Hunger Strike Prisoner - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3188 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Imprisonment and Human Rights Discuss the appropriate response to a prisoner who goes on hunger strike. Is it ever justified to force feed a prisoner who refuses to eat? Hunger strike is a dilemma for prison authorities. It is like two sides of a coin, they have to make a choice, to save the life of the prisoners or to let them die. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Hunger Strike Prisoner" essay for you Create order Prisoners hunger strike has been conducted for years in many parts of the world aimed to reach certain goals, solidarity, political struggle and to express opinions. States have the responsibilities to maintain prison security while at the same time preserving the health and well-being of prisoners on hunger strike. The relevant legal framework on state responsibility in the issue of hunger strike and force feeding is the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 2 on the Right to Life and Article 3 prohibition of torture, and for the United Kingdom Human Rights Act 1998 under the same articles. Other related provision would be Article 8 on the right to private life (ECHR). The duty of the prison authorities to preserve prisoners health and life, including conducting force administering food best described in Leigh v Gladstone (1909). During that period of time the Home Secretary had the obligation and the power to prevent prison suicide including force-feeding prisoner s who went on hunger strike. Suicide, abetting and aiding of suicide was considered a criminal act. Lord Alverstone CJ states that it was the duty of prison officials to preserve the health of prisoners in their custody and that duty extended to force feeding In this case Article 2 prevails under the condition that suicide is an act of crime. In the case of R. , S. , A. and C v. Portugal, the European Commission on Human Rights found that it was certainly disturbing that such along time could have elapsed without the applicants being put under medical supervision There is a fine line to distinguish hunger strike from suicide, and it is not an easy task. Most philosophers argue that suicide can be accomplished by passive means, such as refusal to eat As hunger strike could lead to the possibility of death, it is still a question whether it is an act of suicide or merely an exercise of right of self determination. John Williamss hunger strike categorizations may give a clea r description on the motive and the type of hunger striker. However, he also realizes that placing a prisoner within one of the categories is difficult particularly in analysing the situation when death is a possibility, although not an objective and death is the desired objective. Thus Annas observes that the courts have concluded that a refusal of treatment that inevitably leads to death is not a suicide. The most important example is the 1981 Irish hunger strike where it was carried out to achieve certain objectives and realizing that the result could lead to death. It was clear that the objective of the Irish hunger strikers was to get the political status which they desire, and the primary motive is not suicide. Dolores Dooley-Clarke pointed out an interesting question, if death resulted from prisoner political protest, could it be a suicide or murder? She elaborates that none of the above fits hunger strike categorisation. In the case of Irish hunger strike and other similar prisoner political protest, Dolores Dooley-Clarke suggests that the capacity to plan a hunger strike and state ones intention (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) is not characteristics of all suicide attempts-some suicides depend on impulse or diminished awareness of the full implications of the act. Thus, many psychiatrists support the statement that suicide does not fits to the categorisation of hunger strike. Robert Daly, professor of psychiatry at University College, Cork, believes that nothing is achieved or clarified by simply equating hunger strikers with attempted suicides related to schizophrenia or chronic drug addiction. In line with the above statement, British Medical Association states that a hunger strike lead to death cannot be regarded as suicide. Thus, it is tricky to implement the correct treatment to the prisoner who goes on hunger strike where motive could be deceitful. As Annas elaborates, motivation is the most crucial distinction between patients who refuse treatment and prisoners who refuse to eat. Because the latter generally seek either to manipulate the prison system for their own benefit or to commit suicide. If the motive is solely to die due to there is no other alternative method of suicide other than starving himself to death, than the suicidal motive is clear. If that is the case, the prison authorities have the power to intervene and save ones life. This responsibility to prevent prisoner suicides was considered by the House of Lords, in the words of Lord Hope: The duty of those who are entrusted with his custody is to take reasonable care for his safety while he remains in their hands. If it is known that he may engage in self mutilation or suicide while he is in their custody, their duty is to take reasonable care to prevent him from engaging in these acts so that he remains free from harm until he is set at liberty. This duty is owed to the prisoner if there is at risk, irrespective of whether he is m entally disordered or of sound mind. It arises simply from the act that he is being detained by them in custody and is known to be at risk of engaging in self-mutilation or of committing suicide. However, it became a complicated issue since most of hunger strikers have a specific objective, to protest or to change policy and demand their request to be heard or fulfilled by the competent authorities. Prison authorities rely on doctor or medical officer to decide whether the prisoners should be fed artificially, on the other hand, doctors have certain medical ethics not to force-feed them and must respect prisoners autonomy and right to accept or refuse medical care. World Medical Association Malta Declaration declared that force-feeding is a form of inhuman and degrading treatment. Article 5 of the 1975 World Medical Association Tokyo Declaration states that doctors must not undertake force-feeding under any circumstances: Where a prisoner refuses nourishment and is co nsidered by the physician as capable of forming an unimpaired and rational judgment concerning the consequences of such a voluntary refusal of nourishment, he or she shall not be fed artificially. The decision as to the capacity of the prisoner to form such a judgment should be confirmed by at least one other independent physician. The consequences of the refusal of nourishment shall be explained by the physician to the prisoner. Prisoners right to be informed on the risk that may cause from such treatment is protected by Article 8 ECHR. Force-feeding likely to be seen as inhuman degrading and amount to torture due to the painful method carried out in its procedures. During the Greek civil war force-feeding caused horror and led the prisoners to stop the hunger strike, not only it is terrifying but it could also result to death. In recent case, the horrific image of force-feeding again could be seen on the hunger striker prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. As Lawrence Altman st ated, force-feeding is likely to involve dragging the prisoners to the site of feeding, and using physical restraints to present the removal of the feeding tube. Placing the tube may also be tricky and could result in fatal complications should it enter the trachea Taking into account the high stakes place into the shoulder of the medical officer, their ethical integrity must also be protected. The relation between prisoner hunger striker patient and the medical authorities thus become complicated. State has the obligations to preserve ones life and to prevent suicide, and at the same time to respect absolute right of freedom from torture. In the case of Nevmerzhitsky v Ukraine, it was held that there had been a violation to Article 3 of ECHR, the force feeding of the applicant, without any medical justification (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. ), constituted treatment of such a severe character warranting the characterizations of torture. The medical necessity of force-feeding emphasize d in this case. Looking into the judgement, it seems that force-feeding indeed can be justified in certain way. The term medical necessity amounted to a way for the prison authorities to place the burden on the medical officers to make the decision. This could be portrayed in the response of Home Secretary, Roy Jenkins (1975) in the case of force-feeding against Ian Brady: The responsible medical officer has decided, on the basis of his professional judgment that Ian Brady should be fed artificially. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) I could not interpose myself between the clinical judgment of a doctor and his patient. The court found that there has been no violation to Article 3 of ECHR in the case of A v Germany. In A v Germany, the commission underlined that force-feeding is even obligatory if an obvious danger for the individuals life exist. Given the obligations of states parties to secure the right to life under Article 2 of ECHR, the commission justified the act of force-feedin g. Personal mentality of the hunger striker thus become a focal point for doctors and physician to determine whether the person has the mental capability to make his own judgment and decision to hopefully end his actions in a reasonable time. In Herczegfalvy v Austria, force feeding of a prisoner was justified on the basis of therapeutic and medical necessity. Mr Herczegfalvy was diagnosed suffering from paranoia querulans, in the view of medical judgement he was incapable to make the decision for himself. Regardless his refusal to consent any medical treatment and examination that would be conducted upon him, the court on the above circumstances found no violations to Article 3 of ECHR against force administering food. Article 3 on prohibition on torture and Article 2 on the right to life (ECHR) conflicted with one another in this matter. In the case of hunger strike, medical treatment plays a key role, it has dilemmas when the treatment contrary to the patients wish, no consent given from the patient, and how far is such treatment could be amounted to violate one person dignity thus subject to inhuman, degrading treatment, and torture. Doctors have freedom to engage clinical judgment to its patients, however as Dolores pointed out, it becomes a dilemma as the freedom of clinical judgment is a two-edged sword: the ethical beliefs of the doctor may conflict with a prisoners patient expressed wishes not to be treated. Prison authorities and medical officers must in any way approach the hunger striker and inform them on the risk for pursuing hunger strike or the risk on force-feeding, here the right to respect the private life (Article 8) should be clearly engaged in situations concerning disclosure of information that will enable individuals to make decisions that may have an impact on their health. In 1981 Irish hunger strike, the British Government decided not to force-feed the hunger striker. Margaret Thatcher refused to give any co ncessions and stated We are not prepared to consider special category status for certain groups of people serving sentences for crime. Crime is crime is crime, it is not political. 10 hunger strikers died to defend their five demands. In Robb v Secretary of State for the Home Department, the wish of the hunger striker, who had a sound of mind and the capacity to understand the risk and the consequences of his decisions, to refuse the medical treatment should be respected. J Thorpe stated: The first principle is that every persons body is inviolate and proof against any form of physical molestation. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Secondly, the principle of self-determination requires that respect must be given to the wishes of the patient. So that if an adult of sound mind refuses, however unreasonably, to consent to treatment or care by which his life would or might be prolonged the doctors responsible for his care must give effect to his wishes even though they do not consider it to be in his interest to do so. In contras to Leigh v Gladstone (1909) case, in Robb case the secretary of state was granted the declarations that medical and prison staff could lawfully abstain from their responsibility from taking force artificial food or prolonging the life of the patient in the basis of the patients refusal to the medical treatment. Here, Andrew Grubb suggested that in view of the above resulted to the decision in Robb case that theres no obligation for the prison authorities to intervene. State has the interest in preventing suicide and preservation of life. In Airedale NHS Trust v Bland refusal of a medical treatment is not a suicide or aiding a suicide. Sir Thomas Bingham M.R pointed out when the patient was adult and of sound mind, a doctor discontinues artificial feeding after three years and the patient dies. Has the doctor aided and abetted suicide? I think the answer plainly is that he has not. In Re:W, the prisoner patient concern with a sound mind has the mental capacity to make decisions on his behalf and therefore his refusal to medical treatment will be respected even if it would lead to his death. As elaborated in the above cases, it was found that the right of an individual to refuse treatment strongly outweighs the interest in the preservation of life. Similar to the above cases, in the United States, Supreme Court of California in the case of Thor v Superior Court held that a competent patient (prisoner) has the right to accept or to refuse medical treatment even at the risk of death. Here, the right to exercise self-determination prevails in a condition of a competent patient. In R. v.Collins and Ashworth Hospital Authority ex p. Brady, Brady argues that the force-feeding was unlawful taking into account that he is mentally competent. As mentioned on the above case laws, a competent prisoner cannot lawfully be force-fed. However, in Bradys case, the hospital experts observation on his mental incapacity j ustified the lawfulness of the force-feeding conducted upon him. Personal motivation, mental capacity, and the consent of the prisoner hunger strikers is the main points that would be taking into account for the prison authorities and the medical staff to make their decision. Force-feeding of the prisoner who goes on hunger strike should be carried out in accordance to the points above. Motivation and sound of mind of the hunger striker determine the objective of such actions to differentiate it from suicide. As in Robb case, the prison authorities and medical staff are avoid from unlawful act for being abstain of conducting a medical treatment in the basis of refusal of prisoner with a sound mind. While in Bradys case, force-feeding was conducted in concern of the prisoners motivation to commit suicide by starving himself to death. In regards to the patients with a sound of mind, the right of self determination prevails, and therefore to administer food in force is not j ustified. However, in certain cases such as Bradys, force-feeding is justified in the basis of preserving ones life. In view of prohibition of torture, it is clear that force-feeding is so horrific thus lead to inhuman and degrading treatment, therefore prison authorities and medical officers should inform the hunger striker patients on the risk of such action. Article 2 on the right to life would only prevails Article 3 on prohibition of torture if theres a definite reason on the basis of medical necessity and the inability of the patients to make a decision for them. In regards of cases where death is the primary objective, such as Bradys, preserving ones life comes first before self determination. The prisoners right to refuse any medical treatment or force-feeding should be respected, nevertheless it should be noted that medical necessity and mental incapacity would play a key role on making the decision to outweigh that right. Bibliography Gudmundur Alfredson and Katarina TomaÃ…Â ¡evski (eds), A Thematic Guide To Documents on Health and Human Rights (The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers) (1998) Human Rights Watch, Prison Conditions in the Soviet Union: A Report of Facilities in Russia and Azerbaidzhan (New York: Human Rights Watch) (1991) Kieran McEvoy, Paramilitary Imprisonment in Northern Ireland: Resistance, Management, and Release (New York: Oxford University Press) (2004) Human Rights Watch, Africa Watch Prison Project, Prison Conditions in South Africa (New York: Human Rights Watch) (1994) Fran Lisa Buntman, Robben Island and Prisoner Resistance to Apartheid (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) (2003) John Wadham, Helen Mountfield, and Anna Edmundson, Blackstones Guide to The Human Rights Act 1998 (Oxford: Oxford University Press) (2003), p. 49. Barbara Harvey and John Marston, Cases and Commentary on Tort (4th Edition) (Essex: Pearson Education Limited) (2000) European Conventio n on Human Rights and its Five Protocols, available at https://www.hri.org/docs/ECHR50.html#C.Art8 As cited in R v Secretary of State for the Home Department v Robb [1995] 1 All ER 677, available at https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/legal/results/pubTreeViewDoc.do?nodeId=TAANAAEACEpubTreeWidth=23% Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in cooperation with the International Bar Association, Professional Training Series No, 9 Human Rights in the Administration of Justice: A Manual on Human Rights for Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers (New York: United Nations Publications) (2003), p. 345 Norman L. Cantor George C. Thomas, The Legal Bounds of Physician Conduct Hastening Death in the USA, in Yoram Distein (eds), Israel Yearbook on Human Rights (The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers) (2000) John Williams, Hunger-Strikes: A Prisoners Right or a Wicked Folly, The Howard Journal vol. 40 no. 3 (2001) George J. Annas, Law and the Life Sciences: Prison Hunger Strikes: Why the Motive Matters, The Hastings Center Report vol.12 no. 6 (1982), p.21-22. Dolores Dooley-Clarke, Medical Ethics and Political Protest, The Hastings Centre Report vol. 11 no.6 (1981) British Medical Association, Medicine Betrayed: The Participation of Doctors in Human Rights Abuses (London: Zed Books) (1998) George J. Annas, Loc. cit British Medical Association, Loc. cit World Medical Association Declaration on Hunger Strikes (1991) (1992) (2006), Article 21, available at https://www.wma.net/e/policy/h31.htm The World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo, Guidelines for Physicians Concerning Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Relation to Detention and Imprisonment (1975), Article 5, available at https://www.wma.net/e/policy/c18.htm Polymeris Voglis, Becoming a Subject: Political Prisoners during the Greek Civil War (New York: Berghahn Books) (2002), p. 193. David Rose, Scandal of force-fed prisoners, The Obser ver, January 8, 2006, available at https://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/jan/08/usa.guantanamo Lawrence Altman as cited by George J. Annas, Law and the Life Sciences: Prison Hunger Strikes: Why the Motive Matters, The Hastings Center Report vol.12 no. 6 (1982), p.22 Nevmerzhitsky v Ukraine , available at https://www.westlaw.co.uk Jenkins, as cited by John Williams, op. cit, p.285 A v Germany, available at https://www.westlaw.co.uk Ibid. Herczegfalvy v Austria, available at https://www.westlaw.co.uk Dolores Dooley Clarke, op. cit, p.7 Jane Wright, Tort Law and Human Rights (Oregon: Hart Publishing) (2001), p. 66 https://www.inac.org R v Secretary of State for the Home Department v Robb , op. cit Ibid. see https://medlaw.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/3/2/189.pdf As cited in Rosamund Scott, Rights, Duties and the Body: Law and Ethics of the Maternal-Fetal Conflict (Portland Oregon: Hart Publishing) (2002), p. 136

The Benefits Of Marijuana - 1733 Words

The city once known as the spa city will now be known as the â€Å"pot city† and will become the first in all of Southern California to allow large scale marijuana cultivation and sale. Not only will cannabis now be medically used, individuals can now have it for their own uses. With the passing of Proposition 64, adults, twenty-one and over, now have the ability to legally consume and grow marijuana for personal use. Under the proposition, a tax on sale and cultivation of this drug will be levied. With this new legislative act, companies have now taken charge and began the establishment of facilities and organization. These large scale cultivations will be known throughout the Valley. Although there are negative views and ideas on large scale†¦show more content†¦With the approval of their new facility, â€Å"Canndescent officials thanked the city and presented council members with a check for $135,000, the city’s first marijuana cultivation tax revenues.â⠂¬  (USA Today, Kennedy) This shows how much in tax revenue Desert Hot Springs will be receiving from one facility alone. With a added $135,000 incoming a year, overtime, the little town will be prospering in finance. The city would be able to invest money in their police, buildings, and public recreations. Canndescent will not be the only facility approved, although it will bring about $3 million in wages, â€Å"If every facility approved by the city were to open, it could bring in well over $30 million a year in tax revenue.† (USA Today, Kennedy) Compared to the citys current operating budget of around $15 million, all money earned from tax revenue will allow for a surplus of finance. 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Night World Dark Angel Chapter 7 Free Essays

string(52) " and none of them was in the really popular clique\." Gillian felt triumph, wild excitement-and something deeper. An emotion she couldn’t describe because there weren’t any ordinary words for it. David was looking at her, and it was almost as if she could see through his dark eyes. We will write a custom essay sample on Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 7 or any similar topic only for you Order Now As if she could see inside him†¦ see the way things looked to him†¦ What she felt was a little like discovery and a little like deja vu and a little like waking up and suddenly realizing it’s Christmas. Or like being a kid lost in a strange place, cold and bewildered, and then suddenly hearing your mother’s voice. But it really wasn’t like any of those things; it was more. Unexpected welcome†¦ strange recognition†¦ the shock of belonging†¦ She couldn’t quite put it all together, because there was nothing like it in her experience. She’d never heard of anything like this. But she had the feeling that when David kissed her, she’d figure it all out and it would be the revelation of her life. It was going to happen-now. He was moving clser to her, not fast, but as if slowly compelled by something he couldn’t control. Gillian had to look down, but she didn’t move back or turn her face away. He was close enough now that she could hear his breath and feel him. Her eyes shut of their own accord. She waited to feel the touch of warmth on her lips†¦ And then something in her mind stirred. A tiny whisper, so far back that she could barely hear it, and she couldn’t tell where it came from. Tanya. The shock went through Gillian like ice on bare skin. Part of her tried to ignore it, but she was already pulling away, putting a hand up, turning to stare at the window. Not out the window. It was too steamed up now to see anything outside. They were in their own cocoon of whiteness. Gillian said, â€Å"I can’t. I mean, not like this. I mean-it isn’t fair, because you already-and you haven’t †¦ I mean†¦ Tanya.† â€Å"I know.† David sounded as if he’d been hit with ice on bare skin, or as if he’d come up from deep water and was looking around dazedly. â€Å"I mean, you’re right. I don’t know what I was†¦ It just-it was like I forgot†¦ Look, I’m sure that sounds stupid. You don’t believe me.† â€Å"I do believe you.† At least he sounded as incoherent as she did. He wouldn’t think she was a total fool; her facade wasn’t broken. â€Å"I’m not that kind of guy. I mean, it looks like I am, right here, it looks exactly like I am. But I’m not. I mean I never-I’m not like Bruce Faber. I don’t do that. I made a promise to Tanya and †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Oh, God, Gillian thought. And then a sort of inward scream: (Help!) (I was wondering when you’d remember me.) (He made her a promise!) (I’m sure he did. They’ve been going together a while.) (But that’s terrible!) (No, it’s admirable. What a guy. Now say you’ve got to get to school.) (I can’t. I can’t think. How are we going to-) (School first.) Dully, Gillian said, â€Å"I guess we’d better get moving.† â€Å"Yeah.† There was a pause, and then David put the car in gear. They drove in silence, and Gillian sank deeper and deeper into depression. She’d thought it would be so easy-just show David her new self and everything would fall into place. But it wasn’t like that. He couldn’t just dump Tanya. (Don’t worry about it, kid. I have a cunning plan.) (But what?) (I’ll tell you when it’s time.) (Angel-are you mad at me? Because I forgot about you?) (Of course not. I’m here to arrange things so you can forget me.) (Then-because I forgot about Tanya for a while? I don’t want to do anything that’s wrong†¦) (I’m not mad! Heads up. You’re there.) Gillian couldn’t push away the feeling that he was mad, though. Or at least surprised. As if something unexpected had happened. But she didn’t have time to dwell on it. She had to get out of David’s car and gather herself and face the high school. â€Å"I guess-I’ll see you later,† David said as she reached for the door handle. His voice made it a question. â€Å"Yeah. Later,† Gillian said. She didn’t have the energy for anything more. She glanced back- once-to see him staring at the steering wheel. She could see people staring at her as she walked to the school building. It was a new sensation and it gave her a spasm of anxiety. Were they laughing at her? Did she look silly, was she walking wrong somehow? (Just breathe and walk.) Angel’s voice sounded amused. (Breathe-walk-head up-breathe†¦) Gillian somehow got through halls and up stairs to her U.S. history class without meeting another student’s eyes once. There, arriving just as the bell rang, she realized she had a problem. Her history textbook, along with all her notes, was floating somewhere down toward West Virginia. With relief, she caught Amy’s eye and headed toward the back of the classroom. â€Å"Can I share your book? My whole backpack went in the creek.† She was a little afraid Amy might be miffed or jealous at the way she’d run off with David, but Amy didn’t seem to be either. She seemed more-awed-as if Gillian were some force like a tornado that you might fear, but that you couldn’t get mad at. â€Å"Sure.† Amy waited until Gillian had scooted her desk closer, then whispered, â€Å"How come it took you so long to get to school? What were you and David doing?† Gillian rummaged for a pen. â€Å"How do you know we weren’t picking up Tanya?† â€Å"Because Tanya was here at school looking for David.† Gillian’s heart flip-flopped. She pretended to be very interested in history. But she gradually noticed that some of the other students were looking at her. Especially the boys. It was the sort of look she’d never imagined getting from a boy. But these were all juniors, and none of them was in the really popular clique. You read "Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 7" in category "Essay examples" All that would change in Gillian’s next class, biology. Half a dozen of the most popular kids would be there. David would be there-and Tanya. Gillian felt, with a sudden chill, that she might not really care anymore. What did it matter what other people thought of her if she couldn’t have David? But she had a fundamental faith in Angel. Somehow things had to work out-if she just stayed calm and played her part. When the bell rang, she hurried away from Amy’s questioning eyes and into the bathroom. She needed a moment to herself. (Do something to your lipstick. It seems to have gone away somehow.) Angel sounded as puzzled as any human boy. Gillian fixed the lipstick. She ran a comb through her hair. She was somewhat reassured by the sight of herself in the mirror. The girl there wasn’t Gillian at all, but a slender, insubstantial femme fatale sheathed like a dagger in black. The girl’s hair was silky, the palest of all possible golds. Her violet eyes were subtly shadowed so they looked mysterious, haunting. Her mouth was soft, red, and full: perfect, like the mouth of a model in a lipstick commercial. Against the stark black of her clothing, her skin had the slightly translucent look of apple blossoms. She’s beautiful, Gillian thought. And then to Angel: (I mean, I am. But I need †¦ a Look, don’t you think? An expression for when people are staring at me. Like, am I Bored or Slightly Amused or Aloof or Completely Oblivious or what?) (How about Thoughtful? As if you’ve got your own inner world to pay attention to. It’s true, you know. You do.) Gillian was pleased. Thoughtful, absorbed in herself, listening to the music of the spheres-or the music of Angel’s voice. She could do that. She settled the canvas bag on her shoulder and started toward her locker. (Uh, where are you going?) (To get my biology book. I still have that.) (No, you don’t.) Gillian maintained her Thoughtful expression, while noting that heads turned as she walked down the hall. (Yes, I do.) (No, you don’t. Due to circumstances entirely beyond your control, you lost your biology book and all your notes. You need to sit with somebody else and share his.) Gillian blinked. (I-oh. Oh, yeah, you’re right. I lost my biology book.) The door of the biology lab loomed like the gate to hell, and Gillian had trouble keeping Thoughtful pinned to her face. But she managed to walk through it and into the quiet buzz that was a class before a bell was about to ring. (Okay, kid. Go up front and tell Mr. Wizard you need a new book. He’ll take care of the rest.) Gillian did as Angel said. As she stood beside Mr. Leveret and told her story she sensed a new quietness in the classroom behind her. She didn’t look back and she didn’t raise her voice. By the time she was done, Mr. Leveret’s pouchy, pleasantly ugly face had gone from a startled â€Å"Who are you?† expression (he had to look in the class register to make sure of her name) to one of pained sympathy. â€Å"I’ve got an extra textbook,† he said. â€Å"And some outlines of my lectures on transparencies. But as for notes-â€Å" He turned to the class at large. â€Å"Okay, people. Jill-uh, Gillian-needs a little help. She needs somebody who’s willing to share their notes, maybe xerox them-â€Å" Before he could finish his sentence, hands went up all over the room. Somehow that brought everything into focus for Gillian. She was standing in front of a classroom with everyone staring at her-that in itself would have been enough to terrify her in the old days. And sitting there in front was David, wearing an unreadable expression, and Tanya, looking rigidly shocked. And other people who’d never looked directly at her before, and who were now waving their hands enthusiastically. All boys. She recognized Bruce Faber, who she’d always thought of as Bruce the Athlete, with his tawny hair and his blue-gray eyes and his tall football build. Normally he looked as if he were acknowledging the applause of a crowd. Just now he looked as if he were graciously extending an invitation to Gillian. And Macon Kingsley, who she called Macon the Wallet because he was so rich. His hair was brown and styled, his eyes hooded, and there was something cruel to the sensual droop of his mouth. But he wore a Rolex and had a new sports car and right now he was looking at Gillian as if he’d pay a lot of money for her. And Cory Zablinski-who was Cory the Party Guy because he constantly seemed to be arranging, going to, or just recovering from parties. Cory was wiry and hyper, with foxy brown hair and darting fox-colored eyes. He had more personality than looks, but he was always in the middle of things, and at this moment he was waving madly at Gillian. Even Amy’s new boyfriend Eugene, who didn’t have looks or personality in Gillian’s opinion, was wiggling his fingers eagerly. David had his hand up, too, despite Tanya’s cold expression. He looked polite and stubborn. Gillian wondered if he’d told Tanya he was just trying to help a poor junior out. (Pick†¦ Macon.) The ghostly voice in Gillian’s ear was thoughtful. (Macon? I thought maybe Cory.) She couldn’t pick David, of course, not with Tanya looking daggers at her. And she felt uncomfortable about picking Bruce for the same reason-his girlfriend Amanda Spengler was sitting right beside him. Cory was friendly and, well, accessible. Macon, on the other hand, was vaguely creepy. This time the voice in her head was patient. (Have I ever steered you wrong? Macon.) (Cory’s the one who always knows about parties†¦) But Gillian was already moving toward Macon. The most important thing in life, she was discovering quickly, was to trust Angel absolutely. â€Å"Thanks,† she said softly to Macon as she perched on an empty stool behind him. She repeated after Angel: â€Å"I’ll bet you take good notes. You seem like a good observer.† Macon the Wallet barely inclined his head. She noticed that his hooded eyes were moss green, an unusual, almost disturbing color. But he was nice to her all period. He promised to have his father’s secretary photocopy the thick sheaf of biology notes in his spiral-bound notebook. He lent her a highlighter. And he kept looking at her as if she were some interesting piece of art. That wasn’t all. Cory the Party Guy dropped a ball of paper on the lab table as he walked past to get rid of his gum in the trash can. When Gillian unfolded it she found a Hershey’s kiss and a questionnaire: R U new? Do U like music? What’s yr phone #? And Bruce the Athlete tried to catch her eye whenever she glanced in his direction. A warm and heady glow was starting somewhere inside Gillian. But the most amazing part was yet to come. Mr. Leveret, pacing in the front, asked for somebody to review the five kingdoms used to categorize living things. (Raise your hand, kid.) (But I don’t remember-) (Trust me.) Gillian’s hand went up. The warm feeling had changed to a sense of dread. She never answered questions in class. She almost hoped Mr. Leveret wouldn’t see her, but he spotted her right away and nodded. â€Å"Gillian?† (Now just say after me†¦) The soft voice in her head went on. â€Å"Okay, the five classes would be, from most advanced to most primitive, Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista†¦ and Eugene.† Gillian ticked them off on her fingers and glanced sideways at Eugene as she finished. (But that’s not nice. I mean-) She never got to what she meant. The entire class was roaring with laughter. Even Mr. Leveret rolled his eyes at the ceiling and shook his head tolerantly. They thought she was hysterical. Witty. One of those types who could break up a whole classroom. (But Eugene-) (Look at him.) Eugene was blushing pink, ducking his head. Grinning. He didn’t look embarrassed or hurt; he actually looked pleased at the attention. It’s still wrong, a tiny voice that wasn’t Angel’s seemed to whisper. But it was drowned out by the laughter and the rising warmth inside Gillian. She’d never felt so accepted, so included. She had the feeling that now people would laugh whenever she said something even marginally funny. Because they wanted to laugh; they wanted to be pleased by her-and to please her. (Rule One, dragonfly. A beautiful girl can tease any guy and make him like it. No matter what the joke is. Am I right or am I right?) (Angel, you’re always right.) She meant it with all her heart. She had never imagined that guardian angels could be like this, but she was glad beyond words that they were and that she had one on her side. At break the miracles continued. Instead of hurrying out the door as she normally did, she found herself walking slowly and lingering in the hall. She couldn’t help it, both Macon and Cory were in front of her, talking to her. â€Å"I can have the notes ready for you this weekend,† Macon the Wallet was saying. â€Å"Maybe I should drop them by your house.† His heavy-lidded eyes seemed to bore into her and the sensual droop to his mouth became more pronounced. â€Å"No, I’ve got a better idea,† Cory was saying, almost dancing around the two of them. â€Å"Mac, m’man, don’t you think it’s about time you had another party? I mean, it’s been weeks, and you’ve got that big house†¦ How about Saturday, and I’ll round up a keg and we can all get to know Jill better.† He gestured expansively. â€Å"Good idea,† Bruce the Athlete said cheerfully from behind Gillian. â€Å"I’m free Saturday. What about you-Jill?† He draped a casual arm around her shoulder. â€Å"Ask me Friday,† Gillian said with a smile, repeating the whispered words in her mind. She shrugged off the arm on her own volition. Bruce belonged to Amanda. A party for me, Gillian thought dazedly. All she’d wanted was to get invited to a party given by these kids-she’d never imagined being the focus of one. She felt a stinging in her nose and eyes and a sort of desperation in her stomach. Things were happening almost too fast. Other people were gathering around curiously. Incredibly, she was at the center of a crowd and everyone seemed to be either talking to her or about her. â€Å"Hey, are you new?† â€Å"That’s Gillian Lennox. She’s been here for years.† â€Å"I never saw her before.† â€Å"You just never noticed her before,† â€Å"Hey, Jill, how come you lost your biology book?† â€Å"Didn’t you hear? She fell in a creek trying to save some kid. Almost drowned.† â€Å"I heard David Blackburn pulled her out and had to give her artificial respiration.† â€Å"1 heard they were parked on Hillcrest Road this morning.† It was intoxicating, exhilarating. And it wasn’t just guys who were gathered around her. She would have thought that the girls would be jealous, spiteful, that they’d glare at her or even all walk away from her in one mass snub. But there was Kimberlee Cherry, Kim the Gymnast, the bubbly, sparkly little dynamo with her sun-blond curls and her baby-blue eyes. She was laughing and chattering. And there was Steffi Lockhart the Singer, with her cafe au lait skin and her soulful amber eyes, waving an expressive hand and beaming. Even Amanda the Cheerleader, Bruce Faber’s girlfriend, was in the group. She was flashing her healthy, wide smile and tossing her shiny brown hair, her fresh face glowing. Gillian understood suddenly. The girls couldn’t hate her, or couldn’t show it if they did. Because Gillian had status, the instant and unassailable status that came from being beautiful and having guys fall all over themselves for her. She was a rising star, a force, a power to be reckoned with. And any girl who snubbed her was risking a nick in her own popularity if Gillian should decide to retaliate. They were afraid not to be nice to her. It was dizzying, all right. Gillian felt as beautiful as an angel and as dangerous as a serpent. She was riding on waves of energy and adulation. But then she saw something that made her feel as if she had suddenly stepped off a cliff. Tanya had David by the arm and they were walking away down the hall. How to cite Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 7, Essay examples

Doing Business in Japan free essay sample

As a result of learning about the geography, climate, history, religion, cultural rituals, politics, education system, and the role of the family; it will allow a business or business person the insight needed to understand how society functions and the method in which business is conducted. Geography Climate Japan is an island nation that is located across the Japanese Sea. Japan consists of the islands of Hokkaiodo, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu (Yamada Kurashige, 2003). The landscape of Japan is seventy-one percent mountainous (Population Demographics, 2007). Japan is a small country that is situated in the northern temperate zone. Japan experiences the four seasons similar to that of North America. Japan experiences typhoons which are a lot stronger than their sister hurricanes in the Atlantic (Yamada Kurashige, 2003). Religion Over eighty-four percent of the people in Japan observe Buddhism, Shinto or a combination of both. Confucianism from China added loyalty and hierarchy to the mix, and Taoism gave order and sanction to the system of government. We will write a custom essay sample on Doing Business in Japan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The introduction of Buddhism brought contemplative religious aspects and helped to develop their culture of art and architecture. With the addition of Christianity, western ideas most importantly social justice and reform were infused into society (Long, 1994). Religion is not a large part of the Japanese society, but people will usually practice such holidays as birthdays, weddings and funerals (Japan, 2007). Recent History Japan went through major change during the World War II, when most of their cities and infrastructure was damaged or destroyed. After the war, they drafted a new constitution and the population of Japan began rebuilding the country. In only a few decades, Japan become the second largest economy in the world. In the 1990s, Japan suffered and economic down turn because of scandals and over-investment. The Asian economic crisis of 1998 caused Japan to experience its worst recession since World War II (Japan: History, 2007). From 2003 onward the economy has been improving, even surpassing at one point, that of the United States and E. U. (Economy of Japan, 2007). Current Issues in Japan Political Issues All foreigners entering the country are to be fingerprinted and photographed in a recent effort to fight terrorism. Also, airlines and ships must provide passenger lists before arriving in the country. Some may be very reluctant to have their photograph and fingerprints taken. Passenger lists may be time consuming and costly for cruise lines or freight vessels that wish to enter the country. There is pressure from the United States, for Japan to resume refueling of foreign vessels in the Indian Ocean, however there is much opposition within the Japanese government. This opposition may lead to tension between Japan and the United States. This could lead to some negative consequences for United States-Japan trade. (Chief, 2007). The Japanese government has sent a senior foreign minister to Iran to inquire about the kidnapping of Satoshi Nakamura, a Japanese student, more than a month ago. The Iranian Government is ignoring Japan, forcing the Japanese minister to Pakistan to ask for help in this matter (Official release, 2007). This will only negatively affect Iranian-Japanese relations. Social Issues Twenty percent of Japans population is age sixty or older. At the same time, the country has had a declining birthrate for a few decades. The population of Japan peaked in 2004 and started to decrease afterwards. The reasoning given is that that more women are working and they do not see it necessary to have children. (Japan fertility, 2005). One blogger notes that women may be insecure about having children (Coco, 2006). The shortage of labour will force more older men to stay in the work force as well as force more women into the business world. Economic Issues Japans declining birthrate is a major concern for the Japanese economy. The country needs to maintain a healthy population to keep its economy strong; this is proving very difficult (Atsumi, 2007). One foreseen problem of the low fertility rate is that the already suffering social pension fund could be crippled further (Japan fertility, 2005). The Tax Commission has found that taxes must be raised in order the finance the growing social welfare costs. People in Japan are purchasing portable technology, and the Japanese market is showing a sharp decline in purchase of home computers. With the high costs of home computers and the advances in technology could mean a shift in how people use and access the internet. The companies that produce home computers are now shifting their focus to the developing world (PCs, 2007). Social Organization Family Japanese families moved away from their traditional family structures after World War II when the occupying American forces created a new, Western, family ideology. The father still remains the head of most traditional families in Japan, but there are shifts in how a Japanese family is organized. Women, who would have remained at home to manage the household affairs, are now obtaining employment outside of the household. Since more Japanese women are entering the workforce, the men are being required to take on more of the household and child raising responsibilities (Long, 1994). Another change that has occurred in Japanese society is the idea of the multi-generation family living together. Although common at one time, many elderly people are not living with their families anymore (Family, 2007). Roles of Men and Women Japan was traditional a male centered society. However, shortly after World War II women were legally given equal rights as men. A great change came when women started to work outside the household. Companies in Japan were, and still are, desperate for skilled workers, and with participation of women in the workforce, it helped companies fill their need for workers (Matsui, 2007). Workplace In the workplace, as in other areas of the Japanese collectivist culture, they view themselves as part of a group. Workers are expected to show the utmost loyalty to the firms they work for. Leadership in Japan is not based on a Western values of assertiveness or quick decision making. A good leader in Japan is expected to take the interests of his subordinates into account and create consensus among the group. Seniority within a group is determined by age and length of service, rather than by individual effort and initiative (Genezberger et al. , 1996). Their system of group management rewards the team effort and rarely the individual. Often accomplishments are credited to the entire group and not the individual. Individuals are motivated to participate in group activities and maintain harmony. The pride of the individual or the group is expressed through competition with similar groups in the company or other companies (Long, 1994). Proper Etiquette for Doing Business in Japan Perception of Westerners The Japanese have some common preconceived notions about Westerners. Japanese see Westerners as lacking patience, often interrupting, and being bad listeners. They often see Westerners as being unable to work in teams. They may seeWestern expressions of friendship as insincere. Japanese may sometimes perceive Westerners as being selfish. Business Etiquette Protocol In Japanese culture personal space is highly respected, they are not a tactile people, and they dislike being crowded. In Japanese culture they try to avoid direct eye contact with other individuals. When yawning, coughing, or using a toothpick, they cover their mouths. The pointing of feet at another person is considered to be rude, and is therefore important to sit with correct posture. Criticizing and disrespecting authority openly, and being impatient are seen as disrespectful. In business, the personal relationships are far more important than the business itself. In order to do business with a company in Japan formal introductions, patience, flexibility, and respect are vital. Business cards are very important in Japanese business culture, and business people often carry many business cards. When meeting a business contact for the first time it is important to bow, or shake hands, then exchange business cards. When presenting or receiving a business card one is expected to use both hands and put it in a pocket, above the waist, after carefully reading it. For foreigners, it is common practice to have a Japanese translation on the back of the card (Genezberger et al. , 1996). Men and women are expected to wear are dark and expensive suits. Business women are encouraged to wear conservatively. Business meetings must be scheduled far in advanced. Before the meeting, Westerners should mail or fax a detailed list outlining what is to be discussed. One must establish relationships with middle and junior level managers or they may resent the person for having bypassed them and feel they have been insulted. When visiting a Japanese company it is customary to remove ones jacket immediately upon entering and putting it back on as soon as one leave. The leader of the group should introduce each of the group members in descending order of rank. Visitors are to exchange business first with the Japanese executives and then with subordinates in descending order. In the Japanese culture there is an expectation of receiving a gift at the first meeting. The presentation of the gift can be as or more important that the actual gift itself. Gifts must be given with both hands, and are often rejected a few times before they are accepted. Gifts are not opened when they are received. Certain flowers or potted plants do not make suitable gifts because of the meaning the Japanese associate with them. It is recommended to inform that one informs they are giving a gift beforehand (Roberts. 2007). Socializing Eating Japanese extend their affinity to their groups by socializing outside of work (Long, 1996). Japanese men and women are considered heavy drinkers. Incorrect behaviour while drunk is often forgiven. In Japan it is not expected for one to leave a tip for their servers. In restaurants, where sitting on the group is required, is common practice for men to sit cross-legged and women to sit on their legs or with their legs off to one side. Communication High context High context and low context are two terms used to describe broad differences between cultures. High context cultures are those where the main aspects of the culture are vague and not explicit. Generally collective cultures tend to be high-context, where much of what is being said is non-verbal, and the level of understanding depends on your relationship with the other party. Japan is a prime example of a high context culture (Beer, 2003). â€Å"Face† Saving face means preserving your or someone else’s dignity, self-respect, or good reputation. In cultures that are high-context â€Å"face† is a major characteristic. There are many ways that a person might cause the other individual to lose face. Derogatory remarks, reveling of personal inadequacy, or being forced to compromise a cherished value are ways in which â€Å"face† is broken (Face, 2007). Avoiding a loss of â€Å"face† generally means never saying â€Å"no,† and being politely evasive when conveying disagreement (Face, 2007). Greetings When conducting business in Japan, it is very important to know the proper amount of respect owed to individuals. Japan has a very formal and ritualized culture. Bowing is the Japanese custom greeting. How far you bow depends on your relationship with the other individual (Genezberger et al. , 1996). If you were to be greeted for the first time in Japan, it is recommended that one waits to be introduced, since it can be seen as being rude to introduce oneself. Foreigners may be only expected to bow their head slightly or shake hands (Doing Business, 2007). Practical Considerations Immigration In an effort to counter terrorism, all foreigners will be finger printed and photographed when entering the country. Japan has an agreement with some countries where only passports are required to enter. Foreigner tourists are required to carry their passports at all times. A visa required if one plans on extending their stay over 90 days. It usually takes about two days to a week to obtain a Visa, depending on the situation at the embassy you are applying. A single visa costs 3000 yen to obtain. Certain countries have exemptions from paying fees. (A Guide, 2007). Travel When traveling in Japan it is recommended that one does not travel long distances, because of cost. However, traveling long distance one can travel by train, highway bus, airplane, or long distances ferries. Renting a car is another possibility for travel. Accommodations For single travelers the prices of hotel rooms will vary depending on the traveler’s budget. The price range for inexpensive business hotels would cost between 3,500 and 7,000 yen per day. For more expensive business hotels, or Western style hotels the prices can be from 7,000 yen and above. Adaptation and Survival Public washrooms rarely have toilet paper, so one should bring their own. It is important to ask for a toi, short for toilet, not a bathroom, otherwise one may be directed to a room for bathing. When traveling, it is polite to store your backpack or luggage out of the way of other travelers (Haslam, 2002). Heath Emergencies All households are required to have a survival kit in case of an earthquake. Japan Travel, 2007). English speaking hospitals and services may not be covered by Japanese national health insurance, and could end up costing visitors money (Rogers, 1994). Conclusion Japan is a very collectivist culture and it very apparently in everyday business dealings. To a Western business person business protocol and etiquette may seem very unusual. It is imp ortant to understand that their traditions and customs are deeply rooted in their history. However, Japanese people view Western business practices just as unusual, but they are very accommodating to foreign business people. References

Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma Essay Example

Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma Essay http://accrualperspective. wordpress. com/2012/10/10/zyngas-revenue-recognition-dilemma/ Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma Leave a reply Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma Zynga has been the focus of a highly disputed topic on bookings and revenues as of late. Unfortunately for the online gaming company, many accountants and financial analysts are not in Zynga’s favor on the way that the company has been recognizing revenues. To put the company in perspective, there are 26 million digital farmers via the vastly rampant FarmVille application run by Zynga. In the popular game, Facebook users build farms to produce crops and create the kind of productivity that they desire. This creates the need for virtual, heavy equipment, such as tractors, seeders and harvesters, all which can be bought with FarmVille Currency. Zynga makes money by allowing users to hurry the process by converting real dollars from their credit cards into the virtual currency necessary to get the equipment they need to get the job done. Like FarmVille, Zynga has users across a variety of applications such as CityVille, Words with Friends, and Mafia Wars, all of which using the same models. We will write a custom essay sample on Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This type of unique revenue however provokes a unique question; that is, how is Zynga supposed to report revenues from these products that they’ve offered? According to the company’s 10-k report, it’s policies on reporting states that: * â€Å"For the sale of consumable virtual goods, we recognize revenue as the goods are consumed† * â€Å"We recognize revenue from the sale of durable virtual goods ratably over the estimated average playing period of paying players for the applicable game, which represents our best estimate of the average life of our durable virtual goods† And perhaps the most important: â€Å"If we do not have the ability to differentiate revenue attributable to durable virtual goods from consumable virtual goods for a specific game, we recognize revenue from the sale of durable and consumable virtual goods for that game ratably over the estimated average period that paying players typically play our games† This type of fina ncial reporting is simply too confusing and leaves the door open for too much alteration within the reports. Also, this type of unpredictable reporting technique allows the company to skew bottom-line profits and maneuver their earnings to reflect an untrue valuation of the company’s worth. These types of manipulations are especially alarming to users of the financials who are looking to invest in a company that appears to be growing, when in reality it is altering production numbers with every consecutive quarter. In regards to the revenue recognition dispute, the way their accountants estimate average periods that paying players actually play the Zynga games must be validated. In a recent article by Bloomberg’s Cory Johnson, he notes that Zynga has made changes to these estimates five of the last six quarters. These changes made drastically effect the net profits that Zynga is reporting to the public. By taking the estimate and distorting it, they are able to report profits when indeed there are none. It is curious that the auditor assigned to Zynga, Ernst Young, has allowed this method of accounting to be implemented when clearly it is affecting the bottom line. It is also curious that EY is also the auditor for the Zynga’s distributor, Facebook whose Zynga profits have accounted for roughly 12% of its revenue. This â€Å"independence† (or lack there of) calls into question the true authenticity behind these reporting standards and what they mean to the accounting profession as well as financial statement users world-wide. At any rate, this is a topic that needs to be brought to light, discussed and ruled upon. Zynga cannot merely go on reporting as they wish to provoke the appearance of a success while the true profits and losses go unnoticed. http://blogs. smeal. psu. edu/grumpyoldaccountants/archives/746#more-746 http://articles. businessinsider. com/2011-10-12/research/30269486_1_zynga-virtual-goods-bookings http://www. forbes. com/sites/francinemckenna/2012/04/23/how-zynga-facebook-and-groupons-go-to-auditor-rewrites-accounting-rules/

Biography of Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. President

Biography of Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. President Richard M. Nixon (January 9, 1913–April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. Prior to that, he was a U.S. senator from California and vice president under Dwight Eisenhower. As a result of his involvement in the Watergate scandal, a cover-up of illegal activities connected with his reelection committee, Nixon became the first and only U.S. president to resign from office. Fast Facts: Richard Nixon Known For: Nixon was the 37th president of the United States and the only president to resign from office.Also Known As: Richard Milhous Nixon, â€Å"Tricky Dick†Born:  January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda, CaliforniaParents: Francis A. Nixon and Hannah Milhous NixonDied:  April 22, 1994 in New York, New YorkEducation: Whittier College, Duke University Law SchoolSpouse:  Thelma Catherine Pat Ryan (m. 1940–1993)Children: Tricia, JulieNotable Quote: â€Å"People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.† Early Life Richard Milhous Nixon was born on January 19, 1913, to Francis A. Nixon and Hannah Milhous Nixon in Yorba Linda, California. Nixon’s father was a rancher, but after his ranch failed he moved the family to Whittier, California, where he opened a service station and grocery store. Nixon grew up poor and was raised in a very conservative, Quaker household. Nixon had four brothers: Harold, Donald, Arthur, and Edward. Harold died of tuberculosis at age 23 and Arthur died at age 7 of tubercular encephalitis. Education Nixon was an exceptional student and graduated second in his class at Whittier College, where he won a scholarship to attend Duke University Law School in North Carolina. After graduating from Duke in 1937, Nixon was unable to find work on the East Coast and decided to move back to Whittier, where he worked as a small-town lawyer. Nixon met his wife, Thelma Catherine Patricia â€Å"Pat† Ryan, when the two played opposite one another in a community theater production. He and Pat were married on June 21, 1940, and had two children: Tricia (born in 1946) and Julie (born in 1948). World War II On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, ushering the United States into World War II. Shortly afterward, Nixon moved from Whittier to Washington D.C., where he took a job at the Office of Price Administration (OPA). As a Quaker, Nixon was eligible to apply for an exemption from military service. He was bored with his role at the OPA, however, so he applied to the Navy and joined in August 1942 at the age of 29. Nixon was stationed as a naval control officer in the South Pacific Combat Air Transport. While Nixon did not serve in a combat role during the war, he was awarded two service stars and a citation of commendation and was eventually promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander. Nixon resigned his commission in January 1946. Congressional Service In 1946, Nixon ran for a seat in the House of Representatives for the 12th Congressional District of California. To beat his opponent, five-term Democratic incumbent Jerry Voorhis, Nixon used a variety of smear tactics, insinuating that Voorhis had communist ties because he had once been endorsed by the labor organization CIO-PAC. Nixon won the election. Nixon’s tenure in the House of Representatives was notable for his anti-communist crusading. He served as a member of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which was responsible for investigating individuals and groups with suspected ties to communism. Nixon was also instrumental in the investigation and conviction for perjury of Alger Hiss, an alleged member of an underground communist organization. Nixon’s aggressive questioning of Hiss at the HUAC hearing was central to securing Hiss’ conviction and won Nixon national attention. Wikimedia Commons   Nixon ran for a seat in the Senate in 1950. Once again, he used smear tactics against his opponent, Helen Douglas. Nixon was so overt in his attempt to tie Douglas to communism that he even had some of his flyers printed on pink paper. In response to Nixons smear tactics and his attempt to get Democrats to cross party lines and vote for him, a Democratic committee ran a full-page ad in several papers with a political cartoon of Nixon shoveling hay labeled â€Å"Campaign Trickery† into a donkey labeled Democrat. Under the cartoon was written, â€Å"Look at Tricky Dick Nixon’s Republican Record.† Despite the ad, Nixon went on to win the election- but the nickname Tricky Dick stuck with him. Run for Vice President When Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to run as the Republican Partys candidate for president in 1952, he needed a running mate. Nixon’s anti-communist position and strong base of support in California made him an ideal choice. During the campaign, Nixon was nearly removed from the ticket when he was accused of financial improprieties for allegedly using an $18,000 campaign contribution for personal expenses. In a televised address that became known as the â€Å"Checkers† speech delivered on September 23, 1952, Nixon defended his honesty and integrity. In a bit of levity, Nixon stated that there was one personal gift that he just wasnt going to return- a little Cocker Spaniel dog, whom his 6-year-old daughter had named Checkers. The speech was enough of a success to keep Nixon on the ticket. Vice Presidency After Eisenhower won the presidential election in November 1952, Nixon, now vice president, focused much of his attention on foreign affairs. In 1953, he visited several countries in the Far East. In 1957 he visited Africa, and in 1958 he visited Latin America. Nixon was also instrumental in helping push the Civil Rights Act of 1957 through Congress. In 1959, Nixon met with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow. In what became known as the â€Å"Kitchen Debate,† an impromptu argument erupted over the ability of each nation to provide good food and a good life to its citizens. The profanity-laced argument soon escalated as both leaders defended their countrys way of life. After Eisenhower suffered a heart attack in 1955 and a stroke in 1957, Nixon was called on to assume some of his high-level duties. At the time, there was no formal process for the transfer of power in the event of a presidential disability. Nixon and Eisenhower worked out an agreement that became the basis for the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified on February 10, 1967. The amendment detailed the procedure for presidential succession in the event of the presidents incapacitation or death. Failed Presidential Run of 1960 After Eisenhower completed his two terms in office, Nixon launched his own bid for the White House in 1960 and easily won the Republican nomination. His opponent on the Democratic side was Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy, who campaigned on the idea of bringing a new generation of leadership to the White House. The 1960 campaign was the first to make use of the new medium of television for advertisements, news, and policy debates. For the first time in American history, citizens were afforded the ability to follow the presidential campaign in real time. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images For the first debate, Nixon chose to wear little makeup, wore a badly selected gray suit, and came across looking old and tired compared to the younger and more photogenic Kennedy. The race remained tight, but Nixon eventually lost the election to Kennedy by 120,000 votes. Nixon spent the years between 1960 and 1968 writing a bestselling book, Six Crises, which recounted his role in six political crises. He also ran unsuccessfully for governor of California against Democratic incumbent Pat Brown. 1968 Election In November 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the office of the presidency and easily won re-election in 1964. In 1967, as the 1968 election approached, Nixon announced his own candidacy and easily won the Republican nomination. Faced with mounting disapproval ratings, Johnson withdrew as a candidate during the campaign. The new Democratic front-runner became Robert F. Kennedy, the younger brother of John. Wikimedia Commons   On June 5, 1968, Robert Kennedy was shot and killed following his victory in the California primary. Rushing now to find a replacement, the Democratic Party nominated Johnson’s vice president, Hubert Humphrey, to run against Nixon. Alabama Governor George Wallace had also joined the race as an independent. In another close election, Nixon won the presidency by 500,000 popular votes. Presidency Major domestic accomplishments during Nixons presidency included Neil Armstrongs and Buzz Aldrins historic walk on the moon in 1969; the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970; and the passage of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1971, which granted 18-year-olds the right to vote. Nixons focus on foreign relations had him initially escalating the Vietnam War as he implemented a controversial bombing campaign against the neutral nation of Cambodia to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines. Later, however, Nixon was instrumental in withdrawing all combat units from Vietnam, and by 1973 he had ended mandatory military conscription. Fighting within Vietnam finally ceased when Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese in 1975. In 1972, with the help of his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, President Nixon and his wife Pat embarked on a week-long trip to China in order to establish diplomatic relations. Resentment between China and the U.S. had lingered following the Korean War, during which China had fought against U.S. forces. The visit marked the first time a U.S. president had visited the communist nation, which was then under the control of Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong. Nixons visit was an important step in improving relations between these two powerful nations. Watergate Scandal Nixon was reelected in 1972 in what is considered one of the largest landslide victories in U.S. history. Unfortunately, Nixon was willing to use any means necessary to ensure his re-election. On June 17, 1972, five men were caught breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., to plant listening devices. Nixon’s campaign staff believed the devices would provide information that could be used against Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern. While the Nixon administration initially denied involvement in the break-in, two young newspaper reporters for the Washington Post, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, obtained information from a source known as â€Å"Deep Throat,† who became instrumental in tying the administration to the break-in. Nixon remained defiant throughout the Watergate scandal, and in a televised statement on November 17, 1973, he infamously stated, â€Å"People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.† During the investigation that followed, it was revealed that Nixon had installed a secret tape-recording system in the White House. A legal battle ensued, with Nixon reluctantly agreeing to the release of 1,200 pages of transcripts from what became known as the â€Å"Watergate Tapes.† Mysteriously, there was an 18-minute gap on one of the tapes, which a secretary claimed she had accidentally erased. Impeachment Proceedings and Resignation With the release of the tapes, the House Judiciary Committee opened impeachment proceedings against Nixon. On July 27, 1974, with a vote of 27-11, the Committee voted in favor of bringing articles of impeachment against Nixon. On August 8, 1974, having lost the support of the Republican Party and facing impeachment, Nixon delivered his resignation speech from the Oval Office. At noon the next day, Nixon became the first president in United States history to resign from office. Nixon’s vice president Gerald R. Ford assumed the office of president. On September 8, 1974, Ford granted Nixon a â€Å"full, free and absolute pardon,† ending any chance of an indictment against Nixon. Death After his resignation from office, Nixon retired to San Clemente, California. He wrote both his memoirs and several books on international affairs. With the success of his books, he became somewhat of an authority on American foreign relations, improving his public reputation. Toward the end of his life, Nixon actively campaigned for American support and financial aid for Russia and other former Soviet republics. On April 18, 1994, Nixon suffered a stroke and died four days later at the age of 81. Legacy In his time, Nixon was known for his uneasy public persona and intense secrecy. He is now best remembered for his involvement in the Watergate scandal and his resignation from office, a presidential first. He has been depicted in a variety of dramatic films and documentaries, including Frost/Nixon, Secret Honor, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, and Our Nixon. Sources Ambrose, Stephen E.  Nixon. Simon and Schuster, 1987.Gellman, Irwin F.  The Contender, Richard Nixon: the Congress Years, 1946-1952. Free Press, 1999.

Interpretation of Martin Luther King's Letter from Jail Essay

Interpretation of Martin Luther King's Letter from Jail - Essay Example The central ideas of the letter: love and justice, can be seen from the first lines of Martin Luther King’s letter. He tries to disapprove accusation of not being a Birmingham insider. Martin Luther King claims that he had an invitation to Birmingham and had managerial ties as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s president. In addition, he did not consider himself as Birmingham outsider because of the fact that everyone who live within the territorial boundaries of the United States of America could not be referred to as outsiders. This justifies the justice and love idea of Martin Luther King’s letter. Martin Luther King’s letter focuses on nonviolent resistant defense to racism; Martin Luther King argues in the letter that people have a moral responsibility to resist unjust laws. This shows the commitment of Martin Luther King to advocate love and justice to the people of America. The letter though experienced an early setback; it enjoyed a bro ad publication and was considered the major text for the civil rights movement in the United States in the early 1960s. Martin Luther King responded through his letter to the call for unity and acted as a declaration to fight racial inequality. This again supports the thesis of this paper: the significance of love and justice in using appeals to logic, emotion and ethics. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King literary puts into terms his life thesis statement. Martin Luther King illustrated meticulously his reasoning through the use of appeals to emotion, logic, and ethics. A logical appeal is that which utilizes facts, reason and documented evidence to drive a point. Martin Luther King makes in his letter a logical appeal where he responds to being referred to as an extremist. King does this by asserting that majority of historical figures that are today considered heroes were perceived as extremist in their time. Martin Luther King mentions people like Thomas Jef ferson, Apostle Paul, Jesus Christ and Abraham Lincoln (549). In this particular aspect, King uses facts and reason to put across a logical appeal to the reader: if he is considered an extremist because of campaigning for freedom, then all the other people are extremists as well. Martin Luther King cites an illustration of this by pointing out the manner in which the police at Birmingham mistreated the protesters (522). Although he does not in particular cite a source, the event was publicized widely. Martin Luther King uses evidence to invalidate the accusations by the clergymen. He also uses firsthand accounts in illustrating his points. King talks about the way he expected the white religious leaders to provide aid, but found opposition and reluctance instead (550). Martin Luther King states his arguments through providing firsthand account of his real experience. This however relies on the perception of the writer in order to be useful. Credibility is needed for this reason. In order to obtain credibility, explanations as to why things are done in a particular way must be given. Martin Luther King begins his letter by informing readers that he is writing the letter (540-541). Informing readers the reason for particular writings gives the readers insight to the real meaning of

HEALTH ECONOMIC Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Professional Skills - Assignment Example Development of Knowledge and Skills and Change in Attitude At the very beginning of this course I was a very diffident student and could not decide things properly. Interacting with people was a very difficult thing for me because I lacked confidence and I did not know how to interact with people. During this course I learned the ways in which I can be interactive during my dealings with my classmates and colleagues. I also learnt how I can work in a team and play my role in the best possible way by utilizing all my inherent capabilities and also the knowledge and skills that I have developed during various different courses in my academic career. I always had problems in identifying my role in a team or workgroup and because of this I was unable to play a productive role individually in a team or working in a group. The teacher helped me to identify my role in the team and also taught me how I can develop skills to work effectively as an individual. Now I am in a position to work as an effective member of the team and also as a productive and interactive individual who can convey and present his ideas very well before a group of people and convince them. The course has brought revolutionary changes in my communication skills and I have managed to overcome my stage fear while presenting or speaking before a group of people by adopting various strategies taught in the classroom. The knowledge of various research methodologies has enabled me to classify my research tasks as primary and secondary and by doing so I save a lot of time which can be utilized in developing knowledge and skills. Time management is perhaps the most useful technique that I have learnt because now I carry out all my assignments and tasks according to a defined schedule which I set up for myself at the start of every week. Realizing the importance of punctuality in time management and social interactions I have developed a habit of coming in time in the classroom. A broader view of things h as enabled me to judge what time is best for studying and what time is best for practicing the studied knowledge. I have gained a lot of knowledge and developed various skills through producing this coursework and increase in awareness has produced a change in my attitude and my way of perceiving things. 2. Problems The first and foremost problem that I face in all of my assignments and also faced in this assignment was the language problem because English is not my first language and I face difficulty in proper phrasing of sentences because of weak grammar that is why I commit various grammatical and spelling mistakes during the assignment and I have to correct them. But while overcoming this problem and correcting my grammatical and spelling mistakes I have realized that my language is actually improving and is considerably better than past. The second problem that I faced was my shortage of attendance because I missed some of the classes during the start of the term; as a result I had to study various basic concepts myself but still I could not take grip on various lectures because of the knowledge I missed during the start

Impact of Greek and Roman Civilization

Impact of Greek and Roman Civilization INTRODUCTION There is no ancient history without the mention of Greek and Roman civilizations. Ancient civilization was part of the history that formed the basis of the world we know today. Many people would ask why Greek and Roman civilizations became so popular in the world. In Western culture and identity, Greeks occupy a very prominent place in conception. The Greeks have made generations of influential writers and scholars especially due to their Hellenic culture. Roman civilization on the other hand was founded in 800BC on an Italian peninsular (Spielvogel, 2008). Roman civilization, which is a mighty empire, started as a monarchy and then shifted to a republic before becoming an empire. Much of ancient Rome culture got inspiration from ancient Greece (Mahaffy, 2009). Collins Randal in the book The sociology of philosophies: a global theory of intellectual change points out that culture begets itself. He points out that culture is autonomous and that culture explains its changes, terms and forms (pg 9). Collins points out that, culture beliefs such as religion, ethnic consciousness and political ideologies are not correlated with social variables such as class. Collins says that intellectual activity is basis of intellectual communities. The various aspects that make up intellectual activities include religion, social knowledge and intellectual networks. RELIGION IN GREEK AND ROMAN CIVILIZATION Greeks and Roman are intellectual communities that believed in religion. Greeks believed that religion was important because it made their lives better. They believed in many gods and goddesses (polytheistic).They believed that gods would take care of them both when they were living and when they died. The Greeks believed that their gods and goddesses were very powerful that they controlled everything from the winner of a race to waves in the ocean (Mahaffy, 2009). Each god or goddess had one or two specific roles they performed and controlled in life. The Greeks built beautiful temples for their gods where they used to go pray, worship and offer sacrifices in form of animals. The Greeks prepared festivals in honor of the gods whereby they sacrificed animals as gifts to their gods. The Greeks made large festivals that included a feast with music, plays and dancing after which they paraded and made sacrifices. An example of a Greek goddess is Athena (goddess of wisdom and war). A temp le known as Parthenon, built for the goddess stands to date. The Greeks believed that Mount Olympus was where all their gods and goddesses lived. Examples of some of the gods the Greeks worshipped and their specific roles include Zeus-supreme leader of the Gods, Hermes-messenger of the gods and Poseidon- god of the sea. Collins stated that one of the intellectual activities relating to religion is giving intellectual rituals (pg 28).Greeks showed their solidarity through religious ritual of animal sacrifices and festivities. The Romans later worshipped the same gods as Greeks but under different names (Guaitoli, 2006). The Greeks could not worship at the temple only but there were holy sites referred to as oracles. The Greeks believed their gods used signs in nature to answer their questions. They used their priests to ask their question and listen to the answers through signs. Romans just like Greeks believed in religion and attached great importance to it. Just like the Greeks, they were polytheistic, they believed that their gods were responsible for their creation and controlled their lives. Romans classified religion in to state religion and household religion (Spielvogel, 2008).Household religion involved worshipping the gods that protected the family and house. Roman houses contained a sacred place regarded as altar where every family prayed to the gods each morning. Just like the Greeks, The Romans believed in gods and goddess that they believed controlled everything in life from killing for food to falling in love. Just like the Greeks, Romans honored their gods and goddesses by building grand temples. They also offered animal sacrifices to the gods and gave them gifts that they thought would please them. They believed that if the gods were happy with them, they would in return receive good luck but if they were angry with them, something would go wrong. Political institutions in Greek and Roman Civilization City-states divided Ancient Greece with Athens as the largest city-state (Liberati Bourbon2002). City-states were many small areas sub-dividing the state. The mountainous ecology of Ancient Greece separated the city-states making it very difficult to travel from one city-state to another. Everyone believed that their city-state was better than the other was although they all worshipped the same gods and had similar traditions. Initially a few wealthy men ruled the city-states before a government system was introduced. Each city-state had its own government who ruled through democracy. The democratic government allowed people to rule and to vote for their leaders. Athens subdivided their people in to three classes; the upper class that consisted of male citizens born in Athens, middle class consisted of male citizens not born in Athens while the lower class consisted of slaves. Voting in ancient Greece took place in public assemblies and only males born in Athens voted. The upper class group discussed the laws that benefited ancient Greece but not the middle class or lower class. Ancient Rome was an empire that had emperors as the leaders. Just like Greece, a government headed by an emperor ruled Rome. The power of the government in Rome was balanced between three branches; the executive, the legislative and the judicial (Guaitoli, 2006).The executive branch consisted of two leaders (consuls), elected by the upper class to serve for one year. Their role was to order Roman army during wars and supervise the senate. Mayors, tax collectors, city police among other superior person in cities formed part of executive branch. The senate consisting 300 male citizens who owned the land formed the legislative branch. The men appointed by the consuls controlled the consuls by telling them how much to spend and on what activities. The judicial branch consisted of six judges that decided on the punishments the criminals would receive. The judges elections occurred after every two years (Guaitoli, 2006).In Rome only adults had permission to vote and just like the Greek system, males who owned the land could only do amendment or criticize law. Role of Men and women in Greek and Roman Civilization Men, women and children had different roles and responsibilities in Greek and Roman culture. In Greek culture, men wore special clothes known as chitons. Chitons showed the man status in the society specifically through the decoration. The men mostly worked as farmers or businesspersons during the day and demanded great respect while at home. Men were the ones in charge of the house and the family. Women and children in Greek culture did not eat in the same room as men. The slaves fed and entertained men during dinner as they lay on couches. Women on the other hand were not given much responsibility, they were not allowed to go to Olympics, visit the city or even eat or sleep in the same room as men. Their work was to run the household, have children and manage the slaves if they were wealthy and if not work the fields. In the Roman culture, men wore clothes known as togas. The patterns and color of a mans togas showed what his status was in the society. Men in Roman culture were the masters of the family and the house. They worked during the day and socialize with other men in the afternoon and evenings. Men in Roman culture had different roles depending on whether you were rich or poor. The man main role was to provide for his family. Women on the other hand took care of the household and children. Women in Roman culture were not too restricted as some could hold jobs such as teaching. Comparing Religion and Political Institutions in Greece and Rome Greeks and Romans portrayed many similarities in their religion beliefs and rituals. Both cultures were polytheistic, believing in many gods and goddesses. Both cultures also believed that the gods and goddesses controlled everything in life from creation, their lives and everything that goes on. Greeks and Romans believed their goods were very powerful and that they gods took care of them both when they were living and when they died. Both Greeks and Romans believed in intellectual activity of religious rituals. Both cultures honored their gods and goddesses by offering animal sacrifices. Both Greeks and Romans built beautiful temples where they used to pray and offer sacrifices to their gods and goddesses. Both cultures believed that the gods answered their prayers through natures signs. Roman believed that gods would show a sign if they were happy and they were unhappy something bad would happen. Both cultures had many gods and goddesses with each god or goddess having a specific role to play or a specific place to control. Despite having so much similarity in the religion, Greeks and Romans also have some differences in their religious beliefs. Although both cultures believed in gods and goddesses, they had named them differently. Greeks believed that their gods and goddesses live on Mount Olives (Sansone, 2004) whereas Romans did not have a specific place where all their gods and goddesses lived. Greeks religion was not classified while Roman classified their religion as either state region or household religion. Greeks had set-up holy sites known as oracles where they used to pray in, while Roman has set places in their houses known as altars where they used to pray at as a family. Greeks and Roman civilizations were similar in the way their political institutions were made. They both believed in a government system of ruling. Both Greeks and Romans voted for their leader who was the head of the government. Both cultures regarded the upper class males citizens by birth as the only significant people in law making and amendment. In both cultures, women were not allowed to vote and only adults who had attained the legal age (18 years) could vote. The differences in political institutions included issues such as the Greeks believed in democracy while the Romans it depended on the political leaders chosen. The Roman government consisted of three branches, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary while the Greek government all people ruled. Greece had subdivision called city-states with each city-state having its own government while Rome there was only one government with three branches that rules the land. CONCLUSION Roman and Greek civilization form a part of ancient history of the world. They both greatly influenced the Western culture as some of the beliefs and culture followed today got inspiration from them. When we compare the two cultures to the Collins theories of intellectual activity, it is evident that the two cultures were rich in culture intelligence. They had deep respect in religion and rituals that brought them together socially (Collins, 2000 pg 28). The social problems the two cultures exhibit is division in to classes only males who are citizens by birth are allowed to vote. Women are not mentioned anywhere in any political decisions showing gender biasness. Just as most historians suggest, Greek culture highly influenced Roman culture. In terms of religion and political institutions, the two cultures can be classified as socially intelligent despite of social division and gender inequality.