Friday, December 27, 2019

Ethical Decision Making The Sarbanes-Oxley Act Essay

Is ethics concerning decision making merely an accepted way of life, a trust factor, or a concern for reputation? Is ethical thinking and decision making conclusions right for one individual or firm and wrong for another? Do ethics encompass a universal concept or do they reside solely in an individual realm such as one’s Id or ego as Freud claimed? Finally, do acts such as The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) create a sound solution to the problem of ethical or non-ethical decision making in public firms? According to many scholars, the subject of corporate ethical decision making has many different avenues, such as what Zhong states â€Å"involves(ing) systematic and analytic deliberation† which also involve â€Å"intelligent choices†. While both†¦show more content†¦How has our recent dismay, concerns, and the actions of firms concerning ethical thinking, or the lack thereof relates to the past observations and does our recent laws and directives, such as SOX create as safety net to investors, employees, and the economy as well as drives the ethical decision making of CEO’s and CFO’s of public companies? Who benefits? Advantages and Disadvantages of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Should CEOs and CFOs be held accountable for fraudulent accounting practices? Should investors have complete and accurate information regarding potential investments? Following the Enron scandal in 2001, when Enron filed for bankruptcy after it was discovered that the company employed improper accounting practices, the alarm rang on Capitol Hill and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 was penned. SOX is one of the most significant regulatory reform’s since the Great Depression (McAdams et al, 2009, p.390). No longer was it publicly acceptable in the United States for CEOs and CFOs to lead their companies toward disaster and then use golden parachutes on the way down. As thousands of Enron’s employees lost everything, accountability of those who made millions leading companies was at the forefront. As we seek to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of SOX legislation, we must understand why there was a need for significant reform. Prior to this Act, government oversight of publicly heldShow MoreRelatedSarbanes Oxley Act Of 2002 Essay1421 Words   |  6 PagesSarbanes Oxley Act Jason Stigal FIN/571 November 6, 2016 James Traylor Abstract Enron’s fraudulent financial practices lead to the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. Mistakes made by the company and their leadership shocked the world and cost billions. Enron’s leadership could have taken steps to prevent or mitigate the repercussions of their actions. The act restored ethical and reliable financial practices to the market.The major provisions of the act made corporations responsibility forRead MoreEssay Ethics Article Review886 Words   |  4 Pagesaround business practices. Included in these businesses practices are accounting and financial decision-making. Both of these require high standards of ethics as many people rely on the information produced by them. The lack of ethics results in misinformation and the lack of trust. This paper will first provide a brief summary of an article that discusses ethics in accounting and financial decision-making. After that, this article will be related to assigned readings and to an organization’s currentRead MoreEvents Leading Up to the The Sarbanes-Oxley Act Essay examples1203 Words   |  5 PagesThe Sarbanes-Oxley Act was enacted on July 30, 2002. It was enacted by the 107th United States Congress. It is named after sponsors U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes and U.S. Representative Michael G. Oxley. It is also known as the ‘Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act’ in the Senate and ‘Corporate and Auditing Accountability and Responsibility Act’ in the House. The main purpose of this act was to protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosuresRead MoreSarbanes-Oxley Act Essay727 Words   |  3 PagesSarbanes-Oxley Act Dana Smith LAW/321 December 6, 2011 Michelle Hamilton Sarbanes-Oxley Act In the corporate world today the rules and regulations are stricter than they were in early 2000. The development of corporate governance that established procedures to be used by officers and directors for lines of responsibility, approval, oversight by key stockholders, and set the rules for corporate decision making became more extreme. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 made the use ofRead MoreSarbanes Oxley And The Oxley Act1358 Words   |  6 Pagestaken place were so severe that an Act was created in response to them in hopes to prevent these scandals from happening. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, also referred to as SOX or Sarbanes-Oxley, was created by Senator Paul Sarbanes and Representative Michael Oxley and was signed into law by President George W. Bush on July 30, 2002. The creation and passing of the act was so tremendous that â€Å"in the opinion of most observers of securities legislation† Sarbanes-Oxley was â€Å"viewed as the most important newRead MoreLW C1 Study Guide1467 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough this student plan, type in your answers to the questions below and create a study guide using the key terms from each section. You may also consider using the key terms to create flash cards that can be used as you prepare for the exam. ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS: Chapters 1-4 For each of the chapters do the following: Look up the answers to the questions asked below. Answer the end of chapter question (there are only a few) and check your answers. Complete the interactive quizzesRead MoreImportance of Ethics in Accounting1065 Words   |  5 Pagesaccounting industry is constantly growing and changing. Consequently, difficult decisions have to be made every day. While accountants follow a simple code of conduct; nevertheless, due to the infamous scandal of Enron, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was constructed to reestablish confidence in the public marketplace. The importance of ethics and integrity are highly significant to individuals in this profession. In fact, ethical behavior in accounting is described as â€Å"societies accepted standards ofRead MoreWeek 1 Knowledge Check1287 Words   |  6 PagesCompany Mission 100% 9 10 11 Company Goals and Objectives 100% 12 13 Three Levels of Strategy à ¢ Corporate, Business-Level, Functional 100% 14 15 Strategic Management Process 100% 17 18 Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Management Ethics 16 Concept: The Stakeholder Approach to Social Responsibility. Concepts Mastery The Stakeholder Approach to Social Responsibility. 0% Questions 1 2 1. For the past 28 years, ABC, IncRead MoreSarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesSarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 ACC/561 Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Following a number of discovered fraud scandals committed by well-known corporations and in order to restore public confidence in the stock market and trading of securities, the United States congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the year 2002. As a result of the act endorsement by the New York Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission, among many other national overseeing committees, a number of rules and regulationsRead MoreEssay about Details of the Sarbanes Oxley Act 20021060 Words   |  5 Pagesfindings properly. Since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, there have been provisions that have directly affected auditors. This paper will include the details of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, how ethics and independence have affected auditors, as well implementation of new standards based on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, provided changes in the regulations of the issuers in the public structures in the United States, as well as non-United States issuers. The Act applies to all issuers including

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Animal Testing Is It Beneficial For The World - 1106 Words

Sergio Ramon Mr.Rear English III 30 June 2015 Animal Testing: Is it really Beneficial For The World â€Å"Over 100 million animals are burned, crippled, poisoned, and abused in US labs every year† (11 Facts). Animal testing is a very flawed creation in today’s world. This innovation has caused much harm to many animals while also hurting the opinions of animal activists around the world. Animal testing is also known as the use of animals in experiments and development projects usually to determine toxicity, dosing and efficacy of test drugs before proceeding to human clinical trials (Biology Online). The use of animal testing has been around for throughout all of history, it also carries its disadvantages as they diminish the lives of many animals along with their unspoken opinion while also having some advantages, and lastly this notion is very expensive (Scutti). This fault in the world has been known to the general public for a lengthy amount of time; it even goes all the way back to the times of the B.C Era. Animals have been used as experiments by many Greek phys icians and scientists such as Aristotle, Erasistratus, Galen, and many more (Hajar). In the United States, many citizens became aware of the importance of testing products before they are marketed as, in 1937 a pharmaceutical company marketed a product that lead to the deaths of more than a hundred people. Due to this many citizens felt animal testing was needed and led to the passing of the 1938 Federal Food, Drug,Show MoreRelatedThe Use Of Animals For Research Testing Essay1547 Words   |  7 Pagescreate quite a stir in our world. In the cooperation of finding a solution, understanding both sides of an argument is very essential. This can help create a better outline of what outweighs the other. With hundreds of topics to solve, there was one that stood out, animal testing. The use of animals for research testing is an issue that has been debated whether or not it is acceptable or not. Within this questionable topic, our main focus is on the researchers, animals, users, and envi ronment. TermsRead MoreAnimal Testing Should Not Be Banned1581 Words   |  7 PagesAnimal testing is being used by different organizations all over the world to prevent specific diseases, especially cancer. Americans see animal testing having a harmful effect but it is one of the main reasons why society has most cures for some illnesses. This topic is important because people need to know what goes on during animal testing and why it is very beneficial. Animal testing needs to be used to find all cures. Some animals such as chimps/ monkeys have 90% of the same DNA humans haveRead MoreThe Various Viewpoints On Animal Experimentation 2. Various1557 Words   |  7 PagesVIEWPOINTS ON ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION 2 Various studies have been conducted concerning the health and welfare of animal test subjects and how products are tested on them. Many believe that the testing of animals is a beneficial achievement to our modern world. While others feel that the killings of millions of animals every year is not only inhumane but that it is detrimental to our developing world. Although the tests that are conducted on animals are greatlyRead MoreShould Animals Be Used For Genetic Or Consumer Testing?784 Words   |  4 PagesShould Animals Be Used for Genetic or Consumer Testing? Each year, â€Å"more than 100 million animals are killed in U.S. laboratories for biology lessons, medical training, curiosity-driven experimentation, and chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics testing.† There are all types of animals that are used to do these experiments. Animal testing is inhumane and cruel, and causes pain to living creatures. Also, the reaction of drug in an animal s body can be very different from a human s body. An importantRead MoreThe Ongoing Issue of Animal Cruelty, Abuse, and Animal Testing1078 Words   |  4 PagesAnimal cruelty is an ongoing issue in today’s society. When we listen to the news and hear about these animals being starved, beaten, and treated poorly our hearts drop and we get a lump in our throat holding back the tears. We see these animals suffer, we see the pain in their eyes begging for our help, we want to put an end to this but we fail to see the bigger picture. Animal cruelty is a more severe and extreme than we think i t is. Animal cruelty just is not owners beating their pets. AnimalRead MoreEssay about The Necessities of Animal Experimentation1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe Necessities of Animal Experimentation Throughout my paper, I felt as though I was able to give a solid and fair representation of the opposing viewpoint on issue of animal testing. However, it was challenging because I strongly oppose animal testing. The rhetorical analysis played a role in this, because I was required to use the various rhetorical appeals to compose a strong argument. Using the appeals definitely helped in trying to persuade the reader to acknowledge the opposingRead MoreAnimal Testing Outline1616 Words   |  7 PagesWeldon 1 Animal Testing Introduction Thesis Statement: Animal testing is wrong because it is inhumane, costly, and unpredictable. I. Animal testing is inhumane A. Torture B. Type of testing C. Effect on the animal II. Animal testing is costly A. The cost of testing B. The cost of research C. What else we could be spending money on III. Animal testing is wasteful and unpredictable A. Mass Murdering of animals B. Endangered species C. If it works on animals it may not work on humans ConclusionRead MoreImagine being confined in a cold cage, trembling, isolated and deprived from the outside world you800 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom the outside world you once lived in; suddenly realizing your life is now in the palms of a large human in a white lab coat. Every year in the United States, more than 25 million animals partake in biomedical experimentation, product and cosmetic testing, and science education (Neavs). With countless effective, reliable, and beneficial alternatives relating to the human species for which the drug is for, there lies a question of why we continue to forfeit millions of innocent animal lives. Let aloneRead MoreIs Animal Testing Bad or Good? 1196 Words   |  5 Pageshuman use. How? Animal testing. Since nearly 500 BC, research and testing on living animals for human purpose has introduced hundreds of new medicinal and cosmetic advances for the human race. While some may see the advantages, others see the concept as just completely inhumane a nd unnecessary. Why is there such a big divide? The reason, simply, is because of the lack of education on the issue. Being one of the most controversial issues in America today, many people believe animal testing should be replacedRead MoreAnimal Testing Is Cruel Or Beneficial?1154 Words   |  5 Pagesprobably do not because of the cruel things that animals go through every day. People probably don t think this is a big deal, but I am neutral on the subject. But, I do see the wrong and right things that are happening. Animals are taken advantage of in terrible ways every single day in scientists labs all around the world. But, they help us with many health benefits. Health benefits at could change and even cure some diseases all around the world. When it gets to a certain point, though, is when

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

A Strong Dictatorship is Better than a Weak Democracy free essay sample

This house would rather have a strong dictatorship than a weak democracy Pros of having a dictatorship include: No elections, imagine not having to deal with all the political rhetoric, you already have your leader for life. Difference in opinions is ubiquitous and inevitable, and arises on every topic. For every opinion one man may have, there will always be another man opposing him (look at this debate, for example) and this may not always end well, maybe even resulting in potential Civil Wars. With a dictator, you have one ruler, one voice, a united voice. he  economy  could be more controlled and sustained by a  dictatorship, as the economy would be run by the state. Though a small minority of the population suffers from violence from the dictator, the vast majority of the population will exist in a nearly crime free society in large part because the smallest infraction of the law (or even the the perceived infraction) is dealt with severe punishments. The  Soviet Union  had very little street crime, and the Russian mafia was never grew to the size of the Italian-American mafia, or the plethora of other American criminal organizations because of the brutality of the Soviet regime. Saddam Husseins regime provided free health care, access to affordable higher education, enviable for the region transportation systems, and other benefits. The Chinese government provides has better roads, railways, airports, ports, manufacturing facilities, than neighboring democratic India. The dictatorial nature of theChinese government  and unquestioned decisions has benefits of massive infrastructure improvements. The Chinese building several hydro-electric dams, and moved several million people, which wouldnt have been able accomplished in a country with personal rights to property, or the power to self determine their own existence. Taxes are usually low, because income is not an issue. Free-market-oriented economists since  Milton Friedman  have strongly criticized the efficiency of democracy. They base this on the argument that voters are irrational, among other things. Their criticism towards democracy is that voters are highly uninformed about many political issues, especially relating to economics, and have a strong bias about the few issues on which they are fairly knowledgeable. The masses are not adequately educated to be able to foresee the betterment of the community they belong to, and therefore are unable to cast a vote to that effect. But given the right to vote, an uneducated man would certainly cast a vote which will more likely be wrong as effected by the personality charisma of the candidate or some other superficial reasons. An ordinary voter may also be lured into casting a vote on the basis of financial help or some other petty promises. Chicago economist Donald Wittman has written numerous works attempting to counter these common views of his colleagues. He argues democracy is efficient based on the premise of rational voters, competitive elections, and relatively low political transactions costs. Economist Bryan Caplan argues, while Wittman makes strong arguments for the latter two points, he cannot overcome the insurmountable evidence in favor of voter irrationality. It still remains the Achilles heel of democratic government. The problem is not mere lack of information; it is that voters badly interpret and judge the information they do have. Unfortunately, according to Caplan, the problem lies in the fact that the relative cost of learning about a particular issue is very high compared to the cost of not knowing that information. This really becomes an issue when those ignorant people vote, which they will do because of the good feeling it gives them. [1]  Other economists, such as Meltzer and Richard, have added that as industrial activity in a democracy increases, so too do the peoples demands for welfare. However, because of the  median voter theorem, only a few people actually make the decisions in the country, and many may be unhappy with those decisions. In this way, they argue, democracies are inefficient. This could result in a wealth disparity in such a country, or even racial discrimination. Fierlbeck (1998) points out that such a result is not necessarily due to a failing in the democratic process, but rather, because democracy is too responsive to the desires of a large middle class increasingly willing to disregard the muted voices of economically marginalized groups within its own borders. [3]The criticism remains that the will of the democratic majority may not always be in the best interest of all citizens within the country or beneficial to the future of the country itself. Furthermore, some have argued that voters may not be educated enough to exercise their democratic right. A population with low intellect may not be capable of making beneficial decisions. They argue that the lack of rationality or even education is being taken advantage of by politicians, that compete more in the way of  public relations  and tactics, than in ideology. One such argument is that the benefits of a specialised society may be compromised by democracy. As ordinary citizens are encouraged to take part in the political life of the country, they have the power to directly influence the outcome of government policies through the democratic procedures of voting, campaigning and the use of press. The result is that government policies may be more influenced by non-specialist opinions and thereby the effectiveness compromised, especially if a policy is very technically sophisticated and/or the general public inadequately informed. For example, there is no guarantee that those who campaign about the governments economic policies are themselves professional economists or academically competent in this particular discipline, regardless of whether they were well-educated. Essentially this means that a democratic government may not be providing the most good for the most amount of people. Additionally, some political scientists question the notion that democracy is an uncontested good. [7]  If we base our critique on the definition of democracy as governance based on the will of the majority, there can be some foreseeable consequences to this form of rule. For example, Fierlbeck (1998: 12) points out that the middle class majority in a country may decide to redistribute wealth and resources into the hands of those that they feel are most capable of investing or increasing them. Machiavelli  put forth the idea that democracies will tend to cater to the whims of the people, who then follow false ideas to entertain themselves, squander their reserves, and do not deal with potential threats to their rule until it is too late to oppose them. He put forth a cyclical theory of government where monarchies always decay into aristocracies, that then decay into democracies, which decay into anarchy, then tyranny, then monarchy. An Example is the timeline of France before, during, and after the French Revolution until the last Bourbon Monarch. More recently, democracy is criticised for not offering enough political stability. As governments are frequently elected on and off, there tend to be frequent changes in the policies of democratic countries both domestically and internationally. Even if a political party maintains power, vociferous, headline grabbing protests and harsh criticism from the mass media are often enough to force sudden, unexpected political change. Frequent policy changes with regard to business and immigration are likely to deter investment and so hinder economic growth. For this reason, many people have put forward the idea that democracy is undesirable for a developing country in which economic growth and the reduction of poverty are top priority. [9]  However, Downs argued that the political market works much the same way as the economic market, and that there could potentially be an equilibrium in the system because of democratic process. However, he eventually argued that imperfect knowledge in politicians and voters prevented the reaching of that equilibrium. The  constitutions  of many countries have parts of them that restrict the nature of the types of laws that  legislatures  can pass. A fundamental idea behind some of these restrictions, is that the majority of a population and its elected legislature can often be the source of minority persecutions, such as with  racial discrimination. Some countries throughout the world have judiciaries where judges can serve for long periods of time, and often serve under appointed posts. This is often balanced, however, by the fact that some trials are decided by  juries. While many, like Wittman, have argued that democracies work much the same way as the free market and that there is competition among parties to prevent oppression by the majority, others have argued that there is actually very little competition among political parties in democracies due to the high cost associated with campaigning. Some  Right-Libertarians  criticize democracy because they claim it is impractical or immoral. [13]  The criticism for impracticality is essentially that in order to be logically consistent people would need to vote on all action, and that this would lead to the extermination of the human species. Others criticize democracy for being immoral on the grounds that it coercively involves people, i. e. it violates  voluntarism Some thinkers believe democracy will result in the peoples distrust and disrespect of governments or religious sanctity. The distrust and disrespect pervades to all parts of society whenever and wherever there is  seniority  and juniority, for example between a  parent  and a  child, a  teacher  and a  student. This in turn is suggested to be the cause of frequent  divorces,  teenage crimes,vandalism,  hooliganism  and low education attainment in Western societies, all of which are lower in Asian societies. Even a democracy can become corrupt. This is a simple form of appealing to the short term interests of the voters. This tactic has been known to be heavily used in north and north-east region of  Thailand. Another form is commonly called  Pork barrel  where local areas or political sectors are given special benefits but whose costs are spread among all  taxpayers. Mere elections are just one aspect of the democratic process. Other tenets of democracy, like relative equality and freedom, are frequently absent in ostensibly democratic countries. Moreover, in many countries, democratic participation is less than 50% at times, and it can be argued that election of individual(s) instead of ideas disrupts democracy. Rebuttals: If people say that a â€Å"nearly crime free society in large part because the smallest infraction of the law (or even the the perceived infraction) is dealt with severe punishments† implies that the dictatorship is ruled by fear and people live in fear, oppose it by pointing out that Chinese philosopher Han Fao believed in strict punishment to rule, believing that it is key to a good society. Are we to contradict the teachings of an Ancient Chinese thinker whose words have inspired for so many thousands of years? And it’s not like this punishment is for the innocent, or done in spite. It is done to teach a lesson, one hard to learn. Wrongdoers cannot go unpunished. If people say that with democracy people find freedom, point out that freedom and democracy are different. In words attributed to Scottish historian Alexander Tytler: A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until a majority of voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury. Democracy evolves into kleptocracy. A majority bullying a minority is just as bad as a dictator, communist or otherwise, doing so. Democracy is two coyotes and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. † There is a difference between democracy and freedom. Freedom is not measured by the ability to vote. It is measured by the breadth of those things on which we do not vote. If people say to look at dictators like Stalin or Hitler, say that we are discussing good, strong dictatorships, like that of Napoleon. He built roads and hospitals, helped repay France’s loans, established city sanitation projects and beautification projects, made new, fair laws, made a Central bank for the good of the people, commissioned many beautiful artworks, as well as insisted on freedom. So no, freedom is not limited to democracy. If people say that Dictatorships are situations where your entire life depends on the opinion and oppression of one man, say that a strong dictatorship has advisers that advise the dictator on what the people want and what the people hate. A dictator with a wicked mind like Stalin was not a strong dictator. Strong dictators are not defined by how many people they kill. A strong dictator is defined by how well he can control the country, economy, world status, etc. Also a strong dictator looks after his people because the people are his country and with no people there will not be a country. If people say that people prefer to have democracies where they can make decisions, say that it wasn’t just leaders who were driving these changes. In one study by the Program on International Policy Attitudes, only  16 percent of Russians  said it was â€Å"very important† that their nation be governed democratically. The regular Afrobarometer survey of the African continent has found declining levels of support for democracy in many key countries. And in Guatemala, Paraguay, Colombia, Peru, Honduras, and Nicaragua, either a minority or only a small majority of people think democracy is preferable to any other type of government. Even in East Asia, one of the most democratic regions of the world, polls show rising dissatisfaction with democracy. In fact, several countries in the region have developed what Yu-tzung Chang, Yunhan Zhu, and Chong-min Park, who studied data from the regular Asian Barometer surveys, have termed â€Å"authoritarian nostalgia. If they say that democracy cannot achieve much or help, mention that India still continues to be plagued by the same old problems of poverty, economic inequality, illiteracy, population, widespread corruption and so on. It is perhaps the time of an able, strong-minded, powerful dictator to take hold of the country and cleanse the entire system A benevolent visionary, who can lead by example and get the things done with speed and perfection. Terms *A Job Safety Analysis: one of the risk assessment tools used to identify and control workplace hazards. A JSA is a second tier risk assessment with the aim of preventing personal injury to a person, or their colleagues ** Referendum: a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision. *** Voluntarism: the word  voluntary action  means action based on  free will, which in turn means action which is performed free from certain  constraints. The constraint of (government)  coercion  is often considered in this context, where it remains the question what constitutes coercion. Not all dictatorships are composed of men whose first priorities are their own power. I would like to make a well-known example of the famous dictator Napoleon. His reign brought France out of dark times, and although people could argue that his priority was to conquer the world, we cannot deny that he did many good things for France, from building banks to commissioning art to making fair laws. The people were always a priority of his. Then Id like to make a more recent example of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew who is arguably a dictator. His views on education have done wonders for the country, and his ideas for bonds guarantee many, many Singaporeans access to great education such as that found in Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc. These types of good dictators still exist. Second, democracies may not always be what they seem. In Ecuador, elected President Rafael Correa, who has displayed a strong authoritarian streak, recently won legislation that would grant him expansive new powers. And, in Russia, Vladimir Putin used the power he won in elections to essentially dismantle the country’s democracy. In terms of economic sense, we can look at US, the land of liberty. In 2013, their budget deficit has reached 600 billion. In 2009, it is 1. 4 trillion. With such a high budget deficit, it has caused economic recession not only to itself but to countries closely related to them. This is mainly due to democracy since politicians are unwilling to increase the tax rate since they might lose votes to opposition parties. As such, tax revnue is lesser than government expenditure, resulting in an increasing budget deficit. When we cross refer to China, we can see that the case is totally different. With no opposition party and no democracy, Chinese government is able to make effective decisions on tax rates and economic policies; hence we can see the rise of China as a power house, which is expected to overtake America in 2015. A strong dictatorship can protect its people and offer them comfort in their life. Another way strong dictatorship is better than a weak democracy is people under strong dictatorship don’t have to worry about rising prices. Under strong dictatorships people also don’t have to worry about having health insurance because the government looks after them. In the history of this world you can see that a strong dictatorship leads countries to strong nations. For example under communism Russia went up to a status of a world power. Also during communism people had comfort in their lives and even the lower class had money to live, buy food, and even own a car. In Russia minimum wage got you a house, food, and even a car. With a strong dictatorship you can have world security, and international relations. A strong dictatorship can provide security for a lot of people. Last but not least it would be the problem of the efficiency. Democracy is never as efficient as dictatorship. Think about it in this way, if many people all have the right to vote on what they want it would never be as efficient as a single ruler deciding on the countrys behalf. With a capable leader, strong dictatorship has an advantage over weak democracy in a sense that the dictator can make decisions efficiently. Whereas in the case of weak democracy while different opposition parties and ruling parties have different opinions on certain policies, resulting in a scenario where a decision is unable to be made, resulting to a loss of many possible opportunities. Difference in opinions is ubiquitous and inevitable, and arises on every topic. For every opinion one man may have, there will always be another man opposing him (look at this debate, for example) and this may not always end well, maybe even resulting in potential Civil Wars. With a dictator, you have one ruler, one voice, a united voice. The economy  could be more controlled and sustained by a  dictatorship, as the economy would be run by the state. Dictatorships usually involve better law enforcement, so the vast majority of the population will exist in a nearly crime free society in large part because the smallest infraction of the law (or even the the perceived infraction) is dealt with severe punishments. The  Soviet Union  had very little street crime, and the Russian mafia was never grew to the size of the Italian-American mafia, or the plethora of other American criminal organizations because of the brutality of the Soviet regime. Saddam Husseins regime provided free health care, access to affordable higher education, enviable for the region transportation systems, and other benefits. The Chinese government provides has better roads, railways, airports, ports, manufacturing facilities, than neighboring democratic India. More recently, democracy is also criticised for not offering enough political stability. As governments are frequently elected on and off, there tend to be frequent changes in the policies of democratic countries both domestically and internationally. Another problem is that the people who vote in democracies may not always have a clear perspective of the figures or policies of the issues theyre voting on. For example, the United Kingdom public thinks that 31% of the population is immigrants, when the official figures are 13%. 29% of people living in UK think they spend more on JSA (Job Safety Analysis) than pensions, when in fact they spend ? Furthermore, some have argued that voters may not be educated enough to exercise their democratic right. A population with low intellect may not be capable of making beneficial decisions. They argue that the lack of rationality or even education is being taken advantage of by politicians that compete more in the way of  public relations  and tactics, rather than in ideology. One of the best ways to measure the impact of the government system a state implements is comparing it as opposed to similar states who took different choices. One of this comparisons can be made between is between India and China, both countries are comparable in the time they have been a state, since India gained its independence in 1947 and the Peoples Republic of China was proclaimed in 1949, and also in that they are populous, by 1951 India had a population of 361,090,000 and China had a population of 563,000,000. However, while India chose democracy, China chose a dictatorship of some sorts. If we look at both countries today, we see that China is doing great economically, whereas in India, the economy isnt. All in all, it is evident that dictatorship is not necessarily evil, corrupt.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Unity and Identity in the Colonies free essay sample

Many such as Benjamin Franklin urged colonial alliance. During the wars first year, Franklin published his famous Join or Die cartoon in Philadelphia, which strongly urged unity amongst the colonies. Due to poor battle tactics, Britain suffered early losses. The losses deteriorated the image of the British as an invincible force in the eyes of the colonists. It showed an underlying layer of weakness, which distanced the colonists from their mother country, Britain.While the actual war served as a tally for the unification of the colonies, the results of the war also had large effects on their identity as a new nation. The victory increased colonial self-esteem, and helped the colonists to perceive themselves as independent people who could defend themselves. Like the French and Indian War, The Proclamation of 1763 was a cardinal event In the development of the colonists sense of identity and unity. The Proclamation declared that settling west of the Appalachians was illegal to colonists. We will write a custom essay sample on Unity and Identity in the Colonies or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The land was declared off limits because it was Indian land, and the King did not want to cause any more dispute between Britain and the Indians. The colonists found this law to be unacceptable. Colonies had already begun planning on settling west, and found that giving land to the Indians was defeating the purpose of the French and Indian War which they had just fought In. Colonies had come to realize their Independence and self-sufficiency. They rebelled against the law, and proceeded In settling westward.Thomas Pains Common Sense is arguably one of the greatest influences on the unity and identity of the colonists. Thomas Pains pamphlet brought the possibility of Revolution Into full focus for the colonists. The writings placed blame for the suffering of the colonies solely on King George Ill, the current British ruler. Paine beseeches the Idea of an Immediate declaration of Independence, Implying that America had a moral obligation to secede from the corrupt nation. Common Sense rather inspired colonists to initiate secession from Britain, and lead to the writing of the Declaration of Independence.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Infectious Disease Research Paper Anthrax free essay sample

Typically spread from humans to livestock and can be transmitted via air, soil, animal hides, and food. The dormant spores of Anthrax can live in soil and animal products, such as hides (leather) for years and it is not easy to kill by heat or cold. Once spores are eaten by livestock, they are activated very quickly, and the bacteria then reproduces. The animal typically dies and the bacteria is returned to the soil and water as spores. Diagnosis typically requires the element of suspicion for a physician to diagnose anthrax. Diagnosis begins with culturing the bacterium and performing a gram stain. A motility test and the lack of hemolysis on blood agar can also be used to diagnose anthrax. The main virulence factors are it’s polypeptide capsule and what is referred to as a tripartite toxin which is composed of three separate proteins. One protein is called edema factor the second protein is protective antigen, and the third is lethal factor which causes massive inflammation and shock. We will write a custom essay sample on Infectious Disease Research Paper Anthrax or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There is a vaccine that contains live spores and a toxoid prepared from a special strain of B anthracis used to protect livestock in areas of high anthrax cases. There is also a purified toxoid that is recommended for humans that have frequent contact with livestock or animal products that could potentially carry the bacteria. The preferred treatment for anthrax is antibiotics such as penicillin, doxycycline, or ciproflaxin. Anthrax has become one of the popular choices for use as a biological warfare agent. Reasons for this would be because the spores of Bacillus anthracis can remain dangerous for many decades. Other than the use of anthrax in bioterrorism, the occurrence of anthrax is rare and occurs most frequently in developing countries with high agriculture concentration and without veterinary public health programs. Works Cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human

Sunday, November 24, 2019

About Norman Foster and Britains Modern Architecture

About Norman Foster and Britains Modern Architecture Pritzker Prize-winning architect Norman Foster (born June 1, 1935 in Manchester, England) is famous for futuristic designs - like Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, California - that explore technological shapes and social ideas. His big tent civic center constructed with the modern plastic ETFE even made the Guinness Book of World Records for being the worlds tallest tensile structure, yet it was built for the comfort and enjoyment of the Kazakhstan public. In addition to winning the most prestigious award for architecture, the Pritzker Prize, Foster has been knighted and granted the rank of baron by Queen Elizabeth II. For all of his celebrity, however, Foster came from humble beginnings. Born in a working class family, Norman Foster did not seem likely to become a famous architect. Although he was a good student in high school and showed an early interest in architecture, he did not enroll in college until he was 21 years old.   By the time he had decided to become an architect, Foster had been a radar technician in the Royal Air Forces and worked in the treasury department of Manchester Town Hall. In college he studied bookkeeping and commercial law, so he was prepared to handle the business aspects of an architectural firm when the time came. Foster won numerous scholarships during his years at Manchester University, including one to attend Yale University in the United States. He graduated from Manchester University School of Architecture in 1961 and went on to earn a Masters Degree at Yale on a Henry Fellowship. Returning to his native United Kingdom, Foster co-founded the successful Team 4 architectural firm in 1963. His partners were his wife, Wendy Foster, and the husband and wife team of Richard Rogers and Sue Rogers. His own firm, Foster Associates (Foster Partners), was founded in London in 1967. Foster Associates became known for high tech design that explored technological shapes and ideas. In his work, Foster often uses off-site manufactured parts and the repetition of modular elements. The firm frequently designs special components for other high-tech modernist buildings. He is a designer of parts that he elegantly assembles. Selected Early Projects After establishing his own architectural firm in 1967, the affable architect did not take long to be noticed with a portfolio of well-received projects. One of his first successes was the Willis Faber and Dumas Building built between 1971 and 1975 in Ipswich, England. No ordinary office building, the Willis Building is an asymmetrical, three-story blob of a structure, with a roof of grass to be enjoyed as a park space by the office workers. In 1975 Fosters design was a very early example of architecture that could be both energy efficient and socially responsible, to be used as a template for what is possible in an urban environment. The office building was quickly followed by the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, a gallery and educational facility built between 1974 and 1978 at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. In this building we begin to see the Foster enthusiasm for observable metal triangles and walls of glass. Internationally, attention was paid to Fosters high-tech skyscraper for the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) in Hong Kong, built between 1979 and 1986, and then the Century Tower built between 1987 and 1991 in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Asian successes were followed by the 53-story tallest building in Europe, the ecology-minded Commerzbank Tower, built from 1991 to 1997 in Frankfurt, Germany. The high profile Bilbao Metro in 1995 was part of the urban revitalization that swept the city of Bilbao, Spain. Back in the United Kingdom, Foster and Partners completed the Cranfield University Library in Bedfordshire (1992), the Faculty of Law at the University of Cambridge (1995), the American Air Museum at Duxford airfield in Cambridge (1997), and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) in Glasgow (1997). In 1999 Norman Foster received architectures most prestigious award, the Pritzker Architecture Prize, and also  was honored by Queen Elizabeth II naming him Lord Foster of Thames Bank.The Pritzker jury cited his steadfast devotion to the principles of architecture as an art form, for his contributions in defining an architecture with high technological standards, and for his appreciation of the human values involved in producing consistently well-designed projects as their reasons for his becoming a Pritzker Laureate. Post-Pritzker Work Norman Foster never rested upon his laurels after winning the Pritzker Prize. He finished the Reichstag Dome for the new German Parliament in 1999, which remains one of Berlins most popular tourist attractions. The 2004 Millau Viaduct, a  cable-stayed bridge in Southern France, is one of the bridges youll want to cross at least once in your life. With this structure, the architects of the firm claim to be expressing a fascination with the relationship between function, technology and aesthetics in a graceful structural form. Throughout the years, Foster and Partners has continued to create office towers that explore the environmentally sensitive, uplifting workplace begun by Commerzbank in Germany and  the Willis Building in Britain. Additional office towers include the Torre Bankia (Torres Repsol), Cuatro Torres Business Area in Madrid, Spain (2009), the Hearst Tower in New York City (2006),   the Swiss Re in London (2004), and The Bow in Calgary, Canada (2013). Other interests of the Foster group have been the transportation sector  - including the 2008 Terminal T3 in Beijing, China and Spaceport America in New Mexico, the U.S. in 2014 - and building with Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene, creating plastic buildings like the 2010 Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center in Astana, Kazakhstan and the 2013 SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland. Lord Norman Foster in London One need only visit London to receive a lesson in Norman Foster architecture. The most recognizable Foster design is the 2004 office tower for Swiss Re at 30 St Mary Axe in London. Locally called The Gherkin, the missile-shaped building is a case study for computer-aided design and energy and environmental design. Within site of the gherkin is the most-used Foster tourist attraction, the Millennium Bridge over the Thames River. Built in 2000, the pedestrian bridge also has a nickname  -    it became known as the Wobbly Bridge when 100,000 people rhythmically crossed during the opening week, which created an unnerving sway. The Foster firm has called it greater than expected lateral movement created by synchronised pedestrian footfall. Engineers installed dampers under the deck, and the bridge has been good-to-go ever since. Also in 2000, Foster and Partners put a cover over the Great Court at the British Museum, which has become another tourist destination. Throughout his career, Norman Foster has chosen projects to be used by different population groups - the residential housing project Albion Riverside in 2003; the futuristic modified sphere of London City Hall, a public building in 2002; and the 2015 rail station enclosure called Crossrail Place Roof Garden at Canary Wharf, which incorporates a rooftop park beneath ETFE plastic cushions. Whatever project completed for whatever user community, the designs of Norman Foster will always be first class. In Fosters Own Words I think one of the many themes in my work is the benefits of triangulation that can make structures rigid with less material. - 2008 Buckminster Fuller was the kind of green guru...He was a design scientist, if you like, a poet, but he foresaw all the things that are happening now....You can go back to his writings: its quite extraordinary. It was at that time, with an awareness fired by Buckys prophecies, his concerns as a citizen, as a kind of citizen of the planet, that influenced my thinking and what we were doing at that time. - 2006 SUMMARY: Triangulation in Norman Foster Buildings The Bow, 2013, Calgary, CanadaGeorge Rose/Getty ImagesThe people of Calgary call this building not only the most beautiful in Calgary and the best skyscraper in Canada, but it is also the tallest building outside of Toronto, at least for now. The crescent-shaped design of The Bow makes this Alberta skyscraper 30 percent lighter than most modern buildings its size. Named after the River Bow, Norman Fosters building was built between 2005 and 2013 as a mixed-use structure anchored by the headquarters of Cenovus Energy, Inc. Its curved design faces south  - gathering valuable heat and natural daylight  - with a convex facade toward the prevailing wind. Designed as a diagrid, six stories for each triangulated section, most offices of the 58 story skyscraper (775 feet; 239 meters) have a window view because of the curved design. Constructed of trussed-tubes, steel-framed with a glass curtain wall, The Bow has three interior sky gardens - on levels 24, 42 and 54.30 St Mary Axe, 2004 , London, EnglandDavid Crespo/Getty ImagesThe visual geometry of what locals call The Gherkin changes as point of view changes - seen from above, the patterns create a kaleidoscope. Hearst Tower, 2006, New York CityhAndrew C Mace/Getty ImagesThe modern 42-story tower completed in 2006 on top of the 1928 Hearst building is both award-winning and controversial. Norman Foster built the high-tech tower atop the six-story Hearst International Magazine Building designed by Joseph Urban and George P. Post. Foster claims that his design preserved the faà §ade of the existing structure and establishes a creative dialogue between the old and new. Some have said, A dialog? Oh, really? To the unsuspecting, the Hearst Corporation global headquarters is a shocking site as one crosses 57th Street at 8th Avenue in New York City. Like The Bow, the Hearst Tower is a diagrid, using 20% less steel than similar structures. True to Foster architecture, the Tower is constructed of 85% recycled steel and   high performance low emission glass with integrated roller blinds. Harvested roof water is recycled throughout the building, including to the Atriums three-story waterfall wall ca lled Icefall. The building received a LEED Platinum; certification. Sources Foster Partners, Projects, https://www.fosterandpartners.comJury Citation, The Hyatt Foundation, https://www.pritzkerprize.com/1999/juryLord Norman Foster. Interview by Vladimir Belogolovskiy, archi.ru, June 30, 2008, https://archi.ru/en/6679/lord-norman-foster-fosterpartners-intervyu-i-tekst-vladimira-belogolovskogo [accessed May 28, 2015]My green agenda for architecture, December 2006, TED Talk at the 2007 DLD (Digital-Life-Design) Conference, Munich, Germany,  https://www.ted.com/talks/norman_foster_s_green_agenda [accessed May 28, 2015]Project Description, foster partners, fosterandpartners.com/projects/the-bow/The Bow, Emporis, https://www.emporis.com/buildings/282150/the-bow-calgary-canada [accessed July 26, 2013]Specifications, The Bow Building, www.the-bow.com/specifications/ [accessed August 14, 2016]Project Description, foster partners, fosterandpartners.com/projects/hearst-tower/ [accessed July 30, 2013]Hearst Tower, hearst.com/real-estate/hearst-tower [accessed July 30, 2013]

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Why are people still willing to live in primitive conditions in Research Paper

Why are people still willing to live in primitive conditions in today's modern society - Research Paper Example Thinking about primitive people makes us conjure up negative images of them and we think of those who probably lived prior to the rise of the civilization. â€Å"The images are often of people who are sickly, squatting half naked with stained teeth, scavenging through the jungle, short, poorly nourished, living desperate lives in a hostile environment† – Thom Hartmann (We Think Primitive People Live In Fear) Our assumption is that since such people do not have any settled agriculture they have to continuously look and struggle for food, that they are constantly afraid of going hungry and starving. Besides, they are also not acquainted with technology and thus they live at the whim of nature. They cannot protect themselves from their enemies and cannot make their life easier by using technology. From our understanding we do not consider such people as being completely human. The general view is that such people are not a part of our current world. Rather, they belong to the pre historic time which was a very murky period indeed. That was what led to the arrival of civilization when at last man achieved success and became a proper human being. The reason why such myths are present is because of the limited mindsets prevailing. The general population does not have any kind of an exposure and their minds are limited to what they have read and heard. From our history we know that colonization too pace and the savages bettered their lives to become what we are today. However, we do not really know how exactly those people had lived. Our thinking is that we do not have to understand the way they use to live because we do not need to. â€Å"It was an inferior lifestyle and we are good to be rid of it. There is nothing we can learn from these people† (We Think Primitive People Live In Fear). However, such is not the case in reality. If we actually try and look into the way they live we will find out that their lives are not at all the way we imagine them to be. In actuality those living in primitive conditions have a normal life; they are not struggling for food nor are they always angry, depressed or schizophrenic. They live a healthy life and when we compare our nutrition with theirs, we would find that they have a better and more varied diet. Besides, such people suffer from lesser diseases as we do and it is not necessary that they die early; they can also have a long life. They are not barbarians and do not grunt at each other. Rather, they have their own language which might be pretty complex for us but it is their language after all. Like us, they also have their traditions and customs and legal systems. Like every human being of curse there take place battles but they are not on such a huge scale. Their concept of war is not as cruel as is ours. Of course that doesn’t mean that their lives are perfect; there can definitely be problems. However, they do not have a brutish or savage life. They do not always keep f ighting with each other or hit each other. They do not have a very modern life like ours, but they are not the ones ruining Mother Earth; it is us. One such example of primitive people is the Bushmen living in the Kalahari Desert. They live in bands of about 50 people and together they travel and hunt. â€Å"For the Bushmen, education is the learning of survival skills† (Rogers and Feiss 12). They have to be able to understand that they have to take in at least as much calories as they burn. Therefore, it is according to this factor that they decide whether they should be hunting a particular animal in regard to whether it would be able to give them the same amount of energy as they would use up in hunting. Women, on the other hand,