Thursday, September 26, 2019
Financial Management Foundations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Financial Management Foundations - Essay Example (Garcia-Terul and Martinez-Solano, 2000: p. 164). Investments in working capital constitute a tradeoff between risk and profitability because decisions that increase profitability also increase risk and vice versa. This is obvious even in capital markets where a tradeoff exists between risk and profitability. For example, investments in equities tend to be riskier than investments in savings accounts and bonds but equities tend to pay higher returns that savings accounts and bonds. (Bodie et al, 2005). A company that has a negative net working capital therefore faces higher risks than a company that has a positive net working capital irrespective of the profitability of the company. This is so because, the company with higher current liabilities may have high levels of debts that may be uncollectible, but which must have been included in the sales figure used in calculating profit. Debtors may default on the payment of debt and inventories may go obsolete. Finance literature has long recognized that market imperfection and information asymmetry affect finance. Thus, corporations must choose from the various financing options appropriate for them. These include, warrants issuance, derivatives instruments, common stocks and Preferred stocks etc. (Ambarish, John &Williams 1987). The purpose of this paper is to differentiate between the various financing securities and derivatives instruments. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 describes the various financial securities. In Section 3, differences e different financing securities are highlighted. Section 4 comments on the result and presents te conclusion. 2.0 Forms of Financing Securities Securities are often referred to as fungible, negotiable instrument representing financial values (Bodie, Kane, Marcus 2005). These instruments are broadly classified into debts securities (e.g., banknotes, bonds and debentures), and equity securities for example common stocks (Ross,Westerfield & Jaffe 1999). According to DeAngelo DeAngelo & Stulzb (2006) company or other entity issuing the security is called the issuer. What specifically qualifies as a security is dependent on the regulatory structure in a country. For example private investment pools may have some features of securities, but they may not be registered or regulated as such if they meet various restrictions (Ross, Westerfield & Jaffe 1999). Issuers include individuals, commercial banks, mortgage institutions and other international institution like the World bank. 2.1 Common stocks A common stock is an example of equity security. It represents the principal capital stock of a company. In most cases, Brealey & Myers (2005) state that a common stock security is a share in the capital stock of
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Causes of the 2007-08 Financial Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Causes of the 2007-08 Financial Crisis - Essay Example Due to this the mortgage originators had lesser incentive to motivate them to take careful underwritings (Chapra, M., 2009). The economy of the real estate industry was affected seriously by the step. With these kinds of effects that the real estate industry had on the economy of the world, it is quite evident that real estate industry is an economic to reckon. More attention was accorded to loan volumes rather than loan quality as banks fought to increase their investment opportunities hoping to maximize their profits as a result of the economic crunch (Torres, 2010). In Greece alone, investors became reluctant to do business or even finance the Government deficits (Torres, 2010). With the decline in the confidence in government, falling by around 10% in many countries, it became very evident that the masses were discontent with the short term measures that were being taken by governments to try and solve the situation (Torres, 2010). The effects of the meltdown were felt quite deep down the social ladder. Starting at the top with the banks not trusting one another and the interbank credit being anemic, the unequal economic incomes affected the wage growth in countries where it would have been justified by the productivity
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Remarking Public Exams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Remarking Public Exams - Essay Example In recent years, remarking of exam papers has come under acute scrutiny. In 2001-2002, this had been a big issue in the GCSE and A-levels examinations because the grades were very different from expectations and widely fluctuated. Questions like should the students be compensated if there is a legal action, has cropped up many times. This also resulted in some students taking a gap year. Students and parents were both disturbed by this years grading and it had not been easy for anybody. But schools were told that the variations are normal and had to be accepted1. There was an enquiry by the watchdog QCA and the question is not completely answered who and how the remarking should take place. Confusion has created a crisis. In 2001, A-level examinations saw 4,194 candidates had their grades increased by the normal procedure which rather shook the trust in the exam system. In 2002, BBC reported that A-level students can ask for re-marking. "Over 12,000 pupils across Wales have discovered they may have had their A-level papers incorrectly marked after English examination boards admitted they downgraded some results". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2268475.stm In 2002, during the crisis of remarking, The Chief Executive of the qualifications and curriculum authority gave exam boards and connected officials to come up with new guidelines as the existing guidelines proved inadequate. In 2003, exam board replaced paper marking with US designed technology to improve the speed and process. In 2005, more than 18,000 A-level and GCSE examination grades were changed after complaining. According to The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's report, 53,600 of the 6.7 million A and AS-level entries were challenged. Of the six million GCSE, 48,422 enquiries happened and out of them 10.773 were altered. These figures relate to the five main exam boards, AQA, Edexzcel, OCR, WJEC and CCEA2. The revised grades helped many students in their university admissions. Government3 was of the opinion that regional centres of the exam boards would carry out the remaking as usual on priority because the deadline for remarking was almost over on every occasion and a fresh deadline was necessary to be authorised from the QCA. Over the recent years, there were rumours that wrong grades had been awarded and there was widespread unhappiness that lower grades caused problems during university admissions and funding possibilities which will in turn have problems on teaching and accommodation facilities etc. as a lower grade would create a continuous chain reaction, more so, when the student was sure of getting a better grade. The so-called gold standard exam has created unnecessary uncertainty which is rather unfortunate. If the exam results are significantly worse than expectation and are almost beyond belief, it becomes necessary to ask for a remarking instead of nursing a grievance that could become a psychological stumbling block. Teachers are equally mystified not knowing mostly what exactly the Board is looking for. Students are uncertain about re-sits. Some of the students who got upgraded after the review were happy, but the confusion and lack of trust in the system prevailed. Many questions were asked: Is it necessary to move away from standard based assessments Are there better ways of marking so that a remarking is not called for If remarking becomes an absolute necessity, are there better wa
Monday, September 23, 2019
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Claims Backlog Research Proposal
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Claims Backlog - Research Proposal Example The paper also highlights the possible solutions to what can strengthen the process of claims and reduce the claims backlogs experienced in the Department of Veterans Affairs (Dawns, 2013). This is because of the claims backlogs the veterans experience due to an inefficient claims process. In the study, it is proposed that a new working VA system should be installed to curb the claims backlog and speed up the claims process. It is recommended that new personnel to be hired and trained to use the systems that will be installed. Statement of the Problem In approving the claims, strong evidence is required for veterans to validate their claims and be compensated. The VA is supposed to assist the veterans in the process of validating their claims for them to be compensated. The VA does this by identifying and ascertaining two important things, which include; whether a veteran has been harmed and whether the veteran was injured in line of service. One of the prime reasons for backlog is t he problem of the complexity of tracking the records that would be used to prove the relationship between the harm a veteran has endured and if he/she was in line duty (Write, 2012). This study aims at establishing at how to intensify and strengthen the claims process and help the veterans be genuinely be compensated for genuine damages they may have underwent in line of their service. a. Nature of the Problem The process of claims has been weakened to extent that veterans with genuine claims are sometimes not compensated because the claims process fails to establish the connection between the injury the veteran incurred and whether the injury was incurred in line of service. In a report provided in the United States, there are a large number of veterans still waiting for their medical claims. The veterans wait for more than a year for them to be compensated their medical benefits using the VA systems. Pointed out by the United States Sen. Schumer Charles, the veterans have to wait for over a year, or more for their claims to be processed and they are compensated. This is because the federal computer systems are compatible and hence making the claims procedure to be long and inefficient. This process of claims affected the Central New York where more than 2000 veterans to wait for a considerable period for the long claims process to end (North, 2012). This claims backlog is basically because of the incompatibility of the Defense Department computer system with that of the Department of Veterans Affairs. b. Duration of the Problem A long claims process has been of disservice to the veterans who dedicate their life for the nation to stand. This problem has been in existence for quite a considerable time, and the veterans have endured the pain of the long waiting periods for compensation. On average, a veteran with genuine compensation claims should not wait for over a period of 30days for the claims process to be completed and his claims approved for compensatio n (Herring, 2013). c. Estimated Cost to Fix the Problem The estimated cost for an average veteran was $1,100 each. The backlogs have led to the loss of over $31,000 to be compensated to a veteran. The estimated cost of installing the system is 500 billion dollars (Downs, 2013). Solution to the Problem a. Proposed Solution In a bid to solve the increased backlog of claims, U.S Sen. Schumer, saw the need to organize and pilot the push of new legislation aimed at addressing the slow claims
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Three Mile Island Essay Example for Free
Three Mile Island Essay INTRODUCTION à à à à à à à à à à à The Three Mile Island incident stands not only as a reminder of the potential hazards of nuclear power, but of the potential hazards of an economically driven society and a government infiltrated by corporate interests. The events behind the most dangerous nuclear accident in American history are as straightforward as they are alarming; On Mar. 28, 1979, failure of the cooling system of the No. 2 nuclear reactor led to overheating and partial melting of its uranium core and production of hydrogen gas, which raised fears of an explosion and dispersal of radioactivity and consequently left the citizens of Harrisburg PA and the surrounding areas in a man-made disaster area of which they remained largely oblivious for some time. à An ensuing federal investigation of the accident would fault human, mechanical, and design errors, and recommend changes in reactor licensing and personnel training, as well as in the structure and function of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,à (Three Mile Island). à à à à à à à à à à à BODY à à à à à à à à à à à Inarguably, failure to prevent the Three Mile Island nuclear accident rests on human shoulders; the accident resulted from mistakes, oversights, and misjudgments and unlike natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, or major fires, left no immediate physical alterations in the surrounding environment; however, the possibility to lay blame for the accident on specific actions or non-actions by specific reasons lured many who were impacted by the accident to search for immediate victims and villains.à (Houts, Cleary, and Hu vii) à à à à à à à à à à à One of the primary concerns surrounding the accident was the potential dangers of the radioactive leak whichà was especially frightening because it cannot be felt or seen and is not easily understood. It is not possible to tell by ones senses when one is being radiated. Therefore, it was impossible for people living near Three Mile Island to assess the danger directly or to know what protective actions to take though the immediate psychological impact was devastating to nearby residents.à (Houts, Cleary, and Hu xi) à à à à à à à à à à à The accident at Three Mile Island grew in its immediate impact on the citizens near the plant due to media-influence. Recent studies of the incident and comprehensive studies of those impacted by the disasterà reveal profound psychological damages as well as physical damages to personal health and well-being. Subsequent lawsuits against the power plant were upheld by federal courts which ruled the accidental release of radioactive gases resulted from a partial meltdown of the reactor core after a combination of mechanical and human failures allowed the core to lose cooling water[] the company is responsible for health problems, such as cancer and birth defects; however, the full impact of the disaster on the population and the environment may not be known for many years to come.à à (Murray 3) à à à à à à à à à à à While the media exaggerated threats and claims of possible hazards, the state and federal and corporate spokespeople, at first,à downplayed the event and only later admitted thatà findings about the status of the reactor suggested to Met Ed, NRC, and state officials that the accident had caused more damage and presented a greater threat to the citizens of central Pennsylvania than they had previously realized whichà ultimately led to a complete dissolution of trust between the impacted citizens and corporate interests. (Walker 102) à à à à à à à à à à à The impact on the citizens near the plant took three major forms: psychological, physical, and economic. Detailed studies of those impacted by the disaster showed that Nine months after the crisis, 11% of respondents within five miles of TMI stated that they had visited a physician concerning symptoms they thought were due to the situation at Three Mile Island and that in many cases, these health problems were ultimately found to be of a anxious or psychological origin.à (Houts, Cleary, and Hu 95). Long-term impacts, as mentioned earlier, included cancer, birth-defects, and an undermining of trust in government or in corporate America. Many of the citizens near Three Mile Island relocated and left their homes of many years due to the unknown impacts of the disaster which may still be unmeasured. à à à à à à à à à à à CONCLUSION à à à à à à à à à à à à I feel that the Three Mile Island accident severely damaged the relationship between community and corporation not only for those who suffered in the disaster but for anyone who is familiar with its history.à To me, it is appalling that the company realized the power plant was leaking radiation uncontrollably but failed to inform the public or explain the risk, leaving the media to misinform the public in many cases making the situation worse for those who had to endure it. To me, the accident stands as an almost symbolic occurrence which shows the perils of greed and corporateà proliferations and the reality that American citizens are sometimes not provided for by their companies or government but are often put at risk by their actions.(Goldsteen, and Schorr 129) à à à à à à à SUMMARY à à à à à à à à à à à à Though the accident at Three Mile Island can overtly be traced to: A series of mechanical and judgmental errors it can also be traced to deeper roots in the economically driven private sector of American society and also to the superficiality of media and of the failure of government to adequately inform its citizens about the potential risks of an private industrial power-plant operating near their residences. The accident caused a breach in trust between ordinary citizens and government and corporate hierarchies; the full impact of the disaster is till unknown and will only be determined over time. (Houts, Cleary, and Hu ix) à Works Cited à Three Mile Island. The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2004. Goldsteen, Raymond L., and John K. Schorr. Demanding Democracy after Three Mile Island. à Gainesville, FL: University Presses of Florida, 1991. Houts, Peter S., Paul D. Cleary, and Teh-Wei Hu. Psychological, Social, and Economic Impacts à à à à à à à à à on the Surrounding Population Psychological, Social, and Economic Impacts on the à à à à Surrounding Population. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1988. à Questia. 11 Oct. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=99373973. Murray, Frank J. Supreme Court Lets Stand Three Mile Island Lawsuits. The Washington à à à à Times 6 June 2000: 3. Questia. 11 Oct. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst? a=od=5001743165. Walker, J. Samuel. Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective. Berkeley, CA: à à à à à à à à à à à University of California Press, 2004. Questia. 11 Oct. 2007 http://www.questia. com/PM.qst?a=od=105355260.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Domestic Violence Against Women Essay Example for Free
Domestic Violence Against Women Essay Various types of relationships exist between men and women. The status of women has endured a constant change; thus changing the way they are perceived by others in relationships. Despite numerous healthy relationships experienced, there are those which have negative consequences to those involved; one such relationship is that regarding domestic violence. The term domestic violence according to Walker and Gavin refers to ââ¬Å"an intimate relationship between two adults in which one partner uses a pattern of assault and intimidating acts to assert power and control over the other partnerâ⬠(Walker Gavin, 2011). Within the context of this paper, domestic violence will refer to violent relationships between men and women where it is the women who are victimized. The purpose of this paper is tri-fold: (1) to address the development of domestic violence; and (2) to examine various attitudes regarding domestic violence; and (3) to discuss ways in which society is dealing with the issue of domestic violence. Emergence and Development According to feminists, strong patriarchal values held within a society are linked with increased risk of harm towards women (Watto, 2009, p. 561). Patriarchy exists in most societies worldwide (Watto, 2009, p. 563). The term patriarchy refers to the father having full authority of his family (Romito, 2008, p. 30). Within societyââ¬â¢s retaining this belief system, the wife and children are the fatherââ¬â¢s property (Romito, 2008, p. 146). Many findings have developed according to Totten. He found: 1) labor divided by sexual division to be normal; 2) men are to conquer women as sexual objects; 3) abusive behavior is a justified means for resolving conflict and 4) women should respect, obey and depend on men (Totten, 2003, p. ). Thus, one can conclude that family violence is linked to the ideology of patriarchy (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. 123). As well, it is important to note that we live in a society which religion is prevalent, the church agrees with patriarchy (L. Walker, personal communication, October 3rd, 2011). Duffy Momiov (1997) state: Their histories are united in the longstanding moral obligation of men, as comma nded by the Church, to ensure that their wives and children behave themselves properly. Male violence may be legitimately employed to ensure such behavior. It is the patriarchââ¬â¢s Christian duty to ââ¬Å"save their soulsâ⬠(p. 123). Furthermore, considering society and the church agreed with the ideology of patriarchy, one can conclude that domestic violence was a private issue and was unheard or spoken of. The division of labor which has strong historical roots in society contributes to women being victimized. During the Industrial Revolution, men were seen as responsible for making the wage to support the family and the women was responsible for her role in the home as housekeeper and mother (Hutchings, 1992). Unfortunately, according to Hutchings (1992), a man may seek to have more power by abusing his wife if he feels as though he is lacking employment in his occupation. It is the maleââ¬â¢s financial contributions into his home that gives him the opportunity to abuse his wife (Hutchings, 1992). Contributing Factors Leading to Domestic Violence as an Issue Domestic violence against women would never have become an issue if it wasnââ¬â¢t for the development of feminism (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. 23). Feminism is divided into different waves. The two waves which had a connection to the development of an issue of violence against women were one and two. It was prior to the development of the second wave of feminism, that domestic violence against women was thought to be a private issue that did not warrant a concern from the public (Blanchfield, Margesson, Seelke, 2009, pg 1). The first wave occurred in Britain during the years of 1870-1930, it was concerned with womenââ¬â¢s citizen rights and the right to vote; this wave lead to women gaining these rights (Charles, 2000, p. 22). Within this wave, women were concerned with being granted the vote (Crow Gotell, 2009, p. 9). The second wave of feminism emerged in North American and Western Europe during the 1960ââ¬â¢s and focused on womenââ¬â¢s liberation (Charles, 2000, p. 1). During this wave, the feminists came to believe that the state had the ability to demolish policies which affected women thus granting them certain rights (Charles, 2000, p. 5). Goals of the second wave were highlighted by Charles and deal with women raising domestic violence as an issue. He states: During the 1970s, the movement formulated seven demands. These were for equal pay; equal education and job opportunities; free contraception and abortion on demand; free 24-hour urseries; financial and legal independence; an end to all discrimination against lesbians and a womanââ¬â¢s right to define her own sexuality; freedom from intimidation by threat or use of violence or sexual coercion, regardless of marital status, and an end to all laws, assumptions and institutions which perpetuate male dominance and menââ¬â¢s aggression towards women (Charles, 2000, p. 1). Successes were gained from the development of feminism. Male privilege was partially removed with the success of the feminist movements (Crow Gotell, 2009, p. 59). Womenââ¬â¢s opportunities increased in relation to jobs, benefits, education, independence and affluence (Crow Gotell, 2009, p. 173). Due to womenââ¬â¢s gain of independence, they raised their expectations of men and were more unwilling to excuse unacceptable male behavior (Crow Gotell, 2009, p. 173). With the changing of expectations held by women, domestic assault and rape laws were changes and policies which banned harassment in the workplace were created and made common (Crow Gotell, 2009, p. 59). Addressing the Issue The 1960ââ¬â¢s give rise to the battered womenââ¬â¢s movement (Schneider, 1991). Prior to the development of womenââ¬â¢s movement, battering of women was not recognized (Schneider, 1991). This movement viewed battering as a result of gender relations which reflected female subordination and male power (Schneider, 1991). This movement strived to decrease the silence surrounding the issue of abused women and decrease societyââ¬â¢s tolerance of the acts (Crow Gotell, 2009, p. 170). Furthermore, this movement has provided public education to increase awareness, services to those involved and constructed legal remedies to address and stop the abuse (Schneider, 1991). Due to the increased awareness of abuse against women, the Government of Canada has made an effort to decrease the occurrence. During May of 1981, the London Police were the first Canadian police department to implement laying charges regarding spousal assault (Department of Justice, 2009). According to the Department of Justice (2009), In May 1982, the House of Commonsââ¬â¢ Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Social Affairs tabled its report, Report on Violence in the Familyââ¬âWife Battering. In it, the committee noted that police training (at that time) generally instructed against the arrest of a batterer unless he was actually found hitting the victim or unless the victim had suffered injuries that were ââ¬Å"severe enough to require a certain number of stitches. During July of 1982, the House of Commons suggested that Parliament push all police to lay charges for acts of wife beating considering they lay charges for other forms of assault (Department of Justice, 2009). It was also suggested in 1983 by the Federal Provincial Task Force on Justice for Victims of Crime that there be written guidelines developed to direct officers to treat wife assault as a crime and that the act of prosecution be made without the womanââ¬â¢s consent (Department of Justice, 2009). Guidelines were issued to Crown prosecutors and police as to how to deal with spousal abuse by 1986 from the Attorneys General and Solicitors General (Department of Justice, 2009). These guidelines required police to file charges if they had reasonable grounds to believe the women had been assaulted (Department of Justice, 2009). The Government of Canada has been making adjustments to current bills. Bill C-15 was reintroduced in March of 2001 with the proposal of increasing the sentence of criminal harassment to ten years from the previous five year sentence (Department of Justice, 2009). Bill C-79 had been amended in December of 1999, to facilitate victimââ¬â¢s participation as well as that of the witnesses during the process of criminal justice (Department of Justice, 2009). For example, before the accused can be released on bail, the safety of the victim must be taken into account (Department of Justice, 2009). Bill C-27 was reformed and enforced in May of 1997; it redefined the definition of criminal harassment (Department of Justice, 2009). During a sentencing of the accused, Bill C-27 also requires that the courts take breaching of court orders into consideration (Department of Justice, 2009). Bill C-41 which discusses sentencing was amended in 1996; thus allowing women to seek compensation for expenses accumulated from the needing to leave their house due to the abuse. (Department of Justice, 2009). Bill C-42 was reinforced during February of 1995; thus making it easier for victims to receive peace bonds. Individuals and the police are now able to request a peace bond on a victimââ¬â¢s behalf who is at risk of harm (Department of Justice, 2009). The penalty for violating a peace bond has been raised from half a year to two years (Department of Justice, 2009). The final bill reformed was Bill C-126 which created a new charge of criminal harassment known as anti-stalking (Department of Justice, 2009). Shelter programs have been a way of society trying to help women of domestic violence (Koss, White Kazdin, 2011, p. 185). These programs have advanced a lot since they were introduced. Early shelters were only able to offer temporary support in the form of beds (Koss, White Kazdin, 2011, p. 185). Fortunately, shelter programs have advanced to offer more immediate services to the victims. Today, many of the programs offer emergency shelter, support groups, crisis lines which are open 24/7, counseling services, programs for children and advocacy for the victims (Koss, White Kazdin, 2011, p. 185). Fortunately, shelters have educated victims on their rights and options, taught them about community resources, shown them additional safety strategies and given them hope for the future (Sullivan, Oââ¬â¢Halloran Lyon, 2008). First response teams are in place to provide safety to victimized women. The team usually consists of social workers and/or trained advocates who assist police officers during or shortly after domestic violence arrests occur (Koss, White Kazdin, 2011, p. 185). These teams promote the message to abusers that legal consequences result from their harmful behavior and they also educate victims about resources and community services available (Koss, White Kazdin, 2011, p. 185). Discussion There are many ways in which society suffers from domestic violence against women. Family relationships suffer severely when women endure these unhealthy relationships (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. 6). Family members are harmed as well (Duffy Momirov, 19997, p. 6); for example: observing violence can affect the observer in a physical, mental, and/or emotional manner. Victims of the violence may feel humiliated (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. 6). One reason a victim may feel humiliated is that the abuser is a loved one for whom they trust (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. 6). The humiliation is usually experienced not only by the victim but also the accused but this may occur at differing times (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. ). The victim is likely to experience shame due to the belief that they are being attacked (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. 6). Considering society doesnââ¬â¢t want to experience negative emotions, the victims and/or accusers may try to avoid the feeling of shame thus leading to the possibility of them becoming violent (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. 6). The act of violence also affects those who witness it (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. 6). Those who have witnessed violence and then engage in relationships with others are likely to realize that their relationships are tainted (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. ). Due to these tainted relationships, institutions such as the police, the penal system, social services and the courts get involved with the issue to try and break the cycle (Duffy Momirov, 19997, p. 6). Individuals fail to intervene in conflicts of domestic violence due to existent stereotypes. Many people still feel as though the issue is still a private matter, should only be dealt and discussed within the family and this it is a minor offence (Berry, 2000, p. 23). Unfortunately, people also believe they are helpless and cannot stop it issue from occurring (Berry, 2000, p. 3). Many people still believe that the issue is rare, thus they may train them self to believe it isnââ¬â¢t really occurring (Berry, 2000, p. 22). It is believed by some that women are naturally passive and men are to be inherently aggressive, therefore abuse is inevitable and part of human nature (Berry, 2000, p. 23). Some believe that the women provoke the violence through getting angry at the man, nagging, or speaking their minds; thus leading to the women deserving to be beaten (Berry, 2000, p. 22). Furthermore others believe it is a problem due to increased poverty or stress, thus making it limited to those of a lower class (Berry, 2000, 23). Despite the negative consequences women face in these abusive relationships with men, some choose to not seek help. Many women may feel as though they are forced to stay in these relationships to avoid becoming a lone mother living a life of poverty (Crow Gotell, 2009, p. 85). One can understand why women may fear becoming victims of poverty because despite their wages increasing, they still earn far less than men (Crow Gotell, 20009, p. 5). Walikhanna (2009) has many thoughts of why women stay: 1) women may keep the issue silent for the sake of their children 2) education or training may be lacking thus they are dependent on the man 3) they may believe the abuse is part of their fate or a way of living (p. 72). The women may fear the man will seek revenge (Department of Justice, 2009). Victims may live in isolated communities or face communication, cultural or language barriers (Department of Justice, 2009). Furthermore, these are but few of the reasons the issue is still prevalent thus the authorities are unable to intervene. Sometimes strategies engaged prove to be ineffective. During the beginning of an abusive relationship, the women usually employ various strategies to diminish the violence (Denmark, Rabinowitz Sechzer, 2005, p. 398). They may call the police, seek the help of family members or the church, turn to their doctors or try to change their characteristics which the man criticizes (Denmark, Rabinowitz Sechzer, 2005, p. 396). Unfortunately, they men will find other ways to criticize the women, the police may only diffuse the present situation, family members and/or the church may advise the women to do everything in the relationship to salvage their families and doctors may respond to the women with sleeping pills, antidepressants and tranquilizers (Denmark, Rabinowitz Sechzer, 2005, p. 396). Future Outcome Despite all the changes society has implemented, more needs to be done to make this issue non-existent. Lots of cases in which the women are abused go unreported to police but fortunately the reported cases have increased (Department of Justice, 2009). Presently, the stigma once attached to women who admit to being victimized and seek help has declined (Berry, p. 22). Fortunately, as more stories make public awareness, their attitudes regarding the issue their attitudes are changing; they are becoming more aware of its detrimental effects as well as the negative consequences of not getting involved (Berry 1995). Community implemented programs attacking domestic violence has also seen amazing results (Berry, 1995, p. 27). The effectiveness of all future outreach programs depend on the communities attitudes (Sen, 1999, p. 37). It has been suggested that all money used to stop domestic violence has promoted the victim instead providing social solutions (Sen, 1999, p. 37). For Example: the accused are threatened with a jail sense instead of trying to change the manââ¬â¢s ideology which causes to seek power though the use of violence and intimidation (Sen, 1999, p. 37). Futhermore it has been thought that men who abuse women do not believe they are criminals; one study found that 80 percent of those accused has no previous contact with the law (Sen, 1999, p. 36). Unfortunately, recognizing an abuser is not easy (Walikhanna, 2009, p. 3), therefore one way of intervening in cases of domestic violence is being able to recognize the signs. Signs of a women being abused include: being anxious or afraid to please their man, doing everything he says, going along with what he does, women checking in with their partner often to report their actions, constant harassing telephone calls or the women discussing her partner as possessive, jealous or having a temper (Smith Segal, 2011). Signs of physical use include: having frequent accidental injuries, constant absences without explanations, and wearing clothing which hides marks (Smith Segal, 2011). Signs of isolation include: restrictions to see friends and family, limited access to credit cards, money or a vehicle and rarely being allowed in public without their partner. Furthermore, another type of abuse to observe for is psychological. Signs include: low self-esteem, depression, anxiousness, being suicidal and expression of drastic personality changes (Smith Segal, 2011). Despite various signs to observe to identify abuse, it is important to note that these are only signs, just because an individual is experiencing a sign does not mean she is a victim of abuse. These signs are only listed to better help society identify victims. Conclusion This paper discussed the changing of domestic violence from that of a private issue to becoming a public issue. Various attitudes, beliefs and interventions were also discussed. Feminists believe societyââ¬â¢s emphasis on patriarchal values is linked to women being victimized by men (Watto, 2009, p. 561). Victimization of women is shown through the division of labour. The emergence of feminism lead to domestic violence of women becoming recognized as an issue (Duffy Momirov, 1997, p. 3). Feminism gained successes in relation to various issues. One of their great victoryââ¬â¢s which had violence against women recognized as an issue arose from the battered womenââ¬â¢s movement in the 1960ââ¬â¢s (Schneider, 1991). Following increased awareness of the problem, the Government of Canada has implemented various interventions to try and rid the country of the problem. Not only are women victims in th is practice but so is society as a whole. Stereotypes are still present causing witnesses not to intervene. Some victims choose not to seek help despite the impact is has on them negatively. Unfortunately, there are victims who try to get help but are unsuccessful. Furthermore, despite all the progress made which deems this behavior unacceptable, it will continue to exist until more progress can be reached. In an effort to rid the future of the problem, emphasis needs to focus on societyââ¬â¢s attitudes and beliefs as well as being able to recognize possible signs of abuse. Nevertheless, this will hopefully rid society of the issue and if not then hopefully make it one that is near non-existent.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Evidence about the asteroid theory
Evidence about the asteroid theory Introduction The purpose of the case study is to investigate Did a meteorite make the dinosaurs extinct.These theories are not exactly been justified. It is an unsolved mystery nobody knows the reason and what caused the dinosaurs to become extinct. A meteorite is a body of matter that reaches the earths surface because it has not been heated up by friction with the atmosphere. It is made up of iron, stone or a mixture of both. Most meteorites are made as two asteroids are collided with each other or fragments of asteroids and comets. Asteroids are medium sized rocks that orbit the sun; Asteroids can be smaller than one-mile to almost 600 miles. There are many asteroids in our solar system. The asteroid belt was created when the solar system was formed and the asteroid belt is made from a cloud of dust, ice and gas. The Earth orbits the sun. The earth meets objects in space like dust or bits of rock broken off from asteroids. By the end of the Cretaceous period 50% of all living things on Earth and in sea were wiped out. Dinosaurs had been living on the earth about 230 million years ago and they became extinct nearly 65millionyearsago.Theirextinction hasconfused scientistsforyears. It affected plant and animals on land and in wa ter. Somescientistsbelievethatdinosaursdiedinallatonce,inamass extinction. AlargeasteroidorcometcrashedintoEarthandchangedtheclimate. Anincreaseinvolcanicactivitycausedashand dust whichblockedthesun. Diseaseswipedoutentirepopulationsofdinosaurs. AsevereiceagecouldhavechangedtemperaturesandfrozenalotofEarthswater. The amount of earths oxygen could have dropped which caused suffocation to the dinosaurs. Mammals came that ate dinosaur eggs. An exploding start supernova could have killed the dinosaurs. Any of these theories could have been responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs; none of these theories have been proven. The theory which has the most evidence and has been approved by most of the geologists and scientist is the Asteroid theory. Scientific Theories There are two types of extinction theories: Gradual extinction and catastrophic extinction. Gradual extinction would have been like the changes in the earths climate. It could also have been because new animals achieved in the struggle and coped with all the difficulties example mammals, etc. Theory explained that mammals ate dinosaurs eggs. Catastrophic extinction would have caused the death of the dinosaurs suddenly, such as an asteroid hitting the earth, or the eruption of volcanoes causing sudden death. There were many theories to show how the dinosaurs were wiped out.à The theories are not been declared yet. The most accepted theory is the Asteroid Theory. The first people who found this theory were Luis and Walter Alvarez in 1980. This theory explains that an asteroid hit or collided with the Earth nearly 65 million years ago and this collision would have given off so much dust into the environment that the sun rays would not be able to enter or shine and plants and animals would die. The debris in the atmosphere would have obstructed the sun for a long time causing changes in temperature; the temperature would get cooler and caused severe interruption to photosynthesis. Dinosaurs could not adapt to the changes in climate the occurred from this huge collision and therefore they were not able to survive. Because plants energy comes from the sun, they would probably be affected first by the changes in climate. Even though having this much support to the evidence a few geologists did not believe in the Asteroid Theory and asked to show the crater where the meteorite must have fallen but the crater had buried in sediment.The elements were left behind in lots of amounts in the K-T layer where the collision happened. The impact would have also created forest fires and long term environmental changes. The speed of the asteroid would have been 100,000 kilometres per hour approximately. Another theory that shows how the dinosaurs were wiped off is volcanic theory. The consequences of volcanic activity could have caused so much ash and gasses added to the atmosphere which then blocked sunlight and creating difficult conditions for dinosaurs. The level of volcanic activity would also have given off greenhouse gasses which increased the Earths temperature. It has also been suggested that a disease killed off the dinosaurs. A very dangerous disease may have spread among all the dinosaurs causing them to become extinct. A disease might have wiped out all the dinosaurs if they had no cure, but the disease wouldnt kill off all the plants all around the earth. Another theory is that the dinosaurs died during an ice age. During this time periods, temperatures drop, cooler temperatures may have killed all the plants and dinosaurs. Scientists have not found any evidence of an ice age that could have happened during the life of the dinosaurs. A supernova explodes with plenty energy and can keep our sun burning for billions of years. A supernova is a star that gives off large volumes of energy. The chance of a supernova to occur is nearly one in a million. The increased amount of radiation from a supernova could have affected the Earths ozone layer. Effects on Marine Life The amount of oxygen in the seas would have decreased. Many sea creatures would have died because of the collapse of the food chain. There could have been an increase of acid rain. The Asteroid effected species both on sea and land. Deflecting a meteorite To collision can only be avoided if we move the meteorite away or if the meteorite can split into small pieces so that they can burn up in the atmosphere by friction. The often move around very fast which makes it difficult to deflect it. If the meteorite is broken you would expect to get many small rocks intead of a large meteorite, but some of the small rocks may brun up in the atmosphere which is better than having a larger meteorite hitting the earth and causing problems A graph to explain the extinction, climate and the amount of iridium The climate is normal at the start of the Cretaceous period but during the end it eventually decreases and shows the evidence that climate change might have also caused the extinction. Cooler temperatures may have caused problems like the sunlight would not be able to shine. The dust from the asteroid would have blocked the sun. The mass extinction shows the decline of the dinosaurs almost towards the end of the Cretaceous period and by the beginning of the tertiary period all of the dinosaurs had vanished. The KT boundary sediments has high amount of element iridium shown, which is common in extraterrestrial material. Extraterrestrial material is a type of material or object that has fallen out of the Earth or its atmosphere and falls onto the planet. The page will explain the evidence about the two most proved theory. Evidence about the asteroid theory The evidence to explain the asteroid theory is that a crater was then found at around 1990, 150 miles in diameter named the Chicxulub crater which is located on the Yucatan peninsula. The crater was about 120 mile wide or across and 1 mile deep. Seismic monitoring equipment which is designed to hunt for oil discovered the huge crater. The iridium layer is what lead the Alvarez team to blame an asteroid collision for the extinction asteroids and other extraterrestrial bodies are enriched with high amounts ofà iridium than the Earths crust The asteroid theory has gained more evidence than any other of the theories Evidence against Asteroid theory The Asteroid theory has proved more evidence than any other theory; there is still a problem with the theory. Paleontologists have to find dinosaurs fossils related to the time period of the impact and some evidence explains that dinosaurs might have already been extinct before this impact. Actually dinosaurs had been declining slowly before the asteroid hit the earth. There have been a lot of mass extinctions in the past history and many large asteroid collisions. Even though there have been many of these collisions they havent caused mass extinctions all around the world. The asteroid theory is still the most powerful theory to provide reasons for the extinction of the dinosaurs. Some scientist believe this impact did not cause the extinction of all the dinosaurs and other creatures, there could have been two or more collisions. Evidence to volcanic activity The dinosaurs could have died because of a volcano. A research explains that a volcano erupted in India. The researcher said: Now we find that another catastrophe, which is Deccan Volcanism, which has not had much attention paid to it, may be the real culprit. Volcanic eruptions on Indias Deccan plateau between 63 and 67 million years ago spewed huge amounts of sulfur dioxide into the air for around 10,000 years
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)