Turkey And The European Union - A Unique Case In The Process Of Enlarg

Turkey And The European Union - A Unique Case In The Process Of Enlargement The European Union, formerly known as the European Community until the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992, has undergone massive changes since its inception. The European Community was an institution primarily designed to achieve Franco-German reconciliation, but has since grown to become a powerful economic and political bloc worldwide, with a diverse range of member states and objectives. The project of the European Community changed dramatically after the demise of the USSR, with the establishment of policy favouring the accession of the Central and Eastern European States. Fundamentally, for accession to the EU, this new wave of applicant states had to possess a ?European Identity', be able to maintain a stable Democracy and market economy. At this point, it is interesting to introduce the question of Turkey. Turkish involvement with, and desire to join, the European Union is a long-running episode in the history of post-war Europe. However, it was only this year that the EU attributed ?Applicant State' status to Turkey. The issue of Turkey as possessing a ?European Identity' raises various doubts; due mainly to Turkey's predominantly Muslim population, and it's geopolitical position. The EU insists that various issues require resolution before Turkish accession can take place. Such issues include Turkey's unsatisfactory human rights record, such as the treatment of the Kurdish minority and the undemocratic penal system. The issue of Turkish accession is thus proving to be a unique case in the process of EU enlargement. It is necessary, if Turkish accession to the EU is to take place, for Turkey to be seen as possessing a ?European Identity' . Although it has never been stipulated in any of the agreements formed between Turkey and the European Community, it is vital that the present constituency of the EU regards this as so. It is therefore necessary to look at the strength of Turkey's relations to Europe in recent history. The Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923 from Turkish remnants of the Ottoman Empire, which in turn created the only Muslim State with a secular democracy. The Ottoman Empire was a key player in the ?Concert of Europe', and in the aftermath of World War II, Turkey ? albeit mainly in an attempt to guard itself against an invasion from the USSR ? became eager to anchor itself in various European institutions. Turkey has since built a diverse network of bonds with Europe, and regards these ties as signs of a European Identity. Turkey was included in the post-WWII Marshall Plan, ho lds Association Status in the WEU, is a founder member of the UN, holds NATO membership, and is a member of the Council of Europe. Relations between Turkey and the EU are governed by the Ankara Agreement of 1964; which envisaged the establishment of a Customs Union, and eventual Turkish membership of the Community. This Agreement got off to a shaky start, but since January 1996 there has existed a Customs Union between Turkey and the EU. However, very few citizens of the EU are aware of such ties , so it is necessary for both Turkey and the EU Member States to educate their respective constituencies of the extent to which such mutual ties expand if integration of Turkey into the EU is to take place. Another reason for the lack of faith in Turkey's Europeanness is its geography. Turkey lies at the southeastern periphery of Europe, and is part of both the Asian and European Continents, the major part of which lies in Asia . Its neighbour states include Greece and Bulgaria to the West, Cyprus to the South, as well as Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria to the East. It is nonetheless situated on all major trade routes, and during the Cold War, Turkey's geopolitical position meant that she played a great role in countering the strategic threat from the East, which as a result strengthened her ties with the USA, and in turn NATO. In spite of Turkey's numerous ties to Europe and the USA, opponents to Turkish accession contend that Turkey's close proximity to other Muslim countries is a security concern. A closer analysis of Turkey's relations with its neighbours

Coming Home essays

Coming Home essays Cornelius picked up the remote control out of the aliens hand. He pressed it and walked out through the invisible wall. He started to run down the beach but then he stopped. He turned back and shouted: The dark man shook his had to awake himself and ran out through the wall. They both ran down the beach. As Cornelius was running he noticed something ahead of him. It couldnt be identified from where they were so Cornelius signaled the man to speed up. As they got closer Cornelius realized what it was, he grabbed the man by his shirt and pulled him behind a dead fallen tree. Look ahead of us! Cornelius whispered. The man did so and saw the alien, he quickly ducked back down and said: Thats one of them! We have to fallow it! stated the dark man. Cornelius knew why but he didnt want to. After a few minutes of debating he gave in and they slowly stalked the alien. After slowly chasing the alien for about an hour, the creature went into a part of the island where the palm trees became denser until their surroundings where like that of a rain forest. They continued into the forest until they came to the outside of a clearing. They moved the bushes aside and inside they could see the craft that abducted them. They looked around, and saw some dome like buildings and aliens wandering the premises. On my word we make a run for the spaceship! WHAT?! asked a shocked Cornelius. After an hour and a half of debating and planning the agreed an a plan. ...

Brigadier General Adolph von Steinwehin the Civil War

Brigadier General Adolph von Steinwehin the Civil War Adolph von Steinwehr - Early Life: Born at Blankenburg, Brunswick (Germany) on September 25, 1822, Adolph von Steinwehr was a member of a long-standing military family.   Following in these footsteps, which included a grandfather who had fought in the Napoleonic Wars, Steinwehr entered the Brunswick Military Academy.   Graduating in 1841, he received a commission as a lieutenant in the Brunswick Army.   Serving for six years, Steinwehr grew dissatisfied and elected to move to the United States in 1847.   Arriving at Mobile, AL, he found employment as an engineer with the US Coastal Survey.   As the the Mexican-American War was underway, Steinwehr sought a position with a combat unit but was declined.   Disappointed, decided to return to Brunswick two years later with his American-born wife, Florence Mary. Adolph von Steinwehr - The Civil War Begins: Again finding life in Germany not to his liking, Steinwehr permanently immigrated to the United States in 1854.   Initially settling in Wallingford, CT, he later moved to a farm in New York.   Active in the German-America community, Steinwehr proved well-placed to raise a largely German regiment when the Civil War began in April 1861.   Organizing the 29th New York Volunteer Infantry, he was commissioned as the regiments colonel in June.   Reporting to Washington, DC that summer, Steinwehrs regiment was assigned to Colonel Dixon S. Miles division in Brigadier General Irvin McDowells Army of Northeastern Virginia.   In this assignment, his men took part in the Union defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21.   Held in reserve during much of the fighting, the regiment later helped cover the Union retreat.    Noted as a competent officer, Steinwehr received a promotion to brigadier general on October 12 and orders to assumed command of a brigade in Brigadier General Louis Blenkers division in the Army of the Potomac.   This assignment proved short-lived as the Blenkers division was soon transferred to western Virginia for service in Major General John C.  Frà ©monts Mountain Department.   In the spring of 1862, Steinwehrs men took part in operations against Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons forces in the Shenandoah Valley.   This saw them defeated at Cross Keys on June 8.   Later in the month, Steinwehrs men were moved east to help form Major General Franz Sigels I Corps of Major General John Popes Army of Virginia.   In this new formation, he was elevated to lead the Second Division.   Ã‚      Adolph von Steinwehr - Divisional Command: In late August, Steinwehrs division was present at the Second Battle of Manassas though was not heavily engaged.   Following the Union defeat, Sigels corps was ordered to remain outside of Washington, DC while the bulk of the Army of the Potomac moved north in pursuit of General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia.   As a result, it missed the Battle of South Mountain and Antietam.   During this time, Sigels force was re-designated XI Corps.   Later that fall, Steinwehrs division moved south to join the army outside Fredericksburg, but played no role in the battle.   The following February, following Major General Joseph Hookers ascent to lead the army, Sigel left XI Corps and was replaced by Major General Oliver O. Howard. Returning to combat in May, Steinwehrs division and the rest of XI Corps were badly routed by Jackson during the Battle of Chancellorsville.   Despite this, Steinwehrs personal performance was commended by his fellow Union officers.   As Lee moved north invade Pennsylvania in June, XI Corps followed in pursuit.   Arriving at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, Howard directed Steinwehrs division to remain in reserve on Cemetery Hill while he deployed the rest of the corps north of town in support of the late  Major General John F. Reynolds I Corps.   Later in the day, XI Corps collapsed under Confederate assaults leading the entire Union line to fall back on Steinwehrs position.   The next day, Steinwehrs men aided in repelling enemy attacks against East Cemetery Hill.    Adolph von Steinwehr- In the West: Late that September, the bulk of XI Corps along with elements of XII Corps, received orders to shift west to Tennessee.   Led by Hooker, this combined force moved to relieve the besieged Army of the Cumberland at Chattanooga.   On October 28-29, Steinwehrs men fought well in the Union victory at the Battle of Wauhatchie.   The following month, one of his brigades, led by Colonel Adolphus Buschbeck, supported Major General William T. Sherman during the Battle of Chattanooga.   Retaining leadership of his division through the winter, Steinwehr was dismayed when XI Corps and XII Corps were combined in April 1864.   As part of this reorganization, he lost his command as the two formations were consolidated.   Offered command of a brigade, Steinwehr refused to accept a tacit demotion and instead spent the rest of the war in staff and garrison posts. Adolph von Steinwehr - Later Life: Leaving the US Army on July 3, 1865, Steinwehr worked as a geographer before accepting a teaching post at Yale University.   A gifted cartographer, he produced a variety of maps and atlases over the next several years as well as authored numerous books.   Moving between Washington and Cincinnati later in his life, Steinwehr died at Buffalo on February 25, 1877.   His remains were interred at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, NY.               Selected Sources Find a Grave: Adolph von SteinwehrOfficial Records: Adolph von Steinwehr

Business Organizations and Agency Law Legal Issues (Real Estate) Essay

Business Organizations and Agency Law Legal Issues (Real Estate) - Essay Example The various types of real estate business comprises of (i) Appraisal which includes professional valuation services (ii) Brokerages covers assisting buyers and sellers in transactions (iii) Development comprising of improving land for use by way of addition or replacing buildings (iv) Property management which is managing a property on behalf of its owners (v) Real Estate Marketing that covers the sales aspect of the property business and finally (vi) Relocation services encompassing repositioning people or businesses to a different country. Within each field, an organization might focus on a specific type of real estate like residential, commercial, or industrial property. Apart from that, nearly every construction business essentially bears an association with real estate. (Real Estate: Wikipedia) Of late several economists have overlooked the fact that absence of effective real estate laws can impede investment in a lot of development nations. In almost every society, cutting across economic conditions, a considerable proportion of the net wealth is held in the form of land and buildings. In the most developed economies, the primary source of capital used by individuals and small companies to buy and make improvements in land and buildings is through mortgages in which the real property forms the collateral. The banks are ready to extend such loans at convenient rates in major part, since in case the borrower fails in making payment, the lender can make a foreclose which implies that, it can file a case, to take possession and sell it to obtain money. (Legal Encyclopedia: Real Estate) The fundamental concept forming the basis for real property laws are uniform across the US. Nevertheless, a lot of differences in the application of these concepts among the states as also among the counties and cities within the states are found. Freehold Estate constitutes the first category of ownership under the Real Estate Agency law. The idea of estates in the American laws emerged from the feudal system in England. Estates in land are interests that are currently or might become possessory and which are measured by time frame. Possessory estates confer the holder the right to immediate possession. Realty estates are further classified as freehold and non-freehold. While freehold estates go on for an indefinite period or until the happening of certain event, non-freehold estates terminate on a specific date. (Overview of Real Property Law in the United States) The largest estate that is allowed under the provisions of law is the fee simple absolute in which the holder of this estate possesses complete possessory privileges at present and in the future for an indefinite period. No restrictions on its inheritability are present, it cannot be divested and it will not terminate on the occurrence of any event. But, the holder of the estate can sell it or any portion of it during the period of his lifespan and make a will prior to his death for disposal of the property. The other possessory estates are Fee Simple Determinable that suggests a fee simple however restricts the use of the land. Life Estate that is an estate whose period is calculated by the life or lives of one or more human being, and terminates at the death of a person. Fee Tail, that is an estate

Plagiarism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Plagiarism - Essay Example Plagiarism may either be a deliberate action or unintentional. According to Plagiarism.org, actions that qualify as plagiarism include submitting other peoples views pretending they are your own views, duplicating other peoples ideas or research without acknowledging their contributions, improper citations which include citing false references, and duplicating the organization of words in a sentences without acknowledging the origin. It is worth noting that plagiarism can be averted through acknowledging the fact that the ideas, views, or sentence organization originated from a particular source (Plagiarism.org). There are a number of ways through which plagiarism can be averted. The secret to writing a plagiarism free essay or research paper is writing everything in owns words. Subsequently, other peoples views ought to be properly referenced of cited. In case one is not conversant with the various citation styles, it would be of significance to seek the help of the teacher or lecturer (Plagiarism.org). Plagiarism.org also asserts that initial preparations prior to the commencement of writing an essay or research paper is important in avoiding plagiarism. Coming up with a succinct sketch out or summary of ideas helps set a benchmark in regard to ideas to be retrieved from other peoples works and own ideas. It is of significance to assert that a writer ought to clearly separate his or her own ideas from those retrieved from other peoples works. However, it is also important to reword other peoples ideas so that a paper can appear original. Cited sources should be from well acclaimed researchers or sources in text citations should include the author of the book of source, year of publication, and page numbers depending on the citation style used. In definition, a citation is referred to as a method or technique used to notify those

Financial Reporting Problem Essay Example for Free

Financial Reporting Problem Essay Abstract In this paper we will discuss Walmart’s Balance sheet and Income Statement. We will analyze the company’s total assets at the end of the most recent annual reporting year and to why it is important. We then will talk about the company’s total assets, how much cash and cash equivalents did the company have, as well as, the amount of accounts payable at the most recent year, and from the previous year. What the company’s net revenues are from the last three annual reporting periods, the change in dollars in the company’s net income from the most recent annual reporting period to the previous annual reporting period. We will talk about the company’s total assets at the end of the most recent year and the previous year from the annual reporting period. Lastly, we will discuss as to what information that has been obtained within this paper that would be important to a potential investor, employee and so forth. Financial Reporting Problem, Part 1 Total Assets The total assets for Wal-Mart as of January 31, 2013 were $203,105,000. The reason this is important for a company or business to know, is so the business can have a better understanding of how much the company is worth. Knowing how much a company is worth is beneficial because the assets can be used as collateral for a loan. Also knowing the assets and comparing total assets to previous years can show if a company is growing and expanding or shrinking. For Wal-Mart, the comparison from the previous year shows that the total assets increased. As of January 31, 2012 the company showed total assets of $193,406,000. With the comparison from January 31, 2012 to the current figure from January 31, 2013 Wal-Mart grew and/or expanded in total assets by 9,699,000. Cash and Cash Equivalent The total cash and cash equivalent for the end of the year for Wal-Mart as of January 31, 2013 is 7,781,000. Knowing the total cash and cash equivalent will help the company to know how much the company has to spend. No organization has the intention of spending more money then what the company has available. If a company has very low cash or cash equivalent then the company will need to consider if a loan is needed. In consideration for a loan total expenses needs to be considered. If a company like Wal-Mart has enough cash to pay all expenses then a loan isnt needed, but if the expense exceeds the cash then a loan is needed. Also another factor to consider on getting a loan is if the money coming into the company will be enough to pay the loan back. Accounts Payable The accounts payable for the end of the most recent annual reporting period that ended January 31, 2013 is 1,061,000. Knowing the accounts payable helps a company to know one of the companies expenses. This is important because if the companies accounts payable are higher than the money coming in, that could be a problem for the business. Comparing to previous years accounts payable can show many different problems or benefits for the business. Net Revenues Walmart Inc. net revenues from the last three annual reporting periods are as follows; On January 31st, 2011 in the amount of $421,849,000. On January 31st, 2012 the net revenues were; $446,950,000 and on January 31st, 2013 it totaled to the amount of $469,162,000. From looking at the reports Walmart Inc. has had an increased from 2011 to 2012 in the amount of $25,101,000 and from 2012 to 2013 has increased to $22,212,000. Net Revenue helps account for certain price reductions, adjustments and refunds. This is necessary to get the general measure of the real top line rather than the bottom line. Net Income Looking at Walmart’s income statement from the net income of 2013 on January 31st it totaled in $16,999,000. The change from 2012 and 2013 is a increase in $1,300,000. The net income from 2012 is $15,699,000. From looking at the statement and seeing that there is a loss due to nonredeemable and redeemable non-controlling interest the company has lost net income by 16,998,000 within 2013 but in 2012 only had a 609,000 difference, and in 2011 had a 1,289,000 difference from 2013. When it comes to Net Income it is closely followed and play a huge role in ratio analysis. Shareholders take a close look at the net income due to their compensation of the company. If a business is not generating enough profit, the values of shares fall. It is important to know that net income does not measure to how much cash a company has earned during a given period. Change in Dollars of Net Income The change in dollars of Walmart’s net income from 2013 is 16,999,000 and from 2012 it is only a million dollar difference of 15,999,000. Total Assets in Recent Year from Annual Reporting Wal-Mart has reported its accounting period for fiscal year 2013; accounting period ends on January 31st of each year. Wal-Mart’s current total of assets as of fiscal year 2013 is $203,105,000.00. Wal-Mart continues to grow in consecutive years with an average increase in assets of $10,000,000 dollars a year for the past five years. The earnings per share have increased 10.6 percent increasing their shares to $5.02. The company has made earnings in addition of $22 billion make it a $ 466 billion dollar corporation. It is with no doubt that the success of the corporation continues on the rise. The corporation owns 4,000 locations in the United States alone adding $10 billion alone in net sales. Further from generating income and investing in growth and assets Wal-Mart has always researched and invested in ways to reduce expenses and operating costs. Strategies such as training front line and middle managers in operating cost reductions and implementing sales and inventory syste ms have greatly reduced operating costs in the current successful years. Total Assets from Previous Annual Report In fiscal year 2012, Wal-Mart had a total of earning of $15.8 billion  with a closing total of net sales of $443.9 billion. Since 1992 Wal-Mart has made and increased a total net worth of sales of $400 billion dollars. The corporation strategy for 2012 was to continue to invest in growth and re-enforce in what separates them from their competitors, their low incomparable low merchandise prices. A very unique idea that required greater investments and growth was that of creating a merchandise corporation to the public that provided a one stop be all shopping store. The corporation concentrated in providing its customers a broad assortment of merchandise which provided customers in a sense a time saving tool in a high tempo life style generation. Wal-Mart’s obvious and epic success of how effective and efficient their corporation strategies are. In addition Wal-Mart continues to re-invest in its online market and expanding its online strategy. Important Information Wal-Mart received a total of $332 million in common stock in the year of 2013 alone. In 2012 Wal-Mart returned dividends to its investors worth $60 billion in shares. A high number of their investors are Wal-Mart associates averaging an increased percentage of stocks by the yearly. A yearly accounting period of accounting provides the corporation’s accounting state which in return provides transparency to its current investors and a corporate overview of potential new investors. Internally Wal-Mart benefits from these reports in projecting new investments. Strategic Management can influence how much can be reinvested while at the same time have oversight of how expenses, employee and associate management, and operating costs have to be considered before any over spending incurs. Overall an accounting report is essentially the backbone of a corporation. The accounting structure requires having a solid foundation in a corporation in order to have a successful business. Accountin g is the measurement of how much a business fails or it is successful. References http://c46b2bcc0db5865f5a76-91c2ff8eba65983a1c33d367b8503d02.r78.cf2.rackcdn.com/88/2d/4fdf67184a359fdef07b1c3f4732/2013-annual-report-for-walmart-stores-inc_130221024708579502.pdf

Cabinet of Styles :: Personal Narrative Timeline Papers

Cabinet of Styles Wow, am I tired. I tried to go to bed early last night, but couldn't sleep for squat. So I turned on the tube. Nothing of interest was on so I turned it to MTV. It was, like, Jams hour or something so it lulled me to sleep. Around one am or so it was Headbanger's ball or Alternative Nation. The strobe flashes from the screen woke me up really fast. Damn MTV. FLASH FLASH FLASH FLASH. Their music changes from Enya's soft, sweet lullabies to Dead President's traumatic, trashy rock. It's kinda like their commercials, which I see as a microcosm of that whole network. Flash things at an audience, be loud, obnoxious and downright stupid sometimes and make money of f of it. Maybe I am just cranky because it woke me up. I don't mind MTV, just not at one in the morning. Maybe VH1 is better to sleep to. Hey, maybe that's kinda what Mike was talking about in class about styles in society as related to me. Different situations demands different styles. Cool! So anyway, I should clean out that file cabinet today....no, too much work...but yet, I have nothing better to do so I may as well. Maybe if I keep MTV on while I do it, I can get through that pile of junk more quickly. 10:45 am: THE FILE CABINET God I have a lot of junk. I've kept papers from high school writing classes. As if they are worth revising...they sound so childish now. Neat, here's one I wrote in ninth grade. I have to laugh as I read it though, because I always sounded the same in my writings back then. Somehow my personality ended up being expressed through the character no matter what. If I tried to make my character into someone I wasn't the story was awkward and stilted. One of them was an essay I wrote right after a break up; the assignment was just a character sketch. Ã ¬Her attention was caught, however, when her friend Mary said that hse had a date for that weekend. She flet as if he's been slapped in the face. Her mind wandered to the days when she had been busy dating. It seemed to bery long ago." Of course my character was a depressed girl whose friends were all dating and she was home all alone to moon over the lost love.

Math Essay

At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion. At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation. The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each week. A grandmother is looking for a plan to finance her new grandchild’s college education. She has $50,000 to invest. Search the internet and locate a long-range investment plan, CD, Savings Bond, etc, for the grandmother. The plan is to earn compound interest. Calculate the future value of the investment. You must use the advertised interest rate, the number of compounding periods per year, and the time the funds will be invested. If you are not given the number of compounding periods a year, make it up. 1. The principal is $50,000. This is P. 2. Research the annual interest rate for your investment. This is r. 3. State the time in years for the investment (as in when the new grandchild will be attending college). This is t. 4. State the number of compounding periods per year. This is n. 5. Model the future value of Grandma’s investment as an exponential function, with time as the independent variable: F(t) = P(1 + r/n) nt 6. State the future value of Grandma’s investment. 7. Use the internet or library resources to find the average cost of a college education today; will grandma’s investment be able to cover the cost in today’s dollars; what about in the future? 8. Summarize your findings in writing using proper style and grammar. 9. Include references formatted according to APA style. 10. Respond to a classmate’s posting. If you think there may be an error, feel free to help your classmate without providing the correct answer. Otherwise, analyze the post in comparison to yours or add new information to the discussion. In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials. | |

Gender Barriers in Communication Essay

Managers today have to face unique challenges while trying to manage a very diverse work force, and keeping communication lines clear and understood is one of these challenges. Remember that for any business, effective communication is an integral key to the success of any organization. No matter which way you look at it, communication flow is important at each and every level in order to function with focus, deliberate and accurate objectives, and controlled consistent results. Effective communication ensures that the communication contents are interpreted and understood in the way that it was intended to. Unfortunately there are barriers that have a negative effect on communication, and one of those barriers is called Gender Barriers in Communication. You are probably wondering just how do Gender Barriers affect Communication, and how did this Barrier develop? Well let’s find out. â€Å"D.E. McFarland has defined Communications as the process of meaningful interaction among human beings†(Jain, n.d., para. 1). We as humans are dependent on Communication in our everyday lives. To be honest, â€Å"the whole world is reliant on communication to complete even the most basic daily functions† (Braedyn, 2010, para. 2). It is the process by which we humans convey our thoughts and ideas verbally, with hope of being perceived and understood in the way the sender meant for it to be understood. With so many methods of communication in our modern day life, we are bombarded with Email, Facebook, Voicemail, memo’s, and phone calls. All of which are forms of communication. Why even the act of rolling your eyes and shrugging fall in as a form of communication. But even with all these forms available at our disposal, miscommunication occurs. â€Å"Gender Barriers are any misunderstanding or confusion in the intended message caused by male and female differences, which results as a communication barrier† (Braedyn, 2010, para. 4). Communication must be understood by both men and women in order to be effective, and in order to fully understand these differences we need to see just how they began. Gender communication differences begin in early childhood, as soon as a child is pegged as either female or male. Gender starts with the assignment to a sex category on the final basis of what the infants genitalia looks like. This sex category becomes the main defining factor as to how this child will be dressed, named, and spoken to. â€Å"The development of a gendered identity starts from the very moment babies are identified as male or female as they experience societal, familial, and cultural interactions† Both males and females are taught different linguistic styles. For instance our childhood is influenced by nursery rhymes that give subtle instruction on how different genders are and should be perceived. â€Å"Snips and snails and puppy dog tails, that’s what little boys are made of. Sugar and spice and everything nice, that’s what little girls are made† (Rafael, n.d., para. 2). These subtle instructions set the stage, and are just the beginning fo r future gender differences. Zittleman states that â€Å"Gender stereotypes have a history that begins with learned beliefs of femininity and masculinity† (Zittleman, 2006). Learned beliefs that allow for reinforcing different behavioral types on our children. For example boys are allowed to have rough language, play loudly, and be rambunctious. They are also taught that it is not seen as being manly if you show emotion by crying, this behavior is reinforced by telling them to be tough and suck it up. Girls on the other hand are taught early on to behave like a lady and to use their manners. They are also told to play quietly, and that it is okay to show your feelings and cry. Crying is allowed on the feminine side. These gender differences have helped to create behaviors and patterns. Men usually are factual, direct, and honest, which explains why they only speak about 7000 words a day. Their communication behaviors that men display usually revolve around competition, rank, power, logic, and reason. Men build relationships as projects are being worked on, and they process information internally when working on making decisions. Female’s method of communication differs largely from that of males. Women are raised to be of the nurturing persuasion, indirect, and very respectful. They have a bad habit of apologizing excessively, and their style is more of a rapport type of talk, whereas males have a more report type style. Women build relationships in order to accomplish specific projects, they are comfortable in communicating about their feelings, relationships, and personal subjects like their feelings and emotions. No wonder women speak on average about 25000 words a day. Another difference in how men and women communicate is how the information they are receiving is being processed. The female and male brain process information very differently. Men process information on their left side of the brain, whereas women use both left and right hemispheres; men process analytically, and women process abstractly. Now that we fully understand the reasons and the differences behind Gender Communication Barriers, what can we do to bridge the differences and proactively improve communication in everyday life? â€Å"Men and women would need to make themselves fully aware of each other’s different communication styles, and be open in trying to break any biases or stereotypes† (Lieberman, n.d., para. 3). In conclusion, even though men and women process information and communicate differently, by working together and understanding each other’s differences they can begin to bridge the gap. Businesses stand to benefit â€Å"by committing to develop a firm culture that recognizes, embraces, and leverages individual differences, you will experience greater productivity, increased morale, higher recruiting and retention rates, and improved financial performance† (American Instritute of CPA’s, 2012, para. 3). References American Instritute of CPA’s. (2012). www.cpa2biz.com Braedyn, A. M. (2010, February 1). Improve Communication Skills. Suite 101. Retrieved from http://suite101.com/article/improve-communication-skills-a196668 Jain, R. (n.d.). The Barriers to Effectivce Communication. Ezine Articles. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Barriers-to-Effective-Communication&id=1210011 Lieberman, S. (n.d.). Gender Communication Differences and Strategies . Retrieved from http://www.simmalieberman.com/articles/genderstrategies.html Rafael, J. K. (n.d.). Why Don’t You Understand? Gender Communication Differences. Hub Pages. Retrieved from http://jillkrapfl.hubpages.com/hub/Why-Dont-You-Understand-Gender-Communication-Differences Zittleman, Karen. (2006). â€Å"Being a Girl and Being a Boy: The Voice of Middle Schoolers.†

buy custom Murder Law in the United Kingdom essay

buy custom Murder Law in the United Kingdom essay Introduction Since World War II in 1945, there has been a continued controversy regarding capital punishment in the UK. Various abolishment campaigns were actually launched after the war and the Homicide Act was passed in 1957. The Act introduced restrictions to the capital punishment law in an attempt to reserve the punishment in law for those who actually deserve it. However, several controversies erupted after the review and there was widespread dissatisfaction from the public regarding murder laws. In fact, convictions in capital punishment became less common. The last persons to face the murder law in Britain were executed in 1964. After continued campaigns from various human rights groups, the death penalty was abolished in 1999 when Home Secretary signed the 6th protocol of European Convention of Human Rights. The main debate has been that capital punishment denies a person a right to life, which is a democratic right of any individual. However, crime is everywhere and there is always loss of life due to criminal activities or in most cases psychological torture and decrease in the quality of life. Some of these crimes include rape, murder and terrorism, just to name a few. This paper will evaluate various contexts of the current murder law in the UK to assess its acceptability. Elements of criminal liability Generally, the basis of liability imposition on a criminal is that there must be enough proof that the defendant is guilty of committing a criminal offence while in a guilty state of mind. This comprises of physical elements known as actus reus followed by the mental state referred to as mens rea. The prosecution has a fundamental duty to verify proof of these elements in the offence to the level that satisfies the judge or the jury beyond doubt. If the is no sufficient proof, the jury is required to acquit the defendant. The two elements are used to analyze criminal offences in the English law. They stipulate that a defendant is not necessarily guilt unless he or she committed crime with a guilty mind. The actus reus constitutes more than just a mere act. It determines whether the circumstances and the consequences of the crime are recognized for prove of liability of the criminal offence under evaluation. This simply means that every element of the offence apart from the mental element is encompassed by the actus reus. It is the external or physical element of a criminal offence and is the Latin word for guilty act. Therefore, if the defendant did something amounting to criminal offence, there are other situations of omission that may be sufficient for actus reus. However, under normal rule, omission cannot guarantee that the defendant is guilty of an offence. However, a criminal offender may incur criminal liability if the crime was committed as a positive act, for example, forcefully holding the head of another person in water leading to his or her death. In case of a stranger who watches as a victim drowns without interening, the stranger would not incur criminal liability sinc e the victim would have whatsoever. On the other hand, mens rea literally means a guilty mind contrary to actus reus which means guilty act. In any offence, both of these elements must be present for proof of criminal liability. The idea of fault proven resides in the mind of the offender when he or she is committing the criminal act. Most notably, the actual state of mind required may vary from one crime to another. For instance, in murder and manslaughter, the intention to kill must be proved for imposition of criminal liability. The only exception to this principle is the strict liability concept. Here, no mens rea is required to be proved prior to one or more elements of the actus reus. The rationale of mens rea is whether the crime was committed as voluntary action, intentionally or with knowledge of all elements of the crime. Voluntariness, causation and omission in actus reus Under actus reus, there are concepts of voluntariness and causation besides the previously discussed omission. In the features of Actus reus, a murder must be a voluntary act and in some cases, there must a consequence of the offence. For example, in other offences such as assault that results in actual bodily harm, there must be visible injuries inflicted on the plaintiff. The law of causation in actus reus stipulates that an act must cause the result. It shows that death would not have results were it not for the conduct of the defendant. However, irrational application of this rule can lead to unjust rulings hence legal causation is established before the defendant is convicted of murder. It means that the conduct that led to the plaintiffs death must be worth of blame. Nevertheless, there are difficult questions that arise regarding where to draw the line but the extremes are clear. For example, if someone invites the other to dinner and the invitee is run over by a car on his wa y to the dinner, it would be absurd to claim that the inviter is guilty of murder. A guilty case of causation would be an individual who points a gun at another with an intention of killing him and eventually pulls the trigger. His conduct has undoubtedly caused the death of the victim and both factual and legal causation are obvious. Actus reus omissions are only viable when there is a duty to act. In English law, a defendant can be found to be criminally liable if he has failed to act in places where he or she has a duty to act. For example, a railway employee who opens a railway crossing to let a cart pass but forgets to shut the gates leading to the death of the cart driver when ran over by a train will be criminally liable for manslaughter. However, in normal criminal law, a defendant may not be found guilty just because he or she merely failed to act. Nevertheless, there are limited exceptions to this rule. Actus reus must always be voluntary. This includes strict liability offences in relation to actus reus. A bus driver would not be convvicted with murder of passengers if he suffered a heart attack leading to a car crash that kills several passengers. His actions will be involuntary hence an essential element of actus reus will be missing. However, the British courts ensure strict boundaries governing invo luntary conduct to emphasize the importance of fault absence of the defendant. In the previous example, if the bus driver had experienced heart attack signs before driving and continued to drive, he would be liable of criminal offence of murdering the passengers since he would have deferred driving and sought help. Mens rea of murder and the problems with proving intention The jury is charged with the duty of deciding whether the accused has satisfactory mens rea or not. The meaning of the term intention has been met with reluctant expression from judges. It should be noticed however that it is possible to intend to do something without desiring it. This is referred to as oblique intent as was reinforced in Moloney case law (1985). In case of murder, the meaning of intention is not clearly defined but definitions state what it is not. This is not satisfactory as a mens rea consequence. In this context, a defendant may be regarded to act intentionally with respect to the circumstance that he or she hoped to exist would exist. Intention also entails recklessness which means taking an unjustifiable risk. However, it is wider than intention. The state of mind constitutes of intention and is one of the main elements of mens rea. In fact, in murder it is the only element of mens rea. The jury must make a decision using all available evidence whether the accu sed intentionally committed the murder intentionally. The jury has the responsibility to find out if the accused intended to bring about the consequences of his conduct or if he was virtually certain and recognized it as so. Intention should not be confused with motive or recklessness and for this reason; crimes are categorized as basic intent or specific intent. Murder law: sufficient or in need of reform? The current UK murder law is not satisfactory and has raised various controversies in a quest for review. The legislation is needed to be clear and ensure public confidence. There are calls for various degrees of murder which have been supported by the director of public prosecutions. This is in the wake of criticism towards the current life sentence to murder convicts. The cries are pressuring the jury to implement various degrees of murder charges. In fact, the government has been responsive and is considering recommendations. A similar approach was used in the US and such a change could result into the UK having a legal system with first degree murder having a life sentence on proof of intent to kill. Moreover, second degree murder as well as manslaughter with proved intent to kill would bear a discretionary life sentence. The law commission suggested that murder should be graded which is an appropriate reform to the murder law. Buy custom Murder Law in the United Kingdom essay

Biography of Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady

Biography of Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady Occupation:  First Lady 1963-1969; businesswoman and ranch manager Known for:  Beautification campaign; support for Head Start Also known  as:  Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson. Named Lady Bird by a nursemaid. Dates:  December 22, 1912 - July 11, 2007 Lady Bird Johnson Facts Born  in Karnack, Texas, to a wealthy family: father Thomas Jefferson Taylor, mother Minnie Patillo Taylor Married Lyndon Baines Johnson, November 17, 1934, after meeting him that summer Children: Lynda Bird Johnson Robb (1944-): married Charles Robb in East Room of the White House, December 9, 1967Luci Baines Johnson Nugent Turpin (1947-): married Patrick Nugent August 6, 1966, at the White House, marriage annulled 1979; married Ian Turpin at the LBJ Ranch, March 4, 1984 Lady Bird Johnson Biography Lady Bird Johnsons mother died when Lady Bird was five, and Lady Bird was raised by an aunt. She loved reading and nature from an early age, and graduated from St. Marys Episcopal School for Girls (Dallas) and earned a history degree from the University of Texas (Austin) in 1933, returning another year to earn a degree in journalism. After eloping with Congressional aide Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1934, Lady Bird Johnson miscarried four times before giving birth to their daughters, Lynda and Luci. Lady Bird told Lyndon, during their short courtship, I would hate for you to to into politics. But she financed his campaign for US Congress, using her inheritance as collateral to get a loan, when he ran in a special election in 1937. During World War II, Lyndon Johnson was the first Congressman to volunteer for active duty. While he served in the Navy in the Pacific 1941-1942, Lady Bird Johnson maintained his Congressional office. In 1942, Lady Bird Johnson bought a financially-troubled radio station in Austin, KTBC, using her inheritance. Serving as manager of the company, Lady Bird Johnson brought the station into financial health and used it as the basis for a communications company that also grew to include a television station. Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson also owned extensive ranching property in Texas, and Lady Bird Johnson managed those for the family. Lyndon Johnson won a seat in the Senate in 1948, and in 1960, after his own bid for the presidency failed, John F. Kennedy selected him as running mate. Lady Bird had taken a public speaking course in 1959, and in the 1960 campaign began more active campaigning. She was credited by JFKs brother Robert with the Democratic win in Texas. Throughout his career, she was also known as a gracious hostess to his political and diplomatic guests. Lady Bird Johnson became First Lady when her husband succeeded Kennedy after his assassination in 1963. She hired Liz Carpenter to head her press office, to craft her public image in the wake of the immense popularity of her predecessor, Jacqueline Kennedy. In the 1964 election, Lady Bird Johnson actively campaigned, again emphasizing Southern states, this time in the face of strong and sometimes ugly opposition because of her husbands support of civil rights. After LBJs election in 1964, Lady Bird Johnson took on several projects as her focus. She is best known for her beautification programs to improve urban and highway environments. She actively worked for legislation (unusual for a First Lady) to pass the Highway Beautification Bill, which passed in October 1965. She is less recognized for her role in promoting Head Start, a preschool program for disadvantaged children, part of her husbands War on Poverty program. Because of her husbands ill health his first heart attack had been in 1955 and increasing opposition to his Vietnam policies, Lady Bird Johnson urged him not to run for reelection. She is credited with making his 1968 withdrawal speech even stronger than he had originally written it, adding I will not accept to I will not seek the nomination. After her husbands withdrawal from the 1968 election, Lady Bird Johnson maintained many of her own interests. She served on the University of Texas System Board of Regents for six years. She worked with her husband before his death to open his presidential library in 1972. They gave the LBJ ranch to the United States as a national historic site in 1972, while retaining rights during their lifetimes. In 1970, Lady Bird Johnson converted hundreds of hours of taped daily impressions shed made while in the White House, publishing them in book form as White House Diary. In 1973, Lyndon Baines Johnson suffered another heart attack, and soon died. Lady Bird Johnson continued to be active with her family and causes. The National Wildflower Research Center, founded by Lady Bird Johnson in 1982, was renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center in 1998 in honor of her work with the organization and issue. She spent time with her daughters, seven grandchildren, and (at this writing) nine great-grandchildren. Living in Austin, she spent some weekends at the LBJ ranch, sometimes greeting visitors there. Lady Bird Johnson suffered a stroke in 2002, which affected her speech but didnt completely keep her from public appearances. She died July 11, 2007, at her home.

Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Islam - Essay Example This we have learned from our Prophet, Mohammed. The method of ablution is specified by the Prophets mannerisms. Much of the Sunnah has been collected in Traditions of the Prophet known as Hadith. Not all Hadith are considered canon however, and the study of Hadith is a system of knowledge in unto itself. These understandings are the cornerstone of Islamic Life even in America. Islamic architecture is used in today's homes and mosques and work places. Perhaps most notable are the domed roofs of nearly all government centers. From county court houses to state capitols to the congress, the dome is a symbol of Islamic tradition as barrowed from enlightened Europeans. It is known that fraternal organizations concentrated on the formation of a liberated America. These organizations often draw from ancient symbols of the near east, one of which is the domed architecture. As a revival of such methods promulgate, we see more and more domes and minarets in America - sign Muslim communities are returning to traditional Islamic architecture. How much of what we know of modern society may be traced back to the advent of Islamic society Bin Fadlan an 11 century Persian scholar recounted something of the state to which Europe had fallen following the collapse of the Roman Empire. Barbarian tribes had overrun Europe and society had fallen into the violent disarray of feudal fiefs. Common people suffered and ignorance reigned.