business-21067.htmlhttp://www.studymode.com/essays/Business-Ethics-137790.htmlhttp://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-business-ethics-10414.htmlhttp://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8333081_advantages-disadvantages-ethics.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/ethical-behavior.htmlhttp://www.ukessays.com/essays/philosophy/ethical-behaviour-in-a-business-environment-philosophy-essay.php

Director John Waters as auteur.

Director John Waters as auteur. John Waters is a true auteur. He uses many of the same themes and images throughout his films. The John Waters' films that I viewed were Hairspray (1988), Cry-Baby (1990), Serial Mom (1994), and Cecil B. Demented (2000). Consistent themes in these films included the use of the same actors, Waters' love for scandal ridden celebrities, all were located in Baltimore, comedic portrayals of sex, outcasts, altercations with the police, and a shot of a mouse, rat or gerbil.Hairspray is the story of Tracy Turnblatt, a chubby hair hopper in 1960s Baltimore. Waters uses many of his stock actors in this movie, drag queen, Divine in the dual role of Tracy's mother and the television station owner that runs The Corny Collins Show, Mink Stole as Tracy's best friend's mother, Alan J. Wendl as Hefty Hideaway shop owner, Mr. Pinky and starring as Tracy Turnblatt, Waters' muse, the incomparable Ricki Lake.Cecil B. DementedWith the exception of Divine who died shortly after this movie was made, all of these actors appear in all four of these films. Tracy longs to be on The Corny Collins Show, Baltimore's poor man's version of American Bandstand. Through luck, fate and pure chutzpah, she makes it onto the show, becomes a council member and even steals the cutest boy on the show away from the most popular girl in all of Baltimore. According to Curry, Hairspray is a "musical comedy film about desegregation in Baltimore during the early 1960's. Waters revives the turbulent times as a backdrop to a television dance show phenomenon. (Curry, 1996)The expected Waters penchant for media celebrities, past and present, pops up here and there in Cry-Baby with cameos by David Nelson, Patty Hearst, who shows up again in Serial Mom and Cecil B. Demented, Joey Heatherton, Troy Donahue, Iggy...

The Story of Nat Turners Rebellion

The Story of Nat Turners Rebellion Nat Turner’s Rebellion was an intensely violent episode which broke out in August 1831 when slaves in southeastern Virginia rose up against white residents of the area. During a two-day rampage, more than 50 whites were killed, mostly by being stabbed or hacked to death. The leader of the slave uprising, Nat Turner, was an unusually charismatic character. Though born a slave, he had learned to read. And he was reputed to possess knowledge of scientific subjects. He was also said to experience religious visions, and would preach religion to his fellow slaves. While Nat Turner was able to draw followers to his cause, and organize them to commit murder, his ultimate purpose remains elusive. It was widely assumed that Turner and his followers, numbering about 60 slaves from local farms, intended to flee into a swampy area and essentially live outside society. Yet they didnt seem to make any serious effort to leave the area.   It is possible Turner believed he could invade the local county seat, seize weapons, and make a stand. But the odds of surviving a counterattack from armed citizens, local militia, and even federal troops, would have been remote. Many of the participants in the rebellion, including Turner, were captured and hanged. The bloody uprising against the established order failed. Yet Nat Turner’s Rebellion lived on in popular memory. The slave insurrection in Virginia in 1831 left a long and bitter legacy. The violence unleashed was so shocking that severe measures were put in place to make it more difficult for slaves to learn to read and to travel beyond their homes. And the slave uprising led by Turner would influence attitudes about slavery for decades. Anti-slavery activists, including William Lloyd Garrison and others in the abolitionist movement, saw the actions of Turner and his band as a heroic effort to break the chains of slavery. Pro-slavery Americans, startled and deeply alarmed by the sudden outbreak of violence, began to accuse the small but vocal abolitionist movement of actively motivating slaves to revolt. For years, any action taken by the abolitionist movement, such as the pamphlet campaign of 1835, would be interpreted as an attempt to inspire those in bondage to follow the example of Nat Turner. Life of Nat Turner Nat Turner was born a slave on October 2, 1800, in Southampton County, in southeastern Virginia. As a child he exhibited unusual intelligence, quickly learning to read. He later claimed he could not recall learning to read; he just set about to do it and essentially acquired reading skills spontaneously. Growing up, Turner became obsessed with reading the Bible, and became a self-taught preacher in a slave community. He also claimed to experience religious visions. As a young man, Turner escaped from an overseer and fled into the woods. He remained at large for a month, but then voluntarily returned. He related the experience in his confession, which was published following his execution: About this time I was placed under an overseer, from whom I  ran away - and after remaining in the woods thirty days, I returned, to the astonishment of the negroes on the plantation, who thought I had made my escape to some other part of the country, as my father had done before.But the reason of my return was, that the Spirit appeared to me and said I had my wishes directed to the things of this world, and not to the kingdom of Heaven, and that I should return to the service of my earthly master - For he who knoweth his Masters will,  and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, and thus, have I chastened you. And the negroes found fault, and  murmured against me, saying that if they had my sense they would not serve any master in the world.And about this time I had a vision - and I saw white spirits and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened - the thunder rolled in the Heavens, and blood flowed in streams - and I heard a voice saying, Such is y our luck, such you are called to see, and let it come rough or smooth, you must surely bear it.I now withdrew myself as much as my situation would permit, from the intercourse of my fellow servants, for the avowed purpose of serving the Spirit more fullyand it appeared to me, and reminded me of the things it had already shown me, and that it would then reveal to me the knowledge of the elements, the revolution of the planets, the operation of tides, and changes of the seasons.After this revelation in the year 1825, and the knowledge of the elements being made known to me, I sought more than ever to obtain true holiness before the great day of judgment should appear, and then I began to receive the true knowledge of faith. Turner also related that he began to receive other visions. One day, working in the fields, he saw drops of blood on ears of corn. Another day he claimed to have seem images of men, written in blood, on leaves of trees. He interpreted the signs to mean a great day of judgment was at hand. In early 1831 a solar eclipse was interpreted by Turner as a sign that he should act. With his experience of  preaching to other slaves, and he was able to organize a small band to follow him.   The Rebellion In Virginia On a Sunday afternoon, August 21, 1831, a group of four slaves gathered in the woods for a barbecue. As they cooked a pig, Turner joined them, and the group apparently formulated the final plan to attack nearby white landowners that night. In the early morning hours of August 22, 1831, the group attacked the family of the man who owned Turner. By stealthily entering the house, Turner and his men surprised the family in their beds, killing them by slashing them to death with knives and axes. After leaving the familys house, Turners accomplices realized they had left a baby sleeping in a crib. They returned to the house and killed the infant. The brutality and efficiency of the killings would be repeated throughout the day. And as more slaves joined Turner and the original band, the violence quickly escalated. In various small groups, slaves armed with knives and axes would ride up to a house, surprising the residents, and quickly murder them. Within about 48 hours more than 50 white residents of Southampton County were murdered. Word of the outrages spread quickly. At least one local farmer armed his slaves, and they helped fight off a band of Turners disciples. And at least one poor white family, who owned no slaves, were spared by Turner, who told his men to ride past their house and leave them alone. As the groups of rebels struck farmsteads they tended to collect more weapons. Within a day the improvised slave army had obtained firearms and gunpowder. It has been assumed that Turner and his followers may  have intended to march on the county seat of Jerusalem, Virginia, and seize weapons stored there. But a group of armed white citizens managed to find and attack a group of Turners followers before that could happen. A number of rebellious slaves were killed and wounded in that attack, and the rest scattered into the countryside. Nat Turner managed to escape and evade detection for a month. But he was eventually chased down and surrendered. He was imprisoned, put on trial, and hanged. Impact of Nat Turners Rebellion The insurrection in Virginia was reported in a Virginia newspaper, the Richmond Enquirer, on August 26, 1831. The initial reports said local families had been killed, and considerable military force might be required to subdue the disturbers. The article in the Richmond Enquirer mentioned that militia companies were riding to Southampton County, delivering supplies of arms and ammunition. The newspaper, in the same week as the rebellion had occurred, was calling out for vengeance: But that these wretches will rue the day on which they broke loose upon the neighboring population is most certain. A terrible retribution will fall upon their heads. Dearly will they pay for their madness and misdeeds. In the following weeks, newspapers along the East Coast carried news of what was generally termed an insurrection. Even in an era before the penny press and the telegraph, when news still traveled by letter on ship or horseback, accounts from Virginia were published widely. After Turner was captured and jailed, he provided a confession in a series of interviews. A book of his confession was published, and it remains the primary account of his life and deeds during the uprising. As fascinating as Nat Turners confession is, it should probably be considered with some skepticism. It was published, of course, by a white man who was not sympathetic to Turner or to the cause of the enslaved. So its presentation of Turner as perhaps delusional may have been an effort to portray his cause as utterly misguided. Legacy of Nat Turner The abolitionist movement often invoked Nat Turner as a heroic figure who rose up to fight against oppression. Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Toms Cabin, included a portion of Turners confession in the appendix of one of her novels. In 1861, the abolitionist author Thomas Wentworth Higginson, wrote an account of Nat Turners Rebellion for the Atlantic Monthly. His account placed the story in historical context just as the Civil War was beginning. Higginson was not merely an author, but had been an associate of John Brown, to the extent that he was identified as one of the Secret Six who helped finance Browns 1859 raid on a federal armory. John Browns ultimate goal when he launched his raid on Harpers Ferry was to inspire a slave rebellion and succeed where Nat Turners Rebellion, and an earlier slave rebellion planned by Denmark Vesey, had failed.

Top 8 Apps for Busy Freelancers

Top 8 Apps for Busy Freelancers From the way they help with managing your time to managing simultaneous due-dates, from taking notes in a client meeting to having access to recent drafts on the go, apps are a freelancer’s best friend. So it’s very likely they can help you streamline your office life too. Check out this list of the top 8 productivity apps and see what you can make your life easier by downloading.  For Time Management1. PomodoroThis simple timer app is free (with paid upgrade features) and lets you set an interval for â€Å"work† with an automatic break timer to get you back on track afterwards.2. Calendars by ReaddleThis not only synthesizes with your Google or iCalendar, it represents your calendar events as blocks of time, allowing you visually assess where you have free time and where you’re double or triple booked. The basic app is free, with paid upgrades to allow for repeated event scheduling, languages, added to-do lists, managing invites and attendees, reminders , and smart input that searches your emails for potential action items.3. Self-ControlOf all the apps that will help you block out Twitter and Facebook long enough to get work done, Self-Control is the most hardcore. There’s no way to cancel it! Not even restarting your computer! Sometimes I need that kind of tough love in my life.For To-Do Lists4. WunderlistThis app is always a crowd pleaser- its best features are letting you group tasks together and assign subtasks within an ongoing project. You can even attach files so they’re easy to refer to, and share documents with groups.5. TodoistThis is a masterlist app- it rounds up tasks, scheduling, labeling, notes, reminders, project templates and more to cover every aspect of your workflow.6.Mind-NodeThis app is ideal for less linear thinkers; it allows you to make beautiful charts by free-form associations between ideas, rather than the structure of a list or an outline.For Document Access7. Good ReaderAlong with the cl assics like Pages and Google Docs, this one of my favorite apps for document review. It’s especially terrific for converting between formats, and has the best PDF-edit interface I’ve come across. Whenever I have to sign and return a contract, I never have to print or scan it anymore.8. Scanning AppsGoogle Drive has a new scanning feature you may have noticed, but the other top apps are Cam Scanner, Genius Scan, and the ever popular EverNote. Pay close attention to whether they allow you to import as images or will actually make the effort to convert to Word or any other editable format!

Short Paper - ServeNow Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Short - ServeNow - Term Paper Example In order to facilitate the customers and to earn a dominant position in the market, many entrepreneurs aim at maintaining a chain of their business outlets. However this requires tremendous hard work but if their plan works then it yields numerous rewards not only for the entrepreneur but for all the stakeholders. I, being the small business consultant, Solange De Peres, have already advised my client Bushley, that he needs to hire new mangers as internal recruitment is not possible, because the existing staff does not possess the skills required for the vacant positions. In addition to this, I have also advised my client that he must hire those people who are not acquainted with store operations as this way they will spend more time in learning and gaining the experience with Bushley and will not think of changing their jobs quickly. However this will require a lot of time and efforts from my client in training his managerial force, but this can all be managed with the aid of technological good available in the market. I advise Bushley that he should prepare a detailed training program, explaining clearly about the stores’ operations. The training program should describe thoroughly about the responsibilities of each individual manager and how they could perform the respective tasks. After preparing this program Bushley can record it with the help of professional recording software programs such as Pro-tools or logics. Once the training has been recorded he can either upload it on his website, where all manager can have an individual access to it or he can make his account on YouTube and upload his training programs there. The recording software programs that I have mentioned above are the most widely used programs all over the world. They are extremely capable of catering to these professional needs very well. I recommend that Bushley should also consider the option of video conferencing in training his managerial force. Video

Final Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Final Project - Essay Example MCD has been steadily increasing its debt-equity ratio from the year 2007 through 2012. The following table represents the debt-equity ratio of the company for last 5 years. Year Dec. 2007 Dec. 2008 Dec. 2009 Dec. 2010 Dec. 2011 Debt-equity ratio, Source: ycharts.com 06087 0.7635 0.7538 0.8386 0.8687 EPS, Source: Nasdaq.com 1.98 3.76 4.11 4.58 5.27 Price per share, source: Key statistics 57.05 63.75 62.44 76.76 100.33 P/E, (by calculation) 30.22 16.42 15.47 16.75 19.03 It can be seen from the above table that as debt-equity ratio rises, earnings per share of the company also rises and so the market price per share of the company. Does this mean that the company should go on increasing debt to increase its earnings and thereby shareholder’s wealth? In fact, the trade-off theory ascertains that the optimal debt-equity ratio is 2:1(Optimal Capital Structure, 2012). In the same industry, the company such as AFC Industries has been found to have debt-equity ratio as high as 2.62 as on August, 2012 (Industry debt-equity ratio). High amount of debt is good during booming period but equally risky during downslide when revenues fall exponentially and the company may find difficult to pay interest towards its debt. That is the reason high leveraging is considered risky during recessionary period, however, in case of MCD, there is considerable scope to increase its debt-equity ratio to expand its business. MCD’s Cost of Capital can be given using Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) K = RF + b (KM - RF), where K is the cost of capital, RF denotes the risk-free return, b (beta) is the systematic risk of a stock relative to the market or index such as S&P. (KM - RF), denotes about the equity risk premium that market would like to earn over risk-free return in the long run (Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), 2012). Currently, risk free return RF can be taken as 1.5% which can be earned by investing in the long term treasury bonds. Beta b is measured as = 0.31 (y ahoo.com) (KM - RF) can be taken as 7 percent that anybody would like to earn over and above risk free return. Thus, the cost of capital = 1.5 + 0.31 (7.0) = 3.67% Higher debt-equity ratio would make more funds available to the company for business without raising any extra equity. Currently, the shareholder's equity is $14.04B and long term debt is $13.57B (as per data from second quarter 2012). This means that the company is operating at the debt-equity ratio of 13.75/14.04 = 0.98 When company operates at 2:1 (debt-equity) ratio means the company would have total debt available to them $28.08B. That means the company would have extra $14.25B funds available that can be deployed in the asset formation or expansion of the business without raising any extra capital from the shareholders. It is assumed that this extra capital adds to the business and thereby EPS of the company in the same proportion (while all other things remaining the same, of course!). Thus, extrapolating current E PS of 5.32 One can derive new EPS as 5.32 ? (3/1.98) = 8 Assuming the same P/E ratio of 19 that MCD had during the year 2011, we have New Market Price/share of the company, P = 19 ? 8 = 152 New Market Capitalization or Market Value = Number of shares ? market price/ share = 16,600 ? 152 = $38.35B Dividend Policy The company is in fast-food business and runs a large chain of

Last Day at School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Last Day at School - Essay Example The researcher states that it is impossible to believe that he needs to leave the high school where he met so many wonderful people and friends. The researcher knows he has become close with my fellow students and this bond is not easy to forget. It is really difficult to assume what life would have been without these happy high school years. These days the author was sometimes joyful and sometimes nervous and also there were days of sorrow. All these emotions took a ride through his years in high school. And the day when the author had to bid goodbye to his friends, tears rolled out of his eyes. The researcher never realized that he loves his school so much. It has given him valuable experience and knowledge and number of friends that he can never forget. It was a memorable day when the author was busy compiling his graduation book with his friends and fellow students. All of them with a mixed feeling of sorrow and anxiety in their mind spend the last days of school in unity. The re searcher remembers the times when he was busy compiling the graduation book, the one with all the memories, fun photos and writing jotted down in it. The graduation book is a treasure for the author when he looks into the book he finds his friends face glaring at him which give him utter happiness. The day when the author was compiling it, he requested his best friend to put his picture on the front page and he stuck a photo in which both of them were holding hands in a sportive manner. He wrote words which displayed his feeling and love for the author. The researcher could not look into his eyes as he could see the tears ready to fall out of his eyes.

Social Phobia Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social Phobia - Article Example What makes social phobia different from other kinds of anxiety disorder is that individuals affected by the disorder are always concerned with the feelings of other people towards their attitude. This makes them to be cautious with their selves and in the process affects their attitude and behavior as they always want to impress audiences around them. The disorder can be diagnosed at early childhood, but for researchers who have studied it, they say the disorder always affects individuals who are in their youth. The causative agents of the disorder are always assumed to be over protective parents of limited social opportunities. Individuals who are suffering from the disorder can get a remedy for their situation by making a visit to a psychologist, however learning to socialize more and confronting fears are also steps to help in putting the disorder under control. The disorder can be passed on from one generation to the next by being inherited from parents or relatives. This makes it difficult to be diagnosed as there are no known signs and symptoms that have been established. In addition, the disorder can be caused due to environmental factors which are responsible for shaping the attitudes and behaviors of individuals within a society. Nordqvist, C, Nordqvist. "What Is Social Anxiety Disorder? What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder? ." Medical News Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.

Carrier Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Carrier Liability - Essay Example It is, however, necessary to refer to the Hague-Visby Rules (hereinafter referred to as HVR) and case law in order to investigate the carrier's liability. The HVR function to clarify the duties owed to, and responsibilities owed by, cargo liners, providing a comprehensive explication of the circumstances and types of damages to cargo which carriers are not liable for as well as those that they may be held liable for. Further, and as established by CoGSA (1971) and by national courts, HVR is applicable when either party to the dispute is a member of a Contracting State.1 With these points in mind, the issues to be investigated are, firstly, whether HVR is applicable in this instance and, secondly, in case of applicability, whether the carrier is liable for the damages to the rice. As determined by English law, and as further emphasised through CoGSA, HVR is enforceable upon carriers travelling from any port in Great Britain and Northern Ireland to any port within it.2 More relevant, however, is the fact that it is enforceable upon carriers that are travelling from a port or to any port which is party to HVR.3 The implication here is the HVR is enforceable as both the USA and Netherlands are parties to HVR. Within the context of the stated, it is important to note that Articles III, 1c and III, 2 of HVR establish the carrier as responsible for ensuring that its holds and chambers are well-suited for the storage of cargo, including their preservation and protection.4 These articles further emphasise that the carrier, including its personnel, are obligated to exercise all due caution to safely store and protect the goods.5 Furthermore, as stipulated in Article II, not only is the carrier responsible for the safe storage of the cargo but it is further liable for any damages which may befall the goods through loading and stowing.6 The above mentioned articles are immediately relevant to the question of the carrier's liability towards the damages which the rates may have wreaked upon the bagged rice. In brief, they establish liability as a direct outcome of the failure of the crew to exercise due care regarding the protection of the cargo from damages. The carrier's liability is established by HVR. HVR, Article IV, 2b states that the carrier is not liable for damages to cargo by "fire, unless caused by the actual fault or privity of the carrier." 7 This liability directly arises from Article IV, 1's assertion that the carrier and its personnel are obligated to exercise all "due diligence" to ensure that the ship is seaworthy and its crew fit.8 The crew did not exercise the requisite due diligence, as is evident from the failure to report the sighting of the rates and, the vessel was not seaworthy, a fact which takes on additional importance when considering liability for delay in delivery. Case law supports the argument pertaining to the carrier's liability, as in the matter of Papera Traders Co Ltd & Ors V (1) Hyundai Merchant Marine Co Ltd (2) Keihin Co Ltd Sub Nom Eurasian Dream (2002)9 In this case, the cargo owners sued the carrier following the occurrence of a fire which destroyed the cargo and rendered the vessel a total loss. As the owners of the

Substance use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Substance use - Essay Example It appears that availability of opioids and subcultural factors are key in opioid use† (Encylopedia of Mental Disorders par. 19). In recent times, opioid abuse has increased through being given routine 30-day prescriptions for opioids as painkillers for illnesses requiring only a day or two for the pain to subside (Kluger par.2). 2. Give some examples of the use of hallucinogenic plants or drugs in connection with religious practices. The article on hallucinogens published in Medical Discoveries indicates that hallucinogenic plants or drugs have been used in connection with religious practices. (1) â€Å"Medicine men, shamans, and other spiritual leaders have used natural hallucinogens found in plants and mushrooms since ancient times, believing in their power to help contact the spiritual world or mystical beings for guidance in serving their people† (par. 4); (2) â€Å"In Mexico, mushrooms called Psylocybe mexicana, which contain the fungi psilocybin and psilocin, hav e been used in religious rituals since the time of the Aztec civilization† (par. 6); (3) â€Å"Peyote is the only psychedelic agent that has been authorized by the federal government for limited use during Native American religious ceremonies† (par. 7). 3.

Carrier Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Carrier Liability - Essay Example It is, however, necessary to refer to the Hague-Visby Rules (hereinafter referred to as HVR) and case law in order to investigate the carrier's liability. The HVR function to clarify the duties owed to, and responsibilities owed by, cargo liners, providing a comprehensive explication of the circumstances and types of damages to cargo which carriers are not liable for as well as those that they may be held liable for. Further, and as established by CoGSA (1971) and by national courts, HVR is applicable when either party to the dispute is a member of a Contracting State.1 With these points in mind, the issues to be investigated are, firstly, whether HVR is applicable in this instance and, secondly, in case of applicability, whether the carrier is liable for the damages to the rice. As determined by English law, and as further emphasised through CoGSA, HVR is enforceable upon carriers travelling from any port in Great Britain and Northern Ireland to any port within it.2 More relevant, however, is the fact that it is enforceable upon carriers that are travelling from a port or to any port which is party to HVR.3 The implication here is the HVR is enforceable as both the USA and Netherlands are parties to HVR. Within the context of the stated, it is important to note that Articles III, 1c and III, 2 of HVR establish the carrier as responsible for ensuring that its holds and chambers are well-suited for the storage of cargo, including their preservation and protection.4 These articles further emphasise that the carrier, including its personnel, are obligated to exercise all due caution to safely store and protect the goods.5 Furthermore, as stipulated in Article II, not only is the carrier responsible for the safe storage of the cargo but it is further liable for any damages which may befall the goods through loading and stowing.6 The above mentioned articles are immediately relevant to the question of the carrier's liability towards the damages which the rates may have wreaked upon the bagged rice. In brief, they establish liability as a direct outcome of the failure of the crew to exercise due care regarding the protection of the cargo from damages. The carrier's liability is established by HVR. HVR, Article IV, 2b states that the carrier is not liable for damages to cargo by "fire, unless caused by the actual fault or privity of the carrier." 7 This liability directly arises from Article IV, 1's assertion that the carrier and its personnel are obligated to exercise all "due diligence" to ensure that the ship is seaworthy and its crew fit.8 The crew did not exercise the requisite due diligence, as is evident from the failure to report the sighting of the rates and, the vessel was not seaworthy, a fact which takes on additional importance when considering liability for delay in delivery. Case law supports the argument pertaining to the carrier's liability, as in the matter of Papera Traders Co Ltd & Ors V (1) Hyundai Merchant Marine Co Ltd (2) Keihin Co Ltd Sub Nom Eurasian Dream (2002)9 In this case, the cargo owners sued the carrier following the occurrence of a fire which destroyed the cargo and rendered the vessel a total loss. As the owners of the

Examine the ways in which feminism has contributed Essay Example for Free

Examine the ways in which feminism has contributed Essay Examine the ways In which femlnlsm has contributed to our understanding of families Feminists take critical views of the family as they argue it oppresses women and therefore creates issues such as unequal divisions of domestic labour and domestic violence against women. Feminists believe that there is a triple burden of paid work. domestic labour and emotional work. Also gender Inequality Is not regarded as natural or Inevitable, but something that has been created by society. Feminists also argue that the oppression of women is due to patriarchy. The New Right has been criticised by feminists such as Ann Oakley (1997) as it has a conservative and anti-feminist perspective on the family. The New Right is firmly opposed to family diversity. The New Right sees the nuclear family as the natural family and Is based upon fundamental biological differences between men and women. In their view, the nuclear family has clear-cut divisions of labour between the breadwinner-husband and homemaker-wife. Therefore leading to criticisms from feminists. Ann Oakley argues that the New Right wrongly assumes that husbands and wives roles are fixed by biology. She also believes that the New Right view of the family is a negative reaction against the feminist campaign for womens equality. Even more so, other feminists argue that the traditional nuclear family favoured by the New Right Is based on the patriarchal oppression of women and Is a fundamental cause of gender inequality. In this view, it prevents women working and keeps them financially dependent on me. Feminism is often referred to as feminisms as it is acknowledge that the feminist label Is broad and a cover many types of feminist. The main types of feminists are; Liberal, Marxist, Radical and Dfference. Liberal feminists such as Jenny Somerville (2000) believe that the main obstacle for women is the equality in attitudes, practices and law in which can be changed without any fundamental changes to the structure of society. They also are concerned with campaigning against sex discrimination and for equal rights and opportunities. Through people favouring and challenging the gender role soclallsatlon In childhood, attitudes can then be changed towards roles In the family. Liberal feminists argue that womens oppression is gradually being overcome hrough the changing attitudes and changes in laws such as the Sex Discrimination Act (1975) which outlaws discrimination in employment. Even more so Liberal feminists hold a similar view to theorists such as Young and Willmott, although they do not believe full gender equality has been achieved in the family, they argue It has been a gradual progress. Through the gradual progress of changing attitudes, the ways In wnlcn cn110ren are soclallsea In tne Tamlly Is now OITTerent. Daugnters are socialised more equally to sons in the modern day compared to the past. However, ther feminists such as Marxist and Radical, criticise Liberal feminists for failing to challenge the underlying causes of womens oppression and for believing that changes in law or attitudes will be enough to bring equality. Marxist feminists and Radical feminists believe instead that far-reaching revolutionary changes to deep- root social structures are needed. Another type of feminist is Marxist feminism, and they argue that the main cause of womens oppression in the family is not men, but capitalism. Several functions are performed through womens oppression for capitalism, firstly that women reproduce he labour force, through their unpaid domestic labour and by socialising the next generation of workers and maintain the servicing of the current generation. Another function is that women absorb anger that would otherwise be directed at capitalism. Wives are describe as takers of shit by Fran Ansley (1972) who acknowledges that women soak up the frustration of their husbands feelings due to the alienation and exploitation they suffer at work. This is a primary example for Marxists, as it explains male domestic violence against women. Abbot and Wallace (1990) note that the main ause of domestic violence is the male perception that the partner is failing her duties. Dobash and Dobash (1979) also found that these duties tended to be about sex, money and home making. Due to the male perception of the partner failing her duties, it is often resulted in the women believing that they deserved to be beaten. Also women are a reserve army of cheap labour, meaning that when extra workers are needed women shall be taken on to work, but as soon as they are no longer needed the employers let them go to return to their primary role as unpaid domestic labour. However, Radical feminists have been critical based on the emphasis is being put on capitalist forms of exploitation. They argue that patriarchy predates Capitalism which makes it a more significant explanation of female exploitation and oppression. Radical feminists argue that all societies have been founded on patriarchy and for radical feminists the key division in society is between me and women. Radical feminists see men as the enemy as they are the source of womens oppression and exploitation. Also that the family and marriage are the key institutions in patriarchal ociety. Men benefit form womens domestic labour and from their sexual services, and they dominate women through domestic and sexual violence or the threat of it. Radical feminists argue that the family is the root of womens oppression, so therefore must be abolished. They also argue that the only way to achieve this is through separatism, where women must live independently of men. Even more so, radical feminists argue for political lesbianism, which is the idea that heterosexual relationships are inevitably oppressive because they involve sleeping with the enemy. Germaine Greer (2000) argues for the creation of all-female or matrilocal households as an alternative to the heterosexual family. However, for liberal feminists such as Jenny Somerville (2000), radical feminists fail to recognise that womens position has improved considerably with better access to Jobs, divorce and control over tnelr own Tertlll ty Somerville also argues tnat separatlsm Is unlikely to work as heterosexual attraction makes it unlikely that the conventional nuclear family will disappear. On the other hand, Somerville does agree that women have yet to chieve full equality. The feminist approaches already considered tend to assume that most women live in conventional nuclear families and that they share a similar experience of family life. However, difference feminists argue that women have very different experiences of the family from one another and so therefore cannot be generalised. For example, working-class and middle-class women, black and white women and lesbian and heterosexual women all share different experiences so therefore cannot be compared. Black feminists argue that by regarding the family solely on a source of ppression, white feminists neglect black womens experiences of racial oppression. The black family is positively viewed as a source of support and resistance against racism by black feminists. However other feminists argue that this approach neglects the fact that, despite such differences, women do in fact share many of the same experiences. For example, women face a greater risk of domestic violence and sexual assault and low pay compared with men. Feminism is criticised for ignoring the increased family diversity of families in the modern day, and although the nuclear family remains important, it is by no means the only family type.

Pro Social Behaviour And Islamic Spirituality Religion Essay

Pro Social Behaviour And Islamic Spirituality Religion Essay Spirituality has been defined as that which gives people meaning and purpose in life. Spirituality can be achieved through participation in a religion, but can be much broader than that, such as belief in God, family, naturalism, rationalism, humanism, and the arts. Islam is a religion based on a total submission to the will of the Almighty. The real place for the growth of the spirit is in the midst of life through carrying out all deeds and actions, both spiritual and worldly, as per the will of Allah. As the Quran mentions Those who spend in prosperity and in adversity, for those who curb their anger and those who forgive people. And Allah loves the charitable. In Islam there is significant emphasis on pro-social behaviour as a means to carry out the will of God. It is however seen that this aspect has not been emphasised either in formal training or informal socialisation in the practice of Islam. Accordingly a number of commentators have remarked that some of the ills presently afflicting Muslims in the sub-continent have been due to the neglect of the pro-social behavioural aspect. The present paper is an attempt to throw light on the importance given to pro social behaviour in Islam. Religion Spirituality, definition by psychologists, Islamic phil Pro social behavior, definition, altruism, giving etc Prosocial links with spirituality, other religions, and Islamic spirituality Conclusion: judeo-christian, why not in norms and moral imperative, not there, so conflicts, unhappiness in society, therefore promote spirituality, true meaning of life From an evolutionary perspective, early humans survival relied strongly on the processes of giving and helping. Religious practice has also been associated with prosocial and helping behaviors, as helping is often considered a religious obligation. Weight on giving and helping in the Judeo-Christian culture can be considered a primary reason that prosocial behavior is a social norm and moral imperative in Western Culture today  [2]  . Similar is the case with other religions where prosocial behavior is encouraged although to what extent it has percolated down to becoming a social norm is a debatable issue. The universal presence of prosocial behavior amongst humans has long been a significant puzzle in the social sciences  [3]  . Prosocial behavior can be defined as voluntary actions intended to help or benefit another individual or group of individuals. Prosocial behavior occurs when someone acts to help another person, particularly when they have no goal other than to help a fellow human. Actions that benefit other people or society as a whole are classified as prosocial behaviours. One of the characteristics of prosocial behaviour is that helping does not benefit the helper. It is opined that prosocial behaviour is often accompanied by a cost. Thus the decision to help others is often at a cost to the doer. Prosocial behavior has come to be seen as key in harmonious interpersonal and group interactions. A few terms and concepts frequently overlap in any discussion on prosocial behaviour. Terms like philanthropy, altruism, spirituality, volunteerism, charity, giving, and forgiveness etc are used while discussing prosocial behaviour. It would be useful to throw light on these concepts for a fuller understanding. Philanthropy is voluntary action for the common good, including voluntary giving, serving, and association. The key mechanisms that have been identified as determinants of philanthropy are: (1) awareness of need; (2) solicitation; (3) costs and benefits; (4) altruism; (5) reputation; (6) psychological benefits; (7) values; (8) efficacy. One of the explanations of prosocial behaviour is that people are motivated to behave in ways that help them attain some goal. Often ones own image becomes the prime mover in prosocial behaviour. Thus considerable prosocial behaviour is motivated by reputational incentives. Altruism on the other hand is performed without any reputational incent ives. However personal gratification as a reward cannot be ruled out even in altruistic behaviour. It is also seen that societal pressures and norms impact peoples choice of behaviour. Often people evaluate their lives and find that there is a need to make it more fullfilling by engaging in prosocial behaviour. Giving is viewed as a positive thing to do, especially when giving reduces inequality and when giving is less costly, recipients are not to blame, and is more effective. Giving may contribute to ones self-image as an altruistic, empathic, socially responsible, agreeable, or influential person. In addition, giving is in many cases an almost automatic emotional response, producing a positive mood, alleviating feelings of guilt, reducing aversive arousal, satisfying a desire to show gratitude, or to be a morally just person. There is ample evidence from studies on helping behaviour that helping others produces positive psychological consequences for the helper. There are several reasons why humans may have pleasurable psychological experiences upon giving: people may alleviate feelings of guilt (avoid punishment), feel good for acting in line with a social norm, or feel good for acting in line with a specific (prosocial, altruistic) self-image. Clary and Sneider  [4]  proposed a mod el identifying the factors that initiate volunteerism. They found that it is a combination of the desire to be altruistic, wish to be part of a group, wish to reduce guilt, and the desire to acquire knowledge and skills. Religious texts of all major religions encourage prosociality amongst their believers. The hypothesis that religions facilitate costly behaviours that benefit other people has been variously tested and commented upon. It has also been pointed out that the acute human sensitivity to prosocial reputation is a psychological mechanism, originating unrelated to religion that evolved to facilitate strong reciprocal cooperative bonds within groups  [5]  . It is seen that the threat of being found out therefore became a strong motivator for good behaviour. Norenzayan Shariff  [6]  point out that religious devotion is expected to be context-sensitive, with clear boundary conditions and religious situations habitually facilitate prosocial behaviour. It has also been seen that if religiosity is related to prosocial behaviour in some contexts, it is possible that having a prosocial disposition causes one to be religious. Spirituality is a universally accessible state of mind. It is inexplorable tied to the concept of religion. Pergament  [7]  discussed the question of what makes religion special and concluded that it is the unique substance and function of religion that makes it special. Thus the defining essence of religion is the sacred that refers to things set apart from ordinary life because of their connection to God, the holy, the divine; to transendent forces, Ulitmate truths and Utlimate reality. As Baumgardner and Crothers  [8]  put it, religion is not just a set of beliefs and practices; it also involves how these beliefs are used to answer lifes most profound questions and cope with lifes most difficult challenges. Pargament defines religion as a search for significance in ways related to the sacred and spirituality as a search for the sacred. Religion and religious behaviours represent the many ways in which the search for the sacred becomes organised and sanctioned in society. T hus spirituality becomes a means to address lifes most important questions. It would be interesting to examine the definition of spirituality as proposed by Hill et al  [9]  who define it as the feelings, thoughts, and behaviours that arise from a search for the sacredà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ people can take a virtually limitless number of pathways in their attempts to discover and conserve the sacred. These pathways to the sacred may also be described as spiritual strivings, which include personal goals associated with the ultimate concerns of purpose, ethics and recognition of the transecndent. Prosocial behaviour as it is understood can be classified in two broad groups on the basis of motivation, one a purely secular prosocial behaviour where actions to benefit others originate purely out of secular and personal concerns with no obvious and material benefit to the giver / helper. On the other hand a religiosity driven prosocial behaviour is where there is definite benefit to the individual in the form of promised salvation or pay offs as a result of following strict religious injunctions and duties. Let us take the example of Islam to examine how religious injunctions and prescriptions enjoin upon its followers to engage in behaviours that could be termed as prosocial behaviour. Islam is a religion based on a total submission to the will of the Almighty. According to Islam, Allah has appointed the human soul as His Khalifah (vicegerent) in this world. He has invested it with a certain authority, and given it certain responsibilities and obligations for the fulfillment of which He has endowed it with the best and most suitable physical frame. (Maududi). In his capacity as the vicegerent (Khalifah) of God, man is answerable to Him for all his activities. It is his duty to use all the powers that he has been given in accordance with the Divine will. He should utilize to the fullest extent all the faculties and potentialities bestowed upon him for seeking Allahs approval. In his dealings with other people he should behave in such a way as to try to please Allah. In brief, all his energies should be directed towards regulating the affairs of this world in the way in which Allah wants them to be regulated. The better a man does this, with a sense of responsibility, obedience and humility, and with the object of seeking the pleasure of the Lord, the nearer will he be to Allah. Islam rejects and condemns the ascetic view of life, and proposes that the spiritual development of man would take place not outside this world but inside it. The real place for the growth of the spirit is in the midst of life and not in solitary hibernation. In Islam, spiritual development is synonymous with nearness to Allah. Distance from Allah signifies, in Islam, the spiritual fall and decay of man. Maududi  [10]  points out that what will distinguish the actions of the secular and religious will be the nature of their relationship with Allah and the aims behind their actions. Whatever a religious man does, will be done with the feeling that he is answerable to Allah, that he must try to secure Divine pleasure, that his actions must be in accordance with Allahs laws. A secular person will be indifferent towards Allah and will be guided in his actions only by his personal motives. This difference makes the whole of the material life of a man of religion a totally spiritual venture, and the whole of the life of a secular person an existence devoid of the spark of spirituality. Thus spirituality is linking of actions to the purpose of life. Actions on their own, without using this framework are just actions or material constructs. The Islamic road to achieve spirituality passes through several stages, starting from Iman (faith) and progressing towards It~at (obedience, subservience), Taqwa (piety, Allah consciousness), to Ihis~an (Godliness). Faith (Iman) in Islam is a state of happiness acquired by virtue of positive action and constructive conceptions as well as dynamic and effective measures (Hammudah AA  [11]  ). According to Islam, true faith has a decisive effect on the spiritual and material lot of man, and also on his personal and social behaviour as well as his political conduct and economic life. There are numerous references in the Holy Quran and traditions of the Prophet on this aspect. The laws of practical ethics in the holy Quran rest largely upon the principles of justice, but charity, philanthropy, generosity, gratitude and sincerity are also recommended. Strict honesty is demanded in business dealings, with just balances, and upright intentions. Lies of all kinds are condemned, the taking of bribes is strictly forbidden. This is especially the case in regard to trusts concerning orphans. Wrong to the orphan is held to be a grievous sin, and in many Suras of the holy Quran there are one or two verses which say in effect Do not touch the property of orphans. Charity and philanthropy occupy a very important place. There are several commands like Pray, give alms, and the good which you do will find with God, who sees all your actions (Patrick, 1901). Thus we see that one the one hand, Allah commands man to follow all is commands and injunctions, yet at the same time prescribes a prosocial behavioural path for him to follow. In essence, the spirituality of Islam is in fact the righteous and prosocial behavior with the knowledge that it is being done with the pure intention of pleasing Allah.

Physics of Color Vision and Color Blindness Essay example -- physics e

What is Color? To understand what color is, we first need to understand what light is. Light, as perceived by humans, is simply electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between roughly 380 nm and 740 nm. Wavelengths below 380 nm and above 740 nm cannot be seem by the human eye. Electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength just below 380 nm is known as ultraviolet radiation. Electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength just above 740 nm is known as infrared radiation. The sun, black lights and fluorescent lamps are all sources of ultraviolet light. Heat is a source of infrared radiation, which is how thermal vision works. Electromagnetic radiation between the wavelengths of 380 nm and 740 nm constitute light and the human color-vision spectrum. There is evidence that other animals, namely insects and birds, have a color-vision spectrum that extends further into the ultraviolet range. Evolutionary factors greatly influence the development of color vision in different animals and species. Although the human color-vision spectrum is continuous, it can be broken down into discrete ranges of colors which are then labeled with specific names. Surfaces gain the appearance of color based on their reflection and absorption of different wavelengths of light. A surface that reflects all wavelengths of light appears to be white. Conversely, a surface that absorbs all wavelengths of light appears to be black (and also heats up as a consequence of absorbing this electromagnetic radiation). If a surface does not reflect all wavelengths of light equally, it will appear as a color in the human color-vision spectrum. Color Vision Color vision is a highly-debated gray area that lies somewhere between physics and psychology. As we h... ... apart. Be afraid to drive near me because I'm a bad driver. I didn't feel so smart in kindergarten. Between the color flash-card tests and the green suns I was apparently drawing with my crayons, kindergarten was not exactly the high-point of my life. Thank goodness for those little brown spots on bananas! They say that bananas go from being green to yellow when they ripen. To me, they go from being yellow to yellow, so I only trust the spots. Bananas rule! That one game of soccer... When I was a kid, I played in this one game of soccer where my team had green jerseys and the opponents had yellow jerseys. Somewhere in the middle of this game, the sun started shining in such a way that I could not tell the jerseys apart anymore. This was the worst game of soccer I've played in my life. I quit soccer and took up bowling. I showed them.

Relationship of Dreams to Thought, Memory, and Smell :: Sleep Dream

Dreams involve a fundamental integration and spreading of being and experience at the mid-range of feeling between thought and sense. Since dreams [already] involve a fundamental integration and spreading of being and experience at what is the mid-range of feeling between thought and sense, the sense of smell very rarely occurs while dreaming, and the lighting and sound levels are fairly constant (and proper) therein. Memory integrates experience. There is less memory in the dream because experience is already better integrated, and also because experience is less extensive. Dreams improve upon memory and understanding by increasing (or adding to) the integrated extensiveness of being and experience (including thought) in and with time. The sense of relative familiarity involving dream experience is associated with the improvement of understanding and memory therein. Dreams and memory integrate experience, and both add to the extensiveness of experience (including thought) as well, w hile involving a [relative] reduction in the totality of experience. Since the self has extensiveness of being and experience (in and with time) in conjunction with the integrated and natural extensiveness of sensory experience, we spend less time dreaming (and sleeping) than waking. The integrated extensiveness of being and experience go hand in hand. Emotion that is comprehensive and balanced advances consciousness. Dreams are an emotional experience. The comprehensiveness and consistency of both intention and concern are central to our consciousness, life, and growth. (Desire consists of both intention and concern, thereby including interest as well.) The comprehensiveness and consistency of both intention and concern in relation to experience in general is ultimately dependent upon the natural and integrated extensiveness of sensory experience. In keeping with this, consciousness and language involve the ability to represent, form, and experience comprehensive approximations of experience in general, and this includes art and music as well. If the self did not represent, form, and experience a comprehensive approximation of experience in general, we would be incapable of growth and of becoming other than we are. Thought involves a relative reduction in the range and extensiveness of feeling. In keeping with this, dreams make thought more like sensory experience in general. Accordingly, both thought and also the range and extensiveness of feeling are proportionately reduced in the dream. (This reduction in the range and extensiveness of feeling during dreams is consistent with the fact that the experience of smell very rarely occurs therein.

Does Globalisation of the media offer more or less opportunities for democracy? Essay

We live in society today where the media plays an alarmingly big part in how we see the world, and how our opinions are formed, whether it is from what we watch on television to who we vote for. The media has helped to make our society a democracy by placing emphasis on issues that at one stage in time would have been considered strictly private issues such as child birth, homosexuality, child care, domestic violence, and sexual harassment. Due to this democracy we now look differently at politics, and are more active in whom we want in office, and how we want our children to be raised. The globalisation of the media has increased our access to information about people and events around the world, but in the process it has also shifted issues on what should or should not be in the public domain.1 The media performs an essential part in our democracy socially, politically, economically and culturally. It is the main source of political information and allows us to access political debate. It allows us as an audience to be informed and to participate in how we should perceive things. Democracy needs the media to provide people with a wide range of opinions, analysis and debates on important issues. It needs the media to be able to reflect on the diversity of the audience, and it needs the media to be accountable for what is going on around them, and to be diverse and deliberate in how they communicate these issues to audiences. 2 The increased information given to audiences has a ‘democratising effect’, mobilising audiences into action, which in turn has significant implications for governments and businesses. International relations and events in our democracy are more visible and transparent, have more domestic policy ramifications and involve the public more often. While the globalised media plays a big part in our democracy, and has been characterised by the massive economic expansion and technical innovation it has also caused many problems for democracy. There is an increase in inequality, cultural and social tumult and individual alienation. The digital revolution and introduction of new technologies are redefining our notions of politics yes, but they are also redefining the structuring powers in society. Increasingly power resides in the hands of those that can produce, control and disseminate information the most effectively. This goes back to Marx’s theory that those who control the world govern it. While the proliferation of communications and increased global interdependence might create global understanding, equality and harmony it doesn’t necessarily mean that there is an increase in human communication and co-operation. If anything it is leading to the replacement of traditional structures, such as family religion, and the community with one that are supposedly more relevant.3 There are too few transnational media conglomerates dominating the world media, and fewer than 24 media conglomerates account for the majority of our newspapers, magazines, films, television and radio. With only a few big conglomerates running the show the media has become a vehicle used for commercial exploitation. There has been a steady increase of commercialisation of sports, arts, and education. This is disturbing when audiences are turning to the media to tell us how to vote, and how the government is being run. The media is constantly used by these conglomerates to spread existing structures and values, which are dominant globally and emphasise the free-market economy and the capitalist liberal democracy. The spread of the media has in fact broken down barriers to communications and international commerce, and makes it more difficult for governments and regulatory bodies to protect their cultures and societies from commercialisation and advertising.4 The main conglomerates have made the media very concentrated. Companies such as Times-Warner, Disney and Viacom have such diverse media holdings that they own both the means of production and distributing, further concentrating the media outlets and the information that we receive through the mass media. The media is vertical where production and distribution companies are allowed to own various types of networks, channels, and television stations. The media is supposed to be neutral yet how can they be so neutral when companies seem to ignore the important role that culture and social values play in shaping information. How can they be neutral when only a few conglomerate companies run them? The choices made everyday by government officials, media producers and distributors determine what topics are covered, what they want us to know and what they don’t want us to know, what information is selected and how it is portrayed. The simple choice of one story over another is not just economical and professional but also political.5 The choices that the media makes in presenting stories determines what becomes part of its audiences natural consciousness and what values and ideas take precedence to the general public. But these choices are not made by what they think the public wants but based on their own beliefs, and reflect cultural, social and national values and identity. The mass media is viewed as a means to increase diversity, democracy and the power of the individual. Yet more and more it seems that the media is a vehicle being used by the government and the producers to manipulate the community and advertise. It is assumed that the more television channels we have, the more diverse the information we receive. But this is a misconception, as Western Products, Hollywood values and advertising dominate nearly all of the media. More often now than not the information that is transmitted by the media is infotainment and advertising. The media is used so that audiences find it more difficult to have an impact on policies, goals and directions of their own social, economic and political institutions. As mentioned the media is owned by transnational corporations that command huge economies, run from the top and are interlinked in various ways. Their first interest is profit, and to construct an audience of a particular type. One that is addicted to a certain life-style with artificial wants. Their primary function is selling audiences to advertisers. They don’t make money from their subscriptions. They make money when an advertiser pays them. They believe in free market principles for others, but not for themselves. The major corporations in every society rely very heavily on state subsidy and state intervention.6 Making a profit from their advertising fees means that media outlets are influenced by various corporate interests. News coverage and other media content is therefore affected. Stories can end up being biased or omitted so that they don’t offend their advertisers or their owners. Corporate media is not a good thing for democracy when there is a risk of an increased economic and political influence that becomes unaccountable for. That is a great concern in democracy. Companies such as Newslimited and Times-Warner are so big that they have the power to stop other companies setting in on what they consider their turf. Times-Warner owns everything from Cable TV to sports teams and smaller companies that don’t have these options find that they can not compete in the media market. The problem with this is that with so few companies in complete power they are the ones making the decisions to what information is disseminated to the public, and this is done but what they think will make them a profit, and what will be beneficial to them. Companies such as News Corp wrote about the heroics of the War on terrorism, and the Iraq War because it was beneficial for them to support the U.S Government. The information filtered through to audiences was biased because it wasn’t telling people why there was a war, but that we should be supporting it. This was done because it would make them profit, and work in their favour. This was also shown in 1998 when Rupert Murdoch personally intervened to prevent one of the companies that he owned, HarperCollins, from publishing the memoirs of former Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patton. He alleged that it was because he didn’t want the memoirs to offend the Government, but it was in fact because it might jeopardise plans by News Corp to have future expansion in China.7 Firms in the media industry compete with each other, but they also work together to reduce competition and in fact the nine largest American firms have joint ventures with nearly six of the other eight giants. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp has at least one joint venture with every other of his competitors. This is not an appealing notion for we, as the audience has little say in what is produced. It also sadly it indicates that the main purpose to our media is only to make money for those huge companies in charge. If this is the case then how can Journalists be protected from the commercial interests of their owners? And how can information be filtered out evenly without bias when media owners wish to sell their space to the highest advertiser. Journalists claim to give readers the news that they think is important to their lives, but in fact tend to be assisting in the process of converting Journalism into the type of consumer news and information that advertisers want.8 Global conglomerates such as Times-Warner, News Corp, Sony, Viacom, Bertelsmann, and AT & T have an impact on our culture, especially when they are entering nations that have been tightly controlled by an already corrupt media system or nations that have significant censorship over media such as China. The Global companies don’t have respect for tradition or custom especially if it stands in the way of profits. Another problem with having such a globalised media in our democracy is that the media produces so much knowledge, information, dissemination of everything and that produces an absence of everything too, and in doing so produce a situation that causes too many images. The mode of production is then affected. The media has introduced us to a world with no fixed territory, a world increasingly without limits. This can cause us, as an audience to have a loss of sensibility, a loss of limits. This affects the mode of production. One does not produce what is absent, or what is invisible. It affects the production of culture, by mixing them with different cultures.9 If anything the consolidation of ownership across the various media remains a threat to democracy. The public’s right to information and ideas from the widest possible range of sources means little in a world dominated by a handful of interlocking media giants. The news programs that people see, and the advertisements that accompany them are dominated by the success of white, wealthy westerners and the examples of the dangers posed to them are poor, black, non-westerners. Women are also represented in the media by glamorous models, actresses and news presenters. The problem with a globalised media in a democracy is that it can ruin the public infrastructure and that in turn means the demise of the public sector, which results in privatisation and more commercialism. Media ownership and media concentration becomes a problem when audiences are not becoming well informed because the audience or public can not act as an authoritarian. The danger of living in such a world means that while there is an increase in the mode of communication, new forms of identity and community there is an equal loss in political sovereignty, economic opportunity and cultural diversity. 1 Healey, Justin Mass Media and Society, Spinney Press, 2000 2 McChesney Making Media democratic, Boston Review issue 23 3 Mowlana, Hamid Globalisation of the mass media, London-Sage Publications, 1997 4 Tunstall, Jeremy The new Hollywood Network Cartel and Europe, Carleton University Press 1998 5 Chomsky Noam Media and Globalisation Third World Network, 1996 6 OECD Globalisation: challenges and opportunities OECD Publishing 2000 7 Wiseman, John Global Nation, Cambridge University Press, 1998 8 Kortin, David, The mythical victory of Market Capitalism Goldsmith, Edward and Mender, San Francisco 1996 9 McChessney, Robert Global media, neoliberalism, and imperialism, Monthly review, volume 52 issue 10 2001