The role of pressure groups in Britain

The role of pressure groups in Britain Euphrasia ChiguduBritish Government and Politics 20 March 2015 Define pressure groups and critically analyse their role and importance to British democracy. This essay will define pressure groups giving an explanation of each different pressure group, their role and importance to British democracy. The essay will also evaluate the developments and impacts of various political movements, will briefly evaluate the various political governmental systems that underpin British systems of government. It will also identify and offer an analytical account of the elements that make up the British political culture. The essay will analyse and evaluate recent changes to political systems and major political players. Lastly it will analyse and evaluate the role of external influences in British democracy. Pressure groups differ from political parties in various ways. Pressure groups are organisations set up to try to influence what we think about the law and its environment. They can challenge and even change the law by writing letters to MPs, contacting the press, organising marches and even running campaigns (Anon., 2014). They are organisations which campaign for change in the law or new legislation in specific areas. As such, they can have a strong influence on public opinion and voting behaviour. They are a group formed to protect and advance a specific interest or cause through lobbying powerfully rather than elections. They are distinct from political parties because they do not seek power. Instead they aim to influence those already in power. They also do not a have general programme or manifesto, and focus on single issues or areas. Pressure groups allow people the opportunity to participate in democracy by being involved in social change without necessarily joining a politic al party. In some ways, pressure groups may be viewed as essential to democracy because they allow the free expression of opinion and the opportunity to influence governments. Because of this, pressure groups are not tolerated in non-democratic countries (Anon., 2014). Pressure groups developed to defend and promote interests likely to be affected by particular government policies. For its own part, Government has to appreciate pressure groups as valuable sources of information and potential support. The advent of modern media have provided a vast arena in which pressure groups can compete on equal terms with the political parties, to deliver their message to the public (Jones Norton, 2014) Pg 180. A distinction is usually drawn between sectional or interest groups, cause and promotional groups. Sectional or interest groups are the ones that aim to represent the common interests of a particular section of society and are mostly concerned `restricted. They also aim to get as many el igible members as possible to join the group. These are open only to certain individuals, like the members of trade union or the National union of journalist. The cause or promotional groups, they have open membership from public. They promote a cause. They exist to promote an idea not directly related to the personal interests of its members. Pressure groups have species which include peak association these are organisations that represent broad bands of similar groups such as employers, fire brigade groups they form in reaction to a specific problem and disband if and when it has been solved, episodic groups usually are non-political but occasionally throw themselves into campaigning when their interest are affected and the online pressure groups they usually focus on abuse of power, torture and war crimes and mustering hundreds of thousands of signatures to bring pressure to bear, often with remarkable success (BBC, 2014). It should be noted that pressure groups regularly seek to influence each other to maximise impact and often find themselves in direct conflict over certain issues. In several stages of the policy process pressure groups have opportunities to play an important role, in the parliament they may influence the final form of legislation. When governments issue Green papers (setting out policy option for discussion) and White papers (proposals for legislation) pressure groups may lobby backbenchers or civil servants. Pressure groups are often divided into two categories according to their characteristic and methods they interpret; the insider group and the outsider group. Insider groups have close links with the government and they are trusted by the government. They tend to choose more legal and legimate methods such as lobbying to influence the decision making process. They will give advice and will be consulted prior to legislation which may affect that group, for example the British Medical Association will be consulted on the matters relati ng to health, and RSPCA will be consulted with the matters related to animals. Insider pressure groups are most likely to be consulted regularly by governments. Outsider groups often take action of which the government disapproves. Organisations like Greenpeace often engage in civil disobedience or direct action in order to reinforce their point. Outsider groups on the other hand, are either not consulted by government or consulted irregularly and not usually by the senior level. Some outsider groups are wealthy and use a great deal of publicity to attract people to promote their cause (Anon., 2014). Sometimes pressure groups might be seen as a threat to democracy because a relatively small, unelected group of individuals can force a change in the law. They do employ a variety of methods to promote their cause. Political movement is a social group which operates together to obtain a political goal, on a local, regional, national or international scope. They have influence inside Parliament if there is an MP who is a member of the group or is understanding to it. MPs with relationships to pressure groups must declare an interest when speaking on behalf of the group. MPs may also receive payment for promoting the cause but they must declare it. The cabinet is a committee at the centre of the British political system and supreme decision-making body in the government. The British Prime Minister has traditionally been referred to as primus inter pares, which means first among equals and demonstrates that he or she is a member of collective decision-making body of the cabinet, rather than an individual who has powers in their own right. The Prime Minister first among equal simply in recognition of the responsibility held for appointing and dismissing all the other Cabinet members. The Cabinet is made up of the senior members of government. Every Tuesday while Parliament is in session the members of Cabinet (Secretaries of state from all departments and some other ministers) meet in the Cabinet room at 10 Downing Street to discuss the issues of the day and to decide what the most important issues for the government are. The Prime Minister chairs the meeting and sets its agenda; he also decides who speaks around the Cabinet tabl e and sums up at the end of each item. It is this summing up that then becomes the government policy (Anon., 2015). The Cabinet nonetheless remains a core component of British government. The functions ascribed to it in 19th century remain relevant and, in practice, are complemented by important political roles. They have five essential principal roles; they approve policy, resolve disputes, constrain the Prime Minister, unify government and unify the parliamentary party. Parliament is the highest legislative authority in the UK. It has responsibility for checking the work of government and examining, debating and approving new laws. It is also known as the `Legislature` (Anon., 2015). It is an essential part of UK politics. Its main roles are examining and challenging the work of the government (scrutiny), enabling the government to raise taxes. The business of Parliament takes place in two houses: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Ministers stand at the heart of British government. In legal terms, they are the most powerful figures in government. Legal powers are vested in senior ministers, not in the Prime Minister or Cabinet. Senior ministers are those appointed to head government departments. Their formal designation is Ministers of the Crown. Each Minister of the Crown heads a government department. Each has a number of other ministers, known as junior ministers, to assist in fulfilling the responsibility of the office. Each senior minister has one or more political advisers and also has a body of civil servants – permanent, non-political professionals to advise on policy and to ensure the implementation of policy once it is agreed on (Jones Norton, 2014) Pg 392. They discusses various points of view, weigh up arguments concerning whatever is being discussed and come to a decision that is backed by the majority of the Cabinet. As such it becomes government policy, if supported in the House of Commons, and have the legitimacy of majorit y Cabinet support behind it. This means that decisions have collective responsibility behind them. All Cabinet members would be expected to publicly support and defend such policies. Cabinet ministers would also be expected to defend such policies during parliamentary debates. If Cabinet minister feel that he/she cannot defend a policy, he/she has the option to resign from the Cabinet (Trueman, 2000-2015). The monarchy is the oldest secular institution in England. The formal power that the crown conferred- executive, legislative and judicial- was exercised personally by the monarch. The King has a court to advise him and, as the task of government became more demanding, so various functions were exercised on the King`s behalf by other bodies. Those bodies now exercise power independent of the control of the monarch, but remain formally the instruments of the crown. The courts are Her Majesty`s court`s and the government is Her Majesty`s government. Parliament is summoned and prorogued by royal decree. Civil servants are crown appointees (Jones Norton, 2014) Pg 276. The monarch exercises few powers, but those powers remain important. However, the importance of the monarchy in the 21st century derives more from what it stands for than from what it does. The monarch has been eclipsed as a major political institution not only by the sheer demands of governing a growing kingdom but also by changes in the popular perception of what form of government is legitimate. The policy-making power exercised by a hereditary monarch has given way to the exercise of power by institutions deemed more representative. However, the monarch has retained a claim to be a representative institution in one particular definition of the term. It claims that it largely defines the activities of the monarch today (Jones Norton, 2014) Pg 274. Pressure groups provide an essential freedom for citizens, especially minorities, to organise with like-minded individuals so that their views can be heard by others and taken into account by government. They help to disperse power from the central institutions and provide important checks against possibly over-powerful legislatures and executives. Pressure groups also provide functional representation according to occupation and belief, they allow for continuity of representation between elections, thus enhancing the degree of participation in the democratic system. They provide a safety valve an outlet for the pent-up energies of those who carry grievances or feel hard done by, they apply scrutiny to government activity, publicising poor practice and maladministration (Jones Norton, 2014) Pg 195. As globalisation is one of the external influences in British democracy, it is generally defined with reference to set of economic and technological changes which are held to have dramatically increased economic and communication flows across what are seen as increasingly porous national borders. Hence globalisation is generally associated with nations of the world becoming increasingly interconnected, with good, services, investment, financial transactions and skilled labour moving freely between countries, and of globe effectively `shrinking` in comparison to previous decades, due to rapid developments in telecommunications and the continued growth and expansion of air travel (Jones Norton, 2014) Pg 522. Under globalisation trade tends to grow faster than national input, so that a higher proportion of national production is exported and higher proportion of consumption is imported. In conclusion pressure groups seek to influence policy and not control it. Regardless of the type of pressure group, they eventually aim to make governments aware of public views not shared in political parties. They also often create new ideas and conceive a programme of reform. Some groups have too much influence over government. Overall pressure groups and their features do play a coherent role to promote and enhance democracy as they raise the public awareness and provide direct opportunities to participate. BIBLIOGRAHPY Anon., 2014. GCSE Bitesize. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/business/environment/acompetitivemarketrev2.shtml [Accessed 7 March 2015]. Anon., 2014. Higher Bitesize. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/modern/uk_gov_politics/central_gov/revision/4/ [Accessed 7 March 2015]. Anon., 2015. GOV UK. [Online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/how-government-works#who-runs-government [Accessed 10 March 2015]. Anon., 2015. Parliament UK. [Online] Available at: http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/role/parliament-government/ [Accessed 11 March 2015]. BBC, 2014. Higher Bitesize. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/modern/uk_gov_politics/central_gov/revison/4/ [Accessed 10 March 2015]. Jones, B. Norton, P., 2014. POLITICS UK. 8th ed. Oxon: Routledge. Trueman, C., 2000-2015. The Cabinet and British Politics. [Online] Available at: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk?cabinet_and_british_politics.htm [Accessed 11 March 2015]. 1

Child Labor in the 19th Century

Child Labor in the 19th Century The Industrial Revolution, one of the mainly crucial periods of change in Great Britain, occurred because of the stable political, social, and economic, stance of the country, as well as brought lasting effects in Britain in each of these areas. With its rapid growing monopoly on ocean trade, its renewed interest in scientific invention, and its system of national banks holding tight to its financial security, Britain was, at the time of the Industrial Revolution, ready for change. It was the great historical era we call the Industrial Revolution which would forever revolutionize city life, social class structure, the power of the British nation amongst others of the world, the fabrication of machinery, and the power of the economy of Britain. Because of the Industrial Revolution, never again would the British have to suffer the results of no changes concerning the inequalities of the working world, nor doubt the power of their country, yet come to view the word technology in a compl etely new way. Throughout the early 19th century, the Industrial Revolution extend hugely all over Britain. The use of new Technology such as steam-powered machines, led to an massive raise in the number of factories particularly in textile factories or what is called mills. Samuel Greg who owned the large Quarry Bank Mill was one of the first factory owner to use the new technology . With the increase of those factories, families began to move from the countryside into towns searching for better life and better paid work. The incomes that a farm worker was getting ,were very low, were not enough to feed his family and there were less jobs working on farms because of the of new machines such as threshers and other inventions. Also thousands of new workers were needed to work machines in mills and the factory owners built houses for them. Cities packed to overflowing and Manchester was mainly bad. To conquer this labour shortage factory owners had to find other ways of obtaining workers. One key to the problem was to get children from orphanages and workhouses. These children became known as pauper apprentices. This involved them signing contracts that nearly made them the property of the factory owner. even Many families were unwilling to let their children to work in these new textile factories. Children of poor and working-class families had worked for centuries before industrialization assisting around the house or helping in the familys enterprise when they were capable. The practice of placing children to work was first documented in the Medieval period when fathers had their children roll thread for them to weave on the loom. Children did a range of tasks that were auxiliary to their parents but critical to the family economy. The familys household needs determined the familys supply of labor and the interdependence of work and residence, of subsidence requirements, family relationships constituted the family economy', and household labor needs. Body: Britain became the first country to industrialize. And for that reason, it was also the first country where childrens nature in work changed so radically at a point child labor was seen as a leading political issue and a social problem. One of those first factory owners that used the system (pauper apprentices) was Samuel Greg who had the huge Quarry Bank Mill . Greg had complexity finding sufficient people to work for him. Manchester was a bit far, by eleven miles away and local villages were extremely small. The workers that have been imported needed cottages, and these cost about  £100 each. By 1810 Greg became certain that the best solution to the labour problem was to build an Apprentice House near the Quarry Bank mill and to obtain children from workhouses. The building for the apprentices cost  £200 and provided living accommodation for over 90 children. The first children to be brought to the Apprentice house came from local parishes like Macclesfield and Wilmslow, however, later he went as far as London and Liverpool to look for these young workers. To give confidence to the factory owners to take workhouse children, people like Greg were rewarded between  £2 and  £4 for each child they employed. Greg also demanded that the children were sent to him with two shifts, two pairs of stockings and two aprons. The 90 children (30 boys and 60 girls) made up 50% of the total labor force. The children received their lodging and board, and two pence every week. The younger children worked as scavengers and piecers, but after a two years, they were permitted to become involved in spinning and carding. Some of the more older boys became skilled mechanics. John Kay published The Moral and Physical Conditions of the working Classes in 1832, Engels wrote his well-known The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844 based on the plight of the Manchester underclass, and in 1842 Edwin Chadwick published his Report on the Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population. Official paupership figures for the Township of Manchester were the highest in Britain higher even than in Londons east end. Children faced a huge change as they observed working in textile mill was completely different from working at home. In the textile mill, Children worked from Monday to Saturday, beginning work from six in the morning and finishing at seven in the evening, with only one hour break for lunch between twelve and one. If children were late because of the work they were fined. If children fell asleep or made just a mistake on the job they were beaten. Childrens income were very low, sometimes just a few pence for working sixty hours in a week, there were rules and regulations. Children workers must arrive at the mill by certain time. Lateness was punishable with a fine. Everybody worked a number of hours and no-one was allowed to leave before a certain time. All this was a new experience for children, even where they lived. The circumstances they used to live in were awful, the apprentice House jerry built, without control or regulation of any kindthere was even less water and services, and no effort to give privacy of any kind. Children worked in shifts and shared beds. Nine or ten children were sharing one bedroom, and al thosel ninety children shared the three toilets. It was moist there were no double brick walls, and no damp-proof courses. Rain leeched between the walls, and even in summers, damp rose up the walls. The only break from damp was the building of cellars to contain it. However, these cellars unavoidably became dwellings for subtenants. Even the conditions at the Mill working environment were horrible; it was built on a massive open plan scale so that the foremen could see every single child worker. If they thought that workers werent working hard enough or absent they were punished. The rules for working in the mill were posted on walls but that was not enough as most of the children workers were not educated and could not read them. Child workers had no rights and sometimes missed their dinner breaks because the foreman ordered them to keep on working. Children who worked long hours became very exhausted and found it hard to maintain the rapidity required by the superiors. Children were usually beat with a strap to make them work quicker. Some were dipped head first into the water reservoir if they became sleepy. Children were also punished for arriving late for work and for chatting to the other children. Parish apprentices who ran away from the factory were in danger of being sent to jail. Children who were cons idered potential runaways were located in irons. One of the main complaints made by factory reformers concerned the state of the building that they children were forced to work in. A statement published in July 1833 confirmed that Quarry Bank Mill was ill-drained, no conveniences, low-roofed, dirty;; ill-ventilated;; for dressing or washing; no contrivance for carrying off dust and additional effluvia. Robert Southey (1774-1843), the poet and historian, arrived in Manchester in 1808, pretending to be a Spanish traveller. He was given a guided tour at Quarry Bank mill and saw sights which makes me thank God I am not an Englishman. While his guide was praising the principles of child labour, Southey was looking at the unnatural dexterity with which the fingers of these little creatures were playing in the machinery, and when his guide told him that the mill worked twenty four hours a day, Southey concluded that if Dante had inhabited one of his hells with children, here was a scene worthy to have supplied him with new images of torment. Until the Factory Act of 1833, the factories were free to decide on the working hours. The laborers usually worked for more than twelve hours without breaks. Consequently, child laborers suffered lack of sleep and were more vulnerable to mistakes and injuries. Matthew Crabtree was one of the forty-eight people whom the Sadler Committee interviewed in the year of 1832. According to the Sadler Report that catalyzed the Factory Act of 1833, Crabtree had worked in a factory from the age of eight. He had worked sixteen hours a day, from five a.m. to nine p.m. He usually went to sleep immediately after supper, and was woken up by his parents every morning. According to Crabtree, he was very severely and most commonly beaten whenever he was late to work. The fear of being beaten, said Crabtree, was sufficient impulse to keep up with his work despite his drowsiness. a few child laborers were from deprived working families who could not afford to feed themselves without the children contributing financially. Even with the childrens income, the majority of families were hardly capable to sustain themselves. in addition, the child laborers regularly complained about the quality of food given in the place of work. Some testified before the Parliament that they could not eat the meager meal they were given because of exhaustion and pollution. The photographs of childhood workers testify malnutrition and abuse. Child laborers have smaller build than their wealthier peers, yet the wrinkled faces covered with soot block the viewer from accurately concluding the childrens age. The child workers were under the supervision of strangers factory managers who were employed by the factory owners. Also, the work did not require much finesse, and there were many unemployed children willing to substitute the workers place. Consequently, the factory managers did not carry the responsibility of the welfare of the workers; they were simply paid to ensure that the factory is operated smoothly. As we can convey from the above text the treatment of children in the factories was often cruel and extreme. The childrens safety was generally neglected and it did prove fatal on numerous occasions. The youngest children, around the age of eight, were not old enough to activate the machines and were commonly sent to be assistants to adult main workers. The people in charge of the factorys whereabouts would beat and verbally abuse the children, and take little consideration for the workers safety. Girls could not be the exception to beatings and other harsh forms of pain infliction; children were dipped head first into the water cistern if they became drowsy. The girls were also vulnerable to sexual harassment. Trivial mistakes due to lack of sleep resulted in serious injuries or mutilation. The Sadler Report commissioned by the House of Commons in 1832 said that: there are factories, no means few in number, nor confined to the smaller mills, in which serious accidents are continually occurring, and in which, notwithstanding, dangerous parts of the machinery are allowed to remain unfenced. The workers were in most cases abandoned from the moment of the accident with no wages, no medical attendance, and no monetary compensation. The regulation was harsh and the punishment inhumane and sporadic. Such punishment for being late or not working up to the work assigned would be to be weighted. An overseer would tie a heavy weight to workers neck, and have him walk up and down the factory aisles so the other children could see him. This punishment could last up to an hour. Weighting led to serious injuries in the back and the neck. In addition to the above the violators sometimes had to pay the consequence monetarily! Elizabeth Bentley, before the Sadler Committee in 1832, mentioned that she was usually quartered; If we were a quarter of an hour too late, they would take off half an hour; we only got a penny an hour, and they would take a halfpenny more. Some witnesses compared themselves as slaves, and the overseer as slave drivers. One could argue that lack of schooling had forced the children to factories, and mandatory schooling was the key to eradicating industrial child labor. It is true that illiteracy blocked the children from elevating the social and economic hierarchy. However, the Education Act of 1870 contained provisions to allow school boards to compel attendance but necessary by-laws were not enforcement to implement these provisions. In short, the mandatory schoolings in Britain were introduced too late to critically contribute to the reform. Also, one could argue that mandatory schooling would only wear off children who are already exhausted from long hours of tiring labor. Schooling did little good to children who were physically deprived. Lack of sleep will most likely risk dangers of lethargy and expose the children to more accidents. Child workers generally labored to assist the task of the adult workers; the two labor populations did not directly compete with each other. Therefore, one could argue that the child workers considerably contributed to the impoverished family income. As the children were regarded source of labor for long, some did not object to sending their children to factories. Even if others did not approve of the treatment in workplaces, they had no valid and legal means to protest. Most statistics that are available could not be completely trusted. One especially was careful not to depend entirely on skewed numbers or individual case studies. Also, throughout history, many scholars and ideologists have distorted the facts to prove their assertions. Until the child labor issue became a state issue, most of the investigators touched only the surface of the problem. The factory overseers could easily usher the investigators away from the truth. Also, the survey has not been conducted systematically as to portray an accurate sketch of the labor picture. On the other hand, some reports have been accused of exaggerating the current situation to bring the child labor issue to a state concern. Major government reports on child labor were uneven in the coverage, focusing predominantly upon children in industrial occupations. In addition, some determined historians have maneuvered the statistics to exaggerate child labor as an example of corruption and depravity when child labor helped improve the familys financial status. Conclusion Industrial child labor has occupied only a small portion of the child labor population. Also, it had lasted for a fleeting moment in British history. However, child workers in industrial workplaces need to be highlighted as history in which children were placed under the custody of a stranger in a confined, unwholesome space; the children were exposed to a higher possibility of abuse and mistreatment. Although child labor in Britain shared similar characteristics with other industrialized countries of a later period of time, the British government relatively peacefully restricted the employment of children. The publicity of the special commission reports and the attention of the public had contributed greatly. Child labor, as much as it is criticized for its faults, should be analyzed, considering every possible factor. It is true that the child laborers have suffered from exploitation and unintended neglect, yet the family wouldve starved if not for the contribution of the children. History should not be hastily judged, but observed objectively for futures sake.

Reality and Illusion in Richard Bach’s Illusions Essay -- Richard Bach

Questioning Reality in Richard Bach’s Illusions The message of Richard Bach’s Illusions is based on the concept that the things we interpret in the world as reality are actually illusions. This is made evident to one of the main characters, Richard, through his interactions with his newly found friend, Donald Shimoda. Donald Shimoda is a â€Å"messiah†, and he has gifts that he uses to help mankind. A quote that Richard reads is â€Å"Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t† (121). During the entire story, Don proves this quote to be true. Donald works to share his gifts and carry out his mission on earth. Richard and Don are barnstormers. They live their lives flying from town to town, landing in farm fields, and giving flights to local people for three dollars. Richard meets Don when Richard sees Donald’s plane parked in a field as he is passing by the nearby town. Richard is very curious about this plane because it is extremely unusual to encounter other barnstormers. He also feels lonely at times, and he wants to see if the other barnstormer can keep him company. When Richard lands his airplane, he meets Don. He talks with Don for several moments and, despite noticing some unusual quirks about Don, does not think that Don is too out-of the ordinary. Then he notices that Don’s plane is immaculate. It does not have any dirt or oil or any other evidence that it has been flown before. When Richard asks Don about this, Don tells him that there are things that Richard does not know. Later in the story, however, Richard learns more about Don and why he seems to be mysterious. Richard has a dream that reveals to him why Donald seems so mysterious. He sees a man a... ...ir problems or uncertainties. When people realize that they are capable of knowing the truth, they are able to overcome the illusions and to help others break their own boundaries. Donald Shimoda is aware of his mission on earth. He knows that he has the power to help all of mankind, and he works to help any person who he encounters who is in need. He works hard to do so throughout his entire life and until his death. When Donald dies, his work on earth really is complete. He teaches Richard to look past illusions and to see the reality behind them. Richard comes to realize that he too can perform miracles. In learning and sharing the gifts that Donald offered to the world, Richard is able to help mankind. Donald does finish his mission when he dies. However, his friend Richard has the ability to carry out the same mission and to help others as Donald did.

Essay --

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek After the winter, people look forward to having all the flowers begin to bloom again and birds begin to fly, announcing the start of spring. The grass turns green and people begin to be outside without five layers of clothing on and snow falling from the sky. Spring is when everything comes alive after the winter hibernation. My favorite time of the year is spring, when you wake up to the birds chirping outside of your windows. It is the time of year when you walk outside and smell the fresh cut grass and the scent of new flowers. On the first day of spring you are even happy to see the little bugs flying around you because you know you are finally done with winter. It is the best time of year, with so many different things happening outside in nature. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard is a novel that explores the thought of the different times of year in nature. Each chapter talks about a different time of year at a creek called Tinker Creek. Dillard goes into detail about what she experienced while writing the book and sitting at this creek observing the different things. Some consider the book to be a bunch of monologues and reflections about different topics in nature. Dillard splits the book up into four different sections. There is one for each of the four seasons. Chapter 7 of the book is entitled "Spring." The chapter starts off with a reflection from when she was young. She says she believed foreign languages were simply code words for English. Dillard spends time explaining that every language is just code words for the English word it represents. She quickly finds this to be a false statement when she sat in her first French class and she realized she was going to have ... ...r, this is when you plant your crops and start to grow them allowing you to harvest and make money at the end of the year. If you are still in school, this is when you end your year and end up going on to the next grade or have to stay back. If you are a college student, this is the time when you have to worry about your GPA and if it is good enough to renew your scholarships or stay in school. While all this is going on, nature is taking over in its way and making the trees come back to life. It grows flowers from the frozen ground. The birth of all of the new life around us is truly amazing if we just stop and give it some thought. Seeds sprout with the gentle spring rains and the warm air melts the hard ground to become fertile for everything. The life cycles that all interact during this time are many and forge ahead weather we pay attention to it or not.

Evolution is Not Just a Theory :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Evolution is Not Just a Theory      Ã‚   Evolution is a fact in that scientists know beyond reasonable doubt that it happened. The exact mechanism of evolution -- that is, exactly how it happened -- is still a theory.    Evolution is both a fact and a theory. Mainstream scientists consider it a fact that evolution occurred; how it occurred is still considered a theory. Stephen J. Gould describes this difference best: "In the American vernacular, 'theory' often means 'imperfect fact' -- part of a hierarchy of confidence running downhill from fact to theory to hypothesis to guess. Thus the power of the creationist argument: evolution is 'only' a theory and intense debate now rages about many aspects of the theory. If evolution is worse than a fact, and scientists can't even make up their minds about the theory, then what confidence can we have in it? Indeed, President Reagan echoed this argument before an evangelical group in Dallas when he said (in what I devoutly hope was campaign rhetoric): 'Well, it is a theory. It is a scientific theory only, and it has in recent years been challenged in the world of science -- that is, not believed in the scientific community to be as infallible as it once was.'    "Well evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts don't go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's in this century, but apples didn't suspend themselves in midair, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from ape-like ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other yet to be discovered.    "Moreover, 'fact' doesn't mean 'absolute certainty'; there ain't no such animal in an exciting and complex world. The final proofs of logic and mathematics flow deductively from stated premises and achieve certainty only because they are NOT about the empirical world. Evolutionists make no claim for perpetual truth, though creationists often do (and then attack us falsely for a style of argument that they themselves favor). In science 'fact' can only mean 'confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional consent'. I suppose that apples might start to rise tomorrow, but the possibility does not merit equal time in physics classrooms.

Background of American Airlines

American Airlines is the world's largest airline. American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection ® airlines serve 250 cities in over 40 countries with more than 4,000 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 1,000 aircraft. American's award-winning Web site, AA. com, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers.American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld ® Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve more than 600 destinations in over 135 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation.Based on People’s Daily online dated Tuesday, April 10, 2001, American Airlines became the world's largest air carrier and grounded a venera ble competitor after acquiring the assets of bankrupt Trans World Airlines. Based on SKYTRAX which operates the Star Rating system for the world airline industry, having introduced the programme in 2000, American Airlines is a 3-Star Airline. Star Grading awarded to airlines supplying a fair quality performance that conforms to an industry â€Å"average† – when assessing all areas of competitive ranking.3 Star ranking signifies a satisfactory standard of core Product across most travel categories – but may reflect less consistent standards of Staff Service / Product delivery either Onboard or in the Airport environments. Vision, Mission, Goals and Values of the Company Vision: Customer Commitment American Airlines is in business to provide safe, dependable, and friendly air transportation to our customers, along with numerous related services. We are dedicated to making every flight you take with us something special. Mission and Goals:At American Airlines, we: †¢ Evaluate products and services on their merits, giving fair and impartial consideration to all suppliers †¢ Award contracts based on the highest quality and best delivery combined with the most competitive cost to the corporation †¢ Review constantly the performance of our suppliers and contractors to enhance their ability to provide products and services that exceed industry standards †¢ Assure inclusion of minority and women-owned companies in procurement and construction opportunities across American Airlines. VALUES :The Company is committed to maintaining the highest standards of business ethics and complying with both the letter and the spirit of the law in everything that we do and in every country in which we do business. Doing so will also maintain the hard-earned respect that we have established over the years with our customers. Consequently, employees are prohibited from participating in or condoning illegal or unethical activity. Remember that ill egal acts by employees can cost the company millions of dollars in fines, and the penalties for corporations convicted of federal crimes are severe.And employees who violate the company’s ethical standards will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. To ensure compliance with this company policy, we have adopted these Standards of Business Conduct for all employees. These Standards also apply to all agents, consultants, contractors, and others when they are representing or acting for the company. We expect our vendors and suppliers to be guided by these principles. We have developed a Business Ethics & Compliance Program to educate you about the laws that affect our business and to provide the necessary channels to seek advice and report possible misconduct.(www. aa. com) Quality Goods and Services Marketed in the Global Economy American Airlines sources the best quality products and services to provide to our customers. Aside from their flight, car , hotel, vacation package and cruise reservations, they also have the following services and products: -Net SAAver and Special Offers -Fare Sales -Special Offers (Bonus Miles and Percentage and Great Savings) – RSS Service Really Simple Syndication is a technology for sharing and distributing the latest web content such as fares, news, and offers.It's an easy way to receive up-to-date information without having to search the Internet. -Last Minute Packages Bookings -Email Subscription Service – AAdvatage Service The AAdvantage ® program is American's travel awards program. It was the original travel awards program, established more than 20 years ago, and today is the world's largest program. -Admiral Club Membership There are some people that are impossible to shop for and for them, there's the Admirals Club ® membership or the Admirals Club One-Day Pass. It's thoughtful, inspired, and a gift that they will not only use, but enjoy as well.-Offer Gift Card -Trip Ins urance Offer Purchasing a flight shouldn't trigger undue stress. When customers purchase Trip Insurance through Access America, they can receive a refund for the pre-paid, non-refundable portion of they travel costs should your trip be cancelled or interrupted for a covered reason. – The AmericanAirlines Credit Card (no annual fee) -TrAAvel Perks ® program which is a travel club with some fantastic member benefits. —- Business ExtrAA program which offers more variety, more choice and more flexibility than any other airline incentive program for businesses.-Corporate Booking American Airlines is leading the way in providing practical, cost-efficient solutions for managing corporate travel booking with CorporateAAccess. comSM. They have designed a functional, easy-to-use online booking product at the request of many corporate customers, one that brings the best of business travel planning together in one web site. – The AmericanAirlines AAirpass program protects the customers against fare changes and helps them manage their travel by providing prepaid unrestricted air travel at a fixed rate – all while they enjoy VIP privileges and benefits.With this, they can travel anytime, even at a moment's notice, to any of the more than 250 worldwide destinations served by American Airlines, American Eagle ®, and AmericanConnection ®, including the U. S. , Canada, Europe, Japan, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Mexico. -Incentive Programs AmericanAirlines Incentive Travel ® products support all of their promotional objectives from acquiring new customers to instilling consumer loyalty to rewarding employee performance. Destinations and Routes of American AirlinesAmerican Airlines fly in 10 major destinations including Africa, Asia, Australia/ New Zealand, Carribean, Central America, Europe, Eurasia, Middle East, North and South America. Its worldwide destinations include Dallas/ Forth Worth, India-Delhi, Ireland- Dublin and Shannon, Japan-Tokyo, Norfolk- Virgina and Shanghai, China. Shares Of AMR Common Stock Based on the Corporate Press Release, AMR Corporation allows 4. 5 percent Senior Convertible Notes due 2024 have become convertible into shares of AMR common stock.As provided in the indenture under which the Notes were issued, the Notes have become convertible because the sale price of AMR’s common stock for at least 20 trading days in a period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the calendar quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, was greater than 120 percent of the conversion price per share of AMR common stock. The Notes are convertible into common stock at the conversion rate specified in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of, the Notes and the indenture under which the Notes were issued, and they will remain convertible for so long as they are outstanding.Financial Profitability of the Company for the Past Three Years According to AP Associate Press, AMR Cor poration reported that they loss $387 Million in the fourth quarter of 2004, or $2. 40 per share. This compares to last year's fourth quarter loss of $111 million, or $0. 70 per share. For the year, AMR posted a net loss of $761 million, compared to 2003's loss of $1. 2 billion. Fourth quarter 2004 special items totaled a net gain of $86 million, or $0. 54 per share, and primarily included a $146 million gain on the sale of American's interest in Orbitz, $42 million in severance charges, and $21 million in aircraft charges.Despite its profit loss, I can still affirm to the fact that the company is financially profitable. According to AP Associate Press dated July 19, 2006, American Airlines’ profit rise sharply. It ahs been further reported that a sharply higher profit for the second quarter, helped by full airplanes and higher fares at the start of the peak summer travel season. AMR said it earned $291 million, or $1. 14 per share, in the three months ended June 30, up from $58 million, or 30 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue rose 12. 5 percent to $5. 98 billion from $5.31 billion a year ago and slightly higher than the $5. 93 billion that analysts had expected. AMR increased its cash and short-term investments to more than $5. 1 billion, excluding restricted balances. The buildup is a legacy of the company’s brush with bankruptcy in 2003. The above facts by AP Associate Press only proved the financial profitability of the company. Hedging Technique and Stategic Plans The company used a â€Å"classic† sort of hedge. It is also known in the industry as a â€Å"pairs trade† due to the trading on a pair of related securities.American Airlines oneworld is a hedging strategy wherein they made partnership with the seven of the world's leading airlines – Aer Lingus (through March 31, 2007), British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, LAN1 and Qantas Airways. The investors of American Airlines become more sophisticate d of using various models. These strategies protect the company in currency fluctuation and it look for a spread between market value and theoretical or â€Å"true† value, and attempt to extract profits when the values converge.AA has also a Customer Service Plan which is one of their strategic moves. This Customer Service Plan addresses a number of the service goals they have defined. This plan includes lowest fare availability, baggage delivery, baggage liability, guaranteed fares, ticket refunds, accommodation of customers with special needs, essential customer needs during extraordinary delays, etc. They are constantly reevaluating their customer service goals, and they intend to update this Customer Service Plan when appropriate.Every customer is important to American Airlines and American Eagle. The customer’s safety, comfort, and convenience are their most important concerns. Human Resource Management American Airlines supports the communities they serve through out the world, bringing people together and providing opportunities for economic improvement†¦making American a good neighbor. They are committed to diversity. With diversity comes opportunities for success which are good for their employees, their customers, communities, and ultimately their business.They also do more than state our commitment to diversity. Their commitment is displayed in numerous ways and frequently sets the standard for other companies. Human Resource Management and Employee Resource Groups are an important part of AMR's efforts to foster an inclusive work environment. Through their Human Resource Management and Employee Resource Groups, they have created opportunities for employees to have a voice in business, support each other and share their unique perspectives, cultures and experiences with employees.Issues of Employees Regarding Their Compensation: Based on USA Today dated June 22, 2004, officers of American Airlines, along with union leaders and empl oyees from all work groups rallied against the company regarding pension reform. The company, on behalf of its 80,000 employees and together with its unions, also placed a full-page ad in USA Today. The ad thanks Congress for doing their part to support pension reform legislation that â€Å"makes funding employee pensions more affordable and more flexible — without the transfer of these obligations to the government.† Citing a reduction of $4 billion in annual operating costs through operational and efficiency improvements and changes to wages, benefits and work rules, the ad also underscores that American Airlines, its employees and its unions have made sacrifices and are â€Å"working together† to do their part to ensure a profitable company in order to improve shareholder returns, build financial stability and â€Å"help maintain our defined benefit pension plans. † Commitment Towards DiversityAmerican Airlines proudly support and encourage employee in volvement in any of their Employee Resource Groups such as African-American Employee Resource Group, Asian Cultural Association, Caribbean Employees, Christian Resource Group, Employees with Disabilities, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Bisexual Employees, Indian Employees, Jewish Resource Group, Latin Employee Resource Group, Muslim Resource Group, Native American Employee Resource Group, Women in AAviation, Work and Family Balance, 40 Plus/Senior Employees.They value a just and fair treatment of their employees in overseas or wherever parts of the world. Plans for Expansion Based on Corporate Press Release dated March 30, 2007, AMR Corp. , the parent company of American Airlines, Inc. , provides an update on actions taken in the first quarter of 2007 as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen its balance sheet and build a stronger financial foundation.AMR said that American Airlines has paid in full the $285 million principal balance of its senior secured revolving credit facility , which had been fully drawn since its establishment in December 2004. AMR’s $444 million term loan facility remains outstanding. The Company said that the revolving credit facility may be redrawn, subject to certain conditions, and repaid from time to time depending on various factors, such as economic and industry conditions and the Company’s financial condition. AMR anticipates ending the first quarter of 2007 with approximately $5.8 billion in cash and short-term investments, including a restricted balance of nearly $500 million, compared to a cash and short-term investment balance of $4. 8 billion, including a restricted balance of $510 million, in the first quarter of 2006. AMR also said that it expects to complete by mid-April the refinancing of $350 million in municipal bonds that originally were issued in 1990 to help fund the development of American’s Alliance Maintenance and Engineering Base in Fort Worth, Texas .The closing of the transaction is subj ect to certain government approvals. The refinanced bonds, to be issued by AllianceAirport Authority, Inc. , will have a blended interest rate of 5. 46 percent, down from a rate of 7. 5 percent in the current bonds, and a final maturity of Dec. 1, 2029. AMR estimates that by paying down the revolving credit facility balance, prepaying the aircraft debt and refinancing the maintenance facility bonds, as described above, it will eliminate approximately $15 million of its annual net interest expense.Other examples of AMR’s balance sheet improvement include: †¢ AMR has raised more than $1. 1 billion through three equity issuances in the past 17 months, including the sale of 13 million new shares in January that raised approximately $500 million. †¢ AMR reduced its total debt, which includes the principal amount of airport facility tax-exempt bonds and the present value of aircraft operating lease obligations, to $18.4 billion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2006, co mpared to $20. 1 billion a year earlier. The Company expects to end the first quarter of 2007 with total debt of approximately $17. 6 billion. †¢ AMR reduced its net debt, which is defined as total debt less unrestricted cash and short-term investments, from $16. 3 billion at the end of 2005 to $13. 6 billion at the end of 2006. The Company expects to end the first quarter of 2007 with net debt of approximately $12. 3 billion.

The Art of Akhenaten – Paper

The Art of Akhenaten A Formal Analysis of House Shrine and Akhenaten Making Offerings The Art of Akhenaten A Formal Analysis of House Shrine and Akhenaten Making Offerings One of the most enigmatic pharaohs of Egyptian history, Amenhotep IV, had grown up in the most powerful family in ancient Egypt. Once he became pharaoh and ruler of Egypt’s empire in 1378 BCE, he changed his name to Akhenaten, â€Å"effective spirit of Aten†, and was known to the people as â€Å"the heretic king.Early in his reign, Akhenaten encouraged ideas by using art as a way of emphasizing his political and religious intentions of doing things differently; therefore, changing Egyptian society. This was true for the following reasons. Politically, when Akhenaten denounced the state deities, he altered the artistic style and technique of ancient Egypt, by the intimate settings and placements of him and his royal family. Religiously, the forced monotheistic religion was artistically stylized by hav ing the new deity, Aten, as the main theme in his reliefs.These emphases were what came to be known as Amarna art, an erratic, sensual, new style of art that celebrated the vibrancy and movement of the real world during Akhenaten’s reign. Akhenaten’s famous two relief sculptures, House Shrine and Akhenaten Making Offerings, reflect the revolutionary changes in art and religion and  therefore of politics during the reign of this monotheistic pharaoh. Akhenaten and his family were the only royal family that was intimately described by the king as displaying love and devotion under the protection of Aten.In House Shrine (figure 1), the limestone stele, depicts King Akhenaten and his â€Å"Holy Family† starring his wife Queen Nefertiti and his two daughters. It was intended to be stored in a private room in the Amarna palace. The stele is decorated with an intimate scene showing the daily life of the Holy Family. The sculptor’s color choice of bright, yello w limestone background shown in this art piece complements the sun that shines down on all the individuals. The use of fine lines emphasizes the sun shining down on Akhenaten and his family.This sense of illumination by both the sun and indirectly by the family expresses that they are full of love and happiness. Often times bright colors are associated with love and happiness, such as this yellow limestone stele. The sunken relief technique is also used. As Janson explained in his text it was a popular technique amongst Egyptian art sculptures. In this technique, the sculptor cut sharp outlines into the stone’s face, and modeled the figures within the outlines, below the level of the background, rather than carving away the surface around figures to allow them to emerge from the stone.Light shining onto the stone’s surface then cast shadows into the out-lines, animating the figures without compromising the solid planar appearance of the wall. In this art piece the sunk en relief technique gives further emphasis of the sun above shining over them and creates shadows throughout the art piece by the deep incisions of the curved lines along the back of King Akhenaten’s neck and Queen Nefertiti’s right shoulder tracing down her arm. In addition, there are deep incisions along the outline of his children, which give the shadows symbolism that presents the whole family as the focal point of the piece.However, the incisions along the children do not run as heavy as the ones on Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and the sun god. By using heavier incisions it gives the idea that these three figures are of greater importance. In conclusion, the choice of color gives the mood of the stele, the lines tell us the focal point and establishes the important figures. Overall, this piece is well put together. In the beginning of Akhenaten’s religious reform, the official state religion was still based on polytheism with Amun rising above other deities throug hout classic Egyptian art.During his third reign, Akhenaten started to build his own public temple, near the temple of Amun at Karnak. This first act as king brought with him a shocking speculation and hostility between his throne and the priesthood of Amun. Inside the temple was an entirely new style of art, which was often described, as â€Å"naturalistic† in Akhenaten’s portrayal of the human body. No longer was the Pharaoh portrayed as half animal with the perfect body fitted for the afterlife. Akhenaten and the royal family were shown with long toes, massive hips, extremely long fingers, skinny torso, ample breasts, big buttocks, and an elongated face.This exaggeration of the royal family’s bodies altered classic Egyptian art and became better known as Amarna Art. Another astonishing act to this religious revolution was the Akhenaten’s order of the construction of a new capital, far to the north of Thebes known as Amarna, horizon of the sun, claiming the sun god lead him there. A few years after, Akhenaten made the decision to abandon Thebes and ordered his people to pack up and leave behind the city built by his father to receive the blessings of Aten in the city of Amarna.Shortly thereafter, he abolished traditional gods and goddesses, declaring one monotheistic deity, Aten, and introduced in art as a more intimate worship in public and personal settings of the royal family, receiving blessings from Aten, and showing day to day life and activities. A classic example of the radical transformation of Egyptian state religion is found on the Royal Tomb in Amarna, Akhenaten Making Offerings (figure 2), depicting Akhenaten and his wife Queen Nefertiti carrying flowers to be laid on the table beneath the â€Å"life-giving† rays of the Aten with his two eldest daughters behind him praying and offering gifts.In Akhenaten’s hands are four flowers that represent his minor wives Merytaten, Kiya, Mekytaten, and Ankhesenpaate n. What made this piece so alarming to the Egyptians is the misshapen facial structure and body style of Akhenaten and the royal family, and the worshipping of a single god. Starting at the top of Akhenaten Making Offerings there is  a subtle linear band going across the fragment, which is a hieroglyph for sky. The open space with the round geometric shape in the sky symbolizes the royal family is open to worship.King Akhenaten, standing in front of Queen Nefertiti, bathing in the rays of the Aten, could symbolize that he was the solo priest of his monotheistic religion. As giver and sustainer of life, Aten's rays of light form a radial path that begins from the sun and, if  one looks closely, he'll notice the rays of light end in hands holding ankhs, the hieroglyph for life. This characteristic is often repeated in Akhenaten’s art pieces, including the House Shrine. The outline of the rays forms a triangular pyramid. In ancient times pyramids were built as a guise to pro tect the deceased pharaohs as they traveled to the afterlife.Similar to the House Shrine, the sunken relief technique is used to covey the importance of the figures. The heavy incisions around Aten, behind the Pharaoh and his wife, emphasize them as the main focal point of the art piece and the importance of their religious standing with Aten. The dark underline around Aten creates a dark shadow symbolizing his great power as the monotheistic deity. The curved lines behind Akhenaten and his family could symbolize a shadow effect since Aten is placed in front of the family and the lines around the front side of the figures are a lot finer.The shocking effect this piece had on the Egyptians was King Akhenaten’s way of stating his radical vision of breaking Egyptian tradition. Furthermore, King Akhenaten’s abandonment of the traditional gods and roles of kingship also took a toll on Egypt’s political status seen in his art by worshipping Aten. Tucked inside his new ly construed city, obsessed with his monotheistic religion, he spent little to no time on his foreign affairs and more time posing with his family for the sculptor.The military pleaded for support against enemy attacks, but King Akhenaten was distracted with building more temples of Aten so that he and his family would always be protected. This was depicted in his art by showing Aten placing the sunrays over his family as a symbol of protection. In the backlash that followed during the end of his reign, the people and the kingship referred to him as the â€Å"Great Criminal†. And in the events following his death, the misshapen face and body feature of Akhenaten and his family were rubbed and broken off.Amarna art was desecrated and traditional Egyptian art was reinstated. His capital was destroyed, the people returned to Thebes, and after awhile his image was abandoned, and the heretic king was forgotten. In conclusion, three thousand years ago, in the short time of the Amar na period, Akhenaten turned Egypt upside down by breaking classical Egyptian art tradition and announcing a new deity. During that time, capitals were moved, religious ideas developed and flourished, foreign affairs depleted, and artistic changes took place in art within the walls of the court.