Torturing terrorist by the goverment Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Torturing terrorist by the goverment - Article Example Suspects of terrorism are expected to provide the government with intelligence information on the whereabouts of their gangs, sympathizers and financiers. However, to extract this information from them always become the problem. This is because most of these suspects are under oath to protect the activities of their groups. For example, most of them opt to commit suicide rather than having to be interrogated by the authorities. Concealing this information, therefore, renders a big blow to governments counter-terrorism activities. Proposals have for this reason been forwarded encouraging governments to use more force on the suspects and this involves the application of torture to the suspects. This, however, has human rights implications besides the expected outcomes. This means that in the face of the society, the human rights organizations and the international community, torturing terrorism suspects have pros and cons. Applying torture to terrorism suspects have advantages. First, torture to terrorism suspects has not been covered in the Geneva Convention report on the treatment of prisoners of war. Further, the convention only prohibits torture in the culprits own soil. When happening in another country, torture is thus legally acceptable. Secondly, treating terrorism with diplomacy only makes the situation worse. When the dignity of the suspects is respected as proposed by humanitarian organizations the terrorists are even more encouraged to make attacks. In addition, new members have no reproach joining the terror groups. This is as opposed to a torture situation in which case even those who have the intentions of joining such groups become discouraged. This slowly weakens the group and makes it unable to conduct attacks in future. Thirdly, the fight against terrorism often requires the people to make a choice between two evils. To use torture to compel disclosure of intelligent information,

Virgin Group Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Virgin Group Company - Essay Example The Virgin Group is considered to be one of the world’s Superbrands, receiving regular industry-generated rewards and accolades for establishment of a successful business model built on effective marketing promotion. Maintaining presence in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, this multi-national organization maintains significant brand recall and recognition worldwide that gives it many new market entry advantages for foreign direct investment. A Virgin Group Company, Virgin Galactic, was founded in 2004 under the premise of providing space tourism to consumers whilst also advancing aerospace knowledge through a business model that supports space-based research. Virgin Galactic is currently working under a multitude of partnerships with reputable agencies such as NASA to develop space-faring tourism vehicles slotted for launch in 2013. The company’s founder, Sir Richard Branson, is currently doling out millions of Pounds to license Virgin Galactic produ cts and services, attempting market entry in the United States for this revolutionary and innovative brand supported by Virgin Group superbrand status. This report highlights the impact of globalisation in this new market, the competitive advantages gained through this new business model, and provides a critical evaluation of market entry strategy developed by Virgin Group and Richard Branson. 2. The dynamics of Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic is still in the development and construction phases in the space tourism industry. In 2009, Virgin Group contracted with Aabar Investments PJSC in the United Arab Emirates in which the company agreed to invest $280 million USD to assist in developing the space tourism industry (Space News 2009). Aabar Investments took a 32 percent ownership in Virgin Galactic, making them one of the largest venture capitalists supporting the Virgin brand. NASA, an American space organisation, also invested over 1.5 billion dollars to rent lab space in suborbit al vessels and for contract to resupply the International Space Station upon launch of Virgin Galactic’s service (Del Castillo 2012). The space tourism industry is an untapped market, an innovation from conception to actual impending launch. To facilitate all of the operational components necessary to achieve a viable space tourism business model, Virgin Galactic must invest considerable capital resources. This involves establishing a cost effective and efficient supply chain consisting of multiple vendors in multiple industries (e.g. technology, metallurgy, software support systems, etc.). Virgin Galactic is currently developing an entire fleet of space tourism vehicles, each vessel maintaining its own focus for research and development as well as consumer-centric tourism services. The United States represented the most viable market for entry due to the ease of distribution supported by a vast and well-developed distribution infrastructure in the country and the consumer in terest in space tourism as a potential lifestyle enhancement. To achieve the return on investment required on preliminary capital expenditures in the billions of dollars, Virgin Galactic had to identify a target market that would provide the best opportunity for revenue production upon launch of the tourism model. Figure 1: Ghemawat + AAA strategic framework applicable to Virgin Galactic Source: Ning, L. (2012). The most important

Appalachian Mountains Essay Example for Free

Appalachian Mountains Essay The â€Å"Appalachian Mountains† refers to the mountain range that covers most part of the eastern North America and some sections of another country, the neighboring Canada. Professionals believe that the Appalachian Mountains is divided into three; the south part, the north part and the central portion of the Appalachian Mountains. The presence of the Appalachian Mountain range is important for the US because of several reasons. One of the reasons is that the Appalachian Mountains act as a dividing line separating the Midwest territory of the US from its eastern seaboard via the Eastern Continental Divide, which traces a path alongside the Appalachian Mountain range starting from Pennsylvania leading up to Georgia. There are also other important roles that the Appalachian Mountain range play and it can be socially, economically and geographically. Another important characteristic that is attached to the Appalachian Mountains and it formation is that it marked the beginning of plate collisions which was in turn responsible for the building of several mountains and mountain ranges in the planet, and this mountain building phenomena was believed to be responsible for the creation of Pangaea (Klyza and Trombulak 14). Because of the importance of the Appalachian Mountain range, studies on its geological aspect have been undertaken for years now. The Appalachian Mountains is believed to have undergone a series of different physical transformations and the movements that the Appalachian Mountains experienced throughout its history and creation have made it what it is today. Like other mountain ranges in the world, the Appalachian Mountains, at various times through ages, have risen to great heights from the sea or have been continental rock covered by shallow oceans (Adkins 49). The geological history of the Appalachian Mountains is a very important and very interesting topic to delve on. Because of this, the focus of the paper is centered in discussing the different aspects of the changes that happened on the Appalachian Mountain ranges, from its creation, the timeline involved and the processes that shaped the formation of the Appalachian Mountains from the start until today. When did they form? Most experts believe that the geology of the Appalachian Mountain ranges goes as far back as nearly 500 million years ago, particularly around 480 millions years ago. The timeline of the formation of the Appalachian Mountain ranges involved the changes that happened in several different eras. According to professionals, as far back as the Paleozoic Era there were already movements happening in the natural rock formation of the planet that lead towards the creation of the Appalachian Mountain ranges. This was particularly in the era’s Ordovician Period which was believed to be the time where rock movements led to the rising of the Appalachian Mountain ranges and its transformation from an erstwhile buried state, being submerged underwater during earlier times (Geologic Provinces 3). After the Paleozoic Era, there were still changes that affected the Appalachian Mountains. During the Triassic Period of the Mesozoic Era, structure and feature changes affected the creation of Appalachian Mountains, and some uplifting in the rock formation during the Cenozoic Era also contributed to some of the changes that happened in the Appalachian Mountains (Geologic Provinces 8). How did the Appalachian Mountains Form? The Appalachian Mountain range is a very complex and very old natural geological feature of the planet. The physical characteristics of Appalachian Mountains provide the observer with hints and clues towards how the Appalachian Mountain range was formed and what processes were involved in the formation of this particular mountain range. A major characteristic of its geology is the presence of elongate belts composed of marine sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks, as well as parts of an ancient ocean floor. These are all impacted by thrust faulting and folding processes that shaped the Appalachian Mountain ranges from how it was during its initial formation up to how it is now after years of constant transformation owed to the natural rock movements that impact natural geological formation of rocks on the planet (Adkins 50). Before it would rise up and become a mountain range, the region where the Appalachian was to rise from was considered as a passive plate margin. Because of this, there are times when the area is found underwater, buried by sea water under a sea that was nonetheless shallow, especially since there were also periods where it was above water. The Appalachian region would not remain passive forever, and the change from being passive to being active happened during the Ordovician Period, wherein plate motion movements changed and paved the way for the Taconic orogenym or what is known as mountain building event, in this case the first during the Paleozoic Era. By this time, the Appalachian is already considered as a plate boundary that is very active in its movements (Geologic Provinces 3). The Iapetus, another oceanic plate situated close to the Appalachian, was considered to collide against the Appalachian. Because the collision eventually sank, it submerges itself under the craton of North America. Because of what was happening in Appalachia and what has happened in the Iapetus, there was a resulting creation of what is known as the new subduction zone. The creation of this new particular feature was believed to be the birth of what would be known today as the Appalachian Mountain ranges (Chapter 2: Plate T-11. Appalachian Mountains 11). The Taconic orogeny was not the first mountain building plate collisions that helped create and develop the Appalachian Mountain Ranges, because there are still a series of other plate collisions that is set to happen that impacted mountain building, particularly the building of the mountains of the Appalachians. Several other orogenies, like the Caledonian orogeny, the Acadian orogeny, the Quachita orogeny, the Hercynian, orogeny as well as the Allegheny orogeny all contributed to the mountain building process that shaped the Appalachian Mountain ranges (Chapter 2: Plate T-11. Appalachian Mountains 5). As the Appalachian Mountain range was developing through the years, experts believed that at one point, it was standing as high as, or even higher than the height of the present day Himalayas. This is largely because of the consistent collision of ancient continents that pushed the mass of land upwards and raised mountains like the Appalachian higher and higher. The activity in the rock features shaping and re-shaping several geological features like the Appalachian mountain ranges experienced change, leading towards being still once again after the Pangea continent started to break apart during the Mesozoic Era. After this, erosion took over, and the once towering Appalachian was transformed into a vast plain. But this situation would not remain permanent. There were new waves of uplifting that would affect the region in the near future following its transition towards becoming a vast plain, and the uplifting allowed the Appalachian to rise up again, particularly during the Cenozoic Era (Geologic Provinces 7). What Geologic Processes were Available for the Formation? There were several geological processes that contribute to the shaping of the features of the Appalachian mountain ranges and the creation of the Appalachian mountain range itself. The most important perhaps is the plate collisions, which pushed the rocks upward to create the mountain range. Erosion was also part of the history of the formation of the Appalachian Mountain ranges. It comes into play during the time when the Appalachian region was flattened, a temporary state since the mountains will eventually be a towering feature again in this area after activity in rock movements resume and allowed the Appalachian mountain range to rise up. Other geological movements, like thrust faulting, are also at play throughout the history of the Appalachian mountain range. Criticisms Despite the presence of the theory on how the Appalachian Mountain ranges was created, there are still criticisms that challenge existing belief by providing newly discovered data involving the geological events and changes directly involved in the shaping and re-shaping the Appalachian Mountains. This is normal especially since the information on the Appalachian mountain range formation is not yet set on stone especially since there are still gapping holes that are not closed because of the absence of solid proofs to support scientific claims. One of the criticisms was raised in 2006 after scientists believed that they have found new evidence that can change how experts look at the formation of the Appalachian mountain ranges. According to an Ohio University professor, the ocean involved in the collision that started the creation of the Appalachian mountain ranges was not Iapetus but rather Rheic (Ohio University 7), which was believed to have been closed down after the collision between Gondwana and North America, leading to the formation of Pangea and the creation of Appalachian Mountain ranges (Ohio University 8). There are also those which point to other assumptions involving the Appalachian mountain ranges. Some believe that there were other mountain ranges and chains involved or interconnected with the Appalachian mountain ranges during the millions of years of its rise and erosion. What is today traditionally called the Appalachian Mountains really represents several different mountain chains, formed at different times over a span of at least 130 million years (Klyza, Trombulak 14). But despite the criticisms, the study and understanding of the Appalachians contribute significantly in scientific study. The scientific attitude and approach towards understanding and studying tectonics as well as mountain-building was developed largely by the efforts to study the Appalachian mountain ranges. Other plate tectonic concepts, even those that involve the studying of how oceans open and close before, was also influenced significantly by the study on Appalachian mountain range formation (Chapter 2: Plate T-11. Appalachian Mountains 3). Conclusion The history of the Appalachian Mountain ranges is something that is eventful and important today because it is significantly important to other important aspects of world history, like the formation of super-continents and its breaking apart, influencing the geography that modern world has today. Understanding this phenomenon may not be as easy but modern literature is growing and growing to provide more information about this aspect. Works Cited Adkins, Leonard M. Appalachian Trail: A Visitors Companion. Menasha Ridge Press, 1998. â€Å"Chapter 2: Plate T-11. Appalachian Mountains. † National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 6 October 2008. 25 February 2009 http://daac. gsfc. nasa. gov/geomorphology/GEO_2/GEO_PLATE_T-11. shtml. â€Å"Geologic Provinces of the United States: Appalachian Highlands Province. † United States Geological Survey (USGS). 13 January 2004. 25 February 2009 http://geomaps. wr. usgs. gov/parks/province/appalach. html. Klyza, Christopher McGrory and Trombulak, Stephen C. The Story of Vermont: A Natural and Cultural History. Middlebury College Museum of Art. 1999. Ohio University. â€Å"Geologists Find New Origins Of Appalachian Mountains. † Science Daily. 17 November 2006. February 24, 2009, from http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2006/11/061117123212. htm.

B/M Ratio Essay -- Research Analysis

We can see from regression I of Panel A and B that B/M is highly significant relative to the future returns, which are consistent with the B/M effect theory. The B/M effect for NOA/P^NOAï ¹ ¤1 data also cannot be rejected for the ambiguous t-statistic. Similarly, the enterprise B/M ratio is confirmed by regression II. The testing results for one factor model of financial leverage (ND/M) presents that the financial leverage is not significantly relative to future returns, or even negatively relative to future returns. It is an anomalous phenomenon that the leverage (financial risk) reduces the expected returns, but it may be explained by the negative association between leverage and operating risk. Actually, these results are also consistent with also correlation analysis in Table 2. When NOA/P^NOA≠§1, leverage is positively and insignificantly relative to the NOA/P^NOA. However, when NOA/P^NOAï ¹ ¤1, leverage is negatively relative to NOA/P^NOA. Regression V shows the leverage coefficient under controlling for operating risk (enterprise B/M ratio). For full sample tests, the coefficient is insignificant which means we cannot get any reliable conclusions from this result. And for NOA/P^NOA ≠§1, the coefficient is insignificantly positive, for NOA/P^NOAï ¹ ¤1, the coefficient is significantly negative. If we split the ND/M ratio into financial liabilities/market value and financial assets/ market value like in regression VII, FA/P coefficients are significantly positive in all of three panels, but the FL/P negatively or insignificantly relative to future returns. It indicates that the high future return premium is awarded for the high operating risk rather than financial risk. As the financial leverage is insignificant in some regressions, we u... ...returns, and this association is even insignificant for most NOA/P^NOA portfolios. The only exception is in the highest two NOA/P^NOA portfolios, highest ND/M portfolios give higher returns than lowest ND/M portfolios. Similarly with US evidence, the findings in UK evidence suggest that the UK FTSE 350 stock returns are inconsistent with PRT’s equation 2. In Panel B of table 4, we use similar methods with Panel A to spilt the year-firm observations into 10 portfolios, and sort these observations into five groups by B/M ratio rather than leverage ratio. According to PRT equation 1, if NOA/P^NOA >1, a higher leverage ratio will lead to a higher B/M ratio; if (NOA )/P^NOA 1, a higher return the higher B/M ratio.

Lower Levels of Convictions of Woman for Criminal Offences Essay

Assess explanations that sociologists have offered for lower levels of convictions of woman for criminal offences Sociologists have offered explanations for lower levels of convictions for woman for criminal offences. For example women are treated more leniently and woman are socialised to commit less crime in the first place. Most crime appears to be committed by men. According to recent national statistics men are four times more likely to commit a crime than woman. For example official statistics suggests there are gender differences in the types of crimes committed such as men committee violent crime and woman committee shoplifting. One explanation for the lower levels of convictions of women is that they are treated more leniently. One explanation that has been put forward is that the agents of criminal justice such as police officers, magistrates and judges are men and men are socialised to act in a chivalrous manner towards women. In the 1950s Pollack argued that men felt they had to protect women, so the criminal justice system is more lenient towards them. So there are some crimes that are less likely to turn into official statistics. This then does not give an accurate understanding in rates of offending and official statistics will show the extent of gender differences. Women are also more likely than men to be cautioned rather than prosecuted. For example, the Ministry of justice figures for 2009, show that 49% of female offenders were cautioned compared to only 30% of men. Similarly Hood’s study of over 3,000 defendants found that woman were about one-third less likely to be jailed in similar cases. However, there is evidence against the chivalry thesis. Box argues women who commit serious offences are not treated more favourably than men. He argues women show remorse which may be why they get cautioned rather than going to court. Heidensohn argues that in fact when women commit more serious crimes and deviate from expected norms of behaviour they are punished more harshly. For example stereotypical gender roles influence judges decisions. Heidensohn accepts there has been an increase in female crime but it’s due to poverty and being socially marginalised. Walklate argues that in rape case it is often not the defendant who is on trial but the victim. Steffensmeier argues that women are treated more leniently in court because judges are reluctant to separate woman from their children. Another reason that could explain lower conviction rates for women is that they are socialised to commit less crime in the first place. Functionalists argue that lower levels of females crime can be explained by gender role socialisation and the expressive role that Parsons argues is the one that women take on within the home. While men go out to work and take the instrumental role as provider, women are socialised to be gentle and nurturing. Parsons argues that boys reject feminine role models they engage in what Parson calls compensatory compulsory masculinity and become aggressive and anti-social behaviour which can slip over into an act of delinquency. Cohen argues that boys that are more likely to join gangs to gain stats and identity. Whereas the girls have their mothers as role models which means they are less likely to behave in anti-social ways. However, critics of the sex role theory are that this view is dated and boys and girls have different role models and influences in their life to the ones illustrated by Parsons. Walklate criticises sex role theory for its biological assumptions. Parson assumes that women are best suited to the expressive role as women gave birth to children. Feminists are interested in how patriarchal society controls women, and this control might explain lower levels of criminality and therefore lower conviction rates. Heidensohn argues the most different thing about women’s behaviour is how conformist it is as women commit fewer crimes than men. Heidensohn notes that women are controlled in a number of ways. For example women are controlled by the amount of time they have to spend looking aft er home and children. Also in the public domain women are controlled by the threat of male violence especially sexual violence. The Islington Crime Survey found that 54% of women avoided going out alone. This therefore reduces their opportunity to offend. However Carlen explains how some women commit crime when they are let down by patriarchal society. It is the failure of patriarchal society to deliver the promised deals that removes the controls. Cohen argues that working class women are led to conform by what she calls the class deal which is being offered rewards at work that allow a good standard of living. Also the gender deal where women have rewards from family life by living a normal domestic gender role. Critics argue that this underplays the importance of free will and choice in offending. Adler argues that as society changes so women may turn to crime. He uses the liberation thesis to argue that as women become liberated from patriarchy female crime rates will rise. As society changes so too have women’s roles within it. There is evidence to support this for example female offending rates have risen. However, critics argue that female crime rates started growing in the 1950s before the women’s liberation movement. In conclusion, the main reason why there are lower levels of convictions of women is because the criminal justice system is more lenient towards women. This is due to men protecting the women and official statistics show that men are more likely to commit crime than women.

To Kill a Mockingbird- How Maturity Affects the Characters

When growing up in today's world, people must face the many challenges of maturing. Whether it is physically, emotionally, or mentally, every person matures individually. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, the court trial of Tom Robinson matures three main characters in the book. They learn what growing up is all about. Jem, Scout, and Dill are the most affected by the trial and all matures throughout the book. Jem specifically matures throughout the process of the Tom Robinson case and learns a positive lesson from the trial.After seeing the unfair way Tom Robinson was treated, Jem wants to protect and care for people no matter their age, skin color, reputation and personality. Jem also learns a few lessons from Atticus regarding the judgement of others. At the beginning of Chapter 25, His sister Scout is about to kill a roly-polly bug, Jem stops her and she asks why, Jem responds, â€Å"Because they don't bother you. † (Lee 320) This quote relates to when Atticus teaches Sc out and Jem about the importance lesson of not to kill a mockingbird because they do not harm anyone and sing their hearts out.Jem takes this lesson, the way Tom Robinson was treated just for his skin color, and uses it, as a result of becoming more mature and sharing the lesson with Scout when stopping her. Atticus teaches his children very well about the meaning of treating everyone equally no matter what they hear from the people around them. Scout is who she is because of the way Atticus raises her. Scout learns from Atticus through the Tom Robinson case what can happen  when you lose hope and courage. During the second half of the novel, courage is portrayed by all blacks and Atticus as he fights for the case of Tom Robinson, but Tom Robinson has lost all hope.Scout is devastated by this but also learns bad things can happen when you lose hope and courage. Atticus is the first to teach Scout this important lesson, he says, â€Å"real courage is when you know you're licked be fore you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what†, he continues by saying, â€Å"You rarely win, but sometimes you do†. (149) Scout learns how courage is important through Atticus and Tom Robinson's case, and this is an important aspect of growing up and maturing. While Scout and Jem are maturing quickly because of Atticus's influence, Dill Harris, the outsider of Maycomb County, matures urely but slowly when is exposed to the Tom Robinson case.He still shows child-like aspects such as crying uncontrollably at the injustice of Tom Robinson being treated so differently from the white witnesses. He also shows signs of maturity when Tom Robinson's trial is in action. Scout claims that Tom Robinson is just a Negro, therefore it does not matter all that much, Dill responds maturely and says, â€Å"I don't care one speck. It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do ‘Em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talking' like that, it just makes me sick. (266) Dill sees Tom Robinson for the mockingbird he really is. Jem,Scout, and Dill all learn lessons that impact their life and affect their maturity. A few of these lessons are learned from the Tom Robinson case. Learning to not judge people for what they hear, taking responsibility, and learning right from wrong are all a part of growing up, they do just that. It might be challenging, but courage and bravery bring them through it. As long as it may take, everyone grows up in one way or another, whether it is physically, emotionally, or mentally.

Third World Development essays

Third World Development essays Understanding the nature and types of underdevelopment is the key to analyzing the degree of severity in which a state is underdeveloped. The term underdeveloped can describe several different situations. These different types of underdevelopment are economic, social, and political. Underdeveloped nations may experience a combination of these types ranging in different degrees of severity. These different types also affect each other as they naturally interact. Handelman explained this perfectly when he said that wealthier, more educated countries...tend to be more stable, responsive, and democratic than desperately poor nations (11). More economically advanced countries can educate more of their population and provide better health care. An educated citizenry, in turn, contributes to economic growth and participates in politics more responsibly (10). These aspects clearly influence each other, and thus can influence progress or regression. Religion also plays a huge role in the nature of a society. If that society is based on a particular religion and the government subscribes to that religious doctrine, then the society will follow the religion before it follows the example of other societies, thus impeding progress. However, depending on the religious movement, progressive religion can actually provide a median for progress. In Latin America, the progressive Church offered a shield against political repression and a voice for the poor. As different as they are, Islamic revivalism and the progressive Catholic Church both received much of the impetus from government repression and corruption. In short, the resurgence of Third World religion was, in part, a reaction to the deficiencies of modernization and the political-economic order (43). Religious fundamentalism can cause hostility within a state as well as strained relations with other states. ...