The Classical Music Genre - 1271 Words

Claire Troll Qualls MUS 241 10 November 2014 Favorite Composer Paper There are numerous composers within the Classical Music genre; each one is different from the next. Although it may seem that each piece of music within the Classical genre is the same, they are just as different as the composers are to one another. Wolfgang Mozart is a very well known composer. He was not only popular in the time period in which he lived, but he continues to be one of the better known composers in today’s society. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria. He was the only surviving son of Leopold and Maria Pertl Mozart. Wolfgang’s father, Leopold, was â€Å"a successful composer, violinist, and assistant concert master at the Salzburg court† (Bio.com). His mother, Maria, â€Å"was born into a middle class family of local community leaders† (Bio.com). Both Wolfgang and his sister, Maria Anna (nicknamed â€Å"Nannerl†) were introduced to music at a young age. Because Leopold st arted teaching Nannerl to play the piano at the age of seven, Wolfgang developed a strong understanding of chords, tonality, and tempo, and was soon receiving lessons from his father, also. Because Wolfgang composed his first piece at five years old on the piano, excelled at playing the clarinet and violin (Biography of Mozart). In 1762, Wolfgang’s family began traveling to courts in Munich, Paris, London, The Hague, and Zurich to perform. Both Nannerl and Wolfgang were considered child prodigiesShow MoreRelatedClassical Music And Its Influence On The Modern World1430 Words   |  6 Pages There are many types of music in the world, with many different artists, backgrounds, and stories to tell. Every genre holds within itself a message, and this message shows a glimpse of the past as well as the possibilities of the future. People everywhere love music for these reasons and more, and I love one style of music in particular: a style that brings me comfort, makes me question t he world, and gives me insight as to who I am. Classical music describes a genre that, for me, means more thanRead MoreMusic Makes Children Smarter : Music Essay1610 Words   |  7 PagesMusic Makes Children Smarter Music in many ways. has a potential to allure an individual, especially children, to improve their intellect, when involved in music. Schools and organizations had researched and estimated that schools with music curriculum, have more graduation and successful rates than school that do not doesn’t have music subjects. Universities have concluded that a specific part of our brain had a major role that can progress to become intellectual when exposed to classical musicRead MoreReview Of David M. Greenberg Et Al Divided People And Their Musical Choices814 Words   |  4 PagesYour Choice of Music Can Reveal Your Personality One’s taste in music is at the top of the list when it comes to topics that can cause a heater argument. Musical preferences are sacred to most people and we tend to divide into small tribes over music, considering the other tribes as less sophisticated. Interestingly, your music choices are not a random grouping – your tribe isn’t determined by where your friends go. Instead, your personality and the music you like are interlinked, both influencingRead MoreA Family Holiday Choral Concert1554 Words   |  7 Pages Today, Classical music isn t considered to be the most popular genre of music, but as I seen at MJC s Frozen - A family Holiday Choral Concert, the audience really enjoyed the songs that fell into this genre. Whether one realizes it or not, we hear classical music more than we think. When one is on hold with their doctor s office, at an upper scale department store, or even at a fancy restaurant, more than likely the type of music being played is cla ssical. The Classical music period originatedRead MoreThe Importance of Function Over Form in the Classical Concerto1406 Words   |  6 Pagesthe 18th century, the concerto was transformed into a viable instrumental genre to both demonstrate virtuosity as well as a cohesive character that embodied the natural. Though the series of changes from the Baroque concerto grosso to the Classical concerto were gradual and cannot be attributed to a single composer, the Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K. 466 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a skillful representation of the genre in that era. Of particular interest in this concerto is the treatment ofRead MoreIndie Classical Music To Me Sounds Like A More Idealistic1040 Words   |  5 PagesIndie Classical music to me sounds like a more idealistic variation for classical music’s new age. Classical to me means something that is traditional, from the past, and that has forever impacted someone in one way or another. The phrase â€Å"Ind ie-classical† to me simply sounds like a combination of genres, giving classical music a new variation through the use of collaborations between two different artists. This genre of music has only been increasing with popularity all around the world. ListeningRead MoreEffects Of Rock And Classical Music On The Heart Rate Of Grade 11 Girls1253 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Knowing how music affects heart rate can allow athletes to choose the correct music to make them more motivated and energized during their training sessions enhancing their performance and improving their competitive results; in addition knowledge of what genre of music could decrease their performance and times is equally important (Roth, 2013). It is important to know if the music has the ability soothe ill patients in hospitals as it may reduce their heart rate to in turn reduceRead MoreClassical Music And The Music1478 Words   |  6 Pagesattention of everyone in the music hall. The conductor, Evan Feldman, and the UNC Symphonic and Woodwind Orchestra at Memorial Hall elegantly performed several classical pieces that was widely enjoyed by classical enthusiasts and family members. The concert supplied the audience with a night that at times, brought calmness and serenity, but at others gave abrupt aggression and force. Today, classical music is considered traditional and one of the earliest forms of music played in concert halls. ThusRead MoreThe Modern Perceptions of Classical Music Essay example553 Words   |  3 Pageshear the term â€Å"music† they are likely to respond with a fresh singer, band, or genre of â€Å"pop† music. Often times society places their opinion of classical music and popular music on completely different wavelengths of importance in the world. The modern perception of classical vs. popular music has led to a heavily decreasing audience for classical groups and performances, a desire for repetitive and simple melodies, and a negative stigma against classical music’s importance. When music began to becomeRead MoreComparing Rap And Classical Music989 Words   |  4 PagesRap and classical music are often portrayed as two different types of music. One can tell the difference of the genre from the sound, and the music’s essences. Producers and composers of these two styles of music present themselves differently, however, they both do what they love and express their emotions through vocals or use of instruments. Almost all Rap artists write their own lyrics. Because of this, most rap songs are direct and often very personal. Most rap music’s instruments are electronic

The War Of 1812 And The United States - 1633 Words

The War of 1812 took place between the Americans and Great Britain because of the impressment of Americans sailors by the British and the passing of the Embargo Act by Congress and President Thomas Jefferson. The British navy would impress sailors from American ships and force the American sailors to board the British ships and to join the British navy. The second reason that the War of 1812 occurred was because of the Embargo Act of 1807. This act was passed by Congress and Jefferson and it stopped all trade with Europe. As a result of impressment and the United States passing the Embargo Act, the War of 1812 began on June 18th 1812 (â€Å"War of 1812† 2). It was ended by the Treaty of Ghent, which was a peace treaty signed by both countries†¦show more content†¦As a result of the Treaty of Ghent, the Native Americans were forced to a sign series of treaties that forced them to give up large areas of land north of the Ohio River. During the war, the Native Americans sided with the British and after the British lost the war the Americans did nothing to help the Native Americans. In fact, Native Americans were pushed further and further west and were forced to live far away from the lands that they were born in and, because of this, tensions broke out between the Native Americans and settlers. After the War of 1812, the United States started to expand westward, also known as the Westward Expansion. In April of 1803, the United States purchased Louisiana from the French. The United States bought this land from the French for fifteen million dollars. All the land gained from the Louisiana Purchased doubled the size of the country. Before citizens could begin to move West, Thomas Jefferson sent two men, Louis and Clark, on an expedition. Louis and Clark were sent to explore the new land and to map a route to the Pacific Ocean. Thomas Jefferson asked the men to keep careful records of this land and to bring back important information about the geography and the people, which they successfully did. The Federal Government became even more disrespectful of the Native Americans. The citizens of the United States started to expand into the Ohio River Valley and into the Northwest and West. In 1830, during Andrew Jackson’s

World of Mathematics for Gale Group- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theWorld of Mathematics for Gale Group. Answer: Geometric Transformation of Images The geometric transformation of images is based on the modification of spatial relationships which do exist between the pixels in an image and has turned to out to be a key element in the post processing of images. The geometric transformation at time lead to the change in the appearances of the images and also the content of the images (Foley, Dam, Feiner and Hughes, 1990). In other words, the geometric transformation is simply related to the image processing techniques which will be able to transform the image, known as the source into a transformed image known as the destination. The transformation is simply the terms which is used to describe the manipulation of the shapes and images in four different ways of an image which include the point, line of shape. In the transformation, the original shape of the object is referred to as pre-image and the final shape and position is the image (Pratt, 2001). There are different types of transformation of images which include the translati ons, reflections, rotations, magnifications and dilations among others. The transformation is able to reposition the points, lines or shapes of the images of any dimensions (Goshtasby, 2005). The nature of this image processing tool is that it helps to map each of the pre-image to an image point. It helps the viewers to have different perspectives of the different images and able to derive different knowledge on them. Changing the aspects helps viewers to see other details which are not seen from the original position of point of the pre-image. This is able to lead to different perspectives and knowledge on the images which have been transformed. There are different significances and implications which are derived from the use of the geometric transformation of images. First, the geometric image transformation is used to remove any distortion which the images to have. The changes on the lines, points and shapes of the images do happen in most cases in order to correct distortion which may have happened on the images (Pratt, 2001). This helps to make the images finer and clearer for the viewers to be able t derive different points from the images. The distortion may be hindering different perspectives of the images and therefore key to ensure that the viewers seen what is needed. The geometric transformation will enhance these views of the key aspects and therefore their application will enhance this point (Karam and Rice, 2000). Each change and geometric transformation is able to change the images on desired shape and point, which will enhance the viewers to have different perspective when they look at the images. The geometr ical distortions are able to interfere with the shape and the information which are needed in the images. The use of geometric transformation is able to lead to the removal of such errors which might have happened on the images. In addition, the use of the geometric transformation of images is used as an image registration. The image registration is key in different areas which involve the medical sector, computer visions ad the automatic recognition of the target images. It helps to analyze the details of the images in depth and therefore able to make the viewers to see different perspectives of the images. It helps in the comparison of the data on different images and therefore enhancing the different viewers when the images are analyzed (Karam and Rice, 2000). In addition, this aspect is able to help in the recognition of any errors when the analysis and comparison factors of the images. The use of the geometric transformation of the images therefore enhances the view of inner details from the different perspectives. This ensures that the different details which are needed can be derived from the respective images. Therefore, the implication of the use of the geometric transformation is able to enhance th e view of key details which are needed by different people (Gonzalez and Woods, 2002). This means that the aspect will be used to ensure that the images can be viewed in certain angles which will be able to lead to the viewing of the required details (Narins, 2001). Moreover, the geometric transformation of images is used to enhance and create special effects of images. The transformation of the images can lead to different images from a single perspectives and therefore enhancing different details and views. The camera orientations at sometimes may be not perfect and the use of geometric transformation is used to correct such errors which may result from the camera orientation. The use of the transformation enhances the viewing of the image from the key orientation which the users need them (Karam and Rice, 2000). It enhances the changes of the position and angle at which the image can be viewed and therefore enhancing the different tastes and preferences of the viewers. The orientation is able to bring out the required information which the viewer need from the particular orientation which they want to view the images. The transformation of the images enhance the effects of the viewers gaining the different aspects of the images through the various orientation angles. In terms of the linear algebraic and mathematical techniques, the geometric transformation of images is able to apply the different aspects and formulae of the matrix sector. The finding of the Eigen values and vectors is enhanced through the spatial transformation which is used to map one point to another. This is able to enhance the solving of the different aspects of the matrices (Gonzalez and Woods, 2002). Moreover, the use of linear solutions of the transformation is achieved through the formation of equations from the transformations such as the magnifications, rotations, translations and shear. These aspects are able to solve different linear solutions of equilibrium equations and this is solved through the use of the geometric transformation of images (Narins, 2001). In addition, these methods are used in the interpolation in order to calculate new points. This helps to come up with solutions of the changes which happen on the objects leading to the formation of various equat ions and solving them. The forward and inverse transformations are solved through the geometric transformation of the images. This helps to solve the inverses of the matrices. References FOLEY, J.D., DAM, A., FEINER, S.K., AND HUGHES, J.F. (1990). Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice, 2nd edition, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. GONZALEZ, R.C., AND WOODS, M.P. (2002). Digital image processing. Prentice Hall, 2nd edition. GOSHTASBY A. (2005). 2-D and 3-D Image Registration for Medical, Remote Sensing, and Industrial Applications, Wiley Press. KARAM, L.J., AND RICE, D. (2000). Teaching image processing to high-school students. Signal Processing Education Workshop. NARINS, B. (2001). ed. World of Mathematics, Detroit: Gale Group. PRATT, W.K. (2001). Digital image processing. John Willey and Sons, Inc., 3rd edition, 2001.

Pearl Extension Of Scarlet Letter Essays - English-language Films

Pearl Extension Of Scarlet Letter No other Pearl can be worth more to a story than this Pearl, but no pearl had ever been earned at as high a cost to a person as in Hester Prynne, the powerful Main Character in Nathaniel Hawthornes novel The Scarlet Letter. Her daughter Pearl, born into a Puritan prison in more ways than one, is an enigmatic character serving entirely as a vehicle for symbolism. From her introduction as an infant on her mothers scaffold of shame to the stormy peak of the story, Pearl is an empathetic and intelligent child. Throughout the story she absorbs the hidden emotions of her mother and magnifies them for all to see. Pearl is the essence of literary symbolism. She is at times a vehicle for Hawthorne to express the inconsistent and translucent qualities of Hesters unlawful bond at times, and at others a forceful reminder of her mothers sin. Which is why she is a perfect extension of the scarlet letter and its punishment. Pearl Prynne is her mothers most precious possession and her only reason to live, but also serves as a priceless treasure purchased with her life. Pearls strange beauty and deeply enigmatic qualities make her the most powerful symbol Hawthorne has ever created. The product of Hesters sin and agony, Pearl, was a painfully constant reminder of her mothers violation of the Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery. Hester herself felt that Pearl was given to her not only as a blessing but a punishment worse than death or ignominy. She is tormented by her daughters childish teasing and endless questioning about the scarlet letter and its meaning to hernister . After Pearl has created a letter A on her own breast out of seaweed, she asks her mother: But in good earnest, now, mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean? -- and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom? In saying this Pearl implies that she knows much, much more about the scarlet letter than she lets on. Throughout the conversation Pearl is impish and teasing, saying one thing and contradicting it soon after. She refuses to say just what she means, which makes it hard for Hester to give a straight answer. Hester is shocked that her playful daughter has lead their conversation to the topic of the scarlet letter. Pearl, in bringing this forbidden and painful subject about, unwittingly inflicts agony upon her unhappy mother. Hester cannot tell her daughter what has passed between the minister and herself and come clean. Pearl symbolizes a hidden part of her mother that has not, and will never be exposed and therefore washed free of sin. Pearl was always drawn to the A, and seemed to twist the symbolic knife in Hesters bosom every time she thought she was free of her burden of sin by rudely reminding her of the letter and the meaning it bore. Pearls questioning wrenched Hesters heart when the child seemed to somehow know about the Scarlet Letters meaning. Pearls precocity worried Hester constantly. Hester Prynne herself realized that Pearl was unlike other children, and prayed that she was not sin incarnate. Pearl was the scarlet letter endowed with life. Pearl represented the part of Hester to be always dulled by the searing judgment of others in that she was Hesters ceaseless reminder of the sin she had committed, but also symbolized everything about Hester that was free and alive. Pearl is the only happiness in Hester Prynnes lonely life. Without a child to care for, teach, and love, Hester would have long ago given her soul and life over to evil. When town authorities, shocked at Pearls apparent belief that she was plucked from a rose bush and not created by God, recommend she be taken from Hester and placed in a school, Hester responds with the following: God gave me this child!... She is my happiness, she is my torture none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life!...Ye shall not take her! I will die first! Which is the first time the reader sees how important Pearl is to Hesters unhappy life. It is her motivation to keep going. Pearl, though Hester understands that she was God-given as a constant reminder or her sin, is her only requited love and a friend that does not judge her by things past. Later, Hester comments that she would have signed my name in the Black Mans book too, and

The People Stronger Than Senate in Rome essays

The People Stronger Than Senate in Rome essays Through a well-organized government a state can function effectively by exercising both social control and allocating power to institutions that function for the well being of society. The constitution embodies principles that serve as a mean to govern its nation. These are regulatory bodies of society that are driven by the constitution and that up to almost the end of the republic had succeeded in maintaining order. As a whole the constitution allowed the existence of an organized government, from which the state benefited, because they were able to concentrate on their foreign policy. Three important aspects of the constitution are the consuls, the senate, and the people of Rome. In theory these three elements are equal between themselves, but in practice some are disadvantaged more than their counterparts. The people as a unit were disadvantage, and less politically involved; a flaw that will later mark the end of the Roman republic. The first part of this essay will be looking at the important roles and functions of each element, and later, how they work for, or against each other. The important aspect of the constitution is the role and responsibilities of the people. In theory the people were the ones who were suppose to have the right to award both honors and punishments. When there were crimes committed that were punishable by fine, the people had the option to try the cases in courts. For more serious crimes, especially if the accused had held a high position in office and was risking being sentenced, they were allowed to voluntarily take exile upon themselves. The people awarded honor by bestowing office upon those who they thought deserved it. They were the ones who controlled the law courts, through the electoral system. The electoral system is very important because it brings together the state and the general society. The state can interpret the wishes of the people, find a middle ground and transla...

How to make a great impression in less than 3 minutes

How to make a great impression  in less than 3 minutes We’ve all been in this unfortunate situation: you’re walking around at work or elsewhere and unexpectedly run into your boss or some other influential person in your life and you’re†¦completely speechless. You’re caught totally off-guard, your mind goes blank, and you can’t think of a single thing to do or say- and even worse, it’s obvious that you’re in full panic mode, which only makes things worse. It’s a total nightmare, only you’re not asleep. The only thing left to do after this happens is to just walk away licking your wounds, hoping that you’ll figure out some way to erase this moment from ever having happened- and good luck with that!Although you can’t magically erase awful past encounters, the good news is that you can do a lot to make sure that they don’t happen again! In fact, we’ll show you how to make a great impression in any encounter- in just a few minutes or less.Have we got your attention? Great- then keep reading.Plan in advance.It may sound silly to plan encounters in advance, but you’ll thank me later when you start making great impressions on everyone you encounter. Each day, while you’re getting ready in the morning, think of a few topics of conversation that you can keep â€Å"pre-loaded†- everything from local news to sports or the weather is fair game. A harmless (but funny!) joke or two couldn’t hurt either, as long as you avoid anything offensive. Have a few different pleasant conversation starters â€Å"in the can,† so you can pick and choose which you use based on your audience.As the day progresses, feel free to tailor your conversation starters based on events that occur. We know this might sound weird, but you’d be surprised by how many people take advantage of this strategy to ensure that the only impressions they make are positive ones. Use it and you won’t get caught flat-footed wit h nothing to say should you run into someone unexpectedly.Pay attention to your body language.When you’re seeking to make a great impression on someone, what you say isn’t the only thing that matters- how you say it is just as important. Are you confident, clear, and friendly or are you tentative, awkward, and eager to break contact as soon as possible? Is your voice steady or wavering? Do you stand confident and tall or do you shift nervously and slouch? Do you make the appropriate amount of eye contact- not too much but not too little (some experts say that 5 seconds is a good amount of â€Å"eye time† before looking away and returning)- or do you avoid it like a cold?All of these things make up your social body language, and will factor greatly in the overall impression others have of you during social encounters. So, take some time to practice and make sure your body language is in top shape. Here’s where a trusted friend or family member can help you with some valuable practice. Or, try using a mirror to brush up on your body language skills, giving yourself honest feedback. Trust us, this is time well spent.Present yourself as a polished package.With some great conversation starters and impeccable body language, you’re well on your way to making great impressions on others. But there are a few more things that factor into your â€Å"overall impression package.† This includes the extras- your clothes and grooming.Always be mindful of the extras when you step out of your front door- you never know who you’ll run into and no one ever got upset that they made too good of an impression by spending a little extra time dressing well and minding all the details of their grooming routine. This is especially true when you’re expecting to run into people that you really want to make a good impression on- like at work or on interviews.We know, in a perfect world it wouldn’t matter what you wear or how yo u look, but it’s not a perfect world and we all judge books by their covers, so make sure you’re always mindful of the extras if you want to make a good impression.Don’t forget the secret ingredient.Ok, so your conversation game is tight, you’ve been working on your body language, and your clothes and grooming are sharp- are you totally ready to make great impressions no matter what situations you encounter? Not so fast- you’re close, but there’s one more â€Å"secret ingredient† that we hope is not so secret to you when you’re looking to make good impressions- be a good listener!The truth is, this is an absolutely essential component if you’re looking to make a great first impression. In fact, utilizing the other strategies listed here without deploying good listening skills may completely backfire and make you seem phony, self-absorbed, or artificial.Good listening skills just takes a little practice. When talking with other people, really work to pay attention to what they’re saying. Show interest in a conversation by nodding and using appropriate facial expressions based on what’s being said (don’t smile and laugh if someone’s telling you about their cat’s broken leg!). You’ll earn extra bonus interest points if you ask questions about what they’re saying. Even better? Turn the focus of the conversation on what the other person is talking about. Who doesn’t feel special when their interests are placed at the center of attention? Bottom line: great listeners make great impressions and you can count on people looking forward to interacting with you again.You can start utilizing the strategies mentioned here immediately, and if you do it won’t take a lot of time to start making great impressions. In fact, even quick encounters that last just a few seconds or minutes will become easy opportunities to make positive, lasting impressions!

Industry briefing paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Industry briefing paper - Essay Example This section of the essay will look at the factors that affect the soft drink industry and how Fresh Fruit Soda, the product under review, can be presented onto the market as a low sugar and natural fruit alternative to other soft drinks on the market. The soft drink industry has been viewed as one with major health issues and matters. This is because most of the drinks are said to contain sugar that is bad for the health and bad for the teeth of people who consume them. There is an acidic nature of soft drinks and this leads to the erosion of the enamels of the teeth (Hooper et al, 2007). Thus, consumption of soft drinks without brushing of ones teeth afterwards has major health implications and it leads to the discolouration of the teeth and supports other health problems and issues (Hooper et al, 2007). Therefore soft drinks have major dental consequences and there is the need for some kind of controls to ensure that consumers are protected from negativities and other tooth decay problems that comes with such products. Aspartame is used as a substitute to sugar in most â€Å"natural† soft drinks. However, this has proven to be problematic because although aspartame is seen as a healthier substitute for sugar, research has proven otherwise. Laming identifies that aspartame is viewed as a positive substitution for sugar, but they also have their health implications (2006). Due to that, soft drinks with aspartame must disclose the implications of using those products in drink and not tell consumers that they are much better and harmless. In fact such products have their own issues hence consumers must be given the appropriate education rather than the states use of strict rules and regulations. Therefore it can be said that the soft drink industry, although it is a lucrative venture, is hampered by major health and safety concerns about consumers. Aside that, these products are popular amongst consumers and

Is global warming caused by humans Research Paper

Is global warming caused by humans - Research Paper Example Today, it is not only the increase of temperature of the atmosphere but also ocean warming, ice caps and ice sheets melting, rise of sea level, and changes of biochemical cycles that take place because of climate change. That is why understanding of the causes of global warming is so important. There are two points of view on the character of global warming causes. Some of researchers claim it is natural causes that lead to climate change. However, the recent studies show that it is human-induced causes that are the main drivers of global warming. In the following research based on recent researches and statistical data, information on three main anthropogenic causes will be summarized, discussed and set against the natural factors with the aim to prove that it is humans who cause global warming of the atmosphere. The following research is important for it presents concise evidence of human involvement in global warming. These days, many scientists, researchers, environmentalists and, in fact, everybody who does care, express their concerns on the issue of the changes of climate on the Earth. More specifically, they argue that today the temperature of the planet tends to increase causing the global warming, which, in its turn, can lead to irreversible negative consequences for all the living beings which settle the planet. While the fact that global warming does take place has been proved in a great number of studies, its causes are still studied. Scientists, who work on the issue of climate change, agree that there are two causes of global warming, such as natural causes and human-induced ones. The latest researches show that the idea that natural causes are among the major ones that lead to climate change is irrelevant and that it is humans who are to blame for the irreversible warming of the Earths surface. Climate change is usually referred to as the change of weather patterns and trends over time. Overall, the atmosphere consists of

Violence undermines Essay Example for Free

Violence undermines Essay Violence undermines the democratic reforms and the basic human rights implementation as it is the greatest threat to public safety in South America. Gun violence rose sharply especially after the internal armed struggles as well as the emergence of drug trafficking in the late 1970s and 80s. So far, Columbia is the only country that is engaged in a declared conflict in South America. Major causes of violence are the socio economic inequalities, corruption and easy availability of small and light guns and weapons. There are incidences of small arms proliferation and misuse in South America. Most of these small arms are produced in Brazil and Argentina. (countrystudies. us). Some states like Bolivia and Paraguay exercise laxity in terms of firearms regulation and this promotes or rather facilitates violence in the region. Weak border control as well as the constant failure to implement the existing legal procedures or instruments also perpetuates the violence instances in South America. There is increased illicit trafficking of illegal weapons which are used to practice criminality. Continued insecurity among the public necessitates the demand and the use of weapons in the society. The information that is available concerning the arms trade in most South American countries is quite unreliable making it difficult to develop programs that would be effective in ensuring public safety by the civil societies. The issue of weapons remains quite unpopular on the political agendas despite the serious implications they cause to the countries in question. (americas. irc-online. org). All in all there emerged increased efforts through campaigns to reduce the rates of demand that people have on firearms as well as advocacy ensured to promote the tightening and adherence of gun laws to reduce the flow of guns in the region. Effective research should be encouraged to ensure that the acquisition of correct data on gender victimization as well as routes that ensure illegal trafficking of drugs and other weapons are collected. More efforts need to be channeled into harmonizing gun laws in the region. There should be increased awareness regarding the risks that are involved or associated with firearms usage and possessions. Public gun destruction and the monitoring of the flow of weapons should also be encouraged as an effort to reduce violence. (www. iansa. org). Colombia’s political system is known for its long history on party politics, fair and regular elections as well as its adherence to the respect for political and civil rights. The major political parties are the liberals and the conservatives who compete and alternate as the governing party. Despite its increased popularity for democracy, Colombia is well known for its high instances of political violence. It is amazing how Colombian is capable of producing hospitable people who are dynamic and intelligent yet it also harbors a lot of violence. Peace is a rare but also a very precious commodity that is lacking in Colombia. Conservatives versus liberal political violence saw the once peaceful parts of Colombia soaked in blood. From 1899 to 1902 approximately 100,000 Colombians lost their lives due to inter party strife that lasted for over 1000 days. The La Violencia, another inter party war from 1948 to 1966 saw the death of approximately 200,000 Colombians. Guerilla warfare also saw the loss of lives of at least 70,000 lives in 1984. The violence entailed the left wing insurgence and terrorism, narcoterrorism and the right wing paramilitary activities. Since 1948 incidence that involved the death of Jorge Gaitan through an assassination as well as the loss of 2,000 lives Colombia was constitutionally authorized as a state of siege or estatuto de seguridad. It had to deal appropriately with its civil disturbances, rates of insurgence as well as terrorism. Jorge Gaitan was a liberal leader and a populist and he was against the Colombian Oligarch. His assassination resulted into a revolt that saw the death of many people. The revolt was known as El Bogotazo and it graduated into La Violencia. The state persecuted many people necessitating the liberal and the communists to hide in the remote areas that seemed inaccessible so as to resist the current predicament. This lasted for more than a decade and most of them regrouped to form FARC in 1966. Its main aim was to act as the armed wing of the communist party. Liberals in FARC created a distinction between it and other guerillas in South America. In the 60’s the combined liberal and communist guerillas were able to come together in liberated zones to form independent republics like the Marquetalia. They needed to defend or protect themselves from the rich land owners who had marginalized them and took their land forcing them away from fertile agricultural lands. Colombian guerillas were formed to act as self defense against violence from those who were in power. (americas. irc-online. org). May 1984 had much significance in Colombian history. The signing of a peace agreement by the president Betancourt led to a ceasefire as well as the creation of Unidad Patriotica (UP) that made it possible for all to participate in elections. Efforts of the UP were however curbed by the joint actions of drug dealers, paramilitaries as well as part of the state members or officials. They joined efforts and killed thousands of UP sympathizers and leaders. In 1986 there was a peace process where M-19, EPL, PRT and Quintin Lame Armed Movement as well as FARC and ERN formed the Simon Bolivar Coalition. However on the day that a constitutional assembly was to be convened as part of the peace process the army launched an offensive against the legendary Green House which was the secretariat of the guerilla group. In 1986 under president Andres Pastrana there was the creation of a new peace process. It ensured that there was the creation of a 40,000 km2 demilitarized zone. However this lasted for only 4 years as intensive accusation that FARC participated in drug trafficking and the forceful recruitment of minors saw its coming to a halt. President Pastrana in the meantime was negotiating the Plan Colombia which was geared towards empowering or strengthening the state to win the conflict. After the year 2000 when under Uribe’s rule or leadership the situation seemed to move from bad to worse. FARC was forced to retreat and it lost many of its members as well as the military and political initiative. It acquired most of its financing from drugs trade, extortion and kidnapping as well as through cattle rustling from the land owners. This means that to effectively survive they used criminal activities that entailed violence. According to Amnesty International, FARC is accused of violating many human rights. The average Colombians have in most cases had the perception that the wars and consistent conflicts are geared to benefit the rich and powerful in the society at their expense. (www. globalsecurity. or). FARC portrays itself as a revolutionary and popular organization but in the real sense it is surrounded by lack of decency and some countries view it as a terrorist organization that violates human rights and abuses women and hostages. The political violence has taken different perspectives in the sense that it has taken an ideological as well as an economical approach. Violence in the 50’s was to fight against the party’s in power but it later took a different perspective as both the left as well as the right wing groups were involved. A study conducted in 1988 by Columbian academic elites showed that it was quite clear that the Columbian government was losing focus in the fight against the rampant violence in the country. They had studied the killings that had been conducted by drug smugglers, guerilla wars and death squads. They noted that addressing one of the above mentioned issues in exclusion with the others would not see or rather result into the end of violence. They advocated for an all inclusive approach in ensuring that there was efficiency in eradicating violence. Important scholars worth mentioning include Robert H Dix and he attributed the violence trends to the political system that was elitist in nature. Traditional elites compete violently and with a lot of bitterness so as to control the government through liberal as well as the conservative parties. The parties rarely cooperate especially if there is no evidence that the upper class seems threatened. The Colombia Christian parties be they democratic, social democratic or Marxist proved to be weak and in most cases insignificant. However the constitutional amendments and the evolution of Columbia political culture saw to it that the government system was not only highly centralized but also elitist in nature. ( countrystudies. us). Control over the political system was done by the elites at the expense of the middle class, labor as well as the peasants’ classes. The existence of guerilla in the 1980s was a clear indication that the Colombia politics is elitist in nature. Guerilla insurgence in Colombia is the major problem in the country’s political system. The legitimacy problem could be reflected or seen in mass political apathy and increase the rates of voter absenteeism and decreased instances of voter identification with traditional parties as well as the increased urban swing vote. However to preserve and ensure stability, gradual changes were incorporated in the political system. This was more evident in the holding of the first direct and popular mayoral elections in the late 80’s. During this period there was a wide gap between the rich and the poor and the Colombian government failed to be competent enough to solve the issue amicably. The leftist guerilla groups had their leadership, structure and activities well known but on the contrast the rightist activities remains unclear regardless of the fact that it is known to be well organized and active. Almost all of the parties involved in the Columbian politics face violence or threats to violence. They include the elected officials, mayors and other politicians. Threats were also sent to priests, academicians, lawyers and even artists. Most people were threatened after denouncing the rightist campaigns but for others there were no clear motives behind threats. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) is known for its threats to municipal authorities. According to Gilberto Toro who heads the Colombian Federation of Municipalities approximately half of the total number of majors in the country receive threats from FARC. Tens of mayors and councilmen are assassinated across the country. The insecurity problem affects the manner in which business is conducted in the region as most business men opt to locate their premises near the capital centers where it seems safer or more secure and this hinders diversification. (Osterling J,1989). There are also many instances of unlawful and extra judicial killings. Politically motivated killings remain considerably high and most of them are not committed by state actors. However there are members of the state who or security officers who commit unlawful killings continuously for instance according to the Center for investigation and Popular Research there were responsible for 92 cases of intentional homicides in the first six months of 2001. Paramilitary forces are responsible for many politically motivated and unlawful killings. Such incidences are more prominent in areas where there is minimal or complete absence of a strong government and where their ideologies are refuted through guerillas. People who are most targeted by the paramilitaries include journalists, human rights activists, labor leaders, community activists, local politicians as well as indigenous leaders and all who seem to side with the guerillas. Journalists that seemed to challenge drug barons received threats or were killed. Again as most judges were intimidated or terrorized, gave up gearing their efforts in ensuring that the law was followed to the letter. Without the appropriate measures being taken by the criminal justice system the dug mobsters operated with ease. They intimidated the society in such a manner that the criminal justice system only acts as a toothless dog in fighting crime. Membership in the left wing or leftist political organizations ensures that individuals are killed, threatened or even harassed by the paramilitaries. Family members of known guerillas are also attacked. As the guerillas attack the military they are attacked together with their relatives and those who sympathize with them. FARC was against the election of president Uribe as the president and they conducted massive threats to many locally elected officials an act that saw the resignation of over 390 mayors across the country. City council members as well as municipal workers also resigned due to this. Some mayors were obligated on how to carry out their duties through phone calls as well as through the use of messengers from different departments that seemed secure. Although there are high incidences of insecurity and violence surrounding the Colombian politics there are high numbers of candidates who show their interests in politics. (www. acs-onweb). The conservative Roman Catholic has some significant role in the Colombian politics especially regarding the election of the president and also in political socialization of the Colombians. During Alvaro Uribe’s reign there were strict measures in fighting against drug trade and guerillas which resulted into intensive conflicts among the Colombian neighbors. The wide economic gap is evident from the fact that approximately 20% of the total population controls the Colombian economy and this attribute to the intensified conflicts in the region. The violence affects all people in the nation regardless of their racial, social, economical as well as political orientation. (Jorge Osterling, 1989). Although increased rate of violence have been subsiding since 2002, there are still constant attacks that against civilians and most parts of the country remain under guerilla influence. Conflicts are between the government and the non governmental forces. Uncontrolled violence in Colombia affects the country’s democratic institutions. There was well documented evidence that some army officers participated in the rightist death squads. Armed forces were accused of torturing suspected guerillas as well as killing innocent peasants. The rightist objectives were to drive other members out of the political arena forcing them to abandon the democratic struggle as well as to boycott the municipal elections. Rebel movements waged war against the police and army units. Violence then was linked to elections where some were not pleased with the fact that mayors were not to be appointed by the central government but would be elected through elections. Negotiations during the reign of president Belisario brought about the idea that through negotiations the crisis would be settled. It was supported by many as the constant wars had become tiresome. It was therefore agreed that the guerilla ought to join the country’s democracy. However there was need that all the relevant parties to be committed especially the government. As the insecurity rates worsened politicians and most senior officials were forced to use bullet proof vehicles and had heavily armed guards. More security officers were assigned the role of personal protection. This led to there having fewer officers to carryout effective investigations which is an important part in the criminal justice system. The paramilitary phenomenon has taken charge of the state enforcing their rule through bribery co-optation of politicians as well as many incidences of violence. Inefficiency in the fight against such groups is evident in the sense that even after showing their commitment through ceasefires it is still clear that the killings persist. A clear example is the United Self Defense of Colombia in 2002 which continued to kill those it perceived as its enemies. (americas. irc-online. or). As an effort to search for relevant measures to solve the current situation Colombia justice and peace law tried to ensure that justice prevailed and through it paramilitaries were to be sentenced up to eight years if they were found guilty. They were also expected to surrender all the possessions they had acquired illegally. Demobilization was backed up by many as a tool of ensuring that democracy and peace prevailed in the region. However this did not prove to be a sufficient way as the paramilitary kept influencing the country’s politics. In 2003 in Magdalena, Trino Correa became the governor and his opponents had been forced to pull out through paramilitary threats. He was later arrested in 2007 on alleged links with paramilitaries. The March 2006 congressional elections were also faced with much paramilitary intimidation and this saw the entry of several pro-AUC into the legislature. It is estimated that approximately 10 to 20% of the elected senators had paramilitary connections. It also became clear that the paramilitary still exerted much influence and this was revealed by a computer that disclosed how Jorge the AUC commander had authorized the murder of 558 Colombians in the Caribbean department of Atlantico a region where the paramilitary ceasefires were supposed to be in effect. Jorge had also used peasants as his fighters and had bribed the police to continue with the drug trafficking business. He had worked with local politicians and assisted them realize their electoral prospects. This scandal was very embarrassing to the president. (www. unhcr. org). Relatives of state leaders were also linked with paramilitary organizations. Senator Alvaro Araujo, a brother to the foreign minister was arrested on allegations that he had conspired with the AUC in kidnapping a political rival before the 2002 elections. This led to the resignation of the foreign minister. A president’s cousin, Mario Uribe was also accused of having dealings with the paramilitaries He was also a leader of the Colombia democratica a party they had co founded with the president. Some members of this party were accused of involvement with paramilitaries and some like Garcia Alvaro were accused of having orchestrated a massacre in 2000 as well as murder of an electoral official in 1997. (www. colombiajournal. org). To date there is clear indication that there is the existence of a sinister and anti democratic relationship between criminals and the country’s elected representatives. The crisis is a clear indication of the deep sense of the powerlessness that is prevailing.It is evident that violence affects or rather influences politics in South America and more so in Colombia. References: Global Security. Colombia. Retrieved on 9th April 2008 from http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/world/colombia/colombia_politics. htm Michael Walker. The Bush Administration’s Hollow Commitment to Colombian Democracy. Retrieved on 9th April 2008 from http://www. colombiajournal. org/colombia271. htm Raul Zibechi. 2008. Americas Program Special Report Military Crisis in South America: The Results of Plan Colombia. Retrieved on 9th April 2008 from http://americas. irc-online. org/am/5107 History of violence. Retrieved on 9th April 2008 from http://www. acs-onweb. de/hd/content/pres_c2_the_media_and_the_internet/history. htm South America. Retrieved on 9th April 2008 from http://www. iansa. org/regions/samerica/samerica. htm U. S. Library of Congress. Government and Politics. Retrieved on 9th April 2008 from http://countrystudies. us/colombia/78. htm UNHCR. Background on political violence in Colombia Retrieved on 9th April 2008 from http://www. unhcr. org/home/RSDCOI/414eef214. html

Democracies and Success in War Essay example -- Government War Democra

Democracies and Success in War Introduction Democratic governments have spread quickly around the world since the end of the Cold War and fall of the Soviet Union. Democracy has become one of the most desired regime types amongst states and is contributed to fostering wealth, stability, and even peace. Dan Reiter and Allan Stam argue that democracies are the most successful in war or military combat. In their book, Democracies at War, Stam and Reiter argue that after observing conflicts since the 1800’s, democratic governments tend to be more selective in choosing conflicts to participate in and democracies also have a propensity to win more often than authoritarian regimes. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study to test if democracies fight better wars. The paper will examine Stam and Reiter’s four propositions presented in their book and test the two propositions, political culture and political structure, that the authors suggest have a significant impact on democracies and the outcome of war. There are no previous intense case studies that have been performed over democracies and their success in wartime situations. Since only brief examples of case studies have been performed in previous literature, this paper will contribute to the discussion by presenting an intense case study on Israel during the Six Day War in 1967 and Yom Kippur War in 1979. For Stam and Reiter to be correct in their assessments over democracies high success rate in war, political culture and political structure must be found internally within Israel during the time period of these two conflicts. To be able to identify political structure and culture I have proposed a few variables that should be present wit... ...d freely choose to participate in both conflicts. However, the enormous threat by the Arab states, not only in these wars but since independence, were so overwhelming that Israelis had no choice but to fight or risk genocide thus giving merit to Desch’s argument. Democracy is winning out on all accounts and continues to grow, while authoritarian regimes, by choice or force, are dwindling on the world stage. Further research on Stam and Reiter’s claims should be tested, along with other arguments from democratic theorist. I suggest that an alternative case study be performed concerning a successful authoritarian regime to test claims of realist and institutionalist. A study of this nature coupled with research such as this paper presents can be compared and evaluated to obtain a firmer grasp on regime type and success in war.

Caribbean Slavery Essay

Slaves were people captured in war, used to settle a debt, or made slaves as a means of punishment. The Spaniards in the Caribbean had little need for African slaves in the early 1500s for various reasons. The Treaty of Tordesillas, which was a line of demarcation drawn north to south, west of the Azores and Cape Verde’s, stipulated that the areas west of the line belonged to the Spaniards and the east to the Portuguese. As a result of the treaty Africa was on Portugal’s side of the line, so in order for Spaniards to obtain African slaves they had to go through the Portuguese. During the period of the early 1500s the Treaty of Tordesillas resulted in the Portuguese being the first nation that the Spaniards granted an asiento. This was granted in 1515. These special licenses, asientos, only allowed a specific number of slaves into a diverse number of countries and limited the need for African slaves. The cost to ship slaves from West Africa to Portugal and Spain and then to the Americas proved prohibitive. There was easier access to Taino labour and it was unnecessary to spend extra money on importing slaves. Tainos were used to find and mine the gold because they were familiar with the surroundings and there were enough Tainos to mine the little gold the Spaniards had found. Indentured servants or white servants also contributed to the need for only a small number of African slaves in the 1500s. Indentured servants (contracted workers; poor people from Europe) started to migrate to the Caribbean from Europe, as the Caribbean were advertised as having prospects of a new life and jobs. Their contracts usually lasted four to five years. The islands that were found in the Caribbean needed to be developed in order to make them suitable for living. The Spaniards offered property as an incentive to attract people who would develop the islands and settle there. This was how indentured servants were coaxed into migrating. Eventually however, the Amerindians and white servants were no longer a sufficient labour force. B. The Amerindians were not used to the working conditions and thus died. Also, Old World diseases such as measles, diphtheria, typhus, cholera, scarlet fever, chicken pox, yellow fever, whooping cough, smallpox, influenza and gonorrhea affected them while some died from depression. Indentured servants were unskilled in cultivation and unwilling to work. They were unaccustomed to the conditions of the Caribbean and succumbed to various New World diseases such as syphilis and yellow fever. Africans worked harder, survived the conditions of the Caribbean better (similar conditions existed in Africa), knew how to plant tropical plants, and were more resistant to Old World diseases. They were also less costly than indentured servants and there was a more constant supply of African slaves than indentured servants. The trade winds which blew from east to west made coming to the Caribbean from Africa very easy. That is in comparison to traveling from Europe to the Caribbean which was difficult as the trade winds worked against sailing ships. Also ships had a longer distance to cover when they sailed to the Caribbean from Europe. African slaves were their master’s property. Masters could do whatever they pleased with the African slaves as they paid for them and they were their property. Offspring produced by said slaves was also their master’s property. This added to the reliability of African slaves as there would always be another generation to enslave. Indentured servants could easily escape as they had the same appearances, knew the culture and language and therefore could easily blend into the crowd and disappear with the influx of people coming and leaving the Caribbean islands. Africans could not do this because of their colour and it would be difficult for them to escape. This added to the appeal of using African slaves. Plantation owners became greedy and no longer wanted to give or offer their sugar lands so as to attract indentured servants to come to the Caribbean. The plantation owners saw the Africans as a commodity therefore did not have to give any incentive to attract them because they were their property and enslaved to them. For these reasons the Africans were seen as a perfect source of labour. Increased work resulted in increased productivity, which increased the wealth of the Spaniards. C. By the 1600s and 1700s African slaves became more popular in the Caribbean. Amerindians had died out by the 1500’s due to diseases, overwork and ill-treatment. Indentured servants had lost fervour in coming to the Caribbean as it was costly to travel and the chances of surviving the tropical conditions were slim. Some ran away, breaking their contract, to become Buccaneers. The decline in the number of available indentured servants and Tainos, and the growth of the colonies increased the need for labour. Sugar had become very popular and was in demand on the European market. The wealth that sugar brought was recognized and more land as cultivated for sugar production. The sugar revolution had begun and the Dutch saw an opportunity to sell slaves in the Caribbean as there was a rise in labour needs. The Dutch were granted an asiento in 1667, by this time Dutch trading in African slaves became very popular. Additionally, slaves were severely abused and thus many died. The rapid demise of slaves from the harsh conditions resulted in a constant need and t his also added to the â€Å"great extension of African slavery in the rest of the Caribbean in the 1600s and 1700s†.

Counter Trade

Counter Trade Counter Trade: Unquestionably, currency is the preferred payment medium for any export or import transaction—it is easy, fast, and straightforward to transact. Sometimes, though, compa ¬nies must adapt to the reality that buyers in many countries cannot do so, whether due to the fact that their home country's currency is nonconvertible, the country doesn't have enough cash, or it doesn't have sufficient lines of credit. Sometimes companies and coun ¬tries find it practically impossible to generate enough foreign exchange to pay for imports.In recourse, they devise creative ways to buy products. For example, Indonesia traded 40,000 tons of palm oil, worth about US$15 million, with Russia in exchange for Russian Sukhoi fighter aircraft. This trade, like others that fall under the umbrella term countertrade, illustrates that buyers and sellers often find creative ways of settling pay ¬ment for imports and exports. Countertrade refers to any one of several diff erent arrangements that parties negoti ¬ate so that they can trade goods and services with limited or no use of currency.Technically, countertrade can be divided into two basic types: barter, based on clearing arrangements used to avoid money-based exchange; and buybacks, offsets, and counter purchase, which are used to impose reciprocal commitments. Countertrade is an inefficient way of doing business. By default, companies prefer the straightforward efficiency of cash or credit. In the case of countertrade, rather than sim ¬ply consulting current foreign exchange rates, buyers and sellers must enter complex and time-consuming negotiations to reach a fair value on the exchange—how many gallons of palm oil for how many planes, for example.In some situations, the goods that are sent as payment may be poor quality, packaged unattractively, or difficult to sell and service. Also, there is a lot of room for price and financial distortion in countertrade deals, given that nonm arket forces set the prices of these goods. Ultimately, countertrade and its vari ¬ations threaten free market forces with protectionism and price fixing that can complicate trade relations with other countries. Still, the harsh reality of international trade means that countertrade is often unavoid ¬able for companies that want to do business in markets that have limited or no access to cash or credit.Complicating matters is the fact that as much as companies may dislike them, many emerging markets prefer forms of countertrade to preserve their limited monetary assets, generate foreign exchange, and improve the balance of trade. In addi-tion, these methods help emerging markets reduce their need to borrow working capital as well as let them access the technology and marketing expertise of MNEs. More signif ¬icantly, benefits beyond financing the immediate transaction do accrue to companies.Accepting the option to countertrade shows managers' good faith and flexibility in the face of onerous conditions. These sensitivities can position the firm to gain preferential access to emerging markets. Philosophically, the idea of countertrade fits with many countries' basic notions of business. For example, the idea of â€Å"barter and trade† is part of some African traditions that are reluctant to conform to â€Å"Euro-centric† methods of cash payment. It is difficult to gauge the size of the countertrade market. Estimates in the past have ranged from 10 to 40 percent of total global exports.This figure has proven tough to verify due to inconsistent reporting and disclosure. Countertrade generally increases in economies that are experiencing widespread economic problems. In Argentina, countertrade among common citizens has increased due to a severe shortage of cash. There are several types of countertrade. The three most common ares- (1) Barter Barter, the oldest form of countertrade, is a transaction in which goods or services are traded for goods or services of equal value without any exchange of cash or credit.Each term of the exchange is negotiated in terms of the immediate trade of goods or services. For instance, Thailand and Indonesia signed a $40 million deal in which Indonesia would supply Thailand with an agricultural aircraft, train carriages, and fertilizer in exchange for Thai rice—no monies were or would be exchanged. There are barter firms that act as an intermediary between the exporter and importer, often taking title to the goods received by the exporter for a price or selling the goods for a fee and a percentage of the sales value. (2) BuybacksBuybacks are products the exporter receives as payment that are related to or originate from the original export. Buyback arrangements are quite common in the sale of technology, licenses, and even complete â€Å"turnkey† factories. Payment is made in full or in part either by products manufactured in the new facility or by production from the new licens e or tech ¬nology. Buyback countertrade is especially popular for turnkey infrastructure projects. For example, the customer pays for the project, say a steel mill, with government-backed long-term credit.The exporting contractor first guarantees that the project will work when com ¬pleted and then agree to buy back products or services from the completed facility or to serve as a distributor for products exported from the host country. The host-country buyer uses these hard currency payments to liquidate the original long-term credit. Throughout the relationship, no cash changes hands and no credit arrangements are necessary. The buy-back contract merely states that the output from the newly constructed facility is to be applied to the original price of the exports.This sort of arrangement was worked out between PepsiCo and Russia. Pepsi provided syrup to state-owned bottling plants in Russia and received Stolichnaya vodka in return, which it then marketed in the West. (3) Offs et Trade An increasingly important form of countertrade is offset trade, a transaction that takes place when an exporter sells products for cash and then helps the importer find opportuni ¬ties to earn hard currency. Offsets are most often used for big-ticket items, such as military sales.The Czech government made offset the deciding factor, as opposed to technical and performance criteria and price, in its jet fighter procurement. Offset arrangements are usually one of two types. 1. Direct offsets include any business that relates directly to the export. Generally, the exporter seeks contractors in the importer's country to joint-venture or coproduce certain parts if applicable. For example, an aircraft exporter could partner with a company in the importer's country to manufacture components that would be used in the manufacture of the aircraft. . Indirect offsets include all business unrelated to the export. Generally, the exporter is asked by the importer's government to buy a country's goods or invest in an unre ¬lated business. Some of the most common direct offset practices in military sales include coproduction, licensed production, subcontractor production, overseas investment, and technology transfer. Examples of indirect offsets might include assisting in the export of unrelated products from the host country or generating tourist revenues for the host country.

Biography of Anne Neville, Queen of Richard III

Biography of Anne Neville, Queen of Richard III Anne Neville (June 11, 1456- March 16, 1485) was first married to the young Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales and son of Henry VII, and later became the wife of Richard of Gloucester (Richard III) and thus Queen of England. She was a key figure, if more or less a pawn, in the Wars of the Roses. Fast Facts: Anne Neville Known For: Wife of Edward, Prince of Wales, son of Henry VI; wife of Richard of Gloucester; when Richard became King as Richard III, Anne became Queen of EnglandBorn: June 11, 1456 at Warwick Castle in London, EnglandParents: Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick and his wife Anne BeauchampDied: March 16, 1485 in London, EnglandSpouse(s): Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales, son of Henry VI (m. 1470–1471); Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III, brother of Edward IV (m. 1472- 1485)Children: Edward, Prince of Wales (c. 1473–1484) Early Life Anne Neville was born June 11, 1456, at Warwick Castle in London, England, and likely lived there and in other castles held by her family while she was a child. She did attend various formal celebrations, including the feast celebrating the marriage of Margaret of York in 1468.   Annes father  Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, was called the Kingmaker for his shifting and influential roles in the Wars of the Roses.  He was a nephew of the  Duke of Yorks  wife, Cecily Neville, mother of Edward IV and Richard III. He came into considerable property and wealth when he married  Anne Beauchamp. They had no sons, only two daughters, of whom Anne Neville was the younger, and Isabel (1451–1476) the elder.  These daughters would inherit a fortune, and thus their marriages were especially important in the royal marriage game. Anne as Goods for Alliances In 1460, Annes father  and his uncle, Edward, Duke of York and Earl of March, defeated Henry VI at Northampton. In 1461, Edward was proclaimed King of England as Edward IV. Edward married Elizabeth Woodville in 1464, surprising Warwick, who had plans for a more advantageous marriage for him. By 1469, Warwick had turned against Edward IV and the Yorkists and joined the Lancastrian cause promoting the return of Henry VI. Henrys queen, Margaret of Anjou, was heading the Lancastrian effort from France. Warwick married his older daughter, Isabel, to George, Duke of Clarence, a brother of Edward IV, while the parties were in Calais, France.  Clarence switched from the York to the Lancaster party. Edward, Prince of Wales The next year, Warwick, apparently to convince Margaret of Anjou that he was trustworthy (because he had originally sided with Edward IV in unseating Henry VI), married his daughter Anne to Henry VIs son and heir apparent, Edward of Westminster. The marriage was held in Bayeux in mid-December of 1470. Warwick, Edward of Westminster accompanied Queen Margaret as she and her army invaded England, Edward IV fled to Burgundy. Annes marriage to Edward of Westminster convinced Clarence that Warwick had no intention to promote his kingship. Clarence switched sides and rejoined his Yorkist brothers. York Victories, Lancastrian Losses On April 14, 1471 at the Battle of Barnet, the Yorkist party was victorious, and Annes father, Warwick, and a brother of Warwick, John Neville, were among those killed. Then on May 4, in the Battle of Tewkesbury, the Yorkists won another decisive victory over Margaret of Anjous forces, and Annes young husband, Edward of Westminster, was killed either during the battle or shortly after. With his heir dead, the Yorkists had Henry VI killed days later.  Edward IV, now victorious and restored, imprisoned Anne, widow of Edward of Westminster and no longer Princess of Wales.  Clarence took custody of Anne and her mother. Richard of Gloucester When siding with the Yorkists earlier, Warwick, in addition to marrying his older daughter, Isabel Neville, to George, Duke of Clarence, had been trying to marry his younger daughter Anne to Edward IVs youngest brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Anne and Richard were first cousins once removed, as were George and Isabel, all descended from Ralph de Neville and Joan Beaufort. (Joan was the legitimized daughter of John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, and Katherine Swynford.)   Clarence tried to prevent the marriage of his wifes sister to his brother. Edward IV also opposed the marriage of Anne and Richard.  Because  Warwick had no sons, his valuable lands and titles would go to his daughters husbands at his death. Clarences motivation likely was that he didnt want to divide his wifes inheritance with his brother. Clarence attempted to take Anne in as his ward in order to control her inheritance. But under circumstances that are not fully known to history, Anne escaped Clarences control and she took sanctuary at a church in London, probably with Richards organization. It took two acts of parliament to set aside the rights of Anne Beauchamp, mother of Anne and Isabel, and a cousin, George Neville, and to divide the estate between Anne Neville and Isabel Neville. Anne, who had been widowed in May of 1471, married Richard, Duke of Gloucester, brother of Edward IV, perhaps in March or July of 1472.  He then claimed Annes inheritance.  The date of their marriage is not certain, and there is no evidence of a papal dispensation for such close relatives to marry.  A son, Edward, was born in 1473 or 1476, and a second son, who did not live long, may have been born as well. Annes sister Isabel died in 1476, shortly after her birth of a short-lived fourth child. George, Duke of Clarence, was executed in 1478 for plotting against Edward IV; Isabel had died in 1476. Anne Neville took charge of raising the children of Isabel and Clarence.  Their daughter, Margaret Pole, was executed much later, in 1541, by Henry VIII. The Young Princes Edward IV died in 1483. On his death, his minor son Edward became Edward V. But the young prince was never crowned. He was put into the charge of his uncle, Annes husband, Richard of Gloucester, as Protector. Prince Edward and, later, his younger brother were taken to the Tower of London, where they disappeared from history. Its presumed that they were killed, although its not clear when. Stories have long circulated that Richard III was responsible for the deaths of his nephews, the Princes in the Tower, to remove rival claimants for the crown. Henry VII, Richards successor, also had motive and, if the princes survived Richards reign, would have had the opportunity to have them killed. A few have pointed at Anne Neville herself as having the motivation to order the deaths. Heirs to the Throne While the princes were still being held under Richards control. Richard had his brothers marriage to Elizabeth Woodville declared invalid and his brothers children declared illegitimate on June 25, 1483, thereby inheriting the crown himself as the legitimate male heir. Anne was crowned as Queen and their son Edward was made Prince of Wales. But Edward died on April 9, 1484; Richard adopted Edward, Earl of Warwick, son of his sister, as his heir, probably at Annes request. Anne may have been unable to bear another child due to her ill health. Annes Death Anne, who reportedly was never very healthy, fell ill in early 1485 and died on March 16. Buried in Westminster Abbey, her grave was unmarked until 1960. Richard quickly named a different heir to the throne, his sister Elizabeths adult son, the Earl of Lincoln. With Annes death, Richard was rumored to be plotting to marry his niece, Elizabeth of York, to secure a stronger claim to the succession. Stories soon circulated that Richard had poisoned Anne to get her out of the way. If that was his plan, he was foiled. Richard IIIs reign ended on August 22, 1485, when he was defeated by Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth. Henry was crowned Henry VII and married Elizabeth of York, bringing to an end the Wars of the Roses. Edward, Earl of Warwick, the son of Annes sister and Richards brother whom Richard adopted as heir, was imprisoned in the Tower of London by Richards successor, Henry VII, and executed after he attempted to escape in 1499. Annes possessions included a book of the  Visions of St. Matilda  which she had signed as Anne Warrewyk. Fictional Representations Shakespeare: In Richard III, Anne appears early in the play with the body of her father-in-law, Henry VI; she blames Richard for his death and that of her husband, the Prince of Wales, son on Henry VI. Richard charms Anne, and, though she also loathes him, she marries him. Richard early reveals that he does not intend to keep her long, and Anne is suspicious that he intends to kill her. She conveniently disappears as Richard begins a plan to marry his niece, Elizabeth of York. Shakespeare takes considerable creative license with history in his story of Anne. The time of the play is much compressed, and motives are likely also exaggerated or changed for literary effect. In the historical timeline, Henry VI and his son, Annes first husband, were killed in 1471; Anne married Richard in 1472; Richard III took power in 1483 soon after his brother, Edward IV, died suddenly, and Richard ruled for two years, dying in 1485. The White Queen: Anne Neville was a major character in the 2013 miniseries The White Queen, which was based on the novel of the same name (2009) by Philippa Gregory. Recent fictional representation: Anne was the subject of  The Rose of York: Love War by Sandra Worth, a 2003 work of historical fiction. Another Anne Neville A much later Anne Neville (1606–1689) was a daughter of Sir Henry Neville and Lady Mary Sackville.  Her mother, a Catholic, influenced her to join the Benedictines. She was abbess at Pointoise. Sources Gregory, Phillippa. The White Queen: A Novel. New York: Touchstone, 2009.  Hicks, Michael. Anne Neville: Queen to Richard III. Gloucestershire: The History Press, 2011.  Licence, Amy. Anne Neville: Richard IIIs Tragic Queen. Gloucestershire: Amberley Publishing, 2013.

Free Enterprise and the Role of Government in America

Free Enterprise and the Role of Government in America Americans often disagree about the appropriate role of government in the economy. This is demonstrated by the sometimes inconsistent approach to regulatory policy throughout American history. As  Christoper Conte and Albert Karr point out in their volume, Outline of the U.S. Economy, the American commitment to free markets continually endured since the dawn of the 21-century, even as  Americas capitalist  economy  remained a work in progress. History of Large Government The American belief in free enterprise does not and has not precluded a major role for government. Many times, Americans have depended on the government to break up or regulate companies that appeared to be developing so much power that they could defy market forces. In general, government grew larger and intervened more aggressively in the economy from the 1930s until the 1970s.   Citizens rely on the government to address matters the private economy overlooks in sectors ranging from education to protecting the environment. Despite their advocacy of market principles, Americans have used government at times in history to nurture new industries or even to protect American companies from competition. Shift Towards Less Government Intervention But economic hardships in the 1960s and 1970s left Americans skeptical about the ability of government to address many social and economic issues. Major social programs (including Social Security and Medicare, which, respectively, provide retirement income and health insurance for the elderly) survived this period of reconsideration. But the overall growth of the federal government slowed in the 1980s. A Flexible Service Economy The pragmatism and flexibility of Americans have resulted in an unusually dynamic economy. Change has been a constant in American economic history. As a result, the once agrarian country is far more urban today than it was 100, or even 50, years ago. Services have become increasingly important relative to traditional manufacturing. In some industries, mass production has given way to more specialized production that emphasizes product diversity and customization. Large corporations have merged, split up and reorganized in numerous ways. New industries and companies that did not exist at the midpoint of the 20th-century now play a major role in the nations economic life. Employers are becoming less paternalistic, and employees are expected to be more self-reliant. Increasingly, government and business leaders emphasize the importance of developing a highly skilled and flexible workforce in order to ensure the countrys future economic success.

Analysis of Several Law Questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis of Several Law Questions - Coursework Example This consideration applies to the accused, victims, or witnesses of a case. The identification of young persons in court is therefore restricted to police requests or court order requiring a youth to be identified by the media. b. Similarly, adult courts reorganize the need to restrict identification of young people in court. Like in youth court, the media is allowed to cover cases involving the youth if and only if the case is of national interest or if the media has received a court or police order requesting the coverage of the case. 3. According to the given information, the company does not have a valid case. Although the intended publication of the information might turn out to be disastrous to the company, there is no possibility of a court’s injunction. Although this is a complicated case, the case can be handled easily with the right application of media laws. Firstly, the case is of public concern since the workers are members of the public. According to the constitution, the public has the right to information. A matter of public concern such as the cut of employment positions will be important news to the public. Based on this argument I will be able to raise a defense against my accusations. 4. a. The press complaint commissions will consider certain arguments in adjudicating claims of intrusion of privacy (Parkard, 2007). In the given scenario, the commission will consider arguments related to the security of the couple. 6. a. According to the copyright law, the newspaper has a case to answer for subsequent usage of the photographs without the photographer’s permission (JISC, 2006). This is because the newspaper had only been given the rights to publish the pictures  once.