Understanding The Bretton Woods System

Understanding The Bretton Woods System Nations attempted to revive the gold standard following World War I, but it collapsed entirely during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Some economists said adherence to the gold standard had prevented monetary authorities from expanding the money supply rapidly enough to revive economic activity. In any event, representatives of most of the worlds leading nations met at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, in 1944 to create a new international monetary system. Because the United States at the time accounted for over half of the worlds manufacturing capacity and held most of the worlds gold, the leaders decided to tie world currencies to the dollar, which, in turn, they agreed should be convertible into gold at $35 per ounce.​ Under the Bretton Woods system, central banks of countries other than the United States were given the task of maintaining fixed exchange rates between their currencies and the dollar. They did this by intervening in foreign exchange markets. If a countrys currency was too high relative to the dollar, its central bank would sell its currency in exchange for dollars, driving down the value of its currency. Conversely, if the value of a countrys money was too low, the country would buy its own currency, thereby driving up the price. The United States Abandons the Bretton Woods System The Bretton Woods system lasted until 1971. By that time, inflation in the United States and a growing American trade deficit were undermining the value of the dollar. Americans urged Germany and Japan, both of which had favorable payments balances, to appreciate their currencies. But those nations were reluctant to take that step, since raising the value of their currencies would increase prices for their goods and hurt their exports. Finally, the United States abandoned the fixed value of the dollar and allowed it to float- that is, to fluctuate against other currencies. The dollar promptly fell. World leaders sought to revive the Bretton Woods system with the so-called Smithsonian Agreement in 1971, but the effort failed. By 1973, the United States and other nations agreed to allow exchange rates to float. Economists call the resulting system a managed float regime, meaning that even though exchange rates for most currencies float, central banks still intervene to prevent sharp changes. As in 1971, countries with large trade surpluses often sell their own currencies in an effort to prevent them from appreciating (and thereby hurting exports). By the same token, countries with large deficits often buy their own currencies in order to prevent depreciation, which raises domestic prices. But there are limits to what can be accomplished through intervention, especially for countries with large trade deficits. Eventually, a country that intervenes to support its currency may deplete its international reserves, making it unable to continue buttressing the currency and potentially leaving it unable to meet its international obligations. This article is adapted from the book Outline of the U.S. Economy by Conte and Carr and has been adapted with permission from the U.S. Department of State.

The Samantha Runnion Case

The Samantha Runnion Case On July 15, 2002, 5-year-old Samantha Runnion was playing with her friend, Sarah Ahn, outside of her home. A man approached, asking if they had seen his chihuahua. Samantha spoke to him briefly and then he grabbed her and pulled her into his car. Samantha, while fighting to get free, screamed out to her friend, Help me! Tell my grandmother! Sarah ran and told her mother what had happened and the massive manhunt for little Samantha Runnion began. Sarah, who was the same age as Samantha, was able to provide the police with a description of the man and the details about his car. Other witnesses confirmed details for the police. They were looking for a Hispanic man with slicked-back black hair and a thin black mustache, possibly driving a light green Honda or Acura. On July 16, a  man called 911  and reported that he found a little girl’s nude body along rural Highway 74 in neighboring Riverside County.   The  Riverside County Sheriffs Department confirmed that the body found was Samantha Runnion. An autopsy determined that Samantha was sexually assaulted, suffered physical trauma, and was asphyxiated sometime on July 15. Authorities reported that the killer spent several hours with her before murdering her. Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona delivered a strong message to the killer: Dont sleep. Dont eat. Because were coming after you. We will take every resource thats available to us to bring you to justice. The Investigation A tip line was set up and by July 18, caller’s tips lead the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)  to Alejandro Avila, 27, a production line supervisor from nearby Lake Elsinore. Avila reportedly denied any involvement in the murder, telling the police that he was 30 miles away on the day of the abduction. Phone and credit card records did not support his alibi. The FBI learned that Avila had previously been to the apartment complex where Samantha lived during 1998 and 1999. His ex-girlfriend’s daughter lived in the same complex as the Runnion family. His relationship with the woman ended in 2000. In 2001, Avila was charged with molestation of her 9-year-old daughter and another young girl, but he was acquitted on all charges. An Arrest Is Made On July 19, 2002, Avila was arrested and charged with the murder, kidnapping, and two counts of forcible lewd acts on Samantha Runnion. Detective Carona reported having evidence from the two crime scenes found outside of Samantha’s home where she was kidnapped and where her body was found, and what they obtained from Avila’s home and cars. Samantha Runnion’s funeral was held at the Crystal Cathedral and a crowd of over 5,500 mourners attended. Mourners received a program with a drawing of Samantha’s – a little girl in a red dress, a house and a heart under a bright blue sky with her favorite saying written, Be Brave. The DA Seeks the Death Penalty District Attorney Tony Rackauckas from Orange County announced that because the murder occurred after the kidnapping and the crime involved lewd acts with a child, the prosecutors would seek the death penalty against Alejandro Avila pleaded not guilty. Public Defender Denise Gragg was turned down by an Orange Country Superior Court judge after she requested a delay in the arraignment of Avila for at least a month. The judge also scheduled a pretrial hearing for Sept. 16. Erin Runnion on Larry King Live The day after the funeral for Samantha Runnion, her mother, Erin Runnion, discussed Samanthas murder on the Larry King Live program. She expressed anger toward the jury that let Alejandro Avila go when he was on trial for a previous charge of molesting two young girls: I blame every juror who let him go, every juror who sat on that trial and believed this man over those little girls, I will never understand. And that is why he was out. And that is why his sickness was allowed to do this. Erin Runnion Faces Daughters Accused Killer Larry King interviewed Erin Runnion a few days after she faced her daughter’s accused killer for the first time in person at his pre-trial hearing. Erin Runnion told Larry King, I tried to prepare myself for it, but there was no way I could. It was awful. It was awful. I dont know what it is for everybody else, but I just- I want so much from that person. I want him to undo what he did. And I want to see some remorse. I want him to know the magnitude of what happened. And we cant get that, and so I was just instantly flooded with tears. Joyful Child Fund in Memory of Samantha Runnion Erin Runnion and her partner Ken Donnelly established the foundation out of a commitment to turn Samantha’s tragedy into something positive. The foundation’s focus is on proactive approaches in dealing with the difficult issues of violence against children while celebrating the gift that is every child.

The International Dispute in the Spratly Islands Essay

The International Dispute in the Spratly Islands - Essay Example The dispute seems to have no signs of abating. In fact, each of the country involved is trying to increase the capabilities of its armed forces. The states involved in the dispute are the People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Brunei is also laying claim to some islands in the area but unlike the rest, it has occupied those that it considered as part of its territory. Resolving the issue has become very difficult due to the insistence of the states in different bases of ownership. China, Vietnam and Taiwan are asserting their respective claims on the bases of historical rights. The Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei, on the other hand, claim that they have rights over the territory because of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS, especially that which refer to the continental shelves as bases for ownership. A legalistic approach would naturally grant favors to the claims of the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. However, in reality, international law simply cannot be made the basis for the claims while ignoring the historical reasons presented by the other claimants. For China, Vietnam, and Taiwan, â€Å"the notion of historical entitlement sits at the foundation of their claims to the Spratly archipelago and is unlikely to dissipate simply because analysts choose to ignore them† (Furtado 386). With different frameworks for asserting claims, resolution of the Spratly Islands dispute has become more difficult. At a glance, it would indeed be surprising why these states risk warm diplomatic relations with each other over tiny islands, some of them uninhabitable, when these are not fit for human activity. The strategic importance of the area, however, does not lie on the islands or the waters but what lies beneath these. While the area may serve as a rich fishing ground and a commercial shipping route, its most vital assets are the rich reserve supply of oil and natural gas . As China sheds most of its socialist economic principles in favor of capitalism, it naturally feels the need to boost its energy capabilities. It sees the Spratly Islands as the solution. Its ambition to be the world’s foremost economic power has prompted it to be the most assertive among the claimants. Vietnam’s market-oriented reforms have also compelled the nation to seek energy resources that it can control. In fact, the only oil well in the area that it owns had started production in 1991. This encouraged it to further hasten oil exploration in the area. The Philippines, which is heavily dependent on oil imports, have also stakes in the Spratly Islands for the same oil and gas interest. According the Oil and Gas Journal article Territorial Disputes Simmer in Areas of South China Sea, â€Å"joint exploration with Royal Dutch/Shell Group and Alcorn International near Palawan Island will raise the Philippines annual oil production from the 3,000 b/d produced in 19 91 from 7 wells in the South China Sea† (1992). The country is claiming a total of 60 islands in the South China Sea. Both Brunei and Malaysia, although these are oil-producing countries, are also interested in the islands for the same reason. Taiwan, on the other hand, has not stated explicitly any interest in gas or oil, but it considers the area as a strategic

Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Justice - Essay Example The paper also focuses on a very sensitive issue of capital punishment rendered by the courts of law depending on the intensity of the criminal acts. This act of the court is largely contested based on the Christian views where rendering of Capital Punishment is straightly not allowed (Ness, 1994, p.3). The legal system and the rendering of justice is dealt along the study and analysis of three articles in the light of the views imposed by Christianity. Reforming Prisoners through Religion The aspect of reforming prisoners through the approach of religious institutions and not through putting them in prison houses is analysed based on Omar M. McRoberts article â€Å"Religion, Reform, Community: Examining the Idea of Church-based Prisoner Reentry†. This article came out during March 2002, as a Working Discussion Paper for the Urban Institute’s Reentry Roundtable (McRoberts, 2002,p.1). The religious touch rendered to the convicts helps them to bear the atrocities of the p rison climates and a life isolated from their closed ones. However, the main problem in discussion is not of the prison days but rather of the future periods when the convict is made free. Here the person being freed from the prison earns a further challenge in search for a livelihood. These people in the large society feel somewhat insecured and loiter in search for both physical and mental sustenance to help them dwell in the external world. To help find a solution to the aforesaid problem the courts of the land along with religious institutions are increasingly working on the program on Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) to help the freed prisoners reenter their social and community lifestyles. This program largely focuses to help the freed prisoners gain a better occupational and domestic environment along with rendering mental support so that they do not take to drugs or get emotionally turbulent. The success of the program greatly depends on the activity of religious bodies like Churches, which are not only trying to help the prisoners sustain a healthy mental and physical life inside the condemnation walls but also working outside to help them reenter the social sphere. Churches with their alchemic touch are considered the main instruments that would help these individuals reenter the community circles, which fall under the governance of these religious bodies. Further, the Churches being religious bodies with an open outlook where they do not make any distinction between members and non-members are observed to be the spear headers of the community movement. The main focus of these programs with extensive religious collaboration is to totally change and transform the criminal psyche of the prison inmates into proper civilized mindsets. However, the present urban lifestyles are a bend of continuous physical and mental tensions often amounting to violent and turbulent activities. Thus, it is held that the Christian missionaries must ai m at driving these people to cool pastoral countryside where they can leave a peaceful life and are freed from mental tensions. The freed prisoners settled along free quarters are widely encouraged to participate in the Sunday masses and are regularly associated with the Bible. These activities help cast a strong religious ferment in such people who gradually develop a civilized lifestyle to

Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo Essay Example for Free

Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo Essay Alexander Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo is founded upon historical events and political intrigue. He not only uses historical facts to help the reader understand, he also weaves such details into the story to make it possible for his reader to have an understanding of the current events that were taking place in France, during that time (from approx. 1815 through 1838). Dumas would want his readers to be familiar with French history, and to have it in their mind as they read his beloved tale. In the 1800’s Marseilles was one of the largest ports in the south of France with a â€Å"population between 93,000 and 110,000†, thus trade flourished and it was home to many merchants, and businesses (Marseilles). This is where our story of revenge begins. Marseilles was the hometown of Edmond who we meet as a naà ¯ve sailor who is later to become imprisoned as a political criminal, and altered for life. Marseilles was also the home to both Edmond’s father who dies of hunger soon after his son was imprisoned, and Edmonds beautiful, and noble fiancà © Mercedes who was a poor, Catalan. After Dantes’ imprisonment Mercedes cared for his father until he passed. She lost faith of Dantes ever being released from prison and back by her side, there for she felt she had no choice but to marry Fernand Mondego when he asked for her hand in marriage. Fernand Mondego was the jealous fisherman who also betrayed Dantes because he too was in love with Mercedes. Mondego saw, and seized the opportunity to thwart their love for one another. Military success brought Mondego a fortune, which allowed him to change his name to Count de Morcef, making Mercedes the Countess. The Morrel family (the owners of the ship, Pharaon), were also residents of Marseilles. Mr. Morrel felt a great deal of compassion for Dantes’ family which compelled him to not only invest with great effort, his time and money in an attempt to keep Dantes from an un-warranted life in prison but, he also paid for Dantes’ father’s burial. The cards were stacked against Dantes, and even with the assistance of M. Morrel, his future was written. Once Edmond escaped from prison he visited M. Morrel who was in the depths of despair, and contemplating thoughts of suicide because he could no longer support him self financially. Dantes seeing him as a righteous man who had once gone to great lengths, and knowing the efforts taken by Morrel in attempt to save him from prison, Dantes felt compelled, and anonymously made a financial contribution to Morrel, which, saved him from ruin. While Dantes never revealed himself as the contributor Morrel suspected that it was he, and on his deathbed Morrel explains to his family that he believes that their finical savior was indeed Edmond Dantes. The prosecutor of Marseilles, who was ultimately responsible for Dantes’ incarceration, was Monsieur de Vellefort. Vellefort’s father was a known Bonapartist. Vellefort who disagreed with his father’s stance, and as the prosecutor decidedly took an extremely harsh stance on his policy in dealing with Bonapartist conspirators. Vellefort sought to protect his own name by placing Edmond in prison as a political conspirator because he knew, and feared the letter Dantes carried could be traced back to his (Vellef ort’s) father so, he used his power in a misguided manor to which he would later suffer at the hands of Dantes. Danglars was a man driven by non-other than jealousy who also lived in Marseilles at the time. He despised that Dantes had been advanced to Captain of the Pharaon instead of him, and sought out a plot in which Dantes could be caught with the letter to tarnish his name, leaving Danglar’s the only choice to fill his role as captain. After Edmond’s imprisonment Danglars indeed became the captain and eventually graduated his position to a banker. As a banker he was able to acquire an incredible fortune where he then became a Baron. In the end Monte Cristo destroyed Danglars by destroying his fortune. Dumas purposely created each of these characters to have beginning in a position of poverty, showing us how they were either villainous in their rise to fortune, and would ultimately be ruined by Dantes’revenge. Or, Dumas showed the character to be virtuous with their fortune, and power eventually to be saved, or spared by our protagonist. He also showed us these characters progression from the bottom of the socioeconomic structure, eventually prospering into wealth, their bye showing us, [the reader] there were no misgivings of old money or new during these times in France. Each of these characters rose in the echelons, and were afforded the ability to acquire a title and were able re-create themselves within society in a manner to which they deemed worthy of their amassed fortunes. This ability for one to somewhat procure a title gives us a great sense of the changes that were taking place during that time, it was no longer about being of royal blood that gave you credibility, or worthiness, but about how hard one worked to further themselves and gain their fortune. In the opening scenes of the story Danglars, who is the ships â€Å"supercargo† reports to the ships owner once they docked in Marseilles, that Edmond, acting on what was the last dying wish of his captain, had stopped at the island of Elba to retrieve a letter that was addressed to Noirtier (Dumas 5). In fulfilling his captains last dyeing wish, Edmond’s unknowingly retrieved a letter from Napoleon personally, making it appear as though he was conspiring with the then exiled Napolean, and that he himself was a Bonapartist. Napoleon had been a soldier and then went on to become Emperor of France in the early 1800’s. It was after the French Revolution that Napoleon was elected First consul of France. Napoleon made many great changes for his country. He brought much needed structure back to France. He began by implementing better education, paying off France’s debt, and changing the structure of his army. He allowed not only the affluent to rise within the ranks, but affording the impoverished the same opportunity of growth within the ranks as they proved their worth, and showcased their talents. Napolean’s army was no longer based upon economic stature, but one that afforded an equal playing field to every man (as long as they were anglo). Napoleon also applied this same thought process into the civilian realm of France as well. In an attempt to expand France’s territory he invaded Russia. This invasion turned out to be one of Napoleon’s greatest defeats. During this great siege Napoleon was out maneuvered by Russia’s Alexander I, this resulted in a defeat, and a loss of almost 500,000 French troops. Soon after he stepped down as consul and was banished to the island of Elba. During this time, there were citizens who still loved and supported what he had done for France; these people were considered to be Bonapartist’s. There were also members of the French nobility (and much of Europe’s) who despised Napoleon, they wanted nothing more than to see him removed; they called themselves royalists. Dumas wanted this clearly defined so the reader would feel the internal power struggle between Bonapartist and Royalists. One of these royalists was a man named Villefort. He happened to be the prosecutor Edmonds faced in Marseilles. Villefort knew full well that Edmond was an innocent man, and not a Bonapartist, but made a calculated decision to protect his own ambitions, because it was his (Villefort’s) fathers name that was mentioned in the letter that Edmonds had carried back from Napoleon. His father was a known Bonapartist, so in an effort to show support to the royalists, and put a damper on the Bonapartist efforts, Villefort secretly sentenced Edmond to the political prison of Chateau d’if. Dantes was thrown into Chateau d’ if, and forgotten for fourteen years. During the first few years of his imprisonment Dantes’ father died of starvation, and Mercedes married Fernand; both of which he is completely unaware of. As time passed he became more and more delusional, and even began to contemplate suicide. All the while, his former employer Morrel made efforts to locate Dontes in an attempt to try to have him released, but was unable to find his location. The Chateau d’if, where our fictional character Dantes was imprisoned, was in fact an actual prison fortress. It was â€Å"built by the French King Francis I in 1524† on an island in the bay approximately one mile off the coast of Marseille (Chateau d’if). It’s was originally designed and was intended to be a defense mechanism against would be attackers of Marseille, but soon became the home to, â€Å"3,500 Huguenots (French Protestants) who earned their keep as galley slaves†(Marseille-Provence). This rocky, beach front setting is where Edmond Dantes was doomed to carry out his unwarranted sentence, and spent fourteen long years of his life; just a stone throw away from Marseille, yet no one could locate him. Many of the chateau’s actual guests seem to have had the common theme of being unwarranted prisoners. It was not unusual during the time for individuals to be â€Å"imprisoned without trial under so-called lettres de cachet, supposedly signed by the King, for minor misdemeanors (a popular ploy used by moneyed families to get rid of unruly offspring without causing a public scandal)†(Marseille-Provence). Funnily enough, one of Napoleons Civil Codes warranted it legal for a father to imprison a child for up to 1 month. Many of the Chateau’s inhabitants were lost in the shuffle, and locked up for as long as the family desired. This island for misfits, and unwanted relatives is also the location where Dantes befriends Abbe Faria, who was also a political prisoner. The two prisoners meet when the Abbe was attempting to tunnel his way to freedom; however, a miscalculation brought him directly into Dantes’ cell, instead of out to the freedom he had desired. The two newly found friends spent the next few years passing their time. Abbe dedicated himself to the task of educating Dantes in science, literature languages. He also helps Dantes figure out whom it was that played key parts, and were ultimate responsibility lie for his incarceration. At some point Abbe began to think of Dantes as the son he never had, and confided in Dantes the location to the hidden fortune. Together the two began planning their daring escape, knowing all the while that any escape plan would be difficult, if not impossible due to the fact that the prison is completely surrounded by water, and much of the island had vertical cliff walls that would raise the likelihood of injury if not death, while escaping. Fortunately for the pair, they had nothing but time. During this era in France, prisoners with wealth and title (like the Abbe) could request certain items to make their stay a bit more comfortable. The Abbe used this to their advantage, and was able to order some tools and trinkets for his cell. The same reason Abbe was able to order trinkets is the reason Edmond had none; he was penniless, and unable to purchase items. This was also quite indicative of the times; if you were higher up in society, you were able to purchase more benefits in prison, as well as in life. The Abbe died before the two were able to act out their escape plan. Thinking quickly on his feet, Dantes was able to replace his own body in the Abbe’s body bag, solidifying his own escape. The hopes Dantes held onto, and that drove him to be victorious in his escape were gone. When he did finally gain his freedom he was faced with the fact that his loved ones were either dead, or had moved on, and it was no longer a possibility to be a part of their life, or the one that he had left behind. He was a man who must decide what it was he was going to become, and do with the life that he regained. During this time it is made clear that Dantes was struggling with his purpose in life, and felt lost. It was said that he felt, â€Å"that he belongs to no country, no land, even to the point where he feels more at ease while on the ocean† (D’Ammassa). While contemplating what he was to become and what to do with his life, now that he was a free man Dantes spent some time onboard a ship as a smuggler in the Mediterranean. Where he could confront his feelings, and decide what is was he wanted to do. During one such smuggling trip Dantes had the opportunity to go to the Island of Monte Cristo where he resigned his position a smuggler and proceeded to find the treasure Abbe entrusted him with. The Island of Monte Cristo is indeed an actual island. It is located in the â€Å"Archipelago Toscano National Park† but, is not accessible to people and is now an animal refuge (Montercristo Island). It is presumed that Dumas had visited this remote island in 1842 and thought it perfect for the use as the setting in one of his novels; however, the actual island bears little resemblance to the one portrayed in his tale. In the story Edmond finds the treasure that Abbe Faria entrusted to him, on this island. The resources from the treasure will eventually allow him the opportunity to manifest himself into a count, and begin his ascent into righting the wrongs done unto him. Once his visit to the island of Monte Cristo has ended he proceeds to Rome where he stays for a while rejuvenating himself in upscale hotels, and taking beautiful women to the opera. During his stay there Dantes met Valentine, Villefort’s daughter; this act strikes a chord deep within Dantes and spurs his retribution into action. Dantes also meets Albert de Morcerf in Rome, where he aides in Alberts release from kidnappers. To return this life saving favor Dantes asks Albert to familiarize him with the Parisian aristocrats. For those of us with an appetite for a great revenge novel, this is where you can feel the plot begin to thicken, and Dumas has you flipping through the pages. With Albert as his guide, Dantes makes his way to Paris where the intrigue intensifies as Dantes began to pick off his prey one by one. During the time when Dumas’ tail was released, Paris was the metropolitan center of France, 600,000 people lived there. It was the mecca for European culture, and sciences, and also where many of Dumas’ readers would have been located making Paris an obvious choice to set such a tale; the sale of his writings to readers in the city were booming. Paris was left in shambles until Napoleon became first consul. At which time he began to re-model the city, giving it qualities you might have seen in a more up to date Rome. He added sewers, sidewalks bridges, and wharves. These additions not only brought about a better economy, but better living conditions for many. This city full of Parisian culture was also where the Villefort, the Morcerf, and the Danglars families had all settled. These families migrated to Paris, and with their newly acquired wealth began lavishing them selves in a life of luxury. Once in Paris, and with help the Count finds his way into the midst of each of the families, becoming a most welcome guest. It is from this calculated position that Dantes is able to initiate his plan and ultimately unravel the successes, and happiness of each of the men who had at one time or another plotted against him. Dumas, was able to give his reader an understanding of the setting in The Count of Monte Cristo with ease, he simply embellished upon of the historical occasions that were taking place before his eyes. Dumas expertly tied together the political struggle between Napoleon and the Royalists. By expounding upon well-known, and heavily populated cities such as Marseille, he was able to bestow a bit of history, and expand his reader’s minds, while also adventuring with them to isolated, dangerous places like the Chateau d’if or even Monte Cristo Island. He solidifies the intrigue, danger, and of course revenge in his literary work of art, which is sure to continue to captivate readers for many generations to come. Works Cited Chateau dIf. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2012 This article describes Chateau d’if the small Mediterranean island off the port of Marseille. I hope to be able to give a more accurate development of the scene where Dumas’ main character spent a great portion time. This article came from the Encyclopedia Britannica online. DAmmassa, Don. The Count of Monte Cristo. Encyclopedia of Adventure Fiction. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Blooms Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 15

Harley Davidson Essay -- Business Management Essays

Harley Davidson This report examines the Harley-Davidson phenomenon. From near bankruptcy to double-digit growth every year, Harley-Davidson has something working for them. That something is called †strategic planning and development.† With the growing global economy, companies are looking for ways to improve their market share. Many excellent firms have learned how to beat their competitors through the implementation of new management, marketing, and/or manufacturing techniques. Harley-Davidson is one of those excellent companies whom has challenged traditional ideas. This report will identify those strategies that have worked and brought the company and its shareholders success each year. Today, Harley-Davidson Inc., an employer of 8,100 workers, consists of Harley-Davidson Motor Company based in Milwaukee and Eagelmark Financial Services Inc. based in Chicago, Illinois. These are strategic business units are they are managed separately based on the fundamental differences in their operations, products and services. In addition, there are nearly 1,500 dealerships worldwide. Harley’s commitment toward continuous improvement is exemplified in the supplemental financial statements, Appendix section. Harley’s strategic objective is to continue to provide, safe, high technology heavyweight bikes and keep customer satisfaction at high levels. This quality vision more than doubled Harley-Davidson’s market share and increased its brand loyalty. Harley-Davidson’s products include: motorcycles, parts & accessories along with financing services. Three main geographic markets comprise the bulk of motorcycle sales: North America, Asia and Europe. Harley-Davidson’s customers are comprised of both male and female with the female segment the fastest growing market at 5% yearly. Expansion into the European and especially Asian markets will be forthcoming. These new market opportunities will require new designs that are lighter, easier to use, comfortable and stylish. Motorcycles are no longer thought of just a mode of transportation. The Harley-Davidson motorcycle welcomes you into a family, a culture of the free and willing sprit. Future threats to prepare for include the increase in European trade tariffs on well-known brands such as named, Harley-Davidson. Production plant expansion should shorten the wait time for manufacturing new bikes. This has be... ... at the Company's Tomahawk, Wisconsin facility; and a 165,000 square foot addition to the Company's Product Development Center in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The Company completed the Tomahawk expansion in the third quarter of 2002, but will continue to invest capital related to the remaining projects during the fourth quarter of 2002 and into 2003. BIBIOGRAPHY Henshaw P., Kerr I. (2001) The Encyclopedia of the Harley-Davidson. USA Teerlink, R (2000) More Than a Motorcycle – The Leadership Journey at Harley-Davidson. Harvard Business Review. Harley-Davidson Inc. Annual Reports Business Week articles: November 17, 2000 Harley is Riding High on the Hog November 16, 2002 Corporate Scoreboard-Third Quarter 2002 Business 2.0 articles: Dec 2002/Jan 2003 How Harley Revived Online Sales PDBPR articles: March 1999 Harley Davidson Weds Metrics to High-Performance Work Organization to Promote Launch Readiness B.C. Intell & Tech articles: October 11, 1998 The Trademark Registrability of the Harley-Davidson Roar; a Multimedia Analysis IIA Enterprise Risk Management Conference 2002 November 2002, Volume 29, number 11 Hoovers Online Dunn & Bradstreet Online

Life for blacks in nazi germany

All mighty has created human being, a miracle of nature, superior to all other creations. God has bestowed man with all his grace and gifts of nature. To him all men are equal, but man with his contemptuous ideologies divided mankind in classes and creeds, instead of creating bridges, created walls between their hearts.   The insects of racial discrimination, the curse of civilization, are gradually eating up out society, dissolving harmony and affection, transforming human being in weapons of carnage.   Thus the society no longer remains a better place to live in. (Lamb, 243)According to some historians the first significant influx of Africans to Germany originated from Germany's African colonies in the 19th century. Like all other West European countries, Germany established colonies in Africa in the late 1800s which later became Namibia, Cameroon, Togo, and Tanzania. Some Afro-Germans living in Germany today can assert lineage dated back five cohorts to that time. Hitherto Ger man’s colonial experiences in Africa from 1890 to 1918 were relatively limited and concise, far more self effacing than that of the British, the Dutch, the French, or other European powers.But German colonies in South West Africa were the spots of the first mass genocide committed by Germans in the 20th century. German genetic experiments set in motion there especially involving hostages taken from the 1904 HERERO mass execution that left 60,000 Africans dead, followed by a subsequent   four year rebellion of German colonization. In the year 1904 German colonial company had to counter a rebellion with the mass execution of three quarters of the Herero inhabitants in what is now Namibia. Now after the passing of a full century to that incident Germany reluctantly issued a formal apology to the Herero in the year 2004 for that act of violence, which was aggravated by a German annihilation order (Vernichtungsbefehl). But Germany still turns down the appeal to pay any reimburse ment to the Herero survivors, even though it agrees to make available foreign assistance to Namibia. Subsequent to the shellacking Germany received in World War I, it was stripped of its African colonies in the year 1918. (Dollard, 89-90)The history of Africans, living in Germany, dates back further than most people assume. Anton Wilhelm Amo was probably the first Africans known to have resided in Germany. In the year 1703 he was born in what is today's Ghana, Amo was taken to Europe where he came under the shelter of the Duke (Herzog) of Wolfenbà ¼ttel in Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) and grew up in the duke's castle. Later he became a respected philosopher and professor at the universities of Jena and Halle in Germany He was not only the first African known to get admission in a German university (Halle) but also the first to achieve a doctorate degree in the year 1729.As a professor, he had taught at two German universities and created a number of scholarly works, a Latin dissert ation entitled as De Arte Sobrie et Accurate Philosophandi   published in 1736, On the talent of Philosophizing Soberly and precisely. According to the assembled information, he encountered severe racial discrimination in Germany and had to return to his native land Africa in 1747. Thus there lies the unavoidable fact Africans in Europe were always considered as something unusual and alien. (King, 433)The Second World War was a mid-20th century clash that swallowed up much of the globe and is considered as the biggest and deadliest combat in human history. As a mess up of war, the French were permitted to take up Germany in the Rhineland, an astringent portion of territory that has gone back and forth between the two countries for centuries. The French deliberately set out their colonized African territorial army as the inhabiting force. Germans took this as the ultimate abuse of World War I and almost immediately after that 92% of them voted in the Nazi party. (King, 434)Many of these African Rhineland based soldiers intermarried with German ladies and brought into being their offspring as Black Germans. When Hitler came to authority, one of his first commands was meant to torture these mixed children. Giving emphasis to his obsession with ethnic limpidness, by the year 1937, every identified mixed race child in the Rhineland had been by force sterilized to put a stop to further â€Å"race polluting† as he named it. According to the records thousands of Africans were immigrated to Germany during the past 500 years, many of them were transported to Germany as living curiosity or as slaves. With the establishment of German colonies in Africa during the end of the 19th century made greater than before the instances of encounter between Africans and Germans, but earlier to World War II, their numbers were comparatively less. Countless of them became victim of the Third Reich's racial hypothesis and its consequential crusade of enforced sterilization and murder. (Dollard, 90-91)Even though most Black Germans tried to escape their fatherland, going for France where persons like Josephine Baker were gradually assisting and supporting the French subversives, but unfortunately many of them ran into troubles reaching somewhere else. Each and every country was shutting its doors to the Germans, as well as the Black ones. Some Black Germans however managed to make out a living during Hitler's reign of fright by performing various roles in vaudeville shows. But many Black Germans, unwavering in their principles that, first they were Germans by blood, mind and sole, afterwards partly African by blood, choose to stay behind in Germany. Some waged battles against the Nazis, a few even became Lutwaffe pilots. Unluckily, many Black Germans were put into detention, charged with subversion, and dispatched in cattle cars to concentration camps.Over and over again these trains were so charged with people, with provision of no food or bathroom facili ties carried people, after the four day ride, when box car doors opened, piles of the dead and dying were decanted out. In the concentration camps Afro-Germans were forced to do the worst jobs imaginable. Some Black American soldiers who were taken into custody and held as prisoners of war gave an account of the situation while they were kept ravenous an forced into hazardous labor, even violating the Geneva Convention, they were still in better condition than Black German concentration camp prisoners who were forced to do the unimaginable jobs, such as managing the crematoriums and working in labs where genetic experiments were carried out. (Lamb, 245)As an ultimate let go, these Blacks Germans were killed after every three months, so that they would never be able to make public the internal mechanism of the Final Solution. In each case of Black subjugation, regardless of the fact how incarcerated, en-shackled or beaten they may be they always find a way to continue to exist and at the same time set others free. Suppose consider the case of Johnny Voste, a Belgian confrontation combatant who was taken under arrest in 1942 for sabotage and taken to Dachau. (Dos, 441) One of the jobs assigned to him was loading up vitamin crates. Putting his own life in danger, he disseminated large numbers of vitamins to camp captives, which helped many of them to stay alive, for the reason that they were ravenous, feeble, and in poor health, conditions became worse by acute vitamin insufficiency.His determination was to fight for his own life as well as save others lives. According to information collected by Essex University's Delroy Constantine-Simms, there were Black Germans who refuse to give in to Nazi Germany, such as Lari Gilges, who brought into being the Northwest Rann, an association of entertainers that struggled against the Nazis in his home town of Dusseldor and who was put to death by the SS in 1933, the year in which Hitler came to supremacy. Very little inform ation could be collected about the numbers of Black Germans captivated in the camps or put to death under the Nazi rule.Some sufferers of the Nazi sterilization mission and Black survivors of the Holocaust are still living and acquainting with their story in films such as Black Survivors of the Nazi Holocaust. But they are also required to say their piece for justice, not just history. Dissimilar to Jews living in Israel and in Germany, Black Germans were given no war compensations for the reason that their German citizenship was invalidated, instead of the reality that they were German born. The only allowance they received is from those who are prepared to put in the picture of their stories before the world and go on with their combat for recognition and reimbursements. (Fletcher, 188)After the end of the war, numbers of Blacks Germans, who had by hook or by crook managed to continue to exist the Nazi rule were rounded up and convict as war criminals. Have a discussion about the final insult. There are thousands of Black Holocaust narrations from the triangle trade, to slavery in America, to the gas ovens in Germany.  The comparatively less numbers of blacks in Germany, their extensive scattering from corner to corner of the country, and the information that the Nazis concerted on the Jews were some aspects due to which   many Afro-Germans managed to survive the impediments of the war.One such survivor Hans-Jà ¼rgen Massaquoi, the retired managing editor of Ebony magazine in United States, who was born in Hamburg to a Liberian father and a German mother in 1926, published a book about his experiences as a black child growing up in Nazi Germany. (King, 435) The social and cultural problems of concern that black Germans have to face still today and the way their experiences can enhance our analysis of historical and present day racial issues have been considered at UB at a symposium titled as â€Å"Not So Plain as Black and White: A Multidisciplinary Ex amination of the Afro-German Experience.† (Kar, 77)After World War II with the occupation of Americans of Germany, came the next influx of Africans to Germany. After 1945, as African-American GIs were stationed in Germany, Afro-Germany again thrived from increasing associations between black American GIs and German women. African-American black GIs, especially those from the South, instead of few cases of resentments, were given full liberty. Their positions puffed up further becoming several hundred thousands of immigrant human resources from countries like Mozambique, Angola and Namibia were brought in to encounter with East Germany's never ending scarcity of manual labor. Even the African students and persons in exile, who settled in Germany, have added to the spilling over depth and extensiveness of the Afro-German cultural blend. (Kar, 78)Hans-Jà ¼rgen Massaquoi, who now lives in the United States, in his autobiography â€Å"Destined to Witness†, describes his chi ldhood and youth in Hamburg during the rise of Nazi power. His biography makes available an exceptional viewpoint, for the reason that he was one of very few dark-skinned inhabitant Germans in all of Germany under Nazi regime, turned away from, but not Nazi mistreated by the Nazis. This dichotomy remained a key theme all through his whole life. When the war approached to Germany, Hans-Jà ¼rgen had more, other than the Nazis, to be concerned about.Heavy associated bombing required him and his German mother Bertha Baetz to run away from Hamburg. He credits his endurance to good luck and the help of his mother and German friends. In 1947 he went to Liberia prior to immigrating to the United States and joining the army as a paratrooper and afterward studying journalism at the University of Illinois. That show the way to his career at Ebony. In Germany Massaquoi had luckily stayed away from the awful destiny of many blacks during the Nazi era, but it was more often than not more easier said than done for adult blacks. The fortunate ones were forcibly sterilized but permitted to live. Others were captivated and sent to concentration camps. Some associated prisoners of war, together with black French colonial soldiers and African Americans, were incarcerated in Stalag-III-A at Luckenwalde near Berlin. (Dos, 442)The experiences of Afro-Germans in today's Germany offer imminent look into the conversion of that nation-willing or not-into a multicultural society,† Blacks living in Germany today are classified into several categories. German-born blacks are sometimes called â€Å"Afrodeutsche†, this category comprises of people of African inheritance born in Germany, with either of the parents African. Another class is blacks from Africa, the Caribbean, the United States, or some other place, who are living and earning their livelihood in Germany, sometimes for decades. Unlike many other countries, German citizenship is based on the citizenship of oneâ€℠¢s parents, and is received in inheritance by blood. Thus the blacks born in Germany, and grew up there, are not German citizens if not they have at least one German parent. However, in the year 2000 a new German naturalization law provided blacks and other foreigners the permission to submit an application for citizenship after living in Germany for three to eight years. (Kar, 79)In conclusion it should be mentioned that history helps out us to identify ourselves, recognize who we are and be acquainted with the origin where we come from. We over and over again shrink back from hearing about our chronological times of yore for the reason that so much of it is excruciating. On the other hand, this has brought the black Germans together in their great effort for rights, self respect, and yes, compensations for wrong done to them in the course of the centuries. But at the same time they need to remember the past until the end of time, so that they can do something to make certain that these treacherous occurrences on no account come to pass for a second time. (Dollard, 92)References:Dos, M; Fundamentalist Thought Process: The Dark Side of Human Intellect. (Mumbai: Alliance Publications; 2005) pp 441-442Dollard, John; Nazi Frustration: A look into Holocaust. (New Haven and London: Yale University Press. 2000) pp 89-92Fletcher, R; Swastika: Beliefs and Knowledge: Believing and Knowing. (Mangalore: Howard & Price. 2003) pp 188Kar, P; History of the Third Reich (Kolkata: Dasgupta & Chatterjee 2001) pp 77-9King, H; Skin Color: Texture & Torment in Germany (Chennai: HBT & Brooks Ltd. 2001) pp 433-5Lamb, Davis; Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata. (Delhi: National Book Trust. 2004) pp 243-245

Philosophy Skepticism Essay

Definitely the most fascinating thing when it comes to skepticism is not that severely philosophically doubtful people are present – it is the opinions that come from guiltless principles and get to amazing deductions. Rationalists like Locke argue that â€Å"all knowledge is based on reason (and the reasoned analysis of certain innate concepts and ideas that are possessed and understood by everyone). † Therefore, the inherent uncertainty of sensory experience (i. e. optical illusions and hallucinations) cannot provide a solid foundation for knowledge. Normally, a skeptic starts from several of explanations for a single situation but they will always end in wrong conclusions. Skepticism can take you to fertile results if you contemplate the following and consider the Sorites Paradox. First of all, admit these three properties. If you have two eyes – and can see clearly- that means you are not blind. And if you have mostly no eyes or cannot see either, then you are not blind. Likewise, if you take off one eye, this does not make you completely blind. So keep taking your two eyes off. Agreeing with this evidence, you should not get blind . However; you would get blind (www. philosophytalk. org). In addition, if we make reference to Descartes’ Meditations dispute. What Descartes argument means is that â€Å"the kind of evidence we have for our beliefs underdetermines what to believe (60). † Hence, we could use Bertrand Russell’s example. Imagine you had some kind of hallucinations consequence from some kind of drug or substance. In this case, how could someone differentiate their ‘dream’ life from their ‘real’ life? Since the skeptic never accepts that we are actually having a dream in the place of living. In fact, the skeptic states that our existing evidence does not regulate the chance that it could be a dream instead of real life. Idealism is definitely a good solution for skepticism. Moreover, skepticism creates the difference among our thoughts or observations and things that provide importance to these thoughts and perceptions such as dreams or any life experience. So, demanding that the universe is part of our ideas would separate the problematic of skepticism. For example, there is nothing concluded about the existence of a chair than just the impression that the table is there. During decades, many philosophers and skeptics have always had an extremist position as a way to give strength to their opinions. Though, idealism is actually more absurd than skepticism and our commonsense should allow us to reject it (Philosophical Reporter (4:50): Polly Stryker interviews Michael Shermer, the director of Skeptic Society). I believe that many skeptical opinions do not necessarily have to be based on a strong formation of knowledge. We can believe whatever we want– whether or not those beliefs are based on a complete form of knowledge? If knowledge is hypothetically that type of belief-with that kind of authority- whatever it is, that sustains skeptical opinions, then we probably do not count the privilege of having that â€Å"knowledge. † Nevertheless, we believe in several things and some of those beliefs are more or less acceptable by argument and/or evidence. Undoubtedly, many of the things we believe in are â€Å"strong enough† for this life with a list full of different and infinite purposes, even if the skeptic is right that none of them deserve the honorific label â€Å"knowledge† (Stroud, 96). Whenever we believe in something, we risk more than having some kind of knowledge . When I purely believe something and do not any doubt it and actually have evidences to support it, then that is when I cannot even have the thought or idea that my belief could be wrong for a certain reason. So Knowledge is in a way stronger than that. One cannot know that p, unless p is the case (Nozick, 109). There are serious doubts about the reliability of sensory experience on human beings in the development of ideas, and the possibility of ‘certain knowledge’ is definitely questionable. So, while experiences are the foundation for knowledge and certainty, we cannot fully trust our experiences, and cannot hope to accomplish certainty in our knowledge of the world. Reasoning a bit, we can realize that knowledge would always be dependable from the passing of time, and that knowledge could change anytime as well. Different kinds of advances, transformations and variations could lead knowledge to be moldable in anyway in any area depending on what we believe now and what we will believe later based on science or the resemblance of the past. All knowledge is a product of human experience, and is not possible that people are born with innate ideas . On the other hand, beliefs will always be based on the criteria of each people that comprise a whole different world, and our beliefs would hardly change the way we see and justify things that surround us in a period of five years or less. I do not think that knowledge is as important as it seems. I tend to believe that the rational part does everything. We want all of our beliefs to be constant under the stress that the rational pressure causes. When those balanced belief are being formed, our goal is to reach those beliefs that are receptive to all the stress of rational beliefs and that even after all that force of a rational belief, they can keep themselves firm. Perhaps a belief that is privileged of having such receptiveness to reasons and could appreciate the stability of not having any pressure by any rational beliefs, and then it would gain the honor to be named knowledge. * www. Philosophytalk. org * Nozick, Robert. An Analysis of Knowledge. Philosophical Inquiry. Indianapolis. Hacket Publishing Company Inc. 2007 * Stroud, Barry. Philosophical Scepticism and Everyday Life. Philosophical Inquiry. Indianapolis. Hacket Publishing Company Inc. 2007 * Descartes, Rene. Meditations on First Philosophy. Philosophical Inquiry. Indianapolis. Hacket Publishing Company Inc. 2007.

Quality Management essays

Quality Management essays The point that this book stresses, I believe is summed up by Quality is free, but it is not a gift. (pg 136) There are many supplemental ideas that must be thrown into play in order for quality to work. Along with changes in style of ones management of operations. By using these changes, the book was well on convincing me that quality is attainable. The second sentence in the book reads Getting people to do better all the worthwhile things they ought to be doing anyway. (pg. 3) I think that this is a key element in making quality certain in an operation. Employee discipline stops the things that have to be done 2-3 times instead of once. The changes that can be made will save you money and time. When jobs; have to be done again because they were not done right the first time, there is a major opportunity cost to the company. In order to be successful we must reduce the cost of Quality. People seem to think that these types of preventions are highly desirable but unattainable (pg. 4). Ideas like these are what lead to companies spending 15-20% of every sales dollar on reworking, repeated service, scrapping, inspections, tests, and other quality costs. (1st page of book) I think that responsibility is a major element in quality. People want to make excuses why they couldnt do their job correctly the first time. From Crosbys experience he stated, Everybody felt it (quality) was a problem, but not their responsibility. This is the exact reason that Phillip Crosby is rich and has a best selling book. He decided to take the initiative to attain an unattainable market. People perform to the standards of their leaders. For a company to attain quality management it has to get right in there and be active. Employees monitor and measure management constantly, to determine which attitudes and beliefs are stronger. (pg. 7) Our consistency at wanting to know what displ...

Sample - How to Use SnapChat

Sample - How to Use SnapChat How to use Snap Chat Application Purpose The Snapchat application is a platform for video and photo messaging in both Android and iOS devices. The application enables users to upload images to its server. The snapped images can be edited using quotes, time, weather information or colour filters. The users can then send the edited image or video to other Snapchat users. This document presents step by step instructions on how to install and use Snapchap application. It demonstrates and illustrates users can take, upload and send snap shot as messages. Additionally, the document presents a brief description on how to create, record video files and send as message. This document is meant for the end users of the Snapchat application. Equipment Smart phone Android OS iOS Precaution The application should only be installed in devices that are running ether Android operating system or iOS. The video files created in Snapchat application should not be more than ten seconds. Procedure Getting started Download the Snapchat application from Google store then let it install in your android or iOS device. After installation follow the steps to create a Snapchat profile with your username and profile picture Set appropriate credential after the application has been started Start the application by tapping on the Snapchap application on the main menu present in your device Taking photos and creating videos Once the application is up and running, the user can take photos and video using the application. The video file is limited to ten seconds. Taking photos using this application is simple. Tap on the button located at the bottom centre of the screen. Hold the button on the screen for up to ten seconds in order to shoot a video To upload a video or photo that is already exiting in your device, an additional application known as SnapRoll. Download the application and generate a new set of credentials then log in. Use the SnapRoll’s Snapchat editor to edit the pre-existing photo or video then choose share On the populated list, choose Snapchat in order to upload the selected video or photo. Editing media text Snapchat application presents a number of options for editing the text in the media To add text, the user should tap the photo or video. Tap the T icon on the top right corner in order to choose text options from the available three: Standard, colour centred and colour left justified Use the finger to choose the colour for the media text created Twist and pinch the created text in order to position and resize it. Editing video and photo To add colour filters, time and weather, the user should swipe right and left across the screen of the application. Tap the undo button located at the top right corner to erase the changes made Select the pencil to utilise the drawing tool Slide the finger up and down the colour icon on the right side to select a colour Sending Once the editing is done, take a screen shot of the image and save it to the library of the device or send it to selected contacts Select the image or video file to send Select the recipients from the controlled list Upload the selected file and send to the selected recipients

Caring the Patients with Heart Failure and Type 2 Diabetes, Anorexia Research Paper

Caring the Patients with Heart Failure and Type 2 Diabetes, Anorexia - Research Paper Example According to the World Health Organization (as cited in van der Plas et al., 2012), palliative care involves improving the patients’ and their families’ quality of life by preventing and relieving suffering through identification, assessment, and treatment of pain and other problems brought about by the disease, including the patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual problems. Palliative care uses a support system with a team approach to meet the needs of the dying patient and his family to help them regard dying as a normal process and easing the transition (World Health Organization, n.d.). Heart Failure According to Smeltzer & Bare (2003), heart failure is the condition wherein the heart has difficulty in distributing nutrients to the various tissues and cells. In heart failure, there is a problem with the heart’s contraction or its filling of blood. The risk of having heart failure increases with age. Class II Heart failure involves a slight limitat ion of the patient’s ability to perform normal tasks. The patient may experience symptoms during increased physical activity, but not at rest. Class 2 heart failure usually has a good prognosis. Class III Heart failure involves a much more significant limitation of his ability to perform, while the patient may feel comfortable at rest, the slight activity can bring about symptoms. The prognosis for Class III Heart failure is fair, but not as good as Class II (Smeltzer & Bare, 2003). Diabetes (Type 2) Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder which is characterized by hyperglycemia (Abdulameer, Sulaiman, Hassali, Subramaniam, & Sahib, 2012).