Thursday, October 31, 2019

To what extent are outcomes determined by current public health policy Essay

To what extent are outcomes determined by current public health policy for children affected by parental substances abuse satisfactory in the UK - Essay Example Likewise, people who have been casualties of kid misuse or who have been brought up in neediness are more at danger (Sora, 1997). Despondency and low respect toward oneself additionally can prompt substance ill-use. At the point when individuals, kids and teenagers particularly, start to have companions who use medications or acknowledge medication use as the "standard", they are more inclined to create substance ill-use issues themselves (Magill, 2011). Children are affected badly when their parents are involved in substance abuse. Many of the researches have shown that the kids go into depression and even they become victims of substance abuse (Straussner & Fewell, 2006). Another issue which can be highlighted in this case is that, when their parents are involved in substance abuse, the children are unable to enjoy their childhood days and tend to lose on it as they have to take up to early responsibilities of supporting themselves or even their family for that matter (Barlow, 2010). There are various organizations in various countries such Children 1st in Scotland. There have been various approach improvements lately planned to endeavour to handle the issue of parental substance misuse, and the issues brought on by medications and liquor all the more by and large (Kar, 1999). Archives, for example, the Scottish Officials direction, Getting Our Necessities Right, and the Activity Anticipate Liquor Abuse (2002) have attempted to recommend system to working with individuals who abuse substances. More exertion is required to concentrate on keeping individuals from getting to be entangled in this society, and helping the individuals who are at danger of substance misuse refocus on supporting their families (Fisher & Roget, 2009). Making decisions about the best interests and future well-being of a child is complex. Every youngster and their

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Mans Existence Defined by Being and Nothing Essay Example for Free

Mans Existence Defined by Being and Nothing Essay I. Introduction What makes a person alive? Should existence be defined simply by a persons biological and physical ability to move and breathe? Is existence proven by the mere physical presence of a living person? Philosophers down the ages have advanced many theories of how human existence is defined. Some have advance theories based on the establishment of being after the fulfillment of a lifes purpose. Others opined that a persons fear or experience of dread and nothingness defines existence. Some however believe that it is a combination of these yin/yang forces that define human existence. II. Discussions on Existence, Being and Nothingness People are defined as human beings in Biology.   It is what separates humans as a specie from animals.   But shouldn’t the word â€Å"human† be enough? What is the significance of the verb â€Å"be?†   Several theories have been advanced to define the tangible things one sees in life but as philosopher Martin Heidegger noticed, they have forgotten to ask what to â€Å"be† really is (Philipse. 1998. p18). The question of what defines human existence has intrigued philosophers over the ages. Theories have gone beyond the basic qualification of life as the simple and obvious ability to move and breathe. Existentialism however, puts forward the more abstract concepts of defining one’s being as influenced by boredom, freedom, commitment and alienation (Warnock.1970.p.4).   It separates the human existence into â€Å"being† and â€Å"nothing.† What makes a human a â€Å"being†? According to Heidegger, a de-constructional view of existence is necessary to include the essence of humans being as opposed to the classical thought of the obvious and therefore unexplored being (Philipse, 1998.p.3). One of Heidegger’s main influences, Edmund Huserll (Grimsley.1960.p.37) said that philosophy should be described in the context of human experience and goals.   People do and live in accordance with one â€Å"plan† or goal.   Heidegger modified this with his theory of â€Å"care,† (Cochrane. 1956. p112) which, simply stated means that a person’s priorities or what he or she considers important defines their existence.  Ã‚   For him, it is the motivation and the individual needs that define a person’s existence and thus shapes them into what they are. In his work â€Å"Being and Time,† Heidegger created the representation â€Å"Dasein† of the individual that seeks to answer the question as to why he exists.   He states the Dasein is â€Å"thrown† into a world of possibilities and responsibilities, and to account for his existence, the Dasein must take responsibility for all these possibilities (Cochrane, 1956 p. 136). Another philosopher who advances the notion of a reality governed by consciousness, Rene Descartes in his â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy† states that in human existence, the only thing that cannot be doubted is consciousness.   Reality can have many illusions, but a human being’s consciousness is constant which therefore makes it the only truth (Snooks, 1998.p 26). The famed German philosopher George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (Stace,1955. p. 44) summed it up in the statement â€Å"the rational alone is real† which presented the idea that everything can and will only be expressed in rational categories His various works reflected methods predominantly rooted in logic According to Hegel,   the degree of comprehension of concepts is only limited or expanded by the standards of knowledge a person possesses and the level of society he belongs to (Stace,1955. p. 46)   . The ideas of existentialism contradict this. The definition of a person’s existence is not dependent on rational thinking but rather their individual â€Å"beings† in the world they were born in.   Reality in reference to one’s existence is subjective. In Sartre’s â€Å"Being and Nothingness,† he defines the actuality of man’s ideal of completion as the fulfillment of state of â€Å"Being† while nothingness is the failure or lack of this actuality (Schilpp. 1997.p.48) Like Hegel, Sartre also used the concepts of â€Å"Being† in terms of â€Å" in itself†, â€Å"for others†, and â€Å"for and in itself.†   Unlike Hegel however who defined these as organizational thought processes and logic in the individual, Sartre stated these terms with definitions done to identify and qualify the subjective and objective facets of human existence. Regarded as the â€Å"Father of Existentialism,† and one of Hegel’s greatest critics, Soren Kierkegaard (Malantschuk, 2003.p.11 )was a Danish philosopher who proposed that it is an individual’s feelings such as dread and anxiety that lead to making choices that define a person’s life. Kierkegaard believed that the difference between an individual’s self-perception of being and nothingness stems from the â€Å"individuality† of a person and that includes emotions and passions. A persons existence therefore, is brought about by his fears. He cites a parallel of faith and atheism.   In his theories that were viewed as anti-organized religion, Kierkegaard states that for a person to be able to â€Å"make a leap of faith,† one must first have doubt. Otherwise, one may not be able to differentiate faith from everyday emotions. In the same way, Being cannot exist without â€Å"Nothing† and vice-versa (Malantschuk, 2003.p.90) Kierkegaard also advanced the   paradoxical theory of the Concept of Dread (Ussher, 1968.p. 52). According to Kierkegaard’s concept of Dread, it is only when one has experienced total misery that one can recognize and experience life and living. Only by being a sacrificial Isaac would he recognise himself for the beloved of Abraham: and no miracle (he knew in the end) would intervene. (Ussher, 1968.p. 27). It is not unusual in today’s times to hear the maxim â€Å"You never know what you have unless you’ve lost it.†Ã‚   The misery or anxiety at the thought of losing something makes one realize how much value they have truly assigned to something. The thought of this is echoed in German journalist Helmut Kuhn’s â€Å"Encounter with Nothingness: An Essay on Existentialism† (1949): The question of existence is urged upon us chiefly by our interest. We raise it when we care for the existence or the nonexistence of something. When darkness closes down, we do get excited about the existence of light (Kuhn, 1949) Immanuel Kant presented a style of inquiry that takes to consideration the physiological and empirical facets of a person’s state of Being. Kant believed that an introspective approach was necessary for one to understand and make sense of ones own being (Kant, 1965). Sartre, one of the strongest critics of Kantian theory argues that the notion that human emotions are insignificant and occasional â€Å"situations† that occur of an individual’s behavior is unacceptable. Moreover, emotion must not be considered as a set of empirical facts gained through introspection or as a corporeal phenomenon , but rather as an organized form of human existence   (Schilpp, 1997.p.13) As a person’s existence and state of â€Å"Being† are subjective, so is the definition of â€Å"nothingness.† The lexicon meaning of the word â€Å"nothing† is given as â€Å"1 : not any thing : no thing; 2 : no part;   3 : one of no interest, value, or consequence† In philosophy however, despite the many theories that sought to define existence, the definition of the word nothing seems to be universal.   It simply means failure to attain a state of Being through lack of fulfillment and failure at the attainment of purposes or goals. III. Summary The human being and existence is a complex and paradoxical concept.   All the concepts are true in a sense, but were never really complete in describing or pinpointing the meaning of life. Different schools of thought range from describing human existence in a mathematical sense then evolving into the more abstract consideration of complex human emotions. Classical philosophy in its rational and logical basis, says it is Mind over matter. Sartre, Hegel and Heideggers philosophies are summed up in the End justifies the Means. Kierkegaards neurotic view of the existence as a result of anxiety and dread is summed up in You dont know what you have until youve lost it. IV. Conclusion Given the many points of view advanced, there remains a constant, and that is recognition of the human free will. It is the will that makes a choice that rational, experiential or pessimistic, influences the End that defines and justifies a persons existence. A persons experience of past and present in addition to his perception of what the future could be are subjective.   The significance people place on certain things is also subjective.   Reactions are subjective.   Life is subjective.   One can choose to define existence in the manner of different philosophies. However, it is important to note that these schools of thought are not rules that encompass every persons experience of life.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Oil Platforms Case Study

Oil Platforms Case Study The Oil Platforms Case The Rule of Force in International Law I. Introduction This paper relates to the Case Concerning Oil Platforms (Islamic Republic of Iran v. United States) of the International Court of Justice and its decision on the same delivered on November 6th, 2003. The dispute is related to a series of events that occurred during the Iran-Iraq war 1980-1988. During the war, due to attacks on merchant shipping vessels in the Persian Gulf, the US and other states engaged in â€Å"counter-attack† by targeting two Iranian oil platforms and severely damaging them in separate incidents. The US argued that it was only responding to a perceived threat and the attacks were only in the interest of security in the region. Tehran, not buying this theory of self-defence put forth by the US, cited several violations of bi-lateral International treaties crying foul over such use force. The prohibition of the usage of force by states in engrafted in customary international law as well as in Article 2 (4) of the UN Charter. But both fall short of containing force that is used in the States exercise of the right of self-defence. The ICJ in this particular case had to assert whether the force used by the US was really pre-emptive in nature; if it was, was it proportionate. The court whilst delivering its judgment developed an interesting new theory on such use of force by a state, a theory which has only been received critically. This paper shall seek to explore this particular theory in light of the aforementioned case. It must also be noted that this being a recent judgment holds immense practical significance with regard to the US operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the troubled Baluchistan and NWFP provinces of Pakistan. To facilitate easy study, this paper has been divided into three parts; the first shall be an appraisal of the facts of the case itself, the second shall be a study of Article 2(4) and the final part will be a review judgment. II. The Facts of the Case and its Backdrop The case arose out of certain incidents during the Iran-Iraq war from 1980 to 1988. The case before the international Court of Justice revolved around the legality of the use of force with relation to two specific attacks against Iranian interests by US forces during the course of the war. The first instance was on October 19th, 1987. The US navy launched armed attacks against Irans Reshadat and Resalat oil complexes, both located in the Persian Gulf. This resulted in the complete annihilation of one of the oil platforms, whereas the other was severely damaged. As justification, the US claimed it was acting in ‘self-defence and the attack was in response to a missile strike three days prior on the Sea Isle City, a Kuwaiti tanker rebadged as a US flag-carrier in order to better ensure its safety. The second attack occurred a year later on April 18th, 1988 when US naval strikes severely damaged the Iranian Nasr and Salman complexes, nearly destroying the former. This time the US resorted to its prior justification of â€Å"acting in self-defence† again by stating that the attacks were in response to an American frigate, the USS Samuel B. Roberts, having been struck by a mine whilst sailing in international waters near Bahrain. On both instances the US notified the United Nations Security Council of its course of action in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. The Iranian Government in its Application to the court based its claims on the 1955Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Rights between the US and Iran (the Treaty), not sparing basic principles of international law. The Courts (the International Court of Justice) jurisdiction was founded on Article XXI (2) of the Treaty. Article I of the Treaty provided that â€Å"there shall be firm and enduring peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and Iran†. Article X(1) of the Treaty provided that there should be freedom of commerce and navigation between the parties territories: â€Å"Between the territories of the two High Contracting Parties there shall be freedom of commerce and navigation.† Based on Articles I and X(1) of the Treaty of Amity, Iran accused the United States of having breached the Treaty by attacking and destroying the oil platforms. It also submitted that United States â€Å"patently hostile and threatening attitude towards the Islamic Republic of Iran† was a breach of the very purpose and object of the Treaty of amity including Articles I and X(1), and principles of international law, and that the US was under an obligation to make reparations to Iran for the violation of such legal obligations. The US denied any breach of obligation with Iran under Article X(1) and replied that the attacks were necessary to protect its national security. This, according to the US, was covered by Article XX(1)(d) of the Treaty and read: â€Å"The present Treaty shall not preclude the application of measures: (d) necessary to fulfill the obligations of a High Contracting Party for the maintenance or restoration of international peace and security, or necessary to protect its essential security interests.† Also, the US, in another counter-claim pleaded unsuccessfully, claimed that Iran had violated Article X of the Treaty by attacking its vessels and laying mines in the Persian Gulf and â€Å"engaging in activities from 1987 to 1988 that were dangerous and detrimental to maritime commerce and navigation†. The US claims of military attack on merchant vessels and warships were not completely unfounded. During the from 1984 to 1988, known as the Tanker War, numerous vessels were attacked in the Persian Gulf and such attacks were perceived to be purported by the Iranian military by means of aerial attacks and the use of mines. The Llyods Maritime Information Service list noted more 546 incidents, 200 of which were directly attributed to Iran. Iran, however, directed such accusations to Iraq and claimed responsibility for none. It must be noted here that the Treaty of Amity was signed between the US and Iran back in 1955. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran and the installation of the Khomeini as the head-of-state in all practical aspects, relations between the two states soured and was particularly before the start of the Iran-Iraq war. During the revolution, the US expressed its dissatisfaction with affairs in Iran by severing all diplomatic ties with the Islamic state. The American embassy at Tehran was seiged by supporters of the Khomeini and Americans were taken hostage for a considerable period of time. Irans previous democratically regime headed by the Shah had been seen by the US as an ally; this did not go down too well with its new Government which accused the US of â€Å"over-involvement† with its internal affairs during the past regime. Further, the new government of Iran saw the inability of the Security Council to prevent and contain Iraqs invasion of Iran in September, 1980 as the result of an anti-Iran bias in the Council and even in the UN as a whole. Under such circumstances, the Iranian regime saw the increasing presence of American forces in the Persian Gulf as a perceived threat to its interests resulting in the attacks. Ergo, this conflict was not completely unpredictable; nor was it unavoidable as it had been on the offing for a while. In this respect, the Security Council had failed to check the rising tension between the two states. As a body whose primary task is maintaining world peace and stability it had failed to contain such a conflict which could have been resolved had it played a more active role in mediation between the states. III. Article 2(4) The Blind-spot Article 2(4) of the UN Charter reads: This provision of the Charter however, finds itself lacking and is ill-equipped to handle a rather important aspect international armed conflict. Its blind-spot it has no provisions for prohibition of military threats or the threat of use of force. The ambit of article 2(4) is limited to actual use of military force and â€Å"threats† to impose economic or political sanctions are beyond it. According to the general scheme of the UN charter, a violation of Ar. 2(4) may be justified only on two grounds recourse to self defence and authorisation by the UNSC. This brings us to the moot question Are states free to reciprocate to threats when no armed attack has actually occurred? This question has been left unanswered and its outcome the many wars fought even after the UN Charter was adopted. Two perfect examples of such a situation arose in Europe in August, 1914, the beginning of the First World War and again during the Second World War. The question before a nation is whether to ignore the military threat or to issue a counter-threat. In such a situation when one party is advantaged by overwhelming military threat, the threat involved will become lopsided and there will not be any real escalation or build-up of bilateral tension. Any country will always place self-defence on a higher footing as compared to a policy of self-restraint considering the demands of national security. The prohibition on the use of force is found both in customary international law and, as stated above, in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. According to the UN Charter a state is not allowed to use force as a response to any intervention that falls short of an armed attack. The criterions established for the exercise of such retaliatory force include requirements that the force used must be necessary to repel the armed attack; it must be absolutely unavoidable and the force used must be proportionate. The Nicaragua decision [Case Concerning Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. USA)] echoed this principle. Article 51 carrying forward from Article 2(4) too recognizes states right to act in individual and collective self-defence if an armed attack is suffered by any member-state of the UN. Under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, force may also be used to preserve or restore international peace and security in accordance with decisions of the UN Security Council. In the Nicaragua case, the Court rejected US arguments that US support for military and paramilitary activities in and against Nicaragua could be justified on a basis of collective self-defence. These activities included certain activity of the contras in Nicaragua, including specified attacks, secret mine-laying, and a trade embargo imposed by the US against Nicaragua. The Court found the United States was in breach inter-alia of its obligations under customary international law not to intervene in the affairs of another State, not to violate the sovereignty of another State, not to interrupt peaceful maritime commerce and not to use force against another State. The US had also violated bilateral obligations to Nicaragua under a 1956 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation between the United States of America and the Republic of Nicaragua. In the Nicaragua case the US chose not to appear before the Court during proceedings on the merits of the case. The Courts jurisdiction was founded on the United States 1946 declaration of acceptance of the Courts jurisdiction under Article 36(2) of the Statute of the Court, as well as on the bilateral 1956 Treaty. IV. The Judgement The approach taken by the International Court of Justice in the Oil Platforms case was controversial. In respect of Irans claim, the Court decided to address the question of whether the US attacks on Iranian oil platforms fell within Article XX(1)(d), before moving on to considerwhether there had been a breach of Article X(1) as requestedby Iran. In examining the application of Article XX(1)(d) the Courtdecided to focus on whether US recourse to force had been consistentwith international law on self-defence. The Court reasoned that evena provision protecting national security interests could not have beenintended to sanction the use of force inconsistently with relevant internationallaw. The Court proceeded to find that the US had exceededthe boundaries of international law on the use of force, and this disposedof the US claim that it was protected by Article XX(1)(d). In this way, the case centred on the illegality of the usage of force by the US. Recalling the discussion Article 2(4), the Court found that the US had failed to produce enough evidence to prove an Iranian â€Å"armed attack† in the case of the Sea Isle City and the Samuel B. Roberts. The evidence furnished by the US was so inconclusive that the Court did not discount the possibility of the attacks being carried out by Iraq. The Court noted that the Sea Isle City, at the time of the attack, was in Kuwaiti waters and the missile was launched on to it from a distance of over a hundred kilometres. The target of the missile, considering the great distance, could not have been pre-determined and it could have been intended to strike just about any target in Kuwaiti waters. With regard to the impugned mine-laying activities of Iran, the Court was again discontent with the evidence provided. There was no conclusive evidence to prove that the mine struck by the USS Samuel B. Roberts was indeed an Iranian one. The region at that time was in a state of turmoil. Both parties were engaged in mining the conflict zone and merely because the impugned mines bore numbers matching an Iranian series, Iran can not be held guilty. Whilst leaving room for speculation with the issue of the origin of the mines, the Court felt that even if they had actually been of Iranian origin, the US attacks on the Salman and Nasr complexes were unjustified. Recalling the Nicaragua decision, the Court opined that the Iranian attacks, if at all they were Iranian, did not qualify as â€Å"the ‘most grave form of the use of force† and the US can not claim the defence of â€Å"inherent right of self-defence†. The US contended that the oil platforms were being used as military bases by Iran and were being used for the collection and reporting of intelligence on passing vessels. In this regard too, the Court found the American evidence lacking. Even if the accusations against Iran had been true, the Court opined that the attacks made on the platforms could not have been justified as acts of self-defence. The criteria for claiming the defence of ‘self-defence had been established by the Court while acting in its advisory role in the case of Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons; they were â€Å"necessity† and â€Å"proportionality†. The US had failed to make out a sufficient cause on both grounds. The Court noted that the attacks on the platforms were not ‘necessary as a response to the attacks on the American vessels and the US admitted to have attacked them as a â€Å"target of opportunity† and not as pre-determined military targets. While the US attack on the Reshadat and Resalat complexes might have been considered proportionate if it had been found to be necessary, the Court made clear its view that the US attack on the Salman and Nasr platforms could not be regarded as meeting the criterion of proportionality. Although the Samuel B. Roberts had been severely damaged it had not been sunk and there had been no loss of life. The Court concluded that as the US attacks on the Iranian oil platform were not consistent with these requirements of international law on self-defence they could not be found to fall within the protection of Article XX(1)(d) of the Treaty of Amity. Only at this point did the US get some reprieve when the Court turned to the Iranian accusation of the US having breached Article X(1) of the Treaty of Amity by interfering with the freedom of commerce and navigation between the territories of the two parties. The Court found that Iran had failed to establish that the US had breached Article X(1) on the occasion of either of the attacks at issue. In respect of the first US attack, on the Reshadat and Resalat platforms, the Court reached this conclusion primarily on the basis that these platforms had been put out of commission by earlier Iraqi attacks and were not producing oil at the time. Therefore there was no interference with commerce in oil. In respect of the second US attack, on the Salman and Nasr platforms, the Courts reasoning was that the US had already stopped all direct oil imports from Iran under an embargo imposed by Executive Order. Therefore, no interference with commerce in oil had resulted from this second attack. T he Court emphasised that Article X(1) applied only to protect freedom of commerce and navigation between the territories of the two parties, and its protection did not extend to indirect commerce in oil that continued despite the embargo via the territories of third parties. Accordingly, neither of the US attacks on the Iranian Oil Platforms was found to have interfered with freedom of commerce in oil. The US counterclaim against Iran likewise failed because none of the affected vessels was engaged in commerce or navigation between the territories of the two parties. Summing the case, in its dispositif at the end of its judgment, the Court stated that, by fourteen votes to two, it: Finds the actions of the United States of America against Iranian oil platforms on 19 October 1987 and 18 April 1988 cannot be justified as measures necessary to protect the essential security interests of the United States of America under Article XX, paragraph 1(d), of the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Rights between the United States of America and Iran, as interpreted in the light of international law on the use of force; finds further that the Court cannot however uphold the submission of the Islamic Republic of Iran that those actions constitute a breach of the obligations of the United States of America under Article X, paragraph 1, of that Treaty, regarding freedom of commerce between the territories of the parties, and that, accordingly, the claim of the Islamic Republic of Iran for reparation also cannot be upheld. V. Comments The Oil Platforms case is of immense significance in present times in light of the growing military activities of the US in the Middle East, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, its detractors criticise the judgment by stating that it laid too little importance on the aspect of trade and commerce and the role it plays in armed conflict. This can not be ignored completely; after all, most battles are fought with a hidden economic interest for atleast one of the parties. The dissenting judges opined that the Court let pass an opportunity for more lengthy engagement with significant questions associated with the effects of armed conflict on trade and commercial activity. But, this cases primary focus was the use of force and in the opinion of the researcher it has done absolute justice in establishing its principle. The conditions of â€Å"necessity† and â€Å"proportionality† have not only been reinforced by the Court but also been developed to address the growing concerns of armed conflicts between states. As the future of Afghanistan and Iraq unfold before us and American interest in Irans affairs rises, the contribution of the judgment in the Oil Platforms case can not be ignored. It shall be the judge in assessing US activities in the region and will assist in developing the yard-stick of the usage of force. In a way future military activities of the US and other NATO allies will be moulded by it, ensuring a more secure world. Bibliography Harris D.J., Cases and Materials on International Law, Sweet Maxwell, London, 6th edition. Goodrich Leland, Hanbro Eward, Simmons Anne, Charter of the UN: Commentary Documents, Oxford University Press, 3rd edition. Sturchler Nikolas, The Threat of force in International Law, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007. General List No 90, I.C.J. Reports 2003 Sturchler Nikolas, The Threat of force in International Law, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007. See the Courts Order dated 12th December, 1996. Judgment of the Court, para 23. Counter-Memorial of the United States, Exhibit 9, referred to in the Separate Opinion of Judge Kooijmans, para 11. See the Courts Judgment of 24 May 1980 in the Case Concerning United States Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran. Judgment of the Court, para 23ff; Separate Opinion of Judge Kooijmans, para 5ff. Goodrich Leland, Hanbro Eward, Simmons Anne, Charter of the UN: Commentary Documents, Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, p. 49. Supra n.2 Sturchler Nikolas, The Threat of force in International Law, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007. General List no.70, Judgment of the Court of 27th June, 1986. Ibid. Judgment of the Court, para 61. Ibid., para 72. Ibid., para 64. Judgment of the Court, para. 71. Judgment of the Court, para. 64. Judgment of the Court, para. 74. ICJ Reports 1996 (I), p. 245, para.41. Judgment of the Court, para. 76. Judgment of the Court, para. 77. Judgment of the Court, para. 92ff. Judgment of the Court, para. 94ff. Separate Opinion of Judge Higgins para 51.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Enzymes in Brewing Industry :: essays papers

Enzymes in Brewing Industry Bioengineering Research Paper Enzymes are catalysts or proteins that are produced by a living cell, but in process are independent of the cell itself. There are two types of enzymes i.e 1) Cell Independent enzymes 2) Non-enzymic enzymes Enzymes are long chains of amino acids held together by peptide bonds. They exist in all living cells, usually controlling the metabolic process whereby nutrients are converted into energy. Enzymes are also catalyst, this mean that enzymes can speed up chemical processes that would normally move very slowly. Enzymes unfortunately don’t last forever they have limited stability or lifespan when they have completed their function in the chemical reaction. Science shows that enzymes work on raw material. Fruit, cereal, milk, beer or wood are some typical products for enzymatic conversion. Enzymes are specific, they usually break down or synthesize one particular compound, and in some cases enzymes limit their actions to specific bonds in the compound with in which they react. An example gluconases is one of the many enzymes used in beer brewing. This enzyme is used in industrial applications of brewing beer and is a very efficient catalyst. It breaks down the wheat and converts the carbohydrates into sugars that speed up the reaction in the aspect of the beer’s fermentation. Enzymes need certain types of conditions to operate, these conditions are usually mild in the areas of temperature and acidity. Many enzymes function around 30Â º- 70Â ºC and their acidity are usually around neutral(ph 7). Enzymes are very important to industrial processes, enzymes they are energy saving and also protect the lifespan of equipment used in processes and also having to buy special equipment resistant to heat, pressure or corrosion. Industrial enzymes can be produced in an ecological way, one of the main ways enzymes can be produced industrially is to culture enzymes in vats. Man has been exploiting enzymes in nature unknowingly for centuries. Also for thousands of years the beer brewing processes of many countries has relied heavily on barley malt. In this period of time barley was malted without brewers understanding what happen to the barley during the malting process. The idea back then was good beer couldn’t be made without malted barley. The unknown

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Business leadership: Skills that Take to be a Good Leader

People often refer to leadership as a skill that a certain person has.   It is a kind of skill in which a particular person can make other people follow him without skepticism.   However, if leadership is â€Å"properly† defined, it is a process of accomplishing things through a person who influences people to work and deliver what it is that is to be delivered.   In addition, since not all goals that are set will be successful, leadership is an adventure.   In reaching goals, the person leading must think of various ways to accomplish all the things that they want to accomplish for there are times that they will fail due to an erroneous decision, or an error on the method or approach that they used.   When they fail, they are back to the starting point and will work on again by analyzing what went wrong and by formulating a new plan minus all the points that caused their failure on their first trial.Nowadays, people should be fully aware of the definition of leaders hip since this is particularly crucial and very prominent in every setting – from school, workplace, government, among others.   However, there are still people who are not familiar about what leadership really is; as said before, it is regarded as a skill that one possess that is why a particular person can make other people follow him of her. Moreover, it is assumed to be a quality or characteristic of a person.   Only a lesser portion of the population knows that leadership is a process that requires several skills and specific qualities from a certain person in order for him to be able to influence the people who works under him towards the achievement of a goal.Anyone can become a leader just as long as they develop the skills that are needed; moreover, anyone can lead even though they are not the president of the country, a coach of the team or a captain of a ship.   In other words, anyone can be a leader when the situation calls for him or her to lead others.   You do not need any badge or a prestigious office in order to be a leader.   However, if you are a leader you are not similar to a boss in every sense.   Bosses are usually known to be the people who always boss others and push people around. In contrast, if you are a good leader, you are not doing these things to the people under you.   Then again, a leader and boss may be synonymous if the latter does things by influencing empowered and effectual people.Leadership can take place anywhere and one particular venue is in the business sector.   In order for a certain business to work and succeed, there should be a number of people who will exert effort and do all the needed actions and tasks.   However, these people will not be able to work in a proper manner without someone who will lead them; otherwise, each would just do everything in his own way.   Business leaders or owner leaders should lead them on the right track on the way to success; he should provide everything that his team or employees will need, and also offer responsibility. The leader’s view of his employees will affect the decisions to be made throughout the process of accomplishing the goals, they should be aware of the responsibilities that they need to fulfill – the kind of responsibilities that employees are expecting to be fulfilled by their leader.A leader in a business establishment, like any other leader, has to deal with two things: the job at hand and the group he should lead.   These two aspects are essential in the process of leading a business entity; if there is a group but there is no job, a leader is not needed. The case is the same if there is a job but there is no group to carry it out.   The leader can also only tell if he led in a right way if they got the job done and, at the same time, the group is still held together.   If the job was done but the group was dissolved, the accomplishment and success are both useless because the leader who to ok charge of the job was not a good leader.   Any person who wants to be a good leader should know that getting the job done is not the only thing that matters.When it comes in being an effective leader in the business sector, one should have the important leadership skills, namely: honesty and integrity, competence and credibility, forward looking and visionary, inspiring and motivating, and good communication skills.   These five sets of skills are very significant in succeeding in any organization, wether the team is within the business arena or not.Honesty – meaning to be true and trustworthy – and integrity – which connotes acting in a just and honorable manner – are very essential skills in being a leader.   Your team should be able to trust you because without trust nothing will be accomplished.   Trust is the key to any effective employer-employee relationship.   In addition, all your actions must be logical and rational, not based on im pulse and sudden outburst of emotion but on the principles that you believe in.   Though being honest, most of the times, cause trials to the person who practices it, it is better to be truthful all the way so that your team will trust and follow you for they will believe that all you will say are true whether those words are positive or not.   For an instance, if an employee delivers an unsatisfactory job, you should tell him in all honesty that you are expecting or needing something more that what he had presented. While the employee may feel bad the criticism may help him do things better, and will contribute to having a quality result in the end.The next set of skills are competence and credibility; competence talks about being appropriate to a certain job or task while credibility refers to being reliable and trustworthy.   If a person wants to be a leader, he or she should be competent to lead other people; he or should have the capacity to influence and convince the tea m about the things to do and the decisions to be made.   Being a leader demands a lot of responsibility and comes with a lot of pressure, a person in order to lead must be able to keep his composure whenever the situation gets out of hand and stressful, otherwise, he, along with the team, will go downhill.In addition, this person should have all the abilities, experience and expertise to lead, these factors will lead to being trustworthy for when the people he or she will lead see that he or she knows what he or she is talking about and he or she has the full grasp of the goal and all the situations then they can trust him to lead them.   Just like when reading a book about new innovations in the medical world, people will only buy and believe it if the person who wrote it is an expert. In as similar vein, a leader should have enough background about the task at hand so that the people will see if he or she definitely knows what he or she is talking about as a subject matter exp ert.Thirdly, a leader should be forward-looking which means he or she should has his or her eyes on the things that might take place in the future, this is a necessity in order for the leader and the team to be prepared and alert of what is to come whenever they make a decision.   The leader should be the first to see the consequences of each of their actions and consequences in order to avoid mistakes and failures; he should evaluate and study every situation and option presented to him or her carefully before choosing and making a final decision.   Additionally, being a visionary is also important, with this characteristic, a leader has a specific and precise vision of what he wants in the future, it is here that the goal is formulated and this vision is what will keep them on track.   If the leader has a vision to have his company the leading business firm in the country, all of his actions, decisions and moves will all be towards this vision, without any kind of vision, th en there is no goal at hand to be achieve; thus, there is no reason to work at all.Subsequently, a leader should be inspiring and motivating.   Inspiration and motivation are two important factors in order to have a drive to work, a leader should inspire and motivate his team to work for the goal they want to achieve.   An effective leader should not only give his or her team the things they have to do but also the reason why they should do them, he or she should provide them the purpose of their tasks and, of course, their goal.   Inspiration and motivation are very important each and every one of us; an athlete cannot get himself to perform his best when he lost his motivation and a writer would not be able to write a bestselling novel without any inspiration.   As a leader, you should remind your team to believe in themselves, this also means that you must have the drive, determination and spirit for these are what you need to motivate them.Last but not the least is that a leader must have good communication skills.   In order to lead, a leader must communicate to his team for that is the only way for him or her to deliver them the instructions, to give them inspiration and motivation, to be honest to them, to convince them that he is credible to lead, and to share to them his vision.   Good communication skills and leadership go on together, if you can be a good communicator, you will be able to express yourself very well, both thoughts and feelings.   You have to establish good and effective communication with your team in order to convey not only words but also meanings.   In addition, if you become an effective communicator, you will be able to project a confident and sincere image that people likes to see in a leader.   You should maintain good communication with your team; otherwise, you and each of your employees will draw into isolation which will bring negative effects on the business because it can cause in making wrong decisions .In the next four or five years, I would want to develop these skills in order to contribute to my success, particularly, honesty and integrity, competence and credibility, and good communication skills.   These three set of skills are, in my opinion, the most essential in becoming an effective leader, for that reason, these are the skills that I will focus on developing in the next four to five years.   Honesty and integrity are very important because it is through these that trust can be build and establish.   Developing honesty is not easy because humans are subject to lie most of the time intentionally and unintentionally due to their nature.One particular reason why we lie is because we do not want others to be hurt that is why we resolve to saying â€Å"white lies†, however, in the business realm, these lies and other kind of lies should be avoided because covering negative things with such will affect the result of the job.   In order for me to develop honesty, I must learn to say truthful things and also learn the proper way to address them especially those negative matters so that people would not be hurt and for them to see for themselves the aspects that they could work on the aspects they should work on.   On the other hand, to develop integrity, I should learn to focus on my principles and be able to control myself in order to act rationally not based on my impulse and sudden emotional outburst.   Through this, I will be able to avoid acting unjust and harsh towards other people.The next competence I want to develop is competence and credibility.   To develop these two, I must gain a lot of experiences in order to expand my competencies and credibility.   I must learn to take responsibility for a lot of things, and to handle different kinds of situation and, as well as, pressure in order for me to be considered as competent.   In addition, I should acquire the necessary qualities and attributes such as charisma, communicat ion skills, confidence, and responsibility to be competent enough to be a leader.   On the contrary, in order to be credible, I need to study the things I need to learn regarding the task at hand, since I am planning to enter business, I must equip myself with the appropriate knowledge on how the business world works and about the certain business I would enter to so that my team will look at me in a way that I perfectly know what I am talking about and what I want to happen.  Lastly, I would want to develop my communication skills because I believe that communication is the most important thing between the relationship of an employer and an employee.   Without good communication skill, I would not be able to convince them to work for me, I would not be able to share them my vision and the plans that I have in order to achieve our goals, and I would not be able to tell them what I have in mind or if they are doing the right thing.   It is only through communication that will I be able to inspire and motivate them to do the things we have to do.   Most relationships fail due to lack of good communication, which is why for me this is the most essential skill in becoming an effective leader.My team should always hear me out in reminding them of our goals and in briefing our plans. Without communication, they would not do the things they have to do and worse, they will just move according to their own way.   If that happens, the job would not be accomplished and the group will not stay intact.   The process of leadership can only be considered a success if the job was done and the group still stays together as a cohesive team.Some of the most influential leaders in the history have all the five important leadership skills, especially the three that I have chosen.   Queen Elizabeth II of the Great Britain held the British monarchy and institution with a steady hand which is why they remained solid throughout the time she was placed in the throne, sh e understood the needs of reforms and even opened her accounts to the public in order for them to see that they are one with the people when it comes to decreasing the costs of their lifestyle.Then there is also Arnold Schwarzenegger who was elected as the governor of California, people may raise their eyebrows or have already raised them when he ran and won the election, but he is a visionary and this was evident on the economic policies that he have imposed on California in order to reduce the effects of global warming, he is also the one responsible in restoring the state’s environment – he have reduced the pollution in air and water, and even restored the habitats for the animals.   All these measures were done for his vision of making California acquire electricity on natural sources like wind, biomass and sun by the year 2020.Likewise is in the case of President Hu Jintao of China, who aims to get through the economic and social tensions rising in the country t hat was brought by the country’s growth for he wants to build a society living in harmony.   He was the one responsible of China’s rapid growth in the international world economically; he also radiates an aura of a knowledgeable, intelligent and confident leader.   Also, if there is anyone who had a lot of pressure and stress in leading, it could be Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City who needed to rebuild the city that never sleeps after the unforgettable nightmare of â€Å"9/11† – this is what competency is about.While in the world of business, Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft from the year 1975, dominated as the world’s most influential business leader.   He has the kind of determination that he used in his leadership that led to the change of the face of programming and information technology.   Dropping out of Harvard University did not seem to become a waste as he is now one of the world’s richest men.   And there is also Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, who is responsible for today’s most hyped gadgets.Being a leader is not impossible for anyone of us, we may be born with the potential leadership skills, and all we have to do is to develop them to become an effective leader. The five sets of skills I have discussed are really important to become an effectual leader.   Leaders should be honest to everyone including himself; he should have integrity, the competencies and credibility to become one. He should provide inspiration and motivation to give his followers the drive to work. He should be forward-looking and should be a visionary to be prepared and focus of the future. Lastly, he should be a good communicator to convey all of these to his team.   Being a political leader or a business leader necessitates all these skills; one may just need to adapt one’s focus as applicable in the setting where one is expected to lead.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

All About Red Maple Trees and Where to Plant Them

All About Red Maple Trees and Where to Plant Them Red maple is the state tree of Rhode Island and its Autumn Blaze cultivar was selected 2003 Tree of the Year by the Society of Municipal Arborists. Red maple is one of the first trees to show off red flowers in the spring and displays a most magnificent scarlet fall color. Red maple is a fast grower without the bad habits of fast growers. It quickly makes shade without the compromise of becoming brittle and messy. The most endearing ornamental characteristic of red maple is fall color including red, orange, or yellow which  sometimes on the same tree. The color display is long lasting over several weeks and often one of the first trees to color up in autumn. This maple puts on one of the most brilliant displays of any tree in the landscape with a great variety of  fall colors with variable intensities. Nursery developed cultivars are more consistently colored. Habit and Range Red maple transplants easily at any age, has an oval shape and is a fast grower with strong wood and grows into a medium-large tree of about 40 to 70. The red maple occupies one of the largest eastern north-south ranges in North America- from Canada to the tip of Florida. The tree is very tolerant and grows in nearly any condition. These trees are often much shorter in the southern part of its range unless growing next to a stream or on a wet site. This maple tree is far superior to its Acer cousins silver maple and boxelder and just as fast growing. Still, when planting the species  Acer rubrum, you would benefit by  selecting only varieties which have been grown from seed sources in your area and this maple may not do well in the southernmost USDA Plant Zone 9. The beginning of  leaf buds, red flowers, and unfolding fruits indicate that spring has arrived. The seeds of red maple are quite popular with squirrels and birds. This tree can sometimes be  confused with red-leaved cultivars of Norway maple. Strong Cultivars Here are some of the best cultivars of  red maple: Armstrong: Grows in all 50 states, has attractive silver-gray bark, columnar  in shape, spectacular  red to orange to yellow leaf color.Bowhall:  Grows in all 50 states,  somewhat pyramidal shape, very similar to Norway maple, red to orange to yellow leaf display.Autumn Blaze: Plant zones 4-8, hybrid of silver maple and red maple. Identification of Red Maple The leaves: deciduous, opposite, long-petioled, blades 6-10 cm long and usually about as wide, with 3 shallow short-pointed lobes, sometimes with two smaller lobes near the base, dull green and smooth above, lighter green or silvery beneath and more or less hairy. The flowers: pink to dark red, about 3 mm long, the male flowers are fascicled and the female flowers are in drooping racemes. The flowers are functionally male or female, and individual trees may be all male or all female or some trees may have both types, each type on a separate branch (the species technically polygamodioecious), or the flowers may be functionally bisexual. Fruits: winged nutlets (samaras) in a pair, 2-2.5 cm long, clustered on long stalks, red to red-brown. The common name is in reference to the red twigs, buds, flowers, and fall leaves.   From the  USDA/NRCS Plant Guide Expert Comments It is a tree for all seasons that develops into an attractive yard specimen under a great range of soil and climatic conditions. -Guy Sternberg, Native Trees for North American LandscapesThe red, red maple. Native to the wet soils of Americas eastern half, it has become one of the Nations favorite- if not the hardiest- street trees. -Arthur Plotnik, The Urban Tree BookReddish flowers appear in early spring and are followed by red fruit. The smooth gray bark is quite attractive, particularly on young plants. -Michael Dirr, Dirrs Hardy Trees and Shrubs P