Prevention of Financial Frauds Research Proposal

Prevention of Financial Frauds - Research Proposal Example Various strategic practice models for financial fraud prevention have been proposed in the recent years and some of them are discussed in this proposal. 1. Introduction: Financial frauds are widely perceived to be various deliberately made criminal acts seriously violating the civil law while based on financial transactions and meant to attain myriad personal benefits. For the past many years, research reports have been illuminating that the need to combat financial frauds has become increasingly important and inevitable concerning its widespread proliferation and the immense threat it poses to the older citizens especially, though this criminal issue largely involves people of all ages as well. From frauds planned on a large-scale and committed to weaken the roots of the national economy to small-scale financial frauds like fake lotteries and work at home plots, this criminal issue has largely succeeded in building many holes in the net of financial security which was once strong an d meant to preserve the public protective. 2. Research review: A layered security approach and effective tools are required to handle this dramatic emergency of felonious financial frauds and by controlling who first receives sensitive documents like bank statements, small organizations can prevent financial fraud occurrence (CBIA News, 2007). Expert policy-makers and researchers at (Research Centre on the Prevention of Financial Fraud, 2009) proposed a three-fold strategy to prevent the financial fraud proliferation around the globe. Consolidating information in an attempt to compile the fraud research for providing a disciplinary support to the policy-makers can help in preventing huge losses based on billions of dollars and occurring every year as a result of financial frauds. Secondly, effective anti-fraud messaging delivered via electronic medium can help in connecting research to policy. Funding is also important to protect the fraud victims and finance research for financial fraud prevention. People in many cases remain unaware that they have become the victims of financial frauds because such frauds are often operated on the legal fringes by skillful scammers or business professionals (Button, Lewis, & Tapley, 2009). According to the research report published by (Bank Negara Malaysia, 2010), most of the financial frauds mimic legitimate courses so that the victims remain satisfied and do not think about pointing out at the fraudsters who are white-collar criminals. â€Å"An unscrupulous investment broker may present clients with an opportunity to purchase shares in precious metal repositories, for example. His status as a professional investor gives him credibility.† (Bank Negara Malaysia, 2010). Tracking such quack business professionals who have a tendency to rob the innocent citizens by presenting fake investment opportunities to them with the help of ontology technology can also help in preventing and detecting financial frauds. â€Å"A fra ud forensic ontology is being developed from laws, regulations, and cases about illegal solicitation of financial products on the web.†Ã‚  

A Personal Experiment in Renunciation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Personal Experiment in Renunciation - Essay Example I substituted with a plant-based diet inspired by Asian cuisine that is based on eastern traditions. Eastern traditions hold that food can be effectively used to attain balance and harmony within the body. On this day, I consume tofu laver soup and polenta. My craving for meet is quite evident. I struggle to refrain from eating meat and animal products which I am quite used to on the first day. I do not realise any significant change in my body save for the fact that I do not use a tooth pick to remove food particles stuck between my teeth. Day 2: July 24, 2014 - Instead of the usual tea, sausage, pizza and chicken, I consume spoon cabbage and tofu soup noodles on the second day of the experiment. Having ordered something that I have never ordered from a restaurant in the past, my friends are quite surprised and amused by my choice of food. I have to struggle with my self-centred ego as I try to convince my friends that I have not gone crazy. I almost swear that this is the last time I am eating out with my friends during the period of my experiment. chicken that is clearly delicious. I am concerned about their amusement and greatly tempted to give up. I am also greatly attracted to the meal that my family members are taking....its far more tasty than what I am going to eat. I realise that my concern for external things is still high. Day 4: July 26, 2014 - I am greatly tempted to give up the exercise. Luckily, a friend of mine on vegetarian diet encourages and convinces me to go on with the exercise. I feel like I am missing meat and may not be able to resist a bite if it is offered to me. I am getting used to the taste of the vegetarian diet gradually. I feel that my breath has gotten fresher and I am more self controlled at the end of the day as I care less about what others think of my choice to go vegetarian. Day 5: July 27, 2014 – On this day, quite surprisingly my two wisdom teeth that have been making me

Benefits of using Cost Volume Profit analysis

Benefits of using Cost Volume Profit analysis Cost Volume Profit Analysis Table of Contents Introduction CVP analysis and decision making Relationship between revenues, costs, profits and volume Fixed vs. variable costs Break even analysis: Margin of safety 1.Non- Linear CVP analysis: 2.Linear CVP analysis: Operating Leverage Income Tax benefits: Future forecasting Preparation of Budgets: Cost Control: Price Determination: Profit Planning: Risk Assessment: Decision Making: Conclusion References Describe the benefits of using cost volume profit analysis for management decision making Introduction Every organization needs to calculate future revenues in order to help the managers carry out their operations effectively. Cost volume is the approach used for this purpose. Cost Volume Profit analysis or CVP analysis helps in identifying the operating activity levels with a purpose to avoid any kind of losses and achieve profits. Moreover, it also helps the companies to plan their future operations and see whether their organizational performance is going on the right track or not (Lewis). While conducting a business, the companies also have to face various risks and in order to counter those risks, CVP analysis is an effective tool. The following project tends to analyze the fundamental concepts regarding cost volume profit analysis along with an illustration of how these concepts can be useful in carrying out organizational operations. CVP analysis and decision making Cost Volume Profit analysis helps organizations to examine their profits, costs and prices with respect to any changed that occur in sales volume. CVP is an effective tool that helps accountants to engage in decision making regarding future operations (Breakeven analysis (CVP analysis)). Moreover, it also helps in making the following decisions for the company: It helps to analyze which products and services are beneficial and how can company use these products and services to generate the maximum amount of revenue. It also explains what sales volume will be needed by the company in order to achieve a fixed level of profits Moreover, it tells how much revenue should the company target so as to make sure that no losses occur It also highlights what would be expected budget of the company It also helps to calculate company’s fixed costs and measure the amount of risk associated with any investment Relationship between revenues, costs, profits and volume CVP analysis helps to find out the relationship between the above mentioned elements in a graphical format. For example: if a company has contribution margin of 300, 400 and 500 units respectively on its income statements, then the CVP graph can be represented as follows: The contribution margin ratio used for this purpose can be calculated as follows: CM ratio = Total CM Total Sales This ratio can be used to calculate unit contribution margin and the total contribution margin (MAAW, 2011). The unit contribution margin helps us to calculate the difference between total revenues and unit costs of the company whereas the total contribution margin is related to the difference between total revenues and the total costs of a company. In other words, the total can be calculated by multiplying the unit cost with the total number of units. So, this shows can CVP is an effective tool for calculating the contribution margin. Fixed vs. variable costs Another benefit that organizations get by using the cost volume profit analysis is the decision making about different types of costs. This is important because while carrying out a business, the company is not concerned with the total amount rather it is concerned with the actual cost behavior. This is so because cost behavior helps us to classify the costs into various categories such as fixed, variable, administrative and so on. For example: Let’s take a company with fixed costs F, variable costs V and the total number of units equal to X, its contribution margin will be equal to (P-V)X and profit can be calculated as follows: Profit = (P-V) X F Break even analysis: Cost volume profit analysis can also help the organizations in calculating the breakeven point which is the point at which the profits become equal to zero. This can be done by finding the break even volume and then using it to make graphical representations. The break even volume can either be expressed in dollars or in units depending upon the nature and type of the organization (Cafferky, 2010). For instance: if the organization makes a large amounts of products, then the company must prefer to calculate the breakeven volume in the form of sales dollars while in case of one product company, the unit method might be a more effective calculation of sales volume. Presented below are the calculation method and the graphical representation in both cases: Break even volume in unit method = Fixed costs Unit contribution margin Break even volume in sales dollar method = Fixed costs Contribution margin ratio This chart illustrated that at the breakeven point, the profits of the company become zero and below this point, the company begins to incur losses. So, it is a beneficial tool for the organizations which help them to analyze what should be the target ad how this target can be achieved by managing the fixed as well as variable costs and also by preparing a plan for the future operations. Margin of safety A new element introduced in this chart is the margin of safety which refers to the amount by which the sales revenues of a company might decrease because it begins to incur any losses. It is also called as the cushion of loss which provides a deeper insight into the company’s profits, losses and revenues. It can be calculated as follows: Margin of Safety = Sales – Breakeven sales Marin of safety ratio = Margin of safety Sales Larger ratios are preferred because they indicate that there is a lower risk that the company would reach breakeven point of even below it. This is the simplest method of calculating the breakeven point. However, it is not the only one. There are two types of methods used by different companies in order to benefit from the CVP approach (Yunkera Yunker, 2003). 1. Non- Linear CVP analysis: This approach is used mostly for the purpose of economics in order to calculate various elements such as productivity and returns in the long run. However, this has not proved to be a really good approach because it has unreliable input parameters. Since it is designed specifically for the long term transactions, therefore; it is not really credible and reliable approach for making short term business calculations. Moreover, it has been found to be more complex as compared to the simple breakeven calculation. 2. Linear CVP analysis: This is more realistic, practical and reliable approach to find the relationship between costs and revenues. It is the breakeven method that presents the things in a rather simple and â€Å"easy to understand† way. However, in order to make this approach a more effective one, the following 5 things need to be followed: Keeping the sale price constant Keeping the variable cost per unit also constant The total fixed costs must also remain the same In case of more than one product lines, the company should try to keep the sales volume constant The number of units sold must be equal to the number of units produced. Operating Leverage Another benefit that companies gain by using the CVP approach is the operating leverage benefit which explains how the cost structure of an organization is made up of fixed cost processes. This is a huge benefit because the cost structure is directly related to the level of growth and profit a company has (Phillips, 1994). Operating leverage can vary greatly from one company to another. In the firms that have a high ratio of fixed costs as compared to the variable costs, the operating leverage is good because it produces a high contribution margin. Similarly, higher fixed sales also mean that the company has a higher breakeven point. A higher breakeven point is directly related to the financial success of the company because at this point, the company can claim high profits at a much higher rate (Raichura, 2007). Income Tax benefits: Similarly, the simple CVP model can be extended to other issues such as the calculation of incorporate taxes of multiple products within a company. This is done by modifying the profit equation of the chart to include taxes as well. This analysis can also be extended to those firms that offer more than one product or service rather than a simple product. This can be calculated as follows: After tax profit = [(P-V) X – F] x (1 – t) Future forecasting By using the above mentioned models, approaches and graphs, managers can analyze the direction in which their company is moving and this analysis might help them to better understand the different operations and activities within the organizations. By getting beforehand knowledge of profits and costs, the company can manage them in a more efficient way to increase productivity. Preparation of Budgets: Since the cost profit volume analysis helps in determining the level of sales and thus helps organizations to achieve their desired targets. This approach would help the managers to prepare their budgets which consist of the costs as well as the revenues at any level of production within the organization. Cost Control: The biggest benefit of CVP analysis is to evaluate the cost volume changes within an organization and the impact of these changes on revenue generation. For instance: there is a dental hospital that wants to purchase a new dental machine so that the patient’s level of satisfaction can be increased by reducing the time required for dental treatment. The purchase of this new machine will tend to increase fixed costs of an organization. So, at such complex situations, the cost volume analysis can be the most effective tool to help in simplifying the company’s decision. If this dental hospital uses CVP analysis, it can manage to decrease its variable costs by maintain the profit at the same desired level. Price Determination: It is another benefit of using this approach. For example: taking the above example again, if any competitor within the dental industry has set the price at AED 50,000 for a single dental operation and the business cannot provide this operation at any cost lower than AED 20,000, then the company can use cost profit volume analysis to compare the competitor’s price with the fixed and variable costs of its own operations and thus it can manage to come up with a price that is in the best interest of the company. Profit Planning: The aim of any business is to create value for the customers and to get profits for the company. However, managing all operations and costs in such a way that can maximize profits is not an easy task. Therefore, organizations have to consider a lot of things in order to engage in proper profit planning techniques. The CVP analysis can help the companies to create the best and most profitable combination of cost, price and sales volume. Thus, it can help managers to calculate and estimate their profit at different levels and for different range of products. Risk Assessment: The business world is changing and due to several internal s well as external threats associated with any industry, businesses have to face too many risks. Although the calculation of risk and return through measuring a constant (beta) is a method in finance but managerial accounting is also concerned with this. Managing risk is too significant for any business because it tends to define all the procedures and practices involved within an organization. Therefore, CVP is a tool which helps to calculate risk particularly in terms of costs and volumes. After analyzing this risk, the companies can come up with efficient solutions to reduce this risk. Decision Making: All the above mentioned benefits re directly or indirectly related to the decision making processes of a company. Any business organization has to make a lot of decisions regarding their price, their costs, and products, fixed and variable unit costs and so on. The CVP approach simplifies this process by providing the companies with a breakeven point and by helping them to engage in better decision making and planning for the future. Conclusion So, the project has presented a detailed analysis of how is CVP calculated and how can it be used to benefit an organization. Out of the two types of CVP approaches, linear approach is the simple one and it provides companies with easy ways to make estimates regarding costs, prices and sales volumes. The calculation of breakeven pint helps in decision making for a company by providing it a better future forecasting, risk assessment,, price estimation and so on. In other word, the cost volume profit approach has a direct impact on improving the organizational performance and productivity. References Breakeven analysis (CVP analysis). (n.d.). Retrieved 4 9, 2014, from http://www.acornlive.com/demos/pdf/P2_PM_Chapter_5.pdf Cafferky, M. (2010). Breakeven Analysis: The Definitive Guide to Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis. Business Expert Press. Lewis, J. (n.d.). Advantages Disadvantages of Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis. Retrieved 4 9, 2014, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-costvolumeprofit-analysis-35135.html MAAW. (2011). The controversy over contribution margin approach. Phillips, P. A. (1994). Welsh Hotel: Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis and Uncertainty. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31-36. Raichura, K. (2007). C-V-P Analysis Operating Leverage. Retrieved 4 9, 2014, from http://www.managementparadise.com/forums/financial-management/20603-c-v-p-analysis-operating-leverage.html Yunkera, J. A., Yunker, P. J. (2003). Stochastic CVP analysis as a gateway to decision-making under uncertainty. Journal of accounting Education, 339-365.

Steel Co Human Resource Report Essay -- Steel Co Human Resource Case S

Table of Contents Background 1 Aim 1 Objectives 1 Limitations/Scope 1 Evaluation of Steel Co Performance and Reward System 2 Performance and Reward management Tools 3 Pay Structure 5 Performance and Reward for different groups 6 Conclusion 7 Recommendations 7 References 8 Background The company Steel Co, which has been established for around 30 years, has been in a steady decline during the current recession and although a Divisional Director has been employed by the owner the fortunes of the company have not improved. The staff is unhappy, unproductive and unimpressed by the Human Resource system that currently exists in the company. The pay structure that currently exists within the organisation has been much debated among employees who feel it is unsatisfactory. The Business Adviser will research Performance and Reward management tools in order to help the company develop a more suitable Performance and Reward system to use. A variety of sources will be used in order to evaluate the system and tools against other organisational frameworks. The pay structure within the company will also be looked at in order to identify any possible changes that could be made. Aim The aim of this report is to evaluate current Human Resource Practices within Steel Co and identify weaknesses that the current model possesses. Performance and Reward management tools available will be evaluated in order to make recommendations on how the Management tools could compliment the system that Steel Co currently employs. Objectives To achieve the aim of this report there are 4 Objectives which are considered: 1. Evaluate the Performance and Reward model that the company currently uses in order to identify weaknesses and areas whe... ...ng conditions as well as overall organisational performance. Due to being intrinsic rather than extrinsic the company does not incur a high cost and thus would be able to retain and motivate employees further. References Works Cited http://www.businessballs.com/balanced_scorecard.htm http://www.tatasteeleurope.com/en/careers/general_vacancies/benefits/ http://www.nationalforum.com/Electronic%20Journal%20Volumes/Lunenburg,%20Fred%20C.%20Goal-Setting%20Theoryof%20Motivation%20IJMBA%20V15%20N1%202011.pdf http://www.cimaglobal.com/Documents/ImportedDocuments/Tech_rept_Effective_Performance_Mgt_with_Balanced_Scd_July_2005.pdf http://www.allenword.com/360feedbackform-final.pdf http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/pay-structures.aspx#link_3 http://www.benefitsandcompensationresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/why-a-family-job-approach.pdf

Hinduism and Drug Abuse Essay

â€Å"Hinduism’ has many religious and cultural traditions which stem from the Vedas, the ancient Sanskrit writings of India. The tradition, therefore, has no clear beginning, and has no single founder or single belief, but there are a number of beliefs and practices which are widely accepted. Practically all Hindus believe in the idea of reincarnation, in which the eternal soul (ATMAN) moves through different species, from one body to another according to ‘the law of Kama’ ,the goodness or badness of their deeds in this life. The belief that every soul is trapped in a cycle of birth and then death and then rebirth is known as Samsara. The quality of a life that the soul is born into depends on the previous life. The aim of human life, for most Hindus, is to escape from the cycle of birth and death (Moksha), through union with the Supreme BRAHMAN who is present in everything. Behind Hindu practice is So Hinduism is about the sort of life a person should lead in order to be born into a better life next time and eventually become free from rebirth altogether. Every Hindu wants to escape from this cycle so Hindus aim to live in a way that will cause each of their lives to be better than the life before. Living or acting in the right way is known as dharma. Every Hindu has a purusharthas, or life goal, and leading a pure life through purity of body and mind is very important so that they are able to carry out their religious duties. To reach their individual goal they must create good Karma through control over gratification of the senses; pleasure; sensual, sexual, and mental enjoyment. The Laws of Manu are guidelines for a pure life and describe the perfect man as: ‘He who has perfect 3 fold control: that is control over speech, thought and actions.’ So a perfect man should only say pure things, think pure thoughts and act in a controlled, alert way. Anything which takes man from this control is harmful and wrong, which is known as AHISMA. Hindus follow this principle of non-violence, non-harming and therefore use of drugs and alcohol can harm the body and so go against the principle of AHISMA. Also Hindus rely so much on Karmic energy for their ultimate goal that AHISMA and bad actions taint this karmic energy and will affect the rebirth and drugs can therefore be viewed as an obstacle to the ultimate goal of a Hindu’s life. As all living things are part of a life cycle.and as BRAHMAN is in all living things, they deserve respect. Life has value, is sacred and to exploit creation by harming the body with drugs and alcohol Hindus practice meditation to bring the mind under control and then control the body through the mind eg the Indian custom of walking on a bed of nails without pain. Drugs, especially Hallucinogenic drugs, do the opposite to meditation as the mind is not under strict control. So drug and alcohol abuse is not generally allowed because a man is not in control leading to bad KARMA and bad REBIRTH. HINDU LAW states that Brahmin priests are not allowed to drink alcohol as alcohol affects nervous system making you do things you normally wouldn’t d, and speech becomes slurred which goes against. In the same way LSD affects the way we think and act, causes Hallucinations and makes us do things out of the ordinary ‘For liquor is the defiling dirt excreted from rice, therefore a priest, a ruler or commoner should not drink liquor.’ (11:94) Since Brahmin priests are not allowed alcohol, most Hindus follow their example and do not have alcohol. Modern medicine uses drugs to fight disease and suffering. Used properly, drugs like aspirin, penicillin bring benefits whilst others can cause all sorts of harm. They can increase suffering and affect individuals and society. Drugs such as opium can relieve pain but have been exploited by western demand in the form of heroin, which is addictive and causes many problems. Experimentation for fun can be extremely dangerous and lead to self-degradation, crime and early death. These dangerous drugs are known as speed and grass also called pot, dope or hash, smack and acid. Hindu society in general does not tolerate these drugs. However, in saying this, modern medicine is not rejected because it does benefit the body, which is the guiding line for a Hindu, for a healthy body is needed to perform all religious duties and therefore medicines which restore the body’s natural balance are acceptable. Hinduism is perhaps the only religious tradition to have had some experience of drugs at an early stage in its history. Hallucinogenic vegetation such as the soma plant, native to India, was used by certain groups to gain ‘religious experience’. As a result, there are certain unclear lines within the Hindu tradition where the use of non-medical drugs are concerned, especially amongst different denominations of Hindus Most of the commonly used drugs in India are derived from the Hemp or cannabis plant. They include Hashish, Bhang, ganja, and charus. Many SADUS still use them to bring on trances or visions. Although Hindus in Britain such as Gujurati traders and Krishna Consciousness regard AHIMSA very highly as a guide to lifestyle, many follow the guideline given by The Law of Manu which states: ‘Meat-eating is not wrong, nor alcohol, nor sex. These are natural actions of living beings; but abstention from such action is highly rewarded.’ (M 5:56) Abstinence from these every day actions is highly valued amongst these Hindus but they are not seen as bad actions. The views about alcohol vary again from region to region, and caste to caste. In general, frequent use of alcohol is looked down on, the exception to the rule being Tantrics, whose aim is to unite all things and gain freedom form the restrictions of human life; they therefore use cannabis and alcohol as part of their rituals. In general, it is better to refuse alcohol or drug as laid down by the Law of Manu which warns against wilful addiction. ‘He (man) must not get wilfully addicted to any object or substance of self-gratification; he must try to overcome such dependence through will.’ Hindus realise that the problem of drug abuse needs to be dealt with. It is seen as ‘Trendy’ for upper classes, and for the poor a welcome escape from hard and unpleasant reality of life. Hindus believe that people who suffer, for whatever reasons, should really be helped, even if suffering is brought about by their own stupidity or bad karmic action. The reason behind this is their respect for life in general and ‘Honour all humankind’ is one of their 4 daily practices. All human beings and forms of life are related through the divine spirit of BRAHMAN . Each person is a part of the whole and a Hindu knows that no-one can be totally evil because of their soul (ATMAN) being a part of the divine BRAHMAN. Therefore it is better to help them and not judge them ; to encourage them to lead a life that demonstrates respect for both religious duties and for their soul and for those of others. There is some control of drug use in the home as strong family structures are valued and smoking in the presence of elders is regarded as showing a lack of respect. Also, smoking in India, as in Britain is forbidden on public transport, in cinemas, theatres and temples. In the modern world drugs are avoided mainly for the emphasis on purity of body, but it is also against the Hindu tradition of still meditation which aims to bring the mind under control and then control of the body through the mind. In everyday life the mind is often led by desires and sense- pleasure of the body, but with meditation (YOGA) a person is encouraged to take disciplined control over their life according to the Hindu ideal of purity. Drugs, especially ones with hallucinogenic properties would totally reverse the meditation process since the mind would not be under strict control but left to follow its own course. However, any individual would be under an obligation, in the context of DHARMA , to ensure they could continue to pursue their life goals . So in for the Hindu, the use of drugs does not always appear to be considered inappropriate, but the question of limits comes in, and this, as is often the case in Hinduism, is a matter of individual judgement.

The Strengths of Abs-Cbn

ABS-CBN’s strength in content creation allow them to provide more value to their advertisers by way of innovative creative executions across free TV, cable TV, radio, print and the new media platforms (mobile and the Internet). Licensing and branded entertainment, including brand and product integration in our programming, also enhance their airtime revenue potential while GMA Advertisers had lessened spending because of uncertainties in advanced economies but the worst is possibly over, Felipe L. Gozon, chair and chief executive officer for GMA Network, said. ABS-CBN continues to be the number one TV station in June with an average  national  audience  share  of 37% or five points higher than GMA’s 32%, according to recent data from Kantar Media. The Kapamilya Network’s primetime teleserye â€Å"Mara Clara,† which Filipinos followed religiously through the months until its intensefinale  last month, topped the list of most watched regular programs for June with an average rating of 38. 6% Out of the top 15 currently running programs, ABS-CBN took eleven spots and secured the top eight slots. They are â€Å"100 Days to Heaven† (34%), â€Å"Maalaala Mo Kaya† (30. %), â€Å"Guns and Roses† (28. 7%), â€Å"Pilipinas Got Talent† (28. 4%), â€Å"TV Patrol (27. 5%), â€Å"Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin† (26. 6%), â€Å"Rated K† (23. 8%), and â€Å"Wansapanataym† (23%). Joining them in top 15 are â€Å"Gandang Gabi Vice† (20. 1%), â€Å"Goin Bulilit† (20%), a nd â€Å"Mula sa Puso† (18. 8%). Therefore, as consultants, we would recommend you to invest in ABS-CBN since the company has more advertisers compared to their leading competitor, GMA Network. Also, ABS-CBN has more audience shares than GMA. Furthermore, eleven spots were taken by ABS-CBN and the eight slots secured.

The Great Migration essays

The Great Migration essays During the early decades of the twentieth century, African Americans left the South in growing numbers, migrating North, with hopes of leaving a life behind that was dictated by racism, Jim Crow law, disenfranchisement, and violence based on hatred of black skin. With dreams of new opportunities for economic self-sufficiency, political participation, integration and freedom from racial violence, African Americans were soon to be met with resistance from Northern whites and middle-class blacks who perceived the migrants as representing a black mass who would change the face of the northern urban landscape forever. The immediate result of the influx of African Americans into urban areas of the North was the eruption of violence during the 1919 race riots, which tore the Chicago apart. Headlines proclaiming a sense of horror, disdain and humor in white-oriented newspapers provided evidence of white response to the arrival of migrating African Americans into Northern cities that had remained predominantly white. There was a growing tension that suggested that there was a need for whites to engage in efforts to control African Americans as they moved into the North and to engage in violence against them out of perceived necessity due to their intrusive presence which stirred up feelings of fear and insecurity on the part of whites. In Chicago, which gained over fifty thousand migrants between 1910 and 1920, fear was brimming and evident on the part of whites. While African Americans did not experience massive benefits upon their arrival in the city, they gained some sense of greater dignity and pride as they began attempting to settle into the urban area. However, numerous obstacles were present and intended to prevent African Americans from gaining full access to benefits enjoyed by whites. In 1874, Illinois had legally abolished school segregation and desegregated pub...

Colonial Rule in Peru

Colonial Rule in Peru In 1533 Francisco Pizarro, a Spanish conquistador, colonized Peru in order to gain power and westernize the country, changing the dynamics of the land completely. Peru was left decimated, as the Spanish bought diseases with them, killing over 90% of the Inca population. Who Were the Incas? The Incas arrived in 1200 CE, an indigenous group of hunters and gatherers, consisting of Ayllus, a group of families controlled by a Chief, called Curaca. Most Incas did not live in cities as these were used for government purposes, only visiting on business or for religious festivals as they were extremely religious. The Incas economy can be considered prosperous as Peru contained mines producing luxuries like gold and silver and they had one of the most powerful armies at this time, using numerous weapons and recruiting every male capable of military service. The Spanish conquered Peru, with the aim to westernize the country, changing the dynamics of the land completely, similar to the intentions of the other colonial powers during the era of exploration and colonization. In 1527 another Spanish explorer commanding a Spanish ship, saw a raft with 20 Incas on board, was amazed to discover numerous luxuries, including gold and silver. He trained three of the Incas as interpreters as he wished to report his findings, this led to Pizarros expedition in 1529. The Spanish Quest The Spanish were eager to explore, allured by the prospect of a rich country. For some, like Pizarro and his brothers, it enabled them to escape from the impoverished community of Extremadura, in Western Spain. The Spanish additionally wished to gain prestige and power in Europe, previously conquering the Aztec Kingdom, Mexico in 1521 and started to conquer Central America in 1524. During his third expedition to Peru, Francisco Pizarro conquered Peru in 1533 after executing the last Inca Emperor, Atahualpa. He had been aided by a civil war occurring between two Incan brothers, sons of a Sapa Inca. Pizarro was assassinated in 1541 when Almagro was made new Peruvian Governor. On 28th July 1821, Peru became independent from colonial rule, after an Argentinian soldier, called San Martin, conquered the Spanish in Peru. Spanish colonization led to Spanish becoming the main language in Peru. The Spanish altered the countrys demographics and left their mark, for example, the Spanish coat of arms still remains a symbol for Peru after being given it by Spanish King Charles 1 in 1537. At What Price?   The Spanish brought diseases with them, killing numerous Incas including the Inca Emperor. The Incas caught malaria, measles, and smallpox as they had no natural immunity. N. D. Cook (1981) showed Peru encountered a 93% population decrease as a result of Spanish colonization. However, Incas did pass syphilis onto the Spanish in return. The diseases killed vast amounts of the Inca population; more Incas dyed from diseases than on the battlefield. The Spanish also accomplished their aim to spread Catholicism in Peru, with about four-fifths of the population of Peru today as Roman Catholic. Perus education system now includes the whole population, differing from focusing on the ruling class during colonial rule. This benefited Peru greatly, now having a 90% literacy rate, contrasting to the illiterate and poor Incas during Spanish rule, therefore not capable of advancing as a country. Overall, the Spanish succeeded in their aim to change Perus demographics completely. They forced the Catholic religion on Incas, remaining the same today and keeping Spanish as the main language. They killed vast amounts of the Inca population due to diseases from Europe, destroying the Inca population and used racial tension to create a hierarchy system with the Incas at the bottom. The Spanish also influenced Peru greatly as they gave it its name, originating from a misunderstanding of the Indian name of river.

Barack Obama - Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Joint Press Conference

Barack Obama Joint Press Conference with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi delivered 14 November 2014, Rangoon, Burma Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: I Im sorry if weve kept you waiting. Let me just begin by saying what a great pleasure it is for me to welcome President Obama again to my house, and to be able to meet all of you.I would just like to say that there have been those who have been saying that there is tension between the United States and the National League for Democracy or perhaps with me. I would like to make quite clear that the friendship between the United States and those who have been struggling for democracy in Burma is a very strong one. We may view things differently from time to time but it will in no way affect our friendship. And I have absolute confidence that the United States will continue to support us with regard to the democratic transformation and that when Burma becomes a fully functioning democracy in accordance with the will of the people, we will be able to say that among those friends who enabled us to get there, the United States was among the first. So please dont think please dont worry that there will be any problems between the United States and those working for democracy in Burma. We all believe in the same values. We all believe in the same principles. We may sometimes think that there are different ways of getting to the goal that we wish to achieve, but these differences are part of the democratic tradition. Democracy allows people to have different views, and democracy makes it also makes us also responsible for negotiating an answer to those views. I would like all of you to feel welcome in this country, and I would all like all of you to feel that you can join us in hoping for better days. But at the same time, I always warn against over-optimism because that could lead to complacency. Our reform process is going through, let’s us say, a bumpypatch. But this bumpy patch is something that we can negotiate with commitment and with the help and understanding of our friends from all over the world. So let us not exaggerate the differences, the difficulties. But at the same time, let us not exaggerate the rosy picture either. What we need is a healthy balance between optimism and pessimism. We need to view the the situation for what it was. But at the same time, we all have to be confident that we will get there we will get where we want to get to, because that’s what our people want. In the end, it’s the people of Burma who will decide where this country is going to and which way and how and when. So we accept responsibility for the fate of our country, but at the same time we welcome the support and the help of our friends. And we always appreciate them very greatly. Thank you. Barack Obama: Well, good afternoon, everybody. Mingalaba. It is wonderful to be back in Rangoon and to once more have the opportunity to spend time with Aung San Suu Kyi. As we know, it was in this house that she endured years of confinement never giving up hope, never wavering in her determination to build a free and democratic Burma. Daw Suu, you helped set this country on a better path. I’m grateful for your friendship and for the hospitality that you’ve shown in opening your home up not only to me, but to all these people. 3:46 When I made my first historic visit to Burma, this country was just taking preliminary steps towards democracy. And in the past two years, important changes have been made. The economy has begun to grow. Political prisoners have been set free. There are more newspapers and media outlets. Children have been released from the military. And these are all important changes that have opened up greater opportunity for the people of Burma. At the same time, as Aung San Suu Kyi just said, it’s clear how much hard work remains to be done and that many difficult choices still lie ahead. The process for reform is by no means complete or irreversible. For many, progress has not come fast enough or spread far enough. People need to feel safe in their homes and not be subject to arbitrary harassment by authorities or individuals acting with impunity. People need to be empowered to pursue their dreams. And as Burma approaches important national elections next year, it will be critical to ensure that all of Burma’s people can participate in shaping the future of their country. As a member of parliament and the head of the rule of law committee, Aung San Suu Kyi is working hard to make government more transparent, more accountable, to protect the rights of all the Burmese people, to promote reforms that would expand the political space for more people to contribute their voices. But implementing the major political and economic reforms that are necessary to keep Burma advancing toward democracy is going to take a great deal of political will and no small amount of determination. And we, as friends of the Burmese people, are clear-eyed about the scale of the challenges that remain, and recognize that we cannot remain complacent. Today, Daw Suu and I had a wide-ranging discussion about how the United States can help facilitate and bolster Burma’s democratic transition. We talked about the need for stronger rule of law, for elections that are free, fair and inclusive, and for continued constitutional changes that will move Burma more fully towards a civilian government. We spoke about how we can work together to promote national reconciliation and defuse sectarian tensions among Burma’s diverse ethnic groups. Specifically, I stressed the need to find durable and effective solutions for the terrible violence in Rakhine state solutions that end discrimination, provide greater security and economic opportunities, protect all citizens, and promote greater tolerance and understanding. Strengthening human rights protections for all of Burma’s people is an essential step to realizing the vision we share for the future of this beautiful country. The last time I stood here, I made a pledge to the people of Burma that if we continued to see progress toward reform, the ties between our countries would grow stronger, and the United States would continue to do whatever it could to help ensure Burma’s success. Over the last two years, I think we’ve made good on that pledge, and I want to reiterate the commitment to match continued reforms with greater support and friendships in the future. We’re committed to working directly with the people of Burma, and not just the government. So later today, I’m looking forward to speaking with representatives of Burma’s civil society groups and with young leaders from Burma and all across Southeast Asia who are working to create greater opportunities for themselves and for future generations. I think these new voices are going to be critical to making sure that reforms are sustainable and meaningful to people across the country and across the region. So, Daw Suu, thank you again for welcoming us here today. We continue to look to you for inspiration as well as resolve, and I know that you will continue to be a fierce advocate on behalf of the people of Burma, a future of democracy, and I know that you will be a strong partner with the United States. Thank you. Questions? Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: Who’s speaking? Barack Obama: I’ll go first. Christi Parsons. Q: You have been traveling in countries with long histories of repressing freedom of expression and censorship. And it was interesting yesterday that President Xi seemed to be saying that reporters who have problems have themselves to blame. And so I wonder to what extent you feel the need to contend with these ideas with leaders in this region as you travel. And what do you say to them? And by way of example, I might ask you Attorney General Eric Holder says no journalist will go to prison for doing his or her job, on his watch. And so I ask about the case of James Risen, the journalist who is facing this prosecution for not revealing his source in a leak prosecution. I wonder if that’s are you speaking specifically about this case, and is that your position as well? And if I may, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ask you how concerned are you about the violence against ethnic minorities in your country, and specifically the Rohingya people? And what do you believe is your responsibility to speak out about it? Thank you very much. Barack Obama: The issue of press freedom is a constant concern in my interactions with the Chinese government. It’s an issue that I’ve raised with the President here in Burma. I’m pretty blunt and pretty frank about the fact that societies that repress journalists ultimately oppress people as well, and that if you want a society that is free and vibrant and successful, part of that formula is the free flow of information, of ideas, and that requires a free press. That is part of our tradition. As I explained to President Xi in China, it’s in our DNA. We believe in the primacy individuals being able to pursue their dreams, endowed with certain inalienable rights. And we believe that when governments censor or control information, that ultimately that undermines not only the society, but it leads to eventual encroachments on individual rights as well. I cant comment, Christi, on any particular pending case, as you know thats sort of an iron-clad rule or any particular prosecution. I can read back to you what Attorney General Holder has said, which is no journalist is going to go to jail for doing their job. And I dont think youre suggesting that theres that the two cases are comparable. But I recognize that in our own society we have to constantly balance the need for certain national security issues to remain secret with journalists pursuing leads wherever they can. And the good news is, is that weve got courts and weve got a First Amendment. And we got a whole bunch of tools to ensure that that balance is properly debated and adjudicated. But I think that when I am traveling, it is important as the President of the United States to not just talk about our interests, but also to talk about our values. Sometimes it has an impact; sometimes it doesnt. Although I was impressed that Mark Landler got an answer to his question from President Xi. It might not have been the one he was expecting, but he did end up taking the question. So you just keep on chipping away and seeing if we can make progress. Q: [Off-mic inaudible] Barack Obama: Hold on a second, Christi. Dont try to segue into a second question. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: I think I better take over because Ive got to have my time as well. Barack Obama: There you go. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: The National League for Democracy always has been against violence of any kind, either on racial grounds, or religious grounds, or ideological grounds. We do not believe that violence really resolves anything at all. Our struggle for democracy has been carried out with a strong grasp on the principle of nonviolence. And also, we believe in the rule of law. So if you ask how do we propose to resolve all of these problems of violence between communities, between different ethnic groups, weve got to start with rule of law. People have to feel secure before they can start talking to one another. We cannot achieve harmony without security. People who feel threatened are not going to sit down and sort out their problems. So I would like to recommend, as the chair of the Rule of Law and Tranquility Committee dont forget that tranquility is also included that the government should look to rule of law. It is the duty of the government to make all our people feel secure, and it is the duty of our people to learn to live in harmony with one another. If we want democracy, we have to be prepared to live by the principles of democracy. We have to dare to live according to the principles of democracy. I think well get there, but it will take us some time. But we will remain fully committed to the principle of nonviolence. Q: [inaudible] Mr. President, Id like to know about the Myanmar reforms. Youve been talking with the President and parliament speakers, and also youre going to talk with the civil societies group, and then youth. So my direct question to you is that: Have you got any specific agreement with the Myanmar government or President Thein Sein about Myanmar reforms such as constitutional change, and peace negotiation, peace process, and also 2015 general election? And also to Daw Aung San Sui Kyi, you have got a one-hour discussion with the President, and at the current political situation, as you said, it’s a bumpy situation. So if you didnt make amendment, or you didnt change constitution, the NLD and you, yourself, is going to be very difficult after 2015 elections. So have you talked about those issues with the President? Or the President talk to you about U.S. support for you? Thank you. Barack Obama: Well, the issue of making sure that reforms and the transition is fully realized was the main topic of our conversation and the main topic of my conversation with the President last night. As I indicated before, there are signs of progress. We shouldnt deny that Burma today is not the same as Burma five years ago. But the process is still incomplete. And I was very specific with the President in terms of how we will measure whether or not the transition has been fully realized. Number one, we expect elections to take place on time. We do not want to see delays, because its time for the voice of the people of Burma to be heard in a fair, free, transparent election. Number two, I indicated to the President that the constitution amendment process needs to reflect inclusion rather than exclusion, that there are certain provisions in the Burmese constitution that objectively dont make much sense. Ultimately, what changes are made are up to the people of Burma. But, for example, I dont understand a provision that would bar somebody from running for President because of who their children are. That doesnt make much sense to me. Number three, we are very much in favor of the peace process, and I encourage the President to move forward in the negotiations. He expressed some optimism about the ability to bring a deal to a conclusion. But as Daw Suu has indicated, you have to be skeptical until its actually done. Number four, I indicated that we are paying attention to how religious minorities are treated in this country. Now, I recognize the complexities of the situation in Rakhine state. On the other hand, consistent with what Daw Suu just said, I am a firm believer that any legitimate government has to be based on rule of law and a recognition that all people are equal under the law. And discrimination against the Rohingya or any other religious minority I think does not express the kind of country that Burma over the long term wants to be. And I know of no successful democracy in which sectarian or religious divisions are allowed to fester, or the people of different faiths are treated as second-class citizens. Ultimately, that is destabilizing to a democracy. And finally, I expressed to the President the need to continue to make additional progress on basic issues of freedom and personal security, that journalists cant be jailed simply because they were critical of the government; that arbitrary arrests or individuals being in some fashion abused by government with impunity rather than being respected and treated in accordance with law, that thats a test of whether or not a society is moving towards a genuine democratic process. And the President yesterday acknowledged that some progress has been made, and there was more to do. And our position will be to continue to measure whats happening on the ground, to consult with a wide range of groups here in Burma. We will strengthen our relationship where we see progress. Where we don’t see progress, then we will continue to express our concerns, and we will not be able to fully realize the kind of bilateral relationship that we want to have with Burma, the Burmese government, until we’ve seen some of these reforms completed. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: Well, you asked whether its going to be fruitful for the NLD to win the elections if the amendments to the constitution are not pushed through. I think it’s too early to ask this question. We’ve just spent one afternoon debating the question of constitutional amendment. I think perhaps some of you may have heard that proportional representation is not going to be instituted. So when we started defending [inaudible] system against proportional representation, there were many who said to us, you are a very small minority in the legislature; how can you hope to win this case? It’s not a matter of wanting to win a case, it’s a matter of standing up for what you believe in, for what you believe is necessary for the future of our country. Now we are asking for a constitutional amendment not because we’re trying to win a case, but because we think that certain amendments are necessary if this country is to be a truly functioning democracy in line with the will of the people. Because of that, we will persist in our efforts to have the constitution amended in the right way and within the framework of the law. I’ve always put great emphasis on this because I want peace and tranquility in our country. I want our people to learn to live under the rule of law, and to support and uphold the importance of the rule of law. So with regard to the constitution, we know that the people support our wish to amend it in certain ways, and we are prepared to negotiate with those who do not wish to amend the constitution. I think that’s what democracy is all about. We need a culture of negotiated compromise as the foundation for our democratic union. So we would like to it’s not just a matter of debating the case in parliament and winning Brownie points or Boy Scout points, or whatever they’re called. But it’s just a case of standing up for what we think our country needs. And we would like to talk to those who disagree with us. That, again, is what democracy is about. You talk to those who disagree with you; you don’t beat them down. You exchange views. And you come to a compromise, a settlement that would be best for the country. I’ve always said that dialogues and debates are not aimed at achieving victory for one particular party or the other, but victory for our people as a whole. Whatever we decide on should be seen as a victory for our nation, for the kind of democratic union that we have been trying to build up for decades. So please don’t worry about whether or not we will win the elections in 2015. Of course, any party wants to win the elections. I’m sure the President will tell you that. But winning is not everything it’s how you win. I’d rather lose than win in the wrong way. And that is the way I want our party and our people to approach the problems that we have to tackle that we want to win in the right way. We want to bring the changes of the constitution about in the right way. We want to build up a strong foundation for national reconciliation, which means reconciliation not just between the different ethnic groups and between different religious groups, but between different ideas for example, between the idea of military supremacy and the idea of civilian authority over the military, which is the foundation of democracy. So we want to exchange views and to come to an understanding with all those who at this moment do not yet agree with us. And we are confident that we can come to such a settlement, come to such an agreement because, after all, I do believe that what all of us want is what is best for the country as a whole not just for particular individuals or groups or organizations. So while I tell you that you need not worry about what affects amendment or non-amendment to the constitution might have on the elections, I might as well ask you to vote for us when we do get there. Barack Obama: Pete Maer. Q: Mr. President, it seems the stage is set for even more confrontations between you and Republicans when you get home, if that’s possible. We’re told that you’re soon going to sign the immigration reform executive order. To what extent are you concerned about a Republican backlash from an action of that magnitude? And on two other issues, I’m wondering what your take is on the plan to pass a bill to build the Keystone pipeline that’s in the works now, before the State Department’s review process is over. And Senator McConnell is angry over the climate deal that you had made with China. How does all of this square with your post-election assessment that people want to, as you put it, get stuff done? And if I may also pose a question to you, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Thank you for hosting all of us here from the White House media corps. As the President mentioned of the constitutional barring of you running in your country’s election, what do you think the impact will be from the President’s statement that was made here today on his strong opposition to that constitutional wording? And what impact do you think it will have on the government here? And is there anything more that you’d like to see him do? Thank you. Barack Obama: Pete, the day after the election I said that there are going to be areas of agreement between me and Republicans, and there are going to be areas of disagreement. There are going to be actions I take they don’t like, and there are going to be bills they pass that I don’t like. And I think, moving forward, that’s exactly what’s going to happen. You’ve mentioned areas where we disagree. I believe that America is a nation of immigrants. Everybody agrees that the system is broken. There has been ample opportunity for Congress to pass a bipartisan immigration bill that would strengthen our borders, improve the legal immigration system, lift millions of people out of the shadows so they are paying taxes and getting right by the law. It passed out of the Senate. I gave the House over a year to go ahead and at least give a vote to the Senate bilaterally; they failed to do so. And I indicated to Speaker Boehner several months ago that if, in fact, Congress failed to act, I would use all the lawful authority that I possess to try to make the system work better. And that’s going to happen. That’s going to happen before the end of the year. But what I’ve also said to them and I said this during the lunch with the Speaker and Leader McConnell is that I am always interested in negotiating a legislative solution to the immigration problem, and that the minute they pass a bill that I can sign that fixes our immigration system, then any executive actions I take are replaced. So they have the ability to fix the system. What they don’t have the ability to do is to expect me to stand by with a broken system in perpetuity. And I would advise that if, in fact, they want to take a different approach, rather than devote a lot of time trying to constrain my lawful actions as the Chief Executive of the U.S. government in charge of our enforcing our immigration laws, that they spend some time passing a bill and engaging with all the stakeholders, the immigrant rights groups, the law enforcement groups, the evangelicals, the business community, all of whom have said this is something that needs to be done, is way overdue. And we’ve been talking about it for 10 years now, and it’s been consistently stalled. So with respect to Keystone, I’ve been clear in the past, Pete, my position hasn’t changed, that this is a process that is supposed to be followed. Right now you have a case pending in Nebraska, where the pipeline would run through, in which a state court judge has questioned the plan. And until we know what the route is, it’s very hard to finish that evaluation. And I don’t think we should short-circuit that process. I have also noted that, as policy matter, my government believes that we should judge this pipeline based on whether or not it accelerates climate change or whether it helps the American people with their energy costs and their gas prices. And I have to constantly push back against this idea that somehow the Keystone pipeline is either this massive jobs bill for the United States, or is somehow lowering gas prices. Understand what this project is. It is providing the ability of Canada to pump their oil, send it through our land, down to the Gulf, where it will be sold everywhere else. That doesnt have an impact on U.S. gas prices. You know what does have an impact on U.S. gas prices is the incredible boom in U.S. oil production and natural gas production thats taken place under my administration. And if my Republican friends really want to focus on whats good for the American people in terms of job creation and lower energy costs, we should be engaging in a conversation about what are we doing to produce even more homegrown energy. Im happy to have that conversation. With respect to the climate change deal, I have been very clear that I have responsibilities as President not just to current generations, but to future generations. The science is indisputable. The planet is getting warm, and it is getting warmer in part because of man-made activity. And the release of carbon gases carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere can have a potentially devastating effect that will cost our country, could devastate communities, could increase the impact of natural disasters, and will have an impact worldwide that is destabilizing and could affect our national security. Thats not my opinion, by the way, that is the opinion of our Joint Chiefs of Staff, that climate change is a direct national security threat. Now the argument that Ive received in the past has been either denial of the science or, alternatively, theres no point in us doing something about it despite us being one of the two largest emitters in the world, because if we do something and China doesnt do anything, well just put ourselves at a competitive disadvantage, well lose jobs to China, and the problem wont be solved anyway. Im not going deny the science, but I took seriously the notion that we want all countries to participate in solving a global problem. And so I engaged with China over a lengthy set of negotiations. And by all independent accounts, for the first time, we got China to make a very serious commitment to constrain its greenhouse gases. Why would anybody be against that? That sounds like the right thing to do to me. So thats a response to those specific ideas. But let me reiterate what I said at the top. The fact that I disagree or Republicans disagree with me on a certain set of issues doesnt exclude us working together on a whole range of issues where we do agree. Theyre interested in tax reform so am I. Lets get to work. Theyre interested in promoting trade that will create jobs and opportunity for U.S. workers and U.S. businesses all over it. Its part of what this Asia trip has been all about. Theyre interested in rebuilding our roads, our bridges, our ports, our airports, putting people back to work, making sure were competitive Im game. So the one thing that I think is going to be important for us to have a successful partnership over the next couple of years is not making disagreements on a single issue suddenly a deal-breaker on every issue. Democracy can never work that way because there are always going to be some differences. And when there are differences you cant elevate those differences above the commonalities. Im sorry that was a long answer, but it was a lot of questions. Do you want to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: Im sorry the President cant get away from all those. Barack Obama: I know. But before Daw Suu responds to the point about the constitutional amendment, I just want to emphasize, ultimately its up to the people of Burma to make a decision about all these provisions. I expressed an objective view that some of current provisions dont seem to have much grounding in common sense or precedent when you look at other constitutions around the world, and seem more focused on advantaging or disadvantaging certain players. And one of the basic concepts of a constitution is that it creates a level playing field for all people, and then so I use that as an example not because I think my voice is the one thats most relevant in terms of the constitutional amendment process, but ultimately its up to the people of Burma. Q: [Off-mic.] Barack Obama: I did? It doesnt make much sense to me. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: I believe democracy should stand up for that principle. Barack Obama: Absolutely. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: Well, Ive always said that its somewhat flattering to have a constitution written with me in mind. But it shouldnt be done that way. Thats not how a democratic constitution should be written. And we object to that clause not because not because it debars me from the presidency as such, but because it is against the principle of democracy and also unconstitutional. The constitution says that all citizens should be treated as equals, and this is discrimination on the grounds of my children, my childrens spouses, et cetera, et cetera. Now, this is not acceptable. And our people are firmly behind us in our desire to change this clause. And if President Obama said anything about the necessity to change a clause like that, they will love him very much for it. So he will be very popular among our people. And as he said, in the end, it is up to our people to shape the destiny of our country, including the way the constitution is going to be rewritten. And I think the majority of our people understand that this constitution cannot stand as it is if we want to make the full transition to democracy; 59(f), as you know, debars anybody who is children of the spouses of the children belong to are citizens of another country. And according to the law and I think the President will know the law better than I do because Im not a lawyer according to the law, anybody who is over the age of 18, or whatever legal adult age may be in his or her country, is responsible for himself or herself. Nobody else is responsible for that person. So from that point of view also, you cannot penalize anybody for what his or her adult children do. From that point of view, its illegal, its against all norms of justice. And from the point of view of democracy, it is not right to discriminate against one particular citizen. You wouldnt like to be discriminated against, would you? So I think our people support the idea of amending this clause because not particularly because they want me to be president, perhaps because they do. But I dont think it is so much because of that, but because they realize that this is unfair, unjust and undemocratic. Q: Thank you. I am [inaudible] from 11 Media from Myanmar. And I wanted to ask the question to Mr. President. The question is, have you discussed about the [inaudible] situation in Myanmar [inaudible] president Thein Sein last night? Because more journalists than politicians have been arrested, particularly in [inaudible], under the present Thein Sein administration. And when you discuss about this, how did he respond to this discussion? Thank you. Barack Obama: I didnt bring up specific cases with him. I brought up a basic principle that I stated earlier, which is that a free press is a foundation for any democracy. We rely on journalists to explain and describe the actions of our government. If the government controls the journalists, then its very difficult for citizens to hold that government accountable. Its a fairly straightforward proposition. And I recognize that there is a transition process thats taking place, that there is a more robust debate today than there was the last time I visited. But to go back to what we said earlier, we cant be complacent. And we, as a government, are going to be troubled when we hear reports of journalists being imprisoned, being killed, being intimidated, or being censored. And when we engage with this government or any government and we have evidence that thats taking place, then were going to raise it. Thank you very much. Source: WhiteHouse.gov

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Bussiness Ethics - Essay Example Speaking more plainly, I think that it is in the best interest of the people that the government hires private military contractors to provide assistance in national defense. Though Sandel did not position himself—directly, on any particular side of the debate, he effectively raise and postulates two critical issues regarding the hiring of private military contractors—using, in particular, the case of Blackwater Worldwide as an example; one is regarding fairness and freedom and the other with regards to civic virtue and common good (81). Blackwater Worldwide which now renamed its company Xe Services was founded by former Navy Seals including its former president and founder Erik Prince. Blackwater trains its own personnel to carry out high-risk operations around the world and had successfully secure contract with the US government under President George Bush. Since 2007, the company has been involved in a string of lawsuits, investigations, and intense public scrutiny w ith their involvement in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan (â€Å"Blackwater Worldwide†). With the questionable conduct of Blackwater Worldwide, why would I still think that private military contractors should assist in national defense? Well, compared to the many utilitarian advantages, I believe that the pros far outweigh the cons.

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Retaliatory tariffs Mexico placed under NAFTA - Research Paper Example Major impact has been on agricultural trading relation between USA and Mexico. According to trade statistics Mexico exports 80% of its agricultural exports to USA, and since the implementation of NAFTA, agricultural exports between USA and Mexico have increased by 9% every year, thus asserting that NAFTA has benefited both the nations (Agricultural trade, n.d.). The retaliatory tariffs that Mexico implemented on various imported goods from USA continued from March 2009 to October 2011. These tariffs were imposed when USA failed to meet the trucking provisions of NAFTA. Mexico initiated these tariffs keeping within the structure of dispute resolution process of NAFTA. In July 2011, a formal agreement was signed that made decisions regarding implementation of trucking provisions of NAFTA (Zahniser, et al, 2011, p.2). NAFTA came into force on January 1, 1994. It created a trilateral trading relation between USA, Canada and Mexico creating the largest single market of goods and services with these neighbouring nations as the members. The customer base of this treaty was nearly 440 million. The objective was to remove all tariffs on goods that are traded between the three nations thus creating a free trade area by the year 2009. The estimated annual valuation of traded goods between these nations was $ 14 trillion. (Ferrell, et al, 2011, p.98) NAFTA implementation has brought immense changes in the economic and trading relations between USA and Mexico and all these have had great trade impacts in USA. When NAFTA was signed by the three nations, the USA-Canada free trade agreement was already in practice for five years. There were amalgamations of many industries in USA and Canada. Mexico in the pre-NAFTA era was following a policy to produce goods that would substitute imported goods from the USA. One such example was Mexican automotive industry which was ruled by many decrees pronounced

How dialysis treatment for kidney failure relies on an understanding Essay

How dialysis treatment for kidney failure relies on an understanding of the principles of diffusion - Essay Example Maher states that an infection or physical injury to the kidneys can affect the dialyzing ability of the kidneys. A malfunction of the human kidneys can lead to the accumulation of poisonous molecules such as urea in blood (Maher, 1989). A toxic level of urea in blood is fatal. A dialyzing machine works like the kidneys. The difference between a dialysing machine and the human kidneys is the reverse dialysis, which returns small molecules like glucose to the body. The natural kidneys perform endocrine function, which is not possible in the dialysis machine (Maher, 1989). Chung Lee (2006) explains that dialysis is a short-term treatment option to sustain the lives of patients waiting for a kidney transplant. In 2006, research showed that in the globally there were over 1 million patients dependent on dialysis. In the United States 506,256, citizens were under dialysis treatment. In the United Kingdom data from the UK renal registry indicated that around 45, 484 adults were under dialysis treatment. There are two dialysis procedures available for patients experiencing renal problems: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis involves pumping the patient’s blood through an artificial dialysis membrane present in the dialysis machine. The waste products in the patient’s blood diffuse through the membrane to the dialysate. This movement occurs due to the presence of a concentration gradient between the two media. In peritoneal dialysis, the peritoneum in the abdominal cavity works as the dialysis membrane. The peritoneum has a dense capillary network, which makes it a suitable media for the dialysis procedure. The dialysate is pumped to the abdominal cavity via a catheter. In peritoneal dialysis, toxic substances diffuse to the dialysate through the blood capillaries semi permeable membrane (Maher, 1989). Cheng explains that a patient can self-administer peritoneal dialysis.

Bussiness Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bussiness Ethics - Essay Example Speaking more plainly, I think that it is in the best interest of the people that the government hires private military contractors to provide assistance in national defense. Though Sandel did not position himself—directly, on any particular side of the debate, he effectively raise and postulates two critical issues regarding the hiring of private military contractors—using, in particular, the case of Blackwater Worldwide as an example; one is regarding fairness and freedom and the other with regards to civic virtue and common good (81). Blackwater Worldwide which now renamed its company Xe Services was founded by former Navy Seals including its former president and founder Erik Prince. Blackwater trains its own personnel to carry out high-risk operations around the world and had successfully secure contract with the US government under President George Bush. Since 2007, the company has been involved in a string of lawsuits, investigations, and intense public scrutiny w ith their involvement in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan (â€Å"Blackwater Worldwide†). With the questionable conduct of Blackwater Worldwide, why would I still think that private military contractors should assist in national defense? Well, compared to the many utilitarian advantages, I believe that the pros far outweigh the cons.

How dialysis treatment for kidney failure relies on an understanding Essay

How dialysis treatment for kidney failure relies on an understanding of the principles of diffusion - Essay Example Maher states that an infection or physical injury to the kidneys can affect the dialyzing ability of the kidneys. A malfunction of the human kidneys can lead to the accumulation of poisonous molecules such as urea in blood (Maher, 1989). A toxic level of urea in blood is fatal. A dialyzing machine works like the kidneys. The difference between a dialysing machine and the human kidneys is the reverse dialysis, which returns small molecules like glucose to the body. The natural kidneys perform endocrine function, which is not possible in the dialysis machine (Maher, 1989). Chung Lee (2006) explains that dialysis is a short-term treatment option to sustain the lives of patients waiting for a kidney transplant. In 2006, research showed that in the globally there were over 1 million patients dependent on dialysis. In the United States 506,256, citizens were under dialysis treatment. In the United Kingdom data from the UK renal registry indicated that around 45, 484 adults were under dialysis treatment. There are two dialysis procedures available for patients experiencing renal problems: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis involves pumping the patient’s blood through an artificial dialysis membrane present in the dialysis machine. The waste products in the patient’s blood diffuse through the membrane to the dialysate. This movement occurs due to the presence of a concentration gradient between the two media. In peritoneal dialysis, the peritoneum in the abdominal cavity works as the dialysis membrane. The peritoneum has a dense capillary network, which makes it a suitable media for the dialysis procedure. The dialysate is pumped to the abdominal cavity via a catheter. In peritoneal dialysis, toxic substances diffuse to the dialysate through the blood capillaries semi permeable membrane (Maher, 1989). Cheng explains that a patient can self-administer peritoneal dialysis.

African Americans health disparities Essay Example for Free

African Americans health disparities Essay In 2011, the diagnosis rate for HIV cases in the United States was 15. 8 per 100,000 population and 60. 4 among Blacks. Of 197,090 diagnoses of HIV-infection from 2008- 2011, Blacks/African Americans accounted for: ?47% OF THE TOTAL ?64% OF WOMEN ?66% OF INFECTIONS ATTRIBUTED TO HETEROSEXUAL CONTACT ?67% OF CHILDREN, AGES 13 In 2010, the death rate for blacks was higher (25. 0 per 100,000) compared with any other racial ethnicity group (3. 0 whites). Blacks represented 49% of all deaths with HIV in 2010. A recent study showed that blacks diagnosed with HIV are less likely than other groups to be linked to care, retained in care, receive antiretroviral treatment and achieve adequate viral suppression. African American Males African American men accounted for 42% of HIV cases diagnosed among men in 2011. A majority (72%) of African American men with HIV contracted the disease by male to male contact while 19% contracted HIV through heterosexual exposure. African American Females Among African American women, high risk heterosexual contact was the most frequently cited mode of transmission, accounting for 89% of cases diagnosed in 2011. More Information: ?HIV/AIDS TOPIC SITE ?HIV/AIDS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS ?HIV/AIDS STATISTICS AND SURVEILLANCE Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Gonorrhea In 2010, 69% of all reported cases of gonorrhea occurred among blacks. The rate of gonorrhea among blacks in 2010 was 432. 5 cases per 100,000 population, which was 18. 7 times the rate among whites (23. 1). This disparity has changed little in recent years. This disparity was larger for black men (22.2 times) than for black women (16. 2 times). Chlamydia In 2010, the overall rate among blacks in the United States was 1,167. 5 cases per 100,000, a 4. 0% increase from the 2009 rate of 1,122. 2 cases per 100,000. The rate of chlamydia among black women was over seven times the rate among white women (1,536. 5 and 205. 1 per 100,000 women, respectively). The chlamydia rate among black men was almost 11 times the rate among white men (761. 8 and 69. 9 cases per 100,000 men, respectively). Syphilis.

Growth Strategy To Be Market Leader In Retail Marketing Essay

Growth Strategy To Be Market Leader In Retail Marketing Essay Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd is a local business organization in retail industry under the leadership of chief executive, Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin. The business starts its operation since 1957 in retail and wholesale. In the economic environment, Mydin face challenge from other key players such as Giant, Tesco, Carrefour and Econsave. Currently Mydin has 4 hypermarkets and its total stores are 55 which located at Klang Valley, Terengganu, Kota Bharu, Seremban, Nilai, Johor, Alor Setar, Melaka, Penang, Pahang and Kelantan. To compete, the company plans to expand their business and grow organically. Mydin imposed low pricing strategies and provide economically price goods to its customers. Surely, the expansion and growth will influence the business objective. Below is the comparison data of retailers with its number of stores in Malaysia. Retailer Number of stores Giant. 40(hypermarket/superstores) Total Giant stores: 100 Tesco. 35(hypermarket) Carrefour. 23(hypermarket) Econsave. 38(supermarket hypermarket) Mydin. 4 hypermarkets. Total Mydin stores : 55 Hypermarket list is not exhaustive. [Business Times , Saturday, July 31, 2010] Therefore I would like to investigate whether Mydins expansions and growth strategy is viable to the business to gain market share and emerge as market leader. RESEARCH BACKGROUND. This commentary will be based on these following supporting documents; MYDIN EXPECTS 10pc RISE IN PROFIT, QA with Datuk Ameer Ali (Mydin)/SKORCAREER Mydin to built its biggest hypermart in Kota Baru/Business Times. New logo,motto for Buy Malaysian Campaign/mydin.com.my INTERNAL CENTRE OF LEADERSHIP(ICLIF)-2009/MYDIN CASE STUDY. Microsoft Supports Malaysian Retailers Aggressive Plans to Expend. Malaysia mulls bar-code system for halal, products Business Times MARKETING. Marketing Planning. As a retail company in Malaysia, Mydin had implement several marketing planning to boost their sales and obtaining bigger market share. Therefore, this commentary will examine the marketing mix approached by Mydin to successfully market their product and formulate their marketing strategy. Therefore, Mydin can moves towards becoming a market leader. Marketing mix: Product. Mydin has a wide range of product line such as food line, soft line, hard-line and household items. Due to the wide range of product, Mydin will benefits from larger customer base. This will give positive advantage to Mydin as its customer can obtain all products needed here at lower and cheaper price. As a local player, Mydin provide items that are complement with its customers need. Majority of Malaysian are Muslims. Therefore, Mydin provide local prayer mats, prayer garment for women and traditional product which are rarely found elsewhere. However, Mydin should consider its non-Muslim customers due to the image of the place where only Muslim shops. Place. Besides, Mydin is currently expending their business into different format namely hypermarkets, emporium, and My Mart (24 hour convenience stores). As referred to growth of Mydins chain by the year 2009 to 2020, the business forecasted to have 26 Hypermarket, 60 Convenience Store, 20 Emporium and 5 My Mart  [1]  . This investment cost the business a large amount of cash which is RM 200million for supermarket and 60 million for the building of hypermarket  [2]  . The managing director tries to emulate the growth strategies of Kmart by having My Mart although Kmart experience bankruptcy. This expansion can help Mydin, reachable for its customers with various channel of distribution. For example, the choice to build the biggest hypermarket in Malaysia at Kota Baharu  [3]  is due to high demand and larger land available. However, Mydin should consider their large expansion as they may be affected by diseconomies of scale. Promotion. In terms of promotion Mydin apply me-to-promotion where Mydin follow and respond to their rivals marketing strategies such as purchasing similar advertisement board and article from newspaper  [4]  . One of its outlets in Subang Jaya has a digital billboard, controlled digitally from its office. This provides fast response toward its rivals advertisement. Besides, Mydin should consider having other marketing strategies such as advertisement through website or radio to provide detailed information and awareness of their existence. Price. Mydin is well-known for selling its product at wholesale price (40% of its business is wholesale). As compared to its rival, (Giant, Tesco and Carrefour) Mydin is a favorite place for shopping especially in period of economic down turn. They gain RM 1.3 billion in 2009 from RM 1.1.in 2008  [5]  . This proves that as Mydin grow organically, they gain strength in volume, thus can sell cheaper as compared to its rivals. Therefore, the situation is inciting its marketing objective. Positioning. Market positioning is crucial to portray a good corporate image and differentiate Mydins product over rivals. The unique selling point (USP) of Mydin that makes the business stand out from others is the embracing the concept of Halal (following the dietary law in Islam)  [6]  . As most Malaysian are Muslim and very particular in Halal product, the USP is an added advantage. Mydin popular slogans: Where everybody can buy  [7]  also provide a perception towards the customers that in retail industry, you can buy product cheaper at Mydin. But Mydin need to sustain the image by providing items cheap and not providing cheap items with low qualities. Mydin can perceive its brand to be a bargain brands (at high quality but with low price) although its hard to sustain. Therefore, with the growth and expansion strategies, Mydin is moving from Economy brands towards Bargain brands.  [8]   Quality High Low High Premium brands Cowboy brands Low Bargain brands Economy brands Price Figure 1: Perception map showing relationship between price and quality. The slogan is in line with governments campaign, Buy Malaysian  [9]  which educates Malaysian to buy local product (Mydin provide local product on its shelves). Mydins outlet at Subang Jaya has been chosen as the place for exhibition attends by Prime Minister to launch the campaign  [10]  . Besides, Mydin together with Halal Development Council (HDC) organized Halal training program course for small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs (SMEs)  [11]  . The corporate social responsibilities (CSR) done by Mydin enhance its image and will attract customers to choose Mydin instead of others. OPERATION MANAGEMENT. Product Planning. As Mydin grow, the business may affected by overtrading due to stockpiling  [12]  . This situation can increase cost and later absorb on the price of product. Hence, Mydin decide on Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail to applied Just-In-Time stock management  [13]  . The software provides information for its suppliers and decision-makers so that the distribution of stocks runs smoothly from stores to supply chain  [14]  . By this, Mydin can be more responsive to its customers, reduce their break-even point, and improve cash flow and the working capital cycle  [15]  . Consequently, provide competitive advantage towards its rival. HUMAN RESOURCES. Organizational Structure. Besides, Mydin interfere coordination problem of its managers as the business grow hierarchal taller and wider span of control. Communication across the organizational structure will become time consuming and in certain case may be distorted. To overcome this, Mydin decide on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007  [16]  that allows massive information to be provided to all layer of the organization and its suppliers. Motivation. In becoming a market leader, Mydin must have a productive employees to generate larger working capital.16.2% of its workers are foreigners and the remaining are locals  [17]  . To create sense of belonging to work and generate teambuilding between workers, the company provides financial and emotional support  [18]  . According to Maslows hierarchy of needs, people are motivated more than just money  [19]  . Mydin meets the social needs of its worker by conducting birthday parties, cultural dance and inter-branch sports.  [20]   CONCLUSION. Mydin has implemented huge expansion and organic growth of its company. They try to gain their market share by becoming more competitive toward its rival. In becoming so, a transformation throughout the organization is done. Based on the marketing planning carried out, Mydin is currently on the right direction towards its corporate objectives. We can notice how Mydin develop strategic marketing mix to successfully market their product. However, there is some areas that should be improved and focus on. In terms of product, Mydin can try to attract non-Muslim customers by having a promotion or creating an image of Mydin as a place for anyone. Besides that Mydin has wide channel of distribution. However, Mydin should also consider dealing with diseconomies of scales. One of the choices is by introducing measures to remove productive inefficiencies. Mydin might count the effectiveness of each of the business format. The marketing strategies indicate that Mydin can gain higher market share from its competitive advantage in promotion and price. In positioning their product, Mydin had done it well through their USP, slogan and CSR played. They manage to give clear perception of the business to public. Hence, they can gain more customers in the future. In operation management and human resources, Mydin try to centralize their management to hinder business runs at loss and to generate efficiencies. Their decision to cooperate with Microsoft Corp. is a right choice to place Mydin at top amongst other key players. Also, without neglecting its employees needs and demands. Overall, based on the analysis of marketing planning, operation management and human resource Mydin expansion and growth strategies is viable for the business to be a market leader in retail industry.

Japanese American History and the Movie Snow Falling on Cedars :: Film Snow Falling Cedars Essays

Japanese American History and the Movie Snow Falling on Cedars The author of Snow Falling on Cedars did a good job with his research into the first to middle half of the 20th century experiences of Japanese immigrants. Unfortunately, like most movies based on extensive books, I believe this movie may underachieve in representing the author’s intentions. This movie seems almost as an outline to what it should be. The major problem area is with portraying the emotions between characters. For example, the bond between Ishmael Chambers and Hatsue Miyamoto seems significant at first, but does not seem to be as painstakingly hard to break as they try to represent towards the end. Also, hints of prejudice are revealed in various places through out the movie, but they fail to represent the attitudes that were more prevalent during the era. The first trace of good research for the movie is realized with the fact that it takes place on a fictional island near Puget Sound, Washington. This is an acceptable setting because Japanese immigration into the U.S. was focused mainly on the West Coast. Also, depicting the Japanese as grape farmers represents the fact that most of the immigrants moved to rural areas and 40% of them were farmers by 1940 (213).* Japanese immigration rose in 1882 after the Chinese Exclusion Act. This was in part to fill the gaps in the labor supply. These Japanese in turn were discriminated against. Much of the American prejudice against the Japanese was carried over from feelings about the Chinese. The ideas were that the Japanese were racially inferior, cruel, crafty, and threatening (222). It is also apparent by social distance scales that extreme prejudice existed at the time against the Japanese. In 1946 they ranked at the very bottom of the list, even under the more traditionally stigmatized groups such as the Mexican Americans, African Americans, and other racially identifiable groups (38). The movie does a good job of representing the social distance between the Japanese and White Americans. It makes it apparent that there is not much interaction between the two segments of the adult population. This most likely stems from the fact that during the time most Japanese immigrants functioned in the rural economic enclaves based on agriculture. This limited secondary structural assimilation, and thus primary structural assimilation.