English 1A Essays - Submarine, U-boat, Anti-submarine Weapon

English 1A 11/24/99 Submarines: The Underwater War The submarine is one of the greatest naval inventions in the history of war. This innovation allows men to dive to certain depths in the open seas at will. Submarines were equipped with weapons and communication devices. The submarine could stay at sea for months at a time and only required a few men to operate. They were small, quick, and hard to locate by larger ships. The submarine was thought to be the perfect naval vessel. The concept of the submarine dates back to Archimedes, the ancient mathematician, who "dreamed of building war vessels that could submerge at will and operate under the sea, so that they might sink the enemy without forewarning of their presence"(Bennett 265). A Dutchman named Cornelis Drebbel built the first successful submarine in 1620. Cornelis had designed a wooden submersible vehicle encased in leather. It was able to carry 12 rowers and a total of 20 men. Amazingly enough, the vessel could dive to the depth of 20 meters and travel 10-km. He conducted several series of trips below the surface of the Thames River, which lasted many hours. This early submarine was the first to address the problem of oxygen replenishment while submerged. In 1774, Thomas Day was one of those who lost their lives while trying to make the submarine dream a reality. The first use of the submarine in combat was in 1778 during the American Revolution when David Bushnell's "hand-propelled Turtle" was sent to attack the 64-gunned flagship, HMS Eagle. The Turtle had a one man crew operation. In 1790, Robert Fulton developed a submarine called the Plunger, which he tried to interest Napoleon Bonaparte in it's potential as a great naval investment. During the Civil War in the United States of America, the Confederate Hunley was dispatched and successfully sank the blockading Federal ships. At this time, three inventions were developed: the battery driven electric motor, the internal combustion engine, and the whitehead torpedo. The submarine is a vessel that has been designed for underwater operations. It has the capability to operate underneath the surface or on the surface of the water. This along with its armament makes it a vital piece to our nations sea power and sea control. It was created to provide the country with possession of it with a greater power and the ability to defeat any opposing navy with greater ease. The submarine has been developed over the years as one of the greatest naval weapons. The submarine is one of the most difficult vessels to battle. During World War One, the "most difficult problem in fighting submarines was finding them"(Coffman 95). However, there were a few ways in which the Allies tried to stop the German U-boats. Since fighting the submarines required a new strategy, there were inventions that helped the Allies. The first invention that helped the Allies fight the Germans was the listening device. This device could not only "detect submarines up to twenty miles away, but could also determine the direction of the sound"(Coffman 99). This listening device was planted on 110 foot long wooden boats called "subchasers" the subchasers were equipped with a depth charge ? a large can of 300 pounds of TNT which could be hurled overboard to designated depths and set off ? and the listening device. Since the subchasers were small and agile, they were a good match to battle the submarines. The subchasers usually operated in-groups of 3 protecting convoys of U.S. troops. The second invention that proved useful was the idea to mine the 250 mile North Sea Straight between Scotland and Norway. By setting up a gigantic mine field in the North Sea Barrage, this prevented any more German vessels to get out on to the open sea. The mining of the North Sea Barrage took approximately 5 months to complete and used 56, 571 mines. Although only a few submarines suffered destruction by the mines, this destroyed the German's chances of getting their submarines out onto the open sea, thus preventing any continuance of the naval battle. The Germans sent out the U-boats to patrol war zones in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. In January 1918, Germany built "some 87

Chaucer and Boccaccio †English Literature Essay (100 Level Course)

Chaucer and Boccaccio – English Literature Essay (100 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Chaucer and Boccaccio English Literature Essay (100 Level Course) Although apparently influenced by Boccaccio, the tales and the Prologue show how deeply Chaucer differs from the Italian writer. In Boccaccio, for in ¬stance, the storytellers are young gentlemen and ladies all belonging to the same social class and hardly distinct from each other. Chaucer, on the other hand, chooses highly individualized pilgrims from widely differing classes. Boc ¬caccio was not analytical in his mode of writing and focused his attention pri ¬marily on manners. Chaucer was more precise and attempted the psychologi ¬cal study of single characters within a very detailed description of the middle class of his time. But arguably Chaucer’s greatest stroke of genius, (absent in Boccaccio) was to make himself a member of the group, and pretend to go on the pilgrimage. By becoming a character in his own narrative, he became an even more credible eyewitness. Research Papers on Chaucer and Boccaccio - English Literature Essay (100 Level Course)Honest Iagos Truth through DeceptionStandardized TestingHip-Hop is ArtResearch Process Part OneQuebec and CanadaThe Fifth HorsemanThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThree Concepts of Psychodynamic

Public International Law (Extradition) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Public International Law (Extradition) - Essay Example Public international law derives its rights from international agreements and may take any form that the contracting parties agree upon. Agreements may be made in respect to any matter except to the extent that the agreement conflicts with the rules of international law incorporating basic standards of international conduct or the obligations of a member state under the 'Charter of the United Nations(" We the Peoples of the United Nations... United for a Better World", UN Charter 1945) In this context, a brief discussion on the Vienna Convention on the law of treaties, 1969 seems to be relevant. The VCLT (Vienna Convention on law of Treaties )was drafted by the International Law Commission (ILC) of the United Nations, which began work on the Convention in 1949 and finished in 1969 with a diplomatic conference held by the UN in Vienna, Austria. The Convention was adopted on May 22, 1969.The Convention entered into force on January 27, 1980. 108 states have ratified the VCLT (May, 2007). The 1969 Vienna Convention defines a treaty as "an international agreement concluded between States in written form and governed by international law, whether embodied in a single instrument or in two or more related instruments and whatever its particular designation". To recognize the ever-increasing importance of treaties as a source of international law and as a means of developing peaceful cooperation among nations, whatever their constitutional and social systems, To Note the principles of free consent and of good faith and the pacta sunt servanda rule are universally recognized, To affirm that disputes concerning treaties, like other international disputes, should be settled by peaceful means and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, To recall the determination of the peoples of the United Nations to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties can be maintained, To have in mind the principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations, such as the principles of the equal rights and self-determination of peoples, of the sovereign equality and To recognize and respect independence of all States, of non-interference in the domestic affairs of States, of the prohibition of the threat or use of force and of universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, Believing that the codification and progressive development of the law of treaties achieved in the present Convention will promote the purposes of the United Nations set forth in the Charter, namely, the maintenance of international peace and security, the development of friendly relations and the achievement of cooperation among nations, To affirm the rules of customary international law will continue to govern questions not regulated by the provisions of the present Convention, Extradition Treaties: Extradition is the official process by which one nation or state requests and obtains from another nation or state the surrender of a suspected or convicted criminal. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties. Between sub-national

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

Calculations - Assignment Example 352,000 Purchases ?150,000 Opening Inventory ?65,000 Cost of Goods Available for Sale ?215, 000 Less Closing inventory ?70, 000 Cost of Goods Sold ?145, 000 Gross Profit ?207, 000 Property depreciation (5% using straight line method) ?5100 Plant and equipment depreciation (20% ) ?19500 Distribution cost ?58,000 Dividends paid ?12, 000 Administrative expenses outstanding ?4,500 Less distribution costs prepaid ?10, 000 Total Expenses ?77100 Net Profit before Tax ?129900 Corporation tax (22%) ?17500 Net Income ?112,400 c) Statement of financial position Julyfest Limited Balance Sheet for the year ended 31st May 2012 ASSETS Current Assets Inventory 70,000 Cash and cash equivalents 63,500 Account Receivables 87,000 Prepaid distribution cost 10,000 Total Current Assets 230,500 Fixed Assets Property 102,000 Cost of plant and equipment 98,000 Less Accumulated Depreciation 30,000 Total Fixed Assets 170,000 TOTAL ASSETS 400,500 LIABILITIES Current Liabilities Trade payables 37,000 Interest Unp aid Bond 6,500 Taxes 17,500 Purchases 150,000 SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY Equity shares 100,000 Retained Profits 59,500 Share premium 30,000 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 400,500 Task Two Statement of cash flows provides important information to those using it as it provides information about the out flows and inflows that have taken place in a certain financial year or within a specific period of time (Baker 2005). The main importances of statement of cash flow are as discussed below. First statement of cash flows enables users to identify as well as understand the sources from which the funds used in the business during a specific period as the uses into which these funds were used (Philips 2008). Other financial statements such as balance sheet and trial balances are not able show sources of funds as well uses into which these finances were put into use (Baker 2005). Statement of cash flow also plays an important role in enhancing management of businesses as w ell as management of business resources (Baker 2005). It also enhances planning of business funds as well as ensuring that business cash flows (outflows and inflows) conform to each other (Tailor 2003). This is as opposed to other financial statements such as balance sheet which only shows assets and liabilities of business. Balance sheet cannot account for both cash outflows and cash inflows. Another importance of statement of cash flow is that it shows how efficient an organization is able to generate income (cash inflows) from its operation (Baker 2005). Other financial statements such as balance sheet which only shows assets and liabilities of business but cannot show shows how efficient an organization is able to generate income (cash inflows) from its operation (Philips 2008). Another importance of cash to those whose use it is that it is a report of funds that have been used during a specific period of time for various business activities (both short term and long term) such organization’s long term investment (Baker 2005). This information can also be shown by balance sheet. Another importance of cash to those whose use it is that it is a report of funds that have been received by the business during a specific period of time from various business activities such as debentures, share issue and loans among others (Baker

Human Rights Essays Refugee Crises

Human Rights Essays Refugee Crises Are Refugee Crises inevitable in today’s world? Discuss by reference to UK examples? Human Rights. Refugee crises have increasingly become a problem in today’s modern day society. There are several reasons that have contributed to this situation namely global inequalities, people fleeing persecution and regimes, people fleeing from violence and outbreak of wars. Recent examples include the Kosovan refugees who were forced from their homes by the conflict with the Balkans; Columbian refugees on exile due to drug syndicates; genocide in Rwanda; Afghan, Iraq and Iran refugees fleeing regimes etcetera. The results of these are that many and thousands of refugees will seek protection from the Western society and their neighbouring countries. International aid efforts by individual countries and International voluntary organizations have been at the forefront in attempting to provide assistance. These efforts have sometimes been compromised and conditions for refugees have been seen to deteriorate as resources available sometimes exceed demand. The aim of most international Commu nities has been to ensure that they deliver effective protection and relief to all refugees. The role of the Red Cross as a voluntary relief organisation is to offer shelter and food to people who would otherwise be homeless. The United Kingdom saw an unexpected infiltration of Kosovan refugees, especially illegal immigrants and asylum seekers during the 1990s. Thousands of refugees were drawn to the Calais Port in France through to the Channel tunnel through the Euro tunnel and eventually to Britain. The renowned Sangatte camp was commandeered by the French Government to deal with the increasing number of Kosovan refugees arriving at Calais. Before the Sangatte camp was opened, refugees were sleeping on beaches, parks and on the streets. The sangatte camp was previously a warehouse for equipments during the construction of the Eurotunnel which was later converted into a camp to hold refugees. The effect of this was that many began to target the tunnel itself hiding and boarding trains heading for Britain and other European Countries. Mass illegal immigration began to the United Kingdom of which the Eurotunnel prevented 18, 500 of them from reaching Britain between January 2001 to June 2001. In January 20 01, gangs of Romanians were detained for tampering with railway signals to stop trains so that they and other asylum seekers could climb aboard the trains. A main consequence of the refugee situation which has aggravated a crises is the resultant clashes between ethnic groups amongst refugees example Afghan and Kurdish refugees. In April 2001, an Iraqi Kurd was stabbed and left to die when he was involved in a fight with other Kurds. In May 2002, a riot broke out at Sangatte Camp following announcements to tighten security due to problems caused by refugees at the Channel tunnel. The Red cross who were there to help refugees and provide assistance were eventually forced to withdraw from Sangatte and the Camp was eventually closed down by March 2003. Macaedonia and Albania were countries which have had to deal with an influx of refugees at some stage from Kosovo. Refugees continued to leave Kosovo for Macedonia, where there were received by host families. Relief efforts were made such provisions for camps etcetera. Lack of co-ordination and coherence caused by excessive numbers of refugees in Macedonia and Albania led to desperate overcrowding, unpleasant conditions, threats of diseases, and threats for the welfare of the refugees. Relocation and evacuation to neighbouring countries became inevitable. According to Mr Guy Goodwin-Gill, â€Å"refugees have come to be seen as objects or problems rather than individuals with rights†. The result of the refugee crises is that many countries particularly wealthy western societies seek to deter asylum seekers and migrants. Detention camps are becoming increasingly adopted. Similarly, Rachael Reilly conceded that â€Å"European Countries, as well as North America and Australia have systematically diluted their responsibilities towards refugees over the past ten to fifteen years†. Many also argue that the rights of refugees are being compromised and encroached upon due to factors, some of which include â€Å"offshore-processing† of refugees- a process in which foreign governments geographically closer to States with refugee crises take in those fleeing to Great Britain in exchange for financial compensation; imposition of visa requirements; refusal of entry of asylum seekers in cases of generalizes civil conflict such a s Columbia; the transfer of the responsibility for protection of refugees onto poorer States in Europe where less protection can be afforded. In June 2000, the UK proposed a major overhaul of the 1951 Refugee Convention. Measures and actions such as these lead to nationals of European Countries becoming increasingly xenophobic and hostile. Governments have also shown that they are more concerned with protecting their territories from the influx of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees rather than human rights of those people. Some have argued that global economic systems and international debt creates a world where many are poor; conflict arises and human rights abuse is predominant. Globalisation increases the gap between the rich and the poor. Others argue that the problems are due in large part to the actions of developed states such as unethical foreign policy and arms trade. An innovative move by the United Nations is on the agenda for implementation. It will seek to respond to criticism on the slow reaction to refuge crises. The United Nations plan rapid reaction aid which will involve aid workers who will be deployed to attend refugee emergencies. The purpose of this is to provide some initial protection for civilians fleeing internal conflicts who are susceptible to violent attacks and killings. This move is being supported by the united Kingdom, United States of America and some Scandinavian countries. These countries are prepared to finance the project and get it up and running. The idea behind the project is to deter violence from the perpetrators who will know that their actions are being watched through the mere presence of the deployed workers. It is anticipated that a list of workers will be made available in ninety-six hours in these times of emergencies. The 1951 United Nation Convention on refugees is the key legal document in defining who is a refugee, explaining their rights and defining the legal obligation of states. The United Nations High Commisioner for refugees mandate is to provide international protection to refugees and facilitate solutions to the problems of refugees. This encompasses supervision and the application of the above-mentioned 1951 Convention. In conclusion, the trend for refugees seeking protection away from their homes is seen as a dilemma in some western states including Britain. There is a conscious effort to protect rights of these individuals but the difficulty arises where this has to be balanced with the right to protect its territory. Measures have been introduced which arguably encourage xenophobia and hostility to these refugees. Poorer neighbouring states, which were initially quite welcoming of refugees, are now being squeezed beyond capacity and their citizens are becoming increasingly xenophobic. National states and governments including international communities that aim to address the current trend of refugee crises are drawing up measures that are innovative. It has now been recognised that root causes such as poverty and global inequalities should be identified and corrected where possible prior to escalation to emergency situations leading to people fleeing their countries. Richer Countries in the West are seeking to address poverty in third world countries and summits on the topic are being held in order to come up with a long standing solution that will fundamentally serve to potentially benefit all nations as a whole. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ager, A, Refugees: Perspectives on the experience of forced migration: London (1999) Cassell Academic Danieli, Y., Rodley, N. Weisaeth, L. (Eds.) (1996). International responses to traumatic stress: Humanitarian, human rights, justice, peace and development contributions, collaborative actions and future initiatives. New York: Baywood Publishing Company. UNICEF UK NEWS REFUGEE ACTION PUBLICATIONS www.reuters.co.uk www.timesonline.co.uk

Armchair Economist book report Essay -- Steven Landsburg

Economic theories are as wide as an economist's vision to think. In the Steven Landsburg book The Armchair Economist - Economics and Everyday Life, Landsburg takes many of these economic theories and relates them to everyday type scenarios and makes them understandable to a beginning economist. He breaks his book into six sections each relating to different types of economics, from personal to national theories. Landsburg talks about the power of incentives in his first chapter. What he is referring to is how incentives drive peoples decisions to do things in life. He makes an analogy that Seatbelts kill. This statement refers to the added protection one gets from wearing a seatbelt, which will entice someone to take greater risks while driving a vehicle. We as consumers are bombarded with incentives everyday in the market place. Incentives, come in all forms, sale prices, free-bees, coupons. Incentives are designed to make you do something NOW instead of putting it of until later. Incentives are not always a good thing, such as in today?s housing market. Homebuyers were offered sub-prime and zero percent interest rates to purchase homes. This allow buyers to buy a bit more home than maybe they were qualified to get. Buyers made these decisions at the time because they looked safe, but in the long run many of these buyers have had to give up these homes due to bank foreclosure. Landsburg also talks about maximizing our efficiencies. He relates this theory into an idea of why Rolling Stones concerts always sell out. Is it because they play good music? Maybe. Most likely it is because its tickets are priced right. Pricing tickets is a theory of Supply and Dem... ... that can be manipulated or misleading. Since this is the measure of all things in the market place there are time where something will not qualify for that. For example, If my moms water heater went out, she could pay the money to have a plumber come and remove and install a new one. The money spent on that would increase GNP. On the other hand if she had her husband do the work the money not being spent on the installation is not going into GNP. This is called household production, which GNP omits. > > There are many ideas and topics in Landsburgs? book that were covered throughout the semester. As you can see in just the few topics that I chose to go into economics hits everyone everyday. If we are making decisions on what to eat what to wear or how to spend our hard earned money, it all affects economics and economic effects us.

The Indus and Aryan Civilizations, and the Maurya and Gupta Empires in India

The Indus and Aryan Civilizations The Indus civilization, an ancient civilization in South Asia, existed from about 2700 to 1750 BC. It is sometimes referred to as the Harappa civilization; one of its major centers. It stretched from north of the Hindu Kush down the entire length of the Indus and beyond into peninsular India. The Indus civilization is known only from archaeological evidence. Its origins traditionally were viewed as the result of the diffusion of farming and technology from more advanced cultures in Mesopotamia and on the Iranian plateau to Baluchistan and ultimately to the Indus Valley. One of the most important centers of Indus civilization was Mohenjo-Daro, situated along the west bank of the Indus River. Like most cities of the Indus civilization, it consisted of two major areas of occupation: a high citadel to the west and a lower city of domestic dwellings to the east. The Indus people supported themselves by irrigation-based agriculture. They grew domesticated rice, wheat, and barley, and they may have cultivated dates and cotton. Among the first people in the world known to have kept chickens, they also had dogs, buffalo, and humped cattle. They may also have domesticated pigs, horses, camels, and, possibly, elephants. The Aryan was a tribal and nomadic people who lived far away in Euro-Asia. They were unquestionably tough people and they were fierce and war-like. So their culture was oriented around warfare, and they were good at it. The Aryans first settled along the Indus River, in the same place where the Harappa people had lived. They settled down and mixed with the local Indian people. They lived there from about 1500 to 800 BC. It seems to be at this time that the caste system began in India. It was the Aryans who developed Hinduism, and also the classical language of Sanskrit. Aryans created four main castes. The top castes were made up of priests, kings, and warriors. The lowest caste was made up of workers who served the higher castes. Under the caste system, people could not rise to a higher caste. The Maurya and Gupta Empires in India The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive and powerful empire in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 321 to 185 BC. Originating from the kingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic plains (modern Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bengal) in the eastern side of the Indian subcontinent, the empire had its capital city at Pataliputra (modern Patna). The Empire was founded in 322 BC by Chandragupta Maurya, who had overthrown the Nanda Dynasty and rapidly expanded his power westwards across central and western India taking advantage of the disruptions of local powers in the wake of the withdrawal westward by Alexander the Great's Greek and Persian armies. By 320 BC the empire had fully occupied Northwestern India. The Gupta Empire was an Ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the pursuit of scientific and artistic endeavors. This period is called the Golden Age of India and was marked by extensive achievements in science, technology, engineering, art, dialectic, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy that crystallized the elements of what is generally known as Hindu culture. Buddhism and Hinduism (Differences ; Similarities) They share some important beliefs – they both believe in reincarnation and the cycle of samsara – birth, life, death, and rebirth and in the influence of karma on the circumstances into which you will be born in the next life. They both believe that the ultimate end is to escape from the cycle of rebirth. The only differences are Buddhism believes in matter and soul and there is no place for God, while Hinduism in addition to matter and soul considers God as the creator of the universe. Buddhism is missionary religion which aims at converting entire mankind to the doctrines of Buddha; while Hinduism never seeks converts and it has no definite organization like the Buddhist sangha.