Free Essays on The McLibel Trial

In the mid 1980’s the small activist group London Greenpeace began a campaign against McDonalds, the main allegations said to be the feeling that McDonalds embodies everything wrong with the prevailing corporate mentality. In 1985 London Greenpeace organized the â€Å"International Day of Action Against McDonalds†, which is still held annually in Britain. The following year the organization began to distribute leaflets titled â€Å"What is wrong with McDonalds? – Everything they don’t want you to know.† In retaliation to this, McDonalds hired several private investigators to infiltrate the organization and provide names of the people heading this campaign. The investigators provided the names of five individuals who were mainly responsible for the slander of McDonalds. In 1990 McDonalds served libel writs against the five, offering them two options; either retract the statements made in the leaflet and apologize, or go on to court. Three of the five apologized, knowing what they were up against, but three, Helen Steel and Dave Morris, refused and said they would go to court. Steel and Morris would be representing themselves, while McDonalds hired Richard Rampton, along with a very extensive legal team to represent the conglomerate. In 1993 Rampton applied to have the trial heard by only a judge, stating that ordinary citizens would not be able to comprehend the complicated issues that McDonalds proposed to use as evidence. The judge agreed and decided the trial could be held without a jury. Steel and Morris now set out to prove that the statements in their leaflet were true, therefore they could not be construed as libelous. Under British law a libel case must be decided on the information provide by witness’s and documentary proof, so the defense had to round up their witness’s. On June 28, 1994 the libel trial was finally started in the Royal Courts of Justice, London, presided over by Mr. Justice Bell. McDonald... Free Essays on The McLibel Trial Free Essays on The McLibel Trial In the mid 1980’s the small activist group London Greenpeace began a campaign against McDonalds, the main allegations said to be the feeling that McDonalds embodies everything wrong with the prevailing corporate mentality. In 1985 London Greenpeace organized the â€Å"International Day of Action Against McDonalds†, which is still held annually in Britain. The following year the organization began to distribute leaflets titled â€Å"What is wrong with McDonalds? – Everything they don’t want you to know.† In retaliation to this, McDonalds hired several private investigators to infiltrate the organization and provide names of the people heading this campaign. The investigators provided the names of five individuals who were mainly responsible for the slander of McDonalds. In 1990 McDonalds served libel writs against the five, offering them two options; either retract the statements made in the leaflet and apologize, or go on to court. Three of the five apologized, knowing what they were up against, but three, Helen Steel and Dave Morris, refused and said they would go to court. Steel and Morris would be representing themselves, while McDonalds hired Richard Rampton, along with a very extensive legal team to represent the conglomerate. In 1993 Rampton applied to have the trial heard by only a judge, stating that ordinary citizens would not be able to comprehend the complicated issues that McDonalds proposed to use as evidence. The judge agreed and decided the trial could be held without a jury. Steel and Morris now set out to prove that the statements in their leaflet were true, therefore they could not be construed as libelous. Under British law a libel case must be decided on the information provide by witness’s and documentary proof, so the defense had to round up their witness’s. On June 28, 1994 the libel trial was finally started in the Royal Courts of Justice, London, presided over by Mr. Justice Bell. McDonald...

How to Write a Perfect Occupational Therapist Resume

How to Write a Perfect Occupational Therapist Resume as the medical professionals who often (quite literally) get patients back on their feet, occupational therapists are more ins)How to Write a Perfect Occupational Therapist ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Physician Assistant Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Receptionist Resume (Examples Included)How to Create a Perfect Retail ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Sales Associate Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Social Worker Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Truck Driver Resume (With Examples)

Labeling theorists Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Labeling theorists - Research Paper Example The use of word such as criminal, thief or felon influences deviant behavior of individuals an aspect that result to increasing cases of crimes in the society. Based on its argument that the criminal justice system is limited in its effort to restrain unlawful conduct, the labeling theory has been criticized for its failure to explain serious offences that occur in the society. Some individuals indicate that by terming other people as criminals is not appropriate and the labeling theorists should use specific words such as rapists, murderer or child abuser (Mann et al, 1999). On its part, the cultural deviance theory indicates that the cause of criminal behaviors among the lower class is due to conformity to the prevailing cultural norms. On their part, the individuals in the working class commit criminal activities in their efforts to respond to cultural norms within their own class. Apart from the labeling theory and cultural deviance theory, this paper seeks to discuss another the ory than tends to avoid stereotyping individuals in the criminal justice system. Strain theory on its part indicates that a crime is a function of the conflict between the objectives that are focused by individuals and the strategies they can adopt to legally achieve them. The theory indicates that ones class plays a major role in obtaining their goals which are the same for all people. As the result, individuals at the lower class, feel anger, resentment and experience frustration an aspect referred to as strain (Piquero and Miriam, 2000). Strain can either be structural or individual. Structural strain indicates the process within the society that affect the way one sees his or her wants. For example lack of adequate regulations or social structures may result to change of ones perceptions. On the other hand, individual strains entail the pains and frictions that are experienced by individuals in their efforts to look for ways to satisfy them. Once the lower class members

The Concepts of Race Relations as Reflected in the Media Research Paper

The Concepts of Race Relations as Reflected in the Media - Research Paper Example Stereotyping to the extent of creating media-fueled labels creates a danger to society in which one ethnicity can be singled out in order to create a sense of ‘safety’ for another. One example of this can be seen in the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II as a sign of containing the threat of the Japanese. As well, the new Arizona law that requires all non-citizens to carry identification suggests that in the fight against illegal immigration a racial profile will be used to detain anyone of appearance that might not be a legal citizen. In suggesting that ‘whiteness’ is the norm from which behaviour can be identified as typical creates a conflict with the actual behaviour that exists in the world as well as a problem for those whose ethnic appearance does not fit into what is expected. The idea of ‘whiteness’ is considered a defining standard from which the American experience is then typified. According to Cooks and Simpson (20 08, p. 273), ‘whiteness’ can be defined as â€Å"a process of universalizing, through which white identity is inaugurated as the standard for racializing matrices - all racialized locations are compared to white identity†. The word that most often is associated with this concept is that of privilege. Through the concept of privilege, the ’white’ norm is defined as a luxury of life in which racial constraints have not influenced the success of a family. The benefit of privilege in which the white body experiences freedoms from the constraints of skin color denotes a form of stereotypical point of view that is then reflected within the media.

Project Report on Performance Appraisal Essay Example for Free

Project Report on Performance Appraisal Essay It is not constituted by individual sounds but by their accurately measure the performance of its members and use it objectively to optimize them as vital resources. The performance of an employee is his resultant behavior on task which can be bserved and evaluated. It refers to the contribution made by an individual in the accomplishment of organizational objectives. Performance can be measured by combining quantity, quality, time and cost. People do not learn unless they are given feedback on the results of their actions. For learning to take place, feedback should be provided regularly and it should register both successes and failures. It should also follow soon after the relevant action or actions. Performance appraisal system provides management an opportunity to recall as well as give feedback to people. This feedback is pertaining the performance of the worker. This helps them to correct their mistakes and acquire new skills. Performance appraisal (PA) refers to all those procedures that are used to evaluate the personality, the performance and the potential of its group members. Evaluation is different from Judgment. The former is concerned with performance and the latter is concerned with the individual. While evaluation deals with achievement of goals, a Judgment has an undercurrent of personal attack and is likely to evoke resistance. Performance appraisal could be informal or formal. Informal performance appraisal is a continuous process of feeding back information o the subordinates about how well they are doing their work in the organization. The informal appraisal is conducted on a day-today basis. For example, the manager spontaneously mentions that a particular piece of work was well performed or poorly performed. It is due to the close connection between the behavior and the feedback on it, the informal appraisal quickly encourages desirable performance and discourages undesirable performance before it becomes permanently ingrained. Therefore, informal appraisal should not be perceived merely as a casual occurrence but as an important activity and an integral part of the organizations culture. The formal performance appraisal occurs usually annually on formal basis and involves appraise and appraiser in finding answers to the following questions: 1 . What performance level has to be achieved during the period? 2. Has it been achieved? 3. What has been the shortfall and constraints? 4. What are we going to do now? 5. How will we know that we have done it? 6. What kind of feedback can be expected? 7. What assistance can be expected to improve performance? 8. What rewards and opportunities are likely to follow from the performance appraisal? When the employees have this type of information, they are aware of the following pecifications:- 2. What assistance is available? 3. What can they expect when the required level of performance is achieved? This increases employee acceptance of the appraisal process and results in the trust that the employee has in the organization. An environment that affords an opportunity for further growth while minimizing stressful situations certainly enhances appraisal acceptance. Establishing this type of environment goes far beyond the performance appraisal process. Every aspect of managing people and their work relates to the improvement of their quality of work life. Performance appraisal is an integral part of trusting, healthy and happy work environment that goes a long way in promoting the same. Performance appraisal has been used for the following three purposes: Remedial Maintenance Development A performance appraisal needs to cover all these three purposes with the same focus. If any purpose predominates, the system becomes out of balance. For instance, if remedial purpose is foremost, then the performance appraisal may become a disciplinary tool, a form of a charge sheet and a tool of power instead of instrument of evaluation.

Great Literature - Some Things Never Change :: Literature Essays Literary Criticism

Great Literature - Some Things Never Change Great literature is a book or piece of literature that passes through the ages and allows the reader to identify with the characters. Another element that makes great literature are morals that fit with each passing generation. The last element of great literature is heroism. An example of literature that passes through the ages is Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. By not attaching current stereotypes and standards to characters, Holden Caulfield is a timeless character. Each generation that has read the book has been able to identify with his antics. Lashing out at his teachers and assuming sundry identities to fit in is a common thing among adolescents. Writing about problems that regular people encounter is another way literature goes from one generation to the next. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a boy's struggle against society's standards. Most young men rebel against society and any form of authority. Running away from home and problems is a thought most adolescents consider. Morals that pass from one generation to another are important in literature. A literary example is The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne. Most of the morals contained in the book are religious. Being faithful to a spouse has always been an important moral, especially in Puritan New England where adultery was considered as heinous as murder. Even thought adulterous spouses aren't looked down upon now as severely as in Puritan New England, it is one thing that is still taught consistently in church and in the home as being bad. Another literary example is The Odyssey by Homer. More heroic and hardworking morals are presented in the epic poem. Work hard and you will obtain what you want or desire and good will always triumph over evil are the main morals in the epic poem. The last element that makes great literature is heroism. Although the character may be fighting ancient gods, demons, monsters, or his or her own destiny, a reader is able to scale down the size of the fight and apply it to his or her life.

What Is Demorphin and How Does It Work?

Dermorphin By Kimberly French They are about two to three inches long, bask in the sun by day and track down insects by night. They walk rather than hopping and are native to the dry prairie of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Known scientifically as phyllomedusa sauvagii, the waxy monkey leaf frog or painted belly leaf frog is often kept as a pet and although these frogs have a careful, calm demeanor, they produce a substance called dermorphin, which is a painkiller 40 times the strength of morphine, and has been responsible for a rash of recent positive drug tests in Quarter Horse and lower-level Thoroughbred races.The waxy monkey leaf frog and its secretion have enough notoriety to be mentioned in a Paul Simon song, Senorita With A Necklace of Tears. â€Å"A frog in South America whose venom is the cure for all the suffering mankind must endure,† he sang. â€Å"More powerful than morphine and soothing as the rain. A frog in South American has the antidote for pain . † As mentioned earlier, dermorphin is extremely potent but does not seem to be as addictive as morphine and is classified by Racing Commissioners International as a Class One drug. It has no therapeutic value whatsoever. Craig W.Stevens, a professor of pharmacology at Oklahoma State University who has studied dermorphin, told the New York Times on June 19 the substance makes animals â€Å"hyper. † â€Å"For a racehorse it would be beneficial,† he said. â€Å"The animal wouldn’t feel pain and it would have feelings of excitation and euphoria. † Located in Denver, Colorado, Industrial Laboratories was the first lab to definitively ascertain dermorphin in postrace testing after clients passed along information from racetrack workers that the frog secretion was being used and some materials confiscated on the backstretch were actually demorphin. We identified dermorphin,† Petra Hartmann, director of direct testing services for Industrial Laborat ories told the New York Times. â€Å"We knew it was out there. There is no resting in this business. You are always chasing something trying to determine what’s rumor, what’s real. † In Hartmann’s opinion dermorphin use is not all over the backside. â€Å"The vast majority of horsemen would never subject their horse to this kind of chemical experimentation,† she said. â€Å"This is a tough issue,† Ed Martin, president of Racing Commissioners International told the New York Times. It’s a cat and mouse game. As soon as you call out dermorphin, they will try something else. That is the daily battle that goes on. † To date more than 30 horses from three states, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana, have tested positive for the drug. On July 31, the Louisiana State Racing Commission will meet and discuss pending dermorphin cases against nine trainers. These include Quarter Horse trainers Alonzo Loya, Gonzalo Gonzales, Alvin Smith, Jr. , Darell Soileau, Steve Garrison and Thoroughbred trainers Keith Charles, Kyi Lormand and Anthony Agilar.Also on the list is prominent Quarter Horse trainer Heath Taylor, who won the 2008 All American Futurity with the sport’s leading money earner Stoli’s Winner. â€Å"This whole thing has really taken us by surprise,† Charles Gardiner III, executive director of the Louisiana Racing Commission told the New York Times. â€Å"It couldn’t have come at a worse time. We’re fighting back federal intervention. We’re under attack and losing our fan base. Fans believe that the sport is dirty, that there is cheating. And here we have an obvious attempt to cheat. I’m sure there are more positives across the country.It’s not unusual that something isn’t being detected. † â€Å"We hear about some pretty exotic stuff,† Dr. Steven Barker, who directs the testing laboratory at Louisiana State  University, told the New Yo rk Times. â€Å"Frog juice — this is exotic. † Barker also told the Times 15 horses had tested positive in Oklahoma. On May 25, eight of the 25 qualifying victors for the Grade I Ruidoso Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, tested positive for dermorphin, a third place trial finisher also tested positive for the same drug. Two of the winning horses also tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol.The trainers in question include Carl Draper and Carlos Sedillo, who at this time are in the top 10 Quarter Horse trainers in the U. S. in money won, two-time All American Futurity winner John H. Bassett, and J. Heath Reed, whose family has figured prominently in the sport. Two of the horses conditioned by Draper are co-owned by Lola Willis, wife of the New Mexico Racing Commissioner Ray Willis. Willis has been a Quarter horse owner and breeder for nearly three decades and was a member of the New Mexico Racing Commission’s Medication Committee for four years .None of the cases have been prosecuted and no charges filed as the trainers all requested split sample testing and are waiting on the results. Kentucky joined the short list of states that have begun to test for dermorphin and no traces of the drug were found in the system of any of the participants in this year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. Five of the Derby horses were tested and four Oaks fillies. The test was recently developed by Rick Sams, director of the HFL Sports Lab in Lexington and comes out shortly after the Bluegrass State became the first in the nation to ban the use of Lasix or Salix on raceday. We have not received any intelligence suggesting it has been or is being used in Kentucky,† Dr. Mary Scollay, the equine medical director for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. â€Å"However, the detection of dermorphin in other racing jurisdictions post-race samples means that Kentucky needs to be testing for it. † On June 19 the Racing Medicatio n and Testing Consortium sent a notice to state racing regulators to be on the seeking out this drug which it called a â€Å"threat to racing integrity† and also explained dermorphin can be produced synthetically. There’s a lot out there and that would be an awful lot of frogs that would have to be squeezed,† Barker told the New York Times. â€Å"There are a lot of unemployed chemists out there. † To date, there have been no positives in Standardbred or higher end Thoroughbred races. â€Å"It’s kind of like the rules and regulations that apply to driving in different states,† Martin said. â€Å"People know they aren’t supposed to drive drunk or speed, but there are always people that don’t follow the rules. Racing is no different. The cheaters always find a way to cheat or come up with some new drug, but they almost always get caught in the end. † 2 3 4 5

Environmental Racism: Take Out the Race Essay

The best way to avoid environmental racism is to avoid the subject of race at all costs. Race should never be the subject of any discussion about vital decisions regarding humanity, because when race becomes a focal point, then the discussion automatically becomes racist. The best way to avoid racism in general, including environmental racism, is to keep race out of important debates and choices, including environmental, social, economic, and political ones. When politicians plan for the development of a city, neighborhood, or industry, which has an environmental impact, the best thing politicians can do is to either allow businesses to make their own economic judgments about how, where, and when to build, or to simply use sound economic judgment themselves. If one looks to business and urban planning or environmental development and protection, one must look to costs and benefits. If the costs are low and benefits are high to a city or region in regard to incoming business or environmental changes, then the politicians should make the decision to act in favor of good business and environmental practices. In my opinion, race has no place in the discussion. Sound economics should be considered, including sound planning and social and environmental benefits, but race is never a smart card to be played. Why consider race? Considering it only makes racism more of a truth and reality. Environmental justice is important, social justice is important, and economic justice is important. All of these are linked together, and, in all of these, the color of a person’s skin is an outdated and silly point of consideration. Best practices in government, in business, in ecology, are fundamentally tied to one another, and bringing differing races into the argument is only prejudiced and unreasonable. Protecting all of united humanity and humanity’s surrounding ecology should always be a consideration, but divisive race should never be. It proves fruitless. References (Client’s uploaded article information. No author, date, title, or publisher provided. )

The Matrix - Movie Overview essays

The Matrix - Movie Overview essays Thomas Anderson is a man who lives a double life. Thomas Anderson is a computer programmer at a reputable company. Neo is his alter ego and is a computer hacker that does side jobs for money. The movie opens with Neo waking up to a somebody talking to him through his computer. Neo doesnt know what to make of this but the person in the computer tells him to follow the white rabbit. Neo sees a woman with a tattoo of a white rabbit on her shoulder and decides to go with her and some other men to a night club. At this night club is where Neo meets Trinity. Trinity asks Neo if he wants to know what the matrix is and tells him about Morpheus. Neo awakens the next morning late for work and still confused as to what happened the night before. While sitting at his desk Neo gets a telegram that contains a cell phone. As soon as he opens the package the cell phone rings and Morpheus is on the other end. Morpheus informs Neo that agents are on their way to his desk to take him away. Morpheus instructs Neo of a way to escape the agents by going to the window and climbing up to the roof. Neo drops his phone while on the ledge and ends up getting taken into custody by the agents. This is where Mr. Smith is introduced. He is the head agent and is not someone to be taken lightly. Mr. Smith shows Neo, whom he calls Mr. Anderson, the personal file that they have kept of him and his crimes hacking computers. Mr. Smith offers Neo a deal that if he cooperates and helps them catch Morpheus then he will be rid of the file and have a clean start. Neo does not cooperate and the agents plant a bug like tracer into Neos belly button. Neo again awakens in his bed not sure of what has happened. His telephone rings and Morpheus tells him it is time to meet and arranges for Trinity and crew to pick him up. Trinity removes the bug from Neos belly button and takes him to go see Morpheus. Morpheus tells Neo what the matrix is. The matrix...

The Civil War Siege of Vicksburg

The Civil War Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, was a significant battle of the United States Civil War, and the culmination of one of the most brilliant military campaigns of the war. Vicksburg was a fortress with a massive artillery located on a sharp bend in the Mississippi River. Known as the Gibraltar of the Confederacy, Vicksburg controlled movement and trade along the Mississippi and linked Texas and Louisiana to the rest of the Confederacy. It was the second largest city in Mississippi after Natchez, with an economy based on cotton and riverboat trade and transportation. The 1860 census reports that Vicksburg had a population of 4,591 people, including 3,158 whites, 31 free blacks, and 1,402 slaves. Failed Attempts, and a Plan The north early recognized Vicksburg as a pivotal point, and the first northern siege of the city was attempted in summer 1862 by Admiral David Farragut. General ​Ulysses S. Grant tried again in the winter of 1862-1863, and after two more unsuccessful assaults in May of 1863, Grant began to plan a long-term strategy. To take the fort, there needed to be weeks of bombardment and isolation of Vicksburg from its sources of food, ammunition, and soldiers. Federal forces held the Mississippi River, and as long as the Union forces held their position, the encircled Confederates led by Major Maurice Kavanaugh Simons and the Second Texas Infantry faced decreasing resources. Assembled Union forces began making their way south to Vicksburg during the summer of 1863, masked by occasional forays by gunboats shelling random targets and cavalry raids. By June many of Vicksburgs residents hid in underground caves, and all the people and soldiers were on short rations. The Vicksburg press reported that there would soon be forces coming to their rescue, but General John C. Pemberton who was in charge of Vicksburgs defense knew better and began to scale down expectations. Progress, and a Literary Reference Intermittent shelling from the river increased and intensified during the first week of July, and Vicksburg fell on the fourth. Troops marched in and the stronghold with 30,000 men was ceded to the Union. The battle had 19,233 casualties of which 10,142 were Union soldiers, but the control of Vicksburg meant that the Union commanded traffic on the Mississippi Rivers southern reaches. With the loss of Pemberton’s army and this vital stronghold on the Mississippi, the Confederacy was effectively split in half. Grants successes in the West boosted his reputation, leading ultimately to his appointment as General-in-Chief of the Union armies. Mark Twain and Vicksburg Twenty years later, American satirist Mark Twain used the siege of Vicksburg to craft his Battle of the Sand-Belt in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court. According to Mark Twain aficionado and science fiction writer Scott Dalrymple, Grant is represented in the novel by its hero, Boss Hank Morgan. Like reports of the Siege of Vicksburg, the Battle of the Sand-Belt is, says Dalrymple, a relentlessly realistic portrayal of war, a clash between a chivalric, slave-owning, agrarian society and a modern, technologically advanced republic led by a general-president. Sources Braudaway DL. 2001. A Texan Records the Civil War Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi: The Journal of Maj. Maurice Kavanaugh Simons, 1863. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly 105(1):92-131.Dalrymple S. 1996. Just War, Pure and Simple: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court and the American Civil War. American Literary Realism, 1870-1910 29(1):1-11.Henry G, and Simms LM. 1967. A Louisiana Engineer at the Siege of Vicksburg: Letters of Henry Ginder. Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association 8(4):371-378.Osborn GC. 1955. A Tennessean at the Siege of Vicksburg: The Diary of Samuel Alexander Ramsey Swan, May-July, 1863. Tennessee Historical Quarterly 14(4):353-372.

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Philosophy - Essay Example While there is a general dictionary understanding of a gadfly, when examining the lives of Socrates, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X, one can view their thematic similarities and come to understand the definition of gadfly incarnate. In these regards, all men share a similar propensity towards upsetting the status quo. In the case of Socrates it was through his influence on the Athenian youth that upset the upper level powers that ultimately put him to death. In the instances of Dr. King and Malcom X they work towards upsetting the status quo through fighting, albeit in different ways, for equal rights. In letters from a Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. speaks of a creative tension that must exist for true social progress to occur. In discussing this creative tension, King has been addressing criticism he has received for protests in which took part in with which he has been imprisoned for. The general theme of his letter is addresses the reasons for this non-violent protest . When he reaches the part that refers to creative tension, he is actually referring to the necessity of protest to bring individuals to the negotiating table. This is in essence the creative tension that king is referring to; it is not a violent way of sparking negotiation or change, but a non-violent yet direct means of creatively producing tension in the social environment so that political powers will take notice and engage in meaningful discussion. C) Creative tension is demonstrated in both the lives of Socrates and Martin Luther King Jr. As is noted above, Martin Luther King’s understanding of creative tension is non-violent protest that leads to the implementation of social change. In ‘Letters from a Birmingham Jail’ King brilliantly elucidates his stance on this issue as he demonstrates the reasons behind his engaging in the non-violent protest, One of the basic points in your statement is that the action that I and my associates have taken in Birmingham is untimely. Some have asked: "Why didn't you give the new city administration time to act?" The only answer that I can give to this query is that the new Birmingham administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one, before it will act. We are sadly mistaken if we feel that the election of Albert Boutwell as mayor will bring the millennium to Birmingham (King). Here King is demonstrating that the protest was necessary to so that the mayor would agree to negotiate. In Socrates, one sees a slightly different incarnation of creative tension. Both Socrates and Dr. King demonstrate a willingness to challenge society based on a belief that there are aspects of the social order that must be overturned to enact a more fair and balanced means of existence. In the Apology, Socrates states, For know that this is the command of God; and I believe that no greater good has ever happened in the state than my service to the God. For I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but first and chiefly to care about the greatest improvement of the soul (Plato 30a). In these regards, Socrates version of creative tension is much more closely linked to a belief in a higher state of consciousness that must be followed rather than the constructs of the social order. While Socrates is speaking to society at large, his message of creative tension is ultimately a more personal one. Socrates is indicating that one should improve their soul and follow this path to genuine existence and knowledge even at the cost of death. D) When considering Malcolm X, one notes that his ultimate goal is similar to Dr. King’s in that both men desire equal rights for the races. With Malcolm X, the main difference is his extremity, as he believes this should be achieved at all costs, even violence. His rational for this is related to historical precedent, as he points to the bloodshed that was lost in the Re volutionary War over achieving equal rights, and argues that similar steps must be

INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING - Essay Example This common set of recognized accounting standards are collectively known as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).These standards provide information in how to properly communicate economic events or transactions (Investorwords, 2011). The conceptual framework of accounting provides the required information and guidelines regarding the objectives of financial reporting, the qualitative characteristics of financial information, operating guidelines and composition and required elements of financial statements. According to Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) the goals of financial reporting are to provide information that: Its useful for making investment and credit decisions Is helpful in assessing the value of future cash flows Identifies assets, liabilities and serves to identify changes in those resources and claims (Obaidat, 2007). In order to make financial information useful there are certain qualitative characteristics that all accounting information must po sses to prove useful in the decision making posses. These characteristics are (Cliffnotes, 2011): 1. Relevance-the accounting information provided to the user must make a difference in their decision making. Relevant financial information has to provide either predictive value, provide feedback value or both. Predictive value helps the user forecast future events, such as predicting future stock valuation or future earnings. Information that provides feedback value focuses on confirming or corrects prior information or assumptions . In order for information to be relevant it must be provided in a timely manner so it can provide the right information and at the correct timeframe where it can help guide the decision making process. 2. Reliability-It is expected that financial information must be free of material errors or persona bias. In order to be reliable the information provided must be verifiable, in order to prove that it is free from material errors or bias. As an additional r equirement the substance of the information provided must be a faithful representation of the economic events which it summarizes. The last prerequisite of reliable information must be neutral or free of bias. 3. Comparability-the usefulness of financial information is maximized when it can be compared with similar accounting information of other businesses or enterprises. This comparability can only be achieved when the different companies adopt the same accounting principles. In general comparability extends to all accounting not to only financial statements but to all accounting procedures such as costing, inventory and expense recognition. Since there are variations in GAAP and procedures that can be utilized the company must fully disclose the accounting methods used for the recording of financial events or transactions. 4. Consistency-The principle of consistency simply means that a company must use the same accounting principles and methodology from year to year. If a company decides to change any of its accounting practices and adopts a new method, it is the responsibility of management to prove that the new method provides a more accurate or meaningful representation of the financial information. There are a series of operating constrains and guidelines that serve as the foundation to any financial account. These guidelines are classified as assumptions, principles and constraints (Investorwords, 2011).