Thursday, December 26, 2019

How Radio Waves Help Us Understand the Universe

Humans perceive the universe using visible light that we can see with our eyes. Yet, theres more to the cosmos than what we see using the visible light that streams from stars, planets, nebulae, and galaxies. These objects and events in the universe also give off other forms of radiation, including radio emissions. Those natural signals fill in an important part of the cosmic of how and why objects in the universe behave as they do. Tech Talk: Radio Waves in Astronomy Radio waves are electromagnetic waves (light), but we cant see them. They have wavelengths between 1 millimeter (one-thousandth of a meter) and 100 kilometers (one kilometer is equal to one thousand meters). In terms of frequency, this is equivalent to 300 Gigahertz (one Gigahertz is equal to one billion Hertz) and 3 kilohertz. A Hertz (abbreviated as Hz) is a commonly used unit of frequency measurement. One Hertz is equal to one cycle of frequency. So, a 1-Hz signal is one cycle per second. Most cosmic objects emit signals at hundreds to billions of cycles per second. People often confuse radio emissions with something that people can hear. Thats largely because we use radios for communication and entertainment. But, humans do not hear radio frequencies from cosmic objects. Our ears can sense frequencies from 20 Hz to 16,000 Hz (16 KHz). Most cosmic objects emit at Megahertz frequencies, which is much higher than the ear hears. This is why radio astronomy (along with x-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared) is often thought to reveal an invisible universe that we can neither see nor hear. Sources of Radio Waves in the Universe Radio waves usually are emitted by energetic objects and activities in the universe. The   Sun is the closest source of radio emissions beyond Earth. Jupiter also emits radio waves, as do events occurring at Saturn. One of the most powerful sources of radio emission outside of the solar system, and beyond the Milky Way  galaxy, comes from active galaxies (AGN). These dynamic objects are powered by supermassive black holes at their cores. Additionally, these black hole engines will create massive jets of material that glow brightly with radio emissions. These can often outshine the entire galaxy in radio frequencies. Pulsars, or rotating neutron stars, are also strong sources of radio waves. These strong, compact objects are created when massive stars die as  supernovae. Theyre  second only to black holes in terms of ultimate density. With powerful magnetic fields and fast rotation rates, these objects emit a broad spectrum of  radiation, and they are particularly bright in radio. Like supermassive black holes, powerful radio jets are created, emanating from the magnetic poles or the spinning neutron star. Many pulsars are referred to as radio pulsars because of their strong radio emission. In fact, data from the  Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope  showed evidence of a new breed of pulsars that appears strongest in gamma-rays instead of the more common radio. The process of their creation remains the same, but their emissions tell us more about the energy involved in each type of object.   Supernova remnants themselves can be particularly strong emitters of radio waves. The Crab Nebula is famous for its radio signals that alerted astronomer Jocelyn Bell to its existence.   Radio Astronomy Radio astronomy is the study of objects and processes in space that emit radio frequencies. Every source detected to date is a naturally occurring one. The emissions are picked up here on Earth by  radio telescopes. These are large instruments, as it is necessary for the detector area to be larger than the detectable wavelengths. Since radio waves can be larger than a meter (sometimes much larger), the scopes are typically in excess of several meters (sometimes 30 feet across or more). Some wavelengths can be as large as a mountain, and so astronomers have built extended arrays of radio telescopes.   The larger the collection area is, compared to the wave size, the better the angular resolution a radio telescope has. (Angular resolution is a measure of how close two small objects can be before they are indistinguishable.) Radio Interferometry Since radio waves can have very long wavelengths, standard radio telescopes need to be very large in order to obtain any sort of precision. But since building stadium size radio telescopes can be cost prohibitive (especially if you want them to have any steering capability at all), another technique is needed to achieve the desired results. Developed in the mid-1940s, radio interferometry aims to achieve the kind of angular resolution that would come from incredibly large dishes without the expense. Astronomers achieve this  by using multiple detectors in parallel with each other. Each one studies the same object at the same time as the others. Working together, these telescopes effectively act like one giant telescope the size of the whole group of detectors together. For example, the Very Large Baseline Array has detectors 8,000 miles apart. Ideally, an array of many radio telescopes at different separation distances would work together to optimize the effective size of the collection area as well improve the resolution of the instrument. With the creation of advanced communication and timing technologies, it has become possible to use telescopes that exist at great distances from each other (from various points around the globe and even in orbit around  the Earth). Known as Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), this technique significantly improves the capabilities of individual radio telescopes and allows researchers to probe some of the most dynamic objects in the  universe. Radios Relationship to Microwave Radiation The radio wave band also overlaps with the microwave band (1 millimeter to 1 meter). In fact, what is commonly called  radio astronomy, is really microwave astronomy, although some radio instruments do detect wavelengths much beyond 1 meter. This is a source of confusion as some publications will list the microwave band and radio bands separately, while others will simply use the term radio to include both the classical radio band and the microwave band. Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Struggle Of Women By The Sherlock Holmes Stories By...

In crime fiction, many themes are encountered in crime stories, enabling the reader to reflect on the cultural and moral values of the society. These stories discuss various topics such as race, ethnicity, sexism, and femininity. In the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the independence of women is shown as a conflict in society that must be solved and controlled by men. This may be demonstrated by the poor representation of single women present in the Sherlock Holmes stories, such as Mary Morstan and Irene Adler who are considered as a problem in this society, because they do not have the presence of a male figure guiding them in their everyday lives. In the stories, the issues caused by these women are redundantly resolved by marrying a man. This implies an unacceptable prejudice towards the female gender. Firstly, in the stories, single women who are alone appear to be problematic due to the lack of men in their everyday lives. Mary Morstan is isolated, and must be saved by men, whereas Irene Adler is presented as being a scandalous woman who must be restrained. As Mary Morstan first approaches Holmes and Watson to state her case, she explains that her mother has deceased, her father has disappeared, and that she does not have any other family member close by to be there for her, therefore, she is alone. She says: â€Å"My father was an Indian regiment, [...] My mother was dead, and I had no relative in England.† (Conan Doyle,Show MoreRelatedThe Character of Sherlock Holmes in Sir Arthur by Conan Doyle1742 Words   |  7 PagesThe Character of Sherlock Holmes in Sir Arthur by Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the renowned author who gave birth to the extraordinary crime detective tales of Sherlock Holmes. Conan Doyle was born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh and educated at Stonyhurst College and the University of Edinburgh. From 1882 to 1890 he practiced medicine in Southsea, England. A Study in Scarlet, the first of 60 stories featuring Sherlock Holmes, appeared in 1887. The characterizationRead MoreThe Stories Of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle937 Words   |  4 PagesSir Arthur Conan Doyle is a 19th century author who is known by his stories of Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes is a crime series based in the Victorian era when â€Å"feminists in this period were calling for women and children to have equal protection under the law† (Miller 55). He is consider one of most known iconic British characters created who solves mysteries with visual detection. One thing is clear author Conan Doyle portrays women as a weakness in Holmes’s visual approach, â€Å"his extraordinaryRead MoreThe Veiled Lodger by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and The Lamb To The Slaughter by Roald Dahl1436 Words   |  6 PagesIn the stories The Veiled Lodger by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and The Lamb To The Slaughter by Roald Dahl, both women murder their husbands. Who do you have the most sympathy for, and why? In the stories The Veiled Lodger by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and The Lamb To The Slaughter by Roald Dahl, both women murder their husbands. Who do you have the most sympathy for, and why? The adventure of the veiled lodger is an epic tale of treachery, murder, and deceit. Written in VictorianRead MoreComparing Sherlock Holmes the Speckled Band and Roald Dahls Lamb to the Slaughter2524 Words   |  11 PagesComparing the two stories ‘The Adventures of the Speckled Band’ and ‘The Lamb to the Slaughter’ Within this essay I will be comparing and contrasting the two detective stories ‘The Adventures of the Speckled Band’ and ‘The Lamb to the Slaughter’, referring to the structure, language and characterisation. ‘The speckled band’ was written in 1892 by Sir Arthur Doyle, he was qualified as a doctor which gave him a medical perspective for all his stories. ‘The lamb to the slaughter’ was written in 1952Read MoreSusan Glaspell’s One-Act Play, Trifles: Men Vs Women1190 Words   |  5 Pagesthe women for spending time â€Å"worrying over trifles† (Glaspell 918) rather than the case. Ironically, the women’s subjective notions about the case lead to a better understanding of the circumstances than the men’s cold and objective view of the facts of the case. In â€Å"Trifles† the conflict between the sexes can be based on one very important question, how are the perceptions of the men and the women diffe rent and from where does their internal bias arise? Upon closer inspection of the story, weRead MoreVictorian Novel9605 Words   |  39 Pagesthat its new type emerged- sensational fiction. Written as more entertaining form, it appealed to the middle-class women, especially housewives. They were interested in the tales of bigamy, double identity, violence, set in the realities close to what they were familiar with. What is more, during that time the nation had to face two challenges of social quality. The position of the women in society and their rights to own property within marriage, and the problem of illiteracy- poorer classes were not

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Antecedents and Consequences of Ethical Leadership †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Antecedents and Consequences of Ethical Leadership. Answer: Introduction: The essay deals with the analysis of aspects of change that has been observed in a group. Leadership is the ability of translating visions into realities. Devoid of proper governance and efficient leadership at every level in civil, public and private organizations, it is debatably nearly impossible to sustain and achieve efficient administration, to accomplish goals, to maintain the quality as well as deliver first class services. The growing requirements and complexities that arise from the continuous changes in the society, in addition to the continuous drive for higher productivity, call for ethical and effective leadership (Auerbach, 2012). Proper governance with ethical and effective leadership is the vital requirements for an organization to do well in the twenty-first century. Quality leadership in the educational field is essential for an all-round success of a school system or an individual school. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the thirty-fourth President of United States, had stated in his definition of leadership that it is an art of getting something done by somebody else. Leadership is witnessed at not only the work place, but almost everywhere. At all circumstances, the leader initiates or takes a step forward for taking charge of the situations. It can be at the workplace, educational institution, or any other place. No person is a leader from the birth. A person becomes a leader as they have the sincerity and credibility, as a result other individuals would be inclined to obey or follow them (Flores et al., 2012). As per my observation, the leaders possessed exemplary leadership skills and qualities such as honesty, confidence, commitment, discipline, positive attitude and creativity. The body language of the leaders was appropriate and they were active listeners. The group members were able to participate actively in the group sessions and share their views. Proper planning was done by the leaders, which helped in proper management of the group activities. The leaders regularly invited the group members to share their views and opinions on the happenings over the weeks. The leaders encouraged the participation of the group members in the group activities by properly interacting with them in a two way communication process. However, a few members took active participation in the group meetings while the others remained reluctant. The major issue, which aroused was the lack of confidence among a few members. Due to lack of confidence, a few group members could not openly express their views and could not freely participate in the group activities. Throughout the session, I have observed that the leaders were friendly in nature and encouraged all the group members to participate in the group activities. They were successful in paying equal attention to all the members. In order to make the activities interesting, the leaders often asked questions to the group members and tried to raise the level of confidence of the group members who lacked the courage to put forward their views and suggestions. I observed the leaders to be emphatic and enforce a cross- cultural leadership style. Since the group members belonged to different cultures and backgrounds, the implementation of cross- cultural leadership proved to be fruitful for the group activities and restored peace and harmony among the group members. Cross- cultural leadership style ensured that there is equality among the members and no discrimination on any grounds. This enables the group members to form healthy personal relations with the leaders (Galegher, Kraut Egido, 2014 ). An indispensable quality that is important for being an efficient leader, is to have a balanced attitude and have different perspectives. Possessing these qualities gives an ability to view the world from various angles. I, as a leader assuming to be equipped with these qualities, opine that, the mode by which I perceive the world is definitely not the only mode of perceiving. Rather, I believe in the principle thatthe world is viewed by various ways by different people. By the conception of perspective, I believe that, there is a probability to modify my views to give new insight for my actions. This quality calls for immense intellectualities as well as philosophical modesty from members of a certain organization (Dugan, Kodama Gebhardt, 2012). The factor of body language determination has been an important part in the observation process. It comprises of gesture, facial expression and others. Body language makes a major impact as a speaker. Some members make gestures by nodding heads, which may either imply a yes or a no. However, it varies from person to person. It has been evident that meetings are a process followed in any workplace. The reason can be sharing of thoughts. There are pseudo listeners who act or pretend to listen. However, active listening has really been on the focus, as it is the process of listening in a full attentive manner. This process has been aggravated by globalization. The seating arrangement has also been an area of focus in my observation, as it can influence the whole interaction or meeting among people. However, it often happens by chance, and not intentionally. It has been assumed that seating arrangements should be done by providing justice to every member. The leaders were placed at the centre, able to communicate and obverse the other members. The strategy of shared leadership was observed to be working in the educative group. Shared leadership models of governance mean the leaders seek out other persons in the school premises to build a partnership, hit the strengths of others, and progress the vision forward jointly. The leaders acted and believed in traditions that call for invitations and encouraged a common purpose appreciate that intensified relationship that was developed by both informal and formal interaction and was elementary to motivate every member to proceed in a similar direction. Planning in a group helps in achieving a common goal. Similarly, I have observed that the leaders ensured that there is an alternative plan in case the primary plan does not work. As one of the various leadership aspects, implementation of a fruitful change management strategy is an important part of any fruitful leadership strategy of the team. Organizational change has been a constant trait of contemporary organizations and the reliance upon program delivery and successful projects has not been higher. It does not depend on the shortage of money that is generating a large number of strategic initiative mishaps (Mendenhall, 2012). The most important causes are often related to inadequate communications, across the organization. Effective leaders in the school are the key to a large scale and sustainable reform of education. Leaders have a deep and more lasting impact on organization and provides more comprehensive headship if the focus spreads beyond sustaining high standards. Cultural Change leaders display blatant enthusiasm, hope and energy. Moreover, few indispensable components characterizes the leaders in the knowledge society, such as moral purpose, understanding of the process of change, the ability to develop relationship, knowledge sharing and creation, and rationality (Holt Marques, 2012). Moral purpose is the societal responsibility to the environment and other persons. leaders in school with a moral purpose intend to make some differences in the lives of the students. They have been concerned regarding bridging the gap between the high performers and lower performers in schools and raising the achievements of the students (Bogotch, 2014). The objective is not just to innovate, but Innovating in a selective manner with rationality is considered better. Possessing the best idea is not sufficient. The leaders helped other persons to find and assess collective meanings and commitments to new means. The leaders did not avoid the expected early difficulty of trying some new thing. It was known to them, for instance, that regardless of how much they arrange or plan for the changes, the first few months after implementing will be rough (Wagner et al., 2012). Resistance is to be redefined. Successful leaders are generally not concerned when naysayers cause an argument. Sometimes the doubters have significant points to be taken into consideration. Leaders seek for means for addressing those concerns. Reculturing has been the name of the game, which says that a culture of the school influences the thought process of the people, their feelings, and actions. Being competent to shape and understand the culture is a key to the success of schools in promoting learning of the students and staffs (Northouse, 2015). Creation and sharing of knowledge is fundamental to effective leaderships. Information, facts or data, of which we have an overabundance, simply becomes knowledge by asocialprocess. Therefore, professional learning communities and relationships are necessary. Organizations must promote knowledge seeking as well as knowledge giving. Student Success Skills is a program designed for helping the students to develop the academic, self management and social skills that are required to be successful in schools. The counselors in school are encouraged for setting themselves up for the success in presentation of outcomes by implementation of the interventions as anticipated and keeping a track of the attendance of the student in a group session (Mayer et al., 2012). Good Governance and efficient leadership are considered two sides of one coin. The two have several mutual elements. Good Governance may not be envisaged by us in totality without an efficient leadership. In reality, we may not achieve good governance in totality for psychological, sociological and cultural impacts as well as differences. Leaders are expected to walk their talk; that is, the leaders are expected to practically do what has beensaid by their mouth. Promptness for accepting the change is an additional essential constituent to ensure good governance; in order that the present leaders as well as the emerging leaders in future ought to be prepared for accepting the change and proceed accordingly. References Auerbach, S. (Ed.). (2012).School leadership for authentic family and community partnerships: Research perspectives for transforming practice. Routledge. Bogotch, I. (2014). Educational theory: The specific case of social justice as an educational leadership construct. InInternational handbook of educational leadership and social (in) justice(pp. 51-65). Springer Netherlands. Dugan, J. P., Kodama, C. M., Gebhardt, M. C. (2012). Race and leadership development among college students: The additive value of collective racial esteem.Journal of Diversity in Higher Education,5(3), 174. Flores, K. L., Matkin, G. S., Burbach, M. E., Quinn, C. E., Harding, H. (2012). Deficient critical thinking skills among college graduates: Implications for leadership.Educational Philosophy and Theory,44(2), 212-230. Galegher, J., Kraut, R. E., Egido, C. (2014).Intellectual teamwork: Social and technological foundations of cooperative work. Psychology Press. Holt, S., Marques, J. (2012). Empathy in leadership: Appropriate or misplaced? An empirical study on a topic that is asking for attention.Journal of business ethics,105(1), 95-105. Mayer, D. M., Aquino, K., Greenbaum, R. L., Kuenzi, M. (2012). Who displays ethical leadership, and why does it matter? An examination of antecedents and consequences of ethical leadership.Academy of Management Journal,55(1), 151-171. Mendenhall, M. E. (Ed.). (2012).Global leadership: Research, practice, and development. Routledge. Northouse, P. G. (2015).Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications. Wagner, T., Kegan, R., Lahey, L. L., Lemons, R. W., Garnier, J., Helsing, D., ... Rasmussen, H. T. (2012).Change leadership: A practical guide to transforming our schools. John Wiley Sons.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Lamb To The Slaughter By Dahl Essays - Lamb To The Slaughter, Lamb

Lamb To The Slaughter By Dahl Characterization, a method that an author chooses to develop his/her character, is a very important element in a story. In "Lamb to the Slaughter," Roald Dahl, effectively develops the protagonist both directly and indirectly; however, the use of indirect characterization is more dominant because it reveals her actions and how she deals with her conflict, her words, and creating a dynamic character with her words, and her personality. First, she seems like a typical house-wife longing for her husband to return, but something is odd about this particular day; "There was a slow smiling air about her, and about everything she did...was curiously tranquil...the eyes, with their new placid look, seemed larger, and darker than before" (108). It was almost as if she is expecting something unusual to happen, and that she is preparing for that specific moment. In addition, her actions change from being a wife-pleasing-husband, to a self-conscious woman that knew all of a sudden, exactly what to do, as if she had been prepared for months. Also, in the beginning of the story she is described as a inoffensive, harmless person, but immediately after her husband reveals his burden, she becomes unstable and almost naturally she hits her husband. She "...simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamb...and brought it down as hard as she could..." (111). And as strange as it looks, she goes somewhat through a metamorphoses, from being a content house-wife, to a maniac, possessed woman, to the point of killing her husband. Second, she reveals through her words, her duplicity and deceitfulness by exterminating all the evidence left. When the police arrived she trying to hide evidence, asks for her husband's whiskey, "?Jack...would you mind giving me a drink?'...'You mean this whiskey?'...'Yes, please'...'Why don't you eat up that lamb that is in the oven?'..." (115,116), and the reader realizes that she tries to convince others with her deceitful lies, and with a concrete set of credible words, she gets away easily; "She tried a smile. It came out so peculiar...The voice sounded so peculiar too...She rehearsed it several times more..." (112). Mrs. Maloney, had thought about it even before the incident happened, for she tries to look as normal as possible, by acting it out her daily routine. Finally, her personality creates in her a dynamic characterization, and as the reader observes it when she is talking to the shopkeeper, by saying something very odd: "'I got a nice leg of lamb from the freezer...I don't much like cooking it frozen...but I'm taking a chance on it this time. You think it'll be alltight?" (112). What she was really referring, was what she had done just minutes ago. But when she said , at the end, to him if "it'll be allright?" she revealed a weak, fragile nature as if she had been pulled out of a protective coat all of a sudden and left naked, for she is described by the narrator as a loving and faithful wife, who is willing to do anything for her husband. Moreover, at the end when she offers the leg of lamb to the officers, she does another extraordinary act; "And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle" (116). And by doing so, she was declaring that she was indeed independent, and was mature enough to make her own decisions based on what she thought was the best, not others. Roald Dahl, developed the protagonist successfully in "Lamb to the Slaughter," through a way that is important in this short story. Where indirect characterization is the most predominant in the protagonist's actions, words, and how the author creates a convincing dynamic character, which reflects it in the body itself.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Voting in America essays

Voting in America essays Although every American citizen over 18 years of age is allowed to vote only about half of those turn out to vote on Election Day. For the last 50 years we have never had a higher percentage than 62.8 of eligible Americans voting. The percentage of voters tends to be between 60% and 50% during a presidential election year. Years when only Congressmen are being elected the percentages are even lower. It is very important for Americans to vote because those who are elected to office make the laws and decisions that affect the well being of our country. There are some historical, social, and economical issues throughout our past and today, however that explain why people don't vote. After the creation of the Constitution, two factions arose. They were the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. The Federalists were for the ratification of the proposed Constitution, because they thought the Articles of Confederation were weak and the new Republic would overcome the difficulties of the Articles of Confederation. The Anti-Federalist were opposed to the ratification of the Constitution because it didn't mention the States and their powers. Plus, it did not contain a Bill of Rights to protect the people. From these two groups grew the parties we have today. The Federalists later became the current day Republicans. The Anti-Federalists lead, by Jefferson, formed the Democratic Republicans which later became known as the Democrats. Since the first election there have been three major time periods where one party controlled the government and one era where neither party could gain consistent control of the Executive branch for more than 2 or 3 elections. After the constitutions ratification the Democrats won almost all of the elections. The Democrats were largely supported by small farmers, debtors, frontier pioneers, and slaveholders. As the civil war approached, however the Democrats were split between the North and the South. Then wit...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Reillys Law of Retail Gravitation

Reilly's Law of Retail Gravitation In 1931, William J. Reilly was inspired by the law of gravity to create an application of the gravity model to measure retail trade between two cities. His work and theory, The Law of Retail Gravitation, allows us to draw trade area boundaries around cities using the distance between the cities and the population of each city. History of the Theory Reilly realized that the larger a city, the larger a trade area it would have and thus it would draw from a larger hinterland around the city. Two cities of equal size have a trade area boundary midway between the two cities. When cities are of unequal size, the boundary lies closer to the smaller city, giving the larger city a larger trade area. Reilly called the boundary between two trade areas the breaking point (BP). On that line, exactly half the population shops at either of the two cities. The formula is used between two cities to find the BP between the two. The distance between the two cities is divided by one plus the result of dividing the population of city B by the population of city A. The resulting BP is the distance from city A to the 50% boundary of the trade area. One can determine the complete trade area of a city by determining the BP between multiple cities or centers. Of course, Reillys law presumes that the cities are on a flat plain without any rivers, freeways, political boundaries, consumer preferences, or mountains to modify an individuals progress toward a city.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Enterprise and Business Development Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Enterprise and Business Development - Term Paper Example Target Market Be in one of the most highly rated industries for stability and success, Laundry services offers an opportunity to everyone who wants to earn a high return. It is the advantage is that laundry services can be located everywhere. It is possible to build brand new laundry services. Being a laundry service is probably the most overlooked fashion-related career. They should maintain a friendly, fair, and creative work environment, which respects diversity, ideas, and hard work. However, more than ever, people need laundry services, including the rich and famous or simple people who simply need to look their best in their favorite outfit. Whether the clients own expensive designer garments or whether it’s just simple cloths people trust their laundry services to remove spots, repair hems and make sure those garments looking their best (Boone, Kurtz, 1992).  Ã‚  Ã‚   The bargaining power of customers is great.   The range of services is standardized, but on the other hand laundry services is the key industry in its group which secure it from a decrease in services. Laundry services target three main groups of customers: individuals, public sector and private sector companies (hospitals, beauty salons, universities, hotels, etc). For attracting new customers Laundry service can open an advertising campaign. Primarily, it will be orie nted on the following groups of new customers: pensioners from the southern part of the city, families with children aged 5-12 years, students. Laundry service is an expert in apparel and fabric cleaning and caring that utilizes the latest solvents, technologies, and equipment to prolong the life of a piece of clothing or household item. Laundry services marketing challenge is to position service offerings as the high quality, high value-add alternative. Opportunities for Laundry service are evident. It is simple and economical. While the idea of Laundry services is not a new revelation, Laundry service provides a simple and economical means to start own business. Laundry service is one of the most needed cleaning businesses in the market today.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Employment Law Compliance Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employment Law Compliance Plan - Assignment Example Please note that the descriptions contain the consequences of the violation of the employment laws. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour applies to covered nonexempt employees (Fox & Davenport, 2013). The rate took effect from July 24, 2009. The minimum wage in Texas and Federal are equal. The federal minimum wage covers the workers of businesses with more than $500,000 (Canas & Cross, 2008). However, the administrative personnel, executives, and professional workers are exempted from the protection of the minimum wage. The non-exempted employees deserve a pay for the overtime for time worked over forty hours. The employers are liable for minimum wage if they classify the employees incorrectly as exempt when they do not qualify such status. The violation of the law attracts a fine of more than $100,000. It is a requirement for the employers to offer safety to the employees as stipulated in the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The employees should work in a safe environment that is free of hazards such as toxic chemicals, excessive heat and noise, and mechanical dangers. The employees can file their complaints with the Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDIDWC) (Fox & Davenport, 2013). The employers are liable to compensate the employees as determined by TDIDWC or OSHA. Employers cannot discriminate against the employees who file such complaints. The law prohibits any form of employment discrimination based on religion, race, sex, sexual orientation, color, national origin, disability, and age. Additionally, the law stipulates that employers should not discriminate employees who comply with a subpoena (Canas & Cross, 2008). Employers who violate the law are liable to prosecution and charges imposed on them. The courts have the rights to compel the employers to give compensation to the employees who have suffered due to discrimination. The employers should not

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Edith Whartons Souls Belated Essay Example for Free

Edith Whartons Souls Belated Essay Point of view always influences the way readers perceive events. In literature, the point of view the author chooses not only affects the way readers perceive and interpret events, but it also determines, to some extent, what the readers can actually see. That is, point of view guides the way readers interpret events and draw conclusions by limiting or illuminating the amount and nature of the information from which conclusions can be drawn. In Souls Belated, Edith Wharton uses point of view to illuminate the thoughts of each character individually, while concealing the thoughts of the other, and eventually to highlight the vastly different mindsets of both characters involved. Wharton first does this by revealing Lydias thoughts to the readers while hiding Gannetts. At the exposition, the story is told in third person, from Lydias point of view. This technique allows readers to see directly into Lydias mind. To know what Gannet is thinking, however, they must accept Lydias version of his thoughts: He was thinking of it now, just as she was; they had been thinking about it in unison ever since they had entered the train (673). Since readers have no direct insight into Gannetts brain, they have no way to know what he is really thinking, but neither do they have, as yet, any substantial reason to doubt Lydias interpretation of events. The third-person-limited point of view is particularly effective because it allows readers to view Lydias thoughts, opinions, and interpretations as facts. If Wharton had chosen to tell the story in first person, from Lydias point of view, the narrative would be clearly subjective. Readers would be aware of the limitations of a first person narrator. Consequently, they would have plenty of incentive to question the accuracy of Lydias perception. On the other hand, if the narrator were omniscient, it would describe Gannetts thoughts as well as Lydias and thereby remove all questions in this matter. The actual third person narrator seems removed enough from the action to appear to be an impartial observer; this inclines readers to accept the narrators statements as facts. That the point of view is limited, however, also leaves in question whether Lydias view of Gannett is correct, whether readers should accept it at face value; this is what  creates the subtle suspense of the story. Wharton builds on this suspense by suggesting that Lydia does know Gannett well enough to know his mind, or, at least, that Lydia thinks she knows Gannett well enough to know: now that he and she were alone she knew exactly what was passing through his mind; she could almost hear him asking himself what he should say to her (673). This not only further inclines readers to accept Lydias interpretation of Gannetts thoughts and emotions, but it also encourages them to be sympathetic to her. Lydia knows what Gannett is thinking, and she dreads it. Since readers know Lydias mind but not Gannetts, they cannot help but see the situation through her eyes. In order to see properly through Lydias eyes, in order to know why she dreads Gannett inevitably speaking to her, readers need to have some sense of her personality. The point of view helps accomplish this as well; it allows readers to extract information about Lydias personality from her reactions to her own memories. For example, when Lydia remembers her ex-husband and her reasons for leaving him, [she] had preferred to think that Tillotson had himself embodied all her reasons for leaving him. Yet she had not left him till she met Gannett (673). From this, readers know that Lydia, at the beginning at least, is not self-secure enough to have left her husband to be on her own. She could not turn from him without having someone else to turn to. However, this discovery had not been agreeable to her self-esteem (673), indicating that not only is Lydia aware of her own insecurity but also that it is something which bothers her. Lydia wants to think of herself as an independent woman but so far has not been as wholly independent as she would like to be. Once readers understand this part of Lydias personality, they are better prepared to understand why Lydia struggles against dependency. Specifically, she struggles against marrying Gannett because she views it as a particularly tempting form of dependency. Lydia fears that by marrying Gannett, she will lose whatever sense of self she has developed since leaving her husband; similarly, she worries that Gannett will lose his sense of self in marrying her. To look upon him as the instrument of her  liberation; to resist herself in the least tendency to a wifely taking possession of his future; had seemed to Lydia the one way of maintaining the dignity of their relation (675). At the same time, however, she realizes that this view of their relationship is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain: she was aware of a growing inability to keep her thoughts fixed on the essential point the point of parting with Gannett (675). Through what the narrator says and does not say about their relationship, readers can infer that Lydia is growing dependent on Gannett but is still trying to fight against it. The insight Wharton gives readers into Lydias personality contrasts sharply with how little they know of Gannett. Because of the narrators limited point of view, readers know only as much about Gannett as Lydia knows. Readers know what Gannett says and what he does, as well as what Lydia presumes he thinks, but they have no way to observe Gannetts thoughts for themselves. Even at one point where the narrative seems to shift to a more omniscient point of view, the narrator can only say, He looked at her hopelessly. Nothing is more perplexing to man than the mental process of a woman who reasons her emotions (678). The narrative still does not describe exactly what Gannett is thinking; it only describes Gannetts action, then makes a general statement which may or may not apply to Gannett specifically. Readers have no way of knowing whether Gannett actually thinks this statement or not; for all they know, it could be what Lydia is thinking, what she presumes about Gannetts state of mind. Not only does this point of view technique make the readers want to know what Gannett is thinking, but it also binds them emotionally to Lydia. They want to know what Gannett is thinking as badly as she does. After building up sufficient desire, Wharton finally satisfies the readers curiosity by shifting the point of view to allow them access to Gannetts thoughts. This shift also corresponds with an important twist in the plot; it comes at the beginning of their last conversation in the hotel room, just before Lydia suggests to Gannett that the only was to resolve their relationship is for her to leave him. Gannett threw away his cigarette; the sound of her voice made him want to see her face (685). Limited though it  is, this is the first time readers can witness Gannetts thoughts directly. Throughout the conversation, the shift intensifies. She sank again on the sofa, hiding her face in her hands. Gannett stood above her perplexedly; he felt as though she were being swept away by some implacable current while he stood helpless on its bank (688). Now, the roles are reversed: readers can know Gannetts emotional state from what the narrator tells them, but they must divine Lydias from he r words and actions. That this point of view shift comes before Lydias suggestion to leave Gannett is important because it brings with it a tone shift. When the readers can see Gannetts desires and emotions, they begin to feel sympathy for him. Now they can see the events through his eyes, too. Conversely, when the narrative distances itself from Lydias thoughts, it distances the readers from Lydia as well. While this distance does not necessarily cancel out any sympathy the readers have for Lydia, their sympathy for her does not overpower their sympathy for Gannett. Indeed, it is because of this newfound sympathy that Lydias, My leaving you, (689) does not seem to the readers like a desirable outcome. Since they now sympathize with both characters, they do not like anything that would cause either one of them pain. An act that would cause both characters pain would be doubly bad. Wharton continues this sympathy for Gannett by telling the last section of the story, where Lydia actually tries to leave him, from his point of view. Wharton also uses this point of view to answer many of Lydias, and therefore the readers, questions. For instance, the readers now get to see how Gannett views marriage, particularly marriage to Lydia. Even had his love lessened, he was now bound to her by a hundred ties of pity and self-reproach; and she, poor child! must turn back to hum as Latude returned to his cell (690). Gannett feels responsible for Lydia as well as bound to her; he possibly even feels somewhat fatherly toward her, as if she was a child who he had an obligation to look after. These are all attitudes opposed to Lydias pride and desire for independence. As Gannett watches Lydia walk away from the hotel, his thoughts continue: If any thought emerged from the tumult of his sensations, it was that he must let her go if she wished it. He had spoken last night of his rights: what were they? At the last issue, he and she were two separate beings, not made one by the miracle of common forbearances, duties, abnegations, but bound together in a noyade of passion that left them resisting yet clinging as they went down. (690) From this statement, readers know Gannetts true attitude toward marriage, that it is a spiritual joining that would give him some sort of right to Lydia. Not only is Gannetts opinion of marriage contrary to Lydias opinion of it, but it also conflicts with what Lydia believes Gannetts opinion to be. Their isolated points of view heighten the contrast between Gannetts and Lydias feelings toward marriage. This separation reminds the readers that although they can see into both Lydias and Gannetts minds, there is no way for either character to know what the other is thinking. Each character is completely cut off from the other; the only way they have to intuit thoughts is for them to interpret the words and actions of the other, just as readers must do, in turn, for each character. The isolation that lets the readers see this limitation is the same isolation that hides, ironically, the limitation from both characters. Lydia, for example, felt she knew exactly what was passing through his mind (673), even though it is her uncertainty that makes what Gannett is thinking so nervewracking for her. In the same way, Gannett later feels that Lydia is walking into a world where no one would understand her no one would pity her and he, who did both, was powerless to come to her aid (690). If Gannett truly understood and pitied Lydia, he would have understood that she is too independent to want is pity. But perhaps the most telling point of view shift comes at the end of the story, where Wharton retreats into an omniscient, objectively descriptive narrator. As Gannett watches Lydia leave the boat and come back to the hotel, back to him, [he] sat down beside a table; a Bradshaw lay at his elbow, and mechanically, without knowing what he did, he began looking out  the trains to Paris (691). The distance of the point of view echoes Gannetts distance from his own emotions. He acts mechanically, not knowing what he is doing because he does not know what he is feeling. Indeed, the distance of the narrative reflects the net numbness of the conflicting emotions that Lydia and Gannett are both feeling. Each must resign himself to marrying the one he loves.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

A Nineteenth Century Ghost Story in The Turn of The Screw by Henry Jame

A Nineteenth Century Ghost Story in The Turn of The Screw by Henry James The Turn of The Screw is a classic Gothic ghost novella with a wicket twist set in a grand old house at Bly. The story is ambiguous; we never fully know whether the apparitions exist or not and we are left with many more questions than answers. The Governess is left in charge of two young children, Miles and Flora, of whom she later becomes obsessed with, describing them as 'angelic'. She has no contact with her employer from London, the children's enigmatic uncle once there, sparking suspicions of the children being unwanted. The anonymous Governess' obsessive nature is taken to another level, with the darker side of Bly appearing. Her sanity is called into question with her continued revelations of apparitions around the family's country residence. The story itself could not have had a bigger twist in it, from being overwhelmed by the beauty and innocence of the two orphans under he care to being convinced that ghosts of her predecessor and the master's former valet, Miss Jessel and Peter Quint, both who die in mysterious circumstances, have come to possess the souls of her charges. The Governess begins to take ever more desperate measures to protect them, but is it enough? A typical Gothic story in many respects, The Turn of the Screw conforms to our expectations by sharing many key features, style and themes typical to nineteenth century horror fiction. A gothic story is a type of romantic fiction that predominated in English Literature in the last third of the 18th century and the first two decades of the 19th century. The setting for this type of st... ...riously wrong with her. Taking all of these points into account all of these points, I am sure that you now agree that The Turn of the Screw is a typical 19th century gothic ghost story. The story itself has many characteristics typical of a gothic story and it is based around two apparitions, which is a necessity in any ghost story. Gothic stories were very popular during this period due to Darwin's book, 'The Origin of Species' which hugely questioned Christian beliefs. People were no longer sure of religion, and became very superstitious, with Ghost stories becoming very popular. They had always thought god came first; now science was starting to take over. In the 19th century people were unsure about what was real in the world. The Victorians did not know what to believe about in their world and spirituality.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Absolutism and Constitutionalism

1. Why did monarchs in the late 16th/early 17th centuries need new sources of income? Why did monarchs wish to get their income without the permission of the nobility? 2.Explain the role that each of the following played in the failure of England achieving absolutism, as well as the success of the French: England France  · Religion – Religion  · Parliament/Tradition – Estates General  · Personalities of Leaders – Personalities of Leaders  · Trust of Nobility – Trust of nobility 3. Henry IV came to the throne and helped to end the French Wars of Religion.After over 30 years of civil war, France was a wreck politically and economically. To set the stage for absolutism, he and his finance minister, the duke of Sully, needed to strengthen certain aspects of the nation and weaken others. Explain where the following fell into their plans, using the terms in parenthesis in your answer:  · power of nobility (parlements)  · increased money for crown (m onopolies)  · increased opportunity for economic success (canals, corvee) 4. After Henry IV’s assassination, his 9 year old son Louis XIII became king.Too young to rule, his mother named a brilliant official to serve as his regent. Explain how the following policies show the nature of Richelieu’s â€Å"raison d’etat†:  · Use of intendants  · Actions in the 30 Years War (1618-1648)  · Treatment of nobles  · Treatment of Huguenots 5. Describe the factors that led to the revolt (known as the Fronde) of the French nobility against the young Louis XIV and Cardinal Mazarin (1649-1652). What lesson did the Fronde teach Louis XIV? How did it help prepare the French people for absolutist rule?Helpful Hints for Reading this Section: o The first part of this reading provides an overview of the two systems of government that developed, and offers you hints as to why they developed as they did. Read this carefully so that many of the details listed in future sections will mean more to you. o There is a big difference between the English Parliament and the French parlements (note difference in spellings). The Parliament (-ia) historically had the ability to declare whether taxes were just (fair) or not, and so the kings/queens always had to go before Parliament whenever they needed money.Parliament, located in London, had the ability to make laws. French parlements (-e) were different in that there were many regional parlements as opposed to one central one, and they lacked the ability to make laws. Rather, the French parlements just had the authority to accept or refuse policies proposed by the monarchy. The French also had the Estates General to serve as its legislature, but it was a medieval creation that never really caught on among the French nobles. It could only meet when it was called into session by the king, and that was very rare (met once between 1618 and 1788).Chapter 13 – England 1. The Policy of Circumvention refer s to the various English kings’ efforts to go around, or circumvent, Parliament in their gathering of money for the crown. Explain how each of the following was an effort to raise or save money, and why it angered nobles/members of Parliament:  · impositions- These additional custom duties were seen as taxation on imports and exports by Parliament and as requiring parliamentary consent. They angered nobles and members of Parliament because they viewed it as taxation without consent. selling titles of nobility (think supply and demand– why would nobles feel like they each had less power if there were more nobles in the nation? )- people did anything they could to get a higher position so of course they would buy titles of nobility and since there were many nobles now, previous nobles felt less power because there weren’t as many â€Å"important† titles for everyone.  · James I’s role as peacemaker- 2. Summarize the many religious complaints that were raised against King James I. In defending the episcopacy, what did James mean when he retorted â€Å"No bishops, no king (pg. 452). – James viewed the proposal to replace bishops with presbyteries as an attempt to diminish his power in the church so he quoted that. 3. What actions led Parliament force Charles I to accept the Petition of Right? How would Charles I have attempted to defend himself and his actions? What freedoms did the Petition guarantee? -disputes between Parliament and King Charles I over the execution of the Thirty Years’ War, Parliament refused to grant subsidies to support the war effort, leading to Charles gathering â€Å"forced loans† without Parliamentary approval and arbitrarily imprisoning those who refused to pay.The Petition guaranteed restrictions on non-Parliamentary taxation, forced billeting of soldiers, imprisonment without cause, and restricts the use of martial law. 4. Why did Parliament not meet between 1629 and 1640? De scribe the circumstances that required their meeting in 1640. – The Triennial Act was intended to prevent kings from ruling without Parliament, as Charles had done between 1629-1640. The act required that Parliament meet for at least a fifty-day session once every three years. 5. Create a timeline using the following terms, explaining what each is and how the terms relate to one-another.  · Short Parliament Scottish Invasion  · Long Parliament’s New Laws (1640-41)  · Grand Remonstrance  · Invasion of Parliament (Roundhead/Cavaliers) 1639-1640 – Scottish Invasion= Breakdown of Charles's government of Scotland and two attempts to impose his will by force. Scots rose in 1639 against Charles' introduction of the English Prayer Book into Scotland, the anti-royalist London merchants encouraged the invading Scots to capture Newcastle. This they did in 1640, totally disrupting the export of coal. The Scottish army remained in Newcastle for a year and charged the Corporation a regular fee for billeting its troops. 640 – Short Parliament= sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles 1 of England and called â€Å"short† because it only lasted 3 weeks. He was forced to call the Short Parliament primarily to obtain money to finance his military struggle with Scotland in the Bishops’ War. -Long Parliament= established to pass financial bills. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could be dissolved only with the agreement of the members and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and at the end of interregnum in 1660. 641 -Grand Remonstrance= a list of grievances presented to King Charles I by English Parliament on 1 December 1641, but passed by the House of Commons on the 22nd of November 1641, during the Long Parliament; it was one of the chief events which were to precipitate the English Civil War. 1642-1651 -Invasion of Parlia ment (Roundhead/Cavaliers)= was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians (Roundheads) and Royalists (Cavaliers).The first (1642–46) and second (1648–49) civil wars pitted the supporters of King Charles I against the supporters of the Long Parliament, while the third war (1649–51) saw fighting between supporters of King Charles II and supporters of the Rump Parliament. The Civil War ended with the Parliamentary victory at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651. 6. Explain how the â€Å"Rump Parliament† and, more appropriately, Oliver Cromwell, ruled England during the period between Charles I and Charles II. – ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660.After the English Civil War and the execution of Charles I, the republic's existence was initially declared by â€Å"An Act declaring England to be a Commonwealth† adopted by the Rump Parliament, on 19 May 1649. The governmen t took the form of direct personal rule by Oliver Cromwell. Just before and after the execution of King Charles I on 30 January 1649, the Rump passed a number of acts of Parliament creating the legal basis for the republic. Helpful Hints for Reading this Section: o To help remember the order of the English monarchs, try to remember the â€Å"Cromwell Sandwich. As with any good sandwich, it is named after the meat, which goes in the middle. Surrounding the meat is usually CHeese. In the Cromwell Sandwich then, the buns equal James (James I on top, or first, and James II bottom, or last) and the CHeese equals CHarles (Charles I on top of the meat or first, and then Charles II below the meat or second). Thus the order goes Bun (James I), Cheese (Charles I), Meat (Oliver Cromwell), Cheese (Charles II), and Bun (James II). I don’t know, it helps me. : ) 1. Describe England under the Restoration of the Monarchy (what powers did King have?Religion? )- began in 1660 when the English , Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II. 2. Religion and the monarchy became an increasingly touchy subject in Restoration-era England. Discuss how the following acts/events display the conflict developing between monarch and Parliament:  · Clarendon Code= The Clarendon Code was a series of four legal statutes passed between 1661-1665 which effectively re-established the supremacy of the Anglican Church after the interlude of Cromwell's Commonwealth, and ended toleration for dissenting religions. Declaration of Indulgence= Charles II of England's attempt to extend religious liberty to Protestant nonconformists and Roman Catholics in his realms, by suspending the execution of the penal laws that punished recusants from the Church of England. Charles issued the Declaration on 15 March 1672.  · Test Act (note who this one was aimed at)= were a series of English penal laws that served as a religious test for public office and imposed various civil disabili ties on Roman Catholics and Nonconformists.The principle was that none but persons professing the Established Church were eligible for public employment, and the severe penalties pronounced against recusants, whether Catholic or Nonconformist, were affirmations of this principle. In practice nonconformists were often exempted from some of these laws through the regular passage of Acts of Indemnity 3. Both politics and religion played a large role in the forced removal of James II as King of England. Summarize the role of each, and note what served as the immediate cause of the Glorious Revolution. . Describe the political philosophy of John Locke found in his Two Treatises on Government. 5. How could one point to the Glorious Revolution and the English Bill of Rights as early successes for the history of Democracy? Helpful Hints for Reading this Section: o When trying to keep straight Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, think about what they stood for in regards to man’s â€Å"nat ural state. † Hobbes, who believed man was horrible, awful, wicked nasty and cruel, was a â€Å"Hater. † Thus, the first letter of his name and how he felt both match up (Hobbes; Hater).Locke, who said man was naturally good, was all about the Love. Thus, his name and beliefs are also connected by a first-letter principle (Locke; Love). Chapter 13 – France 1. Explain how the theory of Divine Right strengthened Louis XIV’s power as king. How did his saying â€Å"L’etat, c’est moi† reflect the teachings of Bishop Bossuet? – The Divine Right strengthened Louis XIV’s by saying that dictators, nobles, and parliament don’t have power over the people. â€Å"L’etat, c’est moi† means â€Å"I am state† reflected the teaching of Bishop Bossuet by saying God has the almighty power. 2.The Palace at Versailles is an integral part of Louis XIV’s strong reign. Answer the following with regard to life in Versailles:  · To â€Å"domesticate† something means to make it tame, or to train it to be useful to humans. In what ways did Louis XIV â€Å"domesticate the nobility? †  · Why did Louis XIV order nobles to follow such trivial social rules and elaborate social functions at Versailles? Louis ordered nobles to follow trivial social rules and elaborate social functions at Versailles because he wanted them to have less power, so they won’t be a threat to him. What types of people did Louis choose to head his government agencies? Why did he prefer to use them instead of the nobles, as was the case in other times and other countries? Louis XIV replaced the princes who had previously held positions as ministers with new aristocrats who feared him more. This gave Louis XIV, the King of France more power. 3. Explain the ways in which Jean-Baptiste Colbert made France’s economy superior to any other nations’ in the 17th century. How did the marqu is of Louvois dramatically increase the effectiveness of France’s military? 4.Louis XIV’s France became so powerful that no one nation could likely stand up and defeat the French. For that reason, Louis chose to involve himself in a series of wars that would eventually break his nation’s finances. Include each of Louis XIV’s war in a timeline that shows the following:  · Years fought  · Reasons for War  · How foreign nations worked to Balance out French power  · Outcomes of War 5. Why did Louis XIV feel it was necessary to revoke the Edict of Nantes? What impact did this move have on his nation? Huguenots as a threat to his power.Huguenots through his reign were hostile to the crown and launched revolts. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes caused large numbers of them to flee to other protestant countries and establish themselves there, weakening the French economy. 6. Explain why the War of Spanish Succession (and the subsequent Treaty of Utrec ht) makes a fitting culmination to a. the grand wishes of Louis XIV’s plans for domination of Europe, and; b. the principle of Balance of Power used to stop Louis XIV and contain French power 7. Consider Louis XIV’s Legacy. Create a list of positive and negative aspects of Louis XIV’s legacy.Then, create a thesis statement that evaluates the impact of Louis XIV on French history. Be sure your thesis 1) takes a side/has direction, and 2) does not simply list 3 things Louis did good and/or bad. o Intendants were government officials (royal civil servants,’ according to the text) in charge of oversight duties across all areas of French society. They were responsible for making sure that all tax money collected by regional tax officials went directly to the king (as opposed to some going to the collector’s pocket), and to oversee the training and discipline of the French military.They studied efficiency in production and carried their lessons to emergi ng French industries. Possibly the most important aspect of the intendants was the fact that they were not of strong noble birth. Richelieu and Louis XIV realized that using nobles to do the most important jobs of government ran counter to the idea of centralizing full power in the hands of the crown. For that reason, the intendants typically came from middle class backgrounds, people who did not possess large lands of their own. Thus, these peoples’ success in life was fully-dependent upon the king.If they became corrupt, another intendant would call them out and they would lose their job and what was likely their only chance to be very successful in life. This created an incredibly driven, obedient and loyal bureaucracy for the French kings. o During the Counter-Reformation, several different groups of Catholics came up with various ways they saw as correct in regards to Catholicism. The Jesuits were likely the most famous and most successful, as they traveled to every coas tline and set up schools and monasteries in most all prominent nations.One of the Jesuits’ key messages to people was, â€Å"we can help save you. † By this, the Jesuits promoted the fact that people who were Catholic could be guaranteed salvation, so long as they followed the 7 sacraments and did as their priest told them. Another group, the Jansenists, saw this as untrue. Much like Luther and Calvin, the Jansenists believed that there was nothing people could do on earth to guarantee their salvation. They still believed in following all 7 of the Sacraments and other areas of Catholic doctrine, but they said that getting into heaven had to be a â€Å"gift† of God’s grace.A big religious dispute broke out within the Catholic church, and the influential Jesuits led an out-cry of opposition against the Jansenists. The point the text is trying to make with the Jansenists is that their group offered a form of Catholicism that included aspects of many Protesta nt religions (role of faith/grace as gift for salvation etc. ), which potentially could have kept French Huguenots (French Protestants) within the Catholic faith and kept them within France. When Louis XIV outlawed Jansenists, he made legal only the strongly anti-Protestant Jesuit Catholics, who began pushing for strong laws against Protestants.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Methods of Learning: Advantages and Disadvantages

To design a learning activity or a learning program, there is a variety of learning methods which can be implemented to facilitate the learning process. These methods are divided into two main categories , trainer centered and learner centered. In the below table, I have listed different learning methods with the advantages and disadvantages of each one.Method Advantage Disadvantage Presentations 1. Save the time of transferring knowledge. 2. Gives the learners to compare their knowledge with the presented one . 3. Gives the Learner a chance to ask and discuss with the trainer directly. 2. Does not give the learners enough chance to control their own learning because it is trainer centered methodDemonstration1. Expose the learners to the best practice . 2. Considered as the first step to build the skills. 3. Save the time of sharing knowledge . 1. Unprofessional demonstrators can be a result of poor performance. 2. Does not show the reality on the work site .Group Discussions, meetings and briefings1. A quick way of sharing knowledge and skills. 2. Minimize the resistance of change 3. Learners can lead the meetings providing their agendas which meet their needs. 1. Does not involve practical part. 2. Discussions might miss the main topics and waste more time. 3. A few learners might control the discussions while the others are only listenersRole Play1. Learners can practice w hat they learn and share knowledge. 2. Build the sense of team work within learners . 3. Provide a safe environment for doing mistakes . 1. Might be over simplified , so does not reflect the real work. 2. It  requires a feedback from the facilitator. 3. It improves skills only .E-learning1. Provide time flexibility for learners . 2. The learner lead the pace of the learning. 3. Can be accessed in different ways and from different places. 1. Minimize the sense of team work and sharing knowledge with others. 2. Requires anIT access and good network3. Boring for some learners styles such as the activists . On the job training 1. Expose the learners to the real work . 2. Gives the learners a chance to practice. 3. Give the learners to share knowledge with experienced employees. 1. Requires an experienced mentor . 2. Cannot be applied in organization where there is a shortage of manpowe . 3. Learners might feel demotivated with a busy mentor or staff.Blended Learning1. Variety of metho ds combined together. 2. It addresses all learning styles. 3. Improves the competencies through learning and practice. 1. Very costly in terms of money and time. 2. Requires availability of several learning resources and facilities .Coaching1. Addresses the exact needs of a learner 2. Maximize the learners satisfaction and self-esteem . 1. Very costly because it is one to one approach. 2. Requires an expert coach because it is applied for the management levels in most of the organization.Criteria of Choosing between learning Methods: 1. Learning Objectives : after analyzing the gaps between the current capabilities and the required capabilities, learning objectives will be generated to fulfill the learning needs.2. The learning budget: It plays a main role in selecting the methods which are most effective and efficient . Organizations with very limited budget usually use the internal resources and not interested on the methods which are costly.3. Timing : the work hours and the avai lability of manpower are very important criteria in selecting the suitable methods. Sometimes, e-learning is selected due to time restrictions within the organization or the function.4. Learning resources and materials: facilities, number of learners , learning aids and IT issues are put into consideration to select the suitable learning method.Learning Resources ,Facilities and Equipments and their Advantages and Disadvantages:Item Advantage Disadvantage Power Point 1. Easy to use. 2. Support the structure of learning activity 3. Display photos, charts and statistics. 1. Requires other equipment such as data projector and a computer. 2. Might be boring for some learners styles.Internet1. Easy to access anywhere any time. 2. Include lots of learning references and materials. 1. Requires good network otherwise the learners will not be able to learn properly. 2. Learners might not be focused to the main topic when using the internet.Videos1. Interesting for most of the learners . 2. I t is not costly and does not need more spaces. 1. Contain some cultural issues. 2. It is not applicable for special needs learners such as deaf or blind learners .A flipchart1. Very cheap. 2. Useful for learning activities and preparation. 3. Utilized to get the learners involved in the learning process. 1. Requires a space in the room to be stocked up. 2. Needs clear colors. 3. Not applicable for some learning methods such as e-learning.Books and  Handouts1. Authentic references for learners. 1. New technology interference . 2. Need space or room for storing.Smart Boards1. Integrated technology 2. Interested for learner 1. Needs special training for users. 2. Very costlyClassroom or training halls1. Traditional and useful for group learning . 1. Requires a suitable preparation. 2. Not applicable for e-learning or mobile learning.Criteria for selecting suitable resources , facilities and equipment for learning activities: 1. Learners factors and learners styles : This selection is a result of analyzing the learners factors and needs such as deaf, blind, activists, theorists..etc. 2. Budget: After considering the assigned budget the suitable resources and facilities will be easy to identified . 3. Legislation : There are some learning legislations and policies which should be into consideration such as safety and health . 4. Nature of the learning activities or the learning methods : For example, e-learning requires the availability of computers or smart phone or devices. 5. Number of learners : This is very important criteria to identify the size of the class or the training hall . In addition, it enable the learning and development practitioner to identify the learning method .

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on Freedom Fighters

Freedom Fighters Since humans began their lives on this earth, there has almost always been the presence of hate. People have hated each other because of the way that they live their lives, the way they act, and in countless times, only because of the color of their skin. Here, we have seen the United States discriminate against almost every race; Chinese, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese. Native-Americans, and African-Americans are two groups of people that have probably endured the most discrimination. Native-Americans were pushed out of their land, forced to live in reservations and in many cases give up their unique culture. African-Americans were brought to the United States for white people to use as slaves; even after slavery was banned they were still given almost no rights. While I am sure that almost all Native- Americans and African- Americans wanted to end the discrimination that was going on, not many people stepped forward to fight for their rights, and freedom. Rosa Parks, and Nat Turner were two African-Americans from two different periods of time, and both used different methods of fighting for what they believed in, but still worked to change how they were being treated. Crazy Horse was a Native-American that used methods similar to Nat Turners to fight for the rights of his people, and their land. Together, these three remarkable people worked to change the way that they were being treated, they were determined to lead the lives that they believed they deserved to lead. One day in 1841 in Bear Butte, South Dakota, somewhere around the Black Hills a child who would become one of the most respected Indian chiefs was born to the Oglala Sioux Indians (Kallen 70). This child who was first called Curly because his hair grew in waves, would become known as Crazy Horse because he charged through the arrows of another tribe that the Sioux were fighting (Kallen 77). This was not to be Crazy Horse’s last act of... Free Essays on Freedom Fighters Free Essays on Freedom Fighters Freedom Fighters Since humans began their lives on this earth, there has almost always been the presence of hate. People have hated each other because of the way that they live their lives, the way they act, and in countless times, only because of the color of their skin. Here, we have seen the United States discriminate against almost every race; Chinese, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese. Native-Americans, and African-Americans are two groups of people that have probably endured the most discrimination. Native-Americans were pushed out of their land, forced to live in reservations and in many cases give up their unique culture. African-Americans were brought to the United States for white people to use as slaves; even after slavery was banned they were still given almost no rights. While I am sure that almost all Native- Americans and African- Americans wanted to end the discrimination that was going on, not many people stepped forward to fight for their rights, and freedom. Rosa Parks, and Nat Turner were two African-Americans from two different periods of time, and both used different methods of fighting for what they believed in, but still worked to change how they were being treated. Crazy Horse was a Native-American that used methods similar to Nat Turners to fight for the rights of his people, and their land. Together, these three remarkable people worked to change the way that they were being treated, they were determined to lead the lives that they believed they deserved to lead. One day in 1841 in Bear Butte, South Dakota, somewhere around the Black Hills a child who would become one of the most respected Indian chiefs was born to the Oglala Sioux Indians (Kallen 70). This child who was first called Curly because his hair grew in waves, would become known as Crazy Horse because he charged through the arrows of another tribe that the Sioux were fighting (Kallen 77). This was not to be Crazy Horse’s last act of...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Free sample - Bill of Rights. translation missing

Bill of Rights. Bill of RightsIntroduction Criminal justice and security system happens to be one of the largest industries in the United States of America. The historical development of the various law enforcement agencies and their jurisdiction has changed over the years in the years since the establishment of the first courts in the country. The law enforcement revolves around and tries to apply true methods of searching, arresting and interrogation that give individual rights. This essay will examine the various aspects of the criminal justice system and security including the objectives and challenges of law enforcement agencies, the roles of the federal, state, and local court systems, the objectives of the juvenile justice system, the roles of private security organizations with respect to both corporate and public protection and various solutions to the challenges that faces criminal justice organizations and security organizations. Federal court system This is sometimes referred to as the guardians of the constitution and they exist to fairly and impartially interpret and apply the laws, resolve the disputes and, most importantly protect the rights and liberties that are guaranteed by the constitution. These courts do not make the laws. It is the constitution that delegates making, amending and repealing the federal laws to the US congress (Government Printing Office) State court system The role of the state judiciary system is important to the operation of state government in general. These state courts interpret and apply state laws. They assist in resolving conflicts such as business disagreements and grievances that the citizens may have against each other. In addition, the state courts punish crimes that violate the state law. State courts are important because state most of the laws that affect the citizen on a daily basis are state and local laws and it is the responsibility of the state courts to interpret those laws. Roles of the court systems with respect to public safety and civil rights The courts interpret and apply the law when different parties are in dispute. In that way, courts take law out of the law books, and make it part of people’s lives. The courts apply the law to specific controversies that are brought before them. They resolve disputes between the individuals, companies and government unities.   Often, the courts are called on to uphold some limitations on the government. They protect against abuses by all government branches. They protect the minorities of various kinds from the majority, and protect the rights of citizens who are not able to protect themselves. They also embody the important notions of equal and fair The employment relationship under the American law is highly regulated by a complex, system of statues, administrative regulations and the judicial precedent at the federal, state and also at local level. The federal and state laws affects all the aspects of employment such as payment of wages, hiring of workers, compensation of overtime, workplace and general employee safety and employee discipline.   The court systems also interpret the in regard to employment based on gender, race, age, color and physical handicap (Government Printing Office). The roles of private security organizations   Few years ago, the term private security called to mind the image of the security guards with marginal qualifications for other functions who ended up accepting low wages. The private activities and policing have become complex and more important. The private security encompasses the occupations that range from the traditional security guards to the computer security experts and to the high ranking corporate vice presidents who are responsible for the planning and overseeing the safety and security at companies, industries and office complexes in the entire world. The olice image by Zeno from Fotolia.com private security in the United States has a reputation for being lax compared to the public security. Many areas need additional security to protect property as well as individuals. Private security companies provide services ranging from armed and the unarmed security to uniformed and the plainclothes security, from electronic surveillance to inspection of vehicles and bomb dete ction, and from personal protection to preparation for low and high security threat scenarios. Due to the attacks of September 2001, the law enforcement private security has been seen as critical to preventing terrorism and terrorism acts. Since the private sector owns and protects about 80 percent of the world’s infrastructure, while the local law enforcement often has threat information regarding the infrastructure, law enforcement-private security can put vital information into the hands of the people who are in need of it. Thus, to effectively protect the nation’s infrastructure, law enforcement and private security must work collaboratively because neither possesses the necessary resources to do so alone (Green G and Fischer J. 2004). The objectives of the juvenile justice system The juvenile courts have jurisdiction over the individuals under the age of 18 who engage in unlawful conduct, with certain exceptions. Unlike the adult courts, the juvenile proceeding is not a criminal proceeding designed to determine the criminal responsibility and punishment but it is a civil proceeding designed to protect the young people from the consequences of their own conduct, develop responsibility for the unlawful behavior, rehabilitate them and promotes public safety. Other objectives of juvenile courts include addressing the offending behavior, minimizing the penetration of young people into the Criminal Justice System, promoting the uniqueness of adolescents, providing more effective community based responses, delivering culturally appropriate responses and assisting in the development of the young person's self identity. The challenges facing criminal justice and security organizations and solutions Most law enforcement agencies and officers in the united state do not have access to the new technologies that are used to fight crimes hence they are hindered in their intelligence gathering operations. The criminal justice and security systems should make use of some organizations that provides the required criminal intelligence and the investigative support services. For instance they should work in hand with Regional Information Sharing System (RISS) which always serves as the invaluable tool to the Federal State and the Local law enforcement agencies. RISS may give the agencies the required resources that they need to discover and apprehend the potential crimes before they happen (Congressional Record). The criminal justice and security systems should possess basic understanding of the justice system, including policing, structure of the court system, the role of the prosecutor and judge and the system of law, identify and read any previous similar assessments, request, in advan ce the statistical and management reports. Some of these reports are found on the internet. The policymakers at government federal, state and local agencies should respond to United States country’s crime and safety concerns. They should however put in mind that it is more important to remember that the criminal issues in United States are multi-faceted, and that their respective responses towards the issues should be as well multi-faceted. The improvement of safety in the day-to-day lives of the residents of United States should be the responsibility of a wide range of justice agencies which are within the US country and not just law enforcement officials because the safety improvements facilitates the involvement of social service and public service providers, the federal and state officials, the youth workers, the residents of the tribal communities and tribal and non-American politicians. Also, they should meet with institutions, individuals, and professional and human rights organizations which are concerned with the issues that they may encounter on the mission of assessment, as well as the donors including embassies that provide bilateral assistance. These sources may provide some valuable background information for conducting thorough assessments as well as the invaluable in-country contacts. Finally, the systems should consider the use of research tools used in the assessment mission such as document study, interviews and focus groups (Siegel, 2009). Conclusion The society expects the courts to decide if people are guilty or not, sentence the guilty to punishment, interpret the laws made by the legislative, set the legal precedents, and to uphold the constitutional protections. References Government Printing Office. Congressional Record. Green G and Fischer J. (2004). Introduction to security. Butterworth-Heinemann. Siegel, l. J. (2009). Introduction to Criminal Justice. Cengage Learning.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Individual Conflict Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Individual Conflict Assessment - Essay Example The essay "Individual Conflict Assessment" talks about the social conflict as a storm using personal example which is best described as disparate. If the interpersonal realm is like weather, the metrological forces in the atmosphere are like the behaviors people engage in to meet their needs and wants.Conflict in my family of origin is best described as disparate. It has been such that the meteorological forces of some have traditionally absorbed the sentiment of others, or that the continued momentum of some behaviors has overrun the momentum of others. Conflict in my family has often been asymmetrical. Personally, I have been feeling very stressed about conflict. I often feel that I am damned if I do and damned if I don’t. If someone takes issue with me and I do not resist, they will often press until they see what they believe to be capitulation. If someone takes issue with me and I object, they will often accuse me of being unruly or rude.Likewise, I often felt much stress ed about conflict within my family of origin. I often felt that my voice was not heard, that I was often framed, and that for me there was no real justice at home. When Mom and Dad were at work, it was survival of the fittest between the siblings present. Some days you were more fit than others, and sometimes you just didn’t have the strength to fight back. Mom and Dad rarely sided with me. I guess the stress comes from the knowledge that sometimes no one will be there to look out for you.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Fieldwork project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fieldwork project - Essay Example Not-A is necessarily impure, a random catchall, to which nothing is external except A, and the principle of order that separates it from Not-A.† Along the same lines, Judith Lorber states, â€Å"from society’s point-of-view one gender is usually the touchstone, the normal, the dominant and the other is different, deviant, and subordinate. In Western society ‘man’ is A, ‘wo-man’ is Not-A† (Lorber, J. 22). Bri could not grasp the concept that his wife was independent, sharing in the same responsibilities. With that, their marriage began to crumble. My personal feeling is his wife realized men have a historical, unfair advantage over women. Men are afforded a greater number of economic resources, such as quality education, higher-paying job opportunities, as organizations tend to be â€Å"monopolized by men† (Lorber, J. 23). Based on my experience, I completely agree with Lorber, and I feel that my perception of Bri’s wife†™s reasons for leaving is accurate. Bri’s wife was a very successful doctor; she did not want to give up her career and â€Å"do most of the domestic labor† (Lorber, J. 23). It is possible Bri and his wife could have negotiated, settling on a compromise that they would both be able to live with, but they failed to do so.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Story of G.I. Joe Film (1945) Thesis Paper Movie Review

The Story of G.I. Joe Film (1945) Thesis Paper - Movie Review Example Pyle (played convincingly by Burgess Meredith) is the embedded journalist within this Company. But the shared habiting space makes it a personal experience for Pyle and to this extent his journalism takes on a humanitarian hue as opposed to being merely patriotic. This essay will argue that, of the numerous merits attached to the film, it’s showcasing of the bold, humane and forthright journalism of the legendary Ernie Pyle is not only its standout feature but also accounts for its enduring appeal. True to the journalistic ethic of accuracy and balance, the film makes no attempt to ‘manufacture’ heroism in the war setting. Instead, it fits the narrative to Pyle’s reportage, which includes unsavory and un-heroic aspects of the Second World War. True to this theme, â€Å"Pyle was later killed in a foxhole on a remote Pacific island as he pursued his career of covering the troops after victory was won in Europe. Pyle wrote of the common "dogfaces," not the br ass hats. He is a hero who should be known to every journalism student.† (Booker, 1999, p.14) But a cursory look at the state of embedded journalism today (most visibly in the War on Terror operations) betrays the falling standards of journalism in America. Today the reporter comes across as a biased stakeholder in the side he belongs, which is a far cry from the courage and ethic espoused by Ernie Pyle. More importantly, what The Story of G.I. Joe underscores is that â€Å"motion pictures can provide helpful assistance in journalism history classes through a number of ways: as a reflection of how journalists and journalism are portrayed in the mass culture; as a means to measure the role that journalism plays in significant events; and, perhaps most important, as a device by which to assess the ethical role of journalism as reflected by the decisions and actions of the people portrayed.† (Holsinger & Schofield, 1992, p.44) The Story of G.I. Joe can also be said to be u nique for the level of realism it carries. The product is not just made for commercial purposes, but for artistic and documentary goals. It also served as a vehicle of propaganda to gather support for the war from the American public. The relatively late release of the film (released after the dust settled in the European theatre) is perhaps why it portrays combat in unglamorous terms, â€Å"emphasizing not the heroism of its soldiers but their weariness and daily hardships. Based on Pyle’s reports (collected in his 1943 book,  Here Is Your War) the film details the grueling effect of extended combat service on a platoon of American soldiers the Italian campaign. Led by Lieutenant Walker ( Robert Mitchum) and accompanied by Pyle, the platoon slowly advances, experiencing both danger and boredom but very little in the way of glory.† (Booker, 1999, p.14) Contemporary war movies as well as war journalism can do well by embracing such an attitude. It is in recognition of the valuable sensibilities displayed through the film that it won four Academy Award nominations, including to Mitchum for best supporting actor and to the three screenwriters (two of  whom, Endore and Stevenson, were prominent figures on the American cultural Left) for best screenplay. While some critics took the film’s grim depiction of war as an antiwar statement, James Agee insightfully notes that G.I. Joe is a "tragic and eternal work of art precisely because of its unflinching portrayal of the realities of

Sunday, October 27, 2019

European Court of Human Rights

European Court of Human Rights Introduction The purpose of litigation at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), is to examine alleged violations and ensure that States Parties comply with their obligations under the Convention, providing individual applicants with effective remedies and just satisfaction under Articles 13 and 41 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The wider objective is to protect and embed locally the three CoE foundation stones; liberal pluralist democracy, human rights and the rule of law to effect structural and institutional change and create a common democratic and legal area throughout the whole of the continent. Yet comprised of 47 member states and 811 million citizens, the CoE inhabits a fundamentally different territorial scope to that in May 1949. Originally a social and ideological counterpart to NATO, it has undergone a central shift in its core modus operandi from an interstate process of protecting the democratic identity of Member States through the medium of human rights to its emerging front line role as an arbiter of liberal human rights through the medium of individual petition. Considerable problems that threaten to undermine what has been achieved over the fifty years during which the Convention has operated lead one to ask whether there is any point taking such cases at all. This brief essay is split in two sections. Section one analyses the tripartite problem outlined within PACE Resolution 1226 (2000); the inadequate clarity and casuistical nature of Court judgements, characterised by doctrinal uncertainty in the margin of appreciation; the systemic non-implementation of judgments and failure to employ necessary reforms that would avoid further violations, with a case study of the Russian Federation; and a critique of the insufficient rigour and failure of the Committee of Ministers (CoM) to exert enough pressure when supervising the execution of judgments. Section two, explores the central debate between individual and constitutional justice; and the potential impact Protocol 14 may have on the asphyxiating6] Court and CoM. Finally I assess the accomplishments of Strasbourg litigation before returning positively to our initial question with a passionate case for individual petition against the backdrop of a tide of human rights abuse in post-communist accession Europe; the utility of the Interlaken proposals; and preservation of the Human Rights Act 1998. Section One: Problems Theoretical Fault Lines: An Unprincipled Margin The extent to which there is any point to Strasbourg litigation is determined in the first instance by the extent to which the Court can effectively balance its role as a supranational judicial guarantor of liberal individualist human rights, within the CoE framework of upholding and deferring to the thread of pluralist democracy; an intrinsically collective ideal. For McHarg, Strasbourg jurisprudence is characterised by the absence of a conceptual framework integrating a preferable rights model with a defensible conception of the public interest. Greer agrees, highlighting unresolved normative, institutional, and adjudicative questions, and the failure of the Court to deliver a concrete body of jurisprudence and constitutional authority. The result formulaic, thin decisions and un-ordered interpretive principles, at best devaluing Convention rights and at worst denying them. This dichotomy is played out through the margin of appreciation doctrine; the latitude given to States Parties based on their better position with the facts on the ground. ECHR protections are not absolute, but relative; they are subject to exceptions permitting infringement of the fundamental right or freedom, specifically defined within paragraph two of Articles 8-11; and under Article 15 (A15) can be erased altogether to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation. These express definitional restrictions remind us of Bentham; this, we see, is saying nothing: it leaves the law just as free and unfettered as it found it. Strict judicial interpretation and objectivity are critical to the defence of Convention rights in the context of these exceptions. The flexibility of the margin is for Waldock advantageous to the evolutive nature of Strasbourg Jurisprudence, and for Dr Arai-Takahashi value pluralism being the fundamental prerequisite and virtue of a liberal democratic society, a set of standardised rules would devalue regional legitimacy and richness of cultural values and traditions among member states. The CoE is clear in its aim to promote awareness and encourage the development of Europes cultural identity and diversity.That Convention rights are relative is a moot point for realist theorists, since States Parties would never have been willing to be bound by the Convention in the first place without safeguarding their democratic sovereignty. Yet McHarg notes the paradox in a legal scheme which is supposed to protect the individual against the collective, sanctioning limitations to rights on collective grounds. How far in practice does the ECtHR go towards fulfilling the supervisory function it refers to in Handyside v UK (1976)? To what extent does Osts assertion that there is never an unchallengeable margin hold true? McHarg talks of doctrinal uncertainty while Jones points out that even the Courts president has acknowledged the justification to some extent of criticism of the doctrines lack of precision and use without principled standards. Fiercer critics lambast the abdication of the Courts enforcement responsibility. Dembour questions if Convention rights are so full of contradictions that they are useless? It is intrinsic to the dichotomy between international individual rights protections and the national collective interest that the margin of appreciation occupies a middle position between subjectivity and objectivity; between a burden of proof firmly on the government on one hand and on the other of wide deference to it. In Lawless v. Ireland (1961), Waldock asserted: a Governments discharge of responsibilities is a problem of appreciating complex factors and balancing conflicting considerations of the public interest; once the Court is satisfied that the appreciation is on the margin the interest the public itself has in effective Government and maintenance of order justifies and requires a decision in favour of the legality of the Governments appreciation; Simpson saw this reflecting an implicit determination to back the authorities. Dembour and Jones respective assessments of further A15 derogations demonstrate consistently deferential applications of the margin, and reluctance to objectively scrutinise the existence of an emergency or of the measures implemented to tackle it. In Greece v. United Kingdom (1958), the Commission argued that the assessment whether or not a public danger threatening the life of the nation existed is a question of appreciation; determining the validity of the repressive measures employed, the UK government enjoyed a certain discretion. Such a position is clearly evident in Ireland v. United Kingdom (1978), confirmed in Brannigan v. McBride (1993), both concerning A15 derogations of Article 5 with regard to the detention of suspects in Ireland. Several problems arise from the rationale employed in these cases. Dembour draws our attention to the absence of a factually and theoretically strict analysis impossible to justify in human rights terms. Indeed, the inevitability of a wide margin in the context of A15 derogations, led Judge Martens to assert that there is no justification for leaving a wide margin because the Court, being the last resort protector, is called upon to strictly scrutinise every derogation. Jones contends a state of emergency objectively determinable if a national government has evidence of such a situation, he asks why this is not capable of assessment by an international Court? Implementation: A pessimistic view is well founded Strasbourg jurisprudence has demonstrated the capability of the Court to robustly uphold Convention rights from major shows of arbitrariness, ensuring a degree of justice for applicants and families, international attention, accountability in relation to serious violations, and domestic legislative change. Notwithstanding the significance of such supranational decisions, analysis of the pending caseload (some 116,800 cases in October 2009), reveals a Court facing unsustainable pressure from repetitive cases concerned with structural problems in civil, criminal and administrative proceedings; serious pervasive human rights abuses; and unacceptable delays in the implementation of judgements. Implementation remains the Achilles heel of the Convention system, A brief case study of Russia underscores the gravity of the situation. It is the irony of history that the Russian Federation now occupies a key position in the very organisation established to provide European unity and security in the face of Soviet communism. Comprising 27.3% (31,850) of all pending applications at the ECtHR, the Medvedev Government faces protracted challenges in its attempts to develop civil and economic freedoms ending the legal nihilism that is seriously hindering modern development. I write following the death in Butyrka prison of Sergei Magnitsky, an anti-corruption lawyer acting for HSBC / Hermitage Capital in the $230m tax fraud case. This case and the ongoing second Khordokovsky trial are emblematic of structural defects in the Russian criminal justice system and procuratura that have lead to the accusation and incarceration of many innocent persons. Other important cases demonstrate the gravity of the situation, including Gusinskiy v Russia, Ilascu and Others v Moldova and Russia, the first six Chechen cases, Shamayev and 12 others v Russia and Georgia and Aleksanyan v Russia. Leutheusser-Schnarrenbergers recent PACE report on politically motivated abuses of the criminal justice system is a powerful indictment of the failure of the Russian Federation to entrench a meaningful institutional framework that engages with the rule of law. The report highlights a multi-layered problematic of political and hierarchical vectors of pressure on judges to secure convictions; retrogressive legislative proposals that call into questions Putins implementation of jury trial; the endemic failure to safeguard defence lawyers from coercion and realise a truly independent objective procedure for their selection and quality; serious investigative flaws; and unremitting legal nihilism. The systemic pervasive abuse of human rights in Chechnya represents perhaps the most serious Convention violations. It is here that PACE and the CoM face their most urgent challenges. Bowring draws our attention to the recent memorandum on the North Caucasus, exposing violations by security forces, including enforced disappearances, torture, extrajudicial executions; and impunity for these violations of international law; while Leach candidly outlines the scope and extent of the crisis; the first Chechen cases demonstrate the real limitations of the individual rights mechanism of the European Court as a forum for resolving wide scale, systemic and serious human rights violations. In his recent visit to Birkbeck College, Leach vividly underscored the paradoxical and lamentable and legally unsatisfactory problem of non-disclosure (ND) of domestic case files, in spite of repeated requests made by the Court. 33 of the 37 Chechen judgments have been characterised by this problem, notably Basayeva and Others v. Russia and Bitayeva and X v. Russia and Isayeva, Yusopova and Bazayeva v. Russia. The Court in Bazorkina v. Russia pointed out that documents of the criminal investigation are fundamental to the establishment of the facts and their absence may prejudice the Courts proper examination of the compliant both at the admissibility and merits stage. Chechnya aside, Leach identifies a further threefold problem of implementation vis-Ã  -vis Russia, confirmed in Pourgourides 2008 CLAHR Report; deficient judicial review over pre-trial detention, resulting in excessive periods of detention and overcrowding; the Nadzor procedure supervisory review of final judicial dec isions; and the urgent complex problem of the non-enforcement of domestic judicial decisions against the state In the context of these problems, can there be any hope for optimism? Bowring draws our attention to the often ignored historical context which has characterised Russia as part of a long and complex relationship with human rights and with the rule of law and judicial independence, which are its essential underpinning. It is in this context he argues that the ECHR, rather than an alien implantis to a large extent a restoration of the reforms of the 1860s. Ghorkova contends current legal reforms and the creation of the rule of law and a civil society with the appropriate structures and mechanisms to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as the participation in the activities of the Council of Europe, are wholly in line with Russian Interests. Behind Russias posturing is, according to Bowring a serious engagement with international law its commitment in terms of diplomatic and financial resources is substantial; and compliance with its obligations indeed, in 2007 the ECtHR heard 192 complaints against Russia. Russia won just 6 and paid in full the orders for compensation in every case. In addition, in a wider sense, Leach points out the pre-eminent position of the CoE vis-Ã  -vis Russia in view of the inability of the United Nations effectively to sanction Russia over human rights abuses, and as a result of Russian suspicion about the motives and aims of the OSCE. Entrenching the rule of law in Russia will be a slow process. However, the mechanisms for its success are at least in legislative terms visible. It is my contention that through the work of the CoE and ECtHR, the Russian Federation will make a true engagement with human rights. As we shall explore below, the right of individual petition is an essential part of this process. It is easy to dismiss the Court as having failed in its mission when confronted by the ongoing abuses of rights in Russia. Yet this depends on how one defines success. From Systemic Individual Justice to an Abstract Constitutional identity The critical mass of applications lodged coupled with systemic non implementation of Court judgements has led Wildhaber to a paradoxical observation; that the quantum leap in recognising the individual as a subject of international law, has reduced the capability of the ECtHR to ensure the safeguarding of the individual from violations of Convention rights. That the Courts well noted asphyxiation is intrinsically related to the right of individual recourse is clear. De Vries April 2009 CLAHR Report lays bare the unsustainable increase in applications, principally in the wake of post-communist accession, underscoring the urgent need to tackle obviously inadmissible cases; repetitive cases that concern established systemic defects; and to concentrate on the most important cases. The inferences drawn from these stark figures have been decisive shaping proposals to ameliorate the crisis; but moreover reveal the wider battle for the soul of the ECHR borne out of competing understandings of the Courts function. The crippling application rate is for Greer emblematic of the intrinsic failure of the CoE structure to systematically deliver individual justice; intrinsic since individual recourse is a flawed paradigm. Foremost, the Convention system was, according to Greer, simply not designed as a conduit for the fulfilment of individual human rights through the medium of individual petition, but rather the protection of democratic identity through the medium of human rights. Its contemporary utility is thus encouraging European public organisational, legal and ideological parity though articulation of an abstract constitutional model member states should then apply. Greer goes on to cast doubt over the possibility of the ability of the Convention system to deliver systematic justice to every applicant, concluding that given this individual justice becomes arbitrary. Finally, he argues that where cases are adjudicated in favour of the applicant, they are often hollow victories marked by symbolic rather than instrumental awards of just satisfaction, but beyond that little else. Consequentially he argues the urgent need to that the cases the Court does select for adjudication represent the most serious Convention compliance problems in Europe, and that they are settled with maximum authority and impact. Wildhaber agrees, the need for the Court to concentrate its efforts on decisions of principle However, for Sir Stephen Sedley, the proposal to introduce a discretion to refuse to entertain cases which are legally admissible is a counsel of despair; to do this would be to abandon the Courts crucial role, which is not that of a Supreme Court, but that of a tribunal of last resort for citizens of non-compliant states. This, he argues may be attractive to judges but is less attractive to citizens of sates which persistently or systematically fail to observe the convention. And this is less attractive still in light of the concern that amendments to the admissibility criteria will restrict the right of individuals to seek redress at the European Court, without ade quately tackling the problem of the increasing number of Convention violations across Europe. Conclusion: Why Bother? Camerons renewed pledge to repatriate the Human Rights Act (1998) (HRA) with a British bill of rights to better tailor, but also strengthen, the protection of our core rights may soon be a reality. DPP Kier Starmer has made an impassioned defence of the HRA and broad impact of Convention jurisprudence on the CPS: the common law sometimes struggles with a coherent approach to human rights; the Human Rights Act is an essential component of the framework within which everyones rights may be protected. The ECHR has shored up the right to a fair trial in the UK, the CPS underscoring the relationship between Article 6 and its work securing the fairness of trial proceedings in criminal proceedings. It was central to the development of PACE (1984), ensuring formality of interrogation and ending miscarriages of justice through uncorroborated evidence. Regina v Fulling (1987) demonstrates the efficacy of PACE safeguards against evidence collected under oppression, contrary to the ECHR; the meaning of the term (oppression) reflects the wording of Article 3. Starmer underscores the positive obligation on the state to take reasonable steps to protect potential victims from a real and immediate risk to their lives from criminal activity. When they (victims) unfortunately acquire that status, they have the right to an effective investigation. These are rights that spring from the Human Rights Act, not rights that conflict with it. Critically, they are now enforceable in court. Through the application of the ECHR, challenges may be made under Section 78 PACE as to the admissibility of the evidence obtained; and victims have the right to challenge decisions not to prosecute, particularly where they can point to poor decision-making or inappropriate consideration of irrelevant factors in that process. The HRA is central to legal certainty and transparency, and development of a modern public prosecution service prosecuting firmly and fairly, in an open, transparent and independent way; supporting victims and witnesses by enabling, encouraging and supporting their effective participation at all stages in the criminal justice process; and a commitment to respect and protect the human rights of all those affected by our decisions, whether they be victims, witnesses, suspects or defendants. Klug demonstrates the tangible protection of freedom under the Human Rights Act in sixteen important areas; freedom of association; private and family life; freedom of expression and the media; terrorism; torture; jurisdiction in Iraq; protecting the right to life; investigations into deaths; marriage; asylum seekers; disability; mental health; restraint of young people in secure training centres; sexual orientation; race; and gender. A few examples of Case law in these areas make a powerful case for Strasbourg litigation. A and others v UK (2009) held that the incarceration of suspected international terrorists under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 without charge or trial was disproportionate and discriminated on the ground of nationality or immigration status. In R (H) v Mental Health Review Tribunal, the rights of those detained under the Mental Health Act (1983) were bolstered by the shifting burden of proof for continued detention onto the health authority. Prisoners rights have been enhanced, including the granting of voting rights in Goldberg and Others v. Minister of Prisons (1979); the freedom from censorship of correspondence, in Silver and Others v. UK (1980); and changes to cell policies following the racist murder of a prisoner in R (Amin) v SSHD (2003). R (Baiai) v SSHD (2008) was important ensuring the sacrosanct right to marry under Article 12 was free from discrimination on the grounds of immigration status. Leach, in his recent visit to Birkbeck College drew attention to the heart-rending fact finding missions in Anchora in the early 1990s, highlighting serious pervasive violations of the Kurdish minority in South East Turkey. The deplorable case of Aydin v. Turkey (2005) is emblematic of the effect of individual petition and its fundamental importance to the effective protection of the substantive rights and freedoms provided for in the Convention. It is perhaps through this significant programme of litigation, setting key standards in violations of Articles 2, 3 and 5, and delivering access to justice to those most vulnerable and marginalised members of society that the true point of litigation in Strasbourg is made. For those in the North Caucuses, 2009 has been a frightful year, symbolised by the death in Grozny in July of Natalia Estimirova, followed a month later by Zarema Sadulayeva and Alik Dzhabrailov. Through the delivery of constitutional justice those most vulnerable people whose voices so desperately need to be heard will be cut off from the most advanced international system for protecting civil and political liberties. Barkhuysen and Emmerick contend that the Courts constitutional legitimacy and moral authority are derived through providing legal protection to individuals by breaking the State Partys sovereignty. This unique achievement, unprecedented in international must be defended. It is here that the point of Strasbourg litigation is to be found.