Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Accounting - Essay Example In the ABC approach, the costs are computed based on the activities and not on the labour or machine hours. Each activity has a cost driver attached to it and the ABC system utilises this cost driver to distribute the costs among the products (12 Manage, 2008). When the ABC Costing approach was followed, the profit margin per unit for Parrot was recorded as  £ 87.09 and that for Toucan was computed as  £ 63.88. In this case, the difference of profit per unit amounts to only  £ 23.21. ABC system indicates that the profit from Toucan is actually higher as opposed to the absorption costing system. Also, the cost drivers indicate that the M/C setup takes up a high amount of costs as the overheads. Hence it is made evident that the number of setups has to be reduced. This will result in higher profits for Bird Gardens (Cokins, 2001). In order to analyse the efficiency and to increase the profits of the company, it is essential to follow the ABC

Human Resource Planning and Forecasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resource Planning and Forecasting - Essay Example *Granny Toy Company must also make sure that the strategy of the business is linked with the performance of its employees. The Company may also allow employees to design the objectives for the Company because it is then that they will be able to develop a better understanding of the goal and will work accordingly to accomplish it. This will also result in improved performance of the employees. * Granny Toy Company must try to work hard to retain the talented workforce of the Company, as the employees are considered to be an important asset of the company. For this purpose the Company must design an effective compensation and benefit plan for its employees. *The flexible environment provided by the Company to the employees also affects the staffing process. The environment of the Company must be easily adaptable i.e. it should be flexible enough that new employees can easily adjust in it. *When new employees are being hired by the Company for their expansion and additional products it is important that the Granny Toy Company gives them enough time to develop their skills and adjust in the organizational environment. They must train them with the skills essential for the position they are about to cover. Sometimes time can be an essence for Granny Toy Company. In such a case it will be effective that the company selects employees with the required skills within the organization i.e. the internal supply of employees, as it will save a lot of time and will reduce the HR cost. *The external environment forecasting (Event based forecasting) may also impose certain impact on staffing needs of the competitors existing in the industry. *Some legal factors such as certain laws related to the labor and some socio economic factors such as the number of women working in the respective industry etc. may also affect the staffing process of Granny Toy Company; therefore the company must foster

Adaptive Market Hypothesis and Behavioural Finance

Adaptive Market Hypothesis and Behavioural Finance An Essay on the Relationship between Andrew Lo’s Adaptive Market Hypothesis and Behavioural Finance 1.0  Introduction When in 1936, Keynes compared financial markets to a beauty contest where competitors had to guess who the most popular choice would be, he did not imagined that economists would become fascinated with the contest for explaining the efficiency or inefficiency of that market. Indeed, the global financial crisis of 2008 brought to bare the bitter rivalry between traditional finance theorists and their behavioural counterpart over the realism of assumptions explaining competitive market equilibrium, rational choice theory and rational expectations. Prior to the crisis, the dominant view in mainstream economics and finance (as exemplified in the assumptions of efficient market hypothesis) had been that: individuals are broadly rational, risk averse, maximize their expected utility of wealth, and follow the tenets of subjective probability theory. Hence, the capital market is seen as perfect and generating financial returns which are unforecastable. To put it more aptly in the words of Fa ma (1970), â€Å"prices fully reflect all available information†, an idea that has come to be known as market efficiency. However, the fallout from the financial crisis saw a bourgeoning interest in behavioural economics due mainly to the failings of traditional economic theory to explain many observed market anomalies. Behavioural economists pointed out a number of basic logical mistakes in the efficiency reasoning, which they attributed to behavioural biases and cognitive limitations, which are universal to human decision-making under uncertainty. Some of the documented biases cited in Lo (2004) include overconfidence, loss aversion, overreaction, psychological accounting, herding, miscalibration of probabilities, hyperbolic discounting and regrets. Accordingly, the behaviourists opine that these biases provided evidence that markets are not only inefficient, but that its participants are often irrational. Herein lies the intellectual crux of the debate, which has continue to shape the study and practice of economics and finance. Indeed, while some economists may want to uphold their firm beliefs in market efficiency and rationality, others may as well seek alternative approaches in behavioural finance. Between these two approaches, however, there may be economists who seek for a compromise. This is where Andrew Lo classic work on the adaptive market hypothesis readily falls in. This essay proceeds as follow; section two explain the Adaptive Markets Hypothesis, its theoretical postulations and relationship with behavioural finance, section three critically examine this relationship, and section four concludes the essay. 2.0The Adaptive Markets Hypothesis (AMH) Explained Andrew Lo’s adaptive market hypothesis was based on evolutionary principles of competition, mutation, reproduction and natural selection in biology. Lo, in his 2004 seminal article on the Adaptive Market Hypothesis, suggests that â€Å"individual makes choices based on past experience and their ‘best guesses as to what might be optimal, and they learn by receiving positive or negative reinforcement from the outcomes, (and) if they receive no such reinforcement, they do not learn.† Thus, the AMH implied that investor behaviours such as overreaction, loss aversion, overconfidence, and other behavioural biases are constructed and shaped by a dynamic interplay between investors’ internal cognition and their external environment that then produces evolutionary traits, in which heuristics develop, transform, boom or die out depending on the market settings. As an example, if a market setting is stable, heuristics is likely to yield an optimal or rational choice for investors. While an unstable market environment characterized by risks and uncertainties, yield various forms of behavioural biases. In such instances, ‘rational’ decisions are always evolving as investors’ develop a new set of heuristics in reaction to a changing market environment. These views was developed further by Lo (2005), where he highlighted the main propositions of the AMH to include that: Individuals act in their own self-interest. Individuals make mistakes. Individuals learn and adapt. Competition drives adaptation and innovation. Natural selection, shapes market ecology. Evolution determines market dynamics. In this context, Andrew Lo’s AMH can be said to revolve around three main processes of heuristics development, learning, and an adaptation process of decision making, whose combined impacts on financial institutions help determine market efficiencies, and the waxing and waning of investment products, industries, and even individual and institutional fortunes (Lo, 2005). 2.1The Adaptive Market Hypothesis and Behavioural Finance The uncertainty associated with efficient market hypothesis had led behavioural finance scholars to offer a departure from fully rational behaviours in finance models to behavioural biases or heuristics amongst investors that arguably explains human decision makings under uncertainty. Indeed, most empirical literature on behavioural finance have explained well-recognised market anomalies which contrast standard finance theories. Some of these studies include Kahneman and Tversky (1979), Bernard and Thomas (1990), Benartzi and Thaler (1995), Mehra and Prescott (2008), etc. however, none of this literature was able to present a coherent alternative model that could match the dominancy of standard finance literature. Fama (1998) aptly capture this non-coherence in their arguments when he said, â€Å"a problem in developing an overall perspective on long-term return studies is that they rarely test a specific alternative to market efficiency, instead the alternative hypothesis is vague, market inefficiency.† Thus, Andrew Lo’s AMH was one main attempt at providing a philosophical and theoretical foundation for behavioural finance. Indeed, one stated objective in Lo’s 2004 classic article was to reconcile understandings from efficient market hypothesis with behavioural finance and psychology. Like behavioural finance, AMH explains loss aversion, equity price premium, overreaction, momentum based trading strategies, and other heuristic driven biases by the fact that in a dynamic market environment, investors develop new sets of mental frames or heuristics to solve various economic challenges. Specifically, using Herbert Simon’s notion of bounded rationality, Lo (2004) pointed out that the presence and persistence of behavioural biases can be best understood when we appreciate the fact that cooperation, competition, market-making behaviour, general equilibrium, and disequilibrium dynamics are all adaptations designed to address certain environment challenges for the huma n species and then view these forces from the lens of evolutionary biology. Besides, Lo posits that fear and greed – which behaviourists often cite as a basis for irrational decision making are the products of evolutionary forces and adaptive behaviours that enhance the odds of survival. In this situation, emotions may be seen as an incentive system that determines investors’ behaviour and prompt them to engage in a cost-benefit analysis of various investment plans available to them. Consequently, there are no fixed rules for evaluating trading strategies as depending on market conditions, investors can engage in trade; truncate it at various points and observe the consequences of their actions. For example, where investors are timely in their investment decisions, they come back and dominate the market; if on the other hand, they are poor in market timing, they are easily eased out of the market. Hence, according to Lo supposition, market efficiency can-not be appraised in a vacuum, because is extremely context dependent and dynamic, thus resu lting in a cycle of a mental frame selection process in which investors grow, mutate and thrive or face extinction (Lo, 2004). Moreover, under the AMH, market strategies evolve to adapt to an ever changing market environment, and is driven by profit opportunities, which according to Lo, is the main source on which market participants depend for their survival. One other main aspect of behavioural finance which the AMH shed light on is the existence of arbitrage opportunities. According to Lo, arbitrage opportunities appear and disappear due to adaptive responses to a changing market environment. In this fashion, investors adapt to match new economic challenges, by developing new heuristics that are necessary to evaluating any investment strategy and which in turn depends upon its survival value. Although profitability and risk reduction values are also important factors to consider, Lo pointed out that these factors come after investors have undergone this fundamental market test. So what are the implications of the AMH for efficient markets and behavioural finance? Lo (2004) briefly outlines these implications to include that The equity risk premium are non-constant over time, but changes according to the recent path of the stock market. Risk/reward relations are nonlinear and non-stable. Arbitrage opportunities exist from time to time Investment strategy, waxes and then wane depending on the environment Adaptation and innovation are keys to survival Survival is the only objective that matters. 3.0AMH or EMH? An evaluation Fama (1998) emphasize that any alternative model to market efficiency ought to follow standard scientific rule, and should itself be potentially rejectable by empirical tests. Thus, in evaluating the relationship between AMH and behavioural finance, it is essential to consider an empirical test of how AMH differ significantly from the efficient market hypothesis (EMH), which the behaviourists seek to discard. While various tests of market efficiency had been designed over the years using standard financial models in EMH, tests of AMH are relatively few given that the hypothesis has yet to become part of the mainstream of financial economics. However, an increasing number of studies had reported results which seems consistent with the AMH. Some of these studies include Neely, et al (2009) and Kim, et al (2011). Whereas Neely, et al (2009) found some regularities in profit opportunities that appear and disappears in a foreign exchange market, Kim, et al (2011) found strong evidence tha t return predictability is driven by changing market conditions. These findings implied that testable implications of AMH can be done by testing how the level of efficiency in a market varies significantly over time. Furthermore, another possible way to conceptualise a test of the AMH may be to investigate whether investment decisions are made based on selectivity and market timing since evolutionary principle implied that natural selection shapes market ecology. In this context, Hoffman, et al (2013) found some evidence of market learning during the financial crisis. As a matter of fact, conventional econometric tests for market efficiency using formal asset pricing models such as Sharpe 1964 CAPM and Merton’s 1973 discrete time version of ICAPM would have been relevant alternative models to investigate these testable implications of AMH. Therefore, rather than see Lo’s AMH as a behavioural alternative to market efficiency, it is better regarded as another strand of efficient market hypothesis. 4.0Conclusion This essay has discussed the adaptive market hypothesis and examined its relationship with behavioural finance. We conclude that whereas the AMH offers a philosophical foundation for analysing various behavioural anomalies described by behavioural finance, its theoretical underpinning however, reflects that of the efficient market hypothesis. References Benartzi, S., and Thaler, R., (1995), â€Å"Myopic loss aversion and the equity premium puzzle†, Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 110: 73-92. Bernard, V., and Thomas, J., (1990), â€Å"Evidence that stock prices do not fully reflect the implications of current earnings for future earnings†, Journal of Accounting and Economics, vol. 13: 305-340. Fama, E., (1970), â€Å"Efficient Capital Markets: A Review of Theory and Empirical Work†, Journal of Finance, vol. 25(2): 383–417. Fama, E., (1998), â€Å"Market efficiency, long-term returns, and behavioral finance, Journal of Financial Economics, vol. 49(3): 283-306. Hoffman, A.I., Thomas, P., and Joost, M.E., (2013), â€Å"Individual investor perceptions and behaviour during the financial crisis†, Journal of Banking and Finance, vol. 37(1): 60-74 Kahneman, D., and Tversky, A., (1979), â€Å"Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk†, Econometrica, vol. 47: 263–291. Kim, J., Lim, K., and Shamsuddin, A., (2009), â€Å"Stock return predictability and adaptive markets hypothesis: Evidence from century-long U.S. data†, Unpublished. Lo, A., (2004), â€Å"The Adaptive Markets Hypothesis: Market Efficiency from an Evolutionary Perspective†, Journal of Portfolio Management, 30th Anniversary Issue; 15-29 Lo, A., (2005), â€Å"Reconciling efficient markets with behavioural finance: the adaptive markets hypothesis†, Journal of Investment Consulting, vol. 7(2): 21-44. Mehra, R., and Prescott, E., (2008), â€Å"The equity premium: ABC’s Handbook of the Equity Risk- Premium†, North Holland, Amsterdam: The Netherlands. Merton, R., (1973), â€Å"An intertemporal capital asset pricing model†, Econometrica, vol. 41: 867–887 Neely, C., Weller, P., and Ulrich, J., (2009), â€Å"The Adaptive Markets Hypothesis: Evidence from the Foreign Exchange Market† Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, vol. 44(2): 467-488. Sharpe, W., (1964), â€Å"Capital asset prices: a theory of market equilibrium under conditions of risk†, Journal of Finance, vol. 19(3): 425-442

The American Cultural Configuration :: Sociology, Family, Religious Views

In the text, â€Å"The American Cultural Configuration† the authors express the desire of anthropologists to study their own culture despite the difficulty that one faces attempting to subjectively analyze their own society. Holmes and Holmes (2002), use the adage â€Å"not being able to see the forest through the trees† (p. 5) to refer to how hard it is for someone to study something they have largely taken for granted. The Holmes' article focuses predominately on paradoxes within our own culture, many of which we don't notice. In a paradox, two contradicting statements can appear to be true at the same time. This essay looks at two paradoxes commonly found in everyday life: the individual versus the family and religion. When you think about family, what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you only thought about your parents or close relatives then you may have been caught in an â€Å"individual vs. family† paradox. Nearly every culture considers family important, but â€Å"many Americans have never even met all of their cousins† (Holmes & Holmes, 2002, p.19). We say we are family oriented, but not caring to meet all of our extended family seems to contradict that. Individual freedoms, accomplishments, and goals are all American ideals that push the idea of individualism. What's important to note is that family or even the concept of family itself doesn't appear in any of those ideals. Holmes and Holmes (2002), observed that â€Å"The family reunions of yesterday are now rare, and when they occur they are often a source of stress.† (p. 19) That quote solidifies one reason why family interaction today is : it's just too stressful, so we avoid it. Where does marriage fit i nto our culture of individuals? Marriage itself may be less of a family unifying event than a way for two individuals to obtain personal happiness; the climbing divorce rate alone seems to suggest the devaluation of commitment in a relationship. Likewise, the Holmes and Holmes (2002) state â€Å"marriage is in effect a continuation of courtship† (p. 19) In my opinion, I would have to agree with the authors on family and marriage, considering the above-stated facts and trends. If we, as a nation, can place the individual so far above our own relatives, are we not creating a future of selfishness? Religious views are virtually unquantifiable on their own, but the effects of those views are very much measurable.

Politics, Presidents and War Essay

War is inevitably an exercise in politics. In the best case the political process provides checks and balances that can contain or even prevent war. In other cases the political process itself is the primary driving force towards war. These two realities are not mutually exclusive. The Persian Gulf War of 1991 provided evidence of both political realities. Politics influenced the nature and the course of the war, and vice versa. In the context of what has happened since 1991 the Persian Gulf War, also known as â€Å"Desert Shield† and â€Å"Desert Storm†, is a fading memory. The political importance of this war cannot be underestimated, however. The socio-political impact of this war would come to fruition within a decade. This impact is part of a continual process of reflexivity between war and politics, particularly in the United States. For better or worse, the Presidency itself was altered by this war and the associated political processes. Storm Clouds The Persian Gulf War of 1991 had immediate causes. When Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi military invaded oil-rich Kuwait a crisis was created. The United States and a coalition of mostly Western nations were compelled to respond. Kuwait was a strategically important ally in the Middle East. If the invasion was allowed to stand, Saddam Hussein would be in position to launch an attack against Saudi Arabia, another important ally. After working several months for a resolution within the United Nations, the coalition prepared to launch an attack. The agreed upon mission was limited to ousting Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Going any further would require much more discussion. For Iraq, the invasion of Kuwait came on the heels of a failed war with Iran in which millions were killed. War debt was draining Iraq’s coffers. There was also a political angle for Iraq. Saddam sensed that he could not appear to be weak in any way. Using revisionist history, Saddam claimed that the Iran war had somehow been a success. That message was driven home as Saddam erected even more palaces and monuments dedicated to himself. The invasion of Kuwait was a calculated political gamble. The United States and other nations had backed him in the war with Iran. He believed, at worst, that those nations would be ambivalent to his takeover of tiny Kuwait. Meanwhile he peppered the Iraqi media with trumped up charges against Kuwait. Even if he was eventually forced out, Saddam believed that he could plunder the wealth of Kuwait before retreating. With a demoralized military after the Iran war, Saddam also felt he had to keep his army occupied so they could not conspire against him. He tried to put them in a easily winnable situation in an effort to solidify his own power. Knowing how Saddam operated, the United States made certain not to underestimate him. Senator William V. Roth, Jr. (R. -Del. ) Said that â€Å"He is as unpredictable as a desert storm and as deceptive as a mirage† (Mitchell, 1991). When Saddam failed to comply with repeated United Nations resolutions, the coalition mobilized itself for war. As in any war, the crisis that caused the start of the war was simply the culmination of many prior socio-political movements and actions. With that in mind the American administration started a concerted political effort to build internal support for the war. The threat was maximized for public consumption. â€Å"President Bush declared that what is at stake is a New World Order† (Abdulla, 1994). Having successfully swayed public opinion, the administration now had to successfully fight the war in both military and political terms. Politics and Policy In Washington politics the terms â€Å"Vietnam War† and â€Å"quagmire† are toxic. Any association with them can mean the quick death of a policy or military initiative. In the lead-up to the war politicians capitalized upon the Vietnam syndrome from a number of angles. Opponents of any military intervention used the phrase â€Å"potential quagmire† numerous times in their arguments. Once it was apparent that a war was going to take place, even supporters used this term in an attempt to shape the type of war it would be. In other words the political situation required that the coalition go in with overwhelming force, but minimize civilian casualties at the same time. The administration knew it could not allow an extended guerilla conflict to emerge. The powerful triangle of war, television and politics had defeated the Johnson administration during Vietnam. This time, the administration was prepared to take extreme measures to prevent such a situation from happening again. Meanwhile, coalition leaders toed a tricky political line in maintaining world support for the action. Since before the war had even begun the issue of oil had prompted loud voices of disapproval about the impending war. Opponents claimed that the U. S. led coalition was not so concerned with Saddam’s violation of International Law or with the freedom of a formerly sovereign nation. Instead, they claimed that the primary reason for the upcoming attack was to secure fuel for the oil-thirsty Western nations. Oil was a vital strategic concern. Access to cheap oil was a pillar underneath the American economy. Two of the most reliable pre-war suppliers were Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In defending these nations, the U. S. hoped not only to secure its oil supply but also force a split between the nations in the OPEC oil cartel. In the political arena, though, this by itself was not a justifiable reason to fight a war. This sentiment was particularly true among the European nations in the coalition. Holding this coalition together was critical to the overall effort. From the perspective of the administration, the war could not be seen as â€Å"trading lives for oil†. That would reinforce world perceptions of the United States as a greedy empire. Eventually the eroding effect of public opinion would have weakened the tenuous coalition. In fact, this had been part of Saddam’s political strategy from the outset. â€Å"Saddam Hussein apparently counted on American public pressure to prevent a committment of troops to defend either Kuwait or Saudi Arabia† (Carlisle, 2003). Vietnam might be thought of as a constrained war, not in terms of casualties but in terms of the lengths the U. S. was willing to go to ensure victory. The Gulf War, in contrast, was a â€Å"careful† war. Every attempt was made to minimize both coalition casualties and the public reporting on those casualties. The military also went out of its way to project the image that Iraqi civilians were not targets. Reports began to surface about large numbers of Iraqi casualties, but they were largely squelched by the constant presentation of surgical strikes on the enemy. For his part Saddam tried to play up images of apparently innocent Iraqi casualties. American officials admit, in hindsight, that Saddam played the political game well. After all â€Å"Saddam is a politician not a soldier† (Dunnigan, 1992). The Outcomes Militarily, the Gulf War at first appeared to be as close to flawless as is possible. The Iraqi military was swept out of Kuwait in a matter of weeks. The military had taken reporters into their ranks while still tightly controlling the flow of information. Images of deadly accurate smart bomb deployments and successful interception of Iraqi SCUD’s by American Patriot missiles permeated the nightly news. President Bush’s approval ratings skyrocketed to unprecedented levels. Politically the effort was less successful. According to U. S. News & World Report: â€Å"But inasmuch as victory suggests the decisive defeat of an opponent, there was none. This triumph without victory was perhaps the most striking irony of the entire conflict† (1993). The U. S. had hoped that Saddam would be overthrown in the process, but was unable to make the case that it should be done by the coalition. When parts of the country revolted against Saddam, the lack of coalition help allowed Saddam to crush them brutally. At the time, the outcome seemed acceptable. According to R. W. Apple, Jr. : â€Å"they appear to have done just enough to make it unlikely that a second Persian Gulf war will erupt any time soon† (1991). In hindsight it is apparent that this set the stage for another Gulf War. Ten years later, the U. S. and a smaller coalition of nations launched an attack with the expressed purpose of overthrowing Saddam. The Presidency The Gulf War of 1991 was a watershed moment in the history of the Presidency of the United States. The War Powers Act theoretically reserved the right to make war to the U. S. Congress. An increasingly long line of Presidents have resisted this notion, finding loopholes in order to â€Å"defend American interests†. The Gulf War was unique in that the President undertook a sustained effort to marshal international support before even gaining domestic support. Critics charge that Bush was trying to â€Å"circumvent Congress by seeking United Nations approval† (U. S. News & World Report, 1993). There was dissent in the Congress to the asserting of political power by the President. Many felt that the issue was not thoroughly debated. George Mitchell (D. -ME) wrote that: In effect the President, overnight, with no consultation and no public debate, changed American policy from being part of a collective effort to enforce diplomatic sanctions into a predominantly American effort, relying upon the use of American military force. (Mitchell, 1991) Nevertheless, this would become the template for future Presidents wishing to undertake military action. A formal declaration of war, as they saw it, was unnecessary. As the Commander-in Chief the President is charged with defending American interests. A further asserting of Presidential power was the perceived â€Å"shackling of the press† (U. S. News & World Report, 1993). For the first time, a full-scale effort to control the modern, multimedia press was undertaken. The â€Å"in the National interest† argument was used to full effect. From this perspective the administration could paint uncooperative media as unpatriotic or untrustworthy. Conclusion In Vietnam, television had shown Americans the realities of modern warfare. Political ramifications soon followed. In the Gulf War of 1991, the conflict was, in fact, planned from a political and media perspective. The war marked an increase in the assertion of Presidential power. It also marked an increase in the ability of that branch to use the media, public opinion and internationalism to increase that power. It was a political evolution that has now become commonplace. Was the Persian Gulf War of 1991 a success? Militarily, it was. The military carried out its proscribed mission with remarkable efficiency and media savvy. In terms of international politics, it merely preserved the status quo while not resolving any underlying problems. In terms of domestic politics it allowed for an increase in Presidential power while setting the template for future military conflicts in successive administrations. The template worked efficiently for a while, but by the end of the second Bush’s administration the political pendulum was swinging back toward Congress and more hesitancy in carrying out large-scale military actions. Works Cited Abdulla, Abdulkhaleq. â€Å"Gulf War: the socio-political background. † Arab Studies Quarterly. 16. 3 (1994). Apple, R. W. Jr. â€Å"After the War: Politics: Another Gulf War? † The New York Times. 10 Mar. 1991: B01. Carlisle, Rodney P. Persian Gulf War. New York: Facts on File, 2003. Dunnigan, James E. & Bay, Austin. From Shield to Storm. New York: Morrow & Co. , 1992. Mitchell, George. â€Å"Confrontation in the Gulf: War and Peace: A sampling from the debate on Capitol Hill. † The New York Times. 11 Jan. 1991: A03. U. S. News and World Report. Triumph Without Victory: the unreported history of the Persian Gulf War. New York: Random House, 1993.

Letter from Birmingham, Martin Luther King Jr.

Just Arguments in the Battle against Segregation â€Å"If I have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. If I have said anything that understates the truth and indicates my having patience, I beg God to forgive me† (King 301). Martin Luther King Jr. writes an argumentative letter defending demonstrations against segregation. While serving eight days in prison for participating in protests in Birmingham, King writes his famous â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† (293).King is effective at arguing his case because he provides counter arguments, gives many examples of real life situations, and reflects on statements made. King begins by providing background and explaining the true purpose of non-violent direct-action demonstrations. In the letter, King refutes the arguments made by clergy, which were untimely action, breaking laws, direct-actions precipitate violence, extremist, and commended police. King explains that he traveled to Birmingham to participate in non-violent protest against segregation, stating â€Å"injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere† (289).King responds to the clergy by saying, â€Å"your statement†¦ fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations† (289). King continues by explaining the four basic steps of non-violent direct-action, which are: â€Å"collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct-action† (290). While providing great detail on the situation and steps taken, King continues to build his argument against the statements made by the clergy. The first statement was that the action taken in Birmingham was untimely.In the letter, King provides great details about the planning and execution of the demonstration, which shows that much thought was placed on the timing of the protest and explained that it was, in fact, not untimely. King uses a very effective method to evoke personal feelings by writing a long list of heart-throbbing experiences of Negro people during segregation (289-292). Next, King refutes the second statement that demonstrators break laws. King explains that â€Å"there are two types of laws: just and unjust† (293). King’s reflecting help the reader understand his arguments (293-294).The third statement from the clergy says the direct-actions precipitate violence. King states he does not advocate breaking the law. However, â€Å"[King] submit[s] that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law† (294). The fourth statement is condemning the actions in Birmingham as extreme. King counters by providing examples where extreme measures were taking to right an injustice, such as with Abe Lincoln and freeing the slaves (296-297).Finally, King addresses how the clergy commended the police force for keeping order. King responds with examples during the demonstrations in which the police acted inhumane (300-301). By providing considered and well formulated arguments, King is effective at arguing his case against segregation. King addresses any possible counter arguments on his stance and does so in great detail. By reflecting on statements made, King allows the reader to fully understand his arguments and point of view. The â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† is an excellently structured argumentative letter against segregation.

A Critique of Martin Luther Ki essays

A Critique of Martin Luther Ki essays A Critique of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Version of Natural Law Theory Paradoxically, Martin Luther King, Jr., in his "Letter from Birmingham City Jail," initially uses classical natural law theory to defend his actions, but immediately thereafter contradicts a fundamental tenet of this theory and relies on a "weaker" version of natural law. In doing so, King must attempt to formulate a theory which justifies his illegal actions in view of his moral obligation to obey the law. King's failure to distinguish between legal obligations and moral obligations yields a logical paradox in his final formulation of natural law theory. However, King's theory need not be completely rejected if his argument is slightly modified to reject the moral obligation to obey laws. King initially uses classical natural law theory as his rational basis to defend his actions. This theory has two main component claims according to Murphy and Coleman (Sourcebook, I-35), the first being, "Moral validity is a logically necessary condition for legal validity- an unjust or immoral law being no law at all" followed by, "The moral order is a part of the natural order- moral duties being in some sense "read off" from essences or purposes fixed (perhaps by God) in nature." According to this theory, morality law, but law = morality by definition. Thus for King to use this theory, two requirements are implicit. He must assert that an unjust law is not really a law, and he must provide a moral theory to distinguish just and unjust laws. King first quotes St. Augustine, "an unjust law is no law at all," to emphasize his agreement with the first claim. He then includes the "law of God" as his moral theory to provide the framework upon which to judge the law. His argument using classical natural law theory at first seems to be a valid and necessary defense for breaking the la...

DuPont An investment analysis Essays - Chemical Companies, DuPont

DuPont An investment analysis Essays - Chemical Companies, DuPont DuPont An investment analysis DuPont makes a variety of high-value products for industry today, including polymers, chemicals, fibers, and petroleum products...products for agriculture, electronics, transportation, apparel, food, aerospace, construction, and health care. DuPont serves customers in these and other industries every day, offering "better things for better living" as the company prepares to begin its third century of scientific, technological, commercial, and social achievement. DuPont is a research and technology based chemical and energy company with its annual revenue exceeding $39 billion. Eleuthre Irne du Pont de Nemours, a French immigrant, established DuPont in 1802 in a small Delaware town. E.I. du Pont was a student of Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry, and when he came to America he brought some of the new ideas about the manufacturing of consistently reliable gun powder. His product ignited when it was supposed to, in a manner consistent with expectations. This was greatly appreciated by the citizens of the growing nation, including Thomas Jefferson, who wrote thanking du Pont for the quality of his powder, which was being used to clear the land at Monticello. Many other heroes of early America owed their success, and their lives, to the dependable quality of DuPont's first product. This represents a good, strong start for a company. DuPont, which is moving through the last decade of the twentieth century and toward its third century, emphasizes several things; competing globally; sharpening its business focus; increasing productivity; committing to safety, health, and environmental excellence; and continuing to extend its significant science and technological achievement. One of DuPont's major strategies is to focus on businesses in which DuPont has core competencies, where DuPont can build competitive advantage. The most notable example of this focus was the 1993 transaction in which DuPont acquired ICI's nylon business and ICI acquired DuPont's acrylics business. This strengthened the company's position in the global nylon business while divesting a business that no longer fit its portfolio. Another major factor in the transformation of the company in the1990s was the focus on reducing costs and improving productivity. This was necessary to give the company the flexibility for competitive pricing and to grow market share and earnings. DuPont had strong plants in several countries around the world for many years, and their globalization trend continued in the 1990s. New plants opened in Spain, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, and China, and a major technical service center opened in Japan. In 1994, a Conoco joint venture began producing oil from the Ardalin Field in the Russian Arcticthe first major oil field brought into production by a Russian/Western partnership since demise of the Soviet Union. A further major development was the redemption of 156 million DuPont shares from Seagram for $8.8 billion in cash and warrants - one of the largest stock redemptions in history. This large block of shares was redeemed at a 13 percent discount to market price. While DuPont later sold some new shares, there are 18 percent fewer shares currently outstanding than just prior to the redemption. This resulted in a significant opportunity for wealth creation for our stockholders. The share redemption was made possible by four years of cost reduction, productivity improvement and organizational change that have made DuPont strong financially and allowed them to move decisively and quickly. The DuPont that emerged from the company's transformation in the 1990s has often been described by people inside and outside the company as "the new DuPont." This characterization is only partly appropriate, because while DuPont has changed, there are many things that remain the same. The core competency in science and technology, the commitment to safety, the concern for people, the feeling of community, the emphasis on personal and corporate integrity, the future focus, and indeed the willingness to change. DuPont is a company not only out for their own interest, but also for the best interest of the world. What has always set DuPont apart is the quality of the people, people committed to making life easier and better for everybody, proud to be a part of an enterprise making "better things for better living." That was true in 1802. And it is just as true today. In the second quarter of 1995 DuPont reported earnings per share of $1.70, up 47 percent from the $1.16 earned in the second quarter 1994. Net income totaled $938 million, compared to $792 million earned in 1994. Both earnings per share and net income increased 27 percent."These outstanding results continue to reflect strong revenue gains and ongoing productivity improvements," said DuPont Chairman Edgar S.Woolard Jr. Sales for the second quarter were $11.1 billion, up 9 percent from prior year. The third quarter of the 1995 business year led DuPont to a $1.38 per share earning. This number exceeded the $.95 earned in the third quarter of 1994 by more than 45%. Net income totaled $769 million compared to $647 million

Barleria Prionitis Linn

Barleria Prionitis Linn Barleria prionitis Linn Vernacular names English- common yellow nailo dye plant Ayurveda Kuruntaka, kurunta, sahachara, vajradanti Unani Piyaabaansaa Tamil or siddha: chemmulli Biological source : It consist of dried whole plant of Barleria prionitis Linn (Acanthaceae) Geographical source: It found throughout the hotter parts of India. It commonly grown as ornamental plants in gardens Cultivation The shrubs prefer a sunny situation on wide variety of well-drained moist soil. They tolerate temperatures only above at least 1 °C. It best grows with average annual rainfall between 750-900 mm. The seeds are very light in weight containing 33,000 seeds/kg. Seedlings grow slowly at first i.e. germinated between 13 and 77 days following sowing. However, an established plant grows fast. These shrubs flower from September to December and fruit from January to April.and can be harvested for four years. Natural regeneration generally occurs within 1 or 2 m of the parent plant. Description It is evergreen, is a tender, erect, branching, evergreen shrub with spiny stem nodes, elliptic to oblong, mid-green leaves, and spikes of tubular, yellow to yellow-orange flowers in summer.is a tender, erect, branching, evergreen shrub with spiny stem nodes, elliptic to oblong, mid-green leaves, and spikes of tubular, yellow to yellow-orange flowers in summer.is a tender, erect, branching, evergreen shrub bushy shrub grows up to 1-2 m with spiny stem nodes, elliptic to oblong, mid-green leaves, 6 to 12 centimeters long, narrowed, and pointed at both ends. Flowers are yellow and axillary, with the upper ones in spikes. Bracts and calyx are green, with the outer bract usually foliaceous. Corolla is about 4 centimeters long, flowers in summer. The stems are terete, glabrous, much branched with cylindrical and tapering branchlet Leaves are smooth, opposite, ovate-elliptic to obovate, acuminate, tapering to base, entire, margin finely ciliate, bristle-tipped and about 6-15 cm long an d 4-6 cm wide. The petioles are about 0.5-3 cm long, widely spreading spines present in axils. The flowers are sessile, yellow in colour and often solitary in lower axils and spictate in the upper axils. Bracts are acute, linear-lanceolate, foliaceous, about 1-1.5 cm long and 0.2-0.8 cm wide with bristle tipped. The corolla is bright, golden yellow in colour with pubescent outside and glabrous inside and about 1.5 cm long. The filaments are hairy and about 2-2.5 cm long, yellowish in colour with 3mm long yellow anthers. The ovary is ovoid and sigma is long, linear, sticky and pinkish in colour. The fruit is ovoid capsule containing 2 seeds. It is about 1.5-2 cm long and 0.6-0.8 cm wide. The seeds are oval-oblong, covered with silky copper-brown appressed hairs and measuring about 7.4-8.5Ãâ€"6-6.8 mm. Roots are central tap type, with lateral roots branching in all directions. Ayurvedic Properties Rasa – Madhura, Tikta Guna – Snigdha Virya – Usna Vipaka â€⠀œ Katu Karma – Kaphahara, Keya, Kà £sa, Ranjana, Visahara. Chemical constituents B. prionitis shows presence of glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, steroids and tannins Glycosides like prioniside A, prioniside B, prioniside, barlerinoside, verbascoside, shanzhiside methyl ester Saponins- lupulinoside, luteolin-7-O-ÃŽ ²-D-glucoside Flavonoids – apigenin 7-O-glucoside, 6-hydroxyflavones Phenolic acid – melilotic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid It also sowed the presence of triterpenoids and steroids such as lupeol and B-sitosterol. Bark consist of 16% tannins and ellagic acid

Management Technique Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management Technique - Assignment Example 30) The most important asset of the airport was the choosing a suitable baggage handling system .The application of the automatic baggage handling system facilitated quick aircraft turnaround time to as minimal as 30 minutes. The efficiencies in the operations were mostly promoted by the occurrence of a fast turn around and this made it remain competitive among other aircrafts. The plan however faced some shortcomings because of the under estimation of the complexity of the project that resulted to problems like snowballing and public frustrations from the individual involved. Notably, the airport’s opening had been delayed for at least 16 months due to problems in the baggage system. Another setback was the increased expenditure to cater for the maintenance of the empty airport and also the city of Denver was charged an interest cost of $ 1.1 M daily during the time of the delay (Jean 2000, p. 28) However the most embracing moment of the delay occurred after the media had sho wcased a demonstration on the system which clearly showed how the system bags were crushed, vital information and goods destroyed as well as how two carts crashed into each other while moving at a very high speed. After everything had been resolved and the opening day was agreed upon .The plan by this time had been destroyed beyond control and the system had been distorted completely. The system was now only using one single concourse by the single airline and for only out bound fights in comparison to the 3 concourses it had been using in the automating baggage system. The rest of the baggage handling was carried out by the use of a simple conveyor belts with a manual tug and a quickly built trolley system when it was as ascertained that the automating system could not work efficiently again. After a period of 10 years, the remaining parts of the system were still used in the baggage handling until the United Airlines announced that the old system was to be abandoned completely in August 2005.This was due to the increased cost of maintenance that had risen to about $ 1 million per month even surpassing the cost of a manual tug and trolley in a month (Adam 2000, p. 5) Basic Mode of Failure The downfall of the plan can be attributed to many factors. They include the fact that some of the main minds behind the formulation of this plan underestimated its complexity and this is seen to be the main reason for the failure of the Denver International Airport project. The managers of the project set up the most complex baggage system that has never been applied before. The increasing of the size of the plan by as much as ten times more than the automated system made it more difficult to control or grow in potential. This led to the rise of issues like â€Å"line balancing† due to the complexity of the system (Marj 2005, p 7). In a measure to regulate the system delivery, empty carts were distributed around the airport ready to pick up new bags. To achieve this goal all the 100 pick-up points had to be allocated empty carts efficiently. However this move got a setback because the queue could not clearly tell where they should anticipate the empty carts and where they should wait for the new bag. This resulted into delays thus the system could not efficiently achieve their operational goals as targeted. The project was initiated late because the managers under estimated its comp

Do labor unions increase the wages of workers Essay

Do labor unions increase the wages of workers - Essay Example It is due to this rift that Unions have to come in and provide with a compromising solution to such issue. The activities of Labor unions vary in accordance with the needs of the workers and the activity whereby the Labor Unions negotiate terms and conditions with the employers on matters regarding wage and working condition is referred to as Collective bargaining (Taylor et al, 2010). Labor Unions gained massive popularity during the initial 19th century but after mid 19th century, Labor Unions started losing their grip and popularity and it was in 1980 that union membership fell down drastically within Europe (Wilenius, 2004). The fall in Union membership did not put an end to the Union’s ability to influence wages for employees. There are many ways in which Unions may be able to influence the pay rate of employees working in an organization. The most common ways include: The unions may halt production by advising employees to go on a strike, strike or lock-downs may cause s evere problems for organizations that would be running on strict production-runs. Unions may increase the demand for labor services by providing reduced workers from the union. Unions may force governments to disallow foreign import of skilled or unskilled employees. Unions may restrict supply of competitive inputs. If a Labor Union would not restrict the supply of labor and workforce, the market position would be at an equilibrium position i.e. the supply and the demand would be in a balanced position but if the Labor Union restricts the supply of labor, there would be excessive demand that would have to be met because of the low level of employment. This reduction in the labor would cause the wage rates to rise. All of this would happen because of the supply restrictions. This can be showed graphically as follows: This wage increase is also achieved by Labor Unions by using other techniques such as collective bargaining. Labor Unions use threatening techniques such as strikes and lock-downs in order to achieve wage increases. This can be further represented graphically as follows: In both the scenarios, the end result of achieving a rise in the wage rate is achieved by the Labor Unions but the ways of achieving the wage rate is relatively different from each other. Labor Unions tend to be more powerful when there is no substitute for human work force but where the option of machinery and automated techniques exist; Labor Unions become ineffective in forcing a wage increase of higher employment rate for their workers. With the inception of more advanced technology and increased use of automated techniques during the course of production, Labor Unions effect has been reduced heavily as machinery has worked as a strong substitute for human in the production-runs. Although automated techniques have reduced the impact of the Unions, research has shown that union members are able to get better wages than non union members. This is primarily because of the extra fo rce and pressure applied by the Unions on behalf of all their member workers. A research conducted by the AFL-CIO (America’s Union Movement) clearly suggested that collective bargaining raises wages for union members rather than the non-union ones. Source: AFL-CIO (America’s Union Movement), 2011 Labor Unions are usually called upon as monopolistic, this is because of their forceful nature of dictating terms upon employers by prescribing a wage rate but this monopolistic nature cannot be

An Interstate Agency and the Greatest Harbor in the World Article

An Interstate Agency and the Greatest Harbor in the World - Article Example The last one the provision regulates the power of the agencies in exercising its administrative practices. The ten articles also outline how the constitution provision ended up in the constitution, when and how it has been used since its passage, especially in the 20th century (Jordan, 1999). The constitution provision, in this case, was written in 1787 and ratified the following year. Since then, the provision regulates the port’s administrative practices. The U.S. Constitution is a combination of ideas and views from a significant number of American people and related document such as the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation (Peacock, 2008). Therefore, ratifying of the provision was done in a constitutional convention manner. Moreover, the main contributors to the existence of the U.S. Constitution are referred to as the Founding Fathers. These Founding Fathers include George Washington, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and John Adams. Most of them were involved in the constitutional ratifying process. For instance, American president George Washington was the one that presided over the process. Everyone one of them had the vision of a better governance and proper division of federal power. Therefore, the main reason that led to drafting the constitution was to regulate the power of the governing bodies on their administrative practices. Since the ratification of provisions in the constitution, in 1787, there had been twenty-seven amendments by 1992. Constitutional amendments are either influenced by anti-federalists who oppose some provisions or upon a review of a provision by the judicial committee (Evartt, 2003). Both groups engage in a debate until a common or general understanding is reached.  

Media law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media law - Essay Example In spite, cyber law tries to integrate the problems caused by individual actions in the cyber space with better set of laws prevailing in the societies. This illustration of the particular crisis can be without difficulty settled by means of numerous set of laws. The global convenience of Internet means that it has no lawful authority but has to de facto the control over these actions. The cyberspace myth admits the challenges in deciding the authority of an online agreement. A wide range of concerning issues has been applied to launch the jurisdiction of an agreement carried out by the electronic media. The general myth concerning the cyberspace is that internet has an innovative jurisdiction in which the present polices and systems apply. All the players concerned in internet operations exist in the present authority. Much of the rules and regulation is conflicting, very difficult or is not possible to obey. The worldwide outlook of the primary lawful issues emerged by the arrival of the internet as a global media of communication device. The universal tendencies in the advancement of the lawful matters are addressed and the efficiency of possible instrument for the lawful variation is related to the internet rules. Internet governance is the growth request by governments, the personal segment and the public in particular positions of the shared values, rules, regulations and managerial principles where the programmers’ form the growth and make use of the internet. One of the treasured fallacies regarding the cyberspace is that Internet is completely decentralized and naturally unmanageable. Also, there are two wide governance problems lifted by the Internet. The first one is that how the Internet handled itself in a scientifically difficult worldwide communication system. Secondly, how to lawfully manage actions carried out on the Internet. In any of the network several

Do genes cause anti social behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Do genes cause anti social behavior - Essay Example Ant- social behavior in a person is connected to his personal traits like impulsivity, sensation seeking risk – taking attitude hence it is genetic. ( Thesis) Anti – social behavior is often studied with many theories and one among them is biological theory. In this theory the biological make up of a person influences them to deviate from social norms. We can see that all children are not aggressive or violent in young age. Some children at tender age are more aggressive and violent than others. Such children end up in fights and quarrels even with little provocation. This means their biological make up is more responsive to situations and circumstances. This theory suggest that the physical body, inherited genes, brain structure, hormones has a role to play in anti – social behavior. As per ( Cohen)â€Å" Growing understanding of body mechanism suggest that certain biological factors like particular genes, neurological deficits ,low serotonin activity can affect a person’s biological propensity for crime or anti- social behavior† The basic behavior of a person is connected to the biological constitution of a person. Not all people and impulsive and eccentric in nature. Some people never respond to situation in a violent manner and they would ignore many provocative situations by being sober and calm. However, a person who has a trait of impulsiveness and aggression can become a criminal or an anti – social element more easily than others. Some people are more aggressive by birth and might have inherited from their family lineage The criminologist has found a link between the anatomy of a person and their propensity to commit crime. It is understood that height, weight and appearance of a person has correlation with a person’s tendency to commit crime. As per ( The Ministry of Justice) â€Å"Looking at records from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, they have found evidence that shorter men

Reaction Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Reaction Paper - Essay Example This is the same reason why Saeko had to seek the help of the doctor after she felt her glue tricks would fail her one day. It is her fear of looking unattractive again that drives her to have cosmetic surgery done (Cullen, â€Å"Changing Faces†). In accordance to the reaction paper, one could clearly pin point the effect of inequities in health care. The number of practitioners that got sued due to medical mishaps related to cosmetic surgery somehow increased over the years due to shoddy jobs done by people not licensed to do so. In poorer places, a lot of people claiming to offer cosmetic surgeries mushroomed and offered people to pay less money for the same services offered by registered practitioners. The unregistered health providers in this poorer areas resulted in increased number of lawsuits due to their poor health service (Cullen, â€Å"Changing Faces†). The poor that wanted to get attractive fell for this unregistered health providers tricks since they offered them low prices for the same services. If not for poverty, this people would have looked for better services from registered cosmetic surgeons. From the film, it is clearly depicted that gender plays a role in health. Women are more likely to seek for health services compared to men. From the sociological perspective, Saeko went to seek the help of a cosmetic surgeon in order to have her eye widened so as to look attractive. In addition, more women in Asian countries are seeking to have their physical appearances made more attractive as westernization sets in and defines beauty in another way. From the film, women tend to have better health seeking behaviour compared to men. Men often are satisfied with the way they look and seek less services related to cosmetic surgery (Cullen, â€Å"Changing Faces†). In addition, Saeko got employed as a hostess in a given bar after she

Do genes cause anti social behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Do genes cause anti social behavior - Essay Example Ant- social behavior in a person is connected to his personal traits like impulsivity, sensation seeking risk – taking attitude hence it is genetic. ( Thesis) Anti – social behavior is often studied with many theories and one among them is biological theory. In this theory the biological make up of a person influences them to deviate from social norms. We can see that all children are not aggressive or violent in young age. Some children at tender age are more aggressive and violent than others. Such children end up in fights and quarrels even with little provocation. This means their biological make up is more responsive to situations and circumstances. This theory suggest that the physical body, inherited genes, brain structure, hormones has a role to play in anti – social behavior. As per ( Cohen)â€Å" Growing understanding of body mechanism suggest that certain biological factors like particular genes, neurological deficits ,low serotonin activity can affect a person’s biological propensity for crime or anti- social behavior† The basic behavior of a person is connected to the biological constitution of a person. Not all people and impulsive and eccentric in nature. Some people never respond to situation in a violent manner and they would ignore many provocative situations by being sober and calm. However, a person who has a trait of impulsiveness and aggression can become a criminal or an anti – social element more easily than others. Some people are more aggressive by birth and might have inherited from their family lineage The criminologist has found a link between the anatomy of a person and their propensity to commit crime. It is understood that height, weight and appearance of a person has correlation with a person’s tendency to commit crime. As per ( The Ministry of Justice) â€Å"Looking at records from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, they have found evidence that shorter men

Community College Essay Example for Free

Community College Essay An analysis of the public school system reveals one challenge facing community colleges and universities: Rising costs are putting pressure on enrollment or forced schools to limit the number of courses they can offer. Every year the result has been a dramatic drop in the number of students the system can afford to teach. Most colleges have also reduced the size of their staff, and provided fewer student services. Without staff, these young people fail to understand why they are unable to get an education or even graduate from a college or university. The best way to help students avoid budget cuts is Proposition 30, which will not only prevent a possible $6 billion in cuts to public schools and colleges, but it will also provide billions of dollars in public funding that schools at all levels desperately need. Taking this into account, this essay considers the pros and cons of proposition 30, particularly in the form of increasing the personal income tax of higher earning Californians by 1 to 3 percent for seven years. The students who go to a college or university right after high school would benefit immensely from proposition 30. These community college students may find it easier to get classes now that voters have approved a tax measure to help fund public education. Proposition 30 is aimed at sparing college students another round of tuition increases that will prevent them from getting classes. Californias community college system will restore thousands of classes, which means putting an ease on a huge backlog of students unable to complete their degrees. Proposition 30 will make a difference this year by providing community colleges with $210 million in additional funds in 2012-2013 by adding approximately 3,300 classes to the spring 2013 semester. The passage of Proposition 30 means more classes for community college students. â€Å"The passage of Proposition 30 not only saved us from cuts totaling $8.6 million, but provided $1 million in new money for Mt. SAC to add 130 course sections for the spring semester,† said Mt. SAC President Bill Scroggins in a news release (Johnson, 2013). This will help students achieve their goals of continuing their education. Students who choose to go to a university would also benefit from proposition 30 because it would prevent them from having classes cut and being put on a waiting list to get into a class. These students will go from having no or minimal classes to about 200 more classes this spring. Without proposition 30, many of these young people face larger class sizes, tuition hikes, more teacher lay-offs, and will lose over half a billion in funding. Many young people did not understand the consequences if prop 30 did not pass and that the money from prop 30 will go directly to schools and public safety services. Prop 30 prevents deep school cuts, puts more cops on the streets, and helps balance the budget by raising income taxes for the wealthiest Californians. Proposition 30 was placed on the ballot by Governor Jerry Brown and supporters of the proposition include the California Teachers Association. Another group to consider is young people who wish to graduate and continue on to graduate school. Proposition 30 is a critical step in addressing the continual budget crisis that continues to affect many undergraduate and graduate students wishing to continue their education. Many recent undergraduate students end up without any classes to help keep them in the public school system in order to be able to register for the next quarter or semester. For these people proposition 30 is especially important because it will help them be able to continue their education and to graduate with their Master’s degree in whatever major they decide to pursue. If the budget had not passed the cuts would target public schools, community colleges, and universities. The University of California would have seen tuition increase by 20%. Many students cannot afford fee increases year after year. This is causing student loan debt to rise continuously, which is not fair to young people at the start of our adult lives. One argument against proposition 30 is that it does not guarantee one penny of new funding for public schools. Another argument is that California is already a very high tax state and we have the 2nd highest income tax rate, as well as the highest state sales tax rate. If Proposition 30 is approved, California will be by far #1 in income tax rates. There are some people who generally support tax increases in California. The Wall Street Journal stated, â€Å"That California Governor Jerry Brown is trying to sell his tax hike to voters this November by saying it will go to schools. The dirty little secret is that the new revenues are needed to backfill the insolvent teacher’s pension fund.† (FOX, 2012). The people who are opposing Proposition 30 do not fully understand what the measure entails and what benefits it will bring to our California public schools. In conclusion the best way to help students avoid budget cuts is Proposition 30, which will not only prevent a possible $6 billion in cuts to public schools and colleges, but it will also provide billions of dollars in public funding that schools at all levels desperately need. The students who go to a college or university right after high school would benefit immensely from proposition 30. Students who choose to go to a university would also benefit from proposition 30 because it would prevent them from having classes cut and being put on a waiting list to get into a class. Another group to consider is young people who wish to graduate and continue on to graduate school. Proposition 30 helps a big minority of people and this is something us students and teachers should vote on. References FOX, J. (2012). California general election. Retrieved from http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions/30/arguments-rebuttals.htm Johnson, M. C. (2013). Diamond bar walnut patch. Retrieved from http://diamondbar-walnut.patch.com/articles/prop-30-means-more-classes-for-mt-sac-students

Neural and Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression

Neural and Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression include the roles of the limbic system, serotonin and testosterone. Neural mechanisms in aggression: The Limbic system-inside the brain lies a network of structures known as the limbic system. Within the limbic system, it involves many structures such as the amygdala, cingulate gyrus, fornix and the hypothalamus. The most significant structure is the amygdala because it plays a key role in humans and non-human animals in how an organism responds and assess to environmental challenges and threats therefore is believed to be the main factor in whether we respond aggressively or not. It also is responsible for attaching emotional significance to sensory information. Within the amygdala, its reactivity has proven to be the main indicator of aggressive behaviour. The prefrontal cortex is vital for regulating aggressive responses and social behaviour. However, damage to this prefrontal cortex would lower the inhibition of the amygdala, giving higher levels of aggression. On the other hand, the hypothalamus is responsible for the regulation of the autonomic nervous system, which in turn helps to regulate responses to emotional circumstances. If this structure was to ever become damaged, it would result in an inappropriate aggressive response to a perceived threat. Serotonin serotonin has a key role in aggressive behaviour and is a neurotransmitter with widespread inhibitory effects throughout the brain; it dampens neuronal activity and slows it down. It is also involved in communication impulses between neurons. It has been associated that low levels of serotonin cause an increased risk of aggressive and impulsive behaviour. Serotonin usually prevents stimulation of the amygdala therefore if there are low levels of it within the brain, the amygdala will be more active once stimulated by external events occurring, resulting in the person to make aggression more likely and to act on their impulses. The role of serotonin illustrates itself by the use of drugs that raise the levels of it within the brain such as antidepressants. During trials, antidepressants were found to raise the serotonin levels and shown to reduce impulsive aggression and irritability. This therefore suggests that an increase in the level of serotonin can reduced aggression h owever this may not be the case always. Hormonal mechanisms in aggression: Testosterone is a hormone from the androgen group responsible for the development of masculine features. It also plays a role in helping to regulate areas in the brain to do with social behaviour such as the amygdala and the hippocampus. It is evident that males are generally more aggressive compared to girls. Testosterone is thought to raise the levels of aggression from a young adulthood onwards. It peaks in young adolescent males before then declining with age. Genetic factors in aggression: Twin studies many twin studies have suggested that heritability accounts for approximately 50% of the variance in aggressive behaviour. In a set of monozygotic twins, they share 100% of their genes however in a set of dizygotic twins; they only share on average 50% of their genes. Therefore, we would be expected to find that monozygotic twins would have greater similarities in aggressive behaviour if aggression is mostly influenced by genetic factors. This is because both monozygotic twins and dizygotic twins are raised together in the same environment however monozygotic twins do have a greater degree of genetic similarity than dizygotic factors. Researchers then found that 50% of concordance rates (proportion to which both twins exhibit the same behaviour) was for monozygotic twins and only 19% was for dizygotic twins. This illustrates that it is probably mostly genetically influenced. Adoption studies Adoption studies can help us to determine what the causes of aggression are either from the environment or heredity. Adoption studies compare the rates between adopted children who share behaviours with their adopted parents (who only share the environment with), and the rates between the adopted children who share behaviour with their biological parents (who share their genes but not environment with). If the results show that the concordance rate between the adopted child and their biological parents are high, then it illustrates that their behaviour is genetically influenced. However, if the concordance rates between the adopted child and their adopted parents are high then it suggests that the behaviour is more than likely environmentally influenced. A case to support that behaviour is genetically influenced is when a study was completed in Denmark of over 14,000 adoptions. They found that a huge number of adopted boys that had criminal convictions also had biol ogical fathers with criminal convictions too. The MAOA gene the MAOA gene is a gene responsible for the activity of the enzyme monoamine oxidase A within the brain.   Monoamine oxidases A role is to mop up neurotransmitters once a nerve impulse has been sent from one neuron to the other in the brain. This happens by the neurotransmitter, especially serotonin, being broken down into chemicals that can then be excreted or recycled. This is a process called catabolism. The production of this enzyme is determined by the MAOA gene. If the operation of this gene becomes dysfunctional it can result to abnormal activity of the MAOA enzyme which then further affects the levels of serotonin in the brain. It has been found in studies that violent criminals often have a defect in the gene that produces MAOA. Gene-environment (GxE) interactions Genes do not work on their own but they are crucial influences on aggressive behaviour. Low MAOA gene activity appears to only be related to adult aggression when combined with early traumatic life events.

A Commentary on Mans Faith and his Guilt Essay -- Religion Religious

A Commentary on Man;s Faith and his Guilt Archibald MacLeish raised many thought provoking questions in the play J.B.. The Book of Job had already asked some of these questions, while others were very original and insightful. MacLeish offers many powerful thoughts on the relationship between man and God, some of which are disturbing to consider. Nickels lost his faith in both God and man. He believes that the purpose of life is merely to survive and not to live. Nickles says, There must be thousands!... Millions and millions of mankind burned, crushed, broken, mutilated, slaughtered, and for what? For thinking! For walking around the world in the wrong skin, the wrong shaped noises, eyelids: sleeping the wrong night wrong city- London, Dresden, Hiroshima. (MacLeish, 12) In fact the only thing that Nickels did have faith in was that J.B. would curse God if tested. Mr. Zuss, on the other hand, has complete faith in humanity and J.B. He knows of J.B.'s strength and his ability to love God. In short, Mr. Zuss has faith in J.B.'s faith. However, J.B.'s faith in God is ill founded. J.B.'s faith in God is based on the fact that he believes God to be just, but is God really just? If he is then why does J.B. suffer so? Maybe it is just J.B.'s notion of justice that is incorrect. Bildad comments on the notion of justice, "History is justice! -- Time inexorably turned to truth!… One man's suffering won't count, no matter what his suffering; but all will. At the end ...

International Relations of Asia Essay -- Cold War Triangle Foreign Aff

International Relations of Asia STRATEGIC GEOMETRY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "This is the only region in the world where so many combinations and permutations of two- three and four- and even two plus four or three plus three- power games can be played on the regional chessboard with all their complexities and variations." introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The concept of strategic geometry comprises the notion that that the interactions and interconnections between a number of political actors within a particular system of international relations, either global or regional can be seen in terms of geometric patterns of strategic configurations. It can be a case of simple geometry, in which A interacts with B: but in a more complex system such as that of Asia, with the presence of more than one major actor, each with their distinct, sometimes conflicting political agendas, the interaction between A and B will be likely to affect C or influenced by C.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The concept of an international ‘system' itself implies that events are not random, and units within the system are interrelated in some patterned way. This ‘patterning' maybe envisaged or conceptualized as patterns of strategic geometry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Any attempt to analyze the transition from a Cold War system of international relations to a post Cold War one, will incorporate an analysis of the general nature of the system itself, in this case the system of international relations in Asia; of the actors involved and their respective roles; how changes in the political environment and in specific policies of the actors shape the evolution of a new system; and finally the nature of the new system with its own actors, their new roles, and new concerns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The concept of strategic geometry enables us to understand these changes in the political dynamics from one system to another, in our case the transition from the Cold War to the post Cold War era, by serving as an analytic tool. If we view the international relations of Asia, more and the interactions of the main actors in terms of strategic configurations and geometric patterns of alignments and oppositions, then we can assess changes in the political system over time by way of the changes in the strategic geometry. Some strategic configurations change, others remain the same, while new patterns of strategic geometry appear, as the old forms dissolve--the e... ... emerging will be permanent. According to Mandlebaum, "we have not seen the end of their rivalry." On the other hand, is the view that neither country has much the other needs, with both looking towards Japan and America for capital. Economics is the name of the game in East Asia, and Russia looks like a minor league player to Chinese, coupled with a deep level of cultural suspicion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other hand, the most crucial of the Cold War triangles, the Russia-US-China triangle seems to hold relatively little significance. However, two political games of today, might still substantiate the existence of this triangle 1.the crux of Chinese analysis-- that there is an inherent conflict between Moscow and Washington, on matters of aid and weapons build down which will provide openings for its own diplomacy 2. the weapons issue-- "the US fears China's success in skimming cream of weapons experts from Russia." The latter is a very Cold War type of concern: the issue of military strength, which continues to interlock the three major military powers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In reference to the US-Japan-Russia triangle, the Japan-Russia part of the triangle still remains quite undeveloped.

Describe China’s consumption of goods and services. What shortcomings have accompanied China’s economic growth?

The economy of the People's Republic of China is the second largest in the world after the US when measured on a purchasing power basis. With a booming economy and 1. 3billion people, it is now the world's largest consumer of grain, meat, coal and steel. China is no longer just a developing country. It is an emerging economic superpower and is one that is writing economic history. China has witnessed a rapid growth in consumption in recent years. Their purchasing power enables them to buy more, meaning more of basic necessities that the previous generation was not privileged to have. Yet this also means that the rapid rise in demand creates a multitude of problems as the country continues to hungrily gobble up the resources in and out of the country that could be allocated for other countries/markets. China is likened to a hungry giant whose insatiable demand for commodities heralds a new era of permanently higher prices–a commodities super cycle. Its soaring demand for commodities has exerted a powerful pull on global commodity markets. It has a major impact on major segments such as the following: energy, the hard commodities such as metals, and the soft commodities such as agricultural products. But on the other hand, the demands of China's stunning economic growth in recent years have had a complex and uneven effect on global prices for energy and other commodities. Although different industries all over the world also benefit from the huge market and profit, there are numerous problems that arise because of the huge consumption of the country. China's massive appetite for goods ranging from grain to platinum places it at the centre of the world raw materials economy. Other countries find themselves â€Å"competing† with China for a share in commodities. And even China finds itself in a ditch. Because China's insatiable demands are putting ever more pressure on the country's natural resources. The huge consumption and growth mean more wastage. Its population’s impact on the environment can only grow stronger and yet even today, it is already very evident in their own surroundings. The impact of the cumulative waste of over a billion people is astounding. A huge majority of Chinese is still dependent on coal for their energy production. Coal is the number one cause for climate change. A big number of their waters are almost turned into open sewers due to the wastage from many factories and cities. Ill-planned projects may have also destroyed natural habitats and have displaced animals and plants. Respiratory and heart diseases related to air pollution are the leading cause of death in China. And this is only the beginning of a few problems that have begun to arise as China slowly climbs to the top. China's role in global commodity markets will only grow more important in the next 20 years. The solution to the continuing arising problems from their inevitable growth would be, to develop schemes that regulate their pollution and wastage and to create international relations and foreign policies that will positively affect poorer (or richer) economies. The Chinese government should implement the schemes rigidly as the negative effects will eventually catch up on each individual as it affects their health. The government should strengthen and improve the work of existing and emerging organizations (whether it may be local, national or international) through intensive training, demonstration of new approaches, international exchange, and strategic communication.

Reflection of Five Minds for the Future

Reflection of Five Minds for the Future The concepts and arguments about Gardner’s five minds enriched me a lot, and made me think further about the capabilities and skills people should equipped with to handle the new world in the future individually and cooperatively. As a master student, I feel that subjects in commerce will cultivate my cognition and interpersonal skills by developing disciplined, synthesizing, creating, respectful, and ethical minds.In a few years time, when I become a business professional, I think those minds are still important to me in order to make bigger achievements. Disciplined mind Disciplined mind means a continuous process of improving one’s skills. No matter what knowledge I have captured now, there are still many unknown areas for me to explore. However, in retrospect, I always thought what I have been told was exactly what I need to learn. And now I figure out that learning is not merely receiving, but is the continuous process of sel f-education, self-discovery and self-reflection.The subjects in commerce provide opportunities for me to do further research, to find out the solutions to the issues and get feedback from myself and others, which cultivates my habit of investigating the ideas in the long run. Synthesizing mind Gardner (2008, p3) defined that synthesizing mind is a process of collecting, evaluating and combining distinguished information. As a student, during in-class discussions and exams, I have been given many chances to perfect my synthesizing mind.When preparing exams, I will synthesize all the information, ideas, and feelings from separate lectures and combine them to one mind map, demonstrating their inter-relationships. After doing like that, I will have further understandings of the subjects and could put those abstract theories into practice. The group project also encourages me to absorb different views when looking at one problem, and then integrate all together into one idea, which becom e the main research direction. For an informed business professional, a synthesizing mind is necessary for them to make the most appropriate decision.Arming with synthesizing mind, they attempt to consider all the horizontal and vertical information before making final decision. Horizontal information means new ideas from other colleagues and knowledge gain from other domains, and vertical information includes the lessons learnt from their past experiences, knowledge about their current circumstances and also new dilemmas they may meet in the coming situations. Moreover, the capability of generating well-informed strategies will lead business professional to higher level in their career, such as manager or leader level.Creating mind As argued by Gardner (2008, p3), individuals need to think creatively to break new world, or we will be left behind by the overwhelming development of technology. I cannot agree more to his argument because the situations where some people have been â₠¬Å"controlled† by computers and internets have arisen. For example, individuals nowadays become more dependent on the ideas and information provided on the internet, which lead them to think superficially and conservatively.The education method of MCom overcomes the drawbacks of traditional teaching process in terms of encouraging students to think out of the box and to look at one problem from different viewpoints. Creativity is not always welcomed, especially in the domains stated by Gardner (2008, p7), such as accounting, law and engineering. Taking accounting as an example, lots of accounting policies have been used for years and have been a stereotype to all the firms. Major innovation of the accounting policy will rarely happen; however, minor changes will easily occur.It is necessary for them to adapt to the small changes and make suitable decision based on the updated policy rather than follow the old ways blindly. Respectful and ethical mind Living under the multicult ural environment, individuals are supposed to appreciate others’ culture, understand and pardon others’ behavior and build common trust. And we citizens shall do whatever a responsible person will do in our role, standing in our view. As a master student here, I may have some pportunities to work with people from different nations. If I want to be respected by others, I need to welcome and understand them and show my respect sincerely. A respectful mind is vital for a business professional in dealing with relationships between colleagues, customers and friends. When facing a problem, the person who refuses to listen to others’ opinions but insist on his or her own thought will make the problem more complex and finally poison the workplace, and no one are likely to work with this kind of person any more.As the world becoming globalized, people who can appreciate different arguments, cultures and behaviors will adjust themselves well to the new world. In order to enjoy decent life in the new world, businessmen should not act selfishly, rather, they are supposed to have ethical mind, thinking in a way of making win-win decisions to benefit our society as well as their business. Bibliography Gardner, H. 2008, Five Minds for the Future, Harvard Business Press, Boston, Massachusetts

For this assignment I intend to look at the issue of Racism, why it persists and what should be done about it

For this assignment I intend to look at the issue of Racism, why it persists and what should be done about it. I shall also look at the links between slavery and those of the asylum seekers living in Britain. I intend also to try and give a brief explanation of the racism and discrimination in the Chhoka case. There are many different definitions of racism, all of them having one thing in common. Racism is the belief that someone is either inferior or superior regarding race, colour, and religion. Racism is â€Å"The belief in the inherent superiority of one race over all others and thereby the right to dominance†. The first place that most people associate with racist language is the home or the playground. For some parents, its not unheard of to â€Å"go to the Paki shop†, or â€Å"the Chinkies†, so our children are being schooled in the art of racist language from an early age. The media is the next most powerful weapon. We open our papers daily and read about muggings, killings mostly to do with black youths, but when a white youth is mugged or murdered or intimidated, it will make front page for sensationalism, again fuelling people's hatred or misgivings. We can associate the use of language as being racist, for example anything black is understood to be evil or bad whereas white is the epitome of everything good and pure. Goodness will always triumph over bad. We can place certain people into 2 categories, those who are the targets and those who are the agents. By doing this it is easier to gain an insight into how some establishments or communities work. Targets: Are individuals or groups of people who are victimised by other individuals, groups of people, institutions, educational establishments, the lawmakers of the land plus the people entrusted to carry out and implement these laws. These people are the oppressed. Asylum seekers are perfect targets for any agent group. Even within this group, there can be agents who prey on the weakest of the group. Agents: These are the dominant social groups, people who would never describe themselves as dominant over another human being. They have a superior attitude, which sets them apart from sometimes even others in the same agent group. Agents are the groups or individuals of people who perpetrate acts of physical, verbal abuse towards others, but do not get their hands dirty in the physical sense of the word. They are instigators and normally to be found in high positions where their ideals are carried through on the pretext of professionalism. Targets can be found in the playground, in the media, in educational establishments, in high society and any other walk of life. These people are known as the oppressors. They blame the targets for any misfortune inflicted upon themselves. As before, there can be targets included in this group, as well as other agents as power is their ultimate weapon or tool. Slavery was at its most popular during the late fifteenth century. From the 1640's a period of free trade opened up and Britain was one of the countries who exploited this to their advantage. Slave trading opened up new markets for British and European goods in Africa. Sugar, coffee and cotton were common commodities now. By the middle of the eighteenth century, British ships were carrying approximately 50,000 slaves a year. Royal Navy sailors complained of smelling the stench from the slave ships as they crossed from Africa across the Atlantic. It was with great delight to some and great sorrow to others when this trade was outlawed in 1807. Most British towns and cities were built on the labours and exploitation of the slave trade. The vast profits from American plantations were ploughed into cities such as Glasgow and Bristol and to anyone who suggested that â€Å"they don't need to be here, they can go back to their own countries†, then we must ask them, who forced these people over here in the first place. We, the British people did. According to the Geneva Convention the term â€Å"refugee† applies to anyone who: â€Å"owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country†. Asylum seekers did not choose to leave their own homes and countries, but were forced too. They left behind their families and their homelands due to war, oppression, violence and hate. They escaped fascist regimes, and the daily threat of hunger, oppression and death. Britain is the land of the unskilled, under-educated, socially excluded, yet many of the refugees are professionals in medicine, health, education and yet some see them as being scroungers of the state. Asylum seekers are discriminated as soon as they set foot in Britain. They are issued with sub-standard housing, in tower blocks full of dampness and repairs which will never be done, they are not allowed to work or offer their expertise and are sometimes trapped in their own homes for fear of their emotional and physical wellbeing. These people did not leave their own countries to become scapegoats for a society that pretends it cares. They are issued with food vouchers which is humiliating and degrading and are once again, under threat of a regime that they do not necessarily understand. Problems surrounding the recent events concerning the refugees are not helped by the fact that there has been no educational programme to teach young people and others in the community about the refugees backgrounds, no local support for the existing members of the community and a distinctly second rate police service, which is not being utilised to the best of its advantage or for the people to whom it is supposed to protect. There are four key elements in place to support and reinforce each other. Sometimes these processes can be in force one at a time, but in the Chhoka case the four levels were present: Structural: Combining physical, legal and political structures such as the law, the government and all political processes. Cultural: The assumptions and norms of a shared society that bind individuals and institutions together and also their behaviours. Institutional: Educational establishments, the police force, government departments, businesses, the health system and the welfare system. Personal: Attitudes and beliefs of individuals and their behaviour towards others, either directly or indirectly. The case of Surjit Singh Chhokar, a 32 year old waiter who was stabbed to death has highlighted the flaws and faults in our so called civilised society. No one has ever been convicted of Surjit's murder although it has taken over three years and two murder trials involving three men. The Chhokar case has shown how structural, cultural, institutional and personal racism all become linked. There were no interpreters available for the Chhokar family which was the first step in the cultural discrimination. This was a heartbroken family grieving at the loss of a son, a brother and who wanted answers. They trusted the police, the government, only wanting answers and no one even explained to them why the accused walked away free. They were treated inhumanely again when lawyers corresponded with them in English without translations or an interpreter available. When the news first broke, the murder only warranted a five line statement in the Evening Times, but when it became clear that there was more to the story, there was a sudden media frenzy Elements of institutional racism were found in the procedures of the police and the procurator fiscals offices. Police immediately ruled out a racial motive and the case would probably have been filed away and closed had it not been for Lord McCluskey, Scotland's most senior judge. He questioned the Crown's decision to accuse only one man of murder when it was obvious that there were another two involved. Lord Hardie, the then Lord Advocate said,†from the preliminary report given to me, I am satisfied the action taken in this case was the most appropriate in the circumstances†. Lord Hardie obviously did not realise the impact that this case would have on the whole judiciary system and the questions that would be raised. The key findings from the report were † The Crown Office quality and practice review unit should be reinforced and reconstituted as a formal inspectorate of the Crown Office and Procurator fiscal Service. The inspectorate should conduct a thematic review of the service's response on race matters within two to three years. The police should make it their priority to translate policies into practical instructions for officers. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary should make it an early priority to conduct a thematic inspection of family liaison. More systematic communication, co-operation and exchange of ideas between the Crown Office and the police at the most senior levels.† The family's lawyer also faced criticism when he took on the dual role of interpreter and public campaign organiser. The judiciary system made a mockery of our so called justice courts, but hopefully lessons have been learned, sad though it is that an innocent family had to suffer before this level of racism and discrimination was dragged into the forefront of every household. Hopefully the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 will â€Å"shake up† what authorities need to be, in order for trust and respect to be shown and given by the people for whom their services are intended. The main purposes of this Act are to extend further the Race Relations Act 1976 in relation to public authorities; to make chief officers of police vicariously liable for acts of racial discrimination by police officers; and to amend the exemption under the Act for acts done for the purposed of safeguarding national security thus remedying a European Convention on Human Rights incompatibility in that legislation. The primary school that my youngest child attended has a anti-racism attitude (not in an official capacity) and they do their best to highlight every child's culture, race, religion and involve the other children in a way that is enjoyable and educational. Parents are also invited to any concerts put on by the children and are asked to be involved in any specific food days, in which a group of children bring in their national food or sweet, letting again, the other children share in a culture which they would otherwise never have the experience of. It was with outrage one day when all parents were given letters by the local council stating that this practice would stop, as it was encouraging children outwith the school area to participate in bullying the small minority of ethnic children. Parents quickly sprang into action and with the support of parents of all nationalities, the local counsellor and a cover story by the local newspaper that our children were again allowed to enjoy the sharing and learning about each others culture, but it was shameful that children of that age were witness to the powers that be in the education system who would have stopped which is a learning experience in a close and safe environment, where hatred and name calling is not allowed and all the children are equal. This is only a small school with 160 children, but if they can succeed in an area where poverty, high unemployment, drugs and crime are linked then we should all take lessons from these teachers and children. My conclusion is that each of these events starting from the slave trade and the exploitation of the slaves by the British has paved the way for the terrible way in which we as a society treat the refugees, or asylum seekers. Until there is an educational system in place starting from nursery schools and ending in nursing homes, we will never be able to eradicate racism or discrimination. We need to challenge government, the school system, the law makers and decide on a curriculum which will enable our young people, the next generation, to grow without hate or prejudice and to pass their skills and knowledge onto the next. We need to see and accept that the asylum seekers are bringing with them a wealth of culture, expertise and experience and together we can all learn and enjoy each other as a multi-cultural society.