Three strikes laws Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Three strikes laws - Research Paper Example w if usually less than ideal and that people are being sent to prison for life for such things as stealing slices of pizza and cookies under the three strikes law just because of the inflexibility of such laws (Walker, 2006). The legislature of Alabama got hard-hitting on the offenders in 1980 when it passed the Habitual Offender Act which had a mandate that persons found with prior convictions of felony subsequently convicted of another felony gets vital enhanced sentences which can probably include life imprisonment with no parole depending on the weightiness of the crime and the number of the felony convictions there before. The law of Alabama is actually not a three strikes and one is out like what California, the Congress and 24 other states passed in early 1990 that does not involve any enhancement of sentence until the offender acquires a third conviction actually. On the other hand, the law in Alabama is actually a one strike law which mandates enhanced sentences for any offe nder with a single felony conviction there before. All these are classified under a habitual offender statute (Sellin, 2007). On average, the three strikes law asserts that after committing three felonies, a person must face life imprisonment, with the likelihood of parole after being in prison for at least 25 years. The history of the crime must also include a history of serious or violent crimes. For instance, if a person is committed of battery, rape and felony theft as separate charges, he or she would be imprisoned under the three strikes law (Farrington, 2008). This paper seeks to review two articles and describe the pros and cons of a three strikes law. The articles reviewed are Strikes laws by S.E. Smith and evaluating the impact of habitual offender law, final report by Gordon Waldo. According to Gordon Waldo in his article, evaluating the impact of habitual offender law, those in support of habitual offender law have argued that the nations that implement the three strikes

Multinational Business in Japan and South East Asia Term Paper

Multinational Business in Japan and South East Asia - Term Paper Example Japanese economic growth following the American occupation wars remarkable for its magnitude, speed, and downright relentlessness. Between 1957 and 1984, Japan's gross national product increased from $3.08 billion to $1.261 billion, a 42-fold jump. Moreover, Japan's economy grew at an annual rate of 9 percent per year during the high-growth years of the 1960s. How was this economic miracle achieved? Japan has employed a version of "developmental capitalism" that allows for a much greater government role in promoting Japan's international competitiveness than is typical in Anglo-American liberal capitalism. Japanese business and government leaders started to develop and implement policies aimed at promoting national economic growth following the end of the U.S occupation of Japan in 1952. The government has positively influenced economic growth through wise macroeconomic policies. Business in Japan has maintained very close relations with the bureaucracy and politician.  Japan's gro ss national savings at its zenith reached nearly 40 percent in the post-war period. Between 1960 and 1980, the Japanese saved around 20 percent of their disposable personal income. The high level of savings of households provided banks and other financial institution with ample funds for heavy investment in the private sector. Japan has invested heavily in developing an effective education and training system. Companies are responsible for providing technical training to the persons they hire.  Japan's economic success can be explained by largely the Cold War and the relationship between the United States and Japan that it produced. The cold war rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union led the United States to shelter Japan from the vagaries of international politics, permitting the Japanese to focus their attention and resource on achieving economic growth. Advocates of "free rider" in which the U.S-Japan relationship has supported Japanese economic growth. The Unit ed States provided cheap technology transfer to Japan following World War II and promoted the Japanese economic build-up through its international trade policy. From an economic standpoint, the contrast between the 1990s and the cold war years can be seen by looking at Japan's real economic growth rate. In 1992, Japan's economy entered a period of stagnation with economic growth rates much below the previous average. In retrospect, it is clear that the Japanese economy became dominated by a financial bubble in the 1980s and early 1990s. In May 1989, the government tightened its monetary policies to suppress the rise in the value of assets such as land. By the end of 1990, the Tokyo stock market had fallen 38%, wiping out 300 trillion yen (the US $ 2.07 trillion) in value, and land prices dropped steeply from their speculative peak. This plunge into recession is known as the "bubble economy". The post-bubble recession continued through the second half of the 1990s.  

Study On The Portuguese Conquest History Essay

Study On The Portuguese Conquest History Essay The Malacca, because the strategic position on the strait bearing the same name, it become more and more important for trading and shunting of spices like pepper, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The Malacca also become a remarkable trading center or port for all the merchants from all the Asian nations of the time, for example, Persia, Arabia, China, India, Bengal, Indonesia, Ceylon, and Japan. After Portuguese conquering Goa in India, the Portuguese start awareness about the importance of Malacca. They started to gather all the information about the Malacca from every seaman who came to Goa. In order to access the strength of Malacca, an expeditionary force was sent there in five ships commanded by Diego Lopez de Sequeira and they arrived in Melaka on 11th August 1509. After that de Sequeira sent one of the captains ashore and negotiated with the Sultan of Malacca. But this action has been failed because of Indian and Arab Muslim persuaded the Sultan and the Bendahara of Malacca does not trust the Portuguese. At the end many of the Portuguese were capture and imprisoned by the Sultan Malacca. In 1511, Afonso de Albuquerque, the Governor and Captain-General of the East were decided to organize an expedition to conquer Malacca. Afonso de Albuquerque collected a fleet of 18 ships and 1,400 men and arrived the Malacca harbor on 1st July 1511. The Afonso de Albuquerque demanded the return of prisoner but the Sultan of Malacca, Sultan Mahmud Syah made an excuse to delay the time so that they can strengthen the fortifications and stockades on both sides of the bridge and the river but Afonso de Albuquerque didnt waste their time. When 25 July 1511, they attacked the town by concentrating attack the assault on the bridge on the river dividing the town. After released the Portuguese prisoner, Afonso de Albuquerque was not satisfied, when 25 July 1511, he ordered attack again on the city. The city was divided into two parts, which is the main town on side of the river, and the suburbs where the traders lived on the other. But this time of attack was failed; they forced to retreat w hen at nightfall. After a few days preparation, Portuguese attacked Malacca again and this time finally Malacca fell to the Portuguese on August 1511. On 24 August 1511, Portuguese discover Sultan Mahmud Syah and his family escape and retreat to Ulu Bertam, Pahang. Portuguese sacked the town, but following Albuquerques orders, they respected the property of those who sided with them. After conquest Malacca, to strengthens and defend the Portuguese base, Portuguese immediately built a fortress which is call A famosa on the south side of the Malacca river. Beside built the fortress, Portuguese also built Governors Palace, the Bishops Palace, the Government council chambers, several churches, barracks, two hospitals, monastery and a prison. Ruy de Brito Patalim was appointed by Albuquerque as the Governor and Nina Chattu as the Prime Minister. After established the Malacca, Albuquerque was encouraged the merchants to reopen their businesses and built up the friendship to Siam, Java, China, and to the Moluccas island. In order to make buying and selling easier, Albuquerque issued a new coinage at Melaka. Although most of the trading was done by barter, there was some trading by using the Malay tin coins. The new Portuguese coins were of tin or copper, silver and gold. Although Malacca had fallen to the Portuguese, the Sultan Mahmud Syah have a base at Johore. During from 1511 till 1526, Sultan Mahmud Syah and his son Sultan Ahmad had continuous sent their army to attack the Portuguese. At the end, in 1583, a peace treaty was signed. However, the Portuguese strong enemy is Acheh in North Sumatra, which was across the Straits of Melaka. It is because the Sultan of Acheh was the champion of Islam and have a big trading pepper in Sumatera. The Sultan of Acheh wanted to capture Melaka and attacked it several times, but at the end they were not successful. In 1602-1603, the Dutch blockaded Malacca by sea, but this was only a first timid attempt. In 1606, Johore and the Dutch concluded an alliance against the Portuguese and in 1607 they set again the town under siege. The Dutch made several fruitless attempts between 1623 and 1627, and in 1633. The defenders of Portuguese run out of their gun power and with a severe scarcity of food when the last siege of combining the Dutch-Johore fleet of 1.500 Dutchmen, 1.500 Malays, 12 Dutch ships, 6 sloops and 40 Johore vessels during in June 1640. Dutch commander Willmsoon Kartekoe ordered the last desperate assault on January 1641 but the Portuguese defender made a fierce resistance and finally Dutch driven back. But in situation desperation, honourable terms of surrender have been offered by Dutch commander to Portuguese and the Portuguese commander accepted the generous terms. After the Portuguese commander dying, he was buried by the Dutch with military honours in the church of Sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢o Domingo. The city of Malacca was thus in Portuguese hands from 24 August 1511 till 14 January 1641. Reason Portuguese venture to the East The  Portuguese  were the first Europeans to dominate trade in SEA and the first to set up trading posts in military-occupied ports . They defeated Moslem naval forces in 1509 and seized  Malacca  in  1511  , until the Dutch captured it in  1641. Southeast Asia felt Portuguese impact the least. The Portuguese controlled only the small territory of East Timor During the 15th century, Portugal heralded its Age of Discovery and became inexhaustible in its quest to discover foreign lands and expand its tiny kingdom. Initiated by Infante Don Enrique, popularly known as Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460), who encouraged his people to increase their knowledge and expand their trading activities to the Far East, the Portuguese embarked on countless missions by land and sea. Their purpose, in addition to searching for Guinea gold and expanding their tiny kingdom to become one of the most powerful nations in the world, was to spread the Christian Gospel and reduce the influence of Islam in the East. Portuguese were bent on spreading the gospel to the East and replacing Islam with Christianity. The Portuguese also had another important reason to venture to the East is to search for Guinea gold where precious Asian spices which had become essential in their part of the world, in flavouring and preserving their food. Keeping consistent in their animosity against the Muslims and fuelled by their search for Asian spices, the Portuguese were intent on diverting the Asian spice trade away from the Muslims. The only way to do this was to stop obtaining the Asian spices from the Muslim Empire in Egypt and Syria, and instead, chart a new spice route around the Cape of Good Hope. The efforts of the Portuguese made them the first European nation that came to the South East Asia in search of Asian spies. Another reason for the Portuguese venturing to the East is to search for the mythical priest-king, Prester John, ruling over a powerful Christian kingdom in known as, the Indies. They believed that with his help, they could conquer the Muslims in the East. In addition, since Muslims had dominated the route via land, they decided to find a new route by sea to the East. The Administration of Portuguese in Malacca Captains-Major of Malacca (1512-1641) Captains-Major From Until Rui de Brito Patalim 1512 1514 Jorge de Albuquerque (1st time) 1514 1516 Jorge de Brito 1516 1517 Nuno Vaz Pereira 1517 1518 Afonso Lopes da Costa 1518 1519 Garcia de Sà ¡ (1st time) 1519 1521 Jorge de Albuquerque (2nd time) 1521 1525 Pero de Mascarenhas 1525 1526 Jorge Cabral 1526 1528 Pero de Faria 1528 1529 Fortaleza de Malaca Fortaleza de Malaca is a fortress system which is a quadrilateral tower. It was constructed at the foot of the fortress hill, next to the sea. To its east was constructed a circular wall of mortar and stone with a well in the middle of the enclosure. This construction is fully fortify the fortress hill. The four gateways were built for the cities are Porta de Santiago, The gateway of the Custom House Terrace, Porta de Sao Domingos, and Porta de Santo Antonio. All of these gateways only two were in common use which is Gate of Santo Antonio and the gateway of the Custom House Terrace. Gate of Santo Antonio is linking to the suburb of Yler and gateway of the Custom House Terrace giving access to Tranqueira and its bazaar. Porta de Santiago porta de santiago.jpgporta de santiago2.jpg The Porta de Santiago is one of the four main gates of the A Famosa fortress. It was built by the Portuguese in 1512 under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque. This magnificent fort had successfully protected the Portuguese position in Melaka, until it was overrun by the Dutch. It was damaged during the attack, but the Dutch later repaired and renamed it VOC with an embossed emblem. But unfortunately what is left until today is nothing more than a gateway called Porta de Santiago. The town of Malacca during the Portuguese era Tranqueira The most important suburb of Malacca is at Tranqueira. The suburb was rectangular in shape, with a northern walled boundary, the straits of Malacca to the south and the river of Malacca and the  fortalezas  wall to the east. It was the main residential quarters of the city. However, in war, the residence of the quarters would be evacuated to the fortress. Tranqueira was divided into a further two parishes, which is Sà £o Tomà © and Sà £o Està ªvà £o. The parish of S.Tomà © was called  Campon Chelim  or we call it Kampung Keling. It was described that this area was populated by the Chelis of Choromandel. The other suburb of Sà £o Està ªvà £o was also called Campon China  or Kampung Cina. Erà ©dia described the houses as made of timber but roofed by tiles. A stone bridge with sentry crosses the river Malacca to provide access to the Malacca Fortress via the eastern Custome House Terrace. The center of trade of the city was also located in Tranqueira near the beach on the mouth of the river called the  Bazaar of the Jaos  that is Javanese. Tranqueira, this part of the city was still called  Tengkera. Yler Yler or we call it Hilir roughly covered Buquet China which is bukit cina and the south-eastern coastal area. The important water source for the community is the Well of Buquet China. The Church of the Madre De Deus and the Convent of the Capuchins of Sà £o Francisco is at the Buquet China. Another notable landmark included Buquetpiatto which is built piatu. The extreme boundaries of this unwalled suburb were said to be as far as Buquetpipi and Tanjonpacer. Tanjonpacer or Tanjung Pasir was later renamed Ujong Pasir. A settlement of Portuguese descent community is located there in present day Malacca. This suburb of Yler is now known as Banda Hilir. Sabba The houses on this suburb were built on the water edges of the river. Some of the original Muslim Malay inhabitants of Malacca lived in the swamps of  Nypeiras  tree, where they made  Nypa wine by distillation for trade. This suburb was considered the most rural, being a transition to the Malacca hinterland, where timber and charcoal traffic passed through into the city. Several parishes also lie outside the city along the river. In later periods of Dutch, British and modern day Malacca, the name of Sabba was made obsolete. However, its area encompassed parts of what is now Banda Kaba, Bunga Raya and Kampung Jawa in Malacca city. The monetary system in Malacca In 1511, the ViceRoy of India, Afonso de Albuquerque, invaded Malacca. The Portuguese ruled Malacca for 130 years. In January 1641 the Dutch took hands of Malacca. Portuguese coinage in the East Indies was struck at Malacca from the year of its conquest 1511, until the Dutch occupation in 1641. Base metal coins were struck for the Portuguese sovereign Emmanuel (1495-1521) and his successors, silver from the reign of Philip II (1598-1621) and Philip III (1621-1640). The Portuguese only focus on doing main business after conquers the Malacca. In India and Malacca, the first thing Portuguese will did wherever they were was to strike coins with which to do that business. In 1511, Portuguese were struck a few gold and silver coins and a set of denominations in tin by the governor da Albuquerque opened a European style establishment. Although there was already have a mint in Malacca. The gold and silver were struck mostly to demonstrate sovereignty, and were sent back to Portugal to show the king that he had a new piece of real estate.  There were basically 3 denominations of tin coins struck at the Malacca mint: big ones called bastardo, their tenth, called soldo, and later a tenth soldo, called dinheiro.   The weight relation of the bastardo and soldo started out fairly correct, but the bastardo became light fairly quickly, and the soldo, and later the dinheiro, became tokens.   Latterly, a half dinheiro, or bazaruco, was struck.   Over the 130 years of Portuguese occupation about 20 tin types were struck, in several dozen major and minor varieties.  Ã‚  During the closing decade of the Portuguese period, there were also some silver coins struck at the Malacca mint, for example, tangas, multiples, and fractions.  In addition, a few silver and gold coins were struck at Goa and Lisbon for Malacca. All there are extremely rare. The Portuguese Currency In 1511, during the reign of King Dom Mnuell, the gold and silver coin were struck in Malacca by mind set up by Governor Alfonso DAlbuquerque from the first year of the occupation. Among the initial currency issues were the commemorative Catolico and the Meio Catolico, both minted in gold and, the third commemorative in silver, the Malaques, named after Malacca.   During the reign of King Dom Joao III, the De Castro issue and the Malacca Mint issue are two separate coinages in Malacca. The De Castro issue was struck during the governorship of Dom Joao de Castro, the 4th Viceroy of Indis (1545-1548) was in gold as well as in tin. The gold coins were the Escudo de Sao Tome and the Quarter Escudo de Sao Tome, minted in Lisbon and Goa for circulation in India and the ten Portuguese territories. The tin coins were the Bastardo, Soldo and Dinheiro which were also minted in Lisbon for circulation in Malacca. The coinage of King Dom Sebastiao, the tin coins have the different distinctive between bastardo, Soldo and Dinheiro. On the Bastardo, the armillary sphere was replaced by crossed arrows and the letter S B. The Soldo had either double arrows a or triple arrows and the letters B A, for the Dinheiro, there were at least two issues, one with the armillary and triple arrows; on the other sailing ship replaced by the sphere   During the reign of King Dom Felipe II (1598-1621) there had been no official record of any coins minted at or for Malacca market. Only the silver piece known by us and there is no distinctive tin coins appear to have issued by the Malacca Mint. They were only in four denominationa, the first is Half Tanga, the second is Tanga, the third is Double Tanga and the forth is Quadruple Tanga. This Quadruple Tang was struck between the years 1633-1636 at the Malacca Mint or may be at the Goa Mint specially designed and issued for Malacca. All denominations of silver Tanga of Malacca with the mintmark of A M or M A of the Malacca Mint. Dom Manuel I 1495 1521 second issue Dom Manuel.gifsecond issue Dom Manuel reverse.gif Second issue  1512 1515 (De Brito Patalim ´s coinage). Bastardo, pewter, 49,06 gram, 37,5 mm. Obverse: Sphere with legend around: D(om) M(anuel) P(rimeiro) R(ei) DE PV(rugal) S(enh)OR D(a) I(ndia) E MALA(acca) Reverse: Cross of the Order of Christ with legend around: CRVX XPI NOSTRE SPES VNICA Shaw Kassim 7, E.E.Sim   cfr. E1 35 Third issue Don Manuel reverse.gifThird issue Don Manuel.gif Third Issue  1517 1521 These coins were issued under the authority of a new governor, Dom Aleixo de Menezes, who arrived in Malacca in June 1517. Bastardo, pewter, 13,82 gram, 29 mm. Obverse: Crowned Portuguese shield with inscription around: I EMANVEL R(EX) P(ORTUGALIA) ET A(LGARBIORUM) D(OMINUS)  ¤(G)VINE + (Manuel I King of Portugal and the Algarve, Lord of Guinea). On each side of the shield + V. The type with + V, is not mentioned in E.E.Sim. Reverse: Armillary sphere. H.T.Grogan 1296, Shaw Kassim 14, E.E.Sim %, Sim 20-25 Dom Joà £o III 1521 1557 Dinheiro.gifDinheiro2.gif Dinheiro, pewter, 1,59 gram, 19 mm. Obverse: Cross surrounded be the legend: + IOA(NNES) : III. POR(TUGALIA): ET: AL(GARBIORUM) (John III King of Portugal and the Algarve). Reverse: The Armillary Sphere Shaw Kassim 19, H.T.Grogan 1302, Sim J3.07 Dom Sebastià £o 1557 1578 Half soldo_dinheiro.gifHalf soldo_dinheiro2.gif Half soldo/Dinheiro ?,  pewter, 2,13 gram, 17-19 mm Obverse: Three arrows crossed and tied in the centre between the letters B A. Large dot on each side on the top of the central arrow. The two dots and the B A indicated perhaps it is a 2 bazarucos ? Reverse: The Armillary Sphere. The Zodiacal belt rises from the left to right. Shaw Kassim 25, H.T.Grogan 1312, Sim S.18 Bazaruco2.gifBazaruco.gif Bazaruco, pewter, 1,12 gram, 13 mm Obverse: The crowned Arms of Portugal Reverse: Cross Half soldo2.gifHalf soldo.gif Half Soldo ?, pewter, 2,46 gram, 18,5 mm Obverse: The Crowned Arms of Portugal. Reverse: A sailing ship left. Shaw Kassim 24 Sim S.19 Philip III, 1620 1640 Meia tanga.gifMeia tanga2.gif Meia tanga  (1/2 tanga) 1635, silver, 15-15,5 mm, 1,03 gram. Obverse: Crowned Portuguese shield with mintletters beside A M (Asia Malacca). Reverse: Monogram of value T A, besides D M (De Malacca), below the year 1635. 1 tanga 1631.gif1 tanga2 1631.gif 1 tanga 1631, silver, 17,5 18 mm, 3,05 gram. Obverse: Crowned Portuguese shield with mintletters beside A M (Asia Malacca) Reverse: Monogram of value T A, besides D M (De Malacca), below the year 1631. Mitchener 3156, Sim F3-24 2 tanga.gif2tangabs 2.gif 2 tanga  (half xerafins?) 1631, Silver, 25 mm, 6,04 gram Obververse: Crowned Portuguese shield with mintletters beside A M (Asia Malacca) Reverse: Monogram of value ? T A, besides D M (De Malacca), below the year 1631. The financial system of Portuguese conquer Malacca and other places In all ports controlled by Portuguese, Albuquerque instituted the system of the cartaz. Cartaz was a naval trade license or pass issue by the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean during the sixteeth century, this cartaz system is under the rule of the Portuguese empire. In 1443, Prince Henry the Navigator was initiate the licensing of vessels with consent of the king and the Pope, when he decreed a monopoly on navigation in the west African coast Portuguese Mare clausim policy in the Atlantic Ocean have been starting. All the ships began to be licensed by Portugal, which authorized and supported navigation, encouraging investment in exploration travel by Portuguese and foreigners in exchange for part of the profits. In 1502, the cartazes licensing system was created and the main purpose of this system was to ensure that merchants paid the tax in Portuguese trading posts, guaranteeing its monopoly on the spice trade and other products. It actually bring advantage to local commerce, the low cost of the cartaz system, granting merchant ships protection against pirates and rival state. They protection racket, plus customs duties and some outright piracy, raised the money to defray part of the cost of manning garrisons and maintaining the navy Under cartaz system, every vessel will be receive a document to sail in the Indian coast, no vessel was permitted to sail in the Indian coast without this document, they may risking losing their cargo or being attacked and even sunk by Portuguese. Mainly Muslim, Hindu and Malay merchant ships without this document. Every year, Portuguese fleets patrolled the coasts to require this document. As Portuguese lost influence, the issue of cartazes becomes an important source of income for the crown. The cartaz system enabled the Portuguese to exercise some control over trading networks that they could not dominate. In time, they raised further revenues by selling concessions for specific maritime trade routes to Asian ship-owners. In the mid-16th century, Asian merchants were shipping their goods on Portuguese ships and vice versa. And even the Portuguese ships were crewed by men from Arabia, Malabar, Gujarat, Malaysia and Indonesia, with perhaps one or two Portuguese officers. Pidgin Portuguese became the  lingua franca  of the Indian Ocean ports.

How animal research has advanced the understanding of depression :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Animal models have made numerous progresses in the last century. This type of research has made a difference in the way we look at psychological issues such as depression. This paper is a review of the literature on animal models of depression. The issue of what advances have been made will be explored. The effects of serotonin on many issues have been studied. In this paper stress, learning, memory, brain derived neurotrophic factor, ovarian hormone withdrawal, and effects of certain drugs will be looked at. Let’s look at stress and serotonin first. Stress   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A study done by Grippo, Sullivan, Damjanoska and colleages (2004) shows that chronic mild stress provokes behavioral and physiological changes and may change serotonin receptor function in rats. In this study sixty four Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Half were male and the other half were female. The following stimuli were used as stressors which include:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Continuous light for 2 12 hour periods   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Forty degree tilt along vertical axis of cage for 6 hour period   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paired housing for a 16 hour period and 4 hour period   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Damp bedding with 300 mL water spilled on bedding for 16 hour period   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Water deprivation for 16 hour period   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Empty water bottle following 16 hour water deprivation for 1 hour   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stroboscopic light with 300 flashes a minute for a 6 hour period and 4 hour period   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  White noise at approximately 90 dB for 4 hour period of continuous noise and a 3 hour period with random intermittent noise All the stressors were given over a period of one week, and randomly presented for 3 additional weeks for a total of 4 week trial. All the rats were injected with a receptor agonist and were decapitated 15 minutes after the injection for the trunk blood. The 4 week trial resulted in the rats showing signs of depression, and satisfied adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) responses to the receptor agonist. The trials also sparked a lack of pleasure in both male and female rats.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another studied related to stress was done by Gregus, Wintink, David and Lalynchik (2005). This study looked at corticosterone injections and stress and how this relates to depression. Sixty naà ¯ve Long-Evans male rats were used. The rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups and were given corticosterone injections (CORT), vehicle injections, repeated restraint stress and repeated handling. These treatments were given for 21 days. The CORT group and vehicle group were given injections at random times during the light and dark cycles.

Revolutionary History Essay

Between 1765 and 1788, the revolution that established the United States of America transpired. This revolution arose, because the power of the British Parliament to directly impose taxes on the American colonies was disputed by the latter. This revolution resulted in the establishment of a large republic and served to disprove the theory of political thinkers that republicanism could not govern over a country that was large. In this manner the state and federal constitutions that were adopted in the period from 1776 to 1788, represented the foremost political aspirations of that age. Another effect of this permanent republicanism was that monarchies became obsolete over a period of time (American Revolution.The Crystal Reference Encyclopedia. CredoReference). This revolution, which was democratic in nature, established the principle of equal rights in the US. This was due in great measure to the efforts of farmers and artisans. The extent to which these people favored freedom can be estimated from the fact that they took over the reins of government in the states of Pennsylvania and Vermont. Subsequently, in 1777, these states disassociated themselves from New York, in order to implement institutions that were significantly democratic. Moreover, social change was engendered by this revolution, in as much as slavery was transformed into a political and moral issue from what had been a well established reality. In the Northern states slavery became extinct and in northern portion of the South, the number of blacks who were no longer slaves increased dramatically (American Revolution.The Crystal Reference Encyclopedia. CredoReference). The French Revolution demolished the Bourbon monarchy and the ancien rà ©gime. It commenced with an insurrection by the nobility against projected financial reforms in the year 1787. Subsequently, the middle classes participated in this revolt. The National Assembly supplanted the Estates – General and it published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. After this the working classes of Paris took control of the Bastille in July 1789. In 1791, the royal family was incarcerated for making plans to stage a counter revolution. The nations of Europe became unsettled due to these developments in France and this resulted in the French Revolutionary Wars. In 1793, King Louis XVI was decapitated by means of the guillotine. The existence of various political factions resulted in the Terror, which lasted from 1793 to 1794. During this period, around two hundred thousand people were detained and around fifteen thousand people were put to death (French Revolution. Andromeda Encyclopedic Dictionary of World History. CredoReference). The French Revolution, which started in the 1789, brought to an end the monarchy that had been in existence for a thousand years. After the King had been deposed, the government was controlled by Robespierre and others of his ilk. They executed a large number of people and in this manner unleashed considerable terror. Subsequently, Robespierre was himself executed and control passed to the Directory. This proved to be an incompetent and corrupt body, which permitted Napoleon Bonaparte to seize power in France and ultimately become its Emperor. The French Revolution was officially ended when Napoleon declared himself to be the Emperor of France (French Revolution. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Houghton Mifflin). This was a prolonged struggle in Mexico that followed the deposition of Porfirio Dà ­az. He was a dictator who ensured that power was concentrated in the hands of a few and who supported the elite. Leaders like Francisco Madero, Pancho Villa, Pascual Orozco, and Emiliano Zapata collected a large number of supporters. Subsequently, in 1911, Madero was made the president of Mexico. However, his reforms were not executed quickly and this caused both his former allies and foes to oppose him. He was executed by Victoriano Huerta, who became the dictator of Mexico. However, Huerta a drunken despot was overthrown by the machinations of Villa, Carranza and Obregà ³n and Carranza became the president in the year 1914. Since, Villa was not agreeable to this, considerable bloodshed ensued. Carranza ensured that a liberal constitution was written and adopted in 1917. He had Zapata, a popular peasant leader, ambushed and killed. This led to a popular revolt against Carranza, who was killed while attempting to flee Mexico City. The fierce fighting almost came to an end after Obregà ³n came to power. However, a few clashes continued to take place and the revolutionary period ended only in 1934 when Là ¡zaro Cà ¡rdenas came to power (Mexican Revolution. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia). The American Revolution resulted in an independent United States of America, whereas the French Revolution put an end to its own national government. The American Revolution influenced the French people with the ideas of freedom and independence. The visits of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to France in the 1780s uplifted the spirits of the French people with new hopes for independence from tyranny. King Louis XVI supported the American Revolution that commenced in 1776 and encouraged the American colonies in their fight against the British in order to obtain independence. The King, however, failed to anticipate that he was ushering in his own downfall. The effects of both the American Revolution and the French Revolution changed the course of the history in such a way that absolute monarchies were unable to survive in many European countries, which were replaced peacefully with republics and democracies (American Revolution vs. French Revolution). The French Revolution became highly appealing to other nations due to the straightforwardness and universality of its objectives. Many people were inspired and convinced by the concepts of â€Å"Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity† that had been basis of the French Revolution. The only unresolved issues related to the interpretation and application of these concepts to the social and political milieu. This solution to this problem was provided by Karl Marx in his Das Capital, in whose opinion the French Revolution had not been taken to its logical conclusion and was therefore incomplete. His contention was that though freedom had been obtained, workers had been exploited and deprived of property. The benefits that had arisen due to the French Revolution had failed to uplift society as a whole. Karl Marx believed that the emancipation of the society in its totality was possible only if there was a socialist or communist revolution, which would eradicate private property and form a cooperative of producers. During the last stage of this transformation the state would wither away as it would cease to have any purpose. This final stage of Marx’s theory was similar to that of the anarchists of France, Italy, Russia and Spain (The Revolutionary Idea in the Modern World). The French revolution had a profound influence on the subsequent nationalist movements and some of these were the 1821 Greek Independence movement, the endeavour to bring about modernization in Egypt by Muhammed Ali and in the Ottoman Empire by Selim III and Mahmut II. Several social uprisings of the 1968s had also been inspired by the French Revolution. Moreover, the French Revolution affected the thinking of future generations by enabling them to accept change as normal and had a cohesive effect on the masses in process of building the state (Robinson). The Mexican Revolution was a success in the class of anti – state rebellions. It dethroned the Diaz regime and extinguished the caudillismo of Huerta and Carranza. It marked a milestone in the history of popular revolutions and popular sovereignty in under developed nations. This revolution demonstrated that revolutions by native peoples could emerge victorious. It paved the way for the subsequent revolutions against state authorities including both violent and nonviolent rebellion. Most of the Latin American governments adopted the principles raised in the Mexican constitutional principle of no re – eleccion. This constitutional principle had not been subjected to any attempt to amend or repeal it by any of the Mexican leaders, subsequent to the assassination of Alvaro Obregon in 1928 (Mexican Revolution). The principles of the revolution were debated by the political and academic scholars in and out of Mexico. The events, participants and the consequences of the Revolution were documented by many foreign authors. For instance, John Womack had written Zapata and the Mexican Revolution, and Friedrich Katz wrote Life and Times of Pancho Villa. These works narrated a lengthy and well documented report of the events of the Revolution. Moreover, the aftereffects and the events of the Mexican Revolution continue to influence Mexican politics as well as international policies (Mexican Revolution). The first half of the twentieth century was witness to changes in the Mexican government that were similar to that of the French Revolution. Every revolution consists of four stages and in the preliminary stage both Mexico and France faced problems that were reflected in the future. These problems were due to the extant leadership. After this preliminary stage there occurs the second stage consisting of frequent rebellions against the government. Subsequently, the revolution enters the third stage, which is characterized by a great deal of turbulence and can therefore be termed as the crisis stage. There were several instances when bloodshed and chaos prevailed during this crisis stage. The final stage is that of recovery and in this stage the governments consent to implement the plans and measures that would engender changes that would benefit the people. The preliminary stages of the Mexican and French Revolutions were the same. The Mexican president, Porifirio Diaz had been a successful President of Mexico for over three decades. He ruled the country in a manner that was similar to that in which Louis XVI had ruled France. In Mexico power was concentrated in the hands of a few people who had access to the President. The rest of the citizens did not have a voice or the right to vote for the officials they favored. There was no right to expression and there existed sanctions, which were similar to those obtaining in the Ancien Regime in France. These terrible conditions prevailed in the country and wealth was concentrated in the hands of a few. Furthermore, injustice was the order of the day and there was no law and order in either the cities or the countryside (The Mexican Revolution). In addition, there were a number of differences, for instance the French monarchs of the Ancien Regime had been absolutist monarchs and their ruling power had been centralized. President Porifirio Diaz ruled the nation as a dictator and it was often stated that the President had the best intentions for the future of Mexico. He was concerned with establishing a stable government and in order to achieve that objective he ensured that the training program for military and police personnel had been thoroughly changed in such a way that both those forces gained in power and strength. The French Revolution was better known for the problems that the different classes had with each other. The people of the upper class had been distressed due to the fact that they had lost power during the reign of Luis XIV and the people of the middle class were disgruntled due to the fact that some of the members of their class were becoming wealthier but were not permitted to hold noble titles. Workers of the urban areas were convinced that they were being ill treated and this belief lasted throughout the duration of the Revolution. France went to war with England in support of the Americans and this clearly indicated the incompetence of the rule of Louis XIV. The war served to severely deplete France of its resources and the Revolution was in the offing. Louis XIV was not in a position to control the revolution (Wasserman). The similarities of the Mexican Revolution and the French Revolution are further elicited during the crisis stage. There was a civil war in both the countries and in Mexico, there were opposing parties of Obregon and Carranza against Villa and Zapata. In France, there was a constant strife between the citizens throughout the country and particularly in the Vendee. The main objectives of these various groups were fulfilled in these revolutions. The people of Mexico sought equality, rights and a republic government similar to that of the United States. In France, the people wanted a systematic well – structured republic having no monarch. Both Mexico and France were able to achieve their desired goals. However, France was able to attain its objective in the crisis stage, but Mexico had to wait till the end of the revolution to achieve its desired goal. Thus these nations resemble each other to the extent of attaining their aims. The aftereffects of the Mexican Revolution and the French Revolution continue to influence the people even today. The Mexican Constitution, which was written in the year 1917, has remained unchanged till today. The Mexican Revolution can be considered as a revolution that had taken place in a developing nation and it has served as an inspiration to revolutions in the third world. The French Revolution left its mark due to the Declaration of the Rights of Man, which protects the fundamental rights of the citizens and these rights are still in vogue in France. The chief difference between these two revolutions was that Mexico was able to retain its republican government after the revolution, while France went into a dictatorship and then a monarchal form of government after the end of the revolution. At present, Mexico is a constitutional republic supported by its Constitution. Mexico has a president and a legislative branch and a governmental system that is stable. In contrast, the constitution of France was changed several times and the governmental system of France has a president and a parliament. In this aspect it resembles the system of governance of the United States. The fundamental aim of the French Revolution was the formation of a constitutional monarch similar to that of England. The main similarities between these two revolutions were that they both had an objective that was fought for and duly achieved. The French Revolution, the American Revolution and the Mexican Revolution were fought in order to attain freedom and justice. The United States sought freedom from the British rule, while France fought for dethroning a government under which the rich people tyrannized the poor and in order to obtain freedom from monarchal ruling. In Mexico, people sought freedom from the Diaz’s Oligarchy. However, a number of differences existed in respect of the causes of these revolutions due to the fact that the leaders subscribed to different opinions. The French Revolution commenced with a bloody attack on the Bastille, which represented the hated power of the aristocracy. The American Revolution, on the other hand, was conducted in a phased and well regulated manner. The Americans first engaged in negotiations with England and on these negotiations being rejected by the latter, the Americans decided to declare independence from the British. Since, England did not accept this declaration of independence by the colonies, the American Revolution began in right earnest (Nosotro). The Mexican Revolution started with a mass uprising against Diaz, who fled to Spain. However, this was revolution entailed a lot of bloodshed and treachery. The reason for the American, French and Mexican revolutions was that the people sought to obtain freedom from tyranny. These revolutions left a significant influence on history. The United States explored all other avenues, prior to embarking on a war with the British. The French Revolution on the other hand began as a mass movement and created terror and panic due to the large number of executions, moreover, it was characterized by rampaging mobs (Nosotro). In this respect the reign of terror unleashed by Robespierre attained considerable notoriety. The Mexican Revolution was targeted at the elite, who had assigned all the power to themselves. The poor of Mexico wanted land and an escape from poverty. Popular and legendary leaders like Zapata promised to obtain land for the poor peasants. The American Revolution destroyed the attitude of respect for social superiors and constituted authority. American society remained structurally unchanged due to this revolution. All the same, the false belief that disobedience to authority was disobedience to God was dispelled by the revolution. The public increasingly started to believe that rulers should serve the people rather than behave as their masters. This resulted in the establishment of a new social order in which persons with authority were chosen on the basis of merit and not on the basis of prestige, social status or wealth. Moreover, such elected persons would have to comply with the will of the people rather than demand the unquestioning loyalty of the public. The French Revolution served as an inspiration for several other revolutions like those that occurred in South America. It is very important due to the fact that the new ideas regarding freedom that originated in this revolution were disseminated all over Europe. The message that it conveyed to the world was that even in the absence of a well planned strategy, it was possible for a popular uprising to depose the extant authorities. It brought about the establishment of the precedents to democratic institutions, representative governments and constitutions. The Mexican Revolution brought about the transition from a dictatorship to a democratic system that had less foreign control, better living conditions for its citizens, labor reforms and economic and social reforms. The objective of these revolutions was to secure liberty from tyrannical authorities. While the American Revolution resulted in the establishment of United States of America, the French Revolution resulted in the overthrow of the Bourbon monarchy and the Mexican Revolution brought about an end to the Oligarchic rule and engendered far reaching land reforms that improved the living condition of the Mexican peasants. Works Cited American Revolution vs. French Revolution. 1 July 2007 . American Revolution.The Crystal Reference Encyclopedia. CredoReference. 2005. 3 July 2007 . French Revolution. Andromeda Encyclopedic Dictionary of World History. CredoReference. 2001. 3 July 2007 . French Revolution. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Houghton Mifflin. 2002. 3 July 2007 . Mexican Revolution. 1 July 2007 . Mexican Revolution. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. 2003. 3 July 2007 . Nosotro, Rit. Reasons for the American and French Revolutions. 1 July 2007 . Robinson, David. Muslim Societies in African History . Cambridge University Press. P.84. ISBN 052153366X, 2004. The Mexican Revolution. November 1996. 1 July 2007 . The Revolutionary Idea in the Modern World. 1 July 2007 . Wasserman, Mark. â€Å"Persistent Oligarchs: Elites and Politics in Chihuahua, Mexico, 1910-1940.† Duke University Press, 1993. 68 – 71.   

Nissan Corp Swot Essay

Global interdependence: possible new marketsGovernment regulations: abroad in other countries as well as US and the US; global warming, CAFE standards, safety issues Growth of existing market: widen market New entrants: threat of potential inclusive of generation X,Y and baby boomersnew competitors Strong economy: economy not faltering;Changing market tastes: need for consumers still buyingcontinuous innovation to appeal to ifferent segments Nissan’s reputation: leads the industryShortage of resources: workforce in reliability, performance, and design dissatisfaction, hiring good talent Emerging technologies: innovative through the development of technologies for improving fuel economy and reducing fuel emissions Introduction This Case Paper will examine accessible information about Nissan Corporation and determine its position in the world market through a business SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). Through this analysis, we hope to see where the Nissan has been and make suggestions as to where the corporation should go to improve their bottom line, increase market share, and plan for future products to ensure their viability in the world automobile marketplace. Market Analysis Nissan’s focus in establishing a multi-cultural company begins with regaining global market share. The company has learned from past mistakes and is determined to succeed, developing a common vision and a global ompany culture that will need to be a main driver for continued strength (Associated Press, pgs. 1-8). For instance, establishing a brand name and personality that is sensitive to nationalistic cultures. Strategic alliances and joint ventures are growing in importance in the automobile industry and Nissan is no stranger to the competition. Nissan’s mission statement delivered by Mr. Ghosn in the Automotive News World Congress in 2001, is evidenced in how the company exploits synergie s to create positive alliances with other manufacturers (Ibid). For example, Nissan’s announcement to venture with Ashok Leyland to build small trucks and other light commercial vehicles in India gives them an opportunity to enter a market that in recent years has been dominated by its competitors, Toyota and Honda. This venture will produce at least 100,000 vehicles annually for sale in India and for export, as it will facilitate the construction of a plant near the southern Indian city of Chennai to manufacture and export compact cars to Europe. The deal with Ashok Leyland will broaden Nissan coverage in the Indian market in addition to providing new LCV (lightweight commercial vehicle) products for emerging markets which will sell for around $3,000. 00. Ashok Leyland’s strengths in large and mid-sized trucks combined with Nissan’s strength in smaller vehicles creates a positive synergy (Ibid). According to Mr. Ghosn, partnering globally is an opportunity and the Chinese market is no exception. China is Nissan’s third largest single market, after North America and Japan. Vehicle production has grown over the past ten years. However, the major source of growth has been the production of passenger cars (The Business Review, pg. 7). Passenger car production has doubled in the past ten years. This shift is in response to a change in market conditions and in a desire for Chinese manufacturers to enter the global auto passenger car market. Consumer demand is also increasing and in order to satisfy this demand, auto production has been increasing. The demand for autos is expected to continue (Ibid). According to the Wall Street Journal, the car craze in China has just begun. There are two factors that create possible opportunities for Nissan: 1) the country has the world’s largest population and as incomes rise, so will the hopes of buying an auto some day. 2) the market may grow to 8 million vehicle sales annually by 2010. Nissan’s new line of cars in China will be designed and engineered in Japan, based on a common â€Å"B† platform shared with Renault that centers on smaller engines. Annual sales of the entire family of cars are expected to reach 200,000 units globally and will be launched in other markets over the next couple of years (Financial Times, pg. ). However, the threat of inadequate roads and the government’s changes in regulating how autos are purchased will make the costs unpredictable. On a financial scale, the banks are under pressure to control credit, so auto loans may not be easy to acquire. North America accounts for nearly 40% of Nissan’s global sales, and in each of the past years sales have exce eded those in Japan, with the gap widening each year. Nissan is spending several billion dollars on new models, and the U. S. assembly plant in Canton, MS is aimed at maintaining momentum (Ward’s Auto World, pg. 1). The most significant automotive development in North America is continuing growth in the luxury segment and the increasing popularity of cross/utility vehicles. Nissan is on track to rebuild its image and regain brand value. In the past, customer satisfaction was good, but the model lineup was limited. Now, with the Q45, M45, G35 sedan and coupe and the FX models, the market has begun to recognize that Infiniti provides a range of real luxury models (Ibid). According to Bloomberg, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. led Asian automakers’ U. S. sales gains in September as Toyota Motor Corp. posted a third straight decline. Accord helped boost sales by 9. 4 percent. Toyota’s 4. 4 percent drop marked the first time since 1995 that Japan’s largest automaker logged three consecutive months of lower U. S. sales. Sales of the five year-old Corolla model, Toyota’s second-most popular in the U. S. , dropped 8. 5 percent and demand for the company’s light trucks declined amid rising gasoline prices. Industrywide U. S. sales fell for a fourth consecutive month, by 2. 9 percent to 1. 31 million light vehicles (Bloomberg. com, pgs. 1-3). Toyota’s old models like the Corolla are dragging down while Honda and Nissan have brand-new models. Nissan reported a 6. 7 percent increase in sales (Ibid). Nissan, sixth in the U. S. , sold 94,269 vehicles, helped by higher demand for midsize Altima and Versa compact cars. Nissan’s market share edged up 0. 7 percentage point to 7. 2 percent. The Japanese are becoming more aggressive in terms of incentives and pricing, which makes them more competitive against South Korea’s largest automaker. The company faces tough competition from Japanese and Korean auto makers like Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi, which are rapidly gaining ground in the European markets. Asian manufacturers are continuing to fortify their position in the crucial North American and European market. It can also expect stiff competition from Toyota and BMW (Ibid). Nissan believes that growing the business means introducing new products and has created the Nissan Revival Plan to realign their cost structure. Significant amounts of money are funneled back into product development, mostly going towards the North American market. This means there are opportunities for new innovations that will bring the company in line with a mix of vehicles that are currently on the road. Its R&D costs in FY 2006/2007 stood at JFY 464,839 million, an increase of 3. 9% when compared to JFY 447,582 million in FY 2005/2006. The company increased its investment on R&D activities to launch a host of new products throughout the year (Ibid). In 2007, Nissan launched a new version of its minicar, namely, Pino E, which is a 2WD model and equipped with a three-speed automotive transmission. It is claimed to offer a fuel economy of 21. 0 km/1. Furthermore, the model is considered safe and environmentally friendly, as it features anti-lock braking system (ABS), brake assist (BA) and electronic braking force distribution (EBD) systems. It is low emitting, complying with the 2005 emissions regulations in Japan. In March 2007, the company also developed a new engine technology that helps balance between responsiveness and fuel efficiency, high power and low emissions (Ibid). Today, Nissan stands behind its offerings; that fundamentals of the business are strong, products are attractive to customers, and the company is poised for sustained, profitable growth. Environmental Concerns In researching the issues of automakers in regards to the environment, many nations as stated in The Wall Street Journal, are concerned about climate change and energy security. One of the most important issues all automakers are faced with on a global scale is the reduction of emissions, more specifically carbon dioxide or CO2. Concerns for the future in the minds of the majority are setting new goals for automakers of vehicles with internal combustion engines to become more efficient if they are to remain profitable or even in existence, which is further backed by a global treaty known as the Kyoto protocol (Wall Street Journal). In the protocol’s drafting of new rules they are intended to cap emissions of CO2, the gas widely blamed for global warming can potentially pose a major threat. According to scientists, it is reported that the rise in the earth’s average atmospheric temperature is largely due to this major contributor CO2 which will bring changes to the global environment, and therefore affect our daily lives (Ibid). According to the Wall Street Journal, a debate is raging in the US over how much time automakers actually need to boost fuel economy, and whether setting stringent targets will compromise safety by encouraging car makers to use lighter materials. Additionally, the US has not adopted the Kyota protocol and is under less pressure to reduce CO2 emissions as they are in Europe. Therefore, Nissan’s global prominence puts the auto manufacturer in an â€Å"opportunity† position by making concentrated efforts in advanced technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions at every stage of the vehicles life cycle and their corporate activities, from manufacturing and transportation to use of Nissan’s vehicles by its consumers. Nissan, currently the third largest automaker out of Japan has opportunity to grow stronger from the threats of one and two automakers Toyota and Honda respectively, who lead the market in alternative fuel development (Wall Street Journal). According to Nissan’s Green Program, it is Nissan’s view that internal combustion engines will continue to be the main power source of vehicles globally in the years ahead. Therefore, Nissan therefore takes a stance of reducing CO2 emissions through the development and widespread adoption of advanced technologies for improving the fuel economy of gasoline engine vehicles. Currently in the works for Nissan is the development of cleaner diesel engine vehicles that run on biofuels made from plants and other reusable sources (Ibid). Nissan estimates that over half of the vehicles they sell by 2050 will need to be electrically powered if they are to reach their long term goal of reducing CO2 emissions. Nissan’s threat has been its major competitors in developing hybrid electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles and electrical vehicles. Other companies such as Toyota are setting the bar in alternative fuel sources which makes them a profitable industry leader with the obvious threats of gas prices that change virtually on a daily basis (Ibid). Nissan History and Innovation Nissan Motors’ history dates back to the 1930s when Jidosha Seizo Co Ltd was established in 1933 in Yokohoma City, Japan. Its beginnings as a munitions company was short lived when the company was renamed to Nissan Heavy Industry Co Ltd and introduced the first Datsun, manufactured after World War II. After the company began exporting the cars to the US in 1958, it gained popularity due to its small size and high fuel efficiency. Subsequently, in 1980, Nissan Motor established Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corp. USA to strengthen its market potential in North America (ABI/INFORM Global pg. 1). Today, Nissan supplies a widespread customer base classified across regions, namely, Japan, the US, Asia, Europe and General Overseas Market, which includes Mexico and Canada. This market includes 150 dealers and 2,500 outlets worldwide (Ibid). This is the age of globalization and the worldwide interdependence of resource supplies, product markets, and business competition. Nissan has succeeded in meeting its challenges due to its focus in valuing diversity both in its workforce and through understanding customer needs. This is evident in how the company plans ahead and is always looking for new ways to improve current performance. For instance, the company learned from past mistakes; failure to recognize changing customer focus in non-growth sectors, and being competitively focused rather than market focused. Also, finding the right people and the right plan to maximize growth is key (Nissan News, pg. 8). Shiro Nakamura Nissan’s automotive designer is known as â€Å"The man behind the Nisan Look† and has developed some up-to-date, eye-catching designs that have no resemblance to the old models, and the company is optimistic that sales will increase once the current plan to launch 28 new cars during fiscal year 2008. Most of the changes are defined to the upper body and adjusted to make it more like the Altima (Business Week, pg. 1). Nissan’s innovations stem from producing a product that their customers want. Their philosophy is that investing in a product that will bring value and satisfaction to its customers will build loyalty as well as expand that market base. Nissan’s models include Maxima and Sentra cars, Altima and upscale sedans, Frontier pickups, the 350Z sports car, and Xterra and Pathfinder SUVs. In 1999 French automaker Renault took a 37% stake in Nissan, and installed president and CEO Carlos Ghosn (nicknamed â€Å"Le Cost Killer† based on his talent for turning red ink black) who has since returned the company to profitability. Renault now owns almost 45% of Nissan. According to Hoovers, Nissan fiscal year end sales in March were in millions, $80,583. 7. Net income in millions was $4,427. 8, and 1 year net income growth was 7. 0%. Their top competitors were General Motors, Honda, and Toyota (Hoovers. com, pg. -2) Generation â€Å"X† consumers can identify with the sports world, ESPN’s X Games. Games showcase the world’s most dangerous events. The â€Å"X† generation is also playing a big role in the fashion world, thus the automotive industry has been one of the leaders driving the â€Å"X† growing trend. Jaguar’s Web site prominently features a glowing X to promote the new â€Å"Jaguar X-Type: a car for a new generationâ⠂¬ . And Nissan has scored big with the model Nissan Xterra. This trend is enabling Nissan to tap into a pool of younger car buyers. The vehicle has attracted many new buyers, some of which have never purchased a Nissan before. The Xterra is aimed to attract 25 to 35 year old drivers. Marketing tactics fill viewers with scenes of athletes doing extreme outdoor exercise, and pushing their SUVs to the extreme. Polls cited that men were most affected with the advertisement than women. 13% to 9%. According to the Gallop polls, the ads scored highest among those 30 to 39 years old, which is right where the company was trying to segment. The 25 to 35 year old target market (USA Today, pg. 2-3). Baby Boomers on the other hand are most attracted to the Nissan Murano, or Nissan Bevel. Nissan’s long term vision for 2015 is that future vehicles will save lives by installing a series of sensors that can detect sobriety of a driver and can immobilize the car. Other features include detecting operational changes, such as drifting out of a lane, at which time the system navigation system alerts the driver with voice message alerts and the seat belt is tightened. Nissan is currently testing an on-board breathalyzer and road sensors to help reduce accidents. Other plans to develop an Intelligent Transport System Project and road sensors will help reduce accidents (Nissan. com, pg. 1-2) The company understands the importance of agility in a dynamic 21st century market and is continuously reinventing itself to stay ahead of the competition. Sometimes, this means taking risks. Most recently, the company made an announcement that it was moving its headquarters from California to Tennessee. The new facility will accommodate 1300 plus employees and favorable for business, not to mention contributing to the infrastructure and supporting the community with more jobs. It’s inevitable that there could be some unforeseeable threats perhaps with current labor force. Some issues could be that they are not in agreement with the transfer and choose to leave the company, thus the need for new hires. Other potential threats are the risk of new competitors in the area, and developing a new sense for the new market. The California population may not have the same tastes and likes as the Tennessee population, thus Nissan could expend additional resources to substitute products and services (Tennessean. om, pg. 1-4). A strategy for the future that Nissan could consider would be to offer a motorcycle product. Exploring and pursuing this opportunity would allow them to remain competitive and also to offer products to meet different needs. Honda, BMW, and Suzuki, all of whom offer cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles, Nissan too should visit the idea of offering a motorcycle. Over the years Nissan has developed quality products that are dependable, hi ghly functional and desirable; this being an advantage for Nissan. Along with remaining competitive, the high price of fuel recently would make a Nissan motorcycle more appealing. The motorcycle would alleviate fuel expenses and consumption. The Nissan motorcycle would also be appealing in geographic locations such as Japan, China and major cities in the United States that do not have the space on roads for larger vehicles. Nissan plans to offer a concept vehicle that resembles a car and a motorcycle. This vehicle is called â€Å"Urge† and offers state of the art gaming systems that allow the driver to use the gas and brake pedals to play. When considering the pricing of a Nissan motorcycle and remaining competitive, Nissan should consider that Honda and Suzuki offer motorcycles at reasonably affordable prices. Suzuki offers several types of motorcycles to include cruisers, motocross, and sport bikes all at reasonable prices ranging from $6,000. 00 to under $10,000. Honda also offers cruisers, motocross, and sport bikes. Honda motorcycles range from $3,000 to $13,000. In order to lure prospective buyers into purchasing a Nissan motorcycle, Nissan should strive to offer its motorcycles at reasonable prices, similar to Suzuki and Honda. The price range for motorcycles made by BMW is slightly higher starting at $8,000 to $15,000. BMW has offered a motorcycle since 1923. Its tenure along with the fact that consumers have learned to trust the German made motorcycle are what keep BMW competitive. Offering reasonably priced and desirable styles similar to BMW, Honda and Suzuki is a great opportunity that has not been approached by Nissan. The cruiser styles offered by Honda, Suzuki and BMW resemble that of a Harley –Davidson motorcycle without the high cost. The market for Nissan motorcycles is positive with the increasing cost of fuel and the ages of future drivers. Most of the baby boomer generation have become accustomed to the quality of Nissan vehicles and would be approaching retirement age in the next few years. Nissan’s release of motorcycles would segment the soon retired baby boomers as a fun and recreational of transportation. The Nissan motorcycle would also segment the new drivers of today which in a few years will be the young generation to market to. Nissan would have to be conscious of expenses in marketing and production of the motorcycle, a product never offered and could use the business model already established by its competitors offering both motorcycles and automobiles in the industry. According to Analysts, the economy is not faltering and people are still hopeful for the future. It is a race to the finish line, and who ever gets there first wins. It will be interesting to see how automobile manufacturers will implement new strategies (Economy Today, pg. 1) Nissan Technologies –Past and Future New technologies were as important to Nissan’s past as they are to Nissan’s future. Nissan has always addressed environmental issues, including the development of clean power sources for vehicles and recycling of natural resources. Nissan has been able to release one new model after another with fuel-efficient direct-injection gasoline engines and direct-injection diesel engines since 1997. This has led to the expanding application of the Hyper CVT (continuously variable transmission) , the Extroid CVT, the Tino Hybrid and the two-seater Hypermini electric vehicle in the early part of 2000 for efficient fuel economy (Nissan global. om). Nissan’s history goes back to an automobile factory started by Masujiro Hashimoto in 1911 called the Kwaishinsha Co. In 1914, a box-type small passenger car was completed and in the following year the car made its debut on the market under the name of Dat Car. Another predecessor of Nissan was Jitsuyo Jidosha Co. , Ltd. , which im ported machine tools and components from the U. S. , and was one of the most modern automobile factories of its time. Kwaishinsha Co. and Jitsuyo Jidohsa Co. merged in 1926 to form Dat Jidosha Seizo Co. , and two years later to the establishment of Nissan Motor Co. Ibid). In preparation for post war capital investment in Japan, Nissan developed two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities leading to the advancement of motorization and increased traffic accidents; and contributed to the problem of air pollution. Nissan developed its first Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESV) in 1971 and over the years created a reputation for excellence in engineering and advanced technology. Nissan has developed weight-reducing materials, engine management systems for controlling combustion, and using CAD/CAM systems and industrial robots (Ibid). Recently, Nissan has also been localizing R;D operations, which has now advanced decision-making through the regional headquarters in North America and Europe. Nissan’s local operations in their respective regions oversee product development, manufacturing, procurement, fund-raising and mutual complementation of parts between companies (Ibid). Nissan’s Vision Nissan is developing corporate activities centered on automobile manufacturing based on their vision of â€Å"enriching people’s lives. In order for cars, which provide mobility, to truly become reliable partners for our customers, a number of issues including global environmental issues, traffic accidents and congestion problems must be tackled as part of a long-term vision (Nissan global. com). The global automotive industry is entering an era that will change almost every facet of the car in the future to come. Nissan’s global vision includes the pursuit of environmentally sustainable technologies creating one of the greatest engineering competitions in history that has the potential to deliver significant benefits to humanity (Ibid). To realize our vision, Nissan is developing technologies based on a framework called the â€Å"Orchard† concept. † This concept allows Nissan to embrace technologies in a comprehensive manner (Nissan global. com). In order to create a distinct value in order for customers to choose their cars, Nissan is likening its approach to the management of a fruit orchard in which â€Å"fruit† is planted and raised. The process has three phases, one – the Harvest Plan, two – Seeding and Growth and three – Soil Enrichment. The Harvest Plan takes into account social needs and market demands for the commercialization of technologies and the timing of releases. Seeding and Growth will implement strategies for the realization of the Harvest Plan and to formulate development of schemes. Lastly, Soil Enrichment will create value for the long term by researching reliability improvement and analysis technologies (Ibid). Some of the proposed solutions are more efficient fuel-cells for electric cars, bio-fuels, advanced diesel fuels or combinations of these solutions. However, the most effective solutions will not be decided by engineers. It will be decided by consumer demand, which is the most powerful force for global environmental progress. Every new car buyer in every country gets a vote by exercising their right to choose, thereby dictating both the pace of future change and its direction (Ibid). Nissan’s vision is to invest massively in R&D in pursuit of new technologies. This has not always been the case. Due to perilous financial decisions, in 1999 Nissan could not afford to invest in the core of its brand identity – technological innovation. Today, Nissan’s R&D budget is much healthier than the level of 1999 due to significantly increased efficiency of their R&D activities. This has led to an environmental blueprint known as Nissan’s â€Å"Green Program 2010†. Also taking advantage of the alliance with it’s parent company, Renault, Nissan is able to focus on specific promising technologies – such as advanced lithium-ion batteries and other areas, such as clean diesels. Nissan’s vision includes the determination to be the leader in environmental progress. It is Nissan’s belief that motoring can be both green and fun allowing consumers to expect new technologies that will enhance dynamic performance (Ibid). Some of the latest technologies being embraced by Nissan are the X-Trail Fuel Cell Vehicle, Ultra-low Friction Diamond-like Carbon (DLC), the Super Motor, and the Compact Lithium-ion Battery. Nissan continues to raise the practicality of FCVs, which are being developed as the most eco-friendly vehicles. The X-Trail FCV provides increased cruising range. (Nissan global. com). The FCV also provides improved acceleration. The new model features a Nissan-developed fuel cell stack that is more efficient than the previous stack resulting in maximum power of 90 kw compared with 63 kw in the 2003 model. Ultra-low Friction Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) is Nano-technology based on ultra-low friction technology. Nissan has substantially reduced friction between engine parts by developing the first technology in the world to combine a hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating with special oil. Energy is lost due to friction that arises between the hundreds of parts that comprise an engine. This ultra-low friction technology uses nanotechnology in order to reduce friction by approximately 40% compared to conventional engines. The DLC works by use of a hydrogen-free DLC coating, improves binding with the engine oil, and results in the formation of a firm ultra-low friction film when special oil additives are added. It is now possible to reduce overall engine friction by 25% (Ibid). The Super Motor and Compact Batteries Nissan has independently developed the Super Motor based on an all-new concept. One motor provides output through two shafts, enabling it to function as both a motor and a generator. This innovative technology has a wide range of potential applications (Nissan global. com). The Super Motor can dramatically reduce the size and improve the efficiency of the drive unit compared with the use of two conventional motors. Independent control of the power obtained from the two shafts. The Super Motor has rotors positioned on both the inside and outside of one stator, enabling power to be delivered through two shafts by use of a new technology to apply compound current to the Stator coils (Nissan global. com). Nissan has succeeded in independently developing a laminated lithium-ion cell that displays an exceptionally high output characteristic. This cell is the result of many years of lithium-ion battery research that began in 1992. The laminated cell is featured from the 2003 model X-TRAIL FCV (Nissan global. com). The laminated cell design and high-power electrode technology improve power output by 1. 5 times and reduce the volume by more than half compared with the conventional cylindrical cell. The thin cell construction also enables a thin module design for a substantial improvement in battery ooling efficiency. Locating the battery under the floor achieves compact and highly efficient vehicle packaging, including a low, flat floor, among other advantages. Compared with the cylindrical cell, the laminated cell has fewer components and is extremely compact and lightweight. Moreover, Nissan has succeeded in achieving higher power output through material improvements made to the lithium manganate positive electrode and the carbon negative electrode (Nissan global. com). Executive Summary Like any other automobile manufacturer, to stay competitive in today’s world markets, one must consistently innovate and stay one step ahead of the competition. In the past, automobile manufacturers have been first in presenting more fuel efficient vehicles, increased gasoline mileage rating through body redesign, and have introduced new safety features for the yearning public marketplace. Nissan current project in India is to try to regain market share from its competitors Toyota and Honda by creating Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV’s) which are small cars that can be sold for around $3,000. 00. This innovative idea can create a brand new market segment of customers who could not, up until this point, afford to purchase and operate a vehicle. Along with being fuel efficient and maintaining competitive, Nissan’s offering a motorcycle would be an added strategy to pursue. Dealing with the myriad of different cultures across the globe is also a major focus of Nissan’s Chief Operating Office Carlos Ghosn who realizes that the creation of multi-cultural company can flourish and grow through exploiting it synergies, believes that feeding off each other’s strengths, and minimizing its weaknesses are key. Automobile manufacturers like Nissan can never be â€Å"one size fits all†, but they can certainly try to understand and adapt to different cultures to maximize desired commonalities and maximize profits. These days, partnering globally cannot be realized without including China. China is Nissan’s third largest single market (only after North America and Japan). Although vehicle production has significantly increased over the last ten years, passenger car production has actually doubled in the last ten years due to market conditions and Chinese automobile manufacturers ntering the car market. China has a great position in the future manufacturing of automobiles because of increased income and an already over-inflated population. However, threats of inadequate roadways, governmental regulations on how automobiles are purchased, and pressure on Chinese banks to â€Å"control credit† may temporarily slow the process. North America has captured 40% of Nissan’s global sales and has caused an ever-widening gap with Japanese sales which has been increasing each year. Nissan has recently spent several billion dollars on new models and a new U. S. ssembly plant in Mississippi to ensure that this momentum continues. Nissan believes that growing this business means introducing new products while realigning cost structures. Large sums of money are being placed back into product development – most geared towards the North America market. Although the United States never signed onto the popular Kyoto protocol which planned to significantly reduce the amount of carbon emissions in the world, many other nations did because of the ever growing concerns of climate change on a global scale which many believe poses a worldwide threat. Nissan, however, has proactively realized this concern and has taken advantage of this opportunity by making concentrated efforts in advancing technology that reduces carbon dioxide emissions â€Å"at every stage† of the vehicle’s life cycle. Nissan is vigorously working on the creation of cleaner diesel engines that run on biofuels made from plants and other renewable sources. The threat to Nissan has been its competitors who are developing hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. Toyota has lead this aspect of the automobile industry, and has been setting the bar in alternative fuel sources making them the very green and very profitable company that envisions change in the industry. Nissan began exporting cars to the U. S in 1958 and gained popularity because of its small size and great fuel efficiency. Today, Nissan has developed new eye-catching designs that do not resemble older models. Nissan is very optimistic that sales will increase significant once these 28 new models are launched during the 2008 year. But the look of new models alone isn’t all Nissan is after. Safety features such as installing a series of sensors that can detect alcohol levels in the driver will alert the car to slow and/or become immobilized. Corporate agility is also a key factor as is shown when Nissan moved its headquarters from California to Tennessee, which accommodates over 1300 employees, supporting the community with more jobs, and reducing significant overhead. New technologies developed at Nissan have addressed environmental issues including clean power sources for its vehicles and recycling of natural resources. Nissan has envisioned that the future of their company will greater enrich peoples lives through global environment issues, and reducing traffic accident and congestion problems. Some of Nissan’s proposals include more efficient fuel-cells for electric vehicles, bio-fuels, and advanced diesel fuels. The most important facet that Nissan realizes is that effective solutions will be decided by consumer demand, not engineers. Nissan has constructed a â€Å"Green Program 2010† which has become their environmental blueprint for success in the industry.

fossils essays

fossils essays Fossils are amazing how they are formed. The process is fossilization. I was surprised to discover that a series of mistakes must happen in order for a fossil to be created. First some living creatures must die and must some how escape the scavengers that have a roll in the food chain. The once living has to then become entombed in mud and sand. The shroud must lie undisturbed for years so that mineralization can take place in which the tissue or cast gets filled in with sediment. Then this body turns to stone. The scientists that study these relics are called paleontologist. Dates in paleontology are usually revised backward in time, since a new find may revise an event earlier then what was discovered previously. Examining articles for the first multi-cellular organisms, First vertebrates or the pollination of insects to flowering plants. The strata of rock in which they are found date the fossils. Measuring the extent of radioactive decay in certain isotopes they contain dates the rocks. The element carbon can exist in three different forms, Carbon 12 six protons and six neutrons, Carbon 13 six protons and seven neutrons. 12C and 13C are not radioactive. The rare 14C is radioactive, its atom decay by the loss of an electron to nitrogen 14. Theirs a half-life 14C is approximately 5,730 years, this is how long it takes for half the atoms in and quantity to decay. The earth gains 14C from cosmic radiation and losses it as a result of radioactive decay. Volcanic ash can be used for dating. Ash known as mazama, with an age of 6,720 radiocarbon years, and Glacier Peak B ash located in glacier peak Washington with an age of 11,250 radio carbon years. Another method of dating is called molecular clock examine for genes which are descended from a common ancestral gene. Although very new this ...

Free Essays on Disney

Disneyland was a dream come true. The dreamer of this "magical little park" was Mr. Walt E. Disney. Walt wanted to create a kind of family park where kids and parents could have fun together. The original plans for the park were on 8 acres next to the Burbank studios where his employees and families could go to relax. During World War II, the ideas for the park were put on hold. But the dream kept growing. It was soon clear that 8 acres by the studio would not be enough. By the 50's it was clear that the park would need a lot of money and land. Walt and his brother Roy and a few others were the only ones that believed that this park would be a success. Walt once said, "I could never convince the financiers that Disneyland was feasible because dreams offer too little collateral." Walt decided to use television to get the idea of the Magic Kingdom into the people's houses. The show would be called "Disneyland." This brought the idea into reality for Walt and the American people. The land that now houses Disneyland used to be just 180 acres of orange groves and walnut trees. When the real designing came about, Walt was met with tough questions. How do you make believable wild animals? How do you make a Mississippi paddle ship? How exactly do you go about building a big castle in the middle of Anaheim, California? Disney looked to his movie studio staff for the answers. The design of Disneyland was something never done before. There would be five uniquely different lands. Main Street, U.S.A. was where Walt wanted to relive the typical turn of the century city Main Street. He said, "For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of grandfather's youth." Adventureland was an "exotic tropical place" in a "far-off region of the world." Walt said, "To create a land that would make this dream reality, we ... Free Essays on Disney Free Essays on Disney Disneyland was a dream come true. The dreamer of this "magical little park" was Mr. Walt E. Disney. Walt wanted to create a kind of family park where kids and parents could have fun together. The original plans for the park were on 8 acres next to the Burbank studios where his employees and families could go to relax. During World War II, the ideas for the park were put on hold. But the dream kept growing. It was soon clear that 8 acres by the studio would not be enough. By the 50's it was clear that the park would need a lot of money and land. Walt and his brother Roy and a few others were the only ones that believed that this park would be a success. Walt once said, "I could never convince the financiers that Disneyland was feasible because dreams offer too little collateral." Walt decided to use television to get the idea of the Magic Kingdom into the people's houses. The show would be called "Disneyland." This brought the idea into reality for Walt and the American people. The land that now houses Disneyland used to be just 180 acres of orange groves and walnut trees. When the real designing came about, Walt was met with tough questions. How do you make believable wild animals? How do you make a Mississippi paddle ship? How exactly do you go about building a big castle in the middle of Anaheim, California? Disney looked to his movie studio staff for the answers. The design of Disneyland was something never done before. There would be five uniquely different lands. Main Street, U.S.A. was where Walt wanted to relive the typical turn of the century city Main Street. He said, "For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of grandfather's youth." Adventureland was an "exotic tropical place" in a "far-off region of the world." Walt said, "To create a land that would make this dream reality, we ...

Capital Punishment Essays (10436 words) - Human Rights, Free Essays

Execution of criminals and political opponents has been used by nearly all societies?both to punish crime and to suppress political dissent. In most places that practice capital punishment it is reserved for murder, espionage, treason, or as part of military justice. In some countries sexual crimes, such as rape, adultery, incest and sodomy, carry the death penalty, as do religious crimes such as apostasy in Islamic nations (the formal renunciation of the State religion). In many countries that use the death penalty, drug trafficking is also a capital offense. In China, human trafficking and serious cases of corruption are punished by the death penalty. In militaries around the world courts-martial have imposed death sentences for offenses such as cowardice, desertion, insubordination, and mutiny.[14] Anarchist Auguste Vaillant guillotined in France in 1894The use of formal execution extends to the beginning of recorded history. Most historical records and various primitive tribal practices indicate that the death penalty was a part of their justice system. Communal punishment for wrongdoing generally included compensation by the wrongdoer, corporal punishment, shunning, banishment and execution. Usually, compensation and shunning were enough as a form of justice.[15] The response to crime committed by neighbouring tribes or communities included formal apology, compensation or blood feuds. A blood feud or vendetta occurs when arbitration between families or tribes fails or an arbitration system is non-existent. This form of justice was common before the emergence of an arbitration system based on state or organised religion. It may result from crime, land disputes or a code of honour. "Acts of retaliation underscore the ability of the social collective to defend itself and demonstrate to enemies (as well as potential allies) that injury to property, rights, or the person will not go unpunished."[16] However, in practice, it is often difficult to distinguish between a war of vendetta and one of conquest. Severe historical penalties include breaking wheel, boiling to death, flaying, slow slicing, disembowelment, crucifixion, impalement, crushing (including crushing by elephant), stoning, execution by burning, dismemberment, sawing, decapitation, scaphism, or necklacing. The Christian Martyrs' Last Prayer, by Jean-L?on G?r?me (1883). Roman Colosseum.Elaborations of tribal arbitration of feuds included peace settlements often done in a religious context and compensation system. Compensation was based on the principle of substitution which might include material (e.g. cattle, slave) compensation, exchange of brides or grooms, or payment of the blood debt. Settlement rules could allow for animal blood to replace human blood, or transfers of property or blood money or in some case an offer of a person for execution. The person offered for execution did not have to be an original perpetrator of the crime because the system was based on tribes, not individuals. Blood feuds could be regulated at meetings, such as the Viking things.[17] Systems deriving from blood feuds may survive alongside more advanced legal systems or be given recognition by courts (e.g. trial by combat). One of the more modern refinements of the blood feud is the duel. Giovanni Battista Bugatti, executioner of the Papal States between 1796 and 1865, carried out 516 executions (Bugatti pictured offering snuff to a condemned prisoner). Vatican City abolished its capital punishment statute in 1969.In certain parts of the world, nations in the form of ancient republics, monarchies or tribal oligarchies emerged. These nations were often united by common linguistic, religious or family ties. Moreover, expansion of these nations often occurred by conquest of neighbouring tribes or nations. Consequently, various classes of royalty, nobility, various commoners and slave emerged. Accordingly, the systems of tribal arbitration were submerged into a more unified system of justice which formalised the relation between the different "classes" rather than "tribes". The earliest and most famous example is Code of Hammurabi which set the different punishment and compensation according to the different class/group of victims and perpetrators. The Torah (Jewish Law), also known as the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Christian Old Testament), lays down the death penalty for murder, kidnapping, magic, violation of the Sabbath, blasphemy, and a wide range of sexual crimes, although evidence suggests that actual executions were rare.[18] A further example comes from Ancient Greece, where the Athenian legal system was first written down by Draco in about 621 BC: the

The Landscape Masters of the Baroque Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Landscape Masters of the Baroque - Essay Example For the most part, French baroque art can be considered as an expression of the French Crown’s values, particularly those of King Louis XIV.King Louis built the Versailles palace as a symbol of the Crown’s total authority, of which the design of both the palace and surrounding land was a direct product of a rigid, rational, and disciplined approach meant to show the state and government control of the king. The sculptures, paintings, and architecture that were chosen to decorate this palace were, stylistically, purely classical in nature, conveying the timeless and orderly truths of the policies pursued by King Louis XIV. However, not every artist in France wanted to be employed by the government with majority of them electing to leave the country, contending that this was better than placing their artistic creativity in political service. The two most distinguished artists of this period, Claude Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin, chose to move to Italy, where they got inspir ation from the gentle landscape in Rome.Claude Lorrain elected to paint the lovely countryside in form of poetry, populating the landscapes with ancient monuments and their picturesque ruins, as well as flocks of sheep. Poussin also sought to depict similar features in his landscapes on the countryside in Rome. However, Poussin sought to do more than delight the audience or viewer. Instead, he utilized the classical setting to present human history in dramatic form. On top of delighting his landscapes’ viewers, he also set out to instruct them.

Comment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Comment - Essay Example However, the social contract theory as defined should not include it being a set of rules because the parties in the contract only follow it because the others are following it. Unlike in a set of rules, where one party breaks the contract, the other party will also do the same. If a government does not protect the rights of its citizens despite giving up some of their rights in order for the government to govern, the citizens may revolt. The resource follows a logical sequence of thought with the prisoner’s dilemma being linked to the social contract theory. While you state that the prisoner’s dilemma is the best solution for the citizens and the government, it would have helped if you had given an example of how it could do this. As the paper stands, the example given is too general, and it is not clear to whom the prisoner’s dilemma is a difficult situation to be in. The prisoner’s dilemma, I surmise from your following argument, is difficult for the prisoners because it is in each prisoner’s best interest to say what he/she knows, even though it might be the best outcome they would wish for (Fieser 137). Finally, I am in agreement with your conclusion that cooperation is the best way to come up with societal

European trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

European trade - Essay Example mber states (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom)’. In the near future more states are going to be added to the above list. The decision on the requirements related with the entrance of a new country in the Union is taken within the Union in a relevant meeting of the representatives of the member states. It is this ‘body’ that also decides for the policies followed in all sectors of European Union including the commerce. It should be noticed though that specific criteria should be used for the above decision otherwise the relevant decision can be doubted from the interested parties (potential members of the Union) as of its validity and credibility. On the other hand, in a relevant report published in Social Education (2002, 1) it is noticed that â€Å"the EU has a unique structure; it was created by and is composed of sovereign countries; but it is more than an international organization; it has common institutions similar to those of a national government in that they can enact and implement laws throughout EU territory; these institutions also formulate Europes `common policies, for example in trade, agriculture, transport and the environment, which are paid for by the EUs own budget’. In accordance with the above, European Union has a particular character which is related with the characteristics of the member states. It is for this reason that any decision taken in the context of the community has to be verified by the appropriate ‘body’ in accordance with the nature of issue under examination. The use of treaties for the creation of standard practices in the community is a common practice among the me mber states. Regarding this issue, it is stated by Savage (2001, 46) that ‘treaties and other forms of budgetary agreements create

Importance Of Border Control And How To Improve It Dissertation

Importance Of Border Control And How To Improve It - Dissertation Example The Center is committed to the development of technologies, tools and sophisticated procedures to regulate and monitor immigration and business across the borders. This involves the development of projects that promote border security and make it stronger and more effective. There are a number of aspects relating to border security that the Center focuses on; these include risks and weaknesses, better surveillance and screening, analysis of immigration patterns and improvements in immigration law enforcement (U.S. Department of Homeland Security 2009). The conditions that have developed after the 9/11 have exposed many gaps in the security and surveillance mechanisms. These gaps and vulnerabilities have become yet more acute in light of pressing security demands after the rise in terrorism over the previous years. Besides the post-9/11 conditions and terrorism, there are other factors that have necessitated a revision of the immigration and border security systems. These include grea ter security reviews, insufficient collaboration with NGOs and the government, disputed policy tensions etc (Kerwin 2011). My research question is how important is border security today and what measures can be taken to improve it? The research project focuses in particular on the development and enforcement of better surveillance mechanisms and advanced technologies for regulating the influx of immigrants as well as goods such as false documents, illegal medicines, drugs and other illegal items. The project focuses on various aspects associated with development of such technologies, including their pros and cons. One of the key features that guarantees the success of a research project is the amount of information collected regarding it. Keeping this in mind, the research objectives can be defined as follows: Revisiting the importance of border security Identifying the need to develop better methods of surveillance and border security