Tess of the D’Urbevilles – Hardys View on Industrialisation

Explore Hardy’s attitude towards industrialisation in phase the fourth. Industrialisation became a growing presence amongst the Victorian Era and had an elusive yet undeniable impact on the population. Within the novel Tess Of The d’Urbervilles and in particular phase the fourth, Industrialisation is heavily focused on and explored. However Hardy establishes a balanced and ambivalent viewpoint towards the implications and presence of Industry as there is evidence to suggest both positive and negative aspects to its advancement.This therefore demonstrates that Hardy, especially through his effective use of binary oppositions offers a complex view which evokes a variety of Interpretations. To successfully convey clear comparisons between industrial interventions and rural aspects of pastoral life, Hardy uses binary oppositions to effectively highlight these contrasts. For example, parallel distinctions between light and shade / symbolic colours (Industry vs. Country) are made apparent in chapter xxx.This is shown when a ‘feeble light was beginning to assert its presence’ used to describe the train and this is in contrast to the ‘expanse of shade’ which represents the countryside. The connotations of ‘light’ against what essentially is darkness may that the train of which modern life represents offers optimism, hope and a prosperous future compared to the harsh standstill that is rural life. However this can also be successfully challenged with the argument that the light is superficial and not real which can justify its feebleness, and offer a rather negative and weak view of industrialisation.Another interpretation to this comparison may be that the fact the light of the train ‘asserts’ itself suggests that industrialisation is imposing itself on rural life and the environment in quite a forceful yet inevitable manner. To further support this, the ‘fitful white streak of steam’ which asserted itself on the ‘dark green background’ can be effectively seen as symbolic of the demising taint of which industry inflicts on the rural landscape.Furthermore this conjunction/fusion of industry on the country side again highlights the obvious visible contrast and proposed artificial lights/ colours against the natural and pure landscape. This proposes that Hardy presents quite a negative and tarnishing view of industrialisation and its impact on the countryside. However the negative perception of Industry is counter argued with the inclusion of the celestial and terrestrial comparisons, for example ‘’terrestrial star yet in more importance†¦ to mankind than the celestial ones’.This is of high significance because it directly addresses the view that although nature a creation by god, which is represented by the natural celestial star is grand and majestic, however it is not always useful especially when in contrast to an evolving modern (manmade) industrial world. This can be therefore effectively be argued that this balance hardy creates between the presentations of Industry is way of suggesting that the fusion between nature and industry is symbiotic and thus in affect beneficial to both.This displays Hardy’s effective complexity within his attitude towards industrialisation and this may because it is an accurate response of his believes that despite that industrialisation is inevitable it is both positive and negative and will have a dual symbiotic impact of society, which is made apparent by his balance argument. Hardy also intricately uses the focalised theme of industrialisation in this chapter to again highlight the motif of social development. Tess is potentially used as an instrument by Hardy to distinguish clear opposing comparisons between the two conjunctions that is industry and the countryside.For example while Tess in awe of the train, is described as a ‘motionless’ which is a dir ect opposition to the moving pace of the train. This is effective in the claim that whilst industry is forever evolving and inevitable to progression, the rural life is still, unmoving and highly limited. This is also enforced by Hardy’s representation of Tess (which is symbolic for the countryside as one of ‘ no date or fashion’ which is negative and highlights the contemporary progression made against the ‘unsophisticated’ life of the countryside.Hardy’s structure with the inclusion of industrial elements is also highly interesting. This is because in contrast to the beginning of the novel where Hardy incorporates no use of modern/industrial aspects, as the novel progresses and especially as Tess attains a higher social status due to her peaking relationship with Angel who represents modern thinking and way of life, modernisation becomes apparent.This is symbolic of the fact that industrialisation is representative of higher social status an d economic growth, business and essentially a means of production which is affiliated with the bourgeoisie. This view is further enhanced by Tess’s ignorance of modern life and her reference to the specific section of Londoners ‘noble men and noble woman’ who are at the heart of industry. This again suggests hat modernisation is another form of referring class distinctions within society and particularly the Victorian era. This may suggest that Hardy’s somewhat negative views on industrialisation may be for these implications on society. However it can also be noted that Industry (metaphorically used through the train) is used to connect these two opposing ways of life, therefore is a positive impact on society and this enforces the symbiotic view which was previously made.In conclusion it is clear that Hardy intricately portrays and depicts the implications of industrialisation in various ways. This shows that his balanced and complex is representative of multiple people within both modern urban areas and the rural countryside. Also these balanced views may be that despite the fact that industry had not fully developed in the Victorian era, they were still showing both negative and positive implications of the world and one of which are inevitable,

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell Tale Heart Essay

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell Tale Heart relates the story of one man’s obsession at the seemingly trifle and otherwise common place prospect of the gaze of another’s eyes. So consumed is this person of his obsession with the eyes belonging to his tenent or landlord that one night he decides to gouge it off, kill its owner, and bury the eyeball in question under the floorboard. Needless to say, Edgar Allan Poe succeeds in exacting yet another dose of terror, dread and trepidation from his readers. The stated sentiments exist partly because of the plot, but largely because of Poe’s use of visual imagery, characterized by words which harp on the senses as people perceive it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These perceptions, the heightened sensations that the narrator, who is in fact, also the murderer in the story, feels –   in the extent of the short story is given structure by the way which he proceeds to talk of his victim. He writes first of being alluded to the eye, not being particularly attached to it initially, but describing it with an endearment out of place, and with a distinction which one would not normally employ when referring to something as ordinary as one of the five senses, except perhaps if people were talking about their lovers (which the narrator is not). His interest shifts and evolves as the story progresses. Talk of the eye in question becomes irrational to the point of alarming, and readers know at this point that something ominous is about to ensue. The narrator begins to talk distinctly of the eye as it were a separate entity, separate from that of its owner, the landlord, who he admits of being nothing but kind, and not having mistreated him in any way. His loving and long winded descriptions regarding, and romancing the eye in question, and the person to whom it belongs to culminates in a course of action which brings him to the landlord’s bedroom in the middle of the night. While in the victim’s sleep, he decides to take the eye for himself, and he describes it with such loving and final triumph as though it were a destiny and an important task that had long been awaiting fruition, and the time has come for it to bear fruit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   More than what has already been narrated and told in the plot, the story tells of one man’s obsessive longing, his ascension to insanity (or a closely related version of it) because of the pursuit of that longing, and the consummation of the same longing and madness by means of taking matters into his own hands, and literally plucking out from the face of the earth what had been bothering him for so long. Although not the most pleasant of activities, and certainly not the one people would resort to as a matter of routine or principle. But for the narrator, for the person who needed to put an end to this longing, this itch, this gap which need to be filled, it meant the world and more. It meant a sense of triumph. It indulged his senses and satisfied his itch for an irrational but complex need to fill up a gap in his inner being and sanctum. Despite the questionable ethical as well as moral tendency with which he proceeded in committing the crime, to him it was a necessary road to ease and fulfillment. A Poem As It Regards to the Tell Tale Heart True, people are kind and truer still, people are beautiful but beauty exists in fewer instances these days. In smaller and smaller and smaller packages. So come dearest, let us you and me — die

Bacteria produce gold by digesting toxic metals

Bacteria produce gold by digesting toxic metals High concentrations of heavy metals like copper and gold are found to be toxic for most of the organisms. But scientists have discovered a modern alchemist that can extract valuable trace elements from a compound of toxic metals without poisoning itself. One of the interesting side effects is the production of gold nuggets. This microbial magician, C. metallidurans, when placed in a minilab full of gold chloride converts it to 24-carat gold in a week’s time, a process that this bacterium is thought to carry out regularly in nature. This finding by Kazem Kashefi and Adam Brown has been exhibited as an art instalment called â€Å"The Great Work of the Metal Lover†. The art work consists of a portable lab which consists of a glass bioreactor containing the bacteria. While Kashefi calls this as microbial alchemy, Brown calls it as neo-alchemy which is a cross between modern microbiology and alchemy. This artwork received an honourable, mentioned in the world renowned cyber art competition, Prix Ars Electronica, held in Austria. Producing pure gold from bacterium seems to be a boon at a time when the price of gold has reached an all-time high. But, does this mean that the scientists have got the answer to the international debt crises? Although this bacterium can produce the 24-carat pure gold, but it has been said that it will be cost prohibitive to carry out this experiment at a larger scale. So, one should not see this as a golden investment in economic crisis. But, this discovery has surely created a debate over the use of science and technology, the greed and other economic and environmental impacts associated with it. This work can be used to address questions regarding the ethics related to science and the magnificent engineering of nature. When discovered, the bacterium was initially found to be resistant to cadmium but subsequent studies identified that this strain is multi-metal resistant and has two plasmids pMOL28 and pMOL30 which harbour multiple loci for metal resistance. The bacterium’s ability to thrive in toxic environments with a high number of heavy metal resistant genes makes it an excellent model organism to study the means by which microbes deal with heavy metal stress. Such unique ability of this extremophile to metabolize toxic substances might also provide an insight into understanding the origin of life. When too much copper has accumulated inside the bacteria, it is normally pumped out by the enzyme CupA. However, when gold compounds are also present, the enzyme is suppressed and the toxic copper and gold compounds remain inside the cell. Copper and gold combined are actually more toxic than when they appear on their own, says Dietrich H. Nies. To solve this problem, the bacteria activate another enzyme CopA. This enzyme transforms the copper and gold compounds into their originally difficult to absorb forms. This assures that fewer copper and gold compounds enter the cellular interior. The bacterium is poisoned less and the enzyme that pumps out the copper can dispose of the excess copper unimpeded. Another consequence is that the gold compounds that are difficult to absorb transform in the outer area of the cell into harmless gold nuggets only a few nanometres in size, says Nies. In nature, C. metallidurans plays a key role in the formation of so-called secondary gold, which emerges following the breakdown of primary, geologically created, ancient gold ores. It transforms the toxic gold particles formed by the weathering process into harmless gold particles, thereby producing gold nuggets. The study conducted by the joint German-Australian research team provides important insights into the second half of the bio-geochemical gold cycle. Here primary gold metal is transformed by other bacteria into mobile, toxic gold compounds, which is transformed back into secondary metallic gold in the second half of the cycle. Once the entire cycle is understood, gold can also be produced from ores containing only a small percentage of gold without requiring toxic mercury bonds as was previously the case.

Comparison Of Two Religions - Hinduism And Buddhism Essay

Comparison Of Two Religions - Hinduism And Buddhism - Essay Example Buddhism mostly advocates the use of meditation i.e. Prajna as one of the most important spiritual practices. Hinduism and Buddhism both are practiced today through their Temples and other places of worship. However, there is an increasing acceptance of Buddhist practices in West wherein modern practices are being adapted in the West. Hinduism, however, is being mostly practiced in India and Nepal with relatively increasing acceptance in the West also. For example, Buddhism is mostly associated with the Dalai Lama and most of the spiritual practices actually emerge from his center. Hinduism however, is also practiced in the relatively diverse way with followers visiting temples and performing rituals even within their own homes. Kumbh Mela is also one of the largest gatherings of Hindus for the pilgrimage through which the followers of Hinduism actually perform their rituals. Apart from this, various religious festivals are being performed in Hindu religion. The festivals of Holi, as well as Diwali, are two of the famous religious practices through which Hindus practice their religion. (Rinehart, 2004) Buddhism however, is being practiced through its various schools of thoughts and focuses more on the meditation as the most important way to practice. Important meditations and practices include Vappasana meditation as well as Zen practices. Apart from this, spending a monastic life is also another way to practice the religion wherein monks learn Vinaya- the specific moral code for Monks. (Armstrong, 2001)

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint - Research Paper Example Similarly, the operators’ privacy policy remains of enormous importance and is significant in swaying preference based on how secure a client feels. While national carriers remain committed to privacy protection, the problem persists in modern times owing to clauses that seem to preserve corporate interests at the expense of the client. Focusing on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, this paper explores similarities and differences privacy policies with the aim of establishing areas that require improvement. Background and Visions With its origins linked to the Bell Telephone Company that was founded by Graham Bell, AT&T commands a large market share across its subsidiary companies that offer a wide range of products and services. The company boosts a large following of more than 100 million subscribers of broad range wireless voice and data services. This is facilitated by the company’s capacity and coverage that goes beyond the US and into more than 200 countries. For periods, AT&T have established consistency in innovative, reliable, and high quality products and services guided by the mission to connect people with their world. The company’s mission seeks to establish coverage in accordance to basic and daily routines of their target population (AT&T, n.d.). In this manner, AT&T seeks perfection in the provision of services by creating new solutions to cover personal and business needs, which drives innovation in the industry. An amalgamation between Bell Atlantic and GTE saw the emergence of Verizon, which has grown to become a major competitor in the provision of wired and wireless communication services. Initially, Bell Atlantic was founded as a result of the AT&T breakup in the anti-trust judgment, which saw the Bell acquire seven of Bell Operating Companies. As such, this contributed to the rise of the company to the largely competitive communications industry in the US. Verizon specializes in the provision of wire line communication servic es and boosts of a wide coverage of high-speed optical fibre line, which serves facilitate various products. This has seen the company establish partnerships with various broadcast companies to deliver a wide variety of digital entertainment including pay-tv services. This way, Verizon is able to fulfil the basic of its intentions as stipulated in the company’s mission, which is to allow communication among people and businesses. The company also indicates a great deal of commitment to its clientele, staff, and investors that works towards creating a respected brand in communication. With its base in Kansas City, Sprint Corporation serves millions of businesses and residential customers in more than 70 countries. The company is recognized for the development and deployment of state-of-the-art network technologies associated with America’s first nationwide fiber-optic network. It is through this that clients are served in various capacities including network-based voice , video, and data services. Sprint’s mission aims at the provision of enriching and productive experience to their customers with regard to communication solutions. This way, the company hopes to provide the best client service, products, and rates that will constitute the evaluation standards in the world. Similarities in Private Policies A privacy policy describes a set of regulations that govern the collection, use, and dissemination of a client’

Media Practice in the UK Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media Practice in the UK - Personal Statement Example After this, I hope to either join an animation team for the production of a television programme or film or, alternatively, set up one myself. It is unwise to be too focused on the current economic climate, so although I remain ambitious, I am keeping my mind open to whatever comes along. Describe why you feel your background, experience and aptitude make you a suitable candidate for the Animation Direction course. Personally, I cannot help but feel that the Animation Direction course is the best thing I could possibly do with my life at the moment. As a teenager, I felt caged in my surroundings and found that I could only release my emotions through the creation of a story and the visualization of ideas. Since I was nine years old and started making flip books, I have spent much of my free time – and all of my time in higher education – writing novels and drawing comic books. Such a hobby came naturally to me, and happily, it is something at which I am skilled. This is why I am applying, specifically, to the Animation Direction course. I studied the Media, Art and Design Foundation course at the London College of Communication; I have a BA in Animation from the University of Westminster, and an MA in Illustration and Animation from Kingston University. I have excelled in these courses, due to both my passion and my talent. I have studied film theory in depth and developed both practical and mental skills necessary for the type of career I am entering. I am also a confident person and have never been shy to communicate my artistic visions: I am always discussing projects with my peers and potential colleagues. Given your choice of specialization, describe in your own words the role you would expect to take in the process of development and production of an animated film. I would welcome the chance to work at the highest possible level, as a director. The director of an animated film holds the most senior position in the animation department, and a s such is ultimately and personally responsible not only for the quality of the animation but also for the department's ability to produce results on time. This means that from the very beginning I would have to liaise with the writers to understand their vision and help communicate that vision to the artists. Delegation is an important part of being a director, so I would need to be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each team member to be able to assign work fairly and to the best advantage; later on, I would critically review the work of my staff, encouraging or suggesting improvement as necessary. Select one item from your submission and write an evaluation of the dramatic strengths and weaknesses including that of your own creative contribution. One of my submission items was the opening live-action footage of my experimental animation. I challenged myself to create an effective atmosphere without using sound effects. The series of close-ups of banal items such as shoes and gloves heighten the senses, and the cinematic color I used creates a feeling of suspense in the audience. More astute members of the audience will work themselves into a state of fear, creating links between the blue saturation and bathroom, in silence. I believe I have succeeded in making an atmospheric opening scene without resorting to music or sound effects.  

Methods of Engagement in Afghanistan Research Paper

Methods of Engagement in Afghanistan - Research Paper Example Hamid Karzai, who was elected at large as president in 2004 was again re-elected in 2009. Notwithstanding the political progress gained by that war-torn country since the toppling of the Taliban, there remain serious challenges to Afghanistan’s political and economic transition (The World Factbook: Afghanistan 2010). On the security front, the Taliban have risen again to mount what is called today a neo-Taliban insurgency, which is slowly spreading in the countryside especially in the south because of the weakening of Karzai’s support among the local tribal leaders there. Afghanistan’s economy is also one big factor that is holding back the success of the reconstruction process. The long years of conflict had taken a toll on its economy and the infusion of funds from international sources during the reconstruction is not enough to turn it around and lift the country from total poverty. Poverty has led not only to shortages in housing, food, medical care and other basic support for its population but it has also led to the difficulty in eradicating opium poppies cultivation. As a matter of fact, opium poppy cultivation increased rather than decreased after the toppling of the Taliban and during reconstruction period in 2004 (The World Factbook: Afghanistan 2010; Gootnick 55). Finall y, ethnic and religious undertones often underpin conflicts that are still raging in Afghanistan as can be evidenced from the Taliban-led insurgency in the countryside. In accomplishing a successful reconstruction in Afghanistan, the US and its Coalition must succeed in eradicating the three-pronged problem that plague and hamper it: insurgency; economic poverty, and; religious and ethnic fundamentalism. One way of affecting a solution with the least loss of lives and minimal resources is a method of engagement that has already been recently put into a test by the Coalition Forces and is known as tribal engagement. This is the most credible solution to

Discuss Fayol's four functions in relation to an Australian Essay

Discuss Fayol's four functions in relation to an Australian organization that you are familiar with. Provide an analysis of ho - Essay Example The principles used by the management include division of work, and authority in the organisation2. Division of work is the specialization that increases the output of each individual employee. Authority enables the management to give orders to the subordinates. Unity of command and unity of function are also essential in the management functions. Remuneration principle asserts that employees should receive fair wages, with stability of tenure in their employment contract. Other principles of management outlined by Fayol include the scalar chain whereby the communication flows from the top management to the subordinates and order principle that asserts that all people and materials should be at the appropriate place in the right time3. Accordingly, the team spirit and imitativeness of employees is critical in promoting creativity in work4. Planning According to Fayol, one of the core functions of management is planning. This function entails deciding the future organizational goals a nd preparing plans of achieving the goals. Planning involves determining a future course of action and taking adequate steps of achieving the pre-determined goal5. Rio Tinto is a multinational company that has a presence in Australia. Through several mergers and acquisitions, the company has expanded to become one of the leading mining companies engaged in the mining of aluminum, uranium, coal, copper and iron ore. The Management of Rio Tinto has to prepare different types of plans. For instance, there are weekly plans, monthly plans, operational plans, tactical plans and strategic business plans. At the corporate level, the company prepares long term plans that extend more than ten years. The strategic plans include the diversification of operations and long term commitment to expanding operations in different continents. The company also prepares yearly plans that entail the expected profits and costs of operations during the year. The tactical plans of the company mainly focus of functions such as mine prospecting and exploration. Tactical plans are prepared for each department such as employee recruitment and remuneration plans, financial plans, and mining department plans. The operational plans are mainly prepared by the first level managers and outline the activities and accountabilities of the specific managers. Other plans that are common at Rio Tinto include weekly plans and daily plans of mine exploration, with accompanying details of activities to be undertaken by each employee and the supervisors6. Planning entails defining the current situation, establishing the objectives of the plans, and developing an action plan for attaining the goals7. Other elements of planning include budgeting, implementing the plans and controlling the plans. Planning should also forecast the aids and barriers to the goals of the organisation. For instance, some of the aids to achieving planned objectives in Rio Tinto include well qualified personnel and superior technol ogy. However, some barriers to planning at Rio Tinto include complexity of the plans due to unforeseen uncertainties like a possibility of cancellation of the mining rights and contracts in many jurisdictions. Some of the factors that influence the planning function in Rio Tinto include political factors, environmental factors and government control over the mining industry in many countries. Planning is important in any organisation since it enhances

The Inclusion of Traveller Pupils - Raising Achievements Essay

The Inclusion of Traveller Pupils - Raising Achievements - Essay Example Increasing mainstream access is an important goal† (cited in Rayner 2007: 35). While there are a lot of various definitions of educational inclusion, this concept is always understood in the context of an ideology of social justice, namely in the context of the principle of equity in education. Inclusive education may be viewed as equal education for all pupils who come to school, regardless of a range of student characteristics, including â€Å"class, race, ethnicity, sexuality, perceived level of ability or disability, or age† (Rayner 2007: 36). OFSTED (2000) adds that it is for the most part about the provision made for and the achievement of different groups of pupils within a school, including â€Å"minority ethnic and faith groups, Travellers, asylum seekers and refugees† (p.4). However, equity in education should not be understood as â€Å"treating all pupils in the same way†, rather it involves â€Å"taking account of pupils’ varied life exp eriences and needs† (OFSTED 2000: 7). ... The recent evolution of inclusion within the British educational system started in 1997, when the New Labour came to power. In 2000 a revised National Curriculum was designed to â€Å"secure for all pupils †¦an entitlement to a number of areas of learning and to develop knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes necessary for their self-fulfilment as active and responsible citizens† (Hodkinson and Vickerman 2009: 74). This Curriculum 2000 is intended to be a curriculum for all as of right (Clough 1988: 11), and it is based upon three core principles: (1) setting suitable learning challenges; (2) responding to pupils’ diverse learning needs; (3) overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils (QCDA online). During the recent decade, significant changes in policies and practices aimed at the development of inclusive education have occurred. It is widely recognised that there are many benefits of children when they rec eive an inclusive education. The most important of these benefits have been documented by Moore (2009: 22-23) on the basis of analysis of recent research. They are: Increasing of growth in social skills of children as a result of their socialising with similar age peers. Forming a better sense of belonging, this is considered to have a great impact on achievement a sense of self-worth and performance in society. Exercising a basic right to be educated with peers and to participate in all facets of childhood and school setting on equal terms with other pupils. Minimising an effect of labelling that is very important in terms of maturation and development of a child’s performance. Learning and forming a positive feeling about others who have differences in lifestyle, race, customs and traditions.

Exploring Inferential Statistics and Their Discontents Essay

Exploring Inferential Statistics and Their Discontents - Essay Example fers to a linear model applied in statistical analysis; it is used in testing hypotheses, factor in estimates, known quantities and other sources of errors in statistical experiments. Thus, GLM matters since it is used in quantifying the relationship between a number of predictor variables and a dependent variable. Parametric methods or statistics refer to those methods that assume normality of a population or used after approximation by normal distribution immediately after invoking CLT (central limit theorem). On the other hand, non-parametric methods refer to general statistical techniques that do not make assumptions about normality of a population under study. In addition, these methods do not depend on the population which is being studied. Thus, they can also be referred to as distribution free methods. Compared to parametric methods, non-parametric methods are becoming more popular because statisticians or researchers are not supposed to be constrained to make assumptions on the population under study. Therefore, to compare the two methods, we consider a case of finding confidence interval on the mean. Both methods are required for this type of problem since parametric methods are deemed to be more efficient than non-parametric methods. However, difference in efficiency may not be a bi g issue but we need to decide on a method that is more efficient depending on the problem in question (Sheskin, 2000). It is crucial to pay attention to assumptions of statistical tests since a number of incorrect background assumptions will definitely result to inaccurate conclusions about a population being studied. Thus, such assumptions must be made with a lot of care. For cases of dependent variable scores that are not normally distributed, they can be transformed and use the alternative statistical of non-parametric methods in order to make equal weights on the variables. P=0.05 in statistics means the 5% probability of obtaining appropriate results from a given

Georgia Atlantic Company Essay Example for Free

Georgia Atlantic Company Essay During the depression of the 1930s, Ben Jenkins, Sr., a wealthy, expansion-oriented lumberman whose family had been in the lumber business in the southeastern United States for several generations, began to acquire small, depressed sawmills and wholesale lumber companies. These businesses prospered during World War II. After the war, Jenkins anticipated that the demand for lumber would surge, so he aggressively sought new timberlands to supply his sawmills. In 1954, all of Jenkins’s companies were consolidated, along with some other independent lumber and milling companies, into a single corporation, the Georgia Atlantic Company. By the end of 1992, Georgia Atlantic was a major force in the lumber industry, though not one of the giants. Still, it possessed more timber and timberlands in relation to its use of timber than any other lumber company. Worldwide demand for lumber was strong in spite of a soft world economy, and its timber supply should have put Georgia Atlantic in a good position. With its assured supply of pulpwood, the company could run its mills at a steady rate and, thus, at a low per-unit production cost. However, the company does not have sufficient manufacturing capacity to fully utilize its timber supplies; so it has been forced to sell raw timber to other lumber companies to generate cash flow, losing potential profits in the process. Georgia Atlantic has enjoyed rapid growth in both sales and assets. This rapid growth has, however, caused some financial problems as indicated in Table 1. The condensed balance sheets shown in the table reveal that Georgia Atlantic’s financial leverage has increased substantially in the last 10 years, while the firm’s liquidity position markedly deteriorated over the same period. Remember, though, that the balance sheet figures reflect historical costs, and that the market values of the assets could be much higher than the values shown on the balance sheet. For example, Georgia Atlantic purchased 10,000 acres of cut timberland in southern Georgia in 1961 for $10 per acre, then planted trees which are now mature. The value of this acreage and its timber is estimated at $2,750 per acre, even though it is shown on the firm’s balance sheet at $230 per acre, the original $10 plus capitalized planting costs. Note also that this particular asset and others like it have produced zero accounting income; indeed, expenses associated with this acreage have produced accounting losses. When Georgia Atlantic was originally organized, most of the outstanding stock was owned by the senior Jenkins and members of his family. Over time, however, the family’s ownership position has gradually declined due to the sale of new common stock to fund expansion. In 1987, Ben Jenkins, Sr. died; the presidency of the firm was passed to his son, Ben Jenkins, Jr., who was 61 at the time. By the end of 1992, the Jenkins family held only about 35 percent of Georgia Atlantic’s common stock, and this represented essentially their entire net worth. The family has sought to finance the firm’s growth with internally generated funds to the greatest extent possible. Hence, Georgia Atlantic has never declared a cash dividend, nor has it had a stock dividend or a stock split. Due to the plowback of earnings, the stock currently sells for almost $2,000 per share. The family has stated a strong belief that investors prefer low-payout stocks because of their tax advantages, and they also think that stock dividends and stock splits serve no useful purpose—they merely create more pieces of paper but no incremental value for shareholders. Finally, the family feels that higher-priced stocks are more attractive to investors because the percentage brokerage commissions on small purchases of higher-priced stocks are lower than on large purchases of lower-priced shares. They cite the example of Berkshire-Hathaway, whose stock price has risen phenomenally even though it now sells for over $15,000 per share and pays no dividends. (The family does acknowledge, though, that Warren Buffett, Berkshire’s chairman, has done a superb job of managing the company’s assets, and that the rise of its stock price reflects that factor as well as Buffett’s financial policies.) As the date for Georgia Atlantic’s annual stockholders’ meeting approached, Mary Goalshen, the corporate secretary, informed Ben Jenkins, Jr., who is commonly called â€Å"Junior† at the company, that an unusually low number of shareholders had sent in their proxies. Goalshen felt that this might be due to rising discontent over the firm’s dividend policy. During the last two years, the average payout for firms in the paper and forest products industry has been about 35 percent; yet for the 58th straight year, Georgia Atlantic’s board, under the Jenkins family’s dominance, chose not to pay a dividend in 1992. The Jenkins family was also aware that several reports in the financial press in recent months indicated that Georgia Atlantic was a possible target of a takeover attempt. Since the family did not want to lose control of the company, they were anxious to keep the firm’s stockholders as happy as possible. Accordingly, Junior announced that the directors would hold a special meeting immediately after the annual meeting to consider whether the firm’s dividend policy should be changed. Junior instructed Abe Markowitz, Georgia Atlantic’s financial vice president, to identify and then evaluate alternative dividend policies in preparation for the special board meeting. He asked Markowitz to consider cash dividends, stock dividends, and stock splits. Markowitz then identified six proposals that he thought deserved further consideration: (1) No Cash Dividends, No Stock Dividend or Split. This was the position Markowitz was certain that Junior and the family would support, both for the reasons given above and also because he thought the company, as evidenced by the balance sheet, was in no position to pay cash dividends. (2) Immediate Cash Dividend, but No Stock Dividend or Split. This was simply the opposite of the no dividend policy. If a cash dividend policy were instituted, its size would still be an issue. (3) Immediate Cash Dividend plus a Large Stock Split. The stock split would be designed to lower the price of the firm’s stock from its current price of almost $2,000 per share to somewhere in the average price range of other large forest products stocks, or from $20 to $40 per share. (4) Immediate Cash Dividend plus a Large Stock Dividend. The reasoning underlying this policy would be essentially the same as that of Alternative 3. (5) Cash Dividend, Stock Split, and Periodic Stock Dividends. This policy would require the company to declare an immediate cash dividend and, simultaneously, to announce a sizable stock split. This policy would go further than Alternatives 3 and 4 in that, after the cash dividend and stock split or large stock dividend, the company would periodically declare smaller stock dividends equal in value to the earnings retained during the period. In effect, if the firm earned $3 per share in any given period-quarter, semi-annual period, and so on—and retained $1.50 per share, the company would also declare a stock dividend of a percentage amount equal to $1.50 divided by the market price of the stock. Thus, if the firm’s shares were selling for $30 when the cash dividend was paid, a 5 percent stock dividend would be declared. (6) Share Repurchase Plan. This plan is based on the premise that investors in the aggregate would like to see the company distribute some cash, but that some stockholders would not want to receive cash dividends because they want to minimize their taxes. Under the repurchase plan, individual stockholders could decide for themselves whether or not to sell some or all of their hares and thus to realize some cash and some capital gains, depending on their own situations. To begin his evaluation, Markowitz collected the data shown in Tables 2 and 3. As he was looking over these figures, Markowitz wondered what effect, if any, Georgia Atlantic’s dividend policy had on the company’s stock price as compared to the prices of other stocks. Markowitz is also aware of one other issue, but it is one that neither he nor anyone else has had the nerve to bring up. Junior is now 66 years old, which is hardly ancient; but he is in poor health, and in recent years he has been almost obsessed with the idea of avoiding taxes. Further, the federal estate tax rate is currently 60 percent, and additional state estate taxes would be due; so well over half of Junior’s net worth as of the date of his death will have to be paid out in estate taxes. Since estate taxes are based on the value of the estate on the date of death, to minimize his estate’s taxes, Junior might not want the value of the company to be maximized until after his death. Markowitz does not know Junior’s view of this, but he does know that his tax advisors have thought it through and have explained it to him. Finally, Markowitz knows that several Wall Street firms have been analyzing Georgia Atlantic’s â€Å"breakup value,† or the value of the company if it were broken up and sold in pieces. He has heard breakup value estimates as high as $3,500 per share, primarily because other lumber companies, including Japanese and European companies, are eager to buy prime properties such as those owned by Georgia Atlantic. Of course, Georgia Atlantic could sell assets on its own, but Markowitz does not expect that to happen as long as Junior is in control. Now assume that you are an outside consultant and have been hired by Abe Markowitz to help him with the analysis and make a presentation to the executive committee. First, Abe is not sure whether an announced dividend policy is a good idea. He believes an announced policy could cause the firm to feel forced to take actions that otherwise would be undesirable. He has also expressed concern about signaling and clientele effects. As old man Jenkins used to say, â€Å"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.† Thus, analyze the firm’s present dividend policy to determine how well the company has performed compared to other firms in the industry before discussing the implications of the alternative dividend policies and making a recommendation. Markowitz also wants you to discuss whether the firm’s historical rate of return on investment has been affected by its dividend policy, the estate tax issue, and the takeover issue. Junior is famous for asking tough questions and then crucifying the person being questioned if he or she has trouble responding. That is probably why Markowitz wants you to make the presentation. So be sure that you thoroughly understand the issues and your answers so that you can handle any follow-up questions that you might receive.

Writing skills Essay Example for Free

Writing skills Essay The study of Neville looks in the way of addressing academic literacy within the University level. He highlighted several important factors that make such feat difficult for students to achieve. â€Å"In this paper I describe examples of students’ difficulties in developing academic literacy, and show how these difficulties relate not only to students’ own developing understanding of academic Discourse but also to their awareness of themselves as apprentices of it. † (Neville, 1997, p. 40) It is through this that the author mentioned the factors of truly understanding the nature of reading and writing among students that impedes such process. â€Å"For many students, difficulties with academic literacy most immediately concern the actual process of reading or writing rather than what is finally produced. † (Neville, 1997, p. 40) It is through these issues that both the content and final product outputs are compromised. It is through this that he highlights the different facets both in reading and writing that seems to be problematic. With this, he interpreted the understanding of academic culture as a means of addressing such deficiency in writing skills. â€Å"Academic culture is concerned with the development and communication of knowledge, and academic writing has evolved to meet the needs of culture. † (Neville, 1997, p. 41) On the other hand, in relation with reading, the author argued that there needs to be better insights on how reading should be among students. â€Å"They must themselves become academic readers, and so treat reading not as mere preparation for writing – productive, but passive and safe – but critical and active process itself. † (Neville, 1997, p. 41) In the end, Neville argued that students – if such actions continue to be present within the educational system, may experience difficulties coping with these standards. â€Å"It is time for academic literacy, literacy at the tertiary level, to take a legitimate place on the political and educational agenda. † (Neville, 1997, p. 49) Reference: Burke, D. J. (1995) ‘Connecting Content and Motivation: Education’s Missing Link’ in Peabody Journal of Education. 70 no. 2 Retrieved March 24, 2008. pp. 66-81 Establishing the need for educational motivation within the content of teaching is what Burke emphasizes in the article. He sees the foundation of learning to be linking and finding the gap between content within the curriculum and motivation for both students and teachers. After which he pointed out the problem concerning the presumption that content and motivation should be treated separately. â€Å"Unfortunately for students and teachers, perhaps equally so for learning, until separate and unequal treatment of the content-motivation relationship is replaced by their colligation, academic achievement should not be expected to rise significantly† (Burke, 1995, p. 70) After such analysis and explanation of the problem, he then pursues the importance of motivation in educational institutions. â€Å"Motivation is always in ‘potential form’ until it impels or ignites activity. † (Burke, 1995, p. 70) He highlights the importance of putting motivation hand-in-hand with content so as to create a foundation of a deeper understanding of the curriculum imparted to students. Through this, Burke dwells into the issue of motivation by dwelling on its relevance to psychology particularly among students. â€Å"The successful teacher, in order to facilitate the connection between motivation and content, will be better-served by an outward sensitivity to psychological factors including learner need identification, be it social, physical, emotional, or intellectual. † (Burke, 1995, p. 70) With this, the article pointed out the responsibility of the educator to formally create mechanisms and practices that will promote and uplift motivation among students. This can be done by creating facilitation techniques and skills that will test and create an environment for motivation. â€Å"A variety of learning activities, specific content objectives, and wide-ranging instructional techniques should be designed for every learning experience. † (Burke, 1995, p. 70) Reference: Bringle, R. G. and Hatcher, J. A. (1996) ‘Implementing Service Learning in Higher Education’ in The Journal of Higher Education. 67 no. 2. Ohio State University Press. pp. 221-239. Incorporating service learning within the realm of higher education is the main argument proposed by both Bringle and Hatcher. They emphasized its relative importance not only to the social development of students. But on the other hand, it seeks to promote a holistic experience to educators and students. â€Å"We view service learning as credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. † (Bringle and Hatcher, 1996, p. 222) Learning for them, must be understood not only as a activity and action that revolves around the confinement of the classroom, but also on other facets. With this, the article provided methods and practices that can create service learning within the branch of higher education. Both authors provided a model (CAPSL) that seeks to address the initial program on hand. They proposed different schemes starting from the initial planning stage towards the completion of the overall program. It is through this that they adhere the relative importance of universities. â€Å"The university, as an institution, can be both the means of and the object of data collection that monitors program development, evaluates institutional outcomes, and publishes the results of this research in professional journals. † (Bringle and Hatcher, 1996, p. 227) By creating a collaborative effort for all actors within the academe and educational sector, the program and dynamics can itself create awareness, practice and mechanism for change. â€Å"The CAPSL provides a heuristic for guiding the development of a service learning programs in higher education. † (Bringle and Hatcher, 1996, p. 236) References Bringle, R. G. and Hatcher, J. A. (1996) ‘Implementing Service Learning in Higher Education’ in The Journal of Higher Education. 67 no. 2. Ohio State University Press. pp. 221-239. Burke, D. J. (1995) ‘Connecting Content and Motivation: Education’s Missing Link’ in Peabody Journal of Education. 70 no. 2 Retrieved March 24, 2008. pp. 66-81 Nevile, M. (1996) ‘Literacy culture shock: Developing academic literacy at University in Copyright Agency Limited. 19 no. 1 Retrieved March 24, 2008. pp. 38-51

Human rights and indian armed forces in low intensity

Human rights and indian armed forces in low intensity CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION â€Å"A bullet fired by the security forces becomes a massacre by the security forces every act of a terrorist or insurgent is attributed as a colossal failure of security† The quote above describes the situation under which thousands of armed forces personnel, deployed to fight the anti national and anti social elements in low intensity conflict operations in the North Eastern region for over five decades and for two decades in Jammu Kashmir. One of the greatest threats to the future of Indian democracy is terrorism which has almost become a way of life in the North Eastern states. Pakistan has been waging a proxy war in Jammu Kashmir since 1989. She has been infiltrating armed militants and promoting insurgency on a very large scale. Failure of the civil administration to control the situation has led to the deployment of the armed forces in low intensity conflict operations. Though, the security forces have been able to bring the situation under control, at the same time has also brought up the issues of violation of human rights from time to time. The situation at present is that, while there is an increasing and widespread demand for human rights observance of by the security forces operating in low intensity conflict operations environment under Armed Forces Special Powers Act, gross violations of the same by the insurgent, militant and separatist organisations continue unabated. In the recent past the demand for repealing of The Armed Forces Special Powers Act has considerably increased. This act is blamed to be a draconian law which violates the basic rights of human beings guaranteed to them by the various provisions of the constitution and international laws and conventions. Armed Forces Special Powers Act was enacted by the Parliament for the first time in 1958, to deal with certain serious threats to the integrity of the nation from some separatist organisations in some of the North Eastern states.  Ã‚   Under similar conditions this act was promulgated in Punjab in 1980s and in the state of Jammu Kashmir in 1990. Some people and organisations believe that Armed Forces Special Powers Act is the single most factor for the human rights violations.   Certain international organisations have also voiced their opinion in favour of the repeal of this act.   However, it needs an in depth study to ascertain whether Armed Forces Special Powers Act is only causing human rights violations and its repeal will help in reducing the same. METHODOLOGY Statement of the Problem Armed Forces Special Powers Act is perceived to be one of the major reasons for human rights violations in low intensity conflict environment. Repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act will help in reduction of human rights violations in these areas. Justification for the Study Internal security environment has been deteriorated in various parts of the country since long due to ongoing low intensity conflict operations in their various forms.   Insurgency, militancy and terrorism are the result of some of the peculiar socio political situations, some of which are also engineered and abetted by our adversaries.   These problems have led to increased involvement of the armed forces to assist the civil administration in maintaining the law and order situation in various parts of the country.   Emergence of media especially electronic media and some human rights organisations have resulted into increased awareness of the human rights in the societies. Human rights reports from time to time have indicated that a number of human rights abuses have taken place despite extensive constitutional and statutory safeguards. Violation of human rights by security forces has also been reported by many organisations. Since a very large number of armed forces are deployed in low intensity conflict operations in various parts of the country, the study of the subject is of great relevance. In such a scenario, it is imperative that all members of the armed forces be aware of the various aspects of human rights so that they are respected at all times and also to avoid allegations of violation of human rights while operating in low intensity conflict operations. Scope The scope of this paper is to study the concept and provision of human rights in International Declarations and Indian Constitution, legal aspects of employment of armed forces in low intensity conflict operations, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Armed Forces Special Powers Act and human rights violations, recommendations on repeal/review of Armed Forces Special Powers Act and recommended measures to prevent human rights violations in low intensity conflict operations environment. Methods of Data Collection The library of the Defence Services Staff College, precies and handouts issued by the Defence Services Staff College, interaction with some prominent personalities, conduct of opinion poll at Defence Services Staff College and articles from the Internet has been the source of information and data used in this paper.  Ã‚   A bibliography of sources has been appended at the end of the dissertation as Appendix A. Preview It is proposed to study the subject by analysing and evaluating the following aspects:- Origin and concept of human rights. Universal Declaration on Human Rights and provision of human rights in Indian Constitution. Legal aspects of low intensity conflict operations and Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Armed Forces Special Powers Act and human rights violations. Recommendations on repealing of Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Remedial measures to prevent human rights violations. Conclusion. CHAPTER II ORIGIN AND CONCEPT OF HUMAN RIGHTS References of the concept of basic human rights can be found in recorded history and ancient scriptures. In India the concept of human rights can be traced down to the Vedic times. There are many references in Vedas which throw light on the existence of human rights . The Rig Veda refers to three civil rights, the liberty of body (Tana), dwelling house (Skridhi) and life (Jibhasi). The importance of the freedom of the individual in a state and rules of war, one form of human rights has been described in Mahabharata. Artha Shastra elaborates on civil and legal rights first formulated by Manu which also include economic rights. In India, the modern version of human rights jurisprudence has taken birth at the time of British rule. The origin of this ideal lies in the struggle for freedom against the British rulers. Modern historians credit the origin of the concept to Magna Carta 1521 AD. On close examination it would be seen that Magna Carta was a petition urging the King to concede certain rights to particular section of the people. Its contents had neither the universality nor   direct relevance to common mans basic freedom. The term â€Å"Human Rights† was introduced in the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776. The French Resolution in 1789 ushered in the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen.   Much later in 1929, the Institute of International Law, New York, USA, prepared a Declaration of Human Rights and Duties.   In 1945, the Inter American Conference passed a resolution seeking the establishment of an international forum for the furtherance of human rights of mankind. The World War II drew the required attention towards human rights.   The atrocities committed on ethnic grounds by the Axis Powers shocked the conscience of the international community.   The United Nations finally proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Modern human rights can be categorised into three generations of rights. The first generation rights are concerned with the civil and political rights of the individual or the liberty oriented rights. The second-generation rights are those which are security oriented and provide social, economic and cultural securities. Third generation of human rights include the environmental and developmental rights. They are relatively of recent origin. They have evolved in response to various new concerns over which international consensus has emerged in recent years. The concept of human rights is based on equal and inalienable rights of all human beings freedom, justice and peace in the world.   These are sometimes also called fundamental or basic rights.   These are often set out in the constitution of the nation.   All member countries of the United Nations have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The concept of human rights would include the following:- Equality and justice for all, elimination of various distinctions between one human being and another anywhere and on any ground whatsoever. No one to be held without any charge or trial. Right to be produced before a magistrate with 24 hours of arrest. Rights to fair and prompt trial. Freedom from torture or ill treatment by any agency Protection from sexual violations. Rights to life and to be treated humanely, no killings, particularly of innocent person and not even inhuman behaviour. Freedom from arbitrary and unlawful coercion. Rights against any or all other excesses. CHAPTER III UNIVERSAL   DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND PROVISION OF   HUMAN RIGHTS IN INDIAN CONSTITUTION The United States defined human rights in a policy document in 1978, which says, â€Å"Freedom from arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, torture, unfair trial, cruel and unusual punishment and invasion of privacy, rights to food, shelter, health care, education, freedom of thought, speech, assembly, religion, press, movement and participation in Government†. The United Nations Organisation in keeping with its charter to promote respect for fundamental freedom and human rights for all without any distinction, came out with an International Bill of Human Rights consisting of the following:- Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966. The International Covenant of Economic Social and Cultural Rights, 1966. The Optional Protocol (1966) providing for the right of the individual to petition international agencies. The principle on which the above are based are:- All human beings, without distinction have been brought within the scope of human rights instruments. Equality of application without distinction of race, sex, language or religion. Emphasis on international cooperation for implementation. Provision of Human Rights in Indian Constitution. India is a signatory to the various conventions proclaimed by the United Nations Organisation. The Constitution of India guarantees to every citizen the basic human rights and fundamental freedom and gives due prominence in the form of fundamental rights enumerated in part III of the constitution   and are also embodied as Directive Principles of State Policy   .   The important aspects are:- Right to equality. )Right to freedom. Right against exploitation. )Right to freedom of religion. Cultural and educational rights. Right to constitutional remedies. CHAPTER IV LEGAL ASPECTS OF LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT OPERATIONS AND   ARMED FORCES SPECIAL POWERS ACT General.   The armed forces have been engaged in counter insurgency operations especially in North Eastern states of India since 1958 and in Jammu Kashmir since early nineties.   It is the constitutional responsibility of the army to ensure the integrity of the country both from external aggression as well as internal disturbances when the internal situation becomes serious and gets beyond the capabilities of the civil administration. Legal Provisions. Several legal provisions exist to provide legal powers and protection to the armed forces to execute internal security duties and aid to civil authorities[x]. These provisions are enumerated below:- Armed Forces (Special Powers) Ordinance, 1947. Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. Provisions of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973, (Section 45) Constitution of India, Article 246 vis a vis the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. Indian Arms Act 1959. Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Nagaland Security Regulation, 1962. Armed Forces Special Powers Act Background. To meet the situation arising in certain parts of India on account of the partition of the country in 1947, the Government of India issued four ordinances viz., Bengal Disturbed Areas (Special Powers of Armed Forces) Ordinance, 1947 (Act 11 of 1947), Assam Disturbed Areas (Special Powers of Armed Forces) Ordinance, 1947 (Act 14 of 1947), East Punjab and Delhi Disturbed Areas (Special Powers of Armed Forces) Ordinance, 1947 (Act 17 of 1947) and United Provinces Disturbed Areas (Special Powers of Armed Forces) Ordinance, 1947 (Act 22 of 1947). These ordinances were replaced by the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1948 being Act 3 of 1948. It was repealed by Act 36 of 1957.    The present act was enacted by the Parliament in 1958 and it was known initially as Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act, 1958. The act was preceded by an ordinance called Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Ordinance, 1958 promulgated by the President of India on 22 May 1958. The act applied to the entire state of Assam and the union territory of Manipur. After the new states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland came into being, the act was appropriately adapted to apply to these states in 1972. As originally enacted, the power to declare an area to be a disturbed area was conferred only upon the state governments. By Act 7 of 1972, however, such a power was conferred concurrently upon the Central Government. This act was enacted in the state of Punjab in 1980s and in Jammu Kashmir in 1990.    The Preamble to the act, as amended, reads as Act to enable special powers to be conferred upon members of the armed forces in disturbed areas in the states of xxxxx (as applicable)†. The Act and its Provisions.  Ã‚   The provisions of the act are similar to those of the first passed in 1958.   The basic features of the act are as follows:- Section 1. This section states the name of the act and the areas to which it extends. Section 2. This section sets out the definition of the act. Sub section (a).   the armed forces were defined as Military forces and air forces operating as land forces, and includes any other armed forces of the union so operating.   Sub section (b).   It defines a disturbed area as â€Å"An area which is for the time being declared by notification under section 3 to be a disturbed area†. Sub section (c). It states that all other words and expressions used but not defined in the act will have the meanings assigned to them in the Army Act of 1950 or Air Force Act 1950. Section 3. It grants the power to declare an area disturbed to the Central Government and the governors of the state.  Ã‚   Governor of that state or the administrator of that union territory or the Central Government, as the case may be, may, by notification in the official gazette, declare the whole or such part of such state or union territory to be a disturbed area. Section 4.   It enumerates the special powers of the armed forces, which are deployed in a state or a part of the state to act in aid of civil power. The section reads that any commissioned officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer or any other person of equivalent rank in the armed forces may, in a disturbed area, Sub section (a). If he is of opinion that it is necessary so to do for the maintenance of public order, after giving such due warning as he may consider necessary fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death, against any person who is acting in contravention of any law or order for the time being in force in the disturbed area prohibiting the assembly of five or more persons or the carrying of weapons or of things capable of being used as weapons or of firearms, ammunition or explosive substances. Sub section (b). If he is of opinion that it is necessary so to do, destroy any arms dump, prepared or fortified position or shelter from which armed attacks are made or are likely to be made or are attempted to be made, or any structure used as training camp for armed volunteers or utilised as a hideout by armed gangs or absconders wanted for any offence. Sub section (c). Arrest, without warrant, any person who has committed a cognizable offence or against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed or is about to commit a cognizable offence and may use such force as may be necessary to effect the arrest. Sub section (d). Enter and search without warrant any premises to make any such arrest as aforesaid or to recover any person believed to be wrongfully restrained or confined or any property reasonably suspected to be stolen property or any arms, ammunition or explosive substances believed to be unlawfully kept in such premises, and may for that purpose use such force as may be necessary.    Section 5.  Ã‚   This section states that that any person arrested and taken into custody under this act shall be handed over to the officer-in-charge of the nearest police station with least possible delay, together with a report of the circumstances occasioning the arrest. Section 6.   This section confers a protection upon the persons acting under the act. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding can be instituted against such person in respect of anything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred by this act, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government. g.Section 7.Repeal and saving. 7.Dos and Donts for Armed Forces Special Power Act.  Ã‚   Army Headquarters has issued certain Dos and Donts to be followed by the members of the armed forces while operating under Armed Forces Special Powers Act. As per direction of the Supreme Court,   the forces operating under this act shall observe and abide by the following directives in the course of operations under the act:- Dos 8.Actions before Operations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Act only in areas declared â€Å"Disturbed area† under section 3 of the act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Power to open to fire using force or arrest is to be exercised under this act only by an officer /junior commissioned officer/ and non commissioned officer Before lunching any raid/search, definite information about the activist to be obtained from the local civil authorities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As far as possible co-opt representative of local civil administration during the raid. 9.Actions during Operations.   Ã‚  Ã‚   In case of necessity of opening fire and using any force against the suspect or any person acting in contravention to law and order, ascertain first that it is essential for maintenance of public order. Open fire only after due warning.   Ã‚   Arrest only those who have committed cognisable offence or who are about to commit cognisable offence or against whom a reasonable ground exists to prove that they have committed or are about to commit cognisable offence. Ensure that troops under command do not harass innocent people, destroy property of the public or unnecessarily enter into the house/dwelling of people not connected with any unlawful activities. Ensure that women are not searched/arrested without the presence of female police.   Women should be search by female police only. 10.Actions after Operations. After arrest prepare a list of the persons so arrested. Handover the arrested persons to the nearest police station with least possible delay. While handing over to the police a report should accompany with detailed circumstances occasioning the arrest. Every delay in handing over the suspects to the police must be justified and should be reasonable depending upon the place, time of arrest and the terrain in which such person has been arrested. Least possible delay may be 2-3 hours extendable to 24 hours or so depending upon a particular case. After raid/search operations make out a list of all arms, ammunition or other incriminating material/ documents taken into possession. All such arms, ammunition, store etc should be handed over to the police station along with the seizure memorandum. Obtain receipt of persons and arms/ ammunition, stores etc so handed over to the police. Make record of the area where operation is launched, having the date, time and the persons participating in such raids. Make a record of the commander and other officer/ junior commissioned officer/ and non commissioned officer forming part of such force. Ensure medical relief to any person injured during the encounter. If any person dies in the encounter his dead body be handed over immediately to the police along with the details leading to such death. 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dealing with Civil Court.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Direction of the high court/Supreme Court to be promptly attended to.   Ã‚   Whenever summoned by the court, decorum of the court must be maintained and proper respect paid. Answer questions of the court politely and with dignity. Maintain detailed record of the entire operation correctly and explicitly. Donts Do not keep a person under custody for any period longer than the bare necessity for handing over to the nearest police station. Do not use any force after having arrested a person except when he is trying to escape.    Do not use third degree method to extract information or to extract confession or other involvement in unlawful activities. After arrest of a person by the member of the armed forces, the member of the armed forces shall not interrogate him. Do not release the person directly after apprehending on your own. If any person is to be released, he must be released through civil authorities.    Do not tamper with official records. The armed forces shall not take back a person after he is handed over to the civil police. CHAPTER V ARMED FORCES SPECIAL POWERS ACT AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION Gen Many human rights organisations including United Nations Human Rights Organisation are demanding repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act very strongly. They allege this act to be draconian and responsible for major portion of the human rights violations. As per these organisations unprecedented powers have been given to the armed forces under this act, which contravene many of the constitutional provisions and international law standards. They blame that the act is illegal in many respects. Argument Against   Legality of Armed Forces Special Powers Act Various human rights organisations have pointed out many shortcomings of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and blame it to be illegal. Some of the important aspects are enumerated in succeeding paragraphs. Indian Laws. Several cases challenging the constitutionality of Armed Forces Special Powers Act are pending before the Supreme Court. The following provisions of the Indian laws are alleged to be contravened by this act:- Violation of Right to Life.    Article 21 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to life to all citizens of the country. This right is violated by section 4 of this act. Violation of Right of Equality.Article 14 of the Indian Constitution guarantees equality before law. People residing in disturbed areas are denied this right due to provision of section 6 of the act which prevents citizen from filing a suit against the member of armed forces without the sanction of the Central Government. Violation of Protection Against Arrest and Detention. Under section 22 of the Constitution, any person arrested should be informed of the causes for the arrest and also he/she should be produced before a magistrate within 24 hours of arrest. This act violates both these provisions as the armed forces detain people for days and months at times. Preventive Detention Law. If the detention of arrested persons beyond 24 hours is defended on grounds of Preventive Detention Law, it still violates the provision of the law. As per provision of this law any person arrested without a warrant cannot be held for more than three months. Any detention longer than three months has to be reviewed by an advisory board. No such provision has been incorporated in Armed Forces Special Powers Act. The Indian Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The Criminal Procedure Code describes the procedures that the police is to follow for arrests, searches and seizures. Armed forces are not trained on these procedures and hence do not follow them. Criminal Procedure Code also advocates use of minimum force to disperse any assembly. No such provisions exist in Armed Forces Special Powers Act. An executive magistrate or a police officer not below the rank of a sub inspector is is authorised to disperse any unlawful assembly. In Armed Forces Special Powers Act every member of the armed forces less a sepoy has been authorised to do the same job. Criminal Procedure Code does not state use of force to disperse an assembly to the extent of causing death unless they are accused of an offence punishable by death. The same provision does not apply to Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Lack of Remedy to the Victim. Section 6 of Armed Forces Special Powers Act violates the provision of section 32(1) of the constitution that state the right to move to the Supreme Court in case any violation of his basic rights guaranteed by the constitution. State of Emergency. Armed Forces Special Powers Act grants the state of emergency powers to the armed forces without declaring a state of emergency as prescribed in the constitution. International Laws. Human rights organisations like United Nations Human Rights Commission claim that Armed Forces Special Powers Act violates the various provisions of United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights and many other International Laws. They include violation of the rights of free and equal dignity, non discrimination, life, security, no torture, equality before law, no arbitrary arrests etc. Some of the important aspects of International Laws are given in the succeeding paragraphs:- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). As per provisions of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights some of the rights of the citizens e.g. right to life, prohibition of torture etc remain non derogable   even in case of emergencies. Armed Forces Special Powers Act violates both derogable and non derogable rights. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights also guarantees that any person who is arrested has the right to know the reason for his arrest. This provision is also violated by the Armed Forces Special Powers Act as no armed forces authorities are obliged to inform the person the reasons for his/her arrest. International Customary Law. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act violates the United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcing Officials in terms of use of force including use of fire arms in addition to the various other provisions which are repetitive of similar provisions in other international laws. Legal Analysis of Armed Forces Special Power Act   In depth analysis of Armed Forces Special Powers Act brings out that the arguments of various human rights organisations on the act being illegal are biased and are misinterpreted. Analysis of the act brings out the following facts:-   Legality of the Act.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Armed Forces Special Powers Act was enacted by the Parliament in 1958 as per the procedures and powers invested on it by the Indian Constitution. Hence this act is absolutely legal. The legality of this act has also been upheld by the Supreme Court in its verdict in the case of Naga Peoples Movement of Human Rights versus Union of India, challenging the legality of the act on 27 November 1997. Misunderstanding of Armed Forces Special Powers Act. A large portion of population does not have a clear understanding of the act. All actions of human rights violation including those by police organisations, assam rifles and other paramilitary forces are also thought to have occurred due to this act. Interpretation of Special Power.The term â€Å"Special Power† in the name of this act is often misunderstood and misinterpreted. There is no special power vested to the armed forces through this act. All provisions of section 4 of this act are vested to the police authorities even in peace time. Police can also arrest a person without a warrant when the person is accused of committing a cognisable offence. History has numerous accounts of k

Future Perspective in Intelligence :: essays research papers

Future Perspective in Intelligence Approximately two decades from now, a more improved and efficient process for gathering crucial information for the success of a company will be caveat to only generals, their staff, and registered Chief Executive Officers. This will apply to companies that have revenues in excess of three billion dollars. This new technology will bring the latest foreign political, military, economics, and technical information to the intelligence analysis, warning, and operations process. The collection process will cover approximately 7,582,000 publications (by keywords), 1,000 radio stations 8,258 television stations, 13,000 news agencies, 258,5478,856,685 Internet sources, and 9, 000 databases in 466 countries and 277 languages (world wide). A new Military Occupation Specialty will have to be designated to support this new intelligence collection process. It shall be manned 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Transmittal of intelligence will be easier than clicking a mouse. Portals that resemble telephone booths will be mounted in undisclosed positions throughout the US military. The portals will be heavily guarded and missile proof. Once a request for information has been approved through the appropriate chain of command, the process will start in order received. Since the collection process is so powerful and speedy, time sensitive information is not a problem no matter how many requests are ahead of it. The analyst will step in the portal and speak his or her request into the 25-inch LCD monitor. Within two minutes your search engine will have queried the above mentioned resources. You will have the option to print screens, send as a secure e-mail, or transmit via encrypted voice message. Depending on the plausibility of the results from the query, we might be able to use cloning to confirm information for the military intelligence cells. The US government will clone people of a potential threat. After the subjects have been cloned, the clone will have two microchips inserted into its brain housing group. One will be the primary collector and the other will be a secondary collector. The microchip will have detailed instructions on what is needed to accomplish the mission.

Frankenstein as Gothic Literature Essay -- Mary Shelleys Frankenstein

In what ways can Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Be considered as a Gothic novel? Can Gothic literature still appeal to us today? Gothic Literature was most popular from about 1764 until 1832, a period of nearly seventy years. At this time there were many successful and famous authors who wrote books which contained a somewhat 'gothic theme'. These include the famous Brontà « Sisters with the novels 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Jane Eyre', both of which can be found on many modern bookshelves of today. As well as the famous sisters, well know authors, of the time, also included Ann Radcliffe with her 'Mysteries of Udolpho' and Horace Walpole's 'The Castle of Otranto'. Amongst the most famous Gothic writers Mary Shelley can also be found with her chilling story of 'Frankenstein'. Each book of this period will have contained some key characteristics to make it distinguishable from other books in history. The characteristics deal with aspects of the story or novel, and are usually very prominent within the book. These include the setting, nature, atmosphere, presence of the supernatural, plot, characters and language of the story. Mary Shelley, when writing 'Frankenstein', may have been influenced by other Gothic writers of her time, as well as ideas and events, which took place around her. At the same time that Shelley wrote 'Frankenstein' there were many new discoveries taking place and scientific research was just reaching a higher level. Shelley had a great understanding of the scientific debates and discoveries of her time and this was due to her inquisitive streak for the new discoveries in chemistry, and the secret life that it might provide. The first stages of the Industrial Revolution were also taking pl... ...periences with a 'creature from another world'. This follows the gothic theme of the supernatural and Stephen King is definitely a very popular author of today and is also well know for his novel 'Carrie', which has also been made into a film. Written in 1974, it is said to be a 'very scary story' where a girl, bullied at school, finds out she has abnormal powers which she uses to seek revenge over her bullies. A typically Gothic theme and yet still very appealing. As well as King there are many other modern Gothic authors including Christine Feeham with her Scarletti Curse (2001), Evelyn Rogers with Devil in the Dark (2001) in addition to The Wolf of Haskell Hall by Colleen Shannon. These are just a few, but in turn they prove that Gothic Literature can still appeal to us today if horror, mystery, supernatural and 'dark' stories are what you like to read.

Acid Rain Essays -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Normal rainfall is slightly acidic because carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves in the raindrops to produce hydrogen ions. Yet, normal rainfall is not considered acid rain. Acid rain is a form of air pollution in which airborne acids produced by electric utility plants and other sources fall to Earth in distant regions. The corrosive nature of acid rain causes widespread damage to the environment. The problem begins with the production of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas, and oil, and from certain kinds of manufacturing. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water and other chemicals in the air to form sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and other pollutants. These acid pollutants reach high into the atmosphere, travel with the wind for hundreds of miles, and eventually return to the ground by way of rain, snow, or fog, and as invisible â€Å"dry† forms. Damage from acid rain has been wide spread in eastern North America and throughout Europe, and in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Acid rain leaches nutrients from soils, slows the growth of trees, and makes lakes uninhabitable for fish and other wildlife. In cities, acid pollutants corrode almost everything they touch, accelerating natural wear and tear on structures such as buildings and statues. Acids combine with other chemicals to form urban smog, which attacks the lungs, causing illness and premature deaths. The process that leads to acid rain begins with the burning of fossil fuels. Burning, or combustion, is a chemical reaction in which oxygen from the air combines with carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and other elements in the substance being burned. The new compounds formed are gases called oxides. When sulfur and nitrogen are present in the fuel, their reaction that occurs with oxygen yields sulfur dioxide and various nitrogen oxide compounds. In the United States, 70 percent of sulfur dioxide pollution comes from power plants, especially those that burn coal. In Canada, industrial activities, including oil refining and metal smelting, account for 61 percent of sulfur dioxide pollution. Nitrogen oxides enter the atmosphere from many sources, with motor vehicles emitting the largest share—43 percent in the United States and 60 percent in Canada. Once in the atmosphere, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides undergo c... ...ts. The targets established in laws and treaties are being met, usually ahead of schedule. Sulfur emissions in Europe decreased by 40 percent from 1980 to 1994. In Norway sulfur dioxide emissions fell by 75 percent during the same period. Since 1980 annual sulfur dioxide emissions in the United States have dropped from 26 million tons to 18.3 million tons. Canada reports sulfur dioxide emissions have been reduced to 2.6 million tons, 18 percent below the proposed limit of 3.2 million tons. Monitoring stations in several nations report that precipitation is actually becoming less acidic. In Europe, lakes and streams are now growing less acid. However, this does not seem to be the case in the United States and Canada. The reasons are not completely understood, but apparently, controls reducing nitrogen oxide emissions only began recently and their effects have yet to make a mark. In addition, soils in some areas have absorbed so much acid that they contain no more neutralizing alka line chemicals. The weathering of rock will gradually replace the missing alkaline chemicals, but scientists fear that improvement will be very slow unless pollution controls are made even stricter.

Media Bias in Politics Essay

Media bias is alive and well in politics. It is a â€Å"term used to describe prejudice in news and media reports, in which it is perceived as an imbalance or unfair presentation of facts or selective reporting of which events or facts are reported. † Media bias is present in every aspect of American politics, and plays a significant role in influencing voters’ opinions and beliefs. The media frames the information that voters utilize within their decision making process. As a result, many have voiced their concern that the media may be conventionally distorting political opinion. Media bias has the ability to make voters bias, and hence, bias policy decisions. It is a vicious cycle that can either make or break a candidate’s campaign, as well as their chances of obtaining an office seat. It can make a villain out of a candidate or make him/her a hero. The media affects the publics’ interest in politics by presenting the people with what they want to see and hear. Within a campaign, the media will focus their attention on the issues that they consider to be the most important. The other issues will be ignored, or placed on the back burner. This goes for candidate coverage as well. The media will focus on the candidates they consider most important, and the others will be ignored. One of the most prominent examples of media bias in politics dates back to the first televised Presidential debate between Kennedy and Nixon in 1960. It showed just how biased the media was toward public figures that oozed charisma and harbored a strong emotional presence. It tarnished the campaigns of those whose auras were less engaging. On television, Kennedy appeared to the general public as young, vibrant; full of charisma, and needless to say, â€Å"television friendly†. Nixon on the other hand, appeared to the general public as old and uninteresting, not suitable for television. A poll conducted after the televised debate suggested that radio listeners thought Nixon had won, while television viewers thought Kennedy had won, by a landslide. Needless to say, Kennedy emerged as the first President â€Å"made for television†. Many political candidates use the power of â€Å"image,† projected by the media, to influence viewers. When running for President, Bill Clinton used the media to his advantage, appearing on talk shows where he played his saxophone. To the public, this made him appear more of a â€Å"people person†, more accessible, and more charismatic. Barack Obama did the same thing, appearing on the View, SNL, and several other talk shows. The media loved this fun-loving side of Obama, and from this projected image, so did the American people. Other political candidates have had terrible luck with media bias. Ron Paul is a prime example. The media portrayed Ron Paul as the joke of the 2008 Presidential election. He received very little coverage. He was â€Å"that boring, old guy with the uncommon Libertarian views. † He did not appeal to the American people, and as a result, was considered â€Å"unelectable. † Media bias is also known to greatly affect women candidates. A recent study showed that men received substantially more press coverage than women. Men had about twice as many stories written about them than women. Furthermore, research showed that stories about female candidates were big on emphasizing their physical appearance and personal lives. There were approximately three times as many physical descriptions (referencing their clothing style, hair, age, etc. ) as their male competitors in the race. Furthermore, women candidates were portrayed in a stereotypical light, as being more emotional and oftentimes, their professional titles were excluded from stories. In the 2008 presidential election, Obama was far more prominent in the press than his female competitor, Hillary Clinton. Both candidates announced their run for presidency in January of 2007. Despite the fact that Clinton had higher poll ratings than Obama, the six most influential newspapers in the United States ran twice as many stories mentioning Obama in the headline than Clinton that month. Sarah Palin is another woman candidate/ â€Å"victim† of negative media bias. A great deal of the media coverage that Palin has garnered has been negative. The media focused a great deal on her physical appearance and her family life. During her campaign, her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, became pregnant, and the media coldheartedly used that to bash Palin’s parenting skills, bringing personal life into politics. The media questioned â€Å"how can Palin be a good president if she can’t be a good mother? † Furthermore, the media criticized Palin for not staying home to care for her sick child who had been born with Downs Syndrome. Perhaps it is this brutal media bias towards women that scares them away from the political arena. The media is influential in politics, past, present, and future. For those who do not take the time to educate themselves on matters of politics, they depend on the media to exhibit the news in a readily accessible form. It becomes easy to grasp how crucial the media is, and what the effects of the news on society will be. Media bias can make or break a political candidate. Positive and frequent media coverage wins elections. Negative and/or minimal media coverage loses elections. Some candidates have learned how to use the media to their advantage, while others have little control, unable to recover from the scars left from negative media bias. Media bias will forever be a part of American politics, and to be in its favor welcomes success.

General Appliance Corporation Essay

Executive Summary The General Appliance Corporation (GAC), specializing on manufacturing various kinds of home appliances. The GAC was decentralized and it divided into 4 main product divisions, 4 manufacturing divisions as well as 6 staff offices. GAC manufactured few component parts and usually bought them from outside vendors. Transfer prices of the parts were negotiated between departments based on outside suppliers’ price. While the purchasing staff had the power to settle disputes when there was a disagreement. This management style and method created various problems within the company because the lack of communication, coordination, and motivation. Besides, departments have less power and authority on resources allocation and there was extensive measurement in the company. As a result, GAC has to refine its transfer rules, setting guidelines to avoid disputes between divisions and outside vendors. Issues and Analysis Issue #1 â€Å"Stove top Problem†: When the chrome products division sold a chrome plated unit that fitted on the top of the stove. Due to various complaints from customers, chrome products division to refine products leading an increase the cost of the stove top ($10) by a dollar. 90 cents less than outside supplier (manufacturing costs are deemed to have increased by 80 cents). (Quality; communication; transfer prices Resolution: Engineer department said the costs were reasonable and quality control said the quality improved and better than previously supplied. Issue #2 â€Å"thermostatic control problem† Refrigeration Division initially used 25% of their Thermostatic Control Unit produced from Electric Motor Division internally. All remaining unites are purchased from Monsoon Controls Corp in 1985. It increased to 100% produced internally by 1988. After Monsoon Controls proposed a price of $2.15/unit, electric motor division refuses to drop its price lower than $2.40 to all products divisions. Resolution: Refrigeration Division could purchase all at $2.15 but the price is lower because of excess capacity. If purchase all, the price would go up to around $2.40 too. Issue #3 â€Å"transmission problem† The Laundry Division produces automatic washers and bought its parts from two sources : internally in the Gear and Transmission Division and externally form the Thorndike Machining Corp. GAC would like to expand and wanted to produce all the manufacturing parts, therefore, not renewing contract with Thorndike. Thorndike proposed a new price with reductions because they had specially built machines for the transmission and expected to increase productivity. Gear division also develop a lower cost and better performance transmission. Laundry Division refused to accept the price of $12 and proposed $11.21 instead. Resolution: The Finance department thought the costs of the Thorndike unit was 11.25 and found out the price of the Gear and transmission price was in error and could be reduce by 50 cents. The purchasing staff stated that laundry division can obtain from outsource at the quoted price for a better future. Recommendation GAC should refine its transfer pricing policies and methods to reduce disputes between divisions within company. First, they can focus more on short term profit maximization because signing long term contracts with either divisions will causes higher cost prices. As a good company, its product quality should be in their main consideration, customer will buy better quality rather than its price. Third, the management should give power to the product division to select which manufacturers they wanted. However, they have to bear the consequences if the results gone bad (e.g. bad quality for cheaper price). Forth, A committee should set up to investigate the pros and cons to the divisions for a better decisions and judgments for product division to made before ordering parts.

Impact of life skills training on HIV and AIDS prevention

This was a qualitative research where data about the implementation were gathered through interviews and focus group discussions with chool principals, teachers and students. A sample of 4 principals, 8 teachers and 64 students was used in the study. Students were assessed on knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and behaviour. Results showed that students exhibited high levels of knowledge of HIV and AIDS issues but their behaviour remained incongruent with this knowledge.The study also revealed that effectiveness of this prevention strategy is reduced due to teachers' perception of this part of the curriculum as secondary, since they concentrate on examinable courses. From the research it was evident that imited resources and conflicting goals in the education system had a negative impact on the programme. The research made clear the need to make the teaching of life skills more practical by exposing students to real life situations through linkages with HIV and AIDS organizations work ing within the community.Key Words: Life skills, Evaluation, Behaviour Change, BACKGROUND AIDS is amongst the leading causes of deaths worldwide and has had insurmountable negative effects on countries, in the socio-cultural, economic and political domains. Different countries have employed different strategies in an effort o combat the devastating effects of HIV and AIDS. Some of these strategies include increased condom availability and use, promotion of abstinence and life skills training amongst the youth in schools and communities.According to The Global Working Group on HIV and AIDS (1998; 8) since HIV infection is invariably the result of human behaviour, change in behaviour has long been understood as essential to curbing the spread of 1 infection. This assertion is corroborated by Gachuhi (1999;iv) who argues that in the absence of a cure, the best way to deal with HIV and AIDS is through prevention by eveloping and/or changing behaviour and values.V prevention nas been app roached trom ditterent angles; most countries nave used primarily or at least included HIV awareness and education as a strategy to combat HIV with the aim of changing people†s perceptions and attitudes as these ultimately influence their behaviour. Therefore the ultimate goal is then to catch them young and create an awareness that can help eradicate the spread of HIV and AIDS. Zimbabwe is amongst the countries that undertook a behaviour change based approach to HIV prevention. As cited on the National AIDS Council (NAC) website ?theBehaviour Change Communication programme started in 2006 after a Comprehensive Review of Behaviour Change as a means of preventing sexual HIV transmission in Zimbabwe. A National Behaviour Change Strategy was then developed after this review with the aim of addressing the major ways of HIV transmission in this country. † It is assumed that between 80 and 90% of infections are due to sexual transmission. Hence, promoting the adoption of safe sexual behaviours remains at the heart of HIV prevention in Zimbabwe (SAfAlDS, 2013).Zimbabwe†s focus was on primary prevention of HIV through behaviour change strategies. It has since recorded a decrease in HIV incidence. In 1997, an estimated 29% of adults were living with HIV in Zimbabwe. One decade later in 2007, that number had fallen to 16%. HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe declined from 23. 2% in 2003 and even further to 14. 3% in 2009. (UNFPA, 2008). Different scholars and analysts have attributed this decline to various factors, resulting in a debate.One such analyst from News From Africa propounded that â€Å"The behavioural changes associated with HIV reduction†mainly reductions in extramarital, commercial, and casual sexual relations, and associated reductions in artner concurrency†appear to have been stimulated primarily by increased awareness of AIDS deaths and secondarily by the countrys economic deterioration. Others have suggested increased mortality du e to poor health service delivery (Leach-Lemens; 2012). There is consensus however that there is indeed a reduction in HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe and that there are indications of behaviour change. The authors conclude that these â€Å"findings provide 2 the first convincing evidence of an HIV decline accelerated by changes in sexual behaviour in a southern African country. † (Gregson et al; 2010). Gachuhi (1999; 10) asserts that young people offer a window of hope in stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS if they have been reached by Life Skills Programmes. This assertion brings out the importance that is placed in a country†s youth as it represents the country†s future.Zimbabwe as a nation identifies with this perspective and has found it laudable to invest in the future of its youth by making it a target group tor H V prevention education. However, the youth are taced with several challenges that also make them vulnerable to HIV. Kalanda (2010;169) asserts that young people have demands and challenges due to their physiological, sychological, social and economic situations. Among these demands and challenges are peer pressure into drug and substance abuse, early sexual debut leading to sexually transmitted diseases (ST's) including HIV.A review by UNICEF (2000) found that life skills education is effective in educating youth on alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse, nutrition, pregnancy prevention and preventing ST's including HIV. Moya (2002) states that research demonstrates that possessing life skills may be critical to young people's ability to positively adapt to and deal with the demands and challenges of life. According to Kalanda (2010:172) the objective of Life skills and HIV and AIDS education is to empower pupils and their teachers with life skills for HIV prevention, sex and sexuality issues.This coincides with the research conducted for The Global Monitoring Report ?Youth and Skills: Putting education to work† which shows the importance of investing in life skills education in school to ensure children have the confidence and negotiating skills to say no to sex and negotiate condom use. Objectives of the study The study seeks to evaluate the implementation of the life skills and HIV and AIDS ducation programmes in schools as stipulated by the Ministry of Education? The study also seeks to assess the contribution of these life skills training programmes in Zimbabwean schools to HIV prevention.It aims to assess the levels of knowledge about HIV and AIDS, risk perception, attitudes and behaviour of the students in these schools. Challenges that present drawbacks in the implementation of these programmes will hopefully be unearthed as well. 3 Research Questions 1. How is Life skills and HIV and AIDS education perceived as part of the curriculum by both teachers and students in schools? . Is the programme achieving its desired goals of increasing knowledge and decreasing risky behaviour? 3.Do the teachers ass igned for life skills and HIV and AIDS education have the necessary training and material to use in the teaching of this part of the curriculum? 4. What are the challenges faced by the teachers in imparting life skills and HIV and AIDS knowledge? Participants / Sample The sample used in the study consisted of 4 principals, 8 teachers and 64 students. Purposive sampling was used for the selection of principals and teachers for the study from the respective schools. Selection of principals was automatic as the principal of each of the four schools was involved while 2 teachers were selected trom each ot the tour schools.The criterion used to select these teachers was that they were the ones responsible within the school for Life skills and HIV and AIDS education. The students were selected using stratified random sampling; 16 students from each school, 8 from each of the forms four and six as they are about to leave school and enter ?the real world†. There was an equal represent ation for both male and female student participants in the study. Data collection instruments The study employed interviews and focus group discussions as data collection instruments.Interviews were held with the principals and teachers while data from students was generated through focus group discussions. Data Collection Procedure Interviews were held individually with each of the principals and teachers in a bid to maintain confidentiality and promote openness especially since some of the issues could be considered sensitive. Each principal availed time to the researchers for the focus group discussions to be held. The two researchers alternated in the facilitation f data generation from the interviews with the other researcher recording the proceedings.Focus group discussions were conducted for each of the four schools for the sake of convenience and ease of access to the students. Two focus group discussions were held at each of the four schools; one for the girls facilitated b y the female 4 researcher and the other one for the boys facilitated by the male researcher. This allowed for free participation and contribution by students as they identified with a facilitator of their gender. Data analysis Data was analysed thematically according to the main ideas emerging from the nterviews and focus group discussions.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results: Demography of participants The students who participated were in forms four and six and with an age range of 16 – 18 years. The sample in terms of gender was comprised of 32 female students and 32 male students. For the principals 3 were male whilst one was female. They all had a first degree as their minimum level of education. All the teachers had a Diploma in Education as their minimum qualification. In addition to the diploma, 5 of the teachers also had a first degree. Knowledge about HIV and AIDS issuesThe students exhibited high levels of knowledge about HIV and AIDS issues. Most students were aware ot the possible me tnods ot transmission ot H V They were able to correctly answer questions on methods of preventing HIV transmission even including ideas of their reliability for example highlighting the disadvantages of condom use even going into an interesting debate about the feasibility and challenges of consistent condom use in or out of marriage. The students indicated that they knew that the best method of prevention from the virus was abstinence before marriage.Basic knowledge about the nature of HIV and AIDS, transmission and prevention appeared to be at their fingertips but when broadened to other areas of sexual reproductive health the level of knowledge significantly reduced. Students were not aware of measures that could be taken to protect their reproductive organs. Boys were better aware of male circumcision because of the national campaign advocating for male circumcision. Even girls were aware of the advantages of male circumcision. Very few (17%) of both boys and gi rls were aware of procedures such as PAP SMEAR for the screening of cervical cancer.Most students were also not well versed with strategies and precautions to be taken during home based care of HIV positive individuals citing that they had never had to deal with an ill person on a personal level. Only a few (36%) had had personal contact and real life experiences of helping to take care of or live in the same household with an HIV positive individual. They agreed though that most did have relatives infected by HIV. Very few students knew what life skills were and what the advantages of learning them were.The few who knew life skills indicated that they had learnt them in other ettings that were not school. They also indicated that their knowledge of life skills was minimal and they were not confident that other could apply these skills to the extent of claiming to possess them. Most of them could only name at most two life skills. Behaviour A significant portion of the students (35% ) indicated that they were sexually active whilst 80% indicated that they knew at least one friend who was sexually active amongst their friends of school-going age.The reasons given by some of them for engaging in sexual activity included; â€Å"Some of us will already have been sexually ctive when we first encounter such programmes so it very difficult to stop. Some have tried to do so but still find themselves engaging again. One feels bad during the period that we will be learning these things but once we finish and with time the feeling fades away. And also it is difficult to convince your boyfriend about such things as abstaining that you would have learnt at school. Some of those who said they were not sexually active stated that they did however fondle with their boyfriends but did not engage in intercourse. Despite displaying nowledge about male circumcision only 5% ot the boys admitted to having been circumcised. They acknowledged the importance but cited that they Just h ad not gotten round to getting it done though they intended to do so. The principals indicated that the number of female students dropping out of school due to teenage pregnancies had decreased significantly over the past ten years.They indicated that the mean number of drop outs was now 2 per year as compared to the 7-8 of previous years. Students' perception of the programme The majority of students (90%) viewed the programme as insignificant citing that ven their teachers did not take it seriously. They conceded however that the material they could potentially learn from the programme was important. They stated that given the pressure they sometimes 6 faced with balancing school work and responsibilities or chores at home there was very little time to concentrate on non-examinable courses, especially since they were approaching final examinations (Ordinary Level).They argued that there was no reason for them to focus on such a course when everywhere they went they also heard abou t HIV and AIDS. One student said â€Å"Why would I risk failing the important ubjects that have to do with my future by concentrating on a subject that I won't even be examined on and will not help me to get a place at high school, university or even a Job. There is no Job where they will ask you if you did life skills. † Another student said: â€Å"Those who are interested in such things Join the AIDS club, that is why it is there. The study revealed that the programme was indeed viewed as being of slight importance. The students also highlighted that it was boring and a waste of time because most of what they learnt about HIV and AIDS they already knew and was like revision to them. Teachers' perceptions of the programme The interviews also revealed that teachers thought that the Life skills and HIV and AIDS education programme was minor as compared to the core subjects they taught. So minor in fact that the implementation of this programme was entirely at the discretion o f the teacher assigned to do so.If the teacher chose not to there were no repercussions on their part. One teacher stated that â€Å"With the state the Zimbabwean economy is in and the fact that teachers are grossly underpaid, we only do the work we absolutely have to do which is teaching the core subjects we are paid to teach. Life skills and HIV and AIDS are extra-curricular and not as important because no one will assess whether you have taught it or not whilst our teaching of core subjects will be reflected in the students' results after examinations. † The study revealed that 7 out of the 8 teachers (87. %) interviewed admitted to never having taught the module seriously as they were not motivated enough to try and change the status quo. The teachers intimated that their perceptions of the programme were also influenced by their administration†s attitude towards the programme. They argued that if the administration was not taking the programme eriously who were the y to do so? Challenges faced by teachers in the implementation of the programme Teachers highlighted a number of issues that according to them hindered the effective implementation of the Life skills and HIV and AIDS programme in their schools.They cited the shortage of or entire lack of material to use in the teaching of Life skills and HIV and AIDS. They mentioned that the only material available was for example a chapter on reproductive sexual health in a biology textbook where they mention HIV and AIDS in passing. They argued that this was not sufficient to comprise a omprehensive syllabus for the entire programme. Life skills were even more challenging to teach as there was no material available and the teachers themselves were not well versed with them.Teachers highlighted that the HIV and AIDS part of the programme was easier to teach since most people had the knowledge and they had been exposed to the subject matter at their teachers† colleges. However life skills were a different matter and they did not have the adequate knowledge about life skills and how to teach them to their students. This presented a challenge in the effective implementation of he programme as teachers tended to focus on the part they were confident about; HIV and AIDS.They conceded that life skills and HIV and AIDS education were an important part of the curriculum but argued that they did not have enough time to teach these as the core subjects and extra-curricular activities such as sports and clubs took up all the students† time. Life skills and HIV and AIDS education was therefore relegated to the AIDS club, membership of which was optional for students. Teachers cited that even the administration viewed the programme as secondary uch that if one tried to teach it seriously and request the material to teach it they were viewed as embarking on a futile attempt to try and change the status quo.They said the schools† administrations were of the perception that there were better things to spend the schools† resources on than the life skills programme. The principals indicated that the resources available to their schools were inadequate and they had to make difficult decisions in order to uphold the integrity and quality of their schools and these included prioritising the core subjects since they were xaminable and had direct impact on the schools† performance rating.Discussion: This paper evaluated the implementation of the life skills and HIV and AIDS programme in Zimbabwean schools based on a number of factors; the expected outcomes of increased 8 knowledge levels and decreased risky behaviour, indicators of behaviour change and perceptions of the programme which would affect acceptance by students and implementation by teachers. Though knowledge levels on basic H d AIDS knowledge was high they are still not high enough.This concurs with the research conducted for The Global Monitoring Report ?Youth and Skills: Putting edu cation to work† which states that tests in fourteen countries in South and East Africa (including Zimbabwe) showed that only 7% of school children in the regions have the desired level of knowledge on HIV and AIDS; and Just 36% have even the minimum level of knowledge. Students† knowledge of life skills is even lower indicating that life skills and HIV and AIDS issues are not being taught well if at all in these schools.Perhaps even the knowledge of HIV and AIDS issues was not as a result of the programme but other sources external to the school. The fact that teachers consider life skills and HIV and AIDS education as extra- curricular indicates that it is side-lined when it should be considered core. Even the students do not attach much value to it citing that it does not assist them to secure a place for further education or a Job.This is without realizing that some people with very good educational qualifications are failing to secure good Jobs due to ill health as a result of bad decisions resulting from a lack of life skills. A major lack of motivation is evident when teachers indicate that they only do what they are paid for. Perhaps even the core subjects are not being taught well for this reason. Incentives have been introduced in schools to attempt to address this lack of motivation but even then these are viewed as inadequate and are different from school to school.Life skills and HIV and AIDS education is perceived by all; administration, teachers and students, as extra-curricular and therefore not very important requiring only a minimal perfunctory browse. If this is how the programme is viewed by the intended implementers there is no way it will be effectively implemented. Concerning teacher ormation and development in the context of HIVAIDS Chamba (2011 suggests that teachers have to be trained in life skills HIV-AIDS education prevention in order to teach HIV- AIDS and also to protect themselves from HIV infections.Recommendations t o improve on implementation of programme The modules on life skills and HIV and AIDS should be made examinable so as to be taken more seriously by both the teachers and the students. 9 The programme should also include the involvement of the students in HIV prevention initiatives through organisations working within the community so as to ive them a more practical bearing of the issues they learn instead of them remaining abstract ideas.Students should be exposed to real life situations where they actually come to a realization of the effects of HIV and AIDS so as to realize the impo rtance ot what they learn. This programme should be planned in such a manner that it runs continuously from primary school into secondary school so that life skills training and HIV and AIDS education are not a once off event but a continuous process providing the necessary reinforcement and revision where necessary. Teachers need to be adequately trained to teach life skills and HIV and AIDS related is sues.The programme needs to be supported practically at all levels, that it the provision of resources by the Ministry of Education and each school administration, consistent evaluation of the programme so as to ensure that it is being implemented as best as is possible. Parents should be involved so that the children are provided with consistent, noncontradictory information and are supported in the endeavour to change or develop healthy sexual behaviours.