Robert the Bruce Biography

Robert the Bruce Biography Robert the Bruce (July 11, 1274–June 7, 1329) was king of Scotland for the last two decades of his life. An ardent proponent of Scottish independence and a contemporary of William Wallace, Robert remains one of Scotlands most beloved national heroes. Early Years and Family Born into an Anglo-Norman family, Robert was no stranger to royalty. His father, Robert de Brus, was the 6th Lord of Annandale and a great-great-grandson of King David mac Mail Choluim, or David I of Scotland. His mother, Marjorie, was the Countess of Carrick, descended from the Irish King Brian Boru. His sister Isabel became the Queen of Norway by marrying King Eric II, long before Robert ascended to the Scottish throne. Robert’s grandfather, also named Robert, was the 5th Earl of Annandale. In the autumn of 1290, Margaret, the Maid of Norway, who was the seven-year-old heiress to the Scottish throne, died at sea. Her death set off a whirlwind of disputes regarding who should succeed to the throne, and the 5th Earl of Annandale (Roberts grandfather) was one of the claimants. Robert V, with the aid of his son Robert VI, captured a number of strongholds in the southwest of Scotland during the period between 1290 – 1292. Naturally, young Robert supported his grandfather’s claim to the throne, but ultimately, the role of king was given to John Balliol. Corbis via Getty Images / Getty Images Association With William Wallace King Edward I of England was known as the Hammer of the Scots, and worked diligently during his reign to turn Scotland into a feudal tributary state. Naturally, this did not sit well with the Scots, and soon Edward found himself having to deal with uprisings and rebellions. William Wallace led a revolt against Edward, and Robert joined in, believing that Scotland needed to remain independent of England. The Battle of Stirling Bridge, in September 1297, was a devastating blow for the English. Shortly afterwards, Bruce family lands were sacked by Edwards troops in retaliation for the familys role in the rebellion. In 1298, Robert succeeded Wallace as one of the Guardians of Scotland. He served alongside John Comyn, who would become his chief rival for the country’s throne. Robert resigned his seat after just two years, when the conflicts with Comyn escalated. In addition, there were rumors that John Balliol would be restored as king despite his abdication in 1296. Instead, Scotland functioned without a monarch, and under the guidance of the countrys Guardians, until 1306, one year after Wallace was captured, tortured, and executed. Rise to the Throne In early 1306, two very important events took place that would shape the future of Scotland. In February, matters came to a head between John Comyn and Robert. During an argument, Robert stabbed Comyn at a church in Dumfries, killing him. When word of Comyn’s death reached King Edward, he was livid; Comyn had been distantly related to the king, and Edward saw this as a deliberate plot to stir up dissent. Comyn’s son, John IV, was immediately whisked off to England for his own safety, and put into the care of a nobleman who was raising Edward’s own children. John Comyn was stabbed by Robert the Bruce in 1306. Print Collector / Getty Images Just a few weeks later, at the beginning of March, Robert’s father, the 6th Earl of Annandale, died. With his father now dead, and Comyn also out of the way, Robert was the chief claimant to the Scottish throne. He moved rapidly to take power. Robert was crowned king on March 25, but an attack by Edward’s army pushed him out of the country. For a year, Robert hid out in Ireland, raising a loyal army of his own, and in 1307 he returned to Scotland. In addition to battling Edward’s troops, he laid waste to the lands of Scottish nobles who supported the English king’s claim to rule Scotland. In 1309, Robert the Bruce held his first parliament. Bannockburn and Border Raids Over the next few years, Robert continued to fight against the English, and was able to reclaim much of Scotlands land. Perhaps his most famous victory of all took place at Bannockburn in the summer of 1314. That spring, Roberts younger brother Edward had laid siege to Stirling Castle, and King Edward II decided it was time to move up north and take Stirling back. Robert, upon hearing of these plans, rounded up his army and moved into position above the marshy area that surrounded the Bannock Burn (a burn is a creek), intending to stop English troops from reclaiming Stirling. The Scottish army was thoroughly outnumbered, with an estimated five to ten thousand men, compared to an English force of more than twice that size. However, despite the larger numbers, the English were not expecting to encounter any Scottish resistance, so they were caught completely by surprise in the narrow, low-lying area of the marsh, as Roberts spearmen attacked from the wooded hillside. With English archers at the far back of the marching formation, the cavalry was rapidly decimated, and the army retreated. King Edward is said to have barely escaped with his life. Following the victory at Bannockburn, Robert grew bolder in his attacks on England. No longer content to just wait around defending Scotland, he led incursions into the border regions of northern England, as well as into Yorkshire. By 1315, he had attacked English troops in Ireland, at the request of Donall ONeill, the king of Tyrone, one of Gaelic Irelands eastern kingdoms. A year later, Roberts younger brother Edward was crowned as High King of Ireland, temporarily cementing the bond between Ireland and Scotland. Robert attempted for several years to bring about an alliance between the two countries, but eventually it crumbled, as the Irish saw Scottish occupation as no different than English occupation. The Declaration of Arbroath In 1320, Robert decided that diplomacy rather than military force might be a viable method of asserting Scottish independence. The Declaration of Arbroath, which later served as the template for Americas Declaration of Independence, was sent to Pope John XXII. The document outlined all of the reasons that Scotland should be considered an independent nation. In addition to detailing the atrocities committed upon the countrys people by King Edward II, the declaration specifically said that although Robert the Bruce had saved the country from English dominion, the nobility would not hesitate to replace him if he became unfit to rule. One of the results of the declaration was that the Pope lifted Roberts excommunication, which had been in place since he murdered John Comyn in 1306. Some eight years after the Declaration of Arbroath was sealed by more than fifty Scottish nobles and dignitaries, King Edward III, the fourteen-year-old son of Edward II, signed the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton. This treaty declared peace between England and Scotland, and recognized Robert the Bruce as Scotlands lawful king. Statue of Robert the Bruce at Stirling. Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images Death and Legacy After a two-year-long illness, Robert the Bruce died at the age of fifty-four. Although there has been speculation that his death was caused by leprosy, there is no evidence to indicate that he suffered from the disease. Western University anthropology professor Andrew Nelson studied Roberts skull and foot bone in 2016, and concluded: The anterior nasal spine (the bone support around the nose) in a healthy person is teardrop-shaped; in a person with leprosy, that structure is eroded and almost circular. King Robert’s nasal spine is teardrop-shaped... In a person with leprosy, the end of th[e] metatarsal bone [from the foot] would be pointed, as if inserted into a pencil sharpener. This bone shows no sign of â€Å"pencilling.† After his death, Roberts heart was removed and buried at Melrose Abbey, Roxburghshire. The rest of his body was embalmed and interred at Dunfermline Abbey in Fife, but was not discovered until construction workers found the casket in 1818. Statues in his honor exist in several Scottish cities, including Stirling. Robert the Bruce Fast Facts Full Name:  Robert I, also Robert the Bruce, Roibert a Briuis in medieval Gaelic.Known for:  King of Scotland and a celebrated warrior in the Scottish fight for independence from England.Born:  July 11, 1274 in Ayrshire, Scotland.Died:  June 7, 1329 at Cardross Manor, Dunbartonshire, Scotland.Parents’ Names:  Robert de Brus, the 6th Earl of Annandale, and Marjorie, Countess of Carrick. Sources Letter from Robert the Bruce to Edward II Reveals Power Struggle in the Build Up to Bannockburn. University of Glasgow, 1 June 2013, www.gla.ac.uk/news/archiveofnews/2013/june/headline_279405_en.html.Macdonald, Ken. â€Å"Reconstructed Face of Robert the Bruce Is Unveiled - BBC News.†Ã‚  BBC, BBC, 8 Dec. 2016, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-38242781.Murray, James. â€Å"Robert the Bruce in Battle: A Battlefield Trail from Methven to Bannockburn.†Ã‚  30 Aug. 2018, www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/military-history/pre-20th-century-conflict/art487284-Robert-the-Bruce-in-Battle-A-battlefield-trail-from-Methven-to-Bannockburn.Watson, Fiona. â€Å"Great Scot, Its Robert the Bruce!†Ã‚  The History Press, www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/great-scot-it-s-robert-the-bruce/.

Filing Federal Timber Income Tax

Filing Federal Timber Income Tax Congress has provided timberland owners with some favorable tax provisions. Here are five tips designed to help you make the most of these provisions and avoid paying unnecessary income tax or making costly mistakes. This report is only an introduction. Consult the references and links provided for complete information on the topic. Also understand that we are discussing Federal income tax here. Many states have their own taxing systems which can be dramatically different from federal taxation and is usually an ad valorum, severance, or yield tax. Remember these five points when filing your Federal income taxes on timber: Establish Your Basis Its key to establish your basis as soon as possible and to keep good records. Basis is a measure of your investment in timber as opposed to what you paid for the land and other capital assets acquired. Record your cost of acquiring forestland or the value of inherited forest land as soon as possible. When selling your timber in the future, you can use these costs as a depletion deduction. Adjust or step up your basis for new purchases or investments. Step down your basis for sales or other disposals. Keep records to include a management plan and map, receipts for business transactions, diaries, and landowner meeting agendas. Report basis and timber depletion on IRS Form T,â€Å"Forest Activities Schedule, Part II. You are required to file a Form T if you claim some timber depletion deductions or sell timber. Owners with occasional sales may be excepted from this requirement, but it is considered prudent to file. File your years documentation using this electronic version Form T. Know Whats Deductible If you own a forest to make money, ordinary and necessary expenses incurred for managing forest land as a business or an investment are deductible even if there is no current income from the property. This includes if youve performed reforestation work or established significant timber stand regeneration costs. You can deduct outright the first $10,000 of qualified reforestation expenses during the taxable year. In addition, you can amortize (deduct), over 8 years, all reforestation expenses in excess of $10,000. (Due to a half-year convention, you can only claim one-half of the amortizable portion the first tax year, so it actually takes 8 tax years to recover the amortizable portion.) Do You Quality for Long-Term Capital Gains? If you sold standing timber during the taxable year held for over 12 months, Yyu may be able to benefit from the long-term capital gains provisions on timber sale income which will lower your tax obligation. When you sell standing timber either lump-sum or on a pay-as-cut basis, the net proceeds generally qualify as a long-term capital gain. Remember, you can qualify for this long-term capital gains treatment on timber only if you hold the timber over one year. You do not have to pay self-employment tax on capital gains. Did You Have a Timber Loss? If you had a timber loss during the taxable year, you can, in most cases, only take a deduction for (casualty) losses that are physical in nature and caused by an event or combination of events that has run its course (fires, floods, ice storms and tornadoes). Remember that your deduction for a casualty or qualifying non-casualty loss is limited to your timber basis, minus any insurance or salvage compensation. Make Required Reports to the IRS If you had federal or state cost-share assistance during the taxable year via receiving a form 1099-G, you are obligated to report it to the IRS. You may choose to exclude some or all of it but you must report it. But if the program qualifies for exclusion, you can choose either to include the payment in your gross income and make full use of beneficial tax provisions or to calculate and exclude the excludable amount. Excludable cost-share assistance includes the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP payments only), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP), Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) and Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). Several states also have cost-share programs that qualify for exclusion. Adapted from USFS, Cooperative Forestry, Tax Tips for Forest Landowners by Linda Wang, Forest Taxation Specialist and John L. Greene, Research Forester, Southern Research Station. Based on a 2011 report.

Critically examine the determinants, the benefits and the risks of Essay

Critically examine the determinants, the benefits and the risks of Foreign Direct Investment for Developing Countries, using example of countries of your choice - Essay Example 81). For a country India, that is a developing economy (Banerjee, 2009, p. 75), the element of F.D.I is a mixed phenomenon. It brings along a whole set of conditions, requirements and parameters that are to be taken into regard with reference to processing the foreign direct investment. There are certain industries where the F.D.I benefits the overall health and outlook of the economy, for others there are areas where the Foreign Direct investment does not auger well. This paper looks into the overall scenarios, the determinants, the positives, the negatives, the constraints and considerations that are needed to be taken into account with regard to the Foreign Direct Investment and economy of India. The F.D.I comes into play on account of the meager outlook of the developing states where the resources are limited compared to the overall needs. Owing to this, the country aims for foreign investments. The foreign investment comes along with set of conditions, rules and regulations which makes up for the loss of free environment. Erdal Demirhan and Mahmut Masca have undertaken an investigative study of the developing countries with regard to the F.D.I and the determinants associated with it. Their study takes into account a total of over thirty eight developing countries that have been checked for the impact of F.D.I upon their economy (Demirhan & Masca, 2008). The determinants are presented in the form of variables. These variables are the per capita income, the G.D.P growth rate, labor rates, the overall rate of inflation against the given annual budget and most importantly the tax to G.D.P ratio and overall tax net. These elements have been assessed for to give a clear account of the F.D.I and its overall feasibility against a given economy such as India in this particular case. In order to present the scenario of Indian economy and the overall impact of F.D.I it is important to identify and mention the variables that are mentioned by Erdal Demirhan

Discussions Replies Education Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussions Replies Education - Coursework Example Defend your choice. 1. Posted: by:  Margarett    Both art and culture have been the significant parts of earlier centuries. If we explore the association between arts and culture that existed in the 20th  century, we come to know that there had been a close connection between them. For example, artists of the 20th  century represented the overall culture of that century through their artworks. 20th  century is known as the beginning of today’s era of modernism. The artists of the 20th  century greatly revealed the elements of modernism, expressionism, and abstractions in their artworks. Moreover, the artists of the late 20thcentury also revealed through their artworks the need for change and peace that people wanted after the two big events of war that occurred in the first half of the century. In my view, the artist who best represented the social and cultural trends of his time period through his artworks was Pablo Picasso. He was a Spanish painter and sculptor w ho reinvented the foundations of art in the 20th  century through including the shadow of ongoing movements and overall environment in his artworks. My Response: Taking it a step further, it seems to me that the artists of the early 20th century were increasingly aware of the progression of art. What I mean is, the artists, although sometimes separated by continents appeared to be more aware and cognizant of what other artists were working on, what inspired them, the evolution of art during this time took much more rapid steps than say art a hundred years before. Obviously the industrial age and the beginning of the technological revolution had something to do with that – but one can’t help but wonder if art and culture were not even more closely connected with the artists of the 20th century than it had ever been before. 2. Posted by:  Andrea    Picasso is a great example. His art is so very different than the art of his predecessors.   In a sense, artists lik e him were taking big risks, departing from the norm! Class, what do you think it was that gave people the impetus to begin taking bigger risks in terms of art and music during this time?   My Response: Andrea, good point - Picasso definitely departed from the norm! However, art in the early 20th century was all about deviating from the norm and creating new ways of expression. Whereas art in past centuries had been more about gradually adopting new styles and mimicking the masters, art of the 20th century evolved at such a rapid and break neck pace that artists seemed to be doing all possible to express their own tastes and differentiate themselves. This collective attitude is what proved 20th century art to be so diverse and varied in such a short time scale. 3. Posted: by:  Dawna The other century ushered a new way of thinking into the art world.   With the world still recovering from the  atrocities of WWI, many artists reflected this in their style.   A new form of ar t was starting, the ism movement.   Fauvism, Cubism, Futurism, and German Expressionism.   Pablo Picasso of course, was a huge figure in this movement, with his extreme style and use of colors.   Many people that were used to more traditional art found his style and type of art disturbing and confusing.   I feel the one artist that encapsulates the time though would have to be Ernest Hemingway.   His point of view writing styles of WWI and help express the feelings after the war and the feeling of loss that many felt.

Critical Response to The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay Example for Free

Critical Response to The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay From its ominous opening, to its dad ending, The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play driven by fear and desire, mirroring the McCarthy trials of the Communist hating 1950s. Though its set in 1692, the tone of the play and the themes of intolerance, hysteria, and ruined reputation were very prominently felt during 1953, when the play was published. The title, and the actual item of a crucible, suggests something seemingly solid melting away under immense stress. The hard structure of society in puritanical America and the spotless reputations of many good folk melt away to nothing in the fire of fear and trials caused by accusations of witchcraft. Miller uses the imagery of the crucible in the play also, in a quote from Mr. Danforth, We burn a hot fire here, it melts down all concealment, though what ends up being revealed is the fear and intolerance that control their society. The protagonist, John Proctor, has before the opening if the play had and ended an affair with the Antagonist, Abigail Williams. In this telling of the beginning of the witch trials, it is Abigails desire for revenge that leads the girls into the woods to perform a magic spell against Johns wife Elizabeth. It is dialogue between Abigail and John, and later dialogue of the confession of some of the girls, which reveals the affair between them and Abigails deep desire to have John back at any cost. John is attempting to right his wrong in the affair between himself and Abigail, but spurning her only causes more tension. When Abigail cannot easily win john back, and faces punishment for her actions in the woods, she turns the towns fear of witchcraft and the girls hysteria into her own device for revenge, at any cost. The playwright reveals the depth of his characters; Abigails ruthlessness, Johns remorse, and Elizabeths faith, through dialogue. Parentheticals within the text reveal ton e and motivation behind simple words said, from emotion words such as enraged to the simple act of a character folding their hands or sitting. Miller has worked in these small gestures and nuances in his lines, giving each character a subtext. The characters change as the plot progresses, Abigail goes from dismissing the girls hysteria to using it for her own ends to nearly buying into it herself, beating and hurting herself convinced that what she is doing will win John back and save them both. We see Abigails maniacal conviction in her own motivations in the scene between her and John alone in the forest.  Abigail is convinced John still wants her and will do anything, even accuse him of witchcraft in the end, to have John for herself and no one else. The conflict between Abigail and John mirrors the larger conflict of the play between the real truth and the truth society in its fear wants to believe. Abigail greed and covetousness is that of their society, and Johns struggle to do the right thing is the plight of the honest man within that society, caught by the tide of accusation. Each new action within the play such as the initial accusation, the meetings of Abigail and John, and the confession of Mary Warren drive the characters in different ways, and their reactions to those actions create a domino effect that further drives the plot and action of the play. THE CRUCIBLE does not have a happy conclusion, Abigail run away from the horror she has caused and John, along with many other honest people, dies at the hands of the supposed saviors of their society. But a play such as this, and the lesson it teaches, does not need a happy ending. In his play, Arthur Miller has held up a dark mirror to the society of that time and his own, showing how fear and intolerance can kill innocent people, and people who tout right and just motivations can be the real vehicles of destruction that they seek to stamp out. Source: Miller, Arthur. THE CRUCIBLE. Dramatist Play Service, 1982.

The Relationship Between Attitudes Towards Academic Dishonesty Essay e

The Relationship Between Attitudes Towards Academic Dishonesty, Infidelity, and Normalization of Unethical Behavior According to the work by McCabe (1999), academic dishonesty (e.g., cheating on a test) in educational institutions (i.e., high school, college) is considered a norm by some students. Furthermore, some students believe that it is up to adults (i.e., parents, teachers) to deal with the issue of academic dishonesty. These attitudes towards academic dishonesty are representative of one issue schools deal with in our society regarding students. Attitudes towards academic dishonesty do not just affect the classrooms they, also translate to other areas of students’ lives. For instance, Estep and Olson (2011) found a positive correlation between attitudes towards academic dishonesty and attitudes towards infidelity. This finding suggests that if students approve of cheating on a test they are more likely to approve of cheating on a partner. However, Estep and Olson point out that it is easier for a student to cheat on a test than on a partner because an instructor is less likely than a partner to confront the student. In other words, there seems to be no consequences when cheating on a test in comparison to cheating on a partner. In his study, McCabe explains that students portrayed teachers as adults who enabled them to cheat because they do not discourage the behavior. For instance, one student in the focus group conducted by McCabe mentioned that there are rules regarding plagiarism, but most of the time they are not enforced. Similarly, in a study conducted at a university in Taiwan Chun-Hua and Yang (2011), suggest that students’ attitudes towards cheating and pressures from peers to cheat are not major influence... ...., & Olson, J.N. (2011). Parenting style, academic dishonesty, and infidelity in college students. College Student Journal, 45(4), 830-838. Hackathorn, J., Mattingly, B. A., Clark, E. M., & Mattingly, M. B. (2011). Practicing what you preach: Infidelity attitudes as a predictor of fidelity. Current Psychology: A Journal for Diverse Perspectives on Diverse Psychological Issues, 30, 299-311. doi:10.1007/s12144-011-9119-9 Hsiao, C., & Yang, C. (2011). The impact of professional unethical beliefs on cheating intention. Ethics & Behavior, 21(4), 301-316. doi:10.1080/10508422.2011.585597 McCabe, D. (1999). Academic dishonesty among high school students. Adolescence, 34(136), 681-687. Vail-Smith, K., Whetstone, L., & Knox, D. (2010). The illusion of safety in â€Å"monogamous† undergraduate relationships. American Journal of Health Behavior, 34, 12-20. doi:10.5993/AJHB.34.1.2

Broadcast commission

Children in Jamaica and the world at large are surrounded by opportunities to develop and use emergent literacy skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Based on a research conducted by the Sesame Street Media, â€Å"Once children get to 7 and 8 years, they are able to focus on activities for longer stretches of time. Their memory, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills sharpen. Children at this age are also starting to form stronger, more complex relationships outside the family, especially with same-sex peers. The power of media on the society is taken as a axis that media representations are not simply a mirror of society but rather, they are highly selective and merely an example. Therefore, active decisions should be taken at every stage of the process of producing and transmitting media material, regarding what should be included and what should be omitted and how and when a content should be presented. Possible effects such as such as violent or aggres sive behavior, substance use, sexual activity and decreased school performance are major issues.In an aid to prevent this, necessary measures need to be taken in order to mitigate these potential problems. In Jamaica there are directives that electronic media, broadcast radio and television, as well as subscriber television has to follow from the Broadcasting Commission. The Broadcasting Commission role is to monitor and regulate these industries, balancing the interests of consumers, the industries and the creative community in implementing public policy and law. Ender the Broadcasting Law and Regulation Code, there is the Children's Code for Programming. This code sets out standards for the media to rate and schedule or filter programming and provide advisories. This will assist parents and guardians to determine the types of material to which their children are exposed. The procedures in the code arise from the general principles for dealing with child audiences are detailed in t he Children's Charter for programming.According to the code, rating is an assessment of the nature of problematic material in all programming. For the broadcast, media rating will be done of all programming including newscasts, broadcasts of sporting events, music videos, programmer trailers, songs and advertisements where as for the subscriber television services rating will be carried out on each channel. Scheduling or filtering Is ensuring that programming Is only transmitted to the appropriate audience for the type of problematic material it contains.Therefore, the broadcast media programmer are scheduled so that potentially harmful material is not transmitted at times when children can reasonably be expected to be a significant part of the radio or television audiences. Subscriber television services material is filtered so that programming channels rated A or X are only available to subscribers who specifically choose to have that material in their homes. In an effort to do so they provide what is called a Watershed,' established at pm daily.This is a time each day, after which a programming might become increasingly adult oriented. Advisories are information about the nature and make informed choices about what type of programming children in their care are exposed to. For example: According to the Broadcasting Commission, on radio aired between 7:mama and 8:1 Sam, material reviewed song, â€Å"All my ladies if you got it let me know, she thick in her hips, colder than a month licking her lips; a bad ‘matchlocks'. Apple looking so right. She makes me want a piece. I give it to her all night, she doesn't want to leave†.They found this as being offensive sounding words, as it presents a distasteful language, sexual content and it is in Breach of Watershed, (February 6&20 2009 Directives and Children Code). Therefore, it is in the best interest of the Broadcasting Commission that obscene and indecent programming is constitutional, because of t he compelling societal interests in protecting children from potentially harmful programming and supporting parent's ability to determine the programming to which their children will be exposed to at home.In a speech presented by Chairman of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica, Hope S. Dunn on July 14, 2010 at the Pegasus Hotel, he stated that, â€Å"Regarding the enforcement of the Children's Code for Programming, there has been significant progress in the quality of the output on electronic media nationally. This is evident from the Commission's Complaints record for the period April 2009 to March 2010, the Commission received sixty-nine (69) complaints. This was a decrease of forty-seven percent (47%) when compared to the previous period.On the other hand the Media Association of Jamaica in partnership with the Press Association of Jamaica has reduced a Code of Ethics for Journalists to create a higher basic standard of journalism across the industry and to improve transparen cy and redress by media houses in the public interest. There is always that time in a media practitioner's career, when he or she would end up at a crossroads where an ethical decision has to be made between right and wrong.Often times, ethical choices are hard to make, but at the end of the day a decision has to be made. Professionals in various fields make choices not Just in a systematic way but most importantly in an ethical manner. With that being said, the press association of Jamaica code of practice, provides requirements for media practitioners to abide by, it also deals with matters of common concern among citizen as it relates to morality and the protection of fairness.Under the provision of the code media practitioners should not identify children under the age of 18 who are involved in cases concerning sexual offences, whether as victims or as witnesses or defendants in a trial. In any news report of a case involving a sexual offence by an adult against a child, the chi ld should not be identified. The adult may be identified if such identification would not cause the identity of the child to be revealed. In cases of incest, for the purposes of the protection of the identification the child, the term ‘incest', where applicable, should never be used.

Symphony No in Cm

There are many similarities between Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor and Mozart Symphony no. 40 In G Minor. For example, both works have extremely recognizable motives. These works have been played on commercials, In advertising, and in places most people can't even pinpoint. One of the main reasons is that these works carry strong motives that reoccur both rhythmically and melodically throughout the pieces. The opening four notes to Beethoven's work may possibly be the most recognizable in all of music history.Throughout this entire piece, you hear the repetition and imitative polyphony of these four notes resounding throughout every section. The French horns bellow this motive during the development section, which creates a grandiose feeling Into the next section. Mozart Is not quite as demanding in his use of these motives, but rhythmically speaking it is very present. The repeating rhythm of two eighth notes and a stressed quarter note can be heard all throughout. They both use harmonic minor to ensure a stronger V to I resolution.Without this â€Å"raised† note, the progression Is Just not as convincing. They both depict the new style of Classical music by employing more dynamics; the long crescendos In the building string lines create a more dramatic effect when reaching the climax of the phrase. Where as they both use the V to I cadence for a driving effect, Beethoven uses the diminished chord very effectively in some of his abrupt stops. The listener is left totally in suspense as to what will come next. Beethoven's use of a motive Is unfailing.Almost every phrase Is an answer or imitation either directly reciprocating the previous melody or rhythm In every orchestral section. This creates more of a sense of urgency to get to the end of the lines. He also uses his orchestra a bit more effectively. From the opening sequence of notes bowed with severity in the low octaves of the stringed instruments, the listener is left with a feeling of inte nsity about the piece. Mozart orchestration sounds a bit more â€Å"light and airy. † He uses many scales and runs that resemble a â€Å"nicer sound almost from the Baroque era.It reminds me of listening to contrapuntal lines from a Bach Fugue; the virtuosity Is there, but the passionate and emotional feelings are Mozart use of the brass section is not as big and pompous as Beethoven's is. French horns really stand out in Beethoven's work; It gives a more poignant sound that is different from the driving string sections. Whereas horns cannot be nearly as virtuosic in running lines, it is extremely effective to use them to bolster the grand theme heard. However, both composers utilize their woodwinds sections effectively.With the opening themes primarily driven by strings, they both translator towards the middle of the pieces to sweeter melodies carried by the flutes and clarinets. Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 In C Minor resonates more with me than does the other piece. It defi nes the minor tonality more distinctly and makes it more of a moody piece, which I prefer more. I like his string writing more than that of the Mozart piece. I really enjoy hearing the basses come above the top of the ensemble ND dominate the sections.This, of course, may be why I am a bass player at heart. I chances for a change in emotion. In movie scores, they use the big fully diminished chord spelled out in the entire orchestra as a suspense hanger; he does the same thing in these giant crescendos and immediate stops. At one point, the piece modulates into its relative major which creates a sense of completion. Mozart doesn't do this; it sounds like a series of scales and runs that never comes to full fruition of a climax.

Battle of New Orleans in the American Civil War

Battle of New Orleans in the American Civil War The capture of New Orleans by Union forces occurred during the American Civil War (1861-1865) and saw Flag Officer David G. Farragut run his fleet past Forts Jackson and St. Philip on April 24, 1862 before capturing New Orleans the following day. Early in the Civil War, Union General-in-Chief Winfield Scott devised the Anaconda Plan for defeating the Confederacy. A hero of the Mexican-American War, Scott called for the blockade of the Southern coast as well as the capture of the Mississippi River. This latter move was designed to split the Confederacy in two and prevent supplies from moving east and west. To New Orleans The first step to securing the Mississippi was the capture of New Orleans. The Confederacys largest city and busiest port, New Orleans was defended by two large forts, Jackson and St. Philip, situated on the river below the city (Map). While forts had historically held an advantage over naval vessels, successes in 1861 at Hatteras Inlet and Port Royal led Assistant Secretary of the Navy Gustavus V. Fox to believe that an attack up the Mississippi would be feasible. In his view, the forts could be reduced by naval gunfire and then assaulted by a relatively small landing force. Foxs plan was initially opposed by US Army general-in-chief George B. McClellan who believed that such an operation would require 30,000 to 50,000 men. Viewing a prospective expedition against New Orleans as a diversion, he was unwilling to release large numbers of troops as he was planning what would become the Peninsula Campaign. To obtain the needed landing force, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles approached  Major General Benjamin Butler. A political appointee, Butler was able to use his connections to secure 18,000 men and received command of the force on February 23, 1862. Fast Facts: Capture of New Orleans Conflict: American Civil War (1861-1865)Dates: April 24, 1862Armies Commanders:UnionFlag Officer David G. Farragut17 warships19 mortar boatsConfederateMajor General Mansfield LovellForts Jackson St. Philip2 ironclads, 10 gunboats Farragut The task of eliminating the forts and taking the city fell to Flag Officer David G. Farragut. A long-serving officer who had taken part in the War of 1812 and Mexican-American War, he had been raised by Commodore David Porter following the death of his mother. Given command of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron in January 1862, Farragut arrived at his new post the following month and established a base of operations on Ship Island off the coast of Mississippi. In addition to his squadron, he was provided with a fleet of mortar boats led by his foster brother, Commander David D. Porter, who had the ear of Fox. Assessing the Confederate defenses, Farragut initially planned to reduce the forts with mortar fire before advancing his fleet up the river. Rear Admiral David G. Farragut. US Naval History and Heritage Command   Preparations Moving to the Mississippi River in mid-March, Farragut began moving his ships over the bar at its mouth. Here complications were encountered as the water proved three feet shallower than expected.  As a result, the steam frigate USS Colorado (52 guns) had to be left behind. Rendezvousing at Head of Passes, Farraguts ships and Porters mortar boats moved up the river towards the forts. Arriving, Farragut was confronted by Forts Jackson and St. Philip, as well as a chain barricade and four smaller batteries. Sending forward a detachment from the US Coast Survey, Farragut made determinations on where to place the mortar fleet. Confederate Preparations From the outset of the war, plans for the defense of New Orleans were hampered by the fact that the Confederate leadership in Richmond believed that the greatest threats to the city would come from the north. As such, military equipment and manpower were shifted up the Mississippi to defensive points such as Island Number 10.  In southern Louisiana, the defenses were commanded by Major General Mansfield Lovell who had his headquarters in New Orleans. Immediate oversight of the forts fell to Brigadier General Johnson K. Duncan. Supporting the static defenses were the River Defense Fleet consisting of six gunboats, two gunboats from the Louisiana Provisional Navy, as well as two gunboats from the Confederate Navy and the ironclads CSS Louisiana (12) and CSS Manassas (1). The former, while a powerful ship, was not complete and was used as a floating battery during the battle. Though numerous, the Confederates forces on the water lacked a unified command structure. Reducing the Forts Though skeptical about their effectiveness in reducing the forts, Farragut advanced Porters mortar boats on April 18.  Firing non-stop for five days and nights, the mortars pounded the forts, but were unable to completely disable their batteries. As the shells rained down, sailors from USS Kineo (5), USS Itasca (5), and USS Pinola (5) rowed forward and opened a gap in the chain barricade on April 20. On April 23, Farragut, impatient with the bombardments results, began planning to run his fleet past the forts. Ordering his captains to drape their vessels in chain, iron plate, and other protective materials, Farragut divided the fleet into three sections for the coming action (Map). There were led by Farragut and Captains Theodorus Bailey and Henry H. Bell. Running the Gauntlet At 2:00 AM on April 24, the Union fleet began moving upstream, with the first division, led by Bailey, coming under fire an hour and fifteen minutes later. Racing ahead, the first division was soon clear of the forts, however Farraguts second division encountered more difficulty. As his flagship, USS Hartford (22) cleared the forts, it was forced to turn to avoid a Confederate fire raft and ran aground. Seeing the Union ship in trouble, the Confederates redirected the fire raft towards Hartford causing a fire to break out on the vessel. Moving quickly, the crew extinguished the flames and was able to back the ship out of the mud. USS Hartford (1858). US Naval History Heritage Command Above the forts, the Union ships encountered the River Defense Fleet and Manassas. While the gunboats were easily dealt with, Manassas attempted to ram USS Pensacola (17) but missed. Moving downstream, it was accidentally fired upon by the forts before moving to strike USS Brooklyn (21). Ramming the Union ship, Manassas failed to strike a fatal blow as it hit Brooklyns full coal bunkers. By the time the fighting ended, Manassas was downstream of the Union fleet and unable to make enough speed against the current to ram effectively. As a result, its captain ran it aground where it was destroyed by Union gun fire. The City Surrenders Having successfully cleared the forts with minimal losses, Farragut began steaming upstream to New Orleans. Arriving off the city on April 25, he immediately demanded its surrender. Sending a force ashore, Farragut was told by the mayor that only Major General Lovell could surrender the city. This was countered when Lovell informed the mayor that he was retreating and that the city was not his to surrender. After four days of this, Farragut ordered his men to hoist the US flag over the customs house and city hall. During this time, the garrisons of the Forts Jackson and St. Philip, now cut off from the city, surrendered. On May 1, Union troops under Butler arrived to take official custody of the city. Aftermath The battle to capture New Orleans cost Farragut a mere 37 killed and 149 wounded. Though he was initially unable to get all of his fleet past the forts, he succeeded in getting 13 ships upstream which enabled him to capture the Confederacys greatest port and center of trade. For Lovell, the fighting along the river cost him around 782 killed and wounded, as well as approximately 6,000 captured. The loss of the city effectively ended Lovells career. After the fall of New Orleans, Farragut was able to take control of much of the lower Mississippi and succeeded in capturing Baton Rouge and Natchez. Pressing upstream, his ships reached as far as Vicksburg, MS before being halted by Confederate batteries. After attempting a brief siege, Farragut withdrew back down the river to prevent being trapped by falling water levels.

Coca (Cocaine) History, Domestication, and Use

Coca (Cocaine) History, Domestication, and Use Coca, the source of natural cocaine, is one of a handful of shrubs in the Erythroxylum family of plants. Erythroxylum includes over 100 different species of trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs native to South America and elsewhere. Two of the South American species, E. coca and E. novogranatense, have potent alkaloids occurring in their leaves, and those leaves have been used for their medicinal and hallucinogenic properties for thousands of years. E. coca originates from the montaà ±a zone of the eastern Andes, between 500 and 2,000 meters (1,640-6,500 feet)  above sea level. The earliest archaeological evidence of coca use is in coastal Ecuador, ca 5,000 years ago. E. novagranatense is known as Colombian coca and it is more able to adapt to different climates and elevations; it first up in northern Peru beginning about 4,000 years ago. Coca Use The ancient method of Andean cocaine use involves folding coca leaves into a quid and placing it between the teeth and the inside of the cheek. An alkaline substance, such as powdered wood ash or baked and powdered seashells is then transferred into the quid using a silver awl or pointed tube of limestone. This method of consumption was first described to Europeans by the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who met coca users when he visited the coast of northeastern Brazil, in AD 1499. Archaeological evidence shows the procedure is much older than that. Coca use was part of ancient Andean daily life, an important symbol of cultural identity in ceremonies, and used medicinally as well. Chewing coca is said to be good for relief of fatigue and hunger, beneficial for gastrointestinal illnesses, and said to ease the pain of dental caries, arthritis, headaches, sores, fractures, nosebleed, asthma, and impotence. Chewing coca leaves also is believed to ease the effects of living in high altitudes.   Chewing more than 20-60 grams (.7-2 ounces) of coca leaves results in a cocaine dose of 200-300 milligrams, equivalent to one line of powdered cocaine. Coca Domestication History The earliest evidence of coca use discovered to date comes from a handful of preceramic sites in the Nancho Valley. Coca leaves have been direct-dated by AMS to 7920 and 7950 cal BP. Artifacts associated with coca processing were also found in contexts dated as early as 9000-8300 cal BP. What is the AMS dating method?What does cal BP mean? Evidence for coca use has also been from in caves in the Ayacucho valley of Peru, within levels dated between 5250-2800 cal BC. Evidence for coca use has been identified from most cultures in South America, including Nazca, Moche, Tiwanaku, Chiribaya and Inca cultures. According to ethnohistoric records, horticulture and use of coca became a state monopoly in the Inca empire about AD 1430. The Inca elites restricted use to the nobility beginning in the 1200s, but coca continued to widen in use until all but lowest classes had access at the time of the Spanish conquest. Archaeological Evidence of Coca Use Nanchoc valley sites (Peru), 8000-7800 cal BPAyacucho valley caves (Peru), 5250-2800 cal BCValdivia culture (3000 BC) of coastal Ecuador (may represent long-distance trade or domestication)Peruvian coast (2500-1800 BC)Nazca figurines (300 BC-AD 300)Moche (AD 100-800) pots illustrate a bulging cheek, and coca leaves in gourds have been recovered from Moche tombsTiwanaku by AD 400Arica, Chile by AD 400The Cabuza culture (ca AD 550) mummies buried with coca quids in their mouths In addition to the presence of coca quids and kits, and the artistic depictions of coca use, archaeologists have used the presence of excessive alkali deposits on human teeth and alveolar abscesses as evidence. However, it isnt clear whether abscesses are caused by coca use, or treated by coca use, and results have been ambiguous about using excessive calculus on teeth. Beginning in the 1990s, gas chromatography was used to identify cocaine use in mummified human remains, particularly the Chirabaya culture, recovered from the Atacama Desert of Peru. The identification of BZE, a metabolic product of coca (benzoylecgonine), in hair shafts, is considered ample evidence of coca use, even for modern-day users. Coca Archaeological Sites San Lorenzo del Mate (Ecuador), 500 BC-AD 500, adult male interment with excessive calculus deposits on his teeth, an associated decorated shell spatula and a small bowl-like deposit of an alkali substance (probably once in a gourd)Las Balsas (Ecuador) (300 BC-AD 100). Cal receptaclePLM-7, Arica site in coastal Chile, 300 BC, coca kitPLM-4, Tiwanakoid sites in Chile with a bag full of coca leavesLlullallaco, Argentina, Inca period child sacrifices exhibited coca consumption prior to death Sources: Bussmann R, Sharon D, Vandebroek I, Jones A, and Revene Z. 2007. Health for Sale: The Medicinal Plant Markets in Trujillo and Chiclayo, Northern Peru. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 3(1):37.Cartmell LW, Aufderheide AC, Springfield A, Weems C, and Arriaza B. 1991. The Frequency and Antiquity of Prehistoric Coca-Leaf-Chewing Practices in Northern Chile: Radioimmunoassay of a Cocaine Metabolite in Human-Mummy Hair. Latin American Antiquity 2(3):260-268.Dillehay TD, Rossen J, Ugent D, Karathanasis A, Vsquez V, and Netherly PJ. 2010. Early Holocene coca chewing in northern Peru. Antiquity 84(326):939-953.Gade DW. 1979. Inca and colonial settlement, coca cultivation and endemic disease in the tropical forest. Journal of Historical Geography 5(3):263-279.Ogalde JP, Arriaza BT, and Soto EC. 2009. Identification of Psychoactive Alkaloids in Ancient Andean Human Hair by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Archaeological Science 36(2):467-472.Plowman T. 1981 Amazonian co ca. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 3(2-3):195-225. Springfield AC, Cartmell LW, Aufderheide AC, Buikstra J, and Ho J. 1993. Cocaine and Metabolites in the Hair of Ancient Peruvian Coca Leaf Chewers. Forensic Science International 63(1-3):269-275.Ubelaker DH, and Stothert KE. 2006. Elemental Analysis of Alkalis and Dental Deposits Associated with Coca Chewing in Ecuador. Latin American Antiquity 17(1):77-89.Wilson AS, Brown EL, Villa C, Lynnerup N, Healey A, Ceruti MC, Reinhard J, Previgliano CH, Araoz FA, Gonzalez Diez J et al.  2013. Archaeological, radiological, and biological evidence offer insight into Inca child sacrifice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110(33):13322-13327.

Why have the courts adopted the principle of proportionality for Essay

Why have the courts adopted the principle of proportionality for reviewing acts of public authorities that interfere with human rights - Essay Example European courts have a propensity to use this taxonomy. There are many precincts on the exercise of power, which contain the concept of proportionality in their build. The European Convention on Human Rights Act, article 10, gives restrictions on the freedom of expression, if it is indispensable in a self-governing state. The courts construe this to imply that freedom of expression can be limited only if there is a vital public need and if the extent of limitation is in proportion to the magnitude of the public need. However, the article does not give matters that need to lay in poise leading to a contest between courts and politicians, since the point in time of the Romans and Greeks. The notion for the control of use of civic authority is that of irrationality or unreasonableness. Cooper (2002) argues that the concept of proportionality is at the spirit of the European legal organization and more and more a familiar key component of the rule of law. It employs a methodical advance to legal review in use by a public authority restricting a basic right. Ellis (1998) states that English judges have held the view that proportionality is a feature of the concept of legal appraise known as irrationality or Wednesbury unreasonableness. Both doctrines aim to permit a court to analyze the poise struck by a civic power between competing benefits, and to insert restrictions on the extent of such a review. The doctrine of proportionality and rationality may overlap in three ways. Primarily, the principle of proportionality needs the evaluating court to evaluate the equality of the poise, which the public authority thumps, and not just its rationality. In the Strasbourg, case law, the degree of positive reception permissible to states indistinct the importance of this disparity despite the fact that the difference is real. In X Y and Z v United Kingdom (1997) 24 EHRR 143, ECHR where a female –to-male transsexual filed a complaint that English law denied