The Great Debaters And Henry David Thoreau Philosophy Essay

The Great Debaters And Henry David Thoreau Philosophy Essay To begin with, lets get clear that modern society is the product of deep humans thought. We all act and live within defined and established liberal-democratic rules, norms and beliefs with the core value of individual, which we are accustomed to perceive as something natural. However, who or what have improved values proclaimed by French Revolution at first? It is reasonably supposed that great thinkers worth to be called the primary source. Today, there is the attempt to draw analogues between James Farmer, Jr. and David Thoreau, whose impacts to philosophical thought development hardly can be overvalued. It is stated that these two personalities are similar with views of success in America. This similarity is grounded on equal value of Civil Disobedience. Obviously, plenty of interconnections can be mentioned. However, there is the view on the most strong parts. What is American success for David Thoreau and James Farmer, Jr.? After some analysis providing, it is argued that both these great thinkers followed one general belief. Here is the brief circuit. The greatest value of humankind is the mind, which is only useful to define what is wrong and right. However, it is always oppressed and restricted by law, traditions and states in common. According to James Farmer, Jr. and David Thoreau, minds release is the only proper solution to get American success, and Civil Disobedience is the revolutionary tool to achieve desired aim. In fact, both James Farmer, Jr. and David Thoreau determine Civil Disobedience as the kind law and right opposing. Eventually, minds awaking is already can be called Civil Disobedience according to them. At second, the core value of individual is placed in the center of their philosophy. Lets point out some supporting particularities from The great Debaters directed by Danzel Washington and Civil Disobedience written b y Henry David Thoreau. Oppressed mind. This was the main unfortunate reality people had to accept at times of great thinkers the times of racial discrimination and socio-economic oppression. To support this claim, lets remind some part from The great Debators, when Mr. Tolson spoke to Mr. Law about slaves owner Lynch., who liked to say: Keep the slave physically strong, but psychologically week. Leave him body, but take his mind(The Great Debators). This quote in film doesnt seem to be random. Considerably, it was put to line out oppressed mind of Color people, as the main background for racial discrimination. Considerably, this fact recognition is the first step to get entire American success, according to James Farmer Jr.. Similar view can be found out in Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau: The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies. In most cases there is no free exercise whatever of the judgment or of the moral sense; but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones. Such command no more respect than men of straw or a lump of dirt. Yet such as these even are commonly esteemed good citizens. They are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God (Thoreau). According to this quote, the start point of Thoreaus is absolutely similar to Farmer. However, one reasonable question appears why people perceive wrong as right? The answer is in harmful foundations of society and peoples silent obedience. Unreasonable value of law. Total faith in Law and its corresponding, is determined by Farmer and Thoreau as key premise to depressed mind and common oppression consequently. The law has not right to be perceived as the only source of truth, justice and proper-being. Both thinkers were tolerant to this idea and appropriate manifestations are easy to be found out. Lets remind the scene of final debates with Harvard from The Great Debators. Participant from Harvard team claimed that: We have no right to decide what laws are good or bad. Nothing that can defile the rule of law is moral(The Great Debators). This quote is strong with the entire picture of the valid belief in law that caused oppressed minds and racial discrimination consequently, according to James Farmer Jr.. Do you remember how he opposed this statement? If no, here is it: Unjust law is not the law(The Great Debators). Our mind defines what is good or bad and this is the greatest value to resist injustice laws influence. Quite similar approach is showed out in Thoreaus Civil Disobedience: Unjust laws existà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go; perchance it will wear smooth certainly the machine will wear out. If the injustice has a spring, or a pulley, or a rope, or a crank, exclusively for itself, then perhaps you may consider whether the remedy will not be worse than the evil; but if it is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine(Thoreau). Being influenced by different aims, James Farmer Jr. and David Thoreau are similar with the common persuasion. They did not resist the nature of law as needful regulation. They were against the foolish laws, which had no right to be proclaimed and perceived as life guideline. Civil Disobedience is the synonym to Revolution. In fact, it is rather curious situation around the direct meaning of Civil Disobedience. The point is that this idea stated as the key one in book and movie, but no one source gives us clear quote about its meaning. Considerably, audience is welcome to generate own one. In this regard, Civil Disobedience can be defined as the brave challenge of mind to dreadful injustice. James Farmer Jr. and David Thoreau are straight with call to oppressed of this challenge giving and this is their Revolution. Remind the main scene from The Great Debators, when James Framer Jr. took the last victorious word: I have the right, the duty to resistà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦with violence or civil disobedience. You should pray, I choose the last(The Great Debators). David Thoreau is not so strong with claim, but not less convincing: All machines have their friction; and possibly this does enough good to counterbalance the evil. At any rate, it is a great evil to make a stir about it. But when the friction comes to have its machine, and oppression and robbery are organized, I say, let us not have such a machine any longer. In other words, when a sixth of the population of a nation which has undertaken to be the refuge of liberty are slaves, and a whole country is unjustly overrun and conquered by a foreign army, and subjected to military law, I think that it is not too soon for honest men to rebel and revolutionize(Thoreau). In this order, both thinkers are interconnected with the same belief in public awakening. Whatever dreadful factor is (racial discrimination or socio-economic injustice) oppressed are right and even have to struggle what will lead to common well-being. Are Farmers and Thoreaus views on American success similar? Definitely, yes. However, there is more relevant question. Were these views recognized and adopted? At the first glance, we are still ruled by the law and obey same norms of behavior, but one significant change was implemented. The nature of laws was transformed and this fact is supported by protected liberal values with individual in the center. The mind, instead of majoritys will, became the primary source of every law and this is the greatest victory of common humans thought, and outstanding thinkers particularly. Sources Thoreau, David. Civil Disobedience. The free library, n.d.. Web. 05 April 2011. http://thoreau.thefreelibrary.com/Civil-Disobedience The Great Debators. Let me watch this, n.d.. Web 05 April 2011. http://www.letmewatchthis.ch/movie-5549-The-Great-Debaters

A Career in Medicine Essay -- Medicine College Admissions Essays

A Career in Medicine    My experiences at home have helped prepare me for a career in medicine I grew up in an economically depressed area in San Francisco where my mother was a single parent. Growing up without a father, I developed self-confidence and a sense of independence at an early age. In order to help my mother financially, I unloaded produce trucks during my years in high school. As a result, I was unable to enjoy many of the activities most youngsters enjoy. However, I am thankful for the determination and inner-strength I developed while overcoming the hardships I faced.    After graduating from Lowell High School, I entered the University of California, Berkeley. The topic of nutrition interested me. Therefore, I embarked upon a rigorous course of study as a nutrition and food science major. My first year at Berkeley was very demanding academically. However, the toughest obstacle proved to be the separation from my family. Fortunately, I received great support from my loved ones during this p... ...s and to the understanding of the aging process.    My exposure to the clinical and research aspects of medicine have shown me that a career in medicine involves an extraordinary amount of sacrifice. I am willing to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve my goal to become a physician and practice medicine in my community. The trials I have faced and the lessons I have learned growing up in my community will allow make a special contribution to the medical profession and to the patients I serve.   

A Comparative View of Education System of USA, China, and India

According to William Shakespeare, â€Å"The world is stage and we are actors in it. † The outcome determines our performance and by those who direct us. Similarly, the education of our children depends on the directive of parent, teachers, and the government. The common view taken by most scholars in America considers America the most powerful country in the world and has the most practiced free enterprise system. The is of the assumption of many that the education of their children is challenging because of the imbalances with teachers not possessing full qualification of the subject matter as expressed by James Compton (2M Minutes Video).Teachers in India and China middle and high schools must have at least a Bachelor’s Degree and attend teachers’ training if they are to teach in schools (Ibid). Consequently, these students could not assimilate sequentially the teachings by those teachers who sometimes leave the students fending for themselves. In order to reac h educational goals teachers must willing to teach and students the willingness to learn. This proves the inadequacy of proficient and effective teaching mechanisms when compared with other industrialized nations.The children of India and China when compared with the American children have a rigorous curriculum that maintains a higher standard of learning at an earlier age. The stringent measures by India and China are to lifting their country out of the economic crisis whereby the country can become economically viable and technologically competitive in contrast with their American counterparts. China China’s Compulsory Education Law, of 1986 stipulates each child has nine years of formal education.Their educational system is to be of three categories, which are basic education, higher education, and adult education. The academic year is of two semesters. With the emerging of a new era toward economic development to compete globally the Chinese government has implemented a p olicy of invigorating the educational system through science, technology, and education since 1949 (Education in China). www. travelchinaguide. com/intr/education. The educational reform emphasizes the need of modernization.Through uninterrupted efforts for the pass five  decades the Chinese nation has made favorable inroads into the education system. India In 1854 the British implemented the current system of education in India that still in existence today. The current education system divides into preprimary, primary, middle, secondary, and higher levels. Article 42 of the Indian Constitution, an amendment added in 1976, transferred responsibility from state to central government. Article 43 set the goal for â€Å"free† and compulsory education of all children to the age 14.In 1986 the implementation of National Policy on Education initiated a series of programs for improving the education system ensuring its children have a comparable education irrespective of caste, cr eed, location, or sex. http://countrystudies. us/india/37. htm. America The American education system started in 1840 by education reformers Horace Mann and Henry Barnard and was known as the â€Å"Common School Period. † To date this system divides into four categories, which are elementary, middle, high, and post-secondary that encompasses college or university, vocational education, graduate education, and adult education.Traditionally the American school year begins at the end of August in some states or the day after Labor Day in September. Schools in America, China, and India follow a similar criterion of each other with one difference is that in America and India there are private schools that operate for profit. In India one- third of the schools’ population attend private schools for profit. The realization is that the parents of these children are looking at these private institutions to provide a higher level of teaching than that of public schools.Added to the expectation of the parents of the Indian children who place their children within these institutions, they are working toward their career goals of becoming ranking professionals of society. â€Å"China did not allow private schools until the late 1980’s. † Kathy Chu, USA Today, February 1, 2011, unlike China and India, the public schools of America have an abundance of facilities in their schools for example, libraries, swimming pools, gymnasiums, and football fields.Despite possessing all these facilities available, students have yet to decide on their own what their ultimate goal will be on leaving high school. Students of China and India are attuned from kindergarten to middle school in having a view of their career goals when they for leave high school. Once they enter high school there are no options for the children of India and China because of the discipline and parents expectation of what they should be. In China the government finances the education syst em. The concept of teaching in China is to focus on group rather than individuals.Weaker students are ably assisted and the opportunity of catching up with the proficient students rather than lagging behind the entire class. Acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the subject the class can then moves forward in unison. It is of the opinion of educators that every student can achieve in every subject, although some students will need to work harder than others to achieve the same results. Chinese schools do not segregate high achieving students from lower achieving students through tracking levels, like in the United States.This is of the belief that all students can succeed if they put in the effort. Teachers and parents are willing to help by volunteering extra time to assist students overcome weaknesses in certain subject areas, even if it means working outside of school and on the weekends. However, in America, education focuses on the individual, and maintaining students†™ self-esteem is critical. If a student in America is lagging in math class, the tendency is to attribute the student’s failure to him or her simply not good at mathematics.Students in these situations will often move into a lower- level mathematics class where they can practice more mathematics in becoming proficient. Within China and India mathematics, science, and other general studies are compulsory from preliminary to high school where electives becomes for each student. In America 40% of the students do not take science subjects beyond general biology in high schools. Fifty-five percent of students have done two years of algebra and one year of geometry only.Seventy  percent of parents are of the opinion that their children are on the right course concerning their academic development. Apart from these developments the American students score higher in self-confidence than their international counterparts. Whereas American students have the same amount of allocated time as Chinese students, the amount of engaged time spent in school is dramatically less than their Chinese counterparts. In India, students spend one and a half more time in class rooms than American children.The American education system has gone through changes in the last four decades says Robert Reich, former US Secretary of Labor,† Though the parent has an education it is not what it used to be, it places much more emphasis on entering the job market. â€Å" Because Chinese teachers and parents expect that all students be able to succeed in all subjects, students themselves tend to believe that they can succeed as well. This is a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, as when adults believe in a child’s ability to do well, the child in turn is likely to believe in himself as well, and therefore work to succeed.Because Indian and Chinese teachers and parents expect more from their students, students succeed more. The United States education system is phenomenal when c ompared to the Indian and Chinese education, including the United States Institutions of higher learning. Testing done in India and China is notoriously focused on standardized testing, in American it is quite the opposite. The Indian and Chinese must pass these tests that will determine which college they may go to. Unlike the American college application, the student applies to enter, Scholastic Aptitude Test score is the only requirement.Students from all over the world come to receive a high quality education in American universities. Thomas L. Friedman in book, â€Å"The World is Flat,† emphasizes a complete and collaborative work what is happening in the world today and the impact of technological changes. Indian and Chinese educators have taken notice of the lack of innovation even though their children are highly proficient in mathematics and science than American students; they lack innovation, and ingenuity. There need to be a balance between these constrains and al lowing free will by implementing new thinking.Americans must be outstanding in their performances if they are to compete with their counterparts in a global economy. Americans losing touch to perform on the level of the Indian and Chinese students in mathematics and science with invariable take twice the amount of time if Americans are to catch up. Nelson Mandela in conversation with his autobiographer Richard Stengel explaining the African concept of ‘Ubuntu’ said, â€Å"The profound sense that we are humans only through the humanity of others and if we are to accomplish anything in this world it is in equal measure due to the works and accomplishment of others.†Looking at education system of America, India, and China the lessons learned from each other’s experiences with the pooling of ideas can increase each understanding of the effects on economics, politics, environment, and culture. It is not of superiority but the exchanging of ideas that each will benefit the other in creating homogeneous institutions of learning towards global development. The development of education system in each country can be uplifting with the technological development that goes hand- in- hand with capital accumulation and progressive economies.

America and the challenges of religious diversity Essay

Religion and Theory Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The world today is dynamic such that there is need to recognize the diversity of the people that live in it. People across the world are different in terms of culture, religion and race. However, there are few people that have consistently failed to accommodate diverse beliefs and opinions. One of the diversity factor that has come under sharp focus is religion. All over the world, there are people with special religious sensitivities and thus the need to accommodate diverse opinions when it comes to religion. Such people should be allowed to promote and practice their religious beliefs and practices with little or no interference. However, this freedom should be limited to the fact that the said religious beliefs and practices do not infringe on the rights of other people in the society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The practice of religious persecutions started man7y years ago when certain religious beliefs and practices were discouraged. The consequences of practicing the discouraged religious practices included harassment and illegal persecution. Today, it is very difficult to identify individuals with special sensitivities and sensibilities from the street. However, there are certain factors that are common with certain religious following. Different religious groups have different code of dressing. This might make it easier to identify an individual with religious sensitivity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Wuthnow, (2011), religious groups such as the Islamic faith require that women dress modestly. Inn more conservative Muslims, women are required to wear veils covering most of their body. This is to reinforce their religious beliefs regarding chastity and behaviour. Muslim men also wear long flowing gowns which also would make them easy to identify. Almost every ethno-religious subcultures ranging from mainstream religious following such as the Hindu to smaller ethno-religious subcultures such as the Amish have a specific dress code. However, the dressing code is not the only way that one can identify people with religious sensitivities. The important thing for every individual in the society is to learn and respect the divergent opinion of the general populous when it comes to religion. References Wuthnow, R. (2011). America and the challenges of religious diversity. Princeton University Press. Source document

Diversification Strategy Essay

The Videocon group’s core areas of business are consumer electronics and home appliances. They have recently diversified into areas such as DTH, power, oil exploration and telecommunication. Consumer electronics In India the group sells consumer products like colour televisions, washing machines, air conditioners, refrigerators, microwave ovens and many other home appliances, through a multi-brand strategy with the largest sales and service network in India.[4]   Mobile phones In November 2009, Videocon launched its new line of mobile phones.[5] Videocon has ever since launched a number of innovative handsets ranging from basic color FM phones to high-end Android devices. And in February 2011, Videocon Mobile Phones launched the revolutionary concept of ZERO paise per second with pre-bundled SIM cards of Videocon mobile services along with 7 of its handset models. Colour picture tube glass Videocon is one of the largest CRT glass manufacturers in the world, operating in Mexico, Italy, Poland and China. Oil and gas An important asset for the group is its Ravva oil field with one of the lowest operating costs in the world producing 50,000 barrels of oil per day.[6] DTH Main article: Videocon d2h In 2009, Videocon launched its DTH product, called ‘d2h’. As a pioneering offer in the Indian DTH market, Videocon offered LCD & TVs with built-in DTH satellite receiver with sizes 19†³ to 42†³. This concept in the DTH service is relatively new in the presence of other players like ZEE TV’s Dishtv, Tata Sky, Air tel Digital TV and Reliance’s BIG TV providing only the set top box. Telecommunication Videocon Telecommunications Limited has license for mobile service operations across India. It launched its services on 7 April 2010 in Mumbai. Acquisition of Thomson SA Videocon through its Wholly Owned Offshore Subsidiary acquired the Color Picture Tube (CPT) businesses from Thomson S.A having manufacturing facilities in Poland, Italy, Mexico and China along with support research and development facilities. Acquisition rationale The acquisition came at a time when Thomson was facing a fall in demand in developed markets for television with CPTs and was moving more towards Flat-screen and Plasma Television. However, Videocon saw an opportunity in the emerging countries for CPTs and hence pursued with the acquisition. Besides, the acquisition gave Videocon, the access to advanced technology giving the company control over an R&D facility in Agnani, Italy. The major reasons behind this acquisition were:[7] Cost cutting – Videocon was better positioned to shift the activities to low-cost locations and also it could integrate the operations with the glass panel facility in India with the CPT manufacturing facilities acquired from Thomson S.A. Videocon wanted to leverage its position in the existing parts of the business and this acquisition would give it a strong negotiation position and could reduce impact of glass pricing volatility. Videocon could also reduce the costs by upgrading and improving the existing production lines. Vertical Integration – The acquisition helped Videocon in vertically integrating its existing glass-shell business where it had been enjoying substantially high margins.[8] Videocon’s glass division had the largest glass shell plant in a single location. This gave the company an unrivaled advantage in terms of economies of scale and a leadership position in the glass shell industry. The acquisition also gave Videocon a ready-market for its glass business and it was part of Videocon’s long-term strategy to have a global vertically-integrated manufacturing facility. Rationalization of Product Profile – Videocon modified its product profile to cater to the changing market needs like moving away from very large size picture tubes to smaller ones.[9] Apart from the overall strategy Videocon also had a plan on the technological front. It wanted to improve the setup for the production line and line speed post-merger. Its focus was to increase sales while reducing the costs and thereby improving the productivity of the existing line. The company also wanted to foray in a big way into LCD panels back-end assembly . On the sales front the company wanted to leverage on the existing clients of Thomson and build relation as a preferred supplier to maximise sales. Also, Videocon could benefit from OEM CTV business with the help of Videocon’s CTV division, invest for new models and introduction of new technologies.[10] Thomson’s perspective In 2004 Thomson planned entry into the high-growth digital media and technology business. Also, Thomson wanted to exit consumer and electronics businesses as they were incurring significant losses. After sale of its TV business to Chinese group TCL, and Tubes to Videocon, Thomson divested from the audio/video accessories business which was the last unit of its consumer electronics business. The need to divest are quite evident from the losses that it incurred in these businesses particularly that the unit that it sold off to Videocon, the Optical Modules activity, and the Audio/Video & Accessories businesses which totalled around â‚ ¬749 million for 2005. Moreover Thomson had done some acquisitions that were in line with boosting their revenues in the following years. [11] Other competitors for the acquisition When Videocon entered the race for the colour picture tubes manufacturing capacity of Thomson SA in November 2004, there were 16 other bidders. Videocon stood slim chances given the fact that it had to battle it out with players like LG, Philips, Samsung and Matsushita, Daewoo and several Chinese manufacturers but finally managed to close the deal. The deal catapulted Videocon into the No. 3 slot in the global pecking order for CPTs. An official of Videocon said on the deal â€Å"The word is out in the world that India and Indian companies are not just a good bet by themselves, but also a hedge against China.â€Å" [12] Pre-merger scenario analysis CPT industry is affected by many competitive factors such as change in the consumer preferences, the product offer strategy of retailers, the progress made by alternative technology manufacturers, capacity adjustment facility of competitors etc. Based on all of these factors there were two scenarios that emerged from the 2005 budget of Videocon. The first scenario is a conservative one. It mainly assumes Price pressures similar to those in the past(-8 to -12%),capacity reduction over a period of two years, a gradual shift to newer technologies like True Flat and good amount of growth for LCD makers. The second scenario is a more aggressive one in term of trends predicted. It assumes that the switch to TrueFlat would be faster, more overcapacity, more competition from LCD manufacturers and rising price strategy pressures in general. The second scenario obviously requires an industrial strategy which is more adapted to the environment. However even if the second scenario arises,Videocon believes there is an opportunity in the CRT business. Though it is very obvious that in the developed markets of the western world the demand is shifting towards the flat panel side(FPD it is expected to contribute 70% of TV market in these regions),in the emerging markets like BRIC CRT still holds fort. CRT holds a dominant 70% share in these markets. When translated into number of units the demand is more than 100 million units. As Videocon is primarily based in these countries, it hopes to harness the value of the Thomson acquisition in the coming years.[citation needed] [edit] Post merger situation (2008) Videocon has not been able to turn the plant around in Italy still. However it is getting support from the local government(which want to prevent job cuts) in form of grants. The government is in fact trying to set up a Greenfield venture in form of a LCD manufacturing facility in partnership with Videocon. The banks are also supporting Videocon and with help from all these quarters Videocon expects to turn around the plant in Italy.[13] The Thomson plant has not turned around in Mexico as well and in fact production has been reduced over there.In Poland,the situation is more promising and Videocon hopes that plant over there will get in black in the very near future.[14] However the surprise has been in the Chinese market .Despite facing a highly competitive market Videocon has managed to turn a plant around while the other is on its way. In China Videocon is adopting a different strategy for manufacturing CTVs as the local players dominate the market .It plans to supply these players by taking advantage of low-cost nature of mainland(the number targeted by it about 6 million CPTs).[15] [edit] Thomson’s exit from Videocon Thomson is looking to sell out its stake in Videocon (a 10 percent stake via GDRs) and in most likelihood it would be bought by Videocon itself. Thomson would be exiting at a loss as it had acquired the stake at around Rs 400 per share (approximately equal to $10 per share).The deal is expected to happen at current market prices. Videocon’s GDR is currently traded at around $5.06 on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. On the Bombay stock exchange its trading around INR150 against the 52 week high of INR868 in Jan 2008. Another point to be noted is that this won’t attract the market regulator’s â€Å"creeping acquisition† norm which comes into force once they acquire more than 5% stake,as the deal would be an overseas. [16]

Advanced Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Advanced Finance - Essay Example Particularly, the returns on the shares went above the UK Index from March 9th until April 8th, hence making significant returns from the investments. Sentiments indicate that the rise of AstraZeneca shares in market have been on the rise due to the improved pipeline, while other reason contributing to the rise being the approach of Pfizer in supporting the share price (Stephens, 2014). Another portfolio that made huge returns in the market through the gaming period was British American Tobacco (BATS) LN shares. The total returns from the entire game were 4.033, with the BATS LN Equity performing best from early February to mid-March, with the rest of the gaming period comparing significantly with the UK FTSE 100 Index. The BP LN is another area with highest recorded returns of 7.626 through the entire gaming period. Its Equity performance was when compared to the UK FTSE 100 Index shows too much similarity, in that the shares graph is hand to hand with each other, while its performance curve also kept on rising until the end of the gaming period. The rise of BP shares is a mid some fears of the falling oil market prices. However, traders are citing on the issue of market takeover bid from the Royal Dutch Shell as being the reason behind the rise of BP shares (Routers London Business Daily, 2014). The next area of investments that created significant returns was the Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) LN, whereby the total returns generated were 3.407. The performance IMT LN Equity index was comparing well with the UK FTSE 100 Index, with the IMT performance index rating higher than the UK FTSE 100 Index for most of the time. The reason behind the continuous rise of Imperial Tobacco Group shares could be due to the cost optimization program that delivers further incremental savings, just as predicted in the company’s 2014 end year financial statement (Hargreaves, 2015). Another area where the shares created significant returns through the gaming period was the BT

Mandatory Sentencing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Mandatory Sentencing - Research Paper Example The paper tells that crime does not pay. We can seldom argue with this premise, and the need to inculcate this idea among the local populace of our cities and towns. However there is also a fear that in our zest to single out and punish those who are guilty of crimes against society and humanity, we are creating situations where too many people are behind bars. Indeed the rate of incarcerations in the USA is one of the highest in the world, which is shameful for a country that considers itself the world’s foremost superpower and protector of human rights. Mandatory sentencing has been cited as one of the reasons behind the overpopulation in our prisons, creating situations where crime is further exacerbated by the formation of gangs, hardcore and small time criminals being grouped together, and the fact that some criminals are in need of medical attention rather than a life of incarceration that does not remedy their particular situation or suit their particular needs. Mandato ry sentencing is a form of judicial punishment in which the terms and duration of the punishment have already been set in Law depending on the crimes committed and the charges filed and proven against the accused law breaker. This being the case, there is usually no or little room for a judge to intervene and set his own ruling depending on the individual circumstances of the case. Originally the need for mandatory sentencing was seen in cases of drug dealing and related offences. But later the effect of mandatory sentencing minimums was extended to gun related crimes as well, as they initially proved an effective deterrent to crime. However as we shall see much of the initial laws have been repealed and the sentencing reduced on humanitarian grounds. Even today, the debate rages on as to whether mandatory minimums still have a place and effect in law or not. There is much to support both points of view, as we shall see. The History and Uses of Mandatory Sentencing In the USA it was the 1951 Boggs Act that started the Federal mandatory minimum penalties for drug trafficking. The length of some of these sentences was then increased in 1956. However the comprehensive reforms of the 1970 Drug Abuse and Control Act repealed the earlier Boggs Acts. This was followed by the enactment of the Rockefeller Drug Laws in 1973 which helped establish minimum 15 year and life sentences for various kinds of drug offences. Obviously the intent would have been to get the offenders off the streets for a considerable amount of time and in doing so make it safer for the targeted population. Laws such as Michigan’s 650 Lifer Law took a much harder stance on drug offences and established a minimum of life imprisonment without possibility of parole for possession and dealing with 650 grams of drugs such as cocaine and heroin- it also increased the penalties for smaller offences. In 1984, the Comprehensive Crime Control Act resulted in the creation of a U.S Sentencing Commissio n. It also phased out parole and set mandatory sentences for gun related crimes. Two years later, in 1986 the Anti-Drug Abuse Act creates new federal minimum mandatory sentences for drug related offences. One year later, in 1987 the US Sentencing Commission enacted some guidelines to help the Courts in convicting and sentencing all federal drug related offences. In 1988, the Omnibus Drug Abuse Act not only added a mandatory minimum penalty for the possession of crack but also included conspiracy convictions in the mandatory penalty scheme. This has had little positive effects on the system since ruthless drug dealers do not care who they choose to carry out their dirty schemes to transport drugs across borders and it could often be an unwary traveler that has been trapped for no fault of his own except