Article VIII What does it really mean essays

Article VIII What does it really mean essays Article VIII: What Does It Really Mean? required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment Excessive bail was borrowed with a few slight changes from the English Bill of Rights Act. The concept of bail in both England and in the United States was never thought as right to bail in all cases, but to provide that bail would not be excessive in cases where it is considered legitimate to set bail. The definition of Bail, as according to the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, property given as surety that a person released from custody will return custody will return at an appointed time. The concept of bail was first created by the Statute of Westminster the First of 1275 A.D., which created a detailed list of certain offenses that were bailable and those that were not. Because judges were permitted to imprison people with or without bail, the Petition of Right was enacted in 1628 A.D. Due to various frauds of petitions for habeas corpus which could not be presented the English Parliament enacted the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 A.D., which established procedures for the release of prisoners from prison and created penalties for judges who did not comply with the Act. As a result of this, the judges then set bail so high, that it could not be met. With this Parliament responded by including in the Bill of Rights of 1689 A.D. a provision that excessive bail shoul d not be required. In America excessive fines were given meaning during the early part of the twentieth century. In an early case, the Supreme Court held that it had no authority to revise the sentence of an inferior court, despite the fact that the excessiveness of the fines were quite apparent on the face of the records. With the inability to pay, the poor were then sentenced to jail and thus giving meaning to the term ''excessive fines'' as it applied to the person sentenced. During the time the Eighth Amendment was adopt...

Free Essays on James Luna, A Native American Man

â€Å"James Luna, A Native American Man,† is an insightful, cut the bullshit, view of the modern Indian culture. I identify with Luna’s viewpoints as I have seen many of the situations he describes with his art to be true to life. I have spent a lot of time in Northern Canada fishing with my brother and father. The areas we visit are predominantly Indian reservations. Having spent quite a bit of time getting to know these types of towns and people, I have grown aware of some of the many problems that surround the modern day reservation lifestyle. It is true that most people have romantic and Disneyland-ish ideas about what it means to be a modern Indian, the most of which are complete fantasy. The reality behind the situation seems to be the exact opposite. The majority of reservation towns are dirty, poor, and run-down. Many of the people have alcohol and drug related problems starting at a young age. At a quick drive through one might assume he was passing through another slum. There are no teepees, no headdresses, and no rituals. For the most part there is only poverty. Unless the town is lucky enough to have a casino, the majority of the people live month to month on their reparation checks. This is where I believe, as do many of the Indians I have spoken to, the problem lies. The idea of reparations sounds good enough in theory. Pay people back for what was taken from them long ago. The long-term effects of reparations though tend to be devastating to the Indian culture. Why would giving people free money be harmful? Quite simply, handouts deprive people of pride, a sense of equality and belonging, and especially motivation. The people I have talked to all claim the same thing†¦Children growing up know that they don’t have to work if they don’t want to. That tends to be the common attitude of the reservation Indian. This also encourages what Luna calls, â€Å"Wannabee’s,† to try and get in on the actio... Free Essays on James Luna, A Native American Man Free Essays on James Luna, A Native American Man â€Å"James Luna, A Native American Man,† is an insightful, cut the bullshit, view of the modern Indian culture. I identify with Luna’s viewpoints as I have seen many of the situations he describes with his art to be true to life. I have spent a lot of time in Northern Canada fishing with my brother and father. The areas we visit are predominantly Indian reservations. Having spent quite a bit of time getting to know these types of towns and people, I have grown aware of some of the many problems that surround the modern day reservation lifestyle. It is true that most people have romantic and Disneyland-ish ideas about what it means to be a modern Indian, the most of which are complete fantasy. The reality behind the situation seems to be the exact opposite. The majority of reservation towns are dirty, poor, and run-down. Many of the people have alcohol and drug related problems starting at a young age. At a quick drive through one might assume he was passing through another slum. There are no teepees, no headdresses, and no rituals. For the most part there is only poverty. Unless the town is lucky enough to have a casino, the majority of the people live month to month on their reparation checks. This is where I believe, as do many of the Indians I have spoken to, the problem lies. The idea of reparations sounds good enough in theory. Pay people back for what was taken from them long ago. The long-term effects of reparations though tend to be devastating to the Indian culture. Why would giving people free money be harmful? Quite simply, handouts deprive people of pride, a sense of equality and belonging, and especially motivation. The people I have talked to all claim the same thing†¦Children growing up know that they don’t have to work if they don’t want to. That tends to be the common attitude of the reservation Indian. This also encourages what Luna calls, â€Å"Wannabee’s,† to try and get in on the actio...

Financial performance comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial performance comparison - Essay Example The ROA of Brown-foreman was better than Anheuser Bush. Return on equity (ROE) when compared to return on assets, measures the extent to which financial leverage is working for or against common stockholders (Garrison & Noreen). Brown-foreman’s ROE of 32.43% was superior to the 20.83% return on equity of Anheuser Bush. The earnings per share (EPS) metric is the portion of a company’s profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock (Investopedia). The EPS of Anheuser Bush in 2014 was $5.54, while Brown-foreman had a lower EPS in the same period of $3.08. The current ratio shows the ability of a company to pay off its short term debt. A current ratio is considered good if is above the 1.0 threshold. Anheuser Bush had a current ratio of 0.62, while Brown-foreman had a current ratio of 1.02 in 2014. The working capital shows whether a company can pay off its current liabilities solely using its current assets. The working capital of Anheuser Bush was -$8,867 million, while Brown-forman had a working capital of $106 million. Based on these two ratios the liquidity of Brown-forman is superior of Anheuser Bush. The debt ratio shows how much leverage a company uses. In 2014 Anheuser Bush had a debt ratio of 0.62, a figure that is 0.12 higher than Brown-foreman. The desirable outcome is to have a lower debt ratio, thus Brown-foreman outperform Anheuser Bush in this financial metric. The inventory turnover shows how many times a company sold its inventory during a year. Anheuser Bush sold its inventory 6.31 times during 2014. Brown foreman only sold its inventory 1.04 times during the year. Average sale period measures the number of days taken to sell the inventory one time. It takes Anheuser Bush 57.88 days to sell its inventory, while it took Brown-foreman 352.61 days. The financial performance of both companies was good since both firms generated positive income during 2014. When comparing the

Knowledge Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Knowledge Management - Essay Example Even though this model has an obvious practical approach, it combines altogether principles, systems processes, values and attitudes (Moraga 3). Thus, the Pedler’s model of organizational learning can confuse those managers who will try to apply this model in their companies (Moraga 3). Another critical issue of the Pedler’s model was his failure to propose a practical framework to put the changes of the structures on accounting, control, and information systems into practice (Moraga 6). According to Tiwana, knowledge management plays a critical role in both operational and strategic planning, because knowledge is a driver of organizational strategy and strategy is a driver of knowledge management (cited by Alstete & Halpern n.p.). Consequently, even the well-developed knowledge management systems will not be successful until there will exist a clear link with the business strategy (Alstene & Halpern, n.p.). Also, there exists a tight relationship between KM and organizational performance, including employee performance, business performance, market performance and intellectual capital (Vidović 6). Thus, it can be concluded that KM strategy can be reflected at the various levels of strategy, for instance: improved communication and employee skills, enhanced collaboration and better decision making, etc. (employee performance); increased profits, reduced costs, increased share price (organizational performance); faster response to key business issues, improved bus iness processes, creation of new business opportunity (business performance); increased market size and share, better customer handling, enhanced product or service quality (market performance); and enhanced intellectual property, increased adaptation capability and increased innovation (intellectual capital (Vidović 6). According to Stewart (1997), intellectual capital refers to any intellectual material, which can be put to use to create wealth, including information, knowledge, intellectual property and even experience (Bontis, 42).

The initial stages of big business Essay Example for Free

The initial stages of big business Essay While the initial stages of big business trace back to pre-Civil War America, it was not until the post-Civil War time period that large corporations effected on American society. From Rockefeller to Vanderbilt to Carnegie and all in between, these men and their businesses had unprecedented influence on American life. John Rockefeller created the Standard Oil Trust, with the intention of his business, Standard Oil Company, becoming the oil monopoly; short after, The Homestead Strike against Carnegie Steel aroused massive public support for unions. Likewise, big businesses’ growth and influences brought about a decline in the cost of living and the birth of a new political party. As a whole, the rise of big business in post-Civil War America caused a downward economic spiral while simultaneously increasing American hostility toward government and corporations, ultimately leading to the birth of new political and philosophical movements. The growth of corporations in post-Civil War America led to economic deflation which subsequently widened the gap between the rich and the poor, paving the way for a change in labor and the relationships between social classes. The chart form Historical Statistics of the United States depicts the connection of the increase in big business with the improved innovations of mass production in agriculture. While improved farming equipment increased the crop production, the demand for produce declined, creating economic deflation. In response to the farmer’s plight, Charles Macune came up with the idea of the subtreasury plan, a plan that would allow farmers to store their nonperishable commodities in government warehouses until the market prices rose. Also, as a response to the farmer’s struggle the Farmer’s Alliance was created with the intention of alleviating farming hardships. Similar to agricultural mass production, Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie demonstrates how the rise in big business contributed to the mass production that spurred department stores. Department stores like Macy’s and Wanamaker’s sold mass amounts of the same product for rock-bottom prices. As opposed to the few that could afford the pricey handmade garments in years prior, these prices allowed the masses to engage in commercial activity. The growth of big businesses clearly goes hand-in-hand with consolidation, where there is an increase availability of consumer goods for society. In order for there to be department stores and an increase in agricultural innovations, there need to be a transition from specialized labor to mass production. David Well’s, Recent Economic Changes†¦ asserts the opinions of a corporation leader on the switch to mass production by comparing its effectiveness and necessity to that of a military. While Wells believes specialization of labor left workers unskilled and useless, mass production stripped the worker of his independence and decreased the worker’s pride in his craft. The economic demands for mass production created sweatshops as opposed to the one-man-owned small businesses that operated prior. The rise of big business changed labor production and impacted the economy with mass production; it also changed the labor force, allowing more opportunity for employment. Prior to this time, women generally were not active in the work force, yet the picture of female typists depicts a slew of women preforming the same task. Mass production allows for more labor opportunities because unspecialized labor entails little skill. By requiring more workers, big businesses have opened the doors for women in the workplace. Andrew Carnegie’s, â€Å"Wealth† displays how the general population felt the impact of big business through the theories of â€Å"Social Darwinism† and â€Å"Social Gospel. † Carnegie believed that the wealthy were fit for success and money which is why they should handle the finances as opposed to the poor, who were subject to elites’ decisions. However, the rich needed to use their surplus funds to better the community and the lives of the less fortunate because, â€Å"He who dies rich dies in disgrace. Carnegie was a model of â€Å"Social Gospel,† considering munificent donations to parks, universities, and museums. Due to these theories, the poor experienced a new financial relationship with the wealthy, where they received generous luxuries. The impacts of big business influenced the economy and lead to deflation, a larger economic gap between the rich and the poor, a change in labor, alterations in relationships between social classes , and ultimately contributed to shifts in government that spawned new political ideals. Similar to the economic alterations brought about by the growth of corporations, big businesses contributed to a corrupt government and a wave of unprecedented political movements. The cartoon, â€Å"Big Bosses of the Senate illustrates the public’s view of government being run by the leaders of large corporations and senators aligned with trusts. The issue with the senate was that senators were not directly elected by the people and the senate was close to less powerful citizens. This allowed men with their own financial goals ahead of the welfare of the people to be elected. Cartoonist Thomas Nast earned fame with a portrayal of senator â€Å"Boss† Tweed, New York City’s wealthy convicted fraud and extortionist, as a vulture devouring the city’s bones. In 1869, Tweed proved he was a corrupt politician when used his power to ensure his protege, John Hoffman won governor, bribed Republicans, and was convicted of forgery and larceny. Due to the corruption in government, the Sherman Anti-Trust act was created; this legislation outlawed trusts and monopolies that fixed prices. In response to the corruption the Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service, where candidates for federal positions were thoroughly examined, and the Interstate Commerce Act, where the Interstate Commerce Commission oversaw the interstate practices of the railroad industry. Another issue with government that was directly related to big business was the lack of organized labor. George McNeil’s, The Labor Movement, explains how helpless laborers felt about the excess power of those in charge of large companies. To challenge the unrestrained power, Oliver Kelley founded the Grange, an organization intended to help farmers, â€Å"buy less and produce more, in order to make famers more self-sustaining. † The Grange focused their wrath on attacking railroads which charged higher rates for short runs as opposed to long hauls. In 1877, the Grange brought the court case Munn V. S. Illinois to the Supreme Court; the Supreme Court declared the â€Å"Granger Laws† (there appeals to the railroads) as constitutional and upheld the law that set a maximum rate for the storage of grain. While the Grange targeted some of the public’s issues with leader’s unrestrained power, most people felt like they were being exploited by large firms and wanted a way to stand up to the leaders. Samuel Gomper’s, What Does Labor Want addresses the public’s desire for unions that will ensure adequate wages and compensation for company’s negligence. Since so many American’s desired the right to directly elect senators and have the right to organize, the political party, the Populist Party, was formed with a platform containing the direct election of senators, civil service reform, and an eight-hour workday. The document, â€Å"People’s Party Platform,† discusses how the Populist Party was dedicated to returning the government to the people, ending oppression, injustice, and poverty, and strengthening central government. The Populist Party supported referendum, the policy where voters could enact a law or express their views a proposed measure, and the subtreasury plan. Major advocates of the Populist Party included James Weaver who was the president of the party and a presidential candidate in 1892, galvanized supporters, and forefront speaker Mary Lease who spoke about big businesses making Americans â€Å"wage slaves. Henceforth, the growth of big businesses’ contributions to a corrupt unrestrained government and newfound political movements consequently produced a plethora of sentiments from the American people. The effects of big business in post-Civil war America roused avid opinions from citizens in response to the third-class population and corporation leader’s excessive power. Carnegie’s â€Å"Wealth† exhibits the prominent turn-of-the-century philosophy of â€Å"Social Gospel,† the belief that great wealth comes with great responsibilities. The belief came about in response to the unprecedented surplus of wealth the wealthy acquired through their profitable business endeavors. Carnegie warned the public the, â€Å"The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced,† because men have the duty to regard their surplus fortunes as a trust to be administered for the benefit of the community. Despite the fact that Carnegie responded positively to the impacts of growing corporations, many people found themselves dissatisfied with their new working conditions. McNeil’s, Labor Movement, demonstrates the laborer’s belief that the leaders of big business obtain too much power and control over the workers. The leaders placed unfair monopolies on the food and fuel industries, corrupted the government, withheld lawful wages, and discharged and employee without cause. If employers tried to organize, corporation leaders could resort to blacklisting, a method in which he would close a factory to break a labor movement before a union could form. The majority of citizens did not respond well to the unrestrained power; Gomper’s, What Does Labor Want, documents labor’s demands for the right to organize, adequate wages, and compensation for company’s negligence. In response to the people’s demands, Terrence Powderly founded the Knights of Labor, an organization which attempted to unify all working men and women. The Knights of Labor denounced â€Å"wage-slavery† and encouraged workers to combine their wages so that they could collectively purchase mines, factories, and stores. After declining in national importance, the American Federation of Labor (AFL), an alliance of skilled workers in craft unions, began to grow. The AFL opposed political activity not directly related to the union and advocated its â€Å"bread and butter† goals such as higher wages, shorter hours, and better working conditions. Over time, the AFL grew to be America’s most powerful labor union and in 1904, Samuel Gompers was recognized as the national spokesman for American laborers. While many people’s plights were alleviated by these organizations, some people still were devastated by the expansion of big business. George Rice’s â€Å"How I was ruined by Rockefeller,† demonstrates how Rockefeller’s monopoly on oil poked major holes in Rice’s wallet. Rice could only by the Standard Oil Company’s oil, as opposed his prior oil that was not only the same quality oil, but also, it was three cents cheaper. This practice exemplified the â€Å"American Rose Theory,† where in order for a gardener to have the best rose, he needs to cut all the other roses; in order for a company to be the best, it needed to eliminate all of its competition. This theory also plays into vertical integration, where a company buys out its competitors in order to ensure that it is the greatest. As a whole, the growth of corporations’ effects on the economy and politics were the main reasons for new philosophies pertaining to the social classes and new political demands and ideals. From the severe economic deflation, to the increased political tensions, to the birth of new political and philosophical movements, the impacts of growing big business on all aspects of post-Civil War American life are truly evident. Had mass production not contributed to agricultural innovations, then the economic deflation would not have had such a profound effect on farmer’s livelihoods. If the government was not controlled by large corporation leaders and senators aligned with trusts, then there is a large possibility that the Populist Party would have never been born. If the people were not perturbed by leader’s power, then labor movements such as the American Federation of Labor would not have occurred. Overall, the rise of big business completely changed the face and functions of American society.

Its Time to Stop the Censorship Music with Explicit Lyrics Essay

It's Time to Stop the Censorship Music with Explicit Lyrics Music with explicit lyrics or content started having black and white parental advisories on them in 1994 (http://www.riaa.org/Parents-Advisory-4.cfm). Are these labels necessary? Is controversial music molding our society and causing teenagers to turn to drugs? Is censorship necessary to protect the youth of our nation. Generally, younger people are against censorship on this issue. Music is an outlet and even an anti-drug for many teens; however, parents and society feel differently. Should parents censor their children or society, many parents would like to raise their own children. â€Å"Censorship, like charity should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there,† is a quote by Clare Boothe Luce (Fitzhenry, 84). Many believe that the â€Å"explicit† lyrics and content in this controversial music like Eminem will turn their children to crime and drugs. Music censorship started in the United States in the late fifties and continues till today. Will it ever go too far or stop? Society causes a lot of music censorship. Starting in the late fifties and early sixties members of society made efforts to censor R&B music(http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). They were concerned that the music endorsed wild living, promiscuous sex, and lewd dancing (http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). â€Å"During the late sixties and seventies, Jim Morrison’s dark and suggestive lyrics stirred up communities, and parents were appalled to see Elvis Presley’s hip-thrusting† (http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). Society censors music like this because they are afraid of it. They think it will alter the minds of their children and cause them to do things they would have never done if it were never suggested in a song’s lyrics. â€Å"Music mirrors the society that creates it† (http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). Some people believe this, while others believe that mu sic causes problems in our society such as crime and drugs. â€Å"For every person who believes certain lyrics portray a frightening world, there is another person who finds them deep and powerful because that world is all too real† (http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm). A number of people believe there is a correlation between album sales and the parental adviso... ...ost, I believe that music censorship infringes our first amendment to the Constitution, freedom of speech. Saying that music artists may not use certain words is the same as saying a newspaper cannot print a certain article in my opinion. Yet it seems that music is an easier target because pro-censorship groups claim that they are helping the youth of America. Sources 1. â€Å"About R.O.C.† 11 February 2002. http://www.theroc.org/aboutroc/roc10.htm 2. â€Å"Controversial Music, The Beat Goes On.† 7 February 2002. http://teenmusic.about.com/library/weekly/aa022301a.htm 3. Fitzhenry, Robert I., ed. The Harper Book of Quotations. New York, New York: Harper Collins Publishers Inc., 1993. 4. Hoffman, Hank. â€Å"Wal-Mart Blues.† 18 February 2002. http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/01.09.97/walmart-music-9702.html 5. Record Industry Association of America. 7 February 2002. http://www.riaa.org/Parents-Advisory-4.cfm 6. â€Å"The 2 Live Crew.† 11 February 2002. http://music.lycos.com/artist/bio.asp?QW=2+Live+Crew&AN=The+2+Live+Crew&MID=66486&MH 7. Winfield, Betty Houchin and Davidson, Sandra, eds. Bleep! Censoring Rock and Rap Music. Wesport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999.

History of Western Art Comparison 1

A Progression of Idealistic Perfection in Sculpture: Khafre Enthroned to Kritios Boy Early Egyptian art from the Old Kingdom, ca. 2575-2134 BCE, demonstrates uniform structure. Egyptian artists and sculptors adhered to a system of strict rules known as canon to create this consistency. The Egyptian canon suggested perfection to be a rigid, ageless idealization of reality. Roughly 1,500 years later, a progressive canon emerged in Greek art reflecting new ideals of perfection. Greek art beginning in the Early Classical Period, ca. 80- 450 BCE, digressed from the acceptance of formula (influenced by Egyptian canon) to reflect greater naturalism, an adherence to close observation of reality. Greek perfection was achieved through rational ordering of the world, in which the canon was based on a mathematical system of proportion. A comparison of two sculptures, Khafre Enthroned from the Egyptian Old Kingdom Period and Kritios Boy from the Greek Early Classical Period, illustrates a progres sion of desire to achieve perfection from Egyptian ideals of knowledge and completeness to Greek ideals of vision and the natural.These sculptures represent an advancement of artistic technique from set formula to fluid rationality, both with a shared desire for excellence. The granite sculpture of Khafre Enthroned from Gizeh, Egypt, ca. 2500 BCE was recovered from the valley temple of pharaoh Khafre. Functioning as a funerary statue, it provided a substitute for the pharaoh’s soul, or ka. Khafre wears a plain kilt and displays Egyptian royalty with headdress and false beard. His flawless, muscular body sits upright with one hand clenched in a fist.In addition to rigid posture, Khafre’s face is emotionless yet serene. Iconography of divine rule and unification embellish the sculpture; with lion’s bodies and papyrus plants decorating the throne, and a falcon sheltering pharaoh’s head. Like the immortality of the soul, Khafre appears to be timeless without regard to his real age or appearance. Khafre Enthroned aims to represent the divine nature of Egyptian rule as idealization of human form to a god-like perfection. The marble sculpture of Kritios Boy from Greece, ca. 80 BCE marks an influential point of stylistic evolution. In contrast to Khafre Enthroned, The Kritios Boy was created for a public audience. The Kritios Boy’s standing pose represents a freedom in his figure that divorces the solidity of the stiffly seated Khafre. Rather than emanating timelessness, this naturalistic sculpture seems to capture a specific moment in time. Mirroring a normal human stance of balance and weight shift onto one leg, his stature is contrapposto.Furthermore, the Kritios Boy’s physical composition maintains a smooth contour to his natural musculature. His head is slightly turned with hair that seems to fall effortlessly in place. He is completely naked, wearing only a relaxed expression on his face. With no indication of identity, the Kritios Boy exemplifies naturalism in Greek drive to order to analyze form into constituent parts and represent the specific in light of the generic. The figure sculptures of Khafre Enthroned and Kritios Boy exhibit a start and end point in an evolution of artistic technique.Although a single male figure is the subject of both works, canon clearly develops from Khafre Enthroned to Kritios Boy. Both works express a desire for perfection with the use of contrasting ideals. Egyptian artists prized completeness and timeless to achieve a god-like representation. Later, artistic form advances as Greeks sought naturalism and rationality. The culmination of both early rigid and fluid canons formed Greek ideals of balance between the timeless and present. This drive to order led to foundations of Greek art that dramatically influenced art history from that point on.