The Concepts of Ethics, Its Potential Problems and Solutions

The Concepts of Ethics, Its Potential Problems and Solutions Smith is purchasing a business named Underground Shoes and Accessories near Lutz, Florida. During the last few years, the business has had several issues with the law because of claims of false advertising and wrongful termination of employees. As a result, Smith is concerned about the ethical culture of the firm. This article seeks to review the concepts of ethics critically, evaluate potential ethical problems in Smith’s business, and help him propose the solutions to his problems.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Concepts of Ethics, Its Potential Problems and Solutions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Based on the above description, it is apparent that Smith will be faced with overwhelming task when he takes control of the firm. For Smith’s firm to be successful, it should have human, financial, and physical resources to tackle the situation (Agarwal, 2010). Similarly, Smith must be sensitive to i nternal and external challenges. Through this, he will be required to reengineer and restructure his firm. By doing so, he may be required to reduce or increase the size of his workforce and enhance exceptional leadership skills in the firm’s top management. To prevent conflicts between his firm and the law, Smith must formulate and implement an appropriate ethical culture with immediate effect. Once he acquires the firm, he should formulate a new code of ethics in the company. The new code of ethics should articulate the accepted standards. To achieve this, he will be required to strengthen ethical culture and promote an ethical workforce within the executive branch. Similarly, the new code of ethics should be used to institutionalize ethics within the firm. The code of ethics should illustrate a broad value system of an organization, describe the organization’s principles, and detail guidelines for decision making that are in accordance with these principles (Paliwal , 2006). Thereafter, Smith should ensure that the code of ethics is implemented and adhered to at all time. Likewise, he should appoint a task force to investigate on the allegation of wrongful termination of employees. Through the task force report, managers responsible for the act should be held accountable. Similarly, the task force should come up with recommendations on how to foster the relationship between the employees and the executives. Through this, the production of the employees will be increased. Equally, Smith should ensure that his firm foster consumer confidence by producing quality products. Similarly, products’ advertisements should be genuine.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To improve the human resource management of the firm and avoid future legal problems, Smith must implement suitable management measures. It is obvious that the previou s human resource management team participated in wrongful termination of employees. As such, most of the previous management strategies will lose their validity in the new firm. While advisers and interim managers can provide some of the management skills necessary to turn around this firm, Smith must be prepared to structure the firm’s management organs (Bibeault, 2002). Therefore, Smith must appoint a new team to enhance the relationship between the employees and the executive. The appointed team should comprise of competent and efficient individuals to salvage the organization from collapsing. Through this, the company should develop and implement suitable rescue plan. The plan should address the fundamental problems, tackle the underlying causes, and enhance ethical culture. By doing so, Smith will ensure that his firm’s rescue plan is built on a robust foundation. Similarly, the plans should tackle potential legal challenges in the future. References Agarwal, O. P . (2010). Turnaround management with business process re-engineering. Mumbai India : Himalaya Pub House. Bibeault, D. B. (2002). Corporate turnaround: how managers turn losers into winners.. New York: McGraw-Hill. Paliwal, M. (2006). Business ethics. New Delhi: New Age International.

Condolence Quotes to Express Sorrow

Condolence Quotes to Express Sorrow How do you express your condolence when someone you love is going through a traumatic period? What do you say, and how do you say it? The Loss Some time ago, a close friend lost her five-year-old son in a tragic accident. The bereaved mother was beside herself with grief. No words could comfort her. Its tough to comfort someone grieving about death. What can you say to comfort a mother who has just lost her child? Do you  express grief or provide words of strength, or will your words seem empty? Etiquette of Courtesy Social norms emphasize on etiquettes of greeting people on happy occasions, such as birthdays, engagement, weddings, marriage anniversaries, or other personal and professional milestones. Gift shops abound with greeting cards and gifts that express joy and celebration. Our culture falls short of expressions that teach people how to express sadness during times of grief. Tragedy and Loneliness Go Hand in Hand Funerals and prayer meetings are social platforms for people to offer condolences. After the initial flurry of activity, everyone goes back to their lives, leaving the grieving family to face loneliness and despair. Few turn back to see how the grieving family is coping with the loss. How to Help Others Overcome Grief Grief is a difficult burden to bear. Initially, your friend may shun your companionship or words of solace, because he is  hurting too much. To overcome grief, one has to come to terms with it. Your sympathy can help your loved ones. However great the tragedy, inspirational words can redeem the grieving soul. Quotes to Offer Condolences These condolence quotes will soothe the heartbroken. Help your loved ones pick themselves up, and move on. Share these condolence quotes at funerals, church services, or make a solemn toast in honor of the departed soul. Your words can give a glimmer of hope to the heartbroken. William WordsworthThat though the radiance, which was once so bright, be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.Bible, Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn; for they shall be comforted.Beth Mende ConnyIf the future seems overwhelming, remember that it comes one moment at a time.Pierre CorneilleOne often calms ones grief by recounting it.Harriet Beecher StoweAny mind that is capable of real sorrow is capable of good.Anne GrantGrief is a normal and natural response to loss. It is originally an unlearned feeling process. Keeping grief inside increases your pain.AeschylusThere is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief.Queen Elizabeth IIGrief is the price we pay for love.Jerome K. JeromeIt is in our faults and failings, not in our virtues, that we touch each other, and find sympathy. It is in our follies that we are one. Nigella LawsonYou dont go around grieving all the time, but the grief is still there and always will be.Benjamin FranklinIt is the will of God and Nature that these mortal bodies be laid aside, when the soul is to enter into real life; tis rather an embryo state, a preparation for living; a man is not completely born until he be dead: Why then should we grieve that a new child is born among the immortals?Dirk BenedictIf we wait until our lives are free from sorrow or difficulty, then we wait forever. And miss the entire point.Robert IngersollIn the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing.Rossiter Worthington RaymondLife is eternal; and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.Khalil GibranWhen you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.OvidBear and endure: This sorrow will one day prove to be for yo ur good. Anne Morrow LindberghGrief cant be shared. Everyone carries it alone. His own burden in his own way.ConfuciusWe should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.Henry Wadsworth LongfellowGood-night! good-night! as we so oft have saidBeneath this roof at midnight, in the daysThat are no more, and shall no more return.Thou hast but taken up thy lamp and gone to bed;I stay a little longer, as one staysTo cover up the embers that still burn.Arthur SchopenhauerAlmost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people.Washington IrvingThe natural effect of sorrow over the dead is to refine and elevate the mind.John TaylorWhile we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil.Dante AlighieriThere is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery.

E-Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

E-Business - Essay Example In the United States, Oceanic Cable of Hawaii was the first to offer it beginning in 2000, immediately after the passing of the Y2K scare. Today, VoD is offered by numerous providers, particularly those who also offer triple play services.† At Netflix, this service was officially made available on January 14, 2008. (Linder 2008) Among the other providers are Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Sports Illustrated, Sony Pictures, and Slacker. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a Government Corporation of the United States for providing postal service in the United States. Netflix chose USPS due to its relatively lower rate compared to private postal services. With the bulk of daily first-class mails, Netflix has to utilize the government’s postal service for efficiency and effectiveness. DVDs are delivered directly to the members address by first-class mail – with a postage-paid return envelope – from more than 50 distribution centers throughout the United States and streamed instantly online to members’ computers - for no additional cost. (Netflix 2009) Netflix has more than 100,000 titles and more than 55 million DVDs total. This means that there are about 550 DVDs of the same titles. Their inventory stipulates that â€Å"Every three months, Netflix members rent more than 95% of the 100,000 titles in the Netflix library. On any given day, more than 46,000 of the 100,000 titles available at Netflix are in distribution.† (Netflix 2009) This service is made possible by Netflix operating in more than 50 distribution centers located throughout the United States. More than 95% of Netflix members live within one-day delivery postal zones. On an average day, Netflix ships two million DVDs. (Netflix

Writing a Search Warrant (CCJS assignment) Term Paper

Writing a Search Warrant (CCJS assignment) - Term Paper Example Following these investigations, and subsequent arrests, the campaign against drugs and substance abuse has been highly supported. Following the undertaken investigations, he has also issued several search warrants for individuals and premises believed to hub individuals engaging in narcotics business. Your affiant has contributed significantly to the improvement of the antinarcotics campaign, through numerous arrests and subsequent convictions of suspects. Your affiant possesses surmountable knowledge and has undergone extensive training in antinarcotics law enforcement from numerous antinarcotics agencies. Your affiant understands the operations involved in the narcotics business, and the various methods utilised by criminals involved in the business. He clearly knows that evidence regarding contacts and business transactions is normally retained and held within residential premises by traders. Such evidence includes but is not limited to telephone contacts, invoices of purchase of different items utilised in undertaking the business, among others. Personal properties like mobile phones and laptops used in communication could also contain potential evidence regarding communications between trading partners. It is also common among the individuals to reside in rented premises, which make it difficult for criminals to be tracked by involved authorities. Most narcotics criminals also register their personal properties under different names, including names of their children, spouses and close relatives and friends. Within the course of the last 5 days, reliable information received by your affiant has revealed the presence of narcotics activities along Queensway Drive, suit number 3758. The confidential informant has observed frequent suspicious activities involving movement of what are believed to be drug peddlers, in and out of this premise. The CI who has provided this information remains one of the most reliable sources of information by the antinarcotics pol ice department. Over the many years he/she has been providing such information, none of the information provided has ever failed to yield fruitful results. These include arrests, and subsequent convictions of many of the suspects investigated. Photographs of suspected drug peddlers around the premises have been provided by the CI, and your affiant is in possession of the same. A check on the individuals in the provided pictures has revealed some have been involved in various criminal offenses in different parts of the country. One of the individuals has been charged with being in possession of illegal drugs. According to the existing drug regulations provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, federal police departments have been empowered to undertake investigations of suspected drug smugglers. This affidavit has been issued in line with the provisions of drug laws within the United States federal laws on drugs1. In accordance to the requirement for further investigations to be undertaken, a search warrant has been issued for properties suspected to be involved in the illegal drug smuggling business. Attached to this affidavit are the search warrant and the document describing the premises under investigation and the suspected substances being searched in the premises (Departmentofjustice). Attachment A The premises can be described as a residential apartment building Queensway Drive suit number 3758. The particular building has been described as an apartment five storied residential blocks. On the front side of the building, the walls have red bricks, while the backside the building has been painted jungle green. The building stands directly opposite another apartment block consisting of sky blue walls. The most prominent feature of the

Prejudice and Stereotype Essay Example for Free

Prejudice and Stereotype Essay Select three of the identity categories below and name or describe at least 3 related stereotypes for each: Race Ethnicity Religion Gender Sexual orientation Age Disability Category Stereotype 1 Stereotype 2 Stereotype 3 Race Chinese people are good in math All Koreans own a dry cleaning place or a laundry mat African Americans likes chicken Gender Metrosexual men are gay Women with men’s haircut are lesbians Men are better drivers than women Religion All Christian Catholics go to church every Sunday Mormons have more than one spouse. All Christians are Republicans Part II 1. In my opinion, I think that the one positive aspects of stereotypes is getting the knowledge from it, we are all raised differently and some of us are not exposed to different types of races, not knowing nothing else, but what a person knows. An example of this would be a person that is raised in a farm and the only people that this person is exposed to is their own race, and the only way of learning of what is outside of the farm is people telling stories of their experiences meeting other types of races. 2. There are many negative aspects of stereotypes, whether if it is race, religion, gender preference, ethnicity, age or disability, there is nothing good that can come from it. Most of the stereotypes are very hurtful to some that it can lead to depression and health issues or even in some cases suicide. An example of this is Seung-Hui Cho, a Korean American who killed himself after shooting and killing 32 people in Virginia Tech back in 2007. As a young child he was made fun of with his races by other kids until he was in college. Part III The definition of stereotypes is to believe unfairly that all people or things with a particular characteristic are the same. An example of a stereotypes are: men that wear pink shirts are gay, women that ride motorcycles are dikes. The definition of prejudice is an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics. An example of prejudice are: Black people are ghetto, Chinese people have small eyes. The relationship between stereotyping and prejudice is that they go hand in hand, one can start with stereotypes and it ends up to being prejudice. The wording or phrases can be interpreted one way or another, the way that it can be differentiated is by the tone or the way that it is said. To prevent prejudice from occurring, we must do our best educate others about the negative effects of it. It is hard to teach everyone around us the impact on how not to be prejudice, but the ones we can reach out to like the one out of ignorance can be taught. It is all about educating really, and being exposed to other races can play a big roll from prejudice from occurring. REFERENCES: -http://www. psychologytoday. com/blog/ulterior-motives/201302/the-pain-positive-stereotypes -http://www. cnn. com/2013/10/31/us/virginia-tech-shootings-fast-facts/ http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/prejudice.

The Promising Future of Chinas Economy Essay -- Economy

The Promising Future of China's Economy If China's economy grows as fast for the next 20 years as it has for the past 14, it will be the biggest economy on earth: I feel that China's drastic improvements over the last 14 years are overwhelming, with their Real GNP growing at a rate of 9% a year, which means by, 1994, China's economy will match the performance of countries like Japan and Taiwan. China's standard of living has also increased, and the number of people who were considered absolutely poor decreased approximately 63%. I feel with the vast amount of people living in China, and the economic activity booming like it is, China's exports will continue to grow, as well as the standard of living. This will create more revenue, and more capital for them to produce even more goods and become even larger, prospering as one of the biggest economies on the earth. I also feel that China should try to overcome its corrupt system and steadily move into a free enterprise system. Competition has been the key to China's success: I believe that competition has been the key to China's success. When Mr. Deng opened the free market, it brought the first signs of the farmers becoming more rich since the 1950s. His political genius allowed the farmers to become rich. He also introduced the "open-door policy" which is proving to be very beneficial, as they follow in the footsteps of their strong rich neighbours. Mr. Perkins believed four conditions must be met for a market system to work well in reforming centrally planned economy. I believe if China continues to improve its productivity, and the number of monopolies decrease as studies show, China will move into a capitalist front only to... ...ver the last several years. The party has a large role to play in China's transition to a full market economy. China is on its way. the West should prepare China's interests lay in foreign investment, trade and economic reform. China's main driving force was competition, and they proved that privatisation and settling the matter of ownership are not so critical in the early stages of reform. In the years ahead, China must choose between keeping the communist party or kepping the stunning economic growth. If they continue to grow at the rate China grows, and keep improving their economy, and join the likes of Japan, they can combine forces in all aspects against the west, military wise and economically wise. if China's economy grows as fast for the next twenty years like it has for the past fourteen, it will be the biggest economy on earth.

Bracero Program

The Bracero Program The Bracero Program was a temporary contract labor program initiated in 1942 by the United States and Mexico. Designed originally to bring a experienced Mexican agricultural laborers to harvest sugar beets in Stockton, California, but soon spread to most of the United States and to the railroad industry. Although the railroad program ended in 1945, after World War II the agricultural program continued until 1964. Originally, the program was designed to protect the illegal migrant workers against the exploitation by American farmers. However, it was criticized and was viewed as a failure from the humanitarian point of view. Workers in the Bracero Program continued to face struggles with the United States and Mexican governments. Many workers did not receive the mandatory savings accounts that were legally guaranteed to them upon conclusion of their contracts to work in the United States. In many states, specifically Texas, the local governments and authorities also took advantage of the workers. Graft and corruption on both sides of the border enriched many Mexican officials as well as unethical â€Å"coyote† freelancers in the United States who promised contracts in Texas for the unsuspecting Bracero. † reported by The Handbook of Texas Online (Handbook of Texas Online, s. v. , 2001. ) Because of the abuse of authoritative power, such as perfunctory arrest for petty causes, and obvious discrimination, Mexico excluded Texas was excluded from the labor-exchange program. Wages paid to legal contracted braceros were low. As well, these workers often encountered poor substandard living conditions. Many braceros left contracted work to return to home or to find better paying jobs. These braceros became known as â€Å"wetbacks. Farmers and ranchers became dependent on a low-cost, docile, illegal labor force. The search for jobs began to move the illegal immigrants farther north into Texas and California. However, there were still many braceros that continued to work under contract and work as law-abiding members of the community. The program became a political issue for the Americans. The United States wielded the power of negotiations with both the Mexican government and the Mexican people. Mexico lost all real bargaining power in the 1950’s. Along with opposition from Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, the United States determined that the program was no longer vital to the American’s; it discontinued the program in 1964. Chavez and Huerta fought the program because it undermined American workers and exploited the migrant workers. Nothing says it more obvious than the account from Walt Edwards (as cited in Dillin, 2006), When we caught illegal aliens on farms and ranches, the farmer or rancher would often call and complain [to officials in El Paso]. And depending on how politically connected they were, there would be political intervention. That is how we got into this mess we are in now. (Dillin, John, 2006) By the end of the program, farm labor unions began to form which eventually led to the abolishment of laws stating it was illegal to organize farm labor. This lead the way to the grape strikes in California and the boycotts in stores, lead by Filipino farm workers. After the first strike several various organizations began to form and led similar movements around the country. Through the 1960s to the 1980s, Cesar Chavez was a major inspiration to such movements and organizations. One of the most notable protests was when Chavez and the UFW marched from the Coachella Valley to the Mexican border to protest grower’s use of illegal aliens as strikebreakers and replacement workers. References Bracero Program. Bracero Program in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved on July 29, 2007, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bracero_program. Cesar Chavez. Cesar Chavez in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved on July 29, 2007, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/C%C3%A9sar_Ch%C3%A1vez. Dillin, John. (2006, July 06). How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossing from Mexico. [Electronic version. ] Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved on July 29, 2007, from http://www. csmonitor. com/2006/0706/p09s01-coop. html. Handbook of Texas Online, s. v.. (2001, June 6). Operation Wetback. Retrieved on July 29, 2007, from http://www. tsha. utexas. edu/handbood/online/articles/OO/pqo1_print. html

Lamb to the Slaughter Essay

Drama and suspense, one of the most important things an author needs in their story to keep their audience entertained. Without these two elements in a story or movie, the audience would easily get bored. In order to build drama and suspense certain literary devices are required. In the short story, â€Å"Lamb to Slaughter†, the author Roald Dahl builds up this dramatic story by using imagery, irony, and strong character interaction, thus creating suspense and a bit of humor. One of the literary devices that were used to build drama and suspense is imagery. A scene in the story that contributes to imagery was the one that involved Mary and Patrick in the beginning of the story. â€Å"†¦ She swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (154 Dahl). In this scene Dahl uses imagery to show Mary’s violent actions as she kills her husband. This occurred after Patrick gave Mary unpleasant news. This creates suspense and leaves the readers to question her next actions. Another device that was used to create suspense in the story was character interaction. A scene that included character interaction was between Mary and the detectives towards the end of the story. â€Å"Why don’t you eat up that lamb that’s in the oven? † (161 Dahl) The scene that this quote occurred in was when Mary was trying to convince them to eat the lamb leg that was used to kill her husband. Dahl interprets this scene into the story to illustrate Mary’s intentions which was to get rid of the evidence which creates suspense amongst the audience. Without this interaction, the scenario would change and the story would be less suspenseful. Dahl also used irony to effectively create suspense and drama. A scene that displayed irony was the last scene in the story when the detectives were conversing while eating the lamb leg. â€Å"Personally, I think its right here on the premises. † â€Å"Probably right under our noses. What you think Jack? † (162 Dahl) In this conversation the detectives are talking about the weapon, which was used to kill Patrick, being on the premises not knowing that they are eating it. These quotes were also used to hint that Mary basically has gotten away with the crime. This scene therefore, was very ironic which also made the story a bit comedic. In conclusion, the author successfully made this story very dramatic and suspenseful. He was able to effectively create suspense and drama because of his use of literary devices. This story continued to grab the reader’s attention all the way to the end which is an example of a good story. Dahl was able to interpret irony, imagery, and character interactions into his story thus making it appealing to the audience.

Sentence Flow

Sentence Flow Sentence Flow Sentence Flow By Maeve Maddox David writes: I was wondering if you could share your thoughts on how to flow from sentence to sentence. I feel mine can be a bit jumpy as I tell the story. Much is written about â€Å"transition sentences,† that is, sentences that bridge paragraphs, but that’s not what this question is about. This question is about what a writer can do to avoid writing paragraphs that all progress to a beat of dumpty-dumpty-dump. Two things contribute to the flow of sentences within a paragraph: 1. sentence length 2. logical progression of thought In browsing my shelves for examples, I realized that some very popular writers don’t seem to share David’s concern regarding â€Å"jumpy† narration. Here’s a typical paragraph from Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code: Langdon and Sophie stepped into another world. The small room before them looked like a lavish sitting room at a fine hotel. Gone were the metal and rivets, replaced with oriental carpets, dark oak furniture, and cushioned chairs. On the broad desk in the middle of the room, two crystal glasses sat beside an opened bottle of Perrier, its bubbles still fizzing. A pewter pot of coffee steamed beside it. Not a complex sentence in sight. It doesn’t seem to matter if Brown is being reflective or describing action. Most of his sentences are simple or compound. Here and there the reader comes across a noun clause introduced by that, or a an adverb clause introduced by as or as if. Mostly it’s dumpty-dumpty-dump. Yes, Dan Brown is a wildly successful writer and I’m happy for him. His gift, however, is story-telling, not writing style. Here are two examples from a novel by a writer who is both an effective story-teller and a fine stylist. The first is a paragraph in which the narrator is reflecting on his life. He is attending the opera with his employer. I suppose I had once aspired to come here and walk among these beautiful, elegant people as one of their own, but that had been long ago, before all my dreams had been dashed like porcelain on paving stones. Now that I was finally here, I felt all the more like a Welsh collier’s brat, as if I were still twelve, nose running, and starting to outgrow my brother’s cast-offs. I was in the right place at the wrong time. Such was the refrain of my life. Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas The first sentence is long and leisurely, suggesting reflection. It contains no fewer than four clauses and numerous phrases. The second sentence has multiple clauses and phrases, but the last two are simple sentences, brusquely bringing the introspection back to the present moment. The second example is from an action paragraph in which the narrator is about to be murdered. The cross spun in a circle, and when it stopped, a pistol was clapped to my head. It was my own revolver. I recognized the filed-down sight. I closed my eyes and felt surprisingly at ease. I was ready to die now. I gave it all over. At that point, I would have preferred a bullet to slow death. Ibid. The first sentence has three clauses joined by the most commonplace conjunctions and and when. The loosely joined clauses suggest a spinning motion. The next two sentences are simple and staccato. Short sentences take the reader along rapidly. They convey the breathlessness felt by the man in danger. The next sentence has two clauses, but they are short and, again, joined by the nearly invisible and. The next three sentences are simple. With the length of the sentences the writer has conveyed both the fear and resignation felt by the narrator. The writer striving for a pleasantly flowing style will vary sentence length and kind, crafting length to thought. Here are some joining words with which to introduce subordinate clauses. Subordinate conjunctions after, although, as, as if, as long as, as much as, as soon as, as though, because, before, even if, even though, how, if, inasmuch, in order that, lest, now, provided (that),   since, so that, than, that, though, till, unless, until, when, whenever, where, wherever, while, Conjunctive adverbs accordingly, also, anyway, again, besides, certainly, consequently, contrarily, finally, further, furthermore, elsewhere, hence, henceforth, however, in contrast, incidentally, indeed, instead, likewise, meanwhile, moreover, namely, nevertheless, next, nonetheless, now, otherwise, rather, similarly, so, subsequently, still, that is, then, thereafter, therefore, thus, undoubtedly, yet Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Good At, Good In, and Good With20 Words Meaning "Being or Existing in the Past"Epidemic vs. Pandemic vs. Endemic

The Boer War in South Africa (1899-1902)

The Boer War in South Africa (1899-1902) From October 11, 1899, until May 31, 1902, the Second Boer War (also known as the South African War and the Anglo-Boer War) was fought in South Africa between the British and the Boers (Dutch settlers in southern Africa). The Boers had founded two independent South African republics (the Orange Free State and the South African Republic) and had a long history of distrust and dislike for the British that surrounded them. After gold was discovered in the South African Republic in 1886, the British wanted the area under their control. In 1899, the conflict between the British and the Boers burgeoned into a full-fledged war that was fought in three stages: a Boer offensive against British command posts and railway lines, a British counteroffensive that brought the two republics under British control, and a Boer guerrilla resistance movement that prompted a widespread scorched-earth campaign by the British and the internment and deaths of thousands of Boer civilians in British concentration camps. The first phase of the war gave the Boers the upper hand over British forces, but the latter two phases eventually brought victory to the British and placed the previously independent Boer territories firmly under British dominion leading, eventually, to the complete unification of South Africa as a British colony in 1910. Who Were the Boers? In 1652, the Dutch East India Company established the first staging post at the Cape of Good Hope (the southernmost tip of Africa); this was a place where ships could rest and resupply during the long voyage to the exotic spice markets along India’s western coast. This staging post attracted settlers from Europe for whom life on the continent had become unbearable due to economic difficulties and religious oppression. At the turn of the 18th century, the Cape had become home to settlers from Germany and France; however, it was the Dutch who made up the majority of the settler population. They came to be known as â€Å"Boers†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢- the Dutch word for farmers. As time passed, a number of Boers began migrating to the hinterlands where they believed they would have more autonomy to conduct their daily lives without the heavy regulations imposed on them by the Dutch East India Company. The British Move Into South Africa Britain, who viewed the Cape as an excellent staging post on the route to their colonies in Australia and India, attempted to take control over Cape Town from the Dutch East India Company, which had effectively gone bankrupt.  In 1814, Holland officially handed the colony over to the British Empire. Almost immediately, the British began a campaign to â€Å"Anglicize† the colony. English became the official language, rather than Dutch, and official policy encouraged the immigration of settlers from Great Britain. The issue of slavery became another point of contention. Britain officially abolished the practice in 1834 throughout their empire, which meant that the Cape’s Dutch settlers also had to relinquish their ownership of black slaves. The British did offer compensation to the Dutch settlers for relinquishing their slaves, but this compensation was seen as insufficient and their anger was compounded by the fact that the compensation had to be collected in London, some 6,000 miles away. Boer Independence The tension between Great Britain and South Africa’s Dutch settlers eventually prompted many Boers to move their families further into South Africa’s interior- away from British control- where they could establish an autonomous Boer state. This migration from Cape Town into the South African hinterland from 1835 to the early 1840s came to be known as â€Å"The Great Trek.† (Dutch settlers who remained in Cape Town, and thus under British rule, became known as Afrikaners.) The Boers came to embrace a new-found sense of nationalism and sought to establish themselves as an independent Boer nation, dedicated to Calvinism and a Dutch way of life. By 1852, a settlement was reached between the Boers and the British Empire granting sovereignty to those Boers who had settled beyond the Vaal River in the northeast. The 1852 settlement and another settlement, reached in 1854, brought about the creation of two independent Boer republics- the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The Boers now had their own home. The First Boer War Despite the Boers’ newly won autonomy, their relationship with the British continued to be tense. The two Boer republics were financially unstable and still relied heavily on British help. The British, conversely, distrusted the Boers- viewing them as quarrelsome and thickheaded. In 1871, the British moved to annex the diamond territory of the Griqua People, which had previously been incorporated by the Orange Free State. Six years later, the British annexed the Transvaal, which was plagued by bankruptcy and endless squabbles with native populations. These moves angered Dutch settlers throughout South Africa. In 1880, after first allowing the British to defeat their common Zulu enemy, the Boers finally rose up in rebellion, taking up arms against the British with the purpose of reclaiming the Transvaal. The crisis is known as the First Boer War. The First Boer War lasted only a few short months, from December 1880 until March 1881. It was a disaster for the British, who had greatly underestimated the military skill and efficiency of the Boer militia units. In the early weeks of the war, a group of less than 160 Boer militiamen attacked a British regiment, killing 200 British soldiers in 15 minutes. In late February 1881, the British lost a total of 280 soldiers at Majuba, while the Boers are said to have suffered only one single casualty. Britain’s Prime Minister William E. Gladstone forged a compromise peace with the Boers that granted the Transvaal self-government while still keeping it as an official colony of Great Britain. The compromise did little to appease the Boers and tension between the two sides continued. In 1884, Transvaal President Paul Kruger successfully renegotiated the original agreement. Although control of foreign treaties remained with Britain, Britain did, however, drop the Transvaal’s official status as a British colony. The Transvaal was then officially renamed the South African Republic. Gold The discovery of roughly 17,000 square miles of gold fields in Witwatersrand in 1886, and the subsequent opening of those fields for public digging would make the Transvaal region the prime destination for gold diggers from all over the globe. The 1886 gold rush not only transformed the poor, agrarian South African Republic into an economic powerhouse, it also caused a great deal of turmoil for the young republic. The Boers were leery of the foreign prospectors- whom they dubbed â€Å"Uitlanders† (â€Å"outlanders†)- pouring into their country from across the world to mine the Witwatersrand fields. Tensions between Boers and Uitlanders eventually prompted Kruger to adopt harsh laws that would limit the general freedoms of the Uitlanders and seek to protect Dutch culture in the region. These included policies to limit access to education and press for Uitlanders, making the Dutch language obligatory, and keeping the Uitlanders disenfranchised. These policies further eroded relations between Great Britain and the Boers as many of those rushing to the gold fields were British sovereigns. Also, the fact that Britain’s Cape Colony had now slipped into the South African Republic’s economic shadow, made Great Britain even more determined to secure its African interests and to bring the Boers to heel.   The Jameson Raid The outrage expressed against Kruger’s harsh immigration policies caused many in the Cape Colony and in Britain itself to anticipate a widespread Uitlander uprising in Johannesburg. Among them was the Cape Colony’s prime minister and diamond magnate Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes was a staunch colonialist and thus believed Britain should acquisition the Boer territories (as well as the gold fields there). Rhodes sought to exploit Uitlander discontent in the Transvaal and pledged to invade the Boer republic in the event of an uprising by Uitlanders. He entrusted 500 Rhodesian (Rhodesia having been named after him) mounted police to his agent, Dr. Leander Jameson. Jameson had express instructions not to enter the Transvaal until an Uitlander uprising was underway. Jameson ignored his instructions and on December 31, 1895, entered the territory only to be captured by Boer militiamen. The event, known as the Jameson Raid, was a debacle and forced Rhodes to resign as the Cape’s prime minister. The Jameson raid only served to increase tension and distrust between the Boers and the British. Kruger’s continued harsh policies against the Uitlanders and his cozy relationship with Britain’s colonial rivals, continued to fuel the empire’s ire towards the Transvaal republic during the waning years of the 1890s. Paul Kruger’s election to a fourth term as president of the South African Republic in 1898, finally convinced Cape politicians that the only way to deal with the Boers would be through the use of force. After several failed attempts at reaching a compromise, the Boers had their fill and by September of 1899 were preparing for full war with the British Empire. That same month the Orange Free State publicly declared its support for Kruger. The Ultimatum On October 9th, Alfred Milner, the governor of the Cape Colony, received a telegram from authorities in the Boer capital of Pretoria. The telegram laid out a point-by-point ultimatum. The ultimatum demanded peaceful arbitration, the removal of British troops along their border, British troop reinforcements be recalled, and that British reinforcements who were coming via ship, not land. The British replied that no such conditions could be met and by the evening of October 11, 1899, Boer forces began crossing over the borders into Cape Province and Natal. The Second Boer War had begun. The Second Boer War Begins: The Boer Offensive Neither the Orange Free State nor the South African Republic commanded large, professional armies. Their forces, instead, consisted of militias called â€Å"commandos† that consisted of â€Å"burghers† (citizens). Any burgher between the ages of 16 and 60 was liable to be called up to serve in a commando and each often brought their own rifles and horses. A commando consisted of anywhere between 200 and 1,000 burghers and was headed by a â€Å"Kommandant† who was elected by the commando itself. Commando members, furthermore, were allowed to sit as equals in general councils of war to which they often brought their own individual ideas about tactics and strategy. The Boers who made up these commandos were excellent shots and horsemen, as they had to learn to survive in a very hostile environment from a very young age. Growing up in the Transvaal meant that one often had protected one’s settlements and herds against lions and other predators.  This made the Boer militias a formidable enemy. The British, on the other hand, were experienced with leading campaigns on the African continent and yet were completely unprepared for a full-scale war. Thinking that this was a mere squabble that would soon be resolved, the British lacked reserves in ammunition and equipment; plus, they had no suitable military maps available for use either.   The Boers took advantage of the British’s ill-preparedness and moved quickly in the early days of the war. Commandos spread out in several directions from the Transvaal and Orange Free State, besieging three railway towns- Mafeking, Kimberley, and Ladysmith- in order to impede the transport of British reinforcements and equipment from the coast. The Boers also won several major battles during the early months of the war. Most notably these were the battles of Magersfontein, Colesberg, and Stormberg, which all occurred during what became known as â€Å"Black Week† between December 10 and 15, 1899. Despite this successful initial offensive, the Boers never sought to occupy any of the British-held territories in South Africa; they focused instead on besieging supply lines and ensuring that the British were too undersupplied and disorganized to launch their own offensive. In the process, the Boers greatly taxed their resources and their failure to push further into British-held territories allowed the British time to resupply their armies from the coast. The British may have faced defeat early on but the tide was about to turn. Phase Two: The British Resurgence By January of 1900, neither the Boers (despite their many victories) nor the British had made much headway. The Boer sieges of strategic British rail lines continued but the Boer militias were rapidly growing weary and low on supplies. The British government decided it was time to gain the upper hand and sent two troop divisions to South Africa, which included volunteers from colonies like Australia and New Zealand. This amounted to roughly 180,000 men- the largest army Britain had ever sent overseas to this point. With these reinforcements, the disparity between the numbers of troops was huge, with 500,000 British soldiers but only 88,000 Boers. By late February, British forces had managed to move up strategic railway lines and finally relieve Kimberley and Ladysmith from Boer besiegement. The Battle of Paardeberg, which lasted nearly ten days, saw a major defeat of Boer forces. Boer general Piet Cronjà © surrendered to the British along with more than 4,000 men. A series of further defeats greatly demoralized the Boers, who were also plagued by starvation and disease brought on by months of sieges with little to no supply relief. Their resistance began to collapse. By March 1900, British forces led by Lord Frederick Roberts had occupied Bloemfontein (the capital of the Orange Free State) and by May and June, they had taken Johannesburg and the South African Republic’s capital, Pretoria. Both republics were annexed by the British Empire. Boer leader Paul Kruger escaped capture and went into exile in Europe, where much of the population’s sympathy lay with the Boer cause. Squabbles erupted within Boer ranks between the bittereinders (â€Å"bitter-enders†) who wanted to keep fighting and those hendsoppers (â€Å"hands-uppers†) who favored surrender.  Many Boer burghers did end up surrendering at this point, but about 20,000 others decided to fight on. The last, and most destructive, phase of the war was about to begin. Despite the British victories, the guerrilla phase would last more than two years. Phase Three: Guerrilla Warfare, Scorched Earth, and Concentration Camps Despite having annexed both Boer republics, the British barely managed to control either one. The guerrilla war that was launched by resistant burghers and led by generals Christiaan de Wet and Jacobus Hercules de la Rey, kept the pressure on British forces throughout the Boer territories. Rebel Boer commandos relentlessly raided British communication lines and army bases with swift, surprise attacks often conducted at night. Rebel commandos had the ability to form on a moment’s notice, conduct their attack and then vanish as if into thin air, confusing British forces who barely knew what had hit them. The British response to the guerrillas was three-fold. Firstly, Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener, commander of the South African British forces, decided to set up barbed wire and blockhouses along the railway lines to keep the Boers at bay. When this tactic failed, Kitchener decided to adopt a â€Å"scorched earth† policy that systematically sought to destroy food supplies and deprive the rebels of shelter. Whole towns and thousands of farms were plundered and burned; livestock was killed. Lastly, and perhaps most controversially, Kitchener ordered the construction of concentration camps in which thousands of women and children- mostly those left homeless and destitute by his scorched earth policy- were interred.   The concentration camps were severely mismanaged. Food and water were scarce in the camps and starvation and disease caused the deaths of over 20,000. Black Africans were also interred in segregated camps primarily as a source of cheap labor for gold mines. The camps were widely criticized, especially in Europe where British methods in the war were already under heavy scrutiny. Kitchener’s reasoning was that the internment of civilians would not only further deprive the burghers of food, which had been supplied to them by their wives on the homestead, but that it would prompt the Boers to surrender in order to be reunited with their families. Most notable among the critics in Britain was Liberal activist Emily Hobhouse, who worked tirelessly to expose the conditions in the camps to an outraged British public. The revelation of the camp system severely damaged the reputation of Britain’s government and furthered the cause for Boer nationalism abroad.   Peace Nevertheless, the strong-arm tactics of the British against the Boers eventually served their purpose. The Boer militias grew weary of fighting and morale was breaking down. The British had offered peace terms in March of 1902, but to no avail. By May of that year, however, Boer leaders finally accepted peace conditions and signed the Treaty of Vereenigingon May 31, 1902. The treaty officially ended the independence of both the South African Republic and the Orange Free State and placed both territories under British army administration. The treaty also called for the immediate disarmament of the burghers and included a provision for funds to be made available for the reconstruction of the Transvaal. The Second Boer War had come to an end and eight years later, in 1910, South Africa was united under British dominion and became the Union of South Africa.

M7 Deforestation and Kaibab Deer Discussion Assignment

M7 Deforestation and Kaibab Deer Discussion - Assignment Example ifferent ways including destruction of recreation area in the national and tropic forests which provide the locals more returns compared to logging, drying up rivers as alternative sources of income and increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (Merrill, 2008). Deforestation generally interferes with other important or beneficial economic activities such as hunting, recreation and fishing in both the tropic and the national forests. Deforestation of tropic forests lead to increased emission of greenhouse gases as well as enhance susceptibility of surrounding areas to tropic storms and floods. Floods are associated with increase in certain diseases such as cholera and malaria through breeding mosquitoes on stagnated waters (Merrill, 2008). Cholera resulting from floods can be addressed the public health sector through controlling of the floods through encouraging mitigation measures such as tree planting or re-afforestation. The disease can also be controlled through distribution of clean drinking water during such floods. A significant decrease in the number of wild animals especially the potential extinction the mule deer the Kaibab due to increased hunting activities led to the decision to make Kaibab a Forest Reserve. This decision was made to facilitate restriction of hunting activities through prohibition hunting within the forest reserve and the Grand Canyon National Park (Kay, 2010). Nevertheless, the move resulted into increased number of wild animals which posed another threat other forms of wildlife with such areas. As a result, this incident has been quoted in many wildlife decisions especially in justifying the need to authorize hunting to achieve significant ecological balance (Kay, 2010). Hunting has been supported on economic basis in which the activity is believed to contribute significantly to the national economy. Charitable organizations benefit from donations made from hunting activities both in monitory and food forms (North Carolina Wildlife