Compare and Contrast: Muslim Empires

Between 1450 and 1750, three great Muslim empires arose—the Ottomans, the Safavids, and the Mughals. The Ottomans arose after the Seljuk Turkic kingdom of Rum in Eastern Anatolia collapsed, which occurred because of a Mongol invasion in 1243. The area fell into a chaotic period after that because the Mongols did not directly rule it. In search of riches, Turkic peoples, including the Ottomans who dominated the rest, flooded into the area. By the 1350s, the Ottomans were advancing from their Asia Minor strongholds.Under Mehmed I, they conquered a large part of the Balkans, and, in 1453, they captured Constantinople of the Byzantine Empire under Mehmed II, â€Å"The Conqueror,† thus establishing an empire from the Balkans that included most of the Arab world. Like the Ottomans, the Safavids arose from struggles of rival Turkish tribes. In the fourteenth century, there were decades of fierce struggles, until, finally, after three successive Safavid leaders died, a Sufi com mander named Isma’il survived. He and his followers conquered the city of Tabriz in 1501, as well as most of Persia in the next decade.They then drove the Ozbegs, neighboring nomadic Turks, back to Central Asia and advanced to Iraq. Lastly, the Mughal Dynasty was founded by Babur, who descended from Turkic warriors. He first led an invasion of India in 1526 and conquered the Indus and Ganges plains. After Babur died of an illness, his son, Humayan, succeeded him and was attacked from enemies of all sides because of Babur’s death. He was expelled from India in 1540, but eventually restored Mughal rule by 1556. Humayan’s son, Akbar, would later succeed him and become the greatest ruler in Mughal history.The Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals constructed significant empires, but each adopted different ways of treating their conquered people and developed diverse methods for managing social, political, and economic systems. In order to promote the expansion of their emp ire, the Ottomans adopted many practices to include non-Muslims in the military. At first, the Ottomans’ first concern was to collect tribute from their conquered people. This first happened in 1243 when the kingdom of Rum was conquered.However, in the fifteenth century, the Ottoman Empire’s imperial armies became increasingly dominated by infantry divisions made up of troops called Janissaries. Most of these Janissaries had been forcibly recruited as adolescent boys in conquered areas, such as the Balkans, where most of the population was made up of Christians. Sometimes the boys’ parents willingly turned their sons over to the Ottoman recruiters because of the opportunities for advancement that came with service to the Ottoman sultans. And although they were legally slaves, they were well-educated and converted to Islam.Some of them even went on to serve in the palace or bureaucracy, but most became Janissaries. These Janissaries, however, later gained politic al influence. Commerce within the empire was in the hands of Christian and Jewish merchants, who as dhimmis, or â€Å"people of the book,† were under the protection of the Ottoman rulers. The Safavids espoused the Shi’a variant of Islam unlike the Ottomans, who espoused the Sunni variant of Islam. These two variants despised each other, and their hatred showed during the battle of Chaldiran on August 1514 in northwest Persia.However, the Safavids were easily killed because of the Ottomans’ advanced warfare technology. Under Abbas the Great, the Safavid Empire thrived with toleration for captured and conquered people. For example, captured Russian youths were educated and converted, and they formed the backbone of the Safavid’s military forces. They monopolized firearms that had become increasingly prominent in Safavid armies. Also, some Russians were granted provincial governorships and high offices at court. Although the Safavids tolerated the Russians, they were not as kind to the other inhabitants of present-day Iran.For example, Sunni Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and followers of Sufi preachers, were all pressured into converting to Shi’ism. One of the greatest rulers in all of history was the son and successor of Humayan, Akbar the Great. The Mughals, under Akbar, developed the most enlightened social, political, and economic methods for treating their conquered people. He not only extended the Mughal Empire with conquests throughout north and central India, but also made the Mughal Dynasty sustainable because of his social and administrative policies.He pursued a policy of reconciliation and cooperation with the Hindu princes and overall population of his realm. For example, he encouraged intermarriage between the Mughal aristocracy and families of the Hindu Rajput rulers. In addition, Akbar abolished jizya, which was a head tax on Hindus. He also allowed Hindus to be promoted to high ranks in the government . Further, Akbar ended the longstanding ban on the construction of new Hindu temples, and he ordered Muslims to respect cows because the Hindus viewed them as sacred. He even invented a new faith calledDin-i-Ilahi, which blended elements of the many religions with which he was familiar. He believed that this would unite his Hindu and Muslim subjects, but it failed. Similar to the Ottomans’ collection of tribute, Akbar did leave some areas of his empire alone so long as they swore allegiance to Mughal rulers and paid their taxes on time. However, these areas were only left alone because of a shortage of administrators. The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Dynasties each treated their conquered people and non-Muslims differently through political, economic and social procedures.Akbar the Great and the Mughals had the most enlightened approach on how to treat these people, such as encouraging intermarriage, abolishing the jizya, and ending the ban on the building of new Hindu temple s. This approach ultimately led to greater success for the empire as a whole. In contrast, the practices utilized by the Ottomans and Safavids resulted in more discontent for the conquered people and non-Muslims. Overall, these three empires over a three hundred year span conquered thousands of people and had to develop administrative practices and policies. These methods greatly impacted their success.

Opposition Speech Against House Resolution 3243 Essay

Poverty indeed has many faces. But its indelible mark of pain and misery is unmistakable in the nameless faces and faceless names of those who suffer from it. The destitute who are living on a perilous edge. The lowly who are struggling to hang on amidst hard choices between hunger, housing, health care and education for their families. Yet, our government is still on an ambiguous trail towards resolving the poverty problem. The legislature is still groping in the dark as to how poverty should be measured and determined. For this reason, I am opposed to the enactment into law of House Resolution 3243, otherwise known as the Poverty Measurement Improvement Act. It does not make any important or meaningful improvement on how poverty and poverty thresholds are to be gauged. Proponents of H. R. 3243 profess that it would improve understanding of the effectiveness of government programs to combat poverty and would more accurately determine the real extent of poverty. They insist that official poverty statistics overestimate poverty. (Ways and Means Republicans, 2007) Yet it will fail as it fails to address the crux of the matter: What really is poverty and who really are poor in America? H. R. 3243 misses the point completely. What it does certainly is not measuring but underestimating poverty. A new measure should instead be endorsed, one that would more accurately define the poor population. While the proposed bill would now consider previously unaccounted data like non-cash benefits such as medicare, housing assistance, food stamps, and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) as forms of income, I do not however agree with its underlying principle. Proponents assert that to continue to ignore the value of anti-poverty benefits is misleading, and that if introduced to the matrix, the number of people living under the poverty line would decrease. They contend that by counting benefits earned, many people will no longer be considered poor. (Ways and Means Republicans, 2007). I find this idea a little absurd. The poverty line to be determined does not consider the significant factors that should be included in the equation. To reduce the number of people living below this poverty line that is deceptive would delude us that poverty has been and is being alleviated. H. R. 3243 fails to substantially capture the gamut of the multidimensional qualities of poverty. And this has been one of our biggest problems all along. Our equation is flawed. The equation that H. R. 3243 proposes is still wrong. The proponents claim that ignoring anti-poverty benefits escalates poverty rates, intensifies appeals for additional benefits, multiplies government spending, and increases taxes which all impact ultimately on the people (Ways and Means Republicans, 2007). This circuitous argument is again misleading. In fact, the cost of providing benefits would be considerably higher if only the government recognizes the true number of people who are poor. Poverty has to be scrutinized on its multifarious dimensions and gauged through a variety of indicators — levels of income and consumption, social indicators, and indicators of vulnerability to risks such as age and gender and of socio-political access across groups and geographical settings (Citro & Michael; 1995, 2). Factoring these aspects in the poverty count, would in fact significantly increase the total number of poor (Willis, 2000). This complex dynamics includes changing access to employment and increases in non-food items such as housing, education, transportation, and health care, among others (Van Hook, 2003). A case in point: In this era of skyrocketing healthcare and insurance costs, because of differences in health status and insurance coverage, different population groups face significant variations in medical care costs, but the proposed measure would not take account of them (Citro & Michael, 1995). The average family spent one-third of its budget on food based on the poverty measure developed in 1964, but today, the figure is closer to one-sixth (Catholic Campaign for Human Development). It is proposed that actual costs for food, clothing, and shelter, rather than a budget for food, be used to determine the poverty level (Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP), 2004). Other factors to be integrated in the proposed poverty matrix should include adjustment of the poverty level for family size and of housing costs based on geographical differences; deduction of mandatory expenses such as taxes, work expenses, child care costs, child support payments, and out-of-pocket medical care costs from family income before comparing income to the poverty level; and the use of Survey of Income and Program Participation as an alternative Census survey (Citro & Michael, 1995; as cited in IRP, 2004) The IRP underscores some difficulties on how to incorporate the proposed changes. However, as current research trends indicate, there are no limits to technical and scientific knowhow that would preclude us from formulating a blueprint to address those problems. The dilemma that poverty creates amongst millions of Americans should be reason enough to inspire and propel scientific and research efforts. Having examined all sides of this issue I am convinced that H. R. 3243 should not be passed. It is lame legislation under the pretense of promoting public welfare. It is weak. It is inadequate. It is deceptive. Please stand up for the millions of faceless and nameless Americans who are wallowing in the morass of destitution. Poverty is a call to action. When you join the fight against poverty and misery, these millions of poor Americans will thank you with their votes and ongoing support. While there is no panacea to poverty, we can all work together to alleviate it. It is time we make the necessary changes in our laws to help our countrymen.

‘Of Mice and Men’ †Are all the characters in this novel lonely? Essay

‘Of Mice and Men’ is set in California during the mid 1930s. Before 1930 people in California used to live together happily as families and used to lead a relatively normal life, however in 1929 the collapse of the New York stock market meant that one and a half million people became unemployed rising to three million by 1930 – this was called the ‘Wall Street Crash’. This depression made caused families to break up as many people (mainly men) to go elsewhere to find work and earn a living. Consequently there was a breakdown in American society. Steinbeck worked briefly as a ranch worker himself and most of his early books, including ‘Of Mice and Men’, were concerned with social issues of the day. Steinbeck was a realist and in his novels he presents the poor and disadvantaged sympathetically. His work made him unpopular with exploitative employers and landowners whom he held responsible for perpetuating the cycle of poverty and deprivation created by the ‘Depression’. The novel was very successful in explaining the needs of people who are lonely and maybe have no friends or family. It also looks at the need to have a friend or dream to support you through life. The different relationships and characters in the novel represent loneliness and realism with nearly every person holding a dream. The first couple we come across in this novel is George and Lennie; these two friends travel together and are very close, they have each other. Lennie is mentally handicapped and relies very much on George to make decisions for him. George however is stronger mentally and has a lot of power over Lennie although he relies on Lennie to keep him company and safe. â€Å"They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other†, this quotation represents the power within their relationship; George is the leader and has psychological control over Lennie. Their friendship is like a father and son relationship, George dominates Lennie and sometimes teaches him a lesson â€Å"You never oughta drink water when it ain’t running, Lennie†, but is still always nice to him â€Å"Good boy†. George grows close to Lennie despite the trouble Lennie’s innocence and strength brings on them both. George is Lennies defender-protecting him from others and himself. Ironically in the first chapter George explains that he could â€Å"get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail. I could live so easy and maybe have a girl†, he describes the stress and annoyance of having to look after Lennie. Ironically George explains he wants this but when he is forced to shoot Lennie in the final chapter he becomes lonely. George shoots Lennie when they are at their closest time yet, he describes to Lennie their dream that he loves to hear; the dream comforts Lennie like a bedtime story. This dream eventually dies with Lennie and is the biggest sacrifice George has to make – killing his own company and the person he loves most. This shows John Steinbeck’s realistic approach to this novel; people’s lives don’t always live happily ever after and many dreams don’t always become a reality, especially not in the 1930s. Candy is an old disabled â€Å"swamper† on the ranch. He lost his right hand in a farm accident and now is reduced to worst job on the ranch; a cleaner. He has lost control of his life and is devoted to his dog. His dog is his only friend and when this dog dies we see he is human with emotions, and these people are worthy of respect. When Candy’s ancient, ill dog was shot, Candy has nothing left. He delayed killing the dog, even though he knew deep down that it was the best thing, as he dreaded losing his long-time companion. Candy after having nothing in life to live for, decides to join George and Lennie in their dream, his funds would make the dream possible. Candy and his dog’s relationship is parallel to the one with George and Lennie’s; George relies on Lennie, Lennie relies on George and Candy and his dog rely on each other too. Their relationship also foreshadows George and Lennie’s – Candy regrets not shooting his dog himself, â€Å"I ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog†, this is foreshadowing the end of the novel where George knows he had to shoot Lennie. They both lost their loved ones. Curley (the boss’s son) and his wife do not get on very well; Curley only has a wife for power and for him to look successful in life. Curley’s wife is married to a man she doesn’t love and who doesn’t love her. She has very little respect of Curley â€Å"I’d like to bust him up myself†, and only marries him to get back at her mother for not letting her fulfil her dream to become a movie star which someone had promised her in the past â€Å"An’ a guy tol’ me he could put me in pitchers†¦..Says I was a natural†. As soon as the reader meets Curley’s wife they get a very bad impression of her, â€Å"†¦the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off†, this is both literal and metaphorical foreshadowing; she is cutting off the light in the door so all of the men look up to her, it is metaphorical foreshadowing giving the impression that she is trouble. This means that throughout the novel she is disliked by the reader causing her to be even lonelier. By marrying Curley she has become very isolated becoming the only woman on the ranch; she turns to outsiders for attention and tries to befriend the men by hanging round the bunkhouse. Curley’s wife is just like Lennie, Crooks and Candy as they have been left behind on a Saturday night- the rejects on the ranch. Curley’s wife has no friends and even admits to being lonely seeing that she is not really looking for Curley; she just wants to talk with someone â€Å"Think I don’t know where they all went? Even Curley. I know where they all went.† But although being forlorn she still has a lot of power over the other ranch workers being the boss’ son’s wife, we see this power when she reminds Crooks of how much authority she has over him â€Å"I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny†; she exercises her power threatening Crooks with death. Like Candy, being a social outcast, Crooks is the loneliest person on the ranch. Crooks lives in enforced solitude, away from the other men. He is bitter about being a back-busted â€Å"nigger†. He is racially discriminated against being referred to as a â€Å"nigger†; people also have no respect for him because of him being black and consequently lives in the barn by himself. He cannot get away from this prejudice as not other ranch would take him for the reason that he is black, crippled and old. Steinbeck describes his barn (the place where he lives and spends most of his time): â€Å"for being alone, Crooks could leave his things about†. Crooks is extremely lonely, all he has is books and his rights; he believes that every human being should have his rights whichever race they may be. When Lennie joins Crooks in this barn, Crooks starts to tease him, this is the only time he has power over someone and is in control. He can make Lennie afraid as he does not understand, Crooks makes Lennie feel like he does now even though Lennie has done nothing wrong â€Å"S’pose you didn’t have nobody†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦S’pose George don’t come back no more† Lennie is terrified of being alone and is helpless without George. Crooks is very twisted due to his loneliness; â€Å"Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody – to be near him†¦A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody†, but is very pleased when Lennie and Candy join him in his barn â€Å"It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger†. All through the novel Crooks has a dream of being seen as equal to everyone else. He knows his civil rights and remembers fondly his childhood, when he played with white children who came to his family’s chicken ranch. Crooks longs for a similar relationship with white people again. He dismisses the fact that George, Lennie’s and Candy’s dream will come true â€Å"I see hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches with bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hundreds of them†¦nobody never gets no land. It’s just in their head.’ But when Candy explains that they’ve got the money ready and that they are very enthusiastic about achieving this dream then Crooks gets interested â€Å"If you†¦.guys would want a hand to work for nothing-just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand.† A new friendship is just about to develop but Curley’s wife then enters and diverts all attention to her, putting an end to Crooks’ new friendship and dream. John Steinbeck is a realist and illustrates his views in the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’. The different character’s lifestyles and personalities in this novel represent what existence was like in the 1930s after the Wall Street Crash. Steinbeck supported social justice and equality for the working classes and so uses realism in his writing. He shows ordinary, everyday details, and makes characters speak and behave as they might do in real life. We see this particularly in how his characters are revealed through dialogue â€Å"She had full, rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her finger-nails were red. Her hair hung up in little rolled clusters, like sausages†. In his use of realism he portrays a sense of fate; whatever the characters do they are at the mercy of outside influences beyond their control, so attempts to improve their lives will fail. We see this use of realism in George and Lennie’s dream; the couple have done nothing wrong but the injustice of outside causes prevents them from holding on to this dream. Not all the characters are throughout this novel but all of them come about to be lonely at the end; George and Lennie have each other with the dream of starting a new life in a little cottage of their own, we only know till the very end that this dream can no longer take place with the loss of Lennie and therefore causing George to be lonely. Curley and his wife have each other even though not really speaking to each other much, Curely’s wife could be considered lonely as the reader never sees her with Curley but always hanging around looking to talk to someone. Candy did have his dog to rely on and to trust but when he died then he soon found himself becoming lonely and looking to others for attention and Crooks was also lonely throughout the novel being racially discriminated against by all other ranch workers; he was an outsider. Characters on the ranch in this novel are lonely and hold a dream to keep themselves calm and for something to hold onto, seeing that they have no friends they need to look to something to keep them happy and sane. Steinbeck worked on a ranch within the 1930s and must have seen how ranch workers behaved and how lonely they can feel. He has been in a position of a ranch worker and has expressed his feeling of loneliness and dream worthy within this novel, his realism has caused nearly all characters to be lonely at the end of the novel.

Management Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Management Research - Assignment Example The managers of CCL cannot retain quality employees. The company has spent a tremendous amount of money on recruiting, hiring, and training. However, its turnover right is high. It does not provide retail products but creates and manages websites for its clients. The company rents a very large building with plenty of parking space in order to accommodate its staff members. Additional costs such as insurance, overhead, utilities, office equipment and supplies, security, etc. the costs of training, management, and many more too numerous to list kept their budget extremely high. Originally, the owners planed to serve only clients within the nation. However, customers are from around the world. But as business grew, the clientele came from various countries and the typical "9 to 5" office hours staff can no longer meet the needs of a global market as time zones varies, language and cultural barriers exist, and business procedures differ. Natural disasters (earthquakes, weather conditions , hurricanes) and manmade disasters (crimes, fires, etc.) around the world can also affect the operation of a business that has gone global. World Trends & Forecasts (1996, 2002) states "survey gave a strong boost to telecommuting when it found that e-mail traffic during the blizzard remained within fairly normal bounds," and quotes Sears, S. (1996), "The unchanged Management Research 3 volume of e-mail indicates that there was no loss in productivity, despite workers' inability to travel to their work sites." A solution to the problems of CCL Corporation is telecommuting. Telecommuting is defined by WordReference.com (2006) as, "employment at home while communicating with the workplace by phone or fax or modem." Telecommuting is bringing the work environment to the worker's home which will help alleviate some of the problems that worker's face such as the cost of car maintenance, gas prices, and the rush to make it to work in time during heavy traffic. It also solves problems for companies such as high unemployment rate in distant locations and finding quality employees. Crandall and Longge (2005) quote Tietze (2002), "For many employees work can be conducted almost anywhere: at home, in the hotel, at the local coffee bar, and even from an automobile. The space-time dimension, which requires that work be performed at the office at a certain time, no longer applies to many jobs". The TMA Group (n.d.) states, "Telecommunications technology moves information via electromagnetic waves and pul ses of light, whereas transportation moves people and goods in vehicles." Harpaz (2002) is quoted by Crandall and Longge (2005), "Many telecommuters feel they have less pressure and are more productive when they work at home. They also see substantial benefits, such as the ability to balance work and family life, increased quality of social life, more flexible working hours, and improved time management. The satisfaction of the work benefits telecommuters as well as the organization. Telecommuting may allow individuals to work in their desired profession, and the possibility of working for a number of employers simultaneously may for some offer additional

The effect of visual obstructions on the sexual behaviour of guppies Essay

The effect of visual obstructions on the sexual behaviour of guppies - Essay Example Therefore, in order to gain a better understanding of the evolution of specific, elaborate secondary sexual characteristics, it is important to study the ecological factors and behavioral mechanisms that may influence the outcome of sexual selection. These changes may therefore affect the evolutionary outcome of sexual selection. This paper summarizes the published article by Hibler and Houde entitled â€Å"The effect of visual obstructions on the sexual behavior of guppies: the importance of privacy†. The research team examined the effect of habitat structure on the sexual behavior of male and female guppies, Poecilia reticulata. The team tested whether the ability of males to observe the courtship activities of other males affects the frequency of courtship interference by male guppies, and whether this in turn affects the sexual behavior of virgin females interacting with these males. They tested these predictions by manipulating the structure of guppy habitats in the laboratory using opaque barriers and observing the effect of such visual obstructions on male courtship and interference behavior, as well as on female sexual responsiveness to male displays in experimental groups of guppies. The results of the experiments were scored and the interference behaviors as either ‘fend-offs’ or ‘chases’. Data for male groups that were tested with both virgin and non-virgin females were analyzed using ANOVA to determine the effect of both treatment and reproductive status (virgin versus non-virgin) on male display and interference behaviors with male group as a blocking factor. For trials involving non-virgin females, ANOVAs containing an order effect were also carried out for chases, fend-offs and displays. The results of this study support the original predictions made by the study group that visual obstructions reduce male interference behavior and increase female responsiveness

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Assignment Example Specially mentioning, the above described â€Å"soft side† of project management would support in finding out the obstacles in order to attain desired project targets by a considerable level (Andersen, 2010). 2. It can be apparently observed that there are several reasons for which projects fail drastically. In this similar concern, the various reasons might encompass unrealistic anticipations, ineffective exploitation of valuable resources, deficiency in the engagement of the senior officials or the management team and the involvement of inexperienced as well as low-skilled project managers. In addition, the other reasons for the failure of projects may embrace indistinct project targets, shortage of visibility in the projects and most vitally communication gaps among others. In order to ensure that a particular project does not fail, it can be organized in various ways. In this similar concern, the imperative ways can be centralization of projects in a particular database, p resentation of valuable information in a centralized manner along with establishing clear communication with every individual involved in a project among others (West, n.d.). 3. After reading the article of Turner & et. al. (2009), it can be affirmed that the relatively low implementation rate of Gantt chart and Critical Path Method (CPM) diagrams in projects might reveal informal planning based activities of the companies and most vitally it is showing less significance to them in terms of value. This could impose unfavorable impacts especially upon the financial conditions of the companies by a certain degree. In this similar context, my organization broadly uses the aforementioned aspects as primary tools in order to manage as well as organize various individual projects, make effective planning and guide the organizational members towards the accomplishment of different tasks. My organization which deals with providing military services to the customers intend to perform various operational functions similar to that of a hi-tech company. In this regard, one of the disparities, which exists relates to facet of change control prevailing in my business or industry, while it does not exist in the hi-tech companies as mentioned in the article. Thus, it can be stated that the above discussed instruments must be incorporated in order to ensure better project management (Docstoc, 2011). 4. According to the article of Cavaleri & Reed (2008) concerning the difficulties of describing the interdependencies between tasks, it can be affirmed that defining the interdependencies between tasks is actually quite difficult owing to various significant reasons. In this regard, a few of the reasons might embrace deficiency in coordination while conducting various project related activities, unsupportive collaboration actions, ineffective coordination procedures and massive interdependency upon one another regarding the completion of the projects in a stipulated time period. It can be affirmed from a broader outlook that the difficulties of defining the interdependencies between tasks in terms of complexities owing to the above discuss

French Opposition to the Muslim Veil (Headscarf) Essay

French Opposition to the Muslim Veil (Headscarf) - Essay Example Over the years, French legislators came up with law and approved it with a large majority banning any form of conspicuous signs of religion in public schools. The law prohibited the Islamic headscarf and excessively large crucifixes, as well as kippas (Ezekiel, 2006). The law has seen students being expelled, and public workers losing their jobs, especially for wearing hijab; consequently, the law seems to be against the hijab, but not the other sign of religion, as it is the only conspicuous piece of cloth or sign that cannot be concealed. In addition, it has led to discrimination against Muslim in certain aspects of their lives, such as jobs and even social relations in weddings and other public places and events. Parties Involved Those that are involved in the controversy of the French hijab are parties interested in human rights and religious interests. In this light, feminist groups are involved in the controversy due to the headscarf’s symbolism in the Islamic religion a nd the role it plays in the identity of Muslim women and girls. This is concerning women’s submission to men, and it concerns this party, as the veil is believed to influence the school system. In addition, they are interested in fighting for women’s rights as the headscarf in public schools will allow incorporation of Muslim practices into the school system and influence other students, as well as challenge the fight against violation of women’s rights. In addition, an ethical issue is raised at this point in relation to the persons charged with the responsibility of making decisions that cover the rights of women and freedom of choice in following that which they believe in, both morally and religiously. This is because the hijab is viewed as a piece of cloth that limits the freedom of women, and that wearing the hijab itself is not a choice. This issue complicates matters considerably complicated. Educators and educational stakeholders are also involved in th e controversy, and a majority are against the headscarf. This is following the debate on the social and cultural nature of the country in relation to religion. The argument is that France is a secular state making the headscarf a violation of the secular of this social and cultural state of the nation, and disrupts the state of harmony by expressing community affiliation making other interested parties in interacting with the said community locked out. The above two parties argue against the veil and have a strong basis for it despite the implications raised. However, they are the crucial voices involved in the entire issue. Rights The first issue is the violation of human rights despite French declaration of the universal human rights, which state that all human beings are entitled to their own religion, which goes together with the issue of religious expression. The headscarf is a form of self-expression relating to the Islamic faith and religion. The banning of the headscarf in p ublic by the law is in clear violation of the women’s rights, particularly with the support of the law, which was mainly for political reasons and did not have the best interests of the group in mind (Gendrot, 2007). Following the ban in France, where human rights are advocated in all aspects,

Extended Passage Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Extended Passage Analysis - Essay Example In the words of Begley, â€Å"they sired children not only with willing mates, but also with unwilling ones, allowing them to leave more offspring (also carrying rape genes) who were similarly more likely to survive and reproduce, unto the nth generation,† (2009, P 1). This paper will argue that Thornhill and Palmer’s proposal lacked scientific as well as factual merits to hold ground using extended passage analysis. Step 2 Assess for soundness (4 points). 1[Evolutionary psychology came after sociobiology in the 1980s]. 2[The theory asserts that fitness advantage during the evolution process resulted to aggressive behaviors such as the act of raping for men who carry the genes]. 3[Its genetic nature makes the behavior heritable and is passed from one generation to the next]. 4[They proposed that proximate causes may cause a man to rape and these proximate causes include sexual arousal, feelings of inadequacy, hatred for a family member (either father or mother), drunk t oo much, too much testosterone in his body, and even â€Å"a rare violence inducing gene† (4) among others]. ... 8[To contradict its own, the authors quoted Ridley (1987) On the Origin of Species of which â€Å"Natural selection is daily and hourly scrutinizing, throughout the world, every variations, even the slightest; rejecting that which is bad, preserving and adding up all that is good, silently and insensibly working†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p 87, quoted by Thornhill and Palmer, 2001, 5)]. 9[Reproductive success as a good one for the authors meant production of offspring that survive to produce offspring as they referred to earlier work of Palmer and Steadman, 1997)]. 10[This is undesirable in terms of morality but good in terms of biological discussion (Thornhill and Palmer, 2001)]. 11[The American Psychiatric Association (1994) suggested that experience of rape is usually associated with the development of persistent psychological distress or posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD]. 12[This is characterized by â€Å"unwanted thoughts, images and dreams, avoidance of reminders of the trauma,† among others (Littleton and Henderson, 2009, p 149)]. 13[Described in a very negative manner, the experience of rape assumes a bad or negative experience, thereby, something that many women will not choose to happen to themselves again]. 14[Rape constitutes two beings – the rapist and the victim]. 15[Reproduction, too, consists of two beings and of two opposite sex – the male and the female]. 16[If it is natural to humans to evolve based on natural selection, the raped, pregnant woman who considered rape as bad or negative, therefore, insensibly rejected the bad (Ridley, 1987)]. 17[In a study by Gurven and Hill et (2008) applying evolutionary psychology, it calculated how rape would affect the evolutionary

Poorhouses in California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Poorhouses in California - Essay Example Prior to reviewing the history and functioning of California’s poorhouses, the actual cause that led to the establishment of such facilities should be examined. In the earlier days, prior to the formation of poorhouses, paupers and destitute people within a community were cared for by providing relief through a caretaker and auctioning or contracting them with those who require their support or work (History of 19th Century American Poorhouses, n.d.). While is not clear as to when such poorhouses actually came into existence, a political code instituted in the year 1982 included a provision of care for the destitute and sick population within the country. This led to the establishment of several poorhouses within the country which were mostly tax-supported residential institutions. However, by the 19th century the United States adopted the system of Poorhouse establishment from England. This was seen as a more efficient and less expensive method to provide relief to paupers an d destitute in the country. Hence several such houses were created with the hope that housing paupers in institutions would provide an opportunity to reform their character or habits and help them overcome poverty and homelessness (History of the 19th Century American Poorhouses, n.d.). It was quite a challenge to collect information pertaining to the origins of poorhouses in California as by the time these institutions were established, it was politically incorrect to refer to these facilities with names that seemed derogatory. During the years 1930 and 1940, the Work Projects Administration (WPA) began an inventory process of the County Archives of several states. As early as 1850, the legislature made a provision that the Court of Sessions which later became the Board of Supervisors, should take care of the county welfare and provide all the

COMPETITION AND FINANCIAL STABILITY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

COMPETITION AND FINANCIAL STABILITY - Essay Example It has been argued that, similarly to other industries in the non-banking sector, competition prevalent in the banking sector is desirable because it tends to generate a market that is more efficient, as well as the benefits that tag along like efficient resource allocation and better consumer prices. However, other theories argue more competition in the banking sector may precipitate an increase in instability with regards to the financial systems. Since greater competition in the banking sector leads to a decrease in margins of bank profits, banks are banks are encouraged to acquire riskier investment so as to boost profit levels, which is in support of the competition fragility view (Boyd et al., 2009: 4). However, other arguments make the argument that greater concentration of banks in the loan markets may lead to an increase in instability via increased risks, especially because higher rates of interest that are charged on consumers could make it more difficult for them to pay b ack the loans, which supports the view on competition stability. Therefore, it is interesting when these hypotheses are tested to decide whether completion in the banking sector is desirable with an aim to increase financial stability (Boyd et al., 2009: 5). ... l failures of the market because of asymmetric information like adverse selection, moral hazard, and excessive taking of risks with agency problems, externalities like fragility because contagion and coordination problems, and potential power of the markets (Koskela & Stenbacka, 2000: 1857). This has led to regulation that seeks to protect the small investors, the system, and market competitiveness. However, these problems are made worse by policies that have to do with being too big to fail, deposit insurance, and the last resort lender. The global financial crisis uncovered the huge failures of the regulatory system and the potential contradictions between competition policy and regulatory intervention (Koskela & Stenbacka, 2000: 1857). Banks, indeed, are unique because of their specific mix of features that increases their vulnerability to potential systemic impact and very fundamental negative externalities with regards to the economy (Koskela & Stenbacka, 2000: 1858). The compet itive banking system’s fragility is excessive with financial regulation coming to the rescue at the cost of regulatory failure and side effects. The most essential one has to do with potential moral hazards caused by bailouts and protection of failing financial institutions. The recent global financial crisis is a testimony to failures of the Basel II system’s three pillars. First, risk assessment and disclosure have been deficient with market discipline being ineffective, especially due to blanket insurance from too big to fail policies (Koskela & Stenbacka, 2000: 1858). Secondly, capital regulation has failed to account for account systemic effects, i.e. failure’s social costs, with restriction on assets lifted because of pressure emanating from lobbies on behalf of investment

Love in Different Country Essay Example for Free

Love in Different Country Essay Studying in the U.S. for nearly a year, I learned a lot of knowledge and I made a lot of friends. Some of them are foreigners. This years study is very effective for me. In the United States, I found some phenomenons are different between my country and the U.S. Now I mainly want to talk about love in the U.S. and China. The United States is a free country. The United States advocates free development. It pays attention to every persons personality. Some American friends told me that love is very easy in the United States. Both men and women like each other, then they can fall in love. The parents will not hinder the childs decision. So children can choose their partner if they want. In China, love and marriage is a very serious and very important thing. The parents always provide a lot of requirements to their children. For example, if my child is a boy, I will tell him, â€Å"Your wife in the future must be a very nice woman. Her family condition must be consistent with our condition.† because in China, many parents consider that only if both parties are consistent with their conditions, the future life can help each other, and the lives will be happy. In my opinion, I think the two points of view are so different, but each opinion has its reason. My questions are: What makes loving anybody in the United States not similar? How do different people in the U.S. falling in love It also represents the different cultures between China and the U.S. If I were allowed to choose which waysuits me, I will choose the American way because I love freedom. Notes: This needs more information in the second and third paragraphs about the reasons why each country has these â€Å"rules† about love. Then, in the conclusion, you can talk about how freedom is an American trait of love and that these reasons are why you want to choose an American style of love or choosing a partner.

Oscar Wildes Aestheticism Essay Example for Free

Oscar Wildes Aestheticism Essay Though Oscar Wilde is the incarnation of the aestheticism schools, we can’t afford to ignore the other artists of the aesthetes. It is imperative that we should give a general introduction to aestheticism in the following paragraphs. Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy that studies the principles of beauty especially in art. Aestheticism is the collection of all the fruits of aesthetics. â€Å"The word ‘aesthetic’ was first found in Aesthetica, appearing as a Latin word, which is the name of two books written by Alexander Baumgarten, 17141762. †(Williams, 2005: 31) Baumgarten believes beauty can be defined as aesthetic, but when it is related to art, the most important part of Baumgarten’s translation of beauty is that beauty is not abstract but can be felt by people through their senses. This translation is the same as the Greek word â€Å"aisthesis†, the original meaning of which is the power of uniting mentally the impressions conveyed by the five physical senses. And in the middle of the 19th century, aesthetic is understood as â€Å"the beautiful†, which is generally related to art. In 1880, the word â€Å"aesthete† was used in a wide range, but contained a derogatory sense. Both the principle and the practice of the aesthetic movement led by Walter Pater were criticized at that time. But the British decadent writers were deeply influenced by Walter Pater. The artists and writers of the aesthetic movement held the view that sensuous pleasure should be provided by arts, not moral or sentimental messages. As a consequence, they did not accept John Ruskin and Matthew Arnold’s utilitarian conception of art as something moral or useful. Instead, they believed that art did not have any didactic purpose; it needed only be beautiful. The aesthetes developed the cult of beauty, which they considered the basic factor in art. In Britain, Oscar Wilde is famous as one of the best representatives of the aesthetes. He believes that art represents nothing but itself, and that art has its own life just as thoughts do.

Relations Between The US And India

Relations Between The US And India India and Pakistan have been in the interest of the United States due to their strategic positions and roles the South Asia. This memo will describe an overview about US relations and policies toward India and Pakistan. It will also provide recommendations that Vietnam must support US policies toward India because of the benefits for our country regarding to economic development, nuclear energy plan and defense and security stability. This memo uses realism and systemic approach as the analytical framework. It studies and analyzes the relationships and policies in the concern with power and security in the whole international system. BACKGROUND Relations between the US and India After Indian independence in 1947, the relationship between India and the US was not warm. US policies regarding to India -Pakistan dispute over Kashmir was one issue that deteriorated India US relations since the US was supporting Pakistan over India. Even during Sino Indian war in 1962, when the US provided India with military support, the relationship did not improve much. During Cold War, the US was concerned about the neutrality of India because India signed the Indo Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation in 1971.  [1]  During this period, the US viewed India as just a regional power with little global weight and concentrated more on supporting Pakistan, which was invaded by the Soviet from 1979.  [2]   After Cold War, the US lessened assistance to Pakistan, leading to a better relationship with India. Furthermore, since 1991, India has transformed the economy and opened the country to foreign investment. With rapid growth, India has become an emerging economic power in the world and had opportunities for economic engagement with the US.  [3]  The relationship between the countries has been positively shifted, especially in economic development, security, military and nuclear cooperation. However, it has been constraint mainly because of the complication of the trilateral relationship: the US India Pakistan. Current Policies of the US toward India Economic Policies: The US strongly supports Indias economic reform, and develops trade and investment partnership with India. Bilateral goods trade revenue between the two countries increased 932.14%, from $5.6 billion in 1990 to %57.8 billion in 2011.  [4]  US foreign direct investment to India was $27.1 billion in 2010, a 29.5% increase from 2009.  [5]   However, India has extensive trade and investment barriers, such as heavy government involvement in the banking and finance sector and demanding regulatory structures. Therefore, the US has encouraged and supported India to remove those barriers.  [6]   Security and Military Policies: The US and India share a variety of common strategic priorities. Both are concerned about the rise of Chinas power and do not want China to dominate Asia. They also consider the security of energy lanes in the Indian Ocean as a critical factor to their national security.  [7]  With those strategic policies, the US has had Indias in its side in a number of situations. India supported the US in three resolutions against Irans nuclear programs and in the reconstruction in Afghanistan. Indian military forces have also had tight contacts, joint patrols, joint training and exercises with the US.  [8]   The US has been selling defense equipment to India. By 2011, US arms sales to India reached approximately $8.83 billion.  [9]  However, US arms sales decisions to India still depend on the stability of the region, especially the balance between India and Afghanistans military. The US is also concerned about the engagement between India and Russia and Israel, the two major suppliers Indias army.  [10]   Another remarkable point in US policies toward India is that US President Barack Obama publically announced that the US will supports India to be one permanent member of United Nation (US) Security Council if it is expanded.  [11]  Although it does not mean that the Council will be reconstructed and India will be able to have a permanent seat soon, Obamas announcement has been an effective diplomatic gesture to show the importance of the US to India and to strengthen their relationship.  [12]   Nuclear Policies: US nuclear policies have been to cooperate with India. By doing so, the US not only to be able to sell nuclear fuel, technology and reactors, but also build up India as a counterweight of China in Asia.  [13]  In October 2008, the US Congress approved an agreement facilitating nuclear cooperation between the two countries. Although the deal has brought benefits for both the US and India, it has faced criticism and responses from many other countries. The deal has been said to go reversely against the international efforts of nuclear nonproliferation. It can also increase the risk of a nuclear arms race in Asia, when Pakistan, Iran and North Korea are attempting to develop their nuclear weapon programs as well.  [14]   Relations between the US and Pakistan After Pakistan became independent in 1947, the US provided military aid to Pakistan but did not seek deeper relations. However, in 1965 when the Indo Pakistan war occurred, the US suspended the assistance.  [15]  In 1979, the US discovered that Pakistan was building a uranium-enrichment facility in response to Indias nuclear program, and then stopped the aid.  [16]   In the same year, the Soviet invaded Afghanistan, leading to the reconnection between the US and Pakistan. However, once again, the discovery of Pakistans nuclear weapon programs in 1990 caused to the suspension of military assistance from the US.  [17]   The nuclear tests in 1998 led to new US sanctions to Pakistan. However, the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US (2001) was a turning point from which Pakistan started to be valuable for the US in the counter-terrorism campaigns. Economic assistance came back, and Pakistan became a major non-NATO ally of the US.  [18]  But since May 2011, after US intelligence killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the relationship has reached to its lowest point since 2001.  [19]   Current Policies of the US toward Pakistan: Economic Policies: In March 2009, the US develop an AfPak policy to emphasize that success in Afghanistan depend on actions taken in Pakistan. The US has increased annual aid to Pakistan from $600 million to $1.5 billion in five years. The new strategy has aimed to assist Pakistan to improve living standards of local people, especially ordinary Pakistanis along the border region and counter al Qaeda and Taliban propaganda.  [20]   Military Policies: Obamas administration now is still expanding Bushs policy of drone attacks to the Taliban in the north-west of Pakistan.  [21]  This strategy has shown its effectiveness in killing Taliban groups, but it has alienated the public because of innocent civilians being collateral damage. According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a non-profit organization in England, between 474 and 881 civilians in Pakistan have been killed in strikes from 2004 to 2012.  [22]   The US has assisted Pakistan with Train and Equip programs. US arms and security assistance has included helicopters, infantry arms, advanced identification systems and police training, with the purpose of strengthen Pakistan domestic stability and law enforcement capability.  [23]   Nuclear concern: WikiLeaks in 2010 revealed US diplomats fear that Pakistans nuclear weapons program could lead to the weapons falling into the hands of terrorists or a devastating nuclear exchange with India.  [24]  However, US responses toward Pakistans nuclear programs are still unclear. Challenges the US Faces: Challenges for the US in South Asia are the quadrilateral relationships between the US, India, Pakistan and China. These relationships are extremely complex. India and Pakistan have had a long history with wars and conflicts. The Kashmiri sovereignty has been a major issue of tension. The two countries also appear to be fighting a shadow war inside Afghanistan.  [25]  The US India and the US Pakistan relationships themselves are constraint because of each other. The tie between the US and Pakistan displeases India and vice versa. Chinas South Asia interests are firmly linked with Pakistan. This situation is problematic not only for the China India relationships, but also for the China the US ones because of significant US investment in Pakistan. RECOMMENDATIONS Vietnam has strategic relations with India, but not really with Pakistan, thus at the moment we just need to focus on US policies toward India. In order to maintain peace in the region, develop relations and get benefits from both India and the US; Vietnam must support US policies toward India. Following are the reasons: Benefits for the Economy: US economic policies toward India bring Vietnam benefits, not harm. The US encourages and supports India to remove trade and investment barriers,  [26]  opening more favorable conditions for Vietnam to trade with India. Both India and the US are important economic partners of our country. By supporting US policies, we can maintain and develop economic relationships with both countries, with the purpose of strengthening our economy. Benefits for the Nuclear Energy Plan: US policies toward Indias nuclear energy program benefit Vietnams plan of building nuclear power plants. The US has showed its interest in assessing other countries nuclear programs to see whether they are for peaceful purpose or not. Having an example of a peaceful energy nuclear program being supported by the US, we can confidently develop our plan. In addition, India has been a partner for our program, apart from Japan and Russia.  [27]  With US technology transfers, India can assist Vietnam more effectively. Cooperation with India will be important to us because we might no longer rely on Japan, which might exit the nuclear industry due to the damages after the tsunami in 2011.  [28]   Benefits for Defense and Security: The US India relations is a counterweight of China in Asia, especially in the East Sea conflicts. Supporting US military and security policies toward India brings Vietnam advantages in championing our targets from the disputes. High level of military exchanges, joint training and exercises between Vietnam and India,  [29]  with US support, has been strategic for us to deal with China. Backing India to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council is also beneficial for Vietnam due to the relationships between the two countries. CONCLUSION US relations with India and Pakistan have had a long history, with significant changes after each period of time. The US has had special interest in both India and Pakistan because each country has strategic importance for US power and security. With regard to this situation, Vietnam must support US policies toward India because they bring us benefits for our economy, nuclear energy plan and defense and security stability.

computer history :: essays research papers

Every aspect of our life in this day and age involves technology. At the forefront of the trend is an advanced machine called the computer. Everywhere you turn, you see some facet of its work. Computers link together almost all government and economic fractions of our world with silicon chips and electrical signals. The list of tasks it can perform is amazing. With intricate parts and super fast circuitry, computers are a complex technological wonder. Its history is interesting but its evolution is amazing. From garage size monster machines to 5 pound 3 inch-thick laptops, the computer shapes today’s world. When you say the world â€Å"computer,† most people think of the desktop machine you can play games on and print out your favorite pictures. Early computers however were far different from today’s machines. They were first designed only for simple mathematical problems. Most five-dollar calculators at Wal-Mart could outperform any of the first computers. The first truly digital computer weighed 60,000 pounds. It contained 27,000 vacuum tubes, 4,000 of which had to be replaced every month. Computers since then have gotten smaller and more efficient, resulting in today’s machines. The evolution of computers has come a long way. Think of how important the Internet is. Everyday when you’re taking roll, you’re using the Internet to send your information to the main office. The government uses the Internet to keep in contact with its officials in Middle Eastern countries. Everyday thousands of business transactions are made on the Internet. E-mail has become a major form of communication. Millions of teenagers get online everyday to talk with each other. Kids can interactive with educational websites. All these simple things couldn’t be performed without the Internet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The future for computers has never looked brighter. Imagine a computer that could read your thought waves and respond to exactly what you thought at the exact time you thought it. Virtual reality computer systems could be used to train military pilots, soldiers, and officers. But on another note, an increase in technology would be just another asset on a terrorists list.

gutenberg Essay -- essays research papers

JOHANN GUTENBURG AND THE PRINTING PRESS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Long ago there was a man named Johann Gutenberg. He was a very intelligent man. He created one of the greatest inventions in history. He created the printing press. You may ask yourself, what is the printing press? I will soon explain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Johann Gutenberg was born in 1399 named Genefliesch zur Laden. He changed his name to Gutenburg after the name of his wealthy father’s house. Gutenberg died in 1468 in Mainz, Germany where he was born.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the footsteps of his father, he first trained as a goldsmith in Strasburg, Germany and joined the goldsmith’s guild in 1434. He moved back to Mainz and befriended Johann Fust who became his partner and provided him with money to create the printing press. The most well known publication was the Gutenberg Bible, which showed the perfection of his invention. Later Fust sued Gutenberg for possession of the Gutenberg Bible. No other information was ever recovered from this incidence but it is assumed that Johann Gutenberg got his hands on the printing press.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Gutenberg’s time, not everyone was educated. There was not enough time to hand-write hundreds or even thousands of books. So, instead of learning, people worked. In 1448, Johann Gutenberg made it possible for many people to learn. The printing press was a machine that could write many books with ink. Around this time there was a w...

Fosters Accounting Assignment :: essays research papers

I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. Founded in 1888, Foster’s group is the result of a long history of amalgamations. Nowadays, regarded as a premium global multi-beverages company, Foster’s group possesses three main operating arms: Beringer Blass Wine Estate, Carlton and United Beverages, Foster’s Brewing International. The group delivers premium branded beers, wine spirits and entertainment products. With US$5.2 billion in total operating revenue, Foster’s group’s operates in Australia, New Zealand, China, California, Italy, Chile, Vietnam, India and Fiji. Besides, its products are sold in over 150 countries around the world. The report has analyzed the financial performance and financial stability of Foster’s Group over a three years period that is from 2002 to 2004 included. The Ratio Analysis technique was used to conduct the report. Therefore, comparison with industry averages and Coca Cola Amatil supplemented the analysis to complement the results. In 2002, it was found that profitability had increased significantly compared to 2001, this was mainly due to Foster’s group policy in expending its distribution and sales worldwide and Forster’s European partnership which increased its income. However, 2003 showed smaller profitability than 2002 mainly due to a non profitable foreign exchange rate, tough competition in California, adverse trading conditions in the US and the impact of global events restricting travels, tourism and leisure activities (Swan, 2003: 5). Foster’s group did however generate greater amount of operating cash flows, and made a considerable amount of acquisitions. In 2004, Profitability ratios did however increase but that was due to the selling off of ALH (Australia Leisure Hospitality) that generated $1.5 billion, â€Å"Excluding the impact of significant items, net profit after tax was $469.4 million, a decrease of 17.4% over the previous year’s result† (Foster’s Audit, 2004:61). On the three year basis, when compared to the industry averages, the stability ratios are actually lower, but when they are compared to Coca Cola Amatil the ratios are actually similar and even a bit higher. Due to the accumulation of consistent profits over the years, both companies do not need as much financial leverage as other companies would, which reflects the stability of the company. In fact, those companies rely more on equity than debt to generate their assets. Overall, Foster’s group is a relatively stable and performing enterprise. The results show that Foster’s performance and stability have moved in accordance to outside world events. However, the company continues to maintain its position as a leading group in the beverages industry. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  QUALITY, SCOPE, USEFULNESS,FORMAT AND READABILITY OF THE MOST RECENT ANNUAL REPORT.

Israel: A Blessing to All Nations

â€Å"I will make of you a great nation? And you shall be a blessing? And all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you† (Gen. 12:2-3). Israel is a blessing to the other nations. As long as Israel succeeds in informing other peoples and proving that Yahweh is God, it will be understood to be a blessing to these nations. The very examples often employed to dispel the idea of Israel’s being a blessing serve as evidence to support it. The plagues in Genesis actually prove that Yahweh is God to the Israelites and the Egyptians. In the infamous conquest of Canaan, Rahab and her family are spared because she acknowledges that Yahweh is God. Joseph gathers food to feed the Egyptians during the 7 years of famine. Throughout the Hebrew Bible, the Israelites relationship with other nations ultimately leads its peoples to benefit by the realization that Yahweh is God. At first, Israel’s relationship with the Egyptians does not seem to be a blessing; however, The Plagues result in the Egyptians ultimately perceiving Yahweh as God. God, so that the â€Å"Egyptians shall know that I am Lord† (Exodus 7:3,5), puts the Egyptians through a gauntlet, comprised of some of the worst conceivable ills that can befall man. When God states that He will bring down a hail storm, Pharaoh’s courtiers, â€Å"? who feared the Lord’s word brought their slaves and livestock indoors to safety† (9:20). This quotation signals a change in faith: previously, Pharoah’s courtiers did not pay attention to Moses’ premonitions. Gradually though, the courtiers begin to take notice of Yahweh’s power. Similarly, God vows to unleash locusts all over the land. Pharaoh’s courtiers become increasingly involved with Pharoah’s decisions and favor allowing the Israelites to leave: â€Å"? how long shall this one be a snare to us? Let the men go to worship the Lord our God† (10:7)! Examined carefully, the quotation reads † the Lord our God. † Even though the entire nation does not, Pharaoh’s courtiers accept Yahweh as their God. In a similar manner, Israel’s conquest of Canaan, at Jericho, reaffirms Israel’s status as a blessing. While hiding the two Israelite spies, Rahab confides, † I know that the Lord has given the country to you? for the Lord your God is the only God in heaven above and on earth below† (Josh. 2:9,11). Rahab is a harlot, whom one would presume to be anything but pious. When Israel destroys Jericho, † only Rahab the harlot and her father’s family were spared? and she dwelt among the Israelites? † (6:25). This quotation highlights two important notions: the author’s choice of stating â€Å"her father’s family,† can be interpreted as her immediate family or a larger group of people who also accept Yahweh. Secondly, Rahab’s † dwell[ing] among the Israelites† is a classic example of how the inhabitants of other nations remain and become a part of Israel. By remaining with the Israelites, Rahab embraces the fact that their God is the one and only God. Also part of Israel’s conquest of Canaan, are the events surrounding the city of Gibeon. Upon seeing what Israel had done to Jericho, â€Å"? the people of Gibeon had come to terms with Israel and remained among them? † (Joshua 10:2). This is yet another example of people from other nations accepting Yahweh and becoming a part of Israel. Without having directly experienced what Yahweh is capable of, the Gibeonites immediately identify Him as God. When Joshua arrives with Israel, and realizing what the king’s true intentions are, commands, † Stand still, O sun, at Gibeon,/ O moon, in the Valley of Aijalon† (10:12). Miraculously halting these supernatural forces, Joshua defeats all five armies and kills the kings. These marvels further strengthen the people’s faith in Yahweh and prove again that Israel is a blessing to the cities of Canaan. (israel proves to be a blessing to Canaan because it reveals to Canaan’s people the one true God) Proving that he himself is a blessing to the Egyptians, Joseph saves Egypt and its surrounding nations, from death and starvation. Joseph prophesizes that there will be â€Å"seven years of abundance? After them will come seven years of famine† (Genesis 41:29), and proposes that someone be in charge of gathering food to be used during the famine. Though Joseph is an Israelite, Pharoah puts him in charge of the life-saving task. Just as Joseph foretells, † There was famine in the land, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread? So all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to procure rations? † (41:54, 57). In the above quotation, Joseph is portrayed as a godlike figure who saves the world from starvation, thus proving himself to be a blessing to the Egyptians and Canaanites. In addition to these cases, in which a named group of people (Pharaoh’s courtiers, Rahab, the Gibeonites) are enlightened to Yahweh’s existence, there are other instances in which unnamed groups of citizens proves Israel to be a blessing. As Israel finally departs from Egypt, the author describes how there are † about six thousand men on foot, aside from children. Moreover, a mixed multitude went up with them? † (Exodus 12:37-38). The author specifically mentions that â€Å"a mixed multitude,† which is understood to mean non-Israelites, joins the Israelites and recognizes Yahweh as God. In I Samuel, Israel is at conflict with the Philistines and has suffered a defeat because the Ark of the Lord is in Shiloh and not with the Israelites. Upon hearing Israel’s joyous shouts, the Philistines become † frightened† and question, † God has come to the camp? Who will save us from the power of this mighty God† (4:7-8)? The inhabitants of other nations previously refer to Yahweh, as † the God of Israel† or â€Å"the God of the Hebrews. However, in this quotation, the Philistines refer to Yahweh as if they are speaking of their own god, by omitting a distinction of whom He rules. After Israel captures Edom, â€Å"? all the Edomites became vassals of David† (II Sam. 8:14). Initially, this is capture is not seen as a blessing. However, after examining what nations ty pically did after capturing another nation, Israel is truly a blessing, because not only did Israel refrain from destroying, robbing, and murdering the citizens and the city, but instead appointed them to official positions. Israel’s conquests prove to be a blessing to other nations, as they allow the peoples to live by accepting Yahweh as God. Though Israel’s actions may not initially allow it to be apparent, Israel is a blessing to other nations. It is true that many people suffer, some innocently and others because they chose not to accept Yahweh as God. However, the Tanakh says it is much better to die with the truth, than it is to live in ignorance.

Issues in Caribbean Development

CARIBBEAN STUDIES MODULE TWO: ISSUES IN CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT TOPIC: THE INTEGRATION MOVEMENT 1. The evolution of: Federation, CARIFTA, CARICOM, OECS, ACS 2. The achievements and challenges of any THREE of the following: * Caribbean Community (Caricom) * University of the West Indies (UWI) * Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) * West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) * Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) * Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) * Regional Security System (RSS) A// The West Indian Federation (1958 – 1962) One of the first major attempts at regional integration was the formation of the West Indian Federation of 1958.Member States included: * Antigua * Barbados * British Guiana * Dominica * Jamaica * Montserrat * St kitts/Nevis/Anguilla * St Vincent * St lucia * Trinidad and Tobago The Federal government was headed by an Executive Governor-General, appointed by Britain and included: * A Prime Minister, elected from among and by the members of the House of Represe ntatives * A Cabinet, comprising the Prime Minister and ten other elected Members chosen by him * A Council of State presided over by the Governor General. The Council included the Prime Minister and Members of the Cabinet as well as three senators and three civil servants.The senators and civil servants were chosen by the Governor General. (The Council of State was the principal policy (decision)-making body at the start of the Federation. In 1960 Britain agreed to abolish this Council and allow the Cabinet to take over the powers of the Council) * A forty five-member House of Representatives, with Members elected from among the Territories; and * A nineteen-member Senate, nominated by the Governor General following consultation with the Prime Minister The Governor General was Lord Hailes of Britain and the Prime Minister was Sir Grantley Adams, (Premier of Barbados).The Federal capital was located in Trinidad and Tobago. During its brief existence (1958-62), a number of fundamenta l issues were debated with a view to strengthening the Federation. Among these were direct taxation by the Federal Government, Central planning for development, Establishment of a Regional Customs Union and Reform of the Federal Constitution. The issue of direct taxation was particularly controversial. The Federation was not permitted to levy (impose) income tax for at least the first five years of its life.Added to this, were the greatly differing positions among the Territories with respect to how other federal taxes should be levied. In addition, the Federation began quickly to seek to establish federal institutions and supporting structures. It created a federal civil service; established the West Indies Shipping Service (in 1962) to operate two multipurpose ships – the Federal Maple and the Federal Palm – donated to it by the Government of Canada.It had embarked also on negotiations to acquire the subsidiary of the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), name ly British West Indies Airways (BWIA). Cooperation in tertiary education was consolidated and expanded during this period. The then University College of the West Indies (UCWI), which was established in 1948 with one campus at Mona, Jamaica, opened its second campus at St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, in 1960. The Federation however faced several problems.These included: the governance and administrative structures imposed by the British; disagreements among the territories over policies, particularly with respect to taxation and central planning; an unwillingness on the part of most Territorial Governments to give up power to the Federal Government; and the location of the Federal Capital. The decisive development, which led to the demise of the Federation was the withdrawal of Jamaica – the largest member – after conducting a national referendum in 1961 on its continued participation in the arrangement.The results of the referendum showed majority support in favour of withdrawing from the Federation. This was to lead to a movement within Jamaica for national independence from Britain. It also led to the now famous statement of Dr Eric Williams, the then Premier of Trinidad and Tobago that, one from ten leaves nought, referring to the withdrawal of Jamaica and signifying and justifying his decision to withdraw Trinidad and Tobago from the Federal arrangement a short while later. The Federation collapsed in January 1962.AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To strengthen the movement for self government 2. To promote economic development 3. To safeguard the democratic system of government vis a vis dictatorship and communism ACHIEVEMENTS 1. Federation facilitated the movement from colonialism to independence through a united voice 2. The coming together of small states strengthened their effectiveness in dealing with international bodies such as the United Nations REASONS FOR FAILURE 1. The masses were not educated on the importance of Federation 2.Communica tion among the islands including shipping, telephone and postal services was inefficient 3. Envy and jealously among member states from their varying levels of economic prosperity 4. Distrust by the smaller states of the larger members (Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica) proposal to prematurely change the constitution of the Federation B//CARIFTA (1968 – 1973) The Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) was founded by Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago on 15 December 1965, with the signing of the Dickenson Bay Agreement (the Agreement establishing theCaribbean Free Trade Association). They were joined on 1 July, 1968 by Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines; and on 1 August, 1968 by Montserrat and Jamaica. In 1971 Belize (then British Honduras) joined the Association. These Caribbean countries had recently become independent, and CARIFTA was intended to unite their economies and to give them a joint presence on the international scene.Specifically, CARIFTA was intended to encourage balanced development of the Region by:   | †¢ increasing trade – buying and selling more goods among the Member States †¢ diversifying trade – expanding the variety of goods and services available for trade †¢ liberalising trade – removing tariffs and quotas on goods produced and traded within the area †¢ ensuring fair competition – setting up rules for all members to follow to protect the smaller enterprises| In addition to providing for free trade, the Agreement sought to:   | †¢ ensure that the benefits of free trade were equitably distributed †¢ promote industrial development in the LDCs promote the development of the coconut industry (through an Oils and Fats Agreement) which was significant in many of the LDCs †¢ rationalise agricultural production but in the interim, facilitate the marketing of selected agricultural products o f particular interest to the LDCs (through the Agricultural Marketing Protocol); and †¢ provide a longer period to phase out customs duty on certain products which were more important for the revenue of the LDCs| In 1972, Commonwealth Caribbean leaders at the Seventh Heads of Government Conference decided to transform the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) into a Common Market and establish the Caribbean Community, of which the Common Market would be an integral part. The signing of the Treaty establishing the Caribbean Community, Chaguaramas, 4th July 1973, was a defining moment in the history of the Commonwealth Caribbean. Although a free-trade area had been established, CARIFTA did not provide for the free movement of labour and capital, or the coordination of agricultural, industrial and foreign policies.The objectives of the Community, identified in Article 6 of the Revised Treaty, are: to improve standards of living and work; the full employment of labour and othe r factors of production; accelerated, coordinated and sustained economic development and convergence; expansion of trade and economic relations with third States; enhanced levels of international competitiveness; organisation for increased production and productivity; achievement of a greater measure of economic leverage and effectiveness of Member States in dealing with third States, groups of States and entities of any description and the enhanced co-ordination of Member States’ foreign and foreign economic policies and enhanced functional co-operation. In 1973, CARIFTA became the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). C//CARICOM The agreement giving birth to the Caribbean Community and common Market (CARICOM) was signed on July 4, 1973 at Chaguaramas in Trinidad and Tobago. Effective operation of Caricom began on August 1, 1973. Main objectives include: 1.To improve the economic development of member states through the introduction of free trade. 2. Co operation among member count ries in the areas of: shipping, air transport, meteorological services, health, education, culture etc.. 3. To establish common policies in dealing with non-member states and transnational corporations D//OECS – Organization of Eastern Caribbean States The organization of Eastern Caribbean states (OECS) was established on June 18, 1981 with the signing of a treaty among the following countries: 1. Antigua and Barbuda 2. Dominica 3. Grenada 4. Montserrat 5. St Kitts/Nevis 6. St Lucia 7. St Vincent and the Grenadines Objectives: 1.To promote development by the formation of a common market among member states 2. To deal more effectively with international bodies by forming a common foreign policy 3. To assist each other in defending and maintaining political independence OECS member states have a common Eastern Caribbean Currency, they all belong to the Lesser Antilles, they are all small, independent states, share common strategies for development, a common Central Bank, a comm on High Court and a Joint Stock exchange. ACS: Association of Caribbean States The association of Caribbean States is an orgsanisation which at present consists of 25 Member states, 3 Associate members and 14 countries with observer status. Objectives:The ACS was inaugurated on July 02, 1995 with its administrative office in POS, Trinidad. The main objectives of the Association relate to cooperation, discussion and action leading to the sustainable development of the entire Caribbean region. These include: 1. Incorporating the collective human and physical resources of the Caribbean for economic, social, cultural and technological advancement 2. Maximizing the potential of the Caribbean Sea by working with member states and other organizations 3. To encourage increased trade and investment opportunities through cooperation 4. To provide new and improved measures to promote the cultural identities of its members.

What Is Normal in Our Society?

For you, what is normal? After browsing lousily in the blog topics given and after three garbage drafts of different topics, at last, I found the one topic I really get to put my mind on. Actually, it interested me to write about this topic because this is one topic which a friend and I debated about. At that time, we had different views on how we say that a certain person is normal. I think  everyone is just too normal and ordinary that everyone does different things to stand out. Because of this cause, everyone seems to be the same.This tends the idea for the contented people to look as if they are abnormal. People who don't tend to be â€Å"normal† are the ones who makes no effort to be different. Most of the people in our surroundings wants to prove themselves to other people (say, parents, boss and even a loved one) for reasons beyond our understanding. Because of this purpose, it becomes a trend for people that when a next person who announces his rebellion to be diffe rent is just normal. I know it's kind of confusing but my main point is, everything is normal. Examples? Fine, I'll give them. Change is normal.Absurdity is normal. Imagination is normal. Twisted minds are normal. Even abnormality is normal. Sometimes, those people who spend tremendous energy to be the same as everyone else are the ones who stand out and the ones who uses up gargantuan power to be different are often neglected because of its normality. People who uses queer routines would at first be queer but as time passes by, it would be normal in their aspect. The future tendency of that person is to make another show to stand out because that habit would not have lasting appreciation of the listener's.Being normal means to do things that are exceptionally dominant in a common society. When in a casual walk we suddenly see a beggar in America, we would think it is not normal. Why? Because in our knowledge, it has been put in our heads by our parents that America is a great count ry not liable of poverty. This is true. Back to the beggar stuff, well, who knows, maybe he is a broken down man who gave up hope in his life. If this is the situation, it would be normal. If he is a man who came from a wealthy and loving family and he is ust like that because he is needed to accomplish a prearranged marriage, that is normal too, however queer it might just be. To be normal is to be queer. Sometimes, it crosses my mind that normality is queerness all the same. What I literally mean is that when people try to be normal, it sounds so queer. How can a person not possibly be normal, right? While when a person tries to be queer, it looks so normal. I mean, it is just so common that people are just used to it. I JUST LOVE THE IRONY!

Analysis of “The Shield of Achilles” Essay

The Shield of Achilles is a poem of nine stanzas where the author W.H.Auden has used an episode from the famous Homeric epic ‘Iliad’, as the name suggests. Achilles as we know was the greatest hero of the Trojan War and his shield as mentioned here has its reference in the book eighteen of the Iliad. There Thetis, the sea goddess and Achilles’ mother requests Hephaestus the divine blacksmith to make a shield for Achilles whose armor has been taken away by the Trojan hero Hector when he killed Patroclus to whom Achilles had lent it. Auden here has narrated the episode of the Iliad where this shield is in the making. Interestingly unlike the epical shield which was decorated by Hephaestus with stars and constellation, two beautiful towns full of people, scene of cultivation, a vineyard laden with grapes, herd of cattle, dancing girls and boys, the shield in question presents a scene of lifelessness, destruction and decadence of a moribund society of people. The poem starts with an unnamed woman and a man whom we later identify as Thetis and Hephaestus. She is looking over his shoulder to watch the shield which is being made there. Contrary to her expectations she finds the shield being decorated with barbed wire enclosures and bored officials, weary sentries, detached and dispassionate men folk, a weed-choked-field and a frustrated young boy who knows nothing about love being always exposed to murder and rape. In the poem whenever Thetis peers over the blacksmith’s shoulder hoping to see some beautiful decoration of natural beauty being embossed on the shield, some morbid spectacle is sure to greet her eyes. Finally when Hephaestus leaves after finishing the shield, Thetis is distraught to find a horrific picture which makes Achilles’ doom all the more evident. The poet has used a method of flashback to emphasize the deplorable condition of the modern human society. Whenever Thetis looks over ‘his shoulder’ Auden gives us a glimpse of the beauty of the past by mentioning what she expects to see and what gruesome sights unfold before her. The poem shows a contrast between the ancient world of real heroes and the modern world of debasement. The poet W. H. Auden thus uses the shield of Achilles as a subject but all the beautiful descriptions of Homer have been replaced to show the poet’s disgust with blankness and  shallowness of the modern society.

Bilingual Education and Dual Language Programs

Bilingual Education and Dual Language Programs The most urgent of all educational challenges is not curriculum and instruction. It is the challenge of changing social/cultural relations through languages while simultaneously improving curriculum and instruction.† Dr. Henry G. Burger Ph.D. (Mazon, 1976). Schools in America are faced with a challenge; educating linguistically diverse students. Schools not only must accommodate large numbers of students from non-English language backgrounds, but must also cope with the linguistic diversity of their student bodies (McLeod, 1994). There is much controversy over the most effective way to teach literacy of standard language or languages for education in multilingual settings. In 2002 the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 was repealed and replaced with the English Acquisition Act. This emphasizes English rather than Bilingual instruction and encourages a rapid transition to English only instruction (Farver, 2009). By doing this we are not only losing history but more importantly ide ntity. For many students from a non-English language background, education in America is not a successful or enjoyable experience. Linguistic minority students do not perform as well in school as the linguistic majority group. Millions of public school student have limited English proficiency, and this number will continue to grow if drastic changes are not put in place. English language learners begin school behind fluent English speakers, they continue to fall behind in language and academic areas, if they do not catch up the results will most likely be outrageous. (Jost, 1) Children whose first language is other than English face considerable challenges in becoming literate and are at high risk for reading difficulties and low academic achievement. Spanish speaking students currently constitute the largest bilingual subgroup and are the fastest growing in English language learners (Farver, 2009). Rosalie Porter, Board member of the Center for Equal Opportunity states â€Å"Bili ngual Education is the least effective method for teaching English language learnersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦students would learn the English language rapidly and master school subjects taught in English.† The Supreme Court found â€Å"documented academic support for the view that structured English immersion is significantly more effective than traditional bilingual education† (Jost, 2009). Bilingual education should not be just the transitioning a student to a target language. It should not be just simply teaching subject matter in a foreign language. It is not teaching the first language to a non-English speaking child, nor is it just teaching English as a second language. While traditional Bilingual education, in the context of teaching non-English speaking people in both their native language and English, is considered to be failing, Dual language Bilingual education programs are emerging. Dual language is a type of Bilingual education program that helps students develop ful l literacy skills in English and another language. Dual language education or â€Å"two way immersion† has become increasingly popular in the United States. English-speaking children as well as minority language speaker learn together in the same classroom, with the goals of bilingualism, bi-literacy, cross-cultural understanding, and high academic achievement for all (Palmer, 2010). They key with dual language education is it has to start when the child is just beginning school. Dual language classrooms usually divide their days or weeks between the two languages of instruction, expecting all class members to interact in only one language at a time (Palmer, 2010). Moving between languages has been frowned upon and bilingual education had traditionally argued that languages should be kept separate in the learning and teaching of languages. This is considered separate bilingualism and is used as a means to not cross-language transfer (Creese, 2010).

Business and Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business and Law - Essay Example sets out how the agencies of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in England and Wales will work together to deliver a justice system which: Is effective in bringing offences to justice, especially serious offences; Engages the public and inspires confidence; Puts the needs of victims at its heart; and has Simple and efficient processes.† (Working together for justice: Aims and objectives, n.d.). The Criminal justice system contributes tremendously towards maintaining justice in the country. It helps to identify illegal activities and abolish them, offers the sufferer and the witness sufficient assistance to prove the crime & awards punishment and rehabilitation to criminals. In any criminal justice system, it is important to recognize and fully understand the meaning of criminal behaviour, in the context of the constitutional or other general rule sources. A major bulk of the criminal suits in the English law system is dealt by Lay Magistrates. Most of the criminal suits begin in the Magistrates court itself. â€Å"The main advantage for using the Lay Magistrates are, Local Knowledge , Lack of Bias Gender Balance ,Saves Money , Saves Time.† (Lay magistrates, n.d.). An efficient criminal justice system always helps to increase the public confidence. The criminal justice system in the U.K. provides adequate support to sufferers and witnesses of the crime, mainly at the time of providing evidence and during the court procedures. Moreover, the Criminal justice system helps to save money at the time of expensive court trials. One of the major goals of the Criminal justice system in the U.K. is to considerably enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of all the concerned departments in the criminal justice system. â€Å"In Warwickshire an ongoing survey of victims and witnesses involved in the criminal justice system, and supported by VIP, indicates that 84% of victims and witnesses are satisfied/very satisfied with the criminal justice system and 94% are satisfied/very

Economic Growth Rate Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economic Growth Rate - Research Paper Example The budget impacts on the growth of the economy and allocation or redistribution of resources. The difference between budgetary spending and revenues is defined as the budget deficit. Budget deficit contribute in the level of national debt. A variety of problems can result because of budget deficit. Lower national savings rate, higher rates of interest and inflation are some of them. The federal budget is taking an unsustainable path. The debt levels of the federal are expected to grow with the size of the economy. The elevated budget deficit is the cause of increase in federal debt. This will shed its effects on economic downturn. The excess expenditure is financed through borrowing. The federal government takes the policy of issuing securities. The households can make up their budget deficits through loans and credit cards. Some of the measures to curb down the budget deficit are cutting expenditures, levee taxes or a strategy that will involve both. Thesis Statement Can budget def icit affect the economic growth? Economists generally agree that high budget deficits today will reduce the growth rate of the economy in the future. Why? Economists are of the opinion that sustaining large deficits can reduce the rate of growth. If the aim is to attain future gains in the standard of living it is necessary to curb down the levels of consumption and take the requisite steps in order to increase the level of savings. The deficit in the federal budget along with the low rate in the savings will cause a gap between the total savings and the investment. Spreading the foreign ownership of assets and mounting payments of investment will result in capital inflows (Wallich, 2012, p.78). The same reason can be accounted for the deficits in trade to occur. The trade deficits will keep on piling up with the continuation of capital inflows. The rate of interest is supposed to take the steep rising path if the investors turn down from providing capital in this kind of situation prevails. The value of dollar is likely to be depreciated. The assets of United States will be cheaper relative to the foreign assets and the investment rates will get curtailed with high rates of interest. The price of the imports will rise and the exchange rate will have the tendency to get low. The country will have to increase its reliance on foreign capital (Sanchez, 2010, p.523). The future generation will not be able to match with the expectations of the services from the government. The advancement in technology will get hampered and the standard of living of the country will feel the heat. Do the reasons for the high budget deficit matter? In other words, does it matter whether the deficit is caused by lower taxes, increased defense spending, more job-training programs, and so on? If the deficit is caused by poor governance then it is a matter of concern and calls for immediate appropriate steps. But if the deficits are caused by something that is believed to be productive for the future, then such deficits can be withheld for a certain point. If the deficit is caused by lower taxes, then people will have more disposable income and that might not be beneficial for the economy as a whole. But if the deficit is caused by increasing cost in defense services or increased spending in the job training programs, it is

Macroeconomic indicators of India and Vietnam Essay

Macroeconomic indicators of India and Vietnam - Essay Example The working population of Vietnam is composed of a young, easy to develop labour force. Considering the high labour available at both India and Vietnam, foreign investors can invest in the food manufacturing sector, as the agricultural inputs are readily available. Through investing in food manufacturing, the investors will benefit from the readily available unskilled and semi-skilled labour force. In Vietnam, the improvement of the regulatory environment has fostered the credibility of the business environment, but corruption and the unequal implementation of regulatory standards is still hampering business development. As a former colony of the British, India has a large English-speaking and highly educated labour force. The agricultural sector of Vietnam is highly competitive, and the economy also draws a lot from the light industry and the aquaculture sectors. For instance, Vietnam is among the largest rice and coffee exporters in the world. Due to the high potential of the agric ultural sector of Vietnam, investing in food manufacturing is likely to be encouraged by the government since it forms part of the transition to high-value production. Vietnam offers a higher level of â€Å"ease to do business,† which draws from the favourable nature of the licensing policies of the country. The policies on obtaining a business license and those on taxation are favourable to new market entrants. The ease of entry will help investors enter the Vietnamese economy easily, as well as enhance the economic potential of the agricultural sector. In outsourcing business, a well developed transport system plays a key role since better transport networks improve the distribution of goods from inland factories to... This paper presents a modern comparative analysis of the national economies of India and Vietnam with respect to their respective investment attractiveness to the foreign investors. India and Vietnam are the seventh and thirteenth largest countries in the world respectively. India is the world’s second-largest country by national population. Vietnam has a working class expansion, among the 18 and 27 years group. India is among the fastest growing economies in the world, with a GDP that averages 9 percent for the four economic years before year 2012. In the case of Vietnam, the 20 years of economic change and reforms have changed the Vietnamese economy into a dynamic, fast-growing emerging economy. The Indian economy has risen into a global leader in business processing, technology, pharmaceuticals and telecommunication industries. Demographic statistics are critical in determining the working population, prospects of national consumption and future employment profiles. From the labour profile of Asia and India, investing in food manufacturing will be a good investment for the two economies. Investing in food manufacturing will be efficient, as the inputs for food processing are available, and labour is available at India and Vietnam. The factors that limit investing in India and Vietnam include the poor transport network, external shocks, and the demand for the economies’ goodsA number of recommendations are presented for the Indian and the Vietnamese economies to enhance the competitiveness