Analysis Of Crimes Of The Heart Essays - Crimes Of The Heart

Analysis Of Crime's Of The Heart Essays - Crimes Of The Heart Analysis Of Crime's Of The Heart Crimes of the Heart A-D A. Where is the play? 1. Hazlehurst, Mississippi USA 2. The scenes take place in the home of the Magrath sisters. (Actually it's their grandfather's house, but it is cared for and inhabited primarily by Lenny Magrath.) 3. The house is old, the exact age and condition is not described. B. When is the play? 1. The play takes place in the summer sometime during the late 19 70's to early 1980's. 2. The play takes place soon after the birthday of Lenny Magrath, which has a special significance to the characters. C. Who is in the play? 1.The 3 Magrath sisters, Lenny, Babe, and Meggy, are the main cluster of characters. The other three characters are Chick, a Magrath cousin, Barnette, Babe's attorney, and Doc Porter, an old friend of Meg and Lenny. A character that is often talked about is Granddaddy, yet he is never seen. 1. The Magrath sisters complete the different portions that fufill society's image of an ordinary woman. Each of these women play the roles that a normal woman plays such as wife, mother, daughter, and sister. Barnette is a lawyer who is defending Babe, whom he is infatuated with. Doc Porter is a father of two and a husband who once wanted to be a doctor, who now apparently owns a small ranch, he also spent time as a house painter. Granddaddy is an old man who is in the hospital. 2. It seems that all the characters have a mutual respect for each other, aside from Chick who has strong opinions concerning Meg. As I have mentioned the character of Barnette is infatuated with Babe. Babe and Lenny both feel that Meg has always been treated better by their Grandmother and Grandfather. 3. Lenny has a poor self image. 4. The Characters all live in a democratic nation. 5. The characters pay no attention to religion, it is rarely mentioned in the play. 6. The prevailing attitudes of the characters are that family is important, sex is not considered a bad thing. They seem to consider anything that can be rationally justified as ethical. They seem to live within these attitudes quite peacefully. D. What Happened before the play began? 1. Long before the play began the Magrath sisters' mother apparently hung herself along with the her cat. 2. After the mothers death the grandparents took custody of the girls. 3. The grandmother died. 4. The Magrath sisters were taken care of by the grandfather solely after that. 5. Meg abandoned Doc Porter in Biloxi during a hurricane. 6. Babe Married Botrelle. 7. Lenny met her man from Memphis. 8. Babe shot Botrelle. 9. Lenny wired Meg telling her to come home.

Free Essays on The Maternal Instinct

â€Å"The Maternal Instinct† Response Caroline Whitbeck makes a very compelling argument against the maternal attachment she refers to as ‘maternal instinct’ and biological differences resulting from various experiences. She introduces the experience factors of pregnancy, labor, childbirth, nursing and post partum recovery supporting her ‘biological differences’ theory. The obvious parental attachment shared between parents and their offspring is widely differentiated between males and females. Whitbeck argues that this too is a factor in her argument against ‘the maternal instinct’. In her article, Whitbeck uses primates as an example of this attachment between mothers and their offspring being a learned trait. In this study, the determining factor for me was that while in captivity, many first time mothers in Resus monkeys were hostile towards their first-born even violent at times. But when second time mothers were examined, the monkeys were more nurturing and ultimately better mothers. This analysis in itself strongly supports Whitbeck’s argument that the attachment shared between mother and child is not one of instinct but rather of experience. I did not however find much assurance in her comparison between infants and women. This comparison doesn’t hold true as Whitbeck herself writes. The thought that women and infants resemble one another in their innocence, helplessness, softness, etc. is part of the bond between them. If this were a valid comparison, men would also be VanTine 2 closely attached with the child because of the same attributes that would attract a male to a female. This analysis is not accurate and I did not think it supported Whitbeck’s beliefs.... Free Essays on The Maternal Instinct Free Essays on The Maternal Instinct â€Å"The Maternal Instinct† Response Caroline Whitbeck makes a very compelling argument against the maternal attachment she refers to as ‘maternal instinct’ and biological differences resulting from various experiences. She introduces the experience factors of pregnancy, labor, childbirth, nursing and post partum recovery supporting her ‘biological differences’ theory. The obvious parental attachment shared between parents and their offspring is widely differentiated between males and females. Whitbeck argues that this too is a factor in her argument against ‘the maternal instinct’. In her article, Whitbeck uses primates as an example of this attachment between mothers and their offspring being a learned trait. In this study, the determining factor for me was that while in captivity, many first time mothers in Resus monkeys were hostile towards their first-born even violent at times. But when second time mothers were examined, the monkeys were more nurturing and ultimately better mothers. This analysis in itself strongly supports Whitbeck’s argument that the attachment shared between mother and child is not one of instinct but rather of experience. I did not however find much assurance in her comparison between infants and women. This comparison doesn’t hold true as Whitbeck herself writes. The thought that women and infants resemble one another in their innocence, helplessness, softness, etc. is part of the bond between them. If this were a valid comparison, men would also be VanTine 2 closely attached with the child because of the same attributes that would attract a male to a female. This analysis is not accurate and I did not think it supported Whitbeck’s beliefs....

Multiple Regression Analysis Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Multiple Regression Analysis - Statistics Project Example Governments’ focus on improving labor force and imports are recommended for economic growth. Economic growth is an important factor to governments, whose responsibilities include availing resources for public utilities and ensuring good living standards that are dependent on economic well being. Governments also have the responsibility of ensuring good macroeconomic environment for economic competitiveness in the international scope. Gross domestic product is one of the indicators of economic growth and its value can be used to understand factors to economic growth and to inform macroeconomic policies in a country. This report analyses factors to economic growth with the aim of identifying significant factors. Human capital is one of the factors that have been associated with economic growth and according to Somashekar (N.d.), is directly proportional to growth. International trade and foreign direct investment inflow have also been associated with effects on a country’s economic growth. Foreign direct investments have diversified indirect and positive effects on economic growth. Imports and exports have also been associated with economic development and the factors have beet correlated with foreign direct investment flows (OECD, 2002). This paper investigate relationships between gross domestic product and employment rate, as an indicator of human capital, foreign direct investments, import, and export. The following hypothesis is tested. A survey design is used in the study with reliance on secondary data. The Central Intelligence Agency library is used as the source of data. Stratified random sampling is used to select countries, the research participants, and respective data identified. Four countries are selected from Europe, Africa, America, and Asia. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis are used to analyze the data. Each of the variables has high standard deviations and this suggest possible variations across other

Unit 41, unit 38 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Unit 41, unit 38 - Coursework Example Partnership is a type of business entity which is owned and run by two or more individuals, with their personal skills, resources, and money. Also, they share the profit and loss in accordance with stated terms of the partnership agreement. It has limited liability, therefore means if the accompany is in debt or obligation, the shareholders will not be liable for any debts of the company, other than for the value of their investment in that company. A Private Limited Company, also known as the LTD is a type of business entity which offers limited liability for its shareholders. Therefore if the company is in debt, it will only cost it’s investment to pay off the debt and the shareholders will not be liable for any obligation. A Public Limited Company, also known as the PLC is a type of business entity which offers their stock to be able to buy and sell by anyone on a stock exchange. It has unlimited liability, therefore means if the company is in debt or obligation, the shareholders will be liable for the debt and it will extend beyond the investment of the business’s owner to their personal asset. Apple Inc. is an American multinational cooperation that designs, develop, and sells consumers electronics. It belongs to the public sector and is driven by profit from the electronic items that they sell to the public. Apple also consists of a large number of shareholders worldwide, who invest a large amount of money from which they expect a profit. The main attraction to Apple and the way it leads to its success is that they are able to allocate the trend of people’s needs in this modern world, and being able to refurbish existing items such as an ordinary mobile phone into a brand new smart phone with niche function (IPhone). Throughout their development on their products, they have successfully created a niche market of their own and outrun their

Annotated Bibliography-Terence Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Annotated Bibliography-Terence - Coursework Example It is work done by McMurtrey that was published at the University of Central Arkansas. The information contained suggests that there is a difference in the use of digital data between the older generation and the young generation. In fact, the gap is widening which is such a concern to many researchers. The article provides avenues for other studies as to establish as to what criteria can be used to make them adopt the technology. The review involved past studies that enabled comparison easier while the methodology was limited to surveys that were in line with other research. It is significant on how the number of the elderly individuals is increasing, and yet the manufacturers cannot take the upcoming opportunities. Osman, Z., Poulson, D., & Nicolle, C. (2005). Introducing computers and the internet to older users: Findings from the care OnLine project. Universal Access in the Information Society, 4(1), 16-23. doi:10.1007/s10209-005-0111-8 This is an article by Osman and the core. It provides various computers to selected households of the old generation and determines their experiences with the use of services on the internet and various websites. This coincided to the gaps existing on the usability of the computers by the old generation. The peer-reviewed paper nonetheless does not offer space for other studies and provides analysis based on the research findings. The literature review used case studies to provide an in-depth overview of the paper. Research methods used is interviews to determine their experiences with computers and were common to all the researchers. It is important on how persons are concerned with the elderly generation to become literate on computer usage. It is an article by Paurasama and Colby published at the research gate. The report shows how technology advancements can be used to spread the knowledge to

The Special Properties Of Concrete Construction Essay

The Special Properties Of Concrete Construction Essay Admixtures are used to give special properties to fresh or hardened concrete. Admixtures may enhance the durability, workability and characteristics of a given concrete mixture. Admixtures are used to overcome difficult construction situations, such as hot or cold weather placements, pumping requirements. The use of admixtures to increase the workability or to accelerate the hardening of the concrete will be permitted when approved by the Engineer. Admixture dosages shall result in the mixture meeting the specified plastic and hardened properties. The major reasons for using admixtures are 1. To reduce the cost of concrete construction. 2. To achieve certain properties in concrete more effectively than by other means. 3. To maintain the quality of concrete during the stages of mixing, transporting, placing, and curing in adverse weather conditions. 4. To overcome certain emergencies during concreting operations. CHAPTER 2 Set Retarding Admixtures Set retarding admixtures are water soluble chemicals that have little or no other effect than to delay the setting of the cement. They do not plasticize significantly and have little or no effect on the water demand or other properties of the concrete. Set retarding water-reducing admixtures not only delay the setting of the cement but are also efficient in plasticizing concrete or reducing its water demand. Most commercially available retarders are of this type. Retarding water-reducers and retarding high range water reducers are used to: Give workability retention to the concrete Delay the setting time of concrete Prevent the formation of cold joints Increase initial workability Increase ultimate strength Produce economies in mix designs Materials Used The main types of chemical used for retarding admixtures are: Sucrose and other polysaccharides Citric acid Tartaric acid Salts of boric acid Salts of phosphoric, poly-phosphoric and phosphonic acids. The main types of chemical used for retarding water reducing admixtures are: Hydroxy carboxylic acid salts Hydroxylated polymers Lignosulphonic acid salts These may be also be used in conjunction with sulphonated naphthalene/melamine-formaldehyde condensates or polycarboxylates to produce retarding high range water reducing admixtures. The retarder molecule chemically adsorbs onto the cement particle in a mechanism similar to that described for water reducers. The main difference is the strength of the chemical bond that is formed. This strongly links the retarder molecule onto the cement surface, blocking and slowing down the rate of initial water penetration into the cement. Retarder molecules also chelate calcium ions in solution, slowing the crystallization of portlandite. These two mechanisms slow the growth of hydration products, delaying the stiffening and setting of the cement but once initial hydration starts, the retarder molecules are swamped and normal hydration proceeds. Uses 5.1 Admixture Selection Where predictable set retardation is required, a retarding admixture is the best choice. Where set needs to be continually amended, a graph of dosage rate versus setting time can be determined for a given mix, at a given temperature. For phosphate based products, the retardation time graph may often be linear, and this is a major advantage for this type of retarder. Sucrose and other polysaccharides are more efficient, but a dosage versus setting time graph may often be exponential, making accurate prediction more difficult. These types are often blended with lignosulphonate to produce cost effective, retarding/water reducing admixtures. Hydroxy carboxylic acid salts will often reduce cohesion in the mix potentially enhancing bleed and segregation. Polysaccharides, especially if blended with a lignosulphonate, tend to stabilise some air and may enhance cohesion.The choice between the different types of retarding water reducing admixtures is often determined by other properties such as mix cohesion. Selection may therefore be based on the particular mix characteristics of the concrete. 5.2 Dosage Retarding admixtures based on phosphates and phosphonates are designed to have a linear effect of dosage upon setting time. The dosage rate used may be quite high, as they do not have any effect other than retardation. Depending on the molecule chosen, typical dosages are 0.1% to 3.0% by weight of cement to yield a delay of set of 1 hour to 35 hours. Retarding admixtures based on sucrose and other similar polysaccharides are very powerful, and their retarding effects are rarely linear so that small increases on the intended dosage can lead to large increases in retardation. They are very cost effective, but are more difficult to control than the higher dosage phosphate based types. Typical dosages are 0.1% to 1.5% by weight of cement to yield a delay of set of 3 hours to 50 hours. Retarding water reducing admixtures are very commonly used at a low dose, typically 0.2% by weight of cement, to reduce the water content of the concrete by 7 to 10% with only a small delay in setting. They can be used at higher dosages; typically 0.3 to 0.6% to reduce water content, but simultaneously to delay the setting time. Greater water reductions may be achieved by using retarding high range water reducers, generally at 0.5 to 1.5% dose, depending on the type. Retarders are quite sensitive to temperature. At low temperatures retardation will be further extended. At very high temperatures, the converse is true and it may be difficult to achieve the required workability retention and extension of stiffening time. 5.3 Cement type Retarding admixtures and water reducing retarding admixtures can be used with all types of Portland cement, including all those covered by EN197-1. However, it is very important to note that their effectiveness in terms of retardation of set is very dependent upon the type of cement. Cements such as CEM1 require the highest level of retarder to achieve a given level of retardation. However, as the proportion of slag or pulverised fuel ash, as used in CEM 2 and CEM3 types increases, then the level of retarder will decrease in order to achieve a given level of retardation. The chemistry of the cement is also important in determining the effect of retarders. Cements low in tricalcium aluminate (C3A) require significantly less retarder for a given degree of retardation than normal cements. 5.4 Yield Retarding admixtures do not have any significant effect upon the yield of concrete. Retarding water reducing admixtures, when used to reduce the water content of concrete, will reduce the yield in direct proportion to the water reduction made. This needs to be taken into account when modifying the mix design. 5.5 Overdosing The level of retardation achieved is related to the dosage used. Any overdose will result in an increase in setting time. Large overdoses of retarders can produce very long setting times and even small overdoses can have this effect if the initial dose is high. Provided the overdose is no more than double that which was intended, and the concrete is well cured to prevent it from desiccation, accidentally retarded concrete will normally set and recover strength within two to three days. Where a dosage range is given, the normal dose should be taken as the bottom of the range. Where very large, accidental overdoses occur or where large overdoses of a water reducing retarders have been used without a correspondingly large water reduction, the concrete may not recover its strength in a reasonable time. As a general rule, if concrete contains an overdose of a retarding admixture and has not set hard in 5 days, then it may not gain useful mechanical strength within a reasonable time. Effects upon properties of concrete 6.1 Strength As with water reducing admixtures, ultimate strength gain is increased with increasing water reduction Retardation of set allows the slower formation of a more ordered, smaller, denser cementitous matrix. This has the effect of increasing ultimate strength relative to an unretarded mix with the same water cement ratio. Acceleration of strength by heat produces the opposite effect, with the rapid formation of a coarse matrix. This explains why steam cured precast concrete rarely produces the same ultimate strength as concrete cured at normal temperatures and produced from the same concrete. 6.2 Workability Retarding admixtures do not have a significant effect upon initial workability. However, they generally have a beneficial effect upon workability retention, particularly at elevated temperature. Retarding water reducing admixtures, have a pronounced effect upon workability. Typically, an increase in slump of 60-100mm results from the addition of a dosage of 0.25% by weight cement. Set retarding high range water reducing/plasticizing admixtures may be used to enable workability to be increased to a greater extent, at a typical dosage level of 0.3 to 1.0%. 6.3 Slump loss Retarding admixtures are useful for helping to reduce slump loss, particularly at elevated temperature but it is still important to have a high initial workability. Retarding water reducing admixtures are very effective at reducing slump loss when used to increase the initial workability of the mix, but less so when used as a water reducer. Indeed, if water reduction is taken at the expense of high initial workability, initial slump loss may be slightly faster and will slow when about half the initial slump is reached. 6.4 Setting time The prime function of a retarder is to extend the setting (stiffening) time of concrete, usually in order to prevent the formation of cold joints between deliveries of concrete. Even if workability has fallen to almost zero slump, fresh concrete can be vibrated into, and will bond with, a preceding, older pour. In hot weather, even a small delay in deliveries or a short breakdown of the pump can result in the first concrete pours setting before subsequent pours can be placed and vibrated to form a monolithic joint. In deep pours, if concrete placed early starts to set, the heat generated can cause faster setting of concrete above it and again lead to cold joints. In this situation, retarder dosage can be progressively reduced as the pour proceeds. 6.5 Air entrainment Retarding admixtures do not normally entrain air, and some types, especially those based on hydroxycarboxylic acid, may actually reduce air content. This may cause these retarded mixes to feel harsher and have more tendency to bleed. Most types of retarder can be used effectively in combination with an air entraining agent. 6.6 Bleeding The total volume of bleed water arising from concrete is often related to its setting time because once setting starts, bleeding stops. Thus retarded concretes are always more prone to bleed. Any reduction in air tends to aggravate this potential problem. The plasticising component of a retarding water reducing admixture may help to offset this effect and some types are formulated to slightly air entrain in order to reduce bleed. 6.7 Heat of hydration Retarding admixtures do not reduce the heat output of concrete but do serve to delay the time of peak temperature rise by exactly the same time interval by which it was retarded. In small sections this may allow slightly more heat dissipation and so peak temperature may be a little lower. In thick sections there will be no reduction in peak temperature and there is evidence that the peak temperature may even be increased slightly. 6.8 Volume deformation Creep and drying shrinkage are not significantly affected by the inclusion of retarding admixtures. If the concrete is water reduced by the use of a retarding water reducing admixture, then drying shrinkage will be reduced. 6.9 Durability Provided that the concrete is correctly cured, then retarded concrete should be stronger and just as durable as equivalent plain concrete. However, because of the extended plastic stage, more attention needs to be paid to protecting the concrete before it sets. Retarded water reduced concrete will have a lower water content than the equivalent plain concrete, and will be correspondingly more durable. MECHENISM OF RETARDING ADMIXTURES Retarding admixture is an admixture that retards the setting of concrete. A retarding admixture causes cement set retardation by one or more offollowing mechanisms: (1) Adsorption of the retarding compound on the surface of cement particles, forming a protective skin which slows down hydration; (2) Adsorption of the retarding compound on to nuclei of calcium hydroxide, poisoning their growth, which is essential for continued hydration of cement after the end of induction period; (3) Formation of complexes with calcium ions in solution, increasing their solubility and discouraging the formation of the nuclei of calciumhydroxide . (4) Precipitation around cement particles of insoluble derivatives of the retarding compounds formed by reaction with the highly alkaline aqueous solution, forming a protective skin . Detailed Explanation According to the first mechanism, a retarding admixture is adsorbed on the surface of cement particles. This layer of retarding admixture around the cement particles acts as a diffusion barrier. Due to this diffusion barrier, it becomes difficult for the water molecules to reach the surface of the unhydrated cement grains and hence the hydration slows down, and the dormant period (period of relatively inactivity) is lengthened. Due to the slow hydration, no considerable amount of the hydration products giving rigidity to the cement paste will be formed and thus the paste remains plastic for a longer time. Later, when the admixture is removed from solution by reaction with C3A from cement or by some other way it is removed and incorporated into the hydrated material, further hydration is eliminated. On first contact of water with cement grains (C3S and C2S) calcium ions and hydroxyl ions are rapidly released from the surface of the cement grains. When concentration of these ions reach es a critical value (at which the solution becomes saturated), the hydration products calcium hydroxide and calcium silicate hydrate start to crystallize from the solution and then hydration proceeds rapidly. According to the second mechanism, a retarding admixture incorporated into cement paste is adsorbed on the calcium hydroxide nuclei and prevents its growth until some level of super saturation is reached during the induction period of hydration. Thus, retarder lengthens the induction period by causing an increase in the level of calcium hydroxide super saturation before crystallization begins. This is analogous to the poisoning of crystal growth of calcium hydroxide by the retarding admixture as both calcium and hydroxyl ions are present in the solution but unable to precipitate as a result of poisoning of the calcium hydroxide nuclei. According to the third mechanism, a retarding admixture incorporated into cement paste forms some kind of complexes with calcium ions released by the cement grains during the first few minutes. Formation of the complexes increase the solubility of cement, i.e., increased concentration of Ca2+, OH, Si, Al and Fe in the aqueous phase of the cement pastes will occur when hydrated in the presence of the retarding admixture. Thus the calcium ions and hydroxyl ions will accumulate in solution and will be unable to precipitate to form calcium hydroxide. For example, when ordinary Portland cement is hydrated in sucrose solution, lime is solubilised and a sucrose calcium complex (R -O à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ca+ -OH) is formed in which Ca+ -OH group is attached to the five membered ring (R) of the sucrose molecule. Such sucroseà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬calcium complex will be able to become absorbed on the growing calcium hydroxide nucleus. The adsorption of the complex on the calcium hydroxide nucleu s will inhibit its growth as the calcium and hydroxyl ions will not be able to precipitate. In this way, hydration is retarded. The fourth mechanism is similar to the first but here some kind of insoluble derivatives of retarder are formed by reaction with the highly alkaline solution as pH of the solution rises to over 12 within few minutes after first contact of water with cement. For example, inorganic salt admixtures (borates, phosphates, zinc and lead salts etc.) give insoluble hydroxides in alkaline solution. The cement hydration is suppressed through the precipitation of protective coatings of these insoluble derivatives around the cement grains.

Strategic Management Essay -- Business essays research papers

Strategic Management Introduction To deal effectively with the wide array of factors affecting the ability of a business to grow and prosper, managers need advanced processes they feel will facilitate the optimal positioning of the business in its competitive environment. Such positioning is possible with strategic management because this process improves preparedness for unexpected internal or competitive demands. Therefore, strategic management is an all-encompassing approach for formulating, implementing and evaluating managerial decisions in a way that permits the business to reach its objectives. For a strategic management plan to be successful, however, every manager should: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clearly see the need for change †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Be firmly committed to the idea of changing the business planning process †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Assure that the strategic management process has credibility with everyone involved †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Make sure that final plans are realistic and reflect actual resources and capabilities †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Train all participants in the procedures essential to the strategic management process †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Develop concise and well-organized plans One of the world’s best performing natural resources companies created a unique organizational structure that combines the advantages of small business units with â€Å"virtual structures† - groupings of these business units - that can address different strategic issues and competitive environments. Overview The formality of the strategic management process varies widely. Formality refers to the degree to which membership, responsibilities, authority and discretion in decision making are specified. It is an important consideration in the study and application of strategic management because the degree of formality is usually positively correlated with the cost, comprehensiveness, accuracy and success of planning. The requirements for small business indicate the need for a moderate degree of formality. This is consistent with the ability to communicate face-to-face (size) and the need for flexibility (changing demands). The important issue is involvement with the process, not generating reams of paperwork (Camerer, 195-219). Resistance to change should be reduced. Businesses vary in the processes they use to formulate and direct their strategic management activities. Many using sophisticated planning techniques have developed more detai... ...heir management of their organizations, due to their important role in the culture formation and preservation process. They need to be continually aware of the cultural values espoused through their behavior and actions. References Astley, W.G., and C.J. Fombrun, 1983, Collective Strategy:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Social Ecology of Organizational Environments. Academy of  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Management Review 8: pp. 576-587 Burgelman, R.A. 1996, A Process Model of Strategic Business  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exit: Implications for an Evolutionary Perspective on  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strategy. Strategic Management Journal 17: pp. 193-214 Camerer, Colin F. 1994, Does Strategy Research Need Game  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Theory? In Fundamental Issues in Strategy: A Research  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Agenda. Richard P. Rumelt, Dan E. Schendel, and David J.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teece (eds.). Pp. 195-219. Boston: Harvard Business  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  School Press Galbraith, Jay R. 1995, Designing Organizations: An Executive  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Briefing on Strategy, Structure and Process, San  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers pp. 12-15 Harrison, Jeffrey S., and Caron H. St. John, 1998, Strategic  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Management of Organizations and Stakeholders: Concepts.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2nd Edition. Cincinnati, OH: South-Western College  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Publishing, pp. 44-59

Fiji Red Cross Society Essay

Nearly 9,000 individuals have been forced from their homes by heavy rains and flooding in the western and central divisions of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu. According to weather officials, more major storms are set to impact the Pacific Islands. Five people have already lost their lives, with two additional unconfirmed fatalities, and thousands more have sought safety in more than 100 evacuation centres on Viti Levu. The Fiji Red Cross Society has played a vital role in planning for and meeting the humanitarian needs of many of those displaced during this emergency. â€Å"The Fiji Red Cross Society has taken a proactive role in monitoring this dangerous situation and providing the necessary assistance to affected populations,† says the society’s disaster coordinator Vuli Gauna. â€Å"Assessments are underway, and we’ve already sent our emergency response teams into impacted communities with essential relief supplies for families most affected by the floods. If more assistance is needed, we stand ready to help.† Emergency teams In the coming days, distributions of relief supplies will likely include clothing, cooking items, eating utensils, water collection containers, and tools for temporary shelter such as tarpaulins. The Fiji Red Cross Society has 19 pre-positioned containers ready for distributions of emergency items. â€Å"We work as an important part of a mandated coordinated disaster response network in Fiji,† says Fiji Red Cross Society director general Alison Cupit. â€Å"We are based in communities throughout the islands and our volunteers work with the government and other partners on both preparedness and response to significant disasters. This collaboration is an essential component of our ability to serve those who need our help.† In a demonstration of their focus on preparedness, Fiji Red Cross Society volunteers began encouraging families to heed evacuation warnings as early as 8 January, two days before the flooding began, and disaster relief experts have been supporting emergency response activities for the past five days. Relief programme Fiji Red Cross emergency response teams are conducting damage assessments which will inform specific elements of their ongoing relief programme. The society’s branch office in Ba has been serving as a temporary evacuation centre and Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers have provided support to families forced them to leave their homes in other communities as well. Warning Fiji residents about the impact of additional storms, Gauna stresses: â€Å"We have seen this past weekend what bad flooding can do, so let’s learn from this and prepare ourselves for what’s coming. Prepare for yourself an emergency pack that contains canned food, dry clothes, warm blankets, a first aid kit, and water to last you two days. These things can save your life. 0 0 0 6A Fiji Red Cross four wheel drive ambulance makes its way along muddy roads to the village of Wainibuka. (p18856) (Fiji Red Cross Society) Jason Smith, IFRC, Asia Pacific zone Nearly 9,000 individuals have been forced from their homes by heavy rains and flooding in the western and central divisions of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu. According to weather officials, more major storms are set to impact the Pacific Islands. Five people have already lost their lives, with two additional unconfirmed fatalities, and thousands more have sought safety in more than 100 evacuation centres on Viti Levu. The Fiji Red Cross Society has played a vital role in planning for and meeting the humanitarian needs of many of those displaced during this emergency. â€Å"The Fiji Red Cross Society has taken a proactive role in monitoring this dangerous situation and providing the necessary assistance to affected populations,† says the society’s disaster coordinator Vuli Gauna. â€Å"Assessments are underway, and we’ve already sent our emergency response teams into impacted communities with essential relief supplies for families most affected by the floods. If more assistance is needed, we stand ready to help.† Emergency teams In the coming days, distributions of relief supplies will likely include clothing, cooking items, eating utensils, water collection containers, and tools for temporary shelter such as tarpaulins etc.The Fiji Red Cross Society has 19 pre-positioned containers ready for distributions of emergency items. â€Å"We work as an important part of a mandated coordinated disaster response network in Fiji,† says Fiji Red Cross Society director general Alison Cupit. â€Å"We are based in communities throughout the islands and our volunteers work with the government and other partners on both preparedness and response to significant disasters. This collaboration is an essential component of our ability to serve those who need our help.† Especially the families in the western division of Fiji â€Å"Viti Levu†. women’s crisis centre society. Our next subject or topic we’ll be talkin about is on â€Å"womens crisis centre†. womens crisis centre is a society which is there to help you womens only with anything that makes you feel offended or makes you feel that it is a crisis.Even if it is a lilttle thing? and it makes you feel offended they will try their best to make you feel safe,secured and supported . what makes you feel unsafe in this world? what makes you scared and unsecured? is it the looks of men? sound of their voice? movement of their body? the way they touch you? even if it is a small thing and it makes you feel unsafe â€Å"Fiji’s Women’s Crisis Centre† fiji red cross society Beauty queen of only eighteen She had some trouble with herself He was always there to help her She always belonged to someone else I drove for miles and miles And wound up at your door I’ve had you so many times but somehow I want more I don’t mind spending everyday Out on your corner in the pouring rain Look for the girl with the broken smile Ask her if she wants to stay awhile And she will be loved She will be loved Tap on my window knock on my door I want to make you feel beautiful I know I tend to get so insecure It doesn’t matter anymore It’s not always rainbows and butterflies It’s compromise that moves us along, yeah My heart is full and my door’s always open You can come anytime you want I don’t mind spending everyday Out on your corner in the pouring rain Look for the girl with the broken smile Ask her if she wants to stay awhile And she will be loved And she will be loved And she will be loved And she will be loved I know where you hide Alone in your car Know all of the things that make you who you are I know that goodbye means nothing at all Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls Tap on my window knock on my door I want to make you feel beautiful I don’t mind spending everyday Out on your corner in the pouring rain Look for the girl with the broken smile Ask her if she wants to stay awhile And she will be loved And she will be loved And she will be loved And she will be loved [in the background] Please don’t try so hard to say goodbye Please don’t try so hard to say goodbye Yeah [softly] I don’t mind spending everyday Out on your corner in the pouring rain Try so hard to say goodbyeTop of Form Bottom of Form ————————————————- Top of Form Enter artist/album/so Shorty get down, good Lord Baby got them open up all over town Strictly biz she don’t play around Cover much ground, got game by the pound Getting paid is a forte Each and every day true player way I can’t get her outta my mind I think about the girl all the time I like the way you work it No diggity, I got to bag it up Baby I like the way you work it, No diggity, I got to bag it up Baby, I like the way you work it No diggity, I got to bag it up Baby I like the way you work it No diggity, I got to bag it up I like the way you work it No diggity, I got to bag it up Babe I like the way you work it No diggity, I got to bag it up My Worst Nightmare By Dream Healer Weeouw alk again, how to cope with day-to-day life while carrying around a gaping hole and the ridiculously heavy weight of a broken heart. Never had my faith brought up so many questions, yet at the same time become all I had. Learning to walk again seemed an impossible task. What do you do when the bottom falls out of your life? When you’re left alone and your heart has been smashed to pieces? â€Å"Guard your heart† we’re warned for good reason – when your heart is in complete brokenness, life is beyond difficult. But this wasn’t anything I could have guarded against. My husband, my best friend, gone. Everything changed for the worse. I wanted to run away but I had nowhere to run to where my grief would not follow. I didn’t believe I could ever feel any better. I knew hope that I would one day be in heaven, but had little hope of any day until then being any easier than the complete desperation I knew. God’s promise to be â€Å"close to the broken-hearted’ got me through the day, but His promise to â€Å"heal the broken-hearted† was something I’d have to wait for heaven for – wasn’t it? Every morning I’d wake again to the reality that he wasn’t there. It wasn’t just a bad dream. â€Å"God, you’re going to have to help me through today,† I’d whisper through the tears. Every night when I fell into bed at a ridiculous hour, I would soak my pillow with more tears. The day may have been agony, but God had been there. â€Å"You don’t deserve this,† said a friend. The words hit me. Just as I hadn’t done anything to deserve the beauty of my relationship with Ems, neither was this about what I did or didn’t deserve. From the start I knew that, horrendous as it was, this must be about something much bigger than us. Asking â€Å"why?† was a futile waste of energy but knowing that there was an answer, even if I didn’t know it, gave me peace and purpose. The strength that would be mine as time went on wasn’t through any training of my own but through the tear-stained surrender each morning. Living one day at a time, I would slowly see glimmers of purpose as God allowed my brokenness to reach out to others. Though a world away from life before, once that purpose became more important than my comfort, I would learn to live again. Not even the grave could conquer my experience of knowing what it is to love and be loved. And now I know that, like in the back of that campervan on that beautiful day, my eyes can again well up with the anticipation of a brighter day and the adventure ahead. Watch this video of Ruthie sharing her story at our event at Momentum 2012: We found God in a hopeless place. In April this year I moved from London to Cornwall which has been a dream of mine for years. I can’t emphasise enough how huge this was for me. I was happier than I ever thought possible. I kept pinching myself because I couldn’t believe it had happened. I had handed in my notice at work and was longing for the day when I didn’t have to manage stressful IT projects which I was finding more and more soul destroying. Finally I was to have the life of my dreams, living in Cornwall with a fulfilling job and a little dog to take for walks on the beach – bliss. I had to move with my 81 year old Dad as I had been living with him for 5 years since Mum died, but he was all for it, looking forward to seeing out his life by the sea and the house we bought had a lovely sea view. My only child, my son Toby who was 23 had been living with us for the past year, and we gave him the option to come with us but all his friends were in Cambridge where he had attended University so he went to lodge with a friend and I said I would pay his rent for 6 months until he found a job and could stand on his own two feet. I felt this was a chance for him to finally be independent and make a life of his own. But then it all came crashing down and I still can’t quite take it in. On Sunday July 10th a young policeman knocked on my door at precisely 10 p.m. I know the time as a movie ‘Marley and Me’ had just finished and I was watching the highlights of the British Grand Prix. It was just like a scene from a TV programme where they tell you to sit down and in that moment you know your life will never be the same again. He told me that my beautiful 23 year old son was dead, and in the next sentence he added that he had taken his own life. I didn’t fall to the floor in hysterics as I would have thought. I just immediately went into shock and had to go and tell my Dad upstairs who thought I was so upset because of the end of Marley and Me, where the dog dies. I was pacing up and down muttering and putting the kettle on just in shock. But not once did I scream or cry or break down and I kept commenting on the fact. I kept asking this young policeman why I wasn’t on the floor sobbing. The next 3 weeks I just got on with seeing my son’s body, meeting his friends, arranging his funeral, having an endoscopy, going to the dentist, having the chimney swept, driving from Cornwall to Cambridge and back again twice. How did I do that?. I bought a puppy as I was so scared that if I didn’t have anything to live for when I got back that I would just walk out into the sea and end it all. It is the ultimate irony that suicide can cause suicidal thoughts for the loved ones left behind, where there never had been any before. Then on August 2nd I took my Dad for a routine check up and was told in the hospital waiting room that he had a tumour in his bladder and that it was cancerous. This can’t be happening I thought but it was. So now it is December 7th and Dad is gone too and I am all alone. Dad died on November 19th, I had to go to my son’s inquest on November 25th and hear how he had been found in a field with a bag over his head, then arrange my Dad’s funeral. So that is all behind me but what does it mean for me now. How do I process all this and get on with my life. Some days it is all just too huge and I feel scared. Other days I just get up, take the dog out, have lunch and go about my day and feel numb, devoid of any emotion. I am scared that if I let the emotion in it will devour me and there will be nothing left. Everyone keeps telling me how brave I am, how amazing I am, how strong I am? Am I? I just think I get up every day and breath in and out until it is time to go to bed. What other option do I have? So this blog will chart my journey into the unknown. How does a 55 year old woman, alone with no parents, no children, no partner rebuild her life and find meaning and purpose out of loss and tragedy. Watch this space.

Abortion as a social problem essays

Abortion as a social problem essays Abortion as a Social Problem Induced abortions have been a topic of dispute for hundreds of years. People disagree on two basic questions. The first question is whether the law should permit a women to have an abortion and, if so under what circumstances. The other is whether the law should protect the unborn child. Those who wish to legally limit or forbid abort ions describe their position as a right-to-life or pro-life. Those who believe a women should have the right to an abortion refer to themselves as pro-choice. An abortion is the ending of a pregnancy before birth. In the earlier stages of pregnancy, the fertilized egg that grows and develops is called an embryo. After three months of development, the embryo is now considered a fetus. What an abortion will do is cause either the fetus or embryo to die. Abortions can occur in two forms: Either a spontaneous abortion may take place, which is also known as a miscarriage. Miscarriages may result from natural causes as an abnormality in the embryo, a hormonal imbalance, a long-term disease, or some other disorder in the women. The other form is an induced abortion, which is where the fetus is purposely removed from the womens body. Physicians perform abortions several different ways. During the first trimester of pregnancy, the most common method is suction curettage, also known as vacuum aspiration. This method involves removing the fetus by suction, then scraping the womens uterus with surgical instruments. An abortion can also be caused in the first trimester by a drug called mifepristone or RU-486. The method of this drug is to block the action of the hormone progesterone in the womens body, which normally is the hormone that prepares the womens uterus to receive and nourish the embryo needs. In the second trimester, many physicians use a method called dilation and evacuation. In this method, the fetu...

Wars in the Former Yugoslavia

Wars in the Former Yugoslavia In the early 1990s, the Balkan country of Yugoslavia fell apart in a series of wars which saw ethnic cleansing and genocide return to Europe. The driving force was not age-old ethnic tensions (as the Serb side liked to proclaim), but distinctly modern nationalism, fanned by the media and driven by politicians. As Yugoslavia collapsed, majority ethnicities pushed for independence. These nationalist governments ignored their minorities or actively persecuted them, forcing them out of jobs. As propaganda made these minorities paranoid, they  armed themselves and smaller actions degenerated into a bloody set of wars. While the situation was rarely as clear as Serb versus Croat versus Muslim, many small civil wars erupted over decades of rivalry and those key patterns existed. Context: Yugoslavia and the Fall of Communism The Balkans had been the site of conflict between the Austrian and Ottoman Empires for centuries before both collapsed during World War I. The peace conference which redrew the maps of Europe created the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes out of territory in the area, pushing together groups of people who soon quarreled about how they wished to be governed. A strictly centralized state formed, but opposition continued, and in 1929 the king dismissed representative government- after the Croat leader was shot while at parliament- and began to rule as a monarchical dictator. The kingdom was renamed Yugoslavia, and the new government purposefully ignored the existing and traditional regions and peoples. In 1941, as World War II spread over the continent, Axis soldiers invaded. During the course of the war in Yugoslavia- which had turned from a war against the Nazis and their allies to a messy civil war complete with ethnic cleansing- communist partisans rose to prominence. When liberation was achieved it was the communists who took power under their leader, Josip Tito. The old kingdom was now replaced by a federation of supposedly six equal republics, which included Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia, and two autonomous regions, including Kosovo. Tito kept this nation together partly by sheer force of will and a communist party which cut across ethnic boundaries, and, as the USSR broke with Yugoslavia, the latter took its own path. As Tito’s rule continued, ever more power filtered down, leaving just the Communist Party, the army, and Tito to hold it together. However, after Tito died, the different wishes of the six republics began to pull Yugoslavia apart, a situation exacerbated by the collapse of the USSR in the late 1980s, leaving just a Serb-dominated army. Without their old leader, and with the new possibilities of free elections and self-representation, Yugoslavia divided. The Rise of Serbian Nationalism Arguments began over centralism with a strong central government, versus federalism with the six republics having greater powers. Nationalism emerged, with people pushing for splitting Yugoslavia up or forcing it together under Serb domination. In 1986, the Serbian Academy of Sciences issued a Memorandum which became a focal point for Serb nationalism by reviving ideas of a Greater Serbia. The Memorandum claimed Tito, a Croat/Slovene, had deliberately tried to weaken Serb areas, which some people believed, as it explained why they were doing relatively poorly economically compared to the northern regions of Slovenia and Croatia. The Memorandum also claimed Kosovo had to remain Serbian, despite a 90 percent Albanian population, because of the importance to Serbia of a 14th century battle in that region. It was a conspiracy theory that twisted history, given weight by respected authors, and a Serb media which claimed Albanians were trying to rape and kill their way to genocide. They we ren’t. Tensions between Albanians and local Serbs exploded and the region began to fragment. In 1987, Slobodan Milosevic was a low-key but powerful bureaucrat who, thanks to the major support of Ivan Stambolic (who had risen to be Serbia’s Prime Minister) was able to leverage his position into an almost Stalin-like seizure of power in the Serb Communist Party by filling job after job with his own supporters. Until 1987 Milosevic was often portrayed as a dim-witted Stambolic lackey, but that year he was in the right place at the right time in Kosovo to make a televised speech in which he effectively seized control of the Serbian nationalism movement and then consolidated his part by seizing control of the Serbian communist party in a battle waged in the media. Having won and purged the party, Milosevic turned the Serb media into a propaganda machine which brainwashed many into paranoid nationalism. Milosevic than gained Serb ascendance over Kosovo, Montenegro, and Vojvodina, securing nationalist Serb power in four of the region’s units; the Yugoslav government c ould not resist. Slovenia now feared a Greater Serbia and set themselves up as the opposition, so the Serb media turned its attack onto Slovenes. Milosevic then started a boycott of Slovenia. With one eye on Milosevic’s human rights abuses in Kosovo, the Slovenes began to believe the future was out of Yugoslavia and away from Milosevic. In 1990, with Communism collapsing in Russia and across Eastern Europe, the Yugoslavia Communist Congress fragmented along nationalist lines, with Croatia and Slovenia quitting and holding multi-party elections in response to Milosevic trying to use it to centralize Yugoslav’s remaining power in Serb hands. Milosevic was then elected President of Serbia, thanks in part to removing $1.8 billion from the federal bank to use as subsidies. Milosevic now appealed to all Serbs, whether they were in Serbia or not, supported by a new Serb constitution which claimed to represent Serbs in other Yugoslav nations. The Wars for Slovenia and Croatia With the collapse of the communist dictatorships in the late 1980s, the Slovenian and Croatian regions of Yugoslavia held free, multi-party elections. The victor in Croatia was the Croatian Democratic Union, a right-wing party. The fears of the Serb minority were fuelled by claims from within the remainder of Yugoslavia that the CDU planned a return to the anti-Serb hatred of World War II. As the CDU had taken power partly as a nationalistic response to Serbian propaganda and actions, they were easily cast as the Ustasha reborn, especially as they began to force Serbs out of jobs and positions of power. The Serb-dominated region of Knin- vital for the much needed Croatian tourism industry- then declared itself a sovereign nation, and a spiral of terrorism and violence began between Croatian Serbs and Croats. Just as the Croats were accused of being Ustaha, so the Serbs were accused of being Chetniks. Slovenia held a plebiscite for independence, which passed due to large fears over Serb domination and Milosevics actions in Kosovo, and both Slovenia and Croatia began arming local military and paramilitaries. Slovenia declared independence on June 25, 1991, and the JNA (Yugoslavia’s Army, under Serbian control, but concerned whether their pay and benefits would survive the division into smaller states) was ordered in to hold Yugoslavia together. Slovenia’s independence was aimed more at breaking from Milosevic’s Greater Serbia than from the Yugoslav ideal, but once the JNA went in, full independence was the only option. Slovenia had prepared for a short conflict, managing to keep some of their weapons when the JNA had disarmed Slovenia and Croatia,  and hoped that the JNA would soon get distracted by wars elsewhere. In the end, the JNA was defeated in 10 days, partly because there were few Serbs in the region for it to stay and fight to protect. When Croatia also declared independence on June 25, 1991, following a Serb seizure of Yugoslavia’s presidency, clashes between Serbs and Croatians increased. Milosevic and the JNA used this as a reason to invade Croatia to try to protect the Serbs. This action was encouraged by the U.S. Secretary of State who told Milosevic that the U.S. would not recognize Slovenia and Croatia, giving the Serb leader the impression he had a free hand. A short war followed, where around a third of Croatia was occupied. The UN then acted, offering foreign troops to try and halt the warfare (in the form of UNPROFOR) and bring peace and demilitarization to the disputed areas. This was accepted by the Serbs because they’d already conquered what they wanted and forced other ethnicities out, and they wanted to use the peace to focus on other areas. The international community recognized Croatian independence in 1992, but areas remained occupied by the Serbs and protected by the UN. Before these could be reclaimed, the conflict in Yugoslavia spread because both Serbia and Croatia wanted to break up Bosnia between them. In 1995 Croatia’s government won back control of western Slavonia and central Croatia from the Serbs in Operation Storm, thanks in part to U.S. training and U.S. mercenaries; there was counter ethnic cleansing, and the Serb population fled. In 1996 pressure on Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic forced him to surrender eastern Slavonia and pull out his troops, and Croatia finally won back this region in 1998. UN Peacekeepers only left in 2002. The War for Bosnia After WWII, the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina became part of Yugoslavia, populated by a mixture of Serbs, Croats, and Muslims, the latter being recognized in 1971 as a class of ethnic identity. When a census was taken in the aftermath of the collapse of Communism, Muslims comprised 44 percent of the population, with 32 percent Serbs and fewer Croats. The free elections held then produced political parties with corresponding sizes, and a three-way coalition of nationalist parties. However, the Bosnian Serb party- pushed by Milosevic- agitated for more. In 1991 they declared the Serb Autonomous Regions and a national assembly for Bosnian Serbs only, with supplies coming from Serbia and the former Yugoslavian military. The Bosnian Croats responded by declaring their own power blocs. When Croatia was recognized by the international community as independent, Bosnia held its own referendum. Despite Bosnian-Serbian disruptions, a massive majority voted for independence, declared on March 3, 1992. This left a large Serb minority which, fuelled by Milosevic’s propaganda, felt threatened and ignored and wanted to join with Serbia. They had been armed by Milosevic, and would not go quietly. Initiatives by foreign diplomats to peacefully break Bosnia into three areas, defined by the ethnicity of the locals, failed as fighting broke out. War spread throughout Bosnia as Bosnian Serb paramilitaries attacked Muslim towns and executed people en masse to force the populations out, to try and create a united land filled with Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs were led by Radovan Karadzic, but criminals soon formed gangs and took their own bloody routes. The term ethnic cleansing was used to describe their actions. Those who weren’t killed or had not fled were put into detention camps and mistreated further. Shortly after, two-thirds of Bosnia came under the control of forces commanded from Serbia. After setbacks- an international arms embargo which favored the Serbs, a conflict with Croatia which saw them ethnically cleanse too (such as at Ahmici)- the Croats and Muslims agreed  to a federation. They fought the Serbs to a standstill and then took back their  land. During this period, the U.N. refused to play any direct role despite evidence of genocide, preferring to provide humanitarian aid (which undoubtedly saved lives, but did not tackle the cause of the problem), a no-fly  zone, sponsoring safe areas, and promoting discussions such as the Vance-Owen Peace Plan. The latter has been much criticized as pro-Serb  but did involve them handing some conquered land back. It was scuppered by the international community. However, in 1995 NATO attacked Serbian forces after they ignored the U.N. This was thanks in no small part to one man, General Leighton W. Smith Jr., who was in charge in the area, although their effectiveness is debated. Peace talks- previously rejected by the Serbs but now accepted by a Milosevic who was turning against the Bosnian Serbs and their exposed weaknesses- produced the Dayton Agreement after the place of its negotiation in Ohio. This produced The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina between Croats and Muslims, with 51 percent of the land, and a Bosnian Serb republic with 49 percent of the land. A 60,000 man international peacekeeping force was sent in (IFOR). No one was happy: no Greater Serbia, no Greater Croatia, and a devastated Bosnia-Hercegovina moving towards partition, with huge areas politically dominated by Croatia and Serbia. There had been millions of refugees, perhaps half of the Bosnian population. In Bosnia, elections in 1996 elected another triple government. The War for Kosovo By the end of the 1980s, Kosovo was a supposedly autonomous area within Serbia, with a 90 percent Albanian population. Because of the region’s religion and history- Kosovo was the location of a battle key in Serbian folklore and of some importance to Serbia’s actual history- many nationalist Serbs began to demand, not just control of the region but a resettlement program to oust the Albanians permanently. Slobodan Milosevic canceled Kosovar autonomy in 1988–1989, and Albanians retaliated with strikes and protests. A leadership emerged in the intellectual Democratic League of Kosovo, which aimed at pushing as far as they could towards independence without getting into a war with Serbia. A referendum called for independence, and newly autonomous structures were created within Kosovo itself. Given that Kosovo was poor and unarmed, this stance proved popular, and amazingly the region passed through the bitter Balkan wars of the early 1990s mostly unscathed. With ‘peace’, Kosovo was ignored by the negotiators and found itself still in Serbia. For many, the way the region had been sidelined and lumped into Serbia by the West suggested that peaceful protest wasn’t enough. A militant arm, which had emerged in 1993 and produced the Kosovan Liberation Army (KLA), now grew stronger and was bankrolled by those Kosovars who worked abroad and could provide foreign capital. The KLA committed their first major actions in 1996, and a cycle of terrorism and counter-attack flared up between Kosovars and Serbs. As the situation worsened and Serbia refused diplomatic initiatives from the West, NATO decided it could intervene, especially after Serbs massacred 45 Albanian villagers in a highly publicized incident. A last-ditch attempt at finding peace diplomatically- which has also been accused of simply being a Western sideshow to establish clear good and bad sides- led the Kosovar contingent to accept terms but the Serbs to reject it, thus allowing the West to portray the Serbs as at fault. There thus began on March 24 a very new type of war, one which lasted until June 10 but which was conducted entirely from the NATO end by airpower. Eight hundred thousand people fled their homes, and NATO failed to work with the KLA to coordinate things on the ground. This air war progressed ineffectually for NATO until they finally accepted that they would need ground troops, and went about getting them ready- and until Russia agreed to force Serbia to concede. Quite which one of these was the most important is still up for debate. Serbia was to pull all its troops and police (who were largely Serb) out of Kosovo, and the KLA was to disarm. A force of peacekeepers dubbed KFOR would police the region, which was to have full autonomy inside Serbia. The Myths of Bosnia There is a myth, widely spread during the wars of the former Yugoslavia and still around now, that Bosnia was a modern creation with no history, and that fighting for it was wrong (in as much as the western and international powers did fight for it). Bosnia was a medieval kingdom under a monarchy founded in the 13th century. It survived until the Ottomans conquered it in the 15th century. Its boundaries remained among the most consistent of the Yugoslavian states as administrative regions of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. Bosnia did have a history, but what it lacked was an ethnic or religious majority. Instead, it was a multi-cultural and relatively peaceful state. Bosnia was not torn apart by millennia-old religious or ethnic conflict, but by politics and modern tensions. Western bodies believed the myths (many spread by Serbia) and abandoned many in Bosnia to their fate. Western Lack of Intervention The wars in the former Yugoslavia could have proved even more embarrassing for  NATO, the UN, and the leading western nations like the U.K., U.S., and France, had the media chosen to report it as such. Atrocities were reported in 1992, but peacekeeping forces- which were undersupplied and given no powers- as well as a no-fly zone and an arms embargo which favored the Serbs, did little to stop the war or the genocide. In one dark incident, 7,000 males were killed in Srebrenica as UN Peacekeepers looked on unable to act. Western views on the wars were too often based on misreadings of ethnic tensions and Serbian propaganda. Conclusion The wars in the former Yugoslavia appear to be over for now. Nobody won, as the result was a redrawing of the ethnic map through fear and violence. All peoples- Croat, Muslim, Serb and others- saw centuries-old communities permanently erased through murder and the threat of murder, leading to states which were more ethnically homogenous but tainted by guilt. This may have pleased top players like Croat leader Tudjman, but it destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives. All 161 people charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia for  war crimes  have now been arrested.

Labor Theory of Value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Labor Theory of Value - Essay Example ffort to transform the product from start to completion. Ricardo here was very concerned about the possible difference between the natural price of labor and the market price of labor. He believed that in a market economy, even if natural price, for example, exceeds the market price, then the equilibrium will move due to the change in demand and supply market forces and therefore the natural and market price will be equal eventually. Ricardo believed that this theory is a correction of the mistakes done by Adam Smith while determining the value of products. Adam Smith believed that the value of a commodity is determined by the total of the essential and necessary payments to labor, capital and land. Smith had the idea that it was necessary to take all of the factors into account and only then will the total costs per unit can be calculated which will determine the value of the product. Contrary to Adam Smith’s theory, Ricardo believed that the indirect costs of labor should al so be accounted in the determination process of value. By indirect costs, Ricardo meant that even the labor costs of production or extraction of raw materials and machinery should be accounted for in this process. Similarly, even the labor costs of development of land to make it suitable for use should be considered if the true value of a product is to be determined. David Ricardo believed that labor is the sole source of value addition to a product or service, and therefore all other factors and costs are either not necessary to add or are themselves dependent upon the value of the product to be calculated. His emphasis on the labor to be the sole and prominent input can also be realized on the fact that his theory of competitive advantage is based on the assumption that only labor exists as the factor of production. Since the proposal of this theory from David Ricardo, several economists have passed on their opinions over the credibility of the labor theory of value. Some economis ts have proposed slight adjustments to this theory by adding up some new elements in the determination of the true value which were ignored by Ricardo, but they have regarded this theory as a decent theory. On the other hand, several economists have heavily criticized the labor value of theory believing that the theory fails to address the issues of the contemporary world and hence it is in no way a practical theory. Limitations Some economists have argued that only the involvement of labor costs as the determinant of value of products and services is not good enough and that several dynamic aspects have been ignored. The first argument presented by the economists and critics is that some production methods are capital intensive and therefore a majority of costs and value is added by the work done by the machinery. These costs cannot be left out and therefore this proves to be ignorance on part of Ricardo. Even if the labor costs of manufacturing that machinery are taken into accoun t, even then the value of the firm can

Ethical Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Ethical Dilemma - Essay Example The involved people encompassed the child’s parents and my peer medical staffs though the latter did not have the power to overrule the creed’s based decision (Guichon & Mitchell, 2009). This is regardless of the parents faced with the bitterness of losing their child, which touched and left me helpless besides not knowing how to convince them. Since, on every moment I tried to, they challenged me with Biblical scriptures, for instance, Lev.7:10-14 (Guichon & Mitchell, 2009). Besides, I could not involve many people to convince them especially the ethicists’ because of HIPPA’s statutes that compel me to observe patients’ confidentiality (ANA, 2013). Canada overruled A.C’s case to have a blood transfusion, which was contrary to Jehovah Witness’ statutes (Bricker, 2008). The court argued that the patient was a minor whereby the state via its medical personnel has an obligation of acting in the best interests of the minor (Bricker, 2008). Joshua declined receiving blood after undergoing an awful accident whereby he eventually died of excessive bleeding (McAuley, 2010). The teenage issued this informed directive based on Jehovah Witness’ statutes, which prohibit its followers from receiving a blood transfusion (Bock, 2012). The outcome of this dilemma culminated to the minor’s death due to the parents’ stubbornness. This was a negative outcome, which prompted parents after the child’s death experiencing depression coupled with guilty. Since, they chose to observe their religious statutes that could not help their ailing child who was experiencing severe pain. However, after loosing the child, regret was well evident in their faces though they could not express it verbally. Since, this will contradict what they strongly claim to believe. Mainly, these would challenge some of the creed’s beliefs