The Modern Researcher

Both authors, Jacquez Barzun and Henry Grafff are historians and are faculty members of Columbia University. They finished this book by year 1969. THE BOOK- Summary and Purpose: This book is primarily intended to â€Å"guide and instruct students in the arts of research   and writing†(note on the revised edition), with special emphasis on historiography. The book is divided into three parts, with the titles: The First Principles, Research and Writing . The idea for the first principles is to lay down the necessary frame of thought, the attitudes and qualifications of a (modern) â€Å"researcher†- apparently, to distinguish him from an antiquated one. It combines both the technique of research and writing. Unlike common writing/research manuals that concentrate only on the â€Å"how to’s† ,   Barzun & Graff, offered all the necessary ingredients for excellent history writing that is based on fastidious effort to search for â€Å"the truth†. It is a book on historiography that develops the idea that â€Å"facts alone do not constitute history† but that these need to be interpreted and ably written. Writing   should consist an effort on the writer to communicate as close as possible his   own ideas to the reader. It gives a very convenient outline summary for all the great philosophical systems  Ã‚   that influenced historians and their writings. This background could further enhance an understanding of historians’ very human tendency to reduce patterns into ‘laws’ in order to make them coherent and unified. However, such laws overly simplify   phenomenon and , if possible, should be avoided by the writer. Barzun convincingly provides strong bases for his ‘principles’ through excellent  Ã‚  Ã‚   choice of examples. An anecdote on how a historian was able to establish the authorship of the â€Å"Diary of a Public Man† is such a good example on how   one investigates and verifies his data. This historian was able to come up with a  Ã‚  Ã‚   probable answer to his problem through trial and error that took him more than thirty years- visiting libraries, interviewing key people mentioned in the diary, verifying documents written during the period in question (Lincoln Administration). In the end the historian found out that the author employed both fact and fiction in his diary entry and therefore   this (diary)   would not be useful as a historical document. Another is about a researcher who investigated the origin of the motto: â€Å"In God We Trust† written on dollar currencies. He noticed that there was a period when such a motto was absent,   and he wanted to investigate, first -its origin and then,   the reason   for its absence; then, its revival in the present currencies. Through painstaking investigation he found out that it was Stuart Chase, the Secretary of Treasury who , being a clergyman, mandated its inclusion on all currencies during his incumbency. When his term expired, his successor had this motto deleted only to reappear later when the American Congress saw the wisdom of restoring it. Such examples on the process of research reinforces the idea that research is a worthy endeavor and   is indeed exciting. Moroever, the book stresses on the importance of having the proper perspective in writing history, i.e. â€Å"Book concentrates on principles of thought and analysis of difficulties and aims at imparting the fundamentals of informed exposition.† The authors repeatedly expounds on these throughout the book. Another important tenet which Barzun convinces his reader is that it is by way of probability that all scholars, including scientists can claim the truthfulness of their work. Thus, patterning in history is intended not to arrive at â€Å"laws† or generalizations that are â€Å"unbreakable† and immutable but rather to serve as guidepost that may give coherence to an ,otherwise, confusing motley of data. They are therefore made for convenience, just as periodizations in history are. The menacing issue on subjectivity and objectivity in historical writing was given adequate attention by Barzun. He avers that   these words apply â€Å"not to persons and opinions but rather to sensations and judgments† and are better avoided by historians and their critics. â€Å"An objective judgment is one made by testing in all ways possible one’s subjective impressions, so as to arrive at a knowledge of subjects.† A corollary principle will be that â€Å"competence, not majority opinion, is decisive. There have been collective hallucinations that deceived large majorities’† (p.166). This obviously happens, specially with political issues and with politicians who exploit public opinion to suit their ends. Analysis: Barzun & Graff’s Modern Researcher is, indeed, not an ordinary manual on research and writing. But I have only one comment, why did they entitle the book â€Å"The Modern Researcher†? Nowhere in this book did they explain the title. Does the word â€Å"modern† means a historical period? Or a frame of mind? I would assume that the work being about historiography may connote a historical period. But it could also be a frame of mind, i.e. progressive and liberal.

Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians Essay

Introduction During the 2010 Federal election, both major political parties campaigned on indigenous affairs. Following the ALP’s victory, Prime Minister Gillard established an independent Expert Panel to â€Å"to investigate how to give effect to constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. † Two schools of thought have dominated the national conversation of how this should be achieved. One view is that an amendment to the preamble of the constitution will provide safe and symbolic recognition. The alternative view is that more substantive reform is required to secure equality before the law. On January 16 2012, the Panel presented the Prime Minister their report and proposed five amendments to the Commonwealth Constitution. This paper will evaluate the five proposals and the reasons offered by the Panel. Each amendment will be analysed on its symbolic significance and potential legal ramifications. Finally this paper will conclude on how to best give Indigenous Australians recognition within the constitution. Constitutional Recognition For the panel, constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians means removing provisions in the Constitution that contemplate racial discrimination. Whether intended or not, the five proposals address the broader issues of racial discrimination and equality before the law within the Commonwealth Constitution. Repealing section 25 In its report, the Panel indicates that 97. 5% of all submissions approve of repealing section 25. Section 25 reads: For the purposes of the last section, if by the law of any State all persons of any race are disqualified from voting at elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State, then, in reckoning the number of the people of the State or of the Commonwealth, persons of that race resident in that State shall not be counted. On face value, section 25 appears racist as it contemplates States excluding voters on the grounds of race. This interpretation has been affirmed by Chief Justice Gibbs in McKinlays’s case (1975). Section 25 must be read with section 24 to ascertain the real intention of the framers. Section 24 specifies that the number of lower house representatives is determined by dividing the total number of people of the Commonwealth by twice the number of senators and then dividing the population of each state by that quota. Therefore, by racially excluding voters the numerical input of the State’s population is reduced; the State’s federal representation decreases and discriminatory states forgo greater federal representation. Although section 25 was intended to penalise racially discriminatory states, a State was able to enact discriminatory legislation by drafting laws that did not disenfranchise ‘all’ members of a racial group. For instance, New South Wales denied certain classes of indigenous people the right to vote. The panel states that this proposal is ‘technically and legally sound’. Many constitutional commentators agree but there is a small minority who have identified possible legal consequences. In 1980, Justice Dean included section 25 as a provision guaranteeing the right to vote. The right to vote is not constitutionally entrenched. Parliament has authority to determine the electoral process pursuant to section 30. It is unclear whether the High Court would find legislation that disqualified people of certain races from voting invalid because of the section 7 words ‘directly chosen by the people’ and section 24. Theoretically, it may be argued that section 25 should not be removed until the right to vote is constitutionally entrenched. However, this view is highly unorthodox and section 25 should be repealed. Repealing section 51 (XXIV) Section 51(xxvi) authorises the Commonwealth to make laws with respect to â€Å"the people of any race for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws†. The Panel recommends removing section 51(xxvi) as it contemplates discrimination against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In Koowarta v Bjelke-Petersen, the Aboriginal Land Fund Commission was denied purchasing Pastoral property from the Crown. The Queensland Minister for Lands reasoned that ‘the government did not view favourable proposals to acquire large areas of land for development by Aborigines in isolation’. Koowarta argued that the Minister was in breach of sections 9 and 12 of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth). Joh Bjelke-Petersen challenged the constitutional validity of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth). The Premier argued that s51(xxvi) ‘does not confer power to make laws which apply to all races’. A majority of the High Court found that sections 9 and 12 of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 were invalid pursuant to s 51 (xxvi). The Hindmarsh Island Bridge case illustrates parliament’s ability to enact adversely discriminatory laws in relation to race. The case concerned whether the Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act 1997 (Cth) could remove rights which the plaintiffs enjoyed under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1986 (Cth). The Ngarrindjeri women argued that the races power only allowed parliament to pass laws that are for the benefit of a particular race. The Commonwealth argued that there were no limits to the power. The High Court found that as the Heritage Protection Act was validly enacted under s 51(xxvi), the same head of power could support a whole or partial repeal. The High Court was divided on whether S 51(xxvi) could only be used for the advancement or benefit of a racial group. In his judgement, Justice Kirby found that section 51 (xxvi) ‘does not extend to the enactment of laws detrimental to or discriminatory against, the people of any race (including the Aboriginal race) by reference to their race’. Justices Gummow and Hayne said that there was no basis for reading s51(xxvi) as not permitting adverse discrimination. In summary, Kartinyeri v The Commonwealth did not confirm that laws enacted under section 51 (xxvi) must be beneficial. Since then, it has generally been accepted that s 51 (xxvi) gives the Commonwealth power to discriminate either in favour or against members of a particular race. The removal of S51 (xxvi) would be a significant symbolic gesture to Indigenous Australians as they are the only group to whom section 51(xxvi) laws have been enacted. Not all laws passed under s 51 (xxvi) have been adversely discriminatory. In Commonwealth v Tasmania (The Tasmanian Dam Case), sections 8 and 11 of The World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983 (Cth) were held to be constitutionally valid pursuant to s 51 (xxvi). As a result, the Franklin River Hydroelectric Dam could not be constructed in a place considered spiritually significant by Aboriginal people. A repeal of section 51 (xxvi) might not invalidate the World Heritage Properties Conservation Act. Other powers, specifically the external affairs power in s51 (xxix), would support this legislation under the principle of dual characterisation. Other beneficial legislation may not be supported under the same principle. In Western Australia v The Commonwealth, the court found The Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) constitutionally valid pursuant to section 51 (xxvi). The court did not find it necessary to consider any other heads of power. Australia’s endorsement of the UN Deceleration on the Rights of Indigenous People may provide scope to support the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) under the external affairs power. However, it seems reckless to gamble with legislation that establishes a framework for the protection and recognition of native title. Repealing section 51 (xxvi) will also limit the Commonwealth’s ability to pass new laws for the advancement of Indigenous Australians. For these reasons, the Panel proposes that the repeal of section 51 (xxvi) must be accompanied by a new head of power with respect to Indigenous Australians. Inserting section 51A The preamble to S51A is the first recommendation which actually addresses the important contributions of Indigenous Australians. Section 51A also allows the Commonwealth to makes laws with respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Similar to section 51(xxvi), the power contained within section 51A is not subject to any conditions. This is somewhat of a double edged sword. All laws currently passed under section 51 (xxvi) have only been enacted with respect to Indigenous Australians. As the power is not subject to any restriction, all legislation pursuant to section 51 (xxvi) would most likely be supported by section 51A. Alternatively, section 51A could be used to enact legislation that is adversely discriminatory. The Panel states that the preamble which acknowledges ‘the need to secure the advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ will mitigate this risk. However, a preamble is only used to resolve an ambiguity within a text. The power to make laws with respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is not particularly ambiguous. The Panel’s predicts laws passed pursuant to s 51A would be assessed on whether they broadly benefit the group concerned. The actual word used is ‘advancement’ which would be interpreted differently to ‘benefit’. Furthermore, the High Court is not always ready to embrace a value judgement such as one based ‘benefit’. Credit should be given to the Panel for this proposal. The preamble to Section 51A constitutionally recognises the history, culture and contributions of Indigenous Australians. The new head of power will likely ensure that current legislation pursuant to section 51 (xxvi) will continue to operate. Section 51A also removes parliament’s power to enact laws with regards to a person’s race. This proposal addresses the apartheid nature of our constitution. However, Section 51A is not the white knight which was hoped for. It will be the courts who decide whether this new power is ambiguous. If Section 51A is found to be ambiguous, the courts will have significant discretion in interpreting the meaning of â€Å"advancement†. To overcome these issues, the panel has recommended that a racial non-discrimination provision (S116A) be added to the constitution. Inserting section 116A There are both policy and legal issues concerning section 116A. Firstly, Australia has a history of avoiding constitutional entrenchments of rights. The proposed anti-discrimination provision only protects racial groups. Section 116A may be viewed as privileging anti-racial discrimination over anti-sex discrimination or anti-homophobic discrimination. The first legal consideration is which groups will be protected by section 116A. Jewish people are recognized as an ethnic group but Muslims are not. It is uncertain whether Muslims would receive the same protection as Jews. Furthermore, would a person who converted to Judaism receive identical protection as a person who was born Jewish? The second legal issue is how Section 116A will affect existing state and commonwealth anti-discrimination legislation. For example, Anti-discrimination state law authorise discrimination in the employment of actors for reasons of ‘authenticity’. In addition, sections 12 and 15 of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) permits people to discriminate when they are searching for someone to share or work with in their home. Once again, it will be for the court to decide if these provisions are constitutionally invalid. The panel has affirmed that S116A (2) will support laws enacted under s 51 (xxvi) and section 51A. Like section 51A, section 116A could be interpreted by the courts in ways that were not intended. The courts will have significant discretion in determining what â€Å"is for the purpose of overcoming disadvantage†. An important issue for the Indigenous community is the Northern Territory Intervention. In Wurridjal v Commonwealth, the high court upheld the government’s partial repeal of the Racial Discrimination Act under the race powers. The court also upheld the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act pursuant to section 51 (xxix). Due to the principle of dual characterisation, it is unlikely that S116A will provide an avenue for Indigenous people to contest the intervention. S116A is probably the most controversial recommendation as it concerns equality before the law. This issue is probably better dealt with by an expert panel assessing a Bill of Rights. To achieve a similar result, the panel could propose that section 51A has an accompanying provision similar to 116A(2). Insert section 127A. Section 127A is a provision which recognises Indigenous languages as the original language of Australia. A separate language provision is necessary to capture the importance of traditional languages within Indigenous culture. Section 127A also acknowledges that English is the national language of Australia. The Panel rejected a submission suggesting ‘all Australian citizens shall have the freedom to speak, maintain and transmit the language of their choice’. The Panel did not want to give rise to legal challenges regarding the right to deal with government in languages other than English. It is unclear what practical consequence would flow from s127A. Section 127A could be used to secure funding for Indigenous languages on the grounds of ‘national heritage’. Nonetheless, the Panel does not intend for this provision to give rise to new legal rights. S127A is symbolically important and is an appropriate way of constitutionally recognising Indigenous Australians. Summary of analysis This analysis concludes that the five proposals put forward by the panel appropriately balance substantive reform and symbolic significance. As a result, the Panel should be congratulated. If the Panel’s goal was to remove overtly racist tones within the Australian Constitution then they have succeeded. If the panels objective was to definitively correct the wrongs of Kartinyeri v Commonwealth and the Northern Territory Intervention then they have failed. The amendments proposed do not sufficiently address racial discriminatory acts passed under other heads of power. Section 116A(2) has been perceived as a tasteful reformulation of the races power. Furthermore, the proposals provides the courts substantial discretion in interpreting terms such as â€Å"overcoming disadvantage†, â€Å"advancement† and â€Å"group†. In essence, the most important issue does not concern symbolic change or substantive reform. It is simply a question of which proposals will gain bipartisan support. Conclusion The panel’s proposals could succeed at referendum. Firstly, Australians are more likely to support something substantive than purely symbolic. Secondly, this is not an issue which would be perceived as a ‘politicians’ proposal. Australians are hesitant to support proposals perceived as self-serving. Thirdly, the Panel indicates that its proposals are capable of being supported by an overwhelming majority of Australians. Nonetheless, to succeed at referendum, the support from the Federal opposition government and all State governments is essential. It is very easy, and sometimes attractive, for the federal Opposition to oppose a referendum. It can be a useful way of generating a negative public reaction to the government and its agenda. Since 2010, the Coalition has fought the government on nearly every political issue. Even when the parties agree in principle, they have different ways of solving the issue. For example, both parties are for off-shore processing of illegal immigrants but disagree on where and how it should be done. Both parties are committed to recognising Indigenous Australians within the constitution. So far, the LNP has said it will consider substantive reform but has only committed to preambular recognition. The Panel not only recommends substantive reform but also addresses racial equality before the law. It is very uncertain whether the LNP will support a policy so different to their 2010 election promise. The next federal election is only 18 months away. If the referendum and election are held concurrently, there is more incentive for the Coalition to oppose the Panel’s recommendation. It would be disastrous for the nation if the referendum fails. The ‘gap’ will swell and the international community will view Australia as a nation of racists. It could be argued that the Government should have appointed a bipartisan panel rather than an independent panel. A bipartisan panel may not have produced ‘better’ recommendations to those of the Panel. They would, however, have generated proposals that both parties would stand behind. Bibliography * ABC Television, ‘Asylum seeker stand-off intensifies’, The Midday Report, 20 December 2011. < http://www.abc. net. au/news/2011-12-20/bowen-seeks-bipartisan-meeting-on-offshore-processing/3739984> at 29 April 2012. * Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, ‘Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Australian Human Rights Commission’, . * Kerr, Christian, ‘Libs baulk on referendum support’, The Australian, 30 January 2012 < http://www. theaustralian. com. au/national-affairs/indigenous/libs-baulk-on-referendum-support/story-fn9hm1pm-1226256684571>. * Keyzer, Patrick, Principles of Australian Constitutional Law (LexisNexis Butterworths, Australia: 3rd ed, 2010). * Kildea, Paul, ‘More than mere symbolism’, Australian Financial Review, 10 February 2012. * Kirby, Michael, Constitutional Law and Indigenous Australians: Challenge for a Parched Continent, Law Council of Australia, Old Parliament House, Canberra, Friday 22 July 2011 Discussion Forum ‘Constitutional Change: Recognition or Substantive Rights? ’. * Law Council of Australia, Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians Discussion Paper, 19 March 2011. * LexisNexis AU, Halsbury’s Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’90 Constitutional Law’ [90. 1620]. * McHugh, Michael, Australian Constitutional Landmarks (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003). * McQuire, Amy, ‘Constitutional reform report sparks mixed reviews’, Tracker, 19 January 2012. * Morris, Shireen, ‘Agreement-making: the need for democratic principles, individual rights and equal opportunities in Indigenous Australia’ (2011) 36 Alternative Law Journal 3. * Morris, Shireen, ‘Indigenous constitutional recognition, non-discrimination and equality before the law: why reform is necessary’ (2011) 7 Indigenous Law Bulletin 26. * Morse, Bradford, â€Å"Indigenous Provisions in Constitutions Around the World† 2011 Paper located at . * Pengelley, Nicholas, ‘Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act – Must Laws Based on the Race Power be for the Benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders- and What has Bridge Building got to do with the Race Power Anyway’ (1998) 20 Sydney Law Review 144. * Prior, Flip, ‘Recognition poll unlikely, days Dodson’, The West Australian, 11 April 2012. * Rintoul, Stuart, ‘Race power opens Pandora’s box’, The Australian, 22 December 2011 * Rowse, Tim, ‘The practice and symbolism of the ‘race power’: rethinking the 1967 referendum’ (2008) 19 Australian Journal of Anthropology 1. * Sawer, G, ‘The Australian Constitution and the Australian Aborigine’ (1966) 2 FL Rev 17. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’1. 1 Constitutional Status’ [1. 1. 280]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’1. 1 Constitutional Status’ [1. 1. 300]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’1. 1 Constitutional Status’ [1. 1. 430]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’1. 1 Constitutional Status’ [1. 1. 450]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’1. 1 Constitutional Status’ [1. 1. 460]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’1. 1 Constitutional Status’ [1. 1. 480]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’1. 6 Civil Justice Issues’ [1. 6. 190]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’1. 6 Civil Justice Issues’ [1. 6. 240]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’1. 7 International Law’ [1. 7. 180]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’19. 1 Constitutional Law’ [19. 1. 230]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’19. 5 Federal constitutional system’ [19. 5. 157. 1]. * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’21. 10 Equality and the Rule of Law’ [21. 10. 160] * Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia, (at April 2012), ’21. 10 Equality and the Rule of Law’ [21. 10. 350]. * Twomey, Ann, Indigenous Constitutional Recognition Explained (University of Sydney Law School Constitutional Reform Unit, 26 January 2012). * Ward, Alexander, ‘At the Risk of Rights: Does true recognition require substantive reform? ’ (2011) 7 Indigenous Law Review 25. * Watson, Nicole, ‘The Northern Territory Emergency Response – Has It Really Improved the Lives of Aboriginal Women and Children? ’ (2011) 35 Australian Feminist Law Journal 147. * Williams, George, ‘Recognising Indigenous peoples in the Australian Constitution: what the Constitution should say and how the referendum can be won’ (2011) 5 Land, Rights, Laws: Issues of Native Title 1. * Winckel, Anne, ‘Recognising Indigenous Peoples in the Preamble: Implications, Issues and Interpretation’ (2011) 7 Indigenous Law Bulletin 22. Case List * Attorney-General (Cth); Ex Rel Mckinlay v Commonwealth (1975) 135 CLR 1 * Commonwealth v Tasmania (Tasmanian Dams Case) (1983) 158 CLR 1 * Jones v Toben [2002] FCA 1150 [69]. * Kartinyeri v Commonwealth (1988) 195 CLR 337 * Koowarta v Bjelke-Petersen (1982) 153 CLR 168 * Kruger v Commonwealth (1997) 190 CLR 1 * Leak v Commonwealth (1997) 187 CLR 579. * Miller v Wertheim [2002] FCAFC 156 [14]; * Western Australia v Commonwealth (Native Title Act Case) (1995) 183 CLR 373 * Wurridjal v The Cth (2009) 237 CLR 309 Legislation List. * Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1986 (Cth) * Australian Constitution Act 1975 (Cth) * Constitution Act 1867 (Qld) * Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983 (Cth) * Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act 1997 (Cth) * Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) * Native Title (Queensland) Act 1993 (Qld) * Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 (Cth) * Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) * Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (Nsw) ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Law Council of Australia, Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians: Discussion Paper March 2011 part 1. 1 at 23 April 2012. [ 2 ]. Australia, Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution page 1 at 23 April 2012. [ 3 ]. Alexander Ward, ‘At the Risk of Rights: Does True Recognition Require Substantive Reform’ (2011) 7 Indigenous Law Bulletin 3, 3. [ 4 ]. Ibid. [ 5 ]. Ibid. [ 6 ]. Australia, Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution page 1 at 23 April 2012. [ 7 ]. Ibid [4]. [ 8 ]. Ibid [5. 3]. [ 9 ]. Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act (Cth) s 25. [ 10 ]. B Costa, ‘Odious and Outmoded’? Race and Section 25 of the Constitution (2011) The Swinburne Institute for Social Research page 1 at 25 April 2012. [ 11 ]. Attorney-General (Cth); Ex Rel Mckinlay v Commonwealth (1975) 135 CLR 1, [36], [44]. [ 12 ]. B Costa, ‘Odious and Outmoded’? Race and Section 25 of the Constitution (2011) The Swinburne Institute for Social Research page 1 at 25 April 2012. [ 13 ]. Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act (Cth) s 24. [ 14 ]. Ibid. [ 15 ]. Convention Debates, Melbourne, 1898, pages 665-714. [ 16 ]. B Costa, ‘Odious and Outmoded’? Race and Section 25 of the Constitution (2011) The Swinburne Institute for Social Research page 4 at 25 April 2012. [ 17 ]. Australia, Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution page 5. 3 at 23 April 2012. [ 18 ]. B Costa, ‘Odious and Outmoded’? Race and Section 25 of the Constitution (2011) The Swinburne Institute for Social Research page 6 at 25 April 2012. [ 19 ]. Ibid [5]. [ 20 ]. Ibid [6]. [ 21 ]. Ibid [5]. [ 22 ]. Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act (Cth) s 51 (xxvi). [ 23 ]. Australia, Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution page 5. 4 at 23 April 2012. [ 24 ]. Koowarta v Bjelke-Petersen (1982) 153 CLR 168. [ 25 ]. Ibid [169-170]. [ 26 ]. Ibid. [ 27 ]. Ibid. [ 28 ]. Ibid [174]. [ 29 ]. Kartinyeri v Commonwealth (the Hindmarsh Island Bridge case) (1998) 195 CLR 337. [ 30 ]. Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act 1997 (Cth). [ 31 ]. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1986 (Cth). [ 32 ]. Ibid. [ 33 ]. Ibid [416-7]. [ 34 ]. Ibid [379-381]. [ 35 ]. Thomson Reuters Legal Online, Halsbury’s Laws of Australia (at 15 January 1998) 19 Government, ’19. 5 Federal Constitutional System’ [19. 5 – 157. 1] [ 36 ]. Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983 (Cth). [ 37 ]. (1983) 158 CLR 1. [ 38 ]. Ibid. [ 39 ]. Ibid [5 – 8]. [ 40 ]. Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) [ 41 ]. Western Australia v The Commonwealth (1995) 183 CLR 373. [ 42 ]. Ibid.

Why are destinations so intent on attracting and developing event Essay - 1

Why are destinations so intent on attracting and developing event tourism Discuss their main goals and the associated value of event tourism with reference to corporate and public events - Essay Example important events that include ‘Australian Tourism Exchange’ (ATE) and ‘Queensland Music Festival’ (QMF) are seemed to be important events attracting global tourists immensely. The events assist in developing the economic conditions of the economy along with community. In the present scenario, tourism is determined as an important and rapidly developing industry. The industry is also a significant contributor towards the economic development of a country or region. In this regard, events are identified to play an effective role for the development of other business sectors that include hotel industry, trading operations and restaurant business among others. There are various types of events organised which include festival events, sport events, business events and special events for making destinations attractive. Presently, the people are interested towards events and on the basis of which they travel in different locations. Event tourism is responsible for the meeting different goals of an economy in relation to social, environment and economic aspects (Service Skills Australia, 2011; Stokes & Jago, 2007). In a similar perspective, event tourism is a significant aspect, responsible for the development of the economy of Australia. Organising events in different regions of Australia will assist in promoting products along with services of Australia in an enhanced manner (Stokes, 2003). In this regard, there are various events organised in Australia with the aim of attracting visitors from global context which include the ‘Australian Tourism Exchange’ (ATE) and Queensland Music Festival among others in order to develop the economic conditions of the country. With these considerations, the essay emphasizes the role of community in developing the event tourism in an enhanced manner. Additionally, the goals ad value of event tourism in respect of corporate and public events are discussed. Tourism is one of the most important revenue generating sectors

Comparing and Contrasting the legislative, executive, and judicial Essay

Comparing and Contrasting the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the American government and the government of Kuwait - Essay Example In this paper we are going to compare and contrast the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the American government and Kuwait government. The constitution of the United States government is aimed at ensuring a strong and fair national government while at the same time ensuring the freedoms of individuals are protected from abuse by the government. America is a presidential system of government with three branches; the executive, legislature and the judiciary. Each arm of the government has its own function but its powers are checked by the other arms of government. For example, the legislature makes laws while the judiciary ensures the laws are in line with the constitution. The executive arm of government is headed by the president who is democratically elected by the entire country. The president serves for a term of four years whereby fresh elections are held to elect a new president. The president is the head of state and government and is also the commander in chief of the armed forces. He/she is also entrusted with the duty of negotiating treaties on behalf of the government. The president has the power to appoi nt or remove cabinet ministers, Supreme Court judges and other government officials. The executive also comprises of the vice president and cabinet ministers who are nominated by the president. The cabinet consists of fifteen members who represent the government departments. The role of the executive is to enforce laws which are formulated by the legislature. The president signs bills into law making the laws official and enforceable (USA.gov). Unlike the American government, the executive branch of Kuwait government is headed by a constitutional hereditary emirate. The Amir is the head of state while the prime minister is the head of government. The Amir is not elected by the entire nation but inherits the position from the Al Sabah family. Kuwait does not have a

Poetry analysis - Alfred Tennyson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Poetry analysis - Alfred Tennyson - Essay Example Not only did he later write verses on dramatic fiction, but also on the current political issues. For instance, his poem, The Change of the Light Brigade, gives a description of the catastrophic battle of the Crimean War while at the same time praising the bravery of British soldiers involved (Tennyson, 2000: 302). The Change of the Light Brigade is a poem that consists of six stanzas, which vary in length from between six and twelve lines. Like all other poets Alfred Tennyson employs prosodic features, repetition, different sound patterns, and various figures of speech in his attempt to communicate the meaning. For instance, use of figurative language and imagery creates an exhilaration tone, while at the same time honoring the admirable qualities of the Light Brigade. Critics have argued that Tennyson is not only a literary poet, but also a poet of the people, plumbing into the depths of his giving voice to the consciousness of the nation (Tennyson, 2000: 302). Throughout most of h is poems, Tennyson shows a deep commitment to the reformation of the society and an interest in its development. The poem narrates the story of a brigade made up of 600 soldiers, who for half a league have rode on horseback to the valley of death. This was under a command to take charge of some enemy forces that had seized them for some time. Even though all the soldiers were convinced that the commander had made a mistake, not one of them was distressed in charging forward. They rode courageously towards the valley of death. At the end of the war, only a few soldiers made it back. The world was surprised at the courage of the soldiers. Each line in the poem is in dimeter. This means that there are two stressed syllables in each line. In addition to this, each stressed syllable is comes before two unstressed syllables. This makes the rhythm of the poem dactylic. Employing a falling rhythm in the poem is appropriate for the demoralizing fall of the British brigade. This is one of the features the poet uses in communicating the message. The rhyme scheme, on the other hand, varies from a stanza to the next. He employs the same rhyme and in some occasions, a similar final word for most consecutive lines. Moreover, the poem employs anaphora. This is the repetition of the same word at the start of a variety of consecutive lines. This method has been employed to create a sense of remorseless assault. For instance, the repetition of the word cannon implies the manner in which the soldiers meet flying shells at all turns (Tennyson, 2004: 27). Repetition has been employed immensely throughout the poem for the sole purpose of creating emphasis. For instance, the repetition of the phrase half a league in the first and the second lines of the first stanza emphasize the long distance that the soldiers had to travel. Tennyson employs the third person point of view in making the descriptions within the poem. He most probably employs the male gender because on the 19th century gender biases, which held that women should not appear on battlefields. Strength and determination are the central themes of the entire poem. The soldiers face a lot of danger but show admirable qualities, which are honored. In communicating this message, Tonnyson employs personification, metaphors, and imagery. As far as imagery in the poem is concerned, critics have argued that more is meant by the author than just what is met by the eye. For instance, the

Key Points Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Key Points - Essay Example Firstly, the article highlights that the financial distress impairs the ability of banks and other financial institutions to generate liquidity and thus, take a precautious approach to building risk profile of their loans. It becomes difficult for small businesses to get access to credit from these institutions which can be major contributors to the recovery of the US economy. Eichengreen (2011) is of the view that recent financial crisis is much more severe as compared to the Great Depression as it is likely to the growth rates of advanced economies as these economies are highly credit driven. Secondly, the article highlights that there is a little evidence from the Great Depression suggesting that the increase in the public debt in the form of higher budget deficit and government borrowing actually contributes to the slowdown in the investment. Although, it is argued that over public debt leads to change in tax policies, and higher interest rates making investments unattractive but the evidences from the Great Depression period suggest that after it the public debt increased by more than double however, the interest rates were not high. Thirdly, Eichengreen (2011) presented evidence from the Great Depression period that the slowdown in the economy actually created opportunities for businesses to take advantage from and reorganize themselves in a way that they are able to create more value in the period of recovery following the depressed conditions in the economy. However, one aspect of recovery that is more relevant to the recent crisis mentioned in the article is the slowdown in technology generation and implementation which can surely have greater implications for the current

Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Reflection - Assignment Example I remember when I started learning English it was not that easy for me to get hold of it since I came from an Arabic background. However, had my mom not made sure that all the siblings spoke to each other in English, my speech wouldn’t have been the way it is. Hence, the maintenance factor came in which helped me continually polish my language skills. I also agree to Baker when he says one of the reasons for acquiring a second language is to make you culturally aware. I remember when I moved into college it wasn’t really that difficult for me to get along with other students since I had a pretty good understanding of the English culture and the language itself. However, I noticed how people who weren’t really familiar with the English language and culture found it very difficult to get along with the local students. It’s inspiring to see how Baker has put down in words a lot of thing that I have experienced in real life. Being a bilingual and aware of the local language of a country also helps you a lot in getting selected for a job. Baker has correctly mentioned this point in his book by saying that acquiring language helps a lot in career in employment. Not only the employment factor but it also helps a great deal in communicating effectively with foreigners while closing trade deals etc. I can totally connect the dots here to my own experience. I remember how one of my cousins raised in Arabia found it very challenging in finding a proper job in out country. Not that he wasn’t good at academics or anything but most of the potential employers told him the only reason they are hesitant about hiring him is that he isn’t familiar much with the English language and they believe it might some how hinder his performance at work. I believe going through Baker’s â€Å"Second Language Acquisition And Learning† has not only conformed my beliefs as to what I think of being a bilingual but it has further

Cancer and Biology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cancer and Biology - Research Paper Example The presence of cancer in the body leads to the damage of the body cells that undergo unrestrained division to form tumors. Consequently, tumors correspond to lumps of tissue. It is only in the case of leukemia that cancer does not allow division of the cell as the normal function of the blood. The growth of the tumors leads to the interference of circulatory, digestive and the nervous systems. Tumors also release hormones that change the functions of the body. However, not all tumors are dangerous in nature. Tumors that do not grow and move can be beneficial to the body (Ruddon, 2007). The dangers and malignancy of tumors occur in either of the two conditions. The initial condition is apparent when a cancerous cell uses the lymph system and blood to move throughout the body. As the cell moves, it destroys the healthy tissues of the body. This procedure is called invasion. The second condition is when the cancerous cell manages to undergo division and growth. As this happens, the cel l will make fresh blood vessels to feed itself in a process denoted as angiogenesis. Metastasization occurs when the tumor manages to extend to other body parts and grow. As a result, it will invade and destroy additional healthy tissues of the body. ... This can stop the growth tumors in the secondary states (Bozzone, 2007). Causes of cancer Cancer results from the uncontrollable growth cells that are not fatal. Ordinary cells follow the normal path of growth, division, and death. The demise of cells in a planned way is called apoptosis. The breaks down of this program lead to the formation of cancer. It is clear that cancer cells do not undergo programmed deaths as other regular cells. They instead keep up with growth and continue to grow. This culminates in the formation of a network of abnormal cells whose growth is out of control. However, most of the causes of cancer come from external interventions. The main causes of cancer are related with the environmental risk factors like radiations. When one exposes himself to radiations of high levels such as x-rays and therapies, the normal body cells are damaged. This increases the dangers of acquiring leukemia, breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and stomach cancer. Besides, the ultraviol et radiation that originates from the sun culminates in skin cancer that damages the melanoma. The harmful rays from the sun can cause early aging and skin damages (Bozzone, 2007). The other causes of cancer are viruses, chemicals, tobacco, alcohol, and poor diet. Viruses such as human papillomaviruses (HPV), Epstein Barr virus, hepatitis B and C are responsible for causing infectious mononucleosis that increases the risks of acquiring cancer. Additionally, diseases that affect the immune body system of the body such as AIDS make the body vulnerable to cancers. As such, chemicals such as asbestos, radon, nickel, uranium, pesticides, and the benzene also enhance the risks of acquiring

ERP Story Write Up Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ERP Story Write Up - Case Study Example The operations in HR like vacancy advertisement and subsequent hiring of employees, effective management of the entire supply chain, and providing transparent and timely financial reports may not be possible in such cases due to untimely passage of information. The use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software provides some solution to these problems. This is achieved if the software is installed correctly (Walgium, 1). However, the success of introducing ERP system into an organization is not obvious. Instead, the use of ERP may be associated with a series of challenges to the management as well as the employees. Some changes may be required in the system of operations of each of the sections (Walgium, 1). There is also need to have hardware and software compatibility for the applications used by different sections to be brought together. Due to such complications, an organization should thoroughly examine its worth as well the available resources before installing an ERP. Otherwise, the new technology may be worse than the traditional approach. This paper focuses on the different issues that arise when a large company decides to integrate ERP into its operations. It provides specific reference to ABS Canada, an insurance company that has three different parent organizations brought together to operate as a single entity. ABS Canada wishes to consolidate its operations in the three sections namely marketing management, human resource management, and finance management. Aux Bons Soins (ABS) has been in the insurance industry in Canada for several decades (Case study). Over the years, various developments have been seen that have significant impacts on its operations. The company has acquired two other subsidiary insurance companies in the last few years. The parent company as well as its subsidiaries has always

An Argument Against Platos Mimesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

An Argument Against Platos Mimesis - Essay Example The reason Plato did not appreciate the value of literature was because it could not supply us with knowledge. Plato believed in what he referred to as true forms. Every object or idea had a true form counterpart, and all people had some innate sense of these forms. This was how Plato explained how we knew what a tree was. In other words, somewhere in the universe exists the true form of a tree in its most pure form, and we as humans all had some innate sense of what a tree is, and because we have an innate sense of what a tree is because of the true form, we are able to recognize a tree when we see it. The idea of true forms also pertained to notions such as justice, honor, beauty, and other intangibles. The way he applied this to literature was that he felt that literature merely was able to create a reflection, an imitation, of something like justice. Because it was merely creating an imitation, it was inferior to the true form, and because of this it was not able to supply us wit h true knowledge. Also, Plato argued against poets having any real knowledge of the true forms because of their actions. According to this argument, Plato stated that if poetry were to have a real sense or representation of, for instance, justice, then the poet would have to have real knowledge of the true form of justice. If, according to Plato, these poets had a real sense of the true form of justice, then they would not write poetry, which appeals to the emotions and leads people to an unhappy life. Rather, they would choose a course of action in their lives that would lead to this sense of the true form of justice being carried out.

Reading Summary of Eric Abrahamson and Gregory Fairchilds Management Fashion Essay Example for Free

Reading Summary of Eric Abrahamson and Gregory Fairchilds Management Fashion Essay Thesis While most fads in management technique are short-lived some techniques become institutionalized and evolve and are reshaped to fits current fashions. Exogenous and endogenous forces shape the demand for management- knowledge entrepreneurs to constantly reshape and redefine rational management processes. Evidence Abrahamson and Fairchilds study yielded findings that help contextualize the concept of management fashion. Lifecycles of a management techniques typically follow a short-lived, bell-shaped, symmetric popularity curve. Positive feedback on management techniques increases the discourse promoting that technique, making it more diffuse across organizations. Exogenous forces facilitate or suppress fashion niches and endogenous maintain niches. Superstitious learning suggests that managers seek to find instant-results and cure-all solutions for their management approach, motivated by emotion rather than detailed studies. Whereas real-learning constitutes careful planning and evaluation of ideas to produce an effective management technique. Limitations Abrahamson and Fairchild articulate the negative aspects of constant transience -temporal instability and cross-sectional diversity- but fail to indicate the effects these management fashions have on the institutions in which they are implemented. Do shifting management techniques stunt institution growth, do changing techniques disrupt the markets for the products of these institutions? Questions (1) What causes certain management practices to become institutionalized while others are only passing fads? (2) Are the results of superstitious-learning or real-learning more likely to be adopted? Which is more effective?

Development And Implementation Of Special Economic Zones Economics Essay

Development And Implementation Of Special Economic Zones Economics Essay A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is a geographical region that has different economic and other laws and is more free market oriented in comparison to a countries established laws. India first passed the Special Economic Zone Act in the year 2005.This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of a Special Economic Zone and how it benefits Foreign Direct Investors and the scope of Project Development in India in a Special Economic Zone. There are various factors affecting the project development of a Special Economic Zone in India which will be discussed in depth. The main focus of the research is to develop a project development for a business in a Special Economic Zone in India. Statement of Research Question: According to me the statement of Research Question will be the Analysis of the facts from the past and from the present scenario in the Special Economic Zone developments and ascertain the future of the development of Special Economic Zones in the hosting country. Also, I will concentrate on presenting a real life example on understanding about developing and implementing in the Special Economic Zone. Theoretical Rationale: India is right now a fast growing economy and the Special Economic Zone play a major role in flourishing it. Special Economic Zones has led to increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by foreign investors in the form of International Business or Multinational Corporation (MNC). The Government of India has been active in the development of the Special Economic Zone by formulating polices, reviewing them regularly and have safeguarded that ample facilities are provided to the developers of Special Economic Zones and also to the companies setting up themselves in the Special Economic Zones in India. Special Economic Zones in India are created by the Government of India. The Special Economic Zones in India are run by Government-Private or solely Private ownership. They provide special provisions to develop the industrial growth in that area. The first Special Economic Zone was launched in 1965 in Kandla, Gujarat. There are various incentives and facilities provided to the units in the Special Economic Zones including Foreign Investment, Duty free import, Domestic procurement of goods for development, exemption of various taxes, exemption from customs/excise duties, operation and maintenance of the Special Economic Zones. Since the Special Economic Zones provide a lot of add-ons for investors it acts as a very eye catching zone to develop a business but, there are a lot of challenges that are to be faced by them. Also, the Special Economic Zone attracts the Foreign Investors due to the exemption of customs or excise duties, taxes and the like creates some added challenges that are to be faced by the Foreign Investors. The Foreign Investors face cultural, political and legal challenges in a different land. Developing the Special Economic Zone also benefits the country. It creates employment for a huge population improving the employment rate in the country and thereby, reducing poverty. The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) that comes into the country generates flow of money in the country. John dunning provided a framework approach namely Ownership, location and internationalization (OLI Framework). Marco Neuhaus (2006) states that the framework points out some advantages of ownership one enterprise may come across by doing business overseas. The location suitability for the firm is also evaluated using this framework. This might help the decision of an enterprise to venture overseas for the business or not. Thirdly, the concept of internationalization is addressed by the OLI frame work which can help an enterprise in setting up an operations plan. Using the OLI framework, a multinational enterprise (MNE) would be able to assess the feasibility of setting up the business. I would like to formulate a Project Development of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in India. I would like to analyze the various challenges that are faced by a business that want to enter the Special Economic Zone. The Implementation Of The Research Project For Organisation: The organization that I would like to study in relation to my topic of research is Ireo. I would base my research on the Special Economic Zones in the context of developing a Special Economic Zone in India. Ireo in JV partnership with Panchshil Realtors (pune) has developed Indias first IT Special Economic Zone (SEZ), EON Free Zone at Kharadi, Pune, India. Ireo is the first Private Equity Fund dedicated to the Indian real estate sector with a fund size of US $2 billion with the backing of global blue chip investors and financial institutions. They have emerged as a major pan-India developer equipped with financial strength to fully leverage available opportunities in this sector. Since establishing their presence in 2004, they have evolved into a fully integrated real estate organization that is both the financer and developer of its projects. The company has a pan-India footprint of projects in prime locations across NCR (including Gurgaon), Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra under various stages of developments and implementation. Combining the best of Indian and international resources, their team consists of accomplished Indian and expatriate professionals from diverse backgrounds to lead initiatives and to deliver best in class products and services to their customers. Preliminary Literature Review: The literature review was compiled using library search and electronic resources. Since the Special Economic Zone concept is relatively new in India, There are considerably less number of journals and e-books in this field. A few of those resources and publications were reviewed for this preliminary literature review. Special economic zone Act is a program introduced by the state for the development of the country. It has been initiated by the Indian government to create a free market economy and free trade among nations, abolition of national boundaries and dismantling the nation state system giving priority to Market over the state. (Partha Mukhopadhyay; Jan 2008) Special economic zone is a geographic region that has economic laws more progressive than that of the countries typical economic laws. These zones are known by different names in different parts of the world like free trade zone(FTS), bonded free zones(BFZ) , industrial free zone (IFZ) and Export processing zone.( Jona Aravind Dohrmann;January 2006) Export processing zones is an ancestor of special economic zone. The main purpose is to attract industries which are export oriented by offering them favourable investment and trade condition as compared to the rest of the country. The UN industrial development organization (UNID) identifies five attributes of export processing zone they are 1) Dominated by market mechanism. 2) Restricted to a limited region. 3) Specialize in production of export goods and offer special encouragement for such productions. 4) The primary goal is employment generation, foreign investments and foreign exchange. 5) The Secondary goal is technology transfer, developmental linkages and regional development. The Free trade zone policy in 2000 was re launched by the Bharathiya janatha party (BJP). The name was changed from export processing zone to special economic zone. The policies purpose was to make SEZ an engine for economic growth supported by quality infrastructure complimented by an attractive fiscal package both at the central and state level with minimum possible regulations.( Jermy Grasset and Frederic Lady;January 2007) The features of SEZ scheme are No license required for import. Manufacturing or service activities allowed. SEZ units to be positive net foreign exchange earner within 3 years. Domestic sales subject to full custom duty and import policy in force. Full freedom for sub-contracting. No routine examination by custom authorities of export or import cargo. The UPA government enacted the special economic zone act 2005 which was passed in june 2005 and came into force on 10th feb 2006 with the notification of the SEZ rule in 2006. Three categories of SEZ Multi product SEZ Sector specific SEZ Free trade and warehousing zone The first category signifies the manufacturing of services of two or more goods in a sector or goods or services falling in two or more sectors. Contiguous area of 100 hectares or more is required. The second sector is meant exclusively for one or more products or services. This includes biotechnology, gems and jewellery, non conventional energy, hardware and software and electronics. Minimum area requirement of 100 hectares of contiguous and vacant land is required. The third sector the minimum area requirement is 40 hectares of contiguous or vacant land and the built up area should not be less than 10 hectares. 154 SEZ were notified under SEZ act 2005. IT sector has the maximum number. Many issues have been brought up in relation to SEZ in India the main being Locating land. Relaxation of labor laws Usage of water Farmers are protesting against for acquisition of land this leads to destructions of employment of peasants whose land is acquired and provide very little employment opportunity to highly skilled and educated individuals and the totally net employment generated may well be negative. In many cases valuable land has been given away at concessional prices. To conclude the implications of SEZ may cause increasing socio political crisis due to the complexity of the society. In order to avoid polarization of the society, civil society should engage to create a consensus on developmental issues. Hypothesis to be tested: Feasibility of special economic zones after 10-15 years. Availability of land in the future. Data Sources and the Justification for the Choice: Choice of data sources forms the most integral part of any good research. I would use the Peer reviewed Journal articles, articles from Business magazines, Newspapers, reports. Journals like Journal of Business Research, Journal of International Business Studies, Indian Journal of Economics and Business. Magazines such as Business World, Business Today, The Business Magazine, Forbes, Business Week etc. and newspapers like the Financial Times, The Economic Times, The Economists etc. Peer reviewed Journals, Magazines and newspaper form the most trusted source of information and is also available on the internet. Books are the first choice for trusted information. Use of the Aston library and e-library is the place to get these sources of information. Research Design: A Research Design is the plan for a study, guiding data collection and analysis. A Research Design helps the study to locate the problem and to follow economical procedures. The Research Design for my study will be as follows: Define Terms Background information of the topic of research Locate the problem Create priorities I will follow 2 main types of Research and they are Secondary Research and Qualitative Research techniques. The data that is already written or published by someone else for their purpose of study is classified as Secondary Research. Qualitative Research Techniques consists of Interviews, Focus Groups, and Questionnaire etc. Methodology to be employed: In doing this research I will use Primary Data and Secondary Data. As said earlier, Primary data will involve qualitative techniques such as Interviews, Focus groups, Questionnaire etc. For primary data collection I will choose a real life example of a firm entered the Special Economic Zone, as mentioned earlier Ireo. I will do research on how did the organization setup a Special Economic Zone. Since, the organization is a foreign company entering the Indian market I can gain first-hand information from the firm regarding the challenges they faced while setting up a business in a different country. For this purpose I will Interview certain employees of the firm get information on the research survey conducted by them during the setting up phase.   As far as the secondary data collection is concerned I will use Academic books, journal articles, Magazines articles and Newspapers. After putting through the data collected from both the sources i.e. secondary and primary I can get a clear picture of the past and the current scenario of the development of Special Economic Zones. Then I can answer questions of Hypothesis to be tested. Ethical Considerations: The research will comply with research ethics in terms of: Accurate transcription of data and findings Objectivity as a researcher Compliance with the principles of not harming anyone as a result of this research Compliance with Aston Business School rules on plagiarism Not obtaining information through illegal or restricted procedures Compliance with the respect of copyrights reserved for journals and published

Gattaca Defying All The Premises Philosophy Essay

Gattaca Defying All The Premises Philosophy Essay Imagine a society where everyone is more intelligent and healthier than you. Imagine a society where your genetic makeup-engineered or natural-determines the job for which you are eligible, whether or not you can be insured, and who associates with you. Gattaca by Andrew Niccol tells the story of Vincent, a young man naturally and traditionally engendered in a world where genetic engineering is the followed pattern to have a child. Few minutes after his birth, Vincents fate is revealed through a DNA analysis. His first genetic test revealed high probabilities of hyperactivity, sight troubles and serious heart diseases, a life expectancy of 30 years and 2 months and quite low intellectual faculties. At that time, the artificial insemination of test tube babies selected according to their genetic potential had become for many people the natural way of making children. But Vincents parents had preferred to let the other nature take its course. Of course they regretted it, and for their next child they went to see a geneticist. A perfect son has been born to them, a son who deserved to be called Anton, like his father. While Vincent was forced by his genetic code and the system to study at home, Anton was taller and better at anything than his elder brother. They used to play at softy. The game consisted of swimming in the sea as far as possible and being the last to make an about-turn. Vincent was always the softy. But besides his weak health, he had a very strong will. His lifelong dream was to join Gattaca, probably the most prestigious company on earth whose activity was to explore galaxies, and go into space. To achieve his aim, he did not stop studying during his whole adolescence, despite his fathers discouragements. The film shows a world where life is highly determined by genetics, and happiness is mostly based on the quality of the genetic profile, a kind of identity card for people. Vincent, who wants to become an astronaut and work for Gattaca, overcome s all the difficulties presented to him defying all the premises of the genetic engineering. However, it is not so clear that only free will is which will lead him to his dream; that significant amount of determination has to do with his success. At a time when we read about cloned sheep and the unraveling of the human genome, the science in Gattaca is theoretically possible. In the futuristic world of Gattaca, society has developed the technology to manipulate human procreation and designed children with impeccable genetic compositions. I suspect most people will order up the make and model they wanted rather than take chances on a throw of the genetic dice. Everyone will live longer and healthier in the Gattaca world. As a result, a new social caste system is created in which the artificially created, genetically superior humans called valids, dominate all major aspects of society. In contrast, the naturally born humans, called invalids, become a mistreated minority. Although all aspects of society are affected by the new genetic technology, the greatest impact is on the job market. As a result, the easiest way to analyze the job market is to compare the occupations of the valids and to the occupations of the invalids. Vali ds are instantly granted powerful, high-paying jobs, regardless of their training or background. For example, when applying for a job at the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation, Vincent, under an alternate identity, is only required to provide a blood test before he is hired and prepped for flight missions into space. Valids also tend to have computer-based jobs so that they make full use of their genetic intelligence. Invalids are only allowed to have demeaning, low-paying jobs. For instance, before assuming an alternate identity, Vincent is only allowed to work at the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation as a cleaner. In addition, invalids are forced to take jobs in which they perform manual labor. I think the Gattaca world is a realistic future even though it might face a lot of social and ethical problems. Firstly we are getting to the technology that is needed for the level of genetic engineering in Gattaca. Human Genome project begun formally in 1990, the U.S. Human Genome Project was a 13-year effort coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. The project originally was planned to last 15 years, but rapid technological advances accelerated the completion date to 2003. The goals were to identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA, determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA and store this information in databases. The knowledge about the effects of DNA variations among individuals can lead to revolutionary new ways to diagnose, treat, and someday prevent the thousands of disorders that affect us. However there are many social and ethical problems that human might face on the way to Genetic engineering in Gattaca. Firstly people were taking other peoples DNA without that persons consent in Gattaca, and this could also happen in reality too. Just like what Vincent said in the movie Of course, its illegal to discriminate. But no one takes the law seriously. People were unable to choose their own destiny. You would never be able to hope or dream of anything because your life is already planned out for you. If its not a part of your life plan, then that would be something you dealt with. Invalids were being discriminated against. According to the Nuremberg Code, which is a set of ethical rules a doctor or scientist must follow when experimenting on a human, it states that The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential (Nuremberg Code, 1949). In Gattaca, when applying for a job, the interviewer often takes saliva or a sample of urine from the interviewee without telling him/her why. Normally, if a person says no, after the interview, the interviewer would simply take DNA from a handshake, the doorknob, or even the seat without the interviewees permission. This is serious violations of the free will and rights of human beings. Secondly, discriminations could be anywhere. In the movie, people can actually choose the traits and gender of the child. This can cause a lot of problem: e.g. in China most people want boys rather than girls because people think boys could do more labor works than girls and boys can pass down their family name. As a result, the male-female ratio of world population could change drastically. The discrimination against in-valid in the movie could happen in reality too. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has duties to the community which allow the free and full development of a persons personality. Vincent has the right to express himself, which he is unable to do because he would never be allowed to because of his heart disease. Furthermore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that in the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due to recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just society (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948). Vincent worked really hard and strived to become an astronaut but was held back because he wasnt perfect enough. This article is saying that a person should be allowed to express oneself as long as it is legal and not disturbing the public order or general order or general welfare of others. Vincent becoming an astronaut wouldnt affect any of these, he cannot even get a chance to try in the Gattacan world. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection to the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in viol ation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination (Universal Declaration of Human Rights). The invalids were treated inhumanely, as if they were all criminals. Discriminations problems can be one of the biggest concerns of most people if Gattaca world becomes real. Thirdly if everybody uses genetic engineering, people would have a longer life span. Earth may face an energy crisis and cause the extinction of human beings. Another problem might come from different religions, a lot of people believe in natural process too. Furthermore this is not something that could be undone easily, once people start using genetic engineering, they will just rely on it. Fortunately, most of the problems I came out with were considered by experts from the Human Genome Project. One of the main goals of the Human Genome Project is to address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project. (Human Genome Project 2003) The whole project has nine princ iples: 1. Fairness in the use of genetic information; 2. Privacy and confidentiality; 3. Psychological impact and stigmatization; 4. Reproductive issues; 5. Clinical issues; 6. Uncertainties; 7. Conceptual and philosophical implications; 8. Health and environmental issues; 9. Commercialization of products. Those nine principles can ensure everyone that the problems happened in the movie Gattaca will not occur in reality. I think there is a bright future for Human Genome Project as long as the nine principles are followed. I really enjoyed Gattaca. It raises some very good points that question the uses of technology in the not so distant future. The use of genetic research has led to humanity bio-engineering children to be free of defects and disabilities. Furthermore, I feel really pleased for Vincent as he mixes with members of the valid world despite his own in-Valid condition, he manages to gain considerable respect and admiration because of his persistence, even from people unaware of his status as a genetic impostor. Although Vincent is at the lower end of the genetic hierarchy, it is due to his ferocious determination and unquenchable desire that he is able to rise above his colleagues and achieve his dreams. It is these qualities that deem the central protagonist unique in the world of Gattaca. In the end, this movie also made me question where we should draw the line between science and ethics.

The Impossibility of a True Selfless Friendship as seen in Shakespeare

Selfless friendships do not exist, the only friendships that will last contently, and without resentment must benefit both parties in some way. If the relationship is parasitic, and only one person involved is benefitting, then eventually there will be resentment and one or both persons involved will opt to end the friendship. In Shakespeare's Timon of Athens, this is most notably seen in the character of Timons, who gives all of his friends gifts and holds feasts for them, but recieves nothing in return when he needs it the most. Eventually, Timon realized his friends were false and lost hope in all mankind, when he was once a very generous, selfless friend. In the same respect, if no one is recieving anything from the friendship, the friendship does not exist. Apemantus' and Timon's relationship appears this way, as they seem to share a bond, but are never friends. Apemantus does not appear to be friends with anyone within the play, because of his belief that friendship should be s elfless. The only true friendship in Timon of Athens is between Timon and Flavius, his steward. Even though Timon calls Flavius selfless, they both recieve physical gifts from each other, and there is no selfless exchange of affection. The wealthy Timon starts out the play talking to a messenger about his friend, Ventidius, having been imprisioned due to outstanding debt. Timon decides to "pay the debt and free him" (line 105, 178). The messenger tells Timon that his "lordship ever binds him" (line 106, 178), and Ventidius will feel obligated to repay Timon for the rest of his life. This, already, is a perfect example of how there is no friendship that can last with only one person being selfish, and the other selfless. There is always an anxiety and... ...ndship. At the beginning of the play, Flavius worked for Timon as a steward, so he was paid for the financial help he gave Timon, but even at the end of the play, when Flavius attempts to be selfless by wanting to be Timon's steward for no pay, and gives Timon money, Timon returns the gift with gold. Flavius is a loyal friend to Timon, and Timon speaks kindly of only Flavius at the end of Timon of Athens, but at no point is either party selfless within the friendship. If friendship, by definition, is selfless, then true friendship does not exist. If one or both parties are completely selfless, and do not benefit from the friendship in any way, then it cannot exist or exist for a significant amount of time without eventual hostility or animosity. But, if there is a trace of selfishness from both friends, then the partnership can be sustained with loyalty and respect.

Faulkners Light in August - Setting :: Light August Essays

  Light in August - Setting    Most of Light in August is set in the towns, villages, and countryside of the early 1930s Deep South. It is a land of racial prejudice and stern religion. Community ties are still strong: an outsider is really identifiable, and people gossip about their neighbors. In this part of the country, the past lives on, even physically. For example, the cabin in which Joe Christmas stays and in which Lena Grove gives birth is a slave cabin dating back to before the Civil War. And finally the South of this epoch is still close to nature. Right outside the town are the woods. All these aspects of the setting lend themselves especially well to Faulkner's favorite themes, for example, the relationships between the community and the individual and between the present and the past.    But Faulkner's setting is quite specific. Faulkner modeled his fictional Yoknapatawpha County on Lafayette County, Mississippi, and the city of Jefferson on his hometown, Oxford, and perhaps on neighboring Ripley as well. He describes his region's smells, sights, and sounds in loving detail: its chirping insects, its summer heat, its unique light. Some of Jefferson is a quite accurate rendering of Oxford--for example, the hilltop over which Lena first sees Jefferson in the distance, the ditch in which Joe Christmas briefly hides when pursued by Percy Grimm, almost all of the route Joe Christmas walks from the town barbershop through Freedman Town and back, and even the schedule of the Jefferson train that the Hineses take. (Note that the farther Faulkner gets from Jefferson the less detailed his descriptions of setting often become.)    Still, Faulkner felt free to modify his sources whenever it suited his fictional purposes. He removed Oxford's intellectual center, the University of Mississippi. And Presbyterians are a larger percentage of fictional Jefferson than of real-world northern Mississippi. This change helps Faulkner explore his interest in Calvinist and Puritan forms of Christianity. Of course, you must also remember that Mississippi in 1932 was quite different from what it is today. At that time racial segregation was enshrined in law; blacks were not permitted to vote, and many brutal lynchings occurred.    Specific residences are almost always Faulkner's fictional creations.

Masses Need to Create Mass Transit Essay -- Transportation, Nationwide

We consume 85 million barrels of oil daily. Nearly 6,500,000 airline operations occurred in 2009. About twenty percent of those were delayed (â€Å"Title from H2† 1). As of January 2011, the average price of a gallon of gas was $3.08, and the annual average parking costs for a vehicle in a downtown business district was $1,930 (â€Å"Rising Gas Prices† 1). All these problems have one thing in common; they can be limited, if not solved, by a nationwide mass transit system such as a bus line. Americans have been using mass transit increasingly in the past few years. The only problem is that no system exists to ferry citizens from one metropolis to another one on the other side of the country. Building a ground-based mass-transit system that connects all the cities in the United States of America will lower the demand for oil, decrease journey times to nationwide destinations, and lower transportation costs. Again, we consume 85 million barrels of oil daily. According to this value, we consume a little over 31 billion barrels of oil in a year. Out of a 42 gallon barrel of oil, nearly 19 and a half are converted into gasoline, almost half of the barrel. The average person in America uses about three gallons of gasoline daily (â€Å"Barrels of Oil a Day† 1). Therefore the average American consumes about 945 gallons of gasoline yearly. If each American uses a public bus transit system, which has an average seating capacity of fifty people per bus, then 47,250 gallons of gasoline, or about 1,125 barrels of oil, would be eliminated per bus yearly. That value is before calculating how much gasoline each bus consumes. The American Public Transit Association, or APTA, stated that if Americans used public transit for ten percent of their daily travel, the... ...power private cars, lowering our dependency, and thereby lowering the demand. Most of the weather that would affect airplane travel would not affect bus travel, thereby lowering journey times for those who experience a flight delay. Finally, a one-time pass for a bus costs an extremely less amount than gasoline and parking costs. Other reasons involving why citizens would use this system, which makes the system worth the labor and funds it would take to create it, and how the funds would be collected and used, have also been explained. We as Americans need to convince legislation to create a mass-transit system that would connect all the cities in the country, pay the taxes that will allow it to be created, and, above all other actions, ride the transit system. If we do this, we can limit, if not solve, all three problems facing the United States of America.

Assignment Product Life Cycle Essay

Each product will have a life cycle. Using examples, illustrate each stage in the Product Life Cycle outlining the possible challenges and strategies which may be employed to sustain the sales and profitability of the product. What is a Product? A product is anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use, or consumption and that might satisfy the customer wants or needs. A product is more than just a tangible goods, it is a service (haircuts, home repairs etc) or idea. However, in marketing product is not just looked at as something that is tangible, but it allow for communicating with the targeted audience on matters such as packaging, branding, highlighting the product tangible benefits, the massaging of the customer’s ego as to why they should have a particular product. Product can be viewed at three levels, such as Core Product – it addresses what the buyer is really buying, the Actual Product – which features characteristic such as quality, brand, design etc., and the Augmented Product – it is the additional consumer services and benefits that are built around the core and actual product, which includes things as the after sale service, installation, warranty etc. A Product can also be divided in two main classification based on the types of consumer that used them. These classifications are Consumer Products – which are bought by final consumers for personal, and Industrial products – which are those purchased for further processing or for use in the production of other goods and services. For example, flour that is used as an ingredient in the making of pastry like bun, bread etc. The Product Life Cycle The Product Life Cycle (PLC) is a useful tool employed by marketers to know and determining at what stage a product is in its life. Most Product Life-Cycle curves are portrayed as bell-shaped (See figure below). The product life cycle has four (4) very clearly defined stages, each with its own characteristics that mean different things for business that are trying to manage the life cycle of their particular products. 1.  Introduction Stage – This stage of the cycle could be the most expensive for a company launching a new product. It is a period of slow sales growth as the product is introduced in the market. Profits are non-existent because of the heavy expenses of product introduction, although it will be increasing as the product moves on to the growth stage. 2. Growth Stage – The growth stage is typically characterized by a period of rapid market acceptance and substantial profit improvement. strong growth in sales and profits, and because the company can start to benefit from economies of scale in production, the profit margins, as well as the overall amount of profit, will increase. This makes it possible for the company to invest more money in the promotional activity to maximize the potential of this growth stage. 3. Maturity Stage – A slowdown in sales growth because the product has achieved acceptance by most potential buyers. Profits stabilize or decline because of increased competition. During this stage the aim of the manufacturer is now to maintain the market share they have built up; by consider any product modifications or improvements to the production process which might give them a competitive advantage. During the maturity stage, the product is established and the aim for the manufacturer is now to maintain the market share they have built up. This is probably the most competitive time for most products and businesses need to invest wisely in any marketing they undertake. They also need to consider any product modifications or improvements to the production process which might give them a competitive advantage. 4. Decline Stage – Sales show a downward drift and profits erode. While this decline may be inevitable, the downward drift and profit erosion maybe due to the market becoming saturated (i.e. all the customers who will buy the product have already purchased it) or because the consumers are switching to a different type of product. The idea of the product life cycle has been around for some time, and it is an important principle manufacturers need to understand in order to make a  profit and stay in business. However, the key to successful manufacturing is not just to understand the product life cycle, but to proactively managing products throughout their lifetime, applying the appropriate resources and sales and marketing strategies, depending on what stage products are at in the cycle. Let us now look at the possible challenges and strategies for each stages of the product life-cycle. Marketing Strategies: Introduction Stage The first of the four product life cycle stages is the Introduction Stage, which a new product is first distributed and made available for purchase. Any business that is launching a new product must decide when to enter the market and needs to appreciate that this initial stage could require significant investment, increasing awareness of the product through effective marketing and promoting, and also low pricing strategies maybe employed to attract customers and give the new product the best chance of achieving product’s success. For example, a cell phone manufacturer with new technology may introduce a cell phone with basic features at reduced prices in hopes of gaining lots of new customers. Challenges of the Introduction Stage Small or no market: When a new product is launched, there is typically no market for it, or if a market does exist it is likely to be very small. Naturally this means that sales are going to be low to start off with. There will be occasions where a great new product or fantastic marketing campaign will create such a buzz that sales take off straight away, but these are generally special cases, and it often takes time and effort before most products achieve this kind of momentum. High costs: Very few products are created without some research and development, and once they are created, many manufacturers will need to invest in marketing and promotion in order to achieve the kind of demand that will make their new product a success. Both of these can cost a lot of money, and in the case of some markets these costs could run into many millions of dollars. Losses, Not Profits: With all the costs of getting a new product to market, most companies will see negative profits for part of the Initial Stage of the product life cycle, although the amount and duration of these negative profits does differ from  one market to another. Some manufacturers could start showing a profit quite quickly, while for companies in other sectors it could take years.

A hero that I most admire by Zanis

Despite all these hardships, my mom still managed to get an education, start a family and accomplish something that would change the course of my life, forever. She worked and worked and worked, and, eventually, she saved up enough money to fly me over to Ireland to have a better childhood and lifestyle than she had, I admire that woman because she went above and beyond to make sure that her child would receive a better education, a better life and a secure future where we don't have to worry about where our next meal is owing from.Secondly, I admire her because of her strength. She's been through hell and back, and, amazingly, she's still here, standing tall. About eight years ago, my mom and dad were divorced. When I heard the news, I was so little, I broke down and cried. My father was my world, my everything, and to know that I could lose him at any given moment scared the life out of me. Just the other day, I asked my mom why she never cried. She responded, â€Å"Are you kiddin g me†, I would cry all the time. I would cry when you kids were off at school. I would even cry myself to sleep sometimes.I Just wouldn't cry In front of you kids or your step-father, because I knew that I had to keep a straight face. I had to be the rock that kept the family grounded. She was the rock then, and she's still the rock now. Lastly, I admire her because she's as quick as a whip and she's more Independent than anyone I know. She's a clever one I tell you. It seems Like whenever anyone In my family comes down with an Illness, she has the cure. If you are living under my mom's roof there's absolutely no deed for missing days off school because of some Illness.Just give her fifteen minutes to mix up a homemade remedy and you're cured. On top of that, my mom Is also very clever. If the check engine light lights up, my mom can take care of It. When the time to file taxes comes around, she's got It. A lot of people look up to celebrates Like Kim Sardinian or Jeremy Line. Now don't get me wrong, those celebrates are great and all. But, I don't admire them the same way that I admire my mom. She's an Incredible human being whoso hardworking, strong, clever and Independent. I admire her courage and her resilience.She Inspires me and my slings to be better people and to give life own very best shot. A hero that I most admire by Azans By Pakistani sometimes. I Just wouldn't cry in front of you kids or your step-father, because I knew as quick as a whip and she's more independent than anyone I know. She's a clever one I tell you. It seems like whenever anyone in my family comes down with an illness, she has the cure. If you are living under my mom's roof there's absolutely no need for missing days off school because of some illness.Just give her fifteen minutes to mix up a homemade remedy and you're cured. On top of that, my mom is also very clever. If the check engine light lights up, my mom can take care of it. When the time to file taxes comes around, she's got it. A lot of people look up to celebrities like Kim Sardinian or Jeremy Line. Now don't get me wrong, those celebrities are incredible human being who's hardworking, strong, clever and independent. I admire her courage and her resilience. She inspires me and my siblings to be better people

The Big Switch

The president of our company has brought to our attention that he would appreciate it if our department could create a new information system for our company. The current information system that we use is Microsoft Excel and we need to create a way to transfer and implement the new office system of Microsoft Access. We need to explain the current downsides to using Microsoft Excel and explain the positive ways by using Microsoft Access that will help our company grow, expand, and be more efficient to our company. We also need to come up with software that is compatible to Microsoft Access just to have a contingency plan, in case the president is not pleased with the results we research and to help improve the internal communications along with help make the workflow of the sales department improve. We do know that the current plan is not working for our company and we need to all work diligently to improve our current system and make the transition easy. Microsoft office is a great tool and Excel, when used properly, is a valuable asset. The problem with Microsoft Excel is that there are various manual inputs that can go wrong. Other common problems that can cause an error involve not using a colon to indicate a range of cells, forgetting to close your parentheses, and adding common formats as part of the formula (Murray, 2013). The formulas that Excel uses would be complicated to track everything. (Murray, 2013) It is also very difficult to track the history of changes that our company uses has it moves forward. This would not only hinder the company but could possibly cause miscommunication of the data inputted. (Murray, 2013) These reasons stated above are why the company should not use the Excel program to move forward in the progression of the company. With Access, it is a relational database association that exists between the tables, which stores the data. These help to maintain the integrity of the data contained within. Access can store tons of data in different forms and yet still intertwine for easy referencing and analyzing. (Microsoft, 2013) Access is also great for the business since it has the ability to manage contacts, track inventory, track orders, and events. (Microsoft, 2013) One great feature about Access is that multiple users can have it opened working on the same database and only what the other person is working on is locked. Microsoft, 2013) This allows several people to input their data at the same time and it is secure. Conclusion As one can see there are far more advantages using Microsoft Access verses using Microsoft Excel. Access is more suited for our company’s needs now. Using Access will cut down on our company’s mistakes. This will utilize and maximize our company’s growth. This will increase the employee production. In the long run, Access will make the company’s bottom line profit grow, which at the end of the day is the most important thing.

Life of George Bush

Who knew a son could follow so many footsteps of a father. George W. Bush, son of former president George Bush, has done exactly that; which has led him too many great successes throughout his career in the political arena of politics. George W. Bush a strong businessman, a leader in politics, and a running member of one of the most famous Presidential campaigns ever. George W. Bush, known as â€Å"W† to most people, was born in New Haven, Connecticut on July 6, 1946 to the parents of George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush. Most of his adolescence was spent in Midland and Houston, Texas. He is the eldest son of five siblings, which include, Jeb, governor of Florida, Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy. Like his father, Bush attended the same college, Philips Andover Academy in Massachusetts before he went and graduated from Yale University with a bachelor†s degree in 1968 (A&E 1). While attending school, he joined the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and became a member of Skull and Bones at Yale. Unlike his father, George Bush did not receive any kind of scholarships for baseball instead he was president of his fraternity as his extracurricular activity (Newsmakers 1). W then returned to Texas in May, still following the footsteps of his father, he enlisted with the Texas Air National Guard where he became a F-102 pilot. He was trained in a fi! fty-three-week program to fly fighter jets. He completed in 1973 and eventually became a lieutenant but never had to go to Vietnam. He spent his time in Houston holding various short-term jobs, one including a stint at a program called Pull for Youth for underprivileged kids. Although, during this time of the early seventies reporters like to call this a, â€Å"nomadic period† for Bush. Time magazine wrote: â€Å"he became a real Texan in the family, chewing tobacco, using barnyard humor, settling in the state†s western corner, the one harboring what his aunt Nancy Ellis calls, a ‘slightly outrageous streak†Ã¢â‚¬  (Newsmakers 1). After working as a management trainee in agriculture firm and on U. S. Senate Campaigns in Florida and Alabama, he went to Harvard Business School in 1972 and received his M. B. A. in 1975. Still following the footsteps of his father, Bush decided to go into the business of the oil industry. He earned his first million within ten years, but the oil industry for Bush didn†t exactly turn out the way it had for his father. W built a small independent oil and gas exploration company called Arbusto (the Spanish word for â€Å"bush†). He married Laura Welch, a librarian and former teacher, in 1977 and then joined the 1978 race for the U. S. House of Representatives. He ran against a very well known democratic Senator, Kent Hance. Bush lost by six points after setting a new Texas record for fundraising capabilities for a House candidate (A&E 1). In 1981, Laura gave birth to their twin daughters named after their grandmothers, Barbara and Jenna (A&E 1). By this time Bush†s oil industry was re-named Bush Exploration. By the early 1980†³s, when the energy market turned soft, Bush Exploration foundered. In 1983, Bush combined with Spectrum 7; three years later Bush arranged fo! r Spectrum 7 to be sold to Harken Energy for a bargain price. He later sold his original stock shares and made a considerable profit of 600,000 dollars (Newsmakers 1). W also got a consulting contract and stock options with Harken which all combined to be a deal of about one million in his pocket over the next few years (Newsmakers 1). Later in 1990, Time reported: â€Å"before Iraq invaded Kuwait, Bush sold 66% of his Harken stake at the top of the market for nearly 850,000, which was a 200% profit on his original stake† (Newsmakers 2). This upset the Vice President and W, where they stated: â€Å"The media ought to be ashamed of itself for what they†re doing† (Newsmakers 2). Needless to say, Bush went out of the business and chose to go for politics. By now he was all name and no money. On his 40th birthday, George Bush came to a cross road in his life where he stopped drinking and became a strong Methodist with his wife Laura. He became noticeably more serious in changing his profession to strictly politics. He moved his family to Washington D. C. in 1987 to began working on his fathers 1988 Presidential campaign (A&E 1). Though he had no official title on the campaign he became his father†s hardest and most trusted worker. He became known as a talented speaker and as the campaign†s chief liaison to Christian conservatives, he gained respect for handling volatile diplomatic matters, such as the firing of chief John Sununu, and for swiftly taking care of business (Newsmakers 1). The experience in Washington was one that Bush did not like, even though it brought him closer to his father, he did not like the hostile environment that the political life brought him. Bush still felt that he was trailing behind his father†s footsteps with no independence for himsel! of doing something different. After his fathers successful election in November 1988 W moved back to Texas with his family, this time living in Dallas. He wasted no time in venturing out to find something new; baseball was what he found. In a matter of months he gathered up a team of wealthy investors and brought the American League†s Texas Rangers to Dallas. He took role as managing partner for the team. He brought support to the team and helped boost attendance to the games. By doing this, it brought W much admiration from the Texans and the Rangers. He earned an identity of his own which was something he had been struggling a long time for. He earned a good deal of money through this great investment of 606,000, but he walked away with nearly fifteen million when the team was sold in 1998 (A&E 1). He earned this money as just a managing partner in which he only owned 5% of the team. After such great success with the Rangers, Bush decided it was time to try a hand in loca! Despite his mother†s opinion, Bush wanted to run as governor of Texas against the powerful Democrat Ann Richards. With much advice not to, Bush jumped right into the race while his brother, Jeb, did the same in Florida. With their experience from being their father†s aid since they were eighteen, they felt they could handle such a large duty as governor. Many reporters felt that Bush had such an advantage by just having his last name, but to Bush he feels the complete opposite. W quoted: â€Å"The biggest advantage and the biggest handicap I have is my name† (Newsmakers 2). The campaign against Ann Richard†s was tough, she used sayings such as: â€Å"If he didn†t have his daddy†s name he would not amount to anything. She also used names such as: â€Å"jerk† to sometimes address him during a debate (Newsmakers 2-3). Bush†s response to the accusations was very appropriate, needless to say he did not go to her level of maturity. The debate focused on welfare reform, a crackdown on crime (e! specially juveniles), increased autonomy and state financing for local school districts, and personal responsibility (Newsmakers 3). Bush is quoted as saying: â€Å"Let Texans run Texas,† this was a message that appealed to all Texans during the campaign (Newsmakers 3). Bush defeated Ann Richards by 350,000 votes. Elected governor of Texas on November 8,1994; twenty thousand people attended Bush†s inauguration in Austin, including the famous preacher Billy Graham, legendary baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan, movie star Chuck Norris, and, of course, George and Barbara Bush (Newsmakers 3). Becoming the 46th governor of Texas, Bush has earned a reputation as a compassionate conservative: who shapes policy based on the principals of limited government, personal responsibility, strong families and local control (â€Å"Governor† 1). In an historic re-election victory, he became the first Texas Governor to be elected to consecutive four-year terms on November 3, 1998, winning 68. 6 percent of the votes, 27 percent of the African-American votes, and 27 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of women. He is the first Republican to win the heavily Hispanic and Democratic border countries of El Paso, Cameron and Hidalgo (â€Å"Governor† 2). In six months, he signed nearly all of his proposed reforms into law by working closely with Democratic Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock (Newsmakers 3). Making Texas a Beacon State, he has made policies such as: responsible government, better schools, strong families, safer streets, cleaner environment, growing economy are all some issues that he ha! s improved during his governorship in Texas. Education is Bush†s first priority in Texas. He has increased 47 percent of the TAAS tests in all parts. The number of minorities passing the mathematics portion of TAAS has increased 25 percent. The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress Report Card on Math Achievement showed Texas African-American fourth graders ranked first in nation in improvement, with Hispanic students close behind (â€Å"Message†1). Texas eighth graders ranked fourth in the country on the 1998 National Assessment of Education Progress writing test. All minority groups and Texas African American and Hispanic eighth graders ranked first and second in the nation. Reading performance has improved 87 percent of all students in grades 3-8 and 10 passed the reading TAAS in 1998, an increase from 77 percent four years ago. From 1994 to 1998, the number of schools rated â€Å"exemplary† rose from just 67 to 1,048. During the same time, the number of â€Å"recognize! d† schools more than tripled from 516 to 1,666 (â€Å"Message† 1). He has worked with the Legislatures to increase the state†s share of funding for schools, so that they can: restore local control, strengthen the state†s accountability system, give parents greater choice of schools and to foster competition and creativity through charter schools. This will give the people of Texas an expanded menu of educational opportunity. His greatest goal is that every child will learn to read by third grade and continue to read at grade level or better throughout public school (â€Å"Message†1). Legislation signed by the governor during the 1999 Texas Legislative Session included the largest funding increase for public education in the state†s history and nearly two billion in tax cuts and relief, the largest tax cut in Texas history (â€Å"Governor† 1). In June of 1999, Bush made the one decision that would change the rest of his life. It was time to decide if he would once again follow in his father†s footsteps, and become the 43rd President of the United States. In July, 2000, Bush announced his choice of running mate: Richard B. Cheney, a former congressman from Wyoming who served as Secretary of Defense under Bush†s father and is now in the oil business in Texas (A&E 2). Their opponents would be Al Gore and Joseph Lieberman, two strong, powerful democrats. Throughout the campaign of 2000, the candidates were shown to be close in the poles because both had issues that were appealing to the American people. Some of the main issues are: pro-life, pro-choice, social security, budget and economy, affirmative action, education, government reform, health care and prescription drugs (â€Å"Issues† 1-20). On November 7, 2000, both candidates await for the winning election of their lifetime. Their life experience would be rolled u! p into one day and two hundred seventy Electoral College votes. When the night of their lifetime finally arrived, the night ended with no presidency to guide America. That night has led to the counting, re-counting, and even hand counting of the ballots. It has also brought on numerous lawsuits from individuals to the parties themselves. It has scaled from local jurisdiction courts all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. Even today, court cases are being heard that each party hopes to win in order to bring finality to the election. Even after the smoke clears and a President is declared, there will always be an uncertainty to the validity of this election in the minds of the people of the United States. George W. Bush, a man of pride, ambition, and power. He has served the state of Texas as their Governor, and now he has been declared twice our President of the United States of America. Will he serve America in the way he claims he can, will he be a leader for all to follow and look up to, will he be the man he acts upon being? The nation waits as the Supreme Court continue to make their rulings to find out which man will take this role as the Presidency of the United States.