Monday, September 30, 2019

If You Need Love, Get A Puppy Essay

1. PCAOB describes professional skepticism as a general duty of care that needs to be applied by the auditor throughout the duration of the audit engagement. Professional skepticism involves the auditor having a clear and questioning mind regarding the assertions that are presented by management or other client personnel. The auditor is instructed to not take the words or data presented by management as sufficient and appropriate audit evidence but rather the auditor needs to thoroughly audit the evidence with a questioning mind to achieve reasonable assurance about the persuasiveness of the evidence. Skepticism is composed of three elements; auditor attributes, mindset and actions. The PCAOB instructs the auditor to always question evidence presented by the auditor for the probability of loss, fraud or financial misstatement. Will, the auditor, exercised professional skepticism in this case when it came to the mysterious cash ticket payments for the tickets on 11/16. Having been friends with Jessica, Will needed to exhibit a higher level of skepticism. When Jessica produced the deposit slip for the $320 ticket and asserted that the deposit slip had probably fallen in between two cabinets in the vault, Will had the opportunity of taking Jessica’s assertion as sufficient and appropriate evidence but rather decided to investigate further and noticed that the year on the bills was different than the year of the ticket and that the ink on the deposit slip was different. Will then widened the sample size to see if this was a singularity or evidence of an ongoing issue/fraud. The two main conditions that could have affected his skepticism were his relationship with the process owner he was auditing and the materiality levels set forth for the audit. Jessica Randle, the wife of Will’s best friend, was the process owner for the area Will was currently auditing. This presents an issue in that skepticism can sometimes be influenced by the relationships auditors have made with the people they are auditing. An auditor is more likely to believe the assertions made by someone they know and trust, and this directly hinders on their skepticism. Will might also  have decided to not pursue further with his investigation of cash deposits that are missing their deposit slip due to the amounts ($320), being below the materiality threshold of $5,000. This, coupled with the fact that he felt as if he was irritating his superiors by asking many questions might have caused Will to simply abandon further investigating the area. If Will had not been exercising professional skepticism, he would simply have taken Jessica’s assertion as to why the deposit slip was missing as sufficient and appropriate evidence and moved on with another audit area. Jessica would have never gotten caught, and the fraud might have continued. 2. The Generally Accepted Auditing Standards require that the auditor must maintain independence in mental attitude in all matters relating to the audit. There are two types of independence that are required of auditors. Independence in appearance relates to others’ perceptions of auditors’ independence. It is of the utmost importance that users of the financial statements believe that the auditor is independent. For instance, if an auditor were to own even one share in a company that he or she was auditing, third party users would likely see that auditor as lacking independence even if the auditor was truly unbiased and considered that share irrelevant. The Code of Professional Conduct addresses the issue of personal client relationships. The familiarity threat states that auditors â€Å"having a close or long standing relationship with an attest client or knowing individuals or entities (including by reputation) who performed nonattest services for the client† lack independence. Part e. of this section states that a member of the attest engagement team whose close friend is in a key position is unallowed. Will’s independence in this case was questionable. His best friend’s wife, Jessica, worked for the client, but she did not hold a key position. Will’s independence in fact may be perceived differently by different users. However, Will’s independence in mind seemed to be impaired in this case. He was clearly uncomfortable accusing his best friend’s wife of fraud. Some cases may exist where auditors in similar situations were so uncomfortable that they looked the other way. The factor that plays the greatest role in determining auditor independence  is independence in mind. Auditors may or may not appear to be independent, but if the auditor is truly independent in mind, then the auditor can remain objective and unbiased. The profession should consider tightening the Code of Professional Conduct to address the issue of an audit team member knowing a close friend that holds any position at the audit client. If this scenario arises, the firm can still audit the client, but the audit member with the close relationship won’t be able to be on the audit team. 3. The evidence in the case is presented in a manner that leads to a stronger refute to Jessica’s claim that the money had fallen between the cabinets as opposed to supporting her claim. The evidence that would lead to support her claim would be her statement that there could be several explanations as to why the ticket was missing. She originally suggested that the ticket most likely was included with the other cash. After finding the ticket, Jessica states a story of what must have happened was that the assistant clerks were working late one night and must have decided to include the deposit with the following day’s bank deposit. Thus, when the ticket was missing, no one noticed. All of these explanations mentioned are all responses to inquiries of client. This type of evidence is not conclusive and could be biased in the client’s favor; hence, why this is the only evidence that is in favor of Jessica’s statement. When Will went back to his desk and counted the money he made sure the money on the slip was all there, $320, which is way under the set amount of $5,000 for materiality on the job. However, he noticed that the bills were crisp and has been printed in 2006. He checked this back to the bank deposit slip where he reconfirmed that the deposit was dated November 16, 2005. He then traced it back to the cash receipt to find that it was indeed recorded on November 16, 2005. This document tracing is important evidence that clearly shows a discrepancy in the documentation which lead to the first real line of evidence towards fraud. Another discrepancy that caught Will’s eye was the entry in the in receipt book was recorded in black ink while the writing on the envelope was in blue ink. Although this is not a strong form of evidence, it is enough to bring into question the evidence that has been traced back to recorded items. 4. Effective controls that if installed would have prevented or detected this theft include: Segregation of Duties (SoDs) and Daily payment and bank deposit reconciliations. The first area of controls deals with the Receipt books and proper SoDs. The recipient of cash payments should be different from the individual that records that cash payments into the Sheriff’s computer records as paid. The other control deals with reconciliations. The morning after the daily payment vouchers are processed and deposited, a reconciliation by someone who was not a recipient of cash payments the previous day needs to be done to reconcile that the total amount deposited into the bank matches the bank statement of amounts deposited by check, cash and money order. A monthly reconciliation needs to be performed for all payments done by credit card. 5. After Will presented Vince with the evidence that he has found after Jessica showed him the missing deposit slip along with the cash, the two decided to test eight more cash paid tickets. When five of the eight tickets were also not included in the bank deposit of the day, Will and Vince decided to have a meeting to discuss how they were going to proceed. With the evidence leading to fraudulent activity, the auditors could have decided to proceed in one of two ways. The first being to assess the level of materiality and decide if the amounts were immaterial, and if so they could leave the report as is. The other route the auditors could take is to further examine revenue, specifically the tickets paid in cash. If the decision is to proceed even further with the audit, there are multiple steps the auditors would take to reach reasonable assurance. First, they could examine internal controls to see if there was any other person who could have been using Jessica’s name as a cover up, for she was not the only assistant Clerk of Court. Next, they could examine every cash transaction for 2006, and if the trend continues, examine through previous years. Along with further testing of the transactions, the auditors would be conscious of the level of materiality. The auditors could even go to the extent of checking the bank statements to verify that the cash tickets aren’t being put with other cash deposits in the department. Ultimately, the auditors would have to contact the sheriff and police department to report  their findings. In this case, the auditors may have decided to: 6. In pursuing the matter, Will faced a number of pressures. At first he was concerned because Jessica was his best friend’s wife and he did not feel comfortable working in the situation. But Vince Huston, the partner that he had usually worked with assured him that knowing Jessica may not be such a bad thing. When Will was completing the audit and found that a cash receipt had not been deposited, he did not want to believe that Jessica was responsible so he double-checked his work and then he asked her about it. After receiving the bank deposit from Jessica, he was still skeptical because he had noticed a few minor things. The pen ink was two different colors in the receipt book and on the envelope. And then he noticed that it is impossible for a 2005 cash receipt to be paid for with a bill marked 2006. Will asked Jessica about the matter but she brushed it off and he was forced to report what he found out to Vince. In dealing with the misappropriation of assets of fraudulent financial reporting, auditors are to maintain professional skepticism throughout the engagement. This is because fraud is often committed by a person that the auditor least expects. In this case, it was Jessica. Will maintained his professional skepticism and did not let the fact that Jessica is his best friend’s wife affect his work. Auditors, in general, must also be aware of the basics of fraud awareness. Auditors should be able to notice any signs or signals of fraud and then be able to trace the documents back to anything that may help to uncover fraudulent activity. 7. When most people make ethical decisions, one of the things they do is try to find alternatives to the problem or situation and ask themselves what the consequences of those alternatives would be. In Will’s situation, after finding out that Jess was involved in misappropriating the cash associated with the ticket he had the options of letting what he had found out slide because Jess was his best friend’s wife, or confronting her about the situation and reporting her or letting her report herself. Ignoring the obvious signs that Jess was stealing money would only lead to her continuing to steal more money. The auditor would be putting their career in jeopardy and it would be highly unethical of any auditor to act in this way because they have a responsibility to maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit process. The other alternatives of reporting Jessica or letting her report herself to the authorities would be the right and ethical alternative to the situation. The consequences would be pretty much the same as they had turned out. Consequences for reporting Jess would be what they turned out to be. She would get punished for her crimes and on a more personal level, reporting her would lead to Will losing his best friend.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Jean Baudrillard’s concept of the orders of simulacra Essay

‘A commodity appears at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties’ (Marx). It has long been a condition of western culture to act for the accumulation of material objects. This is in part due to the capitalist nature of the world within which we live. Marx identifies in ‘The Critique of Capitalism’ the emergence of two new classes of people, namely ‘capitalists’ and ‘labourers’. The term ‘capitalist’ describes any person who has personal ownership of capital, which ‘consists of raw materials, instruments of labour and means of subsistence’ (Marx). In contrast a ‘labourer’ has only the value of his labour (life activity), which he exchanges with the capitalist for a wage and as such ‘the worker sinks to the level of commodity’ (Marx). Because the labourer produces for the capitalist a commodity of greater value than that of his wages and in addition those wages are paid back to the capitalist in return for subsistence, therefore social control in exerted over the working class, whilst providing the capitalist with excess commodity. The labourer consentingly becomes a slave to the system on which he depends. In addition Marx states that as the relation between capitalist and labourer (manufacturer and consumer) develops, so competition between rival capitalists becomes apparent. In effect the capitalist is forced to capture more of the market by selling goods more cheaply by the consolidation and exploitation of labour power e.g. by machinery. Such a strategy ultimately limits the demand for labour and so new industries must be developed for exploitation. These new industries are necessary because capital exists only in relation to its ability to command labour and social control and as such ‘they reciprocally condition the existence of each other’ (Marx). These forced increases in demand and therefore production are evident in the contemporary world market. Important to the development of Capitalism is the use of money which abstracts labour and commodity values to a common unit for the purpose of trade. In effect the labourer discovers that ‘the product of his activity is not the object of his activity’ (Marx) thus a level of abstraction occurs, which was consistent with the modernist values of the time. Karl Marx and early capitalism were mainly concerned with production which remains important but it was Situationist, Guy Debord, who gave the first insights into late capitalism and the theories that best apply to today’s world economics and culture of commodities. Debord, in his book ‘The Society of the Spectacle’, bases his examination of commodities around consumption, media, information and technology. As such Debord suggests that ‘in societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into a representation.’ By this he means to describe the world and its products as mere appearances, where the real meanings and values of commodities are translated into signs. Essentially ‘it is a world vision that has been objectified’ (Debord). Debord explains the phenomenon of the spectacle as resulting from the ever increasing production of capitalism. Because competition between capitalists inevitably leads to an excess of produce, so consumer demand must be increased. Such an increase is controllable by the spectacle as ‘the real consumer becomes a consumer of illusions,’ (Debord) so he can be manipulated to believe he must consume beyond the basic necessity for survival e.g. leisure products. Therefore ‘the spectacle’s form and content are identically the total justification of the existing system’s conditions and goals’ (Debord). The spectacle is mediated in society ‘as information or propaganda, as advertisement or direct entertainment consumption,’ (Debord). The effects of the mediated spectacle tend to lead the consumer to an experience of alienation as the consumers’ want for commodities is dictated to serve and maintain capitalism. In addition the spectacle constantly reinforces itself, for example the television, which is in itself a product of the spectacle that is then used by the capitalist to implement the advertisement of other spectacles. Essentially the ‘spectacle is the nightmare of imprisoned modern society’ (Debord) and explains the transition from the ‘degradation of being into having’ to ‘having into appearing’ (Debord). Jean Baudrillard took Marx’s ‘Critique of Capitalism’ and Debord’s ‘The Society of the Spectacle’ to their conclusions with his own theory of simulation and simulacra. Similar to the idea of the spectacle, Baudrillard describes a world where the subject of everything has been replaced by a semiological value that has become more important than the original, ‘real’ meaning of the object. This object he calls a ‘simulacra’. In ‘Simulacra and Simulation’ Baudrillard adds extra complexity to these ideas by establishing a hierarchy of simulation, which he gives four orders. In the first order the object is a copy of an original and so can be linked to a basic reality, for example a photograph of an actual event. The second order of simulation misrepresents the original subject; in the example the photography has been digitally manipulated in Photoshop to present a non-occurrence. In the third order a reality is recreated from a simulation of an original reality, when in fact, through the process of simulacra, the original has been lost, e.g. a scene is recreated from the digitally manipulated photograph of the original event. Finally, the forth order of simulation is the combined process of the first, second and third order to such an extent that the object bears no relation to reality or the original, for example the photograph has become a virtual reality. In this instance the link between reality and the signifying systems is almost impossible to ascertain, thus creating a ‘hyper-reality’. It is the use of one simulacra as a basis for the formation of another simulacra that shows the first signs of relevance to post modernity. Consequently, in post modernism, everything is understood in relation to everything that has come before, which in design manifests itself in referencing. Post modernism is also concerned with the fact that there is no right or wrong and essentially that no real truth exists. It is of course possible for a sign to make a transition through all four of the orders of simulation, constantly abstracting meaning and widening the gap between simulation and reality. However due to the complexity of repeated abstraction and signification it becomes necessary for an amount of speculation and simplification to occur when examining transitional examples. If we take, for example, the now famous emblem of automotive company Rolls Royce, it becomes apparent the extent to which a symbolic object can be re-simulated, each time loosing a part of it’s original meaning. ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’, designed by sculptor Charles Sykes and mass produced in 1911, is a cast metal emblem representing the figurine of a girl with arms outstretched to hold the folds of her gown blowing in the breeze. To the present day this emblem has been displayed on the bonnets of Rolls Royce cars and is the first order of simulation in terms of it being a representation of a real person from which the sculpture has been modelled. The object also references the figure heads of classic sailing ships in an attempt to convey the automotive product as an elegant, quite and reliable vehicle, which were the mediated associations with the brand during the early development of the company. In this instance the object enters the third order of simulation as a real event (model posing for sculptor) is created from an existing symbolic object (sailing boat figure heads) in order to be recreated as a new symbolic object (Spirit of Ecstasy emblem). At this point it is important to note that this example as an investigation could examine many more stages of referencing prior to the sign’s use as figure heads, though this could prove too difficult and inaccurate, again reinforcing the existence of a hyper-reality. The tea pot, designed by Michael Graves in 1985 for Alessi, brings the symbol to its conclusion. The tea pot employs a plastic emblem of a bird that is attached to the spout of the kettle and creates a whistling noise when the water is boiled. This creates a pun between the whistling of a kettle and the singing of bird but more importantly, its similar visual appearance (i.e. the wings of the bird and the outstretched arms and gown of the girl) makes a reference of Rolls Royce cars. Because during the late 20th century the values associated with Rolls Royce have matured to convey the brand as one of top class and status, so it are these value that are associated with Grave’s tea pot, supposed to the original associations that Rolls Royce was referencing from classic sailing ships. Therefore the product has clearly entered the forth order of simulation is it holds no relation to the original meaning that the original object as sign attempted to represent. Also, by referencing past signs, it can be described as a post modern object. Like Debord, Baudrillard agreed that simulation was important to the survival of capitalism as it, through mediation, can control the level of consumption within society. Baudrillard used the term ‘valorisation’ to describe the process through which symbolic objects attain value. An excellent example of valorisation is Pokemon cards, which are essentially printed illustrations on card and so their use value is very low. However, via mediation, Pokemon cards have been given a simulated symbolic value that has made them desirable and powerful as a commodity. As well as design, Baudrillard’s theory of simulation and simulacra has also proved influential in film making, for example in ‘The Matrix’, directed by the Wachowski brothers. The Matrix is set in the future at a time when the real world has been reduced to a desert waste land by a war between humanity and machines; after the invention of artificial intelligence. Because the machines are dependant on solar power, the humans have caused the equivalent of a nuclear winter by blocking out sunlight. This has caused the machines to retaliate by imprisoning humans in gel filled pods so that energy can be extracted from them in the form of heat. In order to control the humans in this procedure a computer simulated world called the matrix exists, that all of the imprisoned humans are connected to, living their lives in what they believe is the late 20th century, oblivious to the fact that their real bodies are in stasis in the real world. The film therefore acts as a metaphor for contemporary western cultures. Firstly the matrix is an existence of the fourth order of simulation in that it is a system of mere signs that are completely detached from reality, i.e. hyper-reality. Just as in contemporary cultures, the people who live in the matrix are unaware that they are controlled by a system through simulation. â€Å"You are a slave, neo, like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch, a prison for your mind†¦ What is the matrix? Control. The matrix is a computer generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this† (he holds up a copper battery) (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix). In addition the film suggests that the prisoners of the Matrix are also dependant upon it, to the extent that they will fight to protect it. Baudrillard’s idea of mediasation appears in the film when it is suggested that there was a machine â€Å"spawning a whole race of machines† (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix), thus the social control of the machines (mediation of signs) increasingly exert themselves with every new generation. Interestingly The Matrix seems to offer a solution to simulation and social control by the system, which is one of enlightenment. Once Neo understands the systems and can see the signs (computer code) of the matrix for what they really are, then he can choose to follow a different set of rules thus gaining control of his environment. As well as a theological basis on Baudrillard, The Matrix tends to convey the story via symbolic references and thus is post modern by nature. For example the ‘follow the white rabbit scene’ employs a tattoo of a white rabbit, which is referenced from ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in order to convey the uncertainty in discovering the truth of an alternate reality. In the same scene Neo also opens a copy Baudrillard’s ‘Simulacra and Simulation’ in effect reinforcing links to that element of the film. In conclusion, I have identified the main themes surrounding Baudrillard’s orders of simulacra and simulation, shown how they relate to modern and post modern design and have given contemporary examples of their use in product design and film making. I believe that such an understanding of simulation has served well to better understanding referencing in post modernity. References Debord, G., (1977) The Society of the Spectacle, Black & Red Poster, M., (1998) Jean Baudrillard: Selected Writings, Polity Press Tucker, R. C., (1978) The Marx – Engels Reader Second Edition, Norton & Company Bibliography Hebdige, D., (1994) Hiding in the Light, Routledge http://www.geneseo.edu/~bicket/panop/baudrillard.ht http://www.artisanitorium.thehydden.com/nonfiction/film/matrix.htm http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/master_frame.html

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Alice Munro “The Shinning Houses” Essay

The Shinning Houses Alice Munro presents a protagonist whose personality and values conflict with her neighbours. The protagonist Mary is an open-minded, fair, but somewhat powerless character. Mary is an open-minded individual who understands values from both Mrs. Fullerton and the new community. She is the only character in the â€Å"Shinning Houses† willing to â€Å"[explore Mrs. Fullerton’s] life as she had once explored the lives of grandmothers and aunts,† and the only one who buys her fresh eggs. Mary â€Å"[smiles]† openly to everyone while her new neighbours, whose â€Å"faces [are] applied,† â€Å"smile in rather a special way† that they only perceive Mary â€Å"as a conversational delight.† Even at the birthday party did Mary keep a smile and listen to the new neighbours talk among themselves, going about in â€Å"circles of complaint.† Mary’s own personality and values conflict with her neighbours’, but she remains open to any situation she faces. Mary is a fair lady, who does what she believes is right. Her name suggests religious allegory with Mary, the Mother of God, and human creation. Mary exhibits her Mother-like qualities at the birthday party, defending Mrs. Fullerton, the neighbour who â€Å"never [changes],† against the mothers who wear â€Å"nylons and skirts,†Ã‚ ¦[their] hair fixed and faces applied.† She knows that Mrs. Fullerton deserves a chance to stay in her home, as Mary, the Mother of God knows that all creation deserves a chance to live. Mary’s fair personality conflicts with her neighbours’ values and beliefs: while she is fair to human rights, the neighbours are fair to their community of â€Å"shinning houses.† Although Mary is courageous in being the only person to defend Mrs. Fullerton, she is somewhat powerless with her arguments against her neighbours. Mary stands alone only listening to her neighbours speak with â€Å"self-assertion.† She remains power less with â€Å"no argument† to defend Mrs. Fullerton and her â€Å"barn.† Outnumbered by â€Å"property-owners† who admire each other â€Å"as people admire each other for being drunk,† Mary is scared to tell her neighbours that â€Å"[Mrs. Fullerton has] been here for a long time.† She tells them anyway because she is compassionate toward Mrs. Fullerton†Mary is the only one who understands that â€Å"her place had become fixed, impregnable, all its accumulations necessary† down to the last  Ã¢â‚¬Å"stacks of old police magazines.† These neighbours however, do not care for compassion. They care for their children and community. Mary’s compassion, her only argument, fails to win support from the neighbours, creating more conflict in values with these neighbours â€Å"who win.† Mary faces a difficult situation in which both sides (neighbours and herself) are correct. Her open-mindedness, fairness, and powerlessness are traits whish create conflict in the â€Å"Shinn ing Houses.† Mary remains unheard, and there is nothing she can do but keep a â€Å"disaffected heart.†

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Paradoxes Entailed in America's Self-Evident Truths Essay

The Paradoxes Entailed in America's Self-Evident Truths - Essay Example Is American democracy a representative of a true democracy? Does it cater the smaller factions of society? Has the democratic system fostered the rights of liberty, justice, life and pursuit of happiness to good effect for masses once challenged by terrorism, racism, poverty and recession? What good it has brought to its people? Why does America deserve to lead world community? Finally, conclusion is inquired about by addressing the question that How American dream can be pursued in its true democratic meaning? Isn’t it strange that few render democracy as the bludgeoning of the people, by the people, for the people? On the other hand, for some, it is a government of all the people, by all the people, for all the people; a government after the principles of eternal justice, the unchanging law of God; the idea of freedom. Idea of democracy as rule of people traces its expression from Athens in ancient Greek. From a philosophical stand point doctrines of natural law evolved into the idea of natural rights, i.e., all people have certain rights, such as self-preservation, that cannot be taken from them. Then, why should majority rule minority? Tocqueville (1945) argues that the doctrine of the sovereignty of the people and the power of public opinion are corollaries to the idea of equality. If all are equal, then no one person has any basis to claim the right to rule other. The only just way to run a society, therefore, is to base decisions on the will of the majority. But does the fact accord moral justification to it? This question has triggered a debate between two main schools of thought in philosophy, naturalists and positivists, for centuries. Naturalists believe that a system of governance should primarily be moral in nature whereas positivists believe that question does not necessarily have be answered in a moral dictate as any law or system of governance posited by man should be taken as such and can be debated for its pros and cons independent of m oral enquiry. Many positivists justified Nazism using the argument. John Finnis (1983) argues that it was only the end of Nazism which marked revival of moral justifications of laws/system of government. Ironically, question of whim of a majority more moral than the whim of a dictator struggles to provide a definite answer.Yet the problem with democracy is that it can quite easily lead to despotism. Tocqueville (1945) believes that if there are no checks on the power of the majority to influence the government, then it will have absolute power and those in the minority will be helpless to resist. If all are equal then no opinion has greater weight than another. It is logical to conclude that the opinion held by the majority must be the best one. As a result, there is a tendency to abandon freedom of thought in democratic societies. Going against the opinion of the majority is seen as an indirect claim to the superiority of one's own opinion, which is directly contradictory to the pr inciple of equality. Kimon Lycos (1987) points out that Plato described democracy as a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequaled alike. Likewise, Tocqueville (1945) argues, "Formerly tyranny used the clumsy weapons of chains and hangmen; nowadays even despotism, though it seemed to have nothing to learn, has been perfected by civilization. . . Under the absolute government of a single man, despotism, to reach the soul,

Thursday, September 26, 2019

INTERNATIONAL TRADE FINANCE LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

INTERNATIONAL TRADE FINANCE LAW - Essay Example Buy-back and the countertrade, are long-phase trade agreements with the mutual trade flows happening at varied phases of the period. Where readily viable credit facilities and readily acknowledged forms of money exchange are available, markets eschew inefficient and cumbersome countertrade transactions. However, due to governmental restrictions on operation of markets and due to international liquidity issues have motivated many nonmarket economies ( NMEs) and majority of the less-developed countries and industrially developed nations, to usher â€Å" creative â€Å" business transactions that bypass the normal exchange medium of contemporary markets2. It is estimated that about 25 to 30% of international trade are carried through unofficially by way of countertrade or barter system and various empirical evidence prove that whenever there is a financial or economic crisis, there is an increased practice of these kinds of trade. As per Aggarwal, government may persist on countertrad e to safeguard or to kindle the output of domestic industries. This kind of protectionism may kindle counter-purchase or offset deals which in turn may facilitate to purchase much required skills to develop the economy further. According to Lecraw, countertrade practices can be employed to override other guises of protectionists’ trade policies and finally the government policies which attempt to balance and plan its foreign trade, may involve statutory countertrade3. From what has been mentioned above, this research essay, an earnest attempt will be made to find out the legal principles involved in the financing of countertrade transactions in the international oil and gas business with a particular emphasis to whether the present law is adequate to support business in this province with decided cases on the subject, in order to discuss the issue adequately before coming to a conclusion. Legal Principles involved in Countertrade The legal principles in the financing of count ertrade transactions 1. Discrimination principle As per IMF estimates , the countertrade is presently employed by half of its members and is viewed as a guise of exchange restriction and trade which is especially condemned in cases of debt rescheduling by a member nation as in the case of Romania in 1982-1983. In the countertrade , the export revenue will not be distributed fairly and hence there is a legal principle of discrimination exists in countertrade. 2. Protection of domestic industries The WTO Anti-Dumping Agreement states that Member nations may levy anti-dumping duties, where dumping is considered to create ‘material damage’ to the domestic industry. countertrade is frequently said to be means of destabilising or evading anti-dumping law, because countertraded goods lack a translucent, arms-length export price. Hence , countertrade has the legal principle of offering no protection to domestic industries . 3. Consultation principle Countertrade like any other export or import transactions includes negotiation of disputes through alternate dispute mechanism like arbitration etc. 4. Stable basis of trade Countertrade helps to maintain stable prices during the period of extreme exchange volatility and also helps to attain a stable export revenue for a nation. 5. Types of letters of credit framework of agreement obligations Letter of Credits are significant in countertrade transactions concerning parallel L/Cs and are also significant to make sure payment on

S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

S - Essay Example However, others deem otherwise. The super accumulation of profits by MNEs made them so powerful, to push shifts in the development strategies of governments and international institutions, specifically, international financial institutions (IFIs). Whichever way shows direct inter-relationship between these international organisations and the international business. It is this relationship that concerns this paper. Believing that the main reasons for the two succeeding world wars were due to national economic disparities and trade conflict, and that unrestricted fair trade would bring about equal opportunity for the economic development of nation-states thereby eliminating the reasons for war (Hull, 1948, p. 81), developed nations concurred to John Maynard Keynes’ neo-liberal model of development: a liberal international economic system coupled with government intervention (Stewart, 1987, p. 465). The necessity of an international body to regulate international trade and international business was acknowledged – without a high degree of economic cooperation among powerful nations economic conflict will certainly recur that most likely will heighten into a fiercer military war. (Polard, 1985, p. 8) Within these premises, the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, more known as the Bretton Woods Conference, held on July1-22, 1944 and attended by 730 delegates from 44 allied nations (Halm, 1945, p. 5; ‘Bretton Woods Conference’ 2007, p. 7057), agreed to establish the IMF and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) known today as the World Bank (WB) to preclude similar depression experienced in 1930: â€Å"massive unemployment, escalating tariffs, and collapsing commodity prices† (Stewart, 1987, p. 465). Specifically, the IMF was a mutual agreement of the member countries to ensure the stability of currencies by circumventing protective exchange practices and to provide pre-conditioned

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Impact of Political Institutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Impact of Political Institutions - Essay Example The Scottish Parliament is composed of 129 members of Parliament (MPs), directly elected by Scottish voters, who make laws regarding domestic issues such as crime and justice, education, health, agriculture, environment, transport, economic development and local government (Calman Commission, 2009, p.4). The Parliament at Westminster, with 59 Scottish MPs, makes laws regarding security, foreign affairs and social security (Calman Commission, 2009, p.4). The Scottish Executive is then in charge of enforcing these laws. Whereas the Scottish Parliament benefits financially from the central government’s money, it has no real power over its taxes. Scotland receives 60% of its spending from the British tax income (Calman Commission, 2009, p.4). However, with regard to economic independence, Scotland is allowed to vary the basic income tax by up to 3 pence in the pound taxed (Calman Commission, 2009, p.4). Thus, though politically independent, Scottish Treasury has no economic independence from the rest of the UK. This dependence is historical. Scotland has always had economic ties to the rest of the country, but has constitutionally been independent (Calman Commission, 2009, p.5 - 6). Due to the 1707 Act of Union, Scotland was allowed to retain its own judicial and educational system. However, economy and legislature, as well as the executive branches became subject to the Parliament at Westminster (Raco, 2003, p.80). The devolution of power is only a symmetrical copy of the historical structure of the UK before 1707. The US has a federalist system, unlike the UK. The UK is still an overwhelmingly unitary nation - state, where the central government controls everything (Vile, 2007, p.3). The US has a federalist system with separation of power between the judiciary, legislative and executive branches (Vile, 2007, p.3). Unlike the British system of central government, the US

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Understanding Research in Social Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Understanding Research in Social Work - Essay Example 3) Quality of the article: The article met the conditions of a good research article since it had an abstract or the summary of the methods and findings, background to the study in terms of aims/objectives and justification or rationale for the study. Additionally, he article included a literature review stating what is already known about the topic and gaps in knowledge. 5) Conclusion: Manthorpe, Goodman, Harari, Swift, and Iliffe article was extensive and addressed the objectives of the study. The data reflected the situation for the target population since it entailed interviewing individual as well as groups. The sample was large and thus meaningful inferences on the target population were obtained. Manthorpe, Goodman, Harari, Swift, and Iliffe’s article Smarter Working in Social and Health  Care: Professional Perspectives on a New  Technology for Risk Appraisal  with Older People  focuses on a report by Smarter Working in Social care and Health (SWISH). The report was a feedback on how an information technology system for assessment of old people in the society can be improved. The report suggested that it would be more appropriate to use feedback information obtained from the old people themselves to develop health and social programs for them. The research involved two qualitative studies done in different regions within London that aimed at developing a method that would enable assessment of the information regarding old people to determine those who were at risk. Additionally, the study intended to investigate the applicability of such a method in enriching public sector information and empower the local communities report cases of old people at risk. This p aper is a qualitative analysis of Smarter Working in Social and Health Care: Professional Perspectives on a New  Technology for Risk Appraisal  with Older People. The paper will critically discuss

Monday, September 23, 2019

Financial analysis case report Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial analysis report - Case Study Example Table 1 Dupont Dupont Result 2011 2010 2009 Lowe 0.11 0.09 0.12 Home Depot 0.18 0.14 0.13 John Guerard (37) emphasized the Dupont formula is a useful tool for making financial decisions. making. Based on the Dupont data above, it is highly recommended that the company should increase the number of stores selling the company’s products and services. The company should focus on selling more quality products and offering more quality services to the clients. The company should also engage in research and development to discover new products. The company should also improve the quality of the company’s current home improvement products and services. The company should sell the products at affordable prices. The company should advertise the many benefits of buying the company’s products and services. The company’s advertisement expense should represent 10 percent of the company’s total expenses shown in the balance sheet. The company must target a ten pe rcent increase in its current month’s sales. An Based on the financial statements of Lowe Company and Home Depot Company, the Dupont results strong state that the Lowe’s company the companies’ discrete operational and marketing activities significantly influence the overall return on assets for both companies. The Dupont financial statement calculation indicates that Lowe’s generated a 0.12 Dupont during 2009. ... n is .11 Based on the Home Depot calculation, the Dupont results strong state that the company the companies’ discrete operational and marketing activities significantly influence the overall return on assets for both companies. The Dupont financial statement calculation indicates that Home Depot’s generated a .13 Dupont during 2009. The 2010 Dupont computation shows the company generated an increase in the Dupont results. The 2010 Dupont financial statement calculation is .14. The 2011 Dupont computation shows the company generated an increase in the Dupont results. The 2011 Dupont financial statement calculation is .18 Change over time analysis of what's going on using additional financial and performance data. Home Depot’s setting up more stores compared to Lowe’s is the main reason for Home Depot’s taking the lone spot as the world’s no. 1 home improvement retail store. Setting more branches precipitates to more revenues. Table 2 Net Prof it Margin 2011 2010 2009 Lowe 0.04 0.04 0.05 Home Depot 0.05 0.04 0.03 Based on the financial statements of Lowe Company and Home Depot Company, the Net profit margin results strong state that the company the companies’ discrete operational and marketing activities significantly influence the corresponding net profit margin for both companies. The net profit margin indicates that Lowe’s generated a 0.05 result. The 2010 net profit margin computation shows the company generated a decrease in the net profit margin result. The 2010 net profit margin is .04. The 2011 net profit margin computation shows the company generated an increase in the net profit margin results. The 2011 Dupont financial statement calculation is .04 The Net profit margin results strong state that the company the companies’ discrete operational

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Teenagers and Drugs Essay Example for Free

Teenagers and Drugs Essay A drug is any substance (with the exception of food and water) which, when taken into the body, alters the body’s function either physically and/or psychologically. Drugs may be legal or illegal and this are described as marijuana, hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, and prescription drugs that are not used for medical purposes. Nowadays drugs are everywhere and it’s becoming more and more used. Drugs are common in teens and they take drugs with various reasons: To have fun, to relax, to socialize, and to take risks, to relieve boredom and stress. Friends, parents, older brothers and sisters and the media can also have some influence over a young persons decision to use drugs. The experience that a person has when using drugs will be affected by the: Individual: Mood, physical size, gender, personality, expectations of the drug experience, whether the person has food in his/her stomach and whether other drugs have been taken. Drug: The amount used, how it is used and the strength and purity of the drug. Environment: Whether the person is using it with friends, on their own, in a social setting or at home, at work, before or while driving. Parents know their children best and are therefore in the best position to suggest healthy alternatives to doing drugs. Encouraging children to become involved in sports, clubs, music lessons, community service projects, church, and other after-school activities can keep children and teens active and interested, while building their confidence and interpersonal skills. These activities will also bring youth closer to parents and to other adults and peers who can influence them in positive ways.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Responses to Genocide: Political and Humanitarian Strategies

Responses to Genocide: Political and Humanitarian Strategies Political expediency and humanitarian imperatives in response to genocide   This dissertation examines the humanitarian crisis in the Sudanese region of Darfur during 2003-2004, a situation that has continued through to 2005. Recent reports from the World Food Programme estimate that the violence carried out by the tacitly government-supported militias against the non-Arab civilian population in the region has left 3.5 million people hungry, 2.5 million displaced by the violence and 400, 000 dead.   The Darfur crisis has been a humanitarian disaster unseen since the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. It has been a situation that ultimately foreign governments and international organisations have been unable to ignore. Chapter two examines firstly the theoretical questions behind humanitarian intervention. The realist theory of international affairsis at the heart of the debate – realism suggests that states should puttheir own security and self interest before any moral obligation to intervene. Set in the context of Darfur, there was nothing within the individual national interest of other individual states to intervene, yet at some point in the crisis the common assumption moved towards afeeling that intervention on the basis of humanity was required.   The Rwandan genocide of 1994 and the international response at the time isused as an example of realism dictating the initial response of theinternational community, only to be overtaken by a more moral based response once the sheer scale of the crisis and human rights abuses became apparent. Chapter three looks at events in Darfur in detail, from the beginnings of the crisis to the current situation. Using media sourcesas well as reports from organisation such as the UN and Human Rights Watch, this chapter summarises the main events of the crisis, with examples of the indiscriminate violence used by the government-backed Janjaweed militias against the civilian population in Darfur. The response of the Sudanese government along with the steps it took to prevent humanitarian intervention are describes, as are the actions, or in many cases, the inaction of sections of the international community.  Ã‚   The actions of the Sudanese Government would appear to be driven by the state centric realism that Webber and Smith term â€Å"acentral driving force for human motivation, namely a quest for power† Chapter Four attempts to analyse events in Darfur against the theoretical frameworks detailed in chapter two. Realist assumptions continue to carry a certain weight in international politics, but there are examples of some more ethical policy making within the international community. The roles of the Sudanese Government, the UN, the US and other Western nations are looked at against theoretical positions. Chapter Five offers some conclusions on the internationalresponse to Darfur. At the heart of any analysis of the international response to thecrisis in Darfur lies the question why should anyone care about Darfur.Whilst theories supporting just wars and humanitarian intervention fromthe likes of Kaldor and Walzer argue that there is a basic humanmorality that requires states that are able to intervene to stop thesuffering of oppressed people, a realist perspective, one thatrepresented the initial international response to Darfur, is that thekey value of national interest is independence and security.   It is aquestion that has been at the crux of international relations forcenturies – intervention in the affairs of another sovereign state isan issue that has generated much debate. State sovereignty has long been a fundamental pillar of internationalsociety and non-intervention has ensured that individual states canmaintain their political independence and territorial integrity.International organisations have generally supported this principlewith, for example, Resolution 2131 of the UN General Assembly in 1965stating: â€Å"No state has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly in theinternal or external affairs of any other state. Consequently, armedintervention and all other forms of interference or attempted threatsagainst the personality of the State or against its political,economic, or cultural elements are condemned†. Regional organisationshave taken a similar stance – the Organisation of American Statestotally prohibits direct or indirect intervention in the affairs ofanother state. A wide range of political theory also supports the viewthat sovereignty is all-important and one state should not interfere inthe affairs of another. Nonetheless, international affairs since the establishment of thenation-state have seen intervention by states in the affairs of otherfor a number of reasons. The earliest interventions were for economicand strategic reasons and to secure territorial security – nineteenthcentury European interventions in Africa and Asia to establish coloniesserve as an example of this. In the early twentieth century the USbegan to utilise a different type of intervention, intervening in theaffairs of Central American states such as Nicaragua to encouragedomestic political order, reduce economic corruption and reinforce itsown influence in the region. Such action drew the attention of realistcritics who have influence US foreign policy thinking more recently.Realists have alleged that the adherence to moral principles and thefailure in the past to understand the â€Å"power essence† of interstaterelations has led to unwise and unsuccessful policies , for example tofailed humanitarian int ervention in Somalia. Certainly, the memories ofSomalia will have effected thinking on a political and humanitarianresponse to Darfur. The Cold War saw intervention across the globe by the two superpowerseither to enhance their own strategic security or to advanceideological goals, for example the USSR moving to strengthen communismin Czechoslovakia in 1968 or the US challenging anti-democratic forcesin Grenada in 1983. It is however, humanitarian intervention that is most relevant to thesituation in Darfur, an type of intervention that according to JackDonnelly is foreign intervention that seeks â€Å"to remedy mass andflagrant violations of the basic rights of foreign nationals by theirgovernment†Ã‚  Ã‚   The failure of states and subsequent abuses of humanrights in the latter stages of the twentieth century have presentedother governments with numerous scenarios where they have to makedecisions as to whether military intervention for humanitarian reasonsis justified. It is a complex issue that poses a number of legal andmoral issues. Amstutz argues that humanitarian intervention presents a legalchallenge to the accepted systems of state sovereignty along with amoral challenge to the right of self-determination. Whilst the demandfor order, justice, stability and human rights may override theseconcerns, politicians are also faced with the decision as to whether,how and when their country should instigate humanitarian intervention.Such interventions can generally be justified if two criteria are met:firstly that humanitarian intervention be in the interests of theintervening state, i.e. that it perceives the human rights abuses inthe foreign state as a general threat to the order, legitimacy andmorality of global society, or as a particular threat to its owneconomic prosperity; secondly that the intervention must be in theinterests of the civilian population of the intervened state and thatthe legal and moral issues around military intervention can bejustified by the overall good that is accomplished. NATO intervent ionin Bosnia can be seen as an example of a situation that met the formercriteria, the situationsin both Rwanda and Darfur would appear to meetthe latter. Michael Walzer who has written extensively on just war theory andintervention argues that humanitarian intervention should be seen asdifferent from instigating a military conflict. As well as the legalistargument against intervention in the affairs of another state, there isalso the difficulty of intervention in a country that has not committedaggression against another state – there is a danger that interveningstates can be seen as portraying the message treat your people the waywe believe you should or be subject to the threat of armed punishment.Walzer nonetheless believes that even if intervention threatens theterritory and political independence of another state, there are timeswhen it can be justified. The onus of proof of justification howeverlies with the leader of the state that intervenes and this can be aheavy burden, â€Å"not only because of the coercions and ravages thatmilitary intervention brings, but also because it is thought that thecitizens of a sovereign state have a right, insofar as they are to becoerced and ravaged at all, to suffer only at one another’s hands†. Arguments that states should, regardless of how they are governed,should be left to deal with own affairs and influenced by the thoughtsof John Stuart Mill who argued from a utilitarian viewpoint stronglyfor the right of a single political community to determine its ownaffairs – whether or not its political arrangements are free is not anissue for other states – members of any political society mustcultivate their own freedom in the way that individuals must cultivatetheir own virtue, self-help rather than intervention from an externalforce must be the way towards a just society. Such arguments do notstand up when applied to some of the systematic and well-documentedhuman rights abuses of the twentieth century – foreign governments makedecisions based on a realist perspective not to intervene, butnon-intervention based on the idea of self-determination is to avoidthe issue and hide behind outdated ideas. There is a point at whichrealism has to be put aside and so me form of moral stance must betaken. For Walzer, there are three situations in which theinternational resistance to boundary crossings can be ignored: 1.  when a particular set of boundaries clearly contains two or morepolitical communities, one of which is already engaged in a large-scalemilitary struggle for independence; that is, when what is at issue issecession or ‘national liberation’ 2.  when the boundaries have already been crossed by the armies of aforeign power, even if the crossing has been called for by one of theparties in a civil war, that is, when what is at issue iscounter-intervention; and 3.  when the violation of human rights within a set of boundaries is soterrible that it makes talk of community or self-determination or‘arduous struggle’ seem cynical or irrelevant, that is, in cases onenslavement or massacre His criteria present a realistic scope for intervention. For all theideas of ethical foreign policies there has to be some realism ininternational relations in that states cannot simply intervene in everydispute between neighbours or outbreaks of political unrest in otherstates. Walzer’s criteria, particular his third, limit interventionwhen serious abuses of human rights appear to be taking place. At thispoint, political expediency and national self-interest should be putaside. Ultimately, Walzer’s thinking lead him towards an ethical theory ofpeace on the basis of sovereignty and other widely accepted states’rights. His values form the basis of a legalist paradigm, which providethe moral and legal structure for maintaining international peace. Hislegal paradigm also outlines the criteria for use of force tointervene. Its six key principles are: 1.  An international society of independent states exists; 2.  The states comprising the international society have rights,including the rights of territorial integrity and political sovereignty; 3.  The use of force or threat of force by one state against another constitutes aggression and is a criminal act; 4.  Aggression justifies two types of action: a war of self-defence bythe victim and a war of law enforcement by the victim and any othermembers of the international society; 5.  Nothing but aggression justifies war 6.  After the aggressor state has been militarily repulsed, it can be punished. Irrespective of the situation in a particular state and the legal ormoral issues around any form of intervention, the realist view ofinternational affairs can lead statesmen to decide againstintervention. Realists from Thucydides, Hobbes and Machiavelli throughto the likes of Kissinger and Waltz remain strictly sceptical aboutmoral concepts within international relations and assume that statesgoing to war or engaging in any form of intervention are more motivatedby power and their own national security than any moral issues. Thephrase â€Å"all’s fair in love and war† is often applied to the realistperspective with Walzer writing â€Å"referring specifically to war,realists believe that it is an intractable part of an anarchical worldsystem, that it ought to be resorted to only if it makes sense in termsof national self-interest†Ã‚   – in effect there are no moralconsideration in regard to military intervention, the human rightsabuses occurring in another state are of little importance to realists,intervention will only be considered if it is considered to beeconomically or strategically of value to the intervening state or itsleaders. This value can be political on occasions. There is littledoubt of the power of modern media to put pressure on politicians. TheUS intervention in Somalia and NATO action in Bosnia were to someextent related to public pressure on politicians to do something aboutscenes being broadcast into the homes of the electorate. Thinking on humanitarian intervention has had to adapt more recently tothe new type of wars that have proliferated across the globe since theend of the Cold War, for example the conflicts in the former Yugoslaviadriven by ancient ethnic hatreds. Certainly with the demise of thestand off between two military superpowers there has been greater scopefor the UN and individual states to become involved in conflictresolution and throughout the 1990s the UN has found itself constantlyinvolved in providing humanitarian aid, establishing safe havens,disarmament and demobilisation operations, monitoring and maintainingceasefires. New wars have involved a blurring of the distinction between war(usually defined as violence between states or organised politicalgroups), organised crime (violence undertaken by privately organisedgroups for private purposes, usually financial gain) and large-scaleviolations of human rights (violence undertaken by states orpolitically organised groups against individual).   Some of the ethnichatred that has fuelled new wars has in particular led to terriblehuman rights abuses; events that put moral pressure on others states toconsider intervention. Mary Kaldor suggests that there are two types ofresponse to new wars – one is to draw on the old war idea of the nationstate and look for solutions along the lines of intervention and peacekeeping whilst the other response is a more negative and fatalisticoutlook: â€Å"because the wars cannot be understood in traditional terms,they are thought to represent a reversion to primitivism or anarchy andthe most that can be done there fore is to ameliorate the symptoms. Inother words, wars are treated as natural disasters.† Kaldor’s view rightly challenge the realist assumption that statesshould not involve themselves in humanitarian intervention unless thereis some advantage to be gained in a self-interested pursuit of power.What is required is a more political response to new wars and theattacks on human rights that accompany them. The internationalcommunity should be looking towards politics of inclusion that capturethe hearts and minds of protagonists and any such politicalmobilisation should override traditional geopolitics or short termdomestic concerns. This type of thinking moves closer to a type ofneo-realism which places more of an emphasis on the structural featuresof the international system and avoids the stress on the often anarchicstriving for power that reflects traditional realism.   The drawback tothe neo realist approach is that its reliance on the determining impactof the structure of the international system allow policy makersrelatively little discretion. This can be seen to some extent in Darfuras representative from various states struggled to find a solution tothe crisis that met with consensus. There have of course been embarrassments for individual states andinternational organisations with attempts at humanitarian interventionin the 1990s, setbacks that will give weight to realist theory thatsovereign states should on the whole be left well alone. Kaldorconcludes that humanitarian intervention has had mixed success: â€Å"at best, people have been fed and fragile ceasefires have beenagreed†¦.at worst the UN has been shamed and humiliated, as, forexample, when it failed to prevent genocide in Rwanda, when theso-called safe haven of Srebrenica was overrun by Bosnian Serbs, orwhen the hunt for the Somali warlord Aideed ended in a mixture of farceand tragedy†. Nonetheless, the arguments for humanitarian intervention remain strong.Darfur is as good an example as any for this. As Orend writes â€Å"whyshould foreign states, which themselves respect human rights, be barredin principle from intervening in such illegitimate regimes?†Ã‚   Rwanda in particular serves as an example of both foreign states andinternational organisations initially taking a realist stance only toeventually to be spurred into action by the sheer scale of the genocidetaking place. In France’s case, the links between the powerful elitesin the two countries had long been established – not only had Francelong supported the Hutu regime but Francois Mitterand and RwandanPresident Habyarimana were personal friends, whilst their sons, JeanChristopher and Jean-Pierre were also friends and business associates.The two countries had mutual economic interests and there is evidencethat Jean Christopher was one of France’s biggest arms dealers to Rwanda. The French response to the developing crisis, when it came, was farfrom glorious. Rather than intervene to provide further killings itdecided to pull out its troops. In the previous week, the first of thegenocide they had evacuated as many as 1361 people including 450 Frenchnationals and 178 Rwandan officials and their families. No otherRwandan nationals were evacuated, not even Tutsi personnel from theFrench embassy or well-known opponents of the regime who had alreadybeen targeted by the militia.   The role of the United Nations mission (UNAMIR) has receivedconsiderable criticism in analyses of the genocide. The UN had its owninternal politics to contend with and its policies on Rwanda were inturn determined to some extent by realist self-interest. As anorganisation it was largely reliant on the support of its most powerfulmembers on the Security Council. These nations, mindful of thedisastrous US intervention in Somalia were wary of investing troops andfinances into another African conflict. Realism came to the forefrontof the early decision making process. Human Rights Watch, in additionto criticism of the UN for not taking heed of Dallaire’s warnings, isalso critical of the scale of the mandate itself.   It describes thedetails of the mandate as follows: â€Å"Not only was the UN slow, it was also stingy. The United States, whichwas assessed 31 per cent of UN peacekeeping costs, had suffered fromthe enormous 370 per cent increase in peacekeeping expenses from 1992to 1993 and was in the process of reviewing its policy on such operations. Quite simply the UN was not equipped to keep the peace in Rwanda.Members on its influential Security Council did not have the politicalwill to get involved, nor were they willing to take on the financialburden. The US and the UK, although less involved in Rwanda thanFrance, were similarly guilty of happily ignoring warnings of possiblegenocide and working towards the maintenance of the status quo. Bothhad sold arms to the Hutu regime and had trading links with Rwanda.Both also had little desire to see their own troops caught up as partof an UN force in Rwanda. The theory of non-intervention, as opposed torealism is another view that opposes humanitarian intervention. The keyassumptions and values for this concept are †¢Ã‚  the existing anarchic international system is morally legitimate †¢Ã‚  peoples have a right to political self-determination †¢Ã‚  states have a juridical right to sovereignty and territorial integrity †¢Ã‚  states have an obligation to resolve conflicts peacefully †¢Ã‚  force is a illegitimate instrument for altering the existing territorial boundaries Non –intervention theory argues in favour of an internationallegitimacy of states in which existing states are entitled to autonomyand domestic legitimacy which assumes that states are entitled torespect and support when they fulfil their core obligations as states.In terms of domestic legitimacy, in the light of the fact that thereare wide disparities in conceptions of human rights, this canessentially be interpreted that whether a state is entitled tonon-intervention depends largely on its subject’s approval of theregime itself. The counter-arguments of realism and moral intervention continue toplay a major role in international politics and are likely to continueto do so. It is a sad fact that the list of oppressive governments andmassacred populations is lengthy. Walzer points out that for every Naziholocaust or Rwanda there will be a number of smaller examples ofinjustice and abuse – so many that the international community cannothope to deal with. On a small scale at least, Walzer’s suggestion thatâ€Å"states don’t send their soldiers into other states, it seems, only tosave lives. The lives of foreigners don’t weigh that heavily in thescales of domestic decision-making†Ã‚   rings true – humanitarianintervention in smaller-scale situations is simply not realistic. Agreater test for the moral resolve of NGOs and wealthier nations istheir response in the face of large-scale humanitarian disasters andhuman rights abuses, again using Walzer’s words, when deal ing with actsâ€Å"that shock the moral conscience of mankind†. Ethical questions around the issues of international moral obligationstowards nations suffering from oppressive regimes and human rightsabuses are not easily resolved. Whilst humanitarian aid or interventionis generally seen as a morally correct route of action, politicalexpediency quite often takes precedence. Whilst it is generallyaccepted that, as Grotius believed, war ought not to be undertakenexcept for the enforcement of right and   when once undertaken it shouldbe carried on   within the bounds of law and good faith,  Ã‚   national selfinterest does not always allow for a strategy led by such moralincentives. In Darfur, the action of the Khartoum Government couldcertainly not be described as driven by moral incentives whilstelsewhere early responses to the crisis were driven by politicalexpediency   Major states have to ask themselves which moral valuesshould influence their foreign policies and which international valueis more important – sovereignty or human r ights? The answer should behuman rights, yet there is a fine line between using these values froma moral perspective or manipulating them into a realist opportunity toindulge the national interest with intervention elsewhere. There areother difficult questions – do human rights violations justify foreignintervention and at what scale?   Does international political moralityrequire the removal of illegal military regimes and the restoration ofdemocracy?   There are countless regimes around the world to which theworld might turn its attention and ask itself these questions. For themost part, small conflicts and small-scale abuse of human rights are,rightly or wrongly, ignored. The situation in Darfur from 2003 onwardshowever gave the international community a scenario that it could notignore. The world had to make decisions upon hundreds of thousands oflives would rest. Chapter Three – The crisis in Darfur The current situation in Darfur can be traced back to February 2003when fighters from the Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM) and theJustice and Equality Movement (JEM) launched joints attacks againstgovernment garrisons in protest at what they saw as decades ofpolitical oppression and economic neglect by the Sudanese government.The attacks came at the same time that there had been high hopes of apeace settlement to the war in southern Sudan that had been ongoingbetween the government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army(SPLM/A) since independence in 1965. The government’s response was unequivocal. Citing the rebels as anaggressive force against the state it set out to crush the rebellion byforce and utilised the powerful force of Arab Janjaweed militias toattack not particularly rebel soldiers but the civilian populationsfrom where the rebels would have originated.   The government expectedto crush the revolt, partly as it had done so in 1991 when a SPLA unitinfiltrated Darfur, and partly as it expected a lack on internationalinterest as Darfur was an internal Northern Sudanese issue with noChristian population and no oil interests involved. Khartoum –ledmilitary activity in late 2003 to early 2004 was brutal (â€Å"acounter-insurgency of extraordinary ferocity†)   and carried out whilstthe government prevented any humanitarian aid reaching the civilianpopulation. It was an action led by political expediency withabsolutely no regard for the human rights of an innocent civilianpopulation. Hugo Slim describes th e military action as completelydisproportionate to the targeted guerrilla warfare of the two Darfurinsurgent groups and states that â€Å"systematic and widespread governmentand Janjaweed assaults on civilians, their villages, theirinfrastructure and their livelihoods along with forced displacement andland-grabbing, intended to make it impossible for the terrorised andevicted populations to return. As this went on, the Government alsoenforced what was almost a complete ban on humanitarian aid accessingthe country between October 2003 and February 2004. Early talks on the crisis saw the Khartoum Government deliberatelystonewall on major issues. It objected to upgrading the small AUobserver force from 300 to 3500,with an increase in its mandate toinclude protecting civilians, and was then forced to accept thismeasure by the UN Security Council. It was a realist approach – lookingsolely after its own interests and using delay in an internationalresponse to move along with its aim to displace the population ofDrafur. Government and Janjaweed Cooperation There is little realdoubt that the government has worked closely with the Janjaweedmilitias. Human Rights Watch (HRW) investigations concluded thatgovernment forces and militia troops have taken part in massacres andsummary executions of civilians, burnings of towns and villages andforcible depopulation of areas across Darfur. †We are the government†has been a common response of Janjaweed at checkpoints and whenentering villages and HRW reports that â€Å"the government and itsJanjaweed allies have killed thousands of Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa –often in cold blood, raped women and destroyed villages, food stocksand other supplies essential to the civilian population.†. In the early stages of the conflict, the Sudanese government barelyattempted to conceal its close working with the Janjaweed. Mans writesthat â€Å"the Janjaweed militias are said to be of largely Chadian originand finance themselves through plunder and pillage, reportedly enjoyingimplicit support from the Government in Khartoum.† But this isunderstating the relationship between the two. In April 2004, theSudanese Foreign Minister, Mustafa Osman Ismail, admitted a commoncause with the Janjaweed stating â€Å"the government may have turned ablind eye to the militias†¦This is true. Because these militia aretargeting the rebellion.†Ã‚   President Bashir also had spoken on 31December 2003 of the government’s determination to defeat the SLArebellions and warned darkly that â€Å"the horsemen† would be one of theweapons it would use. There is other clear evidence of well established links between thegovernment and Janjaweed leaders. Many of the militia leaders areestablished emirs or omdas from Arab tribes who have previously workedin government. For example, Abdullah abu Shineibat, an emir of the BeniHalba tribe is a Janjaweed leader in the Habila-Murnei area, whilstOmar Saef, an omda of the Awlad Zeid tribe is leader of the Janjaweedfrom Geineina to Misterei. Other evidence pointed to a similarconclusion of complicity between government and militia: Janjaweedbrigades were organised along army lines with forces wearing similaruniforms and officers using the same stripes; militia forces used thesame land cruisers and satellite phones as army personnel and there isevidence that Janjaweed members were given assurances that they wouldnot face local prosecution for crimes, with police forces beinginstructed to leave them alone.   Again, the prevailing issue here ispolitical expediency overcoming any possible humani tarian response.Both the Government and Janjaweed had interests in devastating Darfur –there was political gain for the Government and financial gain for theJanjaweed. Both took the realist option of looking after themselves. Government and Militia forces attack civilians One of the mostnotable traits of the crisis in Darfur has been the fact that bothgovernment and militia forces have largely ignored rebel forces,preferring to use their weapons against the civilian population inareas that rebels may have originated from. HRW investigationsuncovered 14 incidents in Dar Masalit alone between September 2003 andFebruary 2004 in which 770 civilians were killed. It also gatheredwitness testimony to mass executions in the Fur areas of Wadi Salihprovince over the same period.   Aerial bombardment of civilians has also been commonplace. The SudaneseGovernment has made extensive use of attack aircraft, dropping bombsloaded with metal shards to cause maximum injury and also utilisinghelicopter gun ships and MiG jet fighters. Bombing has also beendeliberately targeted at villages and towns where displaced citizenshave gathered – for example on August 27 2003, aircraft carried out anattack on the town of Habila which was packed with displaced civiliansfrom surrounding areas. 24 were killed. Government and Janjaweed forces have also systematically attacked anddestroyed villages, food stocks, water sources and other essentialitems essential for the survival of villages in West Darfur. Refugeesin Chad have confirmed a sweep south east of Geneeina in February 2004saw the destruction of a number of villages including Nouri, Chakoke,Urbe, Jabun and Jedida. The International Response The international response to the situation in Darfur has been mixed,characterised by a willingness to condemn the Sudanese Governmentalongside a dragging of heels in actually intervening to stop what theUS Government has labelled genocide. Alex De Waal suggests thatpolitical repercussions for the Sudanese Government were gravewriting:   â€Å"International attention and condemnation exceeded allexpectations, culminating in Darfur being brought before the UnitedNations Security Council in July 2004† This analysis however fails tomention the scale of the crisis in the preceding months and suggests amore positive and effective response by the international communitythan was actually the case.. The international community may eventuallyhave come around to taking Darfur seriously – but much later than wasrequired. As Hugo Slim concludes: â€Å"the international community has notdenied, but it has delayed and dithered. Once engaged it fumbled andtook far too long to achie ve a united and sufficiently assertiveresponse.†Ã‚   There was a notable reluctance from the UN in particular to use theword genocide in relation to Darfur, a similar pattern to that had beenfollowed in Rwanda a decade earlier. It was in fact US Secretary ofState Powell that announced on September 9th 2004 that the USgo

Friday, September 20, 2019

Gender Differences and Identities Essay -- Gender Sex Boys Girls Compa

Gender Differences and Identities   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While physical characteristics may clearly define one’s gender, race, or even social status, it is often one significant moment in one’s life when their gender is truly decided. The first five years of my life consisted of my younger sister and I imitating our mother, playing with dolls, and dressing each other up. As my sister was the main person that I played with, gender never really crossed my mind. Even when I started preschool and kindergarten, boys were not boys to me; they were simply new friends and more people to play with. At that moment in my life, I was just Jackie Goldsmith, I stood in the â€Å"girls’ lines† at school, and wore pink dresses and ribbons in my hair to church on Sunday.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Looking back now, I can specifically remember when this so-called reality I had as a young child, changed drastically. It all happened when I was six years old; my little brother was born. I didn’t realize the difference until he was almost a year old, but his birth, my mom having a boy instead of a girl, definitely helped form who I am today. His birth was ultimately the alter of my whole reality as I had previously known it. There are plenty moments that I can look back on during this time, and realize how each aided in forcing my gender upon me. My parent’s followed many of the social norms when it comes to boys and girls. Even at age six I noticed that they dressed my brother differently than they did when my younger sister and I were his age. I even noticed that they had a different tone of voice when they spoke to him; it was nothing at all like the little baby voice that I remembered them using when my little sister was a few months old. You k now, the voice that we as toddlers would normally get in trouble for using because we weren’t babies anymore. While I could pick out all of these little differences, I wasn’t exactly sure why they were the way they were until a few months later. One evening, around the time in my brothers life when he had finally learned to walk, a few relatives were over visiting and just having a good time. My parents and relatives were talking and admiring my baby brother Mike, and my sister and I played with dolls in the corner. As they were talking, I remember my Uncle saying something like, â€Å"He’s getting big, you think he will grow up and be a football player like we use to be?† I ... ...tivities that I chose to do, I slowly began to fall into place, on my own. I believe that its very important for parents to be open minded when it comes to gender. Looking back at my own situation, my parents followed the norms in the beginning and forced me into a realization that I wasn’t ready for. Therefore, as a young child, I did the only thing I could and rebelled. However, as they began to change and let me make my own decisions I got right back on track. I grew into a woman, and the previous experience helped me become my own person. Because of my father, I was determined to be my own individual, an independent and powerful woman. That was my number one priority growing up and I contribute a lot of my later success to that previous attitude. Growing up a female has been quite an experience. While in my younger years I felt as if my gender was somewhat pre-determined for me, I soon fell into the natural groove of being a female. I am not only comfortable in my own skin now, but I am proud to be a woman. My family is very supportive of all my decisions regardless of gender and they make me feel that I have the ability and power to do anything.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Blogs - Blogging for Change Essay examples -- Internet Online Communic

Blogging for Change History itself has always fundamentally been encompassed by the history of writing. Before writing there was no history, but ever since then writing has shaped it in complicated and far reaching ways. The progression of writing, from simply a method of counting left to the elites in society to a universal communication system that allows people to share and explain ideas, has had tremendous historical implications. With the invention of the computer, came the Internet and in turn the web log. The web log is a new platform for writers to communicate with. It can allow for a running correspondence between people complete with remarks and instant access. The question is what does this new software tool mean for the history of writing? If using a web log becomes wide spread it would result in a gradual change in the way which people write. People would base their writing on their feelings and emotions rather than logical arguments. However, despite all the irrational statements , the exposure to other people's ideas would stimulate debate about controversial issues and help people understand the details about complex topics so that they could better formulate their own opinions. Despite any immediate accessibility to web logs, changes like this are not going to happen over night. It will take time and people will have to change their habits, but it could happen. To understand the direction that writing will take with the introduction of blogging technology, the foundation of writing must be discussed first. The invention of writing first came about in Sumerian civilization as a means to count various goods, and the progression of the writing in Sumer developed from roughly 8000 to 3000 B.C. (S... ...et said and discussed, even the bad ideas, so that they can be acknowledged and refuted. Discussions on controversial topics will expose people to new points of view and culturally enrich their thinking and give them a better understanding of the world. The stereotypical lazy uninformed modern day citizen could become aware of issues around the world and more politically active with wide spread use of the blog. In a world where everybody is forced to discuss things, where there is not any option besides discussion, it seems like peace is possible. Maybe if the real world were just a little bit more like a blog, where violence just simply is not an option, then the world would really know what it is like to be civilized. Works Cited Schmandt-Beeserat, "From Accounting to Written Language" in The Social Construction of Written Communication (pp. 119-130)

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Essay -- Bridges Engineering

The Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is perhaps the most notorious failure in the world of engineering. It collapsed on November 7, 1940 just months after its opening on July 1, 1940. It was designed by Leon Moisseiff and at its time it was the third largest suspension bridge in the world with a center span of over half a mile long. The bridge was very narrow and sleek giving it a look of grace, but this design made it very flexible in the wind. Nicknamed the "Galloping Gertie," because of its undulating behavior, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge drew the attention of motorists seeking a cheap thrill. Drivers felt that they were driving on a roller coaster, as they would disappear from sight in the trough of the wave. On the last day of the bridge's existence it gave fair warning that its destruction was eminent. Not only did it oscillate up and down, but twisted side to side in a cork screw motion. After hours of this violent motion with wind speeds reaching forty and fifty miles per hour, the bridge collapsed. With such a catastrophic failure, many people ask why such an apparently well thought out plan could have failed so badly?(This rhetorical question clearly sets up a position of inquiry-which iniates all research.) The reason for the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge is still controversial, but three theories reveal the basis of an engineering explanation. (Jason then directly asserts what he found to be a possible answer to his question.) The bridge was designed at a time when America was moving toward streamline products, this included the design of bridges. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was a sleek, graceful looking suspension bridge. Suspension bridges consist of many cables anchored... ... suspension bridges (pp. 13-102). Seattle: University of Washington Press French, C. & Lorentz, T. (1995). Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete: Effects of materials, mix composition, and cracking. ACI Materials Journal, 92, 181-190. Koughan,J. (1996, August 1). The collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, evaluation of its demise, and the effects of the disaster of succeeding bridge designs [Online] Available: http://www.me.utexas.edu/~uer/papers/paper_jk.html O'Connor, C. (1971). Designs of superstructures. New York: Wiley and Sons Petroski, H. (1992). To engineer is human. New York: Vintage Books Troitsky, M. S. (1994). Planning and design of bridges. New York: Wiley and Sons Washington State Department of Transportation. (1999). A short history of "galloping gertie" [Online]. Available: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/solve16/history.html The Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Essay -- Bridges Engineering The Collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is perhaps the most notorious failure in the world of engineering. It collapsed on November 7, 1940 just months after its opening on July 1, 1940. It was designed by Leon Moisseiff and at its time it was the third largest suspension bridge in the world with a center span of over half a mile long. The bridge was very narrow and sleek giving it a look of grace, but this design made it very flexible in the wind. Nicknamed the "Galloping Gertie," because of its undulating behavior, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge drew the attention of motorists seeking a cheap thrill. Drivers felt that they were driving on a roller coaster, as they would disappear from sight in the trough of the wave. On the last day of the bridge's existence it gave fair warning that its destruction was eminent. Not only did it oscillate up and down, but twisted side to side in a cork screw motion. After hours of this violent motion with wind speeds reaching forty and fifty miles per hour, the bridge collapsed. With such a catastrophic failure, many people ask why such an apparently well thought out plan could have failed so badly?(This rhetorical question clearly sets up a position of inquiry-which iniates all research.) The reason for the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge is still controversial, but three theories reveal the basis of an engineering explanation. (Jason then directly asserts what he found to be a possible answer to his question.) The bridge was designed at a time when America was moving toward streamline products, this included the design of bridges. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was a sleek, graceful looking suspension bridge. Suspension bridges consist of many cables anchored... ... suspension bridges (pp. 13-102). Seattle: University of Washington Press French, C. & Lorentz, T. (1995). Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete: Effects of materials, mix composition, and cracking. ACI Materials Journal, 92, 181-190. Koughan,J. (1996, August 1). The collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, evaluation of its demise, and the effects of the disaster of succeeding bridge designs [Online] Available: http://www.me.utexas.edu/~uer/papers/paper_jk.html O'Connor, C. (1971). Designs of superstructures. New York: Wiley and Sons Petroski, H. (1992). To engineer is human. New York: Vintage Books Troitsky, M. S. (1994). Planning and design of bridges. New York: Wiley and Sons Washington State Department of Transportation. (1999). A short history of "galloping gertie" [Online]. Available: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/solve16/history.html

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

News Channels Essay

With India’s growing importance in international strategic and economic thinking, news about the country is becoming more critical to the world. India alone accounts for over a billion of South Asia’s 1.3 billion people. The sheer mass creates news. Changes in the global balance of power, India’s economic rise, and South Asia’s continuing political and social ferment, are attracting worldwide attention. In addition, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives are on the global radar for their political developments, social upheavals, festering insurgencies, military actions and environmental challenges. Why IANS? The Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) was established in 1986, initially to serve as an information bridge between India and its thriving diaspora in North America. Today it is a full-fledged, 24 by 7 agencies putting out the real-time news from India, South Asia and news of interest to this region around the world. IANS serves several hundred outlets across the entire media spectrum, in India and around the world. It performs a whole range of other information services as well. Experienced media professionals drive the New Delhi-based group. IANS is divided into six Strategic Business Units (SBUs): IANS English, IANS Hindi, IANS Publishing, IANS Business Consultancy, IANS Solutions, and IANS Mobile. A distinguished professional with strong domain expertise heads each. Its client list includes a range of print publications, television news channels, websites, ethnic publications abroad, government ministries, foreign missions, private sector players, and multilateral institutions. The explosive growth of the Indian media sector, especially audio-visual and new media, augurs well for reliable, independent and professional news  wholesalers like IANS. News Service The News Service, in both English and Hindi, forms the heart of the IANS operation. It presents objective, user-friendly news with a global perspective. This makes it the preferred, content provider and knowledge resource on India, Indians and South Asia. IANS breaks through often cliched and stereotyped reporting about this part of the world. Its talented team of journalists and contributors – some of the best in India – produces a steady output of diverse, well-researched news and backgrounders, features, interviews, analyses and commentaries. Subjects span politics, foreign policy, strategic affairs, corporate affairs, science, and health. Aviation, energy, technology, environment, the arts, literature, entertainment, social trends, human interest, religion and sports are also extensively covered. Given collaborations with several international news organizations, IANS is often used by media as a one-stop source of all news – both domestic and international. Industry, media circles and government departments depend on it. Officials use it for policy publicity and public diplomacy. It is also a content source for our other SBUs. In short, it is capable of meeting almost all information needs. (Website: www.ians.in) IANS Publishing IANS Publishing represents mature capabilities with top-end editorial, domain and delivery skills. It provides clients high quality, effective communications products at optimum cost. Publishing has been a key driver of IANS’ growth. Its strengths are: Editorial functions; Content management, including revision tracking and error elimination; Product creation, page making, design and production; Translation services; Products for Internet and new media. IANS Publishing has harnessed the latest communication and transmission technology to produce entire outsourced newspapers, periodicals and magazines. Clients are in the US, Canada, Britain and the Gulf, besides India. Publications are in English, Indian and foreign languages. (See www.ianspublishing.com) IANS Media Consultancy IANS provides comprehensive and integrated brand and media strategies for corporates and major institutions. Under this IANS undertakes to enhance public profiles of clients through a variety of activities. These include increased publicity of their activities and achievements through professionally written media releases; public relations activities; high-quality house journals and publications on a turnkey basis; and corporate brand identity manuals for easy identification and retention. IANS also creates or revamps websites and updates and maintains them. It is also in a position to write regular summaries/specialized papers on subjects of interest to clients that require high level contacts in industry and government. IANS Solutions IANS Solutions provides all the answers for developing an Internet strategy. It blends design, technology and marketing expertise to create a Web presence delivering outstanding results. Talented website designers collaborate with our technology group to create personalized, graphically superior, functionally sound websites. IANS Mobile IANS was one of the first news agencies to harness cellular technology to launch Content2Mobile operations on both the news and information fronts. This service is available in English and Hindi. IANS Language Services In 1995 IANS started a Hindi Service. Today it virtually operates around the clock, providing quality content in India’s most-understood language. Its subscriber base encompasses all leading Hindi newspapers, websites and other news outlets. In 1998 IANS broke new ground with the launch of an Arabic Service for the  Arab world. Its website – www.alhindelyom.com – helps bridge the information gap with an important region hosting a large Indian and South Asian population. IANS Corporate IANS is the brand name of IANS India Pvt. Ltd., an independent and integrated media company with no affiliation with any major business house, political or ideological group. The media group is driven by professionals with long years of experience and with a collective vision of carving a niche in quality of content and product in a media scenario that is getting increasingly crowded with new names entering the print, electronic and Web space. In many ways, IANS is a trailblazer in the work it is doing. The key people driving IANS are: Tarun Basu is the Chief Editor and Director of the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), India’s only private and independent news agency and content provider on multimedia platforms. Basu is one of the founders of IANS. He formed the nucleus of IANS when he left a lucrative job as India correspondent of DPA, the German Press Agency, in the late eighties to set up the bureau for the well known India Abroad newspaper in New York – the first multiedition ethnic Indian newspaper in North America. That was the first attempt to begin a two-way information flow between India and the growing and influential Indian diaspora in North America. The seed sown at that time blossomed into the India Abroad News Service which, in a subsequent incarnation that gave it a pan-South Asian dimension, became Indo-Asian News Service, the present day IANS – the premier news service covering India, Indians and South Asia and events of interest to India and the 27 million Indian diaspora spread all over the world. Basu’s aim has been to make IANS an internationally known and respected news and content supplier on both traditional and new media platforms, an information resource on India and South Asia and things of interest to India and Indians worldwide. Today, IANS is more than just a news agency – its a publishing outsource, a multimedia content provider with auxiliary services catering to  growth sectors like education and entertainment, besides being a communication consultant to institutions and companies. Basu has travelled all over the world and has been a regular invitee on the Indian prime minister’s and president’s media delegations in visits to other countries for the past 15 years. He has covered major news developments and international events involving India and South Asia. He has been a special invitee to the World News Agency Summit in Spain, the World Media Summit in China, the Beijing Olympic Games and the World Cup Football in South Africa. Basu also founded the International Media Institute of India, a multimedia training school that conducts media literacy and communication workshops for educational, research and other institutions. K.P.K. Kutty, Director and Chief Mentor, is former chief editor and chief executive of UNI and has been in the profession for 42 years. He has been involved in production of TV news programmes and documentaries too. Shibi Alex Chandy, Director is also Group Editor in charge of its contract publishing division. He has worked with several leading newspapers, television stations and magazines. Arvind Padmanabhan, Group Business Editor, has over 13 years of experience in journalism, covering virtually all media streams – news agency, newspaper, magazine, radio, television and the internet. M.R. Narayan Swamy, Chief News Editor, has been a journalist since 1978, starting with UNI. He was with AFP for 13 years, writing on Indian politics and Sri Lankan affairs. He joined IANS in April 2001. P.S. Mitra, Technology Head, is the man who keeps IANS’ extensive network ticking over. He also oversees IANS Solutions, the company’s web Solutions division.