Over what issues, if any, was there a political consensus in the period 1945-1979 Essay Example

Over what issues, if any, was there a political consensus in the period 1945 Over what issues, if any, was there a political consensus in the period 1945-1979 Essay Over what issues, if any, was there a political consensus in the period 1945-1979 Essay The postwar political consensus is a much debated and controversial area of British politics. The postwar consensus is traditionally seen as lasting until 1979 over which time the political governing class was committed to Keynesian social democracy (as dubbed by Marquand). It involved a major world role for Britain; a welfare state based on cradle to grave provision of benefits and services for all citizens; and a mixed economy managed by governments on Keynesian lines in such a way as to maintain full employment. However, the evidence suggests that a political consensus did not exist or rather not in the traditional view. British governments are rarely revolutionary they are evolutionary and this would appear to be the case, certainly from 1945 to 1979 governments evolved to change. What did exist was a centre-left policy bias that had become convention because of the events in domestic politics of the Second World War. Britain had a war to win and collectivism was needed to mobilise the economy in the most efficient way possible. This led to a great expansion in the role of government in society. Whitehall grew to accommodate this role and there was now an institutional momentum behind greater government intervention in postwar Britain. New peacetime departments were in place, new administrative procedures were at an advanced stage of preparation, and new mentalities were ingrained in officials. This interventionism was firmly toward the left of the political spectrum; liberalism and tempered socialism were the fashionable tools to deal with societies ills. The Labour party and liberal intellectuals, for instance Keynes and Beveridge, dominated postwar planning. The Beveridge Report (1942) was the source of future policy commitments on social policy and full employment. The lack of Conservative impression on the postwar planning was due in part to the nature of Churchills relationship with the party and his greater concern with the war in progress. The impact of collectivism was really only properly felt by the two governments following the Second World War, both led by two significant figures from it Attlee and Churchill. Three key policy areas highlight the consensus reached, Britains world role, the welfare state and a mixed economy. British foreign policy from 1945 to 1955 was based on the view that Britains special relationship with the US, leadership of the Commonwealth, possession of nuclear weapons and large conventional military capability gave the country a continuing leading status as a world power. Events following 1955 firmly changed policy aims, breaking the supposed consensus. The Suez crisis of 1956 severely dented Britains claim to an independent world role. In 1962 the policy pursued by the two previous governments of an independent nuclear deterrent was ended when Britain became totally dependent on the US for the supply of nuclear weapons. By the mid-1960s the notion of the Commonwealth as a world force was at an end. Also membership of the EEC, which had been firmly off the agenda during the 1950s, became a pressing desire during the 1960s and on the third attempt in 1973 Britain became a member. This highlights that in foreign policy there was not a consensus extending until 1979, objectives changed by the mid-1950s. The major theme of postwar economic policy in Britain was closer government involvement in running the economy. The main elements of economic policy were: a largely private enterprise economy with a significant public sector of recently nationalised industries; governments acceptance of the responsibility to manage the economy at a level of demand sufficient to maintain a high and stable rate of employment; their adoption of Keynesian methods in order to do so; and the operation of a corporatist style partnership. The Attlee Government with nationalisation of major industries, for instance coal and railways, achieved the creation of a mixed economy. The Conservative Government of 1951 to 1964 only privatised steel and road haulage in response to the nationalisation, signalling the political consensus. Chancellors of both parties used a combination of fiscal techniques (for example tax rates) and monetary methods (for example interest rates) to manage the economy in a Keynesian manor. The government also employed corporate bias (Keith Middlemas) to avoid industrial conflict through close relationship with industry and trade unions. These policies remained broadly the same until they came under increasing strain with the economic crises of the 1970s. These led to the winter of discontent of 1979 and the election of New Right Conservatives. This ended the postwar consensus on economic policy with the Conservatives now pursuing the reduction of inflation over the maintenance of a low rate of unemployment. Tax cuts were introduced and the privatisation of public sector industries and services. Also relationships with the trade unions deteriorated, with legislation introduced to curb their influence. Therefore there was a political consensus from 1945 to 1979 on how to run the economy, though it began to collapse toward the end of the 1970s and completely ended with the introduction of monetarism under Thatcher. There was certainly political consensus in the area of the welfare state. The accepted basis of social policy was that a wide range of publicly provided benefits and universal services should be available to all on demonstration of need and, in the case of services, free at the point of receipt. The keystones of the welfare state were a National Health Service providing health care to all regardless of income, a comprehensive system of social security and pensions based on national insurance contributions, and a state educational service. These policies have been broadly upheld since their conception during the Second World War and implementation under the Attlee Government. There have of course been differences, for instance the Conservatives encouraged the purchase of council homes whilst Labour stressed the need to increase their stock. Even under Thatcher changes that were introduced were predominantly organisational and managerial and sought greater cost-consciousness, efficiency and diversity in the delivery of services rather than any erosion of the principles of taxpayer financing or of free services at the point of use. Therefore the broad principles of the welfare state remain to this day, outlasting the traditionally perceived end of the political consensus of 1979. Therefore in the three main policy areas of the political consensus consistency across all three in the same time period has only existed until 1955. Foreign policy changed dramatically after 1955 with the policy objective of maintaining Britain as a world power reversing to complete withdrawal from the Empire and joining the European Union. Also the dependence on America for a nuclear deterrent was at odds with the pursuit of an independent deterrent under the Attlee and Churchill Governments. Thus the postwar political consensus on foreign policy ended in 1955. The economic policies pursued after the Second World War were broadly consistent until 1979, with the goals of high employment and a mixed economy top of the agenda. Thatcherism was at odds with this, with low inflation as the target and privatisation of state industries. However, with the welfare state it would appear that the postwar consensus continues to this day, with cradle to grave services free at the point of service still in existence. The Thatcher Governments may have introduced market forces into to the welfare state but this has not changed the broad principles laid down by Beveridge in 1942. In conclusion, it is a misconception to see the period of 1945 to 1979 as a postwar political consensus. At most it can be argued that there was a centre-left domination of policy during this period, leading from the shift in public opinion and from the ability of Labour and leading liberals to command the postwar planning process. The breakdown of Britain during 1970s economically, then led to the introduction of what would appear to be a true political consensus. This is because in the three main policy areas, Britains world role, the welfare state and the economy. Thatcher, Major and Blair have pursued broadly similar policy objectives. It could conceivably be argued that the institution of Whitehall holds the key to policy direction. When the bureaucracy grew substantially during the Second World War it was under the auspices of Labour and liberal policy thinking. Thus policy implementation was biased toward the centre-left. After the Thatcherite reforms of the Civil Service during the 1980s, it may now have a bias toward the centre-right, therefore possibly explaining the policies pursued under the current Labour Government.

The Pyramid of the Magician - Maya Site of Uxmal Mexico

The Pyramid of the Magician - Maya Site of Uxmal Mexico The Pyramid of the Magician, also known as the House of the Dwarf (Casa del Adivino, or Casa del Enano), is one of the most famous Maya monuments of Uxmal, an archaeological site in the Puuc region of Yucatan, in the northern Maya Lowland of Mexico. History Of the Pyramid Of the Magician Its name comes from a Maya tale of the 19th century, titled the Leyenda del Enano de Uxmal (The Legend of the Uxmal’s Dwarf). According to this legend, a dwarf constructed the pyramid in one night, helped by his mother, a witch. This building is one of the most impressive of Uxmal, measuring about 115 feet in height. It was constructed  over the Late and Terminal Classic periods, between AD 600 and 1000,  and five constructive phases have been detected. The one visible today is the latest one, built around AD 900-1000. The pyramid, over which the actual temple stands, has a peculiar elliptical form.  Two staircases lead to the top of the pyramid. The Eastern staircase, the wider, has a small temple along the way that cut the stairway in half. The second access stair, the Western, faces the Nunnery Quadrangle and is decorated with friezes of the rain god Chaac. The Pyramid of the Magician is the first building a visitor encounters entering the ceremonial area of Uxmal, just north of the Ball Game Court and the Palace of the Governor and east of the Nunnery Quadrangle. Several phases of the temple constructed on top of the pyramid are visible while ascending the pyramid from the base to the top. Five construction phases have been detected (Temple I, II, III, IV, V). The facades of the different phases  were decorated with stone masks of the rain god Chaac, typical of the Puuc architectural style of the region. Sources Mc Killop, Heather, 2004, The Ancient Maya. New Perspectives. ABC-CLIO. Santa Barbara, CaliforniaAA.VV. 2006, Los Mayas. Rutas Arqueologicas: Yucatan y Quintana Roo. Edicià ³n Especial de Arqueologia Mexicana, num. 21 (www.arqueomex.com)

Freedom of Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Freedom of Speech - Essay Example The victims of fighting words are usually silenced by their relative powerless position in society. A common presumption that is usually made by the fighting words doctrine is that an encounter between two individuals that relatively have equal degrees of power will generally result in violence. Boss (2009), points out that freedom of speech is often described as being a liberal right; in this regard we all have an innate right to express all of our opinions without having to face any interference or inhibition from other people or the government (Paikin, 2014). However, Boss (2009) cautions that not all forms of verbal expression can be considered to be speech and similarly to most of the other liberty rights,freedom of speech is considered as not being an absolute right. All societies place limits on speech with the objective of preventing the occurrence of civil disorder and violence which in turn helps society in protecting its citizens against harassment, threats and fraud. The government can largely be considered as acting in an heteronomous manner when it moves to curtail the people’s freedom of speech. This is because there are now wide ranging concerns over how the government exercises censorship. The notion of censorship has traditionally been based on the assumption that the government and people in positions of authority have access to the truth and as such are well placed to make final decisions as to what exactly should be considered to be good and right. However, this authority has in recent years come under heavy criticism as a result of the fact that as a result of some perceived heteronomy on the part of the government. An example of this is the formulation and implementation of the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act makes it legal for law enforcement officials to now be able to search people’s bookstore and library records in

Foundations of Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foundations of Business - Research Paper Example It is illegal to provide the material or the non-public information to others based upon which they may trade in the company securities. Question One: Types of Transactions Considered As Insider Trading There are various transactions that have been prohibited as stated by the company’s rules and regulation: I) Transaction in the securities of the company – When the employee is well aware of the material and the nonpublic information with regards to the company, he or she may not trade in the securities of the company, but counsel others to hold, buy or sell the securities of the companies. They may even disclose the information of the company to others who might then trade. They may even assist others to engage in any of these activities. II) Transaction in the securities of other companies – Since the employees are well aware of the material and the nonpublic information of other companies because of their experience, therefore in this regards, the employees are forbidden to transact in the securities of other companies. III) Short sales – It may be the case that the employees of the company may borrow the securities in order to sell with a hope of price dropping. They may intent to buy back the securities at the lower price in order to replace the borrowed securities. The employees of the company are then strictly prohibited to engage themselves in such kinds of short selling of the company’s securities (Heckmann Corporation, n.d.). Question Two: Specific Conditions Under Which Insider Trading Is Considered Illegal Under United States’ Federal Securities Laws. In the Securities Exchange Act, there are provisions designed to prohibit the insiders in the corporation to take any advantage of the insiders’ information in trading the corporation’s securities. There are two federal statutes having the provisions forbidding the insider trading. They are the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Insider Tradin g Sanctions Act of 1984. Prohibition of the insider trading can be warranted on the fairness and equity grounds. Under the federal securities law the basic prohibition of the insider trading can be derived from the rule 10b-5, disseminated pursuant to Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act. There is special condition where the insider trading is considered as illegal. It would be completely illegal for any person or the individual to utilize the means and the instruments or the mail of national security exchange to make use of (a) any schemes, devices or artifice to defraud. (b) the untrue statement that is of the material fact or to fail to state the material fact that would have been essential to make the statements. (c) To engage in the activities of fraud or deceitfulness upon any person in relation to the purchase and sell of the securities. Since the major aim of the insider trading is to promote the fairness in the securities therefore the proscription only applies to the extent t hat the material information is not available to the public. To the extent to which the insiders are in the possession of the material non-public information, the federal law bans on the trading in the securities of the subject company (Sapp, 2000). The insiders are also prohibited to provide â€Å"tips† to other outside persons such as friends or families. This can be termed as tipping. The insider or the ‘tipper’ is restricted from disclosing the other persons who is called the ‘

The Evolving Shape of Elite Politics Essay Example for Free

The Evolving Shape of Elite Politics Essay This paper looks at four changes within China in the past decade that has contributed to the political changes emerging in China. First the generational changes within the top leadership of China, second the economic development and differentiation. Third the events of Tianenmen square in 1989 and their subsequent influence. Fourth the changing domestic and international political environments that have emerged post-Cold War. These four factors have interacted and impacted each other in creating the current political environment. While Deng Xiaoping, the paramount Leader considered he and many of his cohorts the second generation of leadership, in reality they were still from the first generation. With the passing of Li Xiannian (Jiangs closest political supporter), Hu Qiaomu, Chen Yun, and Dengs death in 1997, the revolutionary generation no longer dominated the political scene. Jiang Zemin and his generation were technocrats who were promoted through bureaucratic service. They were trained to focus on the many problems China was facing, rather than the ideological agendas previous leaders had focused on. Without revolutionary contributions these new leaders needed to legitimize their role. This was done through enforcement of norms and procedures, as well as a forge of policies and consensus. Because of these changes the National Peoples Congress (NPC) and special committees have been able to take a more active role as well as force some constraints. The role of law (or the need for it) has also found greater emphasis in Chinese politics. Since Tianenmen the economy in China has more than doubled its size. The structure of the economy has drastically changed with the growth of the private economy. There has been a continual growth in foreign trade. Utilizing Chinas comparative advantage they have developed labor-intensive industries and increased their international export markets. They are also developing high-tech/information industries. The township and village enterprise (TVE) sector was privatized and grew rapidly, but is currently suffering stagnation in job creation. State enterprises have performed poorly. With diversification of economic interests, reforms have created job loss (39 million between 1996-2000) both urban as well as rural. The government is facing more demands from various interest groups and finding a need to be more accommodating with society. The government expanded the role of intermediate associations to articulate the interests of various groups. But it is very limited according to western standards. There has also been an increase in the number of strikes and demonstrations, with better organization and more diverse groups participating than in the past. While the government will suppress these actions, they also must take them into account in order to avoid rebellion. Counterrevolutionary labels are no longer a feasible ploy to suppress protests. Interregional and intraregional income inequalities (thought to stem in part from the abuse of political power) have given rise to issues of social justice. These demands are represented by millions of workers and farmers rather than (as in the past) a small group of intellectuals. In the 1980s there were two political choices, conservatism and reform. Reformers tried to instigate two separations; enterprises from the government, and the Party from the government. These moves had weakened the Partys political dominance. The Tiananmen demonstrations and crackdown made leaders realize the importance of social stability. This and the break-up of the Soviet Union forced the leadership to recognize a third possibility, social, political and economic collapse. Intellectuals and reformers tempered their desire for rapid political change. A push for a multi party system and electoral democracy declined; there was still a demand for social or economic democracy or equality however. The 15th Party Congress report emphasized their desired direction of separating enterprises and the government; its pursuit of membership to the WTO reinforces this direction. The Party has managed to keep within bounds the conflict of social stability and enterprise reform from creating a divide and possible leadership crisis from occurring. The end of socialism in Eastern Europe had many intellectuals in China rethinking their economic and political reforms. They saw Russia face economic and political decline with social disorder, corruption and crime. This caused some in China to question neo-liberal economics, political democracy, and other Western practices. This allowed the government more freedom to reject Western models and bring in incremental reform. In the early 1990s relations with the U.S. became tenser. The U.S. was opposed to China hosting the 2000 Olympics. Many Chinese perceived the country they admired not only reject their government but also oppose them as a nation. The American political and economic model became less appealing to Chinese and demand for democratic reform was reduced. Generational transformations of leadership, the growth and diversification of societal interests, and changes in domestic and international political context have strengthened the role of political norms, diminished the role of ideology, enhanced institutions and begun to forge a new state-society relationship and a new sense of nationalism. While ideology has played a diminished role in Chinese society, the leaders ideology still exists, it forms and shapes his style of leadership, and distinguishes him from other leaders eras. Mao was seen as a central political leader able to instill unity; Dengs role was seen as decentralizing and getting the economy going. Jiang has not been able to portray a strong vision, often a weakness of technocrats whose main strength is to fix problems. He must also contend with problems at home and abroad. When Jiang engages with the world, domestically he is seen as moving away from Chinese interests. To establish legitimacy Jiang was determined to form an ideological system. This system he believed would increase his present influence and also his future influence and power. (Only he would have the ability to decide if policy is being followed or not). There does not appear to be an evolution of leadership from individual leader to institutions. In 2000 Jiang introduced Three Representations these being the Party represents the broad mass of the population, advanced culture, and advanced forces of production. Jiangs push for improving the construction of Party style brings into question Marxist ideology. The plenum views Marxism as a methodology for understanding the world rather than a set of conclusions. Jiang went further and declared class struggle dead, and there by opening up the door for capitalists to enter the Party. He also called for a re-evaluation of Marxist theory on labor and labor value. Fewsmiths logic follows; if wages are determined by supply and demand (neoclassical view) there cannot be exploitation. If the exploitation idea is not Party doctrine, there leaves little need for a Communist Party. Jiang called for inner-Party reform to further democratic reform, it was thought by some that Party reform was needed to increase its legitimacy. (But a democratic opening any time soon shouldnt be expected). With an absence of revolutionary legitimacy, ideology has lost its persuasive influence, and Party discipline has declined, personal power and ties appears to be more important. Tang Tsou identified the central characteristic of 20th century Chinese politics as monistic, unified and indivisible. We can see examples of this in Jiangs reshaping of an ideology, marking it as his, and securing his authority through promoting his protà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½gà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s. There exists a cultural framework, a personalistic system and ideological system to support the Party line. Factionalism is not tolerated so efforts to thwart that line are a threat to enter into a game to win all. It is more than one leader replacing another, it is a re-orientation of Party policy and often occurs during a period of crisis such as following Tiananmen, where a redefining of the Party line was done in a way to weaken and marginalize Deng. Another example was a 10,000 character manifestos that challenged Jiang to define his line. Jiang s agreement to step down as general secretary of the 16th Party Congress while alive and well is an unprecedented step in the transition of power. His replacement Hu Jintao is not considered a Jiang loyalist. Jiangs only hope of continuing to exercise power after Hu replaces him is by consolidating his ideological vision and promoting those loyal to him that will keep him in the loop. Jiangs only hope of maintaining influence is through informal politics. Other top leaders also participate in informal politics as manifested when Jiang tried to promote Zeng and was thwarted. Many believe the reason had more to do with bureaucratic and individual interest than ideological concerns. Will Jiang be able to retain power and influence after he leaves office? That question reflects the change of era and the role of formal norms, and weakening ideology-taking place in China. We have seen changes in state/society relations, the role of ideology, and an increase in norms and institutions. All these have conditioned the rules of the game in Chinese politics. Social divisions have emerged, with corruption and advantages given to special interests at the expense of laws and institutions. Globalization and the entrance of China into the WTO is another potential for disrupting politics and society in China. The authors main arguments is that with a generational change, economic development, and the environment of Tianenmen Square; and the changing situation with other superpowers like the Soviet Union and the U.S., China is changing and becoming more economically democratic and showing signs of a softening toward political change as well. That being said, he points out that ideology is still an important factor in Chinese politics, and that there is a strong tendency in the Party to operate under a personalistic system. While it is a big change to have a leader step down in China while he is still alive, Jiang is trying to hold on to his power through his ideology and live on through his policies, much like previous leaders ideologies transcended their era. This paper helps us understand that change is a slow process and culture and values run very deep. It brings to mind the saying The more things change, the more they stay the same. The first half of the paper covered well the four changes that have occurred and interacted to create change within the political system. His introductory was good and gave a good overall view of the political climate that existed previously and also the new developments and there effect on Chinese politics. The second half of the paper however did not utilize those four factors well in making his case that these factors were influential in party politics. He mainly focused on the generational aspect and the importance of personal ties in Chinese politics. He also researched Jiangs legitimacy and steps taken to earn him influence after his tenure is over. While Fewsmith was able to provide a lot of information and overall history as well as emerging trends, his focus was too wide to give enough empirical evidence to support any of his ideas fully. I would like to have read more about the economic development changes and reforms that have created inequality and civil unrest; and how t he Party is managing those to maintain stability. He Jiang has struggled with his legitimacy much of his time in office. He didnt have revolutionary ties, the party discipline is not as strong as in previous years, and he did not have an ideology. He has had to resort to different measures to gain his legitimacy. By creating an ideology he also hoped to gain legitimacy in his position. He knew he was leaving office but as those before him he wanted to leave his mark and influence decisions for future generations. I wonder the intent behind Jiangs bold statements. Is it possible that by declaring class struggle dead and making an opening for capitalists, Jiang hoped to garner future support from potentially powerful allies; or is he really pushing for reform? His call for a party reform to be more democratic, his allowing more political participation or representation than previously are other ways he tried to gain legitimacy. Were those moves inspired by a need to gain more Party consensus, were they motivated by political pressure, we re they self motivated, was he testing the waters, or is change in the near future inevitable? The author proposes the new government is able to make changes and do things differently than the first generation of leaders because no one is around to enforce old party politics. The new generation is more technocrats and we have seen an increase of norms and procedures and consensus being followed yet party lines run long and deep. Is there really a generational change among Chinas leaders or are they being replaced with Protà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½gà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s from the past such as Deng Xi8aopias in Hu. Even with Deng being dead, he still lives on through his protà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½gà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Jiang and now Hu. Hu is not a loyalist to Jiang, with Jiang being unable to promote his followers to high positions or to replace him it would appear as if Jiangs power is weak or is it that norms and institutions are becoming more powerful than the old personalistic system? The author mentioned Tianenmen demonstrations and the collapse of the Soviet Union being important factors in creating change in elite politics. Previously the only options available seemed conservative or reform but after these events, social, political and economic collapse seemed another option. For this reason stability is very important in Chinese politics. They will avoid any rapid political change to avoid chaos. There is a strong need to reform, especially government enterprises. With such a large percentage of people being out of work because of these reforms, and more potential changes on the way with membership to the WTO, how is the government going to be able to keep such tight control and maintain stability?

Mythology: Important Part Of History :: essays research papers

Mythology: Important Part of History Bullfinch once said "Mythology is the handmaid of literature...". That means that mythology is necessarily subservient or subordinate to literature. I personally think that is not true. Let me introduce myself. My name is Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and sexual desire. Mythology is important and interesting . In fact, I think I may be the most interesting of all the gods. Well, at least the most beautiful. In this auto biographical paper I will reveal to you who I am, how I relate to mythology, and a famous story about myself. Let me start with my birth. Many think I was born out of murder. They say that when Cronos butchered his father he flung the dismembered body into the sea, where it floated spouting blood and foam. From the foam rose me, a tall beautiful maiden with long blond hair the color of daffodils. Other legends say that I am the daughter of Cronos and Rheia or Jupiter and Dionne. I am married to Hephaestus, god of fire and metal work. Shortly after birth my poor husband was cast out of Olympus because of his deformities. My son is the famous arrow shooting Cupid. We are almost always together and Cupid is always shooting darts of desire in to the bosoms of Gods and men. I hate to admit it but in a way I am responsible for the Trojan War. One day Discord threw an apple on to Olympus to be given to the most beautiful goddess. Hera, Athene, and I all tried to claim the title. Each of us tried to persaude the judge, Paris, in our favor. Hera told him he would be a powerful ruler, Athene promised him that he would receive great military fame, and I guaranteed him Helen of Troy's hand in marriage. He then declared me the fairest of all, and abducted Helen of Troy thus beginning the Trojan War. I have also inspired many paintings, sculptures, and poetry. The most famous painting featuring me is the Birth of Venus. It is a very famous painting from the Renaissance. As you can see I am one of the most important goddess and have influenced mythology immensely. I relate to mythology by being the goddess of love and beauty. My Roman name is Venus. My work is my pleasure, my profession, and my hobby. I think about nothing but love and nobody expects any more from me. My job is to make other gods and goddess fall in love with each other. I am ashamed to say that I

Character of Nicholas in Chaucer’s Miller’s Tale Essay

Nicholas, with his outrageous sense of humour and eager pursuit of love, functions as the charming, likeable hero in Miller’s Tale. He is introduced as â€Å"hende Nicholas†, and his conduct does not at all answer to the usual sense of the adjective which implies great courtesy, but its suggestion of approval is repeatedly invoked as the Miller refers to his hero by this formula. We learn at once that he is knowledgeable and of his interest in astrology. This is seen as a respectable branch of learning, but Nicholas is aware of its power to impress others, while he is able to supplement his income by weather-forecasting. He is also helped financially by friends. The imaginary flood of which Nicholas tells John shows us his cunning, his confident attitude, his inventiveness and especially his contempt for the stupid tradesman: ‘Don’t worry about that,’ said Nicholas, / ‘His time’s been badly wasted, if a scholar / Can’t get the bet ter of a carpenter.’ (lines 191-193) In spite of this, however, the Miller presents the astrologer in a way that makes the audience like Nicholas. He does this by making John seem deserving of punishment for his unwise marriage and subsequent jealousy. Nicholas’s youth and attractiveness makes us less critical of his boldness, and the comic manner of the tale’s telling makes his conduct seem less worthy of censure than would be the case with real people. Nicholas seems a more appropriate partner for Alison than does John, and the Miller’s repetition of the formula â€Å"hende Nicholas† encourages us to be more sympathetic. However, it is important to note that Nicholas does not escape his daring plan without any consequences. His over-confidence and lack of prudence earn him a punishment appropriate to his offence, and in keeping with the farcical spirit of the tale he is â€Å"scalded in the towte† by his rival, who mistakes him for Alison. Thus, Nicholas may be the character that has the audience rooting for him by being likeable and providing good laughs, but his charming yet arrogant attitude does not prevent him from suffering the consequences of his actions. The Canterbury Tales [Oxford guides to Chaucer]. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989.

McDonalds Marketing Plan Essay

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY McDonald’s Philippines is a subsidiary of the Filipino-owned Golden Arches Development Corporation. The first Filipino McDonald’s to open for business was in the Morayta university districts in Manila during 1981. These days McDonald’s is operating over 150 restaurants throughout the islands of the Philippines. Being a 100% Filipino-owned franchise allows McDonald’s Philippines to be more agile and take quicker actions, making them an even more competitive force in the Filipino fast-food market. It is one of the leading fast-food chains internationally as well as in the Philippines, with a rapidly developing consumer brand and growing customer base. . It is a place for family togetherness organized around a common love of the traditional food. Its operating system is characterized by focusing on uniformity for consistent quality, the formation of partner relationship with its franchises and supplier to improve operating system innovatively and last but not least the introduction of new products. With its steady drive for improvement and consistently high quality, McDonald’s revolutionized the entire supply chain. Instead of regimenting its supplier and franchisees, McDonald’s expected commitment from them in terms of adherence and experimentation. The implemented, smooth operating chain of suppliers, McDonald’s corporate management and franchisees balances each other, creates an entrepreneurial spirit that added value, innovation, economics of scale, the bargaining power for advertising and purchasing, as well as new product and process ideas to the company. Additionally, all involved parties maintained a collective emphasis on disciplined quality standards. As years passed by, McDonald’s needed to adapt to industry changes by accomplishing some process design innovations in fruitful collaboration with its suppliers and franchisees. In this context, McDonald’s improved the chain’s chicken and fries’ quality and consistency by switching from raw to frozen delivered fries as well as the productivity of employee. Another major process enhancement was the introduction of the breakfast at McDonald’s. In this way, the corporation expanded its operating hours since it had to pay for rent, utilities and insurance 24 hours a day, anyways. The generation of a totally new business came along with the nice side effect that it again distinguishes itself from its competitors. This marketing plan is used in outlining the product, pricing, and distribution and promotion strategies to be implemented and executed during this time. It proposes a revitalization of the McDonald’s philosophy so as to focus on the quality of products and services for customer’s value and a healthy lifestyle, healthy eating habits, smart choices and education. The plan also outlines the structural issues that may arise during its implementation and execution, tactical initiatives to turn strategy into action. II. CHALLENGE Problem: Before, the company use grilled direct system. Which becomes the problem of the company because the customer always complaining about the quality of the product like chicken mcdo, when it is served to the customers it is not crispy because it stays longer in the warming bin, and also the patty of the burger, it is not juicy because it is not hot. The access of McDelivery to the call center is another problem of McDonalds because some times the information about on the location of the customer is wrong. Solution: Now a day the McDonald’s uses the Made for You (MFY) system. †¢ Food is made or prepared to actual customer demand, providing each and every burger only when it is needed just in time (JIT). †¢ It standardizes assembly of all sandwiches to one or two at a time. †¢ Requires minimal Human Decisions Making. †¢ It requires Behavioral change ⠝â€" Quality ⠝â€" Complete waste ⠝â€" Equipment ⠝â€" Standard procedure III. SITUATION ANALYSIS Company Analysis †¢ Goals – Develop a solution to improve kitchen layouts, people positioning and operational procedures for a better guest experience. In simple terms: our goal is to have a happy and satisfied customer. †¢ Focus – the company should focus on products and services. McDonald’s is a customer-oriented company that strives to offer Filipinos a combination of great tasting, quality food productions at value prices with excellent service. †¢ Values – Customer – driven, Malasakit, Integrity, Teamwork and Excellent. †¢ Strengths ⠝â€" Quality of the product, services and cleanliness of the store. ⠝â€" The service of the company is fast and accurate, and we believe that taking good care of our customers is the first vital step toward effective sales building. ⠝â€" Patents and Trademark ⠝â€" Branding such as through the use of logos, colours, slogan and other images. A key part of the McDonald’s brand is its ‘M’ logo otherwise known as ‘The Golden Arches’. †¢ Weaknesses ⠝â€" The competitors like Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Burger King etc. ⠝â€" Lack of cooperation between the management and in the crews. †¢ Market Shares – McDonald’s has captured more than 40% share of the hamburger market in the Philippines. Customer Analysis †¢ Number – 30% is ages 60 and above, 20% is ages 1-15, 50% is ages 16 and above. This is the percentage of customer who are eating at the McDonald’s everyday especially during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. †¢ Type – Class B & C †¢ Value Drivers – a part from our product and services. McDonald’s gives back to the community through the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). RMHC supports children’s development and well being through Bahay Bulilit and Bright Minds Read (BMR). Every happy meal purchase gives 50 centavos to RMHC. †¢ Decision process – The customer have a lot of decision making it is base of what they needs and wants, also the customer decide to buy a discounted product like in coupon and the mcsaver meals. Competitor Analysis †¢ Market Position No. 1 (Jollibee) No. 2 (McDonald’s) †¢ Strengths Lasang Pinoy Raw materials are environment friendly †¢ Weaknesses Jollibee has a poor service †¢ Market shares – Jollibee has captured more than 52% share of the hamburger market in the Philippines. SWOT ANALYSIS Strength †¢ Risk diversity †¢ Large market share †¢ Strong supply chain †¢ Promoting ethical conduct †¢ Competitive fast-food chain †¢ Attentive and friendly staff/crew’s †¢ Rigorous food safety standards †¢ Good reputation among customer †¢ Decentralized yet connected system †¢ Strong brand name, image and reputation †¢ Strong financial and performance and position †¢ Affordable prices and high quality products †¢ Nutritional information available on packaging †¢ Strong global presence and performance in the global marketplace †¢ Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University †¢ McDonalds Plan to Win focuses on people, product, place, price and promotion Weaknesses †¢ Unhealthy food image †¢ High staff turnover including top management †¢ Customer losses due to fierce competition †¢ Lack of access to the best natural resources †¢ Lack of access to key distribution channel Opportunities †¢ Growing health trends among consumers †¢ Joint ventures with retailers †¢ Consolidation of retailers likely, so better locations for franchisees †¢ Respond to social changes by innovation with in healthier lifestyle foods †¢ Strengthen its value proposition and offering, to encourage customers who visit coffee shops into McDonalds †¢ The new â€Å"formats†, Mccafe, having wi-fi internet links should help in attracting segments. Also installing children’s play-parks and its focus on educating consumers about health, fitness. †¢ International expansion into emerging market’s of other country †¢ Growth of the fast-food industry †¢ Low cost menu that will attract the customers †¢ Providing many promotional activities Threats †¢ Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonald’s of contributing to the country health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity †¢ McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically †¢ Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies †¢ Affordability of the competitors products †¢ Similar flavors and products of the competitors †¢ Competitors endorsers are much popular when it compares to McDonalds IV.Market Segmentation Market Segmentation is the process of splitting customer in to different groups, or segment within the customers with similar characteristics have similar needs. Geographical Segmentation Mcdonalds offered their services based on certain country basic food. Like Philippines McDonalds realized that Filipino basic food is rice which with fried chicken as its local basic food. Demographic/Psychographic Segmentation Demographic segmentation divided the market into groups based on variables like gender, age, nationality, religion; family life cycle and family size McDonald offered their services by segmented their customer base on age, religion and family life cycle. To offer the best service McDonalds still concern about variations due to differing tastes and cultural issues for their customer over the world. Behavioral Segmentation Behavioral segmentation focuses on dividing consumer based on their knowledge, attitudes, uses, benefit sought, or responses to company’s product. One of the best forms of segmentation is to divide buyers according to the different benefits that they want to get by purchasing the product. Usually people who look for in their product class or look for each benefit. For example, McDonald provide McDelivery for 24 hours, this is the only one delivery service that not stop even once in a while a day by just call it and order, after that within a minute it comes to your place with the food that still hot and fresh. V. Alternative Marketing Strategies McDonalds has seen recent success through a careful implementation of its â€Å"Plan to Win† strategy, which focuses on several key aspects of the business, namely increasing traffic to restaurants, providing everyday value to customers, innovating the company through the creation of new menu items, re-imaging the company’s look, as well as its marketing campaigns. McDonald’s Plan to Win is based on a core set of four main goals: †¢ Acquire more customers †¢ Get these customers to eat at McDonalds more often †¢ Develop more brand loyalty for the McDonalds brand †¢ Ultimately become more profitable Increasing restaurant visits Current market condition help the appearance of McDonalds as a low cost alternative to eating at more expensive restaurants in the minds of customers, which has consequently led to an increase in foot traffic at McDonalds franchises. McDonalds has addressed these conditions through an increase in advertising, specially displaying the company’s attention toward a diversified menu of low cost items. Such advertising serves to satisfy all four of goals of Plan to win program, drawing customer interest through a short display of the plethora of new menu options recently added, while also helping to change the look and feel of McDonalds in the minds of customers. Providing everyday value In order to create an overall feeling of value for customers to experience, McDonalds has released a modular value meal, where customers have the benefit of both low prices coupled with increased freedom when deciding on a meal. While traditional menu options emphasize a trade-off between ordering freedom and price, the McDonalds value menu provides customers with both all at once, helping customers associate the brand with good value. Innovating new menu items At the same time as their menu choices have become modular and less expensive, McDonalds is also creating value for customers by providing a diverse menu with many more ordering options. Customers can now expect an increase in health-conscious options by adding some vegetables in the burger and also they provide some dessert like apple pie or pineapple pie. McDonalds also provide a mccafe like ice mocha, ice latte, and cappuccino, Americano to provide some different variety of coffee to satisfy the customer. Marketing campaigns As well as considering the important of keeping customers informed of the continuing changes to the company through advertising media and social media dialogues, McDonalds also recognizes the value of maintaining an ongoing support system and training structure for each of its franchise operators. As mentioned above, McDonalds uses well defined, and measurable milestones to help their constituents meet company goals with as few inconsistencies as possible. McDonalds’ training programs have been continuously recognized for their excellence, and with the continuing changes being carried out throughout the company, this attention to the value of training is a terrific asset to the company. Re-imaging the restaurant Directly benefiting the company’s goals of brand development for the company, McDonalds is reenergizing their brand through an understanding of â€Å"brand power†, which is built on the cultivation of four key areas of the brand, brand identity, familiarity, specialness, and authority. Brand identity is defined as the set of characteristics that customers recognize your brand by; in McDonalds’ case these are speed, consistency, value, and variety. Brand identity works with brand familiarity, helping to expand the message that symbols of the company, or even the overall impact of advertisements themselves in reinforcing the identity of the brand in the minds of customers. If carefully managed, McDonalds can use their brand identity to make their investments in advertising go much further. Beyond this, brand specialness and authority continue the process, representing the perceptions of McDonalds as the company appears to customers. Ideally, McDonalds should leverage brand specialness and authority to clearly stand out as a distinct and trustworthy source of value, allowing customers to increase the value of the McDonalds brand through their positive interactions with the company. McDonald’s adopts different strategies to attract customers of different age groups, but still the main target remains to be children. So in order to attract them, McDonald’s use a key tool: the Happy Meals, which seem to fascinate children due to the toys included in the menu. In addition to this, they have a tie up with The Walt Disney Company for the Disney characters included in the menu, in order to make sure that they offer the kids a wide range of toy options. Moreover, McDonald’s provides the children with a special facility, unique for food venues and fast-food restaurants: a playground. This strategy is aimed at making McDonald’s a pleasant and fun environment for both kids and parents. Even the exterior of every restaurant is also strategically designed using bright colors to invite in the customer, especially kids who can easily be influenced by these aspects. So not only that the children like it, it is a chance for the parents to spend some â€Å"quality time† with their kids. Another aspect of their marketing strategy is the fact that every McDonald’s restaurant provides Wi–Fi facilities, a detail that adds to the attractive qualities and is aimed at teenage customers. In addition to this, what is representative for this chain is their clown mascot, Ronald McDonald, who is essential for creating the bond with children and entertaining them. They can even have private birthday parties in the facilities, again part of McDonald’s aim to induce happy memories in children’s minds, and to make them associate the McDonald’s brand and logo with happy moments. VI. Selected Marketing Strategy Product Suppliers are dedicated to providing McDonald’s with top quality material that is continually monitored for freshness and safety. McDonald’s uses regional suppliers to ensure that the freshness is delivered to customers in every product they buy. Food quality is keys at McDonald’s. They seek out fresh lettuce and tomatoes, onions and pickles, quality buns and potatoes, pure ground beef, select poultry and fish and wholesome dairy products. All of the beef, chicken and pork that are used are purchased from federally inspected facilities to ensure freshness, wholesomeness and peak quality when served to customers. Non-Vegetarian Ingredients Chicken The chicken products are made from high quality boned rib and leg meat and are covered in a specially seasoned, lightly battered coating. They are shaped in uniform sizes to ensure consistency in weight and value. Fish The fish products in McDonald’s Filet –O- Fish are 100% pure whole white fillets that are lightly breaded. Their exacting quality standards for fish surpass federal requirements. The ocean-fresh quality of Filet-O-Fish is a result of the process and ability to freeze the fish at sea to maintain freshness. Vegetarian Ingredients Vegetables McDonald’s use freshly shredded lettuce, onions, pickles and tomatoes in their restaurants. All their vegetable products are processed from high quality graded vegetables in a 100% dedicated vegetarian plant. Potatoes McDonald’s French fries are famous around the world. To make French fries, McDonald’s uses only the best potatoes available from their own potato farms. Their potato suppliers make many of the same nationally recognized brands of potato products to make customers feel that they are with their family at home. These potatoes are cut, blanched and processed on state-of-the-art processing lines to ensure maximum retention of nutrients. Their French fries and Potato Wedges are cooked at the plant in 100% vegetables cooking oil. Other Ingredients Cheese and other Dairy Products All dairy products like cheese, McShakes and Soft Serves are made from fresh dairy milk. All dairy products including cheese have a role to play in balanced diet because they contain a wide variety of essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, fat solubles, phosphorus, etc. McDonald’s uses a special blend of pasteurized American cheese to complement the flavor of their sandwiches. Buns McDonald’s uses buns made from locally grown wheat flour. They are baked locally and delivered fresh, several times each week to McDonald’s restaurants. Cooking Oil Food preparations are done in 100% refined vegetable oils at the restaurants plants. They use liquid oil and not hydrogenated oil. This means there are no TFAs or Trans Fatty Acids in the French Fries or any other products. Additionally, these vegetable oils contain some essential fatty acids necessary for growth. Quality Food quality is the crucial element at McDonald’s. Despite extensive and meticulous quality test at the suppliers end, all products are once again carefully scrutinized at the restaurant. Immaculate of quality allow for nothing but the best to reach customer’s tray. Their products are sourced from the highest quality ingredients, prepared hygienically and treated to regular quality checks such as the McDonald’s Inspection Program (QIP). Scope of Product Line Distribution (Place) Place, as an element of the marketing mix, is not just about the physical location or distribution points for products. It encompasses the management of a range of processes involved in bringing products to the end consumer. McDonald’s outlets are very evenly spread throughout the cities making them very accessible. Drive in and drive through options make McDonald’s products further convenient to the consumers. Intensive Distribution Distribution arrangements tend to be long term in nature. Because of this time horizon, channel decisions are usually classed as strategic, rather than tactical or operational ones. Many of McDonalds restaurants are open 24 hours per day which satisfies the customers needs and wants, especially for exists their hunger. This kind of distribution strategy is called â€Å"intensive distribution†, means marking the product available for sale through all possible channels of distribution. â€Å"Intensive distribution is stocking the product in as many outlets as possible.† Promotion The promotions aspect of the marketing mix covers all types of marketing communications One of the methods employed is advertising, Advertising is conducted on TV, radio, in cinema, online, using poster sites and in the press for example in newspapers and magazines. Other promotional methods include sales promotions, point of sale display, merchandising, direct mail, loyalty schemes, door drops, etc. The skill in marketing communications is to develop a campaign which uses several of these methods in a way that provides the most effective results. For example, TV advertising makes people aware of a food item and press advertising provides more detail. This may be supported by in-store promotions to get people to try the product and a collectable promotional device to encourage them to keep on buying the item. At McDonalds the prime focus is on targeting children. In happy meals too which are targeted at children small toys are given along with the meal. Apart from this, various schemes for winning prices by way of lucky draws and also scratch cards are given when an order is placed on the various mean combos. VII. Conclusion Since the problem of McDonalds is about the customer that keeps on complaining for the quality and freshness of the products that is being served. Therefore I conclude that the company should use the MFY (Made for You) system, so that the food is made or prepared for the customer just in time with a good quality for a reasonable cost. The company should also provide a large number of riders to avoid late delivery.

The Death Penalty in the US Criminal Justice System

The Death Penalty in the US Criminal Justice System Introduction The death penalty has been a largely debated form of punishment in the U.S. since its inception. The law supporting this unkind and unfair sentence was thus, put under scrutiny and consequently several death sentences were either overturned or could only be carried out on proportionate grounds by the supreme courts heralding a new era in the criminal justice system of the US.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Death Penalty in the US Criminal Justice System specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The legal arguments for this decision made by the higher courts were cited in line with the 8th amendment that called for the exclusive considerations on several factors that mainly touched on racial disparities, age of a convict, proper evidence that can incriminate the accused persons, respective human rights action plans against such people, satisfactory judgment delivered either by unanimous decision or a majority of votes by the judges and so on (Burns 1). Age The Supreme Court made a decision based on the 8th amendment to relook into criminal cases viewed as cruel or unusual, and instead provided an alternative favorable form of punishment. Most death sentences were slashed down to life imprisonment, leaving only deserved cases as death sentences. For instance, some states were forced to repackage their judicial laws after realizing that the judgment commonly delivered never materialized particularly when the cases involved were referred back to the supreme courts, which in turn, after careful hearing, overturned the rulings in favor of the accused. This occurred in cases that were considered to lack the 8th amendment thresholds for the death penalty. These circumstances made several states to re of such ruling involving a minor was a criminal case for Christopher Simmons who was sentenced to death but later overruled; Case, Roper v Simmons. Another example of such case in which the age of a convict was contested involved a 15 year old at the time of committing the crime. William Thompson was sentenced to death after being convicted of murder. Due to this, the Supreme Court overturned the decision of an Oklahoma court by explaining that the execution of the minor violated the eighth amendment statute. The case here is, Thompson v. Oklahoma. Racial disparities Another main issue surrounding the death penalty is the racial inequality that has been historically characteristic with handing of the penalty in the U.S. For instance, consider a case involving an African American who was convicted of two counts of robbery plus one count of murder. After convictions in county courts and subsequently condemned to death, his plea was heard whereby the Supreme Court ruling overturned the death penalty imposed. The final ruling stated that the majority should not dictate matters of humanity since it is unconstitutional. For example, it was viewed that those accused of killing whit e people could easily be handed the death sentence compared to murderers for black persons. After much consideration and scrutiny of the penalty, the courts offered a platform for the voiceless like the accused person in question.i.e case, McCleskey v kemp. Mental state of the convict Mental instability in most people is believed to have unnatural rage subconscious to a person’s mind. It is for this reason that informed the Supreme Court to offer a reprieve on death penalty for mentally retarded persons who commit a criminal offence. As a result of this, the death sentence was found to be unconstitutionally excessive thereby restricting the state’s power to deliver death penalty as a form of punishment on similar cases under the same state of mind. For instance, Daryl Atkins was convicted of murder even though his IQ score was 59 hence; the Supreme Court reversed the earlier ruling which did not evaluate his condition as that of mild mental condition; Case, Atkins v. V irginia (Jacobs 1). Proper evidence of aggravating circumstances Proper reasons were to be evaluated so as to be used against a convict. For instance, in order to incriminate a person, the Supreme Court made a decision to provide a clear distinction on where imposition of death can be allowed. It was unanimously passed that there could be circumstances when the evidence produced could exempt on the death penalty for non-murder offenses like rape except for crimes comparable to treason.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Death Penalty in the US Criminal Justice System specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This was seen during the trial for Antonym Coker who escaped from custody but got re-arrested and condemned to death penalty for rape. The Supreme Court in turn overturned the first sentence arguing that it was too harsh on the ground that most rape cases may not involve murder. Another similar case in which a sentence by the lower court was annulled by that of the Supreme Court took place in Lousiana.The criminal case involved Patrick Kennedy accused of raping his 8 year old step daughter. The Supreme Court then scrutinized his case after a successful appeal against a capital punishment handed earlier. The argument of the higher court then concluded that imposing the death penalty against the convict was against the 8th amendment and therefore unconstitutional because the crime neither resulted nor was intended to terminate the innocent life of his victim (Radelet Akers 1). Therefore, the ruling decided that the accused should instead be sent to life imprisonment; Case, Kennedy v. Louisiana. Method of delivering the death sentence In cases where the method used to administer the death penalty is considered cruel and painful, the Supreme Court could then deliberate on a particular ruling by a junior state court. This was observed during the sentencing of Ralph Baze who was convicted for murder an d sure enough condemned to death by a Kentucky state court by lethal injection and instead appealed against the ruling, only for the sentence to be re-affirmed by the Supreme Court since the method for its application was considered safe after all. The same scenario was also witnessed during the trial of Jimmy L. Glass who was sentenced to death according to the legal argument of Louisiana court by electrocution. Through his lawyers, he argued that the application and the intensity when passing the death sentence through electrocution can cause serious injuries and pain and therefore do not meet the humane standards as required by the constitution (White 1). The final judgment by the Supreme Court thus dismissed the petition thereby allowing the lower court’s ruling to go ahead; Case, Jimmy L. Glass v.Lousiana. Improper judgment Pending cases provided relevant provisions to re-appeal the death sentence if the trial is perceived to be as a result of discretion of a judge deter mining the outcome of a case almost single handedly. Take for example, the trial of Timothy Ring, a convict of first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment only for a state judge to step-up the penalty to another sentence by death. Consequently though, the Supreme Court reversed the decision citing that statutory maximum sentence should be put before a jury panel since the judge was found to have acted improperly without a sitting legal bench who could have delivered a unanimous decision; Case, Ring v. Arizona.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Special procedure for capital penalty It was realized that rulings could impose the death penalty by ignoring the nature or circumstance preceding a crime. Therefore, it was required that a jury must be able to cite a possible statutory aggravating legal requirement before delivering any formal penalty by death. Such a case where the judgment was allowed to stand as it was involved Troy Leon who was convicted for robbery and murder for which he was handed over death sentence (Head 1). On challenging his trial, the Supreme Court rejected his plea and instead maintained the earlier verdict by dismissing the robbery factor since the statutory system was not found to violate the constitutional statutes; Case, Gregg v. Georgia. The legislative judgments of some states Several courts in some states decided to respond to the modification of the death penalty especially for murder committed in relation to a felony. Such states that rejected the death penalty arising from committing a felony therefore illegalized the practice hence the Supreme Court found it as an appropriate way by providing more options for fair trial. This was arrived at after establishing the fact that, the death penalty usually imposed may be too harsh for a convict who did not participate in a murder or intended to carry out such heinous act. A case of study featured Enmund in which the death penalty was outlawed when determining the ultimate ruling by the supreme judges since they decided that it could not be imposed under circumstances of felony; Case, Enmund v. Florida. Contrary to the above case where a reprieve was provided by the Supreme Court, in Tison’s case, several state supreme courts amended their interpretation of the death penalty during such a case involving a felony by allowing capital punishment to take precedence in such future cases (White 1). This particular case was determined by analyzing noticeable circumstances of felony during the murder. The death penalty verdict was thus delivered since inquiries revealed passion and recklessness; Case, Tison v. Arizona. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is apparent that the suitability of imposing a death is questionable. From a number of precedents set on the death penalty, it is apparent that giving a life imprisonment instead of a death penalty will be more humane than a death penalty in permissible situations. All in all, a death penalty should be avoided as much as possible. Burns, Kari. â€Å"Punishment: Death penalty†. 2011. Web. Head, Tom. â€Å"The Eighth Amendment†. 2011-May 6. Web. Jacobs, Nancy. â€Å"Death Penalty Essay†. 2011. Web. Radelet, M Akers, R. Deterrence and the Death Penalty? The Views of the Experts, (1995) White, Debora. â€Å"Pros and cons of the death penalty†. 2011. Web.

1970 Palestinian Hijackings of Three Jets to Jordan

1970 Palestinian Hijackings of Three Jets to Jordan On Sept. 6, 1970, terrorists belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) almost simultaneously hijacked three jetliners shortly after they took off from European airports on routes toward the United States. When hijackers on one plane were foiled, hijackers seized  a fourth jet, diverted it to Cairo, and blew it up. The two other hijacked planes were ordered to a desert airstrip in Jordan known as Dawson Field. Three days later, PFLP hijackers seized another jet and diverted it to the desert strip, which the hijackers called Revolution Field. Most of the 421 passengers and crew on board the three planes in Jordan were freed on Sept. 11, but hijackers held on to 56 hostages, most of them Jewish and American men, and blew up the three jets on Sept. 12. The hijackingspart of 29 hijackings attempted or carried out by Palestinian factions between 1968 and 1977triggered the Jordanian civil war, also known as Black September, as the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the PFLP attempted to seize control of Jordan from King Hussein. Husseins toppling failed, however, and the hostage crisis was resolved on Sept. 30 when the PFLP released the last six hostages it held in exchange for the release of several Palestinian and Arab prisoners held in European and Israeli jails. The Hijackings: The Five Planes PFLP hijackers seized a total of five planes during their September 1970 operation. The planes were: Sept. 6: El Al Flight 219 from Amsterdam to New York, a Boeing 707 carrying 142 passengers and crew. It was Hijacked by Patrick Argà ¼ello, a Nicaraguan-American doctor, and Leila Khaled, a Palestinian. An Israeli air marshal and passengers on the plane subdued the hijackers, killing Argà ¼ello. The plane landed safely in London. British authorities released Khaled on Sept. 30 as part of a deal for the release of hostages held in Jordan.Sept. 6: Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight 741, en route from Frankfurt to New York, a Boeing 707 carrying 149 passengers and crew. Hijackers renamed the plane Gaza One and ordered it to the Jordanian airstrip. It was blown up on Sept. 12.Sept. 6: Swissair Flight 100 from Zurich to New York, a DC-8 with 155 passengers and crew. It was over France when hijackers seized it, renamed it Haifa One, and ordered it to Dawson Field in Jordan. It was blown up on Sept. 12.Sept. 6: Pan American Flight 93, a 747 taking off from Amsterdam and carrying 173 passen gers and crew, was ordered to fly to Beirut, even though the international airport there didnt have a runway for 747s. One more PFLP member, an explosives expert, boarded the plane in Beirut. The hijackers then ordered it flown to Cairo, where it landed at 4:23 a.m. and was blown up shortly afterward.The hijackers told us the plane would be blown up, but they said it so politely and with such smiles that we couldnt take this too seriously, Cornelius Van Aalst, the flights service supervisor, told reporters in Cairo, after the ordeal. The hijackers were very friendly, according to Van Aalst, showing exemplary manners and helping to carry an injured woman in a blanket from the plane. Sept. 9: BOAC Flight 775 from Bombay to London, a VC-10, was seized while flying over Lebanon. (The British Overseas Airways Corporation is the forerunner to British Airways.) PFLP hijackers said they had seized the plane as a ransom for the release of Leila Khaled, the foiled hijacker aboard the El Al plane. The BOAC plane carried 117 passengers and crew. It was allowed to land in Beirut, where it refueled, then flew to Dawson Field in Jordan to join the two other hijacked jets there. Why the Hijackings PFLP leader George Habash had planned the hijackings with Wadi Haddad, his lieutenant, in July 1970, when Jordan and Egypt agreed to a cease-fire with Israel that ended the War of Attrition that had stretched back to 1967. Habash, whose militants had been taking part in raids on Israel from the Sinai, Jordan, and Lebanon, was opposed to the settlement. If a settlement is made with Israel, Habash vowed, we will turn the Middle East into a hell. He was true to his word. Habash was in North Korea (on his way home from Beijing), on a shopping trip for weapons, when the hijackings took place. That created confusion over what the hijackers were demanding, as they had no clear spokesman. At one point a hijacker on board the Pan Am flight said the PFLP wanted the release of Sirhan Sirhan, the Palestinian convicted assassin of Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, and serving a life sentence at the California State Prison, Corcoran. The PFLP then submitted a formal list of demands that called for the release of Palestinian and Arab prisoners in European and Israeli jails. There were about 3,000 Palestinian and other Arab individuals in Israeli jails at the time. Over three weeks, hostages were released in tricklesand the hijackers demands were met. On Sept. 30, Britain, Switzerland and West Germany agree to release seven Arab guerillas, including Leila Khaled, the El Al Flight 219 hijacker. Israel also released two Algerians and 10 Libyans. The Jordanian Civil War PLO leader Yasser Arafat seized on the hijackings to go on the offensive in Jordanagainst King Hussein, who nearly abdicated his throne. A Syrian military column was on its way toward Amman, the Jordanian capital, in support of the Palestinian assault. But with the backing of the United States Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean and even the Israeli military, which was ready to intervene on the kings behalf, Hussein mobilized his forces and turned them against Palestinians in a bloody three-week war. Hussein triumphed, severely weakening the hijackers stance. A turning point in the battleand the hostage crisiswas the Jordanian militarys rescue of 16 British, Swiss and German hostages held captive near Amman.

No U.S. Military Action Warranted in Libya Essay

No U.S. Military Action Warranted in Libya - Essay Example Qaddafi has been accused of violating human rights for decades and using the military to quell the rebel advancements. Therefore Obama’s bold rhetoric seems justified and responsible by many. However, George W. Bush remains accused of war crimes, violating human rights and illegally invading a country but if another nation’s leader was to say â€Å"Bush must go† most of those same people would not take it seriously. The U.S. has lost all credibility regarding military interventions especially in Arab countries. This gung-ho, tough-guy talk from our political leaders is empty, hypocritical and counter-productive. If the UN, with the blessing of the Arab League, thinks it proper to take action, that’s much more acceptable than the U.S. taking what is essentially unilateral aggressive action, again. This is not a video game. Enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya, a country larger than the State of Alaska, (â€Å"Basic Facts,† 2011) is not as easy as many politicians, pundits and armchair warriors must be thinking it is. That’s a lot of air space to cover 24 hours per day seven days per week over unfamiliar territory. It’s anyone’s guess how much manpower and how many planes it would take to successfully keep the Libyan Air Force (LAF) on the ground. Some suggest the LAF pilots wouldn’t dare want to engage the U.S. ...The Libyans are no different. Its pilots would almost certainly put up a fight as would others loyal to Qaddafi. Would Libyans change their minds about rebelling when they see their own planes being shot down by a country well-known in the Arab world for its imperialistic tendencies? A no-fly zone would require U.S. and other soldiers who are mostly European, or ‘westerners,’ to occupy Libyan cities, ‘boots on the ground.’ â€Å"We had a no-fly zone over Iraq. It did not prevent Saddam Hussein from bombing his civilians and it did not get him out of office. We had a no-fly zone over Serbia: it still took 78 days of bombing to get Milosevic out of office. It did not get him out of Kosovo until we put troops on the ground with our allies,† Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. â€Å"I really want people to understand what we are looking at.† (â€Å"Clinton,† 2011) Is this what these saber rattlers are wanting and will U.S. citizens allow yet another invasion of an Arab country? Labeling the action as a ‘enforcing a no-fly zone’ gives the appearance the military is acting more in the role of a security guard. If politicians and others called it an ‘invasion force,’ which is a term closer to the reality of the situation, the idea would not be as widely accepted. Even if one thinks the U.S. should be involved militarily common knowledge suggests such an action is likely unsustainable. Senator John Kerry, presidential candidate in 2004, said this week the UN should consider bombing Libyan airports and runways. This tactic is intended to limit the use of already limited resources and the time of ‘western’ involvement.

Ratio Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ratio Analysis - Case Study Example This paper will shed light upon the financial ratios of Apple, how the company will fare in the future will also be comprehensively analyzed. ROI stands for return on investment, Apple’s ROI matches DELL which is great news for the company, return on investment goes to show that the products have been selling very well in the market. The sales growth of Apple has also seen a significant rise in the last quarter, all these are indicators that the company is performing very well. Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple has been coming up with strategies to promote the products, even though he has had severe health issues, he has been very successful in building the brand name of Apple. Apple has also managed to diversify which is again very good for the business, the company is not dependent on only one product but they have a plethora of products which can be relied upon, this has reduced the risk for the company. Apple operates on a much higher gross margin than other companies, Gross ma rgin of 29.02% is the margin that the company operates at, this goes to show that the company has adopted a higher selling price mix. Products like iMac and Ipads have really given Apple an edge and this is why the company can afford to set higher prices for their products. Apple spends 3.8% on research which is very good for the company, perhaps this percentage can be improved so that they can find new and better products. The operating expenses are about 13.38% which goes to show that the company is very stable and investors can invest in this company. The working capital of the company is very healthy; it is again because of the profits. The current ratio of the company stands at 2.96 (Million) which means the company can easily pay off short term debt not once, not twice but thrice. This is a very strong position to be in; Apple has no need to take loans because it can easily pay off debt. Acid-test ratio goes to show how quickly assets can be converted into liquid cash, Apple h as an edge once again and this is hardly surprising. The acid-ratio of the company stands at 2.63 which signify the operating efficiencies of the company give it a huge edge over other companies. Assets turnover ratio stands at 1.42, this means the sales of the company has been picking up, and this ratio is derived by dividing the sales by assets. The ratio is also an indicator of how assets are used to generate profits. Apple has been doing it very successfully thus far. â€Å"This tells us something about Apple’s pricing strategy. The Profit Margin for a product is the net of sales deduct the cost of goods sold. Therefore, Apple has higher pricing charged to its products offering as compared to that of Dell’s, even though Dell’s Inventory Turnover Ratio is much higher in this case. But looking at Dell’s turnover ratio on Net Sales; it is close to that of Cost of Goods Sold, therefore this also explained that Dell has lower pricing charged to its produc ts offerings.† (Inventory Turnover Ratio) Debt ratio of the company stands at 0.35 which means that there are still some debts which should be cleared; this is not a problem especially when the company is performing so well in the market. The company can easily clear this debt off whenever they want to, this is not an issue for them. The debt/equity ratio of the company is extremely healthy, it stands at 0.55, this goes to show that the equity has been well managed to pay off short term