My Life Essays - Vanessa Abrams, Notorious Gangs, Marcy Projects

Growing up in the streets of Brooklyn was a complex struggle. Throughout 1990's Bedford-Stuyvesant was known for the notorious gangs and selling of drugs. Born and raised in Marcy projects I grew up of loving the game of basketball and baseball. Very similar to the television show Everybody Hates Chris My parents was extremely strict, my father provided for the family by working two jobs, while my mother stayed home and took care of me, my two brother and one sister. My neighborhood was rough and dangerous, so hanging out in the street was not an option; I had to use recreation center and after school program as tools to keep get me off the streets. I could actually say I was a proficient athletic as young boy. Many trophies for baseball and basketball sit in my mother living room. I was even offered a part-time scholarship to Bishop Loughlin catholic high school for basketball but was turned down because of my parent's inability to pay for the other half of the school fees. As I grew older my love for sports started to diminish. I started to put more interest in girls, money and less into school and sports. During my early childhood years I was on the worst end of a couple accidents as my broke my arm two times. My first broken arm occurred when I was ten; it was during a game steal the bacon when I was pushed into the gate by a member of the opposite team making me go flying into the gate causing me to break my arm. The second time happened during my tenth grade high school year. I really can't explain how it happen only thing. It was a complete blur; all I could remember was being in gym class and slipping on the blue mattresses that are used for gymnastic. I said damn not again, I screamed and looked down to towards my arm to see it was bent like a wired hanger, get off me I shouted. I got this cause all you going to do is place more pain on my arm. My second time breaking my arm required surgery; having two metal pins placed inside of my right ar m. While attending William E. Grady high school I wasn't the biggest fan of school. Getting me to attend school was like making a prostitute to attend a church sermon. I would cut school occasionally to just hang on the block or to talk to girls. Waking up 6:45am to travel an hour and half for school was dreadful. Imagine being on the train with bums, alcoholics and watching the sunrise, as young boy these new scenery was disturbing, so I avoided these picture by not ditching school. It was difficult for me to attend a new in high school your childhood friend wasn't attending. My perspective towards school changed during my eleventh grade year. I had failed five of seven classes and I wasn't going to graduate. My guidance counselor Ms. Mendez was really considering transferring me to an alternative school. She anxious to speak to someone from my family to tell my situation with school and the path I was heading down. It wasn't to that very meeting between my aunt and Ms. Mendez that I realize I needed to change my lifestyle. It took everything in my aunt power not to place a hand across my face in the Ms. Mendez office, but instead she gave me a lecture. After seeing the tears shed from my aunts very made me realize that I didn't want to be seen as other dude in the street and living in my neighborhood it was possible to happen. Therefore I looked as school as my getaway making sure to graduate from high school. I went on to graduate from high school in august of 2004. So are we going back to your apartment? Vanessa replied ?yeah we can go back to my house. Do you smoke? Because I?m trying to get high? I reply ?nah but I would like to try it. I?m a heavy drinker though? her response was ?No problem I have a bottle of patron in the

The Articles of Confederation Essays

The Articles of Confederation Essays The Articles of Confederation Essay The Articles of Confederation Essay The years 1776 to 1787 are often considered to be the most important and fateful when compared to all other epochs of American History: the now self-proclaimed Americans, having rebelled against royal authority, needed to develop a new system of government in order to survive. To accomplish such a feat, they needed a basis on which to establish this new authority. Established in autumn of 1777 and fully ratified in 1781, the Articles of Confederation was Just this. These documents, at best a primitive constitution, were formed to be the basis of the federal government. While erectly serving as such, the Articles of Confederation subjected the united States to a series of problems In both domestic and foreign respects. Increasing In adversity with each aching year, these documents only brought about one good effect: they showed the Americans that a weak and disorganized government like the one during the Articles reign could never work. Regarding structure, the Articles of Confederation, or simply Articles, were relatively bare-bones when compared to the complex constitutions and declarations of government other countries had. It laid out simple and ultimately primitive government: the power of the government was to Ill solely In Congress, a group of delegates from all states. It was to be Congress and only Congress to create laws and run most of the government. This concept did not work well in practice: Congress, the only branch of the government, was weak and unable to bring about policy change for the country. First, all amendments to the Articles required a unanimous vote of all thirteen states something that was quite rare and even the simplest of national laws required a two-thirds majority to be established. This became a major issue. As a new country, a lot of issues were going to come forth to Congress, and due to the bureaucratic rules that were In place, It was difficult for a treaty or policy to be approved. Furthermore, the Articles did not allow for a national judicial system or an executive branch of government to be established. These policies, reflecting the lack of trust and respect for the British courts and monarchs from American politicians, allowed for perpetual and incessant bickering to persist, and also did not give the nation a single, strong leader to trust in. It made the united States a weaker and less Just nation, something that was very much needed In Its Infancy. For these reasons, the Articles, while In effect, made It very difficult for Congress to make any laws or utilize even the slightest of powers. During the eight year period in which the articles dictated American government, many injustices, misdeeds, and problems came to face them on their home land. The Articles damaged the frail union of states, created economic depression, and establish a period of instability for the infant united States. The major problem with he Articles In this respect Is that It gave far too much power to the Individual states. Again reflecting a mistrust of central government the British Empire the states were given special abilities and powers that allowed them to control the face of politics. Eventually, this devolved into state of corruption, wherein the states disrespected the federal government and pursued their own, sole interests. Instead acting as one body of peoples and ideals, they chose to act as if they were still colonies, something that the Articles allowed for. A major issue this brought about deader tax, states such as Rhode Island, as seen in this letter to Congress, decried, it would be unequal in its operation, bearing hardest on the most commercial states. (Document A). Rhode Island, like many other states, believed that that by granting to Congress a power to collect moneys from the commerce of these states, indefinitely as to time and quantity, and for the expenditure of which they are not to be accountable to the states, they would become independent of their constituents; and so the proposed impost is repugnant to the liberty of the United States. Document A). Essentially, it was believed that by establishing a tax to be utilized by the Continental Congress, they would be acting too much like the British, and by doing this they surrender the liberty they had fought so valiantly to grasp. The issue in this is that the states did not have to submit this tax, and in a nod of disrespect to the government, they chose not to; Congress c ould only acquire funds by asking the states for it. By doing this, the states condemned Congress to criticism and debt, thus causing further chaos for the blossoming country. This lack of funds is indicated in a letter to George Washington, sent from a delegate from Virginia: Every class of public creditors must know the inability of Congress to pay their demands, unless furnished with the means by the several States, and the exertions of that body have not been lacking heretofore to obtain the means. (Document C). This not only shows the negative and weak connotation many Americans had for Congress, but also how much power the states truly had. Essentially, the federal government was not to be trusted unless a state was supporting its ambitions financially. As also shown in the letter sent from Joseph Jones to George Washington, another major problem was resulting from the lack of funding: One ground of discontent in the army, and on which they found the opinion that Justice is not intended to be done to them is the delay in complying with their requests for bonuses and back pay (Document C). The soldiers were becoming restless at Congress inability to compensate them for their valorous deeds. This discontent eventually sprouted into something far worse: a complete lack to properly maintain a standing army and navy. In a time where military strength means life or death, this policy was incredibly dangerous. They were only months out of a bloody war with military behemoth Britain, they had perpetual land disputes with mighty Spain, and were under constant threat of attack and annihilation from anyone and from anywhere. And yet, the states did not bother much with this lack of Army, again showing their disregard for the federal government. In fact, they set up and maintained their own militias, which they often utilized for their own self-interests and protection. Adding insult to injury, the Articles gave Congress no authority to interfere with these misdeeds, conflicts which they helped catalyst. Another major issue with the Articles of Confederation was that it did not allow for national intervention in commerce and economy. Being the young and capitalist nation that it was, the United States had issues keeping its trade in order; States would often fight for control of small trades, often going to extremes for a quick buck. Since Congress had no power over national trade, they could not stop this. Thus, trade, the primary source of income of all states, as stifled by these conflicts. States began to draft and establish their own trade policies, placing tariffs and restrictions at their own will. Gradually, commerce began fight tooth and nail for trade, shattering the sense of unwavering union the country had Just months before the Articles of Confederation were ratified. Inflation spread as part of this economic decay, since the value of state printed money, something that was legal under the Articles, decreased, and the federal note was not in use. In 1779, none other than aristocrat George Washington wrote to acting Congressional President John Jay stating that, that a wagon load of money will scarcely purchase a wagon load of provisions. (Wisped). Since Congress essentially had no power to tax, Mr.. Jay and Congress responded to these crises by begging nearly fifty million dollars in funds from the States. In this response, Mr.. Jay appealed that the funds were the price of liberty, the peace, and the safety of yourselves and posterity. (Wisped). The ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation become blatantly apparent upon examining domestic American history during its use. It proved to be both harmful and restricting to the Americans who desperately craved wealth, comfort of living, security, and land. The total lack of unity in addition to the weakness of the Army and Navy kept the American government under the Confederation from achieving much in respect to foreign policy. If anything, the United States was set back in attempts to attain respect and instill fear in other countries eyes. It became apparent to Congress soon after the revolution that the Government needed to conduct proper, effective, and authoritative foreign policy. As Thomas Jefferson puts it, There never will be money in the treasury till the Confederacy shows its teeth. The states must see the rod. (Wisped). However, even under this spirit of change and expansion, few positive changes in foreign relations occurred. The issue of most importance in foreign policy was the control of the Mississippi River and relations with colonial rivals Spain and Britain, who posed the biggest threat to American expansion and prosperity in the Midwest and beyond. However, the Articles of Confederation stifled these aspirations. A poorly supplied and practically non-existent Army and Navy, brought about by another weakness of the Articles, made it impossible to flaunt or use power as a means of forcing treaties or making others surrender. The lack of a properly unified country, also caused by other weaknesses of the Articles, made it hard for Americans to act together for one goal. Foreigners would have no reasons to respect them, and thus their wishes. For example, in 1785, the US Minister to the British Empire was ordered by John Jay to, insist that the United States be put, thou further delay, into possession of all the posts and territories within their limits, which are now held by British Garrisons. (Document D). However, the British had no incentive to bow down to theirs wishes: the Americans could not behave them militarily from the frontier posts on US soil, since they had neither the troops nor the funds to do so. John Jay understood this, and further instructed the Minister, Mimi will represent in strong terms the losses which many of our and also of their merchants will sustain if the former be unseasonably and immoderately pressed for he payment of debts contracted before the war. (Document D). Even still, the British did not leave the land they occupied. They did not respect American ideals and boundaries and also realized that Congress really has no way to make them leave whatsoever. Another major defeat in American foreign relations occurred in 1786 that access to the Mississippi River for Americans be denied, and that they should also give up some of its western territories. The Mississippi River was crucial as both a supply route of goods, money, and people to the Western Territories, but also a humbly of American progress, accomplishment, and hope. Although the treaty was never ratified due to its immense unpopularity, its introduction represented something more significant. It showed, as did the incident with the British forts, that the young nation that its carries with its name no respect, and that it needs to improve itself in order to be more effective as a nation in the colonial world it resides in. As time progressed and the weaknesses of the Articles became increasingly apparent, many American citizens were beginning to develop animosity for the infamous documents and rules that dictated how their Government was run. These ideas eventually morphed into actions, and citizens started to actively rebel against their government leaders and protest the misdeeds they believed their rulers were committing. In one particular case, populist and veteran of the Revolutionary War Daniel Shays led a powerful rebellion against the Massachusetts government, which he believed has highly unreasonable tax policies, reasons that ironically parallel those of the American Revolution. His rebellion, while largely effective at conveying is anger, was eventually suppressed, but only by a militia force of three-thousand men. However, it wasnt Just the poorer citizens who were distraught by the Articles of Confederation: John Jay, the Congressional President himself, was unhappy with the Articles. He expressed these emotions to his friend and colleague George Washington, where he revealed, I am uneasy and apprehensive; more so than during the war Yet I did firmly believe we should succeed, because I was convinced that Justice was with us. The case is now altered; we are going and doing wrong, and Hereford I look forward to evils and calamities.. What I fear most is, that the better kind of people.. Ill be lead by the insecurity of property, the loss of confidence in their rulers, and the want of public faith and rectitude, to consider the charms of liberty as imaginary and delusive. A state of fluctuation and uncertainty must disgust and alarm such men, and prepare their minds for almost any change they may promise them quiet and security (Document G). Suggesting its ineffectiveness, many Americans grew to protest and despise the Articles of Confederation, the sole item hat was holding them back as a nation. While the Articles were only in use for a short period of time, its effects were felt for years thereafter. It, while in effect, destroyed the loose union that Americans held, ravished the economy and the military, brought about protests which could have caused another revolution, and generally caused the US to lose respect in the eyes of the world. It was not only entirely ineffective, it was counter-intuitive. The founding fathers based the new country on principles of liberty, prosperity, and security, and yet, they created and deified a document that did Just the opposite of that; the Articles of Confederation provided Americans with a weak and ineffective government, the lack of both an army and a navy, and economic troubles as well. In essence, the Articles proved to be the exact opposite of the kind of government the people of the Revolution dreamed of. However, it was not until the 1787 at the Constitutional Convention, ten years after attempts were made to learn from the mistakes of the past, in turn rectifying them and starting the country over, anew and free from its troubled past.

My Philosophy of Education Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Philosophy of Education - Personal Statement Example When planning the educational philosophy, we should consider our purpose and know our goals to teach the students. The educational philosophy consists of theories that include logic, epistemology, metaphysics, and axiology. Logic finds answers to questions and is thus a way to evaluate arguments. Epistemology is the study of the philosophy of knowledge. It provides insight into such dimensions of knowledge as faith, reason and truth. Metaphysics is the study of reality (metaphysics-for-life.com, n.d.). It provides insight into the spiritual and religious knowledge and issues. Axiology is the knowledge about values. As a professional educator, we should have the right values, morals, and motivations to inculcate in the students. In the realm of the philosophy of education, there are certain questions that need be answered. They are: Who should know? What to know? How to know? When to know? And Where to know? This set of who, what, how, when and where completely defines the philosophy of education. Let’s start from the answer to the first question; Who should know? My philosophy of education says that everybody should know. Education is a fundamental necessity of every human being in the present age. It is not a matter of choice. Anyone who is born in the present age is obliged to receive education irrespective of his/her financial status. It is for this reason that going to school is compulsory for both the boys and the girls. What to know? is a suitable topic for debate. There has conventionally been considerable debate about what should be included in the curriculum and what not. These days, there is increased emphasis upon the importance of inclusion of such controversial topics in the curriculum as sex education. I believe that anything can be taught but following the standards of ethics. For example, students must be educated upon the importance of using contraception in sex and be made aware of the different kinds of sexually transmitted diseases an d the potential protective measures that can be taken to avoid them. The students must not, however, be shown any sexually explicit material in the name of education. This is my educational philosophy for a classroom setting. In the present age, knowledge is omnipresent. Normally, people are expected to know principally about the profession that they have formerly seeked education in, but nowadays, there is so much awareness that an individual that has not even pursued education about a certain field can get to know pretty much about that. This can be explained with the help of an example. Let’s suppose a teenage boy feels that his chest is a little too puffy than it should be in the boys his age. He needs to know if there is a medical problem, but he thinks that the condition is too embarrassing to discuss openly with his parents, siblings, friends or the doctor. It is just he who knows it and wants to do something about it. But the boy does not need to disclose his conditio n to anybody as long as he has a computer with an internet connection. All the boy needs to do is type â€Å"what causes puffy chest in teenage boys† in the search engine and the next thing he sees is links to innumerable articles about gynecomastia – that is a condition in which men grow unusually large chest because of hormonal imbalances. The boy gets to learn the name of his condition for the first time, and the moment he knows the

Research paper about lululemon Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

About lululemon - Research Paper Example Lululemon has three main suppliers; Delta Galil, Eclat Textile company, and Workday Inc. All of the suppliers are established organization, a factor that suggest their stability and ability to meet Lululemon’s demand for resources. The fact that Lululemon’ competitors, such as Nike, also deal with the suppliers also suggests the suppliers’ reliability. Lululemon however only commands a small proportion of the suppliers’ revenues and this identifies it as a minor buyer who may lack strong bargaining power. It only commands 1.2 percent of Delta Galil’s revenues and less than one percent of revenues for Ecalt Textile and Workday Iinc (Forgeon, et al. 25, 26). The company operates direct links with customers, with women as the main customers. Adults, however, forms the major target market that women dominate, and types of offered commodities shows this because for every class of commodities, there are more types for women that for men (Lululemon 1). Studios and gyms are another target market and sells to customer (Forgeon, et al. 26). The company’s products have trademarks that protect them from unfair competition, especially through illegal trade in counterfeit commodities. Offered yoga trainings to the community is another strength that bonds the company with the community and establishes competitive advantage through the relationship and through aspects of corporate social responsibility. Research and development that leads to innovation and established product identities are other strengths that the company has. It also trains its employees to ensure quality products for customer utility. Such an initiative is also likely to ensure low employee turnover rate, as it identifies value in the organization’s employees (Bayley, Beale, Dubinsky, & Peedin 20). Lululemon however deals in a narrow range of products and this limits its revenues.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Assignment Example This is because referrals, detentions, and disciplinary measures are not effective on the side of such students. ESOL students tend to experience difficulties in learning, which is not the case with the native speakers of the language. From my experience, these students fail regularly in their classes. I, therefore, concluded that ESOL students require more than normal lectures can offer so as to help them in their understanding (Stoynoff & Chapelle, 2005). The idea that an individual could require special education is mostly derived from the medical history of the student. However, it is worth noting that students with special needs can perform as their normal peers with little assistance (Special Education and Student Services, 2012). Special education programs are divided into several categories such as the visual students and the auditory students. As the students’ ability differ, the approach to different subjects with regard to special students also varies. The first les son to consider is measurement. Measurement is about the idea of a number that is used to show the size or the amount of something (Measurement Index, 2013). The major objectives of determining measurement include ensuring that a precise measurement is recorded as it could be used in other calculations. The procedures of determining measurements are diverse and unique to the unit whose measurements are being determined. There are many things that can be measured, but the common ones are length, area, time, volume and mass. Specific instruments are used to measure these elements. For instance, with respect to length, an instrument such as a ruler can be used to determine short lengths. To engage the students, in this subject, I would begin by asking suggestive questions such as what a ruler is and what it is used for. The next step could be explaining the meaning of words such as mass and volume to the students. While explaining volume, to make it easy for the students to understand, it would be appropriate to use the model approach. This is where a small version of a large object is used to show how measurements are taken, and how to use them in calculating the subsequent volume. This would also serve as a perfect way to introduce the lesson to the students. Besides the theory part, for better understanding bearing in mind that these are special students, practice is essential to their understanding. Therefore, the teacher should be involved in the initial stage of the practice as the guided practice to show individual students how to use various instruments in acquiring accurate measurements. As a teacher, after I am satisfied that the students have understood the concept, I leave them to discuss with their peers on the subjects then answer any possible questions the following day. It is of extreme importance to realize that there exist different types of special students. With regard to the visual students, the teacher should concentrate much on visualizing the subject. This incorporates using labeled diagrams in the classroom and multimedia such as power point animations and video clips showing the procedures of obtaining the measurements. With respect to auditory students, it would be important to use the practical part of the lesson when showing the student how to acquire the measurement. Since

Evaluating Ethics Of Bernie Madoffs Investment Securities Fraud Accounting Essay

Evaluating Ethics Of Bernie Madoffs Investment Securities Fraud Accounting Essay Every business has an ethical responsibility not only to stakeholders but also to society at large. This responsibility should be in line with stakeholder interest and societys welfare. The government and regulators have a responsibility of ensuring that firms follow these ethical objectives. Failure to do so may lead to losses which will not only affect stakeholders but society at large. The financial fraud which was experienced in Bernie Madoff Investments in the US is a clear example of the losses which may be incurred due to failure to observe ethical responsibility by firms. Bernie Madoff operated his company, Madoff Investments in an unethical way and this led to severe consequences to stakeholders and society at large which incurred losses amounting to billions of dollars. Although he was later arrested and punished for the crimes, his victims have not been able to recover from the financial losses incurred and several developed illnesses associated with stress and depression over the effects of the scandal. This paper will evaluate the Bernie Madoff financial fraud in relation to ethical responsibility of firms. The financial fraud practiced by Bernie Madoff will be analyzed in detail and the effects on stakeholders and society discussed. The ethical responsibility which firms have in relation to their stakeholders and society will also be analyzed in the paper. Finally, the measures which should have been taken by the government and regulators to prevent the Bernie Madoff scandal and other subsequent financial scandals will also be outlined in the paper. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end of the paper. Introduction Business ethics is an important aspect of any business environment since it ensures that the objectives of firms are achieved in ethically acceptable ways. It also ensures that firms perform their ethical responsibility towards society in order to safeguard its welfare. Businesses are expected to undertake activities in a legal way which conforms to principles such as prudence, honesty, full disclosure, social and environmental responsibility among others. They are also expected to operate in way which is environmentally and socially friendly to the local community and society. Failure to conform to ethical requirements is usually detrimental to various parties involved in the business activities. These include the shareholders, community, government, suppliers or other parties which have a stake in a business. Bernie Madoff is an American investment adviser and stock broker who operated Madoff Investments in an unethically acceptable manner. He used the company as a front to commit a Ponzi scheme which fleeced investors of over $65 billion (Arvedlund, 2009). This has been regarded as the largest Ponzi scheme ever. Madoff grew up in a humble background and he established the Madoff Investments Company with support from the father in law. A few friends and family members also supported Madoff with the operations and growth of the business. Madoff used the returns from investment to support several charitable and political causes which his firm believed in. However, in 1999, there was concern that the profits made by Madoff Investments surpassed the normal profits expected from a firm in such a venture. Markopolos, an expert in investments informed the exchange commission that it was not possible to achieve the level of profits which were achieved by Madoff Investments and it is possible that the firm engaged in fraud. Several investigations were undertaken during the next few years and in 2008, Madoff was unable to pay returns demanded by investors. It was then that he admitted that his investment scheme was a Ponzi scheme and he was later charged in court with fraud. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years and is currently serving his term. This paper will further discuss the Madoff securities scandal with reference to the ethical responsibility which organizations have against stakeholders. Bernie L Madoff investment scandal Madoff undertook financial fraud through misrepresenting the nature of his business to investors and encouraging them to invest in his company. Madoff founded a company, Madoff Investments which dealt with investment of securities and shares. He began operating with a capital of approximately $50,000 but in a decade, this sum had increased to hundreds of millions of dollars (Fred, 2009). Potential investors saw the company as successful and they invested billions of dollars in the business. However, Madoff did not deal entirely with financial investments but he carried out a Ponzi scheme, with the financial investment as the front. He used investments by new shareholders to pay returns to earlier shareholders without really making profit from the capital invested. It is important to understand how Ponzi schemes work in order to explain Madoffs strategies. Ponzi schemes are financed by capital from subsequent investors. For instance, if investor A invested in 2000 and investor B inves ted in 2001, Madoff used the capital invested by investor B to cover for the returns of investor A. Investor Bs returns would subsequently be paid by capital invested by a new investor, C and son on (Fred, 2009). In order to cover for the financial fraud, Madoff used the financial investments as a front for his fraud. He falsified return forms of investors and gave returns according to pre-determined rates in order to avoid raising suspicion. These returns, as explained, were financed by capital from subsequent investors. A computerized program was used to falsify the accounts and ensure that they balanced, to avoid suspicion from financial regulators. However, several people raised suspicion with the huge returns associated with Madoff Investments. It was seen as impossible to earn such high returns from trading in financial securities without engaging in fraud. In 1999, the first suspicions were raised although it took over ten years for the Ponzi scheme to be uncovered. This has been blamed by inefficiency by financial regulators and the US government. Effective investigations would have unearthed the scandal within the first five years of operation. However, as is common with Ponzi schemes, it collapsed. These schemes collapse when returns required by previous investors surpass the investments made by new investors (Beach, 2007). When this happened to Madoff Investments, he confided to his family that the investment firm was a just front for conducting fraud through the Ponzi scheme and it did not in fact exist. One of his sons reported this to the police. This led to his subsequent arrest and he was charged in court. He pleaded guilty and received a sentence of 150 years. His family, including his wife apologized to the public although their roles in the scandal were further investigated and they were cleared. Madoff is currently serving his term. Ethical issues regarding Madoff investments It has been discussed in the introduction stage that businesses are expected to undertake their affairs in ethically acceptable ways which conform to social values. Businesses are expected to conform to principles such as prudence, honesty, full disclosure, social and environmental responsibility among others (Diller et. al., 2006). They are also expected to operate in way which is environmentally and socially friendly to the local community and society at large. Ethics usually dictates the way business undertake their operations and it is determined by organizational objectives, any professional ethics and government regulations when operating within the business environment. Firms usually follow business ethics to meet the needs of stakeholders while safeguarding the welfare of society (Beach, 2007). There are various ethical issues which arose during the Madoff scandal and which are contrary to ethical requirements of businesses. One of these issues is fraud. Businesses are not expected to engage in fraud since it is not only against business interests, but it is also illegal under law. When Madoff and his staff engaged in fraud, they broke the ethical responsibility towards organizational stakeholders and in addition, they committed a crime. This led to his jail sentence of over 100 years. The second ethical issue which arises when analyzing the Madoff case is misrepresentation. Firms are required to follow the ethical responsibility of full disclosure to all organizational stakeholders (Fred, 2009). Misrepresentation is not only a breach of ethical requirements but it is also a crime. Madoff misrepresented the state of his firms finances and a false belief that it was making profits. This is what attracted the thousands of investors to Madoff Investments. Misrepresentation als o enabled Madoff escape detection from financial regulators although there was suspicion on his illegal practices. The third ethical issue which arises from the case study is money laundering. This is the use of a legal source of revenue to hide illegal sources of revenue or revenues which have not been declared or taxed by the government. This is an unethical practice which is a crime and is punishable by many years in jail. Madoff used his investment firm as a front to hide the revenues which were received through the Ponzi scheme. The investment firm was used to portray the business activities are legal and to hide the true sources of revenue. Money laundering is a crime which Madoff was charged with and it contributed to his long jail sentence. How the investment negatively affected stakeholders There are several negative effects which Madoff Investments had on stakeholders. These will be analyzed on the basis of their relationship with the company. Investors Investors are some of the stakeholders who were worst affected by the scandal. The investment lost by investors surpassed $65 billion, which is huge by all standards. The small scale investors were most affected since many were families and households in the middle income status. Families which lost their investments suffered various adverse effects including health problems associated with stress and depression which emanated from the losses (Eamon, 2008). Some investors passed away due to health complications occasioned by the shock of losing their lifetime savings. Others had their lifestyle changing in order to accommodate the losses, some of which arose from borrowed finance used to invest in Madoff Securities. Employees Employees were also heavily affected by the Madoff Securities scandal since most lost employment opportunities. As a result of the inability of the firm to remain liquid, it was closed to ensure that further losses were not experienced by stakeholders (Eamon, 2008). Employees who relied on the firm for their livelihood lost jobs and many were unable to support themselves and their families. Some developed health complications from stress associated with loss of employment while others changed their lifestyle to accommodate their diminished income earning status. Although some employees secured employment in other firms, many suffered huge financial losses as the company was unable to compensate them for the job loss (Eamon, 2008). Creditors Creditors also suffered from the closure of Madoff Securities. There was over $100 million which was directly owed to creditors due to provision of outsourced services to Madoff Securities. It is important to note that these creditors were separate from shareholders. Some of the creditors were able to recover money owed while some could not (Eamon, 2008). This led to the closure of some of the firms which provided services and goods to Madoff Securities. Charities There are various charities which suffered as a result of the closure of Madoff Securities. Some of the charities which were affected by closure of the firm include JEHT Foundation, Robert Lappin Foundation and Chais family Foundation. These charities heavily relied on financial support from Madoff Investments and without adequate funds, some were forced to scale down their operations and provide charity services to fewer people. In addition, some of the causes which were supported by Madoff Securities such as lymphoma research also heavily suffered as a result of the liquidation of the firm. Madoff contributed over $4 million annually to support this research and the closure of Madoff Securities affected the funding towards lymphoma research (Eamon, 2008). Local communities The local community also suffered from the closure of Madoff Securities from the fraud scandal. Madoff Securities supported various social causes which the communities identified with. The firm contributed generously towards community projects which were geared towards empowering the population. This was achieved through the corporate social responsibility programs. The firm also funded education and training opportunities for needy children in the local community. After the closure of the firm, some of these causes which were supported by Madoff Securities collapsed due to absence of donors who would propagate the work which had been started by Madoff (Fred, 2009). Some of the children who would have been empowered through education also lost an opportunity after the firm was closed. Government Finally the government experienced adverse effects due to the Madoff financial scandal. One of the major effects is the loss of potential tax revenues from the firm. The firm usually paid millions of dollars in annual tax and this source of finance was lost by the government. This affected the development programs and infrastructural developed usually paid for through this tax source. In addition, the government faced adverse publicity especially due to its inability to detect the scandal and act on time even through several red flags had been raised on the issue. It was also suspicious that Madoff supported certain government causes and political parties which may have been construed to explain why he was not arrested immediately after the scandal began. The negative impact the investment had on the economy There is a macro aspect of the scandal which affected the overall American economy. Various costs were incurred by the government and economy at large, which negatively affected growth and development. The cost of the adverse health effects of the victims of the scandal including employees and investors were passed on to the economy. Investors and employees who became ill due to the stress and depression experienced partly increased the healthcare costs to the economy. The loss of manpower due to loss of jobs by employees compounded by losses incurred by investors and creditors was a huge cost to the economy. The government was partly responsible for settling these victims and it also lost revenues from the closure of the Madoff Investment firm. These indirect and direct costs which were passed on to the government reduced the available income for infrastructural and social development in the US. As a result, the economic development and growth levels were affected by the scandal. Th e weight of the funds involved which was over $60 billion, slowed down economic growth levels. Another adverse impact to the economy is a decline in investment. Many investors who had invested in Madoff Securities lost their investments and this made them reluctant to invest in future (Arvedlund, 2009). Other investors who had invested in other companies also pulled out their investments in efforts to avert a crisis similar to the one experienced at Madoff Investments. The market generally adopted a cautionary approach towards investment since the Madoff Scandal discouraged consumers from investment. The decline in investment levels directly affected economic growth. For the economy to grow there has to be high investment levels. The decline in investment due to the scandal reduced the economic growth rate. The government heavily invested in encouraging the market to invest more in securities and shares. How the scandal could have been prevented There are several measures which should have been taken to reduce the likelihood of the fraud scandal. Some of these measures should be implemented in future in order to discourage a similar scandal in the US business environment. Some of these measures will be discussed below; Audits Audits are effective in preventing fraud especially in cases where they are external in nature. Madoff did not carry out regular audits and he falsified documents in order to prevent the detection of the fraud which was being committed. External and internal audits should have been frequently undertaken in order to analyze the accurate financial position of the firm. These audits would have revealed the fraud in a timely manner and prevented further losses to the organizational stakeholders. Managers should undertake frequent audits in order to encourage ethical practices in business and to discourage fraud. Accounting technology Technology is also similarly effective in preventing accounting fraud. Technology should have been used to restrict access to information on Madoff Securities. Passwords, locks and others should have been used to restrict the confidential information and in the event that accounts were tampered with, it would have been clear on who gave authorization to access the records. Technology would also have been used to allow investors to access financial records of Madoff Investments online (Arvedlund, 2009). Access to such information would have revealed any illegal or unethical practices in the firm. Future managers should make use of technology to ensure that business operate in an ethically acceptable manner. Employee motivation Employee motivation is an effective tool in the operations of any firm. Employees have to be motivated if they are to operate in an ethical manner. This is because employees with high motivation levels are proud of firms they work in and are likely to only perform actions with are consistent with organizational goals. Such employees are therefore less likely to engage in fraud or other unethical behavior (Bateman, 2010). If the employees at Madoff Investments had high motivation levels, they would not have collaborated with Madoff in committing fraud and the scandal would have been exposed earlier. Managers should motivate employees by using both non financial and financial rewards in order to boost their performance and increase their loyalty to the firm. Government action on the Madoff Scandal The government took several measures in order to mitigate the damage caused by the financial scandal and as well as discourage further scandals in future. The first action taken was to strengthen financial regulations and investigations into market players in the stock exchange (Wilhelm Joseph, 2010). The government passed several regulations which firms were supposed to adhere to in order to ensure that they operated in ethically upright ways. Another step which was taken by the government was to develop legislation to discourage future financial fraud cases. The government developed harsh punishment for firms and people who are involved in financial fraud. This included heavy fines, prison sentences or both. These laws were passed by congress and they have been effective in discouraging fraud. The government also took steps to restitute the victims of the scandal. Various assets, revenues and accounts which were linked to Madoff Investments were frozen and funds consolidated in efforts to pay back investors (Wilhelm Joseph, 2010). Small investors received priority when being compensated although larger shareholders also received a share of revenue collected. Creditors were also compensated for the services which they had rendered to Madoff Investments. However, most investors were not fully compensated for the losses incurred due to previous money laundering strategies which Madoff had undertaken. Plea, sentencing, and prison life When Madoff was charged with the offense, he pleaded guilty for the offense. However he was not a cooperative witness and he did not reveal other people he conspired with to commit the financial fraud scandal. The judge had the option to fine him, jail him or apply both forms of sentences. The judge sentences Madoff to 150 years in prison, an equivalent of life imprisonment. How investors should protect themselves from fraud There are different measures which investors should implement in order to ensure they are not victims of fraud. The first step which investors should take is demand regular audits of their firm. Audits should be demanded through their annual AGM meetings and these will encourage the management to operate within ethically acceptable ways. The second step is consulting external experts. Experts particularly those in the financial services industry should explain the projected returns on investments over a period of time. For instance, an expert would have explained to investors in the Madoff Investment scandal that it was impossible to receive such large returns within short time periods and this would have made them suspicious of the operations of the firm. This would have prevented the losses of investment made by shareholders. Finally, investors should pressure the management to make the accounts public especially when there are media reports about an impropriety by the management. In the Madoff scandal, investors were aware of adverse reports on the operations of the firm but they ignored these reports. If they had pressured the management to release financial statements, the fraud would have been exposed earlier and saved the investors billions of dollars. The investors should ensure that they have a timely and accurate view of the financial position of their firm at any one time. Summary and conclusion This paper has discussed the Bernie Madoff financial fraud in relation to ethical responsibility of firms. The financial fraud practiced by Bernie Madoff has been analyzed in detail and the effects on stakeholders and society discussed. Bernie Madoff operated his company, Madoff Investments in an unethical way and this led to severe consequences to stakeholders and society at large which incurred losses amounting to billions of dollars. He used the company as a front to commit a Ponzi scheme which fleeced investors of over $65 billion. This has been regarded as the largest Ponzi scheme ever. However, in 1999, there was concern that the profits made by Madoff Investments surpassed the normal profits expected from a firm in such a venture. Several investigations were undertaken during the next few years and in 2008, Madoff was unable to pay returns demanded by investors. It was then that he admitted that his investment scheme was a Ponzi scheme and he was later charged in court with fr aud. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years and is currently serving his term. There are various ethical issues which arose during the Madoff scandal and which are contrary to ethical requirements of businesses. One of these issues is fraud. Businesses are not expected to engage in fraud since it is not only against business interests, but it is also illegal under law. The second ethical issue which arises when analyzing the Madoff case is misrepresentation. Firms are required to follow the ethical responsibility of full disclosure to all organizational stakeholders. Madoff misrepresented the state of his firms finances and a false belief that it was making profits. The third ethical issue which arises from the case study is money laundering. There are several negative effects which Madoff Investments had on stakeholders. Investors are some of the stakeholders who were worst affected by the scandal. The investment lost by investors surpassed $65 billion, which is huge by all standards. Employees were also heavily affected by the Madoff Securities scandal since most lost employment opportunities. Creditors also suffered from the closure of Madoff Securities. There was over $100 million which was directly owed to creditors due to provision of outsourced services to Madoff Securities. There are various charities which suffered as a result of the closure of Madoff Securities. Some of the charities which were affected by closure of the firm include JEHT Foundation, Robert Lappin Foundation and Chais family Foundation. The local community also suffered from the closure of Madoff Securities from the fraud scandal. Madoff Securities supported various social causes which the communities identified with. After the closure of the fi rm, some of these causes which were supported by Madoff Securities collapsed due to absence of donors who would propagate the work which had been started by Madoff. Finally the government experienced adverse effects due to the Madoff financial scandal. One of the major effects is the loss of potential tax revenues from the firm. In addition, the government faced adverse publicity especially due to its inability to detect the scandal and act on time even through several red flags had been raised on the issue. There are several measures which should have been taken to reduce the likelihood of the fraud scandal. Some of these measures should be implemented in future in order to discourage a similar scandal in the US business environment (Wilhelm Joseph, 2010). Audits are effective in preventing fraud especially in cases where they are external in nature. Managers should undertake frequent audits in order to encourage ethical practices in business and to discourage fraud. Technology is also similarly effective in preventing accounting fraud. Technology should have been used to restrict access to information on Madoff Securities. Future managers should make use of technology to ensure that business operate in an ethically acceptable manner. Employee motivation is an effective tool in the operations of any firm. Employees have to be motivated if they are to operate in an ethical manner. Managers should motivate employees by using both non financial and financial rewards in order to boost thei r performance and increase their loyalty to the firm (Bateman, 2010). There are different measures which investors should implement in order to ensure they are not victims of fraud. The first step which investors should take is demand regular audits of their firm. Audits should be demanded through their annual AGM meetings and these will encourage the management to operate within ethically acceptable ways. The second step is consulting external experts. Experts particularly those in the financial services industry should explain the projected returns on investments over a period of time. Finally, investors should pressure the management to make the accounts public especially when there are media reports about an impropriety by the management. They should ensure that they have a timely and accurate view of the financial position of their firm at any one time. This will ensure that firms operate in ethically acceptable principles and discourage unethical practices such as financial fraud.

Leadership and Groups: FMC Green River Essay -- Business Leading Essay

Leadership and Groups: FMC Green River Background FMC is and has been a successful company for the last fifty-six years. First originated in 1948 and produced 1.3 million tons of various grades of soda ash a year. The success of the first business brought about a second refining plant in 1953, which was completed in 1970. FMC Aberdeen, located in South Dakota with a population of 30,000 is also a successful subsidy of FMC. FMC Aberdeen employs one hundred people, produces one product, which is a missile canister for the U.S. Navy. FMC Green River managed by Mr. Dailey, produces various chemicals, has over 100 domestic and international customers, 1,150 employees, creates several products and works closely at times with the United Steel Workers of America. Situational Awareness Aberdeen has a great structure for the ability to create quickly various small work teams such as informal groups or self managed work teams that allow the group to focus on improving a specific process. At Aberdeen the small groups gather, choose their own leader, poll together ideas and come up with a solution to specific problem. Once a solution is found the team disbands. Since Aberdeen’s company is smaller and its employees create a family atmosphere, the role relationships between the people in the groups have a strong personal bond. This basic idea will also work at FMC Green River but will require some modifications. At Green River, if they follow the same concept, then the small groups that gather to solve a specific problem must also remember that what effects one decision in the process they are improving may have a devastating impact on another division of the same company since the company produces different products. Quickly creating teams on the spot for resolut ions to specific problems as done at Aberdeen is much easier when only dealing with one product for one customer. At FMC Green River, where there are several products being produced and over 1,150 employees, trying to incorporate small teams when the need arises will work but some restrictions may have to be applied. I would suspect more division of labor and command groups would be better suited due to the possible impact of a decision by one team, which may significantly influence another part of the organization. The culture created at Aberdeen in terms of the small groups gathering ... ...llow up on the new process on the results and make a final report or provide information on additional improvements. I’m not sure if this is done at Aberdeen. Since the number of managers should be limited, it would be advisable to allow the leaders of groups (if the leaders rotate) to counsel in a positive or negative way the group members performance. This will better and more accurately document performance to be used for yearly reviews for pay increases or promotions. Also by allowing the leaders to counsel it will build on their management skill and confidence. But, all members of the teams should have this opportunity by rotating the leaders as done at Aberdeen. Green River could use the advances of technology to create virtual teams to support the overall mission of Green River. I think the managers of the different areas and not for the small work teams should use it. Works Cited: J. M. George and G. R. Jones, â€Å"Organizational Behavior,† 3rd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001) J. G. Clawson, â€Å"FMC Aberdeen from Practical Problems in Organizations: Cases in Leadership, Organizational Behavior and Human Resources,† Custom ed (Prentice Hall, 2003)

The History of Antigua

The history of Antigua Antigua is an island where people wake up early to go to work or to school but most of the people who live there go to the market on Market Street. The name of Antigua and Barbuda’s capital is St. Johns. The language that is spoken in Antigua and Barbuda is English. The date that this country came into existence was November 1, 1981. The notable people who live in Antigua are Eric Clapton who is a guitar player, Giorgio Armani, and Ken Follett.The major landforms that are in Antigua and Barbuda are the Boom Point, the Devils Bridge and Mount Obama. There are also some major cities in Antigua such as Cedar Grove, Old Road, and Boland. The culture around Antigua is incredible. The clothes that the citizens wear have a condition to the tropical living. There are a lot of Holidays in Antigua that New Jersey doesn’t have like Good Friday, Carnival Monday, National Heroes day, and Whit.Antigua sells a lot of different kinds of foods at the market as cor n, chilies, guava, and mangos. The music in Antigua is a dabble of everything from reggae, to soca to zouk; styles are easily appreciated whether at a barbeque or playing online bingo. The kinds of religions that are in Antigua are Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews. The government uses the Parliamentary System. Antigua’s population is at 89,612 and counting.The native animals that live in Antigua are the Antiguan Racer, Redonda Anole, Antiguan Ground Lizard, and the Barbuda Warbler. The name of the flag is Antigua and Barbuda. If you ever visit Antigua here are some travel tips. First, the taxes are the same as in the United States. There is 10-15% depending on the service. Second, the electricity, part of the island is 110 volts and the remainder is 220 volts. Most of the hotels have both voltages available. This has been the research of Antigua and Barbuda. Research Paper

Nature Orations

Alms,  alms,  alms. Spare me a  piece of  bread. Spare me your mercy. I am a child so young, so thin, and so ragged. Why are you staring at me? With my eyes I cannot see but I know that you are all staring at me. Why are you whispering to one another? Why? Do you know my mother? Do you know  my father? Did you know me five years ago? Yes, five years of bitterness have passed. I can still remember the vast happiness mother and I shared with each other. We were very happy indeed. Suddenly, five loud knocks were heard on the door and a deep silence ensued. Did the cruel Nippon’s discover our peaceful home? Mother ran to Father’s side pleading. â€Å"Please, Luis, hide in the cellar, there in the cellar where they cannot find you,† I pulledmy father’s arm but he did not move. It seemed as though his feet were glued to the floor. The door went â€Å"bang† and before us five ugly beasts came barging in. â€Å"Are you Captain Luis Santos? † roared the ugliest of them all. â€Å"Yes,† said  my father. â€Å"You are under arrest,† said one of the beasts. They pulled father roughly away from us. Father was not given a chance to bid us goodbye. We followed them mile after mile. We were hungry and thirsty. We saw group of Japanese eating. Oh, how our mouths watered seeing the  delicious  fruits they were eating, Then suddenly, we heard a voice call, â€Å"Consuelo. . . . Oscar. . . . Consuelo. . . . Oscar. . . . Consuelo. . . . Oscar. . . .† we ran towards the direction of the voice, but it was too late. We saw father hanging on a tree. . . . dead. Oh, it was terrible. He had been badly beaten before he died. . . . and I cried vengeance, vengeance, vengeance! Everything went black. The next thing I knew I was nursing my poor invalid mother. One day, we heard the church bell ringing â€Å"ding-dong, ding-dong! † It was a sign for us to find a shelter in our hide-out, but I could not leave my invalid mother, I tried to show her the way to the hide-out. Suddenly, bombs started falling; airplanes were roaring overhead, canyons were firing from everywhere. â€Å"Boom, boom, boom, boom! † Mother was hit. Her legs were shattered into pieces. I took her gently in my arms and cried, â€Å"I’ll have vengeance, vengeance! † â€Å"No, Oscar. Vengeance, it’s God’s,† said mother. But I cried out vengeance. I was like a pent-up volcano. â€Å"Vengeance is mine not the Lord’s†. â€Å"No, Oscar. Vengeance is not ours, it’s God’s† these were the words from my mother before she died. Mother  was dead  and I was blind. Vengeance is not ours? To forgive is divine but vengeance is  sweeter. That was five years ago, five years. . . . Alms,  alms,  alms. Spare me a  piece of  bread. Spare me your mercy. I am a child so young, so thin, and so ragged. Vengeance is not ours, it’s God’s. . . . It’s. . . . God’s. . It’s†¦

Man essays

Man essays Once more dinosaurs are on the loose on a small island. This time the island will not be used as a tourist attraction and will instead be used mainly as a research and gaming locale. One group of humans payed for by the investors of the original Jurrrasic Park are dispatched to attempt to capture and herd the beasts. The group is lead by a seasoned hunter, who leads the group with caution and reason. The main hunter has one desire, that being to hunt a Tyranosaurus Rex. He leaves his group under the commnand of another while he goes after his prey. He captures one of the island's T-Rex offsprings and sets it up as bait. His bid to kill a T-Rex proves unsuccesful. Another group of do gooders arive on the island and free the dinosaurs that have been captured by the other group. . This was done because they feel herding the animals to be later used as zoo pets is wrong. As the dinosaurs are freed they destroy all of the vehicles and equipment the group had. The do gooder scientists team with the hunters to attempt to survive. Instead of taking control of the dinosaurs of the island as planned, the group barely manages to escape disaster. A T-Rex sneaks onboard a seavessel leaving the island and wrecks havock on a major American city before being destroyed. The film did have memorable effects just like its predecessor, but its story appeared a bit weak as compared to the first. Once more dinosaurs are on the loose on a small island. This time the island will not be used as a tourist attraction and will instead be used mainly as a research and gaming locale. One group of humans payed for by the investors of the original Jurrrasic Park are dispatched to attempt to capture and herd the beasts. The group is lead by a seasoned hunter, who leads the group with caution and reason. The main hunter has one desire, that being to hunt a Tyranosaurus Rex. He leaves his grou ...

What is Human Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

What is Human Freedom - Essay Example "Freedom implies, therefore, the existence of an environment to be changed: obstacles to be surmounted, tools to be used. Certainly, it is freedom which reveals them as obstacles, but free choice can only interpret the meaning of their being. It is necessary that they be simply there, wholly brute, so that there may be freedom." The person who constantly tells the truth develops an environment of trust around him or herself. It is our experience that an environment of trust enables a whole range of actions and relationships that could not otherwise develop. (Pg. 58) Environment and culture are principles by which human beings can choose to guide themselves to live properly, in line with what is the good life for them. There are competing ethical systems, of course, but not all can be sound. The best ethical system is the one that most consistently and completely fulfills the purpose for which it is intended, namely, to guide human living toward success in the case of any particular person. A culture is ethically sound if it is in accord with those virtues that bear on community life, that is if it is just. "Rather than being encapsulated in a specific environment by a highly specialized adaptive evolution and being controlled by a complex pattern of genetically determined instincts, a human being is free to choose different environments and to adapt to those environments in different ways. Whereas the behavior of all other living beings follows certain patterns characteristic of all members of a given species, the behavior of human beings shows extraordinary variation. Different human groups develop particular cultures as part of the process of adapting to and shaping their environment and individual human beings use the resources of those particular cultures, for example, language, with virtually infinite variation" (Pg. 58). Freedom, as Kant recognized decisively, through morality, and cannot be understood from an objective point of view. Kant places human  freedom in a new horizon of its own beyond all objective categories and forms of intuition.

Why Do Wars Happen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why Do Wars Happen - Essay Example Adopting the framework of Henry Nau, the basic insights offered to understand why wars and peace can happen are the realist, liberalist, and identity perspectives (Humphreys, 180). The class lectures of our course heavily used the book of Henry Nau and, thus, this discussion heavily used the lecture materials. The realist perspective holds that states must protect themselves and that the best protection will be found wherein states balance each other, meaning that no state is in a position to bully the other states because all states have the capability to subvert a bully either alone or with allies (Lecture 3, Slide 2). However, holding the other states in check so that no one would be in a position to bully or conquer another, require that states must arm themselves (Lecture 3, Slide 3). In addition, states will be unable to tap allies if they themselves are not armed (Lecture 3, Slide 3). For realists, transitional peace is possible if countries disarm. Yet, if a country disarms a nd others do not, the country that disarmed will not be in a position to defend herself. The country will be vulnerable to attacks and will be vulnerable to being conquered by the country that did not disarm. If on the other hand, all countries arm themselves to the teeth, a situation is created wherein a war scenario or an armed standoff can emerge (Lecture 3, Slide 6). This means there is a potential for war with an armed standoff (Lecture 3, Slide 6). There is a dilemma: if a country does not arm, she risks being bullied or conquered. If a country arms, she will risk a war or an armed standoff (Lecture 3, Slide 6). For a realist, countries will usually consider subjugation unacceptable. On the other hand, a country can consider peace to be too fragile and vulnerable to become a situation in which one country could re-arm to conquer the other. Thus, for realists, the â€Å"realistic† or appropriate situation to target is a situation of stand-off or parity of power (Lecture 3, Slide 6). On the same dilemma and situation confronted by realists, liberalists or liberalism holds that peace remains possible if institutions are created to make negotiations work better (Lecture 4, Slide 2). Liberalism argues that peace can be enforced if countries or states unite to punish states that fail to disarm (Lecture 4, Slide 2). Liberalists hold that another route towards peace is available if states who are disarming implement the disarmament by stages wherein participants to the disarmament observe each other (Lecture 4, Slide 3). Each country can implement the disarmament proportionate to the goodwill or initiative of each other (Lecture 4, Slide 3). A country can also reduce her arms in a manner calculated to inspire reciprocation from other countries to reduce their arms. In doing so, all countries in a disarmament program can reduce arms until the disarmament becomes full and complete (Lecture 4, Slide 4). A country can initiate goodwill reducing arms in the ex pectation that other countries will reciprocate the goodwill by implementing a proportionate disarmament. In the liberalist perspective or liberalism, institutions play an important role in the disarmament process because they can serve as third parties that can help countries involved in the disarmament (Lecture 4, Slide 4). The forerunner of the United Nations, for example, the League of Nations provided a mechanism whereby countries involved in international disputes are able to submit their dispute to the league for arbitration (Lecture 4, Slide 4). If the league finds or has come to believe or has deemed that a country is guilty of aggression, the league can enforce peace by imposing economic blockade or sanctions against the assumed aggressor (Lecture 4, Slide