The Rise of the West and the Western Dominated Economy: The Atlantic Slave Trade

Much of Africa followed its own lines of development between the beginning of the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. The rise of the West and the Western-dominated economy, however, was a powerful force in influencing the course of African history. The Atlantic slave trade predominated in economic affairs after the middle of the seventeenth century. The forced removal of Africans had a major effect in some African regions and was a primary factor contributing to the nature of New World populations. African culture became one of the important strands in the development of American civilizations. Despite the rise of the West and the slave trade, nearly all of Africa remained politically independent and culturally autonomous. Among the important trends, Islam consolidated its position in sub-Saharan and East Africa, while in many parts of Africa, independent states formed and expanded. The Atlantic Slave Trade. The Portuguese inaugurated the pattern for contacts along the African coast. They established trading forts (factories); the most important, El Mina, received gold from the interior. Most forts were established with the approval of African authorities desiring trade benefits. Some of the forts allowed trade to interior states. Portuguese and Afro-Portuguese traders (lancados) followed routes to the interior to open new markets. Missionary efforts followed, particularly to the powerful states of Benin and the Kongo. King Nzinga Mvemba of the Kongo accepted Christianity and, with Portuguese assistance, sought to introduce European influences to his state. The ravages of the slave trade were a major reason for the limited success of the policies. Africa, in general, tried to fit the European concepts they found useful into their belief structures. The Europeans regarded Africans as pagan savages who could adopt civilized behavior and convert to Christianity. The Portuguese continued their southward ventures, in the 1570s establishing Luanda on the Angolan coast among the Mbundu. In the Indian Ocean, they established bases on Mozambique Island and other towns in an effort to control the gold trade coming from Monomotapa. On both coasts, few Portuguese settled permanently. Other Europeans followed Portuguese patterns by creating trading stations through agreement with Africans. In almost all instances, slavery eventually became the principal focus of relationships. Added impetus came from the development of sugar plantations on Portuguese and Spanish Atlantic islands and their subsequent extension to the Americas. Trend Toward Expansion. Between 1450 and 1850, about 12 million Africans were shipped across the Atlantic; about 10 or 11 million arrived alive. A number equal to one third of those shipped might have died in the initial raiding or march to the coast. The volume of the trade increased from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, with 80% of the total coming in the latter century. Brazil received more than 40% of all slaves reaching the Americas. The continued high volume was necessary because of high slave mortality and low fertility. Only in the southern United States did slaves have a positive growth rate. Other slave trades—trans-Saharan, Red Sea, and East African—under Muslim control, added another 3 million individuals to the total. Demographic Patterns. The Saharan slave trade to the Islamic world carried mostly women for sexual and domestic employment. The Atlantic trade concentrated on young men fit for hard labor in the Americas. African societies who sold slaves might keep women and children for their own uses. The Atlantic trade had an important demographic effect on parts of western and central Africa; the population there in 1850 might have been one half of what it would have been without the trade. The women and children not exported skewed the balance of the sexes in African-enslaving societies. The introduction of American crops, such as maize and manioc, helped suffering regions to recover from population losses. Organization of the Trade. Control over the slave trade reflected the European political situation. Until 1630, the Portuguese were the principal suppliers. The Dutch became major competitors after they seized El Mina in 1630. By the 1660s, the English worked to supply their plantation colonies. The French became major carriers in the eighteenth century. Each nation established forts for receiving slaves. Tropical diseases caused both resident Europeans and the crews of slave-carrying ships high mortality rates. The Europeans dealt with local rulers, calculating value in currencies composed of iron bars, brass rings, and cowry shells. The Spanish had a system in which a healthy man was considered a standard unit called an â€Å"Indies piece. Slaves arrived at the coast as a result of warfare and of purchase and movement by indigenous traders. Dahomey had a royal monopoly on slave flow. There have been arguments about the profitability of the slave trade. It has been suggested that its profits were a key element for the rise of commercial capitalism and the Industrial Revolution. Individual voyages certainly did bring profits to merchant s and specializing ports. But considerable risks were involved. English profitability in the late eighteenth century was about 5% to 10%, about equal to other commercial ventures. The full economic importance is difficult to determine because of its direct links to the plantation and mining economies of the Americas. Goods were exchanged among Europe, Africa, and the Americas in complex patterns. The slave trade surely contributed to emerging Atlantic capitalism, while at the same time making African economies dependent on European trade and linked to the world economy. African Societies, Slavery, and the Slave Trade. The Atlantic trade transformed African patterns of slavery. Africans had developed many forms of servitude in their nonegalitarian societies. With land controlled by the state, slaves were an important way for individuals and lineages to gain wealth and status. Slaves held many occupations. Their treatment ranged from the relatively benign, when they were incorporated into kinship systems, to severe economic and social exploitation, when ruling hierarchies exercised power. The Atlantic trade opened new opportunities to slave-holding societies for expansion and intensification of slavery. Enslavement of women was central to African society. The Sudanic states had introduced Islamic concepts of slavery. The existence of slavery allowed Europeans to mobilize commerce in slaves by tapping existing structures with the assistance of interested African rulers. Slaving and African Politics. Most of the states of western and central Africa were small and unstable. The continuing wars elevated the importance of the military and promoted the slave trade. Increasing centralization and hierarchy developed in the enslaving societies; those attacked reacted by augmenting self-sufficiency and antiauthoritarn ideas. A result of the presence of the Europeans along the western coast was a shift of the locus of African power. Inland states close to the coast, and thus free from direct European influence, through access to Western firearms and other goods, became intermediaries in the trade and expanded their influence. Asante and Dahomey. Among the important states developing during the slave trade era was the empire of Asante among the Akan people. Centered on Kumasi, Asante was between the coast and the inland Hausa and Mande trading regions. Under the Oyoko clan, the Asante gained access to firearms after 1650 and began centralizing and expanding. Osei Tutu became the asantehene, the supreme civil and military leader, of the Akan clans. By 1700, the Dutch along the coast were dealing directly with the new power. Through control of gold-producing regions and slaves, Asante remained dominant in the Gold Coast until the 1820s. In the Bight of Benin, the state of Benin was at the height of its power when Europeans arrived. The ruler for a long period controlled the trade with Europeans; slaves never were a primary commodity. The kingdom of Dahomey among the Fon peoples had a different response to the Europeans. It emerged around Abomey in the seventeenth century; by the 1720s, access to firearms led to the formation of an autocratic regime based on trading slaves. Under Agaja (1708-1740), Dahomey expanded to the coast, seizing the port of Whydah. The state maintained its policies into the nineteenth century. Too much emphasis on the slave trade obscures creative processes occurring in many African states. The growing divine authority of rulers paralleled the rise of absolutism in Europe. New political forms emerged that limited the power of some monarchs. In the Yoruba state of Oyo, a council and king shared authority. Art, crafts, weaving, and wood carving flourished in many regions. Benin and the Yoruba states created remarkable wood and ivory sculptures. East Africa and the Sudan. On Africa's east coast, the Swahili trading towns continued a commerce of ivory, gold, and slaves for Middle Eastern markets. A few slaves went to European plantation colonies. On Zanzibar and other islands, Arabs, Indians, and Swahili produced cloves with slave labor. In the interior, African peoples had created important states. Migrants from the upper Nile valley moved into Uganda and Kenya, where they mixed with Bantu-speaking inhabitants. Strong monarchies developed in Bunyoro and Buganda. In western Africa, in the northern savanna, the process of Islamization entered a new phase linking it with the external slave trade and the growth of slavery. Songhay broke up in the sixteenth century and was succeeded by new states. The Bambara of Segu were pagan; the Hausa states of northern Nigeria were ruled by Muslims, although most of the population followed African religions. Beginning in the 1770s, Muslim reform movements swept the western Sudan. In 1804, Uthman Dan Fodio, a Fulani Muslim, inspired a religious revolution that won control of most of the Hausa states. A new and powerful kingdom developed at Sokoto. The effects of Islamization were felt widely in the West African interior by the 1840s. Cultural and social change accelerated. Many war captives were dispatched to the coast or across the Sahara for the slave trade. The level of local slave labor also increased in agricultural and manufacturing enterprises. White Settlers and Africans in Southern Africa. By the sixteenth century, Bantu-speaking peoples occupied the eastern regions of southern Africa. Drier western lands were left to the indigenous Khoikhoi and San. Migration, peaceful contacts, and war characterized the relations between the groups. The Bantu peoples practiced agriculture and herding, worked iron and copper, and traded with neighbors. Chiefdoms of various sizes, where leaders ruled with popular support, were typical. New chiefdoms continually emerged, resulting in competition for land and political instability. In the Dutch colony at Cape Town, established in 1652, the settlers developed large estates worked by slaves. Colonial expansion led to successful wars against the San and Khoikhoi. By the 1760s, the Afrikaners crossed the Orange River and met the Bantu. Competition and war over land resulted. Britain occupied the Dutch colony in 1795 and gained formal possession in 1815. British efforts to limit Afrikaner expansion were unsuccessful, and frequent fighting occurred between the Afrikaners and Africans. Some Afrikaners, seeking to escape British control, migrated beyond colonial boundaries and founded autonomous states. The Mfecane and the Zulu Rise to Power. By 1818, a new leader, Shaka, gained authority among the Nguni people. He created a formidable military force of regiments organized on lineage and age lines. Shaka's Zulu chiefdom became the center of a new political and military organization that absorbed or estroyed rivals. Shaka was assassinated in 1828, but his successors ruled over a still-growing polity. The rise of the Zulu and other Nguni chiefdoms marked the beginning of the Mfecane, a time of wars and wandering. Defeated peoples fled into new regions and created new states—among them the Swazi and Lesotho—by using Zulu tactics. The Afrikanersâ⠂¬â„¢ superior firepower enabled them to hold their lands. The Zulus remained powerful until defeated during the 1870s by the British. The basic patterns of conflict between Europeans and Africans took form during this era. In Depth: Slavery and Human Society. Slavery has existed in both complex and simpler societies from the earliest times. Coerced labor took different forms: indentured servants, convict laborers, debt peons, chattel slaves. The denial of control over an individual’s labor was the essential characteristic of slavery systems. It was easier to enslave people outside one’s own society, to exploit differences in culture, language, and color. The attitude of Europeans and non-African Muslims thus contributed to the development of modern racism. The campaign against slavery that grew from Enlightenment ideas was an important turning point in world history. Slavery has persisted in a few societies until the present, but few individuals openly defend the institution. African slavery was important in shaping the modern world. It was one of the early international trades, and it assisted the development of capitalism. Vociferous debate continues about many interpretations of the effect of the trade on African and American societies. The African Diaspora. In the Americas, slaves came in large enough numbers to become an important segment of the New World population. African cultures adapted to their new physical and social environments. The slave trade linked Africa and the Americas; it was the principal way in which African societies joined the world economy. Africans participating in the commerce dealt effectively with the new conditions, using the wealth and knowledge gained to the advantage of their states. Slave Lives. The slave trade killed millions of Africans; family and community relationships were destroyed. As many as one third of captives may have died on their way to shipping ports; shipboard mortality reached about 8%. The trauma of the Middle Passage, however, did not strip Africans of their culture, and they interjected it into the New World. Africans in the Americas. African slaves crossed the Atlantic to work in New World plantations and mines. The plantation system developed on Atlantic islands was transferred to the Americas. Africans quickly replaced Indians and indentured Europeans as agricultural laborers. Slaves also mine d gold and silver and labored in many urban occupations. In early seventeenth-century Lima, Africans outnumbered Europeans. American Slave Societies. In all American slave societies, a rough social hierarchy developed. Whites were at the top, slaves at the bottom. Free people of color were in-between. Among the slaves, owners created a hierarchy based on origin and color. Despite the many pressures, slaves retained their own social perceptions: many slave rebellions were organized on ethnic and political lines. Slave-based societies varied in composition. Africans formed the overwhelming majority of the population on Caribbean islands; high mortality ensured a large number of African-born individuals. Brazil had a more diverse population. Many slaves were freed, and miscegenation was common. Slaves made up 35% of the population; free people of color were equal in number. The southern British North American colonies differed in that a positive growth rate among slaves lessened the need for continuing imports. Manumission was uncommon, and free people of color were under 10% of Afro-American numbers. Thus, slavery was less influenced by African ways. The People and Gods in Exile. Africans worked under extremely harsh conditions. The lesser numbers of women brought to the New World limited opportunities for family life. When a family was present, its continuance depended on the decisions of the owner. Despite the difficulties, most slaves lived in family units. Many aspects of African culture survived, especially when a region had many slaves from one African grouping. African culture was dynamic and creative, incorporating customs that assisted survival from different African ethnicities or from their masters. Religion demonstrates this theme. African beliefs mixed with Christianity, or survived independently. Haitian vodun is a good example of the latter. Muslim Africans tried to hold their beliefs; in 1835, a major slave rising in Brazil was organized by Muslim Yoruba and Hausa. Resistance to slavery was a common occurrence. Slaves ran away and formed lasting independent communities; in seventeenth-century Brazil, Palmares, a runaway slave state under Angolan leadership, had a population of 10,000. In Suriname, runaway slaves formed a still-existing community with a culture fusing West African, Indian, and European elements. The End of the Slave Trade and the Abolition of Slavery. The influences causing the end of the slave trade and slavery were external to Africa. The continued flourishing of slave-based economies in Africa and the Americas makes it difficult to advance economic self-interest as a reason for ending the slave trade. Africans had commercial alternatives, but they did not affect the supply of slaves. Enlightenment thinkers during the eighteenth century condemned slavery and the slave trade as immoral and cruel. The abolitionist movement gained strength in England and won abolition of the slave trade for Britons in 1807. The British pressured other nations to follow course, although the final end of New World slavery did not occur until Brazilian abolition in 1888.

Measuring the Energy Value in Food Essay

Aim : To measure the energy value in different types of food, which are macaroni, bread, spaghetti, rice and French fries Hypothesis : The energy levels in different food will vary, because of the different components such as carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, etc. However, for this experiment, I will use foods that contain one common ingredient, which is carbohydrate. Usually, food with the most carbohydrate will give the most amount of energy, since that is undetermined in this experiment; I assume that the food with the highest energy level is the one with the most types of ingredient. Variables : – Independent Variable o Types of food – Dependent Variable o Temperature change of the water above the burning food – Controlled Variable o Mass of food o Angle of incident o Distance from burning food to the test tube o Mass of water Apparatus : – Test Tube – Bunsen Burner – 5 Types of food (French fries, macaroni, spaghetti, rice, bread) – Wooden Clamp – Metal Spoon – Retort Stand – Thermometer – Measuring Cylinder – Distilled Water – Digital Balance Methods : 1. Measure 10ml of water using a measuring cylinder and put it in a test tube. 2. Clamp the test tube on the retort stand for 45o and measure the temperature of the water in the test tube, note it down. 3. Weigh the food sample for 1 gram and record it down. 4. Place the food on a metal spoon and light it on fire using a Bunsen burner. 5. When the food starts burning, place it 1 cm below the test tube, if it goes off, light it as soon as possible. 6. When the food stops burning, measure the temperature of the water in the test tube and note it down. 7. Repeat the experiment for 2 more times for each food sample. Recording Raw Data : Table of Initial and Final Temperature of Water for Each Food Sample Food Sample Initial Temperature (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Final Temperature (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ oC Spaghetti 24 – Macaroni 25 – Rice 24 – Bread 24 – Processing Raw Data and Presenting Processed Data : Table of Temperature Change of Water for Each Food Sample Food Sample Initial Temperature (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Final Temperature (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Temperature Change (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Spaghetti 24 – – Macaroni 25 – – Rice 24 – – Bread 24 – – Table of Energy Values in Food Food Sample Temperature Change (oC) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1oC Mass (g) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.01g Spaghetti – 1 No solution Macaroni – 1 No solution Rice – 1 No solution Bread – 1 No solution Conclusion : For this experiment, it turned out that the food sample was not able to catch on fire, causing flame available to increase the water temperature in the test tube. For one or two samples, the food was caught on fire, but it did not last long. All in all, this experiment could be claimed as a failure. Evaluating Procedure(s) : When doing this experiment, there seems to be no problem with the procedures. However, when trying to get the food on fire, the food was not able to burn without being above the Bunsen. Therefore, there might be a few things causing this problem. For instance, the indirect contact between the flames from the Bunsen burner with the food might be one of the causes why the food did not burn. Moreover, the amount of food sample might also affect the experiment, maybe the amount, which is 1 gram, is too much. Improving the Investigation : To improve this experiment, some things can be done. For example, rather than burning the food on a spoon, a needle can be used instead, allowing direct contact between the food and the flame. Another thing that can be fixed is the amount of food. For this experiment, I set a standard weight, which is 1 gram; maybe if the mass was smaller, like 1/4 grams, the food can be completely combusted.

Against racism Essay

Racism dates back thousands and thousands of years back to the caveman times. In the short story â€Å"Desiree’s Baby†, Kate Chopin shows how discrimination by skin color can affect people. Desiree was abandoned and raised by Madame Valmonde. Armand, the father of the baby, was a member of the most notable families in Louisiana. He falls in love with Desiree and marries her. After they have a baby, their relationship quickly corrodes. A few months later, Armand realizes the baby’s skin has a darker tint than usual. He accuses Desiree of being black. Armand tells Desiree he wants her to leave so Desiree takes the baby and â€Å"disappears among the reeds and willows that grew thick along the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou† (Chopin 91) and never returns. Armand finds out that Desiree is black when he reads a letter that her mother sent her that read â€Å"she belongs to the race which is cursed with the brand of slavery† (Chopin 92). The story†™s ironic ending has a connection with the story’s setting, imagery, and Chopin’s use of similies. The setting has a major role to the ironic ending because it takes place in antembellum South where blacks are not treated equally to whites. There are several hints at where and when the story takes place. First, Armand’s last name, Aubigny, was â€Å"one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana† (Chopin 89) which tells us it takes place in Louisiana. Also, Chopin says that Armand owns a plantation and many slaves which wouldn’t have been possible after the Civil War times showing that the story takes place during the antebellum period. The name of Armand’s plantation, L’Abri, is also ironic because it means â€Å"the shelter† in French which is ironic for Desiree because it is a bad place for her not a good place. Chopin explains how â€Å"there was something in the air menacing her peace†. The story wouldn’t take place in any other time period or location because if it did, Desiree wouldn’t be discriminated for being black, therefore wouldn’t of run of into the bayou along with the baby. Chopin’s use of imagery leads up to the irony at the end of the story the greatest because Chopin contrasts black and white skin colors. First, Chopin explains how Armand’s plantation is all full of dark colors. â€Å"The roof came down steep and black†¦branches shadowed it like a pall† (Chopin 89). This initial imagery shows Armand’s control. When Armand’s father ran the plantation, he was very nice to the slaves and treated them humanly, but when Armand took the plantation over he was very harsh and cruel, â€Å"under it, his negroes had forgotten how to be gay† (Chopin 89). Armand has a â€Å"dark, handsome face† (Chopin 90). This symbolizes Armand’s hatred and is a foreshadow to the end when it turns out Armand is black. Desiree, on the other hand, is always surrounded by light colors. For example, when she is leaving the plantation towards her death, she was still wearing a thin, white garment, and, â€Å"her hair was uncovered and the sun’s rays brought a golden glean from its brown meshes† (Chopin 91). The colors they are surrounded by also illustrate their personalities. While Desiree, who is â€Å"beautiful and gentle, af fectionate and sincere† (Chopin 88) is surrounded by light, Armand, is â€Å"imperious and exacting† (Chopin 90) is surrounded by dark. The similes that Chopin uses also leads up to support the ironic ending by showing Armand’s emotional changes and Desiree’s feelings of rejection. Most of the similes to describe Armand’s actions happen when he falls in love with Desiree. Even though they knew each other since he was eight years old, he didn’t fall in love with her until they were in their twenties. Chopin explains that sudden love, â€Å"as if struck by a pistol shot† (Chopin 88) was the way everyone in Armand’s family fell in love. Two similes that explain Desiree’s shock add to the ironic twist at the end of the story. First, Desiree realizes her baby is not white and her blood, â€Å"turned like ice in her veins† (Chopin 90). Later, Armand tells Desiree he wants her to leave and Desiree turns away â€Å"like o ne stunned by a blow† (Chopin 91). This is how Chopin’s use of similes connect to the ironic ending. The main conflict in â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† is ultimately race. This story’s use of similes and imagery, along with the setitng, make for a good ironic ending in which Armand is really black not Desiree. Therefore, racism kills. Racism dates back thousands and thousands of years back to the caveman times. In the short story â€Å"Desiree’s Baby†, Kate Chopin shows how discrimination by skin color can affect people. Desiree was abandoned and raised by Madame Valmonde. Armand, the father of the baby, was a member of the most notable families in Louisiana. He falls in love with Desiree and marries her. After they have a baby, their relationship quickly corrodes. A few months later, Armand realizes the baby’s skin has a darker tint than usual. He accuses Desiree of being black. Armand tells Desiree he wants her to leave so Desiree takes the baby and â€Å"disappears among the reeds and willows that grew thick along the banks of the deep, sluggish bayou† (Chopin 91) and never returns. Armand finds out that Desiree is black when he reads a letter that her mother sent her that read â€Å"she belongs to the race which is cursed with the brand of slavery† (Chopin 92). The story’s ironic ending has a connection with the story’s setting, imagery, and Chopin’s use of similies. The setting has a major role to the ironic ending because it takes place in antembellum South where blacks are not treated equally to whites. There are several hints at where and when the story takes place. First, Armand’s last name, Aubigny, was â€Å"one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana† (Chopin 89) which tells us it takes place in Louisiana. Also, Chopin says that Armand owns a plantation and many sl aves which wouldn’t have been possible after the Civil War times showing that the story takes place during the antebellum period. The name of Armand’s plantation, L’Abri, is also ironic because it means â€Å"the shelter† in French which is ironic for Desiree because it is a bad place for her not a good place. Chopin explains how â€Å"there was something in the air menacing her peace†. The story wouldn’t take place in any other time period or location because if it did, Desiree wouldn’t be discriminated for being black, therefore wouldn’t of run of into the bayou along with the baby. Chopin’s use of imagery leads up to the irony at the end of the story the greatest because Chopin contrasts black and white skin colors. First, Chopin explains how Armand’s plantation is all full of dark colors. â€Å"The roof came down steep and black†¦branches shadowed it like a pall† (Chopin 89). This initial imagery s hows Armand’s control. When Armand’s father ran the plantation, he was very nice to the slaves and treated them humanly, but when Armand took the plantation over he was very harsh and cruel, â€Å"under it, his negroes had forgotten how to be gay† (Chopin 89). Armand has a â€Å"dark, handsome face† (Chopin 90). This symbolizes Armand’s hatred and is a foreshadow to the end when it turns out Armand is black. Desiree, on the other hand, is always surrounded by light colors. For example, when she is leaving the plantation towards her death, she was still wearing a thin, white garment, and, â€Å"her hair was uncovered and the sun’s rays brought a golden glean from its brown meshes† (Chopin 91). The colors they are surrounded by also illustrate their personalities. While Desiree, who is â€Å"beautiful and gentle, affectionate and sincere† (Chopin 88) is surrounded by light, Armand, is â€Å"imperious and exacting† (Chopin 90) is surrounded by dark. The similes that Chopin uses also leads up to support the ironic ending by showing Armand’s emotional changes and Desiree’s feelings of rejection. Most of the similes to describe Armand’s actions happen when he falls in love with Desir ee. Even though they knew each other since he was eight years old, he didn’t fall in love with her until they were in their twenties. Chopin explains that sudden love, â€Å"as if struck by a pistol shot† (Chopin 88) was the way everyone in Armand’s family fell in love. Two similes that explain Desiree’s shock add to the ironic twist at the end of the story. First, Desiree realizes her baby is not white and her blood, â€Å"turned like ice in her veins† (Chopin 90). Later, Armand tells Desiree he wants her to leave and Desiree turns away â€Å"like one stunned by a blow† (Chopin 91). This is how Chopin’s use of similes connect to the ironic ending. The main conflict in â€Å"Desiree’s Baby† is ultimately race. This story’s use of similes and imagery, along with the setitng, make for a good ironic ending in which Armand is really black not Desiree. Therefore, racism kills.

AIG turism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

AIG turism - Essay Example However, because the portions of the securities which AIG had guaranteed were judged to be almost risk free, there was not much thought that had been given to the scenario. At the end of the year 2007, through the different swaps, AIG had covered around $61 billion in securities with exposure to the different subprime mortgages. There are several prominent people that were involved in the fall of AIG, the most prominent was Martin J. Sullivan who at the time was the CEO of the company. Sullivan was blamed on taking on tens of millions of risk that was associated with the mortgages. Sullivan did not purchase any reinsurance on the risk as it was the norm Robert Willumstad, the chairperson of AIG Board of directors was also another prominent person involved in the fall of AIG. Joseph Cassano who was the AIG financial production division was accused of insuring to more than $441 billion value of securities that were in the first place rated AAA. Several companies were associated with the fall of 2008, they included the European Investment bank referred to as Goldman Sachs. Morgan Stanley and Merrill were also involved in the mess that came with the fall of AIG. AIG credit default swaps were insurance contracts that were unregulated, therefore, AIG did not put anything any capital as collateral and consequently it maintained what can be described as an AAA credit rating. Further, the company did not build any capital to back the insurance that they had sold and the profits it booked in any way never materialized. The default rates that were on mortgage securities were underwritten in the year 2006, and the year 2007. The underwritten securities increased in their worth and the by the last part of the year 2007, the securities that were in the banks which they claimed were AAA rated ended up being worth around $0.15 on the dollar. In the year 2008, there was the collapse of the credit default swap market which also meant that most investment

Defending Descarter's Cogito Ergo Sum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Defending Descarter's Cogito Ergo Sum - Essay Example Hence, we should, I think, recognize that it is possible, to a certain extent, to think of things, which certainly do not have a physical form. The justification for my argument is grounded mainly on Descartes’s Meditations. He decisively focused on the argument, as seen in the beginning of Meditations on First Philosophy, confidently carved the independent realms of religion and reason, and trusted that his effort would discreetly, but determinedly, re-establish reason to its legitimate place (Sarkar 2003). However, there are detractors of Descartes’s ‘cogito ergo sum’ (I think, therefore, I am), such as the mostly overlooked philosopher Michel de Montaigne. Montaigne was the forerunner of Descartes, with perspectives on reason that have a great deal of influence on the theories of his descendants in France (Hatfield 2003). Edwin M. Curley claims that the evidence of God’s existence is intertwined with cogito’s premise in this sense (Sarkar 2 003, 110): â€Å"Descartes would hold that even the proposition ‘I exist’ is fully certain only if the rest of the argument of the Meditations goes through. We must buy all or nothing.† However, defending Descartes’s cogito against critics, like Curley, is not the main objective of this paper. It is the primary objective of this paper to demonstrate that there is a contemporary form of the Cartesian Circle—â€Å"I now seem to be able to lay it down as a general rule that whatever I perceive very clearly and distinctly is true† (Lemos 2004, 45)—more overwhelming than the previous version. We should address this contemporary Cartesian Circle. This new version of Descartes’s magnum opus will be required as an unvarying cue soon after, when different approaches toward interpreting the cogito are broken up. Although I support the notion that we can exist even without physical form through thinking, I believe that Descartes’s c ogito has several flaws that have to be addressed in order to make the argument stronger. Certainly, the failure of Descartes to challenge his ability to reason is baffling, because his way of distrusting his senses would have offered him an almost perfect paradigm for distrusting his reason. Descartes could have created skepticisms about his ‘thinking’ that are similar to the skepticism about his senses (Dicker 1993). The first Cartesian Circle of the senses elaborates, and validates, the apparent argument that our senses at times mislead us; the next Cartesian Circle rationalizes a firmer argument, specifically, that at certain points in time we are incapable of making certain whether they mislead us or not (Dicker 1993); and ultimately, as stated in Lemos (2004), the last and most compelling Cartesian Circle is created, specifically, that there is no such thing as senses. Likewise, Descartes could have embarked on these ideas: an initial Cartesian Circle about reason , demonstrating how exercising reason at times deceive us; a next Cartesian Circle to demonstrate that at certain points in time we would be incapable of making sure whether we have used our reason rightfully; and ultimately (Moore 1962), a final Cartesian Circl

(Consumer behavior) Critically discuss the barriers associated with Essay

(Consumer behavior) Critically discuss the barriers associated with perceived risk in decision-making processes for the chosen - Essay Example The company may instigate customer interest by creating a website which maps the development of the product as Toyota had done before the launch of Prius. Also creating online brochures and e-marketing are ways to reach more customers. Discussion The barriers associated with perceived risk in decision-making processes Petrol-electric hybrid cars are launched as alternatives to conventional, internal combustion engine cars. The hybrid automobiles are aimed at achieving higher economy of fuel by combining a conventional engine with a rechargeable battery. The fuel economy of hybrid cars are important in today’s world in perspective to the climatic changes as well is because of the concerns of energy security. The use of petrol-electric hybrid cars causes almost half of the carbon dioxide emissions petrol consumed in conventional fuel cars. Hybrid cars are capturing an increasing share of the domestic automobile (The New York Times, 2007, p.2). Though hybrid cars are not widely i ntegrated into the market still it is a growing range of product and can be successfully used to combat energy and ecological issues. Therefore, it is vital to know the main influencing factors which influence the decision making process of a customer in buying a hybrid car. Some factors are similar to those arising in the acceptance of a new technology by the consumer market. In consumer behaviour, the choice of a product depends on a varying number of factors. In the case of choosing an automobile for buying, customer decision making is a high involvement and often quite complicated process. An automobile, though being a product for regular use, it comes under a product category which is rarely bought and bought after an intricate evaluation process followed by the customer. Also, a car is expensive, a certain range of automobiles come under the premium products category and a number of alternative brands and types can be found in the market. Additionally, the customer has the per ceived risk of not choosing the perfect automobile to suit his needs and having to bear a huge cost to rectify the mistake and cars being an investment for a long time, consumers show the trend of having a more complex and long process of decision making. The consumer decision making process involves both intrinsic and extrinsic methods (The Wall Street Journal, 2009). Mostly, hybrid cars are seen to be purchased for social reasons and concern for environment is a lesser influential factor in the consumer decision making process. It is seen that though many people are aware of the potential damage and threats to then ecological system and want to help in balancing the environment, the willingness of the customers rarely changes into the actual buying behaviour due to the above mentioned factors that majorly influence their buying behaviour. The increase in energy prices and incomes largely and most significantly impact the buying behaviour of the consumers for the hybrid vehicles (E dwards, 2010, p. 56). Some factors like high energy consumption and

How newspapers will use social media and internet to expand readership Term Paper - 1

How newspapers will use social media and internet to expand readership in the future - Term Paper Example avvy world thus, the social media is strong enough to take over the traditional forms of transmission of news like newspapers, radio, television etc due to faster and better communication among people, rapidity of spread of news, an increase in readership, as well as a growing need to adapt and become environment friendly. Newspapers and radio channels are far behind than television today in terms of the spread of news for the sole reason that with the click of a channel or press of a button one can both see or hear the news on the go, as and when it takes place. Newspapers, even though they provide the audience with a chance to spend time reading and enhancing their knowledge, arrive a day later, by which time the person may already be well versed with the news. Newspapers however have a tangible form that many people are attached to and not willing to give up. Yet, it must be understood that newspapers can make use of the social media in order to expand their readership in the future as more and more people are logged onto the internet these days. Students, workers as well as professionals and home makers – almost everyone and anyone have an account on a social networking website. Thus in order to tap the potential, newspapers can exploit these platforms and display their news banner there, a ttracting readers onto their websites and thus help them in enriching themselves by displaying their news. (Rani Malla) Today, a number of newspapers have online editions, like Wall Street Journal and New York Times to name a few; these newspapers put up everything and more on their online versions, where people may subscribe and get hourly updates on the world’s events. Newspapers can also take over social networking websites to attract more readers by creating their pages and groups and involving forums for communication over the news among various people. Moreover, blogs and online journals are encouraged by newspaper reporters and writers in order to increase

Hedge Found Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hedge Found Managers - Essay Example This helps in preparation of a balanced portfolio mix. The management of assets portfolio, which is unregistered and private, can be done through the establishment of an investment structure called hedge fund. These funds are asset classes that use different strategies like hedging and leverage involving placing bets on commodities, interest rate and currencies, based on the prevailing macroeconomic conditions. These funds do not follow the market directions. However, there main aim is to generate the profit by aiming at mobilizing steps to attain positive return on the invested fund. Hence, these funds operate with the view of generating absolute returns, instead of relative returns, regardless of the rise or fall in the stock market indices or directions taken by the financial markets, during a particular period. Accordingly, hedge fund managers need working diligently in this direction. They expect and get the monetary compensation for meeting theset targets. This compensation comprises of the high fee structure that involves profit participation by the hedge fund manger. Considering this, a hedge fund manager entertains only the wealthy investors, which may include cash-rich corporations and individuals along with pension funds, who wish to hedge their investments against any negative correlation with the financial markets. For this purpose hedge fund managers label such customers as ‘accredited investors’. The basic strategy adopted by hedge fund managers is to look for high rewards, which also carry the chances of high risks. While doing so, any oversight on the part of hedge fund managers can result in financial catastrophes of large scale. The example of two collapsing â€Å"Bear Sterns† hedge funds during the year 2007 is significant in this direction. These funds are not allowed for individual investors, as they are

Buyer Behaviour and Analysis Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Buyer Behaviour and Analysis - Literature review Example The basic principle of consumer behavior is the individual-product-situation relationship. The consumer behavior principle states that the dynamics of the market can only be understood iff the consumer, the product purchased, and the complexity of consumer behavior is appreciated. First, the customer recognizes a need or responds to a marketing stimulus (Lantos, 2011, P.359). Consumers buy the products that they are strongly motivated to buy. Motivation is the imbalance between the consumers current and desired states, the wider the gap the stronger the motivation. Motivation is related to previous experience and level of product involvement. The more complex the decision making process the more diversified the consumer’s desire for information. Therefore, marketing managers are required to analyze the marketing mix more keenly when the consumer is involved, and the complexity of the decision making process is high (Ellwood, 2002). Involvement is the feeling of importance or the personal interest associated with the product at a given situation. Involvement is a state of arousal or interest driven by current external variables and past internal variables. It impacts searching, processing and decision making. It is a reflection of the importance of a specific product to an individual in a given situation. Involvement is a function of the risk that customers associate with the buying of a product, with more risky products getting greater involvement (Hennig-Thurau, 2000, P.176). Functional risks have the most impact on customer behavior; the risk is the possibility that a product does not meet customer expectation. Customers mitigate this risk by gathering information on the product or turning to a known entity that has a good reputation. Economic risk implies that more expensive products require more complicated decision

Cognition domains Essay Example for Free

Cognition domains Essay Events that happen in an adolescent’s life can affect one of three domains; these three domains are known as ‘psychosocial’ ‘cognitive’ and ‘biophysical’. This essay will focus on the area of the cognition domain now this domain will be discussed in relation to an event that has affected my perception of the world around me, the way I feel in relation to blame and judgment and lastly the ability to learn how to be more reflective. My perception on life changed rapidly when I was informed of a tragic accident concerning the suicide of a family friend. This caused a rapid change in the way I thought about death, grief and sadness. â€Å"David Elkind proposed that formal operational thought also leads to adolescent egocentrism (difficulty differentiating one’s own thoughts and feelings)† (Sigelman, Rider, De George-Walker, Pg 173, 2013) This has impacted the way that I look at the world having gone through this experience I now see that people’s perception can change no matter what. I guess what’s trying to be said is that everyone’s perception is different and it is changing due to the experiences that we all encountering in our everyday lives. The judgment that came after the tragedy was phenomenal. Greg Newham will always be loved and greatly missed but never will he be forgotten. Was it my fault that he died? Greg Newham was a teacher. If I had visited him when the bell rang after school would he still be here today? I did not understand his wife’s decision to not let me go to the funeral. And because of this, because I never got to say my final goodbye it is hard to let go. Hard to move on. A book written by Temple University in the USA about seeking closure states â€Å"closure typically implies that something is finished, ended, closed. Finally you can move on† (2014). Without closure I feel that I am always judging myself. Always questioning my motives, wondering if I could have done more. The last aspect of cognitive development that was affected by this experience was learning. It is hard to live with the knowledge that someone’s death was your fault, even if rationally you know it wasn’t. Those left behind never usually learn the reasons as to why they harm themselves and those around them. Bronfenbrenner’s view of a developing person, with his or her  biological and psychological characteristics are embedded in a series of environmental systems which interact with each other and with the individual over time to influenced development. (Sigelman, Et.al, 2013), with all the developmental events that we all go through it is fair to say that the learning side of our cognitive development is always changing. This essay was written to explain the affects of our everyday lives and how it affects our cognitive domain. With what was said from Bronfenbrenner and David Elkind it is clear to say that the choices we make today do mostly change our lives in some way/s. I never completely understood the affects from my life could change the way I see and think about everything that I do today. References; Sigelman, Rider and De George-Walker, 2013, Life Span Human Development. Temple University, USA, 2014, http://www.temple.edu/tempress/chapters_1800/2136_ch1.pdf

Financial Abuse of the Elderly

Financial Abuse of the Elderly Combatting Financial Abuse Introduction Elder financial abuse is becoming a bigger threat and costly problem affecting elders and their families. As the older adult population in the U.S. continues to increase, so will the opportunities for unscrupulous criminals to take advantage of the wealth that many older adults have accumulated through their lifetime. While these crimes seem to be only committed by strangers, elder financial abuse is also committed by people who occupy traditional positions of trust, such as friends and relatives. Combatting financial elder abuse begins with getting the entire family and social network involved. Talk frequently with the elder.   Have they been approached by new friends lately? Have they been offered a recent unique opportunity? Listening closely enough, one will be able to spot and stop scams before they go too far. Importance to the study Financial losses due to fraud and abuse can undermine the ability of older adults to continue to live in their own homes and afford their long-term health care needs. This stress can take a great toll on the elder. Many older individuals experience increased health problems that can lead to serious depression all due to the increase in financial loses. Perhaps worse is the loss of trust older adults develop in others and themselves after being the victims of financial fraud. Financial Fraud is a Widespread Problem In 2015 alone, older adults lost a total of $36.5 billion because of financial fraud and scams. Seniors who are socially isolated and/or in mental decline can be especially susceptible. The abuse can leave victims traumatized as well as financially harmed, or even ruined. The fear is the problem could worsen since more than 10,000 Americans turn age 65 every day. An estimated one in five older adults has been the victim of financial fraud. Many of these victims are stripped of their assets and left with little to live on. Many of these victims rarely see their money returned even if the criminal is caught. And of course, many people dont report the crime at all. The Federal Trade Commission says one in 24 financial elder abuse crimes ever get reported. What are some statistics of Elder Financial Abuse? Most analysts go with the 2010 Investor Protection Trust Elder Fraud Survey which said one in five Americans over the age of sixty-five, has been victimized by a financial fraud and a 2011 MetLife Mature Market Institute study determining that financial exploitation costs seniors at least $2.9 billion annually. At the other end of the scale, True-Link, a company that provides account-monitoring software for elders and their families, has projected that financial elder abuse costs families more than $36 billion a year, 12 times the MetLife estimate. True-Link arrived at its estimate by surveying family caregivers of older people. Defining financial elder abuse is very difficult because of the wide estimates of what is considered financial elder abuse. Many know it’s a problem but how big the problem is quite hard to say, because hard data is so scarce. The reason for this scarcity is due to the fact financial abuse often goes unreported, because the victim often feels shame and embarrassment. This paper will explore financial abuse and how to combat financial abuse in the elderly population. Literature Review Many theories have been proposed to help explain financial elder abuse. Such theories have mainly been adapted from other fields such as child abuse and intimate partner abuse. Although the literature covers a wide variety of these theories, this review will focus on several major themes which emerge repeatedly though out the literature reviewed. These themes include: how prevalent is elder financial abuse, who is committing elder financial abuse, what effects does financial abuse have on its victims and what can be done to help prevent elder financial abuse. Although the literature presents these themes in a variety of contexts, this paper will primarily focus on their application to how devastating elder financial abuse can be to its victims. The prevalence of financial elder abuse is on the rise. As baby boomers are now in retirement criminals are taking advantage of this ever-increasing opportunity to steal from them. Burns, Henderson, Charles, Sheppard, Zhao, Pillemer and Lachs (2017) suggests that, â€Å"Approximately one of every 18 cognitively intact older adults living in the community experiences financial fraud or scam each year.† It is felt that elder financial abuse can be considered a sort of financial exploitation. This exploitation occurs when the perpetrator misuses or takes the elder’s money for their own personal benefit. This frequently happens without the knowledge or consent of a senior, depriving them of vital financial resources. The rising number of seniors only increases the opportunities for perpetrators to practice their art of stealing. The question that begs to be answered is who would do this to our most vulnerable generation? Perhaps the most tragic element of elder abuse is the fact that in many cases, the perpetrator is a trusted friend or family member whom the elderly person thinks is acting in their best interest. A popular way to gain access to the elder’s finances is through using the services of a lawyer. Lawyers need to be aware of the ways in which their services may be used by family members or caregivers as a means of financial abuse. Hannah (2016) say’s â€Å"Often, a lawyer may be asked to draft documents that provide an elderly persons family member or caregiver with an opportunity to steal the elderly person’s possessions. â€Å"A story was once told about a distraught sister,  convinced that her brother was stealing from their parents. The daughter was concerned because the son was given total control over their parent’s affairs. This gave him the legal authority to make both financial decisions without being accountable to anyone else and all healthcare decisions as well.   When asked if the daughter had called Adult Protective Services, she said, â€Å"no because she didn’t want to get her brother in trouble.† Perpetrators are not limited only to the ones the senior might know, there are others. Seniors control a major portion of the nation’s wealth. Thieves go where the money is and realize that the elderly often suffer from cognitive and physical disabilities and are vulnerable. Also, many seniors are socially isolated, lonely and have no one to consult with on financial matters thus making them susceptible to manipulation. Goergen and Beaulien (2010) explains, â€Å"Perpetrators pretend trustworthiness by posing as relatives when they call the elderly on the telephone or pose as craftsmen at victims’ doorstep, or they appeal to victims’ readiness to help by pretending to be a family member in a situation of distress and needing support.† Another sad story was told, when a man prompted an elderly woman to sell her home and wire the money to a mysterious bank account.  The man, who claimed to be communicating from another country, promised to marry her. It was all a scam. Today, the woman is homeless. When asked why she did that, she said, â€Å"well that’s what you do when you’re in love.† People committing financial fraud schemes are experts in deception, and very good at coming up with new ways to trick unsuspecting victims. They have learned to be experts in manipulation. Tacchino (2017) says in some cases, the elderly client feels responsible for what happened and they are too embarrassed to make a complaint. Suffering victimization can lead a senior to withdraw and have an increasing feeling of hopelessness. Faced with financial loss, some victims may contemplate suicide. Additionally, having money stolen in retirement can make it difficult for the elderly to afford needed medical care which can cause medical conditions to worsen. While it’s important to understand the signs of elder abuse, it may be more productive to take steps to prevent abuse from occurring in the first place. Oumlil and Williams (2011) Given the significance of the elderly consumer market in the development of successful and comprehensive marketing strategies, it is imperative that marketing decision-makers and policymakers better understand and respond to the varied needs of this significant consumer segment.   Family conversations can help gain insight into the senior’s affairs and mental state. Jackson (2015) explained, people who have been battling financial exploitation are pleased to observe the increased attention that financial exploitation is receiving at all levels of society. Family discussions between elders and adult children could serve as a much-needed reality check. Ideally, conversations on these matters should take place well before retirement, to ensure that elders are adequately prepared. This will give the whole family the time needed to anticipate, plan, and make smarter, more informed decisions. In identifying weaknesses and gaps, one question would be how often are perpetrators caught and what are the penalties that they would receive.   There is very little to no news of anyone being fined or sent to prison for stealing an old person’s life savings. In conclusion, focusing on these five major themes which have emerged though out the literature reviewed include a better understanding of the prevalence in elder financial abuse, who is committing elder financial abuse, what effects financial abuse has on its victims and what can be done to help prevent elder financial abuse. Hopefully this will show how devastating elder financial abuse can be. Oral History An interview with Joe F. who wished to remain anonymous is 77 years old.   He had the unfortunate experience of someone trying to trick him into sending money under the false impression of helping a family member out of a financial jam.   Joe became an unwilling expert in the popular scam which is commonly known as the grandparent scam. Goergen and Beaulien (2010) explain, that perpetrators pretend trustworthiness by posing as relatives when they call the elderly on the telephone or pose as craftsmen at victims’ doorstep, or they appeal to victims’ readiness to help by pretending to be a family member in a situation of distress and needing support. It is so simple and so devious because it uses one of most reliable assets seniors have, it’s their hearts. Scammers will place a call to an elderly person and when the senior picks up, they will say something along the lines of: â€Å"Hi Grandpa, do you know who this is?† This is exactly how Joe said his unsuspecting scam call started out. He said when he answered the phone, the voice on the other end was hard to recognize, the excuse was given that it was a bad cell phone signal. The unsuspecting grandparent guesses the name of the grandchild the scammer most sounds like. By doing this the scammer can establish a fake identity without having to do any background research. Joe said, â€Å"Is this Jack?† The voice on the other end said, â€Å"yes, its Jack.† Once the fake grandchild identity is established the scammer will usually ask for money to solve some unexpected financial problem such as overdue rent, payment for car repairs, etc. In Joe’s case the caller said they were in a traffic accident and needed some money to have the car towed. Often the scammer will ask money to be sent via Western Union or MoneyGram. Often money transferred this route does not require identification to collect.  At this point, Joe began to be suspicious because Jack only has his learners permit and would not be driving alone.   So, Joe began to probe further by asking where Jack was. The voice on the other end was reluctant to say. Often the scam artist will beg the grandparent, â€Å"please don’t tell my parents, they would kill me.†Ã‚   By this time, Joe felt like this was a scam and hung up the phone. These scams are likely to be done hundreds of times on unsuspecting seniors just like Joe. The fact that no research is needed makes this a scam a popular one that can be perpetrated over and over at very little or no cost to the scammer. After the call, Joe went on to say how vulnerable he felt. He said they knew my number, they knew my name and now they know my grandsons name. Then he said, â€Å"my feelings of vulnerability turned to anger.† These feelings are common with the victim. Imagine the heightened feelings of vulnerability and anger knowing they had stolen your money as well. Joe said he was glad I was doing this research on this topic and hopes this will help others be more educated about how to avoid being victims of this type of financial abuse. Brian’s Story is about financial elder abuse that happens when the perpetrator is known to the victim. Brian’s brother, stole thousands of dollars from him when Brian moved into an assisted living center. Brian’s retirement funds began to disappear after his brother was granted power of attorney to take care of his finances. After Brian had a visit with his son, they uncovered that Brian’s brother had lied to him about the selling price of his condominium. The price was $156,000 more than what is brother had said the condo sold for. When he returned home, Brian unsuccessfully tried to address the subject with his brother. Things took a turn for the worse when he got a letter from Medicare that said that because he hadn’t paid his premiums he was suspended from the program. His brother had neglected making these payments. For Brian, taking his brother to court proved futile. Through a series of consultations, Brian said he was told that even if his brother did get convicted, he would be dead by the time he would recover any of the money. But Brian isnt letting his financial woes keep him down.   His attitude is inspirational. Brian is not alone. So many elders will be financially abused annually, and the numbers will continue to rise, because many seniors are likely too scared or otherwise unable to seek help. Discussion As many of us have parents that are elders or we might be elders ourselves, it is important to understand how prevalent elder financial abuse is. It is imperative to know who is committing elder financial abuse, to understand what effects does financial abuse have on its victims and what can be done to help prevent elder financial abuse from happening. Some have argued that financial elder abuse is not very common because the news seldom carries stories of such cases. However, findings from Burns, Henderson, Charles, Sheppard, Zhao, Pillemer and Lachs (2017) suggests that approximately five percent of cognitively intact older adults living in the community experiences financial fraud or scam each year. As the increase of baby boomers now in retirement criminals are taking advantage of this ever-increasing opportunity to steal from them. As a home health nurse, I am finding that financial elder abuse is happening more and more due to the increased complaints reported by my patients. So why are the elderly so vulnerable? Thieves go where the money is and realize that the elderly have it. To make getting it easier, many seniors often suffer from cognitive and physical disabilities making them more vulnerable. Goergen and Beaulien (2010) explains, perpetrators pretend trustworthiness by posing as relatives when they call the elderly on the telephone or pose as craftsmen at victims’ doorstep, or they appeal to victims’ readiness to help by pretending to be a family member in a situation of distress and needing support. This is what happened to Joe F. but he was one of the lucky ones who figured out it was a scam. Too many other seniors fall victim and lose. It seems simple enough not to trust strangers but who can protect the senior when the abuse is coming from someone known and trusted? Lawyers need to be aware their services may be used by family members or caregivers as a means of financial abuse. Hannah (2016) often, a lawyer may be asked to draft documents that provide an elderly persons family member or caregiver with an opportunity to steal the elderly person’s possessions. Education provided to law firms includes reviewing the tactics of a potential perpetrator and how they seek to gain access to a senior’s finances. This education is helping to reduce the incidences of elder financial abuse. As a home health nurse, I will use this research to help educate the elderly patient population that I serve. One of a nurses primary ethical responsibilities is to work with the patient to provide care that maximally enables the physical, emotional and social well-being of the patient. A nurse is also responsible for protecting and advocating for patient’s safety and rights. Protecting the elderly patient from financial abuse is truly advocating for your patient. Nurses also have a responsibility to work with the public and other professionals to foster local, community, and national efforts to improve the financial safety of the elderly population. I have learned to be more empathetic, to help provide emotional support by listening and allowing patients to express how they feel about be a victim of financial abuse. The older adult is often ashamed to admit that they have succumbed to financial abuse. Nurses have a unique opportunity to talk to their patient who have been victimized about their feelings and may also be able to suggest a referral to a professional who is experienced in dealing with financial abuse victims. The nurse may also be the first person to recognize symptoms of depression or suicidal intent of abused elderly victims. The elderly population is entitled to a safe, quality life free from financial abuse. Many nurses and other professionals are working to enhance this safe quality of life for the elderly. This article has reviewed what these health care providers and other professionals have already done to promote safe financial environment and suggests activities that can further enhance the safety of our care of the Elderly form financial abuse.   Nurses are playing, and will continue to play, an ongoing role in the movement to protect the elderly from financial abuse. References Burnes, D., Henderson, Charles R., Sheppard, C., Zhao, R., Pillemer, K., & Lachs, Mark. (2017). Prevalence of financial fraud and scams among older adults in the United States: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 107(8), E13-E21. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2017.303821 Goergen, T., & Beaulieu, M. (2010). Criminological theory and elder abuse researchfruitful relationship or worlds apart? Ageing International, 35(3), 185-201. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12126-010-9063-2 Hannah, J. M. (2016). Financial abuse of the dependent elder: A lawyers ethical obligations. Family Law Quarterly, 50(1), 117-121. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.southern.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1807742181?accountid=28568 Jackson, S. L. (2015). The vexing problem of defining financial exploitation. Journal of Financial Crime, 22(1), 63-78. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.southern.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1648112727?accountid=28568 Oumlil, A. B., & Williams, A. J. (2011). Financial services and the elderly poor: Development and implementation of sustainable intervention strategies. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 15(4), 274-286. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/fsm.2010.23 Tacchino, K. B. (2017). Preventing financial elder abuse. Journal of Personal Finance, 16(1), 78-88. Retrieved from: https://ezproxy.southern.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1925859899?accountid=28568

Elevating Man to the Level of God: Just Do It! :: Philosophy essays

Elevating Man to the Level of God: Just Do It! Deciding what to believe in was easy for Westerners before the Protestant Reformation. There was really only one option in the religion market-- Roman Catholicism. The Eastern Orthodox churches were also in existence for part of the pre-Reformation period, but they had a different geographical sphere of influence, so people in a given area had little choice of faith. The Church was a powerful force in more than people's spiritual lives; it was often involved in politics, science, art, and other secular affairs. Excommunication (exclusion from the Church) was one of the most severe punishments at that time. Before the Reformation, society was like a child. Children accept any beliefs that their parents hand them because they have no experience of their own to make judgements with. Children have no real sense of right and wrong. When they behave well, it is not out of virtuous impulses or a desire to "do the right thing," but out of fear of reprisal from their parents or an immature desire to please the people who have such a large amount of power over their lives. Finally, children need parents to tell them what to do so they don't burn their hands on the stove, drink Liquid Plumber or fall off a cliff and die. Pre-Reformation society was childlike in many ways, and Roman Catholic clergy were the parents to the pre-adolescent society. Religiously, people relied on the clergy to tell them how to act and what to believe, because they had never had to think about whether they agreed with the teachings of the Pope-- the thought of not agreeing never really entered their minds. When Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg in 1517, he began more than he intended or even knew: intending to reform the Catholic church, he thrust wide open the door to freedom of thought and belief, which had been ajar since the Renaissance. With other religions in the market, people had to scrutinize what they had always been told and decide what they really believed. Some people retained their Roman Catholic beliefs, while others became Lutherans, Unitarians, Jehovah's Witnesses, Methodists, Baptists, Mormons, or joined with any of several hundred other Christian denominations. The division of the western Christian church, begun in 1517, is still continuing today.

My Hike in Yosemite :: Autobiography, Personal Experience

The trip began when I took a small green pencil and signed by name on the release forms needed to hike in Yosemite National Park. I and nine of my friends left the ranger station that night with a neatly folded map and a felling of excitement to what lay ahead. The long drive to the park left us tired and in need of a good night’s sleep. We decided to stay in tent city like most hikers do before they set out for their trek. Tent city was a large subdivision of tents that resembled a community of houses. Each tent was perfectly uniformed in its appearance and made up a total of fifty tents. Before we went to bead, we studied our maps and made an itinerary to the amount of hiking we would do. The next day began with an alarm clock echoing in my ears at 6 a.m. Our first days hike started early and began with one of the most impressive features of the park. El Capitan is a giant slab of granite rock that towers thousands of feet above the valley floor. Like a skyscraper, the rock has a presence of amazement surrounding its every crevice and crack. After a few minutes of starring at the rock had passed, Eric the leader for that days hike shouted that it was time to go. Because the leader was in charge of the navigation and speed we traveled, he knew that we would not make our campsite if we did not continue. Time drugged along as the weight of a forty-pound pack full of food and water dug into to my bony shoulders. My pack seemed to be getting heaver as the day went on. My shoulders pulsed with pain from the thinly padded straps that connected to my pack. Four hours of this pain was all I could handle. I decided that this was enough I needed to stop. I shouted to Eric that I needed to take a break. He quickly turned around and said it was okay if we stopped. Because it was close to lunch everyone agreed and we all set down to eat lunch. Each one of us was caring five days worth of food for our trek. Every meal was neatly packed in a clear plastic bag and labeled for when it should be eaten. I opened up a package of peanut butter crackers from my lunch package and stared into the open field we had stopped in.

Paper Technology :: essays research papers

Leadership and Motiviation 1. Introduction and Definition 2. Leadership Types a. Natural born leader b. Developed leader 3. Leadership Models a. Traditional b. Non-traditional 4. Leadership Traits a. Make people feel important b. Promote your vision c. Treat others as you want to be treated d. Take responsibility for your actions 5. Motivational Theories a. Classical Theory and Scientific Management b. Behavior theory c. Contemporary Motivational Theories *************************************************************** INTRODUCTION Effective leadership is the process of motivating others to meet specific objectives. We will look at a few areas of leadership and motivation. LEADERSHIP TYPES Few business leaders get to be highly recognized names in the world at large or even the broadest business communities like the team of William Hewlett and David Packard. In 1938 they pooled $538 to found their namesake Hewlett-Packard in a rented garage. Hewlett focused his energy on leading the technology side of the now $31 billion high tech leader. Packard wrestled with managing the day to day operation and died at the age of 83. Many believe that David Packard's chief legacy may be his management style. His employees awarded him a M.B.W.A. Degree---"Master By Walking Around" for the legwork expanded in his belief that upper management should remain close to workers. The "HP way" also strives to maintain a small company atmosphere even as the work force expanded to 100,000. Employees were allowed freedom, and Internal competition was encouraged, while working toward a shared objective. Packard's commitment to employees was also legendary. In 1990 he came out of semi-retirement to help manage a sweeping corporate overhaul that successfully averted the job losses that subsequently hit many other High tech companies. David Packard was truly a leader to admired. A good leader he was. This prompts the question "What is a good leader?" LEADERSHIP MODELS There are many good leaders to choose from. You have military leaders, politicians, CEO's, coaches, athletes, teachers, the list is endless. You may ask what do all people from different walks of life have in common? First lets define what a leader is, a leader is getting things accomplished by acting through others or getting people to perform to their maximum potential. LEADERSHIP TRAITS Now let's identify some common traits of a leader. Leaders are people who set the example and have the courage to take the initiative to dominate the situation. They are decisive ,bold, tactful, and communicate very well. They maintain enthusiasm, commitment, devotion and are knowledgeable of their duties. MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES Workers need more than job satisfaction and morale. They also need motivation. Motivational theories can be classified into three

Herzberg Theory Essay

Herzberg’s Two Factor theory (Motivator-Hygiene) suggested that the factors involved in producing job satisfaction and motivation are separate and distinct from the factors that lead to job dissatisfaction. (Herzberg, 1987) In 1959, Frederick Herzberg found that people had two essential needs in life. 1. The human’s need as an animal to avoid pain 2. The human’s need to grow psychologically And from the two founding, Herzberg has come up with a two factor theory or is also known as Motivator-Hygiene theory that has been a stepping stone for motivation in the workplace. Motivator-Hygiene Theory Herzberg interviewed 203 engineers and accountants. A survey has been done to identify how they feel about their jobs. They were asked to remember back the time when they felt really good at their job and the feelings that associated during that time. And later, they were also asked to recall a time when they felt really bad towards the job and the feelings that associated with it. These results led to two categories Job Satisfiers Job Dissatisfiers. * Motivator Factors (Job Satisfiers) Factors that create positive feelings. These included things such as achievement, responsibility, growth in workplace and recognition. * Hygiene Factors (Job Dissatisfiers)  Factors that are related to work context and environment. These includes company policy, administration, job security, salary and work conditions. The theory states that if the motivator factors are present in conjunction with hygiene factors then the job will be satisfying. If the hygiene factors are the only present factors, then the job will be in a neutral state. Employees are not dissatisfied and they have average performance. If the hygiene factors are not present then the job becomes dissatisfying, with or without motivators. Even though hygiene factors do not lead to extra work they are needed as building blocks to start productivity. Therefore, in order move beyond this level, the motivator factors are needed. Herzberg, F.I. (1987), â€Å"One more time: How do you motivate employees?† Harvard Business Review, Vol.65 (5), pp.109 – 120 Herzberg, F., Maunser, B. and  Snyderman, B. (1959), The Motivation to Work, John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, NY

John Boehner

I. Personal Background A. Family 1. Birth place 2. Born November 17, 1949 to Mary Anne and Earl Henry Boehner 3. Married to Debbie Boehner; B. Education 1. Boehner attended Cincinnati's Moeller High School and was a Linebacker on the school's football team 2. Graduating from Moeller in 1968 3. Boehner enlisted in the United States Navy but was administratively separated after eight weeks because of a bad back. 4. He earned his B. A. In Business Administration from Xavier University in 1977 . Shortly after his graduation in 1977, Boehner accepted a position with Nucite Sales, a small sales business in the packaging and plastics industry. II. Political Influences & Development A. Political Influences 1. Newt Gingrich a. Republican lawmaker & Engineer 2. Dick Gephardt B. Political Development 1. From 1995 to 1999, Boehner served as House Republican Conference Chairman which is the party caucus for Republicans in the United States House of Representatives 2.During his time as Conference Chairman, Boehner championed the Freedom To Fact Act that, among other provisions, revises and simplifies direct payment programs for crops and eliminates milk price supports through direct government purchases. 3. In 1998, Boehner was ousted as the chairman of the House Republican Conference, after his party lost five congressional seats. III. Contributions & Writings A. Media Attention 1. During his freshman year, Boehner was a member of the Gand Of Seven which was involved in bringing media attention to the House banking scandal. B.Boehner & Senator Ted Kennedy authored the passage of â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act of 2001† 1. Was signed by President Goerge W. Bush. In 2002. 2. Boehner said that it was his â€Å"proudest achievement† in two decades of public service. 3. Boehner was friends with Kennedy, also a Roman Catholic, and every year they chaired fundraisers for cash-strapped Catholic schools. IV. Political Achievements A. In an upset, Boehner was elected by his colleagues to serve as House Majority Leader on February 2, 2006. 1. The election followed Tom DeLay's resignation from the post after being indicted on criminal charges.B. Boehner campaigned as a reform candidate who wanted to reform the so-called â€Å"earmark† process and rein in government spending 1. He defeated Majority Whip Roy Blunt from Missouri Representative John Shadegg of Arizona. C. After the Republicans lost control of the House in the 2006 elections, the House Republican Conference chose Boehner as Minority Leader. 1. As such, he was the Republican nominee for Speaker in 2006 and 2008. V. Personal Conclusion 1. Speaker Boehner 1. Speaker of the House. 2. Congressmen John Boehner 1. John Boehner, part of Congress.

Success of BMW Campaign

The BMW campaign consisted of many major and small events which helped to market the new BMW Z3 roadster to the public. However, the question now is whether the campaign is successful in accomplishing that goal. Success of the BMW campaign can be measured in several ways. For example, it can be measured by its objectives (whether the objectives of the campaign have been met) or by the number of pre-orders made. In this case, due to the lack of knowledge about the number of pre-orders made after each event, we will be measuring by its objectives. We have identified 5 major objectives to the campaign as shown in the case. They are: (1) to motivate and stimulate dealer network, (2) develop an Order Bank, (3) reposition BMW as stylish and fun, (4) positioning Z3 in American culture and most importantly, (5) improve BMW’s brand awareness. To see whether the objectives have been met, we shall examine each individual event carefully. Dealer Advertising and Promotions Dealers’ support for BMW Z3 is important in launching this new car to the public. With 345 dealers and only 150 display cars during the promotional period, it proved to be a challenge for this partnership to occur. However, the dealers upgraded to meet the challenge and an order bank was developed. In addition, the dealer promotional package which showcased the private screening of the Golden Eye film and car before the box office film opening proved to be very effective in raising BMW’s brand awareness. As quoted, â€Å"these events attracted great local publicity, appearing in local newspapers, and often reported on metropolitan television and radio†. Their innovative package has also help to reposition BMW as being stylish and fun, which was also a way to help improve the Z3’s standing in the American market. As such, all the objectives have been met for this event, thus proving the success and effectiveness of this event. Product Placement in Golden Eye This non-traditional method of branded entertainment, or more commonly known as product placement, in a movie was very risky, as mentioned in @@@ (benefits and risks). However, Golden Eye turned out to be a hit in the box office in America, selling $26. 2 million in ticket sales. As consumers tend to switch off their resistance mechanism to advertisements during films (O’Guinn, Allen, Semenik, 2009), consumers are being more exposed and susceptible to these subtle advertisements in Golden Eye. As the main idea of tying Z3 with James Bond was to show the fun and ‘cool’ side to the car, it was successful in achieving the objective, together with the success of the movie. As a result, there were positive reviews made by New York Times, Motor Trend Magazine and even Forbes. A more tangible result was that over 9000 Z3 was pre-booked by December 1995 compared to the projected 5000. Needless to say, product placement was the key in the success of the campaign. Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog Neiman Marcus Catalog was a unique point-of-contact to the consumers because the products it features are usually deemed as very desirable, similar to being a wish list. As proven, 100 orders were made within two days instead of the estimated 20 units sales goal, which came as a pleasant surprise to BMW and Neiman Marcus. In fact, there were 6000 customers’ orders or waiting list applications fighting for the 100 cars. This showed that this promotion idea was effective in selling Z3 to customers. Also, BMW can reach out to more customers via the catalog distribution too. BMW Internet Site The growing usage of Internet caused the popularity of company websites to increase in 1996. With the ‘Build Your Own Roadster’ module added to the site, visitors could visualise their own car from a variety of perspectives. One main benefit was that it could communicate product features or benefits effectively since consumers can examine the virtual car closely. Also, the personalisation effect can cause the consumers to feel a certain emotional bond to the product. Consumers who had spent a lot of effort during the shopping experience would evaluate the product as more favourable and important (Cardozo, 1965). Thus, this could greatly aid in the sales of Z3, assuming that Z3 can be personalised in terms of exterior, interior and top colours too. However, since the website did not have online purchase options at that time, the website could only prove to be useful in raising brand awareness and possibly instil a ‘fun’ factor. Press Launch in Central Park. This event was a major factor in helping not only to promote Z3 as a stylish, fun car but also greatly improving brand awareness. There were extensive coverage in both broadcast and print by major network news programs which improved Z3’s brand awareness drastically. Radio DJ Program This was important in the word-of-mouth effect which had three times the effect of other programs. This buzz marketing, which is a concept of peer-to-peer program, gave rise to conversations about BMW Z3. As the DJs were chosen with care, they were ideal in helping to spread the word about BMW (Khermouch, Green, 2001). This has also helped generate awareness about Z3 as well as positioning it to be fun and stylish. Summary Certainly, these events, whether small or big, have contributed one way or another to the success of the campaign as they reinforced and built upon one another to create a better effect. However, some of the promotional activities were only effective to a certain extent due to the constraint of technology knowledge and tools in that era. Nevertheless, the campaign achieved its goal to introduce and market Z3 into the American market.

The Sight of Beauty

I was walking on the beach right before the sunset, searching for a good spot to fish. I stop and gaze at the ocean. The waves, ever so gracefully crashing on the beach, a picture perfect moment. Perhaps moments were you feel worthy of being alive, seeing the beauty that Mother Nature has to offer. Seeing what the world has to offer of life. I came back from school, tired and exaughested. I Just had a very big and difficult examination that I did not do so well on.The agony of getting a below average grade when everybody got an above average grade. It is a feeling that is a very negative one. When I came out of school I had to study for another important test. In my mind, I'm thinking how all the world has to offer is difficulty in life, and if it's not difficulty, then its agony and self-consciousness. Hopefully I will get a sufficient grade to please my parents' expectations. To refresh my mind, I take a short walk on the beach with a fishing pole in one hand.As I was walking, I se e people stop and gaze at the water, taking pictures. These people also had a fishing pole, and fishermen are usually on a task, to catch fish and bring home a nice dinner to enjoy with their family. But these people are stopped dead in their tracks by a sight. What was this sight about? Maybe it was a big school offish, but as I looked, it was something better. It was a sight of beauty. The beauty of the ocean, the sunset, and how the waves in the ocean were ot rough white caps, but calm and beautiful.The waves crashing on the surf ever so gracefully, as if it was moving in a balletic. Then a thought hit me, of what the world has to offer me. It's not always difficulty in life, or agony or self-consciousness, but it offers you life, and the beauty of nature. Yes, the world offers you some challenges and difficulty, but it's only a small price to pay to see the beauty of the world. I am thankful of the beauties the world offers me

Taking Up Arms Against Slavery by John Brown Essay

Taking Up Arms Against Slavery by John Brown - Essay Example ality and exclusion from the political system there may sometimes be no other way to change things. I believe that modern observers would agree with John Brown’s message if he meant the blood of soldiers, but disagree if the blood of civilians was involved. One of the major influences that would affect a modern observer’s view on whether blood should or should not be spent in a political cause is terrorism. The world changed on September 11, 2001, when a group of terrorists who saw themselves as freedom fighters trying to strike a blow against a country that was, in their views, making the world a less holy place, crashed two planes into the Twin Towers and killed thousands of people who were civilians that were, as much as one could be, completely disassociated with Western-Arab conflict. Since then suicide tactics have risen to prominence as a tool for radical Islamists everywhere, much to the distaste of observers everywhere else, who now find knowing killing oneâ₠¬â„¢s self to kill others despicable. This Event also brought into the American mind how truly awful it is when civilians are killed in conflict, which is an inevitable consequence of most wars, which has led to massive discontent in America and around the rest of the world when Western governments take actions that could and do cause civilian casualties. This has led those countries to develop new technologies and completely change the way they conduct warfare to reduce civilian casualties. This, coupled with a largely negative view of the decade long war in Iraq, means that people today tend to have a more negative view of warfare generally – they recognize better that in any war civilians will suffer and die, which usually just escalates a conflict, causing things to get worse. In this light, a modern observer would probably disagree with Brown’s words – they would say that people should find a way other than killing and being killed to achieve their ends. On the other hand, modern people do recognize that sometimes there may be no other way to change an unjust political system than through violence, and sometimes people who are unwilling to use violence will simply continue to be the victims of it, like what probably would have occurred in Libya had the population not armed themselves. The Arab Spring, as it is called, has been hailed as an amazing demonstration of a people’s willingness to fight for their freedom, even when the fight turns bloody, and indicates that modern people still can understand fighting and dying for a cause. There are several factors that help these uprisings overcome the reservations that people have about warfare that were outlined above. The first, and probably most important, is that the people were acting largely in self defense. They were an unarmed populace being brutalized by an armed body, and had to take up arms to defend themselves. The second is

Affirmative Action Policies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Affirmative Action Policies - Essay Example As such, matters related to sharing, equality, and fairness are of paramount importance and frequently give rise to need for mechanisms for addressing implications that come along with these mechanisms. Affirmative action traces its roots back in the Reconstruction Era whereby after slaves attained freedom, they had nothing else apart from small skills that could use to earn a living2. As a result, the victorious General T. Sherman set forth a proposal that was to divide the land and goods of the Southeastern Georgia into sizeable proportions and give the freed family 40 acres of land and a mule in order to begin their lives3. This move attracted a huge level of opposition from the sitting clergy. However, almost a century later, this issue of affirmative action has come back to haunt opponents of this policy. Today, the lawful society of the United States recognizes the idea of assisting individuals of minority decency to gain access to American goods. This came via a series of poli tical initiatives and court proceedings that interpreted all the requirements of the civil rights just as provided in the Fourteenth Amendment 4. These initiatives, as well as court decisions, came into books as affirmative action. As the term itself suggests, it is both voluntary and mandatory in that it intends to affirm civically recognized rights of the designated classes of people by employing a positive action in order to protect these individuals from the rampant, all round, and pervasive incidents of discrimination in America. Sources indicate that affirmative action developed about four decades ago following the debate between the Board of Education and Brown5. In terms of Brown, the Supreme Court opined that children of minority races faced segregation and discrimination in areas of education. This fact denied these children equal education opportunities and rejected the doctrine that asserted â€Å"separate but equal† within the public schools6. Following increased cases of discrimination and victorious wins in wars like the Vietnam War, men and women of minority groups intensified their fight for equal rights. These members were able to integrate change in the nation’s existing laws and attained collective address in the Fourteenth Amendment. Following the success of affirmative action, members of the minority groups attained places in the employment and education sector. As the focus of this paper ascertains, changes in both the graduate and undergraduate programs in the US grew due to increased criticism from whites and men who claimed that the policies of affirmative action brought about something they termed as the â€Å"reverse discrimination†. To ensure, successful integration of affirmative action policies in undergraduate and graduate programs, the Court acted before business legislatures and executives and mandated coalition of positive actions in these programs7. As a matter of course, the Court set in place a number of devices that integrated and fostered indiscriminative measures towards students from minority backgrounds. These devices included majority to minority transfers, redistricting, new construction, magnet schools, school pairings, abandonment of all blacks’ schools, and busing. Investigations highlight that implications related to affirmative action particularly when compared to race consciousness and race blind admissions give explanations as to how alternative programs are impractical in general. With reference to a number of discussions, selections that base solely on academia qualifications such as the Medical College Admissions Test and Grade Point Averages

Marketing Heineken Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Heineken - Case Study Example The company focuses on continuous improvement of the environment in which it operates its business. When it expanded the business in different countries, it has made it sure that the business of the company should not hamper the environment factors of the nation. Thus it improved the effect of the business in the environment. Under this factor it tries to take the initiative to introduce the green brewer and green commerce. It means the company focuses on the fact that brewing should not affect the environment and it increases the employment levels of the country. It has empowered the people who work with the company by providing them a quality lifestyle and it has also improved the society and communities in which it operates through its various corporate social responsibilities. It has started to engage local people as the employees to increase the level of employment. This strategy has helped many people to find jobs and a way of living and has also reduced the unemployment level of the countries. Especially in developing countries like India, Africa and east Asia, brewing has improved the level of employment. It has also implemented some healthcare policy to take care of the health of its employees and their families. It has always tried to enhance the positive impact of beer in the society because in many developing countries Beer is seen as alcohol and is prohibited. But Heineken improved the positive impact of Beer in society through responsible consumption.

Legal Immigration in the European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Legal Immigration in the European Union - Essay Example The European Union has put into place immigration laws that have been approved by member states. With the constant threat of global terrorism member states are constantly on the lookout for possible terrorists that use the immigration laws to their advantage thus putting the population of the member states at risk. This paper explores the legal immigration legislation that the European Union has put into place. 1. Legal immigration as it appears in the European Legislation. The European Union has put into place legislation that attempts to regulate immigration and migration of workers. The economics and demographics of the European Union dictate managed migration. Obviously, the European Union does not want to encourage migration to areas within the Union that are currently economically depressed. It is in the best interest of member states to have immigration and migration managed to provide workers where there is a need for them. Still, with legislation in place, the Union has a problem with illegal migration, smugglers, and traffickers. The migrants seek work while the smugglers and traffickers make money off of the migrants. A. Persons from third countries are permitted entry into the European Union legally under many circumstances. ... It is well understood that the social well being of immigrants allows for social well being of the member states as well. Legal immigration can take the form of family reunification, long term resident status, student visas, and entry to researchers. The European Union also has guidelines, that member states are encouraged to follow, that include integration of immigrants into society, and 'best practices' for integration. The European Union has in place directives that combat illegal immigration, trafficking of illegals, and return of illegals to their country of origin when most practical. B. There are programs in place to assist member states in dealing with immigration issues such as ARGO (action program that assists with immigration issues), and INTI (an EU program that promotes integration of immigrants). C. The European Commission has installed legislation that governs legal immigration. Article 63(3) of the EC Treaty allows the European Union to draft and institute immigration policies that governs issues such as immigration and residency. The Amsterdam Treaty makes immigration an EU problem/responsibility. The Tampere European Council put into place agreements and legislation to consolidate immigration policies. Scoreboard is a program that follows implementation of immigration policies and reports status every six months. Finally, the treaty that created the European Union outlines the role of the European Commission. (EC of Justice and Home Affairs). 2. Discuss the recent legislations from the Amsterdam Treaty to 2007. Following the Maastricht Treaty (1993), which made immigration a common concern in the European Union, came the Amsterdam Treaty (1999) that put into